Meli's 2012 Challenge

Hello! Here I am again. I beat 75 in 2011 by a long shot but I like the interaction in this group so I decided to stay . Also I'm going back to school this year so I anticipate reading less, although saying that pains me :( Anyways, on to what I read so you can decide if you want to follow this thread, right? :) My favorite genres are as follows: Fantasy of any kind, Historical Fiction, and anything about anthropology and evolution. My favorite authors are: Elizabeth Chadwick, Lynn Flewelling, Terry Goodkind, Robin Hobb, George R. R. Martin, Sarah Monette, Brent Weeks, and Bart Yates. Granted I've read - and will read - much more than just that. I really got into manga last year, which surprised even me. :) Everyone's welcome to snoop. And of course, I love any kind of recommendations.

2011 Challenge Part 1, Part 2.
Reading Statistics

Looking forward to 2012!! :)

Here starts the challenge! Below will be a condensed list of what I read, while in the posts below I'll put my reviews. Happy reading!!

January:
1. In the Hand of the Goddess - Tamora Pierce *
2. The Lesbian Fantastic - Phyllis M. Betz
3. A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer
4. Hounded - Kevin Hearne
5. Eldest - Christopher Paolini *
6. Santa Olivia - Jacqueline Carey
7. Writing to Change the World - Mary Pipher

February:
8. Intertwined - Gena Showalter
9. The Lover's Dictionary - David Levithan
10. True Things About Me - Deborah Kay Davies

March:
11. Megan's Mark - Lora Leigh

April:
12. The Dobe !Kung: Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology - Richard B Lee
13. The Dragon Reborn - Robert Jordan *
14. Global Issues, Local Arguments: Readings for Writing - June Johnson
15. Archaeology - Robert L. Kelly & David Hurst Thomas
16. Introduction to Physical Anthropology - Robert Jurmain
17. Humanity: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology - James Peoples
18. The Balinese: Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology - J. Stephen Lansing
19. Brisingr - Christopher Paolini *
20. Lover Reborn - J R Ward
21. Stone of Tears - Terry Goodkind *

May:
22. Way to Go - Tom Ryan
23. Standish - Erastes
24. Blood of the Fold - Terry Goodkind *
25. Raised By Wolves: Brethren - W. A. Hoffman
26. Raised By Wolves: Matelot - W. A. Hoffman
27. Raised By Wolves: Treasure - W. A. Hoffman
28. Far from Xanadu - Julie Anne Peters

June:
29. Raised By Wolves: Wolves - W. A. Hoffman
30. Keeping You a Secret - Julie Anne Peters
31. Inheritance - Christopher Paolini
32. The Shadow Rising - Robert Jordan *
33. The Education of Bet - Lauren Baratz-Logsted
34. Temple of the Winds - Terry Goodkind *
35. To Defy a King - Elizabeth Chadwick
36. Babe in Boyland - Jody Gehrman
37. First Test - Tamora Pierce *
38. Soul of the Fire - Terry Goodkind *

July:
39. A Companion to Wolves - Sarah Monette & Elizabeth Bear *
40. Lords of the White Castle - Elizabeth Chadwick
41. Fires of Heaven - Robert Jordan *
42. Maledicte - Lane Robins
43. The Tempering of Men - Sarah Monette & Elizabeth Bear
44. Lord of the White Hell: Book One - Ginn Hale
45. Lord of Chaos - Robert Jordan *

August:
46. Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb *
47. Faith of the Fallen - Terry Goodkind *
48. Royal Assassin - Robin Hobb *
49. Assassin's Quest - Robin Hobb *
50. A Crown of Swords - Robert Jordan *
51. Pieces of Me - Darlene Ryan
52. The Pillars of Creation - Terry Goodkind *
53. Lord of the White Hell: Book Two - Ginn Hale
54. The Archer's Heart - Astrid Amara
55. Don't Let Me Go - J. H. Trumble
56. Naked Empire - Terry Goodkind *
57. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
58. Fool's Errand - Robin Hobb *
59. Golden Fool - Robin Hobb *
60. What They Always Tell Us - Martin Wilson *

September:
61. Peter - Kate Walker
62. Leave Myself Behind - Bart Yates *
63. Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You - Peter Cameron
64. The Path of Daggers - Robert Jordan *
65. Fool's Fate - Robin Hobb *
66. At Swim, Two Boys - Jamie O'Neill
67. Winter's Heart - Robert Jordan *
68. Fracture - Megan Miranda
69. Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver
70. Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick
71. Crossroads of Twilight - Robert Jordan *
72. Clicking Beat on the Brink of Nada - Keith Hale
73. Something like Summer - Jay Bell
74. Chainfire - Terry Goodkind *
75. Shattering Glass - Gail Giles
76. Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files - Jim Butcher
77. Watching Jimmy - Nancy Hartry
78. The Law of Nines - Terry Goodkind

October:
79. Nightshade - Andrea Cremer
80. Dragon Keeper - Robin Hobb
81. Knife of Dreams - Robert Jordan *
82. Wolfsbane - Andrea Cremer
83. Bloodrose - Andrea Cremer
84. The Song of Achilles - Madeline Millar
85. Phantom - Terry Goodkind *
86. The Iliad -Homer / Translated by Stanley Lambardo
87. The Odyssey - Homer / Translated by Robert Fagles
88. The Valley of the Horses - Jean M Auel
89. The Apology of Socrates - Plato / Translated by C.D. Reeve
90. The Blinding Knife - Brent Weeks
91. Confessor - Terry Goodkind *
92. Gone, Gone, Gone - Hannah Moskowitz
93. Debt of Bones - Terry Goodkind

Novemeber:
94. Break - Hannah Moshowitz
95. Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
96. The Immortal Rules - Julie Kagawa
97. Pretties - Scott Westerfeld
98. Specials - Scott Westerfeld
99. The Omen Machine - Terry Goodkind
100. The Three Theban Plays - Sophocles / Translated by Robert Fagles
101. Willow - Julia Hoban
102. Oddly Normal - John Schwart
103. Dragon Haven - Robin Hobb
104. Crosses - Shelly Stoehr
105. The Host - Stephenie Meyer
106. The Gathering Storm - Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
107. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
108. The Passage - Justin Cronin
109. Overachievement: The New Model for Exceptional Performance - John Eliot
110. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
111. The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson

December:
112. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
113. The Gunslinger - Stephen King
114. Sophie's World - Jostein Gaarder
115. Exploring Prehistory: How Archaeology Reveals Our Past - Pam Crabtree
116. Sociocultural Theory in Anthropology: A Short History - Merwyn Garbarino
117. Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History - R Jon McGee
118. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions - Thomas S. Kuhn
119. Contemporary Human Geography - James M. Rubenstein
120. The Dobe Ju/'Hoansi: Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology - Richard B Lee
121. The Yanomamo: Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology - Napoleon A. Chagnon
122. Essentials of Cultural Anthropology - Garrick Bailey
123. Medea - Euripides / Translated by Rex Warner
124. Lysistrata - Aristophanes / Translated by Jeffrey Henderson
125. Graceling - Kristin Cashore
126. The Happiness Advantage - Shawn Achor
127. Towers of Midnight - Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
128. Every Day - David Levithan
129. Owlflight - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
130. The Drawing of the Three - Stephen King
131. New Spring - Robert Jordan
132. Owlsight - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
133. Cold Days - Jim Butcher
134. City of Dragons - Robin Hobb
135. Owlknight - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
136. The Mammoth Hunters - Jean M. Auel
137. Tarzan of the Apes - Edgar Rice Burroughs
138. The Everything Classical Mythology Book - Lesley Bolton

* = Re-read

**************************************
And below are the books I own that I have not read yet. The goal is to read them all this year. Maybe?

Priestess of the White - Trudi Canavan
Warrior and Witch - Marie Brennan
Black Sun Rising - C. S. Friedman
The Gold Falcon - Katharine Kerr
Rules of Ascension - David B Coe
Beloved Enemy - Jane Feather
Banewreaker - Jacqueline Carey
Sacajewea - Anna Lee Waldo
When the Gods Slept - Allen Cole
Fortress Draconis - Michael A Stackpole
The Crimson Petal and the White - Michel Faber
Blood Trinity - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Maia - Richard Adams
Fallen - Erin McCarthy
Web of Lies - Jennifer Estep
The Isle of Battle - Sean Russell
Deadhouse Gates - Steven Erickson
Wyrms - Orsen Scott Card
The Magician's Apprentice - Trudi Canavan
Standish - Erastas
The Chosen - Ricardo Pinto
Brethren - W. A. Hoffman
The Stone Prince - Finoa Patton
Wraeththu - Storm Constantine
The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson
The Age of Heroes - Brandon Sanderson
The Summoner - Gail Z Martin
The Blood King - Gail Z Martin
People of the Wolf - Kathleen O'Neal Gear
Hand of Isis - Jo Graham
Daughter of the Blood - Anne Bishop
Path of Revenge - Russell Kirkpatrick
Adam's Navel - Michael Sims

Also my name is actually *Melis* not Meli's :) My bad

Welcome back!

Here's to another year of great reading!

Glad to see you back for 2012, Melis!

Glad to be back. Thanks you three :)

I saw this on two member's posts and decided I couldn't be left out :) You can find it on Ape's page: Here. From what I can tell you answer each with a book you read in 2011.

Describe yourself: Hidden Warrior
Describe how you feel: The Phoenix Unchained
Describe where you currently live: The Clan of the Cave Bear
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Way of the Shadows
Your favorite form of transportation: Through Wolf's Eyes
Your best friend is: Evil at Heart
You and your friends are: Mistborn
What’s the weather like: Storm Front
You fear: The Wise Man's Fear
What is the best advice you have to give: By Degrees
Thought for the day: Origins Reconsidered
How I would like to die: Comfort and Joy
My soul’s present condition: Dragon Soul

I love that meme. I am going to have to remember to do it when I get my thread set up.

Happy New Year, Melis!

Hey, Melis, I seem to have missed your thread last year, but since we both read a lot of fantasy I'll be checking in this year to see what you are reading.

Happy New Year!

And you aren't the youngest--Nathan (Dragonfreak) didn't put his age in his intro.

I love that meme! I'm going to try to remember to do it too :D

Found you again! Starred :)

>Stasia - Happy New Years! The meme was relly fun to do

>Roni - Glad to have to have you here. I'll be stopping by your thread soon. I love fantasy and try to star anyone else who is a big fan so I can snoop and get recommendations :) Happy New years back! And me not being the youngest actually feels good :)

>Faith - It was really fun. More so than I expected. :)

>Katie - Yay! Glad to have you back. I just starred you as well a minute ago so we're even.

Well, I was going to finish the book I'm reading, but I just got home from a 12 hr shift at work and I think that I'm going to go to bed instead. It should be up early tomorrow though, I expect :) Yay! First book of the year. Those are always special.

Glad to hear that the first book of the year is under your belt, Melis! I look forward to hearing about it.

1. In the Hand of the Goddess - Tamora Pierce
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 264
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Still disguised as a boy, Alanna becomes squire to Prince Jonathan. When a sorcerer threatens his life Alanna is determined to protect him by whatever means.

Thoughts:
Here's the second book in the Song of the Lioness quartet, and I loved it as much as I did the first time I read it years ago. Pierce was probably thinking of a young audience when she wrote this not an adult, but regardless I can't help but love these books. Sure the writing is fairly simple and it has simple conclusions, but the story makes up for that in my mind. I said in my review for the previous book that I'm a sucker for stories about women disguising themselves as boys, and nothing has changed since then :) Alanna knows what she wants and she goes for it. The romance is much more in evidence here but the action is still present. I liked watching Alanna grow up the most. Reading various reviews I can see that these aren't for everyone, but I'd say give it a shot before you judge on what you've heard. :) Looking forward to the third and fourth book.

Favorite Line:
'"Take care or her, Coram Smythesson!"
Alanna's old friend looked surprised. "And here I thought the best part of ridin' with a knight was that she would be lookin' after me."
-- (Pg 264)

Hi Melis, I've wandered over to place a star. Your first book reminds me that I have long wanted to read this series, especially since my younger daughter's name is Alana!

Looking forward to following along with your reading this year.

thank you for the review, must start this series at some point.

I read and enjoyed The Song of the Lioness quartet for the first time last year. I am glad to see you are enjoying your re-read of the books, Melis!

The Song of the Lioness is an old favorite. Glad you liked it.

>Judy - Glad to have you here :) And go for it. It's perfect if you're looking for a simple, short read in between the hefty epic fantasies.

>Bryony - Same as above. It's a favorite

>Stasia - Thanks. :)

> Morphy - I didn't realize there were so many Alanna fans. :) It's kind of exciting

Yay! Found you. The Song of the Lioness Quartet is one of my all time favorite series. I would love to reread it at some point, too, as it's been a while.

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

Wow! 7 books down already! You go, girl!

I can never read just 1 manga. . . it's a *terrible* problem. Actually, anime episodes either. Unless they're really really bad, I get sucked into binges. Watched 2 seasons and the OVA for Darker Than Black and read the 9 volumes of 1/2 Prince in less than 2 weeks. I'm going to be sad when school starts again.

2. The Lesbian Fantastic - Phyllis M Betz
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 187
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Science fiction has long been a haven for lesbian writer. This critical work examines how the authors have used structures and conventions of science fiction to embody characters, relationships and other themes.

Thoughts:
I had a hard time getting through this book. Some of the material was enlightening and I liked when Betz talked about different genres, but the rest was too dense for me. I had to struggle a lot of the times to work through the words and get at what he was trying to say. I'm sure that's because I don't read these kinds of books all that often. I wanted to give it a try though because it did sound interesting. Perhaps in a few years after I have more college under my belt and have read more on the topic I'll try it again and see if I can get more out of it. Definitely try it if you're interested in the topics.

>Marcia - Glad to have you here. They don't take too long to read so I'd go for it :)

>Stasia - Thanks! Sometimes I wonder if I should count each graphic novel and a volume but it does feel good to have a high number already

>Katie - Same here. I'm starting school in less than two weeks so I'm going to have to curb my urges to read through those kind of books like that. *Grimaces in panic* How I'm going to be able to do that, I'm not positive.

Ugh, I know. And my brother just gave me a Netflix code. . . . At least I know what I'll be doing when there is free time.

3. A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer
Genre: Autobiography
Pages: 174
Rating: 2 Stars

Summary:
This is the account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. Dave Pelzer was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother who stopped looking at him as her son and instead as a "it"

Thoughts:
A friend told me to read this this morning and that it wouldn't take me very long to finish it. It didn't. It took me two hours I think. It's not very long and it's fairly simple. Okay with that out of the way, I hated this book. If I hadn't been told this really happened, I would never have believed it. It was too horrific and unreal. How could any parent do that to their child? Even if they were mentally unstable. I can't comprehend it. As for the writing style there wasn't much there. The only thing Pelzer focused on was the abuse. If he'd taken it slower (It seems like it happened overnight), shown his mother's deterioration into madness and more on how he got out it would have come across better perhaps. All there is the shock of each new abuse. There's important pieces missing. Things aren't explained. There's no recovery phase, which I find extremely important in books like these. And the format was a little off, with no transitions and lots of jumps from one time to another. I feel terrible criticizing Pelzer like this but he isn't a writer. I understand the need to make the world aware of these kinds of situations, but all this did was make me glower in disgust at every character in the book. I've never said this before but I would not recommend this book to anyone. :(

I hope your next read is a better one for you, Melis!

> Stasia - Me too :)

I don't normally read manga or comic books or graphic novels (I'm really more of a verbal than a visual person, so they can be slow going and somewhat challenging for me) but those look/sound really good! I'm a sucker for pretty boys falling in love.

The Lesbian Fantastic sounds interesting, too, though I can definitely see how it could be difficult. Lit crit, especially lesbian/feminist lit crit, can be REALLY hard to slog through, as interesting as it may be. I've been reading Inseparable: Desire Between Women in Literature for months and it's great but I can only read little chunks of it at a time. Who knows, though, I may actually finish it this year!

And I'm with you on A Child Called It. It's one of those books that I felt guilty saying anything bad about, because the author has obviously been through such horrible trauma and I'm sure telling his story is cathartic, but the writing was so poor and the book itself is just relentlessly depressing.

Starring you.

I can't believe that I didn't find you last year - looks like we have overlapping book tastes. I've found that I love The Song of the Lioness quartet a bit more each time I re-read them. Much as I love her other work, this still remains my favourite although the Bekah Cooper novels come fairly close.

> Marcia - Me too! Especially if there's a good story behind it. And the artwork is simply gorgeous. I'm tempted to buy them. It's one of the best romance mangas I've read. I looked Inseparable: Desire Between Women in Literature up on amazon and it looks really good. Unfortunately the libraries around me don’t have it. Eventually I'll have to look it up again. I can see though how it would be a book that takes months to get through. :)

>Kathy - Glad to have you here :) I'll be over to your page soon. I read Pierce late in my teens so I haven't read much of hers. The Alanna series, the Protector of the Small, the Wild Magic and two of the sequels to Alannas'. I tried the Bekah Cooper just over a year ago, but I couldn't read more than a chapter. :( Most of the time I have a hard time reading the juvenile books now.

I love the Song of the Lioness quartet too.

Also, A Child Called It sounds like a horrible book.

Hi, thanks for the link. You're starred now.

Some of my classmates once read A Child Called It...At least I think they read it. It was called something similar with similar ideas. Some people can be so heartless. I just wonder how it could've had a 2 star rating if you don't recommend it to anyone. Oh well, abuse is not my thing....Although I do have several books that I tagged "abuse".

> Zoe - :) Yay, agreed on both parts.

> Nathan - I guess my rating is a bit wierd huh? I do need to decide what I'm doing with it. Right now it's like this:
5 Star = I loved it and want it on my shevles. Will most lkely read again in the future
4 Star = I liked it, am glad I read if but I don't have to have it or read it again
3 Star = I didn't like it that much. Won't ever read again.
2 Star = I hated it
1 Star = Didn't like so much that I never finished it (Thus it never shows up here)
Rating's always tricky for me.
Anyone have suggestions?

Well, I can tell you what my ratings stand for:
5 Star = Loved. Will read it again. Recommend to pretty much everyone.
4 Star = Highly enjoyed. May or may not read again, depending on mood/time/etc. Recommend to people based on person's genre/author/style/etc preferences.
3 Star = Average. Most likely will not read again. May or may not recommend based on 4's list.
2 Star = Didn't like. Won't read again. Won't recommend.
1 Star= Borderline hate. Won't read again. Will recommend avoiding at all cost.

Of course there are exceptions. Grammar/editing/formatting/visuals/etc may push it down a rating even though I liked the story--which I will write about in the review so people can choose if they will be bothered by those things or not. Purpose can do that too. If it's intended to be a textbook but comes off as a general reading type book. . . let's just say, that bothers me and makes it harder to study.

Okay I think I'm gonna just tweak it.
5 = Loved and want on my shelves. :)
4 = Liked, but I don't feel the need to want it
3 = It was okay, I didn't hate it
2 = I didn't like it
1 = I hated it with a passion

Now I want to go through my ratings and fix the -ish's of the 3 and 4 stars. Those are the ratings I always have trouble with. But if I stick to the system above I can do it. :)

4. Hounded - Kevin Hearne
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 292
Rating: 3 Stars (It was okay, I didn't hate it)

Summary:
Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer. Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

Thoughts:
I was expecting more from this book. Not sure why, (maybe the good dust cover blub and the awesome front cover) but I was and was thus disappointed. The humor and wit was a bit too much for me. Atricus came across as flat. I was hoping for more personality and character. I mean come on, he's 2100 years old. He says he's dangerous and wise (and he should be too, being that old) but I didn't see that in his personality. I also read on multiple sites that this series was said to be like Butcher's Dresden Files series but I can't see the similarity outside of its genre and setting. The latter is a favorite of mine. This one just didn't rub the right way. Now the book wasn't horrible. I did get some laughs out of it. I'll probably read the second book later on. But not anytime soon. Every reader is different so I won’t say don't read the book. It actually looks like a lot of people really liked it. Just be prepared that it might not meet your expectations.

Favorite Line:
'"You're not going to be in the hospital for weeks? Because that looks like a bullet hole in your shirt."
"As the Black Knight famously said, that's just a flesh wound."
"The Black Knight always triumphs!" Perry beamed. Monty Python is like catnip for nerds. Once you get them started quoting it, they are constitutionally incapable of feeling depressed.'
-- (Pg 179)

. . . . Monty Python is like catnip. My friend and I literally quoted all of Holy Grail during a shift at work to the bemusement, and eventual annoyance of our coworkers. Someone else started it; we just couldn't leave it unfinished. There had also been a diabetic coma's worth of caffeinated beverages before that, just gonna put that out there.

> Kate - Ha! I can see it.

So I'm finally for sure going to school in a week. Yay! I'm excited. I'll be studying Anthropology, so I'm sure a lot of books on that will pop up here. :) I've got a week before I get busy to finish all the books I'm reading now, 0.o

Saint Olivia - Jacqueline Carey
Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs
Flesh and Spirit - Carol Berg
Eldest - Christopher Paolini
A Game of Thrones - George R R Martin

The last two I don't have a huge urge to finish before school because they're both re-reads and I can take those slower while I'm going to class. The other ones though...
Saint Olivia is really good so far, so that shouldn't be a problem and Cry Wolf too, if I read as much as I want to this week, but the other... I guess we'll see right. :)

Hi! Thanks for stopping by my thread. We definitely have some similar reading tastes. I read Flesh and Spirit two years ago and really enjoyed it. Hoping to get around to the sequel this year. Good luck with getting back into school.

I need to get a copy of Hounded... it's the first book in the series, yes? I bought the second book by accident before Christmas, and then got too busy to exchange it... I'm not sure whether I'll like the series, but I want to give it a shot!

> Staci - Thanks :) I heard really good things about it so I am looking forward to getting into the rest of it.

>Faith - Yep it's the first. I would definitely recommend trying it out to see what you think. :)

5. Eldest - Christopher Paolini
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 681
Rating: 4 Stars (Liked but don't need to buy)

Summary:
The land of Alagaesia is suffering under the Empire of the wicked Galbatorix, and Eragon and his dragon Saphira, last of the Riders, are the only hope. But Eragon is young and has much to learn, and so he is sent off to the elven forest city of Ellesmera, where he and Saphira are tutored in magic, battle skills, and the ancient language. His cousin Roran, after becoming a target of the Ra'zac, leads his villagers on a desperate escape over the mountains.

Thoughts:
I liked this book better than the first one this time. I think it has to do with Eragon training. I like watching the protagonists learn and train. It makes it even more enjoyable when they triumph because I can see that they've earned it. Paolini does have a technique that I haven't figured out if I like or not. He brings you to a cliffhanger for Eragon and then switches perspectives to Roran, and vice versa. While it helps nudge you to read more in one sitting, intent on getting back the other perspective and seeing what happened, I feel it also helps some readers want to skip parts. I remember when I first read these books I flew through them, and was always frustrated when the perspective switched at critical moments - My roommate is reading Inheritance and has been complaining of the same thing. She has to remind herself not to skip forward. This time as I read, because I knew what was happening I didn't mind it much and could spend more time appreciating Roran's part of the story. I was surprised by how much I'd forgotten from this book. And thinking on the next book Brisingr, I can remember even less. :( So I am looking forward to getting back the story when I move on to it in a few days. Anyways, Paolini's writing is getting better with each book. Eragon really matures in this second book. He has his moments of narrow-mindedness or stupidity, even up to the end, but they are all things he learns from. It makes him much more human than if he was a perfect hero. It gives him character. Looking forward to more.

Favorite Line:
'"We give credence only to that which we can prove exists. Since we cannot find evidence that gods, miracles, and other supernatural things are real, we do not trouble ourselves about them. If that were to change, if Helzvog were to reveal himself to us, then we would accept the new information and revise our position."
"It seems a cold world without something... more."
"On the contrary," said Oromis, "it is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our own actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment. I won't tell you what to believe, Eragon. It is far better to be taught to think critically and then be allowed to make your own decisions than to have someone else's notions thrust upon you. You asked after our religion, and I have answered you true. Make of it what you will."
-- (Pg 543)

6. Santa Olivia - Jacqueline Carey
Genre: Science Fiction, Coming of Age
Pages: 341
Rating: 4 Stars (Liked but don't need to buy)

Summary:
Carey sets this powerful near-future tale in Outpost 12, a small town trapped in a œbuffer zone shielding Texas from pandemic-stricken Mexico. Tom, the son of a soldier, lives at the gym where he trains in boxing and hopes to win his freedom from the town by defeating the general's boxing champion. Loup, his half sister, who has inherited her escaped father's oddly engineered genes, joins a group of church wards called the Santitos, a tight gang of vigilantes who masquerade as the local saint, Santa Olivia.

Thoughts:
A girl who doesn't feel fear, who can move faster and hit harder than a normal human. All because her father had been experimented on as a child by the government. Sounds intriguing. Right? It was. Loup is different from the moment she's born, but while her mother and brother can't teach her to fear, they can teach her to be careful. Most of the time she is. I enjoyed watching Loup grow up, limiting herself, letting it all out when masquerading as Santa Olivia. I liked the realistic love and heartbreak. Carey's writing is wonderful as well. It made what could have otherwise been a boring story (As I'm not a fan of boxing) a very entertaining read. It was also heart-wrenching, and humorous and thrilling and a zillion other things. It seems to have it all. Loup is a hero that I'd love to stick with. I've already got the next book on hold and am looking forward to it immensely.

Favorite Line:
'"I'm going so far out on a limb here, you might as well call me a squirrel."
-- (Pg 267)

>46 Kassilem: I'm not a huge high fantasy fan but I've seen the film of Eragon (which I thought was pretty decent), have heard the book is better, and am intrigued enough to try the series at some point. Thanks for the reminder, Melis!

Hmmm... I think I'm going to attempt to read Charles Darwin this year. I'm taking three Anthroplogy classes this semester so of course he keeps coming up. I think Darwin is often misjudged. He didn't know about gentics when he was writing his book in 1850. I'd like to read his book to appreciate what he did observes and therorize in his time. :) But I've seen the book. It's huge. It may take me a lot time. We'll see when it pops up :)

Good luck with the Darwin. I read Origin of Species not too long ago, and it took me *forever*. Quite dry and hard to follow, for me, at least.

>MickyFine - (Can't find your name so for now you'll be MickyFine :)) The books are MUCH better than the movie in my opinion, but I think that for most books. They're fairly big books but easy to get through. Hope you enjoy them when you pick them up.

>Amber - Thanks. I'm expecting it to be dry but hope that I've compacted enough anthropology into my brain in the last two years that it wont be too hard to follow. I don't always stick with books when they take me too long either, so I'm hoping to curb that and get through this one. If nothing else than to use it in my field. :)

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Hmmm, sounds interesting. I love chibi scenes in anything. Half the time I imagine over dramatic scenes in RL movies/tv in chibi form--and a good chunk of the time, I'm pretty sure I would like it better that way.

>51 Kassilem: Oh my real name is top secret. ;) On LT I just go by Micky. Glade you've had some enjoyable reading going on.

>Katie - :) I like I would like it better too. I didn't get the point of chibi scenes before I got into manga but now that I'm reading more and more of it, I'm liking them even more. Granted, it doesn't work in some (Like I can't see it working in Berserk) but most of them fit so well, it makes the scene perfect. There's certain things you can see in a chibi scene that you wont get if it wasn't. That sounds wierd but I find it be true. :)

>Micky - Micky it is :) And thank you. I hope you have too!

Today in my Anthropology class my professor was talking about Victorian Era ideologies and was using writers as examples of new thoughts that were being introduced. I found the list interesting. It definitely makes me want to read those authors that I haven't yet.

Charles Dickens - social issues
Lewis Carrol - fantasy and other worlds
Mary Shelly - creation outside of God
Edgar Allen Poe - humans are troubled
Mark Twain - social lessons

I've read Mary Shelly's Frankenstein and Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer but haven't touched the other authors yet. Any good books from these authors?

Oh and on a side note, I've been in school for a week only and already I'll falling behind on my reading. Ugh. It sucks. Hopefully that will change sometime soon, because I've got a whole list.

A Game of Thrones - I've been halfway through this book for months. I really want to finish it and move on to the other three so I can get to A Dance With Dragons this year. But this is one I own so the library books keep pushing it to the side.

Stone of Tears - This is the second book in Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. I'm rereading this series because I'm in love with it and it's been two or three years since I read it. This I can take my time with if I want, but it just keeps sitting there :(

The Dragon Reborn, Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, book 3. Ugh. Again, I'm attempting to reread the series so that I can read the two (soon to be three) new books Brandon Sanderson wrote to complete the series. But I know this one is going to take me a lot time. And I don't own this one. I just sold my copy of the series in disgust earlier last year because I didn't think I would read it again. Oops.

Brisingr - Yet again another reread so that I can get to Paolini's fourth book Inheritance. The fourth book is even sitting on my friend's shelves waiting for me. I should learn my lesson and read series only once all the books are published.

To Defy a King - Elizabeth Chadwick. I love anything by her so when I saw this at the library I snatched it. It's very good so far but I've only been able to read about 50 pages because of school.

Intertwined - I saw this on someone's thread (Ack! I can't remember who) and decided I wanted to give it a try. So I picked it up without high expectations, and I believe I'm interested in finishing it. It's a simple read so I can usually read ten or twenty pages at night before bed.

And of course the five or so textbooks for school.

Anyways, it's taking me a long time to get through these and I was grumpy about cuz I want to, so I decided to vent. :) I feel a little better now.

Plan A: Not stress about it, focus on school and enjoy reading in spare time :) Lets see if I can not stress.

Hehe, Intertwined was my book bullet >:}
And, yeah, it's really simple. Found out my library has the second, which is thicker than the first. So, that won't be happening til after the semester. Only 6 text books for me this time! A new low record!

>56 Kassilem: Hmm, from the list of authors you have there, here are some of my thoughts:

For Dickens, I really like A Tale of Two Cities, although for more of the typical stuff on child labour issues David Copperfield (which I have read and was good) or Oliver Twist (which I haven't read) are a good way to go. I'll be reading Little Dorrit next month for Dickens' 200th birthday so I may recommend that one later.

Alice in Wonderland is of course the standard for Carroll, but I actually like Through the Looking Glass better.

As for Poe, I haven't read as much as I'd like but reading The Raven is a must and one of his mysteries (The Murders in the Rue Morgue) is a good plan.

And now that I've geeked out... :)

I love Elizabeth Chadwick but thankfully no bullet as I already have To Defy A King on my wishlist.

If you are interested in Charles Dickens, I believe Mark (msf59) is planning on a group read of David Copperfield in April, also next month the 12 in 12 Challenge is having a group read of Great Expectations and we are putting together a group read of A Tale of Two Cities for later on in the year (sometime after Septemer, I believe). If you interested in any of these, let me know and I will get the links for you when they are available.

Oh, ha, your side note completely side tracked me from saying. . . .

I really like Lewis Carroll--Alice and Looking. His Poetry and shorter works are wonderful too :)
I enjoyed Frankenstein, though it takes a bit to get into it at first.
I've read a smidge bit of Poe, and thought it was good.
Mark Twain, I've read some, but didn't really like it. I can see why others do, but I just never got into it.

>Katie - Lucky! I actually don't have too many textbooks this time, it just seem like there are a ton. I didn't much care for Mark Twain myself although at some point I did want to see if I could get into A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. And same with Frankenstien. I read in AP English 12 and while it took a little bit I did end up liking it.

>Micky - I've heard the name A Tale of Two Cities a lot lately so maybe I'll start with that one. I've also heard of Through the Looking Glass as well but never picked it up. Have not heard of The Raven. Thanks for the recommendations :)

>Judy - Eek! Another Chadwick fan! I haven't found one until now. I went on a huge reading block of just Chadwick after I found her in 2010 and read about half of her works. It's been a while so I wanted to get back into her books again. And I would love to participate in the group reads, all three if I can manage that. :) Thank you.

Also I just got four more books that came in on request for me the other day. On the Origins of Species by Charles Darwin, Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher, The Passage by Justin Cronin and The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan. The first because of school, the second because I've become a Jim Butcher fan and the third and fourth for the book club I'm in with my two brothers. Grrr... I think I need to prioritize. I've got 35 books on my shelves that I'm trying to read for my Shelved books challenge and also catch up on series were new books are out and instead I keep requesting library books.

I think I've decided to stay on campus and finish all my homework there, even write a little (Cuz that's also been taking time away from my reading) and then when I go home I can eat dinner and then just read until bed. That will give me an hour or two each night to just relax and get some of these books done in the near future. :) And then when all those are done I'll focus on my shelves themselves.

:)

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I've made a note and will get back to you with links for the various Charles Dickens group reads when (and if) they happen.

The Lover's Dictionary sounds interesting. I think it just won an Alex Award the other day. (Alex Award are for books that are written for adults but appeal to the YA audience as well.)

Thanks :)

7. Writing to Change the World - Mary Pipher
Genre: Non-Fiction - Writing
Pages: 236
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Pipher talks about the importance of point of view in writing. She herself has a definite point of view: the world is in a bad way, and writers can serve as a "rescue team for our tired, overcrowded planet" by telling stories that connect readers to everyone else.

Thoughts:
I read this book for my college English class and enjoyed it so much I finished it early. It is not a book about how to write, but on how to use writing to "change the world". As a writer myself, Pipher struck some deep chords within me. I also believe that the world is in a bad way so the idea of being able to do something about it is very appealing. I didn't think much about it before because I prefer to write fiction, but as a writer I CAN do something to make a contribution to society. Pipher has a very powerful voice, something she emphasizes as helping a piece to be more powerful, more engaging. She certainly kept me engaged. I also liked that she scattered a lot of influential quotes throughout her writing. There is a lot in here, and for me it all clicked. It is a very powerful book in my opinion and a must read for any writer.

Favorite Line:
"Long after buildings and aqueducts have crumbled, writers' words live on."
-- (Pg 9)

Hi, I'm back to give you the link for the Great Expectations Group Read:

Great Expectations

Hope to see you there.

>Judy - Thanks! Requested my book and starred the group. Looking forward to it.

Okay so, I'm almost done with Intertwined. Yay, finally. And I started in on To Defy a King heavily today during lunch and it ruined the rest of my studying. I've only been able to take one page of notes before I went to go back to reading. This may be detrimental. All I can hope is that tomorrow I won’t be as tired and lazy and can finish what I won’t today. But as I was reading Chadwick's book I got interested in the historical figures she incorporates in her stories so I looked them all up. (There's a lot by the way) And that got me into looking up a timeline of the Middle Ages. And of course that got me into looking for historical fiction about historical figures like William the Conqueror, and King Henry II, and so on. Does anyone have suggestions for books about historical figures? Preferably those in the Middle Ages right now, but also any others you can think of that you liked? :)

8. Intertwined - Gena Showalter
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 440
Rating: 3 Stars (It's okay, I didn't hate it)

Summary:
Since birth, Aden Stone has had four souls trapped within him that possess special powers: the ability to time travel, raise the dead, possess a body, and predict the future. And they don't stop talking. As a result, he has spent his whole life in and out of mental institutions diagnosed as a violent schizophrenic. Now able to control the voices in his head, Aden has moved to Crossroads to live in a halfway house for delinquent boys. His goal in life is to find a way to free the souls and be at peace. When he meets Mary Ann Gray she mysteriously acts as a neutralizer and for the first time in his life he feels normal. Little does he know that their connection send a power surge throughout the world, drawing paranormal creature, from fairies to vampires, to Crossroads on a quest for power.

Thoughts:
I got this book off of katelisim's thread. I had been warned ahead of time that it wasn't phenomenal. At the time I was looking for a simple young adult book that I didn't have to try hard to get through. That's exactly what I got. I give Showalter props for the story idea. It's the first of its kind that I've come across. But the romance was juvenile and predictable and the characters mostly flat. Nothing's really concluded. Indeed, I'm not quite sure what the overall plot is. There are a lot of questions. I'm thinking maybe that was a method used to keep you reading the series and maybe eventually I will read the sequel to see what does happen, but not anytime soon I think.

9. The Lover's Dictionary - David Levithan
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 211
Rating: 5 Stars (I loved it and must buy it)

Summary:
How does one talk about love? How do we describe it? David Levithan takes a unique approach to this and constructs a romance story as a dictionary. Every different words gives the reader a glimpse into a relationship full of betrayal and happiness and trifles and love.

Thoughts:
Someone had mentioned this book a few years ago to me and I sort of just scoffed at the idea of writing a book with a dictionary layout. How would you be able to really tell a story that way? Well, my brother picked the book out for our book club so I picked a library copy up and set it on my bedside bookshelf. Then, last night I picked it up and tried a few pages just to see. My reaction was I couldn't believe I hadn't picked it up before now. I forget sometimes how much I like David Levithan's books. While the idea of writing a story with a dictionary format is far-fetched, it works wonders here. I'm not sure yet if it's because it's the first of its kind that I have read or if it's just Levithan's writing but this really hit a cord for me. Because how do you describe love? These short glimpses show all aspects of the relationship between the two characters, the good, the bad, the important, the unimportant. To me it showed all aspects of a relationship. It's a short piece and easy to get through but at the same time deep. I absolutely loved it and believe that whether your gay or not, everyone should read this at least once in their lives. I'm taking this to my roommates and demanding that they read it.

Favorite Quote:
'Flux, n.

The natural state. Our moods change. Our lives change. Our feelings for each other change. Our bearings change. The air changes. The temperature of the shower changes.
Accept this. We must accept this.'
-- (Pg 98)

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Ugh. I still have a huge pile of books and am only reading a few pages at a time. And I can't stop requesting books either. Once my tests are done this week I'm going to hit it hard and heavy :)

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I have to share because I'm excited.
BERSERK IS UPDATING AGAIN!! I'm so exciting. I've been waiting and waiting.
Also I just found out that Bleach is on it's it's final acr! Ack! I think I wanted it to go on forever but all things must come to an end I suppose. There will be tears that day. :(

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10. True Things About Me - Deborah Kay Davies
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 216
Rating: 2 Stars (I didn't like it)

Summary:
One ordinary afternoon in a nameless town, a nameless young woman is at work in a benefits office. Ten minutes later, she is in an underground parking lot, slammed up against a wall, having sex with a stranger. What made her do this? How can she forget him? These are questions the young woman asks herself as she charts her deepening erotic obsession.

Thoughts:
I almost didn't finish this one. It's not very long and fairly easy to get through but it was boring. I didn't anticipate saying this because of the subject but I really was bored reading this. I think it's because there is not enough. It feels like I just a bare glimpse of what happened. Nothing is explained. And the ending was just confusing. It seemed like there were so many questions that were never answered. I liked some of the expressions Davies uses but for the most part this book was a big disappointment. It had potential but I personally did not enjoy reading it.

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

11. Megan's Mark - Lora Leigh
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 295
Rating: 2 Stars (Didn't like)

Summary:
Cursed with the power to feel other peoples’ emotions, Megan Fields has tucked herself away in a remote corner of New Mexico, working as a small-town sheriff’s deputy finding solace in the silence and heat of the desert. But when Breeds begin dying on her watch, Megan realizes that the secrets from her past can’t stay buried forever. Someone is out for blood—her blood. This brings her in contact with Braden Arness, a Breed with lion DNA mixed in his own DNA, who will change her life.

Summary:
I'm not having any luck this month. I can't finish anything. I had high hopes for this book because of the idea of individuals with feline DNA. That looked really interesting and I assumed the romance would be a side plot. I should have flipped it. It was all about the sex scenes and the story itself was lacking in a lot of ways. I'd like to read more to get more on the feline breeds but I'm not sure I can take the romance. Too much for my tastes for the time being.

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>79 Kassilem: I'm not surprised. Leigh is considered erotica rather than romance. So it is all about the sex. I read the first book in that series and while I don't mind sex in my novels, it read too much like Penthouse letters for my tastes.

Ugh, yea, not what I was looking for.

On a side note, I'm finally in a reading mood again. :D March was really busy; school, moving, writing, work, etc. But only one month left of school; I've read most of the textbooks by now so soon those will be off my chest and I can move on to other anthropology books. And more leisurely books. I'm determined to finish Goodkind's Sword of Truth series so I can read his new book The Omen Machine! (I had no idea he was continuing the series; I'm obsessed!), George R R Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series so I can read A Dance With Dragons, and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series so I can read the last three books that Brandon Sanderson wrote to conclude the series. Oh and I'm almost done with Paolini's Brisingr so I'm close to getting my hands on Inheritance. And J R Ward's new book Lover Reborn.
... Sigh. Too many new books came out last fall that I cant read until I go through the series again.
But summer will be my time to get most of them out of the way :)

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12. The Dobe Ju/'Hoansi: Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology - Richard B Lee
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 249
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
This is all about the Dobe Ju/'Hoansi, seasonally nomadic hunter-gatherers in Africa taken from a materalist approach. Lee focuses on subsistence and how that defines a culture.

Thoughts:
One textbook down. This book was interesting. It's the first ethnographic case study book I've read so I wasn't sure what to expect. It reads like most any other textbook with Lee's commentary on his time staying with the Dobe Ju/'Hoansi included. He's sharing what he learned about this particular culture by living among them and observing how they go about living their lives. I love learning about other people and cultures. In that regard it was very interesting, but it still took me a while to get through. I believe it's because there was so much material and on top of reading it for a class it took time to get through. Recommended if you’re into Anthropology, particularly cultural anthropology.

13. The Dragon Reborn - Robert Jordan
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 624
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
The Dragon Reborn--the leader long prophesied who will save the world, but in the saving destroy it; the savior who will run mad and kill all those dearest to him. Able to touch the One Power, but unable to control it, and with no one to teach him how--for no man has done it in three thousand years--Rand al'Thor knows only that he must face the Dark One. But how? Perrin Aybara pursues him with Moiraine Sedai, her Warder Lan, and Loial the Ogier. Bedeviled by dreams, Perrin is grappling with another deadly problem--how to escape the loss of his own humanity. Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve are approaching Tar Valon, where Mat will be healed, aware that the Black Ajah, long thought only a hideous rumor, are all too real. They cannot know that in Tar Valon far worse awaits. And ahead, for all of them, in the Heart of the Stone, lies the next great test of the Dragon reborn.

Thoughts:
I'm kind of glad I'm rereading these books. It's been a few years and on top of skipping a few scenes that were from the girl's point of view, there were things I missed the first time around. This time I got everything. I had forgotten that Rand is practically nonexistent in this book, and was a little disappointed, but Perrin and Mat balanced out Nynaeve, Eqwene and Elayne fairly well. I'm beginning to become a little fond on the three girls but Mat, Perrin and Rand were always my favorites. This time around I was able to see more character development. I think it's because it's a reread and also because I'm not reading these as fast as last time. I can see the characters growing and I love it. With this many characters and that much in depth growth, no wonder there are so many books in the series. Language and dialogue is great, world building is great. There is still that annoyance I get when a woman treats a man like scum, but I just have to compare it to history when men believed woman were inferior and switch it. In Jordan's world, if woman were raised and taught that men were inferior, then it makes sense for they to act this way. It makes some of the women more bearable, compared to how other women treat my favorite three men. :) Overall, I'm getting through this series much better this time around. Up to these three books so far I do recommend the series. Give it its due time and appreciate it for what it's worth.

Favorite Line:
"Do not cut off your ears because you do not like your earrings."
(Pg 557)

I couldn't get past the fourth Jordan. If I had to read about one more hair pull/twist, I think I would have gone insane.

14. Global Issues, Local Arguments: Readings for Writing - June Johnson
Genre: Non-Fiction, Writing
Pages: 518
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
In the book there are high interest issues and arguments on global issues with emphasize on their connection to our lives.

Thoughts:
Another textbook down. This one was a hate-like for me. I would never have picked this book up on my own, not in a million years. But when I had to read it for class I found to my surprise that the material was actually interesting and mind-opening. I don't think about global issues all that often; I tend to avoid them like I do with books on politics and government. But that doesn't make the issues untrue or irrelevant. Far from it; all of these issues are happening in the world at this moment and I think the goal right now for those not in high standing positions to do something about then, is to make the public aware. This book does a great job at creating awareness. I will most likely never read this again, but I don't regret reading either.

Favorite Line:
"Africa will be much better off with a hot meal and an education than with your self-rightous indignation."
(Pg 490)

15. Archaeology - Robert L. Kelly & David Hurst Thomas
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 419
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Written by two well known Archaeologists, this book covers core concepts in the field with student friendly examples.

Thoughts:
The last Archaeology book I read was all about fieldwork techniques so this book came off better than I was expecting. It incorporated more than just methods and methodologies; it also brings in why it is important and how Archaeologists use the methods to answer questions about prehistory whether it be on our ancestors or prehistoric plant life. It brings in all kinds of core concepts which I liked because it helped me picture applying this science. I am attending an Archaeology field school this summer so this book was essential in my mind, to help me grasp the concept of what I will be doing out in the field. I don't think I want to narrow my interest in Anthropology to Archaeology, but this is crucial information for any major in Anthropology.

16. Introduction to Physical Anthropology - Robert Jurmain
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 526
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
It's only human to wonder who we are and where we came from. This book gives recent research in the field and presents core concepts from the molecular basis to natural selection.

Thoughts:
I am extremely interested in Physical Anthropology so this book was a treat. It was simple enough, being an introduction book, that I could follow easily and really take it all in. Reading the book on the side of listening to the college lectures helped too, but the book would have been enough to get anyone started. There were tons of pictures and charts that helped cement the information. This is an easy book to get through if you're interested in the subject. I am keeping this on my bookshelf.

17. Humanity: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology - James Peoples
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 476
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
This book introduces Cultural Anthropology, emphasizing the diversity of humanity and answering why an appreciation and tolerance of cultural differences is critical in the modern world.

Thoughts:
I have never really known anything about Cultural Anthropology until this semester in college. It's fascinating, although fairly deep when you get the core of it. There were things in this book that I had never thought of before, like the way language works or how many different cultures there are in the world. It's something I knew subconsciously, but this book really opened my eyes to culture and the differences and similarities between the thousands in the world.

18. The Balinese: Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology - J. Stephen Lansing
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 148
Rating 3 Stars

Summary:
This study of the complex Balinese culture examines Balinese concepts of personhood and society; the integration of art into every aspect of Balinese life; the effects of the Guen Revolution on Balinese agriculture; the ecological role of their water temples in an age-old system of inigrate rice terraces; and the ethnohistory of Bali, including both colonial and Balinese views.

Thoughts:
This was an interesting book. If you ever want to know tons on one culture, these ethnographies are the way to go. There was so much in this book that at times it was almost overwhelming. I did enjoy Lansing's humanist approach to cultural fieldwork versus Lee's materialist approach in The Dobe Ju/'Hoansi: Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology. This is definite must for anyone traveling to the region of Bali.

19. Brisingr - Christopher Paolini
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 748
Rating 4 Stars

Summary:
After the disastrous battle on the Burning Plains, Eragon sets off to complete the oaths he has promised to multiple people as they threaten to overlap. Everyone expects him to defeat Galbatorix, but he's not so sure himself. He needs to know more; and he needs a sword.

Thoughts:
This third book in the Inheritance series took me a while to get through. I had forgotten most of the book from my first read through it years ago so I'm glad I took the time to get through it before attempting the fourth book Inheritance, but I think I might have to call this one the weak link in the series. The book seemed to drag on and on for the first 600 pages. The last 100 were much better, full of crucial information and action scenes. Looking back on the information in the first part of the book, however, I can't see any of it not being needed so I'm not sure how I fell overall about the book yet. Glad I read it so I can get to the next book but at the same time, hoping for more in the fourth book itself.

20. Lover Reborn - J R Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 572
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Ever since the death of his Shellan, Wellsie, Tohrment has been unrecognizable from the vampire he once was. Heartbroken beyond despair he had been brought back to the Brotherhood by the fallen angel Lassiter. He'd picked up fighting once more but everyone can see that he is not getting better and being in the field is giving him too many opportunities to walk into gunfire, literally. Tohr believes he can not feel any worse than he does, but he is wrong. When Lassiter tells him that Wellsie and his son are stuck in the In Between because he has not let them go and that he must learn to love someone else to let them go, he discovers what true heartbreak is. He knows he will never be able to love another like he did Wellsie. But if he doesn't, Wellsie and his son will never be set free.

Thoughts:
I'm slightly torn on this book. I've loved most of Ward's BDB books. There were a few that slid down a notch a little due to character investment not being high, like Payne and Rhevenge, but overall I love the series. I love the interaction between the characters, the brother's interactions. I don't read these books for the sex, I read them for the emotions and struggles each brother goes through, for the laugh out loud male to male friendships, the biting of lips when a brother gets injured. These males are what makes this series what it is. Now, Tohr was always a favorite of mine and I ached for him when his Shellan died. I was looking forward to this book because I knew it dealt with Tohr. I also knew it had to be about him letting go of his body bending grief because of the title, so I went into it with some hesitation. Tohr love someone else? It seemed impossible. Which is where I am torn. I think Ward did a great job with Tohr's emotional grid and the writing is still great, but I guess I'm just a little dissatisfied with how it turned out. I can't even say exactly why. Perhaps because I have never had to lose someone that important to me I can't understand the recovery. I thought it would take more than what No'One/Autumn did, which wasn't much of anything, to help Tohr through his grief. Despite the slight dissatisfied feeling, I am glad it worked out for Tohr. I enjoyed the subplots of John & Xhex, and Qhuinn & Layla. The former I was expecting, the latter was a surprise although maybe it shouldn't have been. I'm still waiting for Qhuinn and Blay's story to come to a head; next time? *hopeful face*. I read somewhere that after this tenth book, the series is going to take a turn. I don't know what Ward has planned for us, but I'll be back next spring for her next book. Still a big fan :)

Favorite Quotes:
'Being female was not a disability in any sense of the word. But he had treated it as such, hadn't he. He had decided that because she was not male, in spite of all her qualifications and skills, she couldn't go out into conflict.
As if breasts suddenly made shit more dangerous.'
(Pg 360)

'He wasn't sure how to handle that -
His body arched on its own, as if to say, The fuck you don't, buddy.'
(Pg 236)

What field school are you going to this summer? :D

Archaeology fieldschool somewhere in Idaho for six weeks. :)

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This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

21. Stone of Tears - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 979
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
In Wizard's First Rule, Richard Cypher's world was turned upside down. Once a simple woods guide, Richard was forced to become the Seeker of Truth, to save the world from the vile dominance of Darken Rahl, the most viciously savage and powerful wizard the world had ever seen. He was joined on this epic quest by his beloved Kahlan, the only survivor among the Confessors, who brought a powerful but benevolent justice to the land before Rahl's evil scourge. Aided by Zedd, the last of the wizards who opposed Rahl, they were able to cast him into the underworld, saving the world from the living hell of life under Rahl. But the veil to the underworld has been torn, and Rahl, from beyond the veil, begins to summon a sinister power more dreadful than any he has wielded before. Horrifying creatures escape through the torn veil, wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting world above. If Rahl isn't stopped, he will free the Keeper itself, an evil entity whose power is so vast and foul that once freed, it can never again be contained. Richard and Kahlan must face Rahl and the Keeper's terrible minions. But first, Richard must endure the ministrations of the Sisters of the Light, or die from the pain of magic that is his birthright and his curse. While Richard undertakes the arduous journey to the forbidden city of the Sisters, Kahlan must embark upon a long and dangerous mission to Aydindril, citadel of the old wizards, where she hopes to find Zedd and the help only he can lend to their desperate cause. War, suffering, torture, and deceit lie in their paths, and nothing will save them from a destiny of violent death, unless their courage and faith are joined with luck and they find the elusive...Stone of Tears.

Thoughts:
I love Terry Goodkind's books. I learned that he has a new book out in a continuation of this series, The Sword of Truth. I had thought that Richard and Kahlen's story was all over so I was ecstatic to learn of the new book. But of course before I could pick it up I wanted to reread this series first. Partly because it has been a few years since I have finished it and partly because I love his stories and wanted to reread them soon anyways. I remember the first time I read this book I read most of it on an overnight airplane flight. I had planned on sleeping, I really did, but once I got into the book that idea went out the window and across the room. I didn't even regret the hung-over feeling of not sleeping all night the next morning when I got off the plane because the book was so good. This time was no different, although I was able to take it a little slower since I wasn't rushing to see what happened. I love these character's intelligence and their realistic emotions. I love the concluding end to the books. There is no leaving us hanging. I love that something that can seem silly and unrealistic in other books, like being on speaking terms with a dragon and being a friend to a Gar (monster), can come across as so natural here. I love how long the book is and I love how that doesn't take away from the story. There is no drag here, there is just a lot of story to get through. Now, certainly this book is not for the weak hearted. But I recommend this series to every and any fantasy reader. This series can change how you view the world. I know I have after reading it. I feel like I got even more out of it this time around too. Please, if you haven't read these books yet, find a copy.

Favorite Line:
'"Well if the veil has never been torn, how could the screelings have been sent before? How would we know what they were? How could they have a name already put to them?"
It was Richard's turn to frown. "Maybe we only know them as screelings because they have been named in the prophecy."
"You have read this prophecy?"
"Well, no. Kahlan told it to me."
"And she read it herself, with her own eyes, yes?"
"No. She learned it when she was young." Richard's irritated frown deepened. "In a song. She learned it from the wizards."
"In a song." Sister Verna didn't look over, but her smile widened. "Richard, I do not meant o belittle your fears, but things repeated over and over, especially in a song, have a way of changing."
... ... ...
"Lying is wrong! The Creator hates lies!"
"Does this Creator of yours liking killing better?"
Sister Verna looked like she was ready to spit fire at him. "He is everyone's Creator. Not just my Creator. And He hates lies."
Richard calmly appraised her heated expression. "Tell you that himself, did he? Come right up and sit down next to you and say 'Sister Verna, I want you to know I hate lies'?"
She ground her teeth and growled the words. "Of course not. It is written. Written in books."
"Ahh." Richard nodded. "Well them, of course it is the truth. If it is written in books, then it has to be true. Everyone knows that if something is written down and attributed, then it must be true."
(Pg 271-279)

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I remember i reread all off Goodkind's books each time a new one came out i must have read each about 5 times. books 1,6,2 (in the order although 1 and 6 are more of a tie) are my favorites. I always liked how he could take minor characters and actually make you care for them rather then seeing then as set pieces. on a side note its always fun going back and rereading good books

I had a hard time getting through six, not greatly so but more than the others. I hope this time it will be different. I love rereading books. I only buy books that I know I will reread. :)

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true the 6th book can be a little preachy which can make it a slog but i'm a sucker for a good redemption story. It also cemented Nicci as one of my fave characters in the series

He is really good at making who appear to be "bad guys" by first impression, not. That it’s all about perception.

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

22. Way to Go - Tom Ryan
Genre: GLBT
Pages: 214
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Danny thinks he must be the only seventeen year old guy in Cape Breton who doesn't have his life figured out. His buddy, Kierce, has a rule for every occasion. His best friends, Jay. seems unworried by bad grades. Danny's dad nags him about his post high-school plans, his friends bug him about his non-existent sex life, and a run-in with the cops means he has to get a summer job. But worst of all, he's keeping a secret that could ruin everything.

Thoughts:
This was an easy going book and intriguing enough that I finished it in a few hours. I was worried that it would be the classic teenage coming out story but wanted to give it try in case it wasn't. It isn't. The book is about more the process of understanding what matters in life. I kept expecting Danny to find a cute guy to hook up with but that never happened and after looking back on that, it was a little refreshing. It makes this book not about prejudices or love but about believing in yourself and coming to grips with who you are which is an important lesson for anyone. Danny was a fun character to follow; he's very relatable. One of the few things that lowered my rating was the anticlimactic ending. It seemed a little rushed. We follow Danny through his agony of refusing to believe he is gay but it seems like there was little transition between that and his acceptance. More on his thought process there would have been nice. Overall, a nice read. :)

Favorite Line:
'What could I say? Actually Kierce, you were right, I'm totally queer. I have no interest in screwing Lisa, but I'd prefer you didn’t either, because I saw her first. So back off, or I'll bitch slap you.'

23. Standish - Erastes
Gene: Historical Fiction, GLBT
Pages: 213
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Set in post-Napoleonic years of the 1820s, Standish is a tale of two men, one man discovering his sexuality and the other struggling to overcome his traumatic past. Ambrose Standish, a studious and fragile young man, has dreams of regaining the great house his grandfather lost in a card game. When Rafe Goshawk returns from the continent to claim the estate, their meeting sets them both on a path of desire and betrayal which threatens to tear both of their worlds apart.

Summary:
I had high hopes for this one and for the first thirty pages I thought I had found a gem. The writing was great the descriptions perfect the characters loveable if a little under developed. But then it went downhill. So much so that it suddenly felt like a different book. I could not phantom what was going on at first, I thought the events must be a dream and at any time the character was going to wake up and the book would go on being like it was before. But... no. I have no idea what happened but the abrupt falling in love in the course of a sentence or two was way out of character for either of the two men. Where the hell did that come from. Out of nowhere, that’s where. It did pick up a little later on but overall the story was a little too ridiculous for me to really appreciate it.

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24. Blood of the Fold - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 623
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Richard Rhal and Kahlan Amnell stand against the ancient forces which besiege the New World - forces so terrible that when last they threatened, they could only be withstood by sealing off the Old World from whence they came. Now the barrier has been breached, and the New World is again beset by their evil power. War and treachery plague the world, and only Richard and Kahlan can save it from an armageddon of unimaginable savagery and destruction.

Thoughts:
If you haven't figured out by now I absolutely love this series. I love the world, the characters, the fact that 'heroes' make mistakes and 'villains' have compassionate moments. The characters here are very human, very relatable. There is good and evil in everyone and our heroes here are no exception. This is a re-read and I'm am sure I will be reread the series yet again in a few years. :)

Favorite Quote:
'"What are you doing!"
Kahlan grappled playfully with the thing under the gravel. "It's just a stone hound. Wizard Giller conjured him up to frighten away a woman who was pestering him all the time. She was afraid to cross the gravel, and of course no one in their right mind would dare go into the Path of the Dead." Kahlan stood. "You mean... don't tell me you were afraid of the stone hound."
"Well... no, not exactly... but..."
Kahlan put her fists on her hips. "You went into the Path of the Dead, and through those shields, because you were afraid of a stone hound? That's why you didn't go to the other doors?"
"Kahlan, I didn't know what the thing under the gravel was. I'd never seen anything like it before." He scratched his elbow. "All right, so, I was afraid of it. I was trying to be cautious. And I couldn't read the words, so I didn't know that this door was dangerous."
(Pg. 593)

25. Raised By Wolves: Brethren - W. A. Hoffman
Genre: Historical Romance, GLBT
Pages: 541
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Romance in the West Indies: Wherein, the Viscount of Marsdale, duelist, libertine, dilettante, and haphazard philanthropist, travels to the colony of Jamaica to establish a sugar plantation for his estranged father. Once there he finds he had much in common with the buccaneers of Port Royal. Thus he joins them and learns of the strange traditions, tactics, and customs of the Brethren of the Coast. Falling in love he partners with Gaston, the mysterious French madman known as the Ghoul, and discovers another as noble, disenfranchised, and scarred as himself. Together, they explore an end to loneliness and seek to exorcise the demons of their pasts, in a wilderness torn by war and ambition.

Thoughts:
I bought this book a year or two ago online with a couple other GLBT books. I can't even remember now why it was picked; perhaps because of the reviews and recommendation based on other books of its kind. Regardless it has sat on my bookshelf since then watching me. Only now, when I am going through each book I have not read yet that sits on my bookshelves did I pull it down and hunker in. I am sincerely sorry I have not pulled it down until now. This is a wonderful book. There are a few typos I noticed but the book was published by a company I have never heard before and so I simply ignored the errors. The characters, Will and Gaston, are fantastic; very real with real emotions and desires. This book is set in the 1600s and so the idea of sodimity where modern stereotypes had not been placed on those who prefer those of the same sex, which was refreshing. The secondary characters were great as well. The dialogue and language is representative of the time era Hoffman is writing about; I enjoyed the formal dialogue much more than I would have expected. You don't have to enjoy gay romance to enjoy this book. I read this book in a few days and am eager to move on to the next book. :)

Favorite Line:
'"You are a nobleman?"
I eyed him and the others listening to us with a heavy sigh. "I am the Viscount of Marsdale. My father is the Earl of Dorshire."
All eyes went wide.
"Oh, stop, it is a mere accident of birth."'
(Pg. 90)

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This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

26. Matelot: Raised by Wolves - W. A. Hoffman
Genre: Historical Romance, GLBT
Pages: 603
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
1668 - Marriage in the West Indies Wherein, we follow the continuing adventures of the buccaneer Will and his beloved matelot Gaston as they contend with unexpected brides, the need for an heir, misunderstandings with the French, and Henry Morgan's ambitions against the Spanish. Conflicts Arise, as Will, former libertine and duelist, haphazard philanthropist and philosopher, negotiates an ever-trickier path betwixt the requirements of his remaining the Viscount of Marsdale and his commitment to his matelot. Amidst This, Gaston, exiled French nobleman, physician, renowned buccaneer and madman, must learn to control his madness before it destroys them both. Together, they must discover how to nurture love and passion in the face of war, tradition, and the demons of their pasts.

Thoughts:
I love these books. And after reading them I am having a hard time getting into the writing of the young adult books on my shelves. The prose is beautiful, the characters very real. The first book was about Will and Gaston meeting and tentatively broaching the waters of romance. This volume is about them trying to make the romance work. I find the relationship refreshing and - I know I keep saying this, but - real. There are issues that are prevalent in any relationship, like trust and possessiveness and etc, that most gloss over when telling a story. It does not always make for a pretty picture. I like that Hoffman has not shied away from any of it here. She makes no excuses for who Will and Gaston are. They are who they are and each love each other for all of it. But it takes courage to face all aspects of a person and here we see Will and Gaston doing that, facing each other in every light; helping each other, loving each other, and struggling through together. The old fashioned language - as it is set in the 1600s - is refreshing as well; it is all very eloquent. There are already expressions I am excited to use in my own life for the thrill of being able to describe something in a different way. The secondary characters added a lot to the story as well. This is a story of dark instincts and love and learning and... I feel I can't even do it justice by how I would attempt to portray it. You do not need to enjoy M/M romance to enjoy this book. This is not about love between two of the same gender, it is about love itself and how it connects people and how it tears them apart. I highly recommend this series to any adult.

Favorite Quote:
“You will be sailing, non?” Peirrot asked with a shrug.
“Oui,” I said, “but many of ours feel it is merely the first course to a grander meal over the summer.”
“We will join you in this repast,” he grinned, “but my friend, let us hope Morgan serves up a dish full of flavor, lest we be forced to lead out men to dine at another table.”
…
Petit Dominic was an affable fellow, but possessed of a keenly literal mind. “We are not truly going there for food, non? You said that was merely a ploy of Morgan’s making.”
“For the love of God,” Rizzo said. “You imbecile! They jest!”
(Pg. 415)

27. Raised By Wolves: Treasure - W. A. Hoffman
Genre: Historical Romance, GLBT
Pages: 563
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Gay buccaneer historical adventure/romance. The third novel in a series chronicling the adventures of Will, a disenchanted English Lord, and his beloved matelot/partner, Gaston, an exiled Frenchman, set among the buccaneers of Port Royal, Jamaica, in the 1660s. In this volume, the men ponder the true definition of sanity and the necessity of compromise in the name of love while contending with the arrival of Gaston's father, their potential inheritances, the political machinations of Will's father, Henry Morgan's ambition, a bounty upon their heads, unwanted brides, and an unexpected child.

Thoughts:
I guess some people didn't like this third installment as much as the first and second but I found nothing wrong with it overall. I think everyone can find something somewhere in the books that they don’t particularly love, even me: the consistent references to the Gods as the last sentence of ever chapter; but I feel I can move beyond that because overall the story is as good as the first two, just different. As Will and Gaston said, they are no longer looking out for just themselves but for women and children now. It is a different path but I thought they both handled it realistically as they are ever wont to do in these books. I love their realness and devotion and madness and everything else. :) The 1600s dialogue is starting to rub off on me and my friends have commented on it and I love even that. These books have pulled me in and I'm not inclined to leave anytime soon. I could happily immerse myself in Will and Gaston for many more books but sadly there is only the one more. I am impatiently waiting for it to arrive. Ignore the artwork, read these books. They are fantastic.

Favorite Quote:
'"I am sorry to cause you worry," I whispered when we parted. "I thought it best I met with him alone to see what he would say. And I am glad I did."
He met me gaze with concern and admonishment. "So am I. But now, you will stay away from him? Even if you are his better in all ways a thousand times over?"
I grinned. "Oui, Papa, I will not play with the wolves, or poke them with sticks."
He rolled his eyes and turned back to assisting with the cable.'
(Pg 470)

28. Far from Xanadu - Julie Anne Peters
Genre: GLBT, Coming of Age
Pages: 282
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Every day in Coalton is pretty much the same. Mike pumps iron in the morning, drives her truck to school, plays softball in the afternoon, and fixes the neighbors' plumbing at night. But when an exotic new girl, Xanadu, arrives in the small Kansas town, Mike's world is turned upside down. Xanadu is everything Mike is not--cool, complicated, sexy, and...straight. This heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful novel will speak to anyone who has ever fallen in love with someone just out of reach.

Thoughts:
First love is always hard. I didn't love this book but I didn't hate it either. The story was good, the writing was good, but it is a young adult book and thus lacked as much meat on it as I always hope for. Regardless, I've always liked Peter's books. While I liked a few of her other books a bit more than this one, it was an entertaining read.

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

29. Raised By Wolves: Wolves - W. A. Hoffman
Genre: Historical Romance, GLBT
Pages: 624
Rating: 5 Stars!!!

Summary:
Wolves is a romantic gay historical novel and the fourth and final volume of the Raised By Wolves series. Raised By Wolves chronicles the relationship between buccaneers Will and his beloved matelot, Gaston, during the infamous Henry Morgan raids against the Spanish Main in the late 1660's. In this volume, the men are challenged by Churches, buccaneer greed and ambition, wives and babies, and a king, while trying to resolve matters with Will's father.

Thoughts:
I wasn't sure what this final installment would bring. I had thought I could guess some of what might but I found I was wrong. At first I was a little disappointed because what I had wished for had not come to pass but then when I really took in what had happened, it seems so right that the other seems wrong. I didn't want this series to ever end and I dreaded reaching the last few chapters but Hoffman did a superb job of bringing the story of Will and Gaston to a close. Now I feel inspired to write of them or draw of them; anything to keep them in my heart. Hoffman has asked that no fan art or fan writing be distributed so I can only hope and wait to see if she will write another series. I don't even mind if it is not about Will and Gaston or their children or any of the other characters. I would read anything she writes. She has proven that she can make me love her characters. I own the first book and as soon as I am able I will be sure to purchase the other three. I will be honored to have them on my bookshelves. I am sure I will be reading them again in a few years. Highly, highly recommended.

Favorite Quote:
'He sighed and knelt before me. "We are the same blanket," he said kindly.
I smiled. "And poor comfort I feel we are to others."
He smiled. "Perhaps they like the pattern."
(Pg 185)

'Gaston nodded thoughtfully. "Mine as well. So let us do as we always have, and always continue to change the way we think, but let us not change that we do think."'
(Pg 609)

30. Keeping You A Secret - Julie Anne Peters
Genre: GLBT, Coming of Age
Pages: 250
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Expectations. A girl meets a guy, falls in love, gets married, has sex, no necessarily in that order. Holland Jaegar is living up to the expectations. But when she meets Cece, the course of her life is changed forever. She loves this girl – this out and proud lesbian. Holland's awakening to her own sexuality is the key to setting her free. Can Holland trust that people she counts on most in her life will accept and embrace her newfound identity? Keeping their relationship a secret may prove to be the worst mistake Holland and Cece could ever make.

Thoughts:
I liked this book of Peters more than the previous book of hers I read. I think most of her books are a hit or miss and this one was a hit. It's simple and short but deals with a lot of issues. Nothing seemed forced here to make a story; it all fit well together. These are fun reads and perhaps fairly powerful for a teenager in the midst of coming out. I look forward to reading more of Peters books.

Favorite Line:
'"Dammit." Kate folded her arms. "I don't understand why she has to flaunt her sexuality. It's a private thing. She should keep it that way. Be discreet, like her sister. I don't see you out there exposing yourself to the world."
Not because I wouldn't, I wanted to say. And it wasn't about sexuality. Not entirely. It was about identify. Love.
Kate added, "She's just asking for trouble."
I thought she was asking for acceptance.
(Pg 190)

31. Inheritance - Christopher Paolini
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 857
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Not so very long ago, Eragon—Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider—was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders. Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances. The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

Summary:
Wow. This series has come to a close. I'm a little torn. I liked the book but I was a little disappointed in the ended. There is a certain feel of the story rushing, especially after the last book but I didn't mind that as much as the anticlimactic ending. I think if it was a stand-alone novel I would have given it a 3 star but next to the other books, it makes it over the edge. There were unanswered threads, although perhaps Paolini left them intentionally for the next series he plans – which I believe was inferred – and characters that make no sense. I get the overall feeling that there was a lot more to this story that was never explained. If you’re a fan of the series I definitely recommend the book as it concludes the series.

Favorite Line:
‘“Do not feel bad because of it. It’s impossible to go through life unscathed. Nor should you want to. By the hurts we accumulate, we measure both our follies and our accomplishments.”’
(Pg. 343)

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

Congrats on passing 75!

Thanks :)

Reading Update:

Currently Reading:
To Defy a King - Elizabeth Chadwick
Casket of Souls - Lynn Flewelling
The Education of Bet - Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Currently Listening to:
The Shadow Rising - Robert Jordan
The Temple of the Winds - Terry Goodkind

Coming Up:
Babe in Boyland - Jody Gehrman
Lords of the White Castle - Elizabeth Chadwick
Magician's Apprentice - Trudi Canavan

Congratulations on passing the 75 book mark!

Congrats on reaching & surpassing 75!

So, I stopped the Inheritance series because I was severely disappointed in Brisingr (I gave it as much as 3 stars because I thought his writing style had smoothed and was much more consistent than the first 2 books). Is Inheritance good enough to finish it if I decided after book 3 that I didn't care what happened anymore?

Thanks to both of you :)

Inheritance is better than Brisingr, but I think if you're not interested in what happens after that, it's probably not worth the hours of reading the 800+ pages. You'd be able to find a summary of the book somewhere online. To get a summary of what occurs would be worth it because it does conclude the series... If it doesn't take you long to get through big books you could give it a try. It was better than the third, excepting the anticlimatic ending.

32. The Shadow Rising - Robert Jordan
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 1008
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
As the power of the Dark One grows stronger, Rand al'Thor and his friends face greater challenges in their war against the Shadow. From the halls of Tar Valon, where the Aes Sedai mystics discover agents of darkness in their own ranks, to the Aiel Waste, where a hidden city holds secrets forbidden to all but a few, Rand and his companions seek to fulfill the destiny laid out for them.

Thoughts:
Well I still hate most of the women in this series but listening to the book this time around is turning out for the best. I can stand them a little more that way. I've also begun to see some of them grow up a little, treat the men a little better, etc., which makes it more bearable this time around too. It also helps when the men outwit the women and give them a taste of what they deal out. :) Not all the woman are so, but most think they are superior to the men, that men don't know how to do anything and always cause trouble. I've heard that Jordan likes strong woman, but most of these woman don't come across strong to me, just tyrannical. I like the men, almost all of them. And especially Rand, Perrin, and Mat. All three have strong stories here. It's a huge book, but with so many characters and so many subplots, it has to be for us to follow anything that happens. For every question answered, another pops up, but I have retained my interest in continuing the series.

33. The Education of Bet - Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Genre: Historical Romance, Gender Bender
Pages: 186
Rating: 3 Stars
Summary:
Bet feels confined by her place—neither family nor servant—in the home of her wealthy benefactor. Will, the boy who’s been like a brother to her since they were four, is unhappy with his fate as well. So Bet makes a plan: She’ll pretend she’s a boy and take Will’s place at school. When she arrives at school, Bet finds boys act rather brutish when they don’t think there’s a girl in their midst. But brutish Bet can handle it. It’s the stirrings of attraction for her roommate that get Bet into real trouble.

Thoughts:
This is a fairly simple book to get through and a little predictable but it is young adult and so I was expecting as much. Bet is an endearing character for her spirit and fierceness. I liked the idea but there could have been more there. It's really is a short book. If you're looking for a good Gender Bender look for the Alanna series by Tamora Peirce. Overall, however, as a individual story it was entertaining enough.

Favorite Line:
'"That would be nice," I said, unsure how to take what he'd apparently meant as a compliment: I was a stupid person with spirit.'
(Pg. 99)

34. Temple of the Winds - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 822
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
On the red moon will come the firestorm... Wielding the Sword of Truth, Richard Rahl has battled death itself and come to the defense of the D'Haran people. But now the power-mad Emperor Jagang confronts Richard with a swift and inexorable foe: a mystical plague cutting a deadly swath across the land and slaying thousands of innocent victims. To fight it Richard and Kahlan Amnell will risk everything to uncover the source of the terrible plague - the magic sealed away for three millennia in the Temple of the Winds. But when prophecy throws the shadow of betrayal across their mission and threatens to destroy them, Richard must accept the Truth and find a way to pay the price the winds demand...or he and his world will perish.

Thoughts:
Out of these first four books in the series I will say that this one is my least favorite of them. I still give it a five star for it being an excellent story connected to a fantastic series but this book is where I began to find bit that I didn't like as much. I didn't like how Kahlan keeps making the same mistake, tricking Richard or lying to do something on her own and then making everything worse. However it does make her more human. She's usually a very strong woman but she was much more emotional in this book and I didn't like how it made her seem whiny. It also could have been that I listened to the audio version this time around and thus listened to a different inflection for Kahlan's dialogue than when I pictured it, reading it to myself years ago. I'm willing to leave some doubt as to it or not because of this but Kahlan didn't seem as strong as she used to be. The one other problem I came across this time around was the event of their marriages in order to get into the Temple of the Winds. It was very convenient and didn't seem to flow into the story as well as these far-fetched events usually do. But as it is explained more fully in later chapters the sense of that goes down. So, overall, not as great as the previous three books, but still high up there in my mind. I love the story, the characters, the world, etc. I will be reading Goodkind for the rest of my life. :)

Favorite Quote:
‘“There is magic in sincere forgiveness, the magic to heal. In forgiveness you grant, but more so, in forgiveness you receive.”’
(Pg. 398)

35. To Defy a King - Elizabeth Chadwick
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 523
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
The adored and spirited daughter of England's greatest knight, Mahelt Marshal lives a privileged life. But when her beloved father falls foul of the volatile and dangerous King John, her world is shattered. The king takes her brothers hostage and Mahelt's planned marriage to Hugh Bigod, son of the Earl of Norfolk, takes place sooner than she expected. Mahelt and Hugh come to care for each other deeply, but Hugh's strict father clashes with the rebellious Mahelt. When more harsh demands from King John threaten to tear the couple's lives apart, Mahelt finds herself facing her worst fears alone, not knowing if she-or her marriage-will survive.

Thoughts:
I love Elizabeth Chadwick's works. I read half of this book a few months ago and then set it aside due to school but have been thinking of picking it back up again as soon as I had more time to get into it. Finally the time arrived and I found it again, read through the first half again and then finished the book this weekend on a camping trip. Reading about the medieval period while living at a campsite for a few days really puts in perspective how good we have it now a days. Getting as close as possible to the time period Mahelt lived in was a treat. I felt as if I could relate more than usual. I am particularly interested in her father William Marshall now and feel as if I will look for more books about him in the future and I enjoyed reading about his daughter. The kicker though is Chadwick's talent at spinning a tale with any character. I love history so that's a bonus. :) I've only got a few books left of Chadwick's to read before I will need to wait for each new book to come out but I'm sure I will be reading anything that she comes out with. It sounds like she has many ideas and I look forward to them all.

Favorite Line:
'"The first thing a man asks of his newborn son is: 'Will he be a good soldier? Will he have a strong fist?' Never do they ask: 'Will he be a good husband and father?' And as mothers, we never ask that question. That is what makes me weep."'
(Pg. 345)

Reading Update:

Currently Reading:
Casket of Souls - Lynn Flewelling
Babe in Boyland - Jody Gehrman
Lords of the White Castle - Elizabeth Chadwick

Currently Listening to:
Soul of the Fire - Terry Goodkind

Upcoming:
Maledicte - Lane Robins
The Scarlet Lion - Elizabeth Chadwick
Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man - Tamora Pierce
First Test - Tamora Peirce

36. Babe in Boyland - Jody Gehrman
Genre: Gender Bender
Pages: 292
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Natalie writes the relationship column for her high school newspaper. Then she is accused of knowing nothing about guys and giving girls bad relationship advice, so she decides to disguise herself as a guy and spend a week at Underwood Academy, the private all-boys boarding school in town. And in the process, she learns about guys, though in ways she never expected.

Thoughts:
This book was fun. I think I read it in only a few hours straight through. I like gender benders so I picked this book up based on that. It reminded me a little of the movie 'She's the Man' but had it's own charm as well. The beginning chapters gave me slight pause but the modern young adult way of talking is portrayed well in the writing here and soon I was able to immerse myself into teenage world. I liked that Natalie learned more than she went in for and grew because of it. I like her end reasoning, and the end scene was cute if a little predictable. The story itself is fairly predictable but I expected as much in a >300 Kassilem: book. Despite this it was enjoyable; I'm glad I picked it up.

Favorite Line:
'I flash on all my crushes before this, from the unnamable longing I felt for Todd Wright in the fifth grade to the halfhearted interest I took in Paul Pacaud last summer. I wanted them to like me, to lust after me, to worship me, even, but for some reason respect wasn't a huge consideration. I was too busy trying to seem hot to ever be myself. Now, stripped of my lip gloss, my shiny hair, all my girly trappings, the thing I want most from Emilio is for him to get who I am and respect that.'
(Pg. 173)

37. First Test - Tamora Pierce
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 206
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Pierce begins a new sequence of books set in her imaginary kingdom of Tortall with a new heroine, 10-year-old Keladry, who must fight her way through her first year of knight training as a page. Despite Alanna's success years before (recounted in The Lioness Quartet), both the knight trainer, Lord Wyldon, and Kel's fellow pages oppose a girl being introduced into the program, so Kel uses her wits and courage to overcome the many obstacles set for her in her probationary year.

Thoughts:
I loved the Alanna series when I first read it years ago and remember loving this series just as much. I was thinking about it the other day and so I picked it up, knowing it wouldn't take long to reread. It didn't and I enjoyed it the second time around. Kel is a lovable character and any story about knight training hooks me right off the bat. I believe I still enjoyed Alanna a little more than Kel but this fiery ten-year old has her own charm.

Favorite Line:
'"Please shoo," Kel told the birds. "Go see Neal. He'd like some company, I bet."
The flock took off, leaving Crown behind. A moment later Kel heard Neal cry, "Where did these birds come from? They - that tickles!" and Cleon's startled laugh.'
(Pg. 179)

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

38. Soul of the Fire - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 788
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Richard Rahl has traveled far from his roots as a simple woods guide. Emperor of the D'Haran Empire, war wizard, the Seeker of Truth--none of these roles mean as much to him as his newest: husband to his beloved Kahlan Amnell, Mother Confessor of the Midlands. But their wedding day is the key that unlocks a spell sealed away long ago in a faraway country. Now a deadly power pours forth that threatens to turn the world into a lifeless waste. Separated from the Sword of Truth and stripped of their magic, Richard and Kahlan must journey across the Midlands to discover a dark secret from the past and a trap that could tear them apart forever. Their fate has become inextricably entwined with that of the Midlands-and there's no place so dangerous as a world without magic...

Thoughts:
I liked this book even less than the fourth book. It seemed like two stories in one; one about Richard, Kahlan and the chimes, and one about the Anderith people. I could have dealt with the side story if the characters had become important to Richard's story, but they didn't. Most of them die when it's convenient and the one that does live... I'm not sure we will hear about her again. I can't remember. The ending also caused disappointment. It was too quick and not explained well. However there was more interwoven humor in this volume and a very big turning point for Richard. It is also a continuation of a series with a character that I love and so I feel it gets a four star, if barely. I am hoping that the next book is on par with the first three book and not this one. I can't remember completely from my first read of it, so we shall see.

Favorite Line:
'He frowned at her. "What's wrong? Your face is, I don't know... funny-looking."
"Well, thank you."
He turned red. "I didn't mean it looks bad."
(Pg. 634)

39. A Companion to Wolves - Sarah Monette & Elizabeth Bear
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 305
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
This is the story of a young nobleman, Isolfr, who is chosen to become a wolfcarl - a warrior who is bonded to a fighting wolf. Isolfr is deeply drawn to the wolves, and though as his father's heir he can refuse the call, he chooses to go. The people of this wintry land depend on the wolfcarls to protect them from the threat of trolls and wyverns, though the supernatural creatures have not come in force for many years. Men are growing too confident. The wolfhealls are small, and the lords give them less respect than in former years. But the winter of Isolfr’s bonding, the trolls come down from the north in far greater numbers than before, and the holding’s complaisance gives way to terror in the dark. Isolfr, now bonded to a queen wolf, Viradechtis, must learn where his honor lies, and discover the lengths to which he will to go when it, and love for his wolf, drive him.

Thoughts:
I loved this book the first time I read it and nothing has changed this second time. There are many characters that are hard to keep track of but the important characters you come to know fairly well. I love wolves and animal-human bonding so this worked out well for me. The gay-sex scenes are really not that graphic, although some may call rape. However, I believe that it you don't judge what's on the surface and simply take in everything for what it is, you will love the book just as much as I did. Foremost here, this is a fantasy book. And a great one at that. I am eagerly awaiting the second book's arrival.

Favorite Line:
'"If I'd thought Ulfrikr wee serious in his complaints," Ulfbjorn said, "I would have told you. I wanted to spare you worrying aout something that isn't wortg your attention."
Frithulf snorted. Spend some more time with Isolfr and you'll realize just what a lost cause that is. You can't spare him worry, Ulfbjorn. All it does is make him worry about why you're sparing him."'
(Pg. 140)

Looks interesting! The description reminds me of one of the Pern books. . . Dragonflight, I think. Since I loved it, I'm guessing I'll like this as well.

Bonding with dragons? That sounds awesome. I haven't read any of the Pern books but perhaps I should? And I definetly recommend A Companion to Wolves. :)

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Ooooh! I'll have to look into that one :)

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147 - Definetly! It's great

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40. Lords of the White Castle – Elizabeth Chadwick
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 614
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Westminster, 1184-- in the court of King Henry, playful competition is about to turn into something far more serious. Young courtier Fulke FitzWarin would not be an obvious companion for Prince John, but the boy from the Welsh Marches is there as a reward for his family's loyalty to the crown. The FitzWarins are as proud as they are true, and when Fulke is accused by John of cheating during a game of chess, he cannot help but respond. Thus begins a bitter rivalry that will resonate throughout their lives. The FitzWarins dream of reclaiming their family estate and title, Lords of the White Castle. After this quarrel with Fulke, however, John's vindictiveness leads to Fulke renouncing his allegiance and becoming a rebel outlaw. In romance, too, Fulke is no closer to fulfilling his heart's desire. A youthful dalliance means nothing compared to his love for the spirited Maude le Vavasour, but marriage in medieval England is more about alliance than about love, and Fulke can only watch helplessly as Maude's father arranges a more suitable match. After all, what can Fulke offer Maude apart from a lifetime on the run.

Thoughts:
This was a fantastic novel. It was one of Chadwick's longer books and because the story covers over two score years there were times where I became disgruntled that I was still not done with the book; but only brief moments. The story actually had a rather fast pace. Chadwick has a talent for recreating the Middle Ages and incorporating romance into the lives of the names I've only read briefly about. In the history books, these men are known for their heroics and misfortunes. Chadwick give them life, makes them very relatable. I'm still looking forward to the few books of hers I have left to read. :)

Favorite Quote:
‘The priest blessed the couple and gave the Church’s sanction to the union. Bride and groom kissed, their hands bound together by the priest’s stole of office. With smiling eyes, Oonagh stood before Fulke and Maude to receive their congratulations. As Fulke stopped to kiss her cheek, she mischievously turned her head so that their lips met, and then she set her arms around his neck and made sure that the kiss was a full-blooded salute. “In memory of the past,” she said with a coquettish flutter of her eyelashes as she released him.
Fulke inclined his head. “May it be put behind us.”
Beside him, Maude quietly seethed
....
When Jean stooped over Maude to receive her tribute, she embraced him in the manner that Oonagh had embraced Fulke, but with slower deliberation. Fulke looked shocked, but also reluctantly amused
....
“If I had known you would do that to me,” Jean jested, “I would have gotten married years ago!”
(Pg. 492)

41. Fires of Heaven - Robert Jordan
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 992
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, continues his effort to unify the diverse people of a discordant world against the Dark One in this fifth tome of the Wheel of Time series. While the Aes Sedai, women who channel the One Power, and the Forsaken, ancient disciples of the Dark One, strive to bend him to their purposes, Rand leads the clans of the Aiel in a war of unification. Rand must try to master his powers as a man who can channel, while eluding the concomitant madness, as two groups of women attempt to come to his aid. Elayne, Daughter-Heir of Andor, and Nynaeve, both Aes Sedai in training, join a circus to evade an angry sisterhood, and Siuan Sanche, former leader of the Aes Sedai now stripped of her powers, and two companions, seek other rebels in an attempt to avert the final doom.

Thoughts:
I don't think that I've ever had so much trouble trying to determine if I think a book should receive a three star or a four star. I absolutely loved the parts about Rand and Mat but I hated the parts about Egwene, The Wise Ones, or the Aes Sedai. Nyneave has become bearable, although I'm not sure how that happened, and I began to not mind Moirane at all, but while I used to like Egwene, I hate her now. I've always liked Min and Logain as well but their two companions, Siuan and Liliandra, I could do without most of the time. If the book focused only on Rand and Mat I wouldn't hesistate to give this a five star, but alas it does not. Perrin is not even in this book, but there is a lot that happens so I'm not sure Jordan could have fit it in at all. I expect he will be in the fore in the next book. I believe on my first read through this is where I began to skip through some of the women's narratives, since there was a lot I did not remember to this book. Luckily for me I am listening to it this time around as so cannot. These really are some great stories, but I wish Jordan had written his women less grating on the nerve. Regardless, I am determined to get through the next seven (!) books so that I can get to the three concluding books that Brandon Sanderson is writing for the series. I want to see this series to the end; but it's going to take some patience.

Favorite Quote:
Elayne: "You must go to, Thom. And you, Jiulin. There is no point in remaining. We have no need of you now, but Rand will."
Thom: "Perhaps in a few days."
Juilin: "A few days."
Uno: "I could do with a little rest if I'm going to be running from Warders halfway to Cairhien."
Elayne: "If you're think you're still following Rand al'Thor's orders to look after us -"
Nynaeve: "You promised to do as you were told, and I mean to see -"
Thom: "Nothing like that. Nothing at all like. Can't an old man with a limp want a little rest?"
Juilin: "To tell the truth, I am just staying because Thom owes me money. Dice."
(Pg. 772)

Reading Update:

Currently Reading:
Maledicte - Lane Robins
The Scarlet Lion - Elizabeth Chadwick
The Tempering of Men - Sarah Monette & Elizabeth Bear
Thumbs, Toes and Tears: And Other Traits That Makes Us Human - Chip Walter

Currently Listening to:
Faith of the Fallen - Terry Goodkind

Coming Up:
Lord of Choas - Robert Jordan
Prince of Thorns - Mark Lawrence
The Theft of Swords - Michael J. Sullivan
Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick
Pieces of Me - Darlene Ryan *Early Reviewer*

42. Maledicte - Lane Robins
Genre: Gender-Bender, Gothic Fantasy
Pages: 434
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Seething with decadent appetites unchecked by law or gods, the court of Antyre is ruled by the last of a dissolute aristocracy. But now to the kingdom comes a handsome, enigmatic nobleman, Maledicte, whose perfect manners, enchanting charisma, and brilliant swordplay entice the most jaded tastes . . . and conceal a hunger beyond reckoning. For Maledicte is actually a woman named Miranda–a beautiful thief raised in the city’s vicious slums. And she will do anything–even promise her soul to Black-Winged Ani, the most merciless of Antyre’s exiled gods–to reclaim Janus, her first love, whose kidnapping still haunts her dream. As her machinations strike at the heart of Antyre’s powerful noble houses, Miranda must battle not only her own growing bloodlust, but also her lover’s newly kindled and ruthless ambitions. As Ani’s force grows insatiable and out of control, Miranda has no choice but to wield a weapon that may set her free . . . or forever doom her and everything she holds dear.

Thought:
I saw this book years ago when working in a library and noted it as looking interesting. Now, years later, I came across it when looking for a good gender-bender book. I love books about woman disguising themselves as men but I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked this book up. This is more than a story about a woman in man's clothing; this is something much much more. It's more an aside, a convenient ploy. I thought of Maledicte as male more often than not when reading this, and I think that was a deliberate act on Robin’s part. Because this is more than that. This is dark fantasy full of betrayal and vengeance with lyrical prose. It took a chapter or two to become used to, being as lyrical as it is, but it makes this story powerful. It adds to the haughtiness of it all. I had a hard time putting this book down. I was very pleasantly surprised with this find, and have already searched out its sequel which I am awaiting with impatience. Recommended :)

43. The Tempering of Men - Sarah Monette & Elizabeth Bear
Genre: High Fantasy, GLBT
Pages: 305
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
In Iskryne, the war against the Trollish invasion has been won, and the lands of men are safe again…at least for a while. Isolfr and his sister, the Konigenwolf Viradechtis, have established their own wolfhaell. Viradechtis has taken two mates, and so the human pack has two war leaders. And in the way of the pack, they must come to terms with each other, must become brothers instead of rivals--for Viradechtis will not be gainsaid. She may even be prescient. Meanwhile a new danger comes to Iskryne. An army of men approaches, an army that wishes to conquer and rule. The giant trellwolves and their human brothers have never hunted men before. They will need to learn if they are to defend their homes.

Thoughts:
Well, this second book in the series was not what I was expecting. I loved the first A Companion to Wolves and the main character Isolfr and naively at this point, I thought this second book would be from his perspective as well. It was not. At all. Instead it focused on his two wolfjarls and two wolfcarls in the "pack". This ended up giving the reader a sense of how the other characters see Isolfr which was interesting and these four other characters quickly grew on me because of Bear and Monette's writing skill. However the book overall seemed to be half a book. It's a middle book but it almost would have been better to have been longer, connected to the next book somehow, because this feels incomplete. It's only a transition. Still, the writing is great and the little that happens is engaging and fast-paced. Switching between these four characters helped on that front. This book wasn't a disappointment but it was not as good as the first. I'm still looking forward to the next book, hopefully published next year. It looks like it will pick up into the greatness of the first book but we shall have to see.

Favorite Line:
'"Thank you." Brokkolfr sat down facing Isolfr; Amma immediately shoved her head in his lap, closely followed by her front paws and as much of the rest of her as she could manage. "Sister," he said, "you are not a pup. You won't fit."
Amma huffed and settled her weight.
"You won't be going anywhere in a hurry." Isolfr smiled.'
(Pg. 98)

44. Lord of the White Hell: Book One - Ginn Hale
Genre: Gothic Fantasy, GLBT
Pages: 362
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Kiram Kir-Zaki may be considered a mechanist prodigy among his own people, but when he becomes the first Haldiim ever admitted to the prestigious Sagrada Academy, he is thrown into a world where power, superstition and swordplay outweigh even the most scholarly of achievements. But when the intimidation from his Cadeleonian classmates turns bloody, Kiram unexpectedly finds himself befriended by Javier Tornesal, the leader of a group of cardsharps, duelists and lotharios who call themselves Hellions. However Javier is a dangerous friend to have. Wielder of the White Hell and sole heir of a dukedom, he is surrounded by rumors of forbidden seductions, murder and damnation. His enemies are many and any one of his secrets could not only end his life but Kiram's as well.

Thoughts:
This was an enjoyable book. I read most of it last night when I should have been sleeping and went back to finish it today as soon as my prior engagements were through with. The pace is at a comfortable pace, the characters are relatable, the dialogue real, the subject interesting, etc. There is a quiet charm to it all. I've read one other book by Hale, Wicked Gentleman and loved it. I would put this book on par with that one. Just barely under a five star for me. It was very good but there was nothing that set it over that edge. I do not feel the sudden urge to run out to B&N and buy a copy. However, depending on the second installment that could change. It is just barely under that line for me. Very enjoyable.

Favorite Line:
'Scholar Donamillo's tone was much more reserved than Scholar Blasio's, and his expression was stern. Kiram couldn't help but think that the older man had taken a quick dislike to him. Probably because he was supposed to be a gifted thinker and he'd just fallen out of a carriage onto his face.'
(Pg. 12)

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45. Lord of Chaos - Robert Jordan
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 1011
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
On the slopes of Shayol Ghul, the Myrddraal swords are forged, and the sky is not the sky of this world;
In Salidar the White Tower in exile prepares an embassy to Caemlyn, where Rand Al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, holds the throne. In Emond's Field, Perrin Goldeneyes, Lord of the Two Rivers, feels the pull of ta'veren to ta'veren and prepares to march. Morgase of Caemlyn finds a most unexpected, and quite unwelcome, ally, and south lies Illian, where Sammael holds sway.

Thoughts:
This sixth book is the best out of the previous four. It's as good as the first book. Part of that is that Rand narrates much more in this book than he has previously, and I know he's a favorite of many. Also the blunt inequality between women and men is not as prevalent. Only in the last few chapters with the Tower Aes Sedai and Elyane did it begin to grate on me again. I don't know why Jordan stopped that but I hope that he continued to do so in the next books as well. It made the majority of the book very enjoyable, not just half of it. This is a HUGE book, over a thousand pages but with so many characters, it does move fairly fast unless you’re counting pages the whole time. I don't remember what my impression of this book was the first time I read it, but I was very glad that I ended up liking it as much as I did. I hope I am as surprised with the next books as well. Looking forward to the reads.

Favorite Line:
“Women do not become exhausted they only exhaust others."

46. Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 435
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill--and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

Thoughts:
Even though this was a reread, I found I could hardly put it down. Fitz has been a favorite character of mine for years and I enjoyed listening to his story again. The story of a unwanted boy growing up in a castle is not new but even so Hobb made this story unique with her writing style. I can't even pin it down nicely. I just know that instead of reading the few exerts I remembered and wanted to see again, I read the first chapter and decided I must read the whole of it again. I only slightly regret that decision and only then because it kept me up all night and now I have a headache from lack of sleep. :) The characters here are works of art, the writing is full of expression and life, the story flows very well. And okay, I'm a sucker for animal bonding too (I am really looking forward to the next book and NightEyes - the wolf). If you're a fantasy fan and haven't read any of Robin Hobb's books, I highly recommend that you find one in the near future. This is her first book but it is one of my favorites.

Favorite Line:
'Is it the nature of the world that all things seek a rhythm, and in that rhythm a sort of peace? Certainly it has always seemed so to me. All events, no matter how earthshaking or bizarre, are diluted within moments of their occurrence by the continuance of the necessary routines of day-to-day living. men waling a battlefield to search for wounded among the dead will still stop to cough, to blow their noses, still lift their eyes to watch a V of geese in flight. I have seen farmers continue their plowing and planting, heedless of armies clashing but a few miles away.'
(Pg. 45)

Loved Assassin's Apprentice, though seriously... those poor dogs... *sigh*

I'm told the rest of the series is just as depressing, though with less animal death. I want to read it for the brilliant writing, but... but...

ha, yea. The rest of the series is depressing, but there is less animal deaths :)

47. Faith of the Fallen - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 785
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Emperor Jagang is rising once again in the Old World and Richard must face him, on his own turf. Richard is kidnapped into the Old World by Nicci, a Sister of the Dark, while Kahlan, unwilling to heed an ancient prophecy, raises an army and goes into battle against forces threatening armed insurrection in the Midlands. Separated and fighting for their lives, Richard and Kahlan will be tested to the utmost.

Thoughts:
After the last book I wasn't sure what to expect. Even having read this series already I remembered that somehow I hadn't liked this book as much as the first few. I don't know why, because this time I find that this is a very powerful book. Perhaps at the time I did not like the seemingly overbearing philosophy that those in the Old World lived by. This time however, perhaps because I've read more now, perhaps because I've read this book once already, perhaps because I listened to the book this time instead of reading it...whatever reason, I found the book uplifting. I know Richard, I know his ideals and reasoning from previous books, and so while Nicci preached Old World philosophy I knew Richard would show her what life was really about and that made it all the more powerful. I have spent ten hours straight listening to the last twenty chapters of this book, awaiting the liberating end. Perhaps because I did know what happened I was able to pay close attention to all of it together and how it intertwines. Whichever, I like this book even better than I seem to recall liking it. I don't think it takes away from the general plot; with half the book focused on Kahlen and her army's attacks at the Imperial Order and the other on Richard and how he brings hope, reason and pride back to the people in the Old World, there is plenty to pay attention to. I was never bored and always engaged. Richard gives the people faith in themselves but he also gains much from this; all that he lost in the last book he finds again. Here is another turning point crucial in Richard's life. I highly recommend this book, this series, this author. Goodkind will forever be a favorite of mine.

Favorite Quote:
“Your Life is yours alone...Rise up and live it!”

48. Royal Assassin - Robin Hobb
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 675
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Months have passed. Young Fitz has recovered from his harrowing ordeal in the Mountain Kingdom and has returned to Buckkeep to pick up the scattered threads of his existence. Only all is not well in the Six Duchies. The Red-Ship Raiders are growing bolder, forging their victims ever closer to the king, And Fitz himself, embittered from his trials, is beginning to question the validity of his calling, wondering if there isn't some better way to serve his court than by the slaying of its enemies. Still, who better to risk his life spreading poisons among the Forged: a cold and thankless task. But whatever threat the Forged may pose, there is another threat in Fitz's life, in many ways greater and more insidious. For in a world terrified by the mystical powers of the Wit, Fitz has acquired a new companion: Nighteyes, a half-mad wolf pup who refused to be tamed. It's is Fitz's greatest secret, and also his greatest danger, for surely his life would be forfeit were it discovered. And every day, it seems, brings that discovery closer.

Thoughts:
This book is as good as the first Assassin's Apprentice. The most exciting part is his bond with Nighteyes, but there is by far more to this book than just Fitz's Wit ability. Through Ftitz's eyes we see the collapse of the Kingdom, the unbeknownst betrayal of of people to their king and king-in-waiting. We see the un-thanked tasks Verity does for his people, the tricks and danger from Regal, and everywhere we see Fitz, trying to keep his world from crumbling down around him. It is depressing tale, for no matter what he does, Fitz cannot stop it. Hunted and threatened, with only Nighteyes, he loses everything and in the losing discovers the base animal in him. There is no happy ending here. Despite this, or maybe because of it, this has always been the book of the three that I always remember. Fitz is not a hero, he's a man trying to survive. It reminds me of George R R Martin's books and other series where despair threads through the story to a point where you ache as you read them, where your breath shudders out when you turn a page. It makes you wonder why these are the more powerful books that we turn back to again and again. Why do we put ourselves through he misery of watching these characters lose everything? I have no answer, only that these are the books I crave. The books that invoke those strong emotions and heart-tearing affection for the characters. The writing has to be part of it. There has to be really good writing to back up a story like this. Hobb certainly has that. My recommendation, if you read this series, is to have the third book handy when you finish this one. You'll need it.

Favorite Quotes:
'"What do you want?"I demanded, in no mood for his silliness.
He took a deep appreciative sniff. 'Some of what you had would be lovely," he suggested, then danced back gracefully at the look on my face. I was instantly angry. He leaped lightly to the center of my tousled bed, then to the other side, putting it between us. I lunged across it after him. "But not from you," he exclaimed coquettishly and fluttered his hands at me in a girlish rebuke before retreating again.'
(Pg. 281)

49. Assassin's Quest - Rpbin Hobb
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 757
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
King Shrewd is dead at the hands of his son Regal. As is Fitz - or so his enemies and friends believe. But with the help of his allies and his beast magic, he emerges from the grave, deeply scarred in body and soul. The kingdom also teeters toward ruin: Regal has plundered and abandoned the capital, while the rightful heir, Prince Verity, is lost to his mad quest, perhaps to death. Only Verity's return - or the heir his princess carries - can save the Six Duchies. But Fitz will not wait. Driven by loss and bitter memories, he undertakes a quest: to kill Regal. The journey casts him into deep waters, as he discovers wild currents of magic within him, currents that will either drown him or make him something more than he was.

Thoughts:
This book is as depressing as the last one. Again the writing is wonderful, the characterization full of life, the world clear; and a good story. One that concludes the series. It concludes it well, although there is a tinge of being rushed. It leaves you wanting more. The story can't end there, right? Well actually it doesn't, but that is another trilogy written later. But Fitz never gets back all he lost in the previous book. Indeed, some cut even deeper in this book. I do not envy Fitz his life, not at all. Regardless I am drawn to him. I love how his character is written; he is very real. Do not expect a happy ending here either, but perhaps in the second trilogy Fitz will get all he deserves. I cannot remember exactly and so I have already picked up the first book in that series, The Tawny Man series. My fingers are crossed. More than anything, he deserves to be happy. These books are page-turners; they will make you laugh; they will make you cry; they will rend emotions from you. They are not easy reads, but powerful in their own right.

Favorite Line:
'I would kill Regal.
It only seemed fair. He had killed me first.'
(Pg. 52)

50. A Crown of Swords - Robert Jordan
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 896
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, prepares to attack the Forsaken Sammael in Illian and attempts to quell the rebellion by nobles in Cairhien. Egwene al'Vere and Siuan Sanche attempt to manipulate the Aes Sedai rebels in Salidar to move against Elaida's Aes Sedai in the White Tower in Tar Valon. And In the city of Ebou Dar in Altara, Elayne Trakand, Nynaeve al'Meara, Aviendha, and Mat Cauthon search for a ter'angreal, the Bowl of the Winds, to break the unnatural heat brought on by the Dark One's manipulation of climate.

Thoughts:
Hmm. Not much happens here. Jordan has so many characters he's keeping track of that to span the amount of only a month, if that, he takes this whole book. While not much happens, most of it is very important. The end seems a little rushed but only because it has taken two books for Rand to get to Sammael. While some of the women still retain their haughty inequality, most of that has disappeared for which I am grateful for. Now, more often than not, I can laugh out loud when Elayne and Nynaeve interact or when Mat groans about the both of them. Looking forward to getting to the next book.

Favorite Line:
“In a cruel land, you either learned to laugh at cruelty or spent your life weeping.”

51. Pieces of Me - Darlene Ryan
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 232
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Maddie is living on the streets, trying to protect herself and make enough money to get a place to stay and find a way to go back to school. When she meets Q, she is wary but welcomes his friendship. And then she meets Dylan, a six-year-old boy, living on the streets with his family. When Dylan's father asks Maddie to watch the boy for a while, she is happy to help. But Dylan's parents don't come back; and Maddie and Q are left looking after him. Trying to make a life together and care for her makeshift family, Maddie finds that maybe she has to ask for help.

Thoughts:
This was, as I saw someone say, a 'gentle' book about homelessness. I was expecting a very depressing read and while the story certainly isn't one that makes you smile, it had a charm to it. The book is more about love and family than the misery of being homeless, which set it in a different light. The characters are realistic; Maddie gets mad, Q makes mistakes, Dylan pouts and acts like a kid. The writing is clear and simple, the words straight forward. While there was nothing phenomenal about this book, I don't regret reading it. A great book probably for teens.

Favorite Line:
'"Have you noticed people who say money can't buy happiness always have money?"'
(Pg. 37)

52. The Pillars of Creation - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 725
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
A young woman, Darken Rahl's illegitimate daughter Jennsen, flees her home in the wake of murderous forces rising from her lineage. She runs in the shadows of Lord Richard Rahl's domain with a spy sent by Emperor Jagang, the enemy of D'Hara. With his help, she journeys across the entire realm, chasing rumor and misinformation to ultimately discover the truth of her heritage.

Thoughts:
I think Goodkind is trying to show the other side of Richard's rule with this book. We see what the enemy thinks about him. That is interesting in itself but I feel as if the book was too long for something like this. The writing is still excellent and it's a good story but I love these books for Richard and Richard only makes an appearance in the last five chapters. I didn't really like Jensen all that much either. Those five chapters were what made this book for me. I could have gone without the rest, unfortunately. Props to Goodkind for going with it but I found it tedious and not very compelling. I am looking forward to the next book where we get back to Richard, Kahlan and Cara.

Favorite Line:
'"You sue know a lot about magic," Jennsen said to Richard.
Kahlan and Cara laughed so hard that Jennsen thought they might fall off their horses.
"I don't see what's so funny," Richard grumbled.
The two of them laughed all the harder.
(Pg. 725)

53. Lord of the White Hell: Book Two - Ginn Hale
Genre: Gothic Fantasy, GLBT
Pages: 343
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Kiram fought his family and Cadeleonian bigots to remain in the Sagrada Academy to prove himself as a mechanist and to dispel the deadly shadow curse that threatens to destroy his upperclassman, Javier Tornesal. But when his efforts provoke retaliation, Kiram's family and home are endangered. Both Kiram and Javier risk everything in a desperate gambit to combat the curse. But they never imagined their battle with come so soon, or that it would be lead by the one person they trust most of all.

Thoughts:
This is the second half of the Lord of White Hell story by Ginn Hale. It picks right up from the last book, only this book was different than the first. The first was about Kiram and Javier falling in love and this book is about them fighting the world together. Satisfying but the charm of the first book didn't seem as strong here. It's a page-turner - I finished it in two days - and it's enjoyable. Despite me not liking as much as the first I still enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more of Hale's books.

Favorite Quote:
'"No one said anything about conversion." Rafie cut Kiram off. "Not a word."
"No one's said a word about lamb fat either but we're all eating it!"
Alizadeh laughed at this and Rafie gave Kiram a pained scowl.'
(Pg. 155)

54. The Archer's Heart - Astrid Amara
Genre: GLBT, High Fantasy
Pages: 651
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
In the ancient kingdom of Marhavad noblemen dominate the lower castes. For generations the rule of Marhavad's kings has been absolute. But now the line of succession is divided, and whispers of revolution are heard in even the royal palace. Keshan Adaru welcomes these changes. All his life he has foreseen an uprising that will shatter the castes and end the tyranny of the old laws. His visions have driven him but now, at the brink of their fulfillment, he finds himself obsessed with Prince Jandu Paran-- a man whose entire family must be destroyed if the kingdom is to be freed. Tarek Amia would gladly see Jandu Paran brought low. Born the son of a charioteer, Tarek has no love for the royal princes who have slighted and insulted him all his life. Only Keshan's philosophies have elevated him from the brutal ranks of common soldiers. Tarek owes Keshan his devotion, but he is a pragmatic man and when he discovers Keshan's reckless affair he realizes that Keshan may have to be sacrificed for the sake of his own revolution.
Young Prince Jandu Paran has never concerned himself with court intrigue. His life has been dedicated to the lordly art of archery and mastering the immense powers of the shartas. Handsome and arrogant, he is sure that no man can surpass him and yet Keshan Adaru's mere touch brings Jandu to his knees. But his desire for Keshan is more than forbidden; it threatens to destroy Jandu's pride, position and family. In the midst of this turmoil, an unspeakable event forces Jandu to redefine the meaning of honor and loyalty. And now, as armies arise to war, each man must decide where his allegiance lies and what he will sacrifice in his heart and on the battlefield.

Thoughts:
This was a very enjoyable book. I've had it on my 'to read' list for a few years now, but I've had trouble finding it. I finally got my hands on it recently and instantly pounced. From the reviews I read that led me to try to find it I hoped I would find something amazing. Overall, the book didn't quite meet those expectations. There were some editing errors, and Amara wrote many contradictions. She would have Jandu put his hands at his side and then three sentences she would contradict the action. Also some of the story was a little too unbelievable. Just a little more detail or background might have helped. Despite these, the story was great and the characters were lovable. There were tons of laugh out loud moments and twists that brought me to the edge of my seat. I was enchanted by the story and I am very glad I finally got to read it. It's a solid four star. Recommended if you don't mind GLBT fantasy.

Favorite Line:
'"...All I am asking you to do is judge your decisions by your heart. That is all. Every day, ask yourself if you are acting on tradition or if you truly believe in what you are doing. When you do something, is it because it is how you have always done it, or because you feel it in your bones that it is the only choice you can morally make? That's how we all need to live our lives."'
(Pg. 189)

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

55. Don't Let Me Go - J. H. Trumble
Genre: GLBT, Romance
Pages: 337
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Some people spend their whole lives looking for the right partner. Nate Schaper found his in high school. In the eight months since their cautious flirting became a real, heart-pounding, tell-the-parents relationship, Nate and Adam have been inseparable. Even when local kids take their homophobia to brutal levels, Nate is undaunted. He and Adam are rock solid. Two parts of a whole. Yin and yang.
But when Adam graduates and takes an off-Broadway job in New York--at Nate's insistence--that certainty begins to flicker. Nate's friends can't keep his insecurities at bay, especially when he catches Skyped glimpses of Adam's shirtless roommate. Nate starts a blog to vent his frustrations and becomes the center of a school controversy, drawing ire and support in equal amounts. But it's the attention of a new boy who is looking for more than guidance that forces him to confront who and what he really wants.

Thoughts:
Trumble's debut book is amazing. I just finished the last page a few minutes ago and I'm still sitting here in shock that it's over. I got this young adult book on a whim from the library the other day and last night just before I was going to bed I picked it up to read a chapter or two. Two chapters quickly became most of the book. I ended up on the floor under my lamp with my eyes glued to the pages. This book is very real, the characters are very real, the situation is very real. Adam and Nate are very human and I love them for it. I will never forget these two boys. The writing is also excellent; I am looking forward to and book that Trumble comes out with. Highly, highly recommended.

Favorite Line:
'"I'll never understand why some people can't let others live their lives you know," Danial said. "You don't have to understand. You don't have to agree. Just leave people alone. When I look at the moon and planets and stars, all that narrow-mindedness and hate seem so petty. The universe is so big place. One hundred thousand light years just from one end of the Milky Way to the other. One hundred. Thousand. Light years. In the time it's taken for light to travel form one end of our galaxy to the other, thousands of generations have passed. It really makes you realize how small we are, doesn't it? How short our time on earth is."'
(Pg. 183)

56. Naked Empire - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 725
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Ancient sorcerous barriers have been overthrown, freeing the sadistic Imperial Order to pillage the rest of the world. Far from the land he rules, his life and powers draining with each day, Richard Rahl must help a desperate people - and teach them the meaning of freedom. And behind Richard's troubles is a new force: a soul-stealer who rides the minds of birds and beasts to spy on Richard's mind, anticipating his every move.

Thoughts:
I was surprised when I saw some reviews for this book. A lot of people are beginning to not like Goodkind's book. I searched around and I discovered a lot of it was that the books were getting too preachy, too philosophical. Well, I find that I like that about these books. There are some really strong messages in these books and the story is built around that. Maybe the world-building isn't phenomenal but his characters more than make up for that in my mind. I enjoy these books immensely and am looking forward to more.

Favorite Line:
'"Magic exists. It cannot possess the 'right' to exist. To think so would be to ignore the true nature - the reality - of things. People, if they don’t take the lives of others, have the right to their life. You can't say that because you were born with red hair you supplanted the 'right' of brown hair to be born on your head."'
(Pg. 35)

57. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
Genre: Classic, Science Fiction
Pages: 158
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television. When Mildred attempts suicide and Clarisse suddenly disappears, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known.

Thoughts:
I never had to read this book for high school but I knew a lot of people who did have to. When I heard what it was about I thought 'I don't think I'd mind reading that', but it's been a distant thought for years. Well when I saw this on audio book in my library, I decided now was as good a time as any. I'm glad I finally picked it up. It was a very interesting book; short but worth the time of reading it, or in my case listening. I particularly enjoyed listening. The narrator did a fantastic job with inflections and dialogue and colored the whole book for me. And the plot and story seems very relevant to me to today's society. We haven't quite banned books, but there is definitely a lot of censorship in the world. This was written fifty years ago, but a lot of what Bradbury writes about is actually pretty close to what we do have; wall televisions, possibility of robot dogs, etc. Almost the book was too short for me. I would have loved a more fleshed out story. But the shortness of the story adds to its charm. It makes it that glimpse of an event in Montag's life where life begins to seem mad. This is a classic for a reason. I enjoyed it and recommend the book to any and everyone. Preferably on your own time, because you will take out more from the book if you are not being forced to read it. :)

Favorite Line:
"Books were only one type of receptacle where we started a lot of things we were afraid we might forget. There is nothing magical about them at all. The magic is only with what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment."

58. Fool's Errand - Robin Hobb
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 662
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
For fifteen years FitzChivalry Farseer has lived in self-imposed exile, assumed to be dead by almost all who once cared about him. But that is about to change when destiny seeks him once again. Prince Dutiful, the young heir to the Farseer throne, has vanished and FitzChivalry, possessed of magical skills both royal and profane, is the only one who can retrieve him in time for his betrothal ceremony--thus sparing the Six Duchies profound political embarrassment...or worse. But even Fitz does not suspect the web of treachery that awaits him or how his loyalties to his Queen, his partner, and those who share his magic will be tested to the breaking point.

Thoughts:
This is the start to the sequel trilogy of Hobb's earlier Farseer trilogy and it is just as good. As always Hobb's writing style is fantastic. And her characters... Fitz has matured immensely in these books but he is still the same Fitz from the earlier three books. You can see it in how he acts and responds. I love that it is shown and not really told. The book still ends up being depressing like most of Hobb's books are, but I still love them. Some people I saw found the beginning of the book a little slow. I found I liked the re-introduction to Fitz. Granted, the book becomes a 'can't put down!' book after around 200 pages. I found myself once again staying up late into the night and early morning reading because I simply couldn't bear to put it down and go to bed. And I've already read this book once. :) I absolutely love these books and I'm sure I will be rereading them again in another few years. I'm off to pounce on the next book in this Tawny Man trilogy. Highly recommend.

Favorite Quote:
'"What action?"
I shrugged. "If there's a few, we fight. If there's many, we run."
"Complex strategy. Chade taught you well."
(Pg. 504)

59. Golden Fool - Robin Hobb
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 709
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Prince Dutiful has been rescued from his Piebald kidnappers and the court has resumed its normal rhythms. But for FitzChivalry Farseer, a return to isolation is impossible. Though gutted by the loss of his wolf bondmate, Nighteyes, Fitz must take up residence at Buckkeep and resume his tasks as Chade’s apprentice assassin. Posing as Tom Badgerlock, bodyguard to Lord Golden, FitzChivalry becomes the eyes and ears behind the walls. And with his old mentor failing visibly, Fitz is forced to take on more burdens as he attempts to guide a kingdom straying closer to civil strife each day. The problems are legion. Prince Dutiful’s betrothal to the Narcheska Elliania of the Out Islands is fraught with tension, and the Narcheska herself appears to be hiding an array of secrets. Then, amid Piebald threats and the increasing persecution of the Witted, FitzChivalry must ensure that no one betrays the Prince’s secret—a secret that could topple the Farseer throne: that he, like Fitz, possesses the dread “beast magic.” Only Fitz’s enduring friendship with the Fool brings him any solace. But even that is shattered when unexpected visitors from Bingtown reveal devastating secrets from the Fool’s past. Now, bereft of support and adrift in intrigue, Fitz’s biggest challenge may be simply to survive the inescapable and violent path that fate has laid out for him.

Thoughts:
This book is the in between of the three last books about FitzChivarly. It's got less action but is still just as important. There are certain turning points here that are important to the overall story. Hobb was focusing more on character development here. There's still that prevalence of a depressing overture, common for Hobb, but there is less here than in the previous book, and especially the previous three in the first trilogy. Someone said you don't read Hobb's stories, you experience them. I have to wholly agree. The writing is wonderful and it pulls you in very quickly. I am completely invested in these characters. I feel what Fitz feels. I had forgotten that she ties in the Rain Wilds in this book, which is the land that her recent series is based in. After I have finished with the next and last book Fool's Fate I will move back to that series I think since I have yet to finish it. I will read anything Hobb publishes.

Favorite Quote:
'The Queen sighed. "And when those who have suffered your vengeance come seeking from me a vengeance of their own? How then could I turn them aside? You propose that if a man has killed the children of an Old Blood family, then the children of his family should die alongside him. But what of the cousins of those children and their grandparents? Should not they then come before me and ask of me what you now demand? Would they not be just as right in saying that innocents had died in mad persecution?'"
(Pg. 678)

60. What They Always Tell Us - Martin Wilson
Genre: GLBT, Coming of Age
Pages: 288
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
James and Alex have barely anything in common anymore—least of all their experiences in high school, where James is a popular senior and Alex is suddenly an outcast. But at home, there is Henry, the precocious 10-year-old across the street, who eagerly befriends them both. And when Alex takes up running, there is James’s friend Nathen, who unites the brothers in moving and unexpected ways.

Thoughts:
I liked this book a little less this second time reading it. I had forgotten the writing style: 'Alex finds himself in the living room...' instead of 'He found himself in the living room...'. I much prefer the latter although I can't quite pin point why. But despite the odd writing style the story has a charm. It seemed more young adult prone this time around too, but it's still a enjoyable story about a budding romance and two brothers finding companionship again.

61. Peter - Kate Walker
Genre: GLBT, Coming of Age
Pages: 229
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
In order to be accepted by his peers--including a group of rough bikers--Peter, an honor student interested in photography, hides his sensitivity and his reluctance to have sex with a girl he does not love. The discomfort he feels playing the role of tough guy turns to panic when Peter finds himself drawn to David, a gay friend of his older brother. Matters become even more complicated when classmates start calling Peter a "poof" for refusing to break rules set by his mother.

Thoughts:
This is a wonderful little book. The first chapter almost put me off the book but once I got past it the rest unraveled well and had me turning pages non-stop. It's the first book that is written with an Australian vibe to it so some of the jargon I came across was much different than what I'm use to but by the time I was done with this book - I think it took two hours, if that; it's a very little book - I was disappointed that there wasn't more. This is a young adult book so there is only one story here not a couple twined together. We only see a part of Peter's life, but a crucial part. Go, Peter. Best of luck.

Favorite Quote:
'"Your expectations of yourself," he said slowly, "are more important than other people's expectations of fellows in general." We were getting serious now. "What's most important is what individuals want from their relationships with others.... All of us... need to be careful about placing limits on ourselves with labels such as 'straight' or 'gay'. People are far too complex to be categorized narrowly like that. Each one of us is unique..."'
(Pg. 187-188)

62. Leave Myself Behind - Bart Yates
Genre: GLBT, Romance
Pages: 244
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Noah York is a closeted gay teenager with a foul mouth, a critical disposition, and plenty of material for his tirades. After his father dies, Noah's mother, a temperamental poet, takes a teaching job in a small New Hampshire town, far from Chicago and the only world Noah has known. While Noah gets along reasonably with his mother, the crumbling house they try to renovate quickly reveals dark secrets, via dusty Mason jars they discover interred between walls. The jars contain scraps of letters, poems, and journal entries, and eventually reconstruct a history of pain and violence that drives a sudden wedge between Noah and his mother. Fortunately, Noah finds an unexpected ally in J. D., a teenager down the street who has family troubles of his own.

Thoughts:
Reading all the GLBT books I have been reading made me think of this book again. I read it years ago, loved it, and bought it. I liked it just as much this second time around. Noah's critical disposition is not found in lots of narrators and while sometimes you want to shake him and tell him it's okay to break down, other times it creates the comic relief. The writing is wonderful. In all of Yates's books, the writing has been wonderful. And the book is a page turner. Noah being gay does not make this a coming of age story which was also refreshing. I like the books where it's a fact of the story but the story is not based solely on it. Anyways, it's a great story that I highly recommend for anyone.

Favorite Line:
'Some people's lives are so complicated. And do you know what I've realized? That crazy bastard Freud was right. At the root of every major complication, festering beneath the surface like an ingrown hair, is sex. That's hardly an original revelation, I know, but there it is.
Nellie had sex with some guy and look how that ended up. J.D. and I had sex and he got thrown out of his house and we got beaten up. A couple of sex-craved sickos raped Mom and Donna and it messed with their heads and hearts in the worst way. And if there is anybody who thinks that only "immoral" or :abnormal" or non-consensual sex leads to serious problems, take a closer look. Your garden-variety, run-of-the-mill, socially sanctioned sex may not cause as much of a stir, but it wrecks just as much havoc with the participants: possessiveness, power struggles, jealousy, guilt, insecurity, feelings of inadequacy, kids - the list is endless.
So what's the obvious conclusion? Simple. Consensual or not, steeped in love or distorted by hate, sex fucks things up. It's too violate, too all-consuming, too emotionally and spiritually loaded for human beings to handle with any kind of grace.
That's not an indictment. It's just an observation. I for one have no intention of abstaining. Not ever. But I need to keep in mind that there's always a price, and sex had better be fucking great to make it worth my while.'
(Pg. 225)

63. Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You - Peter Cameron
Genre: GLBT, Gothic Fiction
Pages: 229
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
This is the story of James Sveck, a sophisticated, vulnerable young man with a deep appreciation for the world and no idea how to live in it. James is eighteen, the child of divorced parents living in Manhattan. Articulate, sensitive, and cynical, he rejects all of the assumptions that govern the adult world around him--including the expectation that he will go to college in the fall. he would prefer to move to an old house in a small town somewhere in the Midwest. James confides in his sympathetic grandmother, stymies his canny therapist, deplores his pretentious sister, and devises a fake online identity in order to pursue his crush on a much older coworker. Nothing turns out how he'd expected.

Thoughts:
This book took me by surprise. I wasn't really sure what it was going to bring but I was very surprised. It's a small novel and it's not developed like longer books are, but every page, every word blew my breath away. It was very very real. I could see myself in these pages. James and I are not identical but we share a lot in common and being able to read his story was something I had never thought possible. How does an author capture all the impossible thoughts, the inner struggles? Cameron does this very well; perhaps by calling it as it is and not over analyzing it. I'm not sure entirely, but however he does it, it is a great success. I am so glad I found this book. It makes me feel as if I'm not so alone with how I feel some days. Recommended.

Favorite Line:
'The majority of the world's conflicts, past and present, are all caused by religious intolerance.'
(Pg. 41)

'"So," he said, after he had taken a bite "you're not going to tell me?"
"Not going to tell you what?"
"Whether or not you're gay."
"No," I said. "Why should I? Did you tell your parents?"
"I wasn't gay," said my father. "I was straight."
"So, what, if you're gay you have a moral obligation to inform your parents and if you're straight you don't?"
(Pg. 32)

64. The Path of Daggers - Robert Jordan
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 704
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Elayne, Nynaeve, and Aviendha work towards using the Bowl of the Winds to undo the unnaturally hot weather pattern. Perrin is sent to Ghealdan by Rand to stop Masema, the self-proclaimed Prophet of the Dragon. Egwene leads the rebel Sitters towards a seige on the White Tower. And Rand al’Thor, with his Asha’man and Illianers, decides to repel the immense Seanchan invasion into Altara.

Thoughts:
Okay, well I'd like to give this a four star but I'm not sure I can. The parts where Rand is fighting the Seanchan could maybe get a four star but even those battles lacked much. For the rest, there are too many characters now to keep track of now. Mostly all scenes are written for a reason, I can see that, but I'm simply not all that interested in those other characters and their narrations. The last third of the book was better but the majority of the book was not on par with Jordan's books from the beginning of the series. Hoping the next book is a little better.

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

65. Fool's Fate - Robin Hobb
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 914
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Assassin, spy, and Skillmaster, FitzChivalry Farseer, now known only as man-at-arms Tom Badgerlock, has become firmly ensconced in the queen’s court at Buckkeep. Only a few are aware of his fabled, tangled past—and the sacrifices he made to survive it. And fewer know of his possession of the Skill magic. With Prince Dutiful, his assassin-mentor Chade, and the simpleminded yet strongly Skilled Thick, FitzChivalry strives to aid the prince on a quest that could ultimately secure peace between the Six Duchies and the Outislands—and win Dutiful the hand of the Narcheska Elliania. For the Narcheska has set the prince on an unfathomable task: to behead a dragon trapped in ice—the legendary Icefyre, on the island of Aslevjal. Yet not all the clans of the Outislands support the prince’s effort to behead their legendary defender. Are there darker forces at work behind the Narcheska’s imperious demand? As the prince and his coterie set sail, FitzChivalry works behind the scenes, playing nursemaid to the ailing Thick, while striving to strengthen their Skill—ultimately bringing his unacknowledged daughter into the web of the Skill magic, where the truth must finally unfold. The quest emerges amid riddles that must be unraveled, a clash of cultures, and the ultimate betrayal. For knowing that the Fool has foretold he will die on the island of ice, FitzChivalry has plotted with Chade to leave his dearest friend behind. But fate cannot so easily be defied.

Thoughts:
This is my favorite out of the three Tawny Man series. Things are made right here; things put back in place and characters reunited. You almost forget that Fitz gave his pain to the waking of a dragon and only when he gets it back do you realize, with him, all that he has been missing in his life and while he has acted the way he has. Fitz finally gets his happy ending here. Hobb does this really well in all her books. They are usually depressing as hell but they always have happy endings at the very end. Her writing is fantastic as always, and her characters believable. I will be reading all the books she will publish. Her newest series of the Rain Wilder Dragons is the next and last series I have yet to get it and the first book in already on my desk waiting. I'm looking forward to it.

Favorite Line:
'"Humanity fears no rivals. You have forgotten what it was to share the world with creatures as arrogantly superior as yourselves. You think to arrange the world to your liking. So you map the land and draw lines across it, claiming ownership simply because you can draw a picture of it. The plants that grow and the beasts that rove, you mark as your own, claiming not only what lives today, but what might grow tomorrow, to do with as you please. Then, in your conceit and aggression, you wage wars and slay one another over the lines you have imagined on the world's surface."'
(Pg. 74)

66. At Swim, Two Boys - Jamie O'Neill
Genre: GLBT, Historical Fiction, Romance
Pages: 572
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Set during the year preceding the Easter Uprising of 1916 -- Ireland's brave but fractured revolt against British rule. Jim Mack is a naïve young scholar and the son of a foolish, aspiring shopkeeper. Doyler Doyle is the rough-diamond son -- revolutionary and blasphemous -- of Mr. Mack's old army pal. Out at the Forty Foot, that great jut of rock where gentlemen bathe in the nude, the two boys make a pact: Doyler will teach Jim to swim, and in a year, on Easter of 1916, they will swim to the distant beacon of Muglins Rock and claim that island for themselves. All the while Mr. Mack, who has grand plans for a corner shop empire, remains unaware of the depth of the boys' burgeoning friendship and of the changing landscape of a nation.

Thoughts:
This was not what I was quite expecting. The first page almost put me off until I realized it was Irish jargon filling up the page that was confounding me. On top of the confusing terms, the language is very lyrical so for a while there I simply gaped at what I had picked up. This was written in 2002 but it doesn't seem like that. It seems rather that it was written then, in 1916. After a few pages you get used to the expressions and figure out what most of them mean. And while the three leads in this book are gay the story hardly focuses its attention on that; there is much more history here. I know hardly anything of the Irish or their revolt against the British so that also made the reading slow and a little tedious. Really, I needed to know a little before this book because some of it was very confusing for me. The one thing here was that I was only really interested in Jim, Doyler and MacMurrough so the other secondary characters were more of an intrusion for me. I feel like I should come back and reread this again in a few years when I can take it more slowly and appreciate all aspects. There is too much too get in one reading. Paying attention to one thing and you miss all these other aspects. It's a book that deserves a reread. It's a wonderful book, I can see that. Only at this time in my current mood it was too high a reach and I feel I only got part of the story. It took ten years for O'Niell to write this and I can see why. There is much to ponder here, and I will be back, I'm sure, to try to grasp those I missed this time.

Favorite Line:
'"The world would say that we did not exist, that only our actions, our habits, were real, which the world called our crimes or our sins. But Scrotes began to think that we did indeed exist. That we had a nature our own, which was not another's perverted or turned to sin. Our actions could not be crimes, he believed, because they were the expression of a nature, or an existence even. Which came first, he asked, the deed or the doer? And he began to answer that, for some, it was the doer."
(Pg. 255)

67. Winter's Heart - Robert Jordan
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 800
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
The warmongering Seanchan are pouring into Ebou Dar, setting refugees in flight and complex schemes in fidgety motion. Perrin Aybara is distracted from his mission to shepherd the prophet Masema to Rand when he pursues the rebel Aiel who have kidnaped his wife, Faile. The mystical sisterhood of the Aes Sedai remain divided between Elaida, pretender to the title of the White Tower, and Egwene al'Vere, ally to Elayne, Queen of Andor. Elayne, Rand's lover, barely escapes poisoning, and Rand himself, still smarting from the unhealed wound of an assassination attempt, shapeshifts through a variety of disguises to pass unnoticed in hostile territories.

Thoughts:
Well... we know Jordan can do better than this. But next to the last book this is not too bad. I must have been skipping quite a bit in this book the last time I went through this series because I don’t remember much of the story here, not even the relatively more exciting end. But listening to the story this time I was able to get through it fairly quickly. The woman are still over the top, but more manageable. There are still too many names that sound similar to keep track of and certain main characters are left out for the sake of getting all Jordan wanted into this story. Despite all these downsides, I still like the overall story. Jordan’s taking a long time getting through it but listening to the books practically one after the other helps me realize that it all does connect; just not very quickly. Anyways, I’m glad this one was better than the previous one and I’m looking forward to finding out, re-remembering, what takes place in the next book. It’s only two more and then I’m finally on the last three of the series that Sanderson wrote. Really looking forward to that.

68. Fracture - Megan Miranda
Genre: Gothic Fantasy
Pages: 264
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine - despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it? Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

Thoughts:
I love it when this happens. You pick a book up randomly from the library shelf glance briefly at the back blurb, decide it sounds interesting, and take it home with you on the off chance that you'll have time to pick it up. And then when you do it turns out to be a wonderful book. Since the book wasn't too long I decided I'd read a little of it after finishing my other book and instead I was practically sucked in. The idea of brain damage and recovering from that is slightly fascinating since the brain is such an essential part of ourselves and we don't really notice that until suddenly it doesn't work right. So that drew me right in. The interaction between Delaney and Decker also drew me right in. I immediately hoped they would get together. There's also good amount of suspense; not too much but not too little. This is Miranda's first book and while there were a few loose ends not tied up I thought that it was a good debut. I look forward to seeing what other books she comes out with.

Favorite Line:
'I slowed the words down, more sure of myself this time. "If you had one day left to live, what would you do?"
He tilted his head to the side. "I don't do hypotheticals."
But it wasn't a hypothetical. Really, it wasn't even a question. Decker didn't know which day would be his last. Carsen didn't. Troy didn't. I didn't. It might just be today. So I said, "Do it."
(Pg. 261)

You've been tearing through the books recently. I love it when I pick up a book that I have no expectations for and it surprises me with a great read.

Fracture looks very interesting! On to the tbr it goes!

Judy - :) Yes. I should be focusing on my upcoming exams but instead I can't seem to stop reading. I must be in one of those weird moods where you just can't get enough of having a book in your hands. And hear, hear to your second statement! I got lucky last year with that so I was hoping the same would happen this year. There's been less but they still pop up once in a while. And becasue they are implusive grabs that always seems to make them that much more special :)

Katie - It was very good! :) And it's given me a few other books to put on my own TBR. haha

69. Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver
Genre: Gothic Fantasy
Pages: 470
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life? Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Thoughts:
An entertaining read. This was another book I grabbed on an impulse. It was displayed as a nominee for good teen books and the blurb on the back of Sam reliving one day over and over again caught my attention. It was interesting to see how Sam deals with it, how her emotions swing back and forth, and watching her learn and really look at who she is. The first part of the book reminded me painfully of high school. In that regard it was fairly spot on. But the second half, where Sam begins to look deeply at what she's done and not done, it moves from a high school drama story to heart-tearing story of redemption. There was nothing enormously powerful here but it has a charm. I read the book in practically one sitting. The ending was and wasn't what I was expecting. After a while I could see what Sam was planning, and it works well for an ending but it doesn't sit perfectly well for me. I'm not sure why exactly but I feel I'm missing something. There's gotta be more. Only there isn't. Maybe it's up to my interpretation. Nonetheless it was a fun read and I may come back to Oliver later on.

Favorite Line:
'"It's never too late."'
(Pg. 469)

70. Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick
Genre: Gothic Fantasy
Pages: 391
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. At least, not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and probing eyes, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure who to trust—she can’t decide whether she should fall into Patch’s arms or run and hide from him. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth more unsettling than any feeling Patch evokes. For Nora stands amid an ancient battle between the immortal and those who have fallen—and choosing the wrong side will cost her life.

Thoughts:
I got on a fallen angel kick recently. I can't remember how but somehow I got the urge. I'd seen this book briefly pop up on Amazon so when I saw it sitting on the library shelf I picked it up and tried it. I think it would have been okay staying on the library shelf. I think the only thing that kept me reading was the suspense of figuring out how everything related. The writing is not so bad, but the story left me blinking in confused disappointment. The characters are mostly flat; it's all the action that seems to give them life. Take that away and there's no character development here. Patch rubbed me the wrong way. I wanted to like him but I didn't most of the time, and Nora annoyed me half the time. Vee I didn't like. I did like Elliott until halfway through. There are too many twists and turns and it makes for a less than smooth reading. Props on the idea and the attempted story but it didn't pull through for me. But, okay, not horrible either. So, three stars: it was okay.

Favorite Line:
'"You're not invisible?" I squeaked. "You have to get out of here!" I made a movement to push Patch off the bed but was cut short by a searing jab in my ribs. 'She'll kill me if she finds you in here. Can you climb a tree? Tell me you can climb a tree!"
Patch grinned. "I can fly."
Oh. Right. Well, okay.
(Pg. 384)

I got on a fallen angel kick a little while back too. I think my favorite so far is Angelfall by Susan Ee. It's the beginning of a series. Unfortunately, it's the only one out right now.

I thought Before I Fall was an engaging book, though a little predictable.

Katie - I looked at my library but they don't have it. I'll have to try interlibrary loan, because it does look good. Thanks for the reccomendation. :)

Rachel - That's a good way to describe it. Engaging but predictable. I suddenly want to read a really good young adult romance. haha.

71. Crossroads of Twilight - Robert Jordan
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 846
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Fleeing from Ebou Dar with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine Moons, Mat Cauthon learns that he can neither keep her nor let her go, not in safety for either of them. Perrin Aybara seeks to free his wife, Faile, a captive of the Shaido, but his only hope may be an alliance with the enemy. At Tar Valon, Egwene al'Vere lays siege to the heart of Aes Sedai power. In Andor, Elayne Trakland fights for the Lion Throne that is hers by right, but enemies and Darkfriends surround her, plotting her destruction. Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn himself, has cleansed the Dark One's taint from the male half of the True Source, and everything has changed. Yet nothing has, for only men who can channel believe that saidin is clean again, and a man who can channel is still hated and feared - even one prophesied to save the world. Now, Rand must gamble again, with himself at stake, and he cannot be sure which of his allies are really enemies.

Thoughts:
I like that this book focused on all the big characters in one book but each gets many chapters (except Rand; he's been put on the back burner here) so it makes for many plots stacked on next to each other. I don't like have the characters anymore - you can take a guess: the women - so half the book I wished had been condensed. But you have to admit, Jordan pays attention to the details and settings. Things seem to be coming to a head slowly, I can see it, but there are a lot of small events to slog through, and yet more in the next book. There are flaws, and there are rewards. It's a hate-love relationship. I'm interested in the overall story and I am looking forward to seeing how it comes to an end.

Reading Udate: :)

Currently Reading:
Dragon Keeper - Robin Hobb
Watching Jimmy - Nancy Hartry
Valley of Horses- Jean M. Auel
Middlesex - Jeffery Eugenides
City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

Currently Listening to:
Chainfire - Terry Goodkind

Coming Up:
Nightshade - Andrea Cremer
Sophie's World - Jostein Gaarder
Shattering Glass - Gail Giles
Something Like Summer - Jay Bell

Plus all the anthropology books I'm looking at. Gosh!

Audio books in line:
Side Jobs - Jim Butcher
The Knife of Dreams - Robert Jordan
The Law of Nines - Terry Goodkind

Your reading calendar looks pretty full! I usually read two books at the same time, and often find myself with three on the go but after than I would get too confused. Do you read a certain number of chapters from each one, or just read them randomly?

I don't usually read this many at once. :) I'm in insane mode. Usually what happens is I start one or two and then others that I've requested come in so then I try to juggle them based on due dates and if they renew or not. And sometimes I read a page or two and just get sucked in. This just happened today. I had a interlibrary loan come in, I read one page in curiousity and now I'm thinking that's the one I'll finish first. What Im going to attempt to do is take them one at a time if I can cuz it does get confusing when there are too many stories running around in my head. But those are the ones that I have read some of and have bookmarks poking out of :)

Oh, I see now. I often feel like that when I get a whole bunch of library books in at once, and then I feel guilty that i'm not reading any from my own shelves and before I know it, I am reading three books at once!

haha. exactly right? That's why I made a goal to finish all the books I own this week and put the list up top. I think I've gone through half, but I keep thinking of that other half :)

72. Clicking Beat on the Brink of Nada – Keith Hale
Genre: GLBT
Pages: 189
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
A haunting vision of young friendship shattered by an outrageously cruel world.

Thoughts:
This was an interesting book. The characters were fairly real and the story had tons of unpredicted twists that keep me wondering. I guess I wish there had been more character development but the book would have had to be longer and more involved for that to work. For a short read it was nice, and had some thought provoking ideas twined in all those twists. Praise for Hale.

Favorite Line:
‘”Have you been goin’ to bed at a decent hour?”
“All Gid’s hours are decent, Mother.”’
(Pg. 131)

73. Something Like Summer – Jay Bell
Genre: GLBT, Romance
Pages: 279
Rating: 5 Stars!

Summary:
Love, like everything in the universe, cannot be destroyed. But over time it can change. The hot Texas nights were lonely for Ben before his heart began beating to the rhythm of two words; Tim Wyman. By all appearances, Tim had the perfect body and ideal life, but when a not-so-accidental collision brings them together, Ben discovers that the truth is rarely so simple. If winning Tim's heart was an impossible quest, keeping it would prove even harder as family, society, and emotion threaten to tear them apart.

Thoughts:
This was an amazing book! The writing was wonderful; I read the first page and just had to read more after that. And that turned into a nine hour marathon of reading this book. Non-stop. I couldn’t put it down. The characters are all fantastic and the story kept me entertained the whole nine hours. I’m going to go find the other books Jay Bell has written because I’ve been missing out. This book is highly recommended for any who like GLBT. 

Favorite Quote:
‘Why couldn’t people’s insides match their outsides? The world would be such a wonderful place if the nicer someone was the more beautiful they became.’
(Pg. 20)

74. Chainfire - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 768
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
After being gravely injured in battle, Richard awakes to discover Kahlan missing. To his disbelief, no one remembers the woman he is frantically trying to find. Worse, no one believes that she really exists, or that he was ever married. Alone as never before, he must find the woman he loves more than life itself....if she is even still alive. If she was ever even real.

Thoughts:
This is a fantastic book. After the last two books, it really picks the series back up. It's back on par with the first two books in the series. You really feel for Richard here, so much that you hurt when he hurts. Really that's been the case throughout the series because Goodkind's characterization is just that good, but here it is very prevalent. Richard suffers here and the reader can't help but feel for him. The writing is also really good, like always. However this is the one book where I really can't stand some of the characters (Cough** Ann and Verna). This is a powerful book, and while some people are looking for different things and might like this is a mediocre book but it has all that I liked in the previous series. Looking forward to the next book.

75. Shattering Glass – Gail Giles
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 215
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Fat, clumsy Simon Glass is a nerd, a loser who occupies the lowest rung on the high school social ladder. Everyone picks on him -- until Rob Haynes shows up. Rob, a transfer student with charisma to spare, immediately becomes the undisputed leader of the senior class. And he has plans for Simon. Rob enlists the help of his crew -- wealthy, intellectual Young, ladies' man Bob, and sweet, athletic Coop -- in a mission: Turn sniveling Simon from total freak to would-be prom king. But as Simon rises to the top of the social ranks, he shows a new confidence and a devious side that power-hungry Rob did not anticipate. And when Simon uncovers a dangerous secret, events darken. The result is disquieting, bone-chilling...and brutal.

Thoughts:
This is a chilling book. It was recommend for Endgame which was also a chilling book so it makes sense. There’s no happy ending. This is about the demons everyone has inside themselves. Its set in high-school with high-school boys but the idea itself extends pretty far. The formatting was interesting, giving plenty of foreshadowing. We’re not really told what happens after that fatal night but by the quotes from characters in the beginning of each chapter we’re giving glimpses. It was well written for young adult. While I’m certainly not invested in any of these characters, with the exception of perhaps Young, this story will haunt me for weeks to come. It was a thought provoking and powerful book.

76. Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files - Jim Butcher
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 432
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Here, together for the first time, are the shorter works of #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher-a compendium of cases that Harry and his cadre of allies managed to close in record time. The tales range from the deadly serious to the absurdly hilarious. Also included is a novella exclusive to this collection that takes place after the cliff-hanger ending of the April 2010 hardcover, Changes.

Thoughts:
I love Jim Butcher. I hove his characters. I absolutely can't wait for his newest book Cold Days at the end of November. So when I saw this collection of his short stories on audio book I decided I would probably love this one too. I did. It's been around a year since I've read his series so I had to go find general summaries online to refresh my memory. Now, after that and listening to these short stories interspersed throughout the series I want to go back and reread all the books. :) Well that probably won’t happen in the next year but I can see it happening soon after that. I can't pinpoint exactly how Butcher does it but he's hooked me onto his books. You'd think that after 13 books, the series would drag a little or get old. But it doesn't. It just keeps getting better. I think Butcher is the kind of writer that gets better with every book he writes. I enjoyed these short stories and now I'm even more ready for his newest book. Can't wait!

77. Watching Jimmy - Nancy Hartry
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 152
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
With shocking candor, Carolyn relates what really happened to her best friend, Jimmy, when his uncle chose the perfect time to teach him a lesson he would never forget. The truth is Jimmy didn't fall from a swing like Uncle Ted claims. Carolyn knows - she saw everything. With the dreadful secret locked away, Carolyn walks an emotional tightrope. No matter what else is happening in this post-war era, she must keep an eye on her now poor, brain-damaged Jimmy. But when Uncle Ted threatens his beleaguered family with even more abuse and the loss of their home, Carolyn must find the courage to match wits with him and to speak out, using the truth as her only weapon.

Thoughts:
This was a short story and easy to get through. I generally don't prefer small stories because I love detail and character growth, but this small book had its charm. The story was too the point and had a nice ending. I believe it is categorized as a children's book and if so it is definitely an intense read. Not bad.

78. The Law of Nines - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Thriller
Pages: 512
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Turning twenty-seven may be terrifying for some, but for Alex, a struggling artist living in the midwestern United States, it is cataclysmic. Inheriting a huge expanse of land should have made him a rich and happy man; but something about this birthday, his name, and the beautiful woman whose life he just saved, has suddenly made him—and everyone he loves—into a target. A target for extreme and uncompromising violence.

Thoughts:
I finally got this book. Ever since Goodkind published it I've been meaning to read it. I prefer his Sword of Truth series, but his writing is great and I thought I'd give it a try. This is more of a thriller than an urban fantasy, and while it 'nod's it's head' at Goodkind's Sword of Truth series, it's a great stand alone. Some reviewers said the book had a slow start but I didn't notice. It gave me a chance to get to know Alex Rahl. It was an interesting book. Now I'm back on track for reading anything of Goodkind's. :)

79. Nightshade - Andrea Cremer
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 454
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Calla is the alpha female of a shape-shifting wolf pack. She is destined to marry Ren Laroche, the pack's alpha male. Together, they would rule their pack together, guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But then, Calla saves a beautiful human boy, who captures her heart. Calla begins to question everything - her fate, her existence, and her world and the orders the Keepers have asked her to follow. She will have to make a choice. But will she follow her heart if it means losing everything, including her own life?

Thoughts:
I almost gave this book a three star. Only I want to get my hands on the next book. If I want to continue the series general it's a little higher than 'it was okay'. So it was borderline. It's borderline because I had a few problems with the book. One is that the book was a bit too predictable. Another is Calla's meltiness for both Shay and Ren. For one I can understand. For both I can even accept if there was more depth and growth to it. Perhaps I was hoping for too much when I picked it up. As a young adult book it was entertaining and gripping; about right for a audience who doesn’t like too much detail. For me I either have to have the detail or a story that a little more simple that it doesn't need the detail. This one was in the middle. There was a lot of potential but it's stuck in the young adult genre. I admit, nothing wrong with that. I simply prefer more meat. Otherwise, it's an intriguing story. I'm off to find the next book to get the rest of the story.

I just finished Watching Jimmy as well for the ER program. I thought the book was very well done, except I couldn't quite get my head around this it was supposedly aimed at children. It just seemed a little too dark, but I could see that it would make a great jumping off book for discussion.

I got the same feeling that it was a bit too much for a child. But maybe a fifth or sixth grader or a child in middle school. I agree that it could work really well as a group read. :) I didn't think of that.

80. Dragon Keeper – Robin Hobb
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 474
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Too much time has passed since the powerful dragon Tintaglia helped the people of the Trader cities stave off an invasion of their enemies. The Traders have forgotten their promises, weary of the labor and expense of tending earthbound dragons who were hatched weak and deformed. If neglected, the creatures will rampage—or die—so it is decreed that they must move farther upriver toward Kelsingra, the mythical homeland whose location is locked deep within the dragons’ uncertain ancestral memories. Thymara, an unschooled forest girl, and Alise, wife of an unloving and wealthy Trader, are among the disparate group entrusted with escorting the dragons to their new home. And on an extraordinary odyssey with no promise of return, many lessons will be learned—as dragons and tenders alike experience hardships, betrayals and joys beyond their wildest imaginings.

Thoughts:
This is a slow book. I remember picking it up earlier this year, or maybe it was sometime last year, and got halfway through before I set it aside and never got back to it. Luckily I remembered most of the first half so when I picked it back up this month I only had half a book to finish. Generally Hobb’s books are all slow. Hobb focuses more on character development and less on action filled scenes. I loved that aspect in her Farseer and Tawny Man series because I loved Fitz and wanted every detail I could get. Here I didn’t like the characters as much. Each one has their downfalls. Not as characters, but as people; this is overall great because that makes them very human and very realistic. But it does cause mix feelings of endearment. Hobb has always given readers the unflattering aspects of life, which I always admire. These aren’t heroes, just people trying to survive in a harsh reality. I’m looking forward to the next book even though I’m sure that one will also take a little bit to get through. While I don’t have much time to give it, going to school as I am, I love Hobb’s writing enough that I’d like to make time for it.

Favorite Line:
‘It was strange, she thought, how a little rough living made her feel so much more in control of her life.’
(Pg. 260)

81. Knife of Dreams – Robert Jordan
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 1000
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
The dead are walking, men die impossible deaths, and it seems as though reality itself has become unstable: All are signs of the imminence of Tarmon Gai’don, the Last Battle, when Rand must confront the Dark One. But Rand dares not fight until he possesses all the surviving seals on the Dark One’s prison and has dealt with the Seanchan, Unbeknownst to Rand, Perrin has made his own truce with the Seanchan. It is a deal made with the Dark One, in his eyes, but he will do whatever is needed to rescue his wife, Faile, and destroy the Shaido who captured her. Fleeing Ebou Dar through Seanchan-controlled Altara with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine Moons, Mat attempts to court the woman to whom he is half-married, knowing that she will complete that ceremony eventually. But Tuon coolly leads him on a merry chase as he learns that even a gift can have deep significance among the Seanchan Blood and what he thinks he knows of women is not enough to save him. In Caemlyn, Elayne fights to gain the Lion Throne while trying to avert what seems a certain civil war should she win the crown and in the White Tower, Egwene struggles to undermine the sisters loyal to Elaida from within.

Thoughts:
I’ve finally caught up to where I had stopped years ago while waiting for the next book. Turns out the next book is the first Sanderson writes for the series, so I’m excited to see how that transition works out. This book was a little better than the last one but I still find myself not interested in a lot of the characters. Some I can’t stand and have a hard time reading/listening to their POVs. If the book was all from Rand’s perspective I’d be in love with the story. It used to be the same for Mat and Perrin. But I don’t like Tuon who is always with Mat now and I don’t really like Faille so Perrin’s parts slipped down too. Even when Faillie wasn’t with Perrin in this volume, I didn’t feel like his story was as interesting as his had been before. I think it must be the dragging on with too much detail that getting to me. Rand is still my favorite but everyone else just grates on my nerves. They’d be okay and then they’d say something or they’d react to what someone else says and I’d just want to take a break. These last few books need to be read by a group and then discussed afterwards. There’s a lot that happens, and while that’s great if you can’t get enough of it but it does case for a little disinterest. And a little disinterest can lead to more disinterest. I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes. I give props to Robert Jordan and I grieved when he died, but I’m looking forward to the end. So let’s bring in Sanderson’s last three books to conclude. :)

82. WolfsBane - Andrea Cremer
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 390
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer, one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack - and the man - she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

Thoughts:
I liked this book more than the first one, Nightshade. There was less romance and more action. I have nothing against romance but the romance in these books rubs me the wrong way. I don't like that Calla melts with just a kiss. Although she is only seventeen or eighteen; maybe that's why? Either way, it seems too stereotyped for me. I would have preferred her to have more discipline. She does with everything else in her life. The books are easy to get through and don't take too long due to larger print, and the story is gripping enough that I wanted to keep reading and finish the book. I'm still very interested in seeing where the story goes, so I'm looking forward to the next book. I still like Ren. I hope that plot line works out favorably. If you’re a sucker for werewolves, give this series a try.

83. Bloodrose - Andrea Cremer
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 406
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping her brother, Ansel, safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

Thoughts:
Predictable end. It's been about a day since I finished it and that is all I can really think about when looking back on it. There was the typical love triangle (which bugged me anyways) but I was hoping that while that was typical, Cremer would give us a twist for the end. But no, it was a typical ending for a typical love triangle. As a young adult book it was entertaining but beyond that I didn't get much out of the three books. It was engaging enough that I wanted to read the whole series and see what happened but now that I've read it I have no problem moving on. Props for the idea.

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

84. The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Greek Mythology
Pages: 372
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful— irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath. They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

Thoughts:
I've been reading Homer in my Literature class for the last month and it has caused my interest in mythology to come streaking back. I can't remember where or how I found this book but I am glad I did. It's never said specifically in Homer that Achilles and Patroclus were lovers but there are plenty times where it can be interpreted as such. I have always preferred that interpretation so the idea of the war as seen by Patroclus was very appealing. I have never read anything from his perspective before and was hoping for a good retelling of the myth. It was. Because most everyone knows the Trojan War myth it is sometimes hard to retell it and keep the audience engaged. I found that even though I had read expects of Homer's epic just a few weeks ago, Miller's retelling kept me just as engaged. The way she tells the myth, the language and the perspective she uses, were all new. I really enjoyed the book. It has certainly increased my interest in the epic myths. I am now trying to find as many as I can, retelling and translations both. If you like Greek history/mythology at all I highly recommend this book.

Favorite Quote:
'Chiron had said once that nations were the most foolish of mortal inventions. "No man is worth more than another, wherever he is from."
"But what if he is your friend?" Achilles had asked him, feet kicked up on the wall of the rose-quartz cave. “Or your brother? Should you treat him the same as a stranger?"
"You ask a question that philosophers argue over," Chiron had said. "He is worth more to you, perhaps. But the stranger is someone else's friend and brother. So, which life is the more important?"
I know, now, how I would answer Chiron. I would say: there is no answer. Whichever you choose, you are wrong.'
(Pg. 298)

85. Phantom - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 673
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
On the day she awoke remembering nothing but her name, Kahlan Amnell became the most dangerous woman alive. For everyone else, that was the day that the world began to end. As her husband, Richard, desperately searches for her he knows that if she doesn't soon discover who she really is, she will unwittingly become the instrument that will unleash annihilation. But Kahlan learns that if she ever were to unlock the truth of her lost identity, then evil itself would finally possess her, body and soul.
If she is to survive in a murky world of deception and betrayal, where life is not only cheap but fleeting, Kahlan must find out why she is such a central figure in the war-torn world swirling around her. What she uncovers are secrets darker than she could ever have imagined.

Thoughts:
Once again I love these characters and plot lines. I think the story is portrayed as very real while still being epic. This book I enjoyed but as many people there wasn’t much that happened. When that doesn’t happen Goodkind is great at giving us character development instead but there wasn’t much of that here either. It seems to be more of a transitionary book, the weak middle book between he really good first and third. The first is a favorite of mine and I remember the third being very good as well. These last books bring back the edge where someone with a weak stomach may have a hard time reading certain scenes. It’s been prevalent but in the first few books and these last books it is seen more often. People do cruel things to people and not much is held back in this rendition of life in the Midlands and Old World. I still enjoyed the book. My one recommendation is to not read the book when you are in a bad mood because it will cause that bad mood to plummet even further :) Other than that, I will always recommend this series to anyone.

Favorite Line:
‘“The very fact that the unknowable is unknowable is what they claim gives faith its virtue and makes it sacrosanct. After all, what would be the virtue in faith if that in which we have faith could be known? A person who can maintain absolute faith without any proof whatsoever must possess profound virtue. As a consequence, only those who take the leap of faith off the bedrock of the tangible into the emptiness of the imperceptible are righteous and worthy of an eternal reward.
“It’s as if you are told to leap from a cliff and have faith that you can fly, but you must not flap your arms because that would only betray a fundamental lack of faith and any lack of faith would infallibly insure that you would plummet to the ground, thus proving that a failure of faith is a personal flaw, and fatal.”
(Pg. 168-169)

86. The Iliad - Homer / Translated by Stanly Lambardo
Genre: Greek Mythology
Pages: 516
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
So great is the impact of ancient Greek literature on Western culture that even people who have never read Homer's Iliad or The Odyssey know a lot about them. The Trojan Horse, Achilles' heel, the Sirens' call, Scylla and Charybdis--all have entered popular mythology, becoming metaphors for the less heroic situations we face in our own lives. Ever since these oral poems were committed to paper (probably in the 8th century B.C.E.), people have been translating them. The version of Iliad translated by Stanley Lombardo is a brave departure from previous translations; Lombardo attempts to adapt the text to the needs of readers rather than the listeners for whom the work was originally intended. To this end, he has streamlined the poem, removing many of the stock repetitions

Thoughts:
I remember when I was around fourteen or fifteen years old I decided I wanted to read the Iliad. I went to the public library and asked for it (they had to pull it out of their back room for me). And I remember opening the first page and seeing that it was in poem format. I was immediately put off. I had never liked poetry and at my age the few pages I did try to read went over my small head. Ever since I knew some day I would come back to the epic poem. This semester was the year in my literature class. I love literature and I love this class because it is finally getting me to pick up and read the epic stories that I have always wanted to read. I've read excerpts here and there and seen online summaries. I've even read a few children's books renditions. But nothing compares to the actual poem itself. This was my first read of the poem as a whole. Now my professor doesn't like how Lombardo has translated the epic, and says that it is too 'dumbed down' now. I can see where she is coming from because some phrases that Lombardo includes certainly takes away the image of the elegant language this would have been first told in. It did however give me a simple and very understandable rendition of the events to the epic. However, now I want to find another translation that doesn't do this. I want something that seems more authentic to the time period. I think it's a good translation for someone who hasn't come across the classical language in the time of the Greeks and Romans, but for those who have, it may not be exactly what you're looking for. (Above it says: Lombardo attempts to adapt the text to the needs of readers rather than the listeners for whom the work was originally intended.' Does that say something about the needs of readers now-a-days?) The other complaint I have is that in this translation, some Books are left out of the whole poem. I believe this is because the books included are the most important one when dealing with turning events in the epic, but there's bound to be some information that is lost that way. Anyways, I'm glad I finally got to the epic. It's a fantastic myth! Now I want a more complete translation. :) I'm going to go find an audio book translation, because really this epic was meant to be listened to, not read :)

Favorite Lines:
'And Achilles closed in / Like the helmeted God fo War himself, / The ash-wood spear above his right shoulder / Rocking in the light that played from his bronze / In gleams of fire and the rising sun. /And when Hector saw it he lost his nerve, / Panicked, and ran, leaving the gates behind, / With Achilles on his tail. confident in his speed.
(Book XXII, Lines 150-157)

87. The Odyssey - Homer / Translated
Genre: Greek Mythology
Pages: 560
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Robert Fagles's translation is a jaw-droppingly beautiful rendering of Homer's Odyssey, the most accessible and enthralling epic of classical Greece. Fagles captures the rapid and direct language of the original Greek, while telling the story of Odysseus in lyrics that ring with a clear, energetic voice. The story itself has never seemed more dynamic, the action more compelling, nor the descriptions so brilliant in detail. It is often said that every age demands its own translation of the classics. Fagles's work is a triumph because he has not merely provided a contemporary version of Homer's classic poem, but has located the right language for the timeless character of this great tale. Fagles brings the Odyssey so near, one wonders if the Hollywood adaption can be far behind.

Thoughts:
This epic I never did try to read as a teenager, but I knew that it too would come someday just as the Iliad would. This epic took longer to read than the Iliad, but then the translation of the Iliad I read had some books taken out for the sake of the readers. This translation by Fagles didn't cut anything out. I really enjoyed this translation. I've heard others praise Fagles as a wonderful translator and I have to agree. This myth is also an outstanding one. It really personifies the Quest Pattern we now-a-days link to many books. This is another epic I would love to listen to as well, so we'll see if I can get my hands on another good translation.

88. The Valley of the Horses - Jean M Auel
Genre: Historical Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 501
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Cruelly cast out by the new leader of the ancient Clan that adopted her as a child, Ayla leaves those she loves behind and travels alone through a stark, open land filled with dangerous animals but few people, searching for the Others, tall and fair like herself. The short summer gives her little time to look, and when she finds a sheltered valley with a herd of hardy steppe horses, she decides to stay and prepare for the long glacial winter ahead. Living with the Clan has taught Ayla many skills but not real hunting. She finally knows she can survive when she traps a horse, which gives her meat and a warm pelt for the winter, but fate has bestowed a greater gift, an orphaned foal with whom she develops a unique kinship. One winter extends to more; she discovers a way to make fire more quickly and a wounded cave lion cub joins her unusual family, but her beloved animals don’t fulfill her restless need for human companionship. Then she hears the sound of a man screaming in pain. She saves tall, handsome Jondalar, who brings her a language to speak and an awakening of love and desire, but Ayla is torn between her fear of leaving her valley and her hope of living with her own kind.

Thoughts:
I read the first boo The Clan of the Cave Bear last year and loved it. I'd just gotten into Anthropology then and the idea of reading a book about early hominids intrigued me. The book took me a while to finish but I decided that soon I would get to the second book. Soon turned out to be a year later, but I did finally get to it and I have to say this book is as good as the first book. It also helps that I'm much further along in my field and so can really see all the research that has gone into the making of these stories. There are always going to be facts that serve away from history for the sake of the story and this book is no exception, but I found I didn't care. I loved it for the evidence that rings true while also loving it for it's mold into an entertaining read. It's not entertaining in the way that the reader zips through it. This book has the opposite effect; it takes a long time to get through because there's so much to take in. The scope of these two books is huge. So much has clearly been taken into account when these were written. The first half of the book went especially slow but I loved watching Ayla grow into a woman in the valley by herself. The day to week activities made for a long read but also created a bond between the reader and Ayla. You can't help but invest in her character when you've spent that much time reading about her trials and triumphs. I'm glad I finally got back to this series and I'm glad I've finally finished this volume so I can find the next book and delve once more into the world of the Neanderthals and Cro-Magnums. Recommended for any who enjoy prehistorical fiction and/or anthropology.

Favorite Line:
'But if Ayla is not evil, then everything about flatheads is not true!'
(Pg. 423)

The Valley of the Horses is my favorite of the Earth's Children books. Just be sure to stop after The Shelters of Stone. The Land of Painted Caves is absolutely awful. Though others say to stop after The Mammoth Hunters.

:) I've heard the last book is not worth reading. I'll most likely take your reccomendation and read up to The Shelters of Stone though and go as far as I can.

89. Th Apology of Socrates - Plato/ Translated by C.D. Reeve
Genre: Greek Philosophy, Non-Fiction
Pages: 20
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Plato's account of Socrates' trial in 399 BC represents a significant moment in Western literature as well as a watershed in the life of ancient Athens. Apology sees him in court, rebutting all charges of impiety.

Thoughts:
I haven't read anything by Plato before this, or really anything about Socrates. But since Socrates was illiterate, we only have Plato's accounts of his philosophies and actions. Before this I didn't know much about Greek philosophy or Socrates death. Now I can really appreciate the Renaissance painting of Socrates Death. I can also now see why people found Socrates and his Socratic Method so annoying. I would be annoyed as well is someone used questions to back me into a corner until I had to agree with what they were saying and then called me a fool. But despite this, Socrates philosophy was, in his time and place, a turning point for Greek philosophy. I'm very glad I got to read this. I certainly humbled me and opened my eyes a little. I also appreciated the authenticity of this translation. From it the reader can get a good idea of Socrates himself as a man and how he spoke. It was very refreshing.

Favorite Quote:
“…fearing death, gentleman, is nothing other than thinking one is wise when one isn’t, since it’s thinking one knows what one does not know. I mean no one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all goods for people, but they fear it as if they knew for certain that it’s the worst thing of all.”

90. The Blinding Knife - Brent Weeks
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 671
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Gavin Guile is dying. He'd thought he had five years left--now he has less than one. With fifty thousand refugees, a bastard son, and an ex-fiancée who may have learned his darkest secret, Gavin has problems on every side. All magic in the world is running wild and threatens to destroy the Seven Satrapies. Worst of all, the old gods are being reborn, and their army of color wights is unstoppable. The only salvation may be the brother whose freedom and life Gavin stole sixteen years ago.

Thoughts:
I read the first book to this series Black Prism at the beginning of last year. There was almost two years between these books. I thought maybe I should reread the first book before tackling this long one but decided against it. This volume did a good job of bringing me up to speed again quickly. I've always loved Brent Weeks' work so I was excited for this volume. I was not disappointed. This was a great volume, picking up mostly from where it left off in the previous book. The jargon and new terminology sometimes gave me pause as I tried to remember what it meant (there was a very handy catalogue in the back of the book with terminology and names) but the story kept me intrigued and entertained. Kip and his quest to become better, Gavin and his questions of virtue, both kept me turning pages. This is a story on an epic scale. It's a big book but the story is fast paced and the text not overly small so it doesn't take too long to get through. I'm eagerly anticipating the third book. :( It's going to be a long wait.

Favorite Line:
'...he obliged her by enfolding her completely in his arms. Then she squeaked.
"Ow, ribs, ribs," she said, breaking their kiss. Bruises. Right.
She used the interruption to grab his shirt and pull it over his head. He gasped. "Shoulder, shoulder," he grunted.’
(Pg. 548)

Hi Melis, I have added the Lightbringer series to my wishlist as I love good epic fantasy.

Have you read Brent Week's Night Angel trilogy? If you like this Lightbringer series, you should like that one too. I read that series first and it was the one (his debut series) that got me onto Week's. :) It's also a epic fantasy trilogy. Anyways The Lightbringer is a great series in my opinion. It's fairly orginial and it sticks with you. Hope you like it when you get to it!

91. Confessor - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 768
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Descending into darkness, about to be overwhelmed by evil, those people still free are powerless to stop the coming dawn of a savage new world, while Richard faces the guilt of knowing that he must let it happen. Alone, he must bear the weight of a sin he dare not confess to the one person he loves…and has lost. Join Richard and Kahlan in the concluding novel of one of the most remarkable and memorable journeys ever written. It started with one rule, and will end with the rule of all rules, the rule unwritten, the rule unspoken since the dawn of history.

Thoughts:
How do you conclude an eleven book epic fantasy series satisfactorily? I have no idea, but Terry Goodkind did fairly well in my opinion. When I finished this series for the first time years ago I know I was disappointed that I wouldn't hear anymore about Richard and Kahlan. Now that I know there is another book about the two, I am overjoyed to hear their new adventure. This story, this arc from book 5-11, has been concluded though. Like the previous two novels in the series, this one is particularly dark. Not for the light-hearted. The world, Goodkind’s writing style, all of it, has given me something special. This is my second reading of these eleven books and I’m sure in a few more years I will be back and reading them again. Each book has a central philosophical idea, and while Richard is very multi-talented, there is still the effect that he’s not perfect, that he’s real, just very smart. I recommend this series to everyone above the age of 16, no matter which genre you like. I’m very excited about the new book Goodkind wrote after this conclusion.

"In simple things there is great power."

92. Gone, Gone, Gone - Hannah Moskowitz
Genre: GLBT
Pages: 251
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
It's a year after 9/11. Fifteen-year-old Craig is nowhere close to over his (maybe) ex-boyfriend when a brooding kid with a head of multicolored hair, Lio, transfers to his school. Craig is an emotional motormouth; Lio is a cancer survivor with a twin brother who didn’t make it; and their budding relationship is already complicated before the 2002 Beltway Sniper begins terrorizing the D.C. area in which they live.

Thoughts:
This was an interesting book. It was very thought-provoking for a young adult story. The romance was very real although every time it said the boys were fifteen, that did seem too young for me. But the book went beyond just romance. Craig and Lio's lives and their reactions to their lives were very real. And their struggle to decide if one tragedy is worse than another (in this case, were the towers worse than the Pentagon). Is it just numbers and statistics or isn't there something more to life and people's mortality? I enjoyed the point Moskowitz made. The book is well paced so it's not a long read. The format takes a few pages to get use to but it does hold some power. There could have been some more development in a few parts, like with Craig's ex-boyfriend. But by developing that, Moskowitz would have had to develop other parts and that would have made the book longer so perhaps that is why. For a young adult novel, it was pretty good.

Favorite Quote:
'Numbers don't matter.
Because what if loss is immeasurable? What is all we can do is call a loss a loss?
What if the FBI agent is worth as much as Craig? What if my brother is worth as much as September 11th?
There is no way to measure these holes.
One dead person today is one person who is dead, one whole person who is not around anymore, and that's horrible. And now, nine people are dead forever and ever. That isn't less than September 11th. It can't be. Because how could you ever figure out how many people it takes to equal one person?
Nine people and three thousand people and one hundred eighty-nine people are all numbers that shouldn't have happened. But they're not enough to measure a tragedy. We're not just numbers, Someone loves us.
(Pg. 207)

Reading Update!

Currently Reading:
Sophie's World - Jostein Gaarder
Uglies - Scott Westerfield

Currently Listening to:
Debt of Bones - Terry Goodkind

Waiting on my desk:
Dragon Haven - Robin Hobb
The Immortal Rules - Julie Kagawa
The Omen Machine - Terry Goodkind
The Iliad - Homer / translated by ?
The Third Chimpanzee - Jared Diamond

On request:
Cold Days - Jim Butcher
The Gathering Storm - Brandon Sanderson / Robert Jordan
Break - Hannah Moskowitz
Crash into Me - Albert Borris
Crosses - Shelly Stoehr
Every Day - David Leviathan

Brent Weeks is a new-to-me author so now I will go and check out the rest of his books!

93. Debt of Bones - Terry Goodkind
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 175
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Abby is trapped, not only between both sides of the war, but in a mortal conflict between two powerful men. For Zedd, who commands power most men can only imagine, granting Abby's request would mean forsaking his sacred duty. With the storm of the final battle about to break, both Abby and Zedd are caught in a desperate fight to save the life of a child...but neither can escape the shadow of an ancient betrayal.

Thoughts:
This is the only prequel Goodkind has written for the Sword of Truth series. I remember looking at it once when I was reading the series for the first time, but it didn't seem all that relevant and was a fairly short book. Just having reread the series I decided to read this book as well this time around. I was a little disappointed with it, but that could be due to the fact that I just finished the epically good series. If you are a Goodkind fan, this is perhaps worth reading but it's not the same as the series’ itself. Not nearly long and developed enough. Still, it was okay. We do get to see Zedd as a young man which was nice. Still, I like Richard and Kahlan much more than I like Abby or even Zedd himself. Actually I didn't much like Abby at all. I think it has to do with the fact that she feels very under-developed compared to Richard or Kahlan or Nicci or Cara or... I could go on. Or maybe it's just a mood. Who knows. Glad I got it out of the way at least. Again, I do recommend if you are a hard core fan of Goodkinds.

94. Break - Hannah Moskowitz
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 262
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Jonah is on a mission to break every bone in his body. Everyone knows that broken bones grow back stronger than they were before. And Jonah wants to be stronger—needs to be stronger—because everything around him is falling apart. Breaking, and then healing, is Jonah’s only way to cope with the stresses of home, girls, and the world on his shoulders. But when Jonah's self-destructive spiral accelerates and he hits rock bottom, will he find true strength or surrender to his breaking point?

Thoughts:
This book was freaky. In a good way. Okay, so every book has its flaws, and there is always going to be someone out there who will find those flaws. If I really analyzed this book I'm sure I'd be able to come up with a few. But at the moment, I just don't want to. Because without analyzing the book, I really enjoyed it. Which sounds awful because what Johah is doing is horrible. But really, when you read the book, it makes sense. Or at least it does to those who have felt something similar to this. I have and so the book really resonated for me. And the book is much more than self-harm. It's about what friend's support is and isn't. It's about how far is too far when trying to save someone from their life. It's about what love is and isn't. After reading Moskowiz's newest novel I requested this and when I picked it up from the library today I plopped down and read it all the way through in one sitting. Set aside my other book and homework to do it, and it was totally worth it. It's a quick read, and a powerful enough story to be stuck in my mind for months. I'm still in the high of just finishing the book so perhaps my enthusiasm will die down, but damn, this book hit a spot I didn't realize needed hitting.
Anyways, side note: this was Moskowitz's debut novel and it looks as if she wrote and maybe even published it while in high school, which is a grand feat in my opinion. I'm still working on the book I wanted to have published before I turned nineteen. That day has long come and gone and I'm no closer. So great job Moskowitz. I look forward to more books from her.

Favorite Line:
'"That which doesn't kill us, makes us stronger," Jesse deadpans.’
(Pg. 30)

Melis congratulations for polishing off 75 x 2.

Thanks Paul :) It does make me feel great!

95. Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
Genre: Science Fiction, Futuristic
Pages: 406
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Tally Youngblood lives in a futuristic society that acculturates its citizens to believe that they are ugly until age 16 when they'll undergo an operation that will change them into pleasure-seeking "pretties." Anticipating this happy transformation, Tally meets Shay, another female ugly, who shares her enjoyment of hoverboarding and risky pranks. But Shay also disdains the false values and programmed conformity of the society and urges Tally to defect with her to the Smoke, a distant settlement of simple-living conscientious objectors. Tally declines, yet when Shay is found missing by the authorities, Tally is coerced by the cruel Dr. Cable to find her and her compatriots–or remain forever "ugly."

Thoughts:
I expected this book to be good; I'd heard lots of people say it was. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. At its core the book is about something fundamental in our own society today. It made the book powerful for me. This book is about learning to accept who you are. The beginning was a little slow compared to the rest of the book and the story was fairly predictable, but it was still a entertaining read. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Favorite Line:
'Nature, at least, didn't need an operation to be beautiful. It just was.'
(Pg. 219)

96. The Immortal Rules - Julie Kagawa
Genre: Gothic Fantasy
Pages: 485
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die…or become one of the monsters. Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad. Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

Thoughts:
This book was great. I'm not huge into vampires - there's too many books about them nowadays - but I have my favorites. I might have to add Allie to that list. It was the writing. The story was very well written and the story was engaging. The romance wasn't too over the top, but enough to be a presence that you could see it developing. There was action a-plenty and tragedy. It's got world-building and history. All combined to make a great story. This is my first book from Kagawa. Now I will have to go find more of her books. I see talent here. Looking forward to the next volume in this series!

Favorite Line:
'It was almost better to be caught by the hungry, soulless vampires; the most they would probably do was drink your blood and leave you to die. Humans were capable of far, far worse.'
(Pg. 59)

97. Pretties - Scott Westerfeld
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 370
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
In Tally's world, your 16th birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellant Ugly into a stunningly attractive Pretty, and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is having a really good time. Just before her birthday, Tally discovered that turning Pretty comes with a terrible price. She vowed to accept the operation, but with the understanding that her friends on the outside would rescue her, and let her be the guinea pig for the experimental and highly dangerous cure they're developing. But in the second book of the Uglies series, Tally's Pretty. And everything's changed. The new, Pretty Tally is totally happy right where she is. She doesn't think she needs any kind of cure at all. When someone from her Ugly life shows up with a message, Tally has a hard time listening. Did she really promise to give all this up? Is she bound by a promise she made when she was a different person? If there is anything left of the old Tally, how will she fight her way out to keep her word and help her friends?

Thoughts:
This was book was a little more well written than the first, Uglies. I think it's that the characters were a little more developed. I enjoyed watching Tally and Zane work together. There is less power here though than in the first book. All the big points have been made already. This story is mostly just about Tally trying to get out of Pretty Town with Zane. It was fast paced, and a quick read. I enjoyed the story and am already looking for the next book.

Favorite Line:
'"Why am I unhappy?" Tally repeated softly. "Because the city makes you the way they want you to be, Peris. And I want to be myself. That's why."'
He squeezed her shoulder and gave her a sad look. "But people are better now than they used to be. Maybe they have good reasons for changing us, Tally."
"Their reasons don't mean anything unless I have a choice, Peris. And they don't give anyone a choice."'
(Pg. 232)

98. Specials - Scott Westerfeld
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 372
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Tally's been turned into a Special: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid. The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more. Still, it's easy to tune that out -- until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

Thoughts:
The first part of this book as hard to get into. When the main character keeps changing so drastically sometimes it's hard to keep that invested relationship you have with her/him. But after a few chapters Tally starts to peek through again. Still she's much harder to relate to in this volume. I believe this is an ending to the series, and as such the book did a fairly good job of tying up loose ends and concluding. There's more to the series than just a entertaining read. There are some thought provoking ideas mixed up in it as well, and I give Westerfeld high props for that. I'm glad I finally got to this series.

Favorite Line:
He peered into her eyes for a long moment, then sighed and shook his head. “You just look like Tally to me.”
She looked down, her vision blurring.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing, David.” She shook her head. “You just took on five million years of evolution again.”
“I what? Did I say something wrong?”
(Pg 367)

Thought I'd stop in to say there's more Half Prince up :)

I'm glad you're enjoying the Uglies series! I blasted through them a couple years ago. Westerfeld has become one of my favorite 'fast-read' authors. Every single one of his books (that I've read so far) go like *snaps fingers* that. Will you be reading Extras as well? It's set in the Uglies world, but after the events of the trilogy.

I almost want to go back and read them now. . . but there are so many new things to read. I guess it's a good thing they're lent out to a friend :)

Yay! Thanks for the update.
I'm not positive if I'm going to read Extras. Once I realized it wasn't about Tally I thought maybe I'd move on to something else for a time and maybe come back to it later. However I have it on my shelf waiting, and it is a fast read... I haven't decided yet. I do need to focus on Sophie's World right now though because it's a library book that is due very soon. :) So maybe after that one.

99. The Omen Machine - Terry Goodkind
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 528
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
An accident leads to the discovery of a mysterious machine that has rested hidden deep underground for countless millennia. The machine awakens to begin issuing a series of increasingly alarming, if minor, omens. The omens turn out to be astonishingly accurate, and ever more ominous. As Zedd tries to figure out how to destroy the sinister device, the machine issues a cataclysmic omen involving Richard and Kahlan, foretelling an impending event beyond anyone's ability to stop. As catastrophe approaches, the machine then reveals that it is within its power to withdraw the omen ...In exchange for an impossible demand.

Thoughts:
I was thrilled to see that Goodkind was continuing his Sword of Truth series so I was excited to pick this book up. It started out good with a new dark plot line and the same broad spectrum of characters. Towards the middle I thought it dragged just slightly but otherwise the whole book was very fast paced. And shorter than Goodkind’s other books. The story and writing however didn’t meet the par of Goodkind’s first few books in the series. I can’t specifically say why but I felt this book had potential it didn’t utilize. Maybe it was the lack of character development. The book was too fast paced here for that. I’m not positive. I did like the story and am looking forward to the next book.

Favorite Quote:
' “Can you imagine a being that could do such things? I mean really, can you imagine a being such as the creator? A being that created everything and continued to create life in uncountable numbers every day. Every new blade of grass, every new fish in the sea, every new soul born into the world. How could we, mere men, even imagine such a being? None of us can really. We have no point of reference for creation out of nothing on such a cosmic scale. That’s why I say the creator has to be beyond why you or I could ever begin to imagine.”
“I suppose you have a point.”
He tapped his temple for emphasis. “So if out small human minds are incapable of even imagining such a being then how can we know him? Or presume to think that he notices us individually. If we cannot possibly know him then how could we have the demerity to worship him? How can we presume to think we know that he would even desire such worship? Why would he? Do you long for the worship of ants?”'
(Chp 12)

100. The Three Theban Plays: Antigone; Oedipus the king; Oedipus at Colonus - Sophocles / Translated by Robert Fagles
Genre: Play, Greek Texts
Pages: ~70
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Towering over the rest of Greek tragedy, these three plays are among the most enduring and timeless dramas ever written. Robert Fagles' translation conveys all of Sophocles' lucidity and power: the cut and thrust of his dialogue, his ironic edge, the surge and majesty of his choruses and, above all, the agonies and triumphs of his characters.

Thoughts:
I remember reading Antigone in high school but not much of the play itself. In my college class now, we are reading it and I got much more out of it this time. :) Could do with the fact that I'm older now. We were only required to read Antigone but I felt as if I were missing parts of the story overall without having read the other two so I decided to read all three. I've seen in other reviews that these translations of Fagles aren't as authentic as they could be, but in this context, since it's the first time I've read all three together I didn't mind that much. I knew the overall story of Oedipus, but not until I read these did I really understand it and get to see the character's as more than names. I enjoyed the plays and have decided that I need to read more plays next year. :)

101. Willow - Julis Hoban
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 329
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen-year- old Willow's parents drank too much wine and asked her to drive them home. They never made it. Willow lost control of the car and her parents died in the accident. Now she has left behind her old home, friends, and school, and blocks the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when Willow meets Guy, a boy as sensitive and complicated as she is, she begins an intense, life-changing relationship that turns her world upside down.

Thoughts:
My sister told me I should read this book so when I saw it on the library shelves I picked it up. The story was okay, nothing phenomenal, but what really made this a three star and not a four star was the writing style. It's the "she cries as she watches him" instead of "she cried as she watched him". I don't know why it bothers me so much but it does. As a young adult book the story is good, but I've read better. However, for someone who could be going through the same kind of thing this could be a very powerful book. I'm sure it connected well with some people. I don't regret reading the book but now I'm ready to move on to the next book on my desk.

Favorite Line:
Willow doesn't realize that she's crying until Guy takes his hand and reaches over to wipe away her tears. And she knows then that she was right about her brother, that it takes unbelievable strength to feel this kind of grief, and she doesn't know if she can handle it, because it really hurts, hurts her more than the razor ever could.
(Pg. 292)

102. Oddly Normal - John Schwartz
Genre: Memoir
Pages: 277
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Three years ago, John Schwartz, a national correspondent at The New York Times, got the call that every parent hopes never to receive: his thirteen-year-old son, Joe, was in the hospital following a failed suicide attempt. After mustering the courage to come out to his classmates, Joe’s disclosure — delivered in a tirade about homophobic attitudes—was greeted with dismay and confusion by his fellow students. Hours later, he took an overdose of pills. Schwartz follows Joseph through childhood to the present day, interweaving his narrative with common questions and answers about homosexuality

Thoughts:
I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested this book. There are a lot of books out there now about struggling with homosexuality. Schwartz's book however hit the right spots. There are a lot of important questions brought up in the book and well written answers given to them. And having the information on the studies interspersed with the narration of Schwartz's family broke it up enough that the book didn't drag with too many facts piled next to each other. Joseph's struggle could be considered relatively mild, however as a reader I found myself investing in Joseph anyways. The writing style is great and the story is one everyone should read.

Favorite Line:
‘Yes, there are some gay kids who are troubled, he said, but “there are overweight kids who are very troubled. There are some unattractive girls who are very troubled. The ultimate question is, ‘are there more gay youth that are troubled than straight youth?’ I believe that’s not true.”’
(Pg. 97)

103. Dragon Haven - Robin Hobb
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 507
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
With their survival at stake, fifteen dragons have set off on a dangerous trek into the unknown, up the Rain Wild River, in hopes of rediscovering the ancient Elderling city of Kelsingra, the lost haven for dragons and Elderlings. The dragons are accompanied by a disparate group of human keepers, rejects from Rain Wild society. They, too, yearn to find Kelsingra and create a home of their own, one in which they may make their own rules and decide their own fate. But is Kelsingra real or merely a fragment of a glorified past buried deep in the dragons' shared memories? No map exists to guide them, and the noble creatures find their ancient recollections of little use in a land changed by generations of flooding and seismic chaos. As they forge their way ever deeper into uncharted wilderness, human and beast alike discover they are changing in mysterious and dangerous ways. While the bonds between them solidify, starvation, flashfloods, and predators will imperil them all. But dragons and humans soon learn that the most savage threats come from within their own company and not all of them may survive.

Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book a lot. I've always loved Hobb's stories. They all have a trend of making the reader a little depressed but this series is less so that way. That or I have simply not felt it as much as usual. Hobb is all about character development. If you're looking for a book packed with action this is not the one for you. It has plenty of action but the primary focus is on the characters and how they grow and develop. This most likely contributed to why I liked the first book less than this second book. In the first the characters were younger, more naive, or more set in their ways. Now there are big changes. Each character is changing, growing; and watching that evolution is fascinating. Another fascinating aspect is the dragons themselves. Dragons tend to be personified as beautiful magnificent creatures. Here they are not. These dragons are sickly (although that is another thing changing! Cheer) and arrogant. They are as intelligent, maybe more intelligent, than humans and they know it. Think of how we have treated other humans in history and all the strife we have caused. These dragons have the same capabilities. They are dangerous in more ways than just being big with claws, wings and teeth. Hobb's writing style is also fantastic along with her world building. I'm really looking forward to the next book to see even more growth.

Favorite line:
'"I think she may be trying to see just how much power she has over us. I've felt her glamour. Have you?"
"Of course. It's part of her. I don't know if a dragon can completely control the effect she has on humans. It's her nature. Just as a human dominates a pet dog."
(Pg. 84)

Reading Update: It's another crazy list :)

Currently Reading:
Sophie's World - Jostien Gaarder
Crosses - Shelly Stoehr
Annabel - Kathleem Winter
The Third Chimpanzee - Jared M. Diamond
The Everything: Classical Mythology Book - Lesley Bolton

Currently Listening:
The Gathering Storm - Robert Jordan / Brandon Sanderson

Waiting on my desk:
The Passage - Justin Cronin (*audio)
The Iliad - Homer / Translated by Robert Fitzgerald (*audio)
The Host - Stephenie Myers
Every Day - David Levithan
Thirst, No. 1 - Christopher Pike
Graceling - Kristin Cashore
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
The Iron King - Julia Kagawa
Extras - Scott Westerfeld
The Mammoth Hunters - Jean M. Auel

Thank god it's Thanksgiving break and I actually have time to read all these books I implusively grabbed from the library :)

104. Crosses - Shelly Stoehr
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 153
Rating: 2 Stars

Summary:
First-time novelist Stoehr draws a hard-hitting, graphically realistic portrait of troubled adolescents who indulge in alcohol, drugs, sex, shoplifting and "cutting" themselves deliberately. Fifteen-year-old Nancy meets Katie, a like-minded schoolmate who becomes her closest friend and draws her even deeper into a risk-taking ideology.

Thoughts:
I didn't like this story. Plain and simple. Probably the only reason I finished this was because it was so short. And okay, I skimmed a few chapters. I didn't like the book because it was way too stereotypical and too focused on the SI - self-injury (particularly the drugs and sex) and not much on the recovery or character development. Any scenes of recovery are rushed and glossed over. I think there is one page where I saw a sincere attempt at recovery. Even the SI scenes came off as dull; There is SI in my history. I know the emotions behind it. What I saw here was not relatable or really that realistic. The book had potential I think but it came out all wrong for me. It needed to be fleshed out and written differently. The characters are flat and incredibly egotistical; they are almost offensive in their ignorant beliefs and whiny attitudes. Honestly I could hardly stand them. I didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't like it. Go ahead and find a better book. They're out there: Break or Speak are particularly good young adult books with this type of darker material present.

Hi Melis, it looks like you are going to be very busy reading over the Thanksgiving Holiday! I loved both Graceling and The Hunger Games when I read them. I have The Passage sitting very close to the top of my TBR pile, perhaps will get to it in January, and I also want to start the Julie Kagawa series when I can fit it in. Have a lovely holdiay.

Thanks Judy! I definetly will. :) You too

105. The Host - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 619
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Thoughts:
I saw a preview for a new movie based off this book in the theaters the other day and decided I had to read the book so I could later go see the movie. I didn’t have really high expectations for the book due to not liking the writing style of Meyer’s Twilight series. Meyer’s can tell a good story but I didn’t like her writing style all that much. However this book gave me a nice surprise. The writing style was on par with her last Twilight book, Breaking Dawn. Meyers is one of those authors’s that gets better the more she writes. Also, it was a totally different kind of story. Either way, I found this read enjoyable. Very enjoyable. Flaws, yes; but a good story. I’m looking forward to seeing if the movie can compare.

Favorite Line:
‘Because these humans could hate with so much fury, was the other end of the spectrum that they could love with more heart and zeal and fire?’
(Pg. 472)

Okay so usually the 250 post is where new threads are made but I don't think I am going to this year since there is only a month and a half left of the year and I don't put much on here besides books; there most likely wont be more than thirty posts more, if that. Does this mess with anyone's capabilities of lurking? I'd hate to mess with that :) but since it is only a month and a half...
Let me know. Otherwise I'm gonna keep the whole year together.

106. The Gathering Storm - Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 1120
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
In this epic novel, Robert Jordan’s international bestselling series begins its dramatic conclusion. Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, struggles to unite a fractured network of kingdoms and alliances in preparation for the Last Battle. As he attempts to halt the Seanchan encroachment northward--wishing he could form at least a temporary truce with the invaders--his allies watch in terror the shadow that seems to be growing within the heart of the Dragon Reborn himself. Egwene al’Vere, the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, is a captive of the White Tower and subject to the whims of their tyrannical leader. As days tick toward the Seanchan attack she knows is imminent, Egwene works to hold together the disparate factions of Aes Sedai while providing leadership in the face of increasing uncertainty and despair. Her fight will prove the mettle of the Aes Sedai, and her conflict will decide the future of the White Tower--and possibly the world itself.

Thoughts:
Yay! I’m finally to these last three books for the Wheel of Time. The third and last will be coming out early next year so I’m right on time. Now I don’t want this review to be a bash on Robert Jordan but I will say that I liked this book a lot more than the last few books of Jordan’s in the series. What I loved about the series was its story. What I did not like in the last five or six books was the writing style. And the women were a little more bearable. Here, it’s still Jordan’s story, but in Sanderson’s writing style. It made a huge difference. I think Jordan got too stuck in all of his little plot lines (too many little plot lines). Here the story is still the same and nothing has changed except that we can focus on the main characters more again, like in the first few books of the series. The plot has really moved along here. It focused mainly on Rand and Egwene, so I’m assuming that the next book will focus more on Perrin and someone else – hopefully Rand too. I really enjoyed this book; I’m glad the series has been put back on its feet and am looking forward to the next installment.

Favorite Line:
“The end is near," Moridin said. "The Wheel has groaned its final rotation, the clock has lost its spring, the serpent heaves its final gasps.”

107. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure
Pages: 374
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Thoughts:
I think if I hadn't seen this movie before reading the book I would have liked the book less. There wasn't enough detail but because I have seen the movie I could easily add in expressions or body language while reading and get more out of it. Still, the story was entertaining even though I knew it and I'm curious enough to figure out what happens next before any other movies can come out. Without the slightly mature content I would view this as more of a juvenile book and not a young adult book, but there is always the next two books for the writing to get better.

108. The Passage - Justin Cronin
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Pages: 800
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Cronin, in his third book, imagines the catastrophic possibilities of a vampiric bat virus unleashed upon the world. Discovered by the U.S. Military in South America, the virus is transported to a laboratory in the Colorado mountains where it is engineered to create a more invincible soldier. The virus’ potential benefits are profound: it has the power to make human beings immortal and indestructible. Yet, like Prometheus’ theft of fire from the Gods, knowledge and technological advancement are gained at great price: After the introduction of the virus into the human blood pool, it becomes clear that there will be hell to pay. The guinea pigs of the NOAH experiment, twelve men condemned to die on death row, become a superhuman race of vampire-like creatures called Virals. Soon, the population of the earth is either dead or infected, their minds controlled telepathically by the Virals. As most of human civilization has been wiped out by the Virals, the few surviving humans create settlements and live off the land with a fortitude the pilgrims would have admired. Only Amy, an abandoned little girl who becomes a mystical antidote to the creatures’ powers, will be able to save the world.

Thoughts:
Alright, I have to admit I had to skim some of this book, which was very frustrating as I was listening to it on audio book. The first 200-300 pages the book was fantastic. But after that I lost interest. The characters I found myself interested in all die before page 300 and then there are characters in a future time that I didn't find myself caring for as much as I did the first few characters. The writing style is really good and if the original characters had stuck around I think I would have liked it better. As it was I had to make myself skim to get through the rest of the book. And the ending just left me with a sense of confusion and disappointment. This was a great idea, but I don't think it was developed in the most effective way. Great writer! But it didn't pull through for me.

Favorite Line:
“We live, we die. Somewhere along the way, if we're lucky, we may find someone to help lighten the load.”

109. Overachievement: The New Model for Exceptional Performance - John Eliot
Genre: Non-Fiction, Pyschology
Pages: 244
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
As Dr. Eliot has discovered through his cutting-edge research and real-world coaching, techniques such as goal-setting, relaxation, visualization, stress management, and flow just don’t work for most people. Relaxing when the pressure is on is the wrong way to go. Instead, to really ratchet up your performance, you’ll need to change the way you think about pressure—and learn how to welcome it, enjoy it, and make it work to your advantage. Mixing scientific insights with entertaining and inspiring stories, Overachievement will help you achieve spectacular success in any situation that demands you rise above and beyond what you ever thought possible.

Thoughts:
My mother, father and I have decided to start a book club for what they call self-help books and what I call psychology books :). This book was the first one in the club for us. I've never been into self-help books because I've never liked being told what I should and shouldn't feel or what I should or shouldn't do to be a certain way. I wasn't that excited about this book as a result. But I was nicely surprised. Eliot doesn't want to tell his readers a 12 step plan to success. He doesn't believe there is such a thing. Instead he says it's the individual's choice on how they change, he just gives the reader examples of how other people think exceptionally. I liked his gist: don't think negatively, act in the moment, crazy is not bad, being overly-committed can be as bad as being under-committed, be passionate about something and then work towards it, love your life, etc. Eliot himself is great writer as well. There were moments where he made me laugh out loud. It is definitely outside of my normal reading genres, but I don't regret reading it.

Favorite Line:
'Do not look at me as an expert. And that goes for you, too. Why? Because I do not know your specific situation. I certainly do not know anything about your dreams or your motivation, how big your heart is or how tough your fortitude. I can’t tell that by looking at you, or even reading your “file”. I don’t have any clue how you think under pressure. I have no idea how you handle either success or failure.’
(Pg. xxv)

110. Catching Fire - Suzane Collins
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 391
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Thoughts:
I liked this book better than the first. I'm not sure if that is because I didn't have too many expectations from watching a movie or if the writing is getting relatively better. However there seemed to be a lot of telling and less showing, especially in the first half of the book. That could have been true for the first book too. I understand why I think, because otherwise the book would be much longer. It's almost like it's attempting a plot on the scale of an adult fantasy novel, but can't commit to the length or higher writing style. I saw a lot of potential in the plot, but most were not used. Still, I liked it more than the first. I thought it was a nice transition from the Hunger Games in the first book. At the moment I can't see myself rereading these books after I finish the third one, but I am glad that I finally got to them and saw for myself what all the raving was about.

Favorite Line:
‘The berries. I realize the answer to who I am lies in that handful of poisonous fruit. If I held them out to save Peeta because I knew I would be shunned if I came back without him, then I am despicable. If I held them out because I loved him, I am self-centered, although forgivable. But if I held them out to defy the Capitol, I am someone of worth. The trouble is, I don’t know exactly what was going on inside me at that moment.’
(Pg 118)

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

111. The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 781
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Evil has been defeated. The war has just begun. They did the impossible, deposing the godlike being whose brutal rule had lasted a thousand years. Now Vin, the street urchin who has grown into the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and Elend Venture, the idealistic young nobleman who loves her, must build a healthy new society in the ashes of an empire. They have barely begun when three separate armies attack. As the siege tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows. It may just be that killing the Lord Ruler was the easy part. Surviving the aftermath of his fall is going to be the real challenge.

Thoughts:
I had a slow time getting through the first book in this Mistborn trilogy and the same was true for this book. I listened to this second book on audio, but there was still the sense that this is a long book. And I guess it is; 700+ pages :). What the long-ness gives us though is character development and a sense of depth. I liked that these books are so original, and that writing style is so good. Who ever heard of a magic system dealing with metals? I haven’t. I didn’t like exactly one character: Tindwell (?). I also thought that the beginning of the book dragged just a little bit. It would have taken me much longer to finish if I had been physically reading it and not listening to it. On that note the narrator, Michael Kramer is a great story-teller. There’s enough action but this book is definitely more political than the first book. And I’m not sure what I think of the ending. There is certainly a shift in character’s and their skills now. The next book will be a whole new adventure. I’m glad I finally got to it. I can’t say exactly why, but I don’t love these books like I think I should. I certainly like them and believe they are great masterpieces, but I don’t love them. Again not sure why. But nonetheless, they are great stories. Recommended for any fantasy fans.

Favorite Quote:
‘And yet… something about all this seemed so convenient. It felt almost as if we constructed a hero to fit our prophecies, rather than allowing one to rise naturally.’
(Pg. 478)

This was end of the month stats: stats have been changed due to the removal of graphic novels.

112. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 398
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

Thoughts:
I've seen mixed reviews for this book. Some people said it was the best out of the three, others said it was the worst out of the three. I think I have place myself in the middle. I liked the book but I liked the other two as well. They are all different types of stories and focus on different types of things, but it's just an evolution. Taken as a whole, you can see Katniss' character growth. This book alone? When I finished it last night I felt very emotional. I liked the ending. But it took a lot out of me. I had to think more on it. You could consider this a happy ending or not. I consider it life. Shit happens and people have to move on. Katniss moves on, but she will always be scared and that makes me feel drained. For it all to have happened in the first place sucks, but it did and now all there is, is to deal with the aftermath. But I liked that Collins ended it the way she did. She kept it authentic to the rest of the book. It was realistic. I also liked that the book wasn't as predictable as I thought it might be. It did a great job of keeping me guessing. I thought the romance was authentic as well. In the situation they were in I thought Gale, Peeta and Katniss handled their feelings in a way that made perfect sense. There's been a lot of love-triangles in young adult books lately and so I was hesitant about this triangle at first. But it was handled very nicely. I liked this novel a lot. Now I can see why some many people have read these books.

Favorite Line:
‘”Perhaps we are a little more necessary to the war effort than you give us credit for,” says Plutarch, unconcerned.
“Of course you are. The tributes were necessary to the Games, too. Until they weren’t,” I say. “And then we were very disposable – right, Plutarch?”
That ends the conversation.’
(Pg. 51)

113. The Gunslinger - Stephen King
Genre: Gothic Fantasy
Pages: 264
Rating: 2 Stars

Summary:
Eerie, dreamlike, set in a world that is weirdly related to our own, The Gunslinger introduces Roland Deschain of Gilead, of In-World that was, as he pursues his enigmatic antagonist to the mountains that separate the desert from the Western Sea. Roland is a solitary figure, perhaps accursed, who with a strange singlemindedness traverses an exhausted, almost timeless landscape. The people he encounters are left behind, or worse—left dead. At a way station, however, he meets Jake, a boy from a particular time and a particular place, and soon the two are joined. The mountains lie before them. So does the man in black and, somewhere far beyond...the Dark Tower.

Thoughts:
I’m not really a Stephen King fan. But this Dark Tower series is the one I did want to get to. So here I am and I didn’t like the first book. However I have seen on practically every review I’d looked at that everyone else had the same reaction and was advised to finish reading it anyways because the next six books are very worth it; that this book is basically just the essential backdrop to the rest of the series. Because the book wasn’t very long I followed the multiple reviewers’ words and finished the book. Only glad that now I’m finished with it and can move on to the next book. I didn’t find anything fascinating here. Obviously King is a great writer so I couldn’t understand why this was so boring for me. There was a lot of detail about the landscape and the world and the character’s past but not much on the character’s as they are present. I feel like there wasn’t enough of the story, only there was, just in all the things I didn’t care about. It wasn’t terrible. I just didn’t like it. I guess you could think of it like a TV show though. The first episodes are never the best episodes because they have to get the introduction out of the way. If the book had been longer I don’t think I would have taken the time but now I am excited to get to the ‘real’ series.

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114. Sophie's World - Jostein Gaarder
Genre: Philosophy
Pages: 427
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
A young girl, Sophie, becomes embroiled in a discussion of philosophy with a faceless correspondent. At the same time, she must unravel a mystery involving another young girl, Hilde, by using everything she's learning. The truth is far more complicated than she could ever have imagined.

Thoughts:
I swear I have been reading this book for months. It is certainly not a book that you can read quickly. Philosophy being what it is, I had to stop reading multiple times just to go back and make sure I understood what I had just read. It's a lot to take in. And in this book we get an overview of many philosophers in history, all the way from Aristotle to Freud. I thought the book was a great way to get an introduction to the different philosophies in history without having to read a textbook. There is still the air of a textbook in half of this novel but the other half is Sophie's comments and interpretations. I liked the flip-flop as it gave me breathing room in between all the different philosophies. I thought Sophie did well enough in the first half of the story with her comments. But the second half of the story she got on my nerves. I can't tell if that was because in the second half I was eager to be done or if she really did get even less likable. And the second half of the book took an odd turn. It makes sense, what happened, but it did get very weird towards the end. Was it done that way for a very specific reason? Or is Gaarder not as great of a writer as I thought? After I finished these were my two primary concerns. While talking about philosophy, the book was great; but the story aspect of this book was lacking. I couldn't relate to Sophie or Alberto at all as they came across a little flat. However, the philosophy was what I read the book for and in that aspect it was a great introduction. I feel I can move on to more philosophy books at this point and not be so daunted.

Favorite Line:
Way too many to pick; and all to do with some philosophy or another.
(Pgs. 8, 30, 59, 72, 76, 133, 170, 211, 229, 233, 270, 276, 297, 336)

It's that time of year, when classes are ending and I've finally read the last chapters in my textbooks. Finally! Yay for another semester almost done!



115. Exploring Prehistory: How Archaeology Reveals our Past - Pam Crabtree
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 512
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
This new introduction to archaeology integrates world prehistory with discussion of archeological methods and techniques. It introduces archaeological methods gradually and in context through the use of Archaeology in Practice boxes which give students a more complete understanding of the tools archaeologists use to uncover the past and the reasons why they use those tools. Comprehensive Case Studies focus not just on specific sites but also on why these sites are important in the broader archaeological context. Exploring Prehistory has been developed with the aim of offering a better way to introduce students to archaeology’s unique understanding of human societies.

Thoughts:
Generally I read most of a textbook for classes; skip a chapter here or a few pages there due to time constraints and professor recommendation. But for this book I read the entire book. Every chapter, every page. It sounds like a pain but spread out over fourteen weeks it wasn't so bad. And the information was interesting. I personally, particularly, liked the first third of the book and the information on the hominids, but it was all relevant. The book was very straight-forward and easy to read. Most chapters were fairly short and the topics covered all times and mostly all regions. A good book for an World Prehistory class.

116. Sociocultural Theory in Anthropology: A Short History - Merwyn Garbarino
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 114
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
This useful resource is designed to serve as a statement, in brief compass, of the major developments in anthropological theory rendered in a historical perspective. Intended as an organizing framework, this book presents all theoretical viewpoints fairly, concisely, and simply.

Thoughts:
I think I liked this book so much because it made my history and theory of Anthropology class much much easy than it would have been without the book. It was very concise and simply put. The book is a bit dated but I didn't mind much. It gave me the basic information on theories and anthropologists that I needed to remember. I'm sure I will be referring to it for future classes for the next few years. The book isn't very long - again, it's basic stuff - so it was easy to get through and go back to again and again throughout the class. Good intro information.

117. Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History - R Jon McGee, Richard Warms
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 672
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
A comprehensive and accessible survey of the history of theory in anthropology, this anthology of classic and contemporary readings contains in-depth commentary in introductions and notes to help guide students through excerpts of seminal anthropological works. The commentary provides the background information needed to understand each article, its central concepts, and its relationship to the social and historical context in which it was written.

Thoughts:
I did skip some of this book due to class constraints but I was forced to read most of it so I am counting the book as being read. I thought the information provided was very valuable. I had to struggle with the jargon some of the time but that got better the further in the class I got. It was a little dry and that also caused me to sigh while reading, but for an introduction to the theories of Anthropology it was good introduction. The footnotes were mostly helpful but I thoughts some of the commentary by the editors was unneeded. This is another book I will referring to for future Anthropology classes.

118. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions - Thomas S. Kuhn
Genre: Non-Fiction, Science
Pages: 226
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is indeed a paradigmatic work in the history of science. Kuhn's use of terms such as "paradigm shift" and "normal science," his ideas of how scientists move from disdain through doubt to acceptance of a new theory, his stress on social and psychological factors in science--all have had profound effects on historians, scientists, philosophers, critics, writers, business gurus, and even the cartoonist in the street.

Thoughts:
I had a hard time with Kuhn's way of talking at first but once that changed the reading wasn't too hard to get through. There is just a lot of jargon. The book helped a lot in history and theory class but the idea of paradigm shifts and scientific revolutions was prevalent in that class. It's prevalent in any science I think. There are always going to be paradigm shifts. I feel as if I will want to reread this book sometime in the future, perhaps for graduate school. It's certainly something to always keep in mind. If you are in any scientific field I recommend this book.

119. Contemporary Human Geography - James M. Rubenstein
Genre: Non-Fiction, Geography
Pages: 384
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Contemporary Human Geography is a beautifully crafted, modular springboard into essential human and cultural geography concepts, designed for the contemporary geography student. This brief, innovative text explores current human geography in the bold visual style that distinguishes Dorling Kindersley (DK) publications. Topics within each chapter are organized into modular, self-contained, two-page spreads. Together with the graphics, Rubenstein’s efficient writing engages students, presenting information clearly without sacrificing the high-quality geography content essential to students and instructors.

Thoughts:
This was a bright and colorful book. When I first opened it I was almost daunted by all the little text boxes and visuals all over the pages. It made a very cramped page. However once I started reading the textbook as a supplement to my geography class lectures, the visuals helped immensely. I like to learn visually so all the charts, maps, and photos helped me retain the information I was reading. The content helped too. I didn't think I would be that interesting in geography but it turns out the information is really fascinating. There were all kinds of topics in this book: development, political geography, human services, food industries, populations, ethnicities, etc. There is a ton here, all about humans. And most things about humans are fascinating in my opinion. The text was very easy to read and the sections short, only two pages. Although the sections were short I didn't feel I was missing much. There was a lot covered here, all of it relevant. I'm glad I took the class, and I'm glad I read this book. It opened my eyes even wider to the wide world.

120. The Dobe Ju/'Hoansi: Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology - Richard B Lee
Genre: Anthropology, Ethnography
Pages: 320
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
This classic, bestselling study of the !Kung San, foragers of the Dobe area of the Kalahari Desert describes a people's reactions to the forces of modernization, detailing relatively recent changes to !Kung rituals, beliefs, social structure, marriage and kinship system. It documents their determination to take hold of their own destiny, despite exploitation of their habitat and relentless development to assert their political rights and revitalize their communities. This Fourth Edition chronicles and bears witness to these evolving social conditions and their impacts on lives of the Ju/'hoansi.

Thoughts:
I read the previous edition earlier this year when I took a cultural anthropology class. This semester I am tutoring the class so I read this edition to keep up to date on the material. Since I'd seen most of this material before it was a very easy read. Most of the book is the same; it is formatted a little differently and there are more pictures to supplement the text. It's very straightforward. Each chapter deals with a certain aspect of the culture. As long as the reader likes learning about different cultures, it's not dry at all. I've enjoyed reading about the Ju/'Hoansi, both times. Since I can't travel to the Kalahari Desert and see the Ju themselves, I must get my travel and curiosity through these books. They are journeys in their own, learning about a culture so different from ours. Recommended for anyone interested in different cultures.

Ooooh, seeing your textbooks is making me want to dig out my old texts and re-read them... never thought I'd say that, back in the day, but a lot of them were quite good (as you seem to have noticed in your own textbook reading)!

121. The Yanomamo: Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology - Napoleon A. Chagnon
Genre: Anthropology, Ethnography
Pages: 336
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
The Yanomamo of Venezuela and Brazil are a truly remarkable people, and one of the few sovereign tribal societies left on earth. This classic ethnography, based on the authors extensive fieldwork, includes a brief discussion of events and changes that have occurred since 1996. The Legacy 6th Edition of The Yanomamo also includes a Q&A interview with the author, which reveals his own perspective on his lifes work, reflects changes within the field of anthropology itself, and presents the authors views on the recent decade of controversies that his work has inspired among critics.

Thoughts:
I've never really knew much about the Yanomamo before this besides the fact that they lived in circular structures and used hallucinatory drugs. And only that because I had to do a tiny bit of research on them for a class a year ago. But I knew that a lot of other people knew about them, especially other anthropologists. Thus when I saw the class I was tutoring was going to read this book I was excited. Since I also read what they read I was in for an adventure. And it was an adventure. I love learning about new cultures and this is a very distinct culture. I even liked Chagnon's writing style. His voice really came through. I actually even have a favorite quote too which is rare for textbooks. Sometimes I got fed up with the long long chapters, but that was mostly due to class restraints. To get the whole book read in addition to another case study and a generic introduction to cultural anthropology there was a lot of reading each week. I would have liked to take this book just a bit slower. Even still, it was great to finally learn about the Yanomamo. Again, if the reader likes to learn about the big and small aspects of different cultures, it not all that dry. If you don't, it will come off as very dry I'm afraid. So read it only if you like learning about other cultures. That is when it will be worth it. (PS. Movies supplement the book really really well)

Favorite Line:
‘It is appalling how complicated it can be to make oatmeal in the jungle. First, I had to make two trips to the river to haul the water, Next, I had to prime my kerosene stove with alcohol to get it burning, a tricky procedure when you are trying to mix powdered milk and fill a coffee pot at the same time. The alcohol prime always burned out before I could turn the kerosene on, and I would have to start all over. Or, I would turn the kerosene on, optimistically hoping that the Coleman element was still hot enough to vaporize the fuel, and start a small fire in my palm-thatched hut as the liquid kerosene squirted all over the table and walls and then ignited. Many amused Yanomamo onlookers quickly learned the English phrase “Oh, shit!” and, once they discovered that the phrase offended and irritated the missionaries, they used it as often as they could in their presence.’
(Pg. 14)

Faith -
I was suprised I liked them all as much as I did. When I first flipped through them at the beginning of the semester, I was sure I'd have to force myself through most of them. Learning all the jargon in classes definetly helped, but it was also that the books were well written. And probably the fact that most of them were anthropology books and I'm really getting into the field and loving it. I will definetly be coming back to some of these in future years. :)
You should at least look through yours and see if anything catches your interest. :)

122. Essentials of Cultural Anthropology - Garrick Bailey
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 320
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
The book's coverage of core topics, smaller size, and economical price makes it well suited for instructors who wish to adopt a core text along with supplemental texts such as readers and ethnographies. The text shares, in a briefer format, the same rich characteristics that made HUMANITY a best-seller over the years: strong scholarship, rich ethnographic examples and a unique focus on modern ethnicity and the survival of indigenous peoples.

Thoughts:
Same situation here. I read Humanity for my cultural class last semester, but since I'm tutoring the class and this is their text this semester, I read it to stay up to date. It's an updated version of Humanity. My professor explained it as them taking the essentials of that book and putting it in this one. Only there were multiple times that I thought they didn't include some 'essential' information that was in the previous edition but not this one. Which was kind of funny in some ways and not funny in other ways. But there is still plenty of information in here for an introduction class. I think it is well suited for professors who use it along with supplement ethnographies.

I read Yanomamo for a class and really enjoyed it as well. It's definitely towards the top of the favorite non-literature class readings :)

Katie - Yep. His ethnography sold like crazy, which is mostly rare for anthropological enthnographies. I think some of it is just that Chagnon's a good writer. And that eh Yanomamo are fascinating people.

123. Medea - Euripides / Translated by Rex Warner
Genre: Greek Texts, Mythology, Play
Pages: 30
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
One of the most powerful and enduring of Greek tragedies, Euripides' masterwork centers on the myth of Jason, leader of the Argonauts, who has won the dragon-guarded treasure of the Golden Fleece with the help of the sorceress Medea — whom he marries and eventually abandons.

Thoughts:
This play is more about Medea than Jason. Obviously. And primarily I think it is about the horrors that can befall people when they let passion for revenge overtake them. There is also a streak of feminism here too. I like that Euripides was different. He went against all kinds of traditions and rules. A female chorus. No tragic hero. No real sympathetic character at all really. No interference from the gods. This was written around the time of the decline of Athens. Things were being questioned and people were turning to rationalism instead of absolutism. Euripides brings it all to the forefront in his play. What's the point of live, he seems to be saying. Anyways, I liked the play. It's different than the other plays of its time. And Medea is a strong woman. A little insane with vengeance yes, but still very strong-willed. I don't know how authentic this translation was but I thought the dialogue and what is said between characters was also what made the play so memorable. If you like reading Greek plays, this is a must.

Favorite Line:
'"Have you only just discovered / That everyone loves himself more than his neighbor?"'
(Line 85-86)

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124. Lysistrata - Aristophanes / Translated by Jeffrey Henderson
Genre: Greek Texts, Play
Pages: 34
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Aristophanes' play, Lysistrata, takes place toward the end of the Peloponnesian War and centers on the lives of the soldiers' wives. One woman, Lysistrata, under the impression that a man's libido is ultimately his driving force in life, comes up with an interesting peace solution: to deny their husbands sexual relations until they can settle on a peace agreement that will end the war. However, Lysistrata's strategy effectively creates even more war than before as the sexes begin to feud with each other. Aristophanes' play is both comic and poignant as it reveals the relationship between men and women in classical Athens society.

Thoughts:
I liked the play well enough. I haven't read many Greek comedies so it was a nice shift. I was also impressed with Aristophanes because he was not writing about a myth which he could pull from. He pulled it all from his own imagination. And he was a young writer. I read somewhere that he was writing in his teens, which always receives props from me. However, I didn't like the Henderson's translation. (For that matter neither did my English teacher). I didn't think it was very authentic and sometimes it took away from what could have been a more serious image. The play is fun but there are also serious issues portrayed as well. Someday I will have to go read another translation of this because the play itself is worth reading.

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Question for anyone. Did this 75 challenge group start in 2011? I don't see any 2010 or 2009 groups. Do the previous groups dissappear at some point and does that mean threads will dissappear as well if they are old enough and domant? I find myself refering to my 2011 thread recently and I wouldn't want it to dissappear.

Nope! It was around in 2010 and 2009... don't know about earlier, as I joined the group in 2009, but I think it was earlier. I still have the old groups listed on my profile, so I wonder if that's the only way to find them now...?

:) Well as long as I can get to the threads I've linked, I'm good. Thanks!

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I feel bad. Because I hit 250 posts only three weeks ago I had orginally decided to keep my year in one thread, thinking I would only have at maximum thirty more posts to end the year. I forgot about my textbooks however, and I didn't think I'd get a urge for manga, which I just fly through. So now there is bound to be much more than just 280 posts. I'm already over that number. :( Haha. Oh well. Hoping people can still see most of these over 250 posts. :)

Your thread loads fine for me :)

:) Good

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125. Graceling - Kristin Cashore
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 471
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away, a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Thoughts:
It’s times like these that I feel maybe I should start using half stars as well. This book is almost a four star for me, but not quite. But it's not really on par with the normal three stars I've read. It's in between both. I liked the story, but it's not a empathetic "I like this book". It was entertaining, and I will definitely go and read the next two books, but it didn't quite reach where I was hoping it would reach. Some things weren't explained fully, there were some big loose ends and... well I can't say for sure but it seemed "simple" for lack of a better word. I like the idea of the Grace, I liked the stories plot but the characters seemed just a bit flat and I’m not sure I liked the ending. This is probably my mood causing me to pull at the faults here, because there have been plenty of young adult books I've read recently that had flat characters, but here I seemed to notice it more. Whether it was my mood or the book I won't be able to figure out. But regardless if you are looking for an entertaining read that won't take long to get through, this is worth a try. It looks like plenty of people do love it.

Favorite Line:
‘Po led, despite Katsa’s protests. He insisted that when she set the pace, they always started out reasonably, but without fail, before long they were racing along at breakneck speed. He was taking it upon himself to protect Katsa’s horse from its rider.
“You say you’re thinking of the horse,” Katsa said, when they stopped once to water the horses at a stream that crossed the road. “But I think it’s just that you can’t keep up with me.”’
(Pg. 185)

126. The Happiness Advantage - Shawn Achor
Genre: Pyscholoy, Non-Fiction
Pages: 210
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
Our most commonly held formula for success is broken. Conventional wisdom holds that if we work hard we will be more successful, and if we are more successful, then we’ll be happy. If we can just find that great job, win that next promotion, lose those five pounds, happiness will follow. But recent discoveries in the field of positive psychology have shown that this formula is actually backward: Happiness fuels success, not the other way around. When we are positive, our brains become more engaged, creative, motivated, energetic, resilient, and productive at work. This isn’t just an empty mantra. This discovery has been repeatedly borne out by rigorous research in psychology and neuroscience, management studies, and the bottom lines of organizations around the globe. In The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor, uses stories and case studies from his work to explain how we can reprogram our brains to become more positive in order to gain a competitive edge at work. Isolating seven practical, actionable principles that have been tried and tested everywhere from classrooms to boardrooms, stretching from Argentina to Zimbabwe, he shows us how we can capitalize on the Happiness Advantage to improve our performance and maximize our potential.

Thoughts:
This is the second book I've read for my parents/me book club. When I saw the book my mother had picked out, at first I was not impressed. A book on happiness? Who cares? I can be happy later, now I have to work towards a career. I clearly didn't realize all that happiness can do. And I was clearly following the traditional formula for success. This book may have changed my look on life. The idea that happiness creates success, not the other way around, seems like common sense when someone tells it to you but people don't believe it. This book will make you believe it. It's almost silly, really, how easy it is. Achor is also very charismatic on the pages and is a good writer. I love that he pulls in stories and anecdotes from his and other's lives to help explain the research behind this idea. He funny and well-researched. I enjoyed reading his seven principles and will most likely try to implement some of them in my own life. I could do with some more happiness. The physical benefits alone will be worth it. This is not a book that the reader can fly through; it caused me to think a lot about my years of unhappiness and my times of being genuinely happy. There was some self-reflection, and then there was some happy planning for the future with these principles in my head. This is a great book in my opinion. I highly recommend this book to any and everyone.

Favorite Line:
‘Would you be surprised if I told you that cigarettes are not a great source of vitamin C? Or that watching hours of reality television will not dramatically raise your IQ? Probably not. Similarly, we all know that we should exercise, sleep eight hours, eat healthier, and be kind to others. But does this common knowledge make doing these things any easier?
Of course not. Because in life, knowledge is only part of the battle. Without action, knowledge is often meaningless.’
(Pg. 146)

127. Towers of Midnight - Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 861
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
The Last Battle has started. The seals on the Dark One’s prison are crumbling. The Pattern itself is unraveling, and the armies of the Shadow have begun to boil out of the Blight. The sun has begun to set upon the Third Age. Perrin Aybara is now hunted by specters from his past: Whitecloaks, a slayer of wolves, and the responsibilities of leadership. All the while, an unseen foe is slowly pulling a noose tight around his neck. To prevail, he must seek answers in Tel’aran’rhiod and find a way--at long last--to master the wolf within him or lose himself to it forever. Meanwhile, Matrim Cauthon prepares for the most difficult challenge of his life. The creatures beyond the stone gateways--the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn--have confused him, taunted him, and left him hanged, his memory stuffed with bits and pieces of other men’s lives. He had hoped that his last confrontation with them would be the end of it, but the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. The time is coming when he will again have to dance with the Snakes and the Foxes, playing a game that cannot be won. The Tower of Ghenjei awaits, and its secrets will reveal the fate of a friend long lost.

Thoughts:
It's true that most of the book focuses on Mat and Perrin as the summary says, but there is also focus on Egwene and Elyane and Avienda and Lan and a few other characters. Character's sub-stories are being concluded and everyone is growing even more. The character development is certainly a very strong part of this series. This is the thirteenth book in the series and listening to this book I realized I could look back and see just how big of a masterpiece this series is. Just by looking back to the first few books I can see just how much each character has grown. And not only the characters; the interactions between the characters and nations themselves have evolved. If you look at these books as a whole, you can see the evolution of peace into war. You can see it happen, it's not just told to us. This is what Jordan was trying to get across, this huge, complex, very real world. And Sanderson's words to Jordan’s story make it very easy to read, or listen to in my case. I have nothing against Jordan but his last few novels were especially hard to get through. The previous book and this one, completed by Sanderson are different. It's the same story, it's Jordan's legacy. But Sanderson brings back the greatness Jordan's first few books had. If you've stopped reading this series because you couldn't get through the middle books, I say give it another try if you can, because these last three books will make it all worth it. The last book comes out in a month. I'm very glad that the series is finally coming to its end simply for the fact that it is so long and big that it has to end somewhere. But at the same time, I will miss these characters: specifically Rand, Mat and Perrin. There are still some women I specifically hate and many people who disgust me with their actions/thoughts towards certain favorite characters of mine. But that is true in real life. Some people just rub you the wrong way. These characters I hate are at least realistic. No character in this series could ever be accused of being flat that's for sure. And there are plenty of other characters I like very much. There are even some that I didn’t use to like and like now, now that they have grown out of their arrogance. There wasn't much from Rand's point of view but it was almost okay because other sub stories needed to be resolved and I know there will be a lot from Rand in the next and last book. One thing that confused me a little in the beginning was some time overlap from the last book. Otherwise the book is very fast paced. There is a lot of action here. Well… I guess what all of that rambling says is that I loved this book. I’ve very glad I continued this series. It really is a masterpiece. I think any hard core fantasy fan should attempt to get through this series if they can. It’s worth it!

Favorite Quote:
“I wonder if,” Nynaeve said, “we sometimes put the White Tower —as an institution— before the people we serve. I wonder if we let it become a goal in itself, instead of a means to help us achieve greater goals.”
“Devotion is important, Nynaeve. The White Tower protects and guides the world.”
“And yet, so many of us do it without families,” Nynaeve said. “Without love, without passion beyond our own particular interests. So even while we try to guide the world, we separate ourselves from it. We risk arrogance, Egwene. We always assume we know best, but risk making ourselves unable to fathom the people we claim to serve.”

Congrats on 300! I'm determined to hit that number this year.

Thanks! I was not expecting to reach the number this year. It's those graphic novels I think. Very easy to get though in a very short period of time.
My fingers are crossed for you!

128. Every Day - David Levithan
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 322
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere. It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

Thoughts:
I’ve always liked David Levithan’s books. He is very creative in his writing and this book is no exception. The book is romance and there are some important messages about love to be found, but I also think the book is about not taking for granted what you have. Imagine living a new life every day. As A can do, you can see life as a whole, see patterns between people and families, and see the commonalities more than the differences. But A also misses out on so much more by not being able to stay in a body for longer than a day. I feel very bad for A. The one thing the book doesn’t explain is why this is happening to A. But I feel that the book doesn’t necessarily need an answer either. However if there was ever a sequel to this book I’d snatch it up in a minute. In lieu of that I will just have to go read more by Levithan. I recommend his books to anyone.

Favorite Quote:
‘It’s only in the finer points that it gets complicated and contentious, the inability to realize that no matter what our religion or race or geographic background, we all have about 98 percent in common with each other. Yes the differences between male and female are biological, but if you look at biology as a matter of percentages, there aren’t a whole lot of things that are different. Race is different purely as a social construction, not as an inherent difference. And religion – whether you believe in God or Yahweh or Allah or something else, odds are that at heart you want the same thing. For whatever reason, we like to focus on the 2 percent that’s different, and most of the conflict in the world comes from that.’
(Pg. 77)

Ack! I new something seemed wierd. I'm not on 300 books, I'm on 200 books. Oops. :) I will go back and fix that.

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

De-lurking to say I have really enjoyed your reviews of the Black Butler series! I am looking forward to starting it next year.

Yay! Lurkers! I wasn't sure I had any :) I hope you enjoy the series. It's been a treat reading the volumes.

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

129. Owlflight - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 256
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Apprenticed to a venerable wizard when his hunter and trapper parents disappear into the forest never to be seen again, Darian is difficult and strong willed--much to the dismay of his kindly master. But a sudden twist of fate will change his life forever, when the ransacking of his village forces him to flee into the great mystical forest. It is here in the dark forest that he meets his destiny, as the terrifying and mysterious Hawkpeople lead him on the path to maturity. Now they must lead the assault on his besieged home in a desperate attempt to save his people from certain death.

Thoughts:
I can tell already that this will not be my favorite Mercedes Lackey series. First off, I've always loved the Companions more than the birds. And secondly, the writing style leaves some things to be desired. The story is good as is all Lackey books, and easy to read but there wasn't enough detail or character development here for me. I'm hoping the next two books get better in both of those accounts. I think that the last, at least, should since that is when Darian has grown quite a bit. So sort of looking forward to the next book, but having some hesitation. Beyond that, I know her later books get better at least.

Favorite Line:
'One thing he knew; even if nobody in the village wanted him around, the moment he tried to run off, they'd go after him. It was logical, but it was the way they did things. It didn't matter if the outcome was what they wanted, whatever happened had to be accomplished under their control.'
(Pg. 53)

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

This was a graphic novel: all graphic novels have been moved here

130. The Drawing of the Three - Stephen King
Genre: Gothic Fantasy
Pages: 480
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
After his confrontation with the man in black at the end of The Gunslinger, Roland awakes to find three doors on the beach of Mid-World's Western Sea—each leading to New York City but at three different moments in time. Through these doors, Roland must "draw" three figures crucial to his quest for the Dark Tower. In 1987, he finds Eddie Dean, The Prisoner, a heroin addict. In 1964, he meets Odetta Holmes, the Lady of Shadows, a young African-American heiress who lost her lower legs in a subway accident and gained a second personality that rages within her. And in 1977, he encounters Jack mort, Death, a pusher responsible for cruelties beyond imagining. Has Roland found new companions to form the ka-tet of his quest? Or has he unleashed something else entirely?

Thoughts:
Well, so far I'm not sure if I want to finish this series. I've heard that Stephen King is a good writer, and I can tell from what I've read that he is. But his content is what I'm not so thrilled about. I like Roland, but there is a great deal about three new characters. And I'm not really into the three new characters (Although Eddie grew on me). So the great amount of pages on these three character's history was not thrilling in the least. If these characters stick for many more books maybe it's important but I found myself unenthused. It felt like a tangent away from the actual plot of the series. Like the plot was put on hold so King could write about these characters. Perhaps it's the case of too much detail? I'm not positive beyond the fact that I didn't particularity like the book. The next book the characters actually move towards the tower so I might give that book a try, but I don't have as much faith in the series as I had before I started it. For any readers, make sure you have a strong stomach and don't mind a lot of swearing. Listening to the book instead of just reading definitely pulled out the "mature" areas of this book. Perhaps I'm more into action stories because, while there is action, this is primarily a book about people and all the dark and evil parts of them. Nothing is glossed over. This gets down in the nasty and dirty. Which in itself was interesting, but not what I was looking to read. So, no, I didn't hate the book and I might even recommend it to a very select type of person. But personally, I didn't like it much.

Favorite Line:
“What we like to think of ourselves and what we really are rarely have much in common....”

131. New Spring - Robert Jordan
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 334
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
For three days battle has raged in the snow around the great city of Tar Valon. In the city, a Foretelling of the future is uttered. On the slopes of Dragonmount, the immense mountain that looms over the city, is born an infant prophesied to change the world. That child must be found before the forces of the Shadow have an opportunity to kill him. Moiraine Damodred, a young Accepted soon to be raised to Aes Sedai, and Lan Mandragoran, a soldier fighting in the battle, are set on paths that will bind their lives together. But those paths are filled with complications and dangers, for Moiraine, of the Royal House of Cairhien, whose king has just died, and Lan, considered the uncrowned king of a nation long dead, find their lives threatened by the plots of those seeking power.

Thoughts:
If I remember correctly I wasn't particularly fond of Moraine in the first two books of the Wheel of Time series, but she eventually grew on me. However this book brought me right back to the not liking part. She's very arrogant and down-right mean sometimes in this book. I don't know why Lan agrees to be her Warder in the end. I didn't like her at all. The plot was relevant to the series but this piece of time before the series’ events didn't hold my attention as much as I'd hoped it would. Not enough plot and too much detail. I like detail but I liked it balanced with a really good plot. It's better than some of the later books in the series but I really had a hard time finishing it, and mainly because of Moraine. If I had liked her more, it could have been smoother. But I didn't like her. Recommended for hard core fans of the WoT series, but if not, go ahead and move right along. :)

132. Owlsight - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 389
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
It has been four years since Darian saw his village sacked and burned by barbarians. Taking refuge with the Hawkbrothers, he soon finds his life's calling--as a Healing Adept. But even as he learns the mystical ways of this ancient race, Darian cannot escape the dangers threatening his future. Another tribe of barbarians is approaching. The time has come...to stand up and fight.

Thoughts:
Here's another book that could be a 3.5 star if I rated that way (Maybe I really will start). It's not a four star due to the lack of ... something. But I did like it more than the first book Owlflight. Darian is more mature, there is another character, Keisha, introduced. I actually enjoyed reading about Keisha until the end where she became a little flatter as a character. Actually I didn’t like the ending anyways. These's book's endings all feel rushed. I think more of Lackey's books are exactly the same way, but here it bothered me more. That could be because I haven't read Lackey in a while. But regardless the story is a nice one. I liked the interval between conflicts. Lackey is good at making daily life fun to read. It's the other events that are rushed and come out slightly off kilter to the rest of the writing. But I know Lackey has other books out there that I love so I'm still willing to keep reading her books to find those few that really really stand out.

Favorite Line:
'"What's more, I never get stains on my good clothes!"
"You never wear your good clothes," Sidonie pointed out.
"Because I'd get stains on them, she countered.'
(Pg. 44)

Yay! I'm done with my finals and another semester. Now it's time to read like crazy :)

Congratulations on completing both your finals and another semester. Enjoy your break.

Thanks! I will! You too Judy!

133. Cold Days - Jim Butcher
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery
Pages: 515
Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad. Because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard. He is now Harry Dresden, Winter Knight to Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness. After Harry had no choice but to swear his fealty, Mab wasn’t about to let something as petty as death steal away the prize she had sought for so long. And now, her word is his command, no matter what she wants him to do, no matter where she wants him to go, and no matter who she wants him to kill. Guess which Mab wants first? Of course, it won’t be an ordinary, everyday assassination. Mab wants her newest minion to pull off the impossible: kill an immortal. No problem there, right? And to make matters worse, there exists a growing threat to an unfathomable source of magic that could land Harry in the sort of trouble that will make death look like a holiday. Beset by enemies new and old, Harry must gather his friends and allies, prevent the annihilation of countless innocents, and find a way out of his eternal subservience before his newfound powers claim the only thing he has left to call his own…His soul.

Thoughts:
Finally here is the long awaited book for the Dresden Files series. It hasn't really been that long. Just over a year I think. But it felt like a very long time. I remember when I first started this series last year, I liked it but wasn't blown away. It's sort of funny because it didn't take long for me to do a flip around. Now I'm in love with the series and all its characters. I think I said it once but Butcher is one of those writers who get better with each new book. There was a little lag in the last book, Ghost Story, but I can blame that on the high I'd gotten from reading the book before that, Changes. This newest book was on par with that book. Plenty of action, very fast-paced, a fair share of mystery, and very well written. There is tons of showing here instead of telling which is also automatically a plus. And Dresden is very human. And thus very relatable. He’s not a hero who never gets hurt. He’s one that gets hurt, and hurt bad sometimes, but still stands back up to fight. He makes mistakes. He lets his emotions get the better of him. He’s so relatable that you almost believe he could be real, living in Chicago and fighting a war we’ve never even known about. Fresh Fiction stated in a review that “if there is an author {who} defines urban fantasy, it is Jim Butcher.” I have to agree. Butcher has said that he is going to write 20 books for the series (Holy Cow!). I am excited! You’d think that there wouldn’t be enough to write about but I have faith that Butcher will follow through. He’s already created 14 amazing books. What’s another six? I’m looking forward to seeing how Harry deals with the changes that happened at the end of this book, and with the Winter mantle itself. And that confrontation with his daughter. It has to happen sometime soon too. I’m sure it will be another year before Butcher can get another book out but I’ve got my fingers crossed that it will be less. :) Series recommended.

Favorite Line:
‘See that’s the tragedy of the human condition. No one wants to be corrupted by power when they set out to get it. They have good, even noble reasons for doing whatever it is they do. They don’t want to misuse it, they don’t want to abuse it, and they don’t want to become vicious monsters. Good people, decent people, set out to take the high road, to pick up power without letting it change them or push them away from their ideals.
But it keeps happening anyway.
History is full of it. As a rule, people aren’t good at handling power. And the second, you start to think you’re better at controlling your power than anyone else, you’ve already taken the first step.’
(Pg. 20)

134. City of Dragons - Robin Hobb
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 334
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Battling starvation, a hostile climate, and treacherous enemies, dragons and humans began to forge magical connections, bonds that have wrought astonishing transformations for them all. And though Kelsingra is finally near, their odyssey has only begun. Because of the swollen waters of the Rain Wild River, the lost city can be reached only by flight—a test of endurance and skill beyond the stunted dragons’ strength. Venturing across the swift-running river in tiny boats, the dragon scholar Alise and a handful of keepers discover a world far different from anything they have ever known or imagined. Immense, ornate structures of black stone veined with silver and lifelike stone statues line the silent, eerily empty streets. Yet what are the whispers they hear, the shadows of voices and bursts of light that flutter and are gone? And why do they feel as if eyes are watching them? The dragons must plumb the depths of their ancestral memories to help them take flight and unlock the secrets buried in Kelsingra. But enemies driven by greed and dark desires are approaching. Time is running out, not only for the dragons but for their human keepers as well.

Thoughts:
Here's another great book by Hobb. I don't think I've read anything by her that I didn't like. These books aren't action packed or fast reads, but instead focus on character development and an intriguing world. This third book in the series seems to be the lag in three books because there is a sense that not a lot happens. I think this is due partly to the fact that some POVs are from character's we haven't read about directly before, like Hest, Malta, and the sick Chalced Duke. Despite the feeling of less going on, there really was a lot covered in the book. And all important if I can make any predictions for the next and last book; which I'm really looking forward to. I believe it hits the shelves in another few months. Robin Hobb's writing is excellent and her rendition of people, dragons, greed, love, etc. are all very real. Sometimes love is not convenient. Sometimes people realize they are not the top of the food chain. Sometimes there is so much greed in the world it sickens you. These are all prevalent in this book. Also, these dragons are not like any dragons I've ever read about. There is one dragon who has many POVs, Sintara. The fact of the matter is I don't much like her. Not what I expected; I love dragons. But these dragons are unlike any other dragons. It makes sense though. When you really think about it, the way these dragons think about humans and how they treat them is psychologically logical. It's the same way we think of animals in regards to us. They can't even compare. Why is the life of a bird or a squirrel important to us? That is these dragons; arrogant, mean, egotistical; real. And for me at least, because Hobb's stories are so real they jump off the page. This series is excellent as a story as well as a lesson about men and women's own arrogance. Anyways, I love Hobb, I love this series, but this book itself did seem to be the slightly weaker link so far so I'm unfortunately giving it a four star. The book wasn't too long however so it doesn't take long to get through. Series is highly recommended for any fantasy fan. Looking forward to that last book and the confrontations sure to explode.

Favorite Line:
‘”Happy comes and goes, Tats. Loving someone isn’t that crazy infatuation that you feel at first. That passes. Well, not passes, but it calms down, and then sometimes, when you least expect it, you get a glimpse of the person and it all comes back again, in a big rush. But even that’s not what you’re looking for. What you’re looking for is the feeling that no matter what, being with that person is always going to be better than being without that person. Good times or bad. That having that person around makes whatever you’re going though better, or at least more tolerable.”’
(Pg. 241)

135. Owlknight - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 326
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
By now the boy who ran from barbarian invaders is both knight of Valdemar and a master mage; he is governor of a small province and in love with Keisha who returns his feelings, but he still has problems and responsibilities. For one thing, he has never solved the mystery of what happened to his parents. For another, Keisha refuses to marry him lest his role as governor and hers of healer come into conflict--and there are still barbarians beyond the border who threaten one day to come back.

Thoughts:
I think I have decided that Larry Dixon is the one writing most of this series but since it's a story set in Lackey's created world, her name is also on the book. I think this is the case because I remember liking Mercedes Lackey's book more than I liked this series. It wasn't bad but the story could have been written better. I found I was really looking forward to finishing the series more than discovering what happened in the end. I liked the second book of this series the most. This one made me feel like I was jumping to another new conflict without any transition or development. This isn't really much character development in this book and for the most part it was fairly predictable. I'm looking to read the Gryphon trilogy by Lackey and Dixon but now I'm hoping that it's at least better than this trilogy. I'll read it, because I'm persistent and maybe a little obsessive about finishing a goal (Reading all of Lackey) but I'd rather enjoy the reading a little more than I did reading this one. However I will say that I didn't feel the strong urge to drop the book either so it seems that it's landed in the middle ground: not horrible, but not great.

Favorite Line:
‘It seemed that the tribal spirits of these northerners took a very paternal (or was it maternal?) interest in their titular tribes.
:And the other deities of you humans do not?: came the impudent query from her dyheli.
:Other deities have a great many more people to oversee, and rarely go so far as to personally lead their followers to help or safety,: she pointed out wryly. :Perhaps it is easier when your worshipers number less than a hundred to intervene directly in their lives.:
(Pg. 222)

The Gryphon trilogy isn't a true trilogy but rather three stories about the time period. The Black Gryphon is great. The White Gryphon is okay and I didn't care for The Silver Gryphon.

Ah okay. Well they're not too long. Thanks!

136. The Mammoth Hunters - Jean M. Auel
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 690
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
The heroine, 18-year-old Ayla, cursed and pronounced dead by the "flathead" clan that reared her, now takes her chances with the mammoth-hunting Mamutoi, attended by her faithful lover, Jondalar. Gradually overcoming the prejudice aroused by her flathead connection, Ayla wins acceptance into the new clan through her powers as a healer, her shamanistic potential, her skill with spear and slingshot and her way with animals. She also wins the heart of a bone-carving artist of "sparkling wit", which forces her to make a painful choice between the curiously complaisant Jondalar, her first instructor in love's delights, and this more charismatic fellow.

Thoughts:
There is more romance in this third volume than in the first two books, but the history is still there, from details of stone tools, to burials, to dyes and hunts. Because it is fiction, there are a lot of liberties taken and some the facts have no way to be proven as actual history, but I found that as a story it was entertaining. Watching Jondalar and Ayla go through their multiple misunderstandings was sometimes painful to listen but only because as a reader I knew both parts. I enjoyed the baby wolf as much as I'd enjoyed reading about Ayla caring for the baby cave lion in the previous book. And the central message of accepting people even if they are a little different was brought across well. I've come to like Auel's writing style, but I can see that each book is becoming a little less great. I really liked the first two, but this book I liked slightly less. And I've been forewarned that this trend will continue. I'm going to give the next book a try for the history aspect if nothing else, so I'll give my judgment later. So far, I recommend these first three books to anyone interesting in prehistory or anthropology.

Favorite Line:
'Why can't they see? What makes people hate them so much?' (The "flat-heads")
"Maybe because they can see how much we are alike, so they look for differences.”

137. Tarzan of the Apes - Edgar Rice Burroughs
Genre: Lit Classic, Adventure
Pages: 236
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
The story that launched a thousand movies, TV shows, and plays! A mutiny on board their ship leaves Lord and Lady Greystoke stranded on a desolate African beach with their newborn son. Soon after, the aristocratic couple perishes, leaving the boy an orphan--until the she-ape Kala rescues the infant, names him "Tarzan" ("white skin"), and raises him as one of her own. As he grows, Tarzan schools himself in the ways of both man and beast and rises to become king of the jungle. But when he falls in love with Jane Porter, a beautiful American explorer, he is forced to choose between the two very different worlds.

Thoughts:
This was certainly not what I was expecting. I guess I didn't know what to expect but I had this weird idea that any book written before the 1990s would be very detail oriented. Silly me. This book is not detail oriented. It is very fast paced. I listened to it on audio book and I found that I had to make sure I wasn't disturbed at all because if I missed one sentence it could be the sentence that made a difference, that transitioned from one exciting scene to the next. It is also not very long: 3 hours on audio. At first I was worried that I wouldn't like the story because there didn't seem to be enough detail, enough meat on the bone, but it soon became clear that there just wasn't much time spent on Tarzan growing up. This could be because the book was written in the early 1990s and there wasn't much known about how Gorillas lived, but that is only my guess. I would have loved a more detailed account of this story but it has it's own simple charm. Now I want to go watch the Disney movie; and read the next book in this adventure series. There were a few parts that made me scoff a little, like Tarzan teaching himself to read with no prior knowledge of symbols or how letters connect to make words. That was very imaginative. And there were plenty of stereotypes to be found. But the book was written in 1912, so I can give it some leeway. Overall, I'm glad I read this book.

Favorite Line:
“Hundreds of thousands of years ago our ancestors of the dim and distant past faced the same problems which we must face, possibly in these same primeval forests. That we are here today evidences their victory. What they did may we not do? And even better, for are we not armed with ages of superior knowledge, and have we not the means of protection, defense, and sustenance which science has given us, but of which they were totally ignorant? What they accomplished, Alice, with instruments and weapons of stone and bone, surely that may we accomplish also.”

138. The Everything Classical Mythology Book - Lesley Bolton
Genre: Reference, Mythology
Pages: 291
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Full of action, romance, betrayal, passion, violence, and tragedy, the timeless ancient Greek and Roman myths make great reading. With a cast of unique characters and unbelievable story lines, classical mythology explains phenomena such as creation, weather, nature, and the universe with unparalleled drama. The Everything Classical Mythology book is an entertaining and educational guide that explains all the great myths and the gods’ rise to power on Mount Olympus and their frequent clashes with larger than life heroes.

Thoughts:
I liked this book. I know lots of bits and pieces of Greek mythology, but I've never gotten the full picture; who is whose child, who did what and so on. I wanted the basic information in a simple read so that I could get an overview before reading more specific mythological stories. This did the job. It was very straight forward and gave me all the base facts that helped me connect all the mythological stories I have already read this past year together. I found that having read mythology already helped. If I hadn't I might have been a little overwhelmed from the sheer amount of information. But if you have some background in the subject this book is very easy to get through. Really it's just a way to connect all the dots.

Favorite Line:
'Classical mythology can be a pretty intimidating subject. It can be, but it doesn’t have to be.'
(Pg. x)

Happy New Years everyone. I can't believe it's alrady 2013, but it is, so here is my new 2013 thread for any interested :) - http://www.librarything.com/topic/146557