Bloody Cross Manga

Bloody Cross Volumes 1-4, by Shiwo Komeyama (835 pages/4 books)

In a world that has angels and demons feuding  with each other, the half breeds get the short end of the stick. Which is exactly where Tsukimiya finds herself. As a half demon/half angel she is imbrued with a curse, one that will kill her is she doesn't drink the blood of a pure demon. But with every other half breed killing off demons, they are in short supply. Luckily she meets an angel named Hinata knows where to find a demon. But what happens next was neither of them could have predicted.

I am not entirely sure what to make of this series. One of the main characters is so trusting that they fall into near deadly traps every book. Luckily they are backed up by some seriously powerful allies, otherwise they would be history. But I cannot help but think that if the bad guys were serious about defeating anyone, they really should have killed this klutz a long time ago. Honestly if this keeps up I will only be able to read another ten to fifteen books in this series before I write it off.

On the other hand Bloody Cross is quite interesting with its blend of demons, angels, vampires and a couple demi-gods. It consistently gives you action, and besides from the aforementioned klutz has some well written characters. I would recommend this series to anyone that likes a good action manga.

Note: I know I have harped on it before but I really must say it again, it is very difficult to review a series without giving anything away, especially with manga. Sooooo much happens in each book.

The Grisha Series

Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo, (1225 pages/ 3 books)

When an ordinary soldier named Alina is discovered to have extraordinary magical powers that could reunite the kingdom her whole life changes. In a matter of days she goes from sleeping in a tent to living in a palace. But her new found life of fame and riches is short lived as not everyone wants to see the kingdom saved, but everyone wants her power.

What I liked most about the Grisha Series was how well it was able to blend magic and science together. And rather then pitting one against the other, they actually are able to exist in harmony and build off each other. I honestly wish that this would happen more in science fiction books.

In some ways I also found myself wishing that this had been written as an adult fiction rather than young adult. Not because it needed more adult content, but simply because adult fiction allows for more world development or borderline epicness.

Claymore Manga

Claymore Volumes 1-5, by Norihiro Yagi (939 pages/5 books)

The Claymore manga series has been on my read list for the last several months, but I had never really gotten around to it. But with this year having bonus points for translated material, and finding myself down 20+ books in my yearly reading challenge, I needed some quick material. Manga certainly qualifies.

Claymore is about an organization of demon slayers, called Claymores. Namely because they carry around huge claymore swords. The organization is comprised of nearly all women, with at least one male organizer. Frankly I am not entirely sure what he does but I suspect that it will be revealed later. The reason the group only has women slayers is because of the entry procedure. To become a Claymore you must be bounded with demons blood. This is nearly always fatal for men, but essential. Without the added strength and speed that blood gives, the demons or youma, as they are called, would easily kill them. But while the blood allows them to kill the demons, it also bears a curse. Everyone who is infected with it will eventually lose control of themselves and turn into a demon.

This series is very action packed, but also pretty gory. As you can imagine, lots of things get hacked apart, and not all of them are demons. So far I am enjoying the series, and look forward to reading more of it.

The Mountaintop School For Dogs and other second chances

The Mountaintop School For Dogs and other second chances by Ellen Cooney
293 Pages


"The Sanctuary. High up on the mountain, the Sanctuary is a place of refuge. It is a place where humans save dogs, who, in turn, save the humans. It is a place where the past does not exist, where hopelessness is chased away, where the future hasn't been written, where orphans and strays can begin to imagine a new meaning for "family." Evie is making her way to the Sanctuary. She has lied to gain entry. She has pretended to know more than she does about dogs, but she is learning fast. Once the indomitable Mrs. Auberchon lets her pass, she will find her way. Like the racing greyhound who refuses to move, the golden retriever who returns to his job as the Sanctuary's butler every time he's adopted, and the Rottweiler who's a hopeless candidate for search-and-rescue, Evie comes from a troubled past. But as they all learn, no one should stay prisoner to a life she didn't choose. This is the story of two women and a whole pack of dogs who, having lost their way in the world, find a place at a training school-and radical rescue center-called the Sanctuary. It is a story of strays and rescues, kidnappings and homecomings, moving on and holding on and letting go. And it is, ultimately, a moving and hilarious chronicle of the ways in which humans and canines help each other find new lives, new selves, and new hope."

A charming novel with excellent development of dog characters.  If you are a dog lover you'll like this book.

Night Chill

Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus    438 pages

I haven’t slept in three days. Jeff Gunhus’ first novel for adults scared the beejeezus out of me. It takes off fast and never slows down until the final page.

The book’s premise is the Jack Tremont has moved his family (wife Lauren, daughters Becky and Sarah) from California to the mountains of Western Maryland. The family, especially Jack, needed to start over after a horrible accident.

The book opens with the abduction of an eighteen-year-old girl by one of the novel’s central characters, Nate Huckley. This isn’t the first young woman/girl who has been one of Huckley’s victims. The story shifts to Jack and his daughters as he picks them up from school. After dropping the girls off for a play date, he goes to a local bar to console a friend who has a dying child. An ensuing rainstorm causes the gruesome death of a local n’er-do-well. (It’s closing in on bedtime as I finish this chapter, but knowing sleep won’t come easy, I read some more.)

The next few chapters are the most terrifying I have ever read. Since everyone hates spoilers, let’s just say you should read this in the daytime.  

The Tremont’s have been living in Prescott City for a year now, but they had no idea of the evil secrets they were about to encounter. It seems like everyone in town is involved, from the sheriff to the bartender.

Before Night Chill, Gunhus has written a YA series in order to induce his son to read. That this is his first adult novel may be more terrifying than the book----he’ll get better as he writes, I’m sure.

I give Night Chill 5 out of 5 stars.

Fatal Judgment

Fatal Judgment by Irene Hannon, 330 pages

 

Jake Taylor is a U.S. Marshall assigned to Federal Court Judge Elizabeth Michaels after her sister was killed in what may have been an attempt on her life.  The FBI and the Marshalls are trying to figure out who was behind the shooting while Liz is kept in protective custody.  Liz is actually the widow of Jake's best friend from college.  Jake had been under the impression that Liz had not been a very good wife to his friend and may have even been indirectly responsible for his death.  After meeting her again though, Jake is being forced to revise his opinion and thinks he may even be falling in love with Liz and the feeling may be mutual.  If they can manage to keep Liz alive, perhaps their love could have a chance.  Hannon's books are formulaic but she's a pretty good writer so the story is still pretty compelling.  These are for people who like Christian suspense romance.

Francine Poulet Meets The Ghost Raccoon

Francine Poulet Meets The Ghost Raccoon by Kate DiCamillo, 91 pages

Francine Poulet is a no-nonsense, take charge kind of person.  She's not afraid of anything.  She faced down a bear and the bear blinked first.  She has won 47 awards in her job as animal control officer.  She's the greatest animal control officer in Grizzford County.  But it seems that now she may have met her match in the form of a screaming ghost raccoon.  The woman who complained about the raccoon originally said that the raccoon was screaming her name.  Francine is sure that it's all nonsense but when she meets the raccoon, for the first time she's afraid.  Is this the end of Francine's career or will she find a way to defeat the raccoon?  This was a fun adventure for younger elementary kids who are just beginning chapter books.

Nice Girls Don’t Bite Their Neighbors

Nice Girls Don’t Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper, 337 pages

This is the last book in this series.  Jane is forced to turn a young man she knows into a vampire when he is hit by a car.  She, of course, becomes responsible for Jamie, who is still a teenager and acts like it.  This is while she is trying to plan her wedding to Gabriel and also while someone is apparently trying to kill Gabriel.  In the meantime her Grandma Ruthie has died and has decided to take up residence in Jane’s house because she is still resentful that Aunt Jettie left the house to Jane.  I liked the way Harper wrapped this series up.  If she wanted to she could easily write more books but the story is all very neatly tied up with no loose ends.  Fans of the supernatural humorous romance will like this series a lot.

Unmade

Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan, 370 pages

"New York Times bestselling author Sarah Rees Brennan brings the Lynburn Legacy--her modern, magical twist on the Gothic romance and girl-detective genres--to a surprising and satisfying conclusion. Perfect for fans of the Beautiful Creatures and the Mortal Instruments series. "Who will be the sacrifice?" Kami is linked to two boys. One through a strong magical bond, and the other through unforgettable love. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town. Working with her friends, Kami uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility--and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami's life, but also the lives of those she loves most."  I really liked this ending.  Teens that like fantasy will want to read this series and should be pretty satisfied with this last book.

Torn Away

Torn Away by Jennifer Brown, 276 pages

I think I like every book I read by Brown more than the last one.  This is the story of Jersey, whose hometown of Elizabeth, MO was hit by a devastating tornado at the end of her junior year of high school.  She was home alone when the tornado hit and her entire neighborhood was basically leveled.  Jersey pretty much loses everything in the storm and has to learn to cope with her grief and loss with no help from anyone.  In fact, the people who should be helping her are actually making her situation worse.  This is based loosely on the situation with the tornado in Joplin and is a great, but sad, story about a girl who finds inner strength and help from an unexpected source.  Teens who like stories about real life will enjoy this book.

Lost

Lost by S.A. Bodeen, 137 pages

This is the second book in the Shipwreck Island trilogy.  Sarah and her family are still trapped on the strange island.  They are still hearing odd noises and Sarah's stepmother seems to be getting ill.  The find a girl unconscious on the beach who tells them a fantastic story when she wakes up.  Sarah's dad and stepmom clearly don't believe everything but the story doesn't seem much crazier than some of the things Sarah and her stepbrothers, Marco and Nacho, have seen.  The girl also warns them about a new threat, The Curator.  Sarah hopes that they can find a way off the island before everyone on her family is captured by The Curator, or worse, killed.  This is a good adventure story for older elementary or younger middle school kids.  There's just enough scary stuff going on to satisfy kids who like that type of story.  I liked the second book better than first and I liked the first book pretty well.

Dorothy Must Die: Stories

Dorothy Must Die: Stories by Danielle Paige, 377 pages

This is a collection of three novellas that tell the story of Dorothy's return to Oz and why she is so different from the Dorothy we know from the Wizard of Oz.  Two years after her return to Kansas Dorothy is bored with her life, misses Oz, and thinks that she may have made a mistake.  When she is given the opportunity to return to Oz, she jumps at the chance, taking Uncle Henry and Auntie Em with her.  Much more time has passed in Oz than in Kansas and she finds that the Scarecrow is no longer in charge, a young girl, Ozma, is the Princess of Oz.  Dorothy finds that she has some ability to use magic and, desperate to stay in Oz, she uses magic to achieve this end.  However, using the magic seems to twist her and change her personality, thus she becomes the girl that we see in the book Dorothy Must Die.  The first story is from Dorothy's perspective and the next two are from the perspective of Jellia Jamb and the Wizard.  I actually like these stories better than the first book, but I might like it better now that I have more explanation.  Teens who like the Oz stories or like fantasy will probably enjoy this.

A Handful Of Stars

A Handful Of Stars by Cynthia Lord, 184 pages

Lily is determined to save enough money top get her dog, Logan, cataract surgery.  Logan, partly because of his blindness, leads Lily to a meeting with Salma, a migrant worker who is helping her family pick blueberries.  Salma and Lily end up becoming friends.  Salma helps Lily paint mason bee houses, which Lily is selling to make money for Logan's operation.  Lily ends up helping Salma when Salma decides to enter the Downeast Blueberry Queen contest.  Between all of their activities, Lily and Salma help each other understand the meaning of true friendship and even manage to help Logan along the way.  I really enjoyed this book.  Kids who like realistic fiction should definitely pick this one up.

Infected

Infected by Sophie Littlefield, 242 pages

Carina's life has been pretty normal up to her senior year.  I mean sure her mom wasn't really around much because of her job, but otherwise everything was pretty good.  Then her life started spinning out of control.  Her mother died and then now her uncle, who took care of her after her mother's death, has also died.  Her new guardian is someone else who worked with both her mother and uncle.  Carina always thought that they were working on some sort of nutritional project but at her uncle's funeral she gets information that makes her suspect that they were working on something much more dangerous, and that she, and her boyfriend, Tanner, might both be affected by this research on a very personal level.  She and Tanner are on a quest to find the truth but there are people who seem determined to keep them from it and time is running out.  This was a fast paced adventure story that teens will probably enjoy.

A Thousand Pieces Of You

A Thousand Pieces Of You by Claudia Gray, 360 pages

Marguerite's father has just been killed by Paul, a boy who she thought was completely trustworthy.  He was one of two grad students who had been studying with her parents and was practically family.  Now he has left, using the Firebird, a device her parents invented that can be used to travel to other dimensions.  Unfortunately, he has also destroyed all of her parents' research so that the device can't be duplicated anytime soon.  However, the other student, Theo, has managed to salvage to earlier prototypes that he has upgraded to be usable.  He and Marguerite follow Paul  in an attempt to exact revenge or at least bring him to justice.  Along the way, though, Marguerite may learn some things that don't agree with the story she believes to be true.  There may be more to the situation than she knows and Paul may not be the villain that she thinks.  This was a great science fiction story.  Although a little bit predictable, it was still well written and I thought it was pretty compelling.   I'm fairly certain there will be a sequel because this book left a lot of loose ends in the overall story and I will be excited to read it when it comes out.

Mary Poppins In The Kitchen

Mary Poppins In The Kitchen by P.L. Travers, 79 pages

This is a combination cookbook and story.  Mr. and Mrs. Banks have planned a trip.  Ellen is already away because she is ill and Mrs. Brill has received a telegram that she must go help her niece whose children are sick with the measles.  Mary Poppins, of course, is more than capable in the kitchen and off the Banks go leaving Mary Poppins and he children to manage.   They cook something different every day, usually with the help of someone we've met in a previous book, like Mrs. Corry and her daughters and Admiral Boom.  At the end of the book are all of the recipes of everything they made and a few things they didn't.  It's cute but probably only something that fans of Mary Poppins would enjoy.

The Marvels

The Marvels by Brian Selznick, 665 pages

This is the story of the Marvel family, a genealogy from Billy Marvel through his descendants, down to his great-great grandson, Leo.  The book tells the story of the family in pictures, especially Billy's story, which is a very exciting story of surviving a shipwreck with only his dog, Tar.  All of the family led exciting lives afterwards, being famous actors at the Royal Theatre.  The second half of the book is about a boy named Joseph, who runs away from his boarding school to his Uncle Albert's house in London.  He has never met his uncle, and it is there that he discovers the story of the Marvel family.  Joseph is determined to uncover the secret his uncle is hiding and to figure out what the connection is between his family and the Marvels.  This was an excellent story.  Despite it's length, it will be an easy sell to reluctant readers since half of the book is illustrations.  I think this might be favorite of Selznick's books so far.

Deceptions

Deceptions by Kelley Armstrong
453 Pages


"Olivia Taylor Jones's life has exploded. She's discovered she is not only adopted, but her real parents are convicted serial killers. Fleeing the media frenzy, she took refuge in the oddly secluded town of Cainsville. She has since solved the town's mysteries and finds herself not only the target of its secretive elders but also her stalker ex-fiancé. Visions continue to haunt her: particularly a little blond girl in a green sundress who insists she has an important message for Olivia, one that may help her balance the light and darkness within herself. Death stalks both Olivia and the two men most important to her, as she desperately searches to understand whether ancient scripts are dictating the triangle that connects them. Will darkness prevail, or does Olivia have the power to prevent a tragic fate?"

So I find the overall plot development and progression to be good enough for me to continue to read the series.  However there are a few annoying flaws with the writing.  One of the main characters is written to what the author must believe portrays a brooding and sensitive soul.  However he really comes across as a pouty, childish twit.  The other thing that is annoying is there a few parts of romance/sex plopped down in the book that really don't do much to advance the plot.  If someone is stalking you and threatening your life, perhaps you shouldn't keep taking time out to have sex in dark alleys/forests/abandoned buildings! 

The Far Reaches

The Far Reaches: Phenomenology, Ethics, and Social Renewal in Central Europe by Michael Gubser, 229 pages

If phenomenology is little known and little respected outside academic philosophical circles, much of its obscurity is no doubt due to its epistemological preoccupations, which are hardly applicable to everyday life.  Yet, as Michael Gubser chronicles in The Far Reaches, phenomenology always included ethical and social elements, planted by early figures such as Husserl and Scheler and bearing fruit most spectacularly in Central Europe in the late twentieth century, in thinkers including Vaclav Havel and St John Paul II.  In the process, Gubser also calls into question claims that the revolutions of 1989 had little intellectual originality.  The dissidents may have had an apolitical shyness born of a long experience of totalitarian rule, but their writings describe a global crisis of values that afflicted the materialist, individualist West just as deeply as the materialist, collectivist East.

In places, The Far Reaches makes for rather difficult reading - a contributing factor in the obscurity of phenomenology is its specialized vocabulary, and while Gubser does his best to ameliorate this difficulty, the reader is still left with pages of abstract language.  The rewards, both philosophical and historical, are well worth the struggle.

Seraph of the End Manga

Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign Volumes 1-5, by Takaya Kagami (914 pages/ 5 books)

This series starts off with vampires rising up to "save" humanity after a deadly plague kills anyone over the age of thirteen. Unfortunately for the humans being saved comes with a cost, as they are rounded up and brought beneath the Earth for their safety. There they are forced to make blood donations and are treated like livestock. Fed up with being constantly siphoned for blood two twelve year old boys plot their escape and revenge.

This manga is classified as horror and action, but seeing how the vampires are all neatly dressed and look like humans with pointy teeth, I am not sure what is so scary about it. I was initially unsure about reading this series, namely because the plot seemed so shaky. I mean who would think that a couple of kids would pose any threat to some super powerful vampires. But as it turns out, it actually quite good and has a nice twist to it. It also offers a multitude of side plots to help keep the human vampire struggle from getting stale.

My one dislike is the use of magically, or in this case demon enhanced weapons. I fear that this is an early indicator for the classic power leveling that ruins so many series. I will have to keep reading to see if I am right, but I predict that sometime in the next few books the hero will meet someone he cannot beat with his weapon so he will seek out an even stronger one. Then he will be victorious, but eventually the vampires will also have a stronger weapon, and this cycle will repeat. I very much hope I am wrong, but I have seen these loops before.

Higurashi: When they Cry Manga

Higurashi: When they Cry Volumes 1-8 (using the English numbering) by Ryukishi07 (1804 pages/8 books)

This review is for the following arcs: Abducted by Demons, Cotton Drifting, Curse Killing, and Time Killing. I decided to include all of these arcs into one review as, for the first four, retellings of the same story but focusing on different aspects. The Time Killing Arc contains both a prequel and a conclusion of sorts.

First off let me give you some information about this series. As it turns out Higurashi: When they Cry was actually adapted from a video game series. While I know it is common to make books into video games, this is the first I heard that started there. Second, as I mentioned above the first four arcs in this series all are piecemeal accounts of the larger plot. In each arc a different girl is portrayed as the victim and villain. Finally if you read this series it is useful to know that Higurashi means cicada.

When discussing this series with another blogger she gave me a quite extensive list of manga types. Together we decided that this certainly falls under the "harem" genre with elements of horror mixed in. A harem manga is defined by it being one girl or guy somehow together with a larger number of the opposite sex. In this case one guy is in a group of four to five girls. Higurashi, like most harem manga sees the main character developing relations with everyone in the group.

Nearly all of the story takes place in and around the quite village of Hinamizawa, where the main character Keiichi has just moved. He quickly becomes friends with four of his classmates, Rena, Mion, Rika and Satoko. But as he is settling into the quite life of school and after school club meetings he learns of the secret past of Hinamizawa. Years ago dam project threatened to flood the village. Luckily the village was able to band together and stop the project. Since then, every year during the Cotton Drifting festival someone is murdered and someone disappears. With the Cotton Drifting festival right around the corner, Keiichi is afraid he might be next.

I am not sure I like the format this manga is in. I know the arcs all intercept and supposedly form one coherent storyline, but I couldn't really see it till the third arc. In the manga's defense, I did not even know that the arcs were all retellings till I started the third book, and had the same story. Other then my confusion I found the story itself entertaining and certainly suspenseful. I also think that the Time Killing Arc did a great job of not only setting the scene, but also helping the reader understand everything that happened.

There is still quite a lot of volumes in this series, but I am not sure what they are going to be about. Especially with how everything ends here.

Blacksad: Amarillo

Blacksad: Amarillo (Blacksad #5), by Juan Diaz Canales, ill Juanjo Guarnido

Everyone's favorite cat-man-detective Blacksad is back on the case.  This time, he's got a sweet gig driving a beautiful car across the country- so maybe his never-ending bad luck has ended?  Oh, you sweet, wrong individual- of course not.  First the car gets stolen and then the hijinks turn, as they always do, in the direction of murder. 

As usual, the illustrations are really well-done, the story is bittersweet, and you will be VERY interested to see who the translator was (hint: she works here! and is super talented!)

Death Note Manga Series

Death Note Volume 1-12 by Tsugumi Oba, (2418 pages/12 books)


The Death Note series follows a young man named Light who finds a notebook intentionally left there by a Shinigami (death god) named Ryuk. What makes this notebook so special is that it has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. Provided that you know the person's name and face. Supposedly this is to stop random people from being killed, but is more useful to the plot than anything else.

Once Light starts killing people, the Japanese police force form a task force to stop him. Leading this force is Light's own father. As the killings continue to ramp up a mysterious world renown detective named L joins the hunt. What follows is a very interesting game of cat and mouse, where the loser could very well end up dead.

This might be an overly simplistic summery of the series, as there is a lot that happens in the later books, but I tend to define spoilers in a very broad sense. This prevents me from going into too much detail.

I would define this manga series as a thriller with some action and horror elements. Unlike most manga I have come across most of the characters are college aged or higher. Though unless you did some research on the wiki you would think some of them, namely Misa, are high school age at best. I cannot say if I like this age range better, but it at least avoids some of the problems I have with ecchi manga.

I enjoyed the concept of being able to kill people by learning their names and knowing their faces. And if adapted into a world of superheroes, this would make an awesome super villain.

Revenge of Conscience

The Revenge of Conscience: Politics and the Fall of Man by J Budziszewski, 145 pages

In The Revenge of Conscience, natural law philosopher Budziszewski sets out, not to argue for the reality of the natural law, but to outline the consequences of its denial.  Conscience, he contends, can never be erased, only repressed, and a guilt denied will only express itself in other, more damaging, ways.  In the process, he reveals how many of the vices of our society - and especially our politics - are virtues grown cancerous.

Although Budziszewski notes that natural law does not presuppose any particular religious belief, as the subtitle suggests, this book contains large sections explicitly addressed to a Christian audience.  On the positive side, the fact that the book was published nearly twenty years ago takes the edge off some of the specific political references, strengthening the author's general points.

Kraken

Kraken by China Mieville, 509 pages.

A preserved giant squid has been stolen from London's Natural History museum and it's curator Billy Harrow is at the top of everyone's list for answers. But who stole the Kraken and why? In a city full of secret currents of myth and magic, where criminals, police, cultists, and wizards are locked in a war to bring about or prevent the End the list of suspects could include anyone. There is the Congregation of God Kraken, there is the criminal mastermind known as the Tattoo, the mysterious Londonmancers, as well other religious sects and magicians who may or may not want to end everything.

While I really wanted to like this book, especially since it has a squid worshiping cult I just couldn't bring myself to fully enjoy it. It starts of decently but becomes kind of muddled and confusing towards the middle as there was to much going on. Towards the end it got better again, but the ending was just kind of anticlimactic. Overall if you enjoy conspiracies and fantasy you might like this book but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it.     

A Head Full of Ghosts

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
286 Pages

"The lives of the Barretts, a normal suburban New England family, are torn apart when fourteen-year-old Marjorie begins to display signs of acute schizophrenia. To her parents' despair, the doctors are unable to stop Marjorie's bizarre outbursts and subsequent descent into madness. As their home devolves into a house of horrors, they reluctantly turn to a local Catholic priest for help. Father Wanderly suggests an exorcism; he believes the vulnerable teenager is the victim of demonic possession. He also contacts a production company that is eager to document the Barretts' plight for a reality television show. With John, Marjorie's father, out of work for more than a year and medical bills looming, the family reluctantly agrees to be filmed--never imagining that The Possession would become an instant hit. When events in the Barrett household explode in tragedy, the show and the incidents it captures become the stuff of urban legend. Fifteen years later, a bestselling writer interviews Marjorie's younger sister, Merry. As she recalls those long-ago events from her childhood--she was just eight years old--painful memories and long-buried secrets that clash with the television broadcast and the Internet blogs begin to surface. A mind-bending tale of psychological horror is unleashed, raising disturbing questions about memory and reality, science and religion, and the very nature of evil."

Written in three voices; 8 year old Merry, adult Merry and blogger Merry the book presents a disturbing picture.  A compelling tale.

World War Moo

World War Moo by Michael Logan
309 Pages

"It began with a cow that just wouldn't die. Yep. That's right. They're still un-dead, and now the disease has spread to humans. The epidemic that transformed Britain's bovine population into a blood-thirsty, brain-grazing, zombie horde...err...zombie herd... is threatening to take over the globe in Michael Logan's World War Moo . And there's not much time left to stop it. All of Great Britain is infected and hungry. The rest of the world has a tough choice to make. Should they nuke the Brits right off the map -- men, women, children, cows and all -- in the biggest genocide in history? Or should they risk global infection in a race against time to find a cure? With hungry zombies attempting to cross borders by plains, trains, boats, and any other form of transport available, it's only a matter of time before the virus gets out. And if it does, there's only one answer. This means war. "

The second book of the Apocalypse Cow series is not as strong as the first book and I found myself not caring about the fate of any of the characters. 

The Fold

The Fold by Peter Clines
 375 Pages

"A brilliantly twisty, turny supernatural mystery from the author of the Ex-Heroes series and 14 The folks in Mike Erikson's small New England town would say he's just your average, everyday guy. And that's just how Mike likes it. Sure, the life he's chosen may not be much of a challenge to someone with his unique gifts, but Mike is content with his quiet and peaceful existence. That is, until an old government friend presents him with an irresistible mystery--one that Mike is uniquely qualified to solve: it seems that a team of DARPA scientists has invented a device that could make teleportation a reality. But something is very wrong with the project. The personalities of the scientists who work on it are changing. People are dying. And reality itself seems to be...warping. Mike soon learns that the machine is not at all what it appears to be--and that its creators may have opened a doorway to something horrible that lurks just outside our world's borders."

It is as if the book was written by two people because two thirds of the way through the plot suddenly takes a turn into the weird and all of the careful characterization and science flies out the window, which is really a shame because I enjoyed the book until this point and liked parts of the last third as well.  It seems as if there will be a sequel

Dumplin by Julie Murphy

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
384 Pages


"Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all."

A good young adult book with a positive message.  The only drawback is the pacing is a little slow.  

The Crossing

The Crossing by Michael Connelly
400 Pages
 

"Detective Harry Bosch has retired from the LAPD, but his half-brother, defense attorney Mickey Haller, needs his help. A woman has been brutally murdered in her bed and all evidence points to Haller's client, a former gang member turned family man. Though the murder rap seems ironclad, Mickey is sure it's a setup. Bosch doesn't want anything to do with crossing the aisle to work for the defense. He feels it will undo all the good he's done in his thirty years as a homicide cop. But Mickey promises to let the chips fall where they may. If Harry proves that his client did it, under the rules of discovery, they are obliged to turn over the evidence to the prosecution. Though it goes against all his instincts, Bosch reluctantly takes the case. The prosecution's file just has too many holes and he has to find out for himself: if Haller's client didn't do it, then who did? With the secret help of his former LAPD partner Lucy Soto, Harry starts digging. Soon his investigation leads him inside the police department, where he realizes that the killer he's been tracking has also been tracking him. "

Connelly delivers another satisfying read in the Bosch series.   Not only is Harry struggling with being retired, he struggles with being on the other side of the line, the side of the defendant.

The Game

The Game by Laurie R. King, 368 pages

The Game is the seventh installment of the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King. Long story short: Sherlock Holmes mentors a young woman, takes her on as his partner, marries her, and continues to solve mysteries with her. It's a very satisfying series for any Holmes fanatic. The series takes place after the original Holmes Canon, so the character of Baker Street we've grown to love (and become annoyed with at times) is not tainted.

The Game follows the same general pattern of the series in the sense that Russell and Holmes find themselves traveling to a different part of the world to solve some mystery or another. In this particular case, they travel to India to investigate the disappearance of a British spy. Because of the exotic locations in which King places Russell and Holmes, there is a lot of exposition, description, and musing about the locale, as told from Russell's point of view. With the setting being 1924 India, this book can definitely be classified as historical fiction as well as your run-of-the-mill mystery.

The Game is definitely worth reading, but I highly suggest reading the other books in the series first.

Buried Giant

Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
317 Pages

"The Romans have long since departed and Britain is steadily declining into ruin. But, at least, the wars that once ravaged the country have ceased. Axl and Beatrice, a couple of elderly Britons, decide that now is the time, finally, for them to set off across this troubled land of mist and rain to find the son they have not seen for years, the son they can scarcely remember. They know they will face many hazards--some strange and otherworldly--but they cannot foresee how their journey will reveal to them the dark and forgotten corners of their love for each other. Nor can they foresee that they will be joined on their journey by a Saxon warrior, his orphan charge, and a knight--each of them, like Axl and Beatrice, lost in some way to his own past, but drawn inexorably toward the comfort, and the burden, of the fullness of a life's memories. "


Not character driven  and somewhat rambling the book was a near miss for me.  While the concepts Ishiguro explored were interesting I didn't really enjoy the journey, both figuratively and literally.  

Black-Eyed Susans

Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin
354 Pages

"As a sixteen-year-old, Tessa Cartwright was found in a Texas field, barely alive amid a scattering of bones, with only fragments of memory as to how she got there. Ever since, the press has pursued her as the lone surviving "Black-Eyed Susan," the nickname given to the murder victims because of the yellow carpet of wildflowers that flourished above their shared grave. Tessa's testimony about those tragic hours put a man on death row. Now, almost two decades later, Tessa is an artist and single mother. In the desolate cold of February, she is shocked to discover a freshly planted patch of black-eyed susans--a summertime bloom--just outside her bedroom window. Terrified at the implications--that she sent the wrong man to prison and the real killer remains at large--Tessa turns to the lawyers working to exonerate the man awaiting execution. But the flowers alone are not proof enough, and the forensic investigation of the still-unidentified bones is progressing too slowly. An innocent life hangs in the balance. The legal team appeals to Tessa to undergo hypnosis to retrieve lost memories--and to share the drawings she produced as part of an experimental therapy shortly after her rescue. What they don't know is that Tessa and the scared, fragile girl she was have built a fortress of secrets. As the clock ticks toward the execution, Tessa fears for her sanity, but even more for the safety of her teenaged daughter. Is a serial killer still roaming free, taunting Tessa with a trail of clues? She has no choice but to confront old ghosts and lingering nightmares to finally discover what really happened that night. "

I enjoyed reading this book but didn't find it as thrilling, breath-taking etc. etc as the critics try to lead you to believe it is.  It was basically an acceptable mystery.

The Tower

The Tower by William Butler Yeats, 104 pages

The Tower is an arrangement by Yeats of previously published poems and snippets from his translation of Sophocles' play Oedipus at Colonus.  The two most famous poems, "Sailing to Byzantium" and "The Gift of Haroun al-Rashid", appear first and next-to-last, respectively, bookending the collection with themes of spiritual longing and mystery.  The title work finds the poet brooding over age and mortality, while the last features a necromantic invocation of the ghosts of Dublin, with the author finally taking his place among them, and them alongside him.

George Herbert

George Herbert by TS Eliot, 34 pages

This short essay by Eliot on Herbert emphasizes the significance of the planned structure of Herbert's primary work, The Temple.  Eliot also traces the influence of Donne and the Anglican liturgy on Herbert's poetry, and discusses the question of whether one must accept Herbert's religion to appreciate his poetry (Eliot's answer, predictably, is "No.").

Keegan's Point

Keegan’s Point by HD Smith  140 pages

Marcus Keegan owned a mansion on the island known as Keegan’s Point, just off the coast of Florida. The house has been abandoned for the last twelve years, since Keegan died under mysterious circumstances. The only things that were removed after the body was discovered was the body and twenty passports.

This mystery has always fascinated twelve-year-old Charlie Parker. He’d give his eye teeth and left arm to learn more about Keegan. In fact, the island is the subject of a presentation that he is due to given during fourth period.

He overhears a man in his mom’s restaurant talk about investigating the island and searching for a missing treasure.  In his efforts to learn more, Charlie spies on the man and is kidnapped by him and his two accomplices. Charlie is torn between the excitement of going to Keegan’s Point and fear of what the three men will do to him. And the biggest problem of all is that for the next t that next three days, no one will know he is missing. His mother thinks he’s on a fishing trip with his friends, while his friends believe that Charlie’s mom made him stay home.

Nick has a set of clues that should lead him right to the treasure. Only problem is, Nick and his team don’t know what they mean. After they learn that Charlie is considered the local expert on Keegan, they plan to use him to unlock the mystery.

This is a great book for a young reader who might not truly enjoy reading. It has everything: a treasure hunt, mystery, danger, action, and adventure.

I give Keegan’s Point  5 out of 5 stars.

Pokergeist

Pokergeist by Michael Phillip Cash    266 pages

Pokergeist is the fourth novel by as-yet-to-be-discovered author Michael Phillip Cash that I’ve read, and I think this one is his best yet.

The story opens in Las Vegas. Poker legend Clutch Henderson comes from a poker legend family; his grandfather was a champion player. He taught Clutch how to play the game.

Clutch is good. After all, this is his nineteenth attempt to win the million-dollar gold bracelet in the International Series of Poker. His opponent is an Internet poker sensation, Adam “The Ant” Antonowski. It’s the final hand; Clutch can practically feel the bracelet’s weight on his wrist. Everything he ever dreamed of is just a card away. Suddenly, Clutch can’t breathe. There is a heaviness in his chest. Words fail him. He falls to the floor.

One year later, Telly Martin has lost everything. It started with a layoff and spiraled down from there. Now he and his girlfriend Gretchen are living in a seedy hotel, barely able to eat and make the rent.

Telly also has dreams of winning the International Series of Poker. He’s a pretty good player, but with luck he could go all the way. All he needs now is the ten thousand dollar buy-in fee. Yeah, right, like he has that kind of money lying around.

Then Clutch shows up in ghost form to act as Telly’s mentor.

There are no real surprises in this plot line. Still, it’s well done and interesting reading. It’s a lot of fun too.

I give Pokergiest 5 out of 5 stars.  

It's a Wonderful Death

It's a Wonderful Death by Sarah J Schmitt
320 Pages

"Seventeen-year-old RJ always gets what she wants. So when her soul is accidentally collected by a distracted Grim Reaper, somebody in the afterlife better figure out a way to send her back from the dead or heads will roll. But in her quest for mortality, she becomes a pawn in a power struggle between an overzealous archangel and Death Himself. The tribunal presents her with two options: she can remain in the lobby, where souls wait to be processed, until her original lifeline expires, or she can replay three moments in her life in an effort to make choices that will result in a future deemed worthy of being saved. It sounds like a no-brainer. She’ll take a walk down memory lane. How hard can changing her future be?"
 

At first it seemed as if the book was going to be a typical young adult novel with a predictable plot but the author throws a few twists into the storyline that prevents it from sliding into mediocrity.  

The End of All Things by John Scalzi
380 pages

"Humans expanded into space...only to find a universe populated with multiple alien species bent on their destruction. Thus was the Colonial Union formed, to help protect us from a hostile universe. The Colonial Union used the Earth and its excess population for colonists and soldiers. It was a good arrangement...for the Colonial Union. Then the Earth said: no more. Now the Colonial Union is living on borrowed time-a couple of decades at most, before the ranks of the Colonial Defense Forces are depleted and the struggling human colonies are vulnerable to the alien species who have been waiting for the first sign of weakness, to drive humanity to ruin. And there's another problem: A group, lurking in the darkness of space, playing human and alien against each other-and against their own kind -for their own unknown reasons. In this collapsing universe, CDF Lieutenant Harry Wilson and the Colonial Union diplomats he works with race against the clock to discover who is behind attacks on the Union and on alien races, to seek peace with a suspicious, angry Earth, and keep humanity's union intact...or else risk oblivion, and extinction-and the end of all things."

This is less a novel and more a linkage of related novellas set in Scalzi's old men universe.  Characters are well developed and book is easy to read.  If you haven't read any of Scalzi's previous books I would recommend reading the Old Man's War and the other prior books first since they set the background for this novel.

Not on Fire but Burning

Not on Fire but Burning by Greg Hrbek
275 Pages

"Twenty-year-old Skyler saw the incident out her window: Some sort of metallic object hovering over the Golden Gate Bridge just before it collapsed and a mushroom cloud lifted above the city. Like everyone, she ran, but she couldn't outrun the radiation, with her last thoughts being of her beloved baby brother, Dorian, safe in her distant family home.

Flash forward to a post-incident America, where the country has been broken up into territories and Muslims have been herded onto the old Indian reservations in the west, even though no one has determined who set off the explosion that destroyed San Francisco. Twelve-year old Dorian dreams about killing Muslims and about his sister—even though Dorian's parents insist Skyler never existed. Are they still shell-shocked, trying to put the past behind them . . . or is something more sinister going on?

Meanwhile, across the street, Dorian's neighbor adopts a Muslim orphan from the territories. It will set off a series of increasingly terrifying incidents that will lead to either tragedy or redemption for Dorian, as he struggles to prove that his sister existed—and was killed by a terrorist attack."

This is a difficult book to classify and it will leave the reader thinking about the fabric of reality and life. Parts of the book are confusing and weak but overall the language is beautiful and the plot evolves into a climatic ending.

The Swans of Fifth Avenue

 

The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin    368 pages

I read Melanie Benjamin’s prior novel, The Aviator’s Wife, and just LOVED it. I felt like I was on the wall of the Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh home. I admit that I haven’t yet picked up her two previous novels, but they are on my TBR list. I was excited that Benjamin was finally coming out with a new novel.

This time she turns her pen on “New York’s ‘Swans’ of the 1950s—and the scandalous, headline-making, and enthralling friendship between literary legend Truman Capote and peerless socialite Babe Paley.” The ‘Swans’ are Babe’s friends: Slim Keith, C Z Guest, Gloria Guiness, and Pamela Churchill (yes a relation to Winston).

These women are five of New York’s most beautiful and wealthiest women. They have it all: high profile husbands, money, clothes, beauty, glamor, influential friends, jewels, and gorgeous homes. Babe’s drop-dead gorgeous face often appeared on cover of style magazines, mainly Vogue. But inside was a desperately lonely woman who only wanted to be loved.

Enter Truman Capote. He explodes onto the New York scene and is quickly taken under Babe’s wing. They form a tight, chaste relationship, in which each one depends on the other for emotional support.

When I first picked up Swans, I had to read to page 159 and gave up. There was, I thought, no real plot. Nothing happened and the same conversations happened over and over. I was bitterly disappointed.  I thought about my disillusionment often; then it hit me. That’s basically what these people were about---nothing. The only one who seemed to contribute to society was Capote.

So I picked Swans up again, started on page 150, and was soon immersed in their world. It was sad to watch Capote binge on drugs and booze and Babe succumb to cancer, but death was really the only way out of the lives they had created.

I give The Swans of Fifth Avenue 5 out of 5 stars.

The Master Magician

The Master Magician by Charlie N Holmberg
216 Pages

"Throughout her studies, Ceony Twill has harbored a secret, one she's kept from even her mentor, Emery Thane. She's discovered how to practice forms of magic other than her own--an ability long thought impossible. While all seems set for Ceony to complete her apprenticeship and pass her upcoming final magician's exam, life quickly becomes complicated. To avoid favoritism, Emery sends her to another paper magician for testing, a Folder who despises Emery and cares even less for his apprentice. To make matters worse, a murderous criminal from Ceony's past escapes imprisonment. Now she must track the power-hungry convict across England before he can take his revenge. With her life and loved ones hanging in the balance, Ceony must face a criminal who wields the one magic that she does not, and it may prove more powerful than all her skills combined. "

This is final book ( I think) of what was a nice little trilogy that ran its course.  There isn't much more the author could do in developing the relationship between the two main characters and in fact the author seemed hard pressed to develop any new plot twists or plot lines from the previous two books.  It seems as if originally the three books were one and the publisher broke them apart to get more of run. 

Weeding Handbook a Shelf by Shelf Guide

Weeding Handbook: A shelf-by-shelf guide by Rebecca Vnuk
 196 Pages

Okay, so this is a book only a librarian could like and not just because the author's last name sounds like a noise a stooge would make.  The book is exactly what the title says and while there isn't much information in it that we, as librarians, don't already know, it is nice to firm up and get support for our weeding efforts.  I think this would be a great book for use in a class on Collection Development because it plainly spells out the lifespan of books in a public library and to some extent in an academic library.