Cemetery Dance by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

From Booklist: It takes a certain amount of guts to start a novel by killing off a popular recurring character, but no one has ever accused this writing team of lacking guts. The latest Pendergast thriller begins with a murder that is apparently committed by a man who, 10 days earlier, was pronounced dead and then buried. But the eyewitness is sure it’s the same man, and footage from a security camera appears to confirm it. How does a dead man commit murder? And why this particular victim? Pendergast, the FBI special agent who frequently takes on personal assignments on a freelance basis, teams up once again with New York police lieutenant Vincent D’Agosta to solve a crime that has ties to the supernatural. Individually, these two writers turn out books that are solid, competent, workmanlike. Together, they manage to kick it up several notches, producing novels that are elegantly written and feature unique characters and eerie, compelling stories. For fans of the Pendergast series, this is a must-read.

My Thoughts: I have read all of the Pendergast novels (in order) as well as others Preston & Child have penned together and have enjoyed them all. Pendergast is still somewhat of a mystery as is his family and background. A little something is pulled out in every novel. I usually buy any new Preston-Child book as soon as it comes out. I was SHOCKED to find that one of my favorite recurring characters, Bill Smithback, was killed off. What of Nora? Will she be back?

Anyway, back to the book- it all...the supernatural, mystery, suspense...all the things I have come to expect in the writing of Preston and Child. There are surprising plot twists , and it's generally a very fun read with quite a bit of action. After Smithback is killed by someone who is deemed to be a zombii, Pendergast and D'Agosta begin their investigation into black magic, vodou and zombii's. It leads them to the upper-most northern part of Manhattan where a strange settlement known as the Ville has existed since before the Civil War. There have been complaints that everything from animal sacrifice to the creation of zombiis takes place up there. But, as usual everything is not as it seems. At the end there was a quick little tease for the next book. A strange little man calaiming to be the lawyer for the Pendergast family visits Pendergast in the hospital. Can't wait to see what's next!

thriller, murder mystery, paranormal, zombiis, suspense

The Camel Club by David Baldacci

About the book: After witnessing a shocking murder, the Club is slammed headfirst into a plot that threatens the very security of the nation, full of stunning twists, high-stakes intrigue and global gamesmanship rocketing to the Oval Office and beyond. Soon the Club must join forces with veteran Secret Service agent Alex Ford, who becomes an unwilling participant in one of the most chilling spectacles to ever take place on American soil. It’s an event that may well be the catalyst for the long-threatened Armageddon between two different worlds, and all that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes.

The Camel Club consists of four unlikely partners: The leader, man without a past currently called "Oliver Stone"; obsessive computer genius Milton Farb; blue-collar laborer Reuben Rhodes; and Library of Congress reference specialist Caleb Shaw. Their goal: to seek the truth, an often elusive goal in their hometown, Washington, D.C. In their quest for truth, they collect an unusual array of friends who assist them -- Secret Service agent Alex Ford, homeless activist Adelphia, and con-artist extraordinaire Annabelle Conroy.

My Thoughts: This is a great set of CDs I won from J. Kaye. I of course enjoyed these out of order, listening to Divine Justice first, which was VERY good. The Camel Club is the actual first book in the series. What a page turner this would have been had I been reading it instead of listening to it. As it was I made a couple of extra trips to town and sat in the driveway a few extra minutes listening to it. This was much more of a political thriller than Divine Justice was. There are Arab terrorists, the President is kidnapped and we are on the verge of using nuclear weapons. This is averted at the last minute by ...... the Camel Club. In this book we meet Carter Gray, Oliver's nemesis, and he is as loathsome here as he was in Divine Justice.

As much as I liked it I found it a little confusing as there were so many groups involved. Some of it was unbelievable such as where the terrorists plan a major assault, but use tranquilizer darts so as not to kill anyone. ???? Even so was a good read. I've already started the next one, The Collectors.

thriller, political thriller, Oliver Stone, mystery, conspiracy

Naked in Death by J.D. Robb

About the book: It is 2058. New York cop Eve Dallas doesn't have to confront gun crime anymore, no one does. Guns are simply relics. But this latest homicide is an old-fashioned crime in many ways. Sharon DeBlass is a high-class hooker from a wealthy, powerful family. Her brutal shooting sends shockwaves through her family, political society and police headquarters. From the note under her body, it seems that a serial killer is on the loose. The killer gets uncomfortably close to Eve Dallas as she pieces together his identity. In the course of this murder investigation Eve Dallas meets Roarke, a charming self-made billionaire, and passions are stirred. This is the first in the incredibly successful suspense series featuring Dallas and Roarke. Those expecting a gentle read should put this book back on the shelf immediately. This tale has street language, sex and violence. And it is highly addictive stuff which will have you turning the pages far too fast. (Kirkus UK

Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley (October 1, 1996)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425155188

My Thoughts:The review above about covers it. There is murder, romance, and suspense in this futuristic page turner. It was right about the page turning. I was burning up the page turn key on my Kindle. After three books I'm getting invested in these characters. What more could you want? Now that I've read the first one I can get on with the third one.

murder mystery, Kindle, in death series, romantic suspense, police

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

From the jacket: A grand mystery reaching back centuries. A sensational disappearance that made headlines around the world. A quest for truth that leads to death, madness or disappearance for those who seek to solve it. The Lost City of Z is a blockbuster adventure narrative about what lies beneath the impenetrable jungle canopy of the Amazon.

After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, acclaimed New Yorker writer David Grann set out to solve "the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century": What happened to the British explorer Percy Fawcett and his quest for the Lost City of Z?

In 1925 Fawcett ventured into the Amazon to find an ancient civilization, hoping to make one of the most important discoveries in history. For centuries Europeans believed the world’s largest jungle concealed the glittering kingdom of El Dorado. Thousands had died looking for it, leaving many scientists convinced that the Amazon was truly inimical to humankind. But Fawcett, whose daring expeditions helped inspire Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, had spent years building his scientific case. Captivating the imagination of millions around the globe, Fawcett embarked with his twenty-one-year-old son, determined to prove that this ancient civilization—which he dubbed “Z”—existed. Then he and his expedition vanished.

Fawcett’s fate—and the tantalizing clues he left behind about “Z”—became an obsession for hundreds who followed him into the uncharted wilderness. For decades scientists and adventurers have searched for evidence of Fawcett’s party and the lost City of Z. Countless have perished, been captured by tribes, or gone mad. As David Grann delved ever deeper into the mystery surrounding Fawcett’s quest, and the greater mystery of what lies within the Amazon, he found himself, like the generations who preceded him, being irresistibly drawn into the jungle’s “green hell.” His quest for the truth and his stunning discoveries about Fawcett’s fate and “Z” form the heart of this complex, enthralling narrative.

David Grann's site.

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Doubleday (February 24, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385513534
ISBN-13: 978-0385513531

My thoughts: This book is totally fascinating. I checked it out of the library thinking it might be interesting and probably dry. I was wrong. It was VERY interesting, well written, compelling, and not in the least bit dry.

The story follows several lines. Fawcett's life and several of his trips into the Amazon are explored. This is the main thrust of the book. Grann's research and his search for Fawcett is written about. Other searches for Fawcett are touched upon, as are the accomplishments of some of Fawcett's contempories. I was glad to learn about the Royal Geographic Society. I had read about it and seen in several books and movies but I hadn't paid much attention to it. Fawcett's wife, Nina, was a tragic figure at the end.The information about ancient civilizations in the Amazon, found at the end of the book, was amazing to me, a person who knows next to nothing about the Amazon. It was like reading an adventure novel, only I actually learned. Read it.

Challenges:
100+ Reading Challenge
5x4 Reading Challenge
Read Around the World Challenge
Support Your Local Library Challenge

Amazon, non-fiction, El Dorado, exploration, Fawcett

The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen

From the jacket: Peccavi.....The Latin word is scrawled in blood at the scene of a young woman’s brutal murder: “I HAVE SINNED”. It’s a chilling Christmas greeting for Boston medical examiner Maura Isles and Detective Jane Rizzoli, who swiftly link the victim to controversial celebrity psychiatrist Joyce O’Donnell – Maura’s professional nemesis and member of a secret society called “The Mephisto Club

On tony Beacon Hill, the club’s acolytes devote themselves to the analysis of evil: Can it be explained by science? Does it have a physical presence? Do demons walk the earth? Drawing on a wealth of dark historical data and mysterious religious symbology, the Mephisto scholars aim to prove a startling theory: that Satan and his demons actually exist among us.

With the grisly appearance of a corpse on the Mephisto Club’s doorstep, it’s clear that someone – or something – is indeed prowling the city. The members begin to fear the very subject of their study. Have they inadvertently summoned an evil entity from the darkness?
Deep into the most baffling and unusual case of their careers, Maura and Jane embark on a terrifying journey to the very heart of evil – where they encounter a malevolent foe more dangerous than any they have ever faced… one whose work is only just beginning. Hardcover: 368 pages

Publisher: Ballantine Books (September 12, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345476999
ISBN-13: 978-0345476999

My thoughts: Thanks Bookfriends! Tess Gerritsen did indeed provide a great read. I chose this book randomly after a couple of Bookfriends told me they liked this author. I didn't know that this was part of a series, the Isles/Rizzoli series, I just thought the blurb sounded good and checked it out of the library. This was a real page turner. It was dark and a little disturbing. I'm sure the author spent many hours researching devil worship, Satan, and other kinds of evil written about in ancient texts. The demonic/paranormal slant sort of surprised me as I thought these were strictly medical/police thrillers. Isles seems to be going in a different direction than Rizzoli now. The end of the book left it wide open for a new series. Going to go to Amazon and check on it now.

mystery, murder,

Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck

About the book: Adopting the structure and themes of the Arthurian legend, Steinbeck created a "Camelot" on a shabby hillside above Monterrey on the California coast and peopled it with a colorful band of knights. As Steinbeck chronicles their thoughts and emotions, temptations and lusts, he spins a tale as compelling, and ultimately as touched by sorrow, as the famous legends of the Round Table.

My thoughts: This story is told in a series of short, funny stories each one adding to the whole. It is about a group of poor young men living in Tortilla Flat near Monetary. Danny has returned home from WWI to learn that he has inherited property from his grandfather. One by one, friends come to live with him where their lives revolve around wine, fighting and women. The rationalizations they went through to make stealing OK was so convoluted it defied logic, but it worked for them and it was very entertaining to read. This kind of reasoning was at it's best in the chapter called "How Danny's Friends Threw Themselves To The Aid of a Distressed Lady." My favorite character is The Pirate, a man who is a bit slow but who has a heart of gold. He also has five very special dogs, who are his life. I found this to be funny, touching and outrageous. I love it!

SparkNotes on Tortilla Flat

Challenges:
100+ Reading Challenge
John Steinbeck Mini Challenge
5x4 Reading Challenge
Audiobook Challenge
Support Your Local Library Challenge

classic, Steinbeck, California, wine

Appaloosa by Robert B. Parker

From the book: "When Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch arrive in Appaloosa, they find a small, dusty town suffering at the hands of renegade rancher Randall Bragg, a man who has so little regard for the law that he has taken supplies, horses, and women for his own and left the city marshal and one of his deputies for dead. Cole and Hitch, itinerant lawmen, are used to cleaning up after opportunistic thieves, but in Bragg they find an unusually wily adversary - one who raises the stakes by playing not with the rules, but with emotions.
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (June 7, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399152776
ISBN-13: 978-0399152771

My thoughts: I haven't read a western in YEARS. This was quite a re-introduction to the genre.The story line was familiar: a bad rancher and his hired help terrorizes the helpless town folk who then hire outside help to clean up the town. In this case they hire Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. I liked these two characters, they were unique. They were hired as lawmen, but Cole made the laws and they walked a line between the law and simply being hired guns. Everett was a kind of mystery to me. He was an educated man and a West Point man as was his father but how he ended up leading this kind of life . It tells at the beginning how he gets hooked up with Cole, but why stay on? I didn't like the character of Allie, Cole's girlfriend, but I don't think Parker meant for anyone to like her. She is what she is and everyone knows it. This was a quick, easy read that kept me interested through out. The ending was a surprise, which I liked. I'm off to the library today to get the sequel, Resolution.

Challenges:
100+Reading Challenge
Support Your Library Challenge

western, Colorado

The Christmas Day Murders by Sheriff J. B. Smith and D. W. Adams

Synopsis: When the bodies of Carla and Stephen Barron were discovered early one Christmas morning, the search for the killer began. The murder investigation that ensued is full of shocking discoveries and provides keen insight into the world of the Texas sheriff who directed the investigation. Critical evidence led Sheriff J.B. Smith’s team to solve one of the most compelling cases ever seen.

My Thoughts: This is my first foray into this kind of true crime. I've read "The Monster of Florence" by Douglas Preston, "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson and listened to "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote, and "Jack the Ripper" by Patricia Cornwell and it did not compare well to any of these. But to be fair it wasn't presented as a work of literature but as a chronicle.

I think this book would appeal mostly to a local audience. That's why I chose it. The case was covered with lots of details but there were included a lot of rabbit trails mostly about the sheriff and his friends. I did not think it was appropriate to include the story of his friend who flew in prostitutes in from New York City. It had nothing to do with the story and was kind of just thrown in.

This was a quick read at 219 pages. The local references brought the story close to my heart. I felt grief for this apparently decent couple.

The fact that pictures of the murdered couple, taken at the scene of the murder, were included was beyond bad taste, at least to me. Especially for a book that would certainly have mostly local appeal. I think the description was sufficient. Their dignity was stripped from them in the most callous way. Are these kinds of pictures generally included in true crime books?

I hate to sound so negative about this, The Sheriff is a very popular person in his area, a sought ofter speaker, and a force in the community for good. Go here to read a little more about him. Scroll to the very bottom of this page and click on Video Clips to see several very short clips.

Challenges:
100+ Reading Challenge
Support your Local Library Challenge

true crime, murder, nonfiction

Kiss by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy

Synopsis: After a car accident puts Shauna McAllister in a coma and wipes out six months of her memory, she returns to her childhood home to recover, but her arrival is fraught with confusion. Her estranged father, a senator bidding on the White House, and her abusive stepmother blame Shauna for the tragedy, which has left her beloved brother severely brain damaged.
Leaning on Wayne Spade, a forgotten but hopeful lover who stays by her side, Shauna tries to sort out what happened that night by jarring her memory to life. Instead, she acquires a mysterious mental ability that will either lead her to truth or get her killed by the people trying to hide it. In this blind game of cat and mouse that states even the darkest memories in the face, Shauna is sure of only one thing: if she remembers, she dies.

My Thoughts: This was my kind of thriller. I enjoyed listening to it and sometimes sat in the driveway waiting for a stopping place. There were twists and turns, a little romance and a little paranormal thrown in. All in all this was another good read from Ted Dekker. In fact had it been a book instead of an audio I would call it a page turner. My only complaint would be that I just hate it when characters talk around subjects but never directly address it so don't learn what they need to. This device was used several times and was just a little frustrating. I'm thinking "Just ask him!"

But don't let this deter you, go read it, you'll like it!



Challenges:
100+ Reading Challenge
Audiobook Challenge
Support Your Local Library Challenge

thriller, christian fiction, Ted Dekker

Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe

Product Description: Born and abandoned in Newgate Prison, Moll Flanders is forced to make her won way in life. she duly embarks on a career that includes husband-hunting, incest, bigamy, prostitution and pick-pocketing, until her crimes eventually catch up with her. One of the earliest and most vivid female narrators in the history of the English novel, Moll recounts her adventures with irresistible wit and candour and enough guile that the reader is left uncertain whether she is ultimately a redeemed sinner or a successful opportunist.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed listening to this story. It was originally published in 1772 and gave many details of life, customs, morals and traditions in those times. I felt sorry for Moll trapped as she was. It really was very compelling and I'm glad that I finally "read" it

I liked this commentary about Moll Flanders.
SparkNotes

Challenges
100+ Reading Challenge
Audiobook Challenge
RYOB Challenge
Daniel Defoe Mini Challenge
5x4 Self challenge
The Guardian 1000 Novels Challenge

Classic novels, classics, Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders,

The Little Painter of Sabana Grande By Patricia Maloney Markun

From the back: Fernando longs to paint during the dry season vacation from school. Only after making his own colors does he realize he has no paper on which to paint. His resourceful solution to the problem, with family and community support, is to paint on the adobe houses of his village. Cultural details abound in the presentation of home life, and the flora and fauna he paints. The story, based on a memory of the author while living in Panama, includes a glossary."

My thoughts: My class enjoyed this story and enjoyed creating their own drawings of nature. I liked the look into another culture. This book was an Américas Award Commended Book

Challenges
100+ Reading Challenge
Books Around the World Challenge
RYOB Challenge

Children’s literature, Panama

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith

From the flap: Mma Ramotswe's ever-ready tiny white van has recently developed a rather disturbing noise. Of course, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni-her estimable husband and one of Botswana's most talented mechanic--is the man to turn to for help. But Precious suspects he might simply condemn the van and replace it with something more modern. Can she find a way to save her old friend/

In the meantime, Mma Makutsi discovers that her old rival Violet Sephotho, who could not have gotten more than fifty percent on her typing final at the Botswana Secretarial College, has set her sights on non other than Mma Makutsi's fiance, Phuti Radiphuti. Can Mma Ramotswe's intuition save the day? Finally, the proprietor of a local football team has enlisted the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency to help explain its dreadful losing streak. The owner of the team is convinced he has a traitor in his midst. But how is Mma Ramotswe, who has never seen a football match in her life, going to discern who is throwing the game? Help, it turns out, may come from an unexpected quarter.
There are few mysteries that can't be solved and fewer problems that can't be fixed when the irrepressible Precious Ramotswe puts her mind them. A good cup of red bush tea might be the best solution of all.

My thoughts: This is the tenth book in this series and is as good as the first. I read somewhere that people say nothing happens in these books. Well, it may seem so but believe me plenty happens. The pace of life is slow but life has a way of happening all around. I love reading Mma Ramotswe's thoughts on subjects as she goes about her daily business of working at her Detective Agency, spending time with friends, drinking refreshing red bush tea, taking care of her husband and her foster children. In this book we finally learn the younger apprentice's name: Fanwell. We see the friendship of Grace and Precious deepen even though they don't always agree on subjects, like chairs for example. Mma Makutsi thinks that "The trouble with this country is that there are too many people sitting down in other people's chairs," while Mma Ramotswe insists that "There are not enough of us prepared to share our chairs." I usually read the book then listen to the audiobook. This is the only series I do this with.

I'm going to miss the tiny white van. Perhaps she will get it back.

Visit the author's site here. Click on multimedia and you cna view an interview with McCall Smith.

Here is an interesting article on the series.

Challenges:
100+ Reading Challenge
Support Your Local Library Challenge

mystery, humorous, detective, cozy

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

About the book: The Warden Morgan has been accused of treason against the Wizards of the White Council--and there's only one, final punishment for that crime. He's on the run, wants his name cleared, and needs someone with a knack for backing the underdog. Someone like Harry Dresden.
Now, Harry must uncover a traitor within the Council, keep a less-than-agreeable Morgan under wraps, and avoid coming under scrutiny himself. And a single mistake may cost someone his head--someone like Harry.

My Thoughts:This was the 11th installment of the Dresden Files and I liked it a lot. Morgan, who until now has made Harry's life miserable, is accused of killing another wizard and comes to Harry for help. As much a Harry dislikes Morgan he knows Morgan couldn't have done this. He sets out to prove Morgan's innocence and runs into a variety of enemies including a skinwalker, The Binder, and the Black Council. The Skinwalker kidnaps Thomas, wanting to exchange him for Morgan.

I think this book is a turning point in the series. A relationship is ended, people (esp. Thomas) are changed, and, Morgan, a character who's been around since the beginning dies. This novel contains a lot of action, what a page turner! It is interesting that characters that have been around since the beginning reveal things about themselves we didn't know before.

There are two story lines in this novel. One is Harry's search for the truth behind the death of the wizard Morgan is accused of killing. The second involves the threat of the Black Council, proving that it is in fact real. But by the end of this novel questions are answered and the stage is set for for the next novel. Harry has found allies in his fight to find the Black Council. Can't wait to read it!

I enjoyed the humor through out this book. I also enjoyed seeing the return of the werewolves, the involvement of the White Court, and the important part played by Toot-Toot. I would love for Mouse to have a bigger part!

Challenges:

100+ Reading Challenge

Support Your Local Library Challenge

Borderline by Nevada Barr

From the Jacket: Drained and haunted by the killings on Isle Royale, diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and on administrative leave by order of her superintendent, the one bright spot in Anna’s life is Paul, her husband of less than a year. Hoping the warmth and the adventure of a raft trip in Big Bend National Park will lift her spirits, Paul takes Anna to southwest Texas, where the sun is hot and the Rio Grande is running high. The sheer beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert and the power of the river work their magic—until the raft is lost in the rapids and a young college student makes a grisly discovery. Hair and arms tangled in the downed branches of a strainer between two boulders, more dead than alive, is a pregnant woman. Nature, it turns out, isn’t the only one who wants to see the woman and her baby dead. Instead of the soul-soothing experience Paul planned for her, Anna and her husband are sucked into a labyrinth of intrigue that leads from the Mexican desert to the steps of the Governor’s Mansion in Austin, Texas.

My Thoughts: I started reading this series because they are set in National Parks all around the states and my husband and I try to visit as many as we can. I'm a long time fan of Nevada Barr and this series staring Anna Piegon. I found this book, # 15, to be a real page turner, well written and lots of action. It was especially appealing because it was set in the Big Bend National Park in my home state. I liked that Paul was with her and we got to see a softer side of Anna as she cared for the baby she rescued. The side story of the stranded cow was interesting, and if you watch the video on the authors site, you'll find that it was based on truth. I liked this book a lot and I think you will too.

Challenges:

100+ Reading Challenge

Support Your Local Library Challenge

See a video with Barr talking about this book.

In the Company of Ogres by A. Lee Martinez

From the back: An uproarious new novel in the tradition of Robert Asprin and Terry Pratchett!For someone who's immortal, Never Dead Ned manages to die with alarming frequency--he just has the annoying habit of rising from the grave. But this soldier might be better dead than face his latest assignment. Ogre Company is the legion's dumping ground--a motley, undisciplined group of monsters whose leaders tend to die under somewhat questionable circumstances. That's where Ned's rather unique talents come in. As Ogre Company's newly appointed commander, Ned finds himself in charge of such fine examples of military prowess as a moonstruck Amazon, a very big (and very polite) two-headed ogre, a seductively scaly siren, a blind oracle who can hear (and smell) the future, a suicidal goblin daredevil pilot, a walking tree with a chip on its shoulder, and a suspiciously goblinesque orc.Ned has only six months to whip the Ogre Company into shape or face an even more hideous assignment, but that's not the worst of his problems. Because now that Ned has found out why he keeps returning from dead, he has to do everything he can to stay alive. . . .

My thoughts: What a hoot! This book was quite well written, with witty dialogue, and parts that make you laugh out loud. It was a quick entertaining read that I found to be right up my reading alley. In this book , Never Dead Ned, an accountant, is put in charge of a military company of misfits lifted from all your favorite fantasies, ogres, goblins, an Amazon, a Siren, a walking tree that refuses to be called an "Ent" but prefers Treefolk, etc. Ned is a unique character to me in that he is so inept, such a poor leader, yet he wins the heart of his new command. I loved that Martinez named a pair of twin ogres Martin and Lewis. I guess I'm old enough to remember that particular pair of comedians. Pick this up, read it and see if you can spot all the fantasy and pop-culture references included. If you like Terry Pratchett's books (and I do) I think you'll like this.

Here is the author's MySpace.

Challenges:

100+ Reading Challenge

RYOB Challenge

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

Product Description:.From one of the most beloved and bestselling authors in the English language, a vivid, nostalgic and utterly hilarious memoir of growing up in the middle of the United States in the middle of the last century. A book that delivers on the promise that it is “laugh-out-loud funny.” Some say that the first hints that Bill Bryson was not of Planet Earth came from his discovery, at the age of six, of a woollen jersey of rare fineness. Across the moth-holed chest was a golden thunderbolt. It may have looked like an old college football sweater, but young Bryson knew better. It was obviously the Sacred Jersey of Zap, and proved that he had been placed with this innocuous family in the middle of America to fly, become invisible, shoot guns out of people’s hands from a distance, and wear his underpants over his jeans in the manner of Superman. Bill Bryson’s first travel book opened with the immortal line, “I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to.” In this hilarious new memoir, he travels back to explore the kid he once was and the weird and wonderful world of 1950s America. He modestly claims that this is a book about not very much: about being small and getting much larger slowly. But for the rest of us, it is a laugh-out-loud book that will speak volumes – especially to anyone who has ever been young.

My Thoughts: This is the first book of Bryson's that I've read and I love it. Well, actually I listened to it on my iPod and thoroughly enjoyed hearing to the author read it himself. It was well written and funny. It made me laugh and brought back memories. I grew up in the same time period and vividly remember ducking under my little school desk in California to practice a safety drill in the event of an atomic bomb blast, wondering "What difference will this make?" I listened to his telling of this twice before moving on. What a hoot! Not only does he bring back favorite childhood memories he touches on darker aspects of the era such as the fight for Civil Rights, the atomic bomb, and the Bay of Pigs. I think this will be enjoyed by anyone, not just baby boomers. Go get it and read it!

Challenges:

100+ Reading Challenge

RYOB Challenge

Audiobook Challenge

5x4 Personal Reading Challenge

Read Around the States Challenge

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

From the back: The last man on earth is not alone. Robert Neville may well be the only survivor of an incurable plague that has mutated every other man, woman, and child into bloodthirsty, nocturnal creatures who are determined to destroy him.
By day, he scavenges for food and supplies, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But all the while the infected lurk in the shadows, watching his every move, waiting for him to make a mistake...

My thoughts: I liked it. After having seen all three movies based on this story (The Last Man on Earth staring Vincent price, The Omega Man staring Charlton Heston, and I Am Legend staring Will Smith) it was about time to read it. The book seemed to me to be more about the man than about vampires. While reading I could feel his anger, despair and loneliness. I ached for him when he realized he was no longer the norm but the beast, the stuff of legend.

I did not realize that only half of this book was "I Am Legend" and the other half was short stories. I read through those, liked some and didn't like others.

Challenges:
100+ Reading Challenge
RYOB Challenge
The Guardian Book challenge

Deader Still by Anton Strout

Synopsis: It's been 737 days since the Department of Extraordinary Affairs' last vampire incursion, but that streak appears to have ended when a boat full of dead lawyers is found in the Hudson River. Using the power of psychometry-the ability to divine the history of an object by touching it-agent Simon Canderous discovers that the booze cruise was crashed by something that sucked all the blood out of the litigators. Now, his workday may never end-until his life does.

My Thoughts: Once again I was attracted to a book by its cover. I like Urban Fantasy and it has the look, it reminded me of a Jim Butcher book. I read the line above the title: "It's hard to defeat evil on a budget." It made me laugh so I bought it. Had I bothered to read farther (like the bottom of the book) or the back I would have discovered that this is the second in a series. At home I read the back and found that it starts out with a boat load of dead lawyers. What can I say? I always laugh at lawyer jokes..... The hero, Simon Canderous is a fun character with toungue firmly in cheek. He's your ordinary guy, sometimes insecure and jealous, impulsive, and relationship challenged.
I thought this book was some what unique in the urban fantasy genre. For example, it makes fun of how many forms Simon has to fill out over any incident. This book ends in a cliff hanger, Simon and his partner, Connor, are walking out of the department to search for Connor's missing brother. I'm looking forward to the third book and in the meantime I plan to get the first one and read it.

Visit the author's site here.

Challenges:
100+ Reading challenge
RYOB Challenge

The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell

About the book: In this retelling of The Three Little Pigs set in the American Southwest, the cherished porkers are transformed into javelinas, the hairy, swinelike creatures also known as peccaries. Their pursuer, no longer the wolf of traditional lore, becomes Coyote, that ubiquitous Southwestern trickster. In her first book for children, Lowell spices the story with elements of Native American, Mexican and Old West culture. Javelina No. 1 builds his house of tumbleweed, while his brother relies on saguaro ribs. Twice Coyote huffs and puffs and the lightweight dwellings fall, but the peccaries are saved by their resourceful sister, who has had the foresight to build her home of stout adobe bricks. This clever and flavorful change of scene puts a diverting spin on an old favorite. Harris's lively, finely detailed illustrations, with the bristling, pink-nosed peccaries clad in cowboy outfits, amusingly contrast the villain's vigorous wiles with the title characters' cozy domesticity.

My thoughts: Loved it! The story was cute, the illustrations were great. Used this one in class and the kids did a venn to compare it to the traditional version. Funny note: One of my little girls said "It was the GIRL pig who was smart!"

View the author's site here.

Challenges:

100+ Reading challenge

RYOB Challenge

children's literature, children

Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett

Synopsis
When Bo spots what he thinks is a "rip-roarin', rootin'-tootin', shiny red armadillo," he knows what he has to do. Follow that armadillo! Bo leaves his mother and three brothers behind and takes off for a two-stepping, bronco-bucking adventure. Jan Brett turns her considerable talents toward the Texas countryside in this amusing story of an armadillo on his own.

My Thoughts: Jan Brett is one of my very favorite author/illustrators of children's books. Her pictures are always wonderful, vibrant, and inviting. Each year when we do our Texas unit, I read this story to my class. It is a fun read with lots of teaching opportunities, the least of which not being that the armadillo is the Texas state small mammal (the large state amimal being the Longhorn.) The class loved this story and wanted to hear it again.

Visit Jan Brett here. Lots of cool activities for the kids!

children's literature, children,