Thursday, February 24, 2011

Operation: Fabio Week 6

Above: A back view. Sorry for the odd angle. I had a hard time figuring out how to get a good image of the back of my head.

It has been awhile since I've mention this. I realize that watching hair grow is akin to watching paint dry, so I will spare you a weekly posting of this and only do it when there is something to show. This post is mainly just to show progress even though it may not seem like much. I, for one, can tell a difference.

I had a trim from Kym on February 16th which helped it to lay better and not poof out like crazy on the sides.



Above: A top(pish) view of my hair. And a little bit of my not-so-clean room.

I've had some discouragement lately but I have told myself not to chicken out. Who knows? I may hate it when I get it to the length I've wanted, but I don't want to regret not doing it. So, to all you nonbelievers and naysayers, I say Let me do it and see for myself.


Above: A front view. And a weird smile. Not sure what I am doing in this picture.

There you have it. Until next time!

Challenge Day #12

Post a picture of something you ate today.

Well, I am behind on the challenge and it is still reasonably early in the day. All I have eaten is breakfast. If you know me well, you know that I love cold cereal. There is never a bad time for it. Not any that I can think of at least. This morning it was Corn Chex. I remember the days when I was little when I didn't like Corn Chex. They were the "adult cereal." Guess I am officially an adult now if I now love them.


I was going to take a picture of my actual bowl of cereal but I was lazy. And my hunger outweighed the need to go downstairs, grab my camera, and take a picture. Call me a glutton.

Btw, my challenge is being put on hold while my friend Kelli is on a work cruise in beautiful places. It will resume when she comes back because she is my source for the challenge. I will have a book review soon: The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Stay tuned!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Challenge Day #11

Post a picture of the place you live in.

I am going to be lame for this challenge. I could not for the life of me find good pictures of Rigby, ID which is where I currently live. I was also going to post a picture of Roosevelt, UT which where I grew up. Yeah. Google can't even find these places. That should tell you right there just how tiny they are. Really, they are both great places. I liked where I grew up, but I would never live there again. Rigby is a nice little town. Enough said.

I even tried to find a picture of my house. Yeah. No luck.

So.

There ya go.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

A Northern Light


Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Fiddleheads

Sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey has big dreams but little hope of seeing them come true. Desperate for money, she takes a job at the Glenmore, where hotel guest Grace Brown asks her to burn a bundle of secret letters. But when Grace's drowned body is fished from the lake, Mattie discovers the letters reveal the grim truth behind a murder. Set in 1906 against a backdrop of the murder that inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, this astonishing novel weaves romance, history, and a murder mystery into something moving, real, and wholly original.

I was excited to read more of Jennifer Donnelly's work after reading and absolutely loving Revolution, so I went immediately to the store and got A Northern Light. I did not want to read it and keep comparing it to Revolution so I read a couple books between Revolution and A Northern Light just so there would be some distance between the two. It was interesting to see how Donnelly's writing has expanded since A Northern Light, but it has also kept a lot of the same flavor.

This was a great book. If I had read it before Revolution I probably would not have been as ecstatic about Donnelly as a writer simply because it wasn't as un-put-downable as Revolution. However, that is my only complaint. The story is fantastic. And she creates atmosphere so well that you really get to know and understand the characters. Mattie becomes a living and breathing girl and you so badly want her to succeed.

I loved how Donnelly tied in the power of words and finding your voice. It is something I am truly convinced of. Words are underestimated sometimes, but words are so powerful. With each word of the day, Mattie shows us just how amazing words can be. I found some new words that I wrote down so that I could remember them and use them in my vocabulary. That, in itself, is a great aspect of this book. Where it is a YA novel, I think it is great that it teaches new words to youth all while teaching a great theme.

One of my favorite moments is when Miss Wilcox/Baxter tells Mattie that voice is not just the sound that comes from your throat but the feeling that comes from your words. What a great perspective and definition of voice in literature. Another favorite moment is when Mattie talks about Emily Dickinson and envies her for fighting by not fighting and being a recluse.

It is these insights and moments that made the experience of reading this novel enriching and delightful. Not only does it have powerful perspective but it also has a touch of romance, mystery, and action to it. I am still a bonafide fan of Jennifer Donnelly's. Reading her is truly an experience.

Challenge Day #10

Ok so I have missed a couple days on the challenge. I'm sure you all missed it too.

Challenge #10 is to give random trivia about me. Oh boy. Here goes (not sure how many I will do...):

1. I am left-handed.
2. My parents' nickname for me is Bean Boy. I'm not sure why, but it has always been that. I've asked them where they came up with it and they don't even know. Probably the same way we came up with Gigi Bottoms for my niece.
3. I love finding new bands and artists to listen to. Preferably not mainstream. I don't like to listen to stuff that I can just listen to on the radio.
4. Speaking of music, I have a slight obsession with Tori Amos.
5. I'm an avid reader if you couldn't tell. Just finished the eighth book I have read this year and it was a good'n.
6. I really, really, really, really want to go to Ireland. Like a lot.
7. Hawaii is my favoritest place in the world that I have been to. I would live there in a heartbeat.
8. I have written two novels.
9. I carry my new camera with me everywhere I go just in case a photographic moment occurs. It has come in handy lately (the Jell-o party) so I will continue it.
10. I hate cold weather. Why I live in Idaho of all places...
11. Sunday naps are my favorite.
12. This is slightly embarrassing to admit, but I do color my hair to cover up gray hairs. Don't judge me.
13. I hate tomatoes. Unless they are pureed. (That was for you, Kelli.) In fact, the other day I was cleaning the kitchen and my mom left a half tomato on the counter and I could barely even touch it. I think I have some issues.
14. When I was little I wanted to be a cartoonist or a voice for a cartoon. Yep. Aim high.
15. I keep my cell phone on silent at all times. I'm not sure why. Whenever I turn it up I'm always amazed that my phone actually makes noises.
16. Yes, I am addicted to exercising. May not be able to tell by the way I look, but yeah...I love it. 17. My favorite seasons are early spring, late spring, early summer, and midsummer, and late summer, and sometimes fall. That leaves just winter. Huh. Interesting.
18. I've never had a girlfriend. Not exactly something I am proud of, but it is okay.
19. I sleep with two pillows and it slightly annoys me that they are a little too long for my bed so I scrunch them up and overlap them. My OCDness is slightly disturbing.
20. Speaking of OCD, I had to come up with one more thing just so I could have an even number on the list. So there ya go.

Now you know a little more about me than anyone should ever know.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Challenge Day #9

Post a picture of your family.

Here is the most recent picture:


Gigi and the boys look so little in this! They grow up so fast...*sigh*

There ya go.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Challenge #8

Post the show you are addicted to at the moment.

I have a few shows that I am so in love with right now.

1. Big Bang Theory

My friend lent me black-market copies of the first three seasons and I am hooked. I love the antics of the four intelligent nerds and their hot neighbor. It is witty, charming, and downright hilarious. Bazinga!


2. GLEE!

I have been a Gleek since the very first episode. It is such a great show. The music is fantastic, the writing is superb, it just doesn't get any better. Granted, some of the stuff they do is a little soap opera-like, but, hello, it's about high school. You cannot tell me that, when you were in high school, things weren't a little like a soap opera. I would marry Rachel Berry. Finn's a freaking idiot. 'Nough said.


3. Bones

This is one of those shows, like Big Bang Theory, that I thought "That looks dumb," when I first saw the commercials for the series. I'm not sure why I thought that with Bones. And, actually, when I first started watching it I remember thinking "Dr. Brennan is too serious. I don't know if I can stand this." But I apparently could stand it because I love this show now.


4. Raising Hope

Talk about freaking hilarious. The parents in this show are so, so, so funny. And the mom is Martha Plimpton who some of you may recognize from the 80s classic The Goonies. The premise of Raising Hope is silly but, then again, the whole show is silly. I cannot get enough of it.


Judging by this you would think I watch a lot of television, but I really don't. DVR is a great friend of mine, but I still don't get to watch a whole lot. I could not think of more that I am addicted to at the moment so four is all you get even though it's a random number. It isn't random to me because it is my favorite number.

Unearthly


Rating: 5 out of 5 Angel Wings

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

I finished this book in about three days and that was only because I had a job that kept me away from it. It was so hard to put this one down. It starts off a little slow, but then Cynthia Hand's story pulls you right in and takes you for a spin.

At first I was a little offset by the casual way the main character, Clara, talked about being an angel-blood. But once I got used to it, I didn't care anymore.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile you know that my feelings about YA literature are somewhat torrential. I have issues with some of the popular YA stuff out there (namely Twilight but let's not even go there) because it seems to be all cut from the same mold. Girl meets mysterious guy, guy is a monster, girl falls in love with guy/monster, he saves her life in some way, and they live happily ever after as freaks.

This one breaks the mold. Clara is a stronger heroine who you actually root for. Yes, things happen to her that should make her feel like a victim (she goes to a new school with her hair dyed orange after a bad dye job to cover her magic angel hair) but she doesn't let it happen. She has some pity parties but Hand was very good at not dragging those out too long and slowing the pace of the novel.

Another aspect that breaks the mold is the love triangle. Not that it has a love triangle. Give me a break. Every YA novel out there probably has some sort of love triangle/square/pentagon in it. Love triangles are fun and intriguing to read about. I am pretty sure it sucks to be in one though. I wouldn't know. However, this book does have a love triangle but at the end it doesn't seem like an actual triangle. More like a square but not really. I don't want to spoil anything. I just wanted to make a note that the relationships in this play off nicely and are more believable than others. I was annoyed with how Clara thought that Christian was meant to be hers through the whole book practically. Christian is pretty dull and uninteresting for the most part so I was definitely not rooting for him.

I gave this book 5 out of 5 angel wings simply because it has been a long time since a book has had me sitting, literally, on the edge of my couch, leaning forward, with my hand over my wide open mouth as I speedily read through it so I can find out what is going to happen next. I can't even remember the last time a book has done that to me. Needless to say, but I am going to say it anyway, you must read this book!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Challenge Day #7

The seventh challenge is to post my favorite restaurant.

I would have to say it is:


Oh how I love pasta!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Numbah 6

Challenge for Today:
Post a picture of your pet.



HADJII!!!!!

Hadjii is such a good dog and I love him to pieces. He has been in our family for about six years now, maybe going on seven. That means he is almost an old man in doggy years. It makes me sad to think of him growing old and feeble, but I will just enjoy him while we have him.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Challenge Day #5

Post a picture of your bff.

Here ya go!



This is Michael Jenkins. We have been friends since (in my book) senior year in high school. That makes it 10-11 years and still going strong. We have been through a lot together. He is an awesome guy and a great friend. This picture is from a trip we took to San Diego last summer.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Challenge Day #4

"What is in your bag?"

Huh. I am guessing this is more for girls with purses. So I will go with the man version of a purse (no, not a European shoulder bag)...which is my wallet.

There are a lot of fun little gems in my wallet. Some of which are no longer in there because I actually just went through it and cleaned it out because it was getting a little thick. You try sitting on that.

Here is what is in my wallet:

My BYU-Idaho student ID card (I have no idea why I keep it)
A $5 gift card to Target that I got at work for some contest I got 3rd place in
A Staples Rewards card that I actually just got today (after printing out the rough draft of my novel!)
A Deseret Book gift card
2 Wal-mart gift cards
A card that has the Standard of Truth by Joseph Smith on it (from my LDS mission in Florida)
A Kash n' Karry member card (a grocery store in FL...I keep it for sentimentality)
Business cards (Ogilvy in GA, a man I met in FL, and my best friend's)
My temple recommend
A card from American Red Cross that has my blood type on it (from when I donated blood)
My credit and debit cards
My Regal Crown Club movie card
My Barnes and Noble member card (LOVE this one and it gets a lot of use)
A Kohl's membership card
A random card from TGIFridays. Not even sure what it is for.
A card good for a free loaf of bread from Great Harvest. Ooooh...I need to use that!
A punch card from Gandalfo's
Another punch card from Cafe Rio
Two $1 bills (I never have cash on me)
Another business card from a friend of mine who does photography
A faded ticket to a spring training game I went to in Florida back in 2003
The 2010 schedule for the Idaho Falls ID LDS temple

Wow.

That's more information than even I wanted to know.

Myself 2 Years Ago

Challenge Day #3: Post a Picture of Yourself 2 Years ago



Hmmm...I was over 200 lbs in this picture.



This is me now. Almost 30 lbs. lighter and, obviously, Forever Young!

Friday, February 11, 2011

I am Not a Serial Killer


Rating: 4 out of 5 Autopsies

John Wayne Cleaver is dangerous, and he knows it.

He’s spent his life doing his best not to live up to his potential.

He’s obsessed with serial killers, but really doesn’t want to become one. So for his own sake, and the safety of those around him, he lives by rigid rules he’s written for himself, practicing normal life as if it were a private religion that could save him from damnation.

Dead bodies are normal to John. He likes them, actually. They don’t demand or expect the empathy he’s unable to offer. Perhaps that’s what gives him the objectivity to recognize that there’s something different about the body the police have just found behind the Wash-n-Dry Laundromat---and to appreciate what that difference means.

Now, for the first time, John has to confront a danger outside himself, a threat he can’t control, a menace to everything and everyone he would love, if only he could.

Dan Wells’s debut novel is the first volume of a trilogy that will keep you awake and then haunt your dreams.


Interesting. This book was not anything like I expected at all which was actually, probably, a good thing. I had anticipated it to be about an actual serial killer and this kid with serial killer/sociopathic/psychopathic tendencies is the only one smart enough to catch him. I was sort of right. The demonic/magic/supernatural element is really what I was not expecting, but it was sort of a pleasant surprise. At first I was a little disappointed, but then I liked what Dan Wells did with it.

I was given this book recommendation by a good friend of mine who loves sci-fi/fantasy. Don't get me wrong, I love sci-fi/fantasy as well. In fact that is all I used to read, but I have since looked outside the box and have found some pretty amazing stuff outside of it. So much so that it has been hard for me to return to full-on fantasy altogether. I like my books with an element of reality to it. That is, I guess, why I was able to get into this book. Mr. Wells did an excellent job of weaving the fantastic with the realistic and the gory.

Talk about gore. I was reading this while I was eating breakfast and realized that was not such a good plan. He discusses autopsies, blood, and gore like it's an every day thing.

I have a love-hate relationship with the protagonist. He is endearing, but he is such a creepy, creepy kid. I know that is what I'm supposed to feel. I find myself rooting for him even when I know he's a freak. He is quite a complex character that can actually hold his own and I love that about him. Part of what is so interesting about him is his inner conflict. The fact that it remains a conflict for him is what makes him readable. If he just embraced his monster inside we would all be turned off because...that's scary. However, I'm thinking it's not too far off when he will be forced to fight off his Mr. Monster by embracing it.

All right, so let me explain. At first, I was disturbed and unsure about this book. But, before I knew it, I was sucked right in. And I'm pretty sure I am just going to go ahead and read the next one. I thought I was going to take a break because of the slightly disturbing nature of this one, but I find that I want more! When I read, I usually think of what rating I would give the book even before I have finished it, just to work it out in my head. This one had me conflicted. I didn't want to love it because it was disturbing. But I loved it because it was disturbing. And, at first, I really didn't like it, but I knew the writing was really good and that Dan Wells had done something wonderful with a character that should be hated. So I had this whole theory worked up about how I would give it a high rating even though I personally did not like it. Somehow I was going to separate myself from the rating of it. Now, I am convinced that is not only impossible but purely stupid. The point of rating a book is that it's your own rating. So I have given it 4 out of 5 autopsies with the one star docked simply because...I was disturbed.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Challenge Day #2

Challenge Day #2: Celebrity Crushes

Yes! I'm so excited for this one. I'm weird, I know.

My celebrity crushes aren't all necessarily because of looks or beauty or whatever. Some of them are simply because I love their artistry and, because of what they do, they are very attractive to me. Others, however, are purely for the sex appeal.

In no particular order:



Eliza Dushku: I have had a crush on her since Bring it On even though most people know her as Faith on Buffy but I never watched that. She isn't the greatest actress in the world and she keeps getting on shows that flop, but I still think she's hot. haha!


Katherine Heigl: Loved her in The Ugly Truth and Gray's Anatomy. There is something attractive about a beautiful woman who is not afraid to look like an idiot.


Rachel McAdams: Not only is she the newest face I have in mind for Olivia in my book, but she is also a great actress. She has proven to be very versatile. I personally like her better with dark hair.


Emily Deschanel: I love Bones! Love it, love it, love it! And Emily makes that show what it is. Girls will disagree with me and say it's David Boreanaz, but, come on, the show is named after her not him. ha!


Lady Gaga: She is a genius. Say what you will about her. Yes, she is weird, but she is an artist. I absolutely love her and wait with bated breath for what she will come up with next.


Tori Amos: She calls herself an MILF and yes, yes she is. Her music is so wrought with emotion and beauty. She is amazing. I went to her concert awhile ago and it was amazing!


Zooey Deschanel: Emily's sister is also great. And she's hot. And she can sing. And she's funny. Enough said.


Charlize Theron: Perfection. That's all I have to say.


Anna Kendrick: She is terrific. And she is very hot. I originally thought she would make a good Olivia, but I have since rethought that. But she is still great and I look forward to seeing more from her.

Befall


MY ROUGH DRAFT FOR BEFALL IS FINISHED!!!!!

That is right, friends. The biggest step is done. Now I just have to fine-tune everything and then start sending queries out to agents and publishers.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Challenge Day #1

I have been sort of at a loss as to what to put on my blog other than book reviews lately. During Christmas I kept seeing people doing challenges on their blogs and I wanted to join in but didn't really have the time. So when I saw my friend, Kelli, blogging a challenge I asked if I could copy her. So here I go with the challenge.

Day #1: Post your Favorite Movie.

I don't know about you but it is hard to pick one favorite movie. So, for the sake of argument, I will post my favorite movie right now. I have different favorites for different reasons: the classics, comedies, adventures, actions, etc. This one, however, is my favoritest movie at the moment:

EASY A
Mind you, this is not my only favorite movie...just the favorite at the moment. However, it is definitely going to go down as a classic in my book. I love the wit and humor in it and it also has a good moral to it.

Insanity and a Random Tub o' Jell-O


So I was hanging out with some friends from my branch (Whitney, Casey, and Kira), having our own little FHE. It was pretty chill and we got to talking. Somehow the subject of pudding wrestling (don't ask) got to filling a bathtub full of Jell-O which turned into us going to Wal-Mart in search of a kiddie pool and some Jell-O. No kiddie pools in Idaho in February which is a complete shocker (right.) but we did find a big tub with a lid. 40 Packages of Wal-Mart Brand Jell-O later and we were in business.



We made cherry limeade Jell-O and put it in the tub which was outside. See for yourself. I love randomness.



The next night, last night, we had a Jell-O party. It tasted good. We didn't even make a dent in the Jell-O Tub. Anybody want some?


Sunday, February 6, 2011

This Glittering World


Rating: 5 out of 5 Arizona Snowstorms

One November morning, Ben Bailey walks out of his Flagstaff, Arizona home to retrieve the paper. He finds Ricky Begay, a young Navajo man, beaten and dying in the newly fallen snow. Unable to forget the incident, especially once he meets Ricky's sister, Shadi, Ben begins to question everything, from his job as a history professor to his relationship with his fiancee, Sara. Ben decides to discover the truth about Ricky's death, in hopes of filling in the cracks in his own life. Yet the answers leave him torn between love and responsibility and between his once-certain future and the choices that could liberate him at a cost. "This Glittering World" is the book T. Greenwood's fans and critics have been waiting for - one that cements her reputation as one of today's most eloquent and impressive talents.
(Courtesy of Amazon.com)

T. Greenwood never ceases to amaze me. This is the third book of hers that I have read, and, while it wasn't my favorite of hers, it still managed to astound me.

I hated Ben Bailey. The main character drove me nuts! Usually I get all mad when I can't stand the main character in a book, but then I looked at why I don't like him. He's certainly flawed: he never stands up for himself and when he does it backfires, he is caught in a loveless relationship, he's passive-aggressive, he cheats on his girlfriend, he is always a victim, he doesn't really make things happen they just sort of happen to him and around him. I was hoping some redemptive quality would pop up in there by the end, but it never happened. Then I realized I was okay with that because it makes him human. I may have disliked him as a hero of a story but he leaped out of the pages. Maybe I saw a lot of myself in him. That, my friends, is the beauty of Ms. Greenwood's writing. It is effective and hits so true to home that it is impossible not to walk away unchanged.

At first I didn't understand the different colors but then Greenwood brought in the tapestry analogy and it all made sense. I am reminded of the Robert Frost poem "Fire and Ice." Ben Bailey's world will either end in fire or ice. While he desires "ice" he may have to settle for "fire." Read it and see if that makes sense to you.

The ending surprised me. I kept waiting for Sara to find out about Ben and Shadi and confront him and tell him to take a hike. But it didn't happen. Of all the characters, I sympathized with Sara the most, but even she was easy to hate sometimes. In fact, there was not a single likable character in here, but I was not put off by that. Greenwood is a master of creating human characters that are so believable and realistic and flawed that it feels like you are reading about an old friend. And that, my friends, is why I will continually go back to read T. Greenwood.

I just had an Aha! Moment, too. The title, This Glittering World, alludes to the Native American struggle to decide between two worlds (Native and White). Ben Bailey has his own struggle of which "world" to belong to. So it is ironic that he is a white who longs to belong with a Native American. Now I have an even greater appreciation for the brilliance behind this book. I give it 5 out of 5 Arizona snowstorms.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Shadowfever


Rating: 5 out of 5 Sinsar Dubh's


MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh—a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.
Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac herself and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?

From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world . . . or destroy it. (courtesy of Amazon.com)

This accidental find proved to be a treasure trove of adventure. At first I thought it was just fluff, but there are so many good little gems in this series. One of my favorite quotes comes when Jericho Barrons is describing the true nature of love. Here is a part of it:

"Love's a bloody river with level-five rapids. Only a catastrophic act of nature or a dam has any chance of stopping it--and then usually only succeeds in diverting it. Both measures are extreme and change the terrain so much you end up wondering why you bothered. No landmarks gauge your position when it's done. Only way to survive is to devise new ways to map out life."


Such wise words I never thought I would find in a fluff series.

This final installment in the Fever series has it all: action, sex, romance, mystery, fantasy, humor, and a dash of the supernatural.

Moning picks up right at the place the prior book ended. If you recall, I was so mad about the ending of the last book because of the cliffhanger. Well, Shadowfever finds us hanging on the cliff waiting to find out where Moning would take us next. Turns out she takes us through several dimensions and even to an icy and eternal hellish prison set aside for the dark Fae.

One of the best parts of this book is that all the questions I had are finally answered. Just when you think you know what the answer is going to be, Moning throws a wrench in the whole thing and poses even more questions. What results is a wild ride.

I've become a fast fan of Karen Marie Moning and I look forward to other adventures she will write. I have rated this book a 5 out of 5 Sinsar Dubhs.