Advanced Eyelash Fluttering

1. 
Title: Etiquette & Espionage
Author: Gail Carriger
Genre: Steampunk, or "Historical Fiction" according to my local library
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 7, 2014
Rating: ****
Review: Sophronia, the youngest daughter in the Temminnick family, is in great need of polish and refinement, and a family friend recommends Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality, despite being assaulted by a trifle during a bungled dumbwaiter spying incident.  What Mrs. Temminnick doesn't realize is just what her daughter will learn at this finishing school, and in her first session Sophronia finds herself learning quadrilles, fan ettiquette, and how to only poison half of one's dinner guests.  "Finishing" takes on an entirely different context in the school dedicated to teaching "Ladies of Quality" the finer points of Etiquette and Espionage.

This novel, introducing Sophronia Temminnick and Mademoiselle Geraldine's floating school, is good fun and frivolous entertainment.  There are several familiar faces, albeit in very unfamiliar forms, sporting diversion, and conflict overcome by cunning and mechanicals.  This series is not "The Parasol Protectorate," but holds great promise on its own, and makes for a fun start to the year. 

2013 In Review

Based on a scale of one * to five *****, and rated within genre only.

Unrated for varying reasons
Papers Graded, by 100 Students.  4.30.13.  1400+ pages.
The Norton Anthology of Short Stories, The Oxford Book of Essays, etc.  11.27.13.
Papers Graded, by 114 students.  11.27.13.  1,500 pages.

*****
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey.  Fiction.  1.31.13.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.  Contemporary Gothic.  2.15.13.  *****
The Truth by Terry Pratchett.  Satire.  3.8.13.
Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs.  Urban Fantasy.  3.11.13.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  YA Dystopian.  3.15.13. 
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.  YA Dystopian.  3.14.13. 
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.  YA Dystopian.  3.18.13. 
Beowulf trans. Seamus Heaney.  Anglo-Saxon Epic.  4.11.13.
The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells.  Scientific Romance.  4.18.13.
The Midwife by Jennifer Worth.  Memoir.  5.5.13.
The Death of Sweet Mister by Daniel Woodrell.  Fiction.  6.10.13. 
 Dead Men Do Tell Tales by William R. Maples.  Nonfiction.  6.11.13. 
Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper.  Fiction.  7.5.13.
Othello by William Shakespeare.  Drama.  10.7.13. 
Who Censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary K. Wolf.  Satire.  10.7.13.
Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare.  Drama.  10.21.13.
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.  Drama.  11.3.13.

****1/2
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.  Drama.  11.15.13. 

****
Pride Mates by Jennifer Ashley.  Paranormal Romance.  1.4.13.
Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn.  Urban Fantasy.  1.15.13. 
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.  Fantasy.  4.4.13.
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.  Nonfiction.  5.14.13.
How to Murder a Millionaire by Nancy Martin.  Cozy Mystery.  6.28.13.
Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds by Nancy Martin.  Cozy Mystery.  6.30.13.
Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton.  Urban Fantasy.  7.4.13. 
Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology, and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Jenna Miscavige Hill.  Autobiography.  7.13. 
Some Like it Lethal by Nancy Martin.  Cozy Mystery.  7.13. 
Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die by Nancy Martin.  Have Your Cake and Kill Him Too by Nancy Martin.  Cozy Mystery.  7.13. 
 A Crazy Little Thing Called Death by Nancy Martin.  Cozy Mystery.  7.13. 
Murder Melts in Your Mouth by Nancy Martin.  Cozy Mystery.  7.31.13. 
The Hen of the Baskervilles by Donna Andrews.  Cozy Mystery.  8.4.13. 
Gulp by Mary Roach.  Nonfiction.  8.24.13.
The Lady Submits by Chloe Cox.  Romance.  9.1.13.
The Wolf's Captive by Chloe Cox.  Romance.  
Six Geese A-Slaying by Donna Andrews.  Cozy Mystery.  11.3.13.
No Way to Kill a Lady by Nancy Martin.  Cozy Mystery.  11.24.13.
Little Black Book of Murder by Nancy Martin.  Cozy Mystery.  11.25.13.

***1/2
Megan's Mark by Lora Leigh.  Paranormal Romance.  2.?.13.  ***1/2
The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke.  Steampunk. 3.2.13.  ***1/2
A Charmed Life: Growing Up in Macbeth's Castle by Liza Campbell.  3.21.13. 
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg.  Early Reader.  4.14.13. 
Housekeeping vs. The Dirt by Nick Hornby.  Column Collection.  5.1.13.
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell.  Nonfiction.  5.17.13. 
Daughters of Darkness by L.J. Smith.  YA Horror.  5.20.13. 
The Smoky Corridor by Chris Grabenstein.  YA Mystery Horror.  5.22.13.
Sold to the Sheikh by Chloe Cox.  Romance.  9.13.
In a Witch's Wardrobe by Juliet Blackwell.  Cozy Mystery.  9.29.13.

***
Hard Mated by Jennifer Ashley.  Paranormal Romance.
"Saint's Curse" by Lee Brazil.  M/M Paranormal Romance.  1.3.13.
 Primal Bonds by Jennifer Ashley.  Paranormal romance.  1.?.13. 
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn.  YA.  1.30.13.
Redwood Pack Volume 2 by Carrie Ann Ryan.  Paranormal Romance.  1.30.13.
"Purr" by Paisley Smith.  f/f Paranormal Romance.  3.4.13.
Bound in Death by Cynthia Eden.  Paranormal Romance.  4.22.12. 
Forever Bound by Cynthia Eden.  Paranormal Romance.  4.27.13. 
Ever After by Kim Harrison.  Urban fantasy.  5.26.13.
Death on Demand by Carolyn G. Hart.  Cozy Mystery.  6.13.13.
Priceless by Shannon Mayer.  Paranormal Romance.  6.20.13.
Marked by Elisabeth Naughton.  Paranormal Romance.  6.22.13.
A Mating Dance by Lia Davis.  Paranormal Romance.  6.24.13. 
Seduced by Innocence by Kimberly Kimrade.  Romance.  8.25.13.
Dark Wolf Rising by Rhyannon Byrd.  Romance.  9.13.
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins.   YA Fantasy.  10.20.13
Club Sin by Stacey Kennedy.  Romance.  12.2013.
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
.  YA Science Fiction.  12.24.13.


**1/2
Girl of Nightmare by Kendare Blake.  YA Horror.  1.18.13.
Redwood Pack Volume 1 by Carrie Ann Ryan.  Paranormal Romance.  1.28.13.  **1/2
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan.  Fiction.  2.5.13.
Gracefully Insane by Alex Beam.  Nonfiction.  4.2.13.  
A Bit of Bite by Cynthia Eden.  Paranormal Romance.  4.19.13.
Citizen Vince by Jess Walter.  Fiction.  5.24.13.
Night of the Living Deed by E.J. Copperman.  Cozy Mystery.  11.17.13.

**
Blurred Expectations by Carrie Ann Ryan.  Paranormal Romance.  1.30.13.
 "Night Crow" by Paisley Smith.  Paranormal Romance.  3.4.13.  **
Hedging His Bets by Mina Carter.  Paranormal Romance.  4.15.13.
Wicked Sexy by R.G. Alexander.  Romance.  9.3.13.
Mistresses: A History of the Other Woman by Elizabeth Abbott.  Nonfiction.  12.10.13.
Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond by Kim Harrison.  Urban Fantasy.  12.30.13.

*1/2
"Bitten in the Big Easy" by Delilah Devlin, Paisley Smith.  f/f Paranormal Romance.  3.9.13. 

*
"Orion's Way" by DC Juris.  M/M Paranormal Romance.  1.3.13. 
"Gabriella" by Celia Kyle.  Paranormal Romance.  7.7.13. 
Control by Lucia Jordan.  Romance.  9.13.

78.
Title: [Night of the Living Deed]
Author: E.J. Copperman
Pages: 336
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: November 17, 2013
Rating: **1/2

A (bitter) divorcee and her young daughter buy an old Victorian on the Jersey shore with the hopes of running a sustainable guesthouse, and soon find that the previous owner and a detective haven't quite made a full exit.  As a whole, the novel is one-dimensional, and there is no shred of sympathy to be had for any of the characters.  I was hoping for another crossover between my favorite genres, but this series will not be it. 

79.
Title: Student Essays
Author: 114 Students
Pages:  1,500
Genre:
Medium: Electronic
Acquisition:
Date Completed: November 21, 2013
Rating:


80.
 Title: [The Importance of Being Earnest]
Author: Oscar Wilde
Pages: 
Genre: Drama
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: November 15, 2013
Rating: ****1/2

This was my first semester teaching The Importance of Being Earnest, and my first time in a long while teaching Wilde.  Generally, my students had been complaining about the number of tragedies we read, and most appreciated a turn to comedy.  It went over fairly well, and I focused on an argument of vanity as part of our class analysis, emphasizing that the characters are essentially replicas, that all speak in the voice of Wilde, and that the work is an expression and act of vanity in itself. It was very interesting to read it in the context of his immediate trials, too. 

81. 
Title: The Norton Anthology of Short Stories, [The Oxford Book of Essays], Literature: An Introduction, Pratchett, Roach, and a Poe in a Pear Tree. 
Author: Several
Pages:   38 short stories and articles, 16 poems, misc. chapters on grammar and rhetoric
Genre: Varied
Medium: Electronic
Acquisition:
Date Completed: November 27, 2013
Rating: 

82. 
Title: [No Way to Kill a Lady]
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 368
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: November 24, 2013
Rating: ****

When dynasties fall, colorful characters - and deeds - come out of the woodwork.  In No Way to Kill a Lady the reader is treated to a skeezy cousin, a crumbling castle, and a body in an elevator.  This is one of the more compelling mysteries in the series, with satisfying family melodrama to accentuate a rather curious murder victim. 

83. 
Title: [Little Black Book of Murder]
Author: Nancy Martin
Pages: 384
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: November 25, 2013
Rating: ****

The most recent book in the Blackbird Sisters mysteries is a bit of a mixed bag.  There is conflict in Nora's job that challenges the suspension of disbelief, and creates a position greater for her than one could believe she has.  However, Martin offers wonderful personal resolution on several fronts, making the novel satisfying in the long run.  

84.   
Title: [Mistresses: A History of the Other Woman]
Author: Elizabeth Abbott
Pages: 512
Genre: Nonfiction, memoir
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: December 10, 2013
Rating: **

 From the title, I assumed it would be a history of the position of mistresses, looking at laws, social expectations, and the changes in affairs throughout history.  Abbott does address much of this, but through encyclopedic memoirs of historically known mistresses.  What begins as an enthralling look at the lives of women who, by choice or (more often) force, find themselves in the beds of married or emotionally unavailable men, becomes as odious as the mechanical sexual chores by the time Abbott reaches Hitler - and there's still another half to go.

Though I have no qualms with the research, which seems thoughtful and as complete as it can be, Abbott's writing is sophomoric, as she uses repetitive catchphrases to describe the same individuals (for example, repeatedly calling Jackie Kennedy "the world's most eligible widow" in the space of a few pages).  The text systematically dismisses wives - unless they becomes mistresses themselves - and shows little sympathy for the men in these relationships, unless it is to reveal them as foolish for their parts in the affairs. 

These stories - from Hagar to Eva Braun, through Marilyn Monroe and on to Simon de Beavoir - are already well known, so much so that the text as a whole is shallow for not giving the reader something more.  Additionally, Abbott butchers the mistresses of literature, writing Cliff's Notes to pad out a chapter that discusses everything from Jane Eyre to The Scarlet Letter, which contributes little and confuses the previously-established focus of the book.

Although some chapters were very interesting, the book as a whole was a chore to read for someone who is already familiar with most of the material.   

  
85. 
Title: [Claimed: Club Sin]
Author: Stacey Kennedy
Pages: 239
Genre: Erotica
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 2013

86. 
Title: [Scarlet]
Author: Marissa Meyer
Pages: 464
Genre: Science Fiction, YA, Revised Fairytale
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: December 24, 2013
Rating: ***

Initially, I was greatly disappointed with Scarlet; I did not find the novel to be nearly as compelling as the first, and I found the character of Scarlet to be forced and awkward, as the association with the fairy tale is clumsy at best.  However, once the parallel plot sequences involving the emperor and Cinder become more developed, the novel shifts, and becomes much more cohesive and thus entertaining.  I was pleased to see Cinder gain a few allies, and to see not only some of her past, but a plan for the future as well.

87. 
Title: [Into the Woods: Tales from the Hollows and Beyond]
Author: Kim Harrison
Pages: 528
Genre: Urban fantasy, short stories
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library
Date Completed: December 30, 2013
Rating: **

This is a book for the uberfans, of which I am not one; Into the Woods is a collection of short stories, many of which detail how Rachel and her friends come to be. The stories themselves are sentimental and lacking strong development, providing some detail and intrigue for those who are deeply invested in the Hollows characters, but with little to interest those who may be less enthralled.  In this case, the low rating is indicative of audience: I am not the reader for whom Harrison is writing this collection. 

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."