I'm a Steampunk Fan!

I recently finished reading my first Steampunk novel - Meljean Brook's The Iron Duke.  I really enjoyed it!  The inclusion of all the neat devices and cool vehicles really added to the story and I want more!

From Goodreads:  After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power-and fear-of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans-and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen, as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.

The heroin, Mina, is believable, smart, and strong.  She is my favorite type of main character - one that I would actually want to be friends with!  She is by no means perfect, but she is willing to learn and adapt.  Brook mentions Mina's backstory of life under the Horde control.  I would like to know more about that and I may have (ok, I did) asked Brook to write more about Mina and Rhys.  Sadly, Brook does not have another book about Mina, but I would LOVE it if she did!  Mina can stand on her own, but she loves her family dearly and is strengthened by her family bonds.  She does not need a man, thankfully, but Rhys is just too delicious to pass up.

Rhys is a mixture of pirate, hero, rebel, and benefactor.  He does not want to be the "good guy," but it is in his blood to do what is right.  He can be infuriatingly controlling.  Mina tries to walk away several times, but all of Rhys' charm and intelligence keep her from leaving.  I liked Rhys the first time he appeared on the page.  

The setting and the plot are fascinating and kept me glued to the book until I finished it.  It's been a while since I've liked a book enough to read it in one sitting.  If you haven't read a Steampunk novel, I would highly suggest starting with Iron Duke.  If you have read Steampunk and you're a fan, you will LOVE Iron Duke.  I will be recommending it to all of my friends.  It won't change your life, but it will entertain you and make you a Meljean Brook fan.

Iron Duke:  5 out of 5 stars 

I'm Finally DIVERGENT!

I may be the last person in the world to read Divergent, but I finally did!  And, I LOVED it!  I was so enthralled by it that I read it in one day and now I can't wait to read the next book.  Veronica Roth has created a believable, entertaining, intriguing world with characters that I like and hate as needed.  For those of you that might have missed the fanfare of Divergent, here is the summary from Amazon:

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the YA scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Seriously, you need to read this book.  I am going to recommend it to all of my friends, family, and students.  I liked that Tris is a strong, independent character with intelligence, humor, and a few misgivings.  She isn't perfect, but she is very likable.  Four (the male protagonist) is great and I can't wait to learn more about him and understand his quirks.  Since there are a bazillion raving reviews for Divergent, I will keep mine short.  This is a great book and you need to read it TODAY.


I give Divergent 5 out of 5 stars.  


Since I read Divergent so quickly, I needed another book to entertain me when I couldn't sleep.  Surgery recovery is going well but I wake up in pain and can't sleep.  It's getting better, but I'm ready for the pain to be gone!  Anyway, I picked up Lori Wilde's The Welcome Home Garden Club next.  Wilde is a New York Times bestselling author, but this is my first novel to read of hers.  Since I'm a Texan, I was excited to find a novel based in Texas that sounded light and fun without a lot of cheese.  





Summary from Amazon:  Traditional meaning of Pink and White Roses: I love you still and always will.

Caitlyn Marsh stopped believing in happily-ever-after when high-school sweetheart, Gideon Garza, left for Iraq. Now she raises her small son while her matchmaking gardening club members drive her crazy. Then Caitlyn's world turns upside-down when Gideon swaggers back to Twilight.

Gideon had left town in the middle of night with threats ringing in his ears. A lot of things have changed since then. This bad boy-turned-Green Beret bears scars from the war, the timid girl he loved is an independent mother, and the father who refused to recognize his son in life has, in death, left him a vast cattle ranch.

He still aches for Caitlyn, and now there's a dark-haired boy who looks exactly like Gideon did at that age. Could the child be his? And can this war-weary soldier overcome the scars of the past to claim the family he so richly deserves?

While this book does seem delightful, it did not keep my attention.  Perhaps it was because I had just read the intriguing, fast paced Divergent.  I needed the story to move a bit faster.  Wilde tells us quite often that Caitlyn is still hot for Gideon and he still wants her.  We are told often that Gideon is not the same person now and is too damaged to love completely.  I understand that the war changed Gideon, but why won't he let himself try?  Why won't Caitlyn try?  The will he/will she conflict was frustrating to me.  Another conflict is Gideon's estranged family.  Gideon inherits great wealth and land, but his half-brothers want nothing to do with him and contest the will.  When the brothers threaten to kill Gideon and any of his heirs, I completely lost interest.  The conflict does not seem real - it's too much.  I was prepared for the love conflict, but I couldn't buy the life-or-death situation.  I did not finish the book, but I know that many of my friends would enjoy it.  I will try reading another of Wilde's novels.  The Welcome Home Garden Club just wasn't for me.

What's Next?

I went to the library as my first outing after the surgery.  Did I tell you I had surgery on Friday, June 29th?  I did, and recovery is not fun.  That's why my reviews have been a little slow lately.  I picked up several books that I'm really excited to read.

Lori Wilde's The Welcome Home Garden Club.  This is a Twilight, Texas Novel.  
Traditional meaning of Pink and White Roses: I love you still and always will.

Caitlyn Marsh stopped believing in happily-ever-after when high-school sweetheart, Gideon Garza, left for Iraq. Now she raises her small son while her matchmaking gardening club members drive her crazy. Then Caitlyn's world turns upside-down when Gideon swaggers back to Twilight.

Gideon had left town in the middle of night with threats ringing in his ears. A lot of things have changed since then. This bad boy-turned-Green Beret bears scars from the war, the timid girl he loved is an independent mother, and the father who refused to recognize his son in life has, in death, left him a vast cattle ranch.

He still aches for Caitlyn, and now there's a dark-haired boy who looks exactly like Gideon did at that age. Could the child be his? And can this war-weary soldier overcome the scars of the past to claim the family he so richly deserves?

Jennifer Estep's Venom.  

What kind of assassin works pro bono?

It’s hard to be a badass assassin when a giant is beating the crap out of you. Luckily, I never let pride get in the way of my work. My current mission is personal: annihilate Mab Monroe, the Fire elemental who murdered my family. Which means protecting my identity, even if I have to conceal my powerful Stone and Ice magic when I need it most. To the public, I’m Gin Blanco, owner of Ashland’s best barbecue joint. To my friends, I’m the Spider, retired assassin. I still do favors on the side. Like ridding a vampire friend of her oversized stalker—Mab’s right-hand goon who almost got me dead with his massive fists. At least irresistible Owen Grayson is on my side. The man knows too much about me, but I’ll take my chances. Then there’s Detective Bria Coolidge, one of Ashland’s finest. Until recently, I thought my baby sister was dead. She probably thinks the same about me. Little does she know, I’m a cold-blooded killer . . . who is about to save her life.

Claire Cook's Best Staged Plans  

As a professional home stager, Sandy Sullivan is an expert at transforming cluttered rooms into attractive houses ready for sale. If only reinventing her life were as easy as choosing the perfect paint color. She's eager to put her family's suburban Boston home on the market, to downsize, and to simplify her own life. But she must first deal with her foot-dragging husband and her grown son, who has moved back home after college to inhabit the basement "bat cave."

After reading them the riot act, Sandy takes a job staging a boutique hotel in Atlanta recently acquired by her best friend's boyfriend. The good news is that she can spend time with her recently married daughter, Shannon, in Atlanta. The bad news is that Shannon finds herself heading to Boston for job training, leaving Sandy and her southern son-in-law, Chance, as reluctant roommates. If that's not complicated enough, Sandy begins to suspect that her best friend's boyfriend may be seeing another woman on the side.

Filled with characters who are fresh and original, yet recognizable enough to live in your neighborhood--plus plenty of great tips and tricks for fixing up houses, and lives--this is a wise and witty story of letting go and moving on. Best Staged Plans is Claire Cook at her most humorous and heartfelt.

So, guess what should I read first?  I can't decide...

Review of Cherie Priest's Hellbent

Hellbent by Cherie Priest
Published:  2011
Publisher:  Ballantine Books

(From the back of the book)  Vampire and thief Raylene Pendle doesn't need more complications in her life. Her Seattle home is already overrun by a band of misfits, including Ian Stott, a blind vampire, and Adrian deJesus, an ex-Navy SEAL/drag queen.  But Raylene still can't resist an old pal's request:  seek out and steal a bizarre set of artifacts.  Also on the hunt is a brilliant but certifiably crazy sorceress determined to stomp anyone who gets in her way.  But Raylene's biggest problem is that Ian, after the death of his vaunted patriarch, has become the next target of some bloodsucking sociopaths.  Now Raylene must snatch up the potent relics, solve a murder, and keep Ian safe - all while fending off that psychotic sorceress.  But at least she won't be alone.  A girl could do a lot worse for a partner than an ass-kicking drag queen - right?  


I read Hellbent while I was at the AP English Literature Reading in Louisville, KY.  For 9 days, I spent 8am - 5pm reading essay question 3 of the AP Lit test.  One would think that I wouldn't want to read anything after reading essays all day, but I did.  This is my first book by Priest to read and I think I will read more.  I didn't love Hellbent, but it was entertaining enough for me to keep reading.

The protagonist, Raylene, is smart, witty, sassy, and scarred.  Since I didn't read the first book in this series, I missed some of her back story.  That didn't stop me from understanding and enjoying this book, though.  I enjoyed the action scenes and many of the scenes with Raylene and the cast of characters she meets in her adventures.  I didn't quite understand what motivated Raylene in a few of the scenes, and that did frustrate me a bit.  She seemed closed off and wary in the opening scenes of the novel, but then she invites a relative stranger to live with her in her secret home.  While she does have a history of taking in a few "strays," I didn't exactly see why she took in this latest guest.  I see why Priest included it as a plot device, but I didn't buy that Raylene would do that.  Maybe if I had read the first book in the series, I would be more understanding.

Priest includes several conflicts to keep the plot moving and most of them were fun adventures.  The one constant conflict involves penis bones.  Yep, penis bones.  When I first read that, I snorted out loud in the essay reading room.  People around me frowned at me.  But, how can you not snort at a book that includes penis bones?  Obviously, these are not human penis bones.  They are the bones of other mystical creatures - werewolves and the like.  These bones help magnify the magical power of the user.  Odd, but I went with it. At the very least, it was original.  I haven't read other books about magical penis bones.  (As a side note, when I was in graduate school, I often dreamed about the lofty literature I would read and discuss.  Never did I ever think I'd be writing about a book that has penis bones as a central plot element.  Kind of fun, isn't it?)

Most of the conflicts were resolved satisfactorily.  The ending of the novel clearly sets up the next installment in the series.  I may go back to read the first book in the series, Bloodshot, but I'm not in a hurry.

2 1/2 stars out of 5

Review of Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla

Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla

     This is my first Bonilla novel to read, and it will definitely not be my last! I am going to share the synopsis from the back cover of the book because I have a habit of including spoilers in my summaries.  I'm working on it!

      Darian has lived alone for almost a century it the shadows of the night.  Made and abandoned by her former love, Darian is the last of her kind - an immortal Shaede who can slip into darkness as easily as breathing.  With no one else to rely on, she has taught herself how to survive, using her unique skills to become a deadly assassin.  
     Darian finds herself struggling to keep her employer, Tyler, at arm's length, especially since his seductive smile makes her want to break her rules about love.  The work he offers in necessary to protect the innocent - and a welcome distraction.  But when Darian's next mark turns out to be Xander Peck, King of the Shaede Nation, her whole worldview is thrown into question.  Darian begins to wonder if she has taken on more than her conscience will allow, but a good assassin never leaves a job unfinished. 

     There is so much about the premise of this book that I enjoyed:
1.  Darian, the 1st person narrator and protagonist, is not perfect.  She is cranky, cynical, and skeptical of most everyone.  I relate to that because I'm that way before coffee. 
2.  Darian has fun powers that allow her to sense the powers of others and allow her to fade into the shadows.  That's cool.  She is not the most powerful character, but her powers have great potential.
3.  The world Darian lives in includes many other powerful creatures that I enjoyed.  I would like to know more about them and how they work.  For example, who are the seers?  What are their full powers?
4.  The novel clearly sets up the next installment in the series.  I enjoy series books because I get to spend more time with the characters. 

     There are also a few things about the book that I didn't enjoy:
1.  Darian is CRANKY.  She is rude to almost everyone with or without cause.  She has baggage, yes, but why is she so cranky all the time?
2.  Why did Tyler feel connected to Darian?  Without giving spoilers, I didn't understand his draw to her.  Yes, she tells us quite often how beautiful she is.  Yes, she is a powerful creature.  BUT, what did Darian do to make Tyler fall for her?  She's quite awful to him.
3.  Why in the world is Darian attracted to Xander?  I need to know more about him and their interactions to believe the attraction on either side.  Does he want her only as a pawn?  Does she want him only because he is powerful?

Darian is not my favorite protagonist, but she is interesting.  The world that Bonilla has created is even more interesting.  I have high hopes for the rest of the series and I look forward to Darian's growth and learning more about the other creatures. 

Three out of Five Stars

Best of 2012 - Armchair BEA day 2

For the second day of Armchair BEA, my task is to share my favorite book of 2012.  Now, I could probably decide on my favorite book that I've read this year, but I'm not sure about my favorite book published this year.  That requires some research.
The easier question first - my favorite book I've read this year:  any of the Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts.  The four main characters are just fun and lovely and the story is engaging and inspiring.  I loved the four books.  
I relate most to Parker due to my slightly (ok, completely) Type-A personality, but I'd love to be friends with Mac, Laurel, and Emma.  Great series.  I actually got up the nerve to start my cake business while I was reading this series.  I related to the characters and often thought to myself that if they could do it, I could do it.  And, I did!  It's a great book that entertains and inspires you.  I enjoy that about Nora Roberts.  She has a gift.  People may turn up their noses at the Romance genre, but that is because they've never really read it.  They are missing out by being judgmental and closed-minded.  OK, off my soap box.  Sorry.

Now, on to the harder question - my favorite book published this year.  Hmmmm...I'm going to cheat and share books I've enjoyed this year.
1.  The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts (Book 2 in The Inn at BoonsBoro trilogy)
2.  Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
3.  Abandon by Meg Cabot (I love her covers lately, so I have to share)
 The hardback of Abandon originally came out in 2011, but the paperback was published in 2012.
The 2nd book is also out now -- Underworld.  

I will confess that part of the reason I wanted to read Underworld is because of my affinity for the movie "Underworld" starring Kate Beckinsale (and if you know me, you know that I pretend that I look like Kate Beckinsale - she's beautiful!), which, I know, is completely unrelated.  I'm a bit random.  I understand that.  It's a Meg Cabot book, though; I knew I would enjoy it.

I'm drawing a blank on other books published in 2012 that I really enjoyed.  I read all the time, but I can only think of these three.  What am I missing?  Surely I've read more from 2012 that I enjoyed.  Someone chime in and remind me of the greatness that I am missing on my list!

Review of The Tidewater Inn by Colleen Cable

I wanted to read The Tidewater Inn by Colleen Cable for a pretty silly reason – I love stories about hotels, inns, bed & breakfasts, etc.  However, the novel is not really about the Inn. I was a bit disappointed.   Instead, Cable’s novel addresses family bonds, forgiveness, greed, and survival instincts.  The Inn is only a small part of the action in the story.

We start out by meeting Libby Holladay, owner of Holladay Renovations, as she speaks to her partner Nicole on the telephone about a Lifesaving Station they bought to renovate on Hope Island.  An attorney on Hope Island has been looking for Libby because her father recently passed away and left Libby quite a bit of land and the Tidewater Inn.  This comes as quite a shock to Libby because she thought her father had passed away when she was five. (Conflict #1)  Nicole set up an appointment with Libby’s new half-sister to discuss the land while Libby views the meeting via the beach cam.  Before Libby’s half-sister can arrive for the meeting, Libby watches as Nicole is kidnapped by unknown men and taken off the island.  (Conflict #2)  Libby races off to the island to find Nicole, investigate her new property, and meet her new family – family members that are not excited to meet her. (Conflict #3). 

Once on the island, Libby quickly meets Sheriff Tom Bourne and his cousin, Alec.  Sheriff Bourne comes to view Libby as a suspect as Alec views Libby as a possible love interest.  (Conflict #4).  To complicate matters further, Alec’s nephew is causing problems at home and may know where Nicole has been taken.  The town attorney gives Libby a package from her father which causes even more problems between Libby and her new brother and sister.  The brother wants to sell the land and Inn to a developer for $10 million, but his plans are upset when Libby inherits that land. (Conflict #5). 

After various other dramas and conflicts, the conflicts are resolved and we have a happy ending.  I wanted more of the coziness of the inn and less conflict.  Often the anger of the family members seems forced rather than a natural reaction to Libby.  We are told that Libby’s father shared information about Libby, but the siblings act as though she is a new entity with a dubious motive for showing up on the island.  I wanted to like this novel, but the conflicts and over-reactions made the story more antagonistic than interesting or comforting.   

I give the novel 3 stars out of 5.

Review of The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules caught my attention because of the intriguing cover art.  

I was expecting the usual vampire/supernatural romance, but the novel is so much more.  This is a story about choices, loyalty, family, and judgment.  The book made me think about my beliefs - why I believe what I do and how that impacts the way I see the world.  What would I do if I found out everything I believed was wrong?  How would that change my life?

The main character in the story is an Asian teenage girl named Allison.  She lives on the fringes of New Covington - a Vampire owned city.  The novel is set after the Red Lung Virus kills many humans.  The planet is now inhabited by humans, Vampires, Rabids (mutations caused by the Red Lung Virus that are vampire/zombie/monster hybrids), and other mutated animal monsters.  Some cities are Vampire owned and some are not.  Allison survives as an unregistered (one that does not serve the Vampires) by stealing food and foraging in the dangerous ruins outside the Wall.  The Wall protects all those inside from the Rabids who will kill anything with a pulse.  Allison is in a gang of three other unregistereds that live and work together to survive.  She risks her life by venturing into the Ruins to find food for herself and the gang.  Her life changes dramatically when she takes her gang out to the Ruins to help gather food.  How Allison deals with those changes, the adventures, trials, and people she meets afterwards make up the rest of the novel.

The story unfolds in four parts - human, vampire, monster, and wanderer.  Since the novel is told from Allison's point of view, we see her struggle to survive, struggle with her choices, struggle to understand choices, and then learn to understand and accept her choices.  Allison is not perfect, but she does what she thinks is best.  She cares for others and shows love, loyalty, and forgiveness even when she is not shown the same in return.   

This book is not what I expected and I like that.  The secondary characters are well developed and interesting.  At 342 pages, the book does have complexity and depth, but there are areas where the action and plot seem to drag.  During a few of the side adventures, I found myself wondering why we were on the adventure and what it added to the plot.  

I would recommend the book to my high school students.  Allison is a character many will relate to and enjoy watching her struggle with and learn about her new life.

Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa receives 3 of 5 stars.

Meg-A Reader!

I'm so excited to be part of the Meg-A Readers Blog Hop!  I have been a Meg Cabot fan since The Princess Diaries.  I thought I was Mia - except I have straight hair and live in Texas.  I'm still waiting for my grandmother to visit me and divulge the secret that I am actually royalty.   After reading all of The Princess Diaries books, I read other stand alone novels by Cabot but didn't fall in love with another Cabot book until I read Insatiable.  
I was a bit afraid to read it because I thought the romance aspect would overwhelm the fantastic voice that Cabot creates with her characters.  I should not have worried. Insatiable was a blast to read and I have recommended it to all of my students and friends.  I will be reading Overbite and Abandon in the next few days and I can't wait!

Dead on the Delta - Review

     Dead on the Delta is the first book I've read by Stacey Jay.  I found it in the Frisco Library - the best library I've visited in a long time.  The cover art caught my attention - gloomy/supernatural background with a young fierce looking woman sitting down, staring at the reader.  The tag line "If you believe in fairies...run." made a promise (to me) of good supernatural fun.  After reading the back cover, I thought it would be a quick read along the lines of the Sookie Stackhouse novels - some mystery, some supernatural elements, and some romance.  It was actually a bit more complicated and thoughtful than the usual supernatural romance brain candy I expected.  The story is more supernatural mystery with a dab of romance. 
     The main character of the story is Annabelle.  She is a human that has a rare immunity to fairy bites.  Annabelle uses her immunity to help the government, usually by collecting fairy poop, eggs, and other remnants.  Annabelle's current love interest is Cane and when we first meet the two of them, they are collecting evidence from the body of a young girl that was recently kidnapped and murdered.  During the investigation, Annabelle has to deal with the return of her former lover, Hitch, and his FBI partner Stephanie.   Annabelle is not an ambitious, hard-working fairy poop collector and she has to deal with the consequences of occasionally being a drunk slacker.  The murdered young girl and the discovery of a breeze house (breeze is a new fairy drug) are the plot vehicles for most of the novel. 
     The love triangle of Annabelle, Cane, and Hitch is interesting as well is the interaction between Stephanie and Annabelle.  Annabelle is not a likable character. I don't relate to her world or her choices.  Does Annabelle care about the consequences of her actions?  I couldn't really tell.  Her ambivalence about life made me somewhat ambivalent towards her.  My desire for some fairy carnage kept me reading.  I enjoyed the world that Jay created with the mutant Fairies, but I would like to know more about what caused the mutations and how/why the Delta was the only area that seemed to have the mutated fairies.  To fully believe the angst that Annabelle feels at Hitch's return, I would like more back story and give that back story earlier in the novel.  I'd also like to know more about Cane and why he is so attracted to Annabelle.  What is it about her?  And, because I like zombies, I'd like to know more about people that are bitten by the fairies.  What really happens?  I'd like to SEE that.      
This is an interesting novel and I will read the second book in the series.  I recommend it if you enjoy supernatural mysteries with a bit of romance.  I do hope for more action, carnage, and back story in the 2nd novel.