Quest the First -- Book 5

 

Here we are at Book #5 and the final book for Quest the First! Supernatural: Nevermore by Keith R.A. DeCandido.

I don't normally read a lot of tie-in books for TV shows, but I absolutely LOVE this series,and since season 4 has ended and season 5 has yet to start, I was feeling a little Winchester withdrawal.  So when I saw this book on a rack I had to give it a try. It is pretty well done, with Mr. DeCandido doing a good job of finding the voice of the two main characters, Sam and Dean Winchester.

The brothers are in New York City doing a favor for a friend. They are there to see why a ghost is haunting a house of a local who plays in a tribute band. But, while in the city the boys get caught up in a bigger mystery. Someone is murdering people seemingly based on the creepy stories of legendary writer Edgar Allan Poe. The mystery of why this is happening and the race to stop the last murder and find the killer lead the brothers on a bizarre journey that ends up being less about the supernatural and more about the strange ideas people get in their heads. The ritual the killer seems to be trying to reproduce is from a bogus charlatan, but the killer obviously believes it will work and bring Poe back from the dead.

While doing their investigations, they meet some people who know more about the brothers and their father than they do about them. In fact, they have never heard of them and are wondering why their Dad never mentioned them. Can they be trusted? But, the boys need all the help they can get, from where ever they can get it to stop this madman from killing his last victim right in front of their eyes....

This was a quick read, and was good enough that I might try out the other two books the author has written based on the Supernatural TV Show. At least it will give me my Sam and Dean fix while I wait for the 5th and final season to get under way.

This completes the  Quest the First for me, and also I have completed the Journey since it  only required me to read one book during this time. I've really enjoyed this challenge, and look forward to doing Once Upon a Time -IV- next year!

 

 

If you want to join in the Challenge, pop over to Stainless Steel Droppings to see how it all works. Come on, join us, you know you want to!

Quest the First -- Book 4

 

 

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris is Book #4.

When I went to pick my next book from my TBR pile, I just couldn't resist the next book in the Southern Vampire Series. I really like the main character Sookie, and all of her neighbors, both human and supernatural.

This book starts off with a naked man on the side of the road and never slows down. There are Vampires, of course, but we also get to see more of the Weres and the shifters, learning more of their cultures. This book also introduces us to the Witches and to a new supernatural who, while not getting a full explanation for, seems to be an interesting species and one I'm sure we will see more of.

The naked man turns out to be Eric, the vampire, boss of her ex-boyfriend Bill. But this is an Eric who has lost his memory and seems to be a kinder, gentler Eric than the one Sookie has known in the past. Poor Eric doesn't remember anything, and whoever took his memory may be trying to kill him. Soon Sookie has not only an amnesiac Eric to worry about, but also a missing brother. While investigating what happened to Eric and to her brother, Jason, Sookie is reunited with the Were Alcide, and with his help finds herself heading straight into a supernatural battle involving the vampires, the werewolves, and some witches... And, if that isn't enough, who are those shifters who live isolated in the little town of Hotshot just outside of Bon Temps? You'll need to pick this book up to find the answers to these and other questions.

I'm really liking these books, and I've already picked up the next book in the series. I'm sure it won't be long before I dive right back into the happenings in Bon Temps and the surrounding areas.

If you want to join in the Challenge, pop over to Stainless Steel Droppings to see how it all works. Come on, join us, you know you want to!

Memorial Day 2009

 

Love your country and live with pride
And don't forget those who died America can't you see
All gave some and some gave all
And some stood through for the red, white and blue
And some had to fall
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Some gave all
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall, yes recall
Some gave all
Some gave all

---Billy Ray Cyrus  Some Gave All---

Please take a moment today to remember and honor the Men and Women of the military who gave their all and the reason we celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday of every May. One of the ways to do that is to observe

The National Moment of Rememberance:

The National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress, asks Americans wherever they are at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day to pause in an act of national unity (duration: one minute).The time 3 p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday. The Moment does not replace traditional Memorial Day events; rather it is an act of national unity in which all Americans, alone or with family and friends, honor those who died for our freedom. It will help to reclaim Memorial Day as the sacred and noble holiday it was meant to be. In this shared remembrance, we connect as Americans.

Quest the first -- Book 3

 

 

I chose Small Favor by Jim Butcher as my third book.

Being a Wizard should be more fun and less dangerous... unless you are the Wizard Harry Dresden. Trouble just seems to follow poor Harry around. I have really loved this whole series of books, and this one is no exception. If you are looking for a good story with great characters and lots of action and maybe a little mystery thrown in... this is a series for you.

While you can read this book without having read any of the others in the series, knowing the cast of characters and their background does make the story even better. For instance, the Small Favor in the title of the book? It's being asked of Harry by Mab, the Queen of the Winter Court of the Sidhe. Harry has had enough prior contact with Mab to know that she is not someone to cross casually, and he does owe her a favor after the whole attack on the Fairy Realm thing... and while Mab is neither the good or the bad guy, neither Court of Fairy is coming clean with what they actually know.

During the course of the book you will come across Harry's half-brother, who happens to be a Vampire, Sidhe  from both the Winter and Summer Courts of Fairy, other Wizards, a couple of Knights of the Cross, some Knights of the Blackened Denarius (who are Fallen Angels.. yep, those Fallen Angels!),  a little girl who just happens to be the Archive of all Knowledge, some members of the Chicago Mob, and even Harry's friend who is a member of the Chicago Police Force. And all of these people have a different agendas and different ideas about what is right and wrong and different world views. Jim Butcher does a great job of keeping all the plot points rolling along and juggling all the different things that seem to be happening till everything finally comes together in the end.

If you like detectives, wizards, and urban fantasies, you will love this. This book delivers a well-rounded story while still advancing the mystery we have slowly been uncovering in the multi-book story arc.

If you want to join in the Challenge, pop over to Stainless Steel Droppings to see how it all works. Come on, join us, you know you want to!

Armed Forces Day!

 

Today is the third Saturday in May, soooo it must be Armed Forces Day. This years theme is "United in Strength". Please take a moment from your day and give a thought to the men and women (and their families!)  who have served in the past, and the ones who defend us today. And don't forget to say Thank You!

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait...

 

 

It has been a little over 2 years since I lost my D.K. That's a picture of her at the top of this post. She went over the Rainbow Bridge in April of 2007. I still miss her.

D.K. was a beautiful black and white tuxedo cat. I had her for 13 wonderful years. My husband offered to get me a kitten not long after we lost her to cancer, and I would go and look, but I just wasn't ready. Finally this spring I thought I would like to again hear the pitter of little cat feet in the house. I did mention to the Hubs that I thought we should get a cat that did not remind me of D.K., and because of that I was sure I wanted to get a kitty that was any color but black. Maybe a pretty gray with black stripes? Or a Russian Blue?

What is that saying about making plans and the universe will laugh at you? Yeah.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw an entry on a blog I follow. A cute little Wordful Wednesday, Kitten Edition at Putting the Fun in DysFUNctional. I thought the kitties were really cute, and showed them to the Hubs, and even commented about how cute they were in the comments on the post. It put the thought of kitties in the forefront of my mind again.

Enter Serendipity. About a week after the first kitty post, I saw a different entry on the same blog. She mentioned that she was taking the kitties to be fixed so that they could go to an adoption event on the upcoming Saturday. For some reason I had been under the impression that she and her family lived farther south from us. When I saw where the kittens had been taken to, I asked in comments which place they would be going to for the adoption event, still not sure that I was right about how close they were. Turned out that the place the kitties would be at was the Petsmart that I visit frequently.

The next day I went to the Petsmart just to 'look' at the kitties. The one we thought we were interested in was the white one with black spots, and I still wasn't sure. But instead, once I was there, I couldn't resist the little black and white Tuxedo girl. I thought the hubs would bust a gut laughing at me. Not only did I end up with another black cat, but a Tuxedo to boot. Still, I think D.K. would be pleased since she too was an adopted stray.

If I had any doubts about my decision they were quickly put to rest when I arrived home. I sat the little darling down in the middle of the floor, and she was immediately at home with us and Morgan (our Corgi). She settled in and it was like she has always been with us.

The picture below was taken about 3 hours after we got her home.

 

 

Her foster mommy did a wonderful job with her. She has absolutely no fear of anything, loves people, and is so very confident of the world and her place in it. (i.e. she is a princess!).

I spent some time searching for a name, and we finally settled on Nyx. It fits her perfectly. She is so mischievous, and keeps us laughing constantly at her antics. I think when I was looking at all of those other kitties, I was just waiting for her to come along. We already adore her, and are looking forward to many years of laughing, loving, and fun with her and Morgan.

 

Wordless Wednesday