Sunday, December 28, 2008

Dead Until Dark


Title: Dead Until Dark
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Sookie Stackhouse /Southern Vampire Series (Book 1)
Genre: Paranormal Romance



Jumping back on the Paranormal Romance wagon, I picked up Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. It is part of the Sookie Stackhouse story and the Southern Vampires Series. Interestingly enough, the books also inspired the HBO TV show entitled True Blood.

Dead Until Dark introduces us to Sookie, a waitress in a small town in Louisianna who can hear other people's thoughts. Because of this "disability" she doesn't have much of a social life and definitely doesn't date. In this time of the world, Vampires are now a legally recognized group of people. They are said to be suffering from a disease, but we later find out that's just what they want people to believe. They are able to be around everyone because there is a new synthetic blood made that they can live on.

Sookie is very excited when her town has it's first Vampire visitor/soon to be local. He comes into her workplace and she knows right away, due to his glow. She eventually learns through listening to others thoughts that a couple plans on draining him of his blood and leaving him to die. Vampire blood has lots of uses including: increased sexual stamina/response, healing properties and other things that we learn about later. Sookie saves him and learns that she cannot hear his thoughts. This of course leads into a relationship between the two.

Around the same time there are several women who are dying in town. They all have old bites left from vampires, which leads the town to dislike Bill (Sookie's Vampire). Sookie's brother Jason is also high up on the suspect list. These two suspects lead to Sookie investigating to find out who the murderer is, and unfortunately she finds out in a rough way.

This was an interesting read and I'm anxiously awaiting the next book, which I have on hold at the library. The legalization of Vampires leads to a whole new level of life that appears well thought out and interesting. There are fun new terms such as Fang Banger (my personal favorite).

One thing that just irked me, and I was ready to put down the book then and there was when Bill bit Sookie. I was angry for some reason. Perhaps it stemmed off the "no biting" attitude left over from Twilight.

I've started watching the True Blood series online (http://www.free-tv-video-online.info/internet/true_blood/). I can definitely see why it is on HBO - very graphic and highly sexual.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Tribute


Title: Tribute
Author: Nora Roberts
Series: None
Genre: Romance



I am a Nora Roberts fan, I believe I've written all (romance novels) that she has written. I usually love them all, but this one, was disappointing.

Tribute follows Cilla, a washed up child star, as she moves into her grandmother's (who was a very popular movie star back in the day) abandoned home in a rural area. It is an accepted fact that the grandmother committed suicide but when Cilla finds love letters in the attic from that time, she's not so sure anymore. Cilla meets her neighbor Ford who lives across the street and his so ugly he's cute dog Spock. The two weather through the mystery of who the unsigned letters are from, and finally what really happened to Cilla's Grandmother. And of course, being a romance novel they are engaged by the end.

I don't know what it was about the story, it just didn't grip me and pull me in like she usually does. Perhaps it was less developed because it's a stand alone book instead of a trilogy. But either way, reading this was a straight and boring line, little excitement and it took me a while to read it because I just didn't care.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Extras


Title: Extras
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Series: Uglies (Book 4)
Genre: Young Adult



I was skeptical about the fourth book in the Uglies series when I realized it did not revolve around Tally but a new character Aya.

Extras follows Aya in her quest for a high face rank. Everyone has a feed - a "channel" where they can broadcast whatever they want. If you have a high rank you get things for free because you are entertaining (much like a celebrity). If you have a low rank you need to do things to earn merits (almost like money). You get a higher face rank by people watching your feed and/or saying your name. Aya starts off low in the 450,000's. But she moves up whens she breaks a big story. Which, surprise, brings Tally in. I liked the story just fine until Tally showed up. Then I felt it went downhill. I was confused in the descriptions of the Extras' stuff and home.

One thing that it made me think of was Facebook and MySpace. You post things on them, people look at them and in some degree, through your friends and following you have a "rank". I've no idea if that was something he thought about when writing the story, but it's what came to mind for me.

One thing I did love was the dedication page said, "For all the people who wrote to tell me the true meaning of triology" or something along those lines. It made me smile :)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Pretties & Specials


Title: Pretties
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Series: Uglies (Book 2)
Genre: Young Adult


I finally finished the next two books in the Uglies trilogy - Pretties and Specials.

Pretties follows Tally after she has become a Pretty. She is living in Pretty town with Peris, Shay and her new friends the Crims. They party, they drink and life is great. That is until Tally gets a surprise visit from one of the old Smokies. He sends her and her new friend Zane (who I love, especially in the next book) on a wild chase to find a letter that Tally wrote to herself and two pills for the cure. She and Zane split the cure, each taking one pill. Of course they eventually get into trouble and try to run from the city to New Smoke.

Now, I enjoyed this book about Tally's pretty days, although I almost wish we would have learned more about PrettyTown before she took the cure. I suppose, that would have been less interesting then the excitement of running from the city.


Title: Specials
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Series: Uglies (Book 2)
Genre: Young Adult


Next up was Specials, which I must say, I liked the least of the three books. Tally has become an all power force as a special part of Special Circumstances. She bows down to Shay's rule, who is nothing like the Shay from book one or even book 2. I felt that this story really showed their heartless side (which is what they were suppose to be, so good job on that) but I just didn't feel as invested in their story. That did eventually change near the end of the book. I do feel that this was a good "ending" to the trilogy though, to me it just fit.

As I was searching the net I came across a website that has the last chapter of Specials with the authors commentary. http://www.behindthepulse.com/uglies/specialschapterfinalB.pdf I thought that there were a few interesting thoughts in it. One thing I didn't notice was the last word in the book Uglies was pretty, in Pretties was special and in Specials was ugly.

One thing that did weird me out about this book was that when I opened it, the Tally on the cover's (I assume it's her) left eye looked at me from behind the pages. Since the pages didn't totally cover her eye, she was always watching me. I don't know if that was done on purpose or not, but once I noticed it I couldn't not notice.

I'm currently working on reading the fourth book - which isn't about Tally at all (This I am sad about), but does take place in the same city a few years later.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Cutting Loose


Title: Cutting Loose
Author: Susan Andersen
Series: Sisterhood Diaries (Book 1)
Genre: Contemporary Romance


I picked this book up because it was in the "New Books" section at the library. It's by Susan Andersen. This was a contemporary romance book and takes place in current times. I felt that the story was okay, but overall the book was simply mediocre. I probably would have stopped reading it, but it was the only book I had with me at work, so I continued to read it.

The story is of Jane and her two friends Ava and Poppy (who I'm sure will have books later). The girls had very different up bringings and backgrounds but are the best of friends. When their childhood friend, an older wealthy lady, dies she leaves them all of her belongings and her mansion. They decided to have it updated and hire in a family owned company to do exactly that. This is where Devlin - Dev, comes in. He and Jane are just immediately attracted on one another and decide to try the no strings attached thing, but being a romance novel obviously that doesn't work.

My biggest issue with the story is Jane and Devlin have very little interaction until two thirds through the book when they hop into bed together out of the blue. In addition to that, they have a fight later on in the book that again, seems forced and fake.

The next book is indeed Poppy's story entitled, Bending the Rules, and comes out this summer.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Seduce Me At Sunrise


Title: Seduce Me at Sunrise
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Series: Hathaway Series (Book 2)
Genre: Romance



I'd been on the waiting list at my library for this book for so long, I forgot why I wanted it in the first place. I knew it was by Lisa Kleypas, who I really enjoy, but was worried because it was book 2 in a series where I hadn't read book one.

Boy was I mistaken. I started reading the story and thought hmm... these names sound familiar. Then I stumbled upon the thought that I had indeed read the first book, Mine till Midnight. Not only had I read it, but I had highly enjoyed it and immediately requested the next book. This all was a pleasant surprise when I was starting to read it. Although I enjoy reading new books, it is always nice to read a book where you already know some of the characters and the world behind it.

Seduce Me at Sunrise followed in the footsteps of it's predecesor, I highly enjoyed it. It follows Winn - the younger sister of Amelia (First Book) as she goes away to France to become well. She has been extremely ill since she had scarlet fever as a child. She has also been in love with a Gypsy that her family took in as a child, Merripen. This is their story as Merripen overcomes his demons from childhood and can finally have the life with Winn that she wants.

Since there are several Hathaway sisters left, and a brother - I am assuming there will be at least 3 books more. I also predict book #3 will be about Leo and of course, the Governess. We shall see - I can find no mention of the title or release date, must be to far in the future.