Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden

From Goodreads: The Duke of Kielder has more influence than Parliament, higher social standing than the Royal Family. No gentleman dares face him on the dueling field, nor risks testing his infamous temper. But His Grace is in need of a wife. Combine his fearsome reputation with a terribly scarred countenance and finding a lady willing to accept his hand becomes all-but impossible. When the Duke manages to secure a bride through a bit of trickery and an obscene amount of money, he is certain his problems are behind him. Except his purchased bride proves to be nothing like he expected. What is a man like the Duke to do with a bride who is gentle, loving and absolutely impossible to live without?

From Heather:  I loved this book!  I'm a sucker for a good, sweet romance and this fits the bill exactly.  It is a perfect Beauty and the Beast story. (In fact, I had a really hard time imagining Adam's face...he always turned out to be the Beast from the Disney cartoon!)  

I loved seeing the story from both Adam and Persephone's perspective.  I thought it would be annoying, but it really worked.  Because sometimes it is nice to know what the other person is thinking.  There are so many misunderstandings between the two main characters, but it's funny to realize that someone's perception of what the other person was thinking wasn't always accurate.  Like when Persephone kissed Adam for the first time and he froze, it was nice to know that he froze because no one had kissed him since he was a young child and not because he didn't like the kiss. 

I liked Seeking Persephone so much that I went out and read the rest of Sarah Eden's books.  They are all amazing.  I can't wait until she writes more!

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

A dragon. A boy. A journey. Firedrake, a brave young dragon, his loyal brownie friend Sorrel and a lonely boy called Ben are united as if by destiny. Together, they embark on a magical journey to find the legendary place where silver dragons can live in peace forever. With only a curious map and the whispered memories of an old dragon to guide them, they fly across moonlit lands and seas to reach the highest mountains in the world. Along the way, they discover extraordinary new friends in unlikely places and a courage they never knew they had. Just as well, for the greatest enemy of all is never far behind them - a heartless monster from the past who's been waiting a very long time to destroy the last dragons on earth.

From Heather:  I have really enjoyed Cornelia Funke's books lately.  All the ones I've read have been really long, but worth every page.  This one is no different.  The story is fun to explore.  I never thought I would like books about dragons but it sort of works for me.  Firedrake happens to be a wonderful dragon!  :) 

Sorrel the brownie sort of drove me a little nuts.  She's not very nice, always grumpy and sarcastic.  But Ben I absolutely loved.  Firedrake and Sorrel find him alone in an abandoned warehouse in London and he joins them on their journey to find the Rim of Heaven.  It's a wonderful book, if a bit long.  And probably about an age 10 and up sort of book.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

I realize it's not Wednesday, but because Wednesday was a holiday (Happy Independence Day!) and Friday's post isn't up yet, and I just finished the book this morning (it was a long book!) I thought I would post my review today.

I am in love with this book.  (I know, I saw that just about every time I review a book...I guess I only review books that I like!)  But this one has a special place in my heart and I'm not sure exactly why.  It could be because Cornelia Funke has created a wonderful world of interesting characters and places.  It really could, because she has done an amazing job of making her characters lifelike and engaging. It could be because who hasn't ever become lost in a book and wanted more than anything for that book to come alive - to live in the story.  I've read many stories over the years that I've longed to get lost in!  But I think it's actually her writing, as much as the story, that I'm in love with.  Her words roll around like a piece of the sweetest chocolate dissolving slowly on my tongue.  They are mesmerizing.



I love this quote from Meggie's father, Mo.  "If you take a book with you on a journey, an odd thing happens: The book begins collecting your memories.  And forever after  you have only to open that book to be back where you first read it.  It will all come into your mind with the very first words: the sights you saw in the place, what it smelled like, the ice cream you ate while you were reading it...yes, books are like flypaper - memories cling to the printed page better than anything else."  Or this one, "Every book should begin with attractive endpapers.  Preferably in a dark color: dark red or dark blue, depending on the binding.  When you open the book it's like going to the theater.  First you see the curtain.  Then it's pulled aside and the show begins."  I love Mo!  And I love the way he loves his books.

There are so many, many things that I love about this book.  But you will just have to read it and experience the magic for yourselves!

(The suggested ages for this book are 4th-7th grade and it's a long one...534 wonderful pages!)

The Guardians of Elijah's Fire by Frank L. Cole

Just when they thought they were safe, Amber, Trendon and their classmates get yanked back into the action. With the Tebah Stick in enemy hands, Amber becomes a target and it seems even her closest allies can’t be trusted. Now the gang will have to travel through enemy territory to protect a deadly ancient weapon that could cause the earth’s utter destruction.

This thrilling tale ups the action and doubles the danger. Bestselling author, Frank L. Cole delivers an addicting read for adventurers of all ages.

I just finished Frank L. Cole's book The Guardians of Elijah's Fire.  You might remember that last week I reviewed his first book in the series, The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter and really enjoyed it.  Well, this second book is even better!

It starts out with Amber receiving a mysterious package for her birthday.  She assumes that it is from her friend and teacher Dorothy.  Then she gets a strange phone call in the middle of the night from her friend Joseph.  What follows, almost immediately, is a spell-binding, frantic, action-packed adventure that leaves you breathless!   The action is nearly non-stop throughout the book, which makes it a hard book to put down.  (On a totally unrelated side note, I was browsing the library today with my daughter and she asked for help finding a book.  I asked her what kind of books she liked to read and she said, "I want one that, when I get to the end of a chapter, I have to keep reading because I want to find out what happens next!"  That's exactly what this book is!)

I love the character development in this book, especially compared to the first in the series.  In the first book I felt like the characters were introduced, but in this book they were able to grow and change a bit and we were able to see different sides of them which was great!  And I especially loved the questions of loyalty and trust that were brought up throughout the book.  I was finding myself wondering, just like Amber, who were the good guys and who were bad.

I loved the ending of the book and, without giving anything away, it was exactly perfect.  I loved the characters Temel and Abelish.  They were wonderful men to learn about and very well developed, maybe even more so than Lisa, who is part of the group, but is usually on the sidelines.  And I loved the biblical themes that ran through the book, specifically with the story of Elijah. 

I can't wait to read more from Frank Cole!  His characters are delightful, his descriptions of setting and action are amazing.  And his books are genuinely fun to read!

I was given a digital copy of this book to read, but the opinions expressed are my own.

The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter by Frank L. Cole

This Friday I have the opportunity to review the second book in this series by Frank Cole, so I thought I had better read the first book, just to get up to speed!  =]

From the book:  Amber's favorite teacher, Dorothy Holcomb, is missing, and it's up to Amber and her archaeology  classmates to rescue their teacher and recover the ancient artifact Dorothy's trying to protect.  But with codes to crack, clues to follow, and more danger at every turn, this mission may be more than four teenagers can handle - not to mention the fact that they're being chased by an evil organization that will stop at nothing to claim the artifact for itself.

From Heather:  From the start, this book looks right up my alley!  I love books about archaeology and mysteries and clues and adventure!  The book starts with the following line: "Two flashlight beams cut through the darkness of the museum, leaving me no choice but to drop down below the stone sarcophagus."  From that moment, it's adventure after adventure for Amber and Trendon and Lisa and Joseph.  Their teacher sends them a coded message and they learn that she is in trouble.  So they set off to help her, and run into some really bad guys on the way.

I really did like this book.  I liked the adventure and the different places that the author takes you to in his writing.  He has done a wonderful job of keeping the pace moving and making you want to find out what comes next.   I really liked Trendon as the computer geek, and while Amber wasn't my favorite character, she was smart and adventurous and determined to find the artifact.  (I would have liked a little bit of a relationship between the two of them, but sadly, no.)  I also liked the biblical tie-ins to the story, some interesting, imaginative ideas that were fun to consider.  It's an all around good, clean, fun read.

There were a few nit-picky things that I struggled with throughout the book, but those seem to have worked themselves out in the second book (which I will review on Friday!)  Some of the action is a little intense, so I think the age recommendation is 14 and up.  That sounds about right.  =]   Check back on Friday and read the review of the next book in the series, The Guardians of Elijah's Fire!

The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

I have read books by Rick Riordan before and really liked them.  (Remember Percy Jackson and the Olympians?)  Well, Rick Riordan has started another series of books called The 39 Clues, and it has been so much fun to read!  I've read the first three books in the last three days and I'm really enjoying them.  It has helped to read them all together (so I can remember what is happening!) 

From the 39 Clues website:  The 39 Clues series centers around the Cahills—the most powerful family the world has ever known. But the source of the family's power has been lost. Grace Cahill, the last matriarch of the Cahills, changed her will minutes before she died, leaving her descendants an impossible decision: receive a million dollars or a clue. The first Cahill to assemble all 39 clues hidden around the world will discover what makes the family so powerful—a reward beyond measure. It's Cahill versus Cahill in a race to the finish, with readers hot on the heels of the main characters, fourteen-year-old Amy Cahill and her eleven-year-old brother, Dan.

From Heather:  The characters are really fun in these books.  I really like Dan and Amy, although it's a little hard to believe they are 11 and 14 and jetting around the world.  But it works!  :)  Their parents died when they were younger and they have been raised by Aunt Beatrice, who is stingy and grumpy.  Their only rays of sunshine come from their grandmother, Grace Cahill.  Right before Grace dies (at the beginning of the book!) she changes her will.  Her family members each have the option to take 1 million dollars or a clue that will lead them to one of the 39 clues.

The rest of the story is a non-stop adventure, as the other members of the Cahill family are out for blood and have no reservations about taking what they want - whatever the cost.  They race from place to place with their au pair (NOT nanny!) Nellie, who is a little crazy (but you would have to be to join the hunt for clues!)

These books are written for kids 8-12.  And the interesting thing about the series is that each book is written by a different author.  Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman (2), Peter Lerangis (2), Jude Watson (2), Patrick Carman, Linda Sue Park and Margaret Peterson Haddix.  The last book is written by four authors, Riordan, Korman, Lerangis and Watson.

I am really enjoying this series and I can't wait to finish all 11 books.

Mysterious Messages: A History of Codes and Ciphers by Gary Blackwood

I realize that it almost isn't Wednesday anymore.  I'll be quick!  :)

This week I read Mysterious Messages: A History of Codes and Ciphers by Gary Blackwood.

From  the back of the book:  Spies, intrigue, and mysterious messages: they have changed the course of history.  Now there is a manual to hone the skills of tomorrow's agents.  Uncover the encrypted notes of Spartan warriors, ciphers of Italian princes, ruthless code-crackers of Elizabeth I, communiques from the American Revolution, and spy books of the Civil War. Here are the devilish Enigma machine, the honored Navajo Code Talkers, and many more.

Packed with history's most dangerous secrets and ciphers that readers can use themselves, this journey through the past's best - and most disastrous - codes and ciphers is a young spy's essential training in espionage.

From Heather:  I've gotta admit - I've always loved secret codes!  I'm still not very good at cracking them, but I love the challenge!  This book, while fun to read, is so much fun to look at.  The format and style is probably my favorite part of the book.  It feels like a notebook.  Notes look like they are stuck on each page with paperclips and staples and the pages look worn .  Even the cover of the book is soft and worn.  As much as I loved the content of this book (which I loved!  I mean, who DOESN'T love a good code puzzle now and again!) and I loved reading the history of the codes and ciphers, I really, really loved the look and feel of this book!  Go grab a copy!  It makes great bathroom reading.  (Not that I know that from experience!)

Right Click by Susan Aylworth

Ok, I promise this will be the last book (for a while!) that I review that isn't middle grade!  Honest!  (I think!)  Anyway, I commented on another post that I had gone to the library, skimming the shelves for a new book to read.  I picked up five random books.  And all five were LDS fiction books.  Strange.  I can't decide if there is something subliminal about the covers or the size of the books that speak to me, but it was the strangest thing!

Anyway, on to the book.  I decided to review Right Click by Susan Aylworth today.  Because I really, really liked it!  I picked it up on Monday because I had a few minutes before I had to pick my girls up from school.  (Not enough time to go home or do anything really except go to the library...honest!)  Anyway, I started reading the book while I was waiting in the carpool line.  (45 minutes a day!  Seriously?!?)  I couldn't put it down.  I got my girls home (I didn't read while I was driving...honest!  Well, at least not much!)  and let them entertain themselves while I finished.  I got done right before it was time to make dinner.  Whew!

From the back of the book:  On the day Sarah Kimball planned to mail out wedding invitations, her fiancé, Kyle, trampled her heart with this confession: his supposedly ex-girlfriend is pregnant, and he’s the father. Talk about shock!

Six months later, Sarah is moving forward as a successful teacher with her own home and a fabulous roommate. Her exasperating yet adoring family members are setting her up with every eligible man within reach—even virtually. Sarah thinks she has everything under control—until a few wrong clicks prove otherwise.

Searching her soul, Sarah confronts deep humiliation and anger over Kyle’s betrayal. As fierce pride claws her from within, she seeks healing through the Savior’s tender mercy. When Sarah meets Craig, who was also badly wounded by love, she finds another chance at happiness—but can both of them leave their painful pasts behind and fully embrace the freeing power of forgiveness?

From Heather:  There were so many things that I loved about this book.  Yes, it is pretty typical LDS fiction and had quite a few LDS references.  Yes, it was a little preachy at times, which I generally don't like.  (Show me what you believe...don't tell me!)   But it was a wonderful book!  I loved Sarah and the journey she made and the changes that she made in her life.  I like that she doesn't always do things right.  She is still pretty hurt over her ex-fiance and because of that she has a hard time letting people in.  Not just romantically, but everyone: her family, her coworkers, her roommate.  But as the story progresses, she realizes what needs to be done and does it.

I love her chance encounter with Craig Emory and the relationship that evolves.  I love that the focus isn't so much on finding a man as being happy with who she is - the husband is just icing on the cake.  I love that Sarah has a chance to see things from possibly Kyle's perspective and she chats with a young mother while doing her laundry.  I love the workings of fate as you can see things happen to her that seemed hard, but then wonderful things came out of the trials.  I loved that!  Because sometimes in the middle of trials, it's hard to realize that there is a purpose and a plan.

The only thing I didn't like were the names of her roommate Shari and her daughter Kerry.  It was so confusing to have a Sarah and a Shari and a Kerry.  (In fact, in one place at the end of the book Shari was spelled Sherry...)  But if that's my only complaint, it's not too bad.  I'll give the book 4 1/2 stars and hope to read more from Susan Aylworth in the future!

Secret Sisters by Tristi Pinkston

From Tristi Pinkston's website:  

Ida Mae Babbitt, president of the Omni 2nd ward Relief Society, didn't mean to become a spy. But when visiting teaching stats are low and she learns that one family under her care is in financial trouble, she'll do whatever it takes to make sure they have what they need. If that includes planting surveillance cameras in their home and watching them from a parked car in the woods, well, isn't that what any caring Relief Society president would do?

With the help of her counselors Arlette and Tansy, Ida Mae soon learns that there's more to the situation than meets the eye. It's all in a day's work for the Relief Society.

 

 

 

From Heather:  

 

On March 8th, Mandi reviewed a book called Targets in Ties.  It was the fourth book in a series that looked promising.  So I checked out the first book, Secret Sisters, and decided to give it a try.  What a fun, crazy romp through LDS culture!  The book made me laugh out loud!  Determined Ida Mae, perpetually positive Tansy and the ever-grumpy Arlette are hilarious as the Relief Society presidency, with young mother Hannah as their secretary.  They keep finding themselves ever more deeply involved in something...they just don't know what!  And along the way they pull in some friends to help - Ida Mae's nephew Ren, Arlette's granddaughter Eden and even Omni's own bumbling police department.

I really had a great time reading this book, and it was a quick read which is sometimes really nice.   And the characters were great, although at first I had a really hard time remembering who was who.  And I've noticed that in the second book, the writing is a little bit tighter - there were a few places that things didn't flow as nicely as I would have liked in this one.  I didn't realize that Tristi Pinkston had written so many books!  I'm going to have to go check out a few more of them!  But not until I finish the Secret Sisters series!  =]

Four and a half hilarious stars!

Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark

From the author's website:  Swept away from Louisiana bayou country as a child, Miranda Miller is a woman without a past. She has a husband and child of her own and a fulfilling job in a Manhattan museum, but she also has questions—about the tragedy that cut her off from family and caused her to be sent away, and about those first five years that were erased from her memory entirely.

Summoned to the bedside of Willy Pedreaux, the old caretaker of her grandparents' antebellum estate, Miranda goes back for the first time, hoping to learn the truths of her past and receive her rightful inheritance. But Willy's premature death plunges Miranda into a nightmare of buried secrets, priceless treasure, and unknown enemies.

Follow one woman's search through the hidden rooms of a bayou mansion, the enigmatic snares of an ancient myth, and the all-consuming quest for a heart open enough for love—and for God. 

From Heather:  I just finished Whispers of the Bayou for book club this last week.  I generally like mysteries and this one had me guessing the entire time.  The ending took me completely by surprise, which is sometimes hard to do!  It's not that the ending doesn't make sense, because it absolutely does.  I just never saw it coming!


I checked out Mindy Starns Clark's website and realized that she has a bunch of books that I would probably LOVE to read, although I've not read any but the Whispers of the Bayou.  She has two in the Women of Lancaster County series, The Amish Nanny and The Amish Midwife that I would probably enjoy.  She has a Million Dollar Mysteries series that looks fabulous!  She has a Smart Chick Mystery series that looks adorable (mysteries AND household hints...ahhh!)  She's written three other stand-alone fiction books (Under the Cajun Moon, Secrets of Harmony Grove and Shadows of Lancaster County.)  She also has two non-fiction books, A Pocket Guide to Amish Life and The House That Cleans Itself.  (I've gotta get that last one!  Maybe not the book, but the actual house...!  Wouldn't that be awesome!)


Whispers of the Bayou was a wonderful read.  I was a little confused by the Cajun culture, but it could just be that I'm not very good at reading descriptions of things.  I tend to rush over them in my haste to get to the "story" and end up missing out on a lot of details!  I was also a little put off by the Christian aspect at the end of the book.  I realize that it is Christian Fiction, but sometimes that comes across as a little preachy to me.  I like my religion gently scattered throughout the book and not dumped on me all at once at the end of the book.  I know, an odd thing to worry about, but it did kind of detract from the ending for me.  All in all, I loved this book!

Hailey Twitch and the Wedding Glitch by Lauren Barnholdt

From the back of the book:  Hailey Twitch wants to have fun, fun, FUN!

Hailey has a secret.  She has a friend named Maybelle that no one else can see.

Hailey has the most fab, fab, fabulous news!  She will be the flower girl in her cousin's wedding - and wear sparkly shoes.  Hailey is sure to need help from Maybelle.  But now that Maybelle has finally gotten control of her magic, she might be leaving!  Will Hailey and Maybelle make it through the wedding without a big disaster?  Or will the two friends have to say good-bye forever?

From Heather:  I really, really REALLY wanted to like this book!  I love when books come in a series so that if my girls like it, I know what to get next. And the front of the book had a quote from the School Library Journal that said, "Youngsters who enjoy Ramona, Judy Moody, and Clementine will get a kick out of Hailey Twitch."  And they are probably right. Although parts of it remind me of Junie B. Jones, which isn't my favorite series.

Hailey is always getting into trouble, which at times can be hilarious.  And she has a sprite named Maybelle who is not very helpful with her magic.  In fact, she often makes things worse!  The stories are fun to read from Hailey's quirky perspective.  That part I liked.  Mostly.

The part I had a hard time with was Hailey's voice.  "When I get to school I am causing quite a spectacle.  A spectacle is when you cause a big scene and people pay a lot of very good attention to you.  Being a spectacle is fun.  It is like being famous."  It's fun for a while, but reading a whole book in seven-year-old talk drives me up a wall.  My girls don't seem to mind - maybe it's just me!  :)

The book is charming, the story is funny and it's kind of fun to watch Hailey get into trouble.  The back of the book has it labeled from 7-10 years old, which seems about right.  The illustrations are adorable.  Maybe I'll have to try some of the other books in the series and see if I like them any better.  I give it 3 1/2 stars.

Thomas and the Dragon Queen by Shutta Crum

From the book: A kingdom is at war.
A princess has been kidnapped by a dragon queen.
A brave squire volunteers to set out on a quest to rescue her.
 
But there's just one small problem. He's Thomas, the shortest of all the squires. With little more than a donkey, a vest, and a sword, Thomas will have to use all of his courage and determination to battle a beast with many heads, reach a forbidden island, and rescue the princess from a most fearsome dragon-and an even more fearsome fate!
 
Part thrilling adventure and part enchanting fantasy, sprinkled with charming black-and-white illustrations, Thomas and the Dragon Queen will delight young readers from start to finish.



From Heather:  Thomas and the Dragon Queen is a charming book!  It's about a little boy named Thomas (obviously!) who is very short for his age.  As the story begins, Thomas rescues his little sister from being trampled by a knight who had fallen asleep on his horse.  The knight takes a liking to young Thomas and offers to take him to the castle to be trained as a knight.  The kingdom is at war and all of the available knights are out protecting the borders.  So younger and younger boys are training to become knights.


Which is great for Thomas.  He grew up hearing his father's stories about training to be a knight, although his Da, as he calls him, never actually became a knight.  So Thomas travels to the castle, makes friends with the princess and learns how to be a knight.  When the princess is kidnapped, he finds the king distraught and asks the king to make him a knight, promising to find the princess and bring her back.  So the king makes young Thomas a knight.


The rest of the story tells of Thomas' adventures in bringing back the princess.  When he finally meets the Dragon Queen, who had kidnapped the princess, he has nothing but himself to offer.  He lost his sword, his donkey (he's too small for a horse!) and his leather jerkin his father had given him.  He had nothing but his own skills and talents.  And he learned that he was enough.


I really liked this book.  I think it's always nice to be reminded that who we are doesn't depend on what we have.  Thomas was a charming young boy who was kind and thoughtful and brave.  And those are the things he needed to save the princess.  Five stars for this charming book!

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles Book 1) by Rick Riordan

From rickriordan.com:  Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.


One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.


Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them--Set--has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

I have had a fascination lately with Rick Riordan lately!  :)  I must, because I've read all of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the first two Heroes of Olympus books and now the first book of the Kane Chronicles.  I've liked them all.  I'm not sure which series I like better out of the three, but of the three, the Kane Chronicles is probably my least favorite.

I liked Carter and Sadie, although I have a hard time picturing Carter as black.  Strange, I know.  But that's not how I see him in my head.   (And Sadie is NOT black, which kind of plays with my head!)  I liked Sadie's character too, but I wish she didn't cuss quite so much.  I know, I know...kids hear it all the time, but I don't picture Sadie as that kind of person, so it seems really out of character.  I don't know...it was hard to pin their characters down.  Maybe as I read more of the series, it will get better.

The narration jumps between Carter and Sadie, and I think that really works.  It's fun to see each of them from their sibling's perspective.  And to get a different view on events in the book.

Overall it's a great book.  I'd give this one 4 stars.

Persuasion by Rebecca H. Jamison

I am so lucky today to be a part of the Blog Tour for the book Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale!

From the back of the book:  "I saw him.  We spoke.  Now I have nothing to worry about.  We can treat each other as old friends...But all the logic in my brain can't change my feelings.  Eight years might as well be eight days.  I still love him."  
When Ann broke off her engagement seven years ago, she thought she'd never see Neil Wentworth again.  But when Neil's brother buys the house she grew up in, it seems fate has other plans in store, and Anne is woefully unprepared for the roller coaster of emotions that come when Neil returns and starts dating her younger friend.
Convinced that Neil could no longer have strong feelings for her, Anne pushes away all thoughts of the past.  But when the handsome man she's been dating decides he can't live without her, Anne must come to terms with her past.  Fans of Persuasion will love this fast-paced, modern version of Jane Austen's most romantic novel.


From Heather:  If you have read any of my reviews before, you'll know that I'm not very good at digging into a book and finding deeply hidden meaning in the pages.  I never have been.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that I slept through most of my high school English classes.  And it wasn't that I didn't like to read...I LOVED to read!  But I wanted to read what I wanted to read!  THIS was a book that I wanted to read.  The premise appealed to me, and the book didn't disappoint!

Rebecca Jamison has done a wonderful job with her characters.  It's so fun to watch Anne and Neil being unintentionally thrust into situations together, knowing what has happened between them in their past.  It's fun being able to see that they belong together, but watch them NOT know it!  I loved that dynamic, and it was written SO well!  My heart breaks for Anne and Neil and the time that they lost together, but I wonder what kind of people they would have been had they not gone through the separation.  The flashbacks into Anne's life when she was dating Neil were fun to read as well.  They were written as journal entries at the beginning of each chapter, and it was so fun to see how things HAD been between them and the things that happened in each of their lives to make them do what they did!

I've got to say, Neil was my absolute favorite character!  He's charming and thoughtful and kind and a police officer (yay!) and an all-around wonderful guy.  He probably even rushes into burning buildings to rescue stray kittens!  If there was one character in any book that I would love to know in real life, it would be Neil Wentworth! 

Like I say, I'm not much into thinking too much about what I read.  I know what I like and what makes me feel like I'm better off for having read.  And I really, really liked Persuasion!  (Now I may have to go check out Jane Austen's Persuasion and see how it compares!)  The characters were well written and engaging.  I couldn't wait to see what would happen to them.  The creepy characters were sufficiently creepy (although I wish Will had had a different name...I kept getting Neil and Will mixed up.  Which is sad because Neil was SO wonderful and Will was SUCH a creep!)  I absolutely gave Persuasion 5 stars and I can't wait to see what Rebecca Jamison comes up with next!

While I was given a copy of Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale by the author, all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

From the publisher:  Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Percy is confused. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn't ring and bells with him. The only thing he can recall from his past is another name: Annabeth

Hazel is supposed to be dead. When she lived before, she didn't do a very good job of it. Sure, she was an obedient daughter, even when her mother was possessed by greed. But that was the problem - when the Voice took over he mother and commanded Hazel to use her "gift" for and evil purpose, Hazel couldn't say no. Now because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk. Hazel wished she could ride away from it all on the stallion that appears in her dreams.

Frank is a klutz. His grandmother says he is descended from heroes and can be anything he wants to be, but he doesn't see it. He doesn't even know who his father is. He keeps hoping Apollo will claim him, because the only thing he is good at is archery - although not good enough to win camp war games. His bulky physique makes him feel like an ox, especially in front of Hazel, his closest friend at camp. He trusts her completely - enough to share the secret he holds close to his heart.

Beginning at the "other" camp for half-bloods and extending as far as the land beyond the gods, this breathtaking second installment of the Heroes of Olympus series introduces new demigods, revives fearsome monsters, and features other remarkable creatures, all destined to play a part in the Prophesy of Seven.

From Heather:  A couple weeks ago I reviewed The Lost Hero (You can read it here...I'm sure it was fascinating!)  Anyway, THIS book is the second in the series.  AND it was fabulous!  Just as wonderful, or better, than the first.  (Because it has Percy Jackson!)


I love the new characters.  In the first book, we were introduced to Jason, Piper and Leo.  In THIS book, we are introduced to Percy (who, if you have read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (that I reviewed HERE) you will remember, as he was the main character...obviously...) Hazel and Frank.  


This book picks up where the first one left off, but on the other side of the continent and at a different camp.  Percy and Jason were both leaders in their respective camps, and they have, against their will and without remembering anything about their past, been pulled out of their own camps and placed in the rival one.  The goal is to have both camps work together.  (One camp is for children of the Greek version of the particular Gods and one is for the Roman version)  Can they earn the trust of the enemy?


A wonderful book.  I can't wait until the next one comes out (not until this fall...ugh!  THAT is why I like reading things after they have been out a while...so I don't have to wait to finish the story!)  I give this one 5 stars.  

The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean

From Goodreads:  Dora has always taken the path of least resistance. She went to the college that offered her a scholarship, is majoring in "vagueness studies," and wears whatever shows the least dirt. She falls into a job at the college coffee shop, and a crush on her flirty boss, Gary.

Just when she's about to test Gary's feelings, Mimi, the grandmother who raised her, suffers a stroke. Dora rushes back home to Forsyth, NC, and finds herself running her grandmother's vintage clothing store. The store has always been a fixture in Dora's life; though she grew up more of a jeans-and-sweatshirt kind of girl, before she even knew how to write, Mimi taught her that a vintage 1920s dress could lift a woman's spirit.

While working there, Dora befriends Mimi's adorable contractor, Conrad. Is he after Dora, or is working from a different blueprint? And why did Mimi start writing down--and giving away--stories of the dresses in her shop?

When Mimi dies, Dora can't get out of town fast enough and cedes control of the store to her money-hungry aunt who wants to turn it into a t-shirt shop for tourists. But ultimately, she returns to Forsyth, willing to battle whatever may stand in the way of her staying there. Dora can trade her boring clothes for vintage glamour, but can she trade her boring life for one she actually wants?

From Heather:   Let me start out by saying I LOVE the cover of this book!  I don't know if it's the colors (probably!) or the composition or what, but the cover totally drew me to the book!  (Have I mentioned that I LOVE a well-done book cover?)  I also loved the idea that there is a story to each of the vintage dresses in the shop.  Have you ever wondered what vintage clothes have seen in their lifetimes?  Who has worn them?  What were they like?  It's an interesting idea!  I love old things, and wish that they actually DID come with background stories!


I really liked the Dora for the most part.  She starts out kind of listless - she does whatever comes along, wears whatever she has and goes to school just to go to school.  She heads back to her hometown as soon as she learns that her grandmother, who raised her after her parents died, has had a stroke.  Through her grief for her grandmother, she finds something that she is passionate about.  She also finds someONE to be passionate about as well in her grandmother's friend Con.  (One complaint about the book - where did she come up with the names?  Dora and Con are NOT my favorite names!)  I really, really liked Con.  He was compassionate and kind at a time when that was just what Dora needed. 

I loved Mimi, even though she has just had a stroke and is unresponsive throughout the book.  The things she teaches Dora, even without saying a word, are priceless.  I wish I had a grandma like Mimi!


I really, really liked this book.  I would have given it 5 stars, but one of the friends at Mimi's shop has a bit of a mouth on her and will break out in profanities for no particular reason at all.  That always kind of bothers me, especially when it comes out on nowhere and serves no purpose whatsoever.  :)  That being said, I give it a solid 4 stars.  

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

A few months back, I reviewed a series by Rick Riordan called Percy Jackson and the Olympians.  (You can read my review of that series HERE!)  I really liked the series and was kind of sad when it ended.  But then I find ANOTHER series that kind of picks up where that one left off.  Kind of!

From the publisher:  Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up on a school bus holding hands with a girl. Apparently she’s his girlfriend Piper, his best friend is a kid named Leo, and they’re all students in the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids.” What he did to end up here, Jason has no idea—except that everything seems very wrong.

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, and her vivid nightmares reveal that he’s in terrible danger. Now her boyfriend doesn’t recognize her, and when a freak storm and strange creatures attack during a school field trip, she, Jason, and Leo are whisked away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood. What is going on?

Leo has a way with tools. His new cabin at Camp Half-Blood is filled with them. Seriously, the place beats Wilderness School hands down, with its weapons training, monsters, and fine-looking girls. What’s troubling is the curse everyone keeps talking about, and that a camper’s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist they are all—including Leo—related to a god. 

This series introduces three other main characters that we haven't seen before: Jason, Piper and Leo.  In the beginning (and through most of the book!) Jason doesn't know who he is.  Strange things start to happen and Jason, Piper and Leo end up at Camp Half-Blood (the same camp as Percy Jackson in the last series!) and learn that they are demigods.  Only Percy Jackson is missing and the camp is kind of in an uproar.  The Lost Hero is the first book in a series of four.  (I picked up the second book at the library last night and can't WAIT to read it!)  The third book will be coming out in the fall of this year and the last one in the fall of 2013. Apparently we pick back up with Percy Jackson in the next book.  Yay!

Apparently Rick Riordan (his website is HERE!) has written another series for kids, The Kane Chronicles, that is the same type of book, but with Egyptian gods instead of Greek and Roman.  He has written some of the 39 Clues books (which are fabulous too!)  And he has written an adult series, Tres Navarre.  I've never read any of those, but I just might have to try one, just for fun.

The Lost Hero was given to my daughter by her grandma for Christmas (thanks Mom!) and she devoured it in two days.  She absolutely loved it (and she hasn't even read the Percy Jackson ones yet either!)  I give it 5 stars.  It was great!

The Huckleberry Murders by Patrick F. McManus

It's been a crazy couple of weeks, what with the holidays and all.  As much as I love Christmas and all that goes with it, I'm awfully glad that the tree is down and my life (and house!) are just about back to normal.  Which is to say they are quite chaotic, but it's a chaos that I'm used to!  =]  Speaking of Christmas, my husband and girls bought me a new book for Christmas.  It's called, you guessed it,  The Huckleberry Murders by Patrick F. McManus!  So because that's what I've read this week, that's what I'm going to review.

Blogger is having problems (probably user error!) this morning, so I will just add my comments instead of a summary, which you can read HERE.  I'm not exactly sure how I felt about this book.  I have nothing to complain about (well, except the womanizing sheriff and his corrupt father and a host of other odd characters).  I have read other things by Patrick McManus, usually in the back of Field and Stream, and have found his writing funny and dryly humorous.  But the book was a little different than his short stories.  I don't know if it was better or worse, just different.  =]  After I read the book, I found out that this one, The Huckleberry Murders, is actually the fourth in the series.  Maybe I would like this one better if I had read the other three.  I'm off to the library to find out!  Three and a half stars.  (I'm out of room or there would be a picture!)

Body of Evidence by Jeremy Brown

It's Wednesday and it's not even midnight and I'm writing my review!  And the week before Christmas at that!  The way things have been going lately, it's quite an accomplishment, I assure you.  =]  I have read (or started!) lots of books in the last couple weeks that I intended to review.  But I just couldn't make myself finish them for whatever reason.  I started (and read most of!) The Tanglewood Terror by Kurtis Scaletta.  It was ok, but not my favorite book.  I read about half of Saltwater Taffy by Eric Delabarre.  I liked this one ok, too, but I really disliked the bickering that went on between the group of friends.  I'm sure it's just a boy thing, but it sort of got old after a while. 

I also started Lost in Lexicon: An Adventure in Words and Numbers by Pendred Noyce and I actually liked this one, I just haven't had time to finish.  =]  But it's clever...probably more clever than me!  There are so many parts I want to go back and reread, just to catch the subtle humor that I missed the first time around.  One I plan to finish for sure...just as soon as Christmas is finished! 

So today I'm reviewing Body of Evidence.  My eleven-year-old daughter brought this one home from her library at school and asked if I wanted to read it. Four-Minute Forensic Mysteries?  Absolutely!  It was a very quick read (even quicker because each story is only four minutes long!) and that was a good thing because things tend to get busy this time of the year! 

From the back of the book:  Do you have the forensic tools to solve these mysteries?  A man claims his wife died in a car accident.  But could she still be alive?  A woman's body is found in a lake.  But where was she really drowned?  A safecracker wears gloves and doesn't leave a fingerprint.  But what other body part is unique enough to leave a print?

Fifty-one baffling crime scenes need to be solved.  Can you crack the case before CSI Wes Burton?  You'll need to use all forensic evidence at your disposal, and Burton is the best.  He can tell when a witness is lying by the flick of their wrist.  His Crime Files contain the solution at the end of each mystery, but keep in mind, not every crime scene is as it appears.  The mysteries may be short, but they can be tricky.  You'll need to use all of your wits to weigh the evidence...

From Heather:  I really liked this book.  It's kind of like Encyclopedia Brown in that they have a short mystery and then the solution.  But the content is more grown up.  My only complaint, if I had one, is it took about half the book before I could remember who all the characters were and what they did and if they were male or female (because they only use last names)  It was kind of confusing, and it must have been confusing for other people too because they have a Personnel File at the beginning that introduces each character (maybe if I had read that first, I wouldn't have been so confused!)

I give it three and a half stars.

The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

I'll admit it right now...it's been a tough reading week.  Between getting my house back to normal after the holiday (and the ten pies I baked last week!) and all the time I've spent Christmas shopping, I haven't had much time to read.  SO...!  I've decided to review one of my favorite books...The Talented Clementine.

From the back of the book:  When it comes to tackling third grade, Clementine is at the top of her game - ok, so maybe not ALL the time.  After her teacher announces that the third and fourth graders will be putting on a talent show, Clementine panics.  She doesn't sing or dance or play an instrument.  She can't even HOP with finesse.  And as if she didn't feel bad enough, her perfect best friend, Margaret, has so many talents, she has to alphabetize them to keep them straight.


As the night of the big "Talent-palooza" draws closer, Clementine is desperate for an act, ANY act.  But the unexpected talent she demonstrates at the show surprises everyone - most of all herself.

From Heather:  I love Clementine books!  They are absolutely adorable.  They are kind of like the Junie B. Jones books, only not so annoying.  She is charming and funny and her books are so fun to read.  Clementine's voice makes me laugh out loud. "Do you need me to spy on the sitter?  Make sure she doesn't smoke cigars? Or order things from the Shopping Channel? Do you think she's making phone calls to Australia?" or  "'I tried on all of the Popsicle sneakers.  The salesman asked me if I really had to test out each color by running across the store, climbing onto a chair, and then jumping off.  I guess he was new." 

As funny as she is, though, some of the things she says are pretty genius.  "My parents think I have a hard time choosing things, but that's not it.  I can choose things just fine.  The problem is, whenever you have to choose something, that means you have to not-choose about a hundred other things.  Which is not so easy."  Genius I say!  (So THAT'S why I have such a hard time choosing!)

The Clementine books also have a wonderful "supporting cast" too.  I love her principal, Mrs Rice.  She knows just the right way to work with Clementine...I wish all kids could be so lucky!  And her parents are not quite as crazy as some book parents.  (a huge pet peeve of mine, now that I'M the parent!)

I LOVE Clementine! Five Stars!