It's Monday.....and I (and a few million other American's) get the day off!

It's Monday!  So happy to have an extra day off.  I had a procedure done on Friday that I wasn't expecting, so my body is rebelling and making me pay a little, but luckily I get to relax and take it easy for a few days. 

the way my body treats me when it's upset

 Now it's just a matter of waiting for some results....which, I'm assured will mostly likely be fine.

It's time.  Time for book news.  It's Monday, What Are You Reading is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.  I'm pretty sure we all know what it's about by now....

what we're reading, what we've read, and sometimes our planned, or hopeful reads. 

:)

Oh - it's been a verrrrrra slow reading month....

and a verrrrrrra slow reading week, also.  After picking up one book, and then another, and yet another...I finally grabbed the one book I've been reading here and there - a page or two, once in a while.

Velva Jean Learns To Drive 

by Jennifer Niven

I've had this book for a few years; won it from a book contest at least five years ago.

It's sometimes sad, sometimes funny, and sometimes frustrating book about a young girl - covers at least 8 years of her life.  From the time she's a young girl to the time she's 18.  And by the time she's 18, she's been married a few years and has lost and gained family and friends.  It's quite a book, and I believe there's a sequel or two....and it's been made into a movie.  Haven't seen the movie yet, but I would like to. 

That was it.  I finished one book last week, and one book the week before...

Currently reading?

#2 of the series

#1 of the series

yes, a little.  Haven't quite settled on one book yet.  I picked out of my stack near the bed (I have a few different areas for my TBR stacks) the sequel Moonshifted.  I've read exactly two pages out of it.  Sometimes if a book doesn't quite grab me in that first couple of pages, then I go wandering off to another book.  Moonshifted is the sequel to Nightshifted by Cassie Alexander - R.N./writer of urban fantasy.  

Another book I've recently picked up, and wouldn't mind

finishing if I could remember where I set it is Hammered, part of the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne.....in fact, I just might tiptoe into the living and find it.  That's the last place I remember seeing it, and it's about 2:30 a.m. right now, so I need to be a little considerate, i.e. quiet.  

Then again - Kill Bill Vol II is on right now, and watching extra bloody Tarantino over the top fight scenes IS kind of interesting.  In a very bloody, gross way.  I never have been able to catch either Vol I or II from the very beginning, so I'm not quite sure what's going on other than a white girl is wreaking havoc on many other women.

Happy Labor Day to all - and hope there's lots of food, family, and/or friends.  Whichever you feel the need for.  I'm looking forward to kicking back, and maybe reading.  Being lazy is my favorite thing to do - like a hobby.  :)

Good Night, All and Happy Reading

Nightshifted by Cassie Alexander - review

Nightshifted
Cassie Alexander
urban fantasy
2012


*****  (5 out of 6)


cover - I like this cover - there's this silhouette of a dragon behind the doors, the woman is obviously a nurse...

Sometimes I try a new book/author and I'm less than impressed, other times I feel like oh WOW and yet other times I'm left with a feeling of ...hmmm - good book.  Maybe I'll try the next one. I liked Nightshifted -  And there is going to be a next one, in just a few months.

Basic premise - Edie Spence is a registered nurse, one who has recently been working at a upper end hospital (i.e. private pay).  Problem was, she had this brother who has a certain problem.  A stranger offers help if she goes to work at a county hospital...so she does, and ends up on a restricted ward.  It's so restricted that most people - even in the hospital - don't even know it exists.

There are supernaturals on this ward...And so the story begins.   Edie is new at her job, and unfortunately, one of her patients dies on her watch.  She feels pretty bad about this; but not only did this guy die, but as he was dying he tells her to protect someone and her oddysey begins, bringing her into all kinds of danger and to the special notice of these shadow entities... (real shadows, people!) ....


The narration is first person (my favorite), the dialogue is decent - believable, and I enjoyed all the different species of 'others', as well as Alexander's take on vampires, dragons, and ....er...zombies.  Which brings me to... I enjoy the occasional zombie book, where people are killing zombies, etc.  I even enjoy that hugely popular book about that 'white trash' zombie girl.....even though I do get a little squicked out when I think too deeply about the whole zombie thing.  It's the diet, okay?    

possible spoiler (if you haven't already read this book, or even if it hasn't yet been mentioned...) coming up...




*spoiler* So according to the Amazon blurb - 'falling for a zombie'....This zombie is different than your normal literature zombie - but it's very, very hard for me to get past the whole need for human flesh thing.  And this zombie apparently even is kind of like the Igors in Terry Pratchetts discworld novels, in that he uses parts from ...other people...to replace parts of himself.  no matter what kind of zombie is being used, it's a little difficult for me to get the whole zombie as a love interest thing.  Hell, if I think about it too hard, I get a little spooked with the whole centuries old vampire as a love interest either. *spoiler end**




Okay, now that I've re-established my almost queasy belly - there are times when reading that I just have to not think too much, just read for the story.  I have to say that Nightshifted was an interesting story.  It had a little of everything, including a haunted cd player, a gamey quadriplegic, baby in danger, a dragon, shifters, shadows, and the main character comes close to being done in.  


The sequel Moonshifted will be coming out in November, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy it.