The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith

I don't know that I have ever been disappointed in a No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency book! In this installment Mma Makutsi is preparing for her wedding to Phuti Radiphuti. Mma Ramotswe is investigating the killing of some cattle. Charlie is up to his old tricks with the women, but maybe maturity is on the horizon for him. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is his same thoughtful caring self. And even though Botswana is changing in many ways it still brings pleasure, pride and peace to Mma Ramotswe.

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

The final installment to The Forest of Hands and Teeth Trilogy was not disappointing!

Annah has been surviving on her own in the Dark City for a long time. In fact she has been waiting for Elias to return to her for 3 years. Elias joined the Recruiters 3 years before and has not returned to the city. Annah still has hope that he will come back to her. Finally realizing that she cannot wait forever she is determined to go searching for him. On her way out of the city though she sees someone entering that looks very familiar. In fact she looks just like Annah! She knows immediately that it is her sister that she and Elias left in the Forest many years before.

While searching the city for her sister Annah meets Catcher. She is attracted to him but unable to let her heart care for someone else. At the same time a massive horde has attacked the city. Annah risks going back to her flat to gather personal belongings and weapons. When she arrives she finds Elias there waiting for her. They escape to the island that the Protectorate is living on. The Protectorate hold Annah, her sister Abigail(now Gabry) and Elias hostage and demand that Catcher in his immune state make trips into the city finding supplies to keep the island inhabitants alive.

Annah is elated to finally be reunited with her sister. With that elation comes heartbreak though as she sees the bond between Abigail and Elias. Their love cannot be denied.

The island is a nightmare for Annah. The Recruiters are cruel and heartless. Their commander Ox has stated that Annah and her group should stay clear of the Recruiters because if anything happened he would definitely side with his men. All seems hopeless. Annah begins to wonder why people continue to struggle to survive the massive hordes that are taking over the earth.

All is not lost though and Annah has to believe that all humanity will not be wiped out by the undead.

As with the other 2 books in the series The Dark and Hollow Places is a roller coaster ride of excitement and heart-stopping action. The last several pages had me biting my nails and reading as fast as I could to see the final outcome!

The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide-Release Countdown

Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins

Janessa's husband Brock is a researcher specializing in tick-borne diseases. Throughout his research he has staunchly supported his theory that Lyme disease cannot be chronic. Legislature has been passed, based on his research, denying patients long-term treatment for Lyme disease. The consensus being that a round of antibiotics will take care of Lyme.

Now someone with a vendetta against Brock and others on his committee is determined to get even. He manages to infect Janessa with Lyme. The Stalker tells Janessa that she must change her husband's mind about his stand on Lyme or he will also infect their daughter Lauren.

As Janessa steadily gets sicker and tests come back negative for Lyme disease Brock refuses to believe that anyone has infected her. He thinks that she is faking her whole sickness in order to keep him from leaving her for another woman. As the Lyme continues the destruction of her body, Janessa enters what is called the Lyme Wars. She finds a Lyme literate doctor that will treat her. Trying to bring the monster out that infected her Janessa goes to the local news station and tells her story. The question is will this do more harm than good?

I really enjoyed this novel, but living in the country makes me not want to step outside again! Janessa's struggle to find someone to believe her was heart-breaking. Brock's attitude and treatment of Janessa made me want to throw something! The suspense was nail-biting and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end! There was a lot of information about Lyme disease in the story and at the end of the book. The author herself has lived the Lyme battle.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith-REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth should be enjoying wedded bliss, but lately Elizabeth has been feeling dissatisfied. As a married woman she is no longer allowed to be the dreadful slayer that she has been trained to be. While out strolling the grounds of Pemberley Mr. Darcy is attacked and bitten by a wandering dreadful. Elizabeth quickly hides the fact that he was bitten by a dreadful. She knows that she should have immediately decapitated her husband. She has heard rumors though that her enemy Lady Catherine knows of a cure for this dreadful disease.

Lady Catherine quickly comes up with a plan to save Darcy. She must take him to her home. Elizabeth must go to London to steal the cure from the gentleman that has created it. Lizzie must find a way into Bethlem hospital for the insane in order to find the cure. The Ninja’s that Lady Catherine used to send to attack Lizzie(for stealing Mr. Darcy from her daughter Anne), are now sent to help Lizzie find the cure.

In the meantime Darcy is having nightmares of eating raw flesh. Lady Catherine is giving him doses of a medicine that slows down the process of turning into an unmentionable, but the infection is still in his body. He slowly gains strength under the care of his cousin Anne. He can’t understand why his precious Elizabeth is not there nursing him back to health.

Back in London, Lizzie and family are having very little success in finding the cure. Lizzie’s sister Mary arrives and takes matters into her own hands. She is a warrior after all. Subterfuge is not in her nature. She manages to get into Bethlem hospital, but unfortunately she also manages to get caught.

Lizzie too is tired of deception. It is time to reclaim her true warrior nature. During a dreadful attack in London she and her family manage to get into Bethlem hospital. Will they be able to find the cure for Darcy before it is too late?

I really enjoyed this book. I cracked up at the antics of Mary and Kitty. The scenes where the zombies were described cracking open skulls to get to the succulent brains inside made me laugh as did many other parts of the book. The final battle scene was thrilling and I couldn’t wait to see how it all ended! Quirk Classics is aptly named as these stories are very quirky and probably not for everyone, with their descriptions of fresh- from -the -grave zombies eating their own flesh or someone else’s. I’m quirky enough that it all makes me laugh!

Go to facebook and "like" the  Dreadfully Ever After page to be entered into a giveaway that Quirk Books is doing.

NOW FOR MY GIVEAWAY! Comment on this post to be entered to win all 3 Pride and Prejudice and Zombie books. They are:

 One lucky winner will be chosen on Monday March 28th 2011. I will use Random.org to do the drawing. Be sure that when you leave a comment that you also leave your email address to reach you. If you do  not leave an email address I will go to the next person randomly drawn.  U.S. ONLY PLEASE!

Can't wait to hear what other bloggers have to say about this series!

Dancing On Glass by Pamela Binnings Ewen

Amalise Catoir is a law student in New Orleans. She works at a cafe to support her continued education. Having been raised in a quiet bayou town she enjoys living in the busy city.

She meets Phillip Sharp one day when she steps into an art gallery to get out of the rain. He is showing his paintings. Although his paintings disturb Amalise she is drawn to Phillip. He wants to paint Amalise. She is drawn to him and determined to love and protect him from his pitiful childhood.

Even though Amalise is warned by her best friend from childhood Jude, she is determined to pursue her relationship with Phillip. She enters into a hasty marriage with him. Even before she marries him there are signs of Phillips dark moods. He and Amalise attend church together a couple of times but Phillip is not interested. Amalise feels that if she loves him enough and gives him time that he will eventually come to church.

Once Amalise graduates from law school she is offered a job with a law firm in New Orleans. As a new lawyer she is expected to put in long hours and attend many parties. Phillip is not happy with the long hours nor is he happy to attend the parties with her. He keeps tabs on every hour of her day. He wants to know where she is at all times and with whom she is with. Soon he not only is manipulating Amalise with his words, but he also resorts to violence causing Amalise to tread lightly when she is with him.

Hiding Phillips true character from her parents, Jude and her co-workers, Amalise has nowhere to turn but to her Abba Father. Things soon fall apart when Amalise finds Phillip with another young girl. Determined to leave him she packs for a business trip telling herself that she will never go back to him. This action sends Phillip over the edge and the consequences are devastating.

This was such a well-written book. I was invested in Amalise's character. I felt frustrated with her that she couldn't see Phillip's true character. But the author does explain how Amalise was manipulated. Although the subject of the book was dark the author was able to show how God can and will forgive us our mistakes and give us new life.

We Be Big by Rick Burgess & Bill "Bubba" Bussey with Don Keith

We Be Big is the story of two "sexy fat guys" that do a morning radio show in Alabama. Their story is told in alternating chapters between Rick and Bubba. They tell how they became the successful morning show stars that they are today. The premise of their success throughout their career has been to "keep it real". They share their lives on the air. In the book they share about their successes and failures leading up to the Rick and Bubba show. On the air they have shared humor and heartache and even when it is not popular with their sponsors or bosses, they share their faith. Throughout their story they share how God has brought them every step of the way in their success. They give Him the glory.

I really enjoyed reading their story. I have never heard the Rick and Bubba show but it sounds like it would be very entertaining. There is something about them sharing their lives that draws people in. Their stories brought a smile to my face and at times tears to my eyes.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith

BE SURE TO COME BACK AND CHECK OUT MY REVIEW AND FANTASTIC GIVE-AWAY ON MARCH 22nd!

MARCH BOOK CLUB PICK

This month the book club will be reading: Want to participate?(copied from Edgy Inspirational Romance)

1. Secure a copy of The Girl In the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen and read it between now and April 9th.

2. Peruse this reading group guide from the Bethany House website. Choose one or more of the discussion questions to address in a blog post. You might also want to include a short review of the book.

3. Schedule your blog post to run on April 9. You may copy and use the book club logo above if you'd like.

4. On Saturday April 9, I will run my review and answer a few discussion questions. I'll include a MckLinky at the bottom so you can link your posts.

5. That weekend we will hop around reading and commenting on the reviews and opinions of participating bloggers.

6. If you do not have a blog of your own, you can share your opinions about The Girl in the Gatehouse in the comment sections of other blogs.

7. Have you already read The Girl in the Gatehouse? Great, participate anyway! You've got a head start answering some of the questions!

Joy at Edgy Inspirational Romance will be hosting this month: http://www.edgyinspirationalromance.com/2011/03/overhaul-for-christian-fiction-book.html?showComment=1299374249108#c3912868636896291965

I am looking forward to participating this time around. We will have 6 weeks to read this book. Hope you all can join us!

Pompeii City On Fire by T.L. Higley

Ariella was sold into slavery as a young girl to an evil Roman politician. She escapes him by disguising herself as a young boy and joins a gladiator troupe. They arrive in Pompeii to entertain the citizens who's boredom and debauchery has turned into a demand for more and more bloodshed in the arena's.

Cato has escaped to Pompeii after his failed political career in Rome. He is determined to live a life of leisure as a winemaker. What he doesn't count on is the corrupt leadership of one man who is determined that Cato will not usurp his authority in Pompeii.

When Cato chances to meet the young "lad" Ari and discovers her secret he is determined that she will no longer fight in the arena. Sparks fly between the two. Ari's heart has been hardened by years of abuse and she is determined not to let this Roman into her heart. When Cato's sister is wrongly sent to jail he is determined to end the corruption that has been governing Pompeii. What he doesn't count on is the evilness of this ruler, the support of local Christians, and the simmering mountain of Vesuvius. Will Cato find faith in the Christian's Messiah or will all be lost to evil?

I have said before that I am not usually a fan of Historical fiction. But T.L. Higley writes in a way that captures and holds my attention. I loved her novel Guardian of the Flame and Pompeii City On Fire did not disappoint me. The characters and story have stayed with me even after the exciting ending of the book!