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Books to read if you're planning a vacation in "Smith", sorted by average review score:
Crown Duel: The Crown & Court Duet, Book I
Published in Hardcover by Jane Yolen Books (April, 1997)
Author: Sherwood Smith
Average review score:

Must read for any fantasy buff!
Crown Duel is one of my favorite fantasy novels.

The book centers around a poor countess named Meliara, or Mel. She lives in a country called Remalna where humans live side by side forests filled with magical creatures named Hill Folk. Mel and her brother, Bran, make a promise to their father on his deathbed that they will protect the Hill Folk from the evil king, Galdran, who plans on killing all the Hill Folk so that he can cut down all the precious wood in the forests that they inhabite. This promise leads Mel into a war against the king and on an adventure that will change her life forever.

If you are a fantasy lover like me you will of course have read the Tamora Pierce books and the Gail Carson Levine books. I would say that they heroine, Mel, is a mixture of Pierce's Alanna and Levine's Ella. Mel is a charismatic, loveable character. Smith has done an excellent job with her character develptment. She has also made her characters completely believable. The only fault I found with this book is that there was little romance. But don't worry! There's a good amount of it in the sequel, Court Duel.

Sigh- and no, not of contempt or boredom . A sigh of bliss.
Pardon the unwieldy title- although it certainly describes my opinion of this book and of its sequel. To elaborate,I would like to step in and join the many other readers who have noted how incredible this book is. Crown starts out with little more than the clothes on its back- a cast of wonderful, intelligent, believable, loveable- human!-characters, a world full of complexities, courtesies and concepts never explored, and a gift for flowing narrative that would leave a poet gasping for breath. Yet Smith backs her characters with a solid emotional arsenal of treachery, belief, hope, blood and love, blowing most fantasy books I've read out of the water with her aweing first-person see-it-as-it-happens style, quick action (action that, incidentally, never feels hurried) and the constant play of tensions and alliances that makes the Duel duet so beautiful. Smith has captured not just the typical image of a courtier in Shevraeth, but has also managed to give him a personality- a distinct flavor for the culinary minded- that sets him far apart from all the other courtier types. The same is true of Meliara and Brannaric- Smith so easily could have let them fit the mold of the so familiar backwoods rebels making familiar fools of themselves. Instead, she gives them their own personalities. She makes Meliara more suspicious, a boasting, almost bratty chit of a girl whose mind is dulled only by lack of honing. Brannaric is her slightly less on top of things brother, much more laid back and relaxed. The two contrast well, and their good natured bickering is achingly reminicent of life as a sibling in our world. It is Brannaric who makes the initial decision to trust the Shevraeths, Brannaric who seems to take the lead for most of Crown- with Meliara taking on the hard part in the back room. All through the book a tight, seamless expectanct builds as Meliara tries to unravel the plots and intrigues of the court and continue a war at the same time, working around her many undependable allies and devil-may care brother. And of course, as many other readers have noticed- yes, there is a definite tension between Shevraeth and Meliara that has very, very little to do with war. Unless you're thinking about that cliched saying- All's fair in love and war. And then, friends, you are most certainly on the right track!

Beautiful Cover, Better Book!
I could hardly put down this book once I started it. All of the characters, from the clever but at times naive Meliara and her loyal and friendly brother Bran to the intelligent and dangerous Shevraeth (what a fabulous name!), are compelling, interesting, and engaging. The world with its troubles is well-drawn, and the scope of the book allows many tantalizing glimpses into various aspects of life that Smith has imagined.

Although the plot is definitely exciting with its twists and turns and high stakes of the adventure, what makes this book are without a doubt the characters. Smith never generalizes about them nor makes excuses for their problems. As the book is written in the first-person from the point of view of Countess Meliara, we see her character the most clearly. Though she can be quick to judge and sometimes incredibly wrong about others, we cannot help but be sympathetic to her struggles and to her great spunk and honor throughout. Her perceptions obviously color her experiences, but on some level that makes the journey more interesting. We see her try to start a rebellion, get injured and captured, and deal with a whole host of people outside of her provincial and fairly sheltered life, and we are able to experience her insecurities as well as her triumphs. She is a compelling character, and the circumstances in which she, her brother, and her friends find themselves force them all to live to the best of their abilities. One cannot help but be drawn in.

I definitely recommend this book for lovers of good stories. As an adult, I enjoyed this book enormously, and I cannot thank Sherwood Smith enough for writing it. I'm starting Court Duel today, and I am thrilled that there is more ahead of Meliara, Branaric, Shevraeth (a fantastic character in this novel, and I can't wait to see more of him ahead), and the others.

Court Duel: The Crown & Court Duet, Book II
Published in School & Library Binding by Harcourt Children's Books (April, 1998)
Author: Sherwood Smith
Average review score:

One of my favorite books of all time!
I think this book is fabulous it has a touch of everything: suspense,humor,adventure,romance....I found that Meliara is smarter than is the previous book yet still quite naive (thouhg not quite as much as her brother)but she is still the caracter I came to admire in"crown duel".

The story begins in Tlanth where Meliara has retreated to after the war.The young countess is reading a letter from the Marquise of Merindar who seems to be inviting Meliara to court.Mel is not sure how to respond to this woman who is,after all,the sister of the king,the man whose downfall was partialy caused by herself.When Mel agrees to come to court for her brother's weding she decides maybe this will be a way to find out if the Marquise is friend or foe.Yet in the capital people hide behind their expressionless court masks and friend and foe look alike.Meliara struggles to fit in,while reciving anonymous letters of support.

You must read this book,if you don't you'll regret it,I know I would have.

Hilarious Characters; Beautiful Flow of Words
In the movies, people meet and tear each other's clothes off within five minutes. In 'Court Duel' it takes a matter of 'Crown Duel' and also 'Court Duel' for two individuals to actually express their emotions towards each other.

While it takes much longer for these two to actually talk to each other without squabbling or fighting about the stupidest things, this is more realistic and also more interesting.

It's quite entertaining to read about Meliara not wanting to accept Vidanric as a friend, while Vidanric is not sure about Meliara. The two made such a fuss about each other and picking on their little faults, that at times they sounded like a couple married for 50 years.

I loved the characters, they were so hilarious and different to read about. I loved Vidanric's cool, quiet, and calm ways. I loved Meliara's fierce spirit and fault of just jumping to a conclusion without checking everything out. I loved Branaric's (Meliara's brother) way of speech and blunt ways. I enjoyed reading about Meliara being bombarded by flirts, like the suave Duke of Savon, and the quiet red head.

The greatest thing about this book is how two people who met under the worst conditions (as enemies) came together and actually have a few good words to toss back at one another.

'Court Duel' is just one of those rare books that you wish would never end.

Just as good as the last book!
Six months after Crown Duel ended Countess Meliara recieves two strange surprises. One is a letter from the former king's sister inviting her to court. The other is her brother Bran coming home with a new bride-to-be and Vidanric, who she can't stand. After a little while of preparation Mel dose end up going a court and finds herself feeling toatally out of place. She's now entered a place that's just as deadly as war. Even though she has friends and admirers she finds the only person she can confide in is the mysterious admirerer who she correponds with letters. Who is this unknown person? And what fate lies for her in court?

I really enjoyed this book. It tells the continuing story of Countess Meliara that we left off in in Crown Duel. The story was amazing and filled with mystery, suspence, and romance. THough it's a lot different than Crown Duel it's just as exciting. I reccomend this book to fans of midevil tales and strong heriones. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! I just pray that there's a sequel!

The Charlie's Angels Casebook
Published in Paperback by Pomegranate Pr (July, 2000)
Authors: David Hofstede, Jack Condon, and Jaclyn Smith
Average review score:

"Purely and Simply - Brilliant"
Being a huge fan of charlie's angel's I was naturally attracted to this book as it's cover contains not only the three original angel's but the best angel's to have ever graced the series. I couldn't put it down until I'd read the entire thing - this book is full of facts, pictures, and behind the scenes antics of all the angel's and is an absolute "must" for serious Charlie's Angel's fans. There is a full insight into what the girls were like on the set, what they are doing now and all about their personal lives and what they think about the impact of the show. There is even a full episode guide outlining each episode in all five seasons - Excellent! For me the best thing about this book is that it's 100% official so what you're reading is true and not simply patched together from many unreliable sources, most of which are untrue. It's plain that Jack Condon and David Hofstede clearly have first hand facts and know what they're talking about. This book screams class - The one and only Jaclyn Smith wrote the foreword, need I say more? For any fan who doesn't own this book "You're insane, buy it now" Best book I have ever read!

I await the next one Jack!

Miss Sarah Kelly

"Charlie" Would Be So Proud
As a Charlie's Angels Fan this has been a long overdue book to "hit" the bookshelves. This book is a sheer delight or "an Angel's heaven" from the definiative collector of "Angels" memorabilia Jack Condon.

This book covers all aspects of the Angel's world from the people who worked on the series to rare photographs, How the "Angels" series came to being and a in depth look at the Pilot show. This book provides a great episode guide and commentry, which is a great reference for any diehard fans of the show. It also covers the actresses careers before and after they "worked" for Charlie, with the "Angels" sharing stories of the days they worked on the show. It's certainly a "Must Read" book for all fans of the series and of the actresses who have brought this show to "television heaven" Reading this book you get to transport yourself back to those days of the late 1970's when we just were "meeting" Sabrina, Jill & Kelly.

It's been a real joy and a pleasure to read Jack "Charlie would be so proud"!!

The book I've been waiting for
Charlie's Angels Casebook is a fantastic book for the die-hard C.A. fan! The book is jamed packed with everything you would ever want to know about the series on and off camera. Condon's enthusiasm for his years of collecting and admiring this show comes to a poignant fruition. Admist the pages are various photographs of the actresses/characters as well as stills from the series' episodes. My personal favorite section is the author's commentary for every single episode. Various trivia facts are revealed and critqued about the plot and numerous guest stars that appeared. After viewing TV Land's recent marathon of the series, it is odvious the producers of the show used the book as a reference for all the trivia facts between commercials. If you've ever watched the show and loved it, or are starting to watch the repeats on TV land, buy this book now. The wonderful chapters will entertain and delight you as you read all the intimate details of the hype, criticism, and 8 careers that this incredible show produced. It's my only hope that each of the angels/actresses reads and enjoys the book as much as this fan did! So buy the book and enjoy a walk down memory lane with the angels before you then go see the new angels 2000 movie!

Secret Circle Vol III: The Power
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Eos (November, 1999)
Author: L. J. Smith
Average review score:

Awesome book!
Here is the conclusion to the trilogy and it continued where the second left off. Black John now holds a position of power in the town. He uses the people as puppets.

Faye is rebelling from the Circle at the most critical time in its history. All members are needed to defeat Black John ... and quickly! A hurricane, that would have down graded to a tropical storm or veered away from land, is being controlled by Black John. If it hits land, millions will die! There is no time to evacuate. Even if there had been, Black John made sure no one could leave the area!

The Circle has only three choices: 1. Give in to Black John's power 2. Let millions die 3. Pray for an inspiration to win the ultimate battle between good and evil!

The best in the trilogy?
I really can't decide which is my favourite book out of this brilliant trilogy, but I think I'd say this one simply because its the ending, which is always going to be good. I'm glad that Cassie and Adam stayed together-it was clear from the start she was never going to go with Nick. Although I liked Nick's character he wasn't anywhere near as intresting as some of the other 'bad-boy' characters L.J Smith has written about (eg Julian, for anyone who's read The Forbidden Game trilogy) This book brought the Secret Circle trilogy to a great close, although it did still leave some loose ends, which made it more realistic in a way. I liked all the details given about the stones and I loved the candle ceremony the girls did.
One more thing-why on earth have some people said they think Diana and Nick will get together?? That would never happen! The Secret Circle trilogy are some of my favourites of L.J Smith's books and I reccommend them to anyone (but make sure you read them in order or it ruins the later ones)

An excellent end to an excellent trilogy!
This book is jam-packed with action and conflict and emotion. Over the course of the last two books, we've come to love these characters and the worst thing about this book is that it has to end, which is a great compliment to any author. Lisa Jane Smith pulls out all the stops as she sends Cassie and company right to the edge and....

But that would be telling. I'll grant you that the final battle should have been a bit tougher, but be that as it may, this is still a terrific book and a wonderful ending to a great series. As I mentioned in my reviews of the other books--make sure you read these in order. Oh, and do yourself a favor and buy all three books at once. You're going to blaze through them so fast that your head will be spinning like Linda Blair's in the Exorcist. The last thing you want to do is get to the end of one of the books and have to wait several days to get the next one. Trust me on this. When I read these books, I went from one book to the next non-stop. I set one down, grabbed the next and kept reading. You'll do the same and your only regret will be that they had to end.

Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
Published in Paperback by Viz Communications (October, 1990)
Authors: Hayao Miyazaki, David Lewis, and Seiji Horibuchi
Average review score:

Probably the best serious work in graphic novel format
From the best known animator outside the US. Miyazaki is never a comic artist, in fact, Nausicaa is his only work in graphic novel format. While the backdrop of the story, a post-appocolyptic portrayal of a world very much like our own but not quite exactly earth, is hardly original, Miyazaki has a lot of surprises in store for his readers. I don't want to spoil the fun for any potential readers. Nevertheless, this is something I can say. Nausicaa is a serious science fiction work, with very rich and engrossing details. The characters are well developed and very likable in ways you won't find in many post-appocolyptic stories. Despite a rather moody background, the story is not as dark as you might expect from a book of this type. Finally, true to his origin, Miyazaki delivers top quality art in his books.

In one word: Epic
If there was ever a reason to get into reading manga this is it. Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind tells of the legacy of a devoted Joan of Arc esque princess born in a small peaceful valley. An intricate tale is woven through absolutely masterful drawings to depict Princess Nausicaa's walk of life to save not only her home but her despotic rulers, their enemies and the sea of destruction that would destroy them all.

Set in the distant future, man has all but lost the battle against the poisonous jungles which now cover much of the earth. What remnants remain of human society wage war for their own interests further culling the dwindling human population. With more and more people dying young and fewer children living past infancy, Princess Nausicaa takes a quest of compassion to save the world from itself.

Miyazaki presents a world of hand to hand sword fighting, huge flying barges, giant insects and a truly admirable princess in a short skirt.

If you die without having experienced these books then you have never truly lived.

Nausicaa; a true 'Graphic Novel' in every sense of the term.
-----Outside of the US borders, Miyazaki is almost universally regarded as the best director and writer of animated movies(in Japan, 'anime'. See alt.fan.miyazaki). His films have won numerous awards, and in the Animation 'Nausicaa of the valley of the wind.', the Character 'Nausicaa' has been often regarded as the most admirable fictional character in fiction. Despite this, I say that the character development, drama, and storyline of his graphic novels far exceeds that of the animated video(not available in any reasonably accurately translated form in the US, but very well known in Japan and amongst fans of Foreign animation.) --The story of Nausicaa is set in the earth's future. The immense wars that Humanity had waged have wiped out all major cities, and the remnants of technology that remain--airships, and a few other toys--cannot be repaired when they break down. Most of the surface of the land is covered with poisonous forests--forests which release debilitating miasma and which contain many immense and formidable insects, and which grow larger and larger each year, threatening the healthy land--that is, the land which people can live and farm on. The valley of the wind is protected from the Miasma by--you guessed it--wind, and the people of the Valley are happy in their lifestyle under the rule of Nausicaa's father.. ..until, that is, an airship from a foreign kingdom crashes in their valley.. --for this is not a story about nature, conservationism, and living in harmony with nature(though these do, naturally, creep in)--this is a drama about politics, wars, intrigue and the value of life. Adventure is far from absent in this fantasy tale, but it's not the swordplay, gunfights, and chases that will make you want to buy the entire series.. --it's the way the books play with your mind. Check it out

Capture the Castle
Published in Audio Cassette by Cover to Cover Cassettes Ltd (February, 1998)
Authors: Dodie Smith and Janet Maw
Average review score:

I Capture the Castle, Truly A Work Of Art
[yes, the title is cheesy, but it's true!!)

At first when I started reading I Capture the Castle, I must admit, I was a little bored. I put off reading it for more than a year! Now I could read it over and over and over again, and it would still be great! The book starts off slow, really, but after sitting down in a nice, quiet room, and taking in every word I began to like it. I found as I began reading that the book grew more and more interesting. (Once you getting a feeling of the book) The storyline flows and it's so well put that you feel like you're sitting in Cassandra's kitchen, that you're right beside her while she writes in the kitchen sink. Cassandra and her family live in an old castle, which Cassandra absolutely adores. The book is about Cassandra Mortmain, and her daily life in that castle, set in the 1930's; her hardships with her family, her battles with love and the every day comedy's of life.

Dodie Smith really makes Cassandra and the other Mortmains come to life. Cassandra is one of the most likeable characters I have ever "read about", she is stubborn, funny and dislikes anything involving romance,[ in the sense of romance between to people.] Quirky and perceptive, Cassandra will always keep you smiling. Then there's beautiful Stephen who's in love with her, who she thinks of as a brother, her sister Rose, who attracts boys where ever she goes, Topaz, Cassandra's step-mother who's a part-time nude model and her eccentric father, who's been having writing block...for twelve years. Cassandra's younger brother Thomas plays a lesser role in the book, but he does help with some of Cassandra's schemes. I do have some qualms with the ending though, it was a strange ending- but at the same time, I loved the ending! I capture the castle is a delightful book....go out and buy it!! If you're Canadian it's pretty expensive for a paperback, but get it anyways, it's truly worth it.

Cassandra captures the castle and her life!
This is the moving, heartfelt, and funny tale of Cassandra, a seventeen-year-old girl living in a crumbling, cold, and bare castle in England. Her unique, spiritied family, the Mortmains, struggle daily with poverty, having little to eat.

There's her eccentric father, James, an hermit-like ex-writer who has a huge case of writer's block. There is Cassandra's sister Rose, a vain beauty who longs for riches and something more in her life. Then there is her stepmother, Topaz, a towheaded artist's model who likes to play her lute and commune with nature (walk around outdoors naked with the elements). Lastly, there is the god-like beauty Stephen (but Cassandra says his expression is "a bit daft"), who helps around the house and is totally in love with Cassandra.

Our heroine records events with wit, honesty, and cozy warmth. The Mortmain family meets the sons of the late Mr. Cotton, the rich landlord, Simon and Neil Cotton. Soon Cassandra's life and the lives of those around her begin to change. Rose becomes engaged to Simon Cotton. But does she actually love him? Rose had once told her sister that she would do anything to help her family out of the poverty they are in.

Cassandra is a wonderful girl coming into her own, witty and likeable up to the very last word. I really identified with her, as a teenaged girl. This book may not deliver your standard happy ending (we never know who Cassandra really ends up with relationship-wise), but will certainly deliver a wonderful reading experience. It is a good book to simply curl up with.

Let Yourself Be Captured
Dodie Smith may be best-known as the author of The One Hundred and One Dalmatians, but she was the author of many hit West End plays and several best-selling books. If you enjoy mid-20th-century British fiction, may I recommend a perfect gem of a novel, back in print after many years a-languishing: I Capture the Castle, told in first-person narration by Cassandra Mortmain, the younger daughter of a family of impoverished eccentrics living in a small run-down castle in the British countryside, as she tries to "capture" her life in her private journal. Her father is a once-famous writer with a seemingly-insurmountable case of writer's block; her stepmother Topaz is an unusually-gorgeous former model with pretentions of artistry and a loving heart; her beloved sister Rose is hungry for some sort--any sort!--of change. Into this almost Austen-like situation comes Simon, the new landlord, an upper-class American from New England, along with his informal younger brother, raised in California, and their "club woman" mother, and suddenly the potentials and possibilities and coincidences become endlessly interesting...Will Simon propose to Rose? Will Mortmain ever write again? Will Cassandra's swain kiss her in the bluebell wood? Perhaps it doesn't sound like much, but it's engaging and endearing, a period-piece with "good bones" and long-lasting, pleasurable resonance, still holding up well after half a century on the shelves.

On my top-40 list, certainly, if not my top-10. I can't recommend this one highly enough.

Daughters of Darkness
Published in Paperback by Simon Pulse (August, 1996)
Author: Lisa Jane Smith
Average review score:

If you're into vampire and romance you should read this book
You might have read a lot of vampire-romance novels but this one certainly rates a 10. The story itself has a good plot and amazing characters to suit their purposes. The three sisters, Rowan, Kestrel and Jade, uncannily beatiful, are actually fugitives from Night World and their brother Ash is sent to take them home. Both male and female lead role are superb. Their roles fit them perfectly. Ash, a vampire whose whole life changed after finding his soulmate is a human and Mary-Lynette a girl with a strong character who wasn't really willing to accept the fact that Ash is her soulmate. And of course...the way the authour tells her story and the words she uses..it's absolutely incredible.

Daughters of Darkness, a love story in a supernatural series
Personally, I feel this book is the best in the Night World series, because I love the character Ash. He is such a hottie, though he has many personality flaws and actions to be ashamed of. That just makes him a more realistic character. Mary-Lynette and the rest of the characters are well thought-out also, and I hope to read about them in the future. This is my favorite series of L.J. Smith's, because in incorporates all creatures of the night. I look forward to reading Huntress and Black Dawn, since I've read all the other Night World books numerous times already, to indulge my fantasy craving mind. My only disappointment is that there are no shapeshifter soulmates. They must be just as intriguing as witches and vampires. And why can't I find Volume one of the Vampire Diaries anywhere? That series must be out of print, though it isn't old

THIS IS MY FAV BOOK IN THE SERIES!!!!
This is the best book out of the Night World series. At first, in the first book, u think Ash is the bad guy, but that opinion totally goes out the window when u read this book.(The same thing w/ Quinn, but that's another book) I have all the Night World books and love them all. I've read them all over and over, but this is my fav. I can totally relate w/ the feeling of longing Mary-Lynette felt at the beginning, and like her, I am looking for someone to share the night w/ (even though i know only a little about astronomy) Ash is definantly a character. He's strong-willed, and has a smart mouth, but is vulnerable like a hurt child underneath it all. There needs to be another book that continues the story of Ash, Mary-Lynette, Mark and the sisters. Ash had small parts in Dark Angel (when he got Gillian out of that club Angel lured her in) and in Soulmates (when he was in Circle Daybreak when he met Hannah and told her about his soulmate.) If you haven't read this one yet, it is a must read. I beleive in soulmates and it makes me wish for mine even more If only the Night World really existed . . . but oh well. I hope you bring in Mary-Lynette and Ash again, I would really like to know the outcome.

Huntress (Night World , No 7)
Published in Paperback by Simon Pulse (September, 1997)
Author: Lisa Jane Smith
Average review score:

' One from the Day World where two eyes are watching'
I think this is my favourite Night World book of the nine I've read so far. Jez Redfern is the main character, and the story is about what happens to her when she turns from a vampire gang leader into a vampire hunter after discovering she's half human. This is the first of the 'Wild Power' Night World books. In this one, Jez has to search for a Wild Power and to do so has to rejoin her old gang who have evidence of a sighting of one. This book has a great surprise ending and Jez is a brillant character who really comes alive. The only thing I don't like is her soulmate, Morgread. He doesn't suit her. The poem which ends this book also ends the other 'Wild Power' books in this series: One from the land of kings long forgotten, One from the hearth which still holds a spark, One from the Day World where two eyes are watching, One from the twilight to be one with the dark.

A really good book that anyone should read!!!
This book was really great. The storyline was very interesting, the soulmate principle was in full form, and the characters were well described and understood. I also like this new thing about the apocalypse, and the four standing against it. I can't wait until they find the other three Wild Powers (I won't tell you who the Wild Power is in this book. It would ruin the surprise!) Jez, Morgead, and the rest of the characters were great, and I hope to see them popping up in some of the other books, as well as some of her previous characters (Ash, M'lin, Quinn, Rashel, Poppy, and Blaise in particular). I hope that L. J. Smith keeps doling it out! ~Sunn

My second favourite Night World book
This is my second favourite book because it has a strong heroine. I prefer girls who kick butt. Wild and dangerous, Jez Redfern is a fiery, beautiful vampire who is leader of a gang of vampires. On the last hunt of her life, Jez discovers a secret about herself and is forced to leave behind her former life. That means leaving her gang - Morgead, Pierce, Raven, Thistle and Val. She finds a friend in the human boy Hugh and joins Circle Daybreak.

A year later, she's back and Morgead wants to know where she's been. If she tells him, she's risking her own life so she lies. She tells him she's back to take over the gang again but she's really there to steal a little girl from under his nose. Four Wild Powers have been born. Four kids who will be the ones to save the world. The Night World council is desperate to get their hands on just one so they can destroy the Wild Power and hopefully regain control of the world.

Jez finds herself in a very strange situation. On the one hand, she is sickened by the horrible things her gang does and on the other hand, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Morgead. Both are fighters and both are fighting these strange feelings but Morgead doesn't know Jez's secret and everything is heading towards a showdown between Jez and her friends and the mysterious and powerful Hunter Redfern who will stop at nothing to achieve his plans.

This is a great book! This is the start of the books concerning Wild Powers and in my opinion, is the best Wild Power book. The main characters are strong, the supporting characters are well written and the plot is good. Definitely one of my favourites.

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Published in Audio Cassette by The Audio Partners (February, 2000)
Authors: Alfred Lansing and Tim Pigott-Smith
Average review score:

Just Buy IT
....

OK, just go order this book right now and read it.

Now that we have that out of the way. Wow what a story! Ernest Shackleton what a man. Since the south pole had already been "discovered", in 1914 Shackelton decided to dog sled across the continent of Antarctica! Unfortunately opon reaching the east coast his ship became locked in the ice eventually completely demolished by the ice flow. Cast out they lived on a floating ice pack for five months! When they were down to one small berg they abandoned the ice and sailed in very small lifeboats to a barren rock Elephant Island. Here the majority stayed behind and Shackleton and small group sailed again in one of the lifeboats over 600 miles to a whaling port! Talk about endurance, the word pales in the accomplishment of these men. And mostly in the fortitude of will that one man Shackleton had.

Some enlightening aspects:

The men on Elephant Island so desperate for cigarettes they smoked the inside packing of their boots.

Shackleton dirty, stinky and having just climbed over impassible mountains knocking on the door of the whaling portmasters door and stating:

"My Name is Shackleton".

I highly recommend this white-knuckle, bone crunching, gut-wrenching adventure story that you will not be able to put down and will enthrall you. I was so excited I also bought the complete photo record by Frank Hurly.
....

Beyond Unimaginable
I literally couldn't put this book down. And that rarely happens. Yes, the story begins slowly as Lansing has to give us some background on the crew and some context for the expedition, which goes as planned for the first few months. But both the story and Lansing's telling of it become increasingly compelling as the events become more and more unbearable.

I mean, think about being stuck on a floating island of ice for 5 months, eating seals and penguins, exposed continually to sub-freezing (even sub-zero) conditions roughly 1000 miles from civilization's last outpost. And the truly horrendous conditions are yet to come! The story pushes you well into the territory of the unimaginable... and just keeps going. There seems no end to their trials, no constraints on the degree of their suffering. And yet all survive.

Others have said the Lansing version is the best, and I was very satisfied to read it first. It has narrative power. But I would also recommend you buy Caroline Alexander's book as a companion, mainly for Hurley's amazing photos but also for even more context on the flawed aspects of most expeditions during this period and the class differences among the Endurance's crew.

Still, this a story everyone should know. It really stretches the limits of what one imagines is humanly possible for one to endure. It's as if Shackleton and his men made definitive claim, for all time, to some capacity for survival that should make us all potentially much stronger than we tend to think we are.

Gripping, harrowing, triumphant
The story of the ill-fated 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, bent on glory, but ultimately humbled to the barest thread of survival. The Endurance becomes locked in an ice pack in the Weddell Sea, and is eventually crushed and sunk. The ship goes screaming into the icy deep. The men scurry for safety onto the surrounding ice. And that's just the beginning. I'm frankly surprised ANYONE survived this horrendous ordeal; if this were a novel, I'd say it's far-fetched. But it happened, and all hands survived. Imagine an acute scarcity of food, months on end in darkness, an interminable landscape of featureless whiteness, no sanitary facilities, and all through this you're cold and wet, and it's windy, and the temperature's below zero. You eat your sled dogs. You're nauseated from undercooked food. Your face and hands are frostbitten. You shiver even in your sleep. And no one knows you're marooned. Your only escape is to travel by open boat through the gale-wracked Drake Passage-the most treacherous body of water on Earth. Imagine your fingers are frozen numb, and yet you must chip off ice from the sail, and raise the sail, and tie the lines fast. Otherwise you'll sink and die. These men did the impossible-and they lived to tell about it.

Secret Vampire (Night World, No 1)
Published in Paperback by Simon Pulse (June, 1996)
Author: Lisa Jane Smith
Average review score:

great start to a new series
The summer is just beginning when Poppy finds out that she's got cancer and is going to die. No one can help her - or so she thinks. Her best friend, and the guy she's secretly in love with, is a vampire. James is Poppy's soulmate and doesn't want her to die, but he's also a member of the Night World, a secret society of vampires, shape shifters, and witches. That society has two cardinal rules: never let a human find out about the Night World and never fall in love with a human. James has to break both those rules to help Poppy, and if anyone from the Night World finds out, including his own parents, it would mean death for both of them.

The cover is awful, I know, but don't let that stop you. The Night World books are, in my opinion, L. J. Smith's best books, and this first one, while not the best in the series, is certainly very good. I'm not sure how I feel about Poppy, since she seems to enjoy the hunt and blood (there's a few times when humans described as a sort of blood-filled fruit - oranges or berries), while at the same time having moments where she's either disgusted by the idea or at least wants to find a better way to do things (hunting animals instead, or something). Mostly, however, she seems to enjoy what she is becoming. Since James doesn't like being a vampire himself, it made me wonder how good a match those two really are anyway. No of that interfered much with my enjoyment of the book, however, and I've liked it enough that I've reread it several times.

vampiric romance
The Night World is a secret society of vampires, werewolves, and witches. In the first book in the series, teenage Poppy discovers she has terminal cancer. Things look pretty bleak for Poppy till her best friend and secret crush, James, reveals that he is a vampire and that he wants to make her one as well. Poppy isn't out of the woods yet, by making her a vampire James has broken the laws of the night world which could cost him and Poppy their lives.

This is probably the best L. J. Smith book I've read so far. I enjoyed it so much I read it practically in one sitting. The characters, plot, and pacing were all perfect and the writing was very emotional as well. Smith's vampires are different from any I've read about before. She's also created a very intriguing world that makes me want to track down the rest of the series. Fans of teen horror, vampire fiction, or even just good romance should give this one a try.

Not your typical vampire book
LJ Smith has been one of my favorite authors since I was in junior high school. Her books are all about the supernatural, but you don't have to be a science-fiction, horror story lover to enjoy them. The Night World is a series about vampires, witches, shapeshifters, and the humans who know about them. However, don't be turned off if this isn't typically your thing. They are more love stories between teenagers who hapen to be supernatural beings than they are books about supernatural beings who happen to fall in love. The characters are easy to relate to because they have the same types of problems that normal teenagers have, fangs and all.
Secret Vampire is one of the best Night World books in the series. James is a vampire whose human best friend, Poppy, is dying of cancer. He has to choose between breaking the laws of his people or letting Poppy die. He also has to face the obstacles of Phil, Poppy's possessive twin brother, Poppy's stubborness, and Ash, James' ruthless vampire cousin.
I would recommend Secret Vampire for any teen girl, because in encompasses a wide variety of genres into one book without going too heavily into any of them.

Related Vacation Book Subjects: Mississippi
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