Wishes

Penned By: Jude Deveraux

This is one of my all time favorite novels! If you are not a romance novel reader and want to take a chance - do it on this one. This fun novel has some surprising twists and combines historical romance, modern day, and fairytales. It's an action packed and entertaining read that will have you laughing out loud. Nellie Grayson and Jace Montgomery have endured many woe's in their lives and have maintained kind and giving hearts just the same. They deserve to find love and happiness - they deserve each other. However, having two hard-headed individuals fall in love is difficult, no matter how soft-hearted they are.

Quote: "It's called the Kitchen because it's like women's life on earth. When you die you think you're going to heaven, just as you think, when you get married, that you're going to have heaven on earth. Instead, in both cases, you get sent to the Kitchen."

Genus: Lovey Dovey

Era: Older is Better

Difficulty: 2

Determination: Must Read

Series: Yes - the books work as companions and not necessarily sequential order

Formats: Print & Ebook

Film: No

Your type of tale? Try these: Bridge Over Time by Brenda Hiatt, The Heir by Catherine Coulter, Betrayed by Arnette Lamb

Cool Stuff:   Publisher's Official Page      Fan Video      Chandler, CO - Ghost Town

One For The Money

Penned By: Janet Evanovich

What happens when you mix a New Jersey girl desperate for money with a bunch of criminals, a couple sharp prostitutes, and some really hot guys? Crazy antics and great hilarity ensues. This action packed book follows Stephanie Plum as she enters into her career as a skip-tracer for her bail bondsman cousin. With her street smarts, determination, and fun personality Stephanie is an inspirational and admirable character. This is mystery, romance, and comedy for grown-ups without being overly "grown up."

Quote: "This whole deal was now in the ballpark of doubledare, and childish as it might be, I was not going to walk away from the challenge."

Genus: Whodunit....

Era: Older is Better

Difficulty: 3

Determination: Casual Read

Series: 1st of 18 and 4 companion books

Formats: Print & Audio       Ebook

Film: Yes, in theaters now!

Your type of tale? Try these: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, Size 14 Is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot, and The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun

Cool Stuff: Movie Official Page      Online Store      Stephanie Plum Bio 

LitPool Mentions: The Cat Who Came to Breakfast

Game of Thrones

Penned By: George R.R. Martin

In the world of Ice and Fire magic is real. Only it's subtle and not overwhelming to the enthralling story unfolding. Each chapter is told from a different characters viewpoint, yet flows easily and the pieces and timeline can be put together with little effort. This first novel focuses primarily on the powerful family in the North of the country Westeros, the Starks. For several years a peace has fallen and a long summer has allowed warmth to seep into their lives. However, "Winter is coming", and strange happenings are sending the country spiraling into a struggle for power, both of the politcal and mystical kind. Follow the Stark family as they are made pawns and major players in the Game of Thrones.

Quote: "You have five trueborn children... Three sons, two daughters. The direwolf is the sigil of your House. Your children were meant to have these pups, my lord."

Genus: Fantastical Worlds

Era: Older is Better

Difficulty: 4

Determination: For the genus lover

Series: Yes, 1st of 7

Film: HBO Series Game of Thrones

Your type of tale? Try these: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Eragon by Christopher Paolini,  Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

Cool Stuff:  Comic Book       Fan site: Westeros      The Board Game

Ready to buy it?

Dragonflight

Penned By: Anne McCaffrey

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If you're a woman and a fan or writer of science fiction you owe a big thank you to Anne McCaffrey. She was the first woman to successfully break into Science Fiction literature. Her Pern series is by far and large one of my favorite series of all time. She was a fantastic and detailed writer, who passed the gift on to her son, Todd McCaffrey. He has been working in collaboration with his mother for a few years now to continue her Dragon of Pern series. He has successfully written the last few books himself. The world has lost one of it's greatest science fiction writers of all time just a few short weeks ago when Anne McCaffrey passed away at the age of 85.

Step onto the planet of Pern, where a thriving human population survives in a perilous environment. Lessa, the main character, was born into one of the ruling feudal families but forced into hiding with the dregs of society. She manages to survive through the hardships and rises to regain her birthright. However, her destiny lies with the dragons of the planet. When legend becomes reality they are all threatened and the promise of a real life for Lessa seems like it will be cut cruelly short. Lessa, though, is incapable of giving up  - but is her will to survive enough to save the entire planet? Read one of the strongest female literary character's of all time, written in the 1960's.

Quote: "Black, blacker, blackest, And cold between frozen things. Where is between when there is naught To Life but fragile dragon wings?"

Genus: Fantastical Worlds

Era: Older is Better

Difficulty: 3

Determination:For the genus lover

Series: Yes! This is the first, however the series does not need to be read strictly in order. I recomend reading in the order they were published and not the earliest in the "time-line".

Film: In the works

Your type of tale? Try these: Eragon by Christopher Paolini, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, Wagon Train to the Stars by Diane Carey

Cool Stuff: Chapter One Part One    The Pern Museum & Archives - Fansite    Todd McCaffrey

The Color Purple

Penned By: Alice Walker

Banned: From day one that this book was published, unsurprisingly it has been challenged. It honestly and unapologetically describes controversial issues such as homosexuality, rape, and racism. Since the argument can be made that these are valid issues to consider in literature and discussion, among other things, people have protested against the book for offensive language, sexual explicitness, violence, man's relationship to God, and it's description of African (the continent) history.
Sources:
Banned Book Awareness: The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Banned and/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course
The Color Purple and Its Controversy

The Color Purple is a tale of enduring love, faith, and spirit. In a series of letters the tale of two sisters separated as teenagers is told. The women lead very different lives, one as a much abused housewife and the other a missionary in Africa. Celie, the main character is the "housewife", and so much more. The novel delves into the darker depths of Africa and African-American history, more so it delves into the dark depths of the human psyche and the secrets we keep. This novel is excellent for teaching anyone that has endured hardship and wrongdoing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Quote: "And not being tied to what God looks like, frees us."

Genus: Literary Minded

Era: Older is Better

Difficulty:  3

Determination: Must read

Series: No

Film: Yes

Your type of tale? Try these: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg, and Songs in Ordinary Time by Mary McGarry Morris

Cool Stuff: Official Website      The Musical        A Fanpage

Other Books for Banned Book Week 2011:
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Kim Asks About Her Future With Ernesto

Penned By: Dan Crawley

This tale is what is known as flash fiction, a newly popular and extremely short form of short stories. (I guess you could say LitPool is the flash blog of book reviews.) I explain because in order to review something that is less than 400 words is difficult... and brief.

Actions speak louder than words but words are sometimes needed to explain ones actions. In this very carefully worded tale a woman decides her life direction with a hug.

Quote: "He imperceptibly -- maybe a quick wince in his left eye -- flinched as she came at him."

Genus: Flash in the Pan 

Era: Older is Better

Difficulty: 2

Determination: Casual read

Series: No

Film: No

Your type of tale? Try these: One Of These Days by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Powder by Tobias Wolff, Come into the Garden, Maud by Don Nigro

Kim Asks About Her Future With Ernesto is published at Glossolalia so go ahead and read it now!

The Open Boat

  Photograph by: Amber Murray   (c)

Penned By: Stephen Crane

The height of Stephen Crane's phenomenal description ability is reached in this short story. Rich descriptions are equally met with plot, dialogue, characterization, and self-discovery. This is a tale beautifully composed and should be required reading simply as an example of how wonderful the English language can be. The story itself is enthralling and the reader will be on the edge of their seat wondering what is going to happen to the men in the boat. It will cause you to question your view of the world and open you to new paths of empathy. With even the smallest imagination, the reader will find themselves in the Open Boat, hoping and praying for solid ground.

Quote:
"If I am going to be drowned--if I am going to be drowned--if I am going
to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods who rule the sea,
was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees?"

Genus: Literary Minded

Era: Older is Better

Difficulty: 4

Determination: Must Read

Series: No - short story

Film: No

Read The Open Boat here!

Your type of tale? Try these: East of Eden by John Steinbeck, The Innocents Abroad or The New Pilgrims' Progress by Mark Twain, and The Storm by Kate Chopin