( 53 )
An Alex Delaware novel
I realized after I read this that I’d skipped “Gone” and that left some gaps in the timeline for me. Other than that, well…
I have to say, it was fluffy. Finished less than 2 weeks ago and I can barely remember it. Did I read it too fast? Is it me, or is it the books?
( 52 )
Fred the Mermaid, book 2
*sigh* I wanted to like this one, but it was, in fact, worse than the first. At least it was a quick read.
( 51 )
After the disappointment that was Scarlett, I didn’t have much hope for this, but the title got me. I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised. It stayed true to the original story in all the right places and filled in a lot of blanks in the original with grace and eloquence.
The section where the book went on past the end of GWTW felt a little awkward and flat. Or it may have just felt that way because it went past the part where I could picture Leigh and Gable acting it out in my head… Either way, I think GWTW fans will be much less disappointed in this than Alexandra Ripley’s messterpiece (who the hell was her editor and what drugs were they on?!?!)
( 50 )
A Southern Vampire book
Sadly, the most memorable thing about this book is how unmemorable it was. I love Sookie, but the series is spiralling into decline and I’m hoping Harris can save it.
The book felt more like an overlong set-up for the next book, which will probably be a romantic triangle thing since Sookie is available, Bill has confessed his undying (’scuse the pun) devotion and Eric has recovered all the memories from their brief time together.
I finished this book a little over 2 weeks ago and that’s all that stuck with me. Sad, huh?
( 49 )
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, book 1
I really enjoyed this. I saw Rick Riordan at a mystery authors panel discussion he did in San Marcos a few years ago with Susan Wittig Albert, Joe Lansdale, and someone else whose name escapes me. Afterward I fell in love with Albert’s China Bayles series, but was unable to get into Riordan’s mystery series.
This summer, with all the buzz* about the 4th book in this series coming out, I thought I’d try the 1st one. I started HP1 the summer the 4th one came out, too… hmmm… a trend?
*maybe that’s a central Texas thing, since Riordan is based in San Antonio, but all our B&N’s in the area were pimpin’ it hard…
The reader on this was excellent. He had good vocal characterization for a very large cast of characters and sounded very wry and like he knew too many things that he wished he did not.
I will definitely recommend it, particularly if J goes through a phase, like I did, of complete and utter obsession with Greek and Roman mythology. I know a couple of early readers who are ahead of the curve on their reading that I would NOT recommend it for; it is considerably more violent than HP1, and I made my early reader read that one with me.
( 48 )
This was better than the cover art led me to expect…eventually.
I got this one on audio so I could listen on my ipod while I walk the dog. Good plan, right? Multi-tasking and all that. The author’s style was entertaining, but the book just didn’t make any sense whatsoever. This went on for about 3 days with me complaining about the lack of logical organization to the book.
Then I realized my ipod was still on shuffle from the last time I played music on it. Doh!
After starting over from the beginning to get things in their proper order, it was a much better book. There were some things about the story pacing that probably would have annoyed me in print, but that worked in audio, largely due to the skill of the reader.
The book, despite being about a woman and by a woman had a real heavy-handed feel. The men in this book had all the power, outside of Rowena & she was only trading on her husband’s power, and were all a bit condescending, except John. That annoyed me.
I ~loved~ the pageant though. Just the idea of a pageant where beauty isn’t really a factor was exciting to me. Sure, beauty helped, but entertainment value was more desirable.
Did kind of piss me off that we never ~really~ find out what happened to Ruby.
( 47 )
I’ve been avoiding reading Jodi Picoult, and dreading the one on my book club reading list in a couple months, based on her reputation. After reading this graphic novel written by Picoult, I may have to re-evaluate.
I enjoyed the heck out of this book, though I did wish it was longer, and complete! I’m guessing that’s why I never got into comics as a kid, I hate to be left hanging with a, “to-be-continued” ending!
Plus, in my heart I’m nine again and still want to grow up to be Linda Carter as Diana Prince 
( 46 )
An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novel
There was a refreshing change in the proportion between plot and sex that I enjoyed. This and the last Meredith Gentry make a change in the downward spiral of more sex, less plot Hamilton was in for way too many books.
After reading Obsidian Butterfly (~shudder~ that one really horrified in ways none of the others have) I decided to read the library copies, because, frankly, the newer Anita books weren’t good enough to want to own–I’ll read ‘em, sure, but they don’t need to live at my house.
So, whatever the reason, I am very glad to see an author I enjoy reading finding her plots again
( 45 ) A Jaine Austen book
I am such a sucker for books/movies with writers as the protagonists. Make the writer a pudgy one whose love for greasy sweet carbs matches my own and a cat almost as useless as mine and it’s a match made in heaven.
For as long as it takes to read the book. These are as lightweight as dessert, without the lingering after-effects on the hips, and fun, but not something I’ll buy to read over and over.
I LOVE the supporting characters in this series, in particular Jaine’s parents–You never meet them, just get to read 2-4 emails between them and Jaine at the end of each chapter, but they are absolutely the highlight of the series.
( 44 )
Fluffy fun. I was surprised how much I enjoyed “Charmed and Dangerous,” also by Havens, a couple of years ago and went looking for more in that series. My library, regrettably, does not carry the other two in THAT series, but they do have the first in a series featuring a new lead but based in the same small town (Kira the Librarian – and yes, you do have to capitalize “Librarian”… or at least you do by the end of the book).
The hit-over-the-head message that work isn’t everything is nice, BUT, every single character we get to know well is financially anywhere from well-off to obscenely wealthy, so it rings a little hollow.
Still, I love books and research, so what’s not to love about a story about a librarian with a very special knack for finding just what people need?
Final result: I’d read it again in a few years, but only a library copy.
