Manhattan Beach By: Jennifer Egan

Sad to say that this one did nothing for me.  I didn't find it noir-ish at all.  I found nothing engaging in any of the characters.  The timeline was all over the place.  I found myself waiting for it to be over.

Materpieces of Murder Ed. By: Jonathan Goodman

A fascinating collection of essays, news reports, lectures, diaries, etc... all having to do with famous (and not so famous) murders from across time and locales.

Death by Coffee By: Alex Erickson

This was cute-but, and I can't put my finger on it, I felt there was something missing. There wasn't a lot of set up as to who Krissy was or the town of Pine Hills, and I'm not sure I bought into her need to investigate the death.  With all that said, the characters are quirky and the writing was excellent.

The Black Prism By: Brent Weeks

An amazing fantasy adventure!  Kip is not like any hero you've ever encountered, and that's what makes this tome so great!  Brent Weeks is a hell of a creative storyteller!!

Crime and Poetry By: Amanda Flower

I'm torn on this one.  On the one hand, the premise is creative and the characters are interesting and fun, and the wiring is excellent!  On the other hand, I figured out who had done it way before Violet did, and I don't buy that the police hadn't figured out prior to Violet.  It didn't make sense.  And yet, I still enjoyed reading it.

Paranoia By: Joseph Finder

My initial thought was that this was a really long book for Mr. Finder.  He usually writes in the 300-400 page range and this one is 564 pages.  While reading it I thought could he have trimmed any of this?  And the answer is no-it's all necessary and adds to the fantastic intrigue that packs all 564 pages.  The reveal  is SO not what you might think.  Brilliant read!

Killer Instinct By: Joseph Finder

The more of his books I read, the more I realize that Joe Finder is a flawless writer.  His characters are so real, with very little description, the action is intense, the twists will snap your head and the endings always catch you off guard and are very satisfying.  Killer Instinct is all of these and more!

Awakening By: D.E. Morris

I know that fantasy novels are veiled religious takes on good and evil-but I prefer it to be very veiled; there are several moments in this story where it's a little too blatant for my personal taste.  With that said, Awakening is a GREAT continuation in the Age of Valor series.  While it stands on it's own, I do highly recommend reading the first book in the series, as it add such richness to this one.  As in the first book, this one ends with a spectacular showdown, wraps up several storylines, but leaves enough dangling threads to keep the reader engaged and thirsting for book 3!

The Unkind Hours By: Dwayne Alexander Smith

This book is shattering!  Mr. Smith does it again, with his second book-no sophomore slump for him. His writing is so tight, he is able to put you in his characters' shoes with a minimum of words.  This tale of parental devastation will grip you and not let you go-not even at the end.  The twists and turns will nauseate you, the justice and injustice will elate and infuriate you, your nerves will be shredded and your thoughts will be shattered, and you'll thank Dwayne Alexander Smith for all of it! A must read!

The One-Eyed Judge By: Michael Ponsor

Another taut thriller with protagonist Judge David Norcross!  Ponsor's ability to suck his readers in is unparalleled.  This story if so fraught with twists an turns, you'll be on edge reading it-wanting to finish it quickly to know what happens, yet not wanting to continue because you feel more bad stuff coming!  An amazing writer and an amazing story teller!