The First Patient by Michael Palmer - The president's personal physician has disappeared, so he asks a longtime friend to fill in for a while. Gabe Singleton finds out that the president appears to be having episodes of incoherence, possibly signifying mental illness. But is real? or a manufactured illness? And if so, how? Farfetched, but Palmer knows how to sell it.
Blood Trail by C. J. Box - Joe Pickett is asked by the governor to assist in the investigation of a murdered hunter. Two other deaths have occurred, but were deemed accidents, but this time the hunter was gutted and laid out like a dead elk. Joe finds a clue that points to a serial killer, but his hunch is dismissed by others - until a fourth man is murdered, along with a friend. The governor suspends all hunting in the state and Joe must seek help from old friends - and enemies - to find the killer. Box presents both sides of the hunting issue well and his love for the Wyoming wilderness shines through. Tight mystery, great protagonist and a great twist. Love this series!
(all: 100 books)
Blue Heaven by C. J. Box - Two kids (older sister, younger brother) witness a murder - and the murderers, a group of ex-cops who've retired to a small town in Idaho that has the nickname of Blue Heaven due to all the retirees, see them. The kids end up hiding out with local rancher Jesse Rawlins, who cautiously heads to town only to find out that the ex-cops have "volunteered" to coordinate the town's search for the missing children. Not as good as his Joe Pickett series - too many characters to keep track of, but still a good thriller.
The Sacred Bones by Michael Byrnes - for fans of The DaVinci Code and similar books. Two plot lines - one in Jerusalem investigating the theft of an ossuary(an ancient stone burial box) from a hidden room beneath the Temple Mount - the other in Vatican City as an American geneticist and an anthropologist examine the bones from the stolen ossuary (they don't know about the theft) while under covert observation by ruthless mercenary working for the Vatican. Plus some Templar Knight history. The scientific stuff was very interesting, the rest of the plot was more typical, but well written.
Perdition House by Kathryn R. Wall - The oddness of family relations permeates this mystery about Bay Tanner, a widowed former accountant turned quasi-investigator. She bails a 'half fifth cousin' out of jail and steps into a mystery that has its roots in the Civil War. Set in low country South Carolina, with side trips to Georgia, Bay tracks her cousin's path and finds out some unknown family history. Very good sense of place, good story. (SRC)
Santa Fe Dead by Stuart Woods - Ed Eagle's ex-wife escapes from the courthouse during her trial - but she was acquited so it ended up not mattering. But her subsequent whirlwind marriage to a very rich man causes him to write to the man to warn him. But the man dies in a huge traffic accident and his lawyer is determined to protect the man's estate from the greedy murderous woman. She's pissed and decides to get the lawyer and Ed. Meanwhile Ed is representing a man who's wife and son were brutally murdered while he was out of the country, but Ed's not completely sure of the man's innocence. Convoluted coincidence connects the two cases. Fairly unbelievable, but entertaining.
Death's Head: Maximum Offense by David Gunn - Sven Tveskoeg is back and just as deadly as ever, as he and his unit of misfits and rejects head to the artifical world of Hekati on a rescue mission. - with a new commanding officer, a greenhorn colonel who's never been in combat. When the mission turns out to be fake, Sven wonders if he's being set up. Wouldn't be the first time. Violent, anti-anyone but his unit, 98.2% human, Sven is a seriously bad-ass soldier with a serious attitude problem. Hmmm, my kind of guy.
Ombria in Shadow by Patricia A. McKillip - Copied from amazon.com: In tone more gothic horror than straight fantasy, this somber novel lacks a clear protagonist, each character being more intent on finding his or her own path than fighting any clear battle. But the fine prose is nothing less than what one would expect from a World Fantasy Award winner, while the detailed portraits of the dying city coupled with the gloomy attitude of its citizenry are quite chilling. I copied it because that describes it better than I would ever be able to. I always love McKillip's work, but found this one less accessible than usual. (100 books, A to Z, BA)
Frequently Asked Questions by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum - Librarian humor :) Funny and oh-too-real.
Tangled Up In You by Rachel Gibson - this, on the other hand, was funny, romantic, hot and a lot of fun to read. A true crime writer goes back to her childhood home to write a book about a small town love triangle that went bad. The twist is one of the deceased was her mother. She meets the hot guy - he's the son of the man her mother was having an affair with. They click big time - until he finally finds out her real identity.
Small town secrets, fiery sparks, witty banter - and a kitten! :)
Charley's Web by Joy Fielding - another good one from Joy Fielding. Charlotte "Charley" Webb, a columnist who writes a kind of shallow 'slice of life' column gets a letter from a female convicted murderer, who wants Charley to write a book about the murders. Charley, a single mom of two, is conflicted about the offer and about the killer, who is alternately sweet and shy and hardnosed and petty. Her life is further complicated by threatening emails, problems with her neighbors, and a severely dysfunctional family that she's trying to save. Enjoyed this, but didn't actually like Charley all that much.
both:100 books
Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley - kind of a contemporary fantasy/science fiction blend. Set in an alternate Earth, at a dragon preserve. Teen boy on his first solo overnight in the park finds a dead poacher, a dying dragon mother, and one live baby dragon. Story is set as the book the guy wrote about what happened. Was good, but not great. For great McKinley, read The Hero and the Crown, The Blue Sword, or Sunshine.
both: 100 books
The Barrens and Others by F. Paul Wilson - Another collection focused more on the creepy and suspenseful, though Wilson does do gory. Some stories related to comic books and a couple of screenplays. And Repairman Jack. Good stuff. (A to Z)
both: 100 books
Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews - delightful Southern chicklit with a foodie edge. Gina Foxton's health conscious cooking show gets canceled when the sponsor finds his wife in bed with Gina's producer/boyfriend. But the producer/now ex-boyfriend finds them a chance for a new show. But the Cooking Channel is also interested in another local area show with a male chef, called Vittles. Sparks fly between Gina and Tate - and the show sponsor dreams up a way to drum up interest in the new show - a Top Chef Survivor kind of reality show, where Gina and Tate will compete to find ingredients and cook for judges. But things really start cooking between Gina and Tate :) Fun, flirty, and hungry making, but her other novels were better. Go to the library or wait on the paperback.
The Third Circle by Amanda Quick - newest book in the Arcane Society series - chronologically the second, fourth written. Leona Hewitt has the paranormal power to work with crystals, meets up with Thaddeus Ware, a formidable hypnotist, while both are trying to steal the same crystal from a antiquities collector. A murdered prostitute and a poisonous vapor complicate things, as does the attraction between them. Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz - frothy fun. This series is written under both names, Victorian times under Quick, current time frame under Krentz - so far, two each. (A to Z)
The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky - On a rainy night, Deborah Monroe and her daughter Grace are driving home, when a man comes out of nowhere and the car hits him. The man turns out to be Grace's history teacher and later dies. Grace was driving, but Deborah sends her home to look after her younger brother, who's alone, and never mentions that fact to the police, who assume she was the driver. It's a interesting premise, but most of the characters felt very flat and cliched - angsty teen, stern father, black sheep sister, etc. I did like the sister, but the best part was the relationship between Deborah and Tom, the victim's estranged brother. *That* felt more like the Delinsky stories I've read and enjoyed. Readable, but forgettable. (EMAH, BAM - the Book A Month theme was mothers, so I chose Mother's Day as the holiday for Every Month a Holiday)
all books: 100 books (currently at 85)
Delusion by Peter Abrahams - Nell Jarreau's world gets turned upside down when Alvin Dupree is set free. Her eyewitness testimony is what sent him to prison, but in the aftermath of a recent hurricane, a videotape was found in a police locker that proved he couldn't have been the man who murdered her then-boyfriend Johnny. Nell is now married to the Chief of Police, who had been the lead detective on the case. And the tape was found in his deceased partner's locker. Nell must figure out who she can trust - and what exactly she saw - to save her life and that of her & Johnny's daughter. Kind of a faux post-Katrina New Orleans setting, with some interesting looks at hurricane aftermath, but not a huge part of the story. As one reviewer noted "entertaining but not much suspense". Dupree, though innocent of this crime, is unlikeable. And Nell is just too good to be true. Not as good as his other books, but since it was a library book...
South of Shiloh by Chuck Logan - billed as a thriller, it's a bit more of a mystery. But not a whodunit - you know who did it. More of a "why exactly and will they catch him and what the hell are all these other people doing?" A Civil War re-enacter gets killed by a real bullet. But when his widow finds out that the bullet was meant for the man next to him, a local cop combining re-enacting with working security at the event, she gets her former lover, a danger junkie photographer/journalist, to investigate. Set in a small fictional town with a fictional Civil War battle - has a great sense of place and the difference in views between northerners and southerners, lots of Civil War & gun lore, and photography info, plus some local info on Buford Pusser. Probably a little much for one book :) but I enjoyed it.
Dirty Money by Richard Stark - newest Parker book. A follow-up to 2 books ago - Nobody Runs Forever, where Parker & company robbed an armored car and hid the money in an abandoned church. They only escaped by leaving almost all of the money and still one man was captured after spending some of the money he took - it was marked. Now that guy has escaped after killing a U.S. Marshal. Parker and the other guy involved, along with the bounty hunter who got involved, are curious to find out if the money is still there and safe. Parker's not quite as violent in this one - maybe since there are so many cops around, but the caper part is still crisp and concise. Now if Westlake would only write another Dortmunder...
all books: 100 books
Cauldron by Jack McDevitt - A failing space program gets a boost from a new star drive and two veteran pilots get to return to deep space to test the drive and investigate some mysterious space objects. Vague description, I know :) but the detail is too long. Book is readable and enjoyable, but has very little zip (I was going to say 'drive', but decided not to go there). Very slow throughout, and then the main mystery of the omegas is handled very quickly. For fans mostly.
The Exchange Student by Kate Gilmore - Talk about a foreign exchange student! Fen is an alien from Chela, one of nine teen Chelans sent to Earth to live with human families and learn about life here. 16 year old Daria isn't thrilled to have Fen come into her home, but when she realizes he is as much an animal lover as she is, she opens up. She is a registered zookeeper, helping to breed endangered animals. But Fen and friends do have an ulterior motive. Which, thankfully, isn't the cliched 'eating humans' motive - though, at points, I did wish it was(Daria's sister is a stereotypical fashion fanatic teenager). Nice stuff about animals and ecological disasters. (YAC)
Tracing the Shadow by Sarah Ash - Plot is extremely complex. Interesting characters, nice magical feel with some very different types of magic. Some good action, but loads of explication. Almost too many characters. Felt like more of a setup for the next book(s). Would be interested in the next one and in her other books. Good writing.
Flora Segunda by Ysabeau Wilce - First the purely silly - great cover to the hardback and I love the author's first name (yes, I'm a Ladyhawke fan & a Guy Gavriel Kay fan). Another complex plot, with good characters, with way too much explication as compared to the action. Some very inventive, original ideas that could have used some better editing. But would be interesting in at least looking at the next one. (YAC)
all books: 100 books
Dragon Harper by Anne & Todd McCaffrey - Kindan, a young harper apprentice, becomes tasked with searching archives to see if there are ny clues to a mysterious flu-like virus attacking everywhere on Pern. The dragonriders come up short in this one due to the need for them to stay healthy to fight the coming Thread. I enjoyed it - I like learning about the inner workings of Harper Hall and the apprentices. Interesting parallels to the 1918 outbreak and the more recent SARS. The older books are still better, but it's a nice way to while away some time. (EMAH)
Moon Flights by Elizabeth Moon - Short story collection. Some SF, including one set in the Vatta's War universe(well, pre-Vatta's War series), some fantasy, mostly Chicks In Chainmail stories, and one historical military fiction. Definitely readable, but I'm not really a short story person.
Commitment Hour by James Alan Gardner - peripherally connected to his League of Peoples/Expendable Crew Members series. In Tober Cove, the young people alternate gender from year to year until they turn 20. Then they must make the Commitment and choose the gender that they will remain for the rest of their lives. There are the usual male and female choices, plus a third choice of becoming a hermaphrodite, or Neut. But Neuts are scorned and driven out of the village. But this year, the year that Fullin and Cappie will Commit, a scientist (also feared and scorned in this village) shows up to observe, along with his companion, a Neut whose reasons for being there are hugely complicated and very deadly. Interesting concept, not as great a follow through. First parts of the book drag somewhat, but action picks up towards the last part. LOTS of expounding on gender roles. An okay read - his other books are much more interesting.
all books: 100 books (3/4s of the way!)
Legends by LIFE Magazine - photographs of legendary people and quotations about them by other famous people. Some nice pictures and quotes. (888, BAM)
The Quotable Star Wars - quotations from the original trilogy. Cute. Has a few photographs. (A to Z, 888)
all books: 100 books
Guilty by Karen Robards - ADA Kate White's troubled childhood as a foster child in a bad neighborhood catches up with her when an attempted breakout from the cells in the court house bring her face to face with her past - con Mario, who killed an off-duty cop when they were teenagers - a crime never solved that she witnessed. I enjoyed it, but ... It didn't grab me as much as her books usually do - I found it very easy to put down.
Notorious by Michele Martinez - About to try a notorious rap star, prosecuter Melanie Vargas has just received some shocking information from his attorney, who is killed by a car bomb moments later. Vargas, who shared an attraction with the deceased, is determined to find his killer. Great opening, lackluster follow-up. Vargas is interesting as she becomes slightly obsessed with the dead man, but some very cliched characters (a transparently evil attorney, an easily seduced intern) mar the rest of the story.
Dark of the Moon by John Sandford - Introduced in Sandford's Prey series, Virgil Flowers goes solo this time when he's sent to Bluestem, a small Minnesota town where several old timers have been killed, including a rich recluse hated by most of the town. Virgil likes to stir things up and see what happens, which sort of backfires when he and his new lady become targets. Still like the Prey series and the Kidd series better, but I'd like definitely like to see more of that f*cking Flowers.
All books: 100 books
Endless Blue by Wen Spencer - A missing ship's warp drive reappears and on a mission to find out where it came from, a new world and new aliens are found, along with a possible way to stop the war going on back in the rest of the universe. That is the short, uncomplicated version :)
The long version is *very* complicated - and the new world is confusing, but this has great characters. Real, flawed, confused and absorbing.
both: 100 books, A to Z
The Pub Challenge (see sidebar to the right) rules were to read 8 books published in 2008. Duma Key and Sizzle and Burn were my first two and I read the last six this month :) The first 4 of them were the new entries into great series, the 5th is an author I've read a lot, and the 6th was an ARC I got from LibraryThing.
Stranger in Paradise by Robert B. Parker - Jesse Stone finds himself helping an old foe save a young girl from her gangster father and a gangbanger boyfriend. Reminds you of April Kyle & Paul Giacomin in the Spenser series. Not his best, but a nice familiar kind of read.
Nightshade by Susan Wittig Albert - Albert shakes up the usual China Bayles storyline by alternating characters this time between China and her PI husband as they delve into the recent murder of her newfound half-brother and the decades old death of her father. Finishes up a story arc began a couple of books ago. A cozy, with lots of interesting tidbits about herbs.
Small Favor by Jim Butcher - the new Dresden File! Weee! The Winter Queen, Mab, is calling in one of her favors - she wants Harry to rescue someone. And that someone is Gentleman Johnny Marcone, who's been taken by unknown magical forces. But the Summer Queen is opposed and sends opponents after Harry. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Winter Study by Nevada Barr - Park Ranger Anna Pigeon returns to an old post for a winter wolf study, as her current Rocky Mountain post may get its own pack of wolves soon. But soon after her arrival, the packs start acting strangely - as do several of the study group members. After one woman is killed - apparently by a pack - Anna's investigation places her directly in the line of fire and the question nearly becomes which one will kill her - the wolves, the cold, or one of the group. Kind of a 'locked door' mystery. Excellent entry into an excellent series.
Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark - 10 years ago, Carolyn's older brother Mack left his college dorm - and was never seen again. But he called every year on Mother's Day just to say he was okay. This year Carolyn's anger gets the best of her and she decides to find Mack. But someone close to her doesn't want Mack found. Good premise, kinda dull presentation. Clark's last couple of books have felt tedious to me - it's still readable, but ultimately I didn't really care.
The Last Oracle by James Rollins - not really any info at the amazon.com page - the book doesn't come out until July. I snagged an Early Reviewer's copy from LibraryThing :) A think tank of world scientists have been experimenting for years on ways to manipulate and enhance the abilities of autistic children with savant talents. But a rogue group within have different experiments going - with the plan of creating a world prophet for the new millennium, which will rise out of a manufactured disaster. SIGMA Force commander Gray Pierce races to stop the disaster and save the children, but to do that he must first solve a mystery that dates back centuries to the Greek Oracle of Delphi. I hadn't read any of the other SIGMA Force books, but will look them up. Reads in the manner of Clive Cussler, Matthew Reilly, and Dan Brown. Nonstop action. The afterword where Rollins points out his research is very interesting. (A to Z)
All books: 100 books
Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies by Kurian, Thompson & Davidson - the usual "Dummies" stuff, fun yet informative.
Sex For One by Betty Dodson - very open, positive book about masturbation. Originally published in the late 70's/early 80's and has a definite "conciousness-raising" kind of vibe, but, then again, that's what it's trying to do. (A to Z, 888)
The Forbidden Body by Shelley Bovey - subtitle is "Why Being Fat Is Not a Sin". Bovey addresses lots of issues about why it does seem to be a sin, pointing out many of the myths and assumptions about fat and the unrealistic body images that people have today. Flawed, but passionate - informative and kind of depressing. (888)
The first two books and the last one seem very contradictory :) Being a very overweight person, I'm contemplating having the lap-band surgery for health reasons, but I still think fat people are treated horrendously in our society and am always looking for information to use to counter all misconceptions.
All books: 100 books
The Joy of Writing Sex by Elizabeth Benedict - I got this years ago, back when I was still writing fanfiction. Mine tended to be a bit naughty :) Benedict isn't interested in porn here, but using sex scenes to further plot and/or characterization. She includes quotes from authors she interviewed, plus excerpts from books. Mostly read this to get it off my TBR pile, but it was okay. (888, BAM)
Frontier by Louis L'Amour - Read this for the Every Month a Holiday challenge(see links) - L'Amour was born in March. This book is a series of essays on the frontier - but not just what is typically considered the frontier. L'Amour looks at all of the US as a frontier - as it was when people first started exploring. I love his writing - and his love for the wild parts of the country are obvious. The accompanying photographs by David Muench are gorgeous. (emah)
both: 100 books (halfway! 52 books)
Ragamuffins by Tobias Buckell - sequel but much more typically SF. Spaceships and guns :) The aliens who control most of the galaxy have decided that humans need to be eliminated. Humans, of course, fight back. A young woman, Nashara, has been implanted with a virus that could help take down the computer networks of the aliens' minions - but her survival afterwards is uncertain. The two books connect when the wormholes between the worlds are reopened, allowing the planet on one end and the ships on the other to seek help from each other. I'll be looking for more from Buckell definitely!
The Service of the Sword by David Weber et. al - a Worlds of Honor story collection. I love Honor Harrington and her universe. Several excellent military sf authors offer up stories. Good stuff.(888)
The Night Room by E.M. Goldman - A group of high school students are offered a chance to to participate in "Argus", a VR program that lets you see yourself 10 years in the future at their high school reunion. The only problem is that one of them isn't alive. So the group decide to try to stop one's future death, which may have been planned by a vengeful computer hacker. Characters start off fairly stereotypical, but develop real personalities as the story goes on. Entertaining, but not essential. (YAC)
all books: 100 books
A Homecoming For Murder by John Armistead - Sheriff Bramlett is looking forward to spending some quality time with his grandson, but work interferes. The body of a male school teacher is found murdered in a graveyard - and it turns out the deceased wasn't the nicest guy, which makes for lots of suspects. Bramlett is especially concerned as his grandson may have seen and been seen by the murderer leaving the scene. More of a procedural than a thriller, lots of homey small town touches, and several side plots make a nice solid read. (A to Z)
Mission Canyon by Meg Gardiner - I got this one and the first Evan Delany based on a rave review by Stephen King. Not sure I like them quite as much, but they are good. Evan's lover Jesse was paralysed below the waist in the same hit and run that killed his best friend several years ago. Now it looks like the driver, who fled the country, is back. But his return stirs up more than Jesse and Evan - a computer company, a Russian mobster, and the Feds are all putting pressure on Evan and Jesse to make them stop hunting the driver or else. (888)
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - School shooting aftermath. I liked it - and I didn't. Some of the characters were very well done - a good look into the effect bullying can have. Some of the characters were just caricatures (and were meant to be) and were irritating in a way that made it easy to put the book down. And it felt tedious. Lionel Shriver's We Need To Talk About Kevin was better.
all books: 100 books
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