welcome to new readers

Welcome to my new readers, amaleepomposell, anthia_cummings, coffeegirl18, csixballistics, lemurgoddess, neitherday, paddlepaws, poddarku, ryowyn_tao, staceyinastoria, and tim_howorth. And I thought I had a lot last time! Gosh!

Of all of you's, I only know who lemurgoddess and paddlepaws are in person, so please feel free to leave a comment letting me know how you found my journal and how you like it so far.

Spirit Fox by Mickey Zucker Reichert and Jennifer Wingert

I read this book for the first time a few years ago, and it's been on my mind recently. So, after some help from omnia_mutantur in refinding the title, I borrowed it from the library.

This book is really quite moving. In a land where the most blessed people are those who are spirit-linked with animals from birth, things sometimes go wrong. Kiarda has felt moody and disconnected all her life, never realizing that she was spirit-linked at birth with a fox kit her father accidentally killed. When the mating urges of her fox self call her into the forest, the consequences will be unimaginable - both to her and to her people.

This book has a library sticker on it that says YA, but I'm not sure I agree. Although there's no on-screen sex - the culture of the imagined country has a taboo against unmarried people of the same sex touching even casually -, the themes in the book would be pretty intense for some teens - betrayal, death, madness, religious fanaticism, corrupt leadership. If you think your teen might like it, read it yourself first.

For an adult, I think this book is very enjoyable. In addition to dealing with deeper issues, it also has a hopeful tone. The characters are interesting and believable, and they evolve over time. I'm really glad I read this book again. Four stars.

Rising Stars: Voices of the Dead/Bright by JMS, Rising Stars: Visitations/Untouchable by JMS

These are the final two volumes in the Rising Stars saga. They contain two novellas each that explore characters that were not main characters in the first three volumes. I thought they were good but not amazing. My favorite of the four novellas was "Untouchable." Three stars.

Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews

This book was a recommendation from cywrain in a book review community I'm part of, bookshare. I was looking for mystery suggestions, having somewhat struck out in trying to find new mystery authors on my own.

Meg Lanslow has been dragged back to her hometown to be the maid of honor in not just one but three weddings - her brother's, her mother's remarriage, and her best friend's. She runs herself ragged trying to cope with flakey brides, catty brides, manipulative brides, slutty bridesmaids, reluctant grooms, slinking grooms, absent grooms, a dad that loves to "preview" the buffets, and yes, peacocks. And then a disliked guest winds up dead. Did she really fall off the bluff? Or could it be murder?

( A quote. )

Murder With Peacocks reminded me a lot of the new Jennifer Crusie book, Agnes and the Hit Man, although it is both less violent and less funny. They have in common the wedding plan element, main characters who are being taken advantage of, and a Southern small-town summer setting. Agnes and the Hit Man made me laugh out loud a lot. Murder With Peacocks occaisionally made me chuckle. I'm curious to see where the series goes. The main character can be a bit passive-aggressive at times, and I hope she will develop a backbone for matters other than just her personal safety. Three stars.