Lady Scribble's Book Lounge

Musing Mondays (Dec. 12)

2011-12-12T04:14:00.000-08:00

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This week's musing asks...I once knew a man who read about WWII. He read everything he could get his hands on on the subject. He had a whole wall of books that were all about WWII. It amazed me. How could he continue to find one subject that engrossing? My mother, on the other hand, loves to read best sellers. I’ve known other people who read science fiction to the exclusion of everything else; for others it was philosophy, self-help, or history.

So, to the questions…

What kind of books do you like to read?
Why? Provide specific examples.

Well as anyone who reads this blog will know my genre of choice is mystery. Mystery books are my one true love, ever since I was a little girl and my sister read to me my first boxcar children book. Oh how I loved those ageless little sleuths. I have a whole bookshelf dedicated to my Mysteries. Mysteries are fascinating to me because I love to see the puzzle unfold, and how it all connects together in the end. My second favorite would have to be clever fantasies or clever science fiction. I love a time travel story, especially if it's timey-wimey because again, I love to see how it all connects in the end. My last book of choice would be classics, or everyday stories that are interesting, and make you feel warm and cozy inside.

Mysteries:

And Then There Where None By Agatha Christie

The Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle

What Could Go Wrong by Willo Davis Roberts

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Clever Fantasy/Science Fiction

Charmed Life, Witch Week, and Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

My UnFair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Classic/Everyday novels

The Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Persuasion, Emma, and Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodges Burnett

WWW Wednesday (Dec.7)

2011-12-07T09:49:00.001-08:00

WWW Wednesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

What are you currently reading? The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett...I'm only a couple pages in an already all sorts of weird things happened. Me gusta. >_<

What did you recently finish reading? Goodbye Mr. Chips by James Hilton. I cried, but more on that later...

What do you think you'll read next? Well I guess the rest of my library books, which would be Going Postal by Terry Pratchett, and after that I was thinking about re-reading a childhood favorite, or perhaps a famous classic...I never am very certain.

Musing Mondays (Dec.5)

2011-12-05T04:51:00.000-08:00

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This weeks question is...How many books do you read in a week? Month? Year?

It fluctuates. A lot. Sometimes I can read two books a week. Sometimes 0 in a month...then about 4 a month. A year, well my grand total this year is about 30 so far...pretty depressing. Also none of them are books I wanted to get done this year. Guess that's what happens, so many of the books I wanted to read were quite heavy...metaphorically and literally.

Hogfather: A Book Review

2011-12-04T11:20:00.000-08:00

Author: Terry Pratchett...it's in big red letters on the book cover over there. Makes you think the book is called Terry Pratchett and it's written by Hogfather.

Genre: Fantasy/comedy

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up

Summary: Who would want to harm Discworld's most beloved icon? Very few things are held sacred in this twisted, corrupt, heartless -- and oddly familiar -- universe, but the Hogfather is one of them. Yet here it is, Hogswatchnight, that most joyous and acquisitive of times, and the jolly old, red-suited gift-giver has vanished without a trace. And there's something shady going on involving an uncommonly psychotic member of the Assassins' Guild and certain representatives of Ankh-Morpork's rather extensive criminal element. Suddenly Discworld's entire myth system is unraveling at an alarming rate. Drastic measures must be taken, which is why Death himself is taking up the reins of the fat man's vacated sleigh . . . which, in turn, has Death's level-headed granddaughter, Susan, racing to unravel the nasty, humbuggian mess before the holiday season goes straight to hell and takes everyone along with it.

My Review:“You need to believe in things that aren't true. How else can they become?”

Terry Pratchett's engaging and hilarious novel not only presents you with a lovely and quirky fantasy, but also plenty to talk and think about when you're finished reading. The discussion of belief, blind faith, and it's importance to humans, and the existence of the world even, are very prevalent, and put about in a way that you hardly realize that's what you've been reading. I loved the parts where they explained the origins of the Hogfather, and how (not unlike our own) started off as something much darker, before it became the happy little festival that is so well known. It's clever, touching, and so well written.

The world in this book is fully released, probably because this is the 20th book in the discworld series. But you don't have to read them in order. Since Discworld is an alternate universe it's fun to see all of "mythologys" in play as their world (which is flat) travels through space on the backs of 4 elephants on the back of a giant turtle.

Discworld is populated by hundreds of characters, and this book has quite a few of them on its own, you jump from each one of their stories quite a bit, and I wasn't entirely sure if it a was sequential, so that was a bit confusing. In a good way of course because you wanted to know what was going to happen and near the end you are largely rewarded. I feel like this is one of those books you have to read again to fully appreciate, and that you'll get a lot more on the second helping then you did on the first.

The main protagonists Death and Susan, both relatives, and both holding fantastic power are wonderfully imaged characters. Susan is a bit stodgy, a common side affect in fiction when someone who isn't normal tries so hard to be. But she was fantastic, perfectly capable of setting aside normalcy to beat up monsters in a cellar with a poker if the occasion called for it. Also her hair did itself. You can't help but like someone like that.

Death is brilliant, and talks in CAPS so you don't miss anything he says, and he's hilarious, and dark, and surprisingly has a "heart". His attempts at portraying the Hogfather, especially in the "Maul" are some of the best parts of the novel to get you laughing.

There are fumbling wizards with a temperamental giant computer, some ill fated thieves, a creepy man-child, a Death of Rats, talking Raven, and oh yes, a god of hangovers.

Seriously what more could you ask from a book.

Content: language, violence

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Recommend: It reads slightly like the Hitchiker's Guide to The Galaxy. If you liked that I'd safely bet you'd like this.

The Undomestic Goddess and Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging

2011-12-01T04:28:00.000-08:00

Author: Sophie Kinsella

Genre: Comedy

Reading Level: Vocab wise, anyone, content wise Adult

Summary: Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She’s made a mistake so huge, it’ll wreck any chance of a partnership.

Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she’s mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they’ve hired a lawyer–and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can’t sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the #@%# ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope–and finds love–is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake.

But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does…will she want it back?

My Review: Much like Shopaholic this was easy to read and funny. Not as funny as shopaholic and I didn't like it as much, but it was okay.

It wasn't very believable, as the main character who's supposed to be a lawyer, actually fakes her way through cooking, and then gets insanely good after only 2 weeks. Wow... it should only happen to me.

Also I didn't like the ending, I felt i

t was too predictable (and no I'm not talking about romance wise) and a bit of a cop-out for the main character. It was also cliche. The seemingly innocent character, a blackguard all along...hohum.

The middle dragged. Terribly. Then it got boring near the end and I didn't care.

But the beginning was funny.

Content: Harsh language, and a scene I hadda skip over because I don't care about anyone's blimey amour midst the shrubbery.

Rating: 1 and a half stars out of 5

Recommed: Kinsella fans...possibly

Author: Louise Rennison

Genre: Comedy

Reading Level: Vocab wise 10, content wise 14

Summary: There are six things very wrong with my life:

1. I have one of those under-the-skin spots that will never come to a head but lurk in a red way for the next two years.

2. It is on my nose

3. I have a three-year-old sister who may have peed somewhere in my room.

4. In fourteen days the summer hols will be over and then it will be back to Stalag 14 and Oberfuhrer Frau Simpson and her bunch of sadistic teachers.

5. I am very ugly and need to go into an ugly home.

6. I went to a party dressed as a stuffed olive.

In this wildly funny journal of a year in the life of Georgia Nicolson, British author Louise Rennison has perfectly captured the soaring joys and bottomless angst of being a teenager. In the spirit of Bridget Jones's Diary, this fresh, irreverent, and simply hilarious book will leave you laughing out loud. As Georgia would say, it's "Fabbity fab fab!"

My Review: Yes, that up there really does summarize the book. It really was just the ramblings of a 14 year old girl. A rather dim if not funny 14 year old girl. Seriously, I do not know why a girl her age, in public school, is so dim. I mean seriously, she just lets guys do whatever to her, it was so frustrating she didn't kick that Mark character.

Also Georgie, her friends, and seriously anyone besides her Dad in this novel had no aspirations. At all. In fact I don't think it even mentioned there interests. Does Georgia have any?

The writing was super easy, and as I said, funny, but in the end it was all empty calories.

Content: kissing, lots of kissing, it was kinda gross. Georgia lets guys touch her inappropriately which made me really mad I wanted to slap her...

Rating: 1 and a half stars out of 5

Recommed: Not really

WWW Wednesday (Nov. 30)

2011-11-30T05:16:00.000-08:00

WWW Wednesday is hosted by mizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

What are you currently reading? I am reading Hogfather by Terry Pratchett. Thought I'd be seasonal.

What did you recently finish reading? Lots of chick-lit. The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella and Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison. Double packed review coming soon...I also read How Not to Write a Novel: 200 classic mistakes and how avoid them by Howard Mittlemark and Sandra Newman. It was very eye opening, and utterly hilarious.

What do you think you'll read next? Well I hate to swear because I've mostly been lying the past couple months, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna read Goodbye Mr. Chips by James Hilton...and then I'm really not sure. Sky's the Limit eh?

Pure: A Book Review

2011-11-30T04:52:00.001-08:00

Author: Terra Elan McVoy

Genre: Drama

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up

Summary: Promise. Betrayal. Confession. Revenge.

Tabitha and her four best friends all wear purity rings, symbols of the virginity-until-marriage pledge they made years ago. Now Tab is fifteen, and her ring has come to mean so much more. It's a symbol of who she is and what she believes—a reminder of her promises to herself, and her bond to her friends. But when Tab meets a boy whose kisses make her knees go weak, everything suddenly seems a lot more complicated. Tab's best friend, Morgan, is far from supportive, and for the first time, Tabitha is forced to keep secrets from the one person with whom she's always shared everything. When one of those secrets breaks to the surface, Tab finds herself at the center of an unthinkable betrayal that splits her friends apart. As Tab's entire world comes crashing down around her, she's forced to re-examine her friendships, her faith, and what exactly it means to be pure.

My Review: This books was of great interest to me on many levels. I got it out on a gamble. I had an idea of how it would go, and then how I hoped it would go, and I read it a little prepared to be disappointed. Fortunately I wasn't. Despite the summary, and the question of purity that does permeate the book I would have to say this particular novel was definitely more about the challenge of friendship, staying true to what you believe, being open minded, and peer pressure, no matter if it's "good" or "bad".

The main character Tabitha, was wonderful. She was realistic, strong, and thoughtful, wonderfully mature but still young in many ways protagonist now a days are not. She's a thinker, never one to see things at face value she delves deeper into the issue, looks at both sides, questions, and it was great to read about a young girl being this way about issues she faced like friendship, and sex.

We have lovely side characters to that are also fleshed out. All of her friends, Cara, Morgan, Naeomi, and Priah each share a very special friendship with her that helps all of them grow in ways they never expected. Even Priah, probably who is really in the background for most of the story gets a chance to shine in the end. I love their individual voices, and I felt for them.

Tabitha also got a boyfriend, who was very understanding, but also a bit in the background, just there for Tabitha to question herself even more.

Her parents as well were not regulated to the background, and added a nice touch, so often authors forget the parents, and they're merely there for the protagonist to despise or "feel sorry for" so we think they actually care, and then are never mentioned again. Tabitha talks to her parents. That was another lovely thing to read.

The books is quite hefty, but in my personal opinion never dragged. I really enjoyed every second of it, it made me think.

As a note: religion plays an important part in the book, but it's not overpowering or "beat you over the head" type. I think it adds a very nice touch.

Content: kissing, despite the subject matter it is not graphic, perfect to give to young girls having to start thinking about these things without freaking them out.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommend: To those who want to weigh in all the options, and are curious to look at it from a religious but un-fanatical viewpoint. Also to those who love friendship stories, which is the core of the book.

P.S. This is the first review I've written on my new laptop. Very exciting. :P

Saving Francesca: A Book Review

2011-10-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

Author: Melina Marchetta

Genre: drama

Reading Level: ages 13 and up

Summary: Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian's, a boys' school that pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas who specializes in musical burping to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.

Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

My (short) Review: I got this from the library, thinking it would just be another silly teen novel. Not so, this is an actual fine piece of literature.

It's one of the few character driven books I really liked, and oh what characters. Not a single one was a cardboard cut-out, they were all extremely well developed, and their unfolding relationship as the book goes on is deep, realistic, and most of all interesting. There are very few cliches, and the relationship between mother and daughter that's explored is sad and beautiful.

I think Melina Marchetta is a fabulous author and if the rest of her books are like this one I will definitely have to pick them up.

WWW Wednesday (Oct.5)

2011-10-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

WWW Wednesdays are hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

What Are You Currently Reading? 1984 by George Orwell and The Girl is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines.

What Did You Recently Finish Reading? Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta and I So Don't Do Mysteries by Barrie Summy, reviews coming soon...

What Do You Think You'll Read Next? Well probably The Book of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West or maybe Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter.

Musing Mondays (Oct.3)

2011-10-03T04:57:00.000-07:00

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should be Reading. This weeks MM ask's: What are you most excited about reading, right now? (can be a book you’re currently enjoying, or a book that’s yet to be published, etc.)

Well I'm not excited about any books coming out, in fact I'm not entirely sure what's even being published these days. I started a new job, as a montessori pre-school assistant. It takes up a lot of my time. So I think honestly the most exciting thing about reading right now is the fact that I'm actually doing it.

WWW Wednesday (Sept. 7)

2011-09-07T05:28:00.000-07:00

WWW Wednesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading? I am deciding between Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis or Across the Universe by Beth Revis. The latter is kind of depressing me so I'll probably end up reading Kat. I should finish my review books but I'm not in the mood for zombies.

What did you recently finish reading? Miss Peregrine *insert rest of title here* by Ransom Rigg and Solid by Shelley Workinger, both have been reviewed as you can see below.

What do you think you'll read next? After the two I've been deciding on? Well I have two non-zombie review books on my nook I should get to. Across Eternity by Aris Whittier and No Place Like Holmes by Jason Lethcoe.

Solid: A Book Review

2011-09-06T13:22:00.001-07:00

Author: Shelley Workinger*

Genre: Sci-fi..?

Reading Level: ages 12 and up

Summary:Teens who discover they were secretly genetically altered before birth are brought together at a classified site where they forge new friendships, find love, develop "super-abilities," and even unearth a conspiracy.

My Review: I didn't start reading this book with any expectations. I'm not a character driven book kind of girl. Not that I like lifeless, do nothing, characters with no personality. I don't think anybody does... at least they shouldn't.

I thought I'd try out of my comfort zone for once though. The author was kind enough to send me a copy. Actually two copies. The first one got lost in the mail.

It's not a terrible novel. It's not very good either. It needs more work, more polish, not just in the plot (after all I was already warned about that) but in the characters. They weren't strong enough to hold the book together. I didn't much like Clio. She was far to inconsistent emotionally. She's supposed to be all sarcastic, but I guess I just didn't get this very much, because she kept telling me she was being sarcastic. I never actually read her being sarcastic.

The relationships all happened too fast. I didn't understand why both Clio and Bliss disliked Miranda so much, I mean I felt like they were the mean judgmental girls, not her. She was just being herself, stating her own opinions and I felt they were being overly self righteous. I don't even understand what Garret's point was other than to be the annoying goofy one. Then there's the love interest, her and Jake just met, she's already crushing cause he's just that perfect, but whatever that's okay, crushes happen...fast. But then she freaks out 'cause he didn't kiss her at a dance (one of the most confusing bits in the novel as it's their second interaction) then she's saying how much she loves him, and other such things. I like'd Colonel Clark. He was pretty cool, I would've liked his relationship with Clio explored. He so obviously felt fatherly toward her. That was sweet.

The little of the plot that was there, kept the novel interesting. It was a cliched, and over too fast, but I appreciated its existence. I think Shelley Workinger has potential, she just needs to work on developing her characters more, letting them slowly grow and form believably solid relationships...oh gawd I didn't mean that pun. -_-;

Content: just some kissing and minor violence, really tame stuff

Rating: 2 and a half stars out of 5

Recommend: Sure, try it out for yourself. There's also a sequel that can be found here.

Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children: A Book Review

2011-09-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

Author: Ransom Riggs

Genre: Fantasy

Summary: A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

My Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was a well written, and overall interesting novel, I felt some words were overused but I can overlook this little offense.

Some of the characters were interesting, and I enjoyed the "peculiar" aspects of certain characters that I can't give away as they are plot points.

I however was not particularly fond of the novel as a whole. I felt the middle was dragging, so many things I found unnecessary I was forced to read through as I impatiently waited for the real important bits of the book to come up, and the relationships between the characters felt rushed and forced.

Then there's the bad guys. They were built up to be quite fearsome, but I only saw flashes of them in the beginning of the novel and then at the end, and I wasn't particularly scared of them, although my lady like constitution was quite upset over an episode involving them and a pack of innocent sheep.

Unfortunately for me many little plot twists were rather predictable. I wasn't very shocked when certain "reveals" came up as I saw them coming all along and I feel that the observant reader would have the same experience. In the end the novel just left me disappointed.

Content: lots of language, and violence

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Recommend: People who like quirky fantasies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: A book review

2011-08-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

Author: Seth Grahame-Smith

Genre: Twisted classic..?

Summary: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.”

So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she’s soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield. Can Elizabeth vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you’d actually want to read.

My Review: Well I don't agree with that last part. P&P has never had trouble drawing in an audience and I don't think it's going to stop nowadays. Either way P&P&Z was made, and the big question is this: has it ruined a masterpiece of literature or has it increased it's audience and added something more. I'd have to say in regards to question number one: no, no it hasn't. I mean it's so unbelievably camp and overly grotesque you're too busy laughing at the utter ridiculousness of it all that there's no room to get mad at it being in P&P. Has it increased it's audience...I'm not sure really I'll have to look that up. Has it added anything. Oh definitely not. It's far to silly to seems like some sort of social commentary. It's not a particularly clever parody in my opinion. It's just sorta...there, and it sparked a creation of other such there reboots of classic novels like "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" "Vampire Little Women" and "Alice in Zombieland."

I think it could have benefited from being more "zombie" and less "Pride and Prejudice" particularly near the end. Some more drastic changes would've been nice as well, and this incarnation of Elizabeth seemed widely schizophrenic, because one minute she was the wild zombie slayer for the added text bits, and then she was back to original text Elizabeth who has a proper emotional breakdown over Lydia's disappearance. I mean the breakdown is understandable in the original, it just seems outta place with this new Elizabeth. Again I think it would have been more enjoyable completely re-written instead of being mostly Austen with Zombies thrown in.

Content: Some rawther inappropriate innuendo's that seemed out of place and uncalled for.

-_-; I am not amused. Violence, gore, gross stuff. Zombies for crying out loud.

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Recommend: For people who have ever read Austen and thought "it could be more zombified". ^_^

Booking Through Thursday: Anticipation

2011-08-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Today's Booking Through Thursday ask's: What’s the last book you were really EXCITED to read?

And, were you excited about it in advance? Or did the excitement bloom while you were reading it?

Are there any books you’re excited about right NOW?

Probably My Unfair Godmother, because I didn't even know My Fair Godmother had a sequel coming out. So I was pleasantly surprised. Advanced books? I dunno I think it's best for me not to get excited in advance 'cause when I do by the time I get around to reading them, the bloom has worn off, and I get bored. Right now there are currently no books that are making me run to the bookstore...or even online. Shame really.

Right Side Talking: A Book Review

2011-08-04T08:37:00.001-07:00

Author: Bonnie Rozanski
Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Summary: Imagine that you are a young girl with intractable epilepsy. As a last resort you submit to an operation to sever the connection between the two sides of your brain. Though the operation successfully reduces your seizures, you are left forever with two separate minds: left and right, each unaware of the other.

Imagine further that while recovering in the hospital, you witness a murder. Your dominant left brain cannot recognize unfamiliar faces, and is, therefore, unable to identify the killer. Your right brain can, but is unable to speak. Gradually, painstakingly, the right learns to spell out its thoughts in scrabble letters. At long last, on a table in a hospital lab, you describe the person who committed the crime. Too bad the killer is reading that very same message.….

Right Side Talking is a thriller that will grip the reader from its opening surgery scene to its dramatic courtroom climax. Its cast of characters: a 15-year-old epileptic; a brilliant surgeon; an unlicensed, resentful doctor from abroad who must work as an orderly; a grumpy, relentless detective, and a feisty psychologist Finally, most fascinating of all, there is the human mind itself.

My Review: I started this book online, but was finally given a nook and able to finish it without straining my eyes. :D Yay~! Anyway to get down to business, Right Side Talking was well researched, the author really new what she was talking about in regards to the intricacies of epilepsy, surgery, and the resulting research into how a person functions after the connection to both sides of their brain has been severed. The plot does start out slow because of this, but it picks up more near the middle. The writing was easy to read, and understandable, but at times came off slightly unemotional and rushed. I'm not sure I fully understood the main character, or many of the side characters outside of the murderer oddly enough. I had a surprising amount of compassion for the murderer although what he did made me feel ill, he was so obviously unwell due to all sorts of hardships in life it made me also feel quite sad for him. Everything leading up to the ending was well written and quite intense so I was very enthralled. All in all a pleasant read.

Content: Violence, some language

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Recommend: If you are interested in medical drama's, howcatchem's, and court drama's.

My Unfair Godmother: A Book Review

2011-07-26T07:13:00.001-07:00

First I would like to apologize for not updating, I started this review a couple months ago, but I couldn't get my thoughts together. Hopefully I will be updating more frequently from now on.

Author: Janette Rallison

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Level: ages 12 and up

Summary: Tansy Miller has always felt that her divorced father has never had enough time for her. But mistakenly getting caught on the wrong side of the law wasn't exactly how she wanted to get his attention. Enter Chrysanthemum "Chrissy" Everstar, Tansy's fairy in shining, er, high heels. Chrissy is only a fair godmother, of course, so Tansy's three

wishes don't exactly go according to plan. And if bringing Robin Hood to the twenty-first century isn't bad enough for Tansy, being transported back to the Middle Ages to deal with Rumpelstiltskin certainly is. She'll need the help of her blended family, her wits, and especially the cute police chief 's son to stop the gold-spinning story from spinning wildly out of control. Janette Rallison pulls out all the stops in this fresh, fun-filled follow-up to the popular My Fair Godmother.

My (very short) Review: This is definitely one of the best sequels I have ever read, continuing the saga of misguided fairy godmother Chrissy Everstar from My Fair Godmother, Janette Rallison, ups the drama and humor. It was well written with a very likable, strong female lead, and fantastically quirky side characters. The plot was also quite intricate and there were several twists and turns that I was very pleased and surprised about. It was laugh out loud hilarious, and judging by the ending (this does not really give any spoilers away) we can look forward to more adventures later on. If Janette Rallison keeps up like this The Fair Godmother series will definitely be one to recommend.

Content: some violence

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommend: YES~! Go out and read it now.

Booking Through Thursday: Animal love

2011-07-07T05:58:00.000-07:00

Today's Booking Through Thursday question ask's: what animal-related books have you read? Which do you love? Do you have a favorite literary dog? (Snoopy, anyone?)

I usually stay away from animal books, mostly because they have the tendency to leave me in a weepy mess on the floor by the time I'm finished with them. I can't completely resist them though. Who can? :D My favorites would have to be The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford and Wesley the Owl by Stacy O'Brien. I actually reviewed that here on this blog. I also love the Bunnicula series, and this brings me to my favorite dog...and cat. Harold and Chester. Their brilliant. :D Go check 'em out if you haven't already. Even if your not a little kid anymore.

WWW Wednesday (June 29)

2011-06-29T17:47:00.000-07:00

WWW Wednesday is hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading. Join in on the fun by answering these 3 questions:

1. What are You Currently Reading? "Solid" by Shelley Workinger and Still P&PAZ by Seth Graham-smith and Right Side Talking by Bonnie Rozanski although I'm almost finished that one.

2. What Did You Recently Finish Reading? My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison and No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko.

3. What Do You Think You'll Read Next? Probably Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and tons of other books I need to read for review. I'm terribly behind.

Demonglass: A Book Review

2011-06-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up

Summary: Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

My Review: I was very wary of this sequel, especially since sequels I'm excited for so often disappoint me. Especially if in the sequel they take the characters to England. But I have to say although I wasn't entirely blown away by it, Demonglass was a nice addition to the Hex Hall series. I still have a lot of faith in Rachel Hawkins writing, and if she continues on in her current path I definitely look forward to seeing where she takes this series.

The characters still had their original personalities in tact. There weren't any crazy 360 turn about like in a lot of other series I've read. New characters were added and I for one instantly loved Sophie's dad, he was very charming and caring. I think the way Rachel developed their relationship was very believable, moving it along at just the right pace. Nick and Daisy the two new demons provided a creepy mystery to keep you guessing as well as some sympathy to their predicaments. Cal (who apparently was in the first book although I don't remember him) had some very sweet scenes with Sophie but, I don't think he's a contender for her feelings.

Humor (although not as prevalent as in the first book) was sprinkled throughout the story to good affect. The plot dragged along in the beginning with a lot of exposition, but Rachel made up for it with a very exciting second half. I was a little miffed with how the book ended and some of the decisions Sophie made during the conclusion but I really can't complain too much.

Content: Some mild language I think and a little kissing

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Recommend: To those who loved the first and any fantasy fans

Musing Mondays (June 6)

2011-06-06T16:15:00.001-07:00

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This week’s musing asks…

Where is your favorite place to read?

Ah well my favorite place to read now that the weather is fine is outside on our porch swing. For some reason rocking back in forth helps me to fully relax and get into the story I'm reading. If it's too hot to be out on the swing I usually read on the couch. If the TV is on I read in my room.

Booking Through Thursday: Reviews

2011-06-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

It's time for another Booking Through Thursday~! This weeks question is: Do you read book reviews? Whose do you trust? Do they affect your reading habits? Your buying habits?

Book reviews are wonderful, I read them a lot. Not as much as books but pretty close. I love to read snarky reviews, because I love to laugh, but I also like them to be constructive as well. I read reviews mostly on other blogs, amazon, and goodreads. As long as a review doesn't simply read "WORST Book EVAH~!" or "BEST Book EVAH~!!" I will generally take their opinion into consideration before deciding what book to read. I'm somewhat wary of reviewers who seem to like every book that comes out, I'm not sure I can entirely trust their judgement. When it comes down to it though, I usually decide if I can deal with what people say is bad about the book. I'm very cautious about the books I buy, because I want to buy something I will like, something I would love my children to eventually read. If a majority of reviewers say a book is supremely excellent or even very cute I will give it a chance and actually buy it. Most of the time though, I feed my need to read at the library. :D

Musing Mondays (May 30)

2011-05-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This weeks Musing Mondays asks: Describe the last time you were stumped for something to read, and you took measures to remedy that — either by going to the bookstore, the library, or shopping elsewhere. What book did you choose? Did it get you out of your slump?

Ah, reading slumps. My main nemises. I go through one at least once every year, and their usually my darkest times since I thrive off of the written world, much like food and water. To get me out of a slump I usually need a specific kind of book, sometimes even one I would never think I would like. For instance I just got out of one recently, about a month ago thanks to Catcher in the Rye. I was at my Aunt's house over the weekend, and she believes all books should at least have one vampire or werewolf in them. I wasn't in the mood for fantasy though. I did see she had several classics though, one being Catcher in the Rye, a book highly praised by a dear friend of mine. I picked it up on a whim, and was so fascinated by Holden's bipolar thought process I went through half of it. Of course I still haven't finished it, it kinda depressed me a little you know, even though it did refuel my desire to read. :P

Book Blog Hop and Follow Friday (May 27)

2011-05-27T06:16:00.000-07:00

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-For-Books. Head on over and join the fun~! This weeks question is: "What book-to-movie adaption have you most liked? Which have you disliked?"

Wow I have so many, where do I start? I love the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice, it had a fab cast and an equally fab script that practically follows the book to the letter. I also love the 2008 BBC version of Sense and Sensibility, and my favorite Harry Potter movie is the Prisoner of Azkaban. One of my favorite books to movies is Ella Enchanted, it's nothing like the book but I love it anyway. I tend to like most adaptations of books to movies even if they're not accurate as long as they are good in and of themselves. But there have been many I didn't like, I really hated the Percy Jackson movie, which was horrible...one day they should remake it the way it's supposed to be made.

Follow Friday is hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View. This weeks question is:

How many books do you read in a week? And in what format do you read them, or listen to them?

Well it all depends on what mood I'm in. On a good week I can read two books. On a bad...none. AH~! I try not to think about that. It's very hard for me to read online, so I don't take too many e-books. I'm hoping to get a kindle maybe some day. I never listen to books because it's hard for me to concentrate on them and I don't really like listening to books anyway.

So how many books do you read? Do you like listening to books? What are your favorite Books to movies? Leave your answers in the comment section.

WWW Wednesday (May 25)

2011-05-25T18:02:00.001-07:00

WWW Wednesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

What are you currently reading? I'm currently reading Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins and still PPAZ by Seth Grahame-Smith but I'm almost finished.
What did you recently finish reading? Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (see review in previous post)
What do you think you will read next? I once again went crazy at the library, but I think next on my list is to finish Catcher and the Rye and start on My Unfair Godmother, the sequel to My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison.

Crescendo: A Book Review

2011-05-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up

Summary: Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but at least she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadnt been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something.

Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperatly searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

My Review:

"Holy Deja vu Batman!"

Only a couple pages into this book, and already they've pulled a New Moon. Yes, that's right, Nora and her ever loving guardian Angel Patch break up, over many silly, and half baked thrown together plot points. I love the fact Archangels have no problem with fallen angels having their way with humans and never interfere but an angel finding true pure love will result in a one way ticket to hell. Right there is some awesome logic. Cue the angst fest. Cue two side characters that the main ones use to make each other jealous. The only good thing about this is Nora's not yelling about a hole in her chest. The bad news? She starts doing stuff to put herself in danger so she can see her guardian angel. She starts rambling senselessly about her love/hate for Patch. oh someone please kill her now...anyone...anyone...Victoria?

"Jacob? Where are you?"

Oh there you are! What? Your name is Scott now? Okay if you say so. You've got a secret? I wonder what it could be?

"I see dead people."

Nora is haunted by ghostly images of her father, unfortunately this ghostly image seems to be trying to kill her. This seems to be the main plot of the story, along with who the mysterious "BLACK HAND" is, but Becca just sprinkled bits and pieces of it through the story between Nora's whining so I couldn't be sure. Really, I forgot what the plot was after a while. Then it would show up again and I'd be confused from the absence. The action bits were nicely written but they were so few and far that between it hampered my enjoyment of them.

"Nancy Drew would weep"

at Nora's horrible detective skills. She always gets caught snooping. Also, she #1. Jumps to conclusion after conclusion and automatically sees them as fact #2. Runs off to find someone without even knowing what they look like and #3. uses google to find a secret organizations. If it's really secret, odds are it won't pop up on google. You can only use that search engine for so many things. Nora, why must you be so hard headed?

"Put 'em together and what have you got?"

Every character in this book was just one big contradiction after another. They can't make their minds up about anything. To kill or not to kill? To break up or not to break up? To tell the secret or not to tell? Poor Vee, Nora's supposed best friend became a victim of insults, and even cruel emotional abuse that they probably won't even address as she conveniently disappears near the end of the book. Even Patch who was one of the highlight of the last book because he was completely and unabashedly jerky was so darn wimpy and annoying in this book. To make up for that Becca adds a new character named Scott that's supposed to be "enigmatic", a word here meaning "another major jerk". We're not supposed to know his secret, but we so do. As for the twist and turns and ending? Lackluster. I giggled. In fact truthfully the whole book was practically a rehash of the last one but with a different villain. We also don't get to find out anything new about the world of angels/fallen angels/nephilim.There were many things that didn't make sense, but I can't put them here because they'd spoil things for the brave few that still want to go through this series. All I'm saying is prepare for disappointment, confusion, and typo's. Even though it's called Crescendo, this one is definitely more Hush, Hush.

Content: language, name calling, violence, and sensuality.

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Recommend: if you desperately need to know what happens to Nora and Patch. Otherwise, flee~! Flee for the sake of precious time spent reading better books.

Blog Hopping and Friday Following

2011-05-20T05:23:00.000-07:00

Yay~! It's time for another exciting book blogger hop and follow friday, that wonderful time of the week when we all link up together and discover new and interesting blogs and meet new and interesting bloggers. The hop is hosted by Crazy-For-Books and you can find the origins of Follow Friday over at Parajunkee's View.

This weeks hop question:

"If you were given the chance to spend one day in a fictional world (from a book), which book would it be from and what would that place be?"

Hmm...that's a tough one. I can think of worlds I wouldn't want to be in, but currently not any I'd want to. I know my ideal world would be a slightly fantasy but mostly science fiction dieselpunk or steampunk world. I've never actually read a book like this (recommendations would be appreciated because I want to) but I love the movie Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and I love steampunk movies and novels (which I have read) so that would be my ideal fictional world to jump into.

This weeks Follow Friday Question is:

Q. It's circle time. Time for us to open up and share. Can you tell us FIVE quirky habits or things about you? We all have them...

I'm OCD about locks, this was brought on after watching too many murder mysteries late at night.
I get into things about a couple decades after everybody else. Currently I love The Monkees, (60's) I'm catching up on classic teen movies I didn't watch when I wasn't a teenager (80's) and I'll always love the movies of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (30's).
I love to ask questions such as "what's your favorite movie/book/tv show etc". When I first meet you I will probably put you through one heck of an interrogation. Unless you tell me you don't like that sort of thing. I wouldn't want to be annoying...for the most part at least. :P
I have to run in order to think through a story I'm writing.
I will often say things my characters say aloud, particularly when I'm thinking or writing out a scene. This is okay in the comfort of my living room, but not so much outside when I'm walking the dog and didn't realize there was someone watching me.

So what are you 5 things you can tell me about yourself? What fictional world would you love to be in? Let me know in the comments section.

Booking Through Thursday: Age-innapropriate

2011-05-19T11:18:00.001-07:00

Booking through Thursday is a weekly meme about books and reading. This weeks question is: What do you think of censoring books BECAUSE of their intended age? Say, books too “old” for your kids to read?

I am currently unmarried, so I don't have any children, but when I was younger my mother was very careful about what she let me read. She always made sure to go through books that weren't in our particular age group first, and if there was something she found objectionable she would just tell us not to read that part. My mother was very good in the "censoring" area. Sometime parents can be a bit overprotective in these areas for whatever reason, but my mother never did it in a way that made us feel she was trying to control us. She just had a lot of faith in us to respect her wishes to keep us away from things that she felt we didn't need to subject ourselves to yet. When we were older she would let us choose our own books, trusting that from all she had taught us, we would then "censor" the material ourselves, and discuss whatever sort of "content" we came across in the book. I hope to emulate this quality when I have my own children, because I feel it really helped me a lot. I am still very careful about what I read. It is another reason why I have a content rating, for parents, or young adult/adults like me who are also careful.

Clockwork Angel: A Book Review

2011-05-19T08:21:00.000-07:00

Genre: Fantasy and I think it tries to pass itself off as Steampunk

Reading Level: 12 and up

Summary: Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

My Review: I really can't believe I'm going to say this...but I think I've found a series I think is more ridiculous and poorly written then the Twilight saga. I know I'm totally going against the grain when I say this, and I'm perfectly okay if every Clare fan hates me for it. Maybe I exaggerate, it really is on the same level as Twilight. :P Ah Where to begin, where to begin...well I guess I'll begin with what I liked about the book: the clockwork creatures. They were nicely introduced, and the dark way in which they were created was quite chilling. So I enjoyed that aspect of the book. There, I'm done with praising it.

In the beginning we meet Tessa Gray (Tessa is short for Theresa) who's going off to London, not to visit the Queen, but her brother Nate. Upon arrival in this overcast city she is instantly kidnapped by the ridiculously named Mrs. Dark, and Mrs. Black. There they force her into using a power she never knew she had: turning into any person as long as she has an object that once belonged to them. Just as she's about to meet an ominous person ominously named "The Magister", who should serendipitously burst into her room but a beautiful, wise cracking boy who she instantly falls in lust with. Personally I'm positive there's no such person as Will Herondale and Jace just time traveled back in time, dyed his hair, wore contacts, and put on a British accent because that's how much these two characters are alike. Apparently bad attitudes are hereditary in the Herondale family as well because Jace and Will both win the "The jerky book character of the year" award. Will isn't the only carbon copy character from Clare's "Mortal Instrument" series. Tessa is Clary through and through, but more hypocritical, stuck up, and whiny. There's also a Victorian era Isabelle, and what book would be complete without the nice boy who will never get the girl because girls don't like nice boys. I feel bad for Jem, and quite liked him, as well as Victorian era Isabelle, they we're far more interesting than the two mains. Sadly, interesting doesn't take you far in these books.

Plot wise, it was fairly good, but there wasn't enough pizazz to keep me going. I was never really scared for the characters, they seemed to be able to protect themselves quite nicely with umbrella's and a plethora of magic runes. It was also far too long, I feel a lot of things could have been wrapped up much faster if Clare hadn't been busy describing every different kind of blue in Will's eyes. I also never thought it was possible to use so many similes. Every time someone did something it was compared to something else, just so we had a deep understanding of how each character looked at things and talked. I guess that should've warned me to stop reading. Well actually I did, I couldn't finish the book. I looked the ending up on wikipedia.

Content: Violence and disturbing violent descriptions, mild language.

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Recommend: If you like this sort of thing.

WWW Wednesday (May 18)

2011-05-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

WWW Wednesday's is hosted by MizB at Should be Reading.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? I am currently reading Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Graham-Smith, and The Catcher in The Rye by J.D. Salinger

• What did you recently finish reading? Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg and Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt...I finished anything since...that makes me depressed.

• What do you think you’ll read next? Well I went to the library and got really excited and started pulling a bunch of books of the shelf. I've never been good at practicing restraint, but out of all the books I got out, to read next on my list would have to be, Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins (the sequel to Hex Hall)and Leviathan (which I own) and Behemoth (which I got from the library) by Scott Westerfeld.

So what books are you reading/just finished/plan to read next? Leave you answers in the comment section. :D

Prom and Prejudice: A Book Review

2011-05-06T12:00:00.001-07:00

Genre: Comedy of manners

Reading Level: Age 13 and up

Summary: After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.

Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise.

My Review: After paying tribute to her favorite band in her debut novel The Lonely Hearts Club, miss Eulberg sets out to pay tribute once again, this time to her favorite author Miss Jane Austen. Unfortunately where her first novel succeeded her second one does not. I guess I was turned off by the fact that all the characters had the same exact names as the original, I would have liked them to have different names but yet still keep the significant characteristics. Something a little more a la Clueless.

The second thing was the writing. It was almost as if Eulberg was going far and beyond to make her writing as simplistic as possible. It was almost painful. We didn't get into the head of anybody, not even the main character. Emotions where told instead of shown, and the "teens" talked very old fashioned using words like "smitten" and "momentous" both fabulous words but seriously I've never heard a teenager use them unless I'm counting myself. :P

The characters we're sloppy skeletons of the original counterparts, lacking heart, and soul. Lizzie in this modern tale was far too whiny, she played out as a victim to all the cruelty she got from her classmates instead of standing up for herself. I'm not even sure what was going on with Darcy's character, he acted more like an old man than a high schooler. The rest of the characters were no different, and Mr. Wickhams character got saddled with the horrible nickname "Wick".

I'm not sure why the book is called Prom and Prejudice since the main character doesn't even want to go to the prom. Seriously though, I think teens can skip this one and get far more enjoyment out of the original since it isn't dumbed down like this one. I think it's sweet Eulberg wanted to pay tribute to her favorite authoress, but so many people have already done it it's become trite and cliche. Her talents are better spent on original works.

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Content: A female characters reputation almost becomes besmirched.

Recommend: no.

Musing Mondays (May 2)

2011-05-02T05:47:00.000-07:00

Musing Mondays are hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This week’s musing asks…

Do you care if the book’s storyline is unrealistic? Will you keep reading, or will you set the book aside?
So like what sort of unrealistic are you talking about? Like random spy guys popping out of a characters closet unrealistic, or Twilight unrealistic? :P Personally I'm a fan of randomness, some of my favorite tv shows and movies make no sense, so it never bothered me in books. Well actually if it's supposed to be a "serious" book then if the plot, particularly in mysteries, does not have a plausible solution at the end and uses my old nemesis the Dues Ex Machina than I get really mad and usually throw the book. If it's a movie I throw something at the screen. :P

Mr. Chartwell: A Book Review

2011-04-27T19:18:00.001-07:00

Genre: Dramedy (Drama and Comedy)

Reading Level: 13 and up

Summary: July 1964. Chartwell House, Kent: Winston Churchill wakes at dawn. There’s a dark, mute “presence” in the room that focuses on him with rapt concentration.

It’s Mr. Chartwell.

Soon after, in London, Esther Hammerhans, a librarian at the House of Commons, goes to answer the door to her new lodger. Through the glass she sees a vast silhouette the size of a mattress.

It’s Mr. Chartwell.

Charismatic, dangerously seductive, Mr. Chartwell unites the eminent statesman at the end of his career and the vulnerable young woman. But can they withstand Mr. Chartwell’s strange, powerful charms and his stranglehold on their lives? Can they even explain who or what he is and why he has come to visit?

In this utterly original, moving, funny, and exuberant novel, Rebecca Hunt explores how two unlikely lives collide as Mr. Chartwell’s motives are revealed to be far darker and deeper than they at first seem.

My Review: I had a really interesting time reading this novel. It was, in few words, simply amazing on so many levels. It was a compelling and unique look at depression and it affects on humans. You the reader, get to experience this in a very corporeal way, for depression in this book takes on the form of a disgusting yet disturbingly alluring black dog. He is known as Mr. Chartwell, or less formerly Black Pat. He depresses people, both literally and figuratively, his two victim being the long suffering Winston Churchill and a woman named Esther Hammerhans who has terrible dark feelings brought on by a tragedy she is having trouble dealing with.

The two characters in this story allow us to view many of the different ways people can deal with depression. In Winston there is the man, pulled down by this darkness that has plagued his family for generation, but fighting his hardest to never give into it. Then there is Esther, unsure as to what exactly these new feelings are. Rebecca Hunt detailed and emotional writing allows you to really get into the head of each and every single character not just the main ones, but also their friends and lovers, and even the complex Black Pat, that provides a closeness and attachment I have not had the pleasure of enjoying in a book in quite some time.

Rebecca's writing flows effortlessly from fantastical and witty farce, to a deep, sad, and illuminating commentary that is not to be missed.

Content: Nothing that I can remember :P

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Recommend: To those who enjoy unique and compelling novels that make you think as well as they entertain you.

Gone on Holiday

2011-04-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

Well not a vacation, but I have a holiday coming up which will make me quite inactive. Pesach, or Passover, is a Jewish holiday celebrating their Exodus from Egypt where they were slaves. You can watch all sorts of movies about it, like The Ten Commandments or a musical cartoon I'm particularly fond of The Prince of Egypt. :D Don't worry though, May is coming up, and since it's my birthday month I'm planning a giveaway I hope you will all like, and I will be putting up reviews for two books I finished reading Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg and Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt. Until then I hope you all have a wonderful week full of good books, and good friends. :D

Musing Mondays (April 4th)

2011-04-04T15:36:00.001-07:00

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This week’s musing asks… When you were little did other children tease you about your reading habits?

I wasn't teased, but I was known for being a bookworm. Practically everyone knew me as that girl who read far too much, and I usually carried around a book with me (I still do) no matter where I was going, and sometimes I got a "Do you have to have a book all the time." I was once teased for reading the dictionary. It didn't make me feel bad though. In fact it made me feel quite smart. I knew all these words my friends didn't. :P

A Super Giveaway at the Blog of Beth Revis~!

2011-03-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

Beth Revis is hosting a giveaway for Five signed copies of these fabulous books (along with the reasons why you will love them):

THE ETERNAL ONES by Kirsten Miller is a fast-paced, adventurious love story that involves reincarnation, secret societies, and fire.
THE REPLACEMENT by Brenna Yovanoff is a hauntingly beautiful book that scares the pants off me.
NIGHTSHADE by Andrea Cremer is not about werewolves--it's about true wolves that can shapeshift into people written by a brilliant scholar who incorporate history into the tale.
MATCHED by Allie Condie shows us that love can break through any barrier, and the most important thing is to not go gently...
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is the book that I wrote and I would really like it if you liked it. Also I think you're pretty and want to be friends with you.

To enter the giveaway just head on over to Beth Revis's beautiful blog~! She's set up a beautiful html picture that is unfortunately far to big for my format, but that you should look at anyway. :D

Anna and the French Kiss: A Book Review

2011-03-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

Genre: Hard core lovey dovey romance :P

Reading Level: 17 and up

Summary: Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

My Review: Hmmmm, that blurb doesn't sound amazingly interesting does it? I got this book from the library 'cause of all the great reviews I read about it. I was really excited to read it. I read it in one night. Because it was really really intense for me. Wow Stephenie Perkins what a debut. Doesn't the cover look like the book will be all cutesy and boy meets girl and they have troubles that aren't to weird and then get together? It was more like girl meets boyand a lot of serious jujumugumbo goes down that involves they're friends and families and will keep you up all night going "What's gonna happen gaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh~!" seriously it was another exhausting book. So I guess not what I expected, but in a good way.

I can't remember too much that singled Anna out as a unique heroine, she was mostly just average and so was St. Claire (to me at least, some other reviewers I've read call him swoon-worthy) but their problems were a-plenty and that's what kept my lamp burning. I'd say the real heart of this story is Anna and St. Claire's growing friendship. Hey let's face it, teenager's are sometimes fickle, they go out with one person and flirt with another. At least that's what I'm getting from books and TV show's these days. I think their trying to express that teenagers are still growing, learning and developing, so they don always know what they want, or how to handle situations even though their indecisiveness is terribly annoying for a reader, particularly this one :P. So Anna develops a crush on St. Claire right away, that happens sometimes, but it does deepen and mature as the story progresses and for that I give Perkin's two thumbs up. :D I also get the same from St. Claire, he's a boy with a lot of daddy issue's and mommy issue's and "I don't want things to change" issue's which hold him back for almost 300 something pages. I Loved the side characters, Anna's group of friends at her Paris school were nicely fleshed out but they didn't hog the spotlight, and like Anna and St. Claire, they also made a lot of stupid mistakes, had fights, and made up. There were some silly "Did she mean to write that?" moments in the book (particularly during a scene where St. Claire is showing our heroine around Paris, it's one of those "welcome to -insert name of place-" scene's that when not written properly are really clunky sounding) but other than that very solidly and consistently written. This is probably the first hard core romance I've read without the added paranormal affect, and it was a very interesting experience. I'm just not sure if I want to repeat it or not.

Content: lots of sexual references and harsh language, this one's definitely not for the kiddies.

Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5

Recommend: Yes for romance fans, and people who like reading about characters feelings for 372 pages (I usually don't) the rest of your should go read something else.

Top Ten Tuesday: Dynamic Duo's~! (Mar. 8)

2011-03-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish~! This week's topic: DYNAMIC DOU'S~! This is gonna be a fun one. :D

1. Nick and Nora Charles from The Thin Man: My long time readers will know my love for these two, so I won't go on and on about them except that they are the epitome of a perfect couple for me.

2. Harold the dog and Chester the cat from Bunnicula: Ahh a childhood favorite. I love the dynamic of this unique friendship. Chester is a tightly wound, imaginative, and overly well read cat who causes a bunch of trouble because he thinks an innocent bunny is the spawn of satan. :P Harold is a dog with literary talent (how does he type?) who goes with the flow, but stands up to his manic friend when he feels he is going over the edge. Despite their differences these two are close friends and help each other out when needed.

3. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire from A Series of Unfortunate Events: Okay so this is a terrific trio but...ones only a little baby (albeit with super sharp teeth) so can't I just squish her in there without anyone noticing? :P These three work well together because they each have a unique talent (Violet's an inventor, Klaus has photographic memory, and Sunny...bites) that is all their own and often comes in handy because they are often pursued by a psychotic man named Count Olaf.

4. Richard "Rick" Castle and Detective Katherine "Kate" Beckett from Castle: This is technically cheating since it's a tv show but these two have bookish counterparts with really stupid names so...Castle is a writer, and legal stalker who follows Kate around while she solves crime and then writes stories about them. He's fun loving, troublesome, yet caring, and she's sensible, fiery, and trying to solve the murder of her mother. Together they exchange witty banter, deny their feelings, and are the closest pair I've found to a modern Nick and Nora Charles. (before they were married :P)

5. Jessica and Lucius Vladescu from Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side: Sequel coming up Yay~! Jessica is an everyday girl, who unfortunately one day meets a vampire claiming her for his bride. She is not digging it. At all. :P But through a comedy filled book with bits of drama Jessica learns to love her vampire beau and through his relationship with her he is able to save himself from his darker um dark side. :P

6. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford from The Secret Adversary and subsequent sequels: Another snappy, crime solving duo, created by Agatha Christie, Tommy and Tuppence have tons of charm and tons of fun. They are bright young jazz things down on their luck, so the natural thing to do is obviously advertise in the newspaper as adventurers. Boy am I glad they did.

7. Skulduggery Pleasent and Valkyrie "Stephenie Edgley" Cain from Skulduggery Pleasent and its sequels: The first book in the Skulduggery Pleasent series is a knockout children's horror story. I love it to bits. Mostly because of the wise cracking demon killing duo of Skulduggery and his wizard apprentice Stephenie or as she likes to be called Valkyrie Cain.

8. Bella Kirkwood and Luke Sullivan from The Charmed Life series: I wasn't sure if I would like this series when I first started but I was pleasantly surprised by it. It was funny, and much to my surprise had a mystery. But I also liked the slowly growing relationship between Bella and her school newspaper Editor Luke.

9. Encyclopedia Brown and Sally Kimball from the Encyclopedia Brown Mystery series: The smartest boy in town is Leroy "Encyclopedia" Brown and his partner is the equally smart and pretty Sally Kimball. These two worked well off each other and I remember just being completely in awe of them when I was little.

10. Jim Qwilleran and Koko from the Cat Who...series: A bristly crime reporter with an epic mustache and a high class cat who helps him solve mysteries. Need I say more. Well maybe for people who don't like cats but I do, so... :P

So that's it for me *whew* that was surprisingly hard, but I did it. So what are your favorite duo's?

The Hunger Games: A Book Review

2011-03-08T12:03:00.000-08:00

Genre: Dystopian/Action/Adventure

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up

Summary: Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

My Review: This was a very interesting read for many reasons. One: It was outside my usual genre and truthfully my comforts zone. Two: The whole time I was reading it, I wasn't sure if I found it truly compelling and thought provoking. I've read many reviews about it, some stating it to be the best book ever, others saying it was terrible and very gruesome. I wasn't going to read it, but finally saw it at my library and decided to give it a try if only to develop my own opinion of it.

With vivid description and sparse dialogue Suzanne Collins takes you through Katniss Everdeen's experience through the dreaded Hunger Games. I've heard this book described as awesome. I couldn't disagree more. There is nothing awesome about children being forced to kill each other. Unfortunately I can't think of a more appropriate word to describe it. The book left me with a sick stomach, not from content (although the killings, particularly near the end we're quite horrifying) but from total lack of closure and hope as well as that awful added note "End of Book One". The hope I can forgive seeing as it's the first book. I was going to read book two, until I found it threw Katniss right back into the Hunger Games. Let me tell you something: this book is exhausting, strangely enough physically as well as emotionally. By the end I felt like I, personally had been pushed through the Hunger Games (minus having to take anyone's life) and there was no way I was going back. You may not believe me but really it was. Also the disappointment that the 2nd book didn't have Katniss getting together an awesome army of friends to combat the capital was overwhelming.

Katniss is an okay character. I admired her for stepping up to save her sister, and for staying away from killing her fellow Hunger Game mates for as long as possible. There was some emotion in her particularly during a very tragic death scene, but even though I'm in her head the whole time, at the end of the book I still felt like I didn't know her. It also felt that the little rebelling she did do, was accidental, and with no real meaning behind it other than saving herself. I have no opinion of Gale, he seems like a nice guy, he likes Katniss, but he was only in the beginning for a little bit. Peeta, well I liked him but only because he was one: in it more, and two: reminded me of a person I am quite fond of. My favorite character was definitely Haymitch, Katniss and Peetas' trainer. His character development, from drunkard slob, to tough trainer was nicely written as well as his relationship with Katniss, one of outward friction, and eventual inner respect. I also liked little Rue, Katniss's adopted sister in the games. She added a vulnerability to Katniss that we might of missed out on. At the end we get a little peek at President Snow, the evil ruler of the Capitol and all of Panem. He's the sick mind behind the Hunger Games and doubtless we get to know more about him in the other two books. Too bad I am completely devoid of any interest in whatever battle will unfurl.

Content: Violence. Lots of it. Involving kids and young teens.

Rating: 2 and a half stars out of 5

Recommend: If you like this sort of thing...

Musing Mondays (Mar.7)

2011-03-07T13:33:00.001-08:00

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Todays question is: What book(s) are you most excited about right now? (it can either be something you’re currently reading, or something you just bought, or a book/books that are soon to be published).

The book I am currently very excited about is the sequel to Beth Fantaskey's book Jessica's Guide to Dating the Dark Side. It was a really funny and interesting book, and so I was glad to hear Beth was going to be revisiting her awesome characters Jessica and Lucius in Jessica Rules the Dark Side~! The book will be released in the Winter of 2011-12, but you can read an excerpt on Beth Fantaskey's website. :D

Top Ten Tuesday: Books you just had to buy...but are still sitting on my bookshelf.

2011-03-01T05:36:00.000-08:00

Top Ten tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish~! This weeks topic is one I can really relate to. In fact I think any true bibliophile can relate to it. You know those books you have to have...and then never read, or at least it takes you years to get to them. Well here's a chance to write down your top ten.

1. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley: A little girl slueth with a penchant for poison. I should have had this book finished 3 hours after having it in my hands. I've wanted to read this book for ages but every time I try to, something gets in the way and I can't seem to finish it. It's very shaming.

2. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan: Love this guy, he is one of my favorite authors ever, and I bought this for my birthday last year. Alas I tried reading it a couple months ago, and never picked it up since. :(

3. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery: I bought this one way before The Red Pyramid and was so excited to read it even way before that. Yet I haven't even picked it up in ages. It's on my to read list this year though. I will read it..!

4. Invisible I by Melissa Kantor/Stella Lennon: This is an exciting YA mystery series I heard about two years ago from one of the first blogs I joined. I instantly dragged my mother to Target just so I could pick up a copy. Tried to read it. Really. Put it back just for a second. Didn't pick it up again.

5. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev: I bought this because everyone raved about it, saying it was brilliant. So I thought "I love brilliant books. I should buy it, and read it." Like I would get through it over the weekend. Haha. Haha.

6. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld: In my defense the pictures were so detailed and awesome I got the whole story from them, and figured I didn't even have to read the book. :P

7. Inkspell by Cornelia Funke: I loved Inkheart and figured this one would be no different. It's really old...really really old buy.

8. Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephenie Barron: Pre-published Jane Austen turned super sleuth. Seriously? What's wrong with me?

9. Worldshaker by Richard Harland: Yet another steampunk book I just had to have...

10. No Place For Magic by E.D. Baker: This is the fourth in the series, and I read the other 3 fairly quickly. They were fun, well written, and small books. So why is this one collecting dust?

Well that's it for me in the book buying book reading fail department. What about you? What books did you think you'd die without having, but stay on your shelves months after getting them?

Musing Monday (Feb. 28)

2011-02-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This weeks question is: Which do you prefer: Adult -or- Young Adult books? Or, both? Why?

I would have to say that I enjoy both, but only certain genre's. I love adult mysteries, because one: there are more adult mysteries then YA and two: they're usually very focused on the plot aspect, which I love. So if there are two characters you want to get together in an adult mystery you better have some patient because it won't happen for a while. :P Not that I haven't found clever YA mysteries, I have they're just not as abundant. In YA, I love reading fantasy/paranormal (there's an overflow) and regular day in a life comedy novels.

Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday(Feb. 25)

2011-02-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

It's time for another Book Blogger Hop hosted by Crazy-for-books~! Head on over to check out all the other wonderful book blogs on the internet. :D This weeks BBH question is: "Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?"

Hahaha~! No way I love my blog name, I think it sounds cozy, and I hope you think so too. :D What about you? Do you wish you could change your blog name? Are you going to if you do? Leave you answer in the comment section and tell me all about it. :D

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View and is another way to meet lot's of new book bloggers~! They also have a featured blogger so go on over and check it out~! This week's Question is:

Share your current fav television show! Tell us a bit about it...

My Favorite TV show for about over a year now has been Doctor Who, a british sci-fi series about a seemingly normal looking alien who travels all of time and space in his frequently faulty spaceship called the TARDIS which looks like a 1960 police telephone box. He usually travels with a human, and takes them on all sorts of fantastic and dangerous adventures where they meet famous people from history, or bizarre aliens either good, or bad. The Doctor (as the main character is called) also has a special ability unique to his race (Timelords) that allows him to cheat death. Every time he's dying his body can transform itself into a completely new and undamaged body allowing him to live again. The show started in 1963 and is still going on. The Doctor has changed his body 11 times so far, and has gone through a lot more companions. Currently the Doctor (Matt Smith) is traveling with his companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams. (Arthur Darvill...but I couldn't find a group shot with him. -_-;)So what's your favorite TV show? Tell me all about it, or put the link to you answer in the comment section. :D

WWW Wednesday (Feb.23)

2011-02-23T17:54:00.000-08:00

WWW Wednesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan and Right Side Talking by Bonnie Rozanski.

• What did you recently finish reading? The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (review coming soon) and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephenie Perkins.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I went psycho in the library and got out all sorts of books so I have a lot to choose from. First on my list though is Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (steampunk~!!) and Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. I haven't read a classic this year. Shame on me. :P

Confessions of a Shopaholic: A Book Review

2011-02-23T10:14:00.000-08:00

Genre: Comedy/Romance

Reading Level: Ages 18 and up

Summary: Meet Rebecca Bloomwood.

She’s a journalist. She spends her working life telling others how to manage their money.
She spends her leisure time … shopping.

Retail therapy is the answer to all her problems. She knows she should stop, but she can’t. She tries Cutting Back, she tries Making More Money. But neither seems to work. The stories she concocts become more and more fantastic as she tries to untangle her increasingly dire financial difficulties. Her only comfort is to buy herself something – just a little something…

Can Becky ever escape from this dream world, find true love, and regain the use of her Switch card?

Confessions of a Shopaholic… the perfect pick me up for when it’s all hanging in the (bank) balance.

My Review: This frothy chick-lit novel is easy and fun to read. It's also amazingly British, so if you are a fan of British comedy it's an added bonus to your overall enjoyment. Sophie Kinsella set's up several hilarious situations, one after another, for our heroine Becca Bloomwood to work through. Becca's struggle with her desire to shop while a vast cloud of debt hangs over her head, carries much of the plot. Kinsella adds a tiny sub-plot near the end where Becca finds a financial article that she cares enough to write about, but it's added so late into the book you don't really care about it. All that I cared about at least was if Becca would finally be able to overcome her addiction to shopping. Seeing as there are 6 more books in the series you can imagine I was somewhat disappointed.

On the upside Becca Bloomwood was a fantastic narrator, her thought process was hilarious! I loved all of the wildly imaginative scenario's she thought up in her head, and how things never turned out like she expected. As a person who is frequently prone to similar mistakes, It was fun to find I wasn't the only one. :P I enjoyed Becca's friend, she was a nicely written character, in so much as she seemed like a good friend to have although she did unintentionally feed into our heroines addiction. All of the side characters had their own special flair, even though they were not that fleshed out, and fit well into the story. There was only one character I really did not like, and it was unfortunately Becca's love interest Luke Brandon. I found him to be amazingly boring, rude, and overall just not that fantastic. He was a bit of a jerk to Becca, I enjoyed that she called him out on his behavior earlier in the novel, but their romance in the end seemed far to rushed for my liking. I was hoping they wouldn't get together, even though I knew they would.

Content: Harsh language, and sexual references and situations.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Recommend: For Chick lit fans.

Hush, Hush: A book Review

2011-02-08T07:13:00.000-08:00

Genre: Mystery/Fantasy

Reading Level: ages 13 and up

Summary: Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those who have fallen -- and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

My Review: I don't know why this book is called Hush, hush. It's not particularly quite or relaxing like the title implies. The cover and font are awesome though. Ahhh I gotta say, I loved this book. It is my guilty pleasure. I had so much fun reading it it's not even funny. :P

Okay seriously it isn't the most amazing book ever. The romance, oh gawd the romance was so unbelievable. I didn't for one second truly believe Patch loved Nora. As for Nora she was only mildly infatuated with the boy. She didn't love him though. Becca will definitely have to work on writing a well developed romance in the future. This one started out slow and then BAM~! Insta-love. Also Nora was pretty sure for most of the book that Patch was out to kill her so um, I'm not sure how that endeared him to her. One of the many problems of Teen romances today. Girls are just willing to throw themselves at any psychopath they cross.

Other than that I actually quite liked Patch and Nora. They we're both fun characters. I liked Nora for the pseudo detective skills she showed, but truthfully she was a bit indecisive which was at times annoying. I loved it when she wanted to solve the mysteries surrounding her life, and I found it relatable how every time something odd happened she was pretty sure she was going nuts instead of instantly thinking "oh gosh that boy must be a fallen angel out to kill me" although she did google it. Seriously what's with google and finding out peoples secrets. I mean if I thought someone I knew was a paranormal being I wouldn't google it and then accept it as fact. Just because it's on the internet doesn't make it true. Now on to Patch. Number one, that name is weird. You get used to it, but it's still weird for a romantic lead. His last name (Cipriano) is awesome though. I've heard Patch described as a brooding bad boy. I feel this is a terribly wrong description of him. He doesn't brood. He's annoying. He's the get all up in your face bad boy type. I actually enjoyed that switch. His banter with Nora is quite funny, I found myself grinning at certain parts. I liked Patch. He was funny, psychopathic, and annoying, and never pretended to be anything else. In real life I would hate him. But not in a book. Vee Sky, Nora's friend was a fun sidekick I enjoyed reading about her, and I thought she went well with Nora. It's nice to see heroines with friends they care about. There we're actually a few bad guys in this novel, I won't disclose who they all are here because River Song would never forgive me but I enjoyed them all and found them sufficiently evil. :P

Now for the part I particularly enjoyed. I thought Becca did a great job with the mystery and suspense bits. I really enjoyed watching the mystery unfold throughout the book. Of course you know Patch is a fallen angel. The covers a dead giveaway. What you don't know is who is trying to kill Nora, and why. Unlike Twilight the plot didn't arrive in the last few chapters. It was there from the beginning and was what drew me in immediately and kept me reading.

Which brings me to the Angel lore. It wasn't fully developed in this book. There we're bit's and pieces here and there but I'd didn't completely grasp it, even at the end. I'm guessing more will be discussed in book 2 and 3. I'll have to wait a while to read Crescendo though. The waiting list at the library is over half a year. *sigh*

Characters I'd name my Children After: Top Ten Tuesday (Feb.08)

2011-02-08T06:26:00.000-08:00

It's time for another Top Ten Tuesday and this weeks question is: Top Ten Characters (and literary figures) you'd name your children after. Oh dear.

Truthfully I probably wouldn't my children half of these names, but they are names I have thought of for my fictional children (you know, the characters in your head) so here it goes.

1. Nora Grey/Nora Charles (Hush hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammet) I love the name Nora. It sounds very dark, sophisticated, and romantic. I put up both Nora Grey and Nora Charles because they both have such perfectly fitted last names with their first (in my opinion) and because despite their faults (I'm talking to you Nora Grey) I am rawther fond of both of them.

2. Algernon Montcrieff (The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde) I'd never name my child Algernon. It means with mustache. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I've seen severely lovely mustaches in my time, it's just such a random thing to name your child. :D But I like saying it. Try saying it, Algernon, it's quite funny yet, somewhat serious. I also like the nickname "Algy" makes me think of the ocean. :D

3. Edmund Pevensie (Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis) Edmund is one of my favorite CON characters, mostly because he is one of the few characters to actually have any sort of emotional growth (mostly for the sake of Lewis's allegory no doubt) but I've always liked the name, it just sounds nice to me.

4. Jasvinder "Jazz" Dhillon (Bindi Babes by Narinder Dhami) I would like to marry an Indian man, just so I could name my children one of their lovely names. I particularly like Jasvinder it means "Lord's glory" which in and of itself if beautiful. It also has a fantastic nickname "Jazz".

5. Tabitha Ruth "Turtle" Wexler (The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin) Like I said in post for Top Ten Female Characters I Admire I love this name because it is pretty much the only characters I've seen in a book with the same first name as me. I wouldn't name my child Tabitha, that would be narcissistic. :P I still love it though. I also think Turtle is a funny nickname, and quite original.

6. Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling) gotta love Luna, that's all I'm saying. Also the name Luna means "moon" and the moon reminds me of my mother.

7. Klaus Baudelaire (Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket) I was never sure how to pronounce this name until the movie. I liked it much better than the way I had been pronouncing it. :P

8. Oliver Twist (Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens) I like the name Oliver. I don't know why. I think it sounds cute though.

9. Milo (The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster) Again, it sounds cute to me nothing besides that.

and last but certainly, absolutely, and positively not least is:

10: Isaac (Abraham's son from the Bible) I love the name Isaac, I will name one of my sons Isaac, I think it is the most beautiful name ever. It means "laughter" basically, and I love to hear people laugh, I dearly love to laugh, and look forward to hearing my son laugh. So it has a lot of meaning for me, and I saved it as number ten because I wanted to end my post with my favorite name. :D

A Giveaway Not to Be Missed :D

2011-02-04T12:49:00.001-08:00

The brilliant bloggers of A Life Bound by Books, Kid Lit Frenzy, The Bookologist, and The Undercover Booklover are hosting a giveaway to win a Kindle 3 wi-fi~! If you have an interest in joining head on over to one of the blogs for all of the information. Lots of luck, but not too much as this blogger hopes to win. :P

Book Blogger Hop (Feb.04.11)

2011-02-04T05:11:00.000-08:00

It's time for another book blogger hop hosted by Crazy-For-Books~! Click the link, add your blog, peruse through others, and find blogs you never knew about before. It's lots of fun. :D

This weeks blog question is: "What are you reading now and why are you reading it?"

Ah this weekend I'm planning on finishing up The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. You've probably heard about it, it's gotten a lot of hype. It's very interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing it all play out in the end. I'm reading it because I've had a bit of morbid interest in it for quite some time now and saw it in paperback at the library. I love paperback. So I just picked it up and said, "Why not?" I know it's not a terribly interesting story but there it is. I'm also reading Right Side Talking by Bonnie Rozanski and the reason is because I got a request to review it and I absolutely loved the premise, it is very unique and original. What are you reading now, and why? Leave your answers in the comment section. :D

Musing Mondays (Jan.31)

2011-01-31T05:34:00.000-08:00

Musing Mondays are hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This weeks musings asks...

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?

Nothing stops me from sleeping. Well no that's not entirely true, but books don't. I'd have to say there is not one book that I actually lost sleep over because I was trying to read it all at once. Not even Harry Potter. I've totally thrown my day away on books though. Not so much anymore because I'm so busy. Now I read right before I go to bed, just a couple chapters or so. Oh wait, just remembered there was one book I was trying to finish but it was pretty late and I kept falling asleep. It was A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Writing Rituals

2011-01-30T16:07:00.000-08:00

Writer's have always had their own special techniques that help them develop idea's and focus on their work. It can be staring up at the ceiling, pacing, even talking aloud to themselves. Here's an interesting article from Masters Degree.Net that was brought to my attention about 20 Acclaimed Authors and Their Unique Writing Rituals. It's really interesting, and amusing. Do you have any writing rituals? Tell me all about them in the commen section. :D

Book Blogger Hop (Jan. 28)

2011-01-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

It's time for another book blogger hop~! That exciting part of the week where we all head on over to Crazy-For-Books to add our blogs to the hop linky, and purusue through a fantastic bunch of other book blogs. This weeks hop question is: "What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011? Why are you anticipating that book?"

Well this one is pretty hard for me since I usually don't know a book is coming out until well, it comes out. In that respect I guess I'm a terrible bookaholic. Thanks to my fellow book bloggers though I do know when a couple of books are coming out, so I'd have to say out of the ones I do know I'm most excited for Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins the sequel to the very funny and engaging Hex Hall. The other one would have to be Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick. What releases are you looking forward to? Leave your answers in the comment section.

WWW Wednesday (Jan. 26)

2011-01-26T15:06:00.000-08:00

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? • What did you recently finish reading? • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? Right now I'm reading Right Side Talking by Bonnie Rozanski and Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.

What did you recently finish Reading? Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (review coming soon-ish)

What do you think you'll read next? Probably The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins because I've been intrigued by it for a while and finally saw it at the library. It's supposed to be rather gruesome. One can only hope. :P

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

2011-01-25T08:41:00.001-08:00

So after some experimenting I decided to go back to my old format of reviewing. Although I won't put the author and title because well, you can see them. :D Oh and extra thanks to Katherine from A Love for Literature for being my editor this week, because my brain couldn't.

Genre: Mystery/Horror

Reading Level: Ages 16 and up

Summary:“The dead don't talk. I don't know why.” But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn. Maybe he has a gift, maybe it’s a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd’s otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo's sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it's different.

A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd’s deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15.

Today is August 14.

In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares—and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.

My Thoughts: When I first started this book, I instantly disliked it. Mostly because it gave away an ending to an Agatha Christie novel I wanted to read, and secondly because I found Odd Thomas to be somewhat of a drip.

After I cooled off from my initial frustration and got back to reading, I couldn't deny I found the story very intriguing. Dean Koontz is a very good writer; he can suck you into a story and he knows how to pace his plots. Even Odd became a likable character after a while thanks to Koontz's heartfelt and sincere characterization. He's a normal guy, just trying to get through life with an abnormal gift. The thing I appreciated about Odd was his drive to do the best he could with what he had. He didn't try to ignore his gift, he used it to the best of his ability, and even when things were exceptionally bleak (which is often in this novel) he kept moving forward, he kept fighting and never gave up. I'd have to say that through Odd, I came to like the other characters.

This is written in first person narration, it's a series, and like so many first books,the side characters tend to be less fleshed out and mere props in the background. But it wasn't as bad in this one thanks to Odd's obvious warm affections for them. Even the ones he didn't love (his psychotic parents for one) were well drawn through Odd. To have a main character strong enough that you can learn all about the side characters through them is an amazing accomplishment.

The plot twists are numerous, and several times I said aloud, "I was not expecting that~!" which is always cause for the people in the room where you're reading to look up and say "What?". The supernatural aspect of the novel was put together very well. The ghost weren't chatty floating plasma, just spectral echo's of their live counterparts that silently asked Odd for his help, and for some reason that made it very believable. I'm not sure why non talking ghost are more believable then talking ones are. Probably because talking ones instantly put an image of Casper in my head.

Anyway, despite the twist and turns, the decent pace, and the sometimes laugh out loud dialog, I can't say I enjoyed this book. Frankly it scared the heck out of me, and not in the good way. The bad guy is definitely scary, because there are real people out there that are sick and demented and a book like this makes them seem closer to you then you'd ever known. I was just left so disheartened, scared, and frustrated with the final outcome I couldn't like it.

Content: Language, sexual references, lots of violence and disturbing images (Especially if you have a fantastic imagination and have ever said "that was a crazy movie~!" after reading a book.)

Rating: 2 and a half stars out of 5.

Recommend: I'm gonna have to say yes, for people who like terribly scary thrillers and loosing sleep.

Back to Hopping~!

2011-01-14T05:48:00.001-08:00

I've once again rejoined the world of book blog hopping~! The Book Blog Hop is hosted by Crazy-For-Books and gives all of the book bloggers out there a chance to see each others blogs, and get to know one another. So click on the link, add your blog, and find other interesting and like minded bloggers~!

This weeks question: "Why do you read the genre that you do? What draws you to it?"

I love questions like this. :D Well I'd have to say the number one reason I adore the mystery genre and always have is because I also enjoy puzzles and riddle's. I love not knowing an answer and having to figure out what it is. I also enjoy surprise. I try my hardest to figure out how everything goes together before the end, and if I'm not right I enjoy learning the truth, and if I am I'm usually like: 0.0

Another reason I like mysteries, and this mostly applies to well written ones, I enjoy the intricate plot lines, the characters who usually have a strong sense of justice, I love the feeling of having my mind boggled. When I read a good mystery I don't stop thinking about it for days.

What is your favorite genre and why do you love it? Put your answer's in the comment section. :D

WWW Wednesday

2011-01-12T10:47:00.001-08:00

WWW Wednesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? • What did you recently finish reading? • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? Right now I am reading "Hush Hush" by Becca Fitzpatrick. I just went to the library and was a bit annoyed they didn't have the books I wanted, and so in a fit of annoyance I decided to check this out. Yeah I know it doesn't make much sense to me either. :P I started it two days ago, and highly expected to be bored by it, but so far I'm surprisingly intrigued.

What did you recently finish reading? "Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz (review coming soon) and "Only the Good Spy Young" by Ally Carter. (review also coming soon)

What do you think you'll read next? I have several selection from the library that I am interested in such as "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman, "Starcross" by Philip Reeve (lots of Philips) and "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift along with a couple others. I'm never quite sure what I'll pick to read next, so I don't like to say anything definite. What are you reading? Finished Reading? What do you plan to read next? Share your picks in the comment section. :D

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder By Joanne Fluke

2011-01-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder is about a small town baker Helen Swensen who comes to work one day only to find the local dairy man dead in her stores back alley way. Her brother in law gets the case, and enlist Helen to help him solve the case, in hopes that it will lead him to a promotion. Using her conversational skills and unassuming looks Helen goes about investigating sparse clues and interviewing suspects. Writing novels about amateur detectives is a difficult task. How do you get your character, with no police training into the throws of an official investigation without making it completely unbelievable. The more I read mystery novels the harder it seems. Being that this was a small town, where the crime rate was low, and murder sent all the police officers into a tizzy it didn't feel as unbelievable, as say if it were taking place in the big city.

The characters were enjoyable, Helen was unique enough to be interesting as well as accessible. Her relationship with her family is explored and I enjoyed the fact that her sister helped her out a lot with her investigations. The other characters were well done, although none of them were intimately explored. The only character I did not like (and no I'm not talking about whoever the murderer is :P) was the police officer introduced in the end. He messed with the nice relationship Helen was developing with her dentist friend Norman.

Now plot wise it was a bit flimsy. The action opened up fairly quickly but then it died down just as fast. Although it wasn't completely boring it still wasn't as nicely paced as I like my mysteries. The ending was also pradicteble not matter how hard the author tried to throw you a red herring. It is not quite as fun knowing who the killer is before the slueth does. It doesn't make them seem very bright, or that they should have a mystery series all about them.

Content: Murder, some language I think, references to an abusive relationship, and someone takes inappropriate pictures but it's not in much detail.

Rating: 2 and a half stars out of 5

Recommend: For fans of light mysteries.

Top Ten Tuesday

2011-01-04T17:34:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the Broke and the Bookish~! This weeks category: Top Ten Books I Resolve To Read in 2011.

My list of books to read this year are:

1. Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers

I've been wanting to read a Lord Peter Wimsey mystery for ages. For some odd reason though I could never seem to get around to it, but this year I finally will~! wish me luck.

2. The Complete Sherlock Holmes Volume 1 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Love Sherlock, and am looking forward to finishing this book.

3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Loved Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, and started reading Jane Eyre last year, but didn't even make a dent in it, because it was the start of my dry spell. I'm hoping to see it through until the end this year.

4. The Cranford Chronicles by Elizabeth Gaskell

Read Wives and Daughters last year and greatly enjoyed it. A lot of people consider this to be Gaskells best work, so I'm really looking forward to reading it. I figure if it's better then W&D I'll absolutely love it. It's also much shorter which is always a bonus.

5. The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

Read Oliver Twist when I was 13 or so and loved it. This is another giant book I started last year, and I was enjoying it, but I put it down for a while which is bad for me and never picked it up again. I feel especially bad about this since my dear friend lent her copy to me, and I know she really loves it, and I feel awful for keeping it so long. No need to worry Katherine I'll get it back to you soon. :D

6. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

I once again meant to read it last year, but didn't. The tragedies of my life. I read The Time Machine last year and was like this for a whole day: O.o I did lend it out to a friend who brought it back to me and promised me it was a spine tingling read. Oh yeah~!

7. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

This is the last book by Austen I have to read. I've also heard it's one of the hardest to get through, but I've grown into quite an Austen lover over the years so I think I can handle it.

8. 1984 by George Orwell

Animal Farm was a very traumatic experience for me. Needless to say I needed some time before reading another Orwell novel. This one is next on my list, and I am looking forward to it, I find the plot intriguing and it doesn't involve poor innocent barn yard animals so I think I'll like it better. Animal books always make me cry.

9. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

One of Montgomery's "Adult" novels I've been eyeing this one for quite some time. I really hope I get to reading it this year.

10. The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allen Poe

This man is a genius. I re-read A Tell Tale Heart this year and was even more mind boggled then I had been when I first read it. I think it's the closest I'll ever get to being in the mind of a killer and I must say that frightens and makes me feel better all at the same time. I love Poe for creating the detective story, so I am very excited to read the Dupin tales.

Musing Mondays and It's Monday~! What Are You Reading?

2011-01-03T18:19:00.000-08:00

Musing Monday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This weeks question is: How many books did you read in 2010? If you had a reading goal, did you meet it? What books are you most looking forward to reading for 2011 (either new, OR ones that have sat on your shelves for a while)?

Sadly I only got around to reading 43 books in 2010. *sigh* I blame my reading dry spell. Which thank g-d I got over~! I didn't have an exact reading goal, I was just trying to read as many as I could. Unfortunately I didn't even put a dent in the amount of books I read when I was 10 which was around 80 or so.

For 2011, I have a lot of books I plan on reading. Most of them are part of my Agatha Christie library. :D I am also hoping to read a lot of Steampunk books, Leviathan, Soulless, BoneShaker, and World Shaker are just some of the books I have on my list. I've also got some chick-lit's on my list too. This week from the library I got Only the Good Spy Young, by Ally Carter, and The Cinderella Society, by Kay Cassidy.

It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Sheila over at Book Journey. It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Book Read Last Week: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke (Review coming soon...)

Currently Reading: Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

What I Want to Read Next: Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

Oh.My.Gods: A Book Review

2010-11-29T14:29:00.000-08:00

Title: Oh.My.Gods

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up

After a long month of wedding planning, and getting the whole house back together once the party was over, I was finally able to get back to reading. Unfortunately the first book I picked up was Oh.My.Gods because it had a promisingly hilarious premise where a young girl named Phoebe Castro is carted off of to Greece by her mother, who plans of marrying a man she has know for only a couple weeks. Once in Greece she finds that the new school she has to go to, is a private school for the descendent's of Greek gods. Now not only does she have to deal with homework and wedding plans but also classmates able to smite her with their powers, which is bad news for Phoebe who seems to effortlessly make enemies with her step sister and the girlfriend of the hottest demi-god in the school. After a fresh start, that I enjoyed, cliche's began to abound and the writing was just not stimulating or unique enough to warrant my finishing this book. The character development was poor and almost non-existence, her mother seemed really childish for a psychiatrist, the rest of the characters were so boring I forgot them as soon as they were introduced. That includes the love interest who's just like every other love interest. I am not a fan of books were relationships are based purely on the heroine wanting to kiss the lips of the hero. Yeah, that's gonna last.

Content: Some Language and the rambling thoughts of a hormone crazed girl

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Recommend: No

Character Connection: The Girls of St. Trinian's

2010-10-07T14:25:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow book bloggers, long time no read. I've been completely terrible in my upkeep of my beloved blog lately, and feel the deepest sense of shame for it. I do however have some legit reason's for my absence. My sister's getting married, so I've been so busy helping out in that area. Which mean's I've had little time to really read, I have finished two books however and hope to put the review's up sometime soon. Until then, I decided to do Character Connection's hosted by The Introverted Reader. Now there's some sorta Halloween contest with the CC going on down there, featuring baddie's from thrillers and horror novels. Well I've never been much of a fan of those types of books, and I don't celebrate Halloween, and I'm not sure if she'll count this part of the contest (which is fine really) but I thought I would write about my favorite baddie's currently.

Don’t you just love larger-than-life characters? The ones who jump off the page
and grab you? Whether you love them or hate them, you can't be indifferent to
them.

I would love to know about the characters who just won’t leave
you! Most of you will probably post about how much you love (or loathe) each
character, but this is a great place for the more creative ones among you to let
go and have fun! Write yourself into a scene with Anne and Diana. Write a love
poem in elvish for Aragorn. Draw a picture of Harry obliterating Voldemort. The
possibilities are endless.

Be sure to post the book's title and author,
and be very careful not to give away spoilers while talking about how much you
love your characters.

They aren't your conventional baddie's, because well they aren't out for revenge, or world domination, or anything like that. They're just going to school like every other normal child. Or perhaps not quite. The girls of St. Trinian's are wild little hellion's who wouldn't bat an eye lid while pumbling their fellow calssmates with hockey sticks (and sometimes knives) and pulling pranks all around school, behavior which is not only condoned by the teachers and headmistress, but encouraged as well. The St. Trinian's were created by English artist and cartoonist Ronald Searle, in 1941, and are still popular today. I think the reason being is that for fans of dark humor like myself, it becomes even funnier in the hands of devious little schoolgirls. The cartoons where turned into feature films in the 1950's and remade in 2007. In the original cartoons the girls where not individualized and they didn't have names they were just one big straw hat wearing pack of trouble.

I am a big fan of the movies, the new ones as well they are funny and a great way to kill time. The main characters in the new movie's are catergorized into groups Chavs, Emo's, Posh Totty's, First Years, and Geeks. They are run by the head girl Kelly. They are fun, and cute, and pull some pranks, but I would have to say the original girls would call them ametuers.

The two that come the closest to their original counterparts though are the twin menace's Tara and Tania (in the picture far left and right)described as "Dolchester's answer to the Soprano's." They run the gambling, and make some dodgy alcohol that usually ends of making people pass out or worse die, and they unleash as much hell as possible. Basically the movie's are worth watching just for them. Anyway that pretty much ends my Character Connection. If you ever get the chance to get your hands on the St. Trinian original cartoon books, movies, and even the remake's don't hesitate to dip into their world.

A Bit of a Problem

2010-09-08T07:56:00.001-07:00

I haven't been doing a lot of reading lately. I'm not sure why, but every so often, well at least once a year I have a reading dry spell, as I like to call it, where I can never decided on a book to settle down with and read. My moods jump about and I'm never sure what genre I'll be interested in. It usually only takes one book to jump start me back into reading. But so far, I haven't found it yet. I am reading Sherlock Holmes though, it's the only thing I can read, but I think that's because I've been watching BBC's "Sherlock" lately. I know. That's an inspired title, how long did it take them to come up with that one. Anyway, despite the "We're only using the first name to separate our show from all the others" title, I have really come to enjoy it. It's an updated version of the famed detective. Updated here meaning it actually takes place in the 21st century. I enjoy the acting, by two men who are really good, and play the part of Holmes and Watson extremely well,but who's names I've forgotten and am now too lazy to google. But I figure if you're curious enough, you'll go look it up yourself. It's worth it, for the mystery and SH fans. Really. The mysteries are clever, the script is witty, the cast plays well off each other, and I'll reserve my ultimate judegement of Moriarty for the second series, as he only appaered once in the 1st in a very short scene were It sounded like he had cotton balls stuck in his throat.
But I digress...severely. But the point is, that if you have had a similar problem with reading, I would be greatly obliged if you could recommend any books you have read that jump started you back into reading. I don't count SH here because I'm reading it and it's not making me want to read other books, like jump start books should. Thanks for reading this rambling post, well if you did. If you didn't then, that's okay too.

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency: A Book Review

2010-09-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

Title: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Genre: Mystery Fiction

Reading Level: Ages 14 and up

Summary: When Precious Ramotswe decides to use the money her beloved father left her to open the first ever Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana, everyone is skeptical. "Can women be detectives?" asks the bank's lawyer. Mma Ramotswe herself feels unsure of her success. After all, her only assets are a tiny white van, two desks, two chairs, a telephone, an old typewriter, a teapot, and three teacups. But she does possess the intangible assets of intuition and intelligence. These she has in great supply, along with perseverance, a keen knowledge of the human mind and heart, a steadfast sense of right and wrong, and a personality that inspires trust and loquaciousness in nearly all who meet her. What she also has is a deep love for Africa generally and for Botswana and its people especially. "They are my people, my brothers and sisters. It is my duty to help them to solve the mysteries of their lives. That is what I am called to do".

My Review: This book is definitely a feel good book. It's light and comfortable, and very character driven if you ask me. I enjoyed learning some new stuff about Botswana, a landlocked country in southern Africa, and the fierce pride the people of that country have. The mysteries were enjoyable they weren't heavy, and went along with the relaxed feel of the novel. Mma Ramotswe is a fantastic character, smart, and kind, yet she can be tough when needs be, but it is a subtle, she doesn't have to fight, or hold a gun to command authority. Her back story was interesting, at times very sad, but a great way to learn why a character is the way they are. I saw the TV show truthfully before I read the book so I was already familiar with the characters. I already had great love for Mma Ramotswe's suitor Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni and her secretary Mma Makutsi who I was sad did not come too much into this first novel. But all in all it was an enjoyable read, I great choice for brain candy.
Content: Some language, Sexual references.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Recommend: yes.

WWW Wednesdays (Aug.18)

2010-08-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

WWW Wednesdays are hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott.

What did you recently finish reading? Wives And Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.

What do you think you'll read next? Odd Thomas by...oh Dean Koontz and Watership Down by Richard Adams, its got rabbits and I love rabbits. :D

Top Ten Picks: Favorite Books to Movies

2010-08-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

Hi, top ten picks is a bookish meme hosted by Random Ramblings where we pick our top ten favorite things about books according to the topics she picks. This weeks topic: Our favorite books into movies!

1. The Thin Man
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love Nick and Nora Charles, they never fail to make me smile. I think this is my favorite book into movie because I read the book, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't as much fun as the movie. This is a rare case of the movie was better than the book, and I think that's all thanks to Myrna Loy and William Powell who have the best chemistry together as the witty, cocktail drinking couple who solve crime, with their faithful dog Asta.

2. Anne of Green Gables
I have gone on a lot about this series only because that's how amazing it is. I like this book into movie because it is superbly cast, well acted, and the storyline is spot on. I don't think anyone could do a better version ever.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
This is my favorite book of the series so I was really anxious when this movie was coming out. Now this is my favorite movie of the movie series. :) It was very well done, the directing was particularly good. Also the acting was better at this point as well. I actually liked Hermione where as before she had always driven me crazy.

4. A Little Princess
This movie makes me cry every time I watch it. It is brilliantly filmed and acted. Absolutely heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. While not entirely faithful to the book, it is still a fabulous adaptation of the classic novel. But in all seriousness I prefer the movie ending anyway. :P

5. Fantastic Mr. Fox
This movie is absolutely stunning in every sense of the word. Expanding on the underdog story by Roald Dahl Fantastic Mr. Fox has everything you would expect of top notch entertainment, stellar voice acting, wonderful direction and script, and it is really one of the best stop motion if not one of the best pictures to come out of Hollywood in 2009. Yeah I really love this movie. If you haven't seen it, see it! :D

6. Horton Hears a Who!
After butchering two of the best beloved stories by Dr. Seuss Hollywood finally came out with a movie that wouldn't have the poor guy rolling around in his grave. This colorful adaptation of his book Horton Hears a Who, reminds us all why we love this brilliant fellows creative imagination. While adding on but not taking away from the original source HHAW is heartwarming, funny, and just nice to look at. I mean who doesn't love Horton? Who doesn't love those fluffy little who's? Someone with no heart that's who. :P Anyway, a lovely adaptation well worth watching.

7. Hoodwinked!
Loosely based off of the classic fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood" this imaginative, inventive, and just plain all around clever retelling is one of my favorite movies of all time. Bringing new twists, featuring a mystery complete with a Nick Charles based detective, and wonderful characters you only thought you knew, this low budget flick is one to re-watch and re-watch until you've caught every wonderful detail and subtle bits of humor.

8. Howl's Moving Castle
Based off of the lovely book by the imaginative Dianna Wynne Jones this adaptation is by renowned filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. With two such unique minds as Jones and Miyazaki this film cannot help but be amazing. While not entirely faithful to Jone's original novel, Miyazaki's admiration for her work shines through in this heartfelt, and magical movie about finding your worth. An absolute gem you must see.

9. Sense and Sensibility (2008)
I know lots of people lean towards the 1995 version, and I will be one of the first people to tell you how brilliant that adaptation is. The script is amazing and a credit to Emma Thompson's amazing talents. But I absolutely loved the 2008 version. I don't know why really, I was just glued to the screen the whole time, which is amazing because I read the book and seen the 1995 version about a million times since my childhood. I just found it thoroughly enthralling and dramatic and I really liked the cast. I get particular giggles from both movies, since in the 1995 version Colonel Brandon (whats his first name?) is played by Alan Rickman who goes on to play Snape in the HP series, and I know the guy (but not his name) who plays CB in the 2008 version from Doctor Who.

10. Emma 2009
Ooooh I reached 10? Really I didn't think I could do it! Anyway this is the best adaptation of one of my favorite JA novels. Brilliantly acted, and wonderfully scripted, I watched this version while drinking tea and delicious light refreshments with my friend. It only added to the atmosphere. :D Anyway I love this version, I really need to own it.

Well that's all for this particularly late meme. There are still tons of other books to movies I love like Series of Unfortunate Events, Ella Enchanted, The breathtakingly spot on version of Pride and Prejudice from A&E that I've been watching again since I was a little girl, and Nancy Drew. But I ran out of numbers. :(
Until next time,

Hex Hall: A Book Review

2010-08-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

Title: Hex Hall

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Genre: Fantasy/Mystery

Reading Level: Ages 14 and up

Summary: Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

My Review: This one is woefully over due. Sorry about that. Anyway, this may at first glance seem like a lame mash up of HP and every other fantasy story out there. But Hecate Hall is no Hogwarts. It is a reform school for rebel magical creatures, where they are sent when they misbehave. I definitely enjoyed this different twist. This book is full of witty and clever characters, I really liked Sophie's narrative, she was a funny and likable heroine as well as one you could feel sympathetic towards since she is so obviously a fish out of water in her new surroundings. The supporting cast is also top notch, from Sophie's vampire roommate Jenna, who has an obsession with the color hot pink to Sophie's snotty conniving rival who's name escapes me at the moment. Anyway she was good. :P Oh and of course the ever enigmatic bad boy with a secret soft spot for the main character who always seems to crop up in every YA book I've read recently. The murder mystery sprinkled throughout this book is a page turner, creepy and intriguing I had a lot of fun reading it and it kept me continuously guessing. There are twist galore in this fantasy fare, and while it's not the YA book of the century if you want to read a light weight novel to rest the brain, one that's a lot of fun you need not look further than Hex Hall.

Content: If I remember correctly there are a few curse words, and kissing, as well as violence (murder anyone?) but nothing too descriptive.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Recommend: Yes indeed for fans of lightweight mystery and fantasy

Book Blogger Hop: August 13-16

2010-08-13T06:21:00.000-07:00

Hi Fellow Book bloggers, thanks for stopping by, it's time once again, and again, to do the Hop and visit other fellow book bloggers blogs!!!! The book blogger hop is hosted by Crazy-For-Books and if you want to join the fun, just head over there and add your link to the ever growing list!!!
Oh and this weeks question: How many books do you have on your 'to be read shelf’?
My answer: Wellll according to my goodreads, I have only 150 but I haven't put every single book I wanna read on there, because I have this big ol' mystery shelf in my room and figured I'd just add them as I eventually got around to reading them.
Well I hope you have fun looking over my blog, and everyone elses! Have an Extremely very goood weekend!

Character Connection: Molly Gibson

2010-08-12T12:36:00.001-07:00

Character Connection is hosted by The Introverted Reader.
We all have characters we love. Let's spotlight these fantastic creations! Whether you want to be friends with them or you have a full-blown crush on them, you know you love them and want everyone else to love them too!

Most of you will probably post about how much you love each character, but this is a great place for the more creative ones among you to let go and have fun! Write a love letter to Captain Wentworth. Write yourself into a scene with Anne and Diana. Draw a picture of yourself in Jamie's arms. The possibilities are endless.
Be sure to post the book's title and author, and be very careful not to give away spoilers while talking about how much you love your characters.

Molly Gibson From Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
Having just completed this novel, I feel highly compelled to heap praise upon it's main character, loyal, lovable Molly Gibson. While most people would argue that Cynthia, her pretty, easily loved by many, step sister is a more interesting character I cannot help but disagree. There is a strong heroine inside Molly Gibson unlike many I have of yet read in classic fiction. While Molly does not posses the strong ready wit of Elizabeth Bennet, or the careless charm of Emma Woodhouse (excuse the overuse of Austen heroine comparisons but I have not read too many classics which I am trying to remedy >_<) she is fiercely loyal, and willing to do anything for the people she cares for, but she is not so passive that she does not argue against injustice and criticize people when they are clearly in the wrong. Here I think it is that I have grown to love young Molly Gibson, for her slowly revealed honest, and respectful strength against the trails in her life, and I'm sure if you take time to read "Wives and Daughters" you will discover exactly what I mean.

WWW Wednesdays (Aug. 11) and Top Ten Tuesday

2010-08-11T09:51:00.000-07:00

WWW Wednesdays is a bookish meme, hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? I'm reading Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell! There is a light at the end of the tunnel!!!

What did you recently finish reading? Partners in Crime by Agatha Christie, Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins and Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl.

What do you think you'll read next? The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith and probably something classic. :D

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks theme: Top Ten Most Dislikable Characters! Yeah I love to write about characters I hate! Let the fun begin.

1. Bella Swan From The Twilight Saga: Tis a given, so I won't go into the gory details. Possibly one of the weakest most co-dependant character to be created.

2. Bellatrix Lestrange From the Harry Potter Series: Yup, Lestrange is right! This insane and sadistic Voldemort supporting is first introduced in HP 4 as a psycho prisoner sent to Azkaban while Harry's chilling inside Dumbledores memories. Ever since then she's appeared in every book to create merry mayhem. SPOILER! I really hate this character particularly in the 5th book in a rather chilling scene when she tortures Neville Longbottom reminiscent of when she helped torture his parents into insanity. END OF SPOILER!

3. Bill Sikes from Oliver Twist: This abusive, murderous, character scared me to death when I was little and first read OT. I can't really remember much about him except that I hate him.

4. Isabella And John Thorpe from Northanger Abbey: These two annoying siblings really got on my last nerve. They were manipulative, only using Catherine and her brother to get what they want.

5. The Character of Wuthering Heights: An ever popular one. Never has there been so many selfish, self obsorbed, abusive, masochistic, people in one book. While you can't care for the characters in WH it's still a fast paced classic novel, well worth reading for it's plot and writing. It's one of my favorites.

6. Prince Humperdinck from The Princess Bride: A "fine" example of a bully and a coward who gets in the way of true love. Terribly annoying villain.

7. Elsie Father from the Elsie Dinsmore series: I don't remember his name, but anyway I've always hated him. A complete jerk of a father who leaves his kid with a relative, and then decides to come back into her life when it suits him, and demands blind and immediate obedience of which he does not deserve. He's suppose to improve in the book series and I read 3 of them and saw no such "improvements".

8. Princess Mia from The Princess Dairies: She was a bit too self absorbed and boy crazy for my taste.

9. Gwedolen Chant from Charmed Life: A selfish witch who is not above using and hurting her brother to get the attention of famous magician Chrestomanci. She was really bratty and terrible throughout the whole book.

10. Sally Lockhart from Ruby in the Smoke: I cannot stand this book, and mostly because Sally is one of the most colorless, uninteresting characters I've had the misfortune of reading. As much as they try to build her up as an independent woman she just ends of falling flat, and having other people solve her problems.

It's Time to do the Hop!!!

2010-08-06T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hi fellow book bloggers! Today is another book blogger hop, that wonderful time of the week when we hop around other peoples book blogs! This fantastically fun meme is hosted by Crazy-For-Books, so if you wanna join head on down to her blog. Don't miss all the fun!
Now for the weekly Book Hop Question: Do you listen to music when you read? If so, what are your favorite reading tunes?
I usually like to keep it nice and quite when I read a book. But if there happens to be some awesome classical music in the background or a great musical score from a movie soundtrack I don't mind that, in fact I like it.

Enola Holmes: The Case of the Gypsy's Goodbye Book Review

2010-08-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

Title: The Case of the Gyspy's Goodbye

Author: Nancy Springer

Genre: Mystery

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up

Summary: As Enola searches for the missing Lady Blanchefleur del Campo, she discovers that her brother Sherlock is just as diligently searching for Enola herself—and this time he really needs to catch her! He is in possession of a most peculiar package, a message from their long-lost mother that only Enola can decipher. Sherlock, along with their brother Mycroft, must follow Enola into the reeking tunnels of London’s dark underbelly as they solve a triple mystery: What has happened to their mother? And to Lady Blanchefleur? And what does either have to do with Mycroft, who holds Enola’s future in his ever so-proper hands?

No one, not even Sherlock, is left unchanged or unsurprised in this brilliant conclusion to the Enola Holmes mystery series.

My Review: I'm really sad this is the last one. It was such a fun series to read. I had a lot of fun with Sherlock Holme's much younger sister. She was as ever a strong, and clever heroine, a credit to her family name. In this, the last book, Enola continues her job as a scientific perditorian who recovers missing people, but she is joined by her brother Sherlock who is working on the same case. I think the author did a decent job in portraying Sherlock as a confused older brother, trying to put aside his old english sensibility in order to understand his modern sister-sibling. As for the other brother Mycroft, well he hasn't shown up in any of the classic SH books I've read so I dunno if he was portrayed well or not. I think his acceptance of Enola was a bit rushed especially since it took Sherlock a fairly long time. But it was the last book, and thing's needed to be tied up. Speaking of which we find out what happened to Enola's mother and why she left her, and I enjoyed the closure as I'm sure other fans of the series will. The mystery wasn't quiet as sophisticated as the first and second novel's in this series, and I also am not a fan of returning bad guys, but other than those little critiques it was a fun, and interesting book. I finished it in one day. :) Yes I'm proud of that.
Content: Some violence
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Recommend: To fans of the series and parents looking for good mysteries for their children.

Imagination in Focus giveaway: The Eternal Ones

2010-08-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody! Amelia over at Imagination in Focus is giving away her ARC copy of Kirsten Millers new book "The Eternal Ones"!

Here's the summary from Goodreads:
What if love refused to die? Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was. In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again...

If you interested in entering to win head over there right away!

Character Connection: Tuppence Beresford

2010-08-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

Character Connection is a lovely meme hosted by The Introverted Reader, where we can talk about our favorite characters.

"We all have characters we love. Let's spotlight these fantastic creations! Whether you want to be friends with them or you have a full-blown crush on them, you know you love them and want everyone else to love them too!

Most of you will probably post about how much you love each character, but this is a great place for the more creative ones among you to let go and have fun! Write a love letter to Captain Wentworth. Write yourself into a scene with Anne and Diana. Draw a picture of yourself in Jamie's arms. The possibilities are endless.

Be sure to post the book's title and author, and be very careful not to give away spoilers while talking about how much you love your characters."

My character connection is dedicated to Prudence "Tuppence" Crowley later Beresford. She is a detective created by Agatha Christie and first appears in the novel "The Secret Adversary".

"Tommy, old thing!"
"Tuppence, old bean!"

The two young people greeted each other affectionately, and momentarily blocked the Dover Street Tube exit in doing so. The adjective "old" was misleading. Their united ages would certainly not have totalled forty-five."

When we first meet Tuppence she is reuniting with her old friend Tommy. They are both down on their luck and don't know how they are going to make money to live on. That is until Tuppence comes up with a little plan.

"We've tried all the orthodox ways, yes. But suppose we try the unorthodox. Tommy, let's be adventurers!"

"Certainly," replied Tommy cheerfully. "How do we begin?"

"That's the difficulty. If we could make ourselves known, people might hire us to commit crimes for them."

"Delightful," commented Tommy. "Especially coming from a clergyman's daughter!"

Well they do go into business together, but not as criminals. :P They become amateur detectives instead.

I have to say one of the reasons Tuppence is one of my favorite characters is because of her adventurous spirit. She is a girl who likes to keep busy, a fearless go getter, who's always ready for excitement. She's clever and independent, and full of humor. I love reading about her and all the adventures she goes on. She is definitely a fictional role model of mine. :D

WWW Wednesday (July 28)

2010-07-28T08:11:00.001-07:00

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

* What are you currently reading?
* What did you recently finish reading?
* What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading? Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins and Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl. I'm not a big fan of his but I saw the FMF movie in theaters and it was brilliant. My brother also got me the most gorgeous edition of this book, I'm quite proud of it. :D

What did you recently finish reading? Dear Pen Pal by Heather Vogel Frederick and The Case of the Gypsy's Goodbye (an Enola Holmes Mystery) by Nancy Springer.

What do you think you'll read next? Hmm difficult question, even when I try to plan this out it always goes horribly wrong and I end up reading something completely different so I'll just say undecided but I've got some awesome choices.

Top Ten Picks: Favorite Male Literary Character

2010-07-23T11:07:00.001-07:00

Top Ten Picks is a meme hosted by Random Ramblings. Every week she picks a topic for us to pick our top ten favorites of. This weeks topic is Top Ten Literary Males. So here our my top ten in no particular order because I can't pick a favorite.

1. Tom Fitzgerald A.K.A The Great Brain
When I was little these we're my favorite books. The Great Brain series tells the story of Tom Fitzgerald a smart, money loving, and somewhat criminally minded young boy who loves to outsmart the kids and grown ups in his town. It is narrated by Tom's little brother John who is ever disapproving but always in awe of the things his brother gets away with. I always loved to read about all the cons Tom would pull and I must say I loved him to bits for it. Possibly because in my secret heart I had always wanted to do something similar. :P

2. Neville Longbottom
He is one of my favorite characters in HP because he is a truly brave loyal character. Even from the first book, when he tries to stop the "power of 3" from getting into trouble. I think what I like most about this character is, he does things that he is afraid of. He also has a very heartbreaking story. I'm not ashamed to say I cried during the 5th book, and it's just a testament to what a great character J.K. Rowling created. Also I'd like to thank the editor who accepted J.K's book because he told her to put more Neville in it. :) Also I loved him in the 7th book as well. He really grows as a character throughout the series from the "worst wizard" in the first book to a hero in the last.

3. Percy Jackson
This brave little hero capture my affections from the first book. He is absolutely fantastic. He is the typical boy, fun loving, hyper, and full of humor. His narrations are a joy to read, which was a pleasant surprise for me because I didn't think I would like this series so much. I think I like Percy so much because for some odd reason I always thought that is I had a little brother he would be like Percy. I know that sounds completely odd but that was how real he was too me. It definitely took me by surprise how attached I became to him, and again it's just another testament of great writing by Rick Riordan.

4. Christopher Chant A.K.A Chrestomanci
Well this one I picked more as a fun character than any specific deep reason for why I like him. Smart, and quirky Christopher is first introduced as the Chrestomanci in "Charmed Life" a very powerful magician who see's that magic remains in hand in all of the realms of the universe. If you chant is name 3 times he will come and help you out of any magical problem you have with his quick wit and clever use of magic. I like reading his character it's very imaginative and funny. I also like the crazy outfits Dianna Wynne Jones is always putting him in. :P

5. Twig
Twig is the first protagonist introduced in The highly imaginative and adventurous series The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. Raised by a family of woodtrolls Twig starts out as an impetuous, immature, angst ridden boy. You're wondering where the desirable qualities come in. I guess it's all in the character growth here. All alone wandering through the dangerous Deepwoods Twig learns a lot about himself and does plenty of growing up, as he tries to survive and find the people he belongs with. As the series progresses Twig turns into a brave and caring young man, although always impetious, and I like that about him.

6. Sherlock Holmes
The quintessential detective Sherlock Holmes was based off of Edgar Allen Poe's lesser known detective C. Auguste Dupin. Be that as it may Sherlock Holmes is a unique character in and of himself. Bringing cold clear logic to the table, Sherlock Holmes is still as popular today as he was when the stories were first published, and it's no mystery why. :P He is clever, full of justice, and very human. He is full of faults, as prone to addictions as the next person, and he is a confirmed bachelor. He has taken a million readers on a ton of adventures and will continue to do so for many years to come. I first read Sherlock Holmes because as a mystery fan I felt I could not call myself one unless I read SH. I wasn't sure I would like it.You can see how wrong I was. :)

7. Linus Van Pelt
Little Linus Van Pelt is Charlie Browns best friend. He is extremely smart, able to quote Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, and verses from the bible. He is very knowledgeable of human nature. Yet he constantly has to carry around his blankie, confuses Christmas and Halloween, and waits every year for the Great Pumpkin in the Pumpkin patch. Linus has always been my favorite peanuts character, and probably always will be. It's great to see the world through the eyes of such a smart yet innocent child.

8. Eustace Scrubbs
"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." and so is introduced one of my favorite characters in The Chronicles of Narnia series. At first an annoying boy who loves to make fun of his cousins Edmund and Lucy, Eustace is transported to Narnia with them, and goes on a great adventure that changes his life and character. I like a lot of character like this, and I think it's because they are so terrible at first, and they go through a lot of bad stuff because of their selfishness and stupid decisions. But they are so terrible that they cannot change, and learn their lesson. These types of characters in the end are loved not because they were always good but because they were bad, and became stronger characters because of how far they fall. In the end they are braver and more loyal to their cause because they have seen what the other side is like, and how it did not benefit them. Eustace's story is somewhat similar to Edmund's and they are both my favorite. But I like Eustace more although I couldn't quite tell you why. Also the two books he is in are my two favorite Narnia books the 2nd being The Silver Chair.

9. Encyclopedia Brown
Leroy "Encyclopedia" Brown is one of my favorite boy detectives. I started reading them when I was 11 and was simple crazy about them. I loved how clever Encyclopedia was and also how modest he was. He is always willing to help people with their problems but he's not loud or obnoxious about it. The mysteries he solves are not easy ones either. They are written in a figure it out yourself format, there are clues in the passages so that by the end of the story you should be able to figure out the solution. I rarely did though and usually went to the back of the book to read the solution. But it never took away from my enjoyment of the stories.

10. Mr. Knightley
Ah Mr. Knightley, possibly my favorite Austen hero. I absolutely came to love him while reading Emma. Wise and steadfast, Mr. Knightley has known Emma since she was a child. Her knows just how silly and impetuous she can be. He also knows that she has a good heart and he absolutely loves her flaws and all. I like that he can talk to her, and tell her where she's gone wrong, and even though it's criticism, it's loving and meant kindly, and only for her best. I also love how jealous he is of Frank Churchhill, that adds a great comical side to his character. :)

Well that's it for today. Again there not done in order of importance only in order of them popping into my head. :P Also I love all the Austen hero's but Knightley is my favorite. My 2nd is Henry Tilney. :) Most of my favorite characters are from MG novels as I haven't found any amazing YA hero's and I haven't read that many adult books yet. What are your favorite male literary characters?