My TBR List - March 2016 - Faery

Welcome to my March 2016 edition of My To Be Read List, hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading. This is a monthly meme where we offer up 3 choices from our TBR pile for our readers to pick from to help us make the super hard decision of "what do I read next?" a little easier and to whittle away at the ever growing TBR Mountain! 

Theme: Faery, I thought that was an appropriate March idea! ;) Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me which you chose and why.

The poll will stay open through Friday 3/11 , and I'll update this post with the winning book on Saturday 3/12, then post a review on the 4th Saturday of the month, 3/26. (I may be a little late this month, unless I can get it read early!)

If you think this sounds fun and would like to join (the more the merrier, because we love voting!) please head on over to Because Reading where Michelle lays out the rules for us!

And the choices are...

From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky—and equally dangerous—dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . . Lament is a dark faerie fantasy that features authentic Celtic faerie lore, plus cover art and interior illustrations by acclaimed faerie artist Julia Jeffrey.

From Goodreads: Swept away into a court of magic and beauty, she discovers she is Tania, the lost princess of Faerie: the youngest daughter of Oberon and Titania. Since Tania's mysterious disappearance on the eve of her wedding five hundred years before, Faerie has been sunk in darkness and gloom. The courtly Lord Gabriel Drake, who Tania was once to marry, has found her and brought her back. With Tania's return, Faerie comes alive again as a land of winged children, glittering balls, and fantastic delights. But Tania can't forget Anita's world, or the boy she loved there. Torn between two loves and between two worlds, Tania slowly comes to discover why she disappeared so long ago. She possesses a singular magical ability and she must use it to stop a sinister plan that threatens the entire world of Faerie.

From Goodreads: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined. Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil, no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

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Nefertiti's Heart (Artifact Hunters #1) by A. W. Exley

From Goodreads: Cara Devon has always suffered curiosity and impetuousness, but tangling with a serial killer might cure that. Permanently. 1861. Cara has a simple mission in London – finalise her father’s estate and sell off his damned collection of priceless artifacts. Her plan goes awry when a killer stalks the nobility, searching for an ancient Egyptian relic rumoured to hold the key to immortality. Nathaniel Trent, known as the villainous viscount, is relentless in his desire to lay his hands on both Cara and the priceless artifacts. His icy exterior and fiery touch stirs Cara’s demons, or could he lay them to rest? Self-preservation fuels Cara’s search for the gem known as Nefertiti’s Heart. In a society where everyone wears a mask to hide their true intent, she needs to figure out who to trust, before she sacrifices her own heart and life.

I'm a sucker for anything remotely Egyptian or Archaeology themed, so the term artifact hunter in the series title of course perks my little ears up! It means exciting finds and adventure, (I know the reality is usually far different, but in novels it means exciting finds and adventure! Just go with me here...) which Nefertiti's Heart delivers, with the promise of a whole series of same! Yay!

Our heroine is a tough rogue of a young lady who is tired of getting knocked down by life and is determined to live on her own terms now, exacting a bit of a revenge for her bad treatment at the same time. We have a charming, maybe good heart-ed but definitely dangerous love interest for our Miss Devon, who might be our bad guy, or might not, we aren't sure. We have a highly sought after artifact steeped in mythological lore and promising immortal life! What more could we need?! More adventures of course!

This was a fun and colorful adventure with great characters that I really enjoyed. Lucky for me, a friend has recently gifted me with several more in the series, so I'm all ready to go!

Read for Winter 2015 #COYER

Loose Ends (Mary O'Reilly #1) - Terri Reid

From Goodreads: Dying is what changed Mary O’Reilly’s life. Well, actually, coming back from the dead and having the ability to communicate with ghosts is really what did it. Now, a private investigator in rural Freeport, Illinois, Mary’s trying to learn how to incorporate her experience as a Chicago cop and new-found talent into a real job. Her challenge is to solve the mysteries, get real evidence (a ghost’s word just doesn’t hold up in court), and be sure the folks in town, especially the handsome new police chief, doesn’t think she’s nuts. Twenty-four years ago, a young woman drowned in the swimming pool of a newly elected State Senator. It was ruled an accident. But now, as the Senator prepares to move on to higher positions, the ghost of the woman is appearing to the Senator’s wife. Mary is hired to discover the truth behind the death. She unearths a connection between the murder and the disappearance of five little girls whose cases, twenty-four years later, are still all unsolved. As she digs further, she becomes the next target for the serial killers’ quest to tie up all his loose ends.

Loose Ends starts with a bang, and a few thumps, as Mary's character and lifestyle are established right off the bat!  Poor thing is a beacon for the dead with unresolved issues, so it's a good thing she's a tough gal because being constantly approached by those that have passed on, often not gracefully, is not for the weak of heart.

This was a good paranormal mystery, quick paced and interesting, with some humor and some eerieness, though we're firmly on the side of getting these poor souls some help, even ready to cheer when they are able to help themselves and get some well-deserved justice.  Bradley the new chief of police and Mary's friends Rosie and Stanley are likable characters, rounding out this great start to a series.

I'm looking forward to seeing what interesting investigations Mary is drawn into next and want to know what the resolution to Bradley's life mystery will be.  I'm sure Rosie and Stanley will be right there as Mary's accomplices as well!

Ready for Winter 2015 #COYER

Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

From Goodreads: Heather Wells Rocks! Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two — and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft. The cops and the college president are ready to chalk the death off as an accident, the result of reckless youthful mischief. But Heather knows teenage girls . . . and girls do not elevator surf. Yet no one wants to listen — not the police, her colleagues, or the P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives — even when more students start turning up dead in equally ordinary and subtly sinister ways. So Heather makes the decision to take on yet another new career: as spunky girl detective! But her new job comes with few benefits, no cheering crowds, and lots of liabilities, some of them potentially fatal. And nothing ticks off a killer more than a portly ex-pop star who's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong . . .

Heather and I got along great!  Her favorite candy bar is Butterfinger, so is mine! Her imagination runs away with her, so does mine! She was a teen pop star, so was... well, no, that's pretty much all we have in common, candy bars and an overactive imagination.  But that's okay, we still had a lot of fun together, almost, but not quite being recognized by almost everyone, never living up to Justine's reputation, almost getting killed, a few times, and solving some murders.  It was all in a days work for the Assistant Director of the dor-- I mean residence hall!

I do like Meg Cabot's writing, she is humorous and creates endearing characters. They may not always be the brightest, but you still love them! I enjoyed this pick from My TBR list very much and am looking forward to the rest of the series!

Traitor's Masque - Giveaway Winner!

From Goodreads: Eighteen-year-old Trystan Colbourne believes she has nothing to lose. Her father has died, her stepmother has stolen her inheritance, and her stepsisters are as vicious as they are beautiful. If she wants a future beyond their cruelty and indifference, she has just one chance to make it for herself—by accepting an enticing offer from an unexpected benefactor. The offer? A life of freedom in exchange for her part in a harmless deception. Trystan hopes her freedom will give her the chance to find out whether her mysterious new friend Donevan can be trusted with her secrets… and her heart. But trust is a dangerous business, and when her harmless deception turns sinister, Trystan discovers that trusting the wrong person may have placed the entire kingdom of Andar in grave peril. Unwittingly embroiled in espionage, treason, and deadly intrigue, Trystan will be forced to decide who she really wants to be, and how high a price she’s willing to pay to make her dreams come true.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Congratulations Barb! You won by visiting Kenley on Facebook! I will get your Kindle copy sent out to you today! Enjoy! :D

My TBR List - February 2016 - And the Winner is... Size 12 is Not Fat

From Goodreads: Heather Wells Rocks! Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two — and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft. The cops and the college president are ready to chalk the death off as an accident, the result of reckless youthful mischief. But Heather knows teenage girls . . . and girls do not elevator surf. Yet no one wants to listen — not the police, her colleagues, or the P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives — even when more students start turning up dead in equally ordinary and subtly sinister ways. So Heather makes the decision to take on yet another new career: as spunky girl detective! But her new job comes with few benefits, no cheering crowds, and lots of liabilities, some of them potentially fatal. And nothing ticks off a killer more than a portly ex-pop star who's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong . . .

Check back in with me on 2/27 to see how Heather and I got along! I'm pretty sure we'll be friends though! ;)

Traitor's Masque by Kenley Davidson (Giveaway)

From Goodreads: Eighteen-year-old Trystan Colbourne believes she has nothing to lose. Her father has died, her stepmother has stolen her inheritance, and her stepsisters are as vicious as they are beautiful. If she wants a future beyond their cruelty and indifference, she has just one chance to make it for herself—by accepting an enticing offer from an unexpected benefactor. The offer? A life of freedom in exchange for her part in a harmless deception. Trystan hopes her freedom will give her the chance to find out whether her mysterious new friend Donevan can be trusted with her secrets… and her heart. But trust is a dangerous business, and when her harmless deception turns sinister, Trystan discovers that trusting the wrong person may have placed the entire kingdom of Andar in grave peril. Unwittingly embroiled in espionage, treason, and deadly intrigue, Trystan will be forced to decide who she really wants to be, and how high a price she’s willing to pay to make her dreams come true.

This is not just a Cinderella re-telling. The traditional fairy tale plot line is the driver for Trystan's big decision, but there is so much more to this story than that. Our heroine must grapple with putting what she knows is right, not just over what she wants, but ultimately over her own freedom from an oppressive life, no small thing.  She becomes a changed person in the process, but once decided, never wavers.

The main characters are fully fleshed out and likable, their banter together is fun, further rounding their personalities.  I definitely rooted for them, and enjoyed the supporting characters as well.  As a debut novel I think this was great, and I'm looking forward to more from Kenley Davidson!

It's been awhile since I've done a giveaway, and I think Traitor's Masque is perfect for it!  I would love to share this story by giving away a kindle copy for another reader to enjoy.  That reader could be you! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway I read this for Winter COYER 2015/2016 as I received my copy gratis for review.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

From Goodreads: IT TAKES THE WISDOM OF YODA TO SURVIVE THE SIXTH GRADE Meet Dwight, a sixth-grade oddball. Dwight does a lot of weird things, like wearing the same T-shirt for a month or telling people to call him "Captain Dwight." This is embarrassing, particularly for Tommy, who sits with him at lunch every day. But Dwight does one cool thing. He makes origami. One day he makes an origami finger puppet of Yoda. And that's when things get mysterious. Origami Yoda can predict the future and suggest the best way to deal with a tricky situation. His advice actually works, and soon most of the sixth grade is lining up with questions. Tommy wants to know how Origami Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. Is Yoda tapping into the Force? It's crucial that Tommy figure out the mystery before he takes Yoda's advice about something VERY IMPORTANT that has to do with a girl. This is Tommy's case file of his investigation into "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda."

I've been wanting to check this series out for awhile now, so when I saw the audio available at the library, I decided it was just the thing I needed. I was looking for a quick and fun listen, which it definitely was. The concept is hilarious, getting advice from an origami puppet of Yoda, with an apparent mind of his own. It's treated like a case file with interviews from all those who had an interaction with the puppet, trying to decide if there's something more there, if the puppet is special. That being said, I think it was written at a little bit younger of a level than I can truly enjoy any more, I just wasn't the kind of kid this speaks to, but it was a quick and enjoyable listen, as I'm sure it would also be to read. I'm not sure if I'll read more in the series, maybe some day if I'm again in need of a super fast and light listen. I love the covers and the titles, they are great!

Read for the 2016 Library Challenge

My To Be Read List - February 2016 - Feeling Pretty

Welcome to my February 2016 edition of My To Be Read List, hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading. This is a monthly meme where we offer up 3 choices from our TBR pile for our readers to pick from to help us make the super hard decision of "what do I read next?" a little easier and to whittle away at the ever growing TBR Mountain! 

Theme: Feeling Pretty: these all have a dress on the cover, and I thought that was a good February theme.  Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me which you chose and why.

The poll will stay open through Friday 2/12 , and I'll update this post with the winning book on Saturday 2/13, then post a review on the 4th Saturday of the month, 2/27.

If you think this sounds fun and would like to join (the more the merrier, because we love voting!) please head on over to Because Reading where Michelle lays out the rules for us!

And the choices are...

From Goodreads: (Sophie Katz #5) Overjoyed at Maryanne's engagement, amateur sleuth Sophie Katz can't wait for the wedding vows and party toasts to begin. But then Dena—best friend, bridesmaid and all-around vixen—is mysteriously shot just after the announcement. Leave this to the authorities? No way. Dena may never walk again, and Sophie vows to marry her fists with the shooter's face. Problem is, the number of suspects is off the charts—from jaded lovers to anti-free-lovers to just plain old haters. Dena's made plenty of enemies thanks to her popular sex shop—and, yes, she's no saint—but really, who deserves to be shot? With an überlogical almost boyfriend condemning her vigilante quest, and a wedding planner going vicariously bridezilla over the dream princess wedding, Sophie's barely thinking straight. But if she can keep her cool (and avoid all errant taffeta), she just might nab her man and save the (wedding) day. Big if.

From Goodreads: Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they? When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie—a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance—mysteriously appears, she has one request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, because Sadie cannot rest without it. Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from and about each other. Written with all the irrepressible charm and humor that have made Sophie Kinsella’s books beloved by millions, Twenties Girl is also a deeply moving testament to the transcendent bonds of friendship and family.

From Goodreads: Heather Wells Rocks! Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two — and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft. The cops and the college president are ready to chalk the death off as an accident, the result of reckless youthful mischief. But Heather knows teenage girls . . . and girls do not elevator surf. Yet no one wants to listen — not the police, her colleagues, or the P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives — even when more students start turning up dead in equally ordinary and subtly sinister ways. So Heather makes the decision to take on yet another new career: as spunky girl detective! But her new job comes with few benefits, no cheering crowds, and lots of liabilities, some of them potentially fatal. And nothing ticks off a killer more than a portly ex-pop star who's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong . . .

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Claus: Legend of the Fat Man by Tony Bertauski

From Goodreads: Some legends are forged in fire. Others are born in snow. In the early 1800s, Nicholas, Jessica and Jon Santa attempt the first human trek to the North Pole and stumble upon an ancient race of people left over from the Ice Age. They are short, fat and hairy. They slide across the ice on scaly soles and carve their homes in the ice that floats on the Arctic Ocean. The elven are adapted to life in the extreme cold. They are as wise as they are ancient. Their scientific advancements have yielded great inventions -- time-stopping devices and gravitational spheres that build living snowmen and genetically-modified reindeer that leap great distances. They’ve even unlocked the secrets to aging. For 40,000 years, they have lived in peace. Until now. An elven known as The Cold One has divided his people. He’s tired of their seclusion and wants to conquer the world. Only one elven stands between The Cold One and total chaos. He’s white-bearded and red-coated. The Santa family will help him stop The Cold One. They will come to the aid of a legendary elven known as… Claus.

I know, it's a little late, or early, to be reviewing a holiday book, but I'm FINALLY getting around to writing it up!

I have mixed feelings on this one. I had friends who rated it highly, so maybe that made my expectations too great going in. You don't really get very many holiday fantasy reads, and that is how I would classify this, so that is a point in it's favor. I did like the Reindeer and Frosty, and the manifestation of traditional Christmas ideas into an almost sci-fi setting. Even though it took place here on earth, the technology level of the elven far surpassed the humans, as you can tell just from the blurb above. The plot was fine, I think what I really didn't like was Jack. I know he had to be awful, that was his role in the story, but his constant yelling and childish desires with a ruler's power behind them were annoying, even though I realize that was the point. He was a child throwing a continuous tantrum and it was tiring to me. Now, he does have a plausible reason for being the way he is, but I wonder if we didn't start getting into that too late for me, because I was already done with him by then. He was just too over the top.

I do recommend it if you're looking for some holiday reading, especially fantasy, since most of what it is out there is romance and cozy mysteries. I'm not sure if I'll be continuing the series, we'll see if I'm in the mood around the holidays. I gave this one a 3/5.

This was my first read for the winter edition of COYER. 

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

From Goodreads: The three laws of Robotics: 1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2) A robot must obey orders givein to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future--a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete. Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world--all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asmiov's trademark.

Finally! I have read I, Robot, as well as it being my first book by Asimov! I had a hard time deciding what image to use above, as the one I listened to from the library was of course the newest cover from the movie starring Will Smith.  Here is another cover that I found on Wikipedia that says it is the first edition from 1950.

The book is very different from the movie, in fact the movie itself comes entirely, and with a lot of artistic license and expansion from only one of the short stories in the collection, Little Lost Robot.

Asimov is a giant in the science fiction genre, and while I've been aware of him most of my reading life, from at least junior high on, I've felt I should read some, but also steered away, fearing it would be too dry and not interesting to me.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  The collection of stories are set up as reminiscences by Dr. Susan Calvin, Chief Robopsychologist, as she is getting ready to retire from U.S. Robotics and Mechanical Men, and are all centered around times that robots have "gone wrong" or not behaved as expected.  Almost every time it comes down to a dilemma over how to interpret the first rule of robotics: 1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.  Often the robot's interpretation is different from our own, or extends farther than we intended because they are being logical and are not able to make distinctions in levels of harm, considering them all the same, which causes some very difficult situations.

Far from being dry however, there is plenty of humor and emotion in the stories, even the robots seem to exhibit feelings on occasion that we would not normally attribute to them.  There is also the fear that what we have created will take over, and sometimes they did.  A couple of recurring characters, Powell and Donovan, always get into tough spots as field testers.  One of my favorites was the robot that didn't believe they had put him together, and went on to form his own pseudo-religious order at the base, even after they showed him how they had put him together, he came up with explanations for it.  It's not unlike some of our own current dilemmas.

I enjoyed this collection very much, it's insightful and thoughtful, at the same time as being entertaining and I at least really felt for Susan Calvin, as we travel with her through her life and how it has been shaped by the robots, in one instance very painfully, and again because of an unforseen interpretation of the first law.  There is another book, I, Robot: To Protect by Mickey Zucker Reichert, set in the same world that tells the story of Susan Calvin at the beginning of her career, I hope to read that one soon, my husband just did when I brought it home and really enjoyed it.  It is the first of a trilogy, each one focusing on one of the 3 laws and featuring Susan.  Of course there are also many more robot books by Asimov as well that I will get to eventually!

So what have I learned?  Don't fear the classics, they are often more engaging than you think they will be!  I definitely recommend I, Robot to anyone wanting to get into reading Asimov, and who are interested in robots as characters and the dilemmas that arise when human thinking and emotion vs. rigidly established rules and logic.

#MyTBRList 

Juding by the Cover #3 - Gene Mollica

I discovered Gene Mollica through a little series call The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. I love the story and I loved the covers! Gene really brought Atticus to life, so when I saw a drawing that I think Kevin Hearne shared to win some of the cover art, naturally I entered, following the artist, and looking around at some of his other work, which were covers of other things I had seen and was interested in reading, I recognized almost every cover in his website gallery!

I love Gene's people, they are ready to come off the page on the downswing of a sword or the landing of a jump,  and the backgrounds behind them are just full of color and movement.

Gene is very active on his facebook page, sharing works in progress, and his website is also beautifully done, you can view many probably familiar covers in their original form without the title printing over them, and also purchase signed prints. I'm really tempted to get myself an Atticus, the problem would be deciding which one!

Gene Mollica Facebook       genemollica.com

 

   

Kindred by Octavia Butler

From Goodreads: The first science fiction written by a black woman, Kindred has become a cornerstone of black American literature. This combination of slave memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction is a novel of rich literary complexity. Having just celebrated her 26th birthday in 1976 California, Dana, an African-American woman, is suddenly and inexplicably wrenched through time into antebellum Maryland. After saving a drowning white boy there, she finds herself staring into the barrel of a shotgun and is transported back to the present just in time to save her life. During numerous such time-defying episodes with the same young man, she realizes the challenge she’s been given: to protect this young slaveholder until he can father her own great-grandmother.

"I lost an arm on my last trip home. My left arm."

Is that an opening hook or what? Of course you have to keep reading to find out how she lost her arm!  This is not a happy book, but it is an important one.  There is the sci-fi time traveling element,  but more striking to me was Dana's realization of how easy it was to accept the situation when trying to survive.  As she first finds herself thrown back in time, she is acting a part to survive, but then alarmingly begins to feel like the past is more home than her present.  There is the helplessness of slavery on several levels, the overall black slavery of the time period, her inability to control being jerked back into time, and that she has to keep helping this person who is growing to be such a detestable man, so that she can preserve her own timeline.  Such a daunting and terrifying prospect, being thrown back into that nightmarish time when everything that she is, black, independent and educated, is the exact worst combination of things for her to be to get along.

A definite recommend from me, and I will be looking forward to more of Octavia Butler's work.  Sadly we lost her in 2006, but as this was my first read by her, I have many more to catch up on.

This was my first read for the 2016 Reading Assignment Challenge #2016HW

Undeniable by Bill Nye

"Evolution is one of the most powerful and important ideas ever developed in the history of science. Every question it raises leads to new answers, new discoveries, and new smarter questions. The science of evolution is as expansive as nature itself. It is also the most meaningful creation story that humans have ever found."—Bill Nye Sparked by a controversial debate in February 2014, Bill Nye has set off on an energetic campaign to spread awareness of evolution and the powerful way it shapes our lives. In Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation, he explains why race does not really exist; evaluates the true promise and peril of genetically modified food; reveals how new species are born, in a dog kennel and in a London subway; takes a stroll through 4.5 billion years of time; and explores the new search for alien life, including aliens right here on Earth. With infectious enthusiasm, Bill Nye shows that evolution is much more than a rebuttal to creationism; it is an essential way to understand how nature works—and to change the world. It might also help you get a date on a Saturday night.

Evolution is such a controversial subject. It seems to either make perfect sense to a person or the complete opposite. For the record, I'm on the side of evolution, it just makes sense to me, so in this case Bill was preaching to the choir. This was a fun listen for me because I enjoy science talk when the person lecturing is excited about their subject and can make it fun. Bill is well versed in doing exactly that having had his Bill Nye the Science Guy show, aimed at getting kids interested in science. He's conversational and humorous and just super excited about it! He also makes no bones about which side of the fence he's on, and what he thinks of those who are on the other side. I'm not sure how this would go over with someone who is undecided about evolution vs. creationism, but it certainly isn't going to change the mind of someone firmly on the Creationist side. Instead I think it would put them on the defensive and make them even more determined to fight their case. And lets face it, in most subjects where there are such opposing views that are passionately defended, neither side is going to change the mind of the other.

I'm going to say, if you're already on board, and want a fun science lecture packed with interesting information, definitely give it a listen since Bill narrates himself.  If you're undecided, still give it a listen and see what you think, and try to give Bill a pass for being not so diplomatic about the opposing side.  If you're firmly on the side of Creationism... well... I don't know, I'll have to leave that up to you. :)

Read/Listened to for the 2016 I Love Libraries Challenge

A Winter's Respite Read-a-thon - January 18th - 24th, 2016

Come join us over at Seasons of Reading for the Winter's Respite Read-a-thon! Now that the hustle of the holidays is done, it's time to relax with a book or three and work on those 2016 reading challenges!

The sign up page is HERE.

TBR:

I'd like to finish these three up this week, and maybe get a start on something new, we'll see.

 


Update:
I did manage to finish all three of these, so I think I'll call it done and a success!

24 in 48 Read-a-thon - January 16-17, 2016

I'm going to join the 24 in 48 Read-a-thon for the first time, because I just can't resist! I know I will get no where near 24 hours over the weekend, but we'll see how I do anyway.

Beginning at 12:01am on Saturday morning and running through 11:59pm on Sunday night, readers read for 24 hours out of that 48 hour period. You can split that up however you’d like: 20 hours on Saturday, 4 hours on Sunday; 12 hours each day; six 4 hour sessions with 4 hour breaks in between; whatever you’d like. -- from the 24 in 48 website

Currently Reading:



Updates:

9:00 AM Sat: 7% of Nefertiti's Heart, 36 minutes
10:30 AM Sat: 35 minutes of Undeniable
7:15 PM SAT: 6% of Nefertiti's Heart, 30 minutes  and 45 minutes of Undeniable.
10:20 PM SAT: 8% of Nefertiti's Heart, 40 minutes
11:00 AM SUN: 8% of Nefertiti's Heart, 60 minutes, 11 minutes of Undeniable.

Total Time: 4:28
Total Pages:  83 pages of Nefertiti's Heart, and 51 pages of Undeniable = 134 pages


Finished: Nada!  I finished NOTHING! lol!

My favorite reads in 2015 - recommendations

And now it's time for the list you didn't know you were waiting for!  I actually meant to post this a week ago, but you know, stuff and things, they happen. ;)

I hope you had a great reading year in 2015, were able to complete your challenges (but don't be hard on yourself if you didn't, they were just for fun after all!), and are looking forward to more fantastic literary adventures in 2016!  

I'm going to recap with my top 10 reads for the year, just in case you're looking for some recommendations, I know I always am, even though my TBR is enough to keep me busy for several lifetimes!

These are in no particular order but made me laugh, cry, renewed my confidence, inspired me, or took me back to fond memories.  Sometimes all within the same book.  They are books that when I closed the cover on the last page, made me just sit for a bit feeling like I had been allowed to share something special.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes The Princess Bride was a favorite movie for myself and my friends. I was about 14 when it came out. We quickly fell in love with Cary Elwes, and listening to him read his own memoirs of making the movie just made me fall in love with him all over again. Not that I ever stopped! ;)

The Martian by Andy Weir I wasn't sure if I would like this one at first. I was afraid the science talk would be too dry. I couldn't have been more wrong, I loved it! The science is actually interspersed with enough personality and humor of the main character that it never bogs down. I felt like they did a good job on the movie as well, even adding a little to the end to give me the closure I wanted in the book that wasn't really there.

The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Art of Purring by David Michie I love these so much, I love stories told from the animals point of view.  HHC is so much fun because she is so very much a cat, but at the same time tries so hard to understand and employ the Buddhist philosophy in her life.  She has many adventures, and is always in the middle of whatever is going on in the village, not to mention having to help try out new staff who just don't seem to understand how important she is! She gets a real surprise about her own past in this one!  I'm really looking forward to the next installment, The Power of Meow.

You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day  Like many people I discovered Felicia through her web episodes of The Guild, which depict a group of online gamers who decide to meet up in real life. I am an online gamer, though not quite into all the headphones and chat channels, but I have done it, so I can relate.  I loved it, and have seen her a few other places, so when I saw she had written a book, I thought hey, that sounds like fun, and I love the cover!  I love it also when the author is able to read/perform their own work, that makes it so much more special for me (Cary Elwes above, and John Taylor's book from past years being among THE TOP for me).  What I'm struck by is when you start hearing their story, and relating the time during which you became the most aware of them, seems to be the time when they were having the most difficulty in their own lives, and you realize that being a celebrity is not the dream we all think it should be.  I dearly loved listening to Felicia describe her awkward situations and could relate to her in so many ways.  A wonderful read, and I felt like I'd found a kindred spirit by the end.

The Perfect Hope (Inn Boonesboro #3) by Nora Roberts I really never expected to be a Nora Roberts fan, but she got me with this trilogy.  The characters were wonderful and I feel like I could just get in the car and drive to this town and see it all for real. Actually I believe Nora has created some of this for real, so obviously I wasn't the only one who felt that way! I think it would be fun to visit some day.  I definitely recommend this trilogy if you're needing a feel good happy ending story of some bachelor brothers meeting their matches, and helping a ghost find her way in the process. Check out Inn Boonsboro if you'd like to see the real place.

The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde I really enjoy Jasper's Thursday Next series and have enjoyed this one as well.  It's more a kids series in comparison, but is still very witty and enjoyable for adults. Poor Jennifer Strange is still having to hold Kazam Mystical Arts Management together in the absence of it's true leader, who is able to appear only rarely for a few moments at a time.  A fun fantasy series!

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters I tried this out when it came up as one of the Big Library Reads where the e-book is available to anyone for several weeks to all read at the same time. I was drawn by the idea of capturing spirits in photography, and actually learned about a time period in history when there was a terrible flu epidemic, and spiritualism was very popular to try and contact or photograph lost loved ones.  It was an intriguing and intense read and I look forward to more from Cat Winters!

Aunt Dimity Digs In (Aunt Dimity #4) by Nancy Atherton Aunt Dimity has become one of my favorite mystery series of all time. I love Aunt Dimity herself, Reginald and his cousins, the way Nancy Atherton can weave a mystery without a murder (not saying there are not deaths, but not centered around a current murder), and just the whole town in general.  This episode had a Roman Archeological theme, and the antics of the townspeople were hilarious! I can't recommend these cozies enough!

Children of the Storm (Amelia Peabody #15) by Elizabeth Peters As much as I love Aunt Dimity, Amelia Peabody IS my favorite mystery series of all time. Amelia and her family are a riot, and Barbara Rosenblat performs the audiobooks to perfection, reading Amelia and her husband Emerson exactly how I pictured them in my head.  If you love all things Egyptian and a lot of mischief, then make sure to take your parasol, and an extra shirt, and hop on the dahabeeyah for a fun ride!

His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire #1) by Naomi Novik I love Temeraire, he's equal parts innocence, intelligence, mischievous,  sensitive and adventurous and I picture him as being like a cross of  movie version Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon and Tom Hiddleston, because he's also so nice and polite and really doesn't want to bother anyone, though he does have his own ideas and really isn't sure about this duty thing he keeps hearing of.  This is a fun alternate historical fantasy and I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of the series!

2016 Reading Assignment Challenge

Yay! Another reading challenge I shouldn't join, but I'm gonna, cause I wanna!

There are rules and things here -----> 2016 Reading Assignment Challenge Sign Up

I'm declaring Reading Level 1 which is 12 books for the year, 1 per month.

Book List:

1. The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
2. Black and White - Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge
3. Tiger's Curse - Colleen Houck
4. Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
5. The Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness
6. Kindred - Octavia Butler
7. Firelight - Sophie Jordan
8. Infinite Days - Rebecca Maziel
9. The King's Mistress - Emma Campion
10. Rivals for the Crown - Kathleen Givens
11. Queen of Kings - Maria Dahvana Headley
12. The Red Wyvern - Katherine Kerr

These are all books I've received from other Bookcrossers and I need to get them read and passed along!

Bout of Books 15 - January 4th - 10th, 2016

It's Bout of Books time again! Just in case you don't know what that means:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 4th and runs through Sunday, January 10th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 15 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.                                                                  - From the Bout of Books team

Currently Reading: 

All done!

Progress:

1/04/16: 33% of Claus, 59:33 of Riddle
1/05/16: 70% of Claus, 1:51:51 of Riddle
1/06/16: 100% of Claus, 2:29:29 of Riddle, started Magician
1/07/16: 3:12:45 of Riddle, 31% of Magician
1/08/16: 7:12 of Riddle, 58% of Magician
1/09/16: 78% of Magician
1/10/16:  100% of Magician

Finished: 



That's a wrap for this Bout of Books, I'm very pleased with my result! Thanks again to our hostesses for another great Bout of Books, and I'll see you for the next one in May!

My To Be Read List - January 2016 - Classic Sci-Fi

And the Winner is.....

 I'll be honest, I wanted this one to win, though I am still interested in the others.  I have seen the movie, which I realize is probably a lot different than the book.  I was able to check out the audio from our library, which will help a lot because once again I've overestimated how fast I can read! lol!

******************

Welcome to my January 2016 edition of My To Be Read List, hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading. This is a monthly meme where we offer up 3 choices from our TBR pile for our readers to pick from to help us make the super hard decision of "what do I read next?" a little easier and to whittle away at the ever growing TBR Mountain! 

Theme: Classic Sci-Fi - My husband and I are both voracious readers, but sometimes have very different tastes.  I asked him to pick 3 books he'd like me to read.  Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what you chose and why.

The poll will stay open through Friday 1/8 , and I'll update this post with the winning book on Saturday 1/9, then post a review on the last Saturday of the month, 1/30.

If you think this sounds fun and would like to join (the more the merrier, because we love voting!) please head on over to Because Reading where Michelle lays out the rules for us!

And the choices are...

From Goodreads: NAME: Valentine Michael Smith ANCESTRY: Human ORIGIN: Mars Valentine Michael Smith is a human being raised on Mars, newly returned to Earth. Among his people for the first time, he struggles to understand the social mores and prejudices of human nature that are so alien to him, while teaching them his own fundamental beliefs in grokking, watersharing, and love.

From Goodreads: The three laws of Robotics: 1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2) A robot must obey orders givein to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future--a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete. Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world--all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asmiov's trademark.

From Goodreads: Simak's "City" is a series of connected stories, a series of legends, myths, and campfire stories told by Dogs about the end of human civilization, centering on the Webster family, who, among their other accomplishments, designed the ships that took Men to the stars and gave Dogs the gift of speech and robots to be their hands.

#MyTBRL