Streak O'Lean, Streak O'Fat

This Video by Uncle Earl is strange, yet kind of comical in its own way. Hope y'all enjoy it.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Orchid

Burning for Revenge

Author: John Marsden

Title: Burning for Revenge1

Series: Tomorrow (book 5)

Number of Pages:

Publication Date: 1997

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: "The journey to Stratton isn't an easy trip, especially when the enemy's headquarters lie somewhere along the way. And that's exactly where Ellie and her friends unwittingly find themselves. With only five of them against hundreds of armed soldiers, escape seems like a suicide mission. But Stratton is where Ellie's grandmother lives, so the journey must be made -- even though the odds aren't good. Ellie must summon all of her courage and guerrilla instincts to survive the latest high-stakes installment of the action-packed Tomorrow series."

OMZ2! Burning for Revenge was amazing. It was probably the best book in the series so far and that's saying a lot since I love this series. I don't know what was more fascinating about the story, when they ended up in the enemies stronghold, the fact that their still alive, a certain bit of betrayal by a certain character, or Kevin's mental breakdown.
The action in Burning for Revenge was just thrilling. I could barely put it down for bed when I was reading it. Because with each passing book they become colder and killing has become easier for them. Not to mention that with each book they all get a little closer to going over the edge and losing themselves and their grasp upon right and wrong.
Burning for Revenge has more explosion then any of the previous books and more discord among the group.
I can honestly say that there is nothing that I would want to change about this book, it was just that good. And that there was not a single part of the book that I didn't enjoy reading about. I also cannot wait to read the last two books in the series. :)

Burning for Revenge earns 5 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid3

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1. Burning for Revenge was borrowed from the library.

2. OMZ is short for Oh my zombies.

3. Would've written this sooner, but I wasn't feeling to peachy (I had a bit of a cold).

Ink Exchange

Author: Melissa Marr

Title: Ink Exchange1 

Series: Wicked Lovely (companion novel)

Number of Pages: 358

Publication Date: 2008

Genre: YA/Urban Fantasy

Synopsis: "Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow. Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life. The tattoo does bring changes—not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils. . . ." 

I actually enjoyed reading Ink Exchange more than Wicked Lovely. I liked more because it was infinitely darker, which made for a more interesting read.

Another thing I liked about this book was how Aislinn, Seth, Donia, Keenan weren't really there, but yet they were. Which loosely tied the books togther without making it all about the characters from Wicked Lovely. Giving Leslie a chance to tell her story without losing the limelight and being overshadowed.

I found Irial to be a fascination character who was just old and tired of ruling over the darkcourt and the brutal dark faeries.

The only thing I didn't like about Ink Exchange was how Leslie willingly lost herself temporarly to the allures of the dark court. But she did impress me when she decided that enough was enough and found a way out of the ordeal and started to move on and rebuild her life.

One the coolest thing about the book were the different tattoos, like, the one that she got. I found it to be weirdly fascinating.

All in all I prefered Ink Exchange over Wicked Lovely.

Ink Exchange earns 4 1/2 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid

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1. Ink Exchange was borrowed from the library.

In My Mailbox (22)

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Sadly the only books I order are those that are hard to find. The following books are from the library and bookstores.

Contest Winning:
Author: James Patterson
Title: The Angel Experiment, School's Out Forever, Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports, The Final Warning, and Max; The Dangerous Days of Daniel X and Watch the Skies1
Series: The Fugitives (books 1-3), The Protectors (books 1-2), and Daniel X (books 1-2)
Publication Date: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2008, and 2009
Synopsis: The Angel Experiment- "After the mutant Erasers abduct the youngest member of their group, the "birdkids," who are the result of genetic experimentation, take off in pursuit and find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and purpose."

School's Out Forever- "The heart-stopping quest of six winged kids--led by fourteen-year-old Max--to find their parents and investigate the mind-blowing mystery of their ultimate destiny continues when they're taken under the wing of an FBI agent and attempt, for the first time, to live "normal" lives. But going to school and making friends doesn't stop them from being relentlessly hunted by sinister spies, who lead Max to face her most frightening match yet: a new and better version of herself."

Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports- "In Book 3 of the series, the flock members are faced with a new enemy--robots called Flyboys who are stronger than Erasers and have retractable wings. The last thing Max wants is to keep running for her life, but she has to, taking the Flock across the country. There, they meet the sinister scientist Ter-Borsht, who speaks of something called "Re-Evolution," and the "By-Half Plan": the most frightening human experiment they can imagine--a kind of ethnic cleansing of the entire planet."

The Final Warning- " Max returns in book 4 of the series in a chilling adventure unlike any other. Safe havens for the six highly-sought-after winged kids have become increasingly hard to find-so the flock takes refuge in Antarctica with a team of environmentalists studying the effects of global warming. In this remote wilderness-whether pursued by corrupt governments, bioengineered bad-guys, or the harsh forces of nature-survival of the fittest takes a new twist! Teens, adults, and educators will savor this motivating cautionary tale about a real-life peril that may affect their own future."

Max- " Maximum Ride and the other members of the Flock have barely recovered from their last arctic adventure, when they are confronted by the most frightening catastrophe yet. Millions of fish are dying off the coast of Hawaii and someone-or something-is destroying hundreds of ships. Unable to discover the cause, the government enlists the Flock to help them get to the bottom of the disaster before it is too late. While Max and her team are exploring the depths of the ocean, their every move is being carefullytracked by Mr. Chu-a criminal mastermind with his own plans for the Flock. Can they protect themselves from Mr. Chu's army of mercenaries and save the ocean from utter destruction?"

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X- " The greatest superpower of all isn't to be part spider, part man, or to cast magic spells — the greatest power is the power to create. Daniel has that power. Daniel's secret abilities — like being able to manipulate objects and animals with his mind or to recreate himself in any shape he chooses — have helped him survive. But Daniel doesn't have a normal life. He is the protector of the earth, the Alien Hunter, with a mission beyond what anyone could imagine. From the day that his parents were brutally murdered in front of his very eyes, Daniel has used his unique gifts to hunt down their assassin. Finally, with the help of The List bequeathed to him in his parents' dying breath, he has located the killer. Now, on his own, he vows to take on his father's mission—and to have vengeance in the process."

Watch the Skies- " In the second episode in James Patterson's bestselling series, Alien Hunter Daniel X thought he'd seen it all. But there's no business like show business, and Number Five on his list of deadly targets is the most appalling criminal yet. An intergalactic television producer, he's orchestrated—literally—a reality show featuring the extermination of the human race...and Daniel finds himself cast in the lead role of the terrifying season premiere. Full of action and twists, America's favorite storyteller is back with a chilling adventure for all ages!"

Author: Mark Nykanen
Title: Primitive (Bound Galley)
Publication Date: 2009
Synopsis: "A "neo-primitive" cult, possessing secret government documents filled with terrifying information about global warming, kidnaps a famous fashion model and holds her hostage, forcing her to act as their spokesperson. As time runs out, her estranged daughter allies with a dangerous activist group to rescue her, while battling dark agendas from the government and Big Oil."


Gift:
Author: Sarwat Chadda
Title: The Devil's Kiss (ARC)2
Publication Date: 2009
Synopsis: "As the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar, Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she wasn't normal. Instead of hanging out at the mall or going on dates, she spends her time training as a soldier in her order's ancient battle against the Unholy. Billi's cloistered life is blasted apart when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem, gorgeous and with a dangerous chip on his shoulder. He's ready to reclaim his place in Billi's life, but she's met someone new: amber-eyed Michael, who seems to understand her like no one else, effortlessly claiming a stake in her heart. But the Templars are called to duty before Billi can enjoy the pleasant new twist to her life. One of the order's ancient enemies has resurfaced, searching for a treasure that the Templars have protected for hundreds of years — a cursed mirror powerful enough to kill all of London's firstborn. To save her city from catastrophe, Billi will have to put her heart aside and make sacrifices greater than any of the Templars could have imagined."

Library:

Author: Melissa Marr

Title: Fragile Eternity2
Series: Wicked Lovely
Publication Date: 2009
Synopsis: "Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone—but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he'd ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen. Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who'd always terrified her—but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever imagined. In Melissa Marr's third mesmerizing tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos."

I would like to start by Thanking Krista of Tower of Books for hosting an awesome contest.
I would also like to thank Zombie Girrrl who gave me her ARC of Devil's Kiss. I also won a bound galley of Pirmitive during BBAW.
OMZ, you will not believe how long I have been waiting for Fragile Eternity to be returned to my library. Lets just say that I ahve been first in line on the waiting list since August. I just hope I remember enough about Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange after waiting so long for this one.
That's all for me this week in books. Can't wait to see what everyone else got.
Again, my thank to both Krista and Zombie Girrrl.
Orchid
__________________________________________________________________________________
1. All of the James Patterson books were won from  Krista of Tower of Books who was one of the blogs hosting the Maximum Ride Prize Pack contest.
2. Primitive was won during BBAW.
3. Devil's Kiss  was a gift from ZG.
4. Fragile Eternity was borrowed from the library.  

Wicked Lovely

Author: Melissa Marr
Title: Wicked Lovely1
Series: Wicked Lovely (book 1)
Number of Pages: 328
Publication Date: 2007
Genre: YA/Urban Fantasy
Synopsis: "Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens. Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer. Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires. Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning 21st century faery tale."

Wicked Lovely had a way slower pace then I thought it would when I first picked it up. But the characters and storyline more than made up for its sluggishness.
I think the character I found to be the most intriguing was Biera, whose evilness was quite refreshing. She wasn't bad because of something that happened in her childhood, she was just a mean spirited evil faerie, who just so happened to enjoy making her son miserable. After her my favorite characters would have to be Donia, Seth, and then Aislinn.
My least favorite would have to have been Keenan. I just couldn't stand him.
Being one of the few books about fairies that I have read I found Wicked Lovely to be quite enjoyable. My absolute favorite description in the book would have to be the train that Seth calls home. It just sounded so cool with the artwork on the outside of it.
Another thing I loved about this book was all the different faeries and their interaction with the mortal world. Like how they could blend in if they so chose and how different each of the courts were from each other.
Other than the slightly slow pace of Wicked Lovely it's an excellent read.

Wicked Lovely earns 4 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid2

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1. Wicked Lovely was borrowed from the library.

2. I cannot believe I've been putting off this review since Aug.

H.I.V.E. The Higer Institute for Villainous Education

Author: Mark Walden
Title: H.I.V.E. The Higher Institute for Villainous Education1
Series: H.I.V.E. (book 1)
Number of Pages: 309
Publication Date: 2006
Genre: Fantasy/Action
Synopsis: "Otto Malpense may only be thirteen years old, but so far he has managed to run the orphanage where he lives, and he has come up with a plan clever enough to trick the most powerful man in the country. He is the perfect candidate to become the world's next supervillain. That is why he ends up at H.I.V.E., handpicked to become a member of the incoming class. The students have been kidnapped and brought to a secluded island inside a seemingly active volcano, where the school has resided for decades. All the kids are elite; they are the most athletic, the most technically advanced, and the smartest in the country. Inside the cavernous marble rooms, floodlit hangars, and steel doors, the students are enrolled in Villainy Studies and Stealth and Evasion 101. But what Otto soon comes to realize is that this is a six-year program, and leaving is not an option. With the help of his new friends: an athletic martial-arts expert; a world-famous, beautiful diamond thief; and a spunky computer genius -- the only other people who seem to want to leave -- can Otto achieve what has never been done before and break out of H.I.V.E.?"

The first thing I would like to say about H.I.V.E. is that the main character has the most atrocious name ever. His name Otto Malpense. Which in my opinion is the worst first and last name that I can ever recall reading in a book.
Now that I've said my piece I'll move on to talking about the book.
H.I.V.E. was an extremely quick pace read. I loved how the book has the new students arriving at the school and then you find out as the book goes along how each of them main characters came to be students their. I about cracked up with laughter at the description of Otto's misdeeds before he got caught. Especially what he did to the Prime Minister at the end.
The jury's still out on whether the school's bell was funny or lame2.
Not surprising, my favorite character in the book wasn't one of the main kid. It was Raven the Headmaster's right hand if you will. She was just really cool with the scar running down one side of her face and her double katanas.
Nero3 made an interesting opposition, in that nothing went on without his knowledge, like, how some of the new students in the Alpha stream always try to escape... and always get caught.
While some parts of the plot were a little transparent and easy to figure out it was still a highly interesting book with some kooky characters and bizarre plot twists.
H.I.V.E. is definitely worth checking out and giving a shot.

H.I.V.E. The Higher Institute for Villainous Education earns 4 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid

______________________________________________________________

1. H.I.V.E. The Higher Institute for Villainous Education was borrowed from the library.

2. The school bell was an evil laugh. You know, mwahaha.

3. In that he was evil, yet he cares about the safety of the students. Go figure.

Rapture of the Deep

Author: L.A. Meyer
Title: Rapture of the Deep
Series: A Bloody Jack Adventure (book 7)
Number of Pages: 454
Publication Date: 2009
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis: "On the very day that Jacky Faber is to wed her true love, she is kidnapped by British Naval Intelligence and forced to embark on yet another daring mission—this time to search for sunken Spanish gold. But when Jacky is involved, things don't always go as planned. Jacky has survived battles on the high seas, the stifling propriety of a Boston finishing school, and even confinement in a dank French prison. But no adventure has quite matched her opportunistic street-urchin desires—until now."


I would like to start by saying how much I have enjoyed reading about the adventures of Jacky Faber since I found this series at my library and how I cannot wait for the next instalment in the series of which I a pretty sure that there will be another one. Rapture of the Deep starts off with Jacky and Jaimy preparing to marry. Enter British Intelligence who kidnap both of them on the day of their wedding and then they force her to go on a mission in search of a lost Spanish ship that was loaded full of gold.
The funniest part of the book was when Jacky in her eagerness to share what she found in the water comes up outside of the mini one man sub and gets the bends. It's only funny because she so loopy and nearly killed her fool self.
At the moment nothing springs to mind as my least favorite part from this book. All I can say is after they get taken Rapture of the Deep continues to pick up speed until you realize that its over and all you really want is to read the next adventure. I cannot believe I almost forgot to mention the Brotherhood of the HMS Dolphin was practically reunited in the book, they were only missing one person. With most of them working for... Jacky.
Awesome book with amazing writing and characters.

Rapture of the Deep earns 5 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid

____________________________________________________________________

1. Rapture of the Deep was borrowed from the library.

Darkness Be My Friend

Author: John Marsden

Title: Darkness Be My Friend1
Series: Tomorrow (book 4)
Number of Pages: 264
Publication Date: 1996
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: "Five months into World War III, Ellie and her four remaining friends have barely escaped the Australian town of Wirrawee with their lives and their sanity intact. But as the next step becomes clear, they realize they must once again sacrifice their hard-won comfort and safety. A group of soldiers has recruited the kids to guide the way to the Wirrawee air base. What could possibly motivate Ellie and her friends to return? This risky sabotage mission may be their only hope of rescuing their families, too."


At the end of the previous book Ellie and her remaining friends had been caught and then after an air attack that broke down part of the wall and a close encounter with Major Harvey the remaining ones are rescued and taken to safety. But just five short months later they are heading back to guide a group of Kiwi SAS in an attempt to free Wirrawee and possibly their families.
I had the hardest time putting down this book. It was just so very gripping and amazingly real. Although it was also very happy and terribly sad at points when they received some of the news about friends and family. I find that with each book it becaomes harder and harder for me to put it down until I have finished it and then I just want to go and check out the next one from the library.
It seemed like in Darkness Be My Friend none of their plans went accorrding to plan. The SAS failed and went missing, Lee went missing for a few days and came back with news and slightly crazier than before. Ellie is cracking after a mistake she made during their "holiday" and nothing is going their way... except for one thing. No one's found their base in Hell yet.
Long and short of it, great book, greats series, can't wait to read the next one.

Darkness Be My Friend earns 5 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid

_________________________________________________________________________________

1. Darkness Be My Friend was borrowed from the library.

My Bonny Light Horseman

Author: L.A. Meyer

Title: My Bonny Light Horseman1

Series A Bloody Jack Adventure (book 6)
Number of Pages: 448
Publication Date: 2008
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis: "The irrepressible Jacky Faber is captured by British Naval Intelligence and forced to spy against France in order to save her friends."

OMZ! The British Intelligence officers in this book are purely devious. I was so shocked and then angain not shocked about what they did to Jacky. I'd like nothing more than to tell you what exactly they did, but it would give away part of the book.
I must say that my ZG and I both loved the title of the book (My Bonny Light Horseman).
I think my favorite part of the book would have to be how she managed to keep certain men from getting the better of her while she was undercover. I also liked one of the scenes near the end of the book where it looked like she was about to meet her maker.
My Bonny Light Horseman is full of high adventure, deceit, and spying. There are so many things I could say about this book, but I'm afraid that to mention them all would give away too much of the story. So I'm going to end my review of the awesome sixth book in the A Bloody Jack Adventure series here by saying that it is made of awesome and I cannot wait to read the next installment.

My Bonny Light Horseman earns 5 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid

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1. My Bonny Light Horseman was borrowed from the library.

Mississippi Jack

Author: L.A. Meyer
Title: Mississippi Jack1
Series: A Bloody Jack Adventure (book 5)
Number of Pages: 624
Publication Date: 2007
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis: "Jacky's on the run ... and this time she's finding song and adventure on the
mighty Mississippi."


I am going to start this review by saying that man was this book heavy, it was over 600 pages long.
Mississippi Jack was a barrel of laughs, especially since Jacky and Jaimy kept just missing each other by a couple of days as they both traveled down the Mississippi River. After barely escaping capture by the English, while he is trying to catch up to her, just made for what was probably the funniest Jacky Adventure yet. That is until their miss understanding near the end of the book, but that's a story you should read for yourself.
Jacky manages to make more friends and even more enemies in a book chock full of eccentric characters.
Did I mention she nearly dies... yet again and winds up getting tarred and loses her hair?
Least favorite part of the book might be a couple of the Jaimy chapters.
Favorite part, hmm, most of the book.
It seems to me with each book Jacky finds herself getting into deeper trouble and having more and more trouble getting herself out of tight jams. Could it be that her luck is finally starting to run dry? I don't know, but I do know one thing you cannot help buy root for her to win.
One of these days I'm going to have to buy the whole series.

I can't believe it's taken me this long to write the review for Mississippi Jack, which earns 5 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid

____________________________________________________________________

1. Mississippi Jack was borrowed from the library.

In My Mailbox (21)

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Sadly the only books I order are those that are hard to find. The following books are from the library and bookstores.

Library:

Author: John Marsden

Title: Burning for Revenge

Series: Tomorrow (book 5)
Publication Date: 1997
Synopsis: "The journey to Stratton isn't an easy trip, especially when the enemy's headquarters lie somewhere along the way. And that's exactly where Ellie and her friends unwittingly find themselves. With only five of them against hundreds of armed soldiers, escape seems like a suicide mission. But Stratton is where Ellie's grandmother lives, so the journey must be made -- even though the odds aren't good. Ellie must summon all of her courage and guerrilla instincts to survive the latest high-stakes installment of the action-packed Tomorrow series."

Author: Mark Walden

Title: H.I.V.E. The Higher Institute for Villainous Education

Series: H.I.V.E. (book 1)

Publication Date: 2006
Synopsis: "Otto Malpense may only be thirteen years old, but so far he has managed to run the orphanage where he lives, and he has come up with a plan clever enough to trick the most powerful man in the country. He is the perfect candidate to become the world's next supervillain. That is why he ends up at H.I.V.E., handpicked to become a member of the incoming class. The students have been kidnapped and brought to a secluded island inside a seemingly active volcano, where the school has resided for decades. All the kids are elite; they are the most athletic, the most technically advanced, and the smartest in the country. Inside the cavernous marble rooms, floodlit hangars, and steel doors, the students are enrolled in Villainy Studies and Stealth and Evasion 101. But what Otto soon comes to realize is that this is a six-year program, and leaving is not an option. With the help of his new friends: an athletic martial-arts expert; a world-famous, beautiful diamond thief; and a spunky computer genius -- the only other people who seem to want to leave -- can Otto achieve what has never been done before and break out of H.I.V.E.?"

Author: Robin McKinley
Title: Sunshine
Publication Date: 2003
Synopsis: "A mesmerizing novel of supernatural desire. They took her clothes and sneakers. They dressed her in a long red gown. And they shackled her to the wall of an abandoned mansion-within easy reach of a figure stirring in the moonlight. She knows that it is a vampire. She knows that she's to be his dinner, and that when he is finished with her, she will be dead. Yet, when light breaks, she finds that he has not attempted to harm her. And now it is he who needs her to help him survive the day . ."

As you can see I only picked up three books this week from my library. I'm hoping that after I finish reading H.I.V.E., Burning for Revenge, and Sunshine to catch up on my TBR pile of personal books that I own and haven't read yet.
I can say that H.I.V.E. (which I just Finished) was awesomely funny, and I cannot wait to review it (along with a long list of other books I need to review and publish).
Cannot wait to see what everyone got in their mailboxes this week.

Orchid

Winds of Fury

Author: Mercedes Lackey

Title: Winds of Fury
Series: Mage Winds (book 3)
Number of Pages: 443
Publication Date: 1993
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: "Book Three of The Mage Winds trilogy. No longer the willful novice of Winds of Fate, Princess Herald Elspeth has completed her magical training. She returns to her homeland with her beloved partner Darkwind. Will they be strong enough to confront the magical evil that is threatening their land?"

Winds of Fury1 is the last book in the Mage Winds trilogy and it more than lived up to the first two books in the series and was an excellent end to a fascinating fantasy series. It also doesn't hurt that the series is by one of my all time favorite authors2.I think my favorite part about the whole trilogy would have to be the Tayledras bondbirds. Especially Darkwind's bondbird Vree. Along with how truly evil the villains were, from just flat crazy, to power hungry. Oh, wait all the baddies were power hungry. While the good guys had their various problems that weren't just limited to their opponents trying to obliterate them and their people. They had issues within their families and with friends. I loved how well thought out and fully formed the world that Mercedes Lackey created for this series and the characters were unique and different from each other with their own stories to tell. Would I have wished for something in the book to have been different? I can honestly say no, no I wouldn't. Winds of Fury nicely wrapped up all the loose ends from the previous two books, without your typical sugar coma inducing end of most books, you know where they all live happily ever after. Sure it was happy ending, but it wasn't sappy.I would definitely re-read this series any time and would buy it given a chance to.

The Mage Winds series is a trilogy featuring the following titles:
Winds of Fate
Winds of Change
Winds of Fury

Winds of Fury earns 5 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid

___________________________________________________________________

1. Winds of Fury is a book I borrowed from the library.

2. Mercedes Lackey is one of my all time favorite authors whose books I've been reading from quite awhile.

Dramarama

Author: E. Lockhart
Title: Dramarama
Number of Pages:
Publication Date:
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: "Two theater-mad, self-invented fabulositon Ohio teenagers. One boy, one girl. One gay, one straight. One black, one white. And SUMMER DRAMA CAMP. It's a season of hormones, gold lame, hissy fits, jazz hands, song and dance, true love, and unitards that will determine their future —and test their friendship."

I actually didn't like this book in the least bit. Of course I don't even like to watch musicals. The only reason I checked it out was because I thought it would be funny, but the only thing it ended up being was a quite dull read with a cast of characters that I couldn't stand for the most part. Except for Nanette she was okay. Everyone else just irritated me, especially the main character Sarah/Sadye.
The reason I didn't like Sadye was she came across as shallow and had a pretty poor attitude when she realized that she wasn't as good as the other drama camp students.
One thing I did like about the book was the cover. I loved it, especially how the eyes of the girl on the cover it were covered. That's the best thing I can say about this book from my perspective.
Although Dramarama wasn't my type of book, (please) don't let my review deter you from picking it up and giving it a shot. Because what one person doesn't like, might turn out to be another's favorite.

Dramarama earns 1 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid

In My Mailbox (20)

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Sadly the only books I order are those that are hard to find. The following books are from the library and bookstores.

Contest Winnings:
Author: Michelle Moran
Title: Cleopatra's Daughter1
Publication Date: 2009
Synopsis: "The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra’s Daughter. Recounted in Selene’s youthful and engaging voice, it introduces a compelling cast of historical characters: Octavia, the emperor Octavian’s kind and compassionate sister, abandoned by Marc Antony for Cleopatra; Livia, Octavian's bitter and jealous wife; Marcellus, Octavian’s handsome, flirtatious nephew and heir apparent; Tiberius, Livia’s sardonic son and Marcellus’s great rival for power; and Juba, Octavian’s watchful aide, whose honored position at court has far-reaching effects on the lives of the young Egyptian royals."

Author: Paula Morris

Title: Ruined2

Publication Date: 2009
Synopsis: "Rebecca couldn't feel more out of place in New Orleans, where she comes to spend the year while her dad is traveling. She's staying in a creepy old house with her aunt. And at the snooty prep school, the filthy-rich girls treat Rebecca like she's invisible. Only gorgeous, unavailable Anton Grey seems to give Rebecca the time of day, but she wonders if he's got a hidden agenda. Then one night, in Lafayette Cemetery, Rebecca makes a friend. Sweet, mysterious Lisette is eager to talk to Rebecca, and to show her the nooks and crannies of the city. There's just one catch: Lisette is a ghost. A ghost with a deep, dark secret, and a serious score to settle. As Rebecca learns more from her ghost friend -- and as she slowly learns to trust Anton Grey -- she also uncovers startling truths about her own history. Will Rebecca be able to right the wrongs of the past, or has everything been ruined beyond repair?"

Author: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.
Title: Geektastic (ARC)3
Publication Date: 2009
Synopsis: "With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on!"

Library:
Author: Lois Lowry
Title: The Giver 4
Series: The Giver (book 1) Publication Date: 1993
Synopsis: "Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind this fragile community."

Author: John Marsden
Title: Darkness, Be My Friend5

Series: Tomorrow (book 4)
Publication Date: 1996
Synopsis: "Five months into World War III, Ellie and her four remaining friends have barely escaped the Australian town of Wirrawee with their lives and their sanity intact. But as the next step becomes clear, they realize they must once again sacrifice their hard-won comfort and safety. A group of soldiers has recruited the kids to guide the way to the Wirrawee air base. What could possibly motivate Ellie and her friends to return? This risky sabotage mission may be their only hope of rescuing their families, too."

Author: Peter Dickinson

Title: The Ropemaker 6
Series: The Ropemaker (book 1)
Publication Date: 2001
Synopsis: "Tilja has grown up in the peaceful Valley, which is protected from the fearsome Empire by an enchanted forest. But the forest’s power has begun to fade and the Valley is in danger. Tilja is the youngest of four brave souls who venture into the Empire together to find the mysterious magician who can save the Valley. And much to her amazement, Tilja gradually learns that only she, an ordinary girl with no magical powers, has the ability to protect her group and their quest from the Empire’s sorcerers."

Let me just start by giving a big thank you to the following bloggers whom I won the top portion of books from: Gwendolyn of A Sea of Books for Cleopatra's Daughter from her; Jessica of Chick Lit Teens for Ruined; and Amy of Park-Avenue Princess for Geektastic; I also won an Ankh7 temporary tattoo from Eleni of La Femme Readers (I don't have a picture to post for it). Again my thanks to Gwendolyn, Jessica, Amy, Eleni8.

The rest of the books I picked up my library are The Giver which was awesome; Darkness, be My Friend which I am currently reading; and The Ropemaker an old favorite of mine that I haven't read in ages.

Hope everyone had a great week in books too. :)

Orchid

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1. Cleopatra's Daughter won from A Sea of books

2. Ruined won from Chick Lit Teens

3. Geektastic won from Park-Avenue Princess

4. The Giver was borrowed from the library.

5. Darkness, Be My Friend was borrowed the Library.

6. The Ropemaker was also borrowed from the library.

7. Secret Society Ankh tattoo won from La Femme Readers

8. They all have wonderful blogs that I recommend checking out.

A Killing Frost

Author: John Marsden

Title: A Killing Frost
Series: Tomorrow (book 3)
Number of Pages: 288
Publication Date: 1993
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: "Ellie and her friends return from a camping trip to find their country at war. Learning together, they fight back—battling fear, rage, and the invading army that has stolen their land, seized their homes, taken their families, and destroyed their future. Continuing the story begun in Tomorrow When the War Began and The Dead of Night, John Marsden paints a shockingly real portrait of teenagers who take great risks to defend what is theirs."

I must say that A Killing Frost1 more than lived up to my expectations. After reading the first two books in the series I was afraid that maybe the third one wouldn’t be as good as the previous ones, but like I said it was definitely worth reading.
It was just as action packed as the first two2. I must admit I love the various reactions of the different characters concerning what they have done during the war and how they each handle death. Be it killing an enemy soldier or the death of a friend3. Another thing I like about this series is how Ellie doesn’t hold back on her narrative and tells the story of their struggles without glossing over the unpleasant parts.
Ellie and her friends caused by far the most damage to the opposition in this book by severally damaging the port that they were using, but as in all things, they weren’t going to be able to celebrate for long about what they did.
A Killing Frost had both its happy and sad moments
I think the most shocking part of A Killing Frost would have to be near the end of the book. I won’t go into details about what was so shocking because I would hate to give away something about the plot, but I never saw it coming. And that’s all I’m going to say on that matter.
As I have said in my review of Tomorrow, When the War Began and The Dead of Night this series is made of awesome and I cannot wait to read the next book.

A Killing Frost earns 5 out of 5 pineapples.

Orchid

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1. I borrowed A Killing Frost from my library.

2. The first two books in the Tomorrow series are Tomorrow, When the War Began and The Dead of Night.

3. Chris died in the second book and they were pretty messed up.