Book Review: Heart of a Legend by Amy Lignor

Read and Reviewed for Frontstreet Reviews

When Paulita Maxwell started her journey from Texas into the wild New Mexico Territory in 1877, with her brother Pete, her thoughts were on nothing more than being reunited with her family in Fort Sumner. While crossing New Mexico to get to their home, Paulita and Pete were attacked by a lone angry Indian. Help came in the form of a bullet shot by one William H Bonney, the man who world soon be known to the rest of the world as outlaw “Billy the Kid”. Billy’s heroic actions, in saving the Maxwell siblings, are the start of a friendship between him and both Paulita and her brother.

As politics in Lincoln County spiral into an all out land war, Paulita finds her life becoming more and more intertwined with Billy’s She is helplessly in love with the outlaw Billy has become; she believes he is nothing more than the scapegoat.. Paulita is faced with the heartbreak her love will cause her family, as her brother has cast aside his friendship with Billy due to Billy’s criminal behavior. We witness Paulita grow from a young teen fresh out of finishing school into a strong woman in love and wife to an outlaw.

Billy the Kid is one of the Wild West’s legendary outlaws whose life is still hotly debated about in modern times. His past is shrouded in mystery; and people still do not know for sure why he never left New Mexico for any long periods of time. Author Amy Lignor has taken the history of Paulita Maxwell, a women who was named as Billy’s girl in newspapers of the time, and written a story that gives a reason for some of Billy’s actions.

I was excited to receive this book; as the wild-west, full of legendary figures, is a time of American history that I have loved since small. I didn’t think I knew much about Billy the Kid, and was pleasantly surprised at what I found I did know while reading the book. It was easy to see the amount of research that went into this tale even before the extremely helpful afterword provided by the author. Her story includes many of the real men who were involved in the Lincoln County Wars, making this part of history step alive off the pages. The Heart of a Legend is a strong first novel; that shows readers a bit of history that has been glossed over due to the legendary status achieved by Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County land wars.

Book Review: Rags and Old Iron by Lorelei Shannon

Read and Reviewed for Frontstreet Reviews

College student Amy Sullivan is living a fairly normal, boring life. She spends her time attending classes and daydreaming about romance with handsome pirate captains and a dark and brooding lord of the manor. However, her life takes a turn when her nightly dreams start turning into nightmares, and hallucinations start creeping into her daily life. Amy’s friends express concern as she starts unraveling both physically and mentally.

A conversation with her friend Xavier, a Yaquai mystic, brings forth the idea that maybe Amy’s dreams are in fact memories that Amy repressed during her childhood. When Amy is rescued from being sexually assaulted by a familiar figure, her whole reality is thrown into turmoil. Her rescuer is Rags, a swamp demon, that Amy befriended as a six year old while visiting her grandparents in Florida. To her six-year old self, Rags was her Peter Pan. He was an elfin boy with the power to transform his flesh and control things with his thoughts. However, to Amy’s nineteen-year old self, Rags is a malevolent presence. His declarations of love and intentions of possessing Amy are disturbing to her, as is the very evilness of his nature. Amy and her friends are joined by Louis, a voodoo priest, and another friend of six year old Amy. His power combined with the protective powers of Xavier can help Amy in her quest to free herself of Rags’ presence. But is the power and love of her friends enough to save her from the evil thing that loves her as well?

Rags and Old Iron is a recent offering by Juno Books, a new imprint of Wildside Press specializing in paranormal romances. Rags and Old Iron takes readers on a journey from Arizona to Florida, and pulls the mystical and magical into modern life. I was impressed with how full the plot was without being overwhelming. The story resonates with magic, romance, and a sense of impossible things come to life.

Lorelei Shannon is the author of Vermifuge and Other Toxic Cocktails. A collection of dark fantasy and horror short stories published by Wildside Press. She lives outside of Seattle and spends her time when not writing being a goth mamma to her two boys and restoring her 1947 Cadillac hearse, Annabelle Lee

Book Review: Flight of the Goose: A Story of the Far North by Lesley Thomas

Read and Reviewed for Armchair Interviews

It is the summer of 1971. The war in Vietnam is raging, and the draft has not yet been repealed. Hippies and protesters are treated badly everywhere. The oil companies are looking to expand into previously untapped oil reserves in Alaska. It is a time of change for the country. In Alaska, the Inupiat community is learning to survive by incorporating their traditional hunting and gathering lifestyle with more modern accessories, and tourism

Kayuqtuq is an orphan who has been raised in a traditional Inupiat village. Her traumatic past haunts her everyday life. She falls in love with the old stories told of life before the missionaries came to the North. Because of these tales of times with different powers for people, she has decided that the only way for her to gain the respect she deserves from the village is to become a shaman, a path that has been outlawed in modern Inupiat society.

Leif Trygvesen is a university student who has come north to do research on the effects of oil spills on the salt marshes and to find evidence of the rare Tallinn 's goose, an endangered species of goose he hopes to keep from being declared extinct. Leif, a pacifist from Seattle, is trying to do some good while evading the draft. While his scholastic exemption has kept him safe, his family has been torn apart by the recent death of his brother who did go to fight.

Kayuqtuq and Leif find their paths intertwined as the summer progresses. What starts as curiosity about the other's lifestyle, develops into attraction and love. As both Leif and Kayuqtuq work their way through cultural conflicts, spiritual awakenings and discovering and developing their love in a time of turmoil--they begin to realize that the time they have together may be short.

Author Lesley Thomas brings her first-hand knowledge of growing up in the Arctic forward into a haunting story The alternating viewpoints of both Leif and Kayuqtuq's took some time to become familiar. However, once adjusted, I quickly devoured the fantastically told tale in this book.

some neat Author news - Peter S. Beagle

Peter S. Beagle was never paid for his work for the adaptation of The Last Unicorn.
Certainly, he was never paid for that claptrap crummy dvd that came out a few years back.

So now that a beautifully, carefully done dvd has been released, the small press with which he is associated decided to invest in a shipment and retail sell autographed copies.
They were hoping to sell a few hundred and make Mr.Beagle, who lives as hand to mouth as many less popular writers, a little money off his own work.

Within the first week they had over 1,600 orders.

Conlan Press is still taking orders, with apologizes for the delay in shipping-- Mr.Beagle's hand has been getting tired.

If you do feel like ordering a copy of the dvd for your collection I would suggest buying it through Conlan Press for either an autographed or non autographed version since the author actually sees some money from the sale.

Debut a Debut

Don't forget thay this week is the Debut a Debut week over at the West of Mars blog. I had hoped to have more than one new review of a debut book to post this week, but it looks like yesterday's entry for The Last Templar will be the only debut book review to go up. I was unable to actually get my hands on a copy of any of the others that I thought were interesting.

Have fun posting your reviews, and I'd love to see links to them left here in the comments section if y'all are willing to share.

Book Review: The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury

Read and Reviewed for Frontstreet Reviews

Martin of Carmaux, a young Templar knight, flees the city of Acre after the Muslims take the last city held by the Christian knights in 1291. He joins his mentor Aimard of Villiers on a mission to deliver a chest for the dying Grand Master of the Templar’s order. Their ship, the Falcon Temple, is lost in a massive storm, and the mysterious chest never delivered.

In current day New York City, Hundreds of attendees are attending the opening, of an exhibit of art on loan from the Vatican, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Those attendees become witnesses to four men dressed in knight garb ride horses into the museum and rob the exhibit. Archeologist Tess happened to be close enough to witness one of the horseman steal a strange mechanical device, and hear the reverent Latin phrase that the horseman uttered as he picked it up. Tess brings up the connection between the garb the horsemen were wearing and the phrase the one horseman uttered with the Templar Order from the 14th century to the FBI team investigating the theft.

Sean Reilly is an FBI agent working on the case. He is joined by his partner Nick Aparo, and an envoy from the Vatican, Monsignor De Anglais. As three of the horsemen turn up dead, it becomes apparent how important the stolen device is Tess becomes more than just a witness as her experience as both a research and field archeologist becomes a helpful addition to the search team. Tess and Reilly are drawn out on a chase that takes them through parts of New York City, into the desolate mountains of Turkey, and remote islands of Greece. Will they be able to catch up with the fourth horseman, and find the mysterious lost treasure of the Templar?

Raymond Khoury’s first novel, The Last Templar is an action packed thriller. He successfully pulls off the telling of two tales, the current day treasure chase and the interspersed tale of the knight Martin as he struggles to escape Acre and make his way to France. I was impressed with the complexity of the plot, and the thought provoking look that it gave towards faith’s role in the modern world and faith versus historical fact. I was a bit leery going into The Last Templar as I had heard it compared to The Da Vince code, which I disliked intensely when I read it last year. However, I was surprised by a thought invoking tale with characters that popped off of the pages and into my imagination. I will be waiting eagerly for Khoury’s next novel to be released later this year.

Contest Plug

I’ve been meaning to post this for the last week, but illness has kept me offline and in the mindframe to halfheartedly play videogames while combating fever and coughing madness. My friend Susan over at the West of Mars blog has come up with a fantastic contest idea. Below is the blurb for it, and you can read the entire contest info over here (and tell 'em nimrodiel sent you)




The book industry faces many challenges. People seem to have less time to read and it's tough to compete with the television and Internet. Any new or aspiring author knows how hard it is to make his or her voice heard amongst the chorus of "publish me!" "Notice me!" "Buy my books!"

In many cultures around the world, Valentine's Day has converted the month of February into the month of love. This February, two aspiring authors are taking their love of reading and their admiration for debut authors and combining them into the "Debut a debut!" contest.

Take a first-time author for a spin on your "To Read in 2007" list and give yourself the chance to win great prizes! Gift certificates to Borders and more!

During the week of 12 Feb through 17 Feb, read a book written by a debut author and post your review by 17 February. Send Susan or Erica the permalink to your review and you will be entered in a drawing for some great prizes.

Book Review: Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up by Mollie Katzen and Ann Henderson

Read and Reviewed for Armchair Interviews

Mollie Katzen is well known in the food world for her involvement with the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, New York. She has been creating recipes and writing vegetarian cookbooks for adults for many years. However, until she witnessed her son’s preschool class making applesauce one day, she didn’t think her three year old would have an interest in preparing food.

When she talked to his teacher, Ann Henderson, she discovered that cooking was a weekly occurrence for the class. Something clicked during this conversation and she remembered her “play cooking” as a child with her mother’s old bowls in the backyard. Several years later, Mollie and Ann teamed up to write a cookbook for parents and their preschoolers to use to experience the fun of early cooking at home.

Because this unique cookbook is designed for both adults and preschoolers it does not follow traditional cookbook layout. First, the recipe is written traditionally for the adults to go through. Next, the recipe is written in a pictorial version for the kids to use. The authors also give tips to make these more fun and safe for the children. Ideas such as colored tape on the handle of the butter (or plastic) knife to teach them which end to hold, and creating a cooking station at the kitchen table where it is safer for the kids to reach using an electric skillet. Each recipe is presented in a colorful way, with ideas on how to introduce young and picky eaters to try new foods.

Recipes such as popovers, green spaghetti, bagel faces and pretend soup are simple enough to not confuse young cooks, but complex enough to inspire their imaginations and leave them with good healthy fun food to eat. Each of these recipes has been made and taste tested by Ann’s preschoolers and the book is peppered with quotes from the kids on what they thought of the foods that they made. I’m looking forward to spending some time with the preschoolers in my life and trying out some of the fun food recipes found inside this fun little cookbook.

So, I've been indulging in a nice re-reading of The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien. It's been awhile, and I usually end up reading the series once every year or two.

I noticed this though. This book (especially the first portion of it) always makes me hungry. I've noticed that I usually end up doing my reading around lunch/supper time or specifically make something to nibble on while reading.

Usually this involved mushrooms of some sort. It just seems right to visit Hobbitton and eat mushrooms dishes.

Today, it was soup heavy on the mushrooms with some potato, carrot, garlic and spinach thrown in as well as lentils and a bit of last night's leftover rice. Yesterday it was sauteed onions, mushrooms and smoked sausage. I'm thinking of making a mushroom and spinach quiche with the remaining mushrooms (if there are enough eggs. I should check on that).

I'm wondering if this is just me, or do some books just make people hungry?

I wonder, what titles have you read that lead to raiding the kitchen?

mini-series alert

I had the fun of reading this morning that the Sci-Fi channel will be making and airing a miniseries of Neil Stephenson's The Diamond Age Hopefully it will be better than their mini attempts at Dune by Frank Herbert and Earthsea by Ursala K. LeGuin.

Yes, I was not a fan of their Dune mini (though I seem to be in the minority it seems at times). It felt at times like they both followed the book and were trying to one up David Lynch's movie version. Plus, the Children of Dune mini totally mis-interpreted a few of the charecters, Aliah is the biggest one.

I just saw the Earthsea mini finally (it was announced to be airing right when we stopped getting cable), and while it wasn't bad per say, it felt really rushed and I disliked how they combined/changed the first two books in the series. I had high hopes for it, and was let down.

Hopefully with the author involved in the process of creating it. This newly announced mini-series will be much better.

Or am I expecting too much?

Reminder

Just a note to those reading through the archieves. My reviews are sorted and tagged by the site they are reviewed for (i.e http://www.armchairinterviews.com or http://www.frontstreetreviews.com). Armchair reviews are linked to the review through the blog title, and Frontstreet reviews are linked to the main page through the title.

enjoy, and let me know if you have any problems.

Book Lust part II

I walked through the bookstore into the science fiction fantasy section, and all my planned out title possibilities fled. There were so many new good looking titles, and books I had forgotten I had wanted to get(like the Kushiel series).

I promptly saw two titles, and had to sit and decide on, as I had enough gift card money for one, as both were hardbacks, and both are planned to go in the pc.



Hunters of Dune by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert


or

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

It was a hard choice to make, especially as there were other books I could buy in paperback format and get more bang for my buck. I'm glad I got Fragile Things however. I just Finished it and am amazed by the stories inside its covers.

Book Review: The Venus Fix by M.J. Rose

Read and Reviewed for Frontstreet Reviews

Dr. Morgan Snow, sex therapist at the well known Butterfield Institute in New York City, has a new patient. He is an extremely influential and powerful man that she only knows as “Bob.” His problem is an extremely strong addiction to watching internet porn of the web-cam variety. He is not the only patient that Dr. Snow has. She is also running a group session for a small group of teenagers, at a prestigious high school, who are all obsessed with the same type of internet fed sexual fantasies.

Then the women creating these fantasies start to die while performing. Suddenly, The N.Y.P.D. is fielding hundreds of phone calls from across the country. Phone calls made by the men who were watching as these women became sick and died. Dr. Snow’s work becomes entangled with detective Noah Jordain’s investigation as he tries to unravel the riddle behind the murders. All the victims are purveyors of the web cam porn industry. Also, all the victims are employed by the same company. What other connections tie the victims together?

The clues point towards Dr Snow’s new patient. However, new evidence comes from an unexpected source and changes the focus of the hunt. Can they find the real killer in time, or will more women die?

The Venus Fix is M.J. Roses third book in the Butterfield Institute series. As a newcomer to this series, I found it easy to fall into Dr. Snow's world and sensibilities. M.J. Rose has crafted a story that pulls its elements from seedier aspects of society and combines them with well crafted events to make a quick, enjoyable, thrill-filled story. Being fairly new to the mystery/thriller world, I was unaware of M.J. Rose’s reputation for writing that is a bit sexual, raw and underground. In fact I stumbled across her due to a self promotional contest online for this title. M.J. Rose is one of those authors that you hear a lot about. She self published her first novel, due to increased frustration with having her book turned down by several publishing houses, and put all her effort into using the internet to market her writing. As a result, her books have been picked up by the mainstream publishing industry. She still keeps a web blog called Buzz, Balls & Hype which she uses as an outlet to help publishers and authors reach a larger audience about their books. I’ve never been much of a reader of thrillers, however I found The Venus Fix a fantastic introduction to the genre and am looking forwards to reading more works by the author.


Author's web site: http://www.mjrose.com/
Author's Blog: : http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/buzz_balls_hype/

ISBN: 077832317X
ISBN-13: 9780778323174
Publisher: Mira
Publication Date: July 2006
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

book lust part I

So, over the holidays I was gifted with a couple of gift cards for Borders books by my aunt. And do you know what? I'm a bit at a loss as to what I should buy with them.

I know that I want to pick up a copy of Children of Men by P.D. James . We just saw the film adaptation last week (which is probably the best film I've seen in 2006), and as I love stories in that style, I'm interested in checking out the book.

I'm also eyeing the Bartimaeus Trillogy books by Jonathan Stroud.

The Amulet of Samarkand
The Golem's Eye
Ptolamy's Gate

Or maybe something by Garth Nix, or Charles DeLint to finish series collections...

hmmm, maybe I do have an idea for what to get.

Book Review: The Tower of SHadows by Drew Bowling

Read and reviewed for armchair interviews

The Land of Ellenrie is under the threat of a great evil.

Roughly fifteen years before, the wizard Dale stopped the culmination of an evil sacrifice that would have opened a door between Ellenrie and the demon world. His flight through the nearby town brings him close to being attacked by the not quite human followers of the watchers, (the shadowy half summoned demons who can’t quite materialize in this world) who have been empowered by the completed portion of the sacrificial ceremony. His flight is joined by a former mercenary named Wren, Wren’s wife and a baby boy that she has saved from death at the hands of the attackers who killed his parents.

Currently, rumors of strange happenings have been circulating through Ellenrie. When Wren’s daughter Kayla witnesses the murder of the guardians of an ancient artifact, their life is changed forever. They are forced to flee Nautalia, the capitol, chased by a pair of cunning assassins. Finally they arrive at Dale’s lonely cottage, they find that he has disappeared. Eventually they join Dale’s former apprentice Adriel (now a full fledged wizard with little control of the magic he carries) who is in search of the boy Colin.

For the threat of evil to become reality, Colin’s life needs to be sacrificed by a mysterious mage living in a tower of shadows. Can the group find and keep Colin safe in time, or will a shadowy doom fall on Ellenrie?

Fantasy is a hard genre to break into. Especially the epic fantasy style of the genre. It is easy for new authors to fall back on the writing styles that have influenced them, resulting in stories that while good can be easily picked apart. However, the Tower of Shadows does not do this. Drew Bowling brings us a glimpse of a world with little magic left in it(and few people who can control it), that is being threatened by a very magical source. Also, I loved that everything strange seeming that showed up (people who are no longer quite human, foreign plant growth) are all shown to have a solid reason for happening. This epic tale is an extremely strong first novel, and I look forward to reading future works by the author.


ISBN: 0345486706
ISBN-13: 9780345486707
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Publication Date: December 12, 2006
Binding: Hardcover

Book Review: Sentinel by D.M. Paul

Read and Reviewed for Frontstreet Reviews

Fox Strongbox was considered special from birth. From a very early age he has been in training to become one of the Elf King’s elite guardians known as Sentinels. His final test of his training takes him and his mentor Eldin out of the elf kingdom to a remote island to test his skill. On the return journey, an unplanned attack by an elder black dragon leaves fox and the sentinel’s bird mounts wounded, and Eldin possessed by the spirit of the dying dragon’s spirit.

Draco (as Eldin has now become), learns of the location of the key to unlock an ancient and powerful artifact through the elder sentinel’s memories. Draco becomes obsessed with obtaining the artifact and the power that it will grant him.

Along with the king’s high wizard, Fox sets off to Cloudville to stop Draco, and rescue his mentor from Draco’s evil control. Their quest is joined by the two agents from the Incantation Enforcement Agency as they search for the location of the artifact’s hiding spot (long forgotten where it was by almost everyone)and keep the hidden artifact as it was meant to be: buried away forever.

Sentinel is the second installation in the One Wizard Place series. Author D. M. Paul masterfully weaves together Fox’s story with events that took place during the first book (One Wizard Place). As a contrast to One Wizard Place, the reader is treated to a more in-depth exploration of the elf kingdom and the massive city of Cloudview. At the same time, though, plot and character development do not suffer. This book has cemented in my opinion that this is one of the best new young adult fantasy series that I have read this year.

ISBN: 1598007955

ISBN-13: 9781598007954

Publication Date: September 2006
Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc.
Binding: Trade Paperback
Series: One Wizard Place Series, #2

LIGHTSPEED PAST THE KUIPER BELT NOW ON PODCAST AT DEEPLICIO.COM!!

http://deeplicio.us/Run by Mambo Italiano, this is a new website for House music and dance music.I'm very exicted to have been invited to be a part of this project!

Please take a moment and click over there to listen to all the mixes presented.We are just getting started and your support is GREATLY APPRECIATED!THANK YOU THANK YOU!

--------------------

This is non book related, but a fabulous thing to have happened to a great friend of mine. I hope this introduces some new people to the fantastic music she mixes up.

Book Review: A Day of Small Beginnings by Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum

Read and reviewed for armchair interviews

In 1906 Poland, Itzik Lieberman, - an overworked fourteen year old, stumbles across a Polish peasant whipping three young Jewish children on their way home from studying. He stops to help them, and in the process, accidentally kills the Pole. He flees the angry mob that comes looking for him, and hides in the Jewish cemetery. There, he falls on the newly uncovered grave of Friedl Alterman and prays to God for protection. His terrified and frantic prayers awake the spirit of Friedl, who comes to protect the scared boy. Itzik, who has been called faithless since his father left his family, can not hear Freidl’s spirit and does not realize the help he has been given. He eventually flees Poland for America, where he can be free from the horrible accident. Itzik raises a family and never talks about either Poland or the religion that he has cast aside for socialism. When his son and then his granddaughter return to Poland, after his death, the country they encounter is vastly different from the little they know of Itzik’s Poland.

Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum’s first novel explores the idea of the loss of family history once members make the journey to the new world. She bases her story on a tale she heard about her own family’s loss of heritage. She weaves a story that crosses four generations, two countries, and one religion. A Day of Small Beginnings examines what it means to be Jewish even when you don't practice the religion, and what happens when Jews-by-name begin to explore their heritage and the rich history of Judaism. Because this is such a plausible story, not just for Jews but for anyone with an immigrant background Rosenbaum's story engages readers across the spectrum and allows them to identify with the ill-fated Itzik and his reasons for running away from home.

ISBN: 0316014516

ISBN-13: 9780316014519

Publish Date: November 2006
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Binding: Hardcover

Book Review: The Healthiest Kids in the Neighborhood : Ten Ways to Get Your Family on the Right Nutritional Track

Read and Reviewed for Frontstreet Reviews

Are your kids junk food kids?

Dr. William Sears, a well known pediatrician, has written a book with his wife and two sons (themselves doctors) about getting your kids to eat healthier. He admits that raising healthy kids is getting harder and harder to do. These days, there are fast food restaurants everywhere, school lunches frequently have junk food as a part of the meal, and there is an overabundance of trans-fats and high risk sweeteners in the snacks and foods targeted at children. More and more kids are being diagnosed with illnesses like A.D.D., diabetes, cholesterol imbalances, and being overweight at an early age. These are situations that can be linked directly to the foods that children are eating.

The book is broken down into chapters that first identify good foods and then explain how and why these choices can boost a person's immunity. Another chapter focuses on how to make changes that will result in your children craving healthy foods, not junk, and one that shouldn't be missed talks about how to go shopping with young children and still come home with healthy foods instead of attractively-packaged junk. There are also answers to many nutritional questions that parents may have and a section with kid friendly recipes.

This book is written in a tone that sounds helpful without being preachy. It helps parents learn how to plan meals and snacks that will instill healthy eating habits that will carry over into adulthood. Dr. Sears is able to share with his readers the knowledge and experience that his family has gained throughout the years, and his sons are proof that his methods work. He uses examples of real families throughout the book along with some very helpful advice for both parents and children.

I found the book to be a great reference guide to how different foods help or hinder our health. I especially loved the chapters that broke down the “grow foods” or super foods for kids. They show us why the super foods are super for our children (and us as well) and give us ways to include these foods in our daily eating to maximize their importance to growth and general heath. Most of what was explained should be common sense to the caring parent, however it was great to see Dr. Sears’ advice on what to look for when reading labels, and which vitamins are good to give your children in supplement form to enhance what they should be getting through food. The charts breaking down how much of a mineral you need each day (example iron, and calcium) and the best food sources for those minerals were extremely helpful. This is a book that will be helpful for those parents determined to raise their children as healthily as they can. Whether it is from their child’s first solid food stage, or as an older child that is slowly having his food choices changed from "junk food" to "pure food".

ISBN: 0316060127
ISBN-13: 9780316060127
Publication Date: September 2006
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Binding: Paperback

the books come marching two by two...

I have two new review books staring at me right now.

1. Sentinal by D.M. Paul came yesterday
2. The Tower of Shadow by Drew Bowling came today.


I have to restrain myself from diving into either until I turn in the one review for frontstreet, and seriously revamp the one I'm writing for Armchair interviews.

It's hard as I have been waiting for Sentinal to come out since I read and wrote the review for One Wizard Place. I figure once I turn in the other review I can start the book...