Nekkid in death

This was my foray into JD Robb's world with Lieutenant Eve Dallas and Rourke in her IN DEATH series. NAKED IN DEATH(Berkley, c1995, ISBN 0-425-14829-7) is set in New York City in the year 2058. I am not a fan of science fiction books or fantasy so I avoided these books although they were touted as mysteries. After reading glowing reviews consistently I thought I'd pick up the first one. Only twenty-two books to go! This book contained politics, prostitution(legal!), blackmail and murder. What more can you ask for?
Oh yes. You can ask for the first sentence:

She woke in the dark.

Look for more on the Eve Dallas/Rourke books here as I will surely be reading the rest of the series.

Who let the dog out?

This morning before work I finished ANYONE BUT YOU (HQN, c1996, ISBN 0-373-77146-0), a quick and delightful read by Jennifer Crusie.

The book presents Nina Askew, a just-turned forty-year-old recently divorce and trying to decide if she can love and be loved with her forty-year-old self. Living downstairs from her is Alex Moore, a sexy, just-turning-thirty ER doctor with a family dynamic of drunk career doctors with tons of money, zero love.

And then there's Fred. Fred is the heart of the story. He's one of the most adorable matchmakers I've ever read in a book and for me, the book wouldn't have made it if not for Fred.

I've written about Crusie before because I think she writes great character-driven stuff and she has my vote for some of the best first sentences.

This book's first sentence was okay, but not my favorite:

The last thing Nina Askew needed was Fred.

Next up, JD Robb's NAKED IN DEATH...

Man Camp

This morning, before coming to the library, I finished reading MAN CAMP by Adrienne Brodeur(Random House, c2005, ISBN 1-4000-6214-4), a light and humorous story about men and how women must learn to live with them.

Lucy Stone and Martha McKenna are two thirty-somethings living in New York. Lucy is a biologist with a strong grasp on the animal species, all those except for her boyfriend; Martha is an acress and a woman tired of bad dates who starts a business called FirstDate, teaching men what not to do on first dates and what they can do to improve their situation to move on to their second. When things are looking hopeless for the population of all men around them, they half-jokingly create Man Camp, a place to leave the lattes behind and learn about manly things like jumper cables and handguns. They turn to Lucy's oldest college friend Cooper Tuckington who owns a dairy farm in West Virginia where they accompany several of Martha's recruits to learn how to be "real men" and find out some things about themselves in the process.

The first sentence:

As usual, Lucy Stone is waiting for Martha.

This was an enjoyable albeit fast read at only 212 pages, although I had some difficulties at times as it was written in third person, present tense which didn't have the same flow for me as third person, past tense does.

Being the fat kid

My latest read over the weekend was FAT KID RULES THE WORLD by KL Going(GP Putnam's Sons, c2003, ISBN 0-399-23990-1)set in the lower East side of Manhattan, starring Troy Billings and Curt MacCrae.
Troy is a seventeen-year-old fat kid (topping in at almost 300 lbs.) and is contemplating suicide when he first meets Curt, a sometimes-homeless boy taking up space in the subway stations at times. The two form an unlikely bond when Curt asks Troy to be the drummer to his guitarist in a rock band called Rage/Tectonic which gives Troy a new look on life.
The first sentence:

I'm a sweating fat kid standing on the edge of the subway platform staring at the tracks.

Although a book written for a teen audience, I really enjoyed this book in a "people aren't perfect, everybody has flaws" sort of way. I look foward to reading more of her work.

Sand in my what?!?

Once I returned from Las Vegas, I moved the book SAND IN MY BRA AND OTHER MISADVENTURES: FUNNY WOMEN WRITE FROM THE ROAD(Travelers' Tales Inc., c2003, ISBN 1-885211-92-9) to the top of my to-be-read pile just because of some of the fun things that happened during our trip.

Right away the dedication grabbed me:

For all the women who sit at home or behind their desks bitching that they never get to go anywhere.

This book is filled with hilarious short stories about travel outside of one's natural and comfortable surroundings, from the Colorado River in Utah to Santiago, Chile. Through the Black Rock Desert, Nevada to Paris and Zambia and back via Kuwait or Bandanaira (a place I'd never heard of before reading this book.)It also illustrates problems that can arise from language barriers, custom differences, natural fears or just plain stupidity but also shows the fun and excitement in travel.

This was a great weekend read and I'd recommend it to those who like travel books by Bill Bryson or Patrick McManus.

Witchy woman

Hi all!

I'm just returned from my vacation in Las Vegas which is part of the reason it took me so long to post what I've been reading. I also got engaged while out there to my long time partner-in-law Jeff so I will be planning a wedding. Please accept my apologies now for any ignoring I do to this blog. Life is all about priorities, right?


While on the plane I finished reading WITCH WAY TO MURDER by Shirley Damsgaard(Avon Books, c2005, ISBN 0-06-079348-1) a light reading book about Ophelia Jensen, a thirty-something librarian in small town Summerset, Iowa who has crime come to visit and she must deal with it and her budding attraction to Rick, the mysterious "salesman" who shows up asking a lot of questions, and her repressed psychic abilities.

Starting the book off was:

Rising panic clenched my stomach.

This book was a little lighter than I typically prefer, however the setting and main character had me intrigued because that's exactly what I am...a thirty-something librarian from small town Iowa. I will definitely look for the second book.

Can you hear me now?

My most recent read was CELL by Stephen King (Scribner, c2006, ISBN 0-7432-9233-2), a thriller that I found to be quite similar to his book THE STAND, only set in modern times, with modern references (Hurricane Katrina and FEMA)and modern technology.

The first sentence:

The event that came to be known as The Pulse began at 3:03 p.m., eastern standard time, on the afternoon on October 1.

It's the first book of King's that I've read in a quite a while that I truly enjoyed. I read my first Stephen King novel when I was nine-years-old and read him up until the Gunslinger series, sporadically after that.

Then I turned to others for pleasure reading but I always swore I'd be true to "the King"; I'm glad I checked this one out.

I may never look at my cell phone the same way again. Especially when it rings.

Rrrrrrrrring....

Quite Contrary

Last night I finished reading James Patterson's MARY MARY (Little Brown, c2005, ISBN 0-316-15976-X), his latest Alex Cross novel set in Los Angeles, Hollywood, and Washington D.C.

Starting off with:

Act One, Scene One, the Storyteller thought to himself, and couldn't hold back a dizzying rush of anticipation.

Alex is called in by the FBI to work this case while on vacation with his family at Disneyland. Key players in Hollywood are dying at the hands of "Mary Smith" and Alex is up to the task of solving the problem. There are several key side stories that go on in this book so if you are a long time reader of this series, this book is not to be missed.

His next book is 5th HORSEMAN, to which I am looking forward. Since he started writing the Women's Murder Club books, they have become my preferred series so I anticipate the release of this 5th book. I've read most of Patterson's books, in all honesty, because of the short chapters. They give my mind a break; but I've always found them thoroughly enjoyable.

I'll drink to that!

In Ty Wenzel's book, BEHIND BARS: THE STRAIGHT-UP TALES OF A BIG-CITY BARTENDER (Thomas Dunne Books, c2003, ISBN 0-312-31102-8), Ty recounts life as a bartender in some of New York's bars, mostly focusing on Marion's Continental.

The first sentence:

My last day on the job, a chilly December night in 2001, didn't turn out the way I had long pictured it in my mind.

The book is filled with quotes, drink recipes and quips about the life of a mixer. My favorite sections were the pet peeves she listed throughout the book. Having once been in food service, I could totally relate to her angst and attitude with a capital TUDE.
This is a fun ride that is definitely worthy of reading by anyone who's ever worked in the industry, is working in the industry, or has ever patronized a drinking establishment. You might learn a thing or three.

One Classic Wrinkle

I recently finished A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeleine L'Engle (Dell, c1962, 0-440-49805-8). Not for the first time, but the first time in a very long time.

The book, a Newbery Medal winner in 1963, combines both fantasy and science fiction, two genres that as an adult I run from. Yet it still holds the magical appeal and wonder that it did when I read it as a child.

Meg Murry, a young, shy and very aware of her differences kind of girl is transported on an adventure through time and space with her younger brother Charles Wallace and a boy from school, Calvin O'Keefe to rescue her father who is being held captive on the planet of Camozotz by IT. Along the way she makes many self discoveries and finds the strength within to be a hero.

The first sentence is a doozy too:

It was a dark and stormy night.

A recent discussion on a list-serv I belong to revolved around first sentences and this first sentence of course, reminded me of the Bulwer-Lytton contest.

Does anyone know of any other books that start with "It was a dark and stormy night?" that they'd be willing to share with me?