The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

My rating: ok not really my thing
ISBN-10: 0099554798
ISBN-13: 978-0099554790
ASIN: B005AKFXZW

Summary:
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. The black sign, painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, reads: Opens at Nightfall Closes at Dawn As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, all over the tents small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears. Le Cirque des Rêves The Circus of Dreams. Now the circus is open. Now you may enter.

I am not really sure what happened with this book as for me I just didn't get into it like most other people seemed too. I should have liked this book as it ticks a lot of boxes for me but this just fell flat for me.

While I enjoyed the world it was set in and enjoyed reading about the circus and the intricate duel the game turned into I just felt it was too slow and sometimes too detailed.

It actually became a way for me at night to put myself to sleep. I would literally read 2 pages then get seriously sleepy.

Not an awful book and I am sure people who like reading more epic fantasy type novels or dramas would like this, but for me it just didn't engage me the way I had hoped.

Love in a time of Monsters by Teresa Yea

Rating 3 out of 5
Publisher: Broken E Publishing (March 31, 2015)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00UDQUK9C

Summary:

He has a monster problem Scotland, 1867. When Rob Stevenson’s brother is killed—and eaten—in the forest outside their estate, Rob’s sheltered world is shattered by a monster infestation. Determined to keep his village safe, Rob's first duty as laird involves hiring a professional hunter. She kills monsters The sole survivor of a massacre in the Congo, Catriona Mornay is rumored to have lost her mind in the jungle. In Edinburgh’s gas-lit streets, Cat’s skill as a hunter is unmatched. Her reputation as a killer of unnatural creatures, legendary. Two worlds collide Faced with a rising body count, Rob takes a chance on Cat, hoping that somewhere inside this tortured yet charismatic girl is the hero he’s been searching for. But in this shadow realm of secrets, lies, and underworld crime, their lives overlap in more ways than one. And in an age where harpies flock the sky and serpents rule the sea, it’s even possible for a boy and his hunter to fall in love. But can their love survive in a time of monsters? For fans of bestselling authors Libba Bray and Megan Shepherd, take a dark ride into a seductive New Adult fantasy filled with magic, intrigue, adventure, and action packed romance.

Not a bad book but not I had mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand I liked the writing and the clever mix of history, literature and fantasy as well as the story itself. On the other it was a little too gothic for me.

I really liked that the author tied the characters to the real life author Rob Stevenson and his stories. However the story is almost purely fictional with only some things (like his illness and living in Scotland) tying him to his real world counterpart. Though it is fun to think the real Stevenson had done a spot of monster hunting in his youth before writing a best seller book.

 Cat is an interesting and broken character. She is strong willed and independent yet she is a drug addict who has suffered through a major trauma. She makes some pretty stupid decision which have terrible consequences. However sometimes she is very insightful and knows the right thing to do that saves everyone.

As previously mentioned a smidgeon dark and serious for me. There is a bit of gore and violence (hello she is a monster hunter not sure why I expected it to be more like skipping through the tulips and less skipping through the graveyard).

There is also romance element and a love triangle which plats into the story line and creates tension between the main characters.

An interesting book with lots of different elements that would make it enjoyable to lots of different readers.

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Rating 4 out of 5
Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Level: 7 and up
Publisher: Delacorte Press (June 9, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0553536516 ISBN-13: 978-0553536515
ASIN: B00QDGVFDG (June 4, 2015)


Summary
A laugh-out-loud romance from the bestselling author of the Shopaholic series. Meet Audrey: an ordinary teenage girl with not so ordinary problems. Aside from her completely crazy and chaotic family, she suffers from an anxiety disorder which makes talking to her brother's hot new best friend a bit of a challenge. But Audrey has a plan to help her face her fears and take on the world again. First stop: Starbucks.

I have to confess I am not a big Kinsella fan. I have read a few of her adult books and found them hit and miss. However I was intrigued to learn she had written a Young Adult novel and that it dealt with mental issues. For me this book was a hit and I think this is one of my favourite Kinsella books.

Personally I think mental issues is a topic that needs to be address more in the media and in publications and not in the "they are mentally disturbed so there for a serial killer" kind of way. Awareness is growing within community but there is still a lot of stigma surrounding people who suffer mental illness. Sophia Kinsella has done a good job of writing about a difficult and poorly understood issue and she made it non-threatening, light hearted and relatable to teens.

Through Audrey's eyes we learn about her life, her struggles to over come her anxiety, and accept who she is. We also learn about the impact her illness has had on her family and how they adjust to her recovery.  It is not a smooth road they are traveling. Kinsella has done a good job of showing how mental illness impacts everyone around the sufferer.

I think this is the major strength of this book. Through Audrey's eyes and her recovery she becomes aware of the impacts on her family. This in turn allows the reader to really understand how mental illness impacts everyone. We also get a good insight into how someone withe anxiety and depression thinks and its not rationally. The reference to 'lizard brain" I thought was prefect as Audrey's way of dealing with her anxiety (it is also a psychological term). I have never suffered from anxiety or depression. However a few of my friends have, and some of the ways they expressed themselves I saw written on the pages as Audrey's thoughts.

The summary makes this book sound a lot lighter then it is. However this is not a heavy or depressing book, it is a positive book, and I will confess to giggling a couple of times. The "laugh-out-loud" part comes from her families antics and dealing with the issues that they are presented with.

While there is a romance of sorts it is a very sweet element to the story. It is also not the main theme of the story but is one of Audrey's drivers. Linus is a good fit for Audrey and I liked their relationship.

I would be curious to learn why Sophie Kinsella chose to write this topic for her Young Adult debut.

This is a great book which tackles a difficult subject in a light-hearted,positive and sensitive way. I think this could be a book that all teens should read to give them a better understanding of people who live with mental illness. I do recommend this book for teenagers and anyone who wants understand mental illness a bit better.

If you would like to read an extract then head over to Sophie Kinsella's website for more.

This review book was provided to me by Netgalley.

The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Rating 5 out of 5
Publisher: Algonquin Books (December 2, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616204516
ISBN-13: 978-1616204518

Summary

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means. A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island-from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly. And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, but large in weight. It's that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming. 

You have probably heard the buzz around this book and the words "must read, amazing, best book ever" thrown around. People love this book, people were raving about this book. I was suspicious but I am pleased to say that I also enjoyed this book and it deserved most of its praise.

This is a slow paced novel that builds slowly. The writing is beautiful and you are immersed in this mans world so easily and you feel like you are right there with him as we travel through his life in the book.

You will be taken on an emotional journy without even realising it. You will feel happiness and sadness while reading this book. The ending is just right for this story and leaves you feeling satisfied.

Fikry is a wonderful character to read about and go through the journey with. His view on the world is funny and unusual. But most avid book readers I suspect would have found themselves nodding to a lot of his wisdom.

“You know everything you need to know about a person from the answer to the question, What is your favorite book?” ― Gabrielle Zevin, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

It really is just a feel good novel.

The author Zevin, has written a beautiful story that is really well worth the read.

If you like feel good books and well books about books then give this one a try.

Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella

Rating 3 out of 5
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (April 1, 2015)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00NAJZDI2
ISBN-10: 1477821384
ISBN-13: 978-1477821381

Summary:

Long before she ran away with Paris to Troy, Helen of Sparta was haunted by nightmares of a burning city under siege. These dreams foretold impending war—a war that only Helen has the power to avert. To do so, she must defy her family and betray her betrothed by fleeing the palace in the dead of night. In need of protection, she finds shelter and comfort in the arms of Theseus, son of Poseidon. With Theseus at her side, she believes she can escape her destiny. But at every turn, new dangers—violence, betrayal, extortion, threat of war—thwart Helen’s plans and bar her path. Still, she refuses to bend to the will of the gods. A new take on an ancient myth, Helen of Sparta is the story of one woman determined to decide her own fate.

I enjoyed reading the Helen of Troy story from Helen's point of view. Historically it is told from a male point of view and makes Helen out to be a femme fatal or a simpering idiot. This book sets out to make her a more realistic character and more then just an object of men's affections.

Which is hard to do when all the stories regarding Helen tell pretty much that story, that she is beautiful and men went crazy over her to posses her. While she does spend a decent part of the book dealing with male advances and hiding, the author has done a good job at making Helen a real person/demi god.

I admit to not being a huge fan of Helen's story nor do I really know much about it beyond the whole "Helen was kidnapped and an epic war was fought- oh there was a wooden pony too" thing. So I was surprised to learn Helen was from Sparta. Which makes me frustrated with her story because at that time in history women of Sparta were pretty bad ass with many freedoms we take for granted in the Western world today.

The book covers Helen's life with Theseus the first kind rumoured to have either kidnapped Helen or Had a genuine romance with Helen. The author went with the true love and Theseus saving the damsel Helen. Theseus was a very likeable character as the older, wiser hero and man. 

The story itself was more focused on the romance side of their life together and took on a Romeo and Juliet doomness feel. Indeed even though Helen was  Queen she pretty much never left the palace and we hardly ever saw her being well Queeny. This could be in part due to the Athenian court but it seemed that no one at court or in Athens seemed concerned the Queen was practically a hermit which was odd.

I enjoyed the history and mythology that went into the story. The author has clearly done a fair bit of research and knew the era and characters quite well. The thin line between mythology and history was well walked. You also didn't need to know much about mythology to read this book as the author does well at explaining the difference between Gods,mortals, and demi gods along with who is who, and you never feel like you have been given a lot of information at once.

The book  did end suddenly. So I can only assume more books are planned as the ending seemed an odd way to end a stand alone book. The whole book did have a "beginning" of the story sort of feel. This probably led to the book being slower paced and more focused on drama and romance then action. I would be interested to read the next books to see how Helen acts when the fur is flying after she is kidnapped by Paris.

Finally it should be noted that the book deals with the issue/topic of rape and infanticide which could be upsetting to some.

This book didn't quite win me over however I would read a second book and I would recomend it to anyone interested in Helen's story or Greek Mythology. Also I think this is a very promising start to a new historical writers career and hopefully she will continue to write more on this period.

The Loop by Karen Akins

Rating 4 out of 5
Reading Age 15 and above
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (October 21, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00J6U7K1C
ISBN: 1250030986

Summary

At a school where Quantum Paradox 101 is a required course and history field trips are literal, sixteen year-old time traveler Bree Bennis excels…at screwing up. After Bree botches a solo midterm to the 21st century by accidentally taking a boy hostage (a teensy snafu), she stands to lose her scholarship. But when Bree sneaks back to talk the kid into keeping his yap shut, she doesn’t go back far enough. The boy, Finn, now three years older and hot as a solar flare, is convinced he’s in love with Bree, or rather, a future version of her that doesn’t think he’s a complete pain in the arse. To make matters worse, she inadvertently transports him back to the 23rd century with her. Once home, Bree discovers that a recent rash of accidents at her school are anything but accidental. Someone is attacking time travelers. As Bree and her temporal tag along uncover seemingly unconnected clues—a broken bracelet, a missing data file, the art heist of the millennium—that lead to the person responsible, she alone has the knowledge to piece the puzzle together. Knowledge only one other person has. Her future self. But when those closest to her become the next victims, Bree realizes the attacker is willing to do anything to stop her. In the past, present, or future.

This was such a fun book. It was exactly what I needed to kick of the New Year. It had a little bit of everything; sci-fi, time travel, romance, action, and humour. I enjoyed it immensely. This will be a short review as it is hard to say much without giving the plot line away. 

Most of the hilarity comes from Bree and Finn. Her snarky sassyness and his wonder at time travel. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments it is hard to pick just one to show case. I enjoyed Bree always commenting about kicking future Bree's ass. As the story is told from Bree's point of view her internal voice is hilarious. 

It is an intricate storyline and a mystery as well as a sci-fi time travel book (what did you expect with a time travel story), this is also why I am struggling to review this book as everything that happens is linked or interwoven with a bigger picture which all comes together at the end. Unlike some sci-fi stories that seem to beat you down into unconsciousness with big science words and explanations, Akins keeps the science stuff pretty easy to understand and I can only think of one long winded explanation (which kind of had to happen). Also the sciencey stuff was easily understandable especially with Finn "dumbing" it down for the reader. Some parts of the story did seem odd (hair scanners as way of ID verification) but hey what would I know.

My only quibble is the story Bree had been fed about the microchip. It seemed incredibly flimsy yet no one seemed to question it till Finn comes along?

This was a hugely entertaining book for me and I read it virtually in one night (and paid the price the next day with a reading hang over, not so fun when you have to go to work and function) and I would recommend this book to anyone really as there is so much going on in the book. But if you really dislike time travel stories then this is probably not for you.

Animal Magnetism Series by Jill Shalvis

Animal Magnetism
In the first book we meet Brady and Lilah and this is their story.

This book was so much fun with the lovable doofus Lilah and the brooding Brady. Lilah in particular was a character that was easy to warm to. She brought much of the humour to the book.

Out of the series these two were probably my favourite characters.

Animal Attraction
Book two follows Dell and Jade.

I have to admit out of the three books this one was my least favourite. Maybe it was the characters or the story line, I am not sure which. I just couldnt connect enough with the characters to care if they ended up together or not.

Rescue My Heart
In book three we follow Adam and Holly.

This book redeemed the series as I quite enjoyed Adam's and Holly's interactions. A similar humour seen in book 1, returned to this book as the brothers picked on Adam.

Series Overall

The series over all was in one word enjoyable. From start to finish I was able to just enjoy the books for what they were light, funny, escapist books. It was also  nice seeing the evolution of the relationships in different books and the start of others.

If you are a fan of romance or looking for something light to read (that doesn't leave you rolling your eye's and saying "really? Come on") then this series is for you.

Hourglass (Hourglass #1) by Myra McEntire

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: EgmontUSA; Reprint edition (May 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1606843842
ISBN-13: 978-1606843840

Summary:
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may also change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should've happened?

So I enjoyed the story. It was an interesting Young Adult, Sci-fi mix. It felt fresh and interesting and made a change from vampires and other supernatural type YA romance books. I liked the concept and the execution which made sense and flowed easily.

However the characters felt a little cliched. Emerson the good looking but "damaged" heroine who is genuinely surprised a guy would be in to her, and has two guys vying for you attention. But she is also smart and athletic with a Buffy the Vampire Slayer attitude. Her bestie is artsy and funny but clearly has a secret. The two hot guys are different in that one is serious and one is funny but both are damaged. I think you get the picture. The characters didn't really grab my attention enough for me to really engage with them and look beyond the cliched stuff.

This was an easy read and not a lot of depth. But it was fun and fast paced and I did enjoy the sassy comments made by Emerson. This is the sort of book I would class as brain candy.

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J Maas

Rating: 3 out of 5
Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; 1 edition (August 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599906953
ISBN-13: 978-1599906959
ASIN: B008BJ3RP2

Synopsis
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

My Initial Thoughts
A really promising start to a series that is a fun modern fantasy.

Digging Deeper
The Characters are interesting if a little stereotypical. The heroine, Calaena, is clever, athletic and sassy. She is not perfect and struggles with where her life has taken her. She is also, wait for it, a book reader. OMG YAY a heroine who is kick ass and READS and adores her library. The male leads are a little cliched you have the strong but silent Captain of the Guard and the flirty play boy Prince.

There is the stock standard love triangle, I am not sure you can escape them anymore in these books. But I think I am team Captain Westfall, Prince Dorian is a bit to shallow for my liking.

The author is clearly a huge book nerd as all her main characters are also book nerds *squee*

At first it bugged me a little that Calaena is a bit to perfect and I thought "is there nothing she can't do?" But then it clicked; she is an assassin, her job is to infiltrate and kill people. It would make sense she is proficient at a variety of things (not just killing) so she can close to her victims.

There are some well written action scenes, and some tantalising story threads started that have sparked my curiosity (think I have guessed Calaena's dark secret but shhhhh not telling).

The blurb seems to promise lots of action the story revolves more around Calaena recovering from her time in prison and getting through the trials. I also felt the author tried to fit to much in (there is a trials type game Calaena has to get through, political intrigue, a mysterious creature killing competitors, love triangle, back stories, world building......and more). All of these threads just distracted to much from the main story and, while it was interesting, left me wondering why we needed to know it all right now and not have it revealed later through the series. This book really had more of a set up feel to the series, almost a prequel. I suspect all the main story threads have been revealed and over the next couple of books all will be revealed and expanded on. I can see that being annoying for some but for me it was ok.

Interesting side note do you think the girl on the front cover strongly resembles the author herself? Am I the only one who has noticed this?

Conclusion

While this is isn't as ass kicking as the blurb would suggest it, has it's moments and is a promising start to the series. I will read the next book as I suspect the second book in this series is where things will really happen. I would recommend this book to fans of the genre.

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley

Rating: 5 out of 5
Title: The Shadowy Horses
Author: Susanna Kearsley
Series: No
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (October 2, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402258704
ISBN-13: 978-1402258701
ASIN: B006WB7P4K

Synopsis
Archaeologist Verity Grey has been drawn to the dark legends of the Scottish Borderlands in search of the truth buried in a rocky field by the sea. Her eccentric boss has spent his whole life searching for the resting place of the lost Ninth Roman Legion and is convinced he's finally found it—not because of any scientific evidence, but because a local boy has "seen" a Roman soldier walking in the fields, a ghostly sentinel who guards the bodies of his long-dead comrades. Here on the windswept shores, Verity may find the answer to one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time. Or she may uncover secrets someone buried for a reason 

Sheree from The Eclectic Reader recently reviewed this book and I was intrigued. I followed her link to Susanna Kearsley's web page and read an excerpt of the first chapter and I was hooked. I immediately jumped on kindle and downloaded my copy ready for my holidays.

What did I liked
The writing was just enchanting. The author manages to write in a whimsical almost magical way. It is easy to imagine yourself walking beside the characters across the Scottish country side. Seriously the writer does such a good job you really feel like you are standing right next to them watching everything happen.

I did do a google search while reading this book for some images of Eyemouth Scotland. This helped set the scene better in my mind. I was not surprised when I found that the image I had in my head was very similar to reality. Look at these images aren't they gorgeous? wouldn't you want to be there?

Eyemouth Scotland Coastline

Eyemouth Scotland Harbour

This is a wonderful blend of mystery, historical fiction, romance, archeology, and a little paranormal. Not one factor over powers the other. All the elements come together and merge into a well paced story. The romance aspect is very G rated, it is a small aspect too but not the whole story and I think the most racey it gets was a kiss - on the lips!

Normally I don't like ghostie stories and avoid reading them (or watching movies). But this was not scary and wont leave you scared to turn off the light. In fact I rather liked the ghost in this story. He was comforting in a way. But the ghost element did give the book a haunting (har har yes pun was intended) feeling.

The other human, or still living, characters were just as interesting. Peter as the older professor who is eccentric but lovely. David the love interest is tall, dark, handsome, mysterious, and speaks with a Scottish accent. Fabia the vain and manipulative grand daughter of Peter. There is also Verity's spoiled ex and the house keeper (whose son is the ghost whisperer). All thrown in into the one place and it makes for some interesting dialogue and interactions. There are many more characters all who all add to the story. I did like David's mum she was a hoot.

The Scottish language was a little difficult to read at first but for me it was not a big deal.  I felt the author dealt with the language barrier well, by having the outsider character checking the meaning of words in a scots dictionary she had been given. It didn't feel forced or a contrived way to get around the language barrier but a realistic way to address the language barrier. I am glad the author wrote the Scottish characters speaking mostly in their language (or a mix of theirs and English), otherwise the novel would have felt weird being set in Scotland and not a single person from there not speaking in their language.

I wish I could pin point exactly what I loved about this book, the closest I can get is it just resonated with me. Was it the easy flow of the writing? the topic of archaeology? or a roman legion? the scots language (and yes apparently it is scots not Scottish in this part of the world)? even maybe the supernatural aspect? I have no idea. Everything just jelled and I couldn't put this book down.

All in all this was just an enjoyable book to read that totally transported me to another place. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in this sort of story.

This was my first Susanna Kearsley book and it wont be my last.

Extras
If you would like to know more about Susanna Kearsley and read an excerpt of her book please visit her website.

I also put some images from Eyemouth Scotland and some of the buildings mentioned on my Pinterest board Images Relating to Fiction Books. Hope you enjoy them.

Susanna wrote an interesting guest post for the blog Passages to the Past where she talks about her research process for this book.

Blood Song (Lharmell Series Book 1) by Rhiannon Hart

Rating 4 out of 5 stars
Title: Blood Song
Author: Rhiannon Hart
File Size: 440 KB
Print Length: 165 pages
Publisher: Random House Australia (August 31, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B005HLJY8G
ISBN:1742750966
ISBN (13): 9781742750965

Synopsis
When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated. Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more. Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?

My initial thoughts
This is a fun book, light and easy to read and I have found a new fantasy series to enjoy. If you like your fantasy more "old school" then this may not be the book for you.

First Paragraph

"I was thinking of blood again so I went to practice archery. That's what I always did when I thought I was going to kill something. I hit the bulls eye every time and nothing had died yet, so at least I had that going for me."

Digging deeper
It is what I would call a modern fantasy novel in that the language is modern, and you don't spend half the book confused as to what the author is talking about as you try to work out the made up languages. This for me is great, I am not a fan of the full on fantasy's like Lord of The Rings. I don't think I have read more then one chapter of that book before I gave up after every attempt.

I loved the main character Zeraphina she was a strong clever girl but a little impulsive. She isn't perfect as she does try to please and fit in with her sister and mother. Zeraphina and Rodden are cute and awkward together, there is attraction but suspicion as Zeraphina and Rodden try to work out what the other is there for (I will leave it at that as I don't want to reveal any spoilers).

Zeraphina's sharp tongue is what drives most of the humour. The humour through the book is dry, smart and made me chuckle out loud a few time. It didn't feel forced or there for the sake of it. As it was part of Zeraphina's nature it just fitted in easily with the book.

The world building and story telling is a careful blend of information to describe the world (with out info dumping) and setting up story arcs for the next books (I want to know more about Leap NOW just telling me it's not a normal cat does not help me, and where do I get one of them ride-on flying birdy things?). The pace is fast but the story doesn't suffer and does not bog down when the information is given.

The only down side to this book is it is book one of a series, and so there are peeks into characters lives and bigger issues with in the world and the then you get left hanging. I am sure these will be resolved in the coming books but this didn't bother me while reading this book when it usually does. I did notice it but didn't care. I know these threads are important and eventually we will learn more about it.

Final Analysis
Read this book at your peril or you might turn into a fan girl/boy like the rest of us. Also make sure you have book 2 lined up and ready to go because the ending of this book will make you go "what happened to the rest of it? Why did it stop? I am not ready for it to stop. I want to know now what happens next.....waaaaa". Or something to that effect.

Book two is on my kindle ready for my holiday. Yee-ha!

Extras
Check out the following reviews by clicking on the hyperlinks.

The Eclectic Readers reviews of Blood Song and the second book Blood Storm .

Also A Ticket To Anywhere first brought this book to my attention with her review of Blood Song.

For Darkness Shows The Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Rating: 3 out of 5
Title: For Darkness Shows The Stars
Author: Diana Peterfreund
Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 416 pages Publisher: Balzer + Bray (June 12, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062006142
ISBN-13: 978-0062006141

Synopsis 
It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology. Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go. But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever. Inspired by Jane Austen's persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it. why i started reading this book and initial impressions

First Line
Elliot North raced across the pasture, leaving a scar of green in the silver, dew-encrusted grass.

My thoughts
For Darkness Shows The Stars is a Jane Austen Persuasian re-telling. Which possibly was not good for me as I have never read any Jane Austen books*gasp* I know but it's true. So I wonder if maybe I missed some references that would be obvious to a Jane Austen fan (other then the direct quotes at the start of the chapters)? I never felt though that was a hindrance.

I have never read a Jane Austen re-telling so did not know what to expect. If I hadn't been told I wouldn't have known it was based on Persuasion. I did a brief wikipedia search (which we all know is the most reliable source for research. Someone even did a whole book whose based on research from there. No I am not kidding ask Truth, Beauty and Books she reviewed said book. Opps sorry that was way off topic there), and at a glance I can see the similarities (the heroine is Anne Elliot for instance, with a vain father and older sister, there is a navy involved too and a lost love).

I did enjoyed the story. It was a little slow for me to start with, as the reader get's lumped with a lot of information to start with. Also the letters at the start of each chapter were not in chronological order and didn't seem to highlight or give insight into anything going on in that chapter. But eventually it built up some momentum. It was a light and quick read as I was able to knock it over in twenty four hours.

What I didn't like was the character Kai. He annoyed me. But to be fair I don't really go in for the male lead who treats the female lead as rubbish and still have her fall at his feet. Elliot does have a little back bone though and isn't quite that bad (as in "oh he insulted me *swoon*), even remarking at one stage she was an idiot to have waited/loved him so long for him to treat her like dirt. She also isn't like other female leads I have read of late in Dystopian novels, she (unlike the others) has not just blindly accepted the life and society she has been born into. I found Elliot to be quite a strong character actually.

There is a prequel called Among the Nameless Stars (link takes you to the PDF ebook) by Diana Peterfreund which tells the story of Kai after he left. I haven't read it yet and it is free to download. But Irishyz from A Ticket To Anywhere has and said while you don't have to read it first it does help the reader understand Kai better.

Something about this book didn't click with me. I didn't want to sit there till all hours reading. I could put it down, walk away, and do something for a few hours before I ambled back and read some more.

I did like the world the author has created and that she tied in a bit of interesting history. There is a pretty ridgid class system in place in this world and the ruling class are Luddites who hate technology and hate genetic manipulation. Actual Laddites existed in England during the 1800's and specifically when the Industrial Revolution happened. Which was a nice touch. 

On a superficial note I rather like the cover and like the meaning behind it. I wont give it away but the stars have an interesting meaning in the book.

My final thoughts are; I think if you are an (a) Jane Austen fan (b) a fan of Dystopian Romance (is that even a genre? I am sure it probably is, if not I just made it up) then this book is probably right up your ally.

Would I recommend this to any one else?
Even though this is a fairly negative post I must point out this is not really my thing and despite that I liked it enough to say I really would recomemend it to others.

Extras - Other Reviews
A Ticket To Anywhere - 5 out of 5 stars
It's All About Books - 5 out of 5

Fire (Graceling Realm #2) by Kristin Cashore

Rating: 3 out of 5
Age Group: Teenager
File Size: 629 KB
Print Length: 356 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0575085126
Publisher: Gollancz (September 24, 2009)
Sold by: Hachette Book Group
Language: English
ASIN: B002U3CBMK

Book two of the Graceling Realm series is actually a Prequel, set about twenty years prior to the events in Graceling.

Fire is the last of her kind, a human monster, and now war is coming to the Dells a battle has began to harness her extraordinary power to seize control of the Kingdom.

I didn't like Fire as much as Katsa, she was a bit whiney, a bit sooky and a smidgeon annoying. Ok granted she seems to get a menstral cycle from hell which may explain some of this but mostly she just didn't make me really like her. As a heroine she was ok, she didn't really do anything despite her powers. There were maybe three stand out moments for her in this book and I wish the story had focused a little more on those traits about her ( I will not say more as it may give the book away).

The romances she had also felt forced and unbelievable. I dunno maybe I am not a love at first sight kinda person and that is what the author seemed to want us to believe. The few characters I did really enjoy were hardly in the book at all which was a little frustrating as it meant the ones left behind (bar Clara and her guard) were at times just as annoying as Fire.

Another frustrating thing was the authors obvious views on marriage and children, and not the views as such but the fact you were never allowed to forget about it EVER. Fire, like Katsa before her (or after or rather in the previous book) also harped on heavily about NEVER getting married and NEVER having children. Which is fine I do not have a problem with that but I also did not need to be hit over the head with this fact over and over.

I guess what really bugged me is that the only strongly portrayed women characters had the "I don't need a man" attitude and I just can't understand why being married or having kids means you are a weaker person. Perhaps this was not what the author intended to portray in her characters, but it is what came across to me and it bugged me. I am all for women power and being independent but sometimes it came across a little condescending.

One last thing about the "women power" theme, I felt the message was muddied by Fire's character constantly showing a strong maternal instinct and kept saying (by thoughts) how much she wanted children, she even pined over it. Her excuses for not having children seemed very weak to me. So for her to then say she doesn't want kids and then do what she does in the book surprised me a little. All I can say is I was not "sold" on her convictions.

The action from the first book is missing here. There are a few scenes but I felt the main focus of this book was more political intrigue and drama. Life in a Royal court. Also Fire is not a fighter (in the physical sense) that Katsa was.

So you are probably thinking I hated this book. Well I didn't. I dunno something kept me reading the book. I think it was the characters I did like, I was invested in them and wanted to know what happened. I really enjoyed the twins and wish we had learned more about them. Also towards the end of the book (maybe last 3rd of the book) I felt Fire finally became truly likeable and interesting. Her views, actions and personality finally gelled.

Overall this book for me was average. It was an interesting add on to the Graceling world which I hope gets tied back into the series later on and not just used to tell the back story of one character from Graceling. The lands and people that inhabit Fire's world were interesting and different to Katsa's world and it would be a shame if the only reason we got to glimpse them so that the story of a character in Graceling who while pivotal was rather a minor character and a bit of a bastard could be told.

I will be interested to see how the story of Bitterblue, which is the focus of the third book, will go.

Graceling (Graceling Realm #1) by Kristin Cashore

Rating: 4 out of 5
Reading Level: Teen
File Size: 611 KB
Print Length: 481 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 015206396X
Publisher: Gollancz (November 20, 2008)
Sold by: Hachette Book Group
Language: English
ASIN: B002VCR03A

Graceling is set in a mythological word where some individuals have special powers. These people are called Gracelings and are marked by the colours of their eyes. Gracelings are feared and used as weapons and tools by the Kings that rule the lands of this world.

Katsa is graced with killing which manifested when she was 8 years old and as a result was used as her kings thug to strike fear and terror into the hearts of his enemies, and subjects.

What I liked
Katsa is likeable and fun to read. Despite her terrible Grace she is a gentle soul who cares deeply about her friends. One thing I liked is that she is both confident and insecure, interesting and flawed. On one hand she is this amazing fighter yet on the other fails to notice that a guy likes her. As you could imagine with her Grace she has not had the best life so she does not always have the most optimistic view on people sometimes, however she can still show a criminal kindness which I think say's a lot about her as a character.

A strength of her character is her reliance on herself. She is an independent woman who is smart, confident and physically strong, admittedly her grace helps but also it is her character. This is also a flaw discussed later but I found it refreshing to see a teen fantasy book which didn't have a simpering idiot as the main character.

The first half of this story sucked me in and I wanted to know more. I kept reading and reading till the middle. Then it got a tad slow and teen romancey, which is fine, but to me didn't add much to the over all story. Then the story picked up again and I forgot about the slow boring bit in the middle. The majority of the story was fast paced action. Cashore can write some pretty good action scenes.

The world created is a varied and interesting one. The reader got to learn parts of it through Katsa and in this way I think she was perfect as the point of view to introduce the reader to the world. Katsa had not travelled beyond her own lands so the ways of other people and cultures were revealed through her and as a result came across feeling natural, not like you were having a tonne of information dumped on you.

What I didn't like
The "modern" feel of her character did not really sit well with the story as a whole. I am not sure why, but it just felt off to me. I am afraid it is not something I can put my finger on other then some of the views Katsa held and things she said just didn't vibe with my mental picture of her through out the book. While I am glad she wasn't a simpering idiot at the same time Katsa's views just didn't vibe with her world. At least for me it didn't.

Also then ending seemed a little bit of a let down. I suspect that the author will revisit these characters and elaborate more on events after this book in her upcoming 3rd book (or perhaps later in the series). But after all the action and drama leading up to the end the actual book ending felt rather flat.

Overall
The book was great and would happily recommend it just about anyone.

However  please note there is a big theme which is reiterated over and over about no marriage, no kids, use of contraception. There is a reason for it (revealed in the book) but nether-the-less it is there. This might be a big problem for some, and I have seen some very negative reviews or comments in regards to this on Goodreads and Amazon.  There is also some intimacy scenes which for me were rather tame but given the other themes this might be a bit much for some. This is just a friendly warning for those who object to these themes or find them offensive.

Quotes

“I'm not going to wear a red dress," she said. "It would look stunning, My Lady," she called. She spoke to the bubbles gathered on the surface of the water. "If there's anyone I wish to stun at dinner, I'll hit him in the face.”  

“What she really loved was to hang over the edge and watch the bow of the ship slice through the waves. She loved it especially when the waves were high and the ship rose and fell, or when it was snowing and the flakes stung her face.”

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Rating 4 out of 5
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 239 KB
Print Length: 256 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0545230500
Publisher: Point; 1 edition (March 1, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B004P5NVIO

Hi guys, for this review I am going to try a letter style review again. I hope you enjoy it!

Dear Irishyz

You are lucky I know how much you did try to book bully me into getting this book, otherwise you would be in BIG trouble. I can not believe I waited so long to read this book! I was setting it aside as a holiday read. But I wanted a bit of a change from the last few books I have read, (you know I get the jitters if I don’t get a good dose of paranormal stories) so thought I would give it a go. I blitzed this book in 24 hours, which I have not done since March when I was stuck on a plane for 5 hours.

I liked the basics of the story which focuses around Clarity (Clare) Fern who is Psychic. As you know she lives in a small American town with her mother and brother who also have gifts. I liked that her whole family had abilities, but different forms; her mother is a telepath and her brother is a medium. After a tourist is murdered Clare is brought in by the Mayor to help the new police detective solve the mystery. As the death toll rises, the pressure is on for Clare to solve the crime, and prove her brothers innocence. Phew did I miss something? I think that sums up the plot which while simple was still engaging.

Clare is a wonderful character. I instantly took to her as she is likable with a wicked sense of humour. She has snappy retorts, is quick thinking and intelligent. She is not perfect, and not “mature beyond her years”. Plus the girl likes pizza, and orders pancakes for lunch! She is a girl after my own heart. The supporting characters were all enjoyable as well, especially Clare’s family who I just wanted to adopt.

The love triangle with Clare, Justin and Gabriel felt believable and not to "teen agsty". I will be interested to see how Clare’s relationship with each guy develops over future books. Clare could easily be with either of them. Which team am I? Team Justin or Team Gabriel? As yet, I cant call which team I am on but so far I like Justin (despite his boo boo which lead to his ex status, which I personally think was a frame up!) however to be honest, I preferred Nate to Justin and Gabriel!

I really enjoyed the mystery side of it, as it was well written. It felt more like cosy style but as I like that style of writing I am not fussed. Clare, Justin and Gabriel never magically knew more then they could realistically find out, and there were limited to what her gift could show her. I guess the only quibble would be that in the real world I doubt the police would hire a 16 year old psychic, I’m sure there would be all sorts of problems with that ethically, legally and stuff BUT that would have made the story incredibly boring really, and to be honest I didn’t care enough to get upset about. I can normally guess pretty early on who the murderer is but this time I couldn’t make my mind up. The murderer was a surprise and the author, Harrington, did a good job of throwing the reader of the scent.

I really, really liked this book and I am so glad you talked me into buying it. I can not wait till the next book in the series comes out. This looks like a really promising series that is fun and light, and well written. Thanks again for letting me know about this book, I will definitely be spreading the word, and letting others know about it.

Cheers
Caspette

PS How was the Doctor Who finale?

Smokin Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

Rating: 3 out of 5
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 439 KB
Print Length: 320 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 075538489X
Publisher: Review (June 21, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B0051GY24S

Stephnie is back in her 17th adventure as a Bounty hunter in Jersey. This time Stephanie has a serial killer leaving her presents and she needs to discover who the murderer is before he decides to kill her.

My initial feelings towards this book is that it was not as good as her last, and that this book was rather average. Though other reviewers seem to think the opposit that the last book was crap and this was great. For me the story line was predictable, and the same as the previous sixteen adventures with no real development character and story wise. Most of the humor I found centered around Lula and Grandma Mazur and I was laughing out loud at some of their antics.I am starting to think Grandma Mazur and Lula should get their own spin off series as detectives, and throw in Mooner and Sally, which I think would make an awesome book. But I am getting off topic.

There has been some rather harsh criticism around the web about this book. Most seem to be rather apposed to Stephanie sleeping with both Morellie and Ranger one after another. If I recall correctly in the other books Stephanie was either with one or the other in a relationship, when she slept with either man. But in this book it just seemed to be for the sake of it (blamed on vordoo).

Now I personally do not have a problem with this, its a romantic comedy type book so if your a bit prudish about it all read another series. What I do have a problem with is Stephanie needs to seriously make a decision, one or the other, or even neither. The reason I have a problem with her lack of decision is that I am really getting rather bored now with the whole love triangle. Also I felt there was a lack of chemistry between all of them, there was no spark, and as a reader I just didn’t care if Stephanie was with Ranger or Morellie.

To be honest I found Stepahnie to be well, a whinger, in this book. I started to get annoyed with her “oh woe is me I need a change” mantra that she repeated over and over again. Stephanie’s character needs some development, and the story line needs to move forward. It’s stagnated and I think that is really where most of the criticism about this book is coming from. People are getting bored.

I think the author knows this, and may even be setting the scene for a change. There were numerous references by Stephanie and other characters to Stephanie needing to change her life and pick a man. I hope the author does something soon either to progress the story/character development, or to end the series. I really think it needs that to keep it fresh.

BUT having said that I still enjoyed the book, and I would recommend it to fans. Because lets face it if you have stuck with the series for this long, you like the formula and know what to expect. There are no surprises with a Stephanie Plumb book and this book doesn’t fail on the expectations. You have the outrageous skips, the hilarious take downs, witty one liners, a ruined car (and what Stephanie Plumb novel wouldn’t have a destroyed car), the antics of Lula and Grandma Mazur, and finally the love triangle that is Morellie, Ranger and Stephanie.

Even though I have been a little negative about this book in this review, I did still enjoy it and will buy the new one due out in November (just in time for Christmas holiday's Thanks Janet Evanovich).

Extras
If you want to read an excerpt you can find on here on Janet Evanovich's website

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 819 KB
Publisher: Allen & Unwin (November 9, 2010)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B004BA5HOY

First sentence “Major Pettigrew was still upset about the phone call from his brother’s wife and so he answered the doorbell without thinking.”

What a delightful and interesting book. I will be up front and say this not normally my thing. Anyone who reads my blog regularly knows I’m more of an Urban Fantasy, or Young Adult fan. But I had heard lots of people raving over this book and I thought why not give it a try after I read the blurb. To be honest I was expecting something light and fluffy that was a little bit funny; just a story about a little old man and an unlikely friendship.

This book was all that, I admit, but only on the surface. It was so much more. For starters it dealt with some pretty serious and topical issues like racism, family dynamics, life/death, love, discrimination, class relations, modern living, religious differences and cultural difference. It never delves in very deeply to these issues which is good otherwise the book would have been difficult reading for me (I hate being preached to in a book). But it highlights them enough you get a strong over all idea of the issues involved.

There is not much to hate about the main characters Major Pettigrew and Mrs Ali. They are both delightful characters with wonderful senses of humour. Dare I say it but they are rather perfect for each other. The book focuses on this relationship the most, and follows it as it grows from literally first contact to the deep friendship it becomes. Their dry wit, clever remarks, and quick responses to those around them really make this book. You are cheering for them to overcome the hurdles thrown in their way by the end of the book.

If you are looking for a feel good, delightful read this is definitely the book for you.

Extras

I found this clip of Helen Simonson reading an excerpt from her book. I hope you enjoy it!

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade; Original edition (October 5, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425236676
ISBN-13: 978-0425236673

First Sentence: "Mina hadn't predicted that sugar would wreck the Marchioness of Hartington's ball; she'd thought the dancing would."

DI Mina Wentworth lives in the 1800's. Only its not the 1800's as we know them. There are zombies, pirates, nanoagents in people, Europe is occupied by the horde, and there is flying boats. When a body is dropped onto the national hero's door step it is her responsibility to investigate who is the murderer. As she digs into the mystery it becomes clear this not a simple case of murder but a conspiracy that runs so deep the lives of everyone in England is threatened.

Alright I thought this was a paranormal novel, that it would have a touch of romance like they normally do. Little did I know this was more romance then anything else, and the sex scenes would make a harlequin romance heroine blush. I felt the sex scenes were for the most part unnecessary and distracting from a good story. By the tenth page or so of sex scenes I was, to be honest, getting bored. If however you like your romance hot and graphic then you will probably love this. But honestly I thought it just got in the way of a perfectly good story.

The world Meljean created is a fascinating one. The horde (which is never really explained as to who/what they are) infected people with nanoagents to control them. Zombies are, from what I can understand, people whose nanoagents have gone rogue. Most of Europe is infected with zombies. Clockwork and steam powered machines are common place (there are steam carriages and flying airships).Women can work but Mina's mother is leading a movement to reintroduce the institution of marriage and staying home to raise kids.

Mina is an interesting character. She is considered to have had a privileged upbringing but in reality is still quite poor. Her life has also been harsh being half horde. She is intelligent and brave but seems aware of her boundaries. Rhys is a typical pirate who has a rough exterior and a soft core. Scarsdale I thought was a fun character and enjoyed reading his scene's, especially the one where he was in prison.

This does lead to my other gripe which is minor. There were just to many story holes for me. Who exactly are the horde? why did they invade Europe and Asia and stop there? Why have they not taken England back? I suspect this is the first book in a series so I hope the author will reveal these answers later.

If you like romance and steampunk this is definitely for you.

Other Stuff:
Read an excerpt here.

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate Book 1) by Gail Carriger

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 473 KB
Publisher: Little Brown (September 2, 2010)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B0043VDIK6

First Sentence: "Miss Alexia Tarabotti was not enjoying her evening."

It's the 1800's and Alexia Tarabotti is soulless. A rare being born with out a soul and the natural enemy of the supernatural. If this was not enough to make her an outcast, in a world where Vampires and Werewolves are accepted, then being 26 and single with a large nose is. Strange new vampires are appearing on the scene, and old vampires and werewolves are disappearing. Can Alexia solve the mystery and save her friends?

A mix of various genres. A drop of action, a sprinkle of steam punk, a dash of supernatural, a dollop of romance, and a spoonful of mystery. Mixed together to make an interesting historical fiction story.
Carriger has done a wonderful job building this alternate world where supernatural beings are openly part of society. I enjoyed how she tied some of world history into events that happen with the supernatural beings. Also her interpretation on souls is interesting.

The book is quite humorous. Most comedy moments stemming from the rigid formality of 1800's England. Alexia is also a product of her up bring on one hand she is very rigid, conforms to societies view of her and fashion conscious, on the other hand she is intelligent, sharp tongued and brave.

My main criticism is the use of really big words. Most of them I could guess the meaning of but some had me reaching for a dictionary. This tends to frustrate me as I have to stop reading to find out what the word means. Its a minor quibble but there it is.

I couldn't stand Alexia's family. However they were not written in a particularly nice light, and to be honest I think they were in character with Victorian high society. Lord Akeldama was a delightful and flamboyant.Lord Maccon had the whole dark, dangerous going on.

An enjoyable first book in the series. Will try and see how the next book goes in the series.

Other reviews
Polishing Mud Balls
From My Bookshelf
Truth Beauty Freedom and Books

Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

Rating: 5 out of 5

Stephanie is at it again. She and Morelli are currently off again and she is struggling to bring in the skips to earn her cash. Ranger is having some “security issues” and hires Stephanie to investigate his staff. Meanwhile Lula witnesses the murder of celebrity Chef Chipotle and enters the bbq spare ribs cook off in an effort to catch the killers and get the reward of $1 million.

Where to begin, firstly I think this is Evanovichs best for a long time. While I sniggered and giggled through the last couple of adventures they were just good to ok. This book is a return to Evanovich form. I could not stop laughing in this book and even had to stop reading at one point I was laughing so hard.

Lula and Grandma Mazur really are stealing the show now and are just as funny here. Most of my tears inducing laughter spots involved Lula and Grandma Mazur. I really thought this book might be the one where Stephanies mother has a complete and utter break down. The poor woman must have drunk the whole bottle of her secret liquor stash and said enough hail Mary’s to cover most of The Burbs.

I was turned off Ranger a little in this book. I’m not sure why but I found him to be a little bit of an arrogant prick in the way he spoke to Stephanie. Some of his comments I was just waiting for a “woman” to be tacked on like “get my beer woman”. I cant say I have ever noticed this before but if it was there previously it didn’t bug me like it did in this book.

Stephanies life seems to be in limbo and she admits this herself during the book. I really hope this signals a change in terms of the whole Morelli, Ranger, Stephanie love triangle thing. I think the triangle has really run its course and needs a resolution of some kind.

A great fun read. Definately worth the effort.