Books:
Read: 27 (68 so far this year)
Pages Read: 8,623 (20,960 so far this year)
Bought: 18 (which means this is the first month I read more thanI bought!)
Best: The Creation of Eve (Lynn Cullen), Shoot to Thrill (PJ Tracy), Every Last One (Anna Quindlen), The Map of True Places (Brunonia Barry) (those are all for review and will be posted later). Also Hunter's Moon and Not a Sparrow Falls.
Looking Forward To: The Last Time I Saw You (Elizabeth Berg), Feed (Mira Grant), Radiant Shadows (Melissa Marr), Going in Circles (Pamela Ribon).
Movies:
Watched: 3 (29 so far this year)
Bought: 2
Best: Time Traveler's Wife
Looking Forward To: Seeing Hot Tub Time Machine Friday!
TV:
Watched: 70 episodes (161 episodes so far this year)
Bought: The first two seasons of Breaking Bad (which is partially why the number of episodes watched is so high); received the third season of Big Love and the second season of Gossip Girl for birthday. :)
Best: Breaking Bad (holy crap, how did I never see this show before?!) and 30 Rock
Looking Forward To: More Breaking Bad! :)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
66 - The Summer Before
Finished The Summer Before by Ann M. Martin.
I loved the Baby-Sitters Club growing up, so I was beyond overjoyed to see that there was going to be a prequel coming out.
And this book was so much better than I was expecting. It is, as the title would have you believe, the summer before the BSC was formed.
Kristy's sad because she misses her dad. Mary Anne's starting to chafe under her dad's overprotectiveness and mega rules and regulations. Claudia feels like she's way more grown up than Kristy and Mary Anne are (uh--YEAH, no kidding) and Stacey is about to move to Stoneybrook from New York, and is relieved to be getting away from her former best friends.
*happy sigh* Such a fun book. :) I hope there will be a sequel at some point. I'd love to see them in high school or college (or even better yet, as adults).
I really liked this book, probably way more than I should. It's great to see my old BSC friends again. :)
I loved the Baby-Sitters Club growing up, so I was beyond overjoyed to see that there was going to be a prequel coming out.
And this book was so much better than I was expecting. It is, as the title would have you believe, the summer before the BSC was formed.
Kristy's sad because she misses her dad. Mary Anne's starting to chafe under her dad's overprotectiveness and mega rules and regulations. Claudia feels like she's way more grown up than Kristy and Mary Anne are (uh--YEAH, no kidding) and Stacey is about to move to Stoneybrook from New York, and is relieved to be getting away from her former best friends.
*happy sigh* Such a fun book. :) I hope there will be a sequel at some point. I'd love to see them in high school or college (or even better yet, as adults).
I really liked this book, probably way more than I should. It's great to see my old BSC friends again. :)
63 - Not a Sparrow Falls
Finished Not a Sparrow Falls by Linda Nichols. This is a review copy, sent to me by the publisher.
There are two main storylines here--Mary Bridget is on the run from her old life (she purchased supplies to make meth; she didn't actually make the meth herself--that was Jonah, her scary boyfriend) and eager to start over; she gives herself the name Bridie (after Bridget--her mom's name and her middle name). And Alisdair is at loose ends with his three children (teenage Samantha and twin toddlers Bonnie and Cameron) after his wife and their mother died two years ago, shortly after the twins' birth. He's a pastor and his church isn't happy with him because he's focusing more on his radio show than on leading the congregation. And the children are largely being neglected--until a nanny is found. Guess who? :)
This is Christian fiction (this novel was actually a Christy award finalist) and there is God talk. But it's also just a fantastic, heartwarming story. Bridie is a fantastic character and I fell in love with pretty much every character in here. (Except, of course for Jonah, the scary, meth-making ex-boyfriend.)
I hope to read more of her books.
There are two main storylines here--Mary Bridget is on the run from her old life (she purchased supplies to make meth; she didn't actually make the meth herself--that was Jonah, her scary boyfriend) and eager to start over; she gives herself the name Bridie (after Bridget--her mom's name and her middle name). And Alisdair is at loose ends with his three children (teenage Samantha and twin toddlers Bonnie and Cameron) after his wife and their mother died two years ago, shortly after the twins' birth. He's a pastor and his church isn't happy with him because he's focusing more on his radio show than on leading the congregation. And the children are largely being neglected--until a nanny is found. Guess who? :)
This is Christian fiction (this novel was actually a Christy award finalist) and there is God talk. But it's also just a fantastic, heartwarming story. Bridie is a fantastic character and I fell in love with pretty much every character in here. (Except, of course for Jonah, the scary, meth-making ex-boyfriend.)
I hope to read more of her books.
58 - Beguiled
Finished Beguiled by Deeanne Gist & J. Mark Bertrand. This was a review copy, sent to me by the publisher.
Rylee is a dogwalker in Charleston and things are getting kind of scary. Several of her clients have been burglarized and she's pretty much the only link between them. And she keeps feeling like someone's watching her. The police obviously think she's involved and she doesn't know how to prove her innocence. Fortunately, there's a really cute newspaper reporter.
I really wasn't a fan of this. It's not that it wasn't entertaining (it kept me reading) but it was sort of lightweight. It should have been a lot creepier than it was, and I thought that the romance between Rylee and Logan (reporter) happened way too fast and wasn't that credible.
It definitely could be that I was just not in the right frame of mind for this book; it says on the back that the authors have both crafted bestseller novels.
On the plus side, I did like Rylee--any fan of dogs is a good person. :)
Rylee is a dogwalker in Charleston and things are getting kind of scary. Several of her clients have been burglarized and she's pretty much the only link between them. And she keeps feeling like someone's watching her. The police obviously think she's involved and she doesn't know how to prove her innocence. Fortunately, there's a really cute newspaper reporter.
I really wasn't a fan of this. It's not that it wasn't entertaining (it kept me reading) but it was sort of lightweight. It should have been a lot creepier than it was, and I thought that the romance between Rylee and Logan (reporter) happened way too fast and wasn't that credible.
It definitely could be that I was just not in the right frame of mind for this book; it says on the back that the authors have both crafted bestseller novels.
On the plus side, I did like Rylee--any fan of dogs is a good person. :)
45 - The Creation of Eve
Finished The Creation of Eve by Lynn Cullen. This was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for a review.
This reminded me a lot of The Other Boleyn Girl, except I actually ended up liking this better. (High praise indeed, because I LOVED TOBG.)
Sofi is sent to the Spanish King's court to be a lady-in-waiting for his new wife after a little indiscretion. Sofi (actually a real person) was a painter of some renown; she trained under Michelangelo (which ended up being maybe not so great, since this was the time he was considered a heretic and also discovered to be gay).
There's a love story and a lot of palace intrigue--it's just an incredibly fun story. And Sofi is fantastic. She's a woman in the 1500s who paints as well as a man and who's been educated well beyond what women were allowed. She's a kickass heroine.
You can tell that Lynn Cullen did a lot of research into Sofi and into the time period, but at the same time, it doesn't bog down the narrative. That's an incredibly fine line to walk.
Lynn Cullen's compared to Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir and Sarah Dunant. If that's not enough to get you to want this book, seriously I don't know what will.
This reminded me a lot of The Other Boleyn Girl, except I actually ended up liking this better. (High praise indeed, because I LOVED TOBG.)
Sofi is sent to the Spanish King's court to be a lady-in-waiting for his new wife after a little indiscretion. Sofi (actually a real person) was a painter of some renown; she trained under Michelangelo (which ended up being maybe not so great, since this was the time he was considered a heretic and also discovered to be gay).
There's a love story and a lot of palace intrigue--it's just an incredibly fun story. And Sofi is fantastic. She's a woman in the 1500s who paints as well as a man and who's been educated well beyond what women were allowed. She's a kickass heroine.
You can tell that Lynn Cullen did a lot of research into Sofi and into the time period, but at the same time, it doesn't bog down the narrative. That's an incredibly fine line to walk.
Lynn Cullen's compared to Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir and Sarah Dunant. If that's not enough to get you to want this book, seriously I don't know what will.
56 - Hunter's Moon
Finished Hunter's Moon by Don Hoesel. This was a review book, sent to me by the publisher.
Synopsis from back of book:
"Bestselling novelist CJ Baxter has made a career out of writing hard-hitting stories ripped from his own life. Still there's one story from his past he's never told. One secret that's remained buried for decades.
Now, seventeen years after swearing he'd never return, CJ is headed back to Adelia, NY. His life in Tennessee has fallen to pieces, his grandfather is dying, and CJ can no longer run from the past.
With Graham Baxter, CJ's brother, running for Senate, a black sheep digging up old family secrets is the last thing the family and campaign can afford. CJ soon discovers that blood may be thicker than water, but it's no match for power and money."
I have minor issues with the cover of the book, because it makes it seem like a thriller, and this really isn't. It's a novel about family and about integrity. Most of the book is literary fiction at its best (and while I say that term with a mighty eyeroll, it's true). The writing is crisp and evocative and the whole book is wonderfully paced and plotted.
(This is not to say that the last 50 pages or so aren't action-packed. They are--I think I read them in about 20 minutes and I was unable to read fast enough.)
CJ is a very likeable character; I hope there's a sequel. (Sam would especially like to hear more about CJ's dog, Thor.)
Synopsis from back of book:
"Bestselling novelist CJ Baxter has made a career out of writing hard-hitting stories ripped from his own life. Still there's one story from his past he's never told. One secret that's remained buried for decades.
Now, seventeen years after swearing he'd never return, CJ is headed back to Adelia, NY. His life in Tennessee has fallen to pieces, his grandfather is dying, and CJ can no longer run from the past.
With Graham Baxter, CJ's brother, running for Senate, a black sheep digging up old family secrets is the last thing the family and campaign can afford. CJ soon discovers that blood may be thicker than water, but it's no match for power and money."
I have minor issues with the cover of the book, because it makes it seem like a thriller, and this really isn't. It's a novel about family and about integrity. Most of the book is literary fiction at its best (and while I say that term with a mighty eyeroll, it's true). The writing is crisp and evocative and the whole book is wonderfully paced and plotted.
(This is not to say that the last 50 pages or so aren't action-packed. They are--I think I read them in about 20 minutes and I was unable to read fast enough.)
CJ is a very likeable character; I hope there's a sequel. (Sam would especially like to hear more about CJ's dog, Thor.)
54 - Never Say Never
Finished Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate. I received this from Bethany House in exchange for a review.
According to the back of the book: "Kai Miller floats through life like driftwood tossed by waves. She's never put down roots in any one place--and she doesn't plan to. But when a chaotic hurricane evacuation lands her in Daily, Texas, she begins to think twice about her wayfaring existence. And when she meets hometown-boy Kemp Eldridge, she can almost picture settling down in Daily--until she discovers he may be promised to someone else. Daily has always been a place of refuge for those the wind blows in, but for Kai, it looks like it will be just another place to leave behind. Then again, Daily always has a few surprises in store--especially when Aunt Donetta has cooked up a scheme."
(Quoted so as not to spoil anything.)
Donetta and Kai narrate alternating chapters and Donetta talks in dialect which was a little annoying, especially at first. But they're both incredibly likable characters (and I'm guessing Donetta appears in the other Daily, Texas books so that's good).
Recommended for people who like fluffy love stories (not a slam; this book was incredibly fun to read) and/or Christian fiction.
According to the back of the book: "Kai Miller floats through life like driftwood tossed by waves. She's never put down roots in any one place--and she doesn't plan to. But when a chaotic hurricane evacuation lands her in Daily, Texas, she begins to think twice about her wayfaring existence. And when she meets hometown-boy Kemp Eldridge, she can almost picture settling down in Daily--until she discovers he may be promised to someone else. Daily has always been a place of refuge for those the wind blows in, but for Kai, it looks like it will be just another place to leave behind. Then again, Daily always has a few surprises in store--especially when Aunt Donetta has cooked up a scheme."
(Quoted so as not to spoil anything.)
Donetta and Kai narrate alternating chapters and Donetta talks in dialect which was a little annoying, especially at first. But they're both incredibly likable characters (and I'm guessing Donetta appears in the other Daily, Texas books so that's good).
Recommended for people who like fluffy love stories (not a slam; this book was incredibly fun to read) and/or Christian fiction.
53 - Why You Say It
Finished Why You Say It by Webb Garrison. I received this book from Thomas Nelson, in exchange for a review.
This book explains why certain words and phrases are used the way they are. I was very excited to get it because I love knowing things like that.
It's a little disappointing because I felt like some of the words here aren't really in the common vernacular anymore (who says "high muckety-muck", for example) but it's still a very good resource.
And it's full of little tidbits that I can annoy people with.
For instance, did you know Charles M. Schulz was the guy who first used security blanket? And isn't that perfect, given that Linus is the perfect example of someone who has one?
This book explains why certain words and phrases are used the way they are. I was very excited to get it because I love knowing things like that.
It's a little disappointing because I felt like some of the words here aren't really in the common vernacular anymore (who says "high muckety-muck", for example) but it's still a very good resource.
And it's full of little tidbits that I can annoy people with.
For instance, did you know Charles M. Schulz was the guy who first used security blanket? And isn't that perfect, given that Linus is the perfect example of someone who has one?
51 - The Dead Tossed Waves
Finished The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan. This is a companion novel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth, and I think I preferred this one.
Partial book jacket synopsis:
"Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She's content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. Home is all she's ever known, and all she needs for happiness.
But life after the Return is never safe, and there are threats even the Barrier can't hold back."
This book is a lot less about the zombies (or "mudo," as they are called in this book) and more about living your life without fear. Gabry is a good and believable heroine and I hope if there is another book in the series, she's the main character.
This book also changes a few of the things we knew from Forest of Hands and Teeth, so that was exciting, too. :) It's definitely creepy in parts, but it's not a horror novel.
Partial book jacket synopsis:
"Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She's content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. Home is all she's ever known, and all she needs for happiness.
But life after the Return is never safe, and there are threats even the Barrier can't hold back."
This book is a lot less about the zombies (or "mudo," as they are called in this book) and more about living your life without fear. Gabry is a good and believable heroine and I hope if there is another book in the series, she's the main character.
This book also changes a few of the things we knew from Forest of Hands and Teeth, so that was exciting, too. :) It's definitely creepy in parts, but it's not a horror novel.
34 - The Surrendered
Finished The Surrendered by Chang-Rae Lee. I received this book from the publisher.
This book is about June, Hector and Sylvie, who are connected by their experiences during the Korean War and the atrocities each experienced.
This book jumps back and forth in time and from person to person, so it can be confusing. (If you pay attention, you'll be fine, but I'd recommend not reading this when you're tired or distracted.)
This is not a happy book. It's not as depressing as you'd think, but there are times when I had to make myself stop reading and walk away and do something else for a bit. There aren't many of those parts, but seriously, this is not a happy book. This isn't an easy book, either.
If you're willing to go along for the ride, though, it's incredibly worth it. I can't say I enjoyed reading this book. (But then, I can't say I much enjoyed watching Schindler's List, either.) You're probably not supposed to enjoy it. If you think you can handle it--and there are parts that are incredibly vicious and heartbreaking--give this book a try. I can't imagine anyone finishing this book and being sorry they picked it up.
I know I'm glad I did.
This book is about June, Hector and Sylvie, who are connected by their experiences during the Korean War and the atrocities each experienced.
This book jumps back and forth in time and from person to person, so it can be confusing. (If you pay attention, you'll be fine, but I'd recommend not reading this when you're tired or distracted.)
This is not a happy book. It's not as depressing as you'd think, but there are times when I had to make myself stop reading and walk away and do something else for a bit. There aren't many of those parts, but seriously, this is not a happy book. This isn't an easy book, either.
If you're willing to go along for the ride, though, it's incredibly worth it. I can't say I enjoyed reading this book. (But then, I can't say I much enjoyed watching Schindler's List, either.) You're probably not supposed to enjoy it. If you think you can handle it--and there are parts that are incredibly vicious and heartbreaking--give this book a try. I can't imagine anyone finishing this book and being sorry they picked it up.
I know I'm glad I did.
44 - House Rules
Finished House Rules by Jodi Picoult.
It's about Jacob (18-year-old with Asperger's), who lives with his mom (Emma, who writes an advice column) and 15-year-old brother (Theo, who isn't very happy at getting no attention whatsoever, due to having older brother with Asperger's). Jacob's accused of murder, and it's hard to come up with a defense for him, because a lot of the personality traits that people with Asperger's have (failure to make eye contact, for example) are very similar to things that, say, people guilty of murder would also exhibit.
So the problem is, how do you defend someone who is looking incredibly guilty?
It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I finally did, I couldn't put it down.
Definitely worth the read, although if you don't like Jodi Picoult already*, this may not be the book to change your mind.
* = By which I mean, if you actively dislike her books. I don't know if I'd recommend this as a first book of hers to read, either (19 Minutes, maybe? My Sister's Keeper? Plain Truth?)
It's about Jacob (18-year-old with Asperger's), who lives with his mom (Emma, who writes an advice column) and 15-year-old brother (Theo, who isn't very happy at getting no attention whatsoever, due to having older brother with Asperger's). Jacob's accused of murder, and it's hard to come up with a defense for him, because a lot of the personality traits that people with Asperger's have (failure to make eye contact, for example) are very similar to things that, say, people guilty of murder would also exhibit.
So the problem is, how do you defend someone who is looking incredibly guilty?
It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I finally did, I couldn't put it down.
Definitely worth the read, although if you don't like Jodi Picoult already*, this may not be the book to change your mind.
* = By which I mean, if you actively dislike her books. I don't know if I'd recommend this as a first book of hers to read, either (19 Minutes, maybe? My Sister's Keeper? Plain Truth?)
30 - The House of Tomorrow
Finished The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni. This was a review copy, which I received from the publisher. This is also an Amy Einhorn book, which I am reading as part of the Amy Einhorn Challenge.
I could tell you what it's about but it'll just sound weird and you'll think, "Yeah, that'll be fun."
Instead, I'm going to tell you what it's like. It's basically like if Nick Hornby, Douglas Coupland in his Generation X/Microserfs days and Tom Perrotta teamed up to write a book about a teenage boy and his introduction to punk music. It's a story about teenagers and it actually is like what it's like to be a teenager. It's a book that is pretty far outside of my experience (I could not tell you thing one about anything the characters experience in this novel) and yet, I completely get everything. It's got nothing to do with me, but it's my story. And I bet you'll have the same reaction, because everyone knows what it's like to experience something for the first time and get a thrill of recognition, that sense of "Oh yeah, this is what I was waiting for."
And without sounding lame (I hope), I was waiting for this book.
And this is Peter Bognanni's debut novel--I cannot wait to see what else he has in store for readers. (I hope he's more prolific than Hornby & Perrotta have been thus far.)
I could tell you what it's about but it'll just sound weird and you'll think, "Yeah, that'll be fun."
Instead, I'm going to tell you what it's like. It's basically like if Nick Hornby, Douglas Coupland in his Generation X/Microserfs days and Tom Perrotta teamed up to write a book about a teenage boy and his introduction to punk music. It's a story about teenagers and it actually is like what it's like to be a teenager. It's a book that is pretty far outside of my experience (I could not tell you thing one about anything the characters experience in this novel) and yet, I completely get everything. It's got nothing to do with me, but it's my story. And I bet you'll have the same reaction, because everyone knows what it's like to experience something for the first time and get a thrill of recognition, that sense of "Oh yeah, this is what I was waiting for."
And without sounding lame (I hope), I was waiting for this book.
And this is Peter Bognanni's debut novel--I cannot wait to see what else he has in store for readers. (I hope he's more prolific than Hornby & Perrotta have been thus far.)
43 - In a Heartbeat
Finished In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth.
I picked this because I sort of wanted to cry--and a good pick for that, because I totally did.
Eagan and Amelia have never met but they're about to become connected. Eagan is a figure skater and an organ donor; Amelia needs a heart transplant. After a fatal accident on the ice, Amelia gets Eagan's heart.
After the transplant, Amelia's a little different. She becomes more sarcastic and starts liking the color purple (and also all things grape-flavored).
This book is told from both girls' viewpoints, and is just really good. (Especially if you're in the mood to cry.)
I picked this because I sort of wanted to cry--and a good pick for that, because I totally did.
Eagan and Amelia have never met but they're about to become connected. Eagan is a figure skater and an organ donor; Amelia needs a heart transplant. After a fatal accident on the ice, Amelia gets Eagan's heart.
After the transplant, Amelia's a little different. She becomes more sarcastic and starts liking the color purple (and also all things grape-flavored).
This book is told from both girls' viewpoints, and is just really good. (Especially if you're in the mood to cry.)
42 - Sleepless
Finished Sleepless by Thomas Fahy.
A group of teens came back from New Orleans (they were on a Habitat For Humanity-type excursion, rebuilding houses after Katrina) with a secret.
Now, they're having problems sleeping. When they sleep, they start to sleepwalk. They start to dream about their own deaths, then about killing someone else. And then they do--while they're still asleep.
It's a creepy book, as you might imagine. I wanted something short, because the new Jodi Picoult comes out tomorrow, but apparently I picked something a little too short.
A group of teens came back from New Orleans (they were on a Habitat For Humanity-type excursion, rebuilding houses after Katrina) with a secret.
Now, they're having problems sleeping. When they sleep, they start to sleepwalk. They start to dream about their own deaths, then about killing someone else. And then they do--while they're still asleep.
It's a creepy book, as you might imagine. I wanted something short, because the new Jodi Picoult comes out tomorrow, but apparently I picked something a little too short.
Year of Pop Culture - February
Books:
Read: 18 (41 so far this year)
Pages Read: 5,299 (12,337 so far this year)
Bought: 36 (sadly, not a typo)
Best: The House of Tomorrow, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, The Surrendered, The Executor, My Wife's Affair (those are all for review and will be posted later). Also, Some Girls Are, The Sixty-Eight Rooms and The Unnamed.
Looking Forward To: House Rules (Jodi Picoult), The Irresistible Henry House (Lisa Grunwald), My Life with the Lincolns (Gayle Brandeis), The Creation of Eve (Lynn Cullen), and Caught (Harlen Coben).
Movies:
Watched: 14 (26 so far this year)
Bought: 10
Best: Zombieland, A Serious Man
Looking Forward To: 2012 (I hope to get it on Tuesday), Precious, seeing Up in the Air again, The Fourth Kind, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Box and New Moon
TV:
Watched: 51 episodes (92 episodes so far this year)
Bought: 1 (season 5 of the Office)
Best: 30 Rock, Big Love, Nip/Tuck (it's weird but it's good; I'm so sad it's almost over), One Tree Hill, Life Unexpected, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice
Looking Forward To: The Oscars (!!!), Big Love's season finale, Nip/Tuck's series finale, Jim and Pam's baby being born on Thursday
Read: 18 (41 so far this year)
Pages Read: 5,299 (12,337 so far this year)
Bought: 36 (sadly, not a typo)
Best: The House of Tomorrow, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, The Surrendered, The Executor, My Wife's Affair (those are all for review and will be posted later). Also, Some Girls Are, The Sixty-Eight Rooms and The Unnamed.
Looking Forward To: House Rules (Jodi Picoult), The Irresistible Henry House (Lisa Grunwald), My Life with the Lincolns (Gayle Brandeis), The Creation of Eve (Lynn Cullen), and Caught (Harlen Coben).
Movies:
Watched: 14 (26 so far this year)
Bought: 10
Best: Zombieland, A Serious Man
Looking Forward To: 2012 (I hope to get it on Tuesday), Precious, seeing Up in the Air again, The Fourth Kind, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Box and New Moon
TV:
Watched: 51 episodes (92 episodes so far this year)
Bought: 1 (season 5 of the Office)
Best: 30 Rock, Big Love, Nip/Tuck (it's weird but it's good; I'm so sad it's almost over), One Tree Hill, Life Unexpected, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice
Looking Forward To: The Oscars (!!!), Big Love's season finale, Nip/Tuck's series finale, Jim and Pam's baby being born on Thursday
41 - Light Beneath Ferns
Finished Light Beneath Ferns by Anne Spollen.
I think this is one of those books that would be really awesome if you were in the target age group, but is a little obvious if you are not.
Still, her writing style is appealing* and the story is a little creepy.
Elizah and her mom have just moved to a small New England town (her father is on the run after embezzling some money because of a gambling addiction). Elizah is antisocial (antisocial to the point of making me look like someone who loves to be around people--seriously, she hates people way, WAY more than I do) and is not having much fun in the new town.
One day, she finds a jawbone (did I mention that their new house is in a cemetery? It is) and shortly thereafter, a weird boy named Nathaniel appears. He talks strangely and tells her not to tell anyone about seeing him. Hmm. I wonder what Nathaniel's story is...
Anyway. While most people could probably figure out what's up with Nathaniel, I think most teens (maybe we'll say advanced 10-year-olds to maybe 13-year-olds) would really like this book.
And even though I called everything in this book (and I was right), I still kept reading.
* = Here's part of the first chapter to back me up.
"This story does not teach a lesson. It does not explain gravity or the pack rituals of wolves or how the sun will explode one day and leave us all inside a gray welt of ice and famine. It will not make you popular or get you invitations to parties, if you are after that sort of thing. If death and the dead make you afraid, you better just stop reading and go take a nap. If bones scare you, you cannot read this book. At all. Because, really, things started happening just a little after I found that bone.
You should also know that this story doesn't begin at the beginning. Really, nothing does. And don't believe people who tell you that's how the world works. My story goes sideways, like all stories. I pick the parts that I want to be the beginning, the middle and the end because nothing ever happens in order; we just pretend it does. Everything happens more like a rainstorm with wind and lightning and confusion happening at once, and none of it is divided into sections.
I am not going to tell you a lot about me in the beginning like other girl narrators because I am nothing like other girl narrators. If you were smart enough to find this book, and find me, you can figure out how I am without being told. But I will tell you what I am not.
I don't live on a prairie or in the American West or before, during, or after any war that you would find in a history book. I don't like flowers, or save small animals; I don't have whimiscal adventures that end neatly with a moral. I don't locate lost children. In fact, I'm not even fond of small children. I don't solve mysteries or fix what's broken. I don't scare easily, but I am not noble in the least. Usually, when stuff scares me, I avoid it. I also don't believe in courage. I think it is a radically misunderstood, applauded form of suicide. And I don't wish I lived anywhere else, even though we live on the edge of a graveyard."
I think this is one of those books that would be really awesome if you were in the target age group, but is a little obvious if you are not.
Still, her writing style is appealing* and the story is a little creepy.
Elizah and her mom have just moved to a small New England town (her father is on the run after embezzling some money because of a gambling addiction). Elizah is antisocial (antisocial to the point of making me look like someone who loves to be around people--seriously, she hates people way, WAY more than I do) and is not having much fun in the new town.
One day, she finds a jawbone (did I mention that their new house is in a cemetery? It is) and shortly thereafter, a weird boy named Nathaniel appears. He talks strangely and tells her not to tell anyone about seeing him. Hmm. I wonder what Nathaniel's story is...
Anyway. While most people could probably figure out what's up with Nathaniel, I think most teens (maybe we'll say advanced 10-year-olds to maybe 13-year-olds) would really like this book.
And even though I called everything in this book (and I was right), I still kept reading.
* = Here's part of the first chapter to back me up.
"This story does not teach a lesson. It does not explain gravity or the pack rituals of wolves or how the sun will explode one day and leave us all inside a gray welt of ice and famine. It will not make you popular or get you invitations to parties, if you are after that sort of thing. If death and the dead make you afraid, you better just stop reading and go take a nap. If bones scare you, you cannot read this book. At all. Because, really, things started happening just a little after I found that bone.
You should also know that this story doesn't begin at the beginning. Really, nothing does. And don't believe people who tell you that's how the world works. My story goes sideways, like all stories. I pick the parts that I want to be the beginning, the middle and the end because nothing ever happens in order; we just pretend it does. Everything happens more like a rainstorm with wind and lightning and confusion happening at once, and none of it is divided into sections.
I am not going to tell you a lot about me in the beginning like other girl narrators because I am nothing like other girl narrators. If you were smart enough to find this book, and find me, you can figure out how I am without being told. But I will tell you what I am not.
I don't live on a prairie or in the American West or before, during, or after any war that you would find in a history book. I don't like flowers, or save small animals; I don't have whimiscal adventures that end neatly with a moral. I don't locate lost children. In fact, I'm not even fond of small children. I don't solve mysteries or fix what's broken. I don't scare easily, but I am not noble in the least. Usually, when stuff scares me, I avoid it. I also don't believe in courage. I think it is a radically misunderstood, applauded form of suicide. And I don't wish I lived anywhere else, even though we live on the edge of a graveyard."
40 - The Unnamed
Finished The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris.
This is one of those books I didn't really want to read (because it sounded very weird) but I kept reading good review after good review (including one that compared it to The Time Traveler's Wife, in that there's this married couple very much in life who are forced to be apart a great deal of the time due to husband's weird disease--and if this is you, please tell me so I can credit you because you're the one who finally convinced me to read this book).
(Updated: Mystery solved! It was Michelle, with this post!)
Anyway. Tim and Jane are very much in love, but Tim has this disease that, every so often, forces him to walk. So he basically will walk for hours and hours until finally his body can't walk anymore and he basically collapses and sleeps. Not surprisingly, this wreaks some havoc on his marriage (and his relationship with his daughter, Becka).
So I bet you can see why I was like, "Yes, this is not my kind of book at all," right? Because it sounds just really strange. But it's so good! It's oddly sweet and definitely worth reading.
So that's the power of book blogging, I guess--getting people to read books they wouldn't normally read by saying, "But it's kind of like The Time Traveler's Wife!"
This is one of those books I didn't really want to read (because it sounded very weird) but I kept reading good review after good review (including one that compared it to The Time Traveler's Wife, in that there's this married couple very much in life who are forced to be apart a great deal of the time due to husband's weird disease--and if this is you, please tell me so I can credit you because you're the one who finally convinced me to read this book).
(Updated: Mystery solved! It was Michelle, with this post!)
Anyway. Tim and Jane are very much in love, but Tim has this disease that, every so often, forces him to walk. So he basically will walk for hours and hours until finally his body can't walk anymore and he basically collapses and sleeps. Not surprisingly, this wreaks some havoc on his marriage (and his relationship with his daughter, Becka).
So I bet you can see why I was like, "Yes, this is not my kind of book at all," right? Because it sounds just really strange. But it's so good! It's oddly sweet and definitely worth reading.
So that's the power of book blogging, I guess--getting people to read books they wouldn't normally read by saying, "But it's kind of like The Time Traveler's Wife!"
39 - The Sixty-Eight Rooms
Finished The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone.
Ruthie and her best friend Jack are on a field trip to a Chicago museum when they get to see the Thorne Rooms (68 miniature rooms--some American and some European). These are apparently quite awesome and now I want to see them. A security guard lets them sneak into the corridor behind the rooms so that they can see them from behind and Jack finds a key.
When Ruthie touches the key, she starts to shrink and becomes five inches tall--the perfect height to actually get to go into the rooms and explore them.
It turns out that everything in the rooms are real. For example, you can actually play the violin that's in one of the rooms.
This book is absolutely magical. If you have little kids (elementary aged, say), I think they'd really love this book. (Although you may then have to take them to Chicago to see the real rooms.)
Ruthie and her best friend Jack are on a field trip to a Chicago museum when they get to see the Thorne Rooms (68 miniature rooms--some American and some European). These are apparently quite awesome and now I want to see them. A security guard lets them sneak into the corridor behind the rooms so that they can see them from behind and Jack finds a key.
When Ruthie touches the key, she starts to shrink and becomes five inches tall--the perfect height to actually get to go into the rooms and explore them.
It turns out that everything in the rooms are real. For example, you can actually play the violin that's in one of the rooms.
This book is absolutely magical. If you have little kids (elementary aged, say), I think they'd really love this book. (Although you may then have to take them to Chicago to see the real rooms.)
35 - Heresy
Finished Heresy by S.J. Parris. I received this book for free from the publisher.
Heresy is set in the 1500s and is about a former monk who has two main aims. He's going to try and find out if anyone wants to kill/harm Queen Elizabeth I* and to try and find this book, which is rumored to be able to make men equal to God.
They set this up nicely for a sequel; no telling whether or not there will be one.
I enjoyed this book. It's been compared to The Name of the Rose (which I haven't read) but it's a very intellectual thriller. (It's also gross. People start dying and they're murdered in ways that pay a sort of homage to the deaths of early Christian martyrs. And I don't know how familiar you are with the deaths of those martyrs but it's typically pretty bloody.) But it's rare that you find a suspense novel that's both clever and actually suspenseful.
* = This is during the time when people were afraid to admit to being Catholic and when the Pope said that true Catholics should not consider her the monarch and should not obey her.
Heresy is set in the 1500s and is about a former monk who has two main aims. He's going to try and find out if anyone wants to kill/harm Queen Elizabeth I* and to try and find this book, which is rumored to be able to make men equal to God.
They set this up nicely for a sequel; no telling whether or not there will be one.
I enjoyed this book. It's been compared to The Name of the Rose (which I haven't read) but it's a very intellectual thriller. (It's also gross. People start dying and they're murdered in ways that pay a sort of homage to the deaths of early Christian martyrs. And I don't know how familiar you are with the deaths of those martyrs but it's typically pretty bloody.) But it's rare that you find a suspense novel that's both clever and actually suspenseful.
* = This is during the time when people were afraid to admit to being Catholic and when the Pope said that true Catholics should not consider her the monarch and should not obey her.
38 - Some Girls Are
Finished Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers.
This is one of those books about high school that gets high school totally right. (Because teenagers are mean, vicious little creatures and God help you if you cross them. This is actually the best argument for homeschooling ever and it's the one that never gets used.)
Regina used to be one of the popular girls but after a party, she finds herself frozen out. Because the other four girls in the clique are the most popular girls in school, pretty much literally the entire school now hates her. (And this isn't something like where you say, "Oh, everyone hates me" and you mean that really just one or two people hate you. This is pretty much literally everyone. There's a "Yourspace" group with hundreds of members and everything.)
Regina hasn't always been a good person (back when she was popular, she participated in a lot of horrible things) but what she faces--well, it's pretty horrible.
This is a really good book, but not recommended for anyone who says high school is the best years of your life.
This is one of those books about high school that gets high school totally right. (Because teenagers are mean, vicious little creatures and God help you if you cross them. This is actually the best argument for homeschooling ever and it's the one that never gets used.)
Regina used to be one of the popular girls but after a party, she finds herself frozen out. Because the other four girls in the clique are the most popular girls in school, pretty much literally the entire school now hates her. (And this isn't something like where you say, "Oh, everyone hates me" and you mean that really just one or two people hate you. This is pretty much literally everyone. There's a "Yourspace" group with hundreds of members and everything.)
Regina hasn't always been a good person (back when she was popular, she participated in a lot of horrible things) but what she faces--well, it's pretty horrible.
This is a really good book, but not recommended for anyone who says high school is the best years of your life.
29 - Two Way Street
Finished Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt.
This was a Kindle impulse buy.
Courtney and Jordan broke up recently (his decision). Unfortunately, before they broke up, they planned a road trip to Boston (where they are both going to college). Awkward.
He didn't really want to break up with her, but there's this whole reason why he has to. It didn't really make sense, but that might be because I'm not a teenager anymore. :)
This was a Kindle impulse buy.
Courtney and Jordan broke up recently (his decision). Unfortunately, before they broke up, they planned a road trip to Boston (where they are both going to college). Awkward.
He didn't really want to break up with her, but there's this whole reason why he has to. It didn't really make sense, but that might be because I'm not a teenager anymore. :)
28 - The Silent Governess
Finished The Silent Governess by Julie Klassan.
I haven't read any of her other books, but they were both made available on the Kindle for free so I hope to read them soon.
This is just a really fun, interesting book.
Olivia is pretty much blackmailed into working at Brightwell Court after overhearing a secret about the owner's son (an adult). She's soon appointed to be the children's governess, and she kind of develops a thing for the owner's son (hence why I stressed he's an adult).
There's a love story and a mystery and it's just fun. It is Christian fiction, but it's enjoyable for everyone, I believe.
(Note: I received this book for free from Bethany House.)
I haven't read any of her other books, but they were both made available on the Kindle for free so I hope to read them soon.
This is just a really fun, interesting book.
Olivia is pretty much blackmailed into working at Brightwell Court after overhearing a secret about the owner's son (an adult). She's soon appointed to be the children's governess, and she kind of develops a thing for the owner's son (hence why I stressed he's an adult).
There's a love story and a mystery and it's just fun. It is Christian fiction, but it's enjoyable for everyone, I believe.
(Note: I received this book for free from Bethany House.)
27 - What Janie Found
This is the last in the Face on the Milk Carton series (books two and three are Whatever Happened to Janie? and The Voice on the Radio).
This is hard to talk about because it's the most spoilery of the bunch. But basically it deals with the question that if you had the chance to find out the truth about something, would you do it? Even if it would hurt the people you love most?
Very good series, and I'm sad there aren't any more Janie Johnson books.
This is hard to talk about because it's the most spoilery of the bunch. But basically it deals with the question that if you had the chance to find out the truth about something, would you do it? Even if it would hurt the people you love most?
Very good series, and I'm sad there aren't any more Janie Johnson books.
26 - The Voice on the Radio
This is the third in the Face on the Milk Carton series (right after Whatever Happened to Janie?).
In this one, Janie's found a way to have a relationship with both families and her life's going pretty well. The only really bad thing is that her boyfriend, Reeve, is away at college in Boston.
Her sister and one of her brothers (Jodie and Brian) decide to head to Boston to see about some colleges for Jodie and her Connecticut parents let Janie go with them. They end up hearing Reeve's show (he's a DJ) and it turns out the reason he's so popular is that he discusses Janie and the kidnapping. And since he's basically the only person Janie talked to about it, he knows everything.
And yeah, I can't even tell you how sad it was reading Janie's reaction. I think we're a pretty public society (blogs, Twitter, Facebook) but we still more or less control who finds out about us and our lives, thanks to privacy settings. But having a bunch of nameless, faceless people knowing all about the worst thing of our lives? I can't imagine much worse.
In this one, Janie's found a way to have a relationship with both families and her life's going pretty well. The only really bad thing is that her boyfriend, Reeve, is away at college in Boston.
Her sister and one of her brothers (Jodie and Brian) decide to head to Boston to see about some colleges for Jodie and her Connecticut parents let Janie go with them. They end up hearing Reeve's show (he's a DJ) and it turns out the reason he's so popular is that he discusses Janie and the kidnapping. And since he's basically the only person Janie talked to about it, he knows everything.
And yeah, I can't even tell you how sad it was reading Janie's reaction. I think we're a pretty public society (blogs, Twitter, Facebook) but we still more or less control who finds out about us and our lives, thanks to privacy settings. But having a bunch of nameless, faceless people knowing all about the worst thing of our lives? I can't imagine much worse.
25 - Whatever Happened to Janie?
Finished Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney. This is the sequel to The Face on the Milk Carton.
Spoilers for those who haven't read The Face on the Milk Carton.
In this book, Janie (now Jennie Spring) goes back to live with her biological family and tries to adjust. Her parents are very nice and she has an older brother and sister, plus younger twin brothers. It's a good family, but it's not HER family. And Janie is kind of a bitch to them. (But it's understandable, because how do you consider strangers your family? And how do you answer to a different name?)
Really good book, even though it made me cry literally four different times.
Spoilers for those who haven't read The Face on the Milk Carton.
In this book, Janie (now Jennie Spring) goes back to live with her biological family and tries to adjust. Her parents are very nice and she has an older brother and sister, plus younger twin brothers. It's a good family, but it's not HER family. And Janie is kind of a bitch to them. (But it's understandable, because how do you consider strangers your family? And how do you answer to a different name?)
Really good book, even though it made me cry literally four different times.
24 - The Face on the Milk Carton
Finished The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney. I'm counting this as a re-read, because I'm pretty sure I read it in elementary school. I remembered the beginning and the truth about what happened to Janie, anyway, but a lot of the rest of it was new.
Anyway. Janie is eating lunch with her friends when she sees a kidnapped girl on the milk carton (the girl was kidnapped 12 years ago, when she was three). And she realizes that she IS that girl. She starts to lose it, pretty much, as she tries to figure out if she's going insane or if she really was kidnapped. She finally asks her parents, who explain everything, but are they telling the truth?
This ends on an insane cliffhanger, but there are three sequels, so that's pretty awesome. :)
Anyway. Janie is eating lunch with her friends when she sees a kidnapped girl on the milk carton (the girl was kidnapped 12 years ago, when she was three). And she realizes that she IS that girl. She starts to lose it, pretty much, as she tries to figure out if she's going insane or if she really was kidnapped. She finally asks her parents, who explain everything, but are they telling the truth?
This ends on an insane cliffhanger, but there are three sequels, so that's pretty awesome. :)
Year of Pop Culture - January
January totals: I read 23 books (but bought 27--ouch), watched 12 movies (bought two) and 41 TV episodes (I'm determined to watch the new episodes of Big Love, Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters tonight, so I'm counting them for January). And on the plus side, I didn't get any TV seasons on DVD. (I spent that money on books.)
Best books read: The Lost Hours, Jacob Have I Loved, The Bread of Angels, The Things That Keep Us Here, The Postmistress, Not My Daughter, It All Changed in an Instant, The Lock Artist, Arcadia Falls, The Brightest Star in the Sky, This World We Live In, The Happiness Project, By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead
Best movies watched (not counting rewatches): A Perfect Getaway, Up in the Air, Jennifer's Body, Whip It.
TV Shows I'm liking the most: 30 Rock, Big Love, Life Unexpected, The Big Bang Theory, 24, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice
Best books read: The Lost Hours, Jacob Have I Loved, The Bread of Angels, The Things That Keep Us Here, The Postmistress, Not My Daughter, It All Changed in an Instant, The Lock Artist, Arcadia Falls, The Brightest Star in the Sky, This World We Live In, The Happiness Project, By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead
Best movies watched (not counting rewatches): A Perfect Getaway, Up in the Air, Jennifer's Body, Whip It.
TV Shows I'm liking the most: 30 Rock, Big Love, Life Unexpected, The Big Bang Theory, 24, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice
23 - By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead
Finished By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters.
Good, heartbreaking book about a teenage girl (Daelyn) who's been bullied essentially her entire life (from, say, kindergarten on) and who has attempted suicide at least once before. She finds a website for suicidal people and commits to ending her life in 23 days.
As her life winds down (even though nobody but Daelyn knows it), she starts to make friends (very, very slowly) but still isn't sure if it's worth it to keep living.
This book doesn't give you a tidy resolution, so if you don't like that, you won't like this book. And if you're one of those people who thinks life's wonderful and a gift, you're probably going to outright hate this book.
It'll break your heart, but you won't be able to put this book down.
Good, heartbreaking book about a teenage girl (Daelyn) who's been bullied essentially her entire life (from, say, kindergarten on) and who has attempted suicide at least once before. She finds a website for suicidal people and commits to ending her life in 23 days.
As her life winds down (even though nobody but Daelyn knows it), she starts to make friends (very, very slowly) but still isn't sure if it's worth it to keep living.
This book doesn't give you a tidy resolution, so if you don't like that, you won't like this book. And if you're one of those people who thinks life's wonderful and a gift, you're probably going to outright hate this book.
It'll break your heart, but you won't be able to put this book down.
22 - The Happiness Project
Finished The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.
Gretchen Rubin's not miserable, but she could be happier. So she decides to devote a year to improving her life and get happier.
Each month is a specific task--she works on improving her marriage, for example, and being a better parent and a better friend.
She says several times that the things that make her happy (clean closets is the example that springs immediately to my mind) may not necessarily work for everyone, so this is more of an inspiration than a template to follow.
Very enjoyable, inspiring book. :) I don't think I really need to be a happier person, but I could definitely go for being a nicer one. Maybe I will start a niceness project. ;)
Gretchen Rubin's not miserable, but she could be happier. So she decides to devote a year to improving her life and get happier.
Each month is a specific task--she works on improving her marriage, for example, and being a better parent and a better friend.
She says several times that the things that make her happy (clean closets is the example that springs immediately to my mind) may not necessarily work for everyone, so this is more of an inspiration than a template to follow.
Very enjoyable, inspiring book. :) I don't think I really need to be a happier person, but I could definitely go for being a nicer one. Maybe I will start a niceness project. ;)
21 - Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School
Finished Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School: We the Children by Andrew Clements. This is a review copy; it comes out April 6.
This is an absolutely delightful book. There are little pencil sketch drawings (and I bet the finished product will have more) and it's just awesome. :) It's for elementary school kids (grades 2-5, according to the back of the book).
Ben's school is going to be torn down soon and turned into an amusement park. Awesome, right? Except no. Because the school's janitor entrusts him with a gold coin and a demand that he save the school--hours later, the janitor is dead.
He and his best friend Jill start investigating (except the new janitor is creepy and starts showing up wherever they are) and discover that there are clues throughout the school to help.
This is the first book in a series. And since Book 1 doesn't come out until April, I guess I'm going to be waiting for a while until Book 2.
Ben and Jill are smart, fun characters. I think this is something that kids would really enjoy. Although, like Home Alone, the adults are either evil or sweetly clueless, so be forewarned about that. :)
This is an absolutely delightful book. There are little pencil sketch drawings (and I bet the finished product will have more) and it's just awesome. :) It's for elementary school kids (grades 2-5, according to the back of the book).
Ben's school is going to be torn down soon and turned into an amusement park. Awesome, right? Except no. Because the school's janitor entrusts him with a gold coin and a demand that he save the school--hours later, the janitor is dead.
He and his best friend Jill start investigating (except the new janitor is creepy and starts showing up wherever they are) and discover that there are clues throughout the school to help.
This is the first book in a series. And since Book 1 doesn't come out until April, I guess I'm going to be waiting for a while until Book 2.
Ben and Jill are smart, fun characters. I think this is something that kids would really enjoy. Although, like Home Alone, the adults are either evil or sweetly clueless, so be forewarned about that. :)
20 - This World We Live In
Finished This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer. This is a review copy; it won't come out until April 1.
This is a continuation of her other books, a story of what happened after the moon was knocked closer to earth by an asteroid. As you may remember--sun's been blotted out by a ton of volcanic ash (it's still there; you just can't see it), natural disasters have destroyed a lot of cities and it's basically a pretty wretched time for everyone.
This is the second in the series that's told by Miranda (and the third overall), and I hope there will be another book, because I want to know what's going to happen to everyone.
There's a nice surprise here, and a lot of reviews are discussing it, but I don't want to be the jerk who spoils it. (Because it was spoiled for me and yes, still a little bitter.)
These books are very compelling, partly because everyone likes an ode to the human spirit and partly because it's kind of nice to read about cold, miserable conditions when you are warm and dry and full.
Fantastic series; I hope this wasn't the last.
This is a continuation of her other books, a story of what happened after the moon was knocked closer to earth by an asteroid. As you may remember--sun's been blotted out by a ton of volcanic ash (it's still there; you just can't see it), natural disasters have destroyed a lot of cities and it's basically a pretty wretched time for everyone.
This is the second in the series that's told by Miranda (and the third overall), and I hope there will be another book, because I want to know what's going to happen to everyone.
There's a nice surprise here, and a lot of reviews are discussing it, but I don't want to be the jerk who spoils it. (Because it was spoiled for me and yes, still a little bitter.)
These books are very compelling, partly because everyone likes an ode to the human spirit and partly because it's kind of nice to read about cold, miserable conditions when you are warm and dry and full.
Fantastic series; I hope this wasn't the last.
19 - The Brightest Star in the Sky
Finished The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes.
This took me a little while to get into but once I did, it was magic.
It centers around four apartments in Dublin and the lives of their inhabitants. Here's what Amazon says:
"Marian Keyes's inimitable blend of rollicking humor, effervescent prose, and stories that deal with real-life issues have captivated readers around the globe. She is one of the bestselling authors of women's fiction in the English-speaking world. Her new novel will delight fans of Candace Bushnell's darkly comic sensibility and Sophie Kinsella's fast-paced action. The Brightest Star in the Sky follows seven neighbors whose lives become entangled when a sassy and prescient spirit pays a visit to their Dublin townhouse with the intent of changing at least one of their lives.
But what will this metamorphosis be and who will the sprite choose? There's Matt and Maeve, the newlyweds struggling to overcome the first obstacle in their storybook romance; Lydia, the brassy but vulnerable cabbie; Katie, the just-turned-forty PR executive searching for a more gratifying life; and the eldest resident, Jemima, currently playing hostess to her son Fionn, who is in town to star as the hunky gardener in a hot new television show."
Don't expect it to capture you right away, but if you give it some time to figure out who everyone is, you'll likely end up loving this book as much as I did.
This took me a little while to get into but once I did, it was magic.
It centers around four apartments in Dublin and the lives of their inhabitants. Here's what Amazon says:
"Marian Keyes's inimitable blend of rollicking humor, effervescent prose, and stories that deal with real-life issues have captivated readers around the globe. She is one of the bestselling authors of women's fiction in the English-speaking world. Her new novel will delight fans of Candace Bushnell's darkly comic sensibility and Sophie Kinsella's fast-paced action. The Brightest Star in the Sky follows seven neighbors whose lives become entangled when a sassy and prescient spirit pays a visit to their Dublin townhouse with the intent of changing at least one of their lives.
But what will this metamorphosis be and who will the sprite choose? There's Matt and Maeve, the newlyweds struggling to overcome the first obstacle in their storybook romance; Lydia, the brassy but vulnerable cabbie; Katie, the just-turned-forty PR executive searching for a more gratifying life; and the eldest resident, Jemima, currently playing hostess to her son Fionn, who is in town to star as the hunky gardener in a hot new television show."
Don't expect it to capture you right away, but if you give it some time to figure out who everyone is, you'll likely end up loving this book as much as I did.
18 - The Long Way Home
Finished The Long Way Home by Andrew Klavan for Thomas Nelson.
This is the sequel to The Last Thing I Remember. And like The Last Thing I Remember, I spent the first two-thirds completely annoyed by the character and the last third unable to put the book down. (Book 3 is out in November; odds are good I will end up buying it.)
Charlie is still on the run from various agencies, both good (police) and bad (scary terrorist cell). He's starting to piece together exactly what's happened and why he came to in a scary room with bloodstained tools. He's also got a little bit of a support system in this one.
I think my big problem is that Charlie is kind of obnoxious. He really dislikes his history teacher (not hates, because Charlie is Good and does not hate) because the history teacher is all, "America's not perfect; it's greedy and racist and violent" and Charlie is basically like, "The hell you say!"
And here's the thing. I love my country, but we aren't perfect. We ARE a greedy, violent, racist society. And while it's all well and good to cling to moral absolutes--however unrealistic that is--it's a little odd to be doing that while breaking your own rules.
(Also, Klavan broke up the action at least once per book to remind us that the police officers chasing Charlie are the good guys and that they are deliberately trying not to hurt or kill him because they're so good. And really, if there's a suspected murderer/terrorist on the loose, I don't care how good the cop is, they will shoot you and they will hit you. They may not kill you, but they're certainly not going to keep letting you escape.)
But this is intended for young adults--and Christian young adults at that--so maybe that's why the moralizing is so heavyhanded. And it's highly possible teens will love this way more than I did. (And like I said, I spent the last third unable to turn the pages quickly enough, so clearly he's doing something right.)
This is the sequel to The Last Thing I Remember. And like The Last Thing I Remember, I spent the first two-thirds completely annoyed by the character and the last third unable to put the book down. (Book 3 is out in November; odds are good I will end up buying it.)
Charlie is still on the run from various agencies, both good (police) and bad (scary terrorist cell). He's starting to piece together exactly what's happened and why he came to in a scary room with bloodstained tools. He's also got a little bit of a support system in this one.
I think my big problem is that Charlie is kind of obnoxious. He really dislikes his history teacher (not hates, because Charlie is Good and does not hate) because the history teacher is all, "America's not perfect; it's greedy and racist and violent" and Charlie is basically like, "The hell you say!"
And here's the thing. I love my country, but we aren't perfect. We ARE a greedy, violent, racist society. And while it's all well and good to cling to moral absolutes--however unrealistic that is--it's a little odd to be doing that while breaking your own rules.
(Also, Klavan broke up the action at least once per book to remind us that the police officers chasing Charlie are the good guys and that they are deliberately trying not to hurt or kill him because they're so good. And really, if there's a suspected murderer/terrorist on the loose, I don't care how good the cop is, they will shoot you and they will hit you. They may not kill you, but they're certainly not going to keep letting you escape.)
But this is intended for young adults--and Christian young adults at that--so maybe that's why the moralizing is so heavyhanded. And it's highly possible teens will love this way more than I did. (And like I said, I spent the last third unable to turn the pages quickly enough, so clearly he's doing something right.)
17 - The Last Thing I Remember
Finished The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan. I got the sequel for this to review, but I had to buy this book because I didn't realize when I requested it that it's the first in a series.
This started off pretty badly (main character isn't very believable* and is kind of annoying) but ended up being quite entertaining.
This is a book for young adults so I can't really fault it for being juvenile. It's not really intended for adults.
Anyway--Charlie goes to bed a normal high school student and wakes up in this weird room, strapped to a chair, and surrounded by scary looking tools. Scary looking bloodstained tools.
And he hears two guys in the hallway deciding his fate ("kill him"). So yeah, not a good day.
After escaping, he has to figure out what's going on and who wanted him dead and why. I'm excited to read the sequel, because we still don't know what's going on at all. And the answers we did get only raise more questions.
* = How many 17-year-old boys do you know who, when nervous, say something made their "little heart go pitty-pat"?
This started off pretty badly (main character isn't very believable* and is kind of annoying) but ended up being quite entertaining.
This is a book for young adults so I can't really fault it for being juvenile. It's not really intended for adults.
Anyway--Charlie goes to bed a normal high school student and wakes up in this weird room, strapped to a chair, and surrounded by scary looking tools. Scary looking bloodstained tools.
And he hears two guys in the hallway deciding his fate ("kill him"). So yeah, not a good day.
After escaping, he has to figure out what's going on and who wanted him dead and why. I'm excited to read the sequel, because we still don't know what's going on at all. And the answers we did get only raise more questions.
* = How many 17-year-old boys do you know who, when nervous, say something made their "little heart go pitty-pat"?
Question
I was talking to a friend of mine about the possibility of doing a fun awards-show type thing at the end of the year for books and movies and TV and he suggested doing it script-style and having guest presenters and what not.
And THEN I thought, well, maybe instead of having something like The Kelly's Choice Awards, we could have our own little Academy and keep track of books and movies and TV and music (well, not me; I hardly ever buy new music) and present The Sammys* at the end of the year?
You guys in? Basically, I guess we'd just keep a list of stuff published/new to theaters this year and then vote on the best. :)
* = It's called The Sammys because it's my idea. Next year, we can call it The Pennys or whatever. But this year--The Sammys. :)
And THEN I thought, well, maybe instead of having something like The Kelly's Choice Awards, we could have our own little Academy and keep track of books and movies and TV and music (well, not me; I hardly ever buy new music) and present The Sammys* at the end of the year?
You guys in? Basically, I guess we'd just keep a list of stuff published/new to theaters this year and then vote on the best. :)
* = It's called The Sammys because it's my idea. Next year, we can call it The Pennys or whatever. But this year--The Sammys. :)
16 - Family Tree
Finished Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky. I got this because I liked Not My Daughter so much, but this was more like the other book of hers I read.
Hugh and Dana are about to have their first child. They're a white couple but their daughter's features are, as mentioned several times in the text and synopsis "distinctly African-American."
They didn't use in vitro. Dana didn't have an affair. So...how?
If you have a brain stem and have read books ever in your life, you'll see what's coming long before it's revealed. This was an entertaining book and I'm glad I read it, but it wasn't very good. And it definitely wasn't as good as Not My Daughter. (I do also have her book Looking for Peyton Place, so we'll see how that one goes.)
Hugh and Dana are about to have their first child. They're a white couple but their daughter's features are, as mentioned several times in the text and synopsis "distinctly African-American."
They didn't use in vitro. Dana didn't have an affair. So...how?
If you have a brain stem and have read books ever in your life, you'll see what's coming long before it's revealed. This was an entertaining book and I'm glad I read it, but it wasn't very good. And it definitely wasn't as good as Not My Daughter. (I do also have her book Looking for Peyton Place, so we'll see how that one goes.)
15 - Arcadia Falls
Finished Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman. (This is a review book; it comes out March 9.)
If you enjoy gothic fiction, you'll love Carol Goodman. This is set at a boarding school--a new teacher and her daughter move there almost a year after her husband's sudden death. She's excited but nervous for the change (and also sort of trapped, because she doesn't have her doctorate yet, so there aren't many teaching options open for her). The cool thing is that the school was founded by these two women who wrote and illustrated all these fairy tales, so when you see the school and its grounds, it's almost like being in the fairy tales (because of landmarks and such).
Of course there are deaths and secrets and intrigue.
You may think you know where the book is going and what all the surprises are. You don't.
This would be fantastic for book clubs but also for anyone who likes good books. (Don't forget--March 9. But while you're waiting, you can read her book Lake of Dead Languages.)
If you enjoy gothic fiction, you'll love Carol Goodman. This is set at a boarding school--a new teacher and her daughter move there almost a year after her husband's sudden death. She's excited but nervous for the change (and also sort of trapped, because she doesn't have her doctorate yet, so there aren't many teaching options open for her). The cool thing is that the school was founded by these two women who wrote and illustrated all these fairy tales, so when you see the school and its grounds, it's almost like being in the fairy tales (because of landmarks and such).
Of course there are deaths and secrets and intrigue.
You may think you know where the book is going and what all the surprises are. You don't.
This would be fantastic for book clubs but also for anyone who likes good books. (Don't forget--March 9. But while you're waiting, you can read her book Lake of Dead Languages.)
14 - The Lock Artist
Finished The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton.
I cannot even tell you how good and interesting and fun this book is.
This book jumps back and forth in time (but each chapter has a note telling you when it takes place, so it's not confusing) and is about Mike, a boxman. That's apparently what those in the know call safecrackers. And, like Ocean's 11, it makes me want to do a criminal heist. (Although, like 24, it also makes me want to stay on the right side of the law so that nothing bad will happen to me or to my hand--because holy crap, did you SEE what Renee Walker did last night?!)
Anyway. Back to The Lock Artist. It explains why and how Mike got into this line of work (which is good to know, since he's a teenager). You might doubt me, since he's a criminal and all, but Mike is a very likable character and easy to root for.
Steve Hamilton's written a lot of other books. I want to track them all down. He's right up there with Michael Connelly in my eyes.
I cannot even tell you how good and interesting and fun this book is.
This book jumps back and forth in time (but each chapter has a note telling you when it takes place, so it's not confusing) and is about Mike, a boxman. That's apparently what those in the know call safecrackers. And, like Ocean's 11, it makes me want to do a criminal heist. (Although, like 24, it also makes me want to stay on the right side of the law so that nothing bad will happen to me or to my hand--because holy crap, did you SEE what Renee Walker did last night?!)
Anyway. Back to The Lock Artist. It explains why and how Mike got into this line of work (which is good to know, since he's a teenager). You might doubt me, since he's a criminal and all, but Mike is a very likable character and easy to root for.
Steve Hamilton's written a lot of other books. I want to track them all down. He's right up there with Michael Connelly in my eyes.
13 - It All Changed In An Instant
Finished It All Changed in an Instant, the latest collection of six-word memoirs.
First, who speaks French? What does "Un peu fouillis. Pas encore compris" mean?
Here are my favorites:
"Michael Stipe mumbled my formative years."
"I'm happiest when I'm eating cheesecake."
"Dancing like nobody can see, finally." (Sophia Bush! I love her and I love Brooke Davis.)
"I want to be Tina Fey." (I don't actually want to be Tina Fey, but I would like to be her wife. Or her BFF. I'm okay with either.)
"Little me would've liked big me."
"Why is speaking true so courageous?" (Melissa Etheridge--love her too!)
"The inevitable triumph of the nerds."
"Turned lemons into lemonade. Added vodka."
"Fortunate yet prepared. Passionately driven. Monkeyballs." (Brian Baumgartner, known to most of us as Kevin from The Office.)
"Experienced reincarnation without bothering to die."
This one has biographies of some of the contributors and an index. Awesome! (But not so great on the Kindle, which is what I read this on.)
First, who speaks French? What does "Un peu fouillis. Pas encore compris" mean?
Here are my favorites:
"Michael Stipe mumbled my formative years."
"I'm happiest when I'm eating cheesecake."
"Dancing like nobody can see, finally." (Sophia Bush! I love her and I love Brooke Davis.)
"I want to be Tina Fey." (I don't actually want to be Tina Fey, but I would like to be her wife. Or her BFF. I'm okay with either.)
"Little me would've liked big me."
"Why is speaking true so courageous?" (Melissa Etheridge--love her too!)
"The inevitable triumph of the nerds."
"Turned lemons into lemonade. Added vodka."
"Fortunate yet prepared. Passionately driven. Monkeyballs." (Brian Baumgartner, known to most of us as Kevin from The Office.)
"Experienced reincarnation without bothering to die."
This one has biographies of some of the contributors and an index. Awesome! (But not so great on the Kindle, which is what I read this on.)
12 - Not My Daughter
Finished Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky.
Susan thought she and her teenage daughter, Lily, had a great relationship (not unlike, say, Lorelai and Rory). And then she learns that Lily's pregnant. And THEN she learns that two of Lily's best friends are also pregnant. They wanted to get pregnant and raise their babies together. (And these are good kids, not like those skanky girls you see on the Maury show.) This raises a lot of questions about who's to blame for teen pregnancy and just how responsible the moms are for their daughters' decisions.
This was an enjoyable, thought-provoking novel.
And it definitely proves what I've suspected--no matter how involved the dads are, it's the moms who are most involved in the kids' lives, and it is the moms who will get blamed if things go wrong (or "wrong").
Susan thought she and her teenage daughter, Lily, had a great relationship (not unlike, say, Lorelai and Rory). And then she learns that Lily's pregnant. And THEN she learns that two of Lily's best friends are also pregnant. They wanted to get pregnant and raise their babies together. (And these are good kids, not like those skanky girls you see on the Maury show.) This raises a lot of questions about who's to blame for teen pregnancy and just how responsible the moms are for their daughters' decisions.
This was an enjoyable, thought-provoking novel.
And it definitely proves what I've suspected--no matter how involved the dads are, it's the moms who are most involved in the kids' lives, and it is the moms who will get blamed if things go wrong (or "wrong").
11 - The Postmistress
Finished The Postmistress by Sarah Blake. This is a review copy; the book comes out February 9. (Ask for it for Valentine's Day. Pre-order it from your bookstore of choice now, or at the very least put a hold on it at the library. If you have ever listened to me about a book, listen to me about this one.)
Here's the synopsis from Amazon (I cannot discuss it without rambling):
"It is 1940. France has fallen. Bombs are dropping on London. And President Roosevelt is promising he won't send our boys to fight in "foreign wars."
But American radio gal Frankie Bard, the first woman to report from the Blitz in London, wants nothing more than to bring the war home. Frankie's radio dispatches crackle across the Atlantic ocean, imploring listeners to pay attention--as the Nazis bomb London nightly, and Jewish refugees stream across Europe. Frankie is convinced that if she can just get the right story, it will wake Americans to action and they will join the fight.
Meanwhile, in Franklin, Massachusetts, a small town on Cape Cod, Iris James hears Frankie's broadcasts and knows that it is only a matter of time before the war arrives on Franklin's shores. In charge of the town's mail, Iris believes that her job is to deliver and keep people's secrets, passing along the news that letters carry. And one secret she keeps are her feelings for Harry Vale, the town mechanic, who inspects the ocean daily, searching in vain for German U-boats he is certain will come. Two single people in midlife, Iris and Harry long ago gave up hope of ever being in love, yet they find themselves unexpectedly drawn toward each other.
Listening to Frankie as well are Will and Emma Fitch, the town's doctor and his new wife, both trying to escape a fragile childhood and forge a brighter future. When Will follow's Frankie's siren call into the war, Emma's worst fears are realized. Promising to return in six months, Will goes to London to offer his help, and the lives of the three women entwine.
Alternating between an America still cocooned in its inability to grasp the danger at hand and a Europe being torn apart by war, The Postmistress gives us two women who find themselves unable to deliver the news, and a third woman desperately waiting for news yet afraid to hear it."
Me again.
You know how sometimes you read a book and, for reasons you can't explain, it just grabs you and you can't stop reading until you're done and it sort of ruins you for books that aren't it for a little while?
Yeah. That's this one.
Pretty much all I've done today is read this book and now I'm sad. It's not that the book's sad (although it's not really that happy, per se); it's that it's done. So here's hoping Sarah Blake writes something else soon.
Kathryn Stockett (who wrote The Help; my favorite book from last year) said, "Great books give you a feeling that you miss all day until you finally get to crawl back inside those pages. The Postmistress is one of those rare books. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it.")
Here's the synopsis from Amazon (I cannot discuss it without rambling):
"It is 1940. France has fallen. Bombs are dropping on London. And President Roosevelt is promising he won't send our boys to fight in "foreign wars."
But American radio gal Frankie Bard, the first woman to report from the Blitz in London, wants nothing more than to bring the war home. Frankie's radio dispatches crackle across the Atlantic ocean, imploring listeners to pay attention--as the Nazis bomb London nightly, and Jewish refugees stream across Europe. Frankie is convinced that if she can just get the right story, it will wake Americans to action and they will join the fight.
Meanwhile, in Franklin, Massachusetts, a small town on Cape Cod, Iris James hears Frankie's broadcasts and knows that it is only a matter of time before the war arrives on Franklin's shores. In charge of the town's mail, Iris believes that her job is to deliver and keep people's secrets, passing along the news that letters carry. And one secret she keeps are her feelings for Harry Vale, the town mechanic, who inspects the ocean daily, searching in vain for German U-boats he is certain will come. Two single people in midlife, Iris and Harry long ago gave up hope of ever being in love, yet they find themselves unexpectedly drawn toward each other.
Listening to Frankie as well are Will and Emma Fitch, the town's doctor and his new wife, both trying to escape a fragile childhood and forge a brighter future. When Will follow's Frankie's siren call into the war, Emma's worst fears are realized. Promising to return in six months, Will goes to London to offer his help, and the lives of the three women entwine.
Alternating between an America still cocooned in its inability to grasp the danger at hand and a Europe being torn apart by war, The Postmistress gives us two women who find themselves unable to deliver the news, and a third woman desperately waiting for news yet afraid to hear it."
Me again.
You know how sometimes you read a book and, for reasons you can't explain, it just grabs you and you can't stop reading until you're done and it sort of ruins you for books that aren't it for a little while?
Yeah. That's this one.
Pretty much all I've done today is read this book and now I'm sad. It's not that the book's sad (although it's not really that happy, per se); it's that it's done. So here's hoping Sarah Blake writes something else soon.
Kathryn Stockett (who wrote The Help; my favorite book from last year) said, "Great books give you a feeling that you miss all day until you finally get to crawl back inside those pages. The Postmistress is one of those rare books. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it.")
10 - Fireworks Over Toccoa
Finished Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff. This is a review copy; the book comes out March 30.
This is an incredibly sweet (and sad) love story in the vein of Nicholas Sparks. But don't judge; Stepakoff wrote for The Wonder Years. So this is a book that you can read in public with no shame. :)
This is set toward the end of World War II. Lily's a young bride and very excited that her husband, Paul, is coming home after three and a half years of being in Europe for the war. He'll be home in less than a week, and so she's working hard to get their house ready. (She's spent much of the separation back in her parents' home.)
And then she meets Jake, who just might be her soulmate. So there's a choice--the life she's already committed to, or the life she didn't know she could have.
If you're in the mood for a great love story, wait til March 30 and pick this up. The prose is a little purple, but I'm a big fan of melodrama, so that just made me like it more. :)
(And Emily Giffin, one of my favorite authors, said it's a "luminous love story that readers won't soon forget.")
I hope they make this into a movie.
This is an incredibly sweet (and sad) love story in the vein of Nicholas Sparks. But don't judge; Stepakoff wrote for The Wonder Years. So this is a book that you can read in public with no shame. :)
This is set toward the end of World War II. Lily's a young bride and very excited that her husband, Paul, is coming home after three and a half years of being in Europe for the war. He'll be home in less than a week, and so she's working hard to get their house ready. (She's spent much of the separation back in her parents' home.)
And then she meets Jake, who just might be her soulmate. So there's a choice--the life she's already committed to, or the life she didn't know she could have.
If you're in the mood for a great love story, wait til March 30 and pick this up. The prose is a little purple, but I'm a big fan of melodrama, so that just made me like it more. :)
(And Emily Giffin, one of my favorite authors, said it's a "luminous love story that readers won't soon forget.")
I hope they make this into a movie.
9 - The Things That Keep Us Here
Finished The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley. This is a review copy; the book comes out February 9.
This is about a pandemic (avian flu, in case you particulary care what kills off 40% of the population) that devastates the country and, probably, the world.
We live it through the eyes of Peter and Ann Brooks, a separated (and soon to be divorced) couple. Peter's a university researcher in this field and realizes early what's about to happen. He and a colleague move in with Ann and their daughters (Kate and Maddy).
This is a really scary book. Not The Shining-scary, but it's another case of how completely unprepared most of us are for any sort of catastrophic event. What would happen if we didn't have access to food, clean water, electricity, medicine? We'd be so screwed, even before you throw in the fact that there's a deadly flu.
And part of what makes it even scarier is that it doesn't even focus on the flu; this book is more about the day-to-day business of surviving and what happens to a family when it's quarantined in one house.
Another interesting thing this book does is raise the point about what kind of people we are. Are we someone who would risk everything to help a neighbor? Or are we more likely to do what we can to make sure we (and our families) stay alive?
Really good, really thought-provoking book.
This is about a pandemic (avian flu, in case you particulary care what kills off 40% of the population) that devastates the country and, probably, the world.
We live it through the eyes of Peter and Ann Brooks, a separated (and soon to be divorced) couple. Peter's a university researcher in this field and realizes early what's about to happen. He and a colleague move in with Ann and their daughters (Kate and Maddy).
This is a really scary book. Not The Shining-scary, but it's another case of how completely unprepared most of us are for any sort of catastrophic event. What would happen if we didn't have access to food, clean water, electricity, medicine? We'd be so screwed, even before you throw in the fact that there's a deadly flu.
And part of what makes it even scarier is that it doesn't even focus on the flu; this book is more about the day-to-day business of surviving and what happens to a family when it's quarantined in one house.
Another interesting thing this book does is raise the point about what kind of people we are. Are we someone who would risk everything to help a neighbor? Or are we more likely to do what we can to make sure we (and our families) stay alive?
Really good, really thought-provoking book.
8 - Letter to my Daughter
Finished Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop. This is a review copy; it comes out February 16.
This is an incredibly short book (126 pages in my copy; Amazon says it's 160 pages) and is a sweet, sad story told in one long letter.
Laura's teenage daughter, Elizabeth, has run off the night before her 15th birthday. When Laura was Elizabeth's age, she swore that she wouldn't be like her own mother and that she would be kind and understanding and would let her daughter live her own life. Like most people who make that promise as teenagers, it hasn't quite worked out that way.
So while waiting for Elizabeth to return, Laura writes a letter telling about her own teenage years and about the things that sent her to a Catholic boarding school and about the boy she loved.
This isn't necessarily easy to read (because who wants to revisit being a 15-year-old girl?) but it's definitely hard to put down.
This is an incredibly short book (126 pages in my copy; Amazon says it's 160 pages) and is a sweet, sad story told in one long letter.
Laura's teenage daughter, Elizabeth, has run off the night before her 15th birthday. When Laura was Elizabeth's age, she swore that she wouldn't be like her own mother and that she would be kind and understanding and would let her daughter live her own life. Like most people who make that promise as teenagers, it hasn't quite worked out that way.
So while waiting for Elizabeth to return, Laura writes a letter telling about her own teenage years and about the things that sent her to a Catholic boarding school and about the boy she loved.
This isn't necessarily easy to read (because who wants to revisit being a 15-year-old girl?) but it's definitely hard to put down.
7 - The Bread of Angels
Finished The Bread of Angels by Stephanie Saldana. This is a review book; it comes out February 9.
This is the best book I've read all year (and I have read really good books so far already this year) and actually for quite a while before that. The easy (read: lazy) comparison is to Eat, Pray, Love because this is about a year spent in a foreign country and it's very religious and there is love but it's better.
(And I liked Eat, Pray, Love; I am in in no way knocking Elizabeth Gilbert.)
It's hard to tell what books will capture the public. Sometimes it's deserved (Harry Potter) but usually it's not (I'm sure you don't need me to give examples). I hope this book will.
This is a memoir that reads like a novel. Stephanie arrives in Syria as a Fulbright scholar during George W. Bush's first term in office. You might think it'd be scary, but the people there are very nice.
Most of the book is about her struggles with faith and her interest in different religions. She was raised Catholic, so there's a lot of Christianity in there, but she becomes interested in Islam and learns Arabic and studies the Quran. (It's hard not to type "Koran" but she says Quran, so I'll say Quran...let's call the whole thing off?)
But there's a love story, although it comes late. Seriously, read this book the second you can. It's amazing.
This is the best book I've read all year (and I have read really good books so far already this year) and actually for quite a while before that. The easy (read: lazy) comparison is to Eat, Pray, Love because this is about a year spent in a foreign country and it's very religious and there is love but it's better.
(And I liked Eat, Pray, Love; I am in in no way knocking Elizabeth Gilbert.)
It's hard to tell what books will capture the public. Sometimes it's deserved (Harry Potter) but usually it's not (I'm sure you don't need me to give examples). I hope this book will.
This is a memoir that reads like a novel. Stephanie arrives in Syria as a Fulbright scholar during George W. Bush's first term in office. You might think it'd be scary, but the people there are very nice.
Most of the book is about her struggles with faith and her interest in different religions. She was raised Catholic, so there's a lot of Christianity in there, but she becomes interested in Islam and learns Arabic and studies the Quran. (It's hard not to type "Koran" but she says Quran, so I'll say Quran...let's call the whole thing off?)
But there's a love story, although it comes late. Seriously, read this book the second you can. It's amazing.
6 - The Opposite Field
Finished The Opposite Field by Jesse Katz.
This is a love story, or--slightly more accurately--the story of a man and his loves. Jesse Katz (journalist, husband, father, Little League manager and team coach) is pretty lucky in that his non-paying gig lets him spend time with his son, who's on his Little League team.
If you are a baseball fan, you'll probably love this book. But even if you aren't, odds are you'll really enjoy it. (I know, because I did.)
While baseball is the primary focus of the story, there are a lot of other threads--family love, romantic love, tragic love and just enough journalism talk to keep me happy. :)
This is a love story, or--slightly more accurately--the story of a man and his loves. Jesse Katz (journalist, husband, father, Little League manager and team coach) is pretty lucky in that his non-paying gig lets him spend time with his son, who's on his Little League team.
If you are a baseball fan, you'll probably love this book. But even if you aren't, odds are you'll really enjoy it. (I know, because I did.)
While baseball is the primary focus of the story, there are a lot of other threads--family love, romantic love, tragic love and just enough journalism talk to keep me happy. :)
5 - One Amazing Thing
Finished One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (advance copy; out Feb. 2).
Nine people--mostly strangers--are in an Indian visa/passport office when an earthquake strikes, trapping them. (The trapped: the office's two workers, a teenage girl and her grandmother, a married couple, a graduate student, an ex-soldier and a Muslim man.) There's debris in the hallway, so they can't get out. To pass the time and stay calm, they start telling stories, sharing one amazing thing from their lives.
You might think that a story set in one room would get boring pretty quickly. (If you do, you obviously haven't seen 12 Angry Men.) This book is anything but boring, though, and part of that is because it really isn't set in one room. Obviously each story takes the reader to a different location. They also manage to distract from the suspense of waiting for rescue.
An amazing book; I look forward to reading her other novels.
Nine people--mostly strangers--are in an Indian visa/passport office when an earthquake strikes, trapping them. (The trapped: the office's two workers, a teenage girl and her grandmother, a married couple, a graduate student, an ex-soldier and a Muslim man.) There's debris in the hallway, so they can't get out. To pass the time and stay calm, they start telling stories, sharing one amazing thing from their lives.
You might think that a story set in one room would get boring pretty quickly. (If you do, you obviously haven't seen 12 Angry Men.) This book is anything but boring, though, and part of that is because it really isn't set in one room. Obviously each story takes the reader to a different location. They also manage to distract from the suspense of waiting for rescue.
An amazing book; I look forward to reading her other novels.
4 - Horns
Finished Horns by Joe Hill.
I've read both of his other books (a short story collection and the insanely scary Heart-Shaped Box) and this one's totally different. It's still very good, but different.
Ig wakes up after a barely-remembered night of drinking and finds that he has horns. As in, there are actual, literal, devil-like horns sprouting out of his forehead.
So, like most rational people, he figures he'll head on to the doctor's and see what's going on. And then things really get weird, because strangers start telling him things--weird, personal things. Things you don't tell other people, but especially not strangers. (For example, a little girl tells him she wants to set her mom on fire.)
Ig has to decide whether to use his power for good or evil--and yes, there's really not much "good" you can do with something like this. (I should also mention that he's the suspect in a cold case investigation--the rape and murder of his girlfriend. That comes into play later.)
The thing I love about Joe Hill's books is that they are incredibly weird, usually darkly funny in parts, and that they are damn near impossible to put down. So while, yes, it is very different than Heart-Shaped Box (which, incidentally, is one of the skin-crawlingly creepiest books I've read in ages), it's also fantastic. Spending a couple days with Ig has been quite the journey, and I look forward to re-reading it. (I got a review copy; you can get it February 16.)
I've read both of his other books (a short story collection and the insanely scary Heart-Shaped Box) and this one's totally different. It's still very good, but different.
Ig wakes up after a barely-remembered night of drinking and finds that he has horns. As in, there are actual, literal, devil-like horns sprouting out of his forehead.
So, like most rational people, he figures he'll head on to the doctor's and see what's going on. And then things really get weird, because strangers start telling him things--weird, personal things. Things you don't tell other people, but especially not strangers. (For example, a little girl tells him she wants to set her mom on fire.)
Ig has to decide whether to use his power for good or evil--and yes, there's really not much "good" you can do with something like this. (I should also mention that he's the suspect in a cold case investigation--the rape and murder of his girlfriend. That comes into play later.)
The thing I love about Joe Hill's books is that they are incredibly weird, usually darkly funny in parts, and that they are damn near impossible to put down. So while, yes, it is very different than Heart-Shaped Box (which, incidentally, is one of the skin-crawlingly creepiest books I've read in ages), it's also fantastic. Spending a couple days with Ig has been quite the journey, and I look forward to re-reading it. (I got a review copy; you can get it February 16.)
3 - Jacob Have I Loved
Finished Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson.
My friend and former coworker Gwenn recommended this book. I haven't read it before, although I did read (and love) Bridge to Terabithia and The Great Gilly Hopkins, which she also wrote.
This is another fantastic book of hers, although I don't think she writes happy books. (That said, this is the first one I've read that didn't make me cry at the end.)
Sara Louise and Caroline are twins. Caroline is the favorite, probably at least partly because she almost died when she was born. Sara Louise, on the other hand, is sort of the forgotten twin. She works hard to help her father, who's a waterman (this is set on the Eastern Shore, and talks about Crisfield and Salisbury, where I'm from! LOVE!) but everyone is still concerned about Caroline and how to make her dreams of being a singer come true.
Sara Louise (who's called "Wheeze" by everyone in the family, because that's what Caroline called her when they were little) spends pretty much the entire book hating her sister. And for the record, Caroline doesn't seem that bad. She's a little bit of a pain, yes, but it seems like Wheeze is just determined to hate her. (And I kind of understand it, because it sucks to be the one who goes out of your way to help people and still not be the favorite.)
So yes, I definitely recommend this. And now I want to read more of her books. :)
My friend and former coworker Gwenn recommended this book. I haven't read it before, although I did read (and love) Bridge to Terabithia and The Great Gilly Hopkins, which she also wrote.
This is another fantastic book of hers, although I don't think she writes happy books. (That said, this is the first one I've read that didn't make me cry at the end.)
Sara Louise and Caroline are twins. Caroline is the favorite, probably at least partly because she almost died when she was born. Sara Louise, on the other hand, is sort of the forgotten twin. She works hard to help her father, who's a waterman (this is set on the Eastern Shore, and talks about Crisfield and Salisbury, where I'm from! LOVE!) but everyone is still concerned about Caroline and how to make her dreams of being a singer come true.
Sara Louise (who's called "Wheeze" by everyone in the family, because that's what Caroline called her when they were little) spends pretty much the entire book hating her sister. And for the record, Caroline doesn't seem that bad. She's a little bit of a pain, yes, but it seems like Wheeze is just determined to hate her. (And I kind of understand it, because it sucks to be the one who goes out of your way to help people and still not be the favorite.)
So yes, I definitely recommend this. And now I want to read more of her books. :)
2 - The Lost Hours
Finished The Lost Hours by Karen White.
I'm going to just give you the Amazon description, because I don't want to risk spoiling anything.
"When Piper Mills was twelve, she helped her grandfather bury a box that belonged to her grandmother in the backyard. For twelve years, it remained untouched.
Now a near fatal riding accident has shattered Piper's dreams of Olympic glory. After her grandfather’s death, she inherits the house and all its secrets, including a key to a room that doesn’t exist—or does it? And after her grandmother is sent away to a nursing home, she remembers the box buried in the backyard. In it are torn pages from a scrapbook, a charm necklace—and a newspaper article from 1939 about the body of an infant found floating in the Savannah River. The necklace’s charms tell the story of three friends during the 1930s— each charm added during the three months each friend had the necklace and recorded her life in the scrapbook. Piper always dismissed her grandmother as not having had a story to tell. And now, too late, Piper finds she might have been wrong."
I was talking to a friend of mine recently (maybe even YESTERDAY) about how much I enjoy finding a new author who's written a lot of books. It happened two years ago with Anita Shreve, and it's just happened again with Karen White. I cannot wait to get paid again; I am loading up my Kindle with her books. :)
I'm going to just give you the Amazon description, because I don't want to risk spoiling anything.
"When Piper Mills was twelve, she helped her grandfather bury a box that belonged to her grandmother in the backyard. For twelve years, it remained untouched.
Now a near fatal riding accident has shattered Piper's dreams of Olympic glory. After her grandfather’s death, she inherits the house and all its secrets, including a key to a room that doesn’t exist—or does it? And after her grandmother is sent away to a nursing home, she remembers the box buried in the backyard. In it are torn pages from a scrapbook, a charm necklace—and a newspaper article from 1939 about the body of an infant found floating in the Savannah River. The necklace’s charms tell the story of three friends during the 1930s— each charm added during the three months each friend had the necklace and recorded her life in the scrapbook. Piper always dismissed her grandmother as not having had a story to tell. And now, too late, Piper finds she might have been wrong."
I was talking to a friend of mine recently (maybe even YESTERDAY) about how much I enjoy finding a new author who's written a lot of books. It happened two years ago with Anita Shreve, and it's just happened again with Karen White. I cannot wait to get paid again; I am loading up my Kindle with her books. :)
1 - Repossessed
Finished Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins.
Really fun book (very hard not to read in one sitting) about a demon who possesses (sort of) someone after he decides to see what life is like as a human.
He notices a teenage boy is about to die after being hit by a car, so he pops in and prevents the boy (Shaun) from stepping off the curb. Voila--Shaun's gone and the demon's in control.
You may think that the demon (or Fallen, as he prefers to be called) would be wreaking all sorts of havoc, but really, not so much. He wants to make a difference and sets out a plan for how to do that.
Fun, oddly sweet book.
Really fun book (very hard not to read in one sitting) about a demon who possesses (sort of) someone after he decides to see what life is like as a human.
He notices a teenage boy is about to die after being hit by a car, so he pops in and prevents the boy (Shaun) from stepping off the curb. Voila--Shaun's gone and the demon's in control.
You may think that the demon (or Fallen, as he prefers to be called) would be wreaking all sorts of havoc, but really, not so much. He wants to make a difference and sets out a plan for how to do that.
Fun, oddly sweet book.
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