This Blog is on the Move!

I've moved my blog over to a WordPress blog, which gives me a few nicer features. So come visit me at:

http://keenforromance.com/!

Archangel's Consort: Nalini Singh

I was very much anticipating the third book in Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series (after Angel’s Blood and Archangel’s Kiss) and felt especially happy about the book’s release since it came out just before my birthday. I’ve enjoyed this series immensely so far, and hoped I wouldn’t be disappointed with Archangel’s Consort. And of course, I wasn’t.

Archangel’s Consort is exactly mine kind of book–a book filled with people whom I would dearly love to meet (Yes, even the vampires. Perhaps especially so), people with unique personalities that come with mysterious and interesting pasts. Being a romance novel, there is plenty of steam, but not gratuitous steam. This is the steam that comes from two people who love each other deeply. It is not always so in romance novels–sometimes, you only get the steam, and no substance. Raphael and Elena have a relationship with substance–one I hope to follow through many more books.

This installment of the series involves the awakening of an ancient archangel, who may or may not be Raphael’s mother, and this awakening causes all kinds of chaos throughout the world, but most particularly, with Raphael, and with vampires in the LA area. Elena, as a hunter and as Raphael’s lover, is able to help in both situations. Through the course of the story, we get to meet Illium’s mother and see a bit of the depth of the friendship between Raphael and Dimitri. At the end, I found myself wishing that the fourth book was ready for release. Maybe next year, for my birthday, eh?

Summary: Highly recommended.

Archangel’s Consort
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 978-0425240137
Available in Kindle, Nook and paperback versions.

Screencast and MediaRoll

I'm currently updating help videos for our library, and instead of posting them to YouTube, I've decided to try Screencast.com. Screencast offers a number of nice features, including the fact that they display such high quality video. However, I previously used Widgetbox to create my video widgets, and Widgetbox does not support Screencast videos. So, Screencast offers their own MediaRoll widget, and I'm going to try it out here. We'll see if I like how it looks.

And...it's not bad. I have tried a couple of times to change the colors of the embedded video gadget, but no luck with it so far. Oh well. This isn't a bad color scheme, all things considered. 

Where is William Kamkwamba Now?

I remember reading about William Kamkwamba once upon a while ago (more than a year ago, less than two, I think) about how he built a windmill from what we would consider to be spare parts, in his home country of Malawi, and how he brought his family electricity and running water, a luxury for Malawians. (Amazon.com's blurb says that only about 2 percent of the country can afford this luxury)

Anyway, William Kamkwamba, Amazon.com's book blog, Omnivoracious, checked in on William, and he's rebuilding more things and soon will go to Dartmouth's School of Engineering. He says that Dartmouth lends out power tools...and that made him smile. Frankly, that made me smile. How absolutely cool is that?

Best of luck to William, and may we hope that all engineering schools start lending out tools.

Where is William Kamkwamba Now?

New Spice in the Library!

I just ran across a video promoting libraries, done in the same style as the current and popular Old Spice commercial. (You'll recognize the style once you see the library tribute version, if you watch any TV at all.)

Not much to say about this except I love libraries, and I love books, and I love this library video. Kudos to the creators!

The Vampire Shrink

I recently purchased a book on a whim from the Amazon.com Kindle store, primarily because it was offered for $1.99. (Book publishers, take note--because of the low price, I also bought the sequel, which was offered for $3.99. Books on sale! Booyaah!) The title? "The Vampire Shrink" by Lynda Hilburn. I'll admit, I'm not terribly fond of the cover, but then I'm not fond of covers where the publisher gives me a photographic image of the hunky hero. (It hurts the powers of my imagination, it does!) And, I liked the cover even less once I met Devereaux, because hon, he sounds a lot hunkier than that picture portrays...hmmm. Anyway, back to the review...

I found the heroine, Kismet Knight, to be likable enough, and the concept--a psychologist specializing in treating "Vampire Wannabes"--to be unique. I thought that some of Kismet's snappy internal dialogue was a bit out of character, but I didn't find it so off-putting that I put down the book, and found it bothered me less toward the end, when the action took over more of the story. And the second book, "Dark Harvest" (remember the ebooks on sale...Booyaaah!) was better in that regard...much better, in my opinion, and I'll read a third book in this series when it's offered.

I did laugh at the heroine's reluctance to believe in real vampires, because, I mean, because who doesn't believe in them? ::laughing:: Just about every other novel and every third movie has a vampire somewhere in the cast, so vampires are definitely out and about in society--otherwise why would we think they're so cool?

Anyhoo, this series reminded me most of the Southern Vampire books by Charlaine Harris, which is a good thing in my book. Many vampire books on the market today are series romances, in that they follow a new couple of the week through their particular story in each new offering. I like that type of series, but I adore (let me say that again...I adore) book series that allow me to follow the same characters as they face new adventures, because then I can love the characters longer--they become like family, you know?

My rating for "The Vampire Shrink:" 4 stars.
My rating for the sequel, "Dark Harvest:" 4 1/2 stars.

Manga Mania!

OH MY GOSH. I have found a new addiction, and truthfully, I didn't need one. Understand, I am a big American comic/graphic novel fiend from waaaay back, so it was probably inevitable that I was sucked in by the Japanese form of the books.  (I started reading comics at age 12--Iron Man and Avengers were my favorite titles, and I still have those collections today.) Anyway, long story short--I read about the manga "Bleach" on a library blog (The Early Word...google it, you'll get it.) and was intrigued enough to check it out. Now, I am quickly becoming a Manga Maniac. Here are a few of my current favorites:

Bleach, by Tite Kubo 

This is the popcorn and chocolate manga of my current manga world...thankfully, it hasn't yet found a way to go to my waist. I can eat this story up like crazy. I started reading the manga, then quickly switched to viewing the anime version, and now I'm back with the manga.

Amazon.com's official product description for this series says "Hot-tempered 15-year-old Ichigo Kurosaki, the hero of the popular fantasy-adventure Bleach, has the unsettling ability to see spirits who are unable to rest in peace. His sixth sense leads him to Rukia, a Soul Reaper who destroys Hollows (soul-devouring monsters) and ensures the deceased find repose with the Soul Society. When she's injured in battle, Rukia transfers her sword and much of her power to Ichigo, whose spiritual energy makes him a formidable substitute Soul Reaper. But the orange-haired teenager isn't sure he wants the job: too many risks and moral dilemmas."

This series has surprising depth as the main characters struggle with feelings of grief, friendship, commitment, and failure. Of course, it also has lots of humor and action, and the mix is truly wonderful. Buy the set (yes, I have all 30 volumes currently available), and read the latest chapter, translated from the Japanese, online. (Google, you'll find these sites.) But buy the books...and make all your friends read them. From VIZ Entertainment.

Saiyuki, by Kazura Minekura

 

"Saiyuki" is the ultimate buddy book (I love buddy movies! Wee!). Publisher's Weekly says "A four musketeers tale in which some of the heroes are human and some are a bit more, this manga follows a band of handsome, dashing young adventurers as they travel the land fighting the demonic youkai, who look almost human, aside from pointy ears and bat wings. There's a lot of backstory to this saga, but the protagonists are likable enough to make it enjoyable for newcomers. The leader of the band is Sanzo, a human priest with deadly fighting skill and sullen good looks. Son Goku, a much more cheerful kid, is actually the Monkey King; a long imprisonment in which he never aged explains why he looks and acts like an 18-year-old. Ladies' man Gojyo is actually a youkai himself, but that doesn't stop him from being one of the good guys. And Hakkai is a human who wears a monocle and drives the Jeep."

The cover above is for issue one of "Saiyuki Reload," the second "series" of these books. The first is "Saiyuki," the second, as mentioned, is "Saiyuki Reload," and the third is "Saiyuki Reload Blast." Both the first two series are in print, published in English by Tokyopop. The third series, already being published in Japan, will hopefully be printed in English soon.

Black Bird, by Kanoko Sakurakoji

The artwork on this one was what first caught my eye--all four volumes are graced with stunningly beautiful covers. Of course, I had to buy them, and was happy to see that the interior artwork is just as gorgeous. This is a "girls" manga (or shōjo manga) meaning that is is aimed at young girls under 20. I didn't let that stop me (I'm a bit beyond 20...LOL) from enjoying it. "Black Bird" is the story of a young girl, Misao, who is predestined to be important to demon-kind in that her blood gives power to the demon who claims her. Unfortunately for Misao, they can claim her either by eating her or drinking her blood, or....by marrying her. When handsome Kyo comes along, telling her he intends to make her his bride. Misao is understandably unamused by this, but as more demons arrive to try and eat her, Kyo's help, good looks, and charisma start to change her mind.

Black Bird received the 2009 Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga.This is published by VIZ Media, and I must say they have done a spectacular job with it. Volumes 5 and 6 are scheduled to be released in August and November.