Artemis Fowl is everything you'd expect a criminal mastermind to be. He's smart, he's savvy, he's ruthless, he's cocky, and he's very, very determined. The one thing you'd never suspect? He's only 12. With his parents out of commission (his father's MIA while his mother is, well, missing in her own way), it's up to Artemis to lead the family of thieves. He's got his sights set on a treasure that will not only solidify his reputation, but also save the Fowl family from ruin: fairy gold. It's the stuff of legends, legends Artemis just happens to believe.

Patty Bergen's twelfth summer is shaping up to be just as dull as every other one she's ever experienced. America may be in the midst of a world war, but that doesn't change the fact that nothing exciting ever happens in little Jenkinsville, Arkansas. Maybe if she were prettier, more ladylike, or just less her strange, awkward self, maybe then she would have sleepovers to look forward to or parties to attend. Maybe then her parents wouldn't act as if she were an ant bent on ruining their picnic. Maybe then she'd have a friend, someone to pal around with besides her colored maid or dim-witted Freddy Dowd. As it stands, she might as well sit and watch the temperature shoot from hot to Hades; there's certainly nothing else to do.
Then, a group of POWs arrive in town en route to a nearby prison facility. Patty's never seen a real, live German before. She's startled by how ordinary they seem. She's even more surprised when one of the prisoners speaks to her in English and seems to find her - plain old Patty Bergen - amusing. Can this nice, polite German really be one of the evil Nazis she's always hearing about? When she spies the same man trying to jump a train out of Arkansas, Patty's curiousity prompts her to do the unthinkable. Hiding Anton means risking the wrath of her parents, defying her patriotic community, and committing treason against the U.S. Still, Patty can't help herself. Not only is Anton kind, but he's the only one who pays any attention to her. He might even like her in the way she likes him, which means when he finally escapes, maybe he'll ask her to go with him. And she will, she'll do anything for him ...
As Patty compares what she's been told about the Germans with what she's learned on her own, she begins to realize a lot of other things - truths about her family, her community and herself. Before she's truly had time to digest it all, she's facing the biggest trouble she's ever been in. What will become of Patty's German soldier? What will become of Patty herself?
First published in 1973, Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene is a thoughtful story about an unlikely friendship forged between would-be enemies. It's a harsher tale than I expected, one that brings up the usual WWII themes - prejudice, injustice, courage, etc. - as well as more domestic cruelty without softening their pointed edges with platitudes or a conveniently cheesy end. Patty's one of those irrepressible narrators whose vulnerability and naivete make her instantly empathetic, especially in light of the slights she suffers on a daily basis. Still, hers is not a happy story or an easy one. In fact, it's downright depressing. Realistic, yes. Galvanizing, not exactly. And, darn it, I wanted galvanizing. The book's downer ending actually soured the whole story for me. Overall, the book's compelling, just not uniquely or jaw-droppingly so. And it's super depressing. A classic, sure, but not one that earned my undying love.
(Readalikes: Traitor by Gudrun Pausewang; also reminded me a little of Jericho Walls by Kristi Collier)
Grade: B-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language and depictions of domestic violence/physical violence toward a child
To the FTC, with love: Another library
fine
find

Twenty-five years ago, Valerie Rudman and Lily Stone swore they'd be best friends forever. They traded letters, swapped recipes, ranted about their parents, dissected first kisses, shared everything, and vowed to let nothing come between them. Now, two and half decades later, the thought of contacting Lily makes Val sweat. She wants to reconnect, especially when she sees an obituary for Lily's father, the enigmatic Dr. Stone, in the newspaper, but the last thing she wants is to reopen the wound that drove the friends apart in the first place. Has Lily matured enough to accept her renewed effort at friendship? Has Val? Will their shared past bond them together again? Or has it formed a chasm that can never be crossed?

The Recipe Club by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel is an epistolary novel that uses emails, letters, recipes and other scrapbook-y bits to tell the story of a friendship. It begins with two very different girls, one studious, one showy. It grows as the two mature, one slowly, one swiftly. It solidifies as they pull each other through the murk of adolesence, cracks when their paths diverge, and disintegrates completely when their families' secrets entwine in a devastating way. Years later, as Val and Lily reach out to one another once again, they'll discover that the secrets their parents leaked are nothing compared to those they kept and the truth that wrecked the women's friendship might be the very thing that glues it back together.

Although I didn't love, love, love this feel-good novel, I liked it a lot more than I expected to. Its format makes it a fast read, while the inclusion of recipes gives it a light-hearted tone that provides a nice counterpoint to the more serious plot twists. The story lacks a certain freshness, although it does take a few turns that surprised me. I was disappointed that, despite the book's intimate format, the characters never really come into their own voices. I kept having to look at the signatures to remind myself who was who. The ending also made me want to hurl with its cheesiness, even though I have to admit that it felt right somehow. That, coupled with some big plot holes, kept me from really devouring the book. Still, I found it to be a quick, enjoyable story that's surprisingly affecting.

(Readalikes: It actually reminded me a lot of the movie Beaches, but I can't think of a similar book. Can you?)

Grade: B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language, sexual content and depictions of underrage drinking/smoking/drug use

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of The Recipe Club from the generous folks at TLC Book Tours, which is facilitating the authors' book tour. My review was written as part of the tour, but reflects my own, (very) honest opinions. You can visit the other tour stops by clicking here.

I hadn't planned to post again today, but my husband's at work, my older kids are at school, my baby's at Grandma's and my house is quiet as a tomb. It seemed like the perfect time to sneak down and play on the computer. I still have to be careful about spreading my radioactive germs around, so I can't do housework or cook or anything (hurt me, hurt me bad), but my eyes need a break from reading. Who knew absorbing six books in three days would leave my peepers this bloodshot and sore? I will, of course, wipe everything down so well that not even Grissolm and his CSIs could find evidence of my being here (yes, I know Grissolm left the show - guess who's not quite over it yet?). It's just nice to leave my bedroom. And, I have to say that not being able to take care of my family for a week, even by doing little things like folding socks, makes me even more eager to kick cancer to the curb and get everything back to normal.

'Course, I'm so behind on life now that I seriously will never catch up. I know reviews are posting automatically, so you can't even tell how behind I am. Oh well. I'll get 'em written when I get 'em written, but I have to tell you that I may have just finished my favorite book of the year: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. It's similar to James Dashner's The Maze Runner, just with more complexity and depth (literally). And originality. It's reminiscent of The Hunger Games, too, but still its own thing. Hard to describe. Anyway, I loved it. The only problem is the sequel, Sapphique, doesn't come out until the end of December. I'm pretty sure I can't wait that long. My first-born may be available to the first person who can get me an ARC (well, he's pretty sweet - maybe my second-born or third- ...). Seriously, anyone have a copy??

Did I forgot to mention that my review of Courting Miss Lancaster by Sarah M. Eden appeared in the Fall 2010 issue of Latter-Day Woman magazine. Check it out here.

I'm looking foward to a quiet weekend - more resting, more reading, more taking three showers a day and flushing twice every time I use the toilet ... Things should be back to normal by Tuesday, when my body will have expelled enough radiation that I can hug my kids again and get back to the grind that I have somehow missed this week.

Happy Friday, everybody!

Oh, and just because I'm skipping out on the Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday this week, doesn't mean you should. It's a great way to find new blogs, drive traffic to your own, and strengthen this big, fun book blogging community. Enjoy :)

Ten-year-old George Calder doesn't mean to get himself into scrapes all the time - it just kind of happens. His curiousity gets the best of him in the most normal of circumstances, but now he's aboard the largest moving object ever built. How can he possibly resist sliding down the banister of the Grand Staircase, sneaking among the immigrants on the lower decks, and creeping into the storage room to see if the rumors about an Egyptian mummy on board are really true? Even with his younger sister, Phoebe, and their recently-widowed aunt keeping their sharp eyes on him, George is determined to explore every inch of the Titanic.
When George sets out on one of his escapades on the night of April 15, he has know idea that it will lead to the most horrifyingly exciting adventure of his life. He's prowling through the ship's underbelly when the great Titanic starts to shake. As he scuttles back to First Class, he hears the news: they've nudged an iceberg. What begins with laughter and snowball fights soon turns into running, screaming, and all-out panic. The ship is sinking. George is not only a child, but a wealthy one. Unlike the lower-class passengers, he has both a life jacket and an escort to where women and kids are being packed into life boats. There's only one problem - his sister is missing. He can't leave her on the doomed ship. He has to find her, no matter what.


As the story of the Titanic unfolds through the eyes of young George, the reader can't help but be swept away in all the terror of that fateful night. We know how the story ends (at least what happens to the ship), but even after all this time, it's an incredible tale. George Calder did not really exist, but he represents the many passengers who scrambled for their lives while the "unsinkable" Titanic plunged to its watery death. Through him, we're there. His story resounds with one chilling question: Would I have survived?

Written for middle-grade readers, I Survived: The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 is the first in a series of books by Lauren Tarshis about children surviving infamous historical disasters. The next one (available now) concerns shark attacks in 1916 and will be followed by I Survived: Hurricane Katrina, 2005 (available March 2011). My kids and I agree that we need keep our eyes on this exciting, informative and well-written series. You can check it out for yourself on the I Survived website. Oh, and if your school happens to be in the throes of Scholastic Book Fair mania, these books should be available and would make good picks for classrooms, homes and school libraries. 'Course, surviving the Titanic's nothing compared to getting through a school book fair unscathed - if you can survive that particular adventure, you might just deserve a medal :)

(Readalikes: I can't think of any other children's books I've read about the Titanic. Can you?)


Grade: B


If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for intense/scary scenes (the book's written for younger middle graders)


To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of this book from the very generous folks at Scholastic. Thank you!

Usually, hard-boiled crime fiction littered with enough F-bombs to blow the world to smithereens several times over isn't my thing. And yet, I just can't get enough of Irish author Tana French. There's something about her books that keeps me coming back for more. And more. And more. She's penned three novels - I've devoured each one. The woman cannot write fast enough to keep me satisfied!

Like In the Woods and The Likeness, French's newest introduces a compelling cast of fully-realized characters whose lives are about to be blown apart by a gruesome discovery. Faithful Place opens with a cozy domestic scene - undercover officer Frank Mackey is picking up his 9-year-old daughter for a weekend of pizza and kite-flying in the park. Two things which never happen. As soon as Frank steps into his apartment, he spies his voicemail button blinking rapidly. On the other side is the one thing he's always feared: his family. He's spent the last 22 years running from his chaotic childhood in Dublin's inner city with no intention of ever, ever going back. And yet, when "the bubbling cauldron of crazy that is the Mackeys at their finest" (15) comes calling, the ole boy answers.

In Faithful Place, the crumbling neighborhood where Frank came of age, few things ever change. A paint job here, a renovation there - it's enough to get the street in a twitter about folks getting above themselves. So, when a Polish building team finds an old suitcase wedged inside the fireplace of a long-abandoned apartment, tongues really start wagging. Especially when it's revealed to be the property of one Rose Daly, who just happens to be the same young girl who disappeared on the night she was supposed to leave for London with her boyfriend, a 19-year-old local by the name of Frank Mackey. Only Rosie never showed. For the past two decades, everyone - including Rosie's spurned lover - has assumed she's been living it up in England, too la di da to return to her pathetically humble roots. Everyone, it appears, was wrong. But what happened to the apparently love-struck girl with the neon-bright future all laid out before her? How did she end up going exactly nowhere?

Frank, whose scarred heart has always hoped to reunite with his first love, is shaken to his core. Although he's warned off the case by the egocentric Detective Kennedy, he can't keep himself away. He's been on the force long enough to know that the simplest explanation usually solves the crime, which means the answers he's looking for are right here on Faithful Place. Only, Frank's no longer part of the dirty streets, he's a police officer - and if there's one thing the people like less than a no-good Mackey, it's a cop. Especially one who would abandon his upbringing for something as suspect as a better life. If Frank's going to get the answers he so desperately needs, he's going to have to play his cards just right, which means sinking right back into the muck and mire with mates who would happily drown him in it.

As the story of Rosie's last days on Earth slowly unravels, Frank has to face all the ugliness he's been trying so hard to shove behind him: his family's violent, dysfunctional history; the fact that the girl he loved so fiercely might not have felt the same; and the guilt over his part in Rosie's tragic end. Is it, truly, his fault that Rosie died all those years ago? People he's known since toddlerhood think he murdered the sweetest gal on the block. Are they really going to rat out their own to help a monster like him, especially considering his uppity position as one of Dublin's finest? Can anyone, especially a hopeless Mackey, solve a case as cold as this one? Or is Frank doomed to become exactly what everyone always assumed he would be - a futureless nobody dragging himself through Dublin's grimy underbelly with all the other drunks and dole rats?

Like French's other novels, Faithful Place grabbed my attention with its first sentence, yanking me along for a swift, swervy thrill ride that kept me tottering on the edge of my seat, hardly daring to breathe. Although the killer's identity didn't surprise me, the orchestrated inevitability of it all did. French's skillful plotting, masterful character building, and grudging affection for Dublin's saltier citizens makes this one what it is - brilliant.

(Readalikes: In the Woods and The Likeness by Tana French)

Grade: A-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language, sexual content and violence

To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find

I usually don't post on Sundays, but I have a few things on my mind that I wanted to share:

So ... today is the last official day of my kids' October Break from school and I have done absolutely nothing. Unless, of course, you count waiting *patiently* for my blood test results to come back from USC while I slowly starve to death on my low-iodine diet. And trying to stay awake for longer than 3 hours at a time. Other than that, nada. Good times, I tell ya, good times. I don't know about you, but I could use a little distraction from my misery. That's where these two fun events come in handy:


I had almost decided to give up the Blog Hop for awhile since there don't seem to be too many new-to-me blogs on there lately, but wow, did last week change my mind. Lots of you stopped by to say hi, reminding me just how big and wonderful this book blogging community is. It really buoyed up my spirits. Thanks for that!

The Blog Hop is hosted by the lovely Jen over at Crazy for Books. Each week, she (or another book blogger) poses a question for us all to answer. This one's a really good one: Basically, what do you do when you start reading a book that you just cannot get into? Do you stick it out or move on?

- For me, it depends on where I got the book. If I bought it or borrowed it from the library, I just put the book down and move on. No biggie. A review book is a little different. If I can't get into a book I've committed to read for a blog tour or other event, I stick it out, if I can. If I can't, I e-mail whoever sent me the book and explain my problems with it. Usually, that kind of honesty is met with understanding. After all, every book is not for everyone, you know? My view is that I have way too many books on my TBR mountain chain to waste time on one I don't like.

How do you handle it?


Follow (My Book Blog) Friday is similar to the Book Hop. It's hosted by Parajunkee, who simply asks what books we're recommending these days.

- I have to mention Faithful Place by Tana French. My review won't post until Monday, but I can tell you now that I loved it. The book is a compelling murder mystery set in Dublin's grimy inner city. If you've read French's other books, you know how skilled she is - she creates well-rounded characters, twisty plots, and stories that just suck you right in. Her novels are definitely rated R, but I can't get enough of them.

Alright, bloggers, go Hop and Follow and find some great new blogs. If you're here because of either the Hop or FF, thank you so much for visiting. Have a look around, leave me a comment, become a Follower, all that good stuff - I'll return the favor ASAP. Oh! Don't forget that my giveaway for a hardcover copy of Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill ends today at midnight. Enter here to win your very own copy of this great Halloween read.

Hoppy Friday, everybody!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

(Note: Although this review will not contain any spoilers for Soulstice, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from The Devouring. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)

Six months have passed since Sorry Night, the fateful evening when 15-year-old Reggie Holloway unknowingly released an ancient evil into her small town. It's been six months since she wrestled the Vours for her younger brother's soul. Six months since the town golden boy disappeared. Six months of heart-slamming nightmares stealing her sleep. Just because she hasn't seen another Vour since the night she ran the creatures out of town doesn't mean they're not out there, waiting. With the summer solstice right around the corner, Reggie knows she needs to be on her guard.

When Quinn Waters suddenly appears in her bedroom, Reggie knows it's all starting again. Just six months ago, his presence in her house would have been the fulfillment of every dream she'd ever had. Now, it's the stuff of her worst nightmares. He's still undeniably good-looking, for a Vour, but she knows just how dangerous he can be. She's already killed him once, she's not sure she can do it again. So, when he offers her a truce - of sorts - she finds herself reluctantly accepting it. Even if he's on the run from his Vour pals, he's still privy to the kind of information she needs to rid the world of the monsters forever. Trusting Quinn could be fatal, but what choice does she have?

As the solstice nears, Reggie and her best friend, Aaron, work feverishly to uncover the secrets needed to vanquish the Vours. The closer they come, the more perilous the search becomes. Both of them are seeing terrifying visions, Reggie's brother seems to be slipping again, and the police are questioning them about their part in Quinn's (so-called) death. The scant information Reggie and Aaron are managing to glean about the Vours only makes them more anxious - Can a couple of teenagers really take on an evil that's been around forever? Are their souls already compromised? Is there anyone they can trust, or have the Vours already spread their vile touch to everyone Reggie and Aaron know and love? The summer solstice is close at hand - will they, too, be devoured?

After the edge-of-your-seat creepfest that was Simon Holt's The Devouring, I expected the same kind of intensity from Soulstice, the next book in the series. The novel definitely starts with a bang, but it drags a little as Reggie and Aaron spend most of their time investigating the Vours. We learn a lot about the creatures, yet we don't see all that much of them. There's still plenty going on in Soulstice - it's just more informational, less sinister than the first book. At times, it feels like a filler book, a way to get some data out without really furthering the plot much. The cliffhanger ending changes things, though. I'm so hungry to know what happens next that I'm practically foaming at the mouth. Whoever's got Fearscape, the conclusion of the series, checked out from my library, better read fast or I may not be able to control myself. Just sayin'.

(Readalikes: The Devouring and Fearscape by Simon Holt)

Grade: B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language (a couple F-bombs plus milder invectives), violence and gore

To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find

(Note: While this review will not contain any spoilers for The Off Season, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from Dairy Queen. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)

Growing up on a crumbling Wisconsin dairy farm has taught 16-year-old D.J. Schwenk a few things: Constant, back-breaking physical labor is murder on a person's G.P.A. and social life; dominating on the football field tends to intimidate guys, especially when the one doing the dominating is an "oversized girl dairy farmer" (134); and if anything can go wrong, it will. In a big way. D.J.'s spent enough time shoveling poop to know that eventually, the cow pie always hits the fan and it's never, ever pretty.

Knowing this, she's naturally suspicious about how well her life seems to be going at the moment. Everyone's buzzing about her skills on the field; gorgeous Brian Nelson's always around to help with milking (as well as some clandestine fooling around); and her family seems to be mending after a bitter feud that's kept D.J.'s older brothers away from home for years. It's all good. Until suddenly, it's not. An injury in practice forces D.J. into a tough choice; Brian, who's so into her in private, seems embarrassed of her in public; and D.J.'s best friend, Amber, is taking off with her new girlfriend. Frustrated and lonely, she thinks things can't get any worse, but, of course, they do. More health problems hit the Schwenks, the farm's plummeting into bankruptcy, and D.J.'s frantic with worry for her older brother. Once again, it's up to her to keep it all together. Just like last year, she'll fight her way through, learning some valuable lessons about what she's made of, who her true friends are, and what really matters.

Although I didn't like The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock quite as much as Dairy Queen, I still find this series immensely enjoyable. It's original, funny, and filled with an optimism that's often lacking in YA literature. This book gets a little melodramatic, but it also pulls the story in a surprising new direction. Still, it remains a compelling and worthy companion to the widely-loved Dairy Queen. I'm anxious to see how the last book, Front and Center, pulls it all together. Although I'm still not wild about the Amber storyline (it seems a little contrived, as if it's there simply to keep things P.C.), I truly love reading about solid, farm-fresh D.J. Somehow, she manages to be both unique and utterly recognizable. A winner in every sense, she makes this series what it is - absolutely delightful.

(Readalikes: Dairy Queen and Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock; the parts about D.J.'s brother also reminded me of Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), mild sexual content, and depictions of homosexuality (more thoughtful than graphic)

To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find

When Jacob Fielding survives a horrific car crash that kills his mysterious foster father, he feels something transfer from the older man to him. Some type of weird energy. As he inadvertently lends the power to a daredevil new girl, the truth hits Jacob like a ton of bricks: Not only is he indestructible, but he can make other people temporarily unassailable, too. Which comes in handy, considering his best friends are a short kid with a big mouth and a beautiful blonde who sees death-defying longboard tricks as an amusing hobby. Cool as Jacob's newfound ability is, he can't shake the feeling that it's dangerous. An orphaned high school kid really shouldn't be the one playing God, should he?

The more Jacob learns about his perplexing new "gift," the more he wishes he could just get rid of it. Several people, including his thrill-seeking girlfriend, Ophelia ("Oh") James, would love to wrench it away from him, use its extraordinary power to save every soul she can. It's not like he's indifferent to easing the suffering of others, but Jacob's more than a little reluctant to play Superman with a superpower he barely understands. He only knows that he can't save everyone and only God should be able to choose who lives and who dies. Besides, he feels a darkness in his strange ability, a hunger that seems intent on consuming him.

As Jacob studies the source of his invulnerability, he discovers some strange secrets about the power, his foster father, and himself. Even though he still doesn't know everything, he knows enough to be worried about Oh, whose obsession with the power is changing her from a lighthearted free spirit into someone the boys barely recognize. Can they unlock the secrets of invulnerability in enough time to save their friend? Or will the strength of an ancient force be the destruction of them all?

Thirteen Days to Midnight by veteran children's author, Patrick Carman, introduces one of the most intriguing premises I've encountered in a long time. Not the superpower thing - that's been done a million times. I'm talking about the idea behind the superpower, which, unfortunately, I can't discuss for fear of spoiling the story. You're just going to have to trust me on this one. It's a fabulous idea. Unfortunately, Carman's execution of the idea doesn't do it justice. As written, the novel feels like a first draft. It's as if the author's playing with different ideas, molding his characters, imagining a romance, and creating preliminary dialogue. A rewrite or two could have honed all this, smoothing out the clunky writing, sharpening Thirteen Days to Midnight into the taut, focused, highly original thrill ride it's meant to be. As is, the story meanders all over the place, the characters sound like robots, and much of the plot hinges on happenings that are annoyingly contrived. These are all fairly easy fixes, something I hope Carman takes into account when writing the next books (although I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere, I'm assuming this book is not a standalone). Even though I found this one disappointing, the series has so much potential that I'm eager for the next installment. I don't have the power to see the future, but I predict this is one of those series that will get better as it goes along.

(Readalikes: A little like Delcroix Academy: The Candidates by Inara Scott and a teensy bit like the Gone series by Michael Grant)

Grade: C

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), gore, and very mild sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Thirteen Days to Midnight from the generous folks at Hachette Book Group. Thank you!

I usually don't post twice in a day, but I auto-posted a review for this morning without realizing that today is Friday. Duh. I seriously need to get back on my meds. If any of you take levothyroxine (it's a generic of Synthroid), you know how awful it feels to be off it, even for a little while - it's a fuzzy-headed exhaustion you can feel from your head to your toes. I'm headed to the doctor this morning, so hopefully he can make sense of my blood results and give me SOME indication of what comes next.

In the meantime, let's celebrate that it's Friday! My kids get out early from school (a reason for them to celebrate - me, not so much) since they're annual October Break starts next week; I have an aunt coming to visit whom I haven't seen in years; and, of course, these fun events:


The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event hosted by Jen over at Crazy For Books. If you're a new blogger, it's a perfect way to find other blogs and drive traffic to your own site. If you're a veteran at this book blogging thing, it's a great way to welcome the newbies. Plus, it's just fun! Head on over to Jen's blog to join in. This week, Jen asks the question: What is your favorite beverage to drink while you read?

- Usually, I just like a nice, big cup of ice water. Lately, though, I've needed more of a caffeine boost (which, being LDS, I feel tremendously guilty about), so I've been all about the Mt. Dew. I like to stick it in the freezer until it's nearly solid, then let it melt to the consistency of a slurpee. Delish.


Friday (My Book Blog) Friday is another weekly meme, this time hosted by Parajunkee. It's another fabulous way to discover new blogs/bloggers and gain Followers for your own blog. You'll definitely want to join in! Parajunkee's question of the week is: How many reviews to you like to do in a week?

- Funny enough, I've been thinking a lot about this question lately. I don't like to post every day, because I think it gets overwhelming. My own feed reader is so out of control that I end up skipping a lot of reviews on blogs that post daily. I'm aiming toward more of a Monday-Wednesday-Saturday approach, with a misc. post on Friday. What do you think? Would you like more reviews? Less? More chit chat? Maybe I should do a poll or something ...

Anyway, for those who are here because of the Hop or FF, welcome! Please leave a comment so I can check out your blog also. Don't forget to check out the giveaway I'm running for a new, hardcover copy of Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill - you can get all the details on my right sidebar.


I forgot to mention that I finished a reading challenge! It's been awhile since I actually completed one, so I'm pretty proud of myself. My reading list changed quite a bit since I realized reading both Under the Dome and The Stand in one month might be more of an undertaking than I first thought. So, here's what I ended up reading:

1. The Devouring by Simon Holt (Review)

2. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (Review)

3. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (Review)

4. Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill (Review)

I liked all of them, although the structure of I Am Legend confused and frustrated me. My favorite ended up being The Devouring, which is just a deliciously creepy Halloween read. I'm working on the sequels now. *Shivers* A funny: I was reading Soulstice yesterday when the FedEx guy banged on my door. Scared the crap out of me!

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Traitor from the generous folks at Carol Rhoda LAB. Thank you!