#62 Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical by Anthony Bordain

This was a rather small book. Bourdain takes a sympathetic look at Mary and the way he spells it out you can almost see her point of view. And of course all it does is make me want to poke around more at that time frame. I liked the book and it did give enough info about the case without going into mind numbing detail.

I'm also about 5 books behind for posting for the 2006 reading year. Honestly I'll be backdating some posts so I can get the all in "2006". Hopefully life will settle down for me to sit down and catch my breath and do some "fun things" for a change.

#63 A Princess of Roumania by Paul Park

I got this as a free book at World Fantasy Con. My roomie at the con said she really liked it when she read it. On this recommendation I packed it to read in Germany. I read the book on the plane ride back and finished it but I have to say it wasn't my cup of tea. The fantasy touches were very small. I just felt like the story dragged a bit and either some tightening up of the story or some more action would have been better. Granted this is the first book in a series but I don't think I will bother with the rest of the books in the series.

#64 Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

This is the second book in the series. The heroine is a lighting strike survivor that now has the ability to find the dead and tell who they are and what they died from. The plot for this one involves an old case that is solved when she finally comes across the body during a demonstration of her powers in an old cemetery. I like these mysteries since the finding the dead is the only supernatural power that is in the book. That the main lead doesn't have a walk in the park life with this is nice as well. Now I just have to wait patiently for the next book.

#65 Born in Death by J D Robb

This is the latest installment in the series. I have to say I like the books. It is total brain candy. I like that it is a continuous series and each book builds on the other. This one wraps up the Mavis being pregnant story line that has gone on for several books. My only real complaint about the books is that every time more than one crime or mystery comes about they always dovetail into one another. Yes I know it is fiction but sometimes it just shouldn't work out that way. ;-)

#66 Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

I picked this up as a lark for my vacation. I did get a kick that on the about the author page it states the writer is from Orlando. This was book one in a new series. The lead is a powerful clairvoyant on the run from the vampire that killed her parents in order to control her. The book is loaded with lots of introductions of villains and setups. The book really felt like 2 books sliced together since so much happens to the lead character. I'm interested in reading the second book and seeing where the writer will take her new world.

#68 Snake Agent by Liz Williams

Well reading the short story that composes part of this novel sent me reading the full length novel ASAP. I had it but had been saving it. I don't know why I do that but sometimes I do, silly yes I know. Well I liked it so much that I got the paperback so I could finish reading it on the plane without dragging the hardcover with me and having something happen to it. I really like the world setup in this. The in depth setup of the underworld's government and dealings was wonderful. As much as I liked Chen, the hero I really liked Zhu Irzh, the cop from the underworld. He almost seems to be more of a fish out of water than Chen. Of course it is just manifesting with him versus Chen who has been dealing with being on the fringe for a long time. Now to find where I left the sequel somewhere around the house.

#67 Hammered by Elizabeth Bear

I had read few of her short stories and liked them so I grabbed this one that lots of people seemed to like and rave about. It is the first book in a series set in the future. I thought it was ok but it didn't grab me the way the book seems to grab other readers. Of course it could have just been the right book at the wrong time. I'm interested in seeing what happens in book 2 but I might wait for that one to fall in my lap instead of hunting it down.

I'm going to fall back on my 3 book rule for this writer. I'll read 3 books by a writer if I hear lots of good things about someone but when I read the book is entertaining but not rave worthy. I've used this rule a few times and I think it has worked out well for me so far.