Blood & Chocolate

Blood & Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
Unabridged on 7CDs

Was there a story to this one? If so, I either I never heard it or there was so nothing to it that I missed it. So glad I got this one from the library and didn't invest my own money in it.

True Blood

True Blood - First Season

I bought the first season of the "True Blood" series. The series is loosely based on Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire book series. I like the basic story lines of all 12 of the first season's shows, but there is too much sex (very graphic sex) and the opening credits are flat out disgusting. And the cussing. Seriously, flinging the "f" word around every other sentence? Are there really whole towns where everyone talks that way?

On the plus side, I did like the actor selection. For once, I think the actors were actually selected to match my idea of how the characters in the book would look. Eric is a cutie as is Sam and Jason. Bill is dark and brooding which fits my idea of him completely.

I did like the series. The storylines are based on the books, so it is a good solid story. I will buy next season's set when it comes out. I hope they clean it up a bit.

Marlene Perez Contest

Amberkatze guest author this week is Marlene Perez, author of the teen series "Dead Is". To enter, stop by Amberkatze's blog and let her know what kind of music you've been listening to lately.

http://amberkatze.blogspot.com/2009/05/author-interview-constest-with-marlene.html

Playing for Pizza

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
Unabridged 6CDs

Has John Grisham ever wrote anything that wasn't wonderful? This book was no exception. This was one of his football books rather than his lawyer books and a bit more football detail than I like, but the story was solid and enjoyable. The story revolves around a third string quarterback that throws away a super bowl. The only contract he can get is playing football in Italy.

Kathy's Kindle

Okay, I've gone and done it now. I ordered my Kindle about a week or so ago and it came last night. I'm still learning all the features, but so far so good -- very good in fact!

I found two books I wanted, one I have a paperback of on my TBR shelf and the other on my wishlist. Both cost $0.00. That's right, they were free downloads. "Assassin's Apprentice" by Robin Hobb and "Blood Engines" by TA Pratt.

I also bought "Rick Steve's Paris 2009" in honor of my upcoming vacation. The verdict is still out on the travel book. It sounded like a good idea. Having several 10 lb. travel books downloaded to one 10.2oz device sounded better than lugging the books themselves all around Europe, but I'm going to have to get a lot better at navigating the contents before I decide for sure whether or not the books also go with us.

I was excited to find that audio books can be purchased and listened to on the Kindle as can music. Not only can you listen to music on the Kindle, but you can have your playlist playing in the background as you read. Got to try this feature soon!!

I am disappointed in the fact that I can't organize my books the way I would like to or perhaps I haven't read far enough into the manual. I was hoping to be able to create folders to sort the books into. "Travel", "Fantasy", "Reference", etc. If this is not a feature, then I should suggest it to Amazon. (I know, I know, it's a librarian thing!)

Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy #1: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

A very, very slow start. The book referred back to prior events so often that I thought I was wrong and this was the second book in the series rather than the first. The story was original and very good until the cutting began. Seriously, do writers think books don't influence teenage girls? They don't think that impressionable teengirls won't think "I'm depressed, maybe if I cut myself like such-in-so in my favorite book, I'll feel better." Kids are really susceptible to things like that, much more so than adults. At least it was only a couple of times and it appears to have ended, but still, I don't think I'd recommend this one to any teenaged girls I know. Since I'm an adult and won't go off and cut myself next time I'm depressed, I will give the next book in the series a try. Like I said earlier, it was a bit different and I did like the basic story. It left a few loose ends to that promise to make the next book a good read.

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
Unabridged 6CDs

Story of a 20th century woman who awakes one day to find herself in Jane Austen's time. The story takes some comical turns as she tries to exert her 20th century independence in straight-laced 1700's England. A cute fast listen . I enjoyed the story.

Isabella Moon

Isabella Moon by Laura Benedict

Unabridged on 12CDs

The story was very strange. A little girl's ghost begins appearring to Mary Kate and then suddenly several townspeople begin dying or getting murdered. A very strange story, but a good listen. However, I had a problem with the readers voice. When she was talking in her regular voice she was fine, but when she started trying to do different voices, it was really, really bad. Even the supposedly educated towns people came off as sounding hick and foolish.

Lucinda, Darkly

The Demon Princess Chronicles #1: Lucinda, Darkly by Sunny

This book started out great. The first chapter really caught my attention. Then the second chapter was nothing but a hot, sweaty sex scene. I should have quit right there. The story (was there one?) went downhill fast. The book was nothing but "how do I keep them safe, how do I keep them safe". So if you can't tell already, I didn't like this one much.

Hermit Thrush Sings

The Hermit Thrush Sings by Susan Butler
Unabridged on 5 Cassettes

Overall a nice listen-to audio. The state of Maine (now known as Mainard) has suffered a holocaust and the few survivors are under the rule of tyrant. The people are considered to be no better than animals and are taught untruths. A small band of rebels has surfaced and Leora's sister, long thought dead, appears to be one of the leaders. Leora has a webbed hand that allows her to paint the future. Her hand is kept a secret by her foster family because it is a sign of deformity and if known would cause her family embarrassment and it would send Leora to the insititute. After helping a prisoner escape, Leora is forced to fee herself.

Cemetery Dance

My friend Terra is offering to give away an audiobook by my two favorite authors, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Go over to her blog and check it out! http://terra57.blogspot.com/2009/05/cemetery-dance-by-douglas-preston.html

Isa

Rune Study: Isa

Isa is considered to be the 11th Rune and relates to the goddess Skadi who belongs to the God Hagal. It symbolizes ice. It's object is the ski or sled. It's animal is the reindeer, it's tree the alder and it's color is black.

Skadi was the daughter of Thjazi. She married the god Njord who lived by the seashore and loved the sun, the crashing of the waves and the sea gulls. Skadi preferred the north with their mountain peaks of snow and ice. She loved the wind, the snow and the wolves. Njord agreed to live with her for nine days of every twelve with her in the north and she in turn lived with him by the sea for the remaining three. They became the goddess of the winter and the god of the summer because the Scandinavian people have nine months of winter and three months of summer each year.

Meaning: Withdrawn or taking a step backward. All progress halted. A lack of interest or drive. A parting or a chilly response.

Reversed: Treachery or infidelity.

At Grave's End

Night Huntress #3: At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost

This series has been really good all the way through. Unfortunely, I don't have a copy of the fourth book in the series, so I will have to wait a while to read it. A few zombies make a brief appearance in this one as well as the daughter of Cleopathra. Interesting!

Vote & Win

My friend Amberkatze has decided to add a bit of a twist to her contest this week and is offering a poll to decide which book she will give away. Go over and vote at http://amberkatze.blogspot.com/2009/05/win-book.html then leave a comment. The winner will be announced Sunday, May 17th.

Sex & the City

Sex & the City by Candace Bushnell

Not at all what I expected, but I enjoyed reading this one. Is is a series of short news columns from The Observer. It left me wishing I'd read the book before seeing the television series or the movie.