Strange Brew edited by PN Elrod

Paperback, 372 pages
Published July 7th 2009 by St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 0312383363 (ISBN13: 9780312383367)
Primary Language: English
Source: Purchased






The Blurb (www.goodreads.com)

Today’s hottest urban fantasy authors come together in this delicious brew that crackles and boils over with tales of powerful witches and dark magic!
In Charlaine Harris’ “Bacon,” a beautiful vampire joins forces with a witch from an ancient line to find out who killed her beloved husband. In “Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs, a blind witch helps sexy werewolf Tom Franklin find his missing brother—and helps him in more ways than either of them ever suspected. And in Jim Butcher’s “Last Call,” wizard Harry Dresden takes on the darkest of dark powers—the ones who dare to mess with this favorite beer.
For anyone who’s ever wondered what lies beyond the limits of reality, who’s imagined the secret spaces where witches wield fearsome magic, come and drink deep. Let yourself fall under the spell of this bewitching collection!

This anthology contains nine stories as follows:
Seeing Eye by Patricia Briggs
Last Cal by Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files #10.4)
Death Warmed Over by Rachel Caine
Vegas Odds by Karen Chance
Hecate’s Golden Eye by P.N. Elrod
Bacon by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #9.1)
Signatures of the Dead by Faith Hunter
Ginger: A Nocturne City Story by Caitlin Kittredge
Dark Sins by Jenna Maclaine (Cin Craven #1.5)

To be completely honest, I picked up this anthology just for the Dresden Files story. It was a lot of fun, too. But then I read the other stories, and found a couple of new authors that I enjoy. The Jenna Maclaine story was great, and makes me want to go out and try the other Cin Craven novels. The Charlaine Harris novel claims to be a Sookie Stackhouse story, but isn't. It takes place in that world, but there are no cross-over characters. It was really nice to see what's going on outside of Louisiana in that world. Actually, I liked all of these stories. I don't want to go in to each one, because that will be more than anyone wants to read in a blog. Just take it from me, this is a great anthology.

And this marks my first book for the "Off the Shelf" Challenge. I started reading it last year, but I finished it this year, so it counts. 1 down, 14 to go!

Alcatraz vs The Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson

Hardcover, 304 pages
Published December 1st 2010 by Scholastic Press
ISBN: 0439925576 (ISBN13: 9780439925570)
Primary Language: English
Source: Purchased




The Blurb (www.goodreads.com)

Alcatraz Smedry is on a mission to save the day! In his final adventure in the series by bestselling adult fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson, Alcatraz has a lot to prove and, as always, little time in which to do it!

Oh, Alcatraz, how I love thee. Let me count the ways...

What? You don't like that I quoted Shakespeare? Why not? There's a whole chapter in this book where all dialogue is a quote from Hamlet. (That would be Chapter Act V Scene III.) I thought it would be appropriate to get into the mood.

Maybe I should get back to actually reviewing the book. Alcatraz 4 picks up in the middle of Alcatraz getting a lesson on exploding Teddy Bears from Bastille. In true Alcatraz fashion, this of course leads to Alcatraz getting into some trouble. After a lot of crazy antics, and quite a few amusing anecdotes, he manages to get out of it. Most of it, anyway.

This installment in the Alcatraz series adds quite a bit to the background story, namely, information regarding the Talents and the relationship between his parents. We finally get to witness the Librarian armies in action. And characters we know and love get hurt (but not from an exploding Teddy Bear).

I love Sanderson's writing style in these books. He manages to poke fun at just about everything. There's a point where Sanderson brings in his personal rivalry with fellow author John Scalzi, and he even manages a hat tip to his Wheel of Time fans. I honestly love these books. They're non-stop silly fun, and definitely not just for kids.

Reading Meme Day 03

Reading Meme Day 03: Your Favorite Recent Book

This one is a tough one. There have been quite a few books that have come out in recent months, and quite a few that I've been so excited about that I had to go out and buy it on release day.

The question is, what counts as recent? I'm going to go with 6 months.

What books have come out in the last six months? Quite a few. But which one to pick? Do I pick the latest installment of The Wheel of Time, Towers of Midnight, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson? Or do I pick the first book in what is sure to be a top-notch fantasy series, like The Black Prism, by Brent Weeks or The Way of Kings, also by Brandon Sanderson? (Seriously, the man writes more than is humanly possible. I'm convinced he's part machine.)

The more I think about it, the more I can't make a decision. All three of the aforementioned books were fantastic, and I've already read each of them twice. So that's what I'm going with. Yep. (*Note: All blurbs and images from www.goodreads.com)

The Way of Kings:




Speak again the ancient oaths,
Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.
and return to men the Shards they once bore.
The Knights Radiant must stand again.





The Black Prism:




Gavin Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. But Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live: Five years to achieve five impossible goals.







Towers of Midnight:





The Last Battle has started. The seals on the Dark One’s prison are crumbling. The Pattern itself is unraveling, and the armies of the Shadow have begun to boil out of the Blight.

The sun has begun to set upon the Third Age.

My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent

Paperback, 343 pages

Published January 4th 2011 by Harlequin

ISBN: 0373210272 (ISBN13: 9780373210275)

Primary Language: English

Soul Screamers #4

Source: Purchased

The Blurb (www.goodreads.com):

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can't just pretend nothing happened. But "complicated" doesn't even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn't just an ordinary girl. She's a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people's fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn't above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

My Soul to Steal begins about 2 weeks after the end of My Soul to Take, with the high school coming back from Christmas vacation and dealing with the deaths and rumors of the events just prior to the school break. Kaylee hasn’t even spoken to Nash in all that time, and the first time she sees him, his creepy, socially inept ex-girlfriend shows up.

The whole story is very teen angst-ridden, and I usually get annoyed by that. I did while reading this book, too, but it turns out there is a plot-driven reason for all the angst, so I can forgive. And when the whole story is wrapped up in the end, I found myself sad that it was over. I really enjoyed this installment, overall. And I really liked Sabine, even if she was angry and belligerent.

I want to make a small comment on the cover art. The first 3 books were very ethereal, with a girl lost in a haze of color, and it was something I rather liked. It was, in fact, part of why I picked up the series in the first place. And now, this book comes along and we have a girl wrapped in some guys arms, with a much greater focus than on previous covers, I don’t think it fits this book. The first three books focus on Kaylee needing Nash to keep her grounded, and when we finally get a book where Kaylee can pretty much take care of herself and she realizes that she doesn’t need Nash, the cover shows her wrapped up in him. I know it’s nit-picky, but I don’t like it.

Reading Meme Day 02

Reading Meme Day 02: A Book You Wish More People Had Read





















The Blurb (www.goodreads.com)

This book is the magical epic of King Arthur and his shining Camelot; of Merlin and Owl and Guinevere; of beasts who talk and men who fly, of wizardry and war. It is the book of all things lost and wonderful and sad.

You remember that Disney movie, "The Sword in the Stone"? You remember how crazy it was, with a talking owl and a kid turning into a squirrel and a crazy wizard that talks too much? What most people don't know is that movie was based on this book, and when I say based on, I mean it copied the story almost exactly. What's more, that movie only covered the first part of this book, which goes on to become one of the most amazing tellings of King Arthur and his knights that I've ever read. And I really wish more people had heard of it.

In the News...

Amazon is a thief!

http://www.statesman.com/business/amazon-sues-texas-demands-tax-documents-1196837.html

Okay, maybe not a thief, but whether you love the online retailer or hate them, you can't deny that they are a force to be reckoned with. Personally, I'm not a fan, but I do business with them because it is convenient. I know this is sad. But there you go.

Now, the law states that online retailers must collect sales tax in certain states, including Texas. Logic says that Amazon should therefore be collecting sales tax in Texas. But they don't. This is a violation of the law. But Amazon is apparently above the law, as is evidenced by their unethical business practices in recent years*. So Texas has sent them a bill for uncollected sales tax, which I think is right and proper.

Amazon's response is, of course, to sue the state of Texas. As ridiculous as this sounds, and as much as I dislike Amazon, I have to agree with them on this. Texas is refusing to disclose the paperwork that led to the tax bill. I believe everyone is entitled to an itemized bill, and I don't agree with the state of Texas' argument that since an attorney prepared the paperwork that it is subject to attorney-client privilege. It's just silly to say that every piece of paper touched by an attorney is protected. If that were true, no trial in the country would be public. No court decision. If the President of the United States were a licensed attorney, no bill signed would be public. See? Silly.

So man up, Texas. Show your hand, and take Amazon to task for their blatant disregard for the law.

*Don't know what I'm talking about? Look up the various instances of Amazon deleting material off Kindle Devices without consent or notice, and their strong arm tactics when dealing with publishers.

Challenge!!

Some blogger friends of mine have recently discovered a new reading challenge, and being the lemming that I am, I'm following in line.

Bookish Ardour's Reading Challenges is hosting a challenge with one goal in mind: Read all those books on your bookshelf that you haven't read yet, rather than running out to the bookstore to buy the shiny new ones. They offer several levels of challenge, and I'm having trouble deciding what level to take on (From their website):

Challenge Levels

1. Tempted– Choose 5 books to read
2. Trying – Choose 15 books to read
3. Making A Dint – Choose 30 books to read
4. On A Roll – Choose 50 books to read
5. Flying Off – Choose 75 books to read

Here's my thinking: I currently have 19 books on my shelf, 3 Audiobooks on CD, countless eBooks on my Kindle, and quite a few audiobooks from audible just calling my name. Of the books on my shelf, 14 are actually mine, the other 5 are books my roommate gave me with orders to read them or suffer a long painful death. And there are SO MANY good books coming out this year!

So I think I'll choose Level 2: Trying. With as many books as I plan on reading, I should be able to read 15 I already own, right? Especially if I can count the eBooks and Audiobooks in the challenge.

Oh, and don't worry. I'll review every book I read, even if they are decades old and smell a little funny.

Wish me luck!

Reading Meme Day 01

Reading Meme Day 01: Your favorite series of books (with more than 3 in the series)

There are quite a few book series that I am currently reading and/or that I have read and enjoyed a great deal in the past. As such, it’s very difficult for me to pick one. So, I’ve picked the one that has affected my life the most:

The Blurb (www.goodreads.com)

The Wheel of Times turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, and Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

Something about this series stuck with me when I started reading it my freshman year of college. My roommate suggested it to me, saying, “I liked the first one, then it got to weird, but I think it’s perfect for you!” So I picked up the Eye of the World, and I was half-way through it when I went out and bought all the others that were out at the time in paperback (book 8, I think). Then, when I had finished reading what was available, I went online in search of like minded people to talk to about them, and I joined a Yahoo Group. There, I made some of the best friends I’ve ever had. Then, because I couldn’t stop talking about them, I got some of my real-life friends hooked, too.

Reading Memes

Recently, some blogger friends (and probably other bloggers who aren't my friends, by which I only mean I don't know them) participated in a "Reading Meme" activity. I don't know where it came from, or even what it's really called, but I like the idea, so I'm going to do it, too. Yay, peer pressure! For perfect examples of the Reading Memes, you can check out:

http://waitingforfairies.com

http://onapalestar.wordpress.com

So for 30 days, I will post a "Reading Meme", as listed below. But, knowing me, I won't be posting them every day, so it will most likely last longer than 30 days. Enjoy!

Day 01 – Your favourite series of books (with more than 3 in the series)

Day 02 – A book that you wish more people had read

Day 03 – Your favorite recent book

Day 04 – Your favorite book ever

Day 05 – A book you hate

Day 06 – Your favourite writer

Day 07 – A writer you don’t like

Day 08 – Your favourite work in translation

Day 09 – Best scene ever

Day 10 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving

Day 11 – A book that disappointed you

Day 12 – An book you’ve read more than twice

Day 13 – Favorite childhood book

Day 14 – Favorite male character

Day 15 – Favorite female character

Day 16 – Your guilty pleasure book

Day 17 – Favorite trilogy or tetralogy

Day 18 – Favorite book cover

Day 19 – Best ensemble of characters in a book

Day 20 – Favorite kiss or love scene

Day 21 – Favorite fictional romantic relationship

Day 22 – Favorite ending/climax

Day 23 – Most annoying character

Day 24 – Best quote

Day 25 – A book you plan on reading

Day 26 – OMG WTF? plot

Day 27 – Favourite non-mainstream writer

Day 28 – First book obsession

Day 29 – Current book obsession

Day 30 – Saddest character death

Talking to Dragons

Paperback

255 pages

Published March 1st 2003 by Magic Carpet Books (first published 1985)

ISBN: 0152046917 (ISBN13: 9780152046910)

Primary Language: English

Source: Borrowed from a friend

The Blurb (www.goodreads.com)

One day, Daystar's mom, Cimorene, hands him a magic sword and kicks him out of the house. Daystar doesn't know what he is supposed to do with the magic sword, but knowing Cimorene, he's sure it must involve a dragon or two!

The story opens with Daystar living in a cottage on the edge of the Enchanted Forrest with his mother and leading a quiet existence of chopping firewood and lessons. One day, an angry wizard shows up out of nowhere, and his mother melts him. This comes as quite a shock to Daystar, who had no idea his mother knew any magic at all. His confusion deepens when she refuses to talk about it.

The next day, Daystar comes out of his house to find his mother walking out of the Enchanted Forest carrying a sword he’d never seen before. She gives him the sword, and without so much as a tearful goodbye, sends him into the forest with the sword to prove himself.

He immediately gets lost, runs into a talking lizard, a temperamental fire-witch who can’t control her magic, and an underage dragon. They stumble through the forest, eventually meeting faces we know from previous books and are fumbled through the end of the quest.

This is the first book in the series told in the first person, which is jarring. The narrative is jumpy and from the very first there were little things that just didn’t sit well in my head. Daystar learns little bits and pieces about his origin from the people he meets and almost every bit he learns is different from what we know to be true from previous books. In the beginning, Antorell the wizard is referred to not as the son of the Head Wizard, but the son of Zemenar, but in previous books, that was one and same person. That’s just one example of the many instances of what I considered mistakes. Even some of the characters were so far out of character I didn’t think they were the same people.

I was very disappointed in this, the last installment in the series. I was so disappointed in the congruency errors, that when I finished reading the story, I looked up the publishing dates, thinking this one had to have been written years after the first. A long period of time was the only possible reason for so many mistakes. I was surprised to find that the fourth book was written 6 years BEFORE the first three! That would certainly explain all the errors. I really liked this series, but the last was definitely my least favorite of the four.

Calling on Dragons

Paperback

244 pages

Published March 1st 2003 by Magic Carpet Books (first published 1993)

ISBN: 0152046925 (ISBN13: 9780152046927)

Primary Language: English

Source: Borrowed from a friend

The Blurb (www.goodreads.com)

Those wicked wizards are back - and they've become very smart. (Sort of.) They intend to take over the Enchanted Forest once and for all… unless Cimorene finds a way to stop them. And some people think being Queen is easy.

The story opens with Morwen being tormented by a man that insists that as witch, she needs to conform to the traditional witchy stereotypes for the health and well-being of everyone. Morwen is not a traditional witch. She’s young, has red hair, wears stylish glasses, walks without a stoop and doesn’t have a black cat. She instead, has 9 non-black cats, and they all have a lot to say regarding just about everything. And if dealing with that weren’t enough, a hungry six-foot tall rabbit named Killer appears in her garden, who promptly turns into a hungry six-foot tall donkey. And then he turns blue. Anything this inconvenient must be thanks to the wizards hanging around again.

Fourteen months has passed since the end of Searching for Dragons, and Cimorene and Mendanbar have settled happily into their married lives and are expecting a baby. But being who they are, they are excited to see Morwen and Telemain arrive with stories of rogue wizards and the chance to go on another adventure. Unfortunately, just when they think it will be an easy fix, they discover Mendenbar’s sword is missing, making adventuring difficult.

I enjoyed most of this story, with one exception. The adventuring and new friends they meet on the way were exactly as expected from reading the previous two books, and the twisted fairy tale humor was also prevalent (Rachel! Rachel! Send down your chair!). However, I was disappointed in the ending. It wasn’t that this story ended on a cliffhanger (cause it does), it was more that the discovery of who stole the sword and why just didn’t fit.

Overall, I still enjoyed to story though, and like the first two, I finished it in just a few hours. I highly recommend these books, and appreciate my friend giving me a chance to read them in the first place.

Searching for Dragons

Paperback

272 pages

Published November 1st 2002 by Magic Carpet Books (first published 1991)

ISBN: 0152045651 (ISBN13: 9780152045654)

Primary Language: English

Source: Borrowed from a friend

The Blurb (www.goodreads.com)

Cimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper, meets her match in the not-quite-kingly Mendanbar. With the aid of a broken-down magic carpet and a leaky magical sword, the two tackle a series of dragon-nappings.

The story opens with Mendanbar, the King of the Enchanted Forrest becoming more and more disenchanted with being told to be more kingly. In an effort to get away from all the pressing formality of kingliness, he goes for a walk with his magic sword, the symbol of his office. While out and about he discovers a portion of his forest has become a scorched wasteland. Following a mysterious visit from the Head Wizard, he decides to ask Kazul, the King of the Dragons for assistance.

With Kazul’s promotion to King of the Dragons, Cimorene has been promoted from “captive princess” to “Head Cook and Librarian”. While this has helped cut down on the number of knights and princes determined to rescue her (but only a little), it hasn’t really changed her life all that much. She still spends her days cleaning organizing, and of course, cooking large quantities of cherries jubilee.

Unfortunately, when Mendanbar comes knocking on her door, Kazul is missing. Together, they decide to go in search of Kazul. Along the way, they make some new friends, discover new things, and manage to melt a few wizards along the way.

I enjoyed the second volume just as much as the first. I loved Telemain, the magician researcher with trouble translating his technobabble for the rest of the world, mostly because I feel his pain. When you spend all your time engrossed in a subject over most peoples heads, it’s sometimes hard to remember the rest of the world doesn’t speak the same language. And of course, watching the King of the Enchanted Forest find a princess that wasn’t as silly as every other princess he’d ever met was a lot fun, too.

Dealing with Dragons

Paperback

272 pages

Published November 1st 2002 by Magic Carpet Books (first published 1991)

ISBN: 0152045651 (ISBN13: 9780152045654)

Primary Language: English

Source: Borrowed from a friend

The Blurb (www.goodreads.com)

Cimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart…

And bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon… And finds the family and excitement she's been looking for.

The story opens with Cimorene growing up in a palace with her princess sisters. They are taught to be “proper princesses”, something Cimorene was never really interested in. She didn’t care about the proper way to speak to a prince come to rescue her from an enchantment or the correct volume for screaming when being carried off by a giant. She instead sneaked out to learn swordplay, magic, and Latin. Every time her parents, the King and Queen found out about her latest endeavor, she was called into the throne room and told to stop, because “it just isn’t done.”

When she was 16, she had finally had enough of being told what wasn’t proper, so she ran to the nearby Mountains of Morning and volunteered to become a dragon’s captive princess.

There, she spends most of her time cleaning and organizing dragon treasure, studying Latin texts, learning magic, and cooking large quantities of cherries jubilee. Oh, and convincing the many knights and princes that arrive to rescue her that she really doesn’t need rescuing, thank you very much. And, being the unconventional princess that she is, she and engages in many improper activities such as melting wizards, befriending witches, giving orders, uncovering a wizard plot and generally refusing to be the proper damsel in distress every princess is born to be.

I wish I had discovered this series when I was a kid. I would have loved it back then. I love it now. It’s the perfect story for any girl who is unsatisfied with the status quo in literature, not only showing a strong capable girl who can take care of herself, but also poking fun at all the typical fairy tale themes that show the boys having all the fun. I read the whole thing in a couple of hours, and immediately picked up the next one. I will probably be buying copies of the set for myself to read again.

The Broken Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Orbit; 1 edition (November 3, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316043966
• ISBN-13: 978-0316043960

Note: There will be spoilers for the first book, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

The blurb (from www.goodreads.com)

In the city of Shadow, beneath the World Tree, alleyways shimmer with magic and godlings live hidden among mortalkind. Oree Shoth, a blind artist, takes in a strange homeless man on an impulse. This act of kindness engulfs Oree in a nightmarish conspiracy. Someone, somehow, is murdering godlings, leaving their desecrated bodies all over the city. And Oree's guest is at the heart of it.

The Broken Kingdoms is the second installment in The Inheritance Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin, and I have to say, it might be better than the first. I was immediately drawn into the world of Shadow, what once was Sky. The godlings have returned and Bright Itempas is missing. The massive World Tree the grew through the palace and city of Sky when the Gray Lady regained her power has divided the city. And the Arameri are still, inexplicably, in power.

Jemisin’s prose style just gets me. It’s a story told in the first person view, but unlike most stories, Jemisin actually uses Oree to tell the story, complete with pauses, corrections, and thoughts. Like a real person telling the story, Oree will occasionally say, “Wait, I got ahead of myself. Let me go back.” This style makes me feel more connected to the events that are happening, and I feel more invested in the outcome. In the first book, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, the story was told by Yiene, and in the end we finally found out who she was speaking to. This story was told the same way, and it was a surprise to me in the end to find out to whom she was telling her story.

I love the characters in this book. Oree is blind, but can see magic like a glowing light, and when there is enough around, she can see her surroundings, like a seeing person with a candle in a dark room. She also has her own magic, manifest in her magnificent paintings, which you find as the chapter headings throughout the book. The godlings are quirky (and everywhere!) and the relationships are real.

I loved it. And I recommend this series to anyone.

You're Not Going to Believe This...

Have you ever seen a news headline that made you stop and tilt your head to the side like a confused beagle? No? Well, here’s one:

Saudi Arabian officials detain a vulture for espionage…

No, really. Government officials are concerned that A BIRD is a spy for Isreal. I think it’s great that Arab countries think Isreal is sooooo awesome that they have the animal kingdom on their side!

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Publishing Details

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Date: May 25, 2010

Edition: No. 3

Original Language: Swedish

ISBN13: 9780307269997

ISBN: 030726999X

BINC: 3081300

The Blurb:

Salander is plotting her revenge - against the man who tried to kill her, and against the government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life. But it is not going to be a straightforward campaign. After taking a bullet to the head, Salander is under close supervision in Intensive Care, and is set to face trial for three murders and one attempted murder on her eventual release. With the help of journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his researchers at Millennium magazine, Salander must not only prove her innocence, but identify and denounce the corrupt politicians that have allowed the vulnerable to become victims of abuse and violence. Once a victim herself, Salander is now ready to fight back.

The first book of the year was The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest, by Stieg Larsson, the third in the series about socially introverted hacker genius Lisbeth Salander. In my opinion, this was the best of the three, though I know several people who would disagree with me.

This installment found Lisbeth Salander not only recovering from the disasters of the last book (The Girl Who Played With Fire), but also in a very precarious position. And as we find out, her position is the center of a national conspiracy spanning decades.

I'm a huge fan of political conspiracy thrillers, and this was a good one. One on hand you have Salandar, and her team of "Idiotic Knights", battling a secret division of Sweden's version of the CIA. Throughout the entire story you can never be sure of who is watching who, or where the next critical bit of information is going to come from. From start to finish, I couldn't put it down. In fact, I read it in less than 24 hours.

I loved this series, and this book in particular, and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good thrilling mystery.

Welcome to 2011

Welcome to 2011!!

This year, I will be reviewing every book I read. It's a simple goal. It's also something I've never been able to keep up with.

2010 was a great year. I'm not going to go into all the details. Let's just say it was a good year and leave it at that. I didn't have a lot of free time, so I'm going to blame my lack of blog-age on that. Yeah, busy and stuff.

So, on to 2011. A blog review for every book I read, whether it be a new book, or an old book. And, I'm going to try to post about interesting news stories. Because I have a minor obsession with news and politics, and 2010 was a big year for both and I always thought I was missing something by not trying to start a conversation.

So let's get started.