Missing under paperwork

I want to apologize for the my long absence from posting reviews. I have been overloaded at work and with school starting, I am surprised I am able to sleep. I am hoping this will change in the near future since help has been recently been hired. Maybe I will actually be able to finish a book in the future. I hope to have my review of Blameless by Gail Carriger up some time next week. Until then, everyone enjoy the thrilling world of football (I do live in Texas after all) and books seen through my eyes will return shortly!

Book Review: Changeless by Gail Carriger

Somewhere in between being a tour guide to family visiting from out of state I was able to finish a book. Changeless by Gail Carriger is a fun steampunk / PNR sequel in the The Parasol Protectorate series. I enjoyed the first book in the series Soulless so much that I ran out for the sequel to the local bookstore on the first day of release. I am ashamed to admit that I have only now made time to read it. That is only one of the issues of having a book addiction like mine. So many books, so little time.

Changeless by Gail Carriger starts off approximately three months after the end of Soulless. It seems our main character has everything she wanted out of life. A loving, but irritable husband, a position of standing in society, and the ear of the queen. The governmental position given to her due to the rare soulless condition she inherited from her Italian father has started to cause issues with her social status of Lady Woolsey. Alexi must figure investigate the mystery of why London's supernatural are suddenly turning mortal, while following social protocol. After all, a lady must never be seen traveling without the appropriate chaperon!

This addition to the series is filled with all the social quirks and British humor that readers fell in love with in Soulless. We still have a best friend with an obsession with ugly hats, a flamboyant vampire, and a cranky husband who happens to be the Alpha of local werewolf pack. New additions to the intriguing cast of characters includes a French business woman who happens to also be an inventor and like to wear men's fashions, including the top hat. The dialogue between characters is priceless and at times will have you laughing out loud. The ending will leave the reader satisfied on most fronts including a twist that was not easy to guess through the story. Some of the minor plot twists are left unsolved to be revisited in the next installment, Blameless, to be released in September of 2010.

Overall, I loved this book. I have been engrossed in the world Carriger created from the beginning. She has taken the popularity of Paranormal novels and given them a new spin. Some of the banter between characters can get tiresome but this is going to happen when a lady of society has to keep up appearances at the same time as investigating the Paranormal. Especially when you have a family like hers. I gave Changeless by Gail Carriger 4 out of 5 stars and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment.

Book Review: Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

Where can I begin when it comes to the Black Dagger Brotherhood? I am having an on going love affair with the Brothers that is not so secret. I have been known to look at pimped out Escalades and wonder why V and Butch are out during the day. Anyone with a mohawk are instantly compared to Rhev and I refer to John Matthew, Quinn and Blay as our boys and comment on how they grow up so fast. I admit that I am an addict and the WARDen is my dealer. With that being said, I will do my best to give a non bias review on the latest chapter in the BDB saga, Lover Mine.

Lover Mine by J.R. Ward is the 8th installment in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. For those who are not familiar with the series, the Black Dagger Brotherhood is a group of warriors whose one mission is to protect the vampire society who have been living in the shadows for centuries. Vampires have been villianized in human culture as murders when in reality they are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who only want to live their lives in peace. The Brothers, bred through the centuries for their one purpose, protect the civilians and the King, live their long lives removing the threats to society while keeping their existence a secret from the humans.

In this installment we look further into the mind of John Mathew. The story picks up approximately four weeks after the events of Lover Avenged. The war with the Lesser Society is growing more difficult now that the Son of the Omega has been found and it just happens that Johnny boy has a personal grudge against the son of evil. 

As with the previous books in the series, Lover Mine is filled with action, drama, and pieces of the overall puzzle that creates who the Brothers were and who they will become. We are given many of the puzzles pieces within this story that helps the readers understand why each brother is the way they are. I think one of the most important pieces given helps explain the bond between Tohr and John and why John has always been drawn to Xhex. The mood of the story is depressing with breadcrumbs of hope thrown in at places. The world of the Brothers is filled with death and war but it is seen that if they support each other, happiness can be found for the warriors.

I largest complaint I have heard about this series is the writing. J.R. Ward does not write in a classic literary style. That is obvious in the first page of any of her novels. I feel that her style is best described as Modern Urban. Her words reflect how the characters think. These are men who have been to hell and back to protect what they feel is sacred. They speak and think in an urban tone and the books would not work if she had written them in proper English. It does take a bit to get use to the writing style but once you do, it feels as if you are one with the characters which is the mission of an author in the first place.

Overall, I loved John Matthew's addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood. He has been one of my favorite characters since Bella brought him into our world. It pains me to see all the pain he has dealt with in his life but it makes me overjoyed that he found the brothers and can live the life he was meant to have. Each character has been given a personal pain that they must deal with. Together, they cope and move on from their past to live a life with happiness. Some of the characters are still in the process of coping but just like in the real world, progress takes time and will not happen overnight, or in this case within one book. A reader is drawn in to care about the characters of this world which is main reason I feel the WARDen has so many faithful followers. I give Lover Mine by J.R. Ward 4 out of 5 Stars.

Book Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I will admit I bought this book for two reasons. One, the bright cover kept grabbing my attention and two, it seemed like everyone was reading it. I thought to myself "well it has to be popular for a reason." I should have known better since that is how I became addicted to Harry Potter and Twilight, but another addict no where in my thought process I started reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

This is another book I picked up with even knowing what genre it was. I found out quickly. The main character, Mikael Blomkvist is a financial report with an independent magazine and he has just been dealt a career king verdict of guilty for liable. Instead of taking his co-workers and friends down with him, he decides to take a job offer from a prominent industrialist to write the family biography. The family history includes not only business prowlness, but Nazis, family squabbles and the disappearance of a loved family member. A simple fluff job ends up being a mystery Mikael and his companions will never forget.

I haven't read a mystery novel in many years and I am happy I started back up with this one. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo had me sitting on the edge of my seat, or bed depending on the time I was reading, with every chapter. The events that unfolded through out the novel had me saying out loud, "Your kidding right?" The characters were strong at some points and fragile in others. They were well rounded and the words portrayed their emotions expertly. At no point did I feel a character was just plain unrealistic and with some of the situations they came across I think this is the greatest achievement of the novel.

I will warn you that there are a few sensitive subjects of the sexual nature in the book. I can not go any deeper into this without giving away plot points but if you have a sensitive stomach towards forceful sex or rape, this is not the book for you.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first in the Millennium Trilogy and it is safe to say I will be reading the next. Even though this piece was wrapped up very well, especially with how many side plots were floating around, I have a yearning to find out what happens next for the characters, especially the female lead. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: The Girl who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

Reading this book was chosen for me by the wonderful ladies of http://girlsinthestacks.com/. I have joined their book club in the effort to socialize outside of the computer world. The Girl who Chased the Moon was the first book we were to read as a group. I didn't know much about the book when I opened the cover other then it had a very pretty and inviting cover. I will say that the cover was just the start to joy this book holds.

The Girl who Chased the Moon is a book about a teenager named Emily. Her world has been turned upside down by the death of single parent mother. Emily has been shipped off to live with her grandfather for whom she has never met before. The small southern town where her mother had grown up, was about to reveal secrets Emily could of never imagined.

The book was a charming read. You were dragged into the surroundings of Mullaby, North Carolina and could almost smell the barbecue described as you are reading. The characters were well developed and balance. You cared what was going to happen to them on up and coming pages.

There are two romantic story lines flowing at the same time. The main, about Emily and her relationship with the mayor's son Winn. The second is between Emily's neighbor Julia and a lost love Sawyer. The split in romance time reminds the reader of the difference between Adult and Teenage love and the issues that can arise from both. The lessons of acceptance and forgiveness are also mingled in.

Even though romance was present in the book I would not call it a romance novel. It held a charisma that made the book almost magical. There is a hint or two towards oddities or unexplainable occurrences but did not have the feel of a fantasy or paranormal story. The book was nicely balanced with all of these attributes and makes the reader crave the story for what it is.

Overall I was gleefully shocked at how much I enjoyed The Girl who Chased the Moon. Even though the ending was wrapped up very nicely and could be a stand alone novel with success, I am hoping for a little bit more. I don't want to leave the characters or the environment. It held that southern charm that makes people want to move to small towns, like Mullaby, after you have only been visiting for a few hours. It is a perfect summer read next to the pool or at the beach. I gave The Girl who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen 5 out of 5 Stars!

On a side note, the author was very gracious and sent our book club a number of gifts including two of the recipes mentioned in the book and nameplates personally signed by her. Between her excellent writing and her generosity, I will be picking up her next book without hesitation.

Book Review: Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Sorry for the gap in my reviews. Between work and school any free time I have is used to catch my breath. I will work on not letting a month go by between book reviews again.

This review is on Dead in the Family, the tenth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. There will be Series spoiler in this review but there will not be Book spoilers. If you are not caught up in the series I would suggest waiting to read this post.

Ah, Sookie... where should we start. Ms. Stackhouse has found herself in a perdicament once again. For a normal Southern Waitress, well except for the reading minds thing, she has a knack for attracting trouble. It seems that every paranormal group wants something from her. In this book we have visits from the Fae, Werewolves, Shifters, and some of our favorite Vampires. Not all of our visitors have the Sookie's safety in mind.

One major development that has been revealed is Sookie has finally made her mind up on who she wants to be her knight in shinning armor. There will be many shippers out there who are not happy with development. But with so many yummy choices we couldn't all be happy. Personally, I had a limb on a few of those ships. Unfortunately, like in real life, the happy ever after does not seem to be in the near future. Poor Sookie is even having doubts about her love and the relationship as a whole. That is one reason why I think the series has such a strong following. The main characters may be fictitious and even supernatural but they have the same issues that the rest of us do. Looks like no one is safe from the real world, even our favorite literary characters.

The book as a whole left me wanting. If felt more like a filler for the grand finale, which, as of now, will be three more books. With a series as long as this one, it is logical that not all the books will have the same punch hiding in between the cover as our individual favorites so I try not to hold that against the newest edition but I am so in love with the world that Harris has created that I wanted to be drawn in and never have to leave. This book did not give me that feeling. I am hoping that the developments given within this storyline are setting up for a whammy of intrigue in the next few books. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until next May to find out what is going to happen to poor Sookie next.

I gave Dead in the Family 3 stars. I liked the book but not with the love and desire I have for a number of the earlier books in the series.

Book Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

It is Friday night and I seriously need to catch up on my book reviews. Earlier this week I read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I had heard many interesting things about this book and the series as a whole. That kind of buzz I couldn't just ignore so I picked up this massive brick of a book and dove right in.

The series is about a British young lady named Claire Randall who is returning to her life and her husband after serving as a combat nurse in WWII. While on a "second honeymoon" type trip in Scotland to rekindle the love between her and her husband, Claire is mysteriously swept away through a time portal to the year 1743. While trying to find a way home, she learns about the past, human nature, love and in the end, herself.

Outlander would be considered a historical fiction with a twist of romance added in for flavor. It shows modern day readers that those we would consider to be barbarians by the way they live were human the same as we are. Living in a simpler time with out the use of modern technology did not make this society less intelligent or unfeeling. It also opens the readers mind to bigotry and prejudices that surround us today. In the end, we are all human with the same desires and feelings to drive us as people.

This book moved slowly at first to build a world post WWII and then in the past. This may keep readers from letting themselves flow into the story that is unfolding. Once the worlds are established and the characters start showing their personalities, I could not put the book down. The situations the characters find themselves in over and over again seem unbelievable until you remember that the story is taking place during a time when superstition was the basis of many people's actions. Claire, being a modern woman, brings a number of troubling situations upon herself not remembering religion and superstition was the only logic one could follow at this time. Through out the book she learns more about herself and how she wants to live her life and realizes, maybe the simple type of life isn't as scary as she originally imagined.

I have to place a warning for those with a queasy stomach. This book is not for the faint at heart! There is torture, a high amount of sex, possible rape be strangers, and possessive sex that some consider rape between lovers. Most of the negative reviews I have read about this book hinge on these points. I discount some of these as a bad thing when I think about the time period the majority of the story takes place in. In the 18th century, women were possessions. First of their fathers, then of the their husbands. I actually applaud Gabaldon for placing this conflict in the story. This is one reason why I consider this a historical fiction and not a straight romance novel.

Overall, I loved this book and as soon as I finished I wanted to dive into the next installment of the series. The characters grabbed me and drew me in. Especially the main male character, Jaime. He is who the shirt that says, "Boys in books are so much better" was created for. I gave the book 5 out of 5 stars.