Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Review: Unmasked by C. J. Barry

Synopsis: To the merchants he plunders, he's the Ghost Rider of the Dead Zone. To sector law enforcement, he's a wanted pirate. To the slaves he rescues, he's the savior, laghato. To one determined female, Qaade Deter is serious trouble.
Torrie Masters had heard of the legendary raider, but she'd never expected to encounter him - especially on her maiden voyage captianing for her family's shipping business. Nor would she have expected that beneath his black mask lurked an enticing man destined to challange her in ways she couldn't shoot her way out of.
But a great theat has emerged - one that's lef tno choice but for them to join forces. Entrusted with the fate of thousands, Torrie has discovered her erstwhile enemy's impossible dream. Only she has the power to help him. Only she has the power to see him Unmasked.

Review: This is a cheesy sci-fi romance novel - and I loved it. It's well-written, with round characters, developed secondary characters, excellent plot and the requisite villian with a horrible plan! I enjoyed this novel. The only bit I wasn't happy about was the sex scenes - but they were easy to skip. I look forward to reading more of her work.

Bookmarks: 7 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 10-11-11
Pages: 341

Review: Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin

Synopsis: Raine Benares is a sorceress of moderate powers, from an extended family of smugglers and thieves. With a mix of street smarts and magic spells, she can usually take care of herself. But when her friend Quentin, a not-quite-reformed thief, steals an amulet from the home of a powerful necromancer, Raine finds herself wrapped up in a more trouble than she cares for. She likes attention as much as the next girl, but hacing an army o militant goblins hunting her down is not her idea of a good time. The amulet they're after holds limitless power, derived from a ancient, soul-stealing stone. And when Raine takes possession of the item, it takes possession of her.
Now her moderate powers are increasing beyond anything she could imagine - but is the resume enhancement worth her soul? (from the back of the book)

Review: I had a hard time getting into this book. The first bit just didn't grab my attention. However, it wasn't bad enough for me to put it down and as I read farther, it got better, until by the end, I was loathe to put it down. The characters are well-rounded, the action and pass are excellent and the story is intriguing. I recommend if you like good solid fantasy stories.

Bookmarks: 7 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 10-9-11
Pages: 345

Review: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Synopsis: Dr. Jekyll writes a will that gives all his money to strange man named Mr. Hyde. The lawyer is unnerved by this and begins to invesigate. His search leads him to a horrify twist of human nature.

Review: I enjoyed reading this. It was simple, dark, twisted, mysterious and well-written. I can see why it is a classic. However, most of the movies made about it are complete bunk - don't waste your time.

Bookmarks: 7 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 10-7-11
Pages: Unknown (Read it on my Phone)

Review: Why Manners Matter: The Case for Civilized Behavior in a Barbarous World by Lucinda Holdforth

Synopsis: When Lucinda Holdforth told her mother she was writing an essay about manners, her mother said, “You’re writing a book about manners?” Deeply offended, Lucinda called her best friend and relayed what her mother had said. Her best friend paused before saying, “Well, you do say “f***” a lot.”

Welcome to the interesting quagmire Lucinda Holdforth finds herself in. She believes that manners are essential to civilization. Yet according to the knife-and-fork snobs, or exclusive bores, her modern-day attitude might not scream manners. And in this age of global warming and warfare, aren’t manners frivolous? Do manners really matter? Yes! she passionately exclaims. Citing everyone from Tocqueville to Proust to Borat, Holdforth shows how manners—which many of us might think are inconsequential—are actually the cornerstone of civilization. Incredibly smart, the book illustrates how the philosophies of the greatest thinkers are relevant to our very modern lives (From the Back of the Book)

Review: I first picked this book up from the cruise ship library - an interesting moment because I was already seething about the lack of etiquette and manners that becomes apparent when you cram 6,000 people onto a boat. Holdforthe starts by quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices" - from there, she writes about how manners are more than just being nice; it's the fabric of how we interact with others, it means we can live without laws and morals. It smoothes out the rough edges that always occurs when you have humans living together.
I agreed with most of everything she said - I enjoyed how she explain manners as more than just an intricate set of rules and behaviors, but as more. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in social behavior, manners, or just how people interact.

Bookmarks: 8 of 10

Awards: None

Date Finished: 10-2-11
Pages: 167

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Aquisitions: Thift Shopping

I went thrift shopping today for bits of Halloween costume, and of course I'm not going to pass up the book piles. Here is what I purchased:

Every Tongue Got to Confess: Negro Folk-Tales from the Gulf States by Zora Neale Hurston

Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World by Henri J. M. Nouwen

The Protien Power Lifeplan by Michael and Mary Dan Eades

One Good Knight by Mercedes Lackey

Unmasked by C. . Barry

Each New Day by Corrie Ten Boom

To Light a Candle: The Autobiography of the American missionary in India and China who Founded Literacy Village by Welty Honsinger Fisher

Elizabeth Blackwell: Physican by Matina S. Horner (American Women of Achievement)

Florence Nightingale: War Nurse by Mary C. Austin

Purity in Print: The Vice-Society Movement and Book Censorship in America by Paul S. Boyer

Life Like a Jesus Freak by D.C. Talk

Stranger and Traveler: The Story of Dorothy Dix, American Reformer by Dorothy Clarke Wilson

What's So Amazing about Grace [Visial Edition] by Philip Yancey