The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larson

#3 Millennium Trilogy
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Random House Audio
Genre: Mystery
Pages: audio
Challenges:
My rating: 4/5

I don’t really feel like I need to do a normal review and tell you what this book is about.  Most of you have already read it. If you haven’t, you’ve at least heard about it and have an idea about it.  Ok, you might not know exactly what this book is about, but you’ve heard of the trilogy.
Overall, loved this one.  This is my favorite book in the whole trilogy. It kept my interest from start to finish and I found myself finding things to do to where I could listen to the audio book on my ipod and not be distracted.

I love Lisbeth Salander.  She’s so kick-ass.  Sure, she’s socially awkward, but other than that, love her.  It’s her character that made this entire series for me.  I grew to like other characters, but it was her character that first hooked me.  I found myself bringing her up in conversations, like she’s a real person.   I needed to confirm an IP address on a co-worker’s pc and he gave it to me but then joked that he was worried I was going to hack into it. I responded and said I was going to ask Lisbeth Salander to do that since I didn’t have her mad skillz.  He didn’t reply.  I guess he hasn’t read these books. Or he thought I was crazy.    When you read a book and want to meet at least one of the characters, you know the writer has some skills.  Sure, I’ll like a lot of characters in books..they can make or break the story.  However, it’s not that often that I feel this kind of draw towards a character.   So for that alone, I would recommend this series to others.
So really, that’s about all I have to say about this.  I loved it, I want to meet Lisbeth, and I’m sad there aren’t more books with her in them.

Oh, and yes I did listen to the audio version. I actually prefer to listen to chunksters instead of read them. I’m always put off by the size. Anyway…the narrator is Simon Vance. He is fantastic! I wouldn’t hesitate to listen to another book by him.

The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason

#1 Gardella Vampire Chronicles
Copyright: 2007
Publisher: Signet
Genre: Fiction/Urban Fantasy
Pages: 368
Challenges: Off the shelf, New Author, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal/Fantasy romance
Author's Website
My rating: 4/5

Simple Description
The Gardella family have been Venators (vampire Hunters) for generations.  Victoria is about to have her debut when she realizes she is next in line to be a Venator.  Her aunt is the only other living family member who was chosen and accepted the challenge.  She coaches Victoria and gives her some of the background on vampires.  Victoria agree’s to accept the family legacy and is soon killing vampires whenever she comes across them.

Things get rough when she falls in love with Philip, the marquess of Rockley.  How is she going to hunt vampires at night and be expected to stay at home safe and sound with her husband?

It’s also bad that Lilith, queen of the vampires, is set on getting a book that will make her even more powerful than she is.  Victoria needs to somehow get her hands on this book before Lilith can.  Of course, Lilith also wants to destroy Victoria and all other Venators and sends her most powerful vampires after them.

My Thoughts
This book is a vampire novel that takes place in Regency England…and it works.  I like historical fiction and I like my vampire/urban fantasy books.  I wasn’t sure how I would like the two of them together in the same story.   Gleason really makes this story work.  I enjoyed reading about the issues Victoria had trying to be a female vampire hunter during a time period when she was expected to be home and submissive.

I thought Victoria was a good character, she had a lot of spunk and I liked her determination.  I also really enjoyed her maid, what a great secondary character.

Overall this book was a lot of fun.  I think fans of urban fantasy will enjoy this one.  There are several books in this series and I look forward to seeing the characters grow and seeing what kind of trouble they get in to.

Review: uCertify

I was recently offered the opportunity to review the test prepping software by uCertify.   I'm currently studying for another IT certificate so I took advantage of this opportunity.   I am aware that most of you don't work in the IT field, but I know some do.  Plus, you might know of others who are planning to get a IT certification and they might be interesting in a program like this.

uCertify offers practice exams and help with a lot of different IT certificates.  I actually used them when I was studying for my A+ certification about 3 years ago.   I did pass both tests and get my certification and I believe using this software helped me.

This time around I'm working on my MCITP (Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional): Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician.   It's been slow going as there are a lot of versions of windows 7 and several different ways to upgrade an existing pc. 

While I'm still reading the book for the first exam, I've also been playing around with the uCertify test prep as a way to see where I'm at and get comfortable with the testing again.

The uCertify test prep for exam 70-680 contains 5 main practice tests, each has 65 questions.  There is also a diagnostic test (15 questions), and interactive quiz (130 questions), and an adaptive test.  You also have the ability to create a custom test.   Each test has a time limit, you can play around with the time if you want.  I try to keep the time at what the time would be for an official test.  This way I'm more prepared when test time arrives. 

The tests aren't the only thing you can use uCertify for though.   I love the How To section.  I can't always practice how to do something hands on, so being able to at least see the steps with screen shots really helps.  Sure, my book does that to a point but it helps get read other wording. 

The Key Terms and concepts section is a life saver too.  I am horrible at remember key terms and having a section with a lot of them listed that I can read through and study from helps tremendously. 

There is also a study helper section that I've browsed and think will be a great resource.  There are 8 sections that go over some of the key things I'll need to know, such as deploying win 7 and configuring Backup and Recovery options.

Overall, I feel like this software will really help me learn the material and become comfortable with the process so when it's time to take the test I'll be ready.  If you are planning on taking a test, I recommend looking into uCertify to see if they offer a test prep for the exam you will be taking.

A Sheetcake Named Desire by Jacklyn Brady

#1 Piece of Cake mystery series
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 304
Challenges: New Author Challenge,
Author's Website
My rating: 3.5/5

Simple Description
Rita Lucero heads to New Orleans to see her estranged husband in person. They’ve been separated for awhile and she keeps trying to get him to sign the divorce papers but he won’t.  She determined to stay in New Orleans until he’s signed them.   However she never gets a chance because the next time she see’s him in person is when she finds his dead body. 

The police question her as a suspect because as the estranged, but not currently ex-wife, she would be the next in line to receive ownership of his wealth, including a car, house, and a bakery.   The bakery might be Rita’s dream, as she is a pastry chef, but she wouldn’t kill somebody for it.  She didn’t even know about the house and car.

Rita is set to return home but her Mother-in-Law asks her to stay.  She never liked that her son left Rita and
since the bakery is part hers, she wants Rita to stay on for a couple of days and manage the bakery.  Just until things can be worked out.  She doesn’t know who she can trust, seeing as how somebody is trying to sabatoge the bakery.  She also feels the person who murdered her son works for the bakery, and wants Rita to help figure out who the killer is since the police can’t always be trusted to do so.

My Thoughts:
I felt this was a pretty good story.  It’s a good start to a new series, one where you can expect the characters to continue to mature and grow on you.  I like Miss Frankie, the mother.  She seems like a wonderful woman.

I also like Rita, feel she’s been through a lot but can really come out of her shell and grow as partial owner
of the bakery.

There is the dreaded hated character that always shows up in cozies, but I’m really hoping that was just this
book and we won’t have to deal with her in the next installment.  Luckily, while important to the story, it wasn’t necessary for her to be in the story a lot.

I have to admit that while I love to bake, I’m not a huge fan of all the cake designs and shapes that seem to
be so popular these days.  While that part did play a small role in the story, it wasn’t enough to annoy me.
In fact, I probably could have used more story taking place in the bakery and around what the workers
were doing. 

Overall, have to say this is a good start to a new cozy series.  I think a lot of you will enjoy it and I look forward to the 2nd in the series.



Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Creepers by David Morrell

#1 Frank Balenger
Copyright: 2005
Publisher: CDS Books
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 365
Challenges: Off the Shelf, New Author, Mystery and Suspense
Author's Website
My rating: 4/5

Simple Description:
Frank Balenger meets up with 4 other people one night in October as they plan to find a way into the boarded up Paragon Hotel and investigate.   The others are creepers or urban explorers as they would like to be called.  They access abandoned buildings and investigated, never damaging anything, not taking anything or leaving anything.  The leave the place as undisturbed as possible.  They just want a glance into the past.  Frank is there to experience this for the first time.

The Paragon Hotel has been boarded up for years but was once a very luxurious hotel in Asbury Park, NJ.  Known mobsters were known to stay there.  The owner was recluse who occupied the top story and never left the hotel.  The only way into the hotel is through a drainage system as the hotel was boarded up from the inside.

Things start off creepy when the tunnels are full of rodents...mutated rodents.  There is even a 3 legged cat to give you the willies.

Soon the group is inside the hotel and one thing after another seems to go wrong.  The group is about to get a lot more than they bargained for, and some might not even make it out alive.


My Thoughts:
I wasn't too sure what this book was about before reading it (yeah..another one) but I had heard it was a bit creepy.  I figured that would make it the perfect book for October, when I try to add in some spooky reads.   I was not disappointed.    There were several things that happened in this book to give it a creep factor.    The problem is, I hesitate to say more because I don't want to ruin anything.   After reading the book I did read the back of the cover and I like that it doesn't give anything away, therefore I won't either.

You'll have to trust me when I say this was an excellent book, one that kept my interest the entire time.  Plus, there were a lot of story lines that I did not anticipate but they made the story.  Overall, very satisfied with this one and I know I'll read the 2nd (and currently only other book) in the series.  I really liked Frank Balenger, what a great character.

Pleating for Mercy by Melissa Bourbon

#1 Magical Dressmaking mystery
Copyright: 2011
Publisher: Signet
Genre: Mystery (cozy)
Pages: 320
Challenges: New author, Mystery and suspense,
Author's Website
My rating: 4/5

Simple Description:
Harlow Cassidy has recently moved back to her hometown of Bliss, OK.  Her Grandmother passed away and left her the family house, which Harlow has turned into a dressmaking boutique on the first floor.

Business just opened and is off to a slow start until an old friend shows up and needs a wedding dress and 3 bridesmaid dresses, in only a couple of weeks.   As if that wasn't going to keep Harlow busy enough, one of the bridesmaids is found dead in her front yard.   The likely suspect appears to be the groom.   Harlow's friend is distrought and asks her to look into it a bit.

Harlow does really go out of her way to gather information, luckily she doesn't need to.  As people show up at her boutique for fittings she's able to get some of the "gossip" from them and starts to piece things together.  One thing that makes this a bit tricky is that the groom is from the wealthiest family in the area.


My Thoughts: 
This is the first time I've read anything by this author (first time publishing under this name but she does write under the name Misa Ramirez).    You know me, I love a good cozy.  What attracted me to this book was the "magical" aspect of it. I love me some paranormal.  The Cassidy women all have a gift, it's different for everyone, but they all have one.  I was intrigued by this and happy that it worked really well for the story.  It wasn't over powering, but it was there and made it fun.

Another thing I enjoyed about this story is that Harlow didn't stop her business and go out asking questions and investigating.   She was smart and asked those who came into her shop.  While she did attend a couple of events in hopes of getting some clues, it wasn't out of the ordinary or odd for her to do so. 

Harlow is also a wonderful character.  I really liked her and she wasn't the typical amature detective who got herself into trouble and was annoyingly nosy.   I also really liked her family and some of the other characters as well.  

This book was a wonderful start to the series, if the 2nd book is just as good I can see it quickly becoming a favorite series of mine. 


Thanks to the publisher for providing this book for review.

Half Marathon #2

After the race and wearing the finishers medal

I haven't done a non-book related post on Friday in a really long time.  I know you are all heart broken, right?  I thought I would try to get back in the groove by sharing my latest success with my second attempt at a half marathon.

Many of you might remember that I attempted my first half marathon this past April.  I was pumped and excited about it and ended up being very disapointed with my performance.  We had an unusually hot day and the temps just got to me and I ended up having to walk several times.  My goal had been 2hrs and I finished it in 2:18.

I felt I needed to prove to myself I could finish a half so I set out to run a fall half marathon. 


Before the race

 I knew the Rock N Roll Marathon was the 23rd of October so I started to loosly train for that even though I hadn't signed up for it.   Then another half marathon was announced in my area, the MO' Cowbell.  It happened to be a couple weeks earlier and a heck of a lot cheaper, so I immediatly signed up for it.

That is one reason I haven't been as active on my blogs, I've been in full training mode since the beginning of July.  I basically work out 7 days a week and it's eating in to my reading time.  Plus, I'm barely sleeping for some reason, so I'm basically walking around in a fog because I'm exhausted once evening hits.

So the half...it was last weekend.  I had trained for it knowing I wanted to finish it in 2 hours.  It was supposed to be a mostly flat course so it should be possible since I train with hills.    Then I recently ended up having some health concerns and knew I couldn't push myself.   I went into the half knowing that I still wanted to do 2 hours but not set on getting it.  Instead I had to pay attention to my heart rate and make sure it didn't reach 170.   So that meant any little incline would make the HR go up and I would have to back off.

Start off the race, the girl in blue with the black arm warmers is
who I ran with for the first 6 miles.

Well...I started off running with a girl I met earlier in the summer doing some speedwork and then doing a series of trail runs.  She's a tad faster than me on low mileage runs but we had the same pace setting out for the half.  I stuck with her for 6 miles, then slowed down and walked while getting water at the 6 mile water station. It was either that or dump water down the front of me. Plus it was a chance to get the HR down a bit.  She got a bit ahead of me but I was still close until mile 9.  After mile 9 we hit hills and I had to take it easy and lost sight of her.    While I constantly checked my garmin because I had to watch my heart rate, I didn't pay much attention to the miles or pace.   I felt good the whole time.  I never hit the "wall".  I felt stronger and better than I did for the half in April.

When the finish line came in sight I increased my pace a bit and as I got closer I ended up going out at a pretty good clip. I knew the heart rate would go up but also knew it wouldn't be for very long.



The finish at last! (don't like how it looks like I'm walking though)

 I managed to come in with an overall-all time of 1:58:11, my pace was 9:01.  I was extremly happy that I not only ran the entire race, but even having to take the hills easy and not push the pace on the flat area I was able to hit my time goal.   I'm definitely gotten bit by the bug, already planning to run the race next year (as long as they offer it again).

September 2011 Reads

Total books read: 7
Pages: 1749
New Authors: 3
Mystery: 3
Non-Fiction: 0
Fiction: 1
Young Adult: 3
Audio:  2
DNF: 0



Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend
The Hunt Club by John Lescroart
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larson
Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst
The Maze Runner by James Dashner 
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson