Reading Books For Pleasure

[IrisAlthea]

I like him a lot, too! I've read most of his books, but unfortunately only a couple of them have been translated here, so few people know about him. I always try to tell about his greatness whenever I get a chance. Spy or not, his books are really good.

Have you read anything by Anrdzej Stasiuk? His books are somewhat similar to Kapuściński's, but he writes about the very much forgotten rural Eastern Europe and its relationship with the West. He's a good writer, too. (And besides being a good writer, he's a really odd character. )

No, I haven't but I looked and found that there is a lot translated. Thanks!

 

[FurryFury]

Breathers A Zombies Lament by S.G. Browne 4.75/5

This book to me is both funny and occationally profound. I found the bits about how "You probably wouldn't understand" very funny. I loved the hikus. I loved Rita. I only wanted it to last longer.

From goodreads:

For fans of Max Brooks’s The Zombie Survival Guide and zombie aficionados everywhere, a hilarious debut novel about life (and love) after death.

Meet Andy Warner, a recently deceased everyman and newly minted zombie. Resented by his parents, abandoned by his friends, and reviled by a society that no longer considers him human, Andy is having a bit of trouble adjusting to his new existence. But all that changes when he goes to an Undead Anonymous meeting and finds kindred souls in Rita, an impossibly sexy recent suicide with a taste for the formaldehyde in cosmetic products, and Jerry, a twenty-one-year-old car-crash victim with an exposed brain and a penchant for Renaissance pornography. When the group meets a rogue zombie who teaches them the joys of human flesh, things start to get messy, and Andy embarks on a journey of self-discovery that will take him from his casket to the SPCA to a media-driven class-action lawsuit on behalf of the rights of zombies everywhere.

Darkly funny, surprisingly touching, and gory enough to satisfy even the most discerning reader, Breathers is a romantic zombie comedy (rom-zom-com, for short) that will leave you laughing, squirming, and clamoring for more

 

[FurryFury]

61.) Whip Smart by Melissa Febos 3.75/5

I enjoyed parts of this book because I've always liked the idea of being a sex worker. And despite what the author says this was sex work. There was a disturbing amount of not knowing ones self in this book which I didn't like but for an addict I'd expect no less.

This girl has issues and she makes peace with some of them but I have to wonder what next? Is her happily after dude, really a happily after dude? Has she even fully acknowledged why she is drawn to drugs and such or that she is truly into D/s? I think not.

Goodreads sez: A dark, wild, powerful memoir about a young woman’s transformation from college student to professional dominatrix

While a college student at The New School, Melissa Febos spent four years working as a dominatrix in a midtown dungeon. In poetic, nuanced prose she charts how unchecked risk-taking eventually gave way to a course of self-destruction.

But as she recounts crossing over the very boundaries that she set for her own safety, she never plays the victim. In fact, the glory of this memoir is Melissa’s ability to illuminate the strange and powerful truths that she learned as she found her way out of a hell of her own making. Rest assured; the reader will emerge from the journey more or less unscathed.

I sez:

In fact, the next book seemed to take off where this one ended.

Interesting . . .

62.) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 3.5/5

I just finished this book today. I hear it's a hot book and the movie is coming out. For those who have read it, what did you think about it?

For me it was a difficult read at time though intriguing. It did pull one along. But the meanness and lying to oneself and others in it was somewhat repulsive and painful to me. I may have a sensitivity to such things.

Though the idea of punishment has some appeal with regards to people who have done one wrong. I've certainly had my fantasies with regard to my ex husband. I'd rather have a life that would be honest and jettison a relationship that wasn't working.

Good reads sez:

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge.

Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

 

[imemkay]

62.) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 3.5/5

I just finished this book today. I hear it's a hot book and the movie is coming out. For those who have read it, what did you think about it?

For me it was a difficult read at time though intriguing. It did pull one along. But the meanness and lying to oneself and others in it was somewhat repulsive and painful to me. I may have a sensitivity to such things.

Though the idea of punishment has some appeal with regards to people who have done one wrong. I've certainly had my fantasies with regard to my ex husband. I'd rather have a life that would be honest and jettison a relationship that wasn't working.

I read Gone Girl last year. It was difficult at times. I did like how the author set the book up with one chapter being from Nick's point of view and the next being Amy's and so on. I will say that the ending really pissed me off. LOL I am looking forward to seeing the movie, though. After I read Gone Girl, I read the author's two other books. I found them to be very dark. If you thought Gone Girl was difficult, proceed with caution when reading Dark Places and Sharp Objects.

 

[Endless_Night]

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost 3.75/5

A friend recommended the Night Huntress series when I was looking for a light read, something to de-stress. It was...surprisingly good. It rides the line nicely between urban fantasy and paranormal romance. I like romance, but I'm...well let's say picky. If the heroine is too goopy or the plot's too predictable or too slow I get bored and can't finish the book, which makes me absolutely nuts and ruins my day. Which has nothing to do with this book, so moving on....

This was actually the second installment - there's a reason I didn't start with the first, which I'll get to in a minute - and it started out with a bang. The action stayed pretty steady, with appropriate lulls to catch your breath. The heroine is a half vampire/half human who works for a government agency taking down rogue vamps. There's quite a bit of humor in the book (first person heroine POV) and, while predictable is some ways, peppers the story line with some pretty entertaining plot twists. The heroine is also pining for her vamp ex lover, who she hasn't seen in 4/5 years. Her romantic life picks up through the book and gets pretty steamy. There's a chapter (32?) that's quite a twist on vampire sex (the reason my friend recommended starting with the 2nd book ).

The characters aren't deeply developed, but the storyline rolls and kept me interested. The author's writing style is a little choppy; she occasionally jumps from one scene to another w/o a good transition, but overall a light, entertaining, and kinda sexy read. I'll probably pick up book one, Halfway to the Grave.

62.) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 3.5/5

I just finished this book today. I hear it's a hot book and the movie is coming out. For those who have read it, what did you think about it?

For me it was a difficult read at time though intriguing. It did pull one along. But the meanness and lying to oneself and others in it was somewhat repulsive and painful to me. I may have a sensitivity to such things.

Though the idea of punishment has some appeal with regards to people who have done one wrong. I've certainly had my fantasies with regard to my ex husband. I'd rather have a life that would be honest and jettison a relationship that wasn't working.

I read Gone Girl last year. It was difficult at times. I did like how the author set the book up with one chapter being from Nick's point of view and the next being Amy's and so on. I will say that the ending really pissed me off. LOL I am looking forward to seeing the movie, though. After I read Gone Girl, I read the author's two other books. I found them to be very dark. If you thought Gone Girl was difficult, proceed with caution when reading Dark Places and Sharp Objects.

I'm actually quite interested in reading Gone Girl. I'll try an pick up a copy in the next week or so.

 

[FurryFury]

I've read at least two of these and they are pretty good. However, I highly recommend, First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, Book 1) by Darynda Jones. It's also Urban Supernatural and totally laugh out loud funny for me. Yes, there is some romance too. Not too much for me.

I have a thing about romance if that's the meat of the book I probably won't like it unless it's very D/s and/or very funny. A nice ,mix of D/s and funny is awesome!

Let me know what you think of Gone Girl if you read it!


Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, Book 1) by MaryJanice Davidson is another book in the Urban Supernatural / romance genre I would recommend. It's more romancy but oh so funny. I've read most of this series too.

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost 3.75/5

A friend recommended the Night Huntress series when I was looking for a light read, something to de-stress. It was...surprisingly good. It rides the line nicely between urban fantasy and paranormal romance. I like romance, but I'm...well let's say picky. If the heroine is too goopy or the plot's too predictable or too slow I get bored and can't finish the book, which makes me absolutely nuts and ruins my day. Which has nothing to do with this book, so moving on....

This was actually the second installment - there's a reason I didn't start with the first, which I'll get to in a minute - and it started out with a bang. The action stayed pretty steady, with appropriate lulls to catch your breath. The heroine is a half vampire/half human who works for a government agency taking down rogue vamps. There's quite a bit of humor in the book (first person heroine POV) and, while predictable is some ways, peppers the story line with some pretty entertaining plot twists. The heroine is also pining for her vamp ex lover, who she hasn't seen in 4/5 years. Her romantic life picks up through the book and gets pretty steamy. There's a chapter (32?) that's quite a twist on vampire sex (the reason my friend recommended starting with the 2nd book ).

The characters aren't deeply developed, but the storyline rolls and kept me interested. The author's writing style is a little choppy; she occasionally jumps from one scene to another w/o a good transition, but overall a light, entertaining, and kinda sexy read. I'll probably pick up book one, Halfway to the Grave.




I'm actually quite interested in reading Gone Girl. I'll try an pick up a copy in the next week or so.

 

[FurryFury]

64.) Eat Brains Love by Jeff Hart 4/5

Fast, funny and different take on zombie's + love. This Y.A. book had me laughing and pulled me along. I want more.

From Goodreads:

Two teenage zombies search for brains, love, and answers in this surprisingly romantic and laugh-out-loud funny debut novel with guts.

Jake Stephens was always an average, fly-under-the-radar guy. The kind of guy who would never catch the attention of an insanely popular girl like Amanda Blake-or a psychic teenage government agent like Cass. But one day during lunch, Jake's whole life changed. He and Amanda suddenly locked eyes across the cafeteria, and at the exact same instant, they turned into zombies and devoured half their senior class.

Now Jake definitely has Amanda's attention-as well as Cass's, since she's been sent on a top-secret mission to hunt them down. As Jake and Amanda deal with the existential guilt of eating their best friends, Cass struggles with a growing psychic dilemma of her own-one that will lead the three of them on an epic journey across the country and make them question what it means to truly be alive. Or undead.

Eat, Brains, Love is a heartwarming and bloody blend of romance, deadpan humor, and suspense that fans of Isaac Marion's Warm Bodies will devour. With its irresistibly dry and authentic teen voice, as well as a zombie apocalypse worthy of AMC's The Walking Dead, this irreverent paperback original will leave readers dying for the sequel that's coming in Summer 2014.

65.) The Hidden Summer by Gin Phillips 4.25/5

Sweet coming of age book in a summer that though it is set in current day, feels somehow sepia toned to me.

From Goodreads:

After a falling out between their mothers, 13-year-old best friends Nell and Lydia are forbidden from seeing each other for the whole summer. Nell struggles with the thought of not only losing her best friend, but also losing the only person in whom Nell finds refuge from the difficulties she faces at home. Determined to find a place of their own, Nell and Lydia spend the summer hiding out in an abandoned golf course where Nell and Lydia find mysterious symbols scattered throughout the grounds. As they reveal the secret of the symbols, Nell discovers she isn't the only one seeking haven and begins to uncover what’s really been hidden all along, finally allowing herself to be truly seen.

Hidden Summer is a quietly beautiful coming of age story about self-discovery, family, and friendship. An elegantly written children’s book debut from an award-winning author in the vein of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and for fans of Moon Over Manifest.

October

66.) The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry: A Novel by Gabrielle Zevin 5+/5

I don't believe in destiny but if I did I'd like it to work a bit like this book which is quite likely destined to be my fav read of 2014! The talk about writers and books in this book are draws but so are the graceful, magical ways people find the best ways to continue on, live and thrive. I love, love, love this book.

From Goodreads:

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.

A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island-from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, but large in weight. It's that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.

 

[seela]

I read The Three by Sarah Lotz.

Four planes crash and from three of those planes one kid in each survives. A priest/minister/televangelist gets the idea that the survivors are the biblical riders of the apocalypse and that there should be a fourth one as well.

The book is basically a book within a book, which reports the events surrounding the plane crashes. It takes places in different corners of the world, has several narrators and parts of it are in the format of interviews, some are reflections of the writer and some are IM discussions or forum posts. I thought the writer did a fairly decent job keeping it all together, since with so much going on, it could have ended up being a hot mess regarding different formats and styles.

That said, I wasn't completely sold. The story was interesting enough, but the way it was written sort of distanced it to me. It was a report after all. It was categorized as horror, but I didn't get that at all. It had some very cliched horror imagery (like smelly apparitions and so on), but all in all it just didn't evoke too many feelings, other than perhaps curiosity.

I found out the author actually writes for TV, and that maybe shows as the book is very "episodic".

 

[IrisAlthea]

I read The Three by Sarah Lotz.

Four planes crash and from three of those planes one kid in each survives. A priest/minister/televangelist gets the idea that the survivors are the biblical riders of the apocalypse and that there should be a fourth one as well.

The book is basically a book within a book, which reports the events surrounding the plane crashes. It takes places in different corners of the world, has several narrators and parts of it are in the format of interviews, some are reflections of the writer and some are IM discussions or forum posts. I thought the writer did a fairly decent job keeping it all together, since with so much going on, it could have ended up being a hot mess regarding different formats and styles.

That said, I wasn't completely sold. The story was interesting enough, but the way it was written sort of distanced it to me. It was a report after all. It was categorized as horror, but I didn't get that at all. It had some very cliched horror imagery (like smelly apparitions and so on), but all in all it just didn't evoke too many feelings, other than perhaps curiosity.

I found out the author actually writes for TV, and that maybe shows as the book is very "episodic".

Have you read Bolaños 2666?
The way you described this book made me think of it. Of the format that is and that in some parts, the archive report style made for a very distanced reading of pretty horrible things.

As for my reading, I just finished reading the Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.
I loved it and highly recommend it.

 

[FurryFury]

I'd heard of that book before. I had wondered how it was.

I read The Three by Sarah Lotz.

Four planes crash and from three of those planes one kid in each survives. A priest/minister/televangelist gets the idea that the survivors are the biblical riders of the apocalypse and that there should be a fourth one as well.

The book is basically a book within a book, which reports the events surrounding the plane crashes. It takes places in different corners of the world, has several narrators and parts of it are in the format of interviews, some are reflections of the writer and some are IM discussions or forum posts. I thought the writer did a fairly decent job keeping it all together, since with so much going on, it could have ended up being a hot mess regarding different formats and styles.

That said, I wasn't completely sold. The story was interesting enough, but the way it was written sort of distanced it to me. It was a report after all. It was categorized as horror, but I didn't get that at all. It had some very cliched horror imagery (like smelly apparitions and so on), but all in all it just didn't evoke too many feelings, other than perhaps curiosity.

I found out the author actually writes for TV, and that maybe shows as the book is very "episodic".

 

[Miss Diva]

I am currently reading THE VICARS OF CHRIST. If you want to read all about the cesspool and crimes committed by the Catholic church this is the book to read.

 

[straypuss]

And if you join me in reading the Devils of Loudun (Aldous Huxley) you'll discover that the Roman Catholic Church has been doing it for hundreds of years.

I am currently reading THE VICARS OF CHRIST. If you want to read all about the cesspool and crimes committed by the Catholic church this is the book to read.

 

[FurryFury]

67.) Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins 4/5

Very cute and fun book sort of on the theme of Buffy the Vampire slayer if she were an overachieving, perfectionist, Southern Belle deb.

From Goodreads: Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

 

[FurryFury]

In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker

The lead character acted like an idiotic brat in this book. It was still pretty compelling though.

From Amazon:

This is the first novel in what has become one of the most popular series in contemporary SF, now back in print from Tor. In the 24th century, the Company preserves works of art and extinct forms of life (for profit of course). It recruits orphans from the past, renders them all but immortal, and trains them to serve the Company, Dr. Zeus. One of these is Mendoza the botanist. She is sent to Elizabethan England to collect samples from the garden of Sir Walter Iden.
But while there, she meets Nicholas Harpole, with whom she falls in love. And that love sounds great bells of change that will echo down the centuries, and through the succeeding novels of The Company.

 

[FurryFury]

Running Loose by Chris Crutcher 3.5/5

Crutcher my author of the year never fails to be enjoyable to me. I picked well.

Amazon:

Louie Banks has it made.

He's got a starting spot on the football team, good friends, and a smart, beautiful girlfriend who loves him as much as he loves her.

Early in the fall, he sees all his ideas of fair play go up in smoke; by spring, what he cares about most has been destroyed. How can Louie keep going when he's lost everything?

Dear Abigail the Intimate Lives and Revolutionary Ideas of Abigail Adams and Her Two Remarkable Sisters by Diane Jacobs 3/5

Abigail has long been one of my very favorite first ladies. This book was so enjoyable for how much of a peak we were given into the lives of her and her sisters.

Amazon: For readers of the historical works of Robert K. Massie, David McCulough, and Alison Weir comes the first biography on the life of Abigail Adams and her sisters.

“Never sisters loved each other better than we.”—Abigail Adams in a letter to her sister Mary, June 1776

Much has been written about the enduring marriage of President John Adams and his wife, Abigail. But few know of the equally strong bond Abigail shared with her sisters, Mary Cranch and Elizabeth Shaw Peabody, accomplished women in their own right. Now acclaimed biographer Diane Jacobs reveals their moving story, which unfolds against the stunning backdrop of America in its transformative colonial years.

Abigail, Mary, and Elizabeth Smith grew up in Weymouth, Massachusetts, the close-knit daughters of a minister and his wife. When the sisters moved away from one another, they relied on near-constant letters—from what John Adams called their “elegant pen”—to buoy them through pregnancies, illnesses, grief, political upheaval, and, for Abigail, life in the White House. Infusing her writing with rich historical perspective and detail, Jacobs offers fascinating insight into these progressive women’s lives: oldest sister Mary, who became de facto mayor of her small village; youngest sister Betsy, an aspiring writer who, along with her husband, founded the second coeducational school in the United States; and middle child Abigail, who years before becoming First Lady ran the family farm while her husband served in the Continental Congress, first in Philadelphia, and was then sent to France and England, where she joined him at last.

This engaging narrative traces the sisters’ lives from their childhood sibling rivalries to their eyewitness roles during the American Revolution and their adulthood as outspoken wives and mothers. They were women ahead of their time who believed in intellectual and educational equality between the sexes. Drawing from newly discovered correspondence, never-before-published diaries, and archival research, Dear Abigail is a fascinating front-row seat to history—and to the lives of three exceptional women who were influential during a time when our nation’s democracy was just taking hold.

Advance praise for Dear Abigail

“In a beautifully wrought narrative, Diane Jacobs has brought the high-spirited, hyperarticulate Smith sisters, and the early years of the American republic, to rich, luminous life. . . . A stunning, sensitive work of history.”—Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Cleopatra

“Jacobs is a superb storyteller. In this sweeping narrative about family and friendship during the American Revolution, Abigail Adams emerges as one of the great political heroines of the eighteenth century. I fell in love with her all over again.”—Amanda Foreman, New York Times bestselling author of A World on Fire

“Beauty, brains, and breeding—Elizabeth, Abigail, and Mary had them all. This absorbing history shows how these close-knit and well-educated daughters of colonial America become women of influence in the newly begotten United States. Jacobs’s feel for the period is confident; so is her appreciation of the nuances of character.”—Daniel Mark Epstein, author of The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage

 

[FurryFury]

Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher 3.5/5

Chris Crutcher even with his focus on sports, has never let me down. I love his writing.

Amazon sez:

These six stories from acclaimed author Chris Crutcher are about athletes, but are not simply sports stories.

Here he presents characters from some of his best–loved novels, as well as creating some unforgettable new personalities, in tales of love, death, bigotry, heroism, and coming of age.

 

[FurryFury]

The Circle by Dave Eggers 3.25/5 The whole book I wanted to scream at the people in it WTF are you thinking? How did you get so stupid while thinking you are so smart.

Amazon sez:

The Circle is the exhilarating new novel from Dave Eggers, best-selling author of A Hologram for the King, a finalist for the National Book Award.

When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime. The Circle, run out of a sprawling California campus, links users’ personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency. As Mae tours the open-plan office spaces, the towering glass dining facilities, the cozy dorms for those who spend nights at work, she is thrilled with the company’s modernity and activity. There are parties that last through the night, there are famous musicians playing on the lawn, there are athletic activities and clubs and brunches, and even an aquarium of rare fish retrieved from the Marianas Trench by the CEO.

Mae can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work for the most influential company in the world—even as life beyond the campus grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken, even as her role at the Circle becomes increasingly public. What begins as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge.

 

[FurryFury]

School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins 2.5/5

Some Y. A. books feel like they have an emotional depth to them and some just feel light. This is one of the light ones. Not really my cup of tea but not bad either. I'm just not the right emotional maturity age for it.

On the plus side it's urban supernatural genre and set in the South in states I've lived.

Amazon sez:

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy's older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it's not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it's strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt?

Rachel Hawkins's delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as the New York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!

 

[FurryFury]

74.) Raphael: Secrets and Sins by Naima Simone 3.75/5

There is a strong D/s flavor in this action packed romance. I don't care for romances but this author grabbed me in the first chapter, made me care about the main female character and took me for a ride. Loved that! I might well read the first two books in the series.

Goodreads sez:

When Greer Addison finds her future husband in bed with another woman, she runs…right into the arms of dark and dangerous Raphael Marcel. Angry and hurt, she throws caution to the wind and spends a hot night with the sexy security specialist. But when her fiancé is found dead, Greer becomes the main suspect of a crime she can’t remember.

Raphael is stunned and suspicious when Greer shows up on his doorstep claiming she’s carrying his baby. Worse, she’s the target of a stalker bent on making her pay for a murder she doesn’t recall. As Raphael begins to trust Greer, they must race against the clock to uncover a killer.
Because Greer’s memory is returning...

75.) Bound: The Mastered Series by Lorelei James 3.5/5 Nifty BDSM fantasy book. In spite of the cliches that were sometimes present I liked it overall. I like the female lead, not sure about the male. However, it cliff hanger-ed at the end. It's likely I will read the next one.

Goodreads sez:

FIRST IN A NEW SERIES

In the new Mastered series by New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James, a woman’s desire to shatter her inhibitions leaves her unprepared for where that erotic journey will take her….

Former small-town girl Amery Hardwick is living her dream as a graphic designer in Denver, Colorado. She’s focused on building her business, which leaves little time for dating—not that she needs a romantic entanglement to fulfill her. When her friend signs up for a self-defense class as part of her recovery after an attack, Amery joins her for support. That’s where she meets him.

Ronin Black, owner of the dojo, is so drawn to Amery that he takes over her training—in public and in private. The enigmatic Ronin pushes Amery’s boundaries from the start, and with each new tryst, Amery becomes addicted to the pleasure and to him. But when Amery senses Ronin is hiding something, she questions her total trust in him, despite the undeniable thrill of his possession.

 

[FurryFury]

76.) Going Postal by Terry Prachett 3.25/5

My first successful Prachett read. I intensely disliked the lead character's name though the book had it's charms and was something I could actually finish.

Amazon sez:

Suddenly, condemned arch-swindler Moist von Lipwig found himself with a noose around his neck and dropping through a trapdoor into ... a government job?

By all rights, Moist should be meeting his maker rather than being offered a position as Postmaster by Lord Vetinari, supreme ruler of Ankh-Morpork. Getting the moribund Postal Service up and running again, however, may prove an impossible task, what with literally mountains of decades-old undelivered mail clogging every nook and cranny of the broken-down post office.

Worse still, Moist could swear the mail is talking to him.

Worst of all, it means taking on the gargantuan, greedy Grand Trunk clacks communication monopoly and its bloodthirsty piratical headman. But if the bold and undoable are what's called for, Moist's the man for the job -- to move the mail, continue breathing, get the girl, and specially deliver that invaluable commodity that every being, human or otherwise, requires: hope.

77.) Snow White Christmas Cookie by David Handler 3/5

Color me surprised when this book opens with rough sex. Not what I expected to put it mildly. Didn't feel very x'mas-y but overall I liked it.

Amazon sez:

The newest adventure featuring the mismatched romantic crime-fighting duo of New York City film critic Mitch Berger and Connecticut State Resident Trooper Desiree Mitry presents Des with her first taste of Christmas in the historic New England village of Dorset.

And what a taste it is. Three blizzards have blanketed the village in forty inches of snow. Bryce Peck, Mitch’s blue-blooded neighbor out on Big Sister Island, has just been found dead of a drug overdose. Young Kylie Champlain has slammed her car head-on into an office building after she’s caught trying to shoplift a pair of Ugg boots. And a grinch has taken to stealing the mail from Hank Merrill’s postal route, which happens to be the main route through the historic district.

Stealing the U.S. mail is a serious federal crime, but Des soon discovers that she’s onto something much bigger: a black-market prescription drug gang with ties to organized crime. And now a fourth blizzard is on its way. And so is another murder. And, somehow, the man in her life has managed to land himself smack dab in the middle of the whole mess. Not to mention that he’s in way over his head with Josie Cantro, the beautiful and treacherous life-coach who just may be responsible for it all. If Des doesn’t act fast, this will truly be a Christmas to remember---but for all of the wrong reasons.

David Handler’s ninth book in this original series is brimming with plenty of murder, mayhem, and holiday spirit.

78.) Christmas Cats by Lesley Anne Ivory 4/5

Utterly charming kids book with lovely illustrations.

Sally Tarbox on October 9, 2014 at Amazon sez:

Purchased as Christmas gift for friends in Sri Lanka, and it absolutely fits the bill!

Fifteen full-page colour pictures of beautiful cats - predominantly tabbies - in festive poses... Amid the decorations, gazing longingly at a bauble on the tree, peeping out of a gift bag, or lying on a woolly sock (my favourite.) Also several in front of windows, watching the snow fall or looking at a village street scene or a church.

Amazingly drawn cats, and the backgrounds just capture England at Christmas.

Opposite each image is a little relevant quote from a work of literature, and a few sentences underneath by the author, commenting on the cat (these are all illustrations of her own pets).


79.) It's Christmas by Jack Prelutsky 4/5

Another kids book with poetry that I enjoyed.

From Booklist:

From verses about the Christmas tree and the Santa wish list to those about putting on a nativity play and singing carols, the poems in this I Can Read title celebrate warm holiday traditions with a wry sweetness, always true to a kid’s viewpoint and beyond generic greeting-card representations.

There are a number of fiascos. A girl has sent off her Christmas cards with her pictures and rhymes, but no one got them. Did she forget the stamps?

When the family bundles up and goes out caroling on Christmas Eve, they sing so badly that the neighbors shut their windows. The girl, though, thinks that no matter how sour they sound, there’s no family sweet as hers.

Hafner’s line-and-watercolor pictures illustrate the bouncing, rhyming words in clear, playful holiday scenes that show the mischief and mess-ups, and always the joy. Preschool-Grade 1. --Hazel Rochman --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

80.) The Christmas Chronicles The Legend of Santa Claus by Tim Slover 4.25/5

I was really hoping that it would be clear that giving a live animal for a gift was wrong. However, it was a clever, book over all.

From Publishers Weekly:

While most people know the myth of Santa Claus, few know the truth--that a 14th-century woodworker dedicated his life to making children happy, but when age and infirmity caught up with him, he was made a saint and moved north to make children happy forever.

This inspiring Christmas tale skillfully weaves various popular Christmas fables (the story of Rudolph being a notable inclusion) into a fresh story that retains an air of traditional folk tales while delivering an updated tweak on familiar stories.

While the conflict, in the form of villainous Rolf Eckhof, is sporadic, the rest of the story is simply and sincerely entertaining.

(Nov.) (c)Copyright © PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

 

[FurryFury]

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss 4.75/5

I finished this last night. It was good but I need to know if there is another book. I hope there is. I want to know what happens next!

Goodreads sez:

Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.

 

[FurryFury]

82.) Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronvitch 4.75/5

Really enjoyed this book. It hits my urban supernatural fav genre. I want more!

Amazon sez:

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

 

[FurryFury]

As You Wish by Cary Elwes 2.5/5 While pleasant to read this book didn't really reveal much or go much of anywhere. I'm glad I read it but I wanted more from it.

I will be watching The Princess Bride soon!

Amazon sez:

From actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film filled with never-before-told stories, exclusive photographs, and interviews with costars Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, and Mandy Patinkin, as well as author and screenwriter William Goldman, producer Norman Lear, and director Rob Reiner.

The Princess Bride has been a family favorite for close to three decades. Ranked by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 Greatest Love Stories and by the Writers Guild of America as one of the top 100 screenplays of all time, The Princess Bride will continue to resonate with audiences for years to come.

Cary Elwes was inspired to share his memories and give fans an unprecedented look into the creation of the film while participating in the twenty-fifth anniversary cast reunion. In As You Wish he has created an enchanting experience; in addition to never-before seen photos and interviews with his fellow cast mates, there are plenty of set secrets and backstage stories.

With a foreword by Rob Reiner and a limited edition original poster by acclaimed artist Shepard Fairey, As You Wish is a must-have for all fans of this beloved film.

 

[desertslave]

I'm a long-time fan of Deb Geary's "Modern Witch" series. She's put that on hold, due to some major upheaval in her life, but is still writing...in an entirely different vein! Her latest release is Lesbian Assassins which is mostly real life with juuust a kiss of urban fantasy by way of wishful thinking. It's a fun, light read with some good laugh-out-loud quips.

 

[FurryFury]

Sounds good and fun!

I'm a long-time fan of Deb Geary's "Modern Witch" series. She's put that on hold, due to some major upheaval in her life, but is still writing...in an entirely different vein! Her latest release is Lesbian Assassins which is mostly real life with juuust a kiss of urban fantasy by way of wishful thinking. It's a fun, light read with some good laugh-out-loud quips.