Mystical Warrior by Janet Chapman

Overview

An eleventh-century lass with a stubborn streak unleashes the red-hot hero inside her modern lover in bestselling author Janet Chapman’s irresistible new Midnight Bay adventure.

Trace Huntsman’s peaceful life has headed to hell in a hand-basket ever since stunningly beautiful Fiona Gregor moved into the vacant apartment above his house. Kidnapped centuries earlier and transformed into a red-tail hawk, Fiona is human once more and must learn how to be a modern woman. But damned if Trace is going to be the one to teach her. Not when her mere presence ignites a fiery passion deep within his cautious heart.

Fiona longs to overcome the painful memories of her tragic past—to let down her guard and become a mother again. But so far her handsome landlord is not exactly thrilled with the stray animals—and suitors—that keep following her home. When the wizard Maximilian Oceanus shows up, Trace reaches the end of his rope. Weird things happen when Mac is around—raging storms, snarling demons—but this time, Midnight Bay is at the center of a fierce battle, and Fiona is the primary target. Only Trace can save her, but first, the lovers must set aside their fears . . . and open up their hearts.

My thoughts:
This is another book that has been sitting in my shelf since this summer.  It was supposed to go to the beach with me and it didn't make it into the bag.  Why it then took three more months to pick it up I really couldn't say.  I loved Chapman's Highlander series, this series I like okay but not as much as the other one.  I can't quite say why but the first two books in the series really grabbed me and made me love the characters.

This was a fun and action filled read.  I like that the couple is given a lot of time to get to know each other and to get over their differences, that they aren't just madly in love from the get go, but take time like any flesh and blood couple would in finding their way to each other and into each others hearts.  I must admit that I only have a foggy recall of Fiona's time as a red tailed hawk.  I remembered she was one, but I couldn't remember why exactly.  Seeing Fiona come to grips with her past and also embrace the present was nice, she grew and changed and found courage when she thought she didn't have any.  Trace went through some of the same changes, he had things in his past that he needed to find the courage to work past.  Together they fought through supernatural obstactles as well as mental ones to become stronger people.
Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781439159903
Publisher: Pocket Star
Publication date: 6/28/2011
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Edition description: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 368
Series Title: Midnight Bay Series

The Christmas List by Richard Paul Harris

Overview

Dear Reader,
When I was in seventh grade, my English teacher, Mrs. Johnson, gave our class the intriguing (if somewhat macabre) assignment of writing our own obituaries. Oddly, I don't remember much of what I wrote about my life, but I do remember how I died: in first place on the final lap of the Daytona 500. At the time, I hadn't considered writing as an occupation, a field with a remarkably low on-the-job casualty rate.

What intrigues me most about Mrs. Johnson's assignment is the opportunity she gave us to confront our own legacy. How do we want to be remembered? That question has motivated our species since the beginning of time: from building pyramids to putting our names on skyscrapers.

As I began to write this book, I had two objectives: First, I wanted to explore what could happen if someone read their obituary before they died and saw, firsthand, what the world really thought of them. Their legacy.


Second, I wanted to write a Christmas story of true redemption. One of my family's holiday traditions is to see a local production of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. I don't know how many times I've seen it (perhaps a dozen), but it still thrills me to see the change that comes over Ebenezer Scrooge as he transforms from a dull, tight-fisted miser into a penitent, "giddy-as-a schoolboy" man with love in his heart. I always leave the show with a smile on my face and a resolve to be a better person. That's what I wanted to share with you, my dear readers, this Christmas — a holiday tale to warm your season, your homes, and your hearts.

Merry Christmas

My thoughts:
This book was a Christmas present two years ago.  At the time I really wanted to read it and I was reading a lot of Christmas books, and then the holiday passed and I guess it ended up on the shelf for longer than I was planning.  I think though that sometimes books come to you when you need them or are ready for them, so it wasn't really forgotten there on the shelf, it was just biding it's time until it was the right read for me for right now.  Maybe that sounds silly, but I know I buy books thinking I can't wait to read them, only to let them sit for months (or years) and then when I pick them up they are just what I was looking for then.

This is the first book I've read by Richard Paul Evans.  I've thought about picking up other titles he has written, but for whatever reason I haven't.  I know I have seen some of the his made for TV movies made from his books like The Christmas Box.

The  main thing I brought away from this book is that it is never too late to do the right thing and that there are more important things in life than money.  I know we all know that, but to have it brought home in a meaningful way is so much better than just spouting platitudes.  James Keir reminded me quite a bit of Scrooge and how his death affected other people.  To get to see what people really thought about you because they believe you have died was a blessing for him because it opened his eyes to his past mistakes and took him on the path of righting the wrongs he had done.  A modern retelling in a new and light. 


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781439150009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 10/6/2009
Pages: 368

More by this Author

Lost December
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25
Miles to Go: The Second Journal of the Walk Series
The Christmas Box
The Christmas Box Collection: The Christmas Box, Timepiece, The Letter

It's Monday, What are you reading?

This past week I actually got in more reading time, I think it was a combination of the holiday and some extra time at home and only working one day.  I finished a number of books and actually got some reviews up.
 The books I finished this week were:
Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich
The Christmas List by Richard Paul Harris
Mystical Warrior by Janet Chapman



Reviewed from the prior week:
Twilight" The Graphic Novel Volume 2 by Stephenie Meyer

The books I am still working on are:
Fallen by Lauren Kate
Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
Throwaway by Heather Huffman
The Hollows Insider: New fiction, facts, maps, murders, and more in the world of Rachel Morgan by Kim Harrison


New to me this week:

Borrowed from a friend :
 The Help by Kathryn Stockett

From http://www.paperbackswap.com/:
Unbound by Vicki Person et al
The Mammoth Book of Special Ops Romance by Trisha Telep et al
Planting Dandelions: Field Notes From a Semi-Domesticated Life by Kyran Pittman

Reviews for the finished books are set to go up this week and I hope to have time to finish a few more. 

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

Overview

Where there’s smoke there’s fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.

Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie’s name is on the killer’s list. Short on time to find the murderer, Stephanie is also under pressure from family and friends to choose between her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert Ranger. Stephanie’s mom wants her to dump them both for a former high school football star who’s just returned to town. Stephanie’s sidekick, Lula, suggests a red-hot boudoir “bake-off.” And Joe’s old-world grandmother gives Stephanie “the eye,” which may mean that it’s time to get out of town.

With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie’s life looks like it’s about to go up in smoke.

My thoughts:
I still like to read this series, but they are starting to seem very similar.  I have a few friends who have decided they are done with picking up the Stephanie Plum books as they all seem the same.  She will have trouble deciding which man in her life she wants to be with, her car will catch fire or be destroyed, she will have trouble catching her bounty hunter skips, and her mother will lament that everyone else's daughter is married already and giving her grandchildren.  That said, it is a fun escape and a quick read so I don't see myself giving up anytime soon.  I know who I would pick out of Ranger and Morelli and I wonder if she will ever make choice or if that would end the series.  Would it take the fun and tension out of it if she made a choice?

Because I waited so long to get around to this one, I know that number eighteen is already out and I already have a tentative plan in place to borrow it from a friend to read, so it is nice that I don't need to wait to see who Stephanie goes on vacation with and where they go.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780345527707
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Publication date: 11/15/2011
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 336
Series Title: Stephanie Plum Series

Saturday Snapshot- Corn Maze- Saturday, November 26, 2011

I know everyone is now onto thinking about Christmas, and I must admit my children are very excited about it, but here are some photos from last month when we went to a local corn maze and pumpkin patch.  This is the maze we go to most years.  Every year they have a different design cut into the field and you use clues posted on signs to navigate through it.  This taken at the end of the maze.

As well as the large maze and pumpkin patch there is also a small children's maze that they can go through on their own.

This year it took us about 45 minutes to make it through.  We went as a family and helped with the clues.  Last year we went with a group of friends.  I think there were four moms and eleven kids and we were in the maze for more than an hour.  It was fun, but it got hard carrying the little ones!

This year we had a really nice day for the maze, it was sunny and warm but not too hot.  The week before we had a ton of rain so the kids wore their rain boots, but luckily it wasn't too muddy!

This is hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books.  Check out her blog to see who is participating this week.

Twilight: The Graphic Novel Volume 2 by Stephenie Meyer Art by Young Kim

Overview

Having uncovered the dark secret of her enigmatic classmate, Edward Cullen, Bella Swan embraces her feelings for him, trusting Edward to keep her safe despite the risks. When a rival clan of vampires makes its way into Forks, though, the danger to Bella has never been more real. Will she make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the people dearest to her?

The second volume of Twilight: The Graphic Novel completes the visual adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's worldwide bestselling debut novel and is a must-have for any collector's library.

My thoughts:

This was one of my splurge books last week, I thought it would be fun to read it before going to see the latest movie.  At one point I thought I would reread all the books, and at some point I might, but it was a good way to get in the mood for the movie.  I forgot how much better the books can be than the movies for these.  I wasn't sure how I felt about all the graphic novels that were coming out to go with books, but I am enjoying reading the same stories in a different medium.  I think it adds something new to the story.

This is the second half of the first book, Twilight.  The first half was in volume 1.  It is a nice quick read and the illustrations add to the text making it a fun way to review in a short period of time.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780316133197
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
Publication date: 10/11/2011
Edition description: Graphic novel
Pages: 240
Age range: 12 - 17 Years
Series Title: Twilight Graphic 

The Alphabet Keeper by Mary Murphy

Overview

The Alphabet Keeper keeps all the letters caged in the dark. But one day they escape while she's cleaning their cage–and then there is no stopping them! The clever letters are on the loose, rearranging themselves at every turn. With a few quick moves, the Alphabet Keeper's hat becomes a cat. A bus turns into a bush. A rock changes into a rocket. And the flyaway alphabet is on its way to a final farewell!

Author Biography:
Mary Murphy is the author and illustrator of several picture books. This is her first picture book for Knopf.

My thoughts:
This was a fun book we borrowed from the library this week.  It a good book for the early grades.  I thought it was just going to be an alphabet book when I borrowed it, but it is something more.  The alphabet keeper accidentally lets her letters out of their dark cage and then tries to catch them again.  Each time she is close to catching them they change a letter in the word of what she is using or what they are in and then she is foiled.  A boat deck becomes a duck, a bus becomes a bush, loud letters become a cloud and a rock becomes a rocket.  It is fun for readers who are in the early grades because they can figure out how to the letter swapping, adding or subtracting makes one thing another.
Details
Pub. Date: March 2003
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Format: Hardcover , 32pp
Age Range: 5 to 8
Series: The Flyaway Alphabet Ser.
ISBN-13: 9780375823473
ISBN: 0375823476