A Bit of Me(Me): Phobias

A Bit of Me(Me) is hosted by the1stdaughter from There's a Book.  Here's what she has to say about the event:

We all leave our “footprint” on the world, in one way or another. We each, individually, do something or are someone that makes the world a little better just by being here. I created this weekly meme to get to know the blogging community I love just a bit better. To know what makes them tick, outside of books, that is. Each week I will post a question to be answered in the following week’s “A Bit of Me(Me)”.

This week's question is: What is your absolute greatest phobia?

Is there a difference between a fear and a phobia?  Let me check.  (pause while Vanessa browses the internets) Yes, apparently there is a difference.  According to Dictionary.com, a phobia is a "a persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that leads to a compelling desire to avoid it."

In that case, I have no phobias.  My husband says I'm claustrophobic, but he is WRONG.  Fear of small, enclosed spaces is clearly a rational fear.  What if I breathe all the air in the enclosed space and I die?  What if I'm trapped in a corner and someone attacks me and I can't run away and I die?  What if there are no books in the enclosed space and I die (of boredom)?

See?  No phobias here.  Now, don't stand too close to me, I don't like being hemmed in.

I'm a special guest!

I'm being featured today on Fairy Tale Friday over at Tif Talks Books.  Hop on over to find out why I like fairy tales so much, and exactly which book inspired Once Upon a Week!

New Arrivals! Happy Birthday To Me...

Death's Excellent Vacation - Various Authors (review) Description: New York Times bestselling authors Charlaine Harris, Katie MacAlister, Jeaniene Frost-plus Lilith Saintcrow, Jeff Abbott, and more-send postcards from the edge of the paranormal world to fans who devoured Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and Many Bloody Returns.  With an all-new Sookie Stackhouse story and twelve other original tales, editors Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner bring together a stellar collection of tour guides who offer vacations that are frightening, funny, and touching for the fanged, the furry, the demonic, and the grotesque. Learn why it really can be an endless summer-for immortals.

It was my birthday a little over a week ago, and my clever husband got me an Amazon gift card, which I traded in for the following:

In the stack:

Not One Clue - Lois Greiman

Brightly Woven - Alexandra Bracken

The Wide Awake Princess - E.D. Baker

Heist Society - Ally Carter

Princess of Glass - Jessica Day George

Sea Glass - Maria V. Snyder

Magic Study - Maria V. Snyder

Fire Study - Maria V. Snyder

Raised by Wolves - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Review: Forbidden Sea by Sheila A Nielson

Summary:  Adrienne thought there was nothing else the world could take away from her family.  With the loss of her beloved father, she's also lost her home, her freedom, and her mother's health.  When a mermaid appears and tries to take her sister, Cecily, Adrienne is determined to stop her at any cost.  But what if Cecily isn't the one the mermaid is really after?

My thoughts: I have only good things to say about this book.  I absolutely loved it.  That is due mostly to the main character. Adrienne is the kind of heroine that only comes along once in a long while.  She makes ordinary extrordinary.  Not particularly pretty or smart or talented, ignored by the people she'd like to impress, she nonetheless learns to recognize her own incredible value.  Reading the book, I kept thinking that if my daughter grew up like Adrienne, I would be proud.  I loved the way she jumped to the aid of anyone who needed it, even though she had so little herself.  And I love a character who can get a good righteous rage going.

If an awesome heroine isn't enough for you, how about mystery, injustice, romance, danger, and MERMAIDS!? 
 

Final word: (5/5) Strong characters and fast-paced action make this a great choice for middle graders and others who are young at heart.  Can't wait to read this aloud to my daughters.

Recommended by: I first heard of this book in a review over at Tales of Whimsy.  Juju said this book reminded her of Shannon Hale's fairy tale retellings and I knew I had to read it.   Thanks for the recommendation, Juju!

Teaser Tuesday: Forbidden Sea

This week's teaser comes from Forbidden Sea by Sheila A Neilson.

I dropped the oar, putting out a hand toward her, as if somehow I could stop the inevitable from happening.  The whole world tilted dangerously beneath us as my sister struggled for balance.  The next thing I knew we were thrown into the shocking cold water, the overturned boat slamming its full weight on top of us.

Review coming soon!

Teaser Tuesday is a production of Should Be Reading. 

Review: Only The Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

This review contains mild spoilers for the rest of the Gallagher Girls series.

Long story short:  It's a whole new year at the Gallagher Academy.  New year, and now that Cammie is apparently the target of an international terrorist association, new rules.  Rule #1: No sneaking out!  It's hard to follow the rules, though, when one of your most trusted allies suddenly seems to be one of the bad guys.  Cammie is determined to find out the truth, and it's hard to keep a girl locked up when she's spent her entire life learning escape techniques.

My thoughts:  This book is everything that's good about the series and then a little extra.  Great characters, fast-paced action, plenty of humor... and this time, the plot is thickening. 

This book gave me what I've been missing from the series- a driving force.  An overarching plot line that takes the story that little bit deeper and gives you a reason to fully commit.  Carter has got the characters all set up, their backstories are established and the reader has a feel for everyone.  Now she just sets them free to play, and it's fantastic.   Cammie and her friends are just so much fun to read.  I also loved seeing a bit more of the ever-mysterious Zack.

Final word: (5/5) Definitely my favorite of the series so far.

Review: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

This review contains spoilers for the entire Vampire Academy series.  Sorry, it just can't be avoided at this point in the series.

Long story short:  Rose loves Dimitri.  Dimitri is now an evil vampire.  Rose tried to kill him.  It didn't stick (haha, a little stake humor there for you).  Now Dimitri's trying to kill Rose.  Rose thinks she might have found a way to cure Dimitri.  Only thing is, she'll have to break her (other) arch-enemy out of prison to get her hands on the cure.  If it even exists. 

My thoughts: I feel like the grandpa in the beginning of The Princess Bride when he's talking about how great the book is, "monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles!"  This book has it all.  It really does.

I have been waiting about a million years for this book to come out.  Or at least since February.  So when I finally got my shaking hands on a copy, I decided to pace myself.  Just a couple chapters a night, to try and make it last longer.  Yeah, right.  Likes that's going to happen.  I lasted until about halfway in.  This book is just so stinkin' addictive that I couldn't keep myself from finding out what happens next.

I know there are a lot of Adrian fans out there who are going to hate me for this, but I just don't like the whole Adrian-Rose relationship.  He's a nice guy and everything, but by the time he entered the scene I was so invested in Dimitri that I just couldn't transfer my affections.  For me, it's Dimitri all the way.  I guess I'm just a one-man woman (Joe breathes a sigh of relief).

So, essentially, this series continues to be awesomeness incarnate (in-page-ate?) and if you aren't reading it yet, you should be.

Final word: (5/5) Obviously we're not anticipating a Giller prize nomination, but for what this book is, it just couldn't be any better.  The ending is killing me, though, and I just don't know how I am supposed to survive until December 7th:

Exciting news!  In case you hadn't heard yet, Vampire Academy has been optioned for a movie.  You can keep up to date on new developments by "liking" the Official Vampire Academy Movie Page on Facebook.

Got Books? Winner!

Well, I have to say that Got Books? weekend was just as much fun as I thought it would be.  I had lots of fun visiting other blogs and I added quite a few to my already overstuffed Google Reader.  I also added over 60 new followers myself during the event - HI NEW FOLLOWERS! - and I will for sure be participating again next time around.  Again, many thanks to the masterminds behind the event, GMR and Danielle. 

The winner of my giveaway is:

Betty Mc!!

Review + Interview + Giveaway: Linger

Welcome to my blog tour stop for Linger by Maggie Stiefvater!  There's a lot going on in this post, so pay close attention.  Many thanks to Maggie and the folks at Scholastic and Scholastic Canada for making it possible for me to participate.

REVIEW

Shiver was good.  You know I loved it.  And I'm here to tell you, Linger is even better.  If you haven't read Shiver yet, you need to leave this review right here so you can avoid spoilers.

When we last saw Sam and Grace, Sam had managed to become fully human and things were looking good for the young lovers.  Now Grace is getting sick, and neither she nor Sam has any idea what's wrong.  To complicate matters even further, one of the new wolves, Cole St. Clair, has a dangerous past that's catching up to him and might just expose all the wolves.

Maggie Stiefvater's talent for beautiful writing is improving with every book.  She has this way of crystallizing in a few sentances feelings and ideas that I recognize and feel the rightness of, even though I could never have put them into words myself.  It's hard to explain, but it's amazing to read.  I read this book cover to cover in a day, then read it again because it's just that good.

Shiver was told jointly from the perspectives of Sam and Grace.  One of my favorite parts of Linger is the addition of two new viewpoints telling the tale.  We met Isabelle in Shiver, but Cole St. Clair is an all new character, one of the new wolves created by Beck.  I've always thought myself immune to the lure of the bad boy, but I have to say I've got a little bit of a crush on Cole.

I'm really struggling here to come up with something I didn't like about this book.  Well, I suppose I could warn you that, while Shiver ended in a way that gave readers some closure on the story, Linger is going to leave you absolutely dying for book three, Forever. 

INTERVIEW

1) Describe yourself in three words.

Pretty. Effing. Neurotic.

2) I saw the beautiful trailers you created for Shiver and Linger. Music, art, writing... seems like there's nothing you can't do! Tell me, is there anything you are NOT good at?

Oh, thanks! Really bad at? I am actually really bad at lots of things, but I don’t generally put the things that I suck at online, I mean, unless it would make a good story. For instance, I am really, really not good at making tortillas. The last time I attempted it, there was a lot of smoke and a weird fish smell.

3) Which of your four protagonists is the most fun for you to write?

Well they all have their fun bits, because I’m a terrible person and I love writing angsty scenes that torture my characters. But I have to say, as a writer, it’s the most fun to write a character who changes dramatically over the course of the book. Or even scene to scene. So I’m gonna go with Cole.

4) I know you don't recommend dating faeries. How do you feel about dating werewolves?

I can’t believe you’re asking for dating advice from a girl who married the first man she officially went out with. I would say you’re better off dating a werewolf than a drummer but worse off than if you were dating someone who could really do a good job on your taxes.

5) What was the last book you read that you absolutely loved?

Linger. No, I’m kidding. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I would’ve slept with this book under my pillow when I was a teen.

GIVEAWAY

Courtesy of Scholastic Canada, I have one brand new copy of Linger to giveaway.  To enter, you must live in Canada, leave a comment on this post, and fill out this form.

LINKAGE
 
MaggieStiefvater 's website
Maggie on Twitter
Maggie on Facebook
Shiver series website

LINGER TRAILER

Got Books? Giveaway

It's Got Books? time!  Who else is super excited?  For those who don't know, this event is a giveaway carnival, and all the prizes are book-related. You can head back the main event page  for a complete list of participating blogs.  There are 108, can you believe it?  Hurry!  All the giveaways will be ending by midnight tomorrow!

So, this is my giveaway- One winner in Canada or the US will win one of these prize packs, their choice:

Prize Pack #1 - Mystery

Prize Pack #2 - Romance

I'll also be throwing in a few mystery bookmarks and other fun stuff.  To enter, all you need to do is fill out THIS FORM.  Good luck!

Many thanks to GMR from Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers and the1stdaughter from There's A Book for your hard work organizing this event.

Review: I Now Pronouce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Bronwen Oliver has a theory that she was switched at birth.  It's the only idea she can come up with that would explain why she's so totally out of place in her own family.  When Jared Sondervan walks into her life, though, Bronwen thinks she's finally found where she belongs.  He seems perfect for her- and she fits into his family the way she never can in her own.  Then Jared proposes and Bronwen accepts, launching into planning a wedding when all her friends are mentally decorating their dorm rooms.  Everything is moving so fast, but Jared is what Bronwen really wants.... right?

My thoughts:  In the first few pages of this book, I didn't think I was going to like it.  I'm glad I kept going, though, because it's turned into one of my favorite books this month.  I Now Pronounce You Someone Else is a light, fun read that surprised me by having quite a bit of substance to it. 

The writing style is very casual and conversational. I felt like I could be listening to a friend telling me about her love life.  Think Meg Cabot, with less, "well, like, totally!"  I think the style really suits the story.  As I read about Bronwen's experiences, I fell in love with her quirky sense of humor, her strong sense of self, and her vulnerablility.  She's a girl who knows what she believes in, and she'll stand up for it.  Even if it takes her a little while to work up the courage.  I think I'm living under the delusion that she and I are friends now.

Not all the characters are so admirable, but they're all great.  I think I have found a strong contender to beat Mrs. Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) for the title of "Most Annoying Fictional Mother Of All Time."  Bronwen's mother is truly horrifying, without being evil. No wonder Bronwen has issues.

The variety of themes and issues touched on in this book is truly amazing.  Off the top of my head, there's love, loss,  family ties, knowing yourself, standing up for what you believe and what you want, forgiveness and growing up.  It's the kind of book you can read over and over and get something new from it every time.

Several reviewers have mentioned that the romance between Bronwen and Jared is so rushed, they couldn't get into it.  I think in some ways that's really the point.  They're young, and they're getting in too deep, too fast.  The reader is supposed to feel a bit uncomfortable with it all, just like Bronwen does.  But for my money, I actually liked the romance.  I though Jared was very sweet and funny, that he and Bronwen were a good fit together. 

Final word: (5/5) One of those rare books that manages to be both fluffy and insightful.  Took me a while to get into the story, but I like it more the more I think about it.

Content: Sex is mentioned, but handled in a way I would be totally comfortable with offering to young teens.

About Erin McCahan:  "On my fourth day on the job, I had such a fit of nervous laughter on the phone – having to use the word enema three times in a scripted response to new patients – that I got booted from the receptionist’s desk to the insurance office where I just typed forms for weeks on end." -Borrowed from the bio on her website.

Second opinions:
Steph Su Reads (4/5)
YA Reads (3/5)
Cornucopia of Reviews (C)
Books by Their Cover (B+)
Reflections With Coffee
Did I miss yours?

Teaser Tuesday: I Now Pronounce You Someone Else

Today's teaser is from I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan.

And I allowed myself to scrunch my face up all night long since I knew, from experience, that it would not freeze that way.

No kiss again.

This and the secret to the Roommate Questionnaire were starting to bother me.

A unique story and a quirky heroine that I am loving so far.  Review later this week.

Review: Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Summary: Princess Una of Parumvir just turned eighteen, an excellent age for marriage.  Accordingly, the suitors are starting to arrive.  But when Prince Aethelbald shows up at the palace, Una is less than impressed.  He's stodgy and boring- not at all what she had in mind, despite his professions of love.  With her heart set on a more dashing and mysterious young man, Una rejects Aethelbald and he leaves in disgrace.  But when a Dragon arrives in Parumvir, Una realizes (too late?) that Aethelbald might have been her country's only hope.

My thoughts:  Yikes.  How would you like to be saddled with a moniker like Aethelbald?

Fortunately for Prince A., he has plenty of redeeming qualities.  Loyal, kind, and brave, he's exactly the man you want if you're looking for someone to save your kingdom.  Unfortunately, if you're a slightly silly eighteen-year-old princess, you're more interested in good looks and poise.  Ah, the course of true love never did run smooth.

I really enjoyed this story.  Princess Una, even if she is a little silly, is a charming protagonist and you can't help liking her.  Prince A. is, as I said, a strong and admirable character and I really wanted for him to get the girl.  There's a wise and kind king, an annoying younger brother, a talented jester and even a talking cat!  With a cast of characters like this, it's hard to go wrong.

Una's adventures as she tries to save her kingdom from a dragon (and find true love along the way) are exciting and orginal.  I would have loved to see the land of Parumvir and the world around it developed a little more, however.  There was a lot of potential that was never fully realized.

Some of you might not realize that this novel is written as an allegory.  I find that Christian beliefs can be a bit more disturbing (or perhaps a better word is challenging) when embedded in a romantic storyline than they are in, say, The Chronicles of Narnia.  The allegory here reminds me a little bit of Ted Dekker's Black, Red and White trilogy, but the story is different.  This book definitely offers up a unique perspective that got me thinking about Christianity in a new way. 

Final word: (4/5) I liked it overall, but found the writing a little confusing from time to time.

Content: Mild violence. Perfectly appropriate for ages 12+, though some of the content may go over younger readers heads.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Cream of the Crop (13)

Cream of the Crop is an occasional feature where I highlight posts and blogs that have grabbed my attention this week.

JT Oldfield of The Bibliofreak blog shared this video of a dance mob at the Seattle Public Library.  JT, your library is so much more fun than my library.

Lisa at The Little Reader wants to know if we should all try to be better readers.  Do you ever rush through a book without really taking the time to enjoy it?  I know I do.

Anna at Anna's Book Blog is compiling a list of giveaways.  She's updating it daily and she'd be happy to publicize your giveaway for you.  If giveaways are your thing (who doesn't like free stuff?) I suggest you bookmark the page!

Today is the last day to sign up for Got Books!  This Blogmania-style event is scheduled for July 23-24th.  Right now, there are 93 blogs scheduled to participate.

Review: Perfectly Dateless by Kristin Billerbeck

Summary: Daisy Crispin is a certified high-school pariah, even at her exclusive Christian school.  She's the only poor kid in her class, she wears dorky homemade clothes, and she's not allowed to date.  But Daisy is determined her senior year is going to be different.  She's set her sights on better clothes, saving money for college and a car, and the ultimate goal- her longtime crush Chase Doogle on her arm at the prom.  Assuming, of course, that she can convince her parents to let her go to the prom.

My thoughts:   I'm having a hard time framing my thoughts about this book into a usable sentence.

Have you ever identified so strongly with a character in a book that it was a little painful?   Naive, awkward and haunted by the sense that she's forever slightly out of synch with the world around her, Daisy Crispin's picture can be found in the encyclopedia under "sheltered Christian kid, North American."  She reminds me of myself at that age, except my parents are WAY less crazy.  Daisy's parents are extremely overprotective, to the point that even Daisy's desire to wear makeup looks like major rebellion.  Yikes! 

Plenty of laughs to be had here.  Daisy's habit of spouting random facts when she's nervous was hilarious, even as her embarrassment had me cringing right along with her.  I also think anyone who's ever spent some time in a conservative Christian environment will laugh at her observations about her church, parents and school - so true! 

The places where I thought the story was a little weak was mostly in the romance department.  The two guys playing the part of romantic possibility took a long time to develop personalities, and Daisy's interest in them didn't have much emotion behind it. 

Final word: (3.5/5) Perfectly Dateless is good clean fun- a fast, easy read that you'll breeze on through. 

Content: Some reference to teen drinking and drug use.  Reference to the date rape drug Flunitrazepam.  These are tastefully handled, definitely not glorified.   In my opinion, this book is perfectly appropriate for ages 13+.

About Kristin Billerbeck:  "I grew up with a strong sense of justice. I simply knew the way things should be. And since I’m not smart enough to be a district attorney, I am a novelist. My childhood was slightly confusing. I blame my parents for this. Oh heck, I’m going to blame them for everything. I think I would have turned out normal if it weren’t for them." -borrowed from her website

Second opinions:
My Friend Amy
Cheryl's Book Nook
Did I miss yours?

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Review: The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman

Summary: Thomas Cale has been raised by the Brothers in the Sanctuary of the Redeemer.  That is, if you can call being near-starved, tortured, and trained as a soldier, "raised."  If he's learned one thing, it's to keep his head down, do as he's told, and guard his rebellious thoughts vigilantly.  Then Cale learns one of the Brothers' most well-kept secrets, and hiding his rebellion is no longer an option- he must escape.  Fleeing the Sanctuary for the great city of Memphis, Cale sees life he never knew could exist.  But the Brothers have one more secret.  Cale is special, and they aren't about to let him get away.

My thoughts: Can dystopian novels have a medieval setting?  This book has a very dystopian feel to it.  Cale's life at the hands of the Brothers is nothing short of horrifying, and I think the sympathy I felt for him really helped to pull me into the story at the beginning.  The story starts off with a bang, with Cale very quickly uncovering a puzzling secret that quickly turns deadly.  His discovery necessitates him fleeing the Sanctuary of the Brothers immediately, along with two fellow acolytes, Kleist and Vague Henry.  With the Brothers in hot pursuit, Cale and his companions flee across a forbidding landscape and suddenly find themselves in the company of some very high society.  It's exciting!

Unfortunately, at this point in the story some of the magic was lost, at least for me.  From this point on, I had a hard time connecting with Cale as a character. He got so weird (understandable, given his upbringing) that I just couldn't find anything to latch on to.  The characters in general were a weak point in this novel, they felt very plastic.  The two I most enjoyed, Vague Henry and the adventurer IdrisPukke, didn't get nearly as much page time as I would have liked. 

I was confused by the world-building in this novel.  I'm 95% sure that this story is not meant to be set in our world, but the place names, colloquialisms, and religious politics are drawn nearly verbatim from good ole planet Earth.  There's reference to Jews and Jesus of Nazereth in nearly the same breath as the purely fictional elements.  I found it jarring.  I couldn't get settled into Cale's world, because I kept trying to figure out where his world was.   While the religious imagery in this novel hindered the world-building to some extent, Hoffman has used it to do an exploration of religion in general.  I thought the philosophy was interesting, even where I didn't agree, but some people might be offended.

After some meandering and several random events that were never fully developed, the story does pick up again, but I just didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped to after the first few chapters.  I also had a hard time figuring out what the target audience of the book is.  The protagonists are teens and the language is accessible, so it feels like a YA novel.  At the same time, the subject matter is strongly adult.  I would recommend for ages 16+. 

Final word: (2.5/5) A book with clear highs and lows.  Not my personal favorite, but I'm still curious to see where the series goes.

Content:  Scenes of violence, torture, non-explicit sexuality.

The Left Hand of God Trilogy website

Second opinions:
Fantasy Book Critic
The Wertzone

Teaser Tuesday: Lullabies for Little Criminals

Today's teaser comes from Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill.

I was walking home from school by myself when I spotted Jean-Michel leaning up against the wall of the liquor store and talking to a panhandler.  I went up to him.

"Hey, Baby," Jean-Michel said, nice and casual, which I liked.  "What's up with you?"

My sister-in-law, who is a bit more of a "serious" reader than I am, insisted that I read this book.  I'm liking it so far, but it's a bit of a change of pace for me.  Well, nothing wrong with that!

Review: Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Summary: Sick of vampires? So is Meena Harper. But her boss is making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them. Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you’re going to die (not that you’re going to believe her; no one ever does).  But not even Meena’s precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets—then makes the mistake of falling in love with—Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side . . . a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire-hunters, would prefer to see him dead for. The problem is, he already is dead. Maybe that’s why he’s the first guy Meena’s ever met that she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena’s always been able to see everyone else’s future, she’s never been able look into her own.  And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare. (Goodreads)

My thoughts: This is how I think the conversation went down.

Meg Cabot's Agent:  Meg, I've been thinking.  You need to write a vampire novel.

Meg Cabot:  But I hate vampire novels. 

MCA: They're selling like hotcakes, Meg, we HAVE to get in on it.  A series would be even better.  How hard can it be?

MC:  Vampire novels are misogynist crap!  I don't want to write one.

MCA:  I have two words for you.  Twi. Light.

MC: (pause)  OK, fine.

And so Meg Cabot wrote a vampire novel.   Now you all know that I love me some Meg, but I just don't feel like her heart was really in it.  The book is pretty good though.

Meena is not happy about being handed the order to write a vampire storyline for the soap opera Insatiable.  She spends a lot of time mocking the vampire stereotypes, at the same time this book uses a lot of those stereotypes.  It was funny most of the time, but sometimes it felt a little awkward. 

Of course, Cabot has written not one, but two extremely hot leading men for Meena to choose from (love triangles being another vampire novel stereotype).  Lucien, the vampire lord, is rather stalkerish for my taste, but Alaric (vampire hunter)might be a good alternative.  We'll have to wait if we want to find out how the story ends, because Insatiable is the first of a series.  Consider this book slapped with a UE advisory (unsatisfactory ending). 

My favorite character in this story was undoubtedly Jack Bauer, Meena's dog.  They named him after Kiefer Sutherlands's 24 character because of his high-strung, suspicious tendencies.  Teehee.  The dog can sense vampires and is constantly trying to protect Meena from Lucien.  Not very successfully, given that he's tiny.  But it's funny.

Final word: (3/5) Love the cover.  For the vampire-loving Meg Cabot fan, this book is going to be just what the doctor ordered.

A Bit of Me(Me): Non-talent

A Bit of Me(Me) is hosted by the1stdaughter at There's A Book. It's a chance to get to know a little bit more about your blogging buddies.  Anyone can join in!

Today's question: What is one thing you are really NOT good at?

Fortunately for my humility, there are a lot of things I'm not good at.  Gardening, pretending to pay attention when people are boring me, knitting, tolerating stupidity, scrapbooking.. the list is seemingly endless.  But if I had to decide what I am absolutely the worst at, I would have to say: avoiding time wasters.  You know, those activites that are completely pointless, but oh-so-addictive?  Not only do I fail to avoid them, I am drawn to them like a puppy to something stinky.  Here are a few of my current time-suckers.

Facebook games.  Farmville, My Tribe, Cafe World... I've played them all.  I am helpless to avoid their time-wasting charm.  I spend hours a week, I'm sure, and for what?  Zip.  But I can't help it =o)

Thinking about what I'm going to do today.  Not to be confused with actually doing anything productive.  I have been known to make three or four elaborate plans for the day before actually starting anything.  Usually this planning manages to consume the time designated for household chores.  Hmm, perhaps there is a method to my madness.

Arguing with preschoolers.  I have learned that no matter how many times I tell her that the sky is blue, she's still going to insist that it's pink.  This argument will continue until one of us dies, and guess who's going to go first?  Fine, fine, the sky is pink.  My mistake.

The list could go on.  The one thing I seem to be truly creative at is finding ways to waste my time.  I'm trying to be better, but it's slow going.

What's your non-talent?

Reviews, my way.

It has come to my attention that certain people feel my reviews are too positive.  They think I'm padding my reviews to be more favorable, because if I wasn't I'd be trashing more books.  So I thought I would post a little bit about why I write my reviews the way I do.  I'd also love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

I think a better name for my posts than "book review" would be "reaction paper."  I often end up writing more about my feelings for the book than the book itself.  There are two reasons why I do this.  One, I don't feel qualified to offer up analysis of literary value.  I don't have an English degree, I don't work in publishing or teaching or any other field that gives me a right to say "This book is crap."  Two, I think my feelings about the book are of more value to you in determining whether you'd like to read the book or not.  When I am deciding to read a book, I'd rather hear, "I loved the characters!" or "It made me cry" or "The story sucked me right in" than "It had a unique treatment of the Jungian archetypes" or some other academic-type analysis.  Since that's what I like, that's what I write.  Since my reviews are about my reactions, you'll probably find that my reviews are mostly positive, because any book I really couldn't stand I stopped reading.  I occasionally post what I call "Non-reviews" about my DNF books, just to give you an idea about why the book didn't work for me. 

Another reason why my reviews are written in a mostly positive tone is that, through my contact with authors I have come to realize that each and every book represents someone's blood, sweat and tears.  An author's book is, in many ways, her child.  And every parents knows not to badmouth someone's child.  Yes, by publishing her little book and sending it out into the big, wide world, that author has to accept that some people just aren't going to like her darling baby, and they might talk about it.  She doesn't get to be mad about that.  But for myself, I like to try and find something nice to say if I can.  If I can't, I generally choose not to finish the book.  I'm also getting pretty good about choosing which books I accept for review.  I almost never accept a book I end up not liking.

The last reason I write reviews the way I do is because I would hate to stop someone from reading. My opinion is just that- my opinion.  You might love a book I hate.  You might hate a book I love.  We're all different!  So, I always explain why the book didn't work for me, and I usually follow it up with something like "This might work for you if..."  I'm a big advocate of doing the work to find bloggers who like the same types of books you do and using them to find your next read. 

Well, this post ended up a bit longer than I thought it would be.  If you're still here, I'd really like to know what you think.  Do you have any guidelines that you keep in mind as you write reviews?  Do you write negative reviews?  What type of reviews do you like to read?  COMMENT PLEASE!

Reveiw: The Search by Nora Roberts

Summary: Years ago, Fiona Bristow was the only surviving victim of the Red Scarf serial killer.  Today, she's reinvented herself and is running a successful dog-training school and volunteer canine search and rescue team on Orcas Island.  Simon Doyle, furniture artisan, shows up on her doorstep with an out-of-control Lab puppy and she expects him to be just another client.  For his part, Simon never wanted a dog and he definitely doesn't want a woman in his life.  However, Fiona and Simon seem to have a chemistry that neither of them expected.  And when a Red Scarf copycat murderer starts a deadly game, it seems his ultimate goal is to finish off Fiona, the only girl who ever escaped.

My thoughts:  This is my first Nora Roberts novel.  Are they all this good?  I am so impressed.

First off, I loved the main characters.  I have rarely seen the perfect opposites/perfect for each other concept pulled off so well.  Fiona is an organized, go-getting, people person.  Simon is a artistic, solitary grouch.  He's actually kind of a jerk sometimes, but he's being a jerk for a good reason (is that possible?) so it's OK.  I seriously loved both Fiona and Simon.  And there's a pile of supporting characters that were all perfect for their roles.  So, A+ in character.

Plot?  Actually, I felt this story had a lot of plot for what is essentially a romance novel.  Other than the relationship plot line, there's the serial killer, which managed to be just chilling enough to give me a little thrill up my spine, not so scary that I couldn't get to sleep.  Perfect.  Though, for those who don't like mind-of-the-killer writing, you should be aware that a few chapters are written that way.

The dogs were one of my favorite parts of the story. The search-and-rescue and dog-training aspects of the story really added a unique element.  And hey, if you have a dog you want to train, there's actually a surprising amount of good info in here.  It makes a more... spicy read than your average dog-training manual. 

I was very impressed with the quality of the writing as well.  It never felt clunky or overdone, and the dialogue was some of the best I've read.  If you enjoy a romance novel with a bit of suspense, this might just be your next favorite read.

Final word: (5/5) I loved this book and will certainly be reading it again.  Can anyone tell me if any of Nora Roberts' other novels are similar?

Content:  18+ only.  Nora Roberts writes a darn good sex scene... several, actually.  There's also a serial killer in this story, so you know there's going to be some violence.  Consider yourself warned.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Gathering

This Wednesday I'm waiting for The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong.  It's the first in a new young adult series set in the same world as the Darkest Powers trilogy.  Can't wait!   But I'll have to... it's not being released until April 2011.

Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students—for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.

Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya's determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya's home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts experiencing "bad vibes" about certain people and things. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret—and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.

Harlequin Teen Panel

Unfortunately I'm a little too old to take advantage of this opportunity, but I'm going to blog about it so that those who are eligible can partake.  It's fantastic.  The Harlequin Teen Panel is in need of new members.  This is a market research group for the Harlequin Teen imprint.  You'll get to talk to other readers, read free books, have input on book trailer development, and who knows what else!

Maybe you're thinking, "Meh, Harlequin doesn't publish anything I'm interested in."  Wrong!  Let me remind you of a few of their titles:

Here's the information Cecilia at Harlequin sent me about how to sign up:

How to Join: We are looking for girls from age 13 to 17 who live in the USA and who love to read young adult fiction books. We do need your parent’s consent—it’s a legal thing. Visit HarlequinTeenPanel.com to find out more about the Harlequin Teen Panel and how to join.

What do you do as a member? You’ll be contacted at least once a month via email with a survey or discussion about books and other topics. You should also know that we created our panel for market research only, which means I’m not going to sell you anything--ever--I’m only interested in getting your honest opinions.

So, sign up!  Because I wish I could.