It's Monday! What Are You Reading? January 30

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila of One Peson's Journey Through A World Of Books. It's a great way to keep up with your reading, and to try and keep what you're reading and want to read each week in some kind of order.

Last week I read:
Unnatural Issue by Mercedes Lackey. Fiction, Fantasy. The most recent book in the Elemental Masters series. Beyond those dry facts, I found this to be one of the better books in the series.

Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of The American Dream by Barbara Ehrenreich. Non fiction, business, community and culture. I found this to be an interesting, funny but at the same time, disheartening read. It's also a fairly quick read.

I'm currently reading:

40 Years Of Queen by Harry Doherty, Brian May and Roger Taylor. Non Fiction, Biography. A wonderfully illustrated history of one of my favourite rock bands. This was a nice surprise under the Christmas tree this year. It's filled with little bits of trivia, letters etc. The kind of book that's got pockets and things to take out and look at. I'm loving it, though there are times when I wish they'd go into more depth. Still, it's making me go "I didn't know about that album" quite a bit.

A Great And Terrible King: Edward I and The Forging Of Britain by Marc Morris. Non Fiction, History, Biography. I picked up this book a few weeks ago because I finally watched Braveheart and wanted to find out more about the time period and the great figures. I've only just started the read, but I'm finding the book well written and most engaging. I've ended up pulling out a notepad and paper while I'm reading to jot down little facts and tidbits that capture my interest and imagination. To be honest, it's slow going, just because I'm reading it that way.

Silver Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey. Fiction, Fantasy. The third book in the Mage Wars trilogy, following on Black Gryphon and White Gryphon.

By Fire And Water by Mitchell James Kaplan. Fiction, Historical Fiction. I'm enjoying this book, but to be honest, I'm finding it to be slower going than I thought. Despite that, I find the characters to be well done and the settings vividly described.

Eve by Anna Carey. Fiction, Teen. This one looked interesting, and the story is interesting, yet I'm having trouble getting into it now. It's a teen book, and I'd have to say, teens or older only, given some of the story points.

I want to read:
Tortall and Other Lands by Tamora Pierce. Fiction, Fantasy, Children's, Short Stories. A collection of the various short stories she's written set in the world of the Alanna series. This one I have to get to as I borrowed it from the library.

Bait and Switch - Barbara Ehrenreich

Bait And Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit Of The American Dream
Barbara Ehrenreich
Metropolitan Books
Copyright: 2005
9780805076066

The amazon.com product description:

The New York Times bestselling investigation into white-collar unemployment from "our premier reporter of the underside of capitalism"--The New York Times Book Review
Americans' working lives are growing more precarious every day. Corporations slash employees by the thousands, and the benefits and pensions once guaranteed by "middle-class" jobs are a thing of the past.

In Bait and Switch, Barbara Ehrenreich goes back undercover to explore another hidden realm of the economy: the shadowy world of the white-collar unemployed. Armed with the plausible résumé of a professional "in transition," she attempts to land a "middle-class" job. She submits to career coaching, personality testing, and EST-like boot camps, and attends job fairs, networking events, and evangelical job-search ministries. She is proselytized, scammed, lectured, and--again and again--rejected.

Bait and Switch highlights the people who have done everything right--gotten college degrees, developed marketable skills, and built up impressive résumés--yet have become repeatedly vulnerable to financial disaster. There are few social supports for these newly disposable workers, Ehrenreich discovers, and little security even for those who have jobs. Worst of all, there is no honest reckoning with the inevitable consequences of the harsh new economy; rather, the jobless are persuaded that they have only themselves to blame.

Alternately hilarious and tragic, Bait and Switch, like the classic Nickel and Dimed, is a searing exposé of the cruel new reality in which we all now live.

The blurb is right. Bait and Switch is both funny and disheartening. I also found it to be a fairly quick read, finishing the book just over a day after I borrowed it from the library (Library Loot - January 28th). I've seen Barbara Ehrenreich's books in the store before, but not read any of them. In terms of writing, I just might hunt them down now, but I'd have to be in the right mood.

This one was that much of a downer in it's way, despite the funny writing style. Mostly because, things seem to have been tough in 2004/2005 when the book was written, but it's probably even worse now. The other thing I'm finding after reading Bait And Switch is that I'm eyeing the various career advice books in the store and wondering just how useful they might be. Most of them seem to be advising based on personality type, and after reading the results Barbara got, I'm wondering about that...

Honestly, this is an interesting book. On the other hand, where the library has it shelved is a bit misleading. They've located Bait and Switch in with the books like What Color Is Your Parachute? and the other career search books. I believe that the bookstores have it located in "Community and Culture". I'm not going to suggest that this is a book for people in the middle of a job search to read, just because of the kind of book it is - no true hints here, it's simply the recounting of one person's experiences. Still, the book could be taken as something of a warning of things to watch out for. In that sense, it might be helpful.

Library Loot - January 28

Or, in reality, January 27th as I borrowed the books yesterday.

Library Loot is hosted this week over at The Adventures Of An Intrepid Reader.

This time I've only gotten out two books:

Bait And Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit Of The American Dream
Barbara Ehrenreich

The amazon.com product description:

The New York Times bestselling investigation into white-collar unemployment from "our premier reporter of the underside of capitalism"--The New York Times Book Review
Americans' working lives are growing more precarious every day. Corporations slash employees by the thousands, and the benefits and pensions once guaranteed by "middle-class" jobs are a thing of the past.

In Bait and Switch, Barbara Ehrenreich goes back undercover to explore another hidden realm of the economy: the shadowy world of the white-collar unemployed. Armed with the plausible résumé of a professional "in transition," she attempts to land a "middle-class" job. She submits to career coaching, personality testing, and EST-like boot camps, and attends job fairs, networking events, and evangelical job-search ministries. She is proselytized, scammed, lectured, and--again and again--rejected.

Bait and Switch highlights the people who have done everything right--gotten college degrees, developed marketable skills, and built up impressive résumés--yet have become repeatedly vulnerable to financial disaster. There are few social supports for these newly disposable workers, Ehrenreich discovers, and little security even for those who have jobs. Worst of all, there is no honest reckoning with the inevitable consequences of the harsh new economy; rather, the jobless are persuaded that they have only themselves to blame.

Alternately hilarious and tragic, Bait and Switch, like the classic Nickel and Dimed, is a searing exposé of the cruel new reality in which we all now live.

I picked up this one on a whim. I've seen her other books in the Community and Culture section of the bookstore and thought they looked good before, but I was passing through the library and saw the book. I'm now most of the way through it and finding it both enjoyable and disheartening at the same time.

Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales
Tamora Pierce

The amazon.com product description:

Collected here for the first time are all of the tales from the land of Tortall, featuring both previously unknown characters as well as old friends. Filling some gaps of time and interest, these stories, some of which have been published before, will lead Tammy's fans, and new readers into one of the most intricately constructed worlds of modern fantasy.

I've enjoyed Tamora Pierces's novels for years now - I remember borrowing the Alanna books from the children's department of the library as a kid myself. This was another of those impulse borrows - I certainly didn't go to the library with the intent of borrowing this book (or any other - just to return the last set of books), just saw it on the shelf, and that was that.

Saturday Snapshot - January 28

Saturday Snapshot is a fun little meme hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. The idea is to post a snapshot or photo taken by you or a family member/friend. Personally, I just find it fun, and a nice change from books.

This week's photo is a neat one. I was at the CONCACAF Canada/Mexico Women's Soccer game last night, and this is one of the photos we took after Canada won. I'm pretty sure it was also the first sports game I've been to, making it neat in a different way entirely. Either way, it was loud and FUN.

Even more fun is knowing that the Canadian Women's team is going to the Olympics this summer. I've never really followed sports before, but somehow I suspect I'll be keeping track of this one to see how they do.

Unnatural Issue - Mercedes Lackey

Unnatural Issue
Mercedes Lackey
Daw Books
Copyright Date: June 7, 2011
9780756405755

The amazon.com product description:

A brand-new Elemental Masters novel from the national bestselling author Mercedes Lackey.

Richard Whitestone is an Elemental Earth Master. Blaming himself for the death of his beloved wife in childbirth, he has sworn never to set eyes on his daughter, Suzanne. But when he finally sees her, a dark plan takes shape in his twisted mind-to use his daughter's body to bring back the spirit of his long-dead wife.

I have to say, having read Unnatural Issue now, that I think it's one of the best of the Elemental Masters series. It took a few chapters for me to get into it, but by the time I was half way through, I couldn't put the book down any more and raced through to the ending late last night.

What the Amazon.com blurb doesn't say is that Unnatural Issue is set during the run-up to the First World War, and those first months. There was a passage nearer the end of the book that really struck me as I read it last night:

Women-women knew war better. War might be necessary sometimes, she couldn't judge that, but it was never, ever glorious. It was a terrible monster, that took men and chewed them up and spit out the dead, the dying, and the maimed. War was a beast that murdered as many innocent people who were just in the way as it did soldiers. (Unnatural Issue, page 322)

On as somewhat lighter note, one of the things I really enjoyed about this latest Elemental Masters novel was seeing some of the characters from the previous books again. Peter and Maya Scott, for example from The Serpent's Shadow, mentions of the Tarrants from The Gates of Sleep and also the school set up at the end of The Wizard of London.

I know that Mercedes Lackey likes using fairy tales as a basis for some of her novels - the Five Hundred Kingdoms series and also some of these books too. In this case though, I didn't recognize one right off. Maybe I'm not familiar enough with fairy-tales these days though. Did you identify any fairy-tale motifs or themes in this one?

Either way, this is a book that I quite enjoyed, and I'll probably end up buying it when it comes out in paperback in a few more months. In the mean time, I was able to borrow it from the library.

Definitely a book I'll recommend!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? January 23

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly way of keeping up with your reading and seeing what everyone else is reading too, hosted by Sheila of One Person's Journey Through A World Of Books.

This week wasn't the best for finishing books:
Dragonseye by Anne McCaffrey. Fiction, Fantasy, read for the All The Books Of Pern Challenge. This is something of an in-between book. They've still got the knowledge of where they came from, bits of the technology are still working, but it's fading. The start of the Pernese culture as we see it in the later books is clearly there. There's lots of different storylines and characters too.

I'm currently reading:
White Tiger by Kylie Chan. Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy. This one's a re-read, but I'm enjoying it just as much.

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan. Fiction, Historical Fiction I'm more than half way through and enjoying this one. At the same time, it's turning into one of those books where I read a bit and go on to another book then come back to this one.

40 Years Of Queen by Harry Doherty, Brian May and Roger Taylor. Non Fiction, Biography. A wonderfully illustrated history of one of my favourite rock bands. This was a nice surprise under the Christmas tree this year. It's filled with little bits of trivia, letters etc. The kind of book that's got pockets and things to take out and look at. I'm loving it, though there are times when I wish they'd go into more depth. Still, it's making me go "I didn't know about that album" quite a bit.

A Great And Terrible King: Edward I and The Forging Of Britain by Marc Morris. Non Fiction, History, Biography. I picked up this book this week because I finally watched Braveheart and wanted to find out more about the time period and the great figures. I've only just started the read, but I'm finding the book well written and most engaging. Less than a hundred pages in and I've ended up pulling out a notepad and paper while I'm reading to jot down little facts and tidbits that capture my interest and imagination. To be honest, it's slow going, just because I'm reading it that way.

Unnatural Issue by Mercedes Lackey. Fiction, Fantasy. The most recent book in her Elemental Masters series. I'm actually not that far into it yet, but I've got to get moving. This one's a library book and it'll be due back soon.

I'm hoping to read:
You know, I'll just be happy to get through the list above this week.

I also got a couple of books this past week too:
Pride And Prejudice And Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Graham. Fiction, Horror. I think this is the book that kicked off the current Zombie fascination. I will admit to some curiosity after I read Dawn of the Dreadfuls though.

White Horse by Alex Adams. Fiction. This one looks to be quite intriguing. It's another post-apocalyptic novel, but I'm not bored of those yet. Are you?

Rock Band Fights Evil #1 Hell Hound On My Trail by David Butler. Just the title sounded intriguing here. Now I've just got to get around to putting this one on my Vox (e-book).

Lord of the Rings Family Tree Project

This could be a really neat little site for any Tolkien fan to check out. I found it a bit slow loading, but it's so comprehensive, that the wait is well worth it. The site, The Lord of the Rings Project is a family tree of everyone from the Valar and the Maiar to the various families of the Elves and the Houses of Men, from the creation of Arda all the way through to the end of the Return of the King.

Or, at least it's supposed to have. To be fair, this is still a work in progress. I'm not seeing any of the hobbits yet, for example, but all of the houses of Men are there, as are the Rohirrim royal family trees etc. I think it'll just take some more time.

I do know that I'm going to be checking back every now and again to see how things are progressing.

Dragonseye - Anne McCaffrey

Dragonseye
Anne McCaffrey
Del Rey
Copyright: 1997
978-0345418791

The amazon.com product description:

In Anne McCaffrey's New York Times bestselling DRAGONSEYE, join Weyrleaders, Holders, and Craftmasters in the creation of the legendary Star Stones and the teaching ballads of Pern!

It's been two-hundred years since the deadly Thread fell like rain upon Pern, devouring everything in its path. No one alive remembers that first horrific onslaught and no one believes in its return--except for the dragonriders. For two centuries they have been practicing and training, passing down from generation to generation the formidable Threadfighting techniques.

Now the ominous signs are appearing: the violent winter storms and volcanic eruptions that are said to herald the approach of the Red Star and its lethal spawn. But one stubborn Lord Holder, Chalkin of Bitra, refuses to believe--and that disbelief could spell disaster. So as the dragonriders desperately train to face a terrifying enemy, they and the other Lord Holders must find a way to deal with Chalkin--before history repeats itself and unleashes its virulence on all of Pern. . . .

Read for the All The Books of Pern challenge, putting me well over half way completed and not even a month into the year!

In terms of the evolution of Pern, Dragonseye is an interesting book. Although it's been over two hundred years since the colonists had landed, the remnants of their technology are still working: computers, etc mostly. But they're definitely failing. At the same time, all the signs are pointing to the imminence of the next Fall. But not everybody believes. So, there's two sets of struggle there - the struggle over what is needed for the future - what else they can discard as not relevant to their culture, and how to communicate it, and the struggle over what to do with Threadfall on the horizon.

It's also a multi-thread storyline, told from the perspectives of several different characters. My favourite is Debra, but there's also that of Iantine, an Artist (something I don't remember seeing anything more about in the later books - a lost Craft, maybe?), the various dragonriders, and the Teachers. Those I found interesting, especially as I was reading the Harper Hall trilogy before. In Dragonseye, you can see the first steps from the teachers to Harpers.

Sometimes though, I found the various perspectives a bit jarring. I wanted to know more of what was going on with the perspective I'd been following in the last chapter, not what the new perspective was following.

I did find the mix of "old" and "new" to be intriguing though. For example - names. Some of the names for the characters are still similar to or the same as the "Earth" names of today, but others are different, and clearly in the style of the later Pern culture. And also, the knowledge that you know is going to be lost later on, such as the grubs. I'm actually trying to remember about the cats - if they're still as much of a problem in the later books involving the Southern Continent.

Overall, this is a great book for the world of Pern, even though it's well over a decade old by now. It's really neat to see the origins of some of the things we take for granted in the later Pern novels. Dragonseye is definitely worth the read.

Saturday Snapshot - January 21

Saturday Snapshot is a fun non-book themed meme where you post a photo or snapshot you or someone in your family took, hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books.

This week's photo is the same one with some adjustments on the second image. We were snowshoeing last week again, and it was wonderful. There had been a whole lot of snow falling the night before, so the trails were powdery rather than hard, the trees were covered, but this was honestly one of the highlights for me. Animal tracks.

My guess is something like a hare, but I really don't know. Whatever they are, it was a first for me while snowshoeing. The second photo is the same, just adjusted for brightness. I hadn't realized just how dark it was getting when I took the photo.

Overall, the day was more or less perfect - even some absolutely spectacular sunset shots when we got back to the parking lot.

Book Rambling: E-Books and Paper Books

I've been thinking a bit lately about my buying patterns when it comes to books. First off: I do have two e-readers (Kobo Vox and the older Kobo Wi-Fi), so I'm not adverse to e-books in any way, shape or form. And yet, I still buy far more actual paper books than e-books. What's more, sometimes it seems like I'll read those paper books first too.

Yes, I'll buy the paper books even though the e-books are often less expensive. Case in point: the book A Great And Terrible King: Edward I and The Forging Of Britain by Marc Morris. I will admit that I contemplated buying the e-book which was distinctly less expensive ($9.99 on Kindle, or 11.19 for the Kobo, compared with almost $24 for the hardcopy book on the Chapters.ca website). Pre-Vox, I wouldn't even have considered the e-book, because I would have a harder time taking notes from it. Now, though, with the ability to highlight and take notes, that's less of an issue now.

But, for this book specifically, I went with paper, because I know of someone else who would probably like to read it. And, I don't really want to loan out my e-reader (I'm usually reading a couple of things on there).

The other times I go for paper over e-books without even thinking about doing otherwise are when I already have the rest of the series in paper form (often even in hardcover format), such as with the novels by Mercedes Lackey, J.R. Ward, Patricia Briggs or Kylie Chan. Although, I will admit to duplicating the first of Kylie Chan's books (White Tiger) for the Kobo, as well as having it in paper. The price was too good.

Those are all the reasons I've gone for paper over e-books, so now to go the other way:
The book's just plain not available anywhere around in paper format (Stray by Rachel Vincent. It wasn't even in the local libraries).

Or, there's the e-book only cases: Ravens of Falkenau comes to mind there, Jo Graham's book of short stories. A lot of authors seem to have short stories available as e-books, which is another plus.

And, you can't forget all of the free e-books available. Be they limited time promotions or permanently free. I've found quite a few good ones now and again.

The biggest reason is, of course Travel. That's where the e-book readers really shine. Especially if you're a faster reader. It's ridiculous to take a stack of four or five books with you with the costs and restrictions on luggage. With the e-reader, that's all you need, along with maybe one book for the plane (for the times they ask you to power down the e-reader). Much less of a space requirement.

So, for me, I'm not ready to commit to one format over the other (and my ability to read e-books continues to expand, as I an now able to read kindle books on my e-reader, as well as Kobo.

What are your preferences for books? paper or e-books?

"Waiting On" Wednesday - January 18 - Echoes of Betrayal

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine to spotlight not-yet-released books that we can't wait to read. I don't tend to participate every week, but there's one I've been waiting for since the previous book came out, and we're down to about a month to go now.

Echoes of Betrayal (Paladin's Legacy book 3)
Elizabeth Moon
Del Rey
Publication Date: February 21, 2012
978-0345508768

The amazon.com product description:

The action continues fast and furious in this third installment of Elizabeth Moon’s celebrated return to the fantasy world of the paladin Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter. This award-winning author has firsthand military experience and an imagination that knows no bounds. Combine those qualities with an ability to craft flesh-and-blood characters, and the result is the kind of speculative fiction that engages both heart and mind.

All is not well in the Eight Kingdoms. In Lyonya, King Kieri is about to celebrate marriage to his beloved, the half-elf Arian. But uncanny whispers from the spirits of his ancestors continue to warn of treachery and murder. A finger of suspicion has been pointed toward his grandmother, the queen of the Ladysforest elves, and that suspicion has only intensified with time and the Lady’s inexplicable behavior. Clearly, she is hiding something. But what? And why?

Meanwhile, in Tsaia, the young king Mikeli must grapple with unrest among his own nobility over his controversial decision to grant the title and estates of a traitorous magelord to a Verrakaien who not only possesses the forbidden magic but is a woman besides: Dorrin, once one of Kieri’s most trusted captains. When renegade Verrakaien attack two of Dorrin’s squires, suspicion and prejudice combine to place Dorrin’s life at risk—and the king’s claim to the throne in peril.

But even greater danger is looming.  The wild offspring of a dragon are on the loose, sowing death and destruction and upsetting the ancient balance of power between dragonkind, humans, elves, and gnomes. A collision seems inevitable. Yet when it comes, it will be utterly unexpected—and all the more devastating for it.

Echoes of Betrayal is the sequel to Oath of Fealty and Kings of the North, all set in the world of The Deed of Paksenarrion. Honestly, these are books I've loved, generally several times each now. Whenever the new one comes out and I've read it, I find myself already counting down the days until the next book comes out.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? January 16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted each week over at One Person's Journey Through A World Of Books. It's a great way to at least try to keep on track with reading, and fun to see what everyone else is reading too.

Rather than reading this past week, I've been out snowshoeing and having fun. Even so, I think I've managed to get a decent enough bit of reading done.

Last week I read:
Dragondrums by Anne McCaffrey. Fantasy, fiction, Teen. It's the third book in the Harper Hall trilogy, following on Dragonsong and Dragonsinger.

The Adept by Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris. Fantasy, fiction. The first book in one of my favourite series. I've re-read the books several times now and loved them each time.

Books I'm currently reading (a rather long list this week, I think):
White Tiger by Kylie Chan. Fantasy, fiction, urban fantasy. I bought the $0.99 cent e-book version and I'm loving it on the re-read as much as I did the first time.

By Fire and Water by Mitchell James Kaplan Fiction, history. I've only just started the read, but I'm liking it so far. It's certainly got quite the collection of awards! From the amazon.com blurb:

Recipient of the Independent Publishers Award for Historical Fiction (Gold Medal), the Foreword Book of the Year Award for Historical Fiction (Bronze Medal), and an honorable mention in the category of General Fiction for the Eric Hoffer Award.

A Great And Terrible King: Edward I and The Forging Of Britain by Marc Morris. Non Fiction, history, biography. I'm still picking away at this one and enjoying the read. Mac Morris has a knack for writing in an engaging, informative and easy to read manner. This is a book I'm reading with a pencil and paper handy though, just because there are so many neat little tidbits of information for stashing away. You never know when the date for a Saint's feast or a list of medieval names might come in handy. I love the cover on this title too. It's so vibrant and rich, it suits the subject.

I want to read:
The Adept: Lodge of the Lynx by Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris. Fiction, fantasy. The sequel to The Adept, this book picks up almost where the last one left off - and believe me, there's plenty of loose ends to be tied up here.

Unnatural Issue by Mercedes Lackey. Fiction, fantasy. The most recent book in the Elemental Masters series. More important for getting it read now is the fact that this book is the final book I borrowed from the library in my last "loot" page.

The Adept - Katherine Kurtz & Deborah Turner Harris

The Adept
Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris
Ace Books
Copyright: 1991
0441003435

The blurb on the back of the book:

More than a doctor,
more than a detective...

He is Sir Adam Sinclair: nobleman, physician, scholar - and Adept. A man of learning and power, he practices ancient arts unknown to the twentieth century.

He has had many names, lived many lives, but his mission remains the same: to protect the Light from those who would tread the Dark Roads.

Now his beloved Scotland is defiled by an unholy cult of black magicians who will commit any atrocity to achieve their evil ends- even raise the dead!

Only one man can stand against them...
The Adept

This is the first book in the series: The Adept, The Adept: the Lodge of the Lynx, The Adept: The Templar Treasure, Dagger Magic and The Death of the Adept. Two other books, The Temple and the Stone and The Temple and the Crown are set in the middle ages in the last years of the Templar Knights are linked to this series as well. There are also two short stories set in the same world and time period in two of the Templar anthologies Katherine Kurtz has edited.

The Adept is one of those books/series which can be hard to describe, but which is (to the right reader) quite captivating. There's a term on the Katherine Kurtz website which might fit - "Crypto-history". I tend towards using the term "historical fantasy", but that doesn't quite fit for these books as they're set in contemporary times. But, if you like historical fantasy, these are still worth a try - they're littered with historical references and themes. That might be the author's MA in Medieval Studies showing through, as the most common period is the medieval era - Templar references, Scottish history and folklore and the like. There's enough of them that you're not likely to catch them all on the first read.

For example, during this past read, I picked up on a new one. There's an offhand reference to one Matthew Paris, a monk and chronicler. I never thought too much about that every other time I read the book, but this time, I'm also working my way through a biography of King Edward Longshanks, and the same figure is fairly prominent there.

Not to mention all of the Latin phrases and snippets. Trying to translate those can be rather entertaining too, though not a requirement to enjoy the book. I find that all of those add a whole extra layer to the reading experience.

An experience which is built on vivid descriptions, interesting characters and a very intriguing world concept. I said last time I reviewed The Adept, that I wish I knew of more books like this series. I've found something somewhat similar since: the books by Jo Graham (Hand of Isis and Black Ships primarily). Even so, I'd like to find more. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to see them.

Honestly, The Adept is the first book in a series that I've read before several times and I know that I'm going to be reading it again many more times.

Saturday Snapshot - January 14

Saturday Snapshots, hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books, is a fun meme, and a refreshing change, not being book related. The idea is to post a photo/snapshot you or a member of your family took. It doesn't even need to have been taken in the previous week!

This image has been lost due to changes at the image hosting company. Due to computer changes and crashes I no longer have the original file.

This week I ended up digging back into my archives again. If I'm remembering correctly, it was one of those fall days and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I just liked the way the sun was shining through the leaves and the contrast with the sky. I do know this was taken with my previous camera.

Kylie Chan's White Tiger for 99 cents

Kylie Chan's novel White Tiger, the first book in the Dark Heavens trilogy is available as an e-book for 99 cents from both Amazon.com and Kobo.

This is a book I picked up on impulse back in September and absolutely couldn't put down. I've been raving about it ever since too. After that, I was waiting eagerly for the next two books, Red Phoenix and Blue Dragon to come out, and buying them as soon as I saw them.

At $0.99, this is possibly your best chance to try a refreshingly different  urban fantasy novel. I honestly feel that I can't say enough good things about White Tiger and it's sequels.

Lets put it this way. I have the paperback edition of White Tiger and I bought the e-book as well. To me, it's money well spent.