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What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy

"What the Dickens" is an imaginative story about a rogue tooth fairy named, strangely enough, What the Dickens. It's unusual, but believe it or not, it does make sense when you read the book! I'll let you find out why for yourself.

Gage, a young man, is the one who tells us about What the Dickens. Gage is taking care of his three younger cousins during a hurricane. He had been visiting when the storm took out the power, and the children's mother needed that power to keep her insulin fresh. So the children's parents take off to find medical help, and Gage stays behind to protect the kids.

The situation for Gage and the kids is pretty bad, and to take their mind off of it, he tells them the story of What the Dickens. Is it a true story? The children never really can figure that out, but it's definitely a captivating story!

Have you ever wondered how one single tooth fairy manages to collect all those teeth? Well the answer is that it's not one single tooth fairy, there are whole colonies of them! And when one is born away from the colonies, he finds himself with no identity, and no way of learning who is is. Eventually, though, he begins to learn about the world, and he meets another tooth fairy. That takes him on a wild adventure where he meets Gage, life and limb is in peril, and there is lots to be learned!

We Few by David Weber and John Ringo

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We Few

"We Few" concludes the series about Prince Roger McClintock and his Bronze Battalion. Well, actually, as the title suggests, there aren't very many of the battalion left. 12 in fact. Prince Roger, with these 12 warriors, and the barbarians who pledged their loyalty to him on Marduk, face the challenge of rescuing his mother, The Empress.

There are a number of overwhelming obstacles to over come however. The people do not realize that the Empress even needs to be rescued because her captors have her drugged, and she's still appearing before the people. Prince Roger and his men are fugitives because they have been blamed for the deaths of his siblings. Top that all off with the Imperial Palace being almost impossible to breach, and our friends have their hands full!

Prince Roger is more than up to the challenge though. If there is one thing he learned on Marduk it was how to over come over whelming odds. How does he do it? You'll have to read the book to find out!

A Pollyanna Dental Update

I grew up watching the 1960 Disney version of the movie "Pollyanna." It was based on a book by Eleanor Porter and is about a young girl who manages to stay positive in the face of incredibly difficult circumstances. Pollyanna had grown up as a missionary child, so she was accustomed to poverty and the hand me downs she got from the missionary barrels. Then her parents die, leaving her to go live with her aunt, a spinster who seems cold and harsh, in a town that's far from cheerful.

I couldn't find the exact quote, but Pollyanna has a policy in life of always looking for the best in any situation. For finding the silver lining in every rain cloud. Eventually her positive attitude infects the entire town!

Life wasn't always easy when I was younger, and Mom taught me to look at life like Pollyanna did. I've had people ask me in the last couple years, as I've struggled with severe asthma and migraines, how I stay positive, and the answer is often Pollyanna! (when I am actually staying positive that is) Mom and I practiced that attitude so much that looking for the best in a situation is something I do with out even thinking about it most of the time.

Yesterday I had oral surgery to have one of my back molars removed. On the one hand it's a frustrating situation because it is painful and it means I have a hole in my mouth which will making chewing more difficult. However, there are a lot of good things I can be thankful for! So here's my Pollyanna look at the whole situation :)

1. After 2 years of avoiding all milk because of the severity of my asthma I've finally been able to work it back into my diet - which means that while I can barely chew during recovery I can eat things like yogurt and mac'n'cheese!

2. For years I had to avoid having apples, applesauce, or apple juice because it would mess up my innards, I discovered about a month ago this is no longer the case, so I've also been able to eat lots of yummy applesauce as I recover!

3. The dentist was really competent and really kind. He numbed me up really well, and when I said "ow" he shot me up some more! He also gave me some really strong pain killers so for once they are working :)

4. My Mom already had the day off because she took my grandparents in the airport that morning so they could fly home, so my Mom was there with me, which was very comforting since the hubby had to be in school!

5. The dentist worked really fast so my jaw isn't nearly as sore as I thought it would be today, which means I can eat much easier than I thought I'd be able too!

All in all, despite being a little foggy from pain meds, and the pain when the meds start to wear off in that last hour before I can take them again, I have a LOT to be thankful for. Praise God!

Meet Jessica!

I'm going to do something a little different today - I want to introduce you to a blogger that I've had a lot of fun getting to know! So sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy getting to know Jessica :) And sorry if it feels a little like joining a conversation in progress...

JM: What do your user names mean? I know your blog is "Nayu's Reading Realm" and then your user name when you leave comments shows up as "Yunaleska." I've always been curious!

Jessica: User names - oh these always have people guessing. Someone once thought it was Swedish/Scandinavian.Yunaleska is the main character in Square Enix's (formerly Squaresoft) Playstation 2 game Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2. I'm a huge FF fan, and I tend to use names of the heroines as usernames. I figured that Yunaleska might be under copyright laws, so I swapped it around to create Nayuleska (as I'm known on twitter). All credit to Square Enix for such a fab internet name. And for such brilliant games! (Me, advertising? Yes. I'm FF obsessed).

JM: You've told me you live in England but you miss the States - where are you actually from? Where did you live in the States? What part of England do you live in? Why do you live in England?

Jessica: Oh I ought to explain - I'm English born and bred. I visited Florida when I was little (Mickey Mouse played a part) and I loved the atmosphere, how friendly everyone was - it was all genuine. I went twice, and loved it both times. This year I got to visit Annapolis in Maryland. Definitely a different state to Floriday (duh!) but the friendliness was there. It's hard to explain exactly what it is about America that I love, but I like the culture. I adore the choice of food in the supermarkets. I find it funny the different terms with have for the same item

• Eggplant = aubergine
• cilantro = corriander
• oatmeal = porridge

I love the space in the towns, I love the huge houses, I love oreos and I'm a huge fan of Hershey's (secretly wishes Hershey's would send me chocolate to review!). America happens to get anime dvds before Europe...which annoys me a little. Plus I love the weather (although I don't think I would enjoy hurricanes). I love Starbucks, which is over here in England.

I live in the South of England. We don't get the heavy snow in winter, but we get a bit. Enough that I got snowed in and couldn't get to work - yes, I did get extra reading in then. Although I moan about the weather (rain, rain, and lots of cloud), we are fortunate not to have too much flooding or natural disasters. I like tea - I prefer jasmine and green tea to 'normal' English tea. I love strawberries, I sometimes prefer the English book covers to the American ones. I love our icecream (although American icecream is also yummy). I live in England because I was born here. Maybe one day I'll emigrate. Or, failing that, spend more time in America! (places I want to visit: Hawaii, Alaska. And Maryland again.)

JM: Well if you ever visit the great North West let me know :)

I had no idea that cilantro and corriander were the same thing! That's funny :P I love cilantro!

What got you started blogging?

Jessica: Believe me I was completely stumped whenever a recipe said 'cilantro'.

What started me blogging - it was actually the desire to spread the word about books. I loved the idea of being a book reviewer. I have few friends who share the same taste in books as me, so I have a limited outlet when I want to rave about books. I've always admired my fellow blog book reviewers. I feel they are articulate and give a good analysis of books. One of them said I ought to try book reviewing. So I set up my blog. They said it might be time before publishers send me books for review, but I didn't mind that. I was all set to review books solely from my library and my small collection. But then slowly more publishers said yes they'll send me books, and the blogging went from there.

I also have a writing blog, which is where I can relax. I can yell about how useful (or not) my Muse is being, groan about revisions, and just generally update on how I'm doing.

I aim to put a book review up each day, but lately life hasn't let me do that. I always try and read a book a day (it is possible...most of the time). I'm in catch up mode, and should be back on track soon. I'm thankful that people are understanding of life's curve balls!

I hope you've had a lot of fun getting to know Jessica! Check out her reviews at Nayu's Reading Corner!

Chalice by Robin McKinley

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Chalice

"Chalice" is the second book I've read by Robin McKinley, and I'm quickly falling in love with her work! The first book I read, Spindle's End, was a fanciful retelling of the story of Sleeping Beauty. This story, Chalice, is completely it's own story, and the depth of her imagination amazes me!

In "Chalice" we meet a young woman named Mirasol. Mirasol has been a beekeeper and a woodsmen, and now she finds herself being chosen unexpectedly as the Chalice of the land. The position of Chalice is a sacred one of power, and one that requires a special person. The Chalice must have "landsense," in other words, they must be able to sense the power lines that run through the land, and thus have a very close connection to the land. The Chalice works with the Master of the land, and the Circle, and together they keep the land whole, safe keep the people, and govern.

Mirasol faces many challenges that are above and beyond what a normal Chalice would face. The previous Master and Chalice died suddenly, and the land was already in distress when they died. Plus, it's very unusual for a Chalice to come to her position without first being the apprentice to the prior Chalice, but the prior Chalice had never taken an apprentice. On top of all that, the new Master is in a bit of an unusual situation himself.

Both the new Master and Chalice have power. He of Fire, and her in honey, and some how they must find a way to heal the land together. It's a beautiful story steeped in magical lore that will keep you turning pages until the very end!

Dental Adventures

This morning I went into the dental clinic that is set up for those of us without dental insurance and with out a lot of money to have them look at my two broken teeth. The took x-rays and the results were that we'll be able to save one tooth and not the other. I can accept that...it's better than losing both!

The only problem is that they were not comfortable with doing the extraction there at the clinic. I think I scared the doctor with how messed up my body is with asthma and stuff. So they referred me to an oral surgeon.

Saw the oral surgeon this afternoon and we're doing the extraction on Monday. I'm a little bit nervous because two of the medications I'm on will slow the healing process, but I know it can't be avoided, so I'm going for it. I'll live!

I'm really tired today. It's been a busy week and it was a long day with both the dentist appointments and several errands. So for those of you I usually chat with, that's why I'm quiet!

Health Update on my Cousin and Me

We got some good news about my cousin Mark! The one who has cancer... Anyway, this is what his sister e-mailed me this morning:

"So its called small cell lymphoma, or something to that effect. They finally got back to us with biopsy results. its more common, and lower on the severity scale than the first one mark was diagnosed with. his treatment starts again Monday, he should get his teeth taken care of this week or his next off week, he's not gonna have to stay in the hospital, just go to treatment and come home, he is going to need the stem cell/bone marrow transplant, but they can do it at any time during his treatment instead of waiting for the chemo to be completed. thats the quick synopsis anyways."

It's still serious, it's spread through out a large portion of his body, but it's nice to know its not a scary rare form like they originally thought, and this gives a little bit more hope :) He's already lost his hair from the chemo. Mom knit him a hat a week or two ago to help keep his head warm!

Now my news....

I'm continuing to stay healthier. I'm still having some asthma attacks, but they are much more infrequent than they were and I'm able to go for fairly regular walks. I've also been able to finally add some milk back into my diet after almost 2 years of having to completely avoid it! I can't tell you how happy that makes me :) There were so many foods I missed!

We are trying to get me on a daily migraine medication because I'm continuing to battle migraines almost daily. There have been a lot of hiccups and miscommunication in the process, but I'm hoping to have something by next week. Until then...I've given in and I'm drinking caffeine again. I'm not supposed to because I have an elevated heart rate from my asthma meds, but its the only thing keeping me functional. I'll trade an elevated heart rate for not being stuck curled up in bed. As soon as I get the daily meds I'll stop drinking it again. And I'm being careful not to drink too much so my heart rate isn't getting too high.

Now for the bad news. I've had bad teeth for years. It's a combination hereditary and from the steroids and other meds I've been on over the years. Yesterday I had couple handfuls of popcorn, and accidentally got a hard kernel, and it broke two teeth! One of the teeth wasn't that unexpected, they had put a temporary fix on it that was supposed to last for about 6 months...and that was two years ago. But the second tooth was a big surprise! I'm going in first thing tomorrow to get them worked on. I'm expecting to lose at least one, if not both of the teeth. I don't think we'll be able to afford anything else.

Trying not to get too depressed, they are both molars so it won't affect my smile too horridly, but it's still really frustrating. Especially because I'm already missing a tooth on the opposite side of my mouth so this just means it'll be more "fun" to eat! I'm hoping and praying that this doesn't throw my body for too much of a loop. Dental work tends to trigger my other health problems from the stress and pain. I'm trying to think positive though and really praying that I still make it to my cousins baby shower on Saturday!

Shopping Spree!

Have I mentioned that my Grandparents are in town? They live in southern California and it's been a little over a year since I last saw them. They've always tried to come up and visit about once a year, but last year we went and visited them mid-summer for their 50th wedding anniversary. Well, Mom, Dad, Gordon, and I did. Moses didn't get to go on that trip, so this is the first time they've seen Moses since we got married almost two years ago.

It's been good to spend time with them! This morning we went out shopping and Nana bought me some new clothes! Free clothes are always nice :D I got 3 shirts at Sears...

And two pairs of jeans at JC Penny...

I'm really excited about the belt that came with the first one - because my belt is wearing out! And the best part? They were all on sale or clearance! We also went to Walmart and picked up a few small things, no clothes though so I didnt show them off :P

Nana and Grandpa will be here for just over another week. Wednesday night we'll be joining them, my parents, and Gordon for dinner. Friday morning Nana and Mom are going to come over so she can see our apartment, and Nana wants to look over my earrings again. She said she might even buy some more! Woohoo!

If I get a chance I'll have my brother get a shot of me and my grandparents - I plan on wearing my new clothes on Wednesday :D

Wolf Star by Tanith Lee

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Wolf Star: The Claidi Journals II (Lee, Tanith. Claidi Journals, Bk. 2.)

"Wolf Star" is the second book in the "Claidi Journals" by Tanith Lee. It continues, in journal format, the story of the young woman Claidi. Claidi grew up as a serving girl, but was given an opportunity to escape that life, and she spent the first book on a grand adventure traveling.

As this book starts Claidi is preparing for her wedding. Unfortunately the wedding never takes place because Claidi is kidnapped and taken away. First by balloon, and then across the sea by boat, until she reaches a cliff that turns out to be a palace. Claidi is left there by her captors, and she soon discovers that there are few people there at the cliff, but not much hope of leaving either.

The only other occupants of the cliff palace are some serving robots, a young girl who cries to water the plants, some mutated animals, and Prince Venn. Nobody seems to be able to tell her why she is there, and while Prince Venn does seem to know, communicating with him is like banging her head against the wall.

Eventually, though, Claidi does manage to make friends with Prince Venn, and the two of them try to figure out how to help her and more about why she's actually there. This involves a search through the palace, which is a much harder task than you might think, because the rooms like to randomly move about! It's a crazy adventure, but it's the first step in Claidi finding a way to go back to the man she loves.

Swan Sister: Fairy Tales Retold

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Swan Sister: Fairy Tales Retold

Edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

"Swan Sister" is a delightful anthology of retold fairy tales as collected by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. There are 13 stories in this collection. Each with its own twist on old stories such as Rapunzel and Little Red Ridding Hood.

My favorite story came at the very end, and since this is an anthology, it's one time you can skip to the end with out ruining anything! The story is called "Swan Sister" and it's the story the book takes it's title from. It's a moving story of a sisters love, and I was crying by the time I was done reading it!

There are plenty of other great stories in this book to read. You'll find your imagination challenged as you work your way through them!

Aria's Quest - What's Happened So Far

I started writing my story, Aria's Quest, in February of this year. I wanted to write a modern fairy tale, and I wanted to work on piece of serial fiction to publish weekly on my blog. It's been a long hard road, and I recently had to take a break from it, but it's also been a lot of fun! I decided that I need to write up a short synopsis of what's happened in the story so far for anyone who's just joining in on the story.

Aria is a 17 year old Woodland Fairy from a large family. She's a bit precocious, and has a thirst for knowledge. Among the woodland fairies it's required that you complete a quest to be recognized as an adult in the community. This quest is assigned by a counsel and they are the ones who decide when a fairy is prepared to embark on their quest.

The quest consists of the fairy traveling into the city, finding a human to work with, and finding a way to improve that human's life. It's not required that the human be aware of the fairy's influence in their life, and many fairies chose to remain invisible as they go about their quest. This approach never appealed to Aria though, and she spent the first portion of her quest simply searching for a "true believer."

A "true believer" is a human who believes, truly, in things such as magic and fairies. It's not required that a human be a true believer for them to be able to see a fairy, but it certainly makes it easier! Aria wanted to actually work with the person she's helping, so she searched high and low until she found just the right guy!

Along the way, while she searched, Aria made some friends. She first met another fairy named Robyn, and he helped her find a place to stay, with his foster parents Darryl and Gina. Darryl and Gina are a dwarven couple that manages to "pass" as human and live in a local apartment. They make Aria feel right at home and provide a lot of support for her on her search.

Aria finds a gem of a true believer in a young man named Joey. Joey was originally a country boy, and he came to the city to find his sister, who has gone missing. As he looks for her he works at a local church as a janitor, and that's where Aria originally finds him.

When Aria finds out about Joey's missing sister, Molly, she knows that she needs to help Joey find her. It scares her a little bit, because it's something that is so vitally important to Joey, but she knows deep inside that it's what's right. So she sits Joey and down and explains what she wants to do to help him, and Joey starts by telling her a little bit more about Molly.

That brings us up to current! I plan on resuming posting new material next week. I hope you enjoy it!

The Splenda Adventure

Tonight Moses and I joined my brother, parents, and Grandparents at Red Robin for dinner. I went over a little bit early to spend time talking with my Nana and Moses joined me at my parents house after he got out of school. It was a lot of fun talking, and then piling us all into the 7 passenger van they rented for their visit added it's own entertainments!

I was in a bratty mood tonight. If you know me well, you know that's not unusual, but tonight I was in an especially bratty mood! I've been trying to be a good girl and not order sugar laden items because I need to watch both my blood sugar and weight. So I steal a taste of whatever my brother and hubby get. Or at least I try to.

Gordon, my brother, ordered an Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie. I did manage to talk him into letting me take a drink, but then later on my Dad gave me a few of his fries (I had ordered pasta), and I waited until Gordon wasn't looking and dipped my fry in his smoothie! Ooo...was I in trouble!

He got me back though. He got me back good!

A little while later he started teasing me about putting pepper in my water glass. Then he decided to tear open a splenda packet and pour THAT into my glass! I watched him do it, laughing, and called him a brat. So you would think I'd know better right? Wrong!

Not long after that I was distracted by the conversation (they had actually gotten my hubby talking) and I absent-mindedly reached for my water glass and took a sip - which promptly lead to a conniption fit!

I can handle splenda in cooking, or even in coffee, but NOT in water!

I tried grabbing my hubbies soda to get rid of the taste, but it wasn't a strong enough flavor. I was about to try to find another fry to steal when Gordon finally took pity (through his laughter) and offered me a sip of his smoothie as a peace offering. That finally got rid of the taste, but it took a lot longer for us to all stop laughing!

March to the Stars by David Weber and John Ringo

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March to the Stars (Prince Roger Series, Book 3)

"March to the Stars" is the third book in this series about Prince Roger and the Bronze Battalion. I mentioned in my last review that I hadn't enjoyed book two as much as book one, but that I was going to keep reading the series because my evil twin said the authors redeemed themselves. She was right! I really enjoyed book three!

It's finally time for the crew to cross the ocean and take over the space port. As they cross the ocean they will have to face sea monsters and pirates, and when they reach land things aren't much better! The society they discover performs ritual cannibalism, something that shocks and appals both the humans and their Mardukan friends.

They also discover that they are going to have to cross yet another range of mountains to reach the space port, and that taking the space port may be the least of their problems! Once they receive news of the Galaxy at large they discover that there is an intricate plot against the Queen, and that Prince Roger has been implicated. Now they not only have to get home, they need to clear their names, and save the Queen!

There is one more book in the series, and I can hardly wait to see how they get out of all this mess!

Wolf Tower by Tanith Lee

"Wolf Tower" is the first book in the Claidi journals by Tanith Lee. The Claidi Journals are young adult fiction, and I say they are at about a high middle school reading level. Her work has been compared to Gail Carson Levine's "Ella Enchanted."

Wolf Tower is the start of Claidi's story. She's a serving girl at "the House," and she's stolen the journal she records her story in from one of the ladies. Before you think poorly of her though, remember that as a servant she owns nothing, and the lady she serves is NOT fun!

One day a stranger arrives at the House, and being the suspicious people the are, they lock him up. Not that they manage to keep him there. Princes Jizania Tiger sets him free, for reasons of her own, and uses Claidi to help him escape, in the process setting Claidi free.

Now Claidi and the stranger (Nemian) are traveling to reach Nemian's home. Along the way they meet many different people, and Claidi learns that the world is far different than what she'd been told while growing up in the House. She also learns that she may not be who she always though she was.

This is a fun read. I would recommend it to any young adult, and to any adult! It's a nice, clean, fantasy that talks about growing up.

Crewel Lye: A Caustic Tale by Piers Anthony

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Crewel Lye (Magic of Xanth)

The master of puns is at it again! I must admit though, even though I read like maniac, I had no idea what the word "crewel" meant. I had to look it up. Apparently it's a type of yarn used in embroidery, or etching. It's also called worsted yarn, which is the term I had heard before. "Lye," for those who don't know,is a type of solution, in fact any solution "resulting from leaching, percolation, or the like." (dictionary.com)

The title of the book "Crewel Lye" is a play on the more familiar words "Cruel Lie," which is exactly what the ghost Jordan had fallen victim too. He never really understood what had happened though, and when he tried to view the magic tapestry in the castle that shows the history of Xanth, it was too dirty for him to view the scenes of his life properly. So Princess Ivy goes to the Good Magician and he gives her a substance, a crewel lye, to use on the tapestry.

After the tapestry has been cleaned, Ivy and Jordan are able to view his adventures while he was still alive, and discover what had happened to him. You see, Jordan's magical power is the ability to heal himself, even to the point of regenerating missing limbs! However, whoever killed him scattered the pieces of his body so far apart that even his incredible gift couldn't restore him. Now it's time for him to have another chance at life.

I Have an Awesome Brother!

I have an awesome brother. Well, two awesome brothers, but one lives on the other side of the world so I don't have as many opportunities to brag about him. Gordon, the one who still lives here, and I have gotten much closer in the last two years. There are many reasons for that, but one of the big one's is that we both deal with major health problems and end up spending a lot of time at home and on-line. And, while on-line, we chat about things all day long. Sometimes it's the mundane ("I got a great score on my game") and other times really serious ("I'm really frustrated/angry today.") It's built a really tight bond between us.

Last night, in particular, Gordon was entertaining me. Mo and I had joined my parents out at a restaurant for dinner. They were doing a special deal where everyone who ordered a meal got a free slice of pie. So the waitress had bused our table and brought us new silverware.

Well she didn't manage to get all the original silverware. The end result was that we had several extra sets that Gordon started collecting at his end of the table. He almost had enough knives to make "Wolverine" claws! In fact, he would have had enough if we cleaned off a dirty knife, but that's when the pie showed up, so he put them down.

Now comes the best part. He had so many forks and spoons gathered around him, that he decided he wasn't going to use any utensil twice! He was pretending to be a snob. He certainly managed to collect a sea of silverware and keep us all laughing!

My only regret from last night? I forgot my camera and I didn't think to ask my brother if I could use his to take pictures of him. *sigh* Oh well, I guess that will teach me to carry my camera more often!

DS9 - Season 3

Deep Space 9 Season 3 was all about the relationships for me, well that and the development of different characters and the concept of identity. I'm sure other people would probably see the season differently, but that's what stuck out at me the most. Odo finding his people, Bashir and O'Brien's friendship, Kira and Vedek Bareil, Garak and Bashir, and they even have an episode all about relationships called "Fascination!" It's a fascinating episode (pun intended) where person after person starts hitting on some one you would never expect! Vedek Bariel on Dax, Dax on Sisko (ok that was expected), Kira and Bashier, and the list goes on! It's a highly entertaining episode.

They also, like I said, spend a lot of time on the concept of identity. The season starts right off the bat with Odo finding his people, and that escalates his turmoil about who he is, a concept he spends the rest of the series exploring. Is he defined by his physical heritage, or who he's made of himself, or a mixture of both?

One of my favorite episodes was one called "Facets" where Dax asks various residents of the station to join her in the Zhian'tara ritual. The Zhian'tara ritual is traditional for joined Trills because it gives them the chance to meet the former hosts through a process where their identities are temporarily psychically transferred into another person. Sound confusing? It is a little, but it was also histerical! It was fun to watch the different actors getting to play different roles, and of course I enjoyed learning more about Dax!

How can I talk about identity and relationships with out mentioning the episode where Kira is transformed into a Cardassian, Bashir's trip to the alternate universe, and Bashir's aging episode? Well..there...I've mentioned them and now you'll have to go watch the season to find out more!

Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

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Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson, Book 2)

"Blood Bound" is the second book in the "Mercy Thompson" series by Patricia Briggs. Once again she's written a great book full of magic, adventure, and even a little bit of romance! Whereas the last book delved deep into the world of werewolves, this book takes us (and Mercy) into the secret lives of vampires.

Mercy knows that vampires are, by definition, evil. She makes an exception for her friend Stephen though, so when he goes missing, she's more than willing to investigate! Plus she has the advantage of being semi-immune to vampire magic, which has lead to the queen of the vampire coven calling on her for help, because they are dealing with a rogue vampire.

Along the way Mercy learns a lot about vampire society that she never knew, and a lot about her friend Stephen. Including that he seems to care for her a bit more than just as a friend. How complicated can her love life get? She already has two werewolves vying for her attention...

Imaginary Menagerie: A Book of Curious Creatures

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Imaginary Menagerie: A Book of Curious Creatures

Poems by Julie Larios, Paintings by Julie Paschkis

"Imaginary Menagerie" is a wonderful book for any parent who wants to introduce their children to fantasy! There are fourteen different poems, each one dealing with different creature from myth, and each accompanied by a beautiful painting on the opposite page. This book is not only an interesting (and easy) read, but a feast for the eyes!

I also really appreciated that they have a couple pages at the end of the book that give you more details about each of the fantastic creatures in the book. So, depending on the age of the child, you can go into more detail or not as you wish. This would be a great book to read to your child, or to give them to read if their old enough!

A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire

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A Lion Among Men: Volume Three in the Wicked Years

"A Lion Among Men" is the third book in his series "The Wicked Years" that started with prize winning book, "Wicked." The first book, Wicked, told the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. The second book, "Son of a Witch," told the story of Liir, Elphaba's son (we think). In this book we learn the story of the Cowardly Lion and the oracle Yackle.

I actually didn't like the story of the Cowardly Lion that much. I'm not sure if that's just because Maguire did a good job of portraying him as cowardly, or if it was something else, but I didn't enjoy this book as much as the last two. I did enjoy learning more about Yackle and her origins though!

Throughout the first two books Yackle is a mysterious character who hovers on the edges of the story. She shows up in some of the oddest places, and you always wonder why she's involved with the story. In this book we finally learn why!

From looking on-line, there are no more books written yet in this series. I'm curious to see where he's going to take the Oz story next, and I'm hoping I like book 4 better than I did book 3!

A Look at September

As I sat down to write this post I was feeling a little bummed. I really didn't get any writing done this month, and since that's part of the purpose of having this blog, I didn't really want to write up my "month in review" post! Then I stopped and thought about it. I dealt with about two weeks straight of migraines because of the paint fumes around my apartment. On top of that I had to move in with my parents temporarily. So, basically, life was pretty disrupted this month. Last time I had this many migraines back to back I completely dropped out of the blogging world. but this time I still managed to get 26 posts up! I've decided, based on that, I'm happy with the month :) now lets hope I can get more writing done in October!

Personal Stuff:

Photo Fun Day

Pretty Flower!

Weekends

Memories

I'm Feeling Super-Emotional

Sometimes All You Can Do is Laugh

The Dreaded "C" Word

I Love My Kitchen!

Life's a Jumble

Thanks Guys

My Writings:

Aria's Quest - Update

Book Reviews:

March to the Sea by David Weber and John Ringo

Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

The Dark Lord's Demise by John White

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Manna From Heaven by Roger Zelazny

Vector Prime by R. A. Salvatore

The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Sandstorm - James Rollins

Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Spindles End by Robin McKinley

TV Reviews:

DS9 - Season 1

My Thoughts on the Upcoming TV Season

DS9 - Season 2

Septembers Winner!

Can you believe it's already October? It feels like September went by so fast! But another month, and a new winner in my top commentator contest! And that winner is...

Yunaleska!

Yunaleska is a fellow book review blogger, and I love reading her reviews! And now for the fun numbers :P

Top Commentator: This month - 17, Last month - 15

Total Commentators: This month - 32, Last month 27

Total Comments: This month - 105, Last month - 93

Want to win your own $10 Gift Certificate? Just comment on this blog!