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***I know the blog has been MIA for a bit. In the middle of my last book, which still remains half finished, I started reading the latest release from Terry Goodkind, 'The Last Confessor'. This then gave me the sudden urge to start re-reading his Sword of Truth series, of which 'The Last Confessor' was a prequel. Six books later, I'm taking a break. Mostly because the 7th book tends to drag, and is the weakest one in the series. But instead of getting back to my half-finished book about King Tut's tomb, the library has graced me with the latest installment of the Dresden Files. King Tut's not going anywhere, right?***

"Cold Days' by Jim Butcher

From BarnesandNoble.com:

After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad. Because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard.

He is now Harry Dresden, Winter Knight to Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness. After Harry had no choice but to swear his fealty, Mab wasn’t about to let something as petty as death steal away the prize she had sought for so long. And now, her word is his command, no matter what she wants him to do, no matter where she wants him to go, and no matter who she wants him to kill.

Guess which Mab wants first?

Of course, it won’t be an ordinary, everyday assassination. Mab wants her newest minion to pull off the impossible: kill an immortal. No problem there, right? And to make matters worse, there exists a growing threat to an unfathomable source of magic that could land Harry in the sort of trouble that will make death look like a holiday.

Beset by enemies new and old, Harry must gather his friends and allies, prevent the annihilation of countless innocents, and find a way out of his eternal subservience before his newfound powers claim the only thing he has left to call his own…His soul.

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"The First Confessor: The Legend of Magda Searus" by Terry Goodkind

From BarnesandNoble.com:

In the time before the Confessors, when the world is a dark and dangerous place, where treason and treachery are the rule of the day, comes one heroic woman, Magda Searus, who has just lost her husband and her way in life.


**My first true e-book. Read another one once, but it was short. This is my first full-length one. Gotta say, I'm not a huge fan. I guess it's nice to always have the book in your pocket, since I'm reading it on my phone through the B&N Nook app, but I much prefer having an actual book in my hands. Maybe I'm old school, I don't know.**

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"The Tomb of Tutankhamen: The Burial Chamber" by Howard Carter

From DavesBookNook.com:

The tomb of Tutankhamun (Tut.ankh.Amen), uncovered by the fifth Earl of Carnarvon and Howard Carter in November 1922, was the greatest archaeological find the world has ever seen. Though superficially plundered by thieves in antiquity, the burial remained intact, surrounded by a mass of funerary equipment arranged in three peripheral chambers. "The Tomb of Tut.ankh.Amen: The Burial Chamber" was originally published in 1927 as the second volume of Carter's trilogy. It records the work of the second and third seasons at the tomb: the opening of the four protective shrines; the discovery within of Tutankhamun's quartz-sandstone sarcophagus; the extraction of the king's three anthropoid coffins (the innermost of solid gold); and the final examination of the pharaoh's mummy.

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"A Sword from Red Ice" by J.V. Jones

From DavesBookNook.com:

This epic fantasy of enormous scope, set on a world peopled by fascinating, compelling characters who readers will take to their hearts, is a sharply observed saga of a cold, splintered world on the brink. A thousand years ago, war shook the land and decimated the Sull, a legendary ancient people. In the two previous Sword of Shadows novels, bestselling author J. V. Jones gave readers the powerful stories of Raif Sevrance and Ash March, a man and woman whose destinies place them in terrible jeopardy as they try to find themselves and save their world. Across the land, clans vie for dominance. Dangerous, arrogant clan chiefs urge their followers to frenzied battles, killing each other and plotting to defeat their rivals in spite of those among them who seek unity. But for all the vicious contention among the clans, a darker threat comes from a city with a black heart of evil, whose rulers have long sought to control the clanholds. As Ash pursues her destiny with the Sull and Raif seeks a place where he belongs, the story of their world is spun in a tale at once violent, poignant, and filled with suspense and excitement for any who love epic fantasy on a grand scale.

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"A Fortress of Grey Ice" by J.V. Jones

From DavesBookNook.com:

"Wonderful . . . J.V. Jones is a striking writer." So says Robert Jordan, the author of The Wheel of Time epic fantasy series. And Jones lives up to that praise in the highly charged epic adventure of Ash March and Raif Sevrance, two outcasts whose fates are entwined by fate and by need, in the cold, dark world that threatens to be torn asunder by a war to end all wars. They are but two of many who fight the dreaded Endlords, but both Ash and Raif are special in unique ways that isolate them, yet which also enable them to perform heroic acts that might save their world.

Raif, wrongly accused and cut off from his clan by the treachery of their new headsman, has a talent for killing that is part of his curse and his burden. But he bears another burden of greater weight. Ash is a sacred warrior to the Sull, an ancient race whose numbers have declined.Raised as a foundling, she never knew her true heritage, she must learn to accept the terrible gifts of her heritage.

But as Ash learns more of her greater fate, Raif's task looms dark and desperate, for he must journey through the nightmare realm of the Want, a place where even the Sull now fear to tread. For deep within the Want is the Fortress of Grey Ice, and there he must heal the breach in the Blindwall that already threatens the world. Should he fail, not even Ash's powers can save them...

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"A Cavern of Black Ice" by J.V. Jones

From DavesBookNook.com:

HIGH ADVENTURE ON THE SWORD EDGE OF DESTINY

As a newborn Ash March was abandoned--left for dead at the foot of a frozen mountain. Found and raised by the Penthero Iss, the mighty Surlord of Spire Vanis, she has always known she is different. Terrible dreams plague her and sometimes in the darkness she hears dread voices from another world. Iss watches her as she grows to womanhood, eager to discover what powers his ward might possess. As his interest quickens, he sends his living blade, Marafice Eye, to guard her night and day.

Raif Sevrance, a young man of Clan Blackhail, also knows he is different, with uncanny abilities that distance him from the clan. But when he and his brother survive an ambush that plunges the entire Northern Territories into war, he yet seeks justice for his own . . . even if means he must forsake clan and kin.

Ash and Raif must learn to master their powers and accept their joint fate if they are to defeat an ancient prophecy and prevent the release of the pure evil known as the End Lords.

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"Just a Geek" by Wil Wheaton

From DavesBookNook.com:

Wil Wheaton has never been one to take the conventional path to success. Despite early stardom through his childhood role in the motion picture "Stand By Me", and growing up on television as Wesley Crusher on "Star Trek: The Next Generation", Wil left Hollywood in pursuit of happiness, purpose, and a viable means of paying the bills. In the oddest of places, Topeka, Kansas, Wil discovered that despite his claims to fame, he was at heart Just a Geek.

In this bestselling book, Wil shares his deeply personal and difficult journey to find himself. You'll understand the rigors, and joys, of Wil's rediscovering of himself, as he comes to terms with what it means to be famous, or, ironically, famous for once having been famous. Writing with honesty and disarming humanity, Wil touches on the frustrations associated with his acting career, his inability to distance himself from Ensign Crusher in the public's eyes, the launch of his incredibly successful web site, wilwheaton.net, and the joy he's found in writing. Through all of this, Wil shares the ups and downs he encountered along the journey, along with the support and love he discovered from his friends and family.
The stories in Just a Geek include:

Wil's plunge from teen star to struggling actor
Discovering the joys of HTML, blogging, Linux, and web design
The struggle between Wesley Crusher, Starfleet ensign, and Wil Wheaton, author and blogger
Gut-wrenching reactions to the 9-11 disaster
Moving tales of Wil's relationships with his wife, step-children, and extended family
The transition from a B-list actor to an A-list author

Wil Wheaton--celebrity, blogger, and geek--writes for the geek in all of us. Engaging, witty, and pleasantly self-deprecating, Just a Geek will surprise you and make you laugh.

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"Memories of the Future, Volume 1" by Wil Wheaton

From DavesBookNook.com:

From Encounter at Farpoint to Datalore, relive the first half of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s unintentionally hilarious first season through the eyes, ears and memories of cast member and fan Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) as he shares his unique perspective in the episode guide you didn’t even know you were dying to read.

ENJOY snarky episode recaps!

EXPAND your Technobabble vocabulary!

AMUSE your friends with quotable dialog!

BOLDLY go behind the scenes!

LISTEN to the Memories of the Futurecast at MemoriesoftheFuturecast.com!

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"Awakening Osiris: The Egyptian Book of the Dead" by Normandi Ellis

From DavesBookNook.com:

THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD is one of the oldest and greatest classics of Western spirituality. Until now, the available translations have treated these writings as historical curiosities with little relevance to our contemporary situation. This new version, made from the hieroglyphs, approaches the Book of the Dead as a profound spiritual text capable of speaking to us today. These writings suggest that the divine realm and the human realm are not altogether separate; they remind us that the natural world, and the substance of our lives, is fashioned from the stuff of the gods. Devoted like an Egyptian scribe to the principle of "effective utterance", Normandi Ellis has produced a prose translation that reads like pure, diaphanous verse.

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"Joe Tait: It's Been a Real Ball" by Terry Pluto and Joe Tait

From DavesBookNook.com:

Legendary broadcaster Joe Tait is like an old family friend to three generations of Cleveland sports fans. This book celebrates his hall-of-fame career with stories from Joe and dozens of fans, media colleagues, and players. It's co-written with Joe by award-winning sportswriter Terry Pluto.

What made Joe Tait so special? Fans believed him. He was "one of us." He made the game come alive, and wasn't afraid to speak his mind--even when it might get him in trouble with the coach or the owners. He was a throwback, a purist. Despite the bling and flash that has become so much a part of pro sports, for Joe the game always came first.

Northeast Ohioans know Tait best as the voice of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He called the radio play-by-play from the team's first year in the NBA, 1970, until his retirement in 2011 (with the exception of two years in the early 1980s). His animated voice and no-nonsense announcing brought the excitement of the game home to listeners, from the "Miracle at Richfield" to the LeBron James years. Many also fondly recall him as one of the best play-by-play announcers ever to broadcast Cleveland Indians games (1973 to 1987) and as the longtime announcer for Mount Union football.

In high school, Joe loved sports but wasn't always good enough to make the team. Then he discovered play-by-play announcing. Combining two passions, he began to carefully build a broadcasting career that would eventually touch the lives of countless other sports fans.

Pluto weaves a roughly chronological narrative that hits the highlights of a long career. It also uncovers some touching personal details. For example, one chapter describes how Joe's father, a stern man with a deep-rooted distrust of black people, came to become good friends with Cavaliers center Nate Thurmond, to Joe's surprise and delight.

With fans, Joe was often more popular than the players on the court--especially during the Cavs' dimmer days. When notoriously incompetent team owner Ted Stepien fired Joe in the 1980s, fans protested and staged a rally in his honor. When new owner Gordon Gund took over the team, the first thing did was hire Joe back. "He is the franchise," Gund said. "To have a basketball team in Cleveland, you have to have Joe Tait."

His work inspired a generation of young broadcasters. Language he invented became part of the common broadcast language in Northeast Ohio. "Left to right on your radio dial" . . . "Wham, with the right hand" . . . "It's a beautiful day for baseball!" . . . "To the line, to the lane . . ."The stories in this book will make fans feel like they're sitting alongside Joe enjoying a play-by-play recap of the remarkable career they shared together.

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"Moment of Glory" by John Feinstein

From DavesBookNook.com:

After winning 6 of the 12 Majors from 2000 to 2002, Tiger Woods struggled in 2003. Four unknown players would seize the day, rising to become champions in his wake.

Mike Weir--considered a good golfer but not a great one--triumphed in The Masters, becoming the first Canadian to win a Major. Jim Furyk emerged victorious in the U.S. Open. In the British Open, Ben Curtis became the only player since Francis Ouimet in 1913 to prevail on his first time out, and Shaun Micheel came from nowhere to prevail at the PGA Championship. How does one moment of glory affect the unsung underdog for years to follow?

Feinstein chronicles the champions' ups and downs, giving readers an insider's look into how victory (and defeat) can change players' lives.