I have been commanded to post (or I might be knocked off).

So, I went to the bookstore today.  It feels like I just stepped into and AA meeting. Hi, my name is Tina and I read too many books.

I went to pick up the second volume of the Sweep Series by Cate Tiernan.  I have the first volume and I'm enjoying it.  Don't worry I'll spill later.  They're nice - add them to the to read list.  While I was in there one of the clerks saw I was picking up a book about witches and asked if I'd heard about A Discovery of Witches. Why no.  She called over another lady who started this book Sunday morning and got sucked in.  She spent the better part of the day, 1 pot of coffee, and 4 pots of tea reading and had to put it down because she also hadn't eaten.  That sounds like my kind of book.  It's the first book of a trilogy. Why would I read anything thats just a single volume? Those are so out of style and that is an entirely different post/ pet peeve. 

Of course, I bought that tome and am just waiting to get sucked in.  Probably next week. I'm spending time with Cal and Morgan right now. And I'm enjoying every second of it.

Maria, Meet Sookie. Sookie, Maria.

I have to admit that my first venture into the vampire themed books was when Tiff finally got me a copy of Twilight for my birthday, which stayed on my nightstand without being read for about a month and a half (in fairness, I'm still in school so really, it was a blessing I didn't pick up the book during finals - my pending graduation could have been jeopardized). As you can guess, it took me a day to fall in love with Edward and hate Bella. One week and four and a half books later (HAD to read Midnight Sun, only way to feed the addiction), I couldn't imagine a life without Twilight.

So Tiff says, now you MUST read Sookie Stackhouse series, and again, I'm hesitant. What if they're not as good as Twilight?? Well, I'm doing it. Also, I did learn this time and bought all 8 Sookie Stackhouse books for my upcoming spring break trip to Puerto Rico (vs. just buying one book and then being like, need-second-book-now-please).

Any thoughts as I dive into this new series?

The Highlander Series

When I finished reading Moning's Fever Series, my friend (and book muse) Tina told me about Moning's first books, the Highlander Series. In reading book summaries, there was an awful lot of familiar terminology and family names from the Fever Series, so I had to look into it.

I saw that she got blasted for the first book - Beyond the Highland Mist - for predictable plots, but it looks like the reviews for the subsequent books got better and better. I finished Beyond the Highland Mist and it was an enjoyable read. Certainly pretty predictable. It's a time-travel romance that brings a 1990s headstrong American woman into a 1500s Scottish castle.

I was definitely intrigued by the interweaving of the fae and all, but if the Fever series is 75% action and 25% romance, this book was 25% action and 75% romance. I prefer the scales tipped in the way of Fever. I'll give the second book a chance, but I need to read something else between now and then. Cue: The Southern Witch Series. (Thanks Tina...and more to come!)

Immortal by Gillian Shields

Plot Summary  -
Evie Johnson is a 16 year old girls who has been sent off to a remote boarding school on the English moors because her dad is in and Army and her grandmother is dying and can't take care of Evie anymore.  She the outcast of the school from the moment she gets there and her odd reaction to the school doesn't help matters much.  Then Evie meets a boy - Sebastian - and starts sneaking out at night to meet him. The fact that she could get expelled from school is the least of her worries.


What I thought - 
Immortal is a fun, easy, and fast read.  Exactly what I needed after the wonderful but dense The Queen Mother by William Shawcross.  Immortal is not a book that will make you reevaluate your life but you should enjoy it.  The plot is predictable - not a bad thing.  There are no major head scratching curve balls that I hate with a passion.  I loved the setting on the English moors with its hint of mystery and romance.  Did I mention I'm a complete sucker for that place? Overall its an entertaining read when you just want something quick.

OH! Forgot to mention - there is no Barrons/ Eric style action to be found.  Strictly PG.

House of Night Series- Question

I'm currently trying to make my way through the first book in the House of Night series, Marked. I'm having a reeeeaaaaalllllly hard time getting into it and I was wondering if any of you have read it and if so, does it get better? I'm about half way into the book and it's just moving so slowly for me. I realize it's more of a young adult or teen novel, but I liked Twilight just fine so I don't think that's what is bothering me about the book. I can't really put my finger on it, but it's just boring me right now. Maybe I'm having Fever cravings and longings that this book just isn't filling. So maybe it's not fair of me to try and read this when all I really want is Fever book 5 (which I broke down and ordered today, btw). Thoughts?

Fever Series

I'm sure this will be the first of many posts about this series. When Tiffany suggested these books to me I went out and bought the first one thinking "Ok, I'll just get one to see if I might like it"...mistake. If you haven't read this series but plan on it, go ahead and do yourself a favor and buy them all. It's honestly THAT fantastic. At first I wanted to keep comparing them to the Sookie books, and in some ways they are- there is some light hearted, southern fun in them. But they take darker paths and there have been plenty of instances where I catch myself holding my breath because the situation Mac is in is scaring me so much!! I'm not through with the series, I'm still waiting to get book 5 (since I'm one of the few people to not have a Kindle yet) and I'm going to be honest with you, going this long dangling on the edge of where book 4 left me is almost as hard as when I quit smoking. Seriously. I'm just cheap and I'm having to talk myself into going and paying for the hardcover, but I'm going to.

This book will forever change how you think of faries- this is no Tinkerbell, people. The way Moning describes things, she paints extremely vivid pictures of these creatures that I guarantee you'll be seeing when you close your eyes at night. Also, being that much of the story takes place in Dublin, she writes their dialect with so much accuracy that you can hear the different accents as clearly as if they were sitting there talking to you. Not only are these books amazing, but Karen Moning is amazing and I can't wait to read more from her. I will make an update when I finish book 5.

NSC

P.S. I'm sorry if I ramble... I'm new to blogging and sometimes my thoughts come out in whirlwinds!

Blood Junky

My friend (and budding actor) Gabriel posted on his blog that he has been cast in a commercial for a series of horror books called Blood Junky...since I almost exclusively read horror/sci-fi/paranormal books, I had to check them out.

They look really fun - maybe a cross between Sookie Stackhouse and the Fever Series? Fun yet dark, and the reviews are all pretty great. It's definitely on my list of books to read (as soon as it is available for my Kindle).

P.S. The Fever Series is a must-read. If one of you doesn't write about it soon, I'll have to do it myself :)