24.
Author(s): Patricia Briggs
Title: River Marked
Publication: Hardback
Pages: 326
Genre: Horror/ Fantasy
Acquisition: Preordered
Date Completed: March 9, 2011
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Mercy Thompson defies convention from all sides: she's a female mechanic named Mercedes who specializes in VWs, she's a coyote walker who has run with werewolves her entire life, and despite her rather bohemian lifestyle, she has fallen for a straight-laced former-military Alpha. So, when she finally gets around to marrying Adam, it stands to reason that her wedding will break from expectations - hers, at least.

And then comes the honeymoon.

River Marked contains a great deal of self-discovery for Mercy, as she and Adam set out learning how to be married and mated. Although the fae's interference turns the honeymoon itself into a real nightmare, watching the bond between Adam and Mercy - and discovering secrets to Mercy's heritage - really adds depth to what would otherwise be a fairly common MT novel. I enjoyed the discovery as much as the action, and closed the book with a sense of deep satisfaction.

23.
Author(s): Rohan O'Grady
Title: Let's Kill Uncle
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 279
Genre: Fiction
Acquisition: Early Review Copy
Date Completed: March 5, 2011
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A small island off the coast of Canada has a reputation for being cursed. Mountie Sergeant Coulter is the only son of the island to make it back alive from WWII, and now he serves as the sole judiciary force on the childless, and critically aging, piece of land.

And then, one summer, two children arrive.

Christie is a young girl whose mother has sent her away from a crowded and claustrophobic city for a summer with "the goat lady," and Barnaby is a sprite of an heir whose guardian-uncle has selected the island for its detachment from the outside world. Because, as Barnaby tries unsuccessfully to inform Sergeant Coulter, Uncle is trying to kill him in order to get his hands on Barnaby's 10-million-dollar inheritance. When the adults once again prove useless, Christie, displaying balanced childhood innocence and maliciousness, provides the perfect solution: they must simply kill Uncle first.

In retrospect, I am dissatisfied by the devices O'Grady uses to facilitate her plot; the means through which she places the children on the island, under such specific care, and with such companions as One-Ear, defy any kind of reason. However, I think it says something about the novel itself that I did not truly consider the children's guardianship throughout the narrative until after I had closed the book. Yes, the narrative has its fair share of clumsiness, ranging from the suggestion of the supernatural in an otherwise "realistic" novel to the clumsy and unsuccessful personification of One-Ear, but the development of Barnaby and Christie carries the narrative through to what I found to be an undeniable success. O'Grady has captured the multi-faceted personality traits of each young child perfectly, skillfully displaying how such children can be simultaneously sweet and repugnant, justifying malicious acts with juvenile confidence. I found the children to be both realistic and frightening.

I read the first half of the book in a single sitting, and it was with great reluctance that I had to close the book for the first time. Despite my complaints, Let's Kill Uncle is a thoroughly engaging novel, and is one I would certainly recommend.

22.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Lenox Hill
Publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: March 4, 2011
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Murder on Lenox Hill begins with a rather unusual midwifery all for Sarah Brandt, and comes full circle to a form of sexuality that all civilized people will find appalling, leading to a tragic, if still satisfactory, conclusion. As seems typical for this series, the mysteries aren't very mysterious, but the path to the conclusion is a satisfying narrative that entertains from beginning to end. And, for once, Brandt's propensity for putting herself in very stupid situations is missing. Recommended for fans of the Gaslight Mysteries.

20.
Author(s): Roald Dahl
Title: Boy: Tales of Childhood
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 176
Genre: Autobiography (despite what Dahl says)
Acquisition: Purchased previously, reused as a work text, 5th grade
Date Completed: February 28, 2011
Rating:

I thoroughly enjoyed Boy when I first read it last year, and I looked forward to the opportunity of discussing it with a student. When my fifth-grade pupil reacted rather negatively to the beginning of Phineas Gage] we switched gears, and moved to Dahl's brief autobiography instead. After reading a few of his Revolting Rhymes, my student was very interested to learn more about the poet and children's author, and was both amazed and a little terrified of some of his experiences. Overall, I think it made for a good learning experience, and certainly seemed to be at the right level for this 4th/5th grader

21.
Author(s): Kresley Cole
Title:No Rest for the Wicked
Publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Acquisition:
Date Completed: March 2, 2011
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

More supernatural fluff with Valkyries and vampires, and just what I needed.

19.
Author(s): Ken Kesey
Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Publication: Paperback
Pages:
Genre: Fiction
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 24, 2011
Rating: Unrated

One Few Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the first novel I teach in one of my lit and comp classes, and it always inspires interesting discussions related to the history of psychiatric care, the condition of mental institutions, gender relations, stock characters, and the ways in which Kesey works to manipulate literary standards to share his own personal views. I'm no longer going to re-rate texts I use every semester, but I will continue to recommend Kesey's most acknowledged work to any who have not yet had the pleasure.

18.
Author(s): Kresley Cole
Title: A Hunger Like No Other
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 24, 2011
Rating: 3 stars

The cover for this supernatural romance pretty much says it all. Except, of course, that she's the vampire. Despite its band of female warriors, Kresley Cole's A Hunger Like No Other is not one for progressive thinkers looking for an enlightened gender balance; the first sexual scene is essentially abuse (but it's ok, because they're kind of soul mates anyway, so she really did want it). Still, I'm not going to pretend that I have high standards for this genre, and A Hunger Like No Other is still better than others I've read of late, so while I wouldn't actually recommend this book to anyone else, I will be pursuing the second in the series.

17.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Marble Row
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 22, 2011
Rating: 4 stars

16.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Mulberry Bend
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 17,2011
Rating: 4 stars

No one cares for the poor when they're alive, and they certainly don't care when one of them turns up dead unexpectedly. However, an emotional jolt catches the attention of Malloy, and an unexpected link to Sarah Brandt sends Malloy to her door, seeking reassurance. Of course, Thompson's protagonist can't help but work for an underdog, and soon Brandt is on the case, wading through Italian slums and finding herself running between high society and fanatically religious institutions. Murder on Mulberry Bend is consistent for the series, which is just what I'm looking for.

15.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Washington Square
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 16,2011
Rating: 4 stars

Her neighbor's son Nelson is not someone Sarah Brandt ever expect to need to advice of a midwife, but when he requests her professional opinion on a personal matter she agrees to help - and to keep the circumstances of that help from Nelson's mother. However, when the subject of that initial meeting leads to Nelson being suspected of murder the whole catastrophe is brought to light - with plenty of "dirty linen" being aired in the process. Murder on Washington Square leads readers from likely suspect to likely suspect while slowly developing a devilish intrigue masterminded by someone who is best described as a "character." I am, as usual, dumbfounded by the intelligent Sarah Brandt's slow uptake on several very important details, but it seems she is forever doomed to play damsel in distress at important moments, the better to display the concern and adoration of her favorite detective. Murder on Washington Square is another satisfying mystery in the Gaslight series.

14.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Gramercy Park
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 11,2011
Rating: 4 stars

I am now three books into Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries series, and I've settled in rather comfortably. Once again, Thompson manages to find a fairly believable reason for a midwife to find herself involved in a murder investigation, although that reason is becoming more and more the attention of a certain detective. Like previous books, much of this mystery really isn't one, but I will admit that it held a nice surprise for me at the conclusion. I've already started the next book in the series, and I look forward to following more adventures concerning Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy.

12.
Author(s): Sophocles
Title: Oedipus the King
Publication: Literary Anthology
Pages:
Genre: Greek Drama
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: February 6,2011
Rating:

Another work reread, and another constant favorite. My students and I always have a good time with Oedipus Rex.


13.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on St. Mark's Place
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 8,2011
Rating: 3.75 stars

Murder on St. Mark's Place is the second cozy mystery in the series by Victoria Thompson, featuring midwife Sarah Brandt and he unlikely partner Frank Malloy. The novel delivers more on character development than actual plot, but Thompson's humanizing efforts set the stage for future interest. The "mystery" itself is highly predictable from the go, but the novel itself is no less enjoyable.