Dragons of the Valley

By: Donita K. Paul

Book Preview:

War threatens the peaceful land of Chiril… can one painter-turned-reluctant-swordsman really help?

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With an invasion of her country imminent, Tipper Schope is drawn into a mission to keep three important statues from falling into the enemy’s clutches. Her friend, the artist Bealomondore, helps her execute the plan, and along the way he learns to brandish a sword rather than a paintbrush.

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As odd disappearances and a rash of volatile behavior sweep Chiril, no one is safe. A terrible danger has made his vicious presence known: The Grawl, a hunter unlike any creature encountered before.

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To restore their country, Tipper, Bealomondore, and their party must hide the statues in the Valley of the Dragons and find a way to defeat the invading army. When it falls to the artistic Bealomondore to wield his sword as powerfully and naturally as a paintbrush, will he answer Wulder’s call for a champion?

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My Opinion:

This book is the second book in a new series by Donita K. Paul. The first book was The Vanishing Sculptor that was mentioned in the DragonSpell Series post. I loved this book just as much as the others but I think I like this one more because of the better ending. You'll just have to read it yourself to find out what that ending was.

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(Picture from Barnes and Noble Site)

The Wide-Awake Princess

Written by: E. D. Baker

THIS BOOK IS GREAT! This author also wrote the Tales of the Frog Princess. I have really enjoyed all of her books and how she finds fun new ways to look at the old classic fairy tales. If you got a chance to read the other books, and also loved them, then you are sure to love this book just as much. Here is what awaits you in this book.

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In this new stand-alone fairy tale, Princess Annie is the younger sister to Gwen, the princess destined to be Sleeping Beauty. When Gwennie pricks her finger and the whole castle falls asleep, only Annie is awake, and only Annie—blessed (or cursed?) with being impervious to magic—can venture out beyond the rose-covered hedge for help. She must find Gwen's true love to kiss her awake.

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But who is her true love? The irritating Digby? The happy-go-lucky Prince Andreas, who is holding a contest to find his bride? The conniving Clarence, whose sinister motives couldn't possibly spell true love? Joined by one of her father's guards, Liam, who happened to be out of the castle when the sleeping spell struck, Annie travels through a fairy tale land populated with characters both familiar and new as she tries to fix her sister and her family . . . and perhaps even find a true love of her own.

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(Picture from Barnes and Noble Site)

Sorcery & Cecelia by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer

I just finished this about a week or so ago and loved it. The two ladies who wrote it actually started it as a letter game where they wrote letters back and forth to each other pretending to be the two main characters in the book. It's so fun! Hope you enjoy!

 And this is seriously the synopsis for it. You're just gonna have to trust me on this one.
"The prim and proper world of Regency England crossed with the wizardly doings of high fantasy--now that's something to write home about!"

Thanks again to B&N for the pic and synopsis!

Fallen

I will just say this....I am paying a late fee for this book because even though it was due yesterday there was no way I was giving it back without finishing it, I would have had to run straight to the store to buy it and finish it (I stayed up till 3 o'clock this morning reading as far as I could)...and the late fee is much cheaper than buying the book, although I might do that anyways. Okay, so in a nutshell, this book was great...go read it!

Here's a synposis from goodreads.com:

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Hush, Hush

I just finished this book and I loved it!!! So good! The plot kept me going from the very beginning. It's by Becca Fitzpatrick and the only bad thing about it is that it's part of a series (I don't know how long of a series) and the second book doesn't come out until November, so more waiting for books. *sigh* Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Another thanks to B&N.com for the pic and synopsis.

Bewitching & Betraying Season

These two books by Marissa Doyle are fun easy reads. Start with Bewitching Season first.

Doyle's debut novel is a Georgette Heyer-style, light-as-a-feather romance with supernatural overtones. Ball after ball and visits to Kensington Palace and brushes with royalty await twins Persephone (Persy) and Penelope (Pen) in their first season "out" in early Victorian London society. But when their beloved instructor of magic/governess Miss Allardyce (Ally) is kidnapped by a handsome stranger as part of a devious royal plot, her two devoted wards set out to discover the truth about Ally's disappearance and save the day. Luckily, the plot relies little on magic, except as a device to conjure court intrigue. The story hinges instead on the will-they, won't-they budding romance between Persy and her handsome, all-grown-up childhood friend, Lochinvar (Lord Seton). This diverting melodrama will likely please older middle-grade readers more than teens reared on Gossip Girl—its bubbly heroines, however spirited, are innocents, not schemers.

And then follow it up with Betraying Season.

This follow-up to Bewitching Season is a charming tale of magic mixed with romance in the tradition of Jane Austen. After her adventures with her twin sister, Penelope Leland goes to Cork, Ireland, to study magic. Staying with her former governess, who is newly married and newly pregnant, Pen is lonely in a new city. She becomes discouraged when her host's male students do not want to study with her. Pen's opinion of Cork improves when she meets Lady Keating, who makes a point of befriending Pen. Through Lady Keating, Pen meets Niall, who immediately charms her; but, he may not be whom he seems to be. Lady Keating has asked Niall to romance Pen, although Niall is not sure why and quickly finds that he enjoys Pen's company regardless of his mother's motivations. This series has an interesting perspective on magic, but does not rely solely on magic to move the plot forward. The characters are engaging, especially Pen and Niall. Pen is a likeable narrator, although somewhat naive. Readers of supernatural romances will enjoy this book and its predecessor immensely.

The Season

Alright, so I have quite a few books I need to put on here that I've read and enjoyed. Here's the first, The Season by Sarah MacLean.

Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued -- in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold her own. Not the best makings for an aristocratic lady in Regency London. Yet her mother still dreams of marrying Alex off to someone safe, respectable, and wealthy. But between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get herself into what may be her biggest scrape yet.

When the Earl of Blackmoor is mysteriously killed, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. But will Alex's heart be stolen in the process? In an adventure brimming with espionage, murder, and other clandestine affairs, who could possibly have time to worry about finding a husband? Romance abounds as this year's season begins!

(As usually, thanks to the B&N website for the pics and storylines)

The Actor and the Housewife

So I read this a while ago, but have just been a slacker at posting it. I love Shannon Hale. Every book that I have read of hers I have loved....this one was good too. Here's a synopsis from Barnes and Noble...

This successful sophomore turn at chick lit (after Austenland) from YA and graphic novelist Hale sets up a platonic relationship between a dashing movie star and a Mormon housewife. While in Los Angeles to ink a deal for a script she's written, pregnant Becky Jack holds her own against her big screen crush, Felix Callahan, known the world over for charming his way through romantic comedies. Witty banter draws them together, and though they debate what their fascination with one another could mean, an improbable friendship is born. Their alliance weathers the occasional break, Felix's disinterest in children and his indifference toward Becky's Mormon faith; spousal jealousy and the chasm separating their lifestyles also throw an occasional curveball. Hale keeps the prose crackling with humor and has a sure hand in creating nuanced, believable characters, so when otherwise unlikely plot turns creep up-Becky getting cast opposite Felix-they're, well, likely enough. Though Becky just wants to keep her best friend and her normal life, readers will hope she gets nothing less than a fairy tale ending.

Princess of the Midnight Ball

Maybe I'm just a sucker for fairy tales, but I loved this book. Quick, easy read and so good. I'd never read anything by Jessica Day George before, but I'm definitely going to be looking for more of her books. It's her take on the Twelve Dancing Princesses by the Grimm brothers. I hope you like it!


A tale of twelve princesses doomed to dance until dawn… Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all—true love—to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above.
(As always thanks to Barnes & Noble website for the synopsis and picture.)

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Loved it, loved it, loved it! Be sure to check this one out. The sequel will be out sometime in the next 6 months.

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words. Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings. In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

(Thanks to Barnes & Noble website again for the pic and synopsis)

Prada & Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

Okay, so I know there are a lot of, shall we call them Pride & Prejudice knockoffs. Anyway, this one is adorable. I loved it! A cute quick read. I hope you enjoy it.

Here's the storyline: To impress the popular girls on a high school trip to London, klutzy Callie buys real Prada heels. But trying them on, she trips...conks her head...and wakes up in the year 1815! There Callie meets Emily, who takes her in, mistaking her for a long-lost friend. As she spends time with Emily's family, Callie warms to them—particularly to Emily's cousin Alex, a hottie and a duke, if a tad arrogant. But can Callie save Emily from a dire engagement, and win Alex's heart, before her time in the past is up? (synopsis & picture from Barnes & Noble website.)

Accidental It Girl by Libby Street

First off I have to give a second recommendation for "The Historian" and "Zippy." I just finished these the past month and they were both so, so, so good.
Secondly, here's my recommendation. It was just a fun, cute little romance. I do need to warn you that there are a few cuss words in it, but other than that I remember it being pretty clean. There were a few parts where I laughed out loud. I hope you enjoy it to.


What comes around...

Photographer Sadie Price is known for her thick skin and infallible instincts. A lofty education has made her skilled in her craft, and a fear of poverty — and love for Jimmy Choo — has made her one of the East Coast's most savvy paparazzi. She keeps her exhilarating but sometimes hectic life manageable by staying on the right side of the razor-thin line between celebrity photographers and the stalkerazzi. But all that changes when Sadie locks horns with one of Hollywood's hottest bachelors.

...goes around.

Something about Ethan Wyatt's charisma and startling good looks throws Sadie off her game. Something about Sadie's dogged determination — and a very compromising picture she snaps — throws Ethan off his. Hatching a scheme befitting the silver screen that made him famous, Ethan sets out to give Sadie a taste of her own medicine. And when her life almost instantly becomes as frenzied as those of the "It Girls" she follows, Sadie starts to see her career, her love life, and Ethan Wyatt in ways she never had before....
(picture and synopsis taken from Barnes & Noble website)

The house of Night Series

After she is Marked, 16-year-old Zoey Redbird enters the House of Night and learns that she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is mis-using her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny— with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

OK I LOVE THESE BOOKS! Hands down I read each one in a day! Now warning they are made for teens, but these books are not writtern like the Twilight series is. Now with that being said I love them all! There is some language in the books that may that be for some, just wanted to throw that out. Also every wal-mart I have seen carries these books so you can get them there which is a plus! All I can say is happy reading!
Sorry these are written by P.C and Kristen Cast

Austenland

This is a fun read for anyone who loves Jane Austen...or more specifically Mr. Darcy (aka Colin Firth, the only real Mr. Darcy.) It's a short fun read, and I definitely recommend it. Here's a synopsis as stolen from Barnes and Noble...

Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man—perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Predjudice. When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women, however, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined. Is this total immersion in a fake Austenland enough to make Jane kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

The Hunger Games & Catching Fire

I figured that since I started this blog, I should probably post something, huh? Sorry, I've been busy with in-laws in town. So I'll present my two favorite books at the moment. (I don't have one overall favorite book of all time. I have a thousand favorites. So here are two that I've read recently.) These are a MUST READ.

These two books by Suzanne Collins are AMAZING. I couldn't put either one down. The 2nd book just came out Sept. 1st and there will definitely be more books in this series.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survived. (From the Barnes & Noble website)



Oh and don't read the synopsis for this one until you read the first book. It'll give it away.


Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. (again from the Barnes & Noble Website.)