50 Book Challenge for 2010 (books 1-5)

Typical challenge is to read and write short reviews of 50 books in a year. Since I'm reading lots online, not all of which is book length, I figure I'll keep track of word counts for online reads and figure out an average at the end of the year.

First 5 of 2010.

Marjorie Humboldt: A Revelation in Several Parts by Crème Brûlée (approx 41,000 words)
http://celestialbuffet.com/wrt2/rsp/rsp_1.html
Not sure if this was the first book I read this year, or the last one of 2009, but it's certainly the first that I've re-read obsessively several times so far in 2010. Not quite sure why this is so captivating, it's beautifully written, but that's not usually enough by itself. It's set in the 70's perhaps very early 80's, and I suspect that part of the attraction is that the characters are ones that I can easily see my then baby-dyke self having secret crushes over. As best I can categorize it, the story is a non-traditional coming out story, with touches of romance and humour and gardening. Damned if I can describe it more clearly... highly recommended nonetheless.

Obsession by J. Brownell (approx 95,000 words)
http://www.academyofbards.org/fanfic/j/jbrownell_obsessions1.html
Bit of mystery, bit of thriller, quick and interesting read. Could, perhaps, have used another beta-read, but relatively few mistakes, and none that break the flow.
Plot: prominent psych doctor, specializing in child protection, is being stalked -- friends and new love interest interfere in various ways to attempt to protect her. Plot is stronger than cast ... it can be hard to track who's who sometimes.

Shield of Justice by Radclyffe (approx 43,000 words)
http://www.academyofbards.org/fanfic/r/radclyffe_shieldofjustice.html
If you've never read anything by Radclyffe, this is mid-range for her. I'd suggest starting with Safe Harbour -- but I expect that if you ask any Rad fan they'd recommend their own favourite. Rad is a reliable author, at her best, she's excellent, at her worst she's entertaining.
Plot: Police detective on the track of serial rapist/murderer, meets psych doctor, one of whose patients likely has info that would help ID the bad-guy. Cop and Doc fall in lust (hot sex scenes ensue) and clash over Doc's need to protect patient vs. Cop's need to protect everyone else.

(non lesfic) Monster by A Lee Martinez (Orbit Books)
Yet another attempt to capitalize on the urban fantasy genre. Glad it's a library book, would not have wanted to pay for this one. (Amazon reviewers compare this to Douglas Adams or Robert Asprin -- It's no where near as clever as Adams, and Asprin usually managed to have more than one joke per book -- Martinez has one, and repeats, like a child with his first knock-knock joke, hoping in vain that this time it will be funny.)
Plot: Monster Dionysus freelances for mythical-animal control (cryptobiological control in the book's terms) in a world where magic exists but most people either can't see it, or forget about it once seen. Judy, who works a dead end job in a convenience store, is non-magical, except for being an attractant for mythical animals. Hilarity is supposed to ensue. It doesn't.

Ash by Malinda Lo (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) rec for Grade 8 and up.
Lesbian fantasy, the protagonist is young (pre-teen to teen over the course of the story), but the story is interesting and complex enough to appeal to adult readers as well (my 74-year-old mother read it and also enjoyed it). I look forward to whatever Ms. Lo writes next.
Plot: retelling of the Cinderella story, except the fairy is a (male) suitor not a god-mother, and our heroine is more interested in the (female) Captain of the Royal Hunt than the Prince. A bit dark in spots, as Cinderella should be, and the Fae are the dark scary kind, not the Disney version.