Time To Get Off Our High Horse

I'll be the first to admit that I sometimes hate giving in to popular reading trends. I resisted the Twilight series until a friend convinced me to try it. I also refused to read Nicholas Sparks (until seeing the movie version of The Notebook), and Jodi Picoult because they were so "main stream." I have since done the same thing with other authors. But, on a whim, I decided to try out a trilogy that sounded like it might be interesting, even if the writing wasn't so great. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. So what I am saying, is that it is time for some of us avid readers to get off of our literary high horses and quit judging people because they read "light reading" books. Here is the book that brought this all on:


"After three boys accidentally awaken an ancient evil near their small Maryland town, the tight-knit community finds itself lost to a Stephen King–style plague of madness and destruction for a week every seven years. Twenty-one years later, those three boys, now grown, are hoping to find a way to stop the evil before its third return, which may mean the end of the town; they don't know much about the anomalies, but they do know that [e]very time it gets stronger. This time, the town is graced by author Quinn Black, eager to document the paranormal mystery. When two more women arrive—one an associate of Quinn's, the other led to town by strange visions—the circle of six decide to face the oncoming apocalypse together."

Yes, Nora Roberts... the woman who has written over 500 books. I actually enjoyed this book. The trilogy should be good. The characters are very likable. It's really not bad, I promise!

Bah! I Adored It!

Georgette Heyer - These Old Shades

"Justin Alastair, the Duke of Avon, is known by friends and enemies alike as Satanas--the devil. On this particular evening, the dangerous rake crosses paths with Léon, a red-headed youth of low birth who is fleeing a certain beating at his brutal brother's hands. On a whim, Avon buys the boy and makes him his page. It soon becomes clear, however, that Léon is not what he seems, and that Avon has an ulterior motive for bringing him into his household. Set in pre-Revolutionary France, These Old Shades follows a twisting course as young Léon (or is it Léonie?) is swept up in a dangerous mystery: how to account for the page's amazing resemblance to the sinister Compte de Saint Vire, for example; and why will this man go to any lengths to get the youth in his power?"

I secretly hate that plot summary, but it was one of the only ones that I could find without doing it myself. But regardless, Georgette Heyer has done it again! With every book that I read by her, I fall more and more in love with her writing. This genre is exactly what a historical romanctic fiction fan craves! The romance is always just below the surface, so it doesn't slap you in the face. And the history... what could I possibly say about the historical aspects of the book? They are perfection. This particular book was wonderful because of the delightful Leon/Leonie. She reminds me a bit of Eliza Dolittle meets Jo March. And I adore her.

Fans of Heyer or of Jane Austen should definitely pick this book up for a read! Its mystery and romance is a perfect marriage. Enjoy!

Next up? I am trying out another vampire series called The House of Night. Everyone knows I love a good vampire story!

The Other Queen

"Biographers often neglect the captive years of Mary, Queen of Scots, who trusted Queen Elizabeth's promise of sanctuary when she fled from rebels in Scotland and then found herself imprisoned as the "guest" of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick.

The newly married couple welcome the doomed queen into their home, certain that serving as her hosts and jailers will bring them an advantage in the cutthroat world of the Elizabethan court. To their horror, they find that the task will bankrupt them, and as their home becomes the epicenter of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question. If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treachery and treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman."

Well, I finally got around to reading another Philippa Gregory book. While I liked the first two that I read (The Constant Princess, The Other Boleyn Girl), I was not necessarily a fan of this one. I think that Mary Queen of Scots was an interesting woman. But I found Gregory's writing in this book to be a bit long winded in the wrong spots. She went on and on and on about Bess's money and land obsession. It's like, "Alright, we get it." While she spent so much time on those sorts of things, the actual action sequences flew by without any sort of elaboration.

I don't know, parts of this book I did like. I mostly enjoyed the parts that Mary narrated. If you enjoy Philippa Gregory, go ahead and give this a shot. I listened to it on the Audio Book. I can't decide if that was a good choice or not. The voice of George Talbert was awful for me. But overall, I am glad that I can add another Gregory book on my "Already Read" pile.

Next for me? I am working on a fabulous Georgette Heyer! And I've got a trilogy by Nora Roberts that I am listening to on Audio Book. I never thought I would read any of her work since it's so.... well, you know. But I actually really like what I've got so far! Reviews will of course come!

Jodi Picoult - The Pact

"For eighteen years the Hartes and the Golds have lived next door to each other, sharing everything from Chinese food to chicken pox to carpool duty-- they've grown so close it seems they have always been a part of each other's lives. Parents and children alike have been best friends, so it's no surprise that in high school Chris and Emily's friendship blossoms into something more. They've been soul mates since they were born.

So when midnight calls from the hospital come in, no one is ready for the appalling truth: Emily is dead at seventeen from a gunshot wound to the head. There's a single unspent bullet in the gun that Chris took from his father's cabinet-- a bullet that Chris tells police he intended for himself. But a local detective has doubts about the suicide pact that Chris has described.

The profound questions faced by the characters in this heart-rending novel are those we can all relate to: How well do we ever really know our children, our friends? What if…? As its chapters unfold, alternating between an idyllic past and an unthinkable present, The Pact paints an indelible portrait of families in anguish… culminating in an astonishingly suspenseful courtroom drama as Chris finds himself on trial for murder."

Well, I must say that Ms. Picoult has a keen ability to make me cry. Every single one of her novels that I have read has had me in tears at some point. This one definitely fell into that category. Listening to stories of teenage suicide is absolutely heartbreaking. It really took a lot of energy out of me. But I did love it. For me, it read really fast and it also helped me cross another book off of my 999 Challenge.

So what's up now for me? A little Georgette Heyer, of course! I have loved the other two books that I've read by her. So hopefully this third one keeps with that trend!

Nicholas Sparks - The Choice

Okay, okay, I am the first to admit that I've been reading way too much "Chick Lit"-ish stuff lately. However, in my defense, I don't usually read that much chick lit, and I made it a point to make "Chick Lit," "Nicholas Sparks Books," and "Jodi Picoult Books" categories in my 999 Challenge. So, that's my defense. Now, to the book review!

"Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life -- boating, swimming, and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies -- he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door. Despite his attempts to be neighborly, the appealing redhead seems to have a chip on her shoulder about him...and the presence of her longtime boyfriend doesn't help. Despite himself, Travis can't stop trying to ingratiate himself with his new neighbor, and his persistent efforts lead them both to the doorstep of a journey that neither could have foreseen. Spanning the eventful years of young love, marriage and family, The Choice ultimately confronts us with the most heartwrenching question of all: how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?"

This book started off kind of slow for me. Though I guess after reading the sexy, racy, fast-paced Sookie Stackhouse novels, anything would seem a bit slow. But once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. And by I couldn't put it down, I mean that I read this book in less than 24 hours. I know that is something that is very easy to do while reading a Nicholas Sparks book. I really enjoyed reading this. Travis is incredibly lovable, and so are the rest of the characters. My recommendation on where to read this book? Well, it's a great book for the weekend when the man in your life is away for work/family/whatever. Or it's the perfect book for a plane on the way to some tropical vacation. I mean, it's Nicholas Sparks! It's like chocolate, it's good anytime!

Next up? Jodi Picoult's "The Pact." Suicide pacts vs. Murder... I'm only 20 pages in and I love it already!

Hated the Title, Liked the Book

Love The One You're With, by Emily Giffin:

"Ellen and Andy's marriage doesn't just seem perfect, it is perfect. There is no question how deep their devotion is, and how naturally they bring out the best in each other. But one fateful afternoon, Ellen runs into Leo for the first time in eight years. Leo, the one who brought out the worst in her. Leo, the one who left her heartbroken with no explanation. Leo, the one she could never quite forget. When his reappearance ignites long-dormant emotions, Ellen begins to question whether the life she’s living is the one she's meant to live. LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH is a powerful story about one woman at the crossroads of true love and real life."

Check another one off of my "Chick Lit" category for my 999 Challenge! And it was a worthy addition. This was my first Emily Giffin novel. I've heard many reviews praising Giffin's other novels. I was pleased with this one. The heroine, well, I guess I liked her overall. When she entertains and acts on her former feelings for a man who was no good for her... well, that made me angry. But I always say that if a character can get such an emotion out of you, whether good or bad, that means that the character has been well written. So bravo, Ms. Giffin. If you enjoy chick it, I would recommend this one. It's mild and would make an excellent summer read. It's quick and painless, I promise.

Currently reading: Charlaine Harris's Dead as a Doornail, the fifth installment of the Sookie Stackhouse adventures! There's nothing like a sexy vampire novel!

All the World's a Stage...

I am such a Shakespeare nut. I have two complete anthologies of his work (I don't know why I felt the need to have two...) And I adore everything from his baudy humor to the sometimes complicated language. So I felt that it was only fitting to find a quiz to figure out which of Shakespeare's heroines I was most like! Here are my results:



You are: Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing. You're urbane, a good friend to have, and love a good laugh. Make sure your love of a good quip does not get in the way of your love life!

Just a little bit of fun, there are links for guys and girls! Try it out, who are you most like?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/shakespeare/quiz.shtml