2009 Reading Totals

With only a few hours before I head to bed (I'll be fast asleep by midnight), it looks like my reading total for 2009 is 145 books. I shoot for 150 so I fell a little short but all in all, I'm pleased. Happy New Year!

Death by Cashmere (4.5/5)

Death by Cashmere (4.5/5)

The first book in a cozy mystery series. Izzy runs a knitting shop and Angie lives above it. Angie is murdered and Izzy, Nell and others in their knitting group try to solve the murder. Good twists and turns. I enjoyed the cat named Purl. I will continue this series.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (4/5)

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (4/5)

This book was sent to me to review. I was happy to receive it since I knew it was somehow connected to the Salem witch trials which is a time period that I love to read about.

Connie is a graduate student heading into her thesis. She goes to her grandmother's house over the summer to work on her thesis and close up the house so her mother can sell it. Connie begins to look back through family history and realize that Salem might have also left its mark on her family. There seems to be some witchcraft going on.

Told in the present time through Connie's story and in 1692 to tell the account of accused witch Deliverance Dane, this book details the paranoia that was so huge and the search, hundreds of years later, for the truth about magic. Good writing. I enjoyed it.

The Magician's Elephant (YA) (5/5)

The Magician's Elephant (YA)

This book tells the story of Peter, a boy whom is looking for his sister. A fortune teller tells him that an elephant will lead him to his sister, which he does not believe. Then an elephant magically appears and life is never the same. Great illustrations and great story telling.

Murder Most Maine (5/5)

Murder Most Maine (5/5)

Third book in a great cozy mystery series. Natalie once again has murders happen at her inn and this time she must solve them to save her boyfriend from being charged. One of my favorite cozy mystery series of all time. Great setting, good culinary mixed in with the mystery and good characters.

Sent (The Missing Book 2) (YA) (4.5/5)

Sent(The Missing Book 2) (YA) (4.5/5)

This book picks up right where Found, the 1st book in the series, left off so make sure to read that one first. Chip and Alex have traveled back through time to the 15th century and are taking back their historical identities. Jonah and Katherine have gone along to try to save Chip and Alex. A lot of action and twists and turns in this book. I enjoyed it. I am assuming there will be a third book, based on the ending of this one.

Lucy's Lion Cut

This is Lucy, our 12 year old Maine Coon, after her lion cut. She was bitter for days--her tail scared her and was used as a feather wand by the other cats. I have never done a lion cut to her since!

Just Gus (5/5)

Just Gus (5/5)

Gus is a rescued dog who finds a home with a woman dying from cancer. A different sort of love story, as both Gus and Stephanie draw strength from each other. A quick read but very moving.

Persistence of Memory (YA) (5/5)

Persistence of Memory (YA) (5/5)

Erin has a mental illness and an alter ego, or so she thinks. In reality she is bonded to a vampire and the two share a connection to each other's thoughts and memories. This bond needs to be broken before Erin really goes crazy. Good YA paranormal--vampires, witches and shapeshifters.

Fragile Eternity (YA) (4.5/5)

Fragile Eternity (YA) (4.5/5)

This is the 3rd in the series which began with Wicked Lovely. Aislinn is trying to settle in as Summer Queen. Seth wants to become immortal so he can have eternity with Ash. Keenan and Donia are trying to figure out their relationship and Niall is settling in as the Dark King. I'm not normally big on books with fairies in them but I really enjoy this series. #4 comes out in March and I will read it.

Blueberry Muffin Murder (4.5/5)

Blueberry Muffin Murder (4.5/5)

This is #3 in the Hannah Swensen series. Hannah once again finds a few dead bodies and tries to solve the murders. A lot of humor in this one and good twists and turns; I was guessing until the end. I enjoy this series a lot, though the cookies in it make me hungry.

Bonechiller (YA) (4.5/5)

Bonechiller (YA) (4.5/5)

A Yeti-like creature has been making teenagers disappear. Dan and his friend Howie are both infected by the creature and are trying to figure out how to kill it before it takes them away from their home. Good action, good twists and turns. A book that both HS boys and girls would enjoy.

The Girl Who Could Fly (YA) (4.5/5)

The Girl Who Could Fly (YA) (4.5/5)

Piper can fly and this disturbs her parents. They send her to a school for kids with special talents. Piper soon finds out that the schools are actually trying to make the kids forget their special talents and she plans an escape for the students. Good characters, good action. This was on the reading list as 4th grade and up but I think it is more of a middle school book. I enjoyed it. Any book that is described, by the author of the Twilight series, as being a combination of Little House on the Prairie and the X-Men, has to be decent.

CR: The Girl Who Could Fly (YA)

CR: The Girl Who Could Fly (YA)

Any book deemed to be a combination of Little House on the Prairie and the X-Men has to be an interesting read. It gets even better when the reference was made by Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight books.

A good read so far. . . I hope to finish it up tomorrow.

Koko

Koko has recently returned to us, after a year and a half of another home. Koko needs to be the only cat and in our house, that isn't possible. Her new owners brought in a cat and behavior problems started once again. Facing putting her to sleep, I told them I would take her back. So a la Virginia Woolf, Koko is now in my reading room, using it as a room of her own, and we'll see if that helps. If so, then I will try to find her another home to be the only cat. Keep paws crossed!

The Willoughbys (YA) (5/5)

The Willoughbys (YA) (5/5)

Four siblings decide they want to be orphans so they try to plot the demise of their parents. Their parents decide they don't want kids so they try to get rid of them. This book reminded me of Dahl's The Twits--people doing evil to each other, but in such a funny way you can't help but love it. A good, quick read. Very different from Lowry's usual fare. I enjoyed it.