Francesca Gould: Why Fish Fart

Why Fish Fart
Francesca Gould
Published September 3, 2009 by Tarcher
ISBN: 1585427578
272 Pages


Synopsis
This is a book containing all the completely useless and totally gross trivia you have been looking for. It focuses on bugs, diseases, and deformities, and asks questions like: "How exactly do "crabs" cause such intense itching around one's private parts?"






Musings
There is not really too much I can say about this one. It was a quick read, but I enjoyed getting the short snaps of useless information. Stories are presented in 2-3 page descriptions investigating the origins and answers of each totally random question.  You have to have a icky side to truly be interested in some of the perverse and disgusting topics.  So, why do fish fart?  Read it and find out!


I would recommend it to anyone who wants it for a bathroom reader. Short and (not quite so) sweet.

-Rita

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Karsten Knight: Wildfire

Wildfire
Karsten Knight
Published July 26, 2011 by Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 1442421177
400 Pages

Synopsis
Adopted girl gets in a brutal fight with a chick at school and then has a negative confrontation with her murdering sister, which results in her sister disappearing, and her (Ashline) transferring to a boarding school in the middle of nowhere. Enter random friends and strangers. Then weird things start to happen. It seems the core group of kids has been summoned to the school by a blind psychic who talks to people who aren't there, and - oh yeah - they are all reincarnated gods and goddesses. Adventures ensue, including learning about their powers AND each other. Relationships form, drama erupts. Balance cute guys, evil plots, a manipulative sister, and an end confrontation that leaves you guessing.

Musings
Hmm.... I kept waiting for this book to start. It had a good idea, but the follow through lacked punch. After the first 100 pages, I kept looking at the amount of pages left and thinking, "he's not really leaving himself much time for rising action." or "I bet there is some major twist or ah-ha at the end that makes it all worth it!" Alas, no.... I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but was highly disappointed when it was over.

I chose this novel purely because it was girls youth fiction written by a man (and not a girly man either). I was interested to see how he would tell the story, especially from a female heroine's point of view. I suppose he did as well as some female authors, but overall I wasn't as impressed as I hoped to be.

There are several odd things about this story. Eve didn't have any clear motivation to act the way she did, other than being a confused, spoiled brat. And, why did the author spend so much time introducing characters if he wasn't going to do anything with them? Especially the ones he killed off. What propose did they serve to the story? Maybe it is because the story isn't finished yet, but I felt kinda taken in by the whole thing.


SPOILER
The story acts like you know nothing about all the random gods and goddess it haphazardly pulls from different cultures, then expects you to know at the end that Kokopelli is the trickster. At least, I think it expects you to know, cause if you don't, the end is major confusing and kind of a letdown.
END SPOILER

**As long as you don't skip ahead that is not much of a spoiler, and may give you some additional insight to the last page...

Knight had all the gods ever made up in history at his disposal.  Why did he choose the ones he did? Humph. Great possibilities, poor execution. So what? You're a goddess, now what? What's the point? What major thing are you expected to do with your life? Is the fate of the world on your shoulders? What makes you special, other an having cool powers? Oh, you're waiting to die so you can be reincarnated... That's... Cool... Bah!

The idea of the Cloak is a very cool concept. It left me wanting to know much more, and almost being willing to read the sequel to this book, when it comes out. And yes, unless the publisher fires the author, there will be a sequel. This book did not resolve in anyway, and set itself up for continuation. Guess I'll wait and see.

Finally - i just have to say - teenage sexuality kinda freaks me out in current youth fiction. I guess I am getting old, but when not written well, I can't help but wonder, what is wrong with these kids parents? And if the guy already graduated, and the girl is not a senior... Is that statutory rape? I don't really remember the genera of youth fiction from when I was growing up. We had kid books about horses or cartoony RL Stein monsters. If you wanted to read something with a little more oomph, you went for adult fiction by authors who weren't as wordy as others. I read Catherine Coulter and John Saul as a teenager. Some youth authors do it well by implying the sex scene or skipping over it entirely, but I don't really want to read about two kids having sex. It makes me feel icky.

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone without a specific reason. ....

-Rita

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Erin Morgenstern: The Night Circus

The Night Circus
Erin Morgenstern
Published September 13th 2011 by Doubleday
ISBN: 0385534639
387 Pages

Synopsis
This was a complicated tale of two people locked in a competition they didn't understand, and pitted against each other by two opposite schools of thoughts. The Circus would become their game board, and all the people and characters within small pieces to be manipulated. There can only be one winner, but how does one win? Through exhibition of unique magical skill. The players build off of each other, and their creations, until the circus grows to uncontrollable proportions.




Musings
I chose to read this book for three reasons - the unique cover art, the idea of a quirky paranormal story told in the setting of a circus, and the amount of hype surrounding author Erin Morgenstern's first novel.

Reading this novel was just as dizzying and ethereal as the story itself. I felt addicted to it, and constantly wanted to read it, but after reading for an hour, had to set it down - only to crave it again. When I finished the book, I was sad. I wanted there to be more to the story, more for me to dig into.

The tale itself, in the recounting, is pretty light and not all that powerful. The characters have little depth, and not much in the way of back story.  It is difficult to empathize, and the 'how' of the magic is never elaborated on, but the way she tells the story - breaking up the timeline, and feeding you bits and pieces at a time, and the elegance and sensory descriptions she uses to paint not only the visual picture, but the aroma, temperature, and emotional feel of each important place in the story - makes it all worthwhile. I began to crave going to the circus in the story, and experiencing the possibility of endless imagination.

Become a rêveur, a dreamer... Follow the circus.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a unique read.

-Rita

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NaNoWriMo

It has begun....

Follow my progress at NaNoWriMo:

-Rita

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Kelly Armstrong: Men of the Otherworld

Men of the Otherworld
Kelly Armstrong
Published January 27, 2009 by Spectra
ISBN: 0553807099
369 Pages

Synopsis
A six year old boy came across a werewolf and asked to be bitten, deciding it would be better than his current situation. Clayton didn't count on becoming a wild child, barely able to survive in the woods on his new wolf instincts.  Years later, someone came along and took an interest in the strange wolf-child. Jeremy tamed the little beast and initiated him into a pack of 'civilized' werewolves. Throughout time, trials, and tests of everyone's patience, eventually Clayton earned his place as one of the most loyal and fearsome members of the Pack.



Musings
Out of all of Kelly Armstrong's Otherworld characters, the wolves are my absolute favorite. This book is a compilation of short stories surrounding the Wolf Pack's men. The best part, we find out about Clayton's childhood. How he became a werewolf, how he met Jeremy, and where and why that undying sense of loyalty was developed. 

I particularly enjoyed these stories because you get to better understand the way Clayton thinks. He is a wolf, inside and out. His choices and actions are driven by instinct, but human sentimentality and empathy are not in his emotional toolkit--and that's okay.

After reading about Clayton's childhood in Infusion, Savage, and Ascension - we get to find out more about Jeremy's special abilities in Kitsunegari. In Clayton's case, we got to find out when he was bitten, but in Jeremy's we found out about how he was conceived, and where his strange powers of perception come from.

I would recommend this series of short stories to anyone already familiar with Kelly Armstrong's Wolf Pack. Overall a great read adding depth and value to the full length novels.

-Rita

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Lynsay Sands: The Reluctant Vampire

The Reluctant Vampire
Lynsay Sands
Published May 31st, 2011 by Avon
ISBN: 978006189459
365 Pages

Synopsis
This is the 15th installment in the Argeneau vampire series, and this time, the two intended are both vampires, and both have a lot of history (not with each other). Drina is a rouge hunter from a distant side of the family, and is stuck playing babysitter to a teenage vampire(Stephanie). But through this gig she gets to meet Harper, her fellow babysitter - and he just may turn out to be her lifemate.  Harper is reluctant just having lost a lifemate, but the sassy teen vamp is going to help the couple get a chance at happiness, while bringing Drina into the 21st century, exposing her to friendship, and battling a rouge along the way.
Musings
When I started this book, I felt like I missed something, and actually had to go back and see if I missed a book in the series. I didn't, there is just a bit of back story to tell. I think it could be picked up as a stand alone, but there is a lot to be said for reading the series in order.

All said, Drina is pretty awesome. Her long life history reads like it's own novel: Egyptian perfume maker, gladiator, pirate, madam... She is sassy and smart, and you really invest in her character. Her love interest, Harper, is a bit one-dimensional, but lovable. Stephanie, a ensemble character becomes one of the stars of the novel through her wit and spunk. There are a lot of cute moments in this book, which keep it light hearted, and if I may say it 'real.'  Sands doesn't depend too much on the concept of fated mates, and allows the reader to see the relationship grow - even though you can guess exactly where it is headed.

The story is fun, romantic, and a quick read. I would totally recommend it! 3.5 stars.

-Rita

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Anne Bishop: Sebastian

Sebastian (Ephemera #1)
Anne Bishop
Published March 6, 2007 by Roc
ISBN: 0451460960
464 Pages


Synopsis
This story was about Sebastian, a succubus who stumbled into a dark landscape where he felt more at peace and at home than anywhere else. He dreams of a woman who calls to his soul, and begins a journey with his friends and family to defeat a darkness unlike any he has ever known, and maybe find love along the way.






Musings
So.. Wow and dang.
The first book was very good. It had the promise to be just as juicy and immersible a world as the Black Jewels realm, but by the time I got half way through, it felt like Bishop had gotten tired of the story and just wanted to wrap it up.

Ephemera has so much potential. A world of Bridges and Landscapers, who's emotions and heart wishes literally shape the world around them. Their environment can only be as bleak or as dark as the deepest part of their hearts. The big evil still needs some hope or light to survive, and a life without the light AND the dark is no life at all. Both exist equally and balance each other out.

Landscapers are the female dreamers who shape their landscapes and align the pieces of a shattered world. If they feel grass should grow or a desert should prevail, then the world changes at their whim. If they get angry, stone and rock is produced - but, it is not as simple as "I want that" - no, it is based on the true emotions and desires of the heart. A Landscaper must learn to control her emotions, lest a spat with a sibling turn into a yard full of pebbles.

Bridges are the male counterparts who string the landscapes together. They create stationary bridges between pieces of the world so that a person can cross a bridge in one place, and take a single step into a faraway land. The catch, the landscapes must resonate with each other. They must be in harmony.  Bridges can also create resonating bridges, which transport the passenger to the place their heart chooses. If they want to go to point A in their brains, but feel point B in their hearts, they are much more likely to end up at point B, or even point C.

This is a fantastic story, but if you have invested in some of Bishop's other works, it feels a little wattered down.

The next installment is due for release in March 2012. Read more on Anne Bishop's website.

See Also:

<-- to be released March 2012.



I would recommend it only to those NOT familiar with Anne Bishops other works. These don't have her full heart, but as standalone reads, they are good.

-Rita

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Dakota Cassidy: Accidentially....

The Accidental Werewolf
Dakota Cassidy
Published February 5, 2008 by Berkley Trade
ISBN: 0425219305
326 Pages


Synopsis:
Book One (The Accidental Werewolf) stars Marty, a door to door cosmetics saleswoman. Marty gets bitten by a 'dog' while walking her teacup chihuahua, and with the help of her friends and a mysterious kook claiming to be the dog that bit her, she comes to terms with her changes. There is good conflict in this story, and Marty shows real strength of character when dealing with an unaccepting wolf pack and a jealous... *ahem* female dog.




Book Two (Accidentally Dead) stars Nina a cranky, foul-mouthed, not afraid to tell it like it is, diva who gets bitten by a vampire while completing his dental work. She wakes up the next morning with new hunger cravings, and is forced to seek out her mysterious patient. With the help of her friends, and some serious whining and denial, Nina accepts her new lifestyle, AND the hunky vampire. Oh, and this one follows the same patterns of the jealous girl from his past, and the challenges and drama that presents.




Book Three (The Accidental Human) stars Wanda, a conservative, insecure divorcee. Wanda is terminally ill, and is bitten by a vamp AND a werewolf in the attempt to save her life. Who knew that along the way she would find her own paranormal HEA.





Book Four (Accidentally Demonic) stars Casey, Wanda's sister. Casey gets Demon blood spilled on her and begins levitating and shooting fire out of her fingertips. She too has to deal with the 'other woman' before getting her HEA.





Book Five (Accidentally Catty) stars Katie, a divorcee who is bitten by a cougar. This 41 year old veterinarian becomes a cougar in more ways than one.







Musings
These books were super cute, and yes - I cringe as I type that, but it's true.  I read them out of order, which I do not recommend. (The correct order is listed above).

Cassidy's writing is sophomoric, but it makes for a quick, fun read. These books did help expand my vocabulary though!  I learned the proper use of the word 'Hawt' (as in: he is so damn hawt!) and 'Evah' (as in: he has the cutest butt evah!). I also learned more romance novel jargon than I had ever gotten in a single dose. I know what a HEA is (Happily Ever After), and a TBR (To be read) list. There are more, but those are the ones that stick in my mind.

Writing style aside, the stories were fun (if totally far fetched). A group of girlfriends who met while working at the same kooky cosmetics company (Avon calling!), get their own paranormal infections, followed by their HEA in each book.

My favorite of the group was the Accidental Human, with Werewolf being a close second. I enjoyed the differences in Human compared to the other novels, and connected with the character.  In Werewolf, I think the writing was better, and the ideas more thought out. The novels tend to go downhill as they progress.
Overall - I might recommend them, if they are your style.  :)  3.5 Stars.

-Rita

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New books - no new posts?

I have done a terrible job at posting reviews... but I have updated the Reading List.

I plan to play catch up and post some of my jabbering about the books on the Reading List, it just may take me a while. Let me know if there are any you are particularly interested in hearing about. 

Oh! and I am on the look-out for a good read. Any suggestions?

-Rita

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Fever Series on the Big Screen?

DreamWorks has optioned the film rights for Karen Moning's Fever Series! Read more or visit Karen Marie Moning's Website.

The Series:

• Darkfever
• Bloodfever
• Faefever
• Dreamfever
• Shadowfever

Totally Exciting!!

-Rita

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Maggie Stiefvater: Forever

Title: Forever
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publish Date: July 12, 2011
Pages: 390

Goodreads Synopsis:
"The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stievater.
In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in."

This is the conclusion to the three part series, and was way better than Linger. Although I will say - the ending was very abrupt, but it left you with the ability to hope for the best.

Previous Post: Shiver & Linger

Charlaine Harris: Dead Reckoning

Title: Dead Reckoning
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publish Date: May 28, 2011
Pages: 336

Goodreads Synopsis:
"With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit - and the twisted motive for the attack. But her attention is divided. Though she can't 'read' vampires, Sookie knows her lover Eric Northman and his 'child' Pam well - and she realises that they are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot -which is much more complicated than she knows. Caught up in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human - and that there is a new Queen on the board..."

Hmmm... not my favorite Sookie book.

Eric is becoming moody & temperamental, Sookie is struggling over the same fundamental issues over and over, no new and exciting characters were introduced, the big reveals weren't momentous, in fact I had to re-read the page to decide if the secret of Sookie's telepathy was even relevant.

The book was childish. "I love you, my wife" blah, blah, blah. Sookie and Eric are soo in love but they never see each other, never sleep over, and only have one (maybe two?) unmemorable sexual encounters in the whole book. And if they are in love, why is everything treated like they don't even care about each other, or think about the other when making decisions?  They don't even fight like a couple.  I rooted so hard for Eric, and the boy is just letting me down.

Bill is mooning about, and there is so much going on, that nothing gets said or elaborated on. The book is filled with event after event, so that you are almost tired of reading, but once your are done you look back and can almost convince yourself the book had to be awesome, just because it was so packed with action and events. Pssshhh...  Pull out half the events, make the rest meaningful, and this would have been a lot better. Things slid by so fast, you didn't care that they happened at all.

That bit of rant out of the way, it wasn't by any means a bad book... I just wouldn't recommend it to someone who wasn't devoted to the series already. We got a lot of the old favorites paraded in front of us. Alcide, Jason, Amelia & Bob, the Faries, Mr. Cataliades, Bill, Bubba, Eric, Pam, the Fangtasia crowd, Sam and the Merlott's crew, Remy & Hunter, Victor and his bad guys, - even the private detectives hired by Sandra Pelt.

You get to find out back stories like the truth of where Sookie's telepathy came from, and what Gran really knew and thought about Fintan and the 'fairy' situation. Sookie works out if she is really in love with Eric, and the issue of Victor is dealt with at the top level - but boy could that stir the pot for the next book. Oh, and did I mention that Eric might be getting married?

Lots of death, lots of reveals - a must for the Sookie fan. :)

Carrie Vaughn: Kitty

Title: Kitty and the Midnight Hour
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Publish Date: Nov 1, 2005
Pages:  259

Goodreads Synopsis:
Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station - and a werewolf in the closet. Her new late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged is a raging success, but it's Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf-hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew?



Title: Kitty Goes to Washington
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Publish Date: July 1, 2006
Pages: 321

Goodreads Synopsis:
Talk radio meets supernatural fantasy in Carrie Vaughn's second adventure to feature Kitty Norville, a popular late-night radio host who happens to be a werewolf. In Kitty Goes to Washington, the lovable lycanthrope is subpoenaed to attend upcoming Senate hearings regarding paranormal beings. After Kitty consults with her lawyer, she reluctantly agrees to go to Washington. As a rogue wolf without a pack and no territorial home (see Kitty and the Midnight Hour), her brief stay in D.C. may even be a kind of vacation. Upon her arrival, she is accosted by Alette, the vampiric Mistress of the City, who insists that Kitty stay with her. The matriarchal bloodsucker says that she fears for Kitty's safety and even assigns her bodyguards; but as the renowned radio host sees more of the city and meets a group of peaceable lycanthropes that include a hunky were-jaguar, she begins to realize that the Senate hearings are only the tip of the iceberg of the complex and highly volatile subject of supernatural beings. Are they human? Do they have the same rights as everyone else? Or are they a disease that should be eradicated? While pondering these issues, Kitty becomes a prime target in a dangerous political game that includes a witch-hunting senator, an unethical doctor, and a reporter who will do anything to get an exclusive interview with Kitty.

Wait - what?!? no Cormac? no TJ? no magical succubus needs to satisfy all readers?
Yeah, that's right. I feel like this author took a page out of Laurell's books, then tore it to shreds then pasted it back together with pieces missing. She has a lot of the same attitudes as LKH, but it falls a little flat. Also, as she builds all these different possible romantic interests, the one you are led to wish for - AAANTT! not happening. The character you didn't pay attention to, or really give a hoot about gets the girl....I say again - wait...what?!?

When I found out Cormac went to prison while Ben gets to be the werewolf, I decided I didn't need to read any further in the books. While they were fun reads - I am not into disappointment.

Anne Bishop: Shadow Queen

Title: The Shadow Queen
Author: Anne Bishop
Publish Date: March 3, 2009
Pages:  429

Goodreads Synopsis:
Dena Nehele is a land decimated by its past. Once it was ruled by corrupt Queens who were wiped out when the land was cleansed of tainted Blood. Now, only one hundred Warlord Princes stand—without a leader and without hope.

Theran Grayhaven is the last of his line, desperate to find the key that reveals a treasure great enough to restore Dena Nehele. But first he needs to find a Queen who remembers the Blood’s code of honor and lives by the Old Ways. The woman chosen to rule Dena Nehele, Lady Cassidy, is not beautiful and believes she is not strong. But she may be the only one able to convince bitter men to serve once again.

This is the story of Cassie, a homely Rose jeweled Queen who goes from losing her village to ruling an entire territory. This is not without it's challenges though. There are a lot of lovable characters, new to the Black Jewels novels. You get to love and hate them, and continue down the story of Daemon and Janelle.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a follow-up to The Invisible Ring, which provides a lot of history and back story, but is not required.

Highly recommended.

Diana Gabaldon: Outlander

Title: Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publish Date: July 26, 2005
Pages:  850

Goodreads Synopsis:
The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.


This book was recommended to me by my cousin. She warned me of it's pitfalls, but still sung it's praises. Outlander does start off slow. Takes you a while to get into it, but it is a fantastic, gritty, historical, thoughtful tale.

The book is about a woman living in 1945, who gets whisked back to 1743 via a circle of stones in Scotland.  She theorizes it is a fairy hill, but there are no faeries in this story. Other than the time slip, and the differences of a woman from the 40s living in the 1700s, this book is historical fiction. We find our how clans in the Highlands lived. There are politics, intrigue, romance, battle, and human interaction. The characters are well built, and motivations are realistic.

Our heroine experiences both inner emotional conflict, and must fight her way out of many situations. She was a nurse in 1945, having seen her share of gruesome scenes from working in a hospital ward during WWII.  Her husband in 1945 was a historian, providing her with some knowledge of the place she ends up. This is all she has to prepare her for the adventure she steps into.

If you are looking for a fun, but intelligent read - I would recommend it.