Board Stiff (Xanth #38) by Piers Anthony - Ashley's Pre-Reading

*I received this book as an eARC from Premier Digital Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Board Stiff
Author: Piers Anthony
Publication Date: December 17, 2014

Synopsis: Be careful what you wish for...

"I'm actually a smart girl who would make any man an excellent wife. But no man sees that. No man is interested in my mind or personality, just my whatevers. So here is my wish: I'm board stiff. I want Adventure, Excitement, and Romance.”

So begins Piers Anthony's 38th Xanth novel, in which Irrelevant Candy, looks at her reflection in the water of the shallow well and sees luxuriant midnight black hair to her breathtakingly slender waist, matching dark eyes in a lovely face. A torso coming yea-close to absolute perfection. She was man's desire. That was part of the problem.

And in the shallow magic of a wishing well, she asks her wish to be granted. Something happens. A sudden whirlwind surrounds her, lifting her up and ripping off her clothing. She is changing, somehow. Then she falls flat on the ground.

Literally. She has been transformed into a flat, stiff board with two knotholes for eyes.

Why?: Since I discovered the Xanth books in middle school, I've been a huge fan of Piers Anthony. I've read every book I could get my hands on, and have read several of them more times than I can count. I always come back to the world of Xanth excited for another book, and for all of the puns that abound. It's been a while since I've read a Xanth book though, so I'm so excited to jump back into the world and go on new adventures and meet new characters and groan through all of the new bad puns. 

Expectations: I have pretty high expectations for this book, because I love Piers Anthony so much. I'm hoping Xanth has just become more colorful and more fun and all of the good things that make Xanth Xanth since I've read one of the books. I hope the characters are as well developed as they have been in the past, and that the plot is engaging and fast-paced. 

Judging a book by its cover: Like the other Xanth covers, this one has a pretty heavy cartoon feel to it, which I love about this series. If I didn't know anything about this series, I might not pick this book up based on the cover alone, since it really doesn't look like anything special. But then again, the pun in the title would probably be enough to make me look twice... so I don't know. I might pick up this book if I could only judge it by its cover. 


--Ashley