Hate to do it but I am moving this to Word Press.

I am moving this blog to webpress because I am out of picassa folders.

So go to:  MY wordpress blog

 to find all these posts.

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

This book reminded me that Christopher Paolini's books have many pages.  Not only that but, the writing is small so it takes a while for me to read them.  But, that is not necessarily a bad thing.  I enjoyed the wonderful hours it took to read this big book.  (about 100 pages longer than Brisingr--his last book in the series.)

This is the conclusion to the series (called the Inheritance Cycle Series).

There is a lot of fighting in the book.  I love how the book has so many twists and turns.  Things don't always work out the way I imagined but, it's great that they work out even better than I thought they would.

It was great to hear of Saphira and Eragon's adventures.  Many of the same characters as the other books.  There are many that I love!  It was a good conclusion and many loose ends get resolved. 

I loved the pronunciation helps at the end.  Huge help!

It was definitely worth the many hours it took to read this book.  I recommend this series.  These books are so fun!

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

Okay, so this book is just downright romantic!  I loved reading this romance.  It was clean and filled with high morale and made me want to work on my home relationships.

Marianne has lost her mother.  Her father seems to have taken off after her mom's death.  Her twin sister is away for the summer in Town.  Marianne prefers the country.  Marianne is heading to Edenbrooke to be with her sister as her sister tries to get the eldest son to ask her marry him.  Her sister gets everything she wants. 

Marianne is so excited to go.  Not only because it is in the country but to get away from her Grandmother's critical yet concerned view.

Even her trip to Edenbrooke is eventful.   There are many twists and turns that I was really quite surprised about.

If you love clean romance, you will love this book.  I enjoyed every moment and couldn't put it down.

It was great!

Here are some characters: 

Marianne--main character

Philip--man Marianne meets

Betsy—Marianne’s maid

Marianne’s Grandmother—wealthy, cranky Grandmother

Aunt Amelia—Marianne’s Aunt.  Lives with Marianne’s Grandmother

James—the coachman

Mr. Whittles—guy who is crazy about her and writes poems and who is very slobbery

Mr. Kellet (cousin, a bit of a player)

Highwayman

Lady Caroline—wealthy mother who Cecily is going to stay and attempt to court the oldest son who has the inheritance

Wyndhams—Lady Caroline’s family (the children's names in order Charles, Philip, William

Rachel—Married to William

Louisa—Lady Caroline’s daughter who becomes buddy, buddy with Cecilly

Charles—Philip’s brother

Cecily—Marianne’s sister

Mrs. Fairhurst—old bitty who tries to discourage Marianne

Miss Grace—sweet daughter of Mrs. Fairhurst

Mr. & Mrs. Clumpett—also visiting the Wyndhams

Meg—the horse

Mr. Beaufort—a young man who likes Marianne.  ( a suitor)

Buying Books

The Survivors by Dan Willis

I've had this book for 4 years now and I really wish I would have picked it up sooner. It's great! I haven't read the series but it was great that I could pick this book up and not be lost. I was able to follow the story easily. I loved the religious parts to it. I loved the characters. They were each unique and I grew quite attached to them and their distinct personalities.


This is an amazing story that gets off to a great start right away. The story was moving so fast at the beginning I thought to myself what more can they do. Yet, so much happened in the story after that. I was rooting for this group of survivors and groaned every time they wouldn't listen to Bradock. Their trip would have been much easier had they just listened to him more often! He was a great leader and it helped me think about what a leader is and how hard it is to be a leader with so much responsibility.

I totally recommend this book....if you can find it!  

Here are some characters to help me to remember the story a little:

Takes place in Ironroot (A dwarf city made underground)
Bradok Axeblade--Main Character, dwarf
Sapphire--Bradok's Mother
Mirshawn Axeblade--Bradok's father who passed away (leaving his seat on the council to his son Bradox)
Much Hollowblade--friend on the council
Mayor Arbuckle-- the mayor
Rose Steelspar--a red haired hill dwarf woman, Ends up being a huge part of the story.
Argus Deephammer--called repentance to the council
Reorx--A god
Jon Bladehook--on the council.  Cross him and you'll be sorry.  Huge influence in the council and not necessarily a good influence.
Silas Weatherstone--builds a boat...sort of like Noah's ark but, underground and everyone thinks he is crazy.
Chisul--Headstrong, impulsive son of Silas.
Kellik--helps build ship, good guy
Tal--a trained doctor, from Rose's village, a hill dwarf
Disir--huge, insects attracted to sound
Perin--Human living with the Dwarfs as an apprentice
Erus--gives Bradok a polished brass device
Lyra--pregnant dwarf
Teal--small child. adored by even the hardest of hearts.
Rhizomorph--mushroom people, give off golden clouds of spores.  They try to make others like them by infecting them.

Daergar--long ago separated their clan from normal society in favor of living in the deep places of Krynn.  They were evil, untrustworthy, and hated their higher dwelling cousins.
Omer--Daergar, ex-convict, hates Wizards.  A wizard kidnapped him when he was a baby. The wizard experimented on poor Ormer.  Killed twelve armed dwarves in a tavern brawl with his bare hands.  Not quite right in the head.  EXTREMELY strong and yet acts like a child.  Later in story, he likes Teal and protects.  Corin--(full name, Corinthar Darklight) Daergar, ex-convict, he swindled a corrupt politician out of a million steel.  It was revenge for the politician bankrupting his father..
Thurl Surepath----Daergar, He was the house assassin for  a wealthy family.  When they fell on hard times, they sold himn out to save their own lives.
Hurlic Sweetwater--he killed his wife when he caught her having an affair.  (He also killed her entire family.)
Xurces Firebrand--Daergar, ex-convict, Most notorious sex fiend in the history of Darkhold City.  It is said he has fathered over one hundred children.  (Was castrated by the guards at the prison)
Jeni--Daergar, ex-convict, can't bear to have crimes repeated.  Covers her ears.  Her husband beat her and tortured her mercilessly, She went mad and killed her children.  Thinks it was just a dream.

Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

I admit.  I did not read much of this book.  I was so excited because I was one of the first at my library to get the book and I was looking forward to a great book.

I read the first chapter and it wasn't too bad but there were questionable parts.  I started the second chapter and can you say, "Sex."  I thought I can't do it if this is what the rest of the book is like so I got on Amazon and checked out the reviews and sure enough it is FULL of Sex.

I would not recommend this book.  It is not my style.  I am disappointed.  I really wanted her Adult book to be good.  I suppose when they called it an Adult book I did have my trepidations and that is why I didn't purchase it and got it from the library first.  I am so glad I don't own this book.

How I wish she would have cleaned things up!  I am much to young for this book.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I love, love, love this series.  This series is a favorite for me.

This is a contiunuation of the book Divergent.  This sequel is every bit as good as the first book.  I couldn't keep my hands off the book.  I was going to read it slowly but I couldn't keep away from it long enough to do so.  I just LOVE this series.  I liked the Hunger Games series but I must say that this is just as good if not better.  I love the way it is written.  The characters are well written and I am very attached to them.



Tris has just had a tramatic experience in the last book of seeing many die.  In this continuation she finds that the Erudite faction is up to no good.  She had to figure out what that is and use her resources to do something about it.  She is physically, emotionally, and socially tested in everyway in this book.  I LOVE it!!!! 

I had to remember a few things before I picked up this book.



This book is about a Dystopian Society.  In this society there are 5 Different Factions:

1. Candor (the Honest)
2. Abnegation (the Selfless)
3. Dauntless (the Brave)
4. Amity (the Peaceful)
5. Erudite (the Intelligent)

I also had to remember some of the characters that I had forgotten since reading Divergent:  (if you haven't finished Divergent, I would recommend not reading the character descriptions because there could be spoilers for you but I think it will help me when I read the next book in the series to review these names.)

1.  Beatrice Prior (later shortens her name to Tris)
2.  Will (part of the Dauntless faction--she has a lot of guilt concerning him which is in residual of the last book.  They were very close in the last book)
3.  Tobias--you think that I'd remember him!  It starts out talking about him and I couldn't remember if he was the brother or what.  Tobias is the guy Beatrice was trained by.  He has another name that most know him by and that name is FOUR. 
4.  Caleb--her brother that had to choose which faction to go to at the same time she did in the last book.
5.  Marcus--Tobias' father.
6.  Peter--part of the dauntless.  Tris and Peter do not get along.
7.  Johanna Reyes, representative of Amity.
8.  Edith Prior--Tris' mom.
9.  Evelyn--Tobias' mom (factionless society leader)
10.  Tori--tattoo artist.
11.  Christina--Tris' great friend from Dauntless
12.  Lynn--another Dauntless
13.  Shauna--Dauntless.
14.  Hector--Dauntless.
15.  Uriah--Dauntless. (I like this character a lot.  Light hearted amidst much going on).
16.  Jeanine--Erudite Leader

This is a thick book but it goes quickly.  I would love to read both of these books again and I am anxious for the next in the series)