Sunday, February 28, 2010

February Report


Here is an overview of what I read and what I got in February. This is my first monthly wrap up post.
 
I read 15 books this month.
 
Young Adult
 
The Iron King by Julie Kawawa
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
 
Middle Grade
 
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale
 
Adult Books
 
Flirt by Laurell K, Hamilton
Blood Magic by Eileen Wilks
First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost
Shift by Rachel Vincent
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi
The Last Colony by John Scalzi
Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb
 
And I'm currently reading Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
 
Added
 
This month I added 72 books to my LibraryThing account:
 
1 borrowed from HS Library
24 added to my Kindle
18 YA books
9 MG books
6 books won
 
Right now 61 are still TBR.
 
Progress on Challenges
 
2010 YA Debut Author
 
The Iron King by Julie Kawawa
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain 
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

2010 YA Reading Challenge
 
The Iron King by Julie Kawawa
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Flashback Reading Challenge
 
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
 
2010 E Book Reading Challenge
 
First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost
 
RYOB Reading Challenge
 
The Iron King by Julie Kawawa
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale
Flirt by Laurell K, Hamilton

Blood Magic by Eileen Wilks
First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost
Shift by Rachel Vincent
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi
The Last Colony by John Scalzi
Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb 

2010 TBR Reading Challenge

Old Man's War by John Scalzi

Bottoms Up Reading Challenge

Old Man's War by John Scalzi

The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi
The Last Colony by John Scalzi

In the Middle Reading Challenge

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riorda
The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale 
 
Overall, I'm buying too many or reading too few. I read three traditional science fiction books this month which reminded me how much I enjoy well-written space opera. Much of my other reading fit into the paranormal genre. Three out of 5 YA books were paranormal. The other two realistic. I read more variety at the MG level though they could all be considered fantasy in the broad sense. I see that I need to read something for my Flashback Challenge. I counted The Lightning Thief because I think I read it previously but I'm not sure.

I'll see how March goes. (Note to self: This post would be much easier to compile if started on the 1st of the month instead of waiting until the end.)
 

Saturday, February 27, 2010

In My Mailbox (Feb. 28, 2010)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits.


Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun. I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the cool books everyone gets. You will discover lots of wonderful blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.


I added a bunch again this week. I blame it partly on the book fair being hosted in my HS Media Center. I swear they were all calling my name but I managed to get away with "only" these:



Finally by Wendy Mass -- I didn't grab this my first time through but I read an excellent review on The O.W.L's Tween Tuesday post and got it the next day. It will fit in for the In the Middle Reading Challenge that Jill is running at The O.W.L. too.

Dead Is So Last Year and Dead Is a State of Mind by Marlene Perez -- I have
heard good things about these too.

The Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by Erin Dionne -- I confess I bought this because of the title, blurb and cover. I hope that contents live up to them.



The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler isn't my usual style but it also sounded good.

The Season by Sarah MacLean is a book that I read about on someone's blog. When I saw it and read the blurb I decided to add it to the stack too.

Ruined by Paula Morris also got good buzz on a blog I was reading. When I saw it, I decided to give it a try.

The Princess Plot by Kirsten Boie and Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor just looked good. I don't know much about either.

After reading last Sunday's IMM posts for numerous bloggers, I added these title to my Kindle.



Violent Eyes by Debbie Viguie was shown on Rebecca's Book Blog and looked really appealing.

Wolf's Gambit and Wolf's Trap are both by W. D. Gagliani. I saw Wolf's Trap on the Dangerous Pleasures blog and checked it out. I love werewolves! When I saw there was another also available for my Kindle, I bought it too.

Molly Fyde and the Land of Light and Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue were mentioned by Katie at yaReads.com. They sounded so good I had to get them too.

A few of my favorite authors also came out with new books this week too. So I bought:


Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison -- I am following the series and have to know what is next in store for Rachel Morgan. I also am attending a book signing on Monday night and will get to meet Kim Harrison. I am going with a friend and hope we can both manage to keep a little dignity and not be too "squeeing fan girl" (but I'm not making any guarantees).

Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb is the latest in the Eve Dallas series - I really like those books. This one might just be a "drop everything and read now" book. Big Jack is also a Eve Dallas story by J. D. Robb. It has been part of a collection but now is a book by itself.

Nauti Deceptions by Lori Leigh is next in the nauti series. I have been reading this series. I think I have read them all. This is about a character who has been mentioned in a number of the other books but only as a peripheral character. She finally takes center stage and gets a romance of her own.

That was it for me this week. What showed up in your mailbox (or followed you home from the book store)?


Review: Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb

Fantasy in Death
Author: J. D. Robb
Publication: Putnam Adult (February 23, 2010)

Product Description: Bart Minnock, founder of the computer-gaming giant U-Play, enters his private playroom, and eagerly can't wait to lose himself in an imaginary world, to play the role of a sword-wielding warrior king, in his company's latest top-secret project, Fantastical.

The next morning, he is found in the same locked room, in a pool of blood, his head separated from his body. It is the most puzzling case Eve Dallas has ever faced, and it is not a game. . . .

NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas is having as much trouble figuring out how Bart Minnock was murdered as who did the murdering. The victim's girlfriend seems sincerely grief-stricken, and his quirky-but-brilliant partners at U-Play appear equally shocked. No one seemed to have a prob­lem with the enthusiastic, high-spirited millionaire. Of course, success can attract jealousy, and gaming, like any business, has its fierce rivalries and dirty tricks-as Eve's husband, Roarke, one of U- Play's competitors, knows well. But Minnock was not naive, and quite capable of fighting back in the real world as well as the virtual one.

Eve and her team are about to enter the next level of police work, in a world where fantasy is the ultimate seduction-and the price of defeat is death. . . .

My Thoughts: I love this series. I have to have each new one as soon as possible after it is published. And I have to read it as soon as possible when it arrives at my house. This 30th episode doesn't disappoint. I love re-entering the world of Eve and Roarke. Besides the locked room mystery aspect of this one, we see an exploration of relationships -- friendship and love. Eve is just figuring out what those mean to her and in her life. In the internal chronology of the series only 2 years have passed since the first book - Naked In Death - even though 15 years have passed here in the real world.

Both Eve and Roarke are fascinating characters with strengths and flaws. I want to know more about them. Heck, I'd like to meet them and have dinner with them and get to know them. They are very real to me.

Robb explores how technology changes over time but how humans remain much the same. This quote reflects that (without being too spoil-ery):
"The human body stays pretty much the same, right? Technology changes and science advances. This one? She started out tough, so that's her advantage. Now it's up to science and technology to pull it out."

"Not just the body, but the spirit. Technology and science don't hold a candle to the human spirit. If hers is strong enough, she may stay not dead yet."
I love catching up with the secondary characters. Peabody is always interesting as Eve's partner and friend. I was afraid that we wouldn't get a chance to see Mavis or Nadine or Trina (a beautician who might be the only human Eve fears) in this episode but Nadine's book release gave us a chance to see them all at the release party.

This video gives us a chance to hear Nora Roberts talk about the series:



Here is the second in a series of videos at Project Paranormal. (You can find them at YouTube.) I need to spend some time listening to all of them to find out more.

Challenges: RYOB Reading Challenge  

We Have a Winner!



Sharing the Love Winner!
 
Jen
 
Congratualations, Jen! Your books will be in the mail soon. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have over the years.
 

Friday, February 26, 2010

Friday 56: Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb

Happy Friday everybody!!

Rules:
  • Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
  • Turn to page 56.
  • Find the fifth sentence.
  • Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
  • Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
  • Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

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"Admiring you doesn't mean taking the fall for you. He's not quite as dumb as you think."

"Ro's not dumb." Dubrosky didn't miss a beat. "He just gets confused sometimes when it comes to reality. He's wired to games, and a lot outside his bubble gets past him."

J. D. Robb's Fantasy in Death Putnam Adult (February 23, 2010)

This is a "drop everything and read" book for me. Another 60 pages to finish my current read and I will find out what the heck that short snippet means. Who is talking? Who is Ro? Who is Dubrosky? I can't wait.

 

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Review: The Last Colony by John Scalzi

The Last Colony
Author: John Scalzi
Publication: Tor Science Fiction; Reprint edition (July 29, 2008)

Product Information: Retired from his fighting days, John Perry is now village ombudsman for a human colony on distant Huckleberry. With his wife, former Special Forces warrior Jane Sagan, he farms several acres, adjudicates local disputes, and enjoys watching his adopted daughter grow up.

That is, until his and Jane's past reaches out to bring them back into the game — as leaders of a new human colony, to be peopled by settlers from all the major human worlds, for a deep political purpose that will put Perry and Sagan back in the thick of interstellar politics, betrayal, and war.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this conclusion to the story of John Perry, Jane Sagan and Zoe Boutin. After some quiet time as colonists on Huckleberry political matters are disturbing them again. I like the interplay between John and his assistant Savitri. There were lots of humorous remarks. I like the relationship between Zoe and John too. I like learning more about Jane as she learns to be a regular, unenhanced human and how she reacts when she is enhanced again against her will.

Then John and Jane are chosen to be the leaders of a new colonial venture. Only the Colonial Union doesn't tell them that the Conclave (a group of over 400 alien races) has forbidden non-members to colonize new planets. Nor does the CU actually send them to the planet they think they are colonizing. After some adventures including discovering that they are not alone on the planet and the aliens are hostile and learning to survive without all their electronics, the CU comes back. Roanoke colonists are in danger and not only from the Conclave.

The story was exciting. My only complaint is that the story ended. I want to know more about these characters and what happens next.

Challenges: RYOB Reading Challenge, Bottoms Up Reading Challenge





Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Teaser Tuesday: Steamed by Katie MacAlister



Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

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Steamed: A Steampunk Romance
Author: Katie MacAlister
Publication: Signet; Original edition (February 2, 2010)

There was no sign of Hallie at all. "Great. We've lost her."

"She shouldn't be too hard to find in that ensemble," Octavia murmured, breathing heavily.

"You should take up jogging," I told her, turning to scan the opposite direction. "Does wonders for your cardio."

This one is next on my TBR pile. I can hardly wait.



Sunday, February 21, 2010

Review: The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi

The Ghost Brigades
Author: John Scalzi
Publication: Tor Science Fiction; 3rd THUS edition (May 1, 2007) (Purchased on Sept. 13, 2008)


Product Description: The Ghost Brigades are the Special Forces of the Colonial Defense Forces, elite troops created from the DNA of the dead and turned into the perfect soldiers for the CDF's toughest operations. They’re young, they’re fast and strong, and they’re totally without normal human qualms. The universe is a dangerous place for humanity—and it's about to become far more dangerous. Three races that humans have clashed with before have allied to halt our expansion into space. Their linchpin: the turncoat military scientist Charles Boutin, who knows the CDF’s biggest military secrets. To prevail, the CDF must find out why Boutin did what he did. Jared Dirac is the only human who can provide answers—a superhuman hybrid, created from Boutin's DNA, Jared’s brain should be able to access Boutin's electronic memories. But when the memory transplant appears to fail, Jared is given to the Ghost Brigades. At first, Jared is a perfect soldier, but as Boutin’s memories slowly surface, Jared begins to intuit the reason’s for Boutin’s betrayal. As Jared desperately hunts for his "father," he must also come to grips with his own choices. Time is running out: The alliance is preparing its offensive, and some of them plan worse things than humanity’s mere military defeat.


My Thoughts: I love space opera science fiction. If you choose, you can read for the adventure and the cool planets and cool weapons and cool aliens. Or you can read a little deeper and look at the choices the character makes and the philosophy behind the world and the choices. This book has me thinking about the choices the main character -- Jared Dirac -- is making. Check out this quote:


"I've made a choice," Jared said, more than two hours later. "I want to go on."
"Can you tell me why?" Cainen said.
"Because I want to know more about all of this," Jared said. He motioned to the image of the third consciousness. "You tell me that I'm changing. I'm becoming someone else. I believe that. But I still feel like me. I think I'll still be me, no matter what happens. And I want to know."
Jared pointed to the Cainen. "You say we Special Forces are slaves. You're right. I can't argue that. But we are also told that we are the only humans born with a purpose: To keep other humans safe. I wasn't given a choice for that purpose before, but I choose it now. I choose this."
"You choose to be a slave," Cainen said.
"No," Jared said. "I stopped being a slave when I made this choice."
"But you're choosing the path that those who made you a slave would have you follow," Cainen said.
"It's my choice," Jared said. "If Boutin wants to harm us, I want to stop him."
"That means that you might become like him," Wilson said.
"I was supposed to be him," Jared said. "Being like him still leaves room to be me."
I enjoyed this book very much and am very grateful that I didn't find this series as it came out. Waiting for the next book would have been unendurable.


Jared Durac makes a number of difficult choices in this book beyond the choice quoted above. Although he is the clone of Boutin and has been given his memories, he is not Boutin. His choices are very different. It was intetersting to watch him grow up and learn about himself. The bits of humor in the book were engaging.


Charles Boutin makes a very credible villian. It is first thought that he turned traitor because of the death of his daughter Zoe. Boutin blamed the CDF for not protecting the space station where Zoe was. But Jared learns that the CDF's failure to protect Zoe was only one part of Boutin's treason. Boutin wants to destroy the CDF because he feels they are on the wrong course and holding humans back. He is willing to do anything, commit any atrocities, to bring the CDF down.


We also get to learn more about Jane Sagan in this book and more about the Ghost Brigades themselves. One review I read on Amazon says that the first book -- Old Man's War -- explores the consequences of old people in new, young bodies. And this book explores the consequences of newborns in grown up bodies. Both books have been very thought provoking and entertaining.


We also learn more about the Colonial Defense Force in this book that makes me question the choices and decisions that are being made by them and makes me rethink what I thought was true about the CDF. I can hardly wait to see how this plays out as I read the next book. The next book will reunite John Perry, Jane Sagan, along with the child Zoe Boutin.

I highly recommend this series to those who love character-driven science fiction.

Challenges: RYOB Challenge, Bottoms Up Reading Challenge






Monday Musings: Keeping Books


Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about a keeping books.

Do you keep all the books you ever buy? Just the ones you love? Just collectibles? What do you do with the ones you don’t want to keep?

To comment or link to your post on this topic, go here to Just One More Page.

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I could not possibly keep all the books I buy. I buy, on average, 10 books a week. I live alone in a three bedroom house that has bookshelves in most rooms. But, even so, I don't have the shelf space to keep everything. Here is a look at my bookshelves as of Jan. 9, 2010.

I only keep books that I think I will read again someday or books that are parts of a series or by favorite authors. When my shelves get too full I go through the shelves and remove those books that no longer qualify as something I might want to read again.

I read a lot of middle grade and young adult books. When I finish them I almost always donate them to the school media centers where I work. Since I am the librarian in charge, I can add them to my collections. I know that others have reported that books donated to their public libraries end up in the Friends of the Library annual sales rather than on the shelves of the library. I do keep some of the MG and YA books if they are by authors I already collect like Tamora Pierce or Sherwood Smith. I have probably already purchased those books for my media center with my school budget. If I buy the book, I will get to read it sooner than if I add it to a school book order and I gain the tax deduction for donating the book too.
The adult books are more of a problem. If I don't want to keep an adult book after I have read it, I don't know what to do with it. Turning it in to a used bookstore for credit doesn't really help me out. My local used books stores are genre specific. The one that does romance doesn't accept books more than a few months old and the other one only does science fiction. Also, I have a hard time using up the credit I receive because I probably already own anything that they offer that I might want to read. I have over $1500 credit at one used bookstore and no way to use it.

I would like to give the books away to people who might enjoy them but most of my friends are not readers. I know that there are internet sources to do that but haven't investigated them yet. I don't really want to swap books. I want to get rid of books that I don't want. I will admit that I have been throwing books that I don't want to keep in grocery bags and then throwing them in the trash when I'm tired of looking at the bags.

Now that I have a couple of blogs, I could hold contests. The problem is that the blogs focus on YA and kidlit and I already have a way to recycle those. I need to find and follow some blogs that cater to readers of adult books (by which I mean books not designed for children and adolescents rather than erotic books).

Any suggestions on ways to recycle the books that I don't want to keep on my shelves would be gratefully accepted. I hate throwing them in the trash but haven't found another way to get rid of them.




Saturday, February 20, 2010

In My Mailbox (Feb. 21, 2010)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits.

Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun. I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the cool books everyone gets. You will discover lots of wonderful blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.

This week I added books mostly to my Kindle. Here is what I added:



Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend was a free offering. Because it is a paranormal about werewolves, I snapped it up. It is somewhat unusual because the heroine is deaf.

Spellbent by Lucy A. Snyder got a glowing review on one of the blogs I read. I have been thinking about this one for a while and decided to buy.

Daring Chloe by Laura Jensen Walker was another free offering. "Safe-bookworm Chloe is stepping out of her comfort zone and having the adventure of her life." This sounds rather chick-lit for my usual tastes but also sounds like a quick, light read.


Off the Record by Elizabeth White was another free book. It sounded like an interesting romance.

Talk of the Town by Lisa Wingate was another free book. It also sounds like an interesting, cute chick-lit sort of title.

Into the Mist by Maya Banks was given a good review on a blog I read this past week. Since it is a paranormal about shifters, I decided to buy it.



Into the Lair by Maya Banks is a companion novel to Into the Mist. I like reading books in a series and it was not expensive.

Old Magic by Marianne Curley has also gotten good reviews on blogs I read. It is a YA paranormal with magic.

I So Don't Do Mysteries by Barrie Summy is middle grade mystery with ghosts. I have been hearing about I So Don't Do Spooky and wanted to read this one first.

I couldn't forget to get some print books. Here they are:



The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison is a fairy tale retelling. I really like those and was pleased to find out about them on a blog I read. The Princess and the Bear is coming one of these days too.

Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon by Buzz Aldrin is quite a departure for me. I read and own almost no nonfiction. But as a fan of science fiction, I am interested in space exploration and eager to find out what Aldrin has to say.

Shift by Rachel Vincent is the 5th in the Shifters series and an essential pre-order required book for me. I got it and read it in just two days. Now I have the long wait until August for the conclusion of the series.

While you are here, why not enter my contest to win two of my all-time favorite books? They can be in your mailbox soon.



Review: Old Man's War by John Scalzi

Old Man's War
Author: John Scalzi
Publication: Tor Books (December 27, 2005)

Product Description: John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First he visited his wife’s grave. Then he joined the army. The good news is that humanity finally made it into interstellar space. The bad news is that planets fit to live on are scarce—and alien races willing to fight us for them are common. So: we fight. To defend Earth, and to stake our own claim to planetary real estate. Far from Earth, the war has been going on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding. Earth itself is a backwater. The bulk of humanity’s resources are in the hands of the Colonial Defense Force. Everybody knows that when you reach retirement age, you can join the CDF. They don’t want young people; they want people who carry the knowledge and skills of decades of living. You’ll be taken off Earth and never allowed to return. You’ll serve two years at the front. And if you survive, you’ll be given a generous homestead stake of your own, on one of our hard-won colony planets. John Perry is taking that deal. He has only the vaguest idea what to expect. Because the actual fight, light-years from home, is far, far harder than he can imagine—and what he will become is far stranger.

My Thoughts: This is classic space opera in the tradition of Robert A. Heinlein (which is by no means a bad thing). John Perry is an interesting and engaging character. He is sharp, sarcastic and willing to try something very new. At age 75 and knowing that he doesn't want to get older, he enlists in the Colonial Defense Force not knowing what is in store for him. No one on Earth has ever met anyone from the CDF. John is changed and becomes a soldier. He manages to survive numerous battles when 3/4 of his fellow recruits do not and he is promoted from Private to Captain in a very short time.
 
What is the male equivalent of a Mary-Sue story? This would seem to qualify if only because John always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He lost his beloved wife before they could both enlist. Yet he is rescued from a massacre by someone wearing her body. He comes up with a unique firing solution that turns a battle from defeat to a victory. He manages to find the plans for a secret advanced weapon in the middle of a battle. There are probably more examples too.
 
I very much enjoyed this book and am glad that the sequels -- The Ghost Brigades and The Last Colony -- are sitting in my TBR stack too. The book was filled with adventure, interesting situations and characters, and even love.

This one has been sitting on my TBR stack since before Feb. 19, 2008 (when I joined LibraryThing and scanned all my books into it.)
 
Challenges: 2010 TBR Challenge, Bottoms Up Reading Challenge


Friday, February 19, 2010

Recommend Me -- Sunshine and Shadow by Sharon and Tom Curtis


Recommend Me is a meme that Kate at The Neverending Shelf is hosting. Each Friday, participants will pick one of their all time favorite reads to share. This could be a book that your read yesterday or years ago.

To play along, grab a favorite read and tell us about it. You can include your thoughts about the novel, its summary, your favorite memory related to the novel... the possibilities are limitless. If you are up for a challenge, you can also include:
  • Your review of the novel
  • Links to others' reviews of the novel
  • Recommending to a general group of readers or if you want to be extra daring, to specific reader friends
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Sunshine and Shadow
Authors: Sharon and Tom Curtis
Publication: Bantam (September 1, 1986)

From the jacket: Could their explosive love bridge the chasm between two impossibly different worlds? He thought there were no surprises left in the world...but the sudden appearance of a young Amish widow Susan Peachey was astonishing -- and just the shock cynical Alan Wilde needed. She was a woman from another time, innocent, yet wise in ways he scarcely understood.

Irresisitibly, Susan and Alan were drawn together to explore their wildly exotic differences. And soon they would discover something far greater -- a rich emotional bond that transcended both of their worlds and linked them heart-to-heart...until their need for each other became so overwhelming that there was no turning back. But would she have to sacrifice all she cherished for the uncertain joy of their forbidden love?

Why I'm recommending this -- I thought the book was just magical. Alan is a movie director who was a former child actor abused physically and emotionally by his parent. Susan has been raised in the sheltered environment of the Amish community. Both have known sorrows but deal with them very differently. This is a wonderful love story about opposites attracting.

The beginning of the book hooked me immediately:
He liked the monster. Some monsters had it. Some didn't. This one did. Take the Creature from the Black Lagoon, for instance, or the Rancor monster in Return of the Jedi, They had real charisma. If a monster had that "certain something," movie audiences were perfectly cheerful about watching him consume half the cast.
This book came out, or came unto my radar, at about the same time as the movie Witness with Harrison Ford. That was another take on the Amish woman and the outsider. I loved the movie but love this book even more.

If you can find it (and only 39 members on LibraryThing and only 30 members on GoodReads have it), this is a wonderful book for lovers of romance between two very different characters.

(I have two copies in excellent condition that I am not sharing with anyone. They would be some of the first things I'd save if my house caught fire.)



Thursday, February 18, 2010

Review: Shift by Rachel Vincent

Shift
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publication: Mira; Original edition (March 1, 2010)

Product Description: Being the first female werecat enforcer isn't easy. Scars accumulate, but I'm stronger in so many ways.

As for my personal life? It's complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother's death and my father's impeachment, it's all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.

With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option….

My Thoughts: This episode in The Shifters sees even more trouble for Faythe and her pride. Not only are they under attack by Cal Malone who has managed to hide his activities from other werecats but Malone has recruited allies in the form of the almost legendary thunderbirds.

The thunderbirds have been told by Malone that Faythe's pride was responsible for the death of one of their members. This causes the death of two Sanders' enforcers and the injury of two others. The thunderbirds are determined to destroy Faythe's pack and determined to take her and Kaci to Malone. Faythe and Kaci and captured by thunderbirds and the only way to keep Kaci alive is to bring the real guilty party back for justice. Jace, Marc and Faythe have an almost impossible timeline. Also, Faythe needs to keep Jace and Marc from killing each other because both love and want her.

I like the introduction of the thunderbirds with their very different value system. The book blurb talks about making friends with them but I can't see that happening. The value systems between the werecats and thunderbirds are much too different. However, at the end, the thunderbirds owe Faythe. I'm curious to see how Faythe collects.

Much is unresolved at the end - both with the threatened civil war and with Faythe's own more personal problem with Marc and Jace. I can hardly wait until August when the final volume of this series comes out. Hopefully, all will be resolved.

This was an exciting read with lots of physically and emotionally fraught scenes.

Challenges: RYOB Challenge






Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Share the Love Contest (Ends Feb. 26)

Contest has ended. Thanks for participating!

Before I began reading so much urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and YA paranormal/urban fantasy, I was a huge fan of character driven science fiction and romance. I still read, buy, and love books by these authors. I think many would also love these genres if they gave them a chance. To let you have a taste, I want to give a couple of books away.

I would like to share my love for two book series by giving away the beginning books in each series. These are stories that I have read many times. (The books themselves are used copies that I purchased to give away since I won't be parted from my much loved copies.)

I find something new in them each time I read them. These books are science fiction with strong romantic elements.

Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold is a science fiction romance. In her first trial by fire, Cordelia Naismith captained a throwaway ship of the Betan Expeditionary Force on a mission to destroy an enemy armada. Discovering deception within deception, treachery within treachery, she was forced into a separate peace with her chief opponent, Lord Aral Vorkosigan - he who was called "The Butcher of Komarr" - and would consequently become an outcast on her own planet and the Lady Vorkosigan on his. Sick of combat and betrayal, she was ready to settle down to a quiet life, interrupted only by the occasional ceremonial appearances required of the Lady Vorkosigan. But when the Emperor died, Aral suddenly became guardian of the infant heir to the imperial throne of Barrayar - and the target of high-tech assassins in a dynastic civil war that was reminiscent of earth's Middle Ages, but fought with up-to-the minute biowar technology. Neither Aral nor Cordelia guessed the part that their cell-damaged unborn son would play in Barrayar's bloody legacy. 

Agent of Change by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller is also a science fiction romance. Fleeing the scene of his latest mission, Val Con yos'Phelium finds himself saving the life of ex-mercenary Miri Robertson, a young Terran on the run from interplanetary assassins. Thrown together by circumstances, Val Con and Miri struggle to elude their enemies and stay alive without slaying each other-or surrendering to the unexpected passion that flares between them.   

This contest is for followers of my blog who are at least 13 years old (to avoid having problems with Child Internet Protection requirements). The contest will end at 11:59 PM on Friday, Feb. 26. Winner will be notified by email on Saturday and the package will go out on Monday, March 1 (if not sooner.)

Please fill out the form below.


Good luck!


Waiting on Wednesday: Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It is a chance to talk about a book that we are anxiously awaiting. Post your link in the comments at Breaking the Spine and see what others are waiting for.

This week I am anxiously waiting for:

Black Magic Sanction
by Kim Harrison
Eos (February 23, 2010)

Rachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter—and lived to tell the tale. But she's never faced off against her own kind . . . until now. Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment—at worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom, but trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and an ex-boyfriend turned thief.

It takes a witch to catch a witch, but survival bears a heavy price.

Why I'm Waiting: I have read the other seven adventures in the Rachel Morgan series and want to know what happens next. Weather permitting, I am attending a book signing on March 1 and will get a chance to meet Kim Harrison and get my books signed.




Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Teaser Tuesday -- Shift by Rachel Vincent


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
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Shift
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publication: Mira; Original edition (March 1, 2010)

Though my father's office practically sizzled with the rage that flowed through me and my fellow enforcers, Paul Blackwell, acting head of the Territorial Council, seemed completely unaffected. I watched him from my place near the closed office door, both arms -- my right still in a cast -- crossed over my chest.


Monday, February 15, 2010

Review: First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

First Drop of Crimson
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publication: Avon; Original edition (February 9, 2010)


Product Description: The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows—her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield—and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness—and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human—even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together . .


Because once the first crimson drop falls, they will both be lost.


My Thoughts: This was an enjoyable spin-off. Spade has always been a fascinating character -- English nobleman, deported to Australia, forcibly turned to a vampire. Denise would be content to never see another vampire in her life. Losing her husband and having a miscarriage as a result of the vampire war she was part of has left her with post-traumatic stress and an aversion to vampires. But, after being marked by a demon who wants to track down a relative of hers who reneged on a deal, Denise has to go to Spade as the lesser of evils. They have many adventures and learn that their prejudices can't stand against the attraction they feel for each other. This was great romance and filled with lots of adventure and dangers. We also got to see more of Cat and Bones too.

I want to read the next adventure when Mencheres is featured.

Challenges: 2010 E-Book Challenge, RYOB Challenge


Contest to Win a Nook (from Shiloh Walker)

Shiloh Walker is having a contest to celebrate the release of her new book and you can win a Nook. Check out the details here. I have already pre-ordered my copy.




Shattered

Quinn Rafferty is working as a bounty hunter and bail bondsman in St. Louis when a new neighbor catches his eye. He’s tempted by her beauty—but he knows from experience that anyone desperate enough to live in his building is damaged goods. Besides, he has his own soul to mend before he can worry about anyone else.

Desperate

Sara Davis is on the run, but not for the usual reasons a woman goes on the lam. She’s not an abused wife, and she’s not a criminal. But she does have a plan for her future. And as much as she finds herself attracted to her gruff, tough neighbor, she can’t risk telling him the secrets she’s hiding. There’s just too much at stake.

Driven to desire…

But Quinn must get closer to Sara when she turns out to be the target of his new missing persons case, and he discovers that there is something more complex and dangerous to her than he thought. Now, both Quinn and Sara will have to expose their true feelings—as well as their fragile hearts—if they hope their love will survive…

EXCERPT


He opened the door—

And stopped dead in his tracks as somebody all but fell into his arms. Somebody…a woman. And not Theresa.

He caught her just above her elbows, automatically steadying her.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice soft and low.

Then she lifted her face and Quinn found himself gazing into the biggest, brownest eyes he’d ever seen in his life. Feeling a little dazed, he studied her face while she stammered out another apology.

Quinn barely heard it.

He was too busy staring at her mouth. A very pretty mouth, a cupid’s bow mouth slicked with deep, vibrant red. Under his hands, he could feel silken smooth skin and unable to resist, he stroked a thumb along her inner arm.

Her skin was soft, soft and warm. He was also pretty sure she had the creamiest, most flawless skin imaginable. Her shoulder-length hair was a shade caught between blonde and brown, nondescript, but for some reason, he found himself thinking about tangling his fingers in that hair and holding her head still while he kissed that red-slicked mouth.

Well, hello…

Read more here.

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Doesn't it sound good? I would like my copy NOW.








Sunday, February 14, 2010

RIP - Dick Francis

Dick Francis has died. He has been one of my favorite authors for years. I have read and collected all of his mysteries and even read his nonfiction. You check out his obituary here.

It used to be my yearly treat to get a new hardcover by Dick Francis. And I would usually read all the others again (in order of publication) while anticipating the new book. His text was spare and his characters rather formulaic (the quiet person with uncompromising values who gets involved in a mystery) but something about them really resonated with me. As a champion jockey, his first books dealt with jockeys who solved crimes. He made horses and horseracing fascinating to me (even though my only real contact with horses began and ended with a friend's 4th birthday party at a stable when I learned that horses were huge, scary, and smelled really bad.)

Later mysteries veared away from jockeys as the main character but horse racing was at least peripheral in almost all of them. My favorites to this day are Reflex, Proof, and  Hot Money.



Reflex is the story of Philip Nore, aging jockey and photographer, who suspects that a racetrack photographer's fatal accident was really murder--and unravels some nasty secrets of corruption, blackmail, and murder. Philip also deals with the fact that he was abandoned by his mother and handed around to her friends as a child leaving him with a real sense of insecurity

Proof -- Wine merchant Tony Beach has expertly catered his latest society soiree, but the fun's over when a team of hit men crash the party...literally. The event leaves Tony with a bitter aftertaste of suspicion--and sets off a mystery that's an intoxicating blend of deception, intrigue, and murder.Tony is also dealing with devastating grief after the sudden death of his belove, pregnant wife.

Hot Money -- Malcolm Pembroke never expected to make a million pounds without making enemies. Nor did he expect his latest wife to be brutally murdered. All the clues suggest the killer comes from close to home - but after five marriages and nine children, that still leaves the field wide open. When he finds his own life in danger, Pembroke entrusts his safety to his estranged son, Ian, an amateur jockey; and through him discovers a compulsive new outlet for his financial expertise. Soon he's playing the international bloodstock market for incredible stakes. Not the safest bet for a man on the run from avaricious relatives. Particularly when one of them got a bomb... Malcolm Pembroke never expected to make a million pounds without making enemies. Nor did he expect his latest wife to be brutally murdered. All the clues suggest the killer comes from close to home - but after five marriages and nine children, that still leaves the field wide open. When he finds his own life in danger, Pembroke entrusts his safety to his estranged son, Ian, an amateur jockey; and through him discovers a compulsive new outlet for his financial expertise. Soon he's playing the international bloodstock market for incredible stakes. Not the safest bet for a man on the run from avaricious relatives. Particularly when one of them got a bomb...

If you haven't read Dick Francis and like mysteries, I highly recommend him. If you have, bow your head with me and mourn the passing of a fine writer.