New Meme - Why Haven't I Read You?

I just read a post with a fun new bookish meme. 

 The weekly Wednesday meme is titled 'Why Haven't I Read You?'.  Amy of A Simple Love of Reading has posted this meme - she pulls a book from her shelf that she hasn't yet read and posts the opening lines of the novel.  This sounds good to me - sounds fun, and might just jumpstart some more reading of older novels that have been languishing on my shelves...

My pick for my first time at this meme is by an author that I've been reading ever since her first Women of the Otherworld books came out.  She started a young adult series, I read the first one because I enjoyed her adult novels, then I bought the second....then the third.... And never read them.  Now she is nearing the end of the series (I think); in fact, the series has morphed into a few trilogies that are set in the same world, but each trilogy has different characters....I'm now sadly far behind in reading this no doubt excellent series....

The Awakening (Darkest Powers #2)

by Kelley Armstrong

**being the second of a series, this might contain minor spoilers for those who have not yet read any Darkest Powers books.  However, this particular book has been out for quite a while.  I bought my copy in 2009**

'     When the door to my cell clicked open, the first thought that flitted through my doped-up brain was that Liz had changed her mind and come back.  But ghosts don't open doors.  They will, on occasion, ask me to open one, so I can raise and interrogate the zombies of supernaturals killed by a mad scientist, but they never need one opened for themselves.

     I sat up in bed and rubbed my bleary eyes, blinking away the lingering fog of the sedative.  For a moment, the door stayed open only a crack.  I slid from the bed, tiptoeing across the thick carpet of my fake hotel room, praying the person on the other side had been called away and I could escape before these people started whatever experiments they'd brought me here to--

     "Hello, Chloe."  Dr. Davidoff beamed his best kindly-old-man smile as he pushed the door wide.  He wasn't that old-maybe fifty-but in a movie, I'd cast him as the doddering absentminded scientist.  It was an act I'm sure he'd worked on until he got it just right.            '

See?  There is no good reason for me not to have read this by now.  The narrative is good and I believe that the only issue I had with Armstrong's work as a whole, is that at times this young teen's narrative, or inner voice, sounded just a tad too .... grown up.  Grown up in a business or teacher way of sounding, or words.  But this was mild, very mild, especially when compared to the excellent writing style, plots, dialogue, and everything else that Armstrong puts into a novel.  On the whole, her characters have always been fun, varied, and believable.  

So.....I believe that after I finish my current book, I ought to just sit myself down and finish not only The Awakening, but also - The Reckoning, which is the third in this trilogy featuring Chloe Saunders, Derek and a few others that I have to remember.  Then if I'm still enjoying...there's always the second trilogy in the teen otherworld - featuring Maya...

If you have never, ever read this series, you can visit the Harper teen site and read multiple chapters for free before you buy... just click on book covers below for a quick trip.

The other books in the first trilogy are The Summoning (#1) and The Reckoning (#2).

#1

#3

#6 out April 2013

Second trilogy (Darkness Rising)

#4

#5

Tuesday Teaser, some reminders....a busy Tuesday

Don't Forget ...

recent releases - the fourth Spellcrackers.com novel; The Shifting Price of Prey is now available in the UK.  The entire series is worth buying and reading, good stories, plots, dialogue and characters. By Suzanne McLeod.  For U.S. readers who don't want to wait for the U.S. release, there is always the Book Depository (my favorite way of getting books not available in the United States).


J.A. Campbell is holding a
fundraiser to help the wolves that have been affected in Colorado from fires.  She explains this much better than I do.  But basically, a  percentage of all of her Doc;Vampire Hunting Dog sales in a certain time period go towards helping the wolves.  I've bought an e-copy of the latest - The Moths of Miller Place and will soon buy  a couple print copies of the first Doc novella to add to our school library collection.  While you are at her website, learning about her fundraising efforts for the wolf sanctuary, take a few extra minutes to read about her other writing projects.  She's published a few novels and has others in the works.  This is one very busy young lady. On top of all of that, she is raising a border collie, taking her round to sheepherding lessons AND she is owned by a few cats.  

And Now - the real reasons for Tuesdays....

it's time for Teaser Tuesday!

Yes, it's that time again.  It's Tuesday, that wonderful day after Monday, the day we tease each other with teasers from our current reads.  This week, I am reading at least three novels.  One, I'll probably finish in a day, and the other two will be going back and forth between until I 'settle' on one for the finish.  (ugh - that's either vaguely dirty or sporty sounding - not sure which)  The first novel is....

Endgame 

by Ann Aguirre

sadly, the last of a wonderful SciFi series

from page 145 

'     "He seems to be laboring under the impression that he stands in the way of our grand passion."  By the rapid twitch of his mandible, Vel is hideously amused.

     "I'm going to kill him."

     "No need for violence when our passionate love has been acknowledged at last."

     "So you suffer the agonies of the damned due to our fierce, unconsummated devotion?"  I eye him, wondering how far he'll take this.  "Well, I'm in the mood for revenge sex, and I might be drunk enough to do unspeakable things to you." '

is it just me, or are a lot of these covers looking the same?

from the new Shadowstorm series comes

Blades of Winter

by G.T. Almasi

from page 77

'     I ask our host if we're being followed, and he says,  

''Mais oui! I am always followed.  With a handsome face like zis, how can it not be so?''  He laughs as he swerves onto a highway entrance ramp.

     Trick and I look at each other.  It's not the first time we've wondered if Jacques is actually a Martian.'

Now, I'm finished with the teaser bit.  I was going to include three, but changed my mind. This particular post is probably long enough, and the day begins early for me tomorrow.  Things to do, people to see, books to shelve, etc.

New Doctor Who season - the last one with Rory and Amy.  Next episode is September 8th, on BBC; for all those Doctor Who fans - you know you're out there. :)

New Weekly Meme - Daring You To Read...

I was thinking about checking my e-mail and taking care of business, when instead I began surfing the ol'web - and came across a post by Moirae about a new - brand spankin' new - book meme. This one sounds fun. So, since it's hosted by another blogger that I follow (and am cityville neighbors with) I clicked on the links and found a new weekly meme to take part in. Mwhahahahahahahahahahahah ....

Hosted by Tynga of Tynga's Reviews, this is a fun new meme where you get to dare people to read a fav of yours (if it's at least 6 months old). There are more guidelines, but you can read those by clicking on the blog badge or icon (or what ever they're called now) and visiting the host's site. Easy Peasy.

When you visit Tynga's post, enter for her giveaway - there is a surprise book giveaway happening.

I wanted my first post to be on J.A. Campbell's first e-book novel, but it's only been five months since the debut, so Senior Year Bites will have to wait another month for this dare.

So I'm going with Suzanne McLeod 's first novel in her Spellcracker's trilogy titled The Sweet Scent of Blood. (My review here) About a sidhe living in a London full of vampires, witch covens, trolls (handsome trolls), satyrs, nyads, brownies, pixies....the works. And it works! Loved it - one of the best debuts I've ever read; loved the sequels - and more are coming. Go on over to Spellcrackers.com - take a look around. Read The Sweet Scent of Blood - go on now - I'm Daring You!
Since I think everyone should be interested in every single book I like (LOL-well, they SHOULD) I have lots more books in mind, but I'll stick with one per post. :)

It's SOOOO Monday

Well, I kind of had a good weekend...I also had a minor fender bender - didn't actually bend any fenders, thank goodness. But then Saturday I ended up with pain in my left side, and then Sunday I couldn't bear any weight on my right side. Thankfully, by the time the evening rolled around I was able to walk around, just feeling pretty tender. Now here is another Monday, and I've never been a fan of Mondays - except for this meme, It's Monday, What are You Reading

Hosted by Sheila, of Book Journey - this is where we share what we've been reading and what we plan to read.

Continuing my SciFi space opera obsession, I finished reading the fourth novel in Vatta's War series, Command Decision. Pretty good read, liked it almost as much as the third book, which was pretty amazing.

Of course, I jumped right into the fifth and final novel of the series, Victory Conditions. Pretty satisfying ending to a series. The bad guy is vanquished, yet there's the possibility of other fighters... so you know the story isn't quite finished.

I had recently bought the second and third novels from a trilogy by Elizabeth Bear, but then I realized that it's been so long since I read the first book, that I should probably re-read it. So I found my old copy of Hammered. Good thing, because even though I had retained the main gist of the book, it was almost like reading it the first time. Damn good book finished it from Saturday to Sunday - even with the grandchildren around. (sigh - they're getting to be the age where they no longer require constant attention, they play with each other now - bittersweet)

Now, I've just started reading Scardown, the second of the trilogy by Elizabeth Bear and I'm looking forward to it. I know it's going to be good.
After that I'm thinking of jumping right into the last...except that I do know that Ann Aguirre's next Sirantha Jax book is coming out Tuesday and No Matter WHAT - I'm slipping to the bookstore to buy it if I have to scrounge for change!
I'm officially giving up on book reading challenges for 2011. I just can't keep on top of it. either due to extreme laziness, or no will, or mental exhaustion...I don't know which to blame, but I just can't get it together enough to keep track of which challenges I'm participating in, and then posting them everytime I finish a book. for right now, doing two to three book memes is enough. Besides, I've been writing way less reviews than I thought I was going to write. I get weird about it and sometimes start second guessing myself - who cares about my opinion, what do I have to say about a book that's any different than what others are saying etc. I know it's silly, but that's how my brain works. I'm still going to try to post reviews, lol - when I'm feeling self confident enough. LOL In fact, I did start on reviews for each of the Vatta's War novel that I've read.
Happy reading everyone

Waiting On Wednesday, and a bit of Monday's Meme and a bit of ranting and raving - just a little bit

Okay - now go enter for the contest

I love books, I love Kittens.....the combo - doesn't always work. But these type of pictures do!

As always, any LOL Cats pics I post are from the ICanHasCheezeburger site - or LOLCatz (same site) I joined the site, and I've come up with a whopping ONE caption, but I love the imagination that everyone has on that site. They are amazing and always good for a laugh.
I've totally missed the Monday and Tuesday Memes I usually participate in, though I've posted a late What are you reading further down on this post.
I can't believe it's already another week gone by - and time for a Waiting on Wednesday post. Waiting On Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine (I love the name of her blog)I am actually waiting on quite a few books (I DO have a serious book acquiring addiction) . Here are three books that I'm yearning for, YEARNING! One isn't due until October - and can I just say here that I can not stand it when a book isn't out for months and yet people post things on Amazon as if they were writing a review, only it's not a review, Nope - it's just a lot of review entries that say things like "I can't wait for the book"; "Oh - it BETTER be good", "blahblah yaddayadda". - it's even worse when they actually RATE the books; as if the people actually think it's a good idea to give a writer who has worked very hard on their books a one star "review" that is really a complaint because the publisher isn't going to have it available right away on Kindle OR has over charged for it. Not the writers' fault people, quit bringing their average review rates down JUST so you can bitch about something in public instead of writing a letter to the publishers....WHOA! I didn't expect all that to come out, but since it did, it's a valid complaint. Guess I should go write a letter to someone now.....
Soooooo, AHem....
The following are the books that I'm Waiting on Wednesday-ing Aftermath, book five of Sirantha Jax series by Ann Aguirre, out August 30, 2011
Reckoning, final book of the Strange Angel's series by Lili St.Crow-due out Nov 1, 2011
Fate's Edge book Three of The Edge Series by Ilona Andrews out Nov 29, 2011 (so LOOONNNGG) Oh Yeah! going bookshopping in.....a month or two. LOL NOW
Here is what I would have posted on Monday..... It's Monday, What Are You Reading is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey

I have been happily obsessed with SciFi and space travel, futuristic stuff. A friend sent me some books for my birthday, by Lois McMaster Bujold. Now the first cover is an omnibus version which contains the books represented here by their original covers. This series seems like a SciFi/Fantasy type mix. These are older, written before Steampunk became a word for book style and before Mash-ups were a term. But judging by the bit I've read so far and skimming a little bit, this series seems to be a mix up of fantasy and SciFi. The people have achieved space travel, and yet so far, it reads like a good old fashioned high fantasy, with spaceships. I haven't dived too deep into them yet - I expect to do that later today, but so far, that's the impression I get. This is going to be fun. I'm starting with Warrior's Apprentice. Though this is the third or fourth in the series, I don't think I'll be too confused. The bit I've read so far doesn't seem to be very confusing or leave me wondering what I'm missing. Looks like a pretty cool book - and there are three novels in between the covers here. She also sent another by the same author titled Brothers In Arms. I'm looking forward to diving into these novels. I did read one of Bujold's fantasy novels a few years ago, so I know her writing is good. I started Reading Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin. I've had this book for over four years...actually since 2007. I don't know why I waited so long, but I have been known to hold on to books for quite a while. I finally started to read it, I've been enjoying it and then I misplaced it right when I'm just past the halfway point. Figures. Fortunately I have hundreds of other books here to choose from (they do not fit in my bookshelves anymore, it's time to start thinning out some books. I would offer them in a contest, but HARDLY ANYONE ENTERS MY CONTESTS). Luckily for my later self, I have recently bought the second book in the series....See - I have this book buying thing, almost an addiction (hell, it IS an addiction). Remember that I've had this novel for over five years, waiting for me to even start it, I didn't even know until this week if I was going to like it, and I ALREADY BOUGHT THE SEQUEL TO IT, Planning to also start buying third and fourth in the series, one at a time....ALL BECAUSE I LIKE THE TITLE TO THE TROUBLE WITH DEMONS (#3). This is NOT completely SANE, folks. Of course, I've never, ever tried to tell anyone that I AM completely sane. I wouldn't lie like that. (innocently smiles-work with me here, innocent smiles aren't easy when you're 51 years old, snicker, snicker) This book is floating around somewhere, waiting for me to read it again....just waiting for me. Either under the couch, in the fridge (did that once), behind a shelf, under the bed or even IN the bed (lot's of things end up in our bed.....I blame it on the grandchildren, but it's really me too! lol) maybe even in a cupboard or toybox.

I read Right Hand Magic by Nancy A. Collins. I was both entertained and just the teeniest bit disappointed. It was good, but from all the comments I had been hearing about her previous novels (vampire series with Sonja Blue or Sonya Blue), I expected something fantastical. There is a sequel titled Left Hand Magic (I wonder if the feet will be next, lol) which I'll probably buy, just for the world building - it's pretty cool.

I also finished the third in a series by Elizabeth Moon titled Engaging the Enemy. I enjoyed this one more than the previous two - and am kind of itching to get the next in the series. These were written around 10 years ago, and I'm not even sure how many are in this series. I know Moon also writes fantasy, and has another space/SciFi series out there, which I'm tempted to get also.
I finally actually reviewed some of the books I've been reading. Seems that I've been reading a few books and just forget to actually review them. Imagine that. Me forgetting something.

I finally reviewed...

BloodLands, Christine Cody

The Heart of Valor, Tanya Huff (loved it)

The Better Part of Valor, Tanya Huff

Ghellow Road, T.H.Waters (Intersting story based on true events)

I had my hair dyed, looked at my list of books read - got all excited because it looks like I've read (47!) then became calmer when I realized that I now put in the books that I'm currently reading (so I don't forget) and realized that there are at least five books I need to finish, bring my total down to 42 books. Oh well, that's still better than this time last year. Last year i finished around 55 books total by December 31st. If I continue read at least five books a month i'll bring the total up to 90 books, at least 90. I don't think I'll do that many though. for me, at my current rate of reading and watching t.v., and playing with grandchildren - I'll be lucky if I break 60 books.

But there's nothing like grandchildren.

Nothin.

My job starts back next week. I now have less than one week left of my precious summer vacation......on a positive note, I will get to interact with students again (which can be fun) and I will eventually have a paycheck coming in once more - money is always a positive. Unfortunately with the state of the schools lately, we haven't had raises in over five years. I know I'm lucky to even be working, but working for the same rate of pay for over five years, boils down to losing money after you factor in the cost of living rising every year. Most of the time I try not to think about it - especially when the top administrators make so much money, etc....... I might look this irritated.....I feel like this sometimes LOL - need to reign it in though for the poor little kinders and first graders. Second grade and up is fair game.....Mwhahahahahahahaha....Just kidding, I'm so sweet...coughcough.......they use my fingers to stir coffee with. :)

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

We're having another little heat wave...after a day of rain last week - weather is always a little back and forth here, but this is really pushing the odd weather patterns.

Not being a fan of extremely hot weather - I hope to get some 80 degree weather soon.

That would be nice.

:)

So....here we are again, enjoying another Monday.

And this one is fourth of July Monday..

my son's band (currently a singer/guitar player and my son the drummer)

will be playing at a local park where there will be a round up of bands playing.

being relatively unknown, they are going to be one of the first to play...

the important thing is they're playing and getting some exposure.

The band is called Wilken - they play a blues/rock style.

I know I'm related, but I think they're pretty good. :)

Back to book blogger business...

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey.

I thought that I had been slacking on my reading so imagine my surprise when I tallied up the books and found I've actually FINISHED reading FOUR novels!

FOUR!

one of the books I finished is the YA e-book Senior Year Bites written by J.A. Campbell. I recommend this - it's a fresh take on the whole vampire thing. The main character is NOT involved with two handsome emo boys, and the story is refreshing in how normal everyone is - normal except for one of them being a vampire.....you should go check it out. I loved it.

I also finished reading Wild by Naomi Clark. This is another e-book. This turned out to be another book that doesn't follow the normal recipe for urban fantasy or fantasy novels. The main character is a "hawt mess" who has this affliction...that's it, no spoilers. It's available now as e-book and was an enjoyable read.

I had started Tiger Eye about a year ago, and for one reason and another, kept putting it aside to read urban fantasies. Now this is a paranormal romance, and I usually don't read them. But the storyline was worth wading through the sometimes mushy lovescenes, or the talking about how much they loved each other... Basically a good story with some very interesting side characters. Interesting enough to make me want to at read a few more in this Dirk & Steele series. Marjorie M. Liu is afterall, a hell of a story teller.

Then there is Tanya Huff's The Better Part of Valor. Marines in futuristic outerspace...not only human marines, but at least three other species....sometimes I get a little confused between each species - I would like to have a picture with labels...and a glossary also....hmmmm. I am enjoying this series, and ended up jumping right into the the next book.



Some of the books I'm currently reading include...
of course, I never know which books i'm going to stick with, put aside, forget, lose, or remember from long ago to finish...

I started reading My Life As A White Trash Zombie... (how could I resist with a title like that?) I've tried Diana Rowland's other series and didn't care for it much - mainly because of the almost formal language of the main character...it bugged me. But I'm hoping for different with this one...Since the main character is supposedly "white trash", I'm expecting some very relaxed dialect styles...First chapter is promising.

The novel I jumped right into was The Heart of Valor - #3 in the Valor series. Just started it, so not much to say yet.

I've also been reading Red Hot Liberty. Devin O'Branagan has written an interesting sequel to Red Hot Property. This has the same main characters and introduces some new quirky people.

Future Reading = HAH! I have no plans...but I have many, many books sitting here looking at me accusingly.

Some of them are second books of series

some of them are the third and fourth of a series

all of them are making me feel a little bit guilty

Then there are the books that I was so excited to buy and became a little bit bored with...

(some of them I became extremely bored with. heehee)

Tuesday Teaser

Does anyone else have problems with formatting in Blogger? No matter how many times I get rid of extra space between sentences, pictures and words, Blogger tends to re-insert so many extra spaces between sentences and pictures, making the post look sloppy or just way too long with too many empty spaces.

ugh!

so frustrating!

Back to business!

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB of ShouldBeReading and is the perfect forum for bragging...er posting teasers of books that we are reading.

The goal is to post two sentences, but of course I go overboard and sometimes I post more....

More Fun!

Senior Year Bites (e-book)
by J.A. Campbell
location 152 (kindle for PC)
' I didn't want to touch the disgusting creature, but I bent over him anyway and tilted his head back. The smell of blood forced my lips to his neck. My teeth broke his skin; hot blood rushed into my mouth. I drank my fill that night, almost killing my prey. He was going to be in bad shape for a while, but I couldn't bring myself to care after what he was going to do to that girl.
Once I was satisfied, I leaned back and looked around. The world faded back to its normal vibrancy. The girl still lay moaning in the dirt.
She disgusted me, laying there, waiting for rescue
My irrational reaction suprised me.... '

Tiger Eye

Marjorie M. Liu

page 213

'...It [the Kosmo Klub] also had one of the most endearingly eccentric owners to ever walk the planet, an elderly woman who called herself Dame Rose.

A self-proclaimed nymphomaniac, ("The only reason I've slowed down is because I don't wanna replace any more o' my hips"), Rose liked to prowl the evening lines into her club, drawing out the men who pleased her, and showing them to the prime seats in her bar.'

The Better Part of Valor

Tanya Huff
page....it's in an omnibus, so it's within the first 50 pages of the second novel...
'..."You're insane."
"Me? You get paid to be shot at."
"That's not why they pay me, Mr. Ryder. They pay me to see that we achieve our mission objectives without losing any personnel."
"Military speak," he snorted."You get the job done without anyone getting killed."...'

It's Monday

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

One of my favorite weekly memes, hosted by Sheila of Book Journey (yes, I say this EVERY week, but really, how many different ways are there to say this? Not many, so now I just repeat myself, because the important thing, is the book meme. lol)

Finished Reading:

Tanya Huff

I really, really wish that more people felt this way
link goes to Ms Huff's blog, where I tend to lurk. heehee

Bought and/or started reading:

Marjorie M. Liu

all of a sudden I felt like reading paranormal romance!
so weird of me, but it is Liu.

Devin O'Branagan

J.A. Campbell

again, Tanya Huff
MP3 excerpt

WMA excerpt

Naomi Clark

I bought this book ONLY because there is an
Ilona Andrews story. True.
Magic Dreams
yes, there are other authors...I might even read their stories.
for sure, I'm reading Ilona Andrews' Magic Dreams.

I finally reviewed some books that I've previously read:
Jemma7729 which I read a couple weeks ago
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt - I read that one way back in May
Valor's Choice - I just finished that one :)
I still need to review quite a few more, including Dead In The Family, which I finished a long while.

Also needing reviews by me are Magic Slays (OMG - Hell of a book!) and Mob Rules.