My July Reads

Look who's finally posting what he read in July.  Links take you to my full review at Epinions.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

ALCATRAZ VERSUS THE EVIL LIBRARIANS by Brandon Sanderson - 5
On his thirteenth birthday, Alcatraz gets a package from his long dead parents - sand.  But that's not the strangest thing as his life takes some wild and crazy turns in this alternative reality book for kids.  And it's a wild ride of laughs and adventure.  I loved every minute of it and can't wait to read more.

DEAD MAN WALTZING by Ella Barrick - 4
When ballroom dancing grande dame Corrine Blakely is murdered, the police zero in on her ex-husband Maurice.  After all, he was having lunch with her at the time.  But Stacy Graysin knows her friend couldn't have done it.  Can she prove it?  The plot could have used another twist or two, but it was still a fun twirl with one of the funniest scenes I've read in a while and a climax that really brought the emotion.

RUSH FOR THE GOLD: MYSTERY AT THE OLYMPICS by John Feinstein - 3
When Susan Carol's swimming times start to drop, she becomes an Olympic athlete.  Unfortunately, the new managers she's signed with are bugging her, and her dad doesn't seem to notice.  Is there something more going on?  Can her boyfriend, Steve, figure it out?  The mystery was very, very slow to get going in this book.  Plenty of conflict, but hardly any mystery.  And when the mystery started, it felt rushed.

DEADLY SHOALS by Joan Druett - 4
Wiki Coffin and the American Exploration Expedition have reached the southern tip of South America, where they get involved in a case where a man was sold a ship, but then it was stolen from him.  Then a dead body turns up.  This book seemed to be slow moving, but many of the random events played a part in the climax.

DARKWING DUCK/DUCKTALES: DANGEROUS CURRENCY by Ian Brill - 3
The final in the Darkwing Duck comics brings in characters from Ducktales.  As they tried to wrap everything up, it just became too rushed.  Not their fault since their contract was canceled, but still not as fun to read as it could have been.

THE DAYS ARE JUST PACKED by Bill Waterson - 5
Another great collection of Calvin and Hobbes comic strips.