Dear Son,

Contrary to popular belief I do not enjoy punishing you. I am neither trying to ruin your life, nor make it hard. When you choose to rage against the rules you are given, however, you leave me no choice.

Contrary to popular belief I do love you. Unconditionally and irrevocably. It is infinite, without beginning or end, and continues to grow as I watch you begin to morph into the man you will become.

Contrary to popular belief, as your mother, I am even more upset than you right now that you had to be punished. You may be on a school bus, grumping and grumbling over your evil witch of a mother (and, yes, I'm aware you're possibly using harsher language than that...but allow me this tiny bit of delusion, okay?); however, I'm trying to function through a mountain of work while nursing a broken heart. Broken because I was forced to break yours. Broken because being a good parent means you have to do the hardest thing in the world (i.e., cause your child heartache) in order to help your child learn right from wrong.

One day, far from now, you will understand the difficulties and intricacies of being a parent. You'll know that it is both the best and worst job in the world. Most importantly, however, you'll know that every grounding, every punishment was something far greater than Mom being mean and evil. It was Mom whispering, "I love you more than myself. I love you enough to cause you a little pain now, to prevent you from suffering great pain in your future. I love you enough to stand my ground, to teach you to follow the rules. I will gladly cry for hours after punishing you, if it means that you will be better for it. I will suffer through a thousand heartbreaks if it prevents one from coming your way in the future because of what I should have done."

Always & Forever,

Mom

Review: Shakespeare's Christmas

Shakespeare's Christmas by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I flew through Shakespeare's Christmas. This story was written at a much faster pace than the previous two in the series, and the leap forward in Lily's healing made for a much more enjoyable reading experience!

Jack is still around, and still hanging tough. I love that he doesn't take Lily's passive aggressive behavior as lightly as everyone else in her life...the man fights back! Her family, however, tend to sit around like whipped puppy dogs every time she has a "moment". I can't help but feel that if they didn't tolerate her shoving them away she may just quit doing it!

Since I'm reading the Kindle versions of these books available through my library's website, and they only have the first three in this format, I've had to place holds on the last two books in the series in a traditional book format. This is fine...I do sometimes miss the feel of a real book in my hands; however, I now have to wait to finish reading the series. What a bummer! I think I'll make it, though.



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Review: Shakespeare's Champion

Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Shakespeare's Champion is a decent follow-up to Ms. Harris' first book in the series, Shakespeare's Landlord. Lily is a trouble-magnet, as usual...as well as a guy magnet. Apparently the poor woman just can't help it!

I enjoy the quickness of this series. A reader can get the books them fast, as there isn't a ton of back story to drag them out. Rather, the story is written much like Lily's character...blunt and straight forward. There is a ton of action, and a fair amount of realistic romance. No fluff at all.

My only real problem with this book is with Lily, herself. There comes a point and time where it's prudent to quit wallowing and using your inner pain as an excuse to be rude to everyone. Quit pushing everyone away. Sure I can still see that Lily is healing, but I also can't help but feel that until she forces herself to open up more to the world around her the healing that needs to take place won't be able to find a foot hold. I was also very upset with the immature way she ended things with Marshall. Of course, I was just as upset with Marshall for his treatment of Lily. Calling her "cold" every time she didn't react the way he thought appropriate was just plain ol' mean-spirited! As I finished the story I found myself hoping that Jack, the new love interest, is the one who can make Lily feel again.

I'm moving on to the third book now, Shakespeare's Christmas, in the hopes that I'll see some headway in Lily's emotional capactiy!



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Review: Shakespeare's Landlord

Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I didn't want to like this book. I mean, come ON! The last thing I need is another series to keep up with, right? It seems like any book I pick up recently is part of one, and I just know that some of them that I meant to continue with are falling through the cracks of my mind. At first I was right on track to not like Ms. Harris' heroine for this story. She seemed quite abrasive. There was some allusion to a past that caused this abrasiveness; however, with no back story to fill the reader in it was easy to write Lily off as one nasty piece of work.

Then Lily is forced to tell her tale, and what a tale it is! Suddenly the reader can see her without the author's filter. Suddenly the reader understands just where Lily's attitude comes from. The times, they are a changin' for our dear heroine in this story, and Ms. Harris does an exemplary job at jumping Lily over the hurdles of her return to real life at a very realistic pace. Add into this a mix of murder, vicious attacks, and a cast of suspicious characters and the reader is given a very thick and juicy plot to gnaw on to their heart's content.

The book concludes nicely and, other than the obligatory love triangle, could be a stand alone piece. This particular reader, however, is now officially hooked on another series and is already a third of the way through Shakespeare's Champion, the second book in the series.



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Review: Once Upon a Ghost

Once Upon a Ghost by Day Leclaire

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



After finishing yesterday's heart breaker, I found myself needing a cute little fluff piece to brighten my outlook. Ms. Leclaire's Once Upon A Ghost filled that bill admirably.

Be forewarned: the heroine is something of a dingbat and the hero has a sudden, inexplicable, change in his core beliefs in order for the stereotypical HEA to occur. There isn't real depth to the plot. To be fair, however, I knew that when I chose this book. As a matter of fact, that is the reason I chose this book. Sometimes a girl just needs to lose herself in a highly improbable story where the good guys always win and the girl always get her feller!



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Review: Dream Smashers

Dream Smashers by Angela Carlie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Dream Smashers, to sum it up in one word, is heartbreaking. A sad story of a girl trying to overcome the stigma of being an addict's child. Trying to figure out how to love, how to have faith, in a world that had denied her those very things.

The writing was solid, the pacing was decent, and the plot was deep. I enjoyed the story; however, the emotions that I have upon finishing this work are not so enjoyable. I'm an emotional basket case, feeling as though I'm on the verge of tears. As if I should cry for Autumn, just because she doesn't have anyone else to care enough to shed tears for her.

I wouldn't recommend this book if you're an empathetic soul, as I am. For those who can remain detached from the stories they read, however, I feel comfortable in telling you that it's not a book you will regret having read.



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Review: The Fire of Merlin

The Fire of Merlin by Donna Hosie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This sequel to Ms. Hosie's Searching for Arthur is just as worthy of a read as it's predecessor. The Fire of Merlin picks up where the first book left off, and takes the reader through another whirlwind adventure. The original characters stay true, and the new ones that come along are just as well-developed and likable. The pacing is, once again, wonderful. The plot is filled with the same action, intrigue and mystery that captivated me from the start, with the perfect amount of romance thrown in to keep the reader in touch with their softer side.

Ms. Hosie has become a bit more descriptive in her introductions of new characters in this book, and although some were not for those with the weakest of stomachs - "grey matted hair", "brown stained teeth", and "The fingers were long and deathly page but the rest was covered in that horrible, glistening, dark green mould..." are but a few examples - I found them to be accurate portrayals of how a 17-year old girl would think to describe the new people who have entered her life.

This books brings with it falls from ivory towers, as well as new ones being erected for characters who would have never thought themselves to be heroes. There are battles, there is loss, there are new, oft-frightening, experiences had by all. It is a story of overcoming. Of striving to set things to rights. All culminating in a cliff hanger that left me slack-jawed and mentally screaming, "She ended it HERE?!?!"

The Spirit of Nimue is due for release this spring, as I've been informed, and you can bet that as soon as it is available my itching grabby hands will be holding it!



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