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Wow, it is amazing how many issues this book packs in with out them, for the most part, seeming forced. Then to top off what would have been quite a good "message" book the relationships between the characters - particularly the Grandmother/mother/daughter - are just wonderful.

I really liked this book! Made me laugh. I hope to see a full length novel sometime soon by this author! Thanks for the freebie!

A REVIEW FOR CONCERNED PARENTS: I have read a great deal of criticism of these books. From the 4 stars I gave this one, you can see I liked it. But I think there are some things concerned parents should know about the books that are not getting represented in the discussion. This is a good book for parents to read with young adults and discuss together. These are discussions many parents WANT to have. Discussions about morality, beliefs, sex, decision making, etc. It is also a good series for book club discussion. Simply rejecting the books out of hand is, in my opinion, foolish. Meyer has created complex characters, with a complex plot line, in a complex, fantastical world. But the real gem here is the ability to examine moral dilemmas in the context of relationship. Some examples: * Can a vampire be good? This was one of my areas of resistance to the books. I thought Edward was to be evil. But, he wants to do the right thing. He is horrified by his vampire identity, and Meyer has set up her vampire characters with unique stories in which they are not culpable for their transformations. In other words, "what would you do if, one day, through no fault of your own, you woke up to discover you are a vampire?" Edward's personal wrestling with the strong attraction he feels for Bella and the self-control required to keep his vampire tendencies in check is an intriguing examination of the role self-control plays in all our lives - of how we respond to challenges in our lives and try to overcome situations that are far from ideal, externally and internally. In many ways, Edward's vampire characteristics mirror our sin nature. Now, the answers in Twilight are purely humanistic, but the examination of the role temptation, sin, redemption and salvation play in our lives are illustrated in a way that can generate a lot of discussion. * If a vampire could be good, how does one live that out in a world populated by "bad" vampires? What does that look like? The Cullens don't want to live as monsters who take human life, and the fight between good and evil becomes one in which the Cullen family is on the "good" side, often fighting against other vampires. That twist made the story appealing, and opens the door for a lot more discussion. What does it mean to try to live a different way, when your nature (sin) and environment are against you? There is much more than can be discussed such as: * Characteristics of Bella/Edward. What makes her/him appealing to readers? What are her/his strong points? Weak points? In what ways is she/he the typical teen, what is exceptional about him/her? NOTE: These characters do develop, so answers to this question will change over the course of the books. *How does Bella embody today's ideas about the role of women in society? How does Edward embody the time period in which he was born and lived before becoming a vampire? How do Bella and Edwards perceptions of the role of men and women differ and how does this impact their relationship? How does the time/ culture in which someone grows up shape their relational expectations? * What about Bella's human friends. Why doesn't she 'click' with them? Is she using them? Are they good friends to her? Is she a good friend to them? * What are the strengths and weaknesses of Bella's relationship with her parents? Compare and contrast the Cullen's and the Swan's. Which is more typical of families today? How does the authority structure differ? After examining these two types of families, what are the strength and weaknesses of your family of origin? * Love: What is true love? Is true love more about feeling or commitment? Why? How is God's love different from ours, such as what are our limits/ in what ways is God not limited? Were Romeo & Juliet wise people? Is their example something that should be imitated? Why or why not? Does such passionate love require youth? How would this story change if Bella/ Edward were in their 50's? Does love change over time? If so, how and why? The world of Twilight is such that it is difficult to discuss many of these questions in the context of one book. For example, on the topic of sexual purity. In Book 1, Bella understands that Edward is disciplined about physical boundaries because he is afraid he might hurt her. I have read criticisms that abstinence is only advocated because he is a vampire. But it is not until Book 3, when they know each other better, that Bella starts to realize that Edward is morally conservative, and a discussion of purity and virtue ensues, which leads to a discussion of salvation. A discussion that I think is a highlight of the series. I thought this discussion was critical in understanding how society's view toward sexual purity has changed: "Bella: "That's it, isn't it? The short laugh that escaped me was more shocked than amused. "You're trying to protect your virtue!" I covered my mouth with my hand to muffle the giggle that followed. The words were so... old-fashioned. "No, silly girl," he [Edward:] murmured against my shoulder. I'm trying to protect yours. And you're making it shockingly difficult." Therefore, this series allows for discussion to develop as the readers get more information. This is a good way to interact with young adults. Parents, if your kids are interested, don't miss the opportunity. Sure, you won't agree with everything in the books, and you also probably won't agree with everything your teen thinks/ believes. But you can get to know them. You can examine some of your own ideas about life, relationships, love and spirituality. You can shape what your teens are thinking about. And you can grow your relationship together and as individuals. Take the chance. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF TWILIGHT: I liked this book. I enjoyed it on many levels. Sure, the characters are a bit stilted initially, but I thought it added to the mystery and discovery. I found Meyer's brand of vampires unique. The plot line of discovering who they are, how they became the way they did and what their life was like was as intriguing as the relationship between Edward and Bella. The plot pacing was excellent. Just when you are starting to get a handle on the relationship between Edward and Bella, the plot goes crazy vampire! Some more comments: It's true that Bella's harping on Edward's physical perfection gets tiring and is not a good role model for young adults. However, it was credible to me. IF a vampire, one of whose characteristics was physical perfection, fell in love with an ordinary teenager, certainly said teenager would be insecure about her physical ordinariness. I enjoyed the supernatural elements of the vampires, and found the entire family intriguing - and I am not a big sci-fi, horror, vampire, not even gothic kinda gal. I thought the idea that they were ravishingly beautiful and rich, yet isolated and lonely was clever and fit well with the idea that "everything about me is designed to lure in my prey - you". This also creates a positive instruction for young people - even people who 'have it all' need to connect with others and can feel alienated by the very perfection others covet. And, sometimes the external things we covet can hide inner realities that aren't desirable. There is a sense in which Edward and Bella's relationship can cross the line into idolatrous worship. This is dangerous, but not uncommon when in the throws of first love. I'll have to see whether or not this continues. In other young adult books I have read, I have been bothered by the teen-centered action, the assumption that all adults are hopelessly inadequate to the challenges of teen world. While it is true that Bella works around her parents, the vampire plot line does lend itself to being exceptional. And the other adults, Charlie, Renee and Billy Black, specifically, are treated respectfully. Edward consults his family, particularly his father, Carlisle, regularly. That was welcome. However, behind the scenes reality is that Edward is a 100 something year old vampire and his family structure reflects a group of interdependent adults, thus softening the adults are valuable to the teen experience message. The negative side of this is that the Cullens lie to and work around Bella's parents repeatedly. It's true, this is for both Bella and their protection. But transporting her to other states and continuing to keep them in the dark about her safety, as well as encouraging her to behave in a way that is hurtful to them is not an example to be encouraged. Of course, things could have been dealt with much more efficiently if her father, especially, and her mother, not so essentially were 'in on it', but that would lessen the drama... I appreciated the lack of swearing, sex, crime, etc. I found it interesting that it rained for 2 days straight when I read this book, it was a lot like living in Forks! I loved the comedy. The banter between Bella and Edward - their ability to laugh about how weird life is when two different people come together (so much of what was going on between them happens in real life when two people connect on a truly deep emotional level!). It was realistic that some of their jokes fell flat if the other wasn't on the same page, or found a topic too sensitive. My favorite line was written when Bella is stomping through Port Angeles, trying not to think of Edward and spots his silver Volvo in town. Haven't we all had that experience of trying to forget about someone/ something only to have it keep inserting itself in our mind through random occurrence? Bella's thought is: "Stupid, unreliable vampire, I thought to myself." I laughed out loud! Apparently, Stephanie Meyer doesn't take her story TOO seriously. Certainly there are reflections of other literature here. Bella's absolute trust in Edward's goodness made me think of Marie's character in Ludlum's Bourne Identity. Of course, the dark super naturalism and war between good and evil has often been compared to Harry Potter. The fairy tale Thumbelina came to mind in regard to the role of sunlight in the story. Bella's melancholic paranoia scented to me of Jane Eyre, even before I read Stephanie Meyer's web page where she declared Mr. Rochester of Bronte's Jane Eyre, and Mr. Ferras of Austin's Sense & Sensibility as her inspiration for Edward's name. Yet Meyer has combined these elements with her own ideas to create something entirely new and I think the work has the substance to stand on it's own. I'm not ready to scream on the street, go get autographs, and camp out overnight awaiting the next release, but I thought this book was engaging and unique. I'm looking forward to reading more. 4 stars. There's more, and I hated Book #2 New Moon (Twilight #2), Meyer, 2006 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Very good comeback :-)

I quite liked the first four issues of this, but the final flopped for me pretty dramatically. To be less polite: it felt like it spit in the face of fans of the series. Overall, now that Jack of Fables is done, I can't say I was super thrilled with it. Without the Fables name, I probably wouldn't have finished it. I'm not convinced I would have even stuck through all of the original Jack stories, let along the Jack Frost junk that followed it.

I am soooo happy to be done with this book. The pace of this book was extremely slow, especially the second half. I honestly got so sick and tired of Brianna and i feel like having her show up more in this book just made it worse. I completely understand why people say this book is a struggle and i almost feel like the story has been stretched or taken too far. Don't get me wrong that i love the books but I feel as though that the series should of ended at book three. I do understand that some questions were left unanswered about other characters but I really don't like seeing a good series being expanded just because the books became popular. I started reading this series because i loved Claire's POV but now that the POV switches between characters it makes it less appealing for me. So far there are nine books in this series and there are still more being made so i still have a far ways to go until I'm done with this series but i hope that the next book is better. But I do understand that in a big series there probably is going to be one or two books that aren't as favorited as the rest.

Wildly funny.

This is my first Eloisa James novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Merry Pelford has already jilted two of her fiances and she's determined to keep her promises after her third betrothal to Lord Cedric. That is until she met a stranger on a balcony and proceeds to turn London's polite society on its head. Merry is an American heiress who have yet to learn all the ways regarding English manners. The man she met on the balcony couldn't care less about English manners and found Merry desirable as she is. Unbeknownst to the Duke of Trent, the woman he met is already betrothed and he's fighting hard against his desires. I really liked the dance between Trent and Merry as they fought their feelings in the first half of the book, and enjoyed their relationship in the second half. Merry's character is quite likeable, she's smart, stubborn, strong-will, and kind. I liked Trent as well, even though he has a rule to not show excessive emotions such as love. I felt sad and sorry for the boy that he was. But the man he made of himself was admirable. Love his declarations for Merry at the end. I'm adding more of EJ's books to my list after this.

So many mixed reviews. I will say this I still love the series. I love Ty and Zane! I hate that I have to wait so long for the next book though.

*ARC received in return for an honest review Wow,what a wild ride. As a huge fan of the Edge of Never, I picked up this book without knowing anything about the story, I only knew that Andrew and Camryn would be making a cameo appearance. Bray and Elias met as children and grew up best friends, Bray was pretty much ignored by her family and suffered from benign neglect. She seemed like the wild child but really she was afraid to form bonds or attachments to people because she didn't understand that the other people could actually care for her. Elias was in love and devoted to Bray no matter what. This New Adult book contained some pretty spicy sex scenes but I felt they fit in with the story of the young characters as they grew and explored the world and their relationships. A shocking event occurs and Bray and Elias find themselves on the road. Many adventures ensue, and they meet up with another group young wanderers. I never thought there would be a HEA to this story based on their almost daily physical struggles and Bray's battle with bipolar disorder. depression. Elias would never leave a Bray no matter what, so it was difficult to see how there would be a satisfying conclusion to this book, but there was. I read several very negative reviews of this book and I don't agree at all. This book has enough drama, emotion and sexy times to satisfy any fan of New Adult books. Even though the ending seemed bleak at one point, I was very happy to see Bray and Elias get the ending they so deserved.

....um.... I blame Kristen.

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I love the movie Labyrinth and I knew this book was a sort of retelling, but it was oh so much more than that. It was gorgeously written and so well crafted.

The Darwin stories, particularly his dream/revelation are quite good [8/10]. I'm not that fond of the vampire story that follows [6/10], but the Spider-Man/JJJ arc that finishes off the volume is good fun, with interesting interactions with the rest of the Marvel universe [7/10].

3.5 stars. I want to give this 4 stars, I really want to. But I can't. I just can't. After reading The Mara Dyer and Shatter Me Series, I told myself I won't expect too much on books with so much hype and good reviews again. For I'll just disappoint myself. But boy, I sure did expect something in this book. And I think the main reason why people liked this so much is because of the Romance. Because I see nothing more interesting about this other than the Romance. Sure, some characters are very likeable - such as Dee. And also, I appreciate the fact that even though Daemon is very...infuriating and jerk-ish, it does not seem to be forced or trying too hard. Which is the problem on some books. Wherein the Hero acts like an ass and appears to be a real ass. In this book, Daemon, is not like that - he's reasonable (though sometimes really unbelievable) but you can't not forgive him for his douchiness. But it does not change the fact that this book is more of a constant-banter-slash-foreplay-between-two-angsty-teenagers-toward-their-way-to-the-bed. I feel like nothing much happened over the entire book. And that's just sad. I'll probably read the next installments though.

Cute enough but not my favorite book by Cathryn Falwell, or about quilts for that matter.

Due to the many existing comprehensive reviews of Poe's works, I will just give a quick personal opinion. Poe's poems are works that I have read many times over since a young age, and I enjoy them every time. Haunting and atmospheric, it is impossible to read Poe and not imagine oneself in a large, dark house, surrounded by one's own ghosts.

Liked this one. Picked it up late enough to have forgotten some of what came before, but it still worked well enough. Also enjoyed Puck's "growth" through the book. The parents bored me a bit, and I did guess who the Master and spies were before the end (read too much "Fables"). But it was still enjoyable enough that I can't wait for the next one (if only for the Puck/Sabrina interaction!).

4.5 Stars for the second book in the LeFay series. It really should be be read in order. Morgan LeFay is a gifted 16 year old, one of the strongest magic wielders in Camelot, and still, she was not selected to be the Maven, adviser to young Prince Arthur. No, that duty was awarded to Merlin, a boy in Morgan's class who was clearly infatuated with her. But, Merlin's got a checkered association with the Luminaries, a sect of magic wielders who seek to bring down the House of Pendragon, of which Arthur and King Uther are sprung. Being Maven seems a supreme conflict of interest for Merlin, and Morgan's both frustrated and jealous. And, depressed. Morgan returns to her father's home to sulk instead of assuming her post as a Black Knight under the command of High Knight Lancelot. Lancelot comes to pry her from her sorrow, and it sets off a chain of events that I did not see coming. Morgan's soon on the run-with Prince Arthur, a sulky teen if ever I read one, and searching high and low for the mystical Excalibur. The trip is dangerous, and Morgan has certainly signed her own death warrant by making this trip. It's really a mission, one that she hopes will save Arthur from a Luminary plot. And she's pledged her life to protecting Arthur. The endearment that arises between them is good. It wasn't sappy or anything. Arthur is a bit of a pill-he's 14 and it shows-and he only slightly warms to Morgan in their adventure. He grows up A LOT in this experience. I liked that part. Lancelot and Merlin have very mixed feelings about Morgan. On one hand she's a traitor, on the other she could be a patriot. And the murk surrounding the Luminaries plans keeps Morgan on a path to execution. Well, maybe. This is a story that kept me guessing, and I felt engaged throughout. It's a rather innocent tale, and a bit melancholy. I was grieved when Morgan was arrested, and felt that her new status, as a bearer of Pendragon's Blessing, would have saved her, but it was not the case. The end is a fast and furious ride that includes a stay of execution in the most dire of ways. Arthur and Morgan have some reckonings to make, and I am eager to see how this plays out in the next book in this series. I also wonder how both Merlin and Lancelot will handle their feelings for Morgan going forward. I'm not certain that it qualifies as a "love triangle" as Morgan has only discovered romantic feelings, and they are set on one man-the one she cannot have. The resolution is sufficient for this volume, but the story remains active. Definitely recommend!

See full review for Sweet Evil at: http://toomanybooksnotenoughshelves.w... Anna is a goody two shoes, and she knows it. She doesn't party. She doesn't do drugs or alcohol, and she always respects her adoptive mother's rules. But even she gets tempted every now and again. The thing that differentiates her from other people is that her senses are extraordinary. She's got super hearing, seeing, touch, etc. She doesn't understand why, and especially why it all started happening when she was sixteen. That is until she meets the mysterious Kaidan Rowe who intrigues her more than any other because he is just like her. Patti, her adoptive mother, is alarmed when Anna tells her that she met someone like her, and eventually tells her the truth. Anna is the child of angels. Her mother was a guardian angel and her father was one of the Fallen and a Duke of one of the seven deadly sins. Due to the way she was brought up, she's not as evil as she should be, but that's okay because her father believes the guardian angels have plans for her. Something that will change everything.

I was asked by the author the to read and review the book. As a fan of poetry, I love it when I find a collection of writings that speak to the heart. I related to the all the poems and emotions reflected in this collections. Several really stood out for me personally. The writer did a wonderful job not only telling a story, but painting a picture with words and emotion. Beautiful job.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. The Pharaoh's Cat is an entertaining tale of ancient Egypt, told in the perspective of a cat who was given the ability to walk and talk like a human being. When the Pharaoh saw Wrappen-Hamen the cat, he was immediately entertained and was able to laugh after many years of not doing so. As a result, Wrappen-Hamen was brought to court and lived under the Pharaoh's protection. Although Wrappen-Hamen possess some abilities of human beings, he is still mostly a cat, and this is what makes the story unique and amusing. For the first half of the book, I really like the tone of it. It was light and enjoyable, and it has humor in it. For those of you who have ever been curious about what your pets are thinking of, I think this book would be entertaining to you. Wrappen-Hamen often gets into trouble, but he's clever enough to always get himself out of it. He's also clever enough to dupe his enemy, Cata-Mut into crazy situations. However, for the latter part of the book, I became a bit bored and I just wanted to finish the book. I was really surprised that there is time-travel in this novel, and at that point I was confused about its connection to the whole story. However, I'm glad that the author was able to wrap it all up together nicely in the end. What I'm trying to say is that there is a connection to everything after all. I was actually prepared to give The Pharaoh's Cat 4 stars in the beginning, but unfortunately, I didn't like the second half as much as I enjoyed the first half, so I found it only fair to reduce 1 star from my rating. Anyway, even though I didn't enjoy the second half, I still recommend this for those looking for a unique, interesting read.

See full review for Warcross at: https://toomanybooksnotenoughshelves.... HOLY. CRAP. I just finished reading this book and I have to say that I am stunned. Literally stunned, like someone from this novel used a Team Freeze on me, I cannot function. I'm not even sure what I have read to be honest. I mean, was that really a book? Because it played out like VR movie in my head or something. WHOA.

This is poetry that is real, that is my own world, but makes me itchy with wanting to know how he DID that, and despair that I am so very far from even coming close. It is a book I want to keep reading over and over again for at least a year, but now with a pencil in my hand and saying it out loud and copying it in my notebook. So very very good.

Decent story, though the inclusion of the original Art of War writing was slightly confusing at times. I didn't really feel for any of the characters, as they didn't have a whole lot to their backstories. The art was at times quite good and at times not so good, which is fine, I don't expect every panel to be amazing. I did like how it was non-standard panels though. There were some interesting formatted pages because of that. I liked the stark black and white with red. I'd probably read this again.

A thorough reconstruction of the Cuban Missile Crisis, using a lot of previously unused sources to give a more complete picture of the whole Crisis. We came thiiiiiiis close to nuclear war.

This is the 4th book in the Backstage Pass series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone. Anya is a homeless teen who has managed to bluff her way into a gig as a reporter covering a two week stint on the Seconds To Juliet tour. Her assignment is to interview Will, the "shy" one and make daily updates to her online 'zine. Anya knows that if she uncovers a big, dark secret about the band, she can sell it and get the money to move off the Tulsa streets. She has had a few articles published, but has posed as a married woman to attain her freelance job, even though she is only 17. Will Frey is in rehab after a pain pill addiction. In order to not be found in breach of his contract, his twin brother Matt has stepped into his shoes--only one member of the band knows Matt's true identity, and Matt's freaking out that Anya will discover his secret. In order to distract her, he attempts to seduce her--and ends up falling for her completely. This is a fun one! Anya and Matt are both good people trapped in uncomfortable positions. Anya is so used to being on her own, she's shell-shocked at the attention of the band, and the sheer number of people that are part of the tour. She makes friends with the make-up woman, and Natasha is her first confidante in probably 5 years; surely since before her schizo mother abandoned her 3 years ago. Matt is, by turns, aggressive and reticent. He's on constant guard against letting his secret loose, but he doesn't have all the knowledge he needs to be a complete changeling. Like, Will didn't give him accurate lyrics. And, Will neglected to mention Natasha was his girlfriend on the down-low. It's a really clean read, with only the barest suggestion of anything beyond kissing ending in discomfort and giggles. Matt discovers that Anya has learned his secret, and he does the very worst thing possible, but he's redeemed in the end--in church no less. I loved how the deception was resolved and really wanted to give Will a big smooch for fixing things, along with Matt. Plus, Anya gets a family of friends who are far better than any she could have been born to. One snag for me: I'm very familiar with Briticisms, and I wonder why Suze Winegardner didn't write Miles' story--as he's the Brit in the group and her expertise in the application of the Queen's English would have been better used there. There were several times if I wondered how a boy from Florida would use colloquialisms common to a bloke from the North End... Otherwise, it's a light, fun read with some tender romantic elements and two HEA's for readers to enjoy.

The Good Doctor presents the history of The United States, from the occupation of Mexico City by French troops on June 7th 1863, to the conclusion of World War I on November 11th 1918; delivered with Asimov's usual inimitably lucid and witty style. This is another one of the Good Doctor's many enjoyable and informative narratives covering the history of civilization.

it starts with Daniels father being murdered while his little brother and him were asleep in thier room. From that point on they are on the run from who, they do not know Nor WHY. Different planet & ways of doing things, our main character has lots to learn.

"Once - long ago and for millennia before that - we had been slaves to High Fae overlords. Once, we had built them glorious, sprawling civilizations from blood and sweat, built them temples to their feral gods. Once, we had rebelled, across every land and territory. The War had been so bloody, so destructive, that it took six mortal queens crafting the Treaty for the slaughter to ease on both sides and for the wall to be constructed: the North of our world conceded to the High Fae and faeries, who took their magic with them; the South to we cowering mortals, forever forced o scratch out a living from the earth." With ACoTaR I pooped my Sarah J. Maas cherry. It's actually ironic because I bought all her Throne of Glass series as paperback already and bought her follow-up, A Court of Mist and Fury, without having read a single word of hers - yup, I had some faith in this author. That being said, I barely remember what the blurb said about the book when I decided I start reading it, I was simply fascinated with the cover and thought I've to finally start this series because EVERYONE is raving about. I read this book in two days and took it everywhere with me - I was that fascinated by the world Sarah created. I'm a huge fantasy fan, in my opinion, it gives books a special twist that makes my bookworm heart skip a beat. Feyre, a young girl that had to grow up way too fast, had to see and feel so much cruelty in her young age, committed a crime she didn't know was a crime. Killing a fae, which was disguised as a wolf. Despite her hate for the fae she killed him (unknowingly) in order to feed and provide for her family. As a result, a High Lord of the Fae came to claim her, because she has to pay her debt for killing a faerie - he took Feyre to the South, away from her family, her misery. That's when the story really begins. I've to admit the beginning dragged a bit and I played with the thought to DNF but I didn' want to give up - not just because everyone told me how awesome this story is - but I wanted to trust my instinct that this series got to be fantastic. AND I WAS RIGHT!! Omg, the slow build-up between Feyre and Tamlin was great. Both warmed up to each other and Feyre finally got live a life she deserved. Tamlin showed her a new world; a world that she thought was cruel to humans but his home was everything but that. Both couldn't deny their growing feelings anymore ....until SHE came and ripped their happiness apart. "Because I was human, and I would grow old and - I didn't let myself get that far as he came closer still. Slowly, as if giving me time to pull away, he brushed his lips against my cheek. Soft and warm and heartbreakingly gentle." The last few chapters gave me almost a heart attack. If you enjoy romantic fantasies than check out this series - a love that goes beyond, a love that makes your heart beat faster, a love that is like no other. ___________________________________ Read all my reviews (A-Z) on the blog Like the blog on Facebook Email subscription to my blog

I'm enjoying this Wyoming author, although I'm a bit annoyed about his continual l reference to the "Twelve Sleep" area. His celebrity big city lawyer sounds an awful lot like another well-known lawyer who live in Jackson Hole. For the most part his characters and country seem pretty real and true. It's always fun to read stories about areas of which you are familiar.

A further development in the story with evolving and new characters. As with the rest, a fun read.

One of my favorite books of this year. This story was incredibly touching and thought provoking. I absolutely adored all of the characters and I really loved all of the parental relationships presented in this book. Our main character--Ari--reminded me a lot of Charlie from The Perks of Bring a Wallflower, but while there are certainly similarties this story is entirely it's own. I picked this up in audio book because I knew that Lin Manuel Miranda was the narrator and that was pretty much all I needed to know to convince me it was going to be amazing. Lin's narration is perfection (again, no surprises there) and the combination of his voice and the writing style is beautiful. This is a coming of age story, and it is very much character based. It was throughly diverse, centering around two Mexican American families and discovering your sexuality while coming of age. I fell in love with every single character in the story. If you enjoy character based stories and very lyrical writing I would recommend this book in a heartbeat.

1.5 stars. Sweet Filthy Boy is a favourite of mine, but I was disappointed with this book. I didn't buy that the MCs could ever fall in love with each other. The initial "sexy" parts were creepy and almost sexual harassment given the difference in their position/power at the firm. And unprotected sex between strangers is never sexy for me.

Actual Rating: 3.5 It was a cute read, but definitely not a favorite. Although both Dash and Lily were interesting characters, I'm not sure if I found myself enjoying following them as much as I thought I would. My favorite things about the book were the witty banter passed back and forth and the concept of the red moleskin. It was definitely a unique idea. Also, as a New Yorker, I definitely loved being able to relate to the mentionings of Dash & Lily. I did have to push myself pretty hard towards the middle of the book to finish. I did find the book kind of slow (?), and I am not so satisfied with the ending. I do love the setting of the ending, but I was expecting more, as well.

Story: 2 stars Illustrations: 3 stars Sequel to A Day in the Life of Murphy. In this one, Murphy leaves the farm with his family to visit the city, where there are lots of fun canine activities. Narrated from the dog's first-person POV, Murphy knows about some very un-dog-like things, such as power lines and restaurants. I don't advocate giving young children nightmares about what really happens in animal shelters, but it's wrong to portray an animal shelter as a cool pet hotel. Also not fond of Murphy calling the other farm animals "dumb." While the plots are completely different, this book has the exact same last page (text and illustration) as the first Murphy book.

Ok so'Howl' and 'Kaddish' (I'm referring to both the individual poems and collections) were far superior to this one; Ginsberg's defintely done better. However, Reality Sandwiches is ,well, reality sandwiches. Each poem is a deeply personal work that takes you into the mind and life of Allen Ginsberg. Considering that this volume was made up of largely uncollected poems that spanded a great deal of time, the quality of the work is what could be called mildly eclectic, and certian pieces are signifagantly better then others. It's nonetheless still an interesting literary endeavor that's decently put together. There are better beatnit books out there, obviously; so I'd recomed one of thoose. Yet, Reality Sandwiches is a passing poetic feat.

Loved 15 Days without a Head, and this lived up to my expectations. Warm and funny, but, as in 15 days there is also a serious issue to think about. Wonderful.

The Party The Dance The Graduation

I have enjoyed a number of Phelps' TC books but this one didn't do it for me. I just couldn't care about the 2 women...or anyone else, for that matter

Text: 4 stars Illustrations: 4 stars Picture book, set in Africa, about a little girl brimming over with happiness. As she checks in with various family members, we learn how each person contributes to this large extended-family household. Illustrations help bring the diverse setting to life and allow readers to glimpse the personalities of Anna's family members. This is the same protagonist and family of the Anna Hibiscus chapter book series, produced by this same creative team.

So I liked it...but I'm not sure I liked it as well as I wanted to. Quick read, sexy scenes.

Predictable and very strongly anti-choice, but otherwise good.

A complex series of plot lines made for an interesting and suspenseful read. Several times, though, clearly inaccurate/impossible information was presented that was essential to the plot, which diminished an otherwise great book for me.

4 -Dr. Love Stars ;) Oh wow, where to begin...Justice Drake was hot - I mean, he was stunningly hot and one cocky bastard during the seminar. "I'm going to teach you how to fuck your husband." Yeah that's the tone throughout the seminar...it's his routine. Men pay him so their wives are better lays so they don't cheat on them...*coughs* yeah guess what kind of jerks the husbands are -yup, you're right, rich bastards who blame their wives for being interested in other pussies!! Anyhow, where was I...right, Justice. He's the sex guru for celebraties since years and never did he have a problem; sure he slipped ones or twice and enjoyed himself a bit too much, but when Ally sat across him, listening to every word he was teaching the women, he lost all trail of thoughts while looking at her. She's forbidden; married for Christ sake...but he can't seem to stay awake during practise. She's not like the other women -no spoiled rich brat. No, Ally is humble, down to earth...adorable, sexy, and she doesn't even know it. The more these two are in contact the more Justice focuses on her...on her emotions...her thoughts...and what it'd feels like to touch her, to be close to her. He didn't expect that once he touched her he couldn't stay away...but neither could she. "I laugh like an idiot when she's around. I worry hurting her feelings or being too gruff. Hell, I've been eating ice cream, like a hormonal chick with PMS! I just don't get it." Yeah Justice, that's called slowly but surely falling in love mister! These two have a spark going on that's off the charts...and at one point both couldn't resist anymore. They threw the rules overboard...I mean, Ally's husband is basically a whore let's be honest- he nails everything that has boobs with no regards and at least Justice sees who she really is and knows she is NOT to blame for her husband's second hobby. But everything good comes to an end, sometimes faster than wanted. Justice and Ally don't get 6 weeks, no. Something, or should I say someone comes in between them and Justice can't loose the one thing that has finally given him his life back. He doesn't want to be any longer an island of one..no, he wants to be an island of two -with Ally...but karma has other plans. "Please don't leave me, angel. I don't want to be in the dark anymore." S.L. Jennings wrote a pretty dang good story, completely written in a male pov - and I can honestly say enjoyed it. I like to be in a man's head and Justice's mind was bliss to be in. He's a man with many faces and I loved them all. I understood why he fell for Ally and vise versa. I laughed, giggled and swooned over Justice and dang, I don't know why not all women threw themselves at him - I would have. He's sex on legs and the book cover totally fits. Grab this book, it won't disappoint you!! ___________________________________ Read all my review (A-Z) on the blog Like the blog on Facebook

I'm getting close to having all the Ludlum books done and even though I really, really enjoy them it makes me sad knowing there will be no new ones.

Cursed is a solid entry in the world of YA paranormal romance. Ember and her little sister Olivia are both different, but while Olivia has the gift of a life-giving touch, Ember is cursed with powers that take life away. (As if surviving high school, dealing with cute boys and the other challenges life has been throwing her way wasn't enough.) When Ember discovers that there are people who are interested in her and her sisters powers, she doesn't know if she can trust anyone, but when the irresistible Hayden tells her he is on her side, Ember is tempted to believe him... If I hadn't already been hooked by the Lux series, I probably would have been able to rate this higher, but unfortunately, Ember and Hayden have nothing on Katy and Daemon (sigh).

I read the audiobook and enjoyed it immensely. The stories were wonderful and well read by a great British cast. The only character that I did not enjoy much was Tigger. The voice did not seem to work very well, and the whirring sound she did for his bouncing was really annoying!

A fun read. Interesting characters, human and canine. Loved the So Cal location, lots of wealth, although the fashion references were mostly lost on me, lovely weather, decadent food, what's not to like? Enough plot to keep the action moving. Keep 'em coming, Sparkle Abbey, your fans are waiting for the next installment.

This book had so much potential. I'm not saying Hardinge is a bad writer because she isn't the writing was great, but the book was just way too long and way to complicated for a child to understand. I barely understood what was going on until halfway through the book. I think if this was a book for YA/or adults it would have been better. But a 10 year old would not have gotten the intricate writing and complex world. That said, if the book had been 200 pages less, it would have been great. The complex conspiracy was great and I enjoyed the main character. It's great to see a girl who is strong and such a leader in a book like this. However this book left me emotionally tired from reading it.

My Warrior Fae is Book 9 in the Aaron's Kiss Series -- Tess Knight wanted to just get a loan to help buy a car but what she got instead was getting caught up in a bank robbery. She is magical in a way that she can hide in the shadows and doing that is able to take care of the robbers with no one getting hurt but herself. Nathaniel Tremont is a vampire and works for the FBI and has been tracking the robbers. When he finds out they have all been killed he just wants to go and be by himself. He has been selected to heal Tess and as he does he knows that she is his mate. He doesn't want this and neither does Tess. Things are really rocky for them. Doe Nate accept Tess as his mate? Does Tess accept her fate? This is a great read by Kathi S Barton and would recommend to everyone as a must read.

3.5 - 4 Stars One of my favorite writing duos! I have read several of the Merikan sisters' M/M and M/F books and they never disappoint. This book, which could read as a standalone, is a side story to Seth and Dom's story. But if you have not yet read the other Guns 'n Boys books, get them!! They are totally addictive! Lucrezia is promised to Seth in marriage by her father. Even though she is very young and naive, she dutifully goes along with her father's plan. Until of course she meets Santo, who is tasked with escorting her safely to meet her future husband. Santo and Lucrezia are HOT but their relationship is completely forbidden. Each one of their encounters is laced with danger. I definitely want to read more about Santo: he could have an entire book written just from his point of view! Handsome, dominating and smart, Lucrezia can't resist him. This is without a doubt a violent mafia romance but yet it is not quite as bloody or strange as some of the books I've read by this duo. Lucrezia is almost an old-fashioned woman, from the way she dresses to her speech to her mannerisms. And even though Santo lives in a world of constant violence, he was sexy and romantic and almost tender with the beautiful Lucrezia. 'Blood & Marriage' is a super fast-paced and spicy read, with all of the trademark sexual tension and wonderfully descriptive writing I have come to expect from Miss Merikan. A great addition to a wonderful series. (ARC provided in return for an honest review)

st`wd 'wTny l~ 'wTnh n `d nsn bh lnsn

That was the most fantastic read!!! It made me laugh and it made me cry. Amazing!

Killing Tomorrow (678-679). A fun sort of timey wimey problem, entirely focused on an inventor building a doorway into the future. Also cool for its focus on Horizon Labs [7/10]. Morbid Curiosity (679.1). An even more in-depth look at Horizon and its members here, which makes it another winner. Though it's mostly a tease for the future, it's still pretty good for a .1 book [7/10]. Space Station (680-681). This final story was the weakest of the batch. It was good action-adventure, but it wasn't much beyond that, and I think too much attention was spent on treading water before Ends of the Earth [6/10].

Once again, Saga reminds us that nobody is safe not only with unexpected deaths, but also with unexpected surprises. It continues to feed us with delightful treats and gore without making the readers forget the plot and scope of the story. There are really delicious shocking scenes in the story, some being very disturbing even in my level. What you have seen can never be unseen. Even with so many things happening in just one volume, Saga still manages not to make it look crowded. It even went retrospective to show why Marko hates violence.

express your sadness. inside it has only one place to go. -- tissue

I could spend forever looking at the art. Dustin Nguyen's watercolors are why I gave this 5 stars. Don't get me wrong, the plot is fantastic and it evokes all of the emotions out of me, but the art is crazy wonderful. The art just heightened everything I was feeling. So beautiful. Can't wait to get this signed by Dustin himself at NYCC!! Also the Harvesters reminded me of robot versions of the Colossal Titan from Shingeki no Kyojin LOL

I loved the visuals and the overall story-arc was well done. It's a fun romp in a twisted fantasy land.

FANTASTIC! There are so many twists and turns in the plot, I can't imagine how Phillipa kept it all straight while writing it. Fabulous story with rich characters. This is where the board-game "Chess" came from. Can't wait for the next book, "The White Princess."

OK, where to begin? I don't even like the NAME of the genre (chick lit) and I have no clue how this one ended up in my pile. But there it was, so I picked it up. And I admit it entertained me. I could totally relate to the protagonist, who is the less attractive one in the friendship and the one who is always getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop, but who is brighter (well, academically anyway).. and who ends up falling into bed with someone who is committed to someone else, and then staying with him even though he doesn't leave to be with her...at least not right away. But, as someone else said, this is like watching -- well their example was something I have never seen so I will change it -- like watching a movie with Meg Ryan or Julia Roberts in their America's Sweetheart days -- like Runaway Bride, or Sleepless in Seattle -- you know EXACTLY where the story is going and you go along anyway. So at first I thought about reading the next in the series, and then slapped myself and realized I'd rather rot my brain with mysteries and thrillers and true crime than chick lit. But good God do I need to be less judgmental of those whose reading crap is a different genre than mine, or WHAT? Mercy. The 3 stars is because in some ways I just HATED it and in some ways it totally entertained me, so I just picked the middle ground.

I liked this one, but not so much that I'll read the sequel. I didn't really care all that much about the characters until about half way through the book. The author is amazing with descriptions, that's the main selling point for this series. The way Ms. Clare solved the love triangle was daring. I saw it coming, but then dismissed my instincts because I had a hard time believing the author would actually go there--then she did. I won't say anymore because I don't want to give anything away.

Part of the Cam Jansen chapter book series featuring a fifth-grade girl with a "photographic" memory. These books are not whodunit type of mysteries, but each story contains a conundrum, which Cam's eidetic memory helps to solve. The protagonist and her bff are a bit old for a chapter book. The books in the series are all short, (less than 60 pgs each) quick reads. They can be read independently of one another, and are easily understood if read out of order. Published in the 1980s, the books are somewhat dated, mostly in terms of technology (i.e. cameras requiring film that needs developing, pay telephones in boxes, kids running around without a cell phone or any way to contact parents/authorities, etc.). In this book, Cam and her best friend, Eric, investigate some dinosaur bones that are missing from a museum skeleton.

Probably my favourite volume. I love Toni so much :')

A unique twist on "zonbies". That's no typo, some voodoo magical zombies in a civil war setting! The book was absolutely brilliant!

3 Charming yet annoying stars! Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Penguin Group Ok, To start this series is one of those sweet series with a great family and loving men. I was excited about this one as I have loved Hunter throughout the other books so I couldn't wait. I was aprehensive with Megan because she did not endear me at all in the last three books but if Hunter saw something in her I was going to give her the benefit of doubt. "You like me even thought I used to like him?" "That never mattered to me, although I often wished you might someday consider his older, wiser and much more handsome brother." To start off I was excited because the beginning portrayed as Hunter way more alpha then Will and Colton but as the book kept going he wasn't really that alpha and was way to sickly over the top sweet, however I did like that he was upfront with his feelings and didn't play any games where that was concerned. The more I read the more I'm turning into goldilocks looking for the perfect hero and Hunter didn't quite fit the bill. However, Hunter did have some very sweet and charming moments: "There's no place in matters of the heart for spreadsheets or pie charts." "What?" he asked horrified. "I really did hear what you said earlier, but I do want to be serious about you. I know you've got stone walls up around your heart, and I understand why. You should know I plan to scale those walls." "What are you doing all the way over there?" "Just waiting for you to invite me over there." "Dear Meagan, please come closer to me. Love, Hunter. How's that?" N ow don't even get me going on Megan. Argh! The whole book she was a bunch of contradictions and mixed messages. "I'm sending mixed messages here, aren't I?" (Yep!) At first she was confused that Hunter liked her since she had a crush on his brother for 10 years then she was all like ' I can get to know you but I'm not into long term' What!!!! But you could waste 10 YEARS on crushing on someone????? Then for the whole book she was wishy washy and push and pull in regards to her feelings for Hunter. I know this may sound heartless and I get that she lost her parents at a young vulnerable age but to never love again so you can't get hurt again. This series started off charming me but the last two books have left me wanting more but since I am a masochist in regards to reading I will try and continue with this series to see how the rest of the Abbotts fair in regards to love and their HEA's. This book was charming yet at times frustrating with Megan's back and forth. I did like Hunter but wanted him to be more alpha than over the top sweet but in the end I do really have a soft spot for all the Abbotts. For more reviews, visit Live Read and Breathe Like us on Facebook Live Read and Breathe Facebook Follow along with Twitter Live Read and Breathe Twitter

My first non-school required poetry book. I read this of my own accord and it was so swoon worthy. I kept finding myself taking pictures of the poems I really loved <3 Would recommend to anyone who likes poetry or is new to poetry.

Good concept but the illustrations are so chaotic that it is difficult to tell what is going on in many of them.

Have I ever read a book having a villain with similar capabilities? Yes. I can think of a movie years where a prison inmate is executed and has powers identical to the ones described in this book. And there is a TV series in production on right now that had a strange entity doing the same type of thing. Did I enjoy this book? I'm giving it 3 stars because of the action scenes with the family, scary stuff with the mirrors, and the interaction of Melody with the daughter. I thought the character of John was rather bland and dull. The ending was intense, but wondered how the evil villain(s) would be dispatched. The 'door' was a bit of a reach. I think Melody could have been used more at the end instead of just having her. . . Well, read the book and find out.

Awesome! Read it and then read again. It is a basic to all of western thought.

Fantasy powerhouse Neil Gaiman tackles ancient folklore in his latest work, Norse Mythology. Perfectly envisioning Loki's sneaky nature, Thor's single minded strength, and Odin's sage confidence, Gaiman's vibrant writing presents a world full of treachery, triumph, never-ending wars and one-upmanship, populated by wonderfully larger than life characters. Before you realize it, you'll be as enthralled as a child sitting around a campfire, listening to an elder tell mesmerizing tall tales of adventures from the distant past. Thanks to W. W. Norton & Company for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An excellent overview of earth history and how scientists learn about it. Quite enjoyable and informative. I really enjoyed the section on the P-T boundary. Although I disappointed that Clare Patterson wasn't mentioned.

You're better off reading this than doing it on audio. The story was decent but certainly not my favorite of Sanderson's. I did not like the reader for this book and definitely think it colored my opinion of the book. Half of the characters sound like air heads (Lightsong and Siri) and others aren't very distinguishable.

Two words......Deacon Love!!! I really loved Deacon, how he claimed Frankie (even when he was being stupid). I loved Frankie's relationship with all of the Love's and also Indie (when is she getting a book?). Great read and looking forward to more!!

Ninja and Bunny's Great Adventure by Kara S. Tyler is a fun, magical, adventurous children's picture-book story. The story is about two sisters, the older one Ruthie tells her younger sister Marian that they have to go save the fairies. Marian, thinking it's one of her sister's make-believe games, dresses up as Bunny and follows her into the woods near their house. There, Ruthie shows Marian how to enter fairyland and together they save the fairy queen. I was surprised by and later liked the reversal in roles at the beginning of the story, where Marian appears to be wiser than her older sister. "For a moment, Marian wondered if Ruthie remembered this was just a game." I particularly liked the author's take on fear and how standing up to it will banish it away. Also, how sometimes prolonging our fears may turn them into something they are not. "There was nothing to be afraid of...but running away made it seem so much scarier." The pictures, by illustrator Sarah Pacetti, are beautifully done and portray the wording well; the colours are vivid as are the characters of Ninja and Bunny. "Magic wrapped around them, transforming them into their fairy selves, making them truly Ninja and Bunny." Speaking about her story at the end of the book, author Kara S Tyler reveals that the "The Adventures of Ninja and Bunny first came about because of a fabulous conversation overheard between Kara's two children during a very long car ride. The two young girls spent over two hours debating the various aspects of Fae politics and social structure. Without realising it, the girls were building a world so read, Ray Bradbury would be proud."

This is a lovely book. It reminds me of being at a family cottage in the country where there was a covered bridge nearby. It was always a family tradition to visit the covered bridge. running through the bridge and yelling to hear the echoes! Theses photographs are wonderful. It is a lovely book to spend an afternoon looking at all the wonderful bridges across the country. it alos makes me want to visit many of them. A definite goodread!

This was a perfect blend of slightly supernatural horror and plain old crime thriller. Just enough of each to make the novel truly creepy. My only complaint is with one small plot detail, which does make sense in the context of the novel but also causes it to drag on a little longer than I it really needed to.

A very fine installment of this series. The opening is jarring (do not read this one out of order or you'll be quite lost/confused), but the action is swift and gripping. Only the ending fell a tiny bit flat, given that the wrap-up was a bit sparse. There is a lot less time in the woods in this one, with what there is being focused on fly fishing, with much more time spent on the action.

An excellent follow-up to the original, much clearer and even more exciting & setting up some bigger mysteries.

Saya aware dengan webtoon Cat and Dog setelah tahun 2015 lalu ada update di Dramabeans soal adaptasi webtoon ini menjadi drama Korea. Katanya, sih, dramanya akan tayang tahun ini. Tapi saya belum tahu bagaimana kelanjutan soal dramanya. Dari Dramabeans juga saya tahu bahwa premis yang ditawarkan oleh Cat and Dog berupa tema perjodohan - persis dengan tema di manhwa Goong (Princess Hours), drama Sweet 18, atau film My Little Bride - dan marriage contract (walaupun tidak bisa dibilang marriage contract juga ya di sini). Kisah Cat and Dog ini klise banget. Pengkarakteran tokoh utamanya (Joo Yeong Woo dan Mo Seul Woo) juga sangat klise. Karakter seperti mereka berdua ini karakter yang paling membuat frustrasi kalau sedang membaca manga/manhwa/webtoon/Ktoon atau menonton drama, hehehe. Saya lebih tertarik dengan kisah supporting characters, terutama kisah Lee Ok Bong. Twist mengenai siapa dia sebenarnya adalah bagian yang paling saya sukai selama membaca 5 volumes Ktoon ini. Selain itu, bagian yang juga menarik adalah ending. Untung saja endingnya dibuat seperti itu, jadi membuat kesan bahwa itulah proses hidup dan ada kalanya kita butuh waktu khusus untuk melalui tahap bertumbuh dan berkembang, serta ada proses yang kita harus lewati juga kalau kita ingin "sembuh" dari "sakit". Pilihan akhirnya tinggal kita sendiri yang tentukan ingin seperti apa. Adaptasi dramanya seperti apa, ya? Hmmm...

review to come

Usually I complain that a book ends too abruptly. I tore through this book, loving and loving it, until I came to what I thought was the natural ending. And yet there were still several chapters to go. It won't make my list of "absolute favorites" but it's definitely one I'd consider giving as a gift.

Skippyjon Jones Lost in Spice is an improvement on past Skippyjon books. Schachner has been more attentive to the Spanish language she sprinkles throughout the story. The audio CD is a plus. As always, the family is adoreable and loving. The mother ever patient. Above all, I love that Skippyjon has an imaginary life full of adventure.

This was a solid thriller. I don't know what to say about it without giving anything away but I felt like it was well done.

I like that Luce grew a spine in this book. Enough of the being overwhelmed by the boyfriend with wings, it was nice to see her start to take matters into her own hands. The character of Daniel is still a little ho hum for me - I'd like to hear a little more of his story as the only snippets we see of him is as he's popping in and out to tell Luce to stay out of trouble. I did enjoy some of the secondary characters in this book though. In fact, some of the supporting cast were more interesting and better written for than the main characters.

The other half of the Book of Death is a series of "Fall" stories that tell the final fates of various Valiant heroes: Bloodshot. Lemire gives us true scope, and rather delightfully puts Bloodshot into the roles of missing VH-1 heroes as he becomes Robot Fighter and Dinosaur Killer. But Bloodshot's final fall .. that's amazing, in parts shocking and tear wrenching [9/10]. Ninjak. Despite its name, Kindt really gives us a final story for Unity, and it's a strong one, investigating the relationships between its three final members. This is a wonderfully somber character piece about legacies. There are also rather nice future connections to Rai. Unfortunately, it gets a little muddy in the last couple of pages [7+/10] Harbinger. Dysart indeed gives us the endings for the entire Harbinger family, and those endings are meaningful and touching. The core story about Peter, meanwhile, is Dysart's science-fiction at its best. An appropriate ending for the series [7/10]. X-O Manowar. The amazing thing about these "Fall" stories is that they aren't dystopias. They're inevitability full of hopes and possibilities and that may be the truest of X-O Manowar. Of all the Valiant comics, X-O focuses the most on legacies, so that's where this Fall comic goes as well. [8/10]. The somewhat awkward part of this book is the question of its relevancy. If these deaths all happen within the chronology of the Book of Death future, then they're irrelevant, because that's theoretically averted. So what's the point of reading them? However if they're instead an alternative universe that's still the future of VH-E ... then why were they mashed up with the Book of Death crossover? I suppose we should just appreciate these four stories on their own, because they're generally quite good.

** spoiler alert ** -I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review from the publisher and Netgalley- So, I've been salivating over another novel from Kathleen Grissom since I closed the back cover on The Kitchen House. What a riveting, gripping story of an indentured servant brought to live at Tall Oaks Plantation and put to work with the black slaves. The story bounced between Lavinia and Belle-- Master's illegitimate daughter, though few people knew it. Most, like Master's wife and his son Marshall, thought Belle was his mistress and resented the special treatment she received. I always felt like there was more to tell of the story, of the rise and fall of Tall Oaks and the eventual demise of the evil that had come to rule the plantation. Glory over Everything is intended to be a stand alone continuation of The Kitchen House, but I'll admit I was a little lost throughout half the book, and Grissom seems very slow in offering details to clear up the confusion. I would recommend reading The Kitchen house before this one, at the very least, the last few chapters, specifically about Belle and Marshall. This story opens in 1830 and we meet Jamie, a black man living as white. He is afforded all of the luxuries and freedoms of a white man, and though he's living in free Philadelphia, there's still a class system and some of the more wealthy, well-to-do of the city wouldn't be caught doing business with a black man. So Jamie keeps his secret close to his chest... no one must know and word of who he is must never get out, because Rankin, an overseer from Tall Oaks, has been searching for him for years for the murder of his father. Over the years, Jamie is taken in by a kind and benevolent silver smith, who teaches him the trade and encourages his art. He's so endeared that he's asked to become part of the family-- literally. Much to the chagrin of the black servants in the house who seem awfully suspicious of Jamie. In truth, he's not careful enough to keep his secret concealed and one of the servants steals something from him that could destroy him. While working as a silversmith and an artist, Jamie meets a young-- married-- woman named Caroline. Her marriage is a sham and she and Jamie are hopelessly attracted to one another. When she turns up pregnant, Caroline is hopeful that this might mean she and Jamie could run away together, but it is not to be. Caroline doesn't know that Jamie's mother is half black and when that baby comes...all hell is going to break loose. On top of this personal drama, his beloved young servant Pan is missing, suspected kidnapped by slave traders who scour cities looking for children who are alone, capture them and cart them back to slavery states. Pan's father begs Jamie to find and rescue his son. After the death of his wife, Pan is all he has left. In the course of looking for Pan, Jamie's secret becomes common knowledge and if that wasn't enough.... the evil, sadistic overseer Rankin steps back into the picture. I found this novel to be a slow starter and a lot of backstory, none of which I was particularly interested in... I could have used much more clarification on the Belle- Marshall- Jamie aspect, but I suppose Grissom had a story she wanted to tell and we were going to get it. I felt as though the situation with Caroline was wilted drama. I expected much more to come of that story line. But the rest of the story-- the search for Pan, reconnecting with Sukey, Jamie coming to grips with his past and the legacy he must carry on-- was riveting. I would not say this book was as good as the Kitchen House, though sequels rarely rise to the shine of the original. I wish I could evaluate it as a standalone but since I've read the first book it would be impossible to rate it without niblets of story from the first. I will be interested to read reviews from those who haven't read Grissom's first book. As as a followup, it most certainly stands its ground as a satisfying read full of suspense, romance and adventure.

I did not like some parts like when she mentions disgusting things...but may be kids like such things. Perhaps if I was 7 or 8, I'd have liked it more? My fav.? The Clouds Story. I thought it was original.

I love Jon Scieszka. I read about this a couple months ago and forgot about it!

I love Sex and the City! So when I saw this book of course I picked it up. It is a cute and fun story. It was neat to read about Carrie as a teenager, not what I imagined though. Still was a good read!

A story that I did not want to end. Great story, made me laugh, tear up, and taught me many lessons. Atticus is a true gentleman that knows himself and I learned a lot from his character. Extremely humble and wise from all his readings... He is a man who knows who he is and does not stray away from that at all cost yet at the same time submits when appropriate. Atticus is someone I am still figuring out as I process this story - while pride would have got any normal man this man stayed calm and almost acted as a equal to his children... didn't lord over them. Some of the lessons still haven't become real to me so I will continue to ponder - processing the mocking bird title and the conclusion of it that scout said when she understood a ending circumstance, "Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it? Something Atticus said at the end also rings true to me. We are all essential kind... most are when you finally see them. There are so many of us not truly living as who we really are and most of this book to me is about a man (Atticus) that knows who he is and therefore is the bravest man ever known according to his children because of his gentleman (manly) like self. If others would truly know thyself they would also be this gentleman or lady they were truly called to be. possibly a guide to recognize who you really are in an old fashion classy style using racism and the groups that are examples of people lost that try to tear down the reality of goodness in ones soul... thus will kill those who have found life if they don't conform to the groups... I dare you to move. Temet nosce

An enjoyable collection of poetic observations about life.

GREAT sequel to the 1st book. It was even better IMO than the 1st, which I didn't think was possible. Sophie is now dealing with the Concil & all the conspiricy around it.

(Sometimes).. Books with no words speak more than the books that carry a thousand words.. Splendid!

3.5 STARS. I don't read much in the sci-fi realm. I didn't even know that I was dealing with an alien race until I was half way through the book. I'm glad of it because I adore Dee and Katy. I'm still a bit peeved at Daemon and his hot/cold behavior toward Katy. I'm a lover of UST and this book has it in spades, plus two sarcastic and sassy characters that are driven by passion and self-defiance. Just a bit more of backstory for each of them might have pushed me closer to 4 stars. A fun read for me and I am moving on to book 2 immediately.

It's been over a week since I finished The Darkest Night, but this is the first time I've had a chance to log a review. I guess it's not a great indicator that I can barely remember anything that happened. In the book's defense, I do remember being pretty content when I read the last page. So, let's go with...not memorable, but fun while it lasted.

Gail Simone's Red Sonja takes a while to distinguish itself. The first half of the volume feels somewhat mundane, and it only really starts to shine in the second half, which has some moments of Sonja-esque greatness and some neat twists. The characters also start to gain more flesh by that time. I have faith that the second volume will be better, but this first volume wobbled on the edge between mediocrity and goodness.

This book started a little slow for me. Interesting read. Gaiman as an author has waned for me, but has regained at least part of my respect with this book. Actually got 2/3 of the way through the book- at the point of all action picking up and revelations about to be given- only to leave it behind at the Garden I volunteer at. Drove all the way back, angry and annoyed with myself, and did not find the book. The entire time I had that feeling that if I'd only open my eyes and really see then the book would be right in front of me. Not the case so I had to run to buy another copy in order to finish.

That was the most fantastic read!!! It made me laugh and it made me cry. Amazing!

This little book packs quite a punch. Zimmerman's poetry is sometimes raw, sometimes painful, and always honest. Fans of modern poetry will enjoy this volume, and I know I'm looking forward to more from this talented author.