Booklist: 2 new, 6 re-reads

[cupcake_goth]

Which brings me up to a total of 14 books read so far this year, with 4 new and 10 re-read.



The new books were The Angry Angel: Sisters of the Night by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. A young girl has visions from what her father insists is an angel, sent to protect them. She follows the angel's call and becomes something very different. One of Dracula's brides.

Again, I'm always intrigued by books that play with the Dracula story, and this story of how one of the three Brides came to be with him is well-done. Mind you, I enjoyed the latter half of the book far more than the first section, but that's when the book becomes less concerned with the trials of Kelene's family, and has more to do with Dracula.

The other new book was the YA novel Blue Is For Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz. It was ... okay. I'm not going to be searching out the other books in the series, but it was a mildly entertaining version of the girl at private school has premonitions! sub-genre. Oh, and did I mention the premonition-having girl is a Wiccan? This book was published by Llewellyn Publications, and it shows. Here's how to cast a spell of protection! Here's how to anoint a candle! All through the book, I might add. Instead of developing fully-realized characters or interesting plot developments.

The re-reading hit parade included Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, Deeds of the Disturber by Elizabeth Peters, Vampire Kisses 3: Vampireville by Ellen Schrieber, Anno Dracula: Judgment of Tears by Kim Newman, Perfume by Patrick Suskind, and Mary Poppins Opens the Door by P.L. Travers.

I still have a stack of new books to dig into (yay, new books!), but what am I doing instead? Re-reading Storm Constantine's The Bewitchments of Love and Hate from the Wraeththu trilogy. But hey! It's not a vampire novel ...

Comments

[amy37.livejournal.com]

That is an interesting way to approach the Dracula's brides legend. Huh. May go looking for that.

I love that you read Perfume! I read it literally years ago, like when it originally came out, before the reissues and the talk of the movie, and it's stayed with me forever -- such a dark, gorgeously written book. Come to think of it, I'd like to reread it.

[ashbet]

I first read it when I was in high school and loved it . . . I'm looking forward to seeing the movie at some point :>

These book reviews are a lot of fun!!

-- A :D

[water-of-fire.livejournal.com]

It's been a looooong time since I've read a Wraeththu book. Maybe it's time to whip one back out. I maintain, however, that the very first is the best. :)

[poetry-lady.livejournal.com]

I've got the "color/candle is for" series if you ever wanted to borrow them. It's--an odd series. It grew on me; I think that part that I really enjoyed is that it's a more realistic wiccan book than any of the others in the genre I've read; "Sweep" was dreadful; Bird's "Circle of Three" is better, but I'm expecting it to get flashier soon. I have nothing against fantastical magic, but it is nice to get something that's real, so you don't get teen girls expecting sparks to fly from their fingers and whatnot.

I might have to seek out "Bride of Dracula" book...sounds interesting. I enjoyed "Mina" because it gave voice to an enigma. And "Perfume" sounds really funky.

[ex-pennydrea364.livejournal.com]

I love Storm Constantine Sooooo much! I was so inspired by the trilogy I went to Cornwall in 2003!!!

Cornwall

[webcowgirl.livejournal.com]

Cornwall seems very Sea Dragon's Heir, but how is it Wraethu?

Me love'ms bookies

[webcowgirl.livejournal.com]

Ah, Storm Constantine. So lovely.

Have you read Robin McKinley's Sunshine? It's not a retelling of Dracula, but it is all vampire and very good.

14 new books and 20 re-reads

[maiaarts.livejournal.com]

but then I do not have a life and I have been ill, so I couldn't buy a lot of new books.

Of course this also includes audio books. I too am keeping track. I decided to find out how much money I actually spend on books.

Eric just thinks I am insane and laughs at me. I average over one a day and it is that low only because the audio books slow me down.

OK, so looking at this, I now know why I have already run out of room in my new book cases!

My name is Thea and I am a book addict!