This Week in Books and Media

This was supposed to go up last week but I somehow forgot to save it correctly....

No time to write lengthy reviews but here is a list of what I have been reading lately. I linked to Amazon so you can go read the product description for more information.  

Horns by Joe Hill - Very good. The physical and psychological horror are very nicely balanced in this novel by Stephen King's son.

Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt - Historical fiction. Not my favorite time period to read about but well done.

Caught by Harlan Coban - Excellent thriller by one of our premier writers. This is probably one of his best.

Angelology by Danielle Trusson - Beautiful alternative world building and fully fleshed out characters. Very detailed.

Darkship Thieves by Sarah Hoyt - Can't get enough of those space opera's especially one that has a female character who can kick some ass.

Crux by Moira Rogers - This was a fun paranormal romance.

The Passage by Justin Cronin - One that people are probably either going to love or hate. A new twist on zombies that I thought was a winner.

Wicked Becomes Her by Meredith Duran - Really great characters and a nice fast pace.  Very good.

Devils Star by Jo Nesbo - I heard someone say that this author does evil really well.  Great mystery, interesting characters and setting.

The Other Family by Joanna Trollope - Interesting premise but I never really could figure out why the second "wife" was so angry with the first wife.

The Winter Thief by Jenny White - I have a soft spot for books set in Turkey and had actually been to some of the towns mentioned in the book.  Very good historical fiction with a good blend of political intrigue and mystery.

A Vintage Affair by  Isabel Wolff - This was a charming read that was a little deeper than your usual Chick Lit type book. 

I am pretty sure there are more but that should do for now.

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Free E-Book Friday

Nebula Award-Nominated author Vera Nazarian is offering her novel Dreams of the Compass Rose as a free download for a limited time!

This Week in Books and Media...and camping.

This was a busy, busy week so I didn't get much reading done.  Over the weekend I traveled to Minnesota for the wedding reception of a good friend.  While there we socialized, drank wine, rowed boats, communed with nature and ate.  Unfortunately, all of this fun did not leave much time for reading although I am halfway through about three at the moment.  Next week there should be plenty of book talk.

If you are at all outdoorsy, I do highly recommend visiting the lakes in Minnesota for camping. The setting is lovely and there is plenty of water to play in. Just make sure you carry some super powerful bug spray because the rumor is, later in the season the mosquitoes are as big as your head. Just sayin...

The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah - This is often considered the book that started off the Urban (or Street) fiction genre so we picked it for our genre study book club at work.  Winter, the main character, is the spoiled daughter of a drug dealer in the Brooklyn projects. When her father is arrested, her pampered life falls apart and in trying to play "the game" she quickly descends into the ugly world of drugs, violence and revenge.  Written by Hip Hop star and activist, Sister Souljah, the author presents a heartbreaking look at what drugs can do to a community and to the young men and women whose lives revolve around it. The book has flaws but is worth reading for its grittiness and realism.

Murder on the Cliffs by Joanna Challis - Daphne du Maurier is the detective in this historical novel.  When Daphne goes to Cornwall to visit her old nurse and do research for her first novel, she becomes enmeshed in the murder of Victoria.  Victoria is the young, lower class girl who has become engaged to the eligible son of the local aristocracy. There are some clunky sections but this is an excellent novel for those who love Gothic romance, Daphne du Maurier and reading about the British aristocracy.

DVD's
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Gifted with the ability to guide the imagination of others, Dr. Parnassus gambled with the devil and lost the soul of his daughter. In order to win her back, he must compete with the devil for the souls of five other people.  The acting is fresh and inventive and the costumes and cinematography are outstanding. I enjoyed this even though sometimes I had to rewind to catch some detail I missed. Multi-tasking is not recommended for this film. This was a freaky little movie.