There were a few times when I started a chapter and thought I had skipped something, so I'd go back a page, but no- that's the transition (or lack thereof). One chapter, Illarion meets some people and the next chapter is weeks? months? years? later. ??? I guess since the end of this book is the same as the end of Dragonbane except from Illarion's point of view, Kenyon expects the reader to remember what happened in a book that was read a year ago. Sorry, but these recent books are not that memorable.

This first book in the Ranger's Apprentice prequel series follows the adventures of Halt and Crowley. It contains many "spoilers," so don't read it unless you've read the Ranger's Apprentice series. Much of the fun and humor comes from seeing the origins of the relationships between familiar characters - if you read this book on its own, you would probably enjoy it, but not love it.

John Keating does a wonderful job narrating the audiobook. He really brings the characters to life.

I wasn't expecting The Girl in the Spider's Web to be as good as Larsson's original Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but it is worse than just bad. The book flies in the face of everything the original series was. The subtlety, the atmosphere, the mystery of the trilogy are gone. Instead, the reader is given what is supposed to be a fast-paced thriller, but it's far from thrilling. The author, Legercrantz, seems to think that using info dumps in conversations makes them better somehow, when in fact it's just an info dump that also ruins the conversation and characterization.

I found myself talking back to the book repeatedly.

Book: Lisbeth's former guardian and probably closest friend Holger Palmgren tells Blomkvist, "I'm reluctant to try to play the shrink with Lisbeth . . . "

Me: Then don't!!!

I could go on and on, but I won't. Suffice to say, the author acts like he has to tell the whole backstory in info dumps, but he doesn't since the only people who will read his book are those who have read the original trilogy . . . and they should spare themselves the torment.

To be fair, I still have about 80 pages left to read, but there's no way for this novel to redeem itself. If anything, the novel could only get worse if it has a cliffhanger ending.

Maxis is a were-dragon whose wife, an Amazon, betrayed him ages ago. When she shows up at his home, Sanctuary, looking for help, Maxis gets drawn into all sorts of trouble.

This book is clearly filler in the series. The relationship between Maxis and Seraphina is incidental - readers expect a romance, so Kenyon gives them one. The real purpose of the book is to show the origins of the Were-Hunters and to set the stage for the latest war. Readers who don't like drawn-out fight scenes will be happy to discover that most of the fighting takes place offstage. I found it annoying. It's one thing if a first-person narrator blacks out and has to be told what happened when he wakes up, but it's another thing in a story being told in the third-person - laziness on the part of the author.

If readers know going into the story that it's really about the origins of the Were-Hunters, they might enjoy the novel more than I did.

I think tacocat wrote a really thoughtful review, that I agree with for the most part. The first 2 thirds of this book really drew me in, but towards the end, it just fell apart for me. I think it's because, instead of becoming clearer, the "rules" of the underworld become more confusing. At some point, I had to stop trying to figure it out and just go with it to get to the end of the story.

Although it begins in a post-apocalyptic world, the novel reads more like fantasy or myth than anything else. There isn't the usual love-triangle or even a romance at all, making it a good choice for both male and female readers. Although I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked, I've been in a reading funk lately, so I can't entirely fault the book. I would recommend that readers give it a chance if they are interested in the premise of the book.

I tried to read this book. I wanted to like it, even though the stories have been getting repetitive and formulaic for a while. If you like the formula, you may not mind so much. But I just couldn't get into this one. I had to Pearl Rule it.

What sets this book apart from other books on the Boston Marathon bombing is the focus on the first responders instead of just the bombers and victims. I read it back in February, but didn't feel like I could review it while the trial was going on. The authors assumed the guilt of the accused bombers, which made me a bit uncomfortable. The defense team for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had repeatedly argued that their client could not get a fair trial in Boston, and here were a pair of journalists who should have been reporting the facts with neutrality, writing without using the important word "alleged." But today Tsarnaev was found guilty on all charges, so I can comfortably say, "Read this book."

Louisiana-native Gary Stewart was given up for adoption when he was just an infant. Almost 40 years later, he was contacted by his birth mother. After meeting her, he began to search for his father and what he found was deeply disturbing. Could his late father have been the serial killer known as the Zodiac?

Whether you end up believing his claim or not, Stewart's story makes for fascinating reading. His mother was a "stolen" child bride and his father, while charming at times, had a cruel streak and superiority complex (sociopath much?). The late 60s were a turbulent time in San Francisco, and Stewart & Mustafa do a great job of bringing the city alive. They build a strong case of circumstantial evidence, offer some expert testimony on handwriting analysis, and contend that the SFPD is not pursuing Stewart's claim in order to protect the memory of one of their own who was the second husband of Stewart's birth mother. Hopefully, this book will put pressure on the SFPD to reopen the case and investigate Stewart's claim.

I requested this through Early Reviewers because I like steampunk, but it took me forever to get around to reading it because of the Stoker and Holmes part. Generally, I don't like when authors "take a shortcut" and use historical figures or characters in their work. But Gleason almost pulls it off. It was confusing because Mina Holmes is the niece of Sherlock Holmes, but when I hear "Mina," I think Dracula/Stoker, so I was confused for much of the book. However, I really enjoyed the worldbuilding - especially the elevated sidewalks - and the secondary characters were promising. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I'll most likely read the sequel.

I won a copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. I started it several times without making it past the first few pages. I thought it was because I've become used to reading ebooks instead of real books, so today I sat down and forced myself to read at least 50 pages. So I've read 50 pages and now I can in good conscience Pearl-Rule it.

Nicely designed book. The spiral binding allows the book to lay flat open to the page while you work. Would be better if it was full-color, but they probably did it this way to keep the cost down. Color photos of the designs are displayed in the front with the page number for the instructions. Directions are clear and the patterns are helpful. Lots of different designs from beginner to advanced.

Best book I've seen that shows you how to make rubber band bracelets on the Rainbow Loom (or knock-off). Step by step instructions are clear, but the best part is the color patterns. It shows you which colors go where and makes it crystal clear what order to put them in. Also, for most designs, it shows 3 different examples (different color schemes) and gives you patterns for each of them. Better than most of the online tutorials.

This book has some nice designs, but the instructions are unclear, confusing, and incomplete. You need a lot more than just the basic loom for most of the projects. Some require 2-4 looms and other require special beads, or other supplies (like a watch face or craft barrettes). For people with lots of time, money, and patience.

I got this book through the ER giveaway. It's designed to give teen girls an overview of fitness and some tips to get started or step it up a notch. I like that it focused on fitness and not weight loss. It goes over exercise, nutrition, and stress relief, but also talks about the importance of getting a good night's sleep. Two things I didn't like: 1. It talks about "boring Algebra class" - stereotype that girls don't like Math. 2. The "How Exercise Makes Me Feel" Mad Lib in Chapter 1 must have been written by a dog lover, because it doesn't work for cats - ". . . after you start doing it a lot, you'll be as energetic as a cat. And seriously, who doesn't want to feel like a cat?" Um, yeah, if I got 15-20 hours of sleep a day, I'd have more energy for those few hours I was awake.

Overall, it was a good, brief introduction to fitness.

This was a good YA, post-apocalypse, science fiction, adventure novel. Whew! That was a mouthful! After the Gulf Coast was ravaged by a series of hurricanes and people started dying from a new disease called Delta Fever, the U.S. government decided to cut its losses and quarantined the region, erecting a wall so no one could enter or leave the Gulf Coast. Now, 50 years later, a 15-year-old girl named Fen is trying to get her friend's newborn baby out of Orleans before she can be infected with the virus. Helping her is Daniel, a scientist from the Outer States who came to the Gulf Coast to research a cure for Delta Fever.

At first, I wasn't so sure about this book because Fen talks in dialect that "be" annoying. But once Daniel arrives on the scene, every other chapter is told in the third person from his point of view, and some of Fen's chapters recount conversations with Daniel, who doesn't speak in dialect, so it becomes less annoying and reads more quickly. Some people might be annoyed by the open-ending which invites, but doesn't demand a sequel. A sequel would be most welcome, however.

I love this series. It's like a cross between J. R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood and Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series, except it's been consistently good. Granted, there are only 3 books in the series so far and I haven't even finished the third book, but I only have 30 or so pages to go and I'm out here typing this review instead of reading - probably because it's so good I don't want it to end!

The Immortal Guardians are a group of "good" vampires who hunt the "bad" vampires who kill people. Roland, an Immortal Guardian, has been ambushed by a group of vampires and is about to be fried by the sun when he is rescued by Sarah, a human. Her actions put her in danger from his enemies and he discovers he is willing to do anything to protect her.

I think what I like the most about the series is the strong secondary characters and the humor. The series has an overarching storyline and the love stories are woven into it. The leader of the Immortal Guardians is incredibly hot - powerful, yet protective (like Acheron) - but the other Guardians and their human Seconds are so likable that I wouldn't mind reading their stories first . . . I just wish they were already written so I could read them NOW!

The best word I can think of to describe this book is "unnecessary." The "racy" subtitle - unnecessary. Much of the crude language and sexual content - unnecessary. The narrative jumps all over the place and parts really stretch your belief. The best thing I can say about this book is that it's short and has a happy ending. Maybe fans of the actress would be interested in this book, but cat lovers can skip it.

It's been a couple of months since I finished reading this book, so my memory is kind of fuzzy about the details. Overall, I liked the idea behind the book (which is why I requested it through Early Reviewers) and it was interesting enough that I will probably eventually read the sequel before ultimately deciding if the series is worth reading or not. I liked the main character and her potential love interest when he finally shows up. The biggest problem I had was with the secondary characters. They all seem to revolve around Jessica and are defined in relation to her without any lives of their own. Her male friends are just that, friends - no romantic feelings on either side. Her relationships are just too uncomplicated which makes them a bit boring.

This was good for a first book, but I'm hoping the sequel will be better.

I liked this novel, but it didn't quite live up to its promise. The prologue introduces a character who seems sure of herself, who knows who she is and what she needs to do. The book itself is supposed to be a "how this all got started" story. However, at the end of the novel you don't have the feeling that she's quite there yet. This is especially troubling because of the annoying tendency she, as the narrator, has of making these portentous statements, usually at the end of a chapter. There's only so many times you can hear someone say how they might have been killed before you want to say, "Well, obviously you weren't, so shut up and get on with it." I'm also not buying into the whole love triangle thing, if that's even what it is. At this point, it's just silly. Maybe it gets better later in the series. I hope so. I'll most likely read the next book to see if the narration gets less annoying.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one was disappointing. Most of the suspense centered on the main characters keeping secrets from each other - never a good idea. The plot relied on too many coincidences. The cliffhanger ending is annoying. If you liked the first book, I'd recommend waiting until Book 3 is out in May 2013 and then reading them all at once.

I really enjoyed the story itself, but I would recommend reading the book instead of listening to it if you're at all squeamish. Lucky wants to be a scientist like Charles Darwin and collects specimens of bugs.

Although this book is marketed as a historical romance, it is heavy on the historical and confusing on the romance. The premise of the story - that a young, recent widow wants to get herself with child to pass off as her late husband's heir - while intriguing, is also far-fetched. Perhaps if her partner in crime were of the lower class or untitled it would be plausible, but he is a well-bred, eldest son himself who stands to inherit from his own father. The romance is slow to develop, the sex is frequent and un-hot, and there's very little sexual tension.

What saves the novel is the characters. The hero is likable and the secondary characters are numerous and well-developed. The action taking place outside the bedroom is more interesting than the sex. Although the story drags a little in the middle and the ending feels a bit rushed, it is overall a satisfying read. If you are easily offended by crude language, you might want to take a pass on this one, but if you're looking for a historical romance that's outside the norm, give this one a try.

Born Wicked is the first book in a new series that has the potential to be "the next big thing." Cate Cahill is the eldest of three sisters who inherited a special talent from their late mother - witchcraft. Before their mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters, Maura and Tess, but Cate is almost 17 and the time is quickly approaching when she must choose between marriage or the Sisterhood. Neither option appeals to Cate as both would take her away from her sisters, but when she finds herself attracted to Finn Belastra, the family's new gardener, she begins to resent the promise she made to her mother and to discover her own desires.

This novel has something for everyone. Cate's story takes place in a dystopian alternate history at the turn of the twentieth century. Although it can be read as a paranormal romance with the requisite love triangle, it's really more of a suspense novel: Cate wants to learn about her mother's past and her own heritage, but who can she trust when exposure as witches would mean imprisonment or death? The novel focuses on Cate's relationships - with her sisters, with her love interests, and with a society that would fear and reject her if they knew her powers. Although more likely to appeal to girls, there is enough suspense to satisfy the boys as well. Fans of The Secret Circle, Charmed, or Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle series will enjoy. Recommended.

Once upon a time, a bunch of angels called Watchers were sent to Earth to watch mortals. They broke the law when they took mortals as mates, and they were turned into vampires as punishment. Some of them escaped this punishment by agreeing to help the Sentinels (elite special forces angels) to police the vampires, and were turned into werewolves instead. Now, centuries later, the descendants of the original Lycans (werewolves) are sick of being slaves and suffering for the crimes of their ancestors and are looking for an alpha to lead their rebellion.

Adrian is the leader of the Sentinels. He's trying to control the Lycans because he knows the Sentinels need to have their numbers to stand against the vampires. Now, the soul of his long-lost love Shadoe has returned in the body of Lindsay Gibson. They are instantly attracted to each other, but their love is forbidden. And that's when things stop making sense... The world building in this novel started out good, the concept was promising, but the execution just didn't deliver.

***possible spoiler alert***
The relationship between Adrian and Lindsay was so unbelievable, and I don't mean that in a good way. I just don't get his appeal - he's a self-righteous hypocrite who needs to be told, "'No' means 'no'; it still counts even if you don't come; and just because you give the Lycans nice accommodations, doesn't make them indentured - they're still your slaves."
***end spoiler alert***

At first I thought that maybe I was missing show more something, but I've decided that the novel was just poorly edited. For example: "The disease first appeared about a week ago. It infects at a varying rate. Some succumb swiftly and die within a matter of days. Others take longer to show symptoms and live up to two weeks" (273).

But despite all its flaws, the novel shows some potential. The most interesting character is Elijah, a reluctant alpha Lycan who seems to be his people's best chance for freedom. The next book in the series, A Hunger So Wild, will be his. Although I usually read series in order, I'd suggest skipping this one and waiting for that one to come out. show less

I really liked the Vampire Academy series, and I wanted to like this series as well, but it took me a long time to get into this book. None of the characters were particularly likable, and it got SO annoying how secretive they all were - except they weren't all that secretive because they kept exchanging glances and giving other people strange looks and making cryptic statements. I wanted to say, "OK, I get it. Something's up. Can we move on to the story now, please?" The whole first half of the book is all background and set up - nothing really happens until page 213. After that, it gets interesting and the second half of the book reads much more quickly. It took me 5 days to read the first half of the book and 5 hours to read the second. Fans of Adrian from the Vampire Academy series will want to pick this up, but I wouldn't recommend it to someone who hasn't read VA.

Megan Barnett, 15, is upset when her single mom Suze decides to start dating again. Then her two best friends, Matt and Erin, start dating and Megan is unreasonably jealous. But she has Guy Matson, the new boy who is both cute and smart, to keep her occupied. But everything is not as it seems and either Megan or her mother is dating Satan. Can Megan save the day?

I won Boyfriend from Hell through LT's Early Reviewers program and wanted to like it. I wanted to find a way to give it a good review, but I just can't. Megan is annoying, whiny, and irrational. Her actions and everyone else's reactions to them make no sense. At one point I thought that maybe it was supposed to be historical fiction since the teens seemed so naive and used such antiquated slang. There were some unexpected twists at the end that made it slightly more interesting, but no more believable. Not recommended.

This book never lives up to its potential. When Alana's "uncle" tells her she's really a princess (of a fictional country at the time of the Napoleonic wars), she returns to her homeland to claim her birthright only to be imprisoned by the captain of the royal guard who believes she is an impostor. The mystery surrounding Alana's true identity is good, but Lindsey relies on coincidence too much. The characters are never held accountable for their actions and the scene in which the romantic obstacle is overcome is laughable (picture characters slapping themselves on the head and saying, "Why didn't I see this before? This changes everything! I think I'll do a complete 180 now! Forget what I said 2 paragraphs ago!").

Definitely not Lindsey's best effort, not worth the hardcover price, but good enough when you just want a quick mindless read. I had a hard time putting it down and despite the unbelievable parts, I found it enjoyable.

I received this book through the Early Reviewers program. I was disappointed that it didn't contain controversial views or debates. It's basically just excerpts from posts by fans on a message board with a summary for each question by the author/editor. The author poses a question and the fans give their opinions. There's no back and forth debate and some questions everyone agrees on the same answer. Where's the controversy in that? Twihard fans might like reading what other fans think or using the questions as a starting point for their own debates, but the book doesn't live up to the promise of its title.

I received this book through the Early Reviewers program. I haven't tried making any of the recipes yet, but there are a few I want to try like the Penne Di Pistache, the Racks of Lamb with Panko-Pistachio Crust and Dried Cherry Sauce, and the Watermelon, Feta, and Olive Salad. Although it's called the Party Cookbook, it's more of a dinner party cookbook. Most of the recipes serve 4, which makes it easy to do the math if you're cooking for 2 or 8. The cookbook is arranged to follow special occasions throughout the year and it takes advantage of seasonal items. Nutritional information is not included, but I suppose you are expected to indulge at parties, right?

The biggest complaint I have with the book is the misleading "Prep Time." One of the things I like about Trader Joe's is the convenient prepared foods they carry. One recipe lists the prep time as 15 minutes but it has 13 ingredients including a pound of chopped potatoes and a pound of peeled and deveined shrimp. Maybe a TV chef who had everything measured and laid out for him in prep bowls could put it together in 15 minutes, but I don't see that happening in the real world. A little more accuracy would help with the planning for the party.

Gives some background information for the House of Night World. Fans of the series will enjoy it. Quick read. Worth reading while you wait for the next book in the series.