Provocative in Pearls
by Madeline Hunter - I found the heroine in this novel to be frustrating. She had so little understanding of her situation and what was possible. Her continued pursuit of an annulment seemed particularly naive although her anger and frustration was understandable. The hero was probably fairly true to life in terms of the time period but his continued insistence that she recognize that she needed his permission to do pretty much anything because she belonged to him was kind of a downer in a romance novel.
Doors Open
by Ian Rankin - I struggled with this one a bit because I could not wrap my head around the kind of boredom that would make someone want to steal a priceless painting at the risk of destroying one's life. I wanted to take our main character aside and lecture him about the potential consequences of his actions. I also figured out the plot twist very early on. Having said that, I think Ian Rankin is an outstanding author and any of his books are worthy of a read.
The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag
by Alan Bradley - The first book in this series (which I have not read) was a smash hit so I was excited to read this one. The author does a good job of revealing the young detectives quirks and insecurities without making her annoyingly precocious and the author's skill in quickly drawing interesting and unusual characters is apparent. The mystery itself was interesting but a tiny bit thin but I found I didn't care because the characters were so very interesting. 
Love in Mid Air
by Kim Wright - I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. I usually am deeply irritated by novels about infidelity because I can never figure out why the character doesn't do the right thing and divorce their spouse BEFORE they go out looking for someone new. Of course, that tends to make for a very short novel when the characters behave in sensible and rational ways but it almost always makes me not like and not care about characters who behave so dishonorably.Anyway, back to this novel, I really liked this book, not because of the infidelity and the problems with her marriage which I always find a bit trite and banal, but because of the way the book explored how her actions impacted the lives of everyone around her. I also liked that the book ended in the same way life often does, messy and unresolved. This is really an author to watch.
by Gail Dayton - Victorian England setting except with wizards, sorceresses, alchemists and conjurers. I thought the world building and magical elements were really interesting and the mystery held my attention. The romance portion of the book was a bit weak however. I liked the characters quite a bit but just felt like too much happened in too short of a time period. I will, however, definitely pick up her next book.
by Chris Knopf - 
by J.D. Robb - I can't remember reading a book in this series that disappointed me. Some are better than others but none are bad. The near future setting (with really cool techie toys), the tough detective who faces down hardened criminals and serial killers with ease but panics when she is confronted with babies and determined hairdressers, and a super hot, rich fantasy of a husband who adores his wife all add to the appeal of this series. Add to that a group of friends who have managed to recognize each other as soul mates and create a family that buoys each other up during hard times and you have a winning series from my point-of-view.
by Cathy Liggett - 
- This was actually pretty fantastic and I can see why it was nominated for the Oscars
by Jim Butcher - There are big changes in store for Harry (hence the name Changes) this time around. It seems like the bad guys keep getting badder and I am not sure what Jim will do for the next novel. Maybe a nice apocalypse?
by Gail Carriger - Book two in this series starts out with our newly married couple learning to live together in wedded bliss. Of course, this being a novel, happy and carefree can't last. This time the magical beings are being affected by a strange field that is damping magic and making the ghosts go away forever. Added to that, there are werewolf pack dynamics to work through and some new quirky characters to decipher.
by J.D. Robb - Eve and Roarke are back again in their gazillionth mystery. Robb never fails to please with her complex characters. These are sexy novels and the crimes are usually pretty brutal so I wouldn't suggest this for anyone who likes clean, cozy mysteries but I love these. 
by Chuck Hogan - 
by Patricia Briggs - I stayed up late last night to finish this one. I love the Mercy Thompson series. The main character is a shape shifting coyote who owns her own garage and repairs cars for a living. Her next door neighbor is a hot werewolf (of course), his teenage daughter and his pack. Also populating this world are the Fae, vampires, etc.... Mercy spends her spare time flirting with the werewolf, solving mysteries and trying to navigate pack politics. Start with 
if you want to read this series.
by Gail Carriger - I loved this novel. The Victorian era is great for creating women characters who, with their British sensibilities and self confidence in their ability to handle everything life throws at them, barrel through life moving obstacles and people out of their way with their trusty parasol. Throw some vampires and werewolves into this alternate reality setting and Alexia, a heroine whose lack of soul makes her utterly immune to the undead and you have the makings of a great story. This was a very inventive tale and the main character reminded me of one of my favorite mystery heroines, 
(series written by 
by Kiki Warner - I actually enjoyed this one quite a bit and felt like the author did a good job evoking emotion and building a solid romance. However, it did, at times, feel like there was too much going on. Not only was she running from the evil brother-in-law, he was in the middle of a blood feud with the man who massacred half his family, the ranch burned down, the dog died.... Well, you get the idea.
by Jeaniene Frost - Good, popular basic premise of a woman in danger with a "good" vampire to the rescue, this was a serviceable romance but a bit disjointed. The author is at the start of a new series a new series and it shows.
by Cathleen Schine - This story of a woman and her two daughters living in gentile poverty in a New York suburb started off really well but gradually lost steam as the characters became more and more self-pitying. I think this was meant to be a Jane Austin spinoff but it had none of the sparkling wit of the original.
by Karen Harper - This one is quite good if you like historical novels. The main character is a lady-in-waiting for Anne Boleyn and is trusted enough to eventually become the governess for Queen Elizabeth (before she becomes queen, of course.) This is based on the life of Catherine "Kat" Ashley and covers the death of Anne Boleyn through Kat's death.
by Connie Brockway - I believe I said before that I really like romance novels that have characters I would like to know in real life. Even without the fabulously rich part, the two main characters in this novel are really wonderful people. They are genuinely kind, caring people who rescue family members from bad circumstances at great personal cost to themselves because it is the right thing to do. This is an A+ novel.
by Rosemary Furber - I don't think I have a handle on this novel yet and may have to hold off talking about it until next week. By then I may have made up my mind what I think of it....or possibly not.
- I think I can recommend you all pass on this particular movie unless you really have nothing else AT ALL to do. I like the apocalypse film genre but this one did nothing for me.