Books Read In 2012-11-10

Books Read In 2012


12. *** Ghosts of War by George Mann.

11, **** Da Vinci's Ghost by Toby Lester. Fascinating story of Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. I was familiar with the art (a drawing of a man within a circle and a square) but had never heard the story behind it. Recommended.

10. **** Do The Work by Steven Pressfield. I keep rereading this little book for its hard necessary advice on how to kick my butt into gear. Recommended.

9. *** The Accidental Creative by Henry Todd.

8. **** The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller. A good solid fantasy read. A little vague on the magic and how this world works, but good characters and an engaging style. Will read the next one in the series.

7. *** You are not Your Brain by Jeffrey Schwartz.
6. *** The Roswell Legacy by Jesse Marcel.
5. *** The Devil's Elixir by Raymond Khoury.
4. *** Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver.

3. **** Hard Magic by Larry Correia. The beginning of a series, this book features engaging and flawed characters and one of the most interesting approaches to magic that I've seen in a long time. I'm looking forward to reading the second one in the series.

2. **** The Hidden Family by Charles Stross. In which Miriam (of The Family Trade) tries to survive two groups gunning for her, attempts to change two worlds, tries to trust a man she may or may not be in love with who may or may be working for her enemies, and so on and so on. Not as lively as the first, but still recommended.

1. **** The Family Trade by Charles Stross. The beginning of a series in which Miriam Beckstein, a tech journalist, loses her job, travels to an alternate world, is attacked by a knight with a machine gun, learns she's the lost heir to a massive fortune that many people will kill to keep, and that's only the beginning. Language is rough at times, but the story moves right along.

Books Read In 2011

75. **** The High Graders by Louis L'Amour. No one wrote a Western than L'Amour. A fast paced and twisty tale. Recommended.

74. *** Practical Genius by Gina Amaro Rudan.

73. **** Out There by Howard Blum. A dated but interesting look at UFOs. Blum was among the first respected reporters who examined UFOs seriously.

72. *** The Treasured One by David & Leigh Eddings.
71. *** Tribes by Seth Godin.
70. *** Hearts of Smoke and Steam by Andrew P. Mayer.

69. **** The Toaster Project by Thomas Thwaites. Fun and interesting story as the author attempts to build a cheap toaster from scratch. Informative and at times sobering.

68. **** Just My Type by Simon Garfield. This book about fonts is a bit technical, but still a lot of fun of you're interested in publishing and how fonts have influenced and been influenced by historical events.

67. *** The Christmas Almanac edited by Natasha Tabori Fried & Lena Tabori.
66. ** Get Noticed by Sheree Clark and Kristin Lennert.
65. ** DeathDay by William C. Dietz.
64. *** How To Get Organized Without Resorting To Arson by Liz Franklin.

63. **** The Falling Machine by Andrew P. Mayer. One of the better steampunk novels I've read recently. A good first book of a series, although it doesn't cover much new territory.  I'm curious to see how the story develops.

62. *** Forbidden by Ted Dekker & Tosca Lee.
61. *** Hellhole by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson..
60. *** Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon by Mark Hodder.
59. *** The Elder Gods by David and Leigh Eddings.
58. *** And Furthermore by Judi Dench as told to John Miller.

57. **** The Hands of Lyr by Andre Norton. Somehow I missed reading this book during my Andre Norton fanboy days. Glad to read it now. Andre is at the top of her form, and while it ends a bit abruptly, it's still an excellent fantasy from the late Grandmaster.

56. **** The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz. The first Sherlock Holmes novel authorized by the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate is quite good. The mystery is a bit transparent, but the characterizations of Sherlock and Watson ring true. I hope there are more in this rebirth of the world's greatest detective.

55. **** The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson. Never had heard of or read any of the Mistborn novels until now. Excellent steampunk adventure. A bit confusing at first because the author apparently thought every reader had read the previous trilogy, but things became clear as I read further. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

54. *** The Hollow Earth by Rudy Rucker.
53. *** Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong.
52. *** This Book Is Overdue by Marilyn Johnson.
51. ** The Last Centurion by John Ringo.
50. *** The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer.
49. *** More Natural Cures Revealed by Kevin Trudeau.
48. *** Thrive by Dan Buettner.
47. *** The Life You Want by Bob Greene, Ann Kearney-Cooke and Janis Jibrin.

46. **** The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Fascinating and sad story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were taken without her knowledge and used in science in a myriad of ways.

45. **** Spider Web by Earlene Fowler. The latest entry in the Benni Harper series. There's not really that much of a mystery in this book, but you'll enjoyed reading about Benni and her fascinating and funny family and friends.

44. **** Firebird by Jack McDevitt. McDevitt can't write a bad book. In this exciting SF, series regular Alex Benedict and Chase Kolpath investigate the mysterious disappearance of a renowned physicist who investigated the fringe of science. Recommended.

43. *** Pumped for Murder by Elaine Viets.

42. **** One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde. Fforde delivers huge changes to Bookworld in the fifth of the Thursday Next series. Clever and witty, but you really need to read the other four books in the series to fully enjoy it. By the way, Thursday Next is the heroine's name.

41. **** Mystery in the Minster by Susanna Gregory. The 17th entry in the Chronicle of Matthew Bartholomew, this medieval mystery kept me guessing. Gregory knits all the threads together by the end. I'm looking forward to the next one. I hate that I have to wait until next year.

40. **** Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. Not the strongest entry in the long-running Dresden Files series but still good, it does have the distinction of starting with our hero being dead. Takes a lot to write a character out of that situation.

39. **** The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth. A fairly straightforward techo-thriller. Think Clive Cussler with vampires. What it does, it does well.

38. *** The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman.
37. *** 90 Days to Your Novel by Sarah Domet.

36. **** Visions by Michio Kaku. Written in 1997, this book looks to the future. While interesting and lively, it's somewhat dated. But what's sad is how many of these future visions are yet to come true.

35. **** The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson. This small book continues to help people attain more in their spiritual life and started a whole movement based on it.

34. **** The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. The ultimate think-better/feel-better book that continues to impress and inspire people. Helpful.

33. **** The Well-Fed Writer: Back for Seconds by Peter Bowerman. Updated version of The Well-Fed Writer with expanded sections on marketing, promotion, and cold-calling.

32. **** The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman. Another well-written and informative book about writing nonfiction articles. A bit dated, but good reading.

31. **** How to Write & Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit by Robert W. Bly with Fred Gleeck. Informative and entertaining book about writing short nonfiction articles. Not as detailed as I hoped, but worth reading for anyone interested in selling articles.

30. **** The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder. Another steampunk entry with a decidedly mystical bend. Not sure whether the author can control all the events he has in motion in this series, but it's fun, fast, and fascinating to watch him try.

29. **** A Matter of Trust by Sherrilyn Polf. A moving and lyrical romance set just before the outbreak of WWII. The first in a series -- The Engineers of Flight -- that will make you want to read more.

28. **** My Heart Will Always Cry by Janell Haworth Desmond. A heart-breaking and devastating journey as the author survives her son's suicide and learns to live with hope and healing.

27. **** Jack London: Writer of Adventure by Martha Rhynes. A lively and interesting biography of the famous writer and his infamous escapades. Well worth your time even if you don't like biographies.

26. **** The Summer of the Frogs by Tressa Green. The diary of a psychotic woman seen through her eyes. Fascinating and frightening. It's a book you will think long and hard about.

25. **** Snuff by Terry Pratchett. Discworld remains one of fantasy's most amazing and wonderful creations. In this wisely funny novel, Commander Sam Vines takes a vacation that promptly involves him in murder, conspiracy, goblins, and lords behaving badly. Always entertaining with a subtle message about the rights of all freed creatures. Recommended.

24. **** Ganymede by Cherie Priest. Another entry in the steampunk and zombie stories of The Clockwork Century. Less suspenseful and less focused than the previous two books, it's still worth a read.

23. *** The Beginning of Infinity by David Deautsch.
22. *** Eat by Ian Smith.

21. ***** The Wild Life of Our Bodies by Rob Dunn. A fascinating look at the bugs, parasites, and other crawlies in our body that may help us more than they harm us.

20. **** I'll Mature When I'm Dead by Dave Barry. A new collection of funny essays from the master humorist.

19. *** I'm Over All That by Shirley MacLaine.
18. *** Ageless Memory by Harry Lorayne.
17. ** The Path of Energy by Synthia Andrews.

16. **** The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. A one year project by a woman in an attempt to make her life happier. Excellent suggestions.

15. *** 20 Years Younger by Bob Greene.
14. *** Your Creative Brain by Shelley Carson.
13. *** The Vitamin D Solution by Dr. M.F. Holick.
12. *** Don't Look Down by Jennifer Cruise.

11. **** Dreadnought by Cherie Priest. A steampunk/zombie novel that reads fast and fills your mind with images of a alternative world of terrible realities and strange vistas. Recommended.

10. *** The Portable Crafter: Cardmarking by Peggy Jo Ackley.
9. *** Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris.
8. *** Lord John and the Hand of Devils by Diana Gabaldon.
7. * Curation Nation by Steven Rosenbaum.

6. **** Hiss of Death by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown. Another excellent entry in the Mrs. Murphy mysteries. I wish the Browns would write more and write faster. Recommended.

5. **** 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne as retold by JacQueline Morley and illustrated by Li Sidong. This graphic novel does a good job with Verne's story. Excellent for teenagers and older children. Recommended.

4. ** Mrs. Pargeter's Point of Honor by Simon Brett.

3. **** Wake by Robert J. Sawyer. A great science fiction tale that manages to be informative without ever being boring. Sawyer is our generation's Issac Asimov -- and may be the better writer. Recommended.

2. **** Composed by Rosanne Cash. I usually avoid celebrity memoirs because I learn things I didn't want to know. This memoir, however, is lovely and lyrical with absorbing life lessons that apply to all of us. Recommended.

1. **** The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs. Funny and fascinating collection of "experiments" to which Jacobs subjected himself -- and his long suffering wife. Recommended.

Book Read In 2010

90. **** The Professor of Secrets by William Eamon
This well-researched and interesting biography of Leonardo Fioravanti is a good read even to those not interested in history. Fioravanti was a brilliant, clever, colorful, and controversial doctor in Renaissance Italy. Considered a genius by many and a dangerous quack by others, Fioravanti remains one of history's most curious characters even to this day. Recommended.

89. **** Oklahoma Anthology 96 edited by Lydon Brecheisen and John Cox
A short collection of poems by Oklahoma poets and writers. With any collection, some poems speak to the reader and some do not, but overall, I found this collection to be strong with poems of sharp emotional impact and vivid imagery. It appears to be out of print, but you can probably get it through inter-library loan. Recommended.

88. **** Echo by Jack McDevitt
Another excellent science fiction book by McDevitt. He's the best SF writer out there right now, producing one great book after another. I just wish he'd write faster and publish more! In this book, antique dealers Alex Benedict and his partner Chase Kolpath come across an stone tablet that may be a link to an alien race, but someone or something is out to stop their investigation even if means killing everyone involved. Recommended.

87. **** Godlike Machines edited by Jonathan Strahan
As with any short story collection, this one has a couple of excellent stories with the rest being okay, but those two stories ("Return to Titan" by Stephen Baxter and "Hot Rock" by Greg Egan) are worth the cost of the whole collection. Unfortunately, this is a Science Fiction Book Club special and is only available through them. Recommended.

86. **** The Silent Sea by Clive Cussler with Jack Du Brul
The amazing men and women of the Oregon are back. This time they tackle the mystery of an ancient Chinese expedition that might have world changing consequences. Recommended.

85. **** First Rose by Mary Barton Wilcox
A fascinating story of a woman who dies and then goes to heaven. The imagery that Wilcox uses to describe heaven is powerful. The book has a stunning last line. Recommended.

84. *** Death Under the Dryer by Simon Brett

83. **** This Time Together by Carol Burnett
Funny, sweet, and sometimes sad, this showbiz autobiography is a great read and an excellent followup to her previous book One More Time. Recommended.

82. *** The Body in the Bonfire by Katherine Hall Page

81. **** Cat to the Dogs by Shirley Rousseau Murphy
The mystery isn't complex in this book, but the fantastic element of special cats who can speak to humans makes this book worth reading. You've got to meet Joe Grey and Dulcie, who make purrfect sleuths. Recommended.

80. *** The Morning Star by Nick Bantock
79. *** The Venetian's Wife by Nick Bantock

78. **** Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline
Funny and moving stories from an "Ordinary Woman." Scottoline, by the way, is a New York Times Bestselling author and Edgar winner. Not so ordinary, I think. Recommended.

77. *** The Encyclopedia of Fantasy and Science Fiction Art Techniques by John Grant and Ron Tiner

76. **** Frenzy by Robert Liparulo
The concluding volume of the first Dreamhouse Kings series comes to a satisfactory close. I enjoyed this young adult Christian fantasy series, although the breathless speed of the narrative constricted character development at times. Recommended.

75. ***** The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas G. Carr
In The Shallows, Nicholas Carr argues that the Internet is damaging our ability for deep thought and that the use of the Net is making us shallow. He provides a lot of evidence, including some fascinating and frightening scans of our brains when we use the Net. Highly recommended.

74. **** The 2009 What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles
Excellent book on how to find a job. It's updated yearly and well worth the update. Recommended.

73. *** The Golden Mean by Nick Bantock
72. *** Sabine's Notebook by Nice Bantock
71. *** Hire Me Inc. Resumes and Cover Letters by Roy J. Blitzer
70. *** Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
69. ** The Sign by Raymond Khoury
68. *** The New Frugality by Chris Farrell

67. **** State Fair by Earlene Fowler
Another entry in the Benni Harper mystery series. As always, the characters and their funny and sometimes sad interactions are as important as the mystery. Recommended.

66. *** Griffin & Sabine by Nick Bantock
65. *** Bring It On by Laura Anne Gilman
64. *** Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy

63. **** I'll Mature When I'm Dead by Dave Barry
Excellent collection of humorous articles that haven't appeared in newspapers (except for one). Recommended.

62. *** Shootout in Dodge City by Judd Cameron
61. *** The Escher Twist by Jane Langton
60. *** Live Free or Die by John Ringo
59. *** Eco House Book by Terence Conran
58. *** Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you by Mardy Grothe

57. ***** Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Lilian Cheung
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Zen Buddhist monk, and with the assistance of Dr. Lilian Cheung, has produced an excellent book on how to eat healthy and live well. I found this book illuminating and wise and have started to see results in my own life as I've applied its principles. Highly recommended.

56. *** Into the Darkness by Harry Turtledove

55. **** Sync: How Order Emerges From Chaos In the Universe, Nature, and Daily Life by Steven H. Strogatz
Fascinating book about how order can arise at every level of the cosmos and how this synchrony effects our world. Easy to read and full of examples. One of the best science books I've read lately. Recommended.

54. *** Do-it-yourself Digital Home Office by S.E. Slack

53. **** How to Simplify Your Life: Seven Practical Steps to Letting Go of Your Burdens and Living a Happier Life by Werner Tiki Kustenmacher and Lothar Seiwert
Excellent book on how to simplify your life with wise, practical advice. The authors cover everything from your home to your job to your relationships. This book isn't about having less, but about enjoying what you have more. Recommended.


52. *** Solar Power Your Home for Dummies by Rik DeGunther
51. *** Daughter of the Empire by Raymond Feist
50. *** Choice Theory by William Glasser

49. **** Leap of Faith by Gordon Cooper with Bruce Henderson
Mercury 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper tells of his career in space and then of his belief that the U.S. government has covered up information about UFOs. Besides the surprising info about UFOs, the book details Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space projects and offers lots of surprising details about the inside workings of NASA. Recommended for UFO skeptics and believers alike.

48. *** Teach Yourself Copywriting
47. *** The Art of the Book Proposal by Eric Maisel
46. *** 2010 Guide to Literary Agents
45. *** The Puzzle of Piri Reis by Kent Conwell
44. *** The Diabetes Dtour Diet
43. *** Time Spike by Eric Flint
42. *** Catalyst by Anne McCaffrey

41. **** Assegai by Wilbur Smith
Enthralling and exciting adventure in Africa in the early 1900s. Brutal at times, it remains a deeply romantic story in which the brave hero and beautiful heroine fall as deeply in love with Africa as they do with each other. Recommended.

40. *** And Now A Few Words From Me by Bob Garfield

39. **** Photocraft by Caroline Herter, Laurie Frankel & Laura Lovett
A beautiful book perfect for your crafting table. Many projects on ways to use your photos in interesting and unexpected ways. Recommended.

38. *** Harshini by Jennifer Fallon
37. *** Treason Keep by Jennifer Fallon
36. *** Medalon by Jennifer Fallon

35. **** Null-A Continuum by John C. Wright
This is a mind blowing, confusing, but ultimately entertaining book. It is a sequel to three books by the late Golden Age writer A.E. Van Vogt. I warn you: it has more plot twists and hidden identities than any other book you've ever read. The action bounces all over the universe, back and forth in time, and anywhere else you can think of. Frankly, it's overwhelming and took me two readings before I could fully grasp the plot. While I doubt I'd read any other sequels that might follow this one, it was worth the effort.

34. *** Arms-Commander by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

33. *** Knockout by Suzanne Sommers

32. *** Swan for the Money by Donna Andrews

31. *** The Golden Shrine by Harry Turtledove

30. ** Level 26: Dark Origins by Anthony E. Zuiker with Duane Swierczynski

29. **** Breath and Bone by Carol Berg
The stunning and exciting conclusion of the duology that started with Flesh and Spirit. Valen has discovered the truth about his life, but it's a truth that makes him a target for kings, warriors, dead men, witches, and worse evils. I hated to see the book end. Recommended.

28. **** Flesh and Spirit by Carol Berg
A interesting, quirky fantasy, the first of a duology. Valen doesn't fit in anywhere and runs away from the restrictive Pureblood Registry straight into a war that will determine the fate of the entire world. Recommended.

27. **** Revision & Self-Editing by James Scott Bell
One of the best books I've ever read on how to better your writing. Lively, packed with great examples, well-organized. I'm going to buy this book for my library. Recommended.

26. *** UFO by Charles E. Sellier with Joe Meier
25. ** The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
24. *** Elyon by Ted Dekker & Kaci Hill
23. *** Lunatic by Ted Dekker & Kaci Hill
22. *** Tragic Magic by Laura Childers
21. *** Chaos by Ted Dekker
20. *** Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler & Dirk Cussler
19. *** Renegade by Ted Dekker

18. **** The City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
The true story of the disappearance of legendary British explorer Percy Fawcett in the 1920s and of the many other explorers who lost their fortunes, lives and/or sanity searching for Fawcett and the Lost City of Z. Recommended.

17. **** Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Do you like steampunk? Do you like alternate histories? If so, Leviathan is the book for you. It has zeppelins, clankers (like Star War walkers), giant living airships, cannons, politics, a prince on the run, and much, much more. The only reason this handsome teen book didn't get five stars was because it's the beginning of a series, and the story leaves you hanging. Recommended.

16. *** Infidel by Ted Dekker
15. *** Less Than Dead by Tim Downs
14. *** Florence of Arabia by Christopher Buckley
13. ** Amberville by Tim Davys

12. **** Whirlwind by Robert Liparulo
Another entry in the Dreamhouse Kings series. The King family moved into a huge creepy house and discovered that it held terrible secrets. The pace is staggering as they rush from one danger to another. This teen book has some truly creepy moments in it. Recommended.

11. *** A Darkness Forged in Fire by Chris Evans

10. **** Altar of Eden by James Rollins
James Rollins's Altar of Eden is a good book, but it dismayed me with its vulgar language in places, and frankly, it's not one of his best. Characters are slight, and the plot has a few holes. Still, Rollins is one of the best thriller writers out there, and I don't think I wasted my money; I just know Rollins has better books in him. Recommended.

9. *** Cowl by Neal Asher

8. **** Crush it! By Gary Vaynerchuk
Crush It! is a great book for anyone who is trying to turn their passion into a life-long career. It's worth your money if you've ever thought about telling your boss where to go and leaving to follow your dream.

7. *** Design it Yourself Newsletters by Chuck Green

6. ***** First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher
First Lord's Fury is my first five starred book and is the conclusion of an epic fantasy series. (Butcher also writes the Dresden Files series, the basis for the short-lived show on SyFy channel.) I hope he returns to these characters again in a new series. I think there's still plenty of stories left to be told in that fantastic world. Highly recommended.

5. *** Marvel Visionaires Chris Claremont
4. *** Orcs: Army of Shadows by Stan Nicholls
3. *** Robot Titans of Gotham by Novell Page

2. **** The Chocolate Cupid Killings by JoAnna Carl
The Chocolate Cupid Killings is the latest in a mystery series. I've not read any of the others, but I'm going to look for them. It's an excellent cozy. Carl, by the way, also lives in Oklahoma. I love Oklahoma authors!

1. *** The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans