Amber

Normally I stack up books into a pile and, when they are threatening to do bodily harm when they fall over, then I launch into review mode and fire them off in batches. However I am making an exception to this rule with a book I just read, it is too good a read to wait for my slow moving process.

Have you ever heard of an “easter egg”? Not the kind with bunnies and candy, but in a video game or a DVD where you have to perform a complex series of tasks in order to unlock a secret: bonus material, extras or a really cool item.

Well hidden in the internet (picture what the internet will be like in 100 yrs), James Halliday has hidden one easter egg. This isn't any ordinary easter egg; it holds the keys to the kingdom, to wealth, an empire and security. Basically by finding the egg, you would make Bill Gates look like he is part of the middle class. But that is the big catch, you have to find it:

A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside of an enigma and somewhere inside there is a key, if you’re clever enough to figure it out.

Ready Player One is a tale with one part Willy Wonka, Westing Game and MMOG with 80's obsession sprinkled in for flavor. This book is more than just a sum of its influences, and they are never a distraction. It is a story of David vs. Goliath in a modern, massive, multi-player on-line game where the fate of reality stands in the balance. I couldn't put it down, including when I was at work, (grumble). You do have to have a very slight exposure to a MMOG (massive multi-player online game) or have a kid on tap to ask if you get confused. It does a great job of building tension throughout the book and creating a grim, gritty reality of what our world may look like if things continue down the path they are now on.

I would suggest this book to anyone with an urban fantasy bent, who games and/or has a love of computers. Did I mention D&D plays a pretty big role? I loved this book!

Having cleared her best friend’s name in Death of a Trophy Wife, to show his gratitude, Lance treats Jaine to an all expenses paid spa vacation….. However as Jaine’s life often goes, this isn’t as great of a deal as it seems….. Since Lance fails to tell her it is a health spa where junk food is not allowed (unless you buy it in the black market, from the extortionist prices), exercise is mandatory (unless you are a celebrity) and even Prozac is put on a diet and exercise regime (you can guess how well that goes with a cat….). The only person destined to be murdered is Lance for tricking Jaine into diet hell, well until the b-list vixen is found murdered…

As always Laura doesn’t disappoint! She had me laughing out loud from the very first page (which had the other bus riders looking at me like I was crazy…)! The e-mails back and for between Jaine and Lance, and Jaine and her parents are hysterical. While the book will never win an Edgar, I think it is great! Never taking itself too seriously and is just a fun read. I would recommend this book and series to anyone who needs a good laugh!

Lindsey is finally finding her rhythm as the director of the Briar Creek Public Library, with the help of her best friend Beth who is a talented children’s librarian herself. However things start to go wonky when Beth breaks up with her boyfriend, children’s book writer. When they discover him murdered in his home, well things go from bad to worse, since the local police chief is bent on proving Beth guilty. Lindsey has other ideas since she knows Beth is innocent.

I did enjoy ready this cozy library inspired book. However there are some cookie-cutter elements sprinkled through out the story, that, while furthering the narrative, are far from original, which can be distracting at times, especially if you are an avid cozy reader like myself. That being said I did enjoy reading the story, there are enough fun and unique elements to the story I could overlook the bits of cardboard interspersed through the narrative. I would be more than willing to read the follow up novel to see where the author takes this series

Lily gets called to a crime scene to give her take on the oddness which the police find…. Ladders put in places where people have to walk under, broken mirrors, a black cat and the entire apartment is filled with the number 13 -- the place is filled with bad luck symbols, which unnerve everyone. It didn’t serve the owner well, since he was found stabbed on his dinner table. Even more shocking, Lily knows the the prime suspect… and when a close friend is hexed Lily resolves to find out who the killer is, before they strike again.

This is a really great, cozy, supernatural book! The fact Lily’s familiar is a pig (not a cat) still makes me giggle. It is fast paced and the fact it is set in a vintage clothing store in Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco adds even more layers to this book. It has some very unique characters, multi-book plots and humor I am currently burning my way through the beginning of the series so I can get the full flavor of this series. I would recommend this book to a friend, as well as those looking for a new series!

If you are like me and have finally succumbed to the creeping crud which has been making the rounds this winter, and you need a book to divert your attention from daytime TV and your box of kleenex I have the one for you! Killer Cruise by Laura Levine. It is a series about Jaine Austen, no relation to the author, who manages to score a teaching gig on a cruise liner, providing her with a Mexican vacation and access to a twenty-four hour buffet! Jaine's elation is short lived when she discovers her cat, Prozac, has wormed his way into her vacation. This however is the least of her problems, when a slick dancer turns up dead and her friend is accused of the murder.

This book was a hoot! While it will never win an Edgar, it is a fast paced and funny read. The e-mails back and forth to her parents and best friend are hysterical. It is a solid mystery which never takes itself too seriously. I liked it for that reason; it was easy to read in my medicated and fuzzy state of mind. Thus I pass this slapstick gem on to anyone who needs a fun book to read while waiting for the antibiotics took kick in!