What are the canaries reading this week?
Plugged by Eoin Colfer: Things had been going marginally okay for Daniel McEvoy. Until his girlfriend gets killed. And the cosmetic surgeon that doing his hair plugs goes missing. And when the more bullets that start flying, the less Daniel knows what is going on. This is Eoin Colfer’s breakout novel into the adult genre, and it promises to be an interesting and fast-paced read.
Remember Artemis Fowl? Yep, it’s that Eoin Colfer.
And we have an advance review copy in our grubby little wings.
I wonder how the humorous tone we’ve grown to love in the Artemis series will translate–or whether Colfer wants it there at all.
Gone/Hunger by Michael Grant: It’s easy to compare the Gone Series to Lord of the Flies. After all, everyone over the age of 15 suddenly disappears from the small town of Perdido Beach, CA and it’s up to the remaining kids to learn how to survive–and to figure out what caused the disappearance of the adults in the first place.
It’d sound like just another social commentary–except some kids are gaining superpowers. When I first heard about it, I couldn’t imagine how Grant was going to pull it off. Especially since the covers are super melodramatic. But I was stuck in an airport and Gone was the only decent-looking YA at the kiosk I decided to raid for Mountain Dew and Rolos. Gone actually went well, but could he keep the same level of eerie dystopia alive for a second book?
Feed by Mira Grant: Another Grant.
It’s 2039.
Postapocalyptic 2039.
Full of bloggers…and zombies.
I’m not a fan of zombie stories, shows, or movies. Neither is theothercanary. Actually, her exact words were, “Eff zombies!” But for some strange reason, she’s decided to read this book. Actually she tells me this is pretty good, even if she has no clue how to talk about the story without spoiling the ending. Major twist ahoy!
Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones: I half-listened, half-read the first book of the series, First Grave on the Right, and announced that I wouldn’t be reading the sequel. Famous last reading words, right there. In this latest installment, our Grim Reaper heroine is facing a slew of new problems. Her boyfriend is in hiding, her secretary’s best friend is missing, there’s a dead guy in the trunk, and she’s just discovering that there may be a bit more to being a Grim Reaper than just glowing real pretty. (Book giveaway, coming soon too!)
Rachel Caine has a knack for creating three-dimensional, believable characters, and then pulling you along for the entire ride.
But a YA vampire series?
This I have to read.
Dragon Blood by Patricia Briggs: I picked this book up because I’ve read its prequel–and loved it.
Narrated by the wonderful Joe Manganiello, this continues the story of Ward, now the lord of his own fortress. Except, he pissed off a lot of people in the last book. I hear they’re not happy about him having his own castle.
I’m a little bit leery of the book, though. The previous installment had been very much self-contained, and from my experience, it’s very hard to set an unplanned sequel on its wobbly feet.
The Book Canaries 
After reading “Among Thieves” by Douglas Hulick (which I reviewed on Goodreads – wouldn’t mind seeing what you guys had to say about it, though) I am up to reading Terry Pratchett’s “I Shall Wear Midnight”. I will make no further promises for my week’s reading. I’m a mum of a very busy nearly 11-month-old, as well as having my own writing to work on. Actually, one book a read is a pretty good rate for me these days!
Mournfully and enviously eyes your reading list. Goes back to reading ‘How to Write a Mystery Novel’. 😉