Book-Reviews

Bewitching is a story about Kendra, the witch in Alex Flinn's other book, Beastly. The book covers a few segments about Kendra's past (all based on actual historical periods and fairy tales), but the main plot is a contemporary adaptation of Cinderella. Emma's half-step-sister Lisette moves into her home after her single mother's death. Emma and Lisette become friendly, but something about Lisette seems a little . . .  off. Both sister's lives twist and turn for better and for worse, and of course there is some traditional sister rivalry. I really like that the Ms. Flinn has obviously done her research on these stories and read the Brothers

~Sandry's Book~ Circle of Magic Book 1 By Tamora Pierce ~ Amazon ~ Powell's ~ With her gift of weaving silk thread and creating light, Sandry is brought to the Winding Circle community. There she meets Briar, a former thief who has a way with plants; Daja, an outcast gifted with metalcraft; and Tris, whose connection with the weather unsettles everyone, including herself. At Winding Circle, the four misfits are taught how to use their magic—and to trust each other. But then disaster strikes their new home. Can Sandry weave together four kinds of magical power and save herself, her friends, and the one place they have ever been acce

~Magic Steps~ The Circle Opens Book 1 By Tamora Pierce ~ Amazon ~ Powell's ~Lady Sandrilene fa Toren knows all about unusual magic - she herself spins and weaves it like thread. But when she witnessed a boy dancing a spell, even she is confounded. To her dismay, Sandry learns that as the mage who discovered the power of the young dancer, she must be his teacher. Before lessons can begin, however, Sandry and her uncle, Duke Vedris, get news of a mysterious murderer stalking a clan of local merchants. The killer employs the strangest magic of all: the ability to reduce essence to nothingness. As the murders mount and the killer grows bold

~Briar's Book~ Circle of Magic Book 4 By Tamora Pierce ~ Amazon ~ Powell's ~ Former "street rat" Briar leads a comfortable life at Winding Circle Temple, learning plant magic from Rosethorn. But street kids are still his friends, and when one of them gets sick, she turns to Briar for help. When her disease proves beyond even Rosethorn's power, Briar realizes that all of Summersea is in danger. As the mysterious illness spreads, Sandry, Daja, and Tris join Briar and their teachers to fight the epidemic. But just as the situation improves, the unthinkable happens. Will Briar be able to save what he loves the most? A fascinating look at

~Daja's Book~ Circle of Magic Book 3 By Tamora Pierce ~ Amazon ~ Powell's ~ Outcast Trader Daja, along with her fellow mages-in-training, journeys from Winding Circle to the Gold Ridge Mountains, where drought threatens widespread famine. There, Daja creates an astonishing object: a living metal vine. A caravan of Traders covets the vine, and Daja's dealings with her former people reawaken a longing for familiar ways. Daja must choose—should she return to the Traders or remain with the Winding Circle folk who have become her family? Though the other stories have dimmed in my mind a bit over the years, this story's great feat alway

~Tris's Book~ Circle of Magic Book 2 By Tamora Pierce Amazon ~ Powell's Earthquake damage leaves Winding Circle vulnerable to pirate attack, so everyone—including the young mages-in-training Tris, Briar, Daja, and Sandry—is working to strengthen the community's defenses. When Tris's cousin Aymery comes to visit, he advises the "weather witch" to return to the family that exiled her, but she doesn't wish to leave her friends to face the threat without her. As the onslaught begins, two things become terribly clear: the pirates have a powerful new weapon, and they have an accomplice within Winding Circle. But the attackers have f

~Ushers, Inc.~ By Rusty Fischer ~ Amazon ~ Author's Blog ~ When the streets are full of bloodsuckers, werewolves, zombies and ghouls, where will you turn? The cops don't know how to stop them, the Army's pretty much given up and even the Marines are stumped when their bullets and grenades fail to stop the onslaught. Have no fear, Ushers, Inc. is here! Four high school movie ushers, who collectively have seen over 42,000 hours of B- and C-horror movies know just what to do. Did you know copper pennies can stop a zombie in its tracks? Did you know garlic paste is twice as effective on vampires as garlic cloves? Did you know werewolves are

~Solid~ Solid Trilogy Book 1 By Shelley Workinger ~ Amazon ~ Powell's ~ Series Website ~ Clio (Calliope) Kaid thought everything was normal. Well, as normal as having a famous writer for a mom could be. But between the moving around the country and changing schools every year, everything else seemed to be pretty clear cut. That's when the government tells her that she was involved in an unauthorized genetic experiment, and that she's to report to a secure location, along with 99 other teens, so that they can help with any abnormalities caused by this alteration. So it's off to a new school once again. At least this time she'll be a fre

SPOILER ALERT This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books in the trilogy, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Dawn of the Dreadfuls, or don't mind knowing some of what happens in them. Dreadfully Ever After, however, will remain spoiler-free. SPOILER ALERT ~Dreadfully Ever After~ Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Book 3 (Sequel) By Steve Hockensmith ~ Amazon ~ Borders ~ Powell's ~Elizabeth Darcy has everything a woman could ask for: a large estate, a steady income, a husband she loves and who loves her... Then why is it that lately she can't even bring herself to smile? Not that there's much to smile a

~Pride and Prejudice and Zombies~ Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Book 2 (Original) By Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith ~ Amazon ~ Borders ~ Powell's ~ It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains. So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon di