76. 
Title: [Six Geese A-Slaying]
Author: Donna Andrews
Pages: 336
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Pre-ordered
Date Completed: November 3, 2013
Rating: ****

I think Donna Andrews is one author who can write a mystery involving churches that leaves me feeling amused as opposed to alienated.  There's little preaching and plenty of cheer as members of various denominations band together to lend a hand when a series of pranks renders some sanctuaries inhabitable during the Christmas season.  As usual, there is a perfectly detestable deceased and a likewise repugnant culprit.  Although I held out hope for a different outcome, I knew it was unlikely to come, and am no less charmed for Andrews' own authorial choices. 

I tend to balk at anything winter-holiday until after Thanksgiving, but Andrews has given me a bit of holiday cheer that may carry me through the long weeks at the end of the semester. 

76. 
Title: [Oedipus Rex]
Author: Sophocles
Pages:
Genre: Drama
Medium: Fitts edition
Acquisition: work text
Date Completed: November 3, 2013
Rating: *****

I've found there are a few works that just don't seem to grow stale, and Oedipus Rex is one of these.  I look forward to teaching it every semester, and leading students through all the devious twists and turns.  One of my favorite tasks is tracing the changes in the tone of the Chorus, and considering whether or not they are in part to blame for the drama's outcome. 

I am, however, a bit suspicious about this particular translation, but it seems like a bit of a standard. 

74. 
Title: [Gregor the Overlander]
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages:
Genre: Children's Fantasy
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Purchased by rec of a colleague
Date Completed: October 20, 2013
Rating: ***

A colleague revealed himself to be a big fan of Suzanne Collins' work, and, interested in more than The Hunger Games, I asked him for a recommendation.  I could barely finish my sentence before he exclaimed, "Gregor the Overlander!"

Like The Hunger Games, I found that Collins is not actually doing anything new with this book: an eleven-year-old boy and his two-year-old sister fall down a hole in their laundry room, and find themselves in an underground world, where they must go on a quest to save their father who disappeared two years before.  Most elements of the story are familiar, from the quest to the hole to the talking spiders. However, unlike my reading of The Hunger Games, I did not find Collins' spin in Gregor the Overlander to be compelling; there just isn't much that feels new or fresh or even sympathetic. 

One reason I may find the story unappealing is that is seems to be written for a much younger audience; while I enjoy YA for what it is, I find myself more interested in "teenage" YA than elementary-level YA (except for those gems of nostalgia). 

That said, I'll likely give the next in the series a try, if only to give it a full shot.  However, I cannot say that I share my colleague's enthusiasm just yet. 

75. 
Title: [Titus Andronicus]
Author: William Shakespeare
Pages:
Genre: Drama
Medium: Paperback Folger edition
Acquisition: work text
Date Completed: October 21, 2013
Rating: *****

I am a little pleased that Titus has (accidentally) ended up as my 75th text of the year.

72. 
Title: [Othello]
Author: Shakespeare
Pages:
Genre: Drama
Medium: Paperback, Folger Edition
Acquisition:
Date Completed: October 7, 2013
Rating: *****

73.
Title: [Who Censored Roger Rabbit]
Author: Gary K. Wolf
Pages:
Genre: Satire
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: October 7, 2013
Rating: *****

Twenty-five years after Zemeckis establishes Roger and Jessica Rabbit as nostalgic icons in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," I was delighted to discover that the rather silly film from my youth is in fact based on a novel by Gary K. Wolf published six years earlier: Who Censored Roger Rabbit?

Wolf's novel again demonstrates the familiar adage that the book is better than the movie.  While Zemeckis' film is goofy and cute but ultimately shallow (to memory - it's been a very long time), Wolf's novel is a brilliant and entertaining satire.  A parody of gritty noir novels, Wolf's novel paints a grim picture of racism and prejudice, establishing Toons as a second class of citizens trying to better their own lives. Responding to a rumor that someone is attempting to buy his contract and make him a star, Roger hires Eddie to look into his employer, who apparently refuses to sell. Along the way it comes to light that Jessica Rabbit has left Roger for this same employer, and it's not to play patty-cake. 

The further Eddie gets into Roger's case, the more complicated it becomes, as elements of racism and criminal activities compound the seemingly useless investigation.  Eventually bodies start piling up, and Eddie is left with conclusions that some character's don't want to hear.

For me, it is the conclusion that  makes this story: the ridiculous resolution at first seems to challenge narrative development, but in reflection is perfectly suited to the Toons involved.  Ultimately, it is the characterization - and the confirmation that even good guys can be bad guys - that makes the story so satisfying, regardless of the turn of events. 

I am so glad I found Wolf's novel; Roger Rabbit will never seem the same, and I like him better for it.    

Catching Up

71. 
Title: [In a Witch’s Wardrobe]
Author: Juliet Blackwell
Pages:
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: September 29, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

Lily once again finds herself neck-deep in an investigation - actually, more than one.  First, she is tasked by Aiden to discover just who killed one Wiccan coven member, and poisoned another (also accidentally poisoning her young daughter).  And if the threat of a murderer isn't enough, a series of vandalisms at the hands of an anti-magic hate group has disrupted the neighborhood. 

The mysteries as a plot device are less compelling to me than the personal relationships; here, Lily is forced to reconcile herself with growing attached to others, and the emotional turmoil that can come just from caring.  As always, I find the personal development very satisfying, and Blackwell's cliffhanger of a conclusion is sure to lead me to her next installment. 



63.
Title: [Gulp]
Author: Mary Roach
Pages:
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Gifted
Date Completed: August 24, 2013
Rating: ****

Mary Roach has been between the sheets, on the edge of the afterlife, in the grave, and out in space.  In Gulp she's back to her roots - the body - as she takes a "trip down the alimentary canal."  After a bit of a disappointment from [Packing for Mars], it was good to see her there.  In Gulp Roach is once again pestering scientists and asking inappropriate questions, and along the way exposes the secrets behind foot testing, flavored pet foot, and Elvis' super colon.  While someone in the field may not learn something new, it kept this general audience member interested and giggling. 

62.
Title: [The Hen of the Baskervilles]
Author: Donna Andrews
Pages: 320
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Preordered
Date Completed: August 4, 2013
Rating: ****

The Hen of the Baskervilles finds blacksmith Meg Langslow nowhere near her forge (as has become usual), but rather in a sheep barn. Directing the county fair with the major, Meg finds herself in the usual level of chaos, with the body of a predictably unlikeable person to boot. 

The Hen of the Baskervilles follows Andrews's formula well, although it's nice to see Meg out of the house and with far fewer relative in tow.  Some elements of the novel are rather incongruent (or perhaps simply overly-absurd), but some level of farce is to be expected in this series.  While the novel won't be winning any awards, it's another fun feather for Andrews's cap. 

56. 
Title: [Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology, and My Harrowing Escape]
Author: Jenna Miscavige Hill
Pages: 416
Genre: Autobiography
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 2013
Rating: ****

I picked up Hill's memoir on a LibraryThing recommendation, and like the original review I can't help but scoff a bit at the author's claim to a "harrowing escape" - a phrase which inspires images of midnight excursions by leaky raft as one flees a communist state, perhaps, as opposed to arguing with family and inlaws. 

What I appreciated and enjoyed about Hill's story is the information she provides on Scientology - the practices, the beliefs, and the politics. This story could potentially describe any number of cults, and for that I found it supremely interesting and engrossing. However, the narrative itself is often alienating (no pun intended); it's difficult to feel sympathy for someone who already feels so very sorry for herself.  I applaud her efforts to shed light on the institution and its often nefarious practices, but many times in her story it seems that Hill's negative reactions are not to the abuses she experiences growing up in the church as a child or young adult, but rather that she would be exposed to this same abuse as the niece of the church's leader. 

Overall, the story is enlightening, and worth a read.

57. 
Title: [Some Like it Lethal] (#3)
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 320
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 2013
Rating: ****

58. 
Title: [Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die] (#4)
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 288
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 2013
Rating: ****



 59.
Title: [Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too] (#5)
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 272
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 2013
Rating: ****

60. 
Title: [A Crazy Little Thing Called Death] (#6)
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 368
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 2013
Rating: ****

As a typical cozy series, I find I can review most of the books as a whole.  Obviously, I enjoy them - I enjoy the parties, I enjoy the clothes, and I enjoy several characters.  However, Nora Blackbird is a ninny; her sisters and Mick are far more entertaining.  My real problem so far is a question of consistency; one of my biggest pet peeves in serial fiction is a lack of consistency, particularly in character development.  I enjoy watching characters evolve and grow and even take nose-dives into a dark abyss now and again, but one cannot simply be the upright, sensible prude of the family ... and then have sex in a phone booth. Or kiss other men while seeing someone exclusively. I understand that Nora's sense of self and propriety are supposed to be terribly at odds with her personal life, but there are several moments when one has to question just how strict her moral compass truly is. 

61. 
Title: [Murder Melts in Your Mouth] (#7)
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 304
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 31, 2013
Rating: ****

This last read was far more satisfactory than most of the others in the series.  The pacing of the mystery was strong, with a highly satisfying conclusion. emotional and personal matters develop in a far more natural fashion, and for once Nora seems like an actual person.  However, I spent the whole day craving chocolate.

53.
Title: [Affliction]
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Pages: 576
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Preordered
Date Completed: July 4, 2013
Rating: ****

The debates surrounding Laurell K. Hamilton's 20-year-old series have grown far too heated for me to offer much of a review; I just don't care enough to slug it out with other readers. As usual, Hamilton delivers what I've come to expect, while touching on the popular trends in fiction today. The one specific comment I will offer is this: I could barely stomach the moment of "religious vision" in the hospital. I fully intend to continue reading the series for the general enjoyment I find, but if that's the next turn Hamilton will take even I will have to abandon ship. 

54.
Title: [Newes from the Dead]
Author: Mary Hooper
Pages: 272
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: July 5, 2013
Rating: *****

In 1650 Anne Greene is hanged for murder, and "miraculously" revived as she lays on the dissection table.  From this true account, documented in publications from the time, Mary Hooper spins an intriguing narrative, told both from Anne's perspective as she lies trapped in a kind of coma, and the young medical student who becomes the corpse's champion as the first to notice her fluttering eyelids. Though Hooper professes that she has done her research, she first admits that this is a work of fiction, and there is no doubt she takes countless liberties.  Still, the end result is a charming (and occasionally claustrophobic) young adult novel that may well spark an interest in history. 

55.
Title: Gabriella
Author: Celia Kyle
Pages: 79
Genre: Paranormal BBW Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: July 7, 2013
Rating: *

It's not at all worth the purchase price. The women have completely repulsive personalities, and I still don't understand how one includes homophobic remarks in a polyamorous "romance."

Fun New Cozy Series

51.
Title: [How to Murder a Millionaire]
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 272
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: June 28, 2013
Rating: ****

Although Nora Blackbird is a daughter of a highly distinguished Pennsylvania family, she is on a blacklist: her coke-snorting husband is murdered by his drug dealer, and her parents have left the country as tax evaders after blowing through the family fortune, taking some of their friends' fortunes with them. Faced with needing a job for the first time, she turns to a sympathetic family friend who owns a newspaper, and gives her a job writing for the society page - a place she knows well. When this same family friend is found murdered the police find themselves floundering in a world of manners and social decorum grounded in old bloodlines, and turn to Nora to help them work through the niceties. 

This cozy mystery grounds itself more in parties, couture, and gossip more than actual mystery, and I was shocked to find myself 90% through the book - and facing the murderer - before much was really discovered.  Apparently accessories can be very telling.  Still, I enjoyed some of the eccentric characters, and look forward to seeing the mess of the next book. 

52.
Title: [Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds]
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 272
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: June 30, 2013
Rating: ****

The second in the Blackbird Sisters series, Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds features the murder of a high society kleptomaniac, with missing jewelry, abusive relationships, and high society drama galore. The pacing is improved, but still requires some practice.  The relationship between Nora and Mick progresses, but still seems to come out of nowhere - for someone who is supposed to be "all wrong" and whose actions are so offensive from the first, Nora falls too easily and too quickly, making a suspension of disbelief overly difficult.  Still, he proves a likeable character, so I'll overlook the hasty beginning in favor of a little more consistent development later. 

48.
Title: [Priceless]
Author: Shannon Mayer
Pages:
Genre: Paranormal ... romance?
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Kindle Library Book
Date Completed: June 20, 2013
Rating: ***

Amazon had this filed under "Paranormal Romance," although the latter part of the genre was suspiciously missing.  It's actually a stronger book for its lack of "romance," although it's very clear where the series is heading. I found the plot - about a quasi-supernatural searching for missing children, after the disappearance of her own sister - interesting, but the lack of character development or sympathy will keep me from digging further into the series. 

49. 
Title: [Marked]
Author: Elisabeth Naughton
Pages:
Genre: actually Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: June 22, 2013
Rating: ***

I'm pretty sure I've read this story nearly fifty times before. A bookish and overlooked woman, who waits tables at a strip club to keep her bookstore afloat, finds out that she's "actually special," meets a "god-like" brute of a man, etc etc etc. It's exactly what you'd expect from the genre, but didn't hold singular interest for me. So, again, not a series I'll dig back into.

50. 
Title: [A Mating Dance]
Author: Lia Davis
Pages:
Genre: actually Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: June 25, 2013
Rating: ***

OH THE ERRORS! In this case, Ms. Davis cannot even get away with the excuse of typos - not only are there whole words missing from sentences, but there are endless homonym errors, of the high school freshman variety.  The final line of the book reads: "...to help keep me sane threw it all."  Also, something or other may not be "full proof."  Apparently Lia Davis is a "co-owner to Fated Desires Publishing, LLC," and I only hope someone steps up and tells the boss that she needs a good editor - spell check just won't catch these things. 

The book itself is about a "triad" of shapeshifters. There's a conflict with "rogues" and dying or missing people, and the kind of mistakes that leave you staring at the page for several minutes, because there's no way these kinds of mistakes can slip into professional publications with such regularity. 


Now I've started a new cozy series, and I have a few preorders coming this summer. In-between I think it may be time to actually read something with some history behind it.

45. 
Title: [The Death of Sweet Mister]
Author: Daniel Woodrell
Pages: 240
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: June 10
Rating: *****

Daniel Woodrell's The Death of Sweet Mister is as poetic as it is repulsive. Though the jacket informs readers that the narrative takes place in the Ozarks, apparently like Woodrell's other works, there is an every-place feel to the story that allows the reader to imagine the events in a time and place of want and need that may be more familiar. It is a story of poverty, crime, and abuse, with a startling conclusion that fully emphasizes the impact of the title.  This is an ugly and at time horrifying LT friend recommendation that moved me as much as promised.


46.
Title: [Dead Men Do Tell Tales]
Author: William R. Maples
Pages: 304
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: June 11
Rating: *****

In one chapter of Dead Me Do Tell Tales, Dr. Maples recounts being asked if his job was anything like a particular television program I've never heard of.  No, he would say, and expressed desire for the protagonist's brilliant assistant that helped the scientist solve cases in mere days.  As such, the good doctor wouldn't likely appreciate a comparison between his life's work and "Bones," but it's just this which first drew me to the book, and I was not disappointed.  Maples is an actual forensic anthropologist, and his book shares his thoughts on the development of the science, its successes, and where he hopes it will go in the future, supported by often gruesome professional anecdotes. I found the former-English-major's narrative to be entertaining and informative, without surging too far above my head.  I've had this on my shelf for some time now, and I'm very glad I finally got around to reading it.  

47. 
Title: [Death on Demand]
Author: Carolyn G. Hart
Pages:
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: June 13, 2013
Rating: ***

Just another cozy mystery, which I'll likely forget in another week.  It wasn't the worst I've read, but it's largely unremarkable. The plot seems to borrow elements from other cozies just like the characters borrow quips from mystery novels I've never read.  I suppose I'm just not enough of a mystery devotee to sympathize with mystery shop owners solving alarmingly frequent murders in very small communities. 

41.
Title: [Daughters of Darkness]
Author: L.J. Smith
Pages: 240
Genre: YA Horror
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: May 20, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

A reread from my childhood, just for good fun.  I'm working on an abstract for an academic volume on werewolves, and was looking for a particular passage that first sparked my interest in the project.

42. 
Title: [The Smoky Corridor]
Author: Chris Grabenstein
Pages: 336
Genre: YA Mystery Horror
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 22, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

Grabenstein's book caught my eye while the monsters and I were browsing the children's section at the library, and it proved to be good fun.  The protagonist is a middle-schooler who (along with his dog Zip) can see ghosts, who lead him to solve mysteries and save the day, with occasional help from his amazing and supportive stepmother. 

43. 
Title: [Citizen Vince]
Author: Jess Walter
Pages: 320
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 24, 2013
Rating: **1/2

A donut-making conman in witness protection, a hooker with a heart of gold, a mob hitman who happens to appear in a small town (leaving a trail of bodies in his wake), and an ex-felon's moral dilemma over which 1980s presidential candidate to vote for.  What's not to like?

Plenty, including the pace, the protagonist, and a parallel plot about an honest cop that does nothing to develop the story.   I'm sure that fans of the genre would be more interested than I, but for me it was a real flop.

I loved the rather strange excerpt included in Housekeeping versus The Dirt, but apparently Hornby's recommendations are not for me.

44. 
Title: [Ever After]
Author: Kim Harrison
Pages: 448
Genre: Urban fantasy
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Pre-order
Date Completed: May 26, 2013
Rating: ***

It really says something about this book that I pre-ordered the book, started reading it, and managed to put it down for several months with no desire to go back. 

So why three stars?  When I finally did get around to finishing it I found the conclusion very satisfying. 

I've had a hard time with this series before, and Harrison at one point "won me back" when I happened to win an ARC that showed the first real progress and character development in the series.  Ever After, satisfying solution aside, is built on angst and vague descriptions of entirely magical fights that are just not engaging.  This book would be successful, in my opinion, if it ends up being the last of the series.  If it's not, it'll likely be the last that I read. 

40. 
Title: [Assassination Vacation]
Author: Sarah Vowell
Pages: 258
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 17, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

An excerpt of Assassination Vacation in Housekeeping vs. The Dirt inspired me to pick up Vowell's book; I know shamefully little about presidential history, but the premise of the novel is appealing for anyone with a taste for the macabre or off-beat, so I thought it would be an interesting way to dip my toe into the subject.  And Vowell really seems to know her stuff, from textbook history to asides and anecdotes about the key players that keeps the story interesting and clearly represents the author's slightly quirky voice.

So why just 3.5 stars?  In the middle of the book I turned to my partner and said, "I wish she'd just stop talking.  This book could be so good if she'd just get out of her own way."  Sarah Vowell is a vociferous liberal, which is not wrong by any means, but she's a liberal like some conservatives are Confederate sympathizers: loud and angry with a great sense of superiority that doesn't actually help anything.  I even understand her anger and frustration, because I, too, had to live through the Bush administration and the shameful wars we are still plagued with, but her rhetoric is textbook without any constructive input, rendering the passages as effective as waving a Confederate flag.  Passion is admirable, but passion without action seems sophomoric.  And this is why I chose not to read about politics. 

In a nutshell, Assassination Vacation is a great popular historical text that brings the assassinations of Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley to a (perhaps under-informed) contemporary audience, drawing lines between places and events through the gaze of someone who demonstrates passion for both her history and her future. 

393 
Title: [The Devil in the White City]
Author: Erik Larson
Pages: 447
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 14, 2013
Rating: ****

Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City, about Chicago's Worlds Fair and serial killer H.H. Holmes is not a book I would have ever found on my own; credit for this read goes to one of my students, who was assigned the book in high school and was shocked that I had never heard of it, given my own reading habits.  A big thank you goes out to her for a fantastic read.

For most of this book I assumed I was reading historical fiction.  In fact, I assumed as much up until my sister-in-law invited me to see a rock opera about "America's first serial killer, H.H. Holmes."  Thus is the narrative style of the text, that it allows for such misconception - Larson's books is a story that seems to imitate true crime writing, as opposed to an overly technical nonfiction account.  As such, I'm sure the scholarship of the text may be suspect to someone who knows the Fair or Holmes better than I, but as someone with no prior knowledge or experience I found the book to be engrossing, and the characters fascinating. 

38. 
Title: [The Midwife]
Author: Jennifer Worth
Pages: 352
Genre: Memoir
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 5, 2013
Rating: *****

Jennifer Worth's memoir of her midwifery training in London in the 1950s is fascinating and entertaining.  The narrative device of childbirth and midwifery is used as a great equalizer that allows Worth to examine and describe not just the obstetric practices of post-war England, but housing and class, education, personal relationships, and evolving culture.  The personalities Worth describes are both bigger than life and entirely natural, and more than once I found a character either strangely familiar, or wishing they were.  The conditions of life in the not-too-distant past seem to be from another world, and yet completely sympathetic to a contemporary American reader, as I viewed it through the lens of a mother and supporter of modern midwifery.  The Midwife (also titled Call the Midwife) is a joy, and I am very grateful I found Megan's original review. 

37.
Title: [Housekeeping vs. The Dirt]
Author: Nick Hornby
Pages: 200
Genre: Column Collection
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: May 1, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

I had never heard of Nick Hornby or his column, but when I saw a passing mention on Richard's thread I was intrigued; I wasn't sure what to expect from a collection of book reviews, but a library book never hurts.  Actually, what I expected was something either terribly snooty or completely commercial.  What I found was a collection of articles written in a tone I found appealing, about a number of books and authors I've never heard of.  While the articles were amusing enough, and I walked away with one or two items for my next library trip, what I appreciated most about Hornby's book was his introduction.  Specifically, his argument for reading, and the tendency to pass judgement on another's reading habits.  Hornby argues for reading in all genres and types, as best fits the reader - and he argues against snide comments on that material, as someone making the effort to read any book is better than the alternative.  His example of choice is The DaVinci Code, although I'd argue Twilight could take its place today; still, the sentiment is the same, and the snoot is something I remember well from my own undergraduate years, before I started thinking about the works I was reading instead of just reading them because they were "classics."  I also like his encouragement to simply put down books that aren't thrilling: life is too short to be bored with reading. 

35. 
Title: [Forever Bound]
Author: Cynthia Eden
Pages: 342
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: April 27, 2013
Rating: ***

These novellas by Cynthia Eden, bound as one Kindle book, establish the trend in her writing that I saw in Bound in Death.  While standard for the genre - male werewolf finds his "mate" in a vampire female, and defends their relationship despite the taboo - the collection that is so clearly defined by the conflict between races left me thinking about the racism inherent in - and accepted in - paranormal fiction.  That is essentially what so many of these stories come down to - racism that is defended by arguments of tradition and nature - that these supernaturals are different by birth and blood, and therefore cannot help but try to dominate the others.  My mulling may perhaps turn into a project this summer...

36.
Title: Papers Graded
Author: 100 Students
Pages: 1,400+
Genre: Work
Medium: Word
Acquisition:
Date Completed: April 30, 2013
Rating:

I first began keeping track of my reads while a graduate student, and would include any academic article over 40 pages as part of my reading list.  As I waded through the last of my grading over the weekend I decided to take a minute to calculate just how many pages of student work I had read ... and came to approximately 1,400.  As the volume is Richardson-esque, I've decided to include the pages here.  After all, paper grading is my biggest reading deterrent.  This number does not include classwork, creative assignments, or extra credit, but rather all formal essays submitted by the approximately 100 students I've had the pleasure to work with this semester. 

As ready as I am for a grading break, I already miss my students, and, as usual, this break is bittersweet. 

34. 
Title: [Bound in Death]
Author: Cynthia Eden
Pages:
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: April 22, 2013
Rating: ***

I didn't realize until posting the title that Bound in Death is the fifth in an established series; this may explain some of the confusing allusions made by various characters, but the novel can certainly stand on its own.  The story follows a werewolf who has tracked his lover for 200 years, trying to find the place of her imprisonment.  When she is finally released she has no memory, and is left navigating a confusing world - one in which she finds herself at the mercy of a number of men around her. 

Jane Smith, as she calls herself, is not a sympathetic protagonist, as she is incredibly two-dimensional, and her eventual growth is sudden and inexplicable.  However, the struggle of her alpha partner is interesting, and proved to be more rewarding than my other recent reads in the genre.  I will likely find the first four to idle away an afternoon, post-semester. 

32. 
Title: [The Island of Doctor Moreau]
Author: H.G. Wells
Pages: 176
Genre: Scientific Romance (aka Science Fiction, although I would call this more of a horror...)
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: April 18, 2013
Rating: ****

I reintroduced The Island of Doctor Moreau to my syllabus, with some minor trepidation (in a previous semester it lead to an uncomfortable after-class discussion with a student which began with, "You can't honestly believe we came from monkeys..." and ended with a letter that begged for the souls of my children), but was once again pleased with the discourse generated.  Though short on pages, Wells' second novel is ripe for analysis  and consideration, and Margaret Atwood's introduction "Ten Way of Looking At..." is a great guide for freshman readers.  This time around we focused most on defining humanity and examining sympathy, both within the novel and on the part of the reader.  I find that I have less sympathy for Prendick, the narrator, as he shows greater apathy and loathing for the Beast Folk.

Our final discussion inspired me to begin notes for another paper, although I have no idea if I'll find a place to publish and/or deliver it.  The idea of missing stories is haunting me at the moment, and actually ties in to another piece I had started on Sappho...  

I'm going to have a fun summer trolling the CFPs. 

33.
Title: [A Bit of Bite]
Author: Cynthia Eden
Pages:
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: April 19, 2013
Rating: **1/2

Not as cheesy as werehedgehogs, but meh.  I should start looking at length more carefully - I'm tired of reading bad short stories that are marketed as novels. 

31. 
Title: [Hedging his Bets]
Author: Mina Carter
Pages: 176
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: April 15, 2013
Rating: **

Conference-prep isn't an excuse this time around - I picked up Hedging His Bets for a bit of fun fluff, as I claw my way out from under a stack of research papers.

The research papers are better.

The genre itself doesn't need much explanation, so a summary is brief: Honey owns a bar and one of her patrons wants Honey.  The different turn in this one is that the romantic interest is a - wait for it - ..... werehedgehog.  Yup.  Ok, points for originality there - I did laugh at the uber-masculine character struggling with his "cute" alternative form. 

But no adult woman should ever say "hedgie," - and no adult should write it, either.  Perhaps some readers are more forgiving of the baby talk than I, but even my babies don't speak like this. 

I'm still open to exploring the genre as a whole, but I doubt I'll try any other novels by Carter. 

29.
Title: [Beowulf]
Translator: Seamus Heaney
Pages:215
Genre: Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: April 11, 2013
Rating: *****

Majestic, lyrical, thrilling and compelling: Beowulf is an enchanting epic poem of flawed heroism, broken social systems, gendered tyranny, shifting honor, and imperialistic Christianity.  Having read parts of the poem as a first-year undergraduate, I have long intended to read Heaney's best-selling translation.  For years it has waited on my shelf, until I decided to take the plunge and teach the text, the better to approach it analytically and while pressured into carefully reading the work in its entirety.  To do so proved to be greatly fulfilling, and I found myself weeping for the lost hero that I was cursing and judging a hundred pages before.  For perhaps obvious reasons, the question of Grendel's mother and the subject of wergeld proved to be of particular interest, and the definitions of heroes and monsters were inspiration for long classroom debates.  Pure joy. 

30. 
Title: [From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler]
Translator: E.L. Konigsburg
Pages: 176
Genre: Early Reader
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: April 14, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

Recently, this list of "67 Books Every Geek Should Read to their Kids" popped up through social media, and obviously caught my interest.  It is an interesting look at what adult "geeks" feel contributed to their own geekiness, and what they would hope to share with their own offspring.  The requirements for the list are bound only by submission, and some are a little more expected than others.  Many of the books are familiar, and I've turned to the library for many that are not.  The first of these is Frog and Toad are Friends, which the monsters and I enjoyed as a bedtime story recently.  The second is From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

This book has obvious geek appeal: two children run away from home, and decide to hide away in a museum (where it's probably easier to hide than in a library, which would have been my first choice at age seven).  Determined to "learn one thing every day," the children set about visiting various exhibits, until they are caught by the mystery of a new acquisition - a statue that may or may not be an early work of Michelangelo.  If the museum itself didn't appeal, then surely the mystery does.  Determined not to return home until they mystery is solved - or, as Claudia more clearly relates, until she is different - the two search for clues in the library, the museum, and finally turned to the previous owner of the statue.

The story is charming, and the narrative is well-paced, which will hold a child's imagination without rushing them through.  A positive perspective on voluntary learning, and the passion one has for discovering the unknown, is certainly a lesson worth encouraging in children of all a

Catching up - Books 14-28

14. 
Title: [When She Woke]
Author: Hillary Jordan
Pages: 150 of 354 pages
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 5, 2012
Rating: **1/2

When She Woke is terrifying for its semblance to contemporary American politics.  The early narrative is just as claustrophobic as the protagonist's jail cell, and the laws and governing body are at once surreal and far too familiar.  Ultimately, however, the text failed for me, as I found it impossible to find sympathy for the protagonist.  When my library loan expired before I could finish the book I had only the briefest moment of regret. 

15. 
Title: [We Have Always Lived in the Castle]
Author: Shirley Jackson
Pages: 160
Genre: Contemporary Gothic
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: February 15, 2012
Rating: *****

Jackson's novel is most compelling to me for its satire, which emphasizes sympathy for a murderer, and for its portrayal of madness as normality.  I find the way Jackson develops the story from Mary Katherine's point of view fascinating, and enjoy this text every time I read it.  My students did not all find it quite as enjoyable as I, although discussions about why they disliked the book were just as successful as discussions about major themes and ideas. 

16.
Title: [Megan's Mark]
Author: Lora Leigh
Pages: 304
Genre: Paranormal romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: February ?, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

Megan's Mark is standard fair, a la Lara Adrian and her ilk; so much so, though, that it will make a strong source for my upcoming paper, especially in terms of paranormal dominance.

17. 
  Title: [The Queen is Dead]
Author: Kate Locke
Pages: 352
Genre: Steampunk
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: March 2, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

The second book in Kate Locke's The Immortal Empire series is much stronger than the first; the action is well-paced, characters are given stronger development, and the highly-flawed protagonist is much more sympathetic as she comes to terms with her new racial and social identity. 

18. 
  Title: "Night Crow"
Author: Paisley Smith
Pages:17
Genre: f/f Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: March 4, 2013
Rating: **

At only seventeen pages, it's not difficult to imagine the level of development in Smith's story. "Night Crow" was included on a "best of" list for f/f paranormal romance, so I opted to purchase it as I wrap up my primary source research.  The premise itself is far from satisfying, and did not inspire a great desire to turn to historical "romance." 

19. 
  Title: "Purr"
Author: Paisley Smith
Pages:99
Genre: f/f Romance Erotica
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: March 4, 2013
Rating: ***

"Purr" attempts to be reminiscent of de Sade, portraying a very-loosely historical account of a sapphic compound.  Likewise included on the "best of f/f romance" list, this story included greater development and, while useless for my current project, was good for a romp.  Still, I would not argue that it is worth the $4.59 purchase price on Amazon. 

20. 
Title: [The Truth]
Author: Terry Pratchett
Pages:368
Genre: Satire
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: March 8, 2013
Rating: *****

"The Truth Shall Make Ye Fret!"

Terry Pratchett's Discworld Industry novel The Truth was my first introduction to the colorful world of Pratchett's satire, and remains a favorite. 

21. 
Title: "Bitten in the Big Easy"
Author: Delilah Devlin, Paisley Smith
Pages:91
Genre: f/f Romance Erotica
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: March 9, 2013
Rating: *1/2

Through reading these two short stories I discovered a few very important things.  First, it helped me realize why I so rarely enjoy contemporary vampire stories, despite my love of the genre historically: as a general rule, they show very normal, very boring people to be "special" and therefore deserving of eternal life and "love."  Bella Swann is not special, and neither are the protagonists of these stories.  Dracula's brides and Lucy Westerna are far more compelling.  Secondly, I've discovered that Delilah Devlin and Paisley Smith are two authors I can certainly avoid in the future. 

22.
Title: [Frost Burned]
Author: Patricia Briggs
Pages:368
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Preordered
Date Completed: March 11, 2013
Rating: *****

Although werewolves are not my paranormal subject of choice, I've discovered that the contemporary authors I favor most write primarily about werewolves.  Patricia Briggs is one of those authors.  Her novels are well paced with a close eye to development, and I've found her urban fantasy to be wonderfully compelling.  She is consistent with the characters she creates, while showing  progression through the series.  The "angst" that defines some series is here kept to a minimum, showing that not everyone has the luxury to mope about personal issues when there is an external threat to address.  Mercy is flawed yet sympathetic, and brings warmth to the series.  Frost Burned is a strong installment with an interesting twist, showcasing Mercy's growth as a pack leader and an individual. 

23. 
Title: [The Hunger Games]
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages:384
Genre: YA Dystopian
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: March 13, 2013
Rating: *****

24.
Title: [Mockingjay]
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages:400
Genre: YA Dystopian
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: March 14, 2013
Rating: *****

25. 
Title: [Catching Fire]
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages:391
Genre: YA Dystopian
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: March 18, 2013
Rating: *****

All three are rereads, although this time I read them as a boxed set as opposed to ebooks; review was in order for this week's presentation.  I've said before that Collins doesn't do anything original with this series, but she does it very well.  It was interesting to approach the series from a more analytical point of view, and I look forward to sharing my ideas and theories with others. 

26. 
Title: [A Charmed Life: Growing Up in Macbeth's Castle]
Author: Liza Campbell
Pages:352
Genre: Memoir
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: March 21, 2013
Rating: ***1/2

The draw for me is simple: Macbeth.  Of course, as a contemporary memoir I understood that the text would have little to do with Shakespeare's play (or his historical inspiration), but the title was enough to pique my interest, as no doubt it does for many others.  And, to her credit, Campbell often delivers, pairing the story of her own life and childhood with the history of her home and family, satisfying both an interest in Scotland's often bloody past with the life now lead in these once-fortified homes.  The personal historical anecdotes are fascinating and enthralling.

Campbell's personal life is less so.  The story she has to tell is one of countless iterations - she is the "poor little rich girl" with the alcoholic father who pisses away hundreds of years of family history for goddness-knows-why.  The last Thane is repellent in every way; even when Campbell tries to explain the charm he once holds the reader's skin will crawl.  Campbell's role as a narrator is similar to her role as a child: she is bewildered, and doesn't seem to process the events of her own life. 

If this was Campbell's story alone it would not be one worth reading, unless one happened to be a personal friend.  However, her memoir holds interest for her accident of family, and the history she has to share. 

27. 
Title: [Gracefully Insane]
Author: Alex Beam
Pages:296
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: April 2, 2013
Rating: **1/2

McLean Hospital is the stuff of narrative legend; temporary home to musicians, artists, authors, and the social elite, McLean Hospital is the benchmark for the posh mental institution of fiction.  The other descriptions of McLean - fiction, autobiography, song - are far more rich and entertaining.  There are stronger histories of mental institutions, and ultimately Beam's book reads more like a travel brochure history than a successful text for writing's sake. 

28. 
Title: [The Hobbit]
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Pages:320
Genre: Fantasy
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: April 4, 2013
Rating: ****

I did not appreciate Tolkien's work (or, for that matter, read most of it) until taking a graduate seminar on Tolkien.  Dr. Verilyn Flieger is an amazing scholar and lecturer, and breathed a life into the work that I don't believe I would have found on my own.  I liked The Hobbit when I first read it at 13, but didn't really enjoy the story until I approached it from an analytical point of view.  Teaching the novel proved to be just as delightful as studying it myself, and lead to heated and thoughtful class discussions.  It is also feeding nicely into our present discussion of Beowulf, for obvious reasons.