The Map Across Time by C S Lakin

I don't know how other people read, but quite often I have a stack of half read books beside my bed. Some are books I am perfectly content to read in small chunks. Others are books I began for some reason or another currently have no interest in reading. Usually sandwiched within the pile is a book or two who are waiting their turn to begin. I read based on my mood. Sometimes it's a non-fiction night. Other times I charge into a dense literary book like War and Peace. For the same reason I have difficulty taking a trip with fewer than 3 books. So when a book takes over the stack and all books get pushed aside until it's completion, that says a lot about my enjoyment of the book.

Recently I had the opportunity to read C.S. Lakin's The Map Across Time. It is part of her Gates of Heaven series. The fairy tale is the story of Princess Aletha and Prince Adin, who are twin heirs to the throne of  the Kingdom of Sherbourne. Their journey takes them beyond what they knew possible, and through it they learn about themselves, and the truth that stretches back to the beginning of time.They meet a Keeper of a Gate of Heaven, travel through time with the aide of a magical map, and try to rid their kingdom of an ancient curse.

The story was enchanting and engaging. I highly recommend the book to anyone who loves fairy tales. However, C.S. Lakin did more than just write a fairy tale. She infused the book with Biblical truth as the ancient wisdom shared throughout the book, were actual quotes or paraphrases from the Bible. Additionally Sherbourne's ancient language, the Law'az, was taken from the Hebrew language. As a scholar of the Hebrew language, the fictional language in her book resonated before I even knew Hebrew was her starting point for the language. There was something familiar about the Law'az.

This book is moving on to my fourth grade friend. He loves fantasy. His mom loves when his fantasy is appropriate for his age. This book will definately fit the bill.

The Adventures of Rusty and Ginger Fox.

The Adventures of Rusty and Ginger Fox is the perfect purchase for nature lovers of all ages. My preschool niece would love the animal pictures and grow into discovering the facts and story. My 13 year old friend would find it a lovely addition to her animal books. I love read not only the story, but the interesting bits of information about each forest animal.

 When I received this book in the mail from Phenix and Phenix Publishers I fell in love with the book immediately. The book's cover is lovely enough to grace a coffee table, bright enough to captivate children, and elegant enough for gifting nature lovers of all ages. Then I opened the book and was not dissapointed. The book follows two fox kits as they set out to discover the world around them. Each time they encounter a new species in the forest, the authors pause the story and provide real information about the animal. As the foxes see cougars, bears, and other forest dwellers, the readers, learn great facts like, "Cougars can jump up to 18 feet high." The photographs in the book are artfully taken, and beautifully cropped. Tim Ostermeyer's photography skills are undeniably a highlight in the book. Every page is new picture of either the fox kits or another animal they encouter. And if the picture are not enough  enchantment for the young reader, the  book ends with a bit of whimsy and treasure.

The author and photographer Tim Ostermeyer currently loves in Allen Texas and had been taking wildlife pictures for the last 20 years. For more information in the book, to find coloring sheets of Rusty and Ginger, or to find out more about TIm Ostermeyere one can visit http://rustyandgingerfox.com/ or http://www.ostermeyer-photography.com/ .

Dragonquest and The White Dragon classic Anne McCaffrey

These two books are 2 and 3 of the Dragonriders of Pern series. They follow the first book about Pern, Dragonflight.

Dragonquest is a bit heavy on politics and lght on relationships. The issues between the Oldtimers and the Contemporary Dragon riders is mirrored by the the issues with the Older Land holders against the Dragon Riders. Life has changed in 400 turns and society has not remained static. Being accustomed to subservience, the dragon riders who came from the past demand higher percentages of tithe and crave a living that the holders aren't willing to provide. From that portentous start the story builds in intensity.

The White Dragon is my favorite of the series. As the white dragonrider, Jaxom is quite central to the storyline. I think I prefer the Pern books that revolve around a main charactor, rather than a political issue. However, as this book is written a few years after the first two, Anne McCaffrey wrote the first two books of the Harper Hall Trilogy in the interim. I would definately recommend first time readers to read Dragonsong and Dragonsinger before reading The White Dragon. Readers unfamiliar with the overall Pern Series will miss out on the charactor development of some pivital Harpers without the pair of books.Then one can followup The White Dragon with the 3rd of the Harper Hall series, Dragondrums.

Now if I can just locate the Harper Hall 1 and 2, because I already have #3.

Until next time...

Sea by Heidi Kling

Sea had great preview reviews, and so I pre-ordered it and went to it's fabulous launch party. I quite honestly can count the number of books I have pre-ordered on one hand. I am quite particular about spending pre-order prices. However the book sounded wonderful and the author was somewhat local. I took the plunge and pre-ordered Sea. I was not disappointed. If you have not checked out this new pearl of a YA book, I encourage you to check it out. Here is why I think it is terrific.

Heidi Kling has written a poignant and thought provoking novel. This story is about Sienna who, while dealing with her own tragedy, travels to  tsunami tramatized Indonesia to assist her father at an orphanage. Through her encounters at the orphanage Sienna is faced with her past and her future as they collide in her present. This storyline was genuine, believable. It had witty lines, clearly crafted scenes, and plenty of unpredictability without feeling either contrived or haphazard. I loved this novel.

One main reason is that I love Sienna. She's not static. The experiences she came into the story clearly affected who she was, and the experiences she had in Indonesia further evolved Sienna. Sometimes when I read novels, I sometimes find myself repeatedly suspending disbelief. Sienna didn't have those moments.  I imagine going down to her beachside town and running into her living.

I am told Heidi is working on additional projects. I am eager to read more by her. After I met her at the launch, I see one reason why her charactors are full of life. She is surrounded by vitality. The book was inspired by some of her and her families real experiences and as she drew on those and crafted a story, she wove a a beautiful tale.

5 stars.

May 26th and All is Well...or at least mostly well.

Between the modem issues and the end of the school year the last few weeks have been a little light on the blog posts. I have been reading lots of books. However many were unfinished. The Gemma Doyle books had great potential and good reviews. I picked up the audio book of the first book and just could not get into the book. Sadly I returned the book unfinished. I read a book called Rebels and Redcoats. It is the story of the American Revolution written by weaving firsthand accounts, letter, and memoirs with facts collected around the events. While it was well written, it focused mostly on the actually battles and troop movement. I’d rather read biographies and political reasons for the war. I also tried to read a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, called a Curse as Dark as Gold. I only made it 65 pages before I gave up. It may get better, but I just wasn’t enjoying the book. Okay on to some books one can look forward to reading reviews about:

The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg

Finding God in the Lord of the Rings by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware

 Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott

The Secret of Sarah Revere by Ann Rinaldi.

Jane Austin Christian Encounters by Peter Leithart

The Revolutionary Paul Revere by Joel J Miller

The Revolutionary Paul Revere

by Joel J Miller

The Revolutionary Paul Revere was an engaging book, which has inspired me to read more American History, and become more acquainted with the current political scene. I am a fan of well written biographies, and so when asked if I would review the book, I accepted. I had been in a bit of a book slump. I had a stack of recent books not finished from lack of interest or from lack of quality. This book however continues my new trend of some excellent books.

I chose to review Joel Miller’s The Revolutionary Paul Revere, because I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn about a key figure in the American Revolution. I was blown away by chapter after chapter of fascinating particulars. Joel Miller made the life of Paul come to life again. I had no idea smiths created engravings of pictures and songs sheets for publishers. Along with his life, the life of the revolution sprang alive. Thanks to this book, I also more clearly comprehend many nuances of the war I wasn’t taught in school. Already knew things like the stamp act and the tea duty lead towards the war, but now I clearly get why these were particularly a problem to the colonists. The details of the revolution as told centering around the life of Paul Revere is brilliantly crafted, elegantly organized, and brimming with details of the day.

Here is why I recommend the book. When it comes to books, wanting to read another book by the same author is high praise. I will definitely be checking out his other two books. When it comes to non-fiction, authors who inspire the reader to continue delving into a subject are to be counted as successes. I want to read more about Paul Revere, more about the American Revolution, and more about the details of protests against governmental developments. When it comes to biographies, an eagerness to read more rather than put the book aside is a sure sign of superb authorship. Usually I read non-fiction in conjunction with a fiction book, while all my books have been set aside while I read this book. Finally, this book has changed my summer plans. I’ve read loads of books on British history, but spend surprisingly little time study the history of my own country. This book inspires me to become more informed and actively seeking out the truth behind the headlines.


The Revolutionary Paul Revere is Joel Miller’s third book. He also authored Bad Trip(2004) and Size Matters(2006). He has also worked as editor, and He currently is a VP in the non-fiction division of Thomas Nelson Publishers.


This book was given to me by Phenix & Phenix literary publicists. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

The Revolutionary Paul Revere at Borders
 
Joel J Miller's Website 
 
The Coming of the American Revolution by the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Plan B by Pete Wilson

Have you ever read a book that completely overwhelms your perspective on life encouraging you to transform you way of living? Plan B is amazing. By the time I finished the first page, I believed this book was going to be amazing, and it did not disappoint. If you have not come across a time in your life, when things did not go as you planned, then you will. This book doesn't provide band-aids, or neat bows, as Pete put it. However what it does do is echo "me too" throughout the text. By the time I had finished chapter 4 I could list a dozen friends who I want to give a copy too. By the time I finished chapter 11, I knew it was the right book for the Bible study in my church plant group to read together. The book has a resonance with our paradoxical struggle between the reality we seek to dwell within and the reality we dwell within.
Pete interweaves Biblical text, personal life, and the lives of friends and family into chapter after chapter of what people have done when their plan fell through, that is when their life was the very opposite of what they wished it was. One chapter entitled Whiplash deals with Joseph of Genesis and the Paul of Tarsus. My notes around this include, “we assume that plan b equals God’s abandonment.” And “God’s will may be a process not a destination.”



5 out of 5 stars.

Also for a free PDF copy of chapter one visit the Plan B Website.  The website also has an intro by the author. 

 
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Night Flight a mini review

Night Flight was no Little Prince. Yet it was definately an intelligent book. Set in the Andean Mountains, the mail flights must continue day and night. The night flight is a tale of pilots during an incoming cyclone and the managers on the ground who arrange the mail flights. I was slightly dissapointed in the conclusion, which didn't seem like an ending.

If this book is anything like The Little Prince, I am certain I would like it more with a second read. However, for today I give it a 2.5 out 5. I finished it, but do not love it. I kept hoping for greatness, and was given a decent story about human nature moving between a series of men involved the flying of mail. It was cerebral, yet not in a classically beautiful sort of way.

2.5 out of 5

Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures was written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. It was published in December 2009. The book is set in Gatlin North Carolina.

Summary from Goodreads: "Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything." 
 
Review: I loved reading this book. The plot moved steadily forward in a lovely spiral that reminds me of the vines intertwined on the book cover. I started it in hour 22 of my readathon and after about 50 pages, set it aside. I could tell that the book was being done an injustice. I was much to tired to capture the intricate details layed out before me within the text. After being well rested, I read the first 350 pages of the book over the next few days. Once I got to page 351 I did not stop reading even though each minute stole from a good night's sleep. I absolutely loved reading the story of Ethan and Lena.

As many have said before references to To Kill a Mockingbird abound in the book. Additionally the presence literature played in the bookwas beautiful. There were parts of the book that were predictable, and parts of the book that seemed a bit stretched, yet I did not mind. Overall the story called me forward. As I finished the story, I was not disappointed.

Final Thoughts: I loved how the authors brought in so many literary references. I loved how we got glimpses into the confederacy reinactments and southern small town life. I loved that the book included family trees. I referred back to them multiple times.

4.5 out 5 stars (I'm super stingy with 5's)

Lamb Bright Saviors by Robert Vivian

Lamb Bright Saviors was sent to me for review by Phenix and Phenix literary publicists.  Published in March 2010, this is his second novel in the Tall Grass Trilogy, which is set in  Nebraska. Publisher's Weekly called him a "latter-day Faulkner" after reading the novel I see evidences of just that. In Lamb Bright Saviors, a terminally ill itinerant preacher collects an unusual congregation for his last hours.

Summary: The story is the tale of an itinerant preacher and those who end up at his deathbed. There is the assistant Mady, who has been following the Mr. Gene around for nearly as long as she can recall. Then there are four recently reaquainted comrades who bring the preacher to the house and set up listening to his final words. Finally, there is Ms. Marion, the blind lady who home the others come to with the dying preacher. All who attend the preacher in his final hours have a broken pasts and a need for giving or receiving forgiveness. As the story plays out, we get glimpses in to past, present, and futures of the people in the room.

Review: The story was called a "gritty tale that explores themes of faith and forgiveness." If that is an intriging notion, then I would suggest one checks out the book. It has essences of Faulkner with beautiful descriptive sentences like "In the meantime the joy is simmering below your sundress inside your skin and even deeper than that: it goes so far inside it's like when you peel back the layers of an onion and it makes you wanna cry (p.10)." The text was chalk full of rich descriptions of life and transcendent ponderings of trains of thought. My greatest dislike was the quantity of vulgarity peppered throughout the book. It recalled to my mind Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. It too has a lot of profanity and yet is classic. For my reading, Lamb Bright Savior's clever use of the english language sustained it beyond the profane language. Additionally, the pervasive but not overly layered message of forgiveness and strength of character development enabled my enjoyment of the novel.

The book was dense for its 185 pages. It was not a quick read as I waded through the imagery, I found myself pausing and rereading passages to gain a more thorough understanding.

About the Author: Robert Vivian grew up in Nebraska. He has a PHD in creative writing and modern American literature, with a minor in religious studies from the University of Nebraska. He currently is living with his wife in Alma Michigan. There he is writing the third book in The Tall Grass Trilogy and teaching at Alma College.

3 out of 5 Stars. It was a definate departure from the YA books I have read in the past books. It was densely packed and determinedly intense.

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

I listened to this audio book. I love the Pern books and this is the book that is the start of them all. When I first read the series I devoured whichever book I could locate at my local library so this time through I have decided to attempt to read them in Chronological order. I love the relationship and eternal bond between dragon and rider. I love the charactors of Pern and after one of the mini challenges during the 24hour Readathon, I've started contemplating casting of the Pern series. So far I have only deceded on F'nor being played by Michael Shanks. Any Pern lovers out there with additional casting ideas are welcome to join in my fun. So how do I describe Pern?

There are so many great things in Pern. Dragons who speak telepathically to their riders, Harpers who both perform and teach the nation, and and otherworld agrarian lifestyle that is reminenscent of medieval times. Imagine dragons flying with humans defeating dangerous threads falling from the sky with dragon flames. Imagine vast landscapes of fields and age old stone structures with mountains in the background. Admid all that there are also duels, dragon egg hatchings, and holder revolts. All this is just in the first book. Now I have in my hands DragonQuest. The second book published. It is the on my stack waiting its turn not to patiently. I think I hear the Dragons calling to me.

If you love fantasy and have not discovered Anne McCaffrey, I urge you to give her a try and this book is an excellent book to begin your adventure.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney is recieving a surprising good review. Okay this book was hilariously funny. I laughed out loud so many times I lost count. It is written in comic book style. We have Greg, a middle school student progressing through the school year. He has a best mate, Rowley, who he seems to think he is better than. He is average at school and lives with his parents and younger brother.

The first time I laughed was when he explained Reading groups in school. The teachers don't tell students which level they are, but all the students knew which group was which. The give away was the book titles."Einstein as a Child" and "Bink Says Boo"  I laughed uproariously.

The book is very quick and easy for an adult and quite popular with all ages of kids. My 9 year old friend has been reading them for over a year and my 12 year old friend owns the whole series.Check it out, and have a good laugh. If you really like it, there are more books in the series.

4 out of 5 stars.

Rumors Luxe #2

Readers of my blog might remember that I had mixed feelings about Luxe book 1 of the Luxe series. Now that I have finished book two I know two things for certain. First, I love Diana Holland and want to continue to reading anything about her. Second, I hate Penelope Hayes and would like to see her downfall. I am indeed blessed because there are more books in the Luxe series. I'm quite excited about the prospects Envy might hold.

This story continues to follow all the leading charactors from book 1 as they move about in New York Society. Therefore more Diana and more Penelope. I wonder if Anna intended on the readers disliking Penelope so much, or if it is just me who feels the immense distaste for her plots and schemes.

Anna like Prologues that allude to the conclusion. That was my largest gripe in book one. However in book two she beautifully creates allusion to the conclusion, while creating a mystery around the actualities. It was utterly fantastically crafted.

4 out of 5 stars.

Historical Fiction Challenge 2010

Voices of Dragons

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn is the best piece of YA fiction I have read in a great deal of time. I was blown away by the reviews from my fellow bloggers and just had to get my hands on a copy. So in preparation for the Dewey 24 hr Read-a-Thon, I reserved a copy at my local library.This book is much more than a library find, this is one of those books that was so magnificient that I shall have to acquire my own copy to read and reread. Ms. Vaughn did a lovely job allowing the reading to sink into the world of Kay Wyatt. I began enjoying the book from the first line. However it was on page 6 that I knew writing was going to be divine. In the description of a dragon, she wrote, "It was gray like storm clouds, shimmering to ice blue or silver depending on ow the sunlight hit it."  I closed my eyes and pictured what Kay must be seeing. And that was it, I didn't want to stop reading. I read the book straight through and sighed pleased at the ending.

Okay enough gushing, how about some intelligent critique. I found the interactions with the various government agencies and the military realistic. All the powerplays and secrets I also loved the interaction between dragon and human. It's was a wonderful echo of how lack of communication amplifies misunderstandings. Thirdly, I loved the ending. I can't say much because I'm leary of spoilers. Here's what I will say, I dislike neatly wrapped up packages like the end of a sitcom after the last commercial. This book was nothing like that.

A Guest Post about Dragons on bitten by books
Short Interview of Carrie Vaughn at YA Addict
To find out more about Carrie and her Series about a werewolf girl named Kitty you can also visit her website


Speculative Fiction Challenge 2010
Fantasy Fiction Challenge 2010

5 out 5 stars

Page (Protector of the Small book #2)

This is book two in her Protector of the Small series. Though the review will not likely have spoilers for it, it may contain spoilers of the first book.




Summary: Keladry of Mendoloyn returns to her second year full of Hope. She will continue to train on Peach Blossom, the temperamental horse assigned to her for training. Returning this year are her adversaries Joram and his gang, her companions including Merck and Neal, and her Sparrows. She acquires a personal maid and befriends a dog. With her assortment of companions she strives to excel in her Page training and prepare for her large tests. As in the first book Kel, defends the weak and small, while stirring up a whole mess of trouble for herself.



Review: I listened to this book as I did book one and love hearing the story of Kel. These books are aimed at a slightly younger age range than some of the other books of Tortall. There is an innocence to Kel that I appreciate and a simplicity to the language that I find easy to follow. I hope that I can find book three in audio format too. My one regret is while the first book spanned a year, this one spanned a longer time and so it seemed to skip a lot of details and events to avoid making the book longer than the first book. I would have loved more details. I loved the first book more, yet I will seek out the third book.

This book is part of the Speculative Fiction 2010 Book Challenge
This book is part of the Fantasy 2010 Book Challenge

3.5 out 5 stars

Sunshine

Robin Mckinley was introduced to me in the 90's during my elementary literature class. We had to read the Hero and the Crown. I remember being uncertain of the book. It was within my beloved fantasy genre, yet it read differently than I was used to reading. I've decided that I have grown fond of her writing style. Last summer I read Chalice. It was mesmerizing. Mirasol the Beekeeper was beautifully created. My only sadness was the shortness of the book. I could have read pages and pages more about Mirasol.

Now onto the book Sunshine.

"Rae, nicknamed Sunshine by her stepfather, is the baker at her family’s coffeehouse. She’s happy getting up at 4 am to make cinnamon rolls for the breakfast rush, and dealing with people and food all day. But one evening she needed somewhere she could be alone for a little while, and there hadn’t been any trouble out at the lake for years.
She never thought of vampires.

Until they found her." -This is written much better than my attempts. I kept including spoilers. It was at Robine McKinley's Website.

I had a bit of a time getting into the book, but about part way through I realized it was because my mind had been dulled by all the books centered around a romance I had read lately. If you are tired of Girl meets unusual boy and falls in love, this book may be just the book to cure you. While I don't claim it is free of relationships, it is refreshinginly centered around a plot that does not involve pining, Robin McKinley has a beautiful way to create worlds. I certainly would love to see her revisit this one. There were plenty of peripheral characters that would be lovely to flesh out.

Sunshine was delcious. The people and placed were all described through Rae's eyes. I followed her as she struggled with instense fear, hidden potentials, and long standing belief systems. Each time she struggled through a new opportunity, she was changed. She would make choices that would alter to fabric of her existence and the way she understood the world around her.

4 out of 5 stars. Difficult to dig into and hard to let go of.

Included are both book covers, the one on the top was mine, the one on the bottom I like better.

 Speculative Fiction Challenge 2010

Fantasy Fiction Challenge 2010

Trickster's Queen

Trickester's Queen is the Sequel to Trickster's Choice (My review of Trickster's Choice). I read that book back in January and finally snagged a copy of the 2nd book. It was faboulous. I seriously love Tortall, and all the surrounding countries. I think I even enjoy Tortall more than Pern and that is pretty momentous.

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars



***The remainder of my review below the book cover will contain spoilers for book one.***

Okay so here it is, The book was great. We return to the Copper Isles as the Balitangs return to the capital. As they sail into the harbor, we are reaquainted with Aly, Dove, Sarai, and Winnamine. Now Aly is even a more precarious position, Leading spies in a rebel uprising in the Copper Isles, while she happens to be trained in Spy by Tortall's own Spymaster. Enter Darkings, which I won't describe, lest I ruin it for someone. The intrigue continues from book one as the Raka continue to increase the troubles for the Rittevon rulers. I thought the pace was spot on, the dialogue was believable, and the necessary charactors fleshed out beautifully.

As the book is a YA book, I must mention there was one scene where sex occurred, it was tastefully not described, however for some children on the cusp of YA literature it might be a bit much. Honestly I appreciated how Tamora Pierce dealt with it.

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars

The book is part of the Speculative Fiction Challenge 2010 and the Fantasy Fiction Challenge 2010

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

(aka the book of the tea spill from the Leviathan post) The White Queen by Philippa Gregory is my third book by her. I have read the Other Boleyn Girl and The Other Queen. I enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl Immensely. I chose to read the White Queen for two reasons. I knew little about the War of the Roses, also called the Cousins war, and I was dreadully curious about the tale of the Princes who dissappeared from the Tower of London. Both are referenced in Tudor era books enough, that finally I picked up a book on the Plantegenet royals.

Okay so I know it is fiction, but wow, I had no idea what went on durind the Lancaster/York battle for the throne. I loved this one. It was great fun following the life of Elizabeth Woodeville. She was in love with her husband the King. She was devoted to both him and her children. Really, I know there were probably embellishments, but I didn't care. I agonized and cheered alongside Elizabeth as her fortunes rode the rollercoaster historians call the War of the Roses.

As I have sat with this book, I would say if you enjoy reading Historic fiction do not miss this one. It's a good time and it will prepare you for the Red Queen which comes out in August.

This book is part of the Historical Fiction Challenge 2010.

The Mermaid Chair

I listened to the audio book, The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. I have heard such great things about this author, that I imagined I would love The Mermaid Chair. However, I was dissapointed. I quite honestly only finished it because I had no other audio books left.

The book began promising. Jessie returned to her childhood home of Egret Island. Her mother had chopped off her finger. The island's two primary methods of livelyhood are the tourists and the fishermen. The tourists come for the Gullah graveyard, the aviary sanctuaries, and the Monestary of St. Sonora. Then the book seemed to drag itself along. Between beautiful descriptions of scenery, the plot lacked a beauty to echo the serenity of the island. In the early stages, I had hope of improvement, but by the halfway point, I was tired of listening to Jessie and her problems. The book's climax was also dissapointing.

What I did like was how Sue Monk Kidd crafted the scene with her pin. I could see the mermaid chair, hear the bird's calls, and smell the ocean's fragrence. I think at one point, that is what kept me listening.

2 out 5 stars.

Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan

I was browsing through the teen new book section at my library and there sat Leviathan. I had been wanting to read a steam punk genre book and I had read a great review last week, so I added the book to my stack. Quite honestly I remember reading either Pretties or Uglies by Scott Westerfeld and not really enjoying it, though I did need to know the ending, I was not drawn into the world enough to pursue any of the other novels in the series. Nonetheless, the cover jaket summary gave me hope for Leviathan. I spilled tea on a book I was reading and had to layer paper towels and weigh it down with books in order to save it (the book is safe now and being read again). So I look over my stack of library loot and picked up Leviathan. It seemed like a good book for the afternoon.

Review: It was not my favorite book of February. It was a quick read. I think it took me about 3 hours. I read part of it Friday and finished it last night after Olympic coverage. I kept feeling as though the book was striving for its potential, but not quite reaching it. When it concluded I wondered if I had secretly been reading book one of a series. Having looked at Borders I know it is book one. I can forgive the ending now. The following is the trailer from the Borders web page



Summary: Alek is the son of Archduke Ferdinand, and a Clanker. Deryn is a Darwinist British soldier maquerading as Dylan to serve. Clankers and Darwinists are not exactly enemies, but they are definately not friends. At World War 1 in this alternate timeline begins, the lives of our two protagonists converge. Both youngster's have their world expanded, their training tested, and their beliefs questioned.

3 out of 5 stars.
Speculative Fiction Challenge 2010 book

Side Note: I definately want to check out more Steam Punk Novels. I liked the idea of the technologies.