5-26-08 Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins - Fiction

5 - I really enjoyed this book and I was very reluctant to read it at all. It is classified as religious fiction and that is correct, but don't dismiss it simply because you don't want to be preached to. That was the reason I avoided it for so long. But ... I urge you to try it. It is an exciting story with political maneuvering and characters you grow to like. Yes, religion is a big part of it, but it fits into the story. I mean, what kind of book could you have if the main plot is about the Rapture and the Period of Tribulation and you didn't discuss God and religion? Exactly, it would suck. this was very enjoyable and I'm anxious to pick up the second book to see what's in store for the characters.

5-24-08 Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor - Fiction

5 - The Looking Glass Wars was really a setup to get into the meat of the story. Alyss has claimed her throne but now has to defend it against multiple enemies. She's grown up and has to balance her responsibility to her people with her feelings for Dodge. Dodge still struggles with the pull between his duty to his queen, his feelings for his love, and the all encompassing desire for revenge against the Cat. Redd returns with new forces and allies and seeks her own Looking Glass Maze to come into the full potential of her already incredible imagination. Part military/espionage thriller, part fantasy, part human study, Seeing Redd will leave you begging for more.

5-21-08 The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum - Fiction

3 - This was good, definitely more twists and turns than the movie, but I find I prefer David Morrell for military/espionage thrillers; I can't put my finger on why. I enjoyed Ludlum's The Bancroft Strategy much more. The Bourne Identity has many plots and subplots that tie together by the end, but it seemed "rough" would be the best word. I may or may not read the next Bourne book.

5-17-08 The Ruins by Scott Smith - Fiction

3 - As a psychological study, it was pretty good. As a creepy horror book, not that stupendous. This book was hyped up so much that I really was expecting more. The choice of monster was different, but other than that the story itself fell a little flat. I wouldn't buy this or read it a second time.

5-12-08 Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose - Non-Fiction

5 - I wasn't sure how this would read having had varying experiences with history books, but I was pleasantly surprised. Ambrose does a wonderful job of stringing history and individual experiences into a fabulous read. He begins at the beginning of the Airborne and Easy company, introducing the men you'll follow through Europe during WWII. Stories from basic training and the soldiers feelings about each other, their superiors, and the Army endear the reader from the start. A lesson in history and warfare, Band of Brothers should be required reading in schools throughout the country as an example of what a group of determined and loyal men can achieve.

5-7-08 The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor - Fiction

5 - This retelling of Alice In Wonderland will turn you on your head. Alyss Heart is Princess of Wonderland. The white rabbit isn't a rabbit at all, but a very large albino tutor, Bibwit Hearte (do the anagram). Hatter Maddigan is the personal security guard to the queen whose most dangerous weapon is his top hat. Wonderland is thrown into disarray when Redd, sister to the queen, captures the palace and kills the queen taking the crown as her own. Alyss is whisked away to another world to be protected but ends up in London, alone and with nothing. Thirteen years later she is taken from her groom at the alter and pulled back to Wonderland to help lead the rebel forces, the Alyssians, and to claim her rightful place upon the throne. This book is fantasy, adventure, and espionage rolled into a splendid package.

5-4-08 The Last Templar by Michael Jecks - Fiction

4 - A period mystery set in 1316, The Last Templar is a well plotted and well paced book. Sir Baldwin Furnshill is a knight who is the new master of Furnshill Manor after the death of his brother. Simon Puttock is the newly appointed bailiff of Lydford Castle. Together, the two investigate a rash of murders around the quiet town of Crediton. The victims are found burned and robbery seems to be the motive. Sir Baldwin and Simon work tirelessly to discover the truth before the killer or killers can strike again. The Last Templar is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Sir Baldwin and Simon.