Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

They say it's the terrible two's. I'm pretty sure that 3 was worse with my oldest but here is hoping for smooth sailing. Happy birthday to my beautiful baby girl who just turned 3! And I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for a great year ;P

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Let me count the ways that I loved this book and this series! Changeless picks up right where Soulless left off so if you haven't read the first book yet be warned of spoilers. And I'll put my bottom line right at the beginning of the review and say that this book is even better than the first. I loved it!

Alexia Tarabotti is back and better than ever in this sequel to Soulless. In this installment Alexia is investigating the mysterious phenemonen that is affecting parts of the supernatural sect in the city and causing them to apparently turn "human" for unknown reasons. Of course Alexia is caught up in the midst of everything and her investigation leads her to follow her husband to Scotland and the werewolf pack he left behind. But as always trouble follows her and Alexia is in more danger than she knows.

I found this book to be even better than the first which is really saying something as I thought Soulless was very good. This book provided the reader with a different side to Alexia as her marriage to Lord Maccon shows a slightly softer but just as stubborn Alexia. I loved the banter between these two and love how their relationship has evolved. There is just a chemistry between these characters that really works for me and helps to make the books even better in my opinion. I was also glad to see that this book included more of Ivy Hisselpenny as well as some new characters that we were introduced to. The humor in this book was more apparent to me this time and I caught myself laughing aloud on a couple of occasions. This was a fast paced read that kept me enthralled until the very end. And the end. Well, don't get me started other than to say that I was left wanting more. Right now. If I were you I would have a copy of Blameless nearby to open up as soon as you finish this book. All in all, a great addition to this series and I can't wait to see what kind of adventures/trouble Alexia gets herself into next!

Bottom line: Must read in my opinion! Great series!

Disclosure- I was sent this book to review and share my honest opinion by the publisher. It's not my fault I absolutely love these books and think you should too :)

*I read this book for the following challenges:

Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge

2nds Reading Challenge

100+ Reading Challenge

"C" Title for A-Z Challenge (personal)

Library Loot - RIP V Inspired

Fall may be my favorite time of year and this is definitely my kind of reading! I've been going a bit overboard at the library lately and thought I'd share some of my loot with you. And yes, I said some because I have entirely way too many books checked out from the library right now. But that is another day and another story. Maybe. All of these are books that will definitely fit Carl's RIP V challenge and I'm super excited to read them all. Which I might have been able to do if I was participating in the reading portion of the readathon. Alas, I have to work but I have signed up to be a cheerleader for a little bit. Good luck to all of you though! And here are the titles of some of my latest library books (pictured from top to bottom):

Something From the Nightside by Simon R. Green
The Sweet Scent of Blood by Suzanne McLeod
Hard Magic by Laura Anne Gilman
The Red Tree by Caitlin R. Kiernan (yay!)
The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb
Real Murders by Charlaine Harris
31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan
Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag (an author that I haven't read in forever)

I'd say I have my work cut out for me. There are way too many good books out there that I want to read! And as usual library loot is hosted by Marg and Claire so make sure you drop by and share what you've picked up from the library!

Spotlight Review: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Spotlight Reviews are my way of playing catch up. I read and didn't review a ton of books from last year that I always wanted to share my thoughts on. These reviews will be short and sweet with just my basic thoughts and are my way of "catching up".

Summary from Goodreads:

"When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to shapeshifting car mechanic Mercy Thompson to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not. And she'll have to choose between the two werewolves in her life-whether she wants to or not. "

My Thoughts:

This series just keeps getting better and better. Mercy is an awesome kickass heroine who truly cares about her friends and those around her which is part of the reason why she is always getting into trouble. This book kept me on the edge of my toes mainly because I wanted to know which werewolf she was going to choose. And I loved the choice she made! The plot was fresh and interesting and led the series in a different direction than I had expected it to take. Bottom line on this one is this a MUST read series for urban fantasy fans. Highly recommended but start at the beginning to make the experience even better!

A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton

Books like this make me wonder why I don't read mystery series more often. A is for Alibi begins with the reader meeting Kinsey Millhone, a private investigator who is asked to reinvestigate a murder that happened over seven years ago. She is hired by Nikki Fife, the wife of the murdered man, and the person that has been accused, convicted, and recently released from prison. Kinsey goes back to the beginning of the original investigation to see if she can dig up some new evidence and new answers. What she finds brings her more danger than she ever expected.

Kinsey may be one of the most likeable sleuths that I've ever read. I instantly related to her character and her personality. Grafton was able to make her come across as realistic, tough, slightly vunerable, and just a fun character to read about. Kinsey's character made this book for me and was one of the reasons that I liked it so much. I enjoyed following along with the investigation throughout the book and trying to solve it myself along the way. Let's just say that I was majorly off and hadn't a clue who the bad guy was :) But it made the ending all the more suspenseful and I flew through it. All in all, a great beginning to this series and I can't wait to read more about Kinsey's investigations and adventures.

Final Thoughts: Highly recommended to any mystery lovers out there!

Disclosure: Checked out from the library...

*I read this book for the following challenges:

100+ Reading Challenge

1st in a Series Challenge

Suspense/Thriller Challenge

Support Your Library Reading Challenge

"A" Title for A-Z Challenge (personal)

On My Wishlist (or Radar)

I love browsing for books and looking at book publishing websites...I add books to my TBR list by the dozen. I decided to participate in Book Chick City's meme On My Wishlist but I'm mixing it up with The Booksmuggler's Radar where they also share books that they either have or want to get their hands on.

The Sweet Scent of Blood (Spellcrackers.com #1) by Suzanne McLeod

"My name is Genny Taylor. I work for Spellcrackers.com. It's a great job, pays the rent, lets me do the thing I'm good at - finding magic and cracking it - and the bonus is it's run by witches, which stops the vamps from taking a bite out of me. Not that vampires are the big bad any more, not since they launched a slick PR campaign - oh, and they brought the goblins on board. Now the vamps are sought-after celebrities, and Getting Fanged and taking the Gift are the new height of all things cool. But only if you're human. And I'm not. I'm Sidhe fae. And I know firsthand just how deadly a vampire can be."


Sounds like a great beginning to a new to me series. I want this one NOW!

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

"A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WW II. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941.

Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in ‘the distant hours’ of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it."

I read and loved The House at Riverton by this author earlier this year so I instantly had to add this book when I saw it on Fantastic Fiction's website. Yay!

Cold Magic (Spiritwalker #1) by Kate Elliott

"Young Cat Barahal thinks she understands the world she lives in and her place in it, but in fact she is merely poised unaware on the brink of shattering events. Drawn into a labyrinth of politics involving blood, betrayal and old feuds, she will be forced to make an unexpected and perilous journey in order to discover the truth, not just about her own family but about an ancient secret lying at the heart of her world."

I love the cover of this one and the premise sounds SO interesting! I was lucky enough to be sent this one for review and am just itching to read it!

Daughter of Hounds by Caitlin R. Kiernan

"They are the Children of the Cuckoo. Stolen from their cribs and concealed in shadows to be raised by ghouls, they are now changelings in service to the creatures who rule the world Below and despise the world Above. Any human contact is strictly forbidden and punishment is swift and severe for those who disobey. Raised by her widower father, Emmie Silvey has a precocious personality and striking yellow eyes that have left her a solitary child. But that changes when two women enter her life-one who stalks her, one who haunts her dreams- both insisting that her entire life is a lie and warning her of an encroaching darkness."

I was looking for urban fantasy and found this book which sounds awesome. It isn't recent (I believe it was published in 2007) but I instantly added it to my wishlist after reading the above summary.

All of these books look and sound amazing...I just need to get my hands on them :) And find the time to read them of course. What have you added to your wishlist lately??

Banned Books and Speak by L. Anderson

There isn't much to say that hasn't already been said. If I was affiliated with Missouri State in any way whatsoever, I would be embarrassed because of what a certain associate professor had to say. I refuse to link to it because it gives it that much more attention. Instead I'll link you to Laurie Halse Anderson's blog and her reaction to it. And I will link to my thoughts on Speak. Speak is NOT porn. I will continue to read banned books and books that are challenged. Thank you to all of those who have taken the time to share their thoughts on this subject.

Speak out and let your voice be heard!

BBAW - Better Late Then Never

So I'm super late to the BBAW party but that isn't unusual as I seem to always be late to blogger festivities and events. Life just gets in the way sometimes and unfortunately I miss out on the fun...especially when it comes to Dewey's 24 hour readathon but that is another story for another day :) I didn't want to not participate though (even though technically it is already over) especially when there were some good topics this time around. I've decided to do a BBAW combo post where I share a little bit of everything all in one post. I'm going to start off with Marg from Adventures of an Intrepid Reader's impromptu interview questions as if I had seen her call for this on Monday or whenever I totally would have signed up. Instead, I read the post after the fact but have decided to share my answers anyways. Hopefully she doesn't mind...

What is your blog called? What is the inspiration behind the name?

Of course, my blog is titled Sam's Book Blog and I can't say there is any great story behind my name. I've thought about changing it but never have so it has just kinda stuck. My significant other came up with a new name that I would like to change to at some point but that is for a different day. Maybe.

What kind of books do you like to read?

I'm going with anything and everything for this answer. One of my favorite genres is urban fantasy but I also enjoy mysteries, romance, general fiction, nonfiction, and everything in between. Seriously, when I was younger my goal used to be to read every book in the library. Although I didn't consider the fact that there were constantly new books coming into the library every day :) And I think that reading a mixture of genres helps to keep reading fresh for me.

What is your favorite recent read?

This is easily Blameless by Gail Carriger which I just finished earlier this week. I can't seem to get enough of this brand new series and am not looking forward to waiting until next year for the next book. I've said this before and I'll say it again, "I will be reading anything that Gail Carriger writes."

Where is your favorite place to read?

My favorite place to read is curled up underneath a blanket at the end of my couch while my S.O. watches television. Or curled in bed while reading to my kids but that isn't reading my books..that is reading theirs.

Share one thing about yourself that your readers might not know.

I had to think about this one for a minute. You might not know that besides reading I enjoy being outside, watching football, running, and an entire host of things that are not book related. And I'm a really bad cook. Hence why I never participate in the weekend cooking posts or anything like that. Because you don't want cooking tips from me. Ever.

BBAW Forgotten Treasures:

A book that I don't see or hear a lot about on book blogs that is one of my all-time favorites is Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. I read this one before I began blogging but it is one of those books that still stick out in my mind. Since I don't have a review to link up to I'll leave you with the synopsis from Goodreads:

"Young Rachel Kalama, growing up in idyllic Honolulu in the 1890's, is part of a big, loving Hawaiian family, and dreams of seeing the far-off lands that her father, a merchant seaman, often visits. But at the age of seven, Rachel and her dreams are shattered by the discovery that she has leprosy. Forcibly removed from her family, she is sent to Kalaupapa, the isolated leper colony on the island of Moloka'i."

I highly recommend reading this one and plan on rereading it myself sometime soon. It is an amazing book. And the cover is just gorgeous in my opinion. I can't say enough good things about it which is why I chose it for my forgotten treasure. Read it!

Well, that is about it for my BBAW combo post. Maybe next year I'll actually participate during the week of BBAW and not after but we'll see. And a huge thanks to Amy from My Friend Amy for creating BBAW and organizing it. Hope everyone has a wonderful week of reading!

The Keep by Jennifer Egan

Even though I read this book earlier this year (and just never reviewed it), I'm thinking that this is the perfect time to review it as fall begins to change the colors of the leaves and the nights get cooler. I picked up The Keep when I saw it was longlisted for the Orange Prize Project in 2008 and I'm glad that I did. The Keep was a slightly eerie read with lots of atmosphere and weird happenings going on.

The book begins with the main character Danny going to Germany to help his cousin Howie renovate an old castle into a hotel. Except that Danny and Howie haven't seen each other since they were teenagers and had a mysterious "prank" go awry on them. The tension between the two characters is there from the start even if the reader is only getting Danny's viewpoints and has to guess on Howie's actions and motivations. Before long Danny is caught up in the midst of eerie happenings that are more strange then anything and the question remains, "Why did Howie ask him here?"

Okay, I'm not even sure if that synopsis/brief summary of mine makes sense because this book is SO strange and there is so much more going on. I alluded to the fact that the reader knows how Danny feels and what he is thinking but it isn't Danny that is telling the story. In fact, it is an unknown narrator who is in prison for reasons unknown. Like I said, strange. The multiple stories and viewpoints that are all really the narrator's story make up for an interesting combination. And the author does a great job of creating a creepy atmosphere filled with tension from the start. While for the first half of the book I didn't quite know what was going on, I didn't really care and was more than happy to see where the book was going to go next. Howie and Danny's friendship was different and Howie was a mysterious character that I could never quite figure out. Danny was also a character with lots of different questions surrounding his background and the life that he had been previously living. I liked it though that I was constantly questioning everything and getting pulled into the story. This book was filled with mystery, suspense, and a little bit of gothic thrown all together to create a weird but good read.

Final Thoughts: Interesting. I'm not sure what to say other than that. Just an interesting but strange read (and it WAS a bit strange).

Disclosure- Library book.

*I read this book for the following challenges:

New Author Challenge

100+ Reading Challenge

Orange Prize Project (longlist in 2008)

Support Your Library Reading Challenge

"K" Title for A-Z Challenge (personal)

How I'm spending my Sunday...

Yes, we're Bears' fans....for better or worse :) Unfortunately, the oldest is sick so I can only share the youngest bears' followers in this household. I'm currently reading Blameless and I *heart* Gail Carriger! Seriously. Back to reading on Monday!