Micro by Michael Chrichton and Richard Preston

It's 'Honey, I shrunk the scientists.' 

Grade: C-

the short second life of bree tanner (an eclipse novella) by Stephenie Meyer

 

 
 

This was an entertaining, complementary story to the Twilight saga.

Product description : "Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion."

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

Jacket: "NYT best-selling author John Connolly ... examines the grin side of fairy tales in a spellbinding novel about a 12-year-old boy lost in an extraordinary world.
     Mourning the loss of of his mother, David finds comfort in the books she left behind. But soon the make-believe world of the books melds with David's reality, and the figments of his imagination become startlingly real.  Suddenly, he finds himself in a brutal land populated by trolls, harpies and werewolf-like creatures.  His only hope is to find the king, whose Book of Lost Things could show David the way home.
     ... The Book of Lost Things is a riveting fantasy and a dark reminder that we all must brave the journey from youth to adulthood."

So I'm listening to this story while at work and I'm getting a little creeped out! I can't remember the last time a story did that to me. This is not your kid's Grimm fairy tale! READ THIS BOOK!

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

Jacket: "When you have to kill the same terrorist twice in one week, there's either something wrong with your world or something wrong with your skills ... and there's nothing wrong with Joe Ledger's skills. Ledger, a Baltimore detective assigned to a counterterrorism task force, is recruited by the government to lead a new ultrasecret rapid-response group called the Department of Military Science (DMS) to help stop a group of terrorists from releasing a dreadful bioweapon that can turn ordinary people into zombies."

Some whack critics think that this is a story that just happens to have zombies, and even if that is the case, it still reads like a good action film (which it very well could be). The zombie purists may have issue with this, but I really enjoyed it.

Book of Fate by Brian Meltzer

Jacket: " In Six minutes, one of us would be dead.

So says Wes Holloway, a once cocky and ambitious presidential aide, about the day that changed his life forever. On that Fourth of July, Wes put Ron Boyle, the chief executive's oldest friend, into the presidential limousine. By the time the trip came to an end, Wes was permanently disfigured, and Boyle was dead, the victim of a crazy assassin.

Eight years later, Boyle is spotted, alive and well, in Malaysia. In that moment, Wes has the chance to undo the worst day of his life. Trying to figure out what really happened takes Wes back to a decade-old presidential crossword puzzle, mysterious facts buried in Masonic history, and a two-hundred-year-old code invented by Thomas Jefferson.

But what Wes doesn't realize is that The Book of Fate holds everyone's secrets. Especially the ones worth dying for.

The Book of Fate. What does it say about you?"

This book was okay. I was expecting more of the Freemason story,  but this is a story that just happens to have a Freemason reference.

Dog on It: A Chet & Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn

I didn't think I could get into a book narrated by a police-academy-dropout dog, but the character is very endearing and then don't you know it, you want to find out how it ends.


PUBLISHER: "Meet Chet, the wise and lovable canine narrator of Dog on It, who works alongside Bernie, a down-on-his-luck private investigator. Chet might have flunked out of police school ("I'd been the best leaper in K-9 class, which had led to all the trouble in a way I couldn't remember exactly, although blood was involved"), but he's a detective through and through.

In this, their first adventure, Chet and Bernie investigate the disappearance of Madison, a teenage girl who may or may not have been kidnapped, but who has definitely gotten mixed up with some very unsavory characters. A well-behaved, gifted student, she didn't arrive home after school and her divorced mother is frantic. Bernie is quick to take the case -- something about a cash flow problem that Chet's not all that clear about -- and he's relieved, if vaguely suspicious, when Madison turns up unharmed with a story that doesn't add up. But when she disappears for a second time in a week, Bernie and Chet aren't taking any chances; they launch a full-blown investigation. Without a ransom demand, they're not convinced it's a kidnapping, but they are sure of one thing: something smells funny.

Their search for clues takes them into the desert to biker bars and other exotic locals, with Chet's highly trained nose leading the way. Both Chet and Bernie bring their own special skills to the hunt, one that puts each of them in peril. But even as the bad guys try to turn the tables, this duo is nothing if not resourceful, and the result is an uncommonly satisfying adventure.

With his doggy ways and his endearingly hardboiled voice, Chet is full of heart and occasionally prone to mischief. He is intensely loyal to Bernie, who, though distracted by issues that Chet has difficulty understanding -- like divorce, child custody, and other peculiar human concerns -- is enormously likable himself, in his flawed, all-too-human way."

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey

Jacket: "Steve Harvey, the host of the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show, can't count the number of impressive women he's met over the years, whether it's through the "Strawberry Letters" segment of his program or while on tour for his comedy shows. These are women who can run a small business, keep a household with three kids in tiptop shape, and chair a church group all at the same time. Yet when it comes to relationships, they can't figure out what makes men tick. Why? According to Steve it's because they're asking other women for advice when no one but another man can tell them how to find and keep a man. In Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, Steve lets women inside the mindset of a man and sheds lights on concepts and questions such as:

—The Ninety Day Rule: Ford requires it of its employees. Should you require it of your man?

—How to spot a mama's boy and what if anything you can do about it.

—When to introduce the kids. And what to read into the first interaction between your date and your kids.

—The five questions every woman should ask a man to determine how serious he is.

— And more...

Sometimes funny, sometimes direct, but always truthful, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man is a book you must read if you want to understand how men think when it comes to relationships."

This is funny AND insightful. Every woman should read this at least once. And for the sportsfish, read again and again.

Daemon by Daniel Suarez

READ THIS BOOK!!! It is a techno-thrill ride that you just can't get off ... even if you wanted to!

“Daemon is to novels what The Matrix was to movies. It will be how other novels that rely on technology will be judged.”
— Rick Klau, Strategic Partner Development - Google

“Greatest. Techno-thriller. Period. Experts have long feared the Internet doomsday scenario. Daemon is arguably more terrifying.”
— Billy O'Brien, Director of Cybersecurity and Communications Policy at the White House

“Daemon is wet-yourself scary, tech-savvy, mind-blowing!” —Paste Magazine

Daemon's sequel, Freedom^TM, is coming in 2010.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

Wikipedia: "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World is a best-selling non-fiction book published in September 2008. The book covers the life and times of Dewey Readmore Books, the cat in residence at the Spencer Public Library in Spencer, Iowa. In addition to discussing Dewey's life from his discovery in the library drop bin on a cold winter's night, to his unlikely fame, to his death in 2006, the book also talks about the life of his caretaker, Vicki Myron, including her early life and struggles with illness and single <sup>"

This was such an endearing and special book to read.</sup>

Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell

Jacket: "Dr. Peter Brown is an intern at Manhattan's worst hospital. He has a talent for medicine, a shift from hell, and a past he'd prefer to keep hidden. Whether it's a blocked circumflex artery or a plan to land a massive malpractice suit, he knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men.

Pietro "Bearclaw" Brnwa is a hit man for the mob, with a genius for violence, a well-earned fear of sharks, and an overly close relationship with the Federal Witness Protection Program. More likely to leave a trail of dead gangsters than a molecule of evidence, he's the last person you want to see in your hospital room.

Nicholas LoBrutto, aka Eddy Squillante, is Dr. Brown's new patient, with three months to live and a very strange idea: that Peter Brown and Pietro Brnwa might - just might - be the same person . . .

Now with the mob, the government, and death itself descending on the hospital, Peter has to buy time and do whatever it takes to keep his patients, himself, and his last shot at redemption alive. To get through the next eight hours - and somehow beat the Reaper.

Spattered in adrenaline-fueled action and bone-saw-sharp dialogue, Beat the Reaper is a debut thriller so utterly original you won't be able to guess what happens next, and so shockingly entertaining you won't be able to put it down."

That last line is VERY true. I brought this book with me on a recent trip home and my lil sister stole it and did not return it until she was finished, which also happened to be on my way BACK to the airport. Yup, that's how good it was.

One reader compared this book to a mix between "House" and "The Sopranos." That is nearly dead on! I may have even gasped at one point while reading this. Okay, maybe twice. Forget about sleeping. Once you crack open the first page, you will NOT put it down.

Joker by Brian Azzarello

Jacket: "I didn't know the particulars as to why, but he was . . . Joker was being released from Arkham Asylum ...

So begins this searing look at the crazed world and cracked mind of the Joker . . . the crowned king of Gotham City rackets.

Joker is getting out of the madhouse and, though he's laughing, he's not happy. While away, his fellow rogues have sliced and diced his chunk of the pie and sold it off for scrap - thinking he was gone for good. But now Joker's back on the street and eager to make Gotham bleed like it's never bled before.

During this long night of the soul, he'll cross paths with the likes of The Penguin, Two-Face, Killer Croc, Harley Quinn, The Riddler and, of course, The Batman . . . and heaven help them all.

Told through the eyes of his loyal (but naive) henchman Johnny Frost, JOKER is a true noir crime novel - a harrowing journey into a city of rain-soaked streets, dirty sheets and nothing but bad choices."

Slash Film Review: "Azzarello, known for writing hardcore violence into his comics, calls it “the most violent thing I’ve ever written.” Brian reteams with Lex Luthor: Man of Steel artist Lee Bermejo to “show an even darker and more disturbing side to the most dangerous man in Gotham.”

Bean: All I can say is WOW. This is the type of story you'd love to see on the big screen, but with all the blood and gore, it wouldn't get a rating. All the more reason to pick this one up!

Suze Orman Free Book Download

Get your copy of Suze Orman's latest book, Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan, for free!

Download Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan in English.*
This book is copyrighted. You may view and download the file, but you may not copy the file or share or forward it to any other person. Offer expires at 11:59 p.m. CT on Thursday, January 15.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Official Site: "Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who treated him with the utmost care and adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost.

Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the top of a garbage heap to the fireside of a hobos camp, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. And along the way, we are shown a true miracle: even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again."

This is an AMAZING story! Already a classic with children and adults alike, and now I know why. This is a story you have to read again and again.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Jacket: "In a world where people born with an extreme skill - called a Grace - are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises; the Grace of killing.  She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing who displeases him.

When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn  new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone."

This is a remarkable debut novel for Kristin Cashore. Once I picked it up I was transported to the world of the seven kingdoms and did not want to leave. 

This is a novel for young adults. If you read to middle-schoolers you may want to jump over the few sex bits - just a warning. Then again, "Gossip Girl" is far, far worse.

The Best Way to Store Books

from Real Simple:

Q. What’s the best way to store books?

A.The ideal place to store books is pest-free, like an attic or a garage, as long as those spaces aren’t subject to big temperatures changes and are well ventilated. Never keep books in a humid spot; the mold that grows in damp places will damage them, along with any other paper-based objects. And don’t wrap books in plastic bags, plastic wrap, or foil, which encourage mold.

Click link for full article.

Books are shelter in financial storm, sellers say

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Burying your head in a book during the crisis buffeting world financial markets may be just what the doctor -- or the bookseller -- ordered, publishers argued on Wednesday at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

While luxuries are increasingly unaffordable, most people still have enough money to buy a book, and booksellers could even use the opportunity to stage a resurgence, said Fran Dubruille, director of the European Booksellers' Federation.

Click link for full article.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

This was seriously a page-turner. Bella is finally getting everything she wanted, but is it worth the price? Jump into Breaking Dawn and follow Bella into the next phase of her eternal journey.


I really do enjoy discussing the series with friends, family and fellow aficionados. I'm always surprised by the range of readers it has attracted and I look forward to the film adaptation. I hope it lives up to the hype.

Official Website:

Click here to read Entertainment Weekly's exclusive preview of the first chapter of Breaking Dawn.

October 9, 2008: The final trailer for Twilight the movie is now available to view. You can watch the HD version at the MySpace.com Trailer Park or the regular version in the widget at TwilightTheMovie.com. Also, we added another new movie poster to the movie page. Enjoy the trailer.

Lost in Translation? A Swede’s Snub of U.S. Lit

Interesting article. Click link for full post.

By CHARLES McGRATH
Published: October 4, 2008

If you’re John Updike, Philip Roth, Don DeLillo or Joyce Carol Oates, you don’t have to worry about whether the phone bill has been paid. You won’t be getting the call from Stockholm next week.

On Tuesday, Horace Engdahl, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, the organization that awards the Nobel Prize in Literature, gave an interview to The Associated Press and, while not dropping hints about this year’s winner, seemed to rule out, pretty much, the chances of any American writer. “Europe is still the center of the literary world,” he said, not the United States, and he suggested that American writers were “too sensitive to trends in their own mass culture.” He added: “The U.S. is too isolated, too insular. They don’t translate enough and don’t really participate in the big dialogue of literature. That ignorance is restraining.”

Using Video Games as Bait to Hook Readers

By MOTOKO RICH
Published: October 5, 2008

CARLSBAD, Calif.— When PJ Haarsma wrote his first book, a science fiction novel for preteenagers, he didn’t think just about how to describe Orbis, the planetary system where the story takes place. He also thought about how it should look and feel in a video game.

The online game that Mr. Haarsma designed not only extends the fictional world of the novel, it also allows readers to play in it. At the same time, Mr. Haarsma very calculatedly gave gamers who might not otherwise pick up a book a clear incentive to read: one way that players advance is by answering questions with information from the novel.

“You can’t just make a book anymore,” said Mr. Haarsma, a former advertising consultant. Pairing a video game with a novel for young readers, he added, “brings the book into their world, as opposed to going the other way around.”

Click link to full article.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

It may seem like Sci-fi-light for hard-core fans, but the character is intriguing and offers a different perspective of the "invasion" story we see so often. Once you pick it up, be prepared for a long, thrilling ride.

Jacket: "Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie Stryder, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who had been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.

... Stephenie Meyer brings us a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistance of love and the very essence of what it means to be human."

Click here to read an excerpt from The Host.