Knitting books

I'm a knitter (when I can force myself to put my book down, haha) and any time I see a book with a knitting theme, I grab it.

Take for instance Maggie Sefton's knitting mysteries. I'm anxiously awaiting my turn at Skein of the Crime. I'm finally up to number 6 on the library waiting list ;)

Out of the several knitting mystery series out there, I enjoy Maggie's the most. A big part of that is that she's a local author, so I know the places she writes about, even though she sets them in a "fictional" town. (The places are real, even if Fort Connors isn't. Maggie told me years ago when she was signing books at the Estes Park Wool Market that she changed the town name so she had a bit more leeway in writing, especially the local police force. And I have to say, her version of our local Lambspun wool shop and the place that I've visited just don't tally for me. Her version is friendly and fun. My version is stuffy and snooty and not very helpful at all. All three times I've been there I've been roundly ignored, but I digress...).

Sefton's books are comfortable cozies with enough turns to make them keep your attention. The one drawback is the large cast of characters. If you are going to read this series I highly recommend starting with the first book, Knit One, Kill Two, and working your way through, just so you get to know all the characters.

Give it a miss

War of the Roses trilogy by Rodrigo Garcia y Robertson

This trilogy starts with Knight Errant, a story in which 20 something Hollywood movie producer Robyn meets a man, falls in lust, travels to England to celebrate his birthday only to find out he's married. Enter the scum-sucking ditch pig's sister, who convinces Robyn to go hiking, where she meets a knight out of time and is determined to meet him again. Through witchcraft she is sent back to the 15th Century, gets caught and imprisoned for witchcraft, meets the 15th century version of the scum, his sister and the sister's daughter. Eventually she finds herself back with her knight and falls in love and becomes secretly betrothed to her knight and beloved by the commoners, only to be sent back to modern day England.

Enter Lady Robyn. In this book we find Robyn frantic to get back to her love, Edward of the March (and future King of England as well as the father of the 2 little princes who are later said to be murdered by their uncle in the Tower of London...). Robyn manages to get back to the 15th Century. Robyn is again captured and imprisoned for witchcraft. She spends much of the book lobbying against Edward's uncle's attempt at taking the throne and thus putting Edward in direct line of succession, and therefore making the lives of her future children uncertain (see above comment about the little princes). Robyn and Edward are reunited and publicly flaunt their engagement and everyone is happy. Until...

The White Rose. Here again Robyn finds herself transported back to modern day England where this time she and her sleazy assistant are both transported back to the 15th Century (by the wife of the scum-sucking ditch pig, who greatly dislikes Robyn for sleeping with her husband and realizes that assistant Heidi is ready to seduce the scum as well). Robyn and Heidi are captured (Again. Surpise!) and Heidi takes one for the team and keeps Robyn from being raped by their captor by screwing him herself. Robyn and Heidi leave, travel, get captured and escape, Robyn is in debt to the Venetians and needs Edward to bail her out, blah, blah blah. She uses the Witches' Flight to visit Edward, only to find her rival doing the same thing and Edward of course enjoying himself. She gets pissed, they reunite and NOTHING is tied up and settled. Do they or don't they get married? Does Edward pay her debt? And what about the child that Robyn finds herself carrying early on in the book (because Heidi just happens to have a pregnancy test on her when they are transported to the 15th C...), is it boy or a girl?

Honestly, I enjoyed the first two books in the series, as improbable as they were. I was able to suspend my disbelief and look at this as an alternative history, rather than a true historical account. I mean, for the most part Robyn's witchy-ness was accepted, including the never dying computerized organizer and fancy watch that Robyn wore. Edward even takes to keeping a lighter under his pillow, so it must be an alternate history, right?

But the third book pissed me off. It ended so very abruptly that I thought maybe I had missed something. Were my pages stuck together?? Nope. Ok. Maybe the author decided to add a 4th book. Hmm. Probably not since it's been nearly 6 years since the 3rd book was published. Well what a big ol' pain in the butt.

Because of book 3, I honestly wish I had never picked the series up. It left things too unanswered for me and was decidedly unsatisfying.

Twofer

The Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs.

This was actually the best Mercy Thompson book I think I have read. That's partly because I started with Briggs' Alpha & Omega series, and I've known Samuel longer than I've known Adam and I am heartily sick of the trend of love triangles. But Briggs settled the triangle issue in the last book, pairing Mercy with Adam. She develops that relationship nicely in this book while exploring pack relationships at the same time.

It did make me sad to see Samuel left out in the cold and rather unstable. He's been quite unstable for a while now, seeing Mercy as his chance at redemption and this certainly put an end to that. This book explores his reaction to that and gives us a glimpse of his past as well.

I was certainly left wanting more. More of the pack, more of Samuel's past. (And I certainly want more Alpha & Omega, Fall 2011 is sooo far away...)

My next book is pretty much my answer to the Terry Pratchett-esque Reading Challenge #7: Go to the library and wander into an aisle you do not usually frequent. Pick a book from the shelf and read it. One way to do this is to look in the new books section, and pick something from a category you don’t usually read.

I tend to read anything that sounds good to me, so there really is no aisle that I don't frequent. I even wander through non-fiction occasionally, tending to find a subject and stick with it for a bit before moving on to another subject. So I decided to just look in the new books section and grab something by an author I'd never read before. The title of this book grabbed me.

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl.

This book was the story of Reichl's reign as chief restaurant critic of the New York Times. It starts with her being recognized on the plane from LA to NYC and told that all the restaurants in town were keeping on eye out for her. Reichl is shocked to find out just how much is known about her and beings to wonder how she can possibly review restaurants when everyone knows her.

She decides to invent a disguise to allow her to visit restaurants anonymously. She ends up with several disguises, each with its own character and personality quirks.

It was a fun read, poignant and thought provoking at times. And it left me hungry as well, with her detailed descriptions of the food she encountered ;) Conveniently, Reichl offers up recipes along with her remembrances.

First Drop of Crimson

by Jeaniene Frost.

This is a new spin off from the world Frost began in her Night Huntress series. It features Cat's best friend, now a widow after losing her husband in the last Night Huntress book.

I really had a hard time getting into it. I missed Cat and Bones. I honestly expected better things from this pairing and I guess maybe my high expectations led me to be let down.

All in all it was an okay book and I'm glad I read it, just because it takes place in the same universe, but I'm glad I got it from the library (which seems to be a familiar theme for me with regular authors lately. Maybe I'm getting jaded, or are the series becoming predictable? Hmmm.)

I'm late! I'm late!

To quote the White Rabbit. Apparently I missed this reading challenge:

POLLYANNA’S READING IN WONDERLAND CHALLENGE
1. ‘…at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.’: Read a fiction book in a genre you don’t usually read.

This is a tough one for me, because I read just about anything!

2. “Reeling and Writhing, of course, to begin with,” the Mock Turtle replied, “and the different branches of Arithmetic—Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision.”: Read a non-fiction or how-to book about a new topic. Choose something that you are curious about, something that is really far from your current life, work, college major, and hobbies.

I just read Origami for Beginners with my kiddo. I still can't fold paper, but she's a whiz at it.

3. “How doth the little crocodile”: Read a biography or autobiography about someone whose life is/was vastly different than yours. Or, read a history book or historical fiction about a completely different time or place.

Lol, Ozzy has to count for this. Drug addicted / alcoholic millionaire rock star who grew up dirt poor. that's pretty much the polar opposite of little ol' teetotaler moi.

4. ”Well, if I eat it, and if it makes me grow larger, I can reach the key; and if makes me grow smaller, I can creep under the door: so either way I’ll get into the garden, and I don’t care which happens”: Read a book that includes food. You could read a cooking or travel book. Or a fiction book with recipes like “Fried Green Tomatoes At the Whistle Stop Cafe” or “Like Water for Chocolate.” Or a book that mentions food a lot, or has food as a plot point or part of the title. Now try some of the food from the book. You can cook it, buy it, or eat out.

Oh! The Apple Turnover Murder, by Joanne Fluke. Cookie baking amateur sleuth Hannah is back. And this time she's trying to find out who killed an old flame. It was an ok book. I'm a little tired of Hannah waffling between the two men in her life. Then again, I'm a little tired of the boring men in her life, period. But as always the recipes in the book sound oh so tempting. Get this book from the library and wander through for the recipes ;) Until I have time or energy to make some apple turnovers for myself, I think I'll head to the local bakery and get one there. Yum!

5. Alice thought the whole thing very absurd, but they all looked so grave that she did not dare to laugh: Read a book that’s just for fun. This could be anything – a historical romance, a cosy English mystery, P.G. Wodehouse, lighthearted non-fiction, a classic Erma Bombeck, complete and utter porn – whatever. Anything that makes you happy.

I've had a real problem finding books lately that just make me happy. I've picked some real snoozers lately. But I have to say Ozzy's autobiography made me laugh from cover to cover, so he wins this category as well. Really though, everything I ready is because I want to and it makes me happy. That's what reading is all about ;)

6. ‘Why is a raven like a writing-desk?’: Find a book that has been made into a movie. Read the book. See the movie. In whatever order works for you.

Harry Potter anyone? Maybe I shall finally watch The Order of the Phoenix.

7. The chief difficulty Alice found at first was in managing her flamingo: Read a classic book you’ve never read and always meant to.

Sadly, I can't really think of any classic book that I've wanted to read, but haven't. I'm a philistine, I don't much go for classics, ever since a bad run in with one in a lit class ;) But I'll see what I can see online. Maybe classic doesn't have to be boring. Or can I cheat and count Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford? It's about Jane Austen after all...

8. ‘But what did the Dormouse say?’ one of the jury asked. ‘That I can’t remember,’ said the Hatter. ‘You must remember,’ remarked the King, ‘or I’ll have you executed.’: Re-read one of your all-time favorite books. Remember all over again why you love it. Blog about it so we will all want to read it too.

I do this all the time. The real challenge is deciding which one to blog about

9. ‘And what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice, ‘without pictures or conversations?’: Read a children’s picture book. If you don’t have any small ones in your life to share their books with you, go to the bookstore or library. Find a picture book that really appeals to you and read it. I highly recommend you don’t skip this one. There are some amazing picture books out there.

It's funny, because recently at the library my daughter and I were looking through the Carl books by Alexandra Day. She loved those books when she was really little. We would "read" them at bedtime and she would tell me the story. (They are truly picture books, with very few words in them except at the very beginning and the end). Of course now she doesn't remember them at all, but they brought back lovely memories. They are very well illustrated and fun.

10. “Oh my fur and whiskers!”: Read a children’s or young adult book. It can be something you loved as a child, or one you’ve never read.

Which one to pick? Anne, Harry, Claudia or maybe I should read the Fablehaven books my daughter devoured recently.

11. “After a fall such as this, I shall think nothing of tumbling downstairs!”: Read a banned or challenged book.

Sadly, there are so many to chose from.

12. ‘But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ Alice remarked. ‘Oh, you can’t help that,’ said the Cat: ‘we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.’: Read a book from a different country and culture. The author can be from a country you have never visited. The book can be translated from a different language. The book can be set in a country you have never visited. If you read a lot of books from one country, for this category, read something different.

Just not sure on this one...

Ozzy

I'm a metal fan, I admit it. And I loved Ozzy long before MTV started The Osbournes. So when I was at the library recently and I saw, I Am Ozzy I grabbed it up. I'd been looking for a biography on a person who was still alive for a reading challenge, so it was perfect.

And really, it was. The first page had me giggling,

"My father always said I would do something big one day. 'I've got a feeling about you, John Osbourne,' he'd tell me, after he'd had a few beers. 'You're either going to do something very special, or you're going to go to prison.'

And he was right, my old man.

I was in prison before my eighteenth birthday."

Ozzy got done for burglary, you see. He kept hitting the same store. The first night he forgot a flashlight and grabbed a load of baby bibs and such. Worthless. The second time he stole a TV, but it was too heavy for him and he pretty much ended up crushed by it and left it behind. the third time he managed to get away with some goods, but his gloves were missing a thumb, and they nicked him after he left perfect prints every where.

Ozzy's story is told with an irreverent sense of humor by a man who knows his short comings. He tells things as he remembers them, even if perhaps his memories might not match with everyone else (he's telling his story from the "jelly" that is his brain after all, lol). He's truthful about the dumb things and the bad things he's done in the past. He knows he's no saint. And he isn't afraid to laugh at himself.



Sorry, off topic, but I couldn't help myself, especially since he mentions the commercials in the book ;)

I giggled through out this book and totally enjoyed it. It's funny, it's shocking and in some places it's absolutely touching. If you like metal and you like Ozzy, read it. You won't be sorry.

Jean Johnson

I just finished reading her Sons of Destiny series. I picked them up because I recently read another book by Johnson, Bedtime Stories. Bedtime Stories is very much a modern day, adult spin on classic fairy tales. I loved most of them, though a few were too hard core Science Fiction for me (I found Sleeping Beauty to be just plain weird, though I did like her role reversal).

So anyhoo, after reading BTS, I decided to look into the SoD series. I fought through all of them. There was just something about them I struggled with. Kelly, the heroine in the first book wasn't very likable and since she has a huge presence through out the entire series that didn't help things. And I found Amara, from the 5th book to be absolutely abrasive. I wanted better for Trevan :(

I found myself skipping huge chunks of each book. Out of the 8 books in this series I only completely read 7 and 8. For some reason those two caught my interest and held it all the way through. Book 7 I think was because I'd already had a glimpse of this couple from Bedtime Stories. By the end of The Mage I actually wanted more, lol. But not enough to make me go back and re-read the other 6 books.

To sum up, I highly recommend Bedtimes Stories. I found it to be an entertaining and classy take on light erotica.

The Sons of Destiny, I struggled with, not truly getting hooked in until the very end of the series.

Reading List

On my bedside table, waiting to be read or in the process of being read:
Single white vampire / Lynsay Sands.
Every which way but dead / Kim Harrison
Mummy dearest / Joan Hess
Greedy bones / Carolyn Haines.
Girl's guide to witchcraft / Mindy Klasky
The Lost / J.D. Robb et al.

Read this year:

99. Animal appetite : a dog lover's mystery / Susan Conant.


100. Sword and sorceress XXXIII. / Multiple authors.


101. Sword and sorceress XXXII. / Multiple authors.


102. Wild boy : my life in Duran Duran / Andy Taylor


103. Nightingale's lament / Simon R. Green.


104. Hex and the city / Simon R. Green.


105. The glasswrights' progress / Mindy L. Klasky.


106. The glasswrights' apprentice / Mindy L. Klasky.


107. Magic and the modern girl / Mindy Klasky.


108. The glasswrights' test / Mindy L. Klasky.


109. The glasswrights' journeyman / Mindy L. Klasky.


110. Heir to the Shadows / Anne Bishop.


111. Dreams made flesh / Anne Bishop.


112. Patterns in the sand / Sally Goldenbaum.


113. Daughter of the blood / Anne Bishop.


114. The testament / John Grisham.


115. Grave secret / Charlaine Harris.


116. Bed of roses / Nora Roberts.


117. The shadow queen : a black jewels novel / Anne Bishop.


118. Kindred in death / J. D. Robb.


119. Dark slayer: a Carpathian novel / Christine Feehan.


120. Frostbitten / Kelley Armstrong.


121. Never after / Laurell K. Hamilton ... [et al.].


122. Just one sip / Katie MacAlister ... [et al.].


123. 206 bones / Kathy Reichs.


124. While my pretty one knits / Anne Canadeo.


125. To light a candle / Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory.


126. When darkness falls / Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory.


127. Valor's trial : a Confederation novel / Tanya Huff.


128. The outstretched shadow / Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory.


129. Legends : short novels by the masters of modern fantasy / edited by Robert Silverberg.


130. The heart of valor : a Confederation novel / Tanya Huff.


131. Must love hellhounds / Charlaine Harris ... [et al.].


132. The Enchantment Emporium / Tanya Huff.


133. Everlasting bad boys / Shelly Laurenston ... [et al.].


134. I only have fangs for you / Kathy Love.


135. Garden spells / Sarah Addison Allen.


136. Goddess of the rose / P.C. Cast.


137. Dragon wytch / Yasmine Galenorn.


138. Demon Mistress / Yasmine Galenorn.


139. Noah / Jacquelyn Frank.


140. Dragon heat / Allyson James.


141. Hidden currents / Christine Feehan.


142. The perfect poison / Amanda Quick.


143. Casual hex / Vicki Lewis Thompson.


144. Crate & peril / J.D. Warren.


145. Dragon actually / G.A. Aiken.


146. Unusual suspects : stories of mystery & fantasy / edited by Dana Stabenow.


147. Reader and raelynx / Sharon Shinn.


148. Black Hills / Nora Roberts.


149. Elijah / Jacquelyn Frank.


150. Dead and gone / Charlaine Harris.


151. Huntress / Christine Warren... et al.


152. Jacob / Jacquelyn Frank.


153. The shape-changer's wife / Sharon Shinn.


154. Fortune and fate / Sharon Shinn.


155. Sword and sorceress XX / edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley.


156. The thirteenth house / Sharon Shinn.


157. Dark moon defender / Sharon Shinn.


158. Mystic and rider / Sharon Shinn.


159. The darkest night / Gena Showalter.


160. Espresso shot / Cleo Coyle.


161. Dropped dead stitch / Maggie Sefton.


162. Undead and unwelcome / MaryJanice Davidson.


163. Forbidden nights with a vampire / Kerrelyn Sparks.


164. Skin trade / Laurell K. Hamilton.


165. Vision in white / Nora Roberts.


166. Turn coat : a novel of the Dresden files / Jim Butcher.


167. Summer on Blossom Street / Debbie Macomber.


168. Borderline / Nevada Barr.

And yes, I broke down and read the Twilight series. That's all I am saying about that...

This list is only the books I checked out from the local library (they keep the records for me, lol). It doesn't count the ones I requested from other libraries, or anything I've bought myself this year. I read everything I could get my hands on by Tanya Huff, Sharon Shinn, Anne Bishop and Madelyn Alt. I easily broke the 200 book mark this year ;)

Getting close to 100, lol

96. Running Hot / Jayne Ann Krentz
    Part of the Arcane Society series (written as both Krentz and Amanda Quick), now I have to start from the beginning, lol.


97. Murder List / Julie Garwood
    Not as good as the second book in the series, but not bad either.


98. Kitty Raises Hell / Carrie Vaughn
    This one took me a while to get into, but by the time I hit the third chapter I couldn't put it down until I finished it. I love Kitty!

I've got 4 more books waiting at the library to be picked up today, woot! Two are in the Arcane Society series, one is in Tate Halloway's Garnet Lacey series.

More Twilight and other things

88. New Moon / Stephenie Meyer.
    Did not love this book. In fact had very little like for this book (but please, don't tell my co-workers! Lol). I've been told the third book is better. We shall see.


89. Mona Lisa Darkening / Sunny
    Not my favorite of the series, I really struggled to get through it.


90. Drop-dead Blonde / Nancy Martin, et al.
    Four different mysteries by four different authors. I've even found a new series out of it. Woot!


91. Fire and Ice / Julie Garwood
    I enjoyed this book. Not great literature but entertaining. This book is actually a sequel to Murder List, which I am now reading.


92. Wicked By Any Other Name / Linda Wisdom
    This was a bit of a disappointment. Same universe as the Jazz stories, but Jazz has only a small role. I missed her, lol.


93. Mr. and Miss Anonymous / Fern Michaels
    Totally improbable plot, but an ok book ;)


94. Thai Die / Monica Ferris
    My least favorite in this series so far. I just wasn't interested in the characters this time around.


95. Confessions of a Shopaholic / Sophie Kinsella
    Fluff. Pure and total fluff. Very much a Bridget Jones wannabe, and since I didn't care much for Bridget I'm not sure what the fuss is about.

Not enough time

to do everything I want and read everything I want to read, lol. May is a good month for me, with several of my fave authors coming out with new books. Authors like Michele Bardsley, Charlaine Harris and MaryJanice Davidson. And the next Anita Blake book (it's a train wreck, I can't turn away! There's always this tiny hope inside of me that the old Anita we knew and loved could come back, and Edward's in this one so...) is out next month.

So anyway, here's what I have been reading. It's been a slow week, I'm working evenings and that's cut into my reading time.

86. While My Sister Sleeps / Barbara Delinsky.
    I knew I was going to be in tears by the end of this one. The sister isn't sleeping after all, she's in a coma. And I did cry at the end. It was a good book though and a quick read. It's also the first Barbara Delinsky book I've read in ages, so I shall likely read more.


87. Hex Appeal / Linda Wisdom.
    Ms. Wisdom is one of the Witchy Chicks that I so love. Hex Appeal is the second book in her series about 700 year old witch Jazz and her on again/off again vampire boyfriend, Nick. It's a cute, fun read.

I broke down and read it

80. Twilight / Stephenie Meyer.
    A couple of ladies at work talked me into reading it, they both loved it so much and when one offered to loan it to me, I thought why the heck not. It seems to be a book that polarizes people. You either love it or hate it. Or at least the most vocal people anyway. Me, I didn't hate it, but I can't say I loved it either. I'll likely read the rest of the series, just because I want to know the rest of the story now, but if I didn't ever read the rest that would be ok too.


81. Wormwood / Susan Wittig Albert


82. White Witch, Black Curse / Kim Harrison


83. Oolong Dead / Laura Childs

I've read better by all three of these authors.


84. The Accidental Werewolf / Dakota Cassidy
    There were times I wanted to smack the main character, Marty, right upside the head. It was a cute book, but she was a bit too inane for me. One more mention of the bloody color wheel of life and I think I would have screamed.


85. Accidentally Dead / Dakota Cassidy
    Second book in the Accidental Friends series and I enjoyed it much more. The m.c. was smart mouthed, feisty and strong and much more likable than her girly-girl make-up freak friend in the first book. And third friend Wanda seems to be coming into her own now as well, so I can't wait to read her story, even if she's another damned color-wheel freak.

Hi!

75. Lords and Ladies / Terry Pratchett


76. Lavender Morning / Jude Deveraux


77. Sun in Glory / Mercedes Lackey, et al.
    How did I miss this anthology? Not as good as Sword of Ice, but good to see Talia's story of how she became a sunpriest.


78. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
    More re-reads. With the next movie coming out in July I thought the timing was good.


79. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
    Re-read. My very least favorite book of the series, lol. Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite, but it's been pushed aside for the moment by a new batch of library books

I've skimmed several other books as well, but I truly thought most of them atrocious (hence the skimming) and don't consider them true reads.

I read my first Danielle Steele book in years, A Good Woman, and it was awful. Depressing and IMNSHO, dreadfully boring. Perhaps this is the reason I stopped reading her books...

I'd seen Kresley Cole books on a vamp booklist and thought I'd give it a go. Put one on hold and when it came in imagine my surprise when I discovered I'd checked it out once before and returned it days later after deciding it wasn't my cup of tea. I gave it another try and I have to say it still isn't my cup of tea. The second book of hers I had was returned to the library, unopened. *Sigh*

More re-reads

73. Wyrd Sisters / Terry Pratchett
    This starts my favorite sub-series of the Discworld series, the witches. Every time I read these books I laugh.


74. Witches Abroad / Terry Pratchett
    My favorite Pratchett book, ever! Lol.

Since I read Foundation recently, I decided to reread more of the Mercedes Lackey Valdemar books:

59. Arrows of the Queen


60. Arrow's Flight


61. Arrow's Fall


62. By The Sword


63. Winds of Fate


64. Winds of Change


65. Winds of Fury


66. Storm Warning


67. Storm Rising


68. Storm Breaking


69. Owlflight


70. Owlsight

I've also reread the previous short story anthologies with multiple authors:


71. Crossroads


72. Sword of Ice

I'm now thinking about digging out my copies of Vanyel's trilogy, as well as the two Alberich books and my favorite books of the lot, the Tarma and Kethry books (I read my first Tarma and Kethry story in a Sword and Sorceress anthology and was hooked!).

Blizzard!

We've had a seriously mild winter this year, and now we know why! Mother Nature was storing it all it for a March blizzard! And me with only one unread library book, oops. Lucky for me, I've got my own personal library to dig through if needed and a knitting project on the go as well.

But anyhoo, here's what I have read in the last few days:

58. Foundation / Mercedes Lackey.
    The first new Valdemar novel in 5 years! And I found it just as engrossing as any of the previous books. This one is set after Vanyel's time, but well before any of the others, at the very foundation of the Heraldic Collegium. I would say that this is more of a young adult book than previous books in the series, it is a bit simplistic. But I enjoyed it and didn't want to put it down and now I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series, because I need to know what happened, lol.
    
    If you've read other reviews of this book (say on Amazon) I suggest getting the book from your local library and reading for yourself. A lot of the reviews I read were nit-picky and annoying. Yes, they played children's games. Yes they eat fondue (no fondue is not a modern day food, it's been around a long time). Yes they have machines that split logs (but Valdemar has always had artificers and you have to remember they also had magic until fairly recently, why wouldn't artificers come up with ways to replace magic now that it's gone?). Yes, the people no longer remember Vrondi. But hello, if you've read the entire Valdemar series, you'll know that in first the Mage Winds trilogy and more in the Mage Storms trilogy it's explained that knowledge of magic was magically suppressed by Vanyel to keep people from panicking at no longer having Herald-Mages, hence the pained look on Herald Nikolas' face when talking about them. Sheesh.

I've read a few more books lately as well, but this post is long enough for the moment, lol.

Knitting more, reading less. And this last week we were on vacation, so I didn't really read as much as usual, since there was so much to do :)

50. Ghouls Just Haunt to Have Fun / Victoria Laurie
    I love this series. Laurie has me absolutely hooked with her quirky ghost busting characters.


51. Deadly Housewives / Nevada Barr, et al.


52. Carrot Cake Murder / Joanne Fluke.


53. You're The One That I Haunt / Terri Garey
    Not my favorite in this series. I enjoyed the first two books a lot more. In fact, I will admit to skimming this book more than reading it, because I just didn't care for it.


54. Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar / Mercedes Lackey et al.
    Love the Valdemar stories and it's interesting seeing other author's take on the world. I've two more Mercedes Lackey books for this next week, including the new Valdemar novel.


55. Baby, Don't Go / Susan Andersen.


56. The First Death / Laurell K. Hamilton
    This is the first of the newish graphic novels based on Anita Blake. I picked it up out of curiosity at the library. good to see the old Anita again, but not my thing.


57. Six Geese A-Slaying / Donna Andrews.

Needless to say, that more than fulfills my 52 books in 52 weeks quota. And I read every last one of them, not a single audible book in the bunch! (Sorry, audible books just seem like a cheat somehow, and besides, I prefer the way the characters sound in my head, lol).

I'll still continue to read (DUH!) and post them here. Now it's all about just how many books can I read in a year. ;)

Several books to add...

...No time to add them! We are leaving on vacation in just a bit, so you all will just have to wait until I have more time. My mother has internet, so I may catch up with y'all then ;)

46 - 49

46. Dead and Berried / Karen MacInerney.
    Second in a series.


47. Murder With All the Trimmings / Elaine Viets.
    This wasn't my favorite of the series. I really didn't like many of the characters, including the main character's wishy washy but hunky boyfriend.


48. Witch Hunt / Shirley Damsgaard.
    Another good story in the Abby and Ophelia series.


49. Murder is Binding / Lorna Barrett.
    I was disappointed, not because it was a bad book but because I'm an idiot! I saw the title at the bookstore but didn't pick it up to read the back. When it came in at my library I checked it out and started to read it as soon as I got home. Umm. Oops. I've already read this one. Lol. Maybe I can try the second book in this series next time.

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44. Brimstone Kiss / Carole Nelson Douglas
    This is the second in a new series for Ms. Nelson. She's better known for her Midnight Louie mysteries (of which I am not a huge fan, I prefer her Irene Adler mysteries, but anyhoo...). This series features Delilah Street, a paranormal investigator in Vegas where vamps, weres and other things that go bump in the night are common.
    
    This has been an odd read for me. Normally when I like a book I don't want to put it down, but this one I've read in fits and starts. And I do like the book. Maybe it's that the pace of the story itself is slow, so I am taking it slow to read it? I don't know, maybe it's that I just kept getting tempted away by other reads!



45. Casting Spells / Barbara Bretton
    I highly enjoyed this book, starting it yesterday and reading well into the night to finish it, lol. I truly hope we see more of this town. it's was a good, light, romantic mystery. And for all you knitters out there, the main character owns a wool shop, the kind we all wish truly existed, where the wool never tangles and stitches are never dropped ;) There really isn't a huge amount of knitting going on though, so non-knitters should be fine (although Barbara Bretton really does knit along with several other authors. See the blog.