Teaser Tuesday - 9/1

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

This week my teaser is from "Pale Fallen Angel" (Vampire Hunter D, Volume 12) by Hideyuki Kikuchi

"An hour had passed since they came down from the hill. Savaged by the monster cloud and the flood, nearly half of the landscape had been erased, and it was less than three hours before the group was swallowed by the blue mountain that lay ahead of them." Pg. 127

Mailbox Monday - 8/31

Mailbox Monday is a weekly Meme that can be found at:
The Printed Page

At first I thought this week was going to be a slow one for books. But that was before I went to Half Price Books and stumbled into a huge clearance bundle of books I have been wanting to read; 6 books for $4 how can you beat that? So this week there were some Amazon Vine books, a Paperbackswap.com book, and a lot of books I got from Half Price Books.

From Paperbackswap.com:

I have been wanting to read this series, so I am slowly collecting the books. This is the third book in the series. Here is the first sentence: "The wolfship was only a few hours from Cape Shelter when the massive storm hit them."

From Amazon Vine:

I was really excited to get this book. It is the second book in the Hunger Games and was a wonderful book. I've already read it and reviewed it here. Here is the first sentence: "I clasp the flask between my hands even though the warmth from the tea has long since leeched into the frozen air."


I always wanted to read "The Adventures of Fan Boy and Goth Girl". Well now that I have the sequel to the book from Amazon Vine, I have a reason to get that book and read it :-) Here the first couple sentences: "My mother and I both spent a lot of time in hospitals. Unlike her, I survived."

From Half Price Books:


I have been wanting to read these two books for a while. The premise just sounds interesting. When I found them for 50 cents each, it was just too good of a deal to pass up! Here's the first sentence from "Bar Code Tattoo": "Outside Rain drummed against the window." Here's the first sentence from "Bar Code Rebellion" : "Kayla stood just inside the side door of the deli by the Garrison train station."


This is another older series that I have been interested in reading. I got the first, second, third, and fifth book together in a clearance bundle for $3. Another deal I couldn't pass up. Here is the first sentence of the first book: "Part of the problem, Nita thought as she tore desperately down Rose Avenue, is that I can't keep my mouth shut."

So, once again, my weakness for good book deals leaves me with a lot to read. I think that's a good thing though :-)

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, Book 2) by Suzanne Collins (5/5 stars)

I have been waiting for this book since I read the ARC of the first book last year. I was so excited to get an advanced reader's copy of this second book that I was literally bouncing in place; and this book didn't disappoint! It was a wonderful book, as wonderful as the first book if not more so. Between reading these books, I went back and read all of the Underland Chronicles by Colllins. It is interesting because you can see how her writing has matured, her characters have gained depth, and her plots become more intricate.

This book picks up shortly after where the last book left off. Katniss and Peetra are getting ready to go on their victory tour of all of the districts. Shortly before they depart President Snow pays Katniss a visit. He knows the romance between her and Peeta was a farce, at least for Katniss. Snow warns that Katniss better convince the Capital that the actions she took to save Peeta were out of love and not rebellion; if he remains unconvinced, then her family will be the ones to pay. As Peeta and Katniss embark on their tour, Katniss realizes she has unwittingly become the focus of rebellion. As she realizes how deep the ramifications of her and Peeta's actions during the last Hunger Games were, she wonders if there is anyway she can convince Snow that she wasn't trying to turn the Districts against him.

This was a wonderful book. The plot is more complicated and entangled than the first book in the series; and this made it an even better book. Katniss and Peeta remain wonderful characters that you can really feel for and relate too. There are a ton of new, interesting characters introduced. Collins does an excellent job of making the characters well-rounded. It is hard to hate any of them, even if you may not like them sometimes. The plot plows forward at such a fast and griping pace that it is very hard to put the book down. I really wanted to stay up all night reading this book. At the same time it was such a good story that I never wanted it to end!

I really don't have anything negative to say about this book. I loved it! It was fast-paced, engaging, intriguing, and all around wonderful. The hardest part was finishing it, because I wanted to read more. Now I am desperate to read the last book in the series! This is a great series and I think people of all ages and readers of all genres should give it a go; you won't be disappointed.

Cast in Silence (Chronicles of Elantra, Book 5) by Michelle Sagara (3/5 stars)

This is the fifth book in the Chronicles of Elantra series by Sagara. Originally Sagara was contracted for five books, but it looks like that's been extended to eight books total. This was definitely not the best book in the series. It was still a good read, but at times I was really bored.

In this book Kaylin is sent to investigate some strange goings on in the fiefs. For once her journey doesn't take her to the fief of Nightshade, but to the fief of Barren where Kaylin lived out 6 months of her life that she would rather forget and has never shared with anyone. Kaylin, Severn, and the dragon end up finding more about the dark heart of the fief than they had ever imagined.

There was a lot of good stuff in this book. You learn more about Kaylin's past and more about the fiefs. In fact the majority of the story takes place in the fiefs. I liked this a lot since the fiefs have kind of remained a mystery. You also learn more about the dark heart of the fiefs, about the dragons as a race, and about Nightshade's past. I really like Nightshade as a character so more info about him was a good thing. Overall the book was well-written, but there were quite a few things that bothered me.

So...on to the things I didn't like. Severn was mostly present as a place holder for most of the book. In fact there were many scenes where he was supposedly in the scene but he did so little I couldn't remember if he had left the scene or not. He talked rarely and mostly just stood there and let Kaylin do her thing. Kaylin spent a lot of the beginning on the book talking about how awful her past in Barren was, but when it all came down to it, most of the the people around her knew most of her past and didn't care. So, I had some trouble figuring out why Kaylin made such a big deal about all of that.

The story was going along okay until they got into the scene where they enter the Tower the first time. Then the book really starts to drag and get pretty darn boring. I had a lot of trouble enjoying the second half of the book because it just went too slow. I also get a little sick of the fact that Kaylin always seems to be exhausted and stressed out about everything. I was also a little surprised, that Kaylin doesn't even have a second of time to deal with her relationships with Severn and/or Nightshade. She kind of ignores them most of the time. I guess with Nightshade I can understand that since he has all the time in the world, but I was surprised Severn's role was so truncated.

Overall it was an okay read. I think all the things that we learn about the fiefs and the origins of the Empire outweigh the bad pacing and whiny Kaylin; but I really was bored the last half of the book. I am still interesting to see how things pan out in the next book, now that we know more about the heart of the fiefs. So, I will read the next book, but I will get it from the library.

Waiting on Wednesday 8/29

Okay "Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

This week my WoW book is "Kitty's House of Horrors" by Carrie Vaughn. This is book 7 in the Kitty Norville series and I have been enjoying this series a lot. Last I heard there were only seven books planned for this series, so this may be the last one. I am not sure if that has changed.



Kitty's House of Horrors (Kitty Norville, Book 7)
Pages: 336 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: January, 2010

From Paperbackswap.com: "Talk radio host and werewolf Kitty Norville has agreed to appear on TV's first all-supernatural reality show. She's expecting cheesy competitions and manufactured drama starring shapeshifters, vampires, and psychics. But what begins as a publicity stunt will turn into a fight for her life. The cast members, including Kitty, arrive at the remote mountain lodge where the show is set. As soon as filming starts, violence erupts and Kitty suspects that the show is a cover for a nefarious plot. Then the cameras stop rolling, cast members start dying, and Kitty realizes she and her monster housemates are ironically the ultimate prize in a very different game. Stranded with no power, no phones, and no way to know who can be trusted, she must find a way to defeat the evil closing in... before it kills them all."

Sounds like a lot of crazy fun to me!

Phliberty-Jibbets by William Moore (3/5 stars)

The author contacted me and asked if I would read this novel. I said "sure!" since I love reading and am always up for free books. Overall it was an okay children's book. I think younger children would enjoy it more than older children; although it deals with some issues that relate to older children (not being popular at school, etc.)

Ima Jean Snodgrass is not popular at school, her mom is busy and doesn't spend much time with her. After one of the most horrible days at school so far, she is walking home when she sees a new store that she hasn't seen previously; Phliberty-Jibbets. In this store she meets Phliberty, and he will grant one adventure a day for her as long as she doesn't tell anyone outside of the store about Phliberty-Jibbets. Unfortunately her adventures are cut short when the mad scientist who creates the wonders in the store kidnaps one of the store's namesakes.

This story is based around a premise that kids will love. There are also a number of very creative and fun characters in this book. While the book starts out feeling a little awkward, the author finds his stride as Ima Jean gets deeper into the adventures at Phliberty-Jibbets.

There are a couple things that bothered me about this book. I was a bit disappointed that Ima Jean didn't get to go on more really cool adventures early on in the book; I was also disappointed that her first adventure was so...well...unadventurous. I talked to the author about it and he says this was to show how downtrodden Ima Jean was as a girl. I agree that it definitely serves that purpose.

I was also a bit disappointed that all of the wonderful characters introduced in the beginning of the book disappeared in the second half of the book. The characterization was definitely the strong point of this novel and I wish the author had capitalized on that strength a bit more. Again, I discussed this with the author and was assured that these characters do have larger roles in future books of this series.

Lastly the book ends with the main story line unresolved. I am not a fan of books that end that way, but that is a personal preference. I usually like an author to wrap up the main story points and have a over-arcing storyline that flows through multiple books in a series.

In summary; there are some really neat characters in this book. The author really finds his stride as he gets into the adventure sequences. The story is well-told; if somewhat predictable. I think younger children will enjoy this book. I think adults who like to read children's books and older children might find it a bit predictable. Overall I thought it was an okay book. I think the the next book holds potential to be even better.

Grip of the Shadow Plague (Fablehaven, Book3) by Brandon Mull (5/5 stars)

The third book in the Fablehaven series was just as wonderful as the second book. I really love this series, I cannot believe how action packed they are and how creative.

In this book Kendra is summoned to join the Knights of the Dawn; she ends up on an expedition to recover another artifact from a secret preserve. Seth is angry at being left behind, until he ends up embroiled in adventures of his own. Somehow creatures at Fablehaven are turning dark and evil, even creatures that have never had an evil form. The Shadow Plague is spreading at an alarming rate and Seth needs to figure out what is going on before Fablehaven is completely destroyed.

Things are more dire and desperate than ever in this book. The new characters introduced in this book are wonderful additions (don't worry all the wonderful characters from the last book are still there too!). The addition of Gavin as a dragon tamer and a possible love interest for Kendra was wonderful; he is a great character with really interesting abilities. The plot gets even more complicated as the levels of deceit within the Knights of the Dawn are realized. There is so much at stake in this book and things get so desperate; I had a really tough time putting this book down! There were points where this book almost had me in tears I was so concerned for everyone and points where I was grinning wildly in relief. As with the previous book, Mull lightens things up occasionally with a biting sense of humor.

It was nice that Seth started to develop some special abilities of his own. Although Kendra still takes center stage for much of the book with her abilities as Fairykind. Overall I was really impressed. Mull continues to develop wonderful plot lines, intriguing characters, and gives his world greater and greater depth. Younger kids might get scared at some parts of this book, as things get very dire in this book. Still, I think most children and adults will really enjoy this series. I can't wait to see what book four brings!

Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor (4/5 stars)

This was one of those silly books that I just saw and thought "I have got to read that!" This book was better than I expected, not quite as silly, and more interesting.

Toby is kind of your typical geek; and with his best friend out of town for the summer, he feels like the best thing to do with his time is get a job. Well he gets one at Killer Pizza. When he shows up for his first day of training he is surprised to find that the most popular girl in the school, Anabel, is also working there...as well as a tough older kid that goes by the name Strobe. Toby loves the food channel and is really digging making pizza, but he shortly finds out that the pizza shop is just a front for something else, a monster hunting group, and they want to recruit Toby. Will Toby make the final cut as a monster hunter?

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but it exceeded my expectations. The book is well-written, action packed, and a super easy read. Toby makes an interesting character as a food channel loving geek with hiding depths of monster kicking abilities. In fact all of the characters are quirky and interesting; Strobe, is nick-named that because his personality goes from dark to light quickly and Anabel is a rich popular girl determined to "make it on her own" by working a job for a company her father doesn't own.

The action was non-stop, the story was interesting and engaging. Overall it was a quirky and fun read. Kids and adults alike will enjoy this one. The violence wasn't over the top and the story wasn't all that scary, but it was still fun. This is one of those books that I enjoyed, but I probably won't keep around. I would recommend it if you want a darkly humorous, light read. It actually has more depth to it than I was expecting, so much that I will keep Taylor on my list of authors to watch. I hope that his future books are just as entertaining!

Mean Streets by Jim Butcher, Simon Green, Kat Richardson, and Thomas Sniegoski (4/5 stars)

This included four novellas by wonderful authors. I was very excited to read both Butcher's and Green's stories since I love those series. I also was interested in reading Richardson's and Sniegoski's series since I really want to read those series. Overall I found the stories I expected to like were nothing special; the best of the bunch was Sniegoski's "Noah's Orphans." I think I was a bit disappointed with this book because I expected it to be really awesome.

The Warrior by Jim Butcher
This story was about Michael and Harry trying to keep Michael's family safe from someone who wants to steal the two Holy Swords that Harry has been keeping hidden. Overall the story was okay, but seemed a bit tired to me. It was interesting to hear a bit more about why Harry has the holy swords. As a huge Dresden fan, I didn't think this was the best Dresden story I've read but it was kind of interesting. (4/5 stars)

The Difference a Day Makes by Simon Green
This novella was set in the Nightside. John Taylor and Dead Boy were the main characters and are approached by a woman who wants Taylor to find a days worth of memories that she's lost. I realize that not everyone reads the Nightside series so a lot of the back story stuff was necessary. Still, a lot of the general description of the Nightside was taken word for word from other books. John Taylor spent a lot of the story ranting about how dangerous the Nightside is. I also didn't think that the characters were very engaging. Even Dead Boy was kind of disengaged for most of the story. An okay Nightside story but nothing awesome here. (3/5 stars)

The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog by Kat Richardson
I have been interested in starting to read Richardson's Greywalker series. I was hoping this novella would give me some insight on how I would like her as a writer. This was another okay story but was nothing spectacular. Harper gets a black dog statue from an old woman's will; the old woman wants her to put the statue on a grave in Mexico and Harper doesn't know why. Of course there is more involved than Harper originally thinks. I thought Harper's ability to see into the Grey was kind of interesting, but not all that creative (reminded me of many other character abilities). The plot of the mystery got a bit confusing with a whole bunch of names involved where the reader never meets the people. Definitely not an action heavy series. Again an okay story, but didn't sell me on the Greywalker series as something I will love (3/5 stars)

Noah's Orphans by Thomas E. Sniegoski
I have also been interested in reading Sniegoski's first Remy Chandler book "A Kiss Before the Apocalypse". This story was a Remy Chandler story and gave me a great feeling for Sniegoski's writing style. In this story Remy is approached by a dark angel who tells him Noah (yes, the arc guy) has been murdered. There is more to the story though Noah was trying to save the race that existed before humans, the race that God sent flooding to wipe out. It looked like God may have not succeeded though. Remy has to embrace his angelic nature against his will to solve Noah's mystery and possibly save humanity.
This was a great story. I couldn't believe how complex and interesting all of the characters were. The plot line was mysterious, interesting, and intricate. Remy was a character that I wanted to know more about. In my opinion this was the best story in the book and saved this anthology from being mearly blah. Great story, may offend the zealously religious though. (4/5 stars)

Monday - Weekly Book Haul

Got a few more books this week. Most of them were from the library. I love my library! Here's the list.

From Paperbackswap.com:

This was actually offered through Amazon Vine but I wasn't quick enough to get a hold of a copy. Luckily I got a copy through paperbackswap.com. It looks like a pretty good book. Here is the first sentence from it: "The sun sets so quickly in Howland that the people who live there have no word for evening."

Bought:

I have really been liking all the Chris Wooding books I have read. So far I've read Poison and Storm Thief; both very good books. So when I saw this at half price books; I grabbed it. First sentence: "His knee breaks sideways beneath my foot, but I've clutched his head and cracked his neck before he really registers the pain."

From Library:

The most recent book in the Chronicles of Elantra series. Originally this was supposed to the last book in the series, but Sagara is now contracted for three more books in this series. I was trying to get it through paperbackswap but got sick of waiting. First sentence: "It's eight o'clock in the morning. Please remember to fill out your reports and hand in your paperwork."


I have been waiting to get this anthology forever. There is a Dresden Files novella in here as well as a Nightside story. First Sentence: I sat down next to Michael and said, "I think you're in danger."



The third book of the Fablehaven series. This has been an excellent series. I actually finished this book already and it was wonderful. I have the fourth book and have been impatiently waiting for the third; I finally broke down and picked it up at the library. I still want a copy for my permanent collection though. First sentence: "On a muggy August day, Seth hurried along a faint path, eyes scanning the lush foliage to his left."


Another anthology I have been dying to get my hands on. Lots of great short stories by some of my favorite authors. I am so excited to read it! First sentence (kind of lame): "The doorbell rang."

So that is it for this week! Lots of good books that I have to read before they are due back at the library. I hope you all have a good week :-)

News: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Okay so this isn't really important news. But, I needed to tell the world because I am sooo excited. I just scored an ARC of "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins from the Amazon Vine program. Granted it comes out next week; but I was so excited to see it that I was jumping up and down in my cube at work.

Don't worry my work-mates are used to me, so this wasn't that unusual. I will be reading that book as soon as I get it! I am so, so, so excited :-)

Waiting on Wednesday 8/19

Okay "Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

This week my WoW book is "The Van Alen Legacy" by Melissa de La Cruz.



After all the world shaking events that happened at the end of "Revelations", I can't wait to read the next Blue Bloods book.

The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods, Book 4) by Melissa de la Cruz.
Pages: 384
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Release Date: October 6, 2009

From Amazon.com: "With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged."

Sounds exciting to me!

Dates from Hell edited by Kim Harrison (4/5 stars)

Overall I really enjoyed this anthology. All of the stories were entertaining. My two favorites were Kim Harrison's story about Ivy and Lori Handeland's "Dead Man Dating". My least favorite story was Kelley Armstrong's "Chaotic".

-Undead in the Garden of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison
This story was about Ivy when she was dating Kisten; Mia (the banshee from "White Witch, Black Curse" is involved as well). This story helped explain some of the back story between Ivy and Mia, as well as gave nice incite into Kisten and Ivy's history. It was an engaging story and I enjoyed it; overall (4/5 stars).

-The Claire Switch Project by Lynsay Sands
This was a cute story about a girl who gets zapped by a molecular destabilizer and finds she can change shape. I liked how it was written; it was cute and funny. I have found that I like Lynsay Sands writing style, it is usually pretty funny and makes for a fun, quick read. (4/5 stars)

-Chaotic by Kelley Armstrong
This story was about a half demon girl drawn to chaos who finds other paranormals breaking the law. It was an okay story, but my least favorite of the bunch. I didn't like the female lead that much and I thought that the male werewolf lead was also a weak character. The idea of being drawn to chaos was neat, but I just couldn't get into the story. (3/5 stars)

-Dead Man Dating by Lori Handeland
This one was a pretty darn good story. It is about a woman who is using an online dating service and accidentally hooks up with a demon. The heroine was a little flighty and weak for my taste, but there was a lot of action and it was an interesting premise. The story could be a nice set up for a series; maybe we will see more of the main characters as they take on demons all over the world in another book.

Rise of the Evening Star (Fablehaven, Book 2) (5/5 stars)

This is the second book in the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull, and it was wonderful! This book was non-stop action from the beginning to the end, it was creative and interesting and a great read. Super hard to put down.

In this book Kendra is back in school and is shocked when a horrible goblin joins her class. All of her friends think that the "new kid" is a super cute boy. With the help of a dubious man, Kendra and Seth try to drive the goblin away. Only to find the Society of the Evening Star is rising and that, Kendra especially, is in more danger than ever. After school is out they end up heading back to their Grandpa's house on Fablehaven. Someone is trying to steal the secret artifact there and Kendra's grandparents have a great new cast of interesting characters to help them in their battle.

This was just a wonderful book. From the first chapter it is packed with danger and action. The new characters awaiting Seth and Kendra in Fablehaven are great additions to the story. The plot itself was interesting and masterfully written. I had a lot of trouble putting this book down. Creatures and characters from the first book join into the action in this book too. There was also a lot of humor, which lightened up some of the darker scenes. This book might be a bit scary for really young children, but overall I think most kids would enjoy it.

I was also pleased that the main story was nicely wrapped up; while the overall plot continues to deepen and thicken. By the end of the book I just couldn't wait to find out what would happen next; as the Society of the Evening Star gets more bold in their attempts to collect and control all of the secret artifacts.

Savor Me Slowly (Alien Huntress, Book 3) by Gena Showalter (2/5 stars)

This is the third book in the Alien Huntress series and I really did not like it all that much. Compared with the previous two books this one definitely fell solidly into the romance category; way too much page space was given to the main characters needing each other, owning each other, and forgetting what they were doing because they weren't together.

In this book Mishka rescues Jaxon (he appeared as Mia Snow's co-worker in the first Alien Huntress novel) from torture by Otherworlders. Mishka is a Shadow, an assassin that kills Otherworlders to protect humans. She is supposed to get information from Jaxon about a virus that a new type of Otherworlder has brought to earth. The virus turns humans into flesh-eating monsters of a sort. Of course, as you might imagine, Mishka and Jaxon hit it off pretty well. This is complicated by the fact that Mishka is part machine and her actions are controlled by a computer chip in her brain.

The characters from the first two books join Mishka in this novel. Eden and Lucuis really do not play a large role. Mia Snow plays a slightly larger role than Eden or Lucius; but mainly she is a jerk like in the first book. It would be helpful to have read the back-stories on Mia and Eden, but not necessary to understand the plot of this book. The only ray of light in this book for me was Mishka's conversations with her internal computer; some of those were a tiny bit funny.

There were so many things that I didn't like about this book I am not sure where to start. First of all Mishka isn't a strong character. She is distracted and whiny and needy almost the whole book; the only place she shines is in her kick-butt fight scenes...but those are rare. Jaxon, who I actually liked in the first book, sheds all his personality in this book and turns into an obsessed/possessive character. In fact Jaxon is just about absent of any personality outside of his unexplainable obsession with Mishka. Why are Jaxon and Mishka attracted to each other? This remains a mystery to me; I guess we are just supposed to accept that they are.

Mishka and Jaxon's obession basically destroys what could be an interesting story line. In every scene they are apart (or together) Mishka and Jaxon can't work because they are thinking about each other. The whole thing was pretty intense (not in a good way), and pretty boring to read about for 300+ pages. The plot could have been very interesting with the new alien race and viruses and all. The action scenes also weren't as prevalent in this book and were constantly interrupted by Mishka or Jaxon worrying about each other. There were a lot of sex scenes and, while they were a bit more creative than in "Enslave Me Sweetly", they still weren't all that great. I also missed the humor in this book. Both Mishka and Jaxon were 100% devoid of any humor what-so-ever and that took a lot away from the story.

The main plotline with the virus is never well resolved either. I am assuming it continues in Book 4 "Seduce the Darkness" of this series. I own book 4 and will eventually read it, but for now enough is enough. There was so much mush and needing/owning each other junk in this book that I fear, if the next one follows in this book's path, my eyes will fall out my head from me rolling them so much. After reading the first three Alien Huntress books in a row these books are also starting to feel a bit formulaic to me. Maybe I just need to clear my head with something a bit more substantial before I read another one.

Enslave Me Sweetly (Alien Huntress, Book 2) by Gena Showalter (4/5 stars)

This is the second book in the Alien Huntress series. It doesn't really use any characters from the first book; although it is in the same setting. You wouldn't have to read the first book to know what is going on, but the first book does provide some background on the world in general. I actually liked this book a bit better than the first one.

Eden is a Raka, basically a beautiful golden alien. Unlike Mia Snow (who was part of AIR); Eden Black is a Shadow, trained to assassinate Otherworlders who are up to no good. Unfortunately her first field mission to assassinate an Otherworlder who has been selling humans as slaves, goes horribly wrong. She is assigned a partner, Lucius, to help ensure that the second time around the mission goes as planned. This time though Eden isn't going in with guns blazing though; she is posing as bait. Will things go as planned or will Eden end up sold as a slave to the wrong person? Can her and Lucius keep their minds on the job and overcome their hatred (and attraction) long enough to get things done?

Eden was a fascinating character; much more interesting than Mia was and much more well-rounded. She's an assassin from a peace-loving race; she is an Otherworlder who hunts down other Otherworlders. She is strong but not annoying or bitchy like Mia was. Overall she made a great character. Lucius was a good counterpart to Eden. I liked that their relationship actually had some basis to build on; respect for each other, etc.

The story was fast-paced with great action scenes and a few red-hot love scenes. This book should please the romance crowd more than the first book; I though the love scenes were pretty well balanced with a good plot and lots of action. The story was wrapped up well at the end; no huge plot points left hanging. This was a quick read too; a good summer read.

There were a couple minor things that irritated me a little; one was Eden's instant attraction to Lucius. Overall this was a bit overdone and not really all that believable. Also though this book had more sex scenes; they were all very similar and it would have been nice to have some creativity.

Overall I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next novel in the Alien Huntress series.

News - Vampire Academy Book 5 Release Date

Okay so I know that Vampire Academy Book 4 (Blood Promise) isn't out yet, but for those of you who love this series as much as I do you'll be thrilled to know that Book 5, "Spirit Bound", is scheduled for release May 18, 2010. Book 6 is scheduled for release December 2010; although I wasn't able to hunt out a name for it.

The only bummer? Looks like books 4 and 5, at least, are being released in hardcover first! I guess Mead deserves to make more money off these books since they are so excellent, but that means I have to shell out more cash than I am used to doing :-)

Here's the link to "Spirit Bound" on Amazon.com; just in case you want to pre-order you copy a year ahead of time!

News: Movie Rights to Pike book "Wings" Opted to Disney

Okay this is probably old news to some, but Aprilynne Pike's book "Wings" has had film rights optioned out to Disney. Supposedly Miley Cyrus is set up to play Laurel. I really liked the book you can read my review of it here.

I pulled this off of the wikipedia article on "Wings" which you can go and read here if you are interested.

Also in case anyone else loved this series as much as I do. Book 2 is scheduled for a 2010 release an is titled "Spells" and book 3 will follow titled "Enchantments". Last I read there were supposed to be 4 books in the series. I hope they continue to be interesting!

Monday - Weekly Book Haul

I got another large haul of books in from paperbackswap.com. I have just been getting a ton of wishes granted. So without further ado; here's the list.

From Paperbackswap.com:


I have the first book in this series. It is more of a hard-core sci-fi book and I am looking forward to reading both the first and second book of this series.
Here is the first sentence in the book: "Where are you looking? Through a window, from a bridge, down a well, over the rainbow, out of a mouse hole, into the light?"


This was the last book in Cinda Williams Chima's Heir trilogy that I needed. I've been waiting for it for a while, I have the first book "Warrior Heir" and the third book "Dragon Heir". It is a young adult series that is supposed to be very good. Here is the first sentence in the book: "Their target was a run-down three-story building in an area of the City of London that had not yet been gentrified."


I read most of the Myth books when I was in Junior High/High School. I want to reread them all someday. So since I have the first omnibus; I figured why not get the second. I couldn't believe when I got the book from paperbackswap.com; it's brand new! The first sentence in this book is rather monotonous: "I actually like our new office facilities better than the old ones."


Okay so sometimes I just "need" a book because it is odd. Such is the case with "Killer Pizza". It is actually supposed to be very good. The lady who sent me the book said she loved it and she hopes I love it too; I am right there with her on that. Here is the first sentence, another boring one: "Toby Magill has just sat down at his desk to boot up his computer when he heard his cell phone ring."


Another young adult trilogy I have been trying to get my hands on. This is the first book of, well, three :-) The person who sent me this book also raved about how wonderful it was. Kind of weird that I got two books in a row where people cared enough to tell me how wonderful they were. This first sentence is much more active: "The first sword missed Aidan's head by an inch."


The next three books are all from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I really hope I like this series because I have all seven books now. I will start working on this series after I get caught up on all the Alien Huntress books. This is book 5. First sentence: "I am so not feeling all this cowhide."


Book 6. First sentence: "Time was not, in fact, a draining loss into the infinite."


Book7. First sentence: "The king must die."

So there you have it. Yes, my bookshelf is screaming in agony. I am not adding any more books to my wishlist until my "to be read" pile gets back down to 100 (it is at 140). The Alien Huntress series has been really good so far, despite the cheesy book title and the semi-bondage covers. I am hoping the cheesy covers and titles for the Black Dagger Brotherhood don't match the insides of the books. As I said though, I will not start reading them until I finish the current quasi-paranormal-romance series I am reading. I have four more book reviews to catch up on and I will do that later this week!

Signing off, have a great week!

Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress, Book 1) (4/5 stars)

This is the first book in the Alien Huntress series by Gena Showalter. I really liked her book "Playing with Fire". I was a bit leery about this book because...well...it's called "Awaken me Darkly" and it has a scantily clad woman in a black corset on the cover; it kind of screamed romance to me. Well, it is not a romance. It is a tightly packed paranormal crime novel, with back to back action scenes and a sex scene thrown in for good measure.

Mia Snow is part of AIR, Alien Investigation and Removal Agency. Basically she is an Alien Hunter; that takes out any aliens that are walking on the wrong side of the law. When she gets drawn into a murder case where nude males are left dead in plain site, she finds that the politics involved are extraterrestrial. When her partner, Dallas, is fatally wounded she finds that the super hunky alien Kyrin en Arr is the only on who can help him. Too bad Kyrin is the prime murder suspect, also too bad that Kyrin is the one who can help Mia unfold her dark past.

This book moved at a fast clip. The plot was tight and well-done. I really enjoy Showalter's writing style. The murder investigation and action scenes dominated the book. Anyone who picks this up thinking it's a romance will be deeply disappointed. There is some tension between Mia and Kyrin and one really hot sex scene, but that's pretty much it for romance. Overall I really liked the book. Mia's kick butt attitude reminded me of Anita Blake before she went all succubus on us. Although Mia's character could have had a bit more depth and been a bit more tempered with something other than anger; I still thought she was a pretty good lead.

I was also a little disappointed that they didn't go into more about the different aliens and their culture. Kyrin does go into Arcadian culture somewhat; but not in great depth. I also thought most of the aliens were a bit too humanoid, but well, I guess that's the author's decision.

Overall this was a very engaging and entertaining read. I liked that the story had a more sci-fi focus; it was interesting to read something paranormal-like in genre that took place in the future and with aliens. The book tied up all the main plot points but left some minor ones hanging. It doesn't look like Mia Snow is featured in the rest of the books in this series. Either way, I definitely look forward to reading the next book in the series. I am hooked on Showalter's writing style.

Fablehaven (Fablehaven, Book 1) by Brandon Mull (4/5 stars)

This is the first out of five books in this series; I have been wanting to read this series for a while. Overall I liked this book; it took a little while to get things set up but then things really took off. This book reminded me a lot of the Spiderwick Chronicles.

Kendra and Seth find themselves stranded at their grandparents' strange house after their parents get sent on a cruise. At first they think it is going to be a boring couple weeks. That is until they drink some strange milk and find themselves in the midst of fairy creatures.

This was a very creative and interesting story. All the characters are very engaging; making this a hard to put down book. It did take a while to set up the story, that made the beginning of the book drag a little bit, but once things started getting interesting they got *really* interesting. It is a book that might be a little scary for very young children but other than that it is very all-age appropriate.

I can't wait to see what Mull comes up with for the next book!

City of Souls (4th Sign of the Zodiac) by Vicki Pettersson (3/5 stars)

This is the 4th book in the Signs of the Zodiac series by Vicki Pettersson. It was my least favorite book in the series so far. Joanna is confused and is running around not accomplishing a whole lot for most of the book.

Joanna broke her changeling in the last book and because of that the Manuals of Light can't be written and the Light agents have lost all their safe zones. Needless to say the Agents of Light are in serious trouble. Warren tells Joanna that she better fix it ASAP and hints that Joanna will find her answers in Midland and that she should find the new tulpa (her doppelganger from the last book).

First for the good stuff. It was cool to learn more about Midland. It was also nice to have the doppelganger involved more. A lot of the plot elements relating to how the changelings affect the Agents' powers were really interesting.

Joanna screws up a lot in this book. Those who thought she was changing as a character in the third book will be disappointed. Even worse is the fact that many of the Agents of Light are not what they appear to be. By the end of the book I felt like there were no Agents of Light. I thought many of the characters acted very out of character; there weren't really any characters that I liked by the end of the book. The deal with Joanna and Hunter was kind of whacked; I can't say more without revealing spoilers. Also I thought it was odd how Joanna is trying to convincingly play Olivia's lifestyle in the beginning of the book but then she (kind of) forgets about being Olivia. There were some small parts where she has to "act like" Olivia; but there aren't really any repercussions for her walking out on the bachelorette party in the beginning or of her doing any other un-Olivia actions. There is one spoiler I need to address cause it irritated the heck out of me so...

SPOILER START-------------------------------------------
What was with the amount of time spent on Joanna losing pieces of her soul and powers? It seemed like it was going to play a really important part in the story; like getting her powers back was going to be a major plot point. Then at the end of the book she looses all of her powers. Well then what was the point of angsting over some small power loss. The only thing I can think of is that now she can go and get the lost power back or something like that. The way the book ended really made me wonder if this is the last book in the series.

Okay, I need to comment about Hunter and Warren too. Hunter was such a sincere character, what was the point of having him do a complete 180? Also what was the point of Warren aiding this whole twisted set-up?
SPOILER END----------------------------------------------

So overall I though the book was okay. Some of the plot line was interesting and the plot definitely twists and turns enough to keep your mind engaged (or at times just plan confused). The characters don't really act like themselves and the bizarre end to the book leaves you wondering if there will be anymore books in the series. Kind of a disappointing book but still kept my interest.

Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 9) by Charlaine Harris (2/5 stars)

This is the ninth book in the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris. It was also one of the most disappointing books in the series.

This book starts with the shapeshifters going public with their existance. Shortly after Sookie's brother's wife, Crystal, is murdered in front of Sam's bar. Everyone wants Sookie to help find the murderer. When Sookie's fairy grandfather shows up and warns her to "watch herself" because bad stuff is happening in the fairy realm; it only makes Sookie's already difficult life even worse.

I totally agree with previous reviewers that mention all the errors in this book (both story-wise and grammatical). I really expect a decently written novel; especially from such an experienced writer. Many characters in this book also acted completely out of character. Sookie seemed confused and lost the whole book. Erik started spouting out his life history in the middle of the bar (he's usually a tad more secretive about that stuff). And what is with Bill popping back into Sookie's good graces? I have had enough of Bill let's just get over him already.

Some of the scenes with the fairies were interesting. I will agree though that this was a particularly gruesome Sookie book. Multiple pregnant women are murdered and there is quite a bit of torture. Overall I just didn't like this book much. I just can't figure out where the series is going; apparently neither can Harris. The eighth book was mediocre and I was willing to give Harris a book to transition the characters into something big and new; but this book didn't start anything new.

I read the book, didn't really enjoy it all that much. I was happy when I was done with it and confused about what happened to Sookie's personality. I will probably read the next book; but I am not sure what is going on here. A lot of my favorite paranormal series (The Hollows, Anita Blake) are really sucking it up lately.

Will I read the next book? Yes, but I will get it from the library.

Waiting on Wednesday 8/12

What a fun thing to talk about books we are dying to read!


Okay "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

I have been eagerly awaiting Jennifer Rardin's next installment in the Jaz Parks series. I really love this series and am eager to see what Vayl and Jaz are up to next!

Bite Marks by Jennifer Rardin
Publisher: Orbit
Pages: 336
Release Date: October 29, 2009

From Amazon: "Jaz Parks here. But I'm not alone. I'm hearing voices in my head - and they're not mine.

The problem, or maybe the solution, is work. And the job's a stinker this time -- killing the gnomes that are threatening to topple NASA's Australian-based space complex. Yeah, I know. Vayl and I should still be able to kick this one in our sleep. Except that Hell has thrown up a demon named Kyphas to knock us off track. And damn is she indestructible!"

I cant' wait to read this one :-)

Princess Bookie has a Great Contest Going On!

One of my paperbackswap.com buddies has a fun contest going on on her blog! Lots of great books up for grabs.

Here's the list of books Cindy is trying to get rid of :-)

1. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick ARC
2. Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen ARC
3. Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters ARC
4. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater ARC
5. Troy High by Shana Norris ARC
6. Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott ARC
7. Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn ARC
8. Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker
9. Death by Series by Linda Gerber (3 books total)
10. a 5 dollar giftcard from Walmart (you can buy yourself half of a book with it, lol)
11. 3 Sarah Dessen books ( Just Listen, This Lullaby, Someone Like You)
12. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
13. Fire By Kristin Cashmore ARC
14. Last but not least, I have some extra amazon cards, so I will also include a preorder for CATCHING FIRE BY SUZANNE COLLINS. It will be shipped to on or around Sept 1st (whenever they ship it)
AND a book of your choice (under $15.00 please and it can be a preorder as long as it comes out in September-so many good books get released)

Go check it out at Princess Bookie!

News - Hugo Awards

I was really excited to see that Neil Gaiman won best novel for "The Graveyard Book" at the Hugo Awards. If you haven't read my review for it you can here.

A little bit off the book topic...I was also happy to see that Wall-E won best dramatic presentation long form and that Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog won best dramatic presentation short form. If you haven't checked out Dr. Horrible you should; it's pretty darn funny :-)

Here's where I read about the Hugo Awards.

Don't worry I have more reviews coming soon. I think I have five books I have read; just need to write up the reviews for them :-)

Monday - Weekly Book Haul

This week I got less books than usual, but still more than I can read :-) For some reason I have been getting a ton of wishes granted on paperbackswap.com. That has been exciting but hopefully it will slow down some so that I can read the books and swap them back to get my credits back! Anyway, this week most of my books were from paperbackswap.com; although I did break down and buy one book.

From: Paperbackswap.com


I have a couple erotica books on my wishlist and this was one that was granted. It is supposed to be classic fairy tales coupled with erotica; sounded interesting. The first book "Enchanted" is supposed to be awesome and I have yet to acquire that one. This book is a follow-up to that one that is supposed to be so-so. So I will see! Here is the first sentence from that book:"Pansy's spine arched reflexively where Jack's hand gently prodded her forward, and a shudder crept menacingly along the length of it."



I loved the first book in this series and I have the third, so I was ecstatic to finally get the second book! Hopefully they will get read within the next month or so :-) You just can't go wrong with a Victorian age book about space pirates!
Here is the first sentence from that book: "The grand hotel at Starcross sleeps peacefully tonight beneath a sky dusty with stars."


Okay so I love "Vampire Academy" and I really like the "Georgina Kincaid" series by Richelle Mead. So if you like two of the authors series chances are you will like the third, right? This is the latest series that Richelle Mead is writing. I am not sure how she can write three series at the same time; but more power to her if she can keep up the great writing quality. Here's the first sentence from this book:
"I'd seen weirder things than a haunted shoe, but not many."


This is the second book set in this world; but it follows different characters than the first book. It is a very dark children's series that has gotten great reviews. I am really hoping that it is somewhat similar to Delaney's The Last Apprentice series. We will see. Here is the first sentence: "How I have come to hate this place of evil, this city of Nightmares."

>Bought:

This is the first book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I actually scored the rest of the series on paperbackswap but have been having trouble getting my hands on the first book. I couldn't even find the book new at a bookstore. So, when I saw it at Border's this week I bought it. I figure once in a while I should buy a new book here and there. I am hoping I love this series as much as everyone says I will; I am worried it will be too much romance.... Here is the second sentence: "Screamer's was packed tonight, full of women in leather and men who looked like they had advanced degrees in violent crime."

On Loan From a Friend:


Sounded interested and I got it from a friend; they said it was pretty good.
Here is the first sentence from the book:
"Few in town agreed on when the battle began."

That's it for this week! I will be getting some more book reviews up over the next couple days too :-)

Beastly by Alex Flinn (4.5/5 stars)

This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with some changes; firstly the book is set in the modern day and secondly it is from the Beast's point of view. When I started this book I wasn't sure I was going to like it but as the story continued I really got pulled in and ended up loving it. It helps that Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairy tales.

Kyle Kingsbury is a jerk. He is your typical perfect looking, rich, snob. Everyone is beneath him and he is cruel about it. He gets his comeuppance when he stands up a strange girl with funny green hair and gothic clothing. You guessed it, she is a witch, and she curses him to look on the outside like he is on the inside. That is unless he is kissed by his true love within 2 years of his changing. Funny thing is Kyle's dad is a news anchor and basically disowns Kyle when he finds that his son is permanently beastly.

This story started out okay. I thought the writing was kind of choppy and awkward, with lots of slang, in the beginning. As Kyle becomes a better person; the book ends up being written quite beautifully. Since it is written from Kyle's viewpoint I guess that makes sense. So, just a warning, if the book irritates you at first keep with it because it is worth the read.

Flinn did an excellent job showing Kyle's transformation. There is some humor in between the different sections of the book in the form of online group chats; where Kyle goes to discuss his transformation with others who have been transformed. I thought Flinn did an excellent job of staying true to the original Beauty and the Beast story while updating the surroundings.

The only part I thought was awkward was when Kyle forces Lindy to live with him; the author mentions in the back that she also had a bit of trouble reconciling this part of the story with the modern world. Besides that I was very happy with this book. It is a sweet re-telling and stays true to the many versions of the story out there. It is appropriate for kids of all ages; not a ton of violence or making out.

Overall I really liked it. It was a quick and easy read. I had a lot of trouble putting the book down and ended up staying awake until the wee hours of the night to see how it ended. I will definitely be checking out more of Alex Flinn's books in the future.

The Devil's Rose by Brom (4/5 stars)

This is the second book I have read by Brom. The first was "The Plucker"; that was a great book and both the artwork and writing were awesome. This book was written quite as well as "The Plucker" but the artwork was just as fantastic.

In this book Cole hunts down escape souls for Hell; he is working to get the Devil's favor so that he can rescue Rose. Only this time one of the souls he is chasing is different and it makes him start to question if the souls he hunts down really deserve what they get. In general this book really reminded me of Stephen King's Dark Tower series; it has that fantasy/gunslinger vibe going on.

The writing in the beginning of the book was a bit awkward but as the book progressed, and Brom got into the story, the writing really improved. The artwork was astonishing as always. Brom is just an excellent artist. The story itself was interesting and engaging. Overall a wonderful book; if it hadn't been for the awkward beginning I would give it 5 stars.

This book is mainly suitable for older kids and adults; it is very violent and there is some off-color language. Those of you familiar with Brom's previous work shouldn't be surprised. Just a heads up.

This book was great and I am really looking forward to reading his next book "Child Thief" which I have an ARC of.

News: Stephanie Meyer begin Sued for Plagiarizing

I just saw this news article about Stephanie Meyer is being sued for allegedly plagiarizing Jordan Scott's "The Nocturne" in her book "Breaking Dawn".

Just the news I am sure everyone is anxious to hear :-) I just thought it was interesting and thought I would share.

You can read the whole article about it here.

I love the comment in the above article that says: "Or do both books suffer from a lack of originality?"

I personally liked "Breaking Dawn". But, like many of my friends, I loved "Twilight" and then read the last three book mainly "to see what happens". "Twilight" was definitely the best book in the series.

It will be interesting to see how the allegations shake out. It is a bit odd that Scott waited until after all the hubbub about the Twilight series before making her allegations.

Ash by Malinda Lo (5/5 stars)

I got this as an ARC (advanced reading copy) through Amazon vine program. I love fairy tale retellings, and this book was a re-telling of Cinderella. I really loved this book; it was darker than the Disney version but happier and lighter than the Grimm's version.

If you know the story of Cinderella than you know the beginning of this book; except Cinderella's name is Ash and Ash can enter the fairy realm. There is no fairy godmother, but a darkly dangerous powerful fairy man named Sidhean. There is a prince but he is not the one Ash truly loves. The stepsisters and stepmother are cruel but not crazily so; at points you feel quite bad for them and their lot in life. We also cannot forget the beautiful and graceful King's Huntress, Kaisa.

I loved this book. The writing is beautiful and really creates wonderful images in my mind of the forest and surrounding landscape. I also loved Ash's character, she does nothing outstanding besides take risks and be herself and that is enough to redeem her in the end. In a way she is passive with a core of strength that is admirable.

Some people are describing this as a lesbian fairy tale. I suppose it is in a way, since the two characters that fall in love in the end are women, but I also think that is a pretty narrow label for this story. I think the story is more expansive than that and covers topics about finding out who you are, staying true to yourself in dire circumstances, and believing in magic of many types. I think adults and children alike will love this story. It is not written at an extremely high reading level and the intimate interactions between the characters never go beyond sweet kisses; so it is appropriate for a younger audience. It might even be a good book to introduce younger children to the concept of same sex relationships.

The book overall is very sweet and beautiful. I think anyone who loves their fairy tales will get into this book. I guess if you have an extreme objection to same sex relationships you may want to stay away; as I said though, that topic isn't really thrown in your face in this book...it is dealt with gently and sweetly. The book is more a love story and a story about finding ones self in the world.

I loved it and will definitely check out more of Malinda Lo's books in the future.

Meridian by Amber Kizer (4/5 stars)

I got this as an ARC (advanced reading copy) through the Amazon vine program. I was really excited when this was offered to me because I had it on my wish list already. Overall it was a very good book. It seems to be more of an opening to a series than a stand alone book, but all in all it was creative and a good read.

All her life Meridian has been surrounded by dead things; they seem drawn to her. After being involved in a fatal car crash she is sent off by her parents to her Aunt's house. It is there that she learns she is a Fenestra; basically she is a doorway that souls pass through on their way to heaven. She finds that she is being hunted both by a religious cult and the Aternocti; it is up to her, her dying Aunt, and Tens (her Protector) to figure out what is going on and either try to stop it or avoid being killed by it.

This was a very creative book and started out really interesting. You really feel for Meridian; in general all of the characters are likable and engaging. I enjoyed reading the book and learning about Meridian, Tens, and Fenestra in general.

This book lagged some in the middle; I found some of the scenes where Meridian is in her aunt's house waiting for something to happen to be a bit boring, but it picked up again at the end. My largest complaint is that overall not much happens in the end; mostly the story sets you up for a new series. I can only assume that we will hear about Meridian and Tens adventures in future novels by Kizer.

Overall I enjoyed the book; it was a well-written, creative and quick read. I was kind of disappointed that more didn't happen before the end of the book but I am guessing future books will give us more action and adventures.

Skin Trade (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 17) by Laurell Hamilton (4/5 stars)

This is the 17th book in the Anita Blake series that is still going and going. This is the first book in a long time that reverts back to the older style of Anita that we all knew and loved; at least for some of the book. For once this book is about Anita's job and her skills as a vampire executioner; there are guns, gore, and lots of action. This was my favorite book in this series for a long time.

When Anita gets into work (yes, she does still hold a job, believe it or not) she has a special package on her desk. It is the head of the vampire executioner from the Las Vegas area. It appears that Vittorio is back to his old serial killer ways. He is trying to lure Anita to Las Vegas; of course it works. Luckily for Anita, Edward and Olaf are there to cover her back. Of course given Olaf's own serial killer profile whether or not he is a danger or protection is up for grabs. Of course as the hunt progresses Anita's metaphysical junk comes into play, we find out that Vittorio is more than we originally thought, and Marmee Noir is restless (as Marmee Noir learns of plots to destroy her physical body) and wants a new physical body.

This is, by far, the best Anita Blake book in a long while. There are lots of guns and lots of gore; lots of shooting and lots of killing. It is not, of course, the Anita of the earlier books, as she has changed as a character. In this book Anita struggles a lot with how her preternatural powers interfere with her vampire slaying. You see that Anita is getting tired of killing and you see how she struggles with the fact that she now sees monsters as people with feelings and problems. She is also struggling with how to deal with the fact that she has so many people to take care of that need her (all those guys) and never gets a moment of alone time.

Edward is excellent in this book, as always. Olaf is super creepy and bothers me as a character, but I think that is his purpose. About 2/3rds or maybe even 1/2 way through the book a lot of metaphysics starts happening; then sometimes Anita starts channeling a bit of Meredith Gentry if you know what I mean. You see a lot of the Wicked Truth (Truth and Wicked take center stage for much of the end of the book). There are many different colors of weretigers involved also. This book actually wraps up a lot of major plot points rather nicely and leaves me wondering what the next book will be about.

One of the bad things about this book (because it is by no means flawless) is that Anita spends an inordinate amount of time "proving herself" to the other good guys because she is a woman. This is something I thought we worked out in earlier books but apparently it is still an issue Anita has trouble handling. I am also not sure sometimes what all the creepy scenes with Olaf were about; maybe they were there to prove that if Anita can relate to Olaf than she is definitely a monster and can understand monsters...I am not sure. I also missed Jean Claude; he was present mainly in passing and he mainly spent time whining that Anita should have told him she was leaving. Richard is not mentioned one iota, which I actually count as a positive.

Overall I actually enjoyed reading this book and liked it. The way it ends really made me wonder what is next for Anita though. I also constantly question how long this series is going to continue; last I heard it was contracted for 22 books...if anyone knows let me know.

July in Review

For the month of July I read 17 books. This month was, again, a lot of catching up on series that I am in the middle of. I did start a couple new series mainly Simon Holt's "The Devouring" and Michelle Rowen's "Demon Princess: Reign or Shine".

There were three books that really stood out as being awesome this month. The first was "Succubus Heat" by Richelle Mead, 4th book in the Georgina Kincaid series. The second book was "Gargoyle" by Andrew Davidson. The third book was "Demon Princess: Reign or Shine" by Michelle Rowan.

The worst book of the month was "Blood Noir" by Laurell Hamilton; at book #16 of the series, I thought it was one of the worst in the series.

There were a number of just okay books and a number of books I liked. For the full list see below.

1. Mona Lisa Darkening by Sunny (4 stars)
2. Blood Noir (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter, Book 16) by Laurell Hamilton (2 stars)
3. Fragile Eternity (Fragile Eternity, Book 3) by Melissa Marr (3 stars)
4. Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey (4 stars)
5. Succubus Heat (Georgina Kincaid, Book 4) by Richelle Mead (5 stars)
6. Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson (5 stars)
7. The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell (4 stars)
8. Raven's Shadow (Raven Duology, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs (3 stars)
9. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman (3 stars)
10. Demon Princess: Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowan (4.5 stars)
11. Swallowing Darkness (Meredith Gentry, Book 7) by Laurell Hamilton (5 stars) (4 stars)
12. The Devouring by Simon Holt (4 stars)
13. Ice Land by Betsy Tobin (3 stars)
14. Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (2 stars)
15. The Spook's Tale and Other Horrors by Joseph Delaney
16. Stargazer (Evernight, Book 2) by Claudia Grey (3 stars)
17. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith (4 stars)

Next month will start off with a few more series books. Then I am hoping to read a bunch of stand alones and possibly start a couple new series. I would really like to start reading the Fabelhaven series by Branden Mull and the Alien Huntress series by Gena Showalter.

Monday - Weekly Book Haul

I got in some books again this week! Big surprise there :-) Most of them were through Paperbackswap.com.

From Paperbackswap.com:


I still haven't read the first book I got by Caitlin Kiernan, but this one looked good and someone had it to send with another book I really wanted.


This is the most recent book in the Alien Huntress series. I am hoping to start reading this series sometime this month.


This is the last book in the Samurai Mysteries series. I have been having trouble getting books in this series. I have the first one, so when I saw this was available I went ahead and requested it.


The latest Sookie Stackhouse book! I am really excited to read it :-)

From Amazon Vine Program:


This is a retelling of Cinderella. I have only read the first chapter so far, but it is beautifully written. We will see how the rest of the book is.


This is Brom's latest book. I really enjoyed "Plucker" and I have "The Devil's Rose" to read too. I was really excited to get this through Vine.

That's all I have here! Hope everyone had a great weekend :-)