4 1/2 month reading list

Don't know what it is about the 2 month time frame, but it seems that about every 2 months I just feel the need to update this...So here it is:

Previous List:

Full dark, No stars-Stephen King ***

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-Steig Larson****

The Dome-Stephen King****

Twilight-Stephanie Meyer***

Girls of Riyadh-Rajaa Alsanea**** *

The Girl Who Played With Fire-Steig Larson****

New Stuff:

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest-Steig Larson***


11/22/63-Stephen King*****


Assegai-Wilbur Smith***

Project Books (Reference or a chapter here and there)

Bates' Guide to Physical Assessment and History Taking-Lynn S. Bickley

Islam the Straight Path-John L. Esposito

I almost felt that Larson was reaching with his third book in the series, a little too impossible, but then the willing suspension of disbelief is the great thing about fiction.  I also "ah-hmm procured"  the new movie "The Girl with Dragon Tattoo", I was definitely able to follow it a bit better than the original movie, and thought that Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara both did excellent jobs in their parts.  I continue to think Craig is just the coolest thing ever and can't wait to see the new Bond.  King is a master storyteller, always has been and always will be, I loved it, every word of it, had me staying up until the wee hours until it was done.  As to Wilbur Smith's novel, I haven't read a Smith novel since I was a teenager, I used to love them, men acting like men, women falling in love and being strong for their men, Duty, Honor, War.  What's not to love?  I only picked it up because I decided to save a little money and start only buying books that had hit the bargain bin...Smith was the first author I recognized.  Enjoyed it immensely and may go get another, eventually though I'm going to have to face the fact that it's Wilbur Smith and his romantic portrayal of men being men on the African continent hasn't been realistic for decades, and was never quite as romantic as he portrays it.  Not to mention all of his novels are very similar...not quite as bad as the Hardy Boys formulas, but pretty darn close to the same idea.  His knowledge of the History of Africa and his ability to blend it in to his story is incredible though.  The two reference books have been pretty good to me, Bates' was simply a review of stuff I already knew, but at a slightly higher level.  Esposito's book is an excellent read and helps save you from falling victim to rumors and Myth's you've heard and also helps you understand the modern Islamic world.  if I went home in a couple of years and all I knew about this place was that people drove like morons, and had lots of oil money, well I'd be very disappointed in myself.  Don't worry though, Esposito is an American Professor and his work is mainstream...I'm still a Christian, they haven't converted me.  I've picked up the rest of the twilight series (hey they were in the bargain bin!)  I'm hoping that it can help the wife and I find some common ground, maybe I can learn what a romantic man is supposed to act like...because Lord knows I've been screwing that up for years!  Anyway a million screaming teenagers can't be that wrong...can they?