Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1) by Patricia Briggs

via goodreads

Rated: 5 stars                  I recommend this to: pretty much everyone, esp. UF fans.

Originally read: October 8th, 2011

This is the second time I’ve read this and my oh my was it an eye opener. In the previous review I think I stated that I felt like everything seemed stuffy, which loosely translates that I didn’t really have an idea what the dickens was going on in the most crucial scenes. Heh, I wonder how it is, or why for that matter, that I continued to the second book in the series. Now with a fresher pair of eyes and a broader frame of mind I actually got in on the action.

Mercedes Thompson isn’t your average VW mechanic. Does yours regularly service a Mystery Machine replica owned by a Scooby Doo fanatic who happens to be a hot vampire, works with an iron mage and lives over the fence to the local alpha’s house? I didn’t think so. Oh, and she turns into a coyote. I really like her, I mean she could be a badass but she knows where to draw the line.She may be physically inferior(which might be too strong a word) but she makes up for it in mouthing off to authority and those above her ,but hey I can’t blame her with all of those overbearing werewolves around, she had to stand up for herself.

Mercy’s an okay gal, she’s tough, funny, caring and doesn’t like to be out of the line of fire when she knows that she could be helping.She doesn’t have tons of magic (or any of it so to speak)so that she could just wriggle her pinkie and WAM leveling the street with vampires, nope,that’s what makes me like her even more, she relies on her instincts and quick thinking rather than power.

Archangel’s Consort (Guild Hunter #3) by Nalini Singh

via Goodreads

Rated it: 4 stars                  Recommend it to: UF fans and bad ass angels and vamps, with romance thrown in. It has adult scenes so I’ll have to say readers 18 and up.

Goodreads blurb

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil…

A vampire has attacked a girls’ school—the assault one of sheer, vicious madness—and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders.

The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear.

An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed…

 

I think I liked this last installment much better than the previous two. I believe it’s the only series that has angels in them that I’ve read so far, and frankly I don’t want to get into that at this point, werewolves and vampires are almost run into the ground already. It’s said by a few, actually by one particularly nasty archangel of China, Lijuan, that Elana’s mortal heart will be the death of Raphael. Let’s just say that weakness had in the end revealed itself to be a strength and had Lijuan’s behind singeing *snickers*

Masques (Shifter’s Wolf #1) by Patricia Briggs

via Goodreads

Rated: 3 1/2 stars                 Recommend to: fans of anything magic; shape shifters, medieval period fantasy

Goodreads blurb

After an upbringing of proper behavior and oppressive expectations, Aralorn has fled her noble birthright for a life of adventure as a mercenary spy. Her latest mission involves gathering intelligence on the increasingly charismatic and dangerous sorcerer Geoffrey ae’Magi. But in a war against an adversary armed with the power of illusion, how do you know who the true enemy is—or where he will strike next?

When I saw this on the shelf the cover spoke to me, not that I understood a thing except it promised it would kick butt. Then my eyes flickered upwards and into the author’s name. I’ve read about four books into her Mercy Thompson series prior to stumbling across this, and I like those so I was kind of excited to see what her earlier writing looked like. This book here was originally two separate books of the same series, Masques and Wolfsbane respectively. This I learned while reading the Ms. Briggs author note, were here first ever published works. After relatively weak sales the went out of print until recently.

So I braced myself and sure enough there were a few transparent parts when I know what will happen, there were some difficult spots here and there where they conveniently got out of relatively unscathed. This takes place during what I would say Medieval times, so that plus some magic I was set.  Aloran, I liked her, a free spirit that refuses to be chained and has a thirst for information and tales alike. She knows that she’s not her best a swordplay but utilizes what she can do for max effect, she’s a shape shifter changing appearances both human and animal, an invaluable asset to any spy.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

via Goodreads

Rated it: 5 stars           Recommends it to: Young adults, about 13-14 and up I suppose  Contains: Mild explicit scenes.

Goodreads blurb

And while he’s not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his year yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can’t stay on the sidelines forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

My review

Charlie. He is, to slap a label on, this introvert that I believe gives me an inside look on how some introverts think. He really gives a lot to the details that I would fling over my shoulder because of the irrelevance of it at that given moment. Charlie makes me see how much there is to a simple action, a simple inaction, how much there is to see at family gatherings during holidays and when you think about it sometimes you wonder why you weren’t in some daytime television drama series. There is so much in everything that it amazing till it hurts your head.

My latest infatuation: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1)

via Goodreads

Oh my goodness! I’ve heard the hype flying around with this series last year and I said to myself why the heck not? Okay so I went to Barnes and Noble for the first time when I was on vacation and I was this on one of their beautiful shelves. I couldn’t pass it like that! I think it was the direwolves that called me. It had to be, and they’re pretty awesome. I hope I can find the other books at my usual book store otherwise I’m stuck with a darn Kindle app.

I’m 175 pages through so far as I write this and I have to know what going to happen next. Sometimes I’m afraid to go on because it’s too much but then if I don’t I won’t ever know what happens, or who dies, who get’s the Iron Throne? So I persevere! I said in an update on Goodreads that I went to YouTube against my better judgement, I just wanted to see how the characters looked like, but no I couldn’t satisfy my curiosity with a couple of videos. I came across a retched spoiler, I knew one of the people I have come to love will die. I take a moment now. But I haven’t got to that part yet so I’ll pretend I don’t know. That is pointless, my friends. Spoilers do not let you forget. I understand YT but come on Goodreads reviewers! For the sake of our reading experience and our tender hearts (tenderness depending on who got beheaded, and it’s a book we happen to adore) please utilize the spoiler feature. Crikey, man.

La’s Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith

Rated it: 4 1/2 stars

Goodreads blurb

La Stone is a widow who, as the Nazi threat looms, assembles a ragtag orchestra in rural Suffolk in hopes of altering “the temper of the world.” She falls for one of her recruits, a Polish pilot with a suspicious past. But patriotism trumps passion, leaving La to worry if her life will always be “a play in which I have no real part.” In McCall-Smith’s quintessentially English world, perserverance, pots of tea and the power of music will show the way.
(Ellen Shapiro for People magazine)

Of all the books I’ve read concerning WW II I believe that this would be the first one I’ve come across where the protagonist is the furthest away from warfare and gore. What I mean is that I’ve seen through the eyes of the persecuted Jews and those (who weren’t Jews) close to them and I can’t recall ever reading from a Briton’s point of view. Personally, it’s refreshing to view things from another angle, to see how life carried on relatively far from the heavy rain of lead bullets, how the country side and its people were affected and how they were coping.

La’s Orchestra Saves the World is the story a young woman who suffered through heart break, then a war that brought about its own miseries but also turned out to be an opportunity for her to meet certain people who would shape the rest of her life. This is a story of how a woman’s quiet courage and music helped inspired hope in the townsfolk through the dark days for five years. It told me of the fright of risking loving again even if the other may not feel the same.

If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern

Via Goodreads.com

Rated: 4 stars             Recommend it to: Everyone

Goodreads blurb

Elizabeth Egan’s life runs on order: Both her home and her emotions are arranged just so, with little room for spontaneity. It’s how she counteracts the chaos of her family — an alcoholic mother who left when she was young, an emotionally distant father, and a free-spirited sister, who seems to be following in their mother’s footsteps, leaving her own six year old son, Luke, in Elizabeth’s care.

When Ivan, Luke’s mysterious new grown-up friend, enters the picture, Elizabeth doesn’t know quite what to make of him. With his penchant for adventure and colorful take on things large and small, Ivan opens Elizabeth’s eyes to a whole new way of living. But is it for real? Is Ivan for real?

If You Could See Me Now is a love story with heart — and just a touch of magic.

~*~

Well, long story short, I had enjoyed reading this but it’s one of those books that has to be re-read before everything actually absorbing everything. I find it amazing how just one person can change lives and years of restraint and rigid discipline. I think that inside of each adult there’s a kid screaming and squirming to get out again, all it takes to free him or her is just to let go sometimes. There is magic out there, but when we’re grown up we get so closed up that most of the time we unconsciously choose not to see it.

I wish I could have written something better but until I read it again (whenever that is) it’ll be better and chock full of brilliant insights

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews

Rated: 5 flaming stars        Recommended to: People who enjoy the Urban Fantasy genre.

Goodreads blurb

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles.
The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate’s guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t have it any other way…

I had a feeling this would be an awesome read before I flipped the digital pages. I was right, oh boy, was I. I read all kinds of books, I’m not very particular, this series was my  introduction into UF and since then I began leaning in this direction. Only a little bit more that any other.

Kate Daniels is a smart mouthed, kick ass, sword wielding mercenary with a very interesting but still mysterious (at this point) past. When one hears the word ‘mercenary’ usually one comes to the conclusion that their only in it for money, and frankly one would be right, but Kate has a conscience, she’s got integrity, decency and she’s often stubborn, could-teach-a-mule-lessons kind of stubborn and that’s sometimes good and other times … not so good but I like her.

To Sir, With Love by E.R Braithwaite

(via Goodreads)

Rated it: 4 stars                                Recommended it to: Everyone, especially teachers and their charges.

Goodreads blurb

He shamed them, wrestled with them, enlightened them, and – ultimately – learned to live them. Mr. Braithwaite, the new teacher, had first to fight the class bully. Then he taught defiant, hard-bitten delinquents to call him “Sir,” and to address the girls who had grown up beside them in the gutter as “Miss”.

He taught them to wash their faces and to read Shakespeare. When he took all forty six to museums and to the opera, riots we predicted. But instead of a catastrophe, a miracle happened. A dedicated teacher had turned hate into love, teenage rebelliousness into self-respect, contempt into into consideration for others. A man’s own integrity – his concern and love for others – had won through.

The modern classic about a dedicated teacher in a tough London school who slowly and painfully breaks down the barriers of racial prejudice. It is the story of a man’s own integrity winning through against the odds.

“A book that the reader devours quickly, ponders slowly, and forgets not at all.” – The New York Times

I read this more than a week and a half ago so I’ll admit my memory and initial impressions aren’t that fresh. Also, this would be the third attempt to review this because two times already when I was about to save it everything was wiped almost squeaky clean. Need I say more? To Sir, With Love is in part an autobiography and part fiction set in what I average to be somewhere near the late to mid 1940s or early 1950s in the lesser fortunate parts of London at the Greenslade Secondary School, which I think is fictional too.

When it begins, on his first day Mr. Braithwaite was commuting to the school in the company of a busload of lively and sociable housewives, we the readers confront the first instance of the major theme in the book: racism, one many of us know only too well.

When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne

(via Goodreads)

Rated: 5 stars        Recommended for: Children, young and old.

What a delightful little poetry book! I came across this by chance in the school’s old library a few days ago. I grew up with Winnie The Pooh, though I don’t see Disney rerunning any of the old episodes except only the occasional full length movie, it’s sad really.

Until lately I was unaware that the tales were originally written for Milne’s son, Christopher Robin, who had inspired them. Now if a father who had devoted writing little books of bouncing tigers and bossy rabbits and the likes for his little boy, isn’t sweet, I don’t know what is. After finding this out and thinking back on the shows, I realized how personal it all was. If anything, it made me love the Hundred Acre Woods and it’s weird and dear inhabitants even more.