Next - Michael Chricton

One Sentence Summary:
 in an era of genetic manipulation what happens to the "miraculously" cured?

review:
I thought this was a hilarious, over the top look at a genre I enjoy, near-future sci-fi. An eccentric wealthy evil scientist sends a bounty hunter matching all the stereotypes after a humble scientist you cured his own disease by testing on himself, there is also an intelligent talking parrot.  And the list or over the top tropes goes on and on. That said there is truth in stereotypes and the corporations portrayed in the novel make you think and become a bit paranoid. If you enjoy sci-fi and have the ability to see the humour in over the top characterizations I recommend this for you. This received mixed reviews both from the bloggers and the pros.

7/10

Where The Sidewalk Ends - Shel Silverstein

one sentence summary
Poetry and illustration team up to explain why life doesn't actually suck (or at least that is what I took out of it)

review
if you are between 8 and 108 and haven't read this yet, put down your knitting and go read it now! The quirky little poems will rattle around in your head for the rest of your life. And you will be grateful for it. It is a brilliant work.

10/10

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe - Fanny Flagg

one sentence summary
Friendship can come from the most unexpected people in the most unexpected ways

review
This is a wonderful novel, telling a story of a small town over fifty years of history. It shows true friendship in all sorts of forms and how much of a struggle it can be. In a hodgepodge of entertaining stories the lives of four women are patched together and you can't help but like them. It also takes an unflinching look at race relations in the Southern USA during this time. I recommend this to anyone who likes witty, amusing stories told in off handed ways.

8/10

Tall, Dark and Dead - Tate Hallaway

one sentence summary
a witch has a goddess living in her but this doesn't keep her from falling for a warlock vampire...

review
this book could have been better, the main character is great as are some of the supporting characters but the rest of the plot falls short. The writing is strong at points but it falls flat when it comes to dialogue. It was disappointing that the writing wasn't better as it would have added to the story to actually use language from the era of the characters. I will still read the rest of the series at some point when I can buy them at discounted prices. I recommend this if you like quirky stories with a paranormal twist.

6/10

Before The Fallout: From Marie Curie to Hiroshima - Diana Preston

one sentence summary:
the history of the atomic bomb.

review:
from a non-academic stand point this was a fantastic read. Really interesting with the perfect mix of anecdotes and scientific fact. A fascinating look at both the people behind the discovery and the politics of the era. It also is a really concise and easy to understand explanation of the race to build the bomb and who was winning when, why and how. By framing the facts in a fascinating story this is a beneficial read for anyone interested in WWII or the Cold War.

8/10

The Delaney Christmas Carol - Kay Hooper, Iris Johansen and Fayrene Preston

one sentence summary:
many generations of the Delaney family have looked into the magic mirror and seen a glimpse of the future, these are three of those stories.

Review:
none of these stories were particularly well conceived or well written. Iris Johansen's was the best in my opinion and the other two weren't much worse. All three felt rushed and without strong plots. The Delaney family, however, does seem like a family worth writing about and I will probably seek out more of their stories.

4/10

The Lovers - John Connolly

One Sentence Summary:
Former private eye Charlie Parker has been discredited and is now working as a bar tender.

review:
When I started this I didn't know that it was book 8 in a series, but it became apparent rather quickly that there was back story I was missing. That said it was fine that I was missing the back story, the writing was good for the thriller genre and the story telling was among the best. There is an obvious reason why Connolly has been on the New York Times Bestsellers list so often. He tells a fast paced story with interesting plot points and well written characters. I recommend this to people who enjoy the genres of crime fiction and thrillers. I do intend to go back and read the rest of the Charlie Parker series at some point.

6/10