For Kate Bennet, surviving the car wreck that killed her parents means big changes and even bigger problems. As she begins to see auras and invisible people, Kate must learn to trust Patrick O'Donnell, a handsome Guardian, or risk her life being overrun with Demons. She soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble.
Staff Reading Picks  From one of America’s most beloved storytellers comes his most spiritual book since The Christmas Box. “It has been said that sometimes the greatest hope in our lives is just a second chance to do what we should have done right in the first place. This is the story of my second chance.” —Prologue of Lost December  In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.  Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step. Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone. |
Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh MafiI really loved this book and cannot wait for the 2nd one to come out. I thought that it took a slightly different twist on the YA books that are out there now. I recommend this book for anyone that likes paranormal/super hero abilities fictional books. Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey #1) by Richard Paul EvansThis was a very captivating book, it was nice to have a book that has heroes that choose right over wrong no matter how much is offered on the table. The fact that Michael has a syndrome physically and it is brought to light in this book makes it even more appealing in that he can have a physical disability and still be the hero of the book! I absolutely loved this book and I think that it will appeal to the YA audience and also to the older audience as well.
Paranormalcy by Kiersten WhiteI give this book 5 out of 5 stars for sure! It has a wonderful mix of all sorts of paranormal people like mermaids, vampires, shape-shifters, ect. Evie works for an agency that keeps paranormals in line. She is a very headstrong girl and falls in love with a prisoner! Loved it! Very interesting and different story and I enjoyed every minute of it!
Romantic Vignettes by Marcia Lynn McClureLoved this book! Three short feel good love stories that will have you wanting to read anything she has ever written!
“Ender’s Game” -Orson Scott CardAuthor: Dr. Professor // Category: Book Blog
This book was a bit of a leap of faith for me. I don’t usually read science fiction because I’ve had several bad experiences with stories from this genre. Ender’s Game however, was a gripping story that kept me entertained and impressed throughout the entire volume. The basic storyline is set in a not too distant future where earth is at war with a bug-like alien race. Sounds typical of the genre doesn’t it? However, looking past the less then promising premise this story is a believeable tale about human nature, government corruption, friendship, responsibility, and a child-genius school reminiscent of “lord of the flies”. Throughout the series there were many characters that are as believable as they were captivating. I was somewhat dissappointed in the cliffhanger endings to both the “Ender’s” series and the “Bean” series, but it leaves me with hope that someday Card will continue these entrancing tales. I loved these books and would suggest them to anyone. The amount of research and study Orson Scott Card must have put into the books is incredible. I was very impressed with the depth of thought from history, psychology, mythology, science, politics, biology, philosophy and many other elements all well written and informative. “Split Infinity” -Piers AnthonyAuthor: Dr. Professor // Category: Book Blog
This series is about a science based world that is juxtaposed with a world of magic. The story is interesting enough with good elements of plot and suspense, but other than that I have come to expect much more from the science fiction and fantasy realms. Part of the attraction of these genres is the ability to write a story with little or no rules about the nature of reality, however; ignoring the rules of reason has the unfortunate consequence of producing an unbelievable story with little intellectual appeal. I felt like I was reading a child’s bedtime story (except for the frequent adult themes in the books) because something crazy would pop into the story out of nowhere and then have some sort of lame explanation like “anything is possible ’cause it’s magic!” I have come to appreciate writers like Robert Jordan and Christopher Paolini because of the depth of thought put into how magic works and what the strict guidlines are concerning it. I think these guidlines make for a better story with much more suspense. All in all I would suggest the aforementioned authors before Piers Anthony. They are more appropriate for all age groups and are much stronger writers. I think I can some up this entire experience wth the phrase “watered down”. The Sword of ShannaraAuthor: Dr. Professor // Category: Book Blog
I loved this book when I first read it years ago, but after reading it again recently I was somewhat disapointed. This was one of Terry Brooks very first works and it was a tremendous success. It is a beautiful piece of work with a classic feel. The book has some amazing art work furnished by the finest artists in the realm of fantasy, Greg and Tim Hildebrandt. Unfortunately, the story itself was less picturesque. I found many parts of the narrative to be a little bland and repetitive. Since this novel Terry Brooks has gotten steadily better at portraying characters and describing the world his story is set in. I guess these are skills that have just improved with time. Of course, I did admit this was a favorite in my youth so maybe it is just my failing imagination which leads me to beg for more descriptive narrative. The book shows a few other signs of a beginning artist: plots held little suspense and at times the characters seemed more whiny than winesome. “A Knight of the Word” -Terry BrooksAuthor: Dr. Professor // Category: Book Blog
In my mind this is Terry Brooks’ crowning series. The story starts with “Running with Demons”, followed by “a Knight of the Word” and concludes with “Angel Fire East”. The story is set in preapocalyptic America and is somewhat dark. This is for a more mature audience because of the violence and intensity of the novel. It is totally captivating and was one of the few series which truly kept me on the edge of my seat. I would recommend this series to any reader. “A Knight of the Word” by Terry BrooksPosted by Dr. Professer | Posted on June 03, 2008 | Category: Book Blog
This series was a breath of fresh air! When I was a bit younger, I read the Sword of Shannara series and then the Kingdom of Landover series. At the time, I practically ate the books up. However, this second time through I was somewhat disapointed. This is due, I am sure, to the fact that I just finished reading the Knight of the Word series. Sword of truth “Sword of Truth” –Terry Goodkind
The “sword of truth” saga by Terry Goodkind is one of the most acclaimed fantasy series around. So I purchased all the books before reading them and anticipated a memorable reading experience. I was sorely disappointed. The story is average, with enough interesting twists, clever dialogue and suspense to keep me reading through the 12 immense volumes, but many of the suspenseful moments led up to anticlimactic and disappointing conclusions. Many of the conversations felt dry and cyclical. And although the characters were interesting, Goodkind has the unnerving habit of gruesomely and grotesquely torturing his characters. Probably the best thing about the series is also the worst thing, and that is the injection of philosophical thought. The stories are inundated with ideas and dialogues that are deeply philosophical, this would be a wonderful thing if Goodkind had been able to pull it off, but I felt like most of the arguments were unconvincing. I didn’t think he provided enough evidence to support his conclusions. And the dialogues didn’t mesh very well with the story line. It felt very much like a philosophical monologue, but he tried to write it in a dialogue which felt forced and awkward. Some of his main ideas were conflicting, but I guess that we are all guilty of conflicting philosophies… I myself have read a little of the great philosophical works, and I was expecting more from Goodkind than I probably should have, but I have to say that you would be much better off reading Kant, Aristotle or Plato than this incredibly large story, and you would be much more satisfied with your experience. If you want a good story I think you should look elsewhere because if this story doesn’t frustrate you it will probably offend you at some point. It was written for a very mature audience.
-Dr. Professor |
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