The Books I Read in August

The Blood King, by Gail Z. Martin

The next (and final?) installment in the Chronicles of the Necromancer. It was a good story, culminating in Tris's fight with the sorcerer Foor Arontala, but I think it could have been a lot shorter. A LOT.

The Passage, by Justin Cronin

It begins with a scientific expedition to South America. The goal is to find a way to extend human life. 100 years later, the U.S. has been ravaged by zombie-like vampires. There are only a few human settlements left, besieged nightly by the mindless, ravenous creatures. And one young girl can save them all. This is not your average vampire novel. It's a literary masterpiece. Except for some loose ends left untied.

Favorite Quote: "He breathed once more, holding the air in his chest, as if it were not air but something far more--a sweet taste of freedom, of all cares lifted, of everything over and done."

Cold Vengeance, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

I waited months to get this next installment in the saga of Agent Pendergast, the greatest character in all of literature. There was more in this book from Pendergast's point of view, which was weird. It felt wrong, like I should never be able to get that close to him. It didn't quite feel authentic either. I don't think Pendergast is a character you can really portray from his own point of view. But I'm not the one who created him. Don't I wish. Anyway, without spilling any spoilers, this was AWESOME. And I can't wait for the next one. My absolute favorite quote has a spoiler in it, so I went with my second favorite.

Favorite Quote: "Already up to his waist in the quaking bog, Pendergast stopped struggling and stared up at his assassin. The icy glitter in the pale gray eyes spoke more eloquently of his hatred and despair than any words he might have spoken, and it shook Esterhazy to the core."

Zombies Vs. Unicorns, by various authors

This is a short story collection by a bunch of YA authors. They were all either on Team Zombie or Team Unicorn. I don't recommend this to younger readers, even though it was YA, because a couple of the stories were really inappropriate for younger readers. It did have some good ones in it. I was surprised at the high quality of writing.

Overbite, by Meg Cabot

The sequel to Insatiable, about Meena Harper, soap opera writer turned vampire hunter, who can forsee people's deaths. Cabot's books have become overshadowed in my mind by Maureen Johnson's. They're okay--they're just not that great, not as great as Maureen Johnson's.

Ghost Story, by Jim Butcher

I've been waiting a long time for this one too. The latest installment in the Dresden Files series. Harry Dresden, wizard, has been shot. His body hasn't been found. It is now months later, and Harry's ghost must solve his own murder to protect his friends. It was pretty awesome. Hard to follow at some points, maybe because I was reading a bit too fast. But it was really good anyway.

Favorite Quote: " 'Her soul is made of crooked lines.' "

The Last Little Blue Envelope, by Maureen Johnson

The first book was better, but this was a nice wrap-up to the story of Ginny's dead aunt sending her on a trip across Europe. In this one, the last letter sends Ginny on another Europe trip to collect pieces of the aunt's final artwork. She has to travel with the English boy she spent her last trip flirting with, his girlfriend, and the mysterious English boy who found her aunt's letters and is holding them hostage. It was fun, but like I said, the first one was better.

Favorite Quote: " 'Who runs a combination cat shelter and hostel?' Keith asked. 'With the cat shelter being the primary function? Only people who want to kill you with an axe and then put you in the garden and build a shed on you, that's who.' "

The Silent Girl, by Tess Gerritsen

I really enjoyed this Rizzoli and Isles mystery. I loved all the Chinese culture. I like Rizzoli and Isles as characters better on the TV show. In the book, they're not really people I'd want to be friends with. But this was a good story--I enjoyed it.

Uncommon Criminals, by Ally Carter

The second installment in a YA series about teenage art thieves. In this one, Kat, the main character, has begun stealing back art that was looted by Nazis during World War II. An incredibly skilled thief hears of her do-gooder, Robin Hood ways and cons her into stealing a valuable emerald for the wrong reasons. Now Kat and her crew must figure out how to con the con artist and steal it back.

Favorite Quote: " 'I, for one, like chaos. Chaos looks good on me.' "