Title: Practical Demonkeeping

Author: Christopher Moore

Paperback: 243

Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (May 25, 2004)

Genre: Fantasy

Synopsis from Amazon:

Good-natured, often funny, but excessively complicated tale that matches a people-eating demon against his reluctant master and the citizens of a small California town. First-novelist Moore throws in more plot twists than the Pacific Coast highway has curves. He obviously knows and is amused by the flawed but feisty denizens with which he inhabits Pine Grove, south of the Big Sur wilderness area. To this tourist town comes Travis O'Hearn, a 20-year-old who, 70 years before, got saddled with a demon, Catch, who gave him eternal youth plus problems. Catch is sometimes under Travis's control but often not, particularly when he's hungry. Travis wants out, namely by finding an incantation that will return the demon to Hell. On Travis's side are the King of the Djinns and August Brine, Pine Grove's purveyor of bait, tackle, and fine wines. Others who swell the cast past overflowing include waitress Jenny and her estranged, alcoholic husband Robert; tough old Mavis, who owns the Head of the Slug bar (it had been Head of the Wolf until animal-rights activists leaned on her); retired woodcarving codger Effrom and his wife Amanda; hotel night auditor Billy Winston, who flirts with other males by computer modem while wearing red silk panties; once-battered Rachael, who runs a coven to empower women through worship of the Goddess; and Detective Sergeant Alfonse Rivera, who fears he will end up bagging microwave burritos at a 7-Eleven unless he nails down a case.

My Thoughts: This is another one of Christopher Moore's completely improbable stories. He uses the demon from Lamb and spins him into the tale of Practical Demonkeeping. The books magical creatures, like the djinn and demon, makes the story more fantastical than other books that take place in our own time. The way Christopher Moore writes this book it feels like he was having a great time while writing it. I remember a part of the book where the main character has thought of what would happen if someone figured out about the demon. He thinks about the demon eating a man then an officer comes behind him and simply asks, "Umm what is he doing?" then he explains about the eating habits of the demon, and the officers nods like he's saying "been there, done that" "well that's our mayor he's eating so I would like to see your license to be eating a county official" and then he gets back to the moment like the worst thing could be waiting in line to get a license to eat county officials.

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SNAPS
Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭

Would I read it again? Yes
Would I read more from this author? have been
Who should read this? This book is for adult males. There is some swearing and sexual content, but it's an enjoyable book, to say the least

Next on the TBR pile: Fool by Christopher Moore

Title: Bloody Jack

Author: L.A. Meyers

Paperback: 320 pages

Publisher: Harcourt Paperbacks (June 1, 2004)

Genre: Historical Fiction

Audiobook: narrated by Katherine Kellgren

Synopsis from Amazon:

The Jacky of the title was born Mary Faber, whose life turned upside down when a pestilence in 1797 left her orphaned and homeless. She turned to the streets, surviving for a few years by begging, brawling and occasionally stealing on the dirty streets of London. But she lost her taste for that life when her best mate was "done for" by a vile city grave robber, and with few options remaining she hacked away her hair, changed her name, lied about her age and secured a post as a ship's boy on HMS Dolphin.

My thoughts: this is a very interesting story that takes a lot of unexpected turns. L.A. Meyers is a good writer that likes to lead you one way then pull you into a completely different direction. Jacky knows that if her ship mates find out that she's not a boy, they will leave her at the nearest port, but Meyers is good at putting Jacky at the brink of danger, and then pulling her back. Jacky always seems to get into trouble, even when she tries not to, so that's what makes this book so exciting.

I actually listened to this and what I like about the narrator is that Katherine Kellgren does so many voices that it sounds like more than one person is telling the story.

SNAPS
Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭
Would I read it again? Yes
Would I read more from this author? YES!
Who should read this?: anyone interested in a historical fiction that tells about pirates and life on the sea

Next on TBR list: Lamb by Christopher Moore

Title: Crossing the Wire

Author: Will Hobbs

Paperback: 224 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins (April 10, 2007)

Genre: Adventure

Synopsis from Amazon

Ever since his family moved to the tiny village of Los Árboles, Victor has been best friends with Rico. When Rico tells him that he has enough money to pay for a coyote to help him cross into El Norte, Victor is unable to decide if he, too, should go along and look for work or try to feed his family with the pitiful annual corn harvest. The decision is made for him the next day when he discovers that the corn prices have bottomed out and that there is no point in even planting this year. Readers suffer with the 15-year-old as he makes his painful decision to leave his mother and younger siblings and attempts the dangerous border crossing, jumping trains, fleeing thieves and border officials, and suffering from thirst and hunger. His desperation and fear are completely believable as he faces near-death situations and must decide whom to trust. The author deftly weaves information concerning the local geography and customs into the plot. The story is well paced, sustaining readers' attention throughout.

My thoughts: This book was really good because it talks about the lives of people that are trying to immigrate to America. It tells of the cruelty and generosity of people in real life. I liked the way the writer writes uses a lot of similes. I think the author should make a sequel because the book ends in a weird way, and does not really tie up the loose ends.

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SNAPS
Rating: ✭✭✭✭✩

Would I read it again? Yes
Would I read more from this author? No
Who should read this? This book is a book for a young audience for people looking for an adventure

Next on the TBR pile: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

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...edited by Mrs.Ikeda

Water for Elephants
Sara Gruen
Paperback: 350 pages
Publisher: Algonquin Books (April 9, 2007)
Summary from Goodreads:

"Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell." Jacob was there because his luck had run out - orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive "ship of fools." It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act - in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

My thoughts: A really amazing book about a traveling circus that fed off the carrion of dead circuses all over the world. It's a good book and I have read it more than 5 times already and it's still good. Sara Gruen really is a good writer and if I can find any more of her books then I would read more but sadly, I cannot...
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SNAPS
Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭
Would I read it again? Yes
Would I read more from this author? Maybe
Who should read this? This book is more for adults than YA. Read it if you're interested in adventure and romance.

Next on the TBR pile: Crossing the Line by Will Hobbs (I have to read a Western for class).