All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

Title: All Together Dead
Author: Charlaine Harris
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
5/5 Stars

Even from across the pond, Charlaine has managed to suck me back in (no pun intended). As I progress through this series, I seem to take less and less time to read each book, which is proving quite dangerous for my bank account! Ok, maybe somewhat of an exaggeration considering these books are paperback romance in the extreme, but it worries me that I seem to have become dependent on Sookie, much like an addict.

This book takes place after Hurricane Katrina has hit Louisiana. It's quite heart-wrenching to realize that Katrina has happened to these people as well. What I found interesting about that was we never had a time-frame for when Sookie's story was taking place. I always assumed it was somewhat in the future, not in a science-fiction kind of way, but more in a "this could happen to you tomorrow" kind of way. Now, however, with the inclusion of the Hurricane, we seem to be in a parallel world to our own. The story is no loner one that could possibly take place in a few years time. It's now on the same track as our world, just with a few supes.

As I was saying, the story begins after the Hurricane, and the vampires of New Orleans are hurting because they've lost property and members of their ranks, and Sophie-Anne, queen of Louisiana, is about to go to trial for murdering her husband. As a matter of fact, she didn't kill her husband with her own hands and she was acting in self-defense after he began an all out war to stage a coup and take over Louisiana. But the courts don't know that, and Sophie-Anne, Sookie, Eric, Bill and a whole bunch more vamps have to go to a vampire conference in Rhodes, IL (holla!) to sort everything out.

I won't go into much more detail of the story, but truly, this was one of the most thrilling plots yet in the series. All kinds of shady politics go on inside the Pyramids of Gizeh hotel, and it's up to Sookie to use her powers to get the queen out alive. I thought that the development of Sookie's relationships with Eric, Quinn, and Bill was wonderful in this book. In the previous book, I was upset by the fact that Sookie could just write Bill off, pretend he didn't exist and never interact with him. Here, she was able to actually talk civilly with Bill. I thought the relationships became more real. The same goes for Quinn and Eric. Both become more questionable, less perfect, which makes everyone seem more realistic.

The book was, by all means, the best so far, and were it not for the extensive back story in the first six books, I would recommend this to everyone! Oh what the heck, everyone should read them all! Alright, don't read them to your kids. But seriously: read them.

ISBN: 978-0441019380
Price: $7.99, paperback
Pages: 352

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Title: Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Rating: ☆☆☆☆(☆)
4/5 Stars

I have been a most delinquent blogger for the past 2 months, and for that I am truly sorry. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things and keep my reviews updated, but it's difficult since I'm studying in London this semester and have a TON of reading to do for class. However, here I am with a review of my first read for 2010!

Outlander has, apparently, been something of a cult classic since it's publication in the early 90's. I had never heard of it until I saw An Echo in the Bone, the seventh book in the series, on Amazon's bestseller list. The plot summary piqued my interest, so I picked up book numero uno. I'll have you know, this was no 3 day read. It's not ridiculously literary, but it was very dense. At 850 pages, it was a seriously daunting task.

The length may have been the sole reason I didn't give this book a five. I found that the minor plots that caused the book to be 850 pages were, at times, unnecessary. However, I loved the story. Claire is an ex-nurse in post WWII Britain, on holiday with her husband when she walks through a circle of ancient standing stones and is transported back in time. The would-be sci-fi element of time travel is made much more fantastical by the old magic supposedly lurking in the stones. Whilst in 18th century Scotland, Claire falls in love with Jamie Fraser, a Scottish warrior and is now torn between her two loves. I won't give much more away, because the book was truly thrilling and beautifully written.

This is definitely NOT a YA book, by any means. The reason for the series' cult following is probably the book's sex scenes. They get pretty steamy. Sookie Stackhouse fans, this series may be something to look into while we wait for the release of Charlaine Harris's newest book! Anyway, like I said, very adult content, but appropriate for the storyline.

All in all, I definitely enjoyed Outlander, but I won't be attempting any of the other books in the series until the summer. You really need a couple of marathon sessions to get through these.

ISBN: 978-0385319959
Price: $16.00, paperback
Pages: 850

BTT: Favorite Unknown

Who’s your favorite author that other people are NOT reading? The one you want to evangelize for, the one you would run popularity campaigns for? The author that, so far as you’re concerned, everyone should be reading–but that nobody seems to have heard of. You know, not JK Rowling, not Jane Austen, not Hemingway–everybody’s heard of them. The author that you think should be that famous and can’t understand why they’re not…

Absolutely and without a doubt, it's Marcus Sedgwick. I think I've said this in my reviews of his books, but I love him and I don't know why he isn't that popular. His books do very well in the UK (which is where I am right now!) but US readers just have not picked them up. You have to order all his books on Amazon if you want them in the states. I love them and wish they's be more readily available over there!

BTT: Holidays

What books did you get for Christmas (or whichever holiday you may have celebrated last month)?
Do you usually ask for books on gift-giving occasions or do you prefer to buy them yourself?

I got a bunch of new books for Christmas, and I couldn't be happier. Here's which ones made their way under my tree:

-Witch's Business by Diana Wynne Jones
-Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones
-The Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones
-The Letters of JRR Tolkein edited by Humphrey Carpenter
-Norwegian Folk Tales
-Russian Fairy Tales
-Folktales from India
-Irish Folk Tales
-Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat by Michelle May

I love getting books as gifts, but usually I ask for more expensive or eclectic titles, since I buy myself a lot of quick reads.

The Last Apprentice: Clash of the Demons by Joseph Delaney

Title: Clash of the Demons
Author: Joseph Delaney
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
5/5 Stars

Let me just put it out there that Joseph Delaney is one of the only authors who can tear me away from school work, keep me up until 2 am and still leave me completely satisfied with what I’ve just done. Last night, when I should’ve been studying for midterms or sleeping, I was reading The Last Apprentice: Clash of the Demons until I had read through every last word.

This is the sixth book in Joseph Delaney’s Last Apprentice series (or Spook’s Apprentice as it’s known abroad). In this volume, Tom Ward’s mam returns from her homeland of Greece to beg for Tom and the Spook’s help to rid Greece of an ancient evil called Ordeen. Ordeen is an old god and is stongly back by the Fiend, the devil incarnate. Tom and the Spook fear there is no hope in beating Ordeen with the Fiend on her side, but they set out for Greece to face creatures of the dark that they’ve never encountered in the County before.

What I love most about this series is how it has become progressively more psychological. The further we get into Tom’s story, the more internal conflict we see. He has to make some really difficult choices when it comes to his family, his apprenticeship and his own fate.

As always, the drawings throughout are spectacular. They really add to the scary elements of the book. This one is definitely perfect for the Halloween season if you’re looking for something creepy to read. Personally, I would read this one any time of year. Just give a stressful school situation, a cup of hot chocolate and Joseph Delaney, and I’m in for one heck of a night.

ISBN: 978-0061344626
Price: $17.00, hardcover
Pages: 416

BTT: Library Weeding

When’s the last time you weeded out your library? Do you regularly keep it pared down to your reading essentials? Or does it blossom into something out of control the minute you turn your back, like a garden after a Spring rain?
Or do you simply not get rid of books? At all? (This would have described me for most of my life, by the way.)
And–when you DO weed out books from your collection (assuming that you do) …what do you do with them? Throw them away (gasp)? Donate them to a charity or used bookstore? SELL them to a used bookstore? Trade them on Paperback Book Swap or some other exchange program?

The last time I weeded out my library was probably two years ago. Since starting college, I really haven't wanted to et rid of anything. If it's a textbook that I know I'll never use again, I sell it to the university bookstore. If I liked the book, however, I keep it. Lately, I;ve been really hesitant to get rid of books. I want to build my library into something HUGE that my kids will take books from and that I can revisit again and again. I also think it would be really beneficial to my [future] job as an editor to have as many references around as possible.

When I do get rid of books, I always donate them to Goodwill. I think it's nice to pass them on to someone who can't go to Barnes and Noble every time they get the urge. I think in the future, however, I'd like to give them to some kind of literacy organization. I think books should be in the hands of kids and teens with no charge to them. Books offer such an awesome alternative to the more violent video games and movies that are out today. I wish every kid could have the relationship I've had with books.

Bookworm Update

I am such a sad sack. I haven't finished a book in ages, I never get to read my own books now that I'm back in school. What a drag.

I do want to put it out there, though, that I just started a great internship at Parenting magazine, where I'm the resident book girl! I get to look through all the books that we receive from publishing companies and decide if they're fit to review in the magazine! This means I've taken home a bunch of awesome ARCs!! Here's what I snagged:

-A free hardcover copy of Clash of the Demons by Joseph Delaney

-An ARC of The Chestnut King by N.D. Wilson

-A free hardcover copy of Leviathon, Scott Westerfeld's new book

-A free hardcover copy of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

And that's only the beginning! I can't wait to review some of these awesome new titles....I just have to read them first.