New Books This Week

The Library will be closed Friday December 24th & Friday December 31st. Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!

New Books This week are:
In Adult Fiction:
Cross Fire by, James Patterson
Hell’s Corner by, David Baldacci
The Confession by, John Grisham
Port Mortuary by, Patricia Cornwell
Happy Ever After by, Nora Roberts
The Sherlockian by, Graham Moore
Sins of Omission by, Fern Michaels
The Eyre Affair by, Jasper Fforde

In Audio:
Norah by, Debbie MacComber
Hard Ball by, Sara Paretsky

In Young Adult:
The Red Pyramid by, Rick Riordan
Beautiful Darkness by, Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Gothic! By, Neil Gaiman & Various Authors
Twelfth Grade Kills by, Heather Brewer

In Juvenile Fiction:
The Fire Within-Ice Fire & Fire Star by, Chris D’Lacey

The Kitchen House by, Kathleen Grissom~~Review

The Kitchen House by, Kathleen Grissom

This was a very good well written story it is sad but there was a lot of sadness for slaves.
It is set in the late 1700’s & early 1800’s. Seven-Year-Old Lavinia is an Irish immigrant whose parents died on the trip over so Lavinia is taken by the Captain as an indentured servant to pay-off the trip. She is dropped off at the kitchen house with the slaves. Mama Mae takes her in and raises her as her own and Lavinia grows up being well loved by the family in the Kitchen House. This book is told in alternating chapters by, Lavinia & young slave girl Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin.Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk.





The characters in this book are so well written you care about all of them. Except Rankin but you hate him because he is written as so revolting! This book was just so wonderful, it shows that family isn’t blood and that blood doesn’t make you family. This book was at times so heartbreaking and may make you cry! Everyone in this book goes through their share of hardships and it isn’t a happy book but there is just something about the story that is beautiful. I just don’t know how to express it but to say I loved this book!

I listened to this on audio narrated by, Orlagh Cassidy & Bahni Turpin it was wonderfully done both narrators bringing these characters to life.

5 Stars

Heat Wave by Richard Castle

Heat Wave by Richard Castle

The entertainment industry is split into various divisions, and they like very much to overlap. Books are adapted to film, film to television, perhaps to videogames and everything in between plus any sort of plausible combination is allowable. Most creative parties are aware and take advantage of this fact. Such is the case of Heat Wave. For those unfamiliar with the book’s background, Castle is an hourly procedural of sorts starring Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, an author of murder mystery novels, who assists in homicide cases with Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), the inspiration behind his newest novels. There’s a fantastic character dynamic between the two, one of give and take banter and a strong “will they or won’t they.” Heat Wave takes this aspect of the show and translates it perfectly to the written page. The mystery is solid enough, not enough to make me gasp when the murderer is revealed, but in all honesty, that’s not the reason to pick up Heat Wave. The simple truth is that from the dedication before the novel begins to the main character’s name (Jameson Rook), this book is written for Castle fans. There are a lot of nods to the series which is fitting since Castle is using his “research” at the NYPD to write this particular book. The most enjoyable experiences with Heat Wave are had when the reader maintains a mindset of Castle actually writing it, being the man behind the curtains, instead of some unnamed ghost writer. Snickering with the thought of Beckett’s reaction to a particular risqué chapter is only one instance. Bottom line, Heat Wave has the potential of appealing to a wide audience, yet its main focus is the fans, those who can match every character with their slightly different counterpart and catch all of the fan service aimed their way. It’s excellent for those reasons, 5 stars. *****

The Beast of Noor

The Beast of Noor Janet Lee Carey

The Beast of Noor reads like a fairy tale which seems only fitting since the overall plot is centered on an old legend in the world of Noor. The legend of, you guessed it, the Beast of Noor. Without going into too much detail, suffice it to say that it involves a curse on a certain family for the actions of an ancestor, actions which resulted in a monstrous dog, known as the Shriker, who now haunts the woods. Leave it to the protagonist, Miles Sheen, to make it his mission to destroy this demon, stop the ruthless killings, and redeem his family’s name in the process. The story is predictable enough once the reader finds out exactly how the Shriker came to be since there really is one sort of ending possible in books intended for the younger demographic. Despite this, it’s a charming book with a mild horror streak and notable character development even if it’s pretty straightforward development. The characters are interesting and likable enough…most of the time. There’s some whininess and somewhat irritating character choices, but it’s almost to be expected with these prepubescent heroes. The beginning seemed bogged down in exposition, but once it got that over with, clipped along at a steady pace. Carey creates a world of fairies and spells that, in all fairness, we have seen before. After all, it’s quite difficult to lay claim in originality in the world of fantasy what with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling wandering about. Regardless, it’s a recommended alternative to the usual. It’s also for those who are looking for a darker novel, yet pretty light on the horror in comparison to the more visceral books in this genre. Bottom line, it’s solid, nicely done, and, at the very least, worth a look. 4 stars. ****

Black Horses For The King By: Anne McCaffrey

In this book Galwyn Varianus is working for his uncle on a ship. He hates this more than anything in the world. The lack of horses seems to be his biggest problem. When he runs into Lord Artos he is awe struck. He wants to help this man in any way possible. After running away from his uncle he travels with Lord Artos to a fair where he finds out that Artos is planning to take the largest horses he can find and use them in the war against the Saxons.

The only problem with the beautiful black horses is that their hooves are not used to the wet ground and easily develop problems. A man named Canydthinks he’s got the answer. Shoes for the horses. No one but Galwyn believes in this idea. Together they struggle to develop the shoes in time for the war. If they succeed they could be the reason the British win the war.

Four ****

Wow! What a great book.

If Wishes Were Horses By Anne McCaffery

Tirza, Tracell, and Lady TalarrieEircelly are devastated when their father must go off to war. They are left to take care of a village of people who could be attacked at any time. Only Lady Talarrie's calm head and intelligence saves them.

Tirza and her twin Tracell want nothing more than to turn 16. They just can’t wait to grow up. When the war starts tirza realizes that while her present is still secure her brother's has galloped off to battle. She tries to ensure her brother's present will still be a great one but, he wants only one thing. A horse. As their birthday draws nearer she watches the chances of tracell getting a horse dwindle. With the help of her birthday present she thinks she can ensure his.

Find out if she succeeds in Anne McCaffery's If Wishes Were Horses.

Four ****

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope Everyone Has A Safe & Happy Thanksgiving!

The Library will be closed Thusday & Friday!

Vixen by, Jillian Larkin~~Review

Vixen The Flappers Series by, Jillian Larkin- Release Date Dec. 14,2010

I loved this book! It is so unique being set in the 20’s. This is the story of three friends. Gloria society girl engaged to Sebastian Grey a most eligible bachelor, Lorraine the neglected little rich girl wanting to be loved by a boy who doesn’t see her as anything but a friend, and Marcus the handsome playboy living his life to the fullest. Then there is Clara Gloria’s cousin who has come to Chicago in disgrace to “help with Gloria’s wedding” but there is more to Clara than meets the eye.

The excitement of rebelling against society and going to an underground speakeasy. For Gloria it is to try to live a little before she marries the boring Bastian. For Lorraine she just wants to get out from under Gloria’s shadow and be the center of attention. At the speakeasy Gloria meets Jerome part of the jazz band she finds she is attracted to him but there is a huge problem as Jerome is a man of color and this is the 1920’s.

This book has it all friendship, betrayal, secrets, forbidden love, and gangsters. From the uptown society of Chicago to the seedy underground I loved every minute of this book. Jillian Larkin takes you back to the 20’s and puts you right there the feel the music the clothes. She brings this period piece to life. I liked that the love story was sweet and not the usual fare. There is a lot of drinking as it is set during prohibition and they go to a speakeasy and a lot of smoking which in the 20’s was something everyone did. One just needs to remember that this is historical fiction and the author has re-created the atmosphere very well.

This is a great debut and a great beginning to a fun series. The ending is a cliffhanger that left me salivating for the next installment. Bravo Miss Larkin you have me completely hooked!

I received this book from Barnes & Noble First Look Program thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

4 ½ Stars

Keeper of the Keys by, Janny Wurts-Audiobook~~Review

Keeper of the Keys by, Janny Wurts-Audiobook~~Review

In this one we see Jaric still trying to not become his Father Ivain the Firelord, to run from his responsibilities yet deep down knows he must face them sooner or later. IMHO This book explores the question does the power make a man mad or is the man mad to begin with? Just because the Firelord Ivain, Jerics father, was mad/crazy with power does that mean that Jaric will be too?

Taen is going through some troubles of her own plus still trying to save Anskiere and Jeric. There are some nasty demons that are playing with Jeric & Taen making them/Me wonder just what to believe is it real or dream.

I know that’s a bad description but as usual there is a lot going on. Action packed all the way through it’s definitely the middle book because it was pure action from beginning to end.

I look forward to the next book to see how this story ends up. Will Jeric embrace his Firelord heritage? What will be the consequences to him and those around him if he does? Will Taen survive? Is there a way to save her brother from the demons who enslave him? Do all of Taen's dreams come true or do they change from people's choices? So yes alot of questions to answers in the next book.

I enjoyed the Epilogue's last line Taen reminded me of Scarlett O’Hara-Tomorrow could only come after today.


As with the last book the narration by David Thorpe was fantastic! His demons were so scary the voices gave me chills.

5 Stars

Wolf Hall by, Hilary Mantel ~~Review

Wolf Hall by, Hilary Mantel
This is a hard review to write because there is so much going on in this book. It is the story of Thomas Cromwell from the time he is a teen. He was instrumental in securing Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine so he could marry Anne Boleyn. He was a very ambitious man and I felt he went whichever way the wind blew to further himself.

Things about this book that left me wondering, the title for one, Wolf Hall only comes into it in the last 10 or so pages and that this is where the book ends not with the life of Thomas Cromwell but with the life of Sir Thomas Moore.

There seems to be so much more story to tell, it showed his rise to power but not his downfall there is only 5 more years of Thomas Cromwell’s life and I just feel like the story wasn’t finished yet. I think if you’re going to tell his story from a teen and up it should go to his death, especially when his fall from grace is only 5 years from the end of this book.

I did enjoy this book although it is rather confusing because so many people had the same names. I also think if you have no prior Tudor knowledge this book may not be for you. You need to know some of the players and history for this book to make sense. If you are a huge fan of the Tudors and would like some background into one of the minor players (With the Royals being the major ones) then this is for you. It was very well written but not a book I would read twice.

I did end up listening to this book on audio because I had a hard time getting into the print version. The Narrator Simon Slater was excellent and his mastery with all the different voices helped keep all the characters straight. If I were rating just the audio quality it would be a 4 - 41/2.Will be seeking out what else Simon Slater has narrated.

3 ½ Stars
Full Disclosure I won this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers program

The Hob's Bargain Patricia Briggs

Aren is a magical person. This in it's self is a death sentance. Then the night after she marries her family is killed along with her husband. She hides in the basment cellar from the robbers and the lands magic is somehow magically relased. She now realizes that the bandits aren't leaving and even more fear inspireing forces are on thier way.

She goes into the mountains and meets the Hob. He agrees to helkp Aren save the valley and village on one condition. Marrage. She agrees and he also starts to help her develop her magic. In the end with the help of the Hob she saves the village.

Four stars ****

The Wolving Time by Patrick Jennings

It’s quite a feat to find a decent werewolf book out there. Even more so is finding one that isn’t filled to the brim with content not fit for those who don’t enjoy passionate romance and all in which that entails. Thankfully, The Wolving Time provides an alternative to the bloody, steamy messes that often fill out the section of fantasy that happen to be of the lupine variety. This particular novel is set in medieval France when burnings were the popular way to root out what was deemed to be “evil.” Laszlo is a simple son of a shepherd, content to wile away his days tending to his flock. However, he awaits the day when he can join his parents as werewolves. This sort of werewolf is unlike your typical, man-eating, silver-bullet-vulnerable beast. Shape shifter would seem a more appropriate term since they are able to transform into wolves at will. The plot, at its most basic, doesn’t seek to surprise its readers with suspenseful twists and turns. Rather, it relies on its simple, yet eloquent, writing style and engaging characters. It’s a short book and, therefore, a quick read. Younger readers will enjoy it immensely, and older readers can as well. It’s intriguing enough to hold interest until the very end. The themes of prejudice and unjust persecution are apparent throughout the novel. It’s a solid effort despite its lack of complexity and earns 3 ½ stars.

One Crazy Summer by, Rita Williams-Garcia Audiobook Review

One Crazy Summer by, Rita Williams-Garcia Audiobook Review~~

Delphine and her sisters are being shipped off to spend the summer with the mother who left them when they were small to go off and become a poet. The girls arrive in Oakland in the late 60’s(1968?)to find their mother is a poet for the Black Panthers and still has really no interest in being their mother.

Wow what unfeeling mom Cecil is. Her daughter Delphine is so much more a grown-up than she is and a much better mom to the younger kids than Cecil is. Also such an interesting history lesson into a turbulent time in the US told through the eyes of an 11 year-old-girl. The girls end up being immersed into the Black Panther movement which kind of scares Delphine as she has seen and heard about arrests and murders of people just because they have an affiliation with the group. Of course as the summer goes on the relationship changes but maybe not as you would expect.

There are a few things I wonder about if Cecil didn’t want the girls there why did their father & Big Ma send them? And when certain things happen*No Spoilers* why wasn’t their father notified and the girls sent home? Why was it up to Delphine?
I think this is a must read! Do you hear me Newberry people?? This deserves every award it has won and will win.

On the Audio-The narration by Sisa Aisha Johnson is really great! She Is Delphine through & through! Her narration is totally believable and I see why this narrator has won an audiofile earphone award.

I won this book and would like to Thank Recorded Books for a great audio.

4 ½ stars

New Books & Library Happenings

Computer Class coming up Microsoft Access Nov. 16 & 18 6:30-8:30 $40.00 per person call Susie 947-5540.

New Books This Week:
In Adult Fiction:
Don’t Blink by, James Patterson
Legacy by, Danielle Steel
Play dead by, Harlan Coben
In From The Cold by, David R. Bliss –North Dakota Author
Bookmarked for Death by, Lorna Barrett
Homicide in Hardcover by, Kate Carlisle
Murder Runs in the Family by, Anne George
Hannah’s List by, Debbie Macomber
Say You’re One of Them by, Uwem Akpan
Pomegranate Soup by, Marsh Mehran
The Expedition by, Karl Iagnemma
Jamaica Inn by, Daphne DuMaurier
Ella in Bloom by, Shelby Hearon
A Stitch in Time by, Betty Hechtman
Foreign Body by, Robin Cook
You Can’t Drink All day If You Don’t Start in the Morning by, Celia Rivenbark
Shadow Play, Believers a Novella and Stories, Saul & Patsy & The Soul Thief by, Charles Baxter

In Adult Non-Fiction:
Sidewalk Thoughts by, Mickey Renner ND Author/Librarian in Dickinson
Falling Through The Earth: A memoir by, Danielle Trussoni
Face to Face by, Audrey Kishline & Sheryl Maloy
Into the Blue a Father’s Flight and a Daughter’s Return by, Susan Edsall
Warrior the Legend of Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen by, Peter Hathaway Capstick
So, Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and be Happy by, Barbara Johnson
The Idiot Girls Action-Adventure Club True Tales From a Magnificent and Clumsy Life by, Laurie Notaro
Uncle John’s Legendary Lost Bathroom Reader
Burning Down The House Essays on Fiction by, Charles Baxter
Mother Knows Best the Natural Way to Train Your Dogs by, Carol Lea Benjamin

In Audio:
The Men Who Stare at Goats by, Jon Ronson
Sam’s letter’s to Jennifer by, James Patterson
The Brass Verdict by, Michael Connelly
One Crazy Summer by, Rita Williams-Garcia

In Adult Fantasy:
The Master of Whitethorn by, Janny Wurts
Daughter of the Empire & Servant of the Empire by, Raymond E. Feist & Janny Wurts
Sword-Dancer by, Jennifer Roberson
The Summer Tree by, Guy Gavriel Kay
St. Lucy’s Home For Girls Raised by Wolves by, Karen Russell

In Young Adult:
The Hunter’s Moon- the Summer King & The Light-Bearer’s Daughter by, O.R. Melling
The Blue Djinn of Babylon Children of the Lamp #2 by, PB Kerr
The Fallen –Leviathan-Aerie & Reckoning by, Thomas E. Sniegoski
Eighth Grade Bites-Ninth Grade Slays-Tenth Grade Bleeds-Eleventh Grade Burns by, Heather Brewer

In Juvenile Fiction:
A Soldiers Secret: The Story of Deborah Sampson by, Sheila Solomon Klass

In Juvenile Non-Fiction:
Cartoon Animator by, Don Rauf
Ancient Egypt Back to Basics by, Ann Mcrae

In Children’s Picture Books:Snoring Beauty by, Bruce Hale

Salting Roses: A Novel by Lorelle Marinello~~Review

Salting Roses: A Novel by Lorelle Marinello~~Release Date December 2010

I so enjoyed this book I read it in a day. This is the story of Gracie Calloway who was found on a doorstep in Alabama and raised with love by the people she was left with who thought she was their niece. They didn't have much money and Gracie was treated pretty badly as a child by other children whose families looked down on her. (No Spoilers it’s on the back of the book) Gracie is now 25 and happy with her life and family when she finds out she was kidnapped and is the heiress to a fortune.

This book is about making choices and what it really means to be family. I loved all the characters in this book with Artie being my favorite. There is a little romance, which I thought was a cute love story. But it is mostly about discovering who you are versus who you were meant to be. How would you deal with these life-changing events if you were in Gracie’s shoes?

Gracie is a strong stubborn woman set in her ways taking care of everyone around her but not thinking much about herself. I liked that she was a tomboy and played baseball, she has flaws and low self esteem and you will cheer for her to find her true self.

I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy southern fiction and great characters.

Thank you so much Library Thing Early Reviewers for the chance to read this book!

4 1/2 Stars

Stormwarden by, Janny Wurts~~Review

Stormwarden by, Janny Wurts Book 1 of The Cycle of Fire Series
Description from Goodreads: Written in the records at Vaere is the tale of the binding of the Mharg-demons by Anskiere, wizard of wind and wave. Anskiere was aided in this task by Ivain, master of fire and earth, for the skills of a single sorcerer were not enough against so formidable a foe.
It is further recorded that at the moment of greatest peril, Ivain betrayed his companion out of jealousy. Nonetheless the demons were defeated, the wards sealed, and Anskiere survived to swear a powerful oath against his betrayer. So potent was the magic in the words spoken by Anskiere that sailors who have visited the site claim the winds there repeat them to this day:
'Your offence against me is pardoned but not forgotten. This geas I lay upon you; should I call, you, Ivain, shall answer, and complete a deed of my choice, even to the end of your days. And should you die, my will shall pass to your eldest son, and to his son's sons after him, until the debt is paid...'

My Review:
This is a great epic fantasy! The two older sorcerers The Stormwarden, Anskiere & the Firewarden, Ivain had a major falling out and there was a geas placed on Ivain’s son and son’s of his son’s so now it comes to pass that Anskiere has called upon this geas .Which is where the children Jaric & Taen come in.

What makes this an Epic fantasy is there are children who know not what they can do or where they come from, there is a quest and there are demons and sorcery. There is adventure and kidnapping and betrayal this book just has it all!

Janny Wurts has done a great job at world building it is so well written and just takes you along for the ride. I thoroughly enjoyed this book I know my description above does not do it justice but with everything going on it is hard to describe. This was my first book by Janny Wurts and I plan on finding everything she’s written!

If you like epic fantasy this is a must read!

I listened to this on audio and the narration by, David Thorpe is Fantastic! His voices and accents are first rate he has become one of my favorite narrators just from this one book. He has great range and cannot wait to hear him read the rest of this series and anything else I can find narrated by him.

5 Stars

The Looking Glass Wars (Audio) by, Frank Beddor~~Review

The Looking Glass Wars #1 by, Frank Beddor Narrated by, Gerard Doyle

This was a fun twist on the Alice in Wonderland story Frank Beddor brings us characters that come to life in an enchanting way. This is a bit darker than the version you are used to but it’s written so well that it was hard to put down.

The characters and the weaponry are pretty fascinating the hatter had the best weapons and then there’s General Dopple and General Ganger which in the audio version was done with an echo so you heard both voices at once which was a neat effect you wouldn’t get from reading the book. Redd is the baddest of baddies with the Cheshire cat not the smiling helper but a hitman extraordinaire.

And then there is Alyss which as she told Rev. Dodgson AKA Lewis Carroll is the correct way to spell her name. When she ends up in the real world of course no one believes her stories of Wonderland or that she is a Princess she think the Rev. does but when she sees the mockery of her life he writes she won’t speak to him again.

There is war and romance and spies and a great story that will grab you and not let you go.

Loved the bonus song on the audiobook. The narrator Gerard Doyle did a Fantastic Job; I will be looking for other books narrated by him!

4 Stars

The Wake of Forgivenss by, Bruce Machart~~Review

Description: On a moonless Texas night in 1895, an ambitious young landowner suffers the loss of “the only woman he’s ever been fond of” when his wife dies during childbirth with the couple’s fourth boy, Karel. From an early age Karel proves so talented on horseback that his father enlists him to ride in acreage-staked horse races against his neighbors. But Karel is forever haunted by thoughts of the mother he never knew, by the bloodshot blame in his father’s eyes, and permanently marked by the yoke he and his brothers are forced to wear to plow the family fields. Confident only in the saddle, Karel is certain that the horse “wants the whip the same way he wants his pop’s strap . . . the closest he ever gets to his father’s touch.” In the winter of 1910, Karel rides in the ultimate high-stakes race against a powerful Spanish patriarch and his alluring daughters. Hanging in the balance are his father’s fortune, his brother’s futures, and his own fate. Fourteen years later, with the stake of the race still driven hard between him and his brothers, Karel is finally forced to dress the wounds of his past and to salvage the tattered fabric of his family.

My Review:

Beautifully and lyrically written but very dark. I had trouble getting into this book at first because it was dark and depressing but the writing was so beautiful that I kept reading and I’m glad I did. In the beginning I didn’t think I’d feel compassion or empathy for anyone in this book but that changed as the book progressed.

Vaclav Skala and his boys are alone since the death of his wife when she gave birth to Karel. People say Vaclav was a good man when he was with his wife but we don’t see that man we see a cruel man without feeling who uses his sons as horses to plow his fields.

The story skips around in time from 1895-1924 at first this was a bit jarring but after awhile you come to understand the flow the author was trying to convey.

I don’t want to give too much of this story away because this is a book you need to “feel” as it unfolds. It is a story of family, abuse, loneliness and lastly forgiveness. It is beautiful and haunting, dark and lyrical and worth reading. This may not have been a book I would have picked up but thanks to B&N First Look I read it and am glad I did. I would say to those who may think this isn’t their cup of tea to go ahead and give it a try the prose will grab you and the characters will stay with you even if you don’t like them.

4 Stars
Thank-You B&N First Look for the opportunity to read this book

Little Madhouse on the Prairie by, Marion Elizabeth Witte~~Review

Little Madhouse on the Prairie: A True-Life Story of Overcoming Abuse and Healing the Spirit
by Marion Elizabeth Witte
This is the story of Marion the child who grew up in a farmhouse in North Dakota; it was far from a happy home. It is also about Marion the grown-up dealing with the after-affects of being abused. What sets this book apart from other books about abuse is it doesn’t detail all the abuse she suffered, yes she tells us about some of it, but it is more about her journey to recovery.

This book touched me in so many ways one, because it is set in my home state of North Dakota the farmhouse she describes is so much like the one my grandparents had although luckily for me our farmhouse was full of love.

The journey to self-awareness Marion goes on is powerful and heart wrenching, the pain she suffered at the hands of her mother, brother and alcoholic emotionally absent father follow her through everything she does even when she doesn’t realize it. As we go on this journey with her, to psychotherapy, hypnotherapy and even a shaman to help her deal with the demons left inside by years of physical and emotional abuse. We finally meet the amazing woman Marion becomes, because of what she has gone through. We see a woman who has come to self-realization, healing and forgiveness and came out of it a better person.


If you were touched by the books Child Called It or The Glass Castle this is a must read.

5 Stars

Full Disclosure- I won this book through Goodreads Giveaway

Mockingjay by, Suzanne Collins~~Review

Mockingjay by, Suzanne Collins

Wow what a powerful book! It is sad and moving filled with action and sorrow. Katniss has come a long way since the first Hunger Games when she steps up to take her sisters place and goes into the games herself. After she wins the games things go from bad to worse when in Catching Fire she is seen by the Capital as a rebel and the rebel’s have decided she is going to be their poster girl. In Mockingjay Peeta has been kidnapped by the Capital and Katniss and Gale are with the rebel troops in the long forgotten District 13. She agrees to be the rebels Mockingjay but with many conditions including that all the past tributes including Peeta ,who the Capital is using to get to Katniss ,are given immunity.

This book is raw with emotion and beautifully written. The changes that Katniss, Peeta & Gale have gone through are so powerful that you feel so much for them all. This book made me cry and made me think, could this actually happen one day? In our world of reality tv could a show like the Hunger Games happen? This was a great series that will stick with you long after you have finished reading it.

5 Stars

Teaser Tuesday~~Soulless by, Gail Carriger

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

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

She whacked the vampire right on top of the head with it as he tried to extract himself from his newly intimate relations with the tea trolley.The buckshot gave the brass parasol just enough heft to make a delisiously satisying thunk.
"Manners!" instructed Miss Tarabotti.

~~~Page 3 Soulless by, Gail Carriger

New Books This Week & Upcoming Happenings

If you are interested in taking an Intro to Computers class give me a call at 947-5540 once we have enough people we'll set the date and time for the class at the participant’s convenience. Also if you are interested in learning about Ancestry Library Edition let me know and we will look into having a class on this.

New Books this Week:
In Adult Fiction:
The Postcard Killers by, James Patterson & Liza Marklund
Private by, James Patterson & Maxine Pietro
Olive Kitteridge by, Elizabeth Strout
Deadly Deals The Sisterhood #16 by, Fern Michaels
Heat Lightning by, John Sandford
Medusa by, Clive Cussler
The Wednesday Sisters by, Meg Waite Clayton
The Elegance of a Hedgehog by, Muriel Barbery
The Plague of Doves by, Louise Erdrich
Murder is Binding by, Lorna Barrett
Misfortune by, Wesley Stace
The Arcanum by, Thomas Wheeler
Adam by, Ted Dekker
Lethal Genes by, Linda Grant
Gravestone by, P.M. Carlson
Heat Wave by, Richard Castle
The Ever-Running Man by, Marcia Muller
The Dogs of Babel by, Carolyn Parkhurst

In Adult Non-Fiction:
Where Men Win Glory by, Jon Krakauer
1776 by, David McCullough
Notes from a Small Island by, Bill Bryson
A New Earth Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by, Eckhart Tolle

In Audio:
Freedom by, Jonathan Franzen
Bones by, Jonathan Kellerman
Critical Condition by, Stephen White
A New Earth Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by, Eckhart Tolle

In Adult Fantasy:
Changeless #2 in the Parasol Protectorate by, Gail Carriger
The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by, Douglas Adams

In Young Adult:
Mockingjay- the final book of the Hunger Games Trilogy by, Suzanne Collins
Linger #2 in The Wolves of Mercy Falls by, Maggie Stiefvater
The wake of the Lorelei lee Bloody jack #8 by, LA Meyer
Ice by, Sarah Beth Durst
Kit’s Wilderness by, David Almond
Just One Wish by, Janette Rallison

In Juvenile Fiction:
Sebastian Darke Prince of Fools by, Philip Caveney

Teaser Tuesday~~Mockingjay by, Suzanne Collins

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

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


Page 18- Why did I come back to 12? How can this visit help me answer the question I can't escape?
~~Mockingjay by, Suzanne Collins

Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer and General Retrospective

Let’s get this out of the way right now. Artemis Fowl has remained a favorite series of mine for quite some time. As such, I’m always eager for another installment. Before diving into the review, I’d like to touch on a sentiment that will better explain my opinion.

There comes a point in any long-running series, whether it be television, cinema, or literary, when it arrives at a crossroads. No matter which direction it chooses, it’s markedly changed and sometimes quite noticeably so. In enough cases, this is not equivalent to “jumping the shark” which is defined as doing something drastic, and oft times out of character, to spark interest once more with fanbases. Some series handle it quite well, heading in a fresh and inspired direction. Others cling desperately to what made it first popular by trying to outdo itself to the point of being a parody of its former self. Deciding between the former and the latter can quickly turn into a heated discussion.

It’s my humble opinion that the Artemis Fowl series hit that crossroads around the fifth book. That’s when Artemis went “good,” when he acquired a love interest, missed three years of his life without aging, and received the news of now having twin brothers. As a quick note, if any of that spoiled the reader then it’s their own fault. This is a review of the seventh book (and a retrospective of Artemis Fowl in general) and all of that was established before the seventh novel.

Anyway, back to The Atlantis Complex. It opens with Artemis in dire straits, mentally. He’s developed Atlantis Complex, the book’s namesake if you weren’t paying attention. This particular disorder causes the victim to develop obsessive compulsive disorder, paranoia, multiple personalities, and other such pesky symptoms that muck up one’s rational thinking process. This alone was a curious enough hook to draw me in. However, I didn’t find the rest of the novel nearly as compelling. Fowl is a fascinating character because even if he is the protagonist, he’s also played the part of the villain. While the protagonist generally wins by the end of the book, the villain faces defeat. Artemis is both. That element was gone once Artemis turned into a 100% force for good, abandoning his shadier enterprises. I certainly enjoyed Complex but would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the book doesn’t completely focus on its title character, a missed opportunity, and ends half-heartedly. The villain is sympathetic, the Butlers get a few chapters all to themselves, as does a few other supporting characters. A highlight is a section where Fowl is trapped in his own mind, forced to observe his alternate personality and completely helpless to prevent it. The plot is another “save the world” scheme with the Atlantis Complex being taken advantage of from time to time.

I wish I could be more enthused concerning Colfer’s latest effort, but, in all honesty, I can’t. Perhaps it was too radically different from what I was expecting for me to enjoy it properly. I was hoping for a more focused take on Fowl dealing with his mental disease since his intelligence is so integral to the series; it’s almost a separate character. Maybe it was the unsatisfying ending that seemed to only bridge to an inevitable eighth book or the short page length and long waiting period. Whatever the reason, my personal feelings aside, I can still heartily recommend it for readers looking for something with clever writing, excitement, and entertainment. In any case, Atlantis Complex is buoyed by its intriguing plot device that was, unfortunately, not taken full advantage of. Although, I can definitely see that as a focus in the next one, even if it seems less appropriate considering the title of the disease is the title of this particular book. It’s excellent, but doesn’t quite live up to its predecessors. 4 stars

Review by Alisa Heskin

Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank And Other Words of Delicate Southern Wisdom by, Celia Rivenbark~~Review

Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank And Other Words of Delicate Southern Wisdom by, Celia Rivenbark

I love love love this woman’s books her humor is so good! She just tells it like it is in the chapter for the title of this book she writes about when her daughter grows up from 4-6x to size 7-16

"There must be some mistake," I said. "These are, well, slutty-looking. I'm talking clothes for a little girl in first grade."

"Thats all we got."

"But these look like things a hooker would wear!"

She smiled sadly. "You have no idea how many times I hear that every day."

I enjoy the way she sees life and agree with her on most of what she writes, I wish I could put it as well as she does! She tackles everything from celebrity moms to the anti-carb movement to bin laden. No subject is safe and Celia Rivenbark will tell it like it is no matter who get offended and I love that about her, like she say I write a humor column not a news story.

If you enjoy humor (i.e. Dave Barry) or the wit and wisdom of your southern outspoken aunt this book is for you al her books are hilarious I highly recommend them when you are looking for a laugh and some light-hearted reading
4 ½ Stars

Teaser Tuesday~~ Just One Wish by, Janette Rallison

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

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Just One Wish by, Janette Rallison Page 21-"I'll tell you some other time. Right now I want to explain the rules of wishing because you can't wish for more wishes or for the impossible stuff like superpowers.And don't even think about wishing to fly, because my genie is one of those difficult genies, and he might turn you into a bird or something."

Finder by, Emma Bull~~TAB Review~~

Finder by, Emma Bull


I have read many books in the past eighteen years of my life. Some of them have been amazing, and some… well let us just say that some deserve to be buried and forgotten. But Finder by, Emma Bull has probably been the most intriguing. The story is set in Bordertown, a place somewhere between the human world and faery where all running from a past or a bleak future seem to wind up. Our main character is Orient. Now Orient isn’t just a regular young man, no Orient has the ability to “find” things. Just ask him where something is and it’s like his brain turns into a dowsing rod pulling him closer and closer to the missing object.

One day while he and his elf partner in crime Tick-Tick are sitting in a restaurant when Sunny Rico, a no-nonsense cop, comes to ask for Orient’s help. It seems that there is a deadly drug promising to turn the taker into faeries trickling its way into the veins of Bordertown. Sunny wants to use orient’s strange ability to track it down. A harrowing tale ensues, filled with tragedy, loss and the breaking down of racial barriers to come to the conclusion that you can only be yourself. You can’t be perfect, and even the things that seem like they are. Fail under closer scrutiny.

I really enjoyed reading this book. What struck me most was the fact that there was this drug being peddled to eliminate the human race, well the ones in Bordertown anyway, trying to make them “perfect” like the faeries. Imperfections have this funny way of most often not be imperfections at all, but traits, habits, and abilities that make us all beautiful and unique individuals.

At a more technical point of view, the book was fairly easy to read, kind of dragged a little bit towards the end and sometimes there was a lot of inner reflection on orient’s part that can get a little confusing to read, but it was understandable because he was supposed to be feeling all this turmoil. Over all Finder was a very satisfying read, so I give it 4 out of 5 Stars.

Sara Schuster

Teaser Tuesday~~Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank by, Celia Rivenbark

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

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank And Other Words of Delicate Southern Wisdom by, Celia Rivenbark
Page27-
"There must be some mistake," I said. "These are, well, slutty-looking. I'm talking clothes for a little girl in first grade."

"Thats all we got."

"But these look like things a hooker would wear!"

She smiled sadly."You have no idea how many times I hear that every day."

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by, Lola Shoneyin ~~Review

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by, Lola Shoneyin
Summary-The story of a polygamous husband and his four very different wives. For Baba Segi, his collection of wives and gaggle of children are a symbol of prosperity, success, and a validation of his manhood. All is well in this patriarchal home until Baba arrives with wife number four: a quiet, college-educated, young woman named Bolanle. Jealous and resentful of this interloper who is stealing their husband’s attention, Baba Segi’s three wives begin to plan her downfall. How dare she offer to teach them to read, they whisper. They vow to teach her a lesson instead. What they don’t know is that Bolanle hides a terrible secret: a secret that unwittingly exposes the deception and lies upon Baba Segi’s household rests.

My Review:
This books setting was new to me I don’t think I’ve read any fiction from Africa. This is the story of Baba Segi and his 4 wives and their children. His newest wife Bolanle has not been welcomed with open arms by is other wives. In fact they make life downright miserable for her.

There were times in this story where I was a bit confused as to who was talking. It changed POV very often and wasn’t always clear who the new narrator was.
Other than that I liked this book it was a good story even though I figured out ‘the secret’ before the people in the book did. It was quite the comeuppance for these wives after all the hurt they had caused Bolanle and others.

When I requested this book I thought it was historical fiction but it is set in modern times I don’t know enough about the setting to know if plural wives are common place or even if they are legal. But this was a very interesting story of the lives of this family.

I would recommend this book it is a good story even though I didn’t like a lot of the people in it as they are all extremely flawed by their past. I however did like the story and would read others by this author.

3 ½ Stars (This book would have been 4 stars if it was less confusing by the changing POV)

Full Disclosure: I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program

Betrayed By: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

First I've gotta say that this is probably one of the greatest books I've read all summer.

Summary: So After getting Aphrodite kicked out of the Dark Daughters Zoey is put in charge of them. She starts her leadership by making huge changes to the Daughter's ways. Then while still in a world wind of excitement from their success one of her best friends dies. As if that wasn't enough for a young fledgling to handle an evil being has started to kidnap football players from her old school. So when he ex-almost-boyfriend Heath goes missing she and her friends have to fight evil which is coming from the most unexpected source of all.

Review: Wow! The authors of this book have really made an amazing story. I never even wanted to put it down. It really kept me guessing.

4 1/2 stars

Dragongirl by, Todd McCaffrey~~Review

Dragongirl by, Todd McCaffrey

This book continues the story of Fiona, T’Mar, Lorana & Kindan and their fight to save the dragons. I couldn’t put it down the first 200 pages flew by then it slowed a bit. This is a sad book the Weyrs don’t have enough dragons to fly thread so there are a lot of injuries and deaths in this book , one that almost made me cry (No Spoilers).

There is a lot of drama and action Fiona is one amazing weyrwoman she fights to keep the moral up when some just think everything is lost. Which this book seems to say at times. I hope this story arc is not the end of the Pern series. The blurb at the end says that Anne will be writing the next book with Todd to join him in the final drama of his tale of Pern. I sure hope that it’s just this storyline and not all of Pern that is ending!

I really enjoyed this book it was like going back to see old friends you have missed. These characters are well written fully fleshed out. I just did not like the cliffhanger ending but if that is the worst thing I can say about it then I would say I loved it!

4 ½ Stars

Library Used Book Sale

Blue Bloods:Keys to the Repository by, Melissa De Le Cruz~Review

Keys to the Repository by, Melissa De La Cruz

This is a great companion to the Blue Bloods Series! I loved the backstory on all the characters and cannot wait for Wolf Pact and Misguided Angels.

It was really interesting to get the little snippets of stories from a different point of view and the between the books insight.

The thing I like about this series is the premise, it is fresh and innovative and a great take on history. And this book gave us (fans of the Blue Bloods Series) even more to chew on while we wait for the next book and the new spin-off series with Bliss.

I liked the humor some of the records have like in Kingsley’s records where he puts in how gorgeous he is and Renfield believes the records are tampered with then an aside by Kingsley to say yes indeed he did tamper with them.

I do however wish the map on pages 162 & 163 would have been a one-page map as it is hard to read with the crease in the middle of it.

All in all this is a great companion to the series even if only to refresh your memory of what has happened in the previous books.

4 Stars

Teaser Tuesday

Since I've been on vacation and missed a few weeks I have three teasers today!

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

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Sizzling Sixteen by, Janet Evanovich-Page 19-“Holy Bejeezus,” Lula said, eyes bugged out, looking at the building.”This is scaring the crap out of me. This is like where Dracula would live if he didn’t have money and was a crackhead. I bet it’s filled with rabid bats and killer snakes and hairy spiders as big as dinner plates.”

Keys to the Repository by, Melissa De La Cruz Page 26- Schuyler's birth was a flagrant violation of the Code on her mother's part, and the conclave has not yet come to a formal decision on her fate.



The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by, Lola Shoneyin- Page5-"Baba Segi, I think you should drag her to a medicine man if she doesn't follow you.You are the husband and she is a mere wife, and a fourth one at that!

The Quickening by, Michelle Hoover

The Quickening by, Michelle Hoover 7/2/2010
Description-A debut novel of an epic feud, marked by violence and retribution, between two neighboring farm matriarchs during the Great Depression.

Enidina Current and Mary Morrow live on neighboring farms in the flat, hard country of the upper Midwest during the early 1900's. This hard-scrabble life comes easy to some, like Eddie, who has never wanted more than the land she works and the animals she raises on it with her husband Frank. But for the deeply religious Mary, farming is an awkward living and at odds with her more cosmopolitan inclinations. Still, Mary creates a clean and orderly home life for her stormy husband Jack and her sons, while she adapts to the isolation of a rural town through the inspiration of a local preacher. She is the first to befriend Eddie in a relationship that will prove rugged. Despite having little in common, Eddie and Mary need one another for survival and companionship more than they let on. But as the Great Depression threatens, the delicate balance of their reliance on one another tips, pitting neighbor against neighbor, exposing the secrets they hide from one another, and triggering a series of disquieting events that threaten to unravel not only their friendship but their families as well

My Review-
This not a happy book it is dark and thought provoking. It is beautifully written and almost has a gothic feel to it. It is set somewhere in the Midwest (I am from North Dakota so in my mind that is where this took place) and spans from 1913-1950 and tells the story of Enidina & Mary neighbors on the plains yet different in every way. I don’t think these women were ever friends. Enidina is a hardworking farmer‘s wife who grew up with brothers on her family farm so is no stranger to hard work. Mary is a soft woman who really does not know who she is and I didn’t like her very much. I liked Enidina she had a good character and she was a good person. The story goes through their lives from children, to the great depression to all the major things that happen in the span of a life.

I liked this book, though it is a dark study into the human character. There were times when it had the same feel as The Reliable Wife which is a book that really stays with you after you’re done and this book is definitely one of those books. I liked the two different viewpoints because it really showed you how different these women are, which I don’t think it would have been as good with only one persons point of view.
Highly Recommend!
4 Stars
Full Disclosure I recieved this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program

Teaser Tuesday~~The Quickening by, Michelle Hoover

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

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Quickening by, Michelle Hoover This is a long teaser but I wanted to give a better feel than just one line.
Page 8-I had no sisters to speak of. Had only my mother now and three brothers, gone off to have families of their own. Though I'd tried for friendship, their wives never cared much for the youngest sister who worked with the men in the barn. But women had never liked the look of me. Saw something fierce in my size and roughness. Mary seemed no different. That grimace of hers, it was just the start.

Audio Book Week Wrap-Up Recommendations

Jen over at Devourer of Books has done such a wonderful job putting this week together its been fun!
Today she's asking for recommendations which I have kind of done all week but will add a few to the ones I've already mentioned.

Right now I am enjoying the audio's of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy- the first one was read by, Stephen Fry and from there they are read by, Martin Freeman who played Arthur Dent in the movie they are still good but I did enjoy Stephen Fry's narration better.

I also enjoyed-The Help & The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which are multi-voiced and really drew you in.

If you like Mysteries I enjoy Diana Mott Davidson's Goldy Bear Series Read by, Barbara Rosenblat
Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch read by, Len Cariou
Lisa Scottoline's Rosato & Associates Read by, Kate Burton
Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series read by, John Rubenstein

One of the funniest I have listened to and was read very well by the author was Belle Weather Mostly Sunny with a Scattered Chance of Hissy Fits by, Celia Rivenbark

The Hunger Games & Catching Fire by, Suzanne Collins Read by, Carolyn McCormick were very good

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie read by, Jayne Entwistle was another good one

And of Course the Graveyard Book read by, Neil Gaiman & Anansi Boys read by, Lenny Henry

As I have said before my all-time favorite is The Outlander Series read by, Davina Porter

If you've never tried audiobooks give them a try pick from the lists of favorites in this and everyone else's meme's

Audio Book Week Day #3

Jen over at Devourer of Books made a quick and easy post for the middle of the week, just a short meme.

Audiobook are you currently reading/you read most recently: I just finished “Just Take My heart” now listening to “In The Company of the Courtesan”

Impressions?: Just Take My heart was good well and read and In the Company of the Courtesan has taken some time for me to get into the narration is good and the story is finally picking up.


How long you’ve been listening to audiobooks: I’d guess 3 years

First audiobook you ever listened to: Wow hmm my guess would be something by, Jonathan Kellerman read by, John Rubenstein

Favorite audiobook title: That’s a hard one too my favorites have been
The Outlander Series read by, Davina Porter-
The Help was a great multi-voiced production-
The Shadow of the Wind read by, Jonathan Davis-
And of course The Stephanie Plum Series read by, Lorelei King-
Anything by Jonathan Kellerman read by,John Rubenstein

Favorite narrator: My favorite has to be Davina Porter she really brings the Outlander series to life and even when I read the actual books I hear her voice!

How do you choose what to listen to versus read? Depends on my mood and what I can get my hands on, but I always try to be listening to one genre and reading another so I don’t confuse myself

The Cold Light of Mourning by, Elizabeth J. Duncan~~Review

The Cold Light of Mourning by, Elizabeth J. Duncan

This was a good cozy mystery and a great start to what will hopefully be a series. I liked that Penny & Victoria, our amateur detectives, are not the town busybodies and into everyone’s business they are just everyday ladies that happen to figure things out.

The set-up for this is a bride disappears the day of her wedding has she runaway or has something happened to her. Penny & Victoria seem to be able to figure a few things out and tell the police who are happy to have the help since murders rarely happen in this quaint little Welsh town. Penny is also dealing with the recent death of her best friend and I enjoyed the budding friendship between her and Victoria and this first death really humanized Penny for me.

The cast of characters are well thought out and the actual town busybody Mrs. Lloyd is always a step behind. There is a bit of romance towards the end but it is a nice mature courting going on which I enjoyed.

Overall I enjoyed this book I think it’s a good first novel and look forward to reading more by this author!
4 Stars

Audiobook Week Discussion #2

How to Write an Audiobook Review – Audiobook Week Discussion #2

I like how Jen at Devourer of Books stated it so check out her site.

As for me I guess I usually just review the book itself the majority of the time not even mentioning that I listened to it on audio. The times I do mention it is usually if the narration was very good or very bad.
As stated over at Devourer of Books and in the comments made on the page a person really should put a little something at the end to talk about the narrator and/or production value. I will have to do that more often. I listen to so many audio books but yet there are only a handful of narrators I know by name. I think it would be worth my time to add more about the audio side of the book in my reviews. Even if it’s just to help me keep track of which narrators I liked and which I didn’t.

Audio Book Week

It’s Audio Book Week
Today’s Topic is Why Audio Books?

I love audio books I listen to them all the time when I’m in the shower, doing dishes, driving, cleaning etc. My favorite audio books are the Outlander Series by, Diana Gabaldon read by, Davina Porter. I enjoy all genre’s of audio as I do in paper book reading my favorite genre’s to listen to on audio are Historical Fiction and anything that is humorous. I like listening to historical fiction because if they are set in other countries you get the accents and pronunciations that you may miss when reading them.

There are people out there that say audiobooks don’t count as “reading” which I personally think is ridicules because the content is exactly the same I am just absorbing it in a different way.

My Favorite Audio are:

In Historical Fiction-
The Shadow of the Wind by, Carlos Ruiz Zafron Narrated by, Jonathan Davis
The Help by, Kathryn Stocket Narrated by Multiple Voices

In Humorous/Chicklit/Fiction:
The Stephanie Plum Series by, Janet Evanovich Narrated by, Lorelei King
The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrell by, Loraine Despres Narrated by, Zoe Thomas

In Mystery:

Anything by, Michael Connelly Narrated by, Len Cariou
Anything by, Jonathan Kellerman Narrated by, John Rubenstein

I really enjoy when books are in a series that it be the same narrator for all of them.

Tomorrow we will be discussing How to Write an Audiobook Review.

And thanks to Devourer of Books for the great ideas- Check out her website for some great audio giveaways

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

This book is a decent mystery novel. The beginning is really slow and takes forever to build up to the "meat" of the plot. I believe I was over half done before I truly understood what was going on. Once the book started to get interesting, it was quite good. Because it was a slow read i give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Teaser Tuesday~~Just Take My Heart by, Mary Higgins Clark

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

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"I see in her statement that Mrs.Mills talked about Natalie's roomate,Jamie Evans, being murdered in Central Park fifteen years before Natalie died.You asked her if she thought there could be any connection to this?"

~~Just Take My Heart by, Mary Higgins Clark Page 27

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by, Alan Bradley ~~Review

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by, Alan Bradley

Synopsis
From Dagger Award–winning and internationally bestselling author Alan Bradley comes this utterly beguiling mystery starring one of fiction’s most remarkable sleuths: Flavia de Luce, a dangerously brilliant eleven-year-old with a passion for chemistry and a genius for solving murders. This time, Flavia finds herself untangling two deaths—separated by time but linked by the unlikeliest of threads.

Flavia thinks that her days of crime-solving in the bucolic English hamlet of Bishop’s Lacy are over—and then Rupert Porson has an unfortunate rendezvous with electricity. The beloved puppeteer has had his own strings sizzled, but who’d do such a thing and why? For Flavia, the questions are intriguing enough to make her put aside her chemistry experiments and schemes of vengeance against her insufferable big sisters. Astride Gladys, her trusty bicycle, Flavia sets out from the de Luces’ crumbling family mansion in search of Bishop’s Lacey’s deadliest secrets.

Does the madwoman who lives in Gibbet Wood know more than she’s letting on? What of the vicar’s odd ministrations to the catatonic woman in the dovecote? Then there’s a German pilot obsessed with the Brontë sisters, a reproachful spinster aunt, and even a box of poisoned chocolates. Most troubling of all is Porson’s assistant, the charming but erratic Nialla. All clues point toward a suspicious death years earlier and a case the local constables can’t solve—without Flavia’s help. But in getting so close to who’s secretly pulling the strings of this dance of death, has our precocious heroine finally gotten in way over her head?



My Review:
Flavia reminds me of an amalgamation of Pippi Longstockings and the best of all teen detectives! I wish these books had been out when I was in high school because Flavia makes chemistry interesting!

Flavia is Precocious, humorous and a Genius a somewhat scary genius at times but one none the less. I saw an interview on Library Thing with Alan Bradley where he was asked how he imagines Flavia as an adult and he said either the world’s greatest Chemist or the World’s Greatest Criminal Poisoner and I have to agree with him there!

Flavia is believable because people tell her things without even realizing they have done so because she is a child they let their guard down.


This was a great story, it kept me guessing and I didn’t figure it out till Flavia did so that’s a great mystery!

I can’t wait for the next installment in this series!
4 ½ Stars

Beautiful Malice by, Rebecca James~~Review

Beautiful Malice by, Rebecca James
Release Date:7/13/2010
Description:So. Were you glad, deep down? Were you glad to be rid of her? Your perfect sister? Were you secretly glad when she was killed?

Following a terrible tragedy that leaves her once-perfect family shattered, Katherine Patterson moves to a new city, starts at a new school, and looks forward to a new life of quiet anonymity.

But when Katherine meets the gregarious and beautiful Alice Parrie her resolution to live a solitary life becomes difficult. Katherine is unable resist the flattering attention that Alice pays her and is so charmed by Alice’s contagious enthusiasm that the two girls soon become firm friends. Alice’s joie de vivre is transformative; it helps Katherine forget her painful past and slowly, tentatively, Katherine allows herself to start enjoying life again.

But being friends with Alice is complicated – and as Katherine gets to know her better she discovers that although Alice can be charming and generous she can also be selfish and egocentric. Sometimes, even, Alice is cruel.

And when Katherine starts to wonder if Alice is really the kind of person she wants as a friend, she discovers something else about Alice - she doesn’t like being cast off.

My Review:
I couldn’t put this book down! I had to keep reading this story grabs you from the first line and doesn’t let you go!
The Characters are great and the writing truly makes you feel their pain and happiness. I did figure Alice out early on but it didn’t stop me from being enthralled in this book and its characters. Alice will keep you guessing you know from the beginning that something awful is going to happen with her and that adds to the tension of the book. Our protagonist is Katherine and she is dealing with the death of her sister and is trying to figure out how to live with the grief and guilt of the whole situation. She is a character full of raw emotion and I felt for her the whole way through. The supporting cast is also great you feel for Robbie and yell at him to run away run away. But I’ve seen people in situations like this who stay with people who treat them bad and keep going back for more so for me it was very true to life.

I enjoyed the ending and was glad it worked out that way after everything these characters had been through.
This is a great psychological thriller I would recommend to Young Adults and Adults alike!

4 ½ Stars

Full Disclosure- I received this book through Librarything Early Reviewers Program-Thank-You!

Teaser Tuesday~~Beautiful Malice by, Rebecca James

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

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

ARC Page Number may change-Page 20-
She is dead.
Why we should need to wallow in reality, relive it again and again, poke and prod and examine it until our eyes are bleeding, our hearts crushed with horror and inconceivable sadness of it, is beyond me.

This is an Early Reviewer Book from Librarything Release Date 8/31/2010-As of right now I'm having a hard time putting it down!