Books Read

• 8. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (5) 1/30/10
• 7. Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) by Richelle Mead (4) 1/27/10
• 6. Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) by Richelle Mead (4) 1/26/10
• 5. The Maze Runner (#1) by James Dashner (4.5) 1/22/10
• 4. Vampire Academy (#1) by Richelle Mead (3.5) 1/18/10
• 3. The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory (4) (reread) 1/13/10
• 2. Angel Falling Softly by Eugene Woodbury (3) 1/12/10
• 1. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (4) 1/7/10
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• 123.  The Prologue: The Brothers The Great and Terrible Vol. 1 by Chris Stewart (5) 12/29/09
• 122.  The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball (5) 12/20/09
• 121.  Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright (3) 12/12/09
• 120.  Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (4) 12/11/09
• 119.  First Love Second Chances by Anita Stansfield (5) 12/2/09
• 118.  First Love And Forever by Anita Stansfield (5) 12/1/09
• 117.  The Best of Times by Anita Stansfield (3) 11/29/09
• 116.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (5) 11/28/09
• 115.  Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (4) 11/24/09
• 114.  Unhallowed Ground by Heather Graham (4) 11/23/09
• 113.  Under The Banner Of Heaven (4/2) by Jon Krakauer 11/21/09
• 112.  The Giver by Lois Lowry (5) reread x3 11/15/09
• 111.  Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin (3.5) 11/15/09
• 110.  The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (2.5) 11/9/09
• 109.  Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist (4) 11/7/09
• 108.  Fablehaven #3 Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull (4) 11/4/09
• 107.  This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen (3) 11/1/09
• 106.  Fax From Sarajevo by Joe Kubert (4.5) 10/28/09
• 105.  The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (4) 10/28/09
• 104.  The Cloud Chamber by Joyce Maynard (3.5) 10/21/09
• 103.Beastly by Alex Flinn (2) 10/21/09
• 102.Crank by Ellen Hopkins (4.5) 10/18/09
• 101. Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz (3) 10/16/09
• 100. Eve:A Novel Of The First Woman by Elissa Elliot (2.5) 10/14/09
• 99. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (4.5) 10/8/0
• 98. The Help by Katheryn Sockett (4) 10/4/09

97. Crashed (Skinned trilogy part 2) by Robin Wasserman (2.5) 9/27/09

96. Night World No. 1 by L.J. Smith (2.5) 9/23/09
95. The Silence of Snow (Jayson Wolfe #5) by Anita Stansfield (4) 9/20/09
94. Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson (4) 9/16/09
93. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (4.5) 9/15/09
92. Sprout by Dale Peck (3.5) 9/13/09
91. Slivers of Reality byCathlene Smith (3) 9/13/09
90. The Lonesome Gods by Louis L'Amour (3) 9/11/09

89. Common Sense by Thomas Paine (5) 9/10/09
88. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (2.5) 9/5/09
87. City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments Book Three) by Cassandra Clare (5) 9/1/09
86. Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli (3.5) 9/3/09
85. City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments Book 2) by Cassandra Clare (5) 8/30/09
84. The October Country (short stories) by Ray Bradbury (3.5) 8/28/09
83. Kingdom Come The Final Victory by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins (2.5) 8/28/09
82. The Dogs Of Bable by Carolyn Parkhurst (reread) (4) 8/24/09
81. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments Book One) by Cassandra Clare (5) 8/22/09
80. Skinned by Robin Wasserman (4) 8/19/09
79. The Templars by Barbara Frale (3) 8/19/09
78. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (5) 8/15/09
77. The Pact by Jodi Picoult (reread) (4.5) 8/8/09
76. Wings by Aprilynne Pike (5) 8/7/09
75. The Holy Secret by James Ferrell (4) 8/3/09
74. Eve and the Choice Made in Eden by Beverly Campbell (5) reread x2 7/27/09
73. Kissed by an Angel (trilogy) by Elizabeth Chandler (4) 7/26/09
72. Blue Moon (the immortals book 2) by Alyson Noel (3) 7/24/09
71. Standing For Something by Gordon B. Hinckley (reread) (5) 7/20/09
70. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon (5) reread 7/15/09
69. I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith (4) 7/13/09
68. Love's Enduring Promise by Janette Oke(3) 7/8/09
67. Genertaion Dead by Daniel Waters (4.5) 7/5/09
66. The Angel by Carla Neggers (3.5) 7/2/09
65. Evermore The Immortal Series by Alyson Noel (5) 6/29/09
64. The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester (4) 6/28/09
63. The Shack by William P. Young (2) 6/26/09
62. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collings (5) 6/21/09
61. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner (4.5) 6/15/09
60. The Hourglass Door by Liza Mangum (4.5) 6/12/09
59. Maybe Baby by Tenaya Darlington (4) 6/9/09
58. Spies, Lies and a Pair of Ties by Sheralyn Pratt (4) 6/8/09
57. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (4) 6/6/09
56. Shelter From The Storm #4 Jayson Wolfe series by Anita Stansfield (4) 5/28/09
55. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer reread x 3 (5) 5/27/09
54. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (4.5) 5/25/09
53. As Long As I Have You Vol. 5 of Children of the Promise by Dean Hughes (5) 5/25/09
52. Autumn Letters by Michael Frederick (3) 5/21/09
51. To A Child Love Is Spelled Time by Mac Anderson & Lance Wubbles (5) 5/19/09
50. Zlata's Diary by Zlata Filipovic (4.5) 5/18/09
49. My Immortal Highlander by Hannah Howell $ Lynsay Sands (3) 5/15/09
48. Ready or Not by Meg Cabot (3.5) 5/10/09
47. When We Meet Again Children of the Promise #4 by Dean Hughes (5) 5/9/09
46. Soldier Boys by Dean Hughes (3.5) 5/6/09
45. Love Comes Softly #1 by Janette Oke (3.5) 5/3/09
44. The Introvert Advantage How to Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Olson Laney Psy.D. (5) 4/30/09
43. Far From Home Children of the Promise Vol. 3 by Dean Hughes (5) 4/29/09
42. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (5) (read twice) 4/22/09
41. In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms by Dr. Laura Schlessinger (4) 4/22/09
40. Shadow of the Giant #4 Shadow series by Orson Scott Card (4.5) 4/22/09
39. Since You Went Away by Dean Hughes Children of the Promise Vol. 2 (5) 4/10/09
38. So B. It by Sarah Weeks (4) 4/11/09
37. All American Girl by Meg Cabot (3.75) 4/7/09
36. Rumors of War Children of the Promise Vol. 1 by Dean Hughes (4.5) 4/2/09
35. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (4.5) 3/25/09
34. Shadow Puppets by Orson Scott Card (3.5) 3/24/09
33. Zion's Trail The Last Days Vol. 2 by Kenneth Tarr (4) 3/19/09
32. Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (3.5) 3/17/09
31. The Gathering Storm by Kenneth Tarr (4) 3/13/09
30. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (5) 3/10/09
29. World Without End by Ken Follet (4) 3/6/09
28. Shadow of the Hegemon (Vol 2 of Shadow Series) by Orson Scott Card (4.5) 3/2/09
27. The Holy Man by Susan Trott (3.5) 2/26/09
26. The Brethren Annie's People Vol. 3 by Beverly Lewis (3) 2/24/09
25. So Much of Life Ahead Hearts of the Children Vol. 5 by Dean Hughes (4) 2/23/09
24. Take Me Home Hearts of the Children Vol 4 by Dean Hughes (4.5) 2/22/09
23. The Heart of the Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (3.5) 2/21/09
22. A Good Woman by Danielle Steel (4) 2/19/09
21. Hunter's Heart by Julia Green (3) 2/18/09
Speak Softly. She Can Hear by Pam Lewis (0 stars) 2/16/09
20. How Many Roads Hearts of the Children Vol. 3 by Dean Hughes (4.5) 2/16/09
19. The Englisher (Annie's People part 2) by Beverly Lewis (3) 2/14/09
18. Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card (4.5) 2/12/09
17. A Star in Winter by Anita Stansfield (reread x 3) (4) 2/9/09
16. Winds of Hope by Anita Stansfield (5) 2/8/09
15. Cannery Row by John Steibeck (3) 2/5/09
14. River Secrets (3rd Book of Bayern) by Shannon Hale (4) 2/2/09
13. Hearts of the Children Vol. 2 Troubled Waters by Dean Hughes (4.25) 1/31/09
12. Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier (2) 1/28/09
11. The Preacher's Daughter by Beverly Lewis (3) 1/28/09
10. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer reread x4 (5) 1/26/09
9. Hearts of the Children Vol. 1 The Writing on the Wall by Dean Hughes (4) 1/24/09
8. Saints by Orson Scott Card (5) 1/20/09
7. Homebody by Orson Scott Card (3.5) 1/15/09
6. Rules by Cynthia Lord (4.5) 1/13/09
5. Austenland by Shannon Hale (4) 1/12/09
4. Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel (3) 1/9/09
3, Sarah by Orson Scott Card (4) 1/7/09
2. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (4.75) 1/4/09
1. Golden Grove by Francine Prose (3.5) 1/1/09
The Prince of the Pond by Donna Jo Napoli (3.5)
Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz (5)
Possession by A. S. Byatt (1.5)
A Distant Thunder by Anita Stansfield (4)
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory (4.5)
The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck (4)
Enchantment by Orson Scott Card (5)
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (4)
Breathe a Ghost Story by Cliff McNish (4)
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (4)
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (5)
Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult (4.75)
Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe (5)
The Tree of Knowledge by Henry James (2.5)
The Pupil by Henry James (3)
Animal Farm by George Orwell (4.5)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows (4)
The Turn Of The Screw by Henry James (3.5)
Breaking Dawn............reread
The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd (3.5)
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (4)
Blind Side by Clair M. Poulson (4)
Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause (2)
One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury (4)
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King (2)
The Little Prince by St. Exupery (1)
The Thieves of Heaven by Richard Doetsch (4)
Children of the Mind (Ender's Saga) by Orson Scott Card (3.5)
Life At These Speeds by Jeremy Jackson (4)
Fablehaven Rise Of The Evening Star by Brandon Mull (4)
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (3.5)
Private Peaceful by Michael Maorpurgo (4)
The Sound of Rain by Anita Stansfield (4)
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (4.5)
One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus (4)
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (5)
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (4)
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (4)
Lost Boys by Orson Scott Card (5)
Midnight Sun (Partial) by Stephenie Meyer (5)
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (5)
Zion's Trail The Last Days Vol. 2 by Kenneth Tarr (4) 3/19/09
Rumors of War Children of the Promise Vol. 1 by Dean Hughes (4.5) 4/2/09

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (4.5) 3/26/09

Shadow Puppets by Orson Scott Card (3.5) 3/24/09

The Last Days (Zion's Trail Vol. 2) by Kenneth Tarr (4) 3/20/09

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (3.5) 3/19/09

The Gathering Storm by Kenneth Tarr (4) 3/15/09

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (5) 3/11/09

World Without End by Ken Follett (4) 3/8/09

Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card (4.5) 3/3/09

The Holy Man by Susan Trott (3.5) 2/27/09

The Brethren (Annie's People #3) by Beverly Lewis (3) 2/25/09

So Much Of Life Ahead (Hearts of The Children #5) by Dean Hughes (4) 2/25/09

Take Me Home (Hearts of the Children #4) by Dean Hughes (4.5) 2/25/09

The Heart of the Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (3.5) 2/22/09

A Good Woman by Danielle Steel (4) 2/19/09

Hunter's Heart by Julie Green (3) 2/29/09

Speak Softly She Can Hear by Pam Lewis (trash...unfinished) 2/17/09

How Many Roads? (Hearts of the Children 3) by Dean Hughes (4.5) 2/17/09

The Enlisher (Annie's People) by Beverly Lewis (3) 2/15/09

Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card (4.5) 2/12/09

Winds of Hope (Jayson Wolfe series) by Anita Stansfield (5) 2/10/09

A Star in Winter by Anita Stansfield (4) 2/10/09

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck (3) 2/8/09

River Secrets (Books of Bayern) by Shannon Hale (4) 2/2/09

Troubled Waters (Hearts of the Children #2) by Dean Hughes (4.25) 2/1/09

Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier (2) 1/28/09

The Preacher's Daughter (Annie's People #1) by Beverly Lewis (3) 1/28/09

The Writing On The Wall (Heart's of the Children #1) by Dean Hughes (4) 1/24/09

Saints by Orson Scott Card (5) 1/21/09

Homebody by Orson Scott Card (3.5) 1/16/09

Rules by Cynthia Lord (4.5) 1/14/09

Austenland by Shannon Hale (4) 1/14/09

Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel (3) 1/10/09

Sarah by Orson Scott Card (4) 1/8/09

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (4.75) 1/6/09

Golden Grove by Francine Prose (3.5) 1/1/09

The Prince of the Pond by Donna Jo Napoli (3.5) 12/31/08

Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz (5) 12/30/08

Possession by A.S. Byatt (not finished) 12/28/08

A Distant Thunder (Jayson Wolfe series) by Anita Stansfield (4) 12/25/08

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory (4.5) 12/23/09

The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck (4) 12/19/08

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card (5) 12/18/08

Breathe a Ghost Story by Cliff McNish (4) 12/14/08

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (4) 12/12/08

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (4) 12/11/08

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (5) 12/6/08

Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult (4.75) 12/4/09

Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe (5) 12/4/09

The Pupil by Henry James (3) 11/24/08

Animal Farm by George Orwell (4.5) 11/22/08

The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barows (4) 11/19/08

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (3.5) 11/18/08

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd (3.5) 11/8/08

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (4) 11/8/08

Blind Side by Clare M. Poulson (4) 10/31/09

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause (2) 10/27/09

One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury (4) 10/22/08

The Thieves of Heaven by Richard Doetsch (4) 10/12/08

Life At These Speeds by Jeremy Jackson (4) 10/8/08

Fablehaven Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull (4) 10/8/08

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (3.5) 10/1/08

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo (4) 9/25/08

The Sound of Rain (Jayson Wolfe series #1) by Anita Stansfield (4) 9/24/08

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (4.5) 9/22/08

One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus (4) 9/19/08

Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (5) 9/7/08

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (4) 9/5/08

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (4 ) 9/3/08

Lost Boys by Orson Scott Cardy ( 5) 9/2/08

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Mary lives in the Forest of Hands and Teeth.  She lives in a village within the confine of fences that keep her and her village safe from the Unconsecrated.  The Unconsecrated have overtaken everything since the Return.  Mary wonders if there is anything outside of the forest, if there is anyone left.
Mary's mother has tempted her with stories of the ocean and now she cannot rest.  Nothing can satisfy her desire to see what is beyond the forest.......to make it to the salty ocean.  Even the love of one boy, the exquisitely haunting desire for another, the mysterious threats of the Sisterhood, or the danger of becoming Unconsecrated herself, nothing is enough to stop her need to go beyond.

I finished this book very quickly, but I am still haunted by the acute pain left by Travis (Mary's love).  Travis is betrothed to Cass, Mary's bestfriend.  He is also the brother of Harry, Mary's betrothed.  Although the book is about zombies that have come about by a virus at some point in the future, it still has the feeling of being in the past.  Between the fear for their lives and the desire for something Mary can't have, the book was gripping, and tore at my heart.

Book quotes that I LOVE.....
Mary says....."Tonight my body pulses with awareness as I kneel by his bed, our fingers intertwined.  We've been sharing each other's breath for what seems like weeks now even though it's only been a few moments.  It's as if there is infinity between our lips and we will never actually touch.  Like math, where dividing by half can last for eternity."

"Suddenly he doesn't feel like my friend but like something more and I have to force myself to remember that he is not mine to desire."    (ugh.......so painful!)

"In the last few days I had already begun to imagine what Travis's and my children would look like, how their tiny hands would curl around my finger.  I had already dreamed an entire life between Travis and me.  And now that was the only life that we would ever lead together-the one in my dreams."

"It is not about surviving.  It should be about love.  When you know love.. that's what makes this life worth it.  When you live with it every day.  Wake up with it, hold on to it during the thunder and after a nightmare.  When love is your refuge from the death that surrounds us all and when it fills you so tight that you can't express it."

Rating 5  This was a good book.  It may not be super fantastic but it still left me feeling it after more than one day so.......I have to give it credit.
Rating PG  It's totally clean despite the desire thick enough to cut with a knife.  The zombies (Unconsecrated) are trying to kill everyone, so the threat is a little scary.

Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3)

Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) by Richelle Mead

Book three gets even darker for Rose.  She realizes that she might be taking some of the dark feelings that are conjured in Lissa when she uses magic.  It is nearing graduation and Rose is sent out to do her field test.  Instead of guarding Lissa, she ends up being Christian's guard (Lissa's social misfit boyfriend).  Rose's anger begins to get the best of her.  To make matters worse she starts seeing ghosts.  Having made her first Strigoi kills have only made her closer to the world of the dead.
When a huge group of Strigoi attack the Academy, Rose is faced with losing what she has waited so long for (or at least it felt like it) ....Dimitri.
I loved this book just as much as book two.  Rose has more depth and the psychological toll that it takes to put someone else's needs before your own.....always....is delved into.  Her friendships with other characters and her mother, play a larger role this time around.  And of course the romantic tension keeps building. Very bitter sweet.
Rating 4  Still not top notch lit. but I really did go for the wanting what you can't have aspect.
Rating R teen sex, alcoholism, violence, tense and scary.

Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2)

Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) by Richelle Mead

Rose and Dimitri come upon a Strigoi attack, the likes of which are never seen.  The attack sets off book two in this series.  Guardian are being brought in to reinforce the Academy over winter break.  Rose's estranged mother Janine (a famous guardian) appears on campus in time to set Rose off, just as the whole vampire culture is being shaken.  The Moroi are faced with deciding if they want to uphold tradition and let the guardians keep them safe, or should they learn to use their magic and help defend themselves?
Rose has little tolerance for what appears to be Janine's haughty ways and lack of maternal instinct.  Rose also has to face the fact that she can't have Dimitri and she should start looking for love elsewhere.  She begins seeing Mason, a close friend.  Mason and a group of other friends decide not to wait for the Strigoi to come to them.....they run away from the posh resort in Idaho, where Moroi families have gathered for safety.  Rose, of course, feels she must rescue them.
Rose seemed to come into her own in this book.  I admit liking this book better than the first one.  Rose's love life picked up, she became palatable, and the other characters rounded out better.  It turned out to be very entertaining and I immediately picked up book #3.
Rating 4  Not serious high quality literature, but still fun.
Rating R Swearing, violence, alcoholism, sexual aspects.

The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Thomas wakes up in what seems to be a dark elevator.  All he knows is that his name is Thomas.  Every other important memory has been wiped.  When 'the Box' finally opens Thomas is pulled out by a group of boys.  They live in the Glade and are surrounded by the Maze.  They hope someday to be able to escape if they can find their way through the Maze.  The group is completely cut off from the rest of society with no recollection of their lives before the Glade.  Each night the walls in the Maze move and doors close between the Maze and the Glade, protecting the boys from grotesque and hideous beasts.
Thomas is confused and getting hardly any information from the Gladers when the Box arrives again........this time containing a girl.  The girl seems to be in a coma but they do learn from her that she will be the last Glader and that she is there to trigger the Ending.
The bright group of boys begin to realize that the Maze may be unsolvable.
This book seemed a bit like Hunger Games/Lord of the Flies......(the author states that he came up with the idea from two of his favorite books Enders Game and Lord of the Flies) but much more civilized.  The book was creative and the main character developed enough despite not knowing anything about himself, that it was a fun and fast read.  The Maze Runner is the first book in a trilogy.   By the end, I couldn't even guess where the next book will go.  So exciting!

Rating 4.5  Loved it.
Rating PG  The beasts are gross and do leave carnage upon their attack.  The boys have some of their own words which I guess could be considered swear words....but they aren't. 

Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Rose is a dhampir.  She is half human, half vampire.  She is the guardian to Lissa, a Moroi or living vampire.  Rose protects royal Lissa from the Strigoi or vampires that are dead and have no magic.  Rose and Lissa have a psychic bond.  They attend an academy hidden in the forests of Montana.  The academy is for dhampir and Moroi. 

Rose and Lissa begin the book as escapees from the academy.  They are found by guardians and and forced to return.  Rose is taken under the wing of Dimitri.  He is a guardian in his early twenties that will also help protect Lissa and train Rose.

Rose and Lissa fled the academy when they realized Lissa had special powers that might endanger her.  Upon their return, they work hard to make their way back into the 'crowd' yet still keep secret their psychic bond and the healing powers that will make Lissa a target.

Rose has a strong personality which is sometimes very immature (which I guess makes sense considering the book is written for teens).  Sometimes I really liked that she didn't take any garbage and then sometimes it became old.  Lissa didn't seem deeply developed as a character. It kind of felt like a void there......she just sort of.......existed. There was back story which if told would have made a stronger book.  The setting and the author's version of vampirism made it worth reading  as pleasant entertainment.

Rating 3.5

Rating R  The book was very sexual for a teen audience, under age drinking, self mutilation, language.

The Queen's Fool

The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory

By the author of The Other Boleyn Girl, comes this book, which takes place after Henry the VIII.  His daughters......Mary from his first wife, Kathrine of Aragon, and Elizabeth from his sordid mistress and second wife, Anne Boleyn, are at battle over the crown and fighting over the religious tone the country should take.

The story is told through the fictional character of Hannah Greene.  Hannah is a young Jewish girl, chased from her Spanish homeland when her mother was burned for being a Jew.  Hannah and her father finally end their terrible flee from persecution, in London.  Hannah's father is a book printer/seller.  When it is discovered by Sir Robert Dudley (vying for position for religious freedom) that Hannah has the 'sight', Hannah is begged as Queen Mary's fool.  She is pulled between the sad and stoic Queen Mary and her beautiful and dangerous half sister, Princess Elizabeth as they value Hannah's ability to see the future. 
Hannah is living the dangerous life as one of 'The People' in hiding.  She must not forget the old ways, while living the life of a Christian in a court where she could be slaughtered for her beliefs.  Hannah is betrothed to Daniel Carpenter, another Jew.  She must grow up and decide whether Daniel's faithful love and her heritage are more important than her girlish desire for Robert Dudley and her allegiance to a queen that is destined to fail miserably.

I loved the historical aspect, the religious themes, and the romance.  The book does open with a rather descriptive sexual scene but really tames after that.

Rating 4
Rating PG 13  sexual scenes

Angel Falling Softly

Angel Falling Softly by Eugene Woodbury

I have been trying to get my mitts on this for a very long time.  I kept seeing scathing reviews and knew that if it were that controversial..........well I had to read it.

The low down is that Rachel is an LDS bishop's wife.  Her young daughter Jennifer is dying of leukemia.  A gorgeous young vampire named Milada moves into the ward.  Rachel figures out what Milada is.  She asks Milada help her save her child's life by infecting her with the virus that makes one a vampire.

While there was an awesome story in there... it derailed.   Milada's high powered job which entailed buying out companies and shallow relationships between mother/daughter and wife/husband left me desperate for the meatier story that never fleshed out.
Now I do appreciate when an LDS author has the courage to write characters that aren't all unattainable, cheesy, do gooders.  On the other hand if you are going to write as an LDS author and not just your general population author.....there have to be some things which you just leave out.  I can take sex between married people, heck I could even deal with an affair, what I struggled with was the lesbian scenes......for sort of no purpose.  There were some snippets of tantalizing writing which would have been great if they were delved into at all.  Such as Rachel having to decide if she wanted to destine her daughter to Hell in order to save her life......which is what I think the book may have been about. 
Rachel kinda seemed not to a have a dying daughter and to be living her religion for the sake of appearance.  I'm pretty sure that isn't how she was supposed to be though. 

The book felt like it wanted to be edgy and then slithered off the cliff by accident.  Yet some how, I still liked what there was to like.  Vampirism caused by a virus.  The vampires could eat and be in the sun (although they sunburn severely when they are unprotected).  The virus causes them to be albino like and their body ages only fractionally over a long time. Plus the author had a great grasp of when to put in scriptures and that part actually turned out pretty cool.

Rating 3  Meh.....I liked it but I know there was a better story in there that didn't get written.
Rating Ugh...probably R.....maaaaaaybe PG 13.  Some swearing, lesbian hook up, talk of sex, alluding to sexual assault.

Her Fearful Summetry

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

I've been courting more than one book at a time and it has really taken a toll on completing one book.

Her Fearful Symmetry is written by the author of  The Time Traveler's Wife.  I felt daunted knowing how much I LOVE her first book.  However the two books are so different that I was able to stop comparing rather quickly.

Julia and Valentina are 20 year old American twins.  Their lives are intertwined in an unnatural and somewhat perverse way.  Sometimes it's like they are only a whole person when they are together.
Their mother (Edie) and aunt Elspeth) are also twins.  As far as they can remember they have never met their mother's twin.  Their contact with her begins upon her death.  Elspeth leaves her London flat to the girls.  Once they accept the stipulations set out by their dead aunt, deep secrets, bizarre desires, and twisted personal lives come flooding into the light. 
Much of the book centers around London and Highgate cemetary which added a layer of gothic/romantic sadness.
I couldn't come to love Julia and Valentina, or Elspeth.......at times I disliked them for their deceit, desperate dependance, and sickening selfishness.  My heart broke for Robert, Elspeth's left behind lover and for the quirky, charming upstairs neighbor (with extreme OCD) Martin.
On the other hand I loved the supernatural aspect, the cemetary, and finding out by the end that I didn't know what I thought I knew!

Rating 4  Didn't really love the characters but I did get into the story.
Rating PG13  sexual content, hauntings