The Tall Stranger by Lois L'Amour

In the old west, Rock Bannon and Morton Harper go head to head to win the integrity of the land and Sharon's heart.



Rating: Four Stars ****

Genre: Western

Summary: Rock Bannon was once a stranger to the pack of settlers looking for a home in the west, until he saves them from a ravaging Indian attack. Ever since Rock has joined them on the wagon trail and has had his eye on a green-eyed Sharon Crockett. Rock has always been dark and quiet about his past, so the settlers on the wagon train can't help but be suspicious of him when the handsome, smooth talker Morton Harper comes striding in and leading them down an unknown trail to greener pastures, which Rock scornfully objects to. After a series of attacks and exchange of gunfire, the pack is finally seeing the true intentions of Mort, which is to own the greatest cattle empire of the West by killing and stealing, then taking Sharon as his wife. A one-on-one face off will tell if good will prevail evil.

Evaluation: Louis L'Amour has without a doubt a knack for storytelling. Even though the resolution may be completely predictable, the characters shine through and one can't help but vouch for the underdog and find out in the end if the good will actually prevail. The settlers are often portrayed as simple minded and of course there is the ultimate conflict of who will win the woman's heart, but the action packed elements of Indian attacks, gunfire, and traveling on a wagon in the setting sun is an entertaining piece of fictionalized Americana.

Read-a-likes: Gunman's Goal by Max Brand
Rangers of the Lone Star and other titles by Zane Grey
Borderlands and other titles by Terry C. Johnston

Plum Lovin' (A Between-the-Numbers Novel) (Stephanie Plum Novels) by Janet Evanovich

Substitute matchmaker, Stephanie Plum, has to resolve the cases of five love trodden individuals by Valentine's Day. To her surprise, will she become one of them?



Rating: Three 1/2 Stars ***^

Genre: Mystery w/ Romance Themes

Summary: Stephanie Plum is an average Jersey girl. She funny, low-maintenance, and guys love to be with her, but she just doesn't need them. In Plum Lovin', her take on romance is put in perspective as she is assigned a case by her casual fling and handsome friend, Diesel, to be the substitute matchmaker in place of Annie Hart, the relationship resolver. She has five cases to wrap up, whether its Charlene Klinger who needs a comfortable love in her life to balance her chaotic household, Jeanine Chan who can't get laid because of her 35-yr old virgin status, or Plum's sister's boyfriend , Albert, who literally cannot make it to the alter. With the help of Diesel, Plum finds herself able to solve every case and even solve the love in her life.

Evaluation: The story is quirky, contemporary, and laugh out loud funny. Stephanie Plum is an independent and charming character, and her jokes and situations stay tasteful, but are edgy enough to keep their shock value. This book is particularly too short to go into any depth of characters where the story feels rushed, however Janet Evanovich's style and wit shines through where you can't help but pick up the next one in her series.

Read-A-Likes: Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich
Stormy Weather and other titles by Carl Hiaasen
Welcome to Temptation and other books by Jennifer Crusie

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris and Ian Falconer

A collection of good humored animal fables with the insight and quirks of people.



Rating: Three Stars ***

Genre: Humor

Summary: Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk is a humorous collection of fables about animals and their human tendencies. The stories often involve the relationships between animal species, which incorporates a lining of zany prejudices and misinterpretations. The Squirrel and the Chipmunk is one of the more memorable stories where the Squirrel dates the Chipmunk even though everyone thinks that their relationship won't work out. They can agree about topics like acorns and the irritability of dogs, but when the topic of jazz arises, the Chipmunk wants the relationship to work out so badly that she agrees to like jazz, even though it may be "slang for something terrible - like anal intercourse?" "Oh, I like that too..."

Evaluation: David Sedaris does isn't as clever in these fables, as he is in his other essays, but it is a unique take from his normal writing. The stories are successful at being quirky and strange, and the drawings by Ian Falconer, the same illustrator of Olivia , makes it an attractive read.

Read-a-likes: Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
Holidays on Ice and other books by David Sedaris
All My Friends Are Dead by Avery Monsen

City of Glass (The New York Trilogy, Vol 1) by Paul Auster

Daniel Quinn, a mystery writer, is a novice detective of a case that sends him into a line of mistaken identities to the point where he may have lost his own.

Featured Booktalk: It all started with a wrong number. Someone thought Daniel Quinn was someone he was not. Quinn lives his life writing mystery novels under the name William Wilson, so when he is called to be a detective through a newly acquired identity of Paul Auster, Quinn lives minute-to-minute for this special case trying to protect Peter Stillman from a mental father who will murder him.

This may as well help Quinn as a writer and keep him occupied until his next novel, except that the only Paul Auster in New York isn’t a detective and the Stillmans have disappeared completely along with their case. Who knows, but himself, if Daniel Quinn will cease to exist?

A post –existentialist detective story with a puzzle of mistaken identities, the City of Glass will keep you in suspense until the next book in The New York Trilogy.



Rating: Five Stars*****

Genre: Mystery

Awards: Nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Mystery

Summary: The first volume of The New York Trilogy introduces Daniel Quinn, a mystery novel writer who is known to his readers as William Wilson, and virtually unknown to anyone, but himself. With a late son and wife, as well as a break between novels, a mis-dialed number in the middle of the night sends Quinn into a case where he is assumed to be the Paul Auster that will protect a Peter Stillman from a mental case of a father that is about to be released from jail, and will try to kill him. Quinn is on the case as a 'real' detective, except after months of work he finds that there isn't a detective named Paul Auster that exists in New York City, the Stillmans' have vanished, and the father has committed suicide.

Evaluation: A fantastic read that is written intelligently and mysteriously. The puzzle of identities is not one that typical detective novel fans will pick up right away, but it is a nice, varied direction from the genre. This is also a good choice for those who do not typically read detective novels, but are looking for light suspense. The history of each character is intriguing where the Peter Stillman is running away from a father that is a professor and once obsessed with the Tower if Babel and how natural languages come into existence. The insanity of Peter having been locked in a room for nine years is mind boggling. The post-existential identities and questionable existence of Quinn will leave one craving the next book in the series.

Read-a-likes: Ghosts (Book 2) and Locked Room (Book 3) by Paul Auster
The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

City of Glass was adapted in 1994 into a critically-acclaimed experimental graphic novel by Paul Karasik and David Mazzucchelli. It was published as City of Glass: A Graphic Mystery in 2004.

The Last Good Man by Kathleen Eagle

Savannah Stephens, a lingerie catalog model, returns to her hometown with a daughter and some painful history only to have rekindled a romance with Clay, the epitome of the perfect man.



Rating: One 1/2 Stars *^

Genre: Romance

Awards: Winner of the Rendezvous Online Rosebud Award
One of Library Journal 's Five Best Romances of 2000
A Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Finalist

Summary: After living the glamorous life in the big city as a lingerie catalog model, Savannah Stephens returns to her home town of Sunbonnet, Wyoming where the horses roam free and she can find solitude with her six-year old daughter Claudia and from a painful history of breast cancer that she is still striving to emotionally recover from. It's a small town and everyone has heard of her return, but no one knows why she came back from such a glamorous life. Her one high school love, Clay has found her again, and won't give up his love for her until their relationship is rekindled.

Evaluation: The first chapter introduced Savannah in an interesting light. She was the town beauty and it did set up the inquisitiveness to find out why she returned to the small town from the big city. I read through the first 100 pages (I made it to page 105!) and had to put the book down. The only climatic parts were Savannah's sex scenes with Clay, but her character was obnoxious, Clay was overly predictable, and Claudia sounded more like a know-it-all 20 year old, rather than the intelligent six year old that she was supposed to be. The pace and language felt dumbed down and I did not want to find out if Clay won Savannah's heart - which I am sure he did!

Read-a-likes: Montana Sky by Nora Roberts
Rocky Mountain Widow by Jillian Hart
You Belong to Me (Montana Mavericks: Return to Big Sky Country) by Jennifer Greene

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries) by Joanne Fluke

After the murder of her deliveryman, Hannah seeks to find the killer before her cookies get the bad rap.



Rating: Three 1/2 Stars***^

Genre: Culinary Mystery

Summary: Hannah Swensen is a baker and owner of "The Cookie Jar" in the small town of Lake Eden. When her delivery driver, Ron, fails to make his morning rounds, Hannah Swensen finds his murdered in seat of his pick up with her scattered cookies laying around. In search to defend the reputation of her cookies and help her deputy friend, Bill, earn a promotion, Hannah takes initiative to following a trail of clues to find Ron's killer.

Evaluation: The best treat about this book are the cookie recipes. Hannah is also an admirable character because of her independent attitude, playful feline with human tendencies, and eccentric matchmaker of a mother. The flaws in the story is that Hannah seems too separated from mourning for Ron's death and the time sequence of events are out of place, but it is still a deliciously entertaining read.

Read-a-likes: Goldy Culinary Mysteries series by Diane Mott Davidson
Chocoholic Mystery series by JoAnna Carl
Sprinkle with Murder
(Cupcake Bakery Mystery
series) by Jenn McKinlay

Singularity Sky by Charles Stross

The New Republic is seeking help from Earth when their isolated colony is under attack from the information plague.



Rating: Three Stars***

Genre: Science Fiction

Awards: Nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2004

Summary: The New Republic is a colony that has isolated itself from the Eschaton, a super human artificial intelligence that has infiltrated the minds of humans into releasing any kind of information in exchange for any desired goods. Martin Springfield and Rachel Mansour have traveled to the New Republic from Earth, which has gone under Singularity, where the Eschaton rules. Martin is hired by the New Republic to upgrade their warships, while Rachel is there to serve as counter intelligence. Both have been assigned conflicting tasks by their authorities in the warfare between colonies.

Evaluation: The writing is dense and is slow paced, even though it encompasses many battle scenes. The love interest and conflicting roles between Martin and Rachel adds a bit of complexity and relief to the heavy laden plot, but the overtake of information by the Eschaton is the selling point of the story.

Read-a-likes:The Last Colony by John Scalzi
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

The Leopard by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa and Archibald Colquhoun

Giribaldi's army invasion of Sicily challenges the life and luxury for the Prince of Salina, as well as in of the land.



Rating: Two Stars**

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary: Set in 1860, Don Frabrizio is the Prince of Sicily who lives in luxury with his wife and many children. Outside of his lavish life of indulgences, women, and politics, the Giribaldi army is invading Sicily, which puts his governance and household in jeopardy. The book focuses on the rapidly changing political and social orders in 19th century Italy.

Evaluation: I was given a recommendation of this book which is why I chose to read it, but only made it through the first 90 pages. The pace was very slow and descriptive. The historical setting of Sicily is decent, but the translation bored me to tears. On that note here is an evaluation from an editor on Oprah.com. I think this is a valid reaction:

I wouldn't give a damn about the world of this book were it not for the fact that Lampedusa draws you into it in such an intoxicating fashion. The descriptions of 19th-century Sicily were written with such melancholy, honesty and lack of sentimentality that I found myself thinking this era was the most important thing. What blew me away, though, were the passages about death. Extraordinary. The prince, whose family is part of the dying aristocracy, says sleep is what the Sicilians want. They don't want anything forward looking. All their magnificent history and the things they worship—their cathedrals and castles and heritage—are things Sicilians love only because they're dead. It's a romance with sleep and death—a desire for what he calls voluptuous immobility.
— Colin Firth

Read-a-likes: Little Novels of Sicily by Giovanni Verga

Blockade Billy by Stephen King

In 1957, William "Blockade Billy" Blakely was the best baseball player in the league, except he was erased from the records for his deadly secret.



Rating: Three Stars ***

Genre: Suspense - Thriller (Sports)

Summary: In the old times of baseball, William Blakely was signed up like players others were. When they needed someone to play the position, they sought the first person that looked like they were able. William Blakely signed up to play with the Titans and he was so good he broke every record in the league and was known to Iowa's fans as "Blockade Billy". His agreeable personality and talent at the plate made him an overnight star, except when the manager finds out that Billy's repetitive dialogue and his third person conversations to himself has other questioning his sanity. The murder of the real William Blakely and his family by this all-star intruder had him erased from the minds of fans and obliterated from baseball's history.

Evaluation: Stephen King is the interviewer for this story, and the third person narrative from the Titan's old baseball manager gives it such a realistic feel that it made me want to see if this William Blakely aka "Blockade Billy" was a real person. This is a great book for any fan of baseball, but even though I am not thrilled about the sport, I found myself in suspense to find why this character was wiped out from existence. Its a great escape into the old era of baseball and quick read for a pump of adrenaline.

Read-a-likes: Rum Point: A Baseball Novel by Rick Wilber
Bottom of the Ninth by Peter Spring
The New Paltz Outlaws: A story of sex, violence and baseball by Farrell Kaye

The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson

Lou is a small town sheriff that has the sickness to kill, but his ordinary charm hinders the suspicion of his peers.



Rating: Five Stars*****

Genre: Mystery - Crime

Summary: Lou Reed is a sheriff in a small Texas town, and an undercover sociopath that has been repressing his dark urges to kill. Lou's cliche expressions, average personality, and decent looks have women loathing after him, but these instances are what trigger the sickness , which sends Lou on a killing spree. His repertoire in the police department leads him to cover up and frame others for his murders, but the clues gradually start to unravel his crimes.

Evaluation: This story is noir classic that switches the roles of a typical mystery where the reader can see through the eyes of the killer, rather than the detective. A great read for those who are especially consumed by the Dexter television series, or those who like to read psychological thrillers. A break through novel for its time.

Read-a-likes: Darkly Dreaming Dexter and other books in the series by Jeff Lindsay
Shoot the Piano Player and other books by David Goodis
The Big Nowhere by James Ellroy

Interesting facts about the novel: Adapted to a film in 1976, then once again in 2010 starring Casey Affleck and Jessica Alba.

Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi

Tea time reveals the secrets that Iranian women only share amongst each other about men in their lives.



Rating: Three Stars***

Genre: Graphic Novel - Memoir

Awards: Nominated for the Angoulême Album of the Year award in 2003

Summary: Marjane Satrapi has tea with her grandmother, her mother, their closest relatives, and friends. What starts as an innocent sharing of stories about the past and present men in their lives, turns into a personalized account of relationships and the degradation that Iranian women face once they have lost their virginity. The stories shared expose the constrained liberation that Iranian women express amongst themselves and each other. The term 'embroidery' refers to the stitching of the labia to give the impression of a virgin.

Evaluation: Marjane Satrapi is a talented storyteller, but her graphics are often too simplified and do not contribute to the story line like graphic novels should. She is still able to capture the customs and politics that surround the Iranian culture with an endearing memories of childhood and family.

Read-a-likes: Percepolis 1 & 2 by Marjane Satrapi
Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian by Firoozeh Dumas

Tell No One - Harlan Coben

A message has Dr. David Beck on the search for the true whereabouts of his wife's murder.



Rating: Four 1/2 Stars****^

Genre: Suspense - Thriller

Summary: Dr. David Beck receives a cryptic email that only he can figure out. The message reveals that there is a possibility that his deceased wife and soul mate Elizabeth may still be alive, except that he can "Tell No One". The dangerous puzzle of secrets has Dr. Beck accused of her murder and a gang of henchmen searching to murder him as well. The corruption of family and police tied alibis is a gripping, graphic story that will leave you questioning the real killer until the very end.

Evaluation: This book has a diverse cast of characters with a quick, plot thickening pace. The story thrives in climaxes and twists that will keep readers' hearts rapidly beating until the late hours of the night.

Read-a-likes:No Place Like Home by Mary Higgins Clark
Reacher Series by Lee Child
Everywhere that Mary Went
by Lisa Scottoline

The Minority Report by Philip K. Dick

The integrity of the prophylactic Precrime structure is on the line when Police Commissioner John Anderton is the identified as the next in line to murder.



Rating: Three Stars***

Genre: Science Fiction

Summary: Since the Precrime structure was enabled five years ago, the city hasn't seen a murder. The precogs, a team of people that can see into the future to identify criminals before they can do any harm, have named Police Commissioner John Anderton as the next killer. This has all of the city on the man hunt for Andertson. He doesn't want to end up in detention and knows that he does not have the intent to murder, but with the integrity of the system in jeopardy he makes the leap to prove that is it right.

Evaluation: The story is a great introduction to reader's who are new to sci-fi and the writing of Philip K. Dick. The story is better presented in a collective volume of other shorts, but the plot is entertainingly mind bending.

Read-a-likes: Short stories by J.G. Ballard
Other works by Philip K. Dick
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

The City and the Pillar: A Novel by Gore Vidal

Jim and Bob are all American teens who spend their last night of summer together. Jim leaves home in search of Bob, his only love.



Rating: Four Stars****

Genre: GLBT

Summary: Jim and Bob are a handsome pair. They are popular for their looks and athleticism, and all the women wish to be with them. Even though Bob talks about liking women and even has a girlfriend, Jim has fantasies about Bob. One night these fantasies come true when Bob and Jim spend their last night of summer in a cabin retreat because Bob will be graduating soon from high school. A night of playful wrestling turned into three days of affection between the two. Bob leaves to New York, and once Jim graduates the following year, he leaves in search of him. After an unsuccessful search, he joins the service and lives a life experimenting and living with Shaw, a closeted Hollywood star. He also meets and is lives with a tormented writer, Sullivan, but then leaves him because he cannot come to terms with being without Bob. After years away from home, Jim finally reunites with Bob that leads to a tragic ending.

Evaluation: As one of the first novels about homosexuality, the story is contemporary and interestingly relevant. Jim is often hit on by women, and even though he never comes out as being 'gay', he can never sleep with a woman and his liveliness only shows for Bob.

Read-a-likes: Blackbird by Larry Duplechan and Michael Nava
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
Gore Vidal: Sexually Speaking: Collected Sex Writings 1960-1998

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie

These dark and humorous short stories speak about family life, childhood memories, and the absurdly grim reality of life on the Spokane Indian Reservation.



Rating: Five Stars*****

Genre: Western

Awards: Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award: Best First Book of Fiction Citation Winner
Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Writers' Award
The Best American Short Stories 1994 includes "This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona"

Summary: A collection of twenty- two interlinked tales are alcohol laden and conveys themes of family life, tragedy, and mythicism. A couple of most memorable stories include one told from a son's perspective about a father who used to come home drunk and fight with his mother, as well as blast Jimi Hendricks playing the Star Spangled Banner on cassette tape. Another is about the trial of a compulsive story teller "Thomas Builds-the-Fire" who his peers are embarrassed of in other stories for his tall tales, but once in jail vows to be silent for an accused murder.

Evaluation: The interlinked stories are some of the most unique, and grimly funny fiction that reveal the life of living on a reservation. Alexie is one of the best storytellers around.

Read-a-likes: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Young Adult) and other books by Sherman Alexie

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern

After being dumped by his live in girlfriend, 28 year old Justin Halpern moves back into the nest with his 78 year old father, and revisits his childhood of comical obscenities and unconventional wisdom.



Rating: Four Stars ****

Genre: Humor - Memoir

Summary: Justin Halpern has moved back in with his parents, which isn't at all uncommon nowadays. His up bringing by a painfully honest father is normal for him, but humorously unconventional for many. Justin started 'twittering' his dad's lewd words of advice and found that his account had accumulated an overnight following of almost 2 million readers. In the book, Justin recalls his childhood and the lessons learned growing up with his father. The profane musings may be offensive to some, but are hilarious to others.

Evaluation: The book is a short, witty read packed with punchlines and memories of Justin's unique relationship with his father. Many of his comments are laugh out loud funny and each have a tinge of insight. The book is not for the overly sensitive, and many comments have to be taken for face value. The book is worthwhile for his father's sadistically entertaining comments, and for the outlandish tales between a father and son. Justin's dad has said what many parents want to say, but don't allow themselves to.

Read-a-likes: Awkward Family Photos by Mike Bender
Passive Aggressive Notes: Painfully Polite and Hilariously Hostile
Writings by Kerry Miller
My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
by Chelsea Handler



Sh*t My Dad Says tarted as a twitter account and is now a CBS show starring William Shatner.

http://twitter.com/shitmydadsays

CBS Sh*t My Dad Says Episode Highlights

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

An evangelical upbringing challenges Jeanette's identity to follow the rules set by her mother and the church or her heart for another woman.



Rating: Three 1/2 Stars ***^

Genre: Fiction - GLBT themes

Awards: 1985 Whitbread Award for a First Novel

Summary: Jeanette is the adopted daughter of an protestant mother, who is evangelical and deamed odd by the standards by the rest of the community. Nonetheless, Jeanette is raised in the church and is destined to become a missionary. She feels this is her calling, until her relationship blooms with a close church friend Melanie, which has her mother and Pastor Finch saying prayers and casting out her demons.

Evaluation: The novel incorporates GLBT subjects and appears to be autobiographical, but the plot is centered around a girls conservative, quirky upbringing by a strange, overly religious and controlling mother. The setting and time period, as well as the integration of protestant ideas, make the story interesting and engrossing. What sold short was the emotions that Jeanette had for the other women in her life, which was expected in a book presented as a 'queer' novel. It itself, Jeanette stirs up in her readers, emotions of bitterness for those who try to control her and liberation when she succumbs to her true identity.

Read-a-likes: Art & Lies by Jeannette Winterson
Wayward Girls and Wicked Women: An Anthology of Subversive Stories by Various and Angela Carter
Essential Acker: the selected writings of Kathy Acker

TV Series Information (1989)

Interesting fact about the novel via Interview with Jeanette Winterson:
Do you think of Oranges as a lesbian novel?

No. It's for anyone interested in what happens at the frontiers of common-sense. Do you stay safe or do you follow your heart? I've never understood why straight fiction is supposed to be for everyone, but anything with a gay character or that includes gay experience is only for queers. That said, I'm really glad the book has made a difference to so many young women.

Something from the Nightside (Nightside, Book 1) by Simon R. Green

John Taylor, a detective and native to the Nightside, must return to the street of hell in search of a lost runaway teen.



Rating: Four Stars****

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Summary: John Taylor left the hidden netherworld of London, the Nightside, to make a normal living. When Joanna Barrett hires Taylor to find her runaway teenage daughter, he accepts because of his dwindling income and the danger that faces her daughter in this world. He's one of the only people who can navigate these parts and everyone in the Nightside knows him by name. He is able to find Catherine through his connections and supernatural instincts, but he finds that the mother who hired him was just a decoy and the creature that has lured Catherine into these realms is literally sucking the life out of her. Taylor and his old partner in crime, Suzie, use their instincts and Nighside know how to rid the house its powers.

Evaluation: A fast paced plot that incorporates mystery, the paranormal, as well as references snippets of literature. The only down side is that the dark, eeriness of the Nightside realm is over emphasized and becomes repetitive. Nonetheless, it is a great introduction to Taylor and the alternate world he thrives in.

Read-a-likes: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
The Dresdon Files series by Jim Butcher
Other books in the Nightside series

Take the Cannoli : Stories From the New World by Sarah Vowell

A personal, humorous expose of the political, cultural, and iconic musings of This American Life correspondent Sarah Vowell.



Rating: Four Stars****

Genre: Popular Non-Fiction - Autobiographical

Summary: This book is a collection of short essays that are all about Sarah's funny musings as a child and liberal woman. The book starts off with her father's love for the NRA and shooting guns, as well as their opposing stances on Election Day, which immediately tips of Sarah's perspectives in politics. Other subjects she insightfully re-accounts are the lessons she learned being in a marching band as a teen, visiting Disneyland without kids with her anti-Disney friend, her stay and the history behind the Chelsea Hotel in New York, and her search for Frank Sinatra in Hoboken.

Evaluation: The book is a great mix of a memoir, travel essays, and commentary on iconic culture with a flavor of politics. Sarah Vowell is witty and bright, which makes this an entertaining, smart read about her life before she became known for her airtime on NPR.

Read-a-likes: Fraud: Essays and other books by David Rakoff
The Areas of My Expertise by John Hodgman
Chuck Klosterman IV

B Is for Beer by Tom Robbins

Daddy and Uncle Moe LOVE beer, and six-year old Gracie Perkle learns about their love and life through a visit by the beer fairy after one bubbling sip.

"A Children's Book for Grown-ups. A Grown-up Book for Children."



Rating: Three Stars***

Genre: Humor

Summary: Kindergartner Gracie Perkle learns about the world's most popular beverage through her dad and Uncle Moe's love for beer. When her curiosity turns into a childhood obsession (even to the extent that she gets in trouble for talking about the 'Devil's drink' in Sunday school), she guzzles down a beer on her 6th birthday, then vomits and passes out into a mystical haze. In this dream, the beer fairy pays her a visit and takes her through the beer making process beginning with the fields of wheat all the way to the end where the vats of beer are left ferment. In the process Gracie learns some life lessons, while promising the fairy that she will wait until she's 18 and will never get behind the wheel under the influence.

Evaluation: Tom Robbins has a gift for writing humorous novels, and B for Beer doesn't fail to amuse. I usually find young characters to be obnoxious (see the review for The Last Good Man), but Gracie is intelligent and charming about her curiosity for the alcoholic beverage. Tom Robbins is also able to incorporate some tiny spurts of knowledge in the story.

Read-a-likes:The Modern Drunkard by Frank Kelly Rich
any series by Christopher Moore
I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell by Tucker Max

The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger

In the middle of the night, Alexandra discovers a bookmobile that holds the library of a lifetime. She yearns to live her true calling, but at a price she never expected.



Rating: Three Stars ***

Genre: Graphic Novel - Mystery

Summary: Alexandra, a lover of books and ravenous reader, stumbles upon a bookmobile in the middle of the night after walking away from a fight with her live in boyfriend. To her surprise the bookmobile holds a library of every book she has ever read in her lifetime. After leaving her boyfriend, she searches for this bookmobile nightly, and without any luck reads more voraciously then ever before. She is only able to find the bookmobile every decade or so, and each time yearns to become the librarian of her own bookmobile. After studying to be a librarian, she commits suicide only to realize that she had to give up her entire library to follow her dreams.

Evaluation: There is no doubt that this book has widened the audience for the graphic novel market. This is a story written by and made for book lovers and librarians, and the colorful graphics has given life to Niffenegger's original short story. The illustrations in itself lacks in skill, but the presentation of the book is nonetheless attractive. The book fails in being climatic, but the mystery and fantasy of the story successful. A contemporary, lighter illustrative version of Borges' The Library of Babel.

Read-a-likes: The Adventuress by Audrey Niffenegger
Rex Libris Volume One: I, Librarian (Rex Libris) by James Turner


"The Night Bookmobile was first a short story written by Niffenegger in 2004. In 2010, she adapted the story into a graphic novel.

Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

The horrific murder sends the Locke family to Keyhouse to start anew. Evil awaits when a demonic realm in unlocked in their own backyard.



Rating: Five Stars *****

Genre: Graphic Novel - Horror

Awards: 2009 Eisner Awards nomination for "Best Limited Series" and Joe Hill is nominated for "Best Writer
2009 British Fantasy Award for Best Comic or Graphic Novel

Summary: The murder of Rendell Locke, a father of three and high school principle, by Sam, an angst ridden teen, has hauled the Locke family cross - country to their safe haven, a mansion in the town of Keyhouse in Lovecraft, Massachusetts. The eldest son, Tyler, is guilt ridden by his father's death, and Kinsey is trying to rid the horror of her little brother, Bode, from their stalker Sam. While exploring the mansion's grounds, Bode finds a key that unlocks a new realm and releases the demon from the well. They soon learn that their father and this house holds more secrets then they bargained for.

Evaluation: The talented collaboration of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez means a quality graphic novel of extraordinary graphics and a captivating story about the evil in paranormal and alternate worlds. The quickly changing time lapses and multiple climaxes will leave you struggling between keeping your eyes on the page and looking over your shoulder. A fantastic introduction to a series that is visually stunning and suspensefully thrilling!

Read-a-likes: The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman
Dark Tower Seriesby Stephen King (graphic novel adaptation)
Sin City Books by Frank Miller

Interesting fact about the novel is that Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King!

More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeon

Through time and collective gestalt, a gang of dexterous freaks have evolved to into the ultimate single human entity.



Rating: Two Stars **

Genre: Science Fiction

Awards: 1954 International Fantasy Award
2004 "Retro Hugo" award

Summary: Lone, Janie, Baby, Gerry, Bonnie, and Beanie, the tele-porting twins, individually have strange abilities, and over time have taken their strongest traits to form and evolve as a single entity, the homo gestalt. The first part of the book focuses on how the group in introduced to each other through the adoption of a poor farmer and conception of Baby, and with all their abilities create an anti-gravity device. Seven years later, Lone dies and Gerry takes over the leadership of the gestalt. This is where the family is taken in my Alicia, but Gerry finds that the influence of domestication weakens the team, so they murder her and return to the woods. Another seven years later, Lt. Hip Barrows discovers their anti-gravity device, which threatens the homo gestalts very existence.

Evaluation: This is a book full of disjointed characters and broken sequences, which makes the story difficult to understand and connect with. The style is confusing, but can be attractive to those who expect it and are willing to tackle feat! NOT A LIGHT READ.

Read-a-likes: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and other titles by Philip K. Dick
The Demolished Man and other titles by Alfred Bester
Slan: A Novel by A. E. Van Vogt and Kevin J. Anderson

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger

An accidental murder causes Alexia Tarabotti to be the prime suspect of the recent vampire disappearances.



Rating: Four 1/2 Stars****^

Genre: Fantasy- Steampunk

Awards: 2010 Alex Award from the American Library Association
Nomination for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer

Summary: Alexia Tarabotti is a spinster with olive skin and a small nose. She inherted these traits from an Italian father, which has made her too unattractive to find a husband. She also has no soul amongst the society of humans, vampires, and werewolves, which leaves her unaffected by the powers of the supernatural. The accidental murder of an attacking vampire labels Alexia as the prime suspect and responsible for the recent disappearances of other vampires. A werewolf, Lord Maccon is sent to investigate, but they soon discover a surprising and lustful attraction to one another. Without a soul, scientists use Alexia to reprimand the supernatural powers in their experiments, which threatens her life and that of Lord Maccon.

Evaluation: The story screams ROMANCE, but the writing is smart and funny, which makes it extremely enjoyable. The soulless aspect of Alexia is unique, but the ending of spinsterhood into a loving marriage is dissapointingly not.

Read-a-likes: Changeless (Book 2) and Blameless (Book 3) by Gail Carriger
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Maisie Dobbs (Book 1) by Jacqueline Winspear

Intuitive Maise Dobbs solves the cases of the mislead, which ranges from a misunderstood marriage affair to a suspicious solder's retreat.



Rating: Three 1/2 Stars***^

Genre: Mystery

Awards:Publishers Weekly's Best Mysteries of 2003
New York Times Notable Book of the Year 2003
Edgar Award nominee for Best Novel 2003
Agatha Award winner for Best First Novel in 2003

Summary: After the death of her mother, Maisie Dobbs was sent off by her father to live and work as a maid for the wealthy Lady Rowan Compton. When Maisie is caught sneaking in and out of the manor library, her knowledge of Hume, Kierkegaard, and Jung impresses Lady Rowan enough to provide an education for Maisie. After being accepted and studying in Cambridge for a year, she leaves college to help the greater good and serve in the war as a nurse. Maise is initially introduced in the story as a detective who solves the case of a husband who misinterprets the actions of his supposedly cheating wife, and in the process uncovers the true intentions of a retreat that was made for post-traumatic soldiers of the war.

Evaluation: Maisie Dobbs is an interesting protagonist, but her cases are anti-climatic and do not seem true to the mystery genre. The characters and history are clever and smart, which makes this a very enjoyable read. The story has more of a historical romance theme, but overall is a great introduction to such an intelligent heroine.

Read-a-likes: No. 1 Ladies Detective Series by Alexander McCall Smith
A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Stiff has created a new definition to death and its 'after life'.



Rating: Four Stars ****

Genre: Popular Non-Fiction - Science

Summary: Stiff is a collection of essays about how human cadavers are used in science. Some topics covered involve the army and the impact of bullets on human cadavers, how our bodies decompose (i.e. gases need to escape so our tongues and mouths, as well as genitalia become 'edowed'), cannibalism is China (up to the Ming dynasty, it was a practices that kids, more so daughter take a part of themselves and make a dish for their ailing mother in laws - boiled breast, seared thigh, etc), organ transplants, beheadings, as well as features environmental alternatives for the dead AKA human compost. Main message: DONATE YOUR ORGANS TO MEDICINE/ Bodies to Science.

Evaluation: I once had a customer that bought a hard cover of this book said it was really good, but borderline awful. I found it to be the prefect way to describe Mary Roach's incorporation of tangents and tacky jokes in the profusion of great writing. She is thorough enough to keep it interesting, even though the book has parts that are somewhat dated.

Read-a-likes: Corpse: Nature, Forensics, and the Struggle to Pinpoint Time of Death by Jessica Snyder Sachs
Meditations on Mortality from the Human Anatomy Lab by Dr. Christine Montross
Elephants on Acid: And Other Bizarre Experiments by Alex Boese

Coral Thief by Rebecca Stott

A heist of rare artifacts sends medical student Daniel Connor into the unexpected underworld of Lucienne Bernard, a philosopher and notorious thief.



Rating: Three 1/2 Stars ***^

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary: Daniel Connor, a medical student, is on his way to Paris to study anatomy under the prestigious Dr. Cuvier. Equipped with coral, a mammoth bone, and letters, the rare and valuable finds are stolen by a sly and intelligent Lucienne Bernard who shares the same stagecoach with him on the trip to Paris. Upon tracking his Lucienne to recover his valuables, Daniel is actually the person being followed and a relationship of love and loyalty develop between the student and the thief. Daniel does recover his belongings and follows through with his apprenticeship in Paris, but he is enthralled with Lucienne and after much explanation, Daniel seeks to protect her from Jagot, the authority who initially aimed to help him find his stolen goods in the first place. A deadly proposition to steal a valuable diamond has Daniel, Lucienne, her daughter, and companions trudging through the secretive and dangerous quandaries of underground Paris to ‘magically’ disappear from their fugitive lives.

Evaluation: The Coral Thief carries a strong narrative and suspenseful plot, while involving philosophy, history, and factual information about nature and the progressive thoughts of evolution and the origin of the species (“Darwinesque”). The story thickens at a nice pace that is lightly mysterious. What makes the story uniquely appealing is simultaneous incorporation of Napoleons whereabouts and pictures from the 1800's. The author's voice is one that is educated and proper. Stott exudes character traits flawlessly, and presents facts that appear to be well researched, as well as realistic. The voice and persona of Lucienne is the strongest.

Read-a-likes: Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott
The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland

Rebecca Stott - Author Website

Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress, Book 1) by Gena Showalter

The thrill for alien huntress, Mia Snow, is bringing to justice the extraterrestrial murder suspect and not succumbing to her desires for him.


Rating: Three Stars ***

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Summary: On behalf of the New Chicago Police Department, Mia Snow, a strong, independent alien huntress and her partner Dallas is fighting to control the violence against humankind by the Aradians (an alien species). Assigned the case of serial murders of handsome human men, they are on the search for the extraterrestrial murder suspect Kyrin. They are able to catch Kyrin's sister Lilla, but another agent under the influence of the Arcadian mind control shoots Dallas and has left him to die. The lust and love between Mia and Kyrin has her begging for his healing powers to save Dallas in exchange for the release of Lilla. Even with their eye on both suspects, the murders are still occurring and the real killer is pinpointed to Atlanta, an Arcadian with assets invested in her fertility clinic, who Mia recognizes all too well.

Evaluation: The encounters and interactions between humans and Arcadians is the most interesting aspect of the book. The fighting scenes where Mia kicks as is unbelievable, but the action adds to her independent, burly persona. The sex scenes are pretty explicit and are shocking for being interspecies, but this is coming from someone who is new to the alternate worlds - paranormal romance genre.

Read-a-likes: Close Encounters: An Alien Affairs Novel, Book 1 by Katherine Allred
Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series) by J.R. Ward
Your Planet or Mine? (Otherworldly Men Series) by Susan Grant