Lower East Side Librarian

For the most part I found City of Bones absorbing, yet predictable. There's one surprise I didn't see coming but should have, though. The protagonist, Clary, turns 16 during the course of the novel. I hope she catches onto things quicker as the series progresses and she gets older.

Gorokhova writes about growing up in 1960s and 70s Leningrad. I'd been curious about life in the USSR, and this memoir was exactly what I was looking for. She's a good writer, especially in her non-native but just as good English.

It seems like no one remembers or gives credit to the For Beginners series. Gladstone acts like no one has done a graphic history/politics book before, like this was some crazy new idea she hatched. Clearly I'm a little annoyed at that, but I started off liking the book plenty. The first page I dog-eared to quote says this "The American media are not afraid of the government. They are afraid of their audiences and advertisers. The media do not control you. They pander to you."

The Mercedes Thompson series may have joined the paranormal romance genre as Mercy joined with Alpha werewolf Adam Hauptman and took his name. Ugh. Really? I know there are lots of good reasons women take their husbands names, and I don't mean to diss them, but I just don't see this bad ass coyote shapeshifter auto mechanic having a drive to do so. Plus she's part American Indian, and aren't most tribes matrilineal?

Our coyote shapeshifter is out of the love triangle business and head over heels over her alpha mate. Unfortunately his pack isn't quite as gaga over her. As usual some fae are gunning for her. I know my description makes the book sound silly, but it is actually one of my favorite installments the Mercy Thompson series.