Science Fiction Fantasy Books

This book is one in a series. I personally did not read the book, however, my son was not able to put the book down once he started reading.

I've read 1, 2 and now 3 and all are excellant. I can't wait to read the next book.

Excellent book with great weaving of mythological figures into the story. The whole series is fantastic and just as good if not better than Harry Potter.

Another good book in the series. My son and I are looking forward to the next book!

In the third book of the hilarious and reflective series updating (yet staying delightfully true to) Greek mythology and hero tales, our hero, Percy Jackson, must deal with his greatest challenge to date: women. After Percy's friend (who is becoming more than that to him) Annabeth falls in battle with a manticore/vice principal, he must team up with heart-broken and recently brought-to-life Thalia and a gaggle of Artemis' Hunters. Added into the mix is a mysterious brother and sister Half-Blood that need to be brought to the camp. In standard hero fashion, Percy soon finds himself on a quest to save both Annabeth and the goddess Artemis from the Titan's Curse. As is standard in the series, the heroes must deal with various beasties from mythology, but also more significantly, they must deal with their ever-growing divine family, particularly their distant and mighty godly parents. Most of all, Percy discovers the dark side of being a hero, particularly a male hero, and his relationship with women: from his friend Thalia who is heart broken over Luke's betrayal, to Annabeth who seems more interested in redeeming Luke than hooking up with Percy, to his mother who has a new guy, to the goddess Aphrodite that finds him and his quest adorable, to Zoë who was once betrayed and used by a famous male hero. It's a very refreshing message for a series about Greek mythology: a commentary on the sexism of that mythology. Percy is growing up and coming to terms with his destiny. The book wonderfully captures to voice of a teenage boy while creating a great tale of mystery and monsters (though it was too action-heavy for my tastes). Full of delicious Greek mythology jokes for us Greek Geeks, and also true to the spirit, philosophy, magic, and metaphor of the original stories. One complaint: the paperback printings of this series are pretty terrible. The pages barely turn, the book barely opens, and after one reading (by an adult taking care of it), the binding it broken. But the book's contents are fantastic! Grade: A

In the latest installment of the Mercy Thompson series, we find Mercy, a walker who can turn into a coyote, in more trouble. During a night out with some friends, Mercy receives a call from her mentor Siebold Adelbertsmiter, better known as Zee. It turns out that someone has been killing the fae, so Zee enlists the help of Mercy, hoping that her nose might pick up the scent of the killer.

The investigation leads them nowhere. Zee decides to investigate more, while Mercy heads home. Hours later, she receives a call later informing her of Zee's arrest. Mercy is determined to find out who the real killer is, even if the whole fae community wants to kill her for poking her nose in fae business.

I just finished this book and I have to say this is the best book so far in the series. The books just keep getting better and better and as each book finishes, my love for the character Mercy continues to grow.

Mercy does end up going through a traumatic event in this novel, which did anger some people. I was spoiled about this, so the shock value didn't hit me as hard as someone who didn't know what was going to happen. That being said, it's still shocking and hard to read. I didn't mind it so much, simply because it did show that no one is ever safe, not even supernatural characters like Mercy.

So many female characters in urban fantasy novels rush into action alone and without back up, leaving them open to any attack, most of the time they never suffer any consequences for their action. So reading that Mercy actually didn't leave unscathed, made me love this novel even more, though I still wish she didn't have to go through that.

The aftermath of it was heartbreaking, but it solidified my love of Mercy. I wanted to find her, give her a hug, and tell her that everything will be okay. I do understand that some people might not like this, but to me it brought the human side of Mercy and it showed that she isn't invincible. Sometimes when we do risky things, we get hurt, even if you are not human like Mercy. While it brought the human side of Mercy, I loved how it also brought the human side of Ben, who we've seen as just scary. The event, really humanized a lot of characters.

Mercy also chooses between Samuel and Adam, which pleased me greatly. I don't mind love triangles, I just hate incredibly long love triangles that span through many, many books. If a love triangle goes through more than six or seven books, I just lose any love I had for those characters. Also, I use to watch Passions and that kind of killed my love for incredibly long love triangles. It killed my love for many things actually. Thankfully, Mercy didn't make me suffer and I was pleased with her choice.

My only disappointment to this great novel is the lack of vampires and Stefan, but that's okay since I don't think they would have added anything to the story.

This is an awesome book. Make sure you grab yourself a copy.

I look at Mercy as a strong independent woman. Patricia Briggs' story shows how even the strongest individuals, after such an emotional traumatic event, need someone to lean on. She won't let them take care of her forever, but for a while it is nice to know you have people willing to do things like that for you.

Ben's explanation to Adam at the end of the book is some of the best writing I have ever read. The emotion in those few pages will stay with me for a long time.

Mercy is a shape shifter, but she shifts into a coyoto. She it also torn between two men, Sam who she grew up with and Adam her neighbor. Adam is the leader of the werewolf pack. The book is the third in the series and her former mentorMercy is a shape shifter, but she shifts into a coyote. She it also torn between two men, Sam who she grew up with and Adam her neighbor. Adam is the leader of the werewolf pack. The book is the third in the series and her former mentor is accused of murder and left to rot behind robs for a murder that Mercy knows know he didn't commit, she sets out to prove his innocent. Along the way, she runs into some serious trouble, toward the end of the book, the situation, becomes violent toward mercy, will she survive? Can she be she healed? I looked forward to reading the next book in the series? Do yourself a favor and read this series, you won't be disappointed. Mercy is a shape shifter, but she shifts into a coyote. She it also torn between two men, Sam who she grew up with and Adam her neighbor. Adam is the leader of the werewolf pack. The book is the third in the series and her former mentor is accused of murder and left to rot behind robs for a murder that Mercy knows know he didn't commit, she sets out to prove his innocent. Along the way, she runs into some serious trouble, toward the end of the book, the situation, becomes violent toward mercy, will she survive? Can she be she healed? I looked forward to reading the next book in the series? Do yourself a favor and read this series, you won't be disappointed. is accused of murder and left to rot behind robs for a murder that Mercy knows know he didn't commit, she sets out to prove his innocent. Along the way, she runs into some serious trouble, toward the end of the book, the situtation, becomes viloent toward mercy, will she survive? Can she be she healed? I look forward to reading the next book in the series? Do youself a favor and read this series, you won't be disappointed.

A little shocking towards the end, but I love how strong she is. I can't wait until the next book.

Terribly awesome books. CAN'T wait till Bone Crossed comes out in FEBUARY!! The suspense is horrible. There's a sneak peak though at the end of Patricia's Cry Wolf (which was amazing). =D

When I started reading the Black Dagger Brotherhood series I was perplexed. If you are a true lover of romance and action novels, this is definitely the series to get in to. This book, Lover Enshrined, tells the amazing tale of Phury, son of Ahgony, and his path along a rocky slope as the race's primale. I highly recommend this book if you have read the other five, and If you are new to the series I suggest you start at book number one, Dark Lover.

First, let me start by saying I read all the negative reviews before I read the book and was even tempted not to read this latest installment in the Brotherhood series. I mean, we all fell in love with the first 3 books. I even loved Butch's book. So, when I read that the romance factor in Phury's book was lacking, I didn't know what to think. But then......I read the book....and I loved the book! I think that if you are a true Brotherhood fan, the switch to this new genre isn't that big of a deal. Though the romance isn't as prevalent, the story has truly blossomed as we are lead deeper into thier world. But, the romance and sexy factor is still pretty hot!! So, though I empathize with those that are really upset with the switch in genre, I also think that growth and depth is a good thing. I look forward to the future of the Brotherhood.

I don't understand why so many people were disappointed with this amazing story.

Some complained that there wasn't enough in it about Phury's 'romance', I say that's what made it really good. Some complain that the other Brothers were not mentioned enough, I say they were mentioned adequately. What else?

I enjoyed the fact that JR Ward gave us more on the next generation of Brothers because obviously her next novels will be about them. I'm also very happy that she managed to introduce a gay character after all, regardless of how negatively people reacted to Butch and V's 'close but no cigar' relationship.

Most of all, finally there will is a formidable enemy and I say it's about time the Brotherhood got a real challenge.

Please buy this book!

To be honest, I dreaded Phury's book. IMHO Ms Ward painted herself a bit in the corner with that brother. Just imagine - a whole book dedicated to this bland character, so full of self pity.
But it wasn't so bad after all. OK, I hated "the wizard" and I still can't see anything in Phury, sad history and all, and I am a bit bored by Cormia BUT:
The rest (which is really 2/3) of LE is great. Very well thought out, good character developement (JM, Quhinn and Blay), a lot of new stories begun and some old unrevelled.
Another good point: Inner voices (not the wizard ... but rather the "narrator voice", the point of view - like Mr. D) is done superbly. English is not my first language and it is always a pleasure to read different styles of language and slang.
So, I am looking forward to Thor's book, and think I might even stomach the Reverent's.

I have read all of JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood books. The first 4 started off as paranormal romance. Once book 5 & 6 came around the books were leaning more towards paranormal suspense or urban fanstasy. There is nothing wrong with those kinds of books as long as the reader knows ahead of time. Lover Enshrined should not have been promoted as a romance of any kind. It wasn't romantic.

Phury's story is great if you were looking for story lines about everyone else. The plot was scattered with lots attention spent on build up for her next book. Phury's minor appearences in the book were spent not on building his character but downing him. He was abandoned by his family and left blowing in the wind when he is the one character who has always been there for each of them. His romance came out of nowhere. He didn't even really have a lot of contact with his mate Cormia until mid way through the book and then they fell in love so quickly that it didn't even make sense. It was rushed and forced. None of the book was really dedicated to a build up to Phury's love story. He just didn't get one.

I thought the story lines throughout the book that dealt with all the other brothers was great. All the other characters got great development. We got better insight into these characters and there were some great advancements in what is usually excepted in romance novels. I appreciated that. But all in all I have to give this book a 2.5 rating b/c in the end it was supposed to be a romance novel about Phury and it wasn't I felt bamboozled when I finished the book just because I had set my sights so high because of the books before it and I was disappointed.

This book grabs your attention, and you never want to stop reading this! Like all of Ridley's books, they are fast and fun! There is not one part that is boring! This is a must have for all DISNEY fan!
Can't wait For KKIII

Having been a Disney cast member for many years, I read Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark, and now it's sequel Kingdom Keepers II: Disney at Dawn with great interest. Both offer a fun read for kids and adults alike. With "Disney at Dawn," author Ridley Pearson has continued his story of the Kingdom Keepers, a group of school children who originally modeled for the fictional holographic Interactive Host Program at Disney's Magic Kingdom but who now find themselves the unofficial protectors of Disney. In the original story, the kids are magically transported into the Magic Kingdom at night while they're asleep. Their mission - to find out who is behind the mysterious goings on in the park after dark. Animatronic figures are roaming the parks and Disney characters have come alive, including the villians. Now, in the sequel, the kids again find themselves in the park; this time in Disney's Animal Kingdom. They must delve deeper into the mystery of the Overtakers, to find out which super villian is really in charge and what horrible scheme the villians have in mind. Fans of Disney, especially cast members past and present, will enjoy the refereneces to familiar locations and settings. Sure, there are some glaring errors (Ridley, it's Fantasmic, not the fantasmics) and some lesser errors that only cast members will appreciate (there are some interesting assumptions concerning ride operation and cast member IDs for example) but it is a work of fiction, so those mistakes offer an additional element of interest for those of us who work in the industry. I strongly recommend this series as a wonderful read for all ages. With page-turning actions, humorous dialogue, and engaging characters, it's a fun addition to any library!

This is, of course, the classic beginning reader by Dr. Seuss.

What can I say about it that has not already been said? Honestly, I can't think of a thing. Just that it is a classic, and has taught many children how to read, and is a fun read-aloud to younger kids as well.

In my opinion, this is, besides being the most well-known concept of Dr. Seuss, one of the best things he has written save "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" Tis the season of Seuss right now, and as I read this book to my class I was once again enchanted by the sheer awesomeness of this story. The writing has an awesome beat and flow and the pictures are hilarious! Who can not love the banter between Cat and Fish with their surprisingly detailed personalities? Great book for a rainy day.

I couldn't imagine our children's bookshelf without

The Cat in the Hat
Green Eggs and Ham
The Lorax
How the Grinch Stole Christmas

This silly story centers around self-responsibility. The children panic because they know their mother won't be happy if she comes home and find the house a mess. The fish fluctuates between being an annoyance and a voice of reason.

The story stars a well-meaning cat who tries to release the children from an afternoon of boredom. He brings excitement, which quickly devolves into chaos...or so it seems.

This is a fun bedtime story, nothing more, nothing less. My sons weren't looking for a debate about latch-key children and abandonment. We'll leave those reviews to the sociology graduates.

If your children enjoy this book, I also recommend, "The Cat in the Hat Comes Back."

The Cat in the Hat
By Dr. Seuss

The Cat In the Hat was my first book. I remember reading it to my mom in the kitchen while she cooked dinner.

Your children's book collection would not be complete without a copy of The Cat In A Hat.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood, author
Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)

Times have changed. Little kids left home alone and shouldn't they have been told by their parents not to let anyone in?

This is the book that must of led to a lot of wild house parties and may have spawned many party while your parents are away flicks (Risky Business, etc).

A good fun read with a lilting cadence!

This series is so strong and chock-a-block with interesting characters, backstories, settings, etc., that it makes me want to write the author and beg her to write faster. I noticed that she stepped away from this series to create another book, but I'm anticipating that means the next book in THIS series will only be better. We have the expected paranormal background--the outsiders inching towards a place in society--but the spin on this series is the level of detail in Western European myths (world of the fae, etc.)and the touch of Native American stories of "walkers"--individuals able to assume the identity of native animals. Great bits like all smaller "animals" must wear dog tags so they can be returned to their owners and not impounded, the wish to be playful in animal form, returning sticks and balls with little children all create a different world than the more typical paranormal book soaked in too much blood, gore and questionable sexual activity. This series I would recommend to a teen finishing up the "Twilight" series rather than others in this genre. Every book in the series is a keeper.

This book was exciting from start to finish. I would have loved to see more of some Mercy and Adam interaction though.

Mechanic and walker Mercy Thompson just can't get a break. A rogue vampire-daemon-possessed killer is on the loose, leaving a trail of bodies hard to miss in the small town of Tri-Cities, WA. Worse, Stefan is collecting her debt to him. At the same time opening the door for the Mistress of the seethe to use Mercy as she sees fit, and she's got a hungry eye on a woman who can see ghosts, slip through the magical pull of most supernatural beings and has more loyalty and guts than most normal human beings. They hope. And good thing she's not really that human.

To add to the stress, she's not only fighting between the attraction between two dominant werewolves, Adam and Samuel, but Mercy also has to contend with a third, and surprising potential love interest. But romance takes a deep backseat when her friends go missing, and the daemon-vampire Cory Littleton only has eyes for Mercy.

This second installment, while pretty good and considering most second books in a series tend to be much weaker, Blood Bound made for an exciting and pulse-pounding tale of a woman who just can't back down when the people she cares about are in trouble. What scant restrained romance element there was, it was well done and keeps me hanging on. And I need more.

This one was more horror than real fantasy or otherwise, which is fine. And there were a few scenes with the vampires that was so well done, it gave me the creeps, a Clive Barker-esque sort of chill.

That being said, the weaknesses in Book 2 falls into the category that all authors tend to fall into. It seems that in order to reduce the candied and emptier versions of most vampire/were/witch/ghost series, and to make it more substantial with real emotional weight and character driven plots to ensnare the reader (and she's quite effective anyways), Mercy herself and other characters tended to 'talk' a lot. Talking about the mechanics of their world, its functions, explanations, to understand what is going on with the story at hand, is necessary but Briggs tended to just go on and on in several places. While inherently, that's almost unavoidable, because too little and it's just as tedious, Mercy herself became much more impersonal than she should have, considering the state of things in the story. At one point, all her friends are either mortally hurt or MIA, yet she's so calm and detached, almost not really that worried that they could all be dead. I hope Briggs doesn't fall into the fatalistic female heroine trap (think a la Eileen Wilkes. And, yes, LKH--and we all know how that series went down real south). Mercy is in danger of becoming that focal point in story where she's this invincible hero, but y'know, with everyday and girly problems, and men throwing themselves at her, minus the sex. Mercy went from girl next-door neighbor mechanic to Wonder Walker. Book 1 was so intriguing because Mercy really WAS a normal person, messing up but handling it a realistic way that I could relate too. She's not as relatable in this book, just...very supernatural and removed from that elemental normalcy that Book 1 had in spades. Stories that try to have booth vulnerable female leads but tough as nails hard-liners is a hard thin line to walk upon, but hopefully Briggs can manage the balance a bit better in Book 3. She's very talented and a fresh breath of air, so I have great hopes.

Also, there are also two endings which, after reading it complete, I didn't mind. But when you get to where it 'feels' like it should be done, and the movement completely stills because it's a scene with Adam, and you know what that werewolf wants and is thinking. But you can't help thinking: there's still thirty pages left? Even though you know what she's planning, it threw me. Then again, it's the calm right ahead of the storm before the final calm, and is a primer for Book 3.

All in all: a well-worthy second book. And I can't wait to start the third, something I both relish and dread.

Second in Brigg's Mercy Thompson series, I think I liked this one better than the first- and that's saying something!

In Blood Bound, mechanic and part/time magical world protector- Mercy Thompson, agrees to return a favor for Stefan, the vamp who assisted her in Moon Called (mercy Thompson Book 1).

Stefan needs her to be his eyes and ears while she's in coyote form when he sets out to confront a character who has the appearance of a vamp but is actually much more. When the encounter goes awry, Mercy finds herself firmly entangled in the intrigues of the vamp seethe living nearby- a morass she certainly doesn't like finding herself in.

Adam and Samuel, the two alpha werewolves competing for her affection, don't like it either. Naturally, they all become involved, because the last thing they need is for the world to discover that Vampires really do exist, let alone for the knowledge to get out that they are far less tame than the other magical beings all ready "out" seem to be.

The something-more-than-vamp is definitely a creature that needs to be neutralized and however helpful the leaders of the vamp seethe seem to be in reining in the rogue creature, their motives are not all together pure. It falls to Mercy, whose shapeshifting nature vampires fear and loathe, seems to be the only one to take him down. In the end, it is indeed she who gets the job done.

Briggs does a wonderful job of plotting her novels so that everything ties together without breaking her own rules and in the process having it all make sense.

What keeps me coming back, however, is the love triangle (who will she choose?) subplot of Mercy, Samuel, & Adam. (Yeah, I'm that easy.)

Another excellent addition to a great paranormal series!

"Like most people that own their own businesses, I work long hours that start early in the morning. So when someone calls me in the middle of the night, they'd better by dying. "Hello, Mercy," said Stefan's amicable voice in my ear, "I wonder if you could do me a favor." Stefan had done his dying a long time ago, so I saw no reason to be nice."

Stefan is Mercy's vampire friend. If you could possibly call a vampire a friend, that is. And yes, she owes him a favor. He had gone to bat for her with his seethe when she had some werewolf trouble, and now he is calling in that favor. Stefan has been asked to investigate the appearance of a new vampire in town. One that didn't ask permission from the seethe, which is a big no-no in the vampire community. And Stefan wants Mercy to come along as a witness, in case something happens. He needs her for 2 reasons. Because she is a Walker, she is virtually immune to the powers of a vampire. And she can shapeshift into a coyote and no one will know who she is.

So Mercy goes along on the meeting. But when they meet up with this vampire, she knows that trouble has come to the Tri-Cities. Not only is he a vampire, but a sorcerer.....that has let a demon inside. He actually had the ability to control Stefan, and he's about the most powerful vampire around. And now this new vampire's bloodlust is causing a rather large body-count. Which for a group of vampires that don't want the human world to know their existence is big trouble.

What can I say? This is one fantastic series!! Mercy is tough as nails, funny, and exceedingly humble. I just love her! Strong female characters are always good for me, and Mercy is definitely one of the best. The main storyline is fascinating, as we learn a lot more about the vampire community. And Mercy's lovelife is only getting weirder. Not only is she caught in the middle between 2 dominant werewolves, now there is a little something with Stefan the vampire! Blood Bound is ever bit as good as the first book, Moon Called. Maybe better. I can't wait to see where Mercy goes next!!

I purchased this book as part of a reading list for my daughter who is entering 6th grade. So actually this review is her feedback to me -- DISAPPOINTING!!! She felt that the book's idea was interesting but that the writing lacked the richness of detail that makes a book interesting and that the plot took A LONG TIME to get going. Further, she is now reading THE GIVER and thinks that they simply copied a lot of that book. (BTW: She really LIKES The Giver). So for your sci-fiction buffs, try the GIVER and they might be more satisified.

Ok, so first i should say that I thought that the plot device of people living in total darkness and then discovering they were underground was brilliant, and that I thought the post apocalyptic setting and the use of technology was good, that said, Jeane DuPrau is a really bad writer who had a really good idea, sorry Jeane. I won't go into examples of inconsistent writing and childish plot devices, ugh.

I wish a good writer would take the plot and make an adult novel.

I enjoyed the book. It was a cool idea, a city shrouded in darkness, looking for a way out. It was well written, and it really leaves you hanging for the next installment.

I don't quite fall into the targeted age range for this book, but I must admit to enjoying it. Enough so, that I ordered the 2nd and 3rd titles. This one I feel got off to a rough start and didn't find its footing and rhythm until well into the book. (The 2nd book, "The People of Sparks", hits the ground running! I haven't finished the 3rd yet.)

There were many themes in this book. The author seemed to effortlessly intertwine them in away that I think would really stick with a young person. The story would provide a great opportunity for parents to read along and start discussions with their child on such issues as anger, true friendship, sacrifice and some others.

Another interesting aspect to the story was how male and female characters played equal roles. With fantasy stories I have ready it usually goes one way or another, but this one impressed me with it's "equality." The author didn't take an extreme woman's lib stance, but instead showed the 2 main characters working in equal unity. Thus, I think this story will appeal to both girls and boys.

As a Christian I found many parallels to the Christian faith, although I don't know the author's personal religious convictions. In some ways the story encouraged my faith, though it may not for everyone. The theme of believing in a creator beyond your own little world and the image of leaving the darkness for the light are strong.

In the end I recommend this book, as well as the 2nd, for pre-teens on up!

Fascinating read. Basically the same theme as This Time of Darkness (by H.M. Hoover) published 1980, which also features two kids escaping an underground city in a post-apocalyptic dystopia.