The Devil Is a Part-Timer, v.1 by Aiko Hiiragi

The Devil Is a Part-Timer, v.1 by Aiko Hiiragi - 177 pages

The Devil King was forced to retreat from battle and was trapped in an alternate dimension with his loyal commander.  He needs to recoup his magic powers to be able to return to his world and overtake it.  But for now, he is determined to rule Japan.  He has a plan and it all starts with his part-time job at the local fast food restaurant.

This is the first book in the manga series.  I found it hilarious.  I loved the fact that Maou believes he will be able to take over the world if only he gets promoted to full-time at the local McDonald's-like restaurant.  It's also amusing to see the interactions between Maou and Emi, the hero who followed him to defeat him forever.  Definitely a series I will keep reading.

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld- 400 pgs.

Daisy and Violet are not your typical twins.  They are not close, don't do everything together and will go weeks without talking to each other.  There is one thing they have in common:  psychic abilities.  When Violet predicts that a massive earthquake will hit their hometown of St. Louis, it sends shock waves through Daisy's life that have nothing to do with an earthquake.  St. Louis people will get a kick out of the references of well-known landmarks like Blueberry Hill, Wash U and the Arch.  Some other fun mentions include Schnucks, Bread Co. and Kaldi's coffee.  These references make an intriguing read even better.

A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906

A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906

By Simon Winchester

462 pages

The author writes more about plate tectonics and earthquakes throughout American history, than he did about the San Francisco Earthquake itself. I was disappointed. Maybe one tenth of the book was actually about the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.