2010 Books 49 - 61

I'm pretty much seriously doubting I'll make my goal of 100 books for the year - I'd have to read like a book a day for the rest of the year, and I don't think that's going to be happening, with holiday shopping & cooking & everything else!  But here's what I've been reading lately:

 

#49

Courting Midnight

Emma Holly

Fitz Clare Chronicles Book 5

Historical Paranormal Romance

 

This book follows Lucius - the eldest living upyr, and the last who remembers the very beginning of their race.

 

#50

Twice Bitten

Chloe Neill

Chicagoland Vampires Book 3

Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

 

Not my favorite book of the series - too much setting up of things.  Which I suppose is a good thing, if I want this to be a long-running series, but I think there could have been some more actual action going on.

 

#51

Kissing Midnight

Emma Holly

Fitz Clare Chronicles Book 6

Historical Paranormal Romance

 

#52

Breaking Midnight

Emma Holly

Fitz Clare Chronicles Book 7

Historical Paranormal Romance

 

#53

Saving Midnight

Emma Holly

Fitz Clare Chronicles Book 8

Historical Paranormal Romance

 

These were the first 3 books of the series that really almost stood alone as a trilogy - following the same characters throughout the books rather than just being set in the same world as the rest of the series.

 

#54

Dark and Stormy Knights

Anthology

Urvan Fantasy/Paranormal

 

This anthology featured short stories by:  Ilona Andrews, Jim Butcher, Shannon K. Butcher, Rachel Caine, P.N. Elrod, Deidre Knight, Vicki Pettersson, Lilith Saintcrow, and Carrie Vaughn.

 

I liked this anthology because the stories were a little longer- if you get over 10 authors, sometimes the stories almost seem too short to even bother with.

 

#55

Immortal Sea

Virginia Kantra

Children of the Sea Book 4

Paranormal Romance

 

Until this book, the series has mostly been focusing on the selkie, but this book gets more into the finfolk - who are more powerful in that they can take on the form of any creature in the sea, rather than just seals.  They don't have any skins to be stolen either, making them less vulnerable than their kin.

 

#56

Path of the Sun

Violette Malan

Dhulyn & Parno Book 4

Fantasy

 

Not exactly a cliffhanger ending, but I will say that there were more loose ends left hanging that I'd prefer LOL - at least considering there is no release date for the 5th book yet!

 

#57

The Demon's Daughter

Emma Holly

Tales of the Demon World Book 1

Historical Paranormal Romance

 

Wasn't quite sure whether to classify this as Historical Paranormal or Steam-Punk ... somewhat of a fine line I suppose, and kind of open to interpretation.

 

#58

The Truth of Valor

Tanya Huff

Confederation  Book 5

Sci-Fi

 

I used to read a lot more sci-fi than I do now, but there are still a few series that I can't pass up when a new book comes out & this is one of them.  I actually kind of thought that book 4 might be the last one, because things seemed to be neatly wrapped up - but of course things are never that simple for Torin.

 

#59

First Blood

Anthology

Paranormal Romance

 

This anthology featured short stories by:  Susan Sizemore Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green, and Meljean Brook.

 

I originally picked up this anthology for the Guardians short story (Meljean Brook) & it took me just forever to get through the rest of the stories.  Of the other 3 authors, I think only one of them would I care to read again.

 

#60

Side Jobs

Jim Butcher

Dresden Files - Anthology

Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

 

This anthology is a collection of all the Dresden Files short stories, plus a brand-new novella that takes place after the last book, Changes.  I had my hopes that it would take the edge off of the cliffhanger that book ended with, since Ghost Stories isn't due out until spring 2011 - but no such luck.  Although it starts mere hours after the end of Changes, the entire story is narrated by Murphy, and no further clues to Harry's fate were given.

 

#61

Intrigues

Mercedes Lackey

Valdemar - Collegium Chronicles Book 2

Fantasy

 

I have been reading the Valdemar series since I was about 12 LOL.  It's always a world that I enjoy, even if things are a little more black & white - simple - than in other series that I love for their complexity.

So, now I'm caught up for the moment posting books =)  A pile out from the library, as usual, but I've just been having trouble fitting reading time in - so many other things I am equally behind with that clamor for what little free time I have.  What do you have a bookmark in at the moment?

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

Books 11-22

Sooo behind with books, both posting & reading.  So I'm going to get caught up with at least the posting part =)  But in the interest of doing so quickly, I'm going to keep my commentary mostly on the short side:

#11

The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance

Anthology

Paranormal Romance

This anthology featured short stories by:  C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp. Ilona Andrews, Kelley Armstrong, Anya Bast, Meljean Brook, Rachel Caine, Alyssa Day, Lori Devoti, Jeaniene Frost, Lynda Hilburn, Allyson James, Dina James, Jean Johnson, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Holly Lisle, Sara Mackenzie, Cheyenne McCray, Catherin eMulvany, Mary Jo Putney, Michelle Rowen, Eve Silver, Maria V. Snyde, Carrie Vaughn, & Anna Windsor

#12

Blood Magic

Eileen Wilks

World of the Lupi Book 6

Urban Fantasy

There were a couple of times I literally could not put this book down - I think I finished it in like 2 days, which used to be more normal for me but is super-quick compared to my pace lately.

#13

Flirt

Laurell K. Hamilton

Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Book 18

Paranormal Romance/Thriller

Lots of zombies in this one, which is kind of nice, since the whole animator side of Anita's life sometimes gets put on the sidelines while she's dealing with killing things, rather than raising them from the dead LOL.  Kind of short, which was disappointing, but as the author explained in the afterword, this is really an "extra" book on the year - the inspiration for it interrupted her when she was writing the last book for her other series (Divine Misdemeanors if you're curious like me) and so she put out this book which at under 200 pages is more of a novella, in addition to the regularly-scheduled Anita book that will be out in June

#14

Kushiel's Scion

Jacqueline Carey

Kushiel's Legacy, Book 4

Historical Paranormal

The first time I read this, I was really disappointed that the protagonist from the first 3 books was no longer narrating the story.  This time I think I actually enjoyed the book more, because I knew when I started that it was told from Imriel's point of view.

#15

Moon Craving

Lucy Monroe

Children of the Moon Book 2

Historical Paranormal Romance

Werewolves, as you might guess, this second book took a couple of minor characters from the first book & expanded on their story.

#16

Silver Borne

Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson Book 5

Urban Fantasy

Things seem to finally be settling down a little for Mercy, although I can't help but wonder what the vampires are up to since they didn't make an appearance in this book.

#17

Demon Angel

Meljean Brook

Guardians Book 2

Paranormal Romance

Although this is technically the 2nd book of the series, this was actually the first full-length novel.

#18

Master of Fire
Angela Knight

Mageverse  Book 6

Paranormal Romance

Her last couple of books have been in other series, so it has been a while since the last book in this world & I hope it's not so long again because one of the characters disappears at the end & I'd really like to find out what happens next.

#19

Wild Thing

Anthology

Paranormal Romance

This anthology featured short stories by:  Maggie Shayne, Marjorie M. Liu, Alyssa Day, & Meljean Brook

#20

Serpent Moon

C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp

Tales of the Sazi Book 8

Urban Fantasy

This book wrapped up a lot of loose ends that had been left in the earlier books, kind of bringing everything together for a conclusion, although I don't think it's the last book in this series.

#21

Changes

Jim Butcher

Dresden Files Book 12

Urban Fantasy

Damn right changes.  I know I have several readers who also read this series so I especially don't want to give any spoilers, but let me just say that while I was happy he managed to keep from killing off too many of my favorite characters, EVERYTHING else changes in this book.  And it's also the first one that ended on a genuine, heart in my throat cliffhanger.  A cliffhanger so worrisome let me just say I immediately went to the author's website to reassure myself that there would in fact be another book.  Which there will be - but there's no release date out there yet.  I want it like yesterday LOL, but I'm thinking more likely somewhere between October & December if I'm lucky, or sometime in 2011 if I'm not.

#22

The Mystery Writers of America Presents:  Crime By Moonlight - Mysteries From The Dark Side

Anthology

Paranormal Mystery

This anothology featured short stories by:  Charlaine Harris, William Kent Krueger, Margaret Maron, Brendan Dubois, Harley Jane Kozak, S.W. Hubbard, Jeffrey Somers, Elaine Viets, Barbara D’Amato, Lou Kemp, Martin Meyers, Terrie Farley Moran, Jack Fredrickson, Steve Brewer, Mike Wiecek, Dana Cameron, Carolyn Hart, Max Allan Collins and Mickey Spillane, Parnell Hall, Toni L.P. Kelner

I actually really enjoyed this anthology, even though with so many authors the stories were extremely short.  Shorter than I'd prefer really.

So!  That's what I've been reading the past couple of months.  Not exactly on track for my goal this year of 100 ... maybe I'll read another 30 books by the end of June?  But I doubt it.  Apparently I'm busier than I used to be =)

Thanks for reading.

~Colette