The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Completion Date: October 6, 2011

Reason for Reading: R.I.P. Challenge VI; Reading Swap

One of the greatest mystery thrillers ever written, Wilkie Collins’s The Woman in White was a phenomenal bestseller in the 1860s, achieving even greater success than works by Dickens, Collins’s friend and mentor. Full of surprise, intrigue, and suspense, this vastly entertaining novel continues to enthrall readers today.

The story begins with an eerie midnight encounter between artist Walter Hartright and a ghostly woman dressed all in white who seems desperate to share a dark secret. The next day Hartright, engaged as a drawing master to the beautiful Laura Fairlie and her half sister, tells his pupils about the strange events of the previous evening. Determined to learn all they can about the mysterious woman in white, the three soon find themselves drawn into a chilling vortex of crime, poison, kidnapping, and international intrigue.

I wanted an e-reader to read more classics. I have always had issues with the fact that the font is so little in most of the editions out there. I find small font a huge turn-off no matter how good the book sounds. The Woman in White is a book that I have heard endless good things about, but this is the first time I have actually read it. The very first book I read on my e-reader was The Moonstone by Collins, but I never reviewed it. I knew that Collins could write a story, though, and this was no exception. I was hooked from the very beginning this time around instead of getting bored in the very beginning. I was very disappointed when I was freshly into the story and my e-reader battery died on me. It was not a fast read. It was more a book I wanted to savour and read when the mood struck me. It was a very atmospheric read that was perfect for this time of the year.

The book could probably best be described as a mystery. The book is broken into sections where the chief players of the story tell their side of things and their observations. There is an underlining main character who brings all these people together and who starts the story off. He returns later on to take more turns and fill in the gaps of the story. He is also the hero and the love interest of Laura, the young heiress that gets wrapped up in a horrifying conspiracy. The book all revolves around Anne Catherick. She is the title character. She meets Mrs. Fairlee, Laura's mother, while young and takes an intense liking to her. The woman tells her that she looks good in white and Anne remembers that for many years after. It adds a ghostly quality to her story and makes her appearances sinister and atmospheric. We quickly learn that things have not always been easy for the young woman and she has a past that readers will be curious about from the very beginning.

My fear with this book is firstly that it has been reviewed many, many times before, so people probably don't need to see yet another person saying that they really enjoyed the book and are so happy they read it. If you haven't read it yet, you really should. It is the perfect read for this time of the year and I look forward to reading more from Collins in the future. Secondly, it is the sort of book where Collins attempts to have twists and turns, so you don't want someone gushing about the book and giving away a major plot device. I knew I wanted to read this book, but despite paying attention to the fact people enjoyed it, I tried very hard to not have anything spoiled. This worked out really well for me and I don't want to ruin things for anyone else.

I will just be happy that I finally read it.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Completion Date: June 23, 2011

Reason for Reading: The Great Reading Swap of 2011 - Marg's List

BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart.

The Great Reading Swap is such a fun idea. It is too bad that I can't seem to get anything read of my lists! Even if I never finish the challenge, it would still be nice to read a few more of the books. I actually told Marg to include this because I wanted to buy it and I figured if I had to read it, that justified the purchase. I have read A Northern Light by Donnelly, but still haven't read her adult trilogy. I have had the first book on my TBR pile for years and it is also on my list from Marg. Right, so moving on to this book now.

I loved this book! Andi, a girl from the present time, stumbles across a diary hidden for generations unexpectedly. When she reads it she is connected with the life of Alexandrine Paradis and the struggles that she went through to save the life of a young prince. She was a very brave young woman. The little boy was the son of Marie Antoinette, and he loved fireworks. Alexandrine made sure that the entire time he was imprisoned, he saw them. She went to a lot of risk for a boy she only looked after for gain and not for any affection. She records everything in the diary that Andi finds and hopes that someone will find it and make a difference in the world when she is no longer able to.

Andi is having some troubles of her own. She is in Paris with her father. Her mother has admitted into a hospital because she is having a hard time dealing with the loss of her son. Then, her husband left and remarried. Andi has been looking after her mother and feeling guilty about the loss of her brother. She is on a path of self-destruction that her father thinks a change of scenery will cure. Her passion is music and she is expected to be working on her schools major paper that has a music connection. When she wants to go home and take care of her mother instead, her father says she can only if she finishes the outline. What happens is that her paper and Alexandrine's world connect in ways that Andi can never even possibly imagine.

One night Andi finds herself in the Catacombs with some friends. When the police arrive to break it up she becomes separated from the group and finds herself transported back in time to a very different Paris. Suddenly it is her that has to finish Alexandrine's work and take on all the dangers associated with that. Donnelly writes a wonderful blend of the history and the present. The characters come alive, the story in engaging, and who can complain about a book set in Paris. When Andi travels back in time it is done very believably and finishes the novel on an exciting note. In the beginning Andi was just reading about this girls adventures, but now she is living them. It made for great reading all around.

I am so happy that I read this book. I strongly recommend it and look forward to more from Donnelly in the future.

This book counts for the Great Reading Swap of 2011.

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

Completion Date: March 4, 2011

Reason for Reading: Reading Swap List from Ana

Tender Morsels took me three tries to get through. I read the first chapter twice and then didn't read any further. It's a book you sort of have to be in the mood for, and I never seemed to be in the right mood. When Heather told me she had read it and liked it, I decided to try one more time and see what happened. It was well worth it! It's an amazing book, but it can be hard to read at times. I am still glad that I did.

This is the second half of a buddy review with Heather from A Capricious Reader. To read the first part, head over to her blog!

Heather: Good point. I suppose I’m more of a realist, a “deal with it now, not later,” kind of person but you’re right, she did well in showing that escaping your troubles isn’t always the best thing, which it isn’t. And you’re right, there are many days I want to escape!

What did you think of the way Lanagan depicted men?

Kelly: Yes, but I just escape into a book or a movie... Or in my own dream world, go on a trip! Those are escape methods in this society.

hm, weirdly enough I never even thought about the men except when they did something really horrible, which I guess happened fairly often. Otherwise, they were just kind of there. There were a couple nice ones, but otherwise... Not a good story for men. She sort of gives the impression she doesn’t like them very much, but that might be reading too much into it. Whatever the case, they did pretty much every horrible act you can think of during the course of the book. A few of the things that happened are pretty graphic and I try not to think about too much...

Did you think she went too far, or do you think it all works out?

photo credit

Heather: I agree, the men were just...there. There was the one kind, decent man, but for the most part they were all dirty-minded, dirty-acting, greedy, juvenile characters. She does give the impression she doesn’t like them very much. For the story she as telling, with the fairytale techniques, I don’t think she went too far. It felt necessary to me.

I don’t think we can discuss Tender Morsels without mentioning the controversy with Bitch Magazine. What do you think of that snafoo and the allegations that Tender Morsels is validating characters who use rape as an act of vengeance?

Kelly: That’s a good question... I heard of the controversy a bit, but I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to the blogging world at that moment in time. I brushed up on the details a bit before answering this question and have been sitting here trying to get my thoughts in order. First of all, I think the fact that it was taken off the list because of one negative comment was a bit of an overreaction. The list is just a suggestion to get you started, so there is no obligation to read and love every book. You don’t even have to agree with the books being on there. It was just one opinion out of many.

While I don’t think that the book really does use rape as an act of vengeance, I can see how people can interpret it that way. I just didn’t feel that the book had to wax poetical on how bad everyone in the book felt about what had happened. They had their horrified moments and then the book moved on. It also didn’t show the offenders in the first place feeling badly for the initial rape and no one was up in arms about that. I just think that some things are shown so much that people have become almost used to it, but other things are not shown as much and so they have more of an affect. I think it was very empowering that something was actually done to people that otherwise would have gotten away with it. That does not mean I entirely agree with what it was, but I also don’t think the book should have been taken off the list. Does this even make sense? What do you think about it?

photo credit

Heather: I think I get what you’re saying. I also can see where people would see it as “rape as vengeance.” It really was, but I don’t see that as a good excuse to remove it from the list. Urdda, whether she meant to or not, got her mother’s revenge, in the same manner her mother was attacked. While I don’t in any way condone revenge, I can understand why some would want it. And I agree that is was empowering that something was actually done to the people who would have gotten away with it. How many times do we hear that a ‘bad so-and-so’ should have the same thing done to him? I hear it all the time! “Give them a taste of their own medicine” and what not. And people should be punished when they do something wrong; why not a taste of what they dished out? Might would curtail a little violence.... But anyway, I definitely do not think the book should have been taken off the list. On the bright side, it brought a lot of attention to the book it might not have otherwise got and it helped push me to read it!

So, any final thoughts?

Kelly: And by you really enjoying it, I finally got around to reading it! Well, that and Ana putting it on my reading swap list. I think we covered most things. I am really glad I read and enjoyed this book. Thanks for reviewing it with me!

Thanks, Ana, for bringing this book to my attention in the first place and then challenging me to finally read it!!

This book also counts for the Aussie Author Reading Challenge and the TwentyEleven Reading Challenge.

(Off-topic: I put pictures in my post yesterday and had fun, so I thought I might try and get a bit more creative... What do you think?)

A Look at Challenges - February 2011

Sci-Fi Experience:

Books Read:
1. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
2. Witness in Death by J.D. Robb
3. Judgment in Death by J.D. Robb
4. Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews, and Will Conrad
5. Serenity: Float Out by Patton Oswalt, Patric Reynolds, and Joss Whedon

Status: COMPLETED!

Thoughts: I wish I had read more! I will likely read more science-fiction over the coming year, though.

The Great Reading Swap of 2011:

Books Read:

1. The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill

2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

3. Witness in Death by J.D. Robb

4. Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

Status: 4 out of 24...

Thoughts: I honestly thought I was doing better on this than I am...

Manga Challenge:

Books Read:

1. Nightschool: The Weirn Books - Volume 1 by Svetlana Chmakova

2. Chobits Volume 5 by Clamp
3. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Volume 2) by Bryan Lee O'Malley

4. Chobits Volume 6 by Clamp

Status: 4/6

Thoughts: Well, at least with the slight reading I did in February I worked on this challenge!

Aussie Reading Challenge:

Books Read:

None

Status: 0/3

Thoughts: Yeah, need to read something for this. I have the books here and waiting!

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge:

Books Read:

1. The Sherlockian by Graham Moore

2. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

Status: 2/10

Thoughts: I am really surprised at this actually... I used to read a lot more historical fiction. I did read some historical fantasy, but decided to not count it...

Essay Reading Challenge:

Essays Read:

None

Status: 0/10

Thoughts: The library is thwarting me. I keep having ideas and then they don't have the book! I am getting annoyed, so I am ignoring this challenge for a bit until inspiration strikes.

Ireland Reading Challenge:

Books Read:

None

Status: 0/2

Thoughts: Expected to be reading a book for this challenge this month. Yay!

Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters Series, Book 1) by Juliet Marillier

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

Completion Date: January 15, 2011

Reason for Reading: Great Reading Swap - Rhinoa's List; Buddy Read with Melissa from Book Nut

A beautiful retelling of the Celtic "Swans" myth, Daughter of the Forest is a mixture of history and fantasy, myth and magic, legend and love... To reclaim the lives of her brothers, Sorcha leaves the only safe place she has ever known and embarks on a journey filled with pain, loss and terror. When she is kidnapped by enemy forces and taken to a foreign land, it seems that there will be no way for Sorcha to break the spell that condemns all that she loves. But magic knows no boundaries, and sorcha will have to choose between the live she has always known and a love that comes only once.

Today is a buddy review of Daughter of the Forest with Melissa. I have the first part of the review and she will be posting the second part on her blog.

Melissa: So, why did you pick this one up to read?

Kelly: Well, first because Katie (Rhinoa) challenged me to read it during 2011. She gave me a list to choose from and this is a book that I have always wanted to read, but never seemed able to get beyond the first chapter for one reason or another. This time I was determined to concentrate on it because I knew I was probably going to like it. You?

Melissa: My friend Corinne recommended it to me ages ago, but because my library doesn’t have it, it never really made my TBR list. (I had to borrow her copy to read it!) I figured, when I saw it on your list, it was either now or never. Did you find it hard to get through this time?

Kelly: No, I always think it was a timing problem previously. I would get a new book I was excited about, life would get busy, etc. I always liked what I was reading, but it just wasn’t the time for the book. This time I sat down with it and every time had a hard time putting it back down, but I got bombarded with a few other commitments, so I made myself read it slow and savour it. How did it go with you in the beginning? Were you drawn in right away, or did it take time?

Melissa: I took it with me on vacation, determined to get through it. That didn’t happen. So, it took a bit of time for me to get into it. But, the day after we got back it snowed (a lot; I live in Kansas, everything is relative!), and so I was able to sit and spend the day with the book. By that time, I was fully committed to the characters and story. Were you familiar with the fairy tale before you started, or was that new?

Kelly: It does start a bit slowly, but if you give it a chance it really picks up and draws you in. This was something that I didn’t accomplish the first couple times I tried to read it. I had heard of the fairy tale before, but I don’t think I have ever actually read the original before and this was the first time I have read a retelling. It sounds like the original would be interesting to read at some point. I wouldn’t mind reading other retellings either. What about you?

Melissa: I wonder if there are other retellings of this one? Though there’s a passing reference to it in Sarah Beth Durst’s Into the Wild. I actually have read the original; or at least a version of it. I always found it a bit disturbing; it was more of a punishment for the sister, in the original, than it ever was for the brothers. Then there’s the whole brotherly-yet-a-bit-more love which I always found quite creepy. In short: not my favorite fairy tale. However, I liked how Marillier wove pagan Irish history into the story. It gave it an added depth, I think.

Kelly: Okay, I can see how that would be a bit weird, yes. I think the thing that did bother me the most was just how obsessed she was with her brothers at times. It was a bit creepy. I think that by the end it was dealt with and not as prominent, though. I suppose she was the youngest and they just felt she needed to be protected because she was the only girl. Still, it was different. I enjoyed it because of the whole fairy tale feel of the story. I also really enjoyed the Irish and British history that was woven through the story, especially the pagan parts. I also like how they showed the conflict between ‘the old ways’ and the new religion that was sweeping through at the time. It was an interesting contrast. Especially when she arrived in Britain and it was all about the new religion and the old being mostly forgotten.

Melissa: I agree! I like exploring that struggle between old and new. Did you like that the Fair Folk played an active role in the story?

Kelly: Yes, it is something I enjoy in historical fiction and really appreciate when it is handled well in fantasy, too. I am a big fan of the Fair Folk. I like how authors play around with basic myths and ideas to make a creative story. They really come to life and when they are handled well.

Be sure and visit Melissa's Blog for the second half of the review.

This book counts for the Great Reading Swap, as it was on the list Rhinoa provided for me.

Series:

Daughter of the Forest

Son of the Shadows

Child of the Prophecy

Heir to Sevenwaters

Seer of Sevenwaters

The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill

The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill

Completion Date: February 10, 2011

Reason for Reading: Great Reading Swap - Heather's List

An extraordinary ghost story from a modern master, published just in time for Halloween. In the apartment of Oliver's old professor at Cambridge, there is a painting on the wall, a mysterious depiction of masked revelers at the Venice carnival. On this cold winter's night, the old professor has decided to reveal the painting's eerie secret. The dark art of the Venetian scene, instead of imitating life, has the power to entrap it. To stare into the painting is to play dangerously with the unseen demons it hides, and become the victim of its macabre beauty.

By the renowned storyteller Susan Hill--whose first ghost story, The Woman in Black, has run for eighteen years as a play in London's West End--here is a new take on a form that is fully classical and, in Hill's able hands, newly vital. The Man in the Picture is a haunting tale of loss, love, and the very basest fear of our beings.

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre?
Fiction. Ghost Story.

What led you to pick up this book?
Heather chose it for me for the Reading Swap, but I also have always meant to try Susan Hill.

Summarize the plot, but don’t give away the ending!
This is the story of a man that collects art. While at an auction he brings home a very drab painting, but there was something about it that really caught his eye. When he goes to buy it, he finds that there is a mystery surrounding the painting and then eventually learns that there is more to the painting than a nice picture to hang on the wall. He is a teacher near the end of his life, but he chooses to tell one of his past pupils the entire story and we get to hear it, too. It opens up a very atmospheric story and some strange turns of events.

What did you like most about the book?
It was a different story than what I was used to reading. I really liked the creativity of the story, but I find it hard to say why without giving too much away... It is one of those books that you need to experience everything to really appreciate it.

What did you like least?
I thought it was too short, so things were rushed a bit. I would have liked a long novel to develop all the idea entirely and tell all the stories.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books?
No, this is my first time, but I will probably try her again.

What did you think of the main character?
I think the best thing to say is that while I found the story itself original and gripping, I didn't find the characters stood out as anything special. They were part of the story and were necessary for how things played out, but ultimately I think the painting was the main character. It has a part in the entire story and the whole idea of it is why I finished the book.

What about the ending?
I liked the ending. It was almost expected, but not at the same time...

What did you think about the cover?
I think the cover fits. I am not sure if I love it, but it adds to the mystery surrounding the story.

This book counts for the Great Reading Swap of 2011.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell & A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle

At first glance, these books probably couldn't be any different. The thing is, I tried to read both of them and they both really didn't work for me. It's obviously me because I know so many people that love both books, but I just couldn't stick with them.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Completed: February 10, 2011

Reason for Reading: The Great Reading Swap; Buddy Read

When her father leaves the Church, Margaret Hale is uprooted from her comfortable home in Hampshire to move with her family to the North of England. Initially repulsed by the ugliness of her new surroundings in the industrial town of Milton, Margaret becomes aware of the poverty and suffering of local mill workers and develops a passionate sense of social justice. In "North and South", Gaskell skillfully fused individual feeling with social concern and in Margaret Hale created one of the most original heroines of Victorian literature.

This book perfectly exemplifies why I do not read very many classics. I found myself very uninterested in the characters, the writing, or the direction in which the book takes. I tried, though. I just found myself reading parts of it and rather zoning out. After a while there was a lot of skimming occurring as I tried to figure out what I was missing. I wanted to love it, because Ana wanted me to read it and she enjoyed it... I just didn't. For one thing, I really don't like the way she writes. It didn't draw me in at all. Then, Margaret rather annoyed me. I almost liked her in the very beginning because I had hope, but then the pages went on and she just wound up boring me. Then, there were things that happened that I thought were pointless and unncessary for the overall story. It just seemed that try as I might, this book didn't really work for me at all...

Anyway, I only posted this very brief post because it is a book for the Reading Swap and because Amanda also didn't like the book and is posting her thoughts on it today, too. She might be better at figuring out what to say than I am.

So, what did I miss? What is it that you love about North and South?

Moving on...

A Fine & Private Place by Peter S. Beagle

Completion Date: February 10, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun..

Conversing in a mausoleum with the dead, an eccentric recluse is tugged back into the world by a pair of ghostly lovers bearing an extraordinary gift—the final chance for his own happiness. When challenged by a faithless wife and aided by a talking raven, the lives of the living and the dead may be renewed by courage and passion, but only if not belatedly. Told with an elegiac wisdom, this delightful tale of magic and otherworldly love is a timeless work of fantasy imbued with hope and wonder.

Once upon a time I was in a bookstore and I came across a book called The Last Unicorn. I HAD to have it. It sounded so good and I thought for sure I would love it. I didn't... Then, enter blogging and all sorts of people singing the praises of Beagle. These were people that I respected and generally shared interests with. So, I felt guilty and tried to read The Last Unicorn again. I thought maybe I was in a weird mood or maybe I missed something. It didn't work for me the second time either. Then, I started to see Beagle and his books mentioned even more and I decided that I was going to try another one of his books. Maybe that was the problem. It didn't work for me either...

There is just something about the authors writing that I cannot get into it. It doesn't pull me in at all and then I find myself bored with the story. I always want to love the story and always find myself thinking that if the story was written by someone else with a different style, I would love it. The ideas are always great. The book descriptions always sound amazing and the reviews I see always make me want to rush out and read him, but I think I am going to have to admit that Beagle is just not for me. I did give him two tries, though...

So, your turn, what makes you love Beagle so much?

Historical Tapestry Reading Swap

The five of us at Historical Tapestry have decided to have a reading swap. It's shaping up to be a lot of fun! We drew names and the chose a book for that person to read before the end of 2011. It is not like I need anymore books to read this year, but I thought it would be a fun idea.

It works out this way:

Teddy chooses for Alex

I choose for Marg

Marg chooses for Ana

Ana chooses for Teddy

Alex chooses for me

Alex chose Katherine by Anya Seton for me.

I have been meaning to read this book forever, so it is about time!

I chose Fingersmith for Marg and I am really excited to see what she thinks of it. I had thought she had read Sarah Waters before, but she hasn't, so it is about time she gave her a try. This was one of my favourite reads ever!

Then, Alex will be reading The Secret River chosen by Teddy. I haven't read this yet, but it is one I would like to get to in 2011.

Ana is reading The Winter Sea, one of my favourite reads from 2010, chosen by Marg.

Teddy will be reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which was a favourite of mine from a few years back.

I am just as excited to see what everyone thinks of their chosen book as I am to see what I think of my book. It just worked out to include several of my favourite books, so I am curious to see what they think. To follow along you can visit Historical Tapestry over the next year.

Witness in Death by J.D. Robb (In Death Series, Book 10)

Witness in Death by J.D. Robb

Completion Date: January 28, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series; Great Reading Swap of 2011; Sci-Fi Experience

Opening night at New York's New Globe Theater turns from stage scene to crime scene when the leading man is stabbed to death center stage. Now Eve Dallas has a high-profile, celebrity homicide on her hands. Not only is she lead detective, she's also a witness - and when the press discovers that her husband owns the theater, there's more media spotlight than either can handle. The only way out is to move fast. Question everyone and everything...and in the meantime, try to tell the difference between the truth - and really good acting...

This is the first book I managed to read for the Reading Swaps I have going on. I am going to have to do better than that in February or I will never read everything! It is also me finally reading on in a series that I haven't touched since 2007. That's just crazy and is sadly, not uncommon in my reading trends over the last few years. Between the desire to read way too many things and my books and me being separated for a couple years now, I am doing very badly on reading my own books. I have a few projects I want to accomplish this year and making a dent in this series is one of them. Since they are so easy to find second-hand and I often have book credit, I have most of the series on my TBR pile. It is just a matter of reading them.

It has always amazed me that I like this series. It is not my normal type of book at all and I have no interest in reading Robb's books written as Nora Roberts. Back in, I think, 2006 I found a copy of Seduction in Death on my mother's bookshelves and decided to give it a try. I do like thrillers to a point and I liked that this series took place in the future. I knew it was not the first book in the series, but I wasn't really using the library back then and I didn't want to buy anything without giving the series a try.

It turned out to be a perfect easy read for those moments after I have read something I love and have no idea what to read, or I just want to read something to say that I am reading and don't want it to be anything too complicated. I enjoy trying to figure out the mysteries, I like that Lt. Dallas is a strong female character, I enjoy that she is married to the very interesting Roarke, and I like the addition of all the secondary characters. I appreciate that the characters have stories and it is not just about the cases. As the series progresses you learn more about Eve, Roarke, and other characters that make repeat appearances. This is mainly why I keep reading and enjoying the series, even if I took a very long break from it.

In this one Eve is watching the opening of a Murder Mystery play that turns into a real murder. Sometimes the killer is known from the very beginning, or other times she includes a twist. I think this is the first time I didn't entirely have it all solved by the end. It was actually an original idea this time around and I quite enjoyed watching things be revealed. It was a good reintroduction to the series after such a long time away. The good thing is that even though there were... 4 years... between books 9 and 10, I still knew who everyone was and didn't have any problems remembering what had happened in previous books that was still on-going in this book. That's saying something about both series and my memory! All in all I enjoyed revisiting this series. It was like revisiting old friends and I really need to that more often with both this series and other series I have on the go!

This book counts for the Great Reading Swap, as Marg told me to carry on with the series! Mainly because we used to read them together and she is like 10 ahead of me by now! Then, I also think of it as sci-fi, so I am counting it for the Sci-Fi Experience.

The Series:

Naked in Death

Glory in Death

Immortal in Death

Rapture in Death

Ceremony in Death

Vengeance in Death

Holiday in Death

Conspiracy in Death

Loyalty in Death

Witness in Death

Judgment in Death

Betrayal in Death

Seduction in Death

Reunion in Death

Purity in Death

Portrait in Death

Imitation in Death

Divided in Death

Visions in Death

Survivor in Death

Origin in Death

Memory in Death

Born in Death

Innocent in Death

Creation in Death

Strangers in Death

Salvation in Death

Promises in Death

Kindred in Death

Fantasy in Death

Indulgence in Death

Treachery in Death (forth-coming)

This book counts for the TwentyEleven Reading Challenge.

The Great Reading Swap - My Lists

I posted a big list of books that others are being challenged to read by their friends, but I don't imagine it has everything on it. You are still welcome to send me lists and I will add them in. This is just for the books I am responsible for reading.

Heather's List for Me:

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (Completed October 6, 2011)

Drood by Dan Simmons

The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill (Completed February 10, 2011)

Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris

The Spiritualist by Megan Chance

Ireland by Frank Delaney

Ana's List for Me:

Passion by Jude Morgan

Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell (Completed February 10, 2011)

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan (Completed March 4, 2011)

Marg's List for Me:

The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick

Witness in Death by J.D. Robb (Completed January, 2011)

The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (Completed June 23, 2011)

Kate's List for Me:

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier (Completed January 15, 2011)

The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell

Queen of the Darkness by Anne Bishop

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

Amanda's Book for Me:

The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis (Completed September 16, 2011)

Amy's List for Me:

Melusine by Sarah Monette

Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Under the Poppy by Kathe Koja

Alex's Choice for Me for the Historical Tapestry Reading Swap:

Katherine by Anya Seton

The Great Reading Swap of 2011

This swapping of reading lists is because larger, so I made a better post for easier reading. I added the few new lists I discovered. I decided to just include books chosen by other people and not the lists where the books were chosen by themselves. It was getting too long!

Amy's List for Word Lily:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Songbird by Lisa Samson

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George

The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen

Book They are Reading Together:

Lilith by George MacDonald

Word Lily's List for Amy:

Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers

Saints in Limbo by River Jordan

Mariette in Ecstasy by Ron Hansen

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Debi's List for Heather:

Looking for Alaska by John Green
Bone (One Volume Edition) by Jeff Smith
-Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Green Angel by Alice Hoffman
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett

Chris' List for Heather:

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
A Fine and Private Place by Peter Beagle
The Horse Boy by Rupert Isaacson
The Screwed Up Life of Charlie the Second by Drew Ferguson
Atlas by Katrina Vandenberg

Ana's List for Heather:

Flora Segunda by Ysabeu S. Wilce
No Name by Wilkie Collins
The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson
Saplings by Noel Streatfeild
Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith

Debi's List for Chris:

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block

I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

Heather's List for Debi:

Wise Children by Angela Carter

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

Ana's List for Debi:

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

The Love We Share Without Knowing by Christopher Barzak

Strong Poison by Dorothy Sayers

Lady Audley’s Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

What I Was by Meg Rosoff

Chris' List for Debi:

Mirabilis by Susann Cokal

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

The Bells by Richard Harvell

Rich's List for Debi:

The Ancestor’s Tale by Richard Dawkins

Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer

Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

The Passage by Justin Cronin

Heather's List for Ana: (As far as I know Ana hasn't blogged about this year. Will add link)

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

The Stolen Child by Keith Donoghue

Sleep, Pale Sister by Joanne Harris

The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill

Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons

Chris' List for Ana:

The Bone People by Keri Hulme

When You Are Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris

The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Fleweling

Push by Sapphire

The Wild Things by Dave Eggers

Debi's List for Ana:

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

The Stand by Stephen King

We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch

Jason's List for Amanda:

Mathilda by Mary Shelley
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller

Amanda's List for Jason:

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

Plain Kate by Erin Bow

Little Children by Tom Perrotta

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Heather's List for Me:

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Drood by Dan Simmons

The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill

Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris

The Spiritualist by Megan Chance

Ireland by Frank Delaney

Ana's List for Me:

Passion by Jude Morgan

The Fox Woman by Kiji Johnson

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

My List for Ana: (I have read all of these, obviously)

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

The Republic of Nothing by Lesley Choyce

Graceling by Kristin Cashone

Wolf of the Plains by Conn Iggulden

My List for Heather: (I have read all of these, obviously)

The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne-Jones

Alex's List for Joanna:

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Gigi and the Cat by Colette

The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett

Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk

Howard's End by E.M. Forster

Joanna's List for Alex:

Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Connor

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

Out by Natsuo Kirino

Kindred by Octavia Butler

The Vanishing of Katharina Linden by Helen Grant

Okay, what did I miss? Let me know of anyone else participating and I will add it in!