Just what I read..

Night Shift

2011-05-03T23:07:00.002-06:00

I have my new paranormal author to replace Charlaine Harris, Jill Kismet is not as annoying as Sookie Stackhouse and hasn't jumped into bed with anyone like Anita Blake would(although some kinky stuff with Hellbreed Pericles is alluded to).

It's the first in the series so a lot of character intro. I have to admit this has been the best on sale Nookcolor book I've read. I've reserved the next two books in the series from the library.

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The Baker Street Letters

2011-03-26T14:14:00.001-06:00

The Baker Street Letters by Michael Robertson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A few days ago I picked up the Brothers of Baker Street and then my son pointed out it was a 2nd novel. I bought the first one through my Nookcolor and couldn't put it down. I read the whole thing last night. The premise is wonderful - if you are the tenant of the 2nd floor suite on Baker street which comprises the most famous address in London - 221B Baker Street - it is part of your lease agreement to return a form letter and keep files of all correspondence received addressed to either Mr. Sherlock Holmes or Dr. Watson. Should you follow up on any letter, your lease will be terminated, you must pay the remaining amount due and vacate the premises. Nigel can't help himself and follows up on a letter anyway.

Throw in a shared love interest, sibling rivalry and some self importance, it makes for a great character study and mystery.

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The Goblin Market

2010-06-03T23:57:00.002-06:00

I fell in love with the Pre-Raphaelites in college. Christina Rossetti was an enigma. Praised for her Christian virtue and religious writings, Goblin Market broke from her tradition. Seen as vaguely pornographic and shockingly aberrant from the "women always suffer" stories of Adam and Eve, Pandora and other curious women, Lizzie and Laura survive to achieve the Victorian ideal of children of their own. It shocked the time that Lizzie stood her ground against men and won, she saved her sister by laying with her and sharing the fruits reserved to the Goblin men. Yet Rossetti's previous standards kept her work from the reputation shared by her brother's wanton crowd. But, could this have been a sister showing her brother, I can do what you do but better? After all, Oscar Wilde taught us that anything went in the Victorian age as long as no one knew about it. The only true sin was publicity. Did Christina use her reputation for being upright and pious to announce that her sexuality remained among the precious sisterhood and a society determined to avoid the public sins pretended not to see what was there? Again, not too far a removal from the paranormal fiction I seem to be wallowing in right now.

The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde

2009-05-31T21:56:00.001-06:00

The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Now I have to read Dickens Great Expectations, Wuthering Heights and The Wind in the Willows.

Ultraword will improve books immensely but it will limit books to just three readers, allow for immediate historical re-writes and eliminate the need for generic characters...in other words, destroy the book world and Thursday Next must stop it. First, she has to find out who is behind it.

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His Mistress by Morning - Elizabeth Boyle

2009-05-31T21:17:00.000-06:00

His Mistress By Morning by Elizabeth Boyle

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
If you could have a wish, and only one change in your life could affect that change, would you do it? Would you give up your place in society to have the man you loved? If it cost him and his family everything would you still do it? An inherited ring gives Charlotte the chance to be the love of Marlowe's life. However, instead of the steady man she knows, Marlowe is now a rake and Charlotte is no longer accepted in polite society since she is Marlowe's mistress. Is the wish worth it?

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Jane Feather - A Husband's Wicked Ways

2009-05-22T23:45:00.001-06:00

A Husband's Wicked Ways by Jane Feather

My review

rating: 1 of 5 stars
I remember now why I stopped reading Jane Feather. The spy stories are weak, the characters flat and I really could care less about the romantic leads. I made it over 100 pages and I'm done. Life is too short to waste on poorly written, non-engaging books. So why did I read that stupid Brothers of Destiny all the way through?

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The Mage by Jean Johnson

2009-05-05T23:11:00.004-06:00

The Mage by Jean Johnson

My review

rating: 1 of 5 stars
The final book in the Brothers of Destiny and it was a let down after a 7 book build up. I can't believe I read the whole series. The writer needed an editor who understands the concept of split infinitives. My daughter and I had a riot parsing the following sentence from page 86 - - "The Darkhanan Witch looked much like she always did, her blonde hair plaited into a coronet on her head and the hooded, black, deep-sleeved robe draped over her shoulders that she always wore, regardless of the weather."

No, really, she does have another set of shoulders that she can use to replace the ones "she always wore."

By the end of the series I really hated Kelly and resented that Morg had saved her from the house fire. I empathized with her arsonists I wanted to get rid of her too.

Thank goodness the series is over and I still can't believe I wasted my time on them. At least I didn't pay for them - I borrowed them from the library.

The Eyre Affair

2009-04-19T00:43:00.001-06:00

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Jasper Fforde's alternate universe includes a never ending Crimean war, a performance where Richard III sounds much like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and SpecOps has a division for literary fraud, vampire eradication and the ChronoSquad (time anomalies).

Imagine being trapped in a novel or poem - how would this change the work of literature.

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Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress.

2009-04-17T22:47:00.001-06:00

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress: A Novel by Dai Sijie

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Interesting read. Gave me a new perspective on the cultural revolution, Balzac and Dumas. A woman's beauty is a valuable commodity.

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No More Mondays

2009-02-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

No More Mondays: Fire Yourself -- and Other Revolutionary Ways to Discover Your True Calling at Work by Dan Miller

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
If you've ever thought about being an entrepreneur, here is the motivation and the questions to get you started on your business plan. Not as much information if you want to continue working in a 9 to 5 setting.

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The Flame by Jean Johnson

2009-01-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

The Flame by Jean Johnson

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
So now we're at 6 of 7 and unfortunately the back story was relegated to the background instead of being woven into the main story line. Can I just say the Fire and Ice was just plain trite? But that has been the hallmark. I did love the crisis of conscience faced by the government official of Katan. Now to wait until April for the final book - The library hasn't even ordered it yet.

Oh, the writing is much better than the first book in the series. Still not up to where I will be following anything else she prints. I'll admit it was the Jayne Ann Krentz quote on the cover that made me pick up the first book. Good marketing ploy. And despite my dislike of her writing style, Jean Johnson does tell a good story.

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Torchwood: Pack Animals

2009-01-11T15:03:00.002-07:00

Pack Animals by Peter Anghelides

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Based on the popular BBC Dr. Who spin-off, this book contains a story not contained in any episode I've seen. As with the series, much of the story is from Glen's point of view. Rhys plays a larger part than he does in the TV show.

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I can't remember reading a book based on a TV series before although I've read many books which later became TV series (Little House on the Prairie). I must have though because I have Lassie volumes and somewhere is a Bonzana volume from my childhood. I've purposely avoided the StarTrek books for years. I'll admit that most of the time I spent reading this I was picturing how I would shoot the scenes. It confirmed my opinion that novels based on TV shows read like failed scripts.

The Storm by Jean Johnson

2008-12-28T22:58:00.001-07:00

The Storm by Jean Johnson

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Arora is now my favorite heroine in the series and Rydan my favorite brother. What a great explanation for why Rydan is so prickly - again the back story is more important than the current love story. I also loved the way Morg's character is being developed and the twist that brings Flame's love to the island.

The writing is still pedantic and more in the juvenile vein but the development of the independent nation is quite interesting.

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The Song by Jean Johnson

2008-12-28T22:45:00.001-07:00

The Cat by Jean Johnson

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
I definitely liked Amara and she would make a far better Queen than Kelly. Kelly is everything I disliked about SCA. I have some great SCA friends, however, the organization draws some real strange people who live in friends basements or will live with their parents until the end of time. Kelly may have had her own business and lived in a small town which tried to drive her out but she sure doesn't act like an adult.

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The Wolf by Jean Johnson

2008-12-20T22:31:00.001-07:00

The Wolf by Jean Johnson

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
Okay really having trouble getting through this book. From the picture in the back, I assume the author is over 17 and has had sex with a man at least once in her life. Maybe she wrote this when she was younger and a virgin and never really re-edited?

The feminist diatribes really don't add to the story. I'm at least halfway through it, I should be able to finish it. Definitely not up to the standards of the first. Hopefully the 3rd will be better?

Did actually finish it, the fight scene was worth slogging through the rest of it.

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The December Barnes and Noble trip...

2008-12-20T21:26:00.003-07:00

Last year the B&N receipt looked like this...

then B&N paid me $74.32 to renew my membership and I paid for my purchase using a loan from my home equity line. This year, they paid me $1.81 and I paid with funds in the checking account.

The Sword by Jean Johnson

2008-12-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

The Sword by Jean Johnson

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Okay, you all sucked me in and I picked up a paranormal romance. It's the first in a series of 8 (8 Sons of Destiny so 8 books). As the first book this one also sets up some of the other stories. I will admit this is the first girl kidnapped from earth that I've enjoyed since Gil Patterson ended up in the royal guard (circa 1983).

So I have The Wolf ready to go next.

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Fortune's Fool by Mercedes Lackey

2008-12-03T22:26:00.000-07:00

Fortune's Fool by Mercedes Lackey

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Book 3 of 500 Kingdoms has a reappearance of some characters from from the previous 2 books. This one deals with Russian fairy tales and the Traditions used in those stories. It's amazing how many of those have been made into ballets which involve betrayed young women luring men to their deaths.

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Women Don't Ask by Linda Babcock

2008-11-29T19:29:00.002-07:00

Women Don't Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation--and Positive Strategies for Change by Linda Babcock

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Bet you thought I would never finish this one...

The main points were that women are wonderful when negotiating on behalf of others, they are more willing to look at and create win/win scenarios when in negotiation. On the other hand, when it comes to negotiating on their own behalf, women attempt to avoid conflict and ask for less than they deserve. Speaking of which, there are some people I need to go ask for something...

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Reserved for the Cat by Mercedes Lackey

2008-11-10T18:38:00.002-07:00

Reserved for the Cat by Mercedes Lackey

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
One of the better elemental mage books, still not as good as I remember Fire Rose being. I loved the ending, I really love the line about letting the knight in shining armour think he's needed to rescue the princess even if she knows she can take care of herself.

Also loved the common sense approach to firearms - if you aren't prepared to go through with killing someone, don't use them for self-defense because you'll just have it taken away and used on you.

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Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

2008-10-20T22:34:00.001-06:00

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Borrowed Liz's copy...so each of the books in this series has contained symbolism that Stephanie Meyer used to create an allegorical connection to literature. In the other books, she explains her connections but in Breaking Dawn she didn't. I hate to say it but non-LDS readers will probably not see the allegory in this one without a lesson in LDS theology.

LDS Theology teaches that after this life, those who are righteous will achieve celestial glory where they will receive a perfect body, be in an eternal family and still keep their personalities and friends. Guess what Bella achieves!

(Okay, I'm not saying that LDS people are vampires or believe in them).

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New Girl on the Job Hannah Seligson

2008-09-01T09:51:00.002-06:00

New Girl On the Job: Advice from the Trenches by Hannah Seligson

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Every graduate should receive this book, not just the women. A listing of lessons that many assume young people still learn from school and parents, it also applies to older women returning to the workplace and those who started out on the entrepreneurial track who may need to re-enter the job market.

It also has a listing of internet resources for further information.

I started reading it because having worked for a family firm and continually being told I'm the one that's broken, I felt I needed an instruction manual. This helped me realize there are things I need to correct but I'm not as broken and the family says.

Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box by Arbinger Institute

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I received this as a gift from someone who is helping me with salary comparisons and my job search. I read it instead of sleeping on the flight to Paris/Finland. It was eye-opening. I realized that I spend a lot of time treating people like objects instead of being empathetic. I also tend to believe the wrong sob stories and need to spend more time considering people's feelings and their point of view. This is a weakness both at work and in my personal life.

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Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce

2008-04-06T19:01:00.002-06:00

I'm getting into retold fairy tales especially when they have a twist to them. I realize that this is a juvenile book published for a teenage audience but since I have a connection to the author through a stitching board, I figured I would read it. I read it in under 12 hours.
I found the most developed character to be the Mill which had it's own personality. I found the heroine to be a stubborn, independent woman who should have trusted her husband to be a partner instead of feeling that she had to do everything herself. I was frustrated that Harte never asked Rosie to marry him and I keep wondering how long the long distance commuting is really going to work.

Freakonomics...Levitt and Dubner

2008-02-15T21:09:00.002-07:00

So this was actually an audio book in the car rather than paper in hand but I'm glad I did it that way. My teenage boys were fascinated with the book. They listened with delight to why a home with guns is safer than a home with a swimming pool. (and the book didn't even approach the correlation of outside criminal activity with each item).
The chapter on Why Drug Dealers live with their Moms was especially interesting to them and understanding that flipping burgers for $7 an hour makes more than selling crack was a great takeaway for them (although we did have to have a discussion about the pit bull owning uncle who is a runner - it was great to point out that I paid his rent for 3 years and he still hasn't paid me back but that's another story).

Needless to say, this book has my kids asking questions, looking for data and generally questioning blanket statements.

The results of the Christmas shopping

2008-01-22T00:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, I should have posted this sooner but I was busy this Christmas...

By the way, B&N paid me $74.32 to renew my membership. I wouldn't go a year without it.

Finding Noel by Richard Paul Evans

2008-01-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

This one won't be the hit that Christmas Box was but then it touches on some of the darker aspects of life and growing up. Seeing the difference between what Mark and Macy view as abuse emphasized the importance of definitions when we discuss things with people.

The message in the ornament may seem far-fetched to some people but I happen to know a physician whose daughter gave up a child for adoption. As part of the process, the doctor and his wife had a porcelain doll created with a message from them inside it. I've never heard if the child ever found them.

I remember the pain of trying to find my husband's birth mother. We were so happy to find her and to find that he had a brother. We did respect her wishes though, and my husband's brother still believes that he is an only child. I do hope that someday, he finds out and comes looking for us.

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

2007-12-12T11:41:00.001-07:00

Controversy is good for book sales. Yet Pullman’s atheistic declarations should be considered in the same light at Asimov’s presidency of the American Humanist Association. It puts both authors’ in the realm of believing that science will always trump religion. Both spheres of influence say they are concerned with reaching Truth. So at some future point, they will merge. Sadly there are those in both camps who belabor that point and refuse to believe there is any cross-over in the fields. Unfortunately, it is that minority in both camps who rant and rave over Pullman’s work.

In reading these, I tend to do the same thing I do when reading Asimov, skip over the scientific treatises that don’t appear to add to the storyline. Asimov does a better job of explaining the science than Pullman does.

Also, since my religious upbringing differs from that religion Pullman is familiar with, there are some points in the books where we agree. First, I was raised to honor Mother Eve, since without her sacrifice in the Garden of Eden (and her ability to explain the truth to Adam) mankind would not exist (Birth and Death did not exist before the Fall). I was raised to believe that the concept of Original Sin was an evil man-made idea designed by wicked priests in the middle ages to oppress people. Second, any being created of pure spirit who professes to be God is a minion of evil and belongs in league with Lucifer since Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, have corporeal bodies which can be seen and can be touched (as Christ did with the apostles following His resurrection). So, the Authority can not possibly be God and the destruction of the impostor is a good thing.

Where I disagree with Pullman is when he states that all religions are designed to oppress and control mankind. A true religion draws mankind closer to the truth of the universe and helps them to understand the power that controls the cosmos. Yes, there are rules to be obeyed but in an eternal sense those rules are there to free and protect. No rule against learning should exist and the religion should encourage education. Abraham studied the stars and the heavenly messengers he received didn’t seem to have a problem with that. I also think that Pullman fails to realize that a science without morals can be even more dangerous than a religion which forbids scientific discovery.

I think the lure of the books for teenagers is the daemons – a physical manifestation of your soul to be your companion. What angst ridden teenager wouldn’t want an extension of themselves to talk with? Having some creature that would only talk to them and wouldn’t share their secrets with anyone? What could be more frightening than an organization that attempted to sever that relationship and in the process killed you or turned you into a zombie?

Like many things, this is one that can be a great talking point with your kids. Use these opportunities to educate them on your beliefs. Discuss where you agree and disagree with the author, or director, or producer or video game designer. It’s a great chance to be a parent!

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

2007-11-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I think the worst thing that can happen to a new author is to have their first book hit the bestseller list. After all, how do you create a follow up to a book that people are calling a masterpiece. Going into it, you know people are going to compare the two.
Jessie, is older than Lily but just as lost and shaped by the secrets of her past. The Mermaid Chair in the title is the pride and joy of the monastery and one of the favorite places of Jesse's childhood. This novel is a discovery of woman's individualism, a reflection on her life. Many of the themes from The Secret Life of Bees are continued in this book but on an older more mature level.

Twilight Trilogy by Stephenie Meyer

2007-10-23T18:29:00.000-06:00

So some more on Twilight...

I discuss books with my orthopedic surgeon. He's the one that recommended Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns to me. He's reading Twilight right now and not understanding why every woman in his office and his wife are fascinated with such juvenile writing. I pointed out that it's published by a young adult publisher and he responded that so was Harry Potter and he enjoyed those. He's not finding these as enjoyable. I suggested that he consider it one large book because Eclipse was the only one that I really got into. When New Moon got into the Romeo/Juliet/Paris symbology it got better but I didn't appreciate being beaten over the head with it. It was nice to have the Jane Austen symbols blatantly pointed out because I don't enjoy reading Austen (although I've been told I would enjoy it more if I read Adam Smith first and then looked at Austen with an economist's eyes).

By the way, in discussing it with the doctor, I think I figured out the reason that so many women love this series - isn't it every woman's fantasy to have two very dangerous men fighting over her but in such a manner that she knows she is safe, protected and cherished no matter how shallow and self-centered she is?

Twilight Trilogy by Stephenie Meyer

2007-10-23T00:22:00.000-06:00

This series had three strikes against it before I started reading it. I usually don’t like fiction that comes from graduates of the BYU English department and I don’t do vampire romance. Third, I’ve never known my sisters to like the books I like (Although I’ve slogged through more Austen novels than they have Card, McCaffrey or Lackey). So when my sister recommended Twilight to me, I didn’t run out and put it on my library list. I also ignored it when The King’s English announced that Stephenie Meyer would be doing a book signing.

I wasn’t until one of the guys in my EMBA class mentioned that with all the reading he saw me do, he was surprised I hadn’t read Twilight. Well that got it put on the library list and when my turn came up (funny I didn’t think being hold 206 would go that fast). It came home and sat on my end table…and sat there... and sat there… and I knew that I either had to read it or send it back because it was due Thursday but I wasn’t looking forward to it until my daughter came home from college and handed her copy to her younger brother and said, “You so have to read this!” So it was a race, thank goodness for the flu? I ended up stuck in bed for the weekend and I finished the library copy before he finished her copy so I got to read her copy of New Moon and I finished that during the same weekend (I think I love the 3 month chapters as much as I love Faulkner’s “My mother is a fish”). And tonight I finished Eclipse and I can’t wait for Midnight Sun (Why does that title remind me of Nightwish?)

It’s more than a vampire romance, it’s a coming of age book for anyone who can’t believe that the cute guy (who you just know has a flaw) could ever fall for you. Then there is the teen angst that comes when you discover that there is more than one love in your life. The trauma that comes from choosing between good and better, making the decision and knowing it caused someone pain.

The topics are universal but the writing is definitely for the juvenile audience that the reader should have been cued to since it's published by a Young Adult division. And yes, my son is just getting to the fight scene in Twilight. He doesn’t get to put off homework to read the way that mom does…

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

2007-10-10T08:47:00.000-06:00

Relationships within the confines of war, it's something we all deal with today some more touched by it than others. The way a boy perceives his father's love shapes the man he grows into as well as the experiences he has as a child. Culture plays important roles no matter what the proponents of a melting pot or salad bowl say. Currently the movie release is being delayed out of fear for the safety of the actors. I admit that I will probably not see the movie. If they stay at all true to the book, it will contain more violence than I'm comfortable seeing on screen, either large or small.
Concentrating on the secrets which shape lives, this book follows a young boy with a gift of storytelling from peacetime Afghanistan through escape during war to his new life in America and his redemption from mistakes of the past.

Personally I didn't like this as much as I liked A Thousand Splendid Suns but that may be as simple as this is a man's coming of age and that was a woman's discovery of what she could endure.

His Dark Kiss by Eve Silver

2007-10-01T23:33:00.000-06:00

I admit it, I like trash romance for fluff reading. Those weekends when you just have to unwind. So Friday, I grabbed a stack off the shelf (randomly) since, heaven forbid, someone might see me in the Harlequin book stacks. I get home and I have this book, His Dark Kiss. The first thought was "Great, I hate vampire romance novels." Well this is a Gothic novel but in the true historic Gothic sense of the horrid novel tradition. I LOVED IT!

There are some great plot twists and maybe I would have caught them before page 100 if I hadn't been focused on "this is somehow going to turn into a vampire novel even though he walks in the daylight." I'm not about to go searching out Ms. Silver's other novels though since the writing was a bit on the "horrid novel" side. If that's what she was aiming for, she succeeded but I like my trash with a bit of meat left on the bones so there is something to sink my teeth into. I didn't quite get it here - cook had picked the carcasses clean before sending them out to the bin.

Books I still need to write reviews on....

2007-09-17T19:21:00.000-06:00

The Innkeepers Wife – Lynda Wilson
Lee – the Last Years – Charles Bracelen Flood
The Measure of a Man – Sidney Poiter
Burning Bright – Tracy Chevalier
The Goal –
One Good Knight – Mercedes Lackey
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – JK Rowling
No One Noticed the Cat – McCaffrey
Wedding Ring – Emilie Richards
Endless Chain – Emilie Richards
Naked Economics -
Atlas Shrugged – Ayn Rand

A Thousand Spendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

2007-09-07T19:19:00.000-06:00

I picked this up on the recommendation of my orthopaedic surgeon. I'm glad I did.

The story of two women in Afghanistan who are ordinary and live ordinary lives. Regimes come and go, sometimes affecting them, sometimes not. After reading this I agree that the Taliban is evil and we were right to go into Afghanistan after them. It did surprise me how young the Taliban leaders were. You would expect old men to be so rigid when in Hosseini's view they come off as men who were threatened by the thought of women as equals. It made me wonder if some of the exetreme reactions are a response to the women's movement. Any women who feels that the Islamist movement is not a threat to women everywhere needs to read about the medical conditions under the Taliban, the educational decrees and travel restrictions. As the Muslim based laws are passed more frequently in Europe, I worry. I worry that people don't see the encroachment and that they won't see it until they have to wear burka.

Even without the political ramifications, it's wonderful story of sisterhood between generations and survival against amazing odds.

And it starts on September 2nd....

2007-09-02T01:30:00.001-06:00

Who is John Galt?

Best Dr. Who line this week....

2007-08-03T10:18:00.000-06:00

From Season 2 of the new shows:

I just saved the world in my jammies, how very Arthur Dent of me...

I'm sorry....

2007-07-30T23:53:00.001-06:00

I've been so busy with school that I haven't taken the time to post my reviews of the books I've read... I'll try to remedy that soon.

Rogues of Regent Street - - Julia London

2007-05-07T16:30:00.000-06:00

I have to admit that I'm far behind in reviewing the books I've read this year. With school the way it is, I have time to read but not to write it up. Or maybe it's just that I don't have the will to write up the serious books that I've read. But for those who need a bit of fluff... I can recommend the Rogues of Regent Street Series by Julia London. The Rogues are an incorrigible lot who are seriously shattered when one of their number commits suicide by dueling with another. This sudden impact throws them all into the recognition that they are not immortal and brings them all love in interesting ways.

The series consists of - The Dangerous Gentleman, The Ruthless Charmer, and The Beautiful Stranger (okay, looking at the book list there is one more I'll have to find now, The Secret Lover.)

Dark Fire - Christine Feehan

2007-03-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

Dark Fire is a paranormal romance set in the contemporary world where the main characters are Carpathians -- moral and just Vampires -- and their struggle to stay alive, keep their souls, and still find true love without letting too many humans find out about them. This book features Darius, bodyguard, big brother and leader of a small band of modern day troubadors, and Tempest, a mechanic that group up on the rough side of the streets. It's very sensual with some love scenes making not readable to anyone under the age of 18. This is one of those books that I can read over and over again, any time I need a break from academia and life-related stress. The world Ms. Feehan creates is believable and I have yet to be pulled from the story.

The Elemental Masters Series by Mercedes Lackey

2007-01-17T23:09:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, I read The Fire Rose which incidentally doesn’t show up on the list of the Elemental Masters series currently published in with these other four titles. The four which I read this Christmas holiday are The Gates of Sleep (Briar Rose), The Serpents’ Shadow (Snow White), The Wizard of London (The Snow Queen), and Phoenix and Ashes (Cinderella). These four books have interwoven characters in such that they show up in each other’s books. Alderscroft is the Wizard of London and gets a mention in each of the others as a possible source of help but only in the FLBaum Ozian sense during the Gates of Sleep. Set at the turn of the century when women were fighting for the right to go to school, vote, have a career, and the right to own their own destinies let alone property. Magic clashes with industrial might, the earth elementals are injured by cold iron, and pure evil allows the non-magical to steal power (another reason for wanting Briar Rose to die). An Air Master who loves his planes blanks magic out of his life and as such is the only one who can see the truth about Cinderella. Eastern magic meets Western magic and the clash of prejudices almost destroys Great Britain if not for the intervention of the handsome industrialist who recognizes Snow White as the princess even if she is half-caste. But what causes a fire master to seem so cold and unable to connect with others – how about denying his Element in order to conquer Ice. I’ve loved these just like most of Lackey’s other books. By the way, Fire Rose is Beauty and the Beast in San Francisco.

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

2007-01-17T22:43:00.000-07:00

Every Christmas needs at least one campy romance about the hope of romance during the holidays. And with the new cuts to Amtrak, a train story seems appropriate. I picked this one up since I was on a Baldacci kick. It’s wraps up all the great classic story lines – the mysterious thief, the reunion of lost lovers, survival while trapped by nature, and the hero who doesn’t realize that he is a hero until the end when he rescues everyone. Oh, and there is a great twist to the end. But, it’s a sappy Christmas book – anyone want my copy?

Beauty - Robin McKinley

2007-01-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

Fantasy seems to go in trends, and the current trend is the retelling of familiar fairytales. I like this twist on Beauty and the Beast. What if Beauty wasn’t her name or her face? What if Beauty was a nickname that was an ironic curse? What if her older sisters were Grace and Hope and they fit their names perfectly? But how do you explain Honour to a 5 year old? And when she didn’t understand her name and says she would rather be Beauty, would you start calling her that? How would you change it if she wasn’t a Beauty? If you were plain and called Beauty, wouldn’t going to a strange castle (much bigger than the shack you were living in) be a wonderful escape, especially if you loved to read and it had an open library?

McKinley does a wonderful job of weaving a story both familiar and strange. At least it doesn’t have the flavor of the Disney movie.

1776 David McCullough

2007-01-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

“There was a great to-do for about 25 years about how young people today don't like to read and don't like books, so you have to dumb down the vocabulary, increase the number of illustrations, so forth and so on. It was conventional wisdom in academics and among publishers. Then along came Harry Potter and blew all that misconception out of the water. Of course, young people will read something if it is appealing, if it's compelling. They're human beings. I think by nature, we really instinctively love history. Our great stories are all once upon a time. We want to hear what our parents remember from childhood. We want to go to movies that are somewhat historical in nature. The two most popular movies of all time: Gone with the Wind and Titanic. That's not just coincidental.”

When I read that quote from David McCullough my first thought was, but he left out Star Wars, then it hit me that his grammar made the statement inaccurate. Then I began wondering if it was a misquotation since I don’t see a historian of McCullough’s caliber making that type of factual and grammatical error. Bringing up Harry Potter in front of Congress though was enough to grab my attention so I threw his name into the “if I get time, I’ll read something of his” pile. Then my neighborhood book club read “1776’ but I didn’t have time to join them since I was in school and busy with schoolwork. So, when I ended up looking at a 600 mile drive over 3 days, and 1776 was available as an audio book, I grabbed it.
For a history, it was interesting and McCullough does make it come alive. I didn’t realize just how much of the American Revolution was in that single year. I tend to think of the Revolution lasting from 1776 to 1783 and it all gets spread out in my mind. Concentrating on just the single year made for an interesting drive. I couldn’t wait to get back in the car for the next segment.

The Camel Club and The Collectors - David Baldacci

2006-12-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

When driving between Tucson and Phoenix, it’s hard to sustain radio stations. So every year I end up picking up an audio book to listen too on the drive. This year the choices were pretty slim. I ended up with an abridged version of The Collectors by David Baldacci. I enjoyed the tale of Oliver Stone and friends; it was riveting but it felt like something was missing – I chalked it down to being an abridged copy from Wal-mart. After listening to it, Baldacci’s prior book of this group, The Camel Club was recommended to me by a family member. I grabbed the paperback as I headed out to California where I had over 600 miles of driving to do and 3 nights alone in a hotel room. I didn’t have enough audiobooks to cover the miles and ended up in a B&N looking for something new. I picked up the unabridged The Camel Club and gave the paperback to a friend. I need to get the full Collectors now. Baldacci’s essays in The Camel Club leave me knowing that I really missed out by getting just the storyline in The Collectors. His rich commentaries on ethics and Middle East politics left me knowing that there had to be similar commentaries on organized crime and the CIA in The Collectors.
The Camel Club is rich in character, plot, and development. It reminded me that the job of the citizens of a democracy is to be vigilant in protecting their liberties. We shouldn’t trade freedom for security. We’ll end up with neither. I do feel sorry for people who don’t believe that the Pentagon and the Intelligence community lie to the American public. If people honestly think that either the press or the government is giving us the real story of the Middle East, they’re sadly deluded (or happily if you believe that ignorance is bliss). The Middle East question is complex and requires understanding on both parts. Baldacci has some salient points on it that I can agree with and others that remind me the book is fiction.
Both The Camel Club and The Collectors are excellent stories and topical for today. We’ll see if they last the test of time.

You're invited to a book party...

2006-11-06T18:45:00.000-07:00

You are invited to an Usborne Books eShow to explore the world of Usborne Books. A child's interest in reading and learning is stimulated by the lavish illustrations and informative content. There are over 1300 bright, colorful and fun titles covering activities, puzzles and a wide range of subjects for children of all ages.

Usborne Books - the books kids love to read!

Hosted by: Kathy Alldredge
Place: www.ubah.com/HOS72492
When: Today thru 11/11/2006 11:59:00 PM

Into the Storm

2006-09-26T19:45:00.000-06:00

Suzanne Brockmann is making the jump from romance to thriller. This book does it well with one exception. I can’t imagine any LAPD officer male or female carrying anything smaller than a .38 into a firefight. There is no way that a .22 is going to stop a dedicated assailant. People have been shot point blank in the head with .22’s and not even needed hospitalization. Any police officer and for that case, anyone working with a SEAL is not going to carry anything smaller than a .38. In most cases, even the most feminine officer is going to be able to handle the kick of a .45. For heavens’ sake, five foot nothing me has no trouble with a 9mm and I can’t imagine trying to stop someone with anything in a small caliber. Other than that, it was a great jump to thriller from romance.

Solstice Wood by Patricia McKillip

2006-09-19T19:00:00.000-06:00

Yes, I managed to read something this week besides textbooks or a quick romance in the tub.

I love the twists and turns of Patricia McKillip’s books. I love getting lost in the language and the words just as I would in a Ray Bradbury novel. What if you were the thing that your grandparents hated? Would you live at home? What if you inherited the family house? What if that house was the doorway to another realm? What if you had a parent who lived on the other side? What if Grandma who kept the door shut, didn’t know it was your parent trying to cross?

McKillip weaves another wondrous tale where the faerie realm and our world merge and proves again while she’s one of my favorite authors.

Black Rednecks and White Liberals

2006-07-27T00:51:00.000-06:00

I enjoy listening to Thomas Sowell, but I had never read any of his books. I couldn’t help picking this one up based on the title. I don’t agree with everything in this book and I had a lot of trouble with the tarring and feathering of the culture of the Southern US and the lionizing of the Pre-WWII German reputation. I do agree that the trends in education show that we aren’t valuing history, independent thought, logic and logistics (never mind civics that’s a dead subject which isn’t taught anymore.)
I loved his assertion that Ebonics is a linguistic descendant of white plantation owners and has nothing really to do with black culture.
I’m not sure about his assertion that prior to the civil rights bills black schools in the north were doing fine and that integration actually hurt them. His example relies on anecdotal information from one school in Washington DC. Still he presents information in an interesting way and leaves the reader with plenty to think about.
If at first one considers the early chapters of the book racist, remember the liberal adage: a man without power cannot be racist. Sowell is black so by the liberal logic, he can’t be racist, although his book presents arguments about racism having nothing to do with power (not to mention the true history of slavery).

Another book for the Wish List...

2006-07-21T10:58:00.000-06:00

Introductory Psychology Through Science Fiction

Don't you just love the title of that?

Wartorn:Obliteration

2006-06-05T09:17:00.001-06:00

Now I believe in Deux ex Machina as much as the next fantasy reader but I expect to at least be a witness when the gods strike everyone dead. I also like it when the evil wizard’s magic is used against him but the ending of Wartorn: Obliteration felt like a rip-off. Not really in Robert Asprin’s style. And what happened to Praulth’s wrap up chapter? Sorry but after this much build up, I deserve a better ending than Bryck being recognized as the famous playwright from U’delph and having a happy ever after in a cottage on the outskirts of Callah. What a cheap ending; I feel gypped. What happened with the Dardas/Weisel conflict? Raven is gone, why wasn’t Dardas expelled when the Felk magic users were killed? Were the Petgrad magic users killed too or did Praulth continue to have the advantage? I’m sorry but the ending totally ruined this duo of books for me. Now, the cover does make it sound like a series but too many things were wrapped up for it to have urgency in the continuity stream of publication. Like most of Asprin’s writing, the details are delicious and present. The cities are rich and bustling without being wordy. I guess that’s why I’m so upset about the ending. Maybe it’s the editor’s fault. Maybe the editor decided that the war was running on too long the way that Dardas wanted it too. There were so many better ways to end it. Why not have Raven/Vadya execute Dardas when she realized that his goal was continual war not peace? The angst in that chapter would have been great! Even if she banished Dardas and kept Weisel as a puppet and ruled from behind him (or realized she couldn’t rule through him since he wasn’t interested in women)? Why not have General Praulth win and receive the regard of the Cultat? There was so much that could have been done to develop Vadya, but then I’ve always been partial to courtesans. Maybe it was Eric Del Carlo’s fault. I’m not familiar with his writing; maybe he does this sort of anti-climatic ending all the time. Yes, I’m still upset about the short shrift of an ending.

The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier

2006-05-30T11:14:00.000-06:00

An interesting historical fiction on the creation of the Cluny tapestries. It was worth reading for the historical aspects but the characters were not as developed as I expected from reviews of Chevalier. The men were flat and the women boring. The whole thing focused on the peccadillo’s of the artist. Not what I would call an inspiring book, but neither a romance novel.

My Sister's Keeper

2006-05-17T22:34:00.000-06:00

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult is well written with characters that well thought out, whole, and well-rounded. 3-D. It took a bit to get used to the first person point of view with each chapter told by a different point-of-view for two weeks that totally and completely altered one family. THe ending was a twist, that while I would love to = won't give away. I can say that I was hooked and drawn in, but to be honest wouldn't have read it knowing the ending. Great story-line. Will I read something else by Ms. Picoult? Probably. At least one more.

The Runaway Mother

2006-05-08T11:50:00.000-06:00

It’s not often that I find a book that I wish I could afford to buy for everyone. This 71 page book by Carol Lynn Pearson is one of those that I wish I could just buy a case of and pass them out to every woman who doesn’t think she’s doing a good job as a mother.
Let’s face it, only the most perfect among us hasn’t wished that she could do as Alison does and check into a hotel and have a weekend just pampering herself without the kids. We all need to appreciate ourselves and all we do. We all accomplish so much without even realizing it. Do yourself a favor and read this either from the library or buy it for yourself. It’s on sale from the publisher until Mother’s Day.

Harrowing the Dragon

2006-05-08T11:32:00.000-06:00

Harrow:

A borough of Greater London in southeast England. It is the site of the public school Harrow, founded in 1571
A farm implement consisting of a heavy frame with sharp teeth or upright disks, used to break up and even off plowed ground.
To break up and level (soil or land) with a harrow
To plunder or sack
To inflict great distress or torment on.

Both 4 and 5 are applicable in the title story for Patricia McKillip’s Harrowing the Dragon. The town is trapped by winter when they mine the rich gold in trapped in the frozen mountains. Did you know that dragon’s blood is gold? A former resident returns to inform them that the reason they are trapped in the cold is the island is surrounded by a sleeping Ice Dragon and he is there to harrow it into leaving. As in all McKillip stories, there is a twist. This book is a collection of her short stories published previously elsewhere. Some are incredible and leave the reader wanting more (Lady of Skulls) and some are retold fairy tales (The Lion and the Lark, Toad), some are meant to be feasted on and others are light snacks. Like all Patricia McKillip books though, this one is savory and most delicious.

An open letter to Patricia McKillip

2006-05-04T10:57:00.000-06:00

I love your work; the texture of your writing is delicious. I’ve been feasting on Harrowing the Dragon and “Lady of the Skulls” keeps haunting me. I keep wondering what happens when a prince returns home with a barmaid formerly known as Lady of the Skulls. She’s not exactly the daughter in law any queen would desire. Now that the coffers are full, would the prince love her or was she just a means to an end? If he’s a younger son, the parents may not disapprove but how will the rest of the court look upon her? How does a barmaid with morals fit into the palace? His friends that are still in the keep, did they survive? How do they feel about a plain woman being the treasure? Do they really believe that she is the treasure and not something that she carried with her? Does she understand that she is a treasure despite the plain face and lowborn past? Do both of them have the strength of character to put up with the whispers from the corners of the court? Is there space and light for flowers in her new home? Will she have time for them? I would love to hear more of her story.

Od Magic

2006-04-26T23:56:00.000-06:00

I love the way Patricia McKillip has with words. I love her language and the twists and turns that her mind weaves. Brenden Vetch has a way with plants they speak to him. He saved the village during an epidemic but failed to save his parents. He is drowning in grief when Od appears to him and sends him to the city to become a gardener at her school for magic. He is to look for the school under a shoe. His arrival starts many political intrigues typical of McKillips books and I have to admit that the twist in this one is not one I saw coming. Although looking back on the book, all the clues were there. Maybe I’ve been reading too much fluff and not enough to cause thought lately. Reading thorough this made me realize that.

Three Heroes

2006-04-26T12:26:00.000-06:00

Jo Beverley is best known for her Mallorens and her Rogues series but in among the Rogues is the Three Georges. This book puts them together in their post Waterloo romances. All three have been published separately and I know I bought Devil’s Heiress but I never read it and have no clue where it disappeared too. Van, Con, and Hawk had tattoos applied to their chests prior to Waterloo so they would be able to identify each other’s bodies if it became necessary. Those tattoos are objects of female speculation in each book. George Van Deimen (Van) has a demon tattoo and he is rescued from suicide by a rich widow who wants to “hire” him to keep fortune hunters at bay. A fortune hunter himself, Van needs money to restore his estates which his father almost lost in a bad investment scheme. The widow has money but is wary of tying herself and her fortune to a man like her former husband. Other issues (such as infertility) have play in this story but like all romances it turns out in the end.
Con is a Rogue as well as a George. His dragon is from a distant relative whose estate Con never expected to inherit and he definitely didn’t expect his first love to be the housekeeper there. A true Rogues story involving smugglers, lost pasts, arcane objects, and true love is woven here with great craft.
And what happens to Con when a George sets himself against the Rogues. Hawk must save the family estate from the mortgage of an industrialist by capturing the fortune which went to a poor schoolgirl following the Rogue’s escapades with Lord Devlin. Hawk’s stepfather has spent the family fortune to win the title of Lord Devlin, Hawk has no way to get the 20,000 pounds needed to redeem Hawk in the Vale without either marrying the Devil’s Heiress or proving her to be a fraud. It’s nice to see a romance heroine who isn’t a raging beauty and Regency woman who are followers of Mary Wollstonecraft.

Long Winter Reads

2006-04-24T21:38:00.000-06:00

I"ve read several novels in the past few months -- so I'll talk about them all at once.

A Room of One's Own -- Virginia Woolf -- Early 20th
This is non-fiction, bascially the transcript of speeches she gave -- honestly, it was one of those books that I had to force myself to read -- but it was for class, and it did give a good foundation for the later novels. A good place to start, academically, when interested in literature -- particularly, women's lit.

Their Eyes Were Watching God -- Zora Neale Hurston -- Early 20th century --
The dialect may give some a stumbling block, but to put proper language in it's place, would really detract from the story. The Heroine, Janie, is well developed and the pacing is excellent. While Hurston's novel was criticized by some as not being true to the struggles and daily life of African American's then, it does give a glimpse into a world and a time and place most of us will never know. Some of the concerns and conflicts Janie had, modern women still have. Not having watched Ms. Winfrey's version, I can't compare it, but the book is excellent.

The Journal Of A Solitude -- May Sarton -- mid 20th Century
One of several journals by poet and author May Sarton. It is non fiction, an account of a year of her life. Fluffy, well written description is interspersed with bouts of anger, depression, pain, and a few good things. I didn't care for it, but I prefer stories, not depressing recounts of life, which can be depressing enough as it is.

Tracks -- Louise Erdrich -- mid 20th century
Fictional story of life during the resettlements, land grabs, and government schools, of the Native Americans by whites, from the Native American's point of view. We follow one family over the course of several years as they deal with the coming problems. It is a bit confusing, it took several chapters before realizing the "occupation" of one of the main characters. And there is a shift of POV that happens at regular intervals. Disorienting at first, but there is growth in several characters, with the main characters showing depth and emotion.

Bone - Fae Myeen Ng -- 1993
A look inside life of Chinese American's in Chinatown. Flat. Confusing.

The Handmaid's Tale -- Margaret Atwood -- 20th century
Set sometime in 21st Century in what was once the USA. Now, known as Gilead, it is a tyrannical approach to an extremely narrow interpretations of several verses of the Christian Bible. Women have been reduced to possessions (again) with some women being forced to become surregate mothers for the elite. One of the scariest things is the people's refusal to stand up for themselves, and how easy they bought all of the BS, fed to them by the government. Scared that an attack will occur again the people are okay with suspending the Constitution and giving up all of their freedoms for what -- imagined security -- families are split and destroyed, children ripped away from their parents -- up, that was worth it. Good story, character growth is visible. Mostly it makes you sit up and take a whole new look at things. Read it.

I'm anxiously awaiting Blood Ties: The Turning, Book One by Jennifer Armintrout. Pleasure. Pure Pleasure. Not for school. Yeah.

"Bitter is the New Black:

2006-04-13T09:25:00.000-06:00

Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, or, Why You Should Never Carry a Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office"

Hysterical book. Ok - complete chic-lit fluff. But I love this girl. We should be best friends.

Anyway, it's a book about this gal who was making a six-figure salary during the dot-com boom, and once the bubble burst she found herself unemployed. She has opinions about everything... and sadly enough people think she is a you-know-what for her opinions. I knew this before I read her book, curious to see why people thought that way of her. As I was reading I couldn't help but say to myself (numerous times) "Oh, I've thought of that in that circumstance" or "yeah I know what she is talking about". Well, I guess I know what people think of me!

But honestly people. Sometimes things just need to be said. LOL...

Completely recommend. And she just sold the rights to her next book "Bright Lights, Big Ass: Urban Mis-Adventure is the New Black". CAN'T WAIT for this one.

Check out her website www.jennsylvania.com

Books to Read

2006-03-31T09:25:00.000-07:00

The Kings English just sent me their latest newsletter. That means that I have a new list of books to get from the library. I've lifted these descriptions straight from the newsletter - so it's probably a copyright violation.

A Dirty Job, Christopher Moore, Morrow, $24.95
There are alpha males and beta males, and Charlie Asher is definitely a beta male—a beta male who is suddenly called upon to be a Death Merchant, a collector of soul vessels pursued by three Morrigans who hiss and ooze from the storm grates of San Francisco. Mix in some squirrel people, hell hounds, a daughter who can cause people to drop dead by shouting "kitty" and, viola!, we have the latest Christopher Moore. The man is brilliantly bent. –BH

The Accidental, Ali Smith, Pantheon, $22.95
Teenage Magnus is upstairs in the bathroom tying his shirt to a beam in order to hang himself. His 12-year-old sister Astrid is busy filming everything she sees, while Astrid’s mother Eve is locked in her office pretending to write a novel, and Eve’s second husband Michael is in his office at the University banging away on his desk with one of his female students. Then, Amber walks into the household, appearing in time to prevent the suicide of the brother and becoming—or refusing to become—what each wants her to be. Inventive in terms of style, serious in terms of theme, often funny, Smith’s new novel is irresistible. –BB

The Madonnas of Leningrad, Debra Dean, William Morrow, $23.95
In 1941, the Hermitage Museum had been stripped of its contents in order to preserve its art from German bombs. The empty frames serve as surreal reminders of the paintings that once bedecked its walls and Marina, a museum guide, begins to build a memory palace, recreating in her mind’s eye each masterpiece. In contemporary America, Marina’s daughter Helen, an artist herself, is trying to come to terms with a mother whose memory is failing rapidly and completely. As Marina’s memory of the recent past erodes, that of the distant past, of the art that she had painstakingly committed to the walls of her memory place, comes to vivid life. This is a breath-taking book, at once graceful and resonant. Don’t miss it. –BB

A Perfect Union, Catherine Allgor, Henry Holt, $30
Dolley Madison was not the first First Lady, but she set the standard that has endured to this day. She is perhaps best known as the President's wife who, when the British were invading, refused to leave the White House without the portrait of George Washington. Mythology being what it is, the painting wasn't the original Gilbert Stuart, and, wasn't even valuable, but this episode was rife with symbolism, as Dolley was very aware. Allgor's biography explores Dolley's life within the context of her times, portraying her as a woman not only cognizant of the problems facing the young republic, but also of the way in which the wife of the President could influence that republic's direction A sweeping and readable look at an interesting life. – BH

A Death in Belmont, Sebastian Junger, Norton, $23.95
A strange juxtaposition of fate brought Albert DeSalvo, who later confessed to being the Boston Strangler, into the Junger home as a carpenter's helper during the 1960s. Even stranger was the murder of a housewife not two miles from the Junger home on a day when DeSalvo was working for Sebastian's family. Stranger still was the conviction of a black Mississippian for this murder and his continued incarceration years after DeSalvo had confessed to similar crimes. Junger brings his razor insight to the confluence of lives and crimes in a story that is frighteningly close to home. –BH

The Book Thief, Markus Zusak, Random, $16.95
Book lovers, young and old, will be thrilled with Zusak's newest book. Death is the narrator and tells the story of Liesel, and her meager, frightening existence in a German village during WWII. She discovers that one thing can make her life tolerable, and that is books. She steals books, reads books, shares books. In a time and place where starving is the norm, books become her lifeline, her food. This novel is getting a lot of well deserved attention. Read it! High school and up due to language and theme. -MBN
Limited Signed copies available after April 4!

The Fine Art of Small Talk by Debbie Fine

2006-03-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, she brings up the pun. Most of us are terrified of public speaking and that is understandable but many of us are also afraid of walking into a reception room or a conference where we don’t know anyone. In that situation, many of us are trapped by the mental tapes of our youth but we can break those. Human nature is such that if you walk up to a stranger and give them information, they will respond in kind. Such as “Hi, I’m Stasha, I’m a lifestyle coach here for the hardanger class. What’s your name?” Most people will respond with their name, occupation and reason for being there. From that point, you can ask a question that can get them talking comfortably. My problem is that someone will ask me a question to get me talking and I monopolize the conversation or interrupt others while they’re talking because they remind me of something I want to say. Hopefully, I’ll do better in new conversations if I can remember what to avoid and what to do.

Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Crea

2006-03-07T17:34:00.000-07:00

You have to love a book that says “Hold Me” when you take off the dust jacket. The introduction by Lemony Snicket is just as good as the collection of short stories. I didn’t do the crossword at the back of the book.

By the way, since the full title won't fit in the Title spot, its:

Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures from the Sky, Parents who Disappear in Peru, a Man Named Lars Farf, and One other Story we Couldn’t Quite Finish, So Maybe You Could Help Us Out.

Stories by Nick Hornsby, Neil Galman, Jon Scieszka, Jonathan Safran Foer and more with an Introduction and almost half a story by Lemony Snicket.

All Night Long

2006-02-27T00:43:00.000-07:00

Funny how I'm now dealing with insomnia after reading a book about fear of the dark. This is a departure for Krentz. It's still a romance but do you remember when Catherine Coulter started her cross-over to main stream fiction with the FBI series? That's the feel that I got from this book. Face it, most romance novels do not delve into sexual abuse, pedophilia, murder, and misogynistic families. I think the accusation of psych problems on the part of the hero's family were a bit overdramatic and the plot would have been great without them, it did add to family tension and make for a great exit scene. If this is the start of a cross-over to mainstream fiction, it's a great plot.

Are you ready for a LifeChange?

2006-02-19T22:39:00.000-07:00

I've read many motivational books, many of them are geared to selling, many are geared to men, and many only apply to those in the corporate world. Finally, I’ve found a motivational book geared for women who believe that their families are more important that money. I have to admit that I’ve signed up for the mini-course which I’m not sure is still being offered. I’ve accomplished more and been more focused for the last month. I haven’t accomplished everything but I’ve done most of it. It’s definitely been of benefit to me and I recommend it to everyone who isn’t happy with the rut that they are currently in. Connie Sokol is talking from life experience as the mother of 5 children. Learn more at www.lifechangeprogram.com

Portrait in Sepia

2006-02-19T22:31:00.000-07:00

I’ve wanting to read Isabel Allende since Zorro hit the best seller list. So I couldn’t help but pick this one up at the library and I’ve loved it so much that I’m looking for Daughter of Fortune which is the prequel that became a best seller. I realize that this is a translation from the original Spanish but if the translator was true to the texture and the flavor of the author, I imagine she would be incredible in the original but I don’t read Spanish. The story is rich with historical details of everyday life in San Francisco, Chinatown and Chile of the 1880’s to early 1900’s. It’s a fascinating tale of people and lives and I really, really want the mythological bed!

The Undomestic Goddess

2006-02-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

I think that I probably would have enjoyed this Sophie Kinsella book at some other time in my life. I think I just related too much to having a birthday dinner with people on the cell phone. I cannot, however, see taking my cell phone and blackberry into the spa, or leaving the spa because of work. Maybe that’s why I’m not partner in a high powered law firm. I didn't finish it, it went back to the library.

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

2006-01-23T23:32:00.000-07:00

So did Penelope really want to be an example of a virtuous woman, held over the heads of lesser mortals while their husbands philandered and used the “I was ensorcelled, I didn’t mean too,” excuse? Did she ever envy her cousin Helen who turned so many heads, including her husbands? Did she have friends among the household either before or after it was invaded by suitors?
I didn’t even remember the 12 maids hanged by Telemachus after he forced them to clean up the gore of their dead lovers. Atwood spins an interesting twist on it, which ended up bringing to mind Captain Kirk as an archetype of Odysseus.
I will admit that I did have to brush up on some of my mythology. I had forgotten the tale of Clytemnestra, Helen’s sister. And I do want to find her source on the relationship between Odysseus and Hermes.
Make sure to read “The Chorus Line: And Anthropology Lecture.” It brings the entire book into focus. It’s much more entertaining than “Helen takes a bath.” This is a quick read with a lot to think about. And brings home the conflict of many women - - Is it better to be thought of as good, or would she rather be adored?”

The Power of Intention by Dr. Wayne Dyer

2006-01-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

I grew up on Dr. Wayne Dyer’s How to be a No Limit Person and Gifts from Eykis. But as I listened and read growing up I often wondered, where is compassion and courtesy for other people in this concept? It’s good to see that Dr. Dyer has found those two things. It’s wonderful for him to catch up and find that being in tune with one’s divine nature allows us to do more. Go with God has even more meaning when one realizes that with God you can have any righteous thing that you desire. It’s pretty easy to tune into the intention of the Universe when you open your heart to God and look for the work that He has for you. Working for the power of the universe has great reward, not all of them spiritual. After all, God has said that all things (including the temporal) are spiritual and men are that they might have joy. Just remember that pleasure and joy are not necessarily the same thing. Pleasure on occasion can prohibit reaching joy. I may go check out more of what Dr. Dyer has done lately.

Crossroads – edited by Mercedes Lackey

2006-01-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

This made me realize that I probably should re-read the Valdemar series since I’ve forgotten much of the geography and a few of the characters (especially the Gryphons). No one can forget Tarma and Kethry and there’s a pretty tame but good story of theirs in here. I think Larry’s Gryphon story was the best of the collection. I passed the book on to my daughter when I finished it. I may go borrow her Gryphon trilogy once I get through my new Christmas books.

The Christmas Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

2006-01-10T22:47:00.000-07:00

Consider the squabbles and traditions that we have every season, what will you miss when the people you share them with are gone? Would you try to help other people start new traditions or at least revive some of the fun ones that you remember? Sylvia remembers the Christmas Quilt that her aunt started, and the appliquéd wreath blocks her mother made, the six misshapen star blocks her sister did, and the log cabin squares that she was adding to it. The tradition was to take out the quilt on Thanksgiving and work on it through New Years. Sylvia’s convinced that there aren’t enough blocks to complete the quilt, after all, only her untalented sister was there at Elm Creek to work on it. This book talks about history and tradition and what happens when we lose touch with those we love. This book recaps the history already shared in the other Elm Creek books. However, there is some new information shared. It makes me even more curious to learn what really happened to Claudia while Sylvia was gone. She must have been a lonely person. I did make another square for my Christmas quilt after reading it.

A Couple by Carol Lynn Pearson

2006-01-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

Girlfriend, You Are the Best!: A Fable for Our Times

Girlfriends, Angels, what's the difference? Enough Said.
(Needless to say, I ran to 5 different stores to get enough for Christmas presents for my Broad Squad!)

Will You Still Be My Daughter?: A Fable for Our Times

Please tell me most mothers are not this neurotic? There is no way I could give this to my daughter, she's smart enough to know that her daughter will not be just like her and I was smart enough never to try to make her just like me.

Callahan's Con by Spider Robinson

2006-01-02T01:53:00.000-07:00

I love Spider Robinson, I love his puns, and I love his quirky views on things. I hit his webpage today and although they don’t have a way to contact him directly, I plan on sending him a fan letter. I usually love the Callahan books but I kept getting lost in this one, mainly due to some continuity problems that the editor should have caught. I’m of the opinion that the scenes with Ludnyola Czrjghnczl were added later since most of the continuity problems involve her. I’ve ended up marking my book where I got lost and going back to research to see if my memory was off. My memory was on, the editor was off.
I'm sorry to see the loss of one of my favorite regulars at Callahan's and I wonder who in the author's life had a brain tumor which affected him enough to add it to the story and add a plea at the end for donations. Beyond that though, this is the crowd that I've grown to love over the decades and harbored a wish that I could belong.
Let’s face it though; as much as I love Spider Robinson’s Callahan series, I wouldn’t fit in at The Place since I’m one of those creatures liberals consider mythical – an open-minded religious conservative. I have no problem with a live and let live attitude as long as I’m allowed to live life the way I want to also. If that means I leave the building when you start rolling your own smokes with a plant that has been genetically enhanced to alter brain cells, I shouldn’t be condemned. Frankly, I’ll even go so far to turn my back if you want to slip extra ingredients in the chocolate brownies I’m baking. I’m fine with it as long as you warn me that I really shouldn’t taste them. Luckily, I have friends who know, understand, and love me anyway. I’m just glad I have an o’pun forum to discuss it.

Hot Stuff by Carly Phillips

2006-01-02T01:47:00.000-07:00

The second in the Hot Zone Romance series. This time it’s tomboy Micki who wants to catch the eye of a baseball star who doesn’t even look at her, after all, she’s just one of the guys and he’s know for dating big busted blondes. It doesn’t take much for one of Micki’s other friends to give her some pointers and the sparks fly from there. Plus we still have the sub-plot of Yank and Lola going. I need to go looking for Sophie’s story now if it’s out.

Delectable Mountains by Earlene Fowler

2006-01-02T01:34:00.000-07:00

Ford Hudson is back and still his randy self. It’s going to be interesting to see how this ending effects Gabe and Benni’s marriage. The mystery in this one seemed to take a subset to the emotional attachments and to the religious message inherent in putting on a children’s play at church. I didn’t like this one as much as the others. I’m getting really tired of quilters always having to be old women.

A Year with C.S.Lewis

2005-12-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

So I actually finished a day early. I’ve loved this book of daily quotes from the first page – Supposing we really found Him? My favorite lines from that first quote are “There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion (‘Man’s search for God!’) suddenly draw back. Supposing we really found Him? We never meant it to come to that! Worse still, supposing He had found us?”
Starting each day with a short quote to ponder from the writings of the great Christian theologian helped this year to stay on track for me. It was interesting how many of the subjects seemed to come up at times when I really needed them. Along with the quotes, dates of importance in Lewis’s life are notated with just a sentence or two. Following the notation about the death of his wife, Joy, the subject of grief comes up and I couldn’t help but wonder if he only had known that we can be with our loved ones forever after this life would his grief have been lessened. Spending this year encouraged me to pick up a new inspirational book for 2006 – A Lamp unto my Feet.

The Christmas Shoes

2005-12-27T21:15:00.000-07:00

Another Christmas Book, this one based on the song. It's a quick easy read and a sappy book but it is another one that reminds people that family means more than money and time is more important than things. Relationships are based on trust not on trinkets and it pays to know what the other person equates with love. It's probably not what you think it is.

Santa's New Job by Michael McLelland

2005-12-22T02:45:00.000-07:00

Do you think that Santa gets tired of people always asking for long lists of things? Do you think he ever thinks about quitting and choosing a different career? What kind of career do you think that Santa would pick as his mid-life crisis job change? Why do you think he would pick that job?

Thank goodness for people whose long lists don't contain anything for themselves... those are the people that make Santa happy that he's doing what he's doing.

Santa's New Job
(The illustrations are pretty amazing.)

Some Christmas Books that I enjoy every year...

2005-12-18T00:37:00.000-07:00

The Fourth Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke
That Thine Alms may be in Secret by George Durrant
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
The Night before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
The Polar Express by Chris Van Alsburg
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
Christmas Oranges by Linda Bethers

Broken Dishes by Earlene Fowler

2005-12-18T00:24:00.000-07:00

Continuing on the Benni Harper mystery series, Benni finds a body on a trail while helping a friend get her dude ranch started. Ford Hudson is back and still annoying Benni’s husband Gabe by hitting on her. This time though Benni admits that Hud is a distraction and a temptation but Gabe is still the number one man in her life. The mystery takes 2nd place to the interpersonal relationships in this book but it’s great to see Benni and Gabe develop into stronger characters.

Snowmen at Night and Snowmen at Christmas

2005-12-18T00:22:00.000-07:00

I had to get and read these books when I heard Caralyn and Mark Buehner on AM820 talking about the day that they came out in the yard and found that their snowman had moved across the yard and obtained a can of soup from somewhere. The incident stuck with them and the subject of what Snowmen do when its night and no one is looking stuck with them. Caralyn does the storylines and Mark illustrates the books. All of the illustrations are also picture searches. So the books are fun every time you look at them. The box set that the link takes you too contains both books.

Christmas Jars by Jason Wright

2005-12-18T00:09:00.000-07:00

What if you could do something for Christmas that would keep Christmas in your heart all year long and would help teach charity and you wouldn’t miss the money each year?
Jason Wright wrote an intriguing Christmas mystery that has a great message and a great moral. You never know when what you do to help will end up helping you in the end.
I think I may start a Christmas Jar this year.

The Four Agreements

2005-12-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, if you are into 1st peoples mysticism this book is for you. If you want a motivational book that will tell you the same thing in English instead of mysticism. Read Dr. Wayne Dyer's Gifts from Eykis or How to Be a No Limit Person. Same stuff, different packaging.
Another version would be some of the How to stop being a victim books.

Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

2005-12-05T12:13:00.000-07:00

You’ll notice that I don’t read that much non-fiction. This one was a recommendation as the October book of the month from AM820. You would think as a CSI junkie I would read more crime stories too. However, in my industry, I get more details on horrific things than I care to remember and many are details I would love to forget ever learning. Larson does a wonderful job of tempering the horrid details by using the documents of the time which considered some readers to have “tender feelings” and reported accordingly. The information on the building and administration of the fair would seem boring if it hadn’t been interspersed with the details of the serial killer. At that time, the term psychopath was just being invented and the only serial killer of record was Jack the Ripper. It was hard to remember that this was a history and my husband was sure it was fiction. However, the sources are well documented and as a history it is interesting, intriguing and informative. I loved the history of Ferris’s wheel and the side marketing by Buffalo Bill. I didn’t realize that the mayor of Chicago had been assassinated during the 1893 World’s Fair. I wouldn’t have picked this on my own but I’m glad I read it.

Jamie by Lori Foster

2005-11-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

Lori Foster introduced a psychic secondary character during the Winston brothers’ books. Every town needs its resident nut case and Jamie Creed lived and haunted Visitation. No one knows his past although the women (Cyn, Luna, Shay, Juli, and Alyx) are trying to bring him down off his mountain and into society. But it takes a stranger, climbing his mountain in a storm to bring him out of himself and force him to face his past with the racy results that one expects from a Lori Foster novel. Yes, her novels border on pornographic. Have you ever thought of acting out one of the scenes with your husband? It can be kind of fun if you’re both in a silly mood.

Reforming the Rake by Sarah Elliott

2005-11-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I happen to like Regency and Victorian Romances. They're the fluff in my reading diet.

So what happens when a rake wants to be married but can’t admit it? He compromises himself. What happens to a young girl who loves horrid novels and thinks that men should be like heroes in novels? Miscommunication; which is the trademark of romance novels. A pretty good read actually. I love the twist she finds out about her parents too.

I think this is Sarah Elliott's first novel but I could be wrong.

Sunshine and Shadow

2005-11-08T22:52:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I know this pattern as Around the World instead of Sunshine and Shadow. This book has a weak mystery but is much more about Benni’s character and how her past fits in with her present. I loved the ending, even though I saw it coming.

Steps to the Altar by Earlene Fowler

2005-11-06T00:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not a fan of mystery stories although I do love CSI. Earlene Fowler's Benni Harper is an exception to my dislike. I like how Benni stumbles into messes and just does her best to cope with the hand that she's been dealt. I like how the novel includes her life outside the story and the cast of supporting characters are full bodied and worth getting to know. I love how the plots tie into the titles which happen to be named after quilt blocks. (Does that answer how I got interested in this series?) This episode deals with marriage and the miscommunications that we get ourselves into. Who hasn't taken something wrong? or stood fast when they should have apologized? How about accusing the other person of doing something that you are doing yourself? and through the questions runs the issue of a murder that occured in the 1940's. Was it a domestic violence situation gone bad? Or was it exactly as the town believed?
Well, I'm off to the next novel in the series.

A Gift of Dragons by Anne McCaffrey

2005-11-05T22:45:00.000-07:00

I received this illustrated collection of short stories as a gift. All these Pern stories have been published elsewhere but it was a great way to remember the books that I read as a teenager. Pern was a great escape and it's wonderful to see my kids go there too. I so wanted a fire lizard when I first read Dragonsinger, Dragonsong, and Dragondrums. Then I wanted to be a Dragon rider with my own golden queen after I discovered Dragonriders of Pern. I was so pleased when my daughter dressed as Melody for the "come as your favorite literary character" Halloween party. The sad part is that not even the teachers knew who she was. Luckily, she just figured that all the people she was in school with were ignorant and just followed trends. It seems most of them came as characters from Harry Potter. (Yes, she read all those books too and we've been at most of the midnight book release parties.) But McCaffrey's Dragons... as a teenager, I loved the idea of having someone who knows your every thought, your every feeling and is there to help and comfort you. Someone who is connected to you and always there. A presence that is in your mind and loves you unconditionally. I so wanted that psychic connection with someone who understood me. This book reminded me of all that. I'm so glad my kids are reading them too.

My List of Books to Buy or just Check out from the Library (or read if I own them already)

2005-11-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

Heloise and Abelard - Burge
Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn - Radish
The Age Related books of Judith Borst
** The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy - Hirsch ** (This is a buy)
Reading Magic - Mem Fox
Hatchet - Gary Paulson
** The Collected Works of Neil Maxwell **
The Four Agreements
The Power of Intention - Dr. Wayne Dyer
Jamie - Lori Foster

Artscape by Fredrick Ramsay

2005-11-01T14:26:00.000-07:00

I agree with the rule of 50 as a general principle. The Rule of 50 is reading 50 pages before deciding that a book is not for you. The exception is that if you are over 50, subtract your age from 100 and that’s the number of pages you slog through before you put it down.
I’m sorry but I only made it to page 33 before deciding that I really could not go any further in this first novel by an unknown writer. The characters are trite and flat. The sheriff; a psychologically damaged, ex-CIA agent still dealing with his Jewish heritage and small town roots. The all-women’s college president, claiming to be a reformed Marxist but calling the sheriff a fascist for his suggesting that her students have a picture ID (I didn’t know there was a college that didn’t issue a picture student ID). And the terrorists planning the crime (including a disassociated FBI agent) – It’s so blatant from the first chapter that they did a dry run. I know it’s going to get into FBI vs. CIA and I just can’t do that anymore. Before page 25 it’s announced that they have an inside connection. Just to be fair, I’ve skipped around in the later chapters and it doesn’t get any better. I’m still trying to decide how this made the Reader’s Favorite list at the library. I’m also looking for even one metaphor.

What's on your Nightstand (Tues Nov 2, 2005)

2005-11-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday and time for “What's on your Nightstand” on AM820. On my nightstand this week is a museum catalog. There are 3 great exhibits in Utah right now. The BYU Museum of Art has an exhibit called Adam’s Dream which is a great collection of surrealistic photographs. If the new acquisitions are on display, don’t miss Exchange #8 and the Picture of Christ by the Circle of Rembrandt.
The LDS Church Museum of History and Art has a collection of Rembrandt Biblical prints. It will be there through mid-December. When you look at the detail, and realize that these are all done by hand, it’s just unbelievable and humbling.
The Leonardo has its grand opening exhibit – EXODUS. This is a photographic exhibit but I haven’t seen it yet so I’m a bit leery of recommending it to the listeners.
I would recommend though, if you don’t understand what you’re looking at when you go to a museum, get a book on understanding art and teach yourself a bit about symbolism and art history.

A Child Called "It" by David Pelzer

2005-10-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I got this after hearing Mr. Pelzer on a radio show. It was part of an anti-domestic violence week. This book is written in simple language from the point of view of an 8/9 year old. And it’s a painful read but it’s something that everyone should read if only to bring them out of their shell and realize the amount of pain that can be inflicted on a child. Scapegoating is a strange psychological condition and it’s documented quite well in A Child Called “It.” If anyone knows about any studies on scapegoating, I would be interested knowing how many of the scapegoated kids are the oldest in the family. I have to admit that this book is one of several on Mr. Pelzer’s life and I’m hoping that the questions of what happened to his mother: (did she ever get help?) and what happened to the other kids when he was taken away? are answered in the other books. I wouldn’t recommend reading this book straight though. Take breaks, go read happy thought books in between. If I hadn’t, I would have had nightmares and been depressed. I did end up hugging my kids after I finished it though.

How to Be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward

2005-10-31T10:53:00.000-07:00

It’s not often that a coming of age novel centers on a character in her 30’s but Caroline in How to Be Lost is the main lost soul in How to Be Lost. It seems that all the main characters are lost in some way whether they know it or not. As Madeline says, “When Ellie disappeared we all put our lives on hold.” Let’s just say I’ve read some better coming of age novels and better sister novels too. However, it was on the reader’s favorites shelf at the library so someone must have liked it. Maybe I resent it because in the end, Mother was right and I have my own issues with that. I wouldn’t call this one a waste of time and I am glad I read it. I just happen to have read better books too.

The Unauthorized Autobiography of Lemony Snicket by Lemony Snicket with a forward by Daniel Handler

2005-10-28T00:24:00.000-06:00

I loved the Lemony Snicket books from Mr. Poe's first cough. But then, in my bedroom, I have a portrait of Mr. Baudelaire - the author of Fleurs du Mal - done by his good friend Manet, who also frequently sketched the Baudelaire children. I'm constantly amazed how many people don't understand that a lot of what the books contain is analogy - a word meaning referring to something the reader should be familiar with which isn't described in the book but puts the situation in context if you, dear reader, are familiar with it - but I really shouldn't be surprised. Most people don't read anything except what they were assigned in school. The Unauthorized Autobiography makes it clear that one of the purposes is to introduce children to other authors and to the enjoyment of reading in general. I loved the picture of the sailors and it made me curious about the authors that I didn't know.
But that is part of the purpose of the Lemony Snicket books as I understand them, to make children ask questions and to search for knowledge. Not everything can be found in Google (although I do plan to Google a few of the things that I'm not familiar with but I'm sure they mean something. )
By the way, the flap of the dust cover is a Very Funny Directive. But it is necessary. For example, I was at the NOT Lemony Snicket book signing and had at least 2 - meaning more than one- adult take me to task for bringing an "Unauthorized" Autobiography to an "Authorized" event. (Although how an event can be "Authorized" if the "Author" does not appear is still questionable.) But back to the subject... I stood my ground, I looked those people straight in the chest (I would have had to look up to look them in the eye, unless it was tattooed on their ankles like Olaf's) and I asked - "Who writes an AUTObiography?" One adult huffed at me and stalked off dragging her daughter behind - I wonder if they were the ones who spilled the Gatorade on me (and more importantly was the Gatorade somehow related to the Gator that paralyzed Mr. Snicket preventing him from making the event). The other adult started to laugh and asked if they had any of the books for sale at the event.
I know that I should not recommend such a dreadful book to the nice people reading my blog, especially young people but I will acknowledge that it has helped to make sense of Lemony Snicket's world.

Book Lust Journal by Nancy Pearl

2005-10-27T20:07:00.000-06:00

I ran into King's English Bookshop today to see if they had any extra stamped Lemony Snicket books. (They didn't - Publisher's restrictions). As I walked in, I spotted a beautiful pocket sized book by Nancy Pearl.
I loved the first page and the concept. I'll admit that I agree with Nancy - "I would give almost anything to go back to being a kid and having a blank notebook in which I would write down the author and title of each book as I finished reading it."
I'll admit that I started writing down titles and authors this year but some months I just didn't find the time to record everything.
As Nancy says "What treasures have I lost track of, all for the want of a notebook and the self-discipline to write it all down?"

Since I know I would misplace a paper notebook (as I have several times - I'm still missing the hot pink book my Grandma bought to teach me her "secret" canning recipes). I decided the safest place is online.

Unfortunately, Book Lust was already taken.

Just what I read..

Night Shift

The Baker Street Letters

The Goblin Market

The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde

My review

His Mistress by Morning - Elizabeth Boyle

My review

Jane Feather - A Husband's Wicked Ways

My review

The Mage by Jean Johnson

My review

The Eyre Affair

My review

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress.

My review

No More Mondays

My review

The Flame by Jean Johnson

My review

Torchwood: Pack Animals

My review

The Storm by Jean Johnson

My review

The Song by Jean Johnson

My review

The Wolf by Jean Johnson

My review

The December Barnes and Noble trip...

The Sword by Jean Johnson

My review

Fortune's Fool by Mercedes Lackey

My review

Women Don't Ask by Linda Babcock

My review

Reserved for the Cat by Mercedes Lackey

My review

Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

My review

New Girl on the Job Hannah Seligson

My review

Leadership and Self-Deception

My review

Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce

Freakonomics...Levitt and Dubner

The results of the Christmas shopping

Finding Noel by Richard Paul Evans

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

Twilight Trilogy by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight Trilogy by Stephenie Meyer

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

His Dark Kiss by Eve Silver

Books I still need to write reviews on....

A Thousand Spendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

And it starts on September 2nd....

Best Dr. Who line this week....

I'm sorry....

Rogues of Regent Street - - Julia London

Dark Fire - Christine Feehan

The Elemental Masters Series by Mercedes Lackey

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

Beauty - Robin McKinley

1776 David McCullough

The Camel Club and The Collectors - David Baldacci

You're invited to a book party...

Into the Storm

Solstice Wood by Patricia McKillip

Black Rednecks and White Liberals

Another book for the Wish List...

Wartorn:Obliteration

The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier

My Sister's Keeper

The Runaway Mother

Harrowing the Dragon

An open letter to Patricia McKillip

Od Magic

Three Heroes

Long Winter Reads

"Bitter is the New Black: