the Sleeping Beauty - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

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The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey

What is it about:
Heavy is the head—and the eyelids—of the princess who wears the crown…
In Rosamund's realm, happiness hinges on a few simple beliefs:
For every princess there's a prince.
The king has ultimate power.
Stepmothers should never be trusted.
And bad things come to those who break with Tradition….

But when Rosa is pursued by a murderous huntsman and then captured by dwarves, her beliefs go up in smoke. Determined to escape and save her kingdom from imminent invasion, she agrees to become the guinea pig in one of her stepmother's risky incantations—thus falling into a deep, deep sleep.
When awakened by a touchy-feely stranger, Rosa must choose between Tradition and her future…between a host of eligible princes and a handsome, fair-haired outsider. And learn the difference between being a princess and ruling as a queen.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
A very pleasant read, although it lacks the depth that I've come to expect from Lackey. Don't get me wrong: there's lots to enjoy in this story and certainly for readers new to Lackey there's lots of fun things to explore, but for those familiar with the 500 kingdoms novels there wasn't anything new and exciting to the book. It felt like visiting a well known, loved friend who is pleasant to be with, but doesn't surprise you anymore.

Why should you read it:
If you like fairy tales with a fun twist you will like this book

* I got this book for review from the publisher through Netgalley

Character Connection - Mrs. Emily Pollifax

We all have characters we love. Let's spotlight these fantastic creations! Whether you want to be friends with them or you have a full-blown crush on them, you know you love them and want everyone else to love them too!

Character Connection host by
TheIntrovertedReader.blogspot.com

Today I'll tell you about Mrs. Emily Pollifax from the Mrs. Pollifax series by Dorothy Gilman.

At the start of the series Emily Pollifax is a widow with grown-up children and she feels her life has little worth anymore. When one day she's standing on the roof of her building and can't find one reason why she shouldn't step over the edge she decides to visit her doctor to talk to him about her feelings.

Her doctor asks her what dreams she had when she was young and if there are any she could chase right here and now.

It happens to be that as a child Emily Pollifax dreamed of being a spy!
So she indeed decides to follow her dream and she heads to the headoffice of the CIA to apply. Due to a mix up she is actually send on a mission and her dream comes true although being a spy is a lot more dangerous than she might have expected.

Emily Pollifax is a great character in my opinion. She's quirky, inventive and due to her elderly and innocent looks many of her adversaries underestimate her. The missions she is being send on and the fact that she feels useful again make her come alive again after being in a depression and she grows from someone who just keeps on going because she has to in to someone with a zest for life and she inspires and helps many of the people she meets.

If I ever get into a scratch I would want someone like Mrs. Pollifax at my side because she would surely see possibilities where no one else would.

Me and Mr Darcy - a Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Me and Mr Darcy by Alexandra Potter

What is it about:
After a string of disastrous dates, Emily Albright decides she’s had it with modern-day love and would much rather curl up with Pride and Prejudice and spend her time with Mr. Darcy, the dashing, honorable, and passionate hero of Jane Austen’s classic. So when her best friend suggests a wild week of margaritas and men in Mexico with the girls, Emily abruptly flees to England on a guided tour of Jane Austen country instead. Far from inspiring romance, the company aboard the bus consists of a gaggle of little old ladies and one single man, Spike Hargreaves, a foul-tempered journalist writing an article on why the fictional Mr. Darcy has earned the title of Man Most Women Would Love to Date.

The last thing Emily expects to find on her excursion is a broodingly handsome man striding across a field, his damp shirt clinging to his chest. But that’s exactly what happens when she comes face-to-face with none other than Mr. Darcy himself. Suddenly, every woman’s fantasy becomes one woman’s reality. . . .

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
I'm not a fan of Jane Austen I must confess. I do not like her writing style and it took zombies to get me and Sullivan to read Pride and Prejudice. That said: I loved 'Me and Mr Darcy'. It's well written, funny and heartwarming. Potter uses the themes and general storylines from Pride and Prejudice and makes them her own in an enjoyable way. The story is predictable - especially for Austen fans I guess, although they will perhaps enjoy seeing the similarities between this story and P&P - but isn't that true about almost every chick-lit? All in all it was everything it promised to be when I bought the book: an enjoyable summer read.

Why should you read it:
It's a fluffy, enjoyable read

Teaser Tuesdays - Henry VIII: Wolfman

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

He sighed. 'Look, Agatha, why don't you just be the Witchfinder General from now on? It's really more your sort of thing than mine anyway.' He imagined himself back at the farmhouse, tending to the garden and looking after his bees...
(Page 31, Henry VIII: Wolfman by A.E. Moorat)

Allegra Fairweather: Paranormal Investigator - Book Review

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Allegra Fairweather: Paranormal Investigator by Janni Nell (e-book)

What is it about:
Allegra Fairweather here. Paranormal investigator. Got problems with specters? Shapeshifters? I'm the woman to call. Just don't call me a Ghostbuster. The last guy who did that ended up flat on his back with my boot at his throat.

With my 99.5% success rate, solving the mystery of a bleeding rose that has sprung up on the shores of Loch Furness should have been an easy gig. But already I've heard the shriek of the local banshee, discovered two bodies (and then lost two bodies), and had a near-death encounter with a three-hundred-year-old ghost. And perhaps most dangerous of all, the hot pub owner who hired me now wants to show me exactly what's under his kilt.
Luckily, I'm ably assisted by my very own guardian angel. I'm grateful for his help—but he's also drop-dead gorgeous. A bit distracting when I've got a mystery to solve, and the clock is ticking...

What did I think of it:
A fast, enjoyable read. The mystery is nicely set up and moves along in an even pace with developements at the right moment in my opinion. The writing is easy to get into, Allegra is a likeable and humorous protagonist and there are some very fun and interesting side characters. According to Voodoo Bride the romance is a little bit too easy, she had loved to see some more depth to it, but as the setup lends itself for many more sequels I think she might get her wish.

Why should you read it:
It's a very enjoyable UF mystery

* I got this book for review from the publisher through Netgalley

Locus Focus - the Zuckermans' Farm

Locus Focus is a meme hosted every Saturday by Enbrethiliel at Shredded Cheddar. "We all know of books that make their settings come alive, and this meme is a chance to write about them and share them with others." Visit her blog and link up!

My Locus Focus today is the Zuckermans' Farm from Charlotte's Web by E. B. White. (again doing this from memory)

Zuckermans' Farm is a normal farm when you first look at it, but once you walk inside the barn you meet lots of interesting and cool animals and you understand why Zuckermans' Farm is special.

There's Wilbur ofcourse, the pig who befriends a spider and is saved by this friendship.

And the spider - Charlotte - ofcourse. A very intelligent and kind creature (most of the times, I don't think flies will agree).

And then there's Templeton. This rat may seem self centered, but without him all Charlotte's attempts to save Wilbur would have failed.

But there's so many more cool animals:
The sheep, geese and other animals all add their own voice to that special kind of magical place that is Zuckermans' Farm, although in the end it's ofcourse White's writing and Garth Williams' wonderful illustrations that make the place come alive and make this book and setting so wonderful that I keep rereading this classic.

Interview with Author Carolyn Crane

Those who follow my Character Connection posts might have guessed that I love the book Mind Games by Carolyn Crane. So while waiting for the next book in the Disillusionist trilogy I decided to ask Carolyn if she wanted to drop by for an interview, so I could ask her some things about her books. Luckily she agreed.


First of all let me welcome you and thank you for agreeing to do this interview. I loved Mind Games and am eagerly awaiting Double Cross.

Thanks for having me! I’m so happy to be here with you, Sullivan! LOL. I’ve never been interviewed by a pig before.

On to the actual interview:
I really love how you paint a world that’s not black and white, but is made up out of so many shades of grey. The characters are not all good or all bad as is often the case in stories.

Is this something you tried to go for on purpose or did that just happen along the way?

My most memorable experiences of reading or watching movies have always been when I have sympathy for the villain, or moral questions about the heroine. Or when I’m rooting for something to happen, and then I stop and wonder what exactly I’m rooting for. I love when things have dimensions—it excites me as a reader, so I guess it excites me as a writer, too. That said, I like answers as much as questions. The trilogy starts gray, but it will end with a bit more black and white, but with gray touches. LOL.

Can I assume from your use of the Mongolian Delights Restaurant that you love Kebabs or did you pick that particular restaurant because you don’t like kebabs? I myself can vividly understand anyone’s dislike of kebabs. *shudders*

What? You don’t like kebabs? A pig after Packard’s own heart! I actually have little opinion on kebabs, believe or not. But I have worked in many restaurants, so it is a setting I know really well. And, the Mongolian aspect—I never told anybody this, but I sort of picked it because it seemed humorous.


There are a lot of hats in this book. Do you own a lot of hats yourself and do you have a thing for berets?

LOL. I love your questions, Sullivan. Wow, I never noticed all the hats, but come to think of it, there are hard hats, safari hats, berets, there ARE a lot of hats! How did I never notice all the hats? Busted. I DO love hats! And you know what I just realized? In Double Cross, there are tons of people wearing glasses. * ominous silence *

Very suspicious. I’ll have to keep an eye on that.

Since reading the book I’ve been thinking what kind of disillusionist I’d be and as I’m a bit of a cynic at times I’d think I’d be great in getting people to let go of their optimism. What about you? What would be your own specialty? And if you were a highcap, what power would you have/want? (I’d like to have mind control so I could influence people into writing books about pigs and/or zombies.)

Oh, a cynic! You would get along well with Shelby. If I was a disillusionist, I might be the OCD one, because I always think I forgot to lock the front door, or the car door, and I have to go back and check. Or else that I left the stove on. I would make the villains waste a bunch of time checking stuff like that. As for highcap, hmm. I might like to fly. Sullivan, do you want to ride on my back? I promise not to drop you!!

As long as you don’t make any sudden sharp turns to go back to check if the front door is locked I’m on.

There’s lots of side characters in the book that sound really interesting, I’ve already read some where that Simon is going to get more screen time in the next book. What about the others? Any chance we get to learn more about the Monk for example? I know I want to learn more about him anyway. And Diogenes Teufelsdrockh? (I just love that name I must add.) I know he was only mentioned in the book in one sentence and not even by name at that, but after seeing the interview in The Midcity Eagle I’m a fan!

Oh, funny. Okay, maybe this isn’t the sort of thing I should reveal, but I put the Monk in as this mysterious and powerful being in case I got in plot trouble down the line and needed an ace up my sleeve. Do you know what I mean? An ultra powerful character to appear to rescue somebody and turn the tables. But, I have the plot worked in a way where I don’t need an ultra-powerful and mysterious being to save anybody. And that’s probably for the best.

I’m hoping Diogenes will do another Midcity Eagle interview soon. That’s actually a friend of mine - isn’t he great? Okay, just now I made a note in my little notebook to write a little part for Diogenes Teufelsdrockh in book #3. That is a really good idea! The fun thing about being a writer is that you can do that sort of thing. I have this group of friends, and we made a vow to always put stereopticon glasses in our novels, and there is one in book one. Also, thanks for going to the Midcity Eagle! I never know if anybody goes there!

Hmmm, that’s bad news about the Monk, but you made my day with trying to give Diogenes some screen time in book #3. I think your friend did a very good job with the interview and you as well, so I’ll be keeping an eye out on the Midcity Eagle.


What authors have been an influence for you? And have you read any books lately that you want to share with us or have you been too busy with writing on the trilogy to read?

Kelley Armstrong has been a huge influence on me. I think she is just amazing. I also love Jacqueline Carey, Kresley Cole, Richelle Mead, and Charlaine Harris. Also, I feel I learned a lot from Laurel K. Hamilton—her books have been really formative for me. Out of the genre, I’m really big on Graham Greene and Somerset Maugham. I’ve read everything they’ve written multiple times. As for books I’ve been reading lately: Vicki Pettersson’s Zodiac series! How did it take me so long to discover that?

There’s going to be three books about Justine. Any plans for other books? And are those going to be in the same world or have you got something else planned?
If you need any ideas, I can tell you that I’d love to see you write about zombies and/or pigs (as you might have guessed). I’ve been following you on your blog tour and was really disappointed the books you mentioned at Fantasy Dreamers Ramblings weren’t actual books, but just something you made up, especially ‘Road Trip of the Amish Living Dead’ and ‘The were-pig whisperer’, I’d buy them right away.

LOL. But what if something terrible happened to the pig? Sullivan, you would have nightmares!! Okay, I AM working on a new series, a paranormal romance that has UFC (mixed martial arts) fighters and a world domination plot. OMG, I am so excited about it, I can barely concentrate sometimes.

Anything else you’ve been dying to share but no one’s dared to ask?

Little known fact: I have a boiler operator’s license! I can work steam heating plants in small apartment buildings. Or, at least, if they are a certain kind. Nobody ever asks me about that. You are funny.

That is an unexpected side of you. I know who to call when I’m having boiler trouble now. Although that would take time away from you writing so maybe I’d better call someone else.

Well, that concludes this interview. Thanks again for dropping by. I will now let you get back to your writing in hope that you will finish the trilogy and can start on a nice zombies versus pigs story. (I’ll be glad to stand model for the hero, a handsome pig who saves the world from the zombies while plotting world domination himself in secret.)

Okay, Sullivan. I’ll get on it!! Hey, thanks so much for having me!!!


For those who haven't read Mind Games yet:
Run out to get it, it's an amazing book! And the second book in this trilogy - Double Cross - will be out September 28, 2010. And don't forget to check out the Midcity Eagle.