Arrows Trilogy

One of my favorite authors is Mercedes Lackey. I know, I already wrote about her with Beauty and the Werewolf, but I figured I'd go over another universe of hers, Valdemar. Valdemar is a country founded by Lord Valdemar (go figure) who wanted to give his people freedom. When he needed help the most, he prayed to every god and goddess he could think of, and his prayers were answered with companions. Might sound dirty, but it's not! Companions are look like magnificent horses, but with quite human minds, and speed and endurance like no horse. Heralds are picked by the companions to help the King. So, ages later, when Valdemar is quite established, there was a girl, whose name was Talia. She was raised in a highly strict religious household, and at 13, was told she was to get married. Terrified at the thought of marriage, she runs away. Scared, lonely, and wondering what on Earth she was going to do, she hears a sound like no other, a companion's bells! She runs out, and promptly falls right down the hill to land at it's feet. She realizes that the companion is alone, and decides she must return it to the capital. Once there, she finds out she has been chosen to be a herald, and starts down a long road of hope, love, danger, and adventure! The "Arrows" trilogy is very good, and it's the first books she writes in this world. Once you finish it, you could read others from the same timeline, like 'To Catch a Thief', or 'Exile's Honor' (there are more too), or you could choose to read from another timeline, like that of the last herald mage, Vanyel, or of the firestarter, Lavan. I would, however, start with her entry into the world, as it might explain a few things you could find missing or confusing from the rest. Hope you enjoy!

A look back at YA

Today, I thought I'd talk about a series that I still enjoy going back and reading, that I started when I was maybe 11. It's the Immortals series by Tamora Pierce. It follows a young girl (13 in the first book) who discovers her 'knack with animals' is really what they call 'wild magic'. She learns how to talk to immortals, heal animals, call them when they're needed, and explain what she needs them to do. She plays a crucial role in a war, both keeping the animals safe, and using them to defeat the enemy. In time, she learns the identity of her father, and what makes her so unique. It's a really good book series to show your kids, and also a good series to read if you feel like it yourself! Tamora Pierce actually writes a total of four (I think) series in this realm and timeline. The first is the 'song of the lioness' series, which follows Alanna on her path to becoming a knight, even though she's (in secret) a woman. Then comes this series, and then 'the protector of the small', which follows a young woman who wants to become a female knight like Alanna, and her struggles. Finally, 'daughter of the lioness' follows Aly as she struggles to make her own way, apart from her family. All of these are good books, and you can't go wrong with any of them. If you're going to have your youngish child read them, I'd suggest starting with the first book of 'song of the lioness' and the first book of 'the immortals'. As the characters grow up (a little in the second, more so in the third and fourth book of each series), the content does some as well, although never explicit. It's a good series for your 13-15 year old teens, although 10-12 is still fine, and I still enjoy them now. I've looked in the YA sections a couple times recently, and I've noticed, it's almost all 'twilight' type books, so I'm not sure if Tamora Pierce is still a 'popular' writer or not... That being said, you can always buy them online, and there's a plethora of used versions too. Have fun, and let me know what you think!

A slightly different book... :)

Most people now don't read the classics for fun... they are often too hard to read, because the language has changed so much from when they were written, and it just will never do it justice to 'translate' it into modern English. That being said, one book that remains a classic is Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. It is a romance novel, filled to the brim with heart fluttering moments, and I absolutely love it! It is the story of Elizabeth, the second of five daughters. Her mother is desperate to marry them off, as they have no brothers to inherit once their father dies. Her older sister Jane is the beauty of the area, but Elizabeth is also quite handsome, so their mother has high hopes. When Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy come to town, it seems those hopes could be fulfilled, but there is always a catch, and they will have to overcome some obstacles (like their pride, and their prejudice) before they can live happily ever after.
It can be difficult to read, but if you can work through the language barrier, it is completely worth it! Like I said, it just can't be translated into today's language... I do suggest getting the print version, for a couple of reasons: First, you can easily lose your place in an ebook, and it's not as easy to find it again. Second, It is a classic book, and there is just something romantic about reading it the 'classic' way. I think Jane Austen deserves a little space in your bookcase! But, if you are a die hard kindle person, no worries! It is usually free on kindles, so that may influence your decision too. Once you've read the book, and can fully appreciate it, I would suggest watching the movie from 2005. If you've already seen it, rewatch it! I think it's a marvelous rendering, which I don't normally say. Most books, turned into movies, just ruin it. This movie, however, does a wonderful job at translating it into film, so it's worth it! Of course, if you haven't seen the 'American Ending', that is also necessary. For a while, I didn't even know some versions came without it! Seems like now it's hard to find it with it... It just shows Mr. and Mrs. Darcy after the wedding, and it's the perfect, most romantic ending ever! If you get a copy without it, it's on youtube. Anyways, that's my classic throwback for today! I hope you take some time out to try to read this classic, and let me know what you think! :)

Beauty and the Werewolf

Today, I wanted to talk about a book by an author that I really enjoy, Mercedes Lackey. This book specifically is Beauty and the werewolf, a story about a girl who visits an old woman in the woods. This woman teaches her about magic, and all manner of useful things. During her walk back home, she is attacked by a large wolf, and escapes but for a bite to the leg. Once it is discovered that she was bitten, she is carted off to a fort away from anyone she might hurt, as she was bitten by a werewolf. This werewolf, however, was not a typical one, but a nobleman who doesn't know how he became a werewolf. To find out if she becomes one, they must keep her secluded but for the company of the man who bit her. She learns many things in her time there, and finding out how the nobleman became a werewolf is the most dangerous discovery of all...
It's a fun spin on the typical tales of both beauty and the beast, and red riding hood. If, like me, you thoroughly enjoyed anything 'fairy tale' like as a child, you'll love this! It is part of a set of books about the 'five hundred kingdoms', so if you enjoy this book, you can read many more like it by Mercedes Lackey. Her bibliography says there are seven books in this series, but it hasn't been updated in a few years, and I know for a fact there are more. Beyond the five hundred kingdoms, she also writes about another couple of worlds, Elemental Masters (very similar to this one, in fact it seems to overlap quite a bit), and the Valdemar universe. She has written quite a few other books/worlds, but those are my other favorites. One thing that is nice about Mercedes Lackey, if you haven't read her yet, is that there are so many books that she's written. It's hard to read them all right away, so unlike some authors that only write a couple, if you find yourself craving another book like the one you just read, she's got many! I've personally got probably about 30 books written by her at home, and I've probably read them all at least three times. She's written about 140 books, so clearly I've got a ways to go in my collection!! This book is quite a bit easier to read than 'Through Wolf's Eyes', so I can usually read it in about an hour to an hour and a half, but I'm a fast reader as well. It's 408 pages long, but like I said, it's easy reading, so it just breezes by! :) Have fun!

Through Wolf's Eyes

So, today I figured I'd talk about another really good book, Through Wolf's Eyes, by Jane Lindskold. It's not as fast a read as some books might be, but it's still very addicting, and has enough intrigue to satisfy any reader. It follows Firekeeper, a girl that was raised by wolves. Not just any wolves, but Royal Wolves, a larger and smarter breed. When she is old enough, the wolves allow her to rejoin her kind. A group of people looking for a lost prince come along, and she joins them. They quickly decide she must be Lady Blysse, the lost prince's daughter. Everyone else died in a fire that orphaned her when she was little. This is not without it's fair share of danger, as that would mean she'd be the heir, and there are many people eager to get the crown. While learning human language, she also learns their manners, and how most people act, but this is done in the rather dangerous environment of people who would do anything to become King or Queen. She has to use her wolf's cunning and instincts to survive, and discover who she really is...
It's a very good book, and although some might find it slightly slow, or rather long, I find it to be worth the time. There are a few books that come after, but no bookstore that I've been to has ever had them, and I always find myself running out of time to get them and read them, but they are: Wolf's Head Wolf's Heart, The Dragon of Despair, Wolf Captured, Wolf Hunting, and Wolf's Blood. A total of 6 books in the series, I guess I better start working on them! It's usually pretty hard to find these books in bookstores, especially the first three. I find that whenever I'm reading a new series, I'll get the first book, and then all I can find is #3, and #7, or something like that. Luckily, ladies and gentlemen, we are blessed to live in the day and age of Amazon!! :) While it may take a couple long days, you can almost always find your missing books there. So, all in all, I find this book captivating, funny, and action packed, and very much worth the time to read it! Have fun, and hopefully you enjoy it too!

My absolute favorite book of ALL TIME

So, I figured I'd start off with my favorite book, which isn't exactly a common one. I have since lost my copy (sobs quietly), but I've read it enough times that I know it mostly by heart. It is 'Song in the Silence' by Elizabeth Kerner. Good luck finding a new copy, maybe you're lucky enough to live in a town/city that actually still has a bookstore (sobs intensely), and maybe they'll have it! Elizabeth Kerner has written three books in this series, and is hard at work on another, although the last post she made was years ago, and it has been 13 years since the latest book. My advice? If you are going to read the second, buy the second and third together, because you will NOT want to have to wait to read the next one. Speaking from experience here, it was sheer torture waiting for that book to come out, with how the second one ended. Anyways, back to the first book. Lanen Kaelar is the main character, who is convinced that real dragons exist (they have small, rather low intelligence beasts there already), and boards a ship to an island that no one has been for hundreds of years. There, they find these real dragons, and she quickly befriends one. Adventure promptly ensues, with plenty of danger, love, hope, and good vs evil. I will leave the rest to you to discover, but this book is straight up magical, and it is worth your time trying to find it! Of course, if you want a used copy, Amazon has them aplenty (https://www.amazon.com/Song-Silence-Lanen-Kaelar-Kolmar/dp/0812550447), so get to reading it!! Seriously, I cannot tell you how amazing this book is, I've been reading it since I was 10, and now, 15 years later, it is still my favorite book.

I'll try to post books pretty often, as I've plenty of material to choose from. I've got books that I loved, hated (although it is pretty rare), liked quite well, and just didn't like very much. These are obviously my opinions, and I know that someone will disagree with every one, which is why when I talk about books I don't like, I'll tell you the reason I didn't like it, and why I think you should still give it a shot. Remember, books are still someone's dreams and hard work, hours and hours of intense typing/writing, getting it reviewed, edited, and finally published, so for the most part, I think that every book has a right to be read.

For me, reading is more than just a pastime. It was my escape as a child, into worlds filled with adventure, love, understanding, and characters that I could become who could do whatever they wanted. Today, it is still my vacation from this world, a temporary time that I can become someone healthy, brave, strong, and fearless! I hope that your vacation into the books I write about is a fun one, thanks for reading!