First off, let me apologize to any new members who had to wait for their posts to be released from the moderation queue...LJ failed to alert me that they were featuring this community in the Spotlight, so I was unprepared for the influx! The queue is clear now, so anyone who posted who wasn't seeing their post, should see it now.

Having said that, welcome to all the new members! I invite you to please review the community info found here prior to your first post. Pretty much everything you could want to know about the community and its guidelines can be found there.

Happy reading!

Number of pages: 73

William Leith narrates this autobiographical story, telling of how he stepped onto a Northern Line train and started to sense that something was wrong. As the account continues, you can tell that something bad is going to happen and this is what the whole story is building up to.

I found myself feeling sorry for the author immediately, because he is evidently claustrophobic, and talks a lot about how anxious he gets when he uses the London Underground, and he talks a lot about his relief when he gets to the end of his journey, and how he wishes he hadn't decided to go one stop further. The depictions of how other people behave on the train are all very vivid, and it made me feel almost like I was there.

The book was written well, occasionally going off on tangents about other aspects of the author's life, and there was some good use of humour at times that put me in mind of Bill Bryson. I liked the way that the narrative built up to the climax.

This is one of a series of twelve books that has been written about different lines on the London Underground.

Next book: Clay (Melissa Harrison)

A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Number of pages: 288

This is the second Discworld novel to revolve around the City Watch (though shortly after this one they seemed to become increasingly popular with Terry Pratchett). The story opens with the wedding of Captain Vimes approaching, along with his planned retirement from the watch; at the same time, a clown and a dwarf are both killed, launching a murder mystery style hunt for the killer.

This book introduces the character of Angua, who is a new City Watch recruit, who also happens to be a werewolf, and sees the return of Gaspode, the talking dog from Moving Pictures.

I remember having been not too sure about this particular book when reading through it, possibly because it felt a bit too similar to the City Watch's debut novel, Guards, Guards, and I did notice when re-reading it that the main plot seemed quite thin, with most of the story revolving around the bickering between the characters. Also, considering that the last Discworld novel before this, Lords and Ladies also involved preparations for a wedding, doing it again felt a bit lazy - and I was concerned when they recycled the previous book's recurring theme of parallel universe jokes. I was surprised that Vimes himself didn't seem to get that much to do, with the other City Watch members featuring a lot more heavily.

However, there was plenty of humour throughout the novel to keep me amused, most of the laughs coming from scenes featuring Cuddy the dwarf and Detritus the troll, who are both City Watch members. Part of the premise is that there is a lot of tension between the trolls and dwarves, and there is an ongoing theme of both trolls and dwarves being treated as oppressed minorities throughout the book. I noticed that the book got somewhat darker and more serious in tone towards the end, possibly not too surprising due to a few shocking moments.

The City Watch novels tend to not be among my favourite in the Discworld series, but I thought this one was okay - the only real issue I had was that there seemed to be quite a lot of padding.

Next book: A Northern Line Minute (William Leith)

Summary:
Compass American Guides: Alaska's Inside Passage taps a growing travel market. Alaska is the world’s third most popular cruise destination, attracting about one million cruise ship passengers a year. While other guides offer recommendations on where to stay and what to see, none combine that practical information with the depth and literary quality of a Compass American Guide.

In this thoroughly readable book, travelers, locals, and armchair travelers alike will find a mix of stunning color photos, sightseeing scoops, historical background, fun FAQs, and evocative, inspiring descriptions of this breathtaking region. Following the route of a fantasy cruise from south (Ketchikan) to north (Sitka), the guide takes readers through all the incredible attractions, including Glacier Bay National Park, Ketchikan’s totem poles, and Skagway’s historic Gold Rush District. The explorations of each port of call are organized by the amount of time visitors have on shore. In addition to natural and historic sights, the guide includes favorite places to eat and shop in each town, and tips on everything from animal-watching to packing the night gear.

Writer Ann Chandonnet lived in Alaska for more than 30 years and is the author of more than a dozen books, including The Alaska Heritage Seafood Cookbook, and Alaska’s Arts, Crafts & Collectibles. Photographer Don Pitcher spent 15 summers in the wilds of Alaska and Wyoming and now works as a photographer and travel writer, basing his travels from Homer, Alaska.

This travel guide, published by Fodor's, was a purchase I made at the VNSA book sale in Phoenix a few months ago. We'll be doing an Alaskan cruise this summer and this book is about the exact area we'll be visiting. I have avoided buying other books on the subject because I know they'll be out of date quickly; since this came out in 2006, I knew that would be an issue as well, but it was also 25-cents with the money going to charity.

I've already done a lot of online research on ports like Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. What I really wanted was a different perspective--a bit of history, maybe some insight into a place I'd gloss over when I skimmed a web page, but might like if I knew more about it. This book accomplished that. One of the advantages is that the author, Ann Chandonnet, is a local; most online material is by tourists. The narrative is highly readable, gentle and intelligent all at once. I appreciated her emphasis on buying native art. The history sections were especially nice, brief as they were. And the photography--wow. Don Pitcher's work is worthy of wall prints. He really captured the majesty of the state.

Towards the back is where the publishing date became more of an issue. There's a section on recommended restaurants and shops. I Googled a number of the restaurants and found many were closed. This is not a fault of the book; I knew that I was buying an older edition.

In all, a nice supplement to online research.

The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks by Amy Stewart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




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The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Originally posted by audrey_e at 13 A DOLL'S HOUSE

Book #12 – Remnant Population



Name of the Book (Name of the Series): Remnant Population
Name of the Author: Elizabeth Moon
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 478
Date: 04.12.2012 – 10. 12. 2012
Short description: Ofelia Falfurrias, somewhere around 80 years old and oldest settler of the ‘Sims Bancorp Colony’ on an unnamed planet, has enough. After submitting all her life to her family and the company she refuses to leave the planet when the colony (and the planet) is to be abandoned. She stays behind secretly to spend the rest of her years in solitary and quiet peace, for the first time in her long life her own master. But things never turned out as planned and the native species of the planet come into the picture when new settlers arrive at another place of the planet. Ofelia, whose presence on the planet is unknown to the authorities, is set between the two groups – and actually doesn’t want to bother with of either.

Own Statement:

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Next to review: The Ring

Rating: 6/7
(1 – Horrible; 2 – Bad; 3 – Disappointing; 4 – Average / fine; 5 – Good; 6 – Very Good; 7 – Excellent)
 

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School Series #1) by Gail Carriger

Sophronia’s knack for mechanics and a tendency toward mischief are hardly desirable qualities for a Victorian lady, but they do make her an ideal recruit for Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

When the 14-year-old girl arrives, she quickly discovers her school is unlike any other. Classes taught by werewolves and vampires are merely the beginning. Along with music and dance, Sophronia is schooled in the arts of espionage and intrigue – hardly subjects her mother would approve of, but ones she takes to with passion!

However, Sophronia quickly discovers school isn’t all fun and games and soon finds herself immersed in a mystery whilst pursued by flywaymen and shady characters intent on attacking the Academy. Armed with her mechanimal, Bumbersnoot, and a group of steadfast friends, Sophronia sets out to uncover the truth and, hopefully, put a little polish on her finish before returning home for the holidays!

Etiquette & Espionage is a delightful story, and Gail Carriger does a terrific job with her young adult debut. Filled with humor and witty dialogue, the story easily entertains and keeps the reader turning the page. Carriger’s penchant for creative character names is in full force with offerings such as Temminick, Mrs. Barnaclegoose and Dimity Ann Plumleigh-Teignmott, and she delightfully weaves in a few familiar faces (albeit younger!) from her wildly popular Parasol Protectorate series.

If you’re a fan of Carriger’s earlier books, you won’t want to miss the newest addition to her colorful universe. And if, somehow, you’ve never heard of steampunk’s comedic genius, this book is a great introduction to a world turned topsy-turvy by treacle tarts, flamboyant vampires, empowered women and flying dirigibles!

Summary:
Jason M. Hough’s pulse-pounding debut combines the drama, swagger, and vivid characters of Joss Whedon’s Firefly with the talent of sci-fi author John Scalzi.

In the mid-23rd century, Darwin, Australia, stands as the last human city on Earth. The world has succumbed to an alien plague, with most of the population transformed into mindless, savage creatures. The planet’s refugees flock to Darwin, where a space elevator—created by the architects of this apocalypse, the Builders—emits a plague-suppressing aura.

Skyler Luiken has a rare immunity to the plague. Backed by an international crew of fellow “immunes,” he leads missions into the dangerous wasteland beyond the aura’s edge to find the resources Darwin needs to stave off collapse. But when the Elevator starts to malfunction, Skyler is tapped—along with the brilliant scientist, Dr. Tania Sharma—to solve the mystery of the failing alien technology and save the ragged remnants of humanity.

I've been hearing buzz about this for months, so I was excited to receive the ARC through NetGalley.

The Darwin Elevator is smart post-apocalyptic sci-fi. It's gritty and dark, with enough humor to balance it from being utterly morbid. Comparisons to Joss Whedon's Firefly are quite apt. The characters do have that zing of chemistry, where they can banter even as they're about to die and it has a sense of realism to it.

And like Whedon--and George R. R. Martin--Hough holds no character sacred. This is an Earth obliterated by an alien virus that has left Darwin, Australia, and the station above it as the last sane remnants of humanity. Major events take place in almost the exact middle of the book that made me do a double take and say, "Oh no he didn't" out loud. Until that point, I had regarded major characters as somewhat safe; after that, nope. The tension escalated big time and stayed that way through the end.

Hough also manages to juggle viewpoints and settings in a masterful way. The characters carry distinct voices, though the bad guy is a bit of an mustache-twirling-with-an-evil-laugh type of villain. I also was left confused at times by the layout of the space station above the Elevator and could have used a map or diagram; however, I did read an advanced copy on ebook, so a map may be included with the published version--and if not, the publisher should consider it.

I have many books in my to-read pile and I'm very picky about which series I continue. This is one I definitely want to read, and Del Rey is actually releasing the whole trilogy in rapid sequence. The Darwin Elevator is out on July 30th, with The Exodus Towers on August 27th and Plague Forge on September 24th.

Number of pages: 175

A book about the end of the world does not sound like a particularly cheerful read, but I enjoyed this immensely.

Over nine chapters, Graham Beynon uses different passages from the Bible to explain the importance of understanding why the end of the world is important to Christians, and why we should not pretend it will not happen. It is a subject that I have been very nervous about in the past, often with the fear of Hell, but this book has helped me to remember that we should be looking forward to the New Creation promised in the Bible and to believe that Jesus came to rescue us from our sins, and how I should trust in Him.

The really helpful thing about this book was that each chapter ended with a short study that I was able go to through by looking at relevant Bible passages. The book briefly touches on the theories regarding the Antichrist and the Rapture, but only in a short appendix at the end.

Overall, this is a recommended book for anyone who is Christian, or looking into Christianity.

Next book: Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett

Summary:
In 1897 a grimy steamer docked in Seattle and set into epic motion the incredible succession of events that Pierre Berton's exhilarating The Klondike Fever chronicles in all its splendid and astonishing folly. For the steamer Portland bore two tons of pure Klondike gold. And immediately, the stampede north to Alaska began.

Easily as many as 100,000 adventurers, dreamers, and would-be miners from all over the world struck out for the remote, isolated gold fields in the Klondike Valley, most of them in total ignorance of the long, harsh Alaskan winters and the territory's indomitable terrain. Less than a third of that number would complete the enormously arduous mountain journey to their destination. Some would strike gold. Berton's story belongs less to the few who would make their fortunes than to the many swept up in the gold mania, to often unfortunate effects and tragic ends. It is a story of cold skies and avalanches, of con men and gamblers and dance hall girls, of sunken ships, of suicides, of dead horses and desperate men, of grizzly old miners and millionaires, of the land — its exploitation and revenge. It is a story of the human capacity to dream, and to endure.

I bought this book so I could read up on Alaskan history before our cruise this summer, and I was worried I made a poor choice. Klondike Fever is a brick of a book at about 450 pages. If it was in hardcover, I could use it as a weapon. It was also written back in the 1950s. I started reading, already half expecting to find it to be a dry, dull read not worthy of finishing.

Wow, was I wrong.

The book is extremely long, true, but Berton's storytelling prowess is absolutely engaging. He knows his stuff. His father came to the Alaskan goldfields over the Chilkoot Pass, and Berton was raised in the ghost town of Dawson City. As this book was published in the 1950s, he was able to talk to many survivors of the rush or those who knew them, and preserve their stories.

It took a certain personality type to survive the long trek to Dawson City. Thousands tried; thousands more failed; untold numbers died. At times, I was angered by the gross exaggerations in advertising and the swindling that led to so many deaths. The simple truth was, people dashed off for Alaska without any concept of the distance or geography. They thought they could get on a boat, disembark, and pluck gold nuggets off the ground. They didn't understand that it was thousands of miles by land alone. The route through Edmonton was 2,000 miles in length and took two years to navigate--for those who lived--and to add insult to injury, they arrived when the rush was over.

As a student of history, I vaguely recalled some of what I read of Alaska as a kid, back when I read Jack London's stories. Berton's book was an education. It brought the gritty reality of the time period to life, from the joy of discovery to the criminal syndicate of Soapy Smith in Skagway that made the city into the Mos Eisley of Alaska.

This is a book that I'll absolutely be keeping on my shelf for future reference, and it's made me all the more excited for my trip.

Book #15 was "White Witch, Black Curse" by Kim Harrison, part of her "The Hallows" series. My husband and I listen to these as audiobooks when we're on long road trips. They're brain candy, and I don't expect a lot from them other than to be amused for several hours, and Harrison usually delivers. This was a good one, with the main character, Rachel, maturing a bit, and the author wrapping up some dangling threads from previous books. She brings in a new character, and we don't get to see some of our favorites from previous books, but I imagine the old characters will be back in the next couple books.

Book #16 was "The Witches of Karres" by James H. Schmitz. I'd read this book as a young teen and really enjoyed it, and I wanted to re-read it as an adult and see if it held up to a second read. It's a silly space romp with paranormal elements, nominated for a Hugo in 1967. I found the style to be pretty campy and pulpy, but once I got past that, I did enjoy the book. It's not one that will shake your world and amaze you with new ideas, but it's amusing, and he keeps the action on such a breathless pace that you don't have too much time to think about how silly parts of it are. Apparently it started as a novella and then Schmitz expanded it. It does feel episodic, but hangs together as a novel just fine. Overall, an enjoyable, light read.

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Book #11 – The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde



Name of the Book (Name of the Series): The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Name of the Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller, Psychological fiction
Pages: 88
Date: 04.12.2012
Short description: London lawyer Gabriel John Utterson is an old friend of Dr. Henry Jekyll, a very pleasant man, around whom he notices strange occurrences. When a murder happens Utterson feels obliged to investigate. What is the part of the strangely repulsing Edward Hyde in the events unfolding in all their horror before him?

Own Statement:( Read more...Collapse )

Next to review: Remnant population

Rating: 5/7
(1 – Horrible; 2 – Bad; 3 – Disappointing; 4 – Average / fine; 5 – Good; 6 – Very Good; 7 – Excellent)

Book #10 – Die Legenden des alten Japan



Name of the Book (Name of the Series): Die Mythen des alten Japan (German. “The Myths of Old Japan”)
Name of the Author: Nelly Naumann
Genre: Academic Literature
Pages: 320
Date: 22.10.2012 - 23.11.2012
Short description: (Taken and translated from the book itself) Those who like to read stories of gods and demons, heroes and monsters, princes and princesses will find joy in this book. Those who seek knowledgeable introduction in centuries old basics of spiritual and material Japanese culture won’t be disappointed. Those who are hoping for anthropological insights will get a range of suggestions.

Own Statement:
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Next to review: The Strange Case of Dr. Jakyll and Mr. Hyde

Rating: 5/7
(1 – Horrible; 2 – Bad; 3 – Disapointing; 4 – Average / fine; 5 – Good; 6 – Very Good; 7 – Excellent)

(Off-topic: I've actually finished  book #22 recently, I'm just very much behind on writing and posting statements. I plan to catch up soon though, so bear with me, please.)

A tale about humanity, as seen from the point of view from a horse called Black Beauty, I found this story enthralling from the start. The whole story is narrated by Black Beauty as he tells of how various circumstances caused him to be passed between a succession of owners throughout his life. This includes him being required to do various jobs, including fox hunting and, most commonly, pulling a hansom cab.

A large amount of the story deals with humanity's cruelty towards animals, and there are some shocking moments that depict horses being flogged, including a particularly upsetting moment involving Beauty's friend Ginger. Throughout the book, it is quite clear which of the human characters the reader is expected to like and dislike, and many of Black Beauty's owners are barbaric towards him and don't know how to treat horses, while others are sympathetic and stand up against the cruelty.

The most enjoyable thing about this book was the fact that all the horses (who speak to each other in the book) are very intelligent, and have a good understanding of humanity. So, the book often focusses on the actions of the humans, as Black Beauty observes them. The only similar thing I can ever remember reading in a story was the chapter in Gulliver's Travels with the land of the Hounhymns (talking horses). There is also an implicit critique of the futility of war in one chapter, where an old war horse tells Black Beauty his story, observing how he had no idea what the purpose of all the fighting was. The whole thing made me suspect that we must actually seem quite strange to animals!

Overall, I found this story enjoyable, though it was very upsetting at times because of the shocking treatment given to Black Beauty and the other horses. I would definitely recommend it to others.

Next book: Last Things First (Graham Beynon)

Book 84: Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum #16).
Author: Janet Evanovich, 2010.
Genre: Chick Lit Crime Fiction. Comedy/Drama.
Other Details: Unabridged Audio (Length: 5 hrs, 56 min) Read by Lorelei King.

Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a “lucky” bottle from her Uncle Pip.  Problem is, Uncle Pip didn’t specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck….

Stephanie's cousin Vinnie of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds has run up a $786,000 gambling debt with mobster Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash is paid. Since Vinnie is on the outs with his wife and father-in-law, no one will pay leaving it up to Stephanie along with office manager Connie and Lula to raise the money in order to save Vinnie and more importantly their jobs. As they are in the business of tracking down people they decide to find out where Vinnie is being stashed so they can free him and hopefully buy some extra time. Of course, things don't go quite to plan and the interest on the debt continues to rise to over a million. The bottle mentioned in the teaser does play a part in all this.

Walter “Moon Man” Dunphy’ makes a welcome return to the supporting cast and his attempt to organise a Hobbit-Con is one of the highly amusing sub-plots for this instalment of the popular series. I am very fond of the books and they are proving very entertaining listens.

The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith. 247 pages.

Another visit to the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, and as always it's like dropping in for a comfortable chat with an old friend.

This book is a little more serious than some of the others, with a nasty accident for one of the characters, but it's still just as enjoyable as the others in the series.

As always, I came away from the book thinking that the world would be a better place if people were a bit more like Mma Ramotswe. The only criticism I have of it is that it's far too short :)

Book 82: Miss Phryne Fisher Investigates (Phryne Fisher #1).
Author: Kerry Greenwood, 1989.
Genre: Cosy Mystery. Period Fiction. 1920s Australia. Drugs.
Other Details: Paperback. 195 pages.

Bored socialite Phryne Fisher leaves the tedium of the London season for adventure in Australia! Tea-dances in West End hotels, weekends in the country with guns and dogs... Phryne Fisher - she of the grey-green eyes and diamanté garters - is rapidly tiring of the boredom of chit-chatting with retired colonels and foxtrotting with weak-chinned wonders. Instead, Phryne decides it might be amusing to try her hand at being a lady detective - on the other side of the world! As soon as she books into the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne, Phryne is embroiled in mystery: poisoned wives, drug smuggling rings and corrupt cops... not to mention erotic encounters with beautiful Russian ballet star Sasha de Lisse; England's green and pleasant land just can't compete with these new, exotic pleasures! - synopsis from UK publisher's website.

With the Australian TV series currently showing on UK's Alibi channel this series of charming cosy mysteries are finally getting published in the UK, though only the first three to date have appeared. For some reason though they decided to ditch the original title: Cocaine Blues for a more generic title without the drug reference even though cocaine and drug dealing does figure in the plot. There was more information given about characters than in the TV series and the plot was a little fuller, so even though I'd seen its TV adaptation there was plenty of new material.

This was delightful and dazzling story and one I found totally addictive.

Book 83: Flying Too High (Phryne Fisher #2).
Author: Kerry Greenwood, 1990.
Genre: Cozy Mystery. Period Fiction. 1920s Australia.
Other Details: Paperback. 173 pages.

Whether foiling kidnappers' plans, walking the wings of a Tiger Moth or simply deciding what to wear for dinner, Phryne handles everything with her usual panache and flair! Here, the 1920's most glamorous detective flies even higher, handling an abduction and a murder with style and ease... all before it's time to adjourn to the Queenscliff Hotel for breakfast. Whether she's flying planes, clearing a friend of homicide charges or saving a child from kidnapping, she handles everything with the same dash and elan with which she drives her red Hispano-Suiza. - synopsis from UK publisher's website.

This particular book in the series hasn't been adapted for the TV series, so the material was all new to me. Again, Phryne proved an effervescent and charming leading lady with a cast of memorable supporting characters backing her up. As the publisher's synopsis suggests the author also gives attention to Phryne's extensive wardrobe. While it is a cosy mystery there is an undercurrent of darker themes as well as a sprinkling of eroticism.

I've quickly fallen in love with this series and again do hope that C&R Crime will continue to publish more titles in the coming months. Not only for myself but to allow copies to be bought by UK libraries allowing others to discover the delightful Miss Phryne Fisher for themselves.

7. Silver Orphan, by Martine Lacombe. All in all, this was a good read, with a lot of thought-provoking information dealing with the well-documented aging of America. In the story, Brooke Blake is a highly successful (and somewhat narcissistic) young woman who works for the pharmaceutical industry selling drugs to doctors. She takes a lot of pride in her attractive figure and her up-to-date fashions. A chance encounter with the elderly Frank Moretti winds up changing her life in more ways than she could have anticipated. For eight months, Brooke winds up meeting him regularly to assist him with his shopping and to just check on his welfare. Her contact with Frank starts to peal away her egotistical shell. But it is after his death, and her search for any missing kin, when Brooke really starts to change into a more empathic person. The characters are well-constructed, and I loved the interactions between Brooke and Frank. Both of them have their pride and stubbornness. Their relationship is balanced -sometimes Brooke is right, sometimes Frank is. There is a lot of statistical information in the book, but it is handled in a believable fashion and doesn't come across as preachy or overwhelming. There are some typos that should have been caught, and the ending felt a bit flat, rushed. There was another potential thread that comes up at the end - where Brooke is actually facing possible charges connected to her job- that seemed to come out of nowhere. I think this issue could have been introduced as a side story earlier on. I think it could have made the novel even better, and Brooke's redemption even more pronounced. I do like how the story was paced- you find out about Frank's past bit by bit, doled out over the course of the book. The final revelation about Frank was great. The story alternates three different times periods (actually, in a way, four- one chapter deals with Frank's parents when they first come to America). One deals with Frank as he grows up. The second covers Brooke and her time spent with Frank. The third deals with Brooke's trying to find out if Frank has any next of kin. These three aspects work well together, and I could easily tell Brooke's voice from Franks's voice (the bulk of the story is written in first-person perspective), even without the dates listed at the beginning of each chapter.

Currently reading: Slaughterhouse-five, by Kurt Vonnegut

13. Seduction In Death by J.D. Robb (a.k.a. Nora Roberts), 354 pages, Mystery, Paperback, 2001 (In Death, Book 13).

Lieutenant Eve Dallas races against time as a pair of spoiled rich boys lure young women to their death, after being wined and dined and drugged and raped. It’s a hard case, but we see less of Dallas’ nightmares, which I would have expected to take center stage, and more of how she steels herself to fight for justice for the dead.


14. Reunion In Death by J.D. Robb (a.k.a. Nora Roberts), 371 pages, Mystery, Paperback, 2002 (In Death, Book 14).

Julianna Dunne went to prison a Black Widow, but she’s out and she’s set to exact vengeance for her incarceration, specifically on Lieutenant Eve Dallas. And Dallas better find her before she finds Eve, as the end game would lead to the death of Eve’s husband, Roarke. There is a lot of Eve’s back story in this installment, made even harsher by the need to actually go to the city where she was found as a child, the city whose name she carries, Dallas, Texas.


15. Purity In Death by J.D. Robb (a.k.a. Nora Roberts), 355 pages, Mystery, Paperback, 2002 (In Death, Book 15).

“Absolute Purity Achieved” is the cryptic message on the computer of a drug dealer who targeted children after he goes crazy, killing his neighbor before dying when only stunned. Then a known child rapist dies with the same message, and a policeman goes insane after working on the first computer. The Purity Seekers claim responsibility, viewing their work as righteous since the law has been unable to put their targets out of business. But innocents are also dying as the result of this virus, and it’s Lieutenant Eve Dallas’ job to stop them.

31.       Just Bill By Barry Knister This book is told from the dog's point of view.  It tells of his life over a period of time.  There are parts of the story that are sad especially when his owner leaves him in a shelter.  He is still devoted to his first owner even after he gets deserted by him.
32.       Dining With Joy by Rachel Hauck
33.       The Amish Bride by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould
34.       A Man Of Honor by Loree Lough
35.       The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer In this book we are introduced to the world of demons.  When one of the young demons materializes in our world.  Both Artemis Fowl and Fairy Holly Short are called to investigate the cause of the demon's materialization.   They also run into a young rich genius who is studying demons and wants one for her research.  We find out what is going on with the island that the demons live on and what had happened to the demon warlocks, who do not look like other demons.  The ending of this book is a surprise.
36.       The Race:  An Allegory by Della Loredo
37.       Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate
38.       The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer In this book in the Artemis Fowl series, we see Artemis go back in time in order to prevent his ten year old self from killing the last lemur on earth in order to save his mother who is dying from an unexplained illness.  We get to see Artemis as he was at ten years old as opposed to his older self who is more mature and not as criminal minded.  Fourteen year old Artemis again joins up with Holly Short and the demon N degree 1 for this adventure.  The ending of the story is a surprise when Artemis finally finds out what happened to the lemur that he had sold eight years previously and the truth about his mother's illness.  This book keeps you in suspense until the end.
39.       Bogus to Bubbly:  An Insider’s Guide to the World of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

11. Sheen - The Cross & The Beautitudes: Lessons On Love & Forgiveness
See #15-16.

12. Renault - The Last Of The Wine
Very image rich and moving, now I want to read more about Ancient Greece.

13. Collins - CSI:Body Of Evidence
Some of these books are as good (or almost-good) as the episodes themselves, and so was this. :)

14. De Saint-Exupéry - The Little Prince (English translation)
Again, like with the book #19 below, gained more out of when I read it now than when younger. Quick yet thought-provoking.

15. Sheen - Seven Words Of Jesus & Mary: Lessons On Cana & Calvary
16. Sheen - Victory Over Vice
More of the same author; I only mention the books of his that I liked on my lists - those that I didn't, I read but then put in the 'give to the library' pile :) That said, when he's good, it's inspiring in a way.

17. O'Brien - The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing The Spiritual Exercises Of St. Ignatius In Daily Life
Opening the Spiritual Excercises program better for me than the original text could, and inspiring too. Definitely must-read if you're curious about it. <3

18. Bosing - Hieronymus Bosch: The Complete Printings
The text opened the artworks better for me, and there were some that I hadn't seen before. Recommended, not a long read.

19. Stevenson - Treasure Island
A re-read, this time in English :) I think I got more out of it than before, still good.

20. King - Duma Key
I can see why some people like it, and I found it pretty decent too.

Bleach, Volume 49: The Lost Agent by Tite Kubo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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A Passenger's History of the Tube



Number of pages: 318

I am fascinated by the London Underground system, and from reading this book it quite clear that so is writer Andrew Martin.

Here, he records the full history of the building of the Underground, from when it was first conceived to the present day, and you can tell that he is very knowledgeable about his source material. I found some bits more interesting than others; I enjoyed reading about the stations themselves and the layout of the system, and was less interested with all the details about how the lines were constructed.

One of the best things about reading this book though was the humour that occasionally surfaces - Martin calls the District Line "selfish" for having two crossings over the River Thames, for example.

Obviously, this book is a bit of a "niche" interest, but for me it made for fascinating reading.

Next book: Black Beauty (Anna Sewell)

Book 81: The Devotion of Suspect X.
Author: Keigo Higashino, 2005. Translated from the Japanese by Alexander O. Smith and Elye J. Alexander, 2011..
Genre: Crime Thriller. Police Procedural. Japan.
Other Details: Paperback. 440 pages.

Yasuko lives a quiet life, working in a Tokyo bento shop, a good mother to her only child. But when her ex-husband appears at her door without warning one day, her comfortable world is shattered. When Detective Kusanagi of the Tokyo Police tries to piece together the events of that day, he finds himself confronted by the most puzzling, mysterious circumstances he has ever investigated. Nothing quite makes sense, and it will take a genius to understand the genius behind this particular crime... - synopsis from UK publisher's website.

I didn't want to give too much away and so the synopsis from the publisher and back cover will hopefully provide enough of a taster for this outstanding thriller. It is part of a series titled Detective Galileo but only the first translated into English. Another has just been published and hopefully over time other titles will appear as they have with the Scandinavian crime writers. The nickname of 'Detective Galileo' does not refer to Detective Kusanagi but has been given to his friend Manubu Yukawa, a brilliant physicist, who consults on occasion for the police. Yukawa also had attended university with Ishigami, the mild-mannered maths teacher who lives next door to Yasuko, though has not seen him for twenty years.

This isn't a whodunit but more of a 'will-they-get-away-with it' and given the circumstances of the crime it is hard to know who to root for. There are some very interesting and even shocking twists in the tale and also provided a fascinating glimpse into life in modern Japan. In many respects it reminded me of the excellent Out by Natsuo Kirino, (Book 36 2009) in terms of the nature of the crime, the focus on a cover-up and that sense of the daily life in Tokyo.

This was a novel where there is no black and white solution but shades of grey and it proved an addictive read.