Fanfiction Life

I read a lot.  It's one of my favorite hobbies, and I enjoy a wide variety of books, both nonfiction and fiction.  All books mentioned here are definitely not my property, and I only list them because I enjoy them, find them useful, and because I want to share with all of you.  All opinions of the books are my own. 

This is one of Larry Millett's continuations of Sherlock Holmes adventures.  This one takes place in Minnesota, and is third in his series.  Of course, I can't tell you how it ends, but it involves a great deal of history of Minnesota and turn of the nineteenth century fun facts and information.  Most is accurate, aside from some slight fictionalization of historical figures.  Millett's characterization of Holmes follow closely follows Conan Doyle's canon.  If one is interested in runology or Minnesota's past, this is an entertaining book to read. 

Find it on Amazon.com.

This may be one of the best Mercedes Lackey books she's ever written.  The main character Mags is a surprising blend of vulnerability and quiet strength.  I loved the entire plot.  Now the only question is when the next one is coming out!   Hurry, Misty!   I need my next book!

Find it on Amazon.com.

Mercedes Lackey is one of my personal heros for creating such a fascinating fantasy world.  "Queen's Own" is the omnibus of her first trilogy in the Valdemar series, starting with "Arrows of the Queen" and so on.  Little Talia is sure of only one thing:  she wants to be a Herald.  Anyone familiar with the series will know the strange yearning for a Companion of one's own.  If you haven't read it, I do recommend going down to the library and checking it out.  The stories are always amazing and you find yourself so enthralled you don't realize how much time has passed.  I identified with Talia as a child, because I was painfully shy.  Not so, now, but so shy I couldn't speak sometimes. The plot is a little...simple...but the story is meant to be a introduction to characters and the world of Valdemar, so it is a good place to start.  The next few books in the series are stronger in terms of plot. 

Queen's Own is rarely on my bookshelf, because I am always reading it.  It mostly exists on my nightstand or on the couch in the living room.  Either way, I love it.  You can find the trilogy online,

 Find it on Amazon.com.

This is a great start to a series.  The story is fast-paced and there is always a little twist around each corner.  I devoured this book in about eight hours split between two days.  I highly recommend it, especially since I need to go find the sequels.

Some of you may be familiar with my slight obsession with Sherlock Holmes.  Slight?  I should say I am absolutely obsessed with him.  Anything written about Sherlock Holmes, I usually pick up and devour.  I highly recommend all of the original stories, as well as the Mary Russell novels by Laurie R. King.  There are others, but the original stories and the Mary Russell novels are the ones I keep going back to when I want something good to read.  I think my favorite mystery is the first.  "Rache" said it all.  My favorite Mary Russell novel has to be "O Jerusalem."  I can't wait to go to Jerusalem myself.  Go.  Find it.  Read it.

 Sherlock Holmes can be found at Project Gutenberg.

This book helped my writing so much.  I used to take writing very seriously, and found myself restricted by fear of making one small mistake.  We're talking paralysis of writing abilities!  "The First Five Pages" set me free from that fear and taught me to let go and allow the characters to take over.  It also taught me what I needed to know in editing and the little mistakes that get away from everyone.  This is more than a "So You Want To Be A Writer" book.  The author, Noah Lukeman, is an actual literary agent, and he doesn't hold back the details of the "read to reject" society of book publishing.  He also teaches aspiring authors what mistakes to avoid to stay out of the rejection pile.  Overall, an excellent and informative book that has earned a place on my bookshelf. 

 You can find the book on Amazon.com

I laughed my way through this book!  Authored by an English grammarian, this book shouts to the masses of those horrid little mistakes that make my flesh crawl.  For instance, "your" and "you're" are two different concepts...yet many use them interchangeably....WHY?  THE PANDA SAYS NO!  (A little book humor...you won't understand that last sentence until you read the book.)  Overall, this is one of the more entertaining grammar books I've read in the last few years, and the Panda is just so darn cute! 

 You can find the book on Amazon.com.

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time.  I first read it at the insistence of my English teacher in high school...and then purchased my own copy the next day, because I had finished my assigned copy and felt the need to keep it.  It's an awesome first person story of a governess and her adventures (yes, adventures!) as she looks to build her own life.  There are secrets in the house, and the master of the house has a past that haunts him every single day.  If you only pick one "classic" book to read, this should be it.  The humor is great, and the story itself is a page turner.  Where does that mysterious laugh originate?  Is Grace Poole attacking people, or is it something more sinister?  Find out for yourself!  

 Read it online at Project Gutenburg

 Find it at Amazon.com.