Review: Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare - former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead - finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this - ugh - "helping of others" is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she'd like.

Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will's "friend" or "more" status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona's most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She's only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.

Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She's the first ghost-talker Will's ever met-aside from his father-and she may hold answers to Will's troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the "clearly not" column. But Will is - ahem - willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.

Packed with romance, lovable characters, and a killer cliffhanger, Queen of the Dead is the out-of-this-world sequel to The Ghost and the Goth.

Will Killian and Alona Dare have a complicated relationship. He's alive and she's dead; she helps him manage all the other dead folks who want his help; and they're heading down a tricky road with their are we or aren't we romance. Alona has been dead for two months but hasn't changed much since then - she's still selfish and self-centered - and now things are taking a turn for the worse: her family is moving on without her and Will is starting to have doubts about her and their "purpose". When Will meets Mina, a girl who can also see (and catch) ghosts like Alona, things get even more complicated. Which will Will choose, to work for the living or the dead and will Alona still be there to help him?

Queen of the Dead is just as good (and maybe better) than The Ghost and the Goth. Kade's style and tone is pitch perfect for this YA treat of a book. There are some heavy topics addressed in QofD like mortality and morality; Will tries to figure out who is doing the right thing: is it their (his and Alona's) mission to help other ghosts resolve their issues so they can move on to who knows what or is it Mina's Order, a group of fanatical ghost-talkers who work to protect humans using methods that "kill" ghosts in ways that make him shudder when he considers what they would do to Alona. Will also learns about his father's past and abilities, something he has been desperate to know. However, Alona gets into some serious (and rather heinous) trouble on her part, leaving Will to reconcile what she's done and how he feels about her. I appreciated that there was some emotional growth for Alona here; being the center of her universe and demanding that everyone conform to her opinions and ideas was a bit trying. Even if you take into account the fact that she's really only a teenager who is a product of her environment, her attitude and outlook was pretty obnoxious. With Will on the other end of that personality spectrum, he and Alona balance each other very well and I can't wait to see what happens next. And even though it was 2 am and I couldn't for fear of waking the whole house, Queen of the Dead finished with an ending that made me want to jump up and yell "All right!"

Queen of the Dead will be released on May 31, 2011.

Our Most Anticipated Books of March

Jen’s picks:

There’s lots of much-awaited books coming out in March - River Marked by Patricia Briggs and A Lot Like Love by Julie James - and I will definitely be reading both of those but there are two books I am very excited about: The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen and Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later by Francine Pascal. You can be sure I've got both of these reserved at my local library.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Chased the Moon welcomes you to her newest locale: Walls of Water, North Carolina, where the secrets are thicker than the fog from the town’s famous waterfalls, and the stuff of superstition is just as real as you want it to be.
It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water’s heyday, and once the town’s grandest home—has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to build a life beyond the brooding Jackson family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries of the haves and have-nots.
But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood—of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it.
For the bones—those of charismatic traveling salesman Tucker Devlin, who worked his dark charms on Walls of Water seventy-five years ago—are not all that lay hidden out of sight and mind. Long-kept secrets surrounding the troubling remains have also come to light, seemingly heralded by a spate of sudden strange occurrences throughout the town.
Now, thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover truths of the long-dead that have transcended time and defied the grave to touch the hearts and souls of the living.
Resonant with insight into the deep and lasting power of friendship, love, and tradition, The Peach Keeper is a portrait of the unshakable bonds that—in good times and bad, from one generation to the next—endure forever.

The Peach Keeper will be released on March 22, 2011.

Now with this striking new adult novel from author and creator Francine Pascal, millions of devoted fans can finally return to the idyllic Sweet Valley, home of the phenomenally successful book series and franchise. Iconic and beloved identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield are back and all grown up, dealing with the complicated adult world of love, careers, betrayal, and sisterhood. (Link to the first chapter: http://www.sweetvalleytenyearslater.com/?page_id=74)

Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later... will be released on March 29, 2011.

Jane’s pick:

My pick is Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire. I have to blame Jen for getting me hooked on the October Daye series and urban fantasy in general. (You are welcome!) This is the fourth book in the series which takes place in the San Francisco Bay area. Love, love, love this series! The release date is March 1st.

Two years ago, October "Toby" Daye believed she could leave the world of Faerie behind. She was wrong. Now she finds herself in the service of Duke Sylvester Torquill, sharing an apartment with her Fetch, and maintaining an odd truce with Tybalt, the local King of Cats. It's a delicate balance—one that's shattered when she learns that an old friend is in dire trouble. Lily, Lady of the Tea Gardens, has been struck down by a mysterious, seemingly impossible illness, leaving her fiefdom undefended.

Struggling to find a way to save Lily and her subjects, Toby must confront her own past as an enemy she thought was gone forever raises her head once more: Oleander de Merelands, one of the two people responsible for her fourteen-year exile. But if Oleander's back, what's her game? Where is she hiding? And what part does Toby's mother, Amandine, have to play?

Time is growing short and the stakes are getting higher. For the Queen of the Mists has her own agenda, and there are more players in this game than Toby can guess. With everything on the line, she will have to take the ultimate risk to save herself and the people she loves most—because if she can't find the missing pieces of the puzzle in time, Toby will be forced to make the one choice she thought she'd never have to face again...

Our Most Anticipated Books of February

Jen's pick:

My pick for February is Melissa Marr’s Darkest Mercy (not that I’ve read Radiant Shadows yet). Darkest Mercy is the last in her superfabulous Wicked Lovely YA series and I can’t wait to see how it’ll end. Who will Ashlinn pick, Seth or Keenan? Will all the courts survive? And what about Niall? LOVE him.

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.
Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.
Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.
The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

Jane’s pick:

My pick this month is A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. This is the first book in a trilogy, a saga that blends romance and suspense with fantasy. How can you not be intrigued by a bewitched manuscript, an irresistible French vampire, powerful witches and an ancient castle? I will definitely be reading this one! (Me too! Me too!)

When historian Diana Bishop opens a bewitched alchemical manuscript in Oxford’s Bodleian Library it represents an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordinary life. Though descended from a long line of witches, she is determined to remain untouched by her family’s legacy. She banishes the manuscript to the stacks, but Diana finds it impossible to hold the world of magic at bay any longer.
For witches are not the only otherworldly creatures living alongside humans. There are also creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires who become interested in the witch’s discovery. They believe that the manuscript contains important clues about the past and the future, and want to know how Diana Bishop has been able to get her hands on the elusive volume.
Chief among the creatures who gather around Diana is vampire Matthew Clairmont, a geneticist with a passion for Darwin. Together, Diana and Matthew embark on a journey to understand the manuscript’s secrets. But the relationship that develops between the ages-old vampire and the spellbound witch threatens to unravel the fragile peace that has long existed between creatures and humans—and will certainly transform Diana’s world as well.

Oh, yeah, here's the deets: Darkest Mercy comes out on Feb. 22; A Discovery of Witches comes on Feb. 8.

Review: The Perfect Scandal by Delilah Marvelle

If there is anything Tristan Adam Hargrove, fourth Marquis of Moreland, has learned to avoid, it’s scandal. For the dark and dashing lord is not only an honorable gentleman who would never seduce a woman for his own gain, he is also the author of How to Avoid a Scandal, the infamous red book that has swept like wildfire through the better part of London society.

When a raven-haired beauty arrives as his new neighbor, he knows better than to succumb to the desire he feels. He knows little about her—only that she is high born, a protégé of the Crown and completely unsuitable for the base passions he hides from the world. If only he had never glimpsed the vulnerable beauty one fateful night. If only her lips were not so ravishingly red. If only it were not already too late to save her and himself from the untamed passion he is about to unleash in the name of love.

Delilah Marvelle wraps up her Scandal trilogy with a third story involving dashing men with unusual sexual proclivities and the women who love them with The Perfect Scandal, a daunting romance between a complicated man and a passionate woman. This may be my favorite of the trio; Tristan and Zosia complement each other very well and the subject matter, as with the first two books, is handled in a compassionate manner.

Tristan has some dark secrets, aspects of himself he is ashamed of and terrified of sharing with anyone. He has isolated himself, a masterful trick for a man living in the bustling city of London as well as being one of the most well-known members of the ton. His grandmother tries to run his life and choose the woman he'll marry; his parents died when he was young in a sort of double suicide after his mother's long battle with madness and depression and she raised him after the fact. After he meets the unconventional Zosia, Tristan realizes that he has a long way to go before he can love her as she deserves.

Zosia is from Poland. She's a half-Russian countess from a family who perished in a tragic fire that caused her to lose part of one of her legs, Zosia is in hiding from the hated Russian aristocracy who wish to marry her into their ranks. Marrying an englishman will give her even more protection from Russia and King George himself has promised to find her a suitable husband. Then, she meets Tristan, her next door neighbor, and decides that he is the one for her, even if it takes some convincing on her part.

As I mentioned, Tristan and Zosia may be my favorite of the three couples in this series. Their romance was (as always) a bit naughty but they both are giving people who want the best for each other. I liked how much inner strength Zosia had and how unconcerned she was for propriety; she would more or less holler at Tristan out her bedroom window and seeing him get so disturbed by her doing this was amusing. Tristan, as the writer of that infamous book about scandals, is the essence of proper. It was a relief to see him finally, shall we say, let his hair down.

Delilah Marvelle has greatly impressed this reader with this trilogy. Not many historical romance (or otherwise) writers have the deft hand she possesses when it comes to sensitive subjects (rape, sexual addition, cutting, bondage). I will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Review: Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

At the tender age of twelve, Gideon Crew witnessed the brutal murder of his father, a scientist wrongly framed by the US government, and shot down by police during a hostage crisis.

More than twenty years later, Gideon finally gets his revenge and fulfills the promise that he made to his mother on her death bed to clear their family name.

He brings down the man who destroyed his father. But then a mysterious witness steps forward to confront Gideon on his crime - and to offer him the chance of a lifetime...

I look forward to the new Pendergast novel by Preston and Child every year and in 2011, they will have two new books to offer: Cold Vengeance, the next Pendergast, out in August; and Gideon's Sword, book one in a new series about a man named Gideon Crew.

Gideon is a genius and a retired art thief. He's also a con artist and a pretender and can become anyone in the wink of an eye. He has a legitimate job that he keeps for fun (and rent money) at the Los Alamos National Lab testing parts that are used in nuclear devices. He is not especially close to anybody.

Revenge takes up most of Gideon's time at the beginning of Gideon's Sword. His mother made him promise on her deathbed that he would make the man who murdered his father pay for it and also know who it was that hurt him. Afterward, Gideon is approached by a man with a request: come to NYC and listen to a proposal. A private company that does contract work for the government wants Gideon to retrieve some ultra-sensitive information from a Chinese national who is flying to the US against his country's wishes. Needless to say, the job becomes very complicated very quickly. Gideon enlists the help of an old acquaintance and a prostitute to complete his assignment.

Gideon's Sword reads like you're watching an action movie. There are car chases, international locales, government conspiracies, secret agents, and assassins. Exciting and, at times, unbelievable, this book is a lot of fun. The rights have already been bought by Paramount and Michael Bay so look for a movie in a few years.

Gideon's Sword will be released on February 22, 2011

Review: Once Upon a Scandal by Delilah Marvelle

Lady Victoria Jane Emerson left behind her girlish notions of romance when Jonathan deserted her without a backward glance. Now the time has come when she must finally choose a husband, and she has vowed to marry someone who will never break her heart.

Jonathan Pierce Thatcher, Viscount Remington, has returned home, free of all his family’s debts. Only to discover that by some miracle he has been chosen to vie for the hand of his beloved Victoria. To convince his only love to once again believe in the magic of love and the promise of desire will be his greatest challenge yet. And one he cannot fail!

Delilah Marvelle is making one heck of a splash into the world of historical romance with her Scandal series. They're not technically her first books but these are definitely getting more attention in the mainstream market. Once Upon a Scandal is the second in this series and I found it to be just as good as the first.

Victoria was less than a year away from her coming out season in London when Jonathan made a play for her heart. A complete romantic, Jonathan wooed her with sweet words and only one kiss. They were already friends but he wished to have a promise from her before he left for Venice that she would wait for him to return. It should have been seven to ten months, tops, but instead he was gone for five years. And he wouldn't tell her why he couldn't return. From Victoria's perspective, it felt like he dumped her as an afterthought. He stopped replying to the letters she wrote and forbade her cousin, his best friend, from telling her the truth about him. It broke Victoria's heart, a heart that was already fragile after losing her mother and twin brother years before, and so she never married. Fast forward five years. Victoria's father is dying from tertiary-phase syphilis and doesn't even remember her. She is informed that three men have agreed to vie for her hand in marriage and she must marry one before her father is too ill to stand at her wedding - her inheritance depends upon it. Guess who shows up that night to be one of the three? Jonathan. Victoria has to speak to each for an hour before making her decision and than marry them within a week. How does someone make a decision like this, especially with these circumstances? Where has Jonathan been the last five years? And does Victoria still love him?

Delilah Marvelle does not make life easy for her couples, does she? (See my review for Prelude to a Scandal.) I consistently find it appalling, the way that women were treated back then for I do not doubt that this scenario was likely forced upon some poor girl back then; possibly now too. Many men also didn't have it all that easy either, I suppose. Anyway, Once Upon a Scandal is a bittersweet love story. The sex theme is back, too, in a different incarnation, yet still applied to the man in the equation. Sexual abuse in literature or fiction is generally forced upon the woman and I appreciated that Marvelle is turning the tables on that. (Not that I like reading about sexual abuse in any fashion.) I also liked that Jonathan's version of romance didn't involve sexing up Victoria, exactly, as well as his devotion to her and their love. On the flip side, I felt that the villain, Marchese Casacalenda, was rather uneven. He does all these horrible things (i.e. rape, murder) because his influence and money has bought him impunity and then at the end, he voluntarily acquiesces and accepts bodily harm? That felt inconsistent and didn't make sense. On the whole though, I found Once Upon a Scandal to be a riveting story.

The Perfect Scandal, starring Marquis Moreland, one of Victoria's suitors, is the final book in this series. I will definitely be reviewing that one as well.

Once Upon a Scandal can be found in stores on January 18, 2011. The Perfect Scandal will be out on February 15, 2011.

Our Most Anticipated Books of January

Jane's Pick:

The book that caught my attention this month is The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston. It's written in the form of a journal that Bess has kept throughout her various incarnations. The idea of traveling with an immortal witch throughout the centuries really appeals to me. This book is being released on January 18th.

In the spring of 1628, the Witchfinder of Wessex finds himself a true Witch. As Bess Hawksmith watches her mother swing from the Hanging Tree she knows that only one man can save her from the same fate: the Warlock Gideon Masters. Secluded at his cottage in the woods, Gideon instructs Bess in the Craft, awakening formidable powers and making her immortal. She couldn’t have foreseen that even now, centuries later, he will be hunting her across time, determined to claim payment for saving her life.

In present-day England, Elizabeth has built a quiet life. Her solitude abruptly ends when a teenage girl named Tegan starts hanging around. Against her instincts, Elizabeth teaches Tegan the ways of the Hedge Witch, in the process awakening memories—and demons—long thought forgotten.

Part historical romance, part modern fantasy, The Witch’s Daughter is a fresh, compelling take on the magical, yet dangerous world of witches. Readers will long remember the fiercely independent heroine who survives plagues, wars, and the heartbreak of immortality to stay true to herself, and protect the protégé she comes to love.

Jen's pick:

No surprise here: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning. It's the long-awaited finale to her five-book-long Fever series that has kept me and a million others holding our breath for a year and a half, waiting to see what really happened at the end of Dreamfever. I'm planning an attempt to reread the first four books before this one gets here. *gulp* Here's for a HEA for Mac, people. If you hear a crazy woman howl in the evening of January 18th, you'll know why.

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh — a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.

Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?

From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world... or destroy it.

I would also like to mention J. F. Lewis' Crossed, the third book in his Void City series. Eric the vampire is superfun and I can't wait to read/see him again. Crossed is out on January 25.

COMMITTED. CONFLICTED. AND UTTERLY CHAOTIC.

In spite of his continuing hot-blooded affair with his soon-to-be sister-in-law Rachel, Eric’s plan is simple: Give his vampire girlfriend Tabitha the fancy wedding she’s always wanted, then head off to Paris for their honeymoon in the hopes of tracking down his sire, the Empress vampire Lisette. The City of Love proves anything but romantic when the True Immortal rulers of Europe try to block Eric from entering the Continent—and subject Tabitha to a series of challenges to prove her vampire worth. Back home in Void City, Eric’s volatile daughter Greta is getting lonely and bored—and that’s not good news for anyone. And when, like a bat out of hell, Lisette descends upon Void City to wipe Eric and his brood off the face of the earth—forever—this much is clear: the honeymoon is over.

Our Most Anticipated Books of December

Jane’s pick:

I am so excited about this month’s pick! Seer of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier, the 5th book in the Sevenwaters series will be released on Dec. 7th. Woot!!! Jen was the one who introduced me to this series and I was instantly hooked. Thanks again Jen! (You're welcome!) Marillier is a consummate storyteller. Her words flow like honey yet have the clarity and power to blow me away. Love, love, LOVE this series!

Sibeal of Sevenwaters, the teen fifth daughter of the Lord of Sevenwaters, has always known she wants to be a druid. In this romantic follow-up to 2008's Heir of Sevenwaters, Sibeal's uncle Ciaran, her mentor, orders her to spend a summer on the sheltered island of Inis Eala, away from her training, to determine whether the contemplative life is truly for her. At first, Sibeal thinks that Ciaran is punishing her. Then a sudden storm brings a shipwreck and several mysteries that challenge Sibeal's resolve and vocation. Why does the Norseman Knut seem to be holding something back from the islanders, and if Svala is Knut's wife, why is she so terrified of him? And who is the handsome, amnesiac man Sibeal has found washed up on shore? Readers will thrill to this strong, heartfelt tale of the Sevenwaters family and their magical exploits.

Books in the Sevenwaters series:

Daughter of the Forest
Son of the Shadows
Child of the Prophecy
Heir to Sevenwaters


Jen’s pick:

With all the excitement going on with Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series I thought I would add another well-written YA series about faeries into the mix. Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston is the third and final book in her Wondrous Strange series. This series is full of action and teen romance with a strong female voice. I picked the first two books because the story sounded decent and was swept away into Kelley’s world. Fans of Melissa Marr and Julie Kagawa will enjoy this author.

"I don't love Sonny Flannery."
That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats—to a haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City.
But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick—and how to use her own. She's got to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.
The intrigue and romance that began with Wondrous Strange and Darklight come to a stormy head in Tempestuous, the breathtaking conclusion to Lesley Livingston's ravishing urban Faerie trilogy.

Tempestuous will be out just in time for Christmas on December 21.

Our Most Anticipated Books of November

Let's just get on with it shall we?

Jen's pick:

This month's pick is a no-brainer. In fact, for the first time since Jane and I started doing this monthly feature, we picked the same book. Not exactly shocking is it? Not only do we have the same fab taste in books but this book looks like a winner. With its gorgeous cover outside and roster of outstanding writers inside how could I resist?

In this star-studded cross-genre anthology, seventeen of the greatest modern authors of fantasy, science fiction, and romance explore the borderlands of their genres with brand-new tales of ill-fated love. From zombie-infested woods in a postapocalyptic America to faery-haunted rural fields in eighteenth- century England, from the kingdoms of high fantasy to the alien world of a galaxy-spanning empire, these are stories of lovers who must struggle against the forces of magic and fate.

Award-winning, bestselling author Neil Gaiman demonstrates why he’s one of the hottest stars in literature today with “The Thing About Cassandra,” a subtle but chilling story of a man who meets an old girlfriend he had never expected to see.

International blockbuster bestselling author Diana Gabaldon sends a World War II RAF pilot through a stone circle to the time of her Outlander series in “A Leaf on the Winds of All Hallows.” Torn from all he knows, Jerry MacKenzie determinedly survives hardship and danger, intent on his goal of returning home to his wife and baby—no matter the cost.

New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher presents “Love Hurts,” in which Harry Dresden takes on one of his deadliest adversaries and in the process is forced to confront the secret desires of his own heart.

Just the smallest sampling promises unearthly delights, but look also for stories by New York Times bestselling romance authors Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney, and by such legends of the fantasy genre as Peter S. Beagle and Tanith Lee, as well as many other popular and beloved writers, including Marjorie M. Liu, Jacqueline Carey, Carrie Vaughn, and Robin Hobb. This exquisite anthology, crafted by the peerless editing team of George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, is sure to leave you under its spell.

Discover the many realms of the heart with this extraordinary cast of acclaimed authors:
PETER S. BEAGLE
JO BEVERLEY
JIM BUTCHER
JACQUELINE CAREY
DIANA GABALDON
NEIL GAIMAN
YASMINE GALENORN
M.L.N. HANOVER
ROBIN HOBB
CECELIA HOLLAND
TANITH LEE
MARJORIE M. LIU
MARY JO PUTNEY
LINNEA SINCLAIR
MELINDA SNODGRASS
LISA TUTTLE
CARRIE VAUGHN

Songs of Love and Death will be out on November 16, 2010.


Jane’s Pick:

My pick of the month is Matched, the first book in a trilogy by Ally Condie. I seem to have a habit of falling in love with book covers. This one is no exception. It’s beautiful, mysterious and down right intriguing. Don’t you want to know why she is in that green bubble? I know I do!

All her life, Cassia has never had a choice. The Society dictates everything: when and how to play, where to work, where to live, what to eat and wear, when to die, and most importantly to Cassia as she turns 17, who to marry. When she is Matched with her best friend Xander, things couldn't be more perfect. But why did her neighbor Ky's face show up on her match disk as well? She's told it was an error, but something once noticed clamors for attention, and now Cassia can't look away. Ky has many secrets, but the most stunning to Cassia is something she never suspected still existed: creativity. As they fall in love, Cassia's eyes are opened to the truth of the Society, and she knows she can no longer blindly follow its dictates. But the Society isn't through with them, and things get much, much uglier.

This YA book is being released on November 30th.

Our Most Anticipated Books of September

Here we are at the beginning of September already. This year is just speeding by! A new month means a new list of books releases coming out and our picks for what we’re looking forward to the most. Here we go...

Jen’s pick:

Experience the thrill of the hunt in the third October Daye urban fantasy novel.

October "Toby" Daye is a changeling-half human and half fae-and the only one who has earned knighthood. Now she must take on a nightmarish new challenge. Someone is stealing the children of the fae as well as mortal children, and all signs point to Blind Michael. Toby has no choice but to track the villain down-even when there are only three magical roads by which to reach Blind Michael's realm, home of the Wild Hunt-and no road may be taken more than once. If Toby cannot escape with the children, she will fall prey to the Wild Hunt and Blind Michael's inescapable power.

There aren’t many series out there that I actually keep up with but when I get a new Seanan McGuire book, I read it. These are not bookshelf riders folks! If you haven’t tried this particular author before and you like urban fantasy, give her a shot. Her Toby Daye series has been just awesome. Start with Rosemary and Rue, Toby’s first book. If you like something a little darker, try Seanan’s alter ego, Mira Grant, and her book Feed, book one in her Newsflesh Trilogy. I just downloaded this baby and plan to get to it very soon. An Artificial Night comes out on September 7th. Tybalt!!!

I would also like to mention Double Cross, Carolyn Crane’s second book in her Disillusionist series. I reviewed Mind Games in June and I loved that it was so different and provoking and thought it was such a good read that I preordered Double Cross too. I can’t wait to find out what Justine and Packard are going to do next. Double Cross comes out on September 28th.


Jane’s Pick:

Great picks Jen! I really need to move Rosemary and Rue and Mind Games to the top of my TBR pile. The book that I'm looking forward to getting my hands on this month is Lara Adrian's Taken by Midnight, the 8th book in the Midnight Breed series. I’m actually caught up on this series and plan on reading Brock’s story and soon as it lands in my mailbox. Here’s the blurb from the back cover.

At the Crossroads of death and desire, a woman tastes a pleasure no mortal is meant to survive...

In the frozen Alaskan wilderness, former state trooper Jenna Darrow survives an unspeakable breach of body and soul. But with her narrow escape comes an even greater challenge. For strange changes are taking place within her, as she struggles to understand, and control, a new hunger. To do so, she will seek shelter in the Boston compound of the Order, an ancient race of vampire warriors whose very existence is shrouded in mystery. Perhaps the most mysterious of them all is Brock, a brooding, dark-eyed alpha male whose hands hold the power to comfort, heal...and arouse.

As she recovers under Brock’s care, Jenna finds herself drawn to the Order’s mission: to stop a ruthless enemy and it’s army of assassins from subjecting Earth to a reign of terror. Yet in spite of his resolve, a purely physical relationship without the strings soon binds Brock and Jenna together with a desire fiercer than life and stronger than death itself--until a secret from Brock’s past and Jenna’s own mortality challenges their forbidden love ultimate trial by fire.

Taken by Midnight will be released on September 28th. I highly recommend this series :)

Review: Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill

Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene—and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals—not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire. (from chloeneill.com)

Man. This series just gets better and better. I feel pain every time I think about the whole stinking year that has to pass before I get a new Merit read.

Friday Night Bites was about Merit and her internal struggles; Twice Bitten is about her external ones. Merit's finally getting a grip on her vampire and is training to actually be one (her blood requirements notwithstanding). She's working solely with Ethan now to hone her skills. Merit also gets wrapped up with the shifters after Gabriel Keene, Alpha of the region, requests her help as a bodyguard during the upcoming Shifter Convocation, a gathering of all shifters under Gabriel's jurisdiction. The shifters are facing a decision like The Clash: should they stay or should they go? Do they want to get involved with the vampires and their war looming on the horizon or will they leave and go to their territory in Alaska and stay uninvolved? The shifters also toss a mystery to solve in Merit's lap. It was a bit of a relief to see the vampires and their machinations take a back seat here. Merit definitely has enough on her plate.

Merit broadens her familiarity with other vampires in Cadogan House this time. She's still feeling like an outsider but is starting to become more accepted. There's less of her non-vampire friends, like Mallory and Catcher, but with all the new people Merit meets here, I didn't miss them all that much. Nice Poltergeist reference by Mallory though.

The best part of Twice Bitten is Merit's relationship with Ethan. Ethan Sullivan reminds me an awful lot of Eric Northman from Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series: They are both incredibly handsome yet relatively old vampires who hold a measure of power in a bigger scheme. They are both involved with women who they desperately want but don't want to let themselves have. They are both good leaders who will use whatever and whoever they need to be successful. They are both decent and well-meaning but are frequently thoughtless. They have both chosen women who are appealing on their own but possess talents that make the men look better. Eric has his mind-reading Sookie and Ethan has his ass-kicking Merit.

I wish I could say that Merit should just dump Ethan for good since he breaks her heart in all three books but I can't because Ethan and Merit are good together. I just wish he wasn't such a putz each time. There are some awesome scenes in this book between Merit and Ethan and I loved every word in them. I have a feeling that Merit won't make things easy for Ethan in book four, Hard Bitten (working title), coming next July.

I just love this series and have been kicking myself for giving away my copy of Some Girls Bite last year. There is no ebook available that I've been able to find anywhere but amazon so I bought a new paperback copy again. I never do that - buy books twice - but I wanted a set of the three to keep. By next summer, I'll probably have to reread them just to remember what happened but there is one thing I won't forget - Merit's first name :)

Other reviews:
http://www.larissaslife.com/2010/07/review-twice-bitten-chicagoland.html
http://www.bewitchedbookworms.com/2010/07/review-twice-bitten.html
http://yummymenandkickasschicks.com/?p=1863
http://moydrook.blogspot.com/2010/07/blog-post.html

Review: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

the longing.

Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

the loss.

Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of being human.

the linger.

For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life is a constant struggle between two forces - wolf and human - with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough?

I would like to first mention something that is totally superficial: I loved loved loved the green print used in this book. It's one of those little details that seems like it shouldn't be a big deal but when I first opened Linger and saw the green ink, I was delighted! What a nice touch.

I'm kind of relieved that I've finally read Linger. It had a LOT to live up to, didn't it? I wondered what would happen in this book; would it be as awesome as Shiver or would it disappoint, a la Eclipse? What would happen to Sam and would he stay a boy or go back to the wolf? Would he and Grace stay together? On and on and so forth. Well, don't worry because I was not disappointed.

I think the biggest focus in this book was about Sam and his learning to cope with being a REAL LIVE BOY. He keeps testing himself to see if it's still true that he's no longer a wolf - jumping into snowbanks or standing outside in the frigid Minnesota temps in just a t-shirt just to see if anything will jump-start a change. Sam now has a future where he can do almost anything and he can't believe it. Maybe it's more correct to say that he won't let himself believe it. He also is having difficulties figuring out his place in the Pack; he's become Beck's heir-apparent and he's not ready. He's also no longer a wolf but he's now their caretaker, the one the werewolves come to when they need some help. Sam has reluctantly inherited Cole, a new wolf that Beck made at the end of Shiver. Cole is a handful and Sam has no idea how to deal with him.

On the Grace front, Sam has more worries. There's something wrong with Grace, something really wrong health-wise. Her parents have now decided to be parental and are putting their foot (feet?) down when it comes to Sam. Parents of teenage daughters tend to get a little touchy when they find their daughter's boyfriend in bed with her. At night. Under their noses. Being apart from each other takes a toll on Sam and Grace and drives a wedge between Grace and her parents.

Maggie Stiefvater manages to cram lots of story into 360 pages. She also manages to make the relationship between Sam and Grace sweet and loving without being icky. I love Isabel as well and without her, Linger wouldn't be nearly as good as it is. Sarcastic and snarky to the core yet totally vulnerable, Isabel brings along a breath of fresh air and a captivating subplot relationship with Cole. She's become the voice of reason and reality too.

I'm not going to spoil the ending other than to say that I wasn't all that surprised by it (but not unaffected) and thought that it definitely complicates things. While that last part isn't all that astute it's a whopper of an understatement for what's to happen in book three. I was proud of Cole for stepping up the way he did. I do like to see a boy use his brain :) Sam and Grace seem to have an undeniable fate and I will be very surprised if they get their HEA. I don't believe that Stiefvater is the kind of meanie to split them up Romeo and Juliet style, but I just can't see them growing old together as humans.

I have to say, I'm pretty much in love with Sam. He writes songs that are full of love and hope and sadness but he's not emo. He works in a bookstore. He's insightful but not snotty or pretentious. He's kind but not a saint. Plus, he's cute. *sigh*

I spent the better part of an hour this evening reading Maggie Stiefvater's blog, Words on Words by Maggie Stiefvater, and LMAO. I can't wait to see what this chick comes up with next. The third and final installment in the Shiver trilogy, Forever, won't be out until July 2011.

Other reviews:
http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/2010/05/book-review-linger-by-maggie-stiefvater.html
http://www.devourerofbooks.com/2010/07/linger-by-maggie-stiefvater-book-review/
http://dirtysexybooks.com/2010/08/02/review-linger-by-maggie-stiefvater-2010/

Our Most Anticipated Books of August

The first of August is here, readers, and that means that it’s time for Jane and I to be picking the books that we are most looking forward to this month. There are so many great books coming out in August I can hardly believe it and here is what caught our attention the most...

Jen’s picks:

There are actually five books I want BAD this month but don’t worry because I will get them. Oh yes I will. But the one I want the most, have been truly wanting, and will most definitely actually read this month is Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.

Could there possibly be anyone on this planet who has read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire who is not positively quivering because there is less than thirty days before this book is published? I may go back and read the two just for a refresher because it has been a while since I read them but I know what I’m dying to find the answers to here. This is the end to this wholly captivating trilogy about a society that, as punishment for seeking liberty, sends their young to fight for their lives and is forced to view it as entertainment. I can’t wait to see Katniss kick some ass :) Mockingjay comes out on the 24th.


Jane’s picks:

I’m right there with you Jen! There are a handful of books that are coming out this month that I NEED (lol) to get my hands on too. I’m not usually a fan of anthologies because the stories are just too short for any real story and character development (imho). However...I’m really looking forward to Burning Up. (Jen says Me too! Me too!) Anything written by Nalini Singh is an auto-buy for me. I love both her Psy-Changeling and Guild Hunter series. To sweeten the deal, this book includes stories by Meljean Brook, Virgina Kantra and Angela Knight. The best part is that it’s going to be released on Tuesday....sweet :)

Here’s the scoop on each story:

Nalini Singh returns to the world of her Psy-Changeling series as a woman in lethal danger who finds an unlikely protector and lover. Virginia Kantra continues the haunting tales of the Children of the Sea in her story of a wounded soldier rescued by an enigmatic young woman. Meljean Brook launches a bold new steampunk series about a woman who strikes a provocative and terrifying bargain for freedom. Angela Knight pairs a vampire warrior and his seductive captor in battle against demonic predator.

We would love to hear what you are looking forward to reading this month.

Review: The Search by Nora Roberts

Number-one New York Times-bestselling author Nora Roberts presents a novel set in the Pacific Northwest, where an island provides sanctuary, the lush forests seduce the unwary, and a man and a woman find in each other the strength to carry on.

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life - a quaint house on an island off Seattle's coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescue. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare.

Several years ago, she was the only survivor of a serial killer - a madman who stalked and abducted young women, strangled them, and left them buried with a red scarf on their bodies. As authorities were closing in on the Red Scarf Killer, he shot and killed Fiona's cop fiance and his K-9 partner.

On Orcas Island, Fiona has found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. Yet all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He's the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon's house, and he's at his wit's end.

To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can't handle. Simon is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he's a rugged and intensely private artist, known for creating exquisite furniture. Simon never wanted a puppy, and he most definitely doesn't want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to laws of attraction.

As Fiona embarks on training Jaws and as Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona's life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands...

I started reading Nora Roberts's books a good eight or nine years ago. I had a crappy job that had a rotating schedule and I spent the equivalent of one week a month working the night shift, seven p.m. to seven a.m. Books saved my sanity then (and still do) and I couldn't have gotten through those nights without them. They were good times for me and books, those four years on the night shift. I discovered Nora, Sandra Brown, Janet Evanovich, and Tom Clancy among others but these are the ones that stick out in my mind. Now, I've never read a bad Nora Roberts book but I'm beginning to wonder if she's finally worn out her muse. Last year her new summer release, Black Hills, was a DNF for me. Talk about shocked! I figured that, okay, it was bound to happen since she's only written a million books or something and wrote it off as a fluke but The Search didn't blow me away and now I'm worried.

I'm not sure what to say about this book. I think I liked it since I liked it enough to actually finish it. I know that I flip-flopped between being caught up in the story and wondering what the hell Fiona and Simon were doing together. Most of the time, Simon was bitching to himself and to Fiona that he couldn't figure out why he liked her so much. Even stranger was Fiona appreciating him for it! Here's a bit from pages 187-88:

     She took a treat from Simon, rewarded the dog when he reached the top. "You just need to give him a little help figuring out how to walk down, keep his footing. Walk. That's it. Good balance. Good, good job." She rewarded him again at the bottom. "You do it with him so...What?" she demanded when she looked up to find him staring at her.
     "You're not beautiful."
     "There you go again, Mr. Romance."
     "You're not, but you grab hold. I haven't figured out why."
     "Let me know when you do. Take him up and down."
     "And I'm doing this because?"
     "He's learning how to navigate unstable footing. It gives him confidence, enhances his agility. And he likes it."
     She stepped back, watched the two of them play the game a few times. Not beautiful, she thought. The observation, and the fact that he just said it, should've been a flick to the ego - even though it was perfectly true. So why had it amused her, at least for the few seconds between that and his next comment?
     You grab hold. That made her heart flutter.
     The man incited the oddest reactions in her.

Simon incited the oddest reactions in me too. Sometimes I liked him, other times I didn't. Witnessing him being cranky and antisocial, I kept wondering why she would want him. I'm not sure that in real life, the sex would be worth the high maintenance man who doesn't want you to get too comfortable in his big, messy house. Maybe it's just that men that blunt and bossy tend to tick me off, even if it's misplaced worry and/or love. It finally came down to the realization that they matched. Simon pushed Fiona when she needed it and even bullied her sometimes. Obviously, the whole "tough love" idea really worked for him. Fiona, on the other hand, drew Simon out of his house and his workshop and got him to get over himself and accept that he loved her. BTW, I really want to see the sink he made out of that stump.

It wasn't just the issues between Fiona and Simon that bothered me - I wasn't too terribly affected by the villain. When it came down to the final showdown, he wasn't very scary. Yes, he was murderous and evil but he liked to talk to his victims a little too much and he came off as a whiny younger brother, sick of being suck in big brother's shadow. I agree with the reviewer from the link below about how the final third of The Search turned into a "typical suspense novel." This book went dogs, dogs, dogs, Fiona & Simon, dogs, and then Silence of the Lambs without the face eating but with lots of FBI. And it wasn't all that suspenseful.

I did like all the animal training info I learned. I've informed my husband that if one would use the guidelines and training rules Fiona uses in this book, then we are indeed bad pet owners :) Jaws, Newman, Bogart, and Peck, a.k.a. the dogs, were definitely the highlights of The Search. I'm thinking that I should probably run out and grab the newest J. D. Robb book, just so I can remember why I read Nora Roberts.

Where my copy came from: public library

Other reviews:
http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookReview.pl?BookReviewId=7932

Our Most Anticipated Books for July

Jane's pick:

The book I'm looking forward to the most this month is Twice Bitten, the third book in the Chicagoland Vampire series by Chloe Neill. Merit, the heroine in this series, rocks. She's smart, loyal, sassy and can kick butt when she needs to. There were plenty of laugh out loud moments in the first two books in this series and I'm looking forward to seeing what Merit is up to next. If you haven't read anything by Chloe Neill yet you might want to give this series a try!

Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit, Chicago's newest vampire. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene-and to spy for the vamps while she's at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan's offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.
Unfortunately, someone is gunning for Gabriel, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She'll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals-not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries-old master vampire.

Jen's pick:

Boy, this is a toughie. On one hand, there's Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, the sequel to that awesome YA pararom Shiver. Everybody who read it has been eagerly awaiting Linger since they finished the Shiver in 2009. Grace and Sam, I have missed you. 

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love - the light and the dark, the warm and the cold - in a way you will never forget.

On the other is As Lie the Dead by Kelly Meding, a crossover pararom/urban fantasy that picks up where the first book, Three Days to Dead, ended. If you like a kickass heroine mixed with just about any supernatural bugaboo you can imagine and a decent pinch of romance (but not too much) then Kelly Meding's series is for you.

Evangeline Stone, a rogue bounty hunter, never asked for a world divided between darkness and light . . .

. . . or the power to die and live again in someone else’s borrowed body. After a murder plot meant to take her out leaves an entire race of shapeshifters nearly extinct, Evy is gnawed by guilt. So when one of the few survivors of the slaughter enlists her aid, she feels duty-bound to help—even though protecting a frail, pregnant shifter is the last thing Evy needs, especially with the world going to hell around her.

Amid weres, Halfies, gremlins, vamps—and increasingly outgunned humans—a war for supremacy is brewing. With shifters demanding justice, her superiors desperate to control her, and an assassin on her trail, Evy discovers a horrifying conspiracy. And she may be the only person in the world who can stop it—unless, of course, her own side gets her first.

I pick them both :) Happy reading!

Our Most Anticipated Books for June

Ladies first...

Jane's pick:

I am a Stephanie Plum fan and will certainly be getting my hands on a copy of Sizzling Sixteen as soon as it's released. But the book that has me intrigued is A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff which will be released in the US on June 29th. Romance, mystery, a vintage clothing store in London, and wonderful quirky characters? I have no doubt that I'm going to enjoy this story. It's being released as a hardcover here but you might be able to find a paperback copy that was printed last year in the UK and Canada.


Jen's pick:

When I was looking for my pick, something kept nagging at me as if I was forgetting something. My upcoming releases page looked like something had been missing so I started trolling the bookseller websites and lo and behold, I found what was missing on Borders.com. How could I have missed this and not put it on my upcoming list?

I'm a bad book blogger. Bad.

Open Country by Kaki Warner has been a much-anticipated book for me ever since I read Pieces of Sky several months back (go HERE to see my review). It's the second of the Blood Rose trilogy and focuses on the middle brother, Hank. Hank is severely injured when he wakes and discovers that he's married to an unfamiliar woman who has children. His wife, Molly, is on the run with her late sister's children and has taken advantage of Hank's situation to insinuate herself into his life and hopefully, find safety. The third book, Chasing the Sun, is out in January 2011. I have already added it to it's proper page.

The Obvious Post

Today has certainly been the day for book release day posts, hasn't it? About a certain book in particular that I, too, am excited about. I know I've certainly been looking forward to this day. I was so excited that I got to B&N before Magic Bleeds was even on their shelves and as a result made the bookstore people hunt for it in "the back". What surprised me even more was that the woman I spoke to, a woman who is in my age bracket of the prime childbearing years and works in a bookstore, wasn't familiar with Ilona Andrews. For shame! Have you ever heard of such a thing? Here, enjoy the marvelousness of what I bought:

I've had my eye on The Sweet Scent of Blood for-freaking-ever but it was impossible to catch anywhere. I guess they've rereleased it or something here in the US and I snatched that sucker up when I saw it today.

Another awesome aspect of the Kate Daniels series - each book is getting progressively longer. Magic Bleeds tops out at a whopping 347 pages! Magic Strikes was 320 pages, Magic Burns and Magic Bites were both 272 pages and I am all for more Kate and Curran. Give me as much as I can take :)

Now, I'll try to start Magic Bleeds tonight after dinner. I've had The Demon's Covenant in my hot little hands for several days now but haven't even managed to crack it open yet, if you can believe that. It's definitely not for lack of wanting either. Here's the deal: we brought home a new member of our family on Friday, a little girl kitten, and she has taken over our household. Our sleeping schedules have been out of whack and today I finally managed to regain a semblance of normalcy which is such a relief. I did get a little reading in, however, and hope to review some more of those books this week. I also want to talk a little about my experiences with a borrowed Sony eReader. I've started the first part of "Stopping Time," the short stories by Melissa Marr, on the little machine. The story is, of course, wonderful but do I like reading it that way? I guess we'll find out.