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How did I end up reading two werewolf books in a row? Weird. It's not exactly a genre I actively seek out.

( Benighted by Kit Whitfield )

Currently reading: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

A while ago, desparately in need of new books to read since no new books by my favorite authors will be out until next summer, I went and browsed through the fantasy section at the library, with mixed results.

( Faces Under Water by Tanith Lee )

( The Glasswright's Apprentice by Mindy Klasky )

Currently I'm halfway through my third library pick, Flesh and Spirit by Carol Berg. This is the only one I picked up by an author I've read before. I have mixed feelings about Carol Berg -- she's written books I really liked (notably Transformation, take or leave the rest of that trilogy), and books that I didn't really like (Song of the Beast, which amusingly won an award). So far this one is shaping up well. She gets extra credit for setting the book largely in a monestary, which is a pretty uncommon setting for fantasy. Of course I just discovered that this book is the first of her latest series, which means it will probably end on a cliffhanger and leave me waiting for further books to be published. :P

I need to find some new authors I like. Lynn Flewelling, Jacqueline Carey, and Sarah Monette have books coming out later this year or next year but I need something to read until then!

So I'm in the middle of reading a book by an author I hadn't read before (Sarah Monette's Melusine) which I'm enjoying. I know she's written at least a sequel to this book, so I figure I'll add it to my amazon wish list since I've had a lot of trouble finding authors I like. While perusing her other works, I came across a book (A Companion to Wolves) unrelated to the one I'm reading. I read the editorial, skim the first couple reviews, and am uncertain about whether or not it's the kind of book I'd like. Then I come across a 4-star review with the title "somewhere between good and horrifying" and that title is enough for me to add it to my wish list (after verifying that by "horrifying" they mean the content, not the writing). I think that says something about my taste in books.

Then again, I tried reading the first book of George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series (A Game of Thrones) because I'd heard it fell into that category, and some of its content was a bit too far on the horrifying side and without enough on the good side for me to pick up the sequel.

Other recent book reviews (no spoilers)...
( The Mists of Avalon )

( Kushiel's Justice )

The book I'm reading now (Melusine) feels kind of like a mix of the Kushiel series and Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner series. Actually to be honest the first thing that came to me on reading the description and first few pages of the book was how much it reminded me of something quartertosix and I were writing many years ago and never finished (which is something I have always regretted, even though probably if I went back and reread it I'd think it sucked). quartertosix, if you ever pick it up you'll have to let me know if it reminds you of that too.

I now have yet more evidence that I far prefer female fantasy authors to men. After the fiasco with George RR Martin's book, I picked up Carol Berg's "Transformation." Finished in about a day and a half, with many breaks for other things that had to be taken care of. Definitely a good book.

It's about a slave and demons and princes and other such things. Slashy but not slash, for those of you who care. I recommend it. I think she wrote some sequels that I'll have to look into.

Of course, this doesn't explain why my neck is sore. On another note, Metzler is letting me borrow the violins until next Tuesday! Woohoo! Leaning towards the Anderson now . . .

Since I've read a few books recently, I thought I'd post up reviews of sorts . . . HP is the only one with spoilers, so I put it at the end.

( Kushiel's Avatar )

( Hidden Warrior )

( Assassin's Apprentice )

( Harry Potter -- SPOILERS )


To review:

• Kushiel's Avatar -- AMAZING END TO AMAZING TRILOGY. BUY BUY BUY.
  
• Hidden Warrior -- Excellent sequel to the AMAZING Bone Doll's Twin.
  
• Assassin's Apprentice -- a pleasant surprise!
  
• Harry Potter -- interesting, but didn't quite make the mark.
  

I also recently reread Patricia Wrede's The Harp of Imach Thyssel. It wasn't as good as I remembered it being. I think that's because last time I read it I was 13.