Audiobook giveaway

I hate to post this one cause I want this book all to myself, but my friend Terra is hosting a free audiobook giveaway on her blog, Yankee Romance Reviewers. She is giving away 3 copies of "The Swan Thieves" by Elisabeth Kostova. http://yankeeromancereviewers.blogspot.com/2010/01/swan-thieves-unabridged-3-copy.html

My Soul to Lose

My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent

Everyone I know seemed to be reading this short story. I had it on my Kindle, so I gave it a try. I really liked the story, but it leaves you wanting more. Since I assume this is a teaser for a new series, I'm sure that was the intention, but I would have preferred a story that had a definite end. Kaylee sees shadows around people who are going to die soon. This causes her to have panic, screaming attacks that causes her to wind up in a mental facility. There seem to be some other patients there that understand her problem, but of course none of the adults do.

Farseer Triology

Farseer Triology by Robin Hobb


Awesome triology! This is not a new series, the last book published was in 2002, but it is the kind of fantasy I like to read and am amazed I had not picked it up before now. The main character goes by "Boy", "Newboy", "Fritz" and "Thomas". His father was a prince, his mother unknown. His grandfather leaves him with the royal family and says he is their duty to raise him. He is schooled in the arts of fighting and letters during the day and at night, he is taught the finer points of assassination. A group of raiders are attacking the coast and are "forging" it's citizens. Forged people no longer recognize friends and family. They roam about in a kind of fog, acting like animals and uncaring about anyone or anything. In order to try to stop the raiders, Prince Verity leaves on a quest to contact the Elderlings, beings that helped rid the coastline of invaders once before. While on his quest, his younger, half-brother murders their father, seizes the throne and proclaims Verity dead. After being abused, beaten and left for dead, Fritz sets out to find Verity and return him to his throne. He is aided in his quest by the court Fool, Verity's Queen, a bard, his wit-brother wolf, and a very strange old woman who is a great deal more than she seems.

The Dark Devine

The Dark Devine by Bree Despain

I really hope that the first book I finished this year is an indication of how my year of reading will go. This was an awesome book.

Grace Devine is the daughter of a minister. On the surface, their family is just what they appear to be, happy, caring and loving, not only to each other, but to the world at large. But as families often do, they harbor a secret. One that no one will let Grace in on. The family next door is troubled. Grace and her brother Jude's childhood playmate, Daniel, is abused and eventually comes to live with her family. Then one night, Jude comes home covered in his own blood, Daniel disappears and no one will tell Grace what really happened. A few years later, Daniel returns. Her father tries to help him, her mother and brother refuse to even speak of him, and Grace finds herself falling in love with him. Then mysterious things begin to happen all over the neighborhood. People are turning up dead with what appear to be animal bite marks all over them. Jude blames Daniel, Daniel remains silent. What really did happen the night Daniel disappeared all those years ago? Why won't anyone tell her?

Series

Oh, I get a headache just thinking about books in a series. Have authors forgotten how to write nice, stand alone books?? Seriously, if a series can't be as great and awesome as Wheel of Time or Lord of the Rings, then why bother? It has gotten to the point where I read a book, really like it, look forward to another book by the same author, then realize the next book is the second in the series. IF (and this is a big IF) I can remember what the last book was even about, then I might buy it. Come on authors - get a new idea. Quit using the same one over and over and over and over and over.

Best of 2009

Thought I would do my best reads and/or listens of 2009. It seems this year it was either feast or famine. I probably started more books than I finished and at first glance, I did not think there were many I would care to call favorites. I also got my Kindle this year, so several books I read were actually long short stories (is there such a thing?) or novellas that introduce a new author or series. I tend to read a lot of these as they are free. It was a year of 61 print books and 176 audiobooks. It's an eclectic list, but I've always tended to read most anything. So here is my list (in no particular order):

Books
Several series made the list this time.
House of Night series by PC and Kristin Cast
Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost
Chintz n China series by Yasmine Galnorn
Farseer series by Robin Hobb

Single stand alones or first in a series where I haven't read more yet.
Wild's Call by Jeri Smith-Ready
Midnight Predator by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Along Came a Demon by Linda Welch
Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
Her Wiccan, Wiccan Ways by Traci E Hall
The Walk by Lee Goldberg
The Road to Woodstock by Michael Lang

Now for my favorite audios. As you can probably tell by the numbers, I am a huge audio fan. I can listen to them while I drive to work, take a road trip, lunch at work while I play mindless computer games, while I seriously play World of Warcraft at home, and just about anytime I don't have sit down, quite time. I listened to some old favorites again and found new ones to love.

Audiobooks
Harper Hall series by Anne McCaffrey (read by Sally Darling)
Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (will make the list again next year cause I'm in the middle of it right now)(read by Kate Reading & Michael Kramer)
Cemetary Dance by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (Pendergast series - read by Rene Auberjonois)
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (read by author)
Austenland by Shannon Hale (read by Katherine Kellgren)
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver (read by author - wonderful book)
Murder Room by PD James (read by Charles Keating)
Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson (read by author)
The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir (read by Rosalyn Landor)