A Tree, A Book, and A Breeze

The Girl's Guide to Conquering Life Erica & Jonathon Catherman Revell      Okay, first off, I don't think that I'm really the target audience for this book--which is something that I didn't know from looking at the cover and reading the blurb. I assumed that it was going to be more of an "adulting" handbook for women in the twenty-ish age bracket, but it's really much more juvenile. The how-tos are incredibly basic and the small handful of sections that I thought might be useful for me personally didn't give me much help; I think I'd get a better idea of how to change a car tire from youtube or my dad, for instance. Maybe my parents just prepared me very well for the world, but I can't imagine not knowing a lot of stuff in here. I can see this book maybe being useful to a girl with a single dad who can't really teach her how to shave her legs, shop for a bra, etc., but a lot of the skills it tries to teach are learned more by

The Wounded Shadow Patrick W. Carr Bethany House Publishers The kings and queens of the northern continent lay siege to the Darkwater Forest, desperate to contain its evil. But rumors of gold and aurium have lured deserters and the desperate into its shadow, creating a growing army held in its sway. Desperate after the death and dissolution of their greatest ally, Willet and the Vigil seek the truth of what lies at the heart of the evil they face. They delve the mind of an old enemy and find an answer far worse than they could have imagined. Danger stalks the cities of the north, striking at the rulers of the kingdoms. As Willet and the rest of the Vigil seek to find answers, the group is scattered with an ever-growing darkness around them. Will they discover a path to keep their land safe, or will an ancient evil reclaim the world it once called its own?      I wish I could write a better review for this book, but the fact remains that I had a lot of trouble remembe