Poetryfreak38

2012-02-12T06:13:00.001-08:00

Quote of the Day: "Literature is a textually transmitted disease, normally contracted in childhood." -Jane Yolen The author of The Devil's Arithmetic was born on this day in 1939. (via Goodreads) http://goodreads.com/quotes_of_the_day/387?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=quote_of_the_day

2012-02-11T19:02:00.001-08:00

SQUEEEE! Ebook sale! The first Hurst Book is on Kindle and B & N for only $4.99! I do wish they'd tell me these things; I had no idea! I'll post the B & N link below. :) (via Karen Hawkins) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UYUSVO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=romaauthkareh-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003UYUSVO%22%3EOne+Night+in+Scotland+%28Hurst+Amulet%29%3C%2Fa%3E%3Cimg+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.assoc-amazon.com%2Fe%2Fir%3Ft%3Dromaauthkareh-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B003UYUSVO%22+width%3D%221%22+height%3D%221%22+border%3D%220%22+alt%3D%22%22+style%3D%22border%3Anone+%21important%3B+margin%3A0px+%21important%3B%22+%2F%3E

2012-02-11T19:01:00.001-08:00

E-BOOK SALE ALERT! If you think you'd love a fairy tale romance with a plus-sized heroine who just happens to be the only virgin left in the village, the e-book of my historical romance THE BRIDE AND THE BEAST is only $4.99 right now! You'll find the Kindle link below and the Nook Book here: http://tinyurl.com/7pn528m (via TeresaMedeirosFans) http://www.amazon.com/Bride-Beast-ebook/dp/B001M5JVLG/?tag=teresamedeirauth

2012-02-11T05:22:00.001-08:00

Quote of the Day: "Tis the privilege of friendship to talk nonsense, and to have her nonsense respected." -Charles Lamb The author of Essays of Elia was born on this day in 1775. (via Goodreads) http://goodreads.com/quotes_of_the_day/386?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=quote_of_the_day

2012-02-03T19:41:00.001-08:00

Quote of the Day: "Think before you speak. Read before you think." -Fran Lebowitz (via Goodreads) http://goodreads.com/quotes_of_the_day/382?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=quote_of_the_day

Hunger games and competitions

2012-02-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

I am much behind in my reading this year! While I am not concerned since I usually make up for it in the summer, I still feel bad. I am in the middle of The Hunger Games. My students kept asking me to read it. While it is not one I would have picked up on my own I am enjoying it. I think it is suspenseful and very engaging. I also really like the characters so far.

I have been reading education books and am going to write up some reviews on those. I had not really thought about it before. But I am thinking of gathering all the books I have read and writing up reviews and such in the summer. hmmmm. we shall see.

I am also very excited that I get to judge the 21^st Annual National Readers Choice Awards (NRCA). I was selected to judge the category for Novel with romantic elements. Which is very exciting. I have never really done anything like this at all. I am really excited to be apart of it and can not wait to see what books I need to read and judge for the competition.

I also have a few books I have won on goodreads that i need to read and review. I really love the goodreads site. I am totally addicted to it. It is a great way to communicate with readers and authors!!

2012-02-03T19:15:00.001-08:00

“[A]n intriguing tale of espionage and treason…this is a work to enthrall." (Daily Mail). Learn more about today's Free Fridays selection, WINSTON'S WAR by Michael Dobbs, at the link below. (via NOOK) http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/The-NOOK-Blog/Free-Fridays/ba-p/1276997?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-NOOK+-_-Unbound-_-winstons_war

2012-01-21T05:39:00.001-08:00

Today's Free Fridays selection - 'From the Ashes' by Jeremy Burns - will appeal to fans of Indiana Jones, Brad Meltzer and Preston & Child. Plus, find out how you can get 13 additional books for $1.99 or less each at the link below. (via NOOK) http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/The-NOOK-Blog/Free-Fridays/ba-p/1255319?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-NOOK+-_-Unbound-_-from_the_ashes

review on goodreads

2012-01-18T18:28:00.001-08:00

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. It was not what I thought it was going to be at all. I was hesitant since so many people loved the book. I did listen to it on audio book, which may have made a difference, but it was fantastic. I felt transported to the locations. Having a humanities background I also have a lot of philosophy background and that also may have been why I liked it so much, but the ideas and true meaning transcend prior knowledge. I have actually read other books by this author and really enjoy his work.

View all my reviews

2012-01-17T19:09:00.001-08:00

Quote of the Day: "Some people have a way with words, and other people...oh, uh, not have way." -Steve Martin (via Goodreads) http://bit.ly/xC2kgp

2012-01-14T05:15:00.001-08:00

Quote of the Day: "When the heart speaks, the mind finds it indecent to object." -Milan Kundera (via Goodreads) http://bit.ly/A1FtQZ

2012-01-13T09:16:00.001-08:00

Today's Free Fridays selection - 'Don't Know Much About Mythology' by Kenneth C. Davis - is, "A massive overview of every myth under the sun. Davis shatters commonly held myths about myths," (New York Daily News). Click the link below to learn more. (via NOOK) http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/The-NOOK-Blog/Free-Fridays/ba-p/1253421?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-NOOK-_-unbound-_-dont_know_much

2012-01-09T18:43:00.001-08:00

Exciting NOOK News: For a limited time, get a free NOOK Simple Touch or an award-winning NOOK Color for only $99 with a one-year NOOK subscription to The New York Times. Learn more at the link below. (via NOOK) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/NOOK-Bundle-NYT/379003397/?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-nook-_-product_page-_-nyt_bundle

2012-01-09T18:41:00.001-08:00

Quote of the Day: "If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking." -Haruki Murakami (via Goodreads) http://bit.ly/zRM0CL

2012-01-06T18:05:00.001-08:00

“When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” -Arthur Conan Doyle, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes was allegedly born on this day in 1854, according to the calculations of the literary society, the Baker Street Irregulars. (via Goodreads) http://bit.ly/wkLesi

2012-01-05T09:34:00.001-08:00

This month's selection of 100 Kindle books for $3.99 or less includes "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis, "Golden Lies" by Barbara Freethy, "Island of Lost Girls" by Jennifer McMahon and lots of other great deals! (via Amazon Kindle) http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=tsm_1_fb_kin_120104_1004399?docId=1000706171

2012-01-04T18:32:00.001-08:00

Is one of your New Year's resolutions to read more in 2012? Here are 3 simple ways Goodreads can help you! (via Goodreads) http://bit.ly/yRtnvT

2011-12-31T16:03:00.001-08:00

New Year's Resolutions for your book club! (via Book Club Girl) http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/How-to-Have-a-Succesful-Book-Club

Nook simple touch and back to the movies

2011-12-31T06:52:00.000-08:00

On Black Friday this year I bought a Nook simple touch. I must say I do love it. It is actually a bit easier then my first generation and has some really great features I can use. Looking up words is easier and making notes and highlights. Navigating is also a bit easier. It was an awesome purchase and I am very glad I bought it. I would recommend it to anyone. Now it is time to save up for the nook table. ;-)

My movie club is starting back up in January. Which I am excited about. I will be posting movie reviews as well, even if they are not about books. I am very excited about all the new movies coming up!

I have been playing on the goodreads site and must say I really like it. It is a good way of keeping track of the books you have read and want to read. I stopped using shelfari when they changed it and I did like how it worked anymore. I may go back and see what has been going on recently with the formatting. I wish I could post a goodreads widget in my blog, but I have not figured out how to accomplish that yet.

I have been reading a lot of good education books. One I want to start soon is Waiting for Superman. I actually watched the documentary last week and found it very informative and interesting. If you are interested in public education I would definitively recommend it. It discusses some problems which I understand. As a teacher I can understand what they are saying and some of the changes that need to be made, but there are some issues that are not as black and white.

I am going through the books I would like to read for the upcoming year. I have joined the goodreads 2012 challenge. I started my goal to read 50 books in 2012. I did a similar challenge a few years back and accomplished over 50. But with me being so busy and having to take classes. i decided to stick with 50. So I should have plenty of reviews to write. That is all for now.

Thor

2011-05-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

This summer we have a lot of movies coming out based on comic books. I sometimes think that comic book fans are a harder audience to please then book lovers. Which I find to be an amusing thought. I will be reviewing these movies based off of famous characters in beloved comic books.

Last week i saw Thor. Now I do want to set straight that I have not read this comic book, and actually have read very little in the way of comic books. I enjoyed the plot of the movie. Even though I do not know the stories in the comics I could follow what was going on. Which I always like when I can understand a story. The effects were pretty cool as well. I did like how the backgrounds were done and the rainbow bridge was wonderfully done. It could have been really corney but I think they did a good job with it.

I also enjoyed the actors in this movie. All the roles were perfetcly cast. The guy that played Thor, whos name escapes me at the moment, was delightful. The really gave that Norse god feel. Natalie Portman was fantastic. She was a real treat to watch in the movie. The supporting cast was well selected. And my favorite SHIELD agent is always fun to watch.

This installment of the Avengers was fun to watch. The only problem I had with this movie was filmed oddly. During the action sequences would have a lot of movement in the frame, then they would move the camera as well. I like when they pick one. Too much movement make me motion sick. But more movies are doing that now.

Overall I would recommend the movie. I liked the plot and the actors were fantastic. Alos there is a scene after the credits to stay for.

Books

2010-10-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

I have not had as much time as I would like to read lately. But I should be able to catch up now. I am still reading Small Favor by Jim Butcher. My post will mostly be about movies tonight.

One series of books I would like to start reading are the books they based How to Train Your Dragon on. The movie is fantastic and I hope the books are just as enjoyable. I did not realize there was a book series until they advertised in the cover of the movie.

Coming out on DVD this month is A Christmas Carol. This animated classic is a wonderful version of the story. Jim Carrey is a wonderful Scrooge. The elements they chose to include were wonderful and makes it different from other versions. It is worth checking out this holiday season.

I will be teaching The Giver in my class soon. The Giver is a very good story and it has good points. It is a book that really makes one look at the world we live in and it is a good book to get kids thinking. But I also think adults can also get a lot out of this book. It is a book that will stay with you. I will have more on it in a later post.

So right now I am finishing Small Favor by Jim Butcher.

Jim Bitcher and Simon Green

2010-07-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

I finished Jim Butcher's Proven Gulity and White Night. So I have 3 books left in the Dresden files...then I am all caught up with what the author has released. I really enjoyed these two books. The series is a very exciting and fast paced. I like how the books are structured apart form each other and how they build upon each other. The characters are really growing and developing in interesting ways. I highly recommend this series, especially if you like supernatural and magical books.

I also finished Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green. I really enjoyed this first novel in the series. I thought it had some interesting characters which I thinnk have a lot of potental. The plot was also unpredicable and fast paced. I really enjoyed the world Green created. It is a book i would recommend for readers of supernatural fiction as well.

I am currently reading Agents of Light and Darkness by Simon R. Green. Which is the second book in the nightside series.

Lisa Kleypas, Jim Butcher, and the Nook!!!!

2010-07-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

Well I have not updated in far too long. So there is a lot to go over.

First off I finished Lisa Klepas' Hathaway series. The last 2 books Married by Morning and Love in the Afternoon were just released this summer. Lisa Kleypas is one of my favorite authors so I am a bit biased. This series is very fun. It is a spin off from her wallflower series. Now i waited and actually read the last 3 books in the series not that far apart.

First up is Poppy's book, Tempt me at Twilight, which i enjoyed more then I thought I would. This story was delightful and I especially like how the hero is shown. They definately are a different type of couple. It has a really fun plot and moves very quickly. It was a delightful read.

The next book is Married by Morning which is Leo's book. This is the book I was looking forward to because it is a story about him and the governess they hired a few years earlier. So you get moments with these two characters in the previous books, which is nice. We already have a feeling for these characters and it is fun to fianlly get there story. I love also how Kleypas connects her characters and uses them throughout all the books in the series. This one was worth the wait and a fun time.

Beatrix's story Love in the Afternoon was the best in the series. I expected the previous book to be my favorite, but this one was a pleasent suprise. This book has strong interesting characters. I think the two main characters are the strongest in the series and was a wonderful end to this series.

All three books were fantastic. I highly recommend this series which consists of five books. This was a wonderful series and is very well done. Strong characters and interesting plots.

I also am having a wonderful time with my Nook. It was a wonderful investment!! There are lots of free books and with the wish list feature makes it easier to buy the books i intend to buy. It is excellent to read on and very convientent. So i recommend getting an e-reader. You can also use library e-books but I have not figured out how to do that yet. But it is a lot of fun and worth the money.

I have also been listening to the Harry Dresden books by Jim Butcher. I have gone through the first 7: Storm Front, Fool Moon, Grave Peril, Summer Knight, Death Mask, Blood Rites, and Dead Beat. This is a very good series. I am really enjoying the books and recommend them. They are very dark and some have some pretty intense scenes. But they take an interesting look at supernatural creatures and situations. The characters are strong and enjoyable. I also like how much Butcher has going on in the books and that he has storylines that continue through the books. I would recommend reading them in order to get the most out of the series. If you like vampires, ghosts, demons, talking skulls, and werewolves you will really enjoy the books. And the main character Harry Dresden is fantastic.

Right now I am reading Proven Gulity by Jim Butcher and Something from the Darkside by Simon Green

Kenyon, Maguire, Jefferies, and Phillips and the Nook!!

2010-04-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

Ok lots of reviews to do tonight. I have a lot of catching up to do! So i will be writing 4 reviews tonight. Sherrilyn Kenyon's Fantasy Lover, Margo Maguire's Taken by the Laird, Sabrina Jefferies' The Truth About Lord Stoneville, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips' What I Did for Love. All of which I really enjoyed.

First up Sherrilyn Kenyon's Fantasy Lover. I really enjoyed this book. I thought it had strong characters and an interesting story. It had more content then I actually had originally thought. This is the first book in a series. But how I understand it it was written after some of the other books, so it's more of a prequel, but it is the best place to start. I am planning on reading the next one in the series. I liked the character interaction and the use of the Roman gods. It was well written. I would recommend this book.

Next up is Margo Maguire's Taken by the Laird. This story was delightful! i would really like to read some more of this author's books. It was a fun story. It had strong characters and a comlelling story. It was an easy read and a joy. it also has some hauntings and mystery in it, which is always a treat. It was the type of book your sad to see end. I wish it was a part of a series. But alas that is not the case. I would highly recommend this book as well. it is well worth your time to read!

On to Sabrina Jefferies' The Truth Abour Lord Stoneville. Now i really enjoy Jefferies' books. They are alwasy a fun time. This book is the first in her new series and I have to say it is a treat. It was very humorous and worth the read. The characters are strong and enchanting. I look forward to the next books in this series. While some of her series are stronger then others, this one is off to a wonderful start. I would recommend checking this one out, especially if you liked her earlier stuff.

Last but not least Susan Elizabeth Phillips' What I Did for Love. This is one of my new favorite authors. Her strories are wonderful. They are original and fresh. The characters and situations in this story are wonderful. This is a must read. This is a strong story that is well written. I loved it. It is very funny and has a lot of heart.

Also I bought a Nook last month. I adore it. It was worth the money i spent. I was able to get a lot of free books, and a lot fo the books are very cheep. i think in the long run this will prove to be a very good investment.

Believe and Beauty and the Duke

2010-02-25T13:10:00.000-08:00

I have a lot of books on my nightstand that I am in the process of reading. So I am hoping to have a bunch of reviews up soon.!!! So let the reviewing begin!

Today I am doing reviews on Victoria Alexander's Believe and melody Thomas' Beauty and the Duke.

I am a huge Victoria Alexander fan. Her novel Believe is not a disappointment. I thought it was a magical story...pun intended. This is a time travel romace...which i love. The heronie, Tessa gets transported back to Camelot and has to help Galahad on his quest for the grail. The characters are great and there is a lot of humor in the story as well. She does a wonderful job of weaving her story together with the Arthur legend. Now the cover may be deceiving and it came out around christmas. It's complicated, but it's not a Christmas story...but I was not disappointed the story was delightful. i would highly recommend any of this author's books!

Next up is Melody Thomas' Beauty and the Duke. I really enjoyed this book as well. it was a fun read. The characters where interesting and the plot was original. I liked the way the characters interacted and how they all fit together. It was a very fun book. Some of the scene's were not writen as well as they could have been, but for the most part those are just the sex scenes, which does not have a lot of weight in this instance. So that flaw was not that a big deal. But i would recommend this book as well. I will be reading more of this author. This is the first of her books I have read. But her heronine is one of the first palentolisgists trying to have a career in science...in 1840...she is delightful!

Next time I am planning on doing a write up on Sabrina Jefferies. I just finished The Truth about Lord Stoneville. Currently I am reading Margo Maguire's Taken by the Laird

Natural Born Charmer

2010-02-14T17:56:00.000-08:00

Hello readers. I am sorry I have neglected this blog for over a month. That is sad. But I am back and am planning on updaing much more frequently.

Well todays review is on Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Natural Born Charmer. Now I will admit I bought this on a whim because it was on sale at Barnes and Noble. I was very suprised how much I enjoyed the book. Now it is the first book I have read by this author and let me tell you last week I saw another one of her books and bought it. Her writing is engaging and her characters were fun. I like reading about a group of misfits coming together. What I truely loved about this book is it wasn't just about a romance between two people, but the love that grew between all the characters and how they made each other happier. It was a fun read. I would highly reccommend this book.

I will be reviewing Victoria Alexander's Believe and Melody Thomas' Beauty and the Duke.

Right now I am ready the anthology Ladies Prefer Rogues. which is 4 romance stories...that involve time travel,,,i am sucha sucker for time travel.

Further Posting on E-Readers and a Christmas Carol

2009-12-14T11:06:00.000-08:00

ok so I have personally touched a sony e-reader, the nook, and the kindle. so i am very excited about this technology. Comparing all three, I will not buy a Sony e-reader, now that does not mean it is not a good model. I just perfer something with more features and the option to download books directly to it, as opposed to having to use a computer to do it. Since right now I don't have my own computer that would be a problem. So I like having the option of doing more with it. The kindle and the Nook are basically the same. But i liked the nook better. it was slightly lighter and it has the color touch screen at the bottom. in all honesty. it does not really matter between the nook and the kindle. You will have to look at what the two offer and decide which features and how much space you want. I knew someone who had the kindle which is how i got a look at it. And you can go see the nook at any Barnes and Noble. They have working models at the customer service desk. So i just wanted to make a quick update on that. I will have a few books to review after the holiday. Have a fantastic holiday!!!

I also saw Disney's animated A Christmas Carol. I thought it was wonderful. I thought it was a strong retelling of the classic story, that has been remade hundreds of times. It is one of the creepiest versions i've seen, which i liked. It is a ghost story, but can sometimes be watered down. The characters are portrayed well. Jim Carrey did a fantastic job, which I was not suprised about. It was a wonderful version and I would highly recommend it. But I saw it in 3-d and don't think you need to spend the extra money on it. I do no thtink seeing it in 3-d improves anything or adds anything for this movie.

this week I am reading Red Hot Santa by Cheery Adair, Leanne Banks, Pamela Britton, and Kelsey Roberts

Happy Holidays!!!!!

E-Readers!!!!

2009-11-15T19:44:00.000-08:00

Ok I lied I am going to post some starting info on the e-readers and I'll add to the info as I go. That seems like a better plan. So today we are doing preliminary info on each reader.

Ok I have been looking at the sites for the Kindle and the Nook. On a whole they are really not that different. there are only minor differences. But you need to decided what features are important and which are not. Further down there is a page with link that compares the two. Now I like the fact I can go into Barnes and Noble and look at the nook as of November 30th. But this blog is a lot of links, just because it would be easier to sort through the sites then listen to me ramble about them. Both the nook and the Kindle are the same price, so that is not really a factor.

First up is the Barnes and Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp

Next Amazon's Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wireless-Reading-Display-Generation/dp/B0015T963C/ref=amb_link_85978291_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=169NRG668H7BMQ55BSSX&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=498747991&pf_rd_i=507846

now the Barnes and Noble site compares the Nook to the Knidle 2. So you may want to look at that. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/compare/

there is also the Sony E-Reader http://ebookstore.sony.com/reader/

Twitter: Barnes and Nobles e-book twitter http://twitter.com/eBooksBN
Kindles' twitter http://twitter.com/kindlenews

My thoughts: I like the nook right now. That is the one I am leaning towards personally. I like that I can look at it in the store and go to the store and get little pop ups or what ever they do. I like the touch screen can search by cover or I can use the keyboard. I like that I can add a memory card to the nook and I can lend and borrow books. But I liked the text to speech feature on the Kindle and it has been out for a while. I am unimpressed with the Sony. So I am really leaning towards the nook, but i was already a barnes and noble fan. So I was a bit biased.

So I hope this mess of a blog helps you on your e-reader adventure!! There will be more on this topic in the future!!

the color purple and janet chapman's Highlander Christmas

2009-11-14T18:17:00.000-08:00

Ok so I may do little updates though my phone. Just little blurt updates. So we will see how that goes.

I will be doing a blog comparing and discussing Amazon's Kindle, Barnes and Nobles Nook, and the Sony e-reader. Now I want to do some research and I am going to try to see some of these as well. So that may not come till January. But I will be discussing those. I am very excited about them. and right now I am leaning towards a Nook, but let me do some more research and I will post something maybe sooner if I get in gear and find out enough info.

I recently saw The Color Purple at the Bob Carr. I have to say I am a huge fan of the book and movie and the musical is just asgood. It is a powerful story and I would recommend any version to anyone. It is a story of determination, love, and overcoming odds. I love the message and the story itself. The characters are also rich and compeling.

Ok book reviews for today. Now I had never read any of Janet Chapman's books before. But she had just released A Highlander Christmas and I am a sucker for christmas books, i love them. So i bought it. I loved it. It was interesting and really kept moving. The characters were so sweet. It was a good holiday story. And it is a called a novella, even though it is a touch long for a novella I thought, but that is nether here not there.

I loved it so much I went a picked up Janet Chapman's Charming the Highlander which is the first in the series. I was blown away. The story was very good and it was really moving. the connection between the characters and how she brings people together is fantastic. And while there are a lot of time traveling highlander stories out there. This one is a bit different then most. I have read quite a few and I was very impressed with this story. I would also recommend reading at least this one before A Highlander Christmas. While that book can stand alone, I understood it more by reading the first one. I do not know if reading the others would matter since I have not gotten that far. But both books are worth checking out. I am very excited to have found a new author, and can not wait to read her other books.

2009-11-13T07:54:00.001-08:00

I am testing to see if i can update on my phone!

A Wicked Lord at the Wedding and The Earl Claims His Wife

2009-10-22T13:36:00.000-07:00

Well there seems to be a lot of news about e-readers out right there. Barnes and Noble is coming out with there own version. So coming up I will do research on a couple of different types and post my findings later this week or next week.

I have been watching the T.V show Bones lately that is based ooff the life and books of Kathy Reiches. I have been meaning to read her books, so I will be picking up the her first book soon. I am really loving this tv show and have finished season 1.

Also on Friday the movie the Vampire's Assistant comes out which is based upon a trilogy of books. This book is also represented at Univerals Halloween Horror Night in it's own scare zone, which is pretty fun.

Today I will be discussing two books. Then I will be caught up with my resent reading.

First up us A Wicked Lord at the Wedding by Jillian Hunter. Now I am a big fan of Jillian Hunter. I loved her Boscastle sibling series. Which I will discuss at a later date. This book is highley entertaining and the characters are delightful. It is also a bit of a treat that the male protagonist, Sabastien, is a Boscastle cousin. So if you are familiar with her other work, it is a branch of the same family. Which I always find exciting and love to see characters pop up or even to be mentioned in other stories. But this story is fast paced and fresh. The female protagonist, Eleanor, is an interesting character who is an excellent match for her husband. I thought the plot was strong and the characters interesting. I would recommend this book, it is a very fun read.

Next up is an author that I am always excited to read and that is The Earl Claims His Wife by Cathy Maxwell. I actually met Cathy Maxwell at a Romace convention earlier this year and she was delightful. I was thriller to meet her. This recent novel of hers is very good. And is actually simialar to the last book I just wrote about, in that is about an absantee hunsband coming back into the picture. But this is also a fast paced story, with actually little danger. Wile the previous book has more action this has a lot of heart. This story is a true testament of different types of love. I would highly recommend this book. Gillian is a fantastic character, she is strong and fiery and I loved her resilance. You also really feel for her husband Brian. I think it is a good read and would highly recommend it.

Well that is all for now. Currently I am reading Sharp Edges by Jayne Anne Krentz.

My Lord and Spymaster, Cherish, and Santa in a Stetson

2009-10-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

I will be reviewing and discussing 3 books in this blog. yah!!

First up is My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne. I found this story very original and fun. This story is a fast paced adventure with very strong and fun characters. I was actually suprised at how much I really enjoyed this book. I love when you get really involved in the characters and care what happens to them. Jess who is the female protagonist is a fantastic character. She is a very different sort of character and spunky and fiery. Sabastian is also a wonderful character. They compliment each other very well.

The next book is Cherish by Catherine Anderson. This was a fantastic book. I would highly reccomend it to anyone. It deals with the dirreiculty of witnessing a tramatic stituation and how shock can occur and the effects it has on the person themselves and the ones around them. Rebecca and Race are amazing characters who you truely learn to love and want the best for. Now Catherine Anderson is one of my favorite all time romance authors. If you are looking for an excellent read anything with her name on it is worth your time. This story takes place in Colorado area in 1810. The climate and ruffians are only a few of the obsticles delt with. This is an amazing book and you should read it. It is a testament of true love and overcoming incredible odds.

The next book is Janet Dailey's book Santa in a Stetson. Now I am going to say it is a cute story. A bit flat, but cute. I will worn you it has nothing to do with christmas. The last chapter takes place around christmas but that is all. The back of the book is not what the book is about and is misleading. I have never been more confused or disappointed. I love Christmas stories, the feel, the setting, and you don't get that. The title also makes no sense to the story. But it is a cute story and actually worth reading, just don't ecpect it to be what it isn;t and you'll be fine. The characters are interesting, but a there was something about the story that seemed a bit off, and i can't put my finger on it. but it is a nice quick read.

Right now i am reading another of my favorite authors. I am reading The Earl Claims His Wife by Cathy Maxwell. Happy Reading

The Shadowmen Series by Jennifer St. Giles

2009-10-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

It's been too long since my last post. So that means I have a lot of catching up to do since I have quite a few books to review. So where to start....let's see.

Movie News: In movies Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is doing really well in theaters, I have yet to catch the flick myself, but do want to see it. There have been a lot of previews for Where the Wild Things are, which is also based off a children's book coming out soon. The biggest movie/ book news, is the upcoming release of New Moon, the second in the Twilight series. Disney is releasing another version of a Chritmas Carol...which I am excited about. And finally in december Holmes based on the character Sherlock Holmes is coming out. So we have a lot of movies coming out based on books, so we will see how they are.

Book News: There are some interesting new releases. A big on is Dan Brown's new book The Lost Symbol. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks is also out, which sounds interesting. I am excited about Heat Wave by Richard Castle....but I am a HUGE Castle fan...which is an awesome show on ABC.

So I finished the first four books in Jennifer St. Giles Shadowmen series. Overall I enjoyed the series and when more books are relased I will read them but I was disappointed in the series and I'll explain that within each book. It is like one long book

The first book Touch a Dark Wolf was fantastic. It was fast paced and the characters are compleling. I really enjoyed this first book and highly recommend it. It is a simple story but it really draws you into it. St. Giles does a good job of creating a wonderful fantasy world in which the shadowmen live. It does a nice job of compiling legends and such and putting it in a logical and believable world.

The second book is The Lure of the Wolf was also wonderful. It focuses on the main characters and includes the characters we saw in the last book buliding them, but the focus is centered and the plot is simple to follow and compelling like the first book.

Now Kiss of Darkness is where things start to a bit downhill. I loved the characters she focused on in the book...or was suppose to. But as we continue this story through the third book it becomes too wide. there is too much going on. I wanted to read more about the relationship of the characters it was to focus on. But there was not as much time with them as I would liek to as seen. But there is a lot going on and the story is still incredible and i want to see what happens to these characters. But this was still a good story.

The fourth book Bride of the Wolf was not all that good. I wanted to know more about the main characters in this book, but got too much of the side stories. We have more characters in this book and buliding all these new characters, when they should be more secondary, becuase if they get there own books we know too much to make it really interesting. Unless it is set up so they can not stand alone. But i wanted more with the main characters in this book, which of the ensamble are the most underdeveloped.

will I read the next one? Yes, while there is a lot going on the the plot falls apart a bit in the fourth book, i am attatched to the characters, but I hope that the characters are not spread thin when they need to be to focal point of the story.

Right now I am reading Cherish by Catherine Anderson.

S.J. Day Marked Series

2009-09-21T18:56:00.000-07:00

News: I am super excited about Lisa Kleypas' book Tempt Me at Twilight being released tomorrow. So this is the last time that announcement will be up...which I am sure your glad of.

I bought a book from Amazon a book recommended to me by a friend. It is This Times a Charm by Don Wilhelm. It is a story about his battle with cancer. Here is the website where you can read some of the book and get more information about this inspirational man! http://www.thistimesacharm.com/blog/entry/01-27-2009/Read-This-Times-a-Charm-for-Free/15

Todays review is on S.J. Day's Marked series. There are three books Eve of Darkness, Eve of Destruction, and Eve of Chaos. I really enjoyed this series and thought is was wonderful. I am hoping there will be more books released in this series.

Eve of Darkness is the first book. and is very fast paced and intense. Now this one is very risque in the begining so be prepared for that. But Day is a wonderful story teller and this is a fast paced adventure. Eve is an interior designer who is marked with the mark of cain. In which we are introduced to the origianl Cain and Abel and Angels, Demons, and other supernatual characters make up the colorful cast of characters.

Eve of Destruction is next and I liked it, but not as much as the first one. I had a hard time sometimes keeping with the story, I thought it was a bit slow sometimes and wanted it a bit faster. I think it was becuase the first one was so fast, but it is still an enjoyable read and the ending was super exciting.

Eve of Chaos was a nice third book and I was really with this book. Day really brings the characters to interesting levels and we develops them nicely. I really liked the direction she took them, while I can see some being a bit unhappy, but it should not suprise anyone. I loved this book. I really look forward to more books in this series.

Overall I would highly recommend this series. If sex, religous themes, and violence are not your thing, these books are not for you. But overall these elements aren't distracting or over the top. They are super fun books!!

S.J. Day is on twitter http://twitter.com/sjday. and her website is http://www.sjday.net/

Currently I am reading Lure of Darnkess by Jennifer St. Giles. Which is the third book in her Shadowmen series. I am really enjoying them and can't wait to write up my reviews!!!

Have fun reading!!!!!

Jennifer St. Giles, Mark Henry, and Susan Kearney....Fun at Dragon Con

2009-09-13T16:17:00.000-07:00

News: The release date for Lisa Klepas's new book, Tempt me at Twilight, is Semptember 22nd according to Amazon right now. So that is very exciting.

Last weekend I attended a convention in Atlanta. Dragon-Con is a huge gathering of people and it was very interesting and a lot of fun. There were not as many authors there as I was hoping to encounter, but the is ok. So a run down of the book adventures in Georgia is the theme of todays blog.

First I did meet Jennifer St. Giles, who I had the honor of meeting at the Romance convention I had attended in May. I had bought her first book, Touch a Dark Wolf, which I am reading now. I spoke with her for a few moments and bought the next four books in the series. So right now I am planning on reading those four books next. She was very nice and I look forward to reading her books and meeting her again at some point. Her website is http://www.jenniferstgiles.com/ if you are intersted in learning more about his author.

My friends and I also attended a reading from Mark Henry. The reading was a lot of fun and I am interested in reading his books. He has a wonderful righting style and form of story telling. The first book in the series is Happy Hour of the Damned. He writes urban fantasy about the supernatural such as zombies, vampires, ect. Except he has a different twist on them, which I got from the reading he gave from his 3rd book in the series. I am excited about reading his books and will soon review them here. His web site is http://www.markhenry.us/ and he is also on twitter http://twitter.com/mark_henry so he is an interesting person, but not for the faint of heart or easily offended....but I got a giant kick out of him. Urban fiction is a newer area I am getting into, which I will discuss another example in a moment.

I did meet another author at Dragon Con and that was Susan Kearney. I bought her first book in a series entitled Lucan it is part of the Pendragon Legacy. The author was very nice and after taling to her I was interested about her books. Her website is http://www.susankearney.com/.

And finally there was a Charlene Harris panel which I did not attend, but a friend did and she said it was fantastic. It was also much more crowded then they thought it would be. So I hope more author will be included in following years. Especially since I do not tend to read sci-fi it would be a good way to meet new authors and discover some great adventures.

I just finished Eve of Chaos by S.J. Day which is the third book in her Marked series. So next post will be reviews and thoughts on those three books. This is also a romp in urban fiction, which I am actually greatly enjoying and I really hope she writes more in this series.

Have a nice night.

Stephanie Laurens and Lucy Monroe.

2009-09-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

Well it is September. Can't belive how this year has flown by. In news Lisa Kleypas's book Tempt Me at Twighlt is being released September 23rd, according to Amazon. So that is very exciting. I have 2 books ro review today, I've been busy busy busy. I read Mastered by Love by Stephanie Laurens and 3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys by Lucy Monroe. So those are what I will be talking about in today's blog.

I was actually pretty disappointed in Mastered By Love by Stephanie Laurens. I have read a couple of her books, but she is one of the few I don't seem to read in order or anything like that, which actually doesn't seem to matter. Which is good, you can jump around and still know what's going on. This book is the last book in her Bastion Club Series. I liked how the story opened and was very engaged in the book. My problem with the book is that about half way through the plot seems to disinagrate a bit. to be blunt there is a point where there are just too many sex scenes. I really enjoyed the two main characters and would have really liked to see more conversation between them and more bantering. I did start losing interest in the book, around the middle. But the end was action packed and well written, if not a little quick. I would recommend reading this whole series most liekly and reading this to finish it. It make be more entertaining or a nice finish to the series. But as a stand alone book it leaves a bit to be desired.

The next book 3 Bride for 3 Bad Boys by Lucy Monroe was exactly what I thought it would be. It was light and entertaining. I would reccomend this book as a delightful fluff read, which is not an insult becuase I love them. It is 3 short stories about 3 brothers. it is delightful and a very quick read.

well that is all for now readers!!

Julia Quinn's The Lost Duke of Wyndham and Mr. Cavendish, I Presume

2009-08-28T18:01:00.000-07:00

Todays books are by Julia Quinn. Now she is one of my favorite authors, but her books can be touch an go for me. While I adore her Bridgertins series, which I'll discuss at a later date when I can find all the books. I will be talking about a pari of books she released. In The Lost Duke of Wyndham and Mr. Cavendish, I Presume deal with the same story from two different perspectives.

While this is an interesting idea and is done very well in the Son's of Destiny series, these books leaves the reader wanted something. I liked the sotry but to be honest out of the two I liked Mr. Cavendish, I Presume better then The Lost Duke of Wyndham. The Lost Duke of wyndham was actually a pointless book, which I hate to say about a book. But she could have just written Mr. Cavendish, I Presume and it would have been enough. While the characters are interesting and lovely, the plot in the first one could have been better. There was way to much repeat of the same scenes. While I understnd that was the point it felt like I was reading the same book twice and getting very little out it. I wanted more of the story and hidden moments. Not the same scenes revisted again and again. This set of books I recommend with a warning. If I knew how repetative they would be going in I may not have had such a harsh reaction to them.

While Mr. Cavendish, I Presume is one of my favorites by Julia Quinn I'd recommend starting with her Bridgerton series or one of her stand alone books, which I will also discuss at a later date. I found how they were written to be a disappointment but indivudally they are wonderful stories.

Julia Quinn does have a new book out called What Happens in London. I am looking forward to reading this book since her books are fun and entertaining reads. I'll have a review on that once I read it.

Julia Quinn's books there is a character named Lady Whistledown who writes a gossip column, anyway there is a twitter that writes as this character. While she does not post much she is fantastic and is totally worth following, especially if you are familar with the character. http://twitter.com/LdyWhistledown

Here is her offical site: http://www.juliaquinn.com/index.php

kindle, Lisa Kleypas, and upcoming movies

2009-08-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

So I have seriously been thinking of saving up and buying a Kindle from Amazon. At first I didn;t like the idea of an electronic book reader, but the more I thought about the more intrested I was. So if you have one or have heard anything about it let me know. I still have to do some research to see if it is a good product for me.

I was very excited to learn that Lisa Kleypas is releasing the next in the Hathaway sibling series Tempted by Twilight on September 30th. Which is very exciting. This series is a shoot off from one of my favorite series which is her Wallflower series.

So i will discuss the other two books in this series. The first book is Mine Till Midnight, which is Cam Rohen's story. He meets Amelia Hathaway and her siblings, which seem to have only bad luck. We first meet Cam in Devil in Winter and he is a great character. The Hathaway family, which is comprised of Leo, Amelia, Winifred, Poppy, and Beatrice, are all delightful.

The second book Seduce Me at Sunrise, which is Winifred and Merripen's story. Merripen was a young gypsy boy when the Hathaway's father took him in. Winifred in this story has made great progress in getting stronger after having a fever which almost took her life. Merripen and Win's relationship is a very interesting one, since it stems from a connection since they were children. It is a very interesting story and I would also recommend this book.

I am looking forward to the next book in this series, because it is proving to be just as delightful as the Wallflower series. Now there is more to the stories which I don't want to ruin so I know these reviews a re a bit weak. But I'd rather them be weak then ruin the story for you.

You can follow Lisa Kleypas on Twitter, she does not post much, but recently she has started to post a bit more. here is the link http://twitter.com/lisakleypas.

Some movies to note coming out in the next few months that are based on books are Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Sherlock Holmes, New Moon, Alice in Wonderland, and Where the Wild Things Are.

On September 23rd they are releasing The Wizard of Oz into theaters for that day for the 70th anniversary of the film. I am very excited about this!!!!

Today I am reading Mastered by Love by Stephanie Laurens and am really enjoying it!!
Happy reading

Dragon Con, Sons of Destiny, and Twitter

2009-08-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

News: I will be posting upcoming releases and such. But that is a work in progess at this moment. I did go to the library today and bought a couple books, which is an odd reason to go to the library I know, but I can't pass up books for $1. I also purchased Christina Dodd's new books Storm of Visions and will be reading that shortly. If you have any suggetions or news let me know becuase I would love to hear about it.

Next week I am off to Atlanta, Georgia to attend Dragon Con. I am going to post a link to guest list in you are interested. I am hoping to find some new authors since there are quite a few going. So I will report back on that. I will be also trying to add blogs from my phone so the next few days may have some small updates that way, which if it works out I will post mini blogs that way. So next week I take the trip and we will see what lovely new books I find. I know Charlene Harris who wrote the Dead Until Dark books is going ad i still need to sift through the list to see who else I have read. And Dragon Con has workshops and panels that I am looking forward to!

Today's Review: I have decided to post about Jean Johnson's Sons od Destiny series. It has 8 books in the series and I would say it is fantasy romance, you'll find them in to romance section. They have to do with another world and magic, which is fantasy to me. I really enjoy these books and am not going to go one by one because they are really just one book books. The story sometimes overlaps and is pretty much continueous through the 8 books. The last book was just released so new reader don't have to wait for any. Jean Johnson does a wonderful job with plot and her characters are vivid and enjoyable. While I thought some of the books wearer then other, I was not drawn to the specific characters it was focused on which may have been the problem.

In a nut shell the books revovle around 8 brothers who are 4 sets of twins and how they deal with being exiled from there homeland because of a prophecy that is feared. And how these 8 brothers all find there wives, with a bit help from the youngest brother. I would highly recommend these books, and the plot is a bit complicated to out line in more deapth without runing anything. The books in the series are The Sword, The Wolf, The Master, The Song, The Cat, The Storm, The Flame, and The Mage. It is a fantastic series and I look forward to the author's next project. My only problem with the books, which really has nothing to do with the books, is how the designed the cover for The Flame, te seventh in the series. It is slightly different from the other, but that is a minor pet peeve.

I am also going to suggest people to follow on twitter, for those of you who enjoy that, which I adore. So todays twitter suggestion is Teresa Medeiros (http://twitter.com/TeresaMedeiros ) who is a romance author. She is delightful to follow on twitter. Will also be writing about some of her books soon. I follow a lot of authors on twitter so I will post one or so daily if you are interested.

Also for facebook fans there is a group that may interest you. It's called Love Romance Novels and you can follow the creator of this group on twitter. and she is always putting together chats and events dealing with romance authors. here is the link http://twitter.com/JoannaDangelo.

Let me know if any of the links don't work. Also I had to give up for now on the books I was reading On Basilisk Station, I will pick it up again later. So I need to go decide which book I am going to read today....hmmmmm so many choices.

Sabrina Jeffries Lord's Series

2009-08-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

For the next couple postings I am going to recommend series I have read, as well as individual books. I may also discuss and author and a couple of there books at a time that are interconnected. That is the rough plan of approach right now. I will include my daily progress on the book I am ready and maybe a movie review. So let's get started.

The first series is Sabrina Jefferies Lord's trilogy. She has written multiple books and will also be discussed again at a later date. The books in this set are The Pirate Lord, The Forbidden Lord, and The Dangerous Lord. You see the same characters make apperances thoughout the three books which is always fun and something I am particularly fond of.

I really enjoyed The Pirate Lord, it was fun and actually a very creative plot I thought. In a nut shell a group of pirates take over a woman's convict ship headed towards Austraila and the heronie, Sara Willis, does not take to kindly to being kidnapped and how the pirates plan on treating the women. This leads to the butting of head between the pirate captain Gideon Horn and Sara. It is a harming read and I would recommend it.

The second book The Forbidden Lord we get the story that centers around Sara's step brother, Jordan Willis, the Earl of Blackmore. This story is a very funny and entertaining read. In a nut shell Jordan meets Emily, a prechers daughter, at a ball she attend with a friend. Later Emily is blackmailed into returning to town and posing as Lady Emma. Jordan swears he know Lady Emma and is bent on exposing her true identity. Again I would recommend this one as well.

The third book in the series is The Dangerous Lord in which you truely fall in love with the hero of this story. In a nut shell Felicity wants to prevent her friend from entering into a marriage she thinks won't suit her. This bring Felicity up against Ian Lennard, the Vicount St. Clair who is in a bad position and needs to marry. This story is delightful and really worth the time.

Sabrina Jeffries is one of my favorite authors. Most of her books are fantastic. They have a wonderful sense of humor thoughout them and you find yourself laughing thought out her books. The three books just outlined...if you had not noticed...are in the romance genre.

Today I have gotten further in On Basilisk Station now as we seem to be getting into the action it is picking up a bit. But it is still a bit hard to wade though sometimes, but I think when we get more character interaction the story will pick up. So I am hopeful. I have set a page requirement to read each night so i can get though it quickly.

For you book lovers I would like to recommend the sight Shelfari.com. The book self on the right side of this page is from there. It is a wonderful sight and helps you keep what you have read organized and it is a good reference. You can also meet people and join groups by subject and such. I strongly recommend the group 50 book challenge. It is an excellent premise and group.

So that is all for tomight!! Happy reading!!!

The start, the premise, and Julie and Julia

2009-08-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

I did not know how I wanted to approach this blog, which sounds funny, but I wanted to make sure it had some order. I have discovered I was simply overthinking it. So this is a book blog, and it will be about books in any form or fashion. That being said we will now start this blog.

I will be back tracking to books I have read so I will have plenty to write about in the upcoming weeks. I will be discussing my favorite series and authors. I will also be discussing plays, musicals and films based on books...(as I will shortly). I will also discuss books I am currently reading and successes and failures on that front.

Today I went with my mother and saw Julie and Julia...which I think is a fitting movie to start my own blog with. I really enjoyed this movie. Now I have not personally read the book, I ment to read it before I saw the movie, but alas that did not happen. My mother read it and did enjoy both book and movie. I will have to read this book now since the film was so enjoyable. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams where both fantastic. I would recomend the movie to anyone who want s a feel good movie and I will be going out and getting a copy of the book soon!

Right now I am reading On Basilisk Station by David Weber. I am enjoyoing it but I had a hard time getting into it. The book tends to be very technical and politically heavy, and I am hoping to see more character driven action coming into it. I am on page 79 and am seeing a slight move in that direction. Now I am not use to reading Sci-fi which is what this novel is, so that may have a al ot to do with it. But the book caught my attention and I am trying to branch out a bit more. So we shall see where that leads. I will go more into this novel as I get further into it.

Next week I am planning on going to see the Time Traveler Wife which I did actually read a while ago. So I will have a more clear or educated..if you will..look at how this movie works or compares to the book. Now on that note I do usually like the book better, but one has to take movies as a different medium that has other advatages and disadvatages. So well shall see how that movie goes.

For now that is all I have to say on the world of books right now. So enjoy your evening

Purpose

2009-07-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

I am using this blog as a place to put up book reviews and maybe movie and cd review. I depends on how I will try and set it up. But most likely it will be a book review blog. But that is the premise of it right now.