Barbarian's Taming by Ruby Dixon, 254 pages

 As a newcomer to the alien tribe, I've struggled to find my place. It might be because I'm a tad headstrong at times. And yes, I might have thrown a few things at people's heads. But I had a good reason to pitch a fit - my shy sister was stolen away right under my nose. Of course, now she's back and mated. Everyone's happy... except me.

I need... affection.
Attention.
Okay, I'm lonely. Really lonely.

Strangely enough, the only person that I think understands what I'm going through is the same blue-skinned brute that stole my sister. It's wrong to hook up with him, even as a mindless fling.

Except... I'm not so good with the whole 'rules' thing.
And he's not so great with the 'fling' thing.

The Cat Who Came to Breakfast by Lilian Jackson Braun, 254 pages

 Qwilleran and the cats are visiting an island known by many names. Qwill has always called it Breakfast Island, but to the taciturn natives, it's Providence Island. To the rich summer residents it's Grand Island--and to the developers and tourists who are turning this once-peaceful place upside down, it's Pear Island. But when some odd "accidents" occur, including a fatal boat explosion, Qwill suspects sabotage and sets out to investigate--because murder by any other name is just as deadly...

Beautiful Joe by Marshall Saunders, 254 pages

 Based on true events, Beautiful Joe tells the story of a dog that is rescued from the hands of a cruel master who removes his ears and tail in a fit of anger. The Morris family comes to his aid and carefully nurses the dog back to health, giving him the name, Beautiful Joe. Originally published in 1894, it is told from the perspective of Joe himself, who quickly finds that he is in the company of many other animals that the Morrises have saved from harm. They firmly believe that every creature has the right a to full and happy life. Despite his horrible, early experiences he falls in love with his adopted family and becomes a loyal and trustworthy companion.

The Essential Calvin and Hobbes: A Calvin and Hobbes Treasury by Bill Watterson, 254 pages

 Perhaps the most brilliant comic strip ever created, Calvin and Hobbes continues to entertain with dazzling cartooning and tremendous humor.

Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes has been a worldwide favorite since its introduction in 1985. The strip follows the richly imaginative adventures of Calvin and his trusty tiger, Hobbes. Whether a poignant look at serious family issues or a round of time-travel (with the aid of a well-labeled cardboard box), Calvin and Hobbes will astound and delight you.

Beginning with the day Hobbes sprang into Calvin's tuna fish trap, the first two Calvin and Hobbes collections, Calvin and Hobbes and Something Under The Bed Is Drooling, are brought together in this treasury. Including black-and-white dailies and color Sundays, The Essential Calvin and Hobbes also features an original full-color 16-page story.

Paperbacks From Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix, 254 pages

 Written in dead letters... and covered in blood!

Demonic possession! Haunted condominiums! Murderous babies! Man-eating moths! No plot was too ludicrous, no cover art too appalling, no evil too despicable for the Paperbacks From Hell.

Where did they come from? Where did they go? Horror author Grady Hendrix risks his soul and sanity (not to mention yours) to relate the true, untold story of the Paperbacks From Hell.

Shocking story summaries! Incredible cover art! And true tales of writers, artists, and publishers who violated every literary law but one: never be boring. All this awaits, if you dare experience the Paperbacks From Hell.

The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson, 254 pages

 A collection of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons. The author won the 1986 Reuben Award as Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year and has also illustrated Something Under the Bed is Drooling, Calvin and Hobbes' Yukon Ho! and Weirdos From Another Planet. 

Archie's Double Digest #124, 254 pages

 

Diana and the Island of No Return by Aisha Saeed, 254 pages

 Warrior. Princess. Hero. Diana's destiny is to be the world's greatest female super hero... if she can survive this action-packed adventure!

Young Princess Diana is fierce and whip-smart, and she loves her island home of Themyscira. Her deepest wish is to be able to train with the rest of the Amazons and protect her homeland--but she's told it's out of the question. This is the year Diana hopes to persuade her mother, Queen Hippolyta, to let her learn how to fight when the world's most powerful women gather on Themyscira for a festival to celebrate their different cultures.

But at the start of the festivities, an unexpected and forbidden visitor--a boy!--brings news of an untold danger that threatens Themyscira and all of its sacred neighboring lands. It's up to Diana and her best friend, Princess Sakina, to save them, even if it means tangling with a cunning demon who reveals that a terrifying force is out to capture Diana against her will.

In the first of three high-octane, breathtaking Wonder Woman Adventures, Diana finally gets the chance to prove her worth as a warrior and save not just her friends and family but their entire way of life. As long as she can make it out alive herself....

Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson, 254 pages

Bill Bryson's first travel book, The Lost Continent, was unanimously acclaimed as one of the funniest books in years. In Neither Here nor There he brings his unique brand of humour to bear on Europe as he shoulders his backpack, keeps a tight hold on his wallet, and journeys from Hammerfest, the northernmost town on the continent, to Istanbul on the cusp of Asia. Fluent in, oh, at least one language, he retraces his travels as a student twenty years before.

Whether braving the homicidal motorist of Paris, being robbed by gypsies in Florence, attempting not to order tripe and eyeballs in a German restaurant, window-shopping in the sex shops of the Reeperbahn or disputing his hotel bill in Copenhagen, Bryson takes in the sights, dissects the culture and illuminates each place and person with his hilariously caustic observations. He even goes to Liechtenstein.

O. Henry's Short Stories by O. Henry, 254 pages

Bagdad-on-the-Subway, New York was a magic city of excitement and the unexpected to William Sydney Porter, who signed his stories with the name "O. Henry."
"In the big city," he says in one of his stories, "the twin spirits of Romance and Adventure are always abroad seeking worthy wooers." Curious coincidences and surprise endings abound in these tales, whether it's the story of a sick girl watching the last leaves flutter down, or the spirited adventure of outwitting a desperate Western gunman. But the first taste of O. Henry's work shows that there is more to it than bright coincidences and amusing surprises. What makes his work so much fun to read is the real warmth he feels for his characters and the understanding he has, deep down, of the whole fantastic spectacle of living.
I really enjoyed reading this for book club. O. Henry truly believed in good people, and his books are peopled with characters who, while flawed, truly strive to be better. This is an especial delight to read at the holidays.

If It Moves, Kiss It! by Joni Moura and Jackie Sutherland, 254 pages

Those of you who liked the unihibited memoirs of those two Air Force nurses who starred in "Tender Loving Care" are in for a treat with their new book of revelations. Once again Joni Moura and Jackie Sutherland lay bare in these adventures some of the hottest secrets of the military, not the least of them being that one of the Air Force nurses is a (gasp) virgin. Yes, a real-honest-to-goodness, aching virgin who spends most of her tour trying to give away this precious G.T. (Golden Treasure) to the nearest airman...or civilian if need be. And need was.
This kind of thing is only a small sample of the earthshaking drama that rocks the Air Force as Joni and Jackie take on all comers in "If It Moves, Kiss It!"
I'm a sucker for these campy books, so I was excited to come across this at a garage sale.

Ozark Baptizings, Hangins, and Other Diversions by Robert Gilmore, 264 pages

A look at entertainment in the Ozarks in 1885-1910.

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty, 254 pages

I love anything that is a behind the scenes look, especially if it deals with odd topics. So when I'd seen Jacque's review for this book about working at a crematory, I had to pick it up. It was well written and really interesting.

Vixens, Vamps & Vipers by Mike Madrid, 254 pages

A great look at the bad girls who filled the comic books during the heyday of the Golden Age of comics.