From the Stacks: Soulless

I admit it...I enjoy books/movies etc that are a comedy of manners. I had to get through several plays of the sort in my British Humor literature class in college. Soulless fits the bill, and also includes vampires, werewolves, and people born without souls. It is quite enjoyable and I do recommend it.

Summary:

"Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire - and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking."

My Thoughts:

Poor Alexia Tarabotti. In the beginning she seems to be in a rather difficult spot, being a spinster with seemingly no prospects, and on top of that she has no soul, which is an interesting concept to begin with. Then a vampire tries to attack her and it ends up being quite helpful that she is soulless, because he is unable to bite her. I so loved that little twist and I honestly hadn't expected it which made it even more delightful. The touch of Alexia, or anyone who is without a soul, allows a vampire or a werewolf to lose the "monster" and be human again, which was one of the coolest tricks ever. Of course in the incidence of this vampire, it ends up leading to his death, which nicely begins this little tale.

The incident also brings in the yummy Lord Maccon, who is most definitely alpha werewolf, and as typically happens, Alexia ends up being right in the middle of the problems in London and being around Lord Maccon a great deal. Another fascinating character in the series is Lord Akeldama, who is one of Alexia's friends and just happens to be a vampire, and quite a flamboyant one at that. I absolutely adored him. 

Soulless was an amusing and enjoyable book, and I had considered buying it for quite some time when it became the main pick for the Vaginal Fantasy book club. Now I am extremely glad that I read it, and I have bought the other four books in the series, though I have yet to read them. I know I need to do that soon, but I already have such a huge TBR pile that I haven't the slightest idea when I will get around to them. It is in situations such as this that I really wish I had more free time or more time where I could be left alone long enough to read more books and write more reviews.

This thoroughly enjoyable comedy of manners receives a 5/5 from me.

Soulless at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/soulless-gail-carriger/1100269643?ean=9780316056632

Soulless at Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Soulless-Parasol-Protectorate-Gail-Carriger/dp/0316056634/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356236895&sr=1-1&keywords=Soulless

Soulless (the manga) at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/soulless-the-manga-vol-1-gail-carriger/1108563613?ean=9780316182010

Soulless (the manga) at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Soulless-Manga-Vol-Parasol-Protectorate/dp/031618201X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356236895&sr=1-3&keywords=Soulless

Other Readings:

I'm still finishing up a few books before the end of the year, but tomorrow I will be back with another bonus From the Stacks post, where I will be returning to the Elemental series by Brigid Kemmerer and reviewing the second novella and the second novel of the series. I seriously am in love with those Merrick boys. Until next time, everyone. 

From the Stacks: The Iron Duke

Alternate history featuring cool twists and turns such as zombies and dirigible pirate captains, all complete with both a mystery and a romance. Welcome to the world of the Iron Seas, a wonderful series of books written by Meljean Brook.

Summary: from the book:

"First in an all-new series where seductive danger and steampunk adventure abound in the gritty world of the Iron Seas.

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has build a merchant empire on the power-and fear-of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession

But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans-and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen, as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke."

Summary: from The Iron Seas web site:

"After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power — and fear — of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

Mina can’t afford his interest, however. Horde blood runs through her veins, and despite the nanotech enhancing her body, she barely scratches out a living in London society. Becoming Rhys’s lover would destroy both her career and her family, yet the investigation prevents her from avoiding him…and the Iron Duke’s ruthless pursuit makes him difficult to resist.

But when Mina uncovers the victim’s identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans — and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke."

My Thoughts:

I loved this book so so much. It was the main pick in April for the Vaginal Fantasy book club I am a part of, and for me it was the first month I could actually afford to buy the books. The Iron Duke was what started a huge reading craze for me, where I went back and read every book picked for Vaginal Fantasy in January, February, and March. They were all amazing, and at the end of the month I got to watch the live Google+ hangout where Felicia Day, Veronica Belmont, Kiala Kazebee, and Bonnie Burton discuss the book and whatever else randomly comes up. I highly recommend them.

Anyway, back to what I should be discussing...the book. I was quickly drawn into the world. Mina is basically what people would think of as a spinster in that time, and to make it worse she has Horde blood, which makes her sort of an outsider, something I think is made more difficult by the fact that she is also a detective inspector.

Meeting Rhys, the Iron Duke, he displays what amounts to alpha male tendencies. Because Mina doesn't seem interested in him, he is determined to have her. Obviously, certain aspects of the plot can be predicted, such as Mina and Rhys ending up together (sorry, I don't consider that to be a spoiler), but the world was vivid and I enjoyed it immensely. Mina's partner/friend/comrade-in-arms/bodyguard Constable Newberry, was great and quite protective of Mina, but he was adorable nevertheless.

Add in the zombies, the dirigibles, and space pirates, and The Iron Duke is irresistible. I am still trying to figure out why I haven't read Heart of Steel (book 2) or Riveted (book 3). I should probably do that soon. This book is definitely 5/5.

The Iron Duke at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/iron-duke-meljean-brook/1100257277?ean=9780425244265

The Iron Duke at Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0425244261/melbroaut-20

Ooh...and I stumbled upon a guide to the world of the Iron Seas series, which includes a rough map, the alternate history that led up where the story takes place, and a brief glossary of important terms. http://meljeanbrook.com/books/the-iron-seas/the-iron-seas-guide/

Other Readings:

Tomorrow I am reviewing another Vaginal Fantasy book pick, Soulless by Gail Carriger. Another awesome steampunk book, with paranormal romance thrown in due to vampires and werewolves. I love these books.

From the Stacks: Shattered Dreams

Today, I am traveling to New Orleans and delving into the world of teen psychics with Shattered Dreams by Ellie James. I am currently reading the sequel, Broken Illusions, and I'm trying to track down a copy of the third book so I can jump into it once I've finished the second one.

Shattered Dreams
ISBN: 978-0-312-64702-5

Summary:

"Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn't as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She is special. She sees visions, and for those she's seen, it's already too late.

Trinity arrives on her aunt's doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends, but all too quickly her dreams accelerate: twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she's seen.

The problem is, people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica's disappearance not because of a dream but because she is involved. She is kind of dating Jessica's ex-boyfriend, and Jessica did pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario.

Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, the surprising romance she finds, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing but about the past that has been hidden from her."

My Thoughts:

Okay, so I started reading this book when I first bought it in December 2011, and I made it through the first couple chapters before setting it aside to read A Game of Thrones. I picked Shattered Dreams up again and had to re-read the first couple chapters before progressing. I finished it in only two hours, so it is a relatively quick read, and Trinity is an interesting enough character, so I'm curious to find out what happens in the next couple books. 

However, I felt that the beginning was quite a bit confusing. We are introduced to seven characters by the first paragraph of page 2. That is a huge number and we certainly know next to nothing about these guys except a few words. The story comes from Trinity's POV and here's how she introduces the others: "Jessica, the stupidly beautiful cheerleader; her way-too-skinny best friend Amber; Jessica's little sister Bethany; and the guys: Chase, the quarterback (and my chemistry lab partner); Drew, who rarely said more than two words at a time; and the massively tattooed Pitre." That really doesn't tell me anything about them and I definitely don't feel invested in any of them. Then they proceed into a game of Truth or Dare that does helpfully lead into Trinity's first vision of impending doom.

In the beginning it is also established that Chase is Jessica's ex, and that Trinity is interested in him. But he is NOT a good romantic interest. Whenever I saw his name on the page, I cringed. He seemed weak to me and I didn't like that he didn't seem to believe Trinity about her dreams. 

I was interested in Jim Fourcade, and I'm curious to learn more about him and what he knows. Even more than that I am interested in Dylan...he makes a much better romantic interest for Trinity than Chase. It seems like Ellie James is trying to set up for a love triangle, but I think there is no competition. Dylan is the obvious winner (at least for me).

What I'd like to see in the next books: Trinity to leave Chase and be with Dylan, to find out more about Jim Fourcade, and for Trinity to stop hiding and running away from everything because she did that a lot. She needs to become more comfortable with her gift and the knowledge that she can help people. 

I liked this book, but the confusing points and the overabundance of characters at the beginning made it a read I didn't completely enjoy. Still, I give it a 3/5 and I will be reading the next book.

Shattered Dreams on Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shattered-dreams-ellie-james/1102793223?ean=9780312647025

Shattered Dreams on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Dreams-Midnight-Dragonfly-Novel/dp/B008W31EBG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356027797&sr=1-1&keywords=shattered+dreams+Ellie+James

Other Readings:

Tomorrow I am really looking forward to sharing my thoughts about The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook. It was one of the book picks for my Vaginal Fantasy book club before I started doing these From the Stacks posts and I still find myself entranced by the world.

From the Stacks: Elemental and Storm

Today is sort of a two for one post...and that's simply because one of the picks is a novella and I didn't want to give it its own post. Anyway, today I am jumping into the Elemental series by Brigid Kemmerer which features all these amazing and powerful young men (most of whom happen to be brothers). I love them.

First up is Elemental which is 0.5 in the series (aka a prequel novella). To be fair about this one, some have said that you should read it first while others say you should wait until after reading Storm. Personally with the way Elemental ended, I think it made the truth all the more shocking when it came out in Storm, so I say read the novella first. Oh, I'm also going to apologize for the slight blur of the pictures. It's sometimes difficult to get a good image when taking a picture of an e-reader.

Elemental by Brigid Kemmerer

Summary:

"Earth, Fire, Air, Water - they are more than you dream.

As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn't have much power. That's okay - she knows what happens to kids who do.

Like Michael Merrick. He's an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy, dangerous, and completely off limits. At least according to Emily's family.

But her summer job puts her in close contact with Michael, and neither of them can help the attraction they feel. When forces of nature like theirs collide, one misstep could get someone killed. Because Emily's family doesn't just want her to stay away from him.

They want him dead."

My Thoughts:

Oh my goodness...I instantly fell in love with Michael Merrick, and I really wanted to read so much more with Emily and Michael...but this being a novella meant that it was short and sweet. Of course, this novella also hinted towards the main turmoil that I've seen so far in the series between the Merrick family and some of the other weaker Elementals in town. This was a sweet possible beginning to a relationship that ended too soon. I really really look forward to reading more about Michael. Elemental gets a 5/5.

Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Summary:

"Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys - all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her.

Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water - just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming..."

My Thoughts:

Going from Elemental to Storm there is a time lapse of a few years, which only helps to build the tension between the Merricks and everyone else. Unlike the prequel novella, this story focuses on Chris, the baby of the family, which I found slightly disappointing since I had gotten so drawn in to Michael's story, but Chris quickly won me over. He's such a cutie. Each of these boys is amazing. Seriously.

Okay, so what makes everyone else in this town so against the Merricks is how extremely strong the Merricks are. When it comes to the elements - earth, air, water, fire, and spirit - think of them as each being on a star (pentagram) together. The closer to a point, the stronger the elemental ability, and the Merrick boys are all on the points, a fact that means they should have been destroyed at birth.

Becca encounters Chris Merrick when she saves him from a beating, and then she ends up getting drawn into all the issues of being associated with the Merricks. As she gets closer to them, Becca also gets closer to Hunter, the new boy at school who has a few secrets of his own. By the end of the story Becca has even discovered a secret about herself and that certainly makes this first full novel in the series a thrill to behold.

I was drawn in to this world and I didn't want to leave it. When I had to go to work, I would spend my 10 minute break reading on my NOOK because I didn't want to go 8 hours without reading more about these boys. After finishing this book I automatically had to buy Fearless and Spark, and I devoured them just as quickly. Amazing books! 5/5.

Other Readings:

The next in the series is Fearless (#1.5) and Spark (#2), and I will be getting that review up on the 23rd. The third book in the series, Spirit will be out May 28, 2013, but the third novella Breathless should be out before that. I'm really counting down the days because that is how much I love these books.

Background Noise and Inspirations

I admit it...I've been a little lax in my writing and I need to focus more on that. But things are just so stressful at home. To make my life more insane and stressful, I work full-time at a job I very much dislike because I have to be able to make some sort of payment on my student loans, I help my mom with her college homework, and then I do my reading for both fun and for my From the Stacks posts, and at some point I'm supposed to find time to write, but I'm also filling out as many job applications as I can because I need to get into a schedule and environment that will be better for my sanity.

Anyway, I digress. This is supposed to be about my writing progress, and I'm finding myself being rather inspired to work on several of my novels...most of them being ones I have on my schedule for 2013. Nevertheless they are not the project I am supposed to be editing right now. Yes, granted, my CreateSpace code won't expire until June, but I'd really like to get Project Death: Resurrection out really soon. By my calculations right now, I could theoretically finish the chapter edits by December 31st. The best thing to do after that is to set it aside for about a week and then go over everything again just to be sure I don't have any majorly large problems in the overall story.

I guess this means that if all goes well I should have Project Death: Resurrection out by the end of January. So... *fingers crossed*

When I'm writing I like to have background noise so I don't lose my mind. Most of the time it is music, and I definitely enjoy bands like: Nightwish, Epica, Kamelot, Leaves' Eyes, Paramore, Evanescence, and Within Temptation. I throw other stuff in there as well, but these guys tend to make every novel playlist I create.

Lately I've been putting in DVDs I've seen a hundred times so I don't have to focus on what is on the screen...and better I've been having a Gilmore Girls marathon. I love the show and the witty banter and the amazing characters. Right now I am watching the last episode of season three (again) and then I can move on to Rory's first year of college in season four.

With how much I love these characters and the story lines, it makes me think of my own stories. I hope that my characters are at least half as beloved as Lorelai and Rory Gilmore.

Okay, and now I'm going to get back to writing. Oh, but I should probably also mention that I am planning to have a From the Stacks post up every day starting tomorrow until the first of the year. Enjoy. :)

From the Stacks: Harbinger

I am a huge fan of books that are mythological in nature, whether they are action-adventure fantasy, or romance, whatever. I don't necessarily have a preference to a specific pantheon either. I have read Greek, Roman, Celtic, Norse, Egyptian, Native American, Asian, basically whatever I can get my hands on. On this bonus From the Stacks post, I found myself pulled into Greek mythology in Australia with Peta Crake's Harbinger.

Harbinger by Peta Crake
ISBN: 9781742536484

Summary

"As an Olympic messenger, suburban Aussie girl Ophelia Lind is used to being at the beck and call of the gods. But when gorgeous demigod Aden moves into her neighbourhood and starts taking advantage of her services, Ophelia believes life could not get any worse. She's about to be proven very wrong.

Ophelia tries to enjoy a normal, everyday life while running messages for the Greek gods – but without warning an odious creature - evil incarnate - begins to stalk her. As a messenger dealing with the all-powerful and sometimes frightening gods, Ophelia is accustomed to adventures and scrapes. But this is different. Even Aden, who is madly and deeply in love with Ophelia, finds it difficult to protect her. Suddenly Ophelia is in a battle for survival and begins to question everything – her upbringing, her identity, and her true feelings for the alluring and entirely frustrating Aden."

My Thoughts

I liked this book, but I didn't quite love it, not in the OMG I have to share this with everyone manner of a number of the books I read. Ophelia is a messenger for the gods, so it makes sense that at some point in the book we the readers would have to accompany Ophelia as she receives and then delivers messages. But, and the point does happen quite early on in the story, it seemed to jump far too much for me. It was basically just "She went to see God A, who sent her to Goddess B, who sent her to God C, who sent her to God D, and then Goddess E." For some reason that bugged me. I wanted more information.

Learning about Ophelia, and more about her background and her mom was quite interesting, and I really did enjoy Aden, though I also felt and understood Ophelia's frustration with him. For the most part I thought the romance did seem to grow genuinely, but the attempt at a love triangle (unless she was purposefully making it so it wouldn't be another love triangle story) ended really suddenly with the revelation of who Ophelia's other suitor was. 

The book was a quick read and I did enjoy it, and I would most certainly read a sequel if Peta Crake does write one. All in all, I think I give it a 4/5. Also, I know I usually post links to both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, but there is not a NOOK version of this book. You can buy the ePub from Kobo and then by using Adobe Digital Editions, transfer the file onto your NOOK device. 

Harbinger on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Harbinger-ebook/dp/B008XG3Q90/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_t_1

Harbinger on Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Harbinger/book-l2x8OvA-PUyedzYRLOtoQg/page1.html?s=ft6m_Z5NfUKLNqNbuI39pA&r=5

Other Readings

I have five more bonus posts ready for use this month, and I am still reading on some of my Vaginal Fantasy and Sword & Laser book club picks for reviews as well as some other books I've purchased in either paperback or downloaded on my NOOK. There will most likely be ten or so From the Stacks posts for all of you in December. I hope you enjoy.

From the Stacks: City of Swords

Here it is everyone: A Bonus From the Stacks post. Today I'm talking about one of my great loves...Italy...well okay, an alternate version of Italy, but still. It's amazing. There's romance, and travel, and secrets, and a magic of sorts, and of course an adventure/war type situation. Welcome to the City of Swords.

City of Swords by Mary Hoffman
ISBN: 978-1-59990-842-7

Summary

"Laura is a member of a special group. She's a Stravagante, a person who can travel through time and space.

One day she finds a mysterious silver sword that acts as her talisman. It enables her to stravagate to sixteenth-century Fortezza in Italy, where she meets a swordsmith named Fabio. Laura also meets the charming and attractive Ludo, and they instantly fall for each other. The only problem? A rivalry is brewing in Fortezza that will force them to fight on opposing sides. Ludo is battling to overtake the Fortezza crown, while Laura finds herself supporting the Stravaganti, the ones responsible for preventing Ludo from succeeding. Will Laura and Ludo be able to overcome the odds?

The ultimate test of love unfolds in Mary Hoffman's heart-pounding new Stravaganza novel."

My Thoughts

This is the sixth book of the Stravaganza series and for now serves as a temporary final book. I've read posts on the author's blog that she does have plans for more books (there are twelve city-states in Talia so there is a potential for another six books), but for now everything is concluded...which makes me deeply sad because I so love these books.

Okay, so I don't often say this, but I take slight issue with the summary for this book. Why, you ask...well, it says Fortezza in Italy, which is completely untrue. Fortezza is in Talia, the alternate version of Italy that the Stravaganti travel to/from in the books. In fact Fortezza is loosely based on the real Italian city of Lucca. The summary listed on Mary Hoffman's web site is better (in my opinion):

"Laura has a secret -more than one. When she finds a dagger-shaped paperknife in Mortimer Goldsmith's antiques shop, it seems to speak to her. But it has a sharp blade and takes her to Fortezza in Talia, known as the City of Swords. There is a tussle in Fortezza over who will rule the city when the old Prince dies and Laura finds herself caught between factions, one led by the devestatingly attractive Manoush, Ludo..

But there are other Stravaganti to help her both in 16th century Talia and 21st century London. It is just a terrible twist of fate that her heart is on a different side from her duty. Meanwhile, Luciano and Arianna are supposed to be getting married in Bellezza. But Luciano is involved in the Siege of Fortezza and Arianna fears there will be bloodshed at the wedding.

She is right, but whose will it be? The gripping climax to the Stravaganza sequence."

This book nicely ties up some of the strands that have been dangling since the beginning, but still leaves plenty of room just in case the other books become a reality. Personally, I would love to see the full twelve books, one for each city-state, because traveling to each of these places has been so amazing for me. It is made all that more powerful since I have been to Italy. I was only there for a week, but I completely fell in love with the beauty and culture of the country. When I first read the first of the Stravaganza series that takes place in the alternate version of Venice, I knew the basic layout of everything and it made for an incredibly enjoyable read for me. 

In fact, along with a friend of mine from college who also loves these books, we have planned to someday go on a Stravaganza tour of Italy. We are going to travel to each of the cities in Italy that correspond with the alternate versions in the books and then we can take pictures and have book discussions and fully immerse ourselves in this world. Right now that tour stands at six cities, but I'm still hoping that by the time we can actually afford the trip, we'll be able to hit all twelve.

Anyway, in City of Swords we get to delve deeper into Laura's life. She has been mentioned in previous books, but this time we see why she is unhappy, which leads to her becoming a Stravagante. I loved the irony of a self-harmer being taken to Fortezza, the city of swords, and honestly being there helps Laura to see that cutting herself is not the thing to do, when surrounded by the ever-growing war between the di Chimici family and the Stravaganti. This book also brings the Manoush in again, sort of in a more lead role as Laura's romantic interest is Ludo, a young man we met in previous books.

The battle in Fortezza ended basically as I expected it to, but it was learning exactly why Laura was unhappy that made the ending work for me, that and a certain wedding that I had been waiting for for several books now. Again, the wedding was sort of something that could be predicted early on, and it does somewhat satisfy me as the current ending to the series...but seriously, Mary Hoffman, I want more. I know this struggle with the di Chimici and the Stravaganti isn't even close to over yet and it will bug me to not have the issue fully resolved. I sincerely hope you get to write the other books, because I will be waiting for them.

All in all, I guess this book only gets 4.5/5, because of the couple rather predictable elements involved. It is still a great read. 

Here's the Stravaganza official web site: http://www.stravaganza.co.uk/

City of Swords on Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stravaganza-mary-hoffman/1110929989?ean=9781599908427

City of Swords on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Stravaganza-City-Swords-Mary-Hoffman/dp/1599908425/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355084759&sr=1-1&keywords=city+of+swords

Other Readings

I'm off work today and I work third shift tomorrow, so I'm hoping to be able to read a book or two (maybe three) so I'll be set on my regularly scheduled From the Stacks posts for the rest of the month. All bonus From the Stacks are other books I've read this year and haven't been able to fit in to my review posts. Anyway, I'm off to read...hoping to finish Alchemystic today.