Witchtown by Cory Putman Oakes

Witchtown by Cory Putman Oakes - 310 pages

Macie and her mother travel from town to town stealing money from them before leaving.  They're never caught as Macie's mother casts a spell that erases them from everyone's memories.  But now they've arrived at Witchtown -- the last town they'll ever steal from as Macie's mother promises.  But can Macie really trust her mother?

This has been on my read list for a while now.  I'm glad I finally did.  I really enjoyed the book.  The characters were interesting with enough secrets to keep the reader interested.

The Wicked King by Holly Black

The Wicked King
The Folk of the Air #2
by Holly Black
326 pages









After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

No Quest for the Wicked by Shanna Swendson

No Quest for the Wicked by Shanna Swendson - 300 pags
Enchanted Inc. series #6

Katie's been bored at work since there is no longer a big evil conspiracy to fight.  There just isn't anything exciting to do.

Until . . .

Her grandmother shows up in New York City saying she has to stick close as something big is going to happen to Katie.
A magical talisman also shows up in New York City that makes the wearer all-powerful.
The talisman has been fused with an Elvish brooch that makes the wearer invincible.

Katie and her boyfriend Owen are the only two people able to withstand the temptation of the talisman since neither of them have any magic.  So they spend their day trying to evade all the magical people and creatures of New York while keeping the talisman safe.


I really like Shanna Swendson's Enchanted Inc series.  They are fun, light reads.  It's also a great series for those teens wanting a "clean" fantasy or romance.

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride - 343 pages

Sam lives the life of a slacker loser.  He's dropped out of college and works at the local fast food chain.  He barely makes enough money to pay for his apartment.  Then his life gets worse.  Turns out he is a necromancer and the local leader wants him to join him in his evil ways.  To convince Sam he'll kill his friends and family.  Sam has to figure out how to access his powers before he gets killed.
I'm glad I stuck with this book.  It started out slow for me.  But as I read I got more and more engrossed in the story.  I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the sequel.

Lost in Bermooda by Mike Litwin

Lost in Bermooda by Mike Litwin - 140 pages

Chuck is shocked to come face-to-face with a real live hu'man.  They were thought to be extinct by the animals on Bermooda.  Now Chuck must disguise Dakota as a cow so he can fit in while they try to get him back to his family.
This was an amusing early chapter book for kids.  The premise was intriguing.  It was interesting how the animals all revered the cookbook as it described all the ways they could be killed and cooked.  It also looks like this will the be first in a series so kids could continue reading the stories of Chuck and Dakota.

Glory in Death by J.D. Robb

Glory in Death by J.D. Robb - 313 pages

Eve Dallas must hunt a killer that is attacking powerful women. 
I didn't realize I had already read this book until I was halfway through it.  I didn't enjoy this book in the series as much as others.  The relationships seemed a little forced to me.  I also thought the murderer was obvious from early on in the book.

Catherine the Great: A Portrait of a Woman

Catherine the Great: A Portrait of a Woman

By Robert K. Massie 
544 pages

Catherine was born a minor noble and became the Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. The book is largely based on her memories. Thus the biography shows Catherine in a mostly favorable light.

Catherine adored power and thrived to obtain it. Although she felt little love during her childhood and endured a painful marriage to Peter III of Russia, she was popular amongst her subjects and she forcibly seized the throne from her husband.

During this time in history, the offspring of emperors and nobility were used as pawns for power. The marriages were arranged only to maximize the strength of the country. Love and faithfulness to one’s spouse was not a concern. The majority of the princes and princes were raised and educated by others. This harsh reality was evident in the pages of this book. For Catherine rarely saw her son and felt no motherly instincts towards him, since he was taken away after his birth.