Do you prefer long books, split books, or short books?

I was searching the bookstore for something to read on a journey. Not too long, I thought, as it would be a pain to carry. (Yeah I know, I could have taken a kindle, but the battery might have run out.) Not too short, or I'd finish it too soon. And not one of those unfinished, wait-for-the-sequel type books or I'd just get annoyed. So what would you choose? And why was the bookstore suddenly full of delightfully huge and enticing tomes that wouldn't possibly fit in my handbag?

So what did I read? You'll have to wait and see. For now I'm just posting reviews of what I read earlier. And Deadman Switch by Sam Powers is both long and split. It's the second volume in a trilogy, and it's probably best read after reading the first. Better still, read one, then two, then three (which I haven't read yet), as the story really doesn't reach an end, and there's lots to be resolved. Drink some bold, dark, intense five-star coffee while reading - there are some pretty intense scenes of fighting and torture and more.

In contrast, A Dangerous Man by Anne Steves is both short and complete. It wouldn't do for a long trip but it's a perfect length for lunch-break, which is why my review will appear in Nights and Weekends Lunch-Break E-books column soon. Where Deadman Switch trots the globe, A Dangerous Man stays grounded in one small town of the old West. Where Deadman Switch details multiple fight scenes and torture, A Dangerous Man contents itself with one battle, won with a combination of surprise, good luck, and good management. And while Deadman Switch has an undercurrent of potential romance, A Dangerous Man wears romance on its outer sleeve. It's short and fun. Enjoy with a lively easy-drinking two-star coffee.

Then decide if you want globe-trotting or home-staying fiction, long or short, with fulfilling or unfulfilled relationships. And read on.

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