The Maverick's Bride by Catherine Palmer

Title: The Maverick's Bride

Author: Catherine Palmer

Publisher: Steeple Hill 1988

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Pages: 272

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library

I don't usually pick up these series romances. But for some reason, I grabbed this one. It intrigued me. And I found that I liked it!

The basic setting, Africa during the 1880s, fulfilled my exotic locations desire. I like far-flung locations. Africa during the 1880s was a time of colonization and exploration. Fittingly the main female character, Emmaline, was a proper British loyalist espousing pro-colonist sentiment. Until her views were changed by the American cowboy Adam King and his friends, mostly African natives. As a part of the story, they touched on the man-eater lions of Tsavo, an actual event. So right there I liked the setting and atmosphere of the book.

As to the plot, it was predictable, as they mostly are, but I was okay with it. The predictable plot was tolerable because of the strength of the characters. While Emmaline was whiny at times, I understood why she was whiny. Adam was secretive, but understandably so based on his history. And Nicholas was a thoroughly despicable character from the beginning without being a cartoon version of himself. I found them likable. And the side characters of Soapy, Linde, and Tolito added to the overall atmosphere.

One of the big problems I usually have with Christian historical romance is the sermonizing. This book had a nice balance of witnessing and general conversation. I didn't feel like the entire book was centered around "saving" someone. It was a good balance that didn't upset me.

Overall, I think an enjoyable quick read. I read it in a day. I think I'll be adding Catherine Palmer to my interesting authors list.

The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan

Title: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Demigod Files

Author: Rick Riordan

Publisher: Hyperion Books 2009

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 151

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library

Since the boys and I finished the Percy Jackson series, we've been reading other books until I could get a hold of The Lost Hero. Well I got a copy, but I didn't want to dive into the story right away. So, I found this little volume at the library to tide us over. (We've actually started a stand alone adventure book, Rex Riders, since reading The Demigod Files.The Lost Hero is pushed back a bit.)

It contains three original Percy Jackson stories set before the fifth book. We especially loved "Percy Jackson and the Sword of Hades." A great story featuring Percy, Thalia, and Nico working together to retrieve Hades' new sword. All set in the Underworld, we encounter Persephone, Sisyphus, Melinoe, Ethan Nakamura, and the Titan Iapetus. Of course life threatening actions occur and plenty of little sarcastic asides from Percy. A great little story to for the series.

The volume also included interviews with the Stoll Brothers, Clarisse, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. Fun little extra information for fans of the series. Also, a word search, a crossword puzzle, map of Camp Half-Blood, contents of Annabeth's trunk, and chart of the major gods and goddesses.

Overall, fun little book!

The Mental Floss History of the World by Erik Sass and Steve Wiegand

Title: The Mental Floss History of the World

Author: Erik Sass and Steve Wiegand

Publisher: HarperCollins 2008

Genre: History

Pages: 416

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library

I am such a sucker for history reference style books. The entire "Don't Know Much About..." series is a real treat for a history/trivia master such as myself. I saw this little gem sitting with the new releases at the library and I couldn't resist. The factoid style trip through the entire history of the world combined with the snarky tone of Mental Floss magazine... a real winner in my book.

We know that 99% of "history," as they teach it, is mind-numbingly boring. And we're sorry about that; we can't change what happened in your youth.
But this book is about to make history, by making history interesting. Why? because history is an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride with all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster. You want action? We got action. Sex and violence? Plenty of both. psychopathic mass murderers? Psychopathic mass murderers run history! And the best part is, it's all real.

Now that's my kind of introduction. And it is all true. I hope that I didn't teach "boring" history, but added all those fun little stories of history. This complete (well fairly complete, at least the good stuff anyway) history of the world was a fun romp complete with asides and extra factoids. I would definitely recommend to any history buff or history Buff (hee hee!) or anyone who thinks history is boring. Sass and Wiegand will show you... it's really really fun!

Steampunk Prime edited by Mike Ashley

Title: Steampunk Prime

Edited by: Mike Ashley

Publisher: Nonstop Press 2010

Genre: Steampunk

Pages: 239

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Local Library; Steampunk

An anthology of classic (written between 1880-1914) steampunk stories. The origins of the genre. I thought it would be good to read this anthology before diving completely into the modern takes on the genre. While most were science heavy with explanations of the machines, they were great reads. Ashley chose not to include the more famous authors (like H.G. Wells and Jules Verne), but instead focused on some relative unknowns. My favorites:

1. "The Automaton" by Reginald Bacchus and Ranger Gull (1900) -- A creepy story about a chess playing automaton. Right amount of suspense, supernatural, and intrigue. Definitely my favorite from the entire anthology!

2. "The Gibralter Tunnel" by Jean Jaubert (1914) -- A classic style man-made disaster. What could go wrong by digging a train tunnel underwater from Spain to Morocco? Yeah. Try everything. Great action adventure story!

3. "In the Deep of Time" by George Parsons Lathrop (1897) -- A good story involving Mars, suspended animation, and a love story. Supposedly written after a conversation with Thomas Edison, the story definitely focuses on the new machines.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Author: Shirley Jackson

Publisher: Penguin Classics 2006

Genre: ? fiction?

Pages: 146

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: May Read and Review; 2011 - Slim Pickings; A to Z: J

Hands down one of the creepiest books I've ever read. There's no gore or jump up scary moments. No demons or ghosts, at least not in the traditional sense. But there's definitely something completely off about this book... and I loved it!

Jackson creates this world where we're never really sure what's real and what's imagined. There's a mystery, but one that isn't central to the relationships. It's more of a plot device. The part that got me was the daily schedule of the Blackwell sisters. Their created world apart from the village and the city. The atmosphere in the house. The descriptions of the rooms. The repeating conversations, especially from Uncle Julian. There were times that I wanted to put the book down, it was just too disturbing, and yet I desperately wanted to finish and find out what happened to the sisters. The ending shouldn't have really surprised me, it made sense for the story. Yet I was left hoping for something else. But in a good way. I wished the sisters' lives could have been different, but given their personalities and history, it could never have been different.

I absolutely loved "The Lottery" and "The Haunting" by Jackson, but somehow I never picked this one up. I decided to read it for my 2011: Slim Pickings challenge, but I would've gotten around to it just because anyway. This was a nice departure from zombies and contemporary romance. Next up: Steampunk!

And I might I say, the cover.... extra creepy!

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Title: The Dead-Tossed Waves

Author: Carrie Ryan

Publisher: Delacorte Press 2010

Genre: Young Adult, Zombies

Pages: 404

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; May Read and Review; Zombies

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

A companion novel to The Forest and Hands and Teeth. Sort of a sequel, but not a sequel. I loved it. Not quite as much as the first one, but definitely a lot. Thought it was interesting that the main character in this book, Gabry, wants most of all to stay within her little fenced in world. She doesn't want to leave, explore the world beyond. Mary in TFHT wants nothing more than to get away from her fences. I liked the reversal of motivation between the two main characters. Of course, circumstances create difficulties for Gabry and she isn't allowed to stay in her little fenced in world. In a way the plot was predictable. I guessed the main events throughout, but that's okay. The book really isn't about the events. It's about the people and their relationships. I loved seeing how Gabry responded and grew. I definitely like Gabry more than I liked Mary. Mary was fairly selfish and some of the things she said and did, I wanted to scream at her. Gabry is much more of a liakable person. Sure, she's a coward, but she also has this need to take care of others. I think that was the point that I connected to her as a person.

Overall, a definite must read! Now I have to enter the land of library holds to read the third book, The Dark and Hollow Places. Hope it's as good as the first two.

Forest of Hands and Teeth

#0.4 What We Once Feared
#0.5 Hare Moon
#1 The Forest of Hands and Teeth
#2 The Dead-Tossed Waves
#3 The Dark and Hollow Places
#3.5 The Dead and Empty World

Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green

Title: Tales of the Greek Heroes

Author: Roger Lancelyn Green

Publisher: Puffin Classics 2009

Genre: Mythology

Pages: 272

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: May Read and Review

After the boys and I finished reading the Percy Jackson series, we wanted to take a break from a series and read a standalone book. So we turned to Rudyard Kipling and then to Roger Lancelyn Green. The boys showed an interest in Greek mythology. I picked this up to be a companion to the Percy series. And it was definitely a hit with the boys. N especially loved making the connections between the original stories and the Percy versions. Every few pages I would have to stop and help them work through the connections. They would get this little spark of recognition that I absolutely adore. They're learning mythology and enjoying reading at the same time. A perfect combination. I hope this interest continues into our next book. We haven't chosen it yet, but we have tons of possibilities lying around the room.

I would definitely recommend this volume to elementary age children, although I enjoyed it also. Green takes the Greek myths and strings them together into more of a history of Greece. He helps the reader see the continuity and connections throughout the mythology. He even explains certain ones just to help you out. However, I never felt like this was just a children's book. The vocabulary was challenged for elementary age without being overwhelming. Great little book of stories!

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Title: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Author: Carrie Ryan

Publisher: Delacorte Press 2009

Genre: Young Adult, Zombies

Pages: 310

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; May Read and Review; Zombies

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

Wow! I am so in awe of this book. A story of faith, hope, loss, dreams, terror. I practically read it in one sitting. I would have if I didn't have to do things like sleep, eat, shower, and take care of my children. As it was, it took me two days to finish. I couldn't get through the pages fast enough.

My mother used to tell me about the ocean. She said there was a plcace where there was nothing but water as fara as you could see and that iw as always moving, rushing toward you and then away.

The first line hooked me. I hadn't been told what happened or who the characters were, but I knew this was going to be a story of hope and loss. And the book didn't fail to disappoint. This was one of those books where I put myself completely into the world, into the main character. I was Mary sitting in her village wondering, dreaming of the ocean. What was it like? Where was it? Was it just fleeting dream? What would it mean to leave the safety of the village? Then I continued with Mary's journey, while the safety of the village is compromised, when her faith in her family is tested, where she goes after. I couldn't wait to find out if she was safe or still in danger.

The novel creates this moody atmosphere. The forest is a living thing and not only because it is home to the Unconsecrated. It's also a breathing entity surround the village and subsequent areas. It seems neverending, always there, always growing. I loved stepping into Ryan's world.

I now see why everyone in the blogosphere was raving about this book. It has earned a place in my Top 10 of 2011. Thankfully I picked up the next book, The Dead-Tossed Waves, so I can dive into it tonight. The book had such an affect on me that it invaded my dreams. I woke up last night out of a dream and felt inspired to write. The resulting story will appear on Friday. Tell me what you think about. Until then, I am off to finish the chores o the night so I can get back to reading.

Forest of Hands and Teeth

#0.4 What We Once Feared
#0.5 Hare Moon
#1 The Forest of Hands and Teeth
#2 The Dead-Tossed Waves
#3 The Dark and Hollow Places
#3.5 The Dead and Empty World

Once Bitten, Twice Dead by Bianca D'Arc

Title: Once Bitten, Twice Dead

Author: Bianca D'Arc

Publisher: Brava 2010

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 293

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; May Read and Review; Zombies

So take a contemporary romance (complete with fairly graphic sex scenes) and combine it with a zombie action/adventure... interesting concept. And yet, I felt this story was poorly executed. I picked this up from the library thinking that a combo of romance and zombies would be fun. Unfortunately I didn't buy either aspect.

The love story was predictable. The two main characters hop into a sexual relationship within the first two days of meeting each other. The characters separately were okay, but nothing so great. Why is it that every woman in this romance books has had a bad relationship that causes her to hesitate (for a fraction of a second, but in her mind the entire book) getting involved with the male character? Can we have any other type of female character, please? And I am so sick of these books ending with the characters telling each other "I love you" and more often than that becoming engaged and/or getting married. I would like to read a more complicated (and real) relationship. I want to see two people actually get to know each other. This is why I love Jane Austen. Her romances (even being set in the early 1800s) feel more like real relationships than these modern romances. I sometimes feel that these novels were written solely for the sex scenes. Sort of like how many people watch porn just for the sex scenes and fast forward through anything that could be called plot. Is it so hard to have a good story that happens to have a few good sex scenes? Please someone give me some ideas...

As to the zombie storyline, I felt it was an afterthought. It was like we needed something to get these two characters together, so how about a mad scientist letting zombies loose? These zombies are supposedly a laboratory creation with the intent of creating an army. How many times have I read that story? Very rarely is it excuted well and that's without a romance plot. The mad scientist was predictable. The zombie attacks were predictable. The suspense was nonexisant. I like my zombie books to be truly disturbng (see Autumn) or lots of fun (see Pride and Prejudice and Zombies trilogy). Zombies as an afterthought better be prefaced by a great storyline and characters.

This book just didn't catch me at all. I was bored halfway through, but skimmed through the rest for the action/zombie scenes hoping that somethng would get better. Nope, pretty disappointing. Once finishing, I found out that the books is part of a trilogy. I had picked those up from the library to read, but think I'm going to skip them for something more interest.

If you want to read a good romance/zombie book, pick up Married with Zombies and Flip This Zombie by Jesse Petersen (1-2 of The Living Dead trilogy, 3rd comes out later this year). David and Sarah are a great real couple who fight their way through the zombie apocaplypse.

Next up: The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Heard great things about this zombie young adult novel, so I bumped it up my reading list.

Guardians of the Dark (DNFed series)

#1 Half Past Dead (with Zoë Archer)
#2 Once Bitten, Twice Dead
#3 "Smoke On The Water" in The Beast Within
#4 A Darker Shade of Dead
#5 Dead Alert

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus Vol. 2-3

Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus Vol. 2

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics 2007

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 318; 302

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; May Read and Review

More fun volumes. I've loved going back through the Buffy years and adding to the journey. It's been a great look back. Unfortunately it's been a few years since I watched the entire series (even though I own all the series, plus the movie, plus the entire Angel series). I've had to think "What happened during season 2 or season 3?" Once I reminded myself, it was great to read the comics. Some are more related to specific episodes than others. I really loved the little inside jokes embedded in the comics, references to specific episodes, allusions to story arcs. I loved every page.

I wanted to read Volume 4, but the local library (one of the best libraries in the country. that's not just me talking, they've been chosen) somehow doesn't have it. Instead, I think I'll just have to skip Volume 4 and move on to Volume 5. Maybe I can pick up some of the other stand alones to tide me over.

Mr. Darcy's Decision by Juliette Shapiro

Title: Mr. Darcy's Decision

Author: Juliette Shapiro

Publisher: Ulysses Press 2008

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 206

Rating: 4/ 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; May Read and Review; Historical Fiction

A sequel to Pride and Prejudice that didn't disappoint. I'm always leery of "sequels" and "companions" and "prequels" and etc for Austen novels. often they come off cheap and way too modern. This is Jane Austen, master of the Regency time period, we are trying to emulate. Now there are some Austen reimagings and companions that I do like. See Riglerand Hale.

So I came into this novel with some trepidation. And I was pleasantly surprised. Shapiro sounds like Austen. The tone, the sentence construction, the characters are all there. I really did feel like I was reading a lost Austen novel. The continuation of the story of Elizabeth and Darcy went just how I could have imagined it. (And I often think about how the story would continue after the end of the written book) The characters grew, but didn't grow away from their hearts. A great read, full of Austen goodness! Definitely recommend.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus Vol. 1

Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus Vol. 1

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics 2007

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 318

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; May Read and Review

Very excited about this one. Somehow, throughout the years of loving Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I never got around to reading the comics/graphic novels. Well, I finally started. I decided to try and read them chronologically according to the series. That means going with each numbered Omnibus. Volume 1 starts with The Origin story. You know, the one detailed in the crazy Kristi Swanson/Luke Perry movie. I'll admit that I liked the movie, as cheesy as it is, but the TV series blows it out of the water. Thankfully the comic follows Joss Whedon's original screenplay and feels a lot more like the tone of the TV show. We also get a Spike and Dru story from 1933 and a fun little interlude featuring Dawn (my least favorite character, but whatever). The volume ends with bridging the gap between movie and TV show. We see Buffy in Las Vegas with Pike and then shipped off to a mental institution. We also get information about how Giles became her Watcher. I love how the comics add extra information about the Buffyverse, but aren't dependent on watching the TV series. Great stories, great art, great fun! Loved it! Now on to Volume 2 (season 1).

The Living Dead 2 edited by John Joseph Adams

Title: The Living Dead 2

Edited by: John Joseph Adams

Publisher: Night Shade Books 2010

Genre: Zombies

Pages: 496

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; May Read and Review; Zombies

Another day, another anthology. But this one features my favorite: ZOMBIES! According to the editor, John Joseph Adams, this anthology gives the newest of the new running the full spectrum of stories. It definitely delivered. I loved so many of these stories. I like almost all of the stories. I only disliked a couple. Out of 43, I would say 40 were enjoyable. That is quite a score for an anthology.

Here were my absolute favorites:

Seth Lindberg "Twenty-Three Snapshots of San Francisco" -- Interesting way to show live before and after the zombie apocalypse. I connected with the characters without them ever speaking. Great concept! Really hit home. Loved it.
Karina Sumner-Smith "When the Zombies Win" -- What would the world be like after the zombies win (and they will, don't kid yourself, they won't stop)? According to Sumner-Smith, it's a pretty depressing place. A philosophical look at the world. I like it.
David Wellington "Good People" -- Classic survivor tale set in the desert in a motel. A group goes out to check out the surrounding area. This is going to well, right? Watch out for the twist at the end. A character finally realizes the definition of "good people." Instant classic!
Brian Keene "Lost Canyon of the Dead" -- Zombies, cowboys, and dinosaurs.... need I saw more?
Cherie Priest "Reluctance" -- Set in the same world as Boneshaker (which I own, but haven't read yet. steampunk fun!) during the American Civil War. Classic story with a steampunk twist.
Bret Hammond "Rural Dead" -- How would the Amish deal with the zombie apocalypse? Hammond tries to answer with a great short story.

Loving me some zombies this week. But this book definitely took me longer to read than I anticipated. I need to be more focused in my reading. I am going to commit myself to reading at least 1 hour day. Hopefully that will get me back on track. Next up: I'm thinking a romance. As much as I love zombies, I think I need a bit of a break after 43 zombie stories.

Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Title: Watchmen

Author: Alan Moore

Publisher: DC Comics 1995

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 416

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon; Page to Screen

Another graphic novel... or is this a trade paperback? Okay all you geeky people, feel free to correct me. I saw the movie before I read the book, but I really did want to read the book.

The novel: Different characters narrate different chapters. This gives a greater insight to those who tend to be one dimensional on screen. For example, Dr. Manhattan seems like a tool until I read chapter IV: Watchmaker. Moore lets us see the conflicts inside Jon even when others don't understand. We actually get a sense of seeing all of time as one. Brilliant! My favorite quote:

Perhaps the world is not made. Perhaps nothing is made. Perhaps it simply is, has been will always be there... A clock without a craftsman.

Beyond the characters, I loved the inclusion of excerpts from Hollis' book. The movie mentions it, and we see much of the past through flashbacks, but I loved hearing him telling it. We see the rise and fall of the superheroes along with the rise and fall of the country. It makes so much more sense with the bit of history.

The movie: I watched the movie right after it came out, but decided to watch it again after reading the novel. The rewatch affirmed that I really did like the movie. I just understand it a bit more after reading the novel. The visuals are stunning. I loved the colors, the music (it's in the book, but in quotes), the costumes. Seeing everything come to life in a slightly nonrealistic way was a highlight. Overall I think Zak Snyder did a good job bringing Watchmen to life.

Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon by Melody Carlson

Title: Love FInds You in Sisters, Oregon

Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Summerside Press 2009

Genre: Christian fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon

Hope Bartolli has avoided Sisters for year. But when she inherits her beloved grandmother's old house, Hope must decide whether to once again run away from the two sisters who have caused her nothing but trouble--or stay in the charming town and risk her heart.

Another volume in the Love Finds You series. Another that I liked. A fun little read for rainy days. (And it's been raining for a weeks straight.) I like how the author set her book in her town. Even though I am a city girl through and through, Carlson made the small town of Sisters, Oregon actually appealing. I kind of want to visit. Visit, I said, not move there. The characters were fun and colorful. I really felt the depth of emotion connected to the story. My only problem: once again we get sickeningly sweet and happy ending. The family went from fighting and bitterness to happiness in about a week. Definitely does not happen that quick in real life. And the book ended with a marriage proposal (it's not a spoiler, I saw it coming from the first 20 pages) after only a few weeks of dating. Another quick wrap-up. Overall, I liked the story. I just could do without the last chapter.

Love Finds You in Pendleton, Oregon by Melody Carlson

Title: Love FInds You in Pendleton, Oregon

Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Summerside Press 2010

Genre: Christian fiction

Pages: 313

Rating: 4/ 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon; Contemporary Romance

I haven't had the best of luck with Christian fiction, but I thought I would give it another try. I liked Love Finds You in Paradise, Pennsylvania by Loree Lough, so I thought I would pick up another volume in the series. And I found one I liked.

I loved the story of Sunny Westcott and her journey to find her place in the world. The setting of the reservation and the town of Pendleton created a nice dichotomy for Sunny to explore. On a complete insignificant note, I loved that she was an archaeologist (a little girl dream job along with marine biology and paleontology). Anyway, she was a great character. Every hard decision and second guess was believable. Her inner monologue didn't annoy me like it sometimes does. I liked getting inside of her head.

The other characters were interesting, but I especially loved Aunt Lulu. A woman not afraid to speak the hard truths. My kind of woman. Echo was delightful. Aubrey a fun, if a little annoying, opposite to Sunny. Hank, the matchmaker and general good friend. And the mysterious Polly, seen only through everyone else's eyes. They really made the book more than just a simple story. They added depth and life.

My only issue with the book: the romance. You know Sunny and Cody are going to end up together, but they don't even approach anything resembling a relationship until around page 250. And then all of a sudden, they're together and he's asking her to marry him. Not believable. They only had one real conversation about them being together and that was only a day before the proposal. I guess I just wanted to see more growth and developing relationship. Especially since the series focuses on finding love. All that being said, I really did like the book. I want to read more of the series.

Death's Excellent Vacation

Title: Death's Excellent Vacation

Edited By: Charlaine Harris and Toni Kelner

Publisher: Ace 2010

Genre: Paranormal

Pages: 339

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon

Really got into this anthology. I loved reading the wide range of styles. Many of the stories had twists and turns that I didn't see coming until the end (those are the best ones). A majority of stories earned high marks. I'm highlighting my favorites (this is becoming a pattern):

Jeaniene Frost "One for the Money" -- I know this is part of her Night Huntress series. I haven't read any of those books (they're on my list), but I really got into this story. Frost gives enough background that you understand the bigger storyline. A great action/adventure story featuring vampires, hit men, ghouls, and ghosts. Thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
Daniel Stashower "Meanwhile, Far Across the Caspian Sea" -- Really intrigued by this author. The story, set at LifeSpan books, started innocently enough. But you know somethings up pretty quickly with the mention of Thaddeus Palgrave. I loved the big twist at the end. Extra points for having a character who loves researching and history as much as I do.
A. Lee Martinez "The Innsmouth Nook" -- A bed-and-breakfast in the dreary little town of Clam Bay. Nothing too interesting, right? Wrong, Clam Bay has its own deep secret (hee hee for my bad pun). Definitely did not see the secret until the end, but that's really what makes the story awesome.
Sharon Newman "Home from America" -- Great story from Ireland. Definitely called the big reveal at the beginning, but a really well-constructed story. And the twist at the end, priceless!
Toni Kelner "Pirate Dave's Haunted Amusement Park" -- I love amusement parks and the supernatural, so of course I loved this story. Great humor and mystery. Vampires, werewolves, and pirates! Oh my!

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

Title: V for Vendetta

Author: Alan Moore and David Lloyd

Publisher: Vertigo 1995

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 286

Rating: Graphic Novel 5 / 5 stars - Movie 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon; Page to Screen

I really liked the movie when it came out, but never got around to reading the graphic novel. To be fair, I've only really been interested in reading graphic novels and comics for a few months (again, I blame J). So I picked the novel up from the library to acquaint myself with V, Evey, and the new world. The graphic novel is better than the movie in plot and character development. The movie doesn't focus as much on the characters, especially the side characters. The novel really gave them life, a story, a journey. Also, the twists and turns in the plot make more sense in the graphic novel. The movie attempts to show things more in chronological order instead of in an order that makes more sense to the overall story but not necessarily in chronological order. I don't mind authors messes with order as long as it makes sense for the story.

All that being said, I really do enjoy the movie. It adds the music (both literally and in a more poetic sense) and the atmosphere to the story. I really like seeing the action takes places, the fluid movements of V, the changing facial expressions of Evey (Natalie Portman is amazing!). My favorite part of the movie has to be the finale. To see the train take off, the eventual explosion, and the masses revolting in one scene was breathtaking. Definitely one of the better graphic novel to movie transitions that I've seen. Thoroughly enjoyed both!

No Rest for the Witches

Title: No Rest for the Witches

Author: MaryJanice Davidson, Lori Handeland, Cheyenne McCray, Christine Warren

Publisher: St. Martin's 2007

Genre: Paranormal (Witches)

Pages: 330

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon; Fantasy

Usually I have mixed feelings about anthologies. This one surpassed my expectations. I loved each of the four stories presented.

MaryJanice Davidson "The Majicka" -- I absolutely loved the crazy cast of characters in this story. As usual, we have a strong heroine that can't necessarily see her own worth. In the end, everything works out great, but what a ride. My only issue: Micah. Maybe it was because he wasn't as "out there" as the rest of the characters. But overall a good story.
Lori Handeland "Voodoo Moon" -- A suspected serial killer, a voodoo king, a skeptical FBI agent, and a mysterious secret government agency. A great mystery story with twists and turns. The sex scenes were a bit intense for my tastes, but good.
Cheyenne McCray "Breath of Magic" -- Probably the least favorite in this anthology, but still really good. Obviously this story goes along with a larger saga. McCray did a good job of giving enough information that I understood. But I'm sure it would be better after reading more of the saga. Good mythology and characters.
Christine Warren "Any Witch Way She Can" -- Interesting love spell story. I definitely saw the ending coming, but it was still enjoyable. Great little story.

Notes from a Spinning Planet: Ireland by Melody Carlson

Title: Notes from a Spinning Planet: Ireland

Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: WaterBrook Press 2006

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 256

Rating: DNF

It’s pretty humiliating to admit, but I’ve never flown in a plane before today. So wouldn’t you think that I’d be feeling pretty jazzed right now? Instead I keep grabbing onto these armrests as I ask myself why on earth I ever agreed to come on this frightening trip.… Affectionately teased as a “country bumpkin,” nineteen year-old Maddie has never been one to explore new territory. Her first trip outside of the country with her Aunt Sid and Sid’s godson, Ryan, promises an exhilarating adventure. Northern Ireland is more captivating than she even imagined–and Ryan is offering plenty of intrigue himself.
As Aunt Sid researches peace camps, Maddie and Ryan explore Ireland’s rich landscape. During the journey, Maddie begins to discover more about what she wants from life, while developing a deeper friendship with her irresistible traveling companion.
When Maddie and Ryan dig for the truth about the IRA car bomb that killed Ryan’s father years ago, questions about the past accumulate. Unable to let go of growing suspicions in this mysterious country, Maddie finds herself on a dangerous journey, a journey that will lead her to the greatest discovery of all.

I ran into a huge setback today in Notes from a Spinning Planet: Ireland. I picked this and the two sequels (Mexico and Papua New Guinea) thinking they would be an interesting "See the world" type of book. I found many problems with the book and quit 60 pages in.

The book is written in a first person journaling style. It got a bit annoying when it switched from a journal style to an almost 3rd person retelling, but happening currently events. Does that make sense? Every time it changed, I had to rethink how to read the book.
The main character was annoying. Maddie has been asked by her Aunt Sid to travel to Ireland for a research project. She tells us right off that she's never been "off the farm" (literally in her case). Okay, I get it, she's new to this whole traveling thing, but the culture mistakes and intolerance annoyed the crap out of me. Don't go to another country unless you really want to learn about and experience the culture. In fact, before you go, read some guide books, prepare yourself to their way of life. If you don't, you're not appreciating the peoples. End of rant.
The Christian angle was baffling. Is this a book about Maddie refinding Christ? Is this a book about her witnessing to others? I couldn't tell. Maybe this was cleared up later, but I had absolutely no clue in the first fourth of the book.
Beer. The entire third and fourth chapters Maddie's fixates on the fact that Ryan, Aunt Sid's godson, is having a pint. She even makes nasty comments to him about it and then mentions to him that she thinks that all Christians should not drink. I know some Christians do not drink, but her reasoning was that "Jesus didn't drink." Ryan mentions the fact that Jesus and his disciples drank wine, to which she replies "I heard it was more like grape juice." Her ignorance and naiveté really got me. How did this girl live at all before now? Fine it's her issue, but do I have to read about her whiny thoughts about beer throughout two chapters?
My last problem has to do with the targeted audience. What age group was the book written for? The library shelved it in Reader's Services (adult fiction), yet it read like a teen novel. Looking at the back of the book, the book is listed as "Fiction/Young Adult." Well that explains it. The book should be shelved in the Young Adult section.

Maybe this book would appeal to me if I was 13. As I am 29, I felt very over this type of coming of age story. Maddie was too naive and intolerant for my tastes. Therefore, I put it down after 60 pages. I'm going to try another book by Melody Carlson, one that was written for adult audiences (I double checked it!).

Notes from a Spinning Planet

#1 Ireland
#2 Papua New Guinea
#3 Mexico