The Perfect Woman - James Andrus

The Perfect Woman was my debut foray into the world of e-readers, having received a Kindle Wi-Fi for Christmas last year. I'm ashamed to report that I'm only now (it is June, is it not?) reporting on the book.

A rather interesting story, in which a socially awkward man, who still lives at home with his ailing mother, is in search of the perfect woman. Perfection is defined as a specific height, weight, coloring, etc., which fit his "scientific experiment." The woman must have scientific value in order to become entangled in the twisted web woven by our sociopathic main character.

Overall, it was an interesting and well-written novel, if not a bit on the predictable side. Would I read it again? Yes. Will it win a Pulitzer? Most likely not.

As for the e-reader, I reluctantly admit that it has a place in my literary world. Make no mistake: it is not a book. I can't smell the ink or turn the individual page. I can't dog-ear a specific passage for easy location later (yes, I can "e"-bookmark passages). What I can do is compact an entire library of reading material into a very small space. Books tend to be less expensive in e-form, but not all reading material is yet available in this format. No doubt, it's only a matter of time. The biggest limitation, in my opinion, is that I have to wait until I'm at 10,000 feet or above to turn the reader on in an airplane, which seems to be the only time I find to read these days. Thus, I find myself carrying a traditional book with me when traveling to maximize the time I can escape between the pages.

Betrayal - John Lescroart

Have I told ya lately how much I adore Lescroart and his famous character, Dismas Hardy? I haven't read any of Lescroart's works in +/- a year, so this book was, in many ways, like coming home. That said, this novel varied from the author's typical structure.

Evan Scholler is an Army driver assigned to Kuwait. He and his men, however, get rerouted during transport and end up serving civilian Ron Nolan, who works for Allstrong Security. Nolan is all about the untraceable cash payments and will do any job to earn them, including assassinations. Eventually a bad situation goes worse, with Nolan's bad judgment bringing heavy fire down upon Evan and his men, with Evan ending up at Walter Reed with a very serious head injury. Being our hero, however, he does eventually make a full (and somewhat miraculous) recovery.

Every great book has to have a romantic interest, and Tara Wheatley is Evan's. And Ron's. This, in addition to all the hostility brewing between the men from their time in Iraq, eventually culminates in a vicious attack which leaves one man dead, the other on trial for his life. Enter defense attorney Dismas Hardy.

Absolutely worth reading, though true Lescroart fans will miss their beloved Dismas throughout a hefty portion of the novel.

I Am No One You Know - Joyce Carol Oates

Oates is a power house. She has the keen ability to stun the senses without being overly graphic, and can bend the mind with words. Her writing is descriptive, colorful, and imaginative. With lead-ins such as, "They brought him the skull in a plastic bag, in pieces. Like broken crockery it was," you can't help but wonder what's coming next.

This particular book is a collection of 19 short stories, all fiction. Some end more abruptly than others, and all end with a hook. At the start, I felt a bit abandoned as each story ended, shifting into yet another twist of the human psyche. Mid-book, however, I had developed an appreciation for Oates' craftiness in whetting the appetite in a way that left me yearning for more.

This is not mindless reading, as Oates guides the illusive cerebral carrot throughout the corners of the mind. Mystery buffs will love the classic intrigue weaved into every page; literary minds will thrive on the writing itself.