Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood)'s life has been anything but ordinary.  The shopaholic wooed the debonair Luke Brandon, Finance PR Extraordinaire, while devising a way to throw a certain bank manager named Derek Smeath off her track.  Then she moved to Manhattan, became host of a financial segment on a popular TV show (even though she can't handle her own finances), and shopped some more.  Then there was the fiasco of the two-weddings-on-the-same-day, one in NYC and one in England.  And of course, more shopping.  After a fairy-tale honeymoon, Becky arrived home to discover that she has a half-sister she never knew about, a sister who hates to shop!  Let's see... what else?  Becky got pregnant, scored a celebrity OB, and then hired a P.I. to follow said celebrity OB and her own husband, Luke, because she swore they were having an affair.  (All links are to my reviews of the other Shopaholic books.)

Now Becky and Luke are parents!  Mini Shopaholic takes place two years after Shopaholic and Baby left off.  'Mini Shopaholic' herself, Minnie Brandon, is now a rambunctious two-year-old, and Luke and Becky are at wits' end; they don't know what to do with little Minnie, who wreaks havoc wherever she goes.  Becky's mum is willing to help with Minnie--she's been doing it for the two years Becky and Luke have been living in her house anyway--but Becky and Luke decide to hire an "Ultimate Nanny" instead.  (After all, it'd be great if Minnie could learn Mandarin!)  Becky is less than forthcoming about Minnie's behavior, though, and said Ultimate Nanny begs off after a few hours in Minnie's presence.  Can anything go right?  Not only has their fifth try at buying a home fallen through, but there's a huge financial crisis in England because one of the major banks failed.  Luke is putting in so much extra time at work that Becky decides to throw him a surprise party for his birthday.  Of course, she has trouble staying on budget, so she accepts help from an unlikely source...Luke's birth mother, Elinor, whom Luke isn't speaking to at the moment.  As with any book featuring Becky Brandon, chaos ensues, lies are told, and shopping is done.

I was super excited to get my hands on this book.  I really enjoyed the first five Shopaholic books.  Becky makes me laugh.  She gets into so much trouble, and of course her scrapes are all a bit unbelievable and outrageous, but she's just such an amusing character to spend time with (even when I want to pull my hair out and shout at her that she better not buy that dress/purse/scarf/pair of shoes, no matter the sale price.)  Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this latest book as much as I'd hoped to.  Sure, I still liked it and Becky still made me laugh (though not as much as in the other books), but I'm left feeling slightly disappointed.

3.5/5

Mini Shopaholic is #6 in the Shopaholic series.

Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz

It's difficult to review this series without giving anything away!  This is what the synopsis from the front cover of the book says:

Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question - is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force.

When one of the Gates of Hell is breached by Silver Bloods in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods will need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high; the battle is bloody; and through it all, Schuyler is torn between duty and passion, love and freedom. In the end, one vampire's secret identity will be exposed in a revelation that shocks everyone.

The title of this book really fits.  (In fact, I think Ms. de la Cruz has done an excellent job in choosing titles for the other books in the series, as well.)  The 'revelations' in this third book were totally unexpected.  I thought I had some things figured out, but I was completely wrong.  After a slow start with this book, things really picked up.  The twists and turns make reading this series a lot of fun.  They're not the greatest books ever written, but I enjoy reading them.  Revelations has definitely left me wanting more, and I can't wait to see what happens with Bliss, Schuyler, Jack, Mimi, and Oliver in the next book!

My rating: 4/5

Revelations is #3 in the Blue Bloods series.

Coming soon

A review for Revelations.  Don't have time for it now, as I need to make dinner.  (Hopefully I can remember what the book was even about by the time I get to the review.)  Then I'm off to a FREE screening of Life As We Know It, starring Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl.

I'm currently reading Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.  I'm excited to actually have some time to read so that I can get into it!  (Five hours spent Skyping with your mother and sisters all over the country--and Scotland--doesn't leave much time for other things!)

UPDATE:
The movie last night was really cute.  I laughed a lot and enjoyed it more than I thought I would.  Even better, it won't be officially 'released' until Friday, so I was able to see it early and for free!  Can't beat that.

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

Schuyler Van Alen has discovered her Blue Blood legacy and must now come to terms with her powers.  Hoping to unearth the identity of the Silver Blood who is killing young Blue Bloods, Schuyler and her best friend, Oliver, travel to Venice in search of Schuyler's long-lost grandfather.  Back in NYC, preparations are underway for the Four Hundred Ball.  At the ball, a mysterious new Blue Blood appears.  He's hot and sexy and flirts with Mimi, Bliss, and Schuyler.  Does he have ulterior motives?  And what does his appearance mean for Schuyler...and Jack?

I had a great time reading Masquerade.  I loved every minute, and didn't want it to end.  My questions about Mimi and Jack's bond were answered, and I liked that Schuyler finally had her eyes opened to Oliver's true feelings for her.  Nothing wrong with a love triangle, right?  I'm rooting for Jack, but I like Oliver so much.  (And how crazy is it that even though I loathe Mimi and really want Jack and Schuyler to be together, there's a part of me that feels sorry for Mimi because she loves Jack so much.  And he loves Mimi just as fully, but he can't fight his connection with Schuyler.  The whole thing is completely messed up, yet it works.)  The New Guy, Kingsley, is mysterious and creepy.  And that ending...did NOT see that coming!

I am SO looking forward to the next book.  Good thing I have it waiting right here!

My rating: 4/5

Masquerade is #2 in the Blue Bloods series.

Top 10 Literary Crushes, Vol. 3

So my sister, Beth, and I were talking last week and she said I should update my literary crush list again.  The last time I updated my list was almost exactly one year ago, when it looked like this:

1. Edward Cullen, the Twilight saga
2. Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins (Have I already mentioned that I adore him? I have?)
3. Prince Po, Graceling by Kristin Cashore (just thinking about his gold and silver eyes makes me melt!)
4. Max Pesaro, The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason
5. Miach of Neroche, The Nine Kingdoms series by Lynn Kurland
6. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice
7. Rhys de Piaget and Robin de Piaget (or any de Piaget male for that matter!), Lynn Kurland books
8. Gilbert Blythe, Anne of Green Gables
9. Joshua Steed, The Work and the Glory series by Gerald N. Lund
10. Luke Brandon, Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella

Not a bad list, but I definitely have some different names to add this year.  I'm always thrilled when an author can make me fall for one of his/her characters!
 
So, without further ado, I introduce to you my "Ten Literary Characters I Would Totally Make Out With If I Were Single and They Were Real But I'm Not, Single I Mean; I Am Real -- But I'm Also Happily Married and Want To Stay That Way, So Maybe We Should Forget This..."  (volume 3)

1. Edward Cullen...always and forever
2. Peeta Mellark...let me clarify and say I prefer the Peeta from The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. He was so different in Mockingjay.  That said, I still adore him.
3. Max Pesaro...I will always love you, Max!
4. Dimitri Belikov, the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead...mmm, mmm good!  Can't wait for Last Sacrifice!
5. Valek, the Study series by Maria V. Snyder...love him!
6. Prince Po...gold and silver eyes.  Need I say more?
7. Prince Brigan, Fire by Kristin Cashore...both Po and Brigan are to-die-for.  Or to-sigh-for ;)
8. Miach of Neroche or any de Piaget male...such gentlemen, but so brave and studly at the same time.
9. Fitzwilliam Darcy...of course he's still on the list
10. Patch Cipriano, Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick...bad boy fallen angel=hot!
 
Wow, it was much more difficult to narrow it down to 10 than I thought it would be!  Poor Mr. Darcy just keeps falling further and further down the list.  Sorry, Darcy.  I still love you.
 
Your turn, Beth. ;)
 
If you want to review my list from 2007, click here.

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society.

The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapidated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a popular girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think, but she wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?

Since reading Twilight, I've come to love YA vampire stories.  While some are definitely better than others, I found myself really enjoying Blue Bloods.  While I didn't enjoy it as much as Twilight, it was still an entertaining read.  Besides all the fashion designer name-dropping, I think what most bothered me about this book was the way Schuyler and Jack Force went from I-barely-know-you to I-love-you-and-can't-live-without-you in a nanosecond.  (The same thing bothered me with Bella and Edward in the Twilight movie.  Ugh.)  Still, I find Jack captivating.  Mimi, on the other hand, drove me nuts (in a good way!), and I think there is something ominous about her.  Her relationship with Jack, her twin brother, is very strange, and I hope the next book delves further into the Force family history and expounds on the twins' relationship more fully.

I think it's interesting that the Blue Bloods are reincarnated over and over throughout eternity, and I found it fascinating that Jack thought Schuyler was the woman from his "dreams" when really it was her mother.  Can't wait to see how that all plays out!  I'm eager to read Masquerade and continue the story.  Just as soon as I read The Joy Luck Club for my family book club.
 
My rating: 3.5/5
 
Blue Bloods is #1 in the Blue Bloods series.

Blue Moon by Alyson Noël

Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an Immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever’s powers are increasing, Damen’s are fading—stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen’s past—the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day...

While Evermore introduced the characters and outlined Ever and Damen's story to a certain extent, Blue Moon filled in the missing blanks.  I more fully understood just what Summerland is, what the mysterious red elixir is that Damen is always drinking, and how the Immortals and "rogue" Immortals came to be, as well as other questions that I felt weren't answered in the first book.  Usually, I hate getting bogged down in details, but I thought the details made this second installment so much more interesting than the first.  I admit to rolling my eyes when Ever was able to get her hands on all those crazy minerals and ingredients, though: A quartz crystal bowl that's been turned to the seventh chakra; a red silk pouch embroidered by Tibetan monks; herbs planted during the new moon and tended by blind nuns in India... Come on.  All that aside, the story was better, the characters were more entertaining, and, surprisingly enough, I'm actually looking forward to continuing with this series.  (I still can't get over Ever's name, though.  Ever Bloom.  Good grief.)

My rating: 4/5

Blue Moon is #2 in The Immortals series.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan

A friend of mine read I Now Pronounce You Someone Else earlier in the week, and it sounded so cute and her review was so good that I asked if I could borrow it.  I'd been in kind of a "blah" reading mood, where nothing I picked up interested me, and a fun fluff read like this seemed just the perfect thing to pull me out of my funk.

Bronwen Oliver, the protagonist of I Now Pronounce You Someone Else, swears she isn't her mother's child.  How can she be, when her hair is brown and she hates ketchup?  She must have been switched at birth.  Yes, that's it.  And now she's determined to find her Real Family.

Jared Sondervan is an old friend of Bronwen's brother, and when they meet again the summer before Bronwen's senior year of high school, it's love at first sight for both of them.  Jared may be starting his final year of college in the fall, but he's everything Bronwen's ever wanted, and his family is everything she hoped her Real Family could be.  When Jared proposes to Bronwen on her 18th birthday, she's thrilled.  Her dream of a perfect family is coming true.  Wedding plans soon overwhelm her, but Bronwen knows what she wants.  At least she thinks she does.  Before Bronwen can determine what she really wants, she needs to determine who she is.

This book was utterly charming and delightful.  I loved the characters (especially Bronwen, Jared, and Bronwen's stepdad, Whitt) and I loved the chemistry between Bronwen and Jared.  I swooned each time Jared told Bronwen to dream of him.  As wonderful and perfect as their relationship seemed, I was pleased that Bronwen took a step back to truly consider her future, even if it meant hurting Jared.  It was important for her to know who she was before committing to such a life-changing event.  I wasn't sure whether the ending of the book would live up to the expectations I had while reading it, but it did...and, boy, was I happy!  A very fun read.

My rating: 4.25/5

Evermore by Alyson Noël

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . .

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

A friend of mine is reading this book, and she says she's having a hard time getting into it, that it seems too much like Twilight.  I had similar thoughts while reading Evermore.  It was very Twilightish, but different enough that the similarities didn't bother me.  What did bother me was Ever's friend Haven.  I couldn't stand her.  I liked both Ever and Damen, and Ever's friend, Miles, and while the story was interesting enough at first to keep me reading, by the end I was ready to be done.  The whole plotline with Ever's sister Riley didn't really pull me in; Drina, Damen's mysterious redheaded lady friend, drove me nuts; "Summerland" made me laugh. I did appreciate that Ever had a big choice to make at the end, and I'm glad she took time to think about it, but now that she's chosen to be with/like Damen, I don't know that I really care to continue with her story.  There are at least 4 more books in this series--I picked the second one, Blue Moon, up from the library today--but if I can't get into the second one, I'm not going to bother reading the rest of them.

3/5

Evermore is #1 in The Immortals series.

Church book group: Ender's Game and Fallen

Last night my church book group met to discuss Ender's Game.  I read it way back in 2006 (see my review here), and while I didn't feel like completely re-reading it  (I had other things to read...like Mockingjay), I did find the time to read some summaries online and go over the last few chapters of the book again to refresh the story in my mind.  We had a great discussion--one of our best yet.  Not everyone loved the book like I did (although a couple of women did), but it got pretty good reviews from the other gals.

Anyway, someone asked what next month's book, Fallen, is about, and since I've read it already, I decided to give a little summary of sorts.  But for the life of me, I couldn't remember a single thing.  A couple of the other women are reading it now, and one other has already read it, so I asked them to tell me the names of the main characters in hopes that I could remember something.  (I've been so anxious for Mockingjay to come out that everything else has leaked from my brain, it seems.)  To make sure that I have at least one resource to look back on next month when book group comes around, I decided that I should write my Fallen review before I completely forget everything about the book.  As it is, I don't remember much, which is quite sad, considering I read it a little over a week ago.

I'll just go ahead and use the synopsis from the back of the book, since I don't feel any summary I write will do the book justice:

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce—and goes out of his way to make that very clear—she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

I found another synopsis online that gives a better feel for the book, but it is definitely spoiler-ish, so highlight it if you'd like to know more about Fallen:

Seventeen-year-old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce's boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant, even evil, history.


It's only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there's a reason to be here though she doesn't know what it is. And Daniel's frosty cold demeanor toward her? It's really a protective device that he's used again . . . and again. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years . . . and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is.

I wanted to like Fallen a whole lot more than I did.  I waited and waited for something to happen, but the story dragged on so slowly.  Fallen has a very interesting premise, but it took far too long for anything to happen.  I know it's the first book in a series, but come on.  The last 100 pages (out of 452), when we find out Daniel and Luce's story, are what made the book enjoyable for me, and it's those last chapters that make me eager to read Torment when it comes out.  I really hope things work out for Luce and Daniel!

3.25/5

Mockingjay!

I was SO EXCITED to get my hands on this book!  My husband brought it home for me bright and early (2:30) yesterday morning, and all I wanted to do was spend the day devouring it.  Unfortunately, life got in the way and I wasn't able to really delve into the story until yesterday evening.  I was sucked in, of course, because I love the characters and couldn't wait to find out what would happen to them.  I stayed up until 1:15 this morning to finish the book.  And...just as with Breaking Dawn, I was left with a feeling of disappointment.  Mockingjay was definitely not the conclusion I had hoped for.  Maybe my expectations were too high.  It's just that The Hunger Games and Catching Fire were both so amazing that I just knew Mockingjay had to be, too.  Only it wasn't.  At least not in my opinion.

Yes, the story was good and very well-written.  I understand that war is not a pretty thing, and Suzanne Collins did a great job describing just how horrific war is.  But I didn't feel that connection with any of the characters that I had in the first two books.  They seemed so different.  I wasn't as emotionally involved as I had previously been.

SPOILERS to follow, so read at your own risk!!  (Highlight to read.)


I actually ended up liking Gale so much more in this book.  I could see why some fans would want he and Katniss to end up together.  I don't think his character was developed much in the first two books, but in Mockingjay we get a real sense of who Gale is, and he really grew on me.  But, he could never take Peeta's place in my heart, or in Katniss' (or so I hoped!).


So, on to Peeta: I didn't like what Collins did to Peeta.  At all.  He wasn't the Peeta I'd fallen in love with.  He was just a shell of himself, and I know that there's good reason he was like that, given what he experienced at the hands of the Capitol people.  But I had a hard time connecting with him in Mockingjay.  There were times that I just wanted to cry for what had been done to him.  I didn't give up hope that he'd return to his normal kind, happy self after being hijacked, but that didn't happen.  Sure, by the end he seemed okay, but I still don't feel that he was the same Peeta.  And I missed that Peeta terribly.


Katniss wasn't herself at the end, either, it seemed.  After all the atrocities of war, of losing her friends and Prim, I understand why she would go a bit crazy.  But she'd been so strong and such a fighter for such a long time that I expected her to always be strong.  Maybe it was naive on my part, but I'd hoped she'd pull through everything and still have that fighting spirit to her.  She seemed so broken at the end, and I absolutely understand why, what with Prim being killed and her mom and Gale abandoning her.  But there was just something about Katniss that didn't sit right with me.  I'm glad that Haymitch, Greasy Sae, and Peeta didn't give up on her, though.


I was really sad when Finnick died!  He was one of my favorite characters.  On the contrary, I have to admit that I didn't mourn Prim's death much.  I'm glad we got to know her better in this book, but I didn't ever really connect with her as I did with other characters--characters I'd "known" for a longer period of time.  But, Finnick... that broke my heart.


I was confused when the parachute bombs went off toward the end, when all the children were corralled in front of Snow's mansion.  I didn't really understand what was going on, and was even more confused when Katniss woke up and so much time had passed.


I was shocked when both Katniss and Haymitch voted to have another Hunger Games with the Capitol children.  After all they went through, I thought for sure they'd be against it.  I know Katniss was mourning Prim and wanting revenge for her death, but I didn't see she or Haymitch being "for" another Hunger Games.


I'm so, SO happy that Katniss and Peeta ended up together!  Having Katniss and Peeta finally--finally!--be together was one of the better moments in the book.  I wish it had been under different circumstances, though.  I felt like they were both so changed from who they once were.  But I guess that can be seen as a good thing, too, since they ended up together even though they had both experienced such horrific things and been changed in such momentous ways.  Still, I really miss the old Katniss and Peeta.  I missed the romance.


I LOVED the ending, where Peeta says "You love me.  Truth or not truth."  And Katniss answers, "Truth."  Loved it!  Thought it was the perfect ending.  Of course, then came the epilogue... a lot of people are saying that they felt the epilogue was unnecessary and that they didn't like it.  I don't think it was necessary, but I also didn't have a problem with it.  I enjoy knowing that Katniss and Peeta had children.  I think it brings everything to a nice conclusion.  And being Team Peeta since book one, it's nice to see that he and Katniss spent many happy years together!


END SPOILERS


So, while I didn't like Mockingjay anywhere near as much as I adored The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, I still thought it was a good book and I'm still glad I read it.  It wasn't the book I wanted, but I can live with it.  Maybe a re-read will improve my opinion of it, maybe not.  It can never compare to the first two books.  I hate giving it such a low rating, but I can't help it.

3.5/5

The Dark Divine

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared—the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood—but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it—her soul.

 

Isn't the cover gorgeous?  And I love the title of the book, too.  The cover is what initially drew me to this book, so I was somewhat disappointed (though I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised) to discover that the cover has nothing to do with the actual story.  But enough about that.
 
What started out as a slow-moving story actually ended up being fairly entertaining.  The latter half of the book was especially good.  There was just something about Grace and Daniel's relationship that touched me.  No matter what others were telling them, they knew how they felt about each other.  They understood that their relationship was dangerous -- Grace, more so as the book progressed -- but they couldn't stay away from each other, and it was that love that overcame everything in the end.

While some parts of the book were a bit "churchy" -- Grace and Jude's father is a pastor, after all, and they attend a church school -- I liked that Grace wasn't ashamed of who she is.  She wasn't afraid to stand up for her beliefs.
 
There's a sequel coming out in December, and while I initially didn't think I'd care to read it (as I said, The Dark Divine wasn't pulling me in as much as I wanted it to at first), I'm actually excited to see what's next for Grace, Daniel, and Jude.
 
4/5

6. A Tapestry of Spells by Lynn Kurland

Last year, Lynn Kurland became one of my favorite authors. I've read quite a few of her novels now, and the majority of them have been fantastic. I've only come across a couple of Kurland's books I haven't liked as much as the others, and one was a short story. With her newest offering, A Tapestry of Spells, the next in the Nine Kingdoms series that I adore, Kurland proves that she's a master of fantasy romance.

Sarah of Doìre, daughter of the village witch, worries her brother will use his dark magic to destroy the Nine Kingdoms, so she requests the help of the local mage, a man most of the villagers fear. His name, Sarah learns, is Ruith, and he's not the crotchety, centuries-old mage everyone thinks him to be. After a horrible incident at a well when he was ten years old, Ruith buried his magical powers and happily spent the next twenty years in seclusion. When Sarah arrives on his doorstep, begging his assistance in stopping her brother from wreaking havoc on the Kingdoms, Ruith strangely finds himself wanting to aid her on her quest.

I loved this book. I loved the unfolding layers of plot and character, and was fascinated to discover that Ruith and Sarah's story takes place at the same time that Morgan and Miach's story does in Star of the Morning. Kurland isn't just a storyteller, she's a story weaver, and the threads she weaves together create the most breathtaking, enthralling stories. I was hooked from the beginning, and was left craving more Sarah and Ruith at the end. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out!

5/5

Books read in 2009

DECEMBER

119. Dreamhunter (Dreamhunter Duet #1) - Elizabeth Knox

118. The Duggars: 20 and Counting! - Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar

117. On Mystic Lake - Kristin Hannah

116. The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton

115. Resistance - Anita Shreve

NOVEMBER

114. Deadly Little Secret (Touch #1) - Laurie Faria Stolarz

113. Heat Wave - Richard Castle

112. The Household Guide to Dying: A novel about life - Debra Adelaide

111. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer (reread)

110. New Moon: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion - Mark Cotta Vaz

109. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - John Boyne

108. Impossible - Nancy Werlin

107. Forest Born (The Books of Bayern #4) - Shannon Hale

OCTOBER

106. The Bright Side of Disaster - Katherine Center

105. Fire - Kristin Cashore

104. Not Lost Forever: My Story of Survival - Carmina Salcido with Steve Jackson

103. Three Times Blessed (Belles of Timber Creek #2) - Lori Copeland

102. Twice Loved (Belles of Timber Creek #1) - Lori Copeland

101. The Christmas List - Richard Paul Evans

100. Still Alice - Lisa Genova

99. Jane Austen Ruined My Life - Beth Pattillo

98. The Help - Kathryn Stockett

97. Homecoming - Cynthia Voigt

96. The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment - A.J. Jacobs

95. The Best of Times - Penny Vincenzi

94. Everyone is Beautiful - Katherine Center

93. The Cinderella Pact - Sarah Strohmeyer

SEPTEMBER

92. The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks

91. Little House in the Big Woods - Laura Ingalls Wilder

90. From This Moment On (de Piaget #8) - Lynn Kurland

89. Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities - Elizabeth Edwards

88. Love is a Four-Legged Word - Kandy Shepherd

87. The Sleeping Beauty Proposal - Sarah Strohmeyer

86. When Love Blooms - Robin Lee Hatcher

85. The Convenient Marriage - Georgette Heyer

84. Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher

83. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

82. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (reread)

AUGUST

81. The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #5) - Rick Riordan

80. Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier

79. Stargazer (Evernight #2) - Claudia Gray

78. Evernight - Claudia Gray (reread)

77. The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #4) - Rick Riordan

76. The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #3) - Rick Riordan

75. The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #2) - Rick Riordan

74. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1) - Rick Riordan

73. With Every Breath (MacLeod #8) - Lynn Kurland

72. And the Groom Wore Tulle [from Veils of Time Anthology] (MacLeod #3) - Lynn Kurland

71. The Very Thought of You (MacLeod #2) - Lynn Kurland

70. A Dance Through Time (MacLeod #1) - Lynn Kurland

JULY

69. Thanks for the Memories - Cecelia Ahern

68. Twenties Girl - Sophie Kinsella

67. This Is All I Ask (de Piaget #6) - Lynn Kurland

66. I Am the Messenger - Markus Zusak

65. Dreams of Stardust (de Piaget #3) - Lynn Kurland

64. A Bride in the Bargain - Deeanne Gist

63. Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict - Laurie Viera Rigler

62. On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgertons #8) - Julia Quinn

61. It's In His Kiss (Bridgertons #7) - Julia Quinn

60. When He Was Wicked (Bridgertons #6) - Julia Quinn

59. To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgertons #5) - Julia Quinn

58. Another Chance to Dream (de Piaget #1) - Lynn Kurland

JUNE

57. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (Bridgertons #4) - Julia Quinn

56. An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgertons #3) - Julia Quinn

55. The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons #2) - Julia Quinn

54. The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow

53. A Rogue of My Own - Johanna Lindsey

52. Mistress Shakespeare - Karen Harper

51. If I Had You (de Piaget #2) - Lynn Kurland

50. The Actor and the Housewife: A Novel - Shannon Hale

49. Angels & Demons - Dan Brown

48. The Duke and I (Bridgertons #1) - Julia Quinn

47. Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving With Twins and Sextuplets - Jon & Kate Gosselin

46. Till There Was You (de Piaget #11) - Lynn Kurland

45. The More I See You (de Piaget #7) - Lynn Kurland

MAY

44. The Ordinary Princess - M.M. Kaye

43. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford

42. The Lion's Lady - Julie Garwood (reread)

41. When I Fall in Love (de Piaget #4) - Lynn Kurland

40. The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever - Julia Quinn

39. Sarah's Key - Tatiana de Rosnay

38. Twilight Director's Notebook: The Story of How We Made the Movie - Catherine Hardwicke

37. The Lost Duke of Wyndham - Julia Quinn

36. When Twilight Burns - Colleen Gleason (reread)

35. As Shadows Fade - Colleen Gleason (reread)

34. A Promise to Believe In (Brides of Gallatin County, Book 1) - Tracie Peterson

APRIL

33. Mr. Cavendish, I Presume - Julia Quinn

32. The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley

31. Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli

30. Pemberley by the Sea: a modern love story, Pride and Prejudice style - Abigail Reynolds

29. Evernight - Claudia Gray

MARCH

28. Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast - Bill Richardson

27. The Mermaid Chair - Sue Monk Kidd

26. Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry

25. Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague - Geraldine Brooks

24. Handle With Care - Jodi Picoult

23. Princess of the Sword (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 3) - Lynn Kurland

22. As Shadows Fade - Colleen Gleason

21. When Twilight Burns - Colleen Gleason (reread)

FEBRUARY

20. The Bleeding Dusk - Colleen Gleason (reread)

19. Rises the Night - Colleen Gleason (reread)

18. The Mage's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 2) - Lynn Kurland

17. The Rest Falls Away - Colleen Gleason (reread)

16. Star of the Morning (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 1) - Lynn Kurland

15. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - Maggie O'Farrell

14. Inkheart - Cornelia Funke

13. The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion - L.J. Smith

JANUARY

12. The Vampire Diaries: The Fury - L.J. Smith

11. The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle - L.J. Smith

10. The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening - L.J. Smith

9. Briar Rose - Jane Yolen

8. Fire and Ice - Julie Garwood

7. Princess Ben - Catherine Gilbert Murdock

6. The Juliet Club - Suzanne Harper

5. All I Want For Christmas is a Vampire - Kerrelyn Sparks

4. Graceling - Kristin Cashore

3. Sweethearts - Sara Zarr

2. Paper Towns - John Green

1. The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling

Updated Literary Crushes

Back in October 2007, I made a list of my Top 10 Literary Crushes. I don't know why, but for some reason I was thinking about this list earlier today, and I thought it would be fun to 'update' it.

So, here are the "Ten Literary Characters I Would Totally Make Out With If I Were Single and They Were Real But I'm Not, Single I Mean; I Am Real -- But I'm Also Happily Married and Want To Stay That Way, So Maybe We Should Forget This..."

1. Edward Cullen, the Twilight saga
2. Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins (Have I already mentioned that I adore him? I have?)
3. Prince Po, Graceling by Kristin Cashore (just thinking about his gold and silver eyes makes me melt!)
4. Max Pesaro, The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason
5. Miach of Neroche, The Nine Kingdoms series by Lynn Kurland
6. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice
7. Rhys de Piaget and Robin de Piaget (or any de Piaget male for that matter!), Lynn Kurland books
8. Gilbert Blythe, Anne of Green Gables
9. Joshua Steed, The Work and the Glory series by Gerald N. Lund
10. Luke Brandon, Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella

My list from 2007:
1. Edward Cullen, the Twilight saga
2. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice
3. Gilbert Blythe, Anne of Green Gables
4. Joshua Steed, The Work and the Glory series by Gerald Lund
5. Max Pesaro, The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason
6. Rhett Butler, Gone With the Wind
7. Sebastian Vioget, The Gardella Vampire Chronicles
8. The Scarlet Pimpernel
9. Jamie Fraser, Outlander series
10. TBA

I think it's funny that I couldn't even come up with 10 when I first made this list. And I was surprised at how far down Mr. Darcy ended up this time around! I feel somewhat guilty that he's only #6! No surprise that Edward is #1 again, though. I think he'll stay there forever...

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

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

If you loved The Hunger Games, you will love Catching Fire! I don't want to say too much about it and end up spoiling something for those who haven't read it, but I will say that Suzanne Collins took this book in a direction I hadn't anticipated . . . and I couldn't have asked for a more compelling story. I laughed, I cried, I gasped in disbelief. I loved every amazing moment. And, of course, there is the love triangle. If you haven't already chosen sides -- Peeta or Gale -- be prepared to do so. We all know I'm rooting for PEETA. I adore him!

Once again, my only complaint is that it ended too soon! And now I have to wait until next year for the conclusion. I hope it passes quickly.

5/5

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.

With these words, the reader is ushered into an isolated gray stone mansion on the windswept Cornish coast, as the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter recalls the chilling events that transpired as she began her new life as the young bride of a husband she barely knew. For in every corner of every room were phantoms of a time dead but not forgotten—a past devotedly preserved by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers: a suite immaculate and untouched, clothing laid out and ready to be worn, but not by any of the great house's current occupants. With an eerie presentiment of evil tightening her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter walked in the shadow of her mysterious predecessor, determined to uncover the darkest secrets and shattering truths about Maxim's first wife—the late and hauntingly beautiful Rebecca.

When I began this book, I was immediately pulled into the world of Maxim and Mrs. de Winter. (I found it interesting that we are never told Mrs. de Winter's name, and only two references are ever made to it: first, when she receives a note from Maxim and says "my name was on the envelope, and spelt correctly, an unusual thing," and secondly when she meets up with Maxim and he says "You have a very lovely and unusual name." I really wanted to know what her name was; though it wouldn't have added anything to the story, it would definitely have satisfied my curiosity!)

Throughout the last 150 or so pages -- and after I had finished -- I wondered to myself why Rebecca wasn't on the list of the 100 Greatest Novels that I had found. It has been called "the unsurpassed modern masterpiece of romantic suspense," and while I myself am no judge as to whether or not that's true, I can say that I think it's an incredible novel, one that I had a hard time putting down.

4.75/5

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

There were thirteen "Districts" in the nation of Panem, once called North America, but District 13 led a rebellion against the all-powerful Capitol and was destroyed as a result. To keep the other 12 districts in line, the Capitol devised the Hunger Games, an annual televised fight to the death. Two tributes from each district, one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18, are chosen to compete in the Hunger Games. Of the 24 tributes thrown together, there can only be one winner; the tributes must do whatever they can to be the last person standing.

When 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen's younger sister Prim's name is chosen as the female tribute for District 12, Katniss steps in and volunteers herself to take Prim's place. Prim asks Katniss to survive; Katniss tells Prim that she'll try her best to get back to Prim and their mother.

The male tribute chosen from District 12 is Peeta Mellark, the baker's son who had once showed compassion for a starving Katniss by sneaking her two loaves of bread from the bakery.

Katniss and Peeta join the other tributes in the Capitol, where they are prepped for the big fight. They are given a team of stylists, whose job it is to make the tributes look as attractive as possible in the hopes of obtaining sponsors who will donate gifts of food and medicine during the Games. These gifts could mean the difference between life and death.

It is during their time in the Capitol that Katniss and Peeta's mentor, Haymitch -- a former District 12 winner of the Hunger Games -- encourages Katniss and Peeta to act like they are in love with each other, hoping to attract fans and support. Peeta is only too happy to comply with Haymitch's idea, and does a great job of acting the part of a young man in love. But Katniss finds the task difficult. When she, Peeta, and the other tributes are left to fend for themselves in a Capitol-controlled environment, anything can happen. Should Katniss and Peeta keep up their lovers' charade for the people watching the Games at home, and try to help each other stay alive? Or should they split up, knowing that one or both of them may be killed?

I loved this book! It was compelling, exciting, and a wonderfully captivating read. I couldn't put it down. My only disappointment came at the end, when the story ended without a resolution and I discovered that The Hunger Games is only the first book in a planned trilogy. I'm not disappointed that I'll have to read the remaining two books to continue the story -- in fact, I am very much looking forward to reading more about these characters (I ended up with quite a crush on Peeta!), and resuming the story where it left off (with quite a cliffhanger) -- but I'm disappointed that I have to wait until the next book comes out in September!

Read this book. You won't regret it.

5/5

Eclipse thoughts: Sorry Mr. Darcy, you've been replaced!

"Isabella Swan?" He looked up at me though his impossibly long lashes, his golden eyes soft but, somehow, still scorching. "I promise to love you forever -- every single day of forever. Will you marry me?"

There were many things I wanted to say, some of them not nice at all, and others more disgustingly gooey and romantic than he probably dreamed I was capable of. Rather than embarrass myself with either, I whispered, "Yes."

"Thank you," he said simply. He took my left hand and kissed each of my fingertips before he kissed the ring that was now mine. (p. 460)

It took me quite a few days to get through Eclipse this time around, but I can blame that on the visitors we've had (my parents!!) as well as errands and just being tired from too many late nights. I enjoyed Eclipse even more this time than I did the first time I read it (I liked New Moon more the second time as well, since I could better see how it "fit" into the series; Twilight is still my favorite, though), and since I still have plenty of time until Breaking Dawn is released, I think I may give Eclipse another read, so that the story is really fresh in my mind before I start Breaking Dawn.

Some thoughts on Eclipse:

* Bella was being extremely selfish when she gave Edward her ultimatum - 'either let me be there when you fight, or stay out of it and let your family and the wolves do all the fighting.' I can't believe how incredibly immature and selfish she was being! These others are fighting to keep her safe and alive, and they can use all the help they can get. To make Edward sit out because she "can't stand it if you leave me again" (p. 419) is incredibly self-centered. First, to hurt Edward so badly saying something like that, and then to make him either bring her along to the fight or skip it altogether is just showing her true colors. (I looked back at the title of that chapter, and it was very appropriately entitled "Selfish.")

* Bella having the epiphany that she's in love with Jacob still really annoys me. And it annoys me that she kisses him -- no, she begs him to kiss her. Here she has this perfect man vampire who would do anything for her and she's kissing another man werewolf. I understand that the time Bella and Jake had together when Edward was gone (in New Moon) led them to build a good friendship, so I guess I can understand that she'd have strong feelings for Jacob. But to be in love with him? I just don't like it.

* Edward's proposal to Bella is incredibly sweet. I loved it the first time I read it, and I love it still. He's so understanding and good. Even when Bella is crying on his shoulder after she tells Jacob that they can't be anything more than friends, Edward is considerate and understanding and kind to her. She's shedding tears over another man she loves, and Edward just holds her and asks if she really wants to be with him (Edward). "Bella . . . are you sure? Did you make the right choice? I've never seen you in so much pain. . . . If it hurts you so much, how can it be the right thing for you?" (p. 610). He's suuuuuch a good guy! But I do love Bella's response to him. She grabs her tattered copy of Wuthering Heights and searches for the perfect passage to describe her feelings for Edward: " 'If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.' . . . I know exactly what she [Cathy] means. And I know who I can't live without." (p. 611) I just reeeeaaaaallly hope Bella continues to put Edward first.

* I love the discussion between Bella and Jacob that leads to how the title of the book applies, on pages 599-600. Jacob tells Bella that he'd be better for her than Edward is; Edward is like a drug to her, and she therefore can't live without him. But he'd be like the air, the sun. Bella says: "I used to think of you that way, you know. Like the sun. My personal sun. You balanced out the clouds nicely for me." Then Jacob responds: "The clouds I can handle. But I can't fight with an eclipse." Such a powerful image! It really stood out to me. Edward overshadows Jacob in so many ways.

* I had totally forgotten that Jacob leaves at the end of Eclipse! I was reading some things about Breaking Dawn (I've been on Goodreads' Twilight group discussion page, and there are some really interesting theories being tossed around), and someone said that Stephenie Meyer has said that she won't be bringing Jacob back in Breaking Dawn. I scoff at that; how can she not bring him back? I don't like Jacob all that much, but he's been such an integral part of the story; Stephenie Meyer can't just leave him out of Breaking Dawn. And I don't think she will.

* Okay, I know I've bagged on Jacob a lot, but my experiences in rereading New Moon and Eclipse have made me more sympathetic of him. He really is a good guy, even though he's not Edward! And while I still wholeheartedly want Edward and Bella to be together, I guess I am slightly more willing to forgive Stephenie Meyer if she has decided to put Bella and Jacob together at the end. But only slightly (as in, maybe 2 percent! I'm still an Edward girl, after all, and I'm hoping Jacob will "imprint" on someone else!) I was discussing this with a friend the other day, and she said that she doesn't care who Bella ends up with. Unlike me, she won't have a heart attack if Bella doesn't end up with Edward. She can go either way. I understand her reasoning, and if I wasn't such an Edward fan I may say the same thing. There are pros and cons to both relationships, obviously. But I've become too caught up in everything Edward. He's just meant to be with Bella. He's certainly replaced Mr. Darcy as my #1 literary crush!

New Moon finished. On to Eclipse.

Well, I finished New Moon a short while ago. I read 401 pages of it yesterday (staying up until 1am to read!), and really enjoyed myself. It's still not as good as the other two books, but it's enjoyable enough. There's just not enough Edward. The first 100 pages were great, as were the last 100 pages (or so) -- but that's mostly because Edward was involved. Sure, I'm glad that Jacob was there for Bella after Edward left her, and I'm glad they became such good friends (even though Jacob really annoys me sometimes!), but I'm still 100% an Edward girl. I could read about him all day long.

I had forgotten how mean both Edward and Jacob were to Bella in this one. I got a bit teary when Edward left. I understand why he was being so mean to Bella, but it made me really sad for her. And as much as Bella loves Edward and is ecstatic to have him back at the end (heck, I'd feel the same way!), I find that her acceptance of his presence in her life again came a bit too easily. Maybe I'm just mean, but I think I would have made him work a bit harder to win me back -- especially after the way he left! But I would have forgiven him eventually, of course. He's Edward, after all.

Nah -- on second thought, I'd have acted the same way Bella did. I would have taken him back, arms wide open, in an instant. He's Edward, after all!

And now on to Eclipse. I don't remember a whole lot about this one, but I remember that I loved it. I'm so excited to start!