Beautiful Darkness - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is the second book in the Casters series.  Ethan is still in love with Lena but she is distant and is pulling away.  The farther she pulls the harder he tries to get back into her world.  Eventually he finds out that he is more a part of it then he thought and through the help of the living and the dead he must try once again to save her even if it is just from herself.

This was a good book you could let your young teens read it.  I am on the waiting list for the next one at the library.

The Apothecary's Daughter - Julie Klassen

Lilly spends most of her young life working in her father's apothecary shop until a relative offers to host her in London.  She goes to London knowing that she will miss her family but hoping to find her mother who abondoned the family years before and make not only a suitable match but fall in love.  But is London society what she really wants or is she really just a country girl at heart? 

Even though I don't really read a whole lot of books from this genre I did enjoy this one, this is also the first book I have read by this author.   This is another book on my nook and I would be definately be willing to read another book by this author.

Hollowmen - Amanda Hocking

Ok so I just realized to day that I have read three books since I have posted any.  So here goes.....

This was the second book in the hollows series, book number one was Hollowland.  This is a zombie series and in this book the main character Remy finds herself suddenly free after six months in quarantine.  She escapes with a few others and they start making their way to Canada and hopefully away from the zombies. 

I really enjoyed this book in fact I think I liked it better then the first although I really liked the first as well.  She is easily a favorite author for me.  I bought these on my nook and love them.

Heart Shaped Box - Joe Hill

Judas Coyne is an aging death metal rock star.  He collects macabre items so when he gets an email offering him the opportunity to purchase his very own ghost he can't resist.  Who could really?  Well after reading this book I can.  He purchases that ghost thinking that it is mostly a hoax.  Wrong!  Now he has a psycho ghost bothering him and as it turns out this ghost came after him personally and won't stop till he is dead.

This was an original idea for a story I thought.  I haven't heard of another story like it, think I will have to check out ebay and see if people actaully try and sell ghosts.  I couldn't put this book down I loved it I will be checking out more books by this author for sure.   This book is definately for adults though.

The Ghosts of Varner Creek - Michael Weems

In the summer of 1909 Solomon Mayfield awakes to find that his mother and sister have left in the night.  He feels certain that his mother wouldn't have left him behind which causes him to think that his father must be somehow involved.  This story takes place at the end of his life where he gets the opportunity to look into the past and see what actually happened that summer long ago.

I loved this book.  This is by the same author who wrote Crossing Borders that I read a few weeks ago.  These are available at smashwords I got mine from Barnes and Noble on my nook for FREE!  Yep you can't beat that a free book and it was so good I would have paid for it even better. 

Sarah's Key - Tatiana De Rosnay

Ok so I am probably one of the last people out there to read this book that being said I can't believe I hadn't read it sooner.

The characters are fictional but it is based upon events that took place during the occupation in France during the summer of 1942.

The night of the great Velodrome d'Hiver roundup (July 16, 1942 in Paris) Sarah locks her younger brother in their favorite hiding place promising she will be back in a little while to get him out.   In  2002 an American journalist trying to write a story on the events of the roundup, stumbles upon Sarah's story.  As she searches for information on Sarah she  stumbles upon her own family secret.

I loved this book.

The Unwanteds - Lisa McMann

A futuristic world where creativity is shunned.  One time a year all thirteen year olds are sorted into three categories wanteds, necessary and unwanteds.  The  unwanteds are any that have shown any artistic, creative or magical abilities.  During the purge Alex and Aaron Stowe identical twins find themselves in two different groups.  Aaron is a wanted and will go on to university where he will forget that he ever even had a brother.  Alex the unwanted will be exterminated. 

This was a great book.

Blackbird House - Alice Hoffman

This is a collection of short stories however all of the stories take place in the same house.  Starting with the original settlers and builders on the land to present day.  It was a fun way to put together stories and some of them were good enough I could have read a whole book about the inhabitants.  If you haven't read Green Witch and Green Angel by the same author I recommend those also.

Crave - Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz

Shay is 16 years old and never led a normal life.  She has a very rare blood disorder that requires regular blood transfusions.  When her stepfather starts her on a new type of transfusion she feels better then she ever has in her life she also starts having visions or dreams. While trying to uncover the secret to the new transfusions she uncovers an even bigger secret. 

Young adult fiction a very quick read there is a sequel out that I am definately going to want to read now since I enjoyed this book.

Forever Neverland by Heather Killough-Walden

A modern day take on Peter Pan after the Darling children have returned later and five years into the future.  The family is struggling to put their lives back together and the children are struggling to forget neverland.  No one believes their stories and things are getting worse as they don't let them go.  Of course the stories are true and just to prove them they all get wisked away again back to Neverland.  But can the children find a way to allow both worlds to survive within them? 

This was a quick read, very good, I enjoyed it very much.  I bought it on my Nook.  There is a sequel coming out, but not until December of 2012 which was the only dissapointing thing about the book.  But I can't wait to read it. 

Child of the Jungle by Sabine Kuegler

The story of Sabine Kuegler who at the age of five went with her family to live with the Fayu in Indonesia.  They were a recently discovered stone age people who were bordering on extinction because of tribal wars.  Sabine along with her parents (linguistic-missionaries), an older sister and younger brother are cut off from civilization and must learn to live with the Fayu.  Later as a teenager she joins western civilization and must learn to find that balance between who she feels she should be because of the her heritage and who she is because of her upbringing. 

The following is my favorite quote from the book and I hope I can remember it.

"It is a real advantage to have grown up in the Fayu culture.  They occasionally still ask my father, "How is Sabine? Is her heart happy?"  They don't ask how big my house is or how many wild boars I own.  Their concern for me has nothing to do with my social standing.  As long as I manage to keep in mind the lessons of the jungle, life goes well.  I learned there that one should enjoy the simple things in life.  That life is not defined by the things you own but rather by the way you spend your time.  I learned from the Fayu that happiness comes from contentment rather thand acquisition.  And for these lessons, I am grateful."

I absolutely loved this book I laughed, cried was shocked and even disgusted at times I can't recommend it enough.  A must read.

Star Jumper Cardboard Genius (book 1) by Frank Asch

Barnes and Noble overview on this book also.

Self-proclaimed genius inventor Alex is convinced that his little brother Jonathan is evil. The kid never shuts up. He's a klutz, and he drools on his pillow when he sleeps. Jonathan's specialty, though, is sticking to Alex like glue -- and sticking his nose into his big brother's business. That's why Alex has to leave Earth and fly so far away that no one will ever be able to find him. Using cardboard, duct tape, old odds and ends and his amazing scientific imagination, Alex builds Star Jumper, a spaceship that will deliver him from his rotten little brother forever! It's a plan only a cardboard genius could ever hope to pull off. But Jonathan has other ideas -- and a secret that ultimately brings forth Alex's most brilliant creation ever! 

I read this book outloud with my boys.  Zach wasn't to interested but did listen and actually took it and finished it after we had finished reading the one night.  I read for 20 minutes and it took 3 days so it was a very quick read.  But we enjoyed it and I was very surprised.  I picked it up from the library strictly for Jacob who ist struggling with wanting to read (he finds it boring can you imagine that) I didn't think it would be something I would really like.  It was actually really cute and pretty good.  There are two more books in the series and they are on the list for us at the library we are looking forward to reading them as well. 

Now You See Me by S. J. Bolton

Since I haven't posted in awhile and have several books to add I am just posting the overview of the book from the Barnes and Noble website.

One night after interviewing a reluctant witness at a London apartment complex, Lacey Flint, a young detective constable, stumbles onto a woman brutally stabbed just moments before in the building’s darkened parking lot. Within twenty-four hours a reporter receives an anonymous letter that points out alarming similarities between the murder and Jack the Ripper’s first murder—a letter that calls out Lacey by name. If it’s real, and they have a killer bent on re-creating London’s bloody past, history shows they have just five days until the next attempt.

No one believes the connections are anything more than a sadistic killer’s game, not even Lacey, whom the killer seems to be taunting specifically. However, as they investigate the details of the case start reminding her more and more of a part of her past she’d rather keep hidden. And the only way to do that is to catch the killer herself.

Fast paced and completely riveting, S. J. Bolton’s Now You See Me is a modern gothic novel that is nothing less than a masterpiece of suspense fiction.

This is easily on of my favorite authors.  I have loved everything that I've read by her so far and after each I have proclaimed this is my favorite so far.  This book didn't dissapoint.  I absolutely loved it.

Border Crossings by Michael Weems

While on spring Break in Cancun Taylor Woodall is kidnapped her parents call on an old family friend to help find her.  Catherine James not only takes on the case but won't let it go until she feels that justice has been served.  Since the corrupt justice system in Mexico can't be trusted to bite the hand that feeds it she will.

I loved this book.  Don't read it if you are on your way to sunny Cancun soon but otherwise it is a great read.  Definately going to check out more by this author.

The Surrogate by Tania Carver

In Colchester a very brutal murder takes place where two women are killed and an unborn child is stolen from the belly of one of the victims.  Detective Inspector Philip Brennan and psychologist Marina Esposito team up to try and solve this crime, stop a serial killer and save the life of the infant. 

This was a great book had me on the edge of my seat and I had a hard time putting it down. 

Descentant: Chronicles of the Ipswich Witch by Miranda Bachman

This was a very different take on vampires.  Placing them as a type of fallen angels created by God to punish or cause some wicked people to be forced to meet their maker and be judged ahead of their natural time.  A witch from the 1700's who has become very powerful by helping demons pass over into our world has also learned to body swap keeping herself alive.  Unable to swap and steal the body of a vampire she has come up with a plan to get her own immortal body.  It has taken hundreds of years but she is now on the brink of getting everything she has worked for. 

This was a good book, quick read.  Vampires have a different history in this book then I have ever read before, but I found it to be interesting. 

The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane

Hope Willis a family court judge lived through her twin sister being kidnapped right out of the bed they were sharing when she was 6 years old.  Now 32 years later her own 6 year old daughter has just been kidnapped.  The clock is ticking so she calls in Forensic Instincts to help find her daughter.  They have never been involved in a kidnapping case but reluctantly agree to take on the job along with local police and the FBI. 

I really liked this book and it looks like there are others on the horizon for the Forensic Instincts team.  I loved almost all of the characters and found the story to be interesting and liked the way the author writes.  Although I have never read anything by this author before I see myself reading more of her books and will definately read any others in this series.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - Aimee Bender

Rose Edelstein at the age of nine realizes that she can taste the emotions of the people that prepared her food.  All of their emotions the good, the bad and the ugly and there are very few that seem to make for very good flavoring in food.  Emotions harbor secrets and most of them she doesn't want to know.  As she grows she learns to come to terms with not only her own secret ability but the secrets of those around her, learning that the things we keep hidden can be what shapes us the most.  The end of the book kind of took a twist that I wasn't expecting but I won't put any spoilers in. 

This was a pretty quick easy read took a couple of hours total.  If I hadn't been reading this for a book club I don't think that I would have finished it.  The twist at the end did redeem it a little and make it a little more interesting, but it also ended rather abrubtly.  I felt like it left to many unanswered questions about certain characters.  I wish that she would have spent a little less time talking about all of the foods Rose ate and a little more time developing other characters and storylines that were mentioned but left you wanting more.  I don't know that I would read another book by this same author, I would have to take a look at some of her other stuff before I could say no all together.  It was an intersting concept for a book.

Deliverance From Evil by Frances Hill

George Burrows was a Puritan pastor who had been the pastor in Salem in the early 1680's.  He left Salem after some disputes with some neighbors and moved to Maine.   During the Salem witch trials he was arrested, taken to Salem where he was examined found guilty and hanged. He was reported as giving a very moving last speech just before he was put to death.  

This was a fascinating book, I felt that since the hero of the book is a man it created a different feel from other books on the same subject. 

Oblivion (Witches of Santa Anna #13)

Today I read Oblivion by Lauren Barnholdt and Aaron Gorvine part of the Witches of Santa Anna series.  These are novellas and this book marks the end of season two.  Natalia and Cam two high school students  have found each other are in love and trying to stay together.  They are caught in the middle of some sort of struggle between two opposing sides.  One being good one being evil although we still don't know which is which.  One side wants them together and one wants them apart.  Stay tuned to find out who is good and who gets what they want.  I guess? 

This is an interesting story line although I don't know how into the whole novella thing I am.  I will continue reading to find out what happens.  There is some language.

Snow Angels

Snow Angels by James Thompson, is my newest read.  This was such a good book, I really enjoyed it.  It's a murder mystery that takes place in a small town in Finland just a few days before Christmas.  Very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat.  I thought that I had it all figured out within a few pages of the end and then there was one final twist so I was only partially right.  That still counts though right?  I believe that the next book in this series is called Lucifers Tears and I can't wait to read it.

While I did enjoy this book it may not be for all readers.  There were some very graphic descriptions of a corpse some even shocked me.  There is also some language.  I would recommend this book but that would be my only warning for those of you who stay away from that.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is the book that I have just finished reading.  This is the story of Jacob a teenager who isn't exactly happy with his life and doesn't feel like he fits in.  He is close to his grandfather who has always been a bit odd making up weird stories about children in some strange old photos that he has.  He receives a cryptic message from his grandfather right before his death and decides to go back to the home he was raised in to get answers to who his grandfather really was. 

This was a quick enjoyable read, the strange old photos throughout the whole book were also very interesting.  I found myself looking forward to them as much as the story.  There was also an obscure reference about one of my husbands favorite tv shows (Father Ted) which you don't hear mentioned everyday. 

While looking online for a picture I saw a post saying that there is a sequel coming out to this book sometime in 2013 and the movie rights had also been sold. 

I would recommend this book I enjoyed it.

Other suggestions.

This post will be a list of books that I have read and really enjoyed some more then others but at least enough that if asked for suggestions I would recommend them.  I have tried to categorize them but probably could have done a better job.  And once again they aren't in any particular order.

Kids or jr. fiction

Crowfield curse - Pat Walsh

Stolen - Vivian Vande Velde

Crossroads and The hanging hill (series) - Chris Grabenstein

Maniac Mcgee - Jerry Spinelli

Peter and the starcatchers series - Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Youth Fiction

Red Riding Hood - Sarah Blakeley-Cartwright

Lost - Jacqueline Davies

Green Angel and Green Witch (series) - Alice Hoffman

Monstrumologist (series) - Richard Yancey

I am David - Anne Holm

Rotters - Daniel Kraus

Virtue - Amanda Hocking

Hollowland (series) - Amanda Hocking

Switched (series) - Amanda Hocking

Mystery

Mistress of the art of death (series) - Ariana Franklin

Bonemans daughter - Ted Dekker

Awakening - SJ Bolton

Blood Harvest - SJ Bolton

The Preacher - Camilla Lackberg

Dead Path - Stephen M Irwin

Historical Fiction

The countess and the King - Susan Hollaway Scott

(the countess of Dorchester and King James II)

Agnes Prine series - Nancy E Turner

(These is my words, Sarah's quilt, Garden star)

The Devils queen - Jeanne Kalogridis

(Catherine de Medici)

Hugh and Bess - Susan Higgonbotham

(story of Hugh le Despenser and Bess de Montacute)

Mistress of Nothing - Kate Pullinger

(story of Sally Naldrett, ladies maid to victorian author Lucie Duff Gordon)

Raven's Bride - Lenore Hart

(Virginia Clemm cousin and wife of Edgar Allen Poe)

Half broke horses - Jeanette Walls

The Bells - Richard Harvell

Follow the River - James Alexander Thom

Alice I have been - Melanie Benjamin

The diary of Mattie Spencer - Sandra Dallas

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

The true story of Hansel and Gretel - Louise Murphy

The zookeepers wife - Diane Ackerman

The hiding place - Corrie Ten Boom

Night - Elie Wiesel

Other fiction

Anthem - Ayn Rand

The road - Cormac McCarthy

The travelers gift - Andy Andrews

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

A discovery of witches - Deborah Harkness

Wolves among us - Ginger Garrett

The reapers are the angels - Alden Bell

The physick book of Deliverance Dane - Katherine Howe

Blood and ice - Roert Masello

Girl of the Limberlost - Gene Stratton Porter

Warm bodies - Isaac Marion

Forgotten garden - Kate Morton

That turned out to be a little lengthier then I thought.  I am hoping in the next couple of days to get both of the kids to come up with a list of their favorite books for me to post. 



All time favorite books

Since I haven't finished reading anything lately (I usually read more then one book at a time), I thought I would post a list of my all time favorite books.  They aren't in any particular order except for number 1.



Fablehaven series - Brandon Mull

All of his books I read out loud with my boys and we like all of them but this series is our favorite.

Secret life of bees - Sue Monk Kidd

I don't usually like movies when I have read the book first but loved both the book and movie.

Circle of Friends - Maeve Binchy

This is another that I loved the movie as well.

Cane River - Lalita Tademy

Four generations of very strong women born into slavery along the cane river.  Based on women from the authors own family as they go from slavery to freedom.  This is such a good book.

Year of wonders - Geraldine Brooks

Story of a 17th century plague in a Derbyshire Village and what they decide to do as a village to keep it from spreading. 

My absolute most favorite book of all time (most of you already know this).

Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell

I read this book at least once every year and watch the movie more then that love them both but especially the book.

Switched

I just finished reading the book Switched by Amanda Hocking (first book in the Trylle trilogy).  This is the story of a 17 year old misfit girl who finds out why she just doesn't feel like she fits in.  I have read books on vampires, zombies, werewolves fairies etc. but this was a new creature for me.

I enjoyed the book enough to read the other two in the series.  Earlier this summer I read Hollowland and Virtue by the same author and really enjoyed both of those.  This is an author I will definately be reading more of.

Hello

People are always asking me what I am reading, what I have read or what I am planning to read.  There are days when asked what I have read I draw a complete blank.  I have some book blogs that I follow and love, so I thought how about my own.  Now keep in mind I am barely functional at blogging.  I can upload pictures and most days type but that is about it.  I also won't be having any cool books to give away.  Sad I know.  But now when people say what have you been reading instead of looking at them with that glazed over look in my eyes and drooling all over myself (I'm not usually that bad, but there are days) while I desperatly rack my brain to think of something I have read, I can say look here.  Wow that was a really long run on sentence even for me hey maybe with a little luck my writing will improve.  Don't hold your breath though. 

One other thing I read a little of everything.  With any luck there should be something on here for everyone or at least all three of you that might occasionally look at this:)  Just finished a book tonight so I will have a post on here in the next couple of days.