The Adventures of Sally by P.G. Wodehouse

This book features a young heiress whose good sense carries her through despite some bad luck (including an unfaithful fiancé, a brother who squanders her investment in his theatrical company, and an unpleasant, but successful man who shocks her with a proposal). The plot developments were not surprising: I always knew who was going to show up next, or what would happen with a given play, but despite the lack of true surprises, it was an enjoyable story.

Apocalypse by Troy Denning

This book concludes the Fate of the Jedi series, and wraps up most of the loose ends from the series, while setting up a few new directions for stories--mostly focused on Jedi-v.-Sith encounters. There was actually a lot of mythology in this story to explain who Abeloth actually is (and to ret-con a few Clone Wars TV episodes). I enjoyed the Jagged Fel parts especially--he plays the political game as well as Princess Leia (and apparently flies as well as Han Solo, so he's sort of a complete package). The parts with Allana/Amelia Solo were fairly unbelievable (although so was Anakin Skywalker in Episode I, so maybe it's a Jedi thing. But then we all know how well that turned out for him....).

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King

This book is definitely the best in the Dark Tower series. In some respects, it's just a side note, a pause in the story, a place that you wouldn't even necessarily have known was a gap until it is filled in. But it really clarifies the relationship between Roland and his mother, and in its limited scope, it is beautifully done. Well worth reading even if the rest of the series frustrates you. The plotting (with stacked stories) is magnificent, and I really felt the story spoke to the heart of what it means to reach the Dark Tower.

A King's Ransom by Jude Watson

This book continues the adventures of Amy and Dan, but with a twist. While Vesper 1 still wants them to continue stealing things that lead to a series of medieval maps, Vesper 6 and her twin brother have decided to beat Amy and Dan to the hunt in order to improve their status in the Vesper organization. The book also reveals that the Cahills' father was a Vesper. The story is fun if you don't think too hard about the premise. I also like that the story explores to a certain extent questions of right and wrong (Amy and Dan are doing some terrible things to save their family--but the family code is that they can only do it themselves).

Heartfire by Orson Scott Card

This book shows Alvin's adventures with the witchers in New England juxtaposed with Peggy's work against slavery in the Crown Colonies. I enjoyed seeing more historical figures appear (including Denmark Vesey, John Adams, Honoré Balzac, and John-Jacques Audubon) and all the thoughtfulness about how to deal with unjust laws. There was a good mixture of humor and determination in the book. I was also intrigued by Adams's reflections on his relationship with Thomas Jefferson (who only appears in other characters' thoughts). I felt like this book gets the series back on track.

Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear

I didn't think that this book was one of the best entries in the Maisie Dobbs series. Maisie herself was drawn in a heavy-handed and awkward way (I found her confusion about whether she loves James Compton or not really annoying and self-indulgent) and while the mystery part was trying to be morally complex (it centers around a British industrialist trying to protect his efforts to prepare Britain for another war against Germany), it seemed like the ending was wrong (we're supposed to look the other way in the case of the murder, just because we all know now that Hitler was a monster?). At least the number of scenes where Maisie sits in a room and mysteriously figures out who did through some kind of psychic superheroism is down.

Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

This volume collects most of the short stories, novelettes, and novellas set in the Dresden Files universe (the only currently available stories not in the collection are "Curses," "AAAA Wizardry," and "Even Hand"; obviously the forthcoming "I Was a Teenage Bigfoot," "Bigfoot on Campus," "B is for Bigfoot," and the untitled Molly POV story from Dangerous Women are also not included). I enjoyed the collection. I particularly liked "Backup" (told from Thomas Raith's point of view), "The Warrior" (a great story about Michael), and "Aftermath" (told from Karrin Murphy's point of view, about her actions after Harry's apparent death in Changes). Butcher generally does a good job selecting subjects for these stories that work for the length--I enjoyed most of the stories in this book as much as the full-length novels (and it was easier to put down in the middle). I'll be tracking down the remaining stories as I can.