52. White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison – Harrison’s “Hollows” series (aka the Rachel Morgan series) continues in this seventh volume. The pace doesn’t let up and the story doesn’t lag, although the elf plotlines are pretty much ignored in this book. Rachel’s personal life gets more complicated and her professional life goes in the toilet, but she perseveres and even triumphs over the crap. I don’t recommend jumping into the middle of this series, but those of us who are already up to date on the story will not be disappointed in this volume. I know I wasn’t. (finished 9/6)
53. A Bad Bride’s Tale by Polly Williams – This novel is contemporary British chick lit to savor. It has everything you could ask for – interesting and believable characters, constant complications, delightful settings, a happy ending – in a summer read, except for a biting sense of humor. If there had been a bit more snark, this novel may have been simply perfect. (finished 9/10)
54. The Devil’s Bones by Jefferson Bass – Not great writing. Not great pacing. Not great character development. Good story. Firmly grounded in the real world, landmarks and brand names and all. Worth the read, but not worth a re-read or full-price purchase. (finished 9/17)
55. Adam by Ted Dekker – Fast-paced, gripping, bold, with taut writing and tight plotting, this novel is everything my last book read (The Devil’s Bones by Jefferson Bass) was not. From mass murder to insanity to near-death experiences to cult religion to exorcism, Dekker takes you on a ride. You may be exhausted when you finish it, with little reassurance that everything turns out okay for the main characters, as the story ends pretty quickly after the supernatural denouement. Perhaps that’s because this is the first of a series about these folks, so we can see the aftermath in book two? I’ll have to get a copy of it and find out, soon. (finished 9/21)
56. Dead Aim by Iris Johansen – No shortage of action or likeable characters. No lack of intrigue or political undercurrents. Fun stuff! (finished 9/26)
