M #9 - Halt's Peril

This one is started and finished. This is the 10th book in John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series. This is one of my favorite fantasy series. The character's are great, and the stories are always packed with the right amount of action and suspense. I HIGHLY recommend this series for anyone who enjoys reading fantasy!

Finished M#8

I finished the first book in the looking glass wars series. This spin on the classic Alice in Wonderland was only moderately enjoyable. The story had potential, but never really did much for me. This book is in the young adult genre, but unlike most other books I read from that genre, this one felt very juvenile. Character development was minimal, and it really hurt the story. It was a quick read and interesting enough that I may one day read the rest, if I'm bored, and my only choice is that or Twilight...

L #12- Sing You Home

I really like Jodi Picoult books and I'm hoping this one will be no exception. This one is about Zoe, who loves music and associates it with different parts of her life. After some personal tragedies, Zoe devotes her time to being a music therapist. She starts a friendship, that turns to love. And when she decides to change her life, she is surprised at the people who don't want her to be happy.

Finished #11- The Perfect Husband

Today marks 11 weeks into the year. So I have just squeaked by the deadline. I've no doubt I could have caught up, but it still makes me feel like I've accomplished something impressive. That may sound sad, that reading is an accomplishment, but there are days I barely have time to sit down, let alone read. So I am proud that I made a goal and have so far stuck with it! Not only that, but I feel it is great for my mental and emotional health. It's "free time" that I get just for ME. And it feels incredibly satisfying to know that I am nurturing that side of myself.

Ok, so onto the book and less about me ;) I found Lisa Gardner to be a bit more descriptive than I would normally like. However, I like crime/mystery books so it was a fun read. And quick! I knocked it out in a day. I've got another Lisa Gardner book in my queue, so I'm not giving up on her altogether. But if the next one's just as....gruesome....I might take a hiatus from crime books.

L #11- The Perfect Husband

This is my first Lisa Gardner book. I am hoping it is a fun read. This one is about a woman who marries a cop. She thinks he is perfect, until she realizes he is a murderer. She helps to put him behind bars. When he escapes, he wants to make his wife pay.

L #10- Black Hills

I forgot to update when I started this book (by Nora Roberts), but I just finished it tonight. It was a quick read and engaging story.

It was about two childhood friends, then turned lovers, that discovered a body in the woods. Years later, the killer is on the loose again. The romance portion of the book was predictable, but still enjoyable. The time spent on the characters when they were younger was actually very engaging. I found the back-story to be helpful in understanding their dynamic.

This one had 472 pages.

Finished book 9- True Colors

Kristin Hannah likes long books. The story was very engaging, but I must admit, I think this one would have been better if it were 100 pages shorter. There were 491 pages and the first 1/4 of the book was sort of wasted. It took me that long to really get into the story. It was necessary to create the dynamic between the sisters, but I think it could have been done with more brevity.

One sister, Winona, was incredibly unlikable. I couldn't find any redeeming qualities in her. Granted, towards the end of the book, she helps her sister in a very life changing way. But by that point, I felt that the damage was done to her character and I couldn't enjoy her.

I liked Vivi Ann a lot. And, although she ends up having a very difficult time with her life and it jeopardizes her relationship with her son, I found it easy to relate to the feelings she was having. Hannah very easily engaged the reader in all aspect's of Vivi Ann's life. So when Vivi Ann did something less than noble, it was understandable. The trials of her life were so intense, that it was hard to not feel compassion and pain on behalf of Vivi Ann. I felt as though the parts of the story that focused on her (instead of Winona) were much more entertaining and easy to read.

Overall, this book was very good. The story was very good. I really liked most of the characters and reading about their family dynamics. But I do think it could have been a bit shorter.

M #8 - The Looking Glass Wars

I am starting an intriguing new series. It is The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. The series is a new spin on the classic tale of Alice In Wonderland. The premise of the series is how Wonderland is real and Lewis Carrol's story is based on the childhood of Princess Alyss HeRt, rightful queen of Wonderland. She fled to earth as a young girl after her evil aunt Redd murders her mother. The series is about her fight to save her home and win back her throne.