12-28-08 Vagabond by Bernard Cornwell - Fiction

4 - The second in Cornwell's Grail trilogy, Vagabond consists of two huge battles; one in England and one in France. Thomas of Hookton, after traveling to England to speak to a monk about his father, is put upon the path of the grail again, but ends up coming to the aid of a friend in France. Cornwell writes engaging descriptions of the battles, describing the fortifications of both sides. I'm looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy to see if Thomas finds the grail.

12-25-08 The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore - Fiction

5 - My favorite Christmas story ever! Only Christopher Moore could write a Christmas tale that includes Santa, brain-eating zombies, IKEA, a Micronesian fruit bat, and the DUMBEST angel you will ever find. The Stupidest Angel helps to bring the holidays into perspective. After all, you could have brain-eating zombies after you.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

As a holiday treat, I have done a mid-week update and added three more books. I'm just reading like a fiend! Right now, in the spirit of Christmas, I am re-reading my favorite holiday story, The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore. Watch for my review this weekend!

12-24-08 Chosen by P.C. and Kristin Cast - Fiction

5 - Just when you thought Zoey Redbird's life couldn't get any worse. She's lost one of her best friends, her boy troubles keep multiplying, she is set even farther apart from other fledglings by her goddess given abilities and now Zoey finds that she is increasingly alone with her troubles except for a girl who has been her enemy from day one at the House of Night. Not knowing who to trust with her new found knowledge of a great betrayal at the school, she begins to isolate herself from her friends and begins a "friendship" with the one person who can possibly understand. Then the vampire murders start. I'm telling you, this series will suck you in! (pun intended)

12-23-08 Betrayed by P.C. and Kristin Cast - Fiction

5 - The House of Night series continues to impress me. Delving further into the lives of vampires and the physiological changes, the Casts follow Zoey, the unique vampire fledgling, who is now the leader of the Dark Daughters. As she tries to change the Dark Daughters into an exclusive group that reflects excellence not just popularity, Zoey faces her hardest trial yet as she loses one of her best friends. She also becomes involved in a human police case surrounding the kidnapping and murder of teens. Plus, her boy troubles don't get better they just get added to. This is an addicting series that has a solid base in reality even though its main character is changing into a vampire.

12-22-08 Stoneheart by Charlie Fletcher - Fiction

2 - Eh. That's what I have to say about this book. Just.....Eh. I won't reread this, I don't want to read the sequel, I don't care what happens to the characters. The initial premise is interesting, a boy suddenly finds that statues can move and no one else can see them, but that's it. George, the boy, starts running at the end of chapter two and doesn't stop until the end of the book. What's he running from? Evil statues. What's he running to? Who freakin' knows! Nothing is explained in this book, not the who's, the why's, or the what the hell's. The whole point of the book is that George needs to find the Stone Heart but when he finally gets to that part he decides that maybe what he thought was the Stone Heart isn't and it could be something else. What? Don't know. And don't care.

12-20-08 HeartSick by Chelsea Cain - Fiction

4 - A good thriller with an interesting twist, Heartsick has a female serial killer who is central to the story but is not the focus of this investigation. Detective Archie Sheridan was meant to be her victim, but instead survived when she turned herself in. Now he is returning to active duty to lead the task force investigating the disappearances and subsequent deaths of 3 high school girls. On his instructions, Susan, a reporter, is brought in to shadow him as he works the case. The effects of his imprisonment by "The Beauty Queen Killer" give depth to Archie's character and Susan's quirkiness adds a new flavor to the story while helping to demonstrate the facade people portray to the world regardless of their inner demons. A quick and thrilling read.