Home of the Shadowhunters

My Rating: 5/5

Review: Such an intense and wonderful series!

Book Description: To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that enter-ing the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?

Love Finds Mary Russell

My Rating: 5/5

Review: There's something so intelligent and fun about this book that makes me want more. I adore Mary Russell, and I adore her and Holmes together. In this sequel to The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Mary finds herself tangled up in a murder mystery involving a woman she can't help but respect. The murders, the near-death of her friend, and a run-in with a nasty knife can't be denied, however. Margery Childe is involved somehow, and Mary must figure it out before her own life is truly at stake. Naturally Holmes is there to help, but this case is all Mary's, and she is quite determined to solve it on her own. Holmes becomes more and more involved, though, and something changes between the two of them by the end of the book. Nearly losing someone you care about will do that to a relationship, though, right? Great mystery, with a dash of suspense.

Book Description: It is 1921 and Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes's brilliant apprentice, now an Oxford graduate with a degree in theology, is on the verge of acquiring a sizable inheritance. Independent at last, with a passion for divinity and detective work, her most baffling mystery may now involve Holmes and the burgeoning of a deeper affection between herself and the retired detective. Russell's attentions turn to the New Temple of God and its leader, Margery Childe, a charismatic suffragette and a mystic, whose draw on the young theology scholar is irresistible. But when four bluestockings from the Temple turn up dead shortly after changing their wills, could sins of a capital nature be afoot? Holmes and Russell investigate, as their partnership takes a surprising turn.

Teen Mystery

My Rating: 4/5

Review: I was drawn in from the begining with this story of a teen girl with a mysterious mom. When said mom goes missing, Anne soon learns that there are deep dark secrets about her mother, as well as, herself. There was a good bit of mystery and suspense here, and a little teenaged drama to boot. I liked all of the characters and found them mostly believable. There may have been a time or two that I didn't think someone would act a certain way in real life, but overall, a good book.

Book Description: SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD ANNE ALWAYS thought her mother was kind of quirky. In fact, her mom’s taste in 70s-esque furniture and mysterious frequent business trips were just the tip of the quirky iceberg. When her
mom doesn’t come home on time from one of her long jaunts, Anne isn’t too surprised. But when a day late turns into a few days late, Anne knows something is very wrong.

Magic Under Striped Tents

My Rating: 4/5

Review: This is a book that should not be rushed through or expected to be devoured in one setting. It must be savored and taken in a little at a time. The magic and awe of the circus is so wonderfully imagined that I truly wish I could go there in person. I could almost smell the caramel and taste the chocolate mice on my tongue. There are so many wondrous characters, performances, magical rooms, and dreamy scenes to intoxicate the senses. The romance between Celia and Marco is beautiful in its simplicity. The imagination of this author astounds and inspires me, and I look forward to her future endeavors.

Book Description: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

The Maids of Southern Bells

My Rating: 5/5

Review: Wonderful, wonderful book! I'm so glad I finally read it!

Book Description: In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

Will Zombies Take Over The World?

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Great suspense and intensity. I like that the characters in these books are realistic. They aren't macho butt kicking superheroes, but normal people struggling to survive in a zombie filled world. It did start to fizzle a little bit towards the end, but quickly picked back up again.

Book Description: There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.
Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.
But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

Shadowhunters versus Demon Horde

My Rating: 5/5

Review: This sequel to City of Bones was like an exhilarating ride at and amusement park. Jace and Clary are so heartbreaking and intense. The action was endless. I couldn't even make myself put the book down during the last few chapters. There are a few big changes that will rock you. By the end of the book I was left with many questions. Are Clary and Jace really brother and sister? What did the Inquisitor whisper in Jace's ear? What happened to Valentine? How will Clary wake her mother up? How does Clary's mom really feel about Luke? What will the Clave want to do with Clary now? I am absolutely chomping at the bit to read the next book!

Book Description: As readers of series starter City of Bones already know, teenager Clary Fray is a Shadowhunter, a demon slayer who has the gift of spotting Downworlder werewolves, vampires, and faeries. She is also an adolescent in an abnormally dysfunctional family: Her mom is in a magically induced coma and her father is probably insane and undoubtedly evil. All of which places Clary in situations that would challenge even the most talented average American girl.

Out of the Ocean Comes Death

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Very good book. Even better than the first one. The intensity was so much stronger, and the story moved along faster.

Book Description: Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

Holmes and His Lovely Apprentice

My Rating: 4/5

Review: I absolutely detest long chapters and thick paragraphs. Despite that, however, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the repartee between Holmes and Mary. I liked getting the background story of how they met, and how Holmes became her mentor. The mysteries they solved together and how that solved them was quite good fun. I will definitely be reading more Laurie R. King books, long chapters and thick paragraphs or not.

Book Description: Long retired, Sherlock Holmes quietly pursues his study of honeybee behavior on the Sussex Downs. He never imagines he would encounter anyone whose intellect matched his own, much less an audacious teenage girl with a penchant for detection. Miss Mary Russell becomes Holmes' pupil and quickly hones her talent for deduction, disguises and danger. But when an elusive villain enters the picture, their partnership is put to a real test.

That Funny Quimby Girl

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Ramona is such a fun character to read about. She always gets into one mess or another, and I never fail to laugh out loud at least once while reading. My son and I love these books.

Book Description: From the first day of third grade, when Ramona Quimby meets her eventual nemesis Yard Ape, life moves on at its usual wild pace--usual for the boisterous Ramona, that is. Soon she is accidentally squashing a raw egg into her hair at the school cafeteria, being forced to play Uncle Rat with her annoying young neighbor, and, worst of all, throwing up in her classroom. The responsibilities of an 8-year-old are sometimes daunting, especially in a family that is trying to squeak by while the father goes back to school. But Ramona is full of too much vim and vigor to ever be down for long.

Story Behind a Painting

My Rating: 4/5

Review: This was much like reading a classic novel, and I thouroughly enjoyed it. Greit was almost unlikeable with her saucy outlook at times, but I couldn't resist her spunk. I liked that she didn't always just let people walk all over her, especially bratty children. I also liked getting a glimpse of what it may have been like in a painter's world. It made me want to see Vermeer's works. I will definitely be checking out other books by Tracy Chevalier.

Book Description: History and fiction merge seamlessly in Tracy Chevalier's luminous novel about artistic vision and sensual awakening. Through the eyes of sixteen-year-old Griet, the world of 1660s Holland comes dazzlingly alive in this richly imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired one of Vermeer's most celebrated paintings.

Zombies, Zombies, Everywhere!

My Rating: 4/5

Review: The first three words that come to mind after finishing this book are dark, tragic, and beautiful. I was intrigued by Mary's world from beginning to end. There is so much tragedy in this poor girl's life that one could not help but feel for her. Yet, she is incredibly brave, and has such a deep unyielding faith in the stories her mother use to tell her of the world beyond their village. There is an ocean to find, a place where they can be safe from the unconsecrated, as the zombies are called. She dreams of it, becomes obsessed with it even. When a mysterious woman comes to their village one night, everything changes. Events soon hurl Mary and the people she cares about out beyond the village into the Forest of Hands and Teeth. I was gripping the book so tight during the last few chapters, I may have left a dent in the pages. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in this series to become available at my library.

Book Description: In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

Save the Wolves!

Book Quote: "There is no better taste than this: someone else's laughter in your mouth."

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Grace and Sam are two young lovers who only want to be together. There's just a few things standing in their way. One, Grace's parents don't approve of their relationship (even though they were pretty much non-parents before Sam came into her life). Two, Grace just so happened to turn into a wolf at the end of the last book. Sam, of course, was cured, so that pretty much puts a damper on the spending any time together thing. Three, just about everyone in Mercy Falls thinks that Sam has killed Grace. Four, Isabel Culpepper's father wants every wolf in Mercy Falls dead. He's still pretty bitter with the death of his only son. Understandable? Yes. Absolutely necessary? No. To top everything off, a certain female has turned up dead, mutilated by a very nasty werewolf that was never really in her right mind to begin with. There's plenty of suspense and intensity here, but there were plenty of horriblt drawn out chapters that kept me from getting completely drawn into the story, as well. Grace and Sam are two very endearing characters, however, so I could never give their story any less than four stars.

Book Description: In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

It's a Little Like Sleeping With the Enemy Only with Kids.

My Rating: 3/5

Review: I started out thinking this book was wonderful, but it got so boring in the middle that I was far too ready to get to the end. It's a storyline that has been done many times over, and there's really nothing new here except for the characters. I liked Katie, Alex, and the kids. I liked the area they were living in, and I liked Jo, Katie's neighbor who ends up being something way more. The ending was typical and not typical, but it didn't make me feel anything except that I was glad that it ended well.

Book Description: When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.
But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

Shapechanger in Victorian London

My Rating: 5/5

Review: I was completely taken in by this book from beginning to end. It was full of suspense, adventure, action, and exciting characters. I do have to warn you, however, that it does leave you hanging most cruelly at the very end. I am so anxious to read the next book that I can barely contain myself.

Book Description: 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.

Ghost in the Garden

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Very good book, but that's what I expect from one of my favorite authors. I loved reading about the big old house and the business side of running a nursery. I love gardening, so this book fit right in with that. The big old house is haunted, of course, so that was fun too. I am definitely curious about the Harper Bride who haunts the children's bedroom, singing a lullaby to them every night. The romance between Logan and Stella was good too, and I loved their constant banter. I'll definitely be continuing on with the trilogy.

Book Description: Trying to escape the ghosts of the past, young widow Stella Rothchild, along with her two energetic little boys, has moved back to her roots in southern Tennessee-and into her new life at Harper House and In the Garden nursery. She isn't intimidated by the house-nor its mistress, local legend Roz Harper. Despite a reputation for being difficult, Roz has been nothing but kind to Stella, offering her a comfortable new place to live and a challenging new job as manager of the flourishing nursery. As Stella settles comfortably into her new life, she finds a nurturing friendship with Roz and with expectant mother Hayley. And she discovers a fierce attraction with ruggedly handsome landscaper Logan Kitridge

But someone isn't happy about the budding romance...the Harper Bride. As the women dig into the history of Harper House, they discover that grief and rage have kept the Bride's spirit alive long past her death. And now, she will do anything to destroy the passion that Logan and Stella share...

Ramona #4

My Rating: 4/5

Review: My son and I are really enjoying the Ramona books. This one seemed like it was going to be too gloomy, since Ramona's dad loses his job, but it wasn't at all. I did squirm a little bit in regards to the smoking at first, but it's a good way for kids to see that it's a bad habit I suppose. As usual, Ramona is such a treat to read about.

Book Description: Second grade is not turning out the way it should for Ramona Quimby. Her dad has lost his job, her mom has found a full-time job, and her big sister Beezus has "reached a difficult age." In her inimitable way, Ramona decides to take charge. She practices TV commercials in hopes of earning a million dollars, but only ends up insulting her teacher and getting into a prickly mess with some burrs. Then she embarks on a campaign to make her father stop smoking. Mr. Quimby manages to hold up under all these strains, but the challenge is on for the whole family to prove their mettle.

The Magic of Childhood

Book Quote: "Arundel Cottage was not only yellow, it was the creamiest, butteriest yellow the Penderwicks had ever seen. It was all a cottage is supposed to be, small and snug, with a front porch, pink climbing roses, and lots of trees for shade."

My Rating: 5/5

Review: This was such a fun little book that I ended up reading on my own, because my son didn't like the fact that there were no pictures. Each Penderwick daughter was unique and precious in her own way. Rosalind, the eldest, is much more mature than her age and acts as mother to her younger sisters. Next we have Skye who is the more adventurous sister and tends to get into trouble with her outspoken and rambunctious ways. Jane is the the third daughter, the dreamer. She's the little writer, and of course, my favorite. The youngest is Batty, who is sweet and shy, but adventurous and full of imagination. There's also the boy they meet on their summer vacation. His name is Jeffrey, who is every bit as adventurous and rambunctious as all of the sisters put together. It was feel good story about the love of sisters, the joy of friendship, the occasional unfairness of childhood, and there can always be a happy ending.

Book Description:While vacationing with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, four lovable sisters, ages four through twelve, share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother.

Shadowhunters

My Rating: 4/5

Review:I had a few moments of not quite wanting to continue with this book, but I'm glad I stuck it out. I ended up enjoying it a lot. It is full of adventure, suspense, and surprises around every turn. I am definitely looking forward to continuing with the series.

Book Description: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

Jane Yellowrock #3

My Rating:4/5

Review: I love this series, and I can't get enough of the butt-kicking Jane Yellowrock! Endless action and intrigue. Good good stuff.

Book Description: Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker − and a vampire killer for hire. But lately she’s found herself taking blood money from the very vampires she used to hunt...

Things are heating up in the Big Easy. Weres have announced their existence tot he world, and revived the bitter tensions that run between them and their old enemies: vampires. As a trusted employee of Leo Pellissier, Blood Master of the City, Jane finds herself caught in the cross fire.

When Jane is attacked by a pack of marauding were-wolves, she is thankful for the help of a mysterious stranger named Girrard. He explains that he used to be Leo’s “Mercy Blade,” a sacred position charged with killing vampires who have gone insane. What Jane doesn’t know is why this powerful assassin left New Orleans − or, more troubling, why he’s now returned. It’s definitely not to make Jane’s life easier...

More Ramona

My Rating: 4/5

Review: My son and I enjoyed this book together. It wasn't quite as funny as Ramona the Pest, but it was still very good. My son says that he likes Ramona because she's a lot like him. I'd have to agree with it to a certain extent. Hahaha!

Book Description: Teenagers think they've got it rough. Try being a misunderstood 6-year-old! Ramona Quimby is bound and determined to be brave as she weathers first grade, her mom's return to work, and sleeping in the spooky dark all alone. But nothing seems to go her way this year. From a fierce dog on the sidewalk to a copycat in her classroom, Ramona has her hands full.

Young Beast

My Rating: 3/5

Review: This was an interesting take on one of my favorite fairytales. I enjoyed it for the most part, but I didn't like the chat room scenes. That made it way too hoakie. I did like the interaction between Adrian and Lindy, though.

Book Description: I am a beast.
A beast!
Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright. I am a monster.
You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll, stay this way forever ruined unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly...beastly.

Save the Kits

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Well, this one didn't grab me quite as well as the first book in the series, but I still enjoyed it very much. Jane's best friend and witch, Molly, has come to New Orleans with her two young children for a visit. Everything is fine and dandy until Leo, the Vampire leader, comes to Jane's place for revenge. Everything starts to escalate from there. Along the way, Jane learns more about her heritage, gets more involved with two men in her life (one more so than the other at first), and discovers secrets about the vampires who hired her. Plenty of action and suspense, and a good amount of sexual tension to boot.

Book Descriptions: The vampire council has hired skinwalker Jane Yellowrock to hunt and kill one of their own who has broken sacred ancient rules — but Jane quickly realizes that in a community that is thousands of years old, loyalties run deep...

With the help of her witch best friend and local vigilantes, Jane finds herself caught between bitter rivalries — and closer than ever to the secret origin of the entire vampire race. But in a city of old grudges and dark magic, Jane will have to fight to protect both sides, even if no one will protect her.

Big Cat Rocks

My Rating: 5/5

Review: It's been quite a while since I had the urgent need to get back to the book I'm reading while having to do something else. Jane Yellowrock is such an intriguing character, and she is definitely going down as one of my all-time favorites. It's pretty difficult to write a paranormal book without it becoming hoaky, but Faith Hunter does an excellent job of it. It was exciting, with plenty of on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense. Good action scenes, a comical moment here and there, and great characters. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I am also looking forward to learning more about Jane and her witchy friend, Molly.

Book Description: As a freelance skinwalker, Jane Yellowrock spends most of her time hunting down snarling vampires. In her latest gig, however, this Cherokee stalker receives a call from an unexpected client: New Orleans vampire madam Katherine Fontaneau wants Jane's help in "neutralizing" a rogue of her species who has been slaughtering other vampires. A steamy, action-packed mass market original.

Another Opal Adventure

My Rating: 4/5

Review: While I do like Opal a lot, I don't like how easily she falls into bed with whomever she's currently in love with. She's been horribly tortured and betrayed in a very sexual way. That should be enough to make her weary. That's my only complaint in this second book of the Glass Trilogy by Maria V. Snyder. She has created such a wonderfully adventurous world with endless possibilities and stories to be told. Her characters both good and evil are well developed and all entertaining in their own ways. I'll be checking out Opal's final adventure soon, and I hope it comes to a satisfactory end.

Book Description: Student glass magician Opal Cowan's newfound ability to steal a magician's powers makes her too powerful. Ordered to house arrest by the Council, Opal dares defy them, traveling to the Moon Clan's lands in search of Ulrick, the man she thinks she loves. Thinks because she is sure another man now her prisoner has switched souls with Ulrick.

In hostile territory, without proof or allies, Opal isn't sure whom to trust. She can't forget Kade, the handsome Stormdancer who doesn't want to let her get close. And now everyone is after Opal's special powers for their own deadly gain....

The Pioneer Woman's Love Story

My Rating: 4/5

Review: I must start by saying that I absolutely adore Ree Drummond. Her blog is such a joy to read, and I have made a couple of her recipes so far that were fantabulous. This book has been so much fun to read, and I am so glad that she has shared her sweet romance with her fans. It felt like I was reminiscing with a dear friend. It was real and heartfelt, and funny, and just so good. I liked that she added some recipes at the end. I will have to try at least one.

Book Description: I'll never forget that night. It was like a romance novel, an old Broadway musical, and a John Wayne western rolled into one. Out for a quick drink with friends, I wasn't looking to meet anyone, let alone a tall, rugged cowboy who lived on a cattle ranch miles away from my cultured, corporate hometown. But before I knew it, I'd been struck with a lightning bolt . . . and I was completely powerless to stop it.

Read along as I recount the rip-roaring details of my unlikely romance with a chaps-wearing cowboy, from the early days of our courtship (complete with cows, horses, prairie fire, and passion) all the way through the first year of our marriage, which would be filled with more challenge and strife—and manure—than I ever could have expected.

This isn't just my love story; it's a universal tale of passion, romance, and all-encompassing love that sweeps us off our feet.

What's Under the Floor?

My Rating: 3.5/5

Review: The beginning didn't draw me in as much I would have liked, but by somewhere in the middle, I was hooked. Too many descriptions tended to slow the story down a bit, and I never seem to like it when the author shows the character's thoughts. The action was great, though, and there was an unexpected twist at the end. I liked the main character, Nat Greco, who has a big family that's always in her business. She is short, but spunky. She loves books. She sometimes has trouble getting through to her students. She's very relatable, which makes her predicaments seem real. So, not an overly fast-paced novel, but a good read nonetheless.

Book Description: Mousy University of Pennsylvania assistant law professor Natalie "Nat" Greco, finds herself in way over her head when an unintended visit to a minimum-security prison in nearby Chester County puts her in the middle of a deadly uprising -- and places her at the center of an elaborate plot that involves an incarcerated crime boss and more than a few improbable conspirators.

Kvothe Returns At Last

My Rating: 4/5

Review:
I am going to liken this book to what I imagine a hike on the Appalachian Trail to be; long, tedious at times, but extraordinary. Patrick Rothfuss has such a beautiful and magical way with words that I am astounded with every page. Still, this book did not have quite the magic and thrill the first book in the trilogy posessed. The beginning was like a happy reunion. All of the characters I have grown fond of were there. The mishaps and intrigue of daily life at the university was an endless delight. Then it started growing darker and slightly less entertaining for a bit. There was still eloquence on every page, but there were tedious moments too. After that, it changed between merely interesting and moderately exciting. I hope the author will forgive me for saying so, but it felt very indulgent at times. I can still say that I loved the book, however, and I will try my best to wait patiently for the next installment. It's going to be difficult, but I will try.

Book Description: For nearly four years, fantasy and science fiction enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting this second volume to Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles. The first volume, The Name of the Wind, won the prestigious Quill Award and was recently voted as the third-best SFF novel of the decade on Tor.com. In this linchpin book of the trilogy, Kvothe continues his perilous search for answers about the Chandrian even as he grapples with more pressing dangers.

Maybe You Didn't Know This About Your Favorite Female Author

My Rating: 4/5

My Review:
This was a wonderful little book. Very interesting facts about female authors of some of the most memorable books. It seems that the best writers must suffer before they achieve greatness.

Book Description: An exploration of classic heroines and their equally admirable authors, The Heroine's Bookshelf shows today's women how to tap into their inner strengths and live life with intelligence and grace.

Introducing Flavia de Luce

My Rating: 4/5

Review: This was a lovely mystery involving the most intriguing little girl I have ever come across in a book. Flavia de Luce loves chemistry, and she is most particularly enamored with poisons. When a stranger dies before her eyes outside her home, she is immediately thrust into a complex murder mystery. When her father is arrested for the crime, it makes her investigations all the more important. I love her wit, her love for her trusty bicycle, Gladys, and her determination. Not to mention her bravery. It takes quite a bit of gumption to go through what she does to solve the murder and free her dad from jail. I am looking forward ti reading the next book in this series.

Book Description: In his wickedly brilliant first novel, Debut Dagger Award winner Alan Bradley introduces one of the most singular and engaging heroines in recent fiction: eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison. It is the summer of 1950-and a series of inexplicable events has struck Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia's family calls home. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. "I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn't. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life."

To Flavia the investigation is the stuff of science: full of possibilities, contradictions, and connections.

Not Your Average Mystery

My rating: 5/5

Review: When I first started reading this book, I didn't really think that I would be teary eyed by the end. It was just another great mystery story to me. Let me just tell you right now, it is not just another great mystery story. The twists and turns don't really get going good until you get closer to the end, but there are so many of them that your mind will reel. There's also a lesson or two to be learned, as it always seems to be with Coben's books. Supposed facts can be deceiving, just as lies can end up being truths. Compassion is something we all need at one time or another. Also, bad things can happen even with the best intentions. I'm sure there are one or two I'm leaving out, but I think you get the idea. Great book, great mystery, fabulous ending. I'll be reading every Harlan Coben book I can get my hands on from here on out. That is, as soon as I get through the next four books I have stacked up on my end table.

Book Description: From the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense comes a fast-paced, emotion-packed novel about guilt, grief, and our capacity to forgive 17-year-old Haley McWaid is a good girl, the pride of her suburban New Jersey family, captain of the lacrosse team, headed off to college next year with all the hopes and dreams her doting parents can pin on her. Which is why, when her mother wakes one morning to find that Haley never came home the night before, and three months quickly pass without word from the girl, the community assumes the worst. Wendy Tynes is a reporter on a mission, to identify and bring down sexual predators via elaborate-and nationally televised-sting operations. Working with local police on her news program Caught in the Act, Wendy and her team have publicly shamed dozens of men by the time she encounters her latest target. Dan Mercer is a social worker known as a friend to troubled teens, but his story soon becomes more complicated than Wendy could have imagined. In a novel that challenges as much as it thrills, filled with the astonishing tension and unseen suburban machinations that have become Coben's trademark, Caught tells the story of a missing girl, the community stunned by her loss, the predator who may have taken her, and the reporter who suddenly realizes she can't trust her own instincts about this story-or the motives of the people around her.

A Gaurdian Falls

My Rating: 3/5

Review: This was my ninth Goodreads win, so I am very appreciative of that. Unfortunately, the book wasn't as great as I was expecting it to be. I like the concept of it very much, but the writing style was very frustrating to me at times. I don't like it when names are repeated over and over within a couple of paragraphs, and the dialogue did not flow well at all. When there are only two characters talking, there should be no need to constantly remind the reader who is speaking. The action sequences were done very well for the most part, however, and the ending was very good. I was just intrigued enough to wonder what will happen next.

Book Description: Imagine a moment of unseen intervention on your behalf. What would you do if you discovered invisible beings surrounding you? What if you were the key to their survival? SON OF EDEN introduces a world where unseen beings really do exist, love has no limits, and the realization of one’s self worth is pivotal. Tormented by sadness over her mother’s death, Emily Wallace wonders if life really has any purpose. Her question is answered when she meets Alexander. After transgressing the laws of his kind, Alexander reveals his true nature to Emily and the two find life without one another is not an option. But, forming such a cosmically unique relationship comes with a price. It becomes apparent that some will stop at nothing to ensure an ancient prophecy surrounding these two is never fulfilled. Is the Opposition motivated by knowledge of Alexander’s true identity? Or, are they more concerned with who Emily is destined to become?

Over the Rainbow

My Rating: 4/5

Review: My seven-year-old son and I read this together, and both of us thought it was weird but fun. It is very different from the movie, and I am quite surprised that someone like Tim Burton hasn't gotten a hold of it and given it a more accurate adaptation. Of course the biggest difference that everyone knows about by now is the fact that the slippers given to Dorothy were silver instead of ruby. Dorothy has a much bigger adventure on the written page than the silver screen. So many different beings to meet, three witches to have dealings with instead of two, and many many more intriguing things. There were just enough similarities to the movie that I think my son will get a kick out of watching it. He has also agreed to continue with the series, so that should be fun.

Book Description: Santore's version of the L. Frank Baum fantasy is highly visual yet faithful to the original story. Never before have the Land of the Munchkins been more enchanting, the forest of Oz more foreboding, or the Emerald City more magnificent. Santore's journey through Oz is a journey of color and beauty as well as one of excitment and adventure.

The Old South

My Rating: 5/5

Review: I was immediately caught up in the story of Livinia and Belle, the slave woman who was put in charge of her. Plantation life came alive for me as I consumed each word. There was tragedy and hardship, but there was also love and togetherness that only a close knit family could share. Livinia was seven when she arrived at the tobacco plantation in Virginia. She was a freckled-faced Irish girl, with red hair and no memory of who she was or where she came from. It takes a shocking moment for her to have a sudden flash of memory. Her story goes on from there up until she's a grown woman. I liked that the point-of-view went back and forth between Livinia and Belle. There were so many characters to cherish or loathe as the case may be. I only wish that there could have been an epilogue at the end just to give me a little more closure, but I made up my own in my mind, so I'm quite satisfied.

Book Description: Orphaned while on board ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin.

Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk.

The Kitchen House is a tragic story of page-turning suspense, exploring the meaning of family, where love and loyalty prevail.

Dark Divine #2

My Rating: 5/5

Review: This is the first series in a long time where I actually need the little reminders of what happened in the previous books. I say books, because I'm sure I'll need a refresher by the time the next in the series comes out. I generally tend to read older series so that I don't have to wait anxiously for the next book to be released. The Dark Divine series is a happy exception. I love how the author makes Grace's world seem so real. She has real teenage problems, like waiting to have sex and whether or not she should go to college. There's a definite Christian element here that is unusual for paranormal books. I find that interesting. In this sequel, Grace now has the potential to become a wolf, but her boyfriend, Daniel is trying to help her keep that from happening. But Daniel has a strange issue of his own to deal with, and Grace ends up feeling cast aside. Enter the mysterious flannel clad Talbot who rescues her and starts training her himself. Only Talbot seems to be encouraging the wolf instead of helping her keep it at bay, and Grace soon has a battle she may not be able to win. In the midst of all this, Grace's brother, Jude, is missing, and everyone he once cared about is trying desperately to find him. Great action, cool characters, and a cliffhanger at the end will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat.

Book Description: The non-stop sequel to The Dark Divine delivers an even hotter romance and more thrilling action than Bree Despain's first novel. Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She gave her soul to the wolf to save him and lost her beloved mother. When Grace receives a haunting phone call from Jude, she knows what she must do. She must become a Hound of Heaven. Desparate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot - a newcomer to town who promises her that he can help her be a hero. But as the two grow closer, the wolf grows in Grace, and her relationship with Daniel begins to crumble. Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace becomes prideful in her new abilities - not realizing that an old enemy has returned and deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Bad Revamp of an Austen Classic

My Rating: 2/5

Review: This book was just okay for me. I actually won it through the Goodreads giveaways, so I was excited to read it and post my review. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I thought I was going to. The characters were vaguely interesting, there was a scattering of wit here and there, and I vaguely enjoyed the scenery. For the most part, however, I found the story to be quite boring and very depressing. I didn't feel that it was much of a homage to Jane Austen at all, as other reviews claim. I hate giving bad reviews, but I had much higher expectations for this book, and was left feeling quite disappointed.

Book Description: Jane Austen’s beloved Sense and Sensibility has moved to Westport, Connecticut, in this enchanting modern-day homage to the classic novel

When Joseph Weissmann divorced his wife, he was seventy eight years old and she was seventy-five . . . He said the words “Irreconcilable differences,” and saw real confusion in his wife’s eyes.

“Irreconcilable differences?” she said. “Of course there are irreconcilable differences. What on earth does that have to do with divorce?”

Thus begins The Three Weissmanns of Westport, a sparkling contemporary adaptation of Sense and Sensibility from the always winning Cathleen Schine, who has already been crowned “a modern-day Jewish Jane Austen” by People’s Leah Rozen.

In Schine’s story, sisters Miranda, an impulsive but successful literary agent, and Annie, a pragmatic library director, quite unexpectedly find themselves the middle-aged products of a broken home. Dumped by her husband of nearly fifty years and then exiled from their elegant New York apartment by his mistress, Betty is forced to move to a small, run-down Westport, Connecticut, beach cottage. Joining her are Miranda and Annie, who dutifully comes along to keep an eye on her capricious mother and sister. As the sisters mingle with the suburban aristocracy, love starts to blossom for both of them, and they find themselves struggling with the dueling demands of reason and romance.

Danger in the Hills

My Rating: 3/5

Review: While I did enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Black Hills, I couldn't help but feel that this book tended to drag a little bit. There was too much down time between suspenseful scenes, and the romance didn't really add much to the story. I kept waiting for the nail-biting suspense, but it rarely came. In fact, there wasn't much suspense at all until the last couple of chapters. I liked the story of Lil, and her wildlife refuge. I liked the family camaraderie, and the little coming of age set-up with Lil and Coop in the beginning. I did not like how long it took to get to the story's climax, however, nor the feeling relief once I'd finally gotten to the end. I expect better from one of my favorite authors of all time. This felt more like a Lifetime movie, then the gritty goodness of her past works.

Book Description: A summer at his grandparents' South Dakota ranch is not eleven-year-old Cooper Sullivan's idea of a good time. But things are a bit more bearable now that he's discovered the neighbor girl, Lil Chance, and her homemade batting cage. Even horseback riding isn't as awful as Coop thought it would be. Each year, with Coop's annual summer visit, their friendship deepens from innocent games to stolen kisses, but there is one shared experience that will forever haunt them: the terrifying discovery of a hiker's body.

As the seasons change and the years roll, Lil stays steadfast to her dreams of becoming a wildlife biologist and protecting her family land, while Coop struggles with his father's demand that he attend law school and join the family firm. Twelve years after they last walked together hand in hand, fate has brought them back to the Black Hills when the people and things they hold most dear need them most.

An investigator in New York, Coop recently left his fastpaced life to care for his aging grandparents and the ranch he has come to call home. Though the memory of his touch still haunts her, Lil has let nothing stop her dream of opening the Chance Wildlife Refuge, but something . . . or someone . . . has been keeping a close watch. When small pranks and acts of destruction escalate into the heartless killing of Lil's beloved cougar, recollections of an unsolved murder in these very hills have Coop springing to action to keep Lil safe.

Lil and Coop both know the natural dangers that lurk in the wild landscape of the Black Hills. But now they must work together to unearth a killer of twisted and unnatural instincts who has singled them out as prey.

Feelings Have a Taste

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Upon closing this book, I felt a little unfulfilled. There wasn't much closure, and I was left with that old feeling of "but what happened next?" It was a great story, however. Very unique to anything I've read before. I was drawn in immediately by Rose Edelstein, and her peculiar gift of being able to taste the feelings of anyone's food she eats. It begins on her ninth birthday, when her mother bakes her a lemon cake. Mrs. Edelstein was always cheerful and positive on the outside, but Rose soon finds out that she isn't really a happy person at all. It's a horrible realization for a young girl, and this new "gift" is something she wishes very much that she could give back. Rose tells her story from there all the way up to age twenty-two. It is funny, sad, interesting, and at times even a little uplifting. I just wish there could be a sequel.

Book Description: On the eve of her ninth birthday, unassuming Rose Edelstein, a girl at the periphery of schoolyard games and her distracted parents’ attention, bites into her mother’s homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother’s emotions in the cake. She discovers this gift to her horror, for her mother—her cheerful, good-with-crafts, can-do mother—tastes of despair and desperation. Suddenly, and for the rest of her life, food becomes a peril and a threat to Rose.

The curse her gift has bestowed is the secret knowledge all families keep hidden—her mother’s life outside the home, her father’s detachment, her brother’s clash with the world. Yet as Rose grows up she learns to harness her gift and becomes aware that there are secrets even her taste buds cannot discern.