Book Review: Stone Of Tears (Sword Of Truth #2), by Terry Goodkind

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Date Published: September 1995

Publisher: Tor Books

Number Of Pages/Listening Time: 979 pages/ 38 hours 34 minutes

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: The veil of the underworld has been torn. And Darken Rahl, from beyond the veil, has begun to summon a sinister power worse than any he has wielded before.

Armed with the Sword of Truth, Richard Cypher, now become Richard Rahl, must learn to control his own newfound power, or the world will spin into darkness unending.

The Sisters of Light promise help. While Richard journeys to their forbidden city, his beloved Kahlan sets out for Ayindril, citadel of the old wizards, in search of Zedd and the help only he can lend. War, suffering, torture, and deceit lie in their paths. So, also, does their destiny...

My Rating:

★★★ and 1/2

...for being a good fantasy novel, but with some elements I didn't like

Book Review: Bitterblue (Graceling Realm #3), by Kristin Cashore

Finally got a chance to finish another book!  I am soooo glad the weekend's finally here!

Genre: YA Fantasy
Date Published: 2012
Number Of Pages: 537 pages
Publisher: Dial Books

Goodreads

Synopsis: In a world where a small percentage of people have an extreme skill called a Grace, King Leck's Grace allowed him to tell lies that everyone believed. 
When Bitterblue became queen at ten years old, she thought her father's murder meant the end of his violent, sociopathic influence. 
She was wrong. 
The intensely anticipated companion to the New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire is even more "rageful, exhilarating, wistful," and romantic. Now eighteen and believing her advisors are overprotecting her, Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle at night to walk the streets of her own city, disguised and alone--risking her life as well as her heart. 

My Rating:

★★★★★ and an official favorite!

...for being an excellent conclusion to an excellent trilogy

Happy Feature & Follow Friday! Looking At Favorite Book Covers

Happy Friday everyone!  It's going to be an extremely busy weekend, but I have next weekend off!  Yippee!  I haven't a day off in weeks.  Yes, that's right, weeks.  I think my last day off was in the middle of February.

Anyway, it's time for a blog hop!

The Borrower, by Rebecca Makkai

Genre: General Fiction
Date Published: January 2011
Number Of Pages: 324 pages
Publisher: Viking

Goodreads

Synopsis: Lucy Hull, a young children's librarian in Hannibal, Missouri, finds herself both a kidnapper and kidnapped when her favorite patron, ten- year-old Ian Drake, runs away from home. The precocious Ian is addicted to reading, but needs Lucy's help to smuggle books past his overbearing mother, who has enrolled Ian in weekly antigay classes with celebrity Pastor Bob. Lucy stumbles into a moral dilemma when she finds Ian camped out in the library after hours with a knapsack of provisions and an escape plan. Desperate to save him from Pastor Bob and the Drakes, Lucy allows herself to be hijacked by Ian. The odd pair embarks on a crazy road trip from Missouri to Vermont, with ferrets, an inconvenient boyfriend, and upsetting family history thrown in their path. But is it just Ian who is running away? Who is the man who seems to be on their tail? And should Lucy be trying to save a boy from his own parents?

My Rating:

★★★ 1/2

....For while it's not great literature, it's certainly creative literature

Wizard's First Rule (Sword Of Truth #1), by Terry Goodkind

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Date Published: January 1994

Number Of Pages/Listening Time: 836 pages/34 hours

Source: Audible

Goodreads | Audible

Synopsis: A legend begins.
In the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, Richard Cypher encounters a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amenell, in his forest sanctuary. She seeks his help...and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence.
In their darkest hour, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword--to invoke within himself something more noble. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed...or that their time has run out.
This is the beginning. One book. One Rule. Witness the birth of a legend.

My Rating:

★★★ and a 1/2

...For being interesting.

It's Friday!!!!! Time For A Blog Hop!

Happy Friday everyone!

I love this blog hop.  The rules are simple: create a post answering the host's weekly post prompt, enter your blog link into the linky thing on the host page, then follow the hosts, the weekly featured blogger, and as many other participating bloggers as you like!

This week's question:

What are some of your biggest pet peeves with books?

Oh boy, there's a few things.  I actually wrote a post on this very subject about a year back (curious?  Click here to read it!), but I'll keep this one short!

Book Review: Chocolat, by Joanne Harris

Genre: Fiction/Chick Lit

Date Published: October 1998

Number Of Pages: 306 pages

Source: Owned paperback copy (book sale therapy!)

Goodreads

Synopsis: When beautiful, unmarried Vianne Rocher sweeps into the pinched little French town of Lansquenet on the heels of the carnival and opens a gem of a chocolate shop across the square from the church, she begins to wreak havoc with the town's Lenten vows. Her uncanny ability to perceive her customers' private discontents and alleviate them with just the right confection coaxes the villagers to abandon themselves to temptation and happiness, but enrages Pere Reynaud, the local priest. Certain only a witch could stir such sinful indulgence and devise such clever cures, Reynaud pits himself against Vianne and vows to block the chocolate festival she plans for Easter Sunday, and to run her out of town forever. Witch or not (she'll never tell), Vianne soon sparks a dramatic confrontation between those who prefer the cold comforts of the church and those who revel in their newly discovered taste for pleasure.
Hailed as "an amazement of riches few readers will be able to resist" by The New York Times Book Review, Chocolat is a timeless and enchanting story about temptation, pleasure, and what a complete waste of time it is to deny yourself anything.

My Rating: 

★★★

...for being a well-written read, but not fantastic plot-wise

It's Friday! Time For A Blog Hop

It's Friday people!  I'm getting a dental filling, teaching a dance lesson, and then I'm off to dance swing in front of a live band.  It's going to be quite a day!

So now it's time for a blog hop!

The rules of this blog hop (hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read) are simple: write a post using the weekly post prompt, enter your blog link into the linky thing on the host site, and then follow the hosts, the featured blog, and as many other blogs as possible!

This week's post prompt:

Write a letter to your favorite author

Book Review: Keep Calm...It's Just Real Estate, by Egypt Sherrod

Genre: Non-Fiction/Real Estate
Date Published: March 2015
Number Of Pages: 224 pages
Source: Owned copy

Goodreads

Overview: Egypt Sherrod knows how to take nervous prospective home-buyers by the hand and lead them through the process. She does it every week as host of HGTV's highly-rated show, Property Virgins. Now she translates her reassuring personality onto the page, with this "No-Stress" guide to buying a home. Egypt takes readers through, simplifying all the many steps of the process, and giving them invaluable information, including:-Top ten things to consider before buying a home
-How sticking with one agent works in your favor
-Eight ways to be an attractive homebuyer on paper, and ease the mortgage-approval process.
-What to do in a bidding war
-Why you should NEVER overlook the home inspection
-And much more!
Egypt blends her professional know-how and her personable touch with this down-to-earth guide, providing plenty of anecdotes, handy lists, and even a glossary to ensure that readers keep calm...and experience the thrill of home ownership.

My Rating:

★★★★

....For being a very informative read