I love it when my boys get good press! The Detroit Tigers have won 5 in a row, are 3 below 500, and only 5 games back in the AL Central. And for you naysayers who feel that the AL Central is the weakest in baseball (OK - I'll admit, it probably is) a big ole' raspberry to you. After last year, Tigers fans need all the good news we can get.



It's not all joy in Mudville though - the man in my life is a Toronto Blue Jays fan - and well, it's been ugly for them this year. Of course having the New York Skankies, Boston Red Sox, and the hot Tampa Bay Devil Rays in your division certainly doesn't help matters.



My favorite TV show of the moment started it's second season last week - and I watched episode 2 of Nip/Tuck last night. Gawd, I love this show - even if the plastic surgery scenes seem a bit more plentiful and gory this season (maybe that's just me though). My only quibble is Dr. Sean's son Matt. Is it just me or is this actor creepy? He reminds me of Michael Jackson without the hole in his face where his nose used to be. Don't believe me? Why not check out the cast of characters at the show's web site?



My health issues seem to be getting better, although my stomach has been slow to recover. I've been chugging water the last couple of days hoping that would help flush out my system - and it seems to be working a bit. I think I just need to get in a couple days of extreme laziness to make a full recovery.



Not much to report on the reading front. I just started Five Days In Summer by Kate Pepper yesterday, and frankly - it's too early to offer any sort of commentary.

I finished up a really fun cozy mystery this morning - Last Writes by Laura Levine. The heroine, Jaine Austen (no relation), is a free lance writer who lands a job writing for a sub par syndicated television sitcom. She's not on the job very long though before she discovers a whole lot of dysfunction on and off the set. When the hunky star drops dead from a poisoned donut - Jaine begins sleuthing to clear her best friend's name, who just happens to be the prime suspect.



Part of the fun of this book was the first person narrative. Between the surrealness of the sitcom, Jaine's parents' bizarre behavior, and her pet cat, Prozac - I found myself chuckling often. Lord help me, I think I've found yet another series I have to keep track of.



Next up on the reading list is a debut suspense novel - Five Days In Summer by Kate Pepper.

I've been feeling punky since last week, with this weekend being particularly bad. I was scheduled to work Saturday, and since we tend to have a skeleton crew for the weekend, I hauled myself out of bed and dragged my sorry butt into work. I lasted two hours.



As for what's exactly wrong with me, that's anyone's guess. Part of it is my ongoing digestive issues, and another big chunk is the sheer joy of being a young woman (read in between the lines with that one if you dare). I feel better today, but still not quite right.



I finally finished up Jane's Warlord by Angela Knight over the weekend and really enjoyed it. The hero is a Warlord (think Navy SEAL times 7000) who travels back in time to 21st century South Caroline to protect the heroine (a reporter) from a time traveling serial killer. In between hunting the bad guy down, there's oodles of steamy, raunchy, naughty reindeer games - all of which are very well written *wink*.



Even after factoring in a big ole' loose thread in the plot, I still ended up enjoying it immensely. The author's next book is due out at the end of the year, and I can hardly wait.



I'm currently working on a rather short (244 pages) mystery - Last Writes by Laura Levine. The heroine is a writer who's just landed a job on a third rate syndicated sitcom. However, the players would be more at home on a soap opera. The two-timing (or is that three-timing?) hunky star is soon to get whacked over his playboy ways - which means murder is afoot! So far it's been fun.

For kicks I've added "What I'm Reading" and "Current Audio Book" sections over on the right hand side of my blog. Just in case any of you give a hoot about the current literature occupying my attention.



As for reading, I haven't been doing any. I need to get off the stick too, since I have several review books awaiting my attention. My current review read is Jane's Warlord by Angela Knight and I've only read the first 30 pages. I can hear a faint crack of a whip coming from TRR's editor's home location.



Work has picked up considerably this week thanks to the kick off of our annual summer reading program. My current place of employment has a program for kiddies, teens and adults - so it's been an all out assault of bodies coming into the building this week.



Thursdays are program days - which means we have entertainers or other special events planned for the kids. Today it's a magician, and since they are seem to go over well for libraries, I'm expecting a big crowd. I'll likely be chained behind the circulation desk during this time since my head clerk is taking off for a doctor's appointment.



Pray that my sanity stays in tact.

My long weekend started off with a bang on Thursday when I got a flat tire on my way home from work. Luckily I was still in the city, and was able to pull off the main drag on to a residential street.



I know, it was only a flat tire - but most of the flat tires in my life have occurred around my boyfriend - who has dutifully done the dirty work. Besides the crappy jack that Honda puts in their cars - everything went smoothly, and I was able to get the tire patched on Friday.



I didn't get much reading done this weekend, but I did manage to finish At Twilight by Beth Henderson. Henderson has written other books, but her name flew so low under my radar that I'd hazard a guess that many readers will think she's debuting.



The hero and his sister have spent the 3 years after the Civil War hunting down a gang of outlaws that conveniently used the Confederacy as an excuse to commit outlaw thuggery. The sister has taken to posing as a fallen Southern belle turned gambler to ferret out information, while the hero does the actual killing. Having disposed of another gang member in Lone Tree, Texas - he finds himself on the wrong side of a hangman's noose, but manages escape.



It's while he's looking to commandeer a horse that he comes across the heroine - who is lying unconscious outside her ramshackle ranch. Her no-good dead husband not only got shot for cheating at cards, he lost the deed to the ranch, and threw his wife into the pot for kicks - with the town's greedy banker coming up the big winner. When the hero shows up, she sees it as her perfect opportunity to escape. With her infant daughter in tow, she proposes they pose as a traveling family to elude the posse.



Despite some pacing issues (the middle drags a bit), this was a great western road romance. Lots of atmosphere, and plenty of grit. The hero's sister especially is living with some very painful demons, which read like a kick in the gut. I hope Henderson has a story in her for the sister, because I selfishly love to read about heroines who aren't simpering virginal idiots. And here's hoping that if Henderson does write that book - that someone has the good sense to publish it.

If I had been confident like my older sister I could be rolling around naked in a pile of money right now.



I'll admit it. I thought the Pistons were going to be humiliated. I really did. Visions of a sweep were dancing in my head. Shows how little basketball I watch doesn't it?



My older (and very pregnant) sister called me last night right after the final game and said, "So did you win any bets?" What was I thinking? I wasn't - or else I would have called my friendly neighborhood bookie. Just think of all the Lakers fans I could have fleeced!



And this goes to show what a true all-around Michigan fan my sister is - she was saying all along "Detroit will win - but they'll need all 7 games." Well she had it half right - which is more than I can say for...well...just about everyone else.



It's funny now to hear all the commentators scrambling to cover their butts. The same people who said the Lakers were a lock and Detroit had no chance in holy heck are now spouting off about what a great team Detroit it. How awesome their defense is. How well they play together as a "team." There's a novel concept for a team sport - playing as one unit instead of a bunch of whiny overpriced superstars.



I'm so proud of Motown today - especially since I haven't seen any news about Detroit burning overnight.....

And here I thought it was going to be a blood bath - in L.A.'s favor! Hey, even librarians can be wrong too. The Detroit Pistons now have a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.



Like any true Detroit fan though, my skepticism remains. It ain't over until the Pistons win another game.



I will admit a certain delight in tormenting one of my library pages here at work though. A great guy, and a real Lakers' fan, he's taken my ribbing with good humor.



I finally wrapped up Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong today on my lunch break. I really liked this book, which is a spin-off from Armstrong's successful werewolf series. While our heroine has some clueless moments in the beginning (mainly owning to the fact that she doesn't realize what kind of danger she's in) - the whole thing turns around nicely. I'm eagerly anticipating the next book in this series, which is due out later this year.



What I find interesting is that Armstrong is writing her stories across several genres. In my opinion she has the makings to be the next Anne Rice (as far as not being bound by genre constrictions). Her stories have elements of horror, fantasy, suspense and romance all mixed together. I admire that in writing, mainly because it makes for good storytelling. One of the more interesting and memorable books I've read this year.



Next up is a new western romance (YeeHaw!) - At Twilight by Beth Henderson.