The Highly Effective Detective Crosses the Line by Richard Yancey, 230 pages

This is the 4th book in the series, and was a switch from all the others in how dark it got very quickly. One of the things I loved about Ruzak is how optimistic he is, and that was pretty much destroyed. There were parts of this book that had me almost crying, even though it was still funny at places. The author has done an outstanding job of having the character grow, I'm just not sure how happy I am with it though.

Falling Apart by Francine Pascal, 180 pages

Closer and closer to the end.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, 720 pages

We are trying to read 1 or 2 classics a year for book club. I hadn't read this for over 15 years, and even then I think it might have been an abridged copy. Dumas did intrigue, adventure, and romance like nobody else.

Never Let Go by Francine Pascal, 179 pages

Nothing beats Sweet Valley High, lol.

Straight Up by Francine Pascal, 176 pages

These are really great to read when you don't feel good and don't want to concentrate on anything.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling, 734 pages

I've read this book before, more than once, and will read it again. I picked it up this time because I'm working my way through the series again to see if the books are age-appropriate for my youngest. She has read up through this one, and really wants to read the next one. But I'm making her wait until I've read it to double check just how dark it really was.

Courtney Crumrin:The Night Things by Ted Naifeh, 134 pages

When I went to pick up my comic book subscription at Hurley's Heroes, I made the mistake of looking at the graphic novels for sale. This caught my eye, and because I had a coupon, decided to give it a try. Courtney's status-crazed parents have moved in with their great-uncle to take care of him (and take advantage of the free rent) and Courtney must try to fit into a new school while dealing with the strange events taking place in the house. It seems that Courtney's great (and no one is sure of how many greats it is exactly) uncle is in touch with dark and supernatural creatures. This was a good read, with wonderful artwork. I am going to have to pick up the second book for sure.

Forgotten Tales of Missouri by Mary Collins Barile, 188 pages

I love reading about little bits of Missouri history that have been passed over or forgotten. It's like mini shots of history. This is a new book at the library that caught a coworker's eye, and she asked me to read it and see if it was any good. I really enjoyed it and it's a fast read for someone who wants to just learn a little bit about some of Missouri's interesting people and events.

So Not Me by Francine Pascal, 180 pages

Some of my favorite mindless reads.

Flesh & Bone by Jonathan Maberry, 469 pages

This was the third in what has been an outstanding zombie series. Each one is dark, enthralling, and keeps you on the edge of your seat, while eagerly awaiting the next book. Just when you think the world can't get any darker, it does. I now have to wait (and not patiently) for the final book in this quad.

The Highly Effective Detective Plays the Fool by Richard Yancey, 261 pages

Imagine if Barney Fife had a detective agency, and you've got this book down pat. It's sweet and funny, and kind of sad, all at once. This would make a great tv series/

The It Guy by Francine Pascal, 180 pages

Oh no, a teen alcoholic.

Backstabber by Francine Pascal, 160 pages

These books are full of teen drama and angst, perfect for some mindless reading.

The Book of Rules by Joshua Belter, 203 pages

A book finally outlining the proper way to do just about everything. Rules ranging from how to properly cross the street, who is in charge of radio choices in the car, sock guidelines, and who is allowed to wear low hanging pants. This book had me laughing and ready to hand out discrepancy forms to those who don't follow these guidelines.

Dying to Read by Lorena McCourtney, 313 pages

Cate Kinkaid is working for her uncle as a PI's assistant just until she can find a real job. Her assignment is just to verify a woman's address, little does she expect to stumble across a dead body. Her easy job soon turns into a muddled mystery that Cate may just survive, if she's lucky. The only real drawback to this book was that the title doesn't really fit the story, but other than that it was a good read. I especially like how this author mixes Christian faith into mysteries without being preachy or over the top.

Nothing Is Forever by Francine Pascal, 163 pages

I can't believe I made it through middle and high school without reading these.

As If I Care by Francine Pascal, 179 pages

I keep plugging away, another one closer to the end of this series.

Shooting Victoria by Paul Thomas Murphy, 669 pages

I'm a fan of nonfiction, English history, true crime, and royalty, so this look at the attempts on Queen Victoria during her long reign, was a perfect melding of all of these subjects. Queen Victoria did a wonderful job of rebuilding the English people's love for their rulers, especially through her rides through London. A few crackpots taking aim at her was not going to stop her, and it had the amazing effect of increasing her popularity. One of the amazing things is, that none of the people who tried to shoot her were part of a conspiracy, they were all pretty much crazy and acting on their own. This is a pretty massive read, but very interesting.

What Would Wonder Woman Do? by Susan Colon & Jennifer Traig, 128 pages

I got this book for Christmas to add to my Wonder Woman collection. The subtitle is: An Amazon's Guide to the Working World. The chapters take you from The Interview, through the Perils of the Office Romance, up to Vacation, Benefits and Other Perks. It's funny, filled with great Wonder Woman artwork, and talks about how hard being a working woman in today's world is, especially in high heeled red boots.

Garfield gets in a pickle by Jim Davis, 94 pages

Happiness is a new Garfield collection book.

Garfield keeps his chins up by Jim Davis, 95 pages

New Garfield books in at the library that I picked up for Samantha. The hard part is fighting off Samantha and Renee both to get a chance at reading them. It's hard to believe that Garfield has been around for over two decades, and is still funny.

Stuck in the Middle edited by Ariel Schrag, 210 pages

This graphic novel featured 17 comics all about middle school. Reading it just reminded me of how much I hated middle and high school, and how you couldn't pay me to go through that again. My 11-year-old read it and told me that she thought I probably looked like one of the characters in middle school. It was not a flattering picture and the sad thing is that I did look like that. On that depressing note I will say this was extremely well-done and reflects the feelings that seem to afflict kids at that age.

My Happy Days in Hollywood by Garry Marshall & Lori Marshall, 276 pages

I'd finished Penny Marshall's biography not too long ago, so it was interesting to read about the same show (Laverne & Shirley) from her brother's point of view. This family has created some of the best shows and movies around, I like the fact that they do family friendly very well.

The House of Lost Souls by F. G. Cottam, 343 pages

This was a very odd ghost story, going with the premise that places can be evil. I did like the fact that Crowley was in this book, he was a fascinating character. Very English, if you like that in your ghost stories.

Werewolves of the Heartland by Bill Willingham, 152 pages

I have to disagree with Stephanie because I have been hooked on this series from book 1 and loved every book. I'm seriously considering starting my own collection to own all of these myself.

John Saturnall's Feast by Lawerence Norfolk, 410 pages

John Saturnall and his mother fled their village after accusations of witchcraft. Trying to stay alive in the woods during the winter, his mother opens a book and shares the story of an ancient feast, passed down through the generations. Unfortunately, it's not enough to keep his mother alive. Put to work in the kitchen at Buckland Manor, John becomes a cook, using the secrets of the feast. The English Civil War and figures from John's past threaten all that John holds dear.

This was a really strange read, with overtones of magic. I have to say that any book that involves Cromwell instantly has me on edge, because I feel such anger for what Cromwell destroyed. I'm not English and I'm far removed from this time period, so I'm not sure why I feel such a sense of ownership but I do. So that may have influenced my enjoyment of this book.

It's My Life by Francine Pascal, 178 pages

Each book is another one closer to the end of this series. These have been a great read when I want something quick and mindless.

The Illusion of Murder by Carol McCleary, 352 pages

This book had Nellie Bly trying to travel around the world in 72 days to beat Jules Verne's literary character in "Around the World in 80 Days". But of course Nellie is incapable of doing anything without getting involved in murder and intrigue.

The Alchemy of Murder by Carol McCleary, 364 pages

This book was a mystery featuring Nellie Bly, along with Pasteur, Jules Verne, Oscar Wilde and other historical characters. I love the mix of intrigue with actual people, it makes for a great literary read.

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen, 311 pages

I've become a big fan of these series because it's funny, intriguing, well-written and just plain fun to read.

Twice Upon A Time by James Riley, 340 pages

At this point, I'm just getting a lot of the juvenile books for myself, I don't even pretend to share them with Samantha. She can get her own books, lol. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was glad to see the sequel come out. Now I've got to wait for the next one, boo hoo. These are fun in that they take the fairy tale world and kind of set it on it's tail. This book featured Peter Pan, the Little Mermaid, the Pied Piper, and Bluebeard. Lots of interesting characters and intriguing plot twists.

Monster Planet by David Wellington, 302 pages

This was the final entry in the zombie trilogy and I have to admit that I finished it just to say I did. This was the greatest zombie book and it was a little too freaky-deaky and disjointed for my taste. Not a great book to start the year with.