Lisa Jackson Read-A-Fest

J. Kaye at J. Kaye's Book Blog has announced the Lisa Jackson Read-A-Fest for April 1-June 30. The main idea is:

Beginning April 1st thru June 30th, J. Kaye’s Book Blog will host a Lisa Jackson Read-a-Fest. The idea is to read as many Lisa Jackson books in the months of April, May, and June. It could be as little as one book or as many as you’d like. This is not a reading challenge, but will work well with many of the challenges in place, such as Serial Readers Challenge 2009, 1st in a Series, 2nd in a Series and Series Challenge Season 3.

This sounds like fun and since I love Lisa Jackson but need to get caught up (ahem, started) on her New Orleans series to be ready to read Malice. So my hopeful reading list is:

New Orleans series

• Hot Blooded (2001)
• Cold Blooded (2002)
• Shiver (2006)
• Absolute Fear (2007)
• Almost Dead (2007)
• Lost Souls (2008)

I'll add these into my Spring Reading Challenge as I finish them also. I'm really looking forward to being a part of this - it should be fun. Reading great books plus there are several giveaways for participants. Too check out all the details for yourself - see the links above.

Marked: House of Night Book 1 by P.C. and Kristin Cast

I am an admitted fan of the Twilight series. After reading the Booking Through Thursday responses today I was reminded that even though the Twilight series is a huge seller, it is not reviewed positively by everyone. Bringing me back again to my previous post where I read for me. I do read reviews and if someone is really praising something and it sounds good to me I will want to read it. If someone hates it and it still sounds good to me I will read it. If someone praises it but it doesn't sound good to me I won't read it. I read for entertainment. I do like to think also so sometimes I read for entertainment and to think about an issue (Jodi Picoult's books are and example of this for me), but most of the time I just read for entertainment.

So being a fan of the Twilight series and having read all of them, I decided to see what else was out there. The YA genre seems interesting to me at the moment along with the paranormal so that brought me to trying the House of Night series by P.C. And Kristen Cast. I actually saw these in a B&N a few weeks ago and hadn't heard of them. Then I join the blogging world again and learn more about them. So the first book, Marked, made it onto my Booksfree Queue and made it's way to me.

An interesting take on vampires, not totally new, but not totally and completely done too much either. We find Zoey Redbird leading a fairly ordinary teenage girl life in the beginning of the book. She has friends, a not-so-ex-boyfriend and parent troubles. Then her life is turned upside down when she is "marked" and thus must attend a special school for vampyre fledglings. I found the vampyres-living among us as a known entity interesting as well as the school.

So fast-forward ahead and she's at the school, but not until she has more problems with her parents. Being Christian I actually thought I would have problems with the divide created between organized religion and the vampyres as evidenced by Zoey's mom and stepdad. But I really didn't. The world is honestly full of hypocrites and while I didn't smile at the way her parents were portrayed, it is actually accurate of a lot of religious people (note I said religious which is not always the same as Christian - though I am not one to judge on that either) - scared of what you do not know. So while there are pagan rituals and the like in the book, I saw them as a side theme - something that developed the story and the school better. I don't have to participate in the ritual to read the book. Nor do I have to be a vampyre :)

Once that was realized I relaxed and really enjoyed the book. A great coming of age story. Zoey is a likable character and I look forward to watching her grow more through the books. She's not perfect but she tries to think about all her decisions and make the best ones for her and for those around her. Something that not many people do anymore.

So after all of that - I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA paranormal. It's just a good fiction read. The Cast's have created an interesting world with likeable and not-so-likeable people. It let me escape a few hours and the characters have stayed with me after I finished reading it. So to me that was a worthwhile book and I cannot wait to read the rest of the books in this series.

On Sale Date: May 2007
Date Started: 03-19-09
Date Finished: 03-20-09
From: Booksfree
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Setting: Oklahoma
Character: Zoey Redbird
Pages: 304

Booking Through Thursday

Suggested by Janet:

The opposite of last week’s question: “What’s the best ‘worst’ book you’ve ever read — the one you like despite some negative reviews or features?”

I don't know if I can think of any one book, but I can think of one author. I remember being a teenager and Danielle Steel was all the rage (this was the late 80s/early90s) and I started reading her. I stopped reading for a little while (college got in the way) and then came back and started reading her and many many others. Eventually looking around the internet I found that most people (at least the people that talked about it) did not like Danielle Steel. At first I was horrified - there must be something wrong with me and then I remembered we are all different. What I like someone else may not and I may not like what they like. So I continue to read Danielle Steel. No I don't think some of the newer stuff is the caliber of her older stuff, but it continues to entertain me. And that is often all I ask from a book - just let me live someone else's life for a little while whether that life is good or bad. I know some find her formulaic but I often wonder how the heck authors can come up with new ideas, but they keep doing it and if her novels do follow a pretty standard formula that is okay with me. Again I just want to relax and read.

I also have to say that I read Lightning about 3 months before my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and reading that gave me some idea of what my mom was going to go through and then what she actually went through so there was definitely benefit in that book. Did it mirror my mom's experience - no way, but it did give a very scared 22 year old daughter something to hold on to. (and my mom is now a 13-year cancer survivor)

So join in on Booking Through Thursday today - I'm interested in reading everyone's best "worst" book - I'm always open for a new book to read :) And if anyone feels like admitting at least a little like for Danielle Steel I would like to hear it too (or you can even tell me you think I'm the most insane person you have ever met) :)

Waiting On Wednesday

Jill at Breaking the Spine hosts "Waiting On" Wednesday where everyone posts what new not-yet-published books we are anxiously awaiting. I'm new to this one also but I am looking forward to being a part of it and seeing all the wonderful new releases out there (and hoping my library will get the online card catalog back up so I can reserve books again).

My Entry for this week is:
The newest Sean King/Michelle Maxwell thriller is coming out on April 21, 2009. I love this series, love the characters and Baldacci always thrills with his books.

Here's the summary:

Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, back from their harrowing and near-fatal adventure in the blockbuster #1 bestseller Simple Genius, return in a mesmerizing new thriller. A daring kidnapping turns a children's birthday party at Camp David into a national security nightmare, but the hostage is not who anyone would expect. The First Lady enlists the services of King and Maxwell to bring the child back safely. Years ago, King saved her then-senator husband from an assassin's bullet; whether they shared anything else is their secret. With Michelle still recovering from her own demons the pair are pushed to the limit, with forces aligned on all sides against them, and the line between friend and foe impossible to define...or defend.

So what are you waiting on this week?

What's On Your Nightstand - March

5minutesforbooks hosts "What's On Your Nightstand?" every month on the fourth Tuesday. For more information click on the graphic above. This is my first post for this and I'm looking forward to doing this every month!

So for the month of March so far I have read:

1. Lifelines by C.J. Lyons - Romantic suspense in a medical setting. Loved this and loved getting to know the four main women. I'm looking forward to reading Warning Signs the second in the series very soon. Got this from PBS last year and just finally decided to read it.
   
2. Run for Your Life by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge - what can I say it's another James Patterson book - for some reason I read them all - they are quick reads and definitely hook me. This was another good one to me. From the library before the computer system died and now I can't reserve books from home waaaaaa.....
   
3. Rites of Spring (Break) by Diana Peterfreund - the third in the Secret Society Girl series and this was a good one. I enjoyed it a lot. Liked the suspense, the usual humor and the romance outcome. Can't wait to read the final one in the series out later this spring. From Booksfree since I started my membership again.
   
4. Hot Six by Janet Evanovich - what can you say about these - they are laugh out loud funny. Poor Stephanie with all that happens to her, but she keeps on going. Love her and I love her friends and I love the men too. I still can't decide if I'm a Morelli or a Ranger girl but I'll try and make up my mind soon. Audiobook from the library - just continuing along with the series.
   
5. Thigh High by Christina Dodd - third installment in the Fortune Hunters series, a fun romantic suspense that takes place in New Orleans. Great characters and several LOL moments. Another one from booksfree.
   
6. Triple Cross by Mark T. Sullivan - wow what a book - could hardly put it down! Review can be found here. I received this from Library Thing Early Reviewers. I read the back and started it the very next day because I just had to - the back copy interested me so much!
7. See No Evil by Allison Brennan - review found here. I got this when it came out two years ago. Read the first in the series and then never started this one. Decided I wanted to get back to the series and I'm glad I did.
8. Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr - review here. Great Young Adult book got it on booksfree after reading about it on another blog.
9. Marked by P.C. and Kristen Cast. Wow wow wow! Review will be forthcoming. Another book I heard about while cruising blogs.
10. 14 by J.T. Ellison - 2nd in Taylor Jackson series, great suspense book. Review will be coming shortly. This was mine - it's been on my tbr since it came out and the new one in the series is out so I decided it was time to read.
11. Against Medical Advice by James Patterson and Hal Friedman - Non-fiction - review soon. Great audiobook of the struggles of a boy with Tourrette's syndrome.

Currently Reading:

• Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult - audiobook - it's her new one and I love her books - love the way they make me think about and issue and see it from all sides - no agenda in her books at least to me.
• Cold Hearted by Beverly Barton - romantic suspense - this has grabbed me from page 1!

Next Up:

• Seven Up by Janet Evanovich (library)
  
• The Apprentice by Tess Gerrittsen (library)
  
• Fear No Evil by Allison Brennan (my tbr)
  
• What Looks Like Crazy by Charlotte Hughes (booksfree)
• The Sorority: Eve by Tamara Thorne (booksfree)
• At the Edge by Cait London (booksfree)
• Who By Fire by Diana Spechler (booksfree)
• What Matters Most by Stef Ann Holm (my tbr)
  
• That's Amore by Wendy Markham (my tbr)

That's it for this go round - I hope to read more in the next month and be better about posting reviews!

Tuesday Teaser - March 24th

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• 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!

My teaser:

"Ignore them," Rene told her. "D*** bunch of busybodies!"
"I suppose I should have expected it," Jordan said. "I've been trying to ignore them but I don't think that's possible."

From Cold Hearted by Beverly Barton

Great book so far - I started it yesterday and it has already sucked me in.

Story of a Girl by Sarah Zarr

I read about this book on a blog and I'm sorry to say I can't remember which one. I wish I could because I would go and thank the person who did the review because it made me want to read this book and I'm glad I did.

The book's central question seems to be - can you change your life even though you have made mistakes in the past. As adults we know we can though it can be difficult. As a teenager, Deanna Lambert is struggling with this question. After being caught in an indescetion as a 13-year-old with her brother's best friend by her father, Deanna has had to live with being "that" girl. She's now in high school and even though she is not like "that" anymore, she still lives with it daily. As summer comes she starts to explore more of who she is and how what she has done affects everyone. There is her family - her brother who is her best friend, his girlfriend and their baby daughter. She longs to be a family with them. There is her mother who tries hard to keep the peace in the family but works so much she's hardly there and there is her father who has not really looked at Deanna since that fateful night. Deanna also has two good friends. As the summer progresses Deanna learns a lot of things - about her family, her friends and especially herself. It's a wonderful and quick story to read and I highly recommend it to all - from teenagers to adults.


Author's website

On Sale Date: February 1, 2008
Date Started: 03-19-09
Date Finished: 03-19-09
From: Booksfree
Publisher: Little Brown Young Readers
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Genre: Young Adult
Setting: small town outside San Francisco, CA
Characters: Deanna Lambert, Darren Lambert
Pages: 192

Other Reviews:

Natasha @ Mawbooks