This next review is written about one of my all time favorite book series...

The Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop - this is an older trilogy (almost 11 years old), but one of my absolute favorites. The setting is another world entirely, one that consists of three realms - Terreille (the terrestrial realm), Hell (the underworld), and Kaleer (the higher realm, not exactly heaven but quasi-celestial in terms of some its more mythical inhabitants). Bear with me as a I try to give a decent synopsis, it's a very complex story that's difficult to describe briefly, and I'm first going to give you an idea of how society is structured. Society constitutes of the 'Blood', humans born with a jewel of power, and landens, non-jeweled humans with no magic abilities whatsoever. The jewels rank from lightest to darkest, white to black, with white being the weakest magically, and black being the most powerful. During adolescence, one makes an offering to the ubiquitious 'darkness,' the almost divine source of their power, and can descend up to three jewel ranks (i.e. if you're born with a red jewel, an already powerful stone, you have the potential to descend to the Black). On top of jewel ranking, there is also social class ranking, and a combination of the two determines your place and influence in society. When reading these books keep this in mind, but there are explanations and definitions at the start of each novel so you should be fine. Ok! Here comes the real meat....the world of the Blood is a matriarchal society, so women have the power and men serve, but in the capacity advisors and companions with the right to disobey the female Blood if it's in their best interest (not slave like at all). However, when the story opens up in Terreille, we learn that society has been completely corrupted by a group of semi-powerful Blood females, led by the malicious Dorothea, a red-jeweled priestess bent on ruling all of Terreille. Men have been completely dominated, the most powerful of whom are forced into harsh slavery (often of a sexual nature). One broken, aka insane, witch, named Tersa, has a prophecy that one day Witch, also known as the Dreams made Flesh, will come and she will be the most powerful witch the world has ever known. Her purpose: to restore order, peace, and balance to the world(s). The main three males most concerned with this myth are Saetan, Daemon, and Lucivar, all extremely powerful men (jewels: black, black, ebon-gray respectivly), who will come to mean something different to Witch as the story progresses. The protagonist is young 8-years Janelle Angeline, she who is Dreams Made Flesh. She soons becomes a pawn in the corrupt game of politics, for who ever controls the Queen controls the Darkness and has access to the greatest force of power the world has ever known. Phew....that was the most concise synopsis I ever gave, if you can believe that! I am not kidding when I say this is a complex book, and it's hard to summarize because unlike something like Harry Potter in which each book is an individual adventure that is connected by overarching themes and events, this series is like one long story, divided into 3 parts. Seriously, I know I don't make it sound too awesome, but even the published summary on the back of the books give very little insight into what the story is actually about. I loved this because the characters were absolutely great. Don't let the names Saetan and Lucivar put you off (love them!), this isn't a story about ghouls and devils (although Saetan is the Lord of Hell, which is one of the three realms - it's not the fiery pit Christian theologists describe it as, but more like the dark underworld Hades of Ancient Greek religion). Warning: I will say this, if you're really young (say, under 13 - 14), you may want to avoid this for a couple of years. Particular parts of the story are graphic and there is some disturbing content (i.e. rape). It's not arbitrary, but Bishop uses it to emphasize how corrupt society has become and also the certain challenges and pains Janelle faces growing up Witch. The first book takes place from when she is 8 - 12 years old, the second 12 - 18, and the third 19 - 25 ish. For this reason in particular I loved this series because when I'm following the growth of a person over a substantial period of time I really begin to feel for the character and relate to her (although, since it is complete fantasy I'm relating in a purely mental sense, haha). All I have to say is read it, the story is extremely engaging, keeps you sucked in, and the characters are to die for (LOVE Daemon, so sexy).

***** 5 Stars!

Trilogy Includes:
1. Daughter of the Blood
2. Heir to the Shadows
3. Queen of the Darkness

Also read the following:
4. Dreams made Flesh - this is a small compilation of a few short stories that elaborate on the lives of certain characters (i.e. Saetan's life before the events of the Black Jewels, and Lucivar's activities between Heir to the Shadows and Queen of the Darkness). The largest story follows what happens to Janelle and Daemon after the events of Queen of the Darkness...and that should give away who the primary love interest is in the midst of everything....

I can't help myself I want to post another recommendation! Plus.... this is a great way to procrastinate :)

Under the Blood Red Moon by Mina Hepsen - Angelica Shelton Belanov, a half-Russian and half-English aristocrat, is most happy when hidden away in the library of her father's English country estate, but when the family fortune is suddenly lost, Angelica, despite her own wishes, goes in search of a wealthy husband to keep her and her brother financially secure. She does, however, have one unusual gift....she's able to hear the thoughts of others (a la Edward Cullen). So when the mysterious and darkly attractive Prince Alexander comes onto the English social scene, Angelica is instantly intrigued. Little does she know that Alex is a powerful vampire lord of Eastern immortals, come to England to hunt a rogue vampire that threatens to expose them all and their well protected place among human society. Angelica finds herself in over her head, but will risk is to save her family from ruin and explore the strong sexual pull she feels towards Alexander. I thought this was a fun read, but it had very little substance to it....just another average author who decided to jump on the vampire bandwagon that is popular fiction today. It was entertaining, with some sexy moments, and an incredibly fast read, but there was little character development and the romance seemed a bit rushed (nothing annoys me more than rushed plot development!). If Hepsen had rounded out Alexander and the villan that would probably have helped, because we get a decent enough idea of who Angelica is since the story is told from her perspective. I can imagine that this would be great for a quick late night chapter or an afternoon on the beach, but it's not a necessary staple to any romance, fantasy, or vampire lovers library.

*** 3 stars

Here's what I consider to be a classic series that you all really should read...

His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman - one of the classic child / teen series in the genre of sci-fi / fantasy. The trilogy opens up in the parallel world of Jordon College (our equivalent of Oxford). Living in the hallowed halls is 12-years old Lyra Belacqua, ward of the Master of Jordon College. One fateful afternoon Lyra, hiding in a closet in the Master's private sitting room, witnesses someone pour poison into a wine intended for her uncle, Lord Asriel, who has come to Jordon to show the scholars of the school an incredible discovery he has made. After having his life saved by the vigilant Lyra, Asriel soon departs leaving behind a miserable Lyra who wants to go with her uncle on his adventures. At this time rumors are spreading from town to town of children being kidnapped, by the so-called "Gobblers." This doesn't seem to worry Lyra overmuch, until one night when her best friend, Roger, is also taken by the Gobblers. Subsequently, Lyra starts a journey to the North to retrieve her friend and thwart the evil plans of the Magisteriate, the organization behind the vicious kidnappings. This, however, doesn't simply remain a rescue mission, but sets into a motion a prophecy in which Lyra is a key figure. Frought with peril, danger, and meetings with pirates and talking polar bears this is a great tale of adventure and self-discovery. The first book starts off as a single tale but is only the beginning of something much more epic that pans out in the last two books. Warning: this is an extremely Anti-Christian series, what is often considered a response to the very Pro-Christian Chronicles of Narnia, so if that's going to offend your sensibilities I would exercize caution. It can be enjoyed as simply a tale of fantasy ficton, but, in my opinion the story is also enhanced by the religious allegories and theological substance of the tale, which is why it's great for both children and adults. I highly recommend it because it's a series that requires more thinking, and still remains very gripping and suspensful. I would also recommend buying all three books at the same time because of the cliffhangers - the format is more like one long story chopped up into three parts, and each book picks up right where the previous left off.

***** 5 stars!

Trilogy Includes:
1. The Golden Compass
2. The Subtle Knife
3. The Amber Spyglass

Ok, I must be imagining things....on a previous post, I wrote that The Host by Stephenie Meyer would be coming out in paperback on April 26, 2009. HOWEVER, although I swear I thought I saw it posted as such on Amazon, I can't find any record of a paperback release on that date. In fact, I can't find a paperback release for any date! I must be delusional, or I really wanted it to be, so I imagined it. Sorry for the miscommunication!

Mrs. E.C.

Here's something with a bite of different flavor....

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier - Marillier has made a pretty awesome name for herself in the realm of adult fantasy. I really enjoy historical fiction, and I especially those based in folklore (which is moving more into the fantasy realm, I suppose...), and this book by Marillier is actually based on an old Celtic legend. It follows the story of Sorcha, the youngest child, and only dauaghter, of the powerful Irish lord of Sevenwaters, who is well loved and favored by her 6 older brothers. They live relatively peaceful and content lives, but that changes when her father brings home a new wife, but looks can be decieving. She's young, beautiful, and by all appearances a devoted woman, but in reality she's a sorceress who casts a spell on Sorcha's 6 brothers that turns them into swans. Sorcha, fortunately, escapes the same fate, and with the help of the Lady of the Forest is given a task to help break the spell and return her brothers back to their human forms, under certain conditions - she's not allowed to speak until her task is completed and not to tell anyone what she hopes to achieve with her task. Sorcha's adventure is fraught with danger and obstacles, and she must try to break the spell, while at the same time trying to protect her heart from the Briton (enemies of the Irish) who 'kidnapps' her away. I thought this was a pretty good book, Marillier's use of language was excellent, but it was a bit slow to start and the course of Sorcha's thoughts have a tendency of slowing down the plot at some points. All in all, I'm glad I bought the book and plan on reading more of Marillier's books in the future.

**** 4 Stars

Sevenwaters Trilogy Includes:
1. Daughter of the Forest
2. Son of the Shadows
3. Child of the Prophecy

I reviewed this book as a stand alone, (1) because I've only read the first book and (2) because although this is a trilogy each book is about a different character from different generations of the same family (so, Son of the Shadows is going to be about Sorcha's children...). I plan on reading the last two since the first one has piqued my interest, and for those of you who end up reading all three and want more, Marillier has recently released a 4th Sevenwaters novel in 2008 called...

4. Heir to Sevenwaters (still in hardcover)

Just thought I'd get this one particular review out of the way, since I don't know how useful it will be in terms of opening your eyes to a new story

The Host by Stephenie Meyer - see what I mean? By now, Meyer is a household name in the genre and tons, if not all, of you have probably already heard of this title. Yet, I'm still sometimes amazed by the number of people I come across who are wary of reading The Host - I'm sure it's partially because the Twilight saga is such a unique thing and now enjoys a very distinct reputation, that some people are nervous picking up something by Meyer that has nothing to do with vampires. Meyer proclaims The Host to be "sci-fi for people who don't like sci-fi." I'll admit its very different from Twilight, but I really did love reading this, and have so far read it twice and I will be purchasing the paperback edition when it comes out this month (April 26). So here it is - the story opens up at some unnamed point in Earth's history, although it doesn't seem to be too far into the future, possibly present day, and nearly all humans inhabiting Earth have been implanted and taken over by an alien species called 'souls' - hence the title the Host. Wanderer, the protagonist, is a well-traveled soul, maybe the most traveled, having started on the mother planet, simply called the Origin, and having lived lives on at least 8 other planets (totalling to hundreds of years of life). She is placed into the body of a young lady named Melanie, part of a dying rebellion against the invasion of the souls. Melanie, however, refuses to fade away as normal humans due upon the insertion of a soul, a reflection of her strength and independence (a quality Bella haters will relish), so essentially two people with two distinct consciousnesses reside in one body. Interesting huh? Well, let's just say it's frustrating initially for both females. The story continues as Melanie tries to harbor secrets of some consequence from Wanderer, and Wanderer finds herself being saturated by Melanie's feelings for Jared, the man Melanie loves and so begins a journey, against her nature as a soul, to find him. The story starts kind of slow because initially the dialogue and the main rapport is between two people living in one body, but by the end I was sitting on the edge of my seat, completely sucked in. Like I wrote before, different from Twilight, but just as enjoyable and satisfying (maybe more so since it's a stand alone novel and resolution is reached at the end, so you're not dying for more - although that too is a great sensation). I loved the characters, and for me that can make or break a novel, so if I'm crying or laughing because of something they do or because of something that's happened to them, then I think the author has done something right (and this did happen for me with The Host). Read it!

***** 5 Stars (I know, I know.....don't smirk!)

Here comes what I guess no one expected....a book I didn't love!

Sunshine by Robin McKinley - Not what I was hoping for, especially from someone who enjoys quite a bit of fame for her stories and her writing abilities. This book takes place in a modern society quite like one any of us live in today - except here supernatural and fantastical beings are part of the everyday, and vampires are no longer a myth but a very real threat, one that roams the streets at night. The story is told from the perspective of Sunshine, a young, average woman, barely older than a girl, who lives a seemingly ordinary life. One night Sunshine is visiting a lake she frequented during her childhood and is kidnapped by vampires and subsequently taken prisoner. During her incarceration she meets Constantine, a fellow prisoner, but also another vampire. Sunshine soon rediscovers a secret ability she's had since she was a little girl that was buried in her subconscious, now utilized in her time of greatest need. Sounds pretty awesome right? Wrong - at least I thought so. This should have been an excellent read, the premise of the story sounded so promising, but there was very little to keep my attention riveted. McKinley is a beautiful writer, and I'll give her credit for her prose, but it's this exact thing that caused the story to lag - too much description and tangents of Sunshine's thoughts slowed down the plot for what should have been an exciting ride. One other thing I found quite annoying was McKinley's tendency to jump from scene to scene without much transition and / or setting the stage, so to speak, so I found myself pretty confused at different points throughout the story. I will say there were a couple of sexy moments between Sunshine and Con, but the relationship between the two was barely touched upon until nearly the end of the book, and even then there was no real resolution. To give McKinley the benefit of the doubt, she may have intended to leave this part of the story vague to imply the possibilities of such an unusual and taboo relationship. All in all, I didn't think this was worth my time and it took me forever to finish which is always a bad sign with me as I'm a super fast reader. Part of the reason I picked this up was the great reviews it got from other novelists and magazines (Neil Gaiman: "Pretty much perfect"). If you're a die hard McKinley fan, check it out at your risk, you may like it, you may not, but from what I hear this is certainly not her best.

** 2 Stars

Next recommendation -

The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray - This is actually a very well known book series, so for all you guys who have been keeping up with the teen fantasy genre chances are you've either read it, heard of it, or have seen it somewhere. Gemma Doyle is a 16-years old English girl living in colonial India in the Victorian Era (c.1900). After the mysterious death of her mother, Gemma is forced to relocate back to England and is sent to a boarding school outside of London....This, however, is no normal school, and upon her arrival a series of events take place that reveal to Gemma her previously dormant magical abilities, a new parallel world called the Realms, and the clues that may give her the answers to solving her mother's death. The romantic bit comes in the form of an attractive Indian teen who follows Gemma back to England with a secret purpose of his own. Also included are the classic 'frenemies,' girls who initially despise Gemma and then grow to be her friend (occassionally, with conditions I found annoying and caused me to lose respect for the characters, although it can be interpreted as an accurate description of the fickle nature of spoiled, beautiful adolescents). Anyway - great read, especially for those with a penchant for historical fiction. Finishing the last book broke my heart a little, the way it does every time I find myself wanting more of the story and characters, but alas, all good things come to an end.

***** 5 Stars
I know it seems like I'm giving easy 5 stars out, it just happens that the first books I'm blogging about happen to be some of my favorites - as I start new books from new authors I'll be giving them the appropro ratings

Includes:
1. A Great and Terrible Beauty
2. Rebel Angels
3. The Sweet Far Thing

Mrs. E.C.

Speaking of Tamora Pierce, I may as well just mention that for all of us who enjoyed the Alanna series you may just be interested in looking into pretty much anything Pierce has written. The stories are a little bit formulaic but if you don't get sick of that and are interested in falling in love with new characters just go ahead and enjoy!

The Trickster Duology by Tamora Pierce - this follows the adventures of Alanna's 16-years old daughter Alianna, who is a dissatisfied, court attending teen tired of her chosen lifestyle, but also unable to pursue her desire of becoming a spy (forbidden to her by her parents). Unfortunately, on a normal outing, poor Aly gets sold into slavery, setting in motion a series of events where Aly finds herself actively partaking in espionage, making use of her cunning personality and talents, and, of course, helping a prophecy come to fruition. Aly's a lovable character - strong and headstrong, with a surprisingly soft center. I enjoyed this duology immensly, but, as I would soon learn, it may be better to read the other series by Pierce before hand. The Trickster books can be read as stand alone after the Alanna books, but there will be a few references to characters and events that took place in the Immortals quartet and the Protector of the Small quartet. Depending on who you are this may be great news! Now you've got 8 new books to get through before getting to Aly's story :)

p.s. there are more books written by Pierce than I've mentioned above, but some takes place in a separate universe, versus these 4 which all take place in Tortall, and she's currently working on a new Tortallan tale, one which takes place 200 years before the events of the Song of the Lioness

***** 5 stars!

Duology Includes:
1. Trickster's Choice
2. Trickster's Queen

As previously mentioned, I love Twilight, and lucky for us fans, with the success of the series the teen fantasy genre is booming more so than ever! Now, I know a very popular comlpaint of those who read Twilight is Bella and her damsel-in-distress routine. Here is a book series I find you'll enjoy if you're looking for a fantasy with a strong female heroine

Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce - This is the tale of Alanna of Trebond, a 10-years old girl who wants to become a knight, so in order to fulfill her dreams, switches places with her twin brother Alan and goes to the capital of the Kingdom of Tortall to become a page. Chronicles her journey, adventure, and growth over the course of four books and it's really a treat to watch Alanna prove herself worthy of fighting among men and, in the later books, try to balance being a 'man' and a woman (intriguing romances - I will say, most of the books I'll be posting about will probably have some love story or romantic elements because I'm a romantic fool). This is a great read for anyone who is interested in a well balanced story that offers a bit of everything and strong characters! The one weakness I'll grant it is that initially the writing seems a little immature and weak, but this is a work of teen fiction, and the first book is about children and pre-teens essentially. As you read the later books the content reflects the ages and seriousness of the plot situations.

***** 5 stars! (from here on out, I'll be giving a rating from 1 - 5 demonstrating how well I enjoyed the read)

Includes the following four titles:
1. Alanna: The First Adventure
2. In the Hand of the Goddess
3. The Woman Who Rides like a Man
4. Lioness Rampant

Here we go...

So....welcome to the newly formed 'Diaries of a Bibliophile'. As the title tells you I absolutely LOVE to read - and actually find myself in a bit of trouble over it (Katy: 'Books should NOT take the place of people in your life, M') - and I also love collecting books. At a friend's urging, I've created this blog to help those of us who are always looking for more to read, or for those who are new to the world of books and need to be pointed in a direction.

Twilght -- I'm sure tons of us, those who aren't and some who are fans, are sick of hearing and seeing it everywhere. Twilight lovers, it seems, are taking over the world, one gaggling teen at a time. It's an infection, and it's spreading. I personally LOVE the series, so as this is my first blog, my first recommendation is the Twilight series. BUT the whole point of this endeavor is to find more....we all know what Twilight is already. So.....Stay Tuned, and as I find new books, series, and lovable characters I'll share them with you.