Sheila's Reads
In Praise of Book Conferences
I missed posting last week because I was on my way home from Wild Wicked Weekend in San Antonio, Texas. I had a blast at this conference. It was a conference for readers and authors of erotic romance, especially those of BDSM romance. It started on Thursday and ended Sunday morning. I've gone each year it has been occurring. Right now, it's two years old. Next year will also be in San Antonio in February.
If you have never gone to a book conference, I highly recommend it. It is a chance to meet and talk with authors and fellow readers. I like the smaller conferences because I get to interact with many of the authors and readers. If you go to RT or RWA, they are the biggest conferences but they can be impersonal and you can get lost in the shuffle. That is the beauty of small conferences. No chance to get lost or be impersonal. You can look for conferences by joining author pages' on Facebook or on Yahoo or Google groups. Then go to the website of the conference and find out more. More and more conferences are springing up around the country. Try one close to you. You will not regret it. I have found new friends, met internet friends, and found out I am not alone with my obsession with books. I am looking to go to Hot Mojave Knights in the fall as well as Romanticon and a new one in Canada in the spring. Hope to see some of you there.
Here are my reviews for the last two weeks:
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS by Agatha Christie
4 out of 5
Poirot does it again, if you want to believe him or not. I liked the premise. A snowbound train, a murder, therefore the murderer must still be onboard the train. Who is it? A fun read.
PRODIGY by Marie Lu
5 out of 5
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Good sequel to Legend. Prodigy picks up with Day and June on the run to the Colonies. The Patriots won't help them leave LA so they have to do it on their own. When they are finally free then they receive help. They also find out things they never knew which could change their futures. I love Day and June. I like how they fight for what they believe in. I like how they are never quite sure where their relationship is headed and yet they trust one another. I cannot wait to read the next installme...moreGood sequel to Legend. Prodigy picks up with Day and June on the run to the Colonies. The Patriots won't help them leave LA so they have to do it on their own. When they are finally free then they receive help. They also find out things they never knew which could change their futures. I love Day and June. I like how they fight for what they believe in. I like how they are never quite sure where their relationship is headed and yet they trust one another. I cannot wait to read the next installment.
NIGHT PREY by Tara Nina
4 out of 5
Different story of shapeshifters. I liked Rose but I loved Alessandro and Kade. I liked the humor between the cousins. Rose is used as a pawn in the battle of good and evil. When the battle between good and evil occurs, I liked the tight writing style. The scene was taut and nerve wracking to see who would win. A good read.
ENDYMION SPRING by Matthew Skelton
5 out of 5
Magnificent! I loved it. The story drew me in. The book picked the boy to bring it to life and to bring it to its end. There was action and adventure along with some history of Johann Gutenberg and his printing press. There is the madness of adults who want the book for the knowledge and power it gives. This is one of those rare books that stays with you. It opens your imagination to what you would do if you got this book. I loved Blake as he tries to discover the secret of the book and figure out the clues that appear to him in the book. I also enjoyed the story of the blank book. I enjoyed going back to Endymion Spring in the mid-1400's to learn how the book came to be but I especially enjoyed Blake taking the book and the clues and trying to figure out what he was to do. One of my top 10 reads!
OODLES OF POODLES by Linda O. Johnston
4 out of 5
Oodles of Poodles is an enjoyable cozy mystery. It is the fourth book of the Pet Rescue Mystery series but I was able to read it as a standalone. The director of Sheba's Story is murdered. Lauren Vancouver, the head administrator for HotRescues animal rescue shelter, is on the set to ensure that the animals in the movie are being cared for and not abused. She stirs up people when she asks questions trying to clear her friend Carlie, the vet for the animals. I liked the characters. I liked how they interact with each other and are not afraid to get mad with one another and let their feelings be known. I also liked how each dog mentioned is given a breed and a name so I could picture what the dog looks like. This was a fun read. Naturally, I did not figure out the murderer. I want to read the earlier books in the series as well as her other series, Kendra Ballantyne, Pet Sitters Mysteries. |
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