Truth, Justice, and the Austrian Way...

Dunlap, Susanne. The Musician's Daughter. New York: Bloomsbury, 2009.

For someone who likes music, mysteries, and gypsies, this book had everything I needed. It is set in Vienna during the late 18th century. The heroine, Theresa, is the daughter of a first violinist in the  Esterházy orchestra. On the first page, or maybe the second, her father dies under mysterious circumstances. Setting out to find out the truth of her father's death, or at least what happened to his violin, Theresa embarks on an adventure leading her to a series of more and more unlikely places.

Bad news about this book...Dunlap insisted on speaking German, Hungarian, and what ever language the Gypsies spoke. It was kind of annoying to me because she didn't tell me what they were saying except for the one time I already knew. Grrr!

More bad news...the story wrapped up so beautifully at the end I was left thinking "Really? That's convenient. Seriously, you're going there?" and not in a good way. And then she said..."but that's another story" like some cheesy 50s serial..."Tune in next time when we find out if Theresa can escape the dreaded blah blah! Same battime same batchannel!" It made me want her to say, "Meanwhile, back at the ranch..." but she didn't.

What I liked best about this book was that the author has a PhD in music history from Yale and an some kind of music something-something from Smith (in other words, she's no moron). She incorporates a lot of that passion for music (and music history) into the story. "Theresa" talks about how music is how her soul speaks which, as a musician, I can appreciate. On the other hand, she longs for a violin rather than her viola. Which I think is crazy, violas are way prettier than violins.

JK (The just kidding kind not the Rowling)

I revoke my blessing on the Iron Fey series. The third one was horrible. The only reason I read 82 pages is because I didn't want to go out to my car to get another book. BOO!! HISS!! Seriously, next person who writes about an immortal guy falling in love with an average girl and how they can never make it because eventual she will die and then he will kill himself. I'm burning it! Twice!

That said, I am still going to give the fourth a go. It's told from his perspective and he's all angsty and hot.

Even though it's Harlequin...Fabio is not involved!

Kagawa, Julie. Iron Fey. Ontario: Harlequin Teen

So, Harlequin has a stigma. This is not it! There is no bodice ripping, bosoms heaving, and there is definitely not Fabio.

Disclaimer: I can only testify to the quality of the first two--I just assume that the other two are good.

The Iron King is told from the perspective of  Meghan Chase. It starts the day before her 16th birthday...and everyone knows that when you turn 16 you find your true love in the form of a handsome prince who carries you off into the sunset. Those are her words not mine. Awesomeness ensues!!

It's all about the accent...

Davis, Heather. Never Cry Werewolf. New York : HarperTeen, 2009.

This is another in the long line of paranormal teen romance set in the Pacific Northwest. It is a really short book; I read it in like 2-3 hours. (Ok, I don't remember either of the main characters names if that says anything about the book. I'm going to call the girl Bella and the boy Jacob. In other words, this story is about a normal brunette girl who finds herself mixed up with a werewolf.) Best parts: 1.) "Jacob" is British in this book and "Bella" says something about how much she loves accents and has to listen carefully so as not to miss a word he says. 2.) Like another book involving Bella, this "Bella" is somewhat obsessive about the way the hero smells and the color of his eyes which seemed to change. (I guess Davis forgot that that happens to vampires not werewolves.) Personally, I thought...been there done that. But I was kind and just went with it. Here's where the best part comes in. She says that his smell is like "kryptonite for girls." BUT what would have made it better would be is if the put the two things together. "Accents, I love accents. They're like kryptonite for girls."

I am not spellbound

Stringer, Helen. Spellbinder. New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2009.

I have a rule: if the book is not amazing in fifty pages, I put it down. Sometimes, I look at the end to see if it’s worth it and sometimes I just give it a miss. Now it takes a lot for me not to be wowed. Someone put a lot of work into their story and I can appreciate that. (Anna Karenna read the first fifty pages and the last fifty. Sadly, the story still made sense. Makes me not wonder what was in the middle ten thousand.) This book didn’t make the cut. I didn’t even look at the back to see what happened. And it had such potential. L

It has Capt. Wentworth and Mr. Darcy! It can't be that bad!

Bebris, Carrie. The Deception at Lyme, or, The Peril of Persuasion. New York: Tor Books, 2011.

Ok, this series is my deep dark secret. I want to be above it, but I keep reading. This is book 6! It's based on Jane Austen's characters. (Pass on the first two. They have paranormal activities and it's too jarring to have Fitzwilliam Darcy talking about ghosts and Dorian Gray style stuff. After those, they're much better.) This one involves the Persuasion characters: Captian and Mrs Wentworth and the whole Elliot clan. The first time the reader meets Wentworth, he's soaking wet. That should be enough to whet your appetite for this book or should I say "wet"...no I shouldn't.

I think Bebris does a great job at staying true to the Austen characters while making them her own at least for the most part. A million times better than say...Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. (Why would Darcy talk to Elizabeth about his balls even if he is referring to the musket kind? Seth Grahame-Smith, get your obvious dudeness out of P & P! It's a chick book. Hence the long string of hotties who have tried to live up to Mr. Darcy: Colin Firth...does the list really need to continue? When he jumps in that nasty water at Pemberley...sigh...another excellent example of "wetting" your appetite, eh? No, I just can't do it. )

I think someone should write about a rhombus

Condie, Ally. Crossed. New York: Dutton Books, 2011.

I am very tired of reading about love triangles they make my heart ache. I think real writers should choose a new shape. I suggest a rhombus, but I am also open to squares, stars, and octagons. Actually, I changed my mind an octagon is way more exciting than a rhombus.

In other news...I really liked Matched. I just regularly liked Crossed. To me, the two voices telling the story weren't strong enough. Sometimes, particularly when I took a break from the book, I had to stop and think who is I? because it was difficult to tell if it was Cassia or Ky talking. Bad news since their stories are so different.

Like Riordan's last book this is the awkward middle child. Hopefully, the best is yet to come.

Get your religion out of my fairy tale!

Stanley, Diane. The Silver Bowl. New York: Harper, c2011.

Mixed feelings…If this book wasn’t choking me with medieval Catholic dogma, I would give it two thumbs up. Sadly, it does. I remembered too late that Ella at Midnight, also by Stanley, had the same problem. To me, if you are going to write fantasy, then write fantasy and don’t spoon feed me real religion. On the other hand, I did love the characters and even the love triangle which is not something I ever thought I’d say. Generally, I get too caught up in the characters heartache. Jacob, Bella, and Edward almost killed me (The Twilight Saga). And I’m not sure I’ll make it through Ky, Cassia, and Xander (Matched). I love both of them! How I’m I going to make it two more books?

I love Leo! and now I miss him!

Riordan, Rick. The Lost Hero. New York: Disney * Hyperion Books, 2010.

I had to reread this book in preparation for The Son of Neptune release. I love Rick Riordan! Leo has got to be one of the funniest and unexpected heroes ever! I can’t get enough of him.

Riordan, Rick. The Son of Neptune. New York: Disney * Hyperion Books, 2011.

I know he’s coming back, but I missed him. Percy, Frank, and Hazel were just not as funny, although I did love Ella. Who wouldn’t love a bibliophile randomly spewing what she read? J

This is the second book in the Heroes of Olympus trilogy. There was action, adventure, Greek and Roman gods/villains, and killer grain! (Yep, grain.) I loved it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want Leo back.