Lucky Dip Questions 01 - Why Time Doesn't Fly in Stephanie Plum?

Okay, I don't think this Lucky Dip Question was solved by any means, but it's something that I've wondered about for a while now.  Why does time move so differently for some characters in the Stephanie Plum series?

If you have read the books, and notice this weird phenomenon, then please let me know what your thoughts are about this odd little quirk in the comments below. 

And until I see you guys next time,

 

Favourite reads of 2017

Well, hello!

Yes, it's been a hot minute since I last posted.  December was a crackin' reading month.  I caved in and used my library's Overdrive platform to devour a ton of books.  Apparently I can read even faster on a device, and the week before Christmas I managed to power through 40 books!  Yes, that was not a typo.  I will try to do a 2017 statistics wrap up soon, but today I just spoke about some of my favourite reads of 2017.  These are not based on ratings, or Goodreads reviews.  These are just the books that I kept thinking of when trying to decide what I enjoyed reading last year. 

It is a longer video, and it almost a wasn't.  I tried to film it twice on my little digital camera, but the battery got so hot that I had to stop, and the second time my battery went flat half way through so that was a bust.  Still, I wanted to get a video up today so I had to resort to the webcam on my desktop so the quality isn't all that.  Then it took nearly 3 hours for the video to upload to YouTube.  Seriously, 3 hours!

So, I've done my dash with this video.  It was as frustrating as all get out to do, but I'm glad I was able to upload something after being a no-show in December.

This year I have a few self imposed challenges.  My #aclassicamonth is heading into it's third year, and I'll once again be reading slogging through the Big Book 2018.  I'm hoping to get back to reading a Poirot a month, and I'm tentatively planning my Halloween reading list.  My Goodreads challenge is set at 100 books.  I completed the challenge in Aug/Sept last year and didn't bother to add any of the books I read after that point, so this year I want to log everything I read on Goodreads - just to see exactly what my reading year looks like.

Okay.  I've been online for hours today trying to get all this up.  My butts gone numb, and my computer is getting rather hot to the touch, so I'll say Happy New Year and good luck with your reading in 2018, and until I see you next time,

 

November wrap up

Hello my lovelies!  I hope you are having a better day than I am.  It is quite chilly and pouring rain - in November! - when it usually is hot enough to fry an egg under the blistering Australian sun.  Don't get me wrong, I love this kind of weather... however, it is becoming clear that the weather has no idea what it is supposed to be doing ;-D

November has been quite a good reading month for me.  I've had a very very late order arrive, ticked a few more books off my TBR list, and bought a few more books in current series.  Favourite reads of the month so far have been White Hot and Wildfire by Ilona Andrews, as well as Hardcore 24 by Janet Evanovich (even though it didn't get a high rating from me).

Biggest dud was Come Sundown by Nora Roberts.  Can't believe how much this didn't enthuse me.  Perhaps it's because I loved Obsession (ignore the first 80 pages) and have reread that so many times since it was published.  Oh well, will keep my fingers crossed that Year One will redeem her in December.

I've managed to make my way through two more Agatha Christies.  Murder on the Orient Express and After the Funeral were quick and compelling reads.  Not my favourites, but not too shabby either.

Still have a lot of books sitting on my ever expanding TBR pile.  Still have to get around to Artemis and Vigil before the end of the year and am saving the Decameron for next years Big Book project.

I think that's about it.  I need to get off the computer as the storm has picked up and the rain in bucketing down.  Don't need to be online if the power craps out ;-D

So until I see you next time,

 

Book Review || One for the Money

Original 1994 hardcover

One for the Money
Stephanie Plum, Book 1
Janet Evanovich

Originally Published: 1994
Review Edition: 2012

Penguin, Format B paperback, 290p.
ISBN: 978-0-241-95703-5
 

Winner of the Crime Writer’s Association John Creasy Memorial Dagger

Stephanie Plum is down on her luck.  She’s lost her job, her car’s on the brink of repossession, and her apartment is fast becoming furniture-free.

Enter Cousin Vinnie, a low-life who runs a bail-bond company.  If Stephanie can bring in vice cop turned outlaw Joe Morelli, she stands to pick up $10,000.  But tracking down a cop wanted for murder isn’t easy.  And when Benito Ramirez, a prize-fighter with more menace than mentality, wants to be her friend Stephanie soon knows what its like to be pursued.  Unfortunately the best person to protect her just happens to be on the run. . .

First off, I can't believe that it's been over 10 years since I picked up my first Stephanie Plum book, and over 20 since Stephanie Plum first burst onto the scene in One for the Money!  I wanted to re-read One for the Money for the first time in over 8 years, to see what I think of it.  Has it aged well, or is it just a product of it's time?

What I love about this book (and the series) is that Stephanie is a just a woman.  No superpowers, or kickass abilities.  She screws up - a lot! - and makes a complete fool of herself at times, but she's also warm and funny.  Her attempts to snag FTAs, Morelli in this instance, are just laughable.  She has to be the most inept bounty hunter in history.  She doesn't like guns, has no clue as to how to take down an FTA, but she can lie through her teeth without blinking an eyelash - perhaps her most valuable skill.

Book Review || Tricky Twenty-Two

Tricky Twenty-Two

Stephanie Plum #22

Janet Evanovich

Published: 16 Nov, 2015

Headline, Trade, 280p.

ISBN: 978-1-4722-0165-2

Something big is brewing in Trenton, New Jersey, and it could blow at any minute.

Stephanie Plum might not be the world's greatest bounty hunter, but she knows when she's being played.  Ken Globovic (aka Gobbles), the unofficial student leader of the notorious Zeta fraternity, has been arrested for beating up the dean of students at Kiltman College.  Gobbles has missed his court date and has gone into hiding.  People have seen him on campus, but no one will talk.  Things just aren't adding up, and Stephanie can't shake the feeling that something funny is going on at the college.

As much as people love Gobbles, they hate Doug LInken.  When Linken is gunned down in his backyard, the list of possible murder suspects is long.  The only people who care about finding Linken's killer are Trenton cop Joe Morelli, who has been assigned the case, security expert Ranger, who was hired to protect Kinked, and Stephanie, who has her eye on a cash prize and hopefully has some tricks up her sleeve...

NOTE: this will contain SPOILERS as I can't avoid them if I want to give you a full run down of what I thought of this book.

So much happened in this book that I almost don't know where to start.   After having numerous problems with the declining quality over the last couple of years, I was half dreading this book.  Thankfully Evanovich has really upped her game and addressed some of the issues that were becoming a real problem with the series.

The main change comes with character development.  Two major changes occur in Tricky Twenty-Two.  Firstly, in a twist I couldn't have anticipated, Morelli dumps Stephanie!  Yes, the hot Italian cop dropped this bomb out of the blue - and thought that the time to tell her they should see other people was while they were in bed... right after they'd had sex! So, for the rest of the book Stephanie and Morelli are broken up - for mysterious reasons that he's not telling anyone!  I was so shocked to read this that I literally stared at that paragraph for a good 2 minutes.  24 hours later, and I was still having trouble getting my mind around this!

Secondly, is the rethink of Stephanie's continued klutziness in recapturing FTA's.  In the first couple of books, Stephanie was a newbie bounty hunter, so of course we were expecting her to be totally inept.  However, when it was still happening in Eleven on Top it was becoming monotonous to have your main character as the comic relief.  She was still getting thrown into tables of food - or garbage bins! - and the only person more inept than Stephanie was Lula.  She's been at this for years now and so I would expect that she should have gained some skills!  It's not good to have your female lead to always be rescued by the hot ex-Special Forces guy.  So when I read that not only was Stephanie able to rescue herself, and another character, as well as take down the lawn mowing FTA in short order, I took heart that perhaps some of Stephanie's shortcomings regarding this issue will finally be rectified.

As well as the above major plot points, here are a few other changes that I took note of:

• Mrs Plum tackles the killer - and beats the crap out of him! - and finally admits that she gets why Stephanie doesn't quit.  Yes, it's only taken 22 books (and 20 years) for Stephanie to get some validation.
• Stephanie actually baked a cake... and it was edible!  She didn't really find it a fulfilling experience, but she did it!
• Self defence and firearm training is now on Stephanie's to-do list (or so she says).
• Morelli and Stephanie are finally more open to getting married at some stage in the future.
• Surprising health issues raised for Morelli.  This is the issue that sends his relationship with Stephanie into splitsville.
• Ella tells Stephanie that she is the only woman to come to Ranger's place!
• We finally get a reason for Lula being such a terrible shot.  She has glasses that she won't wear as it's not a good fashion choice.
•  Sexual tension between Stephanie and Ranger is a little bland.  A hint of things to come, or just the calm before the storm?

I took all of these as a sign that I should not give up on this series.  After all, I have been reading this series for nearly 12 years, and I have invested far too much time, energy - not to mention money! - to give up on Stephanie, Ranger and Morelli now.  Evanovich has made a few seemingly minor, but much needed, tweeks that pretty much guarantee I will be looking forward to Book 23 all that much more.

Stephanie Plum is a great series if you want something that's fast, straight forward, uncomplicated, funny and light to read.  While I love the earlier books more, Tricky Twenty-Two lets me believe that there is still some get up and go in this series.

Until next time,

T5W || Side characters that deserve their own series

This was an interesting topic because while there are a plethora of side characters, how many are deserving of their own series?  Well after wracking my brain, and frantically trying to remember books that had great side characters, I finally came up with five characters that I would love to read more of.  So, here goes...

5) Charlotte Lucas (Pride & Prejudice)

Practical, level headed, and BFFs with Lizzie!, Charlotte is an often overlooked figure.  I'd love to go behind the scenes and see what she thinks of Lady Catherine DeBurgh (and her husbands world class brown nosing skills).

4) Somerset (In Death)

Give it up for Somerset!  The former conman, and now snobbiest butler out.  Would love to follow him through the Urban Wars, or when he was looking after a young Roarke ;-D

3) Lula (Stephanie Plum)

I love Lula ;-D  She's so confident in herself, and isn't ashamed of what she's done in her life.  Instead of a series, I'd like a collection of short stories.  Snippets from the existing books in the series, but from her POV.

2) Gallowglass (All Souls Trilogy)

Gallowglass was a character that made his first appearance in book 2, Shadow of Night, and I adored him.  A world travelling, tattoo wearing, vampire who was tasked to watch over our main character and waited centuries to fulfil his duty.  Of course he fell in love with her, but that would be an interesting part of a series.  His getting over her, and finding another.

1) Arizona Snow (Arcane Society series, and mentioned in the Rainshadow series as well)

While we meet Arizona Snow when she is a strange, security obsessed old lady, I would love to read about her adventures and escapades in the Arcane Society when she was a younger woman.  Especially after the information we find out about her in the futuristic paranormal romance book "The Hot Zone" where it is discovered by an descendant that Arizona possessed some unique paranormal abilities.  Could be soooo good!

Well, that is my T5W list done for another week.  I really enjoyed this week, and last weeks topics, but the frantic searching through all my bookshelves for suitable books could be classified as a part time job I think... it took that long!

As always, T5W was created by the lovely Lainey at GINGERREADSLAINEY and I'll include a link to the Goodreads group {HERE} if you would also like to participate. 

Please feel free to leave a comment below.  I love to hear from you ;-D

T5W || Most anticipated pre-orders for 2015

This weeks T5W is going to be short and sweet as I missed last weeks T5W, but I wanted to do it anyway so here goes.

5) Tricky 22 by Janet Evanovich
Enjoy this series.  Funny and fast paced.  No heavy thinking involved, and a series I reread again and again when I need to relax.

4) Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb
Love this series and can't believe that there are now over 40 books!  Enjoy the detective angle as well as the relationship between Eve & Roarke.

3) Cast in Honor by Michelle Sagara
Amazing fantasy series that I have been following since first book, Cast in Secret, published way back when.  Love Kaylin and the budding love triangle between her, Severin and Nightshade.  Fabulous and world building with Dragons, lion people, flying Aerians and the immortal Baraani.

2) Siren's Call by Jayne Castle
I pre-ordered this book last night as I don't want to miss out on getting my hands on it ASAP.  Can't wait to get my dust bunny fix ;-D

1) Archangel's Enigma by Nalini Singh
My most anticipated book of 2015!  Love this series, and have always been curious as to the origins, and current status, of the mysterious Naasir.  Is he a tiger creature?  There is something feral about him and I can't wait to see what happens.

As always, T5W was created by the lovely Lainey at GINGERREADSLAINEY and I'll include a link to the Goodreads group {HERE} if you would also like to participate. 

So these are the books that I simply must have ASAP.  Let me below know if you've read any of these series - and whether you are eagerly awaiting the next books as well ;-D

Until next time,
Happy reading!

Upcoming series review

In the coming weeks, or perhaps months, I'm finally going to review the Stephanie Plum series.  A huge task as there will be twenty-two books by November (and I hope I've caught up by then!), but I have enjoyed this series so much over the years that I thought it was about time to actually review all the books.  There are one or two books that I have mentioned in this blog before, but I won't be looking at those reviews and instead will be reviewing them with fresh eyes - as I'll be re-reading the whole series again!  Oh boy, what have I got myself into. . .

T5W: Books I'd like to see as a TV series

It's been a while since I've done a Top 5 Wednesday list, but I thought I'd get back into it as there are so many books/series that I think would be amazing to adapt for television.  

With special effects being so realistic these days it means that shows based on fantasy or magic are no longer the second class programs with cheesy effects.  Hopefully at some stage in the future I might get to watch one of these ;-D

As usual, these are in no particular order - enjoy!

I could see a great series being made with the characters from Stephanie Plum series - and I'd rather like forget about that horrible movie - and with so many books in the series there are a whole range of scenarios to pick and choose from for episodes.  However, I'd only watch it if it was done well!

Next we have the In Death series by J.D. Robb.  This is such an amazing world with complex characters that would make for great TV.  Set in the future not to distant future, there are so many technologies that can be done visually.  A great police series with a myriad of cases to choose from (book 41 out later this year!) and so many strong characters, both good and totally evil, to portray that it would make for a must watch series.

Couldn't resist an urban fantasy or two.  The Guild Hunters series would also be a truly amazing series for TV.   Archangels, angels, vampires... what more could you want?!  Like In Death it takes place mainly in NY, however foreign exotic locations would also be a must.  Can't recommend this highly enough for a TV spot.

Moon Called is my nod to the current fascination with all things shapeshifter.  This is an amazing series that mixes mythology and folklore, Gods and vampires, witches and other things that go BUMP in the night, and puts them into a contemporary American city.  Full of murder, mystery, drama and betrayal.  I'd love to see this ;-D

And finally, I couldn't resist a shout-out for this intriguing Australian series.  I only need to give you the series title for you to begin imagining the possibilities ... Kannon Dupree: Timestalker.  Are you imagining episodes full of Roman Gladiators, seductive 1920's noir, Aztec gods, Wild West gunfights yet?  I am ;-D

So, those were my top 5 books that I'd love to see made into TV shows.  What do you think? Would you like to see these?  Let me know in the comment area below whether or not you think these would make a great TV show.

Until next time,

 

Yes, Carl too

Picked up Wicked Appetite and remembered how much I loved Carl.  So when I was playing around on Photoshop, I couldn't resist making this in honor of the smelliest little guy formerly of Trenton ;-D

Review: Top Secret Twenty-One

Top Secret Twenty-One
Stephanie Plum, Bk 21
Janet Evanovich

Published: 17 June, 2014

Headline Review, Trade, 352p.
ISBN: 9781472201614

Catch a professional assassin: top priority. Find a failure-to-appear and collect big bucks: top score. How she’ll pull it all off: top secret.

Top Secret Twenty-OneTrenton, New Jersey’s favorite used-car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealerships. Now he’s out on bail and has missed his date in court, and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is looking to bring him in. Leads are quickly turning into dead ends, and all too frequently into dead bodies. Even Joe Morelli, the city’s hottest cop, is struggling to find a clue to the suspected killer’s whereabouts. These are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. So Stephanie is going to have to do something she really doesn’t want to do: protect former hospital security guard and general pain in her behind Randy Briggs. Briggs was picking up quick cash as Poletti’s bookkeeper and knows all his boss’s dirty secrets. Now Briggs is next on Poletti’s list of people to put six feet under.

To top things off, Ranger—resident security expert and Stephanie’s greatest temptation—has been the target of an assassination plot. He’s dodged the bullet this time, but if Ranger wants to survive the next attempt on his life, he’ll have to enlist Stephanie’s help and reveal a bit more of his mysterious past.

Death threats, highly trained assassins, highly untrained assassins, and Stark Street being overrun by a pack of feral Chihuahuas are all in a day’s work for Stephanie Plum. The real challenge is dealing with her Grandma Mazur’s wild bucket list. A boob job and getting revenge on Joe Morelli’s Grandma Bella can barely hold a candle to what’s number one on the list—but that’s top secret.

As I mentioned in yesterday's quick post - I loved it!  We're back to a real topsy-turvey hide and seek style chase for Ranger and Stephanie.  It doesn't seem like I've been reading these books for more than 10 years (they've been going for nearly 20!) and I still enjoy following Stephanie on her wild and crazy captures. 

Top Secret 21

Picked up a copy of Top Secret Twenty-One this morning - noticed, and appreciated, the improved cover art - and as soon as I got home I settled down to find out what Stephanie Plum was up to.  After being slightly disappointed and let down by some books over the last few years, it was treat to get back into a real Plum mystery (one of Grandma Mazur's bucket list items is truly list worthy!)

Will review asap.  Can't wait for #22 ;-D

Update: Just finished reorganising this post as I originally sent it from my phone.  I really shouldn't as the app just posts a messy entry - and I hate not being able to decide where to put the images!  

Blogger should really look into making the app very user friendly!

Great series - boring covers!

The cover for the new Stephanie Plum book has been released and I don't know why I am so surprised at how boring it is - but I am.  I keep hoping they'll commission some great artwork for the covers :-)

Most wanted found!

After months and months I've finally found an unabridged copy of Three to Get Deadly!  I'm sooo happy to have it.  Now all I need is Takedown Twenty and I'll have the complete set! ;-D

Two new audiobooks

Been having a blah kind of week.  Sleep has been sporadic - thanks to 2 cats and local traffic - and this morning I would have been quite happy to stay in bed and go back to sleep for a few more hours, but I since it was 8am I thought I really should get up.

Review: Lean and Mean

Lean Mean Thirteen
Stephanie Plum Book 13
Janet Evanovich

Mass Market Paperback,  Headline, 2007, 371p.
ISBN: 9780755337590

New secrets, old flames and hidden agendas are about to send Bounty Hunter Stephanie Plum on her most outrageous adventure yet!

MISTAKE #1
Dickie Orr. Stephanie was married to him for about fifteen minutes before she caught him cheating on her with her arch-nemesis Joyce Barnhardt. Another fifteen minutes after that Stephanie filed for divorce, hoping to never see either one of them again.

MISTAKE #2
Doing favors for super bounty hunter Carlos Manoso (a.k.a. Ranger). Ranger needs her to meet with Dickie and find out if he’s doing something shady. Turns out, he is. Turns out, he’s also back to doing Joyce Barnhardt. And it turns out Ranger’s favors always come with a price...

MISTAKE #3
Going completely nutso while doing the favor for Ranger, and trying to apply bodily injury to Dickie in front of the entire office. Now Dickie has disappeared and Stephanie is the natural suspect in his disappearance. Is Dickie dead? Can he be found? And can she stay one step ahead in this new, dangerous game? Joe Morelli, the hottest cop in Trenton, NJ is also keeping Stephanie on her toes—and he may know more than lets on about her…It’s a cat-and-mouse game for Stephanie Plum, where the ultimate prize might be her life.

I just love this series!  There is just something about Stephanie's continual cock-ups that just strikes me as funny.  This time round we see her interact with her ex-Dickie Orr (a real dick).  After the huge scene in his office, Dickie goes missing and - thanks to Joyce's big mouth - the police now have their sights set on Stephanie.  With Morelli curiously MIA, it's up to Ranger to fill the void.

Now I have to say this ... I hated Dickie!  He's such a... words don't describe him!  Maybe it's because he's SP's ex, or the fact that he is in Stephanie's own words a miserable 'dog turd'?  I don't care, I'm just glad he cops so much crap in this book.  I mean really, this was the same husband who was caught schtupping the bane of her existence, Joyce Barnhardt (although in the long run I think Joyce actually did her a favour by pointing out Dickie's short comings - pun intended).   I'm just soooo glad that SP is now with Morelli (and Ranger) and that Joe gets to slam Dickie up against a wall... ah, good times.

The deliciously dangerous Ranger is front and centre in this book (YESSSSS!) and even though Morelli meanders in and out, there is such chemistry between him and Stephanie that you can forgive it.  Dickie is the guy we all love to hate, and Joyce is her usually bitchy and manipulative self.  Grandma Mazur is as funny and irreverent as always, and Lula is just plain comedy gold.  Helen tipples, and Connie is always on hand to back up the girls.  The bad guys are by turns inept as well as scary and there are no attempts on Rex's life in this installment.

The plot line is simple to follow, and predict, with no real surprises except for the location of the key.  And since you don't need to work your grey matter so hard, it's easy to drift away and fall into the world created by Janet Evanovich.

Favourite scene:  Watching the fur fly :-P (Grandma Mazur getting woodchuck-ed!)

You don't have to have read all the previous books in the series before trying LM13, but I'd recommend it.  There are some tidbits that really don't make too much sense if you don't have all the back stories.  This is a fantastic book to take on public transport - if you don't mind people starring at you for laughing out loud - but I'd suggest that if you take it to work you leave it well out of reach.

Although not my favourite book in the series, it is a title I keep coming back to.

Rainy Days

Just great.  It's only been about 3 weeks since we'd last had torrential rain and flooding in the region - and my street - and now it's back again.  For the last two days it's been coming down in sheets.  I really shouldn't complain because this is my all time favourite weather, but I am worried about the flooding.  That being said, I'm whiling away the hours of enforced enclosure by reading a dearly loved - and always at the ready - series that never gets old.  Yes, that's right.  I've dipped back into the bookshelf for Stephanie Plum.  Now I know that I go there a lot, but there is just something about the series that just hits the spot.  It's funny and quirky, fast paced and just an all round great series - and if you love J.D. Robb, Jayne Ann Krentz, I'd highly recommend you check it out.   The characters are well written and seem to just jump off the page (especially after hearing Lorelei King's narrations).  Lula is a real card, and although I would pass out on the spot if I had her for my Granny, Edna Mazur is a real pistol.   With nineteen books under her belt for this series, Janet Evanovich has kept me interested in the eternal love triangle that is Stephanie, Joe and Ranger.   Even though we're up to book 20 this year, I have only found one or two that didn't really hit the spot with me.... plus I just love to daydream about Ranger and Morelli.  Really, who doesn't?

So, after I'm finished here I will make myself a hot cup of tea, break out the Tim Tams (Caramel, of course) and dive back into Lean Mean Thirteen.   Hope you find some fabulous books this week.

Happy Reading!

A 'Sizzling' audiobook find

Every now and then I scour the online bookstore for much wanted audiobooks, and today I found a real steal.  Amazon has Audio CD copies of Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich for under $7 - and that's for the unabridged version!  It must be my lucky day... now if only I could find unabridged versions of One for the Money, Two for the Dough and Three to Get Deadly I'd be really happy :P

Floodwaters receded, phones down and I cooked!

 

Today the sun is shining - and I've managed to get some washing on the line - and I feel great. However, I've got to tell you that I had more than a few anxious moments watching the floodwaters creep up the road. Thankfully the water didn't get any higher than in some of the photos, but the huge stormwater drain behind me did keep me twitchy.



you could surf in this stuff!

Then yesterday, the day after the flooding, all the cell phone coverage - all networks - went kaput.  So, not only couldn't I get in contact with relatives on the coast who were hunkering down in 100km/h plus winds, but I had no way to check the weather or emergency reports for this area.  Not impressed with the phone companies.

 



So as I anxiously waited for the phones to come back online, I started to cook.  First a chocolate cake, then a lasagna.  I have been re-reading the Stephanie Plum books to pass the time during the storms - and she's a terrible influence on my menu!  The cake is yummy and very dense.  And I am so proud of the lasagna as it is the first ever time I've cooked it!  It's delicious, and the pasta is cooked just right.  However it's not as good as my mothers lasagna.  Isn't your mother's cooking always tastier than your own attempts at family recipes?  Thankfully I don't have any pineapples in the house or it could have been a pineapple upside-down cake as I do have a recipe floating around somewhere.  My only problem is now I have to either eat it all, or freeze some of the lasagna as I went a little bit overboard.  Perhaps I could have Lula come over for a feed? :-)

The year that was 2012

Well my dears, Christmas has been and gone and as we come to the close of 2012 I find myself reflecting on the year that was.

 

So many of my favourite books have come from this year, and I even found a new author - or three - that I will follow in the future.  This year I time travelled my way through Shadow of Night with Diana and Matthew as they rubbed shoulders with Marlowe other Elizabethan celebrities, and mentally helped kick ass with Eve Dallas as she chased a madman with delusions of grandeur around NY.  Got caught up in a battle with Gods and Goddess' as I followed Atticus O'Sullivan, and flew with Jason and Princess Mahiya as they swept across the desert sands of India on angelic wings.  I eagerly awaited the hatching of Kaylin Neya's mysterious egg, and laughed at Stephanie Plum as she got into yet more trouble ... "but it wasn't my fault!".

 

So here's to the year that was, and the bright and shiny year that could be.  May all your books be fabulous in 2013!

Happy New Year to you all.