Unrated for varying reasons
A Treatise of Witchcraft by Alexander Roberts. 5.18.10
Working IX to V by Vicki Leon. 6.10.10.
*******
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. 5.13.10.
******
Still Life by Louise Penny. 7.28.10.
*****
Pig Tale by Verlyn Flieger. 1.15.10.
Cockatiels at Seven by Donna Andrews. 1.30.10
Six Geese A-Slaying by Donna Andrews. 2.1.10
Oedipus the King by Sophocles and Dudley Fitts. 2.14.10.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. 3.7.10.
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. 4.8.10.
Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs. 4.11.10.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. 4.22.10.
Changeless by Gail Carrige. 5.2.10.
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. 5.4.10.
Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl. 5.7.10.
I am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells. 6.13.10.
Mine-Haha, or On the Bodily Education of Young Girls by Frank Wedekind. 7.6.10.
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. 8.6.10.
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny. 8.12.10.
Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks by Ethan Gilsdorf. 9.13.10.
A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny. 9.27.10.
Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac. 11.21.20.
I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett. 11.21.10.
Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson. 12.6.10.
Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson. 12.11.10.
The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson. 12.19.10.
****1/2
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. 3.27.10.
Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern. 5.7.10.
Built of Books by Thomas Wright. 6.10.10.
The Trouble with Magic by Madlyn Alt. 7.5.10.
Stork Raving Mad by Donna Andrews. 7.18.10.
Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman. 9.2.10.
The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny. 9.3.10.
Blameless by Gail Carriger. 9.17.10.
The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. 10.14.10.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. 12.2.10
Packing for Mars by Mary Roach. 12.13.10.
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. 12.12.10.
Pale Demon by Kim Harrison. 12.29.10.
****
Poetic Lives: Coleridge by Daniel Hahn. 1.13.10.
Naptime is the New Happy Hour by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. 1.25.10.
Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett. 2.10.10.
Soulless by Gail Carriger. 2.13.10.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. 2.16.10.
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips. 3.17.10.
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong. 3.18.10.
A History of the Wife by Marilyn Yalom. 4.17.10.
Two for the Dought by Janet Evanovich. 5.12.10.
Poison by Sara Poole. 5.29.10.
Bedlam: London and Its Damned by Catharine Arnold. 7.2.10.
Swan for the Money by Donna Andrews. 7.17.10.
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman. 8.1.10.
Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong. 8.8.10.
The Critic as Artist by Oscar Wilde. 8.21.10.
The Unknowns: A Mystery by Benedict Carey. 9.10.10.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. 9.29.10.
After the Holocaust by Howard Greenfeld. 10.07.10.
The Damned by Algernon Blackwood. 10.23.10.
***1/2
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. 1.13.10.
'D' is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton. 1.18.10.
'E' is for Evidence by Sue Grafton. 1.20.10.
Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz. 3.28.10.
Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian. 4.24.10.
Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong. 4.28.10.
The Unadulterated Cat by Terry Pratchett. 7.19.10.
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey. 8.23.10.
Taken by Midnight by Lara Adrian. 9.30.10.
Magyk by Angie Sage. 12.5.10.
Where There's a Witch by Madelyn Alt. 12.18.10.
A Witch in Time by Madelyn Alt. 12.19.10.
Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell. 12.23.10.
***
'C' is for Corpse by Sue Grafton. 1.3.10.
The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews. 1.4.10.
Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett. 2.28.10.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke. 3.11.10.
How to Wash a Cat by Rebecca M. Hale. 3.25.10.
One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon. 3.31.10.
Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison. 5.22.10.
Bullet by Laurell K. Hamilton. 6.4.10.
Embraced by Darkness by Keri Arthur. 6.8.10.
The Book of the Courtesans: A Catalogue of Their Virtues by Susan Griffin. 6.19.10.
The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange by Mark Barrowcliffe. 7.15.10.
A Charmed Death by Madelyn Alt. 7.22.10.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. 8.16.10.
Governess by Ruth Brandon. 9.13.10.
Swan Lake by Patrick Kill. 10.1.10.
Hex Marks the Spot by Madelyn Alt. 11.8.10.
**1/2
Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan. 1.16.10.
Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton. 2.5.10.
Medea by Euripides. 10.16.10.
No Rest for the Wiccan by Madelyn Alt. 12.16.10.
**
Once Bitten by Kalayna Price. 1.27.10.
Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris. 2.17.10.
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris. 5.14.10.
Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman. 7.9.10.
Mad Kings & Queens: History's Most Famous Raving Royals by Alison Rattle and Allison Vale. 8.21.10
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. 11.13.10.
*
Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb. 6.22.10.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
List of Books Read in 2010 - By Date
1. 'C' is for Corpse by Sue Grafton. 1.3.10. ***
2. The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews. 1.4.10. ***
3. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. 1.13.10. ***1/2
4. Poetic Lives: Coleridge by Daniel Hahn. 1.13.10. ****
5. Pig Tale by Verlyn Flieger. 1.15.10. *****
6. Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan. 1.16.10. **1/2
7. 'D' is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton. 1.18.10. ***1/3
8. 'E' is for Evidence by Sue Grafton. 1.20.10. ***1/2
9. Naptime is the New Happy Hour by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. 1.25.10. ****
10. Once Bitten by Kalayna Price. 1.27.10. **
11. Cockatiels at Seven by Donna Andrews. 1.30.10 *****
12. Six Geese A-Slaying by Donna Andrews. 2.1.10 *****
13. Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton. 2.5.10. **1/2
14. Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett. 2.10.10. ****
15. Soulless by Gail Carriger. 2.13.10. ****
16. Oedipus the King by Sophocles and Dudley Fitts. 2.14.10. *****
17. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. 2.16.10. ****
18. Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris. 2.17.10. **
19. Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett. 2.28.10. ***
20. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. 3.7.10. *****
21. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke. 3.11.10. ***
22. Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips. 3.17.10. ****
23.The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong. 3.18.10. ****
24. How to Wash a Cat by Rebecca M. Hale. 3.25.10. ***
25. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. 3.27.10. ****1/2
26. Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz. 3.28.10. ***1/2
27. One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon. 3.31.10. ***
28. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. 4.8.10. *****
29. Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs. 4.11.10. *****
30. A History of the Wife by Marilyn Yalom. 4.17.10. ****
31. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. 4.22.10. *****
32. Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian. 4.24.10. ***1/2
33. Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong. 4.28.10. ***1/2
34. Changeless by Gail Carrige. 5.2.10. *****
35. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. 5.4.10. *****
36. Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern. 5.7.10. ****1/2
37. Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl. 5.7.10. *****
38. Two for the Dought by Janet Evanovich. 5.12.10. ****
39. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. 5.13.10. *******
40. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris. 5.14.10. **
41. A Treatise of Witchcraft by Alexander Roberts. 5.18.10
42. Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison. 5.22.10. ***
43. Poison by Sara Poole. 5.29.10. ****
44. Bullet by Laurell K. Hamilton. 6.4.10. ***
45. Embraced by Darkness by Keri Arthur. 6.8.10. ***
46. Built of Books by Thomas Wright. 6.10.10. ****1/2
47. Working IX to V by Vicki Leon. 6.10.10.
48. I am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells. 6.13.10. *****
49. The Book of the Courtesans: A Catalogue of Their Virtues by Susan Griffin. 6.19.10. ***
50. Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb. 6.22.10. *
51. Bedlam: London and Its Damned by Catharine Arnold. 7.2.10. ****
52. The Trouble with Magic by Madlyn Alt. 7.5.10. ****1/2
53. Mine-Haha, or On the Bodily Education of Young Girls by Frank Wedekind. 7.6.10. *****
54. Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman. 7.9.10. **
55. The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange by Mark Barrowcliffe. 7.15.10. ***
56. Swan for the Money by Donna Andrews. 7.17.10. ****
57. Stork Raving Mad by Donna Andrews. 7.18.10. ****1/2
58. The Unadulterated Cat by Terry Pratchett. 7.19.10. ***1/2
59. A Charmed Death by Madelyn Alt. 7.22.10. ***
60. Still Life by Louise Penny. 7.28.10. ******
61. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman. 8.1.10. ****
62. The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. 8.6.10. *****
63. Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong. 8.8.10. ****
64. A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny. 8.12.10. *****
65. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. 8.16.10. ***
66. The Critic as Artist by Oscar Wilde. 8.21.10. ****
67. Mad Kings & Queens: History's Most Famous Raving Royals by Alison Rattle and Allison Vale. 8.21.10. **
68. Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey. 8.23.10. ***1/2
69. Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman. 9.2.10. ****1/2
70. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny. 9.3.10. ****1/2
71. The Unknowns: A Mystery by Benedict Carey. 9.10.10. ****
72. Oedipus the King by Sophocles and Dudley Fitts. 9.11.10. *****
73. Governess by Ruth Brandon. 9.13.10. ***
74. Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks by Ethan Gilsdorf. 9.13.10. *****
75. Blameless by Gail Carriger. 9.17.10. ****1/2
76. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny. 9.27.10. *****
77. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. 9.29.10. ****
78. Taken by Midnight by Lara Adrian. 9.30.10. ***1/2
79. Swan Lake by Patrick Kill. 10.1.10. ***
80. After the Holocaust by Howard Greenfeld. 10.07.10. ****
81. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. 10.14.10. ****1/2
82. Medea by Euripides. 10.16.10. **1/2
83. The Damned by Algernon Blackwood. 10.23.10. ****
84. Othello by William Shakespeare. 10.28.10. *****
85. Hex Marks the Spot by Madelyn Alt. 11.8.10. ***
86. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. 11.13.10. **
87. Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac. 11.21.20. *****
88. I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett. 11.21.10. *****
89. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. 12.2.10. ****1/2
90. Magyk by Angie Sage. 12.5.10. ***1/2
91. Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson. 12.6.10. *****
92. Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson. 12.11.10. *****
93. Packing for Mars by Mary Roach. 12.13.10. ****1/2
94. No Rest for the Wiccan by Madelyn Alt. 12.16.10. **1/2
95. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. 12.12.10. ****1/2
96. Where There's a Witch by Madelyn Alt. 12.18.10. ***1/2
97. A Witch in Time by Madelyn Alt. 12.19.10. ***1/2
98. The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson. 12.19.10. *****
99. Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell. 12.23.10. ***1/2
100. Pale Demon by Kim Harrison. 12.29.10. ****1/2
2. The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews. 1.4.10. ***
3. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. 1.13.10. ***1/2
4. Poetic Lives: Coleridge by Daniel Hahn. 1.13.10. ****
5. Pig Tale by Verlyn Flieger. 1.15.10. *****
6. Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan. 1.16.10. **1/2
7. 'D' is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton. 1.18.10. ***1/3
8. 'E' is for Evidence by Sue Grafton. 1.20.10. ***1/2
9. Naptime is the New Happy Hour by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. 1.25.10. ****
10. Once Bitten by Kalayna Price. 1.27.10. **
11. Cockatiels at Seven by Donna Andrews. 1.30.10 *****
12. Six Geese A-Slaying by Donna Andrews. 2.1.10 *****
13. Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton. 2.5.10. **1/2
14. Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett. 2.10.10. ****
15. Soulless by Gail Carriger. 2.13.10. ****
16. Oedipus the King by Sophocles and Dudley Fitts. 2.14.10. *****
17. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. 2.16.10. ****
18. Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris. 2.17.10. **
19. Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett. 2.28.10. ***
20. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. 3.7.10. *****
21. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke. 3.11.10. ***
22. Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips. 3.17.10. ****
23.The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong. 3.18.10. ****
24. How to Wash a Cat by Rebecca M. Hale. 3.25.10. ***
25. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. 3.27.10. ****1/2
26. Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz. 3.28.10. ***1/2
27. One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon. 3.31.10. ***
28. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. 4.8.10. *****
29. Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs. 4.11.10. *****
30. A History of the Wife by Marilyn Yalom. 4.17.10. ****
31. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. 4.22.10. *****
32. Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian. 4.24.10. ***1/2
33. Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong. 4.28.10. ***1/2
34. Changeless by Gail Carrige. 5.2.10. *****
35. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. 5.4.10. *****
36. Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern. 5.7.10. ****1/2
37. Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl. 5.7.10. *****
38. Two for the Dought by Janet Evanovich. 5.12.10. ****
39. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. 5.13.10. *******
40. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris. 5.14.10. **
41. A Treatise of Witchcraft by Alexander Roberts. 5.18.10
42. Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison. 5.22.10. ***
43. Poison by Sara Poole. 5.29.10. ****
44. Bullet by Laurell K. Hamilton. 6.4.10. ***
45. Embraced by Darkness by Keri Arthur. 6.8.10. ***
46. Built of Books by Thomas Wright. 6.10.10. ****1/2
47. Working IX to V by Vicki Leon. 6.10.10.
48. I am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells. 6.13.10. *****
49. The Book of the Courtesans: A Catalogue of Their Virtues by Susan Griffin. 6.19.10. ***
50. Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb. 6.22.10. *
51. Bedlam: London and Its Damned by Catharine Arnold. 7.2.10. ****
52. The Trouble with Magic by Madlyn Alt. 7.5.10. ****1/2
53. Mine-Haha, or On the Bodily Education of Young Girls by Frank Wedekind. 7.6.10. *****
54. Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman. 7.9.10. **
55. The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange by Mark Barrowcliffe. 7.15.10. ***
56. Swan for the Money by Donna Andrews. 7.17.10. ****
57. Stork Raving Mad by Donna Andrews. 7.18.10. ****1/2
58. The Unadulterated Cat by Terry Pratchett. 7.19.10. ***1/2
59. A Charmed Death by Madelyn Alt. 7.22.10. ***
60. Still Life by Louise Penny. 7.28.10. ******
61. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman. 8.1.10. ****
62. The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. 8.6.10. *****
63. Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong. 8.8.10. ****
64. A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny. 8.12.10. *****
65. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. 8.16.10. ***
66. The Critic as Artist by Oscar Wilde. 8.21.10. ****
67. Mad Kings & Queens: History's Most Famous Raving Royals by Alison Rattle and Allison Vale. 8.21.10. **
68. Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey. 8.23.10. ***1/2
69. Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman. 9.2.10. ****1/2
70. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny. 9.3.10. ****1/2
71. The Unknowns: A Mystery by Benedict Carey. 9.10.10. ****
72. Oedipus the King by Sophocles and Dudley Fitts. 9.11.10. *****
73. Governess by Ruth Brandon. 9.13.10. ***
74. Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks by Ethan Gilsdorf. 9.13.10. *****
75. Blameless by Gail Carriger. 9.17.10. ****1/2
76. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny. 9.27.10. *****
77. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. 9.29.10. ****
78. Taken by Midnight by Lara Adrian. 9.30.10. ***1/2
79. Swan Lake by Patrick Kill. 10.1.10. ***
80. After the Holocaust by Howard Greenfeld. 10.07.10. ****
81. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. 10.14.10. ****1/2
82. Medea by Euripides. 10.16.10. **1/2
83. The Damned by Algernon Blackwood. 10.23.10. ****
84. Othello by William Shakespeare. 10.28.10. *****
85. Hex Marks the Spot by Madelyn Alt. 11.8.10. ***
86. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. 11.13.10. **
87. Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac. 11.21.20. *****
88. I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett. 11.21.10. *****
89. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. 12.2.10. ****1/2
90. Magyk by Angie Sage. 12.5.10. ***1/2
91. Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson. 12.6.10. *****
92. Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson. 12.11.10. *****
93. Packing for Mars by Mary Roach. 12.13.10. ****1/2
94. No Rest for the Wiccan by Madelyn Alt. 12.16.10. **1/2
95. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. 12.12.10. ****1/2
96. Where There's a Witch by Madelyn Alt. 12.18.10. ***1/2
97. A Witch in Time by Madelyn Alt. 12.19.10. ***1/2
98. The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson. 12.19.10. *****
99. Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell. 12.23.10. ***1/2
100. Pale Demon by Kim Harrison. 12.29.10. ****1/2
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
100. 
Author: Kim Harrison
Title: Pale Demon
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 439 pages
Genre: horror
Acquisition: Early Review Copy
Date Completed: December 29, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Action, progress, character development, and resolution; Kim Harrison's Pale Demon, due out on February 22 2011, has everything that Black Magic Sanction is lacking, and has redeemed the Hollows series for me. I found the last few books in the series to be stagnant; there was no development or resolution offered, and it seemed to me like Harrison was recycling the same plot and wringing it for all it was worth. However, Pale Demon delivers on the promises of the past couple books, and settles several things once and for all, while still leaving room for future progress.
I would not have purchased Pale Demon after previous disappointments, but I enjoyed it immensely, and feel quite satisfied with where Harrison is heading. Pale Demon is entertaining and satisfying, and proved to be a great comeback.
Author: Kim Harrison
Title: Pale Demon
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 439 pages
Genre: horror
Acquisition: Early Review Copy
Date Completed: December 29, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Action, progress, character development, and resolution; Kim Harrison's Pale Demon, due out on February 22 2011, has everything that Black Magic Sanction is lacking, and has redeemed the Hollows series for me. I found the last few books in the series to be stagnant; there was no development or resolution offered, and it seemed to me like Harrison was recycling the same plot and wringing it for all it was worth. However, Pale Demon delivers on the promises of the past couple books, and settles several things once and for all, while still leaving room for future progress.
I would not have purchased Pale Demon after previous disappointments, but I enjoyed it immensely, and feel quite satisfied with where Harrison is heading. Pale Demon is entertaining and satisfying, and proved to be a great comeback.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
99. 
Author: Juliet Blackwell
Title: Secondhand Spirits
Publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 22, 2010
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
My response to Juliet Blackwell's Secondhand Spritis varied chapter by chapter, and was overall far more positive towards the end than it was in the beginning. Early in the novel the writing is a bit wooden, and seems focused more on explaining contemporary religious practice - with a BIG dollop of the fantastic - than on developing characters or plot. Blackwell claims that she received this information from extensive interviews with active practitioners, and perhaps it may be interesting to some who are not as familiar, but I found her to be a bit contradictory; early in the novel the main character scoffs at anyone who isn't a "natural" witch, favoring a supernatural representation, and therefore passing judgment on the very people who apparently supplied the information.
However, as the novel progressed the story itself took center stage over the lectures, and the narrative became far more interesting. Certain elements of the mystery itself actually took me by surprise, which I appreciated. I think the bumps and bruises I found along the way may smooth out as the series progresses, and I may very well seek out the next installment.
Author: Juliet Blackwell
Title: Secondhand Spirits
Publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 22, 2010
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
My response to Juliet Blackwell's Secondhand Spritis varied chapter by chapter, and was overall far more positive towards the end than it was in the beginning. Early in the novel the writing is a bit wooden, and seems focused more on explaining contemporary religious practice - with a BIG dollop of the fantastic - than on developing characters or plot. Blackwell claims that she received this information from extensive interviews with active practitioners, and perhaps it may be interesting to some who are not as familiar, but I found her to be a bit contradictory; early in the novel the main character scoffs at anyone who isn't a "natural" witch, favoring a supernatural representation, and therefore passing judgment on the very people who apparently supplied the information.
However, as the novel progressed the story itself took center stage over the lectures, and the narrative became far more interesting. Certain elements of the mystery itself actually took me by surprise, which I appreciated. I think the bumps and bruises I found along the way may smooth out as the series progresses, and I may very well seek out the next installment.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
97. 
Author: Madelyn Alt
Title: A Witch in Time
Publication: Kindle E-book
Pages:
Genre: cozymystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 19, 2010
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
To really call A Witch in Time a mystery would be a joke; the "mystery" itself is once again a very minor detail; so much so that Alt and her reader lose track of it for long stretches of time. Instead, the novel focuses on the personal lives of the characters involved, and shows family ties being rewritten and strengthened in some unexpected ways. Honestly, I enjoy the personal relationships of Alt's Bewitching Mysteries far more than the "mystery" elements, so I enjoyed the developments the latest edition presented.
98.
Author: Hans Christian Anderson
Title: The Snow Queen
Publication: Hardback, Everyman publication
Pages: 92
Genre: fairytale
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: December 19, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen is a beautiful fairy tale intended for young children, presenting a number of adventures in seven parts and just 92 brief pages. The story itself is enchanting, and the Everyman publication includes gorgeous classic illustrations that really set the tone of the work and transport the reader to the correct time and mental space to enjoy the work as it should be. I gifted a copy of this text to a student as part of a unit on holiday folktales, and she (a high school Junior) likewise found the book endearing, and gushed about the illustrations of the book. Recommended for all fans of traditional fairy tales.
Author: Madelyn Alt
Title: A Witch in Time
Publication: Kindle E-book
Pages:
Genre: cozy
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 19, 2010
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
To really call A Witch in Time a mystery would be a joke; the "mystery" itself is once again a very minor detail; so much so that Alt and her reader lose track of it for long stretches of time. Instead, the novel focuses on the personal lives of the characters involved, and shows family ties being rewritten and strengthened in some unexpected ways. Honestly, I enjoy the personal relationships of Alt's Bewitching Mysteries far more than the "mystery" elements, so I enjoyed the developments the latest edition presented.
98.
Author: Hans Christian Anderson
Title: The Snow Queen
Publication: Hardback, Everyman publication
Pages: 92
Genre: fairytale
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: December 19, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen is a beautiful fairy tale intended for young children, presenting a number of adventures in seven parts and just 92 brief pages. The story itself is enchanting, and the Everyman publication includes gorgeous classic illustrations that really set the tone of the work and transport the reader to the correct time and mental space to enjoy the work as it should be. I gifted a copy of this text to a student as part of a unit on holiday folktales, and she (a high school Junior) likewise found the book endearing, and gushed about the illustrations of the book. Recommended for all fans of traditional fairy tales.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
95. 
Author: Harriet Jacobs
Title: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 320
Genre: Slave narrative
Acquisition: college text, work text
Date Completed: December 12, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
I first read Harriet Jacobs' charged narrative as part of an undergraduate course on African American literature. Reading Jacobs' account alongside that of Frederick Douglas was a wonderful experience, and happened to produce a strong bias on my part; after discussing the publication (and editing) history of Douglas' works I came to appreciate Jacobs' novel even more. Her account is unique at the time of its publication because it tells the story of a female slave from her own point of view - with no author or editor in the way. Jacobs, educated in her own right and therefore completely capable of producing such an eloquent text, is an extremely effective rhetor. She clearly identifies her audience - white Northern women who may be sympathetic to the abolitionist movements - and uses rhetorical techniques to produce the maximum impact. Jacobs' narrative focuses on many prominent issues, most notably the desire of the slave to remain morally pure and righteous (in a Christian sense) despite the sinful and heathenish demands of their masters, and the heartbreaking plight of the slave mother who must face the uncertainty and sorrow that comes with every auction and sale.
I was very pleased to have the chance to introduce Jacobs' story to my AP English student this semester, and was equally pleased with the charged responses that the text inspired. Jacobs' story - and skillful writing - is always sure to make an impact.
Author: Harriet Jacobs
Title: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 320
Genre: Slave narrative
Acquisition: college text, work text
Date Completed: December 12, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
I first read Harriet Jacobs' charged narrative as part of an undergraduate course on African American literature. Reading Jacobs' account alongside that of Frederick Douglas was a wonderful experience, and happened to produce a strong bias on my part; after discussing the publication (and editing) history of Douglas' works I came to appreciate Jacobs' novel even more. Her account is unique at the time of its publication because it tells the story of a female slave from her own point of view - with no author or editor in the way. Jacobs, educated in her own right and therefore completely capable of producing such an eloquent text, is an extremely effective rhetor. She clearly identifies her audience - white Northern women who may be sympathetic to the abolitionist movements - and uses rhetorical techniques to produce the maximum impact. Jacobs' narrative focuses on many prominent issues, most notably the desire of the slave to remain morally pure and righteous (in a Christian sense) despite the sinful and heathenish demands of their masters, and the heartbreaking plight of the slave mother who must face the uncertainty and sorrow that comes with every auction and sale.
I was very pleased to have the chance to introduce Jacobs' story to my AP English student this semester, and was equally pleased with the charged responses that the text inspired. Jacobs' story - and skillful writing - is always sure to make an impact.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
94. 
Author: Madelyn Alt
Title: No Rest for the Wiccan
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: cozy mystery
Acquisition: gift from hubster
Date Completed: December 16, 2010
Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
What started out as another cute read from Madelyn Alt quickly became boring rote conflicts and a highly undeveloped "mystery." Maggie O'Neill faces the same issues she's faced through all four novels - an overbearing mother, no backbone in her family, small town prejudices, a jerk of a half-boyfriend and a potentially hot boyfriend to be. Of course, like all of the previous novels, there is absolutely no resolution for any of these issues. Well, that's not entirely true - Maggie gets into a tiff with her mother over her job. And that's about it.
The mystery itself is more than just a subplot - it's relatively nonexistent, and is used only to gather Marcus, Tom, and Maggie in the same place. Oh, with a dangerous scene thrown in for good measure.
I'll continue the series for at least one more book - largely because I keep hoping Maggie will dump the bigot for the witch - but if the next book doesn't deliver some resolution on some level then I think I'll be done.
Author: Madelyn Alt
Title: No Rest for the Wiccan
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: cozy mystery
Acquisition: gift from hubster
Date Completed: December 16, 2010
Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
What started out as another cute read from Madelyn Alt quickly became boring rote conflicts and a highly undeveloped "mystery." Maggie O'Neill faces the same issues she's faced through all four novels - an overbearing mother, no backbone in her family, small town prejudices, a jerk of a half-boyfriend and a potentially hot boyfriend to be. Of course, like all of the previous novels, there is absolutely no resolution for any of these issues. Well, that's not entirely true - Maggie gets into a tiff with her mother over her job. And that's about it.
The mystery itself is more than just a subplot - it's relatively nonexistent, and is used only to gather Marcus, Tom, and Maggie in the same place. Oh, with a dangerous scene thrown in for good measure.
I'll continue the series for at least one more book - largely because I keep hoping Maggie will dump the bigot for the witch - but if the next book doesn't deliver some resolution on some level then I think I'll be done.
Monday, December 13, 2010
93. 
Author: Mary Roach
Title: Packing for Mars
Publication: Hardback
Pages: 321 pages
Genre: Nonfiction, science, travel writing
Acquisition: gift from hubster
Date Completed: December 13, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
In Packing for Mars, reporter Mary Roach sets out to do what she does best: combine the genres of travel writing and popular science to produce a text that both lightens and entertains without going over the heads of the general populous. Her latest text takes readers through the history and science that might, someday, lead mankind to set foot on Mars.
Despite the suggestion of the title, the subject of a manned spacecraft traveling to Mars is more of a flourish than a meaty part of her writing. I surmise that the reason for this could simply be that Roach is working with the subject matter she knows best - people - and no one has yet set foot on the distant planet.
Roach is no scientists, but she is a wonderfully intuitive reporter who doesn't shy away from any topic - even sh*t burgers. Her gift for narration is entertaining, and is more than enough for me to overlook my quibbles about the title of the book itself.
Packing for Mars would be a great read for fans of Roach, as well as those who may have been turned off by her selection of subject in the past (but really, who doesn't love reading about cadavers and corpses, sex, and the soul?).
Author: Mary Roach
Title: Packing for Mars
Publication: Hardback
Pages: 321 pages
Genre: Nonfiction, science, travel writing
Acquisition: gift from hubster
Date Completed: December 13, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
In Packing for Mars, reporter Mary Roach sets out to do what she does best: combine the genres of travel writing and popular science to produce a text that both lightens and entertains without going over the heads of the general populous. Her latest text takes readers through the history and science that might, someday, lead mankind to set foot on Mars.
Despite the suggestion of the title, the subject of a manned spacecraft traveling to Mars is more of a flourish than a meaty part of her writing. I surmise that the reason for this could simply be that Roach is working with the subject matter she knows best - people - and no one has yet set foot on the distant planet.
Roach is no scientists, but she is a wonderfully intuitive reporter who doesn't shy away from any topic - even sh*t burgers. Her gift for narration is entertaining, and is more than enough for me to overlook my quibbles about the title of the book itself.
Packing for Mars would be a great read for fans of Roach, as well as those who may have been turned off by her selection of subject in the past (but really, who doesn't love reading about cadavers and corpses, sex, and the soul?).
Saturday, December 11, 2010
92. 
Author: Shirley Jackson
Title: Raising Demons
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 310 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 11, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Shirley Jackson's Raising Demons is just as delightful and entertaining as her previous memoir, Life Among the Savages. Picking up not long after the first one ends, Raising Demons introduces young Barry as a toddler, and chronicles the family's move to a new house, growing children, magic, baseball games, and endless parade of house repairs, animals, and picking up after people, and the general chaos that inevitably follows a family of six. The blurb on the front of the book proclaims, "It's a very pleasant form of pandemonium and hugely entertaining," and I'm inclined to agree. The insanity of raising a sizable family is a joy, and Jackson's slight-frazzled voice sweeps the reader along for the ride.
Author: Shirley Jackson
Title: Raising Demons
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 310 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 11, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Shirley Jackson's Raising Demons is just as delightful and entertaining as her previous memoir, Life Among the Savages. Picking up not long after the first one ends, Raising Demons introduces young Barry as a toddler, and chronicles the family's move to a new house, growing children, magic, baseball games, and endless parade of house repairs, animals, and picking up after people, and the general chaos that inevitably follows a family of six. The blurb on the front of the book proclaims, "It's a very pleasant form of pandemonium and hugely entertaining," and I'm inclined to agree. The insanity of raising a sizable family is a joy, and Jackson's slight-frazzled voice sweeps the reader along for the ride.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
91. 
Author: Shirley Jackson
Title: Life Among the Savages
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 235 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 6, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
In Shirley Jackson's obituary, a friend from the NY Times writes of the authors, "the fact was that she used a typewriter {and not the broomstick of legend}--and then only after she had completed her household chores." This image of the house-proud and "well prioritized" novelist has apparently cast a long shadow on the perception of Shirley Jackson, painting her as a rather eccentric "Angel of the house."
Her own writing, however, tells a different story. Of her family life, Jackson herself says, "Our major exports are books and children, both of which we produce in abundance. The children are Laurence, Joanne, Sarah and Barry: my books include three novels, The Road Through The Wall, Hangsaman, The Bird’s Nest, and a collection of short stories, The Lottery. Life Among the Savages is a disrespectful memoir of my children” (Twentieth Century Authors). The first page of Life Among the Savages echoes this view of her life: "When we moved into {our house} we had two children and about five thousand books; I expect that when we finally overflow and move out again we will have perhaps twenty children and easily half a million books ... This is the way of life my husband and I have fallen into, inadvertently..."
I found Jackson's "disrespectful memoir" to be truly delightful. Here she writes a collection of family stories and anecdotes that perfectly emphasize the minor frustrations and confusion of parenthood while maintaining a great sense of humor. Children are loud. And dirty. And have a tendency to say very inappropriate things - but then again, adults can be nervous and bumbling and completely inept when thrown into alien territory like parent-teacher conferences. For all the "disrespect" that Jackson claims, the book itself is simply grounded, and portrays a wonderfully contemporary attitude towards parenthood that I was able to relate to and enjoy.
Successfully raising a horde of children must require a good sense of humor, and Shirley Jackson has it in spades. I cannot wait to get to the sequel, Raising Demons.
Author: Shirley Jackson
Title: Life Among the Savages
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 235 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 6, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
In Shirley Jackson's obituary, a friend from the NY Times writes of the authors, "the fact was that she used a typewriter {and not the broomstick of legend}--and then only after she had completed her household chores." This image of the house-proud and "well prioritized" novelist has apparently cast a long shadow on the perception of Shirley Jackson, painting her as a rather eccentric "Angel of the house."
Her own writing, however, tells a different story. Of her family life, Jackson herself says, "Our major exports are books and children, both of which we produce in abundance. The children are Laurence, Joanne, Sarah and Barry: my books include three novels, The Road Through The Wall, Hangsaman, The Bird’s Nest, and a collection of short stories, The Lottery. Life Among the Savages is a disrespectful memoir of my children” (Twentieth Century Authors). The first page of Life Among the Savages echoes this view of her life: "When we moved into {our house} we had two children and about five thousand books; I expect that when we finally overflow and move out again we will have perhaps twenty children and easily half a million books ... This is the way of life my husband and I have fallen into, inadvertently..."
I found Jackson's "disrespectful memoir" to be truly delightful. Here she writes a collection of family stories and anecdotes that perfectly emphasize the minor frustrations and confusion of parenthood while maintaining a great sense of humor. Children are loud. And dirty. And have a tendency to say very inappropriate things - but then again, adults can be nervous and bumbling and completely inept when thrown into alien territory like parent-teacher conferences. For all the "disrespect" that Jackson claims, the book itself is simply grounded, and portrays a wonderfully contemporary attitude towards parenthood that I was able to relate to and enjoy.
Successfully raising a horde of children must require a good sense of humor, and Shirley Jackson has it in spades. I cannot wait to get to the sequel, Raising Demons.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
90. 
Author: Angie Sage
Title: Magyk: Septimus Heap Book One
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 564 pages
Genre: YA Fantasy
Acquisition: Work text, 5th Grade
Date Completed: December 5, 2010
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Magyk is a young adult fantasy novel that begins with two births and a death, and ends with the promise of an eventful future. Sage's novel is nothing truly new, but her character development and frequent use of allusions makes the novel interesting for adult readers, and I believe the intended audience would find the story quite charming and enthralling. Although I identified the mystery early on, I was pleased with the development of the story itself. I am currently using the novel for my 5th-grade student, and we have used the text to discuss literary allusions and techniques, as well as the roles and choices of illustrators and typographers. Magyk is a nice meaty hunk of a book for 4th and 5th graders, and would be a lovely way to introduce young readers to genre fiction.
Author: Angie Sage
Title: Magyk: Septimus Heap Book One
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 564 pages
Genre: YA Fantasy
Acquisition: Work text, 5th Grade
Date Completed: December 5, 2010
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Magyk is a young adult fantasy novel that begins with two births and a death, and ends with the promise of an eventful future. Sage's novel is nothing truly new, but her character development and frequent use of allusions makes the novel interesting for adult readers, and I believe the intended audience would find the story quite charming and enthralling. Although I identified the mystery early on, I was pleased with the development of the story itself. I am currently using the novel for my 5th-grade student, and we have used the text to discuss literary allusions and techniques, as well as the roles and choices of illustrators and typographers. Magyk is a nice meaty hunk of a book for 4th and 5th graders, and would be a lovely way to introduce young readers to genre fiction.
Friday, December 3, 2010
31, 89. 
Author: Shirley Jackson
Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Publication: Paperback
Pages:
Genre: Gothic
Acquisition: Work text
Date Completed: December 2, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
I finished my first reading of Jackson's final completed novel around the same time I was considering texts for the fall semester, and I thought for sure that my students would enjoy the creepy tale a bit more than The Picture of Dorian Gray (which remains my favorite novel, despite their opinions). Reading the novel for analysis versus personal pleasure - and both in the same year - has been an interesting experience, and one I've really enjoyed. I am not as blown away as I was with my first reading (perhaps because I know the mystery), but I am nonetheless charmed and delighted by the satirical Gothic. The opinions of my students are split, but I still recommend it.
Author: Shirley Jackson
Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Publication: Paperback
Pages:
Genre: Gothic
Acquisition: Work text
Date Completed: December 2, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
I finished my first reading of Jackson's final completed novel around the same time I was considering texts for the fall semester, and I thought for sure that my students would enjoy the creepy tale a bit more than The Picture of Dorian Gray (which remains my favorite novel, despite their opinions). Reading the novel for analysis versus personal pleasure - and both in the same year - has been an interesting experience, and one I've really enjoyed. I am not as blown away as I was with my first reading (perhaps because I know the mystery), but I am nonetheless charmed and delighted by the satirical Gothic. The opinions of my students are split, but I still recommend it.
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