Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep by Liz Kessler

( 34 ) Emily Windsnap, book 2

I liked this one ~better~ than the first book in this series.  Maybe because the author had already dispensed with all the half-mermaid explanations in the first book, but this one, to me, seemed to speak more to a kid audience.  The first dealt with bias and prejudice, but predominantly in adults (racial metaphor masked as fantasy).  This one dealt with the difficulties of socializing as a tween, and it did it from BOTH sides of a bullying relationship, making the bully far easier to understand.

J liked it; she even agreed to empty the dishwasher if I would bring it in from the car so she could listen while she did her chores.  Mama FTW!

The Blue Djinn of Babylon by PB Kerr

( 33 ) Children of the Lamp, book 2

Listened to this one with J in the car.  I knew we had a few long drives in April and, oddly enough, the DVD player on her lap no longer holds her attention, but she will sit still and quiet to listen to a book far longer than I would have ever thought.

I like sharing audiobooks with her because it gives me a chance to pause it and discuss ideas or concepts that the book presents in an immediate and vital way. It also allows her the chance to ask questions as soon as they pop into her head.  She’ll ask me to pause the book so she can ask about it.  It’s usually a vocabulary question, but I say give it time…

The con is that now when she wants to read a book she asks me to find the audio at the library.  For example, we read the first book of the Emily Windsnap trilogy and are listening to the second. She has already asked me to find the 3rd on audio rather than just reading the paperback copy we already own.

I vaguely remember a love affair with books on tape when I was around her age or a little older, and I’m hoping this is just a phase. Either way, if it gets a story in her, and gives us a chance to talk about it, I’ll go with it.

Does sharing an audiobook count as reading aloud to my kid, though?

Candy Girl by Diablo Cody

( 32 )

I wasn’t as thrilled with the movie “Juno” as my husband or the media, and didn’t have high expectations for this memoir-of-a-year-in-the-life by the film’s scriptwriter when I borrowed it from a friend in a stack of other books.

I finished it in a little over 12 hours, captivated by the author’s dry, wry wit from the very beginning.  I loved this book.  Cody’s book reads like a conversation I might have with some like-minded friends, not the subject matter or experience, but her voice and word choice.  Smart, earthy, and at times hysterically funny.

The book, subtitled “A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper,” is not really, as tagged, erotica, but it is, at times, over the top graphic so the appellation seems appropriate.

Murder Most Delectable, Edited by Martin Greenberg

( 31 )

Most of the stories in this anthology were unimpressive, big name authors be damned.  A sadly unenjoyable anthology.

The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski

( 30 )

My online book club is still actively discussing this, so I’ll keep it short and sweet.  I liked this.  It was a neat little book that made me think about my life, and made me laugh.

Trouble by Sasha White

(  29 )

Since Candy publicly nagged me…

This one was better than the last erotica, the two novellas bound into a collection.  This one made a few stabs at character development and the plot frame was a little sturdier, but not much.

I appreciated the sex in this more because while it very lightly touched on the subject of *thinking of euphemism to prevent hideous spam comments* “going in through the ‘out’ door” (Sorry Prince!) it didn’t actually GO there.  I realize that is a widely-accepted sexual practice, but I don’t want to read it myself.

I liked the concept of working through a fantasy list, too… I’m guessing that could add spice to a lot of monogamous lives.  Except the whole sex with a stranger thing. Besides, who the hell DOES that? Someone who has lived in a Siberian cave the last 20-30 years and isn’t afraid of things penicillin can’t cure? *shudder* I also thought the two guys & a girl scene was tastefully done.

I’m probably revealing my inner conservatism here, and I’m okay with that.  I occasionally enjoy reading erotica–though I like it more wrapped in a paranormal storyline ala Laurell Hamilton. I’ve written more than a little of it (can ya say NaNoWriMo 2006?!) and edited it for other writers.  But there are just some things I don’t want to form a mental picture of, ya know?

Happy Candy?!

Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews

( 28 ) Kate Daniels, book 3

I bought this the Tuesday it was released and was not disappointed. Little more sex than last time, and FINALLY an explanation of just who Kate is, though it was foreshadowed in book 1 for the keen-eyed.

My big fear now is that as the series continues and gets good the new books will be issued in hardback first. I know that’s good for authors, but bad for me since I can’t bring myself to spend over $20 on something I will devour in a couple days and not look at again for years, if at all. I could be wrong, but I’ve watched it happen at with:

• Barb Hendee’s Rebal Fay series — hardback started round the 4th or 5th book in
• Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse books–hardbacks around the 5th book in and now a Showtime series
• Kim Harrison’s Rachel Morgan books–started coming out hardbound at around book 5, too
• Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Underworld series

Please, ya’ll stick to paperbacks.  Better distribution, cheaper, and more likely to reach a wider audience. Or maybe that’s just MHO.