Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Magic Bites


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Today's post is on Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews. It is 260 pages long and is published by Ace Fantasy. It is the first in the Kate Daniels series. The intended reader is someone who likes urban fantasy with a twist, high action, and witty main characters. The cover has the two main characters on it. There is language, talk of sex and rape, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from the first person perspective of the main character Kate. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for magic…
One moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds.
In this world lives Kate Daniels. Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight.
But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and remain safe or to pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy…


Review- An interesting and intense urban fantasy that moves really fast. As a fan of urban fantasy this one is very interesting and different from the rest. Someone made magic real, either again or for the first time, and now the world going between magic working or tech working. It makes some the world building very interesting. I like Kate and I can see why she would make some people uncomfortable but if she was a man there would little to no problem. I like the fact that she acts like a person, not a woman, but a human being in a very stressful time. I think that she is a good main character and I look forward to reading more about her.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.  

Monday, December 28, 2015

Hellsing volume 2


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Today's post is on Hellsing volume 2 by Kohta Hirano. It is 186 pages long including a short story at the end and is published by Dark Horse. As it is the second a series you need to have read the first one to understand the story. The cover has Alucard and Seres on it with bug guns. There is language, sexuality ,and lots of violence in this volume and series. The story is mostly told from Seras perspective. There Be Spoiler Ahead.

From the back of the book- A world of murder and mayhem, political intrigue and religious conflict, monster and undead heroes boils beneath the radar of regular existence. And it's bomb-grade business! There's the cute little police girl, Victoria Seras, a recently turned vampire, who refuses to drink blood and become the real things (but she's still a darn good fighter): the super swank super-vampire Alucard, who hasn't completely shown his abilities; and the old butler Walter, who's got some tricks under his trousers as well. This is but a taste of the characters killing and being killed in Hellsing, and the action is just beginning.

Review- This volume has some very funny moments. Alucard and Anderson are trying to start fighting when Sir Hellsing goes to meet with the Vatican vampire hunters. Seras and Walter plan on them getting into, so they have a bunch of innocent Japanese tourists come in to the room. I am not doing this scene justice because it is hilarious. Lots of plot building in this volume. We learn that there is a group that both Hellsing and the Vatican want is in the shadows and they are doing something bad. The fist half is about an attack on the Hellsing building and it is a very good fight scene with some good one-liners. All in all I liked this volume better than the first. It was funnier, the plot made more sense, and I am getting used to the art style.

I give this volume Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Friday, December 25, 2015

Lethal Rider


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Today's post is on Lethal Rider by Larissa Ione. It is the third in her Lords of Deliverance series. It is 433 pages long and is published by Grand Central publishing. The cover as the two main characters on it. There is sex, violence, and language in this book. The intended reader has read the first two, likes romance, and lots of action. The story is told from third person close the characters moving from one to the next as the story goes. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, Regan Matthews, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos, must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse- he's about to become a father.
Demon-slayer Regan never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted- a family.

Review- I liked this one better than the last one. It was more fun once everything got going but the first fourth of the book is a little intense. But once Thanatos and Regan start talking not just hating each other, it gets fun. Lots of plot and the main problem of the series has been fixed by the end of this book. The cover is wrong because Regan is eight months pregnant through out the whole book but whatever. Both the characters are put through the ringer but I liked the plot. Thanatos was not as bad as I was expecting. He was angry at being raped but when he discovers everything that was going on, he turns his anger to the real people responsible not Regan. Regan has some real issues but she is not afraid to really face her problems. I am looking forward to their brother's being saved in the last book.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

Monday, December 21, 2015

Hellsing volume 1


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Today's post is on Hellsing volume 1 by Kohta Hirano. It is 204 pages long and is published by Dark Horse Manga. The cover is red and black with the main character on it. The intended reader is someone who likes dark humor, vampires, and high action plots. There is some language, implied sexuality, and lots of violence in this book and series. The story is told from a third person omniscient perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- There's a secret organization in England created to defend the Queen and country from monsters of all sorts. Enter Hellsing, an agency, long in tooth, with the experience, know-how, and ...er... equipment to handle the problems that arise when vampires, ghouls, and the like that clamber from the darkness. "What equipment?" you may ask. How about another vampire, souped by generations of study and refinement, armed with a big pistol loaded with special silver bullets? That oughta do the trick. But what really knocks 'em dead is the sharp wit, awesome artwork, and crazy, bloody action that make up the manga. The night is dark, but at least those creepy anti-heroes from Hellsing can make light of it.

Review- This is a very funny and bloody retelling of Dracula. The action is very intense but the dialog is pretty funny. The story has some interesting elements like how vampires are made, what they can do, and good history. Add in some crazy catholic priest with a kill them all mindset and your are in for a good time. The artwork does not impress me but it does fit the series. Victoria Seras the one that the reader will follow into this world. Alucard turns her into a vampire at the beginning of the story and she is how we are going to understand the world. A very interesting and good start to a series.

I give this manga a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Invaded


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Today's post is on Invaded by Melissa Landers. It is book two in her Alienated series. It is 356 pages long and is published by Hyperion. The cover has Cara on bottom looking at Aelyx who is upside down on top of the book. The intended reader is someone who has read the first book, likes science fiction, and romance. There is no sex, mild language, and mild violence in this book. The story is told in third person close of the two main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Cara always knew life on planet L’eihr would be an adjustment. With Aelyx, her L’eihr boyfriend, back on Earth, working to mend the broken alliance between their two planets, Cara is left to fend for herself at a new school, surrounded by hostile alien clones. Even the weird dorm pet hates her.
Things look up when Cara is appointed as human representative to a panel preparing for a human colony on L’eihr. A society melding their two cultures is a place where Cara and Aelyx could one day make a life together. But with L’eihr leaders balking at granting even the most basic freedoms, Cara begins to wonder if she could ever be happy on this planet, even with Aelyx by her side.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Aelyx, finds himself thrown into a full-scale PR campaign to improve human-L’eihr relations. Humans don’t know that their very survival depends on this alliance: only Aelyx’s people have the technology to fix the deadly contamination in the global water supply that human governments are hiding. Yet despite their upper hand, the leaders of his world suddenly seem desperate to get humans on their side, and hardly bat an eye at extremists’ multiple attempts on Aelyx’s life.
The Way clearly needs humans’ help . . . but with what? And what will they ask for in return?


Review- Not a bad book but I was very annoyed with the L'eihrs, including Aelyx, all the way through the book again. Cara is not too bad but I was just so over the whole L'eihrs culture that I could not really enjoy her. The aliens that the blurb talk about are not in the book. The real drama is all about what the side characters can really do and why. The L'eihrs at all levels are unpleasant from the leaders who are lying and hiding to the young ones that Cara has to interact with, who just want to make everything unpleasant from Cara's day to the plot in general. And because of her position, Cara cannot really call any of them on it. So I was really annoyed with this book. I hope the next is better.

I give this book a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

Monday, December 14, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 18


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 18 by Bisco Hatori. It is 224 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. As it is the last in the series you  need to have read the first seventeen to understand the story. The cover has all the cast on it with Tamaki and Haruhi in the center looking happy. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this series. The intended reader is someone who likes cute love stories, over-the-top comedy, and good art. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Tamaki wants to ask Haruhi out, but he's quickly overwhelmed trying to plan the best first date in the universe. The members of the Host Club volunteer to assist Tamaki in his endeavor, but can they save their foolish king from himself?

Review- A very sweet and satisfying end to a favorite series. Haruhi and Tamaki end up together and it is so sweet. The first date could have been a normal Tamaki disaster but everyone saves the day until they realize that Haruhi just wants to spend time with Tamaki and does not care what they do. It is so sweet my teeth hurt. Then they go off to America to study aboard together. At least until the rest of the Host Club comes too. Haruhi's face when she opens the door and sees everyone else on the other side was golden. I have enjoyed this series so much. I highly recommend it.

I give this volume and series a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this series with my own money.

Friday, December 11, 2015

The Girl from the Well

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Today's post is on The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco. It is the first in her The Girl from the Well series. It is 265 pages long and is published by Sourcebooks. The cover is blue with black birds around the title. The intended reader is someone who likes horror, Japanese culture, and good writing. There is talk of rape, violence, and language in this book. The story is told very uniquely but the voice is mostly Okiku. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- I am where dead children go. Okiku is a lonely soul. She has wandered the world for centuries, freeing the spirits of the murdered dead. Once a victim herself, she now takes the lives of killers with the vengeance they're due but releasing innocent ghosts from their ethereal tethers does not bring Okiku peace. Still she drifts on.
Such is her existence, until she meets Tark. Evil writhes beneath the moody teen's skin, trapped by a series of intricate tattoos. While the neighbors fear him, Okiku knows the boy is not a monster. Tark needs to be freed from the male valance that clings to him. There's just one problem: the demon dies, so does its host.

Review- I think a lot about this book. I really enjoyed it. The plot was good and if you are a fan of Asian mythology and lore you will love this. But I have also seen this movie, watched this anime, and read this manga. Only once I let that go I was able to really enjoy this book. Because I really like Asian lore. Asian horror is very different from Western horror. There is less emphasis on sex with the scary stuff.  In fact there is no sex at all in this book and that made me very happy. I hate how horrorized sex and sexuality is in western horror. The characters were interesting and I like how religion played a part in the plot. The evil was evil and it was scary. But so was Okiku. She is scary too when as you empathize with her. I think that Tark is the weak part of the story but I can forgive that because he is just the vessel for the story to be told.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

The Terrans: First Salik War


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Today's post is on The Terrans: First Salik War by Jean Johnson. It is 464 pages long and is published by Ace. The cover has the main character in a shapeship being very cool. It is the first in Johnson's First Salik War trilogy. The intended reader is someone who likes science fiction, very cool female main characters, and interesting plots. There is some mild language, talk of sex, and some violence in this book. The story is told from the third person close perspective of two of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Jean Johnson's first novel in an explosive new science fiction trilogy set in the world of the national bestselling Theirs Not to Reason Why series—set two-hundred years earlier, at the dawn of the First Salik War…
Born into a political family and gifted with psychic abilities, Jacaranda MacKenzie has served as a border-watcher and even spent time as a representative on the United Planets Council. Now she just wants to spend her days in peace and quiet as a translator—but the universe has other plans
Humans have long known that they would encounter more alien species, and while those with precognitive abilities agree a terrible war is coming, they do not agree on who will save humanity—a psychic soldier or a politician.
But Jackie is both.
After she is pressured into rejoining the Space Force to forestall the impending calamity, Jackie makes an unsettling discovery. Their new enemy, the Salik, seem to be rather familiar with fighting Humans—as if their war against humanity had already begun…


Review- It took me a little whole to get into this book but when I did, this is a great story. The heavy world building and all the science explanations do slow things down but the characters and fascinating plot make up for that. The main character Jackie is great. She is a very intelligent, honest, and interesting main character. She has to try get everyone to work together, to make First Contact go well, and learn everything that she can about the V'Dans. Johnson does a great job at making this world believable and interesting. There is so much about this book that I liked, making this very difficult to write a good review for. Johnson has done a really good job with this book and I am excited to read the next in the series.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I was given this book to read by Ace/ROC publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, December 7, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 17


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 17 by Bisco Hatori. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Tamaki on it looking sweet. As it is the seventeenth in the long running series you need to have read the first sixteen to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes over-the-top humor, good characters, and long plots. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this series. The is mostly told from Haruhi's perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Tamaki's father and grandmother, the heads of the powerful Souh Corp., are behind the Host Club's suspension and the plan for Haruhi to be shipped off abroad. Now the Host Club members must pull out all the stops to save their beloved leader from his family's infighting.

Review- Lots happen in this volume to start ending the series. Tamaki and his grandmother at last reach a place of peace and maybe even love. Tamaki gets to see his mother again. Kyoya yells at people, which was fun. And Haruhi confesses to Tamaki in the last panel.  Good times all around. I feel that Tamaki's family problems have been handled very well and that he got some good character time and growth. I was very glad that Kyoya yelled at Tamaki's father because he was not a good father in this volume. In addition we get to know what Kyoya plans to do with his future and how he is going to become the head of the Ohtori family. Poor Haruhi has some anxious feelings about telling Tamaki how she feels about him and it a very funny and welcome plot moment. Only one more volume left.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Eve

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Today's post is on Eve by Anna Carey. It is the first in her Eve Trilogy. It is 318 pages long and is published by Harper. The cover is blue with the main character running across a bridge. The intended reader is someone who likes young adult, dystopian stories, and easy reading. The story is told from the first person perspective of Eve. There is mild language, talk of rape, and violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Where do you go when nowhere is safe?
Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth's population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school's real purpose and the horrifying fate that awaits her.
Fleeing the only home she's ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust... and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.


Review- This is a retelling of Margaret Atwood The Handmaid's Tale for this generation and Carey does a good job at it. Eve believes that the world is being reborn and she will get help it be reborn. What she does not know it is that young women are the ones doing the birthing by force. This is a very dark dystopian, as it should be since it is a retelling of a very dark story, but Carey handles it well. Eve is a little dumb and at one point I wanted to slap her but in the end I like the character. The world is very gritty without getting overwhelmingly dark. The plot is a little scary but I am adult and the thought of young women being forced to have children after children, because they are carrying more than one baby at a time, is very disturbing. But Carey does not let the reader get too involved with that part of the story but I am hoping that she does go back and address it in the next two books.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I have given this series as a gift.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

The Winner's Crime

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Today's post is on The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski. It is the second her Winner's trilogy. It is 402 pages long and is published by Farrar Satraus Giroux Books. The cover is deep blue with the main character on it holding a sword. The intended reader is young adult, has read the first one, and likes good writing. There is no sex, no language, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.


From the dust jacket- Following your heart can be a crime.
A royal wedding means one celebration after another: balls, fireworks, and revelry until dawn. But to Krestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement: that she agreed to marry the crown prince in exchange for Arin's freedom. But can Krestrel trust Arin? Can she even trust herself?
Kestrel is becoming very good at deception. She's working as a spy in the court. If caught, she'll be exposed as a traitor to her country. Yet she can't help searching for a way to change her ruthless world... and she is close to uncovering a shocking secret.
This dazzling follow-up to The Winner's Curse reveals the high price of dangerous lies and untrustworthy alliances. The truth will come out, and when it does, Krestrel and Arin will learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

Review- This was a very solid second book but I do have some problems with it. Arin is just dumb for the whole book. The plot was slow but it is going places and getting everything ready for the last act. Krestrel is doing the best she can but Arin just does not want to see. He is all hurt about the stuff from the first book and so he is not thinking. And he spends the whole book not thinking. As the end I had hope that maybe he was going to finally see what Krestrel was doing but he ruined it by continuing to not listen to her. At this point I hope that Krestrel ends up either with the prince, who is very nice, or on her own. Arin is just too stupid. That said that was my only real problem with the book. Everything else was good.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Monday, November 30, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 16


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 16 by Bisco Hatori. It is 183 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Hunny and Mori on it looking sweet. As it is the sixteenth in the series you need to have read the first fifteen to understand the story. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this book. The story is mostly told from Haruhi's perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The two senior members of the Host Club are graduating and will lead separate lives at university. Everyone is mourning the loss of the "Hunny-Mori Combo", but the longtime duo already seems to have ended their close friendship. Now Mori has challenged Hunny to a duel- but why?

Review- First section is about Hunny and Mori but the real plot is about Tamaki and his grandmother. She has taken him into the house but she is not happy about it. In fact she wants to turn everything that Tamaki loves in his life into the past. She is a great villain for a comedy series. At this point I do not understand why Tamaki's grandmother is doing this. It makes no sense at all. But it does make great drama. Poor Tamaki he just cannot win for losing. Only two more volume until the end.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Immortal Rider

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Today's post is on Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione. It is the second her Lords of Deliverance series. It is 414 pages long and is published by Grand Central Publishing. The cover has the two main characters on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes paranormal romance, fighting, and over the top drama. There is language, sex, and violence in this book. The story is from third person of the different characters moving as the story needs. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Sexy, powerful, and immortal, Limos is on a crash course with destiny. She's been marked as Satan's bride and her jealous fiancé wants her all to himself. The only way this Horseman can keep herself- and everyone else- safe is to keep her distance.
Arik Wagner knows the saying "love hurts" better than most, yet he never thought stealing a kiss from Limos would land him in Hell. Literally. It takes all his military training to survive the demon torture, but once he's topside, Arik realizes that the agony has just begun. With the Apocalypse looming and Satan demanding his bride, will Arik and Limos surrender to the desire smoldering between them? Or will giving in to their passion unleash hell on earth?

Review- I did not enjoy this one as much as I did Eternal Rider. That is because Limos has so much self-hatred. She has lied and is afraid of the lies coming out but instead of just dealing with them, she runs away. So when the lies come out, she flips out. But other than that I liked this book. I like Arik. He is a good hero. He gets mad at Limos but forgives her for her fear. He helps the other Horsemen and saves the day. Once everything comes out Limos gets better too because now she had nothing to be afraid of. I just wish that she had dealt with her stuff before the half-way mark of the book. I just wanted to shake her.

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

To Hell and Back

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Today's post is on To Hell and Back by Lilith Saintcrow. It is the last in her Dante Valentine series. It is 416 pages longs and is published by Orbit. The cover has Dante on it looking cool. The intended reader is someone who has read the rest of the series, likes gritty urban fantasy, and lots of violence. There is language, no sex, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from the first person perspective of the main character Dante. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From Goodreads- Dante Valentine has been through Hell. Literally. Her body shattered and her mind not far behind, she's dumped back into her own world to survive--or not--as a pawn in one of Lucifer's endless games.
Unfortunately, he's just messed with the wrong Necromance. And this time she's mad enough to do something about it.
This time, the Devil will pay.

Review- A very good ending. Everything is finished but nothing is really set in stone. Dante is still very damaged by the events of the books but she comes out on the other side of all the bad stuff and I think that she is better for it. I do not think that her relationship with Japhrimel will ever be the same but who knows, maybe they can work something out. The writing is really very good. I like the way that Saintcrow takes the things that we know so well and makes them into something just a little off. I had some problems with the characters but all in all I really like this series. I like Dante, I like Japhrimel, and I just like the world that Saintcrow created. I look forward to reading more from her soon.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 15


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 15 by Bisco Hatori. It is 183 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. As it is the fifteenth in the long running series you need to have read the first fourteen to understand the story. The cover has Kyoya on it looking cool. The intended reader is someone who likes humor, silly love stories, and good characters. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The story is mostly told from Haruhi's perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The members of the Host Club plan an event to help Tamaki get over his separation anxiety from the Host Club, and even Haruhi gets in on the action. Will the bonds of friendship between Tamaki and Haruhi become bonds of love?

Review- The first story is the blurb and is fun but I liked the second story better. Hunny and Mori are finally going to go to college. But that means they will not be together all the time. Mori is working through that and it makes a very interesting plot and character development. Of course Kyoya has his hands in everything and so he makes a lot of money for the Host Club. In the end Hunny and Mori do not even leave the Host Club. They are special members and come when they can. Haruhi and Tamaki are making their way to each other but the slow going is making everyone else crazy. But with only three volumes left I am wondering how Hatori is going to work out Tamaki's problems.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

Friday, November 20, 2015

The Paper Magician

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Today's post is on The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg. It is the first in her Paper Magician trilogy. It is 214 pages long and is published by 47 North. The cover has the main character on it as a paper doll. The intended reader is someone who likes magic, historical fantasy, and some romance. There is no sex, no language, and some violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic despite her dreams of bespelling metal. And once she’s bonded to paper, that will be her only magic… forever.
Yet the spells Ceony learns under the strange yet kind Thane turn out to be more marvelous than she could have ever imagined — animating paper creatures, bringing stories to life via ghostly images, even reading fortunes. But as she discovers these wonders, Ceony also learns of the extraordinary dangers of forbidden magic.
An Excisioner — a practitioner of dark, flesh magic — invades the cottage and rips Thane’s heart from his chest. To save her teacher’s life, Ceony must face the evil magician and embark on an unbelievable adventure that will take her into the chambers of Thane’s still-beating heart—and reveal the very soul of the man.


Review- This was a very good first novel. The magic is interesting, the characters are good, and the plot was fast. The only problem I had was that Ceony fell in love with Thane in less than an month. I know that in  romance novels that is normal or a little long but I wanted it either take longer or not happen at all. I would have loved this to be a friendship without any romance at all. But other than that it was good. The villain could have gone cliche but Holmberg pulls back from that happening. I really like the ending battle. It was very unusual and showed the magic of the world very well. I am curious about where she is going to go next.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Curtain Up: Agatha Christie A Life in the Threatre


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Today's post is on Curtain Up: Agatha Christie A Life in the Threatre by Julius Green. It is 624 pages long and is published by Harper Collins. The cover is the front of a theatre with the title up in lights. The intended reader is someone who is interested in Agatha Christie, threatre history, and very detailed research. There is no sex, no language, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Agatha Christie is revered around the world for her books and the indelible characters she created. Lesser known is her writing for the stage—an extraordinary repertoire of plays that firmly established her as the most successful female dramatist of all time. Now author Julius Green raises the curtain on Christie’s towering contribution to popular theatre, an element of her work previously disregarded by biographers and historians.
Starting with her childhood theatregoing experiences, Curtain Up uncovers Christie’s first serious attempts at playwriting, with scripts that reveal a very different style from the now familiar whodunits for which she became famous. Later in her life, she enjoyed enormous global success with her work for the stage, but her record-breaking achievements in the West End and her conquest of Broadway came at a price: she had to fight against her own fame and felt obliged to delete her adored character Hercule Poirot from stories that had originally been created around him.
Green’s revelations about Christie’s passion for the theatre are illustrated with copious extracts from hitherto unknown plays and unpublished private letters, many of which he discovered in archives on both sides of the Atlantic. The illuminating exchanges between Christie, her agents and producers include extensive correspondence with the legendary ‘Mousetrap Man’, theatrical impresario Sir Peter Saunders.
Meticulously researched and filled with groundbreaking discoveries, Curtain Up sheds new light on Agatha Christie’s artistry and adds a fascinating layer to her remarkable story.


Review- A very interesting and very well research piece of threatre history. Green loves his topic, both of them. He is a Christie fan and a threatre man himself and that comes across in his writing. Green gives many examples of Christie's writing as she grew over the years that she wrote both prose and scripts. With letters from the Christie archive, we get a very personal look into a very private woman. This is not a biography of Agatha Christie's life just her work in the threatre but it is still a very interesting part of her history. At times all the details can get a little overwhelming but I think that it is worth it to see this side of a favorite author.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review by HarperCollins. 

Monday, November 16, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 14


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 14 by Bisco Hatori. It is 189 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. As it is the fourteenth in the long running series you need  to have read the first thirteen to understand the story. The cover has the twins on it. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The story is told mostly from Haruhi's perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Hikaru has asked Haruhi to go out ieht him, but he doesn't want her answer right away. Yet at the same time, he's trying to get Tamaki to realize he's in love with Haruhi too. If the Host Club prepared for a love triangle among its members?

Review- Well at least Haruhi gets it by the end of this book. Tamaki still does not but that is okay. Something big is brewing with him plot-wise. The lawyer that they met in the last volume was there again and helped them find Haruhi when plot happened. She is doing something for Tamaki's father but other than that nothing more known. The humor in this volume was all about the drama between Haruhi and Tamaki. The twins being the twins help but just more the same chaos.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Saint City Sinners


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Today's post is on Saint's City Sinners by Lilith Saintcrow. It is the fourth in her Dante Valentine series. The cover is the cover of the omnibus of the whole series with Dante on the cover looking cool. The intended reader is someone who likes gritty urban fantasy, female main character, and lots of fight scenes. There is no sex, language, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from the first person perspective of Dante. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From Goodreads- Saint City has always been Dante Valentine's home. It's where she grew up, it's where her dead are buried, and it's where she learned to hunt.
Now, one call from an old friend will bring her back to investigate a murder too close to home for anyone's comfort. But the one person she trusted has just betrayed her.
Sometimes revenge is best served demon-hot... 


Review- So Japhrimel had annoyed me in the last book and he is still annoying me. But Dante told him where to put in this time so I am happier with her at the end of this one than the last. But Dante is still being very bad at relationships so she does not get a pass either. Instead of being honest with Japhrimel, she just avoids it. Until she cannot any more then she yells. I would like it better if they would just yell it out and then move on. But that is not the way that this works. It ends with a cliffhanger that, maybe, I would have found annoying if I was reading this as it came out but I am not sure. But I did not think that it was a cheap place to leave Dante. Only one more book to go then finished with this series.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money. 

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

A Nearly Infallible History of Christianity: Being a history of 2000 years of Saints, Sinners, Idiots, and Divinely0inspired Troublemakers


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Today's post is on A Nearly Infallible History of Christianity: Being a history of 2000 years of Saints, Sinners, Idiots, and Divinely0inspired Troublemakers by Nick Page. It is 456 pages long with notes and it published by Hodder & Stoughton. The cover is like a very fancy church bill. The intended reader is someone who is interested in church history, humor, and good writing. There is no sex, no language, and lots of violence in this book.  There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Combing in-depth research, searing historical analysis, and cutting-edge guesswork, this is the complete and utter history of the Christian church- as you've never heard it before.
Was Jesus really related to half his disciples? Who invented excommunication? Where do the seven deadly sins really come from? How did the invention of trousers lead to the fall of Rome? And- how come so many Christians across the cneturies seem to have entirely miss the point?
From Abelard to Zwingli, Nick Page leaves no stone unturned to get to the (mostly) truth about the saints and sinners, holiness and heresy that pepper Christian history- not to mention several donkeys, one elephant and a prophetic goose.

Review- This was a very funny book about a very serious subject. Page goes from the beginnings of the Christian church all the way to present. He pulls no punches about all the things that the church did but with his sense of humor helps to deal with the horrors that happened. The research is solid with good notes if you want to do more yourself. The footnotes are the best and how Page tracks the organ from creation to modern day was hilarious. He gives famous people little boxes where he talks briefly about them but again his humor is all over the descriptions. The chapters are long but he does give good break in them so that it is manageable. I would like to read more by Page.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 13


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 13 by Bisco Hatori. It is 194 pages long and it published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Haruhi looking cute on it. As it is the thirteenth in the long running series you need to have read the first twelve to understand the story.  There is no sex, no language, and no violence in this volume. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Mei, wanting Haruhi to face up to her feelings, leaves out a magazine that has a checklist for determining whether a girl is in love. As Haurhi reads through the checklist, she realizes that one host may have captured her heart without her even knowing...

Review- Lots of plot happen in this volume. Everyone now but Tamaki knows how who feels about who. In addition to the over-the-top humor, there is some serious stuff happening. It ends with a little bit of a cliffhanger but I am very interested to see how this is going to work out. Haruhi is also trying to change herself, to be more interested and involved in the world around her. She does not know what to do about her feelings but she does not feel like she 'deserves' him so she is going to change. I think that will add an interesting layer to the plot. Not much more in this wonderful series.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

Friday, November 6, 2015

The Devil's Right Hand

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Today's post is on The Devil's Right Hand by Lilith Saintcrow. It is the third in her Dante Valentine series. It is 416 pages long and is published by Orbit books. The intended reader is someone who has read the first two books, likes gritty urban fantasy, and fighting. There is implied sex, language, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from the first person perspective of Dante. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From Goodreads- Dante Valentine, Necromancer and bounty hunter, just wants to be left alone. But the Devil has other ideas.
The Prince wants Dante. And he wants her now. And Dante and her lover, Japhrimel, have no choice but to answer the Prince's summons. And to fulfill a seemingly simple task: become the Devil's Right Hand, hunt down four demons that have escaped from Hell, and earn His gratitude.
It's a shame that nothing is ever easy when it comes to the Devil. Because of course, he doesn't tell Dante the whole truth: there is a rebellion brewing in Hell. And there is a good chance that Lucifer is about to be pushed off the throne.
But Dante is getting really tired of being pushed around. And this time, she might be angry enough to take on the Devil himself...


Review- So Japhrimel really annoyed me in this book. He was pushy, bitchy and all around just annoying. He gets up on his high horse and thinks that because he is a demon- or something- that he knows best. And that means that he does not have to talk to Dante about anything. But other that wanting Dante to kick Japhrimel to the curb I really liked this volume. We get to see more of the world and get a really good idea about how it works. Other non-human species are introduced and are talked about in some detail. In addition we get to see what the devil was doing with Eve from the first novel. The only problem is years have past and we do not know that at the start of the novel and have to figure it out as we go.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 12


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 12 by Bisco Hatori. It is 179 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Kyoya, Hunny, and Mori on it. As it is the twelfth in the long running series you need to have read the first eleven to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who has read the previous volumes, likes over-the-top stories and love stories. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The story is told from the perspectives of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Hikaru and Kaoru's fight over Haruhi is taking its toll on Hunny and Mori, who are trying to watch over the estranged twins. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Tamaki, Kyoya starts looking for Tamaki's mother in France.

Review- Hikaru and Kaoru deal with the fact that they are growing into different people. It was a good story line but Kyoya's was better. Kyoya and Tamaki have a very odd relationship but they are friends. So Kyoya wants to find Tamaki's mother and see if she is alright. He is doing this without telling anyone else because he is Kyoya. When he gets back to Japan and tells everyone about this woman he met, it was very touching. Haruhi pushes herself forward to ask about her health as Tamaki could not speak. Hearing that his mother was fine made him speechless for a few frames. This is really heartwarming for a series with so much humor.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Clockwork Heart

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Today's post is on Clockwork Heart by Liesel Schwarz. It is the second in her Chronicles of Light and Shadow series. The cover has the main character on it looking over London. The intended reader is someone who has read the first novel, likes steampunk, and action. There is no sex, mild language, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the characters moving from one to another has the story goes. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- For better or curse. That might as well have been the wedding vow of Elle Chance and her new husband, the ex-Warlock Hugh Marsh. For the couple has scarcely returned from their honeymoon when the ancient battle between Light and Shadow tears them apart.
As Elle devotes herself to her duties as the Oracle- who alone has the power to keep the dark designs of Shadow at bay- Marsh finds himself missing the excitement of  his former life as a Warlock. So when Commissioner Willoughby of the London Metropolitan Police seeks his help in solving a magical mystery, Marsh is only too happy to oblige. But in doing so, Marsh loses his heart, literally.
In place of the flesh-and-blood organ is a clockwork device- a device that makes Marsh a kind of zombie. Nor is he the only one. A plague of clockwork zombies is afflicting London, sowing panic and whispers of revolution. Now Elle must join forces with her husband's old friend the Nightwalker Loisa Belododie to track down Marsh's heart and restore it to his chest before time runs out.

Review- Not a bad second book. I like that she killed Marsh and I hope that he stays dead. Not that he is a bad character but I want Elle to really be her own woman. From what little married interaction they had I did not think that she could be her own woman while married to Marsh. Schwarz took some risks with this novel and I am curious about where she is going to go next. The plot is very fast, everything happens within a week or so. I like how the magic grew over the course of the story. Elle is still not very happy with her place in this world but I think that she is prepared to do whatever she must. I am very curious about where Schwarz is going to go with the story now.


I give this book a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey


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Today's post is on The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck. It is 450 pages long and is published by Simon and Schuster. The cover is white with a ink drawing of a mule and wagon team. The intended reader is someone who likes history and travel narratives. There is some language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- In the bestselling tradition of Bill Bryson and Tony Horwitz, Rinker Buck's "The Oregon Trail" is a major work of participatory history: an epic account of traveling the 2,000-mile length of the Oregon Trail the old-fashioned way, in a covered wagon with a team of mules--which hasn't been done in a century--that also tells the rich history of the trail, the people who made the migration, and its significance to the country.
Spanning 2,000 miles and traversing six states from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean, the Oregon Trail is the route that made America. In the fifteen years before the Civil War, when 400,000 pioneers used it to emigrate West--historians still regard this as the largest land migration of all time--the trail united the coasts, doubled the size of the country, and laid the groundwork for the railroads. The trail years also solidified the American character: our plucky determination in the face of adversity, our impetuous cycle of financial bubbles and busts, the fractious clash of ethnic populations competing for the same jobs and space. Today, amazingly, the trail is all but forgotten.
Rinker Buck is no stranger to grand adventures. "The New Yorker "described his first travel narrative, "Flight of Passage," as "a funny, cocky gem of a book," and with "The Oregon Trail "he seeks to bring the most important road in American history back to life. At once a majestic American journey, a significant work of history, and a personal saga reminiscent of bestsellers by Bill Bryson and Cheryl Strayed, the book tells the story of Buck's 2,000-mile expedition across the plains with tremendous humor and heart. He was accompanied by three cantankerous mules, his boisterous brother, Nick, and an "incurably filthy" Jack Russell terrier named Olive Oyl. Along the way, Buck dodges thunderstorms in Nebraska, chases his runaway mules across miles of Wyoming plains, scouts more than five hundred miles of nearly vanished trail on foot, crosses the Rockies, makes desperate fifty-mile forced marches for water, and repairs so many broken wheels and axels that he nearly reinvents the art of wagon travel itself. Apart from charting his own geographical and emotional adventure, Buck introduces readers to the evangelists, shysters, natives, trailblazers, and everyday dreamers who were among the first of the pioneers to make the journey west. With a rare narrative power, a refreshing candor about his own weakness and mistakes, and an extremely attractive obsession for history and travel, "The Oregon Trail" draws readers into the journey of a lifetime.


Review-  An interesting travel narrative about the Oregon Trail and family. Buck is in a rough place in his life at the beginning of this book. So he decides to do something a little crazy. He is going to ride the Oregon Trail just like so many a 100 odd years ago. He takes his brother with him and together they go places, emotionally and physically, that are pretty amazing. In addition Buck gives an interesting narrative about the Oregon Trail itself, its history and the kinds of people who traveled it. He draws from journals, newspapers, and other surviving sources to give a full picture of the trail and its importance. While I found this book very interesting, I was not drawn into the emotions of the book. Buck deals with his ghosts and finds a good place with his brother but it just did not hit with me. Luckily I enjoyed everything else about this book, so it was a good read.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

Monday, October 26, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 11


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 11 by Bisco Hatori. It is 190 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. As it is the eleventh in the long running series you need to have read the first ten to understand the story. The cover has Tamaki and the twins on it.  The intended reader is someone who likes over-the-top humor, fun characters, and light romance. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The story is told from Haruhi's perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- With the Host Club member on opposite sides, the sports festival at Ouran High School has become an all-out war! Can the bonds of friendship withstand the strain of competition?

Review- Tamaki gets to compete with Kyoya fairly. Tamaki wants to see what Kyoya could do if he would just stop trying to impress his father. Since Kyoya's father did not go to the festival then he gets his wish. There is more drama with the twins. They are starting to have different goals and that is changing things between them. Everyone is seeing that Haruhi likes Tamaki more than she realizes and of course Tamaki is still clueless about how he feels. But in general it is very funny and over-the-top like normal. Hunny and Mori are doing what they to help and Mori gets a funny side story about getting a new pet. Good volume.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Sin Eater's Daughter

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Today's post is on The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury. It is the first in a trilogy. It is 312 pages long and is published by Scholastic Press. The cover is green with a girl in a glass bottle with blood floating around her. The intended reader is young adult, likes fantasy, and love stories. There is mild language, violence, and sexuality in this book. The story is told from the first person perspective of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Seventeen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But although she's engaged to the prince, Twylla isn't a member of the court.
She's the executioner.
As the Goddess embodied, Twylla instantly kills anyone she touches. Each month, she's taken to the prison and forced to lay her hands on those accused of treason. Even the prince, whose royal blood supposedly makes him immune to Twylla's fatal touch, avoids her company.
But then a new guard arrives, whose smile belies his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he's able to see the girl, not the Goddess. Yet Twylla's been promised to the prince, and knows far too well what happens to people who cross the queen.
However, a treasonous secret is the least of Twylla's problems. The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies- a plan that requires a stomach-churning, unthinkable sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed love?

Review- I have mixed feelings about this novel. But one thing that I know for sure is that if Twylla must have a love story I want her to choose the prince. The other guy was just using her from the beginning, even if he swears that now he loves her, he still thought some very horrible things and used her in ways that are unforgivable. I was hoping that this was a stand alone novel. Yes the ending would have left some people unhappy but I would have liked it. The writing was good but I really just wanted her to see what the other guy was doing and not go for it. I do not think that I will be reading the next books. I just did not like this one enough.

I give this novel a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 10


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 10 by Bisco Hatori. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. As it is the tenth in the long running series you need to have read the first nine to understand the story. The cover has Haruhi and an new friend on it. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The intended reader is someone who likes over-the-top comedy, good characters, and light romance. The story is told from Haruhi's perspective. There Be Spoiler Ahead.

From the back of the book- Ever since the day he helped her up from a nasty tumble, Black Magic Club member Reiko Kanazuki has been obsessed with Hunny. She is devoting all her knowledge of the dark arts to curse him and steal his soul. Will the sweetest member of the Host Club fall victim to her spells?

Review- The blurb only gives the first story for this volume. The rest of the volume is about a previous character and his daughter. Of course when she meets the Host Club guys, she losses her mind over them, Tamaki in particular. She sees that he is crazy over Haruhi and she sees that Haruhi likes him more than she knows. Kaoru is the one that she tells and I think that it going to change things. We get to see more of the twins parents and it is funny in general.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this volume with my own money.

Friday, October 16, 2015

A Creature of Moonlight

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Today's post is on A Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn. It is a stand alone novel. It is 313 pages long and is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The cover is blue with a silver moon and a black dragon on it. There intended reader is young adult. There is no language, no sex, and talk of violence in this book. The story is told from the perspective of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- The girls who escape into the forbidden woods do it for one reason: freedom. But Marni has never heeded the voices that call to her from among the trees, the ones that lured her mother away so many years ago. Marni is the rightful heir to the throne, though she lives in exile, growing flowers for the court. While it isn't the life of a princess, at she's been safe- until now.
Marni is not a little girl anymore. People are starting to notice her, and the voices in the woods have grown too loud to ignore. When the trees themselves begin to move in on the kingdom, Marni knows she must make a choice. She could claim her birthright as princess of a realm whose ruthless king wants her dead. Or she could make a life with the father she has never known: the wild dragon who is sending his magical woods to capture her.

Review- This book was interesting and I really liked the heroine. She does not fall in love with anyone and she stays true to herself. Marni is the half-human princess who just wants to live her life without getting killed by her uncle. She has had to deal with people ignoring her or manipulating her all her life. Her uncle cannot decide if he wants to kill her or not. I liked her aunt a lot. Her aunt does not see a dragon's daughter, she sees her niece who needs someone to love her. The love interest gets forgotten very quickly and that pleased me. Marni stands up for herself to everyone including her dragon father. I liked that the magic just worked, it was something that Marni just knew how to do. She had to learn some things but then she was off and flying. I hope that Hahn gets more books published but I hope that she leaves this one alone. It is done.

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

The Great Detective: The Amazing Rise and Immortal Life of Sherlock Holmes


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Today's post is on The Great Detective: The Amazing Rise and Immortal Life of Sherlock Holmes by Zach Dundas. It is 320 pages long and is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The cover is red is with the title in black and white. The intended reader is someone who likes Sherlock Holmes and literary history. There is some mild language, talk of sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- A wickedly smart and rollicking journey through the birth, life, and afterlives of popular culture's most beloved sleuth.
Today he is the inspiration for fiction adaptations, blockbuster movies, hit television shows, raucous Twitter banter, and thriving subcultures. More than a century after Sherlock Holmes first capered into our world, what is it about Arthur Conan Doyle’s peculiar creation that continues to fascinate us? Journalist and lifelong Sherlock fan Zach Dundas set out to find the answer.
The result is The Great Detective: a history of an idea, a biography of someone who never lived, a tour of the borderland between reality and fiction, and a joyful romp through the world Conan Doyle bequeathed us.
Through sparkling new readings of the original stories, Dundas unearths the inspirations behind Holmes and his indispensable companion, Dr. John Watson, and reveals how Conan Doyle's tales laid the groundwork for an infinitely remixable myth, kept alive over the decades by writers, actors, and readers. This investigation leads Dundas on travels into the heart of the Holmesian universe. The Great Detective transports us from New York City's Fifth Avenue and the boozy annual gathering of one of the world's oldest and most exclusive Sherlock Holmes fan societies; to a freezing Devon heath out of The Hound of the Baskervilles; to sunny Pasadena, where Dundas chats with the creators of the smash BBC series Sherlock and even finagles a cameo appearance by Benedict Cumberbatch himself. Along the way, Dundas discovers and celebrates the ingredients that have made Holmes go viral — then, now, and as long as the game’s afoot.


Review- At times this book is an interesting romp through the history of a very famous character and his creator. Then gets a little slow. Dundas does a good job tracking Holmes through Conan Doyle's life but he does not write about some things I think should be in there. Like why Conan Doyle killed Holmes. He killed Holmes because he wanted to write respectable histories like a serious writer. Conan Doyle would hate that most people do not even know that he wrote anything else other than Sherlock Holmes. Dundas does not do a bad job, he just did not write about things that I thought needed to be in there and he makes a very bad call about Steven Moffat. Dundas claims that Moffat is one who give new life into Doctor Who but that is just not the case. That was Russell T. Davies. I admit I gave this book Four stars because of that. Not bad but it could have been better.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

Monday, October 12, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 9


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 9 by Bisco Hatori. It is 184 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. As it is the ninth in the long running series you need to have read the first eight to understand the story. The cover has Haurhi and Hunny on it dressed for a Hula party. There is no sex, no language, and no violence in this volume. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, over-the-top humor, and interesting characters. The story is told from Haruhi's perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- In middle school, Tamaki Souh must entice the cold-hearted twins, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, to join his newly created Host Club. But in order to get them to accept his propesal, he must first best them at their own game.

Review- We see how the twins meet Tamaki in first part of this volume. They were really horrible before the Host Club. They would trick girls and just be mean because they could. But Tamaki with his way of seeing through people is determined to get them to be part of his club. Tamaki is so over-the-top, I love him. Then he gets sick. He is a drama queen and poor Haruhi is as clueless has he is. Everyone else knows about Tamaki feels but Tamaki and Haruhi. But it is not annoying, as that trope can sometimes be, instead it is just funny. Tamaki's father is in this volume too. I like him and he really loves Tamaki. But I think the best story in this volume is the middle one. A new girl comes to school and looks like Tamaki's mother. He makes everyone crazy, catering to her every want. When Tamaki and Haruhi talk about, they have a bonding moment. She understands what it is like, chasing memories of mother. It was very touching.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Friday, October 9, 2015

The Serpent's Shadow

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Today's post is on The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey. It is the second her Elemental Masters series. It is 343 pages long and is published by DAW. The cover is blue with the main character on it with her seven animal companions. The intended reader is someone who likes fantasy, magic, and a little fun with history. There is no sex, no language, and only a little violence in this book. The story is told from the perspectives of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.


From the dust jacket- Maya Witherspoon has lived most of the first twenty-five years of her life in her native India. As the daughter of a prominent British physician and a Brahmin woman of the highest caste, she had known only luxury. Trained by her father in the medical arts since she was old enough to read, she graduated from the University of Delhi as a Doctor of Medicine by the age of twenty-two. Welcomed into her father's lucrative practice, she treated many of the wives and daughters of the British military personnel who made up a large percentage of their patients in the colonial India on 1909.
But the science of medicine was not Maya's only heritage. For Maya's aristocratic mother Surya had not just defied her family, friends, and religion to marry May's father, she had turned her back on her family's powerful magical traditions as well. For her mother was a sorceress- a former priestess of the mystical magics fueled by the powerful and fearsome pantheon of Indian gods.
Though Maya felt the stirring of magic in her blood, her mother had repeatedly refused to train her. "I cannot," she had said, her eyes dark with distress, whenever Maya asked. "Yours is the magic of your father's blood, not mine..." Surya had never had the chance to explain this enigmatic statement to her daughter, before cholera claimed her life. Yet Maya suspected that something far more sinister than the virulent disease had overcome her powerful mother.
But it was Maya's father's death shortly thereafter which confirmed her darkest suspicions. For her father was killed by the bite of a krait, a tiny venomous snake, In the last hours of her mother's life, in the seeming delirium of her final fever, Surya had repeatedly warned Maya to beware "the serpent's shadow." With the sudden loss of her father, Maya knew she must flee the land of her birth or face the same fate as her parents.
In self-imposed exile in London, Maya surrounded herself with every protection possible. All the magic Maya knew had been learned by covertly observing her mother, and by cobbling this knowledge together with the street-magic gleaned from a few genuine fakirs. Her workings were a mixture of instinct, extrapolation, and trail-and-error. Crude, but somewhat effective, her spells let Maya hide household behind a wall of secrecy in a poorer section of the city. Here, in a small but adequate house, she lived with only the most loyal of her mother's servant and her mother's seven unusual "pets"- if you could use such a word for creatures who seemed for more like friends. For Charan, the little monkey, Rajah, the peacock, Mala, the falcon, Sia and Singhe, the mongooses, Rhadi, the parrot, and Nisha, the owl, seemed far too sentient to be ordinary animals. Maya knew that these seven unusual and loving companions had been in some way special to her mother, but their secrets were hidden from her, perhaps forever.
In her new home she fought the dual prejudices against her sex and her race to continue in her medical profession. Inly her scholastic abilities and her extreme determination enabled her to meet with any success. She managed to placed herself in a minor position at a prestigious hospital while she pursued her own medical passions: helping the poor at a tiny clinic where the welcomed any doctor, and setting up a small, controversial practice which specialized in "female complaints" and offered "absolute discretion."
But Maya knew that she could not hide forever from the vindictive power which had murdered her parents. She knew in her heart that even a vast ocean couldn't protect her from "the serpent's shadow" which has so terrified her mother. Her only hope was to find a way to mater her own magic: the magic of her father's blood. But who would teach her? And could she learn enough to save her life by the time her relentless pursuers caught up with their prey?


Review- This is a fun read. It is not very historically accurate but it a great deal of fun. The magic system is based on the four basic elements and people who can use them. There is another magic system but Maya cannot use that one, so we the readers do not get to understand it. But other than playing fast and loose with history this is a good book. I liked the characters, I liked the plot, and I really liked the world. We do not get as much magic in this as in the first book in this world The Fire Rose but we get more world-building itself. We have a pretty good idea about that this world is very like our own and can see the differences without problem. The dialog is good, the pacing is good but the sense of time is not there. I think that this book takes about a year overall but there is no real way to know other than when Lackey talks about the weather but that is only done in passing. I look forward to reading the next one.


I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge


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Today's post is on The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge by Matt Ridley. It is 368 pages long and is published by HarperCollins. The cover is red with the title in bold white. The intended reader is someone who is interested in history, evolution and social science. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The New York Times bestselling author of The Rational Optimist and Genome returns with a fascinating, brilliant argument for evolution that definitively dispels a dangerous, widespread myth: that we can command and control our world.
The Evolution of Everything is about bottom-up order and its enemy, the top-down twitch—the endless fascination human beings have for design rather than evolution, for direction rather than emergence. Drawing on anecdotes from science, economics, history, politics and philosophy, Matt Ridley’s wide-ranging, highly opinionated opus demolishes conventional assumptions that major scientific and social imperatives are dictated by those on high, whether in government, business, academia, or morality. On the contrary, our most important achievements develop from the bottom up. Patterns emerge, trends evolve. Just as skeins of geese form Vs in the sky without meaning to, and termites build mud cathedrals without architects, so brains take shape without brain-makers, learning can happen without teaching and morality changes without a plan.
Although we neglect, defy and ignore them, bottom-up trends shape the world. The growth of technology, the sanitation-driven health revolution, the quadrupling of farm yields so that more land can be released for nature—these were largely emergent phenomena, as were the Internet, the mobile phone revolution, and the rise of Asia. Ridley demolishes the arguments for design and effectively makes the case for evolution in the universe, morality, genes, the economy, culture, technology, the mind, personality, population, education, history, government, God, money, and the future.
As compelling as it is controversial, authoritative as it is ambitious, Ridley’s stunning perspective will revolutionize the way we think about our world and how it works.


Review- Overall a very interesting book about human society and culture that at times does get a little too detailed. Ridley is very passionate about his topic and that comes through in this book. His notes are good and I liked his research and felt that it was accurate. When he gets a little too into the details it does not last long. He writes about all levels of human society from religion to science. He talks about how people are the ones who change things not government or great men. I have never thought about that before so it was interesting to think about how the masses affect things for the positive. I am now sold on what Ridley says and I want to do more research into bottom-up change.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I was given this book by HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. 

Monday, October 5, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 8


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 8 by Bisco Hatori. It is 184 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Haruhi and Mori on it. As it is the eight in the long running series you need to have read the first seven to understand the story. There is no sex, no language, and no violence in this book. The intended reader likes shojo romance, over-the-top comedy, and good characters. The story is told from Haruhi's  perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The first-years in Class 1-A are taking part in a test of courage, where the loser will receive the dubious honor of being dubbed "Best of Cowards." Kazukio Souga, the class president and a fraidy-cat at heart, is happy to be on a team with the levelheaded Haruhi, but will he be able to stomach the antics of his other teammates- the twins Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin?

Review- The first story is funny but the best story in this volume is how Kyoya and Tamaki met. Kyoya was trying to just fit into his father's role for him when he desires so much more. Tamaki sees through him and from there Kyoya is now on his path. I think that story is one of my favorite in the whole series. Kyoya starts out so different from how he really is. He is painting inside the lines but he is using his full abilities. Tamaki calls him in and that is how they become friends. The twins do get their comeuppance with the Black Magic Club in the first story. First humor then serious in this volume. But all good stories.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Dead Man Rising


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Today's post is on Dead Man Rising by Lilith Saintcrow. It is the second in her Dante Valentine series. The cover has the main character on it looking cool and deadly. The story is told from the first person perspective of Dante. There is violence, language, and sexuality in this novel. There intended reader is someone who has read the first novel, likes gritty future urban fantasy, and BA heroines. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From Amazon.com- When the dead call, she answers.Bounty hunting is a helluva job, but it pays the bills. And it lets Necromance Dante Valentine forget her issues---like struggling with her half-demon side and the memory of her lover's death.
Now psychics all over the city are being savagely murdered---and a piece of the past Dante thought she'd buried is stalking the night with a vengeance. Too bad she's got no way to tell which fiend--or friend--to trust.
Or that her most horrifying nightmares are gathering to take one kick-ass bounty hunter down for the count.But that's only the beginning. The Devil just called. He's looking for Dante's lover--the one he killed...

Review- This novel picks up about ten months after the first one with all the problems we were left with. Dante does not what she is, she is grieving for Japhrimel and fielding calls from the Devil himself. When murders bring back bad, old memories Dante just does not know where to go. The world-building is great in this one. Saintcrow really gets into all the supernatural beings and some into their society. The best part was with this world is the vampires. It was a great scene that did so much for the wider world that Dante just does know or not want to get into. Dante is grieving so much of her thinking is about that and then reliving some bad stuff that happened to her as a child but I think that Saintcrow handles it well. It is bad without making Dante into a victim. She is not one and at the end of the novel, she knows it for sure. I look forward to the next book, Devil's Right Hand.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Millionaire and The Bard: Henry Folger's Obsessive Hunt for Shakespeare's First Folio


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Today's post is on The Millionaire and The Bard: Henry Folger's Obsessive Hunt for Shakespeare's First Folio by Andrea Mays. It is 350 pages long including notes and is published by Simon & Schuster. The cover is blue with the title partiality covering a picture of Shakespeare. The intended reader is someone likes history and Shakespeare. There is no sex, no language, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Today it is the most valuable book in the world. Recently one sold for over five million dollars. It is the book that rescued the name of William Shakespeare and half of his plays from oblivion. The Millionaire and the Bard tells the miraculous and romantic story of the making of the First Folio, and of the American industrialist whose thrilling pursuit of the book became a lifelong obsession.
When Shakespeare died in 1616 half of his plays died with him. No one—not even their author—believed that his writings would last, that he was a genius, or that future generations would celebrate him as the greatest author in the history of the English language. By the time of his death his plays were rarely performed, eighteen of them had never been published, and the rest existed only in bastardized forms that did not stay true to his original language.
Seven years later, in 1623, Shakespeare’s business partners, companions, and fellow actors, John Heminges and Henry Condell, gathered copies of the plays and manuscripts, edited and published thirty-six of them. This massive book, the First Folio, was intended as a memorial to their deceased friend. They could not have known that it would become one of the most important books ever published in the English language, nor that it would become a fetish object for collectors.
The Millionaire and the Bard
is a literary detective story, the tale of two mysterious men—a brilliant author and his obsessive collector—separated by space and time. It is a tale of two cities—Elizabethan and Jacobean London and Gilded Age New York. It is a chronicle of two worlds—of art and commerce—that unfolded an ocean and three centuries apart. And it is the thrilling tale of the luminous book that saved the name of William Shakespeare “to the last syllable of recorded time.” 


Review- At times a very interesting account of Shakespeare and one man obsession and at times very dry. Over all I liked this book. It was interesting to read about the rare book world. I, like many others, love Shakespeare and am very glad that he was not lost to time and back luck. Henry Folger was an interesting man with an interesting obsession. But at time Mays gets too into some of the minutiae of the deals or the books themselves. In the middle there a lot of lists about the books themselves and it did make my eyes cross. Fortunately that does not happen much. The writing is good, the research was solid, and the notes added to the overall narrative. I want to visit the Folger Shakespeare Library so much now.


I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Monday, September 28, 2015

Ouran High School Host Club volume 7


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Today's post is on Ouran High School Host Club volume 7 by Bisco Hatori. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Haruhi and the twins. As it is the seventh in the long running series you need to have read the first six to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes shojo manga, over-the-top comedy, and good characters. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this volume. The story is told from Haruhi's perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Hunny's little brother, Chika, pays a visit to the Host Club--and immediately starts attacking Hunny, using all his martial-arts prowess against his older brother! Chika seems to be the absolute opposite of his sweets-loving, Bun-Bun-toting sibling, but why is he so angry with Hunny? The Host Club is determined to find out the cause...

Review- In this volume we learn about Hunny's family life. As the eldest son Hunny is expected to be very 'manly' and not be cute or like cute things. So Hunny before Tamaki and the Host Club was lonely and sad. But his younger brother, who is that way naturally, just does not undrstand why his older brother likes this cute things.  Over-the-top like normal but with some character development for both Hunny and Mori. Mori's younger brother sticks with Hunny's brother, so Haruhi learns about how their family works. Of course Tamaki makes himself look ridiculous but that is normal for him.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Dreamer's Pool


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Today's post is on Dreamer's Pool by Juliet Marillier. It is the first in her Blackthorn & Grim series. It is 434 pages long and is published by ROC. The cover is a beautiful oil painting of the one of side characters going into the Dreamer's Pool. The intended reader is someone who likes historical fantasy, excellent writing, and  excellent world building. There is some language, implied sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from one of three of the main character's perspective changing from chapter to chapter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- In exchange for help escaping her long and wrongful imprisonment, embittered magical healer Blackthorn has vowed to set aside her bid for vengeance against the man who destroyed all that she once held dear. Followed by a former prison mate, a silent hulk of a man named Grim, she travels north to Dalriada. There she'll live on the fringe of a mysterious forest, duty bound for seven years to assist anyone who asks for her help. Oran, crown prince of Dalriada, has waited anxiously for the arrival of his future bride, Lady Flidais. He knows her only from a portrait and sweetly poetic correspondence that have convinced him Flidais is his destined true love. But Oran discovers letters can lie. For although his intended exactly resembles her portrait, her brutality upon arrival proves she is nothing like the sensitive woman of the letters.
With the strategic marriage imminent, Oran sees no way out of his dilemma. Word has spread that Blackthorn possesses a remarkable gift for solving knotty problems, so the prince asks her for help. To save Oran from his treacherous nuptials, Blackthorn and Grim will need all their resources: courage, ingenuity, leaps of deduction, and more than a little magic.


Review-  What a beautifully written book this is. It is truly an exercise in exquisite style. Marillier is a craftswoman and it shows. From the opening line the world building is some of the best I have ever read. Mariellier takes a view of ancient Ireland and makes it as magical as I would want it to be. Blackthorn and Grim are both good characters. They have some serious flaws that make them more real and more understandable. Blackthorn wants revenge to the point of madness but I am still not sure what is driving Grim. He wants to forget something but cannot. I look forward to getting to know him better. Together they work for the good of the community around them. Not because they are good themselves but because that is the only way that Blackthorn will see justice done. The magic is very subtle, it is not everywhere and very clear but if you look for it you will see it. I cannot wait to read the second novel.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Pacific: Silicon Chips and Surfboards, Coral Reefs and Atom Bombs, Brutal Dictators, Fading Empires, and the Coming Collision of the World's Superpowers


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Today's post is on Pacific: Silicon Chips and Surfboards, Coral Reefs and Atom Bombs, Brutal Dictators, Fading Empires, and the Coming Collision of the World's Superpowers by Simon Winchester.  It is 480 pages long and is published by HarperCollins. The cover is a beautiful mix of pictures and art work of the pacific ocean. The intended reader likes history, grand stories, and good research. There is no language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book-
Following his acclaimed Atlantic and The Men Who United the States, New York Times bestselling author Simon Winchester offers an enthralling biography of the Pacific Ocean and its role in the modern world, exploring our relationship with this imposing force of nature.
As the Mediterranean shaped the classical world, and the Atlantic connected Europe to the New World, the Pacific Ocean defines our tomorrow. With China on the rise, so, too, are the American cities of the West coast, including Seattle, San Francisco, and the long cluster of towns down the Silicon Valley.
Today, the Pacific is ascendant. Its geological history has long transformed us—tremendous

earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis—but its human history, from a Western perspective, is quite young, beginning with Magellan’s sixteenth-century circumnavigation. It is a natural wonder whose most fascinating history is currently being made.
In telling the story of the Pacific, Simon Winchester takes us from the Bering Strait to Cape Horn, the Yangtze River to the Panama Canal, and to the many small islands and archipelagos that lie in between. He observes the fall of a dictator in Manila, visits aboriginals in northern Queensland, and is jailed in Tierra del Fuego, the land at the end of the world. His journey encompasses a trip down the Alaska Highway, a stop at the isolated Pitcairn Islands, a trek across South Korea and a glimpse of its mysterious northern neighbor.
Winchester’s personal experience is vast and his storytelling second to none. And his historical understanding of the region is formidable, making Pacific a paean to this magnificent sea of beauty, myth, and imagination that is transforming our lives.


Review- An interesting look of the recent history of the Pacific ocean. Winchester starts in 1950 and goes to present day talking about the ten most important things that he thinks has happened in and to the ocean. The one problem I had was that Winchester goes into a little too much detail at parts.Winchester is a good writer with good research skills but I want his editor to help him get it under control. When Winchester is writing about history or the cultures around the pacific, I really enjoyed this book. But when he got into the very detailed math and science formulas he lost me. I have a science background but it was just not as interesting as narrative parts of the book. The research notes are good adding more detail and giving more information if you wanted to. In spite of needing a little less detail it was a good and interesting read.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I was given a copy of this book by HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.