5-5-11 One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde - Fiction

3 - I know, giving a Thursday Next book a 3! But I just had to because of how slowly it started. This book is written from the perspective of the written Thursday and I can see why her original book The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco was put out of print. She's a bit boring and blah, like oatmeal with no sugar or cinnamon. However, the story really picks up about 1/3 way through the book. And then it's a fabulous Thursday Next story like the others. Especially since the written Thursday is trying to find the real Thursday who has disappeared from the real world and the book world. If you've never read the Thursday Next books, I know that plot line makes absolutely no sense. But if you're a fan, like I am, I'm sure you're excited to read this new story.

4-24-11 A Hard Day's Knight by Simon R. Green - Fiction

4 - Excalibur has come to the Nightside and only John Taylor has a special dispensation to wield it until he can find the final resting place of King Arthur and bring the man himself back. Green keeps the series fresh by taking John out of the Nightside and sending him to London proper for a time. And just for fun Suzie Shooter gets to go too. Yup, "Oh my god, it's her. Run!" gets to go into real time normal London. The plot thickens, in typical Nightside fashion, when Merlin Satanspawn from an alternate timeline where Camelot was a place of torment and torture, decides he wants Excalibur for himself and an errant London Knight steals the sword from John. I absolutely love these books. And this one ends with a special invitation. Read and enjoy!

4-20-11 First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones - Fiction

3 - The premise is pretty good: there's a woman who is a grim reaper. She's not the scary guy in the cloak but an ADHD neurotic private eye who sees souls not yet departed and helps them finish their final business so they can cross over. The writing: not so good. Way too much ADHD thrown in the writing to make a smooth read and it started to go a little too romance/porn for me at the end. And I didn't need to know what she named each of her breasts and ovaries, thank you. My favorite character is her best friend/employee and she's just not in the story enough. The murder mystery part of the story is only so-so. I just wasn't impressed even though she won some award for the book. I don't think I'll be able to stomach checking the next book out.