Dark is the Night by Mirriam Neal ~ Book Spotlight + Review

Graphic Credit: Morgan G. Farris

Skata has only one goal in life--to seek out the vampire who turned his wife and kill it.  When he finally tracks the vampire to the small nowhere town of Salvation, South Carolina, he realizes he has stepped foot into something bigger than himself.  He's going to need help--and that help may come in many forms.  Between the vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters and an unusual preacher, Skata may be in over his head.

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Colton eyed Skinner in the rearview mirror.  “You do anything to screw this up, and I’ll gut you with a screwdriver, you got that?”

  “That,” said Angel, “Is not a very heavenly attitude.”

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Of all the vampire books I've read - which don't number many - this is my favorite.  It's the perfect mixture of sweetness, snark, sass and adventure with incredible wisdom and a few touches of sadness thrown in.  My favorite character was not a werewolf, but the above mentioned, Angel, a vampire.  But it's from a lack of werewolves, not because my loyalties are shifting.  Yes, pun intended.

What I loved most about this book.

I honestly loved everything about this book...okay, not true, there was something I very much disliked, but more about that later.  The characters were well written and connectable for the most part, the plot never dragged or bored me, the descriptions were vivid and realistic and the whole thing captivated and enthralled, leaving me with begging for more...literally.

I would begin with speaking about Angel and everything I loved about him, but I've found I can't accomplish that without giving away massive spoilers.  So that's that.

If it wasn't for Angel's just pure awesomeness, the Preacher Man would have been my favorite.  I mean you've got to read this book just for him!  The gems that fall from this man's lip are honestly mind blowing at times, and most definitely thought provoking.  A problem I constantly run into is finding novels that incorporate God and Christianity without being 'preachy', thankfully, that was not a problem with Dark is the Night!

The Girl in this novel and her relationship with the men was refreshingly different and I adored the way in which Ms. Neal handled the usual "Guy reveals something, Girl gets mad and can never forgive him but then she comes to realize something so she goes to him" trope, was perfect.  Actually, she twisted a lot of old tropes new ways and that is one of the things that makes this book such a delightful read.

Also, I can't say much about him because of spoilers, but Gideon is so cool.  I know, I know, I keep saying they're all awesome, but Gideon is really fascinating.  He's very much not my type though, rather an intimidating fellow, which is why he is not my favorite.  No, precious sweet Angel with his very ironic name is way more my type.

Ms. Neal packs in plenty of suspense and action, I was so on edge and engrossed that I didn't even know when I finished a chapter.  I literally went from chapter 14 to 30 without even realizing chapter 14 had ended.  Honestly!  

There's just so much to love and enjoy that it's hard for me to find the words to tell you about it.  And who wants to go poke around in a South Carolina swamp with me?  Well stocked on Wolfsbane and Vervain of course, because as much as I like them, I have no desire to become a werewolf!
I also had the distinct pleasure of ARC-ing this with my dear VampKat, only I finished it before she did and spent several hours gleefully tormenting her.  I actually had her thinking that someone we loved was going to die.  It was so much fun!!  Yes, yes, I'm a mean person.  

What I didn't like about this book.

 Someone dies.  Well, many someones die, but there was one death in particular that I really, really didn't like.  I wanted to see the person kicking butt with everyone else, but he can't do that if he's dead!!  I must admit though, his death was a good plot point.

I didn't connect with Skata very well and he felt rather vague at times.  I don't know if that was just me or if that was the writing of his character.

There's nothing else I disliked, well okay, I did wish at one point that there had been more particular werewolves involved much earlier, but I hear they play a larger part in the second book, so I'm okay with that.

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I know that quite a few of my blog readers don't read vampire novels, so why should you read this one?  The best answer I have is that in this novel, so many questions that everyone asks are answered in a new way that can be greatly enlightening and comforting.  I'd describe it more as a good novel that has some vampires in it, than a vampire novel with a good plot.  Plus Ms. Neal doesn't shy from truth or reality no matter how uncomfortable it might be.  So I ask you, please trust me and even if you don't usually read this type of story, hold your skepticism and give Dark is the Night a shot.

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WARNING!!!

Contains some gore and violence.
Not recommended to anyone under the age of 18.

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MIRRIAM NEAL is an author frequently masquerading as an artist.  When she's not scrubbing paint off her hands, she's thinking about writing (actually, if she's being honest, she's always thinking about writing).  A discovery writer, she tends to start novels and figure them out as she goes along and likes to work on several books at the same time--while drinking black coffee.  She's a sucker for monsters, unlikely friendships, redemption arcs, and underdog protagonists.  When not painting fantasy art or writing genre-bending novels, she likes to argue the existence of Bigfoot, rave about Guillermo del Toro, and write passionate defenses of misunderstood characters.

To learn more about her fiction and art visit her website: HERE where you can find a full list of her social medias, or join the Citadel Fiction newsletter: HERE

Fab Five ~ Book Heroes

And I'm back!!

Today I have five books heroes I enjoy, not my favorites!

Dr. Robin McRae ~ Dear Enemy - Jean Webster

Dr. McRae - or Sandy - is the taciturn, curmudgeonly Scotch doctor on call for the John Grier Home, an Orphanage in New England that is the setting for this epistolary style novel.  Sandy is the best because - while he is grumpy, grouchy and often fights with and then ignores the heroine - he is an absolute sweetheart and the glimpses of his behavior with the children are so beautiful.  He really loves them and his dedication to his work is amazing. 

Chip Bennett ~ Chip, of the Flying U - B.M. Bower

Ah, Chip Bennett, the best rider on the Flying U and such a sweetheart.  A man of few words, he has a heart of gold and is very talented not only at making the Little Doctor's heart beat fast, but also with a brush and paint and the wildest horses on the place.

Daniel Pickett ~ Kiss of the Spindle - Nancy Campbell Allen

I didn't want to go with the books cover here, but I couldn't find another picture that satisfied me.

What I love the most about the hero from this Steampunk Sleeping Beauty retelling, is that he's not all swoony the first time he meets the girl, on the contrary, she blackmails her way onto his ship, and he is mad as can be!  But as you get to know him, you find a kind, caring young man suffering greatly from PTSD and doing his best to help those persecuted unjustly make new lives elsewhere.  And his jealous moments are an absolute hoot!

Devin the Pooka ~ MBRC series - K.M. Shea

*shakes head*

I imagine Devin looking something like this, he is tall, dark and handsome and a total rouge!  A shapeshifter and a flirt he annoys the heroine to no end...and he's not technically the hero of the series, but then again, it doesn't really have a hero.

But underneath his charming, womanizing exterior, is a man who would do anything to help those he cares about.

Dawsey Adams ~ The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer

Though this is a picture of Dawsey from the movie, I would like you all to know from the very start that....I  DO  NOT  LIKE  THIS  MOVIE.

Now don't get me wrong, the actors and actresses were fantastic and Lily James and Matthew Goode were just the best not to mention Kit was adorable, (oh, and the totally got Mark's "American Arrogance" down pat!), but it just wasn't as good as the book!  They cut out way too many things and changed other things merely for the sake of drama and I hate it when they do that!

Anyway, rant over and back to Dawsey!!

Dawsey Adams was a farmer on Guernsey Island during it's occupation by the Germans in WWII and the horrors he endured are more then just heart-wrenching, they are out right sickening!  But he didn't let the atrocities committed by some (Germans) blind him to the good in others.  And when her parents were arrested, he took the child of his good friends an raised the little darling with the help of other friends.  He is just one of the best fictional heroes I have ever read the story of!

Well, that's all for tonight, be sure to check out Rebekah's post and tell us what you think!

So long!!

Dancing & Doughnuts ~ Interview

I am absolutely delighted to bring you all an interview with the lovely Rachel Kovaciny today.  But first I would like to apologize for the lateness of this post and if anything shows up weird or doesn't come through.  I've been having internet issues.

My questions will be in boring old black.

Rachel answers in purple.

Hello, Rachel!  Very glad to have you here today!

I'm very glad to be here! 

I greatly enjoyed Dancing & Doughnuts and I'm glad I have the chance to ask you a few questions about it. 

Yay!  I'm glad you enjoyed it 😀 🙂  I had a ton of fun writing it.

 

First question.  What "got you started" with writing fairytale re-tellings?

 

I actually had the idea for a western retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" six or seven years ago.  But I wasn't sure anyone would be interested in fairy tales retold to feature cowboys.

But then Elisabeth Grace Foley wrote "Corral Nocturne," her version of Cinderella, and it was such fun to read.  And when a writer I know, Hayden Wand, won the "Five Enchanted Roses" contest from Rooglewood Press, I thought, "Hey, I could enter the next contest of theirs."

But when they announced the next fairy tale contest would be for retellings of "Sleeping Beauty," I was like, "Oh.  Never mind."  Because I've just got a lot of issues with that fairy tale.

But... I got an idea for a western version of it, and I realized I could FIX a lot of the things that bug me about that fairy tale, so I wrote my own version, which eventually became "The Man on the Buckskin Horse," which won the contest and got included in their "Five Magic Spindles" anthology.

(There, I'm done.  Sorry, that got long!)

 

As a lover of Westerns and fairytales, I'm glad you decided to give it a whirl!

 

Thanks! 

 

You're welcome.

I was wondering though, why westerns?

 

Ahhhhh, why westerns specifically.

 

Yes.

 

Because I love them.  I grew up watching old cowboy movies and TV shows with my dad, and I used to dream of owning my own ranch in Texas.  Westerns are absolutely my favorite genre to watch, and I love learning about the history of that era.  So in 2012, I started writing a YA western, my first western story in probably a decade.  And it felt like HOME.  Everything about writing that book just felt RIGHT.  By the time I was finished with the first draft, I realized I didn't want to write anything but westerns.  And I basically haven't.

I feel that westerns are America's mythology, and they really fit with fairy tales in a neat way.

Both westerns and fairy tales tend to teach the audience lessons about life, morality, and human nature. 

 

I couldn't agree more!  I've actually wanted to write western fairytale re-tellings myself.

I had the idea of a town where there both fairytale re-tellings and Jane Austen re-tellings.

 

I LOVE THAT.

 

Thank you! 

 

I think Jane Austen retellings in the old west would work superbly.  Actually, Cloaked has a bit of a Northanger Abbey vibe to it.  😉

 

You just make all the large land owners into large ranchers!

I have yet to read that story.  Is that your Red Ridinghood re-telling?

 

Precisely! 

The eras aren't that different -- only about 70 years apart -- so a lot of the mores and conventions would be so similar.

Yup!  That's the Little Red Riding Hood one.

 

Very true.

Is there a specific event or story that you can point to as the inspiration for D&D?

 

Hmmmmmmm.

Well, like I said, I got the idea for it probably in 2012 or 2013.  It's been a while.  I do know that just the idea of the main character being a soldier home from the war is what first made me think, "Hey, this could be a Civil War veteran!  This could be a western!"

But more recently, sometime in the spring or summer of 2017, I read something about dance halls that taught me that dance halls were NOT brothels, but were places where respectable people could meet and dance, and that really made me go, "Oh!  Twelve dancing sisters could work at a dance hall!"

And the story kind of snowballed from there.  Unfortunately, I no longer remember how I decided to add doughnuts to the mix, other than that "Dancing and Doughnuts" sounded like a fun title.

 

It is a cool title and I love the premise.  And yes, it is a bit annoying how few people know the difference between dance halls and brothels.

While we are on the subject of the girls, will they appear in later re-tellings?

 

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.  Um, well, probably not.  Not in another book, anyway.  However!  Just like I wrote a short-story tag to "The Man on the Buckskin Horse," I am open to ideas for short stories that add on to the books.

In fact, I have an idea for a prequel to this book, though it hasn't totally gelled.  But it would be a short story, something I'd offer for free somehow.

But the Once Upon a Western series is an anthology series of stand-alone books, so the next book will have all-new characters again.

 

Interesting.  I was hoping that some of the younger girls would be featured in their own story. 
But I can understand why you would do it that way.

 

I will not say it can't happen, because it could.  But I'd need an idea to hit me. 

It lets me explore different regions and eras -- like, Cloaked took place in the 1880s, but Dancing and Doughnuts takes place in the 1860s.

I was very tempted to stick Mr. Palmer from "The Man on the Buckskin Horse" in this somehow, but he never quite fit.

But I could see kind of having cross-overs in some short stories somewhere.

 

*nods* That makes a lot of sense.

Which character was your favorite to write?

 

Shhhhh, don't tell any of my other characters this,

but Jedediah Jones was more fun to write than any other original character I have ever written.  I LOVED writing him.  He basically wrote himself.  I just took dictation.

 

I noticed that one was quite talkative!

My favorite characters to read were the Sheriff, Mr. Kitteridge, Clara and Felicity.

 

Awww!  I absolutely love Sheriff Walbridge and Mr. Kittredge.  I would happily marry either of them.

You know, if they weren't fictional and I wasn't already married.

Um, and if they weren't married/engaged.

You know what I mean.

 

Funny, I was thinking that myself!

Exactly!

 

😀

 

😉

 

Clara and Felicity were superbly fun too.  Clara in particular just tickles me.  She's so snappy! 

 

Aye, that she is! 

If you do wind up writing any short sequels, I hope we see more of Trouble and More Trouble!

They were an absolute hoot!

 

Awwwww, those two.  I love those two!

I honestly meant to give them actual names, originally, and just stuck Trouble and More Trouble in there as placeholders.

And then I realized that nope, those were exactly what they needed to be called.

 

That's amusing.  If I were to learn their real names, I would never call them that!

 

I had to stop them from running away with the whole story a couple of times because they really do have a great energy to them.

 

Yes, they do!

 

They never did confess their real names to me.  And I'm okay with that.

 

I think most of your readers will be too! 

 

They'll have to be! 

 

This next question is one of my favorites to ask in author interviews.  Were any of the characters based on real life people?

 

Actually, yes!

I don't normally base characters on people I know in real life, but I made an exception this time.  My mom belongs to a book club at the church I grew up in, and last year, they invited me to come talk to them about my book Cloaked.

During our discussions, they announced that I needed to put them all in my next book.  I've known most of these ladies since I was 12, and they're like aunts and cousins to me at this point.

 

Ah!  The Quilting Ladies!  The ones who don't gossip!  

 

I kind of laughed about it, but as I was writing this, I got to the part with the sewing circle, and I realized that I could TOTALLY name all those lovely ladies after the Salem Book Bunch.

Precisely.

 

That's sweet! 

 

So that's why they all get first names.  Those are all people I know for real.  And I can't WAIT for them to read this! 

 

I'm sure they'll love it!

 

I hope so!

 

Well, this has been a delightful chat, but I'm afraid I must go now.  Supper calls.

 

And my kids just returned from the pool, so I'd better pop them all into the showers!  

 

But thank you for allowing me to ARC for you and for doing this little interview.

 

Thanks so much for the fun conversation!  You're welcome! 

 

I look forward to reading the rest of this series!  Happy Writing!

 

Thanks!  Have a good night!

 

You too! 

 

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Be sure to look up this story on Amazon and Goodreads and you should check out Rachel's blog, too! 

  

 

 

Waiting For Isaac ~ Cover Reveal

Today I am privileged to bring to you the cover for Jessica Greyson's new book.  Waiting For Isaac, a non-fiction work, is a collection of essays on singlehood and waiting for a husband.  It sounds intriguing and I look forward to reading it.

And a snippet from the book.

Anne Shirley, in Anne of Avonlea, talks about Jonah Days—those days where nothing goes right, you are pestered with bad moods and unwanted ills or aches…and you feel just as if your life was swallowed by a whale. And yes, we have them, but we also have something else: Jonah Boats.

The more people I talk to, the more I realize that Jonah wasn’t the only one with this idea. Life starts getting hard, and you begin to build a backup plan, a place to go, something to do, a fallback, plan B…that thing you’re going to do if God doesn’t come through in exactly the way you think He should.

Jonah Boats often come with red ribbons, golden wrapping paper, and the jingle of all your dreams about to come to fruition.

 

The Stealthmaster's Shadow by Hope Ann

The Stealthmaster's Shadow is finally here!

It’s been ten confounded years since the war ended.

Verus, a retired soldier, determines to enforce the peace the victory ought to have brought. His wanderings bring him to the city of Nerva, a sprawling riverside chaos no other Stealthmaster will touch.

Commandeering the task of a former comrade, Verus presents himself to the governor and promises to search out hidden Subverters. The true reason for his actions he keeps to himself. After all, the tyrannical governor will hardly approve of lending aid to those pitted against him, but the Subverters need information. Maybe even weapons.

The wishes of the Subverters themselves are immaterial. They weren’t there during the war. They didn’t see the horrors Tauscher spread.

Verus has.

So has the new ambassador from Zahavia who strides through the great doors of the feasting hall, bringing Verus face to face with nightmares from his past.

As the simple mission dissolves into confusion, Verus struggles to help those he’s plunged into danger, from a serving lad to the infuriating woman he’s taken to calling “Princess.” Fleeing will only make the enemy stronger. But staying…

Staying could doom them all.

Click here to order now!

Add to Goodreads

Verus clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze silently daring the guard at the palace gate to mention his weapons. The man fidgeted but let them pass without a word. This Osvaldus surrounded himself with decent men indeed. He even sent another four soldiers, under an officer, to join his guards in escorting Verus to an immediate audience. How considerate.

The darkened corridors curved like underground rivers. Orange lamplight spilled beneath two great doors framed in murals of twisting branches at the end of the corridor.

Verus’s hands clenched beneath his cloak.

The doors swung soundlessly open and a deep red light spilled across the threshold like an accusing finger.

“Thank you for the company, gentlemen.” Verus quickened his pace and slipped between the two foremost guards. “I’ll introduce myself to the governor, if it’s not too much trouble.”

Hope Ann uses chocolate to bribe a wide ring of spies, from the realm leapers of Aslaria to the double agents of Elkbend, for their stories. Based in Indiana, she is the self-published author of the Legends of Light series, personal writing coach, and the Communications Coordinator for Story Embers. You can find out more about her at authorhopeann.com

 

A Tale of Two Cities

 All right.  A Tale of Two Cities has been sitting on my bookshelf for over six months, but I was stalling about reading it because I thought that it was going to be boring.......WRONG!!!!  

I read it in two days.  

Granted I wasn't doing much else those two days, so I had lots of reading time, but I was still kind of surprised that I made it through in two days!  It was...well, not exactly what I was expecting!

  I knew the basic story line of ATTC - Mel told me a couple of years ago - but it was so much more then just two guys falling in love with the same girl and one guy sacrificing himself for the other and a lot of long boring stuff mixed in..  (Which yes, is what I thought it was.)

  So Mr. Lorry was, well, an old dear.  The way that he takes care of, and is so fatherly to Lucie, is really, really sweet.

  Doctor Manette's story was fascinating!!

  Charles Darnay was.....you know, I can't quite find the words!!

  And Sydney Carton.  The way that man perseveres.

⚔

Searching through my draft posts, I found this one that I wrote a long time ago.  Like ages ago!  I have not read the book since, but whenever it comes to mind, I still think "Wow, what an amazing story!"  How many of you have read it, and what did you think?

 

The Stealthmaster's Shadow by Hope Ann ~ Cover Reveal

  Today readers, I bring you the cover of the newest Legends of Light novella, The Stealthmaster's Shadow.  It is a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling and I am super excited about it.  Not only do I love Hope Ann's work, but lately I have become quite fond of The Twelve Dancing Princesses and I can't wait to see how Hope Ann retold it.

Ehehehe.  Me thinks this Governor person dislikes the Verus person.

Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've all been waiting for...

The actual cover, designed by Kate Flourney

It’s ten confounded years since the war ended.
Ten years since the Prince won the war and pardoned the rebels.
And left.
The Prince left, but lasting peace never had a chance to begin.
As a Stealthmaster, Verus is determined to complete the task the Prince left, whatever the cost.
Traitors, needlessly vague governors, and threatening rumors are all part of a standard mission.
Verus will bring peace to what is left of the world, one city and village at a time. According to
the governor’s daughter, the war was never about a physical peace in the first place, but what
does she or any of the other Followers know? They weren’t there during the war.
They didn’t see the horrors Tauscher spread over the land or the scars that will never fade.
Commandeering the task of a former soldier, Verus presents himself to the governor of Nerva.
Eventually he’ll need to undermine the man, but even Stealthmasters need money, and a mission
to discover the owner of a misshapen slipper shouldn’t be difficult.
Until the ambassador from Zahavia appears.
Suddenly face to face with nightmares from the past, Verus struggles to help those plunged into
danger, from the governor’s newest prisoner to a serving lad to an infuriating woman he’s taken
to calling princess. Fleeing will only make the enemy stronger. But staying…
Staying could doom them all.

☙ ❧

So what do you all think?  To be honest, that is not what I was expecting the cover to look like!  It makes me think of Southwestern Native American Cave Dwellers.

(And now I want to write a Native American TDP)  Anyway, this cover definitely feels different from her other covers, but the synopsis sounds 'in tune' with the rest of the series.  I look forward to reading this tale.

Sounds like this guy is full of snarky sass and is fond of dramatic bows.

Coming June 1, 2018
Click here to preorder now!

His snark is amusing.

 

Hope Ann uses chocolate to bribe a wide ring of spies, from the realm leapers of Aslaria to the
double agents of Elkbend, for their stories. Based in Indiana, she is the self-published author of
the Legends of Light series, personal writing coach, and the Communications Coordinator for
Story Embers. You can find out more about her at authorhopeann.com

So, what do you think? Looking forward to installment four of Legends of Light?

Cake Flavored Book Tag

Soooooo....I was tagged by my friend Keturah ages ago (I think it's actually only been a month) and I just remembered it.  Oops, my bad.  Anyway, here we go.

1. Chocolate Cake (a Dark Book you absolutely love).

Well that's a new one.  Ummmm......define dark.  Are we talking "deals with graphic horrible things in the world"?  I think that's what it means, so I'll go with:

Death Be Not Proud - Suzannah Rowntree

It's a very interesting story, a Snow White retelling actually, set in New Zealand in the early 1900's telling the tale of a cabaret singer who is mistaken for a young woman who was murdered years before.  Of course, since the bad guys think Ruby is the girl, they come after her and she is almost murdered.  It was much darker then I usually read, definitely not my normal cup of tea, but I loved it.  I recently included it in my Fairytale Post.

2. Vanilla Cake (a Light Read).

Oooooo!!  This one is easy!

Chip, of the Flying U by B.M. Bower

This is the book I turn to when I need a good laugh but something that doesn't take much brain power (and it takes even less now that I've read it like five times or more).

The cowboys of the Flying U Ranch believe there are only two types of women.

A) "There’s the Sweet Young Things, that faint away at sight of a six-shooter, and squawk and catch at your arm if they see a garter snake, and blush if you happen to catch their eye suddenly, and cry if you don’t take off your hat every time you see them a mile off.”

OR 

B) The Wild Kind.  "She’ll buy her some spurs and try to rope and cut out and help brand. Maybe she’ll wear double-barreled skirts and ride a man’s saddle and smoke cigarettes. She’ll try to go the men one better in everything, and wind up by making a darn fool of herself. Either kind’s bad enough.”

But which ever one she is, they all believe their boss's sister is an Old Maid Doctor with 3 chins and 2 stomachs and will make their lives miserable with doses and potions and bossing.  Ehehehehehehe.  Then in waltzes the Little Doctor, a 5 ft. something maverick with brown hair, blue eyes (I think), lots of spunk and sass, and those poor boys don't know what hit them.  It's absolutely hilarious.  You can find it HERE and either download it (it's free in the public domain) or read it online.  You'll love it. 

3. Red Velvet (a book that gave you Mixed Emotions).

Ummmmm........  Oh I know!  

The Royal Ranger by John Flanagan

While I loved seeing grown up Will with an apprentice of his own and even who he had for an apprentice......I HATE IT!!!!  John Flanagan is cruel and mean and HORRIBLE to do that to us!!!  IT WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WROOOOOOONNNNGGGG!!!!  And that's all I can say without spoiling it for those who haven't read it.  For those who have a wish to commiserate with me, DON'T give spoilers in the comments!

4. Cheesecake (a book you would Recommend to Anyone).

Oh this is superb.  Not only is Cheesecake my favorite cake but THE BOOK I would recommend to anyone is like my favorite book ever.  Okay, that's not quite true, but it's a totally amazing story, it's a re-telling of my favorite fairytale and it's my favorite re-telling of said fairytale (and y'all probably could have figured out the last part without me saying it!).  Anyway.....

Beauty and the Beast by K.M. Shea

I won't sigh and swoon over it anymore (though I definitely could!), y'all can just hop right over to HERE to read about it if you want to know more.  I would recommend this book to anyone and I do recommend it to EVERYONE.  At first I was going to answer this question with Lord of the Rings, but I wouldn't recommend that to certain ages.  B&tB however is okay for all ages.


5. Coffee Cake (a book you Did Not Finish).

I accidentally skipped over this question the first time.  Oops.
The Warden by Anthony Trollope

I started this book one time when I was sick and couldn't sleep.  I think I got half a chapter in before putting it down and I haven't picked it up since.  That was at least 3 years ago.

6. Carrot Cake (a book with Great Writing).

It took a bit of pondering to come up with an answer for this.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

This book was very unique and absolutely mind blowingly amazing.  Like WOWO!!!

7. Tiramisu (a book that left you Wanting More).

Well besides every single one of my older sister's stories...  Seriously, every time I read one of hers I WANT MORE!!  But today we'll go with one of her bestfriend's books.

Paper Crowns by Mirriam Neal

I NEED MORE!!!!!  This book is awesome and I know some stuff about book two and I WANT IT!!!!!  And I just sounded like a 2-year-old.

8. Cupcakes (a series with 4+ Books).

Ummmmm...crumpadoodles, that series only has 3 books.  Rats.  Okay, I found one.

The Squire's Tales by Gerald Morris

I don't know how many books are in this series, but I know it's a lot more then 4!  It is an Arthurian re-telling focusing mainly on the exploits of Terence, squire to Sir Gawaine.  They are a lot of fun, though I wouldn't recommend them to anyone under 16.

9. Fruit Cake (a book that wasn't What You Anticipated).

This is a rather easy one.  Hangs head and mumbles,
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

*glares at Mel for snickering and giving me an 'I told you so' look*

I procrastinated for 3 years about reading this book.  I did enjoy it.

10. Lamington (favorite Australian Book).

I'm going to use a series for this one.

Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan

Or more accurately, the first eleven books in the Ranger's Apprentice series.  *scowls at Mr. Flanagan again*  IT.  WAS.  WRONG.  And stupid.  And dumb.  AND IDIOTIC!!!!  *pounds fists on desk*  WHY DID YOU DO IT?!?!?!?!

*takes deep breath*

*sits back*
*smiles*

*returns to post*

10.5. Lamington (favorite Australian Book).

I wasn't exactly sure what was meant by an 'Australian' book.  For my first choice I used a series written by an Australian author.  If that doesn't count then...
The Golden Wolf by Mary Elwyn Patchett

This is a story we borrowed from the library and the only reason I read it was because I was proofing it, however, it was a good story that I enjoyed.  When Mary's dog is stolen for a circus, she dresses as a boy to get him back.  She runs away and meets up with an old teamster who takes her under his wing and helps her out.  It was really sweet.  And it is set in Australia.

All right folks, there are my answers!  I'm going to tag:

Bryce
Lydia

MovieCritic

Lisa
and

Melody

(Now Melody, I know you don't normally answer tags, but I really want to see your answers for this one.) 

So long, folks!