Jim Giraffe by Daren King (Book #20 of 2009)

Finished 02-22-09



Book Description:

Scott Spectrum is being haunted by a ghost giraffe named Jim. Scott thinks he’s a man how has everything — a high-speed internet connection, alien-shaped slippers, and a beautiful wife called Continence. But Scott hasn’t touched her in years and she’s been left furiously polishing the sideboard, dreaming of black stallions. According to Jim, Scott’s days are numbered, and to save himself from certain death from sexual repression he must quickly perform every act in the lovermaker’s lexicon.

Jim Giraffe knows a lot about sex, luckily. He also loves pizza and beer and has breath that smells of tree-tops. The prudish Scott is at first shocked by this profane, perverted ghost giraffe, but he accepts his help. Little does Scott realize that Jim has his own agenda and that his suburban idyll is about to be well and truly buggered up.

My Thoughts:

I think this wins the reward for the weirdest book I've ever read. You think it's about getting Scott to become less of a prude but no it's all about Jim. The ending was weird. Weird, weird, weird. Very quirky to use another word. lol

The Witch's Grave by Shirley Damsgaard (Book #18 for 2009)

Finished 02-12-09



Book Description:

Cupid has cast his spell on good witch Ophelia Jensen. The practical, pragmatic, law-abiding librarian has just begun letting down her hair with Stephen Larsen, the author of some of the most scandalous crime exposés ever written. It's a match made in the stacks—until the would-be lovers take a quiet countryside stroll, and shots ring out.

A murderer, not magick, made Stephen disappear—and Ophelia might be next. The sheriff warns her and her grandmother Abby not to meddle, but after another shooting leaves them shaken the women can't help but get involved. A sinister stalker is slowly drawing closer to Ophelia, and she'll have to summon all her powers to prevent herself from ending up six feet under.

My Thoughts:

I love this series! Mystery and paranormal together! Ophelia has finally honed in on her "witchy" talents. My favorite part of the book had to be the dream sequences. I couldn't wait to see what would happen to Madeline next. I've always enjoyed stories set in World War II and this did not disappointment.

Dial Me for Murder by Amanda Matetsky (Book #17 for 2009)

Finished 02-08-09



Book Description:

Crime reporter and mystery novelist Paige Turner is looking into the murder of a young secretary whose naked body was found in Central Park—with the understanding between herself and the police that Paige keeps her exclusive investigation off the record and out of the pages of Daring Detective.

My Thoughts:

I LOVED this one. This series is set in the mid 1950s. The characters are a hoot! The mystery is mysterious. The way of life then was simpler. I almost want to go back and live during this time.
Paige is smart and it's hard to be a smart woman then. She never gets her just rewards except from Dan, her boyfriend.
I loved trying to figure this one out and much as I enjoyed the references to that era. Who knew there was so much in common with things today but to a less degree.
...more I LOVED this one. This series is set in the mid 1950s. The characters are a hoot! The mystery is mysterious. The way of life then was simpler. I almost want to go back and live during this time.
Paige is smart and it's hard to be a smart woman then. She never gets her just rewards except from Dan, her boyfriend.
I loved trying to figure this one out and much as I enjoyed the references to that era. Who knew there was so much in common with things today but to a less degree.
I hope in the next book, Paige and Dan finally tie the knot.

Dead Men Don't Get the Munchies by Miranda Bliss (Book #16 for 2009)

Finished 02-06-09



Book Description:

Cooking class is back in session for best friends-and sometime sleuths-Annie and Eve. But this time, Annie finds herself on the teacher's side of the cutting board, helping out during a bar food cooking class at D.C.'s latest hotspot, Bellywasher's. And her best friend, Eve, is in more hot water than ever-as the prime suspect in a student's murder.

My Thoughts:

I hate when you figure out who the murderer is early on. It's sad when you hope it's a red herring and it isn't. I enjoyed the book otherwise but I wish it wasn't simple who done it.

Ultraviolet by Nancy Bush (Book #15 of 2009)

Finished 02-04-09



Book Description:

For process server-turned-private investigator, Jane Kelly, weddings are murder. Usually that's a metaphor, but for newly minted P.I. Jane Kelly, it's fast becoming an all-too-accurate nightmare. Roland Hatchmere, plastic surgery magnate, has been found murdered just before his daughter's society wedding. The weapon is a wedding gift: a heavy, silver serving tray. The prime suspect is Roland's ex-wife #2: Violet "Ultraviolet" Purcell, she of the eccentric-bordering-on-insane Purcell clan.

Violet insists that she's completely innocent. After all, Roland was her absolute favorite ex-husband. And she was nowhere NEAR him at the time of the murder. Well, okay, technically she did meet him for a little pre-nup, bedroom tête-à-tête just before. And they did have a huge fight. And she did hit him with the tray. But just once. Honest. So could Jane just hurry up and prove her innocence? Sure. That should be easy. Let's just file this one under "12 Kinds of Crazy." But when Jane's boss, the temporarily sidelined Dwayne, is convinced Violet's telling the truth, well, there's nothing for Jane to do but take her lovable, misfit pug, Binky, and sniff out a few clues.

Everywhere Jane and The Binkster look, there's a suspect odder than the last, including two grown, very troubled kids, an ex-wife strung out on Botox and a current wife who's a cross between Donna Reed and a sex kitten--all of them eager to blame Roland's death on Violet. It doesn't help that Violet's story keeps changing faster than a celebrity's hair extensions. To make matters worse, Dwayne's convalescence is turning him into Jimmy Stewart in "Rear Window," complete with binoculars, and he's convinced there is something very bad going down in the private houses across Lakewood Bay, something that needs Jane and Binky's close attention. Faster than she can say, "I took criminology courses for this?", Jane is up to her eyeballs in lies, secrets, Extreme Botox, New Wave bands, truck-stop coffee kiosks (don't ask), very good scones, Junior League, wedding bandits, high school sociopaths, Plastic Pet Cemetery (don't ask, part II), a budding attraction to her boss, the Millionaire's Club, and someone who would kill to keep the past buried.

The deeper Jane digs, the less she wants to know. Every truth leads her deeper into danger, and soon, Jane wonders if her first official case might also be her last...and if the client she's been asked to clear just might be the coldest black widow of all...

My Thoughts:

It took me a while to read in part because I couldn't get into at first and I was also busy watching 12 episodes of True Blood. LOL
It's a good mystery. Not stupid. It's a bit funny. I did figure out who the murderer was by process of elimination but the motive wasn't clear till the very end. I hope Ms. Bush writes more of this series but it doesn't look like it. :(

And January's Book Giveaway Winner is....

carolsnotebook

Thanks everyone for entering. I'll be doing another book giveaway at the end of February. I hope to see you then. Or sooner. You can always read my other blog entries. ;)