84.
Author: Keri Arthur
Title: [The Darkest Kiss]
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Supernatural
Acquisition:
Date: October 26, 2011
Rating: ****

83.
Author: Edith Wharton
Title: Ethan Frome
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Classic
Acquisition:
Date: October 18, 2011
Rating: ****

I have long intended to read Edith Wharton, and when I read a review of Ethan Frome here I decided it would be a strong place to start, and downloaded a copy for my Kindle. And, surprise of surprises, I actually managed to get around to reading it.

What I find most striking about Ethan Frome is not the story itself, which is fairly simple, but Wharton's ability to inspire such strong emotions in the reader. Like the narrator, I found myself captivated by the stooped figure of Ethan himself, and I, too, soon felt a burning desire to discover the "mystery" of his condition. When faced with Ethan's life I was horrified, repulsed at times, and ever grateful for my own existence. I felt nearly instant loathing for Zeena Frome, and suspense every time Ethan set out - sure that this would hold the answer. The conclusion startled me, but did nothing to alleviate the negative emotions the narrative itself inspired, leaving a lasting impression on me as a reader.

82.
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Title: No Mercy
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Acquisition:
Date: October 11, 2011
Rating: **

The plot is clumsy and lackluster, and the book as a whole is awkward and amateurish. I can accept the formulaic nature of the genre, but it seems like the author isn't even trying.

81.
Author: Jenn Bennett
Title: [Kindling the Moon]
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Acquisition:
Date: October 6, 2011
Rating: ***

Kindling the Moon is another in the countless urban fantasies flooding booksellers thanks to the success of YA of the same genre. In this particular novel, the reader is introduced to Arcadia Bell, a magician (because no self-respecting practitioner would ever call herself a witch, she says) with rare abilities thanks to a spell cast by her parents at her conception. When Arcadia is a teenager her parents are labeled as serial killers, splitting the family and sending everyone into hiding. And eight years later the grave dust is kicked up again.

Kindling the Moon is not a fantastic book, and is certainly not the best of the genre I've read this year. However, it was a comforting read for one with a great interest in the genre, and it beat the hell out of some of the horrible fantasy/romance crossovers I've read in recent months.

79.
Author: Kim Taylor
Title: [Bowery Girl]
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Acquisition: Recommended by Linda (Whisper)
Date: October 2, 2011
Rating: *****

Bowery Girl is a heart-breaking narrative of the life of Mollie Flynn, a "Bowery Girl" who supports herself as a pickpocket in New York City. She spins her world around her friend Annabelle Lee, a young prostitute, who saved her from sleeping on the streets when Mollie was just a girl, and gifted her with both her name, and a dream to make it to Brooklyn for a better life. As they wait for the bridge to be built between New York and Brooklyn they dream, they scheme, and they fall victim to their own lives. Mollie is an engaging protagonist, and she carries well the story of poverty that haunts her neighborhood. Highly recommended.

80.
Author: Ken Kesey
Title: [One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest]
publication: Paperback
Pages:
Genre: Fiction
Acquisition: Work Text
Date: October 3, 2011
Rating: