January Resolutions & Waiting List

Before I get started with today's post I need to apologize to each one of you. It's been over two weeks and not even a whisper has been posted. I assure you that I've been reading just as much as usual - I've just been too busy/hectic/unfocused over the holidays to get my butt in gear get back to the reviews. But that changes today with number one on my short list of New Year's resolutions: Write more!

This year I resolve to put up at least one post & write at least another 1,000 words towards my novel each week. It's lofty, but attainable - so I'm confident that it can happen.

And what better way to get started than to outline the next month of reviews? In the hopper for January we've got:

• 'The Accidental Time Machine' by Joe Haldeman: I read 'The Forever War' a few years ago. To be honest it wasn't my favorite book ever - but it had won itself a pretty hefty number of awards and even though I'd probably only give it a yellow light, it was worth the read and definitely had substantial literary merit. That said, I look forward to sinking my teeth into this one which promises to be another thought provoking time-travel fiction.
• 'Gods of Men' (Children of the Apocalypse) by Joseph Pignataro: This one will be my first ever graphic novel experience. Now that I have a brand new Fire HD (thanks to the wondrous spirit of Christmas giving), I feel like I don't have an excuse to leave this genre behind any longer. Expect this review and more like it in the months' to come.
• 'Flat-Out Love' by Jessica Park: Not sure about this one, and I know virtually nothing about it (besides the fact that the cover reminds me of some 1960's cartooning) but it's my book clubs read this month so, it makes the cut.
• 'Dead Beat: A Novel of The Dresden Files' by Jim Butcher: Because everyone should be reading this series and I'm shamefully behind.

Lastly, I'll be introducing a new monthly segment to the blog with a focus on bridal books and resources. I know it's a bit of a weird segment - given my proclivity to science fiction novels and usual romantic fantasy focus - but when a girl gets engaged over the Christmas Holiday it only makes sense. Yes, you read that correctly, I'm now suffering from wedding-itis. As such, I'm going to abuse my power and make you all suffer the planning process with me. I'll be kicking off the bridal segment (with a name to be determined) with:

• 'Bridal Bargains' by Denise & Alan Fields

All right everyone - see you soon and I truly hope you had a wonderful holiday season and happy New Year!

'Blood Rites' (#6 of the Dresden Series) by Jim Butcher

Dresden lives in a spot on my heart right next to the Southern Vampire Mysteries. It is in this way that my reviews for both series are terribly skewed. That said, 'Blood Rites', by Jim Butcher, the sixth in a long chain of tales, is my favorite.

For fear of giving away too much - because that's so easy to do with these - this one has Dresden finding a puppy, getting himself hired to solve a mystery surrounding a porn set, all while working to try and defeat a new Black Court vampire nest.  In true Dresden style, he stumbles his way through it all, cracking jokes, making deals (that may, or may not end up working in his favor), and taking names. 

Seriously though, if you've never picked up a book in the series I urge you, (once again), to get out there and get cracking! This series is too good to miss. And if you're a Dresden fan already... well, you probably read this one years ago, but if you haven't gotten to it yet, this one is absolutely worth the read.

This Months Waiting List - November Edition

For the sake of both of us, and in an effort to explain why a certain book by Rowling appeared on last months list but was never reviewed, let me start by saying this:


It was terrible.

Absolutely, undeniably, terrible.

So freaking bad, in fact, that I only got through the first three chapters before I had to give up. It was boring and I just couldn't do it to myself. Nope. I know that I promised that I would read it. And I didn't. And I'm sorry. But it was awful. Really, truly, D.N.R. so I moved on.

J.K.R. - thanks for giving the world Harry Potter but please, for the love all that is written, put down the pen and walk away!

Ok. I feel better now. So back to our normally scheduled programming shall we? You came here to check out what kind of commitment I'm making for November, not to see me rant...

1. "Days of Blood and Starlight" by Laini Taylor, book two of her Daughter of Smoke and Bone series which in my humble opinion is a must read. (See glowing review of book one here)
2. "The Evolution of Mara Dyer", Mara Dyer #2, by Michelle Hodkin
3. "Redemption" Chosen #4, Denise Grover Swank

Only three this month that I can point to right now and with both my birthday and National Murder a Turkey Day that might, realistically be all I get to. But who knows, I'd love to find time to catch up on another installment of the Dresden Files "Blood Rites" by Jim Butcher as it's looking like a month filled with series 'catch-up'. Either that or it's time to tackle the telephone directory which is "A Storm of Swords" by George R.R. Martin. With Game of Thrones returning to TV in March that would give me a few months to absorb it before the show comes back and consumes my Sunday evenings again.

'Something from the Nightside' (Nightside #1) by Simon R. Green

I'm not entirely sure why I picked up the first Nightside book by Simon Green entitled 'Something from the Nightside'. I guess it was because someone, somewhere, told me that it was a lot like Jim Butcher's Dresden Files... and boy, they weren't kidding.

These two series seem to share a lot of the same DNA. Both narrators are lonely, orphaned souls and while John Taylor of the Nightside makes his living as a private investigator with a knack for finding things and Dresden is a professional wizard with a knack, for well, being a wizard, that distinction comes to mean very little in the end. Frankly speaking, if we were pitting them up against each other I'd favor Dresden - if only because he has a dry sense of humor that just cracks me up while Taylor is just, well, dry.

But, this isn't a boxing match and I'm not going to discredit the series because I don't enjoy it as much as another one. And while I will recommend that if you haven't spent time reading either of them Dresden Files is probably the better way to spend your time, I can't say that the Nightside isn't a worthy entry into the genre.

What I will say is this: 'Something from the Nightside' does have some pretty terrific moments: A restaurant that's literally stuck in the 1960's, holes in reality that can bounce you into another timeline and a small group of strong characters that are sure to develop well over the long-haul. The novel also had a surprising ending that served as a great introduction for some additional characters that make a compelling argument to pick up the next book.

So here's the bottom line: If you're all caught up with Dresden, love a good private detective novel (complete with damsel in distress), and don't mind your detectives with a fantasy flair, this one is for you.