Book #41 Read in 2014
The Water Witch by Juliet Dark
Juliet Dark is a pen name for author Carol Goodman. This book is the second in a paranormal trilogy. It is a really good read, as was book #1. Callie is a doorkeeper...a witch who can open and close doors between the human world and the fairy world. She is also a college professor....along with several other paranormal beings. Her small town is magical and has become her home...but it is being threatened by the Grove, an organization in which her grandmother is involved. The Grove wants to close the door between the worlds, after all the paranormal beings they deem lesser than them go back to the fairy world. Callie's friends are hoping that she can keep that from happening. Add to that Callie's conflicting feeling about her somewhat demonic boyfriend who was banished, and that means she has a pretty full plate.
The writing style is nicely gothic. The characters are interesting and the setting is great...I love the small town, college campus atmosphere. This book has a great plot of twists and turns, romance, sex and of course ends in such a way that book #3 will be the next book I start. I highly recommend this series.
Book #40 Read in 2014
Somebody Up There Hates You by Hollis Seamon (YA)
This is so much more than a cancer book. Richard (main character) is written in such a way that his voice is so true to life. Richard is in hospice and so is Sylvie....and both are teenagers. They try to retain some sort of normalcy with their budding romance but that creates more problems for both them and their families. The secondary characters (the harpy, Edward, Richard's mother, uncle and grandmother) are interesting and bring even more depth to the book. I could see this book being called a grittier The Fault in Our Stars...and I mean that as a compliment. Add to this that the author is 1. local and 2. was my Honors English 101 professor at college and that just completes the package. I highly recommend it.
Book #39 Read in 2014
To Brie or Not to Brie
This is the fourth book in a great cozy mystery series....one of my favorites. Charlotte owns a cheese shop and has a knack for solving murders in her small town. This book is no exception and Charlotte is on the case shortly after the latest murder. Characters are great in this series....both two legged (Charlotte, her cousin Matthew, his twin daughters, Charlotte's mystery-show loving assistant Rebecca) and four legged (Ragdoll cat Rags and Briard dog Rocket). Along with characters, the small town setting, with a bunch of great shops, is perfect for a cozy mystery series. There were twists and turns enough to keep readers guessing about the murderer's identity. I enjoyed it.
Book #38 Read in 2014
The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop by Kate Saunders (YA)
This is a cute read. Lily and Oz are twins and discover that they have magical powers when they move into their new home. There they find a talking invisible cat and Spike, a talking rat. With their new friend and neighbor, who also has magical powers, they are recruited to work for a very special spy unit to find some magical chocolate molds of their deceased uncles. There was a decent plot to this book, with a good mix of action and humor. The characters were fun. I enjoyed it. I borrowed this book from my local library.
Book #37 Read in 2014
Delicious by Ruth Reichl
This book was a great read for foodies, romantics, readers and people who just enjoy good writing. In this book, Billie heads to New York City and finds an assistant job at a culinary magazine. She finds some old letters between a young girl and a culinary expert from the magazine and she thinks that they might perhaps make a good book. More importantly, Billie becomes engaged with the story of these letters and wants to find out more about the people involved. At the same time, she fights some of her own demons and moves on with her life.
I really liked the writing of this book. The characters were engaging and interesting. I liked the balance of a great setting, romance, history and humor. I recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review through the Amazon Vine program.
Book #36 Read in 2014
Death and the Zombie Apocalypse by Chelsea Bellingeri (YA)
This is the second in a great young adult trilogy. This book picks up right where the first book left off...Rachel is trying to rescue Cage from the zombie that have overrun the college dorm. This book is once again non-stop action...with a little humor and romance thrown in. Rachel, Cage and their friends are trying to make it to Detroit to one of the military "safe zones" but of course that is easier said than done. I read this book in just over two hours....
I cannot wait for book three (published sometime this year). I received this book from the Amazon Prime Kindle Lending Library.
Book #35 Read in 2014
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
This is a different take on The Wizard of Oz. In this book Dorothy is evil and in charge of Oz. A tornado brings another Kansas girl, Amy, to Oz. The Revolutionary Order of the Wicked ("bad" witches that seem to be the good guys) decide that Amy must be the one to kill Dorothy so they begin to train her in magical ways before sending her into Dorothy's palace to kill her. Of course, there is a cliffhanger ending that begs for book #2....but I can think of worse things....
This book was a good read. There was a lot of actions and plot twists to keep one engaged. Amy is a good anti-hero and I enjoyed her sense of humor and her guts. I loved Ollie the flying monkey.
I received a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine review program.
March Reads:
1. A Witch Before Dying (5/5) 2nd in series Kindle
2. Rotten (YA) 4.5/5
3. OCD, the Dude and Me (YA) 4/5
4. Once Upon a Midnight Eerie (YA) 4.5/5 2nd in series Amazon Vine review book
5. The House We Grew Up In (5/5)
6. The Water Castle (YA) 4/5 library book
7. City of Ashes (YA) 5/5 2nd in series
8. Paws for Murder (4.5/5) 1st in series
9. Love and the Zombie Apocalypse (YA) 4.5/5 1st in series Kindle book
10. Flora and Ulysses (YA) 4/5
11. The Dream Thieves (YA) 4/5 2nd in series
12. The Kitchen Daughter (5/5)
34 books read in 2014
