MAY BOOKS

This was an experimentation month, and I tried a lot of new authors with mixed success. Read on and see what you think.

Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman (1997) -- (New author for me) Legal suspense, 1st book in the Tess Monaghan series; Tess is an unemployed reporter and amateur rower who takes a job as a P.I. and ends up helping a friend who is arrested for murder. Story is a little slow, as first novels are, but it looks like a promising series--I enjoyed it.

The Floating Girl by Sujata Massey (2000) -- Mystery, 4th book in Rei Shimura series; Rei, the Japanese-American antiques dealer, gets involved with a dead male dancer and a group of Manga comic book creators. Strange I know, but I can't get enough of the cultural information contained in these mysteries--really enjoyed this book.

The Thing about Jane Spring by Sharon Krum (2005) -- Humorous fiction; recommended by my friend Jody, this book is like a Doris Day movie come to life! I loved this story of a stodgy woman who learns how to attract a man and make friends by imitating the dress and behavior of Doris Day in our modern world.

Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell K. Hamilton (2000) -- (New author for me) Supernatural thriller, 9th book in Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, series; I don't even know what to say about this book because I've never read anything like it before. It is set in a world where vampires, werewolves, zombies, and other things that go bump in the night are a regular part of society, and the government employs people to keep them in check. In this book an unidentified monster is skinning people alive or tearing them apart--it involves Incan sacrifice and sadistic humans. I was strangely fascinated but don't think I need anymore of this violence in my head.

Glory in Death by J.D. Robb (1995) -- (New author for me) Futuristic mystery, 2nd book in the In Death series; I had heard a lot of good things about this series, so I thought I would give it a try. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is a police detective in 2058 New York City searching for the serial killer of successful women in the city. The book mixes romance, mystery, & sci-fi in a successful way--the science fiction enhances the story rather than taking over the story. A good book in a series I would like to continue.

The Battle for Skandia by John Flanagan (2008) -- Juvenile fantasy, 4th book in Ranger's Apprentice series; I love this series of books! I don't care if they were written for 12 year-old boys, they have an appeal for everyone from my 8 year-old daughter to my 40 year-old husband. In this book, just as Will believes he is free from slavery to the Skandians, circumstances change, and he must fight a war on the side of the Skandians. Fantastic!

Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh (2008) -- historical romance, 4th book in Simply quartet; Claudia Martin, owner of Miss Martin's School for Girls, has given up on marriage when a marquess approaches her for help with a particular problem--a blind and illegitimate daughter. Some reviewers labeled this book "bland," but I enjoyed the gentle romance between this older couple.

Untamed by Elizabeth Lowell (1993) -- historical romance; touching Medieval story of Dominic and Meg who are thrown together by the king and learn to love each other despite it. Okay.

Car Trouble by Jeanne DuPrau (2005) -- (New author for me) YA realistic fiction; Duff Pringle, age 17, decides to drive across the country by himself to start a computer job in California. When his car breaks down, he decides to handle it himself instead of calling his parents, and that's when trouble starts. My one word for this book is...yawn. It's a simple story but not very interesting.

The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgwick (2005) -- (New author for me) YA supernatural fiction; We picked up a load of books from Scholastic that we bought for the school, and I thought I might need to preview some--I am so glad I picked up this book. At age 5, Alexandra foresaw her friend's death, and now it has happened again at age 17. As World War I breaks out, Alexandra has multiple visions and premonitions, and then she sees her brother get shot. She escapes from home disguised as a nurse and focuses on getting to her brother on the front lines. The chapters in the book countdown to 1, and Alexandra compares her visions to knowing the end of a book before you know the beginning. This haunting book addresses the female view of war and the true horror of it. With a twist at the end (or is it the beginning?), you will be glad you read this book