Tempted by PC & Kristin Cast

Genre: YA Fantasy
Copyright: 2009
Pages: 336
Series: House of Night #6
Rating: 8
Source: Purchased from Audible.com

Review: Zoey needs a break after some serious excitement. Sadly, the House of Night school for vampyres doesn't feature breaks on its curriculum - even for a High Priestess in training and her gang. Plus juggling three guys is no stress reliever, especially when one is a sexy Warrior so into protecting Zoey that he's sensing her emotions. Wider stresses lurk too, and the dark force in Tulsa's tunnels is spreading. Could Stevie Rae be responsible for more than a group of misfit fledglings? And Aphrodite's visions warn Zoey to stay away from the immortal Kalona and his dark allure - but they also show that only Zoey can stop him. She's not exactly keen to meet up, but if Zoey doesn't go to Kalona he'll exact a fiery vengeance on those closest to her. She just has to find the courage to do what's necessary, or everything that's important to her will be destroyed.

Review: Listening to this book on audio was like the start of the next season of your favourite TV show. I have listened to this series of books on audio and I've really enjoyed it as very light hearted entertainment. This is a Young Adult series but if adults are in the mood for an interesting and unique vampire world then these books are a fun read. I would highly recommend the audio version!

I read some time ago that PC Cast said there would be six books in the series about Zoe, the main character, and then another six books that would focus on other characters in the books. Then a blogger left a comment on my last review saying that there were 9 books about Zoe, however, from the direction the book took and the release of the cover for book 7 featuring a character that must be Stevie Rae and then the book blurb for book 7 I'm not sure. I had foolishly thought I'd stop at book 6 but there is no way I can stop now. Guess I'm in for the duration (12 books). At least they are published quickly, I think there are 2 published each year so that means the series will be finished in 2012 (Oh my gosh), that is a long time!

The suspense has been slowly building throughout the novels but if you are expecting any kind of resolution in this book you'll be disappointed. This was another great addition to the series and as the books have progressed they have increased the complicated plot lines. I have really enjoyed this series and I'm looking forward to the next one as there are so many small and large cliff-hangers in this book.

For more information about this series check out the House of Night website. To purchase these books visit Amazon or Book Depository (free postage).

What Are You Reading On Mondays?

Sadly this weekly meme is no longer run by J. Kaye's Book Blog it is now been taken over by Sheila at One Persons Journey through a world of Books and I look forward to getting to know Sheila in the coming weeks.

It has been two weeks since I participated in this meme due to my daughter having her first baby and our first grandchild. But things are slowly returning to normal around her and I've started having a little time to read again.

Past Two Weeks:
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez - really enjoyed this book.

Daggerspell by Katharine Kerr - hope to start the next book very soon.

Dawn on a Distant Shore by Sara Donati - fantastic series, also hoping to start the next one soon.

Devoured by Amanda Marrone - enjoyed this book so much that I've already got another book from the library by Amanda Marrone.

This Week:

Tempted by PC and Kristin Cast - this is my current audio book that I'm just over half way through so I will finish it this week because I should have some more time.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa - given to my by my wonderful friend Sheree (Teddyree @ The Eclectic Reader).

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks - I planned on reading this more than a week ago but was rudely interrupted by the early arrival of my first grandchild.

Beauvallet by Georgetter Heyer - an ARC sent to my from Sourcebooks.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - this one is on my Kindle.

This is my brand new Grandson at one week old and yes he was born with those chubby cheeks that are just so perfect for kissing. It has been a tough week as Daxtyn and his Mum came home from hospital on day 3 and Daxtyn decided to give everyone a hard time. It's been very tiring as I work hard to support my daughter who is still feeling very emotional and exhausted after such a difficult birth. But I'm sure things will settle down in a week or two and she and her husband can enjoy parenthood. At the moment I have been too busy being Mum to my daughter to really enjoy being a Grandmother although I do squeeze in as many kisses on those gorgeous cheeks as I can. Thanks to everyone for the congratulations, it really is an amazing experience.

Give-Away - Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

To celebrate the release of the Dear John movie I'm giveing away a copy of the book. I loved The Notebook (book and movie) and Night's in Rodanthe so I'm sure I will love this one too. I've had the book sitting on my book shelf for a while so I've dusted it off and put it on my reading pile for this week.

If you'd like to win a copy make sure you are a follower of this blog, leave me a comment with your email address and tell me what your favourite Nicholas Spark's book is. For an extra entries Twitter about the competition and put it in your blog. I'll announce the winner on February 14, yes that's Valentines day, let's face it, nothing is more romantic than a Nicholas Spark's novel (even though he always makes his readers cry).

Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Genre: Historical
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 288
Rating: 9
Source: ARC Harper Collins

Book Synopsis: Tawawa House in many respects is like any other American resort before the Civil War. Situated in Ohio, this idyllic retreat is particularly nice in the summer when the Southern humidity is too much to bear. The main building, with its luxurious finishes, is loftier than the white cottages that flank it, but then again, the smaller structures are better positioned to catch any breeze that may come off the pond. And they provide more privacy, which best suits the needs of the Southern white men who vacation there every summer with their black, enslaved mistresses. It's their open secret.

Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are regulars at Tawawa House. They have become friends over the years as they reunite and share developments in their own lives and on their respective plantations. They don't bother too much with questions of freedom, though the resort is situated in free territory–but when truth-telling Mawu comes to the resort and starts talking of running away, things change.

To run is to leave behind everything these women value most–friends and families still down South–and for some it also means escaping from the emotional and psychological bonds that bind them to their masters. When a fire on the resort sets off a string of tragedies, the women of Tawawa House soon learn that triumph and dehumanization are inseparable and that love exists even in the most inhuman, brutal of circumstances–all while they are bearing witness to the end of an era.

An engaging, page-turning, and wholly original novel, Wench explores, with an unflinching eye, the moral complexities of slavery.

Book Review: At first it was shocking, then so hard to imagine the horrors these women suffered. At times it made me feel physically ill and so aware of the dark past so many people in the world have had throughout history. This is a very confronting story that is difficult to read and yet very powerful.

This book is essentially a mother's story, the horrors of her life and ultimately the sacrifice she will make for her children. Eliza/Lizzie's life is full of tragedy and pain and I can't imagine how she manages to endure so much and yet she is one of the lucky ones. She is 'groomed' by her Master at the tender age of 13 and she bears him 2 children. It is those children that keep her tied to him even though she has many opportunities to set herself free.

Wench is a powerful and emotional read that tells of unimaginable horrors. The way in which this author is able to get to the heart of the women in this story makes her a masterful storyteller. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys pre Civil War American history. As an Australian I found this story fascinating and whilst it's not our history we too have our own dark past and this book brought me closer to it.

This is Dolen Perkins-Valdez first novel but I hope it is the first of many. You can view the authors website or purchase this book from Amazon.

Top Commenter Giveaway

I really appreciate all the comments I get on my blog and all the wonderful people I've met through blogging. So I wanted to have a competition just for them.

On March the 1st I will draw a random winner from the 20 top commenter's and they will win one of the books above. If you are on that list then you must leave a comment on this post with the name of the book you want to win and your email address and you must be a follower of this blog. The Top Commenter's Widget includes the last 500 comments so it's pretty easy for anyone to get onto the list, just remember it doesn't show up immediately.

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

Genre: General Fiction
Copyright: 2009
Pages: 477
Rating: 10
Source: Library

Book Synopsis: Every expectant parent will tell you that they don't want a perfect baby, just a healthy one. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe would have asked for a healthy baby, too, if they'd been given the choice. Instead, their lives are made up of sleepless nights, mounting bills, the pitying stares of "luckier" parents, and maybe worst of all, the what-ifs. What if their child had been born healthy? But it's all worth it because Willow is, well, funny as it seems, perfect. She's smart as a whip, on her way to being as pretty as her mother, kind, brave, and for a five-year-old an unexpectedly deep source of wisdom. Willow is Willow, in sickness and in health.

Everything changes, though, after a series of events forces Charlotte and her husband to confront the most serious what-ifs of all. What if Charlotte should have known earlier of Willow's illness? What if things could have been different? What if their beloved Willow had never been born? To do Willow justice, Charlotte must ask herself these questions and one more. What constitutes a valuable life?

Emotionally riveting and profoundly moving, Handle with Care brings us into the heart of a family bound by an incredible burden, a desperate will to keep their ties from breaking, and, ultimately, a powerful capacity for love. Written with the grace and wisdom she's become famous for, beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult offers us an unforgettable novel about the fragility of life and the lengths we will go to protect it.

Book Review:

One of my favourite things about Jodi Picoult's writing is that she knows how to take a social issue and put a spotlight on it. Her books are the sort of books that should be discussed around the dinner table with your family. Handle with Care was no exception, in fact, in my opinion is was outstanding. In many ways it reminded me of My Sister's Keeper, I guess it was the troubled daughter and the child that needed a lot of attention and special care.

As with any Picoult novel there are many diverse and interesting characters that keep the story moving along. This book in particular tugged at my heart strings and had me crying quite a bit in the first chapter until I got swept away with the story and got used to the emotional tone of the book.

During a scan to find out the sex of her baby, Charlotte discovers her baby girl has OI (osteogenesis imperfecta). This is a crippling disease that causes bones to break extremely easily. As a parent you can only imagine how difficult this would make the life of your family and your child. After a disastrous trip to Disneyland Sean (husband/father) takes the family to visit a lawyer. They do not get the news they expect but rather find out that they can sue their OB/GYN for wrongful birth. The only problem with this is that their OB/GYN happens to be Charlotte's best friend Piper. Piper's daughter is also best friends with their eldest daughter Amelia. So you can imagine the turmoil that comes into their lives when Charlotte decides to go ahead with this course of action.

The book is written in first person with every chapter telling a different characters perspective. That is, everyone except Willow's (who is a child in the story), the reason for this is that every character is telling their feelings and story to Willow. I loved the way in which this book is written, I enjoyed reading so many different perspectives. Now I have read a few different reviews of this book and a lot of readers didn't like the ending of the book. I personally have come to expect these types of endings with Picoult novels but I guess for me it just served to remind me that life can change in the blink of an eye and that all you can do is make the most of every moment because none of us know what the future holds.

I read this book on the recommendation of Teddyree @ The Eclectic Reader.

If you are a fan of Jodi Picoult then I can tell you that Book 17, House Rules, is due for release in March 2010. The synopsis for this book is below and was taken from Jodi Picoult's website.

HOUSE RULES is about Jacob Hunt, a teenage boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject – in his case, forensic analysis. He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right. But then one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger’s – not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, inappropriate affect – can look a heck of a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel -- and suddenly, Jacob finds himself accused of murder. HOUSE RULES looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way – but lousy for those who don’t.

This month on Queen of Happy Endings you could win one of six books. Check this blog post for all the details. International entrants welcome.

I'm a Grandma!

This is a photo of my beautiful amazing daughter and her gorgeous son. After a very difficult labour that lasted 25 hours Kylie gave birth to a 9lb 4oz son on Saturday morning (30th) at 3.23am. His name is Daxtyn Graham Barnes, his middle name comes from his Great Grandfather (my Dad) who passed away in 2007 and Troy's Dad (Kylie's husband's Dad) who passed away before Troy's first birthday in 1987.

I can't tell you what an amazing experience it is to watch your daughter have a baby, it is so difficult watching her in pain but at the same time bursting with pride. I was in such awe of her strength, she was so exhausted yet she found the strength to keep going. It wasn't just being there at the end because all I really cared about was her, but I was part of her of birth team that included her cousin Ryndell who is a student midwife, her sister Annie and of course her husband. The four of us supported her through this very long labour and it was awesome. She told me when she didn't have the strength to keep pushing she thought about how I'd done it four times and she knew she could do it too. After the birth she had a post partum haemorrhage and lots of stitches and I know she is in a lot of pain and can barely sit down but she doesn't complain because she is so happy.

The new family came home today (they are living with us whilst saving to buy a house) and even though she's had very little sleep since the birth she's doing really well. I am so incredibly proud to have had a hand in teaching her to be the amazing mother that she already is.

Of course, since this exciting event in our lives I haven't had time to read a single word but I'm sure that will all settle down in a few weeks. In the meantime I'm going to enjoy lots of cuddles with my new little Grandson!

This month on Queen of Happy Endings you could win one of six books. Check this blog post for all the details. International entrants welcome.

Dawn on a Distant Shore by Sara Donati

Genre: Historical Fiction
Copyright: 2001
Pages: 672
Rating: 9
Series: Wilderness Book #2
Source: Book shelf/Audible

Synopsis: Sara Donati's novel Dawn on a Distant Shore picks up soon after the conclusion of her prior book, Into the Wilderness. In the winter of 1794, on the edge of the New York wilderness, Elizabeth and Nathaniel Bonner have settled into the comforts of domestic bliss. Typically, however, adventure seeks these two out. Alone but for her stepdaughter Hannah, Elizabeth gives birth to twins, while Nathaniel and his father Hawkeye are imprisoned in Montreal. Determined to help her men, Elizabeth packs up the children and sets off to free them. Liberty does not bring relief to the Bonner clan, however, as sinister forces conspire to pirate them to Scotland and embroil them in a complex family feud.

Review: This is such a wonderful series and if you like Jamie from the Cross Stitch series then you will love Nathaniel Bonner from the Wilderness Series. Like the Cross Stitch series these are large books and because of that I listened and read this book although I did more listening than reading. However, I will warn you, if you want to listen to it then you'll invest well over 20 hours.

In this book the twins have just been born and Nathaniel who had set off to rescue his father found himself imprisoned in Montreal. Elizabeth sets off to rescue him and starts an adventure that will take them around the world and back again. The romance between Nathaniel and Elizabeth is just as passionate as always and the book is as full of adventure as the first. It is obvious that this book is leading Hannah into studying to be a Doctor and I'm sure there will be plenty of that in future books.

This was an excellent addition to this series and I'm looking forward to starting the next book Lake in the Clouds. I highly recommend this series. Visit Sara Donati's website for more information about the series. Purchase the audio version from Audible or paperback from Amazon or Book Depository (free international postage).

This month on Queen of Happy Endings you could win one of six books. Check this blog post for all the details. International entrants welcome.