2-18-11 Immanuel's Veins by Ted Dekker - Fiction

4 - This is a retelling of the Dracula tale with a more religious and romantic bent. The tale is standard in that it takes place at the Carpathian Mountains and deals with vampires, but instead of Mina, Lucy, and Jonathan Harker, the main characters are a set of privileged twin girls, two military men in service to Empress Catherine of Russia, and a noble Russian family. This is also a definitive love story focusing on the love between Lucine and Toma and how love can defeat evil. A nice change to the classic tale.

2-8-11 We Have Met the Enemy : Self-Control in an Age of Excess by Daniel Akst - Non-Fiction

4 - Akst reviews self control in modern society in a way that is amusing and informative. By looking back into history and comparing to today, he helps the reader gain insight on whether or not we truly have any self control or if the idea of willpower is a myth. He also provides helpful information that can assist the reader in forcing self control to help achieve a goal. Regardless of whether you believe everything we do and are is due to our own choices or if you believe that everything is prewritten by our genes, this is an interesting book that will make you see both sides of the argument.

1-31-11 The Shimmer by David Morrell - Fiction

5 - Morrell has taken an unexplained phenomena and written a story around it that still leaves the reader wondering what was really going on. Based on actual sightings, The Shimmer tells the story of a couple who are drawn into the chaos surrounding mysterious lights that occur after dark on the edge of Rostov, Texas. The story builds and becomes the action/thriller that Morrell is known for, pulling in the military and local law enforcement as well as the media. This subject matter is a little different for Morrell but no less satisfying. He remains one of my favorite authors.

1-25-11 Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris - Fiction

3 - This is an amusing collection of very short stories that are modern day Aesop's fables. Sedaris uses his usual satiric and quirky sense of humor to create fables that confront modern day issues like the difference between ass licking and ass kissing. That's not quite as bad as it sounds since all the characters are animals. Plus the book has illustrations by Ian Falconer, best known for his children's books about Olivia the pig. A short diversion in the midst of my very different reading habits.

1-22-11 Grim Reaper: End of Days by Steve Alten - Fiction

5 - The first in a new trilogy by Alten, Grim Reaper is a great twist on the story of the grim reaper and mankind's potential for the apocalypse. Combining virology, Dante's Inferno, and military action this is a very quick read because you just won't be able to put it down. Alten's research is, as usual, intensive and very detailed and his characters are compelling. The end of the world is neigh so pick this book up before it's too late!

1-18-11 Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith - Fiction

4 - This is a funny and clever debut of a series of books by Hockensmith. Old Red Amlingmeyer is a cowboy in 1893 Montana with a huge Sherlock Holmes obsession. He has his brother, Big Red, read him every Holmes story they can get their hands on. So when there's a suspicious death on the ranch they are working, Old Red decides to follow Holmes lead and try to deduce the true cause of death and find the culprit, dragging Big Red right along with him. Fans of Sherlock Holmes and westerns will enjoy this book and I look forward to reading the next in the series.