The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Title: The Tail of Emily Windsnap
Series: Emily Windsnap
Author(s): Liz Kessler
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: March 14, 2006
Finished: November 2009
Pages: 224
Challenges: None
Rating:









My Thoughts: Young Emily Windsnap doesn't know much about her Dad. She just knows he's not around, and she certainly didn't think that he was a mermaid, until recently. For the new school year, Emily has to take swimming. Having never been in the water before, she's nervous. But she doesn't need to be because, as soon as she hits the water, she's a natural. She also has a tail when in the water. Naturally Emily begins to think of her Dad and tries searching for him.

The little girl in me is always excited about books with mythical creature like mermaids. That said, I think most little girls will enjoy the story as well. The adult in me says, "Yeah, it's an OK story, but I've seen this plot a dozen times before." So I'm a torn between the little girl and adult whether or not I'll read the rest of the series. I think I will because I felt the same way about The Lighting Thief by Rick Riordan and ended up loving some of the books after the first one.

About the Author: Liz Kessler hales from England and has written, by my count, seven books for children about different fantasy characters. This is the first book in the Emily Windsnap series; there are three more after that. To learn more about Ms. Kessler, click the link
http://www.lizkessler.co.uk/.

Blood Lite by various authors

Title: Blood Lite
Series: None
Editor(s): Kevin J. Anderson
Author(s):Kelley Armstrong, Joe R. Lansdale, Lucien Soulbane, Christopher Welch, Matt Venne, Don D'Ammassa, Mark Onspaugh, J.A. Konrath, F. Paul Wilson, Charlaine Harris, Steven Savile, Will Ludwigsen, Janet Berliner, Eric James Stone, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Mike Resnick, D.L. Snell, Nancy Holder, Nancy Kilpatrick, Jeff Strand, Sharyn McCrumb and Jim Butcher
Genre: Horror/Fantasy/Humor
Publisher: Pocket
Release Date: October 21, 2008
Finished: November 2009
Pages: 379
Challenges: None
Rating:









My Thoughts: 22 authors come together to write some humorous paranormal short stories. For me there weren't many laugh out loud moments, but some disturbing moments, maybe. Some of my favorites were:

THE BEST

KELLEY ARMSTRONG - THE UNGRATEFUL DEAD
This one inspired me to add a character to a book I am writing. I just enjoyed the liteness of it and the mixture of the paranormal.

JOE R. LANSDALE - MR. BEAR
Mr. Bear was one disturbing bear. I don't know if this is really one of the best, but I will never forget it. The beginning was hard to get into, but I kept reading ... and, you know, I don't know if I should have.

JEFF STRAND - THE BELL FROM HELL
This was one of the funniest things I have read in a while. It's about a guy who works in an office building and keeps a bell on his desk. He says if it is rung 666 times, the devil will appear.

JIM BUTCHER - DAY OFF
I had never read anything by Jim Butcher before, but I had seen some of the Dresden Files on TV. So most of the time I was picturing the actor who played Dresden, and I enjoyed it. Most of the reviews say this story was lacking the regular horror of the Dresden stories, but I didn't mind the lack of it.

LUCIEN SOULBAN - HELL IN A HANDBASKET
Also a little disturbing but humorous at the same time. I only remember bits and pieces. I think there was something about a baby sent down to Hell in a handbasket, and the demons were trying to figure out why it was there. The ending ends up being pretty funny.

NANCY KILPATRICK - BITCHES OF THE NIGHT
About a typecast vampire from Transylvania and his three bitches of the night.
A funny story; it won't have you rolling on the floor, but it was decent.


ONLY OKAY

CHARLAINE HARRIS - AN EVENING WITH AL GORE
WILL LUDWIGSEN - A GOOD PSYCHO IS HARD TO FIND
SHARYN MCCRUMB - DEAD HAND
STEVEN SAVILE - DEAR PRUDENCE



UNMEMORABLE

CHRISTOPHER WELCH - THE ELDRITCH PASTICHE
MATT VENNE - ELVIS PRESLEY AND THE BLOODSUCKER BLUES
MARK ONSPAUGH - OLD SCHOOL
J.A. KONRATH & F. PAUL WILSON - THE SOUND OF BLUNDER
D. L. SNELL - LOVE SEAT SOLITAIRE
DON D'AMMASSA - NO PROBLEM
JANET BERLINER - HIGH KICKS AND MISDEMEANOURS
ERIC JAMES STONE - PR PROBLEMS
SHERRILYN KENYON - WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD
MIKE RESNICK - A VERY SPECIAL GIRL
NANCY HOLDER - I KNOW WHO YOU ATE LAST SUMMER


About the Editor: Kevin J. Anderson is better known for his many science fiction books. I have reviewed two of them, The Last Days of Krypton and Enemies & Allies. Visit his website at http://www.wordfire.com/.

A Circle Of Souls by Preetham Grandhi

Title: A Circle of Souls
Series: None
Author(s): Preetham Grandhi
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Release Date: June 15, 2009
Finished: November 2009
Pages: 352
Challenges: None
Rating:









My Thoughts: Young Janet says goodbye to a school mate one day and disappears the next; FBI agent Leia Bines has been given the case. Another little girl, named Naya, starts sleepwalking and dreaming about a girl named Janet, and Naya's doctor begins to see starling resemblances in Naya's drawings to the case of the girl.

Delving a little into the spirituality and thriller genres, A Circle of Souls is an eye-catching read with great flow. I read a couple books at a time, and I was always eager to get back to this one. With short chapters there is still so much going on, and I enjoyed the characters like Naya (a happy child who is good at art) and the doctor (caring thoughtful and open minded).


About the Author: I thought this was great start for Preetham Grandhi, who is also a doctor. If you would like to see what others thought of A Circle Of Souls and read more about Preetham Grandhi, visit his official site, http://www.acircleofsouls.com/.

Among The Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Title: Among The Hidden
Series: Shadow Children
Author(s): Margaret Peterson Haddix
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Aladdin
Release Date: June 6, 2006
Finished: November 2009
Pages: 160
Challenges: None
Rating:









My Thoughts: Taking place in the future, the government has issued a law that couples can only have two children. But families like Luke's, who is a third child, have decided not to follow the law. Because he is illegal, Luke has hidden all his life. Distant family members don't know he even exists. He has never been to school or met children other than his brothers.

All that changes when a new family moves in next door. Luke notices that when every one in that family leaves, there is a face in the window, and he wonders if they have a hidden child just like him.

I loved this book. It reminds me a little of The Gift by Lois Lowery. It was thrilling, and I never knew what was going to happen next. The way it grabs you and hooks you in by the end, you just have to read the others in the series to see what happens.

About the Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix has an interesting story about how she became a writer on her website, http://www.haddixbooks.com/

Fairy Hunters Ink by Sheila A. Dane

Title: Fairy Hunters Ink
Series: N/a
Author(s): Sheila A. Dane
Genre: Children's, Fantasy
Publisher: Dane & Dane, LLC
Release Date: December 29, 2008
Finished: October 2009
Pages: 105
Challenges: None
Rating:







My Thoughts: Over tea parties with their friends, Sheila and Ashley love to talk about fairies they've found. Every fairy has different quirks, likes and dislikes.

This is a very imaginative book for young children who love fantasy tea parties with stuffed animals.Each chapter goes into info about the different fairies, and I thought the book was okay. I actually didn't like the art; I had a hard time figuring out what was going on with the pictures.

About the Author: This is Sheila A. Dane's first book, and there are plans for a sequel. Check out her website at http://www.fairyhunters.net

The Fairy Godmother Academy #1: Birdie's Book by Jan Bozarth

Title: The Fairy Godmother Academy #1: Birdie's Book
Series: The Fairy Godmother Academy
Author(s): Jan Bozarth
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Finished: October 2009
Pages: 224
Challenges: None
Rating:









My Thoughts: Birdie is a young girl who is visiting her mother's mom for the first time. There she finds out from her Gram that she comes from a long line of Fairy Godmothers, including her mother, who turned her back on the family history. Birdie learns she must go on a quest to bring the family back together.

The book enters the world of magic and dreamland so fast that you don't have much time to deny it. I like the idea of the series, which has a website at http://fairygodmotheracademy.com and cards within the books for each fairy godmother in training. These books are a step up from chapter books. So if your looking for the next step from Rainbow Magic Fairies or Disney Fairies books these would be a fine start.

About the Author: This is the first book for Jan Bozarth. The Second book in the series is due out 2009.

Zoe Lucky And The Green Gables' Mystery by M. Carol Coffey

Title: Zoe Lucky And The Green Gables Mystery
Series: N/A
Author(s): M. Carol Coffey
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Release Date: December 18, 2008
Finished: September 2009
Pages:156
Challenges: None
Rating:










My Thoughts: Zoe Lucky is a tween girl who just lost her father, and she and her mother move to Green Gables to make new friends and mourn. They also gain a pet bird that, they learn, speaks in Swahili and English. While Zoe is in the house, someone tries to rob and ransack the place, and with the help of her bird, Zoe begins to realize that not all of her friends can be trusted.

This was a cute book. Zoe is a likable character, and I enjoyed the antics of her bird.

About the Author: This is M. Carol Coffey's first book and there are rumored to be more coming about Zoe Lucky. Coffey has a website, http://www.carolcoffey.com.I did find the site a little confusing, but maybe that is just me.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Title: American Gods
Series: American Gods
Author(s): Neil Gaiman
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTorch
Release Date: April 11, 2002
Finished: September 2009
Pages: 592
Challenges: None
Rating:

My Thoughts: The main character is a man called Shadow. He just made it out of prison and is excited to get home to his wife. Unfortunately, the night before he's released he finds out his wife died in a car accident with his best friend. Now Shadow has no ties to the real world, and he makes the acquaintance of a business man named Mr. Wednesday, who offers Shadow a job. Through Mr. Wednesday Shadow meets many strange and unusual people, but the funny thing is that Shadow seems to fit in with them.

I know there are a lot of metaphors and religious messages in this book, but don't look at me for what they are because I was not thinking that deeply while I read it. Mostly I enjoyed the book. The only time I didn't was when I felt I was supposed to know the people/Gods that Shadow or Mr. Wednesday were talking to. I felt a little confused at the ending; it felt like there was too many people in the pot.

As a character, I liked Shadow and related to him through most of the book except(warning this may spoil the ending for you) when he returns at the end. I just couldn't understand why he would come back after being done with the world. I just didn't see it happening.

In the end, I enjoyed the story and the characters, and I would read the sequels and short stories connected to American Gods.

About the Author: Neil Gaiman's books have won some amazing awards, including his just-released children's book The Graveyard Book, which won the Newbery Medal for 2009. Check out Neil's website, http://www.neilgaiman.com/, which includes a blog.

Falling Into The Sun by Charrie Hazard

Title: Falling Into The Sun
Series: None
Author(s): Charrie Hazard
Genre: Fiction, Christian Fiction
Publisher: Spoonbill Cove Press
Release Date: August 18, 2009
Finished: July 2009
Pages: 363
Challenges: None
Rating:










My Thoughts: A mother of three, Kate, comes home to find her neighbor has commited suicide. The suicide effects her so much that she goes to see a therapist. Along with dealing with the suicide, she realizes her teenage son's rage is out of control. She looks for help spiritually and mentally.

I was a little surprised at the language in a book that called itself christian fiction. I usually don't see the F-word and other curses used so freely in religious fiction, but I can see how it made the characters feel realistic.
I enjoyed the book and found the conversation that she has with her friends and pastor thought provoking.

About the Author: Charrie Hazard is a mother of three herself whocomes from a family of writers. You can learn more at her website http://charriehazard.com