Archive of Finished Books for 2007
(106 books total)

Ivy Cole and the Moon by Gina Farago [BookCrossing] This book caught my eye in a bookstore a while back. I'm glad that it did because it was an extremely well-written book. The plot was tight - there was a lot of mystery, but the information was given just at the right time; the characters are great. The only thing I didn't really like was the way that it ended, but perhaps the author was leaving it open for a sequel. [1/1/07]

Beauty by Robin McKinley I read this book for the first time many years ago and remember loving it. I decided to use it in my class this semester, so I wanted to reread it before the semester began. I found myself being a bit impatient at the beginning of the story - I think that I just wanted Beauty to get to the castle and the Beast, but once I let my patience settle down a bit, I got right back into the story and loved it once more. [1/4/07]

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley I enjoyed reading this one directly after reading Beauty because I could make some direct comparisons. There were parts of the book that really echoed the previous book and yet it was an entirely different story. I do have to admit that I felt it drag a bit in the middle, but it picked back up and I rushed through the end. [1/7/07]

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong [BookCrossing] This was an incredible book - I loved every moment of it. It caught my attention right in the beginning with the description of Elena's run. It got even better when Elena went back to the Pack. The tension between her and Clay was absolutely intense. But the descriptions are really what caught my attention. Armstrong seems to really know how it feels to be a wolf - or at least how to describe it so it seems that way! [1/9/07]

Stolen by Kelley Armstrong [BookCrossing] I really shouldn't be reading this series when I've got reading for school. All I want to do is keep reading to find out what happens next. Everything is just rather intense, but beyond that, it is so well written - the descriptions, the characters, the plot and twists. The only part that bothered me was right after Elena was captured and she was being taken on a tour of the facility - she just seemed to be taking it all a bit too casually for me to believe that would be her reaction. But that didn't last too long, so I got back into the story and character quickly. [1/13/07]

Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong [BookCrossing] It took me a little while to get into this book because I found myself really missing Elena's voice. But once I truly gave Paige a chance, I found that I did actually like her (she had been a bit annoying in Stolen) and enjoyed reading her story. [1/15/07]

Fictions of Advice: The Literature and Politics of Counsel in Later Medieval England by Judith Ferster I had already read sections of this book, but since it's an important book regarding mirrors for princes, I wanted to read over it again. I found some helpful information as well as helpful sources to find next. [1/15/07]

Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong [BookCrossing] There were so many things that happened in this book - learning more about the afterlife (a LOT more at one point) and death and vampires and much more. Lots happened with character relationships, especially Paige and Lucas and Lucas and his father. Even perhaps the beginning of one between Jaime and Jeremy. I enjoyed seeing Elena and Clay again. Meeting Eve was also great - now I understand better how the next book can be her book even though she's dead. These books are just really wow books. I can't believe that I waited so long to read them! [1/20/07]

Haunted by Kelley Armstrong [BookCrossing] Once again as the narrator changed, I found myself taking a while to warm up to Eve (and missing both Elena and Paige). Perhaps because Eve had been seen as a slightly bad person in the other books, it was hard at first to want to like her and want to hear her story. But I did find myself warming to Eve and liking her story and feeling awful about her situation. And I shed a few tears at the end. Once again, Armstrong does a great job with descriptions (although there are some points where I almost wished it wasn't a great job - in the minds of killers and when Eve goes to the hell where the murderers are, especially the cave *shudder*). [1/24/07]

Broken by Kelley Armstrong [BookCrossing] I was really happy to be back to Elena. I really love this group of werewolves. When I read the description on the back cover, though, I was worried about the portal - I thought that Elena might go through it and be stuck in 19th century England without the others. Fortunately, that didn't happen and I got to spend the whole book with the whole group. I'm also really starting to like Jaime (which is good since the next book is hers). [1/27/07]

Jimmy Coates: Target by Joe Craig [BookCrossing] I received this book from HarperCollins to review it (release date is in March). At first I was a bit disappointed that this was the book that I got picked for, and I wasn't sure that I wanted to read it. I hadn't read the book that comes before this one, but the author does a good job of filling in the reader to not feel too lost. The action was intense and even with a relatively large cast of characters, each one was given a very specific personality and felt very real. The struggle going on inside Jimmy between his human self and his programmed self is riveting. This is a book that I wouldn't have picked up to read on my own, so I'm very happy that I was chosen to review it because it was a damn fine piece of writing and a very engaging story. [1/28/07]

Power Play: The Literature and Politics of Chess in the Late Middle Ages by Jenny Adams Who knew how interesting chess was and the history behind it? I found this book to be fascinating and little bits here and there spurned some of my own thoughts about my dissertation topic. [1/28/07]

Princess on the Brink by Meg Cabot [BookCrossing] I was so happy to get another Princess Diaries book - Mia is a lot of fun to read about. At first I was worried that this book would turn out to be like another of Meg Cabot's books (Ready or Not), but it didn't. In fact, I hated the way the book ended! No! I need another book right now. [1/30/07]

Valentine Princess by Meg Cabot This book took us back to Mia and Michael's first Valentine's Day. It's cleverly arranged to do that with a frame story of Mia reading one of her old diaries and remembering this Valentine's Day. Although it was short, Mia was still fun to read about, and this little pick-me-up after reading Princess on the Brink was definitely something that I needed. [1/31/07]

Cinderellis and the Glass Hill by Gail Carson Levine [BookCrossing] The book was very short and at first I didn't like it because I wanted a bit more depth. But when I decided to take the book as it was, I realized that it really did have depth for its length and was an enjoyable little story, even though it was quite predictable. [2/3/07]

The Wars of the Roses by Alison Weir I need to know more about the Wars of the Roses for my dissertation. I thought that I'd start with this book because although I can't use it for scholarly purposes (it's for a popular audience), the very fact that it is non-scholarly (but uses excellent sources) might be helpful as an introduction. And it worked. I learned quite a lot about what led up to the Wars of the Roses and then the various events that occurred during that time. [2/8/07]

War for the Oaks by Emma Bull [BookCrossing] I started out liking this book. I enjoyed reading about the band's formation and then their music. I enjoyed reading about Eddi and her acceptance that she had been chosen to help the Faerie have a war. But then Eddi and the phouka fell in love and I didn't enjoy that. I suppose that my picture of the phouka in my head was quite a bit different than what he was described as in the end of the book. I saw a short stocky man with greasy curly black hair - not someone at all attractive. So I didn't believe it when Eddi fell for him. So I lost interest in the book and skimmed the last three chapters. I'm very sad that the relationship between Eddi and the phouka ruined the book for me. [2/9/07]

Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher Each book just keeps getting better and this one did not disappoint. A number of events occur, some of them related and a couple left as mysteries for future books. I was happy to see Michael and his family again as I've missed them. And Harry and Murphy have the talk about "us" - but I don't believe either of them for a moment with what they said (and neither does Thomas). Perhaps the only disappointing bit was that there wasn't a lot of Bob - and at one point Harry was carrying him around in his backpack, so he was physically there but wasn't talking. [2/16/07]

1-800-Where-R-You: Missing You by Meg Cabot [BookCrossing] I've been waiting for this book for quite some time. And it's a very satisfying end to this series. Everything ended up just as I had hoped (in some cases even better than I had hoped). [2/17/07]

King Arthur: Hero and Legend by Richard Barber This was a nice overview of Arthurian legends from the origins to about the mid-20th century. I was familiar with much of the material, but I did learn a bit and got some ideas for new texts to look into. [2/18/07]

The Third Magic by Welwyn Wilton Katz [BookCrossing] The story was interwoven rather nicely into the Arthurian story with just enough familiarity to the story to make it recognizable but enough different to not be sure how it would all turn out. It was a bit confusing at the beginning because the author just threw us into the story and didn't explain a lot. I'm also not sure that I ever completely identified with the characters - I'm not sure that I cared enough about what would happen to them. [2/18/07]

The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout [BookCrossing] At first I wasn't really sure that I liked Carrie (I especially hated that she was a smoker, which might have been enough in itself to turn me off her), but the more I got into the story, the more interested I became in her. It's not a super happy book, but things don't turn out too horribly in the end. [2/24/07]

Tristan and Iseult by Rosemary Sutcliff [BookCrossing] I enjoyed this retelling of the story - especially as Sutcliff decided not to include the love potion that Tritan and Iseult drink. I've never really liked that part of the story and feel that it takes away from the love they have for each other, so it was great to see the story work without it. The style of the writing felt very much as if I were reading a medieval epic at some points, which was nice at times but also a bit annoying at times since I was reading a modern book and not a medieval text. [2/28/07]

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler [BookCrossing] A cute book, but nothing really special. There is a sequel but although Emily was fun to read about, I'd prefer to leave her in the happy ending of this book, so I won't seek out the next one. [3/2/07]

Girls' Night Out by Meg Cabot, Marian Keyes, Lolly Winston, etc. [BookCrossing] I'm thinking that romance isn't really a great genre for a short story. What I like - the development of a relationship - just doesn't have room to grow in a short story. Those that do try to develop a whole relationship fall flat because so much gets skipped. There were a few stories in this book that I thought were okay. There were several that were dull. And there were quite a few that I just didn't like at all. I kept reading because since each is told by a different author, I wanted to give each one a separate chance, but I really should have given up as no story satisfied me and I just became frustrated during each one. [3/3/07]

Angelica by Sharon Shinn I've read (and enjoyed) three other Samaria books, and this one has been waiting on my shelf for quite a while. I'm so glad that I read it because it was fantastic. The only negative was that it ended! I wanted to keep going with the characters and find out even more about what happens to them. [3/7/07]

The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig [BookCrossing] I love the crossing of historical fiction with romance and with the modern day frame story. I was pleased with how everything wrapped up in this book, until right at the end - mostly because it left a few items as cliffhangers and I don't yet have the next book to read! [3/11/07]

Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher If I didn't know the name of the author, I would never place this author as the same one who writes the Harry Dresden books. This first book in the Codex Alera series is a completely different type of story. It is extremely well-written and the world that Butcher has created is amazing. My only issue is that the world is so fully developed that it took a while to really understand how this world worked - I think I spent at least the first half of the book trying to figure it all out (and there are still many questions that I have), which took away a bit from the story itself. The characters might not have the same place in my heart that Harry and Bob and their crew have, but I did enjoy reading this book very much. [3/18/07]

Sweet Sixteen Princess by Meg Cabot [BookCrossing] This was a really nice book about Mia. Short but very sweet and I love what Michael did for her birthday! [3/18/07]

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer [BookCrossing] I've heard many good things about this book, but I wasn't sure if it would live up to the expectations. It took me about halfway to really get into it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. It might not be the best book I've read this year, but it was definitely very enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. [3/19/07]

Size 14 Is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot [BookCrossing] I thought the situation in the first book was really messed up, but I don't think that really compares to what Heather gets herself into with this book! Not much happens on the Cooper front, which I'm a bit disappointed in, but lots of other stuff happens and Heather once again solves the murder mystery, putting herself (and others) in danger while doing so. [3/22/07]

To Weave a Web of Magic by Sharon Shinn and others [BookCrossing] I read only the Sharon Shinn story (so I'm not counting this in the number of books read), which was set on Samaria. I really enjoy being on Samaria and learning about some new characters. My only complaint was that the story got really good at the end, and then it ended! I wanted it to continue much longer to find out what happened to Eden. [3/25/07]

Sebastian by Anne Bishop It took me a little while to get into this book and into the world that Bishop has created. But once I did, I really connected with the characters and enjoyed watching their journey throughout the book. I am quite happy with how this book ended, but I'm still very much looking forward to reading the sequel. [4/6/07]

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld [BookCrossing] I've been looking forward to reading this trilogy, and the first book did not disappoint. A combination of great characters, an intense plot, and a dystopian world all make up a fascinating book. [4/7/07]

For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison There were so many tense and intense moments in this book and one major event that caused me to shed a few tears. But I think Rachel is finally understanding herself. I'm very much looking forward to seeing where things go forward from here. [4/17/07]

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld [BookCrossing] Would it be worth it to have no war - worth it to be "pretty-minded" all the time (always fuzzy headed and never able to think clearly)? Obviously those people in charge of this world think so. And Tally herself starts wondering if perhaps they are right. It's a scary thought that in some ways it makes sense. But no, it would be too high a price to pay. [4/20/07]

Specials by Scott Westerfeld [BookCrossing] I'm not sure I'm entirely satisfied by the ending of the book, but it does make sense with the overall story. But it made me think a lot about our world and also about figuring out who you are, which is hard enough for teenagers - can you imagine being a teenager and being changed so much like Tally by forces outside your control? [4/24/07]

Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli [BookCrossing] The first part of the book was slow and even once it started picked up, it still felt a bit slow. I never really felt like I got completely into the book. Even so, that didn't stop my throat from choking up a little at the end. [4/27/07]

You Suck by Christopher Moore Love Christopher Moore. Several laugh out loud moments. It had been a while since I read Bloodsucking Fiends, so I didn't remember a lot of details, but I enjoyed seeing what happened next to Tommy and Jody. Fun book! [4/29/07]

Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn [BookCrossing] I love how Kitty is becoming more confident with herself but at the same time still has weaknesses and vulnerabilities. I really missed her radio show, but she'll get back to it in the next book (this was her holiday after all). I loved the bits when she called into Ariel's show. And Kitty now has a small pack, which is so nice to see for her. So it was another great Kitty book! [5/1/07]

Wizards at War by Diane Duane Okay, I'll admit it. The ending of the book left me crying multiple times. It did take a while to get to that ending, though. I felt a bit bogged down in the beginning and middle of the book. But the ending was worth it, even though some things happened that I really wish had not happened. [5/5/07]

The Last of the Red-Hot Vampires by Katie MacAlister The main character, Portia, was annoying. Yes, I get it. She's a scientist. She's a sceptic. So it takes her a while before she'll admit that anything paranormal is going on. But come on! In my opinion she waited WAY too long to believe, which cause me to not believe in her character. But once she does believe, she falls into it all the way, which seemed to contradictory to how hard she tried not to believe in the beginning. So that kinda spoiled the book for me and I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. [5/8/07]

Labyrinth by Kate Mosse [BookCrossing] The book started off a bit slow, taking its time to really build up the story - then it became really intense right near the end but ended rather quickly. The very last chapter was satisfying (and left a bit of a lump in my throat), but it did feel a bit rushed right before then especially with the slow lead-up prior to that. But I liked the story and the history so it was definitely worth reading. [5/19/07]

I'm the Teacher, You're the Student by Patrick Allitt This book was almost like a journal, which is not quite what I was expecting. I was hoping for more insight or more practical advice for myself as a teacher. Instead it was more of a memoir of one semester in this professor's class. There were a few nuggets of insight, but there was so much detail on the actual subject matter of his class (late 19th and 20th century American history - *yawn*), that those nuggets were hard to find. I do think that I would have enjoyed it more had I been interested in the subject of the course. Otherwise, it was so-so. [5/21/07]

Prophecy and Public Affairs in Later Medieval England by Lesley A. Coote This book was suggested to me by one of my advisers for my dissertation. At first, I wasn't sure that it would be useful at all and I skimmed some of it. Then I decided to really read it all the way through and I'm glad that I did. My chair told me that I need to connect the two part of my dissertation, and although I have another way that I was doing so, I think that the prophecies can be an additional connection, which will further strengthen my argument. Yay! [5/21/07]

White Night by Jim Butcher So many things happened in this book, but for once there was actually some wrapping up of storylines. Although I've enjoyed these books tremendously, it has seemed at times that Harry just has too much to handle all at once. Fortunately now there are a few less things for him to worry about. Whew! My only disappointment was that there just wasn't enough Bob - two scanty scenes (although the first was great). I need more Bob! Otherwise, it was a tight story and brought in many of the characters from previous books. Loved it! [5/21/07]

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris [BookRay] It took me a little while to remember some of the details of earlier books, especially what Bill had done to make Sookie so upset, but it eventually came back to me. I also remember that I didn't like Quinn very much and I'm not sure that I do still, but he's starting to grow on me (especially with something he did for Sookie at the end of this book). I'm still fascinated by Eric and am looking forward to seeing what else happens with him and Sookie in the future. I just wish there had been a bit more settled in the end - everything was left so up in the air, though it's understandable with what happened (trying very hard not to give away any spoilers). [5/25/07]

Damsel Under Stress by Shanna Swendson Loved it! One of the comments about the book is that it is like Harry Potter grown up and I can't agree more. The magical feeling along with an almost innocence even when involved in dangerous circumstances. There were so many parts that I loved, but I think the dragons were really great. There were only two sad things about the books - that it ended and then the way that it ended. I trust that Katie is just taking a break for a little while and she and Owen will be back together soon. I hope so because I couldn't stand to read another book if they are apart. They are just too great together. And perhaps I'm a little bit in love with Owen myself. [5/26/07]

Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares I really disliked Carmen in this book because of the way she let herself be treated, but it looks like she finally figured things out in the end. They all went through a lot of bad times in this book (although perhaps not as bad as before) and the ending leaves things open for hope for each of them - not perfect but with the chance for happiness. [5/28/07]

Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day by Joan Bolker Much of the advice in this book is stuff that I've already figured out on my own. But the chapter about Interuptions from Outside and Inside was actually helpful in that I saw almost exactly what I've been doing written out in the book - so I was both able to realize that I'm normal but also that there are ways for me to get rid of the distractions. And I need to write about the subject matter of my dissertation instead of talking and writing about the dissertation in general. I realized how much I've been doing that! [6/2/07]

The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce [BookCrossing] It was sad to see how separated the four mages had become over the years, but as each one started opening connections between one another, I was cheered. The story itself was a bit predictable but worthwhile reading to see all four of them back together again. [6/3/07]

Ill Wind by Rachel Caine [BookCrossing] I've heard a lot of great things about this series. Although I don't think it's one of the best books that I've read, I definitely enjoyed it and it kept me at the edge of my seat - I even stayed up way past midnight to finish it. Since it was a series, I expected Joanne to be just fine in the end - so I certainly didn't expect the actual ending. Wow! Love the unexpected. [6/3/07]

Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine [BookCrossing] There are some really tense moments in this book, but the one thing that I don't like about series is that I know that the main character will survive. The first book did surprise me a bit in the ending, but I was actually expecting this one. It didn't hurt the book at all, though, and I enjoyed it very much. [6/9/07]

Chill Factor by Rachel Caine I was wondering if a human and djinn could have a baby. At least we find out that pregnancy is possible in this book, but I'm not sure yet how the baby will turn out so I look forward to finding out. But I really hope that David is able to get his strength back; I'd hate to lose him. [6/15/07]

Bite Me If You Can by Lynsay Sands [BookCrossing] I've enjoyed the other books in this series, but I was hesitant to start this one because I wasn't sure how it would be with Lucian as the main male character - since he's a grumpy old bastard in previous books. But I'm glad that I gave it a try. It's definitely not my favorite book in this series, but Lucian surprised me in this book - plus it was fun to see everyone's reaction to his changed behavior. [6/19/07]

Magic & Malice: Mairelon the Magician by Patricia C. Wrede [BookCrossing] This edition contains two books, so I'm going to consider them two books. The first one introduces the characters of Mairelon and Kim and involves a quest for the pieces of the Saltash collection, which will clear Mairelon of the charge of being the original thief of the pieces. This one is set in Edwardian England but with magic involved (like Wrede's books written with Caroline Stevermer). So the book was light and a lot of fun and I had a good time reading it. [6/22/07]

Magic & Malice: The Magician's Ward by Patricia C. Wrede [BookCrossing] I liked this one even better than the first one - I particularly enjoyed the use of a little more magic and seeing Kim have to make her way in Society. The romance aspects weren't as strong as I would have liked and the relationship came to fruition a little too quickly right at the end to be completely satisfying. But it was a fun book over all. [6/23/07]

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz [BookCrossing] This book grabbed me from the beginning (in some ways it reminded me of Twilight). I enjoyed the mythology that was created and how it was tied into history. The characters were compelling, and I want to find out more about them (thank goodness there will be more books after this one). I had to stay up late to finish this one as I couldn't make myself put it down. [6/23/07]

Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay Even in the end, parts of this book were still confusing (I still don't know what happened to Ned's aunt). But even with the confusion, it was still an amazing book. Mystery, suspense, a little romance. Good characters, great scenery. I loved it. ETA: Wait, I do know the story with Ned's aunt! It's in another of this author's books. [6/28/07]

Blue Is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz [BookCrossing] In some ways this book reminds me of Nancy Drew (the young sleuth trying to solve a mystery), but Stacey is definitely not Nancy. I really liked the added element of witchcraft and the boarding school setting (which starts to make it sound like Harry Potter, but it is nothing like that). Stacey is a great character and I'm glad that there are more books about her. I look forward to reading them. [6/29/07]

White Is for Magic by Laurie Faria Stolarz [BookCrossing] Another intense adventure, though this time I had a pretty good idea of what was going on. Even so, I enjoy reading about Stacey and am looking forward to reading the next book. [7/1/07]

Sword and Sorceress I edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley I haven't been a huge fan of short stories because they always seem to be so-so, but this collection was fantastic. I liked every single story, although I did like some more than others. MZB definitely knew how to recognize a damn good story. It also makes me think about writers - I think writing novels and writing stories take different types of talents. Some have both but some writers have only one. And I think some of the stories I've been disappointed in lately have been written by novelists - the story seems to be missing something or feels like it should actually be a longer work. I didn't get that feeling with any of the stories in this book. They all felt like short self-contained episodes. I'm looking forward to reading the other volumes edited by MZB. [7/2/07]

The Good Ghouls' Guide to Getting Even by Julie Kenner [BookCrossing] This was a quick read and a cute book. I like Beth's character so it was fun to read about her. I did think that the ending was a bit rushed - it took a while to lead up to it and then it was over. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel and hope that it is a little better paced. [7/3/07]

Windfall by Rachel Caine [BookCrossing] Okay, have I said these books were intense before? If so, that was nothing compared to this one. Intense doesn't even begin to describe it. Heart-breaking for sure. Wondering who can be trusted. But seeing that Joanne does have friends and that there is hope. But like Joanne, I, too, am heart-broken. [7/8/07]

You On a Diet by Mehmet C. Oz and Michael F. Roizen Once I got past the cartoons and the annoying pop culture similes, the information found in this book is incredibly helpful. It really explains how your body works and how it uses (or doesn't) different types of food. I understand my body and eating (and exercising) so much more now. I've been on the YOU diet for three days and have already lost 3 pounds and 1/2 inch on my waist. The best part is that this "diet" is something that I know I can keep up with - it's not about deprivation but about eating smart. And I can do that! [7/9/07]

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling After seeing the movie, I wanted to reread the book. Strangely, some of the things that bothered me on my previous two readings - especially Harry's intense anger/sulkiness - did not bother me at all during this reading. And it was great fun to compare it to the movie - which was spot on with much of what it did. [7/15/07]

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling Well, I didn't sob nearly as hard on this reading as I did the first time I read it, although there were still some tears shed. I'm just now more than ready to read the final volume. [7/17/07]

The Great Snape Debate by Amy Berner, Orson Scott Card, and Joyce Millman Going into this book, I was on the side that Snape is innocent. Coming out of the book, I'm still on that side (though wavering). Perhaps it was my original bias, but the case seemed much stronger on the innocence side of the book (even though certain items were repeated again and again). The guilty side seemed a bit light and even toward the end, the authors wrote just about Slytherin and not about Snape at all. [7/20/07]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling So many things I expected actually happened - Snape was good and was in love with Lily; Harry was a horcrux and had to die (although he did return to life). So many lives lost - I cried hardest when Dobby died, but Fred, Lupin, and Tonks were also hard deaths. I loved Mrs. Weasley taking on Bellatrix at the end. I liked the epilogue in some ways because we got a glimpse into the future, but there were people and things I still wanted to know about - Luna; what jobs Harry, Ron, and Hermione had; how George got along without Fred (did he keep the joke shop open); how little Teddy really grew up without his parents and with Harry as his godfather (we get one brief glimpse of grown-up Teddy), etc. Also, I thought the deal with the deathly hallows was a bit odd and didn't seem to fit completely. But it's still Harry Potter, which I love, so I am happy to know what finally happened. [7/21/07]

Firestorm by Rachel Caine [BookCrossing] It took me a while to get through this book and I'm not sure why. It has a lot of action and I still love the characters - although I'm not sure of my feelings for Imara, a grown daughter just jumping into things felt odd (which it probably should). The ending is once again not expected, so I'm looking forward to the next book to see how things progress. [7/27/07]

The Novice's Tale by Margaret Frazer [BookCrossing] It's been quite some time since I've read a mystery book (though I did grow up on Nancy Drew). I picked up this book because it was a medieval mystery and I had met the author at Kalamazoo this year. It was a pleasant read and I especially loved the details of the time period (my favorite being the character of Thomas Chaucer, Geoffrey Chaucer's son), so it was great fun to actually read something that takes place in the Middle Ages and is told well. I'll definitely continue with this series. [7/29/07]

Renegade's Magic by Robin Hobb I adore Hobb's other trilogies but this trilogy has left me somewhat cold. The first book was okay, but I never really felt connected to Nevare. In the second book, I was more disgusted by Nevare than anything else. In this final volume, Nevare spends much of the book as a mind only (his soul was split in two and the other half took over his body) so there is very little that he actually does - he just observes, makes comments, is frustrated that he can't do anything, and just doesn't do anything. And it leads to a rather dull reading experience. There is some pickup near the end and the ending was mostly satisfying, but I'm not sure it was worth it to get there. I'll keep reading anything Hobb writes, but I do hope she'll go back toward the Fitz books and less toward something like Nevare. [8/5/07]

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett (audiobook) Granny is a fantastic character, lots of fun to read (hear) about. I don't think this will be on my list of favorite Discworld books but it was still quite enjoyable. [8/11/07]

My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding by Various [BookCrossing] I liked some stories better than others but none were really fantastic. The L.A. Banks story was so-so. The Jim Butcher story was good because I love Harry, so I'd have to say this was my favorite. The Rachel Caine story was a little different so pretty good. The P.N. Elrod story was just okay, and I absolutely did not like the Esther M. Friesner story. I liked the characters in the Lori Handeland story enough to make me want to read her books. The Charlaine Harris story was cute. The Sherrilyn Kenyon story was a bit of a yawn (of course that's how I found the Dark-Hunter book that I read, so it's not surprising). And the Susan Krinard story had a lot of potential, but I'm not sure that it lived up to it. [8/11/07]

The Autumn Castle by Kim Wilkins [BookCrossing] I had never heard of this author before but this book caught my attention, and I am so happy that it did. It was a perfect modern fairy tale (with the traditional happily ever after ending). I could have done without some of the details of Mandy's killings, but otherwise, this story just made me feel happy especially once I got to the end. [8/12/07]

Stardust by Neil Gaiman (audiobook) Because the movie was coming out, I wanted to reread this book since it's been a while since I've read it. I saw the movie before completely finishing this book, so it was an interesting mix of the two. The book is quite nice and lovely and I did enjoy it, but I actually think I prefer the ending of the movie to that of the book. The audiobook was read by Neil Gaiman and there was an interview with him afterwards, which I enjoyed hearing. [8/13/07]

Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter [BookCrossing] The concept for the book was intriguing, but how it actually played out was quite predictable. I did like Jade so it was an okay read, but no surprises or plot twists or anything that really grabbed me and made me want to keep reading. [8/13/07]

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine [BookCrossing] Okay, so Rachel Caine is going on my list of new favorite authors. First the Weather Warden series and now this one. Both really amazing. Great characters, story, and ending with a giant cliffhanger! I must get the next book as soon as possible! [8/15/07]

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer [BookCrossing] I've been wanting to read this ever since I finished Twilight, so I was extremely happy to get a copy and had to read it right away. And it did not disappoint. In fact, I think it was even better than Twilight. I did hate Edward leaving, but I liked getting to know Jacob a bit more. I also enjoyed all the ties to Romeo and Juliet (though obviously very happy that the ending was different!). [8/16/07]

The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig (audiobook) I really enjoyed the Geoff/Letty story. There were quite a few funny moments and several tense ones. The ending was quite satisfying. The Eloise story was enjoyable in the two previous books, but in this book, I found it more annoying than enjoyable. All she did was mope over Colin and there wasn't a lot to advance that story (except for finally finding out why Colin rushed her away from his country house). [8/19/07]

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (audiobook) The previous volume was like Romeo and Juliet (without the tragic ending), which although an extremely tragic story still gives a more innocent feeling to the love story. Yes, there are horrible things happening around them, but Romeo and Juliet's love is so passionate and pure that they don't seem to realize everything going wrong around them. This book was definitely more like Wuthering Heights (these two literary allusions are ones that Meyer makes very explicit), with a love that was passionate but also destructive in many ways and without the innocence of Romeo and Juliet. As the story darkens, I'm more and more drawn to these characters. What was a fairly light teen book at the beginning with Twilight has deepened into a book that completely holds my attention and makes me want more right away. [8/30/07]

Ravens of Avalon by Diana Paxson (and Marion Zimmer Bradley) I think Paxson has done a remarkable job with keeping the Avalon series going. It felt very much in the style of the previous books. It was a little slow reading, but I think that was because I didn't want it to end - since it was based on a historical figure, I knew how it would end and I was in no rush to get there. So I took my time and enjoyed the journey along the way. [9/3/07]

The Decoy Princess by Dawn Cook [BookCrossing] I was expecting a fun little book, and this is that but it's even more. The characters are extremely well developed and the idea of the players manipulating the pieces in a large "game" is quite clever. I didn't want to put the book down! [9/7/07]

Princess at Sea by Dawn Cook [BookCrossing] Some people said that they liked this book but not as much as the first. I'm just the opposite - I liked both of them, but I liked this one even more. Tess's character really becomes even more developed as she learns some hard lessons about life (and the game). The book's ending works as an ending, but it also leaves it open for much more to come - and I hope that there is because I'm not ready to let go of these characters completely. ***SPOILERS*** I was upset that Duncan turned out to be using her, but since Dawn Cook is Kim Harrison, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, as Duncan reminds me a lot of Nick, so I should have seen it coming. [9/9/07]

Circus of the Darned by Katie Maxwell [BookCrossing] The book was going along just fine and then it ended. What I mean by that is the action was going and then boom, the pages ran out. No, it wasn't a printing error. Just a lot of build-up and very little pay off. Fran got rid of the Vikings much too easily, didn't really need to do much to deal with Loki, and didn't even get to her date with Ben. Plus, it's not clear what Loki has taken from her. *sigh* Obviously the book calls for a sequel (or a third book since this is the second), but from looking at the author's website, there are no current plans to continue with the series (though she would like to at some point in the future). [9/15/07]

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole [BookCrossing] I didn't love this book. In fact, there are several reasons why I actually didn't like it very much. I'm not keen on the super-powerful male who dominates the seemingly helpless female. (Yes, Emma does show her strength by the end.) I'm not keen on the woman being held captive but falling in love with her jailer. And I'm not keen on the way that the full moon just magically created a complete change of heart/mind/soul in Emma and that all her struggles to not fall for Lachlain just disappeared as soon as the moon turned full. That just seemed much too easy after such a build-up with the struggle between them. [9/22/07]

Beast by Donna Jo Napoli [BookCrossing] I had thought this book would involve more of what Orasmyn learns on his travels, but that didn't seem to be a major focus. I did enjoy the story, especially when Belle arrived. I do think it ended a little too quickly - I would have liked to see more of their life together and how they adjusted to his change. [9/25/07]

The Fwog Pwince: The Twuth! by Kaye Umansky [BookCrossing] This was a cute book, but nothing special. [10/3/07]

Wicked Nights by Nina Bangs [BookCrossing] I really enjoyed Nina Bangs other trilogy because it was extremely humorous. This one was less so. I was happy to see Sparkle around, but I missed Ganymede - these two were the source of much of the humor in the other books. I liked Asima, but it just wasn't quite the same. So although I did enjoy this book, I didn't love it. [10/3/07]

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett (audiobook) There were some very funny moments in this book. I also enjoyed the discussions on what makes a king (which is basically what I'm writing my dissertation on). [10/6/07]

Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi [BookCrossing] I really liked the world that these authors created along with the characters, so I enjoyed getting to know Jennifer and her family and friends and look forward to reading more about her. [10/6/07]

Jennifer Scales and the Messenger of Light by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi [BookCrossing] I liked this one even better than the first - relationships are all mixed up as Jennifer and her family and friends all try to figure out who is who and who thinks what about the others. There were a lot of intense moments and some sad ones. [10/9/07]

Giants of the Frost by Kim Wilkins [BookCrossing] I really enjoyed The Autumn Castle and this book was even better. I loved all of the Norse mythology, but even more so the characters and the story line were compelling and made me want to keep reading and really care about what happened to all of the characters. This is a really good book! [10/18/07]

How to Be Popular by Meg Cabot [BookCrossing] The plot itself was rather predictable, but Steph was a fun character to read about, so I enjoyed the book. And although the ending was predictable, it was still quite satisfying. [10/20/07]

Corbenic by Catherine Fisher [BookCrossing] Fisher (an appropriate name) skillfully combines the stories of Percival and the Grail with the modern-day story. I loved seeing the connections between the stories (even subtle ones that readers not as familiar with the grail stories might miss), and the characters and story itself were compelling and made me want to keep reading. It's never clear if everything really does happen or if it's all in Cal's mind, and I think that ambiguity works quite nicely. [10/22/07]

Greywalker by Kat Richardson [BookCrossing] I liked the characters and I liked the tense action in the book. But I was a little confused about exactly how the Grey works and Harper's part with it. I hope that will be cleared up as the story progresses. [10/29/07]

Poltergeist by Kat Richardson [BookCrossing] This book felt more put together than the previous one (which had a lot of parts that didn't always seem to go together). I still don't competely "get" how the Grey works, though. It just seems to be something hard to describe and to wrap your mind around. [11/4/07]

Undead and Uneasy by MaryJanice Davidson [BookCrossing] These books lately just seem to be missing out on what I loved so much about the first couple - the spunky humor with Betsy. Trying to add in serious elements mixed in with the fun-loving Betsy just doesn't really work as well together. I did like this one better than the previous volume (but since I pretty much hated that one, that's not saying much) and I will continue reading but I wish the feel of the first book would return. [11/7/07]

Be Still My Vampire Heart by Kerrelyn Sparks [BookCrossing] I liked the previous two books in this series, but I really liked this one. It just felt like a very tight story and quite well written. Perhaps it was the Scottish vampire that helped make it even more attractive, but I definitely enjoyed reading this one. [11/10/07]

Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris [BookCrossing] Although I figured out the "who done it" and why long before Harper, the unfolding of the plot was still quite exciting and tense. I like Harper. I like Tolliver. And I'm happy to read more books about them. [11/12/07]

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder [BookCrossing] I really liked this book and am looking forward to continuing with this series. The world that has been built and the characters are well written. There are numerous possibilities for future books to explore - definitely Yelena's origins, more about the Commander, etc. [11/17/07]

First Truth by Dawn Cook [BookCrossing] A good solid story as far as the characters go, but the description of the Masters and Keepers needs to be explained a bit more. Perhaps that's because the main character doesn't know everything herself, but it leaves the reader feeling a bit confused. Since I don't really know what they do, I don't really know why the book is so important and why it needs to stay out of the wrong hands. [11/25/07]

Demons Are Forever by Julie Kenner [BookCrossing] I really love the way the plot is unfolding with this series. I did suspect quite a lot that happened, but since I was really hoping that it would be the way things turned out, I'm just happy that they worked out the way they did. Can't wait for the next book! [11/26/07]

Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean by Justin Somper [BookCrossing] A fun little book, although I wish there were more development of characters; even though it's a young adult book, that shouldn't mean that it doesn't go into depth. [12/3/07]

Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves [BookCrossing] I found the premise behind this book to be rather intriguing but the story itself was only okay. I'm not sure that I ever really got to know and like Joey. I did really like Hue, though. And it's open-ended enough that there could be more books, which I'd give a try. [12/9/07]

Beka Cooper: Terrier by Tamora Pierce [BookCrossing] I like this new character and look forward to reading more about her. There were some parts of the book that I felt dragged a little bit though. [12/22/07]

The Invisible Ring by Anne Bishop [BookCrossing] I like the other Jewel books better, but this was quite a good story. [12/29/07]

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