Septimus Heap: Magyk by Angie Sage

Septimus Heap: Magyk

by Angie Sage

started: 10/04/11

finished: 11/17/11

rating: 4 stars

From Amazon:

The Magyk Begins Here

Septimus Heap, the seventh son of the seventh son, disappears the night he is born, pronounced dead by the midwife. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across an abandoned child in the snow -- a newborn girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take her into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus?

My review:

This series was recommended to my 10 year old daughter and myself by the librarian. This being the first book it was kind of weird and took some getting used to. I have heard it compared to the Harry Potter series, I don't think they are comparable. The story follows the lives of the Heaps who are lower class is the society they live in. Their is a lot of action in the book however I think some of the parts dragged on for too long. I am definitely going to be reading more of the series but with some reservations.

Up Next:

Big City Cowboy by Julie Benson

Buttercream Bump Off by Jenn McKinlay

Buttercream Bump Off

By Jenn McKinlay

Started: 10/28/11

Finished: 11/15/11

Rating: 4

From Amazon: 

Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura's Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery is gearing up for Valentine's Day. Unfortunately someone has iced Baxter Malloy on his first date with Mel's mother. Now Mom's a suspect, and Mel and Angie need to find time around frosting to dig into the man's shady past and discover who served him his just desserts.

My review:

McKinlay has done it again with this book. You would think with all the cozy mysteries I read they would get boring. Most cozies have the same skeleton but different story lines. McKinlay has kept me guessing all the way to the end of both books she has written. Melanie and Angie get involved trying to find who the murderer is while Angie has some personal things going on at the same time. The relationships between the characters in this series are very carefully set up and totally believable. I love Melanie, Angie, Tate and the others.

 Next Up:

Septimus Heap: Magyk

books so far

Since it's been so long since I posted on this blog I don't want to overwhelm with a ton of posts so I am going to just post the books, ratings etc... i will be making sure I keep myself updated from now on.......

Father Material by Kimberly Van Meter

Started: 1/23/11

Finished: 1/31/11

Rated: 4

The Real Father by Kathleen O'Brien

started: 3/1/11

finished: 3/7/11

rating: 4

Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck

started: 3/8/11

finished: 3/30/11

rating: 5

Cross Country by James Patterson

started: 3/25/11

finished: 3/31/11

rating: 5

Death Threads by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

started: 4/4/11

finished: 4/9/11

rating: 5

The 9th Judgement by James Patterson

started: 4/10/11

finished: 4/15/11

rating: 5

Undead and Unreturnable by MaryJanice Davidson

started: 4/15/11

finished: 4/19/11

rating: 5

Farm Fresh Murder by Paige Shelton

started: 4/13/11

finish: 4/30/11

rating: 5

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

started: 4/20/11

finished: 4/30/11

rating: 5

A Texas-Made Family by Roz Denny Fox

A Texas-Made Family

by Roz Denny Fox

Started: 1/18/11

Finished: 1/23/11

Rating: 5

From Amazon:

Fighting for her kids' future shouldn't be this tough. For Rebecca Geroux, nothing is more important than family. So when her daughter's grades slip suddenly, Rebecca knows she has to do something about it. Teaming up with Grant Lane, whose son appears partly to blame for Lisa's troubles, seems like a good idea—until their attraction changes their focus.

For Grant, who's just moved to San Antonio, Rebecca is a welcome distraction. Although he's not sure what to make of her request, the fiery redhead is impossible to resist. Nor is he sure he wants to. But will their growing relationship mean more heartache than it's worth?

My Review:

Staring this book after being in a reading slump was kinda iffy. I wanted something that was going to hold my attention but not make me think to much. Needed a stright line plot and relationships. This book had me hooked from page 1! Rebecca was very relatable and personable. Her kids were created to be very "life-like" as well as the relationship she had with them. As the story progressed relationships grew with all the characters. I love this way this author hooks you in from the beginning. I would definatley recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, light family read.

Next up:
Father Material by Kimberly Van Meter

Dumping Billy by Olivia Goldsmith

Dumping Billy 

by Olivia Goldsmith

Started: 12/16/10

Finished: 1/17/11

Rating: 4

From Amazon: 

Kate Jameson has outgrown her Brooklyn gang: Bina, Bunny, Barbie and Bev, aka the Bitches of Bushwick. While the Bs still go for French manicures and (gasp) matching furniture, Kate has embraced the urbane life. She has a Chelsea apartment and a neat job as school psychologist at Andrew Country Day "in the best neighborhood in Manhattan." But when Kate meets bad boy bar owner Billy Nolan in her natal borough, she instantly wants to get Brooklyn back into the girl. He's hot for her, too, but fate intervenes in the form of Kate's best friend, Elliot Winston. Elliot and his boyfriend, Brice, are determined to keep Kate from committing romantic folly yet again. In a plot twist that the late Goldsmith (The First Wives Club, etc.) might have called Queer Eye for the Straight Goy, Elliot notices that every time Billy dumps a girl, she marries the next guy she dates. So instead of following heart and loins to Billy's bed, Kate helps Elliot engineer a match between Billy and Bina, whose putative fiancé, Jack, went to Hong Kong without giving her the anticipated diamond. Minor complications abound, as Bina dates Billy but falls for someone else, and Kate's burning jealousy blinds her to the truth long after the reader sees it. Goldsmith's fans will perhaps forgive the almost farcical absence of reality; others may resent not only the illogic but also the stereotyping of gays, Jews, working-class Catholics and nearly everybody else. If Goldsmith had affection for her characters, she hid it well. 

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

My review:

This is my first finished book of the year. I picked it up at a church sale for $1 and thought it was cute. It was an ok book, I love the characters. Kate and Bina were hysterical. When Kate had to mix her upper class lifestyle with her old Brooklyn friends, she was sure that it would be a travesty. However, the antics that happen when these two lifestyle meet is great. The story was a little drawn out for me and a little airy. I have't been reading much lately, kinda been in a slump so I do think that's why I thought it was so longwinded. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a light weight chick lit book to read and not have to follow a deep story line to understand and enjoy. 

Next up: 

A Texas-Made Family by Roz Denny Fox