I fixed that for you.

My son linked me to an article on blogspot that needed a few changes, so I took a little time. Below the jump is the corrected version.

The Reapers Are the Angels - reading

Finished "The Reapers Are the Angels" by Alden Bell. Another well-written zombie book, this one about a young girl making her way in the post-apocalyptic world. With vivid descriptions and colorful characters, I recommend this one even if zombie-fiction isn't your thing. (I wouldn't say it's my thing, but this is the third zombie book in recent memory for me.)

You Lost Me There - reading

Finished "You Lost Me There" by Rosecrans Baldwin. Holy crap, did the author ever lose me. I nearly gave up halfway through but because I haven't reached the point where I can put a bad book down like a rabid dog, I finished it. The cover said "intelligent prose, [...] wears its smarts lightly and probes its emotions deeply." It's possible I'm just too stupid to get the intelligent prose, but wasn't one of the faults of the main character that he hasn't grieved for his late wife? Denial does not equal probing your emotions deeply. Not recommended by me. Ask someone smart.

2011 Top Ten Books

I went through 2011's books and selected ten that I would recommend. Note: these are books I read (or listened to - many were audiobooks) in 2011, not books that were published in 2011.

10. Haiku
9. Paul is Undead
8. The Return of the King
7. The Dark Volume
6. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
5. Redwall
4. The Kite Runner
3. The Terror
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
1. The Pillars of the Earth

I did it countdown-style which implies I believe "The Pillars of the Earth" to be the best of the bunch, though depending on the day any of several others could slide up to that top spot. They're all good, though.

The Spirit Thief - reading

Finished "The Spirit Thief" by Rachel Aaron. This had an interesting premise and some decent characters, but I disliked the dialogue. I think the characters stopped just shy of calling the king "dude." As the story progressed, I had an easier time imagining a group of gamers sitting around the D&D (or whatever system they use) table playing through these encounters than I did the characters themselves living in their world. I've played with people who while gaming talk like those in the book.

There were hints to future story arcs but I don't think enough got done in this one book. I wanted a little more closure (or at least fewer loose ends). I won't be picking up the next in the series.

Boneshaker - reading

Finished "Boneshaker" by Cherie Priest. I was sometimes envious of the author's ability to give just enough words to paint a picture in my mind, and sometimes wishing she would linger in a scene a bit longer. Either way, though, the book evoked great mental images of history gone sideways. It was a fun and enjoyable read all around. I can't say I was 100% satisfied by the ending, but it did bring things together and change the lives of the characters.