Dk_Phoenix Burns Through 75 in 2010: The Finale

I know some of you just found me again on my previous thread, but seeing as how it has reached 250 posts -- and most of my recent reviews aren't for books that I would recommend -- I figure it's time to start fresh!

My third thread can be found here.
My second thread can be found here.
My first thread can be found here.

I've largely abandoned the 1010 Challenge, but for the sake of curiosity and interest (and time), I'm going to keep the 1010 organization system in my other thread 'first posts'. So, here you have it:

1) Ancient History/Archaeology: Classical World

-- The Book of the Courtesans - Sarah Griffin
-- The Portland Vase - Robin Brooks

2) Ancient History/Archaeology: Ancient Near East

3) Fairy Tales/Folklore

4) Fantasy authors

-- Hero of Ages: Mistborn #3 - Brandon Sanderson
-- Shock Totem 1: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted - K. Wood, ed.
-- Soulless - Gail Carriger
-- The Summoner: Chronicles of the Necromancer Book 1 - Gail Z. Martin
-- Making Money - Terry Pratchett
-- Temeraire #1: His Majesty's Dragon - Naomi Novik
-- Heartless - Anne Spengl
-- Green Rider - Kristin Britain
-- Shadow Bound - Erin Kellison
-- The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss
-- Changeless - Gail Carriger
-- Blameless - Gail Carriger
-- Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Outcast - Aaron Allston
-- Staying Dead - Laura Anne Gilman
-- Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb

5) Old Mysteries

-- A Study in Scarlet - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
-- The Sign of Four - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

6) Children's/YA

-- Snakecharm - Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
-- Alcatraz versus the Knights of Crystallia - Brandon Sanderson
-- Skinned - Robin Wasserman
-- Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
-- The Midwife's Apprentice - Karen Cushman
-- The 39 Clues #6: In Too Deep - Jude Watson
-- The Maze Runner - James Dashner
-- Liar - Justine Larbalestier
-- Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy - Ally Carter
-- 10 Things I Hate About Me - Randa Abdel-Fattah
-- Magic Under Glass - Jaclyn Dolamore
-- The Adoration of Jenna Fox - Mary E. Pearson
-- Geektastic - Holly Black
-- Lips Touch, Three Times - Laini Taylor
-- 39 Clues #7: The Viper's Nest - Peter Lerangis
-- 39 Clues #8: The Emperor's Code - Gordon Korman
-- Alison Dare and the Heart of the Maiden - J. Torres
-- Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? - Louise Rennison
-- The Willoughbys - Lois Lowry
-- The Bermudez Triangle - Maureen Johnson
-- 13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson
-- If Only You Knew - Mags Storey
-- Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies - Erin Dionne
-- Folly - Marthe Jocelyn
-- The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner - Stephenie Meyer
-- The Lives of Christopher Chant -- Diana Wynne Jones
-- Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan
-- Perfectly Dateless - Kristin Billerbeck
-- Inside Out - Maria V. Snyder
-- A Crooked Kind of Perfect - Linda Urban
-- Lirael - Garth Nix
-- Alanna: The First Adventure - Tamora Pierce
-- Radiance - Alyson Noel
-- Poison Study - Maria V. Snyder
-- 39 Clues #9: Storm Warning - Linda Sue Park
-- 39 Clues #10: Into the Gauntlet - Margeret Peterson Haddix
-- Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
-- I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You - Ally Carter
-- Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins

7) World Authors or World Issues

-- Just Courage - Gary A. Haugen
-- The Fifth Pillar - David Zeidan
-- Night - Elie Wiesel
-- Terrify No More - Gary A. Haugen
-- Woman to Woman - Joy Loewen
-- Nomad - Ayaan Hirsi Ali

8) Animals/Nature

-- Hamster: Your Happy Healthy Pet - Betsy Sikora Siino
-- The Secret Life of Cats - Claire Bessant
-- Animals in Translation - Temple Grandin
-- Beavers Eh to Bea - Lil Anderson
-- A California Bestiary - Solnit & Caron
-- The Nine Emotional Lives of Cats - Jeffrey Moustaieff Masson
-- Scent of the Missing - Susannah Charleston

9) Other Fiction (historical, literary, etc)

-- The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
-- The Silent Governess - Julie Klassen
-- Swinging on a Star - Janice Thompson
-- Abigail - Jill Eileen Smith
-- Beguiled: A Novel - Deeanne Gist & J. Mark Bertrand
-- Remember Me? - Sophie Kinsella
-- Hearts Awakening - Delia Parr
-- Sixteen Brides - Stephanie Grace Whitson
-- She Walks in Beauty - Siri Mitchell
-- Bollywood Confidential - Sonia Singh
-- The Debutante Divorcee - Plum Sykes
-- Alice I Have Been - Melanie Benjamin
-- Mornings in Jenin - Susan Abulhawa
-- It Had to Be You - Janice Thompson
-- The Sari Shop Widow - Shobhan Bantwal
-- Maid to Match - Deeanne Gist
-- A Tailor-Made Bride - Karen Witemeyer
-- The King's Mistress - Emma Campion
-- Back on Murder - J. Mark Bertrand
-- Forget About It - Caprice Crane
-- All I Ever Wanted - Kristin Higgins
-- It Had to Be You - Janice Thompson
-- Running Around (And Such) - Linda Byler
-- Once Wicked, Always Dead - T. Marie Benchley
-- The Constantine Conspiracy - Gary Parker
-- Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
-- Stash - David Klein
-- Amy Inspired - Bethany Pierce
-- The False Friend - Myla Goldberg
-- Masquerade - Nancy Moser
-- Touching the Clouds - Bonnie Leon
-- In Every Heartbeat - Kim Vogel Sawyer
-- Running Around (and Such) - Linda Byler
-- Head in the Clouds - Karen Witemeyer
-- Making Waves - Lorna Seilstad
-- A Hope Undaunted - Julie Lessman
-- Running the Books - Avi Steinberg

10) Just For Fun

-- DumbHeart: A Get Fuzzy Collection - Darby Conley
-- The Bro Code - Barney Stinson w/ Matt Kuhl
-- Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank! - Celia Rivenbark
-- Mom Still Likes You Best: The Unfinished Business of Siblings - Jane Isay
-- I Am Hutterite - Mary-Ann Kirkby
-- King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan - Anupama Chopra
-- The Devil and Sherlock Holmes - David Grann
-- Waiter Rant - Steve Dublanica
-- The World is Bigger Now - Euna Lee
-- Choosing to SEE - Mary Beth Chapman
-- Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life - Bryan Lee O'Malley
-- The Watchmen - Alan Moore
-- Uncanny X-Men: Sisterhood - Matt Fraction
-- Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - Bryan Lee O'Malley

11) The Secret 11th Category for Books I Don't Know Where Else to Fit

-- 50 Ways to Feel Great Today - Biebel, Dill & Dill
-- The Gospel According to LOST - Chris Seay
-- The Tao of Pooh - Benjamin Hoff
-- Kaleidoscope - Patsy Clairmont
-- Honesty, Morality & Conscience - Jerry WHite
-- Plan B - Pete Wilson
-- No More Christian Nice Girl - P. Coughlin
-- What Happened to My Life? - Danna Demetre
-- Have a New You By Friday - Dr. Kevin Leman
-- History and Historians - Gilderhus
-- The Reluctant Entertainer - Sandy Coughlin
-- Power to Reinvent Yourself - Jason Frenn

...and I started the year doing the TIOLI challenge, but kind of fell off the wagon about halfway through. I hope to pick it up again in 2011, but if you're interested in seeing what I read for TIOLI this year, pop over to one of my other threads and scroll to the bottom of the first post.

Thanks for joining me!!!

I loved your A Hope Undaunted review!! Reading it was evidently a lot more fun than reading the book--I am NOT a soap opera fan either.

Found you! :)

Hi, Faith:)

Just popping in. Hello!

Nice to see you back, Faith!

Found you again, Faith!

Hi Faith

I like the categories of your books!

Found you again, good to see you back :-) Here's to reading more of what you want to read rather than what you have to read.

>2 ronincats:: Roni, I'm glad some enjoyment came out of my time reading that book... even if it was just the review...!

>3 Ape:,4,5,6,7: *waves back* Hellooooo everyone!!! Thanks for stopping by!!!

>8 Whisper1:: Thanks, Linda! I wish I'd stuck to actually reading more books in those categories, but I was taken by many reading whims throughout the year and didn't get around to it... ah well, there's always next year!

>9 souloftherose:: Thank you, and I give a wholehearted "Aye!" to your statement!

115) Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Outcast - Aaron Allston

When I saw this in the bookstore, I was taken with an overwhelming urge to grab it and read it immediately. I think I've been suffering from sci-fi withdrawal, since most of the sci-fi shows I love have ended (permanently... *sniff*), and it's been ages since I re-watched Star Wars. So, being a complete geek, I bought it proudly and read it, and then realized that it was a very, very stupid thing to do.

Why? Because I haven't read the previous Star Wars book series that came before it. And, according to the timeline that you will find inside all Star Wars books (which I'd forgotten about, since it had been over a decade since reading one), the 'Fate of the Jedi' series is at the VERY END of the timeline. As in, spoiler alert for everything in the entire Star Wars universe that came before it.

So I now know who marries who, who lived to make it to this series, who died, who has what kids and which ones are good, which are bad, what happens to the Rebel Alliance and the Empire, the wars that were fought / lost / won / are ongoing, and so on and so forth... so, uh... I'm definitely kicking myself for having read this on my first foray back into Star Wars lit. *sigh*

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the book (aside from the moments of confusion over a rather major event that happened in the universe's history RIGHT BEFORE this series... which actually deals with the fallout from that event... again, something I would have enjoyed reading about BEFORE this series), and I plan to read the rest of the 'Fate of the Jedi' series (I think there are currently five books in the series). Then I hope to go back and read some of the crucial series that deal with major events in Star Wars history.

Rating: 3.5/5
Source: Impulse purchase!!!

I enjoyed your reviews... I only had to catch up from September. Lucky me that you didn't post a lot during that time! LOL

I think your decisions re: ARC and your blog (to get books by authors you enjoy) are great ones. Were you happy with NaNoaslkjhflajkhdt ? (I can never remember the name! LOL)

You made me laugh in the review just above. LOL well at least you won't be in suspense about outcomes if you go back and ready books earlier in the timeline ;->

#11 - *So, being a complete geek*:

Have you seen/heard of/been inundated by suggestions for Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd? It's a collection of stories edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci and is AWESOME! Especially if you are any flavour of geek or nerd. The very first story is about a Klingon fangirl who wakes up next to a Jedi fanboy one morning during a ComiCon...

>12 suslyn:: Susan, I *knew* there was a reason life was so busy and I didn't read much! LOL... As for NaNoWriMo (though I like the unpronouncibliity of your version!), I finished on time, ended the novel, and have set it aside for editing in the new year! We also had a great group of people in our region this year, and our tiny little city ended up being #23 (out of #505 regions worldwide) for average wordcount per writer!!! We were #383 in wordcount overall, but for only being an "official" region for two years, we did pretty darn stinkin' good.

>13 PrincessT:: I actually read it earlier this year! Back in April, I believe. I thought most of it was pretty good, there were a few stories that were great, and some others that just annoyed me and nearly made me close the book. Haha. I'm glad I read it though, for those really good stories!

Congrats for completing NaNoWriMo!

Faith, always glad to help anyway I can :) LOL

I think the growth of your region is just fantastic!! Way to go! Congrats too on finishing! How exciting is that. I also think you're wise to give it a rest. Hope your December is wonderful and recharges you to full+ so you're in good form for the next stages :)

xox

Hi Faith - I feel the same as you about the SF drought in the media. You can only watch those "Firefly" episodes so many times. I don't get why there isn't more!

#17 - I'm sorry, but the first thing that popped into my head when I read your message was "Does that seem right to you?" Maybe I watched those Firefly episodes once too many...

>15 BookAngel_a:: Thank you! It was a long month, but worth it.

>16 suslyn:: Thanks, Susan. There were days when I wondered why I was bothering as the Municipal Liaison for the region -- especially when attendance at all the regional events I was organizing went down as the month wore on -- but we had 10+ (haven't counted specifics) people finish the 50k, and with our stats that I mentioned, I feel now that I did a good job by them and am actually looking forward to next year.

>17 sibylline:: I know... and Syfy network has some good shows, but my favorites are only shown as half-seasons during the summer and late spring (Warehouse 13, Eureka). And it's not like the demand isn't there for more, so what's the deal? *shakes fist at TV networks*

>18 PrincessT:: You know, I'm actually not sure you can watch too much of Firefly... *wistful sigh*

116) Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

What can I say about this that hasn't already been said? This dramatic continuation of the story lived up to my expectations after the first book, even though I had no idea how she was going to follow Hunger Games with anything even remotely close.

Well, let me tell you... the twist halfway through the book definitely made this book worthy of following the first one. I think I sat there with my jaw on the floor for awhile before I could even muster the strength to turn the page, I was in such shock.

I didn't find the cliffhanger at the end of this one as suspenseful as it could have been, however. That said, I have book three waiting to go (I've had it since October, actually) and look forward to the conclusion and finally reading everyone else's reviews on it!

Rating: 4.5/5
Source: My shelves

#20: I am hoping to get to that one (and Mockingjay) soon!

Well, really, I agree -- you can't really watch Firefly too many times, but you sure can yearn for more. It's really the best ever, no? Oh Nathan, Nathan...... What's really funny is that both me and my 14 year old happily swoon over him together. Very shiny!

I'm glad you liked Catching Fire! I'm looking forward to seeing your thoughts on Mockingjay.

#19. I have recently fallen madly in love with Eureka.

And have just discovered that there are new bonus holiday episodes of both Eureka and Warehouse 13 airing in the US tonight. So, I now know what I'm doing with my evening.

>21 alcottacre:: Looking forward to your thoughts!

>22 sibylline:: And that's why I looooove watching Castle every week... more Nathan! Plus, it's not just me -- the hubby has a non-sexual man-crush on him (who DOESN'T, let's be honest) so we can enjoy watching repeats of everything he's ever done, together. LOL.

>23 _Zoe_:: Now to find time to actually READ it... lol.

>24 f_ing_kangaroo:: Isn't it great?! It took me about 5 or 6 episodes of the first season before I got into the show (I gave up a few times, but hubby urged me to keep watching) and now it's one of my favorite shows. I'm not sure whether I like Eureka or Warehouse 13 more (I had the same issue with Warehouse 13 at first, I hated the show for the first 5 episodes, then I got sucked in and LOVE the characters... especially Claudia), it's a toss-up! I can't wait for the Christmas specials!

I'm late to the party - but I found you!

w00t w00t! *throws confetti*

117) Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins

Three years ago, Sophie discovered she was a witch -- and when a prom night spell ends in disaster, her father decides it's time to send her to a school for the gifted, also known as 'Prodigium'.

School for magical types... hmm... sound familiar? We've seen this theme before, and it wouldn't be a surprise if readers passed over this book based on the cover copy description. Unfortunately, they'll be missing a wonderful read if they do!

This is a strong debut to a series, with realistically developed characters and non-contrived subplots. Sophie, the main character, is likable, flawed, and logical: When she develops a small crush on a guy at school, she doesn't fall head over heels for him, but the feelings grow over time in a way that's so natural I found myself reminiscing about my own time as a 16-year-old. I don't know how Hawkins did it, but she captured the spirit of an intelligent, funny, and realistic 16-year-old inside this book. Hmm, maybe Hawkins went to Hex Hall herself...

I also found myself a little surprised at how mystery-oriented the book was, but this wasn't a bad thing. When students start being murdered, Sophie suspects there's a plot surfacing to kill off Prodigium, but when no one believes her (as you might expect), she decides to do something about it and solve the problem on her own. A significant portion of the book is given to this, and makes the story feel a bit more like a YA mystery than a YA paranormal at times, but as I said, this isn't a bad thing.

As for secondary characters? A vampire roommate who loves the color pink and who experiences severe discrimination is one of the strongest secondaries, and the primary "bad guy" (another female student) is the kind who you feel sorry for at times, because she's not your typical evil character -- she's just another teen trying to get by at school, doing what she thinks she needs to do to survive.

Of course, the big issues aren't resolved in this book, and there's a huge reveal at the end of the book that I didn't see coming. The second book in the series releases this February, and I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Rating: 4/5
Source: I won an autographed copy on another author's blog (Tera Lynn Childs) earlier this year!

118) Running the Books: Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian - Avi Steinberg

This is a strange, strange book... it follows the career of a young, Jewish academic whose life seems to be going nowhere (all he has to show for himself is a final thesis on Bugs Bunny) who stumbles into a job as a prison librarian.

The premise sounds intriguing, but the problem I found with the book is that there doesn't seem to be a central theme -- there's no core purpose to come back to. Even memoir has a plot of some kind, a reason that the author wanted to write the memoir in the first place, but this book seemed to jump around from anecdote to anecdote. For the longest time, I really wasn't sure what the point of telling the story was... so I'd read a few pages before bed, then go to sleep, with no real drive to pick it up again.

About two-thirds of the way through the book, themes begin to emerge. Certain prison names and faces resurface and we learn what happened to them, and how it changed Avi in the process. His writing class in the prison library and his relationship with the police officers at the prison become a central issue, and we get more insight into how working at the prison library affected Avi personally.

It took awhile to get there... but I wonder if this was reflective of Avi's time working in the prison library, too: All anecdotes and strange happenings until he began to feel comfortable and at home in the job, and then things started making sense.

This might not sound like an endorsement for the book, but it is. It's fascinating to see how the prison library system works, not to mention how prisons function from the inside, and the difference between men and women behind bars. How these groups communicate with each other is even more interesting.

If you're willing to enjoy random stories for a little while before things begin to tie together and make sense as a whole, go ahead and read it. It's a unique piece of literature, and worth the time it takes to really get into it.

Rating: 3/5
Source: ARC

The last two books are on my wish list. Both are good reviews! I have to admit on the Hex Hall book I rolled my eyes too and thought, oh no, not another one of those books...but the truth is I've heard a few other people say what a good book it is, so on the wish list it stays! :)

Thank you! Yeah, I was very skeptical of Hex Hall at first, but I'm so glad I picked it up and just gave it a shot. I hope you enjoy it when you get around to reading it!

I'm tempted by Hex Hall too, also despite thinking initially that it sounded like "just another one of those".

119) The King's Mistress - Emma Campion

Soooo... it's been so long since I read this (July!!!), that I barely remember anything that I had to say about it... on the plus side, that also means there wasn't anything that I particularly disliked about it. I remember enjoying it for the most part -- though I think the story moved a bit slowly at parts -- and also thinking that I really should learn more about this period in history (of which I am woefully uninformed).

The novel centers around Alice Perrers, commonly known as King Edward III's "notorious mistress", and seeks to redeem her as a sympathetic character. The author portrays her as a woman who did her best to provide for her children and the people she loved, even when it meant sacrificing her own happiness in the process.

As I said, I don't know much about this period of history, so I have nothing to really compare the book to (ie. historical knowledge, or other similar novels). Someone who is very familiar with these historical figures and the events of the time might have a completely different experience reading this book, and I can't say whether that would be for the good or the bad.

In the meantime, as someone who read the novel at face value without bringing in prior knowledge or opinions about the featured people or events, I found it to be a decent, enjoyable read.

Rating: 3/5
Source: ARC

Added Hex Hall to the BlackHole. Running the Books is already there. I think I will pass on The King's Mistress though.

I really enjoyed reading your review of Running the Books - I think I liked the meandering nature of the first part more than you did. I gave it 4 1/2 but I think grade inflation has crept into a lot of my ratings this year! Next year I'll toughen up.

Stasia, King's Mistress is a decent read, but if it's not a period in history you're particularly interested in, your time may be better spent elsewhere. :)

I should have mentioned in the review, though, that the title of the book is a bit misleading. It makes the story sound like it's going to be full of scandal and sexual situations (I mean, "mistress" isn't exactly a word full of innocent connotations), but what sex there is in the book is more or less glossed over -- or in perhaps one case, description is minimal and relates to the emotional state of the main character. So if anyone reads my review and finds themselves hesitant due to the title, don't let it fool you! Sex isn't a focus of this book, and there's nothing gratuitous about it either.

>35 cushlareads:: I find that sometimes I end up being harder on books than they deserve! Hah. I guess we all have our little review quirks. I wonder if I wouldn't have enjoyed the first half of Running the Books more if I'd known what I was getting into -- the book came to me as an ARC that I hadn't even remembered ordering, so I didn't know what to expect. Still, I enjoyed it and I'm glad I read it. Thanks for sharing your own perspective!

Okay, I've added Hex Hall to the wish list. You are SUCH a bad influence!

This is me saying... *mua-hahahahaaaa!!!!*

120) The False Friend - Myla Goldberg

This is one of those books that starts off with a strong, simple premise that sucks you in... and then fizzles off and leaves you wondering "is that it?"

The premise: Two little girls who are both fierce friends and intense rivals go into the woods, but only one comes out. Twenty years later, Celia (the main character) travels to her hometown to confess the truth of that afternoon and purge the guilt and anxiety that has kept her from moving forward in life for so many years. Apparently her friend was presumed abducted, but Celia knows what really happened...

Except -- and I'm going to admit spoilers here -- that we don't actually get any sense of resolution from this plot. You'd assume some soul searching, interviews with past friends, Celia's struggle to convince people of the truth, and eventually, acceptance of the truth + dealing with the consequences = everyone moves on.

But after Celia's struggle to convince people of the truth, we have... nothing. In fact, the novel ends in such a way that it seems like Celia admits she's remembered everything incorrectly for several decades and this whole venture was a waste of time after all.

What? So you mean there wasn't a point to this entire journey? I'm sorry, but I don't want to spend several hours with a character doing soul searching for truth, only to find out that there was no point and maybe she just had a false memory in her head the whole time. Or even that if her memories are correct (which it's never implied that they are), there's no way of resolving things satisfactorily, so we might as well all turn around an go home.

Waste. Of. Time.

Good writing, yes. Pointless story? You bet.

Rating: 2/5
Source: ARC

Great review. I'm glad I read the whole thing, because the beginning sounded intriguing but the spoiler part made me lose interest completely.

Faith,
Congratulations on reading 120 books thus far this year!

I've ordered Hex Hall for Xmas for my daughter. I haven't found a lot for her this year, so I am thrilled to find this one, Faith, sounds like her thing!

#39: I have too many other books in the BlackHole to waste my time with that one. Thanks for the heads up, Faith! Sorry you had to waste your time with it though.

121) Assassin's Apprentice - Robin Hobb

I can't believe it took me this long to read any Robin Hobb! This is a good, classic coming-of-age story with fantasy elements that pervade but don't overwhelm the world building. We have a remarkable young boy who feels anything but remarkable, a mysterious teacher, an aloof young lady and bumbling attempts at relationship...

In many ways, this book reminded me of Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, which I loved, though I suppose it should be the other way around since Hobb's book came first. Still, I really enjoy fantasy books where the magic system is subtle and controlled, rather than over the top and somewhat inexplicable.

I've purchased the next two books in the series and am looking forward to continuing the journey with these characters... especially since this book doesn't exactly end on a high note for our hero!

Rating: 4/5
Source: Purchased at the behest of my cousin, who kept telling my I should read this but for whatever reason it took me over a year to get around to it...

Still, I really enjoy fantasy books where the magic system is subtle and controlled, rather than over the top and somewhat inexplicable.

Said so perfectly! I totally agree. Sometimes I have a hard time following some fantasy novels because there is so much to learn and keep in mind. I will look into this one, thanks!

#44 - This is one of the best fantasy series I have read - She followed it up with the Liveship Traders Trilogy and the Tawny Man Trilogy. Be warned though, the second trilogy follows the first, even though it is only really noticed in the third (if that makes sense!)

I have fond memories of Assassin's Apprentice too, and I really loved the Liveship Traders trilogy. Maybe I should read some more Robin Hobb soon.

Oh gosh are you in for fun! I love that series and the Liveship series as well!

Hi, Faith! Some interesting reading here, and very good reviews. I definitely have to move Running the Books up my "to read' list -- it really sounds like something I'd like.

>45 RosyLibrarian:: I know, right?! You'll probably like this one, this installment in particular is very character-driven.

>46 PrincessT:: Good to hear! I know what you mean, and it sounds like I'll now have to go grab the next trilogy after Christmas... hmm...

>47 _Zoe_: & 48: So many Robin Hobb fans! I guess my cousin can now officially say "I told you so"... I wish I'd started reading these ages ago, but I'm still happy to have discovered them now.

>49 tymfos:: Thank you! I hope you find a copy of Running the Books and enjoy it -- some parts are really quite fascinating.

#44: I own that one. I have it here. . .somewhere.

Haha Stasia... one of these days it'll pop up when you least expect it!

Okay, so I read these back in August & September respectively, but like with many books, they got stuck on the list of backlogged books to review, so here are my thoughts on them, finally...



122) Changeless - Gail Carriger

The second installment of the Parasol Protectorate takes quite the departure from the style of the first book. Rather than focus on romance, there's instead much more action, travel, and mystery (and steampunk machines)... though this comes at the expense of the romance of the first book. It's odd that Carriger chose to commit what, in many series, might be fatal error so early on: The hero and heroine are separated for nearly the entire duration of the novel. It's quite the change from Soulless, where they can't seem to avoid each other's arms.

But coming from someone who thought the romance in Soulless became excessive at times, I actually liked Changeless's focus on character and mystery. A new character named Mme. Lefoux is introduced (along with her hat shop and Miss Hisslepenny's visit there), and she quickly became one of my favorite people in the series.

My only complaint is that the mood in the book is somewhat dark and austere, perhaps relating to Alexia's situation at the time (I don't want to give anything away, so that's all I'll say)... and the whole section with the werewolves at the end loses the 'lighthearted' feel of the first book completely.

The book ends on a rather extreme cliffhanger, so if you plan to read this installment of the series, be sure to have the next one at hand.

Rating: 3.5/5
Source: Purchased



123) Blameless - Gail Carriger

The third installment of the Parasol Protectorate series begins in a similar manner to the second book: Hero and heroine are separated again. However, this time, it really works, and I haven't yet pinpointed quite why... it may have something to do with the situation, or perhaps, it's simply because the reader gets both characters' perspectives more often. And it helps that Lord Maccon does a lot of groveling, which is quite humorous.

I'd have to say that this book was my favorite of the series so far. The tension and dark atmosphere of the previous book is gone, and although there's still plenty of action and adventure to go around (again, it's light on the romance, but there's a touch more here) the whole thing feels silly and fun again. There are more steampunk gadgets and devices again, and we begin to learn what exactly the significance of Alexia's preeternatural state is... and what it might mean for the future.

The bit of world building we get in here is just a teaser, but it sets up the fourth book so nicely, I'm trying not to rip out my hair waiting for it!

Rating: 4/5
Source: Purchased

Thanks for those reviews :). I agree that Blameless was much better than Changeless, though I may still like the original best. I'm certainly looking forward to the fourth, anyway!

#52: It would certainly help if my hubby would stop rearranging books for me :)

Massive activity going on, Faith:) Definitely adding Hex Hall to my list!

I'm so happy you loved the Hobbs! I am finishing up the 3rd in the Soldier Son series -- I will say that the other series that take place in and around the Six Duchies and points north, were better reads -- and yet I think Hobbs is a brave fantasy writer, willing to try new things. I'll be reviewing the final book and thinking about the whole series by the end of the week if any Hobbsians are interested. I haven't looked yet at other feedback about this trilogy. But all the others are SO unequivocally good!

53: Nice reviews! I need to get to those books...

>54 _Zoe_:: And we have to wait so long for it! I'm trying to be patient, I know we were spoiled this year by getting 3 in 12 months... *taps foot impatiently*

>55 alcottacre:: Oh noes! I'm sure he's just trying to be, uh, helpful? Maybe you need an alarm system on your shelves... lol.

>56 Apolline:: w00t w00t! :D

>57 sibylline:: Ack, so many things to read!!! But good to know she's not a one-trick pony... or should I say, one-trilogy pony? Hmm...

>58 RosyLibrarian:: Thanks! Yes, read read read!!!

Okay, so these next few reads likely won't be considered thrilling reading for most people, but I had to read them to mark student book reports. They're both excellent books, but they won't fit the niche of most readers in this group:



124) Ascent of a Leader: How Ordinary Relationships Develop Extraordinary Character and Influence - Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, Ken McElrath

An excellent book on developing the kind of character that will allow an individual to find and follow God's plan for his or her life, and then step forth and lead others. The book asserts that everyone -- whether pastor, homemaker, teacher, metal worker, garbage collector, student -- has innate leadership skills, because being a leader is less about doing and more about being. It takes a character of integrity, honesty, and selflessness to lead others, and the authors of this book use both case studies and personal experience to illustrate their practical advice: "We must consciously choose who and what we allow to influence us, find and develop our humility, and build enduring relationships with colleagues, family, friends, and God."

This book is a great resource for ordinary people who want to develop extraordinary character.

Rating: 4.5/5
Source: Borrowed



125) Making Peace: A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict - Jim Van Yperen

Solid, practice talk about conflicts within churches, what causes the conflict, and how the author has helped to solve these conflicts in the past. He specializes in conflict resolution within 'unhealthy churches', and it was both fascinating and saddening to read some of the case studies concerning pastors and elders who allowed their pride to get in the way of effective church leadership and ministry to those in need.

Van Yperen is a no-nonsense kind of guy, basing his conflict resolution strategies on biblical principles and an understanding of human psychology. A great resource for anyone whose church is struggling, or -- and this is what I found most intriguing -- anyone needing a reminder on the effective ways to solve conflicts between people in the church. Yes, that means between you and whoever it is that you keep avoiding in the hallway or that woman you haven't talked to since the potluck last summer... think that's a healthy way of dealing with things, because avoiding it isn't hurting anyone? It is, and it's not healthy. It's a simmering pot of resentment that, over time, will infect and permeate the attitudes of those around you.

I think I could have used this book about seven years ago. :)

Rating: 4/5
Source: Borrowed

126) I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You - Ally Carter

Can I just say how much I adore this series? It must be one of my favorite YA series next to Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicolson, simply due to the fact that we have: a) realistic teen girls; b) secret spy training; c) ridiculous situations; d) highly entertaining attempts to "go out with" boys, which is completely against the rules.

The first book in the series does something I typically don't like in 'firsts' -- it drops the reader into an established world where the main character has already existed for some time. For example, the main character in this series is in her second year at Gallagher Academy, so she's already learned all about the school, she's already made friends, and already knows how the rules of the world works. We don't get to experience the excitement of discovering spy school for the first time, or taking the first 'Ops' class, or anything like that. In fact, previous adventures are occasionally referred to, and it makes you wonder whether you missed a book before this one. You didn't -- that's just how the author chose to begin her series.

Usually this would annoy me to the point of hating the book (it has in previous series), but for some reason it wasn't so bad in this one. I didn't mind it, and I didn't feel overwhelmed with missing information. I think the author wanted to be able to get right into the action of 'young female spies doing things' rather than spend time 'discovering', and I understand that, and in this case I think it worked. All told, though, I've read the second book and I think the second book is a much stronger installment than this first one.

That said, these characters are adorable, the writing is spot on, and the teenagers -- though it's absolutely ludicrous that they're teen girls in spy academy -- are realistic to the core and very intelligent. But of course, intelligence doesn't always mean something when hormones are in play! :)

I'd definitely recommend this series to both MG and YA readers. And adults who enjoy those genres, of course.

Rating: 3.5/5
Source: Scholastic Book Order purchase! :D

Edit: Aww, the image isn't loading... :(

#61: I like that series too, Faith! Speaking of series, I am on to finish the 39 clues! I started book 10.

I've been so behind; I've just caught up with your summer reads! Today I picked up Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies at the winter Scholastic warehouse sale here. Thanks for the recommendation!

(edited for typos)

Just passing through, Faith. *Waves*

>61 dk_phoenix: I may have to give that one a try!

Also, I love to see the words "Scholastic book order purchase" :). So many fond memories.

Happy Holidays Faith.

I'm simply stopping by to say hello.

Just checking in to say that I just read the third one in the Gallagher Girls series and I pretty much like them for the same reasons you do. :)

It's great to see fun books about smart girls.

>62 alcottacre:: Yay! It's about time :D ...haha.

>63 alsvidur:: That's where I got my copy too! Well, at a spring Scholastic warehouse sale. I love finding unexpected gems at those sales, happens every time.

>64 Ape:: *waves back* Hellooooooo!!!

>65 _Zoe_:: It's a really fun series, I suspect you'll enjoy it! I love ordering from Scholastic, I'll be crushed if my mother ever stops teaching... haha.

>66 Whisper1:: Thank you Linda! I hope you're well and enjoying the wind-down toward the holidays. Well, I suppose the holidays have stresses of their own, but hopefully it's a good stress :)

>67 f_ing_kangaroo:: Yay! I have the third one sitting around here to read as well, good to know the series keeps its momentum. Happy to see another fan!

I'm late to the game as usual, but I'm glad to see you enjoyed the Soulless series. I absolutely adore Mdme. Lefoux. Oh dear, do I.

Faith, just a note to let you know I've set up a thread for "Future Women: Explorations and Aspirations" in the 2011 group. This is for the readings we talked about after reading The Postman in October, with post-apocalyptic or otherwise future views of women's role in societies. I'm not scheduling reading to start until February 1, but am letting people know so that they can star it and start acquiring books if they so choose.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/105210

Geez, I was so proud of myself that I was finally getting to the end of your thread only to find that I'm 69 posts behind on your new thread! I'm going to be in big trouble if I find as many things to add to my TBR pile as I did on your last thread. I'm particularly anxious to find the book by Stephen Curtis Chapman's wife. You do a wonderful jobs of enticing people to read the books you've read. Happy reading in the New Year!

Hi Faith! How are you?

I'm adding that spy-girl bokk thingy to my wishlist, looks intriguing:)
Have a lovely day!

Merry Christmas Faith!

Hope you have a Merry Christmas Faith

Happy Christmas, Faith!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Faith!

Hope your holiday was filled with merriment, Faith. :)

>69 London_StJ:: You know, I wonder if Carriger would ever write a spin-off for Mme. Lefoux... hmm...

>70 ronincats:: Thanks Roni! I'll take a look. I've been awful with group reads this year, but maybe I can give it another go in 2011.

>71 thomasandmary:: Haha! Ah well, you're caught up now! Thanks for the lovely compliment. I hope you enjoy the books as much as I did. :)

>72 Apolline:: *waves* Hello! I'm better now, over the terrible cold I got last week... I hope you enjoy the Gallagher girls, the books are just pure fun.

>73 souloftherose:-78: Thank you, Heather, Joanne, Stasia, David, Roni, and Stephen! I hope you each had wonderful Christmases as well, full of great food, celebration, and (at some point) a chance to kick back and relax. :)

Okay, so... I took a course on Islam this past semester, and I had to write a final paper for it... I chose writing on women in Islam, which meant I read or browsed through a large pile of books (from a variety of perspectives) related to the topic. Many of them were so fascinating or intriguing that I read all the way through, so for the sake of time I'll give most of them "mini reviews":



127) Woman to Woman: Sharing Jesus with a Muslim Friend - Joy Loewen

Joy gave a talk to our class during the semester, and it was after her talk that I picked up a copy of her book. She has worked for 20+ years among Muslim women, developing authentic relationships with them and listening to their stories, their needs, and answering their questions. The book's title makes it sound like a guide to evangelism, which is absolutely is not. Rather, Joy uses her own experiences and relationships to explain the lives of Muslim women in North America (most of whom moved here with their husbands) and what sort of challenges they face and the needs they have. Her stories are beautiful, heartbreaking, and challenging, and a real wake-up call for Christians in particular who may have Muslim neighbors or co-workers: Muslims are not "other", they are real people who long for authentic friendships just as much as anyone. Breaking the silence between each other is the first step to pulling down those cultural barriers.

Rating: 4/5
Source: Purchased for church library



128) Price of Honor: Muslim Women Lift the Veil of Silence on the Islamic World - Jan Goodwin

Goodwin traveled to nearly all major Middle Eastern "Muslim" countries, in order to understand how women are treated in the Islamic world. This book is very difficult to read at times, because Goodwin exposes a lot of repression, isolation, and violence against women throughout these countries. At the same time, this is a very important book for Westerners to read, in order to understand what's happening in the Islamic world in terms of women's rights and treatment. Because the standards vary significantly from country to country, this is an excellent resource to read and become more informed on what's happening (and some of the history) in the second largest world religion. Goodwin's anecdotes are fascinating, and the book is a quick read. I plan to purchase the revised edition for myself, as I'd like to refer back to it in the future.

Rating: 4.5/5
Source: Library



129) Unveiling Islam - Ergun & Emir Caner

This book is an excellent primer on Islam's history, practices, and beliefs, written by two former Muslims. Because they came from a Muslim background, they're able to speak plainly about Islam without tiptoeing around various subjects like marriage, family, and even beliefs about heaven and hell. It is written in a conversational style and incredibly easy to read, in the sense that you'll pick it up, begin reading, and be finished before you even realized you turned a page! A great resource for anyone beginning to learn about Islam or who wants a little more information on things like the history, social life, or beliefs of Muslims.

Rating: 4/5
Source: Library



130) Voices Behind the Veil - Ergun Mehmet Caner

Edited by one of the former Muslims who wrote Unveiling Islam, this book is compiled of essays written by women who are believing Muslims, who are former Muslims, who are converts to Christianity, or who have Muslims in their extended family. The essays deal with a variety of topics, from Islamic history to the role of women in Islam, to folk religion, to women's home life and the importance of children. Each essay was only edited for grammar and clarity, but retains the voice of the woman who wrote it -- or who dictated it, in some cases. Some interesting topics and perspectives here that aren't found elsewhere.

Rating: 3/5
Source: Library

131) Nomad - Ayaan Hirsi Ali

I have recommended this book be required reading for all future students taking the course on Islam. I also will be purchasing my own copy and re-reading it, taking notes, and thinking through the numerous issues that Ali challenged my thinking on... I honestly cannot recommend this book enough, to everyone EVERYWHERE, but particularly to Christians who may find themselves more ignorant than they think when it comes to Islam and world issues. Ali is a former Muslim who is now an atheist, and as a refugee who has gone through unspeakable horrors in her lifetime, she provides a unique perspective on Islam, its treatment of women, and how the Western world often harms refugees with its 'openness' and 'tolerance' of other religions and cultures.

I found myself very forcefully challenged by many of her ideas and perspectives, and I am still struggling to figure out where I stand on many of the issues she raised. A lot of things I thought I knew -- or believed firmly -- about refugees, tolerance, and cultural awareness have been torn to shreds after reading this book, and I'm still trying to fit the pieces back together. Ali's life experiences (including FGM) will shatter you, rip your heart out, and force you to confront the way Western society approaches Islam and hidden social injustices right within our cities. You think female circumcision is something that happens "over there" across the ocean? Think again. You think giving money to refugees is always a good idea? Consider that it's a cultural norm to send all that money back home to help support their relatives, and because they have no understanding of finances whatsoever, they remain in poverty here in our rich nations. And we wonder why there are immigrant ghettos.

I could talk for hours about this book and why everyone in the West needs to read a copy, but hopefully I've given you enough here to entice you to pick up a copy and give it a shot. Be prepared to have your mind opened and your perspectives challenged. And that's a good thing.

Rating: 5/5
Source: Borrowed from professor



132) Lifting the Veil - Phil & Julie Parshall

This book is a basic read on Islam and Muslim women, written by a couple who has spent most of their lives working with Muslims. Their role was within a Christian organization, and they provided social assistance, teaching, and filled needs of Muslims wherever they happened to be. They made many mistakes along the road, which they include in the book, but they also learned a lot about Muslim women and their lives. There's not a whole lot here that can't be gleaned from other books about women in Islam, but it's a decent read and I appreciate the authors' hard work in the field and dedication to social justice.

Rating: 3/5
Source: Borrowed from professor



133) Nine Parts of Desire - Geraldine Brooks

Written by a Jewish journalist, this book chronicles Brooks' travels throughout the Islamic world in order to discover just what the title says: The hidden world of Islamic women. While some of the information is dated (it was written in the 90s, and an awful lot has changed since then), the book is fascinating and gripping at parts, as Brooks is able to obtain a unique perspective on women's lives throughout her travels. She also visits many different countries, and is able to see how Muslim women's lives differ from place to place. For anyone interested in Islamic women's issues or even just curious about the Muslim world, this book is an excellent place to start. Read in companion with Jan Goodwin's Price of Honor, these books together provide an excellent foundation for understanding the Muslim world, and women's issues within it.

Rating: 4.5/5
Source: My bookshelves

Wow! A lot of interesting reading here, Faith. Putting your top recommendations on my wishlist pronto.

Same here. Definitely adding Nomad to the TBR pile. That appears to have been a very interesting class. Nice work on the reviews!

Ditto what Roni & Regina said, Faith!

That's a very interesting list of books, definitely keeping note of the titles. You have been busy.

Thanks ladies :) They're not all easy to read emotionally (especially Nomad), but so important and incredibly interesting. The class was great too, and I'm glad I took it.

Don't know how I almost forgot this one! It was one of the course textbooks...



134) Encountering the World of Islam - Keith Swartley, ed.

This is probably one of the best textbooks I've ever used for a course, and that's saying something. It's very easy to read, with clear explanations of various aspects of Islam, and includes essays and studies from many different people who have worked with Muslims or are working in or studying Islam from a variety of backgrounds. I found the section on Islamic history particularly interesting and well written (I'd learned it all before during my archaeology degree, but I'd never had it laid out so clearly in a text before).

Admittedly the book was put together by a Christian organization who works with Muslims, so the book does have a Christian slant, but there's plenty of great information inside no matter what your belief background is (I'd just skip the chapter on church planting... in fact, I only skimmed it as that section wasn't interesting or relevant to me).

As a primer for learning about Islam, this textbook starts from the very beginning and takes you all the way through the history, social / political basics, beliefs, and so on. Very well put together.

Rating: 4.5/5
Source: Purchased



135) Terrify No More: Young Girls Held Captive and the Daring Undercover Operation to Win Their Freedom - Gary A. Haugen

This book will rip your heart out, stomp on it, and then slowly -- ever so slowly -- bring you back to life. Why? Because this book is the story of several operations run by the organization called International Justice Mission, an organization that is dedicated to rescuing young girls from sex slavery overseas.

These are true stories of men and women who risk their lives everyday to infiltrate brothels, slave camps, and so forth, posing as buyers and meeting the children (because they are, quite literally, children who are forced to become sex slaves) and then forming plans to get the children out and into aftercare where they can be healed. Physically and psychologically.

The central story of this book is an operation to rescue young girls and children from forced prostitution in Svay Pak, Cambodia (some as young as three years old... if that doesn't make your heart break, I don't know what will). These girls were either sold there by their families or tricked into coming by promises of restaurant jobs or maid positions... and when the driver takes them to a brothel instead, the girls are locked into tiny rooms and forced to perform sex acts in order to survive.

International Justice Mission rescued over a hundred little girls in this one operation. One operation. How many more are still there? How many more tiny children are forced into prostitution every day in Cambodia, other parts of Asia, around the world? This is an issue that we don't read about in the papers everyday, and we should be outraged. Imagine your daughter being promised a job in the next city, taking the train to get there, and instead when she arrives she's locked inside a house and forced to have sex with six strangers a day, every day, until she's discarded or dies?

This is a reality of our world. A repulsive, horrendous reality. I recommend that everyone reads this book, becomes aware of what's going on over there, and uses that sense of horror to take active steps to help fight this. IJM workers risk their lives every day to save these children. And at the risk of sounding like a commercial, that's something I want to help support. And though there are thousands upon thousands who are still stuck in slavery... even one little girl saved from a life like that makes it worthwhile.

Rating: 5/5
Source: Gift from IJM

#87: It breaks my heart to read of the necessity of an organization like IJM, and I thank God that they exist to try and combat such evil. Thanks for bringing the book to my attention, Faith.

Oh, I know... there are such unspeakable horrors happening in this world that the popular media doesn't tell us about, choosing to focus on the trivial 'issues' instead. Imagine how much of a difference we could all make if the awareness broadened? But until then, at least the amazing heroes at IJM are stepping into the gap for the helpless.

You did some great reading for that class. I took a study of Islam class last year and really took a lot away from it. All these books make me want to go back and study it some more, especially topics concerning women's role in their society.

Have you tried Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof? I found it to be a heart breaking book, but along the lines of the last one you read.

All right... only 11 leftover reviews to go, and two days until the new year. Can I do it? LOL. We'll see...



136) Pleasers - Dr. Kevin Leman

I always enjoy Dr. Leman's work, and this was another great installment in his writings on women who do too much at the expense of their own happiness. While I didn't particularly relate to many of the specific situations he discusses are typical of 'pleaser' women (ie. bad relationships with men, poor father figure influence), I know that I tend to take on too much and then put huge expectations on myself to complete things perfectly. I definitely have pleaser tendencies, so the book was a bit of a wake-up in terms of helping to remind me that if taking on a task or doing things for someone comes at the expense of my own sanity or quality of life, it's not worth it.

As I said, parts of the book weren't relevant to my life, so I glossed over those (and I suspect they apply to more extreme 'pleasers', I don't think I fall into that category), but overall it's a good reminder for women that we don't have to make everyone else happy in order to be happy ourselves. We can't please everyone 100% of the time, so why not focus on the people and tasks that actually matter instead?

Rating: 3.5/5
Source: My bookshelves



137) Freakonomics - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

I've had this book on my shelves for ages, and I finally got around to reading it after my husband picked it up to see what it was all about. Who knew economics could be so fascinating? The book is clear and easy to read, presenting a random assortment of concepts, facts, and figures based around Levitt's own personal research to answer questions like "What do sumo wrestlers and grade-school teachers have in common?". You'd be shocked at the connection.

The most interesting (and controversial) chapters in the book dealt with Levitt's research and analysis on the substantial reduction in crime in major American cities that occurred in direct correlation with the legalization of abortion. He says some shocking things, but the evidence he presents is pretty clear... anyway, I'll leave it to you to read the book and see what he says. The least interesting chapters, for me, came at the end of the book when he did some analysis on popular names, but I think that's because my sister and I were discussing something similar recently and came to similar conclusions (and neither of us are economists).

On the whole, a very quick and fascinating read.

Rating: 3.5/5
Source: My bookshelves

>90 RosyLibrarian:: I haven't read that one! I'll keep an eye out for it, thanks for the recommendation. I actually also just picked up a copy of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's The Caged Virgin, which looks very interesting as well. I thought once I was done the course I'd have read enough heartbreaking material about Islam, and women in Islam in particular, but I still feel like there's so much I don't know.

138) Inside Out - Maria V. Snyder

I really, really wanted to like this book. I tried so hard, but about halfway through, I realized that I hated it, hated the main character, and just wanted the 'oppressors' to take over and be done with it. Heh. Not usually a good sign in a dystopian novel.

What went wrong for me was the way the book was set up: Rather than present a main character in a situation where something major happens that forces a change or action, we're given a character already stuck in an established situation with no apparent reason for zooming in on her life. Nothing remarkable is happening. There's no catalyst for her to change. There's no reason why she should be acting differently from the other people around her, no understandable reason for why she should question authority or think that life should change.

And that's what bothered me. When you have an individual living in a dystopian society, there must be a catalyst or specific reason that causes that individual to question the status quo and come to the major realization that things are not as they should be. If someone is living a certain way for their entire life and doesn't know any better (particularly in the way this story is set up), why would they just wake up one morning and decide to rebel? That's not logical.

I found nothing likable about the main character, and I didn't have a reason to root for her because there was nothing that spurred her to action in the first place (that I could tell, anyway). If it happened, it happened before the story opened, and that doesn't exactly make for interesting reading.

And the 'big twist'? Made me groan audibly. Sorry Snyder fans, but I won't be continuing with the sequel.

Rating: 2/5
Source: Summer purchase

I also went on a bit of a Christmas-money shopping spree at the bookstore yesterday... the hubby came along as well and picked a few, but I'll be honest, the ones he picked are ones I want to read too... haha.

Here's our haul:

Fray - Joss Whedon
Mister Monday - Garth Nix
Grim Tuesday - Garth Nix
Mass Effect: Retribution - Drew Karpyshyn
Guild Wars: Edge of Destiny - J. Robert King
Kiss Me Deadly - Tricia Tepel, ed.
Rampant - Diana Peterfreund
The Naming - Alison Croggun
Chalice - Robin McKinley
Need - Carrie Jones
The Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
The Uncommon Reader - Alan Bennett
The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters in the Wild - Craig Childs
The Intimate Ape: Orangutans and the Secret Life of a Vanishing Species - Shawn Thompson
The Caged Virgin - Ayaan Hirsi Ali

...I had piles more in my arms (I looked ridiculous, I'm sure) that I had to put back as we were already over the limit, but today I'm very happy with my pile and I plan to sit on the couch with the books next to me and go nuts!

Sounds divine...

What a haul! And wow on your latest reviews - you've been reading some proper heavy stuff!

#93 "just wanted the 'oppressors' to take over and be done with it" - made me chuckle. I think I'll skip that one.

I'll be interested in your thoughts on the Mass Effect books - have you played the computer games? I always feel wary of books of games (or books of films) but I do think Bioware do good stories in games so if the book author is right then it could work.

>95 BookAngel_a:: It has been so far :) ...and I've watched Die Hard 3, too. And it's not even 5pm. Ahh... now, why can't I do this every day? Haha.

>96 souloftherose:: I have played the games! And I love them, the storytelling is fantastic... it's like watching a movie, I get so involved in the story. The books are written by the lead writer for the games, so I'm crossing my fingers that they're good. They expand on the Mass Effect universe's story as a whole, so I'm really intrigued. And hopeful!

139) Mini Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella

In a return to the silly, blundering but lovable Rebecca Bloomwood, Sophie Kinsella has crafted another installment to the Shopaholic series that made me smile, giggle, cringe, and ultimately close the book with a sense of satisfaction. Readers of Becky's exploits may recall that the previous book or two was, er, less than stellar (at least in my opinion), and there were fewer laughs to go around. This time, Becky's efforts at motherhood redeem the storyline and bring back her lovable side.

I think what helps this book is the fact that Becky is no longer supremely focused on herself. That schtick has been done already, and she has to have learned something by now... but what young mother doesn't feel the pressures to give the best to her child, to indulge her daughter now and again, and feels the pang of guilt at saying 'no'? As Becky does her best to raise a toddler, she's doing it out of love for another human being, and not for some self-obsessed venture at having the next pair of shoes.

There was one element of a subplot that I felt disappointed in (I thought the resolution of the situation was quite poor), but aside from that, this is one of the best Shopaholic installments in a long time. Becky is the same old silly, semi-clueless heroine she's always been, but she's grown beyond her narcissistic tendencies and faces some struggles that, quite frankly, might be expected from someone in her position.

All told, I really enjoyed this one and I'm glad I didn't give up on the series.

Rating: 4/5
Source: Purchased for my sister for Christmas... and, er, read it first...

140) Nebula's Music - Aubrie Dionne

This novella by fellow blogger Aubrie Dionne is a quick read, very fast-paced and well crafted. The story follows a cyborg female who is experiencing memories from her past... except that she doesn't have a past. The memories actually belong to the human who she was created from, and with every touch of her fingers across her piano, the memories come flooding back, and she can't make sense of them.

Along with the character's personal struggle, the story has rebels, intergalactic strife, issues of slavery, a bit of romance, and some good old-fashioned sci-fi battles. While there were a few spots that read a bit awkwardly, Dionne put together a story that pulls the reader in and doesn't let go until the end... I read it in one sitting, when I'd just meant to skim the first few pages!

My main complaint is that there's simply too much going on in such a short space. I would have loved to see this expanded into a full-sized novel, as there were concepts and issues that could have been more fully explored rather than rushing through them. I hope that Dionne revisits her Nebula character in the future - there's a lot of potential here that can't be contained in such a short format!

Rating: 3.5/5
Source: Purchased for Nook from Lyrical Press

Why does it seem like e-books always have the most beautiful book covers? I'm thinking perhaps it is partially due to them not being plastered with blurbs and whatnot but I'm not sure...

Nomad is wishlisted, thank you for your reviews and reading in this area.

>100 Ape:: Stephen, if I'm not mistaken, Aubrie makes a lot of her own covers so she gets to choose the artwork and such... which makes a difference in the sense that she knows how to best reflect the story through the art. I think? Maybe that's why? Mind you, I've seen some pretty terrible ebook covers, so it seems like a toss-up most of the time... but Aubrie's art nearly always fantastic. Makes me a bit jealous. LOL.

>101 sibylline:: You're welcome :)

141) Brand New Emily - Ginger Rue

Written for the grade 7-9 crowd, Brand New Emily is an adorable, quirky, and well thought out book about being popular, treating others with respect, and learning how to stand up for yourself. When picked-on 8th grader Emily overhears a major secret about a famous pop star, Emily realizes she can use the secret to her advantage: She 'hires' the star's publicist to help her stop getting made fun of at school.

The idea is to create a new 'brand' out of Emily, making her into someone that other people want to be around, offering something different from the popular girls at school. The story is packed with laughs and drama without being unbelievable, and the teens act realistically without going over the top. The main message of the book is that a public image doesn't make you a good person, or the right kind of person, or even a nice person -- it's about being yourself and respecting others.

Great message, fun story. I'd recommend it to 11-15 year olds without hesitation.

Rating: 4/5
Source: Scholastic book order!

142) Infinite Days - Rebecca Maizel

I'd had this on my TBR list for months and months before the book was even released... so when I saw it in the library a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist picking it up! The problem? I think the hype that preceded the book may have ruined the story for me.

The concept is: Immortal vampire becomes human again. Sounds interesting, right? I figured, a 500+-year-old vampire turning back into a mortal would make for some rather dramatic scenes and sticky moral situations as she struggled to fight her killer nature. Well, she does try to fight her killer nature... the problem is that she just muses about it here and there. We see her thoughts, sure, but where's the excitement? Where's the accidental killing, or the rudeness/sense of entitlement that you'd figure an ancient vampire would have?

It seemed to me that the main character slips all too easily into her new life as a human again. Sure, vampires can adapt and pretend (especially after living for 500 years), but it all just seemed too easy for her. And naturally she had to hide out at a high school. That's just the way things are.

Honestly, I was bored. The pace was slow and languid (I wondered if it was supposed to be a reflection of the main character's task, which was to hide and blend in... but I think that's giving the story too much credit), and the action didn't really pick up until the final third of the book. And then there's an unnecessary death that reminded me of the one in Fallen, which made me rather angry at the book as a whole.

I'm sad that I didn't like this very much, because I'd been so looking forward to it. The writing itself is quite beautiful -- the author is very skilled at writing tactile description -- so if you're reading from a writer's perspective, I'd recommend choosing a chapter or two to study her technique. However, from the story side of things... unless you like your vampire stories slow and high school-y... I can't say it's one I'd suggest picking up.

Rating: 3/5 (I'd likely give it 2.5/5 if not for the writing)
Source: Library book

Faith

Happy New Year to you.

Congratulations on reading 142 books!

Thanks Linda! I hope you have a wonderful New Year as well!

143) Alchemy and Meggy Swann - Karen Cushman

This is a short, sweet tale (albeit rather dark at times) about a young girl in 16th-century London. She is deformed from birth and needs crutches to walk, and when her previously absent father sends for her from London, he's shocked to discover she's not a boy who can help him with running errands for his work.

Poor Meggy is cursed at, spat upon, and reviled by many who believe that cripples are agents of the Devil -- a belief that was prevalent up until the 16th century, when opinions finally began to change. Meggy meets many interesting and colorful characters thoughout the course of the story -- including a young boy named Roger, who she frequently trades insults with -- and both the description of the setting and the language of the characters creates a very vivid picture of Meggy's world at the time.

I enjoyed the book and found Meggy to be an intriguing young character who deals with her hardships remarkably well, but at the same time, I was a little surprised at the amount of hardship the author put her through, especially considering the target age for the book. I commend the author for retaining a sense of realism, but I think even the language would be a bit challenging for some younger readers.

On the whole, I wouldn't say it's my favorite Cushman novel thus far, but it's a good addition to her series of books about strong, young females. Certainly a worthwhile read.

Rating: 3.5/5
Source: NetGalley



144) Poison Study - Maria V. Snyder

When was the last time you read a novel with a food taster as the main character? I'm betting either never or a goodly long time ago. What intrigued me most about this book was the premise of a female food taster as the main character, and I wasn't disappointed.

The main character of this novel -- Yelena -- is strong, stubborn, and intelligent. She has magic and knows she needs to hide it, and doesn't whine about it or sit around feeling sorry for herself. At the beginning of the novel, we learn that she's on death row for murder... then she's hauled out of her cell and given a second chance at life through the food taster position. She then spends the rest of the novel being tested at this position, and of course, developing certain feelings for Valek, her poison trainer and assassin extraordinaire to the Commander.

I know I'm not making this book sound as good as it is, but with an interesting premise and a strong main character, this was one of the best fantasy/young adult novels I read this year (I know, I know, there's debate over whether it's actually YA or adult fantasy, but don't let that stop you from picking it up). My only major complaint would be that the ending wraps up too quickly: There's plenty of buildup to the climax, which ends and resolves much faster (and a bit too easily) than expected.

I've heard mixed reviews about the two books that follow this one, and I'm hesitant to spoil my enjoyment of this book by reading the others. I'm happy to let this one stand on its own, and hope to read it again someday.

Rating: 4/5
Source: My bookshelves

Oooh, just 6 more reviews to go (and maybe 7 if I finish another book tomorrow)... so close...!!! 2011 here we come!!!



145) A Crooked Kind of Perfect - Linda Urban

Zoe is a 10-year-old girl who dreams of one day playing the piano at Carnegie Hall... but when her father comes home with a strange organ instead of a baby grand, Zoe's dreams fall flat.

But rather than indulge their daughter and take it back, they make a deal with her to pay for lessons. She may be learning organ versions of old TV hits, but it's still something! Meanwhile, her mother is a workaholic and never at home, and her father has severe agoraphobia and is terrified to leave the house (and spends his time at home getting diplomas from all those strange study-at-home courses you see advertised in magazines and on TV).

So, things are far from perfect. But what I love, love, love about this novel is that -- even as strange as the characters seem -- the parents are real, make logical choices, and their daughter is a good kid who has clearly been raised right. Instead of taking the organ back, or Zoe raising a tantrum about it, they find a solution as a family. Zoe's parents also remind her that she wanted lessons and needs to practice because of it, and Zoe recognizes her parents' authority, even when she doesn't want to do what they say.

In other words, we have a real family here that clearly loves each other. The parents aren't perfect, but they're trying, and how often do we see that in children's books these days? I also thought the idea of an agoraphobic parent was highly unique, as I've never seen that concept brought into a novel before. In fact, Zoe's father was one of the best characters I met in a book all year, and he has a fantastic sense of humor.

And even better? The voice is perfect. I felt like I was reading something in a 10-year-old's voice, and not once did it seem to venture into 'older' territory. Very well done.

I picked this book up on a whim at a Scholastic warehouse sale (I think it was $3), and didn't know what to expect. After reading it, I think this may be one of my favorite children's books, not just of this year, but ever. I wrote an email to the author to thank her for such a unique and wonderful story, and I hope to buy more copies to give away to my friends' children once they're a bit older. I hope to see more from this author in the future!

Rating: 5/5
Source: Scholastic warehouse sale

Terrific haul, Faith! I am hoping you get the opportunity to read them all over New Years! :)

Great haul at the bookstore. I read A Crooked Kind of perfect when it first came out and loved it too. Another good book with an agoraphobic parent is Kate de Goldi's The 10 Pm Question, the mother never leaves the house, but has a homebased specialty cake business.

I've read that Alison Croggon's book, but never got round to reading the rest of the series.

Happy New Year.

>109 alcottacre:: Thanks, Stasia! Me too... haha. Those are my weekend plans: READ.

>110 avatiakh:: Thanks for the suggestion! Very interesting, I'll definitely take a look for it. Happy New Year!

All right, final day of the year, I'm going to finish these reviews even if it means the house doesn't get vacuumed for my guests! Well, mind you, my 'guests' are just my brother and sister and their significant others, so they don't really care either way. Haha.



146) Amy Inspired - Bethany Pierce

I received an ER copy of this through the LT Early Reviewer's program, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. A novel about a struggling young female writer, who finds herself teaching classes to pay the bills and often does anything she can to avoid writing because she feels so inadequate when she eventually does put words on paper?

Er, I thought that might hit a little too close to home...

And a 'Christian' novel, to boot? Ah, but that's just it -- this is a novel under a Christian imprint, but perhaps the least Christian of all the Christian imprint novels I've ever read. This is a literary work written by a Christian author, so the worldview within the story contains Christian elements, but it's far from being a 'Christian' book, so please don't let the imprint put you off. I mean, as one of the characters is getting dressed, her roommate describes the shimmery green bra and underwear she's wearing (words like 'breasts', 'bra', etc., are left in). At another point there's a discussion of a male statue and its testicles. You may think 'why is this important? it's just a few words', but if you're familiar with CBA publishing guidelines/standards, you'll know that this is a HUGE departure from convention. I applaud Bethany House for taking risks and trying to stay relevant to the reading market.

So, that said, what about the story? I loved it. I honestly, truly did. The voice is raw, honest, and refreshing. It does have a slightly literary feel to it, but some of the insights about being a writer were spot on, and the despair the main character feels is presented so poignantly. No one here is perfect, everyone is broken in some way, just like in real life. The romance is messy, and there are consequences to everyone's choices.

There is just one scene that I felt dragged on a bit too long, and I wasn't fully satisfied with the way the romance resolved (or didn't, to be honest). Still, this was an excellent book, and I really, really hope that nothing was changed from the ER copy to the final version.

Rating: 5/5 (yes, I liked it that much)
Source: LT's ER program

#112: Wow! I will have to look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation and review, Faith!

You're welcome! I hope you enjoy it :)

And then... to this...



147) Once Wicked, Always Dead - T. Marie Benchley

This is possibly the worst book I have ever read in my entire life. And I am not being melodramatic. It's terrible, and I have sticky notes placed throughout the book to prove it.

I received this book as an ARC through a rather flashy banner ad in a newsletter. It looked interesting, and the premise sounded decent (though I can't recall now how it was phrased). Woman finds out her husband is having an affair and travels to a friend's ranch to try and make sense of life, but there are dark family secrets at stake and meanwhile, someone is killing johns. Sure, fine, a standard plot but it could be good.

After five pages, I wondered what I'd gotten myself into. After ten pages, I wondered why I was still reading. After fifteen pages, I picked up a pad of sticky notes and a pen, and started making note of all the logical inconsistencies, POV shifts, random actions by characters, awkwardly constructed sentences... the book now looks like a sticky note factory exploded inside of it.

I'd planned to write a lengthy letter to the publisher and ask why such awful tripe was allowed to pass through the editorial process and be placed in the hands of readers... but after doing some research on the author, the 'publisher' and the sudden explosion of publicity, I noticed that the 'publisher/distributor' also offered 'promotions packages'. Huh. Interesting. And one of their packages matched up with all the author pages/social media profiles/etc. of the author that popped up around the same time (in fact, I even made a comment on how horrible this book was on someone else's thread in the 75'ers forum, and "T.Marie Benchley" left a comment on my profile reminding me that it was just an ARC, and corrections would be made in the final copy... okay, first, there were grammatical errors in the comment that identified the writer of the comment as a publicity monkey, and second, you'd have to correct THE ENTIRE BOOK to fix THOSE errors... honestly...). So I suspect that if I wrote a letter at this point, I'd just be shouting at a brick wall.

Instead, let me treat you to some of the delights of this book:

1) A man goes to the doctor for a blood test. The doctor takes his blood on the spot, says he'll be back, and an implied FIVE to TEN MINUTES LATER he comes back with the blood test results. And tells the character he has AIDS and Hepatitis. Know what the character does? Asks "doesn't getting blood test results take weeks?", to which the doctor replies with something like "oh no, they've made advances in modern medicine now that allow this". No, they haven't. And when your own character thinks something fishy is going on?!?! You've got a problem. This is supposed to be a contemporary book. I'm no medical professional, but that was a HUGE, GLARING error. (I even called up a doctor to ask if this was ever possible... yeah, not a chance.)

2) The head-hopping (point of view shifts) happen within the same paragraph. How are you supposed to tell whose thoughts are whose? At one point, it sounded like the main character knew about her husband's affair long before he said anything, and it wasn't until later in the chapter that I realized I hadn't been reading her POV and she still didn't know. Issues like this continue throughout the novel.

3) Glaring redundancies like "hushed whisper" and sentence structure that reminds me of a sixth grader: "As she drove off, she began humming a song her mother had taught her when she was a small child and she felt really good." (p.63) Punctuation errors are rampant. If they were going to fix ALL this before the final copies went out, why didn't they bother to fix SOME for the ARC so it was at least readable???

4) Things are often mentioned that other characters know nothing about, or that don't make logical sense because we haven't heard about them before and it's implied we have. On p.67, the main character is shocked to learn of the 'rumors' about her husband's "secret passions". What rumors?! Earlier in the story, we were told he'd been extremely discreet and no one knew. So how could there be rumors?! Here's a gem from the same scene, same page: "Now with her eyes wide open to her husband's years of reckless behavior, she could not count on him using condoms and partaking in safe sex."

5) When the main character's daughter learns her father is gay, she basically says "okay, fine" and goes on with her life... no questions, no emotional struggle, nothing. We're told that the daughter expresses disappointment with his actions in the past, but we're not shown... wouldn't that be an awfully important conversation?

6) From a sticky note: "And by p.103, there's still no tangible plot, or purpose behind the 2nd 'plot line' about the johns being murdered...also this is incredibly mundane."

7) Here's a good one, spelling mistakes included: "To Phillip's secret relief and a sense of sadness for his new friend, he kept his ears opened as Jack reveled to him the sorrowful ending of his love story." (p.120) This sentence does not make sense.

8) There are enough adverbs to heavily sink a ship suddenly. *sigh*

9) Someone gets murdered with an icicle for no conceivable reason. Okay, here's the reason: "The young woman then left her unfit mother and the home she had been raised in for the last time". (p.205) Telling, and modifier issues. And later on, a major 'bad guy' gets killed randomly, without any sense of resolution or justice for the reader.

10) This is about as bad as the doctor issue above: A policeman shoots an unarmed civilian, and shoots to kill. In the scene, one man is beating up another man, and the police burst into the room and shoot the assailant. And kill him. Just like that, without knowing for certain which man is which. Not believable, and I suspect the policeman who took the shot would be arrested or at least suspended permanently.

11) After the main character almost gets killed by someone, the 'hero' rushes in (he's bleeding profusely from a head wound) and proposes to her. Seriously?!?!?! That's not romantic, that's insensitive and possibly fatal (he has a head wound that is bleeding). A proposal?!? Really?!?!

Oh, there's plenty more where that came from... like I said, this was possibly the worst book I'd ever read in my entire life. And no sane person can claim "ARC" for this, because they'd have to correct the entire book, line by line, and then fix the gaping holes in logic and the glaring ERRORS in common knowledge. I don't know how anyone could have read this manuscript and given it the green light... it's stilted, badly structured, word choice needs desperate help (old-fashioned phrases pop in here and there and stand out like a flashing neon sign), and... I could go on and on and on, but you get the idea.

The book angered me because of how poorly written it is, and because some promotions team took the author's money and has been campaigning for the book... the thought that anyone will spend money on this drives me nuts. I feel very badly for the reader who is taken in, and I really hope someone tells this author that she should seek out an external editor next time, someone who can fix the story for her and catch things like 'blood test results in five minutes'. And, uh, rewrite the entire thing so it makes sense.

Don't touch this one with a ten-foot pole, and warn others to stay away while you're at it.

Rating: ZERO
Source: ARC

#115: Place firmly on the 'Do Not Read' ever in this lifetime list :)

Ah Faith, you got me again with A Crooked Kind of Perfect and Amy Inspired.

#115 Your review made me chuckle although I do feel for you having to read it. Hope you don't get any come back from the author. I always feel a bit nervous giving a poor review to a book which has been written by a LT author.

115: It is kind of amazing how some books manage to get published. I will never, ever read this book and will smack it out of the hands of anyone who tries!

Ok. Many comments...

First, congrats on getting all of these last-minute reviews done!

#98: I also loved the latest Shopaholic book and think it's the best one in a long while. I was worried it wouldn't be very good and was so pleasantly surprised.

#108: I'm definitely keeping my eye out for A Crooked Kind of Perfect.

#115: Oh man, I so love your 1-0 star reviews. :) The Debutante Divorcee review remains my favorite, though your angry use of post-its for this last one had me laughing out loud.

Great reviews! I added a bunch to the wish list and library list, and made a mental note to stay far, far away from Once Wicked.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Faith!

Happy New Year!!!

>116 alcottacre: & 121: Yes, avoid at all costs!!! And Happy New Year yourself, I hope the new year starts off well :)

>117 souloftherose:: Those ones are great! And I'm not too worried about getting any backtalk from the author... I noticed that her account was created on the same day that all her books were entered, and no other books/reviews have been entered since. That smacks of a marketer having set up the account... and I suspect the marketing contract has since expired :) I'll be very surprised if I hear anything from the author herself!

>118 RosyLibrarian:: Ugh, seriously. And you know, I didn't even mention the horrible treatment of the gay community in the book... it's like she saw some people on Jerry Springer and then painted all her gay characters with the same brush. Not cool, T. Marie Benchley. Not cool at all.

>119 f_ing_kangaroo:: LOL! Well, I'm glad my suffering was able to be put to use by entertaining someone...?! Haha. Man, I had a lot of really crappy books this year, now that I think about it...

>120 alsvidur:: Yes, far, far, FAR away, unless you're armed with some gasoline and a lighter. In that case, I recommend you get nice and close, and THEN run far away from it! :D Happy New Year to you as well!

>122 tapestry100:: Thanks David! Hope your New Year is off to a great start!

I quite enjoyed Hex Hall too - not my usual reading but I reviewed it for the Bookbag last year - generally though reviews have been mixed, but I'll probably try to read the second one when it comes out.