The Birthing House - Christopher Ransom

I had high hopes for this book. It started off okay...strong...but then it just died. The main character was annoying. I kept thinking through the entire book, how sophomoric he was. This got very good reviews from other authors, and editors and the like, about how 'imaginative' and 'scary' it was. Please. Not scary, and really not all that imaginative to be honest. I could put that aside if every other sentence wasn't about how the main character wanted to get laid. (no joke). I read it, I finished it, I wouldn't recommend it unless you get it from the library. Even then, I think you would be better off with another horror writer. All in all...not the best book I have read this yea.

Poison Study - Maria V. Snyder

Warning - Part of a trilogy.

Yelena has been in a prison dungeon awaking death...she murdered a high ranking Generals son. When her number is up she is called into the Commander's office, and given a reprieve. She can either hang, or become the newest food taster (tasting the commanders food for poison) she chooses to live. Unfortunately between being poisoned and needing an antidote every day to keep it in check, she also has quite a few people that want her dead. One of which, is the father of the son she killed.
She raises above all her problems, and beats a lot of odds. By the end of the book, you are of course, waiting for more.

Good thing, is this is one of Maria's first books - and the trilogy is done. :) So enjoy. I am awaiting the next two from the library.

Crossed - Ally Condie

Good sequel to Matched. In this we find Cassia working in work camps, trying to make her way to Ky. We find Ky working as a decoy, when he finds a chance to run, he takes it. They finally meet up and go on the run together to search for the Rebellion. Through out this entire book I just thought, wouldn't it be great if you two could just find a place to be and just be. Cassia spends most of the book second guessing herself, and everyone around her, and Ky has this annoying, your to go for me so I am going to sacrifice my feelings for yours thing going on. I feel like the third book will be good, but I am not waiting with baited breath for it to come out, cause honestly the last two have just been okay. I will, of course, read it.
This isn't to say that Ally's writing isn't good, it is, I just think the story is lacking something. I am not feeling the relationships with the characters.

One hundred candles - Mara Purnhagen

The second book a trilogy, the first being Past Midnight, the last will is called, Beyond the Grave.

I was kind of not feeling this book, so I opened it with kind of a blah attitude. I loved the first book, but really didn't see where a second one would go. Thankfully, I was not disappointed and whats more, I am looking forward to third.

We find Charlotte in the middle of winter. Things are normal, well as normal as they can be for her. Still no boyfriend, but one handsome Football player is giving her more attention then usual. All in all things are good. Until a stupid New Years part, and stupid game called one hundred candles is played. Then things get weird. She is forced to yet again, dive into the world of the unknown. This time though, it threatens her parents marriage....when when things peek, loved ones play the ultimate sacrifice and things will never quite be the same again.

Fighting To Survive - Rhiannon Frater

The second book in the As the world dies trilogy.
Having finally secured some safety within the a construction site, the survivors of a small Texas town have started to think about taking over the near by hotel. Problem is they know there are zombies in there, they are just unsure how many. Travis, the unofficial fort leader is leery of making more trouble, but knows that they have outgrown the emergency fort they put together in those first few days. With the take over of the hotel looming, and groups going out to find other survivors and supplies, there is enough stress to go around. Unfortunately that isn't their only problem. Bandits are about, taking woman and children, food and supplies from smaller groups, and killing when they don't get their way. Or worse, corralling zombies right to survivors and letting them do their work for them. It seem that there is no way to stop them, and the fort is on high alert while they try an figure out what to do. Its bad enough fighting the undead, having to fight other living humans, is just wrong.

This book explores more character dynamics, you see more relationships build and even some fall apart. You see people coming together and people losing control. Its a great sequel to the first book and makes me excited for Siege which comes out in April.

11/22/63 - Stephen King

What would you do if you could change a major event in history? Take back the World Trade Center perhaps? Stop the Titanic from Sinking? Save a president?

In the latest Stephen King book, Jake Epping is about to get that chance. His friend Al has found a rabbit house, hidden in his storage closet. When he walks through, it is 1958 - when he walks back its two minutes past the time he left in 2011. He has been using the rabbit hole to buy meat at '58 prices so he can sell burgers cheaper then anywhere else. When he starts to really think about what this Rabbit Hole can do. Or more what it can change, he starts to plan on preventing the Kennedy Assassination. Unfortunately, he gets ill so he he recruits Jake to do it.

Jake travels and more importantly, lives back in '58. Always keeping his eye on Lee Harvey Oswald, always watching for some sign that he acted alone, so that he can make his move. But history doesn't want to be changed. And things have to balance. What we get is an unbelievable story, following Jake through the late 50's and early 60's as he tries to rewrite history.

That is what you could read on any review. What they may not tell you is this: What you get by reading this book, is and interesting perspective into the era of late 50's early 60s. Here is the thing, as someone born many years after 50's I have often wondered how nice it would be to live in a time where things were simpler. After reading this, I will no longer think that. I admit, history did nothing for me. But reading about segregation, woman's rights (should I say place), riots, etc, etc. I realize that it wasn't simpler back then. Everything was starting then. And yes, it would be cool to witness and be a part of that, knowing what I know, but to have lived it. It must have been scary. John Kennedy's death was a tragedy, I will always think that. And I think it more now, after reading this book. I also wish I had paid a bit more attention in history class. Then again, I live in 2011 - thank God for the Internet.

The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton

This was a tough book for me to read and finish. It was a challenge, but I am so glad I stuck through it and finished it.

This book follows a family of women and a secrete that was kept for years. Nell finds out on her 21st birthday that she isn't who she thought she was. She is in fact, adopted. Sort of. Her father, Hugh, thought he was doing right by telling her, but he sets into action her undying quest to find out who her real birth parents are, why they gave her up and who she really is.

She dies before she gets these answers and so passes the quest onto her granddaughter, Cassandra. Cassandra follow the clues, to England where she finds the truth, and it is even more of a mystery then she had ever imagined.

While I had a hard time reading and finishing, I really did enjoy this book. It takes place in three different eras through different perspectives. The mystery was woven like one of those nesting dolls. You think you understand, and another part unfolds. Plus...it had the added bonus of fairy tails told by one of the characters. Which I highly enjoyed.