November Book Buys!

I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I haven't bought any books this month.  Instead, I've been reading the 'Midnight Breed' series and that's about it.  So, I'm sorry to say but I've just been preparing for Christmas and its usual crowd-inducing problems.  Christmas Cards have been sent out, my tree is up early (only by a week) as after next week, everything is going to be turned into a big rush.  

However, I will keep you guys up to date with which books I'll be purchasing over the next few weeks for myself - as well as my family for Christmas, as I won a $100 Westfield Voucher to spend at any Westfield Shopping Centre from Triple M (a music station here in Australia).  And so, once that arrives, I'll be off looking in all kinds of stores there finding the best deals in everything and letting you all in on who's getting what from me; bookwise.

So, I'm sorry that there's nothing to report this month, but stay tuned, in the next week or so - when I do my Christmas Shopping in one day - there will be plenty!  Happy Reading otherwise and always grab the best deals.

Been Busy Reading

I haven't posted that many reviews lately - and for this I apologise.  I do have a very good reason for doing this.  I've been reading a 6-book series for the last month and a half.  Each book took me only a week to read and I've also been crook with a sinus infection - but that hasn't slowed my reading down.  Here in Brisbane, this sinus problem has been going around, so I'm not alone.  However, I've been waiting to finish the entire series to get in and do the whole review in one hit; as the story covers all the books and it juxtaposes throughout the books as it goes on.  So, this is why there hasn't been any book reviews and only book news lately.  I'm terribly sorry about this.  I should have told you guys, but I wanted to surprise you all with a great vampire series to get into.  

But... I can review it now, if you wish....

The 'Midnight Breed' series by Lara Adrian is a set of six books about a breed of vampires which have been around on Earth since the Middle Ages.  Their race landed here and began to feed of humans and breed with us; as we were the only species that could take to breeding with them.  However, they could only give birth to boys; and they had to find women who had a particular birthmark which made them breedmates.  

This series of books are well-detailed and wonderful in each story.  From book one where their leader, Lucan, finds his breedmate to the last one - which I'm currently reading - these books will keep you wanting more from Lara Adrian; in action, humour and romance.  Most definitely worth a read.  Mainly, these books are aimed to the women readers who like romance; but also vampire romance.  I would point these in the direction of readers who like Mills & Boon too as there are some love scenes that are really steamy.  So, do have a go at reading them all; as you won't be able to stop at just one!

Holiday Reading Plans

It's getting to this time of the year where I begin to look at what I'll be taking to the coast to read.  Now, I'd love to take all 50 or so of my reading list, but unfortunately, due to space, I can't.  So, I have to choose just a few to fit into my suitcase that doesn't weigh it down; and fortunately, the ones I've picked this year are smaller than last year.

'What Would MacGyver Do?' by Brendan Vaughan is the first off the list.  Now, I've heard a bit about this one where people have stories where they've had 'To MacGyver' it to fix something in situations where they've got the most unusual things.  And I'm sure we've all been in those situations where we've had to do it too.  Now, there's a book of anecdotes of this very thing.  The reviews of this book are mixed, but I'll see how is goes.

'Neuromancer' by William Gibson is a book I've had on my Wish List on Bookcrossing for a some time now, and finally somebody sent it to me through a book box.  I thought to take it with me down the coast to see how it goes; and see if I feel like reading sci-fi.

'Bless Me, Ultima' by Rudolfo Anaya is a classic written by a wonderful writer.  I haven't read any of this author's work; and look forward to reading this one on holidays.

'The Legacy' by David Suzuki is one book I've wanted to read all year.  And I thought that once I got it into my hot little hands I'd read it right away.  However, I'm involved with book spiral (a series of books that I've yet to finish and send off; I'm up to book 5 of the series of 6 right now) and am unable to begin this one just yet.  But this is something I've decided to put into the holiday reads because it looks like something to delve into at that time.

So, there you have it:  my Holiday Book Reads.  What have you planned to read this holiday season?  Do you plan your seasonal reads; and do you stick to the plan or waver from it (believe me, I do!)?  I look forward to reading these ones - and more - on my holidays.

Unexpected Bag of Books From Tasmania

It's been a while since I last posted; and so I thought to let you all know about a surprise that showed up in my PO Box.  On my way out to do the shopping, I checked the mail - as always - and found a parcel pick-up.  Normally, I'd leave that kind of thing until later in the afternoon when all my shopping is done.  However, today, I wanted to pick everything up as it looked like rain.  So, I did.

It was a parcel from Tasmania - from a Bookcrossing friend - who had received a prize from my Birthday Clearance.  She thought to put together a bag for me and sent it my way.  Well, what a surprise this was to find a 3kg bag to be given to me by the Sanjay at Slacks Creek.  I really wasn't expecting anything.  And the books are some I'd get my nose into in the next year or so.  There were 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Kaled Hosseini, 'The Legacy' by David Suzuki, 'Otherland Vol 1' by Tad Williams, 'Bless Me, Ultima' by Rudolfo Anaya and 'One Tree' by Stephen Donaldson.  Actually, one of them is off my Wish List ('Legacy' by David Suzuki')and another looks very fascinating too;('Bless Me, Ultima' by Rudulfo Anaya) both of them have been added to my Christmas Holiday Reading List.  Well, I thought to share this with you guys as it's always lovely to receive surprises in the mail; and even better to share it with people who share you passion.

Rainy Day Reading-Time.

Here in Australia, we've been having some really unusual weather.  With our Summer approaching, it's supposed to be getting hotter; however that's not what happening.  Instead, it's been staying cooler and it's raining as well.  We're getting our fair share of storms as we've been expecting, but it's the heat we're missing right now.

So, this is keeping me holed up in the house reading a great series of books that arrived on my doorstep about a month ago.  It's the Midnight Breed series by Lara Adrian and I'm up to book four of six; and I'm reading these books at such a pace it's unbelievable!  I don't read books this fast usually and I'm just zooming through them as they're so addictive.

Before these, I was reading 'The Monkey's Mask' by Dorothy Porter.  This had me hooked from the first verse; and didn't let me go; what a book!  Otherwise, these next few books are going to be taking me right up until the Christmas holiday reading time where I'll get my nose into some serious sci-fi; as my Sci-fi bookbox came home this week.  In it, I found 'Neuromancer' by William Gibson.  This is a book I've had on my Bookcrossing wish list for a long time; and it was inside this box!  What a thrill to see it in there!  I'm looking forward to getting my nose into its pages when I'm at the coast.  Let's just hope it's not raining.

Illustrated Thrillers for Kids.

Now, I love to find new books for any age group of any genre.  However, when I received a phone call from my Mum on Saturday, she told me there were a collection at the Springwood Community Centre not far from her home called the 'Illustrated Classic Editions Thrillers'.   I asked what they looked liked.  Well, she said she'd get them and bring them to me.

That night, she brought them over to my house and showed them to me and I found they were large print and for kids.  I had the impression they were graphic novels.  However, they weren't.  There are six in all and all of them are written by the most classic writers around from the twentieth century and adapted for children between the ages of 9 and 12.  There are 'Tales of Mystery and Terror' by Edgar Allan Poe, 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson, 'The Invisible Man' by H.G. Wells, 'The Time Machine' by H.G. Wells and 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley.  All these books are in my shelves however these particular ones are adapted from the adult versions and put in to larger print for young minds to grasp quickly and have great illustrations.  Well worth looking for.