Book Review: Dead To The World

Title:  Dead to the World
Author:  Charlaine Harris
Pages:  291
Publication Date:  2004
Version:  Paperback
Genre:  Adult Fiction/Mystery/Fantasy

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"In Sookie Stackhouse—a Southern cocktail waitress with a supernatural gift—Harris has a created a heroine like few others, and a series that puts the bite back in vampire fiction. Now the hit series launches into hardcover for Sookie's biggest twist-filled adventure yet. When cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse sees a naked man on the side of the road, she doesn't just drive on by. Turns out the poor thing hasn't a clue who he is, but Sookie does. It's Eric the vampire—but now he's a kinder, gentler Eric. And a scared Eric, because whoever took his memory now wants his life." 

My Review:
A lot has happened to Sookie Stackhouse since she first met Bill the vampire.  She has been put in many dangerous situations and has had a ride on an emotional rollercoaster.  She has called it quits from being Bill’s girlfriend and has made a New Year’s Resolution simply to stay out of trouble.  Sounds easy enough right?  Well, she thought so…until on her way home from work she comes across Eric, the incredibly handsome vampire boss of Bill, on the side of the road half naked and not knowing who he is or where he is.  She finds out that he had a spell put on him to make him like this, from a witch of a witch coven.  Now Sookie is asked to keep Eric at her house, the least likely place he would ever be, and keep him safe until Pam (his second in command) can find out what’s going on and how to make him better.  This may sound like an easy enough job for Sookie, but it’s not easy having a gorgeous vampire living with you and not want to be “with” him…wink wink.  After all she is no longer in a relationship with Bill.  Sookie soon finds herself falling for the “new” Eric, the one that is sensitive and loving.  While dealing with those feelings her brother Jason goes missing and is feared dead, so Sookie then has to focus on how to find him and who may have taken him.  Can she find Jason…and alive?  Can she hold out her feeling for Eric?  If she gives in what will happen if his spell is removed?  How can she fight witches, deal with Jason’s disappearance, live with Eric, and figure out the mystery behind the woman Jason was last seen with, without breaking her resolution?

I just love Sookie Stackhouse mysteries!  This book is no different.  I was absolutely ecstatic when Eric was put in a position of living with Sookie…even if his memory was gone.  I have been rooting for Eric over Bill for some time now and couldn’t wait to see how it all worked out under the situations given.  The book moved right along and was an easy, fun read, with lots of actions and suspense too.  I found myself worrying with Sookie over her brother, Jason’s, well being when he went missing.  The twist at the end of the book was also pretty darn amazing, I must say.  I can’t wait to read the next book of the series to see where Charlaine Harris takes it.  The characters still, are by far my favorite characters of any series I am reading right now.  They are just so easy to root for and relate too, even if they are Weres, Vampires, Shifters, and a girl with telepathy.  I thought this book was better than the last one I read by far.  A must read for anyone continuing the series or just as a stand alone book.  The author does great filling the reader in on previous events that matter to the plotline, in case you haven’t read the other books.

4/5 Stars!

This counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, Mystery and Suspense Challenge, TV Addict Challenge, Witch Challenge, and Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge.

Book Review: A Wrinkle In Time

Title:  A Wrinkle In Time
Author:  Madeleine L’Engle
Pages:  242
Publication Date:  1962
Version:  Paperback
Genre:  Young Adult Fiction/Fantasy

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Fifty years ago, Madeleine L’Engle introduced the world to A Wrinkle in Time and the wonderful and unforgettable characters Meg and Charles Wallace Murry, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe. When the children learn that Mr. Murry has been captured by the Dark Thing, they time travel to Camazotz, where they must face the leader IT in the ultimate battle between good and evil—a journey that threatens their lives and our universe. A Newbery Award winner, A Wrinkle in Time is an iconic novel that continues to inspire millions of fans around the world. This special edition has been redesigned and includes an introduction by Katherine Paterson, an afterword by Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter Charlotte Jones Voiklis that includes photographs and memorabilia, the author’s Newbery Medal acceptance speech, and other bonus materials."

My Review:
What do you do if you are a brother and sister who are considered to be “odd ducks” even in your own family?  What are you supposed to do or think about the fact that your Father has been away for many years and now has stopped writing too?  Well, Meg and Charles can answer these questions…you stick together no matter what with the sibling you do understand, and you go in search of your lost Father.  To find their Father means to trust three very old and very odd women; Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which.  When Meg and Charles decide to trust these women they are also joined by Calvin, another boy who is very different from others.  What makes these three children so different?  They have special abilities, like Calvin just knows things, Charles can read people and see into their brains (so to speak) and Meg is just, well, Meg…an odd duck with a quick temper.  When the old women tell them that they can take them to where their Father is to help him, they think nothing of this except that they will go anywhere to find him.  To their surprise, Father is not only far away, but is on another planet!  Also, the three old ladies are not really just ladies, they are magical women who can travel to other dimensions and planets.  It is with their help that Meg, Charles, and Calvin go on an adventure they will never forget to try and find and bring home Meg and Charles’ Father.  Can they find him before something bad happens?  Can they find him at all?  Where are they really going anyway and is it safe?

This book is an oldie, having celebrated 50 years this year.  While reading I wondered if this was one of the very first fantasy books.  In the back of the book, in the questions and answers part with the author, she tells about how hard she had it trying to get a publisher to take on her book because it was so different.  This makes me wonder even more about the greatness of her imagination, being that it was so different from other writings of the time then.  I think I enjoyed the book more because of when it was written and how new it all was then, than I did the plotline.  Now, I am not saying the plot was bad, just saying I liked the background of the author and time it was written and that may be why I liked the concept of the book more.  The author showed persistence and was willing to hear many rejections to finally get to the publisher that said yes, what determination!

I did enjoy the book, characters, and plot.  It was different than most I have read, but I think that was due to the time it was written.  It didn’t have that huge dramatic plot like you see in books now, but had a simple plot with a fantasy twist.  Basically it was about the children trying to find their Father and along the way doing things in a very unusual way being guided by three very unusual women.  The ending to the book was very sweet and had a great meaning to it.  The book was well written and an easy read to read and follow.  I liked the characters very much too, I could see them in my head.  

Also, in my book club that I run for friends/family of mine, we chose to read this book.  Here are a few things they thought:  

"Maybe it was because I am new to fantasies, but I kept waiting for something BIG to happen. The story was a nice read, but it left me always hoping there would be more excitement when I turned the next page. I did like the moral of the story, that love conquers all, but really would have liked a bit more excitement along the way." J.M.

"I found the book to be an overall enjoyable read. It kept my interest and I thought it had a great message. I liked the characters but did think certain characters could have been developed a bit more such as the three old women (the Mrs.'s). Maybe this happens in the next book...I was just left wondering a lot about them. Charles Wallace's and Meg's characters were developed pretty well though, in my opinion. I found myself annoyed with Meg's character a number of times when she just kept fixating on her Dad and Charles Wallace rather than looking at the big picture. While definitely not up there with my favorite books of all time, I liked this book enough to eventually want to read the next book in the series once I have the time! :)"  J.R.

"I read A Wrinkle in Time in like 2 days or less. I got really involved in it from the beginning. I could really relate to Meg's problems. I would have liked some more info about the Mrs.'s but otherwise it was good. I liked how Meg realized that Love would bring her brother back to them. I was waiting for more action and drama as well, but it was still a good little book. Good enough to get my hubby to buy me the whole 5 book set. I'm already done with the second book and working on the 3rd. I love how they made Charles Wallace different. Such a sweet little boy."  G.S.

4/5 Stars!

This counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books Read and 1,000,000 Pages Read.

Poem Monday! April 30th (last one)

My last poem on Monday for poetry month and also for my versatile challenge.
This poem is from Shel Silverstein's book A Light In The Attic.  My son says it fits this week, seeing as how I am sick.  

CATCHING
I tried to catch a cold
As he went running past
On a damp and chilly
Afternoon in autumn.
I tried to catch a cold, 
But he skittered by so fast
That I missed him---
But I'm glad to hear you caught him.

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!! Week 60

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!!

This is a fun meme and it's hosted by Hilary at Feeling Beachie. 

This week’s statements:

1.       I never drink when I am the one driving.

2.       I used to play volleyball but I stopped

3.       My favorite picture of all time is of My son and I dancing together at my wedding.  I am kneeling on the floor dancing on my knees and he is hugging me.  :-)

4.       When it gets dark I think about all the things that are out there that can see me, but I can't see them.  I don't know why, but I do.

Book Review/Versatile Challenge Review: Vanishing and Other Stories

Title:  Vanishing and Other Stories

Author:  Deborah Willis
Pages:  285
Publication Date:  2010
Version:  Paperback
Genre:  Adult Fiction

Summary Via Goodreads.com:

"Evocative and passionately written, this debut short story collection--a finalist for Canada's Governor General's Award--explores emotional and physical absences, the ways in which people leave and are left, and whether it's ever possible to move on."

My Review:
This book was full of short stories that covered all emotions.  I do not usually read books made up of short stories because I feel they lack details of the story.  This book was pretty good and I did enjoy reading it for the most part.  The book itself was not bad, the stories were well written, it just is not my type of book.  I read a book to enjoy plot lines, details, and closure…I just feel short stories don’t do these things very well because they are so short.  Not a whole lot to tell about this book, except that the stories were better than most I have read in the past.  The author did a good job writing the stories, at no time was I thinking that they all were starting to sound alike.

3/5 Stars.  Well written just not my cup of tea.

Below is a summary of one of the short stories (for my Versatile Challenge):
This Other Us
This is a short story about 3 roommates that met while in college.  They moved in together as a tight group of friends would, even though Karen and Lawrence are a couple and Lise is just a friend.  Lise has a hard time making friends and is very glad that they decide, even after college, to stay living together.  They just work as roommates.  Lise is a shy girl when it comes to clothing she wears and makeup.  Karen is very…eccentric and outgoing.  Lawrence plans to one day marry Karen.  Then one day Lise comes home to a different truck in the driveway and when she enters the apartment she walks in to Karen packing and calling a strange man babe.  Within minutes Karen is gone, Lawrence is tempted to commit suicide, and Lise has lost her closest friend.  Lawrence and Lise grieve the loss in their own ways and soon, to feel closer to Karen again, Lise starts wearing some clothes Karen left behind.  At first she does this only in private, but one day Lawrence comes home and tells her he likes her in Karen’s stuff.  Soon Lise is wearing Karen’s stuff more and before she knows it her and Lawrence soon become lovers.  One thought plagues Lise though, does Lawrence care for her because she is who she is…or does he care for her because of Karen’s clothes she wears and makeup she wears?  And will Karen come back?  What will happen if she does?

I think this was my favorite story in this book.  I liked the concept of it, reminded me of real life in a way I could relate to.

Counts towards following challenges:  1,000,000 Pages Read and Versatile Challenge.

Theme Thursdays!! April 26th

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next.  It is hosted by Reading Between the Pages.  Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday's)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don't necessarily need to have the word)
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have "They kissed so gently" or "Their lips touched each other" or "The smooch was so passionate"

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

YES!!! Okay, sure, etc

Here's my snippet for the week:  "Sure," I nodded.  "now we've got a lever to make them talk--fear."  page 64, The Hellcat by Carter Brown

Cat Thursday!! April 26th

Hosted by The True Book Addict.

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy!

Just.....AAAWWWWWWW.  :-)

Made me chuckle, LOL.

I think this ALL the time with our furkids and our son.  LOL.

This is how my furkids and son look at me in the summer when it is so nice outside.  LOL!!!

I LOVE this!!  :-)  

Poem Monday for Versatile Challenge. April 23rd

In honor of poetry month in April I will be posting a poem every Monday.  This also is in part for my Versatile Reading Challenge.


This is a poem from Shel Silverstein's book A Light In The Attic.  My son and I just love this one.  It took him a minute to figure out the irony of it all, but then once he got it, he couldn't stop laughing.  So read carefully.  LOL.  :-)


MR. SMEDS AND MR. SPATS
Mr. Spats
Had twenty-one hats,
And none of them were the same.
And Mr. Smeds
Had twenty-one heads
And only one hat to his name.


Now, when Mr. Smeds
Met Mr. Spats, 
They talked of the 
Buying and selling of hats.
And Mr. Spats
Bought Mr. Smeds' hat!
Did you ever hear anything
Crazier than that?

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!! Week 59

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!!

This is a fun meme and it's hosted by Hilary at Feeling Beachie. 

This week’s statements:

1.       I always forget to reach down to the shifter when I am in my Mom's car.  I ALWAYS reach up and try to find a shifter off the steering wheel like in my truck.  LOL.  Everyone in the car finds this greatly funny.  :)

2.       I never eat ice cream without french fries!  

3.      Recently I started to take fish oil to help with some of my joint pain, and it has helped tremendously!  :)  Who knew it would help so much...still have pain, but it is considerably less!!!

4.      If I had to find a date, the last place I would look for one is the bar.  Personally I feel that picking up a guy (or girl) in a bar most time, not always, but most times means they are a heavy drinker...which is NOT for me.

A Little Time Off.

I will be taking a short break from my blog in celebration of my birthday.  I will not be posting, I will be reading, but not posting until I come back.  My hubby managed to get off of work for a few days and I have out of town family coming to visit, so I thought it best to just take off of blogging while all that is going on.  :-)  I will be posting on Monday, my Poetry Monday post.  However, I will be MIA from blogging from Friday April 20th (my Birthday!) until Thursday April 26th.  I have a busy personal schedule by the sounds of it.  LOL!  Friday I have a lunch date with my friend, dinner date with family, then over the weekend family is coming from out of town.  Monday I may pop in for a quick post, but then Tues and Wed I am going to some Brewer Games with my hubby!  Thursday I promise to come back to all of you.  :-)

Cat Thursday!!! April 19th

Hosted by The True Book Addict.

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy!

LOL!!!  Reminds me of when my kittens shredded all the toilet paper one day when I was gone.

:-D  

I could see this happening in my home if I knitted.

Yup, this is how my cats think too.  LOL!

In honor of my Birthday tomorrow I had to put this pic on too.  :-)

 

Theme Thursday!!! April 19th

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next.  It is hosted by Reading Between the Pages.  Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday's)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don't necessarily need to have the word)
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have "They kissed so gently" or "Their lips touched each other" or "The smooch was so passionate"

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

NO!!! don't, not, negative etc

My snippet is here:  "No, last night we cleaned up a body, I thought"  from page 265, Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

Book Review: Clear and Convincing Proof

Title:  Clear and Convincing Proof
Author:  Kate Wilhelm
Pages:  344
Publication Date:  2003
Version:  Hardcover
Genre:  Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"The Kelso/McIvey rehab center is a place of hope and healing for its patients--and for the dedicated staff who volunteer there. But David McIvey, a brilliant surgeon whose ego rivals his skill with a scalpel, wants to change all that. His plan to close the clinic and replace it with a massive new surgery center--with himself at the helm--means that the rehab center will be forced to close its doors.Since he is poised to desecrate the dreams of so many, it's not surprising to anyone, especially Oregon lawyer Barbara Holloway, that somebody dares to stop him in cold blood. When David McIvey is murdered outside the clinic's doors early one morning, Barbara once again uses her razor-sharp instincts and take-no-prisoners attitude to create a defense for the two members of the clinic who stand accused. And in her most perplexing case yet, Barbara is forced to explore the darkest places where people can hide--the soul beneath the skin."

My Review:
Erica has been given a new start in her life, she is on her way to move into the house she was left by her Grandmother.  In her head she pictures a beautiful house with the ability to rent out the top half for a little extra money…or sell it right away to make big money on it and then start over anywhere she wants.  When she pulls her car into the driveway reality is far from what she hoped for.  She pulls up to a run down, needs a LOT of work, house covered inside and out with trash.  Erica now has to use what little money she did have to fix up the house so she can put it on the market.  The realtor gives her the name of some places that she can work and can volunteer at to get herself established in the town so it is easier to sell the house when it’s ready.  Erica gets a teaching job at an elementary school and starts volunteering at a local rehab clinic (non profit clinic).  She works during the days, reads to the patients at the clinic in the evenings and on weekends she works on the house fix up project.  She soon comes to love the clinic and its patients and its workers…especially Darren, the physical therapist.  Soon it is found out that another doctor, David, is getting shares in the clinic and wants nothing to do with it except to make it into a profit making clinic for his practice.  Feelings are strong that this is not what the workers and other share holders want.  But how can they stop him?  A few days later David is found murdered in the clinic’s garden.  That’s one way to make sure he doesn’t get his way isn’t it?  Would the people of the clinic really kill to have it stay the way it is?  Or did his wife, whom he treats like a slave, finally say she had enough and do it?

This is, by far, one of the best books I have read in a long time!  Talk about a book with a mystery that even the reader is baffled on.  Because of how the events are set up in this book, the murder really does seem to be a mystery and then some.  It was a book where I found myself thinking either no one did it or every single character did it.  There were no super strong hints as to who really murdered the doctor or why.  I found myself going around in circles in my head with who really would murder the man.  I was convinced at one point in the book that the author forgot to put the character in the book that really did it.  Then I found myself liking all the characters and not getting any feeling that any of them were capable of committing murder.  The more I read, the more I wondered what could have really happened to the doctor.  I started thinking that it somehow just had to be suicide.  Alas, as the end of the book grew nearer a couple clues were put out there that finally made me 99% sure who did it…but then again I was still 1% unsure.  This was a book that was very well written and very well thought out as a psychological thriller with terrific characters added.  I will tell you this…the author did not forget to put in who did it, but the real answer to the question of who killed David the doctor will have you in a state of shock.  Wonderful book!

5/5 Stars!!  MUST READ!!!

This counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books, 1,000,000 Pages Read, Cupcake Wars Challenge, Mystery and Suspense Challenge, and Rainbow Reading Challenge.

Book Review: First Time Killer

Image from goodreads.com

Title:  First Time Killer
Author:  Alan Orloff as Zak Allen
Pages:  286
Publication Date:  2012
Version:  Kindle Version (free from author via Library Thing for review)
Genre:  Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"In shock radio, nothing is too far over-the-top in the pursuit of ratings. 
Not even murder.
During his twenty-six-year career, D.C. radio talk show host Rick Jennings steered clear of outrageous radio. Wasn’t his thing. So when WTLK execs tap him for the Afternoon Circus to land a lucrative satellite deal, Rick struggles to maintain his standards—and his dignity. A chilling call (“I’m a long-time listener, first time KILLER.”) leads to the discovery of an intern’s arm in a trashcan. Rick spars with the “First Time” killer over the airwaves. The police are stymied. Ratings skyrocket. And First Time continues to knock off members of the Circus, phoning in to gloat afterward. 
In a world of psychics and poseurs, crazy deejays and crazier callers, it’s up to Rick to bring First Time down before more people perish."

My Review:
What do you do if you are a radio host trying to get better ratings to please your boss and then you get the opportunity to make that happen?  Well, you would use that opportunity like crazy right?!  Well, you may think so, but you man change your mind about that if the opportunity turns out to be a crazed serial killer calling in to tell about his latest and “greatest” kills he has made.  Rick is a radio host of a radio show called The Afternoon Circus, which he shares with another host nick named Tin Man.  They have been doing this slot since the original host Rhino died.  Their goal is to see which of them is the better host and who can draw in the listeners more, then that host gets the whole show.  If the ratings are up the radio station also has a chance to seal a deal to go satellite and make millions.  To a small radio station this is huge, so Celia (the manager of sorts) is willing to do anything to make sure ratings climb and stay high.  The question soon becomes…how far would she really go?  Is she somehow connected to the man calling himself First Time Killer, a man that called Rick at the station on air to tell him that he had killed someone and it was someone he knew?  When Rick’s world is turned upside down by First Time, he struggles with what to do in the situation.  Rick wants to try and help the police find First Time and catch him for the murder he has admitted to on air, but also doesn’t want to put his wife and daughter in danger if he talks to First Time more.  As the plot thickens there are more murders, more chaos at work for Rick, more stresses put on his marriage/family by the whole First Time drama, and lots of decisions for Rick to make about his morals/ethics/job.  Can he really be a key man to helping stop First Time?  Does he really want to be the one to keep First Time talking…on air?  Will the serial killer really ever stop just because he talks to Rick about his kills on the air?  And more importantly who is First Time and why is he killing in the first place?

I very much enjoyed reading this book.  I loved the interesting serial killer-radio twist to the plot.  I have read many books that do the serial killer/TV show angle, but I thought the whole radio twist was very unique and very interesting.  I loved Rick as a character, he is a good man just doing what he loves to support his small family.  He wants nothing more than to just interact with people on the air and help them solve small problems they have or hear their rants about traffic if that is all they want.  Boy is he surprised when he gets in the middle of a mad man’s serial killing “game” being played out through talking to him on the radio.  The plot of this book was great and the adventure was always underlying the chapters.  I also love how the book takes some turns that, as the reader, made me think…”ha, I solved this and I know exactly what will go down” only to make my jaw fall to the floor when not much of what I saw happening did happen.  I had a hunch from the start who First Time was and I stuck to that theory all the way through the book…was I right you may ask…well I won’t tell you if I was right completely or not, as that may spoil some of the reading fun for you, but I will say that some things snuck up on me and were very surprising.  This book plugs along in true mystery fashion and I think the writing was amazing.  I also loved the detail of this book, I really, truly felt like I was there, in the book, seeing what the characters were looking at and doing.  Very good read, would recommend to any mystery or serial killer fiction buff out there.

4/5 Stars!

This counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, Cupcake War Challenge, Mystery and Suspense Challenge, and Serial Killer Challenge.

Young Adult Reading Challenge 2012 Wrap Up!!

2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge---Wrap Up!

I have completed this challenge!!!  Below you will find details of the original challenge, what level I picked, and which books I read to complete the challenge (with links to most of the book reviews).  I had fun and no doubt will be reading more YA as the year goes on, but it is a great feeling to know I completed my goal for this challenge!!!!  :-)

Run's January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012.

The Rules:

• Anyone can join.
• You don't need a blog to participate.
• Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post on Jamie's blog.
• Audio, eBooks, paper, re-reads all count.
• No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

There are four levels:

1. The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.
2. The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.
3. The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.
4. The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

I will keep track of my progress on this post.  My goal is the Mini YA Reading Challenge - Read 12 Young Adult Novels

1. Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu

2. Warriors: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter

3. Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba

4. All's Fair In Vanitie's War by Elizabeth Marx

5. Annihilation of Foreverland by Tony Bertauski

6. Dies Irae by Christine Fonseca

7. A Healing Heart by Melissa Hanson

8. The Secret of the Scarlet Stone by T.L. Clarke

9. Blood Oath by T.L. Clarke

10.  Lacrimosa by Christine Fonseca

11.  Ghostly Justice by Bev Irwin

12.  The Lodestone by J. Philip Horne

Book Review: the Lodestone

Image from goodreads.com

Title:  The Lodestone
Author:  J. Philip Horne
Pages:  252
Publication Date:  2011
Version:  Kindle Version (free from author through Library Thing for review)
Genre:  Young Adult Fiction/Fantasy

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"When twelve year old Jack Paris feels the small jaws of a creature that shouldn't exist clamp down on his leg, life as he knows it in small-town northeast Texas comes to a sudden end. Miss Edna, his foster mom, is forced to take him and his friend Sally to a world she secretly forsook two hundred years before to save his life. There Jack discovers that an evil wizard needs him for unknown purposes and will stop at nothing to capture him. The wizard pursues Jack and Sally through forests and under mountains on the other world, and even across Kansas back on Earth. 
With all their hope placed in Miss Edna, she suddenly disappears, leaving Jack and Sally to carry on without her. It soon becomes clear, however, that the events of the present are tied to Miss Edna's past, and the children begin a desperate effort to find her before all hope is lost. 
When Jack finally realizes why the wizard needs him, he learns that to live and love, you sometimes have to be willing to die.
The Lodestone targets Middle Grade to younger YA readers, as well as those who are young at heart."

My Review:
This book takes place, first, in a small town on Earth named Hillacre.  In this small town lives a woman named Miss Edna, who is a nurse who has been a great asset to the hospital she works at and who loves to help children, so is a foster Mom too.  Her latest foster child’s name is Jack Paris.  Jack was a very troubled young boy when Miss Edna first took him in at the age of eight.  He was always in trouble at school and never kept very long by any foster home.  Miss Edna just knew that Jack was supposed to be with her for her to guide and keep safe, so she took him in.  Jack has been a changed boy since then and has since started doing ok in school and has gained a friend named Sally, who he sits by every day on the bus ride to and from school.  Seems half way ordinary right?  Well, on the outside yes, but Miss Edna has a deep secret she has kept from Jack.  Miss Edna is really a Wizard from another far away world named Artaeris.  Miss Edna used to be a very evil Wizard, but since has “turned over a new leaf” so to speak and is now wanting to fight for what is right, and has done so by keeping Jack safe.  You see Jack is not a “normal” boy, but a boy who has a special gift in the wizarding world, the world he knows nothing about.  Jack was born in the wizard world of Artaeris, but then was sent to Earth to live.  Why?  Because the dark Wizard Drakin sent him there to later use him for his evil plan.  One day after school Jack and Sally get the surprise of their lives…they find out Miss Edna is not who they think she is and learn about Artaeris from her…but only as they are being attacked by the evil wizards coming to take Jack away from Earth back to Artaeris.  Once there, Miss Edna is captured while trying to find out what is going on, Jack and Sally are forced to try and make sense of a whole world they never would have thought existed, Jack learns the truth about who he really is, Jack and Sally meet two more Wizards (Gerlock and Fortuna), a FBI agent, from Earth, named Derek gets mixed up in things and is now banded together with them in Artaeris, and a dwarf named Verdag decides to help the unusual group.  While trying to rescue Miss Edna, however, Jack is taken by the evil wizard Drakin and also is now in need of rescuing.  Can the mismatched group save Miss Edna and Jack before it is too late?  Will Jack figure out why he is so important to Drakin?  What evil plot is Drakin up to and can they stop it before it’s too late?

This book was a good read.  It had adventure, action, suspense, comedy, magic, and great characters.  This book kind of was a twist of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings in my eyes.  Being that I loved both of those series, this book piqued my interest from the time I started reading it.  I liked the way the book went from Earth to Artaeris several times, but in ways that made perfect sense and added to the suspense of the story.  The book would not have been the same without the characters picked to be in it.  Derek, the FBI Agent, added a certain flare to the story and that he became part of the group that traveled to the wizard world and then helped there too was just hilarious to me.  He added the comedy to the book just by being in it.  I quickly came to love the group of seven (Miss Edna, Gerlock, Fortuna, Derek, Jack, Sally, and Verdag).  The best part of this book for me was that is was always pretty clear what was going on, it never had a lull moment, and it was just fun to read.  If you are looking for a book that mixes the “normal” world with the fantasy/wizarding world this is THE book for you!  I would highly recommend this book to any aged crowd.  The characters themselves are interesting enough to read the book and find out more about them, and when a great plot is added you get an amazing read that everyone should experience.  

4/5 Stars!

This counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, Young Adult Challenge, and Challenge Addict Challenge.

Poetry Monday for My Versatile Challenge April 16th

In honor of poetry month in April I will be posting a poem every Monday.  This also is in part for my Versatile Reading Challenge.

Today's Poem that my son and I read follows.  We thought it was perfect for the weather we have had where we live.  It was in the 40s and 50s all week last week, 70s this weekend and now back to the 40s and 50s.  CRAZY.

Here Comes
Here comes summer, 
Here comes summer,
Chirping robin, budding rose.
Here comes summer, 
Here comes summer,
Gentle showers, summer clothes.
Here comes summer,
Here comes summer--
Whoosh--shiver--there it goes.


Taken from:
A Light In The Attic by Shel Silverstein

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!! Week 58

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!!

This is a fun meme and it's hosted by Hilary at Feeling Beachie. 

This week’s statements:

1. When I am feeling down I always talk to and snuggle with my furkids.  :-)

2. Snacking is my way of procrastinating.  LOL.  I seem to wander into the kitchen looking for snacks when I know I have other things to get done.  

3. The BEST part about summer for me is the extra family time I get with my son and hubby!!

4. If only I could have less chronic pain then I would feel better and everyone would be happy for me, that I feel better.  

Cat Thursday! April 12th

Hosted by The True Book Addict.

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! 

I TOTALLY agree!!!  

Oh ya, this is what my furkids look like sometimes by our pizza.  LOL!

LOL!

LOL LOL LOL!!!!  :-)

Book Review: Ethan Pritcher, Body Switcher

Image from goodreads.com

Title:  Ethan Pritcher, Body Switcher
Author:  Douglas E. Richards
Pages:  73
Publication Date:  2012
Version:  Kindle Version (free from author through Library Thing for honest review)
Genre:  Children’s/Tween  Fiction

Summary Via Goodreads.com:

"Ethan Pritcher is a normal kid. Well, other than the fact that every once in a while, he switches bodies with someone else. He doesn't know how or why, he just knows that it happens -- and always when he least expects it. 

After trading identities with a muscle-bound movie star, Ethan finds himself in a big trouble. When he learns that a hired killer is after him, just staying alive will be a big challenge. But his sister, Madison, may have the toughest job of all. She'll have to find a way to keep the movie star, now inhabiting Ethan's body, from getting her brother kicked out of sixth grade. . ."


My Review:
This book is a bout a little boy who, after a science experiment gone awry, switches bodies with people.  He has no control over the switching though, which proves to be a very bad thing.  He never knows when it will happen or with who it will happen.  One day on the way to school with his little sister, the switch happens and he switches body’s with a movie star that is in town to shoot his newest film.  Wouldn’t be so bad, but how do you explain this to a macho, very physically fit, actor that he is now a small boy in grade school?  Ethan, the boy, never knows how long the switch will last either.  So he and the actor try to carry on a “normal” day in each others bodies.  Sounds easy enough right?  WRONG!  Ethan soon learns that someone is out to kill him, well the body he is in of the actor.  He soon is just trying to make it through the day without being murdered.  Meanwhile, the actor in Ethan’s body is trying to use the help from Ethan’s sister to not get Ethan in too much trouble while he is in the body.  Not easy when you tell the P.E. teacher he doesn’t know a thing about exercise and are now on the verge of being suspended.  Will the two actually make it through the day without something really bad happening?

My son, who is ten years old, loved this book.  We actually read it together so we could both give an opinion.  We also got so entwined in the story that we read it all in one sitting!  This book was very well written and action packed for the younger crowd to want to keep reading.  My son tends to veer away from a book after just a few minutes if he isn’t having to read it for school, but this book really grabbed him and his attention.  After every chapter he would look at me and want to keep reading and would tell me what he thought would happen next.  This book made him laugh and kept him on the edge of his seat until the very end.  We couldn’t wait to see the outcome of Ethan switching bodies with this big movie star who did his own stunts and then who finds out he is trying to be killed.  We were a bit worried too, that the big shot movie star would do something to ruin poor Ethan’s reputation or school life.  My son thought it was a really neat idea for a book and also said it was like an adventure twist on the old movie Freaky Friday.  I am all for any book that can suck my son into it like this book did!  Great middle age read, and to be honest, great read for anyone because I absolutely loved it too.

5/5 Stars!

This counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books Read, 3660 Minutes Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, and A to Z Title Challenge.