It's Monday: What are you reading? (5)

It's Monday: What are you reading? is a weekly meme from BookJourney.

Strangely enough, I was able to read and finish several books this week. I'm not really sure how it happened - I had an awful lot of homework. It was probably because all of them were quick reads, except the one I've been working on for a few weeks. That and the long weekend. That must be it.

I read:

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerdherd by Holly Black, et al
This was a fun set of short stories. I particularly enjoyed Tracy Lynn's One of Us, Garth Nix's The Quiet Knight, Lisa Yee's Everyone But You, and Wendy Mass' The Stars at the Finish Line. Not all of the stories were to my taste, and I was disappointed with the final story - it was a bit of a bummer and ended the book on a down note - and I *did* like Kelly Link's Secret Identity better when I realized that the superhero conference had real superheroes (I was really confused until that point, I thought it was a conference for people who pretended to be superheroes, and some things just weren't making sense), but overall it was a great mix of geekdom and an introduction to authors I hadn't read before.  Overall, a good read!  (*****)

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter
It's hard enough learning how to be a spy at a super-secret spy school, but it becomes even harder for Cammie and her friends when a group of boys come to the all-girls school. Cammie has to wonder who's friend and who's foe in the second installment of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls Series. This book has more on the line than the last one, with more excitement and adventure. (*****)

A Touch of Dead (Southern Vampire Mystery Short Stories) by Charlaine Harris
This set of five short stories, gathered together from previous anthologies, was a nice change of pace from the full length Sookie stories. I love Sookie, but the poor thing has a lot to deal with and is often on the wrong side of something deadly. A Touch of Dead was a lighter read and a nice way to get me back into the Southern Vampire Mysteries, since I'm currently waiting for the latest installment to come available at my library. (*****)

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (Gallagher Girls #3) by Ally Carter
In this installment, the Gallagher Girls are facing real threats. One of their own has been targeted, and the girls rally together to keep her safe.

The characters grew into themselves in this story, and also in their relationships with each other, which was nice to see. It also feels more realistic that despite the fact that they were up against unseen foes, there was still time to worry about boys and clothes.

Great read - highly recommended. (*****)

Currently Reading:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (still and possibly forever)
The Spellman Files (The Spellmans #1) by Lisa Lutz

To Read:
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers by Angie Fox
The Demon King (A Seven Realms Novel) by Cinda Williams Chima
Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford
The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff