The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll

Started: 6/28/06
Finished: 6/28/06
Pages: 126
Year: 1962
Grade: C
Genre: Poetry
Reason for reading: booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Ever since Lewis Carroll's nonsense epic appeared in 1876 readers have joined his ten-man Snark-hunting crew and pursued the search with great enthusiasm. What are they hunting for? What is the Snark? Numerous theories have been proposed, Carroll himself provides a helpful Preface to the poem and is recorded as having explained to one reader: 'In answer to your questions, 'What did you mean the Snark was?" will you tell your friend that I meant that the Snark was a Boojum. I trust that she and you will now feel quite satisfied and happy.'
"This edition, previously published as The Annotated Snark, reproduces the original illustrations by Henry Holiday, including the suppressed Boojum drawing, Martin Gardner provides an introduction, notes and bibliography, and an Appendix contains F. C. S. Schiller's 'Commentary on the Snark' and J. A. Lindon's 'Fit the Seven-and-a-Halfth.'"
Opinion: The illustrations were great-wish that there were more. I had problem with how the footnotes were done and seemed to overtake the actual poem. Any fan of Alice in Wonderland or other Carroll works would appreciate the silliness of this children's poem.

The Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder

Started: 6/20/06
Finished: 6/28/06
Pages: 471
Year: 2004
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for My Shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "Grey is a solitary Englishwoman who comes to Japan looking for a piece of rare film footage shot during the 1937 Naking Massacre-a clip that documents an enormity beyond the reach of history books. Her quest leads her to Shi Chongmiing, a reclusive scholar who is one of the massacre's few survivors; to a crippled gangster who clings to life with the help of a mysterious elixir; and to a handsome American whose interest in her may be more sinister than romantic. Moving from decadent hostess clubs and yakuza mansions to the killing fields of the past, The Devil of Nanking is a pitch-perfect spine-chilling tour de force."
Opinion: Not as good as The Birdman but still has enjoyable moments. I like how the past storyline coincides with the current storyline. For a complete review, please look at MyShelf.com next month.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Magazine Articles by Sheree Bykofsky, Jennifer Basye Sander, and Lynne Rominger

Started 6/13/06
Finished: 6/20/06
Year: 2000
Pages: 300
Reason for reading: trying to launch my writing career
Blurb (from back cover): "You're no idiot, of course. You have a reporter's eye, a poet's touch, and you absolutely love to write. Stories, journal entries, letters to the editor-you name it, you know you can write it. But when it comes to selling your ideas to magazines, newspapers and web sites, you feel like the less said, the better. Seeing your words and wisdom printed in black and white seems like a lot more trouble than it's worth.
"Don't write yourself out just yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Magazine Articles will help you get where you belong-in print. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you get answers to all your questions:
"Who hires writers?
"What newspaper, magazine, and online editors want from freelancers-and how much they might pay for it!
"How to write effective query and pitch letters.
"How the internet can help your writing career take off"
Opinion: It was a little outdated but overall contains a lot of useful information. It's a little repetitive with other reference books that I have but the more information I have, the better it is for me.

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

Started: 6/8/06
Finished: 6/13/06
Pages: 357
Year: 1931
Genre: Literature
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "Though more than sixty years have passed since this remarkable novel won the Pulitzer Prize, it has retained its popularity and become one of the great modern classics. "I can only write what I know, and I know nothing but China, having always lioved there," wrote Pearl Buck. In The Good Earth she presents a graphic view of a China when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth century were but distant rumblings for the ordinary people. This moving, classic story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife O-lan is must reading for those who would fully appreciate the sweeping changes that have occurred in the lives of the Chinese people during this century.
"Nobel Prize winner Pearl S. Buck traces the whole cycle of life: its terrors, its passions, its ambitions and rewards. Her brilliant novel-beloved by millions of readers-is a universal talk of the destiny of man."
Opinion: Finally finished a book! The first page grabs you just because of the great writing. This is one of the award-winners that I can understand why they won the reward. A truly great book to read.

Fondling Your Muse by John Warner

Started: 6/6/06
Finished: 6/7/06
Pages: 198
Year: 2005
Genre: Humor How-to
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: inhance the writing skills
Blurb: There really isn't one on the book
Opinion: This is just a hilarious book on how to publish a New York Times bestseller. Just lots of over the top antics throughout the book. If you are interested in writing or humor-this is a book for you.

The Chocolate Bridal Bash by Joanna Carl

Started: 6/2/06
Finished: 6/6/06
Pages: 226
Year: 2006
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf
Blurb (from back cover): "Caught up in a whirl of champagne and china patterns, bride-to-be Lee McKinney has butted heads with her future mother-in-law over every detail of the wedding bash. The last thing she needs is trouble with her own mother. But this is bigger than the hot versus cold hors d'oeuvres debate: Sally McKinney doesn't even want to be at the wedding if it takes place in Warner Pier, her hometown.
"Irked that her mom might be MIA on the Big Day, Lee heads to her aunt's chocolate shop, TenHuis Chocolade, for advice. There, the bride is shocked to learn that years earlier, her mother ran away on what would have been her own wedding day-hours before her fiance was found dead, an apparent suicide. Now to smooth things over with her mother-and ease her own way down the aisle-Lee must untangle a mystery older than she is..."
Opinion: Not a bad mystery. Probably would be better if I had read it more together than reading a chapter here and there over the weekend. For a complete review, please check out MyShelf next month.

Grave's Intent by Deborah LeBlanc

Started: 5/31/06
Finished: 6/2/06
Pages: 374
Year: 2006
Genre: Horror
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "In all their years at the funeral home, Janet and Michael Savoy had never seen anything like the viewing for nineteen-year-old Thalia Stevenson. That's because they had never seen a Gypsy funeral before, complete with rituals, incantations and a very special gold coin placed beneath the dead girl's hands...
"When that coin is stolen, a horror is unleased. If the Savoys don't find the coin and return it to Thalia's grave before the rising of the second sun, someone in their family-perhaps their little daughter-will die a merciless death. The ticking away of each hour brings the Savoy family closer to a gruesome, inescapable nightmare. Only one thing is certain-Gypsies always have their revenge...even the dead ones."
Opinion: A fairly entertaining horror story-complete with suspenseful interactions between characters. I hadn't read a decent horror story in a while so I was glad to pick up this book when I did. A good read for suspense/horror fans.

Seven Ways to Lose Your Lover by Alesia Holliday

Started: 5/29/06
Finished: 5/31/06
Pages: 305
Year: 2006
Genre: Chick Lit
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for My Shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "Like so many women, Shane Madison prefers to be nice and hates confrontation. But also like a lot of women, sometimes Shane just wants a guy to hit the road, and fast. The solution: Get them to break up with her. She started honing her techniques after the first guy she dumped-way back in eleventh grade-threw a baseball bat at her car, and since then she's become a master at getting men to make the first move (in the other direction). She's even shared her secrets with girlfriends.
"But some men, it turns out, just aren't made for dumping. And Shane's kick-him-to-the-curb advice might just come back to kick her in the you-know-what when she starts dating a gorgeous new guy-who, unbeknownst to her, is out for a little revenge after his last girlfriend took Shane's advice..."
Opinion: funny, quick and enjoyable read about relationships. Also a good lesson of how to not get involved with other's lives. For a complete review, check out MyShelf.com next month.

Under Pressure by Kathy Brandt

Started: 5/24/06
Finished: 5/26/06
Pages: 259
Year: 2006
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf
Blurb (from back cover): "At 9:32 on a tropical morning, a puddle jumper takes off into the skies over Tortola. But at 9:39, not far from Detective Hannah Sampson's boat, it nose-dives into the water. Only moments later, Hannah and her partner are sixty feet below the surface, vying with reef sharks for any survivors.
"Soon Hannah plunges into an investigation. Was one of the passengers a target? And who would want to kill a planeload of Caribbean tourists? Every lead is a dead end. And as Hannah copes with a nine-year-old survivor, a shady suspect, a shaky relationship-and an approaching hurricane-she wonders if she's gotten in too deep..."
Opinion: The ending is one that truly stops and makes the reader want more. I've enjoyed Ms. Brandt's books and am looking forward to her next one. For a complete review, check out MyShelf next month.

Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Started: 5/22/06
Finished: 5/24/06
Pages: 340
Year: 1980
Genre: Classic Fiction
Grade: C
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book-trying to read some of the classics
Blurb (from back cover): "In this superb translation of the Inferno, Allen Mandelbaum brings to life for contemporary readers the first and most famous part of Dante's Divine Comedy: the poet's classic journey through the underworld. Here is Dante at his ribald, shocking, and demonic best as he describes in unforgettably vivid detail his harrowing descent to the very bottom of Hell. Filled with politics and philosophy, humor and horror, the Inferno is an epic poem at once personal and universal that provides a darkly illuminating view into our present world no less than Dante's own. For as we're led to the last circle of the Inferno we recognize the very worst in human nature...and the ever-abiding potential for redemption. Complete with an introduction and commentary, this definitive dual-language edition is unsurpassed for its clarity, beauty, and faithfulness to the original."
Opinion: Am I glad that I read this? Yes and no. I can now say that I read it but wouldn't read it again. Will I attempt to grab the other two parts of the Divine Comedy? Maybe, certainly not anytime soon. I have too many other books to read (approximately 1700). Would I recommend it? Only to people who are trying to read the classics or enjoyed the other main epic poems out there.

Congo by Michael Crichton

Started: 5/19/06
Finished: 5/22/06
Pages: 313
Year: 1980
Genre: Fiction
Grade: C
Reason for reading: pulled it off the TBR shelf (probably from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "Deep in the darkest region of the Congo, a field expedition dies mysteriously and brutally in a matter of minutes...
"At the Houston-based Earth Resources Technology Services, Inc., a shocked supervisor watches a gruesome video transmission of that illfated team-and sees the grainy, moving image of a dark, blurred shape...
"In San Francisco, an extraordinary gorilla named Amy, who has a 620 'sign' vocabulary, may hold the secret to that fierce carnage. Immediately, a new expedition is sent to the Congo, descending into a world where the only way out may be through the grisliest death..."
Opinion: Eh. I could have left it and I would have been fine. I haven't seen the movie and I have no plans on to. It will probably be a while until I pick up another Crichton book.

Weight Loss that Lasts by Dr. James, M. Rippe and Weight Watchers

Started: 5/18/06
Finished: 5/19/06
Pages: 222
Year: 2005
Genre: Self-Help Health
Grade: B
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book and WW member
Blurb (from back cover): In this book, renowned expert Dr. James Rippe and Weight Watchers give you the scientific knowledge you need to break through the myths, get off the dieting roller coaster, and shed those pounds for keeps.
"Myth 1: You can lose weight and keep it off
"Myth 2: A few extra pounds don't matter
"Myth 3: Willpower is the key to successful weight loss
"Myth 4: You can lose weight with exercise alone
"Myth 5: Calories don't matter-avoid fats and carbs to lose weight successfully
"Myth 6: You can't lose weight if you have the wrong metabolism or genes
"Myth 7: You can boost your metabolism by what, how and when you eat
"Myth 8: It doesn't matter how you take the weight off; you can think about keeping it off later
"Myth 9: There is only on right approach to losing weight
"Myth 10: Your weight is your problem, and you need to solve it on your own."
Opinion: As a WW member, I know the truth behind the myths but it was helpful to have them reinforced in black and white. What was nice about this book is that becoming a WW member was not stressed in the book. Sure it had testimonials from WW members but it wasn't stated that WW is the only weight loss program that works and that it helpful and allows for a mass audience to read the book. People who are attempting to lose weight and are struggling should pick up a copy of this book.

The Husband by Dean Koontz

Started: 5/16/06
Finished: 5/18/06
Pages: 400
Year: 2006
Genre: Suspense
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: asked to review for My Shelf, plus he's my favorite author
Blurb (from back cover): "We have your wife. You can get her back for two million cash. On an ordinary afternoon, an ordinary man gets a phone call out of his worst nightmare. The caller is dead serious. He doesn't care that Mitch can't raise that kind of money. He's confident that Mitch will find a way. If he loves his wife enough...
"Mitch does love her enough. He loves her mrore than life itself. He's got sixty hours to prove it. He has to find the two million by then. But he'll pay a lot more. He'll pay anything.
"From its tense opening to its shattering climax. The Husband is a thriller that will hold you in its relentless grip for every twist, every shock every revelation. This is a Dean Loontz novel, after all. And ther's no other experience quite like it."
Opinion: Koontz is back. Awesome book. Lots of great twists and turns. Definitely keeps the reader entertained. I certainly didn't want to the book to end. A definite.

Deadly Medicine by Kelly Moore and Dan Reed

Started: 5/10/06
Finished: 5/16/06
Pages: 545
Year: 1988
Genre: True Crime
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the shelf (probably from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "One morning in September 1982, Chelsea McClellan-a charming, healthy blue-eyed baby-was brought to Dr. Kathleen Holland's pediatric clinic in Kerrville, Texas, for routine immunizations. Three hours later, Chelsea was dead of apparent heart failure. Her death sparked an investigation into a rash of over thirty infant deaths that would rock the Texas medical establishment-and chill the hearts of loving parents across the nation.
"Based on exhaustive research and interviews, here is the complete, unbelievable story of nurse Genere Jones-an icy, calculating killer fatally addicted to the thrill of a "Code Blue" emergency; of the unsuspecting doctor who employed her and would help reveal the terrible truth other professionals chose to ignore; and of the spectacular trial that would finally bring to justice a murderer who even now insists she is innocent."
Opinion: Finally finished this in the midst of my birthday celebration. I would have finished this around my usual pace if I didn't take time off from work for my birthday. I'm a fan of true crime basically because it just amazes me what people could do. This book again amazes me that a nurse, who's a mother and loves children, could do what she was convicted of doing. The book reads as an extensive research book and you can tell that it was based on lots of research. Given the amount of research conducted by the authors, I feel that this is a good true crime read.

Taming Blackhawk by Barbara McCauley

Started: 5/9/06
Finished: 5/9/06
Pages: 187
Year: 2002
Genre: Romance (Silhouette Desire)
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "He could tame any wild mustang-but no woman had come close to taming Rand Blackhawk. Yet one lady spitfire dared enter the arena with the tantalizing Texas maverick. Socialite Grace Sullivan desperately needed Rand's expertise, but she didn't figure her pleas to save a herd of horses would lead to a world of sensual self-discovery in Rand's strong arms. He branded her as his own, taking her virginity one powerful night and searing her guarded soul. but when their mission ended, would Grace be forced to release her untamable Blackhawk...or could she hold her unbridled lover forever?"
Opinion: I needed something light and silly and this fit the bill. Well developed sex scenes with a nice typical romantic ending. Glad that I read it at the time that I did.

The Writer's Guide to Magazine Markets: Fiction by Karen Krieger and Helen Rosengren Freedman

Started: 5/5/06
Finished: 5/9/06
Pages: 306
Year: 1983
Genre: How-to
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: getting information on where to send my writings
Blurb (from back cover): "To have a short story published, you need more than talent. You have to make sure your work goes to a magazine that is receptive to its style and content. Now one unique, all-inclusive guide tells you:
"The names and addresses of 125 magazines that welcome fiction, ranging from mass market to specialized interest to literary.
"Individualized profiles of every magazine, including what each is looking for; what and when it pays; how responsive it is to new writers; how it reads and judges manuscripts; how fast it decides and how fully it comments.
"The best way to prepare and submit your manuscript.
"The uses of agents and how to get one.
"Fascinating interviews with editors and agents who offer invaluable inside information.
"How to negotiate financial terms and rights.
"Literary awards, grants, contests, and much more."
Opinion: As an aspiring writer, I'm always looking at which markets might be receptive to my work. I received this book through paperbackswap.com and decided to read it sooner than later. I've also read the 2006 Writer's Guide so I'll be comparing the two and start submitting my writing so I can hopefully succeed on trying to get something published.

The Cane Mutiny by Tamar Myers

Started: 5/4/06
Finished: 5/5/06
Pages: 355
Year: 2006
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Abigail Timberlake Washburn understands the antiques game is a gamble-so she doesn't know what to expect when she wins the bidding for the contents of an old locker that has been sealed up for years. It's a delightful surprise when she discovers inside a collection of exquisite old walking sticks-and a not-so-delightful one when she pulls out a decrepit gym bag containing...a human skull!
"The last thing the diminutive South Carolina antiques dealer needs is to be suspected of foul play. So she grabs her chatty assistant (and future sister-in-law), C.J., and heads out to search for a killer they can stick it to. but this cane case will be no walk in the park-with its arcane clues hinting at poaching, counterfeiting, smuggling...and homicide, of course. And when a fresh corpse turns up, things are about to get really sticky for Abby and her staff of one."
Opinion: Throughout the book, the Southern sarcasm was distracting and not necessarily funny. Some authors have great sarcastic characters and I just didn't feel that Abby was one of them. Other than that, the mystery contained a lot of twists and turns to different suspects and that made the book very enjoyable. For a more complete review, check out MyShelf.com

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Started: 5/3/06
Finished: 5/4/06
Pages: 320
Year: 1959
Genre: Classic literature
Grade: C
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book-I'm trying to read the classics that I was never forced to read in school.
Blurb (from back cover): "There are few more convincing, less sentimental accounts of passionate love than Wuthering Heights. This is the story of a savage, tormented foundling, Heathcliff, who falls wildly in love with Catherine Earnshaw, the daughter of his benefactor, and the violence and misery that result from their thwarted longing for each other. A book of immense power and strength, it is filled with the raw beauty of the moors and an uncanny understanding of the terrible truths about men and women-an understanding made even more extraordinary by the fact that it came from the heart of a frail, inexperienced girl who lived out her lonely life in the mooland wildness and died a year after this great novel was published."
Opinion: I never had to read this in high school and I think that I'm thankful for that. I'm still trying to figure out why the story continued after Catherine's death. I assume that it's to show the impact on her daughter's life and there definitely was an impact. I'm glad that I read this and now I can check it off the classic read list and move onto the next one.

To Catch a Cook by Joanne Pence

Started: May 1, 2006
Finished: May 2, 2006
Pages: 309
Year: 2000
Genre: Mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Between her latest "sure-fire" foray into the food industry-video restaurant reviews-and her concern over boyfriend Homicide Detective Paavo Smith's depressed state, Angie Amalfi's plate is full to overflowing. Paavo has never come to terms with the fact that his mother abandoned him when he was four, leaving behind only an antique brooch to remember her by. But when the bauble vanishes, the jeweler who was repairing it is murdered, and Paavo's surrogate father is critically wounded by a would-be burglar, Paavo decides it's time to discover the truth about his errant parent's life and mysterious disappearance. And whenever gourmet chef/eager sluth Angie smells a tasty mystery cooking, she simply can't stay out of the kitchen-even though this spicy case could be a recipe for disaster for Angie and her policeman beau."
Opinion: I had forgotten to post this book earlier. It seemed like it would be a great book but then as I read it, it seemed like everything was just combined with no connections between charachers or plot. The book focuses on Angie and not necessarily on the fact that Paavo wanted to search for the truth of his parents. Still a good mystery as the case is not solved and is not easily predictable. For a more complete review, check out MyShelf.com

Getting Zack Back by Daphne Atkeson

Started: 5/2/06
Finished: 5/3/06
Pages: 173
Year: 1998
Genre: Romance
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the shelf (received through bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "Zack Stone throught that Allison Jenson was a knockout...until she knocked him right off his racing bycycle and landed him in the hospital. Allison didn't even know that he'd been injured-until the pretty nurse realized just who her new patient was!
"The famous Jenson Jinx must be kicking into high gear, and she's sure that the freewheeling lawyer won't want anything to do with her. And what if he sues?
"Zack has other plans. Allison's healing touch is just what the doctor ordered-and her tender loving care is melting his heart..."
Opinion: I enjoyed it while reading it but as I write this, I'm thinking-eh. It's the debut for Ms. Atkeson and I hope that she has written more. She has a talent with writing but this book is simply that-a debut. Overall, I'm glad I read it. The relationship between Zack and Allison was too predictable but still believable.

Classic Ghost Stories Edited by Bill Bowers

Started: 4/27/06
Finished: 5/1/06
Pages: 385
Year: 2003
Genre: Suspense
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: Booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Eighteen spine-chilling tales of terror and the supernatural. Stories of ghosts and the supernatural remain among the most enduring tales in all of the world literature. Why? Because they're so much fun!
"Classic Ghost Stories is a chilling collection of the very best tales of mystery and imagination ever created, from some of the finest writers who ever put pen to paper. Here are stores of terrifying appartitions, ghastly murders, morbid obsessions, haunted houses, talking corpses, supernatural retribution, eerie coincidences, grave robbers, and more."
Opinion: To be honest, while reading these stories, my mind was elsewhere. I ordered this on booksfree because I'm a fan of some of the authors (Poe, Kipling, Stevenson, Conrad, Wells). Definitely worth taking a look if you're a fan of ghost stories.

The World's Greatest Athlete by Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso

Started: 4/27/06
Finished: 4/27/06
Pages: 142
Year: 1973
Genre: Disney children's book
Grade: C-
Reason for reading: grabbed off the shelf (from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "All the Merrivale teams have done is lose...and lose...and lose. Coach Sam Archer and his assistant, Milo Jackson, try desperately to think of something-anything-they can do to bring back the sweet smell of victory. Then one day, in Africa, they see Nanu, a boy of the jungle, race against a cheetah...and win. They are ecstatic. The answer to all their prayers!
"Back at Merrivale Nanu proves to be everything they prayed for-no one can surpass the new records he sets. Until the day the witch doctor who is Nanu's guardian shows up. Gazenga is plenty mad at the two coaches for taking Nanu away from home and friends. And when Gazenga is mad, look out! Poor Archer, poor Milo, and poor, poor, Nanu. What happens to them shouldn't happen to a dog!"
Opinion: If the writing in the blurb is any indication of the book-then you can guess why I gave it what I gave it. It's fitting for children but not for adults unless you actually remember the movie that the book is based on. I do remember the movie, and disliking it and the book reemphasized the dislike.

All U Can Eat by Emma Holly

Started: 4/27/06
Finished: couldn't

Due to missing pages, I was not able to finish this book. I had originally got it to review for My Shelf but due to the erotic nature of the book, something which My Shelf does not review, I will not be completing this book.

Understanding Your Immune System by Eve Potts and Marion Morra

Started: 4/26/06
Finished: 4/27/06
Pages: 205
Year: 1986
Genre: Health
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the shelf (from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "All around us are tiny invisible enemies...dangerous, deadly, ever alert to the body's weaknesses. But nature has provided us with an amazing mechanism called the IMMUNE SYSTEM to protect us from these continuous threats to our well-being. Now, UNDERSTANDING YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM will show you how to build and protect your body's essential defese system to ensure good health.
"Understand how an extraordinary network of cells and organs mobilize to seek out and destroy hostile invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and tumor cells.
"Be aware of the role nutrition plays in a strong immune system.
"Discover how vitamins and minerals can help you build immune power.
"Identify the common substances that can weaken your immune system.
"Learn how genetics, aging, and lifestyle affect your immune system.
"Find out how stress and your emotions can determine how well your immune system works.
"Learn the results of the latest research on AIDS."
Opinion: Full of information, much of it still relevant after 20 years of research. Easy language that most everyone will be able to understand.

Fine-Feathered Death by Linda O. Johnston

Started: 4/25/06
Finished: 4/26/06
Pages: 261
Year: 2006
Genre: Mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for My Shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "Kendra Ballantyne, Esq., is flying high. Her license to practice law has been rightfully restored. She's dating the foxiest P.I. in all of L.A. And best of all, since she moonlights as a pet-sitter, she gets to see her furry best friends every day. And these cuddly clients beat out her cranky two-legged ones, paws-down...
"To earn a much-needed feather in her cap, Kendra must work closely on a new case with law partner Ezra Cossner. But things stop short when he's found murdered in his office. The only witness is of the avian persuasion-and Gigi, Ezra's blue macaw, can only say her own name and sing '99 Bottles of Beer.' The list of suspects grows and grows, and whodunit nobody knows-unless Kendra can get Gigi to change her tune..."
Opinion: I wish that there was more animal involvement in solving the mystery but still a good read. For a complete review, check out My Shelf.

Hideaway by Dean Koontz

Started: 4/24/06
Finished: 4/25/06
Pages: 413
Year: 1992
Genre: Horror/Thriller/Suspense
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book, favorite author
Blurb (from inside page): "He was clinically dead after the accident-but was miraculously revived. Now Hatch Harrison and his wife, Lindsey, approach each day with a new appreciation of life...shadowed by his glimpse of death.
"Something has come back from the other side. A terrible presence that links Hatch's mind to a dangerous psychotic. A dark force of murderous rage that hides within us all..."
Opinion: I love Koontz and haven't really been disappointed by any of his books. My mother introduced me to him with Watchers. Several of his books do follow the good vs. evil general plot but does add interesting twists and turns. This edition has the newer afterword which talks about how people have hated this book and the reasons of why. I found that interesting and tried to not laugh about the irony of those letters. And, of course, any author who loves goldens is an A+ in my book.

Forging the Darksword by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman

Started: 4/21/06
Finished: 4/24/06
Pages: 391
Year: 1987
Genre: Fantasy
Grade: C
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the shelf (from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "In the enchanted realm of Merilon, magic is life.
"Born without magical abilities and denied his birthright, Joram is left for dead. Yet he grows to manhood in a remote country village, hiding his lack of powers only through constant vigilance and ever more skillful sleight-of-hand.
"Forced to kill a man in self-defense, Joram can keep his secret from the townspeaople no longer; he has no magic, no life. Fleeing to the Outlands, Joram joins the outlawed Technologists, who practice the long forbidden arts of science. Here he meets the scholarly catalyst Saryon, who has been sent on a special mission to hunt down a mysterious "dead man" and instead finds himself in a battle of wits and power with a renegade warlock of the dark Duuk-tsarith caste."
"Together, Joram and Saryon begin their quest toward a greater destiny-a destiny that begins with the discovery of the secret books that will enable them to overthrow the evil usurper Blachloch...and forge the powerful magic-absorbing Darksword."
Opinion: Anyone who knows me knows that I usually despise fantasy books. However, this one was okay-certainly not the best but I didn't end up throwing it across the subway while reading it.

Flesh Gothic by Edward Lee

Started: 4/20/06
Finished: 4/21/06
Pages: 404
Year: 2004
Genre: Horror
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "Hildreth House isn't like other mansions. One warm night in early spring, fourteen people entered Hildreth House's labyrinthine halls to partake in diabolical debauchery. When the orgy was over, the slaughter began. The next morning, thirteen of the revelers were found naked and butchered. Dismembered. Mutilated. But the fourteenth body was never found.
"The screams have faded and the blood has dried, but the house remains...watching. Now five very special people have dared to enter the infamous house of horrors. Who-or what-awaits them? And who will live to tell Hildreth House's ghastly secrets?"
Opinion: It's been a while since I've read a horror novel and this was a good one. It reminded me a lot of The House on Haunting Hill by Shirley Jackson but with a lot more sex. And not the sweet romantic lovemaking. Just down and dirty sex. For some, they won't be able to get past the sex scenes. I could see some throwing the book purely based on the sex but it's needed in this book. A smooth flowing book.

Aspects of Love by David Garnett

Started: 4/18/06
Finished: 4/20/06
Pages: 182
Year: 1955, renewed 1983
Genre: Fiction
Grade: C
Reason for reading: pulled it off the shelf (received in bookbox)
Blurb (from jacket): "This novel of unusual charm, style and feeling, first published in 1955, speaks pointedly to us today as it considers, with a wicked delicacy, the rival claims of youth and age in the arenas of love-love changing, maturing, coming full circle.
"The time is the mid-twentieth century. In a society still sunlit and amply furnished with champagne and a virtually shockproof decorum, the lives of four people intersect. Two are young: Alexis, an English soldier-passionate and penniless-and Rose, a beautiful French actress who is, for a while, his lover. Another is old, a poet, a baronet and extremely attractive. He is Alexis' uncle, Sir George Dillingham, whom Rose will marry. Their child is Jenny, who will fall in love with Alexis. These loves, these desires, these tangled emotions flower and flower again in patterns constantly surprising, in a novel that is a rear delight to read-as it is to see in its theatrical incarnation, Andrew Lloyd Webber's first musical work since The Phantom of the Opera."
Opinion: You can take it and you can leave it. I wasn't thrilled by the read. I can see why it would make a good play, if not musical, but eh, not that great to read.

The Best of Me by Tina Wainscott

Started: 4/17/06
Finished: 4/18/06
Pages: 217
Year: 2002
Genre: Romance (Harlequin Temptation)
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: grabbed off the shelf (purchased)
Blurb (from back cover): "Lucy Donovan has always subscribed to the finer things in life. That is, until a fateful trip to the Bahamas and an even more fateful encounter with the sexy, cynical Chris Maddox. His take on the world leaves her speechless. So does his gorgeous body. Lucy knows he brings out the best in her, but can she give everything up for him? For them?
"Chris Maddox is totally amazed by the incredible woman who keeps surprising him at every turn. Lucy is unlike anyone he's ever met, and she's the only one who's ever really gotten to him. He's not just taken with her beauty and sophistication-it's the woman inside that's captivated him. Chris knows she brings out the best in him, but can he ask her for all and let them risk having nothing instead?"
Opinion: Almost any story with rescueing dolphins deserves a high grade from me-this coming from the marine mammalogist side of me. It also pleased me that Chris and Lucy were shown as a team instead of always butting heads with each other. The sex scenes are not over the top and the romance is well developed-another plus.

White Noise by Don DeLillo

Started 4/15/06
Finished: 4/17/06
Pages: 310
Year: 1985
Genre: Literature
Grade: C
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from jacket): " A brilliant satire of mass culture and the numbing effects of technology, White Noise tells the story of Jack Gladney, a teacher of Hitler studies at a liberal arts college in Middle America. Jack and his fourth wife, Babette, bound by their love, fear of death, and four ultramodern offspring, navigate the rocky passages of family life to the background babble of brand-name consumerism. Then a lethal black chemical cloud, unleashed by an industrial accident, floats over their lives, an "airborne toxic event" that is a more urgent and visible version of the white noise engulfing the Gladneys-the radio transmissions, sirens, microwaves, and TV murmurings that constiture the music of American magic and dread."
Opinion: I'm not a fan of satires and I'm not even sure why I chose this book on booksfree. This book jumped around a lot and didn't make a lot of sense overall. The white noise that the Gladneys, along with the rest of the world, especially America, is constantly brought up in the writing and makes sense in looking at the first line of the jacket.

Introduction to Forensic Psychology by Bruce A. Arrigo

Started: several years ago (was lost for awhile during moves)
Finished: 4/14/06
Pages: 338
Year: 2000
Genre: Non-fiction/text book/forensic psychology
Grade: A
Reason for reading: always been interested in forensics
Blurb (from back cover): "Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Issues and Controversies in Crime and Justice is an original approach to understanding how psychologists impact the research, practive, and policy of crime, law, and justice. Written specifically for students, lay professionals, and practitioners, the text systematically examines police, court, and correctional aspects of forensic psychology. By further subdiving the text into the adult, juvenile, family and civil components of forensic psychology, the author brings the interdependence and overlap among these dimensions and the three board thematic areas themselves into sharp, clear, and compelling focus. Contained within each of the 12 substantive chapters are series of timely issues or controversies that provocatively capture the significance of these relationships. Selected topics include incarceration of the mentally ill, the police as mediators in prison, competency to stand trial, treatment refusal rights, police stress and suicide, and sex offender treatment."
Opinion: I love the format of this book which is described above. This book contains a lot of information including research topics that should be looked into. I'm almost curious information to see if there is an updated version and to compare the findings and research topics still needed. It also has me thinking about entering forensic psychology or law as it's always been an interest of mine.

The Mercy Room by Gilles Rozier

Started: 4/11/06
Finished: 4/12/06
Pages: 147
Year: 2003/translated 2005
Genre: fiction
Grade: C
Reason for reading: to review for My Shelf
Blurb (from book jacket): "In a small town in occupied France, a teacher of German is recruited by the Gestapo to translate sensitive documents. Every week, waiting for the net assignment, the teacher must sit for hours outside the commandant's office as prisoners are led past. Some are strangers; others are friends and neighbors known for a lifetime. It is ofter difficult to avoid eye contact, to keep from reacting, as men and women are taken to detention cells and then to the covered trucks that wait outside.
"One day, a strikingly handsome Jewish soldier is among the prisoners, and a spark is ignited. In an unprecedented act of boldness, the teacher saves the doomed man from the Gestapo and hides him in a secret room in the cellar. Here begins an extraordiary and shattering affair in which two bodies and two antagonistic languages, Yiddish and German, are magnetically attracted."
Opinion: Because of the translation, I feel that something is missing. Not sure what but it jumps around. For a more complete review check mine out on My Shelf next month.

White Hot by Sandra Brown

Started: 4/7/06
Finished: 4/11/06
Pages: 579
Year:2004
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Grade: B
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "When her younger brother, Danny, commits suicide, Sayre Lynch breaks her vow never to return to her Louisiana hometown, and gets drawn back into her tyrannical father's web. He and her older brother-who control the town's sole industry, an iron foundry-are as corrupt as ever. Worse, they have hired a shrewd and disarming new lawyer, Beck Merchant...a man with his own agenda. When the police determine that Dannys suicide was actually a homicide, Sayre must battle her family-and her passionate feelings for Beck-as she confronts a powder keg of old hatreds, past crimes, and a surprising plan of revenge."
Opinion: When I reflect back on this book, I'm amazed at the number of pages and then wonder if it would have been able to be smaller without losing anything. My answer to that is no. Despite it's size, this book is one of the better romantic suspense novels that I've read. Great mixture of mystery and romance. And neither is compromised by the other.

22 Indigo Place by Sandra Brown

Started: 4/6/06
Finished: 4/7/06
Pages: 200
Year: 1986
Genre: Romance
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR shelf (from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "To beautiful Laura Nola, the mansion on Indigo Place wasn't just a home-it was her life's passion. Now old family debts were forcing her to sell and, much to her surprise, James Paden was the prospective buyer. Once the high school bad boy, he'd been too dangerous to flirt with, but too gorgeous to ignore. Now he was all man, and he still had the devastating power to seduce Laura's senses, to make her shiver with emotions she dared not confess...
"Years ago, James Paden skipped town, leaving behind Saturday-night drag races for the thrill of the professional race circuit. He'd burned rubber in the fast lane of beautiful women and big money, but now he's back, a millionaire tycoon with a dream-to lay claim to 22 Indigo Place and its alluring owner. In his mind Laura had always been the girl he couldn't have, the rich man's daugher for whom he'd never be good enough...until that moonlit night when the fierce touch of his lips branded her forever his..."
Opinion: There hasn't been a Sandra Brown book that I have enjoyed for some reason. My only problem with this one is that James and Laura never admitted their true feelings until the end-something that just wasn't realistic. Other than that, the romance between the two was good-especially with James's secret.

The Prince's Cowboy Double by Victoria Chancellor

Started: 4/5/06
Finished: 4/6/06
Pages: 248
Year: 2003
Genre: Romance (Harlequin American Romance)
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: taken off the TBR bookcase (purchased)
Blurb (from back cover): "When the Prince of Belegovia deserted his royal tour of Texas to take an impromptu holiday with a blond waitress, his PR coordinator needed to do some serious damage control. Desperate, prim-and-proper Lady Gwendolyn Reed hired rodeo star Hank McCauley-a dead ringer for the roaming royal-to stand in until the prince's return. But would Lady Gwendolyn be able to tame this willful Texan into the picture of dutiful decorum? Or would Hank seduce the stunning aristocrat into letting down her hair...and more?"
Opinion: Despite it's predictabilty, the love story between Hank and Lady Wendy was endearing and showed how two people can really become a working team and do it well. Sweet story where the sex was not the focus.

Undercover Lovers by Julie Kenner

Started: 4/5/06
Finished: 4/5/06
Pages: 217 pages
Year: 2002
Genre: Romance (Harlequin Temptation)
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Grabbed it off the TBR shelf (might have actually bought)
Blurb (from back cover): "That's exactly what FBI agent Tori Lowell is afraid of. Especially after she learns that he first undercover assignment will involve going into a sex resort, posing as the wife of her longtime nemesis-and nightly fantasy-gorgeous Carter Sinclair. Which wouldn't be so bad, except that, years ago, she'd almost made it into Carter's bed. And she's afraid that once she gets there, she won't be able to leave...
"After years of undercover work, all Carter Sinclair wants is a little peace. But when his final assignment pairs him wiht Tori, he decides to go for one last fling, too! The sexy brunette has had him tied up in knots since they were both cadets. And now, given their new "marital" status. Carter can enjoy his "husbandly" rights until Tori's out of his system, once and for all. Little does he guess that this "marriage" was meant to last..."
Opinion: great passionate sex scenes-Scott's in trouble.

Love Me to Death by Steve Jackson

Started: 4/4/06
Finished: 4/5/06
Pages: 302
Year: 2002
Genre: true crime
Grade: B+
Blurb (from back cover): "Those were the words of William Lee "Cody" Neal, 43, to Angela Fite on July 5, 1998, after luring the pretty 28-year-old to the Denver, Colorado townhouse he'd turned into a den of torture and slaughter. With twisted pleasure, he showed her two dead female bodies on the floor and a third, live one-naked, gagged and bound, and spread-eagled on a mattress.
"Neal, who called himself "WIld Bill Cody," was seductive and skillful at separating love-struck women from their money, and ultimately, their lives, 43-year-old divorcee Rebecca Holberton let Neal move into her townhouse and "loaned" him $70,000. On June 30, 1998, he repaid her by crushing her skull with an ax and wrapping her in plastic. On Friday, July 3, he brought another girlfriend, Candace Walters, 48, to the townhouse, clubbing her to death and desecrating the body. On Sunday, yet another acquaintance, Suzanne Scott, 21, watched helplessly as Angela Fite was murdered by Neal, who then sodomized and raped his bound captive.
"Apprehended by police, Neal, who proclaimed himself better than Ted Bundy, insisted on representing himself at the trial. Though the evidence against him was overwhelming, it was the testimony of Suzanne, who had survived Neal's unspeakable torture, that finally put this monster on Colorado's death row."
Opinion: Fairly interesting true crime story. Had lots of court involvement which was interesting since Neal represented himself. A good read that kept my attention during a long commute.

The Diet Code by Stephen Lanzalotta

Started: 4/3/06
Finished: 4/4/06
Pages: 348
Year: 2006
Genre: Health
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from jacket cover): "As master baker and craftsman, Stephen Lanzalotta had been applying the mathematical principles of the Golden Ratio for more than twenty years. His realization that this ancient, universal formula, used by Da Vinci and other great geniuses of the renaissance, also held the secret to optimal nutrition and health led him to apply it to his own diet and the menu at his popular cafe. The weight loss and sense of wellbeing that he and his customers experienced convinced him that he had cracked the diet code, discovering a simple, natural, and nutritious approach to healthy eating that is as easy as 1, 2, 3.
"His revolutionary Mediterranean-style eating program uses the Golden Ratio to link the proper proportions of everyday foods to boost metabolism and spark weight loss. Combining a three-phase eating program with detailed menu plans, mouthwater recipes, Renaissance lore, and Italian-inspired lifestyle advice, The Diet Code is a unique health and weight loss program from the ages for the ages."
Opinion: What I like best about this diet plan is that life style changes is what is emphasized not just another quick weight loss program. For a more complete review, check out MyShelf.com next month.

The Cowboy and the Cossack by Merline Lovelace

Started: 3/30/06
Finished: 4/3/06
Pages: 250
Year: 1995
Genre: Romance (Harlequin Intimate Moments)
Grade: C
Reason for reading: taken off the TBR shelf (from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "Alexandra Jordan was hardly thrilled to be appointed leader of her late grandfather's ancient Russian tribe, but she had to help her people, who were long on troubles and short on everything else, especially weapons-and men! So when Omega Agent Nate Sloan showed up, allegedly to deliver a champion stallion, Alexandra couldn't help but be suspicious-even though she was as aware of his charms as any of her love-starved tribe mates...
"Nate was after Alexandra, all right-for the crucial nuclear coding device she had in her possession. But as the Wyoming rancher-turned-agent found himself increasingly mesmerized by Alexandra, he began to wonder if the key to her people's future was all she held in her delicate hands..."
Opinion: Very aveage and no real passion felt between Alexandra and Nate. The way that the women in the Russian tribe acted towards Nate was horrible-just flirty and hooker-like-totally turned me off.

Depraved by John Glatt

Started 3/29/06
Finished: 3/30/06
Pages: 241
Date: 2001
Genre: True Crime
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "John Edward Robinson was a 56-year old grandfather from rural Kansas. An entrepreneur and Eagle Scout, he was even honored as "Man of the Year" at a Kansas City charity. But police say that to some of the women he met on the internet, he was known as Slavemaster-a sexual deviate with a taste for sadomasochistic rituals of extreme domination and torture.
"Masquerading as a philanthropist, he promised women money and adventure, snaring them into his web. They were never seen again. But in the summer of 2000, the decomposed remains of two women were discovered in barrels on Robinson's farm, and three other bodies were found in storage units. Yet, according to authorities, the depths of Robinson's bloodlust didn't end there. An unspeakable criminal trail was just beginning...
"Depreaved takes you into the mind of a new kind of serial killer, and gives you the full, explosive, headline-making story to reveal a shocking tale of grisly murder."
Opinion: There was much to Robinson's trial which is more of what I enjoy reading when I read true crime novels. This one was enjoyable none the less. It was interesting how people can fall for others when they are down on their luck. As for the sadomasochism-not a lot was really talked about-only some clips of emails that were passed among "master and slave."

Dark Obession by Valerie Marsh

Started: 3/29/06
Finished: 3/29/06
Pages: 189
Date: 1985
Genre: Romance (Harlequin Presents)
Grade: D
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile (from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "Fran coludn't remember a time when she hadn't loved Grant, and over the years the wild longings she'd felt for him as a reckless adolescent had intensified and grown. First love had endured.
"Yet she was hesitant when they met again in London. "It's madness, and you're crazy if you agree." Grant warned her, "but let's get married and sort out the rest afterward!"
"If only he'd said he loved her, Fran might not have been so acutely sensitive to every reminder of his first wife...and how much she resembled her."
Opinion: Fran was such a pain in the ass type of weak female character that I can't stand reading in romances. The relationship between Fran and Grant was nonexistant. There was no real connection between them. The only reason why I didn't rate it an F was because I actually finished the book-that's what happens when you're stuck on a stalled subway.

Honeymoon Hotline by Christine Rimmer

Started: 3/28/06
Finished: 3/29/06
Pages: 249
Date: 1996
Genre: Romance (Silhouette Special Edition)
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile (from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "Nevada Jones was used to dispensing advice to the lovelorn-only, this time it was clearly a case of physician, heal thyself! Because even though she'd long ago decided that love was only for other people, hard-driving Chase McQuaid was the one man she'd never been able to forget.
"Chase McQuaid was used to getting what he wanted-and sassy, redheaded talk-show host Nevada Jones definitely fell into that category. Now if only he could conveince her to get off the airwaves...and into his arms!"
Opinion: Typical Harlequin/Silhouette. Quick read. Enjoyable sex scenes. But I could have also left it and not picked it up to read. Something to pass away my time on my long commute.

Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson

Started: 3/27/06
Finished: 3/28/06
Pages: 349
Date: 1970
Genre: Romance
Grade: C
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile (from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "Ramona blushed as the handsome young Indian Alessandro looked upon her with favor. A great, star-crossed love was born. But the adopted daughter of Senora Moreno was defying the custom of her people. Her forbidden love would drive her from place to place with Alessandro until tragedy would strike and Ramona would at last come to an understanding of herself."
Opinion: I liked the fact that Ramona was a well-developed strong female character. The romance between Ramona and Alessandro took a while to become believable but it did come together. Not many stories deal with Native Americans and the struggles that they have had to deal with. This does and does in a fair way. It doesn't totally dwell on the struggles-only discusses it when it affects the families of Ramona and Alessandro. Overall, an average read.

Tender Rebel by Johanna Lindsey

Started: 3/24/06
Finished: 3/27/06
Pages: 372 pages
Date: 1988
Genre: Historical Romance
Grade: C-
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile (probably from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "Flame-haired Scottish heiress Roslynn Chadwick needs the safety of marriage to protect her from an unscrupulous cousin-and every other fortune-hunting scoundrel who covets her wealth and exquisite beauty.
"Anthony Malory is everything Roslynn had been warned against-a ruthless, irresistibly handsome English rogue whose sensual blue eyes speak of pleasures beyond imagining.
"How Roslynn wishes she dared to love such a man-to believe his whispered passionate promises...and to follow and enchanting dream to unexplored heights of rapturous surrender."
Opinion: Again, not a big fan of historical romances. This one Roslynn is characterized as a weak woman and I don't like women being characterized as weak. And I don't care what time period it is. The passion between Anthony and Roslynn was good however.

The Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul by Jack Canfield, etal

Started: 3/23/06
Finished: 3/24/06
Pages: 393
Date: 2005
Genre: Nonfiction
Grade: A
Reason for reading: received as part of a paperbackswap.com trade and I love dogs
Blurb (from back cover): "For thousands of years, dogs have been cherished as devoted companions and exuberant playmates-their unconditional love, limitless affection and unwavering loyalty never fail to melt our hearts. The stories in Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul truly capture the special joy these four-legged creatures bring to our lives and hearts.
"The family that learns the true meaning of Christmas when their Lab needs medical care during the holidays.
"The intimidating Doberman who becomes a loving mother to an orphaned duckling.
"The homeless man whose life is changed when he meets a special dog.
"The pocket-size assistance dog who dials 9-1-1.
"The crafty beagle-mix with the munchies who helps himself from the refrigerator...and many more unforgettable canine characters.
"From exciting and entertaining accounts of courage and humor to heartwarming tales of healing and learning, each touching story in this book will inspire dog lovers to rejoice in the unique bond they share with their canine companions."
Opinion: Another great Chicken Soup for the Soul book. I absolutely love dogs and have always wanted one so many of these stories were inspiring. Several of them also made me cry-not something that you really want to do on a NYC subway but cried I did. Stories about unconditional love. Just a great read.

State of Fear by Michael Crichton

Started: 3/21/06
Finished: 3/23/06
Pages: 640
Date: 2004
Genre: Fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "In Paris, a young physicist performs an oceanographic experiment-then dies mysteriously after a romantic tryst with a beautiful stranger.
"In the jungles of Malaysia, powerful hypersonic cavitation technology-capable of toppling mountains with sound-is purchased by a private interest for an unspecified purpose.
"In Vancouver, a businessman leases a small research submarine for use in the waters off New Guinea.
"In Tokyo, in Los Angeles, in Antarctica, in the Solomon Islands...an intelligence agent races to put all the pieces together to prevent a global catastrophe."
Opinion: Pretty good book from the creator of ER (a show that I used to watch religiously). Certain parts are suspenseful. I like how Mr. Crichton interlocked fiction with global warming research. It makes the book even more scary to think that the major events that were being tried, could actually happen. Overall, a good read.

Victory by Yabo Yablonsky

Started: 3/20/06
Finished: 3/21/06
Pages: 164
Genre: fiction
Grade: C-
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile (received from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "The year was 1943. Many of them had been POWs in Gensdorf Prison since 1940, playing games to stay sane as the war dragged on...and on. Their soccer game was never-ending. By now the score ran into thousands. But who could bother to keep on counting?
"Until suddenly their chance came. They were ordered to play against a team of Nazis in an international match. The goal of the Germans-propaganda. The goal of the POWs-freedom!"
Opinion: Based on the movie of the same name that Yabo Yablonsky wrote the screenplay for. The book did emphasis that the prisoners had been playing for years and did not give any great detail to the game. I haven't seen the movie nor am I going to. Not worth reading unless you're a big fan of soccer or WWII.

Ghost Walk by Heather Graham

Started:3/19/06
Finished: 3/20/06
Pages: 393
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: Booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "Nikki DuMonde's newest employee is standing at the end of her bed at four o'clock in the morning begging for help. It's a joke, right? Besides, as manager of a successful New Orleans haunted-tour company, Nikki doesn't scare easily. But in the light of day, harsh reality sets in as a police officer informs her that Andy was brutally murdered-at the exact time Nikki swears the distraught woman was in her room.
"No one believes her except Brent Blackhawk, a paranormal investigator desperately trying to forget his tragic past. Half Irish, half Lakota-and able to communicate with the dead-Brent is used to living in two worlds. But when he realizes the ghost of a slain government agent is also trying to reach out to Nikki, he knows that she, too, must listen to the dead...if she wants to keep living."
Opinion: A great mysterious, romance. Definitely something that kept my attention for my extremely long commute. I was surprised at how quickly I was going through this book. One of the better paranormal romances I've read. Enough mystery, enough paranormal, and enough romance. Great combination.

A Certain Slant of Light by Terese Ramin

Started: 3/17/06
Finished: 3/19/06
Pages: 248
Genre: Romance (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
Grade: C
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile (from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "Grace Witoczynski was a single mother living in the suburbs with four kids, a demandiing job, meddling relatives-and absolutely no social life. Mal Quarrels was a man living a lie, a handsome, hard-bitten U. S. marshal working undercover-in the middle of her living room.
"And somewhere between talking about the birds and bees with Grace's sons, sitting down to potroast dinners and kissing Grace long into the night, Mal remembered what it was like to have a family-and forgot the real reason he was there.
"Until he was reminded in the worst possible way..."
Opinion: Eh...Very average and not extremely interesting. I read it just to have something to read on my long commute. What I did like was that the romance between Grace and Mal was developed instead of it being rushed by page 100.

After Dark by Phillip Margolin

Started: 3/16/06
Finished: 3/17/06
Finished: 354
Genre: Legal mystery
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: grabbed off the TBR pile (from a bookbox)
Blurb (from back cover): "The first women ever hired by legendary defense lawyer Matthew Reynolds, Tracy Cavanaugh cuts her teeth on a horrifying crime: the car-bomb murder of Oregon Supreme Court Justice Robert Griffen. Reynolds's client-and the chief suspect-is none other than the icy but celebrated prosecutor Abigail Griffen, the Justice's estranged wife. Tracy's research plunges her into a web of betrayal and revenge, of secret deals and hidden passions. At the heart of the case lies a twisted truth-and when the verdict comes in, she will discover that nothing is as it seems...after dark."
Opinion: Not one of the best legal mysteries that I've read but still entertaining. I've read other Margolin books and they are certainly better than this one. Still worth reading.

The Confessions of Max Tivoli by Andrew Sean Greer

Started: 3/15/06
Finished: 3/16/06
Pages: 267
Genre: Fiction
Grade: C
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "Born with the physicial appearance of an elderly man, Max grows older mentally like any child, but his body appears to age backward, growing younger every year. And yet, his physical curse proves to be a blessing, allowing him to try to win the heart of the same woman three times as at each successive encounter she fails to recognize him, taking him for a stranger, so giving Max another chance at love."
Opinion: Great concept. I just didn't get enough from the book or maybe it's my mood but I didn't think that it was all that great-basically average. Definitely well descripted throughout the book but eh....I could have left it. That's the advantage of using booksfree.com-I'm not paying the price of a book to keep here and I can send it back-postage paid.

Man with a Mission by Suzanne Barclay

Started: 3/14/06
Finished: 3/15/06
Pages: 250
Genre: Romance (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
Grade: B
Reason for reading: pulled it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from back cover): "A label stitched into a fur coat was her only clue to her true identity, but the name "Roseanne" meant nothing to her. She knew only that a bullet had grazed her skull, robbing her of her memory and plunging her into a nightmare existence lived on the run.
"And the one man who could help her-a lone wolf wrapped in his own aura of mystery-was convinced she had done murder...
"Gates MacAlister knew her type: rich girl used to getting what she wanted. But the copper-haired beauty the Bureau claimed was his quarry didn't act like an upper-crust princess. Hardly self-absorbed, she was concerned about him, a hard-nosed ex-agent hungry for revenge-and the new appetities she stirred within him..."
Opinion: Every once in a while I need some fluff. Now to most people Harlequin romances are not worth reading and all follow a similar pattern where boy and girl meet, something happens to cause conflict in their relationship, then boy and girl survive conflict and spend the rest of their lives together. This one definitely follows the pattern and what makes me able to read books like this is the fact that there is a mystery added into the romance. Of course, with me being in a good relationship, the sex scenes gives me ideas to share with my loved one.

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

Started: 3/13/06
Finished: 3/14/06
Pages: 357
Genre: Chick Lit
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "With the same wicked humor, buoyant charm, and optimism that have made her Shopaholic novels beloved international bestsellers, Sophie Kinsella delivers a hilarious new novel and an unforgettable new characher. Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets:
"Secrets from her boyfriend: I've always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.
"Secrets from her mother: I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur.
"Secrets she wouldn't share with anyone in the world: I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is.
"Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plance. At least, she thought he was a stranger...
"But come Monday morning, Emma's office is abuzz about the arrival of Jack Harper, the company's elusive CEO. Suddenly Emma is face-to-face with the stranger from the plane, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her. Things couldn't possibly get worse. Or can they?"
Opinion: It was hard for me not to laugh out loud throughout parts of this book. What I didn't find all that believable was the relationship between Emma and Jack. Other than that, this book is a definite go and I will be looking up Sophie Kinsella's other books that I don't already own.

Does She Know? by Steve Shaw & Helene Sheptin

Started: 3/13/06
Finished: 3/13/06
Pages: 164
Genre: Relationship-non-fiction
Grade: C
Reason for reading: PR asked me to read and review
Blurb (from back cover): "A story of two lovers magnetically attracted to one another and yet unable to fully unite. This story is revealed thru selections of the 478 actual emails and responses sent over a tumultuous one-year peiod. The love affair explores the timely issue of how many men and women are establishing and carrying on relationships via email, with face-to-face rendezvous punctuating their online time. The drama, which unfolds, tells how two lovers can be so close and share the same intimate experiences and still at the end of the day, go to sleep alone with entirely opposite feelings.
"After reading this book, men will not have any more answers about what goes on inside the female mind however they will realize there are other men who are also traveling this journey. Women will realize what they already believe IS true: that thing they have is all-powerful. Men will go to the ends of the earth to 'get it' and spare nothing including their egos to have it. Finally, women will glean from this story an important truth: if your man is willing to make an ass out of himself for you...when he bares his heart and soul, you better keep him. If not you too may wake up alone..."
Opinion: I love the concept of having a book based on actually emails. Unfortunately, the emails don't have the whole conversation between the two and can be distracting on trying to figure out what they spoke about on the phone. For me, read my review on MyShelf.com next month.

Nothing Lasts Forever by Sidney Sheldon

Started: 3/10/06
Finished: 3/13/06
Pages: 384 pgs
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: off the huge TBR stack
Blurb (from back cover): "Three young doctors-their hopes, their dreams, their unexpected desires...Dr. Paige Turner. She swore it was euthanasia, but when Paige inherited a million dollars from a patient, the D. A. called it murder. Dr. Kat Hunter. She vowed never to let another man too close again-until she accepted the challenge of a deadly bet. Dr. Honey Taft. To make it in medicine, she knew she'd need something more than the brains God gave her.
"Nothing Lasts Forever races from the life-and-death decisions of a big San Francisco hospital to the tension-packed fireworks of a murder trial. It lays bare the ambitions and fears of healers and killers, lovers and betrayers. As the story surges toward its unpredictable climax, Sidney Sheldon proves once again that no reader can outguess the master of the unexpected."
Opinion: I've enjoyed all of the Sidney Sheldon books that I have read and this one is actually one of the better ones that I've read. I enjoy medical mysteries-maybe because I work in a hospital. I liked how the 3 stories of interacted with each other.

Bury the Lead by David Rosenfelt

Started 3/9/06
Finished : 3/10/06
Pages: 306
Genre: Lawyer mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "His streak of murder case acquittals made him a regular on cable talk shows. His recent $22 million inheritance bought him a dog rescue operation named after his beloved golden retriever. Now after turning down cases left and right, attorney Andy Carpenter feels like he's facing a midlife crisis. And just when he decides he needs some real work, a newspaper owner friend asks Andy to protect his star reporter.
"Daniel Cummings is being used as a mouthpiece by a serial killer...but the reporter gets way too close to his story when he's found near the murderer's latest victim. Quickly working to save what's left of Cumming's rep, Andy soon makes news himself when he starts receiving death threats-and moves dangerously close to becoming tomorrow's big obituary."
Opinion: I loved the dry sarcastic humor that is througout the book. The case had enough twists and turns to keep it interesting and not allow me to solve the case until the end. Overall a good book-but what book isn't good when there's a great golden retriever in it?

Where the Bodies are Buried by Fannie Weinstein and Melinda Wilson

Started: 3/8/06
Finished: 3/8/06
Pages: 256
Genre: True Crime
Grade: C
Reason for reading: was what I grabbed off the bookshelf
Blurb (from back cover: "Fox Hollow Farm, a lush million-dollar suburban Indianapolis estate, had 18 acres of lawns, a fabulous swimming pool...and thousands of human bones buried in the yard. The piles of dismembered skeletons belonged to young men who had disappeared from the gay bars and cruising sites of this Midwest city.
"Their killer was Herb Baumeister, a beloved father and successful businessman who led a deadly double life. And until the day his son dug up a buried skull, Herb's pretty wife Julie never dreamed he was Indiana's worst serial killer. She didn't know about the bizarre sexual encounters Herb held at the house when she went away with their kids...or about the brutal cravings that led him to kill."
Opinion: Interesting story but not as good as other true crime stories-probably because there never was a trial. I enjoy reading about the trials that these criminals get into and seeing how the verdict turns out.

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

Started: 3/6/06
Finished: 3/7/06
Pages: 436
Genre: fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: book chosen for face to face bookclub
Blurb (from inside page of ARC): "At 15, Kafka Tamura runs away from home, either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister. And the aging Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction, finds his highly simplified life suddenly upset. Their odyssey, as musterious to us as it is to them, is enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerizing events."
Opinion: Fairly good read-definitely kept my attention during my longer commute. I had been warned that the writing style was different so I was expecting the worst and was pleasantly surprised. I'm looking forward to my bookclub to see how others felt.

Jenny's Legacy by Cassandra Barnes

Started: 3/3/06
Finished :3/5/06
Pages: 230
Genre: Romance
Grade: B
Reason for reading: author requested review
Blurb (from back cover): "Her psychic abilities haven't been of much help to Gaelynn Graham lately. If it hasn't been one thing, it's been another. The last thing she needs in her life is a sexy contractor, especially one whose presence places her family and her career in jeopardy.
"Kyle Cordell is haunted by the death of his kid sister and has what he thinks is good reason to fight his attraction to the beautiful psychic. Then his clairvoyant son runs away and only Gaelynn has the key to his whereabouts. Kyle and Gaelynn struggle to overcome a legacy of fear and hate, risking all that they hold dear, with their love for each other in the balance. Can each make the sacrifices required to forge a new legacy of love?"
Opinion: This is one of the better romances that I've read. It isn't rushed and the psychic abilities adds to the enjoyment of the book. For a more indepth opinion, you can check out MyShelf next month.

I'm a Believer: my life of Monkees, music, and madness by Micky Dolenz and Mark Bego

Started : 3/1/06
Finished: 3/2/06
Pages: 209 pgs
Grade: B
Reason for reading: part of a bookring on Bookcrossing and I'm a fan of the Monkees
Blurb (from back cover): "What was it like to be part of one of the most famous TV and music groups in pop cultural history? You'll find out here. In fascinating, star-studded anecdotes, original Monkee Micky Dolenz takes readers from his starring role at age twelve as TV's 'Circus Boy' through the open casting call that brought the Monkees together, to the infighting and creative conflicts that finally drove them apart. Along the way you'll find hilarious anecdotes about his adventures as a Monkeee-the girls, the parties, the celebrities-as well as the harder-edged realities of a life lived in front of a camera.
"Micky Dolenz is a true survivor. His outrageously told story sparkles with behind-the-scenes insights and never-before-discussed facts about being part of the Hollywood 'in crowd' duriing the psychedelic Sixties and an integral part of one of the best-loved and most fun bands in history."
Opinion: As a huge Monkee fan, I can appreciate almost anything written positively about the Monkees, especially things where one of the members is a part of it. I've seen Micky and Davy perform and have listened to how they talk. While reading this, I felt like Micky was talking to me, especially with the anecdotes. Micky tries to remain a neutral party while discussing the problems that the group had-something that he also tried doing during the times. A definite for any Monkee fan.

Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer by Moira Anderson Allen

Started: 2/27/06
Finished: 3/1/06
Pages: 248 pgs
Grade: A
Reason for reading: gift from Scott, help start my writing career
Blurb (from back cover): "If you have what it takes to be a writer, but aren't sure where to start, here is the guide to launching a successful freelance career. Moira Allen, a veteran of the business, covers every aspect of freelance writing, from figuring out 'where do I begin?' to selling your first article to negotiating publishing contracts."
Opinion: Extremely useful and has great information for any beginner to freelancing. I'm sure that I'll be using this book throughout my writing career no matter how long or short it turns out to be.