Thursday, May 31, 2007

Paper or Plastic

This week's Booking Through Thursday questions:

* Do you read e-Books?
* If so, how? On your computer, or a PDA?
* Or are you a paper purist? Why?



I have only read a couple of e-Books. If I ever get around to buying an e-reader I can definitely see myself reading more, but on the odd occasion when I do read one it is a bit of a pain to sit at the computer to read. Having said that, I do have several unread ebooks saved at the moment! One of these days I will read them.


I have to admit that I do love books, so I don't think that ebooks will ever replace paper books for me!
Posted by Marg at 9:36 PM | 13 comments  
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Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

In 1960's Nigeria, at the time of the vicious Nigeria-Biafra war, three characters are swept up in the rapidly unfolding political events. One is Ugwu, a young boy from a poor village, who is employed as a houseboy for a university lecturer. The other is a young middle-class woman, Olanna, who has come to live with the professor, abandoning her life of privilege in Lagos for a dusty university town and the idealism and charisma of her new lover. And the third is Richard, a tall, shy Englishman who is in thrall to Olanna's twin sister, a remote and enigmatic figure who refuses to belong to anyone.

When Olanna witnesses deeds of unimaginable horror in the outbreak of war, all of these characters are propelled into events that will putt them apart and bring them together in the most unexpected ways. As Nigerian troops advance and they run for their lives, their ideals are severely tested, as are their loyalties to one another. This extraordinary novel is about Africa itself; about moral responsibility, about the end of colonialism: about ethnic allegiances; about class and race; and about the ways in which love can complicate all of these things.


There have been several books by Nigerian authors that I have been tempted to read over the years including the debut novel by this author, called Purple Hibiscus, but I had never managed to get around to it! So, when I decided to read the long list nominees for the Orange Prize, this was the first book that I requested. And then Kailana and I were chatting about what books we shared on our TBR piles and we decided to buddy read this one!

For me, a big part of the reason for my interest in Nigerian literature is that my ex is half Nigerian and was raised in Lagos from the time he was 3 months old, and lived there until he was about 28. Whilst I wouldn't necessarily say that my relationship with him necessarily exposed me to the best parts of Nigerian culture, (I mainly got to meet his friends - all young men between the ages of 20 to 30, and for the most part they were interested in partying), the fact of the matter is that my son has a Nigerian-St Dominique-Australian heritage, and so a lot of the time I feel like I should be doing more to ensure that he understands his heritage. Right from the time my son was born, I was the one trying to push the ex into sharing language, heritage...even that there were other kids like him with a similar mixed heritage. Unfortunately, the ex never really got on board with this, and these days he doesn't even phone very often to say hello let alone to talk about anything like this. All that is a very long winded way for me to say that in some ways I feel a connection to the subject of this novel....without ever actually having been to Nigeria, or really having much interest in going to visit!! Of course, he is Yoruba, so the characters of this book would quite possibly be horrified at my idea of this sense of connection!

This book is separated into four parts. The first part is set in the early 1960's, the second in the late 1960's, with the pattern repeated for the third and fourth parts. In the first part, we meet our protagonists. Firstly we meet Ugwu, the shy young village boy who has come to the university town of Nsukka to become houseboy to the idealistic university professor Odenigbo. Then we meet Olanna, the daughter of a wealthy but, ultimately, corrupt Igbo businessman, who has decided to move in with Odenigbo, and there is Richard, who is in love with Olanna's twin sister Kainene. The early parts of the novel are filled with the zealousness of the intellectuals who want to see the Igbo tribes have a land of their own, full of the promise and the excitement of such a venture. And then in part 2 (set in 1967) we see the beginning of the war.

Not only have events changed the direction of the country of Nigeria, but within the personal lives of the characters much has changed. Ugwu is still houseboy, but he has now been educated and finds himself in the end helping assuming many roles - houseboy, babysitter, friend, confidante and even teacher in some parts of the book. Richard finds himself in the somewhat strange position of being a white man who speaks fluent Igbo and becomes involved in the war propaganda machine. However many of the key relationships in the book are now fractured, and it is only as the narrative returns once again to the early 1960s that we find out what caused those divides.

As the war continues on, we see many things through the eyes of the characters - death, destruction, rape, massacres - and the author does a fine job of giving just enough information to haunt the reader without being too overbearing with the details.

The other area where she has excelled is in showing the dichotomy of the situation in Nigeria at that time - the colonials had withdrawn to let the country men rule themselves but there were such levels of greed, mistrust and corruption that trouble was inevitable. The ethnic divides were just so strong particularly after some of the minority Igbo staged a coup, and then there were retaliatory massacres. And yet, as individuals there were friendships with people from other tribes that were able to survive all the violence - perhaps damaged, but still somewhat intact.

The double standards were not only in terms of the problems facing the nation as a whole. I remember thinking it quite ironic that even within the personal standards of the characters there was the hypocrisy. For example, at the first sign of trouble, Olanna's parents flee Nigeria to live in relative luxury in London, and return only when the trouble is over,and this happens more than once and for another small example. At one point Odenigbo is driving to Ugwu's home village:


The ride to his village was mostly silent. As they drove past some farms with rows and rows of corn and cassava like a neatly plaited hairstyle, Master said, "See? This is what our government should focus on. If we learn irrigation technology, we can feed this country easily. We can overcome this colonial dependence on imports."

And yet on arrival at his village he is offered pineapple:


Chioke shook Master's hands with both of hers. "Thank you, master. Deje!" She ran back inside and emerged with a small pineapple that she pressed into Master's hand.

"No, no," Master said, pushing the pineapple back. "Local pineapples are too acidic, they burn my mouth."

As we get to the last quarter of the book, the war is in full swing. Even those who are wealthy are feeling the effects of the blockades imposed by the Nigerian army, and the world looks on as millions starve, as innocent people are killed. And as the situation worsens our characters are bought together again, but not before the war claims parts of their soul, and perhaps more, forever.

Many of the details in this book were fascinating. It is not an easy to read book, and nor would I say it was something that you enjoy in a light and accessible way. It is a book to savour and to contemplate as you read. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Rating 4/5

Other Bloggers reviews:

My Own Little Reading Room
Passion for the Page
Posted by Marg at 9:21 PM | 2 comments  
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Monday, May 28, 2007

Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Bride McTierney has had it with men. They're cheating, self-centered, and never love her for who she is. But though she prides herself on being independent, deep down she still yearns for a knight in shining armor.

She just never expected her knight in shining armor to have a shiny coat of fur…

Deadly and tortured, Vane Kattalakis isn't what he seems. Most women lament that their boyfriends are dogs. In Bride's case, hers is a wolf. A Were-Hunter wolf. Wanted dead by his enemies, Vane isn't looking for a mate. But the Fates have marked Bride as his. Now he has three weeks to either convince Bride that the supernatural is real or he will spend the rest of his life neutered—something no self-respecting wolf can accept…

But how does a wolf convince a human to trust him with her life when his enemies are out to end his? In the world of the Were-Hunters, it really is dog-eat-dog. And only one alpha male can win.





Mmmm....Vane!



Mmmm........Vane!! Sigh!


Bridie's a very lucky woman!


Rating: 4.5/5
Posted by Marg at 12:12 PM | 9 comments  
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Sunday, May 27, 2007

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

In Cambridge, a child has been hideously murdered and other children have disappeared. The Jews, made scapegoats by the all-powerful Christian clergy, have been forced to retreat into the castle to avoid slaughter by angry townspeople.

Henry, King of England, is displeased. The Jews provide a large part of his revenue and therefore the real killer must be found, and quickly. A renowned investigator, Simon of Naples, is recruited and he arrives in town from the continent accompanied by an Arab and a young woman, Adelia Aguilar.

There are few female doctors in twelfth century Europe, but Adelia is one of them, having qualified at the great School of Medicine in Salerno. What's more, her speciality is the study of corpses; she is, in fact, a mistress of the art of death, a skill that must be concealed in case she's accused of witchcraft.

Adelia's investigation takes her deep into Cambridge, its castle and convents and in a medieval city teeming with life, Adelia makes friends and even finds romance. And, fatally, the attention of a murderer who is prepared to kill again.



As soon as I learned that the name Ariana Franklin was a pseudonym for Diana Norman, I added it to my TBR list! I did, however, have to wait a little while for it to come onto the library list but it did eventually! I was a bit worried that it wasn't going to because the first book written under this name (City of Shadows) still hasn't made it onto the catalogue! I am too impatient after reading this one...I've ordered it from The Book Depository (have I mentioned recently how much I love that store...it is so much cheaper for me to buy books from there than it is to go into a bookstore here.)

A young boy is found murdered and because he was crucified before being found in the river, and now two more children are missing. The finger has been pointed at the Jews of Cambridge, the townspeople have revolted against them and now the Jews are sheltering in the castle. This situation doesn't make anyone happy - least of all the volatile King Henry II, who now not only has to feed all these people, but whose treasury is now falling woefully short of funds because the Jews are not paying him his share! Something must be done.

And so, at the behest of the King of Sicily, our main characters enter the story. He has agreed to send some investigators to help hopefully clear the name of the Cambridge Jews, to find out who the murderer really was, and to set matters to rights again. The group that is sent to England is an interesting one. There is Simon the Jew, Mansur the Saracen and a young female doctor by the name of Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar. Whilst a female doctor is not all that unusual in the medical schools of Salerno, it is unheard of in 12th century England, and steps have to be taken to make it appear as though Mansur is the doctor in order to ensure that there are no accusations of witchcraft. Even in Salerno Adelia is somewhat unusual though, because she is no ordinary doctor. She is a Mistress of the Art of Death, someone who looks at a body and tries to figure out how they died - performing an early kind of autopsy.

The book opens at a cracking pace, with all of the main characters, including our investigators, a prioress and a prior who never see eye to eye, a couple of crusader knights, the king's tax man all travelling together in convoy heading towards Cambridge. Unfortunately the prior has a very delicate problem. He is unable to urinate, and his bladder is in danger of bursting, so it is Adelia to the rescue, performing a very sensitive operation on the Prior, and thus ensuring that they have at least one person on their side once they get to Cambridge. Coincidentally, as the group arrive in the town, so the bodies of the other missing children turn up to, and so Adelia is able to commence her examinations.

It isn't long before the townspeople know that they have a new doctor in town, and so not only are the investigators required to try and determined how and why the children died, and who killed them, but also maintain the masquerade that Mansur is the doctor and Adelia is his assistant.

With the field of suspects narrowing, everyone is now in danger, and Adelia and her companions must decide who to trust, especially as she is feeling a growing attachment to one of the suspects, who is the King's tax man, Sir Rowley Picolt. The growing relationship between the two of them was deftly handled, without being completely cliched, and whilst the resolution may have been somewhat unusual and unlikely, it did suit the two characters involved.

With a great group of supporting characters, colourful descriptions of time and place, conflict between Church and state, between religions and between man and woman, there is a lot going on in this novel, but for the most part the author manages to keep all the threads in hand and neatly weaves them together for a very chilling showdown with the killer, and the resulting trials were very dramatic as well.

The characters that have been introduced in this book are certainly interesting and colourful, and would fit naturally in a series, so I was glad to hear that there is another Mistress book to come! No idea when it is coming..but just the fact that it is is enough for now!

Rating 4/5
Posted by Marg at 10:40 PM | 0 comments  
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The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

The One Thing a Lady Must Never Do

Wealthy Lady Georgina Maitland doesn't want a husband, though she could use a good steward to run her estates. One look at Harry Pye, and Georgina knows she's not just dealing with a servant, but a man.

Is Fall in Love....

Harry has known many aristocrats-including one particular nobleman who is his sworn enemy. But Harry has never met a beautiful lady so independent, uninhibited, and eager to be in his arms.

With Her Servant

Still, it's impossible to conduct a discreet liaison when poisoned sheep, murdered villagers, and an enraged magistrate have the county in an uproar. Soon it's all Georgina can do to keep her head above water and Harry's out of the noose...without missing another night of love.


Having really enjoyed The Raven Prince, I ordered this book straight away, and as soon as I had a gap in between books that were due to go back to the library I picked it up, and really enjoyed it! I already know that I will be reading the third book in this series...no question at all in my mind!

Harry Pye is the steward for one of Lady Georgina's estates. When they are travelling back from London together and are involved in a carriage accident, Georgina actually realises that Harry is more than just a land steward...he is in fact a very attractive man. And so we have the first inklings of a delicious cross class love story.

Georgina is quite unusual. She is an independent land owner, despite the fact that it is her brother who holds the family title. Whilst she can play the society lady when she needs to, it is as an independently minded lady that she decides that she does indeed want to pursue a dalliance with Harry. Whilst Harry and George don't forget that there is a major class difference between them, and it does form a major element of their angst, when it is just the two of them not worrying about what others will think of them it is a very equal relationship. It was interesting to see the various attitudes amongst Georgina's family once they found out!

I really liked both George and Harry, but most especially Harry. Not only was he handsome, with emerald green eyes, but he had a very dry sense of humour, and there was no doubt in my mind that when Harry fell, he fell hard for his lady. And the chemistry between the two of them was sizzling!

In the last book, the fairytale of The Raven Prince was told in small parts at the beginning of each chapter, but in this book the fairytale was shared between the two characters, with George telling Harry the story, which was a nice touch.

There were two subplots - the one about poisoned sheep, and one about the ruination of Georgina's younger sister. I'm not 100 percent sure about the second plot, but for the first half of the book I thought that the investigation into who was killing the sheep was relevant, particularly as it helped to explain why Harry had tried to get the job as the land steward there in the first place, and the development of Harry's additional relationships were nicely done as well.

I can't wait for The Serpent Prince to come out...but there is still a couple of months to be wait! This author is definitely one that I intend to read more of, even after this series ends!

Rating 4.5/5
Posted by Marg at 8:52 PM | 2 comments  
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The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea

From one of America's most beloved authors, a tale of miracles and passion

Teresita is not an ordinary girl. Born of an illiterate, poor Indian mother, she knows little about her past or her future. She has no idea that her father is Don Tomas Urrea, the wild and rich owner of a vast ranch in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. She has no idea that Huila, the elderly healer who takes Teresita under her wing, knows secrets about her destiny. And she has no idea that soon all of Mexico will rise in revolution, crying out her name.

When Teresita is but a teenager, learning from Huila the way plants can cure the sick and prayer can move the earth, she discovers an even greater gift: she has the power to heal. Her touch, like warm honey, melts pain and suffering. But such a gift can be a burden, too. Before long, the Urrea ranch is crowded with pilgrims and with agents of a Mexican government wary of anything that might threaten its power.

A spectacular novel as grand as a western sunset The Hummingbird's daughter is the story of a girl coming to terms with her destiny, with the miraculous, and with the power of faith. It is the tale of a father discovering what true love is and a daughter recognizing that sometimes true love requires true sacrifice. Full of cowboys and outlaws, Indian warriors and cantina beauties, silly men who drink too much and desert women who in their dreams travel to the seashore. The Hummingbird's Daughter is Luis Urrea's majestic masterpiece, the story of one girl's life and the swollen heart of all Mexico.



This book was selected in a group that I was in where the idea was to travel around the world in 80 books - reading books set in a variety of different countries, and with various themes. Whilst I no longer read with the group very often, this book did sound very interesting, so I still decided to pick it up!

I'm not sure why but I have a bit of a review block on this one! It's definitely not because I didn't enjoy it because I did. It's just that I can't think what to say...perhaps because I finished it too long ago, but anyway should probably just write the darned thing because I said to myself that I wasn't going to write any more reviews until I had done this one, so now I have a big backlog!

Teresita is born to a poor young woman - a result of a liaison with Tomas Urrea, the good looking, and married, owner of the ranch. It isn't too long before Teresita's mother leaves her for good, left to survive in a hovel with her aunt who beats her and treats her horridly. Even with this treatment though, there is something special about Teresita, and it isn't long before she is spending time with the local medicine woman, Huila, learning many of the secrets of the earth, medicine and midwifery.

And really that would have been her life if something amazing hadn't happened to her. After being attacked she is left for dead, and does indeed seem to die, but she comes to life again after a couple of days, and is suddenly perceived as being a saint - able to perform miracles. The church proclaims her as a heretic, but that does not stop the people from coming. Her family's home is surrounded (by this time Tomas has accepted her as his daughter) by people looking for miracles. Because of some of her more liberal beliefs, the family comes to the attention of the government and so amongst all the people searching for miracles, there are also the revolutionaries who are attracted to her message, at first somewhat sceptically but eventually wholeheartedly, and then the government forces who are trying to put down the guerrilla war being fought against them. This volatile mix of people inevitably leads to trouble, but can the miracle working Teresita stop it from becoming a total tragedy?

In the author note to this book, the author talks about how this book took him nearly twenty years to research and write, and you can really tell it was a labour of love. The main character was actually his great aunt, so the book is a combination of loving homage to an amazing character, part Mexican history (predominantly set in the late 1890's), part magical realism, part study of the Yaquis and other native tribes of Mexico.

I did struggle at first to get into this book. The tone and language took a little while to get used to, but by the end I was totally engrossed. The author was very good at balancing the various elements with healthy doses of humour. One of my favourite characters was Tomas - a man who could not seem to help himself, until he fell completely in love with the daughter of the local shopkeeper, Gabby, much to his wife's chagrin, but he had such charm, that he managed to come to arrangement with both his wife and his mistress. Normally that would not be something that I would like in a character but he was very entertaining - a man driven to distraction by his loves, his family, and then by the events surrounding his unruly daughter!

I haven't read much about Mexico, so for me this was a pretty much completely new setting, and I really enjoyed it.

Rating: 4.5/5
Posted by Marg at 10:15 AM | 0 comments  
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Thursday, May 24, 2007

Parlez Vous?

I've been thinking about doing the Booking Through Thursday thing for ages, so here it is!


I had an idea for a BTT question when I was taking a peek at one of my bookcases yesterday and spotted my old copy of the Aeneid in Latin sitting there. Maybe this question has already been done—but if not… Do you have any foreign language books and if so can you (still) read them?



I don't own any foreign language books, and even if I did, I wouldn't be able to read them! I did one year of Japanese in early high school, and can still count to ten and say good morning but that is about it. I did 3 years of French in high school and can't remember much more than that! It's a bit sad really!
Posted by Marg at 6:29 PM | 11 comments  
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Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Why didn't I do this earlier?

I downloaded Firefox tonight!

I have no idea why I didn't do this earlier! I think I am a convert already.
Posted by Marg at 10:19 PM | 7 comments  
Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier

No. 13 Hercules Buildings, Lambeth, 1792. Poet, artist and printer William Blake - local eccentric and political radical - works anonymously amidst the raucous din of a teeming, jittery London. Across the Channel, revolution is imploding in France. Nearby, the renowned Astley's Circul is rehearsing its upcoming show, and next door the Kellaway family, recently arrived from the countryside, is moving in. Maggie Butterfield, the streetwise daughter of a local rogue, is looking for trouble - or at least a friend. When she and young Jem Kellaway are drawn into Blake's spell, the change meting of three unusual souls sets the stage for an impassioned journey. Jem and Maggie spark the imagination of the poet, influencing one of the greatest and most mystical works in English literature, Songs of Innocence and of Experience.

Burning Bright evokes the full pageantry of Georgian London; its circus spectacles, mustard factories, pubs and bawdy songs, the grandeur of Westminster Abbey and the secrets of Cut-Throat Lane. Behind these lie the greater movements of an era: the influence of a nearby revolution, the mustering of forces loyal to the Crown, and the agonies of being an independent thinker in an age suspicious of dissent.

As she did in the bestselling Girl With a Pearl Earring, Chevalier brilliantly captures an era and a sense of place, at the same time deftly evoing an artist's vision. Overflowing with energy, enterprise, and the power of creation, Burning Bright brings us a vivid story of the unpredictable, exhilarating passage toward adulthood.



Is it bad blogging to quote oneself? When I read Falling Angels by this author, this was my opening paragraph:

The only other Tracy Chevalier book I have read was Girl with a Pearl Earring, which I absolutely loved! When I read that one I picked it up with the intention of just reading the first couple of pages. Two and a half hours later, I had finished it and was blown away. This book never really grabbed my attention in the same way, although it was an entertaining enough read.


and I have to say that my feelings about this one are pretty much the same! Once again I wasn't dragged into the story, when I really, really wanted to have another one of those experiences where time just flies by, and everything around you doesn't matter at all!

I think that my first issue with this book is that there is an element of trying too hard to recreate the feel that made GWAPE such a huge hit. Instead of the painter, we have the poet William Blake, supposedly finding inspiration from a couple of young kids who are coming of age. Whilst I don't have any qualms with this as an approach, it kind of falls down when Blake is nothing more than a secondary character in the first two thirds of the book. If anything, the main character aside from the two teenagers, Maggie and Jem, for the first part of the book is Philip Astley, the larger than life circus owner, who provides the Kellaway family with the impetus to move to London, a home and employment, as well as entertainment. It is only in the last third of the book that Blake comes more to the fore, mainly in the role of political radical, in a time when it was dangerous to think outside of the square.

If anything, part of the issue I have with this book is that the author tried to cram so much into it. Without even thinking too long about it there are several themes that come to mind: coming of age (of Maggie, Jem and his sister Maisie), first love, political freedom or lack thereof, the effect of the industrial age on living conditions (specifically when Maggie is forced to get a job firstly at the mustard factory and then at the vinegar factory), the effects of grief and loss on the Kellaway family. In addition to these, Chevalier touches on the opulence of the lives of the haves compared to the have nots, the plight of young girls who go astray, the after effects of a violent attack, and also touching on a romantic note, not forgetting how to make Dorsetshire buttons and Windsor chairs! She also went to great lengths to portray London of 1792 with the grimy Thames, the dangerous and dodgy characters, the harlots, the glory of Westminster Abbey. London is in a way one of the characters.

Too much going on!

I realise I haven't focussed much on what actually happened in the book. Part of the reason for that is that for the most part it feels almost as though the storyline skims across the surface of what could have been a much deeper book.

All of this may make it sound as though I really disliked this book. I didn't. There were some really good elements to the book. It's just that it is like dreams unfulfilled - the capacity was there for something really good, but it just didn't eventuate.

I still have two more Chevalier books to read, and I will get to them eventually, but I will be trying hard to not raise my expectations too much before I start them.

Rating 3.5/5
Posted by Marg at 6:33 PM | 4 comments  
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Sunday, May 20, 2007

Pillars of the World by Anne Bishop

The trees whisper of Danger...

The youngest in a long line of witches, Ari senses that things are changing - changing for the worse. For generations, her kin have tended the Old Places, keeping the land safe and fertile. But with the Summer Moon, the mood of her neighbours has soured. And Ari is no longer safe.

The Fae have long ignored what occurs in the mortal world, passing through on their shadowy roads only long enough to amuse themselves. But the roads are slowly disappearing, leaving the Fae Clans isolated and alone.

Where harmony between the spiritual and the natural has always reigned, a dissonant chord now rings in the ears of both Fae and mortal. When murmurs of a witch-hunt hum through the town, some begin to wonder if the different omens are notes in the same tune.

And all they have to guide them is a passing reference to something called The Pillars of the World...


After reading the Black Jewel trilogy by Anne Bishop and absolutely loving it, I was always going to read more from this author, but I will admit to a degree of apprehension. What happens if a new series isn't as compelling or interesting as the very hard to top BJ trilogy. Luckily, for me at least, it wasn't really an issue! I know that there are others around who were disappointed in this new trilogy, but I really did enjoy this first book in the series.

Whilst there are some shared ideas in this series and the BJ trilogy (for example the idea of linked worlds), I found the world building in this book much less intrusive in this novel than in the first BJ book. At the end of Daughter of the Blood, I had to confess that I was still trying to figure the worlds out, but there was no such trouble with this book!

Ari is our main female character, and she is a witch who lives in one of the Old Places, protecting the earth and renewing it to enhance the world around it. In the process, the witches like Ari also protects the roads to Tir Alainn, the world where the Fae live. As an evil Inquisitor successfully kills off more and more of the witches, the roads to Tir Alainn are disappearing, and the Fae don't know why.

Ari is tricked into accepting a love spell that says that she must offer a treat to the man of her choice and then give herself too him for a prescribed period. When Ari meets one of the Fae leaders, Lucien the Lightbearer) she becomes his lover, much to the consternation of both Neall and his cousin. Neall is upset because he has secretly loved Ari for a long time, and hopes to marry her and take her back to the land that he has kept secret from his family ever since they took him in as an orphan. His cousin is was just determined to own Ari and is determined to gain his revenge against her for not accepting his attention!

So for the first part of the book, the relationship between Ari and Lucien is the focus, and mainly concentrates on the different expectations that they each have, both because they are male and female, but also because she is a witch and he Fae. Lucien's fellow Fae are also interested in Ari, because normally they try to stay away from witches, but as they come to know her, they also find some clues that suggest the only way to save their world is to find The Pillars of the World. Perhaps Ari can help?

All of a sudden though, the relationship focus changes from being Ari and Lucien to being Ari and Neall, who it turns out may not be all that he seems, but the enemies that Ari has made amongst the town people are turning against her, and it won't be long before the Inquisitor's find her, and destroy her.

The most interesting characters in the book were definitely the Fae and the little people who also make appearances throughout the story, generally helping Ari and keeping an eye on her. Ari was in some ways kind of bland. There was lots of focus on the Wiccan teaching and at times that felt a bit laborious until it actually became time for Ari to show her true power. Neall was also a bit bland but at least that makes them a good match...right?

This was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more in this series, especially if the Fae are going to be the central characters.

Rating 4/5
Posted by Marg at 10:19 PM | 10 comments  
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Saturday, May 19, 2007

More series I forgot!

Thrillseekers Anonymous series by Julia London - I am waiting impatiently for the third book in that trilogy to come out later this year!

Debbie MacComber's Blossom Street series - nice stories, so I will probably try and read the third book when it comes out

Brotherhood of the Sword series and Lords of Avalon series by Kinley MacGregor

Still have to read the third book in the trilogy by Posie Graham-Evans

I have the second book (City of Glory) from Beverly Swerling which follows the characters from City of Dreams

Anne Easter Smith has confirmed that there are going to be three more books in her series about The War of the Roses.


I forgot Harry Potter as well!! How could I forget Harry?

Jen reminded me about Philippa Gregory's Tudor series. I know I thought about having them in the list but somehow it slipped through! I still have The Boleyn Inheritance here to read!

Man....it's worse than I thought!
Posted by Marg at 8:01 PM | 5 comments  
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Reading series!

I've mentioned before that I am somewhat of a slave to a series and trilogies. If I am going to read a book that is part of a series then I have to start at the beginning. If I knowingly read a book that is say number 3 in a series, it really does my head in! And if I start a series, then the probability is high that I will keep reading the series!

I don't really know why but I was sitting here this morning, and suddenly I wondered how many series am I reading at the moment. And I am shocked...shocked I tell you, but how many series I am currently reading. I have broken them into two groups - the first group are the series that I am currently reading where the next book in the series is currently published. The second group will be series where I am waiting, in most cases impatiently, for the next book to come out!

I am sure that there are some that I have forgotten. I should also note that I haven't included any series where I own the books but haven't started it yet, or those series where I have finished one book and have no intention of reading any further.

So here is the list of series that I am currently reading where the next book, and sometimes more, has already been published:


Bridgertons by Julia Quinn - one more and then the spin off anthologies to read of this one!
Weather Wardens by Rachel Caine - Next book is book 4 which is Windfall
Dark Hunters by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Up to the Stroke of Midnight anthology story
In Death by J D Robb - Next book is Witness in Death
Tir Alainin trilogy by Anne Bishop - Have Shadows and Light here to read sooon
Harper Connelly series by Charlaine Harris - Grave Surprise is on order at the library
Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris - Picked up All Together Dead a few days ago.
Josephine B trilogy by Sandra Gulland - Have the second book here to read
Vicky Bliss series by Elizabeth Peters - This is one series where I read the second book first. Now have the first book here to read.
Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters - Up to The Hippopotamus Tree
Elm Creek Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini - Only a couple more to go in this series I think.
Rose Hunters trilogy by Connie Brockway - have the second book here to read soon.
Phryne Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood - Up to the fourth book in the series
Dreaming the Eagle series by Manda Scott - need to read the second one of these books
Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
Royal Brotherhood series by Sabrina Jeffries - Just started reading the third book.
Psy series by Nalini Singh - Must get to Visions of Heat soon.
Makepeace Burke novels by Diana Norman - I bought the third book in the series because I couldn't get it from the library...now I just have to read it!
Elizabeth I mysteries by Karen Harper - I am not sure if I am going to be able to find the rest of the books in this series!
Flower Shop Mysteries by Kate Collins - Need to read book 4
Hannah Swensen mysteries by Joanne Fluke - I read up to book 6 or 7.
Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong - Dime Store Magic is up next
Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket - Up to book 7 I think!
Travelling Pants by Anna Brashares - I have the fourth book here to read
Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer - I wish New Moon would hurry up and come in. It's been on order for ages.
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pulman - really need to read the third book in this series!


Series where I am waiting for the next book to be published:

Elizabeth Hoyt's Prince series
Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishop
Cate Madigan by Janet Evanovich and Leanne Banks
Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig
Bubbles Yablonksy by Sarah Strohmeyer
No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith
Simply series by Mary Balogh
Walsh sisters by Marian Keyes
Temeraire by Naomi Novik
Black Dagger Brotherhood by J R Ward
Gardella Chronicles by Colleen Gleason
Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich
Markus Didius Falco series by Lindsey Davis
Fever series by Karen Marie Moning
The Dawn Stag series by Jules Watson
Into the Wilderness series by Sara Donati
Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
Alex Barnaby series by Janet Evanovich
Ursula Blanchard series by Fiona Buckley
Study series by Maria V Snyder
Faire Isle Trilogy by Susan Carroll
Nursery Crimes by Jasper Fforde
Thursday Next by Jasper Fforde



Just a few then! How about you? How many series are you reading?



Editted to add.....OH my goodness! I can't believe I forgot Jennifer Donnelly! I love her books, and can't wait for The Wild Rose to come out next year! Stand by for more late additions to the list!

And the Garnethill trilogy by Denise Mina - one of these days I will read the third book in the series!
Posted by Marg at 10:26 AM | 16 comments  
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Hot Stuff by Janet Evanovich and Leanne Banks

Dear Reader,Cate Madigan isn't asking for trouble. Her wacky Irish family is constantly playing matchmaker for her with men who leave much to be desired. All she wants is peace and quiet and a nice place to live while she saves her money from tending bar in a lively Boston pub. Okay, so what if her roommate is a cross-dressing lounge singer named Marty Longfellow? In exchange for cheap rent, all she has to do is take care of his plants and collect his mail when he's out of town. And then . . . Marty disappears. At the same time, a bullmastiff named Beast shows up with instructions from Marty to take care of him. Can Cate handle this 120-pound bundle of joy who wants to devour everything in sight? Ex-cop Kellen McBride has decided to make Cat