#39 Brother Odd

by Dean Koontz
I guess this really is the summer of thirds, because this is the third book in the Odd Thomas Series. Odd Thomas sees dead people, but this series is nothing like Sixth Sense. Odd decides to spend some time in a mission to get away from the life of seeing the lingering dead and trying to prevent bad things from happening. Unfortunately, Odd starts seeing bodocks, supernatural beings that gather in greater and greater numbers as a tragedy looms closer. Odd is faced again with the task of figuring out what tragedy is coming and how to prevent it.

Writing this and the previous review on the same day, I've noticed a lot of similarities. Both are the third in a series, both have main characters with strange names, both characters were on a "vacation" from their normal lives, and both found they couldn't escape their normal lives. That's where the similarities edd. The books are actually quite different; so much so that I didn't even think they were similar until now.

I really enjoy the Odd Series. Koontz is an excellent author, and he really knows how to pull you into a story.

#38 The Well of Lost Plots

by Jasper Fforde

This is the third book in the Thursday Next Series. As usual, Jasper Fforde's writting was extremely creative. In this book, Thursday, who is normally a literary detective in England's Special Ops, is in hiding within the book world. She only went in to hiding until her child is born; otherwise she would be out finding a way to get her husband back. Thursday is serving as an agent for jurisfiction, the policing agent for the book world. Other agents start turning up dead or go missing. She believes these incidents are not accidents and that they are connected, but she doesn't know who she can trust.

I still think the first book in the series was the best, but I enjoyed this one a lot.

#37 Austenland

by Shannon Hale
What a fun book! It wasn't too long, so I actually read it rather than listening to it. First book I've "read" in a long time. I don't have the mental energy right now to write my own review, so refer to Cassie's review and Katie's review.

I loved it and think everyone who has ever watched A&E's Pride & Prejudice and/or fallen in love with Collin Firth as Mr. Darcy should read this book.

#33-#36 Children of the Promise Volumes 2-5

by Dean Hughes
In the interest of saving me time (since I'm behind on writing reviews) I'm combining the review for the volumes 2 through 5 of this series into one review. Plus, I don't want to tell too much about the books following book 1 because it may ruin it for anyone who wants to read the series.

In the series there are four main stories that are followed. All of them about members of the Thomas family during World War II. Alex, the eldest son, is fighting in Europe. Bobbi, the eldest daughter, is serving as a nurse in the Navy, stationed in Hawaii. Wally, the second son, is a Japanese POW. And, of course, the story of the family members who are still at home in Salt Lake City. There is also a side story of the Stolzes, a family from Germany that knew Alex before the war. I think Wally is my favorite character. I've enjoyed rereading this series.

#32 Inkheart

by Cornelia Funke
This book was recommended to me mostly by my sister Katie, but also by many others. It was an excellent book. Very imaginative. It is about a young girl named Meggie and her father, who she calls Mo. Mo is able to read things out of books. He accidentally read an evil villain and his henchman out of the book Inkheart while reading aloud to his wife. The book tells the story of his and Meggie's attempt to remain hidden from this villain. When their attempt fails, they must figure out another way to rid him from the real world.