Inquisitor's Wife -- "1481 Seville: The Inquisition makes its first appearance in Spain. Its target: conversos, Christians of Jewish descent—specifically those who practice Judaism secretly in their homes. The penalty for “crypto-Judaism”: Burning at the stake.

Marisol Garcia, a young conversa, is hurriedly wed to Gabriel, a civil lawyer working for the Inquisition, in hopes that he will protect her. But she still yearns for the childhood love who abandoned her four years earlier, and she’s shocked when he reappears suddenly at her wedding.

When her father is arrested and tortured, Marisol finds herself caught between her love for him and her desire to save the lives of her people. After becoming a favorite of the ruthless Queen Isabella, Marisol discovers a dangerous secret about her former lover, Antonio, and finds herself trapped in a life-threatening web of intrigue. As the Inquisition’s snares tighten around her, Marisol’s love for Antonio and loyalty to her Jewish family is tested as never before…" -- from www.amazon.com

A nice historical thriller with some very interesting information about the Spanish Inquisition that I didn't know before.

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Firebird -- "Nicola Marter has the gift of psychometry—the ability to touch an object and discover information about its previous owners. Her grandfather's adamant instructions to never reveal her abilities, coupled with the negative reactions from those who do not understand her, has Nicola eager to keep her talent a secret. Margaret Ross appears at Nicola's artifacts and art gallery with a small carving of a bird, called the Firebird, and claims the item was given to her ancestor, Anna, by Peter the Great's wife, the Empress Catherine of Russia. Once Nicola holds the Firebird, she sees a vision of Anna with the Empress and realizes the carving could bring Margaret, who is in dire need of money, a fortune. Determined to help Margaret and prove the authenticity of the Firebird, Nicola enlists the help of Rob, who also has the same psychic abilities as Nicola's, only stronger. Following Anna's path, Nicole and Rob find themselves crossing Scotland, Belgium, and Russia, taking the reader on a journey spanning the Jacobite Rising of 1715 and its aftermath." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

A great novel. The story was very nicely told, the flashbacks integrated well and the characters were well developed. It was also nice that she utilized characters from two of her previous books, "The Winter Sea" and "The Shadowy Horses", it was interesting to find out what had happened to them.

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Seduction -- "A gothic tale about Victor Hugo’s long-buried secrets and the power of a love that never dies . . . In 1843, novelist Victor Hugo’s beloved nineteen-year-old daughter drowned. Ten years later, still grieving, Hugo initiated hundreds of séances from his home on the Isle of Jersey in order to reestablish contact with her. In the process, he claimed to have communed with Plato, Galileo, Shakespeare, Dante, Jesus—and even the devil himself. Hugo’s transcriptions of these conversations have all been published.

Or so it has been believed . . .Recovering from a great loss, mythologist Jac L’Etoile thinks that throwing herself into work will distract her from her grief. In the hopes of uncovering a secret about the island’s mysterious Celtic roots, she arrives on Jersey and is greeted by ghostly Neolithic monuments, medieval castles and hidden caves. But the man who has invited her there, a troubled soul named Theo Gaspard, hopes she’ll help him discover something quite different— transcripts of Hugo’s lost conversations with someone he called the Shadow of the Sepulcher. Central to his heritage, these are the papers his grandfather died trying to find. Neither Jac nor Theo anticipate that the mystery surrounding Victor Hugo will threaten their sanity and put their very lives at stake" -- from www.amazon.com

An interesting thriller. The flashbacks to Victor Hugo's voice were nicely done. A few of the characters needed more development -- especially Jac, who is still the spoiled brat in denial that she was in "The Book of Fragrances -- and the climactic fight scene was a bit ho-hum. An otherwise okay novel.

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Light In The Ruins -- "1943: Tucked away in the idyllic hills south of Florence, the Rosatis, an Italian family of noble lineage, believe that the walls of their ancient villa will keep them safe from the war raging across Europe. Eighteen-year-old Cristina spends her days swimming in the pool, playing with her young niece and nephew, and wandering aimlessly amid the estate’s gardens and olive groves. But when two soldiers, a German and an Italian, arrive at the villa asking to see an ancient Etruscan burial site, the Rosatis’ bucolic tranquility is shattered. A young German lieutenant begins to court Cristina, the Nazis descend upon the estate demanding hospitality, and what was once was their sanctuary becomes their prison.

1955: Serafina Bettini, an investigator with the Florence police department, has her own demons. A beautiful woman, Serafina carefully hides her scars along with her haunting memories of the war. But when she is assigned to a gruesome new case—a serial killer targeting the Rosatis, murdering the remnants of the family one-by-one in cold blood—Serafina finds herself digging into a past that involves both the victims and her own tragic history" -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

A nice thriller with a lot of interesting information about Italian history. The characters were well developed and the storyline was interesting...I didn't guess who the bad guy was until nearly the end of the novel.

The Inquisitor's Wife -- Started: July 11, 2013 Finished: July 13, 2013

The Firebird -- Started: July 13, 2013 Finished: July 15, 2013

Seduction -- Started: July 15, 2013 Finished: July 17, 2013

The Light In The Ruins -- Started: July 15, 2013 Finished: July 17, 2013

25 Book Challenge 2013 Books #54, #55, #56 & #57

"Katherine Ashley, the daughter of a poor country squire, happily secures an education and a place for herself in a noble household. But when Thomas Cromwell, a henchman for King Henry VIII, brings her to the royal court as a spy, Kat enters into a thrilling new world of the Tudor monarchs. Freed from a life of espionage by Cromwell's downfall, Kat eventually befriends Anne Boleyn. As a dying favor to the doomed queen, Kat becomes governess and surrogate-mother to the young Elizabeth Tudor. Together they suffer bitter exile, assassination attempts, and imprisonment, barely escaping with their lives. But they do, and when Elizabeth is crowned, Kat continues to serve her, faithfully guarding all the queen's secrets (including Elizabeth's affair with the dashing Robert Dudley) . . . and ultimately emerging as the lifelong confidante and true mother-figure to Queen Elizabeth."

A decent book. It was interesting to learn about Kat Ashley as I had never really known much about her before.

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"You think you know her story. You’ve read the Brothers Grimm, you’ve watched the Disney cartoons, you cheered as these virtuous women lived happily ever after. But the lives of real princesses couldn’t be more different. Sure, many were graceful and benevolent leaders—but just as many were ruthless in their quest for power, and all of them had skeletons rattling in their royal closets. Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe was a Nazi spy. Empress Elizabeth of the Austro-Hungarian empire slept wearing a mask of raw veal. Princess Olga of Kiev murdered thousands of men, and Princess Rani Lakshmibai waged war on the battlefield, charging into combat with her toddler son strapped to her back. Princesses Behaving Badly offers minibiographies of all these princesses and dozens more."

Some interesting stories, a few boring ones full of hearsay and rumors, and yet another tiresome anti-Disney rant. Would be nice to read a book about fairy tales or princesses that didn't need the "Disney is evil" schtick to boost it's sales.

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"It is 1989 and Daria Gradov is an elderly grandmother living in the rural West. What neighbors and even her children don’t know, however, is that she is not who she claims to be—the widow of a Russian immigrant of modest means. In actuality she began her life as the Grand Duchess Tatiana, known as Tania to her parents, Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra...At its center is young Tania, who lives a life of incomparable luxury in pre-Revolutionary Russia, from the magnificence of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to the family’s private enclave outside the capital. Tania is one of four daughters, and the birth of her younger brother Alexei is both a blessing and a curse. When he is diagnosed with hemophilia and the key to his survival lies in the mysterious power of the illiterate monk Rasputin, it is merely an omen of much worse things to come. Soon war breaks out and revolution sweeps the family from power and into claustrophobic imprisonment in Siberia. Into Tania’s world comes a young soldier whose life she helps to save and who becomes her partner in daring plans to rescue the imperial family from certain death."

A good idea that needed so much more plot and character development. Interesting premise without much to hold it up.

White Mare -- "It is 79 A.D., and the tribes of Scotland are among the last holdouts to the Roman conquest of Britain. Unaware of the perils that face them, embroiled in internecine squabbles, they will soon be faced with a grave choice: band together or become slaves. Rhiann, a Scottish priestess and princess, is forced into a marriage arranged to promote a strategic alliance. Scarred by a horrific past, she desperately looks for a way out, but sees only the Romans closing in. Into this volatile situation sails an Irish prince, Eremon, exiled from his home by familial treachery. His aim is to win renown and regain his throne, but first he has to deal with an unexpected alliance, prove himself a military leader, and unite the feuding tribes of his adopted country." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

This was a pretty good book...dragged a little in places but otherwise a solid plot and nicely developed characters...just waiting for the other two books in the series to come in at the library :)

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Mistress of Rome -- "Thea is a slave girl from Judaea, passionate, musical, and guarded. Purchased as a toy for the spiteful heiress Lepida Pollia, Thea will become her mistress's rival for the love of Arius the Barbarian, Rome's newest and most savage gladiator. His love brings Thea the first happiness of her life-that is quickly ended when a jealous Lepida tears them apart. As Lepida goes on to wreak havoc in the life of a new husband and his family, Thea remakes herself as a polished singer for Rome's aristocrats. Unwittingly, she attracts another admirer in the charismatic Emperor of Rome. But Domitian's games have a darker side, and Thea finds herself fighting for both soul and sanity. Many have tried to destroy the Emperor: a vengeful gladiator, an upright senator, a tormented soldier, a Vestal Virgin. But in the end, the life of the brilliant and paranoid Domitian lies in the hands of one woman: the Emperor's mistress." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

This book took a little while to get going and I was on the verge of stopping when the plot picked up and things got interesting...some of the characters are a little shallow but the main characters are decent and I'm looking forward to more books in this series too.

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Home -- "In Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, Julie takes her readers on a warm, moving, and often humorous journey from a difficult upbringing in war-torn Britain to the brink of international stardom in America. Her memoir begins in 1935, when Julie was born to an aspiring vaudevillian mother and a teacher father, and takes readers to 1962, when Walt Disney himself saw her on Broadway and cast her as the world's most famous nanny.

Along the way, she weathered the London Blitz of World War II; her parents' painful divorce; her mother's turbulent second marriage to Canadian tenor Ted Andrews, and a childhood spent on radio, in music halls, and giving concert performances all over England. Julie's professional career began at the age of twelve, and in 1948 she became the youngest solo performer ever to participate in a Royal Command Performance before the Queen. When only eighteen, she left home for the United States to make her Broadway debut in The Boy Friend, and thus began her meteoric rise to stardom.

Home is filled with numerous anecdotes, including stories of performing in My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison on Broadway and in the West End, and in Camelot with Richard Burton on Broadway; her first marriage to famed set and costume designer Tony Walton, culminating with the birth of their daughter, Emma; and the call from Hollywood and what lay beyond." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

I've loved Julie Andrews for years and this was a great book about her. I learned a great deal about her early life including many things I never would have guessed had happened to her...definitely recommend this, especially if you are a fan of hers.

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Obvious Enchantment -- "Cultural anthropologist Ingrid Holtz convinces her university to fund a trip to Kenya's Swahili Coast, ostensibly to search for links between Egypt's monotheistic pharaoh Akhenaten and African Islam. Her ulterior motive is to search for her mentor, 60-year-old mad genius Nick Templeton, who has disappeared on a coastal island while investigating the origins of African Islam. The island of Pelat is itself a mystery: a cat-infested paradise torn between ancient tradition and modern progress since Swede Henrik Bergmann arrived many years before with his young son, Finn, and built the luxury hotel Salama (the Swahili word for peace). When Ingrid reaches the island, Stanley Wicks, an unscrupulous Brit, is erecting a new hotel in the village where devout islanders fled after Salama was built. Finn, raised by a local mystic, must seek middle ground in the battle between ancient mysteries and inevitable change; he keeps a protective eye on Ingrid as she looks for Templeton and finds her way to academic and personal growth." -- from www.amazon.com

Very glad I checked this book out from the library and didn't go out and buy it because it would not have been worth the money. Half the cast of characters appeared out of nowhere and did nothing, the other half wandered through the story performing inexplicable acts that led to nothing. The plot meandered around in circles until finally falling flat on it's face at the end of the book...I thought this book would be more like her novel "Resurrection"...but, no. Two thumbs down from me.

The White Mare -- Started: Nov. 13, 2010 Finished: Nov. 28, 2010

Mistress of Rome -- Started: Nov. 17, 2010 Finished: Nov. 24, 2010

Home: A Memoir of My Early Years -- Started: Nov. 24, 2010 Finished: Nov. 26, 2010

An Obvious Enchantment -- Started: Dec. 3, 2010 Finished: Dec. 10, 2010

25 Book Challenge 2010 Books #81, #82, #83 & #84

Couple reading books in a quiet area in Antwerpen.

🎭  Cosplayer : Rachel Rae

📷  Photographer : Facebook Page | Instagram

🔗  Thank you for linking back when sharing!

🎭  Cosplayer : Rachel Rae

📷  Photographer : Facebook Page | Instagram

🔗  Thank you for linking back when sharing!

🎭  Cosplayer : Rachel Rae

📷  Photographer : Facebook Page | Instagram

🔗  Thank you for linking back when sharing!

A Lion Among Men -- "While civil war looms in Oz, a tetchy oracle named Yackle prepares for death. Before her final hour, an enigmatic figure known as Brrr—the Cowardly Lion—arrives searching for information about Elphaba Thropp, the Wicked Witch of the West. As payment, Yackle, who hovered on the sidelines of Elphaba's life, demands some answers of her own.

Brrr surrenders his story to the ailing maunt: Abandoned as a cub, his earliest memories are gluey hazes, and his path from infancy in the Great Gillikin Forest is no Yellow Brick Road. Seeking to redress an early mistake, he trudges through a swamp of ghosts, becomes implicated in a massacre of trolls, and falls in love with a forbidding Cat princess. In the wake of laws that oppress talking Animals, he avoids a jail sentence by agreeing to serve as a lackey to the war-mongering Emperor of Oz.

A Lion Among Men chronicles a battle of wits hastened by the Emerald City's approaching armies. What does the Lion know of the whereabouts of the Witch's boy, Liir? What can Yackle reveal about the auguries of the Clock of the Time Dragon? And what of the Grimmerie, the magic book that vanished as quickly as Elphaba? Is destiny ever arbitrary? Can those tarnished by infamy escape their sobriquets—cowardly, wicked, brainless, criminally earnest—to claim their own histories, to live honorably within their own skins before they're skinned alive?" -- from www.amazon.com

I'm really enjoying this book -- as much as I enjoyed "Wicked" and "Son of a Witch". I like Maguire alot and I've already got his other books on my 'to read' list for the year :)

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The Winter King -- "Arthur is fierce, dedicated and complex, a man with many problems, most of his own making. His impulsive decisions sometimes have tragic ramifications, as when he lustfully takes Guinevere instead of the intended Ceinwyn, alienating his friends and allies and inspiring a bloody battle. The secondary characters are equally unexpected, and are ribboned with the magic and superstition of the times. Merlin impresses as a remarkable personage, a crafty schemer fond of deceit and disguise. Lancelot is portrayed as a warrior-pretender, a dishonest charmer with dark plans of his own; by contrast, Galahad seems the noble soldier of purpose and dedication. Guinevere, meanwhile, no gentle creature waiting patiently in the moonlight, has designs and plots of her own. The story of these characters and others is narrated forcefully and with dry wit by Derfel Cadarn, one of Arthur's warriors, who later becomes a monk." -- from www.amazon.com

I'm only a little ways into this book but so far it's very good and I'm pretty much a sucker for Arthurian legends :)

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Lemuria & Atlantis -- "The mysterious civilizations of Lemuria and Atlantis become reality as Shirley Andrews, the author of Atlantis: Insights From a Lost Civilization combines details from scholars, scientists and the respected psychic Edgar Cayce. Her sober portrayal of disturbing parallels between the spiritual decay of Atlantis and our modern world, and her reasonable explanations for the vivid dreams and past life memories recounted by numerous people about life on the lost lands enhance this fascinating book." -- www.amazon.com

I really wish that I had read the amazon.com description and reviews of this book before I checked it out at the library. I thought this was going to be more of an historical overview of theories on Atlantis but it turned out to be about past lives and hallucinogen-induced memories of Atlantean culture...and I wouldn't exactly call her explanations of these things 'reasonable'...Oh well, my bad...bad eye8pudding *slaps own wrist*

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The Eight -- "Catherine Velis, a computer expert banished to Algeria by her accounting firm, gets caught up in a search for a legendary chess set once owned by Charlemagne. An antique dealer, a Soviet chess master, KGB agents and a fortune-teller who warns Catherine she's in big trouble all covet the fabled chess pieces, because the chess service, buried for 1000 years in a French abbey, supplies the key to a magic formula tied to numerology, alchemy, the Druids, Freemasonry, cosmic powers. As the story shuttles between the 1970s and the 1790s, we are introduced to 64 characters, including Mireille, a spunky French nun who helps scatter the individual chess pieces across Europe lest the set fall into evil hands. Involving Napoleon, Talleyrand, Casanova, Voltaire, Rousseau, Robespierre and Catherine the Great in the quest, Neville has great fun rewriting history and making it all ring true. With two believable heroines, nonstop suspense, espionage, murder and a puzzle that seems the key to the whole Western mystical tradition..." from www.amazon.com

I really, really loved this book. The story moved really well and the descriptions and character development were great. I would definitely recommend it....I'll be starting the sequel, "The Fire" this weekend...I can't wait!!

A Lion Among Men -- Started: Apr. 20, 2009 Finished: May 1, 2009

The Winter King -- Started: Apr. 21, 2009 Finished: May 19, 2009

Lemuria & Atlantis -- Started: Apr. 23, 2009 Finished: May 20, 2009

The Eight -- Started: Apr. 24, 2009 Finished: Apr. 28, 2009

25 Book Challenge 2009 Books #23, #24, #25 & #26

The Glass Castle -- "Jeannette Walls's father always called her "Mountain Goat" and there's perhaps no more apt nickname for a girl who navigated a sheer and towering cliff of childhood both daily and stoically. In The Glass Castle, Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and two sisters) were left largely to their own devices. But while Rex and Rose Mary firmly believed children learned best from their own mistakes, they themselves never seemed to do so, repeating the same disastrous patterns that eventually landed them on the streets. Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by her father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls' removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents' knack for making hardships feel like adventures, and her love for them--despite their overwhelming self-absorption--resonates from cover to cover." -- from www.amazon.com

I liked this book but it made me very angry at times...I wanted to smack the parents around a little until they stopped being so incredible self-absorbed and ignorant of what they were doing to their children.

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The Other Boleyn Girl -- "Before Henry VIII ever considered making Anne Boleyn his wife, her older sister, Mary, was his mistress. Historical novelist Gregory (Virgin Earth) uses the perspective of this "other Boleyn girl" to reveal the rivalries and intrigues swirling through England. The sisters and their brother George were raised with one goal: to advance the Howard family's interests, especially against the Seymours. So when Mary catches the king's fancy, her family orders her to abandon the husband they had chosen. She bears Henry two children, including a son, but Anne's desire to be queen drives her with ruthless intensity, alienating family and foes. As Henry grows more desperate for a legitimate son and Anne strives to replace Catherine as queen, the social fabric weakens. Mary abandons court life to live with a new husband and her children in the countryside, but love and duty bring her back to Anne time and again. We share Mary's helplessness as Anne loses favor, and everyone abandons her amid accusations of adultery, incest, and witchcraft. Even the Boleyn parents won't intervene for their children." -- from www.amazon.com

I'm almost halfway through this one right now and it's very interesting but, just like in 'The Glass Castle', I want to smack the (Boleyn) parents around a little for what they do to their children. It does have a little of that Titanic feel to it though -- where you know what the ending is going to be but no matter how much you wish it would work out differently, you know it won't.

The Glass Castle -- Started: Aug. 17, 2009 Finished: Aug. 18, 2009

The Other Boleyn Girl -- Started: Aug. 19, 2009 Finished: Aug. 28, 2009

25 Book Challenge 2009 Books #45 & #46

Thank heavens for libraries. Knowing that i was going to be laid up, i made a last minute trip to the library. I couldn't believe the array of new books. It was heaven.

I just finished Susan Isaacs The Goldberg Relations, Felix Francis Bloodline, and the new Stephanie Plum novel. Currently loving Barbara Kingsolver's Flight Behavior. I recommend them al!

ODC: I am a ....

A Secret Kept -- "Parisian architect Antoine Rey and his sister, Mélanie, celebrate her 40th birthday on the island where they vacationed as children with their mother, until she died there in 1974. Upon returning, Mélanie is gripped by a shocking repressed memory and loses control of the car. After a brief spell of amnesia, she tells her brother what it was she remembered: their mother had been in love with a woman. As a skeptical Antoine investigates this twist in their mother's past, an upsetting chain of events unfurls: his daughter's best friend drops dead of a heart condition at only 14 years of age; his teenage son is arrested; and he learns that his father is dying of cancer. Antoine gets support in his quest from a new lover, a Harley-riding mortician who teaches him how respecting death helps one to embrace life." -- from www.amazon.com

This was an okay book...decently entertaining but I wouldn't call it great...I didn't think the revelation was that outrageous or surprising really but all in all not a horrible book.

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The Farseekers -- "Young narrator Elspeth Gordie is a mutant "Misfit" with unusual mental powers. Because, in Elspeth's world, both the oppressive religionists and the semi-governmental Council hate Misfits and hunt them down, her kind has joined together and found refuge on the mountain keep of Obernewtyn. Despite the danger, Elspeth and others--including a telepathic, human-hating horse--leave this refuge and undertake a journey to find an enormous book trove, and to save an extraordinarily gifted Misfit. Elspeth also has a mysterious personal quest to fulfill." -- from www.amazon.com

Ashling -- "As head of Obernewtyn’s Farseeker guild, Elspeth Gordie must travel to the lowlands to seal an alliance between Obernewtyn and the rebel forces that oppose the totalitarian Council. Yet her dreams call to her with an altogether different purpose: Elspeth must destroy what remains of the weapons that brought unimaginable chaos, death, and mutation to her world. Leaving the relative safety of the mountains, Elspeth embarks on a journey that takes her across the sea and into the heart of the mysterious desert region of Sador." -- from www.amazon.com

The Keeping Place -- "When a Misfit is kidnapped, Elspeth finds she has little choice but to join the growing rebellion against the Council. Her extraordinary mental powers could tip the scales of the struggle, but Elspeth feels torn between toppling the corrupt authoritarian regime and seeking clues vital to a more personal quest—her ambition to destroy what remains of the Beforetime weaponmachines." -- from www.amazon.com

I'm enjoying the Obernewtyn chronicles very much...they remind me of a number of other sci-fi/fantasy series I've read and liked...I do wish that some of the characters would wake up and see some of the obvious things that are right in front of them though.

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The Dragon in the Sea -- "In the endless war between East and West, oil has become the ultimate prize. Nuclear-powered subtugs brave enemy waters to tap into hidden oil reserves beneath the East’s continental shelf. But the last twenty missions have never returned. Have sleeper agents infiltrated the elite submarine service, or are the crews simply cracking under the pressure? Psychologist John Ramsay has gone undercover aboard a Hell Diver subtug. His mission is to covertly observe the remainder of the four-man crew—and find the traitor among them. Sabotage and suspicion soon plague the mission, as Ramsay discovers that the stress of fighting a war a mile and a half under the ocean exposes every weakness in a man. Hunted relentlessly by the enemy, the four men find themselves isolated in a claustrophobic undersea prison, struggling for survival against the elements . . . and themselves." -- from www.amazon.com

This was the first non-Dune Frank Herbert book I've read and I enjoyed it very much...it was more mystery/psychological thriller than sci-fi, but I could see some elements of Dune in this novel.

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We Thought You Would Be Prettier -- "She thought she’d have more time. Laurie Notaro figured she had at least a few good years left. But no–it’s happened. She has officially lost her marbles. From the kid at the pet-food store checkout line whose coif is so bizarre it makes her seethe “I’m going to kick his hair’s ass!” to the hapless Sears customer-service rep on the receiving end of her Campaign of Terror, no one is safe from Laurie’s wrath. Her cranky side seems to have eaten the rest of her–inner-thigh Chub Rub and all. And the results are breathtaking." -- from www.amazon.com

This was a very funny book and I really liked it. Some of the issues she has with people I could very much relate to but I don't think I could describe them in quite the same hilarious way...definitely recommend this book!

A Secret Kept -- Started: Jan. 13, 2011 Finished: Jan. 14, 2011

The Farseekers -- Started: Jan. 15, 2011 Finished: Jan. 18, 2011

Ashling -- Started: Jan. 18, 2011 Finished: Jan. 19, 2011

The Keeping Place -- Started: Jan. 19, 2011 Finished: Jan. 30, 2011

The Dragon in the Sea -- Started: Jan. 21, 2011 Finished: Jan. 23, 2011

We Thought You Would Be Prettier -- Started: Jan. 22, 2011 Finished: Jan. 24, 2011

25 Book Challenge 2011 Books #5, #6, #7, #8, #9 & #10

A Storm of Swords -- "Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. . . .But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords. . ." -- from www.amazon.com

Just as good as the first two books...more new characters, but a lot of action and plot movement...looking forward to reading the next book.

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Gypped -- "In this...15th installment in the Regan Reilly mystery series (after Mobbed), the titular PI and her husband, Jack, are in L.A. for a meeting and some downtime, but when Regan runs into a former fellow game show contestant, their trip takes a turn for the worse. Seven years ago, Zelda and Regan met and made nice on Puzzling Words. When they run into each other while shopping, Zelda divulges that she has recently inherited million from a deceased neighbor, and has used some of the money to bid on and win a weeklong stay at a Hollywood Hills mansion. Though Jack has to work, Regan agrees to attend a dinner party at the estate. Surprised to find the manse in deplorable condition, Regan rallies and stays for tea after the other guests have left. Zelda suddenly falls ill, and so Regan stays the night. The next morning she discovers a butcher knife hidden by her car, and soon the newly minted multimillionaire is entreating Regan to investigate her new cohort, including her pushy lawyer, Rich; her flamboyant assistant, Norman; and even Zelda's new stepmother, Bobby Jo, who married Zelda's father in Vegas after a distressingly brief courtship. As Regan digs deeper, she discovers that she and Zelda might be danger." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

An okay book...very little character or plot development...if I hadn't read the rest of the series, I wouldn't have picked this one up.

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Empress of the Seven Hills -- "Powerful, prosperous, and expanding ever farther into the untamed world, the Roman Empire has reached its zenith under the rule of the beloved Emperor Trajan. But neither Trajan nor his reign can last forever...

Brash and headstrong, Vix is a celebrated ex-gladiator returned to Rome to make his fortune. The sinuous, elusive Sabina is a senator's daughter who craves adventure. Sometimes lovers, sometimes enemies, Vix and Sabina are united by their devotion to Trajan. But others are already maneuvering in the shadows. Trajan's ambitious Empress has her own plans for Sabina. And the aristocratic Hadrian-the Empress's ruthless protégé and Vix's mortal enemy-has ambitions he confesses to no one, ambitions rooted in a secret prophecy.

When Trajan falls, the hardened soldier, the enigmatic empress, the adventurous girl, and the scheming politician will all be caught in a deadly whirlwind of desire and death that may seal their fates, and that of the entire Roman Empire..." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

Not quite as good as the first two books...buf definitely an enjoyable read.

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Leap of Faith -- "In 1976, while visiting her father in Jordan, Lisa Halaby was casually introduced on the airport runway to King Hussein. Widely admired in the Arab world as a voice of moderation, and for his direct lineage to the prophet Muhammad, Hussein would soon become the world's most eligible bachelor after the tragic death of his wife. The next time they met, Hussein would fall headlong in love with the athletic, outspoken daughter of his longtime friend. After a whirlwind, secret courtship, Lisa Halaby became Noor Al Hussein, Queen of Jordan.

This is the story of a young American woman who became wife and partner to an Arab monarch. It provides a compelling portrait of the late King Hussein and his lifelong effort to bring peace to his war-torn region, and an insider's view of the growing gulf between the United States and the Arab nations. It is also the refreshingly candid story of a mother coming to terms with the demands the king's role as a world statesman placed on her family's private life. But most of all it is a love story - the intimate account of a woman who lost her heart to a king, and to his people." -- from www.amazon.com

This was a very interesting memoir...there was alot about Jordan's role in Middle East politics that I never knew about before.

Storm of Swords -- Started: Apr. 11, 2012 Finished: June 16, 2012

Gypped -- Started: Apr. 14, 2012 Finished: Apr. 14, 2012

Empress of the Seven Hills -- Started: Apr. 14, 2012 Finished: Apr. 28, 2012

Leap of Faith -- Started: Apr. 15, 2012 Finished: Apr. 21, 2012

25 Book Challenge 2012 Books #27, #28, #29 & #30

Zabelle -- "...The rhythm of folktale and family stories shared around the table infuse the telling of Zabelle Chahasbanian's life. The story begins near her death in Watertown, Massachusetts, and circles back to her Armenian childhood in 1916, the slaughter of the rest of her family by the Turks, and her journey from orphanage to arranged marriage to immigration to the U.S. These bare bones are hung upon a lovely structure of symbols and stories: how Zabelle came by her tin cup, her silver thimble, and a small blue brooch; how she survived a vicious mother-in-law, a secret love, and three children who could not understand her life even in their dreams." -- from www.amazon.com

This was an okay book. It reminded me a little of Amy Tan's books -- family relationships & tragedies, children not understanding what inspires their mother's actions, etc. But where Amy Tan's novels are complex, intricate and full of meaning; Zabelle is very undeveloped and not deep at all. I'm rather glad I didn't buy this when I saw it at the store and instead got it from the library...it wasn't worth the $14 it would have taken to own it.

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Sea of Monsters -- "In this second adventure in Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Percy is anticipating the end of seventh grade and a summer at Camp Half-Blood with kids who are the offspring of Greek gods and mortals. He dreams that his pal Grover, a satyr, is in danger. After monsters attack in his school gym class, Percy and Tyson, a homeless kid, are picked up by Annabeth, a half-blood friend, and rushed to the camp, which is under attack. The tree that guards the camp is dying, and Chiron, the activity director, has been dismissed. Another dream reveals that Grover, whose peril is increasing, is on the same island as the legendary Golden Fleece, which may be the cure for the troubled camp. With the help of Hermes, Percy and his pals set off to the Sea of Monsters, where they encounter legendary dangers." -- from www.amazon.com

Titan's Curse -- "...Percy Jackson is now 14, a bit older and wiser, yet still entangled with the Fates. Friends, monsters, dysfunctional gods, and the romantic stirrings of all things natural and mythological are encountered. His good friend, if oft-time rival, Annabeth (daughter of Athena) is missing, as is Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Joined by best buddy Grover-the-goat-boy and an argumentative array of accomplices, Percy sets off to fulfill, and hopefully foil, the foreboding prophecy of the Oracle. Plagued by ominous dreams, thwarted by hideous monsters, and challenged by conflicting partnerships, the search party's success hinges on unlikely unity." -- from www.amazon.com

Battle of the Labyrinth -- "After Percy destroys the high school band room battling monsters called empousai who have taken on the form of cheerleaders, he has to hide out at Camp Half-Blood. There, Grover's searcher's license is going to be revoked unless he can find the god Pan in seven days. An entrance to the Labyrinth has been discovered, which means that Luke, the half-blood turned bad, can bypass the magical protections and invade the camp. Annabeth insists that she must follow a quest to locate Daedalus's workshop before Luke does. Percy is disturbed by visions of Nico, the son of Hades, who is summoning forth the spirits of the dead with McDonalds Happy Meals. Percy, Grover, and Percy's Cyclops half-brother follow Annabeth into the maze not knowing if they will ever find their way out." -- from www.amazon.com

I'm really enjoying the Percy Jackson books...really as much as I enjoyed the Harry Potter books. I like the whole concept...the writing is good, characters well developed and interesting, and I'm eager to see what happens in the last book :)

Zabelle -- Started: Mar. 5, 2010 Finished: Mar. 6, 2010

Sea of Monsters -- Started: Mar. 6, 2010 Finished: Mar. 8, 2010

Titan's Curse -- Started: Mar. 8, 2010 Finished: Mar. 10, 2010

Battle of the Labyrinth -- Started: Mar. 10, 2010 Finished: Mar. 13, 2010

25 Book Challenge 2010 Books #20, #21, #22 & #23

The Secret Kingdom -- "Timoken is a prince born in a secret kingdom. At his birth, a forest jinni bestows magical gifts upon him: a cloak made by the last moon spider and a potion called Alixir. When the peaceful land is attacked, Timoken and his sister, Zobayda, must find a new kingdom to call home. Together, with only the magical gifts and a talking camel, the siblings set off." -- from www.amazon.com

This is the first in a new series of prequels to the Charlie Bone books. It was a quick and really good read. More so, I think, by having read the Charlie Bone books first.

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House Like A Lotus -- "Sixteen-year-old Polly is on her way to the island of Cyprus, where she will work as a gofer. The trip was arranged by Maximiliana Horne, a rich, brilliant artist who, with her longtime companion, Dr. Ursula Heschel, recently became the O’Keefe family’s neighbor on Benne Seed Island. Max and Polly formed an instant friendship and Max took over Polly’s education, giving her the encouragement and confidence that her isolated upbringing had not. Polly adored Max, even idolized her, until Max betrayed her. In Greece, Polly finds romance, danger, and unique friendships. But can she ever forgive Max?" -- from

www.amazon.com

Very good book, couldn't put it down. Parts of "An Acceptable Time" definitely made more sense after reading this book.

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Juniper, Gentian & Rosemary -- "Inspired by a traditional ballad, Juniper, Gentian, and Rosemary is the tale of a mysterious young man and three ordinary young girls, of ancient magic and the modern world. Three sisters live comfortably with their parents: Juniper, 16, who likes cooking and computer chats; Gentian, 13, who likes plays and astronomy; Rosemary, 11, who likes Girl Scouts. Enter Dominic, handsome as the night, quoting poetry, telling riddles, and asking help for a complex and fascinating science project. Gentian isn't interested at first--she has her own life. But gradually her life, and her time, belong more and more to Dominic

and his project, and her father begins to fear that the lad may be more than a charmer. . . ." -- from www.amazon.com

I didn't really enjoy this book very much. I spent the first half of the book waiting for something worthwile to happen and the second half being disappointed and bored by what did happen...not worth the time it took to read.

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Mount Dragon -- "Mount Dragon: an enigmatic research complex hidden in the vast desert of New Mexico. Guy Carson and Susana Cabeza de Vaca have come to Mount Dragon to work shoulder to shoulder with some of the greatest scientific minds on the planet. Led by visionary genius Brent Scopes, their secret goal is a medical breakthrough that promises to bring incalculable benefits to the human race. But while Scopes believes he is leading the way to a new world order, he may in fact be opening the door to mass human

extinction. And when Guy and Susana attempt to stop him they find themselves locked in a frightening battle with Scopes, his henchmen, and the apocalyptic nightmare that science has unleashed . . . ." -- from www.amazon.com

Another good thriller from Preston and Child...I love their books!

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A Clash of Kings -- "The Seven Kingdoms have come apart. Joffrey, Queen Cersei's sadistic son, ascends the Iron Throne following the death of Robert Baratheon, the Usurper, who won it in battle. Queen Cersei's family, the Lannisters, fight to hold it for him. Both the dour Stannis and the charismatic Renly Baratheon, Robert's brothers, also seek the throne. Robb Stark, declared King in the North, battles to avenge his father's execution and retrieve his sister from Joffrey's court. Daenerys, the exiled last heir of the former ruling family, nurtures three dragons and seeks a way home. Meanwhile the Night's Watch, sworn to protect the realm from

dangers north of the Wall, dwindle in numbers, even as barbarian forces gather and beings out of legend stalk the Haunted Forest."

-- from www.amazon.com

I enjoyed this book even though it took me quite awhile to get through all 900+ pages of it. There were a number of new characters and places in this book and I had to keep flipping to the back of the book to check on who was who and where they were...looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

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Dracula: The Undead -- "In 1912, as Stoker labors to adapt Dracula for the stage, its characters are dying gruesomely all over London. It turns out they are as real as Stoker himself, who learned their secret story on the sly and took creative liberties when turning it into his popular penny dreadful. Dracula's true story involves the passing of his blood line through Mina Harker to her son; a malignant Dr. Van Helsing, who Scotland Yard suspects had a hand in the murders attributed to Jack the Ripper; and the exploits of a 16th-century vampire countess, Dracula's former lover, who cuts a bloody swath through London seeking the survivors of Dracula's

last stand in Transylvania." -- from www.amazon.com

An interesting sequel to Dracula...I liked the plot and the characters. Stoker and Holt did change some dates from the original novel in order to include certain events and people in the story. Iwas a little disappointed in the ending of the book but otherwise, it was a pretty good read.

The Secret Kingdom -- Started: Sep. 16, 2011 Finished: Sep. 16, 2011

House Like A Lotus -- Started: Sep. 16, 2011 Finished: Sep. 17, 2011

Juniper, Gentian & Rosemaery -- Started: Sep. 17, 2011 Finished: Sep. 19, 2011

Mount Dragon -- Started: Sep. 19, 2011 Finished: Sep. 21, 2011

A Clash of Kings -- Started: Sep. 23, 2011 Finished: Dec. 16, 2011

Dracula: The Undead -- Started: Sep. 23, 2011 Finished: Oct. 3, 2011

25 Book challenge 2011 Books #69, #70, #71, #72, #73 & #74

Reading books - shots for Social Issues

Hunger Games -- "In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love." -- from www.amazon.com

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

Mockingjay -- "Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge..." -- from www.amazon.com

I loved all three of these books...the series was well-written, I cared about the characters and the plot kept my interest the entire time I was reading...definitely recommend.

The Hunger Games -- Started: Sept. 18, 2012 Finished: Sept. 20, 2012

Catching Fire -- Started: Sept. 21, 2012 Finished: Sept. 26, 2012

Mockingjay -- Started: Sept. 26, 2012 Finished: Oct. 1, 2012

25 Book Challenge Books #60, #61 & #62

Lady in Blue -- "In Los Angeles, Jennifer Narody has been having a series of disturbingdreams involving eerie images of a lady dressed in blue. What she doesn't know is that this same spirit appeared to leaders of the Jumano Native American tribe in New Mexico 362 years earlier, and was linked to a Spanish nun capable of powers of "bilocation," or the ability to be in two places simultaneously. Meanwhile, young journalist Carlos Albert is driven by a blinding snowstorm to the little Spanish town of Ágreda, where he stumbles upon a nearly forgotten seventeenth-century convent founded by this same legendary woman. Intrigued by her rumored powers, he delves into finding out more. These threads, linked by an apparent suicide, eventually lead Carlos to Cardinal Baldi, to an American spy, and ultimately to Los Angeles, where Jennifer Narody unwittingly holds the key to the mystery that the Catholic Church, the U.S. Defense Department, and the journalist are each determined to decipher -- the Lady in Blue." -- from www.amazon.com

A so-so novel...started out intriguing, but the end was a bit of a letdown.

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Demon Lover -- "Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of her having written the bestselling book The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she’s found herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: Her incubus is not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the demon, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this supernatural lover from her heart." -- from www.amazon.com

An interesting book...a lot like her other books (written under her real name: Carol Goodman)...would have been a better novel with less emphasis on the erotic aspects of the story...some of the detailed sexual encounters were extraneous and did nothing to move the plot forward.

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Gideon's Corpse -- "A top nuclear scientist goes mad and takes an innocent family hostage at gunpoint, killing one and causing a massive standoff.

A plume of radiation above New York City leads to a warehouse where, it seems, a powerful nuclear bomb was assembled just hours before.

Sifting through the evidence, authorities determine that the unthinkable is about to happen: in ten days, a major American city will be vaporized by a terrorist attack.

Ten days. And Gideon Crew, tracking the mysterious terrorist cell from the suburbs of New York to the mountains of New Mexico, learns the end may be something worse--far worse--than mere Armageddon." -- from www.amazon.com

A great thriller...didn't guess the bad guy until nearly the end...definitely looking forward to more books in this series.

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Day After Night -- "Day After Night is based on the extraordinary true story of the October 1945 rescue of more than two hundred prisoners from the Atlit internment camp, a prison for “illegal” immigrants run by the British military near the Mediterranean coast south of Haifa. The story is told through the eyes of four young women at the camp who survived the Holocaust: Shayndel, a Polish Zionist; Leonie, a Parisian beauty; Tedi, a hidden Dutch Jew; and Zorah, a concentration camp survivor. Haunted by unspeakable memories and losses, afraid to hope, the four of them find salvation in the bonds of friendship and shared experience even as they confront the challenge of re-creating themselves in a strange new country." -- from www.amazon.com

A very moving story...I hadn't heard about these "internment camps" before so it was a bit of a history lesson in addition to being a great story.

The Lady in Blue -- Started: Feb. 4, 2012 Finished: Feb. 12, 2012

The Demon Lover -- Started: Feb. 11, 2012 Finished: Feb. 18, 2012

Gideon's Corpse -- Started: Feb. 11, 2012 Finished: Feb. 15, 2012

Day After Night -- Started: Feb. 16, 2012 Finished: Feb. 16, 2012

25 Book Challenge Books #7, #8, #9 & #10

Ein Lesebuch für die ländlichen Fortbildungsschulen in Westfalen.

B.G. Teubner Verlag Leipzig Berlin 1926.

Oben rechts: "Westfälisches Wappen", (Sachsenross).

Das Wappen der Provinz Westfalen zeigt das Sachsenross.

Places I Never Meant To Be -- “In this provocative collection, Judy Blume, the censors' favorite target, assembles an all-star cast of young adult writers who have themselves felt the pain of censorship. Each contributes an original short story and some highly quotable observations on their own experiences and feelings when under attack. "Where once I went to my writing without a backward glance," writes Norma Fox Mazer, "now I sometimes have to consciously clear my mind of those shadowy censorious presences." – from www.amazon.com

I’ve been reading a lot about literary censorship in the past few years and this book came up when I was on Judy Blume’s website. It’s really amazing some of the ignorant, disturbing and downright ridiculous reasons people will come up with for challenging or banning a book. The stories in this book were really good – a couple of them were very moving and one had a really funny ending. I would recommend this book, especially if you grew up reading Judy Blume, Norma Klein and other challenged/banned authors.

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The Angel's Game -- “In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, a young man, David Martín, makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he has taken refuge in the world of books and spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the city’s underworld. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at the mysterious death of the previous owner.

Like a slow poison, the history of the place seeps into his bones as he struggles with an impossible love. Close to despair, David receives a letter from a reclusive French editor, Andreas Corelli, who makes him the offer of a lifetime. He is to write a book unlike anything that has ever existed--a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, and perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realizes that there is a connection between his haunting book and the shadows that surround his home.” -- from www.amazon.com

I’m about halfway through this book and so far, it is very good. There are some parts where the story drags a little but that’s balanced out by some really amazing parts.

Places I Never Meant To Be -- Started: July 4, 2009 Finished: July 5, 2009

The Angel's Game -- Started: July 5, 2009 Finished: July 22, 2009

25 Book Challenge 2009 Books #36 & #37

Young smiling student sitting on the lawn with cup of coffee and reading book.

Jefferson Key -- "Four United States presidents have been assassinated—in 1865, 1881, 1901, and 1963—each murder seemingly unrelated and separated by time.

But what if those presidents were all killed for the same reason: a clause in the United States Constitution—contained within Article 1, Section 8—that would shock Americans?

This question is what faces former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone in his latest adventure. When a bold assassination attempt is made against President Danny Daniels in the heart of Manhattan, Malone risks his life to foil the killing—only to find himself at dangerous odds with the Commonwealth, a secret society of pirates first assembled during the American Revolution. In their most perilous exploit yet, Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt race across the nation and take to the high seas. Along the way they break a secret cipher originally possessed by Thomas Jefferson, unravel a mystery concocted by Andrew Jackson, and unearth a centuries-old document forged by the Founding Fathers themselves, one powerful enough—thanks to that clause in the Constitution—to make the Commonwealth unstoppable." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

This was another enjoyable book in the Cotton Malone series...I learned some things about American history that I didn't know before and I enjoyed the fact that this book was mostly set in the US instead of overseas, it was a nice change of pace.

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Persian Girls -- "For many years, heartache prevented Nahid Rachlin from turning her sharp novelist's eye inward: to tell the story of how her own life diverged from that of her closest confidante and beloved sister, Pari. Growing up in Iran, both refused to accept traditional Muslim mores, and dreamed of careers in literature and on the stage. Their lives changed abruptly when Pari was coerced by their father into marrying a wealthy and cruel suitor. Nahid narrowly avoided a similar fate, and instead negotiated with him to pursue her studies in America.

When Nahid received the unsettling and mysterious news that Pari had died after falling down a light of stairs, she traveled back to Iran-now under the Islamic regime-to find out what happened to her truest friend, confront her past, and evaluate what the future holds for the heartbroken in a tale of crushing sorrow, sisterhood, and ultimately, hope." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

I was very moved by this book and would definitely recommend it to people who enjoy memoirs or people who really want to know more about Iranians and not just the nameless/faceless terrorist persona most people have planted on the country.

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And Furthermore -- "From London’s glittering West End to Broadway’s bright lights, from her Academy Award-winning role as Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love to “M” in the James Bond films, Judi Dench has treated audiences to some of the greatest performances of our time. She made her professional acting debut in 1957 with England’s Old Vic theatre company playing Ophelia in Hamlet , Katherine in Henry V (her New York debut), and then, Juliet. In 1961, she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company playing Anya in The Cherry Orchard with John Gielgud and Peggy Ashcroft. In 1968, she went beyond the classical stage to become a sensation as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, adding musical comedy to her repertoire. Over the years, Dench has given indelible performances in the classics as well as some of the greatest plays and musicals of the twentieth century including Noël Coward’s Hay Fever, Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, Kaufman and Hart’s The Royal Family and David Hare’s Amy’s View (for which she won the Tony Award). Recently, she made a triumphant return to A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Titania, a role she first played in 1962, now played as a theatre-besotted Queen Elizabeth I. Her film career has been filled with unforgettable performances of some unforgettable women: Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown, the terrifying schoolteacher Barbara Covett in Notes on a Scandal and the writer Iris Murdoch in Iris. And, for the BBC, Dench created another unforgettable woman when she brought her great comic timing and deeply felt emotions to the role of Jean Pargetter in the long-running BBC series As Time Goes By.

And Furthermore is, however, more than the story of a great actress’s career. It is also the story of Judi Dench’s life: her early days as a child in a family that was in love with the theatre; her marriage to actor Michael Williams; the joy she takes in her daughter, the actress Finty Williams, and her grandson, Sammy." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

I loved this book...it great learning more about her life and her amazing career in film, TV and especially the theatre...I thought I knew a lot about her until I read this book and realized how much more there has been to her life...definitely recommend! :)

The Jefferson Key -- Started: May 19, 2011 Finished: May 21, 2011

Persian Girls -- Started: May 26, 2011 Finished: May 27, 2011

And Furthermore -- Started: May 27, 2011 Finished: May 31, 2011

25 Book Challenge 2011 Books #41, #43 & #44

The Tiger Warrior -- "The trail starts in the Roman ruins and leads to a shipwreck off the coast of Egypt. Soon the world’s top marine archaeologist, Jack Howard, and his team of scientific experts and ex-Special Forces adventurers are pushing their way through the mysterious jungles of India, following in the footsteps of a legendary band of missing Roman legionnaires. Meanwhile, at a remote lake in Kyrgyzstan, a beautiful woman has found evidence of a secret knowledge that has cost the lives of countless seekers through the centuries. And what Jack uncovers will lead him to dig not only into the ancient past but into his own family history. For over a century earlier his great-great-grandfather returned from an archaeological expedition in India forever traumatized by what he’d experienced. And in order to lay the past to rest, Jack will have to unearth an artifact that might have been better left buried—and with it a power that some of history’s most ruthless tyrants have sought to rule the world…." -- from www.amazon.com

This book was pretty decent. There was a little mystery left at the end but that worked for the storyline. All in all, I would recommend this one.

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Crusader Gold -- "From the fall of the Roman Empire to the last days of Nazi power, marine archaeologist Jack Howard and his team of adventurers are hot on the trail of history’s most elusive and desired treasure: the lost golden menorah of Jerusalem. And what they discover could change the world forever….

Deep beneath the windswept waters near Istanbul, Jack and his crack team of experts have uncovered a surprising clue to the location of the fabled treasure plundered during the Crusades. Meanwhile, in a dusty cathedral library, someone unearths a long-forgotten medieval map. Together the two discoveries will solve an ancient mystery—and spark a race to stop a present-day conspiracy of staggering proportions.

From diving into the core of an arctic iceberg to the last stand of a Viking warship to an extraordinary revelation deep in the jungles of Central America, Jack is headed straight into a globe-spanning clash of civilizations, into an astounding underground labyrinth steeped in blood and horrors—and to a confrontation with a killer on a shattering crusade of his own." -- from www.amazon.com

This novel was pretty good too although I was a little disappointed in the ending and all the time spent describing more diving equipment and research vessel protocols (like in Gibbins' book "Atlantis"). This was the last book of his four that I read and I would have to say that his best is really "The Lost Tomb"

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How to Fit a Car Seat on a Camel... -- "Have you ever struggled to dislodge a nostril-bound Cheerio while navigating the interstate at 70 miles an hour? Discovered exactly how many renditions of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” it takes for you to pull the car to the side of the road and weep? Or experienced just what happens when your miniature traveling companion pulls the “manual override” lever on the emergency exit door of a plane? You’re not alone. We all have memories of a hideous yet hilarious family trip.

Now you can read about some that make your trip look like a vacation with the Waltons.

Edited by Sarah Franklin, How to Fit a Car Seat on a Camel is an anthology of outrageous stories about the inherent misadventures that revolve around traveling with kids. Whether the trip is with newborn triplets or with moody teens, a road trip to the beach or a European vacation, each story will resonate with parents who hit the road or the tarmac with kids in tow." -- from www.amazon.com

This book was great...most of the stories were absolutely hilarious with a few very touching ones thrown in there. If you have ever traveled any distance with children, you will definitely recognize some of these situations. Two (very enthusiastic) thumbs up! :)

The Tiger Warrior -- Started: Aug. 11, 2009 Finished: Aug. 14, 2009

Crusader Gold -- Started: Aug. 11, 2009 Finished: Aug. 15, 2009

How To Fit a Car Seat on a Camel -- Started: Aug. 15, 2009 Finished: Aug. 16, 2009

25 Book Challenge 2009 Books #42, #43 & #44

One Breath Away -- "In the midst of a sudden spring snowstorm, an unknown man armed with a gun walks into an elementary school classroom. Outside the school, the town of Broken Branch watches and waits.

Officer Meg Barrett holds the responsibility for the town's children in her hands. Will Thwaite, reluctantly entrusted with the care of his two grandchildren by the daughter who left home years earlier, stands by helplessly and wonders if he has failed his child again. Trapped in her classroom, Evelyn Oliver watches for an opportunity to rescue the children in her care. And thirteen-year-old Augie Baker, already struggling with the aftermath of a terrible accident that has brought her to Broken Branch, will risk her own safety to protect her little brother.

As tension mounts with each passing minute, the hidden fears and grudges of the small town are revealed as the people of Broken Branch race to uncover the identity of the stranger who holds their children hostage" -- from www.amazon.com

A mystery thriller...finished it in one day because I just couldn't put it down. A very relevant

story especially after the recent events in Connecticut.

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Jerusalem Maiden -- "In the waning days of the Ottoman Empire, a young Orthodox Jewish woman in the holy city of Jerusalem is expected to marry and produce many sons to help hasten the Messiah's arrival. While the feisty Esther Kaminsky understands her obligations, her artistic talent inspires her to secretly explore worlds outside her religion, to dream of studying in Paris—and to believe that God has a special destiny for her. When tragedy strikes her family, Esther views it as a warning from an angry God and suppresses her desires in order to become an obedient "Jerusalem maiden."

But when a surprising opportunity forces itself on to her preordained path, Esther finds her beliefs clashing dangerously with the passions she has staved off her entire life—forcing her to confront the most difficult and damning question of all: To whom must she be true, God or herself?" -- from www.amazon.com

This was a very good book with a rather poignant, but satifying, ending.

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Gendarme -- "To most people, Emmett Conn is a confused old World War I veteran, fading in and out of senility. But in his mind, Emmett is haunted by events he'd long forgotten. In his dreams, he's a gendarme, a soldier marching Armenians out of Turkey. He commits unspeakable acts. Yet he feels compelled to spare one remarkable woman: Araxie, the girl with the piercing eyes-one green, one blue.

As the past and present bleed together in The Gendarme, Emmett Conn sets out on one final journey to find Araxie and beg forgiveness, before it's too late" -- from www.amazon.com

The book has an interesting premise but the actual writing is not that great and the plot development is confusing at times. At certain points, it's implied that the events Emmett is dreaming about are not his memories and a few pages later, it's stated that they are his. His conflicts with his family are brought up again and again, but there is never any resolution -- good or bad. Good book idea, bad book followthrough.

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Mistress Shakespeare -- "As historical records show, Anne Whateley of Temple Grafton was betrothed to William Shakespeare just days before he was forced to wed the pregnant Anne Hathaway. Here, Anne Whateley takes up her pen to tell the intimate story of her daring life with Will. Obliged to acknowledge Will's publicly sanctioned marriage, Anne Whateley nevertheless follows him from rural Stratford-Upon-Avon to teeming London, where they honor their secret union, the coming together of two passionate souls. Persecution and plague, insurrection and inferno, friends and foes all play parts in Anne's lively tale" -- from www.amazon.com

A very interesting book based on a theory about Shakespeare that I had never heard before...a little slow at spots but decent writing in general.

One Breath Away -- Started: Oct. 21, 2012 Finished: Oct. 21, 2012

Jerusalem Maiden -- Started: Nov. 3, 2012 Finished: Nov. 4, 2012

The Gendarme -- Started: Nov. 5, 2012 Finished: Dec. 1, 2012

Mistress Shakespeare -- Started: Nov. 5, 2012 Finished: Dec. 5, 2012

25 Book Challenge 2012 Books #71, #72, #73 & #74

Books in my library:

Books I read.

Books I am reading,

Books I am about to read

Wicked -- "Born with green skin and huge teeth, like a dragon, the free-spirited Elphaba grows up to be an anti-totalitarian agitator, an animal-rights activist, a nun, then a nurse who tends the dying and, ultimately, the headstrong Wicked Witch of the West in the land of Oz. Maguire's strange and imaginative postmodernist fable uses L. Frank Baum's Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a springboard to create a tense realm inhabited by humans, talking animals (a rhino librarian, a goat physician), Munchkinlanders, dwarves and various tribes. The Wizard of Oz, emperor of this dystopian dictatorship, promotes Industrial Modern architecture and restricts animals' right to freedom of travel; his holy book is an ancient manuscript of magic that was clairvoyantly located by Madam Blavatsky 40 years earlier. Much of the narrative concerns Elphaba's troubled youth (she is raised by a giddy alcoholic mother and a hermitlike minister father who transmits to her his habits of loathing and self-hatred) and with her student years. Dorothy appears only near novel's end, as her house crash-lands on Elphaba's sister, the Wicked Witch of the East, in an accident that sets Elphaba on the trail of the girl from Kansas as well as the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman and the Lion and her fabulous new shoes." -- from www.amazon.com

I finally read this book after avoiding it for a long time. I thought it was just going to be a goofy parody of "The Wizard of Oz". Instead, I was surprised to find, it was an actual story in itself. I do wish that Maguire had spent more time describing the physical world of Oz and a little less time on the politically corrupt climate (i.e. "Geez! I get it already!! The Wizard's a tyrant! Move on with the story!"). There were quite a few little mysteries left unsolved at the end of the book but I get the feeling that "Son of a Witch" may solve some of those.

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"The Book of Imaginary Beings is Borges's whimsical compendium of more that a hundred of 'the strange creatures conceived down through history by the human imagination.'...Here readers will find the familiar and expected Dragons and Centaurs, Unicorns and Gnomes, as well as the less familiar and altogether unexpected Animals That Live in the Mirror, The Elphant That Prefigured the Birth of Buddha, the Hairy Beast of La Ferte-Bernard, and other undeniably curious creatures." (taken from the front flap of the book)

This was a really neat book. I actually read about this author in another book (Sheridan Hay's "The Secret of Lost Things") and when I spotted this book on the shelf at the store, I grabbed it. I was familiar with a lot of the creatures from mythology but it was interesting to learn about new and different (and some extremely odd) ones.

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Son of a Witch -- "...author Gregory Maguire returns to the land of Oz and introduces us to Liir, an adolescent boy last seen hiding in the shadows of the castle after Dorothy did in the Witch. Bruised, comatose, and left for dead in a gully, Liir is shattered in spirit as well as in form. At the Cloister of Saint Glinda the silent novice Candle tends to him, willing him back to life with her unusual musical gifts. What dark force left Liir in this condition? Is he really Elphaba's son" He has her broom and her cape -- but what of her powers? Can he find his half-sister, Nor, last seen in the forbidding prison Southstairs" Can he fulfill the last wished of a dying princess? In an Oz that, since the Wizard's departure, is under new and dangerous management, can Liir keep his head down long enough to grow up?" (taken from the back cover of the book)

I'm about 100 pages into this book and so far, so good. This story is moving at a faster pace than Wicked did and now that I'm more familiar with Maguire's Oz (after reading Wicked) I can focus more on the story and I don't have to keep flipping to the Oz map to see where things are :)

Wicked -- Started: Apr. 1, 2009 Finished: Apr. 8, 2009

The Book of Imaginary Beings -- Started: Apr. 2, 2009 Finished: Apr. 9, 2009

Son of a Witch -- Started: Apr. 8, 2009 Finished: Apr. 11, 2009

25 Book Challenge 2009 Books #18, #19 & #20

Elderly Chinese man sitting by ancient red Chinese palace walls if Guangzhou Nong Jiang Suo. The beuaty of humanity reading and enthralled in the creation of another human being is just as awe inspiring as the histroical momument this man non-chelantly props himself against as he falls into a state of utter relaxation. Confined to the space of his concrete bench in south east China, he is clearly recognizeable as something athat all man can relate to. A state where wish could be, or have been.

"Weihnachten 1916".

Lost Girls -- "One late spring evening in 2010, Shannan Gilbert, after running through the oceanfront community of Oak Beach screaming for her life, went missing. No one who had heard of her disappearance thought much about what had happened to the twenty-four-year-old: she was a Craigslist prostitute who had been fleeing a scene—of what, no one could be sure. The Suffolk County Police, too, seemed to have paid little attention—until seven months later, when an unexpected discovery in a bramble alongside a nearby highway turned up four bodies, all evenly spaced, all wrapped in burlap. But none of them Shannan's.

There was Maureen Brainard-Barnes, last seen at Penn Station in Manhattan three years earlier, and Melissa Barthelemy, last seen in the Bronx in 2009. There was Megan Waterman, last seen leaving a hotel in Hauppage, Long Island, just a month after Shannan's disappearance in 2010, and Amber Lynn Costello, last seen leaving a house in West Babylon a few months later that same year. Like Shannan, all four women were petite and in their twenties, they all came from out of town to work as escorts, and they all advertised on Craigslist and its competitor, Backpage...Lost Girls is a portrait not just of five women, but of unsolved murder in an idyllic part of America, of the underside of the Internet, and of the secrets we keep without admitting to ourselves that we keep them." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

This was a very hard book to read because I knew one of the victims personally. I grew up in the same area as Melissa Barthelemy and we were friends as kids. I wanted to read this book to make sure that it did justice to Melissa and wasn't just another "the victims deserved what they got" hackjob like stories about similar deaths often are. I was happily surprised at first when the author showed definite compassion for the victims...and then unpleasantly surprised when he began to describe where Melissa came from. He made it sound as though Melissa grew up in the worst place in the world -- a lonely little girl wandering through a neighborhood of gang members and out-of-work hoodlums. Granted that area of Buffalo was/is far from the best, but Kolker's belief that children in the area were the lazy spawn of out of work union workers and had no interest in educating themselves, is completely untrue. Melissa's background information made it sound as though she had no chance at success growing up there, something that hasn't proven true for many of the other kids who grew up there. Other "facts" of her life detailed in the book are partially or completely untrue as well. Knowing what I know about Melissa's family and her early years from firsthand experience makes me feel that the decisions she made as an adult were far more influenced by the issues at home than by the demographics of her neighborhood environment. I'm not sure if the inaccuracies stem from Melissa's family or from Kolker himself. I didn't know the other victims personally so I can't comment on what was said about them. But it seemed to me that Kloker has tried to make the the victims seem even more eerily similar than they already were by cramming them into a narrow vision of "family issues + horrible neighborhood = life as victim". I wish it were as simple as that, but from my own childhood experiences, I know that isn't true.

Lost Girls -- Started: Aug. 23, 2013 Finished: Aug. 26, 2013

25 Book Challenge 2013 Book #77

Gideon's Sword -- "Gideon Crew, the hero of Preston and Child’s new novel, has a complicated backstory. As a boy, he watched as his father, who had taken a man hostage, was shot down by a sniper. Less than a decade later, he learned from his mother that his father had been used by the U.S. government as a scapegoat for a failed intelligence project. After dispatching the man responsible for his father’s murder, Gideon is offered a job with a private contractor that does hush-hush work for the government. Gideon’s mission: to intercept a Chinese scientist and relieve him of the plans for a top-secret weapon. The mission doesn’t go as drawn, however, and Gideon is left with a mysterious string of numbers. Now, working mostly alone, he must determine what the numbers mean." -- from www.amazon.com

This was a very good and enjoyable book. Very similar to their "Agent Pendergast" series but with a little different premise...looking forward to the next book in this series.

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Mammoth Book of Merlin -- "This magical set of stories explores the mystery and intrigue of Merlin. Enter the darker realms of the age of the Knights of the Round Table, where magic held sway." -- from www.amazon.com

Pretty much like any other Arthurian anthology...some good stories, some bad, and some where I honestly wondered what kind of herbs the author was inhaling during their wiccan ritual that inspired their story.

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Reading Lolita in Tehran -- "In 1995, after resigning from her job as a professor at a university in Tehran due to repressive policies, Azar Nafisi invited seven of her best female students to attend a weekly study of great Western literature in her home. Since the books they read were officially banned by the government, the women were forced to meet in secret, often sharing photocopied pages of the illegal novels. For two years they met to talk, share, and "shed their mandatory veils and robes and burst into color." Though most of the women were shy and intimidated at first, they soon became emboldened by the forum and used the meetings as a springboard for debating the social, cultural, and political realities of living under strict Islamic rule. They discussed their harassment at the hands of "morality guards," the daily indignities of living under the Ayatollah Khomeini's regime, the effects of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, love, marriage, and life in general, giving readers a rare inside look at revolutionary Iran. The books were always the primary focus, however, and they became "essential to our lives: they were not a luxury but a necessity," she writes.

Threaded into the memoir are trenchant discussions of the work of Vladimir Nabokov, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen, and other authors who provided the women with examples of those who successfully asserted their autonomy despite great odds. The great works encouraged them to strike out against authoritarianism and repression in their own ways, both large and small." -- from www.amazon.com

I thought this would be more of a memoir than it actually was. There are chapters devoted to her life, marriage and teaching career. But these are interspersed with chapters devoted to novels and their authors and how their works paralleled the political and social turmoil in Iran. An interesting premise, but a little disconcerting and disruptive to the flow of the book.

Gideon's Sword -- Started: Apr. 20, 2011 Finished: Apr. 21, 2011

Mammoth Book of Merlin -- Started: Apr. 29, 2011 Finished: May 10, 2011

Reading Lolita in Tehran -- Started: May 6, 2011 Finished: May 14, 2011

25 Book Challenge 2011 Books #35, #36 & #37

Some Girls -- "At the age of 19, Lauren was trying to get a fledgling acting career off the ground while working as a stripper and call girl. When the opportunity arises for several girls to travel to the island of Borneo to be a part of the harem of the Sultan of Brunei’s youngest brother, Prince Jefri, for a few weeks, Lauren jumps at the opportunity. Telling her family she’s headed overseas for an acting job, she travels to Brunei for what she thinks will be a diverting and exciting two weeks. Once she arrives at the expansive estate, Lauren finds her only duty is to attend lavish parties each night and hope that she will be the one chosen to steal away from the party with the prince. Two weeks turns into a year, and Lauren finds herself increasingly involved in the vicious competition for the prince’s attention." -- from www.amazon.com

This was an interesting but okay book...I disagreed with a great many of the author's choices in her life -- even with her father's abusive nature, even she states that becoming a call girl/porn star wasn't really a solution to her problems. She admits her laziness and her frank description of living with chronic depression was very accurate but I was glad that in the end of book that her life seems to have taken a turn towards a happy, productive existence.

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Wavesong -- "With the end of the wintertime that isolates Obernewtyn from the rest of the world, Farseeker guildmistress Elspeth Gordie again sets out for the lowlands. But she soon finds that not everyone welcomes the changes brought about by the rebellion. There is a traitor among the rebels—a traitor whose hatred of Misfits puts Elspeth in danger as she attempts to thwart an invasion of fanatical Herders." -- from www.amazon.com

Stone Key -- "Friend becomes foe and trust is a thing of the past when the Misfits’ most relentless enemy turns Elspeth’s world upside down. Through coercion and mind control, Ariel stands on the cusp of his ultimate revenge—and it falls to Elspeth to rescue a former ally whose mind and body have been manipulated to unleash a plague that will destroy all it touches." -- from www.amazon.com

I liked these two just as much as I liked all the previous books in the series...the only problem now is the long wait until the last two books come out and I get to find out what finally happens to all the characters.

Some Girls -- Started: Feb. 18, 2011 Finished: Feb. 18, 2011

Wavesong -- Started: Feb. 21, 2011 Finished: Feb. 22, 2011

The Stone Key -- Feb. 22, 2011 Finished: Feb. 24, 2011

25 Book Challenge 2011 Books #18, #19 & #20

King's Mistress -- "a dynamic fictionalization of the life of Alice Salisbury, who, at 14, leaves family and best friend Geoffrey Chaucer behind to marry Janyn Perrers, a prominent merchant who has the patronage of Isabella, the Queen Mother. Alice accustoms herself to the royal lifestyle, grows close to her husband, and bears a daughter. Her happiness is destroyed when royal fortunes shift, Janyn disappears, and Alice is summoned to court by Queen Philippa. To secure her daughter's safety, Alice complies and is quickly drawn into the machinations and extravagance of Edward III's mid-14th-century court, where she captures the king's interest. Campion stays true to the facts of Alice's life as the mistress of Edward III, the mother of his son John, and a successful businesswoman." -- from www.amazon.com

I had never read anything before about this period of British history or about Alice Perrers. This was a pretty good book...there were times when it was a little lacking in plot, and times when it was boring...but overall, a decent read.

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Queen's Dollmaker -- "On the brink of revolution, with a tide of hate turned against the decadent royal court, France is in turmoil - as is the life of one young woman forced to leave her beloved Paris. After a fire destroys her home and family, Claudette Laurent is struggling to survive in London. But one precious gift remains: her talent for creating exquisite dolls that Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France herself, cherishes. When the Queen requests a meeting, Claudette seizes the opportunity to promote her business, and to return home...Amid the violence and unrest, Claudette befriends the Queen, who bears no resemblance to the figurehead rapidly becoming the scapegoat of the Revolution. But when Claudette herself is lured into a web of deadly political intrigue, it becomes clear that friendship with France's most despised woman has grim consequences. Now, overshadowed by the spectre of Madame Guillotine, the Queen's dollmaker will face the ultimate test." -- from www.amazon.com

Royal Likeness -- "As heiress to the famous Laurent Fashion Dolls business, Marguerite Ashby's future seems secure. But France still seethes with violence in the wake of the Revolution. And when Marguerite's husband is killed during a riot, the young widow travels to Edinburgh and becomes apprentice to her old friend, Marie Tussaud, who has established a wax exhibition. When Prime Minister William Pitt commissions a wax figure of Admiral Nelson, Marguerite becomes immersed in a dangerous adventure - and earns the admiration of two very different men. And as Britain battles to overthrow Napoleon, Marguerite will find her loyalties under fire from all sides." -- from www.amazon.com

I wasn't that fond of these two books. They were more romance novel than historical fiction and that put me off a bit. Okay writing, okay plot but definitely nothing spectacular.

The King's Mistress -- Started: July 13, 2011 Finished: July 16, 2011

The Queen's Dollmaker -- Started: July 17, 2011 Finished: July 19, 2011

A Royal Likeness -- Started: July 19, 2011 Finished: July 21, 2011

25 Book Challenge 2011 Books #60, #61 & #62

My Sergei -- "In the former Soviet Union, the sports establishment, charged with producing winners for the greater glory of the empire, had almost unlimited power over the athletically gifted. Children as young as five or six were identified, sent to special schools and given rigorous training in the sports in which they were expected to excel. Two such youngsters were Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov, paired as skaters by their teachers when they were 11 and 14, respectively. Throughout their training and into the start of their competitive careers, each thought of the other only as an athletic partner, partly because the four-year difference in their ages meant they had few friends in common. But as time passed and their joint career led to international championships, they fell in love and married. Their success culminated in Olympic gold medals in 1990 and 1994. And then, suddenly, Grinkov died of a heart attack in 1995 at age 28." -- from www.amazon.com

I was in high school when Sergei Grinkov died and I remember how horribly sad it was...I was a big fan of figure skating at the time (along with my parents and a lot of my friends) so this was something that everyone talked about for quite awhile. A very touching and honest memoir.

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Inside Edge -- "Figure skating is emerging as a major force in worldwide professional sports. Get the inside edge on the events and personalities of the professional figure-skating circuit. Profiles on stars such as Nancy Kerrigan, Peggy Fleming, Scott Hamilton, and Oksana Baiul are interspersed with the author's impressions and research from a year on the tour, including analysis of the major competitions, the judging process, and the emotional and physical toll the sport takes on young athletes." -- from www.amazon.com

Edge of Glory -- "The author of Inside Edge updates the behind-the-scenes saga of professional figure skating to include the results of the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Beginning with the 1997 U.S. championships in Nashville, Brennan chronicles the ambitions, achievements, frustrations, and personal hurdles for the American skaters in a pivotal year that culminated with the Olympics. The year's drama is palpable, including highlights such as the competition between the two top-rated women, Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinski, along with the ever-increasing athleticism of the men. Along the way Brennan makes detours to check up on recent favorites from the past such as Tonya Harding, Nancy Kerrigan, Oksana Baiul, Brian Boitano, and Scott Hamilton. And always rinkside are the stories of coaches, choreographers, parents, and fans who have transformed figure skating into one of the world's fastest-growing professional sports." -- from www.amazon.com

If you're looking for one woman's opinion of figure skating and all it's ups and downs, then these books are for you. However, if you are looking for an unbiased and well-rounded look at the world of figure skating, then you had best keep looking. There is a lot of detailed information about the inside world of skating but it is extremely obvious which skaters are the author's favorites by how she handles writing about them. Skaters she doesn't care for are either dismissed or constantly criticized for their mistakes while her favorite skaters are praised and every mistake they make is chalked up to the "overwhelming personal pressure" of their lives. I learned some new information about some of the skaters, but honestly, I would not recommend these books.

My Sergei -- Started: Feb. 1, 2011 Finished: Feb. 1, 2011

Inside Edge -- Started: Feb. 3, 2011 Finished: Feb. 5, 2011

Edge of Glory -- Started: Feb. 6, 2011 Finished: Feb. 13, 2011

25 Book Challenge 2011 Books #11, #13 & #14

Cemetery Dance – “Bestsellers Preston and Child kill off a regular supporting character at the outset of this suspenseful tale of urban terror, their ninth to feature FBI special agent Aloysius Pendergast (after The Wheel of Darkness). William Smithback, a New York Times reporter, and his wife, Nora Kelly, an anthropologist with the New York Museum of Natural History, are celebrating their first anniversary when Smithback is fatally stabbed in their Manhattan apartment, apparently by a creepy neighbor, Colin Fearing, an out-of-work British actor. Given eyewitness descriptions of the killer, including one from Kelly herself, as well as surveillance footage showing a blood-stained Fearing emerging from the apartment building right after the crime, the case appears to be open and shut—until Pendergast and his NYPD ally, Lt. Vincent D'Agosta, learn that Fearing died almost two weeks earlier.” – from www.amazon.com

I loved this book, just like I loved almost all of their other books. I was very sad about one of the major characters dying but it definitely served a purpose in the story. I would definitely 100% recommend Preston & Child’s books.

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Atlantis – “From an extraordinary discovery in a remote desert oasis to a desperate race against time in the ocean depths, a team of adventurers is about to find the truth behind the most baffling legend in history--the legend of Atlantis…Marine archaeologist Jack Howard has stumbled upon the keys to an ancient puzzle. With a crack team of scientific experts and ex-Special Forces commandos, he is heading for what he believes could be the greatest archaeological find of all time -- the site of fabled Atlantis -- while a ruthless adversary watches his every move and prepares to strike. But neither of them could have imagined what awaits them in the murky depths. Not only a shocking truth about a lost world, but an explosive secret that could have devastating consequences today. Jack is determined to stop the legacy of Atlantis from falling into the wrong hands, whatever the cost. But first he must do battle to prevent a global catastrophe.” – from www.borders.com

This was a pretty good book. I liked the storyline but there were times where Gibbins would veer off into discussing technical equipment and diving protocols…it was a little distracting for me. All in all, it was a decent read and I’ll probably pick up another of his books at some point.

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Drood – “Based on the historical details of Charles Dickens' life, "Drood" explores the still-unsolved mysteries of the famous author's last years and may provide the key to his final, unfinished work: ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood.’”

I’m only a couple dozen pages into this one. I remember from some of Dan Simmons’ other books that he can be very detailed and a little long-winded and “Drood” is no exception…lol

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People of the Book – “One of the earliest Jewish religious volumes to be illuminated with images, the Sarajevo Haggadah survived centuries of purges and wars thanks to people of all faiths who risked their lives to safeguard it. Geraldine Brooks, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March, has turned the intriguing but sparely detailed history of this precious volume into an emotionally rich, thrilling fictionalization that retraces its turbulent journey. In the hands of Hanna Heath, an impassioned rare-book expert restoring the manuscript in 1996 Sarajevo, it yields clues to its guardians and whereabouts: an insect wing, a wine stain, salt crystals, and a white hair. While readers experience crucial moments in the book's history through a series of fascinating, fleshed-out short stories, Hanna pursues its secrets scientifically, and finds that some interests will still risk everything in the name of protecting this treasure.” – from www.amazon.com

This is a really good book. I picked it up at the flea market one day and started reading it, next thing I knew, I was 100 pages in. It switches back and forth in time but the switches are very definite and easy to recognize so it isn’t confusing.

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And finally, I’m still working on Frank Joseph’s “The Destruction of Atlantis”. Hopefully I’ll be done soon…it’s due back at the library soon! :)

The Destruction of Atlantis -- Started: May 8, 2009 Finished: June 16, 2009

Cemetery Dance -- Started: May 15, 2009 Finished: May 17, 2009

Atlantis -- Started: May 20, 2009 Finished: May 27, 2009

People of the Book -- Started: May 28, 2009 Finished: June 2, 2009

25 Book Challenge 2009 Books #29, #30, #31 & #32

First big manipulation. I don't know why flickr's messed this up on the clock and the person next to it, silly flickr.

Interred – “On a June day in 2004, at London's rebuilt Globe theater, Rosalind Howard, flamboyantly eccentric Harvard Professor of Shakespeare, gives her friend Katharine Stanley, who's directing a production of Hamlet at the Globe, a small gold-wrapped box. That evening, a fire damages the Globe, where Roz is found murdered in the same manner as Hamlet's father. Roz's mysterious gift, which contains a Victorian mourning brooch decorated with flowers associated with Ophelia, propels Kate on a wild and wide-ranging quest that takes her to Utah; Arizona; Washington, D.C.; and back to London. Every step of the way, as the bodies pile up, Kate narrowly escapes becoming the next murder victim.” – from www.amazon.com

Haunt Me Still – “Agreeing to direct Shakespeare's notoriously ill-starred Scottish play plunges scholar-sleuth Kate Stanley into a cauldron of trouble in this heady, occult-steeped thriller, the sequel to Interred with Their Bones. The reclusive Lady Nairn, decades earlier the bewitching actress Janet Douglas, plans a production featuring priceless Macbeth-linked antiquities, her own return to the stage, and—if Kate can find it—a rumored earlier version of the play said to include actual magic rites. No sooner does the cast assemble at Lady Nairn's Scottish castle, however, than all hell breaks loose. Kate's hallucinatory vision of the savaged body of Lady Nairn's granddaughter foreshadows two very real murders—with Kate a prime suspect.” – from www.amazon.com

These were both good books and I enjoyed them. The only quibble I had was that so much time was devoted to Shakespeare and his history that the mystery storyline in both the books was sort of pushed aside and both times the plot ended a little flat.

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Game of Thrones – “In a world where the approaching winter will last four decades, kings and queens, knights and renegades struggle for control of a throne. Some fight with sword and mace, others with magic and poison. Beyond the Wall to the north, meanwhile, the Others are preparing their army of the dead to march south as the warmth of summer drains from the land…When Lord Stark of Winterfell, an honest man, comes south to act as the King's chief councilor, no amount of heroism or good intentions can keep the realm under control.” – from www.amazon.com

I’m about halfway through this book right now and I’m very intrigued by the story. I do wish there were fewer characters – it gets a little difficult to keep all of them and their various alliances straight at times.

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Stealing Fire – “Alexander the Great is dead, and his generals are fighting over his empire. One of them, Ptolemy, makes for Egypt, along with narrator Lydias, who worked his way up from slavery to Alexander's side and is present when the goddess Isis tells Ptolemy he must become pharaoh to protect Egypt against evil spirits and foreign invaders. As Ptolemy begins governing a free Egypt and building a diverse new society in Alexandria, he entrusts Lydias with a vital mission: stealing Alexander's body and bringing it to Egypt to release his spirit.” – from www.amazon.com

This was a very good book and I really enjoyed it. When it ended, I really wished there was still more to read and I can’t wait until her next book comes out :)

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Scroll of Saqqara – “Prince Khaemwaset, son of Rameses II, is wealthy and influential, respected throughout Egypt for his knowledge of medicine and his powerful magical skills. But, he has a secret desire. He dreams of finding the mysterious Scroll of Thoth which will give its possessor the power to raise the dead and so attain immortality. Searching among the burial ruins on the high plain of Saqqara, Khaemwaset reaches out to grasp his dream – and forgets that there are other, dark forces within the tombs that he should never have awakened” (taken from the back cover of the book)

I haven’t gotten very far into this book yet, but I like it so far. It’s not quite as good as some of her other books that I’ve read – the supernatural storyline throws things off a bit – but I’m looking forward to finding out what happens.

Interred With Their Bones – Started: June 1, 2010 Finished: June 3, 2010

Haunt Me Still – Started: June 3, 2010 Finished: June 4, 2010

A Game of Thrones – Started: June 6, 2010 Finished: June 20, 2010

Stealing Fire – Started: June 10, 2010 Finished: June 12, 2010

Scroll of Saqqara – Started: June 14, 2010 Finished: July 12, 2010

25 Book Challenge 2010 Books #41, #42, #43, #44 & #45

Every House Needs A Balcony -- "...tells the story of a young Jewish girl—a child of Romanian immigrants—who lives with her family in the poverty-stricken heart of 1950s Haifa, Israel. Eight-year-old Rina, her older sister, and their parents inhabit a cramped apartment with a narrow balcony that becomes an intimate shared stage on which the joys and dramas of the building's daily life are played out. It is also a vantage point from which Rina witnesses the emergence of a strange new country, born from the ashes of World War II. Later, after years of living abroad with her wealthy Spanish husband in Barcelona, Rina, longing for the simple life she has missed, returns to the Haifa of her boisterous youth, a move that soothes her soul but ultimately endangers her marriage." -- from www.amazon.com

This was an okay novel. It started out well but, as the story went on, things started to disintegrate. The character development was lacking. None of the characters were well drawn or remotely sympathetic. By the end of the book, I really didn't care what happened to any of them, I just wanted the book to be over.

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Red Garden -- "introduces us to the luminous and haunting world of Blackwell, Massachusetts, capturing the unexpected turns in its history and in our own lives...From the town's founder, a brave young woman from England who has no fear of blizzards or bears, to the young man who runs away to New York City with only his dog for company, the characters in The Red Garden are extraordinary and vivid: a young wounded Civil War soldier who is saved by a passionate neighbor, a woman who meets a fiercely human historical character, a poet who falls in love with a blind man, a mysterious traveler who comes to town in the year when summer never arrives.

At the center of everyone’s life is a mysterious garden where only red plants can grow, and where the truth can be found by those who dare to look." -- from www.amazon.com

This was a wonderful book. I loved every bit. Each individual story moved the history of the town forward while still drawing on events and characters from the previous stories. And each story was intriguing and well written.

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The Lost Wife -- "In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there's an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers. Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit- and the strength of memory." -- from www.amazon.com

An extremely moving novel. Wonderful character development and the descriptions of the worlds the characters lived in were very well done.

Every House Needs A Balcony -- Started: Jan. 11, 2013 Finished: Jan. 15, 2013

The Red Garden -- Started: Jan. 13, 2013 Finished: Jan. 16, 2013

The Lost Wife -- Started: Jan. 15, 2013 Finished: Jan. 17, 2013

25 Book Challenge 2013 Books #3, #4 & #5

Lake of Dead Languages -- "When Jane Hudson returns to her high school alma mater, the Heart Lake School for Girls, as a Latin teacher, tragic events of the past begin to resurface. Twenty years earlier at Heart Lake, roommates Jane, Lucy and Deirdre were inseparable. They studied the classics together under the tutelage of the mesmerizing Helen Chambers, sneaking out for midnight skinny dipping in the lake and meeting Lucy's brother, Matt, in the sheltered woods of the campus. Their clandestine friendship ended in the winter of senior year, amid scandal and suicide. Only Jane knows the truth behind the mystery of Matt and the other girls' deaths and now, two decades later, the secret comes back to haunt her: someone has found her missing journal, written during that tragic time, and begins a macabre re-enactment of the past. When one of Jane's troubled young students is found dead in the frigid waters of Heart Lake, an apparent suicide, the school board suspects Jane is the harmful influence." -- from www.amazon.com

This was okay novel, though not my favorite of hers at all. I pretty much guessed ahead of time who the villian of the plot was and the end of this novel was hasty and rather flat.

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Seduction of Water -- "Water, from Iris Greenfeder's perspective, is the Hudson River. She has a view of it from her five-story walkup in New York City's westernmost Greenwich Village, and it shimmers in the distance from the Equinox, the Catskills hotel where Iris grew up. Her father, Ben, was the manager at the Equinox; her mother, Kay, a former maid, wrote two fantastical novels there. Driving the plot is the not-so-simple question: did Kay write a third novel, and is it hidden at the Equinox? Back at the hotel for the summer, Iris plans to write the story of her mother's life and search for the missing manuscript. As she attempts to solve the mystery, she is abetted and thwarted by a large cast of characters, including her mother's famous literary agent, the mega-millionaire owner of a hotel chain, the daughter of a famous suicidal poet, an all-knowing gardener and the delicious Aidan Barry, whom Iris meets while he's still in prison." -- from www.amazon.com

I liked this novel better than "The Lake of Dead Languages" but not as much as "The Night Villa". The plot of this one was intriguing and I liked the tie-in of Irish/Celtic folklore but the climax wasn't as suspenseful as it could have been.

The Lake of Dead Languages -- Started: Aug. 14, 2010 Finished: Aug. 14, 2010

The Seduction of Water -- Started: Aug. 14, 2010 Finished: Aug. 15, 2010

25 Book Challenge 2010 Books #58 & #59

Ghosts of Central New York -- "New York s heartland is rife with ghosts and tales of hauntings. Spirits skulk about burial grounds, supernatural strains of piano music resound and some specters strike out in a bowling hall. Such are the haunted happenings in the central region of New York State. Populated with phantoms of those who helped shape the landscape, Cooperstown, Herkimer, Oriskany, Rome and Syracuse are a few of the places where influential and heroic spirits still reside. Experience an unearthly journey through eerie forts, spirited inns and possessed museums. Uncover the buried secrets of battlefields and B & Bs. Bear witness to long-gone eras by visiting with the Ghosts of Central New York." -- from www.amazon.com

I'm always interested to hear about new haunted historical sites, especially if they're close to where I live. But frankly, this book felt like an incomplete history report written by a ten year old. Misspellings, run-on sentences, and bad grammar abounded. Most of the stories were riddled with random facts that were never followed up on and/or the stories ended abruptly without really finishing what had been started. It read like someone started writing down an episode of "Ghost Hunters" and then got bored in the middle and just scribbled a random ending.

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Wizards -- "In Wizards, today's master fantasists turn their hands to tales of these magical beings, living in both ancient and modern times, as well as in fantasy realms that never were.

Featuring stories by New York Times bestselling authors Neil Gaiman, Eoin Colfer and Garth Nix as well as tales from Kage Baker, Peter S. Beagle, Terry Bisson, Orson Scott Card, Terry Dowling, Andy Duncan, Jeffrey Ford, Elizabeth Hand, Nancy Kress, Tanith Lee, Patricia A. McKillip, Mary Rosenblum, Tad Williams, Gene Wolfe, and Jane Yolen." -- from www.amazon.com

A good book...there were some really great stories in the book -- especially Orson Scott Card's story -- and there were some not so good ones. Nothing really terrible, just a few stories that felt incomplete or were just plain boring.

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Ash -- "Deep in the countryside, ghost hunter David Ash is investigating a mysterious, secluded stately home. Reports from locals regarding strange goings-on make him think the house is haunted... But not even David Ash's long professional history of warding off evil spirits can prepare him for the shocking discovery that awaits." -- from www.amazon.com

I really liked this book...it was an interesting story and I liked the main characters. There were a few times when it felt a little rushed -- a plotline would pick up only to be wrapped up quickly a few pages later and never mentioned again -- which was a bit disatisflying. There were a few great creepy scenes including one with some very horrifying spiders. All in all, I liked it.

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The Lost Years -- "Just weeks after discovering a letter that may have been written by Jesus Christ himself, biblical scholar Jonathan Lyons is found shot to death in his study. Police suspect his wife, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, murdered him in a jealous rage. But the priceless parchment is missing, and Jonathan had recently confided to a family friend his suspicions that someone he once trusted had designs on the ancient document. It is up to his daughter, Mariah, to clear her mother of murder charges and unravel the real mystery behind her father’s death—before her own revelations become her last." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

A decent murder mystery...it was less about the parchment than I thought it would be when I picked it up which was disappointing, but just as a mystery novel, it was pretty good.

Ghosts Of Central New York -- Started: Apr. 12, 2013 Finished: Apr. 23, 2013

Wizards -- Started: Apr. 17, 2013 Finished: May 1, 2013

Ash -- Started: Apr. 23, 2013 Finished: Apr. 25, 2013

The Lost Years -- Started: Apr. 24, 2013 Finished: Apr. 26, 2013

25 Book Challenge 2013 Books #25, #26, #27 & #28

"Learning to read" är min tolkning till Fotosöndag och tema "Yrke",

Min dotter Tuva sitter i sängen och läser högt ur sin läsebok som hon fick av sin fröken när hon började skolan den här veckan. En milstolpe i hennes liv passeras och en ny spännande resa tar fart!

Läraryrket är verkligen ett av de viktigaste yrken vi har i vårt samhälle!

"Learning to read" is my contribution to theme "Profession" for the photogroup Photosunday.

My daugther started school this week and is now sitting in her bed reading the alfabet loud from the readingbook she got from her new teacher. A milestone passing by and a new exiting journey i her life starts!

The teachers is one of the most important professions in our society.

Please visit my photoblog: www.bildligttalat.se

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jetuma

The Ronald Ridout Scheme included four parallel series of "Books For Me to Read": Red, Green, Blue & Yellow. The Green Series (first published in 1966 and reprinted on occasion through the '70s), authored by Ruth Ainsworth and Ronald Ridout, was illustrated by my father William Robertshaw (1933-2002). Green Book #1: Susan's House, #2: What Can You Hear?, #3: Tim's Kite, #4: Flippy the Frog, #5: Huff the Hedgehog & #6: A House for a Mouse. The books were published by Bancroft & Co. (Publishers) Ltd and later by Purnell and Sons Limited.

While reading Persian translation of "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus"

are we really this different?