Jackie, thanks again for these updates. I find your comments astute and very fascinating.

67. Michal A Novel by Jill Eileen Smith
Finished: 10/25/09

I had to end my misery so I didn’t finish this book. I really tried because I won it in a GoodReads Giveaway I felt compelled to continue on, but alas I had to put it down.

My main problem was the writing and the lack of attachment to the characters. I found the writing pretty dry and some of the dialogue was a bit awkward for me. I’ve read other biblical fiction with beautiful prose, which is what I expected with this one especially since it has such a gorgeous cover. However, because of the writing style I never felt much emotion from the characters which lead to my lack of attachment. I especially didn’t care for David. At first he was somewhat likeable, but then he turned into a complete ass IMO, especially when it came to his relationship with Michal. I must admit I’m not familiar with the story of King David and maybe if I was I wouldn’t have picked this one up.

66. Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas
Finished: 10/25/09

This is the first in the series of the Hathaway Family. The Hathaway’s are a lively, unconventional family.

This one is the story of Amelia, the oldest girl in the family of 5. After the tragic demise of their parents Amelia is left shouldering the responsibility of being head of the family. This includes trying to save her older brother, Leo, from himself. In her quest to help Leo, Amelia finds love
with Cam Rohan, a sexy gypsy.

I absolutely love this family. Their interactions and comedic timing lead to a light and fun read. I actually read the second one, Seduce Me at Sunrise, before reading the first. The second one remains my favorite, but I love the setting up of the story that occurs in the first.

65. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Finished: 10/24/09

I was having some serious book loving while reading this one. It has everything a book should have: magic, mystery, a strong female character and even a little romance.

I loved how the story flowed. It was quite believable and it made Yelena, the heroine, even more endearing. I loved seeing Yelena’s growth from being in a dirty dungeon cell preparing herself for her execution to becoming the king’s best food taster. We even see how she learns to fight and use weapons becoming a fierce fighter. Yelena has magical abilities that have started to develop but she has no control over. It was interesting to see how she struggled with her ability. I loved that this heroine didn’t start off strong in the beginning of the story, but developed into a tough young woman by the end of it.

I even loved the secondary characters that helped Yelena in her transformation. I would love to have Ari and Janco teach me to fight. These two were hilarious in their interactions.

Overall, it’s a captivating story and I can’t wait to read the second book, Magic Study.

64. The Thirteenth Step by Moira Rogers
Finished: 10/20/09

Another short hot erotica story.

63. The Fury by L.J. Smith
Finished: 10/21/09


Because the second book in the series was better I decided to read the third book. I have to admit the story line has gotten better and more interesting. This one had more action which made the story fast past. Elena was also more likeable in this one…way less snobby. However, I’m still not sold on the idea of her and Stefan’s love. The plus side for me was learning more about Damon. I think for me he is the more crushworthy one of the brothers because of his mysterious and dangerous background.

62. Moonshine by Moira Rogers
Finished: 10/19/09

Another erotica short story available in ebook format. In this one Claire is a female wolf-shape shifter looking to let the wolf inside her out. Lars, is the bad-ass alpha male willing to give Claire what she wants. Because this is a short story there isn’t much in the way of character development or relationship building so the hot sex happens rather quickly. It was okay for what it was even though this is unedited version.

61. Honor Bound by Moira Rogers
Finished: 10/19/09

This was a quick short story in ebook format. I was bored at work and so decided to sneak in a read. I'm still new to the paranomal romance genre, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this one especially since it was labeled erotica. Probably something I shouldn't read at work, but I needed to stay awake so oh well. Even though it had typos and it was a rough draft I didn't think it was too bad. The characters were professing love of course at the end of the 42 pages, but considering they got into bed after 7 pages I wasn't that bothered by it. lol. Overall, it was hot, hot, hot and not something you should get caught out reading by your boss. ;)

60. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Finished: 10/18/09

My library didn’t have this, but I couldn’t wait so I went and bought it. Yes, this series is that good!

Collins’ delivers another great story. She manages to keep up the pace of The Hunger Games and deliver another action pack, sit on the edge of your seat story. Unbelievable! As the sequel we know that both Katniss and Peeta survive the first book, but now they must deal with the consequences. No one thwarts or outwits the government and gets away from it. As a result, Katniss and Peeta finds themselves back in The Hunger Games arena. Although the second book brings back element of the games, it doesn’t come off as a stale plot line because of all the events happening outside of the games. The characters and their world become much more developed and the reader gets a good picture of the world they exist in.

Unfortunately, this one ends in one heck of a cliff hanger and the third installment is not out yet. Grrr! You can guarantee though that as soon as it comes out I will be among the throng of readers trying to get my hands on a copy.

59. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
Finished: 10/16/09

Other people have given this book a higher score, but for me this is was just meh. There was some mystery and some action, but it never really struck a chord with me. I think it was because I didn’t feel Charlotte was a likeable character and I didn’t believe in her quick transformation.

Charlotte is this wealthy, snobby Victorian girl on her father’s ship on her way home. Through a series of events she gets accused of murder and suddenly her personality changes. As a way to pay off her dues she ends up becoming part of the crew. The crew at first is skeptical of her but slowly they begin to accept Charlotte as she proves herself.

The plot was interesting, but at times it was a drag for me to read. I found Charlotte’s personality grating on my nerves many times. Unfortunately, because she is the narrator of the story I couldn’t get away from her. Lol. The other crew members also were not very believable in their actions. I just don’t think someone who betrayed them and murdered one of their own could have really been accepted by such tough guys.

58. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Finished: 10/11/09

I love this book! I can’t say it enough. It’s original, entertaining and addicting.

I always love a good story with a kickass heroine and Collin’s Katniss did not disappoint. The story takes place in the district of Panem. The district is one of 12 ruled by the Capitol. As a show of its power The Capitol requires that all the districts send in two tributes, one male and one female, to compete in The Hunger Games. The games are a brutal televised show in which contestants are put through the wringer until one of them is left standing. It not only requires physical strength, but mental strength as well.

Katniss suddenly finds herself volunteering for the games when her little sister’s name is drawn. This is just a small example of the lengths this awesome heroine goes through to protect her family. What I love about Katniss is that she’s a well rounded character. You feel her fear, her vulnerability, her confusion as well as her strength and intelligence. I think every girl should read this, but because of the nature of the book boys would be interested in the story as well. I will note there are some violent scenes, but they are fitting with the story.

57. Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning
Finished; 10/6/09

I got this one off The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Ultimate Reading list. If no one has heard of this listing they should check it out. There are some really good books on it. But back to my review…lol.

Although I thought this one was a cheesy romance, it still had some substance to the story line. Hawk is your typical alpha-male who gets his way with the ladies but has never given away his heart. Adrienne, is a headstrong heroine who has sworn off men (particularly beautiful men), bought to the past by a vengeful fairy seeking to get revenge on Hawk. Sparks do not fly right away as Adrienne gets a bearing on her surroundings and fights against Hawk’s romantic moves. Hawk is determined to have Adrienne as his wife, but she’s having none of it. The interactions between these two and their battle of wills are entertaining and funny. Hawk finds himself jealous of the beautiful and mysterious blacksmith, Adam Black, who Adrienne was caught checking out. Jealousy is a feeling he has never felt before.

The secondary characters are also funny and entertaining. I love Hawk’s mother Lydia! She makes a great mother in law. Overall, this was an entertaining read and I hope to continue on with the series.

56. The Struggle by L.J. Smith
Finished: 9/30/09

I continued the series because a friend convinced me to give it a chance. lol. The second part of the series certainly picks up and is more interesting than the first. I felt that although there was little character development the story between Damon and Stefan was interesting enough for me to continue on. Damon certainly was a breath of fresh air to the story. He provided a creepy and mysterious story line that made me want to keep reading. Unfortunately, I still don’t like Elena and Damon.

55. The Awakening by L.J. Smith
Finished: 9/27/09

I started reading this series because I enjoyed the show so much I just had to read the books. What a disappointment. I know these were written pre-Twilight, but while reading this I felt like I was reading Twilight. It’s basically the same story, but the characters are not as likeable. Clearly Meyer ripped this one off but somehow she made the story more interesting, for me at least.

The main problem I had with this story was that Elena was a hard character for me to like. She came off very bratty and selfish. Stephan never became a crush for me. He was way too aloof. The romance scene where both characters decide they like each other was not well developed. All of a sudden they went from avoiding each other to “I’ll die for you”…bleh! I just couldn’t help rolling my eyes as I got to the end of the story. Thankfully, the show made some changes to make the characters more likeable.

54. I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
Finished: 9/26/09


This one is another winner by Zusak that everyone should read, old and young and everyone in between. I am the Messenger is a message in itself. It’s a message for humanity and a higher calling that is creatively done in Zusak’s trademark style.

53. Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich
Finished: 9/20/09

This one is second in the Stephanie Plum In-Between-The-Numbers Series. I don’t really get the In-Between-The-Number series, but it seems that they are relatively short stories just to whet the fan’s appetite. I audio this one and it was only 3 CDs.

In this one Stephanie plays part detective and part relationship expert along with the mysterious and handsome Diesel in order to solve the case. Some of the old gang make appearances, like Lula and Stephanie’s crazy family, but Morelli and Ranger were seriously lacking. Overall, I thought the story was okay. There were some pretty funny parts, but the story lacked a little something for me. I give this one 2.5 stars.

52. The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
Finished: 9/22/09

I was very surprised I ended up liking this as much as I did. It’s part Mean Girls, part mystery, part romance and everything delicious. The story takes place in late 19th century New York and follows the lives of two top socialites. Of course there is your typical back-stabbing and plotting, but it’s actually a very intricately woven story. Godbersen does an excellent job of transporting her readers back into 19th century. Fortunately, this is a trilogy so I get to go back for more. I can’t wait. I recommend this one to anyone who is looking for a bit of addictive mind candy.

51. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Finished: 9/15/09

I seriously believe that all teens and adults should be required to read this book. It’s more than a book about the Holocaust. It’s about the power of love and the power of words.

After some serious book pushing from fellow GoodReaders I finally placed this one at the top of my TBR. I admit for the first ¼ of the book I was wondering what the big deal was about. Yes, the narrator was unique but the story certainly wasn’t captivating enough for me to claim 5 star book love. But, then I reached the Parisian chapter and well that’s when the waterworks started and everything changed. I can’t go into what the chapter is about since I don’t want to spoil it, but the subject matter was handled superbly. After this chapter I was very engaged by Zusak’s writing and creativity. Of course any story on the Holocaust is bound to draw some tears, however, Zusak’s story was different for me in that his message was powerful and inspirational. It really struck a chord with me and at times has haunted me even though a couple of month has passed since I read it.

I’ve since read this book and I Am Messenger. Zusak is a very talented and creative writer. I hope he keeps writing creative and inspiring stories as we need more of them in this world.

Kay wrote: "Jackie, thanks for all the updates - I really enjoy seeing your thoughts."

Thanks! And a big thank you for making this group! :D

Jackie wrote: "50. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

I started audioing this one like the others, but I had to stop. My heart just couldn’t take it. "

Actually, this is the only book of the series I don't listen to on audio. Well, often anyway ;p Jim Dale had very distinct voices for all the characters, and he kept them consistent throughout the entire series... except for the last one. I don't know if it was because there was a longer span of time between this one and the others or what, but the change in character voices drives me nuts. It's not as bad if you don't listen to them back to back (which is, of course, my preferred method of reading the series!) I guess, but I've listened to the others enough to be really distracted by the changes.

Jackie, thanks for all the updates - I really enjoy seeing your thoughts.

50. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Finished: 9/9/09

What a fantastic end to a wonderful series! This is my first time reading this. Yes, it took me this long but I wanted to do a proper re-read before getting to the last one. I started audioing this one like the others, but I had to stop. My heart just couldn’t take it. There’s too much suspense and death. I needed to flip ahead a bit just too make sure my favorite characters made it out okay. Of course Rowling didn’t spare some of them. I won’t get into that or some of the questions I felt still needed answering, but I admire her for writing this under such a tremendous amount of pressure and for giving her readers an excellent and bittersweet ending.

49. Magic Kingdom for Sale--Sold by Terry Brooks
Finished: 9/7/09

I’m not usually into fantasy, but I really enjoyed this one. Ben Holiday is an attorney still learning to deal with life after his wife passed away two years ago. He sees an ad in the paper advertising a magical kingdom for sale. Thinking that the offer was too good to be true Ben Holiday decides to take a risk and buy Landover. What journey that ensues as a result of that spontaneous choice!

I admit that I found some parts boring. I thought Ben analyzed a little too much, but I guess that’s a good thing considering he was in a strange world and his life was being threatened. However, overall I found the story engaging and interesting. I found myself sympathizing with Ben. Who hasn't experienced the need to get away especially after such a tragedy? There are days when I sure wish I had my own Landover to go too.

48. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Finished: 9/1/09

I just love Harry Potter and his world. I can’t get enough of it. This series is so much more than magic, wizard and goblins. It’s not a mere children’s story. The characters are complex and deeper than most people give Rowling credit for. I think this one in the series really shows that emotional complexity that wasn’t as apparent in the other books.

Again, I did the audio version for this one with Jim Dale’s fantastic voice. If anyone needs an audio book please pick one with Jim Dale as narrator. He will not disappoint.

I heard many good things about that series. I want to read it but I have so many on my TBR right now I can't seem to fit them in. I think I will be reading them next year though.

Jackie, I LOVE the Tea Rose by Donnelly! I have the Winter Rose on my pile but I don't think I will get to it until next year.

47. Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward
Finished: 8/29/09


Lover Enshrined is the story of the mysterious virgin brother Phury. I admit that while reading the previous books in the series I had no interest in Phury. He just came off as too uptight and whiney (I guess that’s what being a virgin for so long does to you). However, I picked this up because I had to continue with the series. I’m glad I did. Although this was Phury’s book there were many subplots that were presented in this book that kept my up my interest.

Some negatives:
Phury and Cormia’s relationship was predictable in its development. I won’t get into it with this review because I don’t want to spoil it but even from reading the previous book in the series I already knew what the characters needed to do if the relationship was going to be a happy one. Ward’s couples always end in happy endings, so to me this was just a given. I also didn’t particularly care for either one of them.

There is still too much jargon used. For some reason Ward has the need to name rappers, use teeny bopper “ghetto” language and words like “shit kickers” to get her message across that these are some badass vampire brothers. After 6 books I get the message already. I know they can kick ass. I know “they’re down with the in crowd” (does anyone still use that phrase?). I do give her credit though for not using “shit kickers” as much in this one.

Some positives:
The Lesser world gets more interesting. The Omega has a new secret weapon that kicks ass. I was not expecting this plot line and I’m interested to see where it leads us.

We learn more about John Matthew. I just adore John. I don’t get his fascination with Xhex…I don’t even condone it being that she looks so manly but whatever. As the saying goes “different strokes for different folks.”

We find out where Thor ran off too. *sigh* His loss just broke my heart. I’m really glad he is going to be back in the picture.

We learn some interesting facts about sympaths. I still don’t get exactly what a sympath is but they just sounds nasty. lol.

46. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
Finished: 8/20/09

I absolutely adored this book! It’s the story of Mattie Gokey, a 16 year old girl living in the Adirondack Mountains. After her mother’s death Mattie is expected to be the women of the house and help raise her younger siblings. However, Mattie is a very intelligent young woman with too many dreams to let go.

There were many surprises with this book. For one there is the story within the story. Through Mattie’s eyes we experience the tragic account of Grace Brown’s murder. Grace’s letters were incorporated into the story weaving a true tale of her demise. I found that refreshing because I learned something new and I liked the mix of fiction and true life. The second surprise was the poignant moments that had me near tears. I didn’t expect this book to be so deep, but these characters were able to jump off the page and grab my heartstrings. There were some really beautiful moments, as well as some ugly ones. Themes of racism, feminism, marital infidelity and parental expectations are just some of the topics that Donnelly writes about. But it’s done in such a way that it never feels too heavy. Mattie’s story is about perseverance, passion and enlightenment.

This is my first Donnelly book, but I can’t wait to read more of her. :-)

45. Tim by Colleen McCullough
Finished: 8/16/09

I loved the writing in this book. This is my first McCullough book and I just know I will be reading more of her. This book is about the beautiful but mentally challenged Tim who meets the lonely spinster Mary Horton. Although they’re an unlikely pair, from their very first meeting they have a beautiful connection together. I did not think that the relationship would exactly work but with they fit together perfectly. There was an innocence and vulnerability about their interaction that really touched me.

Andrea wrote: "Jacki, I love the Janet Evanovich series with Stephanie Plum.
"

It's such a fun series. I left off at 8. It's getting a bit formulaic for me so I'm taking a break from it.

Jacki, I love the Janet Evanovich series with Stephanie Plum.

44. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Finished: 8/14/09

Re-read and audio book. I really enjoyed listening to this one. It was so intense at times! I keep saying it with every review but really Jim Dale is amazing as a narrator. He transported me right into the Ministry of Magic with Harry Potter and the D.A.

43. The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
Finished: 8/12/09


I must say that I really must love DG in order to have read this one after everyone telling me how horrible it was going to be. After reading it I must declare myself a hardcore Outlander Series fan. *yay me!*

All the books in the Outlander series are pretty much bricks, however even though they’re extremely long they’re so good that you don’t even notice the pages flying by. There’s action, adventure, mystery, etc. With this one I don’t want to say it was all boring because it wasn’t but it was 979 pages of nothing. I really don’t think anything happened that was critical to the story line. The plot lines that were left off in Drums of Autumn were not resolved in this one. If anything I was left with even more questions. However, there were moments in this book that were very exciting but it just took 400 pages to get there. DG definitely could have used an editor in this one.

What was great about this book was the development of the character relationships. The readers really got to see how Jaime and Claire’s relationship have developed into this loving no-need to talk relationship, while Bree and Roger have overcome the humps in their relationship and have grown closer. I even found the secondary character relationships and interactions interesting. The last couple of chapters were very exciting and left me wanting more.

42. Seven Up by Janet Evanovich
Finished: 8/6/09

By this time Evanovich has really fallen into a formula and after reading seven of these books they all start to mesh after awhile. I keep reading them because generally they are funny and light. A great distraction and quick read. However, although this one had its moments I didn’t find this one as funny as the others. I don’t know if the formula is getting stale for me or I was just hoping for something a little different, like possibly some progress in Stephanie’s relationship with Morelli. Either way this one didn’t really do it for me.

41. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Finished: 7/21/09

Re-read and audiobook. This one is my favorite in the series. I love getting to see the other wizarding schools. I also love how this one is the pivotal point in the series where things start to become dark.

40. Empire of the Sun by James Graham Ballard
Finished: 7/12/09

Jim is suddenly separated from his parents during WWII in China. Young Jim is then forced to survive the horrors of war on his own. Without any adults willing to help him and because of his European descent Jim is sent off to a Japanese concentration camp until the end of the war.

This book was a bit hard for me to read because it is written through the eyes of a young child experiencing some really difficult situations. He gets taken advantage of many times due to his innocence but it is his innocence that really helps him get through such tough situations. Although I admittedly did not enjoy every aspect of the book it left me with some great images and really got me thinking about the repercussions of war especially on the psyche of young children.

39. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Finished: 7/5/09

When I originally read this book I didn’t really like it that much. However, now that I’ve pretty much read the whole series I can appreciate it more and enjoyed it the second time around. I did the audio the second time around with Jim Dale as the narrator. I think his voice made the story extra special for me.

38. Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward
Finished: 7/1/09

The fifth in the series of the Black Dagger Brotherhood this one tells the story of Vishous. In the previous books all we knew about V was that he is highly intelligent, he has one heck of a glowing hand, he’s into BDSM, he maybe in love with Butch and he has a whole heck of a lot of issues. Definitely an interesting character. Needless to say I was looking forward to this one.

I wasn’t disappointed with this one. Although I didn’t particularly fall in love with Jane she did grow on me after awhile. Her attitude and spunkiness made me like her. I loved that she didn’t take shit from neither V or the Brothers. It’s not an easy thing being a human among big badass vamps but she held her ground. I also loved that we learned more about the history of the vampire world and more about the brothers. This one has way less about the Lessor world. As a matter of fact they were barely mentioned and I didn’t miss them one bit.

37. Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
Finished: 6/24/09

This is the fourth book in Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This one tells the story of Butch O’Neal and Marissa. Butch joined the vampire group by default in Dark Lover. As a friend of Beth’s Butch kind of fell into the world and as a result of him knowing too much he couldn’t get out. Butch in the past few books has basically played a kept pretty boy who helps out in detective work whenever the brothers need him. Other than that he mooches and chills with the brothers. After mooching for the past couple of books Butch feels like he should be earning his keep but his humanness is keeping him back…go figure. In the meantime we have Marissa who is like a caged bird thanks to her overbearing brother. Her relationship with Butch went sour until something significant happens in this book that brings them together.

Honestly, they both pretty much got on my nerves. Him with his whiny “I’m tired of being kept, I want a purpose, I want to belong” and her with “I’m going to be a virgin forever…no man wants me.” Ugh! What kept me going on this one were the secondary characters. Butch’s borderline homosexual relationship with Vishous and the previous characters, like Wrath, Beth, Zadist and Bella making an appearance are what interested me the most. It was nice getting to know V better. He’s been this mysterious intelligent being in the background so it was good to see him developed and I hope to know more about him in the next book. I also enjoyed seeing the previous couples to know what they’ve been up too.

36. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Finished: 6/24/09

This is another re-read for me. I actually listened to the audio book this time with Jim Dale as narrator. Jim Dale’s voice just adds an extra oomph to the story. It made me fall in love with the story again even though Chamber is not my favorite in the series. It’s nice taking a look back though to see how everything in the previous books fits in the series. I’m discovering little things that I previously didn’t pay attention too.

35. Hot Six by Janet Evanovich
Finished: 6/20/09

In this one Ranger gets accused of killing the son of a major gun dealer. Ranger enlists Stephanie’s help in order to gather enough evidence to prove his innocence. Of course, Stephanie botches the whole expedition and ends up endangering herself. She also ends up acquiring Grandma Mazur as roommate and a dog with an eating disorder named Bob.

By now this series is a bit too formulaic but because of the humor in them I’ve kept reading them. Not to mention Morelli and Ranger are hotties and I like the chemistry they have with Stephanie. Unfortunately, Evanovich seems to be running out of steam because this one was not as funny as the previous one I’ve read. I’m hoping that the humor picks up again in the next one.

34. Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
Finished: 6/20/09

This is third in the series of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. It tells the story of Zsadist. I think Zsadist so far is my favorite of the brothers. Zsadist was a blood slave who was used and abused by his Mistress. Eventually he is able to escape his imprisonment with the help of his twin Phury but the experience forever haunts him and leaves him bitter, untouchable, and pretty much
soul less.

This is where Bella comes in. Her relationship with Z really starts in Lover Eternal when she first encounters him. His hard personality intrigues her but he ends up running her off since he knows he’s not good for her. In Lover Awakened their story picks up. This time Z lets her in a little only because she needs comfort but he finds himself falling for her. I thought Ward did a good job with their interaction and with conveying Z’s abusive past. I really felt for him and wanted to comfort him myself at times.

The Lessor world has also become a more interesting plot line now that we have learned more about the power plays and of how the Omega, their leader, operates. Unfortunately, Ward continues her overuse of the word shitkickers, the constant references to rappers and the outdated street lingo but the series has definitely gotten more interesting.

33. Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward
Finished: 6/15/09

This is the second in the series of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. This one tells the story of Rhage and Mary. Rhage is a cursed brother dealing with an inner dragon that endangers everyone around him. The only way he can deal with his dragon is by having sex and fighting. Mary is a woman who has dealt with many hardships in her life. She’s insecure and alone in the world. So naturally these two are meant to be together. :P

At first I like Mary as a heroine, but then she started annoying me a bit. Especially when she put up with Rhage’s womanizing at one point. So not cool. Rhage has the opposite effect on me. I started out not liking him that much and then he grew on me by the end.

Now that J.R. Ward has established the vampire world and we’re learning more about it there’s some things that are annoying me. The constant use of “shitkickers” instead of boots, the references to rap music and rappers, and the “wannabe down” street language that the brothers use amongst themselves. It reeks of corniness. Additionally, the Lessor world is still corny. I kind of skim those parts just in case I need to know it down the line but it’s still not interesting. I’m still looking forward to reading the next one though just to figure out what’s Zsadist’s deal.

32. Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
Finished: 6/14/09

I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, but man those vampire brothers sure have done a number on me! Whew! I didn’t know vampires could be so hot. This is my first paranormal romance, beside Twilight which I don’t really count because there wasn’t much action in that series. These vamps would kick Meyer’s sparkling vamps in the ass and ask questions later.

A band of brothers called The Black Dagger Brotherhood take on soul less humans known as Lessors. These are not your typical vampires though. They’re six badass, leather wearing, weapon wielding defenders of their race. Each one has their own book and the first in the series is Dark Lover. It sets up the vampire and Lessor world along with introducing us to the Blind King or Wrath.

I loved that J.R. Ward not only knows how to write a steamy scene but she also knows how to develop and flesh out her characters. Her characters actually have some depth and are not the one dimensional characters you would usually find in a romance book. She also inserts humor. The brothers are not badass all the time, sometimes they like to chill. It just makes them more endearing. My only complaint is that the Lessor world is really not that interesting. I hope that this part of the story improves as the series progresses.

31. The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters
Finished: 6/12/09

This is the second in the Amelia Peabody series. In this one Amelia and Emerson have settled in their new home in England with their little terror son Ramses. Amelia is not very motherly at all so it is funny seeing her interact with the very precocious Ramses. After a few months of settlement Emerson and Amelia both begin to get the itch to go back to Egypt for another excavation except with Ramses to consider future excavations are at a halt. That is until they get an offer they can’t refuse from the newly widowed Lady Baskerville.

Lady Baskerville’s husband found a new tomb believed to belong to royalty. However, as soon as the tomb is open the Pharaoh’s curse reins its ugly head. All those associated with the tomb start dropping dead or seeing the white lady which in Egypt is the symbolism of death. The story of the Pharaoh’s Curse makes its way into the gossip paper and of course no one wants a part of it for fear that the Curse will get them. Of course, the Pharaoh’s Curse is no match for the fearsome duo- Amelia and Emerson. When Lady Baskerville asks them for their help they both pretty much jump at the chance. Leaving Ramses behind with Walter, Evelyn and their terrified children Amelia and Emerson go off on a new excavation filled with mystery and murder.

Amelia has definitely not lost her wit in this second book and the chemistry between her and Emerson still has fire in it. There is a whole new set of colorful characters and Peters does a beautiful job describing the setting which puts the reader right there in the story. I hope that the rest of the books contain the same magic as the first and second book.

Already ahead of you Stacie! I read Stardust last year as part of a group read for The Next Best Book Club (GR group). I really enjoyed it and did notice the difference in the endings. Funny how they made the movie so much more dramatic than the book.

Jackie wrote: "26. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Finished: 5/27/09

I audio booked this one because I enjoyed The Graveyard Book read by Neil Gaiman so much I figured this one had to be..."

I love Neil Gaiman and his narration of his works is terrific! You should also try Stardust if you liked Coraline and The Graveyard Book. Oh, and if you have kids... Stardust is meant for adults ,not kids (there's a little bit of 'adult content' at the beginning) and it doesn't end where the movie did.

30. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Finished: 6/11/09

I originally read this book years ago when the whole Harry Potter phenomena was just starting. Back then only a few of the books were out so when I finished one I was eagerly anticipating the next one along with everyone else. Book 7 came out and since it had been so long since I had read book 6 I wanted to do a re-read of the series. Of course life got in the way along with other books on my mountain TBR so I never came up with time to do a proper re-read. Since discovering audio books (thanks to GR) I decided to get the audio book and relive the experience this way. What a great option! Jim Dale is the narrator and just does an excellent job bringing the story to life. The moment the audio started I was transported back into the wizarding world along with Harry.

In the years since reading this story I forgot about the genius that is J.K. Rowling. What looks like a deceptively simple children’s story is actually an epic tale about good versus evil. There are so many little details included that you can’t help but feel part of Harry’s world. When I originally read this book I gave it a four. It was okay for me but now that the whole series has been out and I’ve read up to book 6 I see how each piece fits in. I’m going to stick to my original impression of the book which was 4 stars, but I will give the audio five stars for Jim Dale’s work and also because I’m able to appreciate it more now that I know what is to happen.

29. Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer
Finished: 6/2/09

I don’t know what Stephanie Meyer stories have but they’re like freaking crack…utterly bad for you but totally addicting. I thought Midnight Sun was even better than Twilight and I was actually mad when I got to that last blank page and there was no more story. I understand Meyer’s reasons for not continuing but man I wish she would just get over it and continue writing. I found Edward’s mind and his side of the story fascinating. It just explained a lot of his actions in Twilight. I loved that even he found himself obsessive and creepy. For some reason his recognizing his own actions as disturbing and being in his mind just made him less creepy for me and for some reason I sympathized with him more. I hope that one day (soon) Meyer does decide to indulge her fans and finish this story.

28. High Five by Janet Evanovich
Finished: 5/30/09

Stephanie Plum is at it again with her wily crew of misfits. In this one Stephanie is looking for her missing uncle Fred and in the meantime begins working for Ranger to earn some extra cash. Of course this sets Morelli on edge leading to some good chemistry between him and Stephanie. Some cars get blown up, some people show up dead, a midget or “small person” to be politically correct moves in, and chaos ensues. It’s just all in a day’s work for The Bombshell Bounty Hunter.