Tea and Tomes

Back of the Book: Exhiled from Vadanis, the homeland he risked his life to save, and betrayed by a brother he has never known, Terrel find himself adrift on the ocean, delirious with hunger and exhaustion.

It seems his fate is sealed. But, as the illusions clouding his mind momentarily clear, he at last spots land.

Rescued by fishermen, Terrel is nursed back to healthm his new home a world away from The Floating Islands of Vadanis. All he has for company are the local villagers, but he soon discovers that they have difficulties of their own.

Leaving behind his new-found friends, Terrel embarks on a remarkable quest to discover the truth, both about the world he lives in and his own life. For Terrel's past holds the key to his destiny.

( Thoughts: )

Summary: (From GoodReads) Before there is peace, blood will spill blood...

The Clans have finally arrived in their new home, following the prophecies of their warrior ancestors. The journey was difficult enough, but now they must struggle to establish territories and learn the hidden dangers of this unfamiliar world. Most importantly, Leafpaw knows they must find a replacement for the Moonstone: a place to communicate with StarClan. Otherwise there will be no way to choose new leaders, no way to share medicine cat secrets, and no way to know whether the Clans are on the right path.

The future seems uncertain, and more than one cat is harboring sinister plans that could lead to violence and darkness. As all the warriors wait for a sign, some of them begin to realize that the threats they face in the forest may not be as perilous as the threats they face from within.

( Thoughts: )

I told you all it wouldn't take me long to finish the sequel!

I don't really have much to say about this one, not that I didn't say in the earlier commentary for Too Young to Die. The protagonist in this book has switched from Melissa to her best friend Jory, which was probably for the best given how Melissa dies at the end of this book.

Someone has to die, after all. It's a Lurlene McDaniel novel.

I forgot to mention a more few staple traits in her books. The protagonist nearly always has a friend who's more boy-crazy and fashion-conscience than she is, there's always some internal debate about whether or not to have sex (but in the end the protagonist makes the "right choice" and abstains), and the protagonist muses about God at least once per novel.

One of these days I'm going to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and write a few novels that use the same formula, only switch things around a little. Maybe make one of the characters gay (I have yet to see a gay character in one of her books) or make somebody's religion something other than Christian. Just so that such a novel actually exists.

Ahem, yes, all ranting aside...

I recently took a look at my old reading records (I keep a spreadsheet of the books I read in a given year), and it looks like 2005 was my best year thus far, with me having read 85 books. (Keep in mind that I only started keeping these records in 2005, so that doesn't mean that 85 books is the most I've ever read in a single calendar year.) I think I'd like to beat that record this year. I won't list a specific number, but I will try to get more than 85 books read by the end of December 2010. I've got plenty of books that need reading, after all, and until I find steady employment again, plenty of time to read them in.

And when I do find steady employment again, I'll keep making time to read. I posted recently about how I sometimes find myself reading more when I have other things to do, like work, since I can read on the bus there and back, as well as on my breaks and my lunch. Depending on how long the bus commute is and how long my work shift is, I could have 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, with nothing else to do but read.

Sounds like heaven to me!

Back of the book: On the day the world ends...
...Mau is on his way home from the Boys' Island. Soon he will be a man.

And then the wave comes -- a huge wave, dragging black night behind it and bringing a schooner which sails over and through the island rainforest.

The village has gone.

The Nation as it was has gone.

Now there's just Mau, who wears barely anything, a trouserman girl who wears far too much, and an awful lot of big misunderstandings.

Wise, witty, and filled with Terry Pratchett's inimitable comic satire, this is a terrific adventure that -- quite literally -- turns the world upside down.

( Thoughts: )

Back of the book: The heroes of Valdemar are the Heralds, an ancient order trained to be emissaries, spies, judges, diplomats, scouts, councelors, and even warriors. But they are more than just protectors of the kingdom. Chosen from all across the land, from all walks of life, and at all ages, these unusual individuals are Gifted withablities beyond those of normal men and women. These are Mindspeakers, FarSeers, Empaths, ForeSeers, Firestarters, FarSpeakers, and other who are uniquely suited to protecting their realm. Sought and Chosen by mysterious horselike Companions, they are bonded for life to these telepathic, enigmatic creatures. With their Companions, the Hralds of Valdemar ride patrol throughout the kingdom, protecting the peace and, when necessary, defending their land and monarch.

Now, sixteen authors join Mercedes Lackey, adding their own adventurous touch to the heroes of this well-loved fantasy realm.

( Thoughts: )