Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Why Vampires? Guest Post with Author Lauren Hammond

Love Sucks

Today author Lauren Hammond is here with a guest post on why she chose vampires as the subject for her new book Love Sucks.  Welcome Lauren!
In real life, we take our lives for granted and for one second we never imagine that each day we live could be our last.

Let's face it, the vampire genre is a hot commodity right now. What initially drew me to the genre was that fact that it's so unknown. The unknown is something has fascinated me for most of my life. That's why I chose to write a vampire book. Because I don't really know what's out there and I find that refreshing. I rake over the questions a million times in my brain, and my most favorite question of all is what if?

Love Sucks began as a vivid picture nestled deep inside my imagination. I knew it was a vampire story from the moment I thought of it because, Cara Jones, punched her fist through the lid of her coffin and punched a hole into my thoughts. I chose to write about a female vampire because I wanted to display a strong, independent, woman who can keep up with the boys. There are so many vampire books out there yet, most of them revolve around male vampires so I thought I should change it up a little bit.

This is not only a romance but a character growth novel as well. You follow Cara through her years of life from the 1700's when she gains her life as a vampire until she wakes up in the year 2010. A vampire around that long can get into a lot of trouble, right?

Allow Love Sucks to take you on the journey of a lifetime, literally. Now, are you ready to be sucked in??
Thanks for sharing Lauren.  To connect with Lauren Hammond and find out more about Love Sucks, check out some of the following links:

Lauren Hammond's blog

Facebook page

Interviews and Guest Posts:

Courtney Reads
Reading Teen
A Buckeye Girl Reads
Vampires.com

Reviews of Love Sucks:

Books with Bite
Novel Thoughts


Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Monday, August 30, 2010

From Dusk Till Dawn Read-A-Thon Wrap Up


I had a lot of fun participating in the From Dusk Till Dawn Read-A-Thon hosted by Book Crazy and YA Addict.  Although I didn't participate as fully as I'd hoped to, I read enough to make me happy.

Update #4:

Waking the Witch (Women of the Otherworld, Book 11) 
Book:  Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong
Reading Time:  8:30 PM - 10:30 PM (2 hr)
Pages: 144

Last night, I managed to read the first 19 chapters of Waking the Witch.  I was really glad that my husband finished it so I could start it as this is a book I've been waiting for.  I'm happy to say that so far it has not been a disappointment in any way.  I can't wait to pick it back up but I know I'll be sad when I finish it because that means a long wait for the next book in the series.

Overall Wrap-Up:

Books Completed:

Lumby on the Air by Gail Fraser
deeply, desperately by Heather Webber

Book Started:  Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong

Total Hours Read:  just over 8 hours in 4 nights

I had four books on my list to read when I started the read-a-thon and I got through 2 1/2 of them.  Considering that many weeks I only finish one book, I'm pretty happy with that.  I discovered that staying up past 10 or 10:30 leaves me feeling exhausted and groggy the next day because I often can't fall asleep as soon as I get to bed.  So I'm old and turn into a pumpkin well before midnight.

I had planned on completing challenges during the day but with the weekend family time and then having company this just didn't happen as much as I wanted it too.  I really slacked off on the challenges and am a bit disappointed about doing that because I think they would have been fun and made the whole experience more interactive.  I also feel like I missed out on a lot because I don't use Twitter.  Apparently quite a bit of fun chatter took place there.

I hope that I will be able to participate in more read-a-thons in the future.  Now I have to write up my book review and get back to my reading...

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Read-A-Thon Update #3

Deeply, Desperately: A Lucy Valentine NovelAfter night three of the From Dusk Until Dawn Read-A-Thon being a total FAIL for me, I was ready to get back into reading on night four. I'd picked up deeply, desperately from the library on Friday morning and had planned on reading it that night. Unfortunately, I was way too tired so I didn't get it started until Saturday night.


Reading Time:  8:40 PM - 10:45 PM (2 hr, 5 m)
Pages: 302 (finished)

I sat down and read the entire thing!  I'm really enjoying the Lucy Valentine series by Heather Webber.  It was a fun read for the read-a-thon  I'll get a full review of the book posted sometime this week.

I don't think I even looked at the challenges last night and we have company today so I doubt I'll be able to do any.  I did get an email from Heather at Book-Savvy that I was one of the randomly selected winners for her challenge earlier in the read-a-thon.  Thanks Heather!

I have discovered that I quickly turn into a pumpkin if I don't get to bed on time so I'm really not sure if I'll be up for any reading tonight or not.  Even if I don't start another book tonight, completing two books in four days is quite a bit for me so I'm happy with it.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Featured at All-Consuming Books

Today, I'm the featured blogger at All-Consuming Books reviews by Tiger as part of the Better Know a Blogger series. Head over to check out my interview and tons of other interviews with some great book bloggers.

In other news, night three of the From Dusk Until Dawn Read-A-Thon was a total fail for me.  When I was yawning and having trouble focusing while reading my daughter her bed time story (a book I've read over and over and over again in the last couple weeks), I knew there was no way I was going to be able to keep my eyes open to read like I wanted to.  The book I was supposed to be reading is deeply, desperately by Heather Webber.  I picked it up from the library yesterday and I really can't wait to start reading it tonight.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Lumby on the Air by Gail Fraser

Lumby on the Air
Title:  Lumby on the Air
Author:  Gail Fraser
Publisher:  New American Library
Publication Date:  July 2010
Format:  Paperback, 496 pages
Age Group:  Adult
Series:  Lumby (Book 5)

When Pam and Mark Walker invite their families to Montis Inn for a family reunion and twenty-fifth anniversary celebration, they certainly don't expect Mark's brother-in-law to broadcast his controversial radio show from their home or for their niece to be online disparaging Lumby and looking for a place to party.  Add in the arrival of Mark's sister, who he hasn't spoken to in seven years, and Pam's mother bringing a boyfriend that she knew nothing about and it is quite the family reunion!  Of course the monks, and now the sisters, of Saint Cross have their own part in the story and the entire town of Lumby is buzzing with the news that Mike McNear might sell his farm to a real estate developer.  Mark's escapades at the county fair add in a bit more local color.

Lumby on the Air is the newest in the Lumby series and I'm happy to say that it won't be the last.  I have enjoyed every one of these books and this one was no exception.  In a way, it felt like the book circled back around to the beginning of the series with the focus being on the Walkers and their families.  This is the first time we have met any of Pam and Mark's relatives and the first time that outsiders have descended with such force on Lumby.  Unfortunately, the majority of the relatives are shown in a very unflattering light and I really wondered how Pam and Mark could be related to such people.  I very much related to Pam's stress level at dealing with these people and her anger when they were so disrespectful to the life that she and Mark have built in Lumby.

Unfortunately, the family drama took up so much of the book that we didn't have much time to check in with old friends.  A few show up here and there, mainly the monks and sisters, but many of the other town regulars were only seen briefly if at all.  Despite their general dislike of outsiders, the residents of Lumby pull through for friends in a crises and it is that neighborly spirit that reaches into the heart of a man, showing him that he can accomplish something positive rather than relying on the destructive nature of conflict.

I received an advance, uncorrected copy of Lumby on the Air from FSB Associates for the purpose of providing my honest review.

Here are links to my reviews of the other books in this series:

The Lumby Lines
Stealing Lumby
Lumby's Bounty
The Promise of Lumby

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Read-A-Thon Update #2

Well, my original plan for having all of my updates in one post has fallen apart.  When I tried to edit my original post, Blogger totally screwed up the formatting and I can't figure out how to fix it.  I had this happen one other time when I tried to make a correction in a review and now that post is nearly unreadable because everything runs together.  So I guess I'm going to have to do more update posts.

Update #2:

Lumby on the AirBook: Lumby on the Air by Gail Fraser
Reading Time: 8:10 PM to 10:30 PM (2 hr, 20 m)
Pages: 255 (finished)

Tonight it was my husband's turn to put Elizabeth to bed so I got to start reading just after 8.  I must have been more awake than last night because I felt like I was reading faster.  I had already decided that I would read until about 10:30 and then head to bed so it was perfect timing when I read the last page of the book and looked at the clock!  Tomorrow during nap time, I'll try to get my review written and look at some of the new challenges.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

My Updates for the From Dusk Until Dawn Read-A-Thon


I'm currently participating in the From Dusk Until Dawn Read-A-Thon being hosted by Book Crazy & YA Addict. Reading times are set for 8 PM to 8 AM in your time zone.  I'm going to update this post throughout the read-a-thon instead of writing separate posts for each new update.  Mini-challenges may have their own posts depending on the challenge.  My plan is to do my reading at night and then do the mini-challenges during my daughter's nap time.

If you haven't signed up for this read-a-thon yet, there is still time!  It goes through Sunday, August 29 and you can join in at any point.

Update #1:
Book:  Lumby on the Air by Gail Fraser
Reading Time:  8:40 PM to 10:20 PM (1 hr, 40 m)
Pages:  174

I got off to a bit of a slow start last night.  My daughter was having so much fun playing with the neighbor girls and had taken a longer nap than usual so bedtime didn't happen right at 8.  Once I got her settled in (I did read her a story, does that count?) and my husband got himself set up with a movie, I finally gathered my things and decided where I was going to read.  A comfortable chair for the bedroom is now a higher priority as I realized all the comfy chairs are in the living room and there was no way I could read in there with a movie going.  I really had planned on reading longer last night too but I just couldn't keep my eyes open!

Completed Challenges:

JulietHeather at Book-Savvy asked us to comment with our favorite book of the year so far.  I chose Juliet (link goes to my review) by Anne Fortier for many reasons - great characters, great mysteries, great writing.  I really like novels that tie history to the present as well.  Plus, I just love that cover!

My second choice would be The Language of Secrets by Dianne Dixon.  It was a difficult book to read because of the events that take place but it totally sucked me into the story.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn

Kitty Goes to War (Kitty Norville, Book 8)
Title:  Kitty Goes to War
Author:  Carrie Vaughn
Publisher:  Tor Books
Publication Date:  June 2010
Format:  Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Age Group:  Adult
Series:  Kitty Norville (Book 8)

When three army werewolves go rogue near Denver, Colorado those in charge call on Kitty Norville, alpha of the local werewolf pack, for help.  Can the men be captured and if so, then what will happen to them?  Can they learn to control their wolves with Kitty's help?  In her other role as radio show host, Kitty is being sued for libel by the CEO of Speedy Mart after speculating on her show about supernatural incidents relating to the chain of stores.

Although this is the eighth book in this series, it is actually the first Kitty Norville book that I have read.  Usually I would not begin a series anywhere but with the first book but I received this one from the Goodreads First Reads program and I wasn't going to read seven books to catch up.  Now that I've read this one though I will definitely be going back and reading the earlier books!  As a first time reader of the series, I realize that I was missing a lot of background stories.  However, I never felt a bit lost in the book which is what I worry about when reading things out of order.  Carrie Vaughn did an awesome job with providing just enough background information so that I could keep up but without providing so much that long time readers of the series would be bored.  I think this is an incredibly hard balance to strike and I was very impressed with how Vaughn handled it.

The story kept moving at a fast pace all the time.  Kitty always had some situation that she needed to get or keep under control.  I loved how both the main story lines kept the action going but also caused Kitty to  reflect a lot on who she is and if she was doing the right thing.  I loved that Kitty is an uncertain leader - she can put on the alpha attitude when necessary but she also shows compassion and is concerned about her friends.  She doubts herself but keeps moving forward anyway.

The story also has a personal connection for me.  I spent several years living in the Denver area so when Vaughn is describing the route that Kitty and friends take down to Colorado Springs or around the city to each Speedy Mart, I know exactly the area she is describing.  Vaughn has based her characters in a real city and backed that up with a lot of details.  I find that this gives paranormal books a great sense of realism and makes me wonder what really does go on without our knowledge?!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Dusk to Dawn A Read-a-Thon


Book Crazy & YA Addict are hosting the From Dusk Till Dawn read-a-thon starting on Wednesday, August 25.  Reading hours are from 8 PM to 8 AM in your time zone.  I am very excited about this one because it is the first read-a-thon I've been able to participate in!  My daughter usually goes to bed around 8 anyway so I should be able to get at least a few hours of reading in before I head to bed myself.  I'm curious about the challenges as well as it looks like they have some great blogs hosting those each day.

Here are a few of the books I'm hoping to read:

Lumby on the Air by Gail Fraser
Deeply, Desperately by Heather Webber (should be showing up at the library any day now)
Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong (if my husband has it finished by then)
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

I have plenty more books on the shelf too if by some miracle I manage to actually finish those four.

Sign up is open now.  We'd love to have you join us!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Women Will Steer the Fate of Health Care Reform

I realize that health care is quite the controversial subject lately.  The following article is being posted with the permission of FSB Associates and reflects the views of the author.

Women Will Steer the Fate of Health Care Reform
By Dora Calott Wang, M.D.,
Author of The Kitchen Shrink: A Psychiatrist's Reflections on Healing in a Changing World

As mothers, daughters, wives and leaders of households, women often steer the health care choices of families. Thus in the coming years, women will also be a major force toward implementing health care reform and the landmark Affordable Care Act.

Whenever we enroll a child into newly available health insurance, whenever we convince parents to get mammograms or colonoscopies that will be free under Medicare in 2011, each time we appeal an insurance company's denial of care, or when we choose health insurance in new marketplaces beginning in 2014 -- we will be helping to shape the future of health care in America. In fact, much of the ACA depends upon the actions and choices of patients, with women often taking the lead.

Many ACA laws are already in effect. For example, nursing mothers in most workplaces are now entitled to time and private space to pump breast milk for a child's first year of life. Did you ever think the feds would mandate this? It's a new era.

The ACA's main goal is for nearly every American to have health insurance. New opportunities are already available, and uninsured members of your family may qualify. If someone in your family has been denied health insurance because of a pre-existing illness, check out the new "high-risk pool" insurance plans available now. Log onto Healthcare.gov to find local options, and get your loved one covered. Medicaid has been expanded, so someone in your family may be newly eligible. By September 23, you can insure your children under your own health plan until they are age 26, and insurance companies will have to accept all children under age 19 with pre-existing illnesses.

Patients (and the women often guiding them), might possibly exert the most influence on health care reform through two important ACA measures -- appeals processes that should be in place by Sept. 23, and the new health insurance marketplaces in effect by 2014.

In the words of President Obama, the ACA aims to protect patients against the worst abuses of health insurance companies. The ACA provides many safeguards against insurance companies denying coverage. Yet the devil is still in the details when it comes to holding insurers more accountable toward paying for care. To fight against insurance companies taking our premiums, then trying not to pay for medical care, the federal government is cracking down on fraud, waste and abuse. The ACA eliminates life-time caps on health insurance benefits, while mandating that insurance companies now must spend at least 85 percent of their dollars on medical care, rather than on profit and administration.

We the public can do our part to keep insurance companies honest through new appeals processes which should be in place by Sept. 23 for new insurers. If you feel your new insurer is unfairly denying care, or is stalling on time-sensitive care, you will be able to appeal to the insurer itself, but also to an external review process. The ACA leaves it up to individual states to institute these appeals processes, but the federal government will hear grievances if state processes are inadequate.

These appeals processes will be an all-important aspect of health reform -- which will be driven by patients making appeals, and therefore reliant upon all of us.

Another crucial step is that by 2014, we can shop for health insurance in new exchanges offering comparisons between different plans. So if we see an insurance company hiking rates by 70 percent in one year, for example, or if an insurance company has a reputation of not paying for care (yes, this will still happen under the ACA), the new exchanges will offer options. Collectively, by choosing insurance for our families, we'll determine which insurers succeed or fail, and thus shape the landscape of American health care.

The lady of the house has always had a large role in steering the health care choices of her family. Now with the new Affordable Care Act, the actions of women on behalf of their families will collectively shape the future of health care in America.

For more information about the ACA and its timeline, log onto the excellent website, Healthcare.gov.

© 2010 Dora Calott Wang, M.D., author of The Kitchen Shrink: A Psychiatrist's Reflections on Healing in a Changing World

Author Bio
Dora Calott Wang, M.D., is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. A graduate of the Yale School of Medicine and the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, she received her M.A. in English literature from the University of California, Berkeley, and has been the recipient of a writer's residency from the Lannan Foundation. Her memoir, The Kitchen Shrink: A Psychiatrist's Reflections on Healing in a Changing World was published by Riverhead Books, The Penguin Group.

For more information please visit www.doracalottwang.com and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Friday, August 20, 2010

The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart

The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise: A Novel
Title:  The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise
Author:  Julia Stuart
Publisher:  Doubleday
Publication Date:  August 2010
Format:  Hardcover, 304 pages
Age Group:  Adult

Usually I write my own little summary of the books I am reviewing.  However, as I am finding The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise difficult to reduce, I'm sharing the summary from Goodreads:
Brimming with charm and whimsy, this exquisite novel set in the Tower of London has the transportive qualities and delightful magic of the contemporary classics Chocolat and Amélie.

Balthazar Jones has lived in the Tower of London with his loving wife, Hebe, and his 120-year-old pet tortoise for the past eight years. That’s right, he is a Beefeater (they really do live there). It’s no easy job living and working in the tourist attraction in present-day London.

Among the eccentric characters who call the Tower’s maze of ancient buildings and spiral staircases home are the Tower’s Rack & Ruin barmaid, Ruby Dore, who just found out she’s pregnant; portly Valerie Jennings, who is falling for ticket inspector Arthur Catnip; the lifelong bachelor Reverend Septimus Drew, who secretly pens a series of principled erot­ica; and the philandering Ravenmaster, aiming to avenge the death of one of his insufferable ravens.

When Balthazar is tasked with setting up an elaborate menagerie within the Tower walls to house the many exotic animals gifted to the Queen, life at the Tower gets all the more interest­ing. Penguins escape, giraffes are stolen, and the Komodo dragon sends innocent people running for their lives. Balthazar is in charge and things are not exactly running smoothly. Then Hebe decides to leave him and his beloved tortoise “runs” away.

Filled with the humor and heart that calls to mind the delight­ful novels of Alexander McCall Smith, and the charm and beauty of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise is a magical, wholly origi­nal novel whose irresistible characters will stay with you long after you turn the stunning last page.
My Review:

I found this book to be very slow going at first.  The long descriptive passages with no dialogue or even action seemed to violate the writer's rule of 'show don't tell.'  The skipping around between past and present and between characters with no warning was often unsettling and disorienting.  I would just find myself being pulled into the life of one character when I was suddenly thrust headlong into a different scene all together.

Many of the characters in the book were intriguing with their various quirks and charms.  However, I just couldn't understand how some of them fit into the main story.  There seemed to be many little side-stories along the main one of Balthazar Jones and his wife, Hebe.  I kept waiting for a stronger connection between them but in some cases those connections never appeared.  Some of them simply felt unfinished at the end of the book.  In fact, I was even wondering whether a main question was going to be answered as I was getting to the final few pages of the book.  Luckily it was.

Despite the difficulties that I had with this book, I did end up enjoying it.  It certainly isn't one that I will read again and I definitely wouldn't recommend it to everyone.

I received a copy of The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise from the Early Review program at LibraryThing with the expectation that I would provide an honest review.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Book Blogger Hop 8/20

Book Blogger Hop


Each weekend, Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books hosts the Book Blogger Hop.  It is a great way for book lovers and book bloggers to find new book blogs and get to know each other.

This week's question is:  How many Blogs do you follow?

I have 157 blogs in Google Reader and the majority of those are book blogs.  I tend to subscribe to non-book blogs by email so I"m sure I've probably got at least another 15 or more that I get that way.  Even that many can be way too much to keep up with at times so I go through on occasion and delete inactive blogs or ones that I just haven't visited in a long time.

If you have hopped over from the Mr. Linky, Welcome!  I hope you will stay a bit and look around. I review a wide range of books including (but not limited to!) urban fantasy, young adult, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, chic lit, cozy mystery, and some non-fiction.  I love getting comments so please let me know you stopped by!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

The Promise of Lumby by Gail Fraser

The Promise of Lumby
Title:  The Promise of Lumby
Author:  Gail Fraser
Publisher:  New American Library
Publication Date:  July 2009
Format:  Paperback, 480 pages
Age Group:  Adult
Series:  Lumby (Book 4)

The town of Lumby needs a new veterinarian when Dr. Ellen Campbell decides to retire and sell her practice.  Tom Candor seems to be the perfect man for the job but when secrets from his past are discovered, will the residents of Lumby be able to forgive him and move on?  Meanwhile, over at Montis Inn, Pam Walker is struggling to keep up with business in her restaurant and her husband Mark has discovered the treasures to be had through online auctions.  The monks of Saint Cross also have their hands full with unexpected gifts and a most unusual proposal from another religious order.

Reading another book in the Lumby series now feels like returning to visit old friends.  The adventures at Montis Inn and Saint Cross never fail to delight me while also giving me something to contemplate.  The main story in The Promise of Lumby though is that of Thomas Candor, a man seeking to forget his past.  Fraser actually begins her story not in Lumby but with Tom as events unfold in a way that destroys his marriage and potentially his career.  This was a great way to reveal information central to the story but that the majority of the characters would not discover until much later in the book.  Revealing this information at the beginning helps to understand Tom, what he is seeking from Lumby, and why he reacts to things the way he does.

The one flaw that I found with this Lumby book was how quickly the town initially welcomed Tom.  Yes, they desperately needed a veterinarian to replace Ellen but in every book there have been comments about how Lumby doesn't like outsiders.  This was certainly demonstrated in the reservations the town displayed when Pam and Mark Walker began renovating Montis Inn.  On the other hand, Tom seemed to have the trust of the town before it was earned.  Only one person seemed to proceed with caution as Dennis Beezer's reporter instincts told him that Tom was hiding something.  The quick acceptance seemed a little out of character for the town.

Overall, this was another fun Lumby tale and I'm glad that I discovered this series.  At this point I only have one book left to read and review - Lumby on the Air - and then I'll have to wait for the next book to come out.

I borrowed The Promise of Lumby from my local library and there was no expectation of a review from anyone.

Here are the links to my reviews of the other books in this series:

The Lumby Lines
Stealing Lumby
Lumby's Bounty


Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Changes by Jim Butcher

Changes (Dresden Files, Book 12)
Title:  Changes
Author:  Jim Butcher
Publisher:  Roc
Publication Date:  April 2010
Format:  Hardcover, 448 pages
Age Group:  Adult
Series:  The Dresden Files (Book 12)

The Vampires of the Red Court have taken Harry Dresden's daughter.  How far will Harry go to get her back?

Changes is the perfect title for this book.  Harry's entire world changes when he learns that he has a daughter and she is now in the hands of some of his worst enemies.  He must determine which lines he will cross in order to get her back safely.  What is he willing to sacrifice to keep her alive?  Jim Butcher truly pushes Harry to his limits in this book -- emotionally, physically, and magically.

Dresden and his friends are in constant danger as someone (or something) tries to kill him with all manner of attacks.  Once again, we see who will stand with Dresden even in the face of certain death and who will abandon him to save their own skin.  Politically, Dresden is a step behind as usual but he generally figures it all out just in time.  Of course, what he figures out this time leads to some even larger questions and the choices he makes along the way have far reaching consequences.

I love the non-stop action in the Dresden books.  Although Dresden has a lot to think about and many choices to make, he rarely has the time for serious contemplation.  Dresden's humor is another of my favorite things about this series.  He rarely knows when to stop with the wise-cracks, even in the most serious of situations.  He faces death with sarcasm and quotes from Star Wars.

I think this book may be my favorite in the series so far because we learn so much about who Harry Dresden truly is and what he stands for.  Butcher ends Changes with a serious cliff-hanger and I cannot believe I have to wait until July 2011 for Ghost Story to come out!

Changes was purchased for my personal collection and no one anywhere had any expectations of a review.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Versatile Blog Award

Thank you to Jackie at Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories and to Jen at My Book Addiction for giving me the Versatile Blogger Award!


Here are the rules for this one:
1.  Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.
2.  Share seven things about yourself.
3.  Pass this along to 15 bloggers you have recently discovered and think are fantastic.
4.  Contact those 15 bloggers and let them know you gave them an award.

Seven Things about Me:

1.  I'm really good at baking desserts but not so great at making dinner.
2.  My dream vacation would be to somewhere in Asia or Australia.
3.  I love seafood but don't get it often because my husband doesn't like it.
4.  Next year I want to have my own vegetable garden.
5.  I get really nervous driving by myself in unfamiliar areas.
6.  I hate talking to people I don't know on the phone.
7.  My hands and feet are almost always cold.

15 Versatile Bloggers (in no particular order):

1.  Kt @ A Book Obsession...
2.  Barbara @ VampAngel's Reviews: To Read Or Not To Read It?
3.  Ellie @ Musings of a Bookshop Girl
4.  Jessica @ Jessheartsbooks
5.  The ladies @ Bewitched Bookworms
6.  Stephanie @ Curling Up by the Fire
7.  Steph @ Fangs Wands & Fairy Dust
8.  Kelsey @ The Door to Wonderland
9.  Robyn @ The Bookoholic Zone
10.  Super @ Super Librarian
11.  Emily @ Emily's Reading Room
12.  Jules @ One Book Shy of a Full Shelf
13.  Megan @ Read It, See It
14.  Angie @ Angieville
15.  Shera @ Book Whispers

I actually scheduled this post to go up while I'm on vacation so I'll notify you all of your award when I get back.  If you see this before hand though, feel free to start passing it along!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Twice Dead by Kalayna Price

Twice Dead
Title:  Twice Dead
Author:  Kalayna Price
Publisher:  Bell Bridge Books
Publication Date:  February 2010
Format:  Paperback, 266 pages
Age Group:  Adult
Series:  Haven (Book 2)

Just two short weeks ago, Kita was turned from shape shifter to vampire.  Now she and her maker, Nathanial, must navigate an increasingly deadly game of vampire politics while Kita adjusts to her new lifestyle.  Kita must also resolve some personal issues from her past and in doing so gets herself deeper into magical debt.  All the while, Kita is wondering if she will ever shift into her cat again.

Although the events of Twice Dead take place very shortly after those of the first book, Once Bitten, it has been about a year and a half since I read the first book which means I have forgotten a lot of the details.  Price does give the reader reminders of the main events of the first book but I still started out a bit confused until I reoriented myself with the world and Kita and Nathanial's situation.

Twice Dead is every bit as complicated as Once Bitten with multiple story lines pulling Kita in different directions.  Kita has every intention of thinking through her situations and trying to reason them out but often she reacts impulsively which generally lands her in even more trouble.  Kita has to fight to not wear her emotions plainly and to calm her cat's nervous energy.  She is being used politically and magically in many ways and finds it difficult to sort the real and true from the false.

The characters are all well-drawn and the events of the book are all very emotionally charged.  I did feel that some of the characters were not well introduced if someone hadn't read the first book.  I remember really loving the first book because it was so different from many of the other books I was reading at the time.  Price continues to highlight those differences in Twice Dead.  I wasn't as completely enthralled by this book however because the writing didn't seem to be up to the standards of other books I've been reading recently.  Kalayna Price will be an author to watch though because her writing shows incredible promise and I think she will only continue to improve with future books.  The ending of Twice Dead leaves no room for doubt that we will be seeing more of Kita and Nathanial.

I would highly suggest starting with Once Bitten if you are interested in this series at all.  The books take place quite close together and the events of that book are fundamental for understanding Twice Dead.

I originally received an electronic copy of Twice Dead from the publisher for review but quickly determined I have no patience for reading entire books on my laptop.  I was then able to borrow a copy via Inter-library loan through my local library.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

TSS: Another Vacation!


Elizabeth and I are heading to Michigan tomorrow.  We're going to see my mom, some family friends, and some other relatives.  It will be fun to take her to Lake Michigan again especially since I didn't think we were going to make it up there this year.  I actually got to go up when I was pregnant with her and then this picture is us on the beach last summer.  Last year most of her beach experience was taking a nap under a tent and her daddy dipping her toes in the water a little.  This year, I may be chasing her all over the beach though!

I'll be gone for a week (or maybe more!) and I'm actually not taking my laptop with me.  The place we stay doesn't have internet access and barely has cell phone service most of the time.  It is really nice to get away from everything for a while there and just relax.  I do have a couple of posts scheduled and I'm hoping to get one more written up before I leave so you probably won't even know I'm gone.  The only big thing will be that comments won't be approved for days at a time.  I might be able to check in while I'm at my aunt and uncle's but I'm not promising anything.

Now to get this post back on to things reading related here are the books I'm taking with me:

The Promise of Lumby by Gail Fraser
Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

My guess is that the only reading time I will have will be when Elizabeth is napping so I'm not sure how far I'll get with any of these.

Here are the reviews I've done since my last Sunday Salon post:

Mind Games by Carolyn Crane
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Haley Randolph Mysteries by Dorothy Howell
Juliet by Anne Fortier

Upcoming Reviews:

Twice Dead by Kalayna Price
Changes (The Dresden Files #12) by Jim Butcher

Current Giveaway:

Win a book from the Prize Page in the August Giveaway (ends 8/25, US only)

I hope you all have a great week!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Book Blogger Hop 8/6

Book Blogger Hop


Each weekend, Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books hosts the Book Blogger Hop.  It is a great way for book lovers and book bloggers to find new book blogs and get to know each other.

This week's question is: Do you listen to music when you read?  If so, what are your favorite reading tunes?

I definitely cannot listen to music while I read!  I can't have the TV on in the background either.  I need it to be very quiet or I lose focus.  I am getting a lot better at tuning out my daughter's movies though!

If you have hopped over from the Mr. Linky, Welcome!  I hope you will stay a bit and look around. I review a wide range of books including (but not limited to!) urban fantasy, young adult, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, chic lit, cozy mystery, and some non-fiction.  I love getting comments but had to turn on comment moderation due to spammers.  I try to check in several times a day and approve comments quickly.

Current Giveaway:
Win a book from the Prize Page in my August Giveaway. (US only, ends August 25)

Recent Reviews (link to my review):
Juliet by Anne Fortier
Haley Randolph Mysteries by Dorothy Howell

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Some Blog Updates

This weekend I finally had some time to sit down and play with the new Pages option in Blogger.  I just wanted to take a moment and draw your attention to the new navigation bar under the header which currently has the About Me, Review Policy, and Prize Page pages.  About Me is pretty self-explanatory - learn a bit more about the Library Girl behind Library Girl Reads.  The Review Policy essentially formalizes what I've been doing around here anyway and gives everyone guidelines on what to expect from me.  The page most of you will be interested in though is the Prize Page.  This is the new home for the books available in the monthly giveaways and any other giveaways I choose to use it for.  Go check it out because the August Giveaway will be going up on Wednesday, August 4!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Juliet by Anne Fortier

Juliet

Title:  Juliet
Author:  Anne Fortier
Publisher:  Ballantine Books
Publication Date:  August 2010
Format:  Hardcover, 464 pages
Age Group:  Adult

Julie Jacobs and her twin sister, Janice, have never gotten along but their great-aunt Rose had always treated them equally.  So Julie is shocked when aunt Rose dies leaving everything to Janice.  The only item Julie inherits is the key to a safety deposit box in Italy, which may or may not lead to a family treasure.  As Julie embarks on her quest to locate the treasure, she discovers far more in family history.  In Siena, Italy, she meets family members who knew her parents and learns that the family feuds written about in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet may still continue to this day.

I absolutely loved this book.  Fortier captured me from the opening paragraph, actually from the prologue.  At that point, I was already wondering what was going to happen.  Where was the story going to go and how was Julie Jacobs tied to the story of Juliet?  What would she find in Italy and how would it change her?

I think that weaving the past and the present is one of the most difficult things a writer can do.  When it is done well, it can be brilliant but when done poorly, it can be confusing and frustrating.  Fortier certainly has the gift for moving back and forth in time without jarring the reader.  She allows the connections between the past and present to develop naturally without forcing them on the reader.  Julie's discovery of the people behind Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet brings a new vision to the play.

The characters were engaging and so many of them had hidden elements.  Little in this book is as it first appears and Julie must stumble forward as she pieces everything together.  While her initial purpose for going to Italy is to locate the family treasure, she soon finds more knowledge in the people and her family history.

The majority of the book is written wonderfully.  There were only two places where I felt as if I was taken out of the story for a bit as the characters lapsed into dialogue that seemed a bit forced and out of character.  I realize that this was an intended effect as these characters tended to rub each other the wrong way but in these two particular instances I felt it was taken a bit too far.  Throughout the rest of the book, I was completely captivated by the characters, the action, and the setting.

I fear that this review is not doing the book justice.  Let's just say I would highly recommend Juliet!  Learn more at the book's official website.

I received an Advance Reader's Edition of Juliet from the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing with the expectation that I would provide a review.  The opinion expressed here is entirely my experience with reading this book.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post. BookBlips: vote it up!