Tuesday Throwbacks: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Lightning Thief

I am very much a fantasy girl.  I was a Harry Potter fiend and felt this vast emptiness once I had read the whole series.  I stumbled upon Percy Jackson at a newstand at Miami International Airport on one of my many trips to Alabama and decided to buy it.  It was a spur of the moment decision on a book I had never really heard anything about.  The movie wasn't due to come out for several months, I hadn't seen a trailer of anything and thought why not? I love greek mythology this can't suck.

And it didn't.  Was it the best thing I'd ever read.  No by no means, but I found myself sucked into Percy's world from page 10.  I have since seen the movie and felt it didn't do the book justice I left slightly outraged.  I loved the characters so much in the book, the way the relationships were built, the time spent at Camp Halfblood and was so upset that they seemingly cut out that great time at the camp.  I get it you have to show the fun stuff but reading about Camp Halfblood was the fun stuff for me.  I eventually got the second book in the series on my Nook, but I haven't read it yet.  I will review it at some point and post it for you guys. 

Overall I thought The Lightning Thief was a nice intro to Percy Jackson and his world.  I think its a nice fun read for anyone with children or anyone into fantasy series. 

Obsessive Hero Worship

I've decided to do a regular feature where I highlight my favorite literary hero's and why I love them.  I could start off with someone so obvious that anyone who knows me could figure it out but instead I'll start with my second favorite choice:

Edward Fairfax Rochester

He's surly, secretive, haunted, brooding, kind of a whore monger and falls for one of the most plain Jane (literally) heroines ever written.  I couldn't love him more.  Honestly, I think one of the main reasons I love him so much is because he's so crotchety.  What girl doesn't like a challenge?  He barely speaks in the beginning, he just sort of barks and harrumphs but by the end of the story you really get to see a man truly in love get his.  And that dear readers makes me happy.  I have read Jane Eyre so many times.  I remember being scared the first time I picked it up on a suggestion from my 11th grade English teacher.  One of those teachers who knew me so well she didn't even bother telling me about the story, she just looked at me and said "you'll thank me later."  And I did.  Because not only did she introduce me to one of my all time favorite books, but to one of my favorite male leads in the written word.

And here for your viewing pleasure is my favorite Edward Rochester as played by Toby Stephens in the Masterpiece Classic, 2006 version of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Sunday Series: The Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn

The Duke and I - The Viscount Who Loved Me - An Offer From A Gentleman - Romancing Mr. Bridgerton - To Sir Phillip, With Love - When He Was Wicked - It's In His Kiss - On the Way to the Wedding

I've always been a series kind of girl.  I love being able to pick up a book and read about a brother, sister, son, cousin.  I started reading this series from book 2 and was so thoroughly in love with this family that I read the remaining seven in the series along with the Second Epilogues within three days.  All regency romances that takes place over 15 years you really get to experience the lives of all eight siblings. 

Picking my favorite seems like an impossible task but if I absolutely had to - at gunpoint mind you - I would pick...

I seriously couldn't recommend this series more.

Weekend Roundup

Its very easy for me to hole up in my bedroom with my one click book shopping on my Nook and plow through books.  Thats exactly what I did yesterday and today.  So here's my first weekend roundup:


The Earl and the Governess by Sarah Elliott

Hmmm, where to begin with William and Isabelle.  To be honest I almost didn't pick it up because of the hero's name, sore spot.  The story started much like you would come to expect. He sees her on the street and decides that he can be of use to the beautiful and helpless creature standing in the middle of such a dangerous neighborhood.

I didn't love that she was so unable to do anything for herself, and found myself thinking that everything bad that happened to her was for a reason.  Words Isabelle tells William at the end of the book.  I laughed out loud at that.

Overall it wasn't a bad read, I found myself really enjoying it towards the end when they went to the cottage in the country.  I find I grow tired of stories that center around London and the ridiculousness that was society at that time.  But at the same time I love it and find myself drawn over and over again to stories that center around a debutantes debut in London.  I picked up The Earl and the Governess because it was different.  I would recommend it as a light snack.  Nothing to really sink your teeth into but good enough when something more appetizing isn't available.

Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale

Trev and Callista.  I can honestly say that I really really enjoyed this book.  It had bits of the ridiculous in the story but I can't help but be a complete sucker for stories where the hero has long standing feelings for the heroine.

From the moment they start waltzing in the first chapter I was a goner.  A cattle farming heroine a booky hero and quite the insane turn of events lead to a really charming story.  I loved the ease of their rapport, the back story of their teen years was so sweet and sad.  It had the oddest array of characters I have found in a story and at times found that their were bits that weren't explained enough for my liking but overall it was a great read.

I would highly recommend this romance to anyone in the mood for a bit of fun.

To Good to be True by Kristan Higgins

As I said I've been on a historical romance kick so it felt rather odd to pick up this contemporary romance.  I wanted a brief vacation from all the ballrooms and debutantes and I definitely got it with this one.

As contemporary romances go it was cute.  It took the oh so handsome Callahan and slightly grating Grace a lot longer to get together than one would think and it was all because of a pretty major plot point that to be honest annoyed me to death.

Aside from that I enjoyed the story and the side stories of her two sisters and parents love lives as well.  I was instantly all about Cal as soon as they introduced him breaking into the house next door.  I loved Angus possible because he reminded me so much of my own ball of fur, I couldn't help smiling every time Angus did something mischievous.  If I had one general critique about contemporary romances its this:  Please do not create a reason for the hero/heroine argue and separate.  Its not necessary, every single couple doesn't break up, they work through the problems and that is just so unrealistic and annoying.  Other than that it was a cute story mostly fluff but good fluff you know.

The Earl's Forbidden Ward by Bronwyn Scott

I wasn't quite sure how I'd feel about this book.  I picked it up a bit creeped out by the idea of the Earl ending up with his ward Tessa.  It was a bit too pedophilic (if thats even a word) for my tastes but once the story began and I realized that he wasn't really what he appeared to be I got more comfortable with it and settled in for a good and quick read.

She was headstrong as most regency romance heroine's tend to be but she didn't rub me the wrong way.  I've been on a romance kick lately so this fit the bill nicely.  Just enough smut to keep me happy without making me flip the pages because I'm disgusted with the crazy amount of sex in it.

Overall a good read.  I found myself wanting to stay with the characters and am happy to discover that Ms. Scott (a pen name by the way) will be continuing the story with the Earl's younger brother Paine and one of Tessa's younger sisters.