Insatiable by Meg Cabot

This is the first book I have felt like blogging about in quite a while (obviously, since it's looks like it's been almost a year since I blogged.) In any case, this book is the anti-Twilight. Our heroine, Meena, is in love with a vampire, and not just any vampire — the prince of darkness (i.e. Dracula's son). Meena's gets caught in the middle of a war between two brothers for the vampire throne. I won't say who wins or loses, but I will say that this book pokes just a bit of healthy fun at the flood of vampire books and television series out there. What's the best part? Prince Lucien wants to turn Meena, but she doesn't want to be a vampire, no matter how much she loves him. She'd rather be alive. Smart cookie! Meg Cabot does a great job with this adult novel.

The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter

The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter – what a great book. Hooked me from the beginning and had me reading the whole weekend through. It’s tough for me to find a book that keeps me interested beyond the bubble bath lately. This one did. It’s about a guy who gets laid off from his job as a business reporter at a newspaper. He’s trying to hold on to his house, his marriage and his writing, while parenting his two young sons and caring for his elderly, memory impaired father. His answer to his financial troubles is to become a pot dealer and the book takes off from there. Matt Prior, the main character, is likable enough that you just want to stop and him a various places in the book and say, “No, don’t do that …” and then he goes and does it anyway.

What I really liked is how he tied the book up so neatly at the end. It didn’t end abruptly in any way. I hate when you start to care about characters and then the book just ends without you finding out what happens to them later. This one wasn’t like that. Walter also wrote The Zero and Citizen Vince.

Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris

Fourth in the series -- Finally, something decent to read. Love this series about a woman who can sense dead bodies and determine how they died by standing over their graves. Sounds creepy, but it's so interesting and fun to read. More well known for her Sookie Stackhouse - Southern Vampire series, anything Harris writes rocks! Aurora Teagarden, Lily Bard and now Harper Connelly. Love them all.

Life Sentences by Laura Lippman

I started this book, about an author who's written two very successful autobiographical memoirs followed by a novel that didn't get such great reviews. She embarks on a project based on the mystery surrounding an old school chum and her missing child. I really like Laura Lippman, but found this book a bit depressing. Once my Charlaine Harris mystery arrived at the library, I put this one aside. I do like her website though, www.lauralippman.com. And you can discuss her boook on facebook, which is cool.

jld

The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn

Very cute chick lit about a laid off divorcee trying to make a living.

Demon Ex Machina By Julie Kenner

Loved this book! Love this series! Blogging from my new laptop! Whoo hoo!

Just take my heart by Mary Higgins Clark & Malice by Lisa Jackson

How can I let a summer full of stormy summer evenings go by without reading a Mary Higgins Clark book? Ever since I read "Where are the children" as a teen, I've always picked up her books fairly confident that I'd be interested all the way through. "Just take my heart" was no exception. Consistent, readable. Not much else to say about this one.



Now, Malice, on the other hand, the book I'm reading now ... I have no idea where this could possibly be going. A cop who wakes from a coma and keeps seeing his dead wife decides to leave his life with his new, pregnant wife in New Orleans and travel back to L.A. to solve the mystery of these unexplainable sightings. Is someone trying to gaslight him? Is she dead or alive? What's with these copycat murders of 21-year-old identical twins? I'm not quite halfway through the book yet and I'm not sure I'll make it through or not. It's the large print edition so it's easy on the eyes though, thankfully.