What Books May Come

Critical Mass asks, "What Are You Looking Forward to Reading This Spring?"

Well, I'll tell ya.

1. The Good Guy by Dean Koontz (Bantam, May) I've been a big fan of Dean Koontz since high school. My collection of dog-eared mass markets and hardcovers spill off the shelves in my basement. In my humble opinion, I went through a rough spell starting with From the Corner of His Eye through By the Light of the Moon. But with Life Expectancy, he had snagged me again, and whenever a new one comes out, I simply devour it. This new one promises a thrilling ride, as Timothy Carrier attempts to save a woman's life, but in doing so, implicates himself as the one who's hiring her killer.

2. On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan (Knopf Canada, April) Atonement was an amazing read. Someone swiped my copy of Saturday, but it's also been on my wish list for a while. But read the exerpt of this new one (pdf), and tell me you don't want more.

3. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (Atria, March) This is the book that people have been saying has the Columbine-type plot with school violence. I've read 1.5 books by Picoult (The Pact, and I'm almost done with Salem Falls), and both have captured the young and tortured souls of teenaged angst extremely well. She's good at the love story, and great with the courtroom scenes that don't get the snooze award like some others. Check out this excerpt.

4. Everything I needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume by 24 notable female authors (Pocket, June) Seriously, I don't know a girl out there who hasn't read a Judy Blume novel and learned a thing or two. I remember passing around a copy of Wifey with my junior high girlfriends and giggling about all the smutty parts. God love ya, Judy Blume.