Finished THUNDERSTRUCK

Though this was not as gripping as the other two books I have read by Erik Larson (I think because the evil is not dastardly, it is mild-mannered), it was still quite interesting and I learned a lot about Marconi and the first decade of the last century.  At first I couldn't see the connection between Marconi and Crippen, but the connection is made late in the book and the ending is most satisfying.  I also enjoyed the Epilogue which finished the story of all important characters, ships, and even places.

I am now about to start the fifth book in the Poldark series, The Black Moon by Winston Graham.

Finished CELL

Whew!  Another book I stayed up late to finish.  Imagine an app for your phone that takes the place of your regular doctor.  It regulates you medicines, prescribes your meds, monitors your vital signs, and dispenses your insulin directly into your body.  What could possibly go wrong?

I have now started Thunderstruck by Erik Larson.  Set in the turn of the last century, it starts out describing some of the things that are happening at the time.

Finished BY BLOOD WE LIVE

I have now finished the last section of this book.  I divided it up into approximately 100 page sections which I read a year or so apart.  The reason?  Although the stories were written by a large variety of authors, all quite good, and the vampires and stories were quite varied, there was a sameness due to they're all being about traditional vampires in the horror vein.  I found I could only take a certain number of a stories at a time, then I needed a break.  I have just finished the last section which included some great and readable stories, one quite a long story by John Langan set in Fallujah and after about a very unconventional vampire-like monster.  I found all the stories most absorbing, but once again, true to form, I need a break.

I am now reading Cell by Robin Cook.  Imagine an app on your phone that can diagnose any physical problem you have, prescribe drugs through your local pharmacy, discuss your issues with you, and send you to a hospital or specialist only if the app deems you need it.  This app, administered by your health insurance company, takes the place of your personal physician.  What could possibly go wrong?

Finished MAP OF BONES by James Rollins

Whew!  This was a roller coaster ride.  The short blurb on the cover says "Dan Brown meets Tom Clancy."  Well, I've never read Tom Clancy, but I certainly see the comparison with Dan Brown.  And I have read action thrillers, which this also is.  On top of that, the plot was, well, as intellectually challenging as Dan Brown, but you can also add a thread of romance.  I loved every minute of this.

I am now about to return to (and probably finish) By Blood We Live.  Maybe some nice quiet vampires will help me recover from the exhaustion of James Rollins.

Finished STAR TIME by Henry Melton

Unlike the other books I have read by this author, this book is aimed at adults (adult characters.)  As for subject matter, I think his books for teens have pretty adult subject matter (in terms of difficult to understand scientific and sci-fi concepts) and this would also challenge anyone's imagination.  Suppose that Betelgeuse (our closest star) goes nova with most of that energy aimed directly at earth.  What would it do to Earth?  And suppose a scavenger race from another planet knows this will happen and lies in wait until the danger is over to take what they can from our planet in the way of slaves and food.  The manner it is told in--from the viewpoints of several different people with different talents--makes this wonderfully absorbing.

I have now started Map of Bones by James Rollins.  I have just discovered this is #2 of the
Sigma Force series.  An attack on a German cathedral during midnight mass results in all but one in  attendance dead, the golden reliquary opened and the bones of the magi (the three kings that visited the Christ child) gone.  The gold of the reliquary is left behind.  Thus starts a race through Europe to stop the perpetrators, but also to learn why they did this.  The book has been compared to The DaVinci Code, and I can tell why.  Good characters.