Fast Breads: 50 Recipes for Easy, Delicious Bread (2010) Elinor Klivans and Susie Cushner As much as I love my Kindle, I can’t say I’ve had much of a desire to read cookbooks on it. But this was a deal I could hardly resist, so I went for it. Yes I did, in fact, read […]
The Age of Doubt (2008/2012) Andrea Camilleri I think one of the things I like about this series is that Andrea Camilleri hasn’t felt the need to rehabilitate Montalbano–he’s still a bastard, and still talks without thinking, but he’s also still good at his job, despite the fact he has to be close to retirement […]
The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006) Scott Lynch This is a re-read. I remembered enjoying this book when I read it, and I bought the sequel, but both are in hardback, and I just dislike reading hardback book. So I broke down and bought both for the Kindle. I am pretty sure I devoured it […]
Within the Flames (2011) Marjorie M. Liu For the most part I’ve enjoyed Marjorie M. Liu’s Dirke & Steele series, but there have been a couple times I just couldn’t get into the story. This was one of those times. I started this months and months ago, but would read a few pages and then […]
Though Not Dead (2011) Dana Stabenow This book takes place immediately after A Night Too Dark. “Old Sam” Dementieff has died, and he made Kate his executor and heir. Just as she is starting to settle his estate, Jim–who she has been leaning on a bit to get her through this–is called home with the […]
A Field Guide to Eastern Forests: North America (1988) John Kircher and Gordon Morrison A long time ago, way back when I was in college, I studied Biology with a focus on plants. Because I love plants. I think they’re fascinating. When we had apartments, I always had houseplants, and once we had our own […]
Basilisk (2011) Rob Thurman I know it’s strange for me, but I’ve had Basilisk sitting around unread since last August. Strange, because I love Rob Thurman’s writing, and have loved every book of her’s I’ve read. But as much as I enjoyed Chimera, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about a sequel, […]
Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History (2011) Bill Laws I like to read non-fiction books. First, I like learning stuff, and second, non-fiction is generally good to read before bed, since it tends to lack suspense and surprises. Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History cover a lot of plants, focusing on […]
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) (2012) Jenny Lawson As readers of my twitter stream and blog already know, I love The Bloggess. I fully admit she isn’t for every. After all, this is the woman whose tag line could (and should) be “knock knock motherfucker” But if she does amuse you […]
Lady of Quality (1972) Georgette Heyer Miss Annis Wychwood believes she is too old for marriage, and not wanting to spend the rest of her life being little more than an aunt to her brother’s children, she insists on setting up house for herself. Of course, no unmarried woman can live alone, so her cousin […]
When Maidens Mourn (2012) C.S. Harris I’ve been pretty forthright about how rarely I buy hardback books. But C.S. Harris is on the extremely short list of authors I’ll buy and read in hardback. So why, you may ask, if his book came out over a month ago–and I’ve had it in my hands for […]
These Old Shades (1926) Georgette Heyer This was a reread, just because I felt like it.
Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities (2009) Amy Stewart Cute, and at times interesting, but also at times, she was trying way too hard. Plants (at least to me) are fascinating in and of themselves. And people do tend to naively assume that if someone is a plant it’s […]
Locke & Key: Vol 1 Welcome to Lovecraft (2008) Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez Good, but really not my thing. Published by IDW
Doubletake (2012) Rob Thurman I believe I’ve made my love of Rob Thurman’s Cal Leandros series well known. I love the relationship between Niko and Cal, and how Niko keeps Cal human, despite everything. And how Cal remains human, because of Niko. Cal has changed a lot over the course of the series. He’s overcome […]
Exit Music (2007) Ian Rankin I’d put off reading Exit Music, the last Rebus book, for several months. Because it is the last Rebus book, and I wasn’t ready for it yet. Rebus, of course, ends his story the way he began it: stubborn, contrary, and in trouble. A Russian poet is found dead, and […]
A Lifetime of Secrets: A PostSecret Book (2007) edited by Frank Warren Another PostSecret book.
Hounded (2011) Kevin Hearne Atticus O’ Sullivan is a druid who has lived for more than two thousand years. He’s spent the last several in Arizona, hiding from the god of love, who wants his sword back. Adding to his problems, his ally of sorts is the Morrigan, who warns him that his enemy is […]
PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God (2009) Frank Warren This is the fifth PostSecret book, compiled from a PostSecret show that was part of a show on Faith. Published by Morrow
Bryant & May Off the Rails (2010) Christopher Fowler I have to admit, I put off reading this book for several months, and once I picked it up, put it down several times before I could actually get into the story. This has absolutely nothing to do with the story, and everything to do with […]
Undone Deeds (2011) Mark del Franco Wow. I totally wasn’t expecting THAT. This is the last book in the series. I also had problems with the book, few of which had to do with the actual ending of the series. Although I gobbled down earlier books in the series, I had a hard time getting […]
River Marked (2011) Patricia Briggs Things are going well for Mercy–except for the fact that her mother is driving her absolutely crazy with details for her upcoming wedding, which drives Mercy to beg Adam to elope, before things get even more out of hand. But can the Alpha of the Columbia River basin really get […]
Raven Cursed (2012) Faith Hunter Jane Yellowrock is back in Asheville, NC, providing security for a vampire meeting. Lincoln Shaddock wants to lead his own clan, and has petitioned Leo Pellisser for that right. Shaddock’s ability to shorten the time of devoveo has made him a power, and so Lincoln must decide if he deserves […]
Thud (2005) Terry Pratchett I don’t know what it is, but sometimes, I think when my OCD is acting up, I have a hard time reading new books, instead going back to old favorites. I think part of it may be a fear that I won’t be able to put a new book down, which […]
Roadkill (2010) Rob Thurman I’ve got one book left and then I’m all caught up on the Cal Leandros series. In a way, that’s a good thing, because I have a huge to-read pile. But mostly it’s sad, because I love spending time in this world. As I reread these books, I keep coming upon […]
Deathwish (2009) Rob Thurman Yeah, still can’t stop reading the Cal Leandros books. Deathwish is the fourth book, and even better than the previous three. Which are damned good. Unlike the previous stories, in Deathwish, each chapter alternates between Cal and Niko’s point of view. In this I like not only the perspective of Cal […]
Madhouse (2008) Rob Thurman I have a huge To Be Read pile, yet I can’t stop rereading this series. This book starts off with Cal and Niko working on a kidnapping case. Cal–who is still pretty high strung (justifiably)–hates kidnapping cases, so there probably isn’t much chance things are going to go well. So of […]
Moonshine (2007) Rob Thurman Yup. Another re-read. I’ve been out of sorts, so a re-read of a favorite series is always good for helping my mood–or at least drawing me out of myself to forget about what’s bothering me. This is the second Cal Leandros book, and it’s even better than the first. Niko and […]
Nightlife (2006) Rob Thurman This is a reread, because I was talking about it to someone else, and I just couldn’t resist going back to the start of this series. There are so many things I love about this book, and this series. First and foremost, is the relationship between Cal and Niko. “You should […]
A Hard Day’s Knight (2011) Simon R. Green Walker is dead. Long live Walker. Because now John Taylor is Walker, and now it is his job to keep order (of a sorts) in Nightside. Unfortunately for him, someone has decided it’s time for Excalibur to make a reappearance in the world–and he needs to be […]
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (2004) Susanna Clarke I admit it. When I saw this on sale on the kindle I grabbed it even though we already have the hardback book. Because this is a HUGE book, and it’s so much nicer to read a kindle than an 800 page hardback book. And since I […]
Night Watch (2002) Terry Pratchett This book, for me, strikes far more political chords than funny bones. It doesn’t make it bad, it just makes it a lot darker than some other Terry Pratchett book. (He) started in the wrong place. he didn’t look around, and watch, and learn, and then say, “This is how […]
Fables Vol 16: Super Team (2011) Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Eric Shanower, Terry Moore That was… unexpected. Rating: 7/10 Published by Vertigo
Go the F**k to Sleep (2011) Adam Mansbach and Ricardo Cortes Audiobook read by Samuel L. Jackson. Yeah, I had to buy the book to support the author, because this is awesome. And the audio version read by Samuel L. Jackson is even better. Rating: 10/10 Published by Akashic Books
Naked City (2011) edited by Ellen Datlow This collection of urban fantasy stories has several of my favorite authors, so it was a no-brainer to get. The bad thing is that I’ve been reading this collection for several months, so I now have no idea what the stories at the start of the anthology were […]
Dracula in London (2004) edited by P.N. Elrod I give up. After six months I’m about three-quarters of the way through, and haven’t enjoyed one single story I’ve read. I generally like P.N. Elrod’s stories, and I’ve read several other anthologies she has edited, all of which I’ve enjoyed, but these stories? No. Yuck. One […]
Feet of Clay (1996) Terry Pratchett There’s trouble in Ankh-Morpork. Someone has committed at least two unauthorized murders, and the city golems are all acting funny. Plus, the Watch continues to recruit more members, including dwarves who think it might be nice to maybe wear earrings and lipstick. As usual, the best part of any […]
Fate’s Edge (2011) Ilona Andrews I have to say I’m glad I didn’t notice the floating man head until after I finished the book, because that floating man head totally doesn’t look like how I pictured Keldar. Keldar is a rogue. That floating head? Just… doesn’t look smart enough to pull off the part. But […]
I Shall Wear Midnight (2010) Terry Pratchett Tiffany Aching is now officially a witch, and is doing her best to be a good witch, and perhaps even counteract some of the stereotypes. But she also has a past, and it looks like someone is riled up about her past adventures with the Wintersmith, and is […]
Men at Arms (1993) Terry Pratchett Another reread and another Night Watch story. This one also had several passages that stuck with me. Such as, And this was right. And it was fate that had let Edward recognize this just when he’d got his plan. And it was right that it was Fate, and the […]
Guards! Guards! (1989) Terry Pratchett I love Discworld. That’s not to say I love all the books, but some of the character arcs in this series feature some of the best writing around. Guards! Guards! is the start of the Night Watch story arc. When we meet Captain Samuel Vimes, he’s drinking himself into the […]
Bone Shop (2010) T.A. Pratt Bone Shop is Marla Mason’s back story–from how she first discovered magic to how she ended up chief sorcerer of Freeport. This was originally published as a serial novel on Tim Pratt’s website after a financial crisis, but is now available as an eBook or a paper book. It’s short, […]
The White City (2010) Elizabeth Bear Abigail Irene, Sebastian,and Phoebe have traveled to Moscow, as they attempt to get over their loss of Jack. However, Sebastian spent time here with Jack, before he met Irene and Phoebe, and his memories of the place include Jack. And murder–past and present–inserts itself into their lives, both causing […]
Bangkok Tattoo (2005) John Burdett After rereading Bangkok 8, I felt the need to reread Bangkok Tattoo. It’s not as good as Bangkok 8, which I love. But it’s still good. Previous review.
Bangkok 8 (2003) John Burdett Yeah, this is a reread, but it’s on sale on Amazon as an eBook for $1.99. I couldn’t resist. Here’s my first review, which tells you a tiny bit about the story: https://klishis.com/reading/archives/486. The nice thing about eBooks is it’s easier to mark passages that tickle my fancy. So this […]
Eight Skilled Gentlemen (1991) Barry Hughart This is the third and final book in the Master Li and Number Ten Ox trilogy. I’m a little sad to see it end, but it was quite enjoyable. Oddly, the passages that caught my attention in this book weren’t the funny ones, but the ones that related to […]
The Best Paranormal Crime Stories Ever Told (2010) edited by Martin H. Greenberg and John Helfers I wouldn’t say the best necessarily, but it’s not a bad selection of stories. And the fact that I got to read it for free probably helped. “Appetite for Murder” is Simon R. Green story that does not feature […]
The Mislaid Magician or Ten Years After (2006) Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer Kate and Cecy are once again embroiled in magical mysteries. James is called to investigate the disappearance of a magician who was inspecting the rail lines up north. Thomas and Kate thus get to care for James and Cecy’s brood, and […]
The Story of the Stone (1988) Barry Hughart Master Li has taken Number Ten Ox on as his assistant. The Abbot of the monastery of the Valley of Sorrows comes to Master Li asking for help resolving the unexpected death of his librarian, and the strange dead spots in the Valley. Along the way they […]
Bridge of Birds (1984) Barry Hughart A year or so ago I ordered The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, because I’d read Bridge of Birds, loved it, and wanted to read more. Unfortunately for me, The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox is a BIG book. It’s three volumes: Bridge […]