Tall, Dark, and Dead by Tate Hallaway

Title: Tall, Dark, and Dead (Garnet Lacey #1)

Author: Tate Hallaway

Publisher: Berkley Books 2006

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 295

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library: Summer Romance - Paranormal

How I Got It: from the library

A delightful new comedy about witches, vampires, and the search for the perfect man.
Recovering witch Garnet Lacey manages Wisconsin's premier occult bookstore. And a fringe benefit of the job is getting customers like Sebastian Von Traum-piercing brown eyes, a sexy accent, and a killer body. The only thing missing is an aura. Which means he's dead. And that means trouble.
So what's a girl to do if she's hot for a dead man walking? Run like hell-and take full advantage of the nights

After starting two failed books, I needed a little pick-me-up in the fun sector. And this book delivers. A great, fast-paced paranormal romance with some mystery. Who is Sebastian Von Traum? Why are Vatican agents in Madison? How is Garnet going to deal with Lilith? Why is Parrish on her doorstep? And most importantly, what is she going to wear?

I really liked the main character, Garnet Lacey. She has enough no-nonsense spunk but still slightly insecure. She felt real to me. I wanted to be her best friend. (Well, maybe not since she has Vatican agents trailing her and likes to date vampires.) Sebastian was the right amount of sexy, but not cardboard sexy. He had his own personality and motives. Thanks goodness. I hate romances where the two characters only see each other like they have blinders on. There is a whole world out there, remember?

The action was fast-paced and fun. I figured I knew how the book would end, but it was still fun to ride the roller coaster. It definitely leaves it open to the continuation of the series.

And I am looking forward to reading the rest of it. Now if only the second book would come off hold at the library. I have the third, but wouldn't dream of skipping around in a series. Alas, I must wait and choose another book in between.

Garnet Lacey

#1 Tall, Dark and Dead
#2 Dead Sexy
#3 Romancing the Dead
#4 Dead If I Do
#5 Honeymoon of the Dead

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love

Title: Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love

Edited by: Trisha Telep

Publisher: Running Press Teens 2010

Genre: YA paranormal

Pages: 430

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library: Summer Romance - Paranormal

The usual cast of otherworldly suspects—ghosts, genies, demons, banshees, witches, and more—fills the pages of this collection, but these 13 stories of the paranormal come with a twist: all are love stories, of one sort or another. Not surprisingly, there is an air of the ominous about each, and (no spoiler here!) not all end happily. Though readable and entertaining, too many of the stories will probably be predictable to fans of this sort of fiction or are too long to pack much of a punch. Nevertheless, the best selections are wonderfully offbeat, inventive, and, well, haunting. Among these: Sarah Rees Brennan’s “The Spy Who Never Grew Up,” a wickedly funny and wonderfully written story about that eternal child Peter Pan, now grown to a teenager; Diana Peterfreund’s “Errant,” a deliciously dark tale of unlikely nuns and even more unlikely unicorns; and Maggie Stiefvater’s “The Hounds of Ulster,” an unforgettable story of music and love, rooted in Irish folklore. These three stories alone make the collection well worth reading. Grades 9-12. --Michael Cart

Awesomely beautiful collection of stories. As mentioned above, not all end happily, but I find that I like those the best. The ones with the ominous endings make much more sense to me in the paranormal world.

My favorites (so hard to pick, but I finally did):

"Lost" by Justine Mark -- Can you guess who the man in the white house is? I certainly didn't until he said he's name. Interesting take on a very old myth.
"Behind the Red Door" by Caitlin Kittredge -- A traditional style ghost story with a secret. The house was like another character with moods and dreams and definitely nightmares. Very creepy story.
"The Hounds of Ulster" by Maggie Stiefvater -- I love Irish mythology and this one plays off the old stories while placing it squarely in today's world. Definitely not a happy ending, but a wonderfully crafted story of loss.

The other two mentioned in the summary paragraph above (Brennan and Peterfreund) were also amazing, but these three were my absolute favorite. And each one of them ended on a note of despair. Not that they didn't have an element of happiness in them. It's just each story had such atmosphere, like a foggy day in the woods. I loved them so much! Curled up in my reading chair listening the Mumford and Sons channel on Pandora. The perfect day.

Lessons from a Scarlet Lady by Emma Wildes

Title: Lessons from a Scarlet Lady

Author: Emma Wildes

Publisher: Signet Eclipse 2010

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 310

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Romance - Historical

No real lady should take lessons from a scarlet woman...
The Duke of Rolthven's new wife, Brianna, is the perfect aristocratic bride. So what would society say if they saw her with a copy of Lady Rothburg's Advice--a courtesan's lessons for the boudoir? When his innocent wife suddenly becomes a vixen in the bedroom, the proper Duke is truly astounded by her seductive powers. Following a courtesan's advice might lead to trouble-but will it lead to Brianna's ultimate desire: winning her husband's love?

Another slightly trashy romance novel. I think I am addicted to them at this point. It such as easy read. I dont' have to think about anything. It's just a diversion.

This one was decent with likable characters and a predictable yet fun plot. My favorite character was definitely Damien. As the middle brother and not one of the romantic male leads, he played matchmaker. A fun character. I don't have too much else to say about this one. It was a fun read. If you're a romance fan and looking for an afternoon's diversion, this is the book for you.

Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss

Title: Cooking Up Murder (Cooking Class Mystery #1)

Author: Miranda Bliss

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime 2006

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 233

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Local Library

Annie and Eve are life-long best friends who have absolutely nothing in common-except a lack of skill in the kitchen. So when they sign up for a cooking class at the local gourmet shop, they figure the only things at risk are a few innocent fruits and vegetables. But on the first night, Annie and Eve see their fellow student Beyla arguing with a man-a man who later turns up dead in the parking lot. Now the friends feel bound to uncover whatever secrets she's hiding, before someone else's goose-perhaps one of their own-gets cooked. -- From Amazon.com

Wow... I don't have much to say about this book. It was quick, it was predictable, it was fun. There wasn't anything really wrong with it. It just wasn't an amazing book. That's all. The one part that I really liked--the character of Annie. She's normal, but just neurotic enough to make her interesting and quirky. I loaned out the other books in the series, but have decided to pause and pick up a different book.

Cooking Class Mystery (DNFed series)

#1 Cooking Up Murder
#2 Murder On the Menu
#3 Dead Men Don't Get the Munchies
#4 Dying for Dinner
#5 Murder Has a Sweet Tooth

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Queen The Iron Fey #3)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen 2010

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 358

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Local Library; A to Z Title: I

My name is Meghan Chase.
I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.
This time, there will be no turning back.

Warning: Tread carefully if you haven't read The Iron King and The Iron Daughter.

What a way to end the trilogy! I was on the edge of my seat the entire book. It opened with a bang and ended with a bang. Constant action, or at least movement.

The book focused more on the war between the realms than the romance between Meghan and Ash. Thank goodness! I got very annoyed with the romance angle in the second book. Kagawa redeemed the love story by focusing more on the larger world than the inner insecurities of Meghan.

The return of Machina and Ironhorse, albeit not in physical form was a nice touch. I loved how Kagawa paints these characters are evil when we first meet them. But over the course of the trilogy we come to see that not everyone is black and white in this world. These characters had/have certain redeeming qualities. It just took us and Meghan a while to notice them.

The title of the book alludes to what happens in the end. Not that I minded the foreshadowing. I figured at the end of book one that Meghan would become the Iron Queen. It makes sense. Yet, when it happened, I was still surprised. Her transformation was wonderfully done. Congrats!

I've heard that there's a fourth book coming, The Iron Prince, focusing on Ash's story. Obviously at the end of The Iron Queen we get a bit of a teaser about Ash's new adventure/quest/suicide mission? I'm definitely putting it on my TBR list with an asterisk. (That means I really want to read it soon!) Great trilogy, Great world, Great characters!

I don't usually do this, but I had to share with you one my favorite lines from the book: "I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked at the skeletons again, fingers interlaced in death as they had been in life. And I wished that, for once, faery tales--real faery tales, not Disney fairy tales--would have a happy ending." (page 38)

The Iron Fey

#1 The Iron King
#1.5 Winter’s Passage
#2 The Iron Daughter
#3 The Iron Queen
#3.5 Summer’s Crossing
#4 The Iron Knight
#4.5 Iron’s Prophecy
#5 The Lost Prince
#6 The Iron Traitor
#7 The Iron Warrior

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Daughter (The Iron Fey #2)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen 2010

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 359

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Local Library; A to Z Author: K

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

Warning: Contains spoilers for The Iron King.

I loved this book! The continuation of Meghan Chase's story was just what I needed. Anyone who read The Iron King knew that Ash would come to take Meghan back to the Winter Court per their contract. But from there, the story takes on a whole new dimension.

We meet some new and interesting characters. Well, okay, not necessarily new, but we didn't get a chance to meet Sage and Rowan in the first book. They only made an appearance at Elysium. This time we get to see all three Winter Princes. Very interesting. I guess who would betray them all, but I still liked the plot twist.

The action was good: fast-paced, but still leaving room for conversations and quiet moments. The large battle scene at the end wasn't overly descriptive, but gave enough to imagine it. (It kind of looks like the battle for the Fields of Pelenor from LOTR.) It was terrifying. I was riveted to the edge of my seat seeing Meghan try and get through.

My only issue with the story: the relationship between Meghan and Ash. In The Iron King, it felt like the Romeo and Juliet doomed romance. He was the bad boy of the Winter Court. She was the naive, but beautiful and powerful half-breed Summer Princess. How would they ever stay together? Throw in a dead love, Ariella, and another romantic interest, Puck, and we have a quagmire. After reading the first book, I didn't really want Ash and Meghan to end up together. I wanted him to continue being a distant asshole and her to wake up and see Puck. Unfortunately, this book makes the romance story even more complicated. It irked me. I hope the third book clears it up.

Can't wait to start the third one. So thankful the library had all three!

The Iron Fey

#1 The Iron King
#1.5 Winter’s Passage
#2 The Iron Daughter
#3 The Iron Queen
#3.5 Summer’s Crossing
#4 The Iron Knight
#4.5 Iron’s Prophecy
#5 The Lost Prince
#6 The Iron Traitor
#7 The Iron Warrior

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen 2010

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 363

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Local Library; Fantasy

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Could not put this down. It's been awhile since I found a book I got completely absorbed in. I loved it!!!!

The story is intriguing. I haven't read much including faeries, so this was actually quite a refresher from my historical romances and zombie stories. I liked the change. it felt fresh. (Wonder if it will by the end of the trilogy?) The plot was fairly predictable, but it didn't detract from the great story line.

The characters were fun. I was always guessing what Puck or Ash would do next. They were forever at odds with one another, yet there was something else going on underneath all that maleness. (We find out, but I won't give away the secret.) Oberon and Titania and Mab are just like how I imagine them from myth: powerful, enchanting, self-absorbed. Perfectly drawn. Meghan was fun: feisty and innocent all wrapped up in a normal 16-year-old girl package. But my favorite is definitely Grimalkin. He reminded me of the Cheshire Cat, but that's okay because I adore the Cheshire Cat. Everytime we think he's disappeared, he comes back to help. It may not always be on Meghan's time or in Meghan's way, but Grim is truly a friend.

I can't wait to read the next in the series: The Iron Daughter. Good thing I got all three from the library!

The Iron Fey

#1 The Iron King
#1.5 Winter’s Passage
#2 The Iron Daughter
#3 The Iron Queen
#3.5 Summer’s Crossing
#4 The Iron Knight
#4.5 Iron’s Prophecy
#5 The Lost Prince
#6 The Iron Traitor
#7 The Iron Warrior

His Sinful Secret by Emma Wildes

Title: His Sinful Secret (Notorious Bachelors #3)

Author: Emma Wildes

Publisher: Signet Eclipse 2010

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 291

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Romance - Historical

Betrothed to one brother, then married to another, Julianne Sutton finds herself a pawn in an unknown game. The enigmatic new Marquess of Longhaven knows all about the art of deception but he's baffled by innocence. His new wife is trusting, lovely, and utterly bewitching. Imagine his surprise when he discovers that she has secrets of her own. As he battles a ruthless enemy, he quickly learns that love has an entirely different set of rules.

This series just got better and better for me. I liked the first one, but wasn't ecstatic about it. I really liked the second one. And I loved the third one. I think it boils down to the male characters. Alex St. James seemed too nice, too gentlemanly (even if he was a rogue). Luke Daudet was interesting, but fairly bland. But Michael Hepburn has secrets. He's cool, mysterious, controlled, yet charming. I found him irresistible. (And I'm not even a 19th century debutante.) The story was intriguing. I didn't guess the big secret until the very end. it held my attention even through the sex scenes. And they were numerous. Fairly well done, but I admit that I skimmed through most of them. I wanted to get back to the story. That was much more interesting. I definitely recommend for fans of historical romance with a dash of action and suspense.

Notorious Bachelors

One Wicked Mistake by Emma Wildes

Title: One Wicked Mistake (Notorious Bachelors #2)

Author: Emma Wildes

Publisher: Signet Eclipse 2010

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 298

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Romance - Historical

When blackmail turns to murder, Madeline May turns to the notorious Viscount Altea, a man used to dealing with men of ill repute, and a man she despises with every fiber of her being.
From the very moment of their first meeting-and one unforgettable night of passion-Luke Daudet knew she was different. And when he received her fateful entreaty, he knew he would not be able to stay away... -- From Amazon.com

Definitely liked this one more than the first in the trilogy, My Lord Scandal. That said, it wasn't the absolute best historical romance that I've read. Hmmm... how to describe this one? A bit of predictable romance. Oh come on, based off of the description above everyone knows Luke and Madeleine will end up together. Thankfully, there was political intrigue going back to the Napoleonic Wars. We also have an interesting side story about Luke's younger sister and their cousin Miles. Plus, we get a very unconventional older sister, Regina! I loved her so much! And we get lots of sex scenes. And when I see a lot, I mean like every two chapters a hot sex scene to enjoy or skip depending on your preferences. Finally, thankfully our main female lead wasn't a naive chit, but an experienced young and interesting widow. Phew... I thought I was getting really bored with the trilogy, but it definitely redeemed itself. Must read the third one now...

Notorious Bachelors

My Lord Scandal by Emma Wildes

Title: My Lord Scandal (Notorious Bachelors #1)

Author: Emma Wildes

Publisher: Signet Eclipse 2010

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 306

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Romance - Historical

I picked this book (and the other two in the trilogy) up at a Border's closing sale. I wanted some fun historical romance. Nothing too deep, but something entertaining. And I think my $2 a book was good money spent. At least on the first one.

Alexander St. James may be a thief of hearts, but he is no burglar. Nevertheless, he must recover and item belonging to his family to avoid a scandal, and so he has stolen into the home of Lord Hathaway, only to come upon the beguiling and chaste Lady Amelia in her bedroom, wearing little but a look of surprise. Alexander leaves Amelia breathless-but is it from fear or excitement? Captivated by her beauty and charmed by her intellect, he ignores the scandalous whispers as he sets out to seduce the woman of his dreams... -- from Amazon.com

My Lord Scandal is a typical historical romance. We have the rouge who is secertly a good guy. We have the damsel in distress. We have the overbearing guardian (in this case a few). We have the sympathetic friend/relative (in this case an aunt). All well and cliched in the realm of historical romance. Historical romances can often be very predictable. I like them for entertainment, but most aren't very clever. It's like watching a movie for the millionth time. You know what to expect, but that doesn't mean you don't enjoy it.

But this book had a mystery. Lord Alexander needs to find this key, but he doesn't know why. We spend a good portion of the book unraveling this mystery. That's what caught my attention. The intrigue going back decades holds these two families together. However the two central characters don't know why. In the course of finding out, of course they fall in love. Their love is, of course, scandalous. And their parents are not approving of the match. An enjoyable read. Nothing spectacular, but decent addition to he genre.

Notorious Bachelors

#1 My Lord Scandel
#2 Our Wicked Mistake
#3 His Sinful Secret

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Title: North and South

Author: Elizabeth Gaskell

Publisher: Penguin Books 1854

Genre: Classics

Pages: 449

Rating: Book 4/5 stars Movie 5/5

Reading Challenges: 2011 - Way Back When; Page to Screen

Hmmm... I have some mixed feelings about this one. It's no Jane Austen. I think I've been reading too much Jane Austen style 19th century literature that it's hard to get back into other fiction forms. Reading the introduction, I learned some interesting things about Gaskell and the book. Did you know that Gaskell made a pretty decent living writing? North and South was originally published as a serial in a magazine, but she felt that the story was limited in that form and so expanded it for the novelization. And her editor was Charles Dickens. Yes that Charles Dickens! Taking all this into consideration, the novel was enjoyable.

The novel spent much more time on Margaret's thoughts on her father's change of situation. And we leaned much more about his change of heart. I think part of the problem was that the novel was very slow. We spent the first 50 pages still in Helstone. Milton didn't enter into the picture until extensive musing about the church, life in Helstone, and the upcoming move. Once we got into Milton, I liked the story better. We met the other players. Margaret was introduced to factory life. The story progressed, but definitely slowly compared to modern novels.

Movie

The miniseries I absolutely adored. It cut the longer introduction. It cut some of the discussions. But it kept the main storyline about Margaret and the change in life to the North. The casting was beautiful. Richard Armitage is just perfect as Mr. Thornton. (Although I kept seeing him as Guy from Robin Hood. Definitely not the same character.) Daniela Denby-Ashe was beautifully understated as Margaret Hale. She brought the quiet strength to the character. The book has that quality, but seeing her reactions on-screen made a much more interesting character. But by far, my favorite was Sinead Cusack as Mrs. Thornton. She's hard to like, but somehow I understand her motivations. That is the mark of a talented artist. The visual difference between Milton and Helstone is gorgeous. We instantly see the different atmospheres with color, architecture, and costumes. And that final scene... brings out the hopeless romantic lurking inside of me.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Title: Ender's Game

Author: Orson Scott Card

Publisher: Starscape 2002

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 324

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Science Fiction; 2011- With a Twist

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.
Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.
Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

My first recommendation from J for science fiction was a success. The story was inventive (at least for me). The characters were interesting. The setting was gorgeously described and constructed.

The entire story seemed familiar to me through the book. When I mentioned it, J said that it was the beginnings of the world from Stormship Troopers... ahhh that 's makes sense now. I could see the similarities in the worlds. But this one focuses on a boy, his siblings, and the search for a fleet commander. The story progresses slowly, but it's interesting. I usually like faster moving plots. This one covers almost 5 years of Ender Wiggins' life. We see his home life. We see his traveling to BattleSchool. We see his trials at BattleSchool. And we see his entrance into the next steps of his training. Although I never completely agreed with Ender's actions, he was a very interesting character. I loved his contradictions and struggles. It was hard to remember that he was a little boy. He seemed to be at least in his teens. Very strange how Card writes a character so young, yet with a soul and mind so old. Definitely an interesting combination.

Good choice for book selection. Stumped as what to read next.

Ender Wiggin

#1 Ender's Game
#2 Speaker for the Dead
#3 Xenocide
#4 Children of the Mind
#5 A War of Gifts
#6 Ender in Exile

A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

Title: A Matter of Class

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: Vanguard Press 2010

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 186

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Romance - Historical

Reginald Masson is wealthy refined and by all accounts, a gentleman. However, he is not a gentleman by birth, a factor that pains him and his father. Bernard Mason, with the Regency society that upholds station love all else. That is, until an opportunity for social advancement arises, namely, Lady Annabelle Ashton. Daughter of the Earl of Havercroft, a neighbor and enemy of the Mason family, Annabelle finds herself disgraced by a scandal, one that has left her branded as damaged goods. Besmirched by shame, the earl is only too happy to marry Annabelle off to anyone willing to have her.

Though Bernard wishes to use Annabelle to propel his family up the social ladder, his son does not to marry her, preferring instead to live as the wild, single life he is accustomed to. With this, Bernard serves his son an ultimatum: marry Annabelle, or make do without family funds. Having no choice, Reginald consents and enters into a hostile engagement in which the prospective bride and groom are openly antagonistic, each one resenting the other for their current state of affairs while their respective fathers revel in their suffering.

A most enjoyable read!!! Definitely a most read for fans of Regency romance novels. Usually I find faults with historical romance. Often there are the tired cliches: the rake, the virginal damsel, the villainous cad, the overbearing governess/sister/mother/aunt. Thankfully, those weren't present here. Well not really. Balogh does a wonderfully job at introducing the reader to what seem to be the standard characters. These characters are anything but standard. The books begins like a cliche, but we start to see something more going on. There's a nice weaving of present and flashbacks. The characters, all of them, are intriguing. The books isn't filled with unnecessary sex scenes. overall its a great read. I don't want to give too much of the plot away... so I'll just say that I recommend to fans of good historical romance!

Have Spacesuit Will Travel by Robert Heinlein

Title: Have Spacesuit Will Travel

Author: Robert Heinlein

Publisher: Gallery 2005

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 341

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Science Fiction

My first J recommended science fiction book. And it was definitely a fun read. The main character, Kip, was very likable as a young man dreaming of going to the moon. He spends the first third of the book trying to realize that dream, and when something else happens, he must change his dreams. I found the first third thoroughly enjoying. I was right there with Kip trying desperately to figure out how to go to the moon.

And then the book changes dramatically. All of a sudden other forces intercede into his life. The change was abrupt with almost no transition. My brain took a few pages to catch up with the events. It wasn't a bad change of events, just unexpected for me. The rest of the book is Kip's journey into strange new lands. My favorite part of the book had to be the "trial." Very interesting how the facts and opinions are laid out.

Overall a very enjoyable book. It was a good introduction into my science fiction challenge. On to the next book...

Zombies vs. Unicorns

Title: Zombies vs. Unicorns

Edited by: Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (Team Zombie)

Publisher: McElderry Books 2010

Genre: YA Short Stories; Zombie; Paranormal

Pages: 415

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; 2011 - It Wasn't Me

It’s a question as old as time itself: Which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? This all-original, tongue-in-cheek anthology edited by Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (Team Zombie), makes strong arguments for both sides in the form ofspectacular short stories. Contributors include bestselling authors Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan.
Discover how unicorns use their powers for evil, why zombies aren’t always the enemy, and much more in this creative, laugh-out-loud collection that will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?

This is definitely the best anthology of the year. I love every single story included here. Half were zombie stories (of course I would like them) and half were unicorn stories (kinda surprised I liked them). It was really hard to narrow it down, but here are my four favorite stories:

1. "Bougeinvillea" by Carrie Ryan -- Set in the same world as The Forest of Hands and Teeth, this story was a classic post zombie apocalypse story. Our heroine (can't think of another word, so I'm going with that) lives on an island in the Caribbean visited by pirates and traders. Her father controls everything, but of course that never works right? I loved how the story switched back and forth from the present and bits of her past. We get a lot of character information in just a few pages. And it's action packed and filled with zombie dread. Perfect!

2. "The Children of the Revolution" by Maureen Johnson -- You ever read about one of those crazy cult religions and think "what's really going on there?" Here's your story. It has a crazy religion, an unsuspecting participant, a famous actress, a big house in the country, five little kids and a secret. Can you guess what the secret is? I guess before I even started reading, but that didn't make this story any else creepy. Just how I like them.

3. "Princess Prettypants" by Meg Cabot -- Just what I would expect from the author of The Princess Diaries. It was a fun little story with a pretty interesting unicorn. And I'm not even a huge fan of unicorns. It had the right blend of action, despair, and fantasy.

4. "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn" by Diana Peterfreund -- Uber fun story. I had absolutely not clue where the author was taking us, and that's the fun part. Definitely check this one out.

Overall, amazing collection of stories. Although I'm still squarely in Team Zombie, I have a new found respect for Team Unicorn. They can really pull in the creep factor when they want to. Kudos to you!

Calamity Jack by Shannon and Dean Hale

Title: Calamity Jack

Author: Shannon and Dean Hale

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2010

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 144

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library

The sequel to Rapnzel's Revenge was definitely worthwhile. This time we see Jack's back story. How and why he ended up in the Old West with a goose. I liked Jack, but his story wasn't the best. All stupidity and running. But then once he met Rapunzel, he became a much more interesting character.

I liked the book once we caught up with where Rapunzel's Revenge left off. Then it started to progress like I thought it should. I liked the inclusion of other fairy tale style monsters and creatures. It was a nice touch. It started to make a lot more sense. If Rapunzel and witches and golden laying geese are in this world, why shouldn't other creatures? Made sense. The dialogue was fun. The visuals fun. Everything about it was fun. Definite fun 20 minute read.

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

Title: Rapunzel's Revenge

Author: Shannon and Dean Hale

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2008

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 144

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library

I absolutely adored this graphic novel. A great alternate story of the classic fairy tale Rapunzel. Meant for children ages 9-12, I was delighted to find that I enjoyed a children's book. I don't usually pick children's books, but this one was written by Shannon Hale. And I loved her adult novel Austenland. So I thought, why not?

The art s fun. Not too detailed to lose children, but with enough reality that it was visually appealing. Colorful and fun. The character facial expressions were especially fun.

As to the story, I loved the twists. We start with the "classic" Rapunzel story, but then it changes. She doesn't wait for her Prince to rescue her from the tower. This Rapunzel takes matters into her own hands and escapes. And starts a journey through her world to bring down her evil "mother" Gothel. Along the way she meets some fun characters, specifically her sidekick Jack (of "and the Beanstalk"?). A fun story to go along with fun characters and fun visuals.

Overall a very enjoyable 20 minute read. And I found that there's a sequel: Calamity Jack. Maybe I'll find out Jack's back story. I'll have to pick it up.

Wake, Fade, Gone by Lisa McMann

Title: Wake, Fade, Gone

Author: Lisa McMann

Publisher: Simon Pulse 2008, 2010, 2011

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 224, 272, 240

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Young Adult; A to Z Titles: G

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody- notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.
She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.
Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant.... (review for Wake only)

Since I read these back to back, I decided to do one review of the trilogy instead of separate book reviews. Overall, I liked this series.

The characters intrigued me. A character who gets sucked into other people's dreams was interesting. The main character, Janie, is likable and relatable. She's someone who would be a good friend, although I guess sleepovers are out of the question. The main male character, Cabel is the enigma in the first book but comes out to be the kind of guy anyone would want as their boyfriend. (Not really a spoiler, I could see that plot development within the first 20 pages) The side characters are more of caricatures, but that's okay. The story's not really about them. My only issue with characters: it's very convenient for Janie and Cabel to not have any present parents. They can only do most of the things they do because there is no parental supervision. A little too convenient.

As to the plot, I have mixed feelings. The first book I really liked. Although the last 30 pages seemed like either too much of a setup for the trilogy or an out of the blue occurence. It seemed out of place unless you view the three books as one giant story. Then it makes more sense. The plot of the second book was a bit contrived. Not bad, but definitely not great. The third book redeemed the series for me. We really get into the ramifications of Janie's actions and meet (well sorta meet) a very important person. I thought that the trilogy tied up very nicely with Janie understanding her choices and choosing the path that she feels is the best. It's the path that's the right choice for her. I liked how the trilogy doesn't end with a fairy tale "they all lived happily ever after" ending, but an open-ended finale. We see Janie starting off on her new life, wherever that may lead. Definitely a good ending to a this series. I'm interested in reading McMann's other books... They're going on my TBR list.

Side note: I absolutely adore the covers for these books. So simple, yet very intriguing. They remind me of the black, white, and red Twilight series covers.

The Prestige by Christopher Priest

Title: The Prestige

Author: Christopher Priest

Publisher: A Tor Book 1995

Genre: Thriller?

Pages: 360

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Page to Screen

Two 19th century stage illusionists, the aristocratic Rupert Angier and the working-class Alfred Borden, engage in a bitter and deadly feud; the effects are still being felt by their respective families a hundred years later. Working in the gaslight-and-velvet world of Victorian music halls, they prowl edgily in the background of each other's shadowy life, driven to the extremes by a deadly combination of obsessive secrecy and insatiable curiosity. At the heart of the row is an amazing illusion they both perform during their stage acts. The secret of the magic is simple, and the reader is in on it almost from the start, but to the antagonists the real mystery lies deeper. Both have something more to hide than the mere workings of a trick.

This book took much longer to read than I thought it would, but it was definitely worth it. One of my favorites for this year!!! (You know how I hate movie tie-in covers for books, but it was the only version the library had. If I bought it, I would definitely have searched for a different version.)

Book

The book was set in two separate time periods. We meet Andrew who by the intervention of a mysterious stranger begins to learn about the history of his birth family. The book then switches to Alfred Borden's (Andrew's great grandfather) diary. We glimpse his life and struggles with the world of magic. In his diary we meet Rupert Angier (The Great Danton) with whom Borden had a long standing feud. Then the story switches back into the present and we learn more about Angier's great granddaughter, Kate. Kate and Andrew discuss the feud, what happened when Andrew (or Nicholas?) was just a toddler, and then we are again transported into the past. We are privy to Rupert Angier's diary of his life. We learn of his view of the feud and about his strive to create The New Transported Man. I won't give away any of the mystery, but I will say that there are a couple. And the promise of mystery and explanation drives the book. I read the last 150 pages in one sitting because I just had to know. Very intriguining mystery! And the ending did not disappoint.

Movie

I confess that I saw the movie before reading the book, but that is of little importance in this case. They are very different entities. The movie director, Christopher Nolan, made sure to keep the main story between the two magicians, but left out the present day appearance of Andrew and Kate. He also changed the catalyst to the magicians' rivalry. However, the spirit was there.

And the actors!!! I absolutely love Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. They show such complex emotions that they make the film. Michael Caine was amazing as Angier's ingeniur. And David Bowie as Nikola Tesla was perfect casting. My only casting issue, Scarlett Johansson as Olivia. I understand that her part in the book is limited, but she just seemed so flat on film that I didn't see her appeal to either of the men.

This was definitely a great film. Reminded me how much I love Christopher Nolan. And it was a great adaptation of the novel, even with the changes.

The Outlaw's Bride by Catherine Palmer

Title: The Outlaw's Bride

Author: Catherine Palmer

Publisher: Steeple Hill 2010

Genre: Christian historical romance

Pages: 277

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Summer Romance - Historical Fiction

Isobel Matas's hope of marriage to her betrothed depends on recovering her dowry from the outlaws who killed her father and stole her inheritance. But, while traveling in New Mexico territory, she witnesses a murder that changes everything. Suddenly, her own life is threatened—until she's rescued by fast-talking cowboy Noah Buchanan. Isobel's only chance for survival is to marry the rugged trail boss—who needs her to fulfill his own destiny. As the mismatched newlyweds unite against Lincoln County's tumultuous violence, Noah's deep faith challenges Isobel's quest for vengeance. And will lead them on a journey neither ever imagined.

Not a horrible romance, but definitely not one of my favorites. My main issue with this one: the main female character. Isobel Matas was just too annoying. I couldn't get over her annoying persistence for revenge to the point of danger. The male lead, Noah, was a much more endearing character. I liked him, but her, no way. And that was the problem with the book. I couldn't get overally excited about the book because I couldn't connect to the character.

Other than that, the story was fairly decent. It was more of an adventure than a straight romance and that was the part that I liked. I just couldn't get into it completely without the character connection. Really that's all I have to say about this book...