books!

77. Even the Wicked by Lawrence Block
78.. When the Sacred Ginmill Closes by Lawrence Block
Two more Matthew Scudder mysteries. I liked both ok, but after you read a lot of these in a row they tend to blend together.

79. Iron Council by China Mieville
I got this book because I love Mieville's "Un Lun Dun". This book is good, but totally different. "Iron Council" takes place in a grim and gritty distopian world and is about various groups fighting against a totalitarian government. It was very well-written. The world it is in is so complete to itself, I found it hard to understand and get into at times. It was a good book, but totally different than Un Lun Dun -- this one is pretty dark and harsh.

80. The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherynne M. Valente
81. The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice by Catherynne M. Valente
I loved both these books and if you read them, recommend you read them close together. They are the story of a mysterious girl who lives in the garden of a palace, and the stories she tells. All the stories are amazingly interwoven with each other. Great books.