Sweets and Hearts

2010 Challenge: 100 Books in 365 Days

I am joining. My full goal is two read 200 Books in two years. I did 58 in 2009. SO I have a ways to go for 2010. But hopefully keeping up with Sweets and Hearts list, I will make it through. I LOVE reading!

My list is posted on the side, and I will do a post at the end of every month listing all the books I read!

January Book List
1. The Tudor Rose by Margaret Campbell Barnes (own)
2. Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult (own)
3. Betrayed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (own)
4. Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey (EReader)
5. The Storyteller's Daughter by Cameron Dokey (EReader)
6. The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks (EReader)
7. Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks (EReader)
8. Beyond the Shadow's by Brent Weeks (EReader)
9. Belle by Cameron Dokey (EReader)

Once Upon A Time

Belle (a Retelling of Beauty and the Beast) by Cameron Dokey

Each time I read a book by Cameron Dokey, I swear it can't get any better! Belle was a fabulous story, I think this was my favorite (though I am pretty sure I said the same thing for the other two Cameron Dokey books!) Belle as a character was wonderful, kind, and her sisters are not what normal story books say about sisters. They weren't evil or mean, they were sometimes as siblings still fight. But it seemed like a very normal family setting.

Belle's sisters names are fabulous Celestial Heavens and April Dawn! I also liked how her Mom wasn't just Mom is was Maman. The thief was a fun twist in the story. And the beast was fabulous! I do however think Belle's father was a tad bit of a chicken and some of his action kinda annoyed me.

But in the end like all fairy-tails it worked out! I love fairy-tails!

The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks

Shadow's Edge (Book 2) and Beyond the Shadows (Book 3)

So here I am reading along and suddenly I am at the end of book 2 but the way the EReader had done it, might I was actually 4 chapters into book 3! So I decided to do book 2 and 3 as one review instead of 2.

It was build up, build up, build up and then HUGE let down. If book 2 and 3 were one book I would say the middle is my favorite lots of action, interesting parts, and GREAT Characters... and then it totally flopped. I was extremely disappointed by the ending.

Vi or Viridiana Sovari was my favorite character, but Durzo Blint was definitely second.

I Love how Wikipedia has a whole page dedicted to the book series with characters and descriptions

While the ending was very disappointing and the first book wasn't very good. I actually enjoyed the series.

One more of the EBook Challenge too!!

E-Book Reading Challenge

I have decided to participate in the E-Book Reading Challenge hosted by The Royal Reviews. I am pretty excited. Anyways the rules are as follows

Challenge Guidelines:
1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.
--Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.

2. There are four levels:
-- Curious – Read 3 E-Books.
-- Fascinated – Read 6 E-Books.
-- Addicted – Read 12 E-Books.
-- Obsessed – Read 20 E-Books.

3. Any genre counts.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to the post about the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. Include the URL so that other participants can find join in and read your reviews and post.

ME - I plan to be in the obsessed catagory. I have a huge list of books on the E-Reader and will be updating my list on here soon. Should be pretty exciting!!

The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks

The Way of Shadows
The Night Angel Trilogy BOOK 1

WOW. How to write about this book. I can't say anything without giving something away. I have to say the writing was well done. The descriptions were beautiful if not horrific in some cases. This book at times had me completely confused how it jumps from past to present all the time. But I think the fault is mainly due to the EReader not noting a change in the chapter.

It was a fabulous book and I had to stop myself from starting the second one before writing this book review. I define a book by whether or not I would read it again and again. And I just don't think I would ever read this particular book again. It was really good, but I love my soft delicate stories and this was nothing like that, you could totally tell this book was written by a guy.

Below are some links...

Brent Weeks Website
Amazon.com
REVIEWS
spoilers... SFFworld and BSC

Giveaway

I thought I would mention it.

BOOK GIVEAWAYS... is giving away an EREADER!! Pretty much exactly what I just got. So I thought I would tell ya'll to head on over there and SEE IT!!

Be sure to let me know if you WIN!!

Once Upon A Time

Sometimes I wish I could read out aloud as well as I do inside my head. When I hear mu voice reading to just myself in my end, It is as smooth as honey, doesn't stumble over words or pronunciation. It is peaceful and gentle. Kind of like the beginning of this tale

The Storyteller's Daughter by Cameron Dokey

Originally I thought this would be a story similar to Aladdin. But it is nothing like it. The characters names were extremely difficult in this book, but the story was fabulous.

I am not sure what all to say, without ruining it for you. The book was a quick read, but wonderfully heart warming and touching. Like a side to a co-worker today its like a Christian romance novel without all the Christian gunk in it. Oh a wonderful romance with no nasty things (aka sex, language, etc)

And there always a moral at the end of the story. This one was look inside your heart

EReader Review

I'm in LOVE.

I can bookmark as many pages as I want. I can type a page number and go to that right away.

The main thing though is, I don't feel like I am reading a screen. It doesn't light up, it's like reading a page, which is exactly want a I wanted.

I am not yet sure of the most comfiest way to hold the thing yet, but so far I have read with it while laying on my stomach, on my side, or sitting in the millions of ways I sit. It's almost easy than a book because I don't have to worry about pages flipping if I am not holding it properly.

And we were able to get black! Which is super exciting. The only thing miss is a name for my new toy.

My MP3 Player is named Keira... now what do I name my EReader... I think it should start with an "E" though :)

(EDIT: Mr. wants to call it Eve.. I think that works well)

Once Upon A Time

Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey

My First book read on my New EReader!! My First book for the Once Upon A Time Challenge!

So much to say!

This story is simply ... sweet. It's warm, heartfelt, and super sweet. I love how Cameron Dokey has the character talking directly to you as if she is standing in front of you telling her story. I don't remember what this type of writing is called, but I like hearing the story from the characters point of view. (First-Person Narrative is what it's called)

It was touching, well-written and so wonderful. It didn't take me long to read, two hours actually, it's very short.

This story is Sleeping Beauty's Aurore. Her childhood and everything up till the happily ever after. I simply love the names the author choose in the book. Jane, Maman (this is what Aurore called her mother) Ironheart.

The ending is my favorite. I don't want to say to much, but if you ever need a book that's happily ever afters and just plain comforting, I would recommend this book.

I will do a review on the EReader later!!

I love happy endings

When I am in Chapters

I take pictures of books I like.

For example the following three

Vegetarian Cooking

(hope these are easy)

Jane Bites Back

(weird, just weird)

And my FAVORITE

Definitely will one day be buying!

About Face by Scott Barnes

Betrayed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

House of Night Series

Book #2

Well, the story keeps getting better and better and better! I can not wait to read the next book or the rest of the series! But the rest of the series isn't even written yet!!

I enjoy this books, things happen and your just like !!OMG!!WTH!!

You find things out about Neferet that really surprise you. And Stevie Ray just makes you cry (well almost I actually didn't cry in this book, but close!)

Lots and Lots of drama. But you learn things about Zoey's friends, that makes you wish you had such wonderful friends too. You see how well the work together.

What I don't like is how Erik Night is soooo "perfect" it actually drives me crazy!! But Loren Blake drives me even more crazy. I DO NOT like Loren

I am happy with the changes that Zoey has implemented into the Dark Daughters. She wants things to work the right way and such things should be brought out more into the world.

Fabulous book!!

For book one Marked 's review click here

Happy Monday

SIDE NOTE

Because Jodi Picoult Books are soo emotional for me (I'm a major cry-baby) I have decided to read one Jodi Picoult book and the read one book from the House of Night Series. So I will be switching back and forth for a bit, trying to read them all, get reviews done and keep my sanity!

Mr. and I have been debating on an EREADER!! I am sooo excited! It would save a ton of money from me buying books and renewing library cards or chapters cards. We are thinking of getting the Ereader PRS00S in silver.

I don't want touch screen, because you loss screen clarity and I don't really have a need for a dictionary, because usually when I need a dictionary it's because I am reading a Jane Austen book and it's an old English term. It is sooo beautiful!! I love love it!!

I think Mr. is probably buying it tomorrow! Then I will have a TON more books to read!! I am hoping to find my books for the Once Upon a Time Challenge, because I haven't been able to find them at all yet :(

Have an awesome Friday!!

Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

I have finished Vanishing Acts. And I have to say she doesn't write Christian Fiction.

This book was so enjoyable. Things happened that I wasn't expecting. For once my favorite character was the main character, Delia. I also enjoyed the writing style, where you got to hear the thoughts of the main characters. I am sad with the way things turned out with Eric, but couldn't be happier with how things worked out with Fritz. Both Eric and Fritz are Delia's best friends.

If you don't mind a little spoiler I am confused by Delia's mother, Elisa. If Elisa would have done the same thing why was she pressing charges and trying to have Delia's father (Andrew) convicted? Or was there a trail because Andrew had commited a crime and though Elisa didn't want to press charges now, she did when the crime was first commited. Kinda doesn't make sense. Maybe Elisa did wanna press charges until she heard the whole truth and it tookk going to court and hearings for her to realize that?

I am sad about the character Ruthann. It was a shock when she died and it was all so strange. And yet, it was totally perfect for the book. I enjoyed learning a bit about the Hopi people, they have strange beliefs. Oh, and there was a SEX scene... of paragraph, that was a whee bit of a surprise! Anywho...

Jodi Picoult's books a very emotional books. I don't think I'll be able to read another one of her books for a while. The best description I have is heart-warming rollercoaster.

And Sohpie is such a pretty name.

New Books

For Christmas Mr.'s Mom gave me

Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

I really enjoy this Author. She wrote My Sister's Keeper. One of my favorite tear-jerking books/movie.

Speaking of Jodi Picoult this weekend, while visiting a friend, she offered me some books! And I totally took her up on it! So here is the three awesome books she gave me!

The Tenth Circle

Change of Heart

Songs of the Humpback Whale

SO I have lots of books to read and I am sooo excited!!

The Tudor Rose by Margaret Campbell Barnes

I love history, especially history novels of the Tudor family. Sure its mostly fictional, but I love the stories.

This book was a different side I haven't read before. Most times when you read about the Tudors you hear of Queen Elizabeth I and her father King Henry VIII. This book was about King Henry the VIII's mother and her life. Elizabeth of York and her trails, the presumed unsolved murders of her brothers Edward V and Richard, Duke of York and her marriage.

I liked how at the beginning, the book gave details of Edward V and Richard, Duke of York. It is depressing though, that one will never know what truly happened to these boys. And then you have to wonder, if Henry VII had the real Richard, Duke of York beheaded (I think it was beheaded) or if it was a pretender. I hope it has a pretender for the sake of Elizabeth of York.

The first pretender mentioned was a lad by the name of Lambert Simmel. He didn't last as pretender long and later worked in the kitchens of Henry VII. The second pretender was around for years was called Perkin Warbeck or Richard, Duke of York or Dickon, as his family called him. Perkin is what I will call him, because I hope he was a pretender, married Katherine Gordan. By all accounts this book and many other books I have read Katherine and Perkin had real true love, its quite fasinating to read about. I am unsure if he was hung or what. Tower Hill is mentioned as well as Gallows, but I am unsure what either are.

Enough about pretenders. Elizabeth I was a beautiful woman who did wonderful things for her family and country. It is to bad that her son choose not to be so kind (he did murder some of his wifes!) Elizabeth suffered from something called Ague, which by the description in the book is quite painful. "Ague - A fever (such as from malaria) that is marked by paroxysms of chills, fever, and sweating recurring regular intervals. Also a fit of shivering, a chill. Ague can refer to both chills and fevers."

I enjoyed the details the author gives us. Like Elizabeths wedding gown in the very first chapter. Also when she tells us the exact moment Elizabeth became 'Queen' (not literally in a crowned sense, more of by her actions)

It was a fabulous book and I really enjoy it. I am totally gonna look for the rest of Margaret Campbell Barnes books

Jane Austen

Starting off the new year with...

I have bought the complete series of Jane Austen Books. I am so happy!! So many wonderful smelling pages!! I LOVE how a new book smells.

Sadly it does mean that I now have two copies of Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park. But it was WAY cheaper to buy on HUGE book instead of all the small individual books. So it works out.

I have decided to start reading

I can't wait! I have already seen the movie, so I should be able to follow the story easier.

I have already made several posts about Emma,

so choosing what to read was pretty easy.

♥ Namine ♥

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

To see more of my notes on this book please seen my Jane Austen Project Blog

CONCLUSION

To start I found this book very dull and hard to understand. The Characters were difficult to relate too, but I grew up extremely and Catherine was extremely naive . The last 6 chapters were my favorite. The story picked up and started to get a little exciting. Things finally started happening.

The last chapter was a bit disappointing, but Catherine and Henry did end up married.

I wish Jane Austen had shared Isabella's and Captain Tilney's fates. But I am glad to know Eleanor had a happy ending too.

Now to decide which Jane Austen to read next!!

New Books

My latest Purchases Include

The Tudor Rose

By Margaret Campbell Barnes

AND

The Complete Novels of Jane Austen

(it's all Jane's books in ONE HUGE BOOK)

I am super super excited to start my new reads!!

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

A House of Night Series

Book #1

(technically I have already read this series. However I wasn't doing book reviews then, and it's a really good series, so I decided to start reading it again. I did post a little bit about it before HERE on my main blog.)

Vampires spelled Vampyre. Much fancier you know! This is my second time through this series and I am glad I bought the books. I still don't have the last one, but I shall soon fix that!

Zoey is just an ordinary girl, when one day her life changes dramatically. She is a fabulous character. I have to say that my favorite things about this series is the names. Such fabulous names are used.

Damien

Nala

Neferet

Aphrodite

are among my favorite names. One of my favorite characters is Nala and her "me-eeg-uf-owed"

The story moves fast and is exciting. You don't get lost in lots of characters and things are explained to you because you are learning about this whole new world along with Zoey.

It's a super good tale/story and I read it in 2 lunches and one bath :)

Warriors of Ethandun by N.M. Browne

The Warriors Trilogy

The Third Book in the Series was most definitely my Favorite!! Ursula and Dan go home! To their day and age. But then they realize, that they have changed! They have changed so much from their classmates, that they can't seem to fit in. Things feel to strange for them. Especially for Ursula as she craves the magic. Exciting things happen at the school, and Ursula and Dan have to run. So back in time they go again. Where this time they find enemies are now friends, and the magic is very different from before. It's a thrilling book, and hard for me to read only on my lunch hours!

I decided for this book to do the same thing I did for Bewitching Season.

The Book Recommendation Rules:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Please avoid spoilers!

'He has bewitched the war dog, Sire,' the monk said shortly in heavily accented Aenglisc.

'Might he not have the gifts of a saint, Asser? Are you not perhaps a little too quick to judge a man whose behavior has been exemplary?'

Fortunately for Dan, ...

and I quit there must avoid spoilers!! :)

Awesome Series... now time to find a new book!!