On My Nightstand

2008 - January - 9 thru 14

9. A Drink Before The War - Dennis Lehane (f)
    really enjoyable mystery/thriller
10. Frontera Street - Tanya Maria Barrientos (f)
    I loved this book - its sweet and heartwarming
11. Once Upon A Town - Bob Greene (n)
    interesting story, but its a slow read
12. Life Expectancy - Dean Koontz (f)
    excellent - I love it when Koontz writes with humor - reminded me of the Odd Thomas series
13. Plum Lovin' - Janet Evanovich (f)
    a "between the numbers" Stephanie Plum novel - very lightweight - left me wishing for more
14. Plum Lucky - Janet Evanovich (f)
    another "between the numbers" Stephanie novel - dangit Janet, just write another big book! 

2008 - January - 1 thru 8

1. Rag Man - Pete Hautman (f)
    an enjoyable story of a nice guy and how he gets revenge - fun
2. Marley & Me - John Grogan (n)
    fantastic - the tale of a man and his dog - A+
3. The Breathtaker - Alice Blanchard (f)
    interesting mystery/thriller
4. Stone Garden - Molly Moynahan (f)
    this is a thoughtful story about the families left to grieve the death of their teenage son/friend
5. Edge of Evil - J. A. Jance (f)
    another interesting mystery/thriller
6. Denial - Keith Ablow (f)
    first in the series - Frank Clevenger, forensic psychologist, who helps solve mysteries
7. Compulsion - Keith Ablow (f)
    next in the Frank Clevenger series
8. Murder Suicide - Keith Ablow (f)
    another in the Frank Clevenger series - these are hard to put down

Sidebar Update

Wow, I really let this blog slide this year...

I've updated my sidebar with 20-25 books I've read lately. These are probably 1/3 to 1/2 of the books I have read since June. I'm sorry I don't have more to show - a lot of the books I've read have already been passed on to friends for their enjoyment. We have been devouring books this year!

Not in the sidebar - silly, fun books by Janet Evanovich - I've read every one of the Stephanie Plum series. And I admit, I laugh out loud all the way through them.

Also not in the sidebar - gripping suspense by Lee Child. I've read every one of the Jack Reacher series, and am anxiously awaiting the next one.

Also not in the sidebar - Patricia Cornwell - I've read all of her books and am dying to get hold of the newest in her Kay Scarpetta series.

When I find an author I enjoy who writes in series, I like to read them in order until I'm "caught up" with their most current work. Its one of my quirky little things!

I don't have any reading going on at the moment, but will try harder to post when I've finished another book.   

Dark Harbor

Over the snowy weekend (1/20) I read "Dark Harbor" by David Hosp.  This is his first book, but its extremely well-written.  Its another mystery which pairs a lawyer and a police detective to search for the killer of another attorney.  Halfway through the book, I thought I knew for sure who the killer was (almost to the point of not finishing the book), but I was surprised.  It was a captivating story!

The Hunt Club

Later in the 3rd week of January, I read "The Hunt Club" by John Lescroart.  I am a huge fan of his series which features the characters Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky.  This book expands upon Dismas Hardy's circle of friends, with the main character being private investigator Wyatt Hunt.  This story is about the murder of a judge and his young girlfriend, along with the disappearance of an attorney who has been hired to give TV commentary during a sensational trial.  This is a highly readable story; one of those "hard to put the book down" tales.  I expected excitement and I wasn't disappointed! 

The 37th Hour

During the 3rd week of January, I read "The 37th Hour" by Jodi Compton.  This book is mystery fiction.  The main characters are a detective who works for a sheriff's department in Minnesota and her policeman husband, who goes missing when he is supposed to be traveling to Virginia for FBI training.  Its an interesting story line, but a bit unbelieveable that she would be the only person interested in investigating his disappearance (which is qualified by the department being short-staffed).  There are a few twists in the plot, and it kept me interested in the story to the very end.

Nature Girl

The 2nd week of January, I read Carl Hiassen's newest novel, "Nature Girl".  Hiassen is a hilariously funny author and columnist, yet I didn't get a kick out of this book.  I don't usually expect his writing to be believable, including this one, yet I was disappointed in the silliness of this book.  It is like a lot of his other work - crazy people doing things in South Florida, with regrettable consequences.  Maybe that is the problem for me, that its just another ho-hum escapade.  I finished the book, even though I didn't feel like I had to get to the last page to see how it turned out. 

Limbo: A Memoir

The first week of January I read an excellent memoir by A. Manette Ansay.  In it, she describes her childhood and the crippling affliction she lives with.  I had read her novel "Vinegar Hill" and thought it was so dark, but now I understand where she is coming from.  I've also read "Blue Water" which was heart-wrenching in sadness but an extremely readable book.. She writes in a painfully illustrative style, which I savored while reading.  Its the kind of book I find hard to put down.  I would like to read some of her other work, which includes "Sister", "River Angel", and "Midnight Champagne".