March Books

Dead Wrong by J.A. Jance A
The twelfth in the Joanna Brady. I love how she takes the mystery genre and turns it topsy-turvy. It’s not just about finding out ‘who-dun-it’. It’s also about the relationships and the stuff going on in their lives. And the politics of our times, ‘cuz Sheriff Brady’s workforce is affected by the National Guard deployment to Iraq and the new policies on immigration over the Mexican/U.S. border. And the town’s view of her is affected by the discovery of a dog-fighting ring in her county.
The Heart of Valor by Tanya Huff B
This is the third in her Valor books. I loved the first one and kind of stumbled through the second one. ‘Heart’ is more in the middle. Military sci-fi and not quite as good as David Weber or Elizabeth Moon… But I do like her main character, Gunnery Sergeant Torin, and I like the other odd aliens fighting for the Confederation.
Improbable Cause by J.A. Jance A-
The fifth in the J.P. Beaumont series. I liked this one- In general I prefer a third person narrator and not first person. The Beaumont’s are all in first person and sometimes it makes it hard for me to enjoy them- I get caught up in ‘can I trust this narrator?’, ‘did he just miss something that I caught?’. However, I do like Jance’s writing and characters, so that makes up for my questionable trust in Beaumont.
A More Perfect Union by J.A. Jance C+
The sixth in the J.P. Beaumont series. I didn’t like this one so much. Don’t know why exactly… It’s about an Ironworker’s Union and some guy who required the women to have sex with him before they could join… I was quite delighted to see him go down.
Derik’s Bane by MaryJanice Davidson B
Very silly werewolf romance. I enjoyed the humor. Not for those who are shocked by spicy sex scenes. Of course, this was one recommended by my sister…
Fantasy Gone Wrong
A collection of humorous tales of fantasy. Some of these were very good and some were lousy. Worth the time.
Something From the Nightside by Simon Green A-
First in the Nightside series. Establishing the world and characters. Good
Agents of Light and Darkness by Simon Green A
Second in the Nightside series. I liked this one better...
Nightingale's Lament by Simon Green A
Third in the Nightside series. Good.
Mister Monday by Garth Nix B
Yikes. This was slow..... Took forever to get going. It wasn’t until halfway through the book that anything made sense, and if I didn’t love some of his other books I would have given up. It does get good when it gets going, but up until then, yuck.
Riddle Master of Hed by Patricia McKillip A
First in a trilogy. I read this series a long time ago and loved them. They’re still just as good. Magic, mystery, relationships, good and evil. Very good. Morgan was born with a difficult destiny and he must learn to survive through it.
Heir of Sea & Fire by Patricia McKillip A
Second in the trilogy. I’d forgotten that this focused on the princess, not Morgan. Very good.
Harpist in the Wind by Patricia McKillip A
Third in the trilogy. Magic & mystery- these are so good. I enjoyed reading this series again...
White Knight by Jim Butcher A
I actually liked this one very much... I think I may have missed his last book, ‘Proven Guilty’, but I’m not sure. I do agree with the cover - ‘What would you get if you crossed Spenser with Merlin?’ Although I think Parker’s descriptions of people are wittier than Butcher’s- I’ll never forget this one description of a bad guy. I don’t remember the exact words but basically he described him as a wire hanger. I could see that guy so clearly! Anyway, White Knight is very good. Good installment in the series.
Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge A
I’m reading this ‘cuz I’m married to a guy. I really liked this book, and actually pulled out some stuff about my own relationship with God. Some good insights into the guy I married and what makes him tick.