Book 7 - Fables #12 The Dark Ages by Bill Willingham

Fables Vol. 12: The Dark Ages

993 books to go!

The war with the adversary has finished but now a new dark force unleashed threatens fabletown. This volume of the series was very devastating and chaotic and also very horrid as well. It leaves me wondering when fabletown will have actual peace.

Book 6 - Fables # 11 War and Pieces by Bill Willingham

Fables, Vol. 11: War and Pieces

994 books to go!

This volume in the fable series was pretty good. Fabletown had their war with the adversary, I won't tell you how it went in case you read this book. This volume started off hysterically, the animals on the farm had me cracking up. Impressive volume in this series.

Book 5 - A Phantom Death by Sadie Montgomery

Phantom Death
Kindle Edition 
995 books to go!

This is going to be one of my entries where this blog collides with my phantom of the opera blog, because for my phantom of the opera blog I review or write about anything phantom related that I can get my hands on including books. So this is the first but definitely not the last phantom book to make this 1,000 book blog challenge. To make things easier I'm just going to link my review on my phantom blog to this entry. So here it is the review to a phantom death. It is worth the read if you are a phantom of the opera phan, or want a good phantom sequel unlike the monstrosity that LND turned out to be.

Book 4 - Fables # 10 The Good Prince by Bill Willingham

Fables Vol. 10: The Good Prince

996 books to go!

Finally got through Fables # 10, been reading it for maybe a week or two intermittently at Shawn's. This fables volume was pretty good stuff, Ambrose (Fabletown's janitor) becomes king of a save haven located within or around the adversary's empire. There's lots of magic and action and the story ends with a surprising but extremely happy twist.

Book 3 - Through the grinder (Coffeehouse mysteries no. 2) by Cleo Coyle

Through the Grinder (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 2)

997 books to go!

This is the second book in the coffee house mystery series I've been reading. I like to follow mystery series, I started this habit sometime last year when I picked up Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath. Also last year I found book 8 to the coffee house mysteries and read it out of sequence. So now I'm working through reading 1 to 7 and then 9.

So far I am not disappointed with this series. Each book features an exciting mystery, tons of coffee trivia (which I love), along with the antics that the main character pulls in order to be able to figure out the current mystery. The main character of the book is Clare Cosi, she is manager of the village blend coffee house in Manhattan. Her supporting characters are Tucker and Esther (baristas in her shop), Madame (her ex's mother), Matteo (her ex husband), Joy (her daughter) and Mike Quinn (a detective that comes to her aid).

In this book Clare has to figure out who is murdering her customers, but managing to make each murder look like a suicide. The author managed to keep me on my toes in trying to figure out who the killer was, and surprised me at the end when the real killer was revealed.

Overall these books are nice and light, very pleasant and funny mysteries and if you enjoy coffee you will love the descriptions of coffee as well as the trivia, and  you will probably be craving coffee at some point while reading the book.

Book 2 - Starvation Heights

Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest

998 more books to go!

I found this book in Borders a few months ago, so I borrowed it from the library to read. I have an interest in true crime and although these tales can be disturbing, I do like to read them, I like to follow the author's account of the crimes, read about the trial, try to understand the criminal mind (although I still do not) and read about what happens to these criminals (always hoping that they will get what they deserve).

This book blew me away. Gregg Olsen is on par with Ann Rule regarding true crime authorship. He is the only true crime author who seems to have pleased me with his writing and story telling, usually I do not absolutely love a true crime novel unless it is Ann Rule quality. Mr. Olsen's book most definitely is.

With his writing, Gregg Olsen takes the reader back in time to the early 1900s to read about Claire and Dora Williamson as they journey to Ollala, Washington to embark on a supposed "fasting cure", given by quack Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard. It's sick to read about the fate that befalls upon these two women as well as other victims of Hazzard's fasting cure and about her evil plan to starve wealthy people and try to gain access to their money and property.

This read may seem long and detailed but it's worth it, it's quite educational and I will recommend it for lovers of the true crime genre. I also think all the great true crime writers reside in Washington, coincidentally both Ann Rule and Gregg Olsen live in Washington.

Book 1 - Fables # 9 Sons of Empire

Fables Vol. 9: Sons of Empire

999 books to go!

First book of my challenge has been completed. I've been reading the Fables graphic novel series by Bill Willingham. I've already completed Sandman and am mid way through the walking dead series so they may also appear in this blog/challenge as well.

As always I enjoyed this book tremendously, each fables series covers the saga of fable or fairy tale characters living in New York during our time. It's interesting to see the fables in our time and to read what happens to them. The artwork in each fable series is also very impressive.

In this compilation of issues now in book form the homeland adversary is preparing for a war against fabletown, meanwhile the fables are living in slight peacefulness, there's also a bonus section at the end of the book featuring short comic strips answering questions regarding prior events in fabletown.

As with all fable books I've read, I give a great review and recommend this book as well as this series to any graphic novel lover.

Follow my challenge

Hi my name is Diana, this is my third blog. My first blog and my baby is my Phantom of the Opera blog. My second blog alerts people to current bargains. This blog probably has been done before but I'm doing it more for me than anyone else. I love to read and I have a newfound love of writing so my mission to myself is that I am going to read 1,000 books and review them on this blog. I will not give myself a deadline because I already put enough pressure on myself, these books will range, it's whatever I pick up to read or whatever is on my kindle. Some books will be phantom of the opera ones and those reviews will also appear in my phantom of the opera blog. So here goes when I complete the first book for this challenge I shall review it!