Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8) by Diana Gabaldon

Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publish Date: June 10, 2014
Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3617.Diana_Gabaldon
ISBN: 9780385344432
List Price: $11.59 (Amazon)
My Rating:

Jacket Synopsis:
WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART’S BLOOD is the eighth novel in the world-famous OUTLANDER series. In June of 1778, the world turns upside-down. The British army withdraws from Philadelphia, George Washington prepares to move from Valley Forge in pursuit, and Jamie Fraser comes back from the dead to discover that his best friend has married Jamie’s wife. The ninth Earl of Ellesmere discovers to his horror that he is in fact the illegitimate son of the newly-resurrected Jamie Fraser (a rebel _and_ a Scottish criminal!) and Jamie’s nephew Ian Murray discovers that his new-found cousin has an eye for Ian’s Quaker betrothed.

Meanwhile, Claire Fraser deals with an asthmatic duke, Benedict Arnold, and the fear that one of her husbands may have murdered the other. And in the 20th century, Jamie and Claire’s daughter Brianna is thinking that things are probably easier in the 18th century: her son has been kidnapped, her husband has disappeared into the past, and she’s facing a vicious criminal with nothing but a stapler in her hand. Fortunately, her daughter has a miniature cricket bat and her mother’s pragmatism.

The best of historical fiction with a Moebius twist, WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART’S BLOOD weaves the fibers of a family’s life through the tapestry of historical drama.

My Comments: (Spoilers included)
This latest addition to the series did not disappoint. It was great to see Claire and Jamie get back on track after the book 7 which was a real whirlwind. In this book, book 8, it was another amazing read that you just could not put down. Diana does an amazing job with the time travel aspect of the book. We move from the 18th century to the 20th century easily following both story lines separately until they converge again later in the book. It's a mystery how the 20th century associates of Brianna and Roger find about the time travel abilities and I hope that is revealed in the next book, but they have to escape for their own safety. (Spoiler) - They return to the 18th century to escape those who want to take advantage of their time travel knowledge & abilities.

I will add a comment regarding William Grey and that his character is much more developed and interesting now instead of the whiny and boring character he was in book 7. He actually has somewhat of a commanding voice in this book and might actually show us that he really is the son of Jamie Fraser and man-up to the character he should be. William may look like his father, but he hasn't shown the presence or personality of his father very much until now. We never had this issue with Brianna. We knew from the start that she was Jamie Fraser's daughter by looks and her presence.  She is a commanding young women and there is no mistake about who her father is.

I love this series. I get completely lost in another world when I read Diana's book. It's as if I am time traveling with these characters. The writing is unbelievably vivid and takes your imagination on a roller coaster ride. I love all the characters even the not so likable ones.

I don't know how I will be able to wait for the next installment to the series. I guess I will have to occupy my time with other books -- maybe another series in the meantime!

Undead and Unfinished (Undead #9) by MaryJanice Davidson

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Author: MaryJanice Davidson
Publish Date: July 9, 2010
Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/1429808.MaryJanice_Davidson
ISBN: 9780749909253
List Price: Varies based on format
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis: 
There's only one thing Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor hates more than the threat of hosting a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (after all, how traditional is her family?), and that's trying to get through the Book of the Dead without going insane. Every time she's tried reading it, she just gets blindsided - until this time, when the devil strikes a bargain. She offers Betsy a chance to get through the cursed (literally!) thing cover to cover and finally discover all its mysteries. There's just one teensy little catch.

Betsy and her half sister, Laura, have to go to Hell. Just long enough for Laura to finally embrace her dark heritage (after a rebellious youth of charity work and teaching Sunday school) and make nice with her mother, aka Lucifer, by picking up such skills as slicing through time and the universe with a hellfire sword. While such things might sound fun, time travel is proving to be an alarming journey for Betsy and Laura. Not only are they interacting firsthand with their own family's past, but in doing so, they're dangerously impacting the future in ways they never anticipated.

Of course, that's what Mother wanted all along. Damn her.

My Comments:
Another awesome addition to the Undead series! Here begins the adventures of Betsy and Laura. Who knew Laura's fateful path to taking over Hell was so near, or is it? Betsy never fails to bring the humorous sarcasm that is her personality. I never expected time travel to enter the picture, but I guess when you are the spawn of Satan anything is possible. This begins the training for Laura to take on the "family business" so to speak as her Mother, Satan, wants to retire. Oh, the thought?!

This books gives us great insight into the back story of how Tina and Sinclair came about and the ripple effect of Betsy's time travels starting in Salem with the witch trials. Then ending up with a questionable future as she visits 3010. Leaving Betsy to ponder how she can change the future, for the better?!

I love the way that Sinclair refers to Betsy as "my own." I think that is so sexy & romantic.

Love, love Betsy!!!

An Echo in the Bone (Outlander #7) by Diana Gabaldon

Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publish Date: January 1, 2009
Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3617.Diana_Gabaldon
ISBN: 9780752898476
List Price: $7.81
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis: 
Jamie Fraser, erstwhile Jacobite and reluctant rebel, knows three things about the American rebellion: the Americans will win, unlikely as that seems in 1778; being on the winning side is no guarantee of survival; and he’d rather die than face his illegitimate son — a young lieutenant in the British Army — across the barrel of a gun. Fraser’s time-travelling wife, Claire, also knows a couple of things: that the Americans will win, but that the ultimate price of victory is a mystery. What she does believe is that the price won’t include Jamie’s life or happiness — not if she has anything to say.

Claire’s grown daughter Brianna, and her husband, Roger, watch the unfolding of Brianna’s parents’ history — a past that may be sneaking up behind their own family.

My Comments:
Well, this is the first book in the series that I definitely struggled with. In all the other books, I found it hard to put them down. This one was the most boring and arduous book I've read since Stephanie Meyer's "The Host", ugh! This book is taking forever, and I mean forever to trudge through. This book has taken 3 times as long to get through because I just don't want to pick it up and read it, but I know I have to in hopes that it gets better.

Jamie's son, William, is becoming more of a main character and I feel there is no depth or thought put to developing this character. He is long winded and boring. Nothing exciting happens to him nor is his personality all that interesting. When I get to sections where William has written a letter or narrates his travels, I just want to skip to the next section for a different character. I feel that if I did skip his sections I would not miss anything.

Jamie and Claire are set on new travels once the house is burned and they need to find a way to help the revolution without physically putting themselves in harms way, if that is possible.

One of my favorite quotes: "Come to bed, a nighean. Nothing hurts when ye love me.” He was right; nothing did."

Brianna and Roger now have to follow their parents history from 1981 to know what eventually became of them.

Tissues again because of a character death and the story changes from Scotland back to America and now we will see the requirements for time travel again by family members. Not sure that I liked it ending with Ian and Rachel, but hopefully the next book will bring us back to center with Claire and Jamie and the immediate family members.

I've seen excerpts from "Written in my own heart's blood" (book 8) and I think that this next book will get everyone back on track. I just hope that it comes out in paperback soon because I am not paying $21.00 for a book that I am not sure will not be a repeat of this one.

Voyager (Outlander, #3) by Diana Gabaldon

Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publish Date: August 7, 2001
Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3617.Diana_Gabaldon
ISBN: 9780385335997
List Price: $7.99
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis: 
Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her... and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her...the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland... and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite or forever doom her timeless love.

My Comments:
I love historical fiction and book #3 is another great book in this series. Claire must decide between her daughter's time and Jamie's time now that she has discovered he survived Culloden. Again, the writing in this series continues to draw the reader into a different time and place. You can see the castles, villages, and scenery that is being created in this book. It is always vivid enough that the reader can hear, smell and feel the world being created.

The characters continue to develop in this book along with Claire learning what has happened in the time she has been gone.

I don't know what decision I would make in having to choose to leave my child and have the chance to return to the love of my life. It seems Claire made the decision pretty easily, but I know I would have had a much harder time making that choice.

I am a history nut, so reading this series is just a huge adventure for my imagination in how things really were. I love the way that Claire uses her 20th century medical knowledge to help her in the past. It is always interesting to see how she brings future knowledge to help in the past.

Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2) by Diana Gabaldon

Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publish Date: August 7, 2001
Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3617.Diana_Gabaldon
ISBN: 9780385335973
List Price: $7.99
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis: 
For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland’s majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ... about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ... and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his....

Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire’s spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ... in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ... and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves...

My Comments:
I had no idea the book would go where it went. Wow! I am a fan of time traveling and the super-natural. Book #2 in the series did not disappoint. We learn so much about what Claire has done in 20 years and now her return to Scotland is more than interesting. We wonder what she is about to discover coming back from America after all this time with her college age daughter, Brianna. This is the time she decides she has to reveal the truth about her daughter's past and origins. We also learn a great deal more about Roger and his history, origins, and ties to the family.

When Claire discovers Jaime survives Culloden, what will she do? Will she return to his time and leave her daughter in her own time? What happens when Brianna reads the history of her family? Is the ability to time travel genetic?

I am blazing through these books because the story is just so vividly written and exciting. As the reader, you are completely placed in the character's time and time traveling with them. I love the way Diana Gabaldon writes. She gives her character such unique voices.

Now on to book #3!

Undead and Unreturnable (Undead #4) by MaryJanice Davidson

Author: MaryJanice Davidson
Publish Date: May 30, 2006
Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1429808.MaryJanice_Davidson
ISBN: 9780425210819
List Price: $7.99
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis: 
As if she needed yet another reason to shop, Queen of the Vampires Betsy Taylor is in the middle of planning the perfect wedding to drop-dead gorgeous vamp Eric Sinclair. And she’s not about to let little things like death and blood-drinking get in her way.

But all is not bouquets and bridal showers—Betsy is plagued by ghosts who demand her help in rectifying their past mistakes, and a serial killer is on the loose. With his victims all being tall, blond women, Betsy fits the profile exactly…

My Comments:
I love Betsy! She is one of the most down-to-earth, hilarious characters you will ever find as the Queen of the Vampires. She has not yet fully accepted her queenly presence so she still goes about her normal life like when she was alive, but her brood at home is slowly growing to not only include her best alive-human friend, her vampire king/consort, his vampire body guard Tina, her half sister who is the daughter of the devil, a retired vampire slayer, a vampire fiend, and now a ghost... what next zombies... oh yes, zombies! Betsy helps you find the humor in any situation... I love her take on life or death...which ever way you look at it.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publish Date: 6/28/1992
Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3617.Diana_Gabaldon?from_search=true
ISBN: 9780440212560
List Price: $7.35
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis:
The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

My Comments:
I was excited to read this book after starting the Starz series. I've had the book forever and forgot that I had it. The book has not disappointed at all. I have finished the 800 page book in less than a week because I was just that excited to keep reading. I could not put this book down. The writing is wonderful and so descriptive it creates the world and life of 1743 easily for the reader. I could picture myself in every scene from the landscape, the people, and the action occurring in the scene.

I find it so interesting how Claire has to adapt her 1945 medical knowledge to what's available to her in 1743. Her innate need to help the injured drives her into danger and suspicion. The superstitions of the day are so dangerous and leave Claire, who uses knowledge and objective judgement, to be in constant fear of harm even when trying to help those around her. The writer's character development is great. It's almost as if you know these people at every page turn. My only irritation with the book is how Claire, for once, cannot listen to the advice Jamie gives her to be safe and stay put, especially once he leaves for the "hunt." I could have just strangled her myself in that scene and the turn of events.

The story's twists and turns leave you needing to read more and more to see if and when Claire will make it back to the traveling stones to possibly return to 1945. Her choices seem obvious to the reader, but you just do not know what Claire will choose until the last moment. The sacrifices that Jamie makes are almost heart wrenching. The trials and predicaments that are presented throughout the book are all together intriguing and draw the reader to another place and time experiencing the vivid adventures.

The TV series is doing a good job of translating the book to the TV screen. I hope that they stay true to the story as much as possible and not take too many liberties.

I am waiting for Dragonfly in Amber to arrive! Outlander Fan for life!

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

Author: Philippa Gregory
Publish Date: 2010
Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9987.Philippa_Gregory
ISBN: 9781416563723
List Price: $13.33 (paperback)
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis:
The second book in Philippa's stunning new trilogy, The Cousins War, brings to life the story of Margaret Beaufort, a shadowy and mysterious character in the first book of the series - The White Queen - but who now takes centre stage in the bitter struggle of The War of the Roses.

The Red Queen tells the story of the child-bride of Edmund Tudor, who, although widowed in her early teens, uses her determination of character and wily plotting to infiltrate the house of York under the guise of loyal friend and servant, undermine the support for Richard III and ultimately ensure that her only son, Henry Tudor, triumphs as King of England.

Through collaboration with the dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret agrees a betrothal between Henry and Elizabeth's daughter, thereby uniting the families and resolving the Cousins War once and for all by founding of the Tudor dynasty.

My Comments:
The next book in the series of the "Cousins War" after the "The White Queen". Determination is an understatement in this book. Her possessed spirit about being led by the inspiration of Joan of Arc was almost a little much. Considering anyone that was as driven and possessed by her ambition would be considered a loony today. Throughout the book she seemed too naive and ignorant to really accomplish the goal to make her son king. It was her perceived place in society and knowing how to use that place to her advantage to create any opportunity for her son that even helped to remotely achieve their goal. The book doesn't really show that she is really a mindful plotter nor all that smart about it. To me, she seems to have been used by the men around her to support their own selfish goals which, in the end, achieves Margaret's goal to put her son on the thrown. However fragile the whole plan was and that it eventually unfolded to her ultimate goal is beyond me. I think it was all just luck in the end because plot after plot fails and hardly without trying does the plan work.They knew it was their last chance before they were banished forever. They being Henry Tudor and his Uncle Jasper.

Since this is my first introduction to Margaret Beaufort, I won't discount her too much for being naive and ignorant. I plan on reading more material on her to better understand what kind of person she was and if this book portrays an appropriate likeness of the real person. Just as in the "White Queen" and the Melusina references, the constant "vision" or need to have a "vision" is a little daunting. Was she really that consumed by her need to be a "visionary?"

This one sentence shows Margaret's constant attitude throughout her life. "If I could live in a nunnery in this time of imprisonment, at least I would have lived with holy women and not this collection of fools."

Undead and Unreturnable by MaryJanice Davidson

Author: MaryJanice Davidson
Publish Date: May 30, 2006
Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1429808.MaryJanice_Davidson
ISBN: 9780425210819
List Price: $7.99 (Paperback)
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis:
As if she needed yet another reason to shop, Queen of the Vampires Betsy Taylor is in the middle of planning the perfect wedding to drop-dead gorgeous vamp Eric Sinclair. And she’s not about to let little things like death and blood-drinking get in her way.

But all is not bouquets and bridal showers—Betsy is plagued by ghosts who demand her help in rectifying their past mistakes, and a serial killer is on the loose. With his victims all being tall, blond women, Betsy fits the profile exactly...

My Comments:

I love Betsy! She is one of the most down-to-earth, hilarious characters you will ever find as the Queen of the Vampires. She has not yet fully accepted her queenly presence so she still goes about her normal life like when she was alive, but her brood at home is slowly growing to not only include her best alive-human friend, her vampire king/consort, his vampire body guard Tina, her half sister who is the daughter of the devil, a retired vampire slayer, a vampire fiend, and now a ghost... what next zombies... oh yes, zombies! Betsy helps you find the humor in any situation... I love her take on life or death...which ever way you look at it.

Undead and Unappreciated (Betsy Taylor Series #3) by MaryJanice Davidson

Author: MaryJanice Davidson
Publish Date: July 5, 2005
Website: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1429808.MaryJanice_Davidson
ISBN: 9780425204337
List Price: $7.99 (Paperback)
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis:
Fans can't get enough of author MaryJanice Davidson and her topsy-turvy world of the undead with its newly-crowned queen, Betsy Taylor. Now, Betsy continues her reluctant reign while being bedeviled by family secrets...

Most women would love to live as royalty, but Betsy has found that being vampire queen has more problems than perks, except for always being awake for Midnight Madness sales. It may be easy to find blood (yuck) in the dark of night, but try finding a strawberry smoothie. And employees at her nightclub Scratch have been giving her nothing but grief since she killed their former boss. Some people...

But Betsy's "life" takes an interesting turn at a shower for her wicked stepmother, who lets it slip that Betsy has a long-lost half sister. Now twenty years old, this woman just so happens to be the devil's daughter - and destined to rule the world...

My Comments:

Another hilarious adventure of Queen Betsy of the Vampires... I love this series... This is the book she finds out about her long lost (half) sister, who happens to be the daughter of the Devil, but finds that her sister is the #1 Goody-Goody to rebel against her Mother from Hell (lol). She also learns that her step mother is pregnant with a (half) brother and causes her to think of all the human things she is missing out on like being a Mom. However, soon enough more vampire crises emerge and beckon her to save the world again, with help!! Love it!

Undead and Unemployed (Betsy Taylor Series #2) by MaryJanice Davidson

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Publish Date: August 3, 2004
Website: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1429808.MaryJanice_Davidson
ISBN: 9780425197486
List Price: $7.99 (Paperback)
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis:
Nothing can make Betsy Taylor give up her shoe fetish - even dying and rising as the new Queen of the Vampires. Being royally undead isn't all it's cracked up to be - there are still bills to be paid. And Betsy is determined to live as normally as possible, even if it means getting a job. A "feet" she accomplishes with panache, landing her dream job selling designer shoes at Macy's.

Things couldn't be better - except for her new friends, who keep pestering her while she's on the clock. As if she has time to socialize when there are deliciously sinful shoes to try on - and buy at a discount. It seems that vampires are being murdered in St. Paul, and they're all clamoring for Betsy to do something about it. The worse part is she's going to have to enlist the help of the one vamp who makes her blood boil: the oh-so-sexy Sinclair. Now, she's really treading on dangerous ground - high heels and all...

My Comments:
I totally love this series. Betsy has got to be the most sassy and hilarious character I have read in a long time. She knows she isn't the smartest, but her quips and come-backs are to die for hilarious! In this book, Betsy is now queen of the vampires and has a hard time adjusting to her new "dead life". She sees to it that she maintains a normal life like she would have if she were living. She is desperate to have a job, but unfortunately it is difficult to find a good night job when you are a vampire. So... she stumbles upon a shoe clerks job at Macy's, which by the way is her dream job. She is so into designer shoes like we are into breathing. In the midst of all this she is being stalked by a vampire killer... someone who wants to usurp the thrown?? Hmmm... As Eric and her new entourage of vamps seek to worship her...she wants no part. She just wants to be normal. Sorry Betsy, normal is no more. She is no drama queen and won't put up with it either. However, she continues to encounter some unnatural situations, ie. ghosts, vamp hierarchies! This series is too good to pass up. If you like a strong main character, comedy, romance, and disaster... this series is for you!! On to book 3...

Undead and Unwed (Betsy Taylor Series #1) by MaryJanice Davidson

Author: MaryJanice Davidson
Publish Date: 3/2/2004
Website: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1429808.MaryJanice_Davidson
ISBN: 9780425194850
List Price: $7.99 (Paperback)
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis:

First Betsy Taylor loses her job, then she's killed in a car accident.  But what really bites is that she can't seem to stay dead.  And now her new friends have the ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen, and they want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious power-hungry vampire in five centuries.

My Comments:

This is the most hilarious, edgy, and entertaining book. I had picked up book #6 by accident not knowing it was part of a series and thought it was one of the most hilarious characters I have encountered. I had to start at book #1. Here we are... Betsy is a character unlike I have ever read. She is smart, sassy, comedic, and so sarcastic. I love her quips and sassiness. One of my favorites being that she refers to most morons as "asshats!" She can't seem to grasp her importance now that she is dead being the Queen of the Vampires when she was so insignificant (in her mind) when she was alive. Her journey through this book is nothing but exciting, funny, and sexy! You will fall in love with Betsy and her band of characters! I love the way MaryJanice writes. It is smooth and completely fun!! On to book #2!! If you like the Sookie Stackhouse series, you will love these just as much, if not more!!!

Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse, #11) by Charlaine Harris

Title: Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse, #11)
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publish Date: 3/27/2012
Website: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17061.Charlaine_Harris
ISBN: 9781937007355
List Price: $7.99 Paperback
My Rating: 2 of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis:

With her knack for being in trouble’s way, Sookie Stackhouse witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte’s, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but her attention is divided when she realizes that her lover, Eric Northman, and his “child” Pam are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, Sookie is drawn into the plot—which is much more complicated than she knows.

Caught up once again in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human—and that there is a new queen on the board….

My Comments:

It has been hard for me give this a 2 star review. I really enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse series until this point. I really felt like their was no plot in this addition to the series. I felt like the story was all over the place and never keeping the reader engaged nor directed to a plot for this story. I really struggled to complete this read and unfortunately after this read I did not want to pursue books #12 and #13 of the series.

Not to mention the HBO series took too many liberties with Charlaine's story to really make even the show interesting after season 2.

Lemniscate by Jennifer Murgia

Title: Lemniscate
Author: Jennifer Murgia
Future Publish Date: March 21, 2011
Website: http://www.jennifermurgia.com
ISBN: 9780982500583
List Price: $9.48

Jacket Synopsis:
For Teagan, these last few months have been heaven on earth—especially now that Garreth, her boyfriend and guardian angel, is earthbound. But perhaps Garreth is becoming a little more “human” than either of them expected.

Now, Teagan must realize that her world is once again about to shift, as she questions the faith she held in others against those once considered enemies.

In this continuation of Angel Star, Lemniscate will draw you even deeper into the world of dark and light as Teagan realizes the angel who could possibly save them all is the one angel she feared the most.

My Comments: 
Jennifer Murgia's Lemniscate is the sequel to Angel Star. Angel Star asked us what if you met your guardian angel? What would happen if you fell in love with him? Then left us wondering what happens when we find out that we have two guardian angels, one light and one dark.

I am looking forward to a third installment (hopefully) to continue Teagan's journey.

I could not put this book down. It was fast paced, action packed, with a brilliantly woven love story… This book is one of my new favorite-must-keep books and I am eagerly looking forward to the sequel. I look forward to reading more of Jennifer's books in the future. She has a fantastic and imaginative writing style, which paints the most detailed scenic pictures. I could picture the stone chapel in the woods and every scene Teagan experienced.

A fantastic continuation of the series, Jennifer! Congratulations on realizing a dream. I truly look forward to many more books from you...

Blue Moon by Alyson Noel

Author: Alyson Noel
Publish Date: July 7, 2009
Website: http://www.alysonnoel.com
ISBN: 9780312532765
List Price: $9.99
My Rating: 4 of 5
Jacket Synopsis:  Eager to learn everything she can about her new abilities as an Immortal, Ever turns to her beloved Damen to show her the way. But just as her powers are increasing, Damen’s are waning.  In an attempt to save him, Ever travels to the magical dimension of Summerland, where she learns the secrets of Damen’s tortured past; a past which he has always kept hidden from her. But in her quest to cure Damen, Ever discovers an ancient text that details the workings of time. Now Ever must chose between turning back the past and saving her family from the accident that claimed their lives—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows sicker every day...

My Comments:
In this continuation, Ever struggles with the desire to return to her life before that accident that claimed her family while trying to find a cure to save Damen. She believes her life would be more fulfilled if she were to go back to a moment before the accident and prevent it. However, she knows that her eventual meeting of Damen would not happen in that alternate life path.  Ever has to use Summerland and the knowledge library to seek the information she needs all the while encountering the not-so-trustful twin souls that appear to want to guide her to the right path. She still wishes that she had her ghostly sister, Riley, around, but she is not able to locate her or determine if she made it to the "other side" safely.

Ever spends most of her time trying to figure out Damen's long lost friend Roman and what he wants. Once he transfers to their school, the whole social structure of the school changes and that is when Damen becomes ill. Ever is convinced Roman has something to do with it, but how & why?

The author, Alyson Noel, has a fantastic writing style. She has developed great characters that will cause each reader to seek the next book in this series without a doubt! Shadowland is already here! The mystery that she builds around Damen and the constant page turning to find out what he is and how Ever can now exist in the immortal world. Ever struggles with changing the past and whether it would be the right thing to do. This is a great YA read!!

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Author: Alyson Noel
Publish Date: February 3, 2009
Website: http://www.alysonnoel.com
ISBN: 9780312532758
List Price: $9.95
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Jacket Synopsis: 
Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch.   Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste…

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition.  He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets.  Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head.  She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is.  Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

My Comments:
I had heard so much about this series. I read Radiance first which is an offshoot of this earlier story and after reading about Riley I could not wait to start Evermore. This first book in the Immortals series is an entertaining and thrilling adventure of Ever and her abilities. Ever can see auras, read minds, see the dead, and generally feel afflicted by these powers. She doesn't understand why she lost her entire family in a car accident that she alone survived. She is visited by her dead sister which in a way is the only comforting presence Ever has at the moment.

Ever struggles to push through daily life even though she hears everyone's thoughts and is overwhelmed by the spiritual world around her until... One day a new student appears and she finds that she is comforted and finds solace in the presence of Damen. Damen is mysterious and Ever cannot seem to figure out why she "knows" Damen. How does he make her painful abilities melt away and make her feel normal again?

The author, Alyson Noel, has a fantastic writing style. She has developed great characters that will cause each reader to seek the next book in this series without a doubt! The mystery that she builds around Damen and the constant page turning to find out what he is. Is he a vampire, a ghost, and immortal of some sort? Ever has to know why Damen comforts her so much and where this long entwining bond between them comes from.  This is a great YA read!!

I am off to read Blue Moon.

Radiance by Alyson Noel

Author: Alyson Noel
Publish Date: August 31, 2010
Website: http://www.alysonnoel.com
ISBN: 9780312629175
List Price: $7.99
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Jacket Synopsis: 
 Riley Bloom left her sister, Ever, in the world of the living and crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. Riley and her dog, Buttercup, have been reunited with her parents and are just settling into a nice, relaxing death when she's summoned before The Council. They let her in on a secret—the afterlife isn't just an eternity of leisure; Riley has to work. She's been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a curious boy she can't quite figure out.

Riley, Bodhi, and Buttercup return to earth for her first assignment, a Radiant Boy who's been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But he's never met Riley... 

My Comments:
This is my first Alyson Noel book. I have had Evermore on my shelf for a while, but other series books have gotten in the way. I thought I would pick up Radiance because it was a short novella by Alyson Noel. This was a fantastic read. Alyson's writing style is smooth, energetic, and constantly entertaining. I love the character Riley that she has created. She is a spunky, independent twelve year old who can certainly hold her own. When she is called up to take on the job of Soul Catcher she doesn't dissappoint.

Riley loves her heaven because she has learned she can manifest whatever she desires; however, Riley and her family have manifested portion of their earth life to make the transition easier. Soon enough Riley is told she has to return to school which she not all to thrilled about. On her first day, she feels out of place and then is shoved into a big empty room with The Council where she has to "explain her life." You will have to read the book to see how that panel discussion goes!! To say the least Riley pretty much says ... I have to explain ALL twelve years! Boy, was I gipped. (my own words)

After The Council session Riley is assigned a job as Soul Catcher. Riley and her best friend in the world Buttercup, her yellow lab, set off with her newly assigned teacher, Bohdi, to test Riley on her first soul catching mission. She is assigned the Radiant Boy who has haunted his castle for decades. Many have tried to convince the Radiant Boy to move on, but he is stubborn.

The second installment to Riley's adventure is due March 15, 2011 and titled Shimmer.

I am moving on to Alyson's Evermore series now, as I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style and creative story telling. I look forward to more great stories and have high expectations for Evermore!

Torment by Lauren Kate

Title: Torment
Author: Lauren Kate
Publish Date: September 28, 2010
Website: http://laurenkatebooks.net/
ISBN: 9780385739146
List Price: $17.99
Rating: 5 out of 5

Jacket Synopsis:
How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for? In the aftermath of what happened at Sword and Cross, Luce has been hidden away by her cursed angelic boyfriend, Daniel, in a new school filled with Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Daniel promises she will be safe here, protected from those who would kill her. At the school Luce discovers what the Shadows that have followed her all her life mean - and how to manipulate them to see into her other lives. Yet the more Luce learns about herself, the more she realizes that the past is her only key to unlocking her future...and that Daniel hasn't told her everything. What if his version of the past isn't actually the way things happened...what if Luce was really meant to be with someone else?

Review:
The second installment in the Fallen Series did not disappoint. I was on the edge of my seat reading this book. Luce is an amazing character and the whole angelic plot around her is so intriguing. She knows very little about the war of the Fallen (Angels) and all the sides that were taken. She doesn't realize till now that she was a pivotal reason for the war and only she can end it. These depend on her choices in this life.

Luce has lived a thousand lives and only now has learned that she has been stuck in this love spiral. Fighting immortals was never what Luce anticipated in this life, but her love for Daniel, an Archangel, gives her the desire and strength to learn more about the past, her past lives, and what she can do to save their love, but some interesting events happen in this second installment that make Luce question was she really meant to be with Daniel. However, when she sees Daniel she believes that he is her world and that there is no one else, but when she is alone with another she can't help but feel that she needs to understand more about her past lives to know what decisions to make in this one. Luce does not want anymore of her friends or family to die in this life, like past lives, so she decides to find a way to understand her past.

Luce experiences past lives through her new found control of the Shadows, or Announcers, and she sees this as a way to end the Angel war. This is how Luce views her past lives and travels to find her answers...

Lauren Kate, the author, writes such vivid characters that you cannot help but be enveloped into the story. Passion, the third installment, will be out June 14, 2011. Do I hear "Pre-order"? Yes, I do!!!

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Author: Alexandra Adornetto

Publish Date: August 31, 2010

Website: http://www.facebook.com/AlexandraAdornetto

ISBN: 9780312656263

List Price: $16.99

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Jacket Synopsis:

Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings. But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls in love with the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of Heaven by loving him? Things come to a head when the angels realize they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There′s a new kid in town and he′s charming, seductive and deadly. Worst of all, he′s after Beth.

My Comments:

I was very excited to read this angel themed YA novel. It did not disappoint. This is the US debut of Alexandra Adornetto and it is a jewel. I think her writing style is smooth and eloquent. I really enjoyed her unique story line to include a certain insight into Angels and Demons. An innocent, yet a reflection of life and how good & bad things happen in life, and an odd twist at how the dark powers and watchers partake in these events. Who knew how powerful love is until it is tested? This is going to be a series with the next novel coming out in 2011 titled Hades. 

The writer is only eighteen years old. I cannot wait to see what her writing career has in store for us. What an amazing debut for this young author. I truly look forward to reading more of her novels and stories to come. 

Blood to Blood by Elaine Bergstrom

Author: Elaine Bergstrom
Publish Date: October 1, 2000
Website: http://www.elainebergstrom.com
ISBN: 9780441007745
List Price: $5.99
My Rating: 3 out of 5

 Jacket Synopsis:

Dracula's sister-by birth and by blood-resurrects his dark legacy...

Praise for Mina: "A real page-turner."-P. N. Elrod

"Throbbing with...rich sexuality...An erotic ride."-Shadowdance

My Comments:
This is a continuation of the Mina Harker story that began in Mina: The Dracula Story Continues. The story begins where the previous ends with Mina in Paris writing to Jonathan about a reconciliation when she receives news of an inheritance, and a sizable one at that. I find the story an interesting interpretation about a Victorian woman whose independence is pursued in societal times when women were seen and not heard. For Mina to be so bold as to maintain her own household away from her husband and pursue her charitable work is really unheard of.

This book is a side-by-side story of Mina and Jonathan, but also about Joanna, Dracula's sister. We find Dracula's sister searching for her brother's killers only to find that being released from her brother's control that she can pursue her own life. The excitement is found in reading about what she chooses. Does she choose to live among humans and love and care for them just the same? Or become a ruthless killer and evil pursuer like her sister in-law and sometimes her brother, Dracula.

The author folds in true historical characters as Oscar Wilde and Jack The Ripper. The author includes Jack The Ripper to challenge the reader to determine if the murders are really the work of Joanna or The Ripper himself...and who is The Ripper?

I am surprised though by the amount of edit errors in this book. They weren't so severe that I couldn't figure out what the author meant to write, but the author should be paid a bonus for the editors poor work.