Kassilem's (Melis) 2013 Challenge

Hello everyone! My name is Melissa.

This will be my third year in this group and while I have exceeded 75 books each year I like the friendliness in the group and have decided to stay. So for those who have not followed my threads before, I like to read fantasy and historical fiction primarily, but like the last two year’s threads have proven my reach will spread elsewhere throughout the year. Even I have no idea what I will eventually get my hands on. My favorite authors are as follows: Elizabeth Chadwick, Lynn Flewelling, Terry Goodkind, Robin Hobb, W. A. Hoffman, George R. R. Martin, Sarah Monette, Melanie Rawn, Patrick Rothfuss, Brent Weeks and Bart Yates.

Below will be the list of the books I read this year, with their reviews in the posts down below. And below that I have three detailed challenges for this year. Also, below that I will have first a fun book meme and then some fun statistics for 2011 and 2012, including my favorite books from those years. Check that out as well to see if you’d like to follow this thread. Please feel free to snoop or take/leave recommendations.

2011 Challenge Part 1, Part 2
2012 Challenge Part 1

Reading Statistics

Looking forward to 2013! I’m hoping it will be a year of fantastic books.

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. Raised By Wolves: Brethren - W. A. Hoffman (Post 18)
2. The Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson (Post 28)
3. Moonwalking with Einstein - Joahua Foer (Post 33)
4. The Plains of Passage - Jean M. Auel (Post 38)
5. The Black Gryphon - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon (Post 40)
6. Pride of Baghdad - Brian K. Vaughan (Post 41)
7. In too Deep - Amanda Grace (Post 43)
8. Girl of Nightmares - Kendare Blake (Post 47)
9. Delirium - Lauren Oliver (Post 59)
10. 1984 - George Orwell (Post 65)
11. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy (Post 66)
12. The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson (Post 67)
13. The Shelters of Stone - Jean M. Auel (Post 77)

February:
14. Intrigues - Mercedes Lackey (Post 82)
15. Dracula - Bram Stoker (Post 99)
16. The Fellowship of the Ring - J. R. R. Tolkien (Post 118)
17. Twisted - Laurie Halse Anderson (Post 126)
18. The Two Towers - J. R. R. Tolkien (Post 133)
19. Kin Groups and Social Structure - Roger M. Keesing (Post 140)
20. The Alloy of Law - Brandon Sanderson (Post 143)
21. The Immense Journey - Loren Eiseley (Post 148)
22. Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher (Post 149)
23. The Different Girl - Gordon Dahlqiist (Post 152)
24. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk (Post 155)
25. Looking For Alaska - John Green (Post 156)
26. Casket of Souls - Lynn Flewelling (Post 157)
27. White Lines- Jennifer Banash (Post 158)
28. Dragonflight - Anne McCaffery (Post 159)

March:
29. Wither - Lauren DeStefano (Post 162)
30. Touching Spirit Bear - Ben Mikaelsen (Post 165)
31. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain (Post 166)
32. Pandemonium - Lauren Oliver (Post 169)
33. The Evolution of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkins (Post 172)
34. Bruiser - Neal Shusterman (Post 173)
35. The Return of the King - J. R. R. Tolkien (Post 174)
36. Matched - Ally Condie (Post 177)
37. What's Left of Me - Kat Zhang (Post 178)
38. Fever - Lauren DeStefano (Post 179)
39. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green (Post 184)
40. Unwind - Neal Shusterman (Post 187)
41. Crank - Ellen Hopkins (Post 188)
42. An Abundance of Katherines - John Green (Post 189)
43. His Majesty's Dragon - Naomi Novik (Post 190)
44. Final Fantasy and Philosophy – William Irwin (Post 191)
45. Blindspot - Mahzarin R. Banaji & Anthony G. Greenwald (Post 194)
46. Covet - J. R. Ward (Post 195)
47. People of the Lie - M. Scott Peck (Post 199)
48. Sever - Lauren DeStefano (Post 201)

April:
49. Furies of Calderon - Jim Butcher (Post 205)
50. Every Day - David Levithan (Post 206)
51. Are We There Yet - David Levithan (Post 212)
52. Dark Currents: Agent of Hel – Jacqueline Carey (Post 213)
53. Primeval Kinship - Bernard Chapais (Post 215)

May:
54. Anatomy & Physiology: An Integrative Approach - Michael McKinley (Post 221)
55. Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory Manual – Elaine Nicpon Marieb (Post 222)
56. Human Osteology – Tim White (Post 223)
57. Forensic Anthropology: An Introduction – MarieTeresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant (Post 224)
58. Crave - J. R. Ward (Post 225)
59. Frost Burned - Patricia Briggs (Post 226)
60. Envy - J. R. Ward (Post 229)
61. Rapture - J. R. Ward (Post 233)
62. Chain Reaction - Simone Elkeles (Post 236)
63. Lover at Last - J R Ward (Post 239)
64. Cry Wolf - Patrica Briggs (Post 242)

TBR Challenge
The books that have stuck on my TBR list for a long time are series, so instead of making myself a challenge to read so many books off the list, I’m going to challenge myself to read so many series, or at least start them. And so I have pulled the series that have sat on my list the longest.

ANNE BISHOP - The Black Jewel
1: The Invisible Ring
2: Daughter of the Blood
3: Heir to the Shadows
4: Queen of Darkness
5: Tangled Webs
6: The Shadow Queen
7: Shalador’s Lady

JACQUELINE CAREY – The Sundering
1. Banewreaker
2. Godslayer

STEVEN ERICKSON - Malazan Book of the Fallen
1: Gardens of the Moon
2: Deadhouse Gates
3: Memories of Ice
4: House of Chains
5: Midnight Tides
6: The Bonehunters
7: Reaper’s Gale
8: Toll the Hounds
9: Dust of Dreams
10: The Crippled God

MICAHAEL & KATHLEEN O”NEAL GEAR - The Black Falcon
1: It Sleeps in Me
2: It Wakes in Me
3: It Dreams in Me

TANYA HUFF - Quarters
1: Sing the Four Quarters
2: Fifth Quarter
3: No Quarter
4: The Quartered Sea

JULIET MARILLIER - The Sevenwaters
1: Daughter of the Forest
2: Son of the Shadows
3: Child of the Prophecy
4: Heir to Sevenwaters
5: Seer of Sevenwaters

*If I can finish these, I’ll add more.

Off-the-Shelf Challenge
I made a vow to finish all the books I owned but hadn’t read last year. I made it through about half of them, but I didn’t finish that list. And so this year will be my attempt to finish the list and make sure all books I own have been read. Below I will cross-out each book as I read them:

1. Black Sun Rising - C. S. Friedman
2. The Gold Falcon - Katharine Kerr
3. Rules of Ascension - David B Coe
4. Banewreaker - Jacqueline Carey
5. Sacajewea - Anna Lee Waldo
6. Maia - Richard Adams
7. Wyrms - Orsen Scott Card
8. The Magician's Apprentice - Trudi Canavan
9. Wraeththu - Storm Constantine
10. The Summoner - Gail Z Martin
11. The Blood King - Gail Z Martin
12. People of the Wolf - Kathleen O'Neal Gear
13. Daughter of the Blood - Anne Bishop
14. Path of Revenge - Russell Kirkpatrick
15. Adam's Navel - Michael Sims
16. ✔ Final Fantasy and Philosophy – William Irwin
17. ✔ A Hero of Ages – Brandon Sanderson
18. A Dance With Dragons - 1:Dreams and Dust - George R. R. Martin

Ethnography Challenge
I will be graduating soon and looking into graduate schools. In my field it is essential to first find a person you would like to study under and then go to that school, instead of looking at schools first. My field is Anthropology and unfortunately I don’t yet know who all is in the field. That will come in the next year or two, but I would also like to challenge myself this year to read some anthropological ethnographies. I’m a physical Anthropologist primarily and there are not tons of “ethnographies” in the subfield. However, reading just a few to get to know who is in the field now will be extremely beneficial. And so I will challenge myself to read at least 6 Physical Anthropological ethnographies in 2013.
Below I will make a list of those I read:

1. The Immense Journey - Loren C. Eiseley
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Group Reads

A Song of Fire and Ice (Year Long)
✔ Lord of the Rings (Year Long)
✔ Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy (Janurary)
✔ A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain (March)
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas (March)
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee (June)
Ivanhoe - Sir Walter Scott (September)
Lionheart - Sharon Kay Penman (October)

First off I’d like to do this book meme for 2012, since it’s so fun. What you do is answer each question with the title of a book you read the previous year!

Describe yourself: Lord of Chaos
Describe how you feel: Oddly Normal
Describe where you currently live: Sophie’s World
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Stone of Tears
Your favorite form of transportation: Gone, Gone, Gone
Your best friend is: Royal Assassin
You and your friends are: Dragon Keeper
What’s the weather like: Something Like Summer
You fear: Don’t Let Me Go
What is the best advice you have to give: Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You
Thought for the day: The Happiness Advantage
How I would like to die: The Blinding Knife
My soul’s present condition: A Companion to Wolves

Welcome back!

Thanks for stopping by my thread. I'll be following yours with interest! By the way, I really enjoyed Anne Bishop's series.

Hello Melissa, noticed that we share quite a few books. I am a great fantasy and sci-fi fan as well, also I do read a lot of other things as well. I loved the Anne Bishop Black Jewels series. I have read all the Juliet Marillier and read most of the Brandon Sanderson.

Wish you a happy New Year and look forward to your reading.

Jim - Thanks!

Michelle - Welcome! I am really looking forward to Bishop's series. I've had Daughter of the Blood on my shelf for a while now so this year I'm determined to get to it. :) Looks like we share almost 100 books, so I'm sure we'll be able to trade some recommendations this year :)

Bianca - Haha. I just went over to your thread, then came back over here and saw you'd been to my thread too! We must have found each other right around the same time. :) Anyways, thanks and welcome! Sounds like we'll have a lot of interest overlap. I saw that we share almost 200 books (The one's I saw first were Elizabeth Chadwick - great author!)

Stopping by to wave hello and to wish you a Happy New Year as that is fast approaching! I am intrigued by the Anne Bishop Black Jewels series, now that both you and Bianca have brought it to my attention here on this thread. I am looking forward to following your reading.

Hello Melissa, just stopping by to wish you a marvlous and happy New Year!

Glad to see you back with us again, Melissa!

Thanks Lori, Bianca & Stasia!

Just returning your visit. I love the challenges you've set yourself -- good luck! Happy new year!

Thanks Sarah! You too :)

1. Raised By Wolves: Brethren - W. A. Hoffman
Genre: Historical Fiction, GLBT, Romance
Pages: 541
Rating: 5 Stars
(Re-Read)

Summary:
Buccaneer adventure/romance. The first of four volumes chronicling the relationship between an emotionally wounded and disenchanted English lord and an insane and lonely French exile, set among the buccaneers of Port Royal, Jamaica, in 1667.

Thoughts:
I read this book around six months ago and loved it :) I liked it so much and I wanted to start the year off with a great read so I pulled this off my shelf and dug in. I have a full review from last year so I'll just mention a few things this time around. The book is self-published, I think, because there are some format errors but that does not take away from the story itself. There are some great references to be found her, going back to Greek mythology and classical philosophy. They didn't mean as much the first time around but since I have read and learned much more on both topics. So being able to really understand the references was a new treat. The authentic dialogue used for that time period was also a treat; it really puts things into perspective. I've never really been into books about ships and sailing but I enjoyed this one, possibly because I love the characters and would read about them in any context. The book is about the characters; that is the focus. There is fantastic development. And Will and Gaston seemed very real to me. They are characters that are really good at knowing their feelings and speaking about them, something I would certainly like to be better at. But at the same time they are learning new things about themselves all the time. I guess primarily this a romance book, but it’s some of the best romance I have ever read. It is m/m romance however. I feel that this fact will dissuade some from reading it and certainly if you are not comfortable with homosexuality this book would be quite a shock and perhaps be even more graphic then it appears to me. But for anyone who can handle these, I strongly recommend this book and its three successive novels.

Favorite Line:
‘”All of your scars are on the inside, are they not?” he asked.
I nodded. “Not so severe as yours, I feel.”
“Why? Because they may not have involved as much bodily pain?”
(Pg. 247)

Hi Melissa, great review on Raised By Wolves: Brethren sounds like a great story to me and I love the quote!
Only day 3 of the New Year and already I put my fourth book onto my wishlist!

Haha, I'm not surprised. That was me last year too. And thanks :)

The Black Jewels series is one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it!

Dropping by to place my star and looking forward to following you in 2013. I, too, have the first three books of The Black Jewels on my shelf, maybe this will be the year I pull them down and at least get the first one read!

I have been calling you Melis for most of last year. Do you prefer Melissa?

Welcome! And either is fine :) Melissa is my real name. I've been using Melis as a nickname for a few years but the longer I'm working towards a career the more I'm turning to Melissa since it's more professional. I've only got one book of the Black Jewels series on my shelves but I checked my library and it's got all of them so I'm set. Now I just need to finish what's on my desk right now and get to them :)

Hi Melissa, so you are starting with the Black Jewels series? I hope you will enjoy them. I always liked the sarcastic humor in this books very much. These is one of those series where you can here me giggle all the time and my parents always think I lost my marbles.

Wish you a great weekend!

That sounds like a great book to start the year with; I've added it to my wishlist.

Dropping off a star!

Bianca - I don't know if I will get to it this month. I've got five or six library books that to get through first. But soon :) And I'm glad it's got good humor. Looking forward to it :) Have a good rest of the weekend too!

Zoe - It's fantastic. It suprised me how much I loved it. I'd bought it a few years ago and only got to it last year and couldn't believe that I hadn't gotten to it sooner. :) I hope you like it when you get to it.

Faith - Welcome :)

2. The Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 748
Rating: 4 Stars
(TBR / Off Shelf)

Summary:
To end the Final Empire and restore freedom, Vin killed the Lord Ruler. But as a result, the Deepness---the lethal form of the ubiquitous mists---is back, along with increasingly heavy ashfalls and ever more powerful earthquakes. Humanity appears to be doomed. Having escaped death at the climax of The Well of Ascension only by becoming a Mistborn himself, Emperor Elend Venture hopes to find clues left behind by the Lord Ruler that will allow him to save the world. Vin is consumed with guilt at having been tricked into releasing the mystic force known as Ruin from the Well. Ruin wants to end the world, and its near omniscience and ability to warp reality make stopping it seem impossible. She can’t even discuss it with Elend lest Ruin learn their plans.

Thoughts:
I liked this book more than the second, which seems to be a trend with other readers. It answers questions that the second book gave us, and pulls on hints and foreshadowing throughout the series. I liked the ethical dilemmas the book (and series) brought up. I liked that the heroes weren't perfect, that they made tons of mistakes. I liked that the book wasn't predictable. I liked the action packed, climatic ending. I liked he magic system. I liked listening to the story on audio book (by the way, Michael Kramer is a great narrator). However... ...there's often a however, huh? Well I found I wasn't as into the book and series as much as I thought I would be. Still can’t really pin down why either. I don’t think I got into the characters as much in the beginning and thus I never got really invested in them. Interested yes, but not invested. The series is a good one, I’d recommend it, but unfortunately it’s not a five star for me.

Favorite Line:
‘”I need to know about Yomen, the obligator king.”
“He’s a good man.”
Vin frowned.
“Oh,” Slowswift said. “You didn’t expect that? Everyone who is your enemy must also be an evil person?”
(Pg. 227)

Good to see you liked the Mistborn trilogy, even if not a 5 star read. I found I really enjoyed them, especially the first, but the middle one was the weakest for me as well, which seems to be a common finding among trilogies!

The only characters I became invested in were in the first book, and my emotional attachment faded throughout the books. I was still interested of course, and cared, but not in the same way as at the beginning. Not sure why not!

Hello Melissa, great review of the Mistborn trilogy. Agree with you as well, for myself the second one was the weekest as well.
However, I very much enjoyed his two standalones Elantris and Warbreaker which I just finished.

Have a great Sunday!

Great review! I felt the same about the series although I did really enjoy the addition of the Kandra's story in book three.

Jenny - Strange huh? I was surprised because I loved his characters in his Warbreaker. Elantris and The Way of the Kings are on the list to read this year too so I guess I will see if this is a trend of if it was just this series. It was too bad because it really was a great story in itself.

Bianca - My Sunday has been fun already Thankfully. My parents and my brother have a book club going and this morning was out get together to talk about the latest book so I've already filled my morning with great topics. :) I'm glad you liked Warbreaker! It seems like a lot of people are reading Sanderson's books this year. Must be some trend going around.

Michelle - I did like that the story wasn't just about Vin and Ellend. There were other character stories that were great all in their own way. I especially liked Spook's sub-story.

3. Moonwalking with Einstein - Joshua Foer
Genre: Non-Fiction, Psychology
Pages: 287
Rating: 3 Stars
(Book Club)

Summary:
Moonwalking with Einstein recounts Joshua Foer's yearlong quest to improve his memory under the tutelage of top "mental athletes." He draws on cutting-edge research, a surprising cultural history of remembering, and venerable tricks of the mentalist's trade to transform our understanding of human memory. From the United States Memory Championship to deep within the author's own mind, this is an electrifying work of journalism that reminds us that, in every way that matters, we are the sum of our memories.

Thoughts:
This read more as a memoir/narrative than non-fiction but there was some good research here too. It was my turn to pick a non-fiction book for my family book club and at first I was sure I had picked horribly after reading the first page of this book. But it was only the first page that confused the hell out of me, and it is later explained. The books itself was interesting. Memory is interesting, so there is bound to be some appeal. However I think my parents liked the book more than I ended up doing. I enjoyed reading about memory and Josh's own story of training himself was entertaining enough but I guess I felt that while it was interesting, there wasn't as much applicability as I thought the book would have. The mental mapping was interesting to read about but I'm not sure I would take the time to use it for more than remembering dates of wars or kings, or connecting ideas together. I could use my memory more for remembering birthdays and phone numbers too, but that's probably as far as I would go. Josh even says that these techniques are not very applicable. So why the whole book? In the end I got out of it the idea that we should be aware that we CAN remember more if we work at it, and that we should be more observant of our surroundings. It was an interesting read, and it certainly got me thinking about something I hadn't previously thought about.

Favorite Line:
‘Today, I’m not sure if I know more than four phone numbers by heart. And that’s probably more than most. According to a survey conducted in 2007 by a neuropsychologist at Trinity College Dublin, fully a third of Brits under the age of thirty can’t remember event their own home land line number without pulling it up on their handsets. Eh same survey found that 30 percent of adults can’t remember the birthdays of more than three immediate family members. Our gadgets have eliminated the need to remember such things anymore.’
(Pg. 138)

Good review, although not one I think I'd like. However, I do like the idea of a family book group. What a nice way to be able to be antisocial and read, and it still be a family bonding event!

Have to agree again with you Jenny, that sounds indeed very nice. My sister and I sometimes do that or I do that with my son - well, it's more less that I am actually the one doing the reading, also he could do it by himself *grin*

A very good review as well, something what I might could enjoy :)

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy Moonwalking with Einstein more. It was one of my favourites the year I read it, but I didn't really care about applying the techniques, so that might have made the difference.

Jenny - I love the book club. I never got into one that lasted for very long until now. I've always liked them because they help broaden my horizons. And talking about books with people is always a favorite topic of mine.

Bianca - If you get to it I hope you like it better than I did. :)

Zoe - That could be. When I was picking it up I wanted to see if there was a way I could improve my own memory.

On another note, I just got my copy of Anna Karenia. Yay for my first real group read! Does anyone know if there is a group thread for the book this month? I haven't been able to find it. I don't think it will take me very long to get through. I requested it on audio book and I'm working on a cross-stitch project so I can listen to books for a few hours every day. :) I'm looking forward to it.

4. The Plains of Passage - Jean M. Auel
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 784
Rating: 4 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
With her companion, Jondalar, Ayla sets out on her most dangerous and daring journey--away from the welcoming hearths of the Mammoth Hunters and into the unknown. Their odyssey spans a beautiful but sparsely populated and treacherous continent, the windswept grasslands of Ice Age Europe, casting the pair among strangers. Some will be intrigued by Ayla and Jondalar, with their many innovative skills, including the taming of wild horses and a wolf; others will avoid them, threatened by what they cannot understand; and some will threaten them. But Ayla, with no memory of her own people, and Jondalar, with a hunger to return to his, are impelled by their own deep drives to continue their trek across the spectacular heart of an unmapped world to find that place they can both call home.

Thoughts:
I liked this book more than the previous book The Mammoth Hunters. There was more traveling and adventure in this story than in the last one. It’s still not as good as the first two books in the series but it was better than the last so maybe there is hope. Only I’ve been told there isn’t. :) I think I will give the next book a try as it is the sixth and latest book that really went downhill. I don’t know if I will continue on to that one yet. I will wait to see what I think at the end of the next book. The first third of this book dragged a little for me, because it was mostly the two characters simply traveling day after day. There was a lot of information on vegetation and fauna, but the rest of the book was what I ended up liking. There is still the prevalent message that while the Cro-magnums and Neanderthals were different, they were still both humans. Slowly, some characters are beginning to realize this. There was a hint of predictability; the reader can almost always know that Ayla and Jondalar will always end up dear to whoever group they run into. It seems Ayla can do anything. And there is a hint of sterotypes, but they can be over-looked. Anyways, I’m looking forward to seeing how Jondalar’s kin take to Ayla in the next installment and what Ayla’s dreams mean. There is some erotic sex scenes prevalent in the book (and later in the series) so if that bothers you may want to skip a few paragraphs here and there, but otherwise I recommend this series to anyone who likes historical fiction; the pre-historical time period. Just beware that the first and second book are by the far the best in the whole series.

Favorite Line:
‘”I used to think my kind of people were so good, but I’m not so sure anymore,” she said, looking sad and distressed.
“There are good people and bad people, Ayla, and everyone has some good and some bad in them,” Jondalar said, his wrinkled forehead showing his concern.

5. The Black Gryphon - Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 319
Rating: 3 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
As the tyrant-sorcerer Kiyamvir Ma'ar's forces sweep across the land in a relentless war of conquest, one man--Urtho, the Mage of Silence--arises as the leader of the opposition. Set a thousand years before the founding of Valdemar and the rise of the Herald Mages, the latest novel by Lackey and Dixon relates the story of the legendary black gryphon Skandranon Rashkae, his healer-companion Amberdrake, and the war that changed the face of a world forever.

Thoughts:
This book took me a long time to get through. Longer than it should have for such a short book. I generally liked Lackey’s stories. Sometimes the writing lacks a little here or there but I’ve always thought she could tell a good story. Here, however, I felt that there as so much that could have been built on but wasn’t. Granted, it would have made a much longer book and more complex, but I couldn’t become invested in the characters because it didn’t feel as if there was much background behind them to base off of and grow. The characters weren’t flat, and some characters make great leaps, but it all felt superficial. Lackey is not known for really complex stories, but I know she can do better than this. I’m not sure where this book falls in the chronology of her writing career, maybe it was written early in her career and that is why. For whatever reason I didn’t get into this book.

Favorite Line:
‘”The reasons for bearing young should simply be love and respect for the incipient child, and for the world they will be born into. If it took more effort to produce a child than the exercise of a moment’s lust, perhaps there might be less misery in this world.”’
(Pg. 184)

6. Pride of Baghdad - Brian K. Vaughan
Genre: Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction
Pages: 136
Rating: 4 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
In the spring of 2003, a pride of lions escapes from the Baghdad Zoo during an American bombing raid. Lost and confused, hungry but finally free, the four lions roamed the decimated streets of Baghdad in a desperate struggle for their lives. In documenting the plight of the lions, PRIDE OF BAGHDAD raises questions about the true meaning of liberation - can it be given, or is it earned only through self-determination and sacrifice? And in the end, is it truly better to die free than to live in captivity?

Thoughts:
I don't know why this caught my attention at the library - probably the cover. I generally base my graphic novels on how good the artwork is. So that was the first thing that told me I might like it. The other factor was that it was about lions - which I've always liked - and the description on the dust cover. It sounded like an easy but good read. I can happily say it was. It was short and straight-forward, but well told. It doesn't have a happy ending. Unless you really look at that last question in the summary; is if better to die free or live in slavery? It is certainly a book to be thought about and read again. I highly recommend it.

I loved Pride of Baghdad when I read it. Good pick! Brian K. Vaughan is now an artist I look for, because his stuff is fantastic.

7. In too Deep - Amanda Grace
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 228
Rating: 3 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
Sam is in love with her best friend Nick, but she can’t seem to tell him. So she decides to flirt with golden-boy Carter Wellesley, hoping Nick will see it and finally realize his true feelings for her. On Monday, everyone at school is saying that Carter raped Sam. He didn’t, but Sam can’t find the words to tell the truth. Worst of all, she’s afraid she’ll lose Nick if he finds out what really happened. As graduation approaches, Sam discovers that living the lie isn’t as easy as her new friends make it sound—and telling the truth might be even worse.

Thoughts:
Okay, well the writing style is pretty good and I liked Nick very much. I didn't however like Sam all that much. I realize that things can get out of hand very fast and everyone makes mistakes. I feel sorry for Sam, but actions always have consequences. But I don't think Grace was trying to get the reader to like Sam. I think Grace got her real point across very well; that lies can ruin people, including the person who started or kept the lie going. Some people would say that the book doesn't have a happy ending and I would agree but I would also say that it is not all dark. Sam learned. And she begins to move on. Granted it will take a while to get beyond what she let happen, but it will fall behind her eventually. People move on. Still that doesn't negate the lesson. Lies have power. Great writing.

Favorite Line:
'Some things can't be undone.
Lies are one of them.'
(Pg. 228)

Interesting thoughts on In Too Deep! I'm a fan of her writing as Mandy Hubbard, so I'm interested to check out the books she writes under the Grace penname.

Ha, I lost you and found you again. I wasn't doing any thread hopping last week, that's must be why. However, glad you liked The Plains of Passage that's another one of my fave series, also I still have to read book 6. :)

Mercedes Lackey is on my TBR pile for this year, but I don't think it is this book.
Great reviews on Pride of Bagdhad and In too Deep, very interesting thoughts on both of them. Gonne straight onto my wishlist.

I am reading currently The Alchemist of Souls a fantasy novel which starts of quite slowly, then picks up pace and now is getting better and better by the page.

I also wish you a great reading week :)

Sarah - I'm glad I picked it up. I was just sitting waiting for my brother to finish getting his books and it was there in front of me when I looked up at the graphic novel shelves. It was a great story. :) Happy Reading!

Faith - I wasn't aware that Grace was a second penname. I may have to go see what she's written as Hubbard. It was pretty good writing. Happy Reading to you!

Bianca - I'm not fantastic at following threads myself. I usually end up checking when there are piles of things to do all around me and only end up skimming most threads. Until I finish a book and go to review it. Then I try to be more than a lurker. I've got the next book from Auel on audio book just waiting until I'm done listening to Anna Karenina and The Way of Kings. Then I'll only have book 6 left too. I heard it wasn't that great relative to the series but I think I'm going to read it (or rather, listen to it). You never know how you're views will differ from other reader's impressions, right? :) On the note of Lackey, I've got a lot of her books on my TBR list; I'll watch for your Lackey book to pop up and see if it's on mine too. And The Alchemist of Souls looks great from its summary on Amazon. I'll watch eagerly for that review of your as well. :) Happy Reading, as always.

8. Girl of Nightmares - Kendare Blake
Genre: Gothic Fantasy
Pages: 332
Rating: 4 Stars
(Know Author-New Book)

Summary:
It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on. His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with. Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears. Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

Thoughts:
I didn’t know that Blake was writing a sequel to Anna Dressed in Blood until I saw someone else reading it. Then I knew I would be reading it sometime this year. I enjoyed the first book. I remember thinking it was much more gory than most YA books but that it was probably made sense in today’s media world. This book is just as gory, maybe a bit more than the first book. But I had a totally different take on the gore this time around because between reading the first book and this second one, my career path is leaning more towards forensics. I’ve now seen pictures of these gross descriptions. On one hand that made this book much easier to handle than the first book (The first book made me shiver). On the other hand it made me realize just how gory the book gets. If you have a weak stomach I suggest you don’t read this book. (Although maybe it’s just me because I do have images to juxtapose over Blake’s narrative). It’s YA so there were times where I thought the story could have taken a deep and meaningful turn, maybe have some philosophy over what is right/wrong, ethical or not, etc. There could be some fascinating dialogue/thoughts about which ghost deserves to be “sent” and which ones don’t, or what it means to hold the power of sending ghosts away even though you have no idea where it is you are sending them. Alas, the book is only YA and those paths are not trod on. But despite this, I liked the story. It kept my attention. I liked the characters. The writing was done fairly well. I might keep my eyes on Blake and see what she come up with next. Due to all my forensic classes I’ve become attuned to these darker novels. Recommended if you like Gothic Fantasy/Supernatural.

Favorite Line:
‘”You know what I hate about flashlights?” Thomas asks, and I watch his beam move around the room, revealing sudden bird faces and shifting wings, then nothing but cobweb-covered boards.”They always make you think about the stuff you’re not seeing. The stuff that’s still in the dark.”’
(Pg. 25)

Hum.... question for anyone. What is considered a new book? I always thought that if it was published in the year I was reading the book; as in last year, anything published in 2012 was new. However as I'm creating statsics for this year, I realized that can't be right. Girl of Nightmares was published in December 2012 so technically that is a new book for me, since I just read it. So... is a book new if you read it a year from the date it was published? Six months?

I'm not the gory sort, so think I'll steer clear of those two books!

I think with Lackey's Gryphon trilogy, it was the opposite. She'd been writing about Valdemar for a long time, and it was getting harder and harder to come up with good ideas for books. I'd say these three are probably her weakest Valdemar books.

Roni - haha, steering clear would be a good idea then. And that does makes sense about the the Gryphon trilogy. She does have TONS of Valdemar books out there. Well I may just leave the rest of that series for a while, or perhaps a long while. We'll see I guess :) Thanks

Well, I finally finished my cross-stitch project!

It's been in the works for over ten years. I kept forgetting about it and it would sit alone for a few years at a time, but when I started listening to more audio books this last few months I thought it would be a good idea to pull it out again. There is an option to add defining lines in around the edges but I haven't decided if I will or not. I like it how it is. Plus I'd like to finally be done with it. :) And I have a new one to fiddle with while listening to even more audio books. Hopefully that one wont take as long.

Anyways, below is the cross-stitch I finished. Since it's connected to my reading/listening I thought I'd go ahead and share it here. :)

Nice job! I know how long and frustrating this type of project can get. I did an SR-71 Blackbird for my husband. It was all grays and blacks. Sheesh, it took forever!

That looks so cute and well done! I haven't done cross-stitch in years; it's a great idea to listen to an audio book while doing it.

Hello Melissa, the cross stitch is wonderful. I have tried that in my younger years, but got really frustrated, because it's such a slow going past- time. However, it just looks lovely. What are you going to with it? Are you going to frame it, or use it as a pillow decoration?

That is adorable, but I can see that it would take a lot of work. I will have to try listening to an audio book when I work on my crochet, expecially the afghan I am working on now as the pattern is very repetative.

Thanks everyone! I decided I'm not going to put in defining lines. I like it. It's like a water-color. You don't have to have black outlines to see where one animal begins and the other ends, right? :)

Morphy - I loved watching the colors come together to create something so I can imagine one of all blacks and grays being very frustrating. I'm sure it looked good at the end though :)

Michelle - I always have to be doing something and I found shortly after I started listening to audio books that it in itself wasn't enough, I had to be doing something while I listened. Playing computer games didn't work for me because I would get to involved and start tp tune out the voice in my ear :D Then I remembered the cross-stitch gathering dust in my filing cabinet. Now it works out really well.

Bianca - I think I'm going to frame it. When my mom and I first started it, it was supposed to be for my niece's nursery. But we never finished it and it sort of got handed off to me when she went back to school. So now, it will probably go in my child's nursery years away from now :)

Judith - I found that audio books worked best for this kind of thing because it is very repetitive, almost mindless work. And it's so nice to be able to get two things done in the same time. Someday maybe I'll find something else, something productive to my career, that I can do while listening, but for now cross-stitching works really well for me. Especially when I'm trying to get through huge books like Anna Karenina :)

LOL - child nursery years away from now? Sounds great!

I am a great audiobook fan as well and listen to them when I knitt, do gardening, go for walks with the dog, or even when I do other things around the house. My parents complained a few times that they felt I am "unsocial" - I only say *snork* to that one. LOL

:) We have even more in common! I also listen when I walk, albeit it is when I am walking to classes or when I'm driving somewhere and I'm the only one in the car. Sometimes I can listen when I work-out but not all the time - the gym can be really distracting. And sometime I even listen in bed if I'm not drowsy. But that can backfire sometimes if I'm more tired than I think and don't turn it off before I start dozing.

9. Delirium - Lauren Oliver
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance, Dystopia
Pages: 441
Rating: 4 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
Lena Haloway is content in her safe, government-managed society. She feels (mostly) relaxed about the future in which her husband and career will be decided, and looks forward to turning 18, when she’ll be cured of deliria, a.k.a. love. She tries not to think about her mother’s suicide (her last words to Lena were a forbidden “I love you”) or the supposed “Invalid” community made up of the uncured just beyond her Portland, Maine, border. There’s no real point—she believes her government knows how to best protect its people, and should do so at any cost. But 95 days before her cure, Lena meets Alex, a confident and mysterious young man who makes her heart flutter and her skin turn red-hot. As their romance blossoms, Lena begins to doubt the intentions of those in power, and fears that her world will turn gray should she submit to the procedure.

Thoughts:
First off, I liked this book much more than I thought I might. I've come to notice that there are tons of new young adult books out that are dystopias with corrupt government control. I don't know if that says anything about the world's mentality now-a-days. Regardless this book reminded me a lot of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and 1984 by George Orwell. And there are many others out there on the New Young Adult Shelf. It's a big thing. I've never had much of a problem with government and don't think things would ever get to a point like it has in these kinds of books but it is interesting to watch a character really learn what being human is, and not what they are told it is about. I like watching people think for themselves. And I like watching characters grow. Sometimes the characters frustrate me on their journey but Lena didn't. I knew I already liked Oliver's writing style and she didn't disappoint here. It’s great writing. I liked both characters. And even though the book doesn’t have much action in it, it’s kept me engaged the whole way through the book. One thing is that I've never been able to relate to teenagers who meet two or three times, kiss, and then fall in love. I'm not convinced that it would have lasted later on in the wilds, once they'd both grown up a little. Which brings me to the ending. Horridly sad, but somehow fitting. It really slammed the book home for me. And now I am desperately waiting for the next book. Recommended for any who like dystopian books.

Favorite Line:
‘’You can’t be really happy unless you’re unhappy sometimes.”’
(Pg. 23)

Oh, Delirium sounds really good! On my list it goes :)

Michelle - It was great I hope you like it!

Question anyone? What's the difference between Dystopia and Science Fiction? At the moment I have any Dystopia as also Science Fiction but is that really correct? I always think of science fiction as any setting that is still our world or universe but in the future. But there are some mixed definitions online. Just curious as I look at my tags. :)

Hi Melissa, great review on Delirium you just reminded me to move it up my TBR pile. I think I forgot about it, because I read Before I Fall which was somewhat a good read, but much less then I expected.

Well, they way I understand it is that dystopian is still on earth and set somewhere in the future, could be after an post-apocalyptic event or any kind of disaster, but still very near to our own reality. Mostly it has something to do with a community or society who end up living in ways which are not desired or frightening. Such as for eg The Giver Lois Lowry, When She Woke Hillary Jordan or Slated by Teri Terry, or the books by Margaret Atwood which I just have been reading.

Science Fiction is less plausible and very often involves much more technology, space travel, different alien species, time travel. Eg. just finished The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, The Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley - also they also have got elements of fantasy mixed in.

I feel that nowadays a lot of genres are overlapping and there are so many sub genres by now.

Well, I hope I could help a little.

59: Everyone at my library is going crazy for this series. My co-worker told me she knew she would rate it 5 stars and she was only 1/3 of the way into the book. I must get to it...

I think genres and sub genres are very subjective. A dystopian book can have sci-fi elements, and it does seem like a lot of them do, but it doesn't necessarily have to have any at all, like The Road. I think it all comes down to the setting and technology involved in the book.

Thanks Bianca and Marie! I hope you both like Delirium. I liked it much more than I thought I would.

It is true that genres tend to overlap. It makes things very confusing. Do you simply put the most prevalent genre or two? Or do you clutter it with all the tags that it deals with? Gah. (I'm being OCD about it, I think) Well, regardless, I think I ended up with a contrast that makes sense to me. :)

Dystopia = a setting (usually in the future) where the inhabiting people are forced to live a certain way by decree of a government. Usually the protagonist realizes it should not be that way. Can be science fiction but not always.

Science Fiction = a setting in the future (whether near or far) where there has been a big scientific discovery that changes how people live/way the world works/etc. Can be dystopia.

So my examples of Dystopia are 1984, The Giver, Farenhiet 451, Among the Hidden, etc.
And science Fiction examples are Dune, The Passage, Jurassic Park, The House of the Scorpion, etc.
And finally examples of both!: Uglies, Delirium, Santa Olivia, The Host, etc.

Sound reasonable? :D

10. 1984 - George Orwell
Genre: Dystopia
Pages: 245
Rating: 3 Stars
(Book Club)

Summary:
Nineteen Eighty-Four is a rare work that grows more haunting as its futuristic purgatory becomes more real. Published in 1949, the book offers political satirist George Orwell's nightmare vision of a totalitarian, bureaucratic world and one poor stiff's attempt to find individuality. The brilliance of the novel is Orwell's prescience of modern life--the ubiquity of television, the distortion of the language--and his ability to construct such a thorough version of hell.

Thought:
There are books out there that people are expected to read at some point in their life. There are some that teachers and professors require read by their students. I was never required to read this book in my schooling. Instead we read books like The Things They Carried, The Great Gatsby, Lord of the Flies, Their Eyes Were Watching God. I didn't even know what 1984 was about but I knew it was a big name up there with Orwell's other famous book Animal Farm. Maybe I would have gotten to the book eventually. But instead it was picked for my family book club. I can now say I probably wouldn't have picked this one up for years, and if I did I might have abandoned it. Long story short, this was not my cup of tea. Some readers said they couldn't deal with hopelessness of the book, especially due to the torture scenes towards the end. I got through that, but yes this is certainly not a book for the faint-hearted. My overall impression is mixed. There seems to be the debate of what existence is: reality or only something we perceive. There is also clearly a warning against communism. I guess I expected, once my brother told me the premise, that the book would express this by having the protagonist fight against the hopelessness of the dark future and somehow figure out what it meant to be truly human and free. This is not at all what the book did. Instead it painted a dark a dreary future where the protagonist does not win. Instead any hope I had for Smith was completed devoured. It made me want to slam the book against the wall because that was supremely unfair and made me angry. But I have to admit that maybe that was Orwell’s point. To paint a disgusting picture to warn readers from such a fate. He simply did it in a satire kind of way. Or maybe writers now a day’s write that way. Which way is right? None I guess. Perhaps I simply got used to the protagonist always coming out better, even a little, even a tiny bit. And when that didn’t happen I got shocked. This is not a happy book. There is no happiness in it anywhere that I can see. Beyond all that, the first two thirds of the book dragged a little for me and I didn’t really like any of the characters. I didn’t really understand most of them. Perhaps a re-read would help that. The book is fairly short so it didn’t take very long to get through and there is tons of material to sit and discuss with people about. I do certainly think it is an important book for people to read sometime in their life. I’m sort of glad I did get to it. It certainly gets you thinking, and I will not forget this book very easily. But mostly I can say, good book but not my cup of tea.

Favorite Line:
‘How could you tell how much of it was lies? It might be true that the average human being was better off now than he had been before the Revolution. The only evidence to the contrary was the mute protest in your own bones, the instinctive feeling that the conditions you lived in were intolerable and that at some other time they must have been different.’
(Pg 63)

‘If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable – what then?’
(Pg 69)

‘To die hating them, that was freedom.’
(Pg 231)

11. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
Genre: Lit Classic, Romance
Pages: 1182
Rating: 2 Stars
(LT Group Read)

Summary:
"Anna Karenina" tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Tragedy unfolds as Anna rejects her passionless marriage and must endure the hypocrisies of society. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness.

Thoughts:
Alright, I may get thrown lettuce and tomatoes for this comment but I did not like this book. Like I said for my previous book, it’s just not my cup of tea. This seems to be a trend for me. Most of the literary classics I read I don’t like all that much. I can’t say why exactly. I must not like life stories all that much. I’m much more into adventure and action I guess. I’m a fantasy fan foremost. And unfortunately I don’t think that will ever change. I do however want to broaden my horizons, which is why I joined the group read in the first place. If I hadn’t be part of the group read and felt a sort of obligation I might not have finished this book. As it was I spent many hours cross-stitching and listening to this book and hoping it would end soon. There is a great deal of patience needed to listen to or read this book. There is tons of detail here. I mean a lot. It’s over a thousand pages. I guess I didn’t mind the plot and the inherent warnings/lessons/however you want to take it, but the amount of time it took to get the story out was very long. It certainly gave me time to get to like the characters. The only problem was, I didn’t much like any of them. Maybe I just couldn’t individually relate to them. I’m young and I grew up in the twenty-first century. My world is very different from the time and setting in this book. I also like strong female protagonists. And for me, Anna was not an independent or very strong woman. I did not understand why she let love and lack of love control her so much. Again this could just be because I’m young but I don’t relate all that well with protagonists who let things like love control their actions. I’ll admit that I don’t know what choices women did have in those days, but I still wished for something different. Anyways, all of this combined made for a book that I couldn’t get into. I’m not sure I could have got through it so quickly if I hadn’t been alternating it with another audio book. But I’m sure that other readers very well may love the book. I on the other hand am glad I finally finished it.

12. The Way of Kings – Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 1280
Rating: 5 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter. It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them. One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable. Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity. Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar’s niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan’s motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.

Thoughts:
Brandon Sanderson is starting his own “epic” fantasy series. And it will be epic. I looked online and it says that he is planning this series to be 10 books! And this first one is already over a thousand pages. Can you say holy cow? Not even Robert Jordan’s books were that long. But even though it almost makes me want to cringe, I have high hopes for this series. This first book was a treat. There is a fair amount of detail but nothing over the top. The writing is actually very too the point. There is a lot that happens; tons. This makes me believe that the series will span a number of years and that we will really see these characters grow and change. That’s okay with me because Sanderson has succeeded in making me invested in his characters. I didn’t much like Shallan and her “wit”, but she got better towards the end of this book. And I liked Dalinar and Kaladin a lot. This surprised me just slightly as I couldn’t get as into Vin and Ellend in Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy. Whatever changed hit the spot. I’m excited to see what happens next for Kaladin, Dalinar and even Shallan and her tutor, Yashnin. I want to know if what Kaladin can do is related to what Zess does when he lashes. I want to know if Dalinar will exact revenge on Sadeas. I want to know many things. I’m eagerly awaiting the next volume. I haven’t decided if I will buy these books, and the book isn’t the best five star I’ve ever read, but it’s certainly up there with the possibility of becoming a favorite. If you are a fantasy fan this should go on your ‘to read’ list.

Favorite Line:
“And so, does the destination matter? Or is it the path we take? I declare that no accomplishment has substance nearly as great as the road used to achieve it. We are not creatures of destinations. It is the journey that shapes us. Our callused feet, our backs strong from carrying the weight of our travels, our eyes open with the fresh delight of experiences lived.”

I've heard nothing but gushing praise for The Way of Kings... and I swear, I'll read it one of these days... it's just so... so... BIG!!!

LOL.

Yay! I just bought a copy of The Way of Kings for Fantasy February (not that I don't have enough books to fill a couple FF's). Great review and I'm excited to start this one.

Faith - It is really REALLY big. Even I was daunted. I ended up listening to it on audio book which was a real treat as Michael Kramer was the narrator for most of the boo (Kate Reading for Shallan's POVs) and I've come to really like his readings. Anyways, that was more than thirty hours of listening. Luckily for me I've just started a math class that's going hybrid. I'm required to do twelve hours of math every week online and I found quite by accident that I can do the math and listen to audio books. I have NO idea why that is possible :) but I'm quite pleased with how it all works out. It seems that I will be listening to more books than reading them for the next sixteen weeks. And ah... I'm sure you didn't need to know all of that, haha (I must be in a really talkative mood today). Anyways, the point is that it was a fantastic book and I hope you can eventually get to it :)

Michelle - I second everything I said for Faith. :) I hope you enjoy the book! It's certainly a great book to have on your shelves.

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

>70 Kassilem:: Math AND an audiobook?!? Okay, that IS an amazing talent. Unexpected, but amazing! LOL. A funny-but-not-really-but-it-is story about The Way of Kings -- my husband bought his copy on release day, which also happened to be the day we were scheduled to fly out to Seattle for our annual weekend vacation, and he put the book in his shoulder-bag carry-on when the day started. Between waiting in line for boarding, walking through three airports for transfers (we travel from other side of the country, in Ontario), standing on the monorail for an hour to get downtown, and then walking around downtown Seattle for about 4 hours when we got there? The book gave him a shoulder injury. Literally. It was so bloody heavy that he had an injured shoulder for the rest of the trip because of the size of the darn thing!!! And yet, he holds no ill will toward it because of how amazing it apparently is, which he reminds me of in his weekly "let's bother Faith to remind her that she really needs to read Way of Kings" moment.

Literally. Weekly reminders.

But we have the hardcover, and I like to read in bed as I fall asleep. Shoulder injury? That's one thing. Dropping the giant, heavy, pointy-cornered book on your face because you've fallen asleep mid-sentence? Umm... OWWWWW. *future me winces*

Faith - Holy cow, a shoulder injury? That is crazy. But I can imagine it. And a corner of that book in the eye would hurt a lot. Be careful with that reading in bed. I've never dropped a book on myself because I fell asleep but I have fallen asleep and woken up on the book with some pages bent. I try to put the books up before I get so tired because I always feel really bad when I see excessively bent pages. :) I'm sure you will like the book when you get to it. Until then, happy reading with any other book!

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

13. The Shelters of Stone – Jean M. Auel
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 780
Rating: 3 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
The Shelters of Stone opens as Ayla and Jondalar complete their epic journey across Europe and are greeted by Jondalar’s people, the Zelandonii. The people of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii fascinate Ayla. And in the woman Zelandoni, the spiritual leader of the Ninth Cave she meets a fellow healer with whom to share her knowledge and skills. But as Ayla and Jondalar prepare for the formal mating at the Summer Meeting, there are difficulties. Not all the Zelandonii are welcoming. Some fear Ayla’s unfamiliar ways and abhor her relationship with those they call flatheads and she calls Clan. Some even oppose her mating with Jondalar, and make their displeasure known. Ayla has to call on all her skills, intelligence, knowledge, and instincts to find her way in this complicated society, to prepare for the birth of her child, and to decide whether she will accept new challenges and play a significant role in the destiny of the Zelandonii.

Thoughts:
I’d been warned that this series went downhill and I can see why so many people say so. I saw an editorial review on Amazon that sums up the whole story so well I had to share it: In The Shelters of Stone, Ayla meets the Zelandonii tribe of Jondalar, the Cro-Magnon hunk she rescued from Baby, her pet lion. Ayla is pregnant. How will Jondalar's mom react? Or his bitchy jilted fiancée? Ayla wows her future in-laws by striking fire from flint and taming a wild wolf. But most regard her Neanderthal adoptive Clan as subhuman "flatheads." Clan larynxes can't quite manage language, and Ayla must convince the Zelandonii that Clan sign language isn't just arm-flapping. Zelandonii and Clan are skirmishing, and those who interbreed are deemed "abominations." What would Jondalar's tribe think if they knew Ayla had to abandon her half-breed son in Clan country? The plot is slow to unfold, because Auel's first goal is to pack the tale with period Pleistocene detail, provocative speculation, and bits of romance, sex, tribal politics, soap opera, and homicidal wooly rhino-hunting adventure. Totally, right? Thank you Tim Appelo! I didn’t dislike the book per say but it’s gotten to the point where I just want to know what happens but don’t actually want to take the time to read it. There was no strife in this book, no real action to keep the book’s pace up. The book dragged too much and most scenes had no emotions behind them. It all came across as flat and creates no link between the characters and readers. Ayla is too perfect. Jondalar has become flat. Not where I had hoped the story would go. I’ve come to the decision that I will not be reading the last book. I thought I’d try, but after this last book I decided I’m not interested enough to even try. The first two books were great. I highly recommend those. But I have to agree with everyone who warned me, that Auel just doesn’t keep the greatness up. And I’ve been told the sixth book is the worst of all six. So, no thanks. I’m off for a new series.

Great review of The Shelters of Stone, Melissa. It's a shame that the series did seem to lose steam and fall into banality. I made the same decision after reading it, no more for me either.

Smart decision. The last book is absolutely atrocious.

Judith & Morphy - It's too bad. The series could have been something great. Oh well.

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

14. Intrigues - Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 336
Rating: 3 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
Magpie is a thirteen-year-old orphan chosen by one of the magical Companion horses of Valdemar and taken to the capital city, Haven, to be trained as a Herald. But life at the court is not without obstacles. When Mags is "recognized" by foreign secret operatives whose purpose is unknown, Mags himself comes under suspicion. Who are Magpie's parents - Who is he, really? Can Mags solve the riddle of his parentage and his connection with the mysterious spies-and prove his loyalty - before the king and court banish him as a traitor?

Thoughts:
This is the second book in the Collegiums Chronicles. I remember liking the first book Foundation, but not as much as I like some of Lackey’s other Herald stories. This story landed even lower. I like Mags, but this book was a bit of a disappointment. The writing is not as good as Lackey’s older stuff and the story felt lacking as well. It dragged and not much happened except a boy went to school. That kind of story canbe exciting to read if told right but I didn’t feel invested in Mags all that much here. There was one thing that clinched the book into a three star for me. Towards the end, Mag’s friends turn on him. I thought this was very unrealistic. For how close Lackey previously had them be to Mags, I can’t believe they would do a 180 and start blaming him for everything. Written a little differently, with more development and leads up to it, it could have been a heart-wrenching scene, but as it was, it just read like a really bad scene. Anyways I haven’t given up on Lackey or even this series, but I hope Lackey picks it up. Maybe go back and read her earlier stuff. Especially her Magic’s Price series. That is still my favorite series of hers.

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

Don't get your hopes up - the third Collegium book by Lackey continues to be a disappointment. Readable, but nowhere near her earlier works.

Argh. Which series of Lackey's did you like? What would you say are her best? And thanks for the warning.

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

Arrows, Magic and Storm are my favorite Lackey trilogies. I also like her Five Hundred Kingdom and Elemental Masters series.

:) I've got all those on my list and the firts two are already favorites of mine too. Thanks!

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

15. Dracula - Bram Stoker
Genre: Lit Classics, Gothic Fantasy
Pages: 336
Rating: 3 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
A naive young Englishman travels to Transylvania to do business with a client, Count Dracula. After showing his true and terrifying colors, Dracula boards a ship for England in search of new, fresh blood. Unexplained disasters begin to occur in the streets of London before the mystery and the evil doer are finally put to rest. It is told in a series of news reports from eyewitness observers and writers of personal diaries.

Thoughts:
I've never actually seen any Dracula movies but I've seen and read my fair share of vampires in general. They seem to be popular in fiction these days. I know this book has been on my mental list of books to eventually read but no need to really soon for years. Then I watched the movie 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' the other week and it made a reference to Dracula. For some reason that cause me to transfer the book to my actual 'to read' list. And so when I saw it on the library shelves’ audio books section I decided now was as good a time as any to read it, or rather listen to it. I didn't really know what to expect so there was no disappointments of any kind. It was a fairly entertaining book really. I'm glad I got to it since it is a classic, but I will most likely not read it again. I really liked the beginning of the book, but the middle seemed to drag a little for me and the end seemed slightly rushed. But the beginning was fantastic. I wasn't sure the book would succeed in the 'creepy' since 'creepy' in the 1800s might have been different from the 'creepy' of today, but there were parts that may have caused a shudder. I believe it was the writing style that allowed this. The book was an 'okay' for me. It was slightly less than a "I sincerely like it". But I am glad I got to it. I do think any reader should get into some classics at some point in their life. If for nothing else, to see and debate on why they are considered classics. :)

Favorite Line:
“Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain.”

I'm with you. Dracula was a good enough read and I'm glad I read it because it's a classic, but I won't read it again.

:) Yes. I think the only classic I really liked and woudl read again was Fahrenheit 451. I just couldn't get into any others I've read.

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

Have you read To Kill a Mockingbird or The Count of Monte Cristo? Those are two classics that I thought were fantastic.

Neither. But I'm set to read both this year for the group reads. :)

Cool. I keep giving classics a try. Most are only average but those two were real gems.

Hello Melissa, some very impressive reading over the past few weeks :) These Berserk GN look very appealing to me and I think I have to check them out. Sorry, to see that you didn't like AK. I started the re-read before I hit rock bottom with my pneumonia and just finished book 01. So, far I find it very amusing.
Glad to see that you enjoyed The Way of Kings I absolutely loved the book and did a tandem read - ahem - partial reading, partial listening which I usually like to do with such chunksters.

I only can second Morphy's recommendations, both books are faves of mine and get re-read every few years. :)

Morphy - I'm finding the same thing true for me. I just can't get into most classics. But now I'm excited for those two. I've heard good things about them before too. Are you doing any group reads this year?

Bianca - Pneumonia?! I hope you are feeling better. I listened to the Way of the Kings myself. With me being in school I didn't think it was conceivable to try and read it in a few weeks. At least with audio books I can listen while doing other things, like walking or driving. Besides these GN I'm reading in bed at night most everything else is audio book. But I'm almost done with the series so in a few more days I'll go back to actually reading a novel in bed while doing the audio books in the day. On the topic, I absolutely love Berserk and squeal like a child anytime I can get someone else to read them. I love it when other people appreciate what I do. It doesn't happen very often with this series because it's so graphic. If you get to it I hope you like 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

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

16. Fellowship of the Ring - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 544
Rating: 4 Stars
(Part of Year Goal)

Summary:
In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.

Thoughts:
I remember trying to read this series six of seven years back and not being able to get through the first third of the book. I was thirteen or fourteen so maybe it was understandable, but I only remember there being too much detail to sift through. Reading it now, I have to laugh at my younger impression. There's detail here, but nothing so daunting as I once thought. It's needed detail but nothing is over the top. That being said, my having seen the famous movies and loved them, my perception of this series if going to be skewed. I can already see the influence. I have very clear images of what things look like and how characters sound and look. Usually I prefer the books over the movies, but surprisingly I think I may prefer the movies over the books. This is usually unheard of. I've been trying to figure out why ever since I made the proclamation. I was very aware of where the dialogue was different from book to movie, and in a few cases I preferred the dialogue in the movie to what was said in the book and in some cases I got a kick out of how things were said in the book versus the movie. It was a tie up. I also feel that if I had read the books before the movies, I would perhaps have been just a little bogged down with some of the back stories and history, but because I have seen the movies, I breezed through them. But regardless of if I like the movies more than the books, the book itself was a masterpiece. Beautiful prose, a complex and powerful story, brave characters. And a treat to listen to with Rob Inglis as the reader. The one thing I thought was a little of the top was all the songs, but I guess the people in Middle Earth all like to sing. That’s okay. :) I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Favorite Line:
He used often to say there was only one Road; that it was like a great river: its springs were at every doorstep and every path was its tributary. "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door," he used to say. "You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to."

I'm so glad you are enjoying The Fellowship of the Ring this time. One of the reasons there are so many songs is that Tolkien is working out of the sagas of Northern Europe, which are the literature and mythology in the form of epic poems meant to be sung and chanted. These were the chief form of entertainment and integral to the lives of those peoples. I think it's hard for those of us living in the age of movable print, let alone video, to comprehend how central songs and poems were to all the people then and how they lived.

That makes sense. Rob Ingalis wasn't much of a singer so perhaps if it'd sounded more like songs it would have come across differenty. :) Thanks for the information!

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

Yes, I'm doing group reads! In fact, I'm leading monthly group reads over in The Green Dragon. If you are interested the list is at: http://www.librarything.com/topic/146136. Everyone is welcome. We're doing fantasy, science fiction, mystery and nonfiction.

I'll check it out! :)

17. Twisted – Laurie Halse Anderson
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 272
Rating: 3 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
Socially inept Tyler Miller thinks his senior year of high school is going to be a year like no other. After being sentenced to a summer of character building physical labor following a graffiti prank, his reputation at school receives a boost, as do his muscles. Enter super-popular Bethany Milbury, sister of his tormentor, Chip, and daughter of his father's boss. Tyler's newfound physique has attracted her interest and infuriated Chip, leading to ongoing conflicts at school. Likewise, Tyler's inability to meet his volatile father's demands to be an asset, not a liability adds increasing tension. All too quickly, Tyler's life spirals out of control. In the wake of an incident at a wild party that Bethany has invited him to attend, he is left feeling completely isolated at school and alienated at home, a victim of twisted perception.

Thoughts:
I’m a fan of Laurie Anderson. I like her writing style and her stories. They are usually gothic fiction which always has the potential to make a powerful book. And her writing style is simple but very real. Generally I give her books four stars. This book ranked slightly less. By this time I’ve read too many stories to count that have a high school setting. Because of this, there tends to be predictability in most of these books. Things happen the same way they always do in high school; Crushes are destroyed, bullies pick on someone different and rumors fly like quicksilver. So the characters or plots in high school setting have to really stand out for me to place it above all the other high school stories. This one didn’t. It was engaging but not something I couldn’t put down. The voice sounded real. I’m not a guy so I can’t be sure, but Tyler sounds like a seventeen year old kid trying to figure out life. It ranks between ‘It was okay’ and ‘I liked it’.

Favorite Line:
“I scared myself, because once you've thought long and hard enough about doing something that is colossally stupid, you feel like you've actually done it, and then you're never quite sure what your limits are.”

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

18. The Two Towers – J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 448
Rating: 4 Stars
(Part of Year Goal)

Summary:
Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs. Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin—alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.

Thoughts:
Having watched the movies is definitely skewing my impression of these books. I can’t decide if having not watched them, I would have a harder time getting through these. It is fairly eloquent prose. I’m finding that I don’t get the same imagery from the book as I do the movies. I have a harder time imagining the setting. But again, is that just because I have really clear imagery to compare it to? Because of all that I feel I can’t really give an accurate impression on the books. But, whether it’s accurate or not, I liked the book; not as much as the movies, but it’s a solid four star. I think some readers might think the book drags just a little. I listened to this book on audio (Inglis does a very good job by the way with every character except Gollum and Saruman – again, skewing on my part) so I didn’t notice much drag, but I can imagine reading the words instead could cause a different impression. It’s a good story. I’d recommend it to any fantasy fan, if they haven’t yet read it.

Favorite Line:
“Even Gollum might be good in a tale, better than he is to have by you, anyway...I wonder if he thinks he's the hero or the villain?”
--Sam

HI Melissa, my sister couldn't get Berserk via the librarysystem for me. As the serious sounds very promising I just ordered the first volume with amazon, to see what's like. How many Volumes are there in total?

I'm always disappointed when my library doesn't have books. I hope it wasn't too expensive on Amazon. I myself haven’t bought all of them yet since I'm such a poor college student :). There is a total of 36 volumes published at the moment. Generally a volume is published once a year although there are periods where that can become two years. (Not very fast, but very worth it).

I hope you like the first volume. I think the series really picks up in volume three and four and just gets better after that. You can also read the series online like I did until I had money to buy some. The translations are sometimes different but the messages are always the same.

Anyways, enjoy!

The first volume cost 8 pound + which is quite a lot IMO. Well, I am not a college student but I am a poor part-time working single mum *grin* and I usually don't spend much money on books. I am one of those extreme bargain shoppers. Several of my friends have got lists of books I am still looking for, which they take to charity shops and boot sales, something I do as well *smile*.

Where do you read them online? Could you provide me with the link?

:) Of course. The link I use is http://www.mangareader.net/berserk. You can also put "read Berserk manga" into google and more links will come up. There's a bunch of different sites that scan the series. If after you read the series and like it, I recommend the three new movies that have been produced. I never got into the TV series, but the movies are fantastic. As good as reading the series. :)

Thank you Melissa, will check that out later!
When I showed the pictures on your thread to my son, he looked quite interested as well as he is a great GN fan :)

:) They are my favorite graphic novel of all time.

19. Kin Groups and Social Structure - Roger M. Keesing
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 177
Rating: 3 Stars
(School Textbook)

Summary:
This text examines the evolution of kinship and social structure. Keesing considers the importance of patrilineal descent and the permutations of descent systems, matrilineal and double descent, alliance systems, cognate descent and bilateral kinship as organizing principles. Relevant analogies and examples are used throughout.

Thoughts:
First textbook of the school semester done. And thank god. Not that the book was bad. It was actually fairly informative. A little dated but there was some interesting ideas in the book. However it was a little too dry for me. I keep finding myself thinking of other things while reading and then I'd have to go back and reread what I didn't pay attention to. I find kinship interesting but the topic can be very complicated. This book assumes you already have a large foundation in kinship. Luckily I do, but I still found myself having to stop and remind myself what Keesing is saying every once in a while. It's not light reading by any means, but I would say an important book for the field of cultural anthropology.

Favorite Line:
'Cultures do not respond to pressures. Rather, individual human beings cope as best they can, formulate rules, follow and break them, and by their statistical patterns of cumulative decisions, they set a course of cultural drift.'
(Pg. 141)

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

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

20. The Alloy of Law - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 336
Rating: 4 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds. Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history—or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice. One such is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn, who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.

Thoughts:
I've mentioned on my Mistborn reviews that I didn't like the books as much as I expected to because I never became very invested in the characters. I was sort of worried that the same would be true here, but to my pleasure the same did not happen. I actually began to like Waxilium fairly early on in the book. And Wayne as well. The banter between these two men was a nice touch. I think it could have gotten to over the top, but Sanderson handled Wanye very well. I did love the magic system in the Mistborn novels so seeing it again here, even if it’s in slightly different ways, was great. Sanderson can certainly get stars with creatively alone. There was also a slightly western feel to the book. I think it must be all the guns and trains. I’ve always liked western books so this also made it stand out for me. And the writing. Sanderson has always, in my opinion, done a fantastic job with his writing in general. It’s to the point but still detailed enough to give his books the meat on the bones. I liked that Wax was not invincible (another general trait to Sanderson’s characters). He gets beat up and thrown off trains and hurts afterwards. He’s not a perfect hero that can solve everything. But he tries. And if the ending is anything to go off, he’s not done trying. The last third of the book was the most exciting part by the way. I’m positive I’ve seen somewhere that Sanderson is hoping to make this part of a new trilogy as a part of the Mistborn world. In fact, if I look it up, it says the second book will be forthcoming in 2014. Sanderson is certainly getting out tons of books these last few years. I can say I’m excited to read more of his books. Recommend for any fantasy fan. Anyways, the book didn’t make it into my “I have to buy” pile but I did end up liking it.

Favorite Line:
“I really am impressed that you have been shot so often. Really.”
“Getting hit’s not really that impressive,” Wayne noted. “It don’t take much skill to get shot. It’s avoiding the bullets that’s tough.”

Hi Melissa, glad to see that you enjoyed The Alloy of Law I still have got that one on my TBR, for some reason I was very hesitant in picking it up. However, I belong to the group who loved the Mistborn trilogy, also I thought the second book was quite week.

Wish you a lovely weekend!

The Alloy of Law looks like one I would really enjoy! Great review and thanks for bringing this one to my attention.... I hadn't heard of it before reading your review.

Melissa, I've just been reading your thread and I see you were a Clan of the Cave Bear fan. I read the series a couple of years ago, having missed them in my teens, and really enjoyed them although I agree with you that they were a bit too long for the actual story in some cases. The final one was full of painted caves, which went on and on but I'd got so far by that stage that I was determined to finish!

Bianca - I also thought the second book lacked a little; a weaker link in the trilogy. But I'm sure you will enjoy The Alloy of Law when you get to it. But no need to rush. :) I have tests all next week so my weekend is packed, but it's all material I'm interested in so it's not too bad either. Hope your weekend was good as well.

Lori - You're very welcome. :) I hope you like it.

Susan - For a while I was determined to finish them too. Everyone I talked to told me not to attempt it and all the way up until the fifth book I always thought I'd try anyways. But after the fifth book I needed a break. Someday, if ever, I might go back and struggle through the sixth but I told myself there were other better books to read now. :)

21. The Immense Journey - Loren Eiseley
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 210
Rating: 5 Stars
(Family Book Club / Ethnography Challenge)

Summary:
Anthropologist and naturalist Loren Eiseley blends scientific knowledge and imaginative vision in this story of man.

Thoughts:
This book was fantastic; for the sheer fact that it is about evolution :) but also for the way that Eiseley tells us about evolution. This is textbook material but it doesn't read like a textbook. It is actually fairly poetic. This makes sense because on top of being an Anthropologist, Eiseley was an “imaginative naturalist”. He paid close attention to the world around him. Half of the members that were reading the book said that the book started out dry for them, but I never found the book dry in any part. Granted, I read this kind of material all the time for my classes, but if the reader has some background in Anthropology the book is very easy to get though. The book is a little dated and there were some parts where I could see the difference of theories due to modern knowledge about the brain and shifts in evolution. But overall, the same concepts are still discussed today. And Eiseley doesn’t just give us the facts of his day, but his thoughts as well and his experiences. Some of it I have never even thought to think about. The book isn’t very long, but it doesn’t make for a quick read. Reading this book makes you stop and rethink the way you picture the world and your place in it. It makes you want to go out and dig for bones; it makes you want to go into wilderness and just listen. This is a powerful book. You don’t have to be an anthropologist or biologist to read this and get something out of it. I would recommend it to anyone. It’s a wonderful book.

Favorite Line:
‘The second fact, that man had not been discovered, was a cause of dismay. In the man-centered universe of the time, one can appreciate the anguish of the Reverend Mr. Kirby discovering the Age of Reptiles: “Who can think that a being of unbounded power, wisdom, and goodness, should create a world merely for the habitation of a race of monsters, without a single, rational being in it to serve and glorify him?” This is the wounded outcry of the human ego as it fails to discover its dominance among the beasts of the past. Even more tragically, it learns that the world supposedly made for its enjoyment has existed for untold eons entirely indifferent to its coming.’
(Pg. 150)

22. Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 336
Rating: 3 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate and crush - who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why. Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself-a truth he never wanted to face.

Thoughts:
This was a book I knew was sort of popular simply by its presence in the 'popular' section in stores. I didn't even know what the book was about but I saw the audio book on the library shelves and I was in need of a short audio book to listen to in between the longer audio books I had planned. So I grabbed it and scanned he summary and decided to take it home with me. It was easy to get through, and as a hardcopy book I'm sure it'd be a page turner. But I didn't end up liking the book all that much. I thought the idea was interesting and the book could have been very very powerful. But I don't get Hannah's story. If that is enough to cause a teenager to commit suicide then half of the student body in most high schools would be dead right now. The recordings Hannah made came across as her blaming everyone else. But there were plenty of times where she could have gotten help. Instead she pushed them all away. That is not so hard to picture. Teens that far along sometimes won't except help. But there are plenty of different things that could have happened. She could have transferred schools. Or she could have waited it out. High school is only a few years. I don't like to judge Hannah. I've had my share of having it tough and wanting to give up. But the story we get from Hannah does not seem enough to push her to the breaking point. It makes her seem very fragile, which is not consistent with how she comes across when speaking. Hannah comes across as wanting to be a victim. She did this to herself. But she blames everyone else for it. Suicide is no joke. But I feel that this book sends the wrong message. The lesson is apparent. People, especially young adults in high school, need to be more aware of how they affect other people with what they say or do. But the message I got from the book was that suicide has become an out for things that don't matter in the long run. And because of this, young people are giving up their lives for nothing. I gave the book a three because it does bring the issue up and if the reader interprets in one way, they can be reminded that suicide is becoming more common and IS a serious issue. The writing also was not bad. But the storyline was dull and I didn't like the characters. Clay I could have liked but he was flat. There is no backing for the story. Clay simply finds the tapes and the pity-party begins. I don't know him in any other context than him sitting and listening to these tapes. It was a good concept, but I don't know that it was executed well.

Favorite Line:
“That's why you did it. You wanted your world to collapse around you. You wanted everything to get as dark as possible.”

Hi Melissa, i have Thirteen Reasons Why on my wishlist, but I have been dragging my feet on it probably because I wasn't sure how I would handle the subject matter. I will have to be in the right frame of mind to tackle this one.

Definitely. It wasn't a bad book and it's not hard to get through, but it wasn't what I was excepting at all.

23. The Different Girl - Gordon Daglquist
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 230
Rating: 4 Stars
(Early Reviewer)

Summary:
Veronika. Caroline. Isobel. Eleanor. One blond, one brunette, one redhead, one with hair black as tar. Four otherwise identical girls who spend their days in sync, tasked to learn. But when May, a very different kind of girl—the lone survivor of a recent shipwreck—suddenly and mysteriously arrives on the island, an unsettling mirror is about to be held up to the life the girls have never before questioned.

Thoughts:
This was an interesting book. It's almost dystopia but there is not much about the world itself that is talked about in the book. It is exclusively about these four girls on an isolated island. I liked that the book didn't explain everything either. Usually that might frustrate me, but here, because it is exclusively about these girls, we get their narrative. And not having been told they are not normal, they don't think anything of what they look like or how they differ from other girls. It's only little things here and there interspersed in the book that we can stop and say 'oh right, these are not girls like me'. It's not really until May comes that we really notice the big differences. Obviously, something was going on. The reader can observe that just by paying attention to the two care-takers, Irene and Robbert. Because nothing is directly explained I found myself eagerly turning pages, waiting to see exactly what was going on. Only it's never really explained. I think this might have been purposeful. It's up to interpretation. The book is short and easy to read, and while it's not a five star (A more detailed story and then maybe) it's definitely a solid four star. I'm glad I received the book. I'm sure lots of people will like it.

Favorite Line:
'I'm not sure how hold I am, mainly because there are so many ways to tell time -- one way with clocks and watches and sunsets, or other ways with how many times a person laughs, or what they forgot, or how they change their minds about what they care about, or why, or whom.'
(Pg. 1)

The Immense Journey sounds fantastic, like something I would enjoy reading as well.
I also liked your review on The Different Girl that sounds exactly like my kind of book :)

Both were great books. I recommend both :)

24. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 304
Rating: 2 Stars
(School-Group Book Club)

Summary:
Victor Mancini, a medical-school dropout, is an antihero for our deranged times. Needing to pay elder care for his mother, Victor has devised an ingenious scam: he pretends to choke on pieces of food while dining in upscale restaurants. He then allows himself to be “saved” by fellow patrons who, feeling responsible for Victor’s life, go on to send checks to support him. When he’s not pulling this stunt, Victor cruises sexual addiction recovery workshops for action, visits his addled mom, and spends his days working at a colonial theme park.

Thoughts:
Alright... Um... I'm not even sure how to describe this book. Let me start by saying this is not a book for anyone under the age of twenty (or twenty-five) or anyone with a weak stomach. Or anyone who doesn't like the exotic in the sexual. Or anyone who does not like very crass dialogue in their books. Or anyone who has not read a book about sex addiction before this. This may not be the best book to read if it is the first of its kind that you are reading. I don't think I've read a book before that was this sexually graphic. I was not prepared for this book. :) Victor is very crude and very cynical. He's no hero; I never did like him. There is humor but its dark humor. The whole book is dark. There is no happy ending or main message. This is the exposed side of society that most people would like to ignore. I can’t decide if I disliked this book or thought it was okay. I give points to Palahniuk for going to these extremes. No one who reads this book will forget it. I didn’t mind the sexual part of the book all that much but the degradation Victor put on himself throughout the book bothered me. And I don’t mind cynicism but this much cynicism was too much for me. As an aside I listened to this book on audio CD, and this could have contributed to my sense of being slightly overwhelmed by the language and cynicism. Also, this is the first book of Palahniuk that I have read. I do not know if this is consistent with his other novels or not. So overall, I guess I have to say I didn’t particularly like the book, but that it’s not a bad book. I’m not sorry it was picked for my book club. The club is about broadening our reading horizons. This definitely did that. :)

Favorite Line:
“We've taken the world apart but we have no idea what to do with the pieces.”

“The unreal is more powerful than the real. Because nothing is as perfect as you can imagine it. Because its only intangible ideas, concepts, beliefs, fantasies that last. Stone crumbles. Wood rots. People, well, they die. But things as fragile as a thought, a dream, a legend, they can go on and on. If you can change the way people think. The way they see themselves. The way they see the world. You can change the way people live their lives. That's the only lasting thing you can create.”

25. Looking for Alaska - John Green
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 256
Rating: 3 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
Before. Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave “the Great Perhaps” even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then... After. Nothing is ever the same.

Thoughts:
I saw in a review for Thirteen Reasons Why that it didn't compare to this book. So when I saw it on the Young Adult audio library shelves, I simply grabbed it, seeing that it would be a quick listen. It was. I didn't find anything phenomenal about the book either though. It was something fairly interesting to listen to while I went about my days, but nothing more than that. It was sort of funny. It was sort of sad. It was an okay novel, but not as great as I was expecting it to be based off of its multiple raving reviews. The writing is great and I will probably read more of Green's books later on. But I can move on from this book without a blink. However, there are a lot of five stars so if you're curious I'd say go for it and see for yourself how much you like the book. :)

Favorite Line:
“And in my classes, I will talk most of the time, and you will listen most of the time. Because you may be smart, but I've been smart longer.”

26. Casket of Souls - Lynn Flewelling
Genre: High Fantasy, GLBT
Pages: 476
Rating: 3 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
More than the dissolute noblemen they appear to be, Alec and Seregil are skillful spies, dedicated to serving queen and country. But when they stumble across evidence of a plot pitting Queen Phoria against Princess Klia, the two Nightrunners will find their loyalties torn as never before. Even at the best of times, the royal court at Rhíminee is a serpents’ nest of intrigue, but with the war against Plenimar going badly, treason simmers just below the surface. And that’s not all that poses a threat: A mysterious plague is spreading through the crowded streets of the city, striking young and old alike. Now, as panic mounts and the body count rises, hidden secrets emerge. And as Seregil and Alec are about to learn, conspiracies and plagues have one thing in common: The cure can be as deadly as the disease.

Thoughts:
This book took a while to get through. I believe some of this was due to the fact that the first two books in this sequel trilogy had very different plots with very intense scenes, which this book seemed to lack until the last hundred pages. I started this book at least a year ago and then set it aside. However it’s the last book in the NIghtrunner series, and I really was interested in seeing what happened next. But it has been a while since I’ve read the first three books in this series and I’m sort afraid that I have simply moved on. Perhaps a reread of the other books would have benefited me. Or I’m simply too exhausted to sit back and enjoy it? School has been very time-consuming lately. As it was however, I could only read a chapter or two in bed before getting bored/tired and putting it down again. Or maybe I’m not giving myself enough credit and it really did drag. I had hoped for some Alec and Seregil character development. But the whole book was about everything else going on around them. I did like the other books, the first two being my favorite. I highly recommend those: Luck in the Shadows and Stalking Darkness. If another book comes out for this series I will most likely read it. I do like Alec and Seregil. But this book fell short for me.

27. White Lines - Jennifer Banash
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 288
Rating: 4 Stars
(Early Reviewer)

Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Cat is living every teenager’s dream—she has her own apartment on the Lower East Side and at night she’s club kid royalty, guarding the velvet rope at some of the hottest clubs in the city. The night with its crazy, frenetic, high-inducing energy—the pulsing beat of the music, the radiant, joyful people and those seductive white lines that can ease all pain—is when Cat truly lives. But her daytime, when real life occurs, is more nightmare than dream. Having spent years suffering her mother’s emotional and physical abuse, and abandoned by her father, Cat is terrified and alone—unable to connect to anyone or anything. But when someone comes along who makes her want to truly live, she’ll need to summon the courage to confront her demons and take control of a life already spinning dangerously out of control.

Thoughts:
This is a fairly angsty book. I read most of it today and I ended up getting depressed while reading it. I believe I’m getting sick so my emotions are vulnerable at the moment but also I’ve had my share of screwing up when I was seventeen so I could kind of relate. That’s one thing I like about the book. If I can relate to Caitlin that means she’s not flat character. I don’t think I had time to know her intimately, but the book did a good job of giving us enough in the time it had. There was depth to Caitlin. And Banash doesn’t hold the reader’s hand through this story. By understanding how people feel in certain circumstances, and why some people do certainly things, etc the reader can take their own meaning out of the book. I guess what I’m saying is that readers may understand the book on different levels. Because Banash doesn’t spell it out. I like those books. I feel I can go back years later and get a totally different experience simply because I’ve grown more and can see different things in the people around me. We’re not told Caitlin’s every thought. We have to read between the lines sometimes. Having said that, I felt the ending was a little rushed. I thought it was handled well, but there was no real transition. And also, while it was a good book, it didn’t stand out for me. So a solid four star.

Favorite Line:
“I guess I’m pretty screwed up.”
“Who isn’t?” Julian shrugs.
(Pg. 287)

28. Dragonflight - Anne McCaffery
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 299
Rating: 3 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
To the nobles who live in Benden Weyr, Lessa is nothing but a ragged kitchen girl. For most of her life she has survived by serving those who betrayed her father and took over his lands. Now the time has come for Lessa to shed her disguise—and take back her stolen birthright. But everything changes when she meets a queen dragon. The bond they share will be deep and last forever. It will protect them when, for the first time in centuries, Lessa’s world is threatened by Thread, an evil substance that falls like rain and destroys everything it touches. Dragons and their Riders once protected the planet from Thread, but there are very few of them left these days. Now brave Lessa must risk her life, and the life of her beloved dragon, to save her beautiful world.

Thoughts:
I expected a lot out of this book. I’ve heard a lot of good reviews for Anne McCaffery and this book has been in my invisible off and on book watching list for years and years. Perhaps because I was expecting a lot, I got let down even more. Long story short, I didn’t particularly like the book. It was okay but I found I didn’t like the characters all that much, particularly in the way they were narrated in the audio book I listened to. But I think even if I had physically read the book I would not have liked Lessa and F’lar. The book was fairly fast-paced but at the same time, it dragged. The conflict didn’t interest me very much. I like anything to do with time-travel but even that wasn’t as fleshed out as I thought it could have been. I think in the sixties, when this book was written it was probably an innovative book and wonderful. But in today’s society I’ve read many other dragon based books that I found I liked more than McCaffery’s dragons. I don’t think I’ll be reading much more of hers; maybe her later books. But again, I’ve heard and seen hundreds of reviews that rave about the book, so if you’re interested I’d say go ahead and give it a shot to see for yourself. It’s only around three hundred pages.

Favorite Line:
“Dragon kind was no less cruel than mankind. The Dragon, at least, acted from bestial need rather than bestial greed.”

Meh, I don't think Dragonflight is necessarily one of her best. But it does set up the rest of the world. I think the later books, especially the Harper Hall ones starting with Dragonsong are much better.

Maybe I'll give her a try later on :)

29. Wither - Lauren DeStefano
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction
Pages: 358
Rating: 4 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males born with a lifespan of 25 years, and females a lifespan of 20 years--leaving the world in a state of panic. Geneticists seek a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Yet her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems.

Thoughts:
There are a lot of young adult dystopia books around now-a-days. But the good thing about them is that they all have creative settings. I’m always interested in seeing what else authors have thought our world can become or get into. Consistently, however, there is generally one of two things that happen. Either the protagonist has grown up in her society and must be shown/nudged by an outsider to see the wrong in whatever is going on; or the protagonist knows that what’s going is wrong and hates it but gets caught in the middle of it all and must escape. This is one of the latter stories. It’s also a story that deals with the psychology of wanting to hate your captor but not being able (either because they really aren’t the worst thing out there or because of mind games). I found I liked the story more than I thought I would. The book isn’t perfect, it has some flaws. I would have liked to have known more about the virus itself, even a little. And there wasn’t much romance, despite the setting. There were a few other gaps in the book but overall the book was very engaging and relatively fast-paced. For a debut it is promising for the genre. I am looking forward to reading the next book sometime soon.

Favorite Line:
‘This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper’ – T. S. Eliot
--Opening Quote

This was end of the month stats: stats have been changed due to the removal of graphic novels. To see stats for this thread's year please refer HERE

This was end of the month stats: stats have been changed due to the removal of graphic novels. To see stats for this thread's year please refer HERE

30. Touching Spirit Bear - Ben Mikaelsen
Genre: Adventure, Coming of Age
Pages: 320
Rating: 3 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
Cole Matthews has been fighting, stealing, and raising hell for years. So his punishment for beating Peter Driscal senseless is harsh. Given a choice between prison and Native American Circle Justice, Cole chooses Circle Justice: He'll spend one year in complete isolation on a remote Alaskan island. In the first days of his banishment, Cole is mauled by a mysterious white bear and nearly dies. Now there's no one left to save Cole, but Cole himself.

Thoughts:
Okay. First off this book came across as very over the top for me. But… it was still a great book. :) The book was written for a juvenile audience but I would almost recommend the young reader be on the older side of juvenile as some of the scenes can be disturbing. But while it was written for a younger audience anyone of any age would be able to read this and take something from it. I like the idea of this book. I like survival stories and I like redemption stories. So this was my pie. But it was a little too stereotypical and ended picture perfect (however it looks like there is a sequel where the happy picture starts to crack a little). But it was a quick read and fairly fast-paced. I finished the whole book in a couple of hours. I’d recommend the book for any teenager.

31. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain
Genre: Historical Fiction, Tim-Travel, Lit Classic
Pages: 272
Rating: 3 Stars
(LT Group Read)

Summary:
The hit on the head that sent protagonist Hank Morgan back through 13 centuries did not affect his natural resourcefulness. Using his knowledge of an upcoming eclipse, Hank escapes a death sentence, and secures an important position at court. Gradually, he introduces 19th century technology so the clever Morgan soon has an easy life. That does not stop him from making disparaging, tongue-in-cheek remarks about the inequalities and imperfections of life in Camelot.

Thoughts:
I thought I would like this book. I like time travel and I like the legend of King Arthur. It didn't take very long however before I knew I wouldn't like it as much as I expected to. The big reason is that the narrator continually degrades the people of King Arthur's time as lacking intelligence. It's always brought up that he is the smarter one and everyone else is a bit slow. This bothered me. I don't believe in societies being more civilized or less primitive than other societies. As an anthropologist, it is a big deal for me that everyone realizes no societies is superior or inferior to any other society. Now I do realize that this book was written in the late 1800s, which was a time were unilineal evolution was very prevalent (Thinking that societies other than western society are inferior and that they are not yet civilized). And because of this I can see why this superiority is found throughout the book. It still bothers me. :) The book does bring up some very important issues about things like slavery, the effects of caste systems, and taxes. It turned out that was most of what the book was about; social commentary. I didn’t mind that all that much although it did seem to get slightly preachy. There are some fairy funny parts and overall it was an interesting story. But it didn’t really satisfy me. I do think it is a great classic book. There are tons of good discussions that could be pulled from it in classrooms or book discussions. I am glad I finally read it, even if I won’t ever read it again.

Favorite Line:
“But it is a blessed provision of nature that at times like these, as soon as a man's mercury has got down to a certain point there comes a revulsion, and he rallies. Hope springs up, and cheerfulness along with it, and then he is in good shape to do something for himself, if anything can be done.”

I'm about half-way through it and have mixed feelings as well. I'm not big into time travel as some are, but I'm not quite sure what I think about the book yet. I guess I'll see after I've read the other half.

:) Maybe you'll like it better than me

32. Pandemonium - Lauren Oliver
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Pages: 400
Rating: 3 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame. In this electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller Delirium, Lauren Oliver sets Lena on a dangerous course that hurtles through the unregulated Wilds and into the heart of a growing resistance movement. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Thoughts:
I didn’t like this book as much as I did the first book Delirium. I’ve seen some reviewers say it was much better than the first book and some say that it was much worse than the first book. For the most part there does seem to be agreement that there is an inconsistency between the books. For me, it seemed like they had been written by different people. I will blame some of this on the audio version I listened too – the narrator’s voice rubbed me the wrong way. But I can’t blame it all on the audio. I wasn’t as engaged with this book. I’ve noticed some people liked the transitions between the ‘then’ and ‘now’s in the book but I didn’t like them as much. The same thing could have been said with all the ‘then’s together in the beginning and the now’s after. I think for me, that might have made it easier to read. I think some of this is my just be picky so if you enjoyed the first book I say yes, definitely give this one a try and see what you think. I thought it was predictable, and not engaging enough. But that’s just me. I still plan on reading the third book that just came out this month. Oliver has a talent for leaving the most intense scenes for the last chapter to hook the reader back for her next books. I’m interested in seeing what happens next, but I thought this book lost some of the flare the first book had.

Favorite Line:
“But...books are so much more. Some of them are webs; you can feel your way along their threads, but just barely, into strange and dark corners. Some of them are balloons bobbing up through the sky: totally self-contained, and unreachable, but beautiful to watch.
And some of them―the best ones―are doors.”

Hi Melissa, you have been reading up a storm lately and I've been quietly enjoying reading your throughts. I plan on reading Delirium soon and Wither has been on my radar for some time. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a book I read many years ago, and have to admit I have very little remembrance of, but I don't think I will be going for a re-read of it any time soon.

:) I'm glad I've got good thoughts here. :) Sometimes it's hard to translate what I'm thinking. But I think most of the time at least I manage.

33. The Evolution of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkins
Genre: Gothic Fantasy
Pages: 527
Rating: 4 Stars
(New Book)

Summary:
Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past. She can’t. She used to think her problems were all in her head. They aren’t. She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets. She’s wrong.

Thoughts:
Can you say holy crap? These books are seriously freaky. Disturbingly freaky. Mystery books are intense, but mysteries that deal with hallucinations and mind games and where not even the reader knows what the heck is going on? Those are the freakiest. This book give nothing away. The reader is simply along for the ride. And it’s a ride where there are so many turns that you can never see the end or where you’re going to end up. This is a crazy ride. I’m halfway annoyed that I can never tell what it going on next. But mostly, it’s very engaging and intense and it makes me want to scream sometimes. :) It’s certainly a book that causes a lot of emotion in the reader. There were times where even I wasn’t sure Mara wasn’t crazy. And that’s crazy. And of course the book ends on a huge cliffhanger. Now I’m going to go out of my mind waiting for the next book. Well, it won’t be that bad, but I am a little antsy to figure out what will happen. I recommend these books, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and this one if you’re willing to risk it. :)

Favorite Line:
“What vampire story?” Noah asked.
I was still staring at the bottle. The bottle that hadn’t moved. “It was his other theory aout my fake alter ego,” I explained. “An alternate to possession.”
”Well, you are awfully pale.”
I exhaled slowly. Refused to look up.
He reached for my bare foot and squeezed my toes. “And cold.”
I pulled my feet away. “Bad circulation.”
“You could always bite me, just to test.”
“I hate you, too, by the way. Just so you know.”
“Oh, I do. I would suggest make-up sex, but…”
“You bad you have scruples,” I said.
“Now you’re just being cruel.”
“I like pushing your buttons.”
“You’d enjoy it more if you undid them first.”
Save me. “I think you should go and help Daniel.”
“With what?”
“Anything.”
(Pg. 284-285)

34. Bruiser - Neal Shusterman
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 352
Rating: 4 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
"There's a reason why Brewster can't have friends—why he can’t care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can’t be explained. I know, because they’re happening to me." When Brontë starts dating Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins—the guy voted Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty—her twin brother, Tennyson, isn’t surprised. But then strange things begin to occur. Tennyson and Brontë’s scrapes heal unnaturally fast, and cuts disappear before their eyes. What at first seems like their good fortune turns out to be more than they bargained for . . . much more.

Thoughts:
Wow. This was a great book. And nothing like I’ve read ever before. I saw the book on Librarian recommendation. I figured that meant it had to be pretty good. It was. First off, the idea of the story, the idea of what is joy without pain, was very powerful. And the way that it is addressed was brilliant in my opinion. You can’t help but cringe at what a curse Brewster has. The writing style was also great. To the point, but with enough there to that I never felt I was missing anything. All the characters grow in the course of the book which another thing I always like watching. Nothing is really answered. We never know why Brewster is the way he is, but I found I didn’t mind that much. That says something. I think some of this is my awe at the idea. Perhaps this awe will pass. But having just finished the book, I can say I really liked it. And I would highly recommend this book to anyone over age sixteen. I will definitely be reading more from Shusterman.

Favorite Line:
“How can you do the right thing when you can't figure out what that is? When all you have before you are choices in various shades of wrong?”

35. The Return of the King – J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 544
Rating: 4 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
As the Shadow of Mordor grows across the land, the Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, has joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard, and takes part in the desperate victory of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by Orcs, escape into Fangorn Forest and there encounter the Ents. Gandalf has miraculously returned and defeated the evil wizard, Saruman. Sam has left his master for dead after a battle with the giant spider, Shelob; but Frodo is still alive—now in the foul hands of the Orcs. And all the while the armies of the Dark Lord are massing as the One Ring draws ever nearer to the Cracks of Doom.

Thoughts:
It’s the same as the previous two books. I like the movies a lot more than the books. Perhaps, if I had read these books before ever watching the movies, that might have been different but I was too young to attempt them before the movies came out so what is, is. I like the dialogue and writing style. I like the story. I like the characters. But I’m not really into the battle scenes. They were underplayed in my opinion but I am from the twenty-first century :) so my lack of interest in certain aspects may be biased. There’s not much to say that hasn’t bee said as one point somewhere. These are must reads for any fantasy fan at some point in their life. I’m glad I got to the trilogy.

Favorite Line:
“The world is full enough of hurts and mischances without wars to multiply them.”

Hi Melissa,
wow and again so much impressive reading.
Arrgh, you gave the Casket of Souls only 3 stars. I just ordered that one, because I am such a great fan of the Nightrunner series, also I was wondering how she will continous the series after the last one.
Wither and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer are both on my TBR.
I hope you are going to have a great and relaxing weekend!

:) maybe you'll like Casket of Sous better than me. My weekend will hopefully be relaxing. Once I get off here I've got hours of math to do but if I get it all done tonight my weekend will be mostly free. Yay! :) It doesn't happen very often. Probably because I give up on Fridays and just leave it all for Sunday. We'll see if I can resist it this time :)

36. Matched - Ally Condie
Genre: Dystopia
Pages: 400
Rating: 3 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Thoughts:
There’s a theme with dystopia books. It’s a lack of freedom. Every dystopia book I’ve read has had a lack of freedom as its core fundamental. I only just consciously realized it. It makes you realize the issue of freedom must be pretty big right now. And perhaps that is why these books are so intriguing to read. Because freedom is a huge issue. And so is control. How much freedom can a person have and still be safe? And how much control will a person allow someone else to have over them if it keeps them healthy and safe. Apparently a lot for most people if you look at all these dystopia books. There are always those that fight against the rules and regulations in these futuristic societies, but the majority of those worlds just go along with it. It makes you think about our own society. Are we like that? Do we simply accept what happens in our world? Do we accept new rules and regulations because we’ve been told it will be good for us? And even if we believe it won’t, even then, do we do anything? Of course not. What can we do? Well, certainly our society and these societies are very different. The regulations in these dystopia books are exaggerated, extreme. But the concept is still there. The idea is still there. Does the popularity of these kinds of books suggest something about what we’re people’s mindsets then? Then again, there were dystopia books in the fifties and earlier. But the genre has definitely gotten very popular in the last decade. Deep questions I know. And not anything I could answer myself. But, I’ve found myself thinking about these questions more and more. What is freedom? Where are the lines? Who gets it and who doesn’t? Must be my anthropologist mindset coming out strong. Anyways, the story was interesting. More interesting then I was expecting. I’ve said before that I do like seeing all the different extremes authors come up with. In this case it’s a world completely controlled by the ‘officials’. They determine everything based off of probability and optimal fitness for each individual. A person is only given portions of food that is healthy for them. They can only run as fast as is optimal for their heart. It’s predicted that they do what they do. Cassia is predicted to reach the top of the hill second. And she does. She’s predicted to pick the green dress over the others. I found the idea of probability fascinating and would have liked to know more about the process but the book focused on other matters. I thought the book was engaging and enjoyable. It’s a high three star. I think I might look into the rest of the series as well. Recommended if you like dystopia novels and aren’t sick of the genre yet :)

Favorite Line:
‘I looked down at the pond. It wasn’t blue like the pool where we swim. This water is brownish-green under it’s silvery surface, messy with life.’

37. What’s Left of Me – Kat Zhang
Genre: Dystopia
Pages: 343
Rating: 4 Stars
(New)

Summary:
Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else--two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren't they settling? Why isn't one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn't... For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she's still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet...for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

Thoughts:
This was an awesome book. I think it was the idea that sucked me in first. Then the characters. And then the intense story-line. The book was very fast-paced. And any story set in psychiatric-like wards is a nail-biting. If you have seen the movie Changling with Angelina Jolene, you’ll remember her line “Fuck you and the white horse you rode in on”. That was the line running through my mind the entire time I was reading this book. It’s the same sort of premise. People think the character is crazy, sick, something, etc, and they believe they have a right to “cure” them. And the character never has a say in the matter because they are not in the right mind or some other excuse. This sort of goes back to my previous review for Matched about freedom, but in these kinds of books it’s also about what personal safety and what is and isn’t natural by societies terms. These books always drive me nuts and I never want to go to the doctor’s office after reading them. How do I really know what they are injecting into me? Haha. Anyways, the reader is always rooting for the character and hoping they break out. I get a little dramatic and always want the character to lash out and do some damage, but as the characters always tell themselves and me, it wouldn’t do any good. But it would make me as a reader fell better. :) So the whole story is an edge of the seat kind of book. And it’s not very long, so the book is easy to get through in a few sittings. The book reminded me of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, so if you liked that book, you should like this book. It’s Zhang’s debut novel and I think she did a fantastic job. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series whenever it is published.

Favorite Line:
‘People back then couldn’t have been so different from people today.’
(Pg. 26)

38. Fever - Lauren DeStefano
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Pages: 341
Rating: 4 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but they’re still in danger. Outside, they find a world even more disquieting than the one they ran away from. Determined to get to Manhattan and find Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan, the two press forward, amid threats of being captured again…or worse. The road they are on is long and perilous—and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and men die at age twenty-five, time is precious. In this sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price—now that she has more to lose than ever.

Thoughts:
I liked the book. Probably as much as the first book. The dystopia premise is an interesting concept and I’ve liked Rhine since her first scene. She’s strong and independent. I thought both she and Gabriel grow a lot in this book. There is also a chance to see more of the world these two characters live in. In the first book Wither we only see the mansion. Now we can see what is really going on. We don’t see much, but we see more than we’ve seen so far. I’ve seen some reviews say that the book seems to be the weak middle book, that not much happens until the last fifty pages, but I disagree. The ending was by far the most intense scene in the book but I think the rest helped with character development. Sure things could have happened differently and come out really powerfully. But that’s why it’s a four star not a five star. I thought as a story it was very interesting. I read it all in one day so that should say something. I’m looking forward to the next and last book!

Favorite Line:
‘”Do you know why we’re married to Hose Governors?” she said. “It would be one thing if we were penned like horses and let out for breeding, but it isn’t like that. We aren’t pets – we’re wives, which is worse.”
I’d thought about what it would mean t be penned for breeding, and then I raise my eyes and watched a cloud that looked like a broken octopus. “How is it worse?” I said.
“Because if we weren’t wives, it would just be what it is – stealing girls and making them obey. But people used to get married to spend their lives together. There’s intimacy. It implies it was consensual. It’s not just our freedom that was taken, it was our right to be unhappy, too.”’
(Pg. 262)

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

I ended up liking Fever a lot more than Wither... it's funny, because after the first book, I wasn't sure if I'd bother continuing with the series, and I picked up Fever on a complete whim. Read it immediately. Really, really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next one!

Hi Melissa, What's Left of Me sounds really, really good. I hesitate only because I need a new series like a hole in the head! Who am I kidding, onto the wishlist it goes.

Faith - It must be the setting change that's a part of that. I think I liked them equally but I've heard others say they liked the second more too :) I've just requested the last book. Of course I'm part of a line but hopefully it shouldn't take too long to make its way to me. Happy reading!

Judith - What's Left of Me was awesome. But I totally know what you mean about not needing even more series on the TBR. It's a chronicle so I have no idea if it'll be more than three books. But it is a new book so there will be some wait in between each book. Anyways, I hope you like it when you do get to it. Happy reading to you too!

39. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 336
Rating: 5 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten. Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Thoughts:
Well, I didn’t cry like I was told I would, but it was a close call a couple of times. And if a book can make me cry or almost cry, it is a very powerful book. I’ve heard wonderful things about this book over the last year, and so when my niece asked if I could get this book for her from the library I decided I would read it with her. I’m so glad I finally got to this book. I’ve read books before where the character is fighting cancer but not very many and I found this book was very raw with this topic. It’s not just Hazel. She is surrounding by other kids with terminal diseases. It brings to attention the scope of these diseases. Green says he fictionalized some of the diseases but the idea and scope is not lessened. There have been great push backs against cancer in the lat fifty years but it’s still there and kids still die too young because of it. I can’t imagine being in these kid’s shoes. My horror against it makes these characters all that more powerful. They are stronger than I am. I admired them all very much. As always Green’s writing is wonderful and his endings hit the spot. This is one of his best. I highly recommend the book to everyone of any age.

Favorite Line:
“You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices. I hope she likes hers.”

I loved The Fault in Our Stars. I'm glad you did, too.

:) Me too

40. Unwind - Neal Shusterman
Genre: Dystopia
Pages: 352
Rating: 4 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
In America after the Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement: The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, a parent may choose to retroactively get rid of a child through a process called "unwinding." Unwinding ensures that the child's life doesn’t “technically” end by transplanting all the organs in the child's body to various recipients. Now a common and accepted practice in society, troublesome or unwanted teens are able to easily be unwound. With breath-taking suspense, this book follows three teens who all become runaway Unwinds: Connor, a rebel whose parents have ordered his unwinding; Risa, a ward of the state who is to be unwound due to cost-cutting; and Lev, his parents' tenth child whose unwinding has been planned since birth as a religious tithing. As their paths intersect and lives hang in the balance, Shusterman examines serious moral issues in a way that will keep readers turning the pages to see if Connor, Risa, and Lev avoid meeting their untimely ends.

Thoughts:
This was a horrifying book. Not horrible. No, just horrifying. It was a really good book. I’m really liking Shusterman as a author. But the idea that a society, even fictional could get to a point where they have convinced themselves they are not killing off their teenage children because they cause some trouble, when really that is what they are doing. There is a big debate about what consciousness is in this book, when it starts and when it ends, etc. But I cannot see this as anything other than killing kids. This is one scenes towards the end where the reader gets to go along the ride as one kid actually does get unwound. I thought I might have nightmares after reading it. I’ve read torture scenes before but this is on a whole new level. Legally the doctors have to keep these kids conscious while they unwind them and then give them something so they can’t feel anything. But they don’t do anything to keep them from looking down and seeing half their body missing. It was a very disturbing scene and I don’t think I will ever forget it. I don’t regret reading the scene. It’s probably the most important scene in the book because it shows exactly what the kids are trying to run from. The whole process isn’t explained much in the book, so it isn’t until that point where it really hits what’s going on. I don’t’ not believe any futuristic society would ever reach a point like this, but the idea is fascinating. And horrifying. Don’t forget that part. It does bring up ideas about what it really means to be alive, freedom, and the value of human lives. The book is very fast-paced and easy to get through. I bet most readers could read it within a matter of days. Highly Recommended if you think you can take it.

Favorite Line:
“Unwinds didn't go out with a bang-they didn't even go out with a whimper. they went out with the silence of a candle flame pinched between two fingers.”

41. Crank - Ellen Hopkins
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Pages: 544
Rating: 3 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
This is a story about a monster. Not a dragon of a mythological beast, but a very real, very destructive monster--crystal meth--that takes hold of seventeen-year-old Kristina Snow and transforms her into her reckless alter-ego Bree. Based on her own daughter's addiction to crystal meth, Ellen Hopkins' novel-in-verse is a vivid, transfixing look into teenage drug use. Told in Kristina's voice, it provides a realistic portrayal of the tortured logic of an addict.

Thoughts:
First off I didn’t like the format of the book. It and I didn’t mesh at all. So I tried listening to it on audio book. That helped a lot but I could still hear the beaks and transitions. The other down for me is that I’m really not into poetry. I like well constructed sentences and detail but I don’t care for over the top descriptions that much. That was what half this book was. It does however make for a quick read but I would have rather had a narrative in prose with a character I could invest my interest in more. The issue of meth addiction is big and I think the more books out there about it, the better. I just couldn’t get into this one. I didn’t know enough about Kristina to begin with. There was no context for me to pull on and hope she got her shit together. Instead I just kind of watched, disinterested to see if she would. And on that topic, I’m thinking this is a mild book about meth addiction. Generally things don’t get better just like that. I thought it was a great subject to write about and I think it was constructed alright. It’s just not a book I liked all that much. It was okay.

Favorite Line:
“The problem with resolutions is they're only as solid as the person making them.”

42. An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
Genre: Boy Lit
Pages: 272
Rating: 3 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton’s type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy–loving best friend riding shotgun—but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl. Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself.

Thoughts:
I like John Green’s characters. They are generally original in their uniqueness and are interesting to read about because they are funny characters. His characters are his strong points. I don’t read life stories very often for a reason. I just don’t like them as much as other books. So I read them occasionally. This was a life story. It was interesting, it was okay, but I didn’t get anything out of it. It was one of those, ‘I wouldn’t cry if I had to give it back within the hour.’ So I liked Collin. I liked the dialogue. A lot of the reviews I’ve looked at have stated that this is not Green’s best book. Out of the three or four of his that I have read so far, I agree. An interesting read and recommended if you are looking to read all of Green’s books, but not otherwise. I am looking forward to getting to some of Green’s other books however.

Favorite Line:
“What's the point in being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? How very odd, to believe God gave you life, and yet not think that life asks more of you than watching TV.”

43. His Majesty's Dragon - Naomi Novik
Genre: High Fantasy
Pages: 356
Rating: 4 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future–and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

Thoughts:
I’ve always been a fan of dragons. And so I’ve been meaning to start this series for a while now. I had a long plane ride today and I just tore through this book. The action starts fairly fast and it sort of doesn’t stop. It’s not nail-biting action but it’s intense in an exciting journey/training sort of way. Laurence was a mature character which was refreshing after all the young adult books I’ve read recently and Temeraire was intelligent and could be one of my favorite dragon characters. And the interaction between hem was endearing. Great writing, great alternative history, great author. I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series.

Favorite Line:
‘”It seems very strange that the ocean is full of things that one can eat as one likes, and on land everything seems to be spoken for,” Temeraire said, disappointed.’

44. Final Fantasy and Philosophy – William Irwin
Genre: Reference, Philosophy
Pages: 212
Rating: 4 Stars
(Off My Shelves)

Summary:
The Final Fantasy universe is packed with compelling characters and incredible storylines. In this book, you'll take a fascinating look at the deeper issues that Final Fantasy forces players to think about while trying to battle their way to the next level, such as: Does Cloud really exist (or should we really care)? Is Kefka really insane? Are Moogles part of a socialist conspiracy? Does the end of the game justify the means? As Mages, Moogles, fiends, and Kefka are mashed together with the likes of Machiavelli, Marx, Foucault, and Kafka, you'll delve into crucial topics such as madness, nihilism, environmental ethics, Shintoism, the purpose of life, and much more.

Thoughts:
I’ve been meaning to read this book for years. Don’t know why I didn’t, other than there were always other books I was reading. But I went south for spring break and decided I was going to read it sometime soon. It helps that I’ve been playing Final Fantasy VII for the past month or so on the weekends because I was able to get into the book really quickly. I’ve only played half of the Final Fantasy games so far in my life time but it didn’t really hurt my reading this. I’ve played the big ones which is what most of the book focused on. I loved how the authors combined philosophy with these games as I like both topics. There were things in here that I had never thought of before, or even noticed in some cases. It makes me want to go back and replay some of these games. Ha. Maybe in a few years once I’m out of school. But it did bring it all back for me and added to my understanding of what really happened in these games. It was fun and quick. I can’t say for sure how much of it is or isn’t accurate but it seemed solid to me. And while sometimes it seemed that some of the authors where grasping for straws on what to write about next I thought overall the book was great and entertaining. It was a good book to read at night in the hotels.

Favorite Line:
‘But why should we care? Admittedly, the loss of human civilization is disappointing to most humans, but two things need to be considered before we get all weepy about our bleak future. First, we are not necessary to Gaia. Furthermore, if Lovelock is right, our behavior is sufficiently harmful to Gaia and our willingness to change so minimal that Gaia would be better off without us. Second, in the long run Gaia is doomed anyways. Gaia and all of life that she makes possible will die in about five billion years when the sun dies, and that’s assuming her ability to self-regulate is not destroyed first by a gamma ray burst from a nearby star going supernova or maimed by a massive meteor impact.’
(Pg. 70)

HI Melissa, soo many book rockets (not bullets) here. Again something for my blackhole *grin*

I hope you are having a fab and fun filled Easter Weekend!

Thanks Bianca! It's been great so far. I got a huge writing spurt and wrote all day yesterday and I just got accepted as a research assistant in my anthropology department for April! It means my April will be holy crap crazy busy and I have to do 10+ hours of training in the next week, but I'm excited. It's just what I need on my CV for graduate school. And I got to see family today. Tomorrow will be a day of relaxation up in the mountains. :) So, it’s been one of my better Easters so far. I hope yours is great at well!

PS... I've never heard anyone use the phrase 'book rocket'. What's the difference if I might ask?

45. Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People - Mahzarin R. Banaji & Anthony G. Greenwald
Genre: Non-Fiction, Psychology
Pages: 231
Rating: 3 Stars
(New)

Summary:
"I know my own mind. I am able to assess others in a fair and accurate way." These self-perceptions are challenged by leading psychologists Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald as they explore the hidden biases we all carry from a lifetime of exposure to cultural attitudes about age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, social class, sexuality, disability status, and nationality. “Blindspot” is the authors’ metaphor for the portion of the mind that houses hidden biases. Writing with simplicity and verve, Banaji and Greenwald question the extent to which our perceptions of social groups—without our awareness or conscious control—shape our likes and dislikes and our judgments about people’s character, abilities, and potential.

Thoughts:
I almost picked this book for my turn of my family book club, but we ended up reading another book that I will review shortly. But I decided to read this book on my own anyways because I have always been interested in stereotypes. I consider myself a very open person but I know I have some biases. I try really hard not to let them get in my way but I know they are there. So the topic interested me. The book also wasn’t very long. And I found that it turned out to be an easy read. The book was interesting. But it basically said what I already know. People have slight biases whether we want them or not. I was hoping more for theories of why and methods of “Curing” them rather than just a confirmation that yes, unfortunately, there are biases in the world. But even so, the information was engaging, since the topic can relate to anyone, and I got through it very quickly. I can’t say that the book is for everyone. One of the reasons I ultimately didn’t choose the book for the club is because a lot of the book focuses on race and there is already paranoia in the family that my African American nephew is biased against by other families. The book only confirms biases with the only cure being time. So some people may not benefit from reading the book. I would recommend it however. Overall I thought it was an interesting book and don’t regret spending my whole plane trip reading it.

Favorite Line:
‘A father and his son are in a car accident. The father dies at the scene and the son, badly injured, is rushed to the hospital. In the operating room, the surgeon looks at the boy and says, “I can’t operate on this boy. He is my son.” How cant his be?
If you’re immediate reaction is puzzlement, that’s because automatic mental associations caused you to think “male” on reading “surgeon”. The association surgeon = male is part of a stereotype.’
(Pg. 71)

46. Covet – J. R. Ward
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 496
Rating: 4 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
Harley-riding angels battle a demon temptress in the latest paranormal romance thriller from bestseller Ward, author of the beloved Black Dagger Brotherhood. Jim Heron, an acerbic construction worker and former assassin, has been selected by the forces of Heaven to save "seven souls at a crossroads with a choice that must be made." His first subject: Vin diPietro, a "silk-suited, M6-driving, misogynistic" jerk with a paranormal secret.

Thoughts:
I’ve been meaning to read this other series of Ward’s. And so I figured while I way for my turn of Lover at Last, her latest in the Brotherhood series, I’d start this one. The book is no Brotherhood book, but it’s got its own charm. I always like Ward’s characters and Jim is no exception. I even liked the romance between Vin and Marie-Terese. The writing style is clearly Wards; lots of swearing and slang. :) I do want to know more about Jim but I’ve already been told that my wish comes true in the next book. I think Ward’s Brotherhood series is better than this one, but I still like it well enough to continue with the series. Looking forward to it.

Favorite Line:
“I'm an angel not a frickin' saint.”

I feel the same way about the series. It's not the Brotherhood but it's likable enough.

Morphy - I'm not even positive why I adore the Brotherhood series so much. Maybe the tight-knittedness between the men? Whatever it is, I'm estatic about this next book Lover at Last. Happy Easter by the way. Hope it was a good day.

Hi Melissa, I just used "rocket" to emphazise the fact that I usually find several books for my wishlist, when I visit your thread *smile*.

However, great to hear that you got the post and I hope you will enjoy it, also it will mean less reading time.

I am also a fan of the Brotherhood series, but for some reason I stopped after book 5 or 6. For some reason, I always prefered The Dark Carpathian Series by Christine Feehan - maybe because that was the first paranormal Romance I read 4 years ago. *smile* I also do enjoy the series by Nalini Singh and Lara Adrian.

47. People of the Lie - M. Scott Peck
Genre: Non-Fiction, Psychology
Pages: 269
Rating: 3 Stars
(Book Club)

Summary:
This is the second bestselling book by Dr M. Scott Peck. In this gripping psychology book, the leading psychiatrist describes his encounters during psychiatric therapy with patients who are not merely ill but manifestly evil - People of the Lie. This brilliant, disturbing book forces us to confront the darker side of our natures and to recognize that without spiritual and religious dimension, modern psychiatry cannot claim to understand human nature or behavior.

Thoughts:
I liked the book for the fact that it talked about evil in human societies. It’s not a topic you see very often in this kind of detail. I liked the honesty that Peck gives. I don’t agree that we can only explain evil with spiritual dimensions however. So there were times were Peck and I disagreed. His Christian views were also very pervasive in the book. He warns the reader in the beginning they would because they color his interpretations. So the best way to take the book is to realize Peck is just giving us an interpretation. He never says it is the correct one. I do think however that the reader could potentially misunderstand that that is what he is saying. I’ll admit that I have some mind blocks against religion and because of this there were a few points where I had to put the book down take a break and then pick it up again. I really liked all of the case studies. They made the book read like a novel half the time instead of a non-fiction book. Without them the book would have been harder to read. Besides the fact that they were fascinating to read about. And I liked the main subject matter. It’s not a book about what is evil and what is not and how we deal with it. It is a book about an interpretation of what evil is. This book will make you sit down and think. I wish there are more books written on the matter. I’m going to look for some. With everything that’s happened in the three decades since this book was written many people could argue that our world has gotten even more violent and evil. I don’t know if I agree, but I would like to see more interpretations on the whole idea of “evil”. If you’re looking for a scientific approach, this isn’t the book to read. There have been some arguments against the book that the individuals in the novel were not evil as he labels them, just “troubled”. I can’t say for sure what I believe about the word “evil”. Which is partly why I’d like to read more on the subject. Anyways the book was interesting and succeeded in making me more interested in the topic.

Favorite Line:
‘If we seriously think about it, it probably makes more sense to assume this is a naturally evil world that had somehow been mysteriously “contaminated” by goodness, rather than the other way around. The mystery of goodness is even greater than the mystery of evil.’
(Pg. 41)

Bianca - *laugh* got it. Well I'm happy to contribute to anyone's blackhole. :) Means I'm reading the good stuff! Happy Easter! I looked at the Carpathian Series years ago but never did pick the first one up. I might have to look at them again. I've never heard of the other two authors but I'll be sure to look them up too. I do admit I've grown a little soft spot for paranormal romance in the last three years.

48. Sever – Lauren Destefano
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Pages: 371
Rating: 4 Stars
(New)

Summary:
With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them. Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain. In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered.

Thoughts:
This is the book where everything comes together. We get the history, we get the dots and we get the lines connecting everything. And boy do the dots connect. A lot more dots than I thought were there. As a conclusion I thought the book did well. I like the first two books the most, but this one is just as good at keeping you on the edge of your seat and entertained. There are still some unanswered questions but the book makes a point that sometimes you have to pick what you want to discover. Not everything is always revealed in life. The ending upset me a little, but I think it was suppose to and I’m not sure how things could have worked out if the events hadn’t happened. Still some things I found confusing. ‘Why’ is what I wanted to say. It was too quick, too unexpected. But then the whole series was a long unexpected journey. That’s what made it the intense story it is. I enjoyed watching Rhine throughout the series; I’m glad I found it. And I’m sure the series will stay in my thoughts for a long while.

Favorite Line:
‘We destroy things with our curiosity. We shatter with our best intentions. We are no closer to perfection than we were one hundred years ago, or five hundred.’
(Pg. 348)

This was end of the month stats: stats have been changed due to the removal of graphic novels. To see stats for this thread's year please refer HERE

I tried the first one or two Dark Carpathian books but they didn't draw me in.

I've looked at the reviews and summaries on Amazon and I might try the first book sometime in the next few years. I try not to judge books too much on other's reviews because everyone likes different things in their books but sometimes I find myslf doing so. But sometime later I'm sure I'll find the series again.

49. The Furies of Calderon - Jim Butcher
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 672
Rating: 3 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies - elementals of earth, air, fire, water, and metal. But now, Gaius Sextus, First Lord of Alera, grows old and lacks an heir. Ambitious High Lords plot and maneuver to place their Houses in positions of power, and a war of succession looms on the horizon." "Far from city politics in the Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans' most savage enemy - the Marat - return to the Valley, he will discover that his destiny is much greater than he could ever imagine." Caught in a storm of deadly wind furies, Tavi saves the life of a runaway slave named Amara. But she is actually a spy for Gaius Sextus, sent to the Valley to gather intelligence on traitors to the Crown, who may be in league with the barbaric Marat horde. And when the Valley erupts in chaos - when rebels war with loyalists and furies clash with furies - Amara will find Tavi's courage and resourcefulness to be a power greater than any fury - one that could turn the tides of war.

Thoughts:
I’ve been wanting to read this other series of Jim Butcher’s for a while because I ended up liking his Dresden book so much. I didn’t expect the books to be as good as the Dresden series but I was hoping it would be a good fantasy series. And I think it succeeded in that. It’s got an interesting magic system, politics, betrayal, young characters with promise of growing into very interesting characters. I think that most people would give this book a four star. I think at another time even I might give it a four star. But at this time, for whatever reason I couldn’t seem to get into it. Not all Butcher’s fault. I know I would have liked to know more about the furies, but that topic could come in later books. I do know that I will pursue the series, but not immediately. First I need to get out of this lagging in my normal fantasy love.

Favorite Line:
“The course of history is determined not by battles, by sieges, or usurpation, but by the individuals. The strongest army is, at its most basic level, a collection of individuals. Their decisions, their passions, their foolishness, and their dreams shape the years to come. If there is any lesson to be learned from history, it is that all too often the fate of armies, of cities, of entire realms rests upon the actions of one person's decision, good or bad, right or wrong, big or small, can unwittingly change the world.
But history can be quite the slattern. One never knows who that person is, where he might be, or what decision he might male.
It is almost enough to make me believe in destiny.”

50. Every Day - David Levithan
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 336
Rating: 5 Stars
(Book Club #2/ Re-read)

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:
Levithan is very creative in his writing and this book is no exception. Just think about it. A different body every day. First, huge props for the idea and pulling it off so well. And secondly, serious props for using it to address a varitey of issues in the world today; equality, humility, love, humanity. He doesn't question them or try to address them all that much, but he brings them into the light and lets the reader decide what they think. Do we look at people who are obese differently than other people? Do treat them differently? Or what about really beautiful people? Do we treat them differently? If the person inside two different bodies is the same but the two bodies are of different genders, can we look past the sex of the body? Do we judge off of sterotypes? There is a lot of interesting points brought up. And it's all integrated in a wonderful story of a individual hoping that love with conquer all. I really liked A. He sees life as a whole; patterns between people and families, and more commonalities than differences. But A also misses out on so much more by not being able to stay in a body for longer than a day. The prose is beautiful, the story is fantastic. It has moved to my "to buy" and favorites list. I highly recommend it to any and everyone.

Favorite Line:
“There will always be more questions. Every answer leads to more questions. The only way to survive is to let some of them go.”

“I want love to conquer all. But love can't conquer anything. It can't do anything on it's own.
It relies on us to do the conquering on its behalf.”

Hi Melissa, just stopping by to wish you a great weekend!

However, I am also wondering how your research post is going :) I hope you enjoy it as much as you expected!

Great review of Every Day!

Hi Melissa, I think you just added Every Day to my wishlist, great review!

Bianca -
Thanks! My weekend wasn't fantastic, but it wasn’t bad either. And I got to watch the finale of Spartacus so that made up for it some. :) The research post is great. It's much less work than I thought it would be because there are plenty assistants assigned to the project. We're already half way done and then I'll have research on my CV. It's been a fantastic opportunity. Hope you're weekend was great too.

Roni & Judith -
Thanks! It really is a fantastic book. That was my second time reading it in the span of half a year I think. Highly recommend it. Or any of Levithan's book for that matter. He's an incredible writer. Anyways, happy reading to you both!

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

51. Are We There Yet – David Levithan
Genre: Boy Lit
Pages: 224
Rating: 4 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Elijah is completely mellow and his 23-year-old brother Danny is completely not, so it’s no wonder they can barely tolerate one another. So what better way to repair their broken relationship than to trick them into taking a trip to Italy together? Soon, though, their parents’ perfect solution has become Danny and Elijah’s nightmare as they’re forced to spend countless hours together. But then Elijah meets Julia, and soon the brothers aren’t together nearly as much. And then Julia meets Danny and soon all three of them are in a mixed-up, turned-around, never-what-you-expect world of brothers, Italy, and love.

Thoughts:
What I like most about Levithan’s stories is the characters. They are so real, and yet so unique. In this case, two brothers who have grown distant. Levithan knows how to capture what life is. His writing is spot on and relatable. I’m a woman, so I can’t say I can fully relate but I have plenty of siblings and more than enough lost friends who I’ve let distance and time take away from me. Levithan is a pro at bringing the emotions of the book through into very plain focus. He makes you want to do something about those emotions. His prose is beautiful. I didn’t like the book as much as some of his other books, but it was still a great read.

Favorite Line:
‘Elijah’s problem, in Danny’s mind, is that he has no sense of what it takes to make a living.
Danny’s problem, in Elijah’s mind, is that he has no sense of what it takes to make a life.’
(Pg. 85)

52. Dark Currents: Agent of Hel – Jacqueline Carey
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 368
Rating: 3 Stars
(New)

Summary:
The Midwestern resort town of Pemkowet boasts a diverse population: eccentric locals, wealthy summer people, and tourists by the busload; not to mention fairies, sprites, vampires, naiads, ogres and a whole host of eldritch folk, presided over by Hel, a reclusive Norse goddess. To Daisy Johanssen, fathered by an incubus and raised by a single mother, it’s home. And as Hel’s enforcer and the designated liaison to the Pemkowet Police Department, it’s up to her to ensure relations between the mundane and eldritch communities run smoothly. But when a young man from a nearby college drowns—and signs point to eldritch involvement—the town’s booming paranormal tourism trade is at stake. Teamed up with her childhood crush, Officer Cody Fairfax, a sexy werewolf on the down-low, Daisy must solve the crime—and keep a tight rein on the darker side of her nature. For if she’s ever tempted to invoke her demonic birthright, it could accidentally unleash nothing less than Armageddon.

Thoughts:
I found this book quite by accident. And I figure since it was Carey, the book should be good. It’s nothing like her Kushiel books; it’s a totally different style and it lacks some of the character depth that some of her other books have. And comparatively, it seemed set for a younger audience. But as an urban fantasy novel it was intriguing enough to keep me reading. It sort of reminded me of Patricia Brigg’s Mercedes Thompson series (although Mercedes beats Daisy any day). It’s definitely not my favorite of Carey’s nor my favorite urban fantasy, but it wasn’t bad either; just different. It does prove that Carey can write in a variety of styles. I may pick up the next book if there is one in the next year or so, or maybe not. We’ll have to see. If you like urban fantasy I’d suggest giving it a go. It can’t hurt.

I felt the same way about Dark Currents. So excited it was a Carey then just sort of "meh" after I read it.

53. Primeval Kinship - Bernard Chapais
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 308
Rating: 3 Stars
(Textbook)

Summary:
At some point in the course of evolution—from a primeval social organization of early hominids—all human societies, past and present, would emerge. In this account of the dawn of human society, Bernard Chapais shows that our knowledge about kinship and society in nonhuman primates supports, and informs, ideas first put forward by the distinguished social anthropologist, Claude Lévi-Strauss. Chapais contends that only a few evolutionary steps were required to bridge the gap between the kinship structures of our closest relatives—chimpanzees and bonobos—and the human kinship configuration. The pivotal event, the author proposes, was the evolution of sexual alliances. Pair-bonding transformed a social organization loosely based on kinship into one exhibiting the strong hold of kinship and affinity. The implication is that the gap between chimpanzee societies and pre-linguistic hominid societies is narrower than we might think

Thoughts:
It's that time of year again where I'm finally finishing my textbooks. This one was a kicker. The information is fantastic, new and far-reaching on the research scale. My problem? That I was forced to read it in the first place - I don't like to read when someone tells me I have to read. It was also full of anthropological jargon. My Anth. jargon is fairly good, but I had to really concentrate to get through this book. But again, material-wise, I'm positive this is a very very important book. I love evolution so when I did finally get down to the basic formula that Chapais was spelling out, it was a treat. Definitely only a book for those in the field.

Favorite Line:
‘There is no real society that can represent all others in the way that a standard foot can represent all human feet.’
(Pg. 2)

Morphy - I feel like I'm getting that 'meh' feeling a lot lately. I can't tell if it's just me this year or if the authors are seriously losing some of their previous awesomeness. Grr.

I was that way last year. I only had one "9" and no "10" books. Most books just got a "meh" out of me. This year I've already had two "9" books. Who knows if it was me or the books.

I hope your book blahs, whatever the reason, end soon. It's a bummer.

Hi Melissa, I'm sorry to hear you are having a sight case of the 'Book Blahs', hopefully that truly great book is just around the corner for you.

Morphy & Judy -
I hope so too. I went back and looked at my past ratings this year and they are not horrible. There are some fours and even a few five stars. This month has been crazy and I think I'm letting it get to me. The books aren't phenomenal but they aren't bad either. I just don't have much time to read currently and my stress seems to be leaking over into the times when I do and I'm not enjoying them like I usually would.
However, I'm currently reading two books, Crave and Frost Burned and they'll both be four stars. And I've just got Robin Hobb's newest book Blood and Dragons, and I've always loved her books.
:)

This was end of the month stats: stats have been changed due to the removal of graphic novels. To see stats for this thread's year please refer HERE

54. Anatomy & Physiology: An Integrative Approach - Michael McKinley
Genre: Non-Fiction, Reference
Pages: 1272
Rating: 4 Stars
(Textbook)

Summary:
Anatomy & Physiology: An Integrative Approach text brings multiple elements of the study of A&P together in ways that maximize understanding. Text discussions provide structural details in the context of their functional significance to integrate coverage of anatomy and physiology in each chapter. Chapters emphasize the interdependence of body systems by weaving prior coverage of one system into textual explanations of how other systems work.

Thoughts:
This textbook was extremely interesting. Easy? Not at all! But only because of the sheer amount of information that it covers. There is so much information in this book that it’s daunting. But if you pace yourself through it which my A&P class did, it’s manageable. Mostly :) There are a lot of figures and tables to help illustrate the narration of how our body works and everything in it. I enjoyed the overall topic and had my favorite sections, but the whole book is a fantastic reference for anyone learning about Anatomy and Physiology.

55. Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory Manual – Elaine Nicpon Marieb
Genre: Non-Fiction, Reference
Pages: 992
Rating: 4 Stars
(Textbook)

Summary:
Intended for use with any A&P textbook, this best-selling laboratory manual features a wide variety of exercises and activities designed to meet the needs of any 2-semester anatomy & physiology laboratory course. Known for its thorough, clearly-written exercises, full-color art, and tear-out review sheets, this lab manual gives students a hands-on laboratory experience.

Thoughts:
Exactly the same as the A&P textbook.
This textbook was extremely interesting. Easy? Not at all! But only because of the sheer amount of information that it covers. There is so much information in this book that it’s daunting. But if you pace yourself through it which my A&P class did, it’s manageable. Mostly :) There are a lot of figures and tables to help illustrate the narration of how our body works and everything in it. I enjoyed the overall topic and had my favorite sections, but the whole book is a fantastic reference for anyone learning about Anatomy and Physiology.

56. Human Osteology – Tim White
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 455
Rating: 4 Stars
(Textbook)

Summary:
Human Osteology, Second Edition is designed for students and professionals who wish to advance their osteological skills in terms of accurately identifying human skeletal remains, however isolated and fragmentary. These remains can then be used to deduce information about the original lives of the deceased individuals. This book will continue to be an essential text for courses on the human skeleton, as well as a basic reference and field manual for professional osteologists and anatomists, forensic scientists, paleontologists, and archaeologists.

Thoughts:
Here is another textbook down for the semester. This was my favorite this semester. Not surprising since I’m very interested in bones. This book has it all. Everything you could want to know about identifying bones. There are not many colored pictures but it’s almost not needed. It’s easy to read if you know basic jargon, and advanced jargon is explained. I thought the book was very user-friendly. And I’ve heard the third edition is even better. I’m positive this book will be used for decades to come.

57. Forensic Anthropology: An Introduction – MarieTeresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant
Genre: Non-Fiction, Anthropology
Pages: 486
Rating: 4 Stars
(Textbook)

Summary:
The book begins with a historical overview of forensic anthropology and then presents the background and methodology of each specialty area. Designed for readers without previous theory-based or practical physical anthropology course experience, each chapter gives a detailed history and explanation of a particular methodology. Presenting topics within their areas of accomplishment and expertise, the authors include up-to-date analytical techniques and provide examples of these applications in typical casework.

Thoughts:
Again. Bones. That’s something I like. On top of examples of cases, there is plenty of information about bones themselves. A chunk of the book is focused on how to determine sex, ancestry and age of the bones recovered in crime scenes. I enjoyed this section because it overlapped with my Osteology book but with colored pictures with arrows and circles so that you know exactly what the authors are telling you. I did enjoy all parts of the book. And no matter which subfield of Anthropology I go into, this book will be applicable to them all. Great book.

58. Crave – J R. Ward
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 480
Rating: 4 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
Isaac Rothe is a black ops soldier with a dark past and a grim future. The target of an assassin, he finds himself behind bars, his fate in the hands of his gorgeous public defender Grier Childe. His hot attraction to her can only lead to trouble-and that's before Jim Heron tells him his soul is in danger. Caught up in a wicked game with the demon who shadows Jim, Isaac must decide whether the soldier in him can believe that true love is the ultimate weapon against evil.

Thoughts:
Some reviewers said they liked the first book better than this second one. I can see where they are coming from. We learn a lot more about Jim’s past in black ops but his mission of saving seven souls seemed to go haywire. What the heck is going on? What are the rules and why the heck does it seem the angels and holding Jim back? I’m hoping this is one of those things that gets explained in the next book. I’m not into the romance. I’m thinking it’s a mood right now. I was much more interested in Jim than I was in Isaac and Grier. But if you like romance, they are pretty good romance scenes, but graphic so beware. But I like Jim enough that I don’t mind reading the other POVs while waiting on him. It keeps me flipping pages. I’ll definitely be reading the next book in this series. It’s classic Ward style. And I like Ward’s writing and characters. Looking forward to more from her.

Favorite Line:
‘Bottom line? As much as you wanted someone to change and believed they could, they were in control of their life. Not you. And you could throw yourself against the wall of their choices until you were black-and-blue and dizzy as hell, but unless they decided to take a different road, the outcome wasn’t going to be what you wanted.’

59. Frost Burned - Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 340
Rating: 3 Stars
(New)

Summary:
After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can’t reach Adam—or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They’ve all been abducted. Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam’s disappearance may be related—and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely.

Thoughts:
Well I really liked the cover. :) But the rest of the book didn't do it for me. Which is a real shame because I love the first four books in this series. This one didn't get my blood pumping. There were parts that got me halfway there but the book just isn't what it was suppose to be. Mercy's eyes went gold halfway through the story and she says that's never happened before. I thought it would become something there but the golden eyes were never mentioned again. They just became a loose thread. I'm still in my 'blah' mood and it's taking me longer to finish books right now, but I'm positive that there was more problems than me just not being into it. I never did connect with the storyline, nothing seemed connected to each other, and none of the characters grow or develop. However, since I like the characters and loved the beginning of the series, I had enough drive to read the whole book. And it wasn't horrible. I just wanted better and didn't get it. Oh well. The series is continuing on so my hope is that the next book picks it up. And in the mean time I'm going to read some of Brigg's other older series.

Favorite Line:
'"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."'
(Pg. 333)

I was a little disappointed in Frost Burned, too, so I don't think it was just you. I didn't connect emotionally with it and it seemed a little stale.

Morphy - :( One of theose blah books again.

60. Envy - J. R. Ward
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 480
Rating: 3 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
As the son of a serial killer, homicide detective Thomas "Veck" DelVecchio, Jr., grew up in the shadow of evil. Now, on the knife-edge between civic duty and blind retribution, he atones for the sins of his father- while fighting his inner demons. Assigned to monitor Veck is Internal Affairs officer Sophia Reilly, whose interest in him is both professional and arousingly personal. And Veck and Sophia have another link: Jim Heron, a mysterious stranger with too many answers... to questions that are deadly. When Veck and Sophia are drawn into the ultimate battle between good and evil, their fallen angel savior is the only thing that stands between them and eternal damnation.

Thoughts:
Hum. This third book in the fallen angel series is less interesting than the last two. The first, Covet, was by far my favorite. I like the books for Jim Heron. And he’s not featured as much in this book as in the other two. Davina drove me absolutely crazy and the sex scenes made me roll my eyes. Warning: I am going through a very picky time. I think a lot of people would give this book a higher rating. For me, at this point in time, the book didn’t do much for me besides get me closer to the fourth book which looks like it features Jim a lot more. The sex scenes aren’t bad. They are a little erotic. I’m not in the mood for romance though. I also didn’t like how Riley (aka: Sophia) was influenced so easily into thinking Veck was a monster at heart. It’s one of my pet peeves, when two characters are close, friends or lovers or siblings, and then are told something about the other and the one turns on the other based on it . It’s as if the past history means nothing. Gah, again me being picky. Overall, I would say if you like J. R. Ward you should try this series.

Favorite Line:
“Hello? You tracking at all? Or were you planning on sleeping through this round."
The lids on that red stare lifted. "I'm not sleeping."
"Meditating. Whatever."
"I wasn't meditating."
"Fine. Psychically manipulating energy fields——"
"You make me dizzy when you pace. It's vertigo diversion.”

It's still not you. I gave Envy the same rating. My review, "I don't know. I'm not feeling it like I do with the Black Dagger Brotherhood. This series is too rough and too crass and has too little emotional impact. It works as a stop gap while I wait for BGB books, but that's about it."

:) Good to know I'm not loosing my reading marbles. I'm trying to narrow down the stack of library books on my bedside so I can move to the list of books I own that I need to read. All I'm doing right now is reading very slowly and renewing books over and over so I figured I'd do better reading what I have then getting stressed about reading library books with a deadline. There are three I've kept though because I do really want to read them soon: Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs, The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa and Unwholly by Neal Shusterman. Read any of those? After those I think I'll try Anne Bishop.

Cry Wolf by Briggs. I gave it a 7 out of 10 stars. No review. The others I haven't heard of.

61. Rapture - J. R. Ward
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 512
Rating: 3 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
Mels Carmichael, reporter for the Caldwell Courier Journal, gets the shock of her life when a man stumbles in front of her car outside the local cemetery. After the accident, his amnesia is just the kind of mystery she likes to solve, but she soon discovers they’re in over their heads with his past. Over their heads with passion, too. As shadows walk the line between reality and another realm, and her lover’s memory begins to come back, the two of them learn that nothing is truly dead and buried. Especially when you’re trapped in a no holds barred war between angels and demons. With a soul on the line, and Mels’s heart at risk, what in Heaven—or in Hell—will it take to save them both?

Thoughts:
I thought the book would be more about Jim. Tell you the truth, for some reason I thought it was Jim who was hit by the car and lost his memory, which would have made for an interesting story due to what Jim is responsible for. But no, it's just another soul. A familiar one, but still not what I was expecting. There was less sex in this volume, but it's as graphic as it always is. Better not read if you're a virgin :). The book is more about the war between heaven and hell although the archangels don't have much face-time. So there was more Jim-time than in the last book. I think I liked it better than the previous book, but it still doesn't have the 'oomph' that the beginning of Ward's Brotherhood series had for me. But it's interesting enough that I will most likely read the fifth book when it comes out later this year. Recommended if you love J. R. Ward's work.

I'm not sure about reading that one because Mels was a bad guy in a previous novel and now he gets a HEA?

In this book Mels stands for Melissa. I'm pretty sure she's someone different. Although I just noticed as I was reading Lover at Last that Ward mentions Vin diPietro indirectly. But even indirectly, he's there in the wrong series. So now I'm wondering if the two series are both in the same world even though neither cast of characters knows each other. But both are set in Caldwell. Because of that slip, now I'm not totally positive where any character will show up. :)

62. Chain Reaction - Simone Elkeles
Genre: Romance
Pages: 320
Rating: 3 Stars
(Walk By-Pick Up)

Summary:
Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn't live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But as he falls for Nikki, Luis enters a dark world he's never known, and just when he thinks he's got life all figured out, he learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life.

Thoughts:
I think in the end I'd give this book a high three star, almost a four. I didn't like the beginning of the book all that much - the character's annoyed me - but halfway through it got much better. The characters grew up a little and dare I say it, love prevailed. Nikki was my biggest problem for most of the book. After finishing the book I can see where it all stemmed, and it was a true rendition of a coping method gone wrong. The fact that her bitchiness got on my nerves says something about the realism the book has. I also thought Luis’s spiral into the gang could have been drawn out just a little more or explained more. There was one particular spot where I felt left behind in the dust. The romance is more of a PG-13 than a PG, definitely for those teenagers above the age of sixteen at least. Elkeles's books seem to always end happily so no worries there. I did like how Elkeles brought up the issues of gang violence and prejudice against Mexicans. They seemed to be handled well - not too much but not too little. I most likely will never read the book again but it was nice read nonetheless.

Favorite Line:
“We need to look back sometimes and realize the past taught us to appreciate our future.”

I misspoke about Mels but I meant that the guy in the romance, Mathias, was a bad guy in the previous books.

Ah yes. I was a bit piqued at first too. But it's not as bad as I thought it might turn out. Maybe a little cliché having the bad dude repent and have redemption. But it seemed to turn out okay in the end.

63. Lover at Last - J. R. Ward
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 591
Rating: 4 Stars
(New)

Summary:
Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another. Blay, after years of unrequited love, has moved on from his feelings for Qhuinn. And it’s about time: it seems Qhuinn has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young. It’s hard for Blay to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. And Qhuinn needs to come to terms with some dark things before he can move forward. Fate seems to have taken these vampire soldiers in different directions... but as the battle over the race’s throne intensifies, and new players on the scene in Caldwell create mortal danger for the Brotherhood, Qhuinn finally learns the true definition of courage, and two hearts who are meant to be together... finally become one.

Thoughts:
Well the summary sounded a little corny when I read it on the dust cover, and the last line in the book was very, very corny. But, I'm glad to say Ward finally did it. She finally put Blay and Qhuinn together, something I have been waiting for since they were first introduced as characters. I was worried she wouldn't, or that she wouldn't go the full yard like she does in her other books because the romance is between two guys this time and not a heterosexual couple. I’m not sure how I feel about the sex scenes in this one. Also I wasn’t really that into the other storylines all that much. That is most likely because I was way invested in Qhuinn and Blay, but there’s also the possibility that they just weren’t that interesting. But as I say for most of her recent books, her characters pull me in and don’t let go. They make the books what they are for me. And while I think the stories are missing what they used to have, the characters still draw me. They save the series for me. I’m not sure where Ward is going from here, but perhaps the other side plots will come into play more. Maybe Selena and Trez? Or Assil and Sora? Or even Xcor and Layla? I have no idea. I am interested in seeing what happens with the young that Layla will birth. I can say for sure that I love the writing style. It grows on me every time I read one of her books. And if nothing else, it is one of her constants. Recommended if you like J R Ward.

Favorite Line:
‘He was standing next to Qhuinn. Right beside the guy.
Qhuinn’s eyes were focused straight ahead, his lips peeled back from his fangs, his fierce expression the result of total anatomical effort…
It was close to what he looked like when he came.
Holy inappropriateness, Batman. And too bad that fact did nothing to change his thought pattern.
(Pg. 33)

I liked Lover at Last as you did but it definitely felt like a transition novel. I was also uncertain about the m/m sex scenes. It's not something I typically read, but she did them well.

Seeing as how she hasn't written any other m/m I thought it was pretty good. Other reviewers complained that the scenes weren't as detailed as her heterosexual sex scenes but I didn't think it was a bad thing. If it's true (and I can't remember exactly if it is - I never paid that much attention to the sex, I was much more interesting in the characters themsevles) then it could show a hesitence to go further so as not to lose too many readers who wouldn't like it. But even if it's true, I don't think it took away from the story. There emotion was real enough for me. :)

64. Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 294
Rating: 3 Stars
(TBR)

Summary:
Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack…and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’s learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer—and son—of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life. Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna’s inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf—a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all the pack

Thoughts:
When I first started this book I was sure I had been mistaken and picked up a second book in the series. The story begins right in the middle something huge. Open page one and Bam, wolves are injured or dead and Anna is moving in with Charles. There are some books that are like this, starting in the middle of some war or something, and some pull it off. Others don’t. This one was unfortunately the latter. On top of this, I never got emotionally attached to Anna or Charles. So much so that I’m not totally convinced that there aren’t other books about the two that I should have read first. The character I liked the most was Asil, but he was present in the latest Mercy book, so he has an excuse. And Samuel, but he wasn’t seen much here. I also wished for more to Asil’s story. It felt rushed, like I was only getting this information because I needed it to understand why there was a witch at all. I was confused for most of the book. The story itself wasn’t bad, but I feel it could have been played out better. Still intriguing enough to read in a two days. I’ll most likely read the next book in the series. Recommended if you like Patricia Briggs.

Favorite Line:
“Sometimes I have the urge to conquer large parts of Europe.”

I'm pretty sure there is a set up short story before Cry Wolf somewhere.

Re: the sex scenes in Lover at Last
I also just skim the sex scenes so wouldn't have noticed. I'm 47 years old and read 250-300 books a year, quite a few with sex in them. There are only so many ways to describe putting tab a into slot b. Even if m/m. I'm a bit jaded.

ETA: Yes, there is a prequel, short/novella called Alpha and Omega that is available either separate as an ebook or in the anthology On the Prowl.

Ha, yes I totally agree. And the emotions are more important anyways. I don't want just the physical.
I'll have to grab On the Prowl. I hardly ever read anthologies but I am interesting in seeing what really happened. They should have added it in with the rest of the book though. Most readers I know dont read anthologies either.

I mean think about it. I've read sex scenes for call it - 30 years. Perhaps 100 sex scenes a year. That's *3000* sex scenes!!!

:) Way too many. As you said, there only so many ways the deed can be done. I've been reading a lot of urban fantasy lately. Maybe that's a hot genre for lots of sex scenes.

This was end of the month stats: stats have been changed due to the removal of graphic novels. To see stats for this thread's year please refer HERE