Lord John and the Hand of Death by Diana Gabaldon

I went to Indiana last week to visit my brother and had surgery on Thursday after my return. With these breaks in my schedule, I knew I wanted to find something to read that would not need a big commitment. So, I decided to read some of DG's short (i.e. not 1500 pages) works of fiction. This books is one short story and two novellas regarding Lord John Grey, a minor, though influential, character in DG's Outlander series.
I enjoyed these stories, though not as much as the Outlander books. Interestingly, all tree of these read like mysteries, my favorite genre. I would recommend reading these once you have exhausted the Outlander books.

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

This is Book Three in The Mortal Instruments series.
This book feels like the culmination of a trilogy. It contains a mortal war of Shadowhunters, Downworlders, and Demons. Various romantic problems are solved. All is right with the world...but there is Book Four waiting at home for me to start. I don't know how I feel about this. I like my YA to end happily and my series to max out at 3 books (with the exceptions of Harry Potter and Outlander, which could go on forever, in my opinion).
I really do like this series, so I'm afraid I'm just going to have to keep reading...no matter how many books she writes...but I don't think I'll read the prequel series because I just can't get attached to another series.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

This is Book Two of The Mortal Instruments series.
I wasn't going to keep reading this series (even though I really enjoyed the first book) because I was sad Clary and Jace are...well, you'll know if you read it. Julie Bynum talked me into continuing, and I'm glad she did. I'm already on Book Three!
This series is about Shadowhunters (Nephilim...children of gods and men) who hunt Downworlders (Werewolves, Vampires, and Demons). Clary is adjusting to life as a Shadowhunter while Simon adjusts to life as a Downworlder.
My favorite quote has nothing really to do with the storyline, but it just spoke to me. It says: "A man doesn't have to agree with his government to be a patriot, does he? It takes a true patriot to dissent, to say he loves his country more than he cares for his own place in the social order" (261).

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

I read Beastly by Alex Flinn last year for the VSBA Book Club. It was fine. I can say the same for Cloaked. I think Flinn is a bit teen-y for my tastes. I had a third book by her waiting in my car to listen to next, but I returned it to the SPL without ever listening to it.
When I read a book, I always find myself imagining that I am one of the characters and thinking about how I would act in the situations. I don't do that with Flinn. She doesn't suck me in.
There was one tale in the book, though, that got me thinking. It was about a man who wished for one thing, the wish was granted, but he kept wishing for more; he wished for too much. My mom has just been told that her cancer is back. I am going to keep wishing that it will be healed, but I am also going to remember to be thankful for the last three-and-a-half years we have had with her.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

Another 1439 pages of listening to be summed up in one little entry. As always, Gabaldon does not diappoint! I may need to get some of the Lord John books to listen to while I wait on SUsan to finish before I start the next one.

Jane Austen: A Life Revealed by Catherine Reef

I believe that I now know all existing information on Jane Austen. I enjoyed this biography, but I learned nothing new. I must now decide on new biography topics since the royals and JA are complete...something American?...or current? I think not!

William & Catherine: Their Story by Andrew Morton

200 pages of royal information! Sounds great to me...except that I think I have reached the point at which I am getting no new information. It may be time to schedule a personal interview with a member of the family so I can gather something fresh! I'm too much of a follower of all things royal!
This book is laid out such that one chapter follows William's development at a certain age and the next follows Kate's...I mean Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
The pictures in this are great!
One piece of info that I did enjoy finding...I have heard rumored of a visit by William to Nashville years back, but I have never heard it really confirmed. (Way to be Nashville! We protect our celebrities!) This book confirmed that in the summer of 2004, William did come to Nashville, Tennessee to visit the heiress Anna Sloan (no clue who she is!). In Googling her name, I have now found all sorts of fun articles; it seems I just wasn't up on things!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-351145/But-Southern-belle-Williams-real-love.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1331545/Kate-Middleton-The-making-middle-class-Princess-PART-1.html "A Boozy Swim round the Moat"