Books

I'm a reader - I always have a book going. I'd say I read about half an hour to an hour a day.

This summer has been hit and miss in terms of reading.

I borrowed Laura Hamilton's latest book in her Anita the Vampire Hunter series, The Killing Dance.

Note to Ms. Hamilton: Ms. Hamilton, you've really lost me as a reader. Your books have become porn, and are just downright boring. You just haven't written a good book in YEARS and have become lazy. I keep telling myself that I will stop reading the series, but I keep getting the next one in hopes that you will stop being lazy and start writing STORIES. What happened to you? If you're board with Anita, then give the series a rest. I'm a patient fan. I can wait. But you have lost my trust. I will not be reading any more of your books.

Charlaine Harris, on the other hand, is a terrific writer. Her Susie Stackhouse series is just terrific and every novel has a great storyline. I finished reading her Definitely Dead book this summer and enjoyed it immensely. Alan Ball, of Six Feet Under/American Beauty fame must agree - he's currently developing a series for HBO based on this character.

Brava, Ms. Harris. Brava.

And finally, I finished reading Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Scion book. I think this was book #4 in that series and it's been terrific. I thought the series had been tied up with the first three, but she did a great job with focusing in on another character. Well worth the read.

I finally started reading the Honor Harrington Series by David Weber. I'm hooked. It's a little like Star Trek, without all the aliens, but with a British Navy perspective. I love strong female protagonists, and Mr. Weber does a great job with Honor Harrington. There's some technical stuff that gets a little dull, but I've found that I can skim it and still get the gist of the narrative. I'm currently reading the second book in the series and am flying through it.