The Hen of the Baskervilles by Donna Andrews, 308 pages

I really enjoy mysteries, and I've read all of these bird themed mysteries so far, and I have to say that living next to these people would be impossible. Not only are they too happy together in their family relations, but everyone has money and interesting jobs. But I'll still continue to read the series.

More All-of-A-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor, 160 pages

I'd found the first book in this series on the sales shelf and found it to be such a sweet read that I was glad to see more books in the series. I've had to get them via inter-library loan, and the this copy is an original 1954 hardback edition about to fall apart, but the artwork on the front is adorable.

This continues the story about 2 years later, with the girls and their family still practicing their Jewish faith, making their own fun, and enjoying a summer away from the city. This time period just had some fabulous children's books written.

Fairest of Them All by Carolyn Turgeon, 288 pages

This was a fairytale retelling that combined Rapunzel with Snow White. It was well-done and very interestingly done. I would read more by this author.

Reheated Lio Brand by Mark Tatulli, 127 pages

Lio is one of my family's favorite comics because it's twisted, odd, and funny (like us.) I enjoyed the homages to various comics and liked seeing Lio's interactions with his dad. No matter how odd Lio is and no matter how much his dad doesn't understand him, he still loves him.

Death Rides Again by Janice Hamrick, 310 pages

The Jocelyn Shore mysteries are fun without being too bland or too bloody. I enjoyed getting to see the family interactions in this book. This author will stay on my "must read" list.

The Coffee Tea or Me Girls Lay It On the Line by Trudy Baker & Rachel Jones, 274 pages

I really like the Coffee Tea or Me books so I was excited to see that there was another one in the series. The only problem is that this wasn't a humor collection so much as it was a manual on how to deal with women's changing sexual roles during the 70s. It was interesting to read about the limits that women faced and the issues with homosexual identities in the 70s. I just kept thinking of the Virginia Slims ad "You've come a long way, baby!"

The Shambling Guide to New York City by Mur Lafferty, 358 pages

This was a great take on the zombie/vampire/monster genre. The book is really funny and well written. I can't wait to read more in what will hopefully be a series.

Zoe is a travel book editor, and when she's hired to help write a travel guide to New York City, she is shocked to discover the audience it's being geared towards, coterie (or monsters as they're known to humans.) As a human, she isn't considered a co-worker by many, but a snack. When a war between humans and monsters breaks out, Zoe is in the middle. She might be able to help end it, if she isn't ended first.