Dying For Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson

Meet Goldy Bear: a bright, opinionated, wildly inventive caterer whose personal life has become a recipe for disaster. She's got an abusive ex-husband who's into making tasteless threats, a rash of mounting bills that are taking a huge bite out of her budget, and two enticing men knocking on her door.

Now determined to take control of her life, Goldy moves her business and her son to ritzy Aspen Meadow Country Club, where she accepts a job as a live-in cook. But just as she's beginning to think she's got it made--catering decadent dinners and posh society picnics and enjoying the favors of Philip Miller, a handsome local shrink, and Tom Shulz, her more-than-friendly neighborhood cop--the dishy doctor inexplicably drives his BMW into an oncoming bus.

Convinced that Philip's bizarre death was no accident, Goldy decides to do a little investigating of her own. But sifting through the unpalatable secrets of the dead doc's life will toss her into a case seasoned with unexpected danger and even more unexpected revelations--the kind that could get a caterer and the son she loves. . .killed. 

Although the mystery in this book seems quite implausible, in particular the method of murder, watching Goldy solve the crime is part of the fun of the book. However the best part of the book is the description of food, and the tantalizing recipes scattered through out the book.  

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973."

So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on earth continue without her -- her friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling.

The first chapter is both disturbing and brutal, due to this initially I felt unsure as to whether I wanted to read on. I'm glad I did. Once I got into it I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Seduce Me In Shadow by Shayla Black

Ex-marine Caden MacTavish has shunned his magical heritage all his life, but he will do anything to heal his desperately ill brother, a Doomsday Brethren warrior in mourning for his missing mate. Posing as a photographer, Caden must convince firecracker tabloid reporter Sydney Blair to reveal the source of her recent exposé on a supernatural power clash. Unfortunately, keeping his hands off the sizzling redhead proves as hard as getting them onto the potent and mystical Doomsday Diary he discovers at her bedside. A bloody rebellion led by an evil, power-hungry wizard is imminent. If Sydney divulges the book's existence, she will jeopardize magickind's most deeply guarded secrets and become the ruthless wizard's number one target. Caden has never trusted magic's cruel and dangerous powers, but he will protect Sydney with his life and magic -- even if it means risking his heart.

Light, fun read. Action, romance and a touch of humour. 

I am David by Anne Holm

David's entire twelve-year life has been spent in a grisly prison camp in Eastern Europe. He knows nothing of the outside world. But when he is given the chance to escape, he seizes it. With his vengeful enemies hot on his heels, David struggles to cope in this strange new world, where his only resources are a compass, a few crusts of bread, his two aching feet, and some vague advice to seek refuge in Denmark. Is that enough to survive?

A compelling story beautifully and simply told. 

Wanderlust by Ann Aguirre

This story picks up right where Grimspace left off, where she has brought down the primary ruling regime of the universe, the Farwan Corporation. A power vacuum has ensured and the Conglomerate steps in and tries to hold on to power. The Conglomerate appoints Sirantha as ambassador to Ithiss-Tor, a standoffish, xenocentric culture of insectoid like aliens, with a bit of serpent thrown into the mix. But there's a catch, Sirantha has been threatened by the dominant organized criminal operation that would like to see this diplomatic mission fail. So off goes Sirantha with her cast of characters, the mercenary and her lover March, Vel, the Ithiss-Tor bounty hunter who was sent to capture her in Grimspace, Dina the lesbian mechanic, and Jael, a genetically superior human. They escape the capitol planet and to avoid capture set off on a rather circuitous adventure that finds them battling the man-eating Morgut, entering into a vicious war on the planet Lachion, which March most recently called home, and then facing off with the organized crime syndicate out to sabotage Sirantha and her mission.

A great, fun read full of adventure. I love this series! 

Angels of Darkness

"Angel's Wolf by Nalini Singh." On the back of the book, `In the spellbinding universe of the Guild Hunter, a vampire becomes obsessed with the seductive angel who rules the Louisiana territory. But in her court, all is not what it appears to be.

"Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews." `A woman is kidnapped into a world divided by a superhuman civil war. As the captive of an irresistibly dangerous male, she has two choices: submit and become a pawn, or take hold of her own destiny.'

"Nocturne by Sharon Shinn." `Accepting a position in a secluded and whispered-about mansion, a woman soon discovers the source of its mystery: the blind, tormented angel who lives there, and whose secrets could now destroy them both.'

"Ascension by Meljean Brook." `When vampires disappear from a community he's protecting, a world-weary Guardian doesn't know what evil he's hunting, but he'd rather hunt alone than accept help from his ex-lover and fellow Guardian, Radha.


I enjoyed all 4 stories and couldn't pick a favourite. 

The Corpse Walker by Liao Yiwu

The Corpse Walker introduces us to regular men and women at the bottom of Chinese society, most of whom have been battered by life but have managed to retain their dignity: a professional mourner, a human trafficker, a public toilet manager, a leper, a grave robber, and a Falung Gong practitioner, among others. By asking challenging questions with respect and empathy, Liao Yiwu managed to get his subjects to talk openly and sometimes hilariously about their lives, desires, and vulnerabilities, creating a book that is an instance par excellence of what was once upon a time called “The New Journalism.” The Corpse Walker reveals a fascinating aspect of modern China, describing the lives of normal Chinese citizens in ways that constantly provoke and surprise.

Some interviews were more interesting than others, but overall an interesting read.