Shadowplay (Shadowmarch part 2), Tad Williams

I really can't say any more good things about Tad Williams. He has to be one of the best fantasy writers that I've ever read. The only contemporary that he might have is Neil Gaiman. This book is 650 pages, but I barely noticed them flying by. His characters are rich in detail and all very, very different. You find yourself rooting for the underdog and despising the bad guys, as you should.

Shadowplay is the second installment of the Shadowmarch Trilogy, and, as promised, leaves you hanging at end, because there is third book that will answer all questions. Of course. It's very frustrating, but yet I'll go buy the third book as soon as it comes out in paperback. Soon, I hope.

And so I wait. Again.

:P

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials 1), Philip Pullman

I thought this was a fabulous book. The story moved fast, the characters were interesting and the pages just flew by. I have no idea why the catholic church was so upset about this novel, come on, it's a fantasy book, relax! Definitely a book that your kids could read, though if they are under 10, they may not get as much out of it as a teenager would.

I recommend the movie, AFTER you've read the book, even though they are very similar. Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman captured their characters extremely well. And really, how can you go wrong with a movie with Sam Elliot in it? Just look at Roadhouse...LOL. http://www.newline.com/properties/goldencompassthe.html.

I look forward to reading the 2nd and 3rd installments of the 'His Dark Materials' series and I'll get back to you.

Twilight, Stephanie Meyer

I did this one backwards, went to see the movie first, then read the book. I really glad I did it that way, but looking back on it, I dont know that it really made that much difference. The movie was true to the book and vice versa. It was a pretty easy read and the pages just flew by. If you are looking for the steamy stuff that's in the Laurell K. Hamilton books and other vampire series, you came to the wrong place. This book is almost squeaky clean and I'd feel comfortable with anyone over the age of 12 reading this. It's a good story, and for one who loves stories, it was a good pick for me. Enjoy.

Artemis Fowl, The Lost Colony

Even though I jumped into the story in the middle of the series, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was a super quick read, but for some reason it still took me 2 months to get through it :P. The story is well thought out and is definitely kid friendly. There's not a bad word or situation in the book that you would worry about your kids reading. Enjoy.

Where The Heart Is

I'm not usually one to recommend books in Oprah's Book Club, but hey, if it's a good story, why not? I got interested in this story after seeing the movie, which is usually backwards to most people's experiences. I have found that if I liked the movie, the book must have been really, really good. Hollywood usually does such a hack job making movies from books, but in this case they did a fairly nice job. The book and the movie follow the same plot except for a few twists that were developed, I'm sure, to keep the story moving.
Both the book and the movie are recommended. The movie has Natalie Portman going for it, so it's a no brainer for me. :P

The Arabian Nights

The Arabian Nights is a small portion of the larger collection of tales know as the Thousand and One Nights. Tales of Scheherazade, Sinbad and many more compiled by the amazing Sir Richard Francis Burton, English explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, ethnologist, linguist, poet, hypnotist, fencer and diplomat.. I have to admit, when I get to reading classics, I get a little intimidated, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Drizzt!

This is a fun little series, does not take much concentration to get maximum entertainment. Follow the travels of the legendary Drizzt Do'Urden, the Lone Drow.