Monday, January 26, 2015

The Road to Grace by Richard Paul Evans, 271 pages

These have been a great read. The only drawback was finding out there is still 2 more books and someone else has them checked out. I don't want to wait to find out what happens with Alan.

Miles To Go by Richard Paul Evans, 335 pages

Book 2 in The Walk series. I devoured this book pretty quickly. I can't wait to see what happens to Alan next. This character has really grabbed me.

The Walk by Richard Paul Evans, 289 pages

This is my book club book for this month. I had put off reading it until just 2 days before book club because I didn't want to read it, and then I thought it might take me a little bit longer to get through this short book because I wouldn't like it. I was completely wrong. I finished it during just 2 15-minute breaks and an hour lunch that day. It grabbed me from almost the first page, and when I finished it, I immediately went and got the next two books. This was not sappy and sickeningly sweet like I thought it would be, it was very well done. Definitely one I would not have picked up unless for book club.

Friday, January 23, 2015

A Burnable Book by Bruce Holsinger, 444 pages

Set in 1385 London, featuring a book prophesying the death of King Richard II, this was a must read for me. This is definitely not for the light of heart, it's a heavy read, but was really good. I think I most enjoyed learning about the maudlyns (hookers) working in London and the history involved.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, 341 pages

I'd had this on my list forever and finally got around to reading it. It was fun and quirky, and just a treat to pick up.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland, 310 pages

I picked this book up from the new fiction shelf, and from the description and picture I didn't expect much of it, but thought I'd give it a go. I'm delighted to say I was mistaken, it was a great and fresh take on the zombie genre. Angel is a believable character and I loved seeing her try to grow (but not too much to keep it true to her) and it was great seeing her try to come to terms with what she had become. I've already requested the second book in this series, and I'm hopefully that they're all as funny and great to read as this one.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Hell on Wheels by Sue Ann Jaffarian, 288 pages

I really enjoy this series, and not just because I'm a plus-size gal myself. Odelia Grey is a fun and enjoyable character, always stumbling across dead bodies. I feel like the interesting and varied characters in these books really lend to the series. I can't wait to see what happens to Steele in the next book (no spoilers, lol.)

Monday, January 19, 2015

The First Family Detail by Ronald Kessler, 258 pages

I'm a sucker for nonfiction books, especially ones with interesting (and especially sordid) history. This looks at the Secret Service agents that protects the President and his family. It was interesting to see how different Presidents and their relatives treated the men and women protecting them. It made me seriously reconsider how I might vote in the next election.

This Book is Overdue! by Marilyn Johnson, 272 pages

From the title I was intrigued by this book. It covers the libraries' (and librarians') role in the changing information technology field. While it was a little dry for my taste, it was still interesting. I don't think it would appeal to many outside the library field though.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Hook's Revenge by Heidi Schulz, 290 pages

This is a juvenile book telling the story of Captain Hook's daughter, Jocelyn. I thought this was extremely well-done. It was a fun read, with a great take on how a girl who doesn't need saving and doesn't want to "mother" anyone would look at Peter Pan.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

The Death of Pie by Tamar Myers, 200 pages

This is the latest murder mystery featuring Magdalena Yoder. I generally love all of these books, but this one just felt different and a little off. It seemed more frantic and convoluted, and while it wasn't a bad read, it just didn't seem to measure up to the previous books. And I do have an issue with recipes being listed that while "related" to the book, weren't actually mentioned in the book.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Wonder Woman Unbound the Curious History of the World's Most Famous Heroine by Tim Hanley, 304 pages

As a huge Wonder Woman fan with a pretty massive comic collection, I'm always interested in learning more about this famous Amazon. This was a truly fascinating and scholarly look at Wonder Woman's history. It was especially interesting to look at her as compared to the other comic book heroes at the same time. I was glad to see that the author had the same poor opinion of the time period during the 60s when Wonder Woman gave up her powers. It was a very hokey and poorly done time period in Wonder Woman's history. I'm always glad to see her get the attention she deserves as a symbol of girl power, especially during a time when girls had few, if any, role models to look up to.

Sherlock Holmes, the Missing Years: Japan by Vasudev Murthy, 288 pages

I'm a fan of Sherlock Holmes and am always excited to find a new entry in the field. This one covers part of the time frame of Sherlock's missing years while he was supposedly dead. It has Watson and Sherlock making their way to Japan to shut down Moriarty's entry into the opium trade. While I will read just about anything with Holmes in it, this just didn't read true. I felt that Watson's letters to his publisher were a little hokey, and the segments of the stories told from the notes of the other characters weren't true to Doyle's writing style. I would say that I would be hesitant to pick up another Sherlock Holmes book by this author.

Undead and Unwary by MaryJanice Davidson, 303 pages

I have to say that I love this author. Betsy is just a fun, irreverent character who rings so true to me. My only drawback with this book was the love scene at the very end seemed a little forced and kind of pulled me out of the book. But other than that, this was a great read, and I can't wait to see what happens next to Betsy and the rest of her family.



Thursday, January 8, 2015

Pioneer Girl the Annotated Autobiography by Laura Ingalls Wilder, edited by Pamela Smith Hill, 400 pages

This is a look at Laura Ingalls Wilder first attempt at writing about her childhood, a novel called Pioneer Girl. It was aimed more at the adult market, and contains more mature topics including a couple running away together and premarital hanky-panky. I have to say that I love anything Little House on the Prairie related and this was fascinating. It was great to see Laura's original story and see how it differed from the books and how it was the same. The only fault with this book is the size, it's too big and wide to read comfortably unless you have the book supported. Definitely not a book to read in bed for very long.

Monday, January 5, 2015

The Professor's Daughter by Joann Sfar & Emmanuel Guibert, 64 pages

Another staff person had read this and the title and cover looked interesting. It's a graphic novel set in Victorian England, with Imhotep IV as a walking, talking mummy who has fallen in love with the daughter of the archeologist who discovered his tomb. This was odd and not my favorite.

The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop, 179 pages

This was on a list of children's classics that adults should read. It was okay, but not nearly as good as The Indian in the Cupboard. A selling point is that it's a fast read.

Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix, 184 pages

This is the book that the movie The Village was based on.

Making Marion by Beth Moran, 316 pages

The title and cover of this book caught my eye and I'm glad they did. It was wonderfully sweet and touching and a great read.

The Mennyms by Sylvia Waugh, 213 pages

This was on a list of must read children's books. It was okay but not one I would consider a must read in today's world.

George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl, 89 pages

There is just something fun, twisted and enjoyable by anything written by Dahl. This was just a short story by him featuring a horrible grandmother.

Ho-Ho-Homicide by Kaitlyn Dunnett, 294 pages

Another Christmas themed murder mystery, in that it takes place at a Christmas tree farm. These are fun mysteries all in all.