**Book p0rn on a Thursday**

I am reading so much my eyes are falling out...no, not really! I've got a few reviews coming up but I thought I'd post a few pretty covers of books that have come my way recently:

Absolutely amazing book for writers who want to do some extensive polishing on their existing MS. Definitely recommended for new and existing writers. A full and more comprehensive review will be forthcoming - watch this space!

This is what I am currently reading and I am enjoying it thoroughly. With strains of Boris Starling's Messiah this will make those of us who live and work in London sit up and take notice. The setting is our home-turf so you know the places that get mentioned in the book. The characters are interesting and it's written in a friendly way, which belies the horror of the crimes being committed. Again, a full review will be forthcoming shortly.

My second book I'm currently reading and I'm enjoying it. As it is set quite a bit in our future, it is a book that makes me think a bit of John Courtney Grimwood's work in his Arabesk Trilogy whilst being it's own thing. Science is the cause of some awful things, these books of knowledge have been locked away. There are those who are keen to find these books and unleash the lost knowledge on the world, uncaring of consequences. Then there are those who are even more keen to keep things as they are, at any cost. Very well plotted and written. I'm looking forward to seeing how the various strands come together.

Need I say more? Spyology by Templar Publishing rocks or rather, it creeps. It is part of the ology books - Dragonology, Pirateology etc. and is filled with secret messages that need decryption, information about real-life spies. Definitely put together in a clever way. My copy was sent to me with a pen that writes in invisible ink, only visible under a UV light - this was built into the pen! How CSI / James Bond is that?

wOOt! James Barclay is at Forbidden Planet this evening at 6pm (20th November 2008) so I bought my copy this morning and will be handing it over to Mark to have it signed as he is big JB fan.

Interesting, yes? I think so! I love London and am planning on doing a London Review in a few weeks time as I've received several books on London which needs to be reviewed - for those who are interested in this amazing city and for us writerly types who hastily grab onto books like this for research and inspiration.

Stunning book from New Holland Publishers covering 28 ancient abandoned cities across the world with in depth discussion on the cities, the culture and the reason for their demise. It includes a beautiful section on Babylon which is a must for anyone keen to atttend the British Museum's exhibition on topic.

Fits neatly in with the London Encyclopeadia and the Occult London book. I love Steve Roud's work and have a copy of his book on Superstitions. I cannot wait to dip into this. It's literally just arrived and it's sitting on my desk, next to me, as I'm typing this. Within stroking distance.

A fun book about a young teen who chokes on a gummi bear and dies. Fun book, she dies?! I hear you cry. Yes - it is. I've started reading it this morning on the train - I had to put The Soul Collector aside for the day, as it gave me nightmares - and it looks to be a book written by someone with a very keen eye on how teens behave in this day and age. Definitely a must for fans of Living Dead Dolls and the slightly macabre.

Very pretty cover by the publishers - I've not read any of the series, but I admit in a guilty way that I did like the movie Eragon...so I've got the first two and then this last one to read.

A stunningly illustrated book by Tolkien artist, John Howe with a retelling of the Beowulf saga by Nicky Raven. Published by Templar here in the UK. I can't wait to read it.

How's that, fantasy fan? You like your fantasy gritty, your heroes muddied and a bit dubious a la Scott Lynch and Patrick Rothfull - well, pick up Chris Evans' A Darkness Forged in Fire - it should satisfy your cravings. I know Mark's read it and he enjoyed it, but is leaving it for me to read and review. Oh, it is such a hard life!

I will try and make the book p0rn a regular thing as I love looking at books in real life and online, on the other blogs I frequent. I tend to obsess about them when I'm at home, tidying and restacking them to display them in the best way. This is hard work if you've got eight large book cases! Again - such a hard life!