The rest of the books...
Here's what I think I read from June 2008-December 2008. I might have missed some.
The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherine M. Valente (496p) I loved the interlocking stories in this book. Unusual format that drives the stories. This book feels like oral history.
Other People's Heroes by Blake M. Petit (239p) A nifty book about the commercial side of being a super hero.
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik (416p) My favorite Horatio Hornblower meets Pern series. Novik breaks from the formula used in the first three books used just before it became tedious. I can't wait for the next one!
Who Can Save Us Now? by Owen King (ed.) Short stories about being a super hero. Some are very good, some not so much.
From the notebooks of Dr. Brain by minister Faust (416p) Not as funny as I wanted it to be. Not as entertaining, either. A story about a dysfunctional group of superheroes from the perspective of their group therapist.
Eleven on Top Janet Evanovich (320p) Yeah, I'm still reading them.
Snow White, Blood Red by Ellen Datlow (432p) Short story retellings of fairie tales. I liked these a lot.
The Fire and the Light by Tracy A. Akers (336p) I picked this up at Dragon*Con this year, after the author asked to interview Sir and myself. It's a cute YA novel-start-of-series kind of book. It has a very strong "don't judge people" message. Everyone in it is pretty.
No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong (544p) Still love her work!
Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling (496p) Interesting but not outstanding. Reads a lot like a D&D game.
Small Favor by Jim Butcher (432p) My favorite hockey-stick-wielding wizard detective is back. Much magical swashbuckling and wisecracking ensues. I don't like how this one ends, though.
Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind* (836p) I read this book in early high school, and I really really liked it. I started reading the rest of the series. Then, just like with WoT, I petered out around book 8 because at that point, I JUST DIDN'T CARE ANYMORE - FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, HEROES, STOP DINKING AROUND AND FINISH YOUR JOB! When I heard it was being made into a series, by Disney no less, I thought..."Well, how are they going to include the Mord Sith and their S&Mness?" I watched the first episode and was feeling this niggling in my head that the books might not really be as great as I remembered, and really, I didn't think things happened the same way in the series as they did in the book. So I re-read it. Yeah. Um. In the first chapter, I remember thinking, oh, yeah, I thought that the main character was about 12 years old, until later in the book I found out he was an adult. He's dumb. As a rock. And it's cliche. As a rock. And really, the books aren't that good the second time. At least for me. I'll probably watch the rest of the series, though. I still want to see Disney take on Dominatrices. In red leather. Whoa, Mickey.
Dead until Dark by Charlaine Harris* (260p) Also a re-read since starting to watch True Blood. There, they stick to the story pretty well, and the book and the show are fun and awesome. Vampire Bill is deliciously old-fashioned, Sookie's brother is more developed and more tragically hopeless, and...well, two fangs up for the series.
The Mother's Book of Well-Being by Lisa Groen Braner (181p) A sweet book reminding you that even though nothing is more important than your baby, you need to care for yourself as well, and not feel guilty about it. :) If you do all the "activities" in the book (which I meant to and didn't - who has time for that with a baby?) you might end up with a nice little scrapbook/journal of your first year as a mother.
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs (292p) This series falls into the same category as Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld. In this one, Mercy is chasing down a rogue vampire/sorcerer. Nice!
The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox (292 excruciating pages) Apparently, both the author and the publisher were on crack when this book was published. The characters act randomly, and what could have been a great sidekick (a la Dresden's Bob, the talking skull) - the talking dog was pointless and ridiculous. I don't mean a good ridiculous like MaryJanice Davidson, either.
Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre (312p) Quite an interesting take on human relationships in a subtly apocalyptic sci-fi setting.
Midshipwizard Halcyon Blythe by James M Ward (288p) YA Horatio Hornblower goes to sea with mages. Love it!
Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst(278p) What happens when you take the fairy tales out of the Enchanted Wood?
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (263p) A hauntingly possible alternate reality.
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (427p) A prisoner is taught to be a food taster for the ruler and shows surprising political acumen.
A Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear (305p) An unabashed look at human relationships as affected by the magic of a wolf pack's bond.
Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (213p) Fun, but predictable, somewhat juvenile. I prefer MJD writing on her own, and writing the Queen Betsey novels. Jennifer is a dragon shapeshifter.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (403p) I was a little afraid to read this because it sounded so good, but after the hype of Twilight, I was nervous. I was pleasantly surprised. A beautifully written book that reminds us that with great power comes great responsibility. And young girls should listen to their mothers.
Motherhood is not for Wimps: No Answers, Just Stories by Elizabeth Soutter Schwarzer (172p) The title says it all. We mothers are not alone. :)
Between the Bridge and the River by Craig Ferguson (329p) I continue my one-sided love affair with Craig. The characters in this book are just this side of unlikable. This picaresquegives a feeling somewhat like Eggars' Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.
YA Vampire Novels:
Midnight Predator by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (248p) Like Eragon, this book is written by a teenager. Like Eragon, it shows. The protagonist is like a Season 6 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Angry, masochistic death-wish Buffy). But thre's a were-cat vampire, so it's cool.
SweetBlood by Pete Hautman (242p) One girl's obsession to define herself and come to grips with her disease.
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle Omnibus by L.J. Smith (492p) What Twilight really should have been. (Sorry!) But this was written first. Re-released as two volumes instead of 4, in new-and-improved-teens-now-read-fat-books format.
Peeps by Scott Westerfeld (304p) Vampirism as an STD. A carrier of the disease starts tracking down his exes to eliminate them and prevent the spread of disease.
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (332p) If Harry Potter and friends were vampires....only better.
Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (306p) Nowhere near as good as it could have been. The title character is a complete Mary Sue. Great concept, though.
Sucks to be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (Maybe) by Kimberly Pauley (293p) A fun, tongue-in-cheek story about a non-wannabe vampire and the pressures of familial expectations.
And, of course:
Stephanie Meyer:
New Moon (608p)
Eclipse (604p)
Breaking Dawn (768p)
(Strangely not Twilight, yet!)
The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherine M. Valente (496p) I loved the interlocking stories in this book. Unusual format that drives the stories. This book feels like oral history.
Other People's Heroes by Blake M. Petit (239p) A nifty book about the commercial side of being a super hero.
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik (416p) My favorite Horatio Hornblower meets Pern series. Novik breaks from the formula used in the first three books used just before it became tedious. I can't wait for the next one!
Who Can Save Us Now? by Owen King (ed.) Short stories about being a super hero. Some are very good, some not so much.
From the notebooks of Dr. Brain by minister Faust (416p) Not as funny as I wanted it to be. Not as entertaining, either. A story about a dysfunctional group of superheroes from the perspective of their group therapist.
Eleven on Top Janet Evanovich (320p) Yeah, I'm still reading them.
Snow White, Blood Red by Ellen Datlow (432p) Short story retellings of fairie tales. I liked these a lot.
The Fire and the Light by Tracy A. Akers (336p) I picked this up at Dragon*Con this year, after the author asked to interview Sir and myself. It's a cute YA novel-start-of-series kind of book. It has a very strong "don't judge people" message. Everyone in it is pretty.
No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong (544p) Still love her work!
Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling (496p) Interesting but not outstanding. Reads a lot like a D&D game.
Small Favor by Jim Butcher (432p) My favorite hockey-stick-wielding wizard detective is back. Much magical swashbuckling and wisecracking ensues. I don't like how this one ends, though.
Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind* (836p) I read this book in early high school, and I really really liked it. I started reading the rest of the series. Then, just like with WoT, I petered out around book 8 because at that point, I JUST DIDN'T CARE ANYMORE - FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, HEROES, STOP DINKING AROUND AND FINISH YOUR JOB! When I heard it was being made into a series, by Disney no less, I thought..."Well, how are they going to include the Mord Sith and their S&Mness?" I watched the first episode and was feeling this niggling in my head that the books might not really be as great as I remembered, and really, I didn't think things happened the same way in the series as they did in the book. So I re-read it. Yeah. Um. In the first chapter, I remember thinking, oh, yeah, I thought that the main character was about 12 years old, until later in the book I found out he was an adult. He's dumb. As a rock. And it's cliche. As a rock. And really, the books aren't that good the second time. At least for me. I'll probably watch the rest of the series, though. I still want to see Disney take on Dominatrices. In red leather. Whoa, Mickey.
Dead until Dark by Charlaine Harris* (260p) Also a re-read since starting to watch True Blood. There, they stick to the story pretty well, and the book and the show are fun and awesome. Vampire Bill is deliciously old-fashioned, Sookie's brother is more developed and more tragically hopeless, and...well, two fangs up for the series.
The Mother's Book of Well-Being by Lisa Groen Braner (181p) A sweet book reminding you that even though nothing is more important than your baby, you need to care for yourself as well, and not feel guilty about it. :) If you do all the "activities" in the book (which I meant to and didn't - who has time for that with a baby?) you might end up with a nice little scrapbook/journal of your first year as a mother.
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs (292p) This series falls into the same category as Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld. In this one, Mercy is chasing down a rogue vampire/sorcerer. Nice!
The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox (292 excruciating pages) Apparently, both the author and the publisher were on crack when this book was published. The characters act randomly, and what could have been a great sidekick (a la Dresden's Bob, the talking skull) - the talking dog was pointless and ridiculous. I don't mean a good ridiculous like MaryJanice Davidson, either.
Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre (312p) Quite an interesting take on human relationships in a subtly apocalyptic sci-fi setting.
Midshipwizard Halcyon Blythe by James M Ward (288p) YA Horatio Hornblower goes to sea with mages. Love it!
Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst(278p) What happens when you take the fairy tales out of the Enchanted Wood?
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (263p) A hauntingly possible alternate reality.
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (427p) A prisoner is taught to be a food taster for the ruler and shows surprising political acumen.
A Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear (305p) An unabashed look at human relationships as affected by the magic of a wolf pack's bond.
Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (213p) Fun, but predictable, somewhat juvenile. I prefer MJD writing on her own, and writing the Queen Betsey novels. Jennifer is a dragon shapeshifter.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (403p) I was a little afraid to read this because it sounded so good, but after the hype of Twilight, I was nervous. I was pleasantly surprised. A beautifully written book that reminds us that with great power comes great responsibility. And young girls should listen to their mothers.
Motherhood is not for Wimps: No Answers, Just Stories by Elizabeth Soutter Schwarzer (172p) The title says it all. We mothers are not alone. :)
Between the Bridge and the River by Craig Ferguson (329p) I continue my one-sided love affair with Craig. The characters in this book are just this side of unlikable. This picaresquegives a feeling somewhat like Eggars' Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.
YA Vampire Novels:
Midnight Predator by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (248p) Like Eragon, this book is written by a teenager. Like Eragon, it shows. The protagonist is like a Season 6 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Angry, masochistic death-wish Buffy). But thre's a were-cat vampire, so it's cool.
SweetBlood by Pete Hautman (242p) One girl's obsession to define herself and come to grips with her disease.
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle Omnibus by L.J. Smith (492p) What Twilight really should have been. (Sorry!) But this was written first. Re-released as two volumes instead of 4, in new-and-improved-teens-now-read-fat-books format.
Peeps by Scott Westerfeld (304p) Vampirism as an STD. A carrier of the disease starts tracking down his exes to eliminate them and prevent the spread of disease.
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (332p) If Harry Potter and friends were vampires....only better.
Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (306p) Nowhere near as good as it could have been. The title character is a complete Mary Sue. Great concept, though.
Sucks to be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (Maybe) by Kimberly Pauley (293p) A fun, tongue-in-cheek story about a non-wannabe vampire and the pressures of familial expectations.
And, of course:
Stephanie Meyer:
New Moon (608p)
Eclipse (604p)
Breaking Dawn (768p)
(Strangely not Twilight, yet!)