Booking Through Thursday: Paper or Plastic?

Do you read e-Books?
If so, how? On your computer, or a PDA?
Or are you a paper purist? Why?

While wandering amongst the booths at the L.A. Times Festival of Books last year, a representative with Sony stopped me to ask if I would like to check out the company's latest hand held reading device. It had not yet been released on the market, but the company was getting a head start by sharing the product with passersby in hopes of making future sells. I was not buying that day, but my curiosity was piqued. The gadget was amazingly easy to read, the size of a mass market paperback novel, and the font could be adjusted for the reader's comfort. The screen was backlit for easy viewing as well. The Sony rep explained that the machine could hold 75 books at one time. My first thought was how easy that would make traveling and vacations. I could have 75 books to choose from! No need to stuff my suitcase full or take an extra bag full of paper books making everything more heavy. No more trying to guess at what will interest me later in the week, hoping the limited books I take with me are all worth reading. Ah! But the real test . . . How fast can I move from page to page? Not fast enough. At least not a year ago. I avoided stopping at the booth this year to see what further advances were made. Somehow I doubt the focus would be on the speed the pages can be changed.

Sitting in front of a computer to read a book off the screen holds no interest for me, although occasionally you might catch me reading a short story that way. I'd be more likely to want to print a copy so that I can travel around the house or go on outings with the printed pages. That is perhaps why an e-reader is so much more appealing.

I am not a true paper purist. I can see myself at some time in the future with a hand held reading device like that Sony Reader. However, that time is probably a long way off. I first must work my way through my current TBR collection. Then there is the little problem of selection. Not all of the books I would be interested in reading come in electronic form. Perhaps in twenty years when I am ready to consider getting such a reader, all books will be published in both formats and my TBR stack will be more manageable. I will be older and wanting to travel lighter.

Still, nothing can replace the feel of a book in my hands as I hold it and turn the pages as I read. Nothing compares to the crisp scent of a new book or the musty smell of an old one. And where else will my darling cat rest his paw or use the corner of my book to scratch his ear when I'm reading in bed? He would surely miss swatting at the dangling tassle of my bookmark. I know I would miss those moments too.

Have Fun Surfing the Blogs: Join the Blogroll Game

Dewey at The Hidden Side of a Leaf is hosting the Blogroll Game to encourage bloggers (mostly book related sites, but some non-book related sites too) to visit each other and perhaps make new online friends. For details follow the link below. Take a peek and join in on the fun if interested!

Memorial Day: A Time to Remember

Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored.

~Daniel Webster

Serial Offender: Guilty As Charged, Part Two

When it gets right down to it, life is short. There are days and weeks that may seem endless, but as each year comes to a close, I marvel at just how fast time does pass. My TBR collection is enormous and there are many more books out there I want to read that are either on my wishlist, that I am considering, or that I have no idea about yet. There isn't enough time to get to them all and yet I keep trying.

Series books have been a particular favorite of mine for many years. Below is a list of the series and trilogy books that I have yet to read, but for which I have at least one or two of the books already on my shelves. In some cases, I have all of the books in the series, or close to it (sometimes I get overtaken by an overzealousness I blame on poor impulse control when it comes to collecting books).

For anyone who manages to get through my entire list, I am curious to know your thoughts on the ones you've read or tried. I can't say when I will get to any of these, although the upcoming Summer Mystery Reading Challenge will have me reading at least six new-to-me mystery authors. Some may come straight from this list.



Series I Have Not Yet Started (but have some books on hand to begin)

• Abercrombie, Joe - First Law Fantasy Series


• Alt, Madelyn – Bewitching Mystery Series


• Armentrout, Jennifer - Blood Ties Series


• Armstrong, Lori G. – Julie Collins Series


• Arthur, Keri – Guardian Series


• Balducci, David - The Camel Club, four men investigating political conspiracies, in Washington, DC


• Barnes, Linda – Charlotte Carlyle (Cab driving ex-cop P.I.) Mysteries


• Bass, Jefferson – Body Farm Series


• Berenson, Laurien - Melanie Travis (Amateur Detective) Mystery Series


• Berry, Steve – Suspense/Thriller Series


• Black, Cara – Aimee Leduc Investigations


• Borchardt, Alice – Shapeshifting Series


• Born, James O. - Bill Tasker, an agent of the Department of Law Enforcement in Florida Mystery Series


• Braun, Lilian Jackson - The Cat Who Mystery Series (Amateur Detective)


• Brennan, Marie - Paranormal Series


• Briggs, Patricia - Mercedes Thompson, VW Mechanic and Shapechanger Paranormal Series


• Brookmyre, Christopher - Jack Parlabane, a journalist in Edinburgh, Scotland


• Buchanan, Edna – Britt Montero (Crime Reporter) Mystery Series


• Buchanan, Edna – Cold Case Squad Mystery Series


• Burcell, Robin – Kate Gillespie,a homicide inspector in San Francisco, California Mystery Series


• Burke, Jan - Irene Kelly, a newspaper reporter in southern California Mystery Series


• Butcher, Jim – Codex Alera Series (Fantasy)


• Byerrum, Ellen - Lacey Smithsonian, the “Crime of Fashion” columnist, in Washington, DC Mystery Series


• Caine, Rachel – Weather Warden Series


• Canavan, Trudi- Age of the Five (Fantasy)


• Cannell, Stephen J. - Shane Scully, a police sergeant in Los Angeles, California


• Chandler, Raymond – Phillip Marlowe (P.I.) Mystery Series


• Child, Lee – Jack Reacher (ex-military policeman) Suspense/Thriller Series


• Clegg, Douglas - The Vampyricon Trilogy


• Coben, Harlan – Myron Bolitar Mystery Series


• Cohen, Mark - Pepper Keane, a former federal prosecutor, now a private investigator, in Colorado


• Compton, Jodi - Sarah Pribek, a missing persons detective in Minneapolis, Minnesota


• Connelly, Michael – Terry McCaleb Suspense/Thriller Series


• Connolly, John - Charlie "Bird" Parker, an ex-NYPD detective turned private investigator


• Coulter, Catherine – FBI Suspense/Thriller Series


• Crais, Robert – Carol Starkey Bomb Squad Series


• Crombie, Deborah - Duncan Kincaid, a Scotland Yard superintendent and Gemma James, a sergeant in London, England Mystery Series


• Damsgaard, Shirley – Ophelia Jensen, Witch and Librarian Series


• Daniels, Casey - A Pepper Martin Mystery


• Deaver, Jeffery – Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs Suspense/Thriller Series


• Dibdin, Michael - Aurelio Zen, Italian police inspector in Rome, Italy


• Doss, James D. - Charlie Moon, Ute police officer in Grant Creek, Colorado


• Dreyer, Eileen - Molly Burke, nurse and death investigator in St. Louis, Missouri


• Dunning, John - Cliff Janeway, cop and rare book expert in Denver, Colorado


• Elrod, P.N. - The Vampire Files


• Ephron, G.H. – Dr. Zak Mystery Series


• Fallon, Jennifer – Second Sons Trilogy


• Galenorn, Yasmine – Emerald O’Brien Mystery


• Gardner, Lisa - The ensemble cast of Rainie Conner, a cop; Pierce Quincy, an FBI profiler and/or FBI rookie Kimberly Quincy


• Gaylin, Alison - Samantha Leiffer, a preschool teacher in New York City Mystery Series


• George, Anne - Patricia Anne "Mouse" Hollowell, housewife and Mary Alice "Sister" Crane, country-western bar owner in Alabama


• George, Elizabeth – Thomas Lynley, Scotland Yard Inspector in London, Mystery Series


• Gerritsen, Tess - Jane Rizzoli, a detective in Boston, Massachusetts


• Graves, Sarah - Jacobia Triptree, onetime financial advisor to the Mob, now living in Eastport, Maine, is featured in the Home Repair


• Hamilton, Denise - Eve Diamond, a reporter for the LA Times, in Los Angeles, California


• Hamilton, Laurell K. – Merry Gentry Fantasy Series


• Handeland, Lori - Night Creatures Novels


• Harris, Charlaine - Harper Connelly Series


• Harrison, Kim – Witch/Vampire Series


• Harvey, John - Frank Elder an ex-cop from Nottingham, now retired and relocated to Cornwall, England


• Hayder, Mo - Jack Caffery, a troubled police detective in London, England


• Hendee Barb & JC – The Black Magician Trilogies


• Henry, Sue – Jessie Arnold and Sergeant Alex Jensen in Alaska Mystery Series


• Hillerman, Tony – Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, Navajo tribal police officers


• Hobb, Robin – Farseer Trilogy


• Hoffman, Jilliane - C.J. Townsend, an Assistant State Attorney in Miami, Florida
  
• Hooper, Kay – Shadows Trilogy (Paranormal Thriller)


• Huff, Tanya - Victoria Neslon, Blood Series


• James, P.D. – Cordelia Gray (P.I.) Mystery Series


• Johansen, Iris – Eve Duncan (Forensic Sculptor) Suspense/Thriller Series


• Kane, Stephanie – Jackie Flowers, Defense Attorney Series


• Kava, Alex – Nick Morrelli, a sheriff in Platte City, NE and Maggie O’Dell, FBI Profiler


• Kenyon, Sherrilyn – Dark Hunter Series


• Kijewski, Karen – Kat Colorado Mystery Series


• King, Stephen – Dark Tower Fantasy Series


• Knight, Angela – Mageverse Series


• Kozak, Harley Jane - Wollie Shelley, a greeting-card artist in Los Angeles, California


• Krieg, Joyce – Shauna J. Bogart, serious readio talk show host in Sacramento, California


• Lackey, Mercedes –- Joust Series (Fantasy)


• Lange, Kelly - Maxi Poole, a reporter for a large television station in Los Angeles, California


• Lashner, William - Victor Carl, a down-on-his-luck, money-hungry lawyer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


• Laurie, Victoria - Abby Cooper, a “Psychic Eye”


• Lehane, Dennis – Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro Suspense/Thriller Series


• Leon, Donna – Guido Brunetti (Police Commissario) Suspense/Thriller Series


• Lescroart, John – Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky Mystery Series


• Levine, Laura - Jaine Austin, a freelance writer in Los Angeles, California


• Levine, Paul - Squabbling law partners Steve Solomon, a Coconut Beach bum, and Victoria Lord, a Miami blue blood, in Florida


• Lindskold, Jane – Firekeeper Saga


• Lutz, John – Night Suspense/Thriller Series


• Margolin, Phillip - Amanda Jaffe, an attorney in Portland, Oregon


• Maron, Margaret – Deborah Knott, Distric Judge in North Carolina Mystery Series


• Martin, Nancy – Blackbird Sisters Mystery Series


• McBain, Ed – Matthew Hope, Attorney in Florida


• McGarrity, Michael – Kevin Kerney, ex-chief of detectives in Santa Fe, New Mexico


• Mina, Denise - Maureen O’Donnell, an unlikely crime solver who is disheveled, mumbling to herself, and drunk by noon, in Glasgow, Scotland


• Mosley, Walter - Easy Rawlins, a black WWII veteran living in 1940s–1950s Los Angeles, California


• Muller, Marcia – Sharon McCone Mystery Series


• O’Shaughnessy, Perri – Nina Reilly (Attorney) Suspense/Thriller Series


• Parker, Jefferson T. - Merci Rayborn, a sheriff’s deputy in Orange County, California


• Patterson, James – Women’s Murder Club Suspense/Thriller Series


• Patterson, James – Frannie and Kit


• Pearson, Ridley – Lou Boldt and Daphne Matthews Suspense/Thriller Series


• Perry, Anne – Inspector Monk Mystery Series


• Pratchett, Terry – Discworld Series


• Rankin, Ian – John Rebus, Detective Sergeant in Edinburgh, Scotland


• Rawn, Melanie – Dragon Prince Series (Fantasy)


• Rawn, Melanie – Dragon Star Series (Fantasy)


• Rawn, Melanie – - Exiles Series (Fantasy)


• Rawn, Melanie – - Collaboration Series (Fantasy)


• Reichs, Kathy – Temperance Brennan (forensic anthropologist) Mystery Series


• Richardson, Kat - Greywalker Fantasy Series


• Robotham, Michael - Joseph O’Loughlin, a psychologist, and Vincent Ruiz, a detective inspector, in London, England


• Rollins, James – Earth Science Fiction Series


• Russe, Savannah - Darkwing Chronicles


• Sanford, John – Lucas Davenport Suspense/Thriller Series


• Scoppettone, Sandra – Faye Quick, a PI in 1943 in New York, New York


• Scoppettone, Sandra - Laurano, a lesbian PI in Manhattan, New York


• Scottoline, Lisa – Rosato & Associates, an all-women law firm in Philadelphia, PA


• See, Lisa - Liu Hulan, a Chinese police inspector, and David Stark, an American attorney, combining talents to solve mysteries in China


• Shelby, Jeff - P.I. Noah Braddock in San Diego Mystery Series


• Silva, Daniel – Michael Osbourne Suspense/Thriller Series


• Slaughter, Karin - Dr. Sara Linton, a pediatrician and coroner in Grant County, Georgia


• Smiley, Patricia - Tucker Sinclair, a 30-something divorcee and financial adviser, in Los Angeles, California Mystery Series


• Spencer-Fleming, Julia – Clare Fergusson, newly ordained Episcopal Priest and Russ Van Alystyne, Chief of Police, in Millers Kill, New York


• Stabenow, Dana – Kate Shugak, a native Alaskan ex-DA investigator Mystery Series


• Strohmeyer, Sarah – Bubbles Yablonsky, a Hairdresser/Journalist in Lehigh, PA


• Tey, Josephine - Alan Grant, a Scotland Yard Inspector


• Thurlo, Aimee and David – Ella Clah, a former FBI agent now with Navaho police in NM


• Thurlo, Aimee and David – Lee Nez, a nightwalker (vampire) police officer


• Trigiani, Adriana - The Big Gap Series


• Van Gieson Judith - Claire Reynier, buyer of rare books for the University of New Mexico library in Albuquerque, New Mexico


• Viets, Elaine - Dead End Job mysteries


• Warren, Christine - Others Series


• Webb, Betty - Lena Jones of Desert Investigations in Scottsdale, Arizona


• Whitcomb, Christopher – FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team, Agent Waller Suspense Series


• White, Stephen – Alan Gregory and Lauren Crowder Suspense/Thriller Series


• Woods, Stuart – Will Lee, Senator Aide/President Mystery Series


• Woods, Stuart – Stone Barrington Series


• Woods, Stuart – Holly Barker Series


• Woodworth, Stephen – Violet Eyes Science Fiction/Crime Series


• York, Rebecca – Killing Moon Series (Fantasy)

(updated 12/01/2007)

Serial Offender: Guilty As Charged

I find comfort in reading books that are a part of a series. It can be like visiting old friends, returning to the familiarity of the characters and setting. I enjoy seeing the growth of characters over time, however subtle it may be sometimes. Besides, the series books look nice lined up on a shelf.

At the beginning of 2006, I set a goal to catch up on the many series and trilogy books I had begun reading. By this time last year, I knew I was in over my head, and I simplified my goal to catch up with as many as I could. I had hoped to continue with the goal this year, however, with my enthusiasm to participate in the various reading challenges that have popped up, that idea went out the window fairly quickly. Kailana at Kailana's Written World and Marg from Reading Adventures posted lists of the series they are reading, ones they are caught up in as well as those they are still working their way through.

I created two series' lists as a way to help me track my progress in catching up with my series reading, which I update periodically (it's the list lover in me, what can I say?). I decided to go ahead and post the lists to my blog although I can't imagine they will be very interesting to anyone but me.

I keep two lists: one is of the series/trilogies in which I have already started reading; and the second is a list of the series/trilogies I own at least one or two books in (or have on loan from my parents in the case of the Rollins' books) but have yet to begin reading. Some of the series' books can be read as stand alones, however I count them as series because they have continuing characters and often personal story lines that carry over from one book to the other. I have not included the series that I no longer read. I am sure too that there are some I have forgotten to include. I will add them as I discover them. Because the lists are rather long, I will be posting them in two parts.

Series I Have Already Begun (the series listed in purple are ones I am caught up with)

• Acevedo, Mario- Felix Gomez, Vampire P.I. Mystery Series (up to X-Rated Blood Suckers)
  
  
• Armstrong, Kelley – Women of the Otherworld Series (up to No Humans Involved)
  
  
• Barr, Nevada - Anna Pigeon, a park ranger at various national parks in the USA (up to A Superior Death)
  
  
• Billingham, Mark - Tom Thorne, detective inspector series, London, England (have read Lifeless)
  
  
• Bishop, Anne – Black Jewels Trilogy (fantasy)
  
  
• Boldin, Brenda M – Alex Masters Mystery Series (up to Jailbird)
  
  
• Bradley, Marion Zimmer – Avalon Series (up to The Fall of Atlantis)
  
  
• Brown, Dan – Robert Langdon (Religious Symbolist) Supsense/Thriller Series (up to The Solomon Key)
  
  
• Butcher, Jim – Harry Dresden, the only wizard listed in yellow pages in Chicago, Illinois (up to White Night)
  
  
• Canavan, Trudi – The Black Magician Trilogy
  
  
• Clark, Carol Higgins – Regan Reilly (P.I.) Mystery Series (up to Fleeced)
  
  
• Clemmons, James – Banned and the Banished Fantasy Series (up to Wit'ch Storm)
  
  
• Crais, Robert – Elvis Cole Mystery Series (up to Stalking the Angel)
  
  
• Connelly, Michael – Harry Bosch (LAPD Detective) Suspense/Thriller Series (up to The Concrete Blonde)
  
  
• Davidson, Mary Janice – The Undead Series (up to Undead and Uneasy)
  
  
• Donaldson, Stephen R. – The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever (up to The Illearth War)
  
  
• Doyle, Arthur Conan – Sherlock Holmes (read The Hound of the Baskervilles)
  
  
• Dublin, D.H. - Madison Cross, a former star medical student with the Crime Scenes Unit, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (have read Blood Poison)
  
  
• Evanovich, Janet – Stephanie Plum (Bounty Hunter) Mystery Series (up to Book 14)
  
  
• Fairstein, Linda – Alexandra Cooper (Prosecutor) Mystery/Suspense Series (up through Killer Heat)
  
  
• Fforde, Jasper – Thursday Next Mystery Series (up to Lost in a Good Book)
  
  
• Gleason, Colleen – Gardella Vampire Chronicles (up to Rises The Night)
  
  
• Grafton, Sue – Kinsey Milhoune (P.I.) Mystery Series (Up to T is for Trespass)
  
  
• Grippando, James – Jack Swyteck (Miami Defense Attorney) Suspense/Thriller Series (have read Got the Look)
  
  
• Hamilton, Laurell K. – Anita Blake Vampire Slayer Mystery Series (up to The Harlequin)
  
  
• Harris, Charlaine – Southern Vampire Series (up to All Together Dead)
  
  
• Harris, Charlaine – Lily Bard, Housecleaner in Arkansas, Mystery Series (up to Shakespeare's Champion)
  
  
• Holdstock, Robert - Mythago Wood Cycle (up to Lavondyss)
  
  
• Indridason, Arnaldur - Erlendur Sveinsson, a detective inspector, and his colleagues Sigurdur Oli and Elinborg, in Reykjavik, Iceland (up to Voices)
  
  
• Jance, J.A. – J.P. Beaumont (Seattle Homicide Detective) Mystery Series(up to Justice Denied)
  
  
• Jance, J.A. – Joanna Brady (Sheriff) Mystery Series (up to Dead Wrong)
  
  
• James, P.D. – Adam Dalgliesh (Chief Inspector) Mystery Series (up to Unnatural Causes)
  
  
• Kalian, Cady – Maggie Mars, a struggling screenwriter and former investigative journalist, in Los Angeles, California (read up through A Few Good Murders)
  
  
• Karon, Jan – Mitford Series (up to These High, Green Hills)
  
  
• Kellerman, Faye – Rina Lazarus and Peter Decker Mystery Series (up to Milk and Honey
  
  
• Kellerman, Jonathan – Alex Delaware (psychologist) Suspense/Thriller Series (up to Obsession)
  
  
• Kerley, Jack – Detectives Carson Ryder and Harry Nautilus in Mobile, Alabama (read through A Garden of Vipers)
  
  
• Kinsella, Sophie - Shopaholic Series (up to Shopaholic and Sister)
  
  
• Lackey, Mercedes – Valdemar Series (Fantasy)
  
  
• Lindsay, Jeff - Dexter Morgan is a blood spatter technician for Miami PD.(up to Dexter in the Dark)
  
  
• LeGuin, Ursula K. - Earthsea Series (up to The Tombs of Atuan)
  
  
• Lippman, Laura - Tess Monaghan, private investigator in Baltimore, Maryland (have read By A Spider's Thread)
  
  
• Martinez, Michele – Melanie Vargas Supsense/Thriller Series (up to Cover-Up)
  
  
• Matturro, Claire – Lillian Belle Rose Cleary, eco-conscious lawyer in Sarasota, Florida (have read Bone Valley)
  
  
• Montanari, Richard – Kevin Byrne, a detective, and his new partner, Jessica Balzano, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (up through Merciless)
  
  
• Olson, Karen E. - Annie Seymour, a police reporter in New Haven, Connecticut (up to Shot Girl)
  
  
• Paolini, Christopher – Inheritance Trilogy (up to Eldest)
  
  
• Paretsky, Sara – V.I. Warshawski (P.I.) Mystery Series (up to Deadlock)
  
  
• Patterson, James – Alex Cross (Homicide Detective) Suspense/Thriller Series (up to Pop Goes the Weasel)
  
  
• Perry, Anne –- Inspector Thomas Pitt and Charlotte Pitt Mystery Series (up to Traitor’s Gate)
  
  
• Preston, Douglas & Lincoln Child – Suspense/Thriller Series (have read Relic, Reliquary, The Cabinet of Curiosities)
  
  
• Rand, E.J. - A Reluctant Sleuth Mystery (up to Perfect Cover)
  
  
• Rees, Matt Beynon - Omar Yussef, schoolteacher in a Palestinian refugee camp, Mystery Series (have read A Grave in Gaza)
  
  
• Rice, Anne – The Vampire Chronicles (up to The Queen of the Damned)
  
  
• Robinson, Peter – Dan Banks, Eastvale detective chief inspector, in Yorkshire, England (read Friend of the Devil)
  
  
• Rose, M.J. – Dr. Snow, a Sex Therapist in the Butterfield Institute in New Your City (up to The Venus Fix)
  
  
• Rowling, J.K. – Harry Potter Fantasy Series
  
  
• Rucka, Greg - Atticus Kodiak, a bodyguard in New York City (up through Patriot Acts)
  
  
• Rucka, Greg – Queen and Country Series
  
  
• Sansom, Ian – A Mobile Library Mystery (up to Mr. Dixon Disappears)
  
  
• Santlofer, Jonathan – Kate McKinnon, a former NYPD cop who now has a PH.D in Art History (have read Color Blind)
  
  
• Santlofer, Jonathan – Nate Rodriguez, a sketch artist for the NYPD (have read The Murder Notebook)
  
  
• Sayer, Dorothy L. – Lord Peter Wimsey, a pianist, book collector, and criminologist, in London, England (have read Clouds of Witness)
  
  
• Scarborough, Elizabeth Ann – Godmother Fantasy Series (up to The Godmother's Web)
  
  
• Silva, Daniel – Gabriel Allon Suspense/Thriller Series (have read The Messenger)
  
  
• Simon, Clea – Theda Krakow, a cat-loving, freelance writer in Cambridge, Massachusetts Mystery Series (up through Cries and Whiskers)
  
  
• Slater, Susan – Ben Pecos Mystery Series (up to Yellow Lies)
  
  
• Smith, Alexander McCall – Mma Romotswe (P.I.) (up to The Good Husband of Zebra Drive)
  
  
• Tracy, P.J. – Grace MacBride, founder of a game software company in Minneapolis
  
  
• Vaughn, Carrie – Kitty the Werewolf Paranormal Series (up to Kitty Takes a Holiday)
  
  
• Willems, RG - Shelby James, Veterinarian Assistant in Saskatoon, Mystery Series (have read 1st book in series)
  
  
• Wright, Edward - John Ray Horn, a former B-movie cowboy star and ex-con turned debt-collector, in 1940s Los Angeles, California Mystery Series (have read Red Sky Lament)

(updated 05/01/2008)