Books Read in May

1. Chalice by Robin McKinley- New, unsuitable Master and Chalice must heal the land from the abuses of former Master and Chalice while dealing with higher ups trying to unseat them. I always enjoy McKinley's work, but I don't think she'll ever write anything I'll love as much as I did Beauty.

2. The Language of Bees by Laurie R King- Russell and Holmes search for the missing wife and child of Holmes's son. Then the son disappears as well, and the wife turns up dead...

3. Ghost Dogs of the South- Yet another ghost story book.

4. Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce- I read her Alanna of Trebond books when I was a teen, and adored them. Also read most of the Keladry series as an adult. This book follows Alanna's daughter Aly on her adventures. She is captured as a slave. A god is involved, and Aly functions as a protector and spy for the family that owns her. The two elder daughters are half raka, the native people, and half luarin, the ruling conquerers. They are also royal on both sides of their family. They are thus set to fulfill a prophecy about a twice royal queen...

5. Beka Cooper Terrier by Tamora Pierce- Yeah, I'm on a Tamora Pierce kick, and loving it. :D This one chronicles the adventures of Beka, ancestress of George Cooper (former king of thieves and husband of Alanna). She is a trainee in the City Guard. Puppies, the trainees are called, as the full guards are Dogs. Beka talks to crows and whirlwinds, and uses their help in her quest to find a child murderer.

6. Beka Cooper Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce- Beka is back, this time chasing counterfeiters.

7. Young Warriors edited by Tamora Pierce and Josepha Sherman- Exactly what it sounds like, stories of young warriors. Enjoyable, but no one story stands out in my memory.

8. Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce- Conclusion of Aly's tale. Helping the Trickster retake the Copper Isles.

10. Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce- The first book of Daine's tale. Daine has lost her mother and never knew her father. Her natural ability with animals gets her hired on with the Queen's Riders of Tortall assisting their horsemistress. Daine has wild magic, as opposed to the Gift, which is the source of her bond with animals. Numair Salmalin takes her on as a pupil. But Immortals have once again been released into the mortal world from the Divine Realms...

11. Wolf Speaker by Tamora Pierce- Book two of Daine's tale. Daine travels to Dunlath Valley to aid a wolf pack that once saved her life, and discovers that the lord and lady of Dunlath intend to rebel against the crown.

12. Emperor Mage by Tamora Pierce- Book Three of Daine's tale. Daine and Numair along with various other important people travel to Carthak to negotiate a peace treaty. Of course, the Carthaki emperor is not really interested in peace...