40.
Author: Charlaine Harris
Title: Dead in the Family
Publication: Hardback, Ace
Pages: 311 pages
Genre: Vampire/Romance
Acquisition: Purchased May 11, 2010
Date Completed: May 14, 2010
Rating: 2 stars out of 5

I have always had a difficult relationship with the Sookie Stackhouse series. When I read the first few novels I couldn't help but think that some of the subtleties were lost on me due to my own ignorance of Southern culture, but as the series progressed I found myself drawn in. The last three novels have evoked very strong responses from me: I thought book eight was horrible, I devoured book nine, and I found the latest novel to be downright dull.

Harris' narrative style is a mix of action and everyday; readers are as likely to sunbathe with Sookie as they are to fight off evil vampires or face down a maenad. However, this changes in Dead in the Family: almost everything presented is, well, mundane. Sookie ... sunbathes. And babysits. And recovers from the trauma of the previous story. Harris attempts to fill in plots and tie up loose ends, but nothing is truly captivating. There is some consideration of supernatural politics following the developments of earlier books, but even that is rather blase.

In the end, I would say that Dead in the Family reads like Harris is attempting to answer fan mail. What is Eric's maker like? Will Bill ever get over Sookie? Will Jason ever find peace? Who fathered Claudine's baby? These questions are answered in an interview-like fashion, with very little action in between. It feels like the show has taken its toll on the series, and it may be time for me to write off the series once and for all.


And as a side note: I cannot express how much I loathe the cover art for this series. I really hope there is a sentimental or personal reason for the artist selection; otherwise, it's an exercise in ridiculously bad taste. Without fail, the covers are downright hideous and juvenile.

39.
Author: Oscar Wilde
Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Publication: Paperback, Norton
Pages: 184 pages
Genre: Gothic
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: May 13, 2010
Rating: 7 stars out of 5

It is difficult for me to review The Picture of Dorian Gray because of my shifting, yet everlasting, love for the novel. I first fell into infatuation with Lord Henry's wit, grew irrevocably attached to the horror that is Dorian Gray himself, wept over Basil and sympathized with his greatest needs, and shifted through a series of fascinations as I read the novel year after year.

This year I have chosen to focus on the parallel narratives of Dorian Gray, introducing both the primary Gothic tale and the secondary satire of Victorian London society. Alas, I will be abandoning Mr. Wilde next semester, as I feel that we just don't have as much time as I would like to devote to the novel.

Starting next semester I will be "auditioning" replacements, starting with We Have Always Lived in the Castle. But my devotion to Wilde remains: my children are Brooks DORIAN and Maxwell HENRY, and my right foot will be forever tagged by Wilde's penmanship. And that's just the way I like it.

38.
Author: Janet Evanovich
Title: Two for the Dough
Publication: Paperback, St. Martin's
Pages: 325 pages
Genre: Mystery
Acquisition: Couldn't resist May 8, 2010
Date Completed: May 12, 2010
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I have a tower of books, and a total of 38 purchased this year, but I couldn't resist picking up Two for the Dough last Saturday. As the semester is winding down and I'm emerging from the avalanche of research papers it was great to kick back and watch Stephanie bumble her way through another tough case. Two in, and the series seems like a lot of fun.

37.
Author: Roald Dahl
Title: Boy: Tales of Childhood
Publication: Paperback, Penguin Books
Pages: 176 pages
Genre: Biography
Acquisition: Recommended by Whisper1 (I think)
Date Completed: May 7, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

On the first page Dahl proclaims, "This is not an autobiography. I would never write a history of myself." And, indeed, Boy does not fit the definition of an autobiography, as he describes it in his introduction. Free from "boring details," Boy is a collection of memories that remained significant to Dahl in his adulthood. From houses, to vacations, to dead mice and even canings, Dahl paints a vivid picture of his life at home and school, until his life lead him to be a pilot in WWII. Occasionally heartbreaking, often funny, and consistently charming, Boy is a wonderful exercise in non-autobiographical writing.

36.
Author: Justin Halpern
Title: Sh*t My Dad Says
Publication: Hardback, it books
Pages: 158 pages
Genre: Humor
Acquisition: Mother's Day Gift from my boys
Date Completed: May 7, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

If you're familiar with Twitter, then chances are you've come across Justin Halpern and his brutally brilliant father. Following the current trend of "viral blog = published book", Halpern now offers his father's witticism in the archaic format we all love and cherish. However, in Sh*t my Dad Says Justin Halpern takes a step beyond the quips and develops a story as he shares his experiences with his father. The volume includes not only the quotes we have come to know and love, but developed recollections of poignant events in their relationship. Sam Halpern becomes for the reader the flesh and blood man that Justin Halpern so obviously adores, and both will leave you with a smile on your face.

35.
Author: Samuel Beckett
Title: Waiting for Godot
Publication: Paperback, Grove Press
Pages: 109 pages
Genre: Drama
Acquisition: Work text
Date Completed: May 4, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

"Nothing happens. Twice," said Beckett scholar Thomas Cousineau. Samuel Beckett called Waiting for Godot "that mess of a play", and referred to it as a minor, "left hand" work. I could very easily call Waiting for Godot my favorite play. In Beckett's work nothing can be taken for granted, and nothing is presented without motive. Beckett attempts to break down the distinctions between his characters and the audience, and challenges conventional dramatic presentation with his focus on the Theatre of the Absurd. My favorite theme for analysis and discussion is Beckett's portrayal of identity and the requirements for existence, but the copious themes and motifs at work within the short play make Waiting for Godot a fantastic piece to work with in the classroom. I teach Beckett's famous tragicomedy every semester, and I look forward to the experience time and again.

34.
Author: Gail Carriger
Title: Changeless
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: Steampunk
Acquisition: Purchased April 22, 2010
Date Completed: May 2, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Changeless is a highly-enjoyable squeal to Soulless, the steampunk novel that introduces the parasol-wielding preternatural Alexia. Much like the previous novel, it seems that nothing can be truly peaceful for Alexia, but she is tenacious and stubborn enough to handle anything that comes her way. While several of the "mysteries" involved are evident early on, the emotional turn that takes place at the novel's conclusion caught me completely by surprised. Carriger has me hooked, and I am already looking forward to a third installment.

32.
Author: Lara Adrian
Title: Shades of Midnight
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages: 420 pages
Genre: Romance
Acquisition: Purchased April 20, 2010
Date Completed: April 24, 2010
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

The frequent use of "female" keeps my right eyebrow hovering near my hairline, but I'd be lying if I tried to suggest that I don't enjoy Adrian's books. Her take on vampire romances isn't something I would usually enjoy, but the Midnight Breed series is like chocolate chip cookies - and my sweet tooth is only getting worse as time goes on.

33.
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Title: Tales of the Otherworld
Publication: Hardcover, April 2010
Pages: 387 pages
Genre: Horror
Acquisition: Purchased April 24, 2010
Date Completed: April 28, 2010
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

While I enjoyed the most recent book in the Otherworld collection, I did not find Tales of the Otherworld to be as entertaining as Armstrong''s previous collection, Men of the Otherworld. Both books present history and background that is entertaining to fans of Armstrong''s series, but would likely confuse readers who have not already been introduced to the principal characters. However, I always enjoy the opportunity to explore the world and characters a little further, and Tales of the Otherworld allows just that.

31.
Author: Shirley Jackson
Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Publication: Paperback, 2006
Pages: 146 pages
Genre: Horror
Acquisition: Purchased April 16, 2010, Recommended by laytonwoman3rd
Date Completed: April 22, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

We Have Always Lived in the Castle is the story of the reclusive remnants of a wealthy family that died mysteriously before the narrative begins. Mary Katherine, Constance, and their Uncle Julian are all that survive, and Merricat does everything she can to protect her older sister from the world. Shirley Jackson's short novel is haunting and thrilling, and she masterfully creates tension and horror without resorting to trite themes of slash and gore. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is terrifying for its simplicity and honesty, and although the primary mystery is evident from very early the story itself is thoroughly engaging.

I highly highly recommend We Have Always Lived in the Castle, even for those who do not normally enjoy horror novels. Jackson is an exception worth making.

30.
Author: Marilyn Yalom
Title: A History of the Wife
Publication: Paperback, 2002
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Acquisition: Purchased March 30, 2010
Date Completed: April 17, 2010
Rating: 4 stars out of 5


Marilyn Yalom's narrative voice is perfectly suited to her chosen subject material. Yalom is no dry historian; she is obviously emotionally invested in what she has to say, and is not shy about presenting her message.

I had hoped for a more global perspective on the role of the wife, but I realize that such a project would be fairly cumbersome for a popular publication. Yalom's focus is the direct history that leads to the contemporary American wife,and she builds a history towards that end. I occasionally found it hard to remain objective in the face of biased prose, but overall I found A History of the Wife to be very interesting.