Becoming Brigid

I've not been one to post long book reviews on this blog, but if I was more awake and my brain was truly in gear, I'd be tempted to post a lengthy review of Lisa Shafer's "Becoming Brigid."

Lisa is a self published author and teacher who lives out in Utah. I'm not sure how we 'met' on the internet. I think it was through Nathan Bransford's blog. Nathan was a literary agent, once upon a time, and he posted wonderful information for aspiring authors. I found Lisa's comments on his posts to be insightful and funny. She also shares my dislike for all things that sparkle (Twilight) and an appreciation for good YA novels.

I soon began stopping by her blog and she would visit mine as well. I have followed her journey to publish not only this title, but also her Half Vampire books. But, as much as I love vampires, I have really been waiting to get my hands on Brigid. The concept of this book just struck a note with me and I was very excited when she announced that the book was ready to go.

Lisa, hats off to you on "Becoming Brigid." The characters are awesome. They are personable, so very real, and remind me of kids I know. The dialog, such an important part of building a character, is fantastic. I adore Brigid! Her personality rocks and is authentic and natural. The plot is fun and action packed. The adventures Brigid finds herself on are great. No 'saggy middle' in this book. The action is nonstop. Dougal is great and I can truly see why some of your younger readers have a crush on him. What literature loving teens wouldn't swoon over a Celtic god quoting poetry and play lines to them?

I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but the story is one of discovery and self-awareness. It has a very positive message for young women. Brigid has a backbone, a brain, and an attitude. Yippee!! Plus, not all the boys are jerks. Although there is one who is a major jerk, but what happens to him is so perfect...and you can find out more about that if you read the book!

Four stars!!

a stew of reviews

The dystopian novel goes fae….and it works. Here’s the gist, the fae and humans have a war that destroys life as we know it. Fae magic now lives in our world and manifests in the children born after the war. Some of these children are embraced, but for 15 year old Liza, her blossoming faery abilities mean she must leave her home and try and find the mother who abandoned her years earlier due to horrific circumstances.  "Bones of Faerie" is Janni Lee Simner’s first YA novel. I really enjoyed it. A second novel in this series is also available and I hope our e-Library adds that title soon.  Good stuff.

“To Walk the Night” by E.S. Moore gives us a guy writing a female vampire protag who hunts and kills other vamps and werewolves. Hmmmm. Think there is a movie franchise similar to this. It was okay. I really wanted to like it, but it just didn’t hit the right notes with me. I ended up skimming it in an afternoon and returned it to the e-Library lickety split so I could find another title to borrow.

“The Mating” by Nicky Charles is a self-published freebie I found on B&N. It had a boatload of reviews, so I gave it a whirl. It was okay. Not great, but okay. Here’s the gist: the new alpha wolf needs a mate, so he goes to the territory next door and claims the neighboring alpha’s daughter.  Cue the typical plot conflicts and you have this story: sibling misunderstanding, romantic jealousy, a bitchy (no pun intended) ex-girlfriend, supportive new pack members and of course ‘steamy’ sex scenes.  I’m going to take a glance at the other freebies from Charles to see if her later books are a bit more polished. 

holding pattern

I'm craving some holding patterns. I'd like to have a few days that bordered on boring. A day without a major event, crisis or 'new' thing to tackle would be most welcome.  But, it seems, this fall is anything but monotonous either at work or at home.

So, we adjust and we adapt and we keep moving along with a routine that is anything but, routine.

Book reviews........The Schoolmaster's Daughter by John Smolen is up first. I had high hopes for this book pinned solely upon the fact it was a historical fiction novel set during the American Revolution. I ended up being disappointed. The setting was wonderful, but the characters were flat and never drew my interest. Bummer.

The next book was Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich. This latest addition to the Stephanie Plum saga is good for a few laughs, but I've been more entertained by other 'numbers' in this series. Maybe I was just in a grumpy mood when I read it,  but I'm starting to get irritated with the whole romantic triangle thing between Ranger, Morelli and Stephanie.  

So, that is it....here we are at Tuesday. Have a good one!

my disappearing tbr pile

TBR pile: to be read pile

Now that we have that out of the way, I cut through Lilith Saintcrow's "Redemption Alley" like the proverbial hot knife through butter. Saintcrow's writing style is best described as, take no prisoners. She isn't afraid of getting her characters dirty, gritty, bloody and puts you on the edge of your seat with rollercoaster plots. Jill Kismet is the heroine of this series and she is a Hunter....which means she is a Church and Law Enforcement sanctioned killer of all the monsters that roam the streets. She is very effective and due to a deal she made with a denizen of Hell, she heals up from every amazing injury she endures in her efforts to keep the Nightside from taking over her town. Not for the faint of heart, Saintcrow's books are fine urban fantasy/horror/sci-fi reads.

On a totally different note, I finished the last Miss Julia book I had stashed away. "Miss Julia Hits the Road" was a delightful read and if picturing a 60 something Southern Lady on the back of a Harley doesn't bring a grin to your face, not much will. I've enjoyed the first four books in this series and plan on reading the rest of the Miss Julia stories.

I now need to finish "Face Down Beside St. Anne's Well," by Kathy Lynn Emerson. These historical mysteries about Lady Susanna Appleton are fun to read; good plot, good characters and I always learn something about Elizabethan times.

Once I finish the Emerson book, my TBR pile will be wiped out.....but, never fear, I'm off to the library again today to see what came in as donations and to scan the shelves for my next 'victims.'

hodge podge

Over the last week I've watched a few movies borrowed from the library and I've read a couple of books. Here are a few thumbnail reviews of what I've cluttered my mind with......

"Kitty Raises Hell" the latest Carrie Vaughn novel about a radio talk show host who just happens to be a werewolf is a very satisfying addition to this urban fantasy series. Loved that the evil villain is not a shifter or a vamp but a genie!

"A Poisoned Season" by Tasha Alexander is the second novel featuring amateur sleuth Lady Emily Ashton, and is a delightful Victorian read filled with plenty of history, fashion, fun characters and clever dialogue.

We watched: Quantum of Solace, Prince Caspian, The Last Legion and Beach Blanket Bingo. Yes, quite the variety of movies!

Quantum of Solace was typical James Bond, great eye candy for the ladies and the gentlemen, but unfortunately, this one lacked a driving plot.....although it had plenty of car chases.

Prince Caspian is the second Disney effort to bring the Chronicles of Narnia to the big screen. I LOVED those books growing up and am happy to report this movie was as good as the first and maybe even a tad bit better.

The Last Legion starred Colin Firth and was a fun look at how Excalibur came to be the stuff of legend....interesting combination of Celtic and Roman history and a neat twisting together of several Arthurian themes.

Beach Blanket Bingo....what can I say but this movie came out the year I was born, 1965, and my girls thought it was hysterical. Frankie and Annette on the beach...what is not to find funny?

We are back to the library today to find more books to read and more movies to watch now that the TV is filled with repeats and the few shows we do try and catch we've already seen.......

new twists on robin hood

I browsed the new fiction shelf at the library late last week and came home with several new books. I also found a book, third in a series, that looked intriguing and prompted a visit to the regular stacks to search out books one and two. I was excited and pleasantly surprised to find that the library had those titles as well. Since I already had an armful of titles, I only checked out the first book.

The book is "Hood" by Stephen Lawhead. I've read most of Lawhead's other titles and really enjoy his writing and his story telling. This book is about Robin Hood...but with Lawhead's characteristic historical twist on the tale. I read about a fourth of the book yesterday and look forward to reading more today. This tale's Hood is a Welshman who is the heir apparent to a 'kingdom' just given away by William the Conqueror to one of his Norman lords. Lawhead has included other Robin Hood characters like Marian, Friar Tuck and Little John.

I'm always amazed when a writer can take a well loved tale peopled with very familiar characters and inject new life, history and drama. What was old is now all new again!!! I love it.

ghost at work

My friend Anne read this book and did a very nice review of it on her blog. Anne is one of my 'followers' so click on her link and go read it for more details on this novel. No point in reinventing the wheel, so I'm not going to do a lengthy overview of the novel. Carolyn Hart's latest mystery series begins with "Ghost at Work" and I'm delighted to know that we will be reading more about Bailey Ruth Raeburn and her involvement with heaven's Good Intentions Dept. This was a wonderfully plotted mystery peopled with great characters, plenty of local color and a heavenly heroine. Hart is the author of the Death on Demand series and the Henrie O series. Think I will be checking out this writer's backlist. She's good.

hounded to death

Sister Jane Arnold rides off sleuthing in yet an other mystery from Rita Mae Brown. "Hounded to Death" is the latest in Brown's series books featuring Master of the Hunt, 73 year old Jane Arnold. I love these stories for a number of reasons.

1. The heroine isn't young in age, but is definitely young at heart.
2. The stories feature dogs, birds, horses and foxes who talk to each other and wish the humans could truly understand them.
3. I enjoy learning about what makes a good hunting horse and a good foxhound.
4. The cast of characters is always well rounded, vivid and unforgettable.
5. The mysteries are always solid, the writing is clean and simple and the books read quick.
6. Sister Jane has opinions and isn't afraid to share them!

Even though the books in this series could be read as 'stand alone' books, don't. Go back and find the first ones and read from that point forward. Brown does an excellent job of growing Sister Jane's world and you don't want to miss one chapter, one book in that journey.

After I finish one of these, I want to take hunt seat riding lessons. I took western seat lessons for a couple of years, long ago....and loved it. Then I got engaged and had to start saving those extra pennies for the wedding!

eve

I've read a fair amount of Biblical fiction from the likes of Anita Diamant, Orson Scott Card, Marek Halter etc. Some are better than others, but all show the bias of the author's own religious beliefs, which is only natural and to be expected. The interpretation of the Bible is big business....if you haven't figured that out already.

Elissa Elliott's debut novel, "Eve" is about the first woman...yes, that Eve. The story isn't just told from her point of view. We also see the world through the eyes of her three daughters. Elliott does a great job of bringing these characters to life and endowing them with very real and gritty human emotions. The Adam and Eve story already has conflict, Elliott enhances it and makes it even more approachable and human.

She takes the reader into the Garden, gives them the experience of the Fall, the expulsion, the survival experience that ensues. She shows us the relationships between Adam, Eve and their children and Elohim (God). She takes a well known story and adds depth, layers and complexity.

Good read.

I am Rembrandt's Daughter

When I select YA books to read, I usually try to check out books from different genres. I was able to find a historical fiction title on my last trip among the display of new books to the collection.

Lynn Cullen's "I am Rembrandt's Daughter" is in many ways a very simple tale of family, family secrets and growing up. Cornelia is the daughter of Rembrandt's common law wife, Hendrickje. We see the story through her eyes and are often taken back in forth in time by her memories of life before her mother died of the plague and the 'present.' The story contains a small mystery which is nicely revealed at the end, no whiplash here, as well as insights into the fickle nature of art lovers, trends and innovation.

Cullen's end notes explain her inspiration for the story as well as a list of factual and fictional characters. I was intrigued by her use of two paintings as a launching point for this story.

I enjoyed this book's quiet simplicity and Cornelia's story. The frequent flashbacks may bother some readers who don't like to be pulled out of the main story current, but bear with them, clues lie therein for the mystery.

whiplash endings

I'm a sucker for trilogies. I love series books. I enjoy reading about the same characters and traveling with them on their journeys.

When I found the latest book from Cinda Williams Chima in her "Heir" trilogy, "The Dragon Heir," I couldn't wait to get home and start reading it. Once I began the book I realized that it had been longer than I remembered since I read "The Warrior Heir" and "The Wizard Heir." I had a bit of trouble at the beginning remembering all the different characters and their histories. Gradually I regained my bearings with the larger story arc and settled in to enjoy the book. Chima has created an interesting world peopled with strong male and female characters. She piles on the conflict and the 'gray' area in decisions/choices. This book, however, has so many plot threads to tie off and so many characters to deal with that at times I felt like I wasn't immersed in the story and was watching the author put together a very large jigsaw puzzle. It was akin to observing her say, "oh, what about that character, I need to wrap up that story line...let's put him/her over there...."

I've always admired JK Rowling's deft hand in juggling so many characters through so many stories. It is quite a talent and when it works, it is seamless. When it doesn't work, you can see every stitch.

When I reached the books' last chapter I had a major moment of whiplash ending. The two main characters of this story successfully resolved their issues in short order and then in the final two pages the author did a line by line synopsis of every other characters' conclusion. It was rushed. It was hurried. It was contrived. It was..."Oops, we've reached 499 pages and time to quit."

I was disappointed in this final book. Chima has a solid talent for writing teen characters, but this last book didn't leave me with a smile on my face.

short week and The Shack

My three kids had the past two days off from school. Although I hate the fact that the school year will not end until after Memorial Day, I did enjoy having a small break in the routine. I took the oldest with me yesterday to the library so she could work on an English project while I manned the bookstore.

Hopping day at the library....lots of folks using computers, using the reference collection (what is it about the third quarter in school that dictates research projects), and shopping in our bookstore. She managed to get several new sources lined up for her paper and I managed to sell close to $100 in only 3 hours. Success all the way around.

Today I should be cleaning the house and completing tasks I've postponed in order to do other things with the kids. Hard to get back to work after playing for four days.....ahhh, the dust will wait. I hear the books on my nightstand calling.

Speaking of books......a copy of "The Shack" appeared in our donations pile and I quickly grabbed it to read. I've heard a variety of opinions and comments on this book from store visitors, soccer parents etc. Anything that stirs the religion pot has to be read! So, I spent yesterday afternoon reading. This is not a well written book, but it does pose some interesting views/ideas on the nature of God, faith and how we interpret spiritual matters. I could immediately see why some local preachers, according to comments I've heard, are actually preaching against this book from the pulpit. Organized religion and the idea of "us vs. them" in faith matters takes a hit. The biggest sticking point for some is of course Jesus' portrayal as a Jewish carpenter, no he doesn't look like an Anglo-Saxon from central casting, who actually says that he isn't a "Christian" and his life was not meant to be copied! Talk about stirring the pot!! The main message of the book is love and forgiveness....and those two points, I hope, are difficult for anyone of any faith, to argue.

here lies Arthur

Yep, I managed to finish this YA gem while the oldest was running 3.5 miles with her soccer team at one of our local parks.

What a wonderful read. I've never had the pleasure of reading a Philip Reeve book before this, but you can bet I will be looking for more of his titles. Beautiful writing, great characters, a tight plot, wonderful conflicts of all sorts....it was like eating a really, really decadent dessert. Yum.

I've read a variety of takes on the Arthurian legend for a variety of age groups. I've read them where the story has been told by the women in the legends. I even think I read one where an animal told the story. However, I do believe this is the first one I read where Arthur is presented as a small time warlord who pillages the occasional village. This Arthur is short tempered, ego-centric and not noble at all. This Arthur will order his own men killed to protect his holdings.

The story is told by Gwynna, a young girl whose family is killed by Arthur's men. She escapes the carnage by swimming down the river and is eventually plucked from the waters by Myrddin (Merlin). He dresses her as a boy and proceeds to use her swimming skills to create the whole sword coming out of the water scene. Yes, she is the lake-lady. She befriends the boys in Arthur's army and gets a first hand taste of battle. Eventually nature intervenes and Myrddin realizes she must disappear and reappear as the girl that she is. When Gwynna comes back she is placed in Gwynnhfar's household to spy on Arthur's Christian wife.

I don't want to reveal more of the story beyond that point, but I will warn that this YA book doesn't shy away from infidelity, murder and even gender roles. It also touches repeatedly on the concept that history is basically comprised of the lies that we agree to....and the stories we tell which most often are not based on whole truths.

Two major thumbs up for this book. Bravo.

Happy Valentine's Day to all....hug your sweetie.

the host

As promised, here are my thoughts on Stephenie Meyer's "The Host." I mentioned yesterday the beginning of the book was slow going and in fact I seriously skimmed pages trying to find a place where the storyline engaged me. The book became a better read the closer I got to the last third of the story.

Okay, Earth is invaded by a species of creatures, 'souls', who need host bodies in order to live off their native planet, the Origin. After several lifetimes on other planets, Wanderer, finds her way to Earth and is implanted into a young woman named Melanie Stryder. Melanie had been hiding from the 'parasites' and was only captured when she ventured into Chicago looking for her cousin.

Usually after an implantation the human consciousness winnows away as the 'soul' takes control. Melanie, however, fights to stay in her body and eventually a give and take relationship develops between Wanderer and Melanie. This relationship propels Wanderer to look for Mel's love interest as well as her younger brother.

And true to Meyer's style, there are multiple love interests going on at the same time once Wanderer reaches the group of free humans. She does love the whole love triangle, or in this case, square, as there are four characters involved.

The book improves when more action involving Wanderer, dubbed Wanda by the humans, is out doing raids on her own species. Then true to Meyer's themes in her vampire series, the whole self sacrifice/martyr for love character arcs kick into play.

The book was okay. Not great, not horrific, but I can't really recommend it. Your time will be better spent with another story.

a trio of book bits

B&N knows how to suck me into a store and part me from my money. They sent some great coupons last week so while I was out hunting for boots, I ventured in and left with a hardcover and a paperback. I proceeded to read both over the weekend plus finish the paperback I'd started earlier in the week.

Up first....Laurell K. Hamilton is a wonderful writer and storyteller even though I wish she'd infuse some of her stories with more out of the bedroom action. In the latest Merry Gentry novel, "Swallowing Darkness," I'm happy to say that the bedroom takes a back seat to the other developments in the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Merry is finally preggers with twins, fathered by I think 6 different men....don't ask, this is a fairy tale. Of course she is in danger and all sorts of magical attacks, defenses and happenings occur. My favorite aspect of this book has to be the vision Hamilton creates of the courts and the Sluagh. The details and descriptions of the settings and the way she develops such interesting character personality facets is really amazing. I loved the ending and while it appears that the books could be complete at this point, Hamilton has blogged that more Merry stories are to come. I'm glad as one of my favorite characters returns at the end and I must read more about him.

Next, Charlaine Harris had a mystery series she did in the mid 90's called the Aurora Teagarden books. The basic premise is a small town librarian becomes an amateur sleuth. I found books two and three at our last book sale and then purchased book four at B&N. 'Roe' is out to solve the mystery surrounding "The Julius House." The house's former occupants just vanished almost seven years ago. As the house is her new home, a wedding gift from her hubby, who is quite mysterious in his own right, she wants to learn what happened. These stories could be called 'cozy mysteries' but I think they have a bit more grit to them than some of the cozies I have read. Good easy read for a cold winter's day. Roe is a delight and Harris knows how to plot a book.

Finally, I finished "Carpe Demon" by Julie Kenner. This was the demon hunting soccer mom book I wrote about last week. Well, of course, no soccer is in this book which is a bummer for this soccer mom. Instead the teenage daughter is a cheerleader...what?! All in all, the book was okay. I won't read another one as I just don't care for the whole mommy-lit genre it seems. It was cute, but I finished it more because I started it than because I was entertained. Just not for me.

The finale of HBO's True Blood was good. I was glad they wrapped up the murder mystery in the first half hour and then spent the next half hour setting up season two. My favorite scene had to be when Pam and Eric dropped Jessica off at Bill's. That was too funny. The new season will start in the summer. Alan Ball has said that he would veer from the books at this point, but from this finale, it seems that several plot lines may continue forward. My hope for season two is to see more of Eric. I just have a thing for tall, blonde undead Vikings.

Speaking of undead things, demons, evil fairies and murder....I have to walk into Wal Mart today....if I don't blog tomorrow, you'll know what happened!!

By the way, I bought boots at the Clark's store and also a pair of walking shoes. Merry Christmas to Liz from the hubby for the next few years! Pricey, but my word are they comfortable.