"Consolation" takes place in Toronto, ON and alternates between the story of an apothecary in 1856 and the story of an historian's widow & family in 1997. David, the late historian, believed that a series of photographs taken very early in Toronto's history (i.e. 1856) are buried under tons of silt in a sunken ship on the construction site of a new hockey arena. After David's death, his widow takes up his ideals and stands watch over the construction site waiting to see if her husband's theory is true. The story flashes back every few chapters to 1856 where Jem, the apothecary, makes a business deal with several local photographers and, in the process, learns more about the city of Toronto.

I'm about halfway through this one right now and it's really good so far. The story is interesting and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.

Consolation -- Started: Feb. 22, 2009 Finished: Mar. 2, 2009

25 Book Challenge 2009 Book #13

"Castle, royal palace, prison, torture chamber, execution site, zoo, mint, home to the crown jewels, armory, record office, observatory, and the most visited tourist attraction in the UK: The Tower of London has been all these things and more. No building in Britain has been more intimately involved in the island's story than this mighty, brooding stronghold in the very heart of the capital, a place which has stood at the epicenter of dramatic, bloody and frequently cruel events for almost a thousand years."

A VERY complete history of the Tower covering all it's incarnations, battles and residents -- not just the Tudor era. Lots of information and a very enjoyable read.

Things I've Been Silent About -- "Nafisi follows up the internationally acclaimed Reading Lolita in Tehran with another memoir, concentrating this time on her unhappy family life. Her mother was vocally nostalgic for her first marriage to a man who died two years after their wedding day, while her father sought the company of other women—not so much for sexual excitement as for emotional stability. Nafisi's parents' relationship was so off-kilter that when her father, the mayor of Tehran, was accused of plotting against the shah and thrown into jail, one of his main hopes was that it would finally reconcile them. Nafisi grew up determined to become the woman [my mother] claimed she had wanted to be, but an adolescent education in England and an impulsive first marriage (followed by college in the U.S.) did not bring the happiness she sought." -- from www.amazon.com

This was the memoir that I thought "Reading Lolita in Tehran" was going to be. Nafisi has had a very tumultuous, frightening and amazing life. This book certainly made me feel grateful for the life I have and the place I live it in.

Things I've Been Silent About -- Started: May 14, 2011 Finished: May 22, 2011

25 Book Challenge 2011 Book #38

"Katherine Swynford, a royal mistress who was to become one of the most crucial figures in the history of the British royal dynasties. Born in the mid-fourteenth century, Katherine de Roët was only twelve when she married Hugh Swynford, an impoverished knight. But her story had already begun when, at just ten years old, she was appointed to the household of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and fourth son of King Edward III, to help look after the Duke’s children. Widowed at twenty-one, Katherine, gifted with beauty and undeniable charms, was to become John of Gaunt’s mistress. Their years together played out against a backdrop of court life at the height of the Age of Chivalry. Katherine experienced the Hundred Years’ War, the Black Death, and the Peasants’ Revolt. She survived heartbreak and adversity, and crossed paths with many eminent figures of the day, among them her brother-in-law, the poet Geoffrey Chaucer. Yet as intriguing as she was to many of her contemporaries, there were those who regarded her as scandalous and dangerous. Throughout the years of their illicit union, John and Katherine were clearly devoted to each other, and in middle age, after many twists of fortune, they wed. The marriage caused far more scandal than the affair had, for it was unheard of for a royal prince to wed his mistress. Yet Katherine triumphed, and her children by John, the Beauforts, would become the direct forebears of the Royal Houses of York, Tudor, and Stuart, and of every British sovereign since 1461 (as well as four U.S. presidents)."

Another interesting book about an interesting woman. I really enjoy Alison Weir's books...both her fiction and non-fiction.

"It is Florence, 1691. The Renaissance is long gone, and the city is a dark, repressive place, where everything is forbidden and anything is possible. The Enlightenment may be just around the corner, but knowledge is still the property of the few, and they guard it fiercely. Art, sex and power - these, as always, are the obsessions. Facing serious criminal charges, Gaetano Zummo is forced to flee his native Siracusa at the age of twenty, first to Palermo, then Naples, but always has the feeling that he is being pursued by his past, and that he will never be free of it. Zummo works an artist in wax. He is fascinated by the plague, and makes small wooden cabinets in which he places graphic, tortured models of the dead and dying. But Cosimo III, Tuscany's penultimate Medici ruler, gives Zummo his most challenging commission yet, and as he tackles it his path entwines with that of the apothecary's daughter Faustina, whose secret is even more explosive than his. Poignant but paranoid, sensual yet chilling, Secrecy is a novel that buzzes with intrigue and ideas. It is a love story, a murder mystery, a portrait of a famous city in an age of austerity, an exercise in concealment and revelation, but above all it is a trapdoor narrative, one story dropping unexpectedly into another, the ground always slippery, uncertain..."

An interesting novel. I wish it had incorporated more of the setting into the plot. The story felt like it could have taken place anywhere.

Stardust -- "...the story of young Tristran Thorn and his adventures in the land of Faerie. One fateful night, Tristran promises his beloved that he will retrieve a fallen star for her from beyond the Wall that stands between their rural English town (called, appropriately, Wall) and the Faerie realm. No one ever ventures beyond the Wall except to attend an enchanted flea market that is held every nine years (and during which, unbeknownst to him, Tristran was conceived). But Tristran bravely sets out to fetch the fallen star and thus win the hand of his love. His adventures in the magical land will keep you turning pages as fast as you can--he and the star escape evil old witches, deadly clutching trees, goblin press-gangs, and the scheming sons of the dead Lord of Stormhold." -- from www.amazon.com

I saw the movie of this book first and I liked it so I thought I would try the book -- plus, several others have been reading Neil Gaiman in the group :) It's very good so far, but I can already see quite a few changes they made for the movie.

*note: the real stars were not cooperating the night I took the picture -- it was either get the book bright enough and in focus or the stars...so I added the stars in later :)

Stardust -- Started: Sept. 3, 2009 Finished: Sept. 6, 2009

25 Book Challenge 2009 Book #47

Once Upon A Time, She Said -- "From the rueful tale of a prince raised only in darkness ("Sans Soleil") to a graceful retelling of a Cheyenne mystery story ("The Woman Who Loved a Bear"), this collection of over 80 short stories, poems, and essays demonstrates the vast mythic scope and natural storytelling ability of one of the most prolific and appealing crafters of the genre. Yolen's poems include a poignant paean to the tenacity and vulnerability of life ("My Father Died Seven Times"), while articles feature a tribute to fairy tale anthologist Andrew Lang ("Remembering Books"). Whether read in one sitting or in small doses, this collection celebrates the literature of the imagination and the truths that lie beneath the tales." -- from www.barnesandnoble.com

Most of the stories/essays in the book are interesting and well-written. A few of the stories seemed a little pointless and boring. I would have enjoyed the book even more if not for Yolen's endless smug/self-righteous pontificating on modern culture's (i.e. Disney's) literary rape of the fairy and folk tale genre. I can understand some frustration with the over-sanitizing of the stories, but her commentary on the subject reads less like an author trying to spotlight the value of the original stories and more like a snob trying to prove that she is the savior of the fairytale world. Believe me, the quality of her stories is decent but far from momentous and life-changing.

Once Upon A Time, She Said -- Started: Feb. 25, 2013 Finished: Mar. 4, 2013

25 Book Challenge 2013 Book #17

Inkspell -- "Fourteen-year-old Meggie is back at home after the intrigue and adventure she encountered in Inkheart...the calm of her life is shattered when Farid, protégé of the fire-eater, Dustfinger, begs her to use her magical ability and read him into Dustfingers story. Meggie longs to see the enchanted world she has only encountered through the pages of a book and travels with Farid into the story. Events quickly spin out of control. Evil characters from Inkheart re-emerge to extract revenge. Battle lines are drawn between two kingdoms. Several individuals are intent on re-writing the story to ensure their own happy ending." -- from www.amazon.com

Liked it just as much, if not more, than the first book and very, very much looking forward to reading the the third book as soon as I can get my hands on it :)

Inkspell -- Started: Sept. 16, 2010 Finished: Sept. 21, 2010

25 Book Challenge 2010 Book #67

Lost -- "American writer Winifred Rudge, whose mass market book about astrology has been far more successful than her fiction, is in London to research a novel linking Jack the Ripper to the house in Hampstead where her own great-great-grandfather rumored to be the model for Ebenezer Scrooge lived. But as Winifred discovers, there is no evidence that the Ripper ever visited Hampstead, let alone buried one of his victims inside the chimney of a house there, and his presence in the story is a red herring. Much more interesting is the mysterious disappearance of Winnie's cousin, John Comestor, the latest resident of the family house. Moreover, something is making an infernal racket inside the chimney, and soon there are other bizarre manifestations of some unseen force." -- from www.amazon.com

I haven't gotten very far into this book (I've been slacking off in my reading this week *hangs head in shame*) but so far it's very good...Not sure how I feel about the main character Winnie yet but I'm very intrigued by the mystery.

Lost -- Started: Jan. 15, 2010 Finished: Jan. 24, 2010

25 Book Challenge 2010 Book #7

On The Line -- "In this collective oral history, the 19 original cast members tell how they got involved with the project, how they labored through the months of workshops that shaped it, and what its success has meant for their lives and careers. They paint intimate and frank portraits of co-creators Michael Bennett, Joseph Papp, Ed Kleban and each other" -- from www.amazon.com

A very, very in depth look at the creation of the original production of 'A Chorus Line' -- the good, the bad and the ugly. I've been a fan of the show for years and until I read this book, I wasn't aware of the long and complicated road taken prior to it's debut...extremely interesting for anyone but especially fans of the show.

On The Line -- Started: Nov. 19, 2012 Finished: Nov. 30, 2012

25 Book Challenge 2012 Book #75

Mark of Athena -- "The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery. . . ." -- from www.amazon.com

Another good book in the series...a little bit slow to start, but the story picked up nicely in the second half of the book.

The Mark of Athena -- Started: Oct. 20, 2012 Finished: Dec. 1, 2012

25 Book Challenge 2012 Book #70

"In the waning years of the Middle Ages, before Christendom had completely scoured the world of magic, both Faery and Man lived on Europe's shores. This is the story of those last days: of the halfling children of the Liri king, who were of both realms but chose the one we call the other; of how they schemed & fought for survival, hounded from the Baltic to the ice caves of Greenland to the Mediterranean coast; of how they loved & how they died."

A very esoteric fantasy book that reads more like historical fiction at times. Very interesting to read.

"New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry returns with his latest thriller, a Cotton Malone adventure involving a flaw in the United States Constitution, a mystery about Abraham Lincoln, and a political issue that’s as explosive as it is timely—not only in Malone's world, but in ours."

A decent book. The ending left things a bit up in the air and I do wonder how many more of these "historical bombshell" plots Berry can churn out before things start to get ridiculous.

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"When Eli Burke dies, he leaves behind a mysterious notebook full of stories about a magical figure named The White Rebbe, a miracle worker in league with the enigmatic Angel of Losses, protector of things gone astray, and guardian of the lost letter of the alphabet, which completes the secret name of God. When his granddaughter, Marjorie, discovers Eli’s notebook, everything she thought she knew about her grandfather—and her family—comes undone. To find the truth about Eli’s origins and unlock the secrets he kept, she embarks on an odyssey that takes her deep into the past, from 18th century Europe to Nazi-occupied Lithuania, and back to the present, to New York City and her estranged sister Holly, whom she must save from the consequences of Eli’s past. Interweaving history, theology, and both real and imagined Jewish folktales, The Angel of Losses is a family story of what lasts, and of what we can—and cannot—escape."

An interesting full of Jewish mysticism. However the plot could have used a little grounding -- it seemed to float around on it's own little metaphorical cloud and didn't want to come down in the literary real world.

"A mysterious portrait ignites an antiquarian bookseller’s search through time and the works of Shakespeare for his lost love Guaranteed to capture the hearts of everyone who truly loves books, The Bookman’s Tale is a former bookseller’s sparkling novel and a delightful exploration of one of literature’s most tantalizing mysteries with echoes of Shadow of the Wind and A.S. Byatt's Possession . Nine months after the death of his beloved wife Amanda left him shattered, Peter Byerly, a young antiquarian bookseller, relocates from North Carolina to the English countryside, hoping to outrun his grief and rediscover the joy he once took in collecting and restoring rare books. But upon opening an eighteenth-century study of Shakespeare forgeries, he discovers a Victorian watercolor of a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Amanda. Peter becomes obsessed with learning the picture’s origins and braves a host of dangers to follow a trail of clues back across the centuries all the way to Shakespeare’s time and a priceless literary artifact that could prove, once and for all, the truth about the Bard’s real identity."

A nice novel. A pleasant surprise as I wasn't sure I was going to really like it after reading the first few chapters but then it grew on me. I felt the occasional impulse to smack the protagonist for not seeing things right in front of his face. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Another mystery/romance by Barbara Michaels. This one about an Egyptology student who finangles herself an internship at the Oriental Institute in Chicago in order to find out what happened in her mother's final days & the identity of her father.

This book was okay...it could have been much better. By the time she got around to the big climactic scene, I really didn't care that much about what was happening. Not her best, but not a horrible book either.

Search the Shadows -- Started: Feb. 17, 2009 Finished: Feb. 18, 2009

25 Book Challenge 2009 Book #12

Our young library friend was very excited to win two Barons Baseball tickets, generously donated by Marco Morosini, just for reading books! In addition to the tickets he won a backpack filled with goodies: baseball books, Cracker Jacks, and an inflatable baseball. Congratulations! And a huge shout out to Marco Morosini of the Silvertron Cafe for being such a supporter of the library and literacy, and for making this giveaway possible. Batter up!

Pharaoh -- "History is always written by the victor, and so it was in the case of the political union among Kleopatra, Julius Caesar, and Marcus Antonius. Octavian, Kleopatra's most implacable enemy, much maligned her in his autobiographical papers, and the picture he painted of Kleopatra as ruthless, decadent, and self-indulgent has been passed down through the ages...in Pharaoh we see a queen who carefully and intelligently forges strong political and personal bonds to Rome through Julius Caesar prior to his assassination, then to Antony, Caesar's protege. The deep commitment she feels for these two men, her children, and her country is evident in every page right up to the final climactic moment of her tragic death." -- from www.amazon.com

Just like "Kleopatra", this book was quite good despite the loss of plot momentum in the middle of the story.

Pharaoh -- Started: Mar. 3, 2011 Finished: Mar. 13, 2011

25 Book Challenge 2011 Book #23

Our young library friend was very excited to win two Barons Baseball tickets, generously donated by Marco Morosini, just for reading books! In addition to the tickets he won a backpack filled with goodies: baseball books, Cracker Jacks, and an inflatable baseball. Congratulations! And a huge shout out to Marco Morosini of the Silvertron Cafe for being such a supporter of the library and literacy, and for making this giveaway possible. Batter up!

"In Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's Mentats of Dune, the thinking machines have been defeated but the struggle for humanity’s future continues. Gilbertus Albans has founded the Mentat School, a place where humans can learn the efficient techniques of thinking machines. But Gilbertus walks an uneasy line between his own convictions and compromises in order to survive the Butlerian fanatics, led by the madman Manford Torondo and his Swordmaster Anari Idaho. Mother Superior Raquella attempts to rebuild her Sisterhood School on Wallach IX, with her most talented and ambitious student, Valya Harkonnen, who also has another goal—to exact revenge on Vorian Atreides, the legendary hero of the Jihad, whom she blames for her family’s downfall. Meanwhile, Josef Venport conducts his own war against the Butlerians. VenHold Spacing Fleet controls nearly all commerce thanks to the superior mutated Navigators that Venport has created, and he places a ruthless embargo on any planet that accepts Manford Torondo’s anti-technology pledge, hoping to starve them into submission. But fanatics rarely surrender easily . . . The Mentats, the Navigators, and the Sisterhood all strive to improve the human race, but each group knows that as Butlerian fanaticism grows stronger, the battle will be to choose the path of humanity’s future—whether to embrace civilization, or to plunge into an endless dark age."

I love Dune but frankly these prequel series have gotten rather boring and difficult to get through.

Adirondack Ghosts II -- "Journey farther than ever before into the little known spirit world of New York's North Country. Historic inns, posh resorts, museums, and private homes are some of the places where long gone folks are still entertained. The fantastic appearances of ancient spirits and resident wraiths convey the spine-chilling feeling that one is never REALLY alone in the hauntingly beautiful and vastly mysterious Adirondack Mountains." -- from www.amazon.com

This was a slightly better written book than the last one I read by her, "Ghosts Of Central New York". But even though the writing was improved, the stories were rather boring.

Adirondack Ghosts II -- Started: May 2, 2013 Finished: May 8, 2013

25 Book Challenge 2013 Book #31

"Gideon Crew--brilliant scientist, master thief--is living on borrowed time. When his mysterious employer, Eli Glinn, gives him an eyebrow-raising mission, he has no reason to refuse. Gideon's task: steal a page from the priceless Book of Kells, now on display in New York City and protected by unbreakable security.

Accomplishing the impossible, Gideon steals the parchment--only to learn that hidden beneath the gorgeously illuminated image is a treasure map dating back to the time of the ancient Greeks. As they ponder the strange map, they realize that the treasure it leads to is no ordinary fortune. It is something far more precious: an amazing discovery that could perhaps even save Gideon's life.

Together with his new partner, Amy, Gideon follows a trail of cryptic clues to an unknown island in a remote corner of the Caribbean Sea. There, off the hostile and desolate Mosquito Coast, the pair realize the extraordinary treasure they are hunting conceals an even greater shock-a revelation so profound that it may benefit the entire human race . . . if Gideon and Amy can survive."

A very interesting premise with a stunning ending. I'm beginning to like the Gideon Crew series almost as much as I like the Pendergast novels.

Paris Vendetta -- "...fifth novel to feature former U.S. Justice Department operative Cotton Malone...Danish billionaire Henrik Thorvaldsen, a friend of Malone's, has become consumed with finding out who masterminded the slaughter outside a Mexico City courthouse two years earlier that killed seven people, including his young diplomat son. Once he learns that a wealthy British aristocrat was behind the outrage, Thorvaldsen gets entangled in a conspiracy that involves an elite group of ruthless financial experts planning to destabilize the global economy, a terrorist plot to destroy a European landmark, and a legendary cache hidden by Napoleon. Malone soon finds himself in a desperate struggle to save not only Thorvaldsen's life but the lives of countless innocents as well." -- from www.amazon.com

This was a good book but not really my favorite of his...the mystery in this one wasn't as interesting as his other books and the characters all seemed a little off...not a horrible book but some of his others were much better.

Paris Vendetta -- Started: Jan. 8, 2010 Finished: Jan. 9, 2010

25 Book Challenge 2010 Book #4

Wolves Of Midwinter -- "The novel opens on a cold, gray landscape. It is the beginning of December. Oak fires are burning in the stately flickering hearths of Nideck Point. It is Yuletide.

For Reuben Golding, now infused with the Wolf Gift and under the loving tutelage of the Morphenkinder, this promises to be a Christmas like no other . . .

The Yuletide season, sacred to much of the human race, has been equally sacred to the Man Wolves, and Reuben soon becomes aware that they, too, steeped in their own profound rituals, will celebrate the ancient Midwinter festival deep within the verdant richness of Nideck forest.

From out of the shadows of Nideck comes a ghost—tormented, imploring, unable to speak yet able to embrace and desire with desperate affection . . . As Reuben finds himself caught up with—and drawn to—the passions and yearnings of this spectral presence, and as the swirl of preparations reaches a fever pitch for the Nideck town Christmas festival of music and pageantry, astonishing secrets are revealed; secrets that tell of a strange netherworld, of spirits other than the Morphenkinder, centuries old, who inhabit the dense stretches of redwood and oak that surround the magnificent house at Nideck Point, “ageless ones” who possess their own fantastical ancient histories and who taunt with their dark magical powers." -- from www.amazon.com

I liked this one better than the first one, but Anne Rice still has a lot of work to do on developing the characters and really rounding out the story. Hopefully, the next novel in this series will be even better.

The Wolves Of Midwinter -- Started: Nov. 1, 2013 Finished: Nov. 10, 2013

25 Book Challenge 2013 Book #92

MECC Principal Mike Zimmermann is slimed by first grader Patrick Theisen to celebrate the building's outstanding Reading Challenge results. Photo provided

"A group gathered together by an eccentric and reclusive billionaire are making an expedition to the Jordanian desert to possibly recover the Ark of the Covenant, said to contain the Ten Commandmants given to Moses through God.This group consists of Biblical Archaeologists, administravtive technicians and asst.to Kayn(the billionaire),a militant security group,an Israeli doctor,drivers,cooks and of course Otero and Fowler. They were all hand-picked by Kayn for his own reasons.The expedition has much to contend with in the desert:the extreme hot and cold,possible giant sandstorms - that wipe out life and everything else in it's path -and then there is the matter of some very scary terrorists who have their own plans for the group.The really suspenseful and still more scary part is that there may even be those among the group who have some menacing and fatal ideas of their own.And even if they make it through all that - will they find the Ark?"

A nice thriller...a little predictable, but nice. A fun and easy read.

Our young library friend was very excited to win two Barons Baseball tickets, generously donated by Marco Morosini, just for reading books! In addition to the tickets he won a backpack filled with goodies: baseball books, Cracker Jacks, and an inflatable baseball. Congratulations! And a huge shout out to Marco Morosini of the Silvertron Cafe for being such a supporter of the library and literacy, and for making this giveaway possible. Batter up!

The Reincarnationist -- "A bomb in Rome, a flash of bluish-white, and photojournalist Josh Ryder's world explodes. As Josh recovers, thoughts that have the emotion, the intensity, the intimacy of memories invade him. But they are not his. They are ancient…and violent with an urgency he cannot ignore—pulling him to save Sabina…and the treasures she protects. But who is Sabina?

Desperate for answers, Josh turns to the Phoenix Foundation—a research facility that scientifically documents past-life experiences. He is led to an archaeological dig and to Professor Gabriella Chase, who has discovered an ancient, powerful secret that threatens to merge the past with the present.

Here, the dead call out to the living, and murders of the past become murders of the present" -- from www.amazon.com

Really good book...I've seen it a few times at bookstores and the library but didn't think to try it until now. I liked the way it alternated between the present and the characters' flashbacks. The ending was a bit of a letdown as one of the characters did not get what was coming to them.

The Reincarnationist -- Started: July 1, 2013 Finished: July 3, 2013

25 Book Challenge 2013 Book #49

When God Was A Woman -- "Here, archaeologically documented,is the story of the religion of the Goddess. Under her, women’s roles were far more prominent than in patriarchal Judeo-Christian cultures. Stone describes this ancient system and, with its disintegration, the decline in women’s status." -- from www.amazon.com

An okay book...full of information, but a bit repetitive and out of date.

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Serpent And The Pearl -- "Rome, 1492. The Holy City is drenched with blood and teeming with secrets. A pope lies dying and the throne of God is left vacant, a prize awarded only to the most virtuous—or the most ruthless. The Borgia family begins its legendary rise, chronicled by an innocent girl who finds herself drawn into their dangerous web…

Vivacious Giulia Farnese has floor-length golden hair and the world at her feet: beauty, wealth, and a handsome young husband. But she is stunned to discover that her glittering marriage is a sham, and she is to be given as a concubine to the ruthless, charismatic Cardinal Borgia: Spaniard, sensualist, candidate for Pope—and passionately in love with her.

Two trusted companions will follow her into the Pope's shadowy harem: Leonello, a cynical bodyguard bent on bloody revenge against a mysterious killer, and Carmelina, a fiery cook with a past full of secrets. But as corruption thickens in the Vatican and the enemies begin to circle, Giulia and her friends will need all their wits to survive in the world of the Borgias." -- from www.amazon.com

A really good novel with some very intriguing characters, definitely left me eagerly anticipated the next book in the series.

When God Was A Woman -- Started: Dec. 2, 2013 Finished: Dec. 10, 2013

The Serpent And The Pearl -- Started: Dec. 5, 2013 Finished: Dec. 12, 2013

25 Book Challenge 2013 Books #99 & #100

"When the reclusive mathematician Jeremy Grady is murdered, it’s up to his estranged brother Jack to find out why. Jack's search leads him on a far-flung journeyfrom Brazil, India, Peru, and beyondas he unravels the mystery that links the Seven Wonders of the World, and discovers that Jeremy may have hit upon something that’s been concealed for centuries. With the help of scientist Sloane Costa, they discover a conspiracy to hide a roadmap to the Garden of Edenand the truth behind a mythological ancient culture."

A nice adventure-mystery-thriller that I really enjoyed.

NEW! To follow Babies Bloom (100 Books Before One), and 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, now comes 500 Books Before Middle School for children ages 6-10.

You've done your child a tremendous service by reading to them throughout their early years; by doing so, you have helped prepare them for success in school and in life.

Now that they are reading on their own, challenge your child to read 500 books before they enter middle school. Along the way, they earn reading badges, fun charms to add to a chain, and free books for their home library! Sign up on Beanstack (get the app or access it here: lesterlibrary.beanstack.com/reader365).

Is your child a reluctant reader? See librarian Terry Ehle; she is a book wizard and WILL connect your child to books they love. Lester Public Library, Two Rivers, Wisconsin

"Everybody knows the destiny of Henry VIII's six wives: divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived. But behind the familiar story, lies a far more complex truth: the extraordinary untold tales of the other women Henry loved but never married, the mistresses who became queens..."

A little dry, a little jumbled...but full of interesting information. Really drives home the point that much of what we think we know about Henry's love life (and love children!) is mostly based on speculation and rumor.

"The Plantagenets transports readers to the era of chivalry and the Crusades, the Black Death and the Hundred Years War. The first Plantagenet king inherited a broken, bloodsoaked realm from the Normans and transformed it into an empire that would stretch at its peak from Scotland to Jerusalem. His descendants and their fiery queens, including Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lionheart, Edward II, and King John, shaped England into the country we recognize today and gave it many of the laws, contracts, and bodies of governancelike Parliament and the Magna Cartathat would shape our own nation. The Plantagenets will appeal to fans of Game of Thrones , as well as to anyone who has curled up with a history of Henry VIII or Queen Elizabeth and marveled at the cunning, the treachery, and the seductiveness of England’s most illustrious monarchs."

A great deal of information is crammed into this book and it is well worth reading if you have any interest in the Plantagenet dynasty.

Secret History -- "In sixth-century Constantinople, one woman, Theodora, defied every convention and all the odds and rose from common theater tart to empress of a great kingdom, the most powerful woman the Roman Empire would ever know. The woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was a scrappy, clever, conniving, flesh-and-blood woman full of sensuality and spirit whose real story is as surprising as any ever told….

After her father dies suddenly, Theodora and her sisters face starvation and a life on the streets. Determined to survive, Theodora makes a living any way she can—first on her back with every man who will have her, then on the stage in a scandalous dramatization of her own invention. When her daring performance grants her a backdoor entry into the halls of power, she seizes the chance to win a wealthy protector—only to face heartbreak and betrayal.

Ever resilient, Theodora rises above such trials and, by a twist of fate, meets her most passionate admirer yet: the emperor’s nephew. She thrives as his confidant and courtesan, but many challenges lie ahead. For one day this man will hand her a crown. And all the empire will wonder—is she bold enough, shrewd enough, and strong enough to keep it?" -- from www.amazon.com

A nice novel, interesting read...not spectacular, but decent.

A Secret History -- Started: Sep. 18, 2013 Finished: Sep. 25, 2013

25 Book Challenge 2013 Book #83

Legends and Stories... -- "Legends and Stories of the Finger Lakes Region contains twenty-one legends – three on each of seven topics: lake legends, evil legends, geographical legends, ethereal legends, Native American legends, destiny legends, and self-sacrifice legends. The book also contains seventy-six stories about the area -- narratives of serpents/strange tales, travails/tragedies, ordinary stories/ observations, romance/rivalries, inventions/ideas, eclectic/extraordinary stories, and sources/sites." -- from www.heronsbendproductions.com

Some stories I liked and some I didn't...the writing style was very dry and boring...and some of the stories didn't seem as though they belonged.

Legends and Stories -- Started: May 9, 2012 Finished: May 13, 2012

25 Book Challenge 2012 Book #35