Books read for the year
Predating this so I can find it easily. Will update as I go.
(r) = reread
1. (2.1.07) Sweeter Savage Love by Sandra Hill. Drivelly drivel which should have had the heroine shot. Filled in half the Hay Plain.
2. (3.1.07) Sex in Georgian England by A.D. Harvey. Interesting and not too dry.
3. (5.1.07) Cobweb by Neal Stephenson and Fredrick George. Not bad with good wandering.
4. (5.1.07) House of Dreams by Brenda Joyce. Picked up for brainless romance fluff but more of a thiller with vengeful ghost. Not a reread.
5. (8.1.07) Come the Spring by Julie Garwood. Nice and brainless Western bodice ripper fluff.
6. (9.1.07) Micah by Laurell K. Hamilton. Feel a bit gypped about the ending - bit of a copout really. And not quite enough of a story.
7. (~13.1.07) The Willing Wife by Claudia Dain. Can't believe I finished that. You want decent 12th C bodice rippers, read Elizabeth Chadwick. Vague grasp of courtly love tradition not sufficient.
8. (14.1.07) The Family Trade by Charles Stross. #1 Merchant Prince series. Good.
9. (16.1.07) The Hidden Family by Charles Stross. #2 Merchant Prince series. Better. Want #3 now, though not the level of addiction basal_surge is showing.
10. (18.1.07) Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grill by Steven Brust. A reread, but still very good. (r)
11. (22.1.07) A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon. Not as good as the first in the series but still fun.
12. (24.1.07) Regeneration by Pat Barker. A little light reading. Not as good as I remembered or possibly less impact. (r)
13. (25.1.07) The Face of Deception by Iris Johansen. Author has done better.
14. (26.1.07) The Thrill of Victory by Sandra Brown. Reprint of old Harliquin. Author has done better.
15. (~27.1.07) Two Alone by Sandra Brown. Reprint of old Harliquin. Don't touch Harliquin.
16. (28.1.07) Lie by Moonlight by Amanda Quick. Good fluff.
17. (11.2.07) So wild a heart by Candice Camp. Regency fluff.
18. (~17.2.07) The Royal Changeling by John Whitbourn. The Duke of Monmouth is a half elf and trying to take over England with the help of (the once and future and evil) King Arthur. Quite fun and an interesting alternate take on that bit of history.
19. (21.2.07) Moon Called by Patricia Briggs. Werewolves, vampires and fae oh my. They really are an excuse for monkey heirachy games with teeth aren't they. Possibly Anita Blake wannabe, but more plot and less posing. Similar to Tanya Huff's vampire ones. May chase up more by the author from the library.
20. (22.2.07) B5: Dark Genesis Birth of the Psi Corp by J. Gregory Keyes. Not bad.
21. (~25.2.07) Valentine by Jane Feather. Regency romance fluff.
22. (26.2.07) Every Breathe you take by Judith McNaught. Brainless contemporary romance fluff.
23. (27.2.07) Remember Summer by Elizabeth Lowell. Brainless contemporary romance fluff. Lack of sense of humour.
24. (3.3.07) A Stroke of Midnight by Laurell K Hamilton. Gosh that is not getting anywhere fast. Interupting the earthshattering sex scenes for deep and meaningful conversations lasting a chapter or two is getting annoying.
25. (4.3.07) Blood Price by Tanya Huff. Better vampire stuff. (r)
26. (~8.3.07) Velvet by Jane Feather. Regency romance fluff.
27. (13.3.07) Blood Trail by Tanya Huff. Better vampire stuff with werewolves as well. (r)
28. (14.3.07) The Search by Iris Johansen. Not bad contempory.
29. (15.3.07) Death in the Middle Ages: Mortality, Judgement and Remembrance by T.S.R. Boase. A little light weight, but interesting.
30. (~16.3.07) The Pirate by Jayne Anne Krentz. Okish Harliquin fluff.
31. (21.3.07) Wild Cards ed by George R R Martin. Interesting superhero/antihero concept. Short story collection with good linkage and flow.
32. (26.3.07) Jo's Boys by Louisa May Allcott. One of the e-book collection - though I have a copy back in NZ. (r)
33. (26.3.07) The Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery. Another of the e-books - though I have a copy back in NZ. (r)
34. (27.3.07) The Golden Road by L.M. Montgomery. E-book of which I have a copy in NZ. (r)
35. (28.3.07) The Beacon at Alexandria by Gillian Bradshaw. Good historical novel about a woman disguised as a man training as a doctor around the start of the fall of the Roman empire. (r)
36. (3.4.07) Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling. Not bad, though still pissed off at the teen angsting and confused over the fuss. Filled in from Narrandera to Yass. You get grumpy when you have to put up a tent in the middle of the big finale...
37. (13.4.07) Cravings by Laurell K Hamilton, MaryJanice Davidson, Eileen Wilks and Rebecca York. 3 paranormal romance short stories (not bad) and one LKH waffling on in an Anita Blake novel snippet - no background, no context, no story. Really not worth it and frankly a cop out.
38. (16.4.07) A Secret History (The book of Ash #1) by Mary Gentle. Alternate history around the mid 15th century by someone who knows their stuff. Gritty.
39. (19.4.07) Seduced by Crimson by Jade Lee. "Paranormal action romance". Better storyline than LKH at present, though the fact the only way to shut the evil demon gate was through earthshatteringly good sex by the main couple was a little twee. Not bad.
40. (19.4.07) The Extremes by Christopher Priest. (Guy who wrote The Prestige) Still digesting and not certain about the ending. Disturbing given focus on mass murder and the recent Virginia Tech killings.
41. (20.4.07) The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. Review here. Definitely worth it.
42. (24.4.07) Missle Gap by Charles Stross. Good but odd.
43. (25.4.07) Wild Cards V: Down and Dirty ed by George RR Martin. Good, though occasionally brutal.
44. (29.4.07) Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold. Good. Described as "Miles hits thirty; thirty hits back". Seemed appropriate. (r)
45. (2.5.07) Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett. Favourite Pratchett. (r)
46. (8.5.07) Mr Punch by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. Good.
47. (10.5.07) Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Mongomery. ebook. Miss the NZ collection. (r)
48. (11.5.07) Blood Pact by Tanya Huff. That was fun. Vampires, reanimated corpses, mad graduate students and an insane head of department... #4 of the series.
49. (11.5.07) An Unexpected Pleasure by Candice Camp. OKish victorian romance.
50. (12.5.07) Patternmaster by Octavia Butler. Not one of her best.
51. (28.5.07) Crimson City by Liz Maverick. Another "Paranormal Action Romance" with vampires and werewolves etc. Same setting as "Seduced by Crimson". Higher action quotient. Not badish.
52. (29.5.07) Wild Cards 2: Aces High ed by George RR Martin. Not bad.
53. (31.5.07) The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. Good, though a bit bulldoggish in parts and I am not certain I agree with his logic on a few other things. Still definitely worth reading though.
54. (4.6.07) The accidental bride by Jane Feather. Crap British Civil war romance. Read Pamela Belle instead for a decent historical romance. I may have to just to get the flavour out.
55. (14.6.07) Wintercombe by Pamela Belle. So I did. Very good British Civil war era historical novel. Pity my copy of the sequel is back in NZ... (r)
56. (15.6.07) Anne of the Island by L M Montgomery. ebook comfort read. (r)
57. (18.6.07) Carthage Ascendant (Book of Ash 2) by Mary Gentle. Very good and gritty.
58. (19.6.07) Crimson Rogue by Liz Maverick. Same series as "Crimson City" etc. Not bad.
59. (22.6.07) The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. Yes, again and it was a very fast return period. Worth it. (r)
60. (29.6.07) A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. Very good, though the occasional scientific fact muckup (Taupo supervolcano, big boom). Worth reading.
61. (30.6.07) Belladonna by Anne Bishop. Not as good as her original series. #2 in series, but don't know if the first one is worth it.
62. (2.7.07) The Killing Dance by Laurell K Hamilton. Usual vampire/werewolf popcorn. (r)
63. (3.7.07) Blood Debt by Tanya Huff. Far better vampire stuff. (r)
64. (4.7.07) Cerulean Sins by Laurell K Hamilton. More vampire popcorn. (r)
65. (15.7.07) Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb. Not bad for a stiff upperlip honourbound Hornblowerish character (inner workings, not time period).
66. (20.7.07) Cloven Hooves by Megan Lindholm (aka Robin Hobb). She writes far better as Megan Lindholm. Very good. (r)
67. (~24.7.07) Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly. Good vampire stuff. None of this wimping out as the victims have to die for the blood to be of use to the vampires. (r)
68. (27.7.07) The Tough Guide to Fantasy Land by Diana Wynne Jones. Read it. Laugh. Read it some more. (r)
69. (27.7.07) Travelling with the Dead by Barbara Hambly. The other good vampire one. (r)
70. (28.7.07) Legends of the Riftwar: Jimmy the Hand by Raymond Feist and SM Sterling. Popcorn.
71. (2.8.08) Legends of the Riftwar: Honoured Enemy by Raymond Feist and William Forstchen. More popcorn.
72. (3.8.07) The Merlin Conspiracy by Diana Wynne Jones. Good YA popcorn.
73. (9/10/11ish.8.07) Danse Macabre by Laurell K Hamilton. Usual vampire porn fluff with even less plot than usual.
74. (16.8.07) Temeraire by Niaomi Novik. Dragons meet Napoleonic naval fiction. Okish but a bit fluffy.
75. (20.8.07) Voices in the Light by Sean McMullen. Post apocalypse dueling librarians in the Australian Outback (well, Victoria, SA, and NSW). Worth reading. Book 1 though.
(a bit of a break)
76,77,78. (20.9.07) Taltos trilogy (Jherig, Yendi, Teckla) by Steven Brust. A very good reread and the rest of the series in is transit:(. (r)
79. (29.9.07) Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold. Good popcorn reread. (r)
80. (2.10.07) The Broken Kings (The Merlin Codex 3) by Robert Holdstock. Good read but still thinking about it. Been a while since I read the previous 2, so may have missed things.
81. (5.10.07) Smoke and Shadows by Tanya Huff. Up to her usual good standards.
82. (9.10.07) Down Under by Bill Bryson. Good read. He really didn't like Canberra though.
83. (12.10.07) Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay. Not his best but still very good. Interesting to see old characters return.
(1/2 way through a bunch of library books but ran out of time)
84. (26.10.07) Magician by Raymond Feist. Hadn't read it for about 4-5 years. Nice and brainless. (r)
85. (27.10.07) The Darklord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones. The novel that goes with her "Tough Guide to Fantasyland". Fun
86. (27.10.07) Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett. More fun with witches.
87. (28.10.07) The Harliquin by Laurell K Hamilton. Usual Anita Blake. Hints of more plot than the previous couple, but still not up to original standards.
88. (~29.10.07) Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik. Napolionic dragons in China. Okish.
89. (~2.11.07) Black Powder War by Naomi Novik. Napolionic dragons head back to Europe and the war continues. Okish.
90. (~4.11.07) The Clan Corporate by Charles Stross. Merchant Wars continued. Good, but not as good as previous and not up to Atrocity Archive standards.
91. (20.11.07) Dzur by Steven Brust. Not his best but still very good. Will make you hungry. Get a copy.
92. (21.11.07) The Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross. Very very good sequel to The Atrocity Archive. Get a copy.
93. (22.11.07) The Hallowed Hunt by Lois McMaster Bujold. Good but still prefer her Vorkosigan novels.
94. (24.11.07) Strange Candy by Laurell K Hamilton. Short story collection some of which is actually some good. Spot the devolution of the Anita Blake stuff and her sword and sorcery stuff is a little dire.
95. (25.11.07) The Wizard of London by Mercedes Lackey. Currently preaching worse than Louise May Allcott on a bad day.
96. (26.11.07) Mistral's Kiss by Laurell K Hamilton. Not quite enough plot for popcorn.
97. (28.11.07) The Paradise Tree by Diana Paxon. Reread from way back. Can see why I left it behind. (r)
98. (2.12.07) Summon the Keeper by Tanya Huff. Fun. Liked the retired Olympians.
99. (5.12.07) Circle of the Moon by Barbara Hambly. Not bad. Might help to read the one set before it.
100. (15.12.07) The Fledgling by Octavia Butler. Interesting take on vampires.
101. (18.12.07) Servant of the Empire by Raymond Feist and Janny Wurts. Usual fluff. (r)
(~5.12.07) The Thin Line by Peter S Beagle. Short story collection where I didn't read the last one (I had read it several years ago).
102. (24.12.07) Million Dollar Habits by Robert Ringer. The things you read with nothing better around.