Books of the last Month and half or so.

YAY!!! After another week of not being able to finish any book, then spending the next three with just one a week, I managed to start a streak of two weeks of three books!

I've been plagued by work and illness most of this month, which explains why I haven't been able to keep my usual pace in book reading. And by the look of things, more work will keep me away from it (hopefully I'm over the illness.)

A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison. The fourth book in The Hollows series. I keep putting this one down and read it intermittently, the self-destructive tendencies of the protagonist is a bit off-putting. Still, maybe it'll improve... I already know where to get the 5th book in the series (though it's in hardcover and all I have are the paperbacks and I want to keep them in uniform order). Hmmm... buy it or not?

Hell to Pay by Simon R. Green. Book 7 of the Nightside series. I haven't read books 4, 5 and 6 when I read this and apparently a lot of things happened in-between (so, I know who John Taylor's mother now which was only a minor point in the first three books).

Getaway Man by Andrew Vacchs. A bit disappointing. Maybe I just prefer his Burke series.

Drinking Midnight Wine by Simon R. Green. A bit too much like the Nightside series even though it's supposed to be set in a alternate "alternate reality". Some characters mentioned in the Nightside Series appear here (Jimmy Thunder in particular) and vice-versa.

Mr. Lucky by James Swain. Finally Completed the Tony Valentine series. Seems the author is concentrating on a new series of books based on a different character; Jack Carpenter. (I haven't gotten my hands on any of these books). Hope he'll go back to Tony Valentine again (I kinda like the gambling part of the series; though I suppose you'll run out of materials soon eventually).

Black Magic Woman by Justin Gustianis. A new series from a new author (new to me, anyway). Very interesting start (paranormal investigators), hopefully I could find the next book in the series soon.


Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Have most of the Pendergast novels now (only missing the latter books).

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher. Book 11 of the Dresden Files series. I read this over the 'net. Hopefully i can get my hands on a hardcopy soon (I only have the first six books in the series, as is)

Mistress of Dragons. First book in the Dragonvald trilogy. Also a bit disappointing, not what I usually expect from Margaret Weis... too serious and not a light moment to break up the tone once in a while.

Books of the Weeks 36, 37 and 38

Sigh... the streak ended, i spent the last week without finishing any book at all. And the three weeks prior that to reading just 2 books per week(instead of my usual 3).

Work is catching up to me, even had to travel (by PLANE!) on one of the cases assigned to me.

Every Which way but Dead by Kim Harrison. 3rd book in the series, and I'm reading the fourth now.
Gabriel's Horn by "Alex Archer".


Steal the Dragon by Patricia Briggs.
A Hymn Before Battle by John Ringo.


Riptide by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Pirates! Treasures! Finally managed to complete a Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child book that doesn't involve Agent Pendergast.
The Judgment by William J. Coughlin.

Books of the Week 34 and 35

Books Read: 3 and 3 (And while I go through 3 books a week, I buy about the same number of books a week, sometimes twice as many and three, four times as much aren't that unusual either. sigh... I'll never read them all at this rate, but I intend to try.)

Titles:

Unto the Breach by John Ringo. Book 4 of the Paladin of Shadows Series. Still haven't found the first book though.

A Deeper Blue by John Ringo. Book 5 of the same series. Read this through Baen's Free Library (who knew?) Though I really don't like reading books through the monitor (my eyes are half-way ruined already because of reading paperbacks, PCs don't help!) And while the first book is also available in the 'net, I decided against reading it, I'll just keep an eye out for the real thing (plus the best thing about the series are keldara which started only in the second book).

Mysteries of Wrestling: Solved by Adam Kleinberg and Adam Nudelman. A wrestling book, not much I didn't know from reading the other wrestling books I have (and the occasional wiki entry, when the mood hits me).

Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. A good book really, though it crossed the line (from pseudo-science to the supernatural) with the Tulpa manifestation. I liked most of their books which had supernatural trappings (all of which involves Agent Pendergast ) but with plausible scientific explanations, on the other while I've started several other books of theirs that involves super science (Ice Limit and Mount Dragon) I've yet to finish one. Still great authors, I've managed to collect most of their books over the last two months and completed reading most of them.

There will be Dragons by John Ringo. Another author whose books I've managed to round up a lot of (and read and enjoyed) over the last couple of months. My only regret is I saw the second book of this series once before and chose not to buy it (back then I was only readings his Paladin of Shadows series and haven't tried his other series). Hope I can find it again.

The Good, The Bad, and The Undead by Kim Harrison. Second book in the Rachel Morgan series (I read the first book a long time ago), plus I also have the third book at hand. I'm back to the Urban Fantasy/Supernatural Genre with this one.

Books of the Week 33

I should really go back to updating this every week rather than monthly...

Books Read: 3

Titles:

Jumper by Steven Gould. Seems that they made a movie based (very loosely) on the book. From the wiki, it seems they took a whole lot of dramatic license on the book though.

The Short Victorious War by David Weber. Third book in the Honor Harrington series. Military Science Fiction isn't really my thing, but the series is growing on me. (I already have the 4th book as well.)

Stardoc by S.L. Viehl. First book in the series. I became interested in the author after reading Blade Dancer, so I scooped up this book when I saw it.

Books of the Month

A good month for series (both new and old)!

The Advocate. Part of the Darcy Cole series of legal thrillers (why they call it mystery in the cover is a mystery to me). A lawyer who seems to have everything fall his way, though I suppose I should be hones enough to say that it only happens because he knows how to take advantage of it.

Proof of Intent. Charlie Sloan series of legal thrillers. Ended way too similarly with his earlier work "Shadow of a Doubt"

Dream Park by Larry niven and Steven Barnes. Just "WOW". Can't believe this was written in 1982.

Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

Oracle by Mike Resnick.

Reliquary by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

Kildar by John Ringo. Sigh... I'm officially reading the series backwards with this one.

On Bassilisk Station by David Weber.

The Honor of the Queen by David Weber.

Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green

Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

Dance of Death by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

The Short Victorious War by David Weber.

Books of the Week XXVI, XXVII & XXVIII

I'm still averaging 3 books a week despite work (I should really get my priorities rights).

Books Read: 9 (3,3, and 3)

Titles:

Blade Dancer by S.L. Viehl. One of the better Sci-fi books I've read in a long while (I'm more of a fantasy buff anyway). I've seen several of the author's books around (mostly from the Stardoc series) but this is the first I've purchased (mostly because of the cover art and the subject matter: Assassins!)

Blood Lines by William R. Burkett, Jr. Second book in a series (story of my life). The characters are actually interesting, especially "simply ball", a very formidable cybernetic construct/agent. Though, I could do without the poetry competition (meh!)

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede. First book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles series (I actually bought this because I kept seeing the other books in the series when I go bookshopping). It didn't dissapoint either, and while it may be considered a children's book (or young adult anyway), I still had fun reading it (laugh out loud moments, too). Maybe I just like seeing fairy tales turned upside down and inside out. Plus, I managed to get my mitts on book 2 as well, hope the series holds up.

Rhapsody by Elizabeth Haydon. I've already seen this book before, but I didn't want to invest in a new series (especially when its in the 600 page+ plus category), but they were selling it for a pittance (P35.00, granted it was a bit dog-eared, yellowing and damaged by water) so I took a chance. And dang, now I'm hooked (I've actually managed to buy book 2, 3 and 5 already). It's been a while since I've encountered epic storytelling, but this book qualifies. Hope I can find the time to read the books I've already bought and find the rest soon.

Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich. I actually liked this book more before I started reading its wikipedia entry. Kinda brought down by the fact, that it took a lot of dramatic license with the original story. And the movie based on the book, 21 took it even further. Weird. Still, I wish I had the kind of card-counting ability displayed in the book ('coz while I don't gamble, save for the occasional lotto ticket, i'd like to try it sometimes). Still, an enjoyable read, I actually tend to like any book with Las Vegas as the setting, or with gambling as the plot.

Justice by Dan Mahoney. I bought this the same time I bought Lazybones by Mark Billingham, two books with the same plot idea: vigilante killings. I actually started Lazybones first but put it aside after the first few chapters (I think it was the English setting that put me off). I enjoyed this one, despite the improbable protagonist (hey! a 70-year vigilante. That's like Punisher level abilities at least) and the redeeming qualities of drug pushers (actually, most of the characters in the novel are likeable, even the bad guys).

Oath of Swords by David Weber.

Never Trust an Elf by Robert N. Charrette. Part of the Shadowrun line of Books.

The Forever Drug by Lisa Smedman. Ditto. Good premise... though the ending is a bit dissapointing (I read books to see the good guys win, after all).

That does it for January, hope I can keep up the pace (I spent a significant portion of my last paycheck to buy a dozen new books to read.)

Books of the Week XXV

Books read: 3

Titles:

Newton's Cannon by Gregory Keyes. First book of the Age of Unreason series.

The Family Trade by Charles Stross. First book in the Merchant Princes series.

Dead Money: A No Limit Poker Mystery by Rudy Stegemoeller.

Actually of the three books, I liked the last one best, the first two had way too many new ideas for me to wrap my head around in (maybe I should avoid reading too many books at once... nah) Also, I'm a fan of Texas Hold 'Em, so that probably helped.