Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett

Death is missing - presumed... er... gone

Which leads to the kind of chaos you always get when an important public service is withdrawn.

Meanwhile, on a little farm far, far away, a tall dark stranger is turning out to be really good with a scythe. There's a harvest to be gathered in... 


The usual Terry Pratchett comic genius. My favourite parts were the bits following Death's adventures on the farm. 


I loved when the shopping trolleys became living, thinking things.  Some tried to escape and hide so groups of hunters were employed to find them and re-train them.  Very clever.  Put me in mind of the shopping trolley thing on Australia All Over many years ago.

Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires. 


Some awkward phrasing early in the book, and Ana blushed way too much for the first few chapters but the writing improved (or I got used to the style) as the story progressed.

Loved the flogger scene. I like the touches of humour and the e-mail exchanges.

Seduce The Darkness by Gena Showalter

The war between otherworlders and humans changed Earth beyond recognition. It also saved Bride McKells's life. Before, the gorgeous vampire was a target for every fanatic with a stake and a crucifix. Now, she's free to roam the streets -- and desperate to find others of her kind. One man claims to have the answers she seeks. Devyn, King of the Targons, is a warrior and a womanizer, and he makes no secret of how much he wants Bride -- and how dangerous he could be to her in every way.

An avid collector of women, Devyn easily seduces human and otherworlder alike. Until now. Not only does Bride resist him, but she leaves Devyn feeling something entirely new...a bone-deep need bordering on obsession. Her blood is the key to curing a vicious alien disease, but helping Bride uncover her origins will compel her to choose between electrifying passion and a destiny that could tear her from Devyn's side forever. 


 A bit slow. It took a while for me to feel the attraction between Bride and Devyn.   Others in this series have been much better and very much hotter.

A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire

Toby Daye-a half-human, half-fae changeling-has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world had other ideas...

Now her liege, the Duke of the Shadowed Hills, has asked Toby to go to the Country of Tamed Lightening to make sure all is well with his niece, Countess January O'Leary. It seems like a simple enough assignment-until Toby discovers that someone has begun murdering people close to January, and that if the killer isn't stopped, January may be the next victim. 


Rich world building, mostly likeable characters with unexpected quirks and an intriguing mystery made for a very satisfying read.


No sex...almost fairy sex and I imagine cat shape shifter sex to come in a future book.

I'll be looking for more in this series. 

Riptide by Catherine Coulter

Rebecca Matlock is in the thick of politics, enjoying her work as a speechwriter for the governor of New York, who's facing a reelection campaign. What she's not enjoying are the menacing phone calls from a stranger who refers to himself as "your boyfriend" and warns her that he will kill the governor if she doesn't stop sleeping with him. Although Becca has never had a sexual relationship with her boss, she is increasingly frightened by the phone calls. The police, who were initially sympathetic to her plight, make it clear that they regard her as a hysteric, even after the stalker murders an innocent bystander to convince her that he means business. Becca seeks refuge in Riptide, an isolated community on the Maine coast, but terror continues to dog her. The skeleton of a woman who may be the missing wife of a college friend is unearthed in the basement of her new house; the stalker tracks her to her chosen refuge; and she is sought by the police and the FBI following an assassination attempt on the governor.


Not much of a mystery for a mystery/thriller type book.  The romance was really lame for a romance book. The stupidity of the FBI, CIA and cops was just plain annoying.  One woman caught up in two mysteries, both ending up with men who wanted to kill her was a bit over the top....oh, and plot holes you could drive a truck through.   Not my favourite read of recent times.

The Sea For Breakfast by Lillian Beckwith

 The adventures of Lillian as she moves from city life to life on the island of Bruach.

She buys a cottage and becomes a resident of Bruach. This book is filled with homely descriptions of the challenges of establishing a home on this wild and isolated island, told with Beckwith's unique flair for finding subtle humor in everyday events. Her growing love for this beautiful island and her grudging respect for the rural wit and wisdom of its inhabitants is expressed with rare articulation. Her descriptions of rustic neighbors and the often hilarious events of their daily lives make this book hard to put down. 


I didn't find most of the events hilarious, more like the locals were taking advantage of a new comer.

Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls by Victoria Laurie

M.J. is a physic who can assist ghosts to leave their haunting grounds and move towards the light. Her best friend and Personal Assistant, Gilley, along with fellow ghost buster Heath are in Ireland filming the next episode for their upcoming TV series, Ghoul Getters.  This time they are  investigating Dunlow Castle, which is said to be haunted by several spirits including a malevolent phantom who either drives people insane, or too their death.  This phantom is  rumoured  to be guarding a stash of gold hidden somewhere  in castle, only this phantom ain’t no leprechaun.  To further set the scene, Dunlow Castle is built on a rock just off the coast and is only accessible via a causeway at low tide, because the water surrounding the castle are too dangerous for boating.

The moment the team arrives they go out to the castle for a reconnaissance tour, and the phantom promptly appears.  M.J. and Heath go into battle only to come up with a power far greater than anything they have come across before.  The Phantom has the ability to fill its victim’s mind with their greatest fears, and M.J., Heath and some of the crew are reduced to cowering and sobbing, despite their ghost-repellent magnetic spikes.  When they make it back to the bottom of the castle staircase they discover that the producer, Gopher, is missing.

All the shaken team has to do now is vanquish the phantom, find their producer, film the episode – oh and survive!


I didn't enjoy this one as much as I have others in the series. A few too many plot holes (use some common sense people) and Gilley was annoying (less squealing and whining would be good).