Book 37: Bone Crossed

Bone Crossed by Briggs is the fourth installment in the Mercy Thompson series. As Mercy struggles to recover from the final events of the third book, her friend Stephen suddenly appears in her house warning her that Marsilia, the leader of the local seethe, knows Mercy was responsible for the death of one of her vampires and will be coming for her. Adam protects Mercy by making her a member of his pack and warning the vampires that the wolves will step in to protect Mercy, who is now Adam's declared mate. While the wolves and vampires negotiate, Mercy travels to Portland with Stephen for backup to try to help an old friend with a troublesome ghost. The ghost turns out to be more dangerous than Mercy expected, but he is still not as dangerous as her friend's dinner guest, a solitary vampire nicknamed the monster who wants to add Mercy to his collection of sheep.

Another fun-filled read that I would recommend for ages 18 and up.

Book 36: Cry Wolf

Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs is the first full length novel in her Alpha and Omega series picking up where her short story ended. Anna's apartment is packed up, and she travels with Charles back to his home in Montana. Charles continues to heal from his injuries received in Chicago while he and Anna spend some time getting to know one another better, but a recent rise in attacks nearby interrupts them. Charles' father, the Marrok, send his son and Anna out into the wilderness to hunt what they believe to be a rogue werewolf. Instead they find a much more dangerous opponent, a black witch with power to use the magic of their pack bonds against them, and an unexpected ally. Together they must stop the witch from gaining control of the Marrok's pack and through him all of the packs in North America.

An entertaining tale that I thoroughly enjoyed and couldn't put down. I heartily recommend it for ages 18 and up.

Book 35: The Colossus Rises

The Colossus Rises by Lerangis is the first book in the Seven Wonders series which I picked up to preread as a possibility for my picky 10 yob, who has finished reading the Percy Jackson series. Jack McKinley has grown up as an ordinary boy until one day he collapses in the middle of the street and is whisked away to a strange island hospital run by Professor Bhegad. He is told that he and the other three kids at the hospital have a genetic trait inherited from a prince of the lost city of Atlantis which will kill him in six months. The only chance for a cure lies in finding seven magic Loculi stolen long ago before the fall into the wrong hands and returning them to their original location which is also currently unknown.

An interesting premise, I enjoyed the first book enough to give the next two currently available in the series, but I haven't decided if I'll pass them on to the kids yet. I would say the books are appropriate for ages 10 and up.

Book 34: Iron Kissed

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs is the third book in her Mercy Thompson series. After the loan of fae weapons for hunting vampires in the previous book, Mercy owes her friends Zee and Uncle Mike a favor. A series of murders on the fae reservation with no magical traces left behind has the local fae council stumped, so they ask Mercy to come check the scents at the various sites to try to identify the killer. Mercy successfully identifies the intruder as the human guard who had let them onto the reservation; but when Zee and Uncle Mike go to his home to confront him, they find him dead, and Zee is arrested for his murder. The gray lords who rule the fae seem content to let Zee take the blame to quickly close the case, but Mercy is convinced that he is innocent and is determined to prove it. She soon discovers that several fae artifacts were also stolen from the homes of the victims and focuses her sight on a human group who are against the fae looking for an accomplice to the murderers and turns to the werewolves for help when she finds herself outmatched.

As with the previous books in the series, a well written fun summer read that I would recommend for ages 18 and up.

Book 33: Blood Bound

Blood Bound by Briggs is the second installment in the Mercy Thompson series. Mercy's vampire friend asks her to accompany him to deliver a message to another vampire. The new vampire turns out to be a sorcerer turned vampire, and the body count is starting to rise so the wolves and vampires join forces to hunt him. The hunters become the hunted and disappear. The head of the vampire seethe asks Mercy to go with another of her vampires to hunt the sorcerer and find the missing wolves and vampire because coyotes are supposed to be natural vampire hunters.

Another fun read that I would recommend for ages 18 and up.

Book 32: Moon Called

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs is the first book in her Mercedes Thompson series. Mercy is a shapeshifting coyote who grew up with a pack of werewolves before moving to Washington state and working as a mechanic. Her back fence neighbor is the local alpha. Her former boss and friend is Fae, and she's fixing an old VW that belongs to a vampire. Then a new wolf shows up on her doorstep looking for work. Mercy protects him when some strange wolves and humans come to her shop after him and introduces him to the local alpha explaining how he had been attacked, changed, caged, and injected with experimental drugs. That night the house of the local alpha Adam is attacked. Mac the new wolf is killed, Adam wounded, and his daughter Jesse kidnapped. Mercy takes the matter to Bran the Marrok, who sends his son Samuel to help. Together they try to find Jesse and figured out who is behind the experimental drugs.

An excellent, fluffy, fun read that I would recommend for ages 18 and up.

Book 31: On the Prowl

On the Prowl is a collection of four short stories by different fantasy authors.

"Alpha and Omega" by Patricia Briggs is the launching point of Brigg's Alpha and Omega series of books with a deeper focus on the werewolf community than her Mercedes Thompson series. Anna, an abused werewolf in the Chicago pack, decides to call the Marrok, the head of all the wolf packs in North America, to report that she had seen a missing teenager from a recent newspaper article at her alpha's home. The Marrok, who had already been made aware of the situation, directs her to meet his son Charles at the airport and leaves Charles a message to stay with Anna and protect her while investigating the events in Chicago. The results of which will change her life forever.

The other stories include "Inhuman" by Wilks, "Buying Trouble" by Chance, and "Mona Lisa" by Sunny. I completely enjoyed Briggs' story. It was well written with enough plot twists to keep it interesting and sufficient character development to catch my interest enough to read the next book in the series. The three other stories were so-so. The characters didn't really catch my interest and the world in which those characters lived were more confusing and not as well developed. None of them caught my interest enough to try the later books. I would recommend reading just the first story as a precursor to enjoying Briggs' Alpha and Omega books, but wouldn't recommend bothering with the other stories.

Book 30: Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Collins is the second book her the Underland Chronicles series. Although Gregor's father has returned home, life at their New York apartment is far from normal. His father is too ill from his time in the Underland to work, and the expenses related to his medical bills have pushed the family into a very tight financial position. Gregor has taken a once a week job assisting his neighbor Mrs. Cormaci, who gives him an old pair of boots that were just laying around and never fails to send him home without food for his own family. Shortly before Christmas, Gregor takes his youngest sister Boots sledding in Central Park, but in one unwatched instant she disappears. He quickly realizes that she has been taken back to the Underworld by some crawlers, calls his father to let him know what has happened, and heads after his sister. Ares finds him and flies him to Regalia where he reunites with his sister. The crawlers explain that the rats were after Boots trying to kill her because they believe that the prophecy of Bane means that her death will lead to their triumph. Gregor agrees to set out in search of the Bane, which is supposed to be a vicious, ten foot white rat, capable of leading the rats to victory over the people of the Underland. Gregor and a crew set out by boat to hunt for the Bane in the labyrinth. Before they even reach the labyrinth, they encounter giant squid, a whirlpool, flesh eating mites, and massive serpents and suffer both injury and loss. In the end the group becomes separated, and Gregor and Ares must finish the quest alone.

An excellent follow up to the original book Gregor the Overlander, my boys and I completely enjoyed Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane together as a read aloud and are looking forward to starting the third book in the series this coming week. I highly recommend this book for ages 7 and up.

Book 29: The Perfect 10 Diet

The Perfect 10 Diet: 10 Key Hormoes That Hold the Secret to Losing Weight and Feeling Great Fast! by Aziz proposes that many of the problems plaguing the health of individuals today can be traced to poor dietary habits that cause an imbalance of various hormone levels. The hormones that he focuses on include: insulin, glucagon, leptin, thyroid hormone, HGH, cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. The basic diet advocates a balance of 40% carbs, 40% fats, and 20% proteins; the elimination of refined foods, sugar, and trans fats; a focus on eating 3 meals a day with breakfast being the largest meal; and of course drinking plenty of water. He divides the plan into 3 stages including 3 weeks of no grains or alcohol followed by the addition of 1 to 3 whole grains per day while still losing weight, and then 3-4 servings of grains in the maintenance stage. He also advises exercising 3-4 days per week and includes sections dealing with common questions, diets for various medical issues, and sample meal plans and a few recipes for each stage.

Overall I found the arguments well-stated and intriguing, and I would say that the overall premise is sound. I found his information on dairy somewhat contradictory. He states that dairy is unnecessary and should be limited, yet at the same time he advocates cooking with butter and includes cheese, yogurt, and sour cream in many of his meal ideas. I'm also a fairly picky eater, so it's going to take some work to figure out how to make this work. Still if I could lose weight just eating my current foods, I wouldn't need to research a new diet. The book also lacks information on portion sizes. I found that information online in a bonus chapter. I also found a nice cheat sheet on a blog that looks really helpful. I would recommend this book for adults looking to eat healthier or lose weight.

Book 28: Medea

Medea by Euripides is the classic Greek tragedy telling the tale of the vengeance of Medea on her husband Jason after he decided to marry the daughter of King Creon in order to have a more secure position in the city of Corinth. Enraged by what she sees as her husband's infidelity, Medea hatches a plan to get revenge on her husband, his new bride, and the bride's father. Because of her anger, King Creon decrees that Medea must leave the city immediately but relents to allow her to stay for one day in order to make preparations for herself and her children. Medea then sends her children with poisoned garments to the new bride on the pretense of asking that they be allowed to remain in the city with their father. The princess and her father are both killed by the poison. In a final act of revenge, Medea murders her children and escapes from Jason's wrath with their bodies.

A classic tragedy, I would recommend Medea for ages 15 and up.

Book 27: Michael Vey Battle of the Ampere

Michael Vey Battle of the Ampere by Evans is the third installment in his young adult series. Separated from his friends and hunted by Elgen guards, Michael discovers Tessa, another of the original 17 kids in a native Amazon village. The villagers assist the two youths in reuniting with Jaime, the Peruvian contact who dropped the kids off at the compound. As the three hike through the jungle, Michael's friends are in far worse circumstances. Arrested by the Peruvian army, they have been branded terrorists by the Peruvian government for destroying the Elgen plant that was supplying power to nearly all of Peru. The team's first attempt at escape fails; but Michael, Tessa, and Jaime set up on the only rode to Cuzco to ambush the military convoy and free Michael's friends. Hatch, meanwhile, has arrested the Elgen board; taken control of the company; and is planning the establishment of an Elgen base in the Pacific. The voice wants Michael to not only rescue his friends, but also blow up the lead ship of the Elgen fleet, the Ampere. After the loss of one of their own in the rescue, the group is fracturing and only five are left to once again face Hatch in another perilous quest to stop his plans of global domination.

Michael Vey Battle of the Ampere is another excellent action packed tale sure to be enjoyed by readers of the previous books in the series. I would recommend it for ages 12 and up.

Book 26: Michael Vey Rise of the Elgen

Michael Vey Rise of the Elgen by Evans is the second book in the Michael Vey series for young adults. Having escaped the academy, Michael and his friends head back to Idaho to make plans to find and rescue Michael's mother from the Elgen. When they arrive, they discover Elgen guards waiting to recapture them, but working together and with a little help from a mysterious voice on a phone, they elude capture. Upon discovering that his mother is being held at the Elgen power plant complex in Peru, Michael enlists the aid of his mysterious new friend to get he and his friends safely to the edge of the compound; but the task before them is enormous. Not only is the Peru power plant complex the largest and most secure of the Elgen facilities, but Hatch has brought in all of the Elgen security forces to Peru for retraining in an attempt to consolidate his own power over the company. Once again Michael and his friends must rely on each other if they are to have any hope of not only success but also survival.

An excellent follow up to the previous book, Michael Vey Rise of the Elgen by Evans is an action packed adventure that I would recommend for ages 12 and up.

Book 25: Black Order

Black Order by Rollins is the third book in his Sigma Force series. A mysterious illness in a monastery in Nepal brings together Sigma Force's Director Crowe with Lisa Cummings, a nearby doctor who agrees to help local forces, to investigate the madness that suddenly descended on it. When clandestine forces arrive to destroy all of the evidence, the two try to flee but are soon captured and taken to a nearby castle. The hidden group of scientists as well as director Crowe have also been exposed to the radiation released after the sabotage of their secret experiment, so they band together to try to find the saboteur and a cure before time runs out. Meanwhile, Gray Pierce is attacked in Copenhagen while investigating a plot related to the sale of rare works by Victorian era scientists. He links the sale to a mysterious Nazi society responsible for horrific experiments in the 1940s. He and his team are captured and taken to South Africa. while Sigma Force links his case with the work in Nepal and the deteriorating Crowe and the other survivors from Nepal travel to South Africa to seek a cure. Time is running out for Pierce to save his team, his director, and the rest of the world from the threat of a Nazi mastermind determined to bring about a new world order.

Black Order is another well-written, action-packed tale in the spirit of the previous books in the series. I would recommend it for ages 18 and up.

Book 24: Michael Vey the Prisoner of Cell 25

Michael Vey: the Prisoner of Cell 25 by Evans is the first book in the Michael Vey series for young adults. Michael Vey is a quiet 14 year old with Tourette's syndrome living in a quiet town in Idaho with his mom. Only he, his mom, and his best friend Ostin know that Michael has electric powers until one day when some bullies at school push Michael too far, and he sends all three flying backward with an electric shock. The whole incident is witnessed by a cheerleader named Taylor, who quickly befriends Michael and reveals that she too has electric powers. Their search for the cause of these powers alerts a powerful group who has been searching for the two teens for several years. Taylor and Michael's mom and kidnapped, and Michael heads to Pasadena to try to rescue them. He and those helping him are captured by the Elgen group, and the leader Hatch threatens to harm Michael's friends and his mom if he doesn't choose to cooperate, join the group, and help them rule the world. When Michael refuses to use his power for murder, he is thrown into cell 25. With the secret help of new friends, Michael not only survives but remains determined and hopeful; and Hatch soon discovers that he has greatly underestimated not only his determination but also his power.

I picked up this book to preread it as a possible title to pass along to my girls, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I would recommend it for ages 12 and up and am looking for to reading the other two books that are currently available in the upcoming weeks.

Book 23: Urchin and the Heartstone

Urchin and the Heartstone is the second book in the Mistmantle Chronicles by Margaret McAllister. With order restored on the island of Mistmantle, the animals are preparing for the coronation of Crispin the squirrel as their new king. As the time for the ceremony approaches, a ship arrives on the island from another island called Whitewings. The crew claims that exiles from Mistmantle are causing problems on their island and wish to request aid from Crispin, specifically that he would send Urchin to Whitewings because of a prophecy of a marked squirrel saving the island. Crispin sends moles to scout the island and verify the truth of the newcomers' stories, but the treacherous crew are not willing to wait and quickly kidnap Urchin. On Whitewings, Urchin finds King Silverbirch believes that he can find a pocket of silver large enough to satisfy the king's greed. His old enemy Granite is in charge of the king's soldiers and would like nothing better than to turn Urchin over to the evil Smokewreath to be sacrificed for magical power. Yet even on this desolate island, Urchin finds friends. Hidden from the wrath of the king are the true queen of Whitewings, her faithful priest, and a group of animals that are loyal to her. When King Silverbirch orders his moles to travel underground and launch an attack on Mistmantle, Urchin must choose between saving his own life or saving the island that he loves.

This second installment in the series is a delightful continuation of the story that I would recommend for ages 6 and up, and my boys and I are looking forward to the third book in the series.

Book 22: Gregor the Overlander

Gregor the Overlander by Collins is a delightful and imaginative children's tale. Eleven-year-old Gregor thinks that he is going to spend the summer stuck in New York City watching his two-year-old sister Boots while all the other neighborhood kids set off for camp. Then an ordinary trip to the laundry room changes everything as Boots falls into an air shaft with Gregor plunging after her. After a long fall, the two miraculous land safely in the Underworld where Boots is thrilled to meet a group of giant cockroaches. The crawlers take the two to an arena filled with the people and large bats of the Underworld who quickly escort them to the city of Regalia. Gregor's first attempt to return home comes to an abrupt end as he finds himself face to face with two very large rats, but his new friends quickly rescue him and return him and his sister safely to their city. The murder of the two rats is just the excuse that the rat king needs to declare war on the humans of the underworld. The only hope is found in a prophecy declaring that an overland warrior will lead an expedition whose outcome will determine the survival or extinction of the Underworld population. Whether he feels like a warrior or not, Gregor has no choice but to try and perhaps in the process even find and save his missing father.

After a string of books with some very dark villains, I was looking for something light and fun and picked Gregor the Overlander up to preread for my 9yo son. The tale is delightfully told with a mixture of action to move the tale along interspersed with humor (arising chiefly from the words and actions of the 2yo). I thoroughly enjoyed it and quickly assigned it to my son to read for literature in hopes of getting him hooked so that he'll want to read the remainder of the series himself. I would recommend this for ages 7 and up and am looking forward to reading the remaining books in the series in the upcoming weeks.

Book 21: The Prince of Mist

The Prince of Mist by Zafon is a supernatural tale written for young adults. The Carver family decides to move away from the current war to a village on the coast. The home that their father had purchased once belonged to a doctor whose son Jacob had drowned. What should have been a summer of exploration with their new friend Roland quickly takes a much darker turn. While their younger sister is in the hospital after a mysterious accident, Max, Alicia, and Roland slowly begin to uncover the secret of a magician known as the prince of the mist. Can they uncover the truth that the old lighthouse keeper is so desperately trying to hide? Is it even possible to stop the evil pact made by the doctor and save themselves?

An excellent read for those looking for a quick supernatural thriller. I would recommend it for ages 14 and up.

Book 20: St. Peter's Fair

St. Peter's Fair by Peters is the fourth mystery in the Brother Cadfael series. Under the leadership of a new abbot, Shrewsbury prepares to host their annual St. Peter's Fair, which bring in merchants from all over. Friction begins even before the start of the fair as the townspeople request that the abbey give 10% of their fees toward repairing the town, but their petition is refused. Some of the young men decide to take their plea directly to the merchants, who also refuse their petition. A fight breaks out, and the sheriff sends Hugh Beringar to restore order. That night, the daughter of one of the merchants comes to the abbey to report him missing. Beringar and Cadfael search unsuccessfully for the body, and Hugh takes Emma under his protection and leaves her in the capable hands of his lovely wife. The abbot not wishing any bad reflection on the abbey instructs Cadfael to keep an eye on Emma and the investigation to inform him of the developments. Then one of Emma's men is found bound in the booth, and the barge is searched. The chief suspect is cleared when another merchant is found murdered after his capture. Clearly, whoever is behind this is searching for something, but the lovely Emma continues to claim no knowledge of what could link all these events together. Can Beringar and Cadfael protect Emma when the murderer sets his sights on her?



St. Peter's Fair set in the unsettled time when both King Stephen and Empress Maud are claiming the throne of England is a tale of both murder and intrigue. An excellent follow up to the previous books in the series which I continue thoroughly enjoy and to recommend for ages 14 and up.

Book 19: Monk's Hood

Monk's Hood by Peters is the third mystery in the Brother Cadfael series. While Abbott Heribert travels to London to found out if he will continue as the abbot of Shrewsbury, the Bonels moved into one of the cottages of the abbey. Gervase Bonel is suddenly taken ill one night; and Cadfael arrives with another brother, recognizes that Bonel has been poisoned, and attempts to save his life. Unfortunately, the poison (monk's-hood) has been in his system too long, and the attempts to save his life are in vain. As he dies Cadfael recognizes that the source of the poison is of his own making for a topical treatment and reports this to the sheriff's sergeant. The suspicious immediately falls on Bonel's stepson; and while the sergeant goes to hunt for his suspect, Bonel's widow, who he recognizes as the woman he loved before setting off on the Crusades, pleads with him to help her son. For her sake and because the means of murder came from his own supplies, Cadfael investigates working around the obstacles placed before him by the imperious Prior Robert.



As with her other mysteries in the series, Monk's Hood is full of descriptive language, multiple plot twists, and the type of satisfactory ending that only Cadfael can achieve. I would heartily recommend this for ages 14 and up.

Book 18: Map of Bones

Map of Bones by Rollins is the second novel in his Sigma Force series. In a horrific heist, a group of men march into a cathedral in Cologne, Germany, kill the church members by some mysterious means seemingly contained in the communion bread, and gun down the remaining children and non-Catholics in cold blood leaving with only the bones of the Magi. The Vatican is in an uproar after the brutal attack and dispatches Vigor Verona as a representative with his niece Rachel, a lieutenant in Rome's carabinieri, to meet with a trio of Sigma Force agents led by Grayson Pierce. No sooner does the group begin its investigation at the cathedral than they are ambushed by members of the Dragon Court, who are responsible for the original massacre. The two sides race to uncover an ancient secret power to either save the world or enslave it.

Map of Bones is another action packed adventure from start to finish. The Dragon Court itself and the character of Raoul in particular are more evil and insidious than the Guild of book 1, so I won't be passing this series onto my teenagers. I would consider it appropriate for ages 18 and up.

Book 17: W.A.R.P.: The Reluctant Assassin

W.A.R.P. Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer begins in London in 1898 where young Riley, an orphan, is apprenticed to a former magician turned assassin named Garrick. This is to be Riley's first job, and he has no doubts that refusing to obey Garrick and kill the target will mean his own death. As he approaches the old man's bed, Riley cannot kill him, and the man wakes. Garrick forces the knife in Riley's hand into the target and watches in amazement as both Riley and the man disappear into a cloud of orange sparks. The two reappear in modern London where scientist's son and 16yo FBI agent Chevron Savano are waiting. Riley is arrested on suspicion of murder, and Chevron is left in charge while the son and an elite FBI team return to 1898 to wipe down the scene. Riley warns Chevron that Garrick will come after him, but it turns out to be even worse than he expected. Garrick arrives with the memories of the scientist's brilliant son who died on the return trip. In an effort to escape Garrick, the two use a second pod to return to Riley's time; but Garrick manages to follow them. Now the two of them must work together to stop the murderer and save themselves.



W.A.R.P. Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin is an engrossing young adult science fiction tale with plenty of action, a hideously evil villain, and of course two quirky young protagonists with the unenviable job of trying to stop a man capable of taking down a team of specially trained FBI agents. I was looking for another author that my Riordan fans might enjoy, and I have found a possibility. I enjoyed the book enough that I'm going to try his earlier Artemis Fowl series later this month. This new series I would recommend for ages 14 and up.

Book 16: Getting Things Done

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by Allen is a reread from last year. In my previous review I discussed his 5 step system to getting a handle on all the open loops floating around in the mind. This time around I wanted to review his system to see what I had missed (I need to be more consistent with the review step) and to spend more time on his information regarding projects and longer term goals. For projects he recommends brainstorming all the outstanding projects and sorting them into a current project list and a someday/maybe list. Simple projects with only a few steps would then only require determining what the next action is and then placing that action on the appropriate calender space or action list. For larger projects he recommends visualizing what the desired outcome is and then brainstorming what steps are needed to get to that point in a mind mapping type of format. The mind map can then be used to determine what steps can be taken at the current time to move the project forward. Longer term goals can be handled in a similar manner.

I would recommend Getting Things Done for anyone looking for an intuitive system for staying on top of things either at work or at home. I'm still refining the process and putting parts in practice, but the parts that I do have in place are working very well.

Book 15: Urchin of the Riding Stars

Urchin of the Riding Stars by McAllister is the first book in the Mistmantle Chronicles series of children's books. The island of Mistmantle is the home of an animal kingdom consisting of squirrels, otters, hedgehogs, and moles. Urchin, a young foundling squirrel with light fur, wishes more than anything else that he could serve in Mistmantle Tower. His chance comes when Captain Crispin asks him if he would like to become a page. The next day when Urchin reports for duty, he finds the tower in an uproar. The only son of King Brushen has been brutally murdered. Having no leads to the murderer, the king agrees to have Captain Husk draw lots despite the misgivings of Brother Fir, the monk, and the other captains. The lots identify Crispin as the murderer, and he is sent into exile leaving Urchin in the capable hands of Captain Padra the otter. Under the treacherous influence and care of Captain Husk and Lady Aspen, the queen dies; and the king becomes merely a puppet leader with Husk in charge. Urchin and Padra must work together to protect the animals of Mistmantle, prove Crispin's innocence, and save the kingdom from the evil within its borders.

An entertaining read, I enjoyed this as a read aloud with my 9yo and 5yo boys, and we are happily moving on to the second book in the series. I would recommend it for ages 6 and up.

Book 14: Agamemnon

Agamemnon by Aeschylus is a Greek tragedy portraying the treacherous death of Agamemnon upon his return from Troy. A portion of the play is devoted to recounting some of the events in Greece prior to the sailing of the Greek army: how Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter to the gods to receive a fair breeze for launch and how some in Greece spoke poorly of him for taking all of the young men of Greece with him because of his brother's unfaithful wife. Upon his return, his wife greets him as a hero, but the play quickly darkens as the Trojan slave girl that he brings with him foretells of the imminent death of both Agamemnon and herself. The murders take place off stage. Then the chorus moves to investigate the cry of the king and finds his wife standing over his dead body with the bloody weapon in her hands. She justifies herself by claiming that he deserved this fate for what he did to their daughter. Her co-conspirator Aegisthus joins her crowing that Agamemnon deserved his death because of the way Agamemnon's father had treated his own. The two end by setting themselves up as rulers, while the chorus prays that Agamemnon's son will return from exile to take revenge upon the two traitors.

I had not previously read Agamemnon. Another classic ancient tragedy, it is a bit depressing to read; but yet a truthful tale of the wickedness of which man is capable. Greed and self-gain are clear motivating factors in the actions of the murderers, and their defenses are just as universal today. It wasn't their fault that he is dead. They blame the victim claiming it was his own fault that he is lying there dead and try to wrap their crimes in the cloak of justice where ancient law allowed for the family member of someone slain to avenge the blood of the dead by killing their murderer. I'd recommend the play for ages 14 and up.

Book 13: One Corpse Too Many

One Corpse Too Many by Peters is the second book in her Brother Cadfael mystery series set in 12th century England. This time the trouble comes to Cadfael as England divided allegiance between King Stephen and Empress Maud and Stephen leads an army to besiege the castle at Shrewsbury which defiantly supports his rival. Just before the castle falls, more new faces arrive in Shrewsbury. Godith, daughter of one of the castle nobles, is brought to the abbey disguised as a boy to hide. The abbey also hosts Aline, who has come to offer Stephen the keys to her castle, and Hugh Beringar, the betrothed of Godith also come to side with the king. When the castle falls, Cadfael is sent to take care of the bodies of the fallen men; but the count is one too many. After careful review, he discovers one body that clearly does not belong, a young man brutally strangled and then dumped in with the bodies from the castle. With the king's blessing to find the murderer, Cadfael discovers that the man was on the opposing side part of a duo tasked with secreting away the treasure of the castle noble. Cadfael responsibilities multiply as he locates the other man hiding and wounded. Now he has a treasure to retrieve and two young people to get safely out of Shrewsbury while still trying to discover the truth about the murder.

An excellent follow up to the first book in the series, I would recommend One Corpse Too Many for ages 16 and up.

Book 12 - Oedipus at Colonus

Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles takes place chronologically between his Oedipus the King and Antigone. The play opens with an old and weary Oedipus led by his faithful daughter Antigone seeking a place to rest from his weary exile. He finds himself at a sacred grove near Colonus and the city of Athens. Knowing the reverence of the Athenian people for the ways of the gods, Oedipus pleads to them for compassion. A message is promptly sent to King Theseus that the infamous Oedipus is nearby. Theseus grants Oedipus' request and promises his protection to both Oedipus and his two daughters. In return Oedipus offers the king the only gift that the gods have given him to bestow. A promise that the place of his death will be a protection for Athens, the city who showed him compassion, when at a future time they are under attack from Thebes. At the same time Oedipus finds himself wanted by multiple parties. His sons are warring over the throne of Thebes and have learned that the side supported by Oedipus will be the winner. Oedipus scorns the entreaties of Creon, who then tries to kidnap Oedipus' daughters to force him back to Thebes, but Theseus intervenes and returns the girls safely to their father. Then his older son appears also pleading for his aid; but again Oedipus reminds him of his lack of mercy and compassion and his abandonment of his father in time of need. He warns him that attacking Thebes will result not only in his death but also the death of his brother. The play ends with Oedipus and Theseus going off to the place of his death alone, the grief of his daughters, and their fateful decision to return to Thebes to try to stop the coming bloodshed.



This was actually my first time reading this particular play, and I found it interesting. It is in some ways an ancient Greek version of "Do to others as you would have them do to you". Misfortune can come to anyone at any time, so it is best to show mercy to the less fortunate. Those who have compassion on Oedipus in his misfortune, his daughters and the city of Athens, receive the blessing of his love and his protection respectively. Those who heaped more troubles on him received his scorn and a promise of coming vengeance from the gods for their lack of mercy. I would recommend it for ages 14 and up.

Book 11 - Oedipus the King

Oedipus the King by Sophocles is the classic Greek tragedy of a decent man doomed to a horrible, inescapable fate by the gods. When told by the oracle of Delphi that he would kill his father and marry his mother, he tried to do the right thing. He left his home and those who he believed were his parents to save them and try to escape his fate. Instead while traveling toward Thebes, he is nearly run over by a group of men and kills four of them in self-defense. He travels on, saves Thebes from the Sphinx, and in return is made king and given the widow of the previous king as his wife. All is well until the gods strike Thebes with plagues, and the oracle proclaims that they must find the murderer of King Laius. The city's prophet tries to warn him, but Oedipus is a good king and is willing to do whatever he must to save his city. A shepherd, the lone survivor of the attack on the Laius, is brought from the country. Meanwhile another messenger comes to ask Oedipus to return home to become king of the city he left. Finally, the truth comes out. Oedipus, in fleeing the city where he was raised to avoid fulfilling the prophecy, ended up in the city of his birth and inadvertently doing the very thing from which he was fleeing. The queen hangs herself, and Oedipus blinds himself with the brooches from her clothing. The queen's brother becomes king and leads a broken Oedipus out of sight of his people.



Of the three plays in the trilogy, this one has always been my least favorite simply because of its theme. It's depressing to think that despite Oedipus' best efforts and all of his good deeds that a good man finds himself in such an inescapable mess. At the same time, it is real life. Bad things happen to good people every day through no fault of their own. The realization rightly should evoke a sense of thankfulness in those currently experiencing good fortune as well as a sense of mercy and compassion toward those fallen into misfortune. It's funny how despite all of the differences in religion and culture the message remains just as true today. An excellent read and a true classic, I recommend it for ages 14 and up.

Book 10 - The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley is the second book in his Flavia de Luce mystery series. Flavia is daydreaming in the church cemetery when she hears someone crying. Upon investigating, she meets Nialla the assistant of the famous puppeteer Rupert Porson whose van has broken down nearby. In order to make money to pay for the van's repairs, the puppeteer agrees to perform two shows in the church parish hall that Saturday. Flavia helps with the unloading of gear and returns the following day to see how she can be useful. The first sign of trouble appears at the Saturday matinee when the audience is shocked to see that the puppet Jack looks remarkably similar to a young local boy named Robin who was found hanging dead in the woods a few years previous. At the evening show, the audience is shocked when the play ends not with the crash of the giant but instead with the dead body of Porson falling onto the stage. Flavia, immediately focusing on the scene in front of her, quickly concludes that the puppeteer has been electrocuted, and launches her own investigation into his death.

While I still find some of the dynamics of Flavia's family disturbing (especially those between her and her sisters), Bradley has nevertheless creating another excellent, entertaining mystery that I found engrossing and enjoyable. I would recommend it for ages 14 and up.

Book 9 - Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain does an excellent job of exploring the differences between extroverts and introverts, the strengths and weakness of each, and the way that they are viewed in modern society. The book commences with a brief summary of how America changed from a culture of character where those who were serious and disciplined were considered most highly to a culture of personality where how one appears in public is more important. She looks at both the psychological and neurological characteristics of both introverts and extroverts and also offers some advice to introverts for working in an extroverted world as well as for parents of introverts to respect their need for down time and quiet.

Overall, I thought the book was interesting and would recommend it for those interested in the topic of introversion.

Book 8 - Sandstorm

Sandstorm (Sigma Force Novels) by James Rollins is fantastic read packed with suspense and action. Painter Crowe, former Special Forces, is part of an elite DOD group protecting cutting edge technology. Minutes after discovering that his partner is a traitor, he is picked up and dispatched to the British Museum in London to investigate a recent explosion in the north wing of an ancient artifact believed to contain antimatter. He and his new partner save Safia al-Maaz, the curator, from a ruthless group of attackers seeking to steal an iron heart discovered after the explosion in a broken sand sculpture from the lost city of Ubar. The Americans, hoping to find and secure a source of antimatter, then join Lady Kensington and Safia on an expedition to Oman with the added expertise of Omaha Dunn, and Indiana Jones type archaeologist, and an elite group of Omani special forces for protection; but they are up against a well-funded group of ruthless mercenaries with inside information and an approaching mega sandstorm. They must find the secret of the city of Ubar before time runs out.

The first book in Rollin's Sigma Force series, Sandstorm was excellently written. Some reviewers have complained that the plot is unrealistic because of the antimatter and the rather unique guardians of the city, but I though Rollins did an excellent job of making all the pieces sound plausible and consider it an excellent piece of fiction. I will definitely be reading the remaining books in the series over the course of the year as I get a chance. I would recommend it for ages 16 and up.

Book 7 -- The War of the Worlds

The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells is a interesting classic of science fiction. Oblivious to even the notion of life beyond the Earth, the unnamed protagonist living in the English countryside is busy with the routines of daily life: working on his book, reading the paper, having tea with his wife, and enjoying walks around town and the discussions that go along with them. Although astronomers notice 12 separate puffs of smoke on 12 consecutive nights on the planet of Mars, the smoke is attributed to volcanic activity and quickly dismissed from the public mind. Then the first cylinder falls just outside of town. At first, it is examined by local scientists expecting it to be a meteorite. Eventually it is noted that the end of the cylinder is slowly unscrewing. Crowds gather to see the first Martians, and military units are dispatched to keep them back. No one considers the visitors a threat until the first heat ray is fired lighting up plants, houses, people, and anything else within their path. More cylinders appear to be matched by more military troops with greater weapons capacity. Then the Martians make their second move, climbing out of the pits in huge 100 foot tripod machines equipped with heat rays and able to grab and destroy those in their path. When one of their tripods is destroyed by a lucky artillery shell, they retreat back to their original pits only to reemerge firing canisters of a dense black poisonous gas that quickly wipes out all of the soldiers protecting London. Most of London evacuates, and the narrator relates his brother's story of escape to a ship and the destruction of a few more tripods by a brave military captain, who brings them down by using his ship as a battering ram. The narrator shifts back to his own story and describes a harrowing fortnight where he lies trapped in a house partially buried by another falling cylinder. Here he watches the Martians at work and learns that they feed on human blood. He finally escapes and makes his way back to London believing mankind is doomed only to find that as suddenly as it all began it has also ended not due to the bravery or ingenuity of mankind, but to the millions of bacteria that cause so much havoc among the human race as well.

Well established as a classic, I found the descriptions crisp and detailed and the action well-paced for the most part. If I have one gripe with the book it would be the ending. I would have preferred something more along the lines of the movie Independence Day with mankind winning in a triumphant battle, but I can respect the plausibility of the aliens succumbing to bacteria that they have no natural defenses against and the humility that comes with recognizing that mankind was unable to rescue itself. The fragility of modern civilization with our dependence on electricity and food that is transported over long distances is in some ways not so different from the 19th century world portrayed in the book that quickly fell into chaos. It should at least make an interesting discussion topic once DD has finished reading as well. I would recommend this book as a classic piece of literature for ages 13 and up.

Book 6 - A Morbid Taste for Bones

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters is the first mystery in the Brother Cadfael Chronicles series. Brother Cadfael is a man of wide experience who became a Benedictine monk late in life. When his superiors become determined to acquire the bones of a Welsh saint in a tiny village, Brother Cadfael immediately offers his services as translator in order to join the expedition despite his reservations about the justice of the quest. While the ruling bishop and prince are both give their permission to the Benedictine delegation to move the bones of Siant Winifred, the people of the local village are not at all pleased with the idea. The landholder Rhisiart takes the lead in arguing with the prior that the bones should be allowed to stay in their current location and is outraged at the bribe offered to him to change his mind. He agrees to return the following day to discuss the situation again but does not appear despite leaving the house at the appropriate time to arrive at the meeting. A brief search turns up his body lying dead in the woods apparently shot with the arrow of a outlander. Then it is up to Brother Cadfael to assist Rhisiart's daughter in determining who the true murderer is in order to clear the name of the outlander whom she loves.

The first Brother Cadfael mystery is beautifully set in 12th century England and Wales with vivid characters both good and bad within the cloister and without. Brother Cadfael is definitely not a typical 12th century monk, but a man with a deep sense of justice and fairness and enough experience with men to understand the potential legal, cultural, and political pitfalls that might interfere with the pursuit of true justice. In the end, he successfully works out a surprising solution that not only unmasks the offender but attempts to do the right thing for all parties involved. I'd highly recommend this book for ages 13 and up and have already put the second and third books in the series on hold to read later this month.

Book 5 - Antigone

Antigone by Sophocles depicts the aftermath of the war between the sons of Oedipus, Eteocles and Polynices, to control Thebes. The new king Creon decrees that the former, who died defending Thebes, will be given a hero's burial but the latter, now branded a traitor to Thebes, shall not be buried but left in the open to be destroyed by wild animals and birds. Antigone, one of the two daughters of Oedipus who is to marry Creon's son, as much as she may have disagreed with her brother's action is grief stricken at the thought of him not receiving proper burial and determines that Creon's edict is a violation of the god's will and cannot be obeyed. After being caught in the act of covering her brother's body, Antigone is sentenced to be entombed alive over the protest of her betrothed and the seer of the city. Then the events unfold to punish Creon for his pride and foolhardy defiance of the gods by stubbornly refusing to admit his error until it is too late.

This classic Greek tragedy well deserves its place among the great books of Western Civilization. While short in length it is packed with lessons and points for discussion: obeying man v. obeying the gods, pride and its consequences, and the courage to stand for one's beliefs among others. Of Sophocles's tragedies this one is my favorite and I would highly recommend it for ages 14 and up.

Book 4: Secrets of an Organized Mom

Secrets of an Organized Mom by Reich is a room by room approach to organizing the entire house. She uses a basic 4 step system of purging, designing, organizing, and maintaining combined with some simple common sense rules like storing like things together and storing items where they are used. In each chapter she explains how to apply these rules to the room being discussed, covers the basics of what is actually needed for that area, and provides examples of items that her clients have been hanging onto that should be purged.

I would recommend the book to anyone that needs an extra little push to remove items that are unloved, unneeded, or overstocked. I found her lists of basic supplies needed in each area to be a good starting point when considering which items can be purged. She does encourage having all the same hangers or all the same containers, and I personally don't think that is necessary. Nor do I wish to switch to having all of my financial statements delivered electronically because I am horrible at remembering to look at them online. Still, I consider it a worthwhile read and a good motivator to pare down the excess items in the house.

Book 3 - Phantastes

Phantastes by MacDonald is an exquisitely descriptive ramble through Fairy Land with a young man called Adonos. It doesn't have as much of a plot as other stories to move things along, but tends instead to take a more leisurely path with stunning views of the sights of Fairy land as well as numerous detours through poetry. Along the way Adonos learns about the people of Fairy land, narrowly escapes the plots of the Ash and Alder, twice frees a beautiful lady, lounges in the library of a palace, battles giants, and takes service as a squire to a noble knight. How he escapes Fairy land and what lessons he learns, I'll leave to the discovery of each reader.

Phantastes is an interesting wander through the realm of Fairy land that I would suggest for ages 14 and up.

Book 2: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Bradley is the first book in his Flavia de Luce series. In the summer of 1950, eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce's boring life at Buckshaw, the family's old English mansion, is suddenly turned upside down. First a dead jack snipe with a postage note on its beak appears on the doorstep, and her normally unflappable father is visibly upset. Then she wakes during the night to find her father arguing with a red headed man, whom she finds lying in the cucumber patch poisoned and breathing his final breaths the next morning. Instead of being upset, Flavia, whose passionate about chemistry and most especially about poisons, is intrigued; and being treated like a little girl by the Inspector who arrives to examine the remains is the perfect motivation to set out and solve the mystery on her own. She must work quickly to save her father, who is arrested for the crime, by uncovering part of his past and solving another 20 year old murder.



It took me a few chapters to get into the book. The first chapter or two have more about the back and forth contentious relationship between Flavia and her two older sisters, which I actually found to be a bit of a turn off. Once the story began to focus more on the murder itself, my interest level definitely picked up. I wasn't completely surprised by the ending. I could see where the book was headed, but it still held my interest to stay up late and finish the book on Friday night. I plan on reading the next book in the series. It's a well-written, fun read for ages 13 and up.

Book 1 - The Odyssey

The Odyssey by Homer is the timeless classic tale of the 10 year journey of Odysseus from Troy back to his beloved home and family in Ithaca. At home his wife is besieged by unwanted suitors feasting on the riches of the king's palace, and his son Telemachus now grown to manhood is too far outnumbered to deal with the vultures himself. Still Athena, though she will not confront Poseidon directly, argues for Zeus to order Calypso to free Odysseus so that he might return home and orchestrates plan after plan to see him safely home with rich treasure, victorious over the suitors, and able to rule again in peace.

This is by far my favorite piece of ancient literature and I highly recommend it as a must read for ages 14 and up.

New Year's Resolutions & January's Goals

It's that time of year again, time to make those dreaded New Year's resolutions. I made a little progress last year, but life happened as always so as usual there's still room for improvement. I'll take most of these goals and break them down further in weekly or monthly categories, but here's an overall look.

Spiritual
1. Read through the Bible in one year - I have tried a lot of one year Bibles and they just haven't worked for me. With the chronological Bible, I generally sink somewhere in the midst of Job. It's just to cold and dreary in January for Job. Last year I tried the One Year Bible thinking that more variety might help. Each day had a passage from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. It was just too scattered a format for me. This year, I've decided on a new approach, simply reading through the Bible from beginning to end a little bit each day. I have the free ESV version on my Kindle, and I found a canonical plan that schedules daily readings for a year. Then I made a Word document listing the readings to be done each month that I can fold to show one month at a time and keep in the pocket of my Kindle case.

2. More consistent quiet time - I like to have quiet time first thing in the morning before the kids are up. Unfortunately, I am not always up before the kids; so while I work on consistently getting up earlier, my short term resolution for January is no television or internet until I've had some quiet time even if it's just five minutes to read the day's chapter for goal 1.

Home Management
1. Continue decluttering and organizing following the 52 Week Organized Home Challenge- My kitchen is in fairly good shape already, so I'll probably spend more time in January putting together items for the spring consignment sale.

2. Better implementation of schedule and chores - For January, I need to make some adjustments to our daily schedule to make it more doable, redo the kids chore charts, and work on getting them to complete their chores without reminders. (Although I am resigned to the latter possibly taking all year.)

3. Menu Planning - I made a menu for January during the last week of December and made breakfast and lunch menus for the kids and I. Now I can focus on implementing and finding new recipes for next month.

Financial

Better expense tracking, budgeting, and savings - My goal for January is simply to track spending while focusing on cutting the food bill by better utilizing what we already have. For budgeting, I'll put together a form for next month. For savings, I'll work on doing a better job at coupons.

Health

Lose 15-20 pounds - I made myself an eating plan that I'll be trying to stick with. I'm cutting back coffee to 1 cup in the morning and cutting out soft drinks in favor of water (aiming for 4 cups a day to start). For exercising, I'm going to start at 3 times a week for January and hopefully increase that next month.

Fun / Hobbies
1. Get back to more regular blogging

2. Complete the afghan laying in squares in my bedroom.

3. 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge

Self-Education
1. Improve my Latin and Spanish. - Set aside 30 minutes 5 times a week to work on Latin for this month. Come up with plan for Spanish besides teaching DD.

2. Read more Great Books.

3. Read all the way through Bauer's The History of the Ancient World with notes.

Parenting

1. Bring back no TV game nights.

2. Do more cooking with the girls and spend more time with boys.