Beastly by Alex Flinn

Title: Beastly

Author: Alex Flin

Publisher: HarperTeen 2007

Genre: YA Fairy Tales

Pages: 304

Rating: 4 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Telling Tales; Book2Movie; Read Your Name - F

How I Got It: Library Loan

I am a beast. A beast! Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright. I am a monster.You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll,stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

If I was 15, I would have loved this book. As I am 30, I liked it. Overall a cute read, but nothing I will gush over. I liked Lindy, Will, Magda, and Kendra. All were great characters. Kyle/Adrian was so-so. I get that he was supposed to be the villain in the beginning and find redemption in the end, but I never found him charming, at any point in the book. This maybe my 30-year-old self not being attracted to 15-year-old boys. But I also think part of it lies with his personality. The change seemed rather abrupt and disgenuine. I just didn't believe him. Oh and the chat room transcripts... seemed really hooky and silly.

Movie

I have to confess that I saw the movie before reading the book. After watching the movie, I would have rated it 3 stars. But after reading the book, I now give the movie 4 stars. Raising the age of the main characters made the true love romance feel real. I just can't believe in 15-year-olds finding their one love. While I am not a fan of Vanessa Hudgens in general, she did a decent job as Lindy. I loved Alex Pettyfer as our Beast. He had the right amount of vanity in the beginning, but we also really get to see his gradual change. I could have done without Olsen twin (which one?) as Kendra. She's supposed to be ugly at the beginning. She was just too glamorous to be believed. Neil Patrick Harris' Will was great. And the change in makeup really did it. He was still a Beast, just an interesting looking Beast.

Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos

Title: Definitely Not Mr. Darcy

Author: Karen Doornebos

Publisher: Berkley Trade 2011

Genre: Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romance; Support Your Local Library

How I Got It: Library loan

Chloe Parker was born two centuries too late. A thirty-nine-year- old divorced mother, she runs her own antique letterpress business, is a lifelong member of the Jane Austen Society, and gushes over everything Regency. But her business is failing, threatening her daughter's future. What's a lady to do?Why, audition for a Jane Austen-inspired TV show set in England, of course.
What Chloe thinks is a documentary turns out to be a reality dating show set in 1812. Eight women are competing to snare Mr. Wrightman, the heir to a gorgeous estate, along with a $100,000 prize. So Chloe tosses her bonnet into the ring, hoping to transform from stressed-out Midwest mom to genteel American heiress and win the money. With no cell phones, indoor plumbing, or deodorant to be found, she must tighten her corset and flash some ankle to beat out women younger, more cutthroat, and less clumsy than herself. But the witty and dashing Mr. Wrightman proves to be a prize worth winning, even if it means the gloves are off...

This was a fun, albeit fairly predictable read. A retelling of Pride and Prejudice, of sorts. Chloe was thoroughly likeable. A few times her density got the better of me, but I was still rooting for her throughout. Grace was a standard villain. Of course, I loved Henry and couldn't wait for Chloe to wake up and see him. The writing was clear and engaging. I swept through this novel fairly quickly. A good few days in reality tv Regency Era.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Title: The Shadow of the Wind (Cemetery of Forgotten Books #1)

Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Publisher: Penguin 2005

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 487

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction; Mount TBR; My Years

How I Got It: I own it

“A secret’s worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept,” begins Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s astounding novel of postwar Barcelona. But more than four years after its initial paperback publication, the secret is out—the novel remains a favorite of booksellers and readers alike.

Gorgeous... That's the word that kept coming to mind as I was reading. Gorgeous. The writing is gorgeous. The characters are gorgeous. The setting and descriptions are gorgeous. The storyline is gorgeous. The reader is treated to a gorgeous novel that sucks you in within the first few pages. I took days to read this novel because I kept wanting to reread beautiful written paragraphs. I savored the language (translated from the original Spanish). It has a lyrical quality. I wanted to read the paragraphs out loud and often did to anyone within earshot.

The story itself presents a fairly simple mystery that grows as the novel progresses. We meet new characters. We discover things about known characters. We run the gamut of emotions with Daniel on his journey. The Barcelona of the book is a wondrously dangerous place and I want to visit. I want to join Daniel on his quest to find Julian Carax. I want to listen Clara play piano badly. I want to havea meal with Fermin. I want to help all escape Inspector Fumero's grasp. But above all, I want to visit the Cemetery of Forgotten Books.

Cemetery of Forgotten Books

#0.5 Rose of Fire
#1 The Shadow of the Wind
#2 The Angel's Game
#3 The Prisoner of Heaven

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Title: Everneath (Everneath #1)

Author: Brodi Ashton

Publisher: Balzer + Bray 2012

Genre: Young adult fantasy

Pages: 384

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fantasy; Read Your Name -- E; Support Your Local Library

How I Got It: Library Loan

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her boyfriend—before she’s banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance—and the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki’s time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s queen.

Definitely done with the fantasy, young adult, love triangle bit. I tired of Nikki's wishy-washy behavior. I tired of the ridiculous high school behavior. I tired of Cole and Jack being oblivious yet forward. Overall, not a horrible book, but I don't think I will be reading any more of the series. Romeo and Juliet, anyone?

Everneath

Everneath
Neverfall -- novella
Everbound
Evertrue

Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield

Title: Aftertime (Aftertime #1)

Author: Sophie Littlefield

Publisher: Luna 2011

Genre: Dystopian, Zombie

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Zombies; Support Your Local Library

How I Got It: Library Loan

Awakening in a bleak landscape as scarred as her body, Cass Dollar vaguely recalls surviving something terrible. Having no idea how many weeks have passed, she slowly realizes the horrifying truth: Ruthie has vanished.And with her, nearly all of civilization.Where once-lush hills carried cars and commerce, the roads today see only cannibalistic Beaters—people turned hungry for human flesh by a government experiment gone wrong.
In a broken, barren California, Cass will undergo a harrowing quest to get Ruthie back. Few people trust an outsider, let alone a woman who became a zombie and somehow turned back, but she finds help from an enigmatic outlaw, Smoke. Smoke is her savior, and her safety.
For the Beaters are out there.
And the humans grip at survival with their trigger fingers. Especially when they learn that she and Ruthie have become the most feared, and desired, of weapons in a brave new world….

A dystopian world inhabited by Beaters and survivors. I loved the bleak feel of this novel. It didn't try to glamorize the end of the world as we know it. The book showed the stark reality of surviving in this new and desolate world. The graphic description of desolation is haunting. We really get a feel for the nothingness that is left. I appreciate this departure from the fancy dystopian novels I've read in the past.

The characters are memorable. No one is a clear likable character. Instead each one has good and bad qualities; much like you find in real people. Sometimes I wanted to hug Cass and others I wanted to smack her. She's real. She has problems. She has past issues. She has insecurities. But she also has a drive to survive and reclaim her daughter. Smoke is an enigma. We don't get a huge amount of information from or about him, but we understand that Cass must rely on someone. I predict that he becomes a white knight in the end. Hopefully we get more from him in future books. There's too many other minor characters to list, but they all made an impression. I can't wait to read the next book.

Aftertime

#1 Aftertime
#1.5 Survivors
#2 Rebirth
#3 Horizon

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Author: J.K. Rowling

Publisher: Scholastic

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 435

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: HP

How I Got It: Own it!

This one is a reread for me. It's been awhile since I read the series. I remember reading the first couple of books out loud to the boys when they were infants. SO that's what eight years ago? I read the last few books as they came out, but overall it's been awhile.

Instead of doing a traditional review, I thought I would just give you some of my reread thoughts. Things I noticed, things I loved, quotes I like, etc. And then I will have a mini review of movie vs. book.

Book fun:

Favorite scene: For this book there were a few great scenes. 1) The Knight Bus. Although I loved what they did in the movie, I did enjoy this little episode in the book. 2) Harry's argument with Snape about James. We see the tension build between these two characters. And even though Harry doesn't know the whole story, I love how he stands up for his father. 3) Hermione standing up to Malfoy. Gold!
Favorite character: I could decided between Professor Trelawney, Crookshanks, or Lupin. All had great qualities.
Favorite expressions: "Mischeif managed" -- words to wipe the Marauder's Map. "Flibbertigibbet" -- password for the dormitory. "Collywobbles" -- what thinking about the dementors gives to Ernie, driver of The Knight Bus
I forgot that we get to meet Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang in this book. Obviously they become more important next book.
Professor Lupin teaches the students about grindylows and kapps which reside in the lake. They also play a part in the next book. He also teaches them about Red Caps. Those guys show up in all kinds of fantasy books. Love it!

Favorite quotes:

only one from this book

"You think the dead we lvoed ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him." -- Dumbledore Pg. 427

Movie fun:

My favorite scenes:

Loved The Knight Bus scene. It plays so beautifully and gives some comedic releif to the much darker turn later on.
Time-turner scene. I loved to see the replay of events from a slightly different perspective

Things I wished to see, but didn't:

More Crookshanks. Love that cat.
The fight with Malfoy by the Shrieking Shack. In the book, it was a mud fight. They changed it to a snowball fight. I would have like to see it as a mid fight.
More Professor Trelawney. Emma Thompson is just too wonderful. I wanted more and more of her.

Harry Potter:

Doctor Who: The Forgotten

Title: Doctor Who: The Forgotten

Author: Tony Lee, Pia Guerra, Nick Roche

Publisher: IDW 2009

Genre: Graphic Novel; Scifi

Pages: 144

Rating: 5/ 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Read Your Name -- F; Support Your Local Library

How I Got It: Library loan

Stranded in a strange Museum that's dedicated to him, and with no TARDIS in sight, The Doctor and Martha must make sense of their surroundings, hindered by one small fact - The Doctor has lost his memories of every one of his previous incarnations! With items relevant to each Doctor in their possession, The Doctor must try to use them to regain his memories before it's too late, starting with his earliest incarnation's memories, involving Susan, Barbara, and Ian... but quickly moving on to Zoe and Jamie, and more! This all-new series written by Tony Lee (Starship Troopers) features artist Pia Guerra in her first monthly comic since Y The Last Man.

Loving this miniseries... All the old Doctors make an appearance. I also love the allusions to storylines from Tennant's Doctor. We get a great mix of nostalgia and looking to the future. I read this over lunch very quickly. I only wish there was more.

The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance

Title: The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance

Edited By: Trisha Telep

Publisher: Running Press 2010

Genre: Regency Romance

Pages: 512

Rating: 4/ 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romance; Mount TBR

How I Got It: I own it!

From some of the biggest names in Regency historical romance, over twenty witty, romantic, and sensual short stories. The collection will include stories from Mary Balogh, Julia Templeton, Sara Bennett, Jo Beverley, and Amanda Grange.

Overall, this collection was good, but not great. After finishing this book, I realized that I have some definite likes and dislikes about Regency era romances. Likes: strong characters, good storylines (no tired cliches), interesting circumstances or events. Dislikes: long drawn out sex scenes, damsels in distress, constant miscommunications. Unforunately, many of the stories in this collection fell into my dislike category. I am giving this four stars because of the 9 stories I really enjoyed. Here are the highlights:

Elizabeth Boyle's "Cynders and Ashe" -- Classic Cinderella story redone for the Regency Era. I loved the female lead and how she played off of the others. Great little story.
Patricia Rice's "Lady Invisible" -- A widower with small daughter looking for a wife. Verity was just adorable and I was really rooting for all parties involved.
Caroline Linden's "Like None Other" -- Next door neighbors fall in love. I really enjoyed the characters and the set of a moonlit garden. To die for!
Shirley Kennedy's "The Catch of the Season" -- A classic arrange marriage but then she meets a man who sweeps her off her feet. Somehow Kennedy makes this cliched story feel new and fresh.

Henry V by Shakespeare

Title: Henry V

Author: Shakespeare

Pages: 150

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Shakespeare; My Years -- 1998 (Readings); Dewey 800s (Readings)

Before delving into this month's Shakespeare play (I haven't read this one), I thought it would be a good idea to get a sense of history context. The kings and queens of England are really not my forte when it comes to history. I picked up Readings of William Shakespeare's The Histories published by Greenhaven Press (1998). It contained some basic summaries of the history plays. But the part that I really liked was the critical essays. One gave a great historical account of the War of the Roses. One focuses on how Shakespearean England saw the war and monarchs. And one dealt with perspective in Henry V. Overall these helped give me something of a road map when reading the play itself.

I really liked this one. Maybe it's because the play is historical. But I think maybe because Henry V is such a great character. We don't get many characters in this play, but that's okay. The focus is on Henry V. I really got into the multiple facets of his personalities. It made him a real person and not a caricature. On a completely different note, I found the language more readable than Macbeth. J suggested that this is more straight-forward without as many metaphors as Macbeth. possibly... At any rate I read this one much faster and without constantly looking at the footnotes.

Timeless by Gail Carriger

Title: Timeless (The Parasol Protectorate #5)

Author: Gail Carriger

Publisher: Orbit 2012

Genre: Steampunjk Paranormal

Pages: 416

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fantasy; A to Z -- T; Mount TBR

How I Got It: I own it!

Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon, has settled into domestic bliss. Of course, being Alexia, such bliss involves integrating werewolves into London High society, living in a vampire's second best closet, and coping with a precocious toddler who is prone to turning supernatural willy-nilly. Even Ivy Tunstell's acting troupe's latest play, disastrous to say the least, cannot put a damper on Alexia's enjoyment of her new London lifestyle.Until, that is, she receives a summons from Alexandria that cannot be ignored. With husband, child, and Tunstells in tow, Alexia boards a steamer to cross the Mediterranean. But Egypt may hold more mysteries than even the indomitable Lady Maccon can handle. What does the vampire Queen of the Alexandria Hive really want from her? Why is the God-Breaker Plague suddenly expanding? And how has Ivy Tunstell suddenly become the most popular actress in all the British Empire?

I am in love with each and every one of the characters in this series. I love them all equally. I really cannot decided who is my favorite. Ms. Carriger has made me want to live in her version of Victorian England. I want to be best friends with Alexia. I want to run into Lord Akeldama and his drones at social gatherings. I want to see the productions of the Tunstells. I want to buy a hat from Biffy. I want to peruse Madame Lefoux's gadgets. And I want to marvel at the dirigbles and ballon travels and general wonderment. This series is one of my favorites in a very long time.

Alexia Tarabotti

#1 Soulless
#2 Changeless
#3 Blameless
#4 Heartless
#5 Timeless

Eat Slay Love by Jesse Petersen

Title: Eat Slay Love (Living with the Dead #3)

Author: Jesse Petersen

Publisher: Orbit 2011

Genre: Zombies

Pages: 288

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Zombies; Support Your Local Library; Read Your Name -- E

How I Got It: Library Loan

Sarah and David have survived the zombie apocalypse. They stood side by side and fought the undead, mad scientists, and even bionic monsters until the unthinkable happened. A zombie bite. But not even that could stop them. Now, with a possible cure in hand, they're headed east, looking for a safe zone behind the rumored "Wall." They're feeling pretty optimistic.That is until Dave stops sleeping and starts lifting huge objects.
Eat. Slay. Love.
Because they haven't got a prayer.

The conclusion to the trilogy. I fell in love with David and Sarah with the first book. I really hoped their story would end happily, but with zombie books you just never know. I love how these books are romantic comedies with zombies. Love it! This series has been my go-to books when I am in the mood for light zombie books. I started to get a little concerned about halfway through the books with the inclusion of a new character that I really didn't like. But the dymanic evolved well. By the end of the book I was racing through the pages to find out what happened. Thank goodness I had a two-hour plane ride to use.

Living with the Dead

#1 Married with Zombies
#2 Flip This Zombie
#3 Eat, Slay, Love
#3.5 Shambling with the Stars
#4 The Zombie Whisperer

Rise Again by Ben Tripp

Title: Rise Again (Rise Again #1)

Author: Ben Tripp

Publisher: Gallery Books 2010

Genre: Zombie

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Zombie; Support Your Local Library; Read Your Name -- T

How I Got It: Library loan

Forest Peak, California. Fourth of July. Sheriff Danielle Adelman, a troubled war veteran, thinks she has all the problems she can handle in this all-American town after her kid sister runs away from home. But when a disease-stricken horde of panicked refugees fleeing the fall of Los Angeles swarms her small mountain community, Danny realizes her problems have only just begun—starting with what might very well be the end of the world. Danny thought she had seen humanity at its worst in war-torn Iraq, but nothing could prepare her for the remorseless struggle to survive in a dying world being overrun by the reanimated dead and men turned monster. Obsessed with finding her missing sister against all odds, Danny’s epic and dangerous journey across the California desert will challenge her spirit . . . and bring her to the precipice of sanity itself. . . .

This is a story of survival, plain and simple. In my opinion, it's the best kind of zombie story out there. We're not trying to do anything clever with the story or with the zombies. It's dirty. It's gross. It's heartbreaking. It's angering. And it's even a bit of hopeful. I loved this book.

It took me a bit of time to really get into but that was because of the main character, Danny. Initially I couldn't connect with her. I hated her for how she treated her sister. But then I started to understand her. Her history, her lack of future, her sheer determination to survive. And I really started to love Danny and root for her. I didn't want to see her die. Of course, there are some other great characters, but Danny is the one I really got into. Her story keep me reading. The action was great. The creep out factor was great. The gross out factor was great. I whole heartedly recommend this book to all the zombie lovers out there.

Rise Again

#1 Rise Again
#2 Rise Again: Below Zero

Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean

Title: Palace Circle

Author: Rebecca Dean

Publisher: Broadway 2009

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 425

Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Historical Fiction; What's in a Name -- House; Mount TBR

How I Got It: I own it!

Delia Chandler, an eighteen-year-old Southern girl, marries Viscount Ivor Conisborough just before World War II, becoming part of the Windsor court. It’s every girl’s dream come true. But Delia is jolted from her pleasant life when she realizes, after the birth of her two daughters, that Ivor chose her only to bear an heir to his estate. Shortly thereafter, she begins an affair with her husband’s handsome, titled, and frequently scandalous best friend.
When Conisborough is appointed as an adviser to King Fuad of Egypt, Delia exchanges one palace circle for another, far different one. While she sees Egypt as a place of exile, her two daughters regard Egypt as their home. Only when war comes to Cairo—and Delia finally reveals the secret she has kept for so long—can she begin to heal the divisions separating her from those she loves.

Based off of the summary, this is Delia's story. But upon reading the book, it's not just Delia's story. The book jumps narration partway through. We get sections narrated by Delia's daughter Petra, her daughter Davina, family friend Jack, and even a new aquaintance Darius. These switches created a very disjointed feel to the book. As soon as I got used to a voice, it switched. I was a bit disconcerted. My other issue with this book was that it seemed like a five book series smashed into one book. I would have happily explored each part for 300-400 pages. Instead we go from 1910s to 1940s. Too much material in too short of pages.

All of this is not to say I hated the book. I actually liked the characters. I liked the mix of fiction and historical events. I liked Dean's style of writing. I just really wanted more. More pages, more depth, more focus on big events. Just more. I will read more of Dean... Hopefully her other books won't have the same problems.

Blue Moon by Alyson Noel

Title: Blue Moon (Immortals #2)

Author: Alyson Noel

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin 2009

Genre: YA Vampire

Pages: 304

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Fantasy; Read Your Name - N

How I Got It: I own it

Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever’s powers are increasing, Damen’s are fading—stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.
Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen’s past—the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day...

I tried to like this one, I really did. I just couldn't really get into the storyline or the characters. I spent most of the book wanting to smack Ever (and Damen for that matter). There's just did not seem like a classic love story. I ended up not caring if they lived happily ever after. I just didn't care. Also, I need characters to grow through a series. To have someone keep making the same mistakes and assumptions throughout just makes me angry. I could take or leave this one.

Immortals (DNFed series)

Evermore
Blue Moon
Shadowland
Dark Flame
Night Star
Everlasting

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Title: Evermore (Immortals #1)

Author: Alyson Noel

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin 2009

Genre: YA Vampire

Pages: 309

Rating: 4 /5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Fantasy; Read Your Name - E

How I Got It: I own it

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . .
Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

Better than I thought it would be. Okay, it was actually good. I still have a bit of a stigma about young adult paranormal books. I compare everything to Twilight (which I liked, but do not obsess over). I keep expecting sparkly vampires to pop up in these books and that's not fair. So getting over my stigma... I picked up the first three Immortals series from Amazon for $6 total! I thought that I give the series a shot. If it didn't work out, oh well.

Thankfully, I did like this books even if I wanted to smack Ever (and Damen) a few times. The world is different. I sense that there's more to the Immortals world, but this was more of an introduction to characters than a big exposition novel. I liked the side characters and definitely want to see more of Miles and Haven. I wonder about Summerland and how it figures in. (Damen warned Ever about becoming addicted to it. hmmm.... sounds like that will happen in a later book) Drina was villanous, but her demise seemed like a let down. I need bigger and badder evils to stay with the series. The love story alone won't cut it with me. But I intend to continue the series and see where this goes.

Immortals (DNFed series)

Evermore
Blue Moon
Shadowland
Dark Flame
Night Star
Everlasting

The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan

Title: The Long Weekend

Author: Savita Kalhan

Publisher: Andersen Press 2008

Genre: Horror?

Pages: 180

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mixing It Up - Horror; A to Z -- K; Mount TBR

How I Got It: Won in a giveaway from The True Book Addict

Sam knows that he and his friend Lloyd made a colossal mistake when they accepted the ride home. They have ended up in a dark mansion in the middle of nowhere with man who means to harm them. But Sam doesn't know how to get them out. They were trapped, then separated. Now they are alone. Will either of them get out alive? This gripping and hypnotic thriller will have you reading late into the night...

This was hands down of the scariest books I have ever read. The fact that I am a parent made it even scarier. I never want my children (or any children really) to ever have to go through that.

That said, the book is well-written. We spend just a short amount of time inside Sam's life. We see, hear, and know only what he does. We get a thin slice of the events, but it works well. The characters are well-developed, even the unnamed assailant. We know much about Sam and Lloyd from their actions. I really enjoyed Kalhan's writing, if not the subject matter.

Undead Much? by Stacey Jay

Title: Undead Much? (Megan Berry #2)

Author: Stacey Jay

Publisher: Razorbill 2010

Genre: Zombie

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Zombie; Support Your Local Library; Read Your Name - U

How I Got It: Library Loan

Megan Berry - Zombie Settler extraordinaire - just wants Pom Squad to trounce Cheer Team in this freakishly funny follow-up to You Are So Undead to Me. But someone's turning coma victims into settler-resistant uber-zombies - and everyone thinks it's Megan's fault! Well, except for super-creepy male cheerleader Aaron. (Ew!)Meg's also being stalked by a hot - albeit undead - seer named Cliff. Can Cliff's premonitions help Megan stop a zombies-on-ice deathscapade and discover who's really behind the coma-killer crusade before an entire army of undead rise up? And when Megan's boyfriend Ethan grows jealous of Cliff, will it end their intra-settler romance?

Another surprise. I really didn't think I was going to like this one, and I was wrong. It was a fun zombie book with enough gore and creep out factor to keep me reading. I don't think I liked it quite as much as the first one. Really the first one could have been a stand alone. This one continues her story and adds lots of conspiracy layers. I still liked tha Megan actually acted like a 16-year-old. Even though I wanted to smack her a few times for her immaturity. It was fun. Not overly amazing. It's not going to appear on my Top 10 list for the year, but it was a great two day read.

Megan Berry, Zombie Settler (DNFed series)

#1 You are So Undead to Me
#2 Undead Much?
#2.5 Valentine's Day of the Undead

You are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

Title: You are So Undead to Me (Megan Berry #1)

Author: Stacey Jay

Publisher: Razorbill 2009

Genre: Zombie

Pages: 272

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Zombie; What's in a Name - Creepy Crawly; Support Your Local Library; States Challenge - Arkansas

How I Got It: Library Loan

Fifteen-year-old Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a bunch of dead people with a whole lot of issues.All Megan wants is to be normal - and go to homecoming, of course. Unfortunately, it's a little difficult when your dates keep getting interrupted by a bunch of slobbering Undead.
Things are about to get even more complicated for Megan. Someone in school is using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into flesh-eating Zombies, and it's looking like homecoming will turn out to be a very different kind of party - the bloody kind.
Megan must stop the Zombie apocalypse descending on Carol, Arkansas. Her life - and more importantly, homecoming - depends on it.

I have a confession: I thought this was going to be an uber-stupid teenage novel about the right hair or getting the cute boy. I thought was going to make fun of this novel and wonder how it even was published. But I was wrong (mostly). Megan is a teenager. She does care about making the dance team and getting a date for the Homecoming Dance. But she's also a settler with a lot more power than she thinks. She make act immature at times, but she is fifteen. It's refreshing to see a young adult novel where the young adult actually acts like a young adult, not an adult stuck in a teenage body. I think I would have been over the moon with this book if I was fifteen. Megan Berry would have been my hero. Even as an almost-30-year-old, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it so much that I picked up the sequel to read next.

Megan Berry, Zombie Settler

#1 You are So Undead to Me
#2 Undead Much?
#2.5 Valentine's Day of the Undead

The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs

Title: The Year of Living Biblically

Author: A.J. Jacobs

Publisher: Simon and Schuster 2008

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 416

Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Dewey Decimal -- 200s; Mixing It Up -- Journalism and Humor; A to Z -- Y

How I Got It: Library Loan

Raised in a secular family but increasingly interested in the relevance of faith in our modern world, A.J. Jacobs decides to dive in headfirst and attempt to obey the Bible as literally as possible for one full year. He vows to follow the Ten Commandments. To be fruitful and multiply. To love his neighbor. But also to obey the hundreds of less publicized rules: to avoid wearing clothes made of mixed fibers; to play a ten-string harp; to stone adulterers.
The resulting spiritual journey is at once funny and profound, reverent and irreverent, personal and universal and will make you see history's most influential book with new eyes.

I read Jacob's first experiment The Know-It-All about him reading the Encyclopedia. I laughed out loud through most of the book. So I went into this book with high hopes. A secular Jewish man living in NYC decides to follow the Biblical rules. I thought I would laugh at his escapades; at least chuckle.

Unfortunately, I grew more and more angry as the book progressed. Jacobs begins noticing things about life in his episodes. I can appreciate these. For example, he realizes that his life is bombarded with media. Once he turns it all off, he enjoys more life. I can get it. But then he gets way too obsessive over these rules. I just can't get behind these at all. In discussing parenting, he comes to the conclusion that he must impart religion to his son otherwise he will end up an atheist criminal or a crazy fundamentalist. This seems like a strong either-or conceptas opposed to a rational parenting choice. Another point of contention is the whole creationism vs. evolution debate. In discussing he comes to the conclusion:

"I believe that's a key motivation to creationsim: the need to feel less inconsequential. I remember Mark Looy--the publicist for the Creation Museum--saying, 'Evolution says that we are the product of random processes. That we evolved via pond scum. When we say that, we're not applying much value to humanity. If we say we're a product of accidents and random processes, how much purpose and hope does that give to our youth'" (page 107)

I have multiple issues with this: 1. Evolution is not 'accidents and random processes,' it's adaptation to the purpose for better chances of survival. 2. Why does evolution lead to not valuing humanity? It doesn't. We can value life for the sake of life. 3. Purpose and hope is a human concept. One that we can consciously impart. It's these types of discussions that I just had trouble getting through.

In the end, Jacobs ends up as a "reverent agnostic" but one who still plans on observing the Sabbath and praying to God (which God, I'm not sure). At times, I agree with his observations about modern life. I applaud his taking the time to examine his life. I just have issues in some of his conclusions. For these reasons, I gave the book 3 stars. It's well-written... just not for me.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Author: J.K. Rowling

Publisher: Scholastic 1999

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 352

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: HP; My Years

How I Got It: Own it!

This one is a reread for me. It's been awhile since I read the series. I remember reading the first couple of books out loud to the boys when they were infants. SO that's what eight years ago? I read the last few books as they came out, but overall it's been awhile.

Instead of doing a traditional review, I thought I would just give you some of my reread thoughts. Things I noticed, things I loved, quotes I like, etc. And then I will have a mini review of movie vs. book.

Book fun:

Favorite scene: From this book I have a few favorite scenes. First, the introduction of Gilderoy Lockheart in Flourish and Blotts is too cringe-worthy. I want to get away from him just like Harry. But the way Rowling writes it, I see everything play out in my mind. Second, I love Harry and Ron's arrival to Hogwarts (car and whomping willow), but especially the scolding they get from Snape. He's so scary. I love it. Finally, I love the Deathday Party for Nearly Headless Nick. I can almost smell the rotten food.
Favorite character: I'm going to have to god with Tom Riddle for this book. Even though we don't meet him until Chapter 13, it's just an amazing reveal. We're as much in the dark as Harry until the final showdown in the Chamber. He is such a memorable character!
Favorite expressions: "Definitely dodgy" (Ron) {I really think we Americans need to start using the word dodgy, Love it!], "load of dung" (Fred), "great sizzling dragon bogies" (Filch)
I forgot how slow this book seems to be. The basilisk doesn't petrify it's first victim until page 146. And then everything just seems to happen at once.
Rowling spends a lot of time in the beginning of the book discussing the wizarding world and points from the first book. I guess given the that this is book two and it was targeted at elementary students, it would make sense. But for me, I skimmed through parts of a few chapters to get to the new information. If I'm remembering correctly, this decreases as the books go on.
Tom Riddle was a prefect and won a trophy for "closing" the Chamber. I completely forgot how accomplished he was while at Hogwarts. It puts a whole new spin on the sociopath angle.

Favorite quotes:

"Because that's what Hermione does," said Ron shrugging. "When in doubt, go to the library" (255)
"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." (Dumbledore) (333)

Movie fun:

Overall I really like this movie adaptation. It follows the book fairly completely. The story retains the suspense and disbelief without all of the repetition of the backstory. The Hogwart's world is beautiful and moody. And of course, Alan Rickman's Snape is one of my favorite characters to see on the big screen. It's great to see the kids starting to grow up and come into their own.

My favorite scenes: The dueling club. I absolutely love the grandeur. Plus, Lockheart versus Snape is just the height of movie drama. And don't you just love Lockheart's dueling outfit. Hee hee

Things I wished to see, but didn't: The Deathday Party. I love the house ghosts and wish they could have worked in more scenes with them, especially Nearly Headless Nick. I know it would have added too many minutes to the movie, but still it would have been nice.

Harry Potter: