Book Review: Arthurian Omen by G.G. Vandagriff

The Arthurian Omen by G. G. Vandagriff

Maren receives an excited call from her estranged sister Rachel, who claims that she had found the clue for the location of an ancient manuscript that reveals the true identity of King Arthur. She arranges for her daughter to be taken care of and heads off to England to join her Celtic obsessed sister on a treasure hunt. Maren is greeted at Oxford not by her charming sister, but by the scene of her murder. Maren is determined to find the manuscript and the man behind her sister’s death. She follows a trail of clues through the beautiful Welch countryside, scouting out castles, and monasteries, and potential murder suspects. Maren discovers that she is likely being stocked by a psychopath who thinks that he will lead a Welch Revolution, and wants the manuscript as evidence of King Arthur’s spirit backing him.

I was immediately enchanted by the concept of this book, and was really excited to pick it up. The book has a few flaws, but ultimately is worth reading. The main weakness of the book is the first beginning chapters. They are way too rushed, awkward and forced, really quite terrible. I was almost ready to put the book down and be very depressed that such a cool idea had such terrible execution. Then around chapter nine or so the story starts to gain correct rhythm and pace, and flows beautifully to the finish. I really don’t know how the first part of the book is so terrible when the rest of the manuscript works so well. Seriously, though, this is an awesome book. There are so many insane plot threads, that makes it fun and entertaining to read. There’s a delightful surprise ending, that the author was brilliant at executing. I thought I had guessed the entire plot only to discover I had been tricked. I guess sometimes the author does get moralistic in her telling of the story, though she hides it well through characters just discussing Arthurian themes, but I know that some readers dislike that type of writing. It wasn’t overwhelming, and it didn’t bother me personally, but you might want to be something you know about before you pick up the book. I recommend that you give this book a chance despite the weaknesses. I think ultimately you’ll enjoy it.

G.G. Vandagriff’s Website: http://www.ggvandagriff.com/ Visit the Wales tab to see pictures and information on the castles historical sites in the book.
Arthurian Omen Website: http://www.arthurianomen.com/

Book Review: Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan

I have this wierd reluctance to spend so many blog posts on one series, especially when you read them all in row. Maybe I fear that it will make the blog boring or something. So, in this post you get my opinon on the remaining Percy Jackson books.

Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

The next installment of Percy’s Adventures finds camp Half-Blood in dire circumstances, and Grover in great danger. The tree that guards that camp has been poisoned, and the protective borders around camp are becoming fainter and fainter. Meanwhile, Percy has been getting dreams that Grover is in the hands of an ancient enemy—the Cyclops. On an island filled with sheep, Odysseus’s old enemy is only kept from eating Grover because the blinded Cyclops thinks that Grover is marriageable material. Percy and his friends must travel through the sea of monsters to rescue a friend and find a magic object that just may save camp half-blood.

The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

Percy once again receives an urgent summons from Grover, who has found two powerful half-bloods in a new school. Percy and crew arrive to help transport the demi-gods and keep them safe. Lord Kronos, with the help of their friend Luke, has devious plans to detain them. Hence, en route to camp, Percy’s group is ambushed and Annabeth is taken prisoner. The sudden assistance of Artemis and her huntresses save them from being captured, but Annabeth is gone. Percy must start another quest to rescue his friend Annabeth from the clutches of Kronos before he brings down the foundations of Mt. Olympus.

The Battle of the Labyrinth By Rich Riordan

Percy doesn’t expect Freshman Orientation to go well at his new school, but having demon cheerleaders attack him is a surprise. In this continuation of the Percy Jackson series Luke and Kronos’s army has gotten bigger and more dangerous. What is worse is that they have a plan to get into camp half-blood through the labyrinth built by Daedalus. Percy and his friends have to find the secret to finding their way through the Labyrinth before Luke does and destroys camp-half blood. Yet, the Labyrinth is dark, dangerous, and drives those who enter it insane. Our heroes are not sure who will come away alive.

I continue to completely enjoy this series. I can honestly say that it is as good as the Harry Potter series, if not better. I seriously get sucked into the world whenever I read the books and the action-adventure element is always well written and way fun. Riordan also manages to write teenage romance much better than Rowling.

One of my pet peeves is that the Greek language doesn’t seem to be used as much. That doesn’t really bug me as much as the fact that it isn’t being used where it would most likely be seen. For example, in Curse of the Titan’s the heroes get to ride in Apollo’s Chariot. Percy thinks he reads “Warning: Student Driver,” but isn’t sure because he is dyslexic. Well, if Apollo is a Greek god then wouldn’t his chariot have Greek writing on it not English? I don’t know. Makes sense to me! There is another instance of this in Battle of the Labyrith. So, yeah, that’s just me being really picky, but I have noticed the lack. I’m pretty sure I’m the only one noticing too because I’m weird and obsessive that way. Other than that small detail I really love the series.

I think my favorite book is the Titian’s Curse because I really like Artemis and her huntresses. We also get to see Athena in that book, and Athena is my favorite Greek goddess. I’m really tempted to recommend them to my classics friends. I don’t know how they would react. Something to wonder about.

So, who's your favorite mythological god/goddess? Which book in the series is your favorite?

Rick Riodan's Webpage:http://www.rickriordan.com/

Book Review: Icing on the Cake by Elodia Strain

Icing on the Cake by Elodia Strain

Annabeth Pleasanton is desperately trying to please her boss so that she can be promoted from being a recipe editor to a full-blown writer for Central Coast Living. Her chance comes after she brings a sweet little Portuguese cake to a work party. Her boss gives her the opportunity to write an article on a high class restaurant, but her friend’s engagement, a new love interest, and her own clumsiness begin to make things a little bit too complicated. Now Annabeth isn’t just worried about writing an article, but losing her job.

This chick-lit novel is an entertaining read. I got sucked into the story and the characters and didn’t want to put the book down. I like that this book has a bunch of little sub-plots, and intrigues going on. I thought that the character were more developed then the typical LDS romance novel and I really liked that. One thing that bugged me was that the main character was always describing what clothing she was wearing and the bargains that she got on the clothes. I mean it was okay the first few times, but the frequency of it went a little bit overboard in my book, but that really is a minor complaint.

I’m still trying to decide whether or not I like this genre. I don’t usually read funny chick-lit. I find that embarrassing situations are more painful for me to read than funny. I know a few people that refuse to read “embarrassment” stories because they hate that feeling. I’m not that bad, but I don’t find embarrassing stories really all that funny. Interesting how different people find different types of stuff funny. Though, there were a few really funny lines in the book that I really liked. I gotta say I also loved the scene with Arnie the sea-lion because how can a random sea lion not be funny?

Check out the Elodia’s Website:http://www.elodiastrain.com/
She also blogs here: http://www.theinkladies.blogspot.com/

Summer Reading Thing

There is another reading challenge! Inksplasher is holding one and so I figured I'd join another book challenge. So, instead of listing all the same books I'll just post new ones. It will make things more interesting to me.

My list:

How to take the Ex out of Ex-boyfriend by Jannette Rallison

Emma by Anita Stansfield (I really don't like her style anymore. I stopped reading her books a couple years ago, but I'm curious as to how this historical fiction is going to pan out. I disliked her other historical fiction set during the revolutionary war. So this will be my challenge book.)

The White Bedouin by George Potter

Dragon's Bane by Barbara Hambly

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nihm by Robert C. O'Brien

Caesar as a Man of Letters by F. E. Adock

Caesar in Gaul and Rome by Andrew M. Riggsby

Book Review: Ravens in the Winter by Bernd Heinrich

Ravens in the Winter by Bernd Heinrich

No one can say I did not expand my reading horizons this summer because I just finished reading a 379 page scientific study on Ravens. Bern Heinrich is a professor of zoology and decided to answer the question of why Ravens feed together when the find a dead carcass to scavenge. The book and its discoveries give a lot of insight to Raven society and sociality. I found the study really interesting, though sometimes the essays and experiment notes got way repetitive. It seemed just when I was going to put the book down he moved onto another essay topic like Raven intelligence, or the pet Ravens he kept at home, Raven’s nesting habits, or trapping Ravens in a cage, or building a Raven study site. I really had a lot of fun learning so much about Ravens and their habits.

So, yeah, unless you are a die-hard animal/bird lover then you probably won’t make it through this book very easily. There is a reason my husband is fond of calling me “bird brain,” and it’s not cause I’m stupid. It is because I’m crazy about birds. Especially black birds, and since a Raven is currently the main character of one of my novels I decided to do some research, and I’m really glad I did because there are going to have to be some major changes in my Raven’s behavior!

Anyway, this guy, at the time of his writing the book, was only the third person in the world who had captured Ravens and tagged them for study. They are really interesting but extremely shy birds, and so it is incredibly hard to study them at all. I like how this book didn’t show that Raven’s had some kind of mythical intelligence, because that is what the typical Raven book is about, but instead discussed that they had a complex social hierarchy, and interesting habits. This was a fun, but difficult read, yet ultimately rewarding.

Book Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan

Pearcy Jackson only knows that his life is full of strange events. He’s dyslexic, ADHD, and has been kicked out of every school he has ever attended. He is a trouble-maker, but he soon discovers that he has had a reason. He is a half-blood, a demi-god, the son of on of the twelve Olympian gods, and that they live on the 600th floor of the empire state building in New York. After being chased by the Minatour, while on vacation with his mother, he stumbles onto a camp half-blood, a place where other demi-gods are trained. He is sent on a quest by the gods to save the world from WWIII, and Pearcy hopes that he can save his mother’s soul from the underworld while he is at it.

I thought I wasn’t going to like this book. Ancient Greece in modern day America? It’s just not going to be Greek enough, or mythological enough, or they’re going to get it all mixed up! My friends I am happy to declare that the book was thoroughly enjoyable! The Greek, as far as I can tell (which isn’t very far because I nearly failed my 2 semesters of Greek * cough *) is totally correct. Though, I’m pretty sure when he yells the ancient insult “go to the crows” that the phrase is Roman and should be in Latin and not Greek. Feel free to correct if I am wrong. You see why I worried about liking this book? I know too much! So yeah, then there is the fact that he can read homer after 3 days of reading Greek! I wish! You have to know like three dialects to read homer my friends! Three! Plus, this is Greek were talking about. Latin, my friends, makes sense. I know I’ve studied it five years. Greek is insane, but I digress.

So, despite the minor (admittedly petty) linguistic annoyances, which were small. I had more admiration for the correctness of the Greek and Random Latin phrases than anything else. Besides that, the story line is a wonderful, traditional, hero cycle, full of action and tons of fun evil monsters. The world is created seamlessly into the modern one making it seem real and alive, and adds extra flavor rather than detracting. Then the book also got extra points for having an underworld scene. I did tell you in my Friday’s list I was obsessed didn’t I? Well, if you didn’t hear before. I am obsessed with the Greco-Roman underworld. So naturally, I liked the story even more! I worried a little bit at the beginning that the teacher was going to get all preachy before the end of the book about classics or something, but my fear did not materialize. So, that was good because that would have detracted from the book. I fear that college has left me living under a rock. How could I not have discovered this series before? Go read it, seriously! I already have books 2 and 3 checked out from the library.

Rick's Website:http://www.rickriordan.com/

Book Review: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Leo hears whispers about her on the first day of school, and when he sees this almost immediate legend he knows why there are whispers. She goes through the lunchroom everyday strumming her ukulele and singing Happy Birthday to surprised recipients. She decorates her desk with a curtain and a daisy flower in every class. She cheers for everyone, even the opposing team. This girl, who insists that people call her Stargirl, who brings a pet rat to school, and takes the school by storm, changes everything at Mica high. Leo finds himself in a wonderful relationship with her, but finds that he must choose whether he cares more about Stargirl or what other people think.

I picked this book up because I took a YA literature class a couple of semester ago and people were raving about this book, and how good it was. It really is a fascinating read about a unique girl who isn’t afraid to be herself, as she changes all the people around her. I enjoyed reading it, but didn’t love it. The ending annoyed me too much. Ranting about it would give the ending away. Despite the fact that I didn’t like the ending, I would still recommend it to other teenage girls if they were looking for a good book to read. It really does have a thoughtful and pertinent message, and it is a clean read. Good, clean, realistic fiction is sometimes hard for teens to find these days and this book would fit that need very well.

Jerry Spinelli is a profilic children's author and his book Maniac Magee won the Newberry award in 1991. Jerry Spinelli's Website: http://www.jerryspinelli.com/newbery_001.htm

Author Interview: Rebecca Talley

Hi Rebecca! Welcome to Gamila's Review and thanks for inverviewing with me today.

When did you start writing and discovered that you enjoyed it?

I wrote stories as a kid, but it was when I took a creative writing class in high school that I realized how much I loved to write. I discovered how much I enjoyed creating characters and worlds in Mrs. Hawkins' class.

What inspired you to write Heaven Scent?

I wanted to create a story that explored the connection between heaven and earth. I lost both of my parents at an early age and have felt their presence through the years. I wanted to a write a story that would leave readers with the hope that those we've loved and lost are never far from us.

Which scene in the book was your favorite to write?

That's a hard question. I enjoyed writing the scenes between Liza and Kyle and I really enjoyed the opening scene because I wanted to be that kind of basketball player. I think my favorite scenes to write, though, were the ones when Liza communicates with her mom.

What did you learn from the process of writing Heaven Scent?

Writing a novel is hard work. It takes time, effort, dedication, and a very thick skin. I also learned to trust myself to stay true to the story in my heart.

What other books have you published? What books do you plan to publish in the future?

"Grasshopper Pie" was publshed in 2003 by WindRiver Publishing. It's a children's picture book based on an experience when my kids "almost" fed me a live grasshopper. I'm currently working on an LDS romance that I hope will be accepted for publication and I have a children's chapter book I'm submitting to publishers.

With a large and busy family where do you squeeze your writing time in?

Anywhere I can! I just squish it in whenever and wherever I can.

Is it easier to finish other writing projects now that Heaven Scent is out or harder?

Now that I've completed "Heaven Scent" I know I can actually finish a large project, but I still struggle to find time to finish projects. I have so many ideas and so little time! I'm also finding that I need to spend time promoting my book so that cuts into my writing time. Scheduling time in my daytimer to work on specific projects helps me stay on task. Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog. I really appreciate it.

Thanks for hosting the blog tour. I really enjoyed reading your book!

Book Review: Heaven Scent by Rebecca Talley

Heaven Scent by Rebecca Talley

Liza should be the happiest high schooler ever. She won her basketball team the state championship, but she is disappointed that her father didn’t show up at the game. This isn’t the first or last time that he doesn’t keep his word about showing up to things. He recently became a partner at his law firm and never comes home to spend time with the family, and it is starting to tear them apart. One night the absence of her father leads to a terrible accident that Eliza is not sure that she will ever be able to forgive him for.

I picked up Heaven’s Scent on the day I got it in the mail for the blog tour, and was immediately drawn into the conflict, which was clear, strong, and compelling. I couldn’t put this book down and kept turning the pages, getting lost in the story. The story moves along at a nice pace, draws the reader in. My one peeve was that I felt that the scenes of Liza with her basketball coach seemed awkward and strange. Maybe it’s because I didn’t see enough evidence of their having a close mentor/student bond at the beginning of the book that it seemed weird to me later when suddenly the coach was “like a father to her.” Maybe it’s just me, but I still think this is a great book for all readers, especially teenagers. They will love it!

This review is part of a blog tour, to see the rest of the stops, and other reader's opinons visit Rebecca's blog: http://www.rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com/

Author's Website: http://www.rebeccatalley.com/

Author Interview: Candace Salima

Welcome to Gamila's Review Candace! I recently finished Refiner's Fire and want to ask you a few questions about it.

First off, how did this compilation of essays come about?

Thank you so much for the invitation to drop by. Forged in the Refiner’s Fire came about in a rather simple way. My co-author, Elizabeth Cheever, contacted me and asked if I would be interested in compiling this book with her. I was very busy at the time, but it was a project that drew me. Each of goes through difficult times in life and we wanted to create a book which would provide inspiration, hope and a feeling of camaraderie in boosting people’s belief in themselves.

What was the most rewarding aspect of completing a project like Forged in the Refiner's Fire?

When we began to receive feedback from readers across the world is when we truly began to understand the power and scope of the book we’d put together. Personally, when I received an email telling me how it had helped a woman to truly understand that each of us goes through these trials and it is not because we were bad or sinned, but simply because. It gave her the strength to pull her shoulders back and simply say, “I can do this. I will do this.” Nothing could have meant more to me than that.

What important messages do you feel Forged in the Refiner's Fire contains for readers?

Hope. Pure, unadulterated hope. For myself, as I read through the many stories which poured in, I began to understand that everyone, literally every single person on the earth, goes through the Refiner’s Fire. We want our readers to understand that they were never meant to traverse this thorny mortal path alone. Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, stands ready and waiting to assist us on this journey. There is hope in that pure truth. Unbeatable, attainable hope.

Do you plan to compile another project similar to this in the future?

Yes, Elizabeth are working on the sequel called “No Pressure, No Diamonds.” We are currently accepting real life stories of struggle and tragedy which show growth in the person submitting the story. We wish to know what helped you to get through it and how you drew closer to God in the process. Anyone interested in submitting a story please email me at ces@candacesalima.com.

From your website I can see that you worked on a non-fiction, title, book about BYU sports and published a fiction novel Out of the Shadows. What are your future plans for other writing projects?

I am currently working on “Standing on the Fifth: The Long Road” with Merrill Osmond. He and I are very excited about the work coming forward. It is an action/suspense geared toward the national market, and yes, it is fiction. I am also working on “Dreams Die Hard” the long awaited sequel to “Out of the Shadows . . Into the Light”. My readers will be very grateful, they’ve clamoring for it for quite some time now.

More information about me can be found at http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/ and my books can be purchased at www.candacesalima.com/inPrint.htm.

Thank you so much for hosting me today, Emily. I drop back by today, off and on, to answer any and all questions that may be posted by your readers.

Thanks for Interviewing with me, Candace! Here is an video of another interview with candace. Enjoy!

Blog Tour: Forged in the Refiner's Fire by Candace E. Salima and Elizabeth Cheever

Forged in the Refiner’s Fire compiled by Candace E. Salima and Elizabeth Cheever

Forged in the Refiner’s Fire is a religious non-fiction book, and the stories follow the theme of the title. It is a collection of personal narrative essays, in which the authors tell of their “refiner’s fires,” and how they have made come through trials and made sense of suffering. The book contains 22 personal essays, each with a relevant quote or thought at the beginning to set the theme of the essay. There are several appendices, which include the written testimonies of the compilers, biographies of the contributors, and a bibliography. Essays written by Candance E. Salima, Tristi Pinkston, Willard Boyd Gardner and numerous others share stories about tragic accidents, drug addiction, infertility, and other life problems and how the authors came to solutions that were right for themselves and their families.

This really is a book that lets you know that sometimes suffering is a part of life, but that we can learn and grow from our experiences. I enjoyed reading all of these short essays that helped me to realize how the Lord works differently in all of our lives and that he is looking our for us. This book made me teary-eyed on several occasions, and touched me. I'm glad that Candace asked my to read and review it for her blog tour. I hope that you enjoy her accompaning interview.

Check out her blog to see other stops on the tour: http://candacesalima.blogspot.com/

Also, check out her website for her other works: http://www.candacesalima.com/

Book Review: His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik

Will Laurence is the captain of a British Navy war ship while Napoleon is trying to take over Europe. He captures a French frigate and discovers what he least expected a dragon egg on board. To make matter worse his ship surgeon declares that the dragon will hatch in less than a week. The crew draws lots to see, who will “harness” it, or bond with the dragon so that it stays tame, but the hatching goes awry and the dragon takes a liking to Captain Laurence. Now, the captain must care for the little creature and leave the Naval life to join the king’s aerial combat corps. The dragon, Temeraire, and Laurence must begin a new life together fighting against French dragon forces before Napoleon scores a victory.

I really enjoyed this book. The story grabbed my attention from the beginning and I adored the interaction and character development of both Laurence and his dragon Temeraire. The prose is written in time-period style, which makes it a little harder to read, but most definitely fun. The only problem I had with this book is that I think the author doesn’t write battles as well as she does her characterization, but they were still interesting to read. I don’t know if they market this fantasy series as an alternative history, but it is, being set during the Napoleonic Era, and specifically mentions battles that really happened and recounts the outcomes. Though, if you don’t know much about the history you probably won’t be able to tell. I highly recommend this series because I had so much fun reading it.

There has been some talk of Peter Jackson making the book into a movie, but I’m not sure if that has officially gone through or if a release date has been set.
There is more information at Naomi Novik’s website: http://www.temeraire.org/

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Harrison

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison

Prince George realizes at a young age that his mother can talk to animals, and she teaches him to do the same. He realizes as a young man that the ability to speak with animals should be kept secret for animal speakers are hunted down and burned at the stake. George must keep this part of himself a secret from the kingdom that he leads. He is lead by duty in all things, and with duty he will marry Princess Beatrice from the neighboring kingdom. Princess Beatrice has a wild hound that always stays at her side, and he is discovering that this odd pair has a secret of their own. Will George be courageous to free them and himself?

I liked this book, but it also disappointed me in few ways. I thought the book has a beautiful fairy tale quality to it that resonated deeply with me, and I really enjoyed that. I thought that the characters were well portrayed and the writing was overall really nice. The beginning is a little bit slow and I worried that it wouldn’t get better, but it does and I’m glad I did continue onward. I also wished the climax had been a little bit more well described, and thought in some instances that it was confusing, and just a bit predictable. I was expecting something cooler or more surprising to happen. I also felt that some passages of the book at the end were a bit forced. Less critical readers probably would not have noticed these things as I did. Overall, I do think it was a nice read and that the author did a good job with it. I think the writer still has room to get better, but that this was a very nice piece of work. If you love the fairy tale genre or Goose Girl type stories then this will be enjoyable to read.

Mette Harrisons Website: http://www.metteivieharrison.com/

Book Review: Heart of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell

Song of the Sparrow Lisa Ann Sandell

Elaine of Ascolat is a Lady of Camelot, who is also know was the Lady of Shalott, and this book is a retelling of her story. She is a daughter of a soldier in King Arthur’s army, and the only woman in his camp. She spends her time mending soldiers clothing, and collecting herbs to make remedies for soldiers wounds. She feels a kinship with all the men in the army as she cares for them, but feels particular affection for Lancelot.

Then the beautiful Gwynivere arrives in camp and Elaine thought to have the other woman for a friend, but Gwynivere is cold and snobbish toward her, and even worse Lancelot is obviously smitten with her. Then Elaine and Gwynivere are captured and held in the enemies camp. They must work together to survive and to save the lives of the countrymen.

This book surprised me a bit because it is poetry! The whole story is told in beautiful, descriptive poetry. I didn’t want to read it at first, but got over myself and gave it a chance. After all, I had read Out of the Dust and Love that Dog, which were novels told in the form of poetry and liked them very much. I wasn’t disappointed because the story flowed beautifully and I loved how Elaine was so connected to nature and how the author wrote those descriptions so beautifully. I enjoyed this read, but since I really do favor prose as the format of my stories I didn’t like it as much as I would have. Still, it was a nice, fresh read. If you love King Arthur stories then you probably won’t regret picking this one up.

Author website: http://www.lisaannsandell.com/

Book Reivew: Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

Creel’s poor aunt comes up with the brilliant idea to give her to the town dragon. Her aunt wants the Lord’s son to come rescue her and marry her just as in the fairy stories. Creel only wants to go to the capital and work as a seamstress. So while in the dragon cave of Theodeus, who wants nothing to do with humans much less a threatening knight, she makes a bargain. She’ll take a pair of slippers, which Theodeus hordes (not gold!), and convince the town people that he really doesn’t exist. Little does she know that the pair of slippers that she takes are of great significance to dragon and humans alike.

She walks to the king’s city and on the way there runs into a thieving band that intends to hurt her when another dragon comes to her aid. Shardus loves to collect beautiful glass windows, and Creel finds a new inspiration for her embroidery designs. She makes samples to show off at shops, but when she finally leaves Shardus she receives a cool reception in the city. She runs into the younger prince right before curfew and he takes her to the Inn of a stern, but kind woman, who helps her find work in the best dress shop. A royal princess steals Creel’s special shoes, and strange things begin to happen. Creel must discover and combat the power of the shoes in order to save her dragon friends and the entire kingdom.

I read this book because it won the Whitney Award. So, I picked it up to see why it would merit winning the award. I couldn’t put it down! It was a wonderful and engaging plot. There is a wonderful villain. So well written! Someone you truly love to hate. The dragons have unique and interesting characters of their own. The plot totally hooked me and I couldn’t put it down. In short, I loved it. I would recommend that you pick it up from a library or store if you haven’t read it yet.

Here is the author's website: http://www.jessicadaygeorge.com/default.aspx

Summer Book Trek 2008

So, The LDS Fiction Blog is holding a summer reading challenge right up my alley. I'm planning to participate and I'll probably change this list a few times before I finish the challenge but I thought I'd post up my initial list.

The Icing on the Cake by Elodia Strain
Soldier boys By Dean Hughes
Sun, Moon, Ice, and Snow by Jessica Day George
Arthurian Omen by GG Vandagriff
Fool Me Twice by Stephanie Black
Land of Inheritance Series Vol. 1 by H.B. Moore

added to the list:

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison

Forged in the Refiner's Fire by Candace Salima and Elizabeth Cheever

Heaven Scent by Rebecca Talley

Farworld: Water's Keep by Jeff Savage

80 Miles to Nowhere By Melissa Alystock

Dante's Daughter by Kimbery Heuston

The Shakeress By Kimbery Heuston

Coffin House by Pamela Carrington Reid

Candy Shop War By Braondon Mull

Hunting Gideon by Jessica Draper

The White Bedouin by George Potter

Two Roads by Chris Crowe

Journey of the Heart by W. Dave Free

Trouble in Palmyra by Rob Ficiur

Click on the picture to join the fun!