Books 15, 16 and 17

In the last 10 days I have read 3 more books. (Technically it was 5, but I'm lumping the 1st 3 together ;-D ) I hope I mentioned when I first started this that I have VERY eclectic tastes when it comes to reading...I will read almost anything. Well if I didn't mention it before these last 3 books should prove it! LOL

The first story I finished was the second set of books in the Spiderwick Chronicles. Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles is 3 stories set in Florida. It follows after the original series by a few years I believe. In this Series the central characters are a young boy who's father has recently remarried after being a widow for several years. Into the picture comes a new step-sister who firmly believes in fairies and wants her new brother to help her look around her new home for them. Nick (the main character) indulges his new sister never imagining what he would discover. These books are filled with Nixies, Merfolk, Giants, and Dragons. It was a wonderful read just like the original series. I think this series would be good for the over 8 crowd and anyone who enjoys the Fae world.

Ok next in line is gonna be a HUGE departure from anything else I've read this year. So be warned! LOL Next wasa book called Lethal Compound This books follows
Mack Bolan who is a fictional covert operative. This is a series that my husband has been reading since the mid 80's and I have actually read quite a few as well. It started out as merely I had NOTHING else to read, but I actually enjoy them as a change of pace. 'Mack' books are violent, graphic and filled with military phrases, weaponry and plots galore. Initially the 'Mack' series began with Mack returning home on Emergency Leave/Honorable Discharge from Vietnam to bury his Family after Mob-ties drove his father to murder his wife and sister then commit suicide. Mack goes on a one man vendetta to wipe out the Mob that was basically responsible for the deaths of his family. Throughout the years Mack ends up working for the government as a blacker than black covert operative. In recent years Mack has dealt with terrorists in every nation(including our own), cults, nuclear weapons and just about every scenario you can imagine. Lethal Compound was a bit of a departure for the norm but it was a wonderful books. Mack finds himself part of a 'security' force for an eccentric billionaire who fancies himself Indiana Jones. They head into Afghanistan searching for a secret compound rumored to have been built by Alexander the Great. If military/spy drama intrigues you (or your male counterparts) I would honestly highly recommend any of the Mack Bolan books.

Just this morning I finished book 17. And yep it's another departure from the norm for me. My sister bought The Black Dahlia a few weeks ago and couldn't put it down. She loved it. I figured what the heck I'd read it too. If you aren't familiar with the Black Dahlia case...1947 Hollywood a naked dismembered woman was discovered in a vacant lot. It became one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in American history. I've watched a few documentaries on the case before and thought this would be an interesting read. Unfortunately for me the Author took LOADS of creative liberty with this case. The book itself honestly became more about the fictional detective and his partners' obsession with the case and the people 'involved' in it. I can honestly say that by about mid way through the book I knew I was NOT going to like it...but I hate leaving a book unread. So I pushed on hoping that it would get better. In my opinion it didn't. While I did think the gritty 'film-noir' style writing captured the 1940's police detective era well, I just didn't like this book. For me a big part of the problem was that this was a fictionalized rendering of a factual case. the author twisted and distorted facts until honestly this really didn't resemble the original case at all. And I have issues with writers that take a TRUE story and just blow it all to hell. For instance, I didn't like the movie Perfect Storm since the entire middle of the movie was based on the authors supposition and conjecture. Same went for the ending of the recent movie Inglorious Basterds. That was just NOT how it happened. Maybe I am just too picky but I think I will stick to complete works of fiction from now on. :-(