I completed my goal of 50 books read in 2012 a month early! Yay me! I feel a little guilty counting the short stories as books, so I’m happy to say that I’m already far enough past my goal that the shorts don’t even need to be counted. (Not that they weren’t great!)

I actually enjoyed both the short stories I read this month quite a bit, but the best book I read in November (and possibly all year) was Legend by a landslide.

November Reading List

47. Hunted  (House of Night #5) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (Nov 1) *e
The gang is back together now and it’s nice to have everyone working together to fight Neferet and her evil demon. I enjoy these characters (or most of them) but the story was pretty weak in this installment.

48. Treachery (Nightshade 2.5) by Andrea Cremer (Nov 3) *e
This short story falls between books 2-3 of the Nightshade trilogy and gives Ansel’s perspective on the tragic events that befell him in book 2. I loved seeing things from his p.o.v. and learning what we missed while he was captive. A must read for fans of the series.

49. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (Nov 12)
The book is darker than the movie and tends to ramble at times, but it’s still a charming read with a magical touch.

50. Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu (Nov 17) – See Full Review Here

51. The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan (Nov 29) *e
Not quite as gripping as the first two Heroes of Olympus stories, but it definitely set up the next two books for what is sure to be an impressive climax to the series. Also, I really like having Percy back in the mix!

52. Hana (Delirium 1.5) by Lauren Oliver (Nov 30) *e
This short story fills in some of the things we didn’t see while the girls weren’t talking, and provides an interesting look at Hana’s side of their falling out. While it’s not crucial to the series, an important reveal at the end makes this a worthwhile read.

(An *e at the end of a title indicates an e-book.)

Last month I managed to finish 6 books, but the list was a little smaller in February. I almost got four books in this month, but didn’t end up finishing the last one in time. I think the fact that I read all YA books in Jan. and mostly adult books in Feb. probably made the difference.

February Reading List

7. Dead Reckoning (Southern Vampires #11) by Charlaine Harris (Feb. 5)
Normally I love a Sookie story, and am pretty forgiving of some of the series faults. But this book just felt like filler. Not a lot happened, and too much time was spent on mundane activities (Sookie shaves her legs!). But it does seem like things are lining up and the story is working towards a conclusion.

8. Chosen (House of Night #3) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (Feb. 12)
This series is really just fluff, but for some reason I love it. Even when I’m shaking my head as I’m reading, I just can’t put the books down. #3 in the series was no exception.

9. Anything by Michael Baron (Feb. 19) – Full review here

According to GoodReads, I’m still on track for my goal of 50 books in 2012.

Death’s Excellent Vacation
by Charlaine Harris & Various Authors

Death’s Excellent Vacation is a collection of short stories that all have supernatural elements and a vacation theme. I’m not generally a big fan of short stories (I’m a series girl), but with shorts from two series that I follow, I was eager to check it out and see what fun little tales Charlaine Harris and Katie MacAlister had created to go along with their Southern Vampire and Guardian novels.

There are 13 short-stories in the Death’s Excellent Vacation anthology. Here’s my VERY brief thoughts on the ones that I read.

1. Two Blondes – Charlaine Harris – (A Southern Vampire/True Blood story) – I pretty much always love a Sookie story. There was nothing special about this one, just a quick silly romp with Sookie & Pam. I enjoyed it.
2. The Boys Go Fishing – Sarah Smith – I didn’t like this one very much.
3. One for the Money – Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress story) – I really enjoyed this one! So much so that I will now be checking out the Night Huntress Series!
4. Meanwhile, Far Across the Caspian Sea… - Daniel Stashower – This one didn’t hold my attention, resulting in a DNF.
5. The Innsmouth Nook – A. Lee Martinez – Another DNF
6. Safe and Sound – Jeff Abbott – An enjoyable story.
7. Seeing is Believing – L A Banks – I also enjoyed this one.
8. The Perils of Eferjim – Katie MacAlister (An Aisling Grey Guardian story) – I love this series, and always find Jim entertaining. A fun little Guardian story.
9. Thin Walls – Christopher Golden – This was borderline porn. Well, not really, but there was far more icky sex than I want to read about!
10. The Heart is Always Right – Lilith Saintcrow – I was enjoying this one, but found it dragged on a bit so I skimmed the middle and skipped ahead to the end. Not bad.
11. The Demon in the Dunes – Chris Grabenstein – DNF.
12. Home from America – Sharan Newman – DNF. And this marked the end of my reading this book. I’m not a huge fan of short stories, so this doesn’t really have anything to do with the quality of the stories; I just needed to get back to something a little more in depth.
13. Pirate Dave’s Haunted Amusement Park – Toni L P Kelner – Reviews I read said this one was good, but I never quite got there.

Have you read Death’s Excellent Vacation? What did you think? Are you a fan of anthologies? Do you enjoy short stories based on your favorite series?

Sometimes I want to comment on a book, but don’t really have enough to say to warrant a full review. I’ve read a few of these types of books lately, so I thought I’d blurb! Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus, #1)
by Rick Riordan

The Lost Hero is the first in a spin-off series of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and it’s a fantastic start! It’s very similar in style to the Percy Jackson books and even features many of the characters we met in the original series, so if you enjoyed the PJ books, I think you’ll like The Lost Hero. i actually enjoyed The Lost Hero even more than the Percy Jackson books!  And I cannot wait for book 2, The Son of Neptune to come out in October.

If you’re still not sure, you can check out the first two chapters here.

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Smokin’ Seventeen (Stephanie Plum # 17)
by Janet Evanovich

Many fans of the Stephanie Plum series are complaining that the later books have lost their edge and it feels like we’re just getting the same stuff book after book. And while I don’t disagree with those comments, I do think book 17 marked a bit of an improvement in the Plum series. It may have something to do with the fact that Smokin’ Seventeen made me laugh out loud during a time of great sadness, but whatever the reason, I found Steph’s adventures in book 17 to be more enjoyable than the last few books. Now if only Janet would make some actual CHANGES in the Plum world, I think this series could find its second life.

Read more about what we’d like to see happen in the Plum world in our Sizzling Sixteen Book Chat.

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Marked (House of Night #1)
by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

To be fair, Marked and the House of Night books aren’t really much different from any of the other teen paranormal-love-triangle series that have flooded the YA market ever since Twilight came sparkling into existence. But something about this one had me hooked pretty quickly.

I picked up Marked specifically because I wanted some fluffy YA vamp fantasy to take to the cottage with me, even though I’ve had some failed attempts with these types of books lately and I was a little worried I might not like it. But I just couldn’t put it down. I think the fact that I really, really liked Zoey (the main character) is what made Marked stand out from the vampire crowd for me. I found it extremely refreshing to have a heroine who isn’t (excuse the language) a slutty bitch (Yes, I’m talking to you Vampire Diaries books). And while I only gave the book 3 stars, I still picked up and read book 2, Betrayed in just 2 days. And I didn’t even like Betrayed as much as Marked. Aside from being a big fan of Zoey’s, I also like that the authors have created a fresh new take on the standard vampire lore. So, if you’re in the mood for some light, fluffy vamp stories you just might have fun with the House of Night books. I know I’ll be tearing through Chosen (book #3) soon enough.

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And now we’d love some feedback from the all-important and very wise YOU!

1. How do you feel about Blurbs instead of complete Reviews? Is there enough information in the above to help you decide if you’d want to read the book or not?
2. Have you read any of these books? Please share your thoughts!

Sucker Bet (Vegas Vampires #4)
by Erin McCarthy

Summary
This fourth and final installment in the Vegas Vampires series focuses on Gwenna Carrick, younger sister to Ethan Carrick, the president of the vampire nation. After laying low for centuries Gwenna has relocated to Vegas and is living in her brother’s hotel. To help fill her spare time, Gwenna has been investigating an online vampire slayers group. When she plans her first meeting with a member of the Slayers loop, the result is a dead body and a run in with the police. Despite the unpleasant situation, sparks fly between Gwenna and the detective on the scene Nate Thomas. As the murders continue, Nate and Gwenna can’t seem to stay away from one another, but things go terribly awry when Gwenna’s ex husband gets involved. Will they be able to stop the murders and her ex before it’s too late, or will Gwenna’s ‘new life’ be cut short?

Review
I really enjoyed Sucker Bet by Erin McCarthy. While the characters aren’t overly deep or layered in the Vegas Vampire series, they’re all very likeable and entertaining. Ethan’s sister Gwenna makes for an interesting main character, and we get to touch base with many of the characters from the earlier books in the series as well. The story moves at a fast pace, there’s a bit of mystery, lots of steamy (but not x-rated) romance and a few laughs, which is a perfect combination for a light, fun read.

Verdict
I’m sad to see this fun little series come to end, the Vegas Vampires have a little more bite than Betsy the Vampire Queen but aren’t so dark as Sookie and her Southern Vampire pals.

* Sucker Bet is book #2 for the The TwentyEleven Challenge

Undead and Unwelcome (Undead #8)
by MaryJanice Davidson

Summary

After the events of Undead and Unworthy (book 7), Betsy finds herself in a tense situation.  Returning the body of Antonia the werewolf to her Pack, isn’t exactly the Vampire King and Queen’s idea of a good time. But politics aren’t always fun, so Betsy and Eric head to Cape Cod in attempt to make peace with the Werewolves. While events are unfolding on the Cape, things back home are spiralling out of control for Marc. Laura has slipped a little to the dark side, and without the Vamps around to help him Marc is left with a desperate situation.

Review

The first part of Undead and Unwelcome seems to be mostly a recap of what happened in book 7. There’s quite a bit of explaining who all the characters are and an endless amount of retelling the story of Antonia’s death. Personally, I think by book 8 in the series it’s time to stop with the endless exposition. (If people want to get caught up they should read some of the earlier books. Fans already know who everyone is.) Things do pick up in the second half of the book when the story finally starts to move forward, but I wouldn’t call this one of the more eventful Betsy stories.  And there’s a definite lack of character development. Much of the story occurs during internal dialogue from Betsy and Marc, while Sinclair and Jessica barely even have lines. There is some interesting development with BabyJohn, which I enjoyed, but not a lot else happens in this outing.

Verdict

Definitely one of the slower stories in the Betsy series, I think Undead and Unwelcome would have worked better as a short story with all the repetition cut out. Here’s hoping the next Undead book is actually a book!

Happy Wednesday folks! Today we have a new fun little feature that we’re calling the great Book-Off! I often read comments and reviews stating that such-and-such a book is so much like this other book, (and I’ve read a few myself that seem like they just changed the names) so I thought it would be fun to pit these books against each other in a little friendly competition!

Since there’s some Eclipse mania going on right now, I thought we’d start with some vampire (and similar undead folk) books for our first great Book-off.

1. Twilight - Bella Swan’s move to Forks, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear.
2. The Vampire Diaries – Elena’s parents died in a car accident and now she lives with her aunt. She starts the new school year feeling like she’ll never be happy again, but once she meets the mysterious and alluring Stefan Salvatore, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Stefan has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret, but now that his brother is back, nobody is safe, especially Elena, the person Stefan holds most dear.
3. Evermore – Ever’s parents died in a car accident and now she lives with her aunt, and is plagued by a new ability to hear the thoughts of anyone around her. She tries to tune out all the distractions by keeping her iPod cranked loud, but once she meets the mysterious and alluring Damen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Damen has kept his Immortal identity a secret, but when an evil immortal shows up, nobody is safe, especially Ever, the person Damen holds most dear.

Hmm, funny how we had to just change a few words in these descriptions! Now we turn it over to you fellow readers… which one of these oh-so-similar books do you think is the best read? Do you know of any other books that could summarized with the same description?

I started participating in Read To Me Tuesday last week on Tumblr. Since I enjoyed it, I’ve decided to make it a regular thing… at least until I run out of good passages to read. And it only made sense to post my readings here as well. Think of it as a little Storytime with Rae to start out your Tuesdays.

Today’s reading is Chapter 3 from MaryJanice Davidson’s Undead and Unwed:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

PS: Let me know if you enjoy it and think I should continue with it. And if you have a suggestion for something I should read, share in the comments!

Bit the Jackpot (Vegas Vampires #2)
by Erin McCarthy

Another great addition to the Vegas Vampires series! I picked up the first book in the series pretty much because the bright cover drew me in, and because I’m always on the lookout for a good vampire series.  I wasn’t sure what to expect since ‘pretty cover’ is really no guarantee of a good book! But, after finishing and enjoying High Stakes, I was eager to read Bit the Jackpot, the second installment in the series.

We get a slightly different focus this time as the story centers around Seamus (who was a secondary character in High Stakes) and his new “friend” Cara. We still get to touch base with Alexis and Ethan – the central couple from the first book, although they’re the supporting characters for Seamus’ story this time around.  I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy these new characters as much, but expanding to feature a variety of characters works for this series. It keeps things fresh by creating new stories, and helps make the Vegas Vampire world more interesting because it’s populated by a variety of fully fleshed out characters.

Bit the Jackpot is a fun, quick read with likable characters, lots of chuckles and a bit of a mystery. The story is by no means deep, but if you like vampires, mystery and romance with the occasional steamy scene, then this series may be for you.

A Touch of Dead
by Charlaine Harris

A Touch of Dead consists of 5 short stories that fall in various places in the Southern Vampire Series, featuring heroine Sookie Stackhouse. I absolutely love that Harris has collected up all of the Sookie short stories into one volume. Now I really wish all the other series that I read would do the same thing!

The stories in A Touch of Dead are thoughtfully given to us in chronological order, making it easier to place them in their correct spot in the series as you read.  Some give us a little more back-story about events that we’ve read about in the series, while others just tell a fun little Sookie side-story.

The stories in the order the occur in Sookie’s life are “Fairy Dust” (from Powers of Detection), “Dracula Night” (from Many Bloody Returns), “One Word Answer” (from Bite), “Lucky” (from Unusual Suspects), and “Gift Wrap” (from Wolfsbane and Mistletoe).  I’m assuming these stories were also written in that same order because they get better and better as they go along.

“Fairy Dust” tells the story of how fairies Claudine and Claude lost their triplet Claudette. While I enjoyed getting back-story on the Fairy twins, I found the mystery to be a bit confusing. I was tired when I read this story, so that could have something to do with it, but this was my least favourite of the bunch.

“Dracula Night” is a fun little story that has Sookie joining Eric and Pam at Fangtasia to celebrate Dracula’s birthday. No real information in relation to the series, but a cute story nonetheless.

“One Word Answer” gives us much-wanted back-story on how Sookie learned of her cousin Hadley’s death. I was thrilled to finally learn how Hadley’s death fit into the greater story told in the Southern Vampire novels.

“Lucky” is another cute story that doesn’t have much bearing in the series, but is still a very enjoyable read. Featuring Sookie and her new housemate Amelia, “Lucky” has the two ladies playing a little supernatural detective as they try to uncover who has been messing with the local insurance agents. Fun stuff that had me wishing Sookie played detective more often!

“Gift Wrap”, the final story in the collection tells the story of Sookie’s most recent Christmas. A great little story that had me smiling, “Gift Wrap” features a new character that I’d love to see more of – despite the fact that that doesn’t seem likely to happen, and a bit of twist that made for a great ending.

Overall, A Touch of Dead is a very enjoyable read, and a must have for any Sookie lover!