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Beat Reporter
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41) Tom Clancy's Op-Center Out of the Ashes by Dick Couch and George Galdorisi
Good novel. Not great. The authors have the characters from Clancy's novels but the characterization when compared to Tom Clancy is weak. The story had much less detail than Tom Clancy's. And in the last few pages the authors throw in a ricin bomb that looks like a lead-in to another novel. I really dislike when authors do this. Each novel should be a complete story and should not leave you hanging. Compared to Tom Clancy's novels, this was not a strong novel. Compared to other novels of this type, it was OK.
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Identity Crisis(Sam McCrae Mysteries) - Debbi MackQuite enjoyed this middling mystery - the first in the series I've read. Our heroine's inner voice was an easy read but I did find the ending to be somewhat implausible and convenient. LabRat
Athos: If you'd told us what you were doing, we might have been able to plan this properly. Aramis: Yes, sorry. Athos: No, no, by all means, let's keep things suicidal.
The Musketeers
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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42. Top Secret Twenty-One, by Janet Evanovich
This is one of the shorter Stephanie Plum novels, but there actually seems to be some character development and it isn't a rehash of earlier plots (cars still get blown up, though).
43. A Fine and Pleasant Misery, by Patrick F. McManus
A collection of Pat McManus's columns from Field & Stream. These are hilarious, and definitely true to life (one column talks about national parks and mentions the sight of a territorial display between two adult male Homo sapiens over a parking space; having been to Yosemite recently, I can verify that this sort of behavior is real).
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad." "How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”
- Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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Columnist
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Best Destiny by Diane Carey This book starts with Jimmy Kirk as a 16 year old gang leader. How did he even become interested in Starfleet? This question is bookended with the retiring flight of the Enterprise NCC-1701A. It's the captain's prerogative until an emergency signal is received.
I have really enjoyed a number of Diane Carey's Star Trek novels. She strikes the teenaged angst dead on in this book. Good characterization and an interesting plot.
Shallowford
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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#31 Exposed: The Secret Life of Jodi Arias by Jane Velez-Mitchell
Frankly I'd already read one of these books but Uncle Jack insisted this version had a different spin. Other than more trial details, it was pretty obvious that she did it.
Joan
Last edited by scifiJoan; 06/30/14 03:54 PM.
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Mouse - Daniel M. MitchellJust loved this psychological thriller/murder mystery. A host of richly drawn, conniving characters, buried secrets, dasterdly deeds and lots of twists and turns. Fantastic. LabRat
Last edited by LabRat; 06/28/14 04:03 PM.
Athos: If you'd told us what you were doing, we might have been able to plan this properly. Aramis: Yes, sorry. Athos: No, no, by all means, let's keep things suicidal.
The Musketeers
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Merriwether
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#32 Depression 101 A practical guide to... by John D. Preston
Useful advice.
Joan
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Spiderstalk - D. Nathan HilliardThis was the best horror novel I've read in a very long time. Great characters, some genuinely spinechilling moments, fast-paced and with a strand of wry humour here and there...I'll definitely be looking for more from this author. LabRat
Athos: If you'd told us what you were doing, we might have been able to plan this properly. Aramis: Yes, sorry. Athos: No, no, by all means, let's keep things suicidal.
The Musketeers
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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#33 The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank
A woman realizes she isn't happy in her marriage and does something about it.
Joan
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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A Game of Thrones A Clash of Kings A Storm of Swords A Feast For Crows A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin.
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Good one. Invisible - Caroline PoulsonThis was a cracking little romantic thriller in the style of Lisa Gardner. Was on the edge of my seat every minute, rooting for the good guys. LabRat
Last edited by LabRat; 07/10/14 07:20 AM.
Athos: If you'd told us what you were doing, we might have been able to plan this properly. Aramis: Yes, sorry. Athos: No, no, by all means, let's keep things suicidal.
The Musketeers
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Merriwether
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#34 Imperfect Justice by Jeff Ashton
The Casey Anthony story from the POV of the prosecutor. An interesting contrast to the book written by defense attorney.
Joan
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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#35 The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Not your typical cancer victim book.
Joan
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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The Wayward Pines Trilogy - Blake Crouch:
I Pines II Wayward III The Last TownI was absolutely blown away by this horror trilogy from a true master of the genre. Crouch has just rocketed his way to the top of my favourite horror authors list with this amazing series. I'd read his first couple of books a time back and really loved them, so I was excited when Pines turned up on my free Kindle books list. And...wow. I was hooked right from the first few pages and launched on a rollarcoaster ride, racing through every shock, surprise, twist and slam with desperately held breath until the wonderful ending which had me both laughing and simultaneously calling the author a cruel, twisted SOB. What could be better than this? Well, a/ learning that the Pines Trilogy is now 'a major TV event', scheduled to premiere in 2015. If they do it right it's going to be a blast. and b/ that in the interim between the last books I read and these ones, Crouch has written a ton of horror novels to delight me. I can't wait! LabRat
Athos: If you'd told us what you were doing, we might have been able to plan this properly. Aramis: Yes, sorry. Athos: No, no, by all means, let's keep things suicidal.
The Musketeers
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Merriwether
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#36 The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
YA post apocalyptic saga about a girl selected for University admission and the unusual testing they undergo.
Joan
Last edited by scifiJoan; 08/01/14 01:56 PM.
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Top Banana
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44. Dave Barry is Not Making This Up, by Dave Barry
A collection of Dave Barry's columns from the Miami Herald. They're pretty funny (and frequently juvenile). It's easy to see why Barry won a Pulitzer Prize for social commentary.
45. Real Ponies Don't Go Oink, by Patrick F. McManus 45.The Good Samaritan Strikes Again, by Patrick F. McManus 47. Never Sniff a Gift Fish, by Patrick F. McManus
I love reading these books, and they've renewed my interest in the great outdoors.
48. Tricky Business, by Dave Barry
A bunch of people with names suspiciously like those of the crew of the Titanic board a Florida gambling boat in a hurricane for a drug drop. Things go hilariously wrong.
49. The Bar Code Tattoo, by Suzanne Weyn
A dystopian novel set in the near future, in which every person is required to have a barcode tattoo with all their information in it. Unfortunately, the corporate-owned government misuses that information and ruins people's lives.
50. Jennifer Government, by Max Barry
A dystopian novel in which corporations run the world and government power is extremely limited.
51. Hayduke Lives!, by Edward Abbey
The sequel to the novel 'The Monkey Wrench Gang', in which the members of the ecoterrorist group, led by George Washington Hayduke, who was presumed dead at the end of the last novel, continue to wreak havoc on the corporate interests destroying the American West.
52. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, by Jared Diamond
This book details the rise and fall of various societies throughout history, emphasizing the complex causes of their eventual collapses and comparing them with the world today and the debate over whether our modern global society will succeed or fail.
After the last four books, all heavy reading, I think I'll take a break and read some fanfic instead.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad." "How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”
- Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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#37 You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz
A therapist is about to publish her first book about how we should pay more attention to our intuition when it comes to romantic relationships. That in many bad relationships, the warning signs were there from the very beginning. Then something tragic happens and she learns shocking things about her husband of 18 years.
Joan
Last edited by scifiJoan; 08/01/14 02:00 PM.
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Columnist
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OK, so I have a long commute and I'm going to include the unabridged audiobooks too.
Harry Potter, books 1-7
Good way to spend a bunch of commute time.
The Millionaire Next Door
Needed a little reinspiration. Went through this book about 5 years ago. The content is really interesting and worthwhile.
Shallowford
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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#38 Champion by Marie Lu
Last book in futuristic trilogy.
Joan
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
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#39 City of Bones: The Mortal Instruments series"by Cassandra Clare
My daughter loves these books and has been bugging me to read them for over a year. The first installment was pretty good, though different from the movie. I'll probably try the next one in the series.
Joan
Last edited by scifiJoan; 08/15/14 12:40 PM.
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