Garden Spells & The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen were both a one sitting read for me. Both stories take place in the South, of which I am fond of, in small towns where everyone seems to know your business, and you, theirs.

Garden Spells tells the story of Claire Waverly, whose family has lived in their small town for generations. Claire is the newest resident and caretaker of a garden that is magical. An apple tree that throws apples, vines that entwine, fruits and vegetables that taste out of this world good.

The Sugar Queen is Josey Cirrini. A woman who is sure of three things in her life. A woman who is stuck in a big house catering to a mother who lived a life she didn't want, and is now a bitter and terribly demanding old woman to her daughter. One morning she awakens to find a woman in her closet. As the book progresses, the woman, who never leaves the closet, awakens Josie to life.

The stories are similar in that both main characters are women who have things in their pasts that hold them back from living life to the fullest. Who after some prodding and pushing come to the realization that life is passing them by and we can't always be held accountable about things/actions in our past. Either by us, or by others.

Both stories are funny, engaging, delightful and yes, magical. Pick up a bit of magic for yourself.

Cassandra Palmer series & Dorina Basarb series by Karen Chance

Cassandra Palmer leads a life of non stop adventure. In the first book, Touch the dark, we are introduced to this unlikely heroine and her friends and enemies. Few friends- lots of enemies. A person of the magickal persuasion, her gifts don't always work to her advantage.

Claimed by Shadow has Cassandra learning a bit more about her background. And making yet more enemies along the way. Including the Silver Circle (the supposed 'good guys') and the Black Circle. It's hell when there's a price on your head. Mircea, a vampire she met as a child, is causing her to second guess her feeling of friendship for something more. And then there's Pritikin...who is he really? The answer is most interesting.

In the third book, Embrace the night, we get more of an overview of her life within a vampire court. She was raised there after her parents deaths and find that while raised in luxury, it was nothing but a gilded cage. Cassandra met some interesting vampires while at court of whom she continues to be friends with even into adulthood. Additionally, the Pythia dies, and guess who is the new one? Can Cassies' life get any more hectic?

Curse the dawn, the fourth and newest installment, had me laughing almost all the way through. Still non stop adventure with Cassie and her friends. But there is a lot of humour in this one. The character of Cassie is more fleshed out with further insight into her parents and background. It has her questioning some of the things she does with regards to the men in her life, the ghosts in her life and her new status as Pythia.

Honestly I was meh about the 1st and 2nd books. But by the 3rd book I was hooked on this new addition to kick ass, fighting women who live in both the paranormal and normal world. Pick up this series and get started.


Midnight's Daughter, the first in the Dorina Basarab series. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Dorina is half human, half vamp. And daddy is....Mircea. Caustic, biting and tough as hell, (and this is on a good day) Dorina is a phenomenal character. Several characters from the Cassie Palmer series make an appearance, which makes for a great read.

If you are in need of some new reading material, with escapism, try either of these series.

I hate stereotypes.

With President Obama traveling the world, breaking down barriers and showing that no, not all presidents are blithering idiots, my hope is that the world now sees Americans in a better light. Or at least sees that we are not all the same. Most of us are not gun toting, hate mongering idiots. Not all of us our loud, brash and feel that you have to listen to our opinions just because we have some. We are not all inbreeders, sex offenders, listen to bad rap or any type of rap for that matter. Not all of us wear pounds of gold, track suits and sneakers. Not all of us hate others who are different than us, whatever those differences may be.

I'm a member of a forum, well several actually, that have members from all parts of the planet. For the most part I enjoy them a great deal. There is one person on one forum who makes me angry though because all he seems to do is high jack threads (and finds it oh so amusing) and U. S. bash. He's angered some of us U.S. citizens with the stuff that he posts. What bothers me is that even after we try and correct some of the things that he says, he continues to do it. Which now leads me to believe that probably most people from Australia are complete jerks and need to pull their heads out of their arse. A good will ambassador he 's not. If I was to base my opinions with regards to the Australian people from this guy; I'd have to say I would never want to visit your country. Based on the fact that I'm an American, I'd be afraid I might be fed to a crocodile. Or be hacked up with a knife. Or hit me in the head with a thrown can of lager. and I could be a jerk and say, well what do you expect from a country populated by the shipped out prisoners of England. You have to be an asshole if your own country ships you out because you're not wanted. (I'm making a point-I don't necessarily believe this.)

Yes, we have some rude Americans who should never be allowed to leave our country for international destinations. Unless deeply drugged and strapped up like Hanibal Lechter, only with a gag ball instead of a face mask. Yes, unfortunately our last president was a nonsensical idiot that apparently dropped some good shit in the 80's and saw mass weapons of destruction where there were none. (Ghost weapons apparently). Yes, some of us do like to tote guns, but do so responsibly. It is possible you know.

I cannot speak for my fellow Americans, but I can speak for myself. If you come across one of us, give us the benefit of the doubt with regards to whatever perceived stereotypes you may have of us. Who knows, perhaps you'll make a new friend, learn from /teach something to them. Stereotypes and profiling as a whole suck. But it can be stopped with a bit of effort on everyones part.

The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

I always read Alice Sebold's books with a bit of trepidation. She is, after all, the author who wrote a story of a 14 year-old rape/murder victim where the victim narrates the story. This story proves to be just as unsettling and shocking.

Helen, a body model at the local college, takes care of her mother. Something she has done for the majority of her life. Her mother has struggled with depression and agoraphobia most of Helen's life. The story unfolds with Helen having stopped by to check on her mother, as she does everyday. During the course of their conversation, her mother soils herself. And something within Helen snaps. Before she knows it, she has smothered and broken her mother's nose. Unsettling, jarring, thought provoking. The story, told over 24 hours, weaves back and forth between time, where come to understand how Helen might do what she did. But does it make it right?

In this century many adult children are taking care of their parents on a day to day basis. What toll does this take on the child? Taking care of the person who once took care of you, who has become dependent on you for every little thing; what type of pressure does that put one under? Add to the mix, past resentments, both real and imagined and what could happen when said child reaches their breaking point?

While Ms. Sebold may make us uncomfortable with the topics she writes about; she always makes us think and confront something within ourselves we'd rather not. I gave the book 3 out of 4 stars. I can't say I love it because it did make me that uncomfortable. But I do give it 3 because she writes a hell of a story.

Queen Betsy series by MaryJanice Davidson

Who says all vampires have to be dark & brooding? Elizabeth Taylor (Queen Betsy- Queen of the Vampires) is anything but dark or brooding. She come off a bit superficial and vacuous. However, she's not vacuous, she can just do things that the other vampires cannot. Like wear a cross, say God and Jesus, pray, drink blood once a week and sneeze when someone throws holy water at her. She is however, a bit superficial (aren't they all) and is a complete shoe whore. (Love that!!)

If you are looking for fast, easy and entertaining- these are your books. Did I mention that her half sister is the daughter of the devil? No? Well, read the books and find out how that happened. And I think her new baby brother, also a half, is going to have something a bit hinky about him.

Marie-Therese, Child of Terror: The Fate of Marie Antoinette's Daughter-Susan Nagel

From Publisher's weekly: What was the fate of Marie-Thérèse (1778–1851) after the beheadings of her parents, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette of France? Nagel, professor of humanities at Marymount Manhattan College, relates the dramatic highs and lows experienced by the woman known as Madame Royale. Her uncle, the Austrian emperor, wanted her to marry his brother, when she escaped from the Temple Prison at age 17 after three hellish years. Instead, she endured a loveless and childless marriage to her Bourbon cousin the Duc d'Angoulême, but became the close political ally of their uncle, Louis XVIII, whom she joined in his peripatetic exile and saw in his triumphant return to France in 1814 as king. Marie Thérèse survived the 1830 abdication of her father-in-law, Charles X, and died in exile. Known for her kindness and wit, she also endured persistent rumors that she was not the real Marie-Thérèse and the constant threat of abduction and assassination.

To be very honest, with all of the French history I've read, it never came to mind to wonder what happened to this particular child of King Louis and Marie Antoinette. In fact, I thought all of their children died. So I was quite happy to read this book and find that it was not so. The above review from Publisher's Weekly called the prose plodding. I completely disagree.

In that there is so much back and side stories going on, I felt Ms. Nagel did a superlative job at tying all the pieces together. Her accounting of the horrific time spent in the prison by Louis Charles and Marie Therese made me want to cry for these long people of history. Marie Therese steadfastness in trying to have the Bourbon lineage reinstated to the throne was inspiring. If you enjoy history, and in particular French history, do pick this book up.

Real men do write historical fiction

I received an email from someone who read my blog and he let me know that he writes historical fiction. When I choose an HF book I don't check to see if it's written by a man or a woman. I'm only reading the blurb on the back and perhaps a page or 2 to see if it holds my interest. But I never stop to think is it written by a man or a woman. Men write just as well, if at times, not better, HF than woman. Jude Morgan's writings come to mind.....sublime and vivid imagery.

I cut my historical fiction teeth so to speak on Louis L'Amour. My father was a huge fan and I used to read them as quickly as he was finished. I didn't know at the time they could be construed as HF. I just thought of them as westerns, which of course they are that as well. But it dawned on me after reading the email that I have quite a few male writers of Historical Fiction. Jude Morgan, Colin Falconer, Steven Pressfield, Christian Jacq, John Speed, Wilbur Smith and James Clavell to name a few.

I am appreciative of the email sender for reminding me that men have their foot planted firmly in this genre as well. Male or female, it doesn't matter to me. Just continue to give me good stories. I am most appreciative.