Tithe; Holly Black

Link above is to Ms. Black's website. Tithe was published by Simon & Schuster in 2002, currently available in both hardcover & paperback (young adult size- not mass market). Holly Black has written a sequel, titled Valiant, for which I'm on the library waitlist. Number three, so I've at least six weeks to wait. If I can. Ms. Black has also coauthored (with Tony DiTerlizzi) the Spiderwick Chronicles which is aimed at older elementary & middle school kids.

Kaye Fierch has followed her self indulgent & careless mother from pillar to post until they land at Kaye's grandmother's place in New Jersey. Kaye has supported herself & her mother as best she could since she was fourteen. Now that they're in Jersey G'ma wants Kaye in school & Kaye's mom is desperately hunting for another band who needs a lead singer. Kaye, always a loner, doesn't fit in at home or with her friends.

Rath Roiben __________ is sort of a good will hostage from the Seelie Faerie Court to the Unseelie Faery court. A good guy sold to the bad guys "in the interests of peace" or some such fribble. Essentially he is a pawn of the Unseelie Queen- literally unable to go against her directives. Emotionally & physically tormented until very few higher emotions (respect, compassion, kindness, etc) are left to him. I was going to say 'very little of his humanity' until I remembered. Roiben isn't human & therefore doesn't have 'human decency'. LOL Roiben strongly resonates as an Anne Stuart hero- tormented & dark & dangerous & can you be sure he's really a good guy? A fantastic plus on my book.

Anyhow. Kaye meets Roiben under less than ideal circumstances & he is in her debt. Rashly he promises answers to any three questions she asks & then disappears. Quickly, Roiben & Kaye are in a situation neither is comforatble with & yet they are forced to depend on each other. Kaye, is out of her league & Roiben grasps the chance the Goddess gives him- namely Kaye. Does he really care for her? How deep does the treachery go? Can they trust anyone? Each other?

This is classified as a young adult & thus there isn't much happening other than some hot kisses, drinking & typical stupid teenage "I'm gonna live forever" type behaviors. I did feel that some of the plot devices were contrived & not quite believable, but Ms. BLack totally sucked me into her world. Roiben can hide out at my house any day. I even have a few questions I'd like to ask. >;)

Review Archive U-Z

Authors T-Z

FYI- I do not 'grade' books I read. I either keep them or trade them or return them. All books are traded or returned unless I specifically say I've kept them.



Suffer Little Children, Peter Tremaine


The Subtle Serpent, Peter Tremayne

Passion, Lisa Valdez

The Faery Bride, Lisa Ann Verge

Dark Need; Lynn Viehl

If Angels Burn; Lynn Viehl


Dark Lover, JR Ward

Lover Awakened; J.R. Ward


Lover Eternal, J R Ward

Beyond Heaving Bosoms; Sarah Wendell & Candy Tan

The Killing of Worlds; Scott Westerfeld


Peep, Scott Westerfeld

The Risen Empire; Scott Westerfeld

The War of Flowers; Tad Williams

Lord of the Fading Lands; CL Wilson


Honeymoon With my Brother, Franz Wisner

Moonlight and Mischief, Rhonda Woodward


Sorcery & Cecelia, Wrede & Stevermer


A Bitter Brew, Christine Young

Review Archive P-T

Authors P-T

FYI- I do not 'grade' books I read. I either keep them or trade them or return them. All books are traded or returned unless I specifically say I've kept them.




In Defense of Food; Michael Pollan

Messiah Interviews; Jerry Pollock

Contribution to A Knight's Vow; Patricia Potter

Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Contribution in Irresistible Forces; Anthology: M. J. Putney; Asaro, Beverly,Bujold, Roberson, Stover

The Secret Diary of Miss Miranda Cheever; Julia Quinn

When He Was Wicked; Julia Quinn

Above All Others, Karen Ranney

Angus, Thongs & Full Frontal Snogging; Louise Rennison

Light of the Moon; Luanne Rice

Just Say Yes, Myretta Robens

Contribution in Irresistible Forces; Anthology: Jennifer Roberson; Asaro, Beverly, Bujold, Putney, Stover


Ladies of Liberty; Cokie Roberts

Heart of the Sea; Nora Roberts

Jewel of the Sun; Nora Roberts

Tears of the Moon; Nora Roberts

Contribution in A Sprinkle of Fairy Dust; Anthology: Marylyle Rogers, Shayne, Bevarly, Crawford


Happily Ever After, Marylyle Rogers

They Call Me Naughty Lola, ed. David Rose

The Dragon King's Palace, Laura Joh Rowland

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; J.K. Rowling

The Immortal Hunter; Lynsay Sands

Love Bites, Lynsay Sands

Tall, Dark & Hungry; Lynsay Sands

The Last of the Winter Roses, Jeanne Savery

The Perfect Husband, Jeanne Savery

The Rooftops of Tehran; Mahbod Seraji

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society; Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Fat Girl's Guide to Life, Wendy Shanker

Touched by Time, Leane Shawler

Contribution in A Sprinkle of Fairy Dust; Anthology: Maggie Shayne, Bevarly, Crawford, Rogers

Dark Moon Defender; Sharon Shinn

Fortune and Fate; Sharon Shinn

Mystic and Rider; Sharon Shinn

Reader and Raelynx; Sharon Shinn

Summers at Castle Auburn; Sharon Shinn

The Thirteenth House; Sharon Shinn

When Winter Comes in The Queen in Winter by Sharon Shinn, et al

Wrapt in Crystal; Sharon Shinn

The Shapechanger's Wife, Sharon Shinn

Contribution to A Knight's Vow; Deborah Simmons

A Rake's Redemption; Donna Simpson

The Dark Lord, Patricia Simpson

Bride of the Mist, Christina Skye

A Rose for the Crown; Anne Easter Smith

The Companion, Susan Squires

A College of Magics, C. Stevermer


Sorcery & Cecelia, Wrede & Stevermer

Heart of the Hunter; Tina St. John

Heart of the Flame; Tina St. John

Contribution in Irresistible Forces; Anthology: Deb Stover; Asaro, Beverly, Bujold, Putney, Roberson

Certain Jeopardy; Cpt. Jeff Struecker & Alton Gansky

Black Ice, Anne Stuart

Hidden Honor; Anne Stuart

To Love A Dark Lord, Anne Stuart

Midwinter; Matthew Sturges

Beyond Heaving Bosoms; Candy Tan & Sarah Wendell

The Subtle Serpent, Peter Tremayne


Suffer Little Children, Peter Tremaine

Review Archive K-O

Authors K-O

FYI- I do not 'grade' books I read. I either keep them or trade them or return them. All books are traded or returned unless I specifically say I've kept them.


Silver’s Edge, Anne Kelleher

Silver’s Bane, Anne Kelleher

One Good Turn, Carla Kelly

Dark Side of the Moon, Sherrilyn Kenyon

Fantasy Lover, Sherilyn Kenyon

Night Pleasures, Sherilyn Kenyon


Kiss of the Night, Sherrilyn Kenyon

Night Play, Sherilyn Kenyon


Seize the Night, Sherilyn Kenyon

The Midnight Choir; Gene Kerrigan

Lord Draggoner's Wife, Lynn Kerstan

This Charming Man; Marian Keyes

Into the Wind, Katherine Kingsley

No Greater Love; Katherine Kingsley


Dreaming of You, Lisa Kleypas

Stranger in my Arms; Lisa Kleypas

Master of the Knight, Angela Knight

Rebel Passion; Betina Krahn

Contribution in anthologyA Knight's Vow

Much Ado in the Moonlight, Lynn Kurland

My Heart Stood Still, Lynn Kurland

A Whisper of Spring in The Queen in Winter by Lynn Kurland, et al

The Fairy Godmother, Mercedes Lackey

Fortune's Fool, Mercedes Lackey

One Good Knight, Mercedes Lackey

Shadow of the Lion, Mercedes Lackey

The Wizard of London, Mercedes Lackey

Dirt; Mark LaFlamme

A Bird in Hand, Alison Lane

Birds of a Feather, Allison Lane

Devalls Angel, Alison Lane

The Bedeviled Duke; Judith Lansdowne

Just Impossible, Judith Lansdowne

Just Perfect, Judith Lansdowne

Just in Time; Judith Lansdowne


The Mystery Kiss, Judith Lansdowne

Lord Nightengale's Debut, Judith Landsowne

Lord Nightengale’s Triumph, Judith Lansdowne

City of Joy, Dominique Lapierre

Devil's Bride, Stephanie Laurens

The Fall of the Rogue Gerrard by Stephanie Laurens in It Happened One Night; Anthology

Four in Hand; Stephanie Laurens

A Lady of His Own, Stephanie Laurens

A Rake's Vow, Stephanie Laurens

Byzantium; Stephen Lawhead

Do You Believe? Ann Lawrence

Lord of the Mist; Ann Lawrence

Free Food for Millionaires, Min Jin Lee

The Sinful Life of Lucy Burns; Elizabeth Leiknes

The Girl of His Dreams; Donna Leon


Sex Lies & Vampires, Katie MacAlister

Dark Champion, Kinley MacGregor

Sword of Darkness; Kinley MacGregor

Beyond Temptation, Mary Reed McCall

The Road; Cormac McCarthy

A Right to be Hostile; Aaron McGruder

Solstice Wood, Patricia McKillip

Something Rich and Strange; Patricia McKillip

Sunshine, Robin McKinley


Lady Leprechaun, Melinda McRae

A Christmas Kiss, Elizabeth Mansfield

The Magnificent Masquerade, Elizabeth Mansfield

Winter Wonderland, Elizabeth Mansfield

Wildwood Dancing, Juliet Marillier

Dark Mirror, Juliet Marillier

The Sword of Shame; Medieval Murderers

Hunter's Moon, O.R. Melling

The Summer King, O.R. Melling

The Duel, Barbara Metzger

Melusine; Sarah Monette

A Gift of Wings in The Queen in Winter by Sarah Monette, et al


Kiss of the Highlander, Karen Marie Moning

Dark Highlander, Karen Marie Moning


To Tame A Highland Warrior, Karen Marie Moning

Beyond the Highland Mist, Karen Marie Moning

The Prisoner; Karen Monk

A Passionate Endeavor, Sophia Nash

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox; Maggie O'Farrell

Review Archive F-J

Authors F-J

FYI- I do not 'grade' books I read. I either keep them or trade them or return them. All books are traded or returned unless I specifically say I've kept them.


Valentine's Change of Heart, Elisabeth Fairchild

Dangerous Tides, Christine Feehan

Dark Celebration, Christine Feehan


Dark Demon, Christine Feehan

Deadly Game, Christine Feehan

Oceans of Fire, Christine Feehan

A Daughter's Destiny; JoAnne Ferguson more info
here

A Sister's Quest; JoAnne Ferguson

Fatal Attraction, Alicia Fields

Love Underground, Alicia Fields

Darkhenge, Catherine Fisher

Devil Takes A Bride, Gaelen Foley


A Singular Lady, Megan Frampton

Mistress of the Art of Death; Ariana Franklin

The Bastard's Tale, Margaret Frazer

The Hunter's Tale, Margaret Frazer

The Sempster's Tale, Margaret Frazer

The Traitor's Tale, Margaret Frazer

The Widow's Tale, Margaret Frazer

A Play of Isaac, Margaret Frazer

Skinny Bitch, Freedman and Barnouin

Inkheart, Cornelia Funke


Stealing Sophie, Sara Gabriel

American Gods, Neil Gaiman

Good Omens; Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman

Certain Jeopardy; Alton Gansky & Cpt. Jeff Struecker

Rebellious Desire, Julie Garwood

Ithaka, Adele Geras

Eat, Pray, Love; Elizabeth Gilbert

Outliers; Malcolm Gladwell

The Perfect Rake; Anne Gracie

The Perfect Waltz; Anne Gracie

Blood Red Horse, K.M. Grant

Green Jasper, K.M. Grant

Seducing the Prince; Patricia Grasso

To Love A Princess; Patricia Grasso

Evernight; Claudia Gray

Bone of Contention; Susanna Gregory

Seraphim; Michele Hauf

A Lick of Frost, Laurell K. Hamilton

Mistral's Kiss, Laurell K Hamilton

Cupid's Mistake; Karen Harbaugh

When Gods Die; CS Harris

Where Serpents Sleep; CS Harris

Why Mermaids Sing; CS Harris

Five Quarters of the Orange; Joanne Harris

The Scent of Lilacs, Barbara Hazard

Lavender Blue; Sandra Heath

Marigold's Marraiges; Sandra Heath more info
here



Lord Nick’s Folly, Emily Hendrickson


Pursuing Priscilla, Emily Hendrickson

Drusilla's Downfall, Emily Hendrickson

Elizabeth's Mistake; Emily Hendrickson


Miss Timothy Perseveres, Emily Hendrickson

Tabitha's Tangle, Emily Hendrickson

Miss Haycroft's Suitors, Emily Hendrickson

Immortal Warrior; Lisa Hendrix

The Bride Sale, Candice Hern

From This Moment On by Candice Hern in It Happened One Night; Anthology

The Summer Country, James A. Hetley

The Queen of Sleepy Eye; Patti Hill

Turtle Diary, Russell Hoban

The Assassin's Apprentice, Robin Hobb

Everything on a Waffle; Polly Horvath

The Sinner; Madeline Hunter

The Draining Lake; Arnaldur Indridason

Duchess in Love, Eloisa James


Fool in Love, Eloisa James

Much Ado About You, Eloisa James

The Merchant's Partner, Michael Jecks

The Skinny; Rayni Joan


The Magnificent Rogue, Iris Johansen

The Wind Dancer, Iris Johansen


Veil of the Night, Lydia Joyce

Review Archive A-E

Quite a long time ago I promised to do a review archive. I'm finally working on it. After initially posting the archives here, I will put permanent links on the sidebar. Initially I plan to archive by author's last name, should I also do one by genre & subgenre?


FYI- I do not 'grade' books I read. I either keep them or trade them or return them. All books are traded or returned unless I specifically say I've kept them.


Authors A-E



Intimate Enemies, Shana Abe

A Kiss of Midnight; Lara Adrian

A Kiss of Crimson; Lara Adrian

P.S. I Love You, Candice Ahern

Fever, 1793; Laurie H. Anderson

A Knight's Vow; Anthology; Kurland, Campbell, Simmons, Potter

A Sprinkle of Fairy Dust; Anthology: Bevarly, Crawford, Rogers, Shayne

Contribution in Irresistible Forces, Anthology: Asaro, Beverly, Bujold, Putney, Roberson, Stover


Catch the Lightning, Catherine Asaro

The Moon's Shadow; Catherine Asaro

Quantum Rose; Catherine Asaro

The Ruby Dice; Catherine Asaro

Duke of Sin, Adele Ashworth

Aunt Dimity and the Duke, Nancy Atherton

A Crown of Thorns; Fiona Avery

Spellbound by Mary Balogh in It Happened One Night; Anthology

Under the Mistletoe, Mary Balogh


Lady Silence, Blair Bancroft


Minion, L A Banks


Bewitching, Jill Barnett

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society; Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer

The Charlemagne Pursuit; Steve Berry


Romanov Prophecy, Steve Berry

Contribution in A Sprinkle of Fairy Dust; Anthology: Elizabeth Bevarly et al.

Contribution in Irresistible Forces, Anthology: Asaro, Beverly, Bujold, Putney, Roberson, Stover


The Painted Rose, Birdsell


Black Jewels Trilogy, Anne Bishop

Daughter of the Blood; Anne Bishop

The Invisible Ring, Anne Bishop


Pillars of the World, Anne Bishop

Tangled Webs; Anne Bishop

Ironside, Holly Black

Tithe, Holly Black

Valiant, Holly Black


A Noble Resolve, Sara Blayne


Theodora, Sara Blayne

Skeletons at the Feast; Chris Bohjalian


The Devil's Due, Rita Boucher


Faerie Wars, Herbie Brennan

All through the Night; Suzanne Brockmann

Force of Nature; Suzanne Brockmann

Frisco's Kid; Suzanne Brockmann


Her Perfect Earl, Bethany Brooks

The People of the Book; Geraldine Brooks


The Good Wife, Elizabeth Buchan

A Civil Campaign; Lois McMaster Bujold

Cordelia's Honor, Lois McMaster Bujold

The Curse of Chalion, Lois McMaster Bujold

Diplomatic Immunity; Lois McMaster Bujold

The Hallowed Hunt, Lois McMaster Bujold

Contribution in Irresistible Forces, Anthology: Asaro, Beverly, Bujold, Putney, Roberson, Stover

Komarr; Lois McMaster Bujold

Miles In Love; Lois McMaster Bujold

Miles,Mutants and Microbes; Lois McMaster Bujold

Miles, Mystery & Mayhem, Lois McMaster Bujold

Paladin of Souls, Lois McMaster Bujold

The Sharing Knife: Beguilement; Lois McMaster Bujold

Winterfair Gifts; Lois McMaster Bujold

Young Miles; Lois McMaster Bujold

Have Glass Slipper Will Travel, Lisa Cach

The Ruby Ghost; June Calvin

Scar Night; Alan Campbell

Contribution to A Knight's Vow; Glynis Campbell

The Magicians Guild; Trudi Canavan

Kushiel's Justice; Jacqueline Carey

Kushiel's Mercy; Jacqueline Carey

Kushiel's Scion, Jacqueline Carey

Goddess of the Rose; P.C. Cast

Goddess of Spring, P C Cast


Charming the Highlander, Janet Chapman

Lord of Scoundrels; Loretta Chase

Silent Night; Mary Higgins Clark

The Earl's Prize; Nicola Cornick


Fire Song, Catherine Coulter


Earth Song, C. Coulter


Secret Song, C.Coulter


Warrior's Song, Catherine Coulter

Contribution in A Sprinkle of Fairy Dust; Anthology: Elaine Crawford, Bevarly, Rogers, Shayne


Bewitched, Heather Cullman

Stronger Than Magic; Heather Cullman

Only You by Jacqui D'Alessandro in It Happened One Night; Anthology

The Faery Reel, ed. Datlow & Windling

The Pact, Drs. Davis, Jenkins & Hunt

Atlantis Rising; Alyssa Day


Beauty, Claire Delacroix

The Kiss of the Snow Queen in The Queen in Winter by Claire Delacroix, et al

Waifs and Strays, Charles de Lint

Once A Knight, Christina Dodd

A Well Favored Gentleman; Christina Dodd


Lady Scandal, Shannon Donnelly


Under the Kissing Bough, Shannon Donnelly

Wicked; Shannon Drake

Lookin' Back, Texas; Leanna Ellis

Ruby's Slippers; Leanna Ellis

Face Down Beside St. Anne's Well, Kathy Lynn Emerson

An Invitation to Sin; Suzanne Enoch

Sin & Sensibility, Suzanne Enoch

To Hell With Love; Sherri Erwin

Words in a French Life; Kristin Espinasse


Love’s Reward, Jean Ross Ewing

Banned Book Week

Google has a great list of wonderful books that are often challenged.

Click here to participate in a vote/survey of which banned children's book is the favorite

Top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books 1990-2000
In numerical order, as psoted by the ALA.

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
The Goats by Brock Cole
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
Blubber by Judy Blume
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Jack by A.M. Homes
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
Carrie by Stephen King
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

Escapee

Yet another inmate at Bookwormom Central has attempted to escape. Daughter has a small red claw crab in a bowl in her room. Well. He's escaped. We've not found any remains & we've hunted under much of the furniture. He was here this morning beofre church & now he's AWOL.

Many of the other attempted escapes have been thwarted by me at two am while I am in the restroom. Preferred method of capture- rushing across Bookwormom's bare feet. Poor Daughter. I'm very afraid he'll get crunched before we see him. I've already promised to get her another in the event she can't find him, but I'd rather come back & report he's alive & well in his kingdom.

Catch the Lightning; C. Asaro

SO- yeah. Another one. I'm glomming. Sue me. Young mestiza in LA in 1987 meets an alien space pilot & helps him steal his ship from the USAF (Air Force). They end up in space together, get sold as slaves together & get married. Great stuff.

The author has a unique world built around the premise that unknown aliens came to earth & kidnapped a bunch of Mayans. Those Mayans were then used to build a space faring empire. The languages & names are built on Mayan language stems.

The only issue I have with Asaro's series is that many of them have darker elements that can be uncomfortable. I think my problem is that I initially approached this author from a romance perspective & I dislike dark elements in my romances. I only object in romances though. After so many years, I've fallen into the Romancelandia convention: no violence (or at least much less than the bodice ripper era).

I think I'll adjust just fine though. I've even made serious efforts at understanding the physics explanations at the end of Quantum Rose, as well as the theory laden sections in each work. Unfortunately it seems I've allowed my brain cells to rot. Some of the theories & math are really tough. One of Asaro's short stories uses physics & math to represent music (a fugue encoded into a statue of a bird, playable only via computer) which I really want Son #1 & Son #2 to read - both play instruments & read music & Son #1 loves physics & math.

Happy Friday~

Hmph. What do you say when the cursor blinks at you & the screen is blank & so is your mind?

I'm reading yet another doorstopper from the fantasy/alternate history side of things. Shadow of the Lion by Mercedes Lackey, David Freer & Eric Flint. 202 pages in, only 702 more to go. LOL It's good though. Set in Venice in the 16th century. Religion, magic, political intrigue, loyalty, family ties.

I found the timeline for Catherine Asaro's Skolian Empire series. I went to the library & borrowed the first two. Also borrowed Lois McMaster Bujold's Cordelia's Honor, chronologically the first in the Vorkosigan series. Gotta get through the tome first.

The gang is watching the new verion of House of Wax with Paris Hilton & the guy from Supernatural. Sorta creepy & I'm not watching, only listening. Didja ever notice that sometimes screaming in fear actually sounds like..sex? Maybe it's just me. LOL It's sure to just be me & my weirdness.

Family News

Too tired to talk about the book I just finished or the short stories I read. They'll have to wait until this weekend. Thursdays are gonna be killers, I can tell. I haven't done a Thursday Thirteen in ages either.

Son #1 & Husband are planning an October long weekend trip to New England to look at a couple of small colleges. Son #1 is a senior this year. I can't believe it. He just got his proofs done. I can't believe this is the same tiny bundle we brought home at one am. The one who loved to pull books off of every shelf he could reach. Ah me. Son #1 is loving AP Chemistry. They finished their first lab & he was thrilled. Something about copper atoms in a solution with water & hanging a spiral rod in it & the copper atoms cling, making the spiral rod 'furry.'

Daughter is showing her mother's math inabilities already. Geometry this year. Husband says her problem isn't lack of ability, but the fact that she's already decided she can't do it. Likely he 's correct. Daughter continues to be unnerved by the pregnant girls in school & the nursery. I told her they were regular girls who made bad choices & that Daughter would be fine as long as she doesn't make the same mistakes in judgement. I also reminded her that it's impossible to 'catch' sperm using the water fountain or playing basketball in gym (which she's very good at, BTW).

Son #2 is breezing right along. His express bus ride (he's out of boundary & rides a bus with fewer stops & less children) is roughly 40-45 minutes. Long enough, but shorter than Daughter's ride last year. His teacher is a beanpole from New Zealand, here with VIF I think. Visiting International Faculty company or some such. Used to be a middle school principal. Very nice man. He's made a positive impression on Son #2. Other than that he continues piano lessons, he's working on his fourth & final set of primers. It'll be 'real music' after that. Son is also singing with the formal choir at church. The Schola Cantorum. They love him- which he sucks up like a sponge. Rotten kid.

Husband. Well what can you say about Husband? He's a workaholic, same as always. The Powers that Be continue to pile on teaching duties. He teaches the sibling class, daddy class, Ms to Mom (teenagers) & childbirth classes, plus conducts the OB tours. Those are extra. His regular job is running the antepartum clinic (still preggers but need extra watching) & helping the other nurses by taking their patients so they can surf & play games on the internet.

That's the update. I'm same as always. Homemaker- sits on an office chair all day, eating bon bons & gossiping. Fat & sassy as usual.

Quantum Rose; C. Asaro

I really enjoy Ms. Asaro's writing- a unique combination of hard science fiction & romance. Ms. Asaro has multiple degrees in various types of brain straining sciences & her knowlege is put to use in her writing. She does not write with the usual constraints typical romance genre novels have & as such the reader ought to be aware that there are elements romance readers aren't used to. Unlike Mercedes Lackey's fantasy romances, though, Ms. Asaro's books have strong relationships which are the primary focus. No disrespect to Ms. Lackey, I've read the two 500 Kingdoms romances & my comments are here.

Kamoj Argali is the eighteen year old governor of Argali province on a small agricultural outpost world. Due to the extreme weather & unusual planetary rotation Kamoj must make a political marriage to ensure her people's survival. Betrothed to Jax______ (sorry I don't remember his surname) since her childhood, Kamoj is ready to sacrifice herself (literally) for the survival of her province.

That is until Havyrl Torcelli, known on Kamoj's world as Vryl (pronounced Va-rye, according to the short story in Irresistable Forces) Lionstar arrives & rides amok around Kamoj's province. Basically, due to cultural differences, Vyrl buys Kamoj. He thinks he's offered her dowry, but alas, that's not so. Culturally Kamoj's world has concepts similar to the Asian face. Kamoj realizes almost immediately that while this relationship may be beneficial for her, there are sure to be negative political consequences for her province.

Vyrl is a political pawn in a huge intergalactic game similar to the Cold War, one consequence of which is that he was moved to this planet. Vyrl is also an alcoholic, resulting from an horrific incident in his recent past. He is not, however, a tortured hero. Kamoj helps him get on (& stay on) the wagon. Like Kamoj, Vyrl has obligations to his homeworld & to his family that he cannot set aside, no matter the price he must pay.

How Kamoj & Vyrl overcome their cultural differences & the political problems weave an interesting story. There are several scenes (all involving Jax) that are likely to set your teeth on edge. Since this is my first book by Asaro I wasn't quite sure of what I was in for when reading this & I was unprepared for some of what happens.
There is the expected HEA, though. Never fear.

Different, exciting, set your teeth on edge romantic adventure. Might help to be familiar with Asaro's world, but I read it without prior knowlege & had no problems.

Edited: I misspelled Vyrl's name in the original post, which I have now corrected.

Is this really the 21st Century?

Go & read this article. Are we all living in the 21st century? Can we agree that trussing your adult daughter like a Thanksgiving turkey & attempting to drive her over state lines because you dislike her choice of boyfriends & you're determined no daughter of yours will have a black man's child (my interpretation of events, based on the article) is way over the top? Can you say overcontrolling racist parents?

No matter what you or I may think of multiracial relationships, early parenthood or abortion this whole scenario is wrong. The fact that they found Pamela Smart's lawyer to defend them is just...I don't know. Obscene. He claims no crime was committed. This whole situation is disgusting.

Even if you give the parents the benefit of the doubt, which I don't, the fact that her dad was buying a replacement cell phone & the daughter called from the next store over- hysterical. As I'm sure I would have been too.

Ok. I'm outta here. Blogger has a scheduled outage coming in a coupla minutes & I'm too angry to think straight.

Bewitched; H. Cullman

This one is corny. Sorry. Can't help it. By turns, Bewitched is truly corny & horrifying. Emotionally this story rings true for a particular aspect of Emily & Michael's relationship, but the rest of it? Not working.

Emily has scared away three suitors because she was cursed. Yes, that's right. All marriageable men in Boston Massachusetts circa 1828 were superstitious idiots who turned down a well bred young lady because she was cursed. Emily is otherwise a capable, intelligent & compassionate young woman. Upon the death of her father she sails to England to be married off by her grandmother- perhaps curses can't follow you across the ocean, you see.

Meantime, Michael was the darling of the Ton until he suffered from seizures after coming into contact with a child suffering from measles. Decididng that he was insane/contagious/disgusting his family whisks him from sight, has him declared his grandmother's ward due to mental illness, strips him of his duties & responsibilities & consigns him to a 'state of the art' mental hospital for the hoity toity. That he survived is miraculous.

The two grandmothers have been best buddies forever. They cook up a scheme whereby they force Emily & Michael to marry. Emily & Michael agree under varying degrees of duress. Carefully over time the two reach out to each other & love & respect grow. Eventually they become a couple.

My issues with this novel are twofold- Michael's treatments are gruesome & horrifying & Emily's superstitions are ridiculous. It is immediately clear that the treatments are what's killing him. Culllman is accurate, historically. I found the passages describing Michaels's treaments very difficult to endure & they dropped me right out of the story. When you find yourself researching historical medical treatments & calling your Husband (a nurse) while he is at work to discuss the details of measles & said God Awful, stomach churning 'treatments' you as a romance reader realize that this is simply not working for you.

Superstitions. Where does one begin? I found her beliefs simply over the top & too much to cope with. Druidism & the fey & superstitions would have been enough by themselves- on top of Michael's illness & treatments? Didn't work for me. That's it in a nutshell. Emily otherwise was a great heroine. Loves Michael, does her best to ensure his health, etc. Michael manages to respect her beliefs despite the fact that he disagrees with her & he cooks up a way to help her overcome her convictions. Or at least this one.

It's too bad really. Emotionally Emily & Michael connect in a deep & long lasting way. They provide for each other emotionally, they respect each other & try to see the world from the other person's POV. The familial relationships were well done & believable. Unfortunately the depictions of Michael's treatments & Emily's beliefs really dropped me out of the story. I've another Cullman novel- Stronger Than Magic in my TBR, although I understand there is a forced sex scene, sooo...We'll see.

I wasn't chosen for the final jury pool. For which I'm grateful. It was (is) an issue of contract law also involving some type of arbitration which the plaintiffs brought a lawsuit over. I find it ironic that I was one of the few jurors who didn't protest over lack of childcare, getting behind at work, etc. but they let me go. Ah, well. I think the lawyers thought a homemaker who has been out of the workforce for a long time couldn't possibly understand contract law. I've already served once on a federal jury, so I've done my civic duty.

St. Raven; Jo Beverley

I can't finish it. I think the heroine is a prudish hypocrite. DNF

Jury Duty

Another drive by quickie. I've jury duty this morning & am on my way out the door. I just wanted to to say, "Hi. G'morning. How was your weekend?" etc. I plan to post again later today.

I had my first Jo Beverley DNF this weekend. I read my first Heather Cullman historical romance this weekend. I read my first Catherine Asaro this weekend. All of which are worthy topics of discussion.

Chat more later!

AAR 2004 Top 100

By AAR's estimation 41% of the titles are not historical fiction or time travel- so my numbers are skewed since I only read historical romances & paranormals within the romance genre. Of the historicals & time travels on their list, I discovered the following:

Titles in my TBR:

1.Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

2.Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale

3.Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

4.Winter Garden by Adele Ashworth

5.Thunder & Roses by MJP

6.For My Lady's Heart by Laura Kinsale

7.Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

8.Mrs.Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly

Titles on my Keeper Shelves:


1.Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh

2.Whitney My Love by Judith McNaught

3.Shattered Roses by MJP

4.The Duke & I by Julia Quinn

5.This is All I Ask by Lynn Kurland

6.Son of the Morning by Linda Howard

7.One Good Turn by Carla Kelly


TItles I've Read & Traded:

1.Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens

2.The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

3.Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee Guhrke

4.Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I read their analysis & I noticed several other things. Authors I've read, but not titles AAR lists: S. Brockmann & N. Roberts. Authors who made my DNF list or whose work I've read but disliked : J. Ivory, J. Garwood & J. Deveraux. Authors who are in my TBR, but not titles listed: G. Heyer, C. Brockway, J. Quinn & L. Chase. Most intriguing of all, the following authors were nominated for so many different tiles, not a single one made it onto the list: Jo Beverley, 63 votes for 20 titles; Anne Stuart, 43 votes for 23 titles; Joan Wolf 43 votes for 22 titles; Elizabeth Lowell, 39 votes for 20 titles; Joanna Lindsey, 35 votes for 6 titles & Liz Carlyle, 32 votes for 7 titles. Of that last list, I have at least one title by each author, except L. Carlyle, on my keeper shelves.

Theodora; S. Blayne

Theodora, written by Sara Blayne & published by Zebra in 1996 had quite a few odd things going on and yet it worked. I liked Theodora despite its oddities. A backhanded compliment to be sure.

Theodora is an herbalist & self proclaimed white witch living in a village on the moors of England. One night she & Caleb Dameron, Earl of Styles, meet on a lonely track. He is out riding hell for leather after imbibing too much & she is gathering herbs under the full moon because the herbs are most potent then. After deflowering Theodora in a field, he convinces her to marry him.

So much of this book should have made it a wallbanger. The problems: language is on the florid side; they discuss catsup, karma, mediums & auras too early during this time period for my comfort; the oddity of Theodora's scientific mode of thinking & speech vs. her self proclaimed 'white witch' status & belief in spiritualism; among other things

There are just as many pluses though. Theodora is in her mid twenties & is thus much more of her own person & better able to hold her own with Styles than a younger woman would have been able to. She & Styles communicate quite well for two people who were strangers when they wed. Styles is remarkably considerate of & attentive to Theodora. Definitely an alpha & yet not overdone either. What else? The gothic tinged mystery the book revolves around: who is intent on murdering the Earl & Countess of Styles & why?

I really like it & I bought two more of Blayne's books from the UBS. I ignored the niggling little voices in my head & plowed ahead. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it. Keeping it for now. We'll see later on in the year how shelf space runs. I found a website, but it doesn't appear to have been updated recently.

Fool in Love; E. James

Written by Eloisa James & published by Avon in 2003. The second in a connected, yet stand alone series. Also features Esme Rawlings, one of the three friends from the first book. Not nearly as funny as the first, but just as good.

Simon Darby, heir to Esme's late husband Miles' estate, has traveled out to Wiltshire to see her. He is convinced she is passing off her pregnancy as Miles' child when all of society knows she & Miles had been separated for years. While there he meets his destiny.

Like all good romances there are obstacles in the way. I appreciated the fact that the heroine, Henrietta MacLellan, has grown up with a certain postition in the village & is thus stuck both socially & mentally in a role that does not suit her. Simon manages to free her in the end, but how this is acheived is central to their relationship & so I won't reveal it here. Simon & Esme manage to come to an understanding regarding the pregnancy. As in the first book, this is treated with much emotional realism, although Esme is still enciente at the end, so we don't know exactly how this will be definitively wrapped up.

Simon & Henrietta are well matched despite the difficulties they face. I enjoyed watching them grow together & individually over the course of the story. Esme too grows signifigantly & I am keenly interested to see whether or not her story end happily. For that I shall have to wait until the I can find the next one.

Irresistable Forces; ed. C. Asaro

This is a short story anthology edited by Catherine Asaro, published in 2006 by Signet. There are 6 short stories, 3 by romance authors & 3 by sci/fi or fantasy authors. I was most impressed by the Lois McMaster Bujold story, of Miles & Ekaterin's wedding & of an interesting romance between a human & a bioengineered human. It's unnecessary to read the Miles saga ahead of time, but you may be left trying to glom her other Miles books.

I am totally blown away by Jo Beverley's sci fi based romance though. I've always liked her romances, but this one left me wishing she'd write some sci fi stuff too. An earth colony is under attack from a mysterious entity that reduces mammals & humans to ashes. Certain people residing on the planet have mental powers to destroy these beings, but only at great cost. Thus ensues a wonderful story about the limitations of power: political, personal, media & the morality of use of power. Loss, grieving, how war changes both the soldier & those left behind. What price do we all pay? Fascinating & wonderful stuff happening here.

There are also pieces here by: MJP, Catherine Asaro, Deb Stover & Jennifer Roberson. All of which were good, but none caught my attention as thoroughly as the two mentioned above.

Quickie

I'm two thirds of the way done with Fool for Love which is next in line in this series by Eloisa James. I also finished Irresistable Forces edited by Catherine Asaro. Both of which I'll discusss tomorrow, I'm currently in the library waiting for my boys to finish up some projects.

I FINALLY went for another walk. It has been two weeks, easily, since I last walked. It was cool & silent this morning. Only 62 & pearly grey. Quiet enough to hear the squirrels jump & play among the leaves.

I found a few books on the reader exchange tables- Lois McMaster Bujold, 1st in the Miles saga; Sharon Shinn, not the angel series; Catherine Asaro's Quantum Rose, which I've avoided due to the horrid cover (shallow of me I agree) &..a couple of others I can't remember right now. I love the exchange table- borrow a few & return whenever you're done. All on the honor system. Very easy on the budget & great for trying out new authors.

2 More

Faery Magic

An anthology published by Zebra in 1998, Faery Magic has shorts written by MJP, Jo Beverley, Barbara Samuel & Karen Harbaugh. The MJP features a lonely faery who turns all stalkerish-er, sorry. Falls in love with a mortal maid & manipulates her into owing him a favor. Fortunately, there is an Indian fairy who protects the maid for reasons revealed at the end. The JB ties faery & human well being to the land via a certain family. The faeries have no compulsion against manipulating two young humans to acheive their ends. The human side of the story is a couple who grew up together & then were separated due to the War only to be reunited in London during the season. The BS story is a unique combination of Rapunzel & Beauty & the Beast. This one is my second favorite. The Karen Harbaugh story's hero is Galen, a bad boy rake of a fairy who finally pisses off his Queen. Her punishment? He must remain between Worlds alone until he repents & reforms his outlook & behavior. Ok, so Galen is a little hardheaded & it takes nearly 300 (!!!!) years before he changes. Moira, his beloved, is desperate to save her cousin from a wasting sickness & goes to Galen's tree to beg his help. Using her grandmother's charms & Galen's true name (which compels him to assist her), they work together to save Blanche. This one is my favorite.

Duchess in Love

Written by Eloisa James, first in a connected trio (I think). Due to external manipulation, Ambrogina & Camden are forced into marriage when they are 11 & 18 respectively. Camden runs away to Greece as soon as the ceremony is over. Cut to 12 years later. Gina, lonely, has fallen in love with a man who most resembles that which she thinks she wants- sturdy, family oriented respectability, a man who is everything a proper English gentleman ought to be. Thus Gina has written to Cam begging him to return to England & annul their marriage. Such as it has been. Cam has avoided his duties all these years & is slow to realize just how heavy the burdens have been on Gina. However, having grown up with her Cam knows her quite well despite the intervening years & he immediately sees that the man Gina chose is wrong for her.

Stir in a crowded, bed hoppping lengthy houseparty, a mysterious tutor (really, what woman needs to know about Machiavelli anyway?!), a scheming lawyer & his clark & lust all 'round & there you have DIL. I really like James' depiction of the friendship among a few of the women. Another strong point is her treatment of a relationship that soured & how the three adults involved attempted to resolve their problems, only to have it all end in tragedy. Even so, DIL reminded me quite a lot of the laugh out loud, mind boggling twists & turns in PG Wodehouse's houseparty-set books. Which didn't surprise me given James' background as a scholar. As is always the case, love wins in the end & all's well that ends well (eventually).

3 Books

I'm on a roll! Three in a row- LOL. Pathetic but true I'm afraid. Byzantium, Dark Celebration & Lover Awakened. Despite two of them being vamipre romances, they were all quite different.

Byzantium is a fictionalized account of St. Aiden. Set in the ancient world empires of the late 9th century, this book is an epic saga of a man of faith who is a monk, a slave, a spy, a friend and at the last- a mature & thoughtful man. I did grow weary of his unending rage at God though. You see, God didn't do what Aiden thought God really ought to do & thus Aiden spends quite a lot of the book railing against God. The potential wife turns him down because Aidan's faith turned to rage & I was very impressed when she ended their engagement because of that. I can always admire a woman of principal. Not until the very end does Aiden finally realize the lessons he was set to learn. I felt as though Lawhead (the author) tacked it on at the last moment. Still, Byzantium was well worth my time & I enjoyed it tremendously.

Dark Celebration is a reunion book. All of the couples from Feehan's previous Carpathian novels & short stories are present. Set over the course of one day & in the Carpathian Mts. the couples have gathered together to celebrate Christmas & the impending birth of another infant. Who turns out to be male. I wonder if Feehan realized the symbolism of a male infant born during Christmastide? Anyhow- this book managed to portray all of the characters in a warm light- even the ones I didn't really like the first time around. I recommend it if you've enjoyed most of the series. Newbies may get lost though.

Lover Awakened. What can one say? I love tormented heroes & this one's a doozy. The heroine too has been through her fair share of shit, but she comes out the other end stronger & wiser, unlike other damaged heroines who can't heal themselves without a man. Er. Sorry. I'll rant later. If you like your vamps strong, the sex hot & a fantastic grovel with a helping of true transformation at the end you'll like this one. It's unnecessary to read them all or in order, although you may end up glomming the other three as soon as you're finished with this one. L.A. reminded me of a Regency I read a while ago where the hero manages to dry himself up to earn the love of his heroine. Can't remember the title or author of this one unfortunately. It was good. Had Rake in the title. Cover was red & the writing was gold & curlicued. I'm a bookseller's nightmare, I swear. :)

Have a wonderful weekend all- much reading & sunshine & good thoughts to all!

Yesterday's back to school celebration was cut short due to torrential rainfall, school buses that wouldn't start & thus were an hour + late &, well, you understand I'm sure. Yesterday was also our 19th anniversary & Husband cooked us a YUMMY peppercorn crusted steak, pilaf & broccoli au gratin dinner topped off with fresh strawberries & melted chocolate. In bed. Needless to say- it was quite a day.

Today has been clear & sunny & the buses were on time (thank heavens). Husband is off & woke up at dawn's early light to get the coffee & showers started. Today has been much better.

I finished Byzantium this morning. I'll post my thoughts tomorrow. My preorder from Amazon arrived this afternoon. The new Feehan & Ward books were in the box. I think the Liz Curtis Higgs I borrowed from the library will have to wait now. Also- it is a retelling of the Esau story from the Bible & I'munsure how much I like that idea. So I think Feehan is next than Ward & then the LCH.

Honeymoon's Over

Back to real life. A king sized bed is bliss (our room at home is just big enough for our queen). Plenty of room to sprawl, but the pillows were awful. Too few, too lumpy. An unending supply of luscious scalding hot water. Heat lamps in the bath.

I love to visit my in laws. My MIL is a great cook & loves to cook up a storm whenever the kids are in town. Yesterday was beef stew. Today was fried chicken & macaroni salad. Chocolate pie & ice cream.

Ok- a dose of humble pie. I'm using my FIL's 'puter & it has a clip-on gooseneck lamp on the shelf above. I clicked the knob several times, changed the bulb, checked the plug. No dice. Then MIL speaks up & says, "Try turning the knob the other way." I am such a genius I swear. Everything works fine now. *bows* Thank you very much.

All of our little kinfolk are cute as little buttons. The niece is busy as a bee & has a similar attention span. The two nephews keep Sister hopping. Nephew #1 is beginning Kindergarden Tuesday & has decided school isn't for him. Nephew #2 has learned to stand on his own for a few seconds. I foresee sibling rivalry rearing its head soon.

My own tribe resumes Tuesday. Just in time too. Summer is about a week or ten days too long some years. Son #1 is a senior. Daughter is a freshman. Son #2 is in 5th grade. Tentatively Husband & Son #1 plan to visit some campuses in New England in October. We'll see how the schedule falls. Last year Son #1 wanted to stay in state, so we didn't visit any campuses. Now that he's more open to fledging a little farther we're behind the curve.

I hope your weekend was relaxing. I hope you read lots & lots. I hope the books were worth your time.

Ernesto Washout

Ernesto was a weakling in our area- light yet steady rain mildly complicated by gusty winds. Isabella a couple of years ago was no joke. Ernesto was irritating, but nothing else.

Friday night the whole gang hunkered in the house. I made stroganoff & we watched Silent Hill & had popcorn. Saturday morning & all was well other than a few good sized downed branches & leaves everywhere. The secondary road artery in our area had several traffic lights out due to fallen power lines. Let us say simply that the police & the dept. of transportation were less than effective in helping traffic through the aftereffects.

We are currently visiting the grandparents- one set has power but no phone the other set has phone but no power (later remedied after we arrived). So I thought I'd stop in quick & say hey to any of you regulars left who still stop by.

Thanks to Husband's parents we have been blessed with a child free night in a nearby hotel- a totally unexpected & therefore very welcome anniversary gift. Props to G'ma & G'pa! SO. Er. We're off to reenact the Honeymoon.

Happy Weekend to all!!!