Currently Reading: A Private Hope

Who is Kat Emmons?
Residents of Baylor, a northern Michigan town, are not only questioning who Kat Emmons is, but how is the 18-year-old high school senior able to find and print news before it’s published in the local newspaper? Kat’s previous articles lead to a state attorney general’s investigation into Chief Wayne Crawford’s police department, and now the Baylor board of education and its controversial new superintendent, Thomas Pyles, are in Kat’s journalistic crosshairs.
Kat, a private person who two years earlier transferred schools from Oregon to be with her grandmother, Anna Fletcher, lives with a past personal tragedy and the discovery of a buried family secret that consumes her daily thoughts and life. Under the guidance of her teacher Robert Bailey, she’s turned to investigative journalism to escape her demons and suddenly has become the talk of the town.
But the town faces its own troubling times, as well. Schools, in a financial crisis, may close; TB-infected deer have contaminated cattle herds; and the local cement plant now burns hazardous chemicals to stay open. While seemingly unrelated, these events are not.
Unbeknown to Kat, her articles begin a process that will unravel the town’s mysteries and expose a nefarious international plot of corruption and murder that threatens the town’s existence. No one in Baylor is safe; no one is protected. Will she find the truth? Will she also learn for herself the answer to the question on everyone’s mind:

Who is Kat Emmons?

Author R.R. Phillips is a friend of mine and has been very helpful with my own writing and editing, so I ‘ve been looking forward to sitting down and reading this book.  I’ve been unable to find it in ebook form, so I’m reading my autographed paper copy.  More comments to come as I make my way into the story.

Currently Reading: Shanghai Girls

Shanghai Girls: A Novel

For readers of the phenomenal bestsellers Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Peony in Love–a stunning new novel from Lisa See about two sisters who leave Shanghai to find new lives in 1930s Los Angeles.

May and Pearl, two sisters living in Shanghai in the mid-1930s, are beautiful, sophisticated, and well-educated, but their family is on the verge of bankruptcy. Hoping to improve their social standing, May and Pearl’s parents arrange for their daughters to marry “Gold Mountain men” who have come from Los Angeles to find brides.

But when the sisters leave China and arrive at Angel’s Island (the Ellis Island of the West)–where they are detained, interrogated, and humiliated for months–they feel the harsh reality of leaving home. And when May discovers she’s pregnant the situation becomes even more desperate. The sisters make a pact that no one can ever know.

A novel about two sisters, two cultures, and the struggle to find a new life in America while bound to the old, Shanghai Girls is a fresh, fascinating adventure from beloved and bestselling author Lisa See.

Lisa See has a new book out now and I’ve had Shanghair Girls on my “to read” pile forever.  I bought it last year on my birthday with a Sony Store Gift Card I got as a present.

Currently Reading: Dead(ish)

DEAD(ish)
Naomi Kramer is a well-known figure in the ebook and indy publishing world, and Dead(ish) has been distributed free where fine ebooks are sold for years now.  I’m a little embarrassed that it’s been sitting in my “to read” pile this long, but I’m finally getting to it.  It is an intriguing premise.  I only just learned that there are two more books in the series, so I’m sure I’ll be reading those too.

Currently Reading: Moon Called

Moon Called (Mercy Thompson)
Mercy Thompson’s life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she’s fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn’t exactly normal herself.
This is my first book by Patricia Briggs and consequently my read at this series, but it looks very interesting.  I’ve never been that big into vampires and werewolves, though now that I’m writing a book myself with them in it, they are starting to seem more interesting. 
I am of course reading this on my new Nook.  It was $7.99, and is the same price on the Kindle and Kobo.  Any book that I might like that is more than 9.99, I just put in my wishlist until the price drops.  I think $9.99 is a fair price for a newly published ebook, but no more than that.

Currently Reading: The Other

The Other (Vintage Contemporaries)
I loved Snow Falling on Cedars and am happy to finally hit this book in my “To Be Read” pile.  There are mixed reviews on Amazon, though it is critically aclaimed.  You may need to be in the right state of mind to read Mr. Guterson’s work, or just be really into his prose, like I guess I am.

Currently Reading: The Mucker

The Mucker
The Mucker, sadly, is one of the often forgotten works of Edgar Rice Burroughs.  It is a great story though, full of adventure, lost civilizations, wild beasts, etc.  Though there are many expensive editions out there, you can get the ebook version of The Mucker and its sequel free at manybooks.net.  Follow this link: http://www.manybooks.net/titles/burroughseetext95tmuck10.html

Currently Reading: A World of Difference

A World of Difference

It’s been a while since I posted a “Currently Reading.”  I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had time to read much.  A world of difference is a stand-alone science fiction novel by the master of alternate history: Harry Turtledove. 

Product Description

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=citofama-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0345360761&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr

Currently Reading: Gods Behaving Badly

Gods Behaving Badly: A Novel
I’ve read this book before.  In fact, this is the first ebook I’m rereading (although I’ve read ebooks that I’ve previously read as paper books).  But I LOVE this book.  I’ve heard that it’s been licensed as a TV show.  I really hope they don’t ruin it.

Currently Reading: The Deputy Sheriff of Comanche County

One of Edgar Rice Burrough’s westerns, I don’t remember if I read this one when I was a kid, but I’m reading it now.  If you haven’t read Burroughs, you must.  He is one of the great story-tellers of all time.
It, like most of the Edgar Rice Burroughs books, is available as a free download from manybooks.net.

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=citofama-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003QJNDDS&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr

Currently Reading: Catch of a Lifetime

Catch of a Lifetime

It’s a mermaid story, and so far a pretty good one.  It’s also a free download for all you Kindle owners and Kindle App users out there.  Check it out.