November 2009

9 November

Tempted by P.C. Cast


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The sixth installment in the House of Night series.

I'm interested in seeing how Zoey's story ends, but there's a lot of subject matter in here that I'm not happy with so it's not as enjoyable as other books in this genre.




Dear Fatty by Dawn French


Written as a series of letters, "Dear Fatty" is Dawn French's memoir. It was quite unlike anything I expected.

I was looking forward to hours of laughter and I certainly laughed out loud. But there were also some heart-breaking moments in the book that had me in tears.

"My life has been, and continues to be, about an abundance of people." I enjoyed looking at the photos and putting faces to the names in the book.

This memoir was an insight into her life, and it was a book that, when I finished the last page, left me thinking about life and what it means, why we're here at all. But in a good way.

A very enjoyable read.



Night World: Bind-up v. 3, Bks. 7-9 by Lisa J. Smith


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

L.J. Smith's Night World series is one of the best paranormal romances I've come across since the Twilight series. (It's right up there with the Evernight series.)

These three books focus on more than just the paranormal romance aspect ("soulmate principle"), in that the characters in the three stories are battling to save the world. \

Four Wild Powers have to be found and kept safe from those in the Night World who want to ensure humanity's slavery after the Apocalypse (which was to happen at the turn of the millennium). 

Strange Fate, the tenth and final book in the series, is due out in 2010.


Nation by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh wow.

Nation is not set on the Discworld, but on an alternative Earth and it's an amazing story. Even when I'd finished the book, I couldn't stop thinking about the characters and what had happened to them.

I laughed a lot. I had a lump in my throat at times, too.

This is definitely a KEEPER and I highly, highly recommend it.

3 November

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A really wonderful love story and it unfolds so easily and so well that I was compelled to keep turning the pages.

The only gripe I had was that the hero seemed far too tragic - there were lots of descriptions of his sad eyes or his sad smile. However, he was a likeable chap so I let it pass!

A great read. Definitely a keeper.




Dracula's Guest and Other Stories by Bram Stoker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oooooh! Some eerie stories in here.

My favourites were "A Dream of Red Hands" and "The Chain of Destiny".

"The Crystal Cup" was a very different type of story from the rest of the collection; haunting, tragic, and so well described I could picture each scene.




Night World: Bind-up v. 2, Bks. 4-6 by Lisa J. Smith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am in love with this series. Smith had me almost in tears at times, she described vividly and accurately situations some of the characters found themselves in.

There is so much more depth to her stories than teenage paranormal love.

I highly recommend these books.