Week In Review

Random Thoughts

I am posting today after all! I was cleaning up my sidebars to get ready for next year and decided to wrap-up a couple of challenges. So, this post was born!

It snowed last night. Our first significant snowfall of the year, actually. Well, actually, it snowed in January, February, and March; but you know what I mean. I am both happy about the snow and not. At least it wasn't enough to shovel, but soon shoveling will start and I was so sick of shoveling last year! It was never-ending! I am not anymore excited about it this year. They are saying there is not going to be a lot of snow, but you really never know. I hope it doesn't snow on New Years this year. We had a snowstorm last year and I want to do something this year.

Challenge Wrap-Up

I am getting my sidebar ready for 2010, but first I wasn't sure if I have wrapped up all the challenges that end up on December 31. Many I finished a long time ago and stopped keeping track of, but I still have the 2009 Pub Challenge and Herding Cats on my sidebar. I have also finished The Arthurian Reading Challenge. I might keep it on the sidebar, though, because it doesn't wrap-up until March and I might read a few more books that count for it.

2009 Pub Challenge - The object was to read 9 books published in 2009. Young adult were not allowed because it is a Pub. My list:
1. Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong 01/27/09
2. Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs02/03/09
3. Grave Goods by Ariana Franklin 02/17/09
4. Storm Glass by Maria Snyder 05/01/09
5. The City and The City by China Mieville 5/26/09
6. I Met the Walrus by Jerry Levitan 05/04/09
7. The Blue Notebook by James A. Levine 07/07/09
8. The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman 06/02/09
9. Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear 02/17/09

I enjoyed all the books I read for this challenge. The Armstrong, Briggs, Franklin, Snyder, and Winspear were books in series that I really enjoy. The only two authors that were new to me were Jerry Levitan and James A. Levine. The rest I have read other books by. I don't know if I can pick a favourite because several of those books will probably make my best of list for the year.

Herding Cats Challenge - This challenge ran from April 1st to December 31st. The challenge asked for 5 books, but I read 9 that would count.
1. One Piece: Romance Dawn by Eiichiro Oda
2. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
3. Nation by Terry Pratchett
4. Skellig by David Almond
5. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
6. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
7. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
8. Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest
9. Marcelo In the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

Another list of books that I really enjoyed! They all had something about them that I enjoyed, so I am glad that I read them. I didn't not like any of them, which is always good. As opposed to the list above, there were more new-to-me authors than ones I had read before. The only authors I had read before were Terry Pratchett and Diana Wynne Jones.

Printz Project

The Printz Project is an on-going project. So far for it I have read 17 books. I hope to read a lot more next year. I had more out from the library, but ended up returning them unread. For those interested in what I have read so far my list is as follows:

Jellicoe Road by Melinda Marchetta - 2009 winner
Nation by Terry Pratchett - 2009 nominee
Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins - 2008 nominee
Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill - 2008 nominee
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yung - 2007 winner
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation; Volume 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson - 2007 nominee
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green - 2007 nominee
Looking for Alaska by John Green - 2006 winner
how i live now by Meg Rosoff - 2005 winner
The First Part Last by Angela Johnson - 2004 winner
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly - 2004 nominee
A Step From Heaven by An Na - 2002 winner
Kit's Wilderness by David Almond - 2001 winner
Monster by Walter Dean Myers - 2000 winner
Skellig by David Almond - 2000 nominee
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - 2000 nominee
Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger - 2000 nominee

Advent Calendar

Don't forget about the Virtual Advent! It started December 1st, but it is not too late to join up for days that haven't happened yet. Be sure and follow along even if you are not planning to post anything.

Weekly Reads

I missed last week. In the last two weeks I have only managed to read the following:

Obasan by Joy Kogawa - For the Japanese and Canadian Reading Challenge. It is about the Japanese treatment in Canada during World War II. I both liked it and didn't... I was interested in the subject matter, but I wasn't crazy about Kogawa's writing method.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - Loved this book!

The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt - I am so happy that I read this book. It took me FOREVER! I just can't read chunksters from the library. It was my first Byatt and I both loved it and didn't.

Nova Scotia Book of Musts: The 101 Places Every Nova Scotian MUST See by Allan Lynch - I have been to a lot of the places mentioned, but I still have places to see! It was a very interesting book. I think I might buy my own copy.

Bone - Volume 3: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith - The third book in the Bone series. I really enjoy this series! I think it is going to be next year before I read book 4. There is only one copy of that one and the list is rather long.

The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay - Okay, didn't like this book, but I have read Guy Gavriel Kay now! I discovered I was reading it but I was not retaining anything. I doubt I will read the sequels, but I do plan to try something else by him in 2010.

Truckers by Terry Pratchett - My first read for the Terry Pratchett 2010 Reading Challenge. I liked other books by him better, but I do plan to read the rest of the trilogy.

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron - I was actually looking for a graphic novel by her, but this won the Newbery and I had been meaning to read it for a while. It was pretty good, actually!

My reading has slowed down! It's rather depressing...

Library Loot

Where I skipped a week this is a bit messed up. I will organize and post one next week, though! I think I might post a list of all the books I have out from the library.

Sunday Book Coveting

Next week I plan to start brain-storming what I am going to buy with Christmas gift cards. I get the same amount every year, so that means I can start choosing now!

Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story by Carolyn Turgeon

Lil is an old woman who spends her days shelving rare books in a tiny Manhattan bookstore and lonely nights at home in her apartment. But Lil has an intriguing secret. Tucked and bound behind her back are white feathery wings–the only key to who she once was: the fairy godmother responsible for getting Cinderella to the ball to unite with her Prince Charming.

But on that fateful night, something went terribly and beautifully wrong. Lil allowed herself the unthinkable: to feel the emotions of human beings and fall in love with the prince herself, going to the ball in place of Cinderella in her exquisitely gorgeous human guise. For her unforgivable mistake, she was banished to live among humans, far from her fairy sisters and their magical underwater world. But then one day she meets Veronica–a young, fair-skinned, flame-haired East Village beauty with a love of all things vintage and a penchant for falling in love with the wrong men–and suddenly it becomes clear to Lil that she’s been given a chance at redemption. If she can find a soul mate for Veronica, she may right her wrong and return to the fairy world she so deeply longs for. . . .

Talk about taking forever to review a book! I started this book, paused in reading, and then finished it a bit later, so it feels like it was a long time ago that I read it. Instead, it was only a matter of months ago... (Oh, is that all? I am sure you are thinking that!)

Title and author of book: Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story by Carolyn Turgeon

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre? Fantasy. Fairy-tale retelling.

What led you to pick up this book? The title. I think I might have seen a couple reviews, too, but it was the title that first drew me to reading it.

Summarize the plot, but don’t give away the ending! See above...

What did you like most about the book? Let me show you. This is the first paragraph in the book:

I loved arriving at the bookstore first thing in the morning, when the streets were still quiet, the sun half risen, and the whole place felt like a secret meeting room. I liked walking through the still-dark city, as if I were wading through air--the buildings like shadows looming on either side of me, the streets rushing forward in black rivers. There was something about the empty store, too, the books piled all around, that made you want to whisper and walk as slowly as you could. The city was always on top of you, pressing in, but the moment you stepped inside Daedalus Books, it felt like you'd closed your eyes and gone to sleep.

The minute I read those words, I was in love! That is how I feel, but I don't work at a bookstore. As a book lover, I am going to be drawn to another book lover. It is just how it works, and I think Turgeon caught my attention very successfully! I also enjoyed the story. It was a different take on the on fairies, even if it was a retelling of the very famous 'Cinderella' story. Haven't you ever wanted to hear the Godmother side of the story? It is about time, really. The characters in this book were great, too.

What did you like least? You know, this book really should be on my top reads of the year. I loved the original story! I think she sold me on the book theme, really. It wasn't hard to keep my attention after that.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books? This is my first. I plan to read more, though.

What did you think of the main character? When you are young, even now really, you must've had moments where you wished for your very own fairy godmother to come and help you with all of your problems, right? Well, now we are learning that life was not so simple for this fairy godmother. We are learning what it was like to be a fairy and be assigned the job to make the prince fall in love with a girl that has lead a very rough life. I felt for the main character. Life had not been kind to her because the 'popular' version of the story is not the real story (according to her). This was the secret revealed and I really fell in love with the main character.

What about the ending? By now you are probably wondering why if I had so many good things to say about this book, I didn't include it in my top reads of the year. Very simply... I can't make up my mind about the ending! To be very truthful, I hated the way the book ended. The problem is, I am not sure it is because it was a bad ending, or if it was more that I was very invested in the story and the character and felt like her at the end. It could have been a horrible ending, but at the same time, it could have been a very brilliant ending. Even months later I can't make up my mind. Sometimes I wish I had stopped before the ending and still was reveling in the magic of the story, but at the same time, reading the ending was necessary. I think the ending was a let-down for me. It's the only reason I didn't love this book. Everything else, for me, was perfect!

I still think you should read the book. It is such a magical tale and I can think of so many regular readers of my blog that would probably quite enjoy the story. If you do read it, though, be sure and email me about the ending. I would love to hear what other people thought!

My thanks to Random House for this book! Cross-posted at Twisted Kingdom.

The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman

This is a buddy review/read with Heather from A High and Hidden Place. You can see her thoughts here. I am enjoying our buddy reads. I hope we do more!

Alice Hoffman’s previous novel, The Third Angel, was hailed as "an unforgettable portrait of the depth of true love" (USA Today), "stunning" (Jodi Picoult), and "spellbinding" (Miami Herald). Her new novel, The Story Sisters, charts the lives of three sisters–Elv, Claire, and Meg. Each has a fate she must meet alone: one on a country road, one in the streets of Paris, and one in the corridors of her own imagination. Inhabiting their world are a charismatic man who cannot tell the truth, a neighbor who is not who he appears to be, a clumsy boy in Paris who falls in love and stays there, a detective who finds his heart’s desire, and a demon who will not let go.

What does a mother do when one of her children goes astray? How does she save one daughter without sacrificing the others? How deep can love go, and how far can it take you? These are the questions this luminous novel asks.

At once a coming-of-age tale, a family saga, and a love story of erotic longing, The Story Sisters sifts through the miraculous and the mundane as the girls become women and their choices haunt them, change them and, finally, redeem them. It confirms Alice Hoffman’s reputation as "a writer whose keen ear for the measure struck by the beat of the human heart is unparalleled" (The Chicago Tribune).

What did you think of the characters? Who was your favorite and who was your least favorite?
When the book started, Meg (the middle Story sister) was labeled as the 'book worm'. I thought for sure that she was going to be my favourite character, but then she was not in the book as much as I hoped. She had a few central scenes, but generally it was her two sisters that told the story. I thought that was a shame. It worked for the story, though. I think that Claire was probably my favourite character. You really got to know her through the course of the book and I really felt for her. When the book starts the girls are labeled as 'perfect', but it doesn't last for long and Claire gets wrapped up in everything that is going on. She is the youngest sister and really looks up to Elv. Those around them do not necessarily understand the connection between the two sisters. The reader is let in on the secret. I think my least favourite character was Elv. It wasn't because she was written badly. It was more than she was a hard character to like. I thought her acting out made sense for what she had been through, but that's just my opinion. I enjoyed her use of the 'other realm' and loved that she even had a language. Frankly, though, I am just not a big fan of 'coming of age' stories. They are really overdone and this book was essentially one, so it didn't always work well for me. It impacted what I thought of the characters, too.

Do you feel that the use of magical realism enhanced the story? In what way?
Okay, I have to be honest... It's the magic realism that I loved about this book. It's the magic realism that I love about all of Hoffman's novels. If there was no magic realism, this would be a coming of age novel and I would not be interested at all. I had an active imagination when I was younger (still do, really) and I loved how these three sisters had a magical world for themselves. The mention of fairies, evil spirits, and the fairy realm made the book for me. It's not like it has never been done before, but for some reason I just loved it. In the second half of the book when the girls got older and the magic realism played less of a role, though, I found myself losing a bit of my attention span. I think it was all about relatiblility. I had a rocky childhood, so I am well aware of how appealing it is to lose yourself in imaginary worlds that are so much better compared to the one you are living in. The circumstances my have been different, but I found that I could relate to the three sisters in different ways. I do read essentially fantasy novels afterall.

If you could change anything about the story, what would it be?
While I can understand why it was done, I found myself not wanting to lose the magic. There were two parts to the book, like I mentioned above, and the second part was less magically than the first. This meant that I enjoyed the first half way more than the second in many ways. I understand that the girls had to grow up, but it still made me sad that they had to lose their fantasy world in order to do so. There were still magically elements, especially when Claire is in Paris, but it just wasn't the same for me. It almost felt like instead of two parts it was two entirely different books. I didn't like the feel of that. Also, how much bad things can happen to one family? I mean, seriously, it is just one thing after another! Do not read this book if you are depressed because this will leave you even more so!

Overall, I liked this book. I just wasn't in a reviewing frame of mind... I hope that the review is okay. It took me forever to write it!

My thanks to Random House Canada for this book! I am having technological issues. It won't let me add a book cover... I will add it in later...

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

I asked Heather from A High and Hidden Place if she wanted to read a book together. After some book comparison, we agreed on Wondrous Strange. I have wanted to read the book since I got it, but it just never seemed to work into my plans. I am very glad I finally got around to it and that I got to read it with another wonderful blogger!

Kelley Winslow is living her dream. Seventeen years old, she has moved to New York City and started to work with a theatre company. Sure, she’s only an understudy for the Avalon Players, a third-tier repertory company so far off- Broadway it might as well be in Hoboken, but things are looking up—the lead has broken her ankle and Kelley’s about to step into the role of Titania the Faerie Queen in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Faeries are far more real than Kelley thinks, though, and a chance encounter in Central Park with a handsome young man named Sonny Flannery plunges her into an adventure she could never have imagined.

Sonny is a Janus Guard, charged by Auberon, the King of Winter, with watching over the gate into the land of Faerie, which lies within Central Park. For Sonny, the pretty, young actress is an enigma. Strong and willful, she sparks against his senses like a firecracker, and he can’t get her out of his mind. As Hallowe’en approaches and the Samhain Gate opens, Sonny and Kelley find themselves drawn to each other—and into a terrible plot that could spell disaster for both New York and Faerie alike.

Canadian author Lesley Livingston explodes onto the stage of teen fantasy with a debut novel—the first in a planned trilogy—that puts a fresh new spin on classic faerie lore. Wondrous Strange blends a gripping plot with fully believable characters, fascinating ideas and just the right amount of romance to create a story that is vivid, thrilling and engaging. Readers of Herbie Brennan, Holly Black and Melissa Marr will find a new favourite in Lesley Livingston.

Heather asked me three questions about the book. These are my answers:

What did you think of the inclusion of Shakespeare and A Midsummer Night's Dream?
- The inclusion of the play is really the reason that I wanted to read this book in the first place. I have to admit I am not a huge Shakespeare fan, but I do really like this play. I am a sucker for retellings in the first place, though, so it was no surprise that I was drawn to this one. I really liked how Livingston combined the play, the 'real' world, and the 'fairy-tale' world in this book. It was done really well. While this book had a few 'first book issues', I still thought it was really well written and planned out. It was just believable. I could actually picture things playing out just as Livingston described it, and I didn't have to stretch my imagination too far. I am really excited to see where the trilogy goes next!

Who was your favourite character?
- That's a hard question. I, at first, want to say Kelley, because with a slight spelling difference, we have the same name. But, when it gets right down to it, I am not sure I would consider her my favourite character. I had a feeling that something along this line would be one of my questions, so I found myself thinking about the characters as I read along. I actually was thinking I might say Lucky, because really, a horse in a bathtub blowing soap bubbles out his nose is such a funny image! I really liked how Livingston wrote him into the story. I also really liked the Winter King. I thought he was so well-written! He was full of surprises, but also not at the same time. It is really hard to explain without spoilers. I liked Sonny, too, of course. I think, though, if we were comparing this to Melissa Marr (like the blurb does above), I like Seth better. Really, there was no character in this book that I didn't like. They all really added to the story. Even if they were not supposed to be well-liked, they were still well written.

Most importantly, what did you think of the ending and do you think you will continue on with the series?

- I thought that the ending cleared things up pretty well. If there was not a sequel, I think it could almost be a standalone. There are things to clear up, but it was not a cliffhanger ending. (Thankfully!) I plan to read the rest of the trilogy, though. The second book is actually out in September, so I can't wait! Maybe I will read that one with you, too, Heather? We will see what the months bring.

I don't usually rate my books, but I was just going to link to Heather's review and I saw she gave the book a 3.75 out of 5. I agree with that rating. To read Heather's answers to my questions, head on over to her post.

Magickeepers: The Eternal Hourglass - Book One by Erica Kirov

Books Completed: 145
Completion Date: June, 2009
Pages: 256
Publication Date: May 1, 2009

Reason for Reading: Sent a review copy by Sourcebooks, New Author Challenge, Pub Challenge 2009

What would you do for an hourglass that stopped time?

Nick Rostov's father is the worst stage magician in Las Vegas. He can barely pull a rabbit out of a hat. So it is a strange morning indeed when Nick wakes up to find himself on the top floor of the Winter Palace Casino with a promise from the greatest magician in the world to teach him magic.

And not just stage magic. Real magic. Nick sets out to learn about his mother's family, the strange Russian clan of magicians that secretly run the Winter Palace. But there is a catch: Nick has the sight, the ability to see into the past. And so it must fall to him, with only his cousin Isabella to help, to pick up the long-buried clues and unravel the mystery of The Eternal Hourglass, the only magic artifact ever created that can actually stop time.

Title and author of book: Magickeepers: The Eternal Hourglass - Book One by Erica Kirov

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre? Young adult fantasy.

What led you to pick up this book? Sent a review copy by the publisher.

Summarize the plot, but don’t give away the ending! See above...

What did you like most about the book? The combination of Russian history and modern fantasy. I thought that the author weaved the two ideas together very well! I really like Russian history. It was a subject that I studied a great deal in school. Fantasy is my pet genre, so it was fun to combine the two. It could've been highly unbelievable, but it really worked together. Who hasn't wished for a bit of magic in their lives? Many people know at least one magic trick. Then, there is the whole adding in the Russian monarchy and having the bad guy be Rasputin. I think she writes a good story.

What did you like least? Anyone that knows me knows that while I read a lot of young adult fantasy (though, mostly this year), I find narrators that are children annoying. Nick has a few moments like that for me. I didn't always enjoy his character very much. It wasn't enough to put the story down, though. It was still a fun book and I think the series has a lot of potential. Adults will find it fun, but I think children in the correct age-range will really enjoy this series.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books? First one, but I would like to read the sequel!

What did you think of the main character? As I said above, he annoyed me at times, but I got passed it. When he wasn't having his moments, he was a good character and told his story well. He was just being a kid, and there is nothing wrong with that. It's hard to find out that lots of secrets have been held from you for years, but Nick overcomes it. I look forward to seeing how he progresses as the series continues.

What about the ending? Nice, clean ending. It wraps mostly everything up. There is a chance for a sequel, but no major cliff-hanger. Is it too nice an ending? Maybe, but it is a series for the younger generation...

Overall, a fun book! I will continue on with the series. I also like the cover. If I was in this section of the bookstore, I think it would catch my attention!

Other Reviews:

Dolce Bellezza: "In this magical tale, we find jewel encrusted eggs, the Cyrillic alphabet, caviar and borsch, and even such famous Russian characters as Anastasia and Rasputin. These things give a glorious twist to the fairy tale genre, making a story which is both old in the time honored tradition of pursuing good not evil, and new in the exploration of Russian history and culture. I found it a delightful escape into imagination and intrigue." (Yes, it's long, but editing it kept taking something away from it!)

Mercy Thompson Series - Book 4 - Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs

*Okay, last post for Monday, I promise! I just had to catch-up a little!*

Books Completed: 38
Completion Date: February, 2009
Pages: 309
Publication Date: February 3, 2009

Reason for Reading: Next in the series, Series Challenge Season 3, 2009 Pub Challenge

New in the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series.

In a world where "witches, vampires, werewolves, and shape-shifters live beside ordinary people" (Booklist), it takes a very unusual woman to call it home. By day, Mercy Thompson is a car mechanic in Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shape-shifter with some unusual talents, Mercy's found herself maintaining a tenuous harmony between the human and the not-so- human on more than one occasion. This time she may get more than she bargained for.

New Patricia Briggs! I waited a year for this book, so I was so excited to get around to reading it! The big problem with reading it in a day, though, is that now I have to wait another year for book 5... At least there is a comic strip about Mercy that is being collected into one book; that is due out in the summer, and then there is the second book in her other series that is due out in July. Still, no more Mercy for another year!

Anyway, so I was really excited about this book. I think people have got that impression, huh? I don't know what it is, but I just love this series! Mercy is definately one of my favourite fictional characters right now, and Briggs is easily one of my favourite paranormal authors. She writes such believable characters. I love both the main characters and the secondary ones. This book is a lot about cleaning up from the previous book. There is still action in it, but there were still some loose ends that needed to be cleared up. Mercy has always prided herself on being really strong, but she is finding it hard to find the strength that she needs after the events that happened to her. A person can only take so much, and Mercy is easily at her breaking point. This makes her relationship issues that much more harder to handle. As we all know, if you have at least read the first book, Mercy is faced with making the decision between Adam, the local pack leader, and Samuel, the Marrock's son and her childhood sweetheart. The decision has been made, but I will just leave it at that. I don't want to spoil it for someone either new to the series or still back on earlier books.

Anyway, this book has some very angry vampires in it. Stefan, the vampire in Mercy's life, drops in the middle of her living room to warn her that the leader of the local vampires, Marsilia, is after her because she successfully hunted down and killed a monster that would have returned the favour if he hadn't been stopped. They were apparently too successful for Marsilia, though. Then, an old friend from college shows up on Mercy's doorstep because she has a ghost problem, something that Mercy is able to see, and would like Mercy to help get rid of them. While not eager to job at the chance, it turns out to be the chance she needs to get out of harms way and leave the vampires to the werewolves. The only problem is that trouble seems to find Mercy wherever she is, which is something that she quickly finds out.

The Marrock, Bran, and his son Charles also have momentary appearances. Not a lot, though, just enough that you know they are there. They are more central in the other series. I still love Stefan, the vampire that drives a Scooby-Doo inspired bus. Such a cool idea and great imagery! So, even though the story is supposed to be a clean-up from the previous books, it still has plenty of action! Another great book from a great series! I don't think it was my favourite, though. Still, I loved it! Now, if the next one could come out just a little bit faster...

Men of the Otherworld: A Collection of Otherworld Tales by Kelley Armstrong

Books Completed: 19
Completion Date: January, 2009
Pages: 384
Publication Date: January 27, 2009

Reason for Reading: Enjoy Armstrong's Otherworld Series. Pub 2009 Challenge. Received a review copy from Random House.

Kelley Armstrong – Globe and Mail and New York Times bestselling author – is back with a true gift for her fans: an exclusive glimpse into the minds and hearts of the men of the Pack

Kelley Armstrong has made a huge name for herself with her trademark portrayals of the strong, unusually gifted women who populate her Otherworld.

But her fans have always wanted to know more about the men who love these women, and revealed in the pages of this collection are the life stories – and secrets – of Clay and Jeremy, two of the sexiest and most mysterious men of the Otherworld.

Originally published by the author on her website (but since removed), these thrilling tales reveal how Clay became a werewolf, how he came to be adopted by Jeremy, Jeremy’s struggles to become the Alpha of the Pack and his terrible conflict with his father, Malcolm. A brand-new story, written for this collection, reveals how Jeremy came to be a visionary and healer: touchy-feely qualities uncommon in a werewolf.

The result is a perfect companion to Kelley’s bestselling series and a treasure for fans.

I am really glad that I never got around to reading the stories that Kelley Armstrong had on her website. I liked the fact that I was reading them all for the first time! I have to admit, I was not sure about this book! I was expecting a short story collection, and I am not always really interested in short story collections, but this actually read more like a novel. The stories all flowed into each other that I never really felt like I was reading a short story collection at all. I started wondering if I was just imagining that it was supposed to be short stories, but it says right on the front of the book that it is.

The best thing about this book is I could read it and it didn't really interfere with the fact that I am rather behind in reading the Women of the Otherworld series. You could read this book as a standalone, just to get a taste for the characters, or you could count it as part of the series. I have sort of jumped around in order with this series, but I know who the werewolves are. I know that Clay and Elena are together. I also have read enough in the later books to know who Jeremy's girlfriend is, so I don't think I spoiled anything for myself. I was actually really excited to get more Jeremy because he is actually my favourite male character in the series!

The book starts off being about the generation before Jeremy was even born. It is a story of his father's generation. Then, Clayton takes up the story and he is the narrator right up until the very last story, where Jeremy takes a turn. Clayton is an interesting character. Instead of being born a werewolf, he was bitten by a werewolf as a child. This was something new for the werewolves because normally you are either bitten as an adult or you don't come into being a werewolf until your late teens. Jeremy decides when he finds out about Clay that Clay needs to be shown how to be a civilized person, as well as be a werewolf. Clay had been raising himself and he was not really sure how either 'side' of himself was supposed to work. It is not easy at first, but Jeremy has the patience to make something of a very wild Clay. It makes Clay one of the more interesting characters in the series. While telling of his own up-bringing, we also learn a lot about Jeremy and how his life has been. It makes a lot of who he is later in life make sense. He also narrates the last story, so we get some taste of that as well.

If this collection had been a bunch of random stories, I am not sure what I would have thought about it. Since the stories seem to flow together to easily be a novel, though, I found that I really liked the way the book was written. It was interesting to see the male point-of-view for a change and learn more about Clay, Jeremey, and the other male werewolves. Another great book from Armstrong! Now, I really need to go back and work on her other books...

The Pub Challenge 2009

January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009
Hosted by Michelle from 1morechapter

Okay, so I didn't sign up for this last year, but I could have easily done it! I read a lot of ARC's this year... And then I bought a few books here or there. So, I decided to join in this year.

Here are the 2009 rules:

1. Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audios, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2009, it must be the first time that the book is published in your own country. For example, if a book was published in Australia, England, or Canada in 2008, and then published in the USA in 2009, it counts (if you live in the USA). Newly published trade paperbacks and mass market paperbacks do not count if there has been a hardcover/trade published before 2009. Any questions on what qualifies? Just leave a comment here, and I’ll respond with the answer.
2. No children’s/YA titles allowed, since we’re at the ‘pub.’
3. At least 5 titles must be fiction.
4. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
5. You can add your titles as you go, and they may be changed at any time.

My List:
1. Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs (Feb 3, 2009)
2. Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs (July, 2009)
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