Reluctant Necromancer

Rating: 5/5

Review: I love paranormal suspense, and this book certainly delivers. There are ghosts, werewolves, sorcerers, witches, half-demons, and a necromancer. This is the second in a great new trilogy by Kelley Armstrong (one of my favorite authors). Chloe is the necromancer who narrates the story, and she has some major issues in dealing with her unwanted powers of raising the dead. She has a few accidents, that are wonderfully creepy. Luckily, this book didn't leave me hanging quite as bad as the first, but I am still waiting anxiously for the third book to come out. Unfortunately, that's not going to be until May 2010. Ah well, There will be plenty of good stuff to read in the mean time.

Book Description: If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.
Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

Paranormal Puberty

Rating: 5/5

Review: This book was so good, that I ended up buying the second in the trilogy just because I didn't want to wait for it to come in at the library. You've got interesting characters, an exciting plot line, great dialogue, and a wonderful new paranormal trilogy by a fabulous author. What more could you possibly want? In the midst of all that, you also have normal teenage hormones and issues. Love it!

Book Description: After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home. At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

Tragic, But Good

Rating: 4/5

Review: This was such a sad tale, but well worth the read. It didn't bring tears to my eyes, but I did feel a little melancholy over certain events. By the end, I was desperately wanting something really good to happen for these poor girls. It did indeed have a happy ending, so do hang in there if you decide to read the book.

Book Description:Alice Hoffman’s previous novel, The Third Angel, was hailed as "an unforgettable portrait of the depth of true love" (USA Today), "stunning" (Jodi Picoult), and "spellbinding" (Miami Herald). Her new novel, The Story Sisters, charts the lives of three sisters–Elv, Claire, and Meg. Each has a fate she must meet alone: one on a country road, one in the streets of Paris, and one in the corridors of her own imagination. Inhabiting their world are a charismatic man who cannot tell the truth, a neighbor who is not who he appears to be, a clumsy boy in Paris who falls in love and stays there, a detective who finds his heart’s desire, and a demon who will not let go.What does a mother do when one of her children goes astray? How does she save one daughter without sacrificing the others? How deep can love go, and how far can it take you? These are the questions this luminous novel asks. At once a coming-of-age tale, a family saga, and a love story of erotic longing, The Story Sisters sifts through the miraculous and the mundane as the girls become women and their choices haunt them, change them and, finally, redeem them.

Catching up

Well, I've fallen behind again. It happens every once in a while, and I do apologize for my delay. I have been reading, though. I just haven't been posting. Busy summer and all that. Let's see, what I have I read since the last post? I read:

It was an interesting book, and quite depressing at times, but very good. I was completely drawn into this tale of a woman falling into madness.

and:

This was a heartwarming book about a young woman who is forced to do something she never thought she wanted to do...be a mom.

I also had a couple of rereads, such as, The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks and Posion Study by Maria V. Snyder. I read the sequel to the former novel, which was called The Dark River. It wasn't nearly as exciting as the first in the trilogy, but it was interesting enough to keep me reading. I am hoping that the next book by Mr. Twelve Hawks will be better. Ok, so that should have me all caught up now. I am currently reading a sorrowful book by Alice Hoffman. I may need something uplifting after that. Haha!

A Witchy Bride

Rating: 5/5

Review: This was the best in the series so far. Garnet and Sebastion are engaged, and the wedding is in two weeks. What happens? Teresa(Sebastion's ex) comes back with a vengence, that's what, and Garnet's hippy parents are there to witness the whole thing. There were some great laugh-out-loud moments, intense moments, and yes, even passionate ones too. A wonderfully fun and exciting book that I must add to my wish list. Garnet Lacey is just so much fun getting to know, and I can't wait for more great books by Tate Hallaway.

Book Description:
Witch, Garnet Lacey, is ready to walk down the aisle with the super sexy vampire Sebastian. Besides the fact that he has no pulse, things couldn't be more perfect. Until plans for the wedding start falling apart, and Sebastian's zombie-slash-vampire-slash witch ex-lover decides that both of them should be six feet under. It's just a matter of time before Garnet—who's already sharing her body with a short-tempered goddess—morphs into Bridezilla.

A Fallen Diva

Rating: 5/5

Review: This was quite a romp! Funny, uplifting, and even inspiring. Jen Lancaster was a spending diva, but her world was turned upside when she got layed off from her extremely high paying job. It was quite amazing reading how she went from preppy socialite to struggling to pay her bills and labeling herself as white trash. The footnotes added more halarity, which was something I had never seen done before. What a hoot!

Book Description:
Jen Lancaster was living the sweet life-until real life kicked her to the curb. She had the perfect man, the perfect job-hell, she had the perfect life-and there was no reason to think it wouldn't last. Or maybe there was, but Jen Lancaster was too busy being manicured, pedicured, highlighted, and generally adored to notice. This is the smart-mouthed, soul-searching story of a woman trying to figure out what happens next when she's gone from six figures to unemployment checks and she stops to reconsider some of the less-than-rosy attitudes and values she thought she'd never have to answer for when times were good. Filled with caustic wit and unusual insight, it's a rollicking read as speedy and unpredictable as the trajectory of a burst balloon.

Murder on Stage

Rating: 4/5

Review: This has to be one of my favorite series of all time. Each book does well on it's own, but as a series they astound. I loved that in this one we get to see more of the personal side of Peabody. I love how she and Eve interact with each other, as well. There were quite a few funny moments, and I actually laughed out loud at least twice. Eve Dallas is such an awesome character, with her sassy wit, strong sense of justice, and fierce determination.

Book Description:
Opening night at New York's New Globe Theater turns from stage scene to crime scene when the leading man is stabbed to death center stage. Now Eve Dallas has a high profile, celebrity homicide on her hands. Not only is she lead detective, she's also a witness - and when the press discovers that her husband owns the theater, there's more media spotlight than either can handle. The only way out is to move fast. Question everyone and everything . . . and in the meantime, try to tell the difference between the truth - and really good acting.