Sunday, December 28, 2008

"B" Is For Burglar by Sue Grafton



Published: 1985


Pages: 320 pages


5 stars


The second book in the alphabet series featuring the private investigator Kinsey Millhone.


She is approached by a Beverly Danziger who is looking for her sister Elaine Boldt to sign some formal papers, so Kinsey is hired to find her. She thought it would be easy, only to find herself in a missing persons case upgraded to solving a mystery of the death of the missing lady's neighbor.


Fast paced interesting twists and turns. Very enjoyable fast read!


"B" Is for Burglar was awarded the 1986 Anthony Award for Best Novel at Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, in Baltimore, Maryland. The novel also won the 1986 Shamus Award for Best Novel from the Private Eye Writers of America


Other points of view about this book :)

Erika Lynn at Kiss My Books



Sunday, December 14, 2008

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris



Year Published: 2002

291 pages

5 stars

This is the second in the Southern Vampires series featuring Sookie Stackhouse.

It starts with a 'friend' of Sookie turning dead in a police car, then she gets hired by the Dallas vampires to help them find a missing 'brother'. A lot of adventures in both Dallas and Bon Temps with some Eric thrown in.

Very good fast read, I had trouble putting the book down, the adventure builds up and you just have to know what happens. In addition to Eric being a main character in this book makes it even better than the first one!

A recommended read for those who enjoyed the first book. It seems this series is getting better and better :)

These are my reviews for the books I read from this series in order:
1. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Other Reviews..

Another review @ Books And So Many More Books

Fyrefly @ Fyrefly's Book Blog

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Many Bloody Returns (Anthology)


Year published: 2007

(368 pages)

5 stars

Although I didn't expect I will enjoy short stories since I haven't been reading many for a while but this was an awesome collection.

I just loved it! It was so much fun!!

It consisted of 13 stories so I kinda wrote a note about each one.. It was hard to pick a favorite, since I really enjoyed them but my least
favorite were #2 and #10

1. Dracula Night by Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse is invited to a party where the guest of honor would like a taste of her.I liked it very much although since I only read one book of the series it kinda had some spoilers that I didn't care to know about! They should have warned me! More Eric :D

2. The Mournful Cry of Owls by Christopher Golden
Vampires are a myth, Shtriga is the real deal!!This story was ok although not good enough for me.

3. I Was A Teenage Vampire by Bill Crider
A birthday party with a vampire as a guest of honor turns sour. Nice!

4. Twilight by Kelley Armstrong
Nice new idea for vampires, they have to make an annual kill to live another year! One life lost, one year gained :)

5. It's My Birthday, Too by Jim Butcher
A Harry Dresden short story fighting some vampires with his brother vamp Thomas.I never read any Dresden books, so I guess I would have understood it more if I did, I just might start reading them. It was action filled fun!

6. Grave-Robbed by P.N. Elrod
It's about the undead detective Jack Fleming from the Vampire Files series. I liked him so I'll check his series.A girl comes complaining about her sister trying to communicate with her dead husband, and gets carried away.

7. The first Day of the Rest of Your Life by Rachel Caine
Nice theory about vampires being protectors. You sign a contract with one and earn his protection. NICE! Can I have Eric ?!

8. The Witch and the Wicked by Jeanne C. Stein
A caterer/self employed/witch gets herself in a predicament when she enhances her night cream with vampire ash. Interesting !

9. Blood Wrapped by Tanya Huff
Since I love Blood Ties (the TV series) this is the author who wrote the books that the series is based on. This was a short story about some
of the main characters, but since I didn't read the series I guess I tripped on some spoilers .. But it was refreshing.. mmm Henry the vamp :)

10. The Wish by Carolyn Haines
A mother looses her twins in front of her eyes and then gets angry with death for taking them. Not bad!

11. Fire and Ice and Linguini for Two by Tate Hallaway
A witch and a vampire meet an energy sucking demon. Nice and cute!

12. Vampire Hours by Elaine Viets
A soon to be dumped wife seeks refuge in turning to the dark side and considering revenge!! VERY GOOD!

13. How Stella Got Her Grave Back by Toni L.P. Kelner
Stella the vampire went to check on her grave on her birthday only to find someone else buried there. A bit of mystery here :)

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Suzanne's Diary For Nicholas by James Patterson


Date Published: 2003

304 pages

5 stars


This book is amazing!! I just can't start to say how much I LOVED it!!
It so romantic and sentimental, it just tears your heart.I never knew James Patterson wrote other that crime books, this is a first for me and I have to admit although I love his crime books
this is even better if that is even possible!He should definetly write more romance, he really knows his stuff..

Now for the story..
Katie and Matt are in love, so naturaly she is expecting a marriage proposal very soon. Instead he shocks her out of the blue by breaking up with her. Devestated and crushed she receives a package the next day with a Diary.

The story is basically of what this diary contains, it's so beautifully written you will just love the characters.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Bookworm Award


Bella Foxx at Bella is reading tagged me with this gorgeous award, my very first award. Thank you very much Bella :)
It's a meme too so here goes.Here's how it works: Open the book closest to you, not your favorite or most intellectual book, but the book closest to you at the moment, to page 56. Write out the fifth sentence, as well as two to five sentences following there.
The book nearest to me is Thread Of Fear by Laura Griffin.. I haven't read the book yet but it's right there in front of me waiting to be read. Might start it in January though!
Here's a passage starting line 5 from page 56:
"Sounds good," Jack said, making eye contact with Lucy. "Where's Dolores?"
"Working. They all are." Lucy turned to Fiona, addressing her for the first time. "I assume you want to do this in private?"
"That's usually best."
Now, I have to tag five blogging friends.
1. Diamondgirl at Readers Delight
4. Bunnitaz at Worh Reading It?
5. RandiLyn at Randi Romance Reader

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon


Date Published: 1991

My Rating : 4 stars

896 pages

One of the best romance stories I've read in years. It reminds me of A Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux.

The beautiful love story of Jamie and Claire :)

It starts with a 27 year old nurse called Claire Beauchamp in the year 1945, childless but happily married to Frank Randall and living a quiet life in post war Scotland.

One day she goes investigating a plant she sees in a stone circle, when she suddenly gets pulled in and finds herself in the year of the Lord 1743 about two hundred years prior her time.

She encounters Frank's six-time great grandfather Jonathan Randall otherwise known as Jack Black. Then gets kidnapped or rescued by Dougal McKenzie's men where she meets the young Jamie a wounded lad of 23, being a nurse she helps him and they take her to their lands.

Meeting the chieftain of the McKenzie's, Colum McKenzie she is assigned as the physician of the clan.

A lot of events happen, and we meet so many people but the main thing is Clair somehow marries young Jamie and a passion ignites like no other. This is where the story really starts.

Such a love story that is so filled with innocence and passion that has to touch you to the core.

Being a wanted man, her Jamie flees for his life and Clair trying to rescue him, after he rescued her a number of times.

A very heart warming story that grips you till the end, at times I just couldn't put the book down, I'm sure to continue in this series because I can't wait to know what happens next.

I strongly recommend this book, although I gave in 4 out of 5 stars. Why I did that? Well that is because there were a couple of times that I was annoyed in some events or beliefs that I didn't care for but that is entirely personal other than that is was flawless.

Did I mention it was such a love story?! Oh, I did!! It also had a sense of humor, well Jamie's in particular and Claire. I caught myself smiling and shaking my head a number of times ;)

The best of the book is the last part, the events are fast and the details are just so graphical you just need to know what happens and FAST!

Other Reviews:
Lilly @ Reading Extravaganza
Smash @ Great Books and Fresh Coffee
Jess @ Barney's Book Blog

Saturday, November 22, 2008

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis


4 Stars

Heard it as an audio book on my Ipod..

I think it would have been better to read it since I enjoy reading more than listening.. I might even read it literally very soon.Nice childrens tale of an adventure at sea!!

This is the third book in the series that I read and it was fun.

While Edmund and Lucy are staying with their cousin Eustace, Peter is getting reading for enterace exams for the University amd Susan is travelling through America with their parents.

One day they go though an adventure with their cousin Eustace on board the Dawn Treader, after being drawn through a painting on the wall of the ship.. They meet King Caspian and pass by different islands with exciting creatures.

Although Eustace was a bit of a mean kid in the beginning he get's to mellow out as the story enfolds!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Case Histories: A Novel by Kate Atkinson


Date Published : 2004

310 pages

4 stars

Three different cases happen in different times.. A little girl just disappears leaving guilt and grief behind, A woman goes mad and does the unthinkable, and a young woman gets brutally killed.From all these cases, relatives seek a private detective Mr. Brodie to help each in a different way.


The disappearing girl's family want to know what happened to her. The mad woman's sister is looking for her niece and the murdered girls's father wants to know her killer.


The story entwines together in a very nice way, the chapters go around the characters in a way that makes you understand all three stories together. VERY CLEVER!

I liked all that but the ending was quite not what I expected, although some things were expected but the ending was just too fast and not complete to me.. I expected more since it's supposed to be 3 cases. But overall it was a very good book. That's why I gave it a 4 out of 5.


This was the first book I read by her, I was impressed with the style of keeping up with the 3 stories, and it was not hard to get into each one.

What happened was I went "Waaaaaah!!" when I discovered that it's finished I kept turning the pages thinking maybe there is a page I forgot or skipped.. then I was LOL at myself!!! So it kinda took me by surprise :)


BTW This is one of the books that I won with the gift certificate from Amazon given to me by PBT..

Monday, November 3, 2008

The Complete Poems of Sarah Orne Jewett by Sarah Orne Jewett


2 Stars
I can't believe I finished a poetry book!! If it wasn't for LIO* and the monthly tag for November in PBT** I would never have considered it.

Well, I'm glad the book is done and over with, can't say I liked it but I did like a few poems..

"Two Mornings", "In a Christmas Letter", "Sheltered", "The Spendthrift Doll" & "The Little Doll That Lied".

That is why I gave it the 2 stars for those handful of poems.
** PBT = Play Book Tag

2nd Chance by James Patterson


Date Published: 2002
400 pages
#2 from the Women's Murder Club series.

5 Stars

When a little black girl gets murdered in a massacre, Lindsey Boxer is assigned to the case. Before they solve the case, more hits happen, some fatal..

The madman they are after seems ruthless and very dangerous.. Are his targets randomly picked or is there a pattern?

She teams up with her Women's Murder Club girlfriends who together try to catch the killer.

Action packed thriller, that keeps you turning pages just to know who the killer is.. I loved it!

Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

Year Published: 1990

My Rating: 5 Stars

175 pages

(Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 1)

Aurora Teagarden is a librarian who is interested in real murders that occurred in the past, she formed a club with some of the residents of Lawrenceton who are equally interested.

They meet every month to discuss one of the cases in detail.

On one of thier meetings a fellow member gets brutally murdered and then a series of murders follow. Everyone suspects everyone while the killer is having his fun.

I enjoyed Aurora and her personality, it's the first book in the Teagarden Mystery series and I'm sure to continue reading them. A fun and fast read..

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Year Published: 2001

My Rating:5 Stars

292 pages

This is the first book in the Southern Vampires series "Sookie Stackhouse"

I've heard so much about this book being recommended so I thought I would give it a try, and now I'm hooked!!

It's a story about the "gifted" waitress Sookie that befriends a Vampire, in a world where vampires are acknowledged legally and are living among humans trying to "mainstream" that is to blend in with them.

She encounters some adventures, some deaths and a lot of fun..
It was a fast fun read that put a smile on my face, well actually made me grin like an idiot in a room full of people.. I loved it and will be continueing the series as soon as I can.

I highly recommend this book :)

It was made into a series "True Blood" and true it's based on the story, it is bit different but good all the same!

Other Reviews:
Meghan @ Medieval Bookworm
Alaine @ Queen Of Happy Endings

Love-Slave To The Sheikh by Miranda Lee




If you like predictable so-called romance with some bondage, kinky slave stuff and woman domination you might like this book. I surely did NOT..
I regard it the first WTF of 2008 for me. Although I finished the book because it was short and I wanted to see if it gets any better, I can't say I recommend it and I'm surely not gonna read for this author either, unless she has a recommended book from someone I trust.. otherwise there are so many authors who I love to read for.. total waste of time for me !!

The Big Bad Wolf by James Patterson




This was the first book I read for James Patterson and it got me hooked.
I didn't know it was part of a series and definitely not the 9th book in it either or I would have started with the first. But the sypnosis of the story intrigued me and hooked me and now i'm a FAN!! It grips you from the first page..!!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden



From the mountaintops, the ocean looked like a crumpled blanket in turquoise with stains of dark blue..

I was skeptical before reading this book and kept putting it off for so long, because I didn't know what to expect by reading the memoirs of a prostitute, for that is what I thought a Geisha is!!

I was so mistaken, it starts with a 9 year old girl torn from her family and sister to be raised in a foreign city with complete strangers.. The horrors she faces, the hardships she endures, the practice she works hard on, to emerge as a Geisha. And not just any Geisha but one of the most successful and popular one too.

It was so passionate, so close to your heart you can't not love this girl and feel for her all the way.. It's like she is talking to the reader.. I felt for the poor girl and it was like she is talking to me and pouring her heart out.. It was just so hard to put down.. I always wanted to know what will happen next!!

It was so captivating, for me it was by far one of the best I've read this year and is added to my favorite list.. I'm sure to recommend it to anyone who listens.

I saw the movie.. and I was disappointed.. it is so unlike the book.. the emotions and turmoil is not evident.. it was way too fast, things are different .. even the end in the movie seems like an open end although the ending in the book is not.The movie does not allow you to understand the cultures, traditions and superstitions in Japan those days which are explained in detail in the book.. it nice to learn new things and I certainly did with this book..Some pictures from the movie..
















Sunday, October 19, 2008

My 50 Book Challenge for 2008!!

I've started this list on the 1st of January 2008 for the 50 book challenge to see it I could reach my target of 50 books for this year.. and to see how many pages I read !!

So far this is what I accomplished..

1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (400 pages)
2. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (319 pages)
3. Love-slave to the Sheikh by Miranda Lee (192 pages)
4. Along Came a Spider by James Patterson (448 pages)
5. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (640 pages)
6. Honeymoon by James Patterson & Howard Roughan (416 pages)
7. Shopaholic Abroad by Sophie Kinsella (329 pages)
8. The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants by Alexandra Marell (40 pages)
9. The Other Boleyn Girl By Philippa Gregory (672 pages)
10. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis - The first book from the Chronicles of Narnia. (224 pages)
11. A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer (195 pages)
12. A Brother's Journey: Surviving a Childhood of Abuseby Richard B. Pelzer (272 pages)
13. 1st To Die by James Patterson (432 pages)
14. The Cat From Hell by Stephen King (short story)
15. The Cursed Expedition by Stephen King (short story)
16. Never Look Behind You by Stephen King (short story)
17. The Thing At The Bottom Of The Well by Stephen King (short story)
18. The Man Who Loved Flowers by Stephen King (short story)
19. I've Got To Get Away by Stephen King (short story)
20. Hotel At The End Of The Road by Stephen King (short story)
21. A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton (320 pages)
22. The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family by Dave Pelzer (250 pages)
23. Prince Caspian by C S Lewis - The second book from the Chronicles of Narnia. (256 Pages)
24. The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks (239 pages)
25. Lunch At The Gotham Cafe by Stephen King (60 pages)
26. Testing Jayla by Angela Knight (60 pages)
27. Taming Jack by Angela Knight (60 pages)
28. The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory (464 pages)
29. One For The Money by Janet Evanovich (334 pages)
30. The Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich (272 pages)
31. A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Wedding by Stephanie Bond (32 pages)
32. Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake Book 1) by Laurell K. Hamilton (368 pages)
33. Jemima J: A Novel About Ugly Ducklings and Swans by Jane Green (384 pages)
34. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice (272 pages)
35. The Quickie by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge (384 pages)
36. In The Midst Of Death by Lawrence Block (272 pages)
37. Vampire Dreams 1: Tempting Amanda by Angela Knight (21 pages)
38. Vampire Dreams 2: Night Bites by Angela Knight (35 pages)
40. Eight Million Ways To Dies By Lawrence Block (384 pages)
41. Atonement by Ian McEwan (368 pages)
42. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis (256 pages) (heard it audio about 2 hours)
43. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (292 pages)
44. Bridge To Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (144 pages)
45. Real Murders (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 1) by Charlaine Harris (304 pages)
46. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (512 pages)
47. 2nd Chance by James Patterson (400 pages)
48. The Complete Poems of Sarah Orne Jewett by Sarah Orne Jewett (85 pages)
49. Case Histories: A Novel by Kate Atkinson (310 pages)
50. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (896 pages)
51. Suzanne's Diary For Nicholas by James Patterson (304 pages)
52. Many Bloody Returns by Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Kelley Armstrong, P.N. Elrod, Tanya Huff, Rachel Caine, Christopher Golden, Jeanne Stein (Anthology) (368 pages)
53. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (291 pages)
54. B Is For Burglar by Sue Grafton (320 pages)
55. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (288 pages)

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Atonement by Ian McEwan



Date Published: 2001
368 pages

2 stars




I had high expectations for this book, but I can't say they were fulfilled!

It's a story set in England during WWII, Briony a 13- year old girl accuses her sister's lover of a hidious crime which he pays for, and eventually ruins his life and her sister's for that matter.It didn't help her either because years later she felt guilty and tried to atone for this crime/accusation..

I couldn't relate to any of the characters, Briony was a selfish brat of a girl thinking she's a know it all, her sister's love story is not the main event so not enough details for me to feel anything for the lovers, part 2 of the book was basicly the horrors of war which i'm not interested in reading.. It was a VERY slow read for me.. I had to drag myself to read it just to get points for the LIO challenge.. pathetic, right ?!

Anyways now I know 1 less author for me to read for.. I can't say I hated the book, at times it was ok but mostly it was slow and boring!!

If your in favor of open ended/war/lost love stories.. then indulge yourself with this book

Then I saw the movie and I was amazed how enchanting the movie is, you can feel the characters and hate Briony even more, if that is even possible!!

Here are some pictures of the movie..

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Year Published: 1977

My Rating: 5 stars

144 pages

A tale about friendship and how it changes your life and character.. Jess the young 10 year old boy meets Leslie the 10 year old girl who has just moved in the farmhouse close by.. becomes his classmate and then his best friend and queen.. together they set on adventures and create a wonderful imaginary secret world ..

Then tragedy strikes and they are torn apart but that summer encounter will live with Jess all his life

Very touching story that engulfs you to the very end.. In 1978, Bridge to Terabithia won the Newbery Medal.

Other points of view about this book:
Things Mean A Lot
Rhinoa's Ramblings
Musings of a Bookish Kitten
Quixotical
Nothing of Importance
She Reads Books
Stuff as Dreams are Made On
A Fondness for Reading

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice



It's a new way for presenting the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, from the beginning till the end it is quite different; the only similarity is that the prince awakens Sleeping beauty from her 100 year slumber.. how he wakes her and what happens next is a completely different story.
It's a quick read since you don't need to think or analyze or solve anything, the idea is that this prince and his mother the queen take in princes and princesses from around the world to discipline them in self control, they are either given to them by their families or won somehow. They are returned after serving a couple of years that is determined by the queen. Their "disciplining" is harsh and cruel although they keep saying it is out of "love".
As a fiction it's a fun read but to imagine anything remotely close to the torture happening is unthinkable, but they never do any real "damage".It was an interesting book.. I never read anything in this genre so it was quite new to me.. but I would like to read the other 2 books to finish the trilogy and know what happens to Beauty out of curiosity.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Eight Million Ways To Die by Lawrence Block




The fifth book of the Matthew Scudder series, it starts out with Kim Dakkanin -a prostitute- being murdered a gruesome murder and everyone pointing a finger to her pimp Chance. But when more murders happen it seems a pattern seems to take over, is it a serial killer killing ramdomly or is there some kind of connection ?! Very nicely written, some expected and some unexpected turns of events but a very good read non the less.


"Eight million ways to die in the Emerald city"


Barnes & Noble Sypnosis:

Matthew Scudder Crime Novel #5. "For those who yearn to walk those mean streets, no one provides a more satisfactory stroll than Lawrence Block" (The San Diego Union-Tribune).
A frightened hooker named Kim asked private investigator Matthew Scudder to help her get out of "the Life." Now she's dead, slashed to ribbons in a high-rise hotel.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

The Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich


This was a great easy and fast read.. It's a romance but not the usual kind.. They hate each other then have a predicament then fall hopelessly in love..I hate that!! No, in this romance they find that they love each other from the begining and deal with it.. very cute.. and Bob (the dog) is adorable !!

Barnes & Noble Sypnosis..
When the delightful, daffy Dog Lady of station WZZZ offered to take on the temporary job of traffic reporter, Steve Crow tried to think of reasons to turn Daisy Adams down. Perhaps he knew that sharing the close quarters of a car with her for hours would give the handsome program director no room to resist her quirky charms. He'd always favored low-slung sports cars and high-heeled women, but that was before he fell for a free spirit who caught crooks by accident, loved old people and pets, and had just too many jobs!
Loving Daisy turned Steve's life upside down, especially once he adopted Bob, a couch potato masquerading as a huge dog. But was Daisy finally ready to play for keeps?

The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory


Yet another amazing book by Philippa Gregory. It shows the story from Lady Amy Dudley's point of view and makes you feel for her, it was so heart breaking.
It shows how Queen Elizabeth was so soft and vulnurable when it came to her lover and best friend Sir Robert Dudley and her not being able to refuse whatever he requests.
Then comes the plot for Lady Amy's life and practically the end of any hope of Sir Robert rising to the throne.
Very detailed and believable. I just loved this book as much as I loved The Other Boleyn Girl. Some shocking theories if they are fact.

-------------------------------------------------
Barnes & Noble Sypnosis..

Autumn 1558
All the bells in Norfolk were ringing for Elizabeth, pounding the peal into Amy's head, first the treble bell screaming out like a mad woman, and then the whole agonizing, jangling sob till the great bell boomed a warning that the whole discordant carillon was about to shriek out again. She pulled the pillow over her head to shut out the sound, and yet still it went on, until the rooks abandoned their nests and went streaming into the skies, tossing and turning in the wind like a banner of ill omen, and the bats left the belfry like a plume of black smoke as if to say that the world was upside down now, and day should be forever night.
Amy did not need to ask what the racket was for; she already knew. At last, poor sick Queen Mary had died, and Princess Elizabeth was the uncontested heir. Praise be. Everyone in England should rejoice. The Protestant princess had come to the throne and would be England's queen. All over the country people would be ringing bells for joy, striking kegs of ale, dancing in the streets, and throwing open prison doors. The English had their Elizabeth at last, and the fear-filled days of Mary Tudor could be forgotten. Everyone in England was celebrating.
Everyone but Amy.
The peals, pounding Amy into wakefulness, did not bring her to joy. Amy, alone in all of England, could not celebrate Elizabeth's upward leap to the throne. The chimes did not even sound on key, they sounded like the beat of jealousy, the scream of rage, the sobbing shout of a deserted woman.
"God strike her dead," she swore into her pillow as her head rang with the pound of Elizabeth's bells. "God strike her down in her youth and herpride and her beauty. God blast her looks, and thin her hair, and rot her teeth, and let her die lonely and alone. Deserted, like me."
Amy had no word from her absent husband: she did not expect one. Another day went by and then it was a week. Amy guessed that he would have ridden at breakneck pace to Hatfield Palace from London at the first news that Queen Mary was dead. He would have been the first, as he had planned, the very first to kneel before the princess and tell her she was queen.
Amy guessed that Elizabeth would already have a speech prepared, some practiced pose to strike, and for his part Robert would already have his reward in mind. Perhaps even now he was celebrating his own rise to greatness as the princess celebrated hers. Amy, walking down to the river to fetch in the cows for milking because the lad was sick and they were shorthanded at Stanfield Hall, her family's farm, stopped to stare at the brown leaves unraveling from an oak tree and whirling like a snowstorm, southwest to Hatfield where her husband had blown, like the wind itself, to Elizabeth.
She knew that she should be glad that a queen had come to the throne who would favor him. She knew she should be glad for her family, whose wealth and position would rise with Robert's. She knew that she should be glad to be Lady Dudley once more: restored to her lands, given a place at court, perhaps even made a countess.
But she was not. She would rather have had him at her side as an attainted traitor, with her in the drudgery of the day and in the warm silence of the night; anything rather than than ennobled as the handsome favorite at another woman's court. She knew from this that she was a jealous wife; and jealousy was a sin in the eyes of God.
She put her head down and trudged on to the meadows where the cows grazed on the thin grass, churning up sepia earth and flints beneath their clumsy hooves.
How could we end up like this? she whispered to the stormy sky piling up a brooding castle of clouds over Norfolk. Since I love him so much, and since he loves me? Since there is no one for us but each other? How could he leave me to struggle here, and dash off to her? How could it start so well, in such wealth and glory as it did, and end in hardship and loneliness like this?

The Other Boleyn Girl By Philippa Gregory


I enjoyed it very much since it was historical fiction about Anne Boleyn's sister Mary in King Henry VIII court.
It is told from Mary Boleyn's point of view which is usually regarded as a side character, here she was the main.
How she was the King's mistress for quite some time and bore him children.
This was my first book by this author, but her style captivated me and had me asking for more! Very nicely written !!!

The Barnes & Noble Sypnosis..
Two sisters competing for the greatest prize: the love of a king
When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled by the king, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realizes just how much she is a pawn in her familys ambitious plots as the kings interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king, and take her fate into her own hands.
A rich and compelling tale of love, sex, ambition, and intrigue, The Other Boleyn Girl introduces a woman of extraordinary determination and desire who lived at the heart of the most exciting and glamorous court in Europe and survived by following her own heart.


Other points of view about this book:

Honeymoon by James Patterson & Howard Roughan


All I can say is WOW what a page turner.. I mean it's full of surprises that knocked the breath out of me.. I so love surprises !!!

Barnes & Noble Sypnosis..
How does it feel to be desired by every man and envied by every woman? Wonderful. This is the life Nora Sinclair has dreamed about, the life she's worked hard for, the life she will never give up. Meet Nora Sinclair.
When FBI agent John O'Hara first sees her, she seems perfect. She has the looks. The career. The clothes. The wit. The sophistication. The tantalizing sex appeal. The whole extraordinary package - and men fall in line to court her. She doesn't just attract men, she enthralls them. If you dare.
So why is the FBI so interested in Nora Sinclair? Mysterious things keep happening to people around her, especially the men. And there is something dangerous about Nora when Agent O'Hara looks closer - something that lures him at the same time that it fills him with fear. Is there something dark hidden among the unexplained gaps in her past? And as he spends more and more time getting to know her, is he pursuing justice? Or his own fatal obsession?

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Jemima J.: A Novel about Ugly Ducklings and Swans

Year Published: 2000

My Rating: 3 stars

373 pages


I did relate to Jemima in a certain way and would really love to accomplish what she did.Although the beginning was nice, the middle just went on and on and made me feel stupid when it went bad cuz it was so unrealistic it just got me crazy..but it was meant to be an easy read so I kept going on to see what eventually happens to Jemima.The ending was ok although it was expected.Never thought it would take about 2 weeks to finish and it's not even long.


Barnes & Noble Sypnosis..

"If I had one wish in all the world, I wouldn't wish to win the lottery. Nor would I wish for true love. No, if I had one wish I would wish to have a model's figure, probably Cindy Crawford's, and I would extend that wish into having and keeping a model's figure, no matter what I eat."Jemima Jones is overweight. About 98 pounds overweight. Treated like a maid by her thin social-climbing roommates, and lorded over by the beautiful Geraldine (less talented but better paid) at the Kilburn Herald, Jemima's only consolation is food. Add to this her passion for her charming, sexy, and unobtainable colleague Ben, and Jemima knows her life is in need of a serious change. When she meets Brad, an eligible California hunk, over the Internet, Jemima has the perfect opportunity to reinvent herself--as JJ, the slim, beautiful, gym-obsessed glamour girl of her dreams. But when her long-distance Romeo demands that they meet, she must conquer her food addiction to become the bone-thin model of her e-mails-- no small feat.This is just the beginning of Jemima's transformation, a process that takes her through enormous physical and emotional change and halfway around the globe. First published in the UK to great fanfare, Jemima J spent nine weeks on the bestseller lists. Jane Green's brilliant wit, warm sense of humor and honesty ensure that her success will continue--on both sides of the Atlantic. Jemima J is a heroine who'll work her way into your heart, making you laugh through foible and folly as she sets out to reinvent her life and along the way learns a host of lessons about attraction, addiction, the meaning of true love, and, ultimately,who she really is. With a fast-paced plot and a surprise ending no reader will see coming, Jemima J is the chronicle of one woman's quest to become the woman she's always wanted to be.

One For The Money (Stephanie Plum Series #1) by Janet Evanovich


Stephanie Plum is such a funny character.. the book was a real page turner.. and such fun !!

She is still new at this bounty thing and has her work cut up for her..

Barnes & Noble Sypnosis..
Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter in Trenton, New Jersey. She's out of work and out of money. Her first assignment is to nail Joe Morelli, a former vice cop on the run from a charge of murder one.

Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake Book 1) by Laurell K. Hamilton



Since I love vampire stories I thought I'd try this out although I never read for this author before... I'm sure to read the rest of the series.. when I have the time :) I loved it.. It was fun !!

The Barnes & Noble Sypnosis..
Introducing Anita Blake, vampire hunter extraordinaire. Most people don't even bat an eye at vampires since they've been given equal rights by the Supreme Court. But Anita knows better--she's seen their victims. . . . A serial killer is murdering vampires, however, and now the most powerful vampire in town wants Anita to find the killer.

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks



Although I saw the movie and loved it, I was not much interested in reading the book since I already knoe the story and especially the ending so I kept postponing reading it till I got in the Alphabet Soup Challenge and got to letter "N". So I though why not try it out and see how it goes..

And WOW it was great, it's true it was a bit different than the movie but it was like reading a slightly different story which was perfect.

It's such a touching romantic tale with no sleazy stuff.

The sypnosis for the book from Barnes & Noble ..
A man picks up a very special notebook and begins reading to his beloved wife, his voice recalling the story of their poignant and bittersweet journey to happiness. . . so begins The Notebook, a touching novel that is a dual tale of love lost and found, and of a couple's gentle efforts to retrieve the most cherished moments of their lives. The Notebook is irrepressibly romantic and has become a classic.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family by Dave Pelzer


This is a sequel to his book "A Child Called It" but this is about the authors life between the ages of 12 and 18 and his struggles between foster homes and how he tried to coping and adjusting.
It pictures how he tried to fit in his new world and thriving for affection from his cold mother, opening my eyes to how foster care helps those who are in need and how much support people should give to this 'system'. And most of all it shows that there is still good in this world and people who really want to make a difference.
Very gripping and heart retching story.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

PS, I Love You by Cecilia Ahern


This was my favorite book of 2007 right there with Harry Pooter and the Deathly Hallows.


It's the story of a Holly who is married to the love of her life Gerry, then Gerry dies from cancer and that just takes the life out of Holly. She just fades away, that is until she recieves a package with 10 letters wrtten to her by Gerry before he died to be opened a letter a month.. These letters guide her and help ease her pain for losing Gerry..


It was sentimentally romantic that touched me in so many levels..


It made me laugh and cry For Holly and Gerry.. I just LOVED it..

Monday, April 21, 2008

A Is for Alibi by Sue Grafton


Year Published: 1983

My Rating: 5 stars

This is the first book in the Alphabet Series by Sue Grafton.

Eight years ago Lawrence Fife was murdered, his wife Nikki was accused, tried and found guilty.
It seems plenty of people had reason to want him dead or didn't really care since his reputation doesn't help being a divorce attorney and a philanderer too.
Now Nikki is out on parole, she hired Kinsey Millhone a private investigator to discover who the real killer is.
She has to discover that fast because it seems the killer is not very happy about the case being reopened again and is trying to silence whoever wants to talk.

My first read for Sue Grafton and she has me hooked on Kinsey Millhone :)

Other points of view about this book :)
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1st to Die by James Patterson


Year Published: 2001

My Rating: 5 stars

462 pages

Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspector in the San Francisco Police Department who unites with some women friends to try and catch a serial killer on the loose that has been targeting newlyweds in the most horrifying and shocking murders imaginable.

These four girlfiends cover the police department, a medical examiner, a reporter and an assistant DA. Forming the Woman's Murder Club. To do that they had to work on their own trusting each other and thinking outside the box.

Very gripping tale that keeps you turning pages with unexpected turns of events. Shocking till the end. I enjoyed it very much.. and loved Lindsey and her girlfriends.

Another review @ Mis(h)takes

Blogging my book reads..

I thought of blogging the books I read and writing a review of each so I could keep track of what I read and what I thought about what :)
Since I'm participating in a very exciting and interesting challenge called the Alphabet Soup Challenge that I am enjoying to the extreme as I have enjoyed the challenge before it which was the Amazing Page Race Challenge..
This is my log for the Alphabet Soup Challenge in the Readers in Thongs group on Shelfari.

I've collected 82 points for the first half of April and adding up :)

My Blogging Awards

Labels

Books Read In 2007

  • PS, I Love You by Cecilia Ahern
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
  • Where There is Evil by Sandra Brown
  • Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
  • New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
  • The Sins of the Fathers by Lawrence Block
  • Time to Murder and Create by Lawrence Block
  • Drop Dead Sexy by Elisa Adams

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