The Pack by Jason Starr, 341 pages

Simon Burns has lost his job as an ad exec, and decides to be a stay-at-home dad for his 3-year-old son. This change stresses his already rocky marriage and introduces his to a group of dads at a local playground in New York City. While Simon is glad to make some new friends, there seems to be something off about them. Little does he suspect that they are werewolves, and Simon soon finds himself fighting to save not only his marriage, but his life and humanity.

This was a little to much of a guys book for me, and I felt the werewolf storyline wasn't done proper justice. But, because I read everything, I would pick up the sequel.

The Patmans of Sweet Valley by Kate William, 340 pages

This traced the family of Bruce Patman from the first member, Henry Patman, who came to America in the early 1800s up to his parents relationship.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again by Frank Cottrell Boyce, 216 pages

I have been a fan of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang since the first time I saw the movie. When I discovered it was actually a book written by the same person who brought us James Bond (Ian Fleming) I loved it even more. So discovering a new sequel made me hesitant, wondering how they mangled a beloved favorite. But I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy this new update. The sequel has a family in England restoring an old family camper, and the father putting in an engine that turns out to be from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Chitty takes the family across the world gathering some of it's old parts, while being chased by a nefarious figure. The illustrations in the book really added to the story. I loved how very English this was. While it can never measure up to the original movie (yes, the one time I like the movie better than the book) it was still a great read.

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak, 444 pages

This was a new look at the story of Catherine the Great as told by Varvara, a spy in the court of Empress Elizabeth, Catherine's mother-in-law. It brings new depths to the story of Catherine's arrival in Russia, her marriage, her children, and her seizure of the throne. This was a engrossing book, a great read for fans of historical fiction.

How to Ride A Dragon's Storm by Cressida Cowell, 254 pages

Hiccup is competing in the annual Intertribal Friendly Swimming Race, except the winner is the first one back, it's the last one. But knowing how Hiccup's life works, nothing goes as it's supposed to. Hiccup finds himself on a ship bound for the "imaginary" America, followed by a dinosaur of a dragon, with nemesis Norbert the Nutjob who is determined to kill Hiccup. So, it's everything as normal.

These are some of the funniest kids' books, I've really enjoyed all of them so far.

Austenland by Shannon Hale, 196 pages

Jane has an obsession, "Pride and Prejudice", that is, Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy. She has not been able to find love, looking for an ideal that, so far, doesn't exist. When an aunt passes away, and as a bequest, leaves Jane three weeks at Austenland, a Regency-era playworld, Jane decides to go and live this obsession out, and then bid it goodbye once and far all. But the fantasy soon becomes hard to distinguish from reality. Jane must decide if Mr. Darcy is worth chasing after all.

I am a big Jane Austen fan and this was a wonderful treat. It felt very Bridget Jones' Diary meets Jane Austen. I would so love to go to a place like this if I ever won the lottery. This was a wonderful book and I wholeheartedly recommend it to all Jane Austen fans.

Oscar Wilde and the Vatican Murders by Gyles Brandreth, 368 pages

Arthur Conan Doyle heads to a spa in Hamburg, Germany, determined to get some rest and sort through all of Sherlock Holmes' fan mail. But almost immediately upon arrival, he meets up with his friend, Oscar Wilde, who is never restful. The two discover a set of grisly clues in the mail consisting of a lock of hair, a finger, and a severed hand, with the trail leading to Rome. Oscar insists that they answer the call for help sent to that intrepid detective, Sherlock Holmes, and they quickly find themselves enmeshed in a mystery that centers around the Vatican. Wilde calls upon Sherlock's investigative techniques, hoping to solve this case before him or Doyle end up dead.
I am a newly come fan to the Wilde mysteries by Gyles Brandreth, but I'm a convert, through and through. Each one I've read has been a delight, mixing Wilde's many witty quips and sayings with Sherlock Holmes and his exasperated creator, Arthur Conan Doyle. Each one alludes to Oscar Wilde's future downfall, creating a sense of tragic foreboding, but as Wilde would want, but the novels are still entertaining and intriguing. Fans of Oscar Wilde, Sherlock Holmes, and historical mysteries will all enjoy these wonderful books.