Under Cover by MaryJanice Davidson

Title: Under Cover

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Publisher: Brava 2003

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 294

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Contemporary Romance; A to Z Titles: U

I enjoyed this fun little read. Action adventure romance. I've decided that I like this type of contemporary romance over all the others. I want something besides the sex scenes. Those are nice, but I need plot. I need a conflict. I need something else to be driving the characters.

This volume included three stories populated by the same large group of characters. Like all short story anthologies, the stories appealed to me differently.

1. "Sweet Strangers" -- This story was okay. I liked the main female character, Renee Jardin. My only issue--Renee and Eric jumping into bed (metaphorically, as there was no bed involved) within ~two hours of meeting. I know this can happen in real life, but this story felt a bit rushed. On the other hand, the plot was interesting and did a good job of introducing the characters for the next two stories.

2. "Lovely Lies" -- Definitely my favorite of the three stories. I loved Lori and Peter. Lori felt like a real character. Peter was enough of a thug for his background, but with a real soft spot inside. Great characters, good plot, interesting dialogue. I was really into this story. Read it in one setting way past my bedtime.

3. "Delightful Deception" -- Dr. Jimmy Scrye was hands down my favorite male character. But Dr. Thea Foster just didn't connect to me. I know she was supposed to be IQ (the Ice Queen). However, she was too icy. I just couldn't see how Scrye could really fall for her. I just didn't see it at all. On the other hand (yeah I know back and forth and back and forth in these stories) I loved the dialogue in this story. Snappy, imaginative, and full of sarcasm.

So far, I've read many Davidson books, and I must say I think she's really hit and miss for me. I liked the Alaskan Royals trilogy. I liked the Fred the Mermaid trilogy. I liked the first Cyborg adventure and couldn't finish the second one. I'll probably get around to the rest of her books soon. They're short, they're fun, they have fun characters, they have good sex scenes. Overall a decent author for a beach read. (Now to find a beach to read on)

The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer

Title: The Black Moth

Author: Georgette Heyer

Publisher: Harlequin 1929

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 410

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Georgette Heyer; Support Your Local Library; 2011 - Way Back When

It tells the story of Jack Carstares, oldest son of the Earl Wyncham, disgraced six years earlier, who returns home and becomes a highwayman so that he is able to live in the land he loves without detection.
One day while out riding he foils an abduction plot mastered by the infamous Duke of Andover. Injured while rescuing the damsel in distress, he is taken home by the thankful Diana Beauleigh and her Aunt Betty, to recover. Mystery and intrigue continue to the melodrama's end...

My love for Jane Austen convinced me that I needed to read Georgette Heyer. Heyer began writing in the 1920s and continued up until the 1950s. Her works focused mostly on the Regency period with historical romances and mysteries. Some of her books are set in adjacent times, but mostly it's the beginning of the 1800s. So I picked up one of her first books (maybe her first book? the dates get a little confusing)and dived in. Side note: According to the introduction, this story as one made up for her brother, who was ill at the time.

The Good

I really liked this book. It had the right amount of action/adventure and romance to suit my tastes. I like a combination in my books. The main male character, Jack, was likable, even when he was robbing the rich or putting on the Sir Anthony Ferndale persona. The villain, Duke of Andover, was full of venom. The right amount to hate him want to see him lose the girl. The various side characters were interesting: Jim, Miles, Molly (my favorite!). They added a depth to the book.

The Bad

At times, Diana felt a little flat. She wasn't as much of a character as I hoped she would be. Maybe that's the Jane Austen in me talking. I'm so used to her complex female characters that I think I'm a bit spoiled.

The Ugly

This is more of a historical commentary than specific to the book, but it did affect my experience. I have never been able to find men dressed in the late 1700s French style of powdered wigs, makeup, satin clothing, and high heels attractive. They look very close to clowns for me (and I have a huge phobia of clowns). Every time Jack was described in this style, I pictured the clockwork robots from Doctor Who. Definitely not attractive in my book. According to the various Heyer websites, her late books are set squarely in the Regency period, so hopefully no more clown men.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Title: The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book #5)

Author: Rick Riordan

Publisher: Scholastic 2009

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 381

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Young Adult; 2011 - Mind the Gap

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it's up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy's sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

The boys and I started reading the Percy Jackson series a few months ago. They were finally at an age where they were interesting in reading a "big book" but couldn't necessarily read it on their own. So this series became our bedtime book. We would snuggle under the covers and dive into a world where the Greek gods still exist and their children are the new heroes.

I must say that I came into their series with a bit of trepidation. Would I, a grown adult, like a children's series? I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the series. I love the characters. They are relatable, but also age appropriate. None of this "I'm 12, but I act 30" crap. I loved the retelling of the Greek myths. Often Riordan mentions part of a myth or we meet a character from the myths. Every time that happened, my boys (especially N) would then want to hear the rest of the myth and story. I love that this series inspired my boys to go and seek out more information. Riordan gives us just enough to spark an interest. I love it! My only pet peeve: I couldn't read it faster.

The boys are bugging me to buy the first book of his next series, The Lost Hero, but it's still only in hardback. I refuse to pay new hardback prices. I'm waiting until I find it at Half Price Books or a really good bookstore coupon to use. In the meantime, we've decided to read Ruyard Kipling's Just So Stories. I'm excited to read it!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Lightning Thief
The Sea of Monsters
The Titan's Curse
The Battle of the Labyrinth
The Last Olympian

Keys to the Repository by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Keys to the Repository (Blue Bloods novel)

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: Hyperion 2010

Genre: Vampire; Young Adult

Pages: 227

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; YA; Vampires; A to Z Titles: K

More of a companion to the Blue Blood series than an actual novel. De la Cruz states in her introduction that she always loved that Stephen King wrote a letter to his readers in the beginnings of books, so she wanted to write a letter to her "constant readers" giving them a glimpse of the world of the Blue Bloods.

I like the little tidbits of information. Mostly I remembered as I have read the first four books back-to-back. Still it was nice to see all the information in one place. I skimmed through the story recap to get to the family profiles. I still have trouble remembering all the past names of each of the characters. Thankfully the family profiles highlighted all the names, past lives. It was also nice to skim the glossary and list of characters (Blue and Red Bloods). Writing the Repository reports in the voice of various conduits and historians was a great touch. It was funny to notice their limited (obviously as they're characters also) knowledge. I especially loved the little side comments, especially in Kingsley Martin's profile.

Overall, a cute little companion book to the series. A nice afternoon reading. The library didn't have the next book, Misguided Angels, to check out, so I had to put it on hold. Hopefully I get it in the next few days. I'm dying to find out what happens to everybody...

Blue Bloods

#1 Blue Bloods
#2 Masquerade
#3 Revelations
#4 The Van Alen Legacy
#4.5 Keys to the Repository
#5 Misguided Angel
#5.5 Bloody Valentine
#6 Lost in Time
#7 The Gates of Paradise

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods novel)

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: Hyperion 2009

Genre: Vampire; Young Adult

Pages: 369

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; YA; Vampires

And the series takes a dark turn. You had to know it was coming. I mean, this is a series about vampires with references to them fighting Lucifer (their former master). Vampires and human have died in past books, even some central characters. This one has turned dark, and I must say, I like the change. Don't get me wrong, I liked the previous books. They held back, understandably so. We got to know the main characters. We connected to the main characters. And now we are really moving with the larger story. I love it.

I started the book yesterday. Read a bit at the coffeehouse, then put it away to do my errands and volunteer hour. I picked it up after the boys went to bed and couldn't put it down. I read, and read some more, and read a bit more. I kept telling myself, I will stop and finish the book tomorrow. But the chapter endings were so suspenseful, I just kept reading. And before i knew it, the book was over. I sat there and only one word came to mind "Wow!" That was a great book. And then "Do I have the next book?" I actually have the next two. Alas they are more background stories and side information. Interesting, but not finishing up the big storyline for me. For that I have to wait until the next book comes out, sometime this year.

Side note: I wonder why the cover art depicts Mimi. (Read the book, you'll get the connection). I can't stand Mimi, but have grown to understand her character. But putting her character on the cover is a little strange for the storyline. I would have preferred a sword (a much more important part of the story) or maybe a gate...

Blue Bloods

#1 Blue Bloods
#2 Masquerade
#3 Revelations
#4 The Van Alen Legacy
#4.5 Keys to the Repository
#5 Misguided Angel
#5.5 Bloody Valentine
#6 Lost in Time
#7 The Gates of Paradise

Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Revelations (Blue Bloods novel)

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: Hyperion 2008

Genre: Vampire; Young Adult

Pages: 264

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; YA; Vampires

Wow!! I am so in love with this series. I love the characters, the twists and turns, the mythology. I can't say enough about this series. And the third book has blown me away. I am so invested in these characters. I am shocked by the revelations (hee hee) in this book. I am wondering where de la Cruz is going with this. What's going to happen? Who's going to die next? Who's going to be revealed as a traitor? I don't know but I want to find out.

This morning I was about halfway through the book. I went to the coffeehouse, checked my mail, checked Facebook, and wrote my Music Monday post. Since no one was here, I thought "I'll read a bit." A bit turned into finished the book all in one shot. Now that's what I call getting sucked into a book. Everything else fell away. I wasn't even listening to any music. I just sat and read, finished the book, and really wanting to dive into the fourth book in the series. But I should take a bit of a break. Finish checking my mail. Apply for a few more jobs. The usual. But I promise I will get to the fourth book today. Possibly within the hour.

Blue Bloods

#1 Blue Bloods
#2 Masquerade
#3 Revelations
#4 The Van Alen Legacy
#4.5 Keys to the Repository
#5 Misguided Angel
#5.5 Bloody Valentine
#6 Lost in Time
#7 The Gates of Paradise

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Masquerade

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: Hyperion

Genre: Vampire; Young Adult

Pages: 307

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; YA; Vampires

Very excited about this book. I thought the first in the series, Blue Bloods, was an interesting take on vampire mythology. And then I read the second one and absolutely loved it. All the twists and turns of the larger mythology. All the interesting characters. The moody scenes. The descriptions of the ball. The book was amazing. I loved every page of it.

The second book took an interesting turn. I still love Schuyler and Oliver and I think I love them more. I still hate Mimi, but now I understand her more. And I'm pretty sure Bliss is now my favorite character in the series. I won't give away any of the spoilers, but I will say that the inclusion of a new character, Kingsley Martin, really throws the entire series. We now have another force to deal with. One that we don't have resolved at the end of the book, but one that I am sure will be back soon.

I definitely will be reading the third book, Revelations, next...

Blue Bloods

#1 Blue Bloods
#2 Masquerade
#3 Revelations
#4 The Van Alen Legacy
#4.5 Keys to the Repository
#5 Misguided Angel
#5.5 Bloody Valentine
#6 Lost in Time
#7 The Gates of Paradise

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Title: Blue Blods

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: Hyperion 2006

Genre: Vampire; Young Adult

Pages: 302

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; YA; Vampires

This series appeared on so many book blogs, I had to pick it up. When I start a series, I want to be able to read the entire thing back to back. Thankfully, the library had five books in this series, so I got them all. And read the first one in 4 hours.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Loved the characters (loved Oliver and Bliss and Schuyler and hated Mimi). Loved the different vampire mythology. Loved the setting (upper class vampires in NYC, obvious now that I think about it). Loved the cliffhanger (great set up for the rest of the series). The inclusion of dog familiars was a great addition.

I definitely want to start on the next book in the series. Thank goodness I got it from the library.

Blue Bloods

#1 Blue Bloods
#2 Masquerade
#3 Revelations
#4 The Van Alen Legacy
#4.5 Keys to the Repository
#5 Misguided Angel
#5.5 Bloody Valentine
#6 Lost in Time
#7 The Gates of Paradise

Bonk by Mary Roach

Title: Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science of Sex

Author: Mary Roach

Publisher: W.W. Norton 2008

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 319

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; A to Z Authors: R

I gravitate toward books about taboo subjects: tattoos, body modifications, feminism (hee hee), conspiracy theories, mermaids, vampires, and especially zombies. I loved Mary Roach's earlier books (Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife) so I jumped at the chance to read her new (well, new to me) book about sex. It certainly didn't disappoint.

Roach has a great way of injecting humor into her recapping of scientific evidence. I've read many scientific papers in my years in academia, but I still find them really dry. The book was exhaustive. I think Roach found every study having anything remotely to do with sex throughout history. She even has writings from Aristotle and Hippocrates. I found humor in her wonderful footnotes and personal adventures while writing the book. However, it is definitely not for everyone. Some of the passages get pretty graphic (in a "eww" way not a "I'm really turned on way") and some are down-right hard to read (who knew how creative scientists get while trying to avoid the word "sex?").

I enjoyed the book and texting J interesting factoids, but feel like it's time to get back to some fiction. I think I'll start a series next...

Fish Out of Water by MaryJanice Davidson

Title: Fish Out of Water (Fred the Mermaid #3)

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Publisher: Jove Books 2008

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 270

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; March Fantasy Month; A to Z Titles: F

Fred the Mermaid has taken the bait and chosen to date Artur, Prince of the Black Sea, over human marine biologist Thomas. And just in time. The existence of the Undersea Folk is no longer a secret, and someone needs to keep them from floundering in the media spotlight. Fred has all the right skills for that job, but has a hard time when her real father surfaces and tries to overthrow Artur’s regime.

The conclusion to Fredrika the Mermaid's story was a fun read for the day. During the second book, I was concerned about the direction of the love story. Thankfully, the love story righted itself and ended well. A fun fantasy with a failed royal coup and the appearance of long-thought-dead relatives. I really enjoyed reading Fred's journey out in the open. Now, I really think it's time to move on to something a bit more deep.... (wait for the next review, you'll get the joke)

Fred the Mermaid

Swimming without a Net by MaryJanice Davidson

Title: Swimming without a Net (Fred the Mermaid #2)

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Publisher: Jove Books 2007

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 271

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; March Fantasy Month

As Fred the Mermaid tries to fit in with her own kind, she finds herself hooked on both Artur, the High Prince of the undersea realm, and Thomas, a hunky marine biologist. She's also caught between two factions of merfolk: those happy with swimming under the radar-and those who want to bring their existence to the surface.

Another fun breezy read. This one focusing on Frederika Bimm's introduction into the Undersea Folks' world. It was interesting to see how she attempted to fit into the Undersea Folks with the discussion of her background and her bio-dad. And the addition of some new characters like Tennian and King Mekkam breathed new life into the story. Read in a day... not too memorable, but a good rainy day's read.

Fred the Mermaid

Sleeping with the Fishes by MaryJanice Davidson

Title: Sleeping with the Fishes (Fred the Mermaid #1)

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Publisher: Jove Books 2006

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 268

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; March Fantasy Month

Fred is not your ordinary mermaid. She's not blonde. She's not buxom. And she's definitely not perky. In fact, Fred can be downright cranky. And it doesn't help matters that her hair is blue.
While volunteering at the New England Aquarium, Fred learns that there are weird levels of toxins in the local seawater. A gorgeous marine biologist wants her help investigating. So does her merperson ruler, the High Prince of the Black Sea. You'd think it would be easy for a mermaid to get to the bottom of things. Think again.

Fun book. Reminded me of Davidson's Alaskan Royal Family series. Lighthearted most of the time, a cute love story, a steamy sex scene (one and not even involving the man character) and a sort of wrap-up. A fun, distracting read for a icky day. Davidson is definitely a go-to author of light breezy entertaining reads.

There's not a whole lot to say about the book, but I did enjoy it. Of course there are two more books in this series. And I have both from the library. So, guess what I'm reading next? Yep, next up is Swimming without a Net.

Fred the Mermaid

Sleeping with the Fishes
Swimming without a Net
Fish Out of Water

Sex and the Single Vampire by Katie MacAlister

Title: Sex and the Single Vampire (Dark Ones #2)

Author: Katie MacAlister

Publisher: Leisure Books 2004

Genre: Fantasy; Vampire

Pages: 326

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; March Fantasy Month; Vampires

An undying classic from Katie MacAlister, Sex and the Single Vampire is a paranormal romance lover’s delight, ideal for fans of Lynsay Sands and her Argeneau vampire family novels. This perennial New York Times bestselling author knows what readers are hungry for: sexy and funny tales of otherworldly passion featuring hot, dark, immortal alpha heroes searching for their happily forever afters. In Sex and the Single Vampire, MacAlister’s Dark One is an arrogant, studly romance novelist whom struggling “summoner” Alie mistakes for a specter…and recognizes as the fantasy man who has lately been invading her dreams!

Definitely loving the Dark Ones Novels now. The first one, A Girl's Guide to Vampires, was interesting, but not amazing. I liked the mythology of the Dark Ones and found the characters mildly interesting. Then i read a Dark Ones short story in Cupid Cats and really started to get into the series.

This one was much more entertaining than the first one. Partially because there were vampires, demons, and psychics. I liked the expansion of the universe. There was even a few references to werepeople (highlighted in the Cupid Cats story). I loved the two main characters. Allegra is such a strong character, I instantly loved her. And Christian is just the right amount of dark and mysterious. On a weird side note, my mental picture of Christian is very different in this book than the first one. I know he is a side character in the first book, but somehow it doesn't feel like the same person. Along those same lines, even though I liked Joy and Raphael in the first book, I wasn't too keen on their characters in the second book. Otherwise, I really did like the characters. Even the demons were interesting.

Now I really want to read the rest of the Dark Ones novels, but I think I need a change. More fantasy on the list, but maybe not more vampires for a while.

Dark Ones (DNFed series)

#1 A Girl's Guide to Vampires
#2 Sex and the Single Vampire
#3 Sex, Lies, and Vampires
#4 Even Vampires Get the Blues
#4.5 Bring Out Your Dead
#5 The Last of the Red-Hot Vampires
#5.5 Cat Got Your Tongue
#6 Zen and the Art of Vampires
#7 Crouching Vampire, Hidden Fang
#7.5 Unleashed
#7.8 Confessions of a Vampire's Girlfriend
#8 In the Company of Vampires
#9 Much Ado About Vampires
#10 A Tale of Two Vampires
#10.5 Shades of Gray
#11 Lifestyles of the Rich and Undead

Autumn by David Moody

Title: Autumn (Autumn #1)

Author: David Moody

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books 2010

Genre: Zombie

Pages: 308

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Zombies: March Fantasy Month; A to Z Titles: A

A bastard hybrid of War of the Worlds and Night of the Living Dead, Autumn chronicles the struggle of a small group of survivors forced to contend with a world torn apart by a deadly disease. After 99% of the population of the planet is killed in less than 24 hours, for the very few who have managed to stay alive, things are about to get much worse. Animated by "phase two" of some unknown contagion, the dead begin to rise. At first slow, blind, dumb and lumbering, quickly the bodies regain their most basic senses and abilities... sight, hearing, locomotion... As well as the instinct toward aggression and violence. Held back only by the restraints of their rapidly decomposing flesh, the dead seem to have only one single goal - to lumber forth and destroy the sole remaining attraction in the silent, lifeless world: those who have survived the plague, who now find themselves outnumbered 1,000,000 to 1...
Without ever using the 'Z' word, Autumn offers a new perspective on the traditional zombie story. There's no flesh eating, no fast-moving corpses, no gore for gore's sake. Combining the atmosphere and tone of George Romero's classic living dead films with the attitude and awareness of 28 Days (and Weeks) later, this horrifying and suspenseful novel is filled with relentless cold, dark fear.

One day 99% of the world's population drops dead. A few days later, about a 1/3 of the dead get up and start walking around. Ahhh... the zombie apocalypse, my favorite genre. And this book was awesome!

Told from the viewpoint of a few survivors in a small English village, they struggle to understand and then make the next move. I liked that the book was told from a limited perspective. The reader and characters have no clue if this is a worldwide phenomena or just extends to the next village. Once three of the survivors leave the village, we don't know what happens to those remaining at the community center. We only find out later when Carl tries to go back. While the characters themselves are incredibly memorable, they represent more of archetypes. Examples for the reader of how people react in extreme circumstances. We don't need to remember to the specific character because we connect to their emotions, the struggle to live or not live in this new landscape.

The book is sufficiently scary. More with the constant threat of the "undead" than any immediate attacks. That would be the worst thing about the zombie apocalypse, the constant feelings of unease. You could never feel safe, even in a barricaded farmhouse.

Overall, a very good book. I guess the book was made into a movie a few years back and I saw it from Netflix. All I remember is watching about 15 minutes, getting fed up with the horrible sound and picture quality, and turning it off. Sorry to the filmmakers, but it was a dud. Thank goodness the book was awesome.

Autumn:

#1 Autumn
#2 The City
#3 Purification
#4 The Human Condition
#5 Disintegration
#6 Aftermath

Hello, Gorgeous! by MaryJanice Davidson

Title: Hello, Gorgeous!

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Publisher: Brava 2005

Genre: Cyborg Romance

Pages: 195

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library

One minute I'm out with my sorority sisters; the next there's a terrible accident (beyond my friend Stacey's outfit) and I'm waking up in some weird clinic transformed into a human cyborg--with a mission: to stop evil and stuff. Uh, hello? I've got a beauty salon to run.
Granted, it is cool to run faster than a Ford Mustang when I need to, even if it's totally hard on my shoes. But then I have to bring in another human cyborg on the run? One who happens to be male, totally gorgeous, smart, funny--and, um, his "enhancements"?--as if!

Okay pretty entertaining. Not a "stay-with-me-forever" read, but definitely fun for a day read. I enjoyed Davidson's Alaskan Royalty trilogy. This was the beginning of the Cyborg series. Like the Royal series, this was one was funny. Full of crazy adventures, quirky characters, and funny dialogue. I really liked the main character, Caitlyn. She's just wild enough, but still likeable.

I started the second book, but just couldn't get into it. I eventually stopped reading it after about 70 pages. Just like the Royal series, there was a wild difference in likeability. Oh well, on to the next book.

Cyborg series (DNFed series)

#1 Hello, Gorgeous
#2 Drop Dead, Gorgeous

A Zombie's History of the United States by Dr. Worm Miller

Title: A Zombie's History of the United States

Author: Dr. Worm Miller

Publisher: Ulysses Press 2011

Genre: Zombie; U.S. History

Pages: 228

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Zombies

U.S. History and zombies in one volume? Yes, please...

A very enjoyable "true" account of U.S. history from the zombie angle. Who knew that zombies almost thwarted Washington's crossing of the Delaware? Or that war in the Pacific was helped by the Berzerker's Corps (zombie unit)? Or that Meriweather Lewis was in fact a zombie hybrid through most of the journey across the Louisiana Purchase? I didn't. And I call myself a history teacher.

In all seriousness, this is a great, fun parody of history. I loved the tongue-in-cheek tone throughout most of the entries. At times, I did find myself skimming the nonzombie history sections (I do know my fair share of u.s. history). But that's okay, it was still immensely enjoying!

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Title: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2010

Genre: Vampire

Pages: 178

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Vampires; Amazon - Customer Favorites; Support Your Local Library; A to Z Titles: S

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

I thought this would be a nice followup to Twilight: The Graphic Novel and I wasn't disappointed. In Eclipse, we meet Bree Tanner for about five minutes and then she dies at the hands of the Volturri. There's no backstory, no real insight into her character. She's a soldier in Victoria's army.

In this novella, Meyer gives us a glimpse into the very confusing short existence of Bree the vampire. She may be a newborn, but that doesn't mean that she a mindless eating machine. With the guidance of Diego, Bree starts to question "the plan" that Riley's been feeding the army. We get a look inside the inner workings of newborn vampire, the hunger, the fear, the blindness, the strength. It's interesting to see the world from the other side. I enjoyed the look through another's eyes. Meyer points out in the introduction that throughout the series, the readers never really see the world from the eyes of a newborn (and Bella was never really a newborn, she's very different).

Bree's short life is filled with some interesting characters. We see Riley from a different perspective than we get in Eclipse. We meet Diego, a newborn, but one who seems to have a much better handle on reasoning. We meet Fred, who has a special talent, not completely unlike Bella's. And of course, we have the other soldiers, whose only thought is of the thirst. Best of all, we get to view the Cullens and the Volturri from an outside perspective. I definitely enjoyed this other look at the Twilight series.

I wasn't expecting to finish this books today. Now I have to go revise my February wrap-up post and pick the next book to start. Aww... such is the life of a compulsive reader.

Twilight: The Graphic Novel by Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim

Title: Twilight: The Graphic Novel

Author: Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim

Publisher:Yen Press 2010

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 224

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Vampires; Amazon - Customer Favorites; Support Your Local Library; A to Z Titles: T

I'll admit it right away, I liked the Twilight series. Some of my former students shoved them at me until I finally read the entire series in about a week just in time for the release of the first movie. I saw the graphic novel listed on the Amazon Customer Favorites list and thought I would check it out. I didn't expect it to be good. I expected it to be a cartoon, a kid comic book, with kiddie style graphics and text. I was wrong. I loved it. It was a great reimaging of the novel. More in line with how I saw the characters and scenes (not the movie's interpretation). Specifically it included my favorite scene in the first novel, where Bella faints in biology class and is "rescued" by Mike than intercepted by Edward. I was so disappointed that the movie cut that scene out. As to the style, I didn't think I would like the black and white scheme when I first started reading it, but it really grew on me. And reading the book, spots of color appear in the most unexpected areas, appropriate but still surprising. I loved it. My only problem: it ends right after Bella finds out that Edward is a vampire. The ending seems too abrupt...

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Title: Austenland

Author: Shannon Hale

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2007

Genre: Jane Austen tribute

Pages: 208

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Contemporary Romance; February Romance Month; A to Z Authors: H

Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man-perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women, however, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become more real than she ever could have imagined. Is this total immersion in a fake Austenland enough to make Jane kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

I tried another Jane Austen-esque book to finish my February Romance Month. And this one was surprisingly good. Basic plot summary: Jane, a Pride and Prejudice addict, has had such bad luck in the romance department that she convinces herself that she'll never find love. Her great-aunt Carolyn leaves her a trip to Pembrok Park, a Austen world immersion resort. Jane reluctantly goes, if nothing else, to once and for all rid herself of her Darcy obsession and resign herself to spinsterhood. Once there, Jane finds that the lines between and reality and play are very hard to distinguish. I won't give away the ending, but I will say that the book had me guessing til the very end.

The characters are likable (Jane), irritating (Miss Charming), devious (Mrs. Wattlesbrook), swoony (Colonel Andrews), mysterious (Mr. Nobley), and goofy yet adorable (Theodore). I felt for Jane as she tried to navigate Austen's universe, but a playacting version of Austen's universe. It almost became a mystery: who's who and what's their motivation. You never knew who was going to reveal something real or real sounding. The book reminded me of the movie Lost in Austen (one of my faves). Jane is completely out of place in Austen's world, but so desperately wants to belong there. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and can now add it to my library as I bought the book for a $1 at one of those crazy clearance sales I always seem to find.

Austenland

#1 Austenland
#2 Midnight in Austenland

Heroes Vol. 2

Title: Heroes Vol. 2

Publisher: WildStorm Productions 2009

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 272

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Fantasy

Not as strong as the first volume, but still very entertaining. I really like the idea of publishing a graphic novel that goes along with a tv show. It adds a whole new dimension to the viewing process. This volume, just like the first, highlights the back stories of some of the characters from season two. Specifically we learn the back stories of the secondary characters such as the Haitian (very scary), Claude (the invisible man), Elle (my favorite from season two), and West. We also learn a bit more of how Adam (Kensei, whoever) in the four hundred years since Hiro defeated him in Japan until he reemerges locked in The Company with Peter. He just may have the most interesting story of all the Heroes characters. "The Ten Brides of Takezo Kensei" proves that Adam really does have a heart in their somewhere. It was sad, understandable.

I finished the second volume of the graphic novel right along with the second season of the tv show. Now to tackle the third season. That's where I lost interest the first time around. I am determined to finish the series. Wish me luck.