Taylor Anderson, Maelstrom
Roc (2009) ISBN: 978-0-451-46253-4
Score: 2

Third book of the Destroyermen series, now with precocious aristocrat girls. This works both as a conclusion to a trilogy and as a transition point in a longer series (the author is already working on another book with these characters).

Next Book: Jim Butcher, Turn Coat

Kat Richardson, "The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog"
Roc (2009) ISBN: 978-0-451-46249-7
Score: 1.5

Harper Blaine goes to Mexico during the holidays in response to some dead people seeking revenge.

Jim Butcher, "The Warrior"
Roc (2009) ISBN: 978-0-451-46249-7
Score: 1.5

A Harry Dresden novella dealing with the Carpenter family and set about a year after Small Favor. This is the lead story in the anthology Mean Streets, and I suspect the author heard that title and decided to write the sappiest, most moralistic story he could for it.

Next Book: John Meaney, Black Blood

Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Raises Hell
Grand Central (2009) ISBN: 0-446-19954-0
Score: 4

The sixth Kitty Norville novel, in which we're formally introduced to the main villain of the series. It's nice to see the mundane authorities trying to deal with the supernatural, but I wish Kitty would use them more (specifically, I wish she would've at least considered telling them that someone she has a restraining order against has come to Denver, called into her show, and practically bragged about being responsible for several recent deaths and arsons).

Next Book: Lawrence Watt-Evans, The Turtle Moves!

Lois McMaster Bujold, Horizon
Eos (2009) ISBN: 978-0-06-137536-1
Score: 3

Conclusion of the Sharing Knife quartet, in which the characters begin to resolve the main conflict. And yes, it really is the end of the series; the main problem here was that the two races weren't talking to each other, and that's not something that can be quickly solved by killing monsters (though like the previous books, the author threw in some monsters anyway to keep the characters and readers from getting bored).

Next Book: Jonathan Stroud, Heroes of the Valley

(via Andrew Wheeler)

Apparently the BBC reckons most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.
( 100 books )

Michelle Sagara [West], Cast in Fury
Luna (2008) ISBN: 0-373-80269-2
Score: 2

Fourth book of the Chronicles of Elantra, dealing with stories and children. In addition to the usual saving the world, the heroine must also deal with the public reaction to something that happened at the end of the previous book. We also learn more about the fiefs and the Leontine race (so the next book will probably feature the Aerians).

Next Book: Patricia Briggs, Bone Crossed

Carrie Vaughn, Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand
Grand Central (2009) ISBN: 0-446-19953-2
Score: 4

The fifth Kitty Norville book, in which she goes to Las Vegas to elope. As usual, she does a show, runs into people who don't like what she is, and things get messy. A good volume of this series, though I thought the resolution was a bit too convenient (I would be surprised if the characters responsible are still alive when the next book starts). It didn't end with a cliffhanger as I was expecting; it seems that the publication delay of this book was so the events would still be fresh in your memory when reading the sequel (being published next month).

Jim Butcher, Princeps' Fury
Ace (2008) ISBN: 978-0-441-01638-9
Score: 2

Fifth book of the Codex Alera series, in which the situation gets really bleak and hopeless. I felt the anti-slavery message was awfully heavy-handed, though I suppose anything less wouldn't sway the characters.

Next Book: Brandon Sanderson, Alcatraz versus the Scrivener's Bones

Terry Pratchett, Nation
Harper (2008) ISBN: 978-0-06-143301-6
Score: 3

A stand alone novel about a young sheltered princess and a boy who is the only member of his tribe to survive the tidal wave that shipwrecked her. This is set on a parallel Earth rather than Discworld, and while I can see the author's reasons for doing so, it didn't seem to work quite right; he seemed to want to say something about the meaning and importance of nations and religions but the fantasy elements (which only affect a couple characters) undermined that somewhat, and he seemed to chicken out on challenging customs concerning gender roles and education of children (the epilogue made me wonder if any of the characters learned anything). Still an enjoyable read; it's just when you stop to think about what it's trying to say that things start falling apart.

Next book: Jim Butcher, Princeps' Fury