The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

This book is one that I've always thought about reading, but was never sure if it would really be something I was interested in. Then I heard Peter Jackson was making the movie, and I became a lot more interested (LOVE Peter Jackson). Then I started seeing commercials for the movie a few months ago and realized I really needed to read the book before I could see the movie.

After reading the book I can understand what all the hype was about. It was a fascinating story; having the murdered girl narrate the story made it so much more compelling than it could have been otherwise. For the most part I really did enjoy this book. It was well-written and absorbing. I found it hard to put down. However, I was a little disappointed with the way it ended. It wasn't at all the ending I was expecting. I won't go into it too much for those of you who haven't read the novel, but it just felt a little anti-climactic to me, without enough closure.

Then again, that's probably the way it's supposed to be; the main theme of the novel being about healing and moving on, not necessarily about righting wrongs.

Overall, I would probably recommend this book if anyone asked. It was a very good story, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the movie compares to the book.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

I won't say much about this book, because my formal review is going to be posted at some point on my friend's site, www.rambles.net , so I want to encourage you to go there and promote the site a little bit (it's a pretty neat site with reviews of a variety of books and music).

However, I will say that if you're tired of reading about vampires and werewolves this may be an interesting alternative for you. Fallen is the start of a new series, and I think it's a promising start. It seemed a little slow at first, but by the end I was really engrossed in the story and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

I've only read two books by Murakami so far, but I can already tell he has a habit of writing really anti-climactic endings.

This novel focuses on two main characters, one a young boy who has run away from home and another an older man who after an incident during WWII now has mental handicaps. Like many of Murakami's books (from my understanding, though I've only read one other one) there is some magical realism involved; this book takes place in a world where fish fall from the sky, souls can leave bodies at night and wander and magical gateways exist to strange in-between worlds.

Kafka on the Shore was a really interesting book, for the most part. I was really enjoying it till I got to the last 100 or so pages. The story was really intriguing. However, like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, the ending was only okay. I won't go into too many details, but it was somewhat disappointing. However, the rest of the book was really good so even with the lackluster ending, I would consider it a good book and worth my time reading.

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Like the other two, it didn't take me long to read through this book for the third time, and like the other two I had trouble not liking it. I really tried, but I just couldn't help being drawn in by the story. It was hard to put the book down.

Again, I could see where some people find faul with this book, like how controlling Edward is when it comes to Bella wanting to spend time with Jacob, but I have trouble seeing it that way. Yes he was controlling, but he thought he was doing the right thing by Bella ... I don't know. I just can't not like these books even when I'm trying.

I'm starting my re-read of Breaking Dawn, and so far I'm feeling mostly the same way, although I do think in many ways Meyers could have ended the saga with Eclipse. Sure, there would have been some unanswered questions, like does Bella ever actually become a vampire, but I think in some ways Eclipse may have made a better ending than Breaking Dawn. We'll see when I get done reading it.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Since I was re-reading Twilight I figured I might as well re-read the entire series. This time around I think I appreciated this second novel more, though it's still my favorite of the series (Twilight is definitely better than any of it's sequels). But just like with my re-read of Twilight I could see places where there were definite faults in the narrative, and the writing style was a little over-the-top (does Jacob really need to take his shirt off to staunch Bella's head wound? Really?)

I can definitely understand where people find fault with the series, but once again I had trouble putting this novel down. There's just something addictive about these books. And maybe it's just because I like Taylor Lautner's portrayal of Jacob, but I actually find myself sympathizing with Jacob more this time around than in the past.

I guess I'm just going to have to admit that even when I read them trying not to like them, I still love them for some reason I just can't describe.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyers

Yes, I know, roll your eyes. Even I can't really explain my fascination with these books. It's been over a year since I read them the first time so I thought maybe I would have a completely different perspective upon reading them this time, but unforunately no. I still could not put them down.

There's nothing spectacular about the writing of Twilight. Meyers' style is very simple and straightforward and at times seems a little over-the-top, but the story itself still sucked me in. Intellectually I know I shouldn't enjoy these novels so much, I have better taste in literature than that, but I just can't put them down.

The Gum Thief by Douglas Coupland

This was another book I borrowed from one of my managers because she thought I would like it. It's only the second book I've read by Coupland, but I'm starting to like his style. The Gum Thief is a series of notes written by two people (with occasional other perspectives thrown in) written in a notebook left on the breakroom table of a Staples.

It's an interesting story of two very different people, who under normal circumstances would never have become friends, based on difference in age and two very different lives. But their writings draw them together and intertwine their lives in an interesting way.

This book isn't really fast-paced or action packed, but it was a really interesting read.

A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

I just realized I finished this book over a month ago and never wrote about it. A Touch of Dead is a collection of all the Sookie Stackhouse short stories Charlaine Harris as had published in several collections over the years.

These short stories are quick, fun reads for any Sookie fan. They help explain some events that are only eluded to in the stories, such as how Sookie first heard of her cousin's death. If you're a Sookie fan and you've never read any of these stories, which had each been published previously in separate books, then I recommend this book. Perhaps it will tide you over till the next novel comes out in the Spring.

Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster

Jen Lancaster continues to be my new favorite author. I love her personality and humor and so far I've loved everything I've read by her. (Her blog, jennsylvania.com is hilarious!)

Such a Pretty Fat chronicles her weight loss attempts and eventual success. But the best part of this is that while she is working hard to lose weight, she isn't doing it because she is that self-concious. Despite her weight she was always comfortable with her body and always has a high-self esteem, which I really admire. Her desire to lose weight was prompted more for health reasons than a problem with self image.

Her wit, humor, and success has even inspired me to join a gym and try to become healthier. Of course I can't hire a personal trainer like she did, but I figure just working out myself is a step in the right direction!

If you've never read anything by Jen Lancaster, I highly recommend any of her books. There are four currently in print and her newest one is due out in May.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

I can't even count how many times I've read this book (I re-read it at least once a year) and I love it every time. Every girl in the world should read this book and fall in love with Fitzwilliam Darcy. This is my favorite book EVER.

Guilty Pleasures by Laurel K. Hamilton

I really wasn't interested in reading the Anita Blake books, but a friend from work was reading them and let me borrow the first two novels of the series, so I thought I would give them a try. One of my managers had previously described Anita Blake as a female Harry Dresden, so I figured they can't be that bad, right?

After reading the first novel of the series I'm pretty sure my initial impressions of the series were correct. While the writing wasn't bad, and Anita Blake can be just as witty as Dresden, there's something very different about this series that kind of turns me off. I'm curious enough to read the second book, there were some things left unanswered, but I don't think I'll ever read the entire series. As my co-worker who lent me the books says, you just feel dirty after reading them. Not that there's a lot of sex in them ... at least not in the first one (I hear they eventually include a lot of sex) but they're still very sexual and gritty. I can't describe it well, but essentially they are extremely dark.

If you like trashy romance novels and vampires, you might enjoy this series. However, I just can't get into it. We'll see what happens after I read the second book.

Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster

I have become a HUGE Jen Lancaster fan within the last months. As soon as I finished Bitter is the New Black I immediately started reading her next memoir, Bright Lights, Big Ass. This book is just as bold and hilarious as her first.

I think what I love so much about Jen Lancaster is that a lot of her attitudes and reactions to people are very similar to mine, I just don't have the guts to say the things she says. (I apologize if I already said that in my previous review). I think that makes it all the more funny to me.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

This is another book I've had on my reading list for years and have just finally gotten around to reading.

This was a good book, but at times I had trouble understanding why so many people consider this their favorite. This book wasn't at all what I expected it to be. I did enjoy it, but I think it was too dark for me to consider it a favorite. And Heathcliff was such a hateful character, his only redeeming value was his undying love and devotion to Catherine.

I think I may have to re-read this in a few months before I can really form an opinion on it. Part of the problem is I'm also re-reading Pride and Prejudice right now, which is my favorite novel, and I can't help but compare and contrast the two.

Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster

One of my managers has been trying to get me to read this book forever. She's a big fan of Lancaster's and loves all her books. I never really thought this would be my kind of book. I'm not one for chic lit, and even though this is a memoir, not fiction, I figured it would come pretty close. However, I was in the mood for something funny and sarcastic, so I decided to give it a chance.

I LOVED it. I feel like Jen Lancaster and I would get along very well, because her attitude toward a lot of things is very similar to my own, I just don't have the guts to actually say half of the things she says to people! And I loved her sense of humor, and the way she was able to see the humor of her situation (although it probably wasn't humorous at the time).

Lancaster has several memoirs out at the moment and is working on finishing the fifth one now. Bitter is the New Black tells the story of how she went from a high paying job and being able to afford Prada bags and all the expensive accessories to being unemployed, broke and barely able to make the rent. Anyone who has experienced the chore of mailing resume after resume with no result can appreciate what Lancaster goes through in this book.

If you're frustrated with you're job, are looking for a good laugh or just want something fun to read, this is a perfect book. I'm already looking forward to reading the next book, Bright Lights, Big Ass.

Heat Wave by Richard Castle

Yes, I know its just a way to make more money on the TV show, but my curiousity was piqued and I could not resist buying my own copy of Castle's book. (I confess, I bought the LOST tie-in novel a few years back as well.)

The surprising this was, it really wasn't bad. At a few points the language and description were a little overkill; it felt like the author (whoever he really is) was trying a little too hard to be dramatic. Overall, though, the story really wasn't bad. It wasn't an edge-of-your-seat-page-turner, but it was a fun, easy read.

The most amusing thing was, all the characters in this book, not just Nikki Heat, were based off characters on the show. There's the duo of detectives who like to goof around and pick on Nikki, the coroner who is also good friends with Nikki, the journalist following her around while researching a piece on the NYPD and the journalist even has an overly dramatic, former actress for a mother. So as I was reading I pretty much just envisioned the cast of the show in my head.

I wouldn't say this novel would be good for really hardcore detective novel fans, but if you're a really big fan of the show then you might enjoy it.

Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller

I've been meaning to read this book for years, but never got the chance. I'm glad I finally did because I absolutely loved it. It's definitely being added to my favorite book list, because it's terrific.

Blue Like Jazz is basically Miller's thoughts on God and Christianity and his story on how it has impacted his life. What I loved about this book is that I understood every single word. Everything he has felt or described, I have felt at some point in time. I feel like he was writing this just for me. It was terrific. It wasn't like reading a book where someone is preaching about God and how you should live your life. Miller is open and honest and very down to earth.

I would highly recommend this book to any young Christian, anyone working with young Christians or anyone struggling with their faith. Heck, I recommend this book to anyone who considers themself a Christian. It's a fairly quick and easy read. I'm already planning on going back and re-reading it pretty soon.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

I know, I know, everyone in the world is reading The Lost Symbol right now. But I just couldn't help my curiosity. I really liked Angels and Demons, and The Da Vinci Code wasn't bad (definitley didn't live up to the hype though; A&D was way better).

It wasn't bad. I'm kind of thinking about re-reading A&D now, to see if it's as good as I remember, because I was a little critical of The Lost Symbol. The writing was pretty good, but at times felt like The Da Vinci Code all over again. Also, I felt like Dan Brown is just too freaking smart for his own good. There is so much information in this book that it can get a little dense. This definitely isn't light reading by any means. It's hard to be riveted to a novel when half the time you feel like the content is way above your head. Sometimes the random explanations and pieces of historical information, etc. were interesting, other times it felt like Brown was just trying to show off how much he knows about all this stuff, and how much research he has done.

However, if you can wade through the copious amounts of historical context, the plot itself was interesting. For first time Robert Langdon finds himself in the middle of an investigation on US soil, right in the heart of the country, in fact. The entire story takes place in the course of 1 night in Washington, DC. The mythology this time is centered around the Masons and all the stories surrounding their history.

For the most part I did enjoy this novel, and it only took me about 2 weeks to read it, so it's not that hard to read. but you have to have patience with it. I never got to the point where I couldn't put it down, even though I was interested. And, I didn't get really interested unil about 100 pages or so into the novel. But if you like Brown's style then you'll probably enjoy this book.

The Naked Gospel by Andrew Farley

I saw this book at work and it sparked my curiousity so I had to buy it and read it. It was a really fast read, I finished it in less than a week only reading it during my breaks at work.

I'm not sure that I agree with everything Farley said in his book, but he did make some really interesting points. I think in some ways he takes part of the old testament too literally, but as I said, he does make some really good points where the Old Testament laws are concerned. It's made me curious enough to try to read through Hebrews sometime soon and decide what exactly I think it's saying.

If you're a believer struggling with some of the more institutionalized beliefs of Christianity you might find this book interesting. Even though you may not agree with everything Farley says (and like I said, I'm not sure I do) it will make you think.

The Vampire Diares, The Return: Nightfall by LJ Smith

This book was the first of a new series in the Vampire Diaries saga, which picks up shortly after Dark Reunion left off. However, this novel was not nearly as good as the first few books of the series.

I think the thing that bothered me the most about this book was the lack of consistency. The original series was written in the early 90s, and takes place in the early 90s. This book was just published over the summer and instead of taking place in the same year as the previous book, it's written as if it takes place this year. There's reference to video cell phones, a new century and of things that wouldn't have been referenced in the early 90s. Even though there's nearly 17 years between the publishing of these books, the most recent one should still take place in the same time period in order to be consistent.

The other thing that bothered me was that this book was much more fantastical than the previous books. I know they're all dealing with vampires and such, but this one was really out there and didn't seem as realistic as the first novels did. The writing also didn't seem quite as good this time around. I'm hoping maybe things will improve with the next book in the series, but I'm not getting my hopes up. If you really like the series, I recommend not reading this book, it might ruin things for you.

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion by LJ Smith

I don't want to say too much about these two stories in the Vampire Diaries saga, as it might give away too much if you haven't read the first two books yet. The Fury picks up right where The Struggle left off, with everyone dealing with the fallout from the events of that book. Then Dark Reunion picks up several months after The Fury and is told mostly from Bonnie's point of view (one of Elena's best friends).

While The Fury fit in easily with the first two books of the series, Dark Reunion felt like an almost completely separate story, and is the only one with a time lapse in between. I felt like The Fury was the end of the interesting story; Dark Reunion just wasn't as good. However, if you've read the first book (or two books if you have separate volumes and not the combined version) I recommend reading this one as well, as The Fury ties up the loose ends from the first two.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Strugge by LJ Smith

Once again I've fallen into the trap of pop culture. I watched the first episode of the new CW series and was curious enough that I picked up the books and read the entire series before the next episode.

This book actually contained the first two books of the series, The Awakening and The Struggle. And after reading the books it's apparent that the series is only loosely based on the books, as there are a lot of differences between the two. I think it might actually be more interesting if they followed the books a little closer. There's a lot of good stuff that happens in the book that hasn't in the series. I realized we're only 3 episodes in, but there are some things, such as how Elena and Stefan finally get together that are much more interesting in the book.

When I first started reading these books I thought I was going to hate them, mostly because I hated Elena's character at first. When the series first starts she's selfish, snobby, stuck-up and self-centered and only wants Stefan for the challenge. As the series progresses though she becomes much more generous and caring.

Another thing I found interesting as I read these books was just how much Stephenie Meyer borrowed from this series when writing Twilight. The early relationship between Elena and Stefan is so similar to Bella and Edward because Stefan tries to avoid Elena and even acts harshly, despite his attraction to her. This doesn't change until Stefan has to rescue Elena from an incident involving another character, coincidentally named Tyler. There are many other things I found similar between the two series, but won't go into here.

Overall this wasn't a bad book. It's not the best book I've read, but it was interesting and a quick read. It was compelling enough that it was hard to put down once I started reading, and I continued reading through the whole series fairly quickly. If you enjoyed the Twilight books you'll probably enjoy this, which was a forerunner to the Meyer series, although I think Meyer's writing is a little more polished than Smith's.

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

One of my all-time favorite books is The Time Traveler's Wife, so naturally when I heard the author, Audrey Niffenegger, would be coming out with a new novel at the end of September I got really excited. I was even more excited when I got my hands on an advanced copy of said novel. (Sometimes I really love my job!)

I loved this book almost immediately; I loved the almost gothic feel and the characters were interesting and quirky. As a big fan of almost anything supernatural, I also enjoyed the ghost-story aspect of this book. Overall it was interesting and well told ... until the end.

As much as I love Audrey Niffenegger's writing style, I must say that I didn't really love the ending of this novel. It felt a little rushed and awkward to me. It was great right up until the very last chapter, then I just felt kinda meh, this is how it ends? It was a little disappointing, although I'm not sure it completely ruined the book. I would recommend at least giving it a try, perhaps you'll view the ending differently from me.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Everything I read about this novel made it sound great, like Harry Potter for adults. I had been really excited to read it, but unfortunately I found myself disappointed. This book is nothing like an adult version of Harry Potter, unless by adult you mean that it's more depressing than fun and not imaginative. Despite being a book about magicians, it never once felt magical. Instead, most of the book was dark, dull and frequently downright boring.

The Magicians is the story of Quentin Coldwater, a high school senior obsessed with tales of Fillory, a fictional land that is part of a book series that is the equivalent of the Chronicles of Narnia. On a rainy day in Brooklyn Quentin finds himself transported to a magician's academy in upstate New York where he spends five years learning magic before being thrust out into the real world.

The first two-thirds of the book describes Quentin's school curriculum, mostly a lot of unconnected stories that quickly skim through five years of schooling. Occasionally there is a small tidbit that becomes more important to the overall storyline, which doesn't really even pick up until the final 150 or so pages of the novel.

After graduation Quentin and his friends discover Fillory is real, and travel there using a magical button that first takes them to an in-between dimension filled with countless fountains you must jump into to travel between worlds. Sound familiar? Maybe because you read something very similiar in Lewis' The Magician's Nephew. And that isn't the only parallel to Lewis' works. This entire novel is basically an amalgam of every classic fantasy novel you've ever read.

I also had trouble with this book because no matter how hard I tried, I did not like the main character at all. I couldn't find a single redeeming characteristic in him, which may have been intentional, given the theme of the novel, but it bothered me a lot.

The overall theme of this novel isn't a happy one; in fact it's pretty much the opposite. It's all about learning that sometimes our fantasies don't always turn out the way we would like them to, and we should be happy with the life we've been given; don't keep looking for a better life than the one you have. The darknes of this story and the harshness of reality, even a magical reality, really does make a great concept for a novel. Unfortunately, the way this story was told didn't take advantage of that concept.

While I'm sure The Magicians have some fans, I'm definitely not one of them. While I refused to give up reading it, I never truly got into the novel. The entire time I pictured the author as a child who spent his entire life searching for Narnia and is still disappointed he never found it. Or, maybe it's the opposite. Maybe he found out too soon that Narnia didn't exist after all, like learning too soon that Santa Claus isn't real.

I think this is the first novel I've read this year that I can honestly say I didn't really enjoy at all. As I said before, I think what the writer was trying to say with this novel could have been interesting. I just think he leaned a little too heavily on already published works and didn't establish enough of his own story. It's always disappointing when a novel fails to live up to it's potential.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Enzo is a dog. He is also the narrator of this engrossing tale, which depicts his life with his owner, Denny. His story is full of tragedy and triumph; many ups and downs and is at times amusing and tragic.

This has been on my reading list for a while and I just finally had time read it. It's extremely well-written and very powerful. The story opens on the eve of Enzo's life, so you already know where it's going to end, but that doesn't lessen the impact of the story or of Enzo's strength. The personality of the dog was so wonderfully written. This is probably one of the better books I've read this year.

Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Sea Glass is the second book in Snyder's Glass series, which chronicles the adventures of Opal Cowan, a character first introduced in Magic Study, the second of the Study series.

In this novel Opal must deal with the consequences of her actions in the first novel, Storm Glass, and must deal with a lot of opposition from most of the magical community. There's also the problem that her newly discovered ability to steal any magician's magic terrifies most of the magical community.

I can't say too much without giving away events that take place in Storm Glass, but this was a very well-written sequel, as I expected. I have loved every book Snyder has written so far and I already can't wait until the next one. Her books are entertaining and engaging, and once I cannot put them down. It took me less than 24 hours to finish reading this one.

If you have not read any of Snyder's books I highly recommend them.

Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

I had no idea what to expect from this novel, but I thought the premise sounded interesting so I gave it a shot and I wasn't disappointed.

Jimmy Stark (known simply as Stark) is a magician. Eleven years ago a group of fellow magicians made a deal that sent Stark to hell in exchange for more power. Now Stark has found a way back to Earth determined to get revenge. However, he learns that he has found himself in the middle of something much deeper and much darker than he realized.

I only recommend this book to someone interested in dark fantasy, who wouldn't be offended by irreverent depictions of heaven and hell, and the beings associated with each demesne. Stark makes for an extremely flawed, but interesting protagonist.

The ending of this novel set it up perfectly to become a series focusing on Stark's character. So it will be interesting to see if Kadrey does indeed turn this into a series.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling

This was the first time in 2 years that I've read this book. After my marathon 24-hour reading of it the day it was released, I couldn't bring myself to pick the book up. It was such a tragic, but terrific ending (in my opinion) to the Harry Potter series. I just couldn't bring myself to read it again, as if re-reading it would truly make it the end of the series.

One thing I love about these books is that every time I re-read them I notice some little detail I never noticed the first time around. For example, in The Order of the Phoenix, when Aunt Petunia says she heard that "awful boy" telling Lily about Dementors, I always assumed she meant James, it wasn't until I book 7 the second time around that I realized she was talking about Snape. I don't know how I missed that the first time, but I did.

The Deathly Hallows was definitely just as good, if not better the second time around. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie version. As I was reading I was trying to determine where the story was going to be split; my theory is that the first movie will end when Ron deserts Harry and Hermione, as that is near the middle of the book. It'll be interesting to see where it really is divided.

Taking Woodstock by Elliot Tiber

This book was recommended in response to my review of The Road to Woodstock, and then I realized Jeffrey Dean Morgan would be in the movie version (directed by Ang Lee) so I decided I would have to read it, since I always have to read the book before seeing the movie.

It was really interesting reading this book shortly after having read Michael Lang's story of Woodstock. There were several times where I'm pretty sure the two accounts contradict eachother, which given the nature of Woodstock is entirely possible. I also had the impression, after reading Lang's book, that Tiber hadn't been too bright. Naturally Tiber's own book paints him in an entirely different light. I think that discrepency may be due to the fact that Tiber is an artist, not a businessman, therefore not quite as savvy when it comes to business decisions, but still intelligent.

Another thing I found interesting was that it felt like Tiber seemed to almost worship Lang. He kept referring to him as his miracle man, who pulled him up out of the rut he had been in, and brought Woodstock to his town, which kind of changed the course of his life. His description and portrayal of Lang was almost god-like.

This book wasn't just about Woodstock though. It also dealt heavily with Tiber's own struggle with his sexuality, growing up as a gay man in the 50s and 60s with Jewish parents.

Overall this book was definitely more fast-paced and engaging than Lang's book, but I think I'm still a bigger fan of Lang's simply because it dealt more with Woodstock, which I was more interested in. While Tiber's story is interesting, it didn't bring up Woodstock until about halfway through. But it did give an interesting, different perspective to the events of that summer.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson

I picked up a free hardcover of this around Christmas and never got around to reading it, but now that the second novel by Larsson is out I decided it was about time.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the story of a journalist who is convicted of libel, then offered a position by a wealthy businessman to investigate the 40-year-old disappearance of his favorite niece. At first I thought I wouldn't like this book, it starts out with a lot of information about financial journalism and economic information that is way above my head, but once it started to focus on the main mystery the novel got a lot more interesting.

One of the things I found interesting about this book is the fact that it's hard to completely like the main character. Most of the time he isn't bad, but once in a while he displays characteristics that result in serious personalities flaws. There is also a slight difference in the narrative stucture that I can't quite put my finger on, something about the transition between characters I think, that I attribute to the fact that the novel was originally written in Swedish and only recently translated into English.

Overall I think this book was an interesting read, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, The Girl Who Played With Fire, which I believe focuses more on the main female character than the male.

The Likeness by Tana French

If you've read In the Woods by Tana French, you must read it's sequel, The Likeness. I loved In the Woods, but the ending left me feeling very unsatisfied. While The Likeness doesn't add any further resolution to the events of the first novel, overall it is an excellent story with few flaws.

Cassie Maddox, who was a murder detective in the first novel is now working Domestic Violence when she's called in to the scene of a murder where the victim could be her identical twin. Maddox assumes the victim's identity and goes undercover to try to flush out her killer.

This novel is full of twists and turns and right up until the killer was revealed I was convinced I knew who it was, only to discover I was very wrong. The story is intriguing, suspenseful and very well-written.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers/mysteries then I highly recommend this book, but read In the Woods first. Although The Likeness is the better novel, it will be easier to understand Cassie's character is you know what happened in the first novel.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling

I actually finished re-reading this several weeks ago, just in time to go the midnight showing of the movie. I hadn't read any of my Harry Potter books since the summer Deathly Hallows came out so I decided it was about time to re-read the last two.

Re-reading this made me a little more critical of the movie than I would have been if I hadn't read it. Overall I think the movie was pretty good, but there's a few things that should have been included: Scrimgeour, the battle inside Hogwarts and Dumbledore's funeral. I was disappointed I didn't see them, and really disappointed they burned down the burrow. But aside from that I think the movie was pretty good.

As I was re-reading this novel I came to teh conclusion that Harry Potter is so much better than the Twilight novels. I love Twilight, but Harry Potter is just so much more original and imaginative than Twilight. The books and the movies are just better.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

I wasn't really interested in reading anything by Jodi Picoult, her novels have never really seemed appealing to me, but I had promised my Mom I would go to the movie with her, and I always have to read the book first.

I wasn't sure what exactly to expect; I had heard so much about this novel from so many different sources. After reading I have decided it really didn't live up to the hype. It was well written, and overall a pretty good book, sure, but it just wasn't somehting that I couldn't put down. Not once did I pick it up to read because I was dying to know what would happen next. And ending really bothered me. Granted, after thinking about it I think it's the only really appropriate ending, but it still sucked.

If you like sappy, emotional and sometimes depressing stories then this is a book for you. If not, don't read this. I have been told Picoult's novel Salem Falls is better, so I may try that before giving up on her completely. But I'm thinking my initial feeling, that her books aren't really my type, was probably accurate.

The Road to Woodstock by Michael Lang

As I'm sure everyone is aware, this August marks the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. I saw this book at work and was curious to read the story behind Woodstock, written by the man who was instrumental in organizing the festival.

I found the book extremely interesting, though Lang's writing style leaves a lot to be desired. At times the narration was dry, but I was fascinated by the history of the festival. We all know what happened at Woodstock, but I was amazed at how much planning actually did go into the event.

While, as I said, Lang's straight-forward narrative reads more like a research paper than a memoir (and can be a slow read at times) I definitely recommend this if your interested in Woodstock.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

This book tells the story of a Harvard doctorate candidate, Connie, who spends the summer cleaning out her grandmother's old house and discovers references to a woman named Deliverance Dane. Connie soon traces the name to the Salem Witch trials and discovers that not all the accusations may have been false.

Howe, who can trace her ancestry back to not one but two accused witches, tells the story through Connie's narrative and through falshbacks to colonial New England. The two stories weave together to create an interesting novel, which asks the question, what if the accused in Salem had actually practiced witchcraft?

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

This book is Japanese 100 Years of Solitude. Well, that may not be entirely true, but in many ways it reminded me of that book. I think it was all the magic-realism. While it was set in modern times, in what seemed to be a normal universe, sometimes things happened that didn't seem entirely probable.

Overall this book was extremely well-written and intriguing. For the most part I really enjoyed the book. Occasionally it got a little weird, and there was one chapter in particular that was a little graphically violent, but overally it was a really good book. Although I was a little disappointed with the ending. It just wasn't what I had expected.

This book definitely isn't for everyone, but I would recommend at least giving it a try. It is definitely interesting, and I enjoyed the look at Japanese culture.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

This is one of my favorite books so far this year, and I've read some pretty good ones. This novel is full of mystery and suspense and I literally could not put it down.

Dark Places is mostly narrated by Libby Day. In 1985 her mother and 2 sisters were murdered and her brother Ben was convicted of the crime. Nearly 25 years later a group of murder mystery enthusiasts convince Libby to investigate the deaths to determine if Ben was truly guilty. I say this is mostly narrated by Libby, because every other chapter is a third person flashback focusing on either Ben or Patty, Libby's mother, describing the events of the day that led up to the murders. This alternating of the narration really added to the suspense and irony of the tale, as the reader at times knows facts that Libby hasn't yet discovered.

This book was extremely well-written and way better than Flynn's first novel, Sharp Objects (which is saying a lot because I enjoyed that novel as well). This is a book I would recommend to anyone interested in a good mystery.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Ever since reading The Hunger Games I have been eager to read the next novel in this trilogy. Lucky for me, an advanced reader showed up at work last week so I didn't have to wait until September to read it! (Trust me, seeing that book in the break room totally made my day.) The only down side is that now I have even longer to wait until the third novel is published (my fingers are crossed for another advanced reader to come my way when it's time for that one though).

This book was just as good as the first, if not better. I don't want to give too much away in case you haven't read The Hunger Games yet (which I also highly recommend). But the trilogy takes place in a post-apocalyptic version of North America where the coutnry is divided into 13 districts plus a capitol. At one time in the history of the novels the districts rebelled and District 13 was destroyed. As punishment for the rebellion each year every district must choose one boy and one girl to participate in the Hunger Games, a giant battle to the death, where only one survives (think Thunder Dome only larger scale).

In Catching Fire, Katniss, the heroine and narrator of the series, must deal with the repurcussions of what happened in the Hunger Games and the impact that has on everyone she cares about. The stakes are higher in this sequel and the suspense greater. Also, the cliffhanger at the end of this novel is so much worse than the end of the first.

This series is written for older teens, but I recommend it for anyone who likes fantasy/adventure novels. You can pick up The Hunger Games now, and then you'll be ready for Catching Fire when it comes out in September!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

I was a little unsure about this book when I first heard about it, since Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books ever, but with all the hype surrounding the book I quickly became curious and had to read it for myself.



This book was highly amusing and entertaining. It poked fun at all the characters that you may not like, and occasionally at some of Austen's conventions, but overall it wasn't a bad book. I think Austen fans who have read Pride and Prejudice would get the most out of this book and be able to appreciate some of the humor more than readers who have never picked up Pride and Prejudice.

The Strain by Guillermo Del Torro and Chuck Hogan

One of the more fun perks of my job is the fact that I occasionally get to read a book before it is published. Such was the case with The Strain, which comes out on June 2.

This book follows a group of epidemiologists investigating the strange deaths of all but three passengers and crew on board a flight that lands at JFK airport. These doctors discover that they're not dealing with a normal virus, but something much more supernatural.

Yes, this is a story about vampires, but these vampires do not sparkle in the sunlight. Nor do they fall in love with any of the human protagonists. These vampires are blood-thirsty and deadly. And most of them don't even have a lot of thought beyond feeding on human blood. These vampires are more like a disease quickly traveling through the island of Manhattan, and if not stopped will take over all of North America.

This novel was creepy, suspenseful and a whole new take on the traditional vampire mythology, although there are some nods to the classic Stoker, such as the large coffin full of dirt that transports the Master vampire to North America.

This book was very well-written and engaging, and Del Torro's film expertise gave the storyline a cinematic quality. The chronology and sequence of events was set up much like a movie would have been, which I think added to the suspense of the book.

If you're a fan of scary vampires and horror then I definitely recommed this book, though I warn you it's the first of a trilogy and the next book won't be out until next summer.

Cell by Stephen King

One of my managers found out I had never read a Stephen King novel and several days later she set Cell down in front of me and told me I had to read it. So I did.

When I got a few pages in, I wasn't sure I would be able to continue reading. I am not a fan of gore, and the first couple chapters of this book are full of people going crazy and ripping each other apart. Full on Zombie action, basically. But I kept reading and after once the story started moving there was less of the gore and stuff and the story itself was really interesting.

Cell is about a pulse that is somehow sent through all cell phones worldwide. Anyone who uses one essentially gets their brain wiped clean and re-wired. When you think about it, it's really an interesting commentary on how much the world relies on cell phones these days.

As I said before, it's my first Stephen King novel so I can't really compare it with any others, though I'll probably be reading more soon (Lisey's Story and The Duma Key are currently bargain books at Barnes & Noble, so I bought both).

I feel like I have to explain one thing, the fact that I have never read anything by King has absolutely nothing to do with a lack of interest in his writing. I've aways been fascinated by The Shining and really want to read it, and some of his other books. I think it's more the fact that the sheer size of all his novels has always intimidated me. Unlike authors like James Patterson and Nora Roberts, I actually have respect for Stephen King and his writing. (No offense if you like Patterson or Roberts, but I really feel like they just mass produce books for the profit, not for the writing itself. I mean, Patterson has had 3 books come out in 5 months and I guarantee he'll publish at least 5 more by the end of the year. Plus, 90% of those books are co-written by another author, so chances are, that other author did most of the work and Patterson just approved and slapped his name on it so it would become an immediate bestseller. I'm sorry if you're a fan, but I just can't respect the man.)

Now that I've gotten my Patterson rant out of the way, I'll close this post by saying that I really enjoyed my first Stephen King novel and plan on reading many more in the future.

Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Storm Glass takes place in the same land as the original series four years after the events of Fire Study. Instead of Yelena, the main character of this novel is Opal, a glassmaker who was a minor character in Magic Study and Fire Study.

As I said earlier, it's been four years since the events in Fire Study and Opal is now an apprentice at the Magician's Keep, learning and discovering her own magical powers, which are connecting to her glassmaking.

I wasn't sure about this book at first because I had become so attached to Yelena, Valek and the other characters from the previous novels that I wasn't sure how I would feel about them not being the main focus of this novel (in fact, though Valek is mentioned multiple times, he never actually appears in this novel). However, this novel contains the same wonderful writing style and imaginationt that filled the pages of Snyder's previous three novels. Also, beloved characters such as Yelena, her brother Leif, Master Magician Irys and Ari and Janco do make appearances throughout this novel.

Also, I enjoyed the contrast between Yelena and Opal. While Yelena was always strong-willed, confident and determined, Opal is timid, uncomfortable and lacks confidence in her intelligence and magical abilities. And, since I have a great-uncle who was a glassblower I was fascinated by the passages on glassmaking in this book.

This novel was just as good as the previous three, and I'm looking forward to reading more about Opal in the future. The second book in this series, Sea Glass, is set to be released in September.

Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder

Fire Study is the third and at the moment final book focusing on Yelena Zaltana. Yelena struggles to come to terms with her newly discovered powers, while the Sitian council fears her abilities and she becomes involved in preventing a plot to take over the country of Sitia.

Again, I don't want to say to much to risk revealing things about the previous novels, but this book is probably the most intense of the three novels. However, I believe Poison Study remains my favorite, even though this novel is really good as well. Overall I really loved this series and look forward to re-reading it again soon.

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

Dead and Gone, the latest in the Sookie Stackhouse series, came out last Tuesday and only took me two days to read. While I must admit this isn't exactly my favorite in the series, it had the same entertaining charm as all the other books in the series.

In this book the shapeshifter community decide it's time to announce they're existence. This leads to many repercussions in Sookie's life, on top of a brewing war between faerie factions.

I think what frustrates me most about this books is that although Harris does not end them with cliffhangers, there are always a few loose ends that don't get tied up properly and leave you anxious for the next book. While I don't expect everything to be solved, I'm not a patient person so I don't like waiting for future books to answer questions I have.

Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

Magic Study is the second book in the series by Maria Snyder. This book continues Yelena's story as she explores her newfound family history in the neighboring country of Sitia and begins her training as a magician.

I don't want to say too much about this book, it may give away plot points from the first. But I will say that while the first book remains my favorite, this book is also well-written and engrossing. I couldn't put it down.

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

This series by Maria Snyder has been on my reading for about a year now and I never got a chance to actually read them. However, since Maria was coming to the B&N where I work to sign her newest book I decided it was finally time to start reading.

I absolutely loved Poison Study. I think it only took me about 2 days to read this book. The book takes place in a country called Ixia, which is ruled by a military government. The main character, Yelena, is imprisoned and sentenced to death for murdering the son of a general. On the day of her execution she is given a choice: hang, or become the food tester for the country's Commander. Yelena accepts the job offer and begins training with Valek, the Commander's chief of security. This book contains a mixture of action, intrigue romance and magic.

Snyder's writing style is similar to Stephenie Meyer, however I believe these books are much better than the Twilight series. I loved the main characters, Yelena and Valek, as well as Ari and Janco, two soldiers who become like big brothers to Yelena.

I would highly recommend this series to anyone interested in fantasy, or any Stephenie Meyer fan who may be looking for something a little more mature than the Twilight books.

The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay

I bought this book on a whim, I hadn't heard much about it but thought it sounded kind of interesting. Several times before I actually started reading it I questioned whether or not I would really like it and perhaps I should return it. However, once I started reading it was hard to put down.

The Secret of Lost Things is about a young Australian girl who grew up on the island of Tasmania and moves to New York City to start a new life after the death of her mother. She finds a job in a used book store and when rumors of a lost manuscript by Herman Melville start circulating life gets complicated in the store.

While this story may seem slow to some, as there isn't a lot of action taking place, I found the story very compelling. As I was reading I wished I could work in a used book store in a large city. It sounded like a perfect job for someone who loves books as much as I do. I also found myself wanting to give reading Moby Dick a try. Maybe I will sometime soon, we'll see.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

I think this book has been on the paperback bestseller shelves since I started working for Barnes & Noble two and half years ago. I've always been kind of curious about it and finally decided last month that I was going to read it.

This book wasn't exactly what I had expected. I knew that it was a hugely popular novel, but wasn't too familiar with the book itself or what it was about. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I know it was something different. However I really did enjoy the book. It was another quick-read, but Coelho is a good storyteller.

As I was reading this book, which is a story of a young man on a quest to discover his "personal legend," I felt like I wasn't reading a novel, but a story that had been passed down through many generations. I could almost imagine listening to a storyteller sharing this story around a campfire. It had that kind of immortal quality to it. I know now why so many people love this novel.

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

I had heard so much about this movie that I decided if I wanted to watch it I had to read the book first, as I do with most movies based on books. I really didn't know what to expect, but I found myself really enjoying this book.

The Reader is the story of a young man, who as a teenager has an affair with a woman approximately twice his age. She later disappears, only to reappear in his life years later as a defendent on trial for her actions as a guard of a camp in Nazi Germany.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I really liked this book. I hope the movie is just as good.

Life's That Way by Jim Beaver

On March 3, 2004 Cecily April Adams died of lung cancer, leaving behind her devoted husband, actor Jim Beaver and 2-year-old daughter Madeline Rose Beaver, who had recently been diagnosed with autism. This book is the story of their struggle with the disease, with Maddie's diagnosis and with grieving the loss of a wife and mother.

Two days after Cecily's initial diagnosis Jim began writing a nightly email to update friends and family on everything that was going on. This email started going out to a little over 100 people but within a month or so was being recieved by more than 4,000 people across the country, some whom Jim had never even met. Life's That Way is an edited collection of those emails, telling the story of that year of their lives as it was told during that year. As Jim tells the reader in the introduction, these emails were only edited for length and relevance; there was no hindsight added after the fact. They are Jim's thoughts and words as he wrote them at the time.

As you can imagine, at times this book was difficult to read and there were many tears shed as I was turning the pages. But this is truly a beautiful story. Jim opens up his heart and shares many of his deepest thoughts, fears, regrets and joys during this time period. I am extremely grateful he chose to publish them this way, five years after the death of his beloved wife.

This book isn't just the story of losing a loved one to cancer. Jim continues the nightly emails until exactly one year after he began writing. In the months following Cecily's death, you see Jim and Maddie embark on their new life together, Jim's struggles with being a single father and working a job that has him away for long days and just coping with simple day to day changes in their life. You see Jim's grieving process and how he was able to accept what happened and come to terms with his loss.

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Whether or not you were familiar with Cecily Adams' work, whether or not you're a fan a Jim Beaver, whether or not you've also experienced the loss of a loved one to cancer. This book is a story of life. It's not just another celebrity memoir. It describes a family during it's most difficult time and shows that everyone, famous or not, faces the same struggles, emotions and problems as everyone else. We are all human. This book also shows how generous, caring and supportive people can be in a time of need.

This was an amazing story, not only of loss, but also hope. Yes, it will probably bring tears to your eyes, but sometimes crying is good for the soul. One thing this book will teach you is that you can't dwell on the loss and the pain, you have to move on, because, after all, life's that way -->.

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

This is the newest novel of the Dresden Files, which came out on Tuesday. Once I started reading this book I just could not put it down. I love Dresden so much.

I think this novel may overtake White Night as my favorite book of the series. In this book Morgan has been falsely accused of killing a member of the White Council and he comes to Harry for help. Harry sees this as a chance to finally discover the identity of the traitor within the ranks of the Council and help an innocent man at the same time.

I loved this entire book. The way they ended things with Thomas upset me a little, but given the events of the book it made sense. I'm just hoping the next book will set things right again with Thomas, because he was been one of my favorite characters since he was first introduced.

This novel was filled with suspense from the very first chapter, and I couldn't stop reading till I was finished with the entire book. I highly recommend this series to anyone interested in Sci-Fi.

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

This novel is the last one currently in print, the next doesn't come out until May. In this book Sookie has to deal with the aftermath of the vampire summit, a brewing werewolf war and a possible hostile take-over of Louisiana by rival vampires.

Just as I was really starting to like Quinn, this book turns him into a sort-of bad guy by having him almost betray Sookie to enemy vampires. Granted, I think I would have been a little more forgiving than Sookie had been given the circumstances, but I'm still disappointed. I can see them moving further ahead with a possible Sookie/Eric relationship. I love the book version of Eric, I wish we could see more of that Eric in the TV series.

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

This novel takes place post-Katrina, during a summit of vampires. Sookie has been asked to attend as an employee of the Queen of Louisiana to use her telepathy to aid the Queen in overcoming the trial she's facing and other matters.

This book bothered me a little as I felt Harris had re-written the original plans for this novel to incorporate a post-Katrina Louisiana. No other book had more than a few weeks time period between books, but this book has the longest time-jump, about 6 months between the last novel and this one. Not to mention that two previous novels referenced the summit taking place in March. The delay of the summit is explained logically in this novel, but I still feel like Harris was trying to make a profit from incorporating Katrina into the novel. This probably isn't the case at all, that's just how I felt about it as I was reading it.

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

Book 6 in the Sookie Stackhouse series finds Sookie headed to New Orleans (Pre-Katrina) to take care of things after learning that her cousin Hadley has died for the final time. Unbeknownst to Sookie, Hadley had become a vampire who was then murdered by another Vampire about a year later.

While I was adamant in my last post about being annoyed with Sookie's ever-growing line of suitors, I have to admit that I grew rather fond of Quinn during this novel. I've also given up hope of Sookie and Bill getting back together. And wow, I can't believe I'm this interested in a series that reads so much like a soap opera!

Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris

This novel is the fifth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series (I told you I was going through them quickly). In this novel a sniper is shooting shifters in Bon Temps and the neighboring WerePanthers believe Sookie's brother Jason, a new addition to their pack, may be involved. Meanwhile, Sookie also becomes involved in the politics of the Shreveport Werewolf pack.

While I am still enjoying this books I have to allow myself a mini-rant. I hate soap-operas and dramas because of the constant back and forth of relationships. This is something that's starting to bother me about these books. It seems like every books since Sookie breaks up with Bill adds one more character to stand in line for Sookie's attentions. So far we have Bill, Eric, Sam, Alcide, Calvin and now Quinn seems all too interested in Sookie. I was okay when it was just Bill, Eric and Sam, but this is getting to be ridiculous. I just want her to get back together with Bill already!

Okay, rant over. Despite this irritation, I'm still really enjoying the books. I only have three more to read before I'm completely caught up. Then a new book comes out May 5.

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

Dead to the World is the fourth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. I think I said this before, but it's been a while since I've read through a series this quickly. They're such entertaining and easy reads that as soon as I finish one I'm ready to start right in on the next.

In this novel a witch casts a spell on Eric erasing his personality. He knows what he is and what that means, but that is all he can remember. Sookie becomes his caretaker until the situation can be resolved. She quickly begins to fall for this kinder, gentler version of Eric. Meanwhile, she is also searching for her brother Jason, who has disappeared and may have been kidnapped by the witches.

While Bill barely appears in this novel, it's kind of interesting seeing the alternate version of Eric, though at times I found myself missing the egotistical smartass version. And while I am a Sookie/Bill shipper all the way, I was also mildly amused by the relationship that sprung up between the two in this story.

Small Favor by Jim Butcher

This book concludes my re-read of The Dresden Files. The new novel comes out a week from Tuesday.

The first time I read Small Favor I had mixed feelings about it, but I'm not sure why because this time I loved it. In this novel Dresden is once again up against the Denarians, a group of humans possessed by fallen angels. Dresden, with the help of the remaining Knights of the Cross, Karrin Murphy and Luccio, captain of the wardens, has to stop them from realizing their plans - which could mean the end of civilization as we know it. In typical fashion Dresden starts out the novel getting beat up and it all goes down hill from there.

I know I've said it before, but I really love this series. I love Dresden and I love the way his point of view is written. His sense of humor make even the darkest situations look amusing. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Living Dead in Dallas and Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

Okay, so I'm reading through these Sookie Stackhouse novels like crazy. I never thought I would enjoy them this much. Granted, their not stellar writing or anything, but they are entertaining and they're quick reads. Since I don't have a whole lot to say on either book specifically, I thought one post for both would suffice.

In Living Dead in Dallas, a member of a vampire nest in Dallas disappears so Eric, sheriff of the area of Louisianna in which Sookie and Bill live, sends them to help locate the missing vampire. Back home, there is also a murder to solve (I won't say whose, because it ruins the first season finale cliffhanger if I do, although I thought it was fairly obvious when I watched it). While in Dallas Sookie discovers a fanatical vampire cult, The Fellowship of the Sun (which is already familiar to True Blood viewers).

In Club Dead Bill has been kidnapped while working on a project for the Queen of Louisianna so Sookie travels to Mississippi to find him. Of the first three novels, this one has the most coherent storyline. The first two tend to cover a lot of ground and have several storylines going at once, though this does lend well to adaptation for the series. However, the third novel really follows one storyline from beginning to end. I think this is probably the best novel so far.

One general comment I feel compelled to make is that while I loved Eric Northman on the show (Alexander Skarsgard is perfect for the role), I love him in the books even more. I'm really hoping we get to see more of Eric as he is written as the show progresses. I think this side of Eric was just starting to come out towards the end of the season. But Eric is such a great character in the books that I'm really hoping we get to see more of him in the second season of the series.

Why We Suck by "Dr" Denis Leary

This book is a commentary on America and it's culture from the perspective of comedian Denis Leary. Need I say more?

Why We Suck is pretty much what you would expect from Leary. It's loud, obnoxious, rude, offensive, crude and absolutely hysterical. Even when he's making fun of something you may like or enjoy, it's hard not to laugh.

Here's a few things I learned from Dr. Leary:
1. He loves Oprah. Who woulda thunk it?
2. He hates spoiled celebrities (aka Britney and Lindsay)
3. He is a devoted family man who loves his wife and children.
4. He, like myself and much of America, would love to see Michael Vick torn to pieces by starving dogs.

And that's just a very few of the topics touched on within this rant. I call it a rant, because like much of Leary's stand-up, that's pretty much what this is. If you don't like Leary, don't read this book. If you can't laugh at yourself or if you don't have a sense of humor, don't read this book.

However, if you're someone who can appreicate Leary's sense of humor then this book is for you.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

I've know about this series for years, but despite my fascination with vampires could not bring myself to read them because they just seemed like a sci-fi pop-fiction, chick lit type series. After reading the first novel in the series I'm pretty sure my initial assessment was correct, but I loved it anyway.

Last week I watched the entire first season of True Blood and became enthralled with the series. Since it will be several months until the second season starts I decided to satsify my impatience and curiousity by reading the the novel the series was based on.

First of all I must say that I was impressed that an entire season of a TV show was based around one novel, and the series actually did a pretty good job of following the main outline of the novel. Naturally some things were changed, moved around in chronology, etc. But I was surprised how much of the novel actually made it into the series. I think the main difference between the books and the series may be that the books are a little more "innocent" in some ways than the series is. In other words, the books don't have quite as much graphic violence, sex or swearing.

I am fascinated by the character of Bill Compton in this book. In most of the vampires stories I've read, or watched on TV, the vampires hate what they are and/or are hesitant to enter into relationships with humans (ie Angel, Mick St. John, Edward Cullen). However Bill Compton is not at all ashamed of who he is and he is the one that seems to pursue the relationship with Sookie. It's an interesting persective on a relationship between a vampire and a human.

I am also a bigger fan of the written Sookie over Anna Paquin's Sookie. Maybe it's just because in the novels you can see the motives behind Sookie's actions and you're reading her thoughts. On screen she occasionally comes off as stiff or unemotional at times.

This book wasn't amazingly well-written or anything like that, but it was a quick read and fairly entertaining. If you're a fan of the series, you may enjoy reading these novels. But don't read too far ahead to the second novel if you want to remain unspoiled for season 2. The very first chapter gives away the identity of the victim at the end of season 1 (it was exactly who I thought it was).

Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

Night Watch is the first novel in a four-part series that became a bestseller in Russia.

The novel takes place in an alternate reality in with "Others" exist; people of either Dark or Light who can become magicians, shapeshifters, vampires and many other fantastical beings. In this world an ongoing war between the two sides has shaped history, up until a treaty was signed. As the novel unfolds the forces of Light, who call themselves The Night Watch, are attempting to maintain the treaty.

The book is broken up into 3 smaller stories, each narrated by Anton Gorodestky, a young magician and member of the Night Watch. At first the premise was intriguing and the complex world was fascinating. I was impressed with Lukyanenko's imagination and the depth of the world he had created.

By the third story some of that wonder had worn off. While the events were still interesting, I found my interest waning. I believe a large part of this is due to a lack of character development, although, ironically, the third story offers the most development of any of the characters.

Most of this book seems to just touch the surface of who the characters are. We obviously know more about Anton than anyone else, but it isn't until the very end that we really start to see the inner struggles he faces and the problems he has with some of the policies of the Night Watch. I think it's this lack of character development that lost my interest.

However, despite this fault I'm not entirely unhappy with the novel. The concept was fascinating and for the most part the book was an interesting read. I am really curious to read the second book, which I believe is told from the point of view of a member of the Day Watch, the Dark Others who patrol during the day and hold Light Ones to the treaty.

I would not want to discourage anyone from reading this book. While I do believe there was a lack of character development, the world the story takes place in is extremely well thought out and the story is very well written. If you're interested in Sci-Fi I would recommend at least giving this book a chance. You may have a different opinion than I do.

White Night by Jim Butcher

If I had to pick a favorite Dresden novel, I think White Night would probably be it. What I love most about this series is that it genuinely gets better with every novel. I loved this book even more the second time around.

In this book Dresden must stop a plot to undermine the White Council, and prove that his half-brother is not sneaking around killing young magic practitioners. I think what makes it one of my favorite novels in the series is that I really love Thomas, and he plays more significant role in this novel.

I also really like White Night because this novel is where the pieces really start falling into place. There is a large overall arc to the series and this novel is the first one that really starts dealing with that. All the events in the previous novels are just along the border of the larger mythology, but this novel was more direct.

And overall, I just really love Harry Dresden.

The Feathered Serpent by Xu Xiaobin

The Feathered Serpent was originally published in China about 10 years ago and last week it was published in English for the first time. I was fortunate to get ahold of an advanced copy of the novel through work (just one of the benefits of working for a bookstore).

The Feathered Serpent tells the story Yushe and the women of her family. Most the novel is third person, though there are some events told through the eyes of various female characters throughout the novel. It is a fascinating portrait of life in China through several generations, including vague references to several memorable moments in Chinese history. It offers an interesting look a completely different culture and lifestyle.

This novel is very much the Chinese version of 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I thought about that novel a lot as I was reading this one, and now may have to re-read it (even though I didn't really like it the first time). While there may not be as much of the magic-realism, is still has the same epic feel.

I realy enjoyed this book, though it was one of those that feels like its getting a lot slower by the end. If you can stick to it, the book as a whole is an interesting portrait of culture, family, love and acceptance.

The Associate by John Grisham

I started reading John Grisham's novels when I was 11. Which, considering some of the content was probably a little young, but I always read above my reading level. The Client, The Firm, A Time to Kill and The Pelican Brief were among my favorite books. After reading The Associate, I think the John Grisham fad has worn off.

The Associate is your typical Grisham legal thriller, so much so in fact that it reminded me a little too much of The Firm. Don't get me wrong. It was a good read, entertaining and intriguing. It's the kind of book that you would take to read on a plane or on vacation; any time you would want an easy read that doesn't involve too much thinking. However, I have read a lot better books in the last 2 years.

I'm hesitant to say whether it's because my taste in literature has changed or whether Grisham's writing style has changed. I'd like to think it's the latter, because I'm pretty sure his earlier novels were a lot better than this. And this novel was actually a lot better than The Appeal, which I didn't like at all. It's a little hard to describe exactly what I thought of this book.

If you're a Grisham fan who has read every one of his books and still enjoys them then you'll probably enjoy this book. If you haven't read any Grisham but would like to, I recommend one of the four I mentioned in the first paragraph.

Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

I'm not sure this book should count, since I've already read it. But it is a book and I did read it this year, so I'm counting it for now.

Proven Guilty is the eighth book in the Dresden Files series. Harry Dresden is a PI/Wizard practicing in Chicago and battling the forces of evil. What I like most about this series is that though it deals with magic it still has its own rules and remains fairly grounded in reality. It's not like Harry Potter where anything can be done by magic. In Dresden's world logic still has to follow the laws of Physics, as Harry often points out.

The books are narrated by Harry Dresden himself, and Harry's perspective and point of view are unique. I love the wit and humor in this series, and the fact that as a fantasy/sci-fi nerd myself I actually tend to understand most of the pop-culture references.

These books are extremely well-written and literally get better with every book. In book 8 Dresden has to track down the nasty creatures attacking a local horror convention while also protecting the daughter of one of his best friends. What I love is the fact that even though I had already read this book and knew how it would happen, I still couldn't put it down through the last few chapters.

There are two more books currently out in the Dresden Files series, for a total of 10 and the next is due out in April, I believe. I plan on re-reading the last two before that one comes out. If you're a sci-fi/fantasy fan you might want to check out this series. If you liked the show, the books are almost nothing like it, but they are way better.

Anything Goes by John Barrowman

This afternoon I just finished reading John Barrowman's autobiography, Anything Goes. This book is quite possibly one of the funniest books I read in a long time.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the name, John Barrowman stars as Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood and Doctor Who. He has starred in numerous musical productions in London and in the United States as well as several other TV shows and movies.

Anything Goes is an honest portrait of John's life so far, from growing up in Scotland and the US to his various performances and learning experiences and even includes stories from his personal as well as professional life. In this book John holds nothing back. His storytelling ability and his sense of humor makes for a very entertaining read.

Some favorite anecdotes included the time he spent on Valentino's yacht, pranks his family has played on eachother, the "bear" they ran into on a vacation and so many others. This book was full of laugh out loud moments.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of musicals and theatre production. Even if you've never seen an episode of Torchwood or Doctor Who, the behind the scenes look at theatre and television production is very interesting. I gained a new appreciation for theatre actors from reading this book.

However, if you do happen to be a fan of Captain Jack, then this book is a must-read.

Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk

I'm a relative newbie when it comes to Chuck Palahniuk, but I decided last year I had to read Fight Club because I loved the movie and was really curious about the book. I loved the book and since then have also read Invisible Monsters and Survivor.

Last week I finished reading my fourth Palahniuk book, Lullaby. I've been curious about this book for a while and received a copy for Christmas so I had to read it right away. I wasn't disappointed.

The novel is about a reporter investigating SIDS and discovers a poem that can be used to kill anyone, anywhere. He then embarks on a journey across the country to try to track down and destroy all copies of the book the poem appears in, as well as locate the Grimoire the poem was originally recorded in.

This book is classic Palahniuk; original, creative and somewhat disturbing. If you're looking for a light, fun easy read Palahniuk is not your man. Each of his novels are dark, sometimes disturbing, and contain some sort of social commentary. Lullaby deals with a lot with control, whether it's government, advertising or even our own attempts to control our lives and everything around us.

While Palahniuk's writing may not be for everyone, if you're up for it Lullaby is a fascinating read.

Fagile Things by Neil Gaiman

The first book I read in 2009 was Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman. This book was one of three given to me by Rose, a friend from work. I've loved everything I've ever read by Gaiman and this book was no exception.

Fragile Things is a collection of short stories and poems written by Gaiman. If you think Gaiman's novels are unique, you should try his short stories. I loved the book on the whole, but some stories I enjoyed more than others. Some were really twisted, while other were just extremely imaginative, some creepy and some were just downright disturbing.

My favorite story was "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire" (yes, that's the full title). This story was an interesting twist on the traditional gothic mystery/romance and I loved it.

"October in the Chair" was interesting, though it left me feeling dissatisfied, like the story wasn't finished. Though I did find it interesting that this story was kind of like a starting point for The Graveyard Book, which Gaiman was in the process of writing when Fragile Things was published.

"Other People" disturbed me the most, while at the same time I found it morbidly fascinating.

I was also really interested in "Monarch in the Glen," mostly because it was a novella set in the world of American Gods, about two years after the events of that novel. I loved American Gods and enjoyed hearing more about what Shadow has been up to.

I think the story that bothered me the most was "The problem of Susan." It started out well, but took the typical twisted Gaiman turn. The problem being that I am a huge Narnia fan, and the direction this took was just a little too wrong.

On the whole I think I liked Smoke and Mirrors, Gaiman's other book of short stories, better than this one, but I still really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any Neil Gaiman fan (or anyone who is a fan of truly original, but somewhat twisted science fiction).

Adventures in Reading

A friend from college recently invited me to join a Facebook group she created in which the members must set a number goal of books during the year and see if you can reach that goal. I of course decided to take her up on the challenge.

Since I have no idea how many books I usually read in a month, let alone a year I kind of chose a number at random, and decided to go for 40 books in one year. This blog will be a record of that. The goal is to blog here on a regular basis to keep everyone up to date on my progress. So I guess I'll be trying to stick to two goals here, one to read the books and the second to actually blog on a regular basis, which we all know I'm really bad at.

I actually already have two of the books read, and am almost finished with the third, so expect posts on those books within the next week. Feel free to offer any suggestions for books you think I should read!

I hope you enjoy my adventures in reading.