The Good, the Bad, and the Uncanny by Simon R. Green

This is the 10th book in the series and from what I've read there will be only two more. So. This book changed John's life, set him on a path he really didn't want and got rid of a couple of big time characters while doing so. I liked this book, as a fan of the series, but it seemed like a stepping stone to me, setting John up for the end of his story. As always the Nightside was dark and the characters bigger than life, eccentric and dangerous. John's descriptions of things along the way were, as usual, imaginative and fun to read. If you are a fan, get it! If you haven't read the other books, you might not enjoy it as much.

Read about the book here.

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

I just loved precocious 11 year old Flavia and the quirky characters that populated her world. It was fun to ride along with her on Gladys as she went from one clue to the next determined to find answers while her sisters sat at home reading or mooning over boys. This book had a great sense of time (just after WWII) and place (England.) It was a light mystery with some scary parts (for Flavia) as well as some amusing parts. I would reccomend it!

Quote: "Unless some sweetness at the bottom lie, who cares for all the crinkling of the pie?"

Read about the book here.
Read about it at Amazon.

The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl

The way the author used the Fireside Poets and their activities surrounding their translation of Dante's inferno as a springboard for the novel was interesting. This was a hard story for me to get into, but I kept on and it got better. I enjoyed the sense of time and place, the history woven through the story. This is not a fast paced thriller but it was good. Once I got into it.

About the book.

Matthew Pearl

The Fireside Poets at Wikipedia.

Dead to Me by Anton Strout

This is the second book I've read in this series and found it to be as much of a fun read as the first one I read. I enjoyed all the imaginative names: The Inspectre, F.O.G. (Fraternal Order of Goodness,) the Enchancellors, the division called Things That Go Bump. The names of pamphlets used a training tools usually brought a smile. This is a more tongue in cheek urban fantasy and I sure enjoyed reading it. I'm out to get the next one pretty soon.

Quote: "I was minding my own business walking up University," he said, "when I heard a scream. It was hideous - like someone getting their back waxed. Then, out of nowhere, this spectral phantasm appears, streaking up and down the alley and scaring the souvenirs right out of a group of tourists."

Read about it at Amazon.

Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

Sandman Slim was a quick fun read (with some reservations that I will deal with later) with elements that reminded me of both the Nightside series (by Simon Green) and the Dresded series (by Jim Butcher.) It is over the top action with revenge as the center point. It is one of 13 books on Barnes and Novels "Best Paranormal Fantasy Novels of the Last Decade."

I enjoy reading urban fantasy, and love to find authors new to me in this genre. That being said I went into this book ready to enjoy it to the max. I actually quite liked it but at the same time it left me.....unsettled. All the references to God as a f*** up made me uncomfortable. I won't read the next one because of this.

Sample the book here.

Changes by Jim Butcher

As a fan of this series all I can say is Holy Smoke, Changes is right! This is the first of this series that I can think of that ended in a cliffhanger. I can't wait for the next one to see how all the changes in this one will affect Harry. Where will he go? What will he do?? What about the Winter Court and Mab??? Will Mouse and Mister come back?

Read about it at Amazon.

Master of None by Sonya Bateman

I liked this a lot! What an interesting take on djinn and what a fun new hero. I will read the next one.

Authors site with video teaser.

Read about it at Amazon.

Wild Orchids by Jude Deveraux

I liked this one a lot. It had a little mystery, a little suspense, a little supernatural all wrapped up in a low key love story. It was a quick easy read with likable characters.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

I've been wanting to read this newest adventure of Robert Landon for a while. I didn't like is as much as the first two, but thought is was still a good read. There was a lot about the Science of Noetics which I found interesting but I was disappointed that it didn't have much to do with the story.

Below Zero by C.J. Box

I've enjoyed all the books in the Joe Pickett series and this is no exception. The Eco-twist in this is scary. Joe is always the good guy trying to do what is right.