Summer reading suggestions!
With Memorial Day coming up, and schools letting out soon, I thought it might be useful to put an entry together with people's favorite summer reading suggestions. So, drop on by this entry and add your recommendations.
Happy summer reading!
Happy summer reading!
AAAAAAAARGH LJ just deleted my almost complete post. I'm so dumb! Here's my attempt at recreation. But now I'm tired, so this won't be as detailed as it was before. :(
February was the month I started putting more emphasis on reading for pleasure. I think I did pretty well.
6. The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde
I'm a big fan of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series. This book is the first in his series about Jack Spratt and the Nursery Crime Division. The two series are very similar, though the Thursday Next books take place in a universe where literature comes to life, and the NCD books are set in a world where fairy tales and nursery rhymes are real and live their lives among ordinary people. As in all of his other books, Fforde writes with such imagination and wit that the book is a joy to read.
Unfortunately for me, I put this book down in the middle and restarted it about a month later. I do not recommend this. This is a book you want to read straight through, as there are so many unique and vibrant characters, one can easily become confused. [4/5]
7. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman is quite possibly my favorite author. This is a hard classification for me, as I also love so many other authors. However, Gaiman has always held a special place in my heart, ever since I bought and read Good Omens to ragged shreds. Since then, I have read all of his novels save three, and countless graphic novels and short stories, and loved them all. Anansi Boys is no exception. This wonderful novel has all the characteristics of a Gaiman novel that I adore. The story of the protagonist is also tied in with a pre-existing story, in this case, the stories of Anansi, the trickster God. Fat Charlie, the son of Anansi, is a clumsy, insecure man lost in the shadow of his larger-than-life father. After his father's death, he is immediately plunged into the mystical world of his brother. Fat Charlie, though, does manage to find his way out of his predicament a stronger man than before.
A consummate storyteller, Gaiman believes in the strength and magic of words. He is able to convey that magic in every word he writes. As a reader, I felt, as I do with all of his novels, completely sucked into his world by the power of his prose. [5/5]
8. Saturday by Ian McEwan
Before I picked up this book, the only exposure to McEwan had been the film adaptation of Atonement. From watching this movie, I formulated the incorrect idea that McEwan typically wrote historical novels. My friend recommended this book strongly to me, and even though it was painfully contemporary (the 9/11 attacks are constantly referenced), I tried hard not to focus on that. Here's my confession: I don't like contemporary novels that depend on recent events, they feel dated... even cheap to me. I know, I know, it's a bit hypocritical to say as I'm someone who thoroughly enjoys a good historical novel. I can't explain it, but that's how it is. The only exception is Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
That said, I loved McEwan's style and prose. There is no doubt he's an extremely talented writer. He's very good at painting complete and detailed portraits of his characters. I found the ending a bit disjointed, but overall, I don't think this was a waste of a read at all. [3/5]
9. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
There are some books that have to be read at the right age, and this is one of them. I am forever thankful that I found the Chronicles of Narnia before I was old enough to see the Christian parallels instead of a rocking story. If I had read this book when I was younger, I think I would have loved it. As an adult, I still found the idea of staying in the Metropolitan Museum charming, but the novel as a whole did not make a great impression on me.
Konigsburg has admitted to basing Claudia and Jamie on her own kids, and truly, she has a great knack for writing children. I work with children on a regular basis, and these two remind me of so many charges I've had. I definitely encourage children to read this book, but adults, if you didn't read this as a kid, I wouldn't put this at the top of your list. [3/5]
10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
This book has been on my back burner since a friend recommended it in high school, but I never got to it. Then, my roommate checked out a copy at the library and insisted I read it right then and there. At first I was skeptical. I'm not the biggest fan of epistolary or high school literature. This book is composed of a series of letters written by a high school freshman to an anonymous recipient.
It took me a few days to get into it, but one night I was struck with a fit of insomnia and ended up finishing the book. As I read, I found myself connecting with the narrator, Charlie, more and more. Chbosky was able to evoke for me the awkwardness and insecurity of being a freshman, but also the sense of wonder and learning. He brought back to me the feeling of being young and unsure, but in a good way, if that's possible. As a jaded almost college grad, this book was a breath of fresh air. [4/5]
11. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
My favorite Beatles song is "Norwegian Wood," so that was a big factor in my choosing this novel over other Murakami choices at the Strand, when I had a few extra bucks to spend. Also, I love the purple John Lennonesque circles on the girl's face. I have since learned that this novel is extremely atypical of Murakami's style, in that this is a "mere love story." If that's true, his other novels must be even more spectacular and heartbreaking than this one. This "mere love story" charts the tumultuous (an overused, but wonderful word) relationship of Toru and Naoko. We learn of their individual sorrows and collective tragedies. Though the two share anything but a smooth relationship, one cannot help but root for them.
This is the novel that, I think rightfully, really catapulted Murakami into the public sphere. His prose is littered with cultural and pop references. His setting is undeniably Japanese, but not so much that it detracts from the story. Murakami's critics may be right in saying the plot is simplistic, but they cannot deny the flair and style with which Murakami describes that plot. [4/5]
I'm going to go on a little tangent right here. When I was reading Norwegian Wood and Anansi Boys, I kept finding myself stumbling onto a problem. I had to keep reminding myself that the characters were Japanese and of African descent, respectively. I'm a Chinese American who's lived in the States for the majority of my life, and have been surrounded by other Chinese Americans my whole life. However, I still find myself defaulting to the typical Caucasian model while reading these two novels. With Murakami, he doesn't need to constantly remind the readers that the characters are Japanese, it's implied. Even so, and with names like Toru and Naoko, I found myself picturing the various characters as non-Asian. Likewise, in Anansi Boys, I kept forgetting Fat Charlie and Spider were not white.
I bring this up because I was watching "Avatar: The Last Airbender" with a friend, and had a vehement argument over whether or not the drawn characters were Asian. Hollywood is making a live-action version of the show, and have cast three very white actors as the three main characters. The only non-white character, played by Dev Patel, is the villain. I can't make this up. Anyway, she tried to defend Hollywood by saying the characters "don't look Asian" to her. This brings me to my real question. Do you have a "default" that you picture in your head when you read a novel, and if so, do you think the burden is on the author to always provide a description of a character?
February was the month I started putting more emphasis on reading for pleasure. I think I did pretty well.
6. The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde
I'm a big fan of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series. This book is the first in his series about Jack Spratt and the Nursery Crime Division. The two series are very similar, though the Thursday Next books take place in a universe where literature comes to life, and the NCD books are set in a world where fairy tales and nursery rhymes are real and live their lives among ordinary people. As in all of his other books, Fforde writes with such imagination and wit that the book is a joy to read.
Unfortunately for me, I put this book down in the middle and restarted it about a month later. I do not recommend this. This is a book you want to read straight through, as there are so many unique and vibrant characters, one can easily become confused. [4/5]
7. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman is quite possibly my favorite author. This is a hard classification for me, as I also love so many other authors. However, Gaiman has always held a special place in my heart, ever since I bought and read Good Omens to ragged shreds. Since then, I have read all of his novels save three, and countless graphic novels and short stories, and loved them all. Anansi Boys is no exception. This wonderful novel has all the characteristics of a Gaiman novel that I adore. The story of the protagonist is also tied in with a pre-existing story, in this case, the stories of Anansi, the trickster God. Fat Charlie, the son of Anansi, is a clumsy, insecure man lost in the shadow of his larger-than-life father. After his father's death, he is immediately plunged into the mystical world of his brother. Fat Charlie, though, does manage to find his way out of his predicament a stronger man than before.
A consummate storyteller, Gaiman believes in the strength and magic of words. He is able to convey that magic in every word he writes. As a reader, I felt, as I do with all of his novels, completely sucked into his world by the power of his prose. [5/5]
8. Saturday by Ian McEwan
Before I picked up this book, the only exposure to McEwan had been the film adaptation of Atonement. From watching this movie, I formulated the incorrect idea that McEwan typically wrote historical novels. My friend recommended this book strongly to me, and even though it was painfully contemporary (the 9/11 attacks are constantly referenced), I tried hard not to focus on that. Here's my confession: I don't like contemporary novels that depend on recent events, they feel dated... even cheap to me. I know, I know, it's a bit hypocritical to say as I'm someone who thoroughly enjoys a good historical novel. I can't explain it, but that's how it is. The only exception is Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
That said, I loved McEwan's style and prose. There is no doubt he's an extremely talented writer. He's very good at painting complete and detailed portraits of his characters. I found the ending a bit disjointed, but overall, I don't think this was a waste of a read at all. [3/5]
9. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
There are some books that have to be read at the right age, and this is one of them. I am forever thankful that I found the Chronicles of Narnia before I was old enough to see the Christian parallels instead of a rocking story. If I had read this book when I was younger, I think I would have loved it. As an adult, I still found the idea of staying in the Metropolitan Museum charming, but the novel as a whole did not make a great impression on me.
Konigsburg has admitted to basing Claudia and Jamie on her own kids, and truly, she has a great knack for writing children. I work with children on a regular basis, and these two remind me of so many charges I've had. I definitely encourage children to read this book, but adults, if you didn't read this as a kid, I wouldn't put this at the top of your list. [3/5]
10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
This book has been on my back burner since a friend recommended it in high school, but I never got to it. Then, my roommate checked out a copy at the library and insisted I read it right then and there. At first I was skeptical. I'm not the biggest fan of epistolary or high school literature. This book is composed of a series of letters written by a high school freshman to an anonymous recipient.
It took me a few days to get into it, but one night I was struck with a fit of insomnia and ended up finishing the book. As I read, I found myself connecting with the narrator, Charlie, more and more. Chbosky was able to evoke for me the awkwardness and insecurity of being a freshman, but also the sense of wonder and learning. He brought back to me the feeling of being young and unsure, but in a good way, if that's possible. As a jaded almost college grad, this book was a breath of fresh air. [4/5]
11. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
My favorite Beatles song is "Norwegian Wood," so that was a big factor in my choosing this novel over other Murakami choices at the Strand, when I had a few extra bucks to spend. Also, I love the purple John Lennonesque circles on the girl's face. I have since learned that this novel is extremely atypical of Murakami's style, in that this is a "mere love story." If that's true, his other novels must be even more spectacular and heartbreaking than this one. This "mere love story" charts the tumultuous (an overused, but wonderful word) relationship of Toru and Naoko. We learn of their individual sorrows and collective tragedies. Though the two share anything but a smooth relationship, one cannot help but root for them.
This is the novel that, I think rightfully, really catapulted Murakami into the public sphere. His prose is littered with cultural and pop references. His setting is undeniably Japanese, but not so much that it detracts from the story. Murakami's critics may be right in saying the plot is simplistic, but they cannot deny the flair and style with which Murakami describes that plot. [4/5]
I'm going to go on a little tangent right here. When I was reading Norwegian Wood and Anansi Boys, I kept finding myself stumbling onto a problem. I had to keep reminding myself that the characters were Japanese and of African descent, respectively. I'm a Chinese American who's lived in the States for the majority of my life, and have been surrounded by other Chinese Americans my whole life. However, I still find myself defaulting to the typical Caucasian model while reading these two novels. With Murakami, he doesn't need to constantly remind the readers that the characters are Japanese, it's implied. Even so, and with names like Toru and Naoko, I found myself picturing the various characters as non-Asian. Likewise, in Anansi Boys, I kept forgetting Fat Charlie and Spider were not white.
I bring this up because I was watching "Avatar: The Last Airbender" with a friend, and had a vehement argument over whether or not the drawn characters were Asian. Hollywood is making a live-action version of the show, and have cast three very white actors as the three main characters. The only non-white character, played by Dev Patel, is the villain. I can't make this up. Anyway, she tried to defend Hollywood by saying the characters "don't look Asian" to her. This brings me to my real question. Do you have a "default" that you picture in your head when you read a novel, and if so, do you think the burden is on the author to always provide a description of a character?
11 / 100
- Location:Rent
- Mood:
drained
 |
Author: Marie V. Snyder
Genre: Fantasy Romance.
Other Details: Paperback. 512 pages.
This new trilogy from Marie V. Snyder is set four years after the closing of Fire Study. Its main character and narrator is glassmaker Opal Cowan, who was first introduced in Magic Study.
Opal is now a magician-in-training at the Magician's Keep and faces her first real test when she is sent on a mission by the Master Magicians of Sitia to discover why the glass orbs of the Stormdance Clan have been shattering, killing storm dancers in the process. This is only the start of Opal's adventures and trials as this book packs a great deal of plot into its pages yet still has time for some romance and reflection.
I really liked Opal when she first appeared and was delighted to find her elevated to leading lady of this new trilogy. Snyder had created such a coherent fantasy world that I had felt immediately at home in from the start of the Study Trilogy. There is the added bonus of pronounceable names! I did wonder how glass-making would carry a plot though I need not have been concerned because it worked out well.
I do think though that although some background is given that this book really needs to be read after the Study Trilogy as many aspects of plot and characters are carried over and it builds on the foundation created there in terms of the world, its peoples and cultures. I loved it and am pleased that the second book, Sea Glass, will be out this autumn.
Chapter 1 of Storm Glass - contains spoilers for conclusion of Fire Study.
I have seen the movie this is based upon many times, and I was curious to see how it compared.
However, perhaps this was not the best of books to read while recovering from surgery and on pain medication.
Howl's Moving Castle takes place in a zany world with prominent wizards and witches. There is the Witch of the Waste, not a figure one wants to cross. There is Howl in his moving castle who is said to eat the hearts of girls. And then there is Sophie Hatter, an absolute nobody. The eldest of three sisters and doomed to be the biggest failure, Sophie resigns herself to a dreary life of making hats. That is, until the Witch of the Waste waltzes in and without explanation changes Sophie into an old woman. Arthritic and grumpy, Sophie sets out to find her fortune and ends up cleaning house for Howl - who has his own conflict going with the Witch of the Waste.
This is a trippy little book. As odd as it seems, the movie actually toned down the craziness a good bit. I had trouble following it at times - whether that was because of my mental state or the book itself, I can't really say. I still loved Calcifer, though.
However, perhaps this was not the best of books to read while recovering from surgery and on pain medication.
Howl's Moving Castle takes place in a zany world with prominent wizards and witches. There is the Witch of the Waste, not a figure one wants to cross. There is Howl in his moving castle who is said to eat the hearts of girls. And then there is Sophie Hatter, an absolute nobody. The eldest of three sisters and doomed to be the biggest failure, Sophie resigns herself to a dreary life of making hats. That is, until the Witch of the Waste waltzes in and without explanation changes Sophie into an old woman. Arthritic and grumpy, Sophie sets out to find her fortune and ends up cleaning house for Howl - who has his own conflict going with the Witch of the Waste.
This is a trippy little book. As odd as it seems, the movie actually toned down the craziness a good bit. I had trouble following it at times - whether that was because of my mental state or the book itself, I can't really say. I still loved Calcifer, though.
- Mood:
weird
Title: Spindle's End
Author: Robin McKinley
Year: 2000
# of pages: 354
Date read: 4/11/2009
Rating: 4*/5 = great
Description:
"All the creatures of forest and field and riverbank knew the infant was special. She was the princess, spirited away from the evil fairy Pernicia on her name-day. But the curse was cast: Rosie was fated to prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a poisoned sleep -- a slumber from which no one would be able to rouse her. . . ."
My thoughts:
Robin McKinley does a wonderful job portraying the Sleeping Beauty/Briar Rose fairy tale in a fresh light. By delving into the people's attempt to thwart the evil fairy Pernicia, she expands the story so that when I got to the inevitable confrontation, I was rooting for Rosie and her friends, both human and animal.
Progress:
Done with 45 books now, leaving me 5 to finish before the end of September. I think I'm doing pretty good.
41. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Interesting book, written as a series of letters. It takes place after WWII, and gives some insights into the war that other books don't really cover. They focus more on the Holocaust than on the other elements. For a full review, go here.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4/5
42. Around the World in Eighty Days, by Jules Verne
I think this is the 4th or 5th time I've attempted to read this book, and because of DailyLit, I actually managed to get through it. Once again, it didn't meet my expectations, as the characters seem rather... bland, but it's good to read for the classical value of it, I suppose.
Genre: Classics
Rating: 4/5
43. The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
I expected quite a bit out of this book as well, and I was disappointed. I understand that this book was written in a different time and place, but I cringed each time I read something about how the natives were inferior and women were silly creatures. Other than that, it was an interesting plot and the characters were quite interesting.
Genre: Classics
Rating: 4/5
44. Emma, by Jane Austen
I'm trying to get through all of Austen's books. I've read (and loved) Pride and Prejudice, and I just got through Sense and Sensibility a few months ago. Finally, I had time to read through Emma. Honestly, I liked it a whole lot more than Sense and Sensibility, but it still doesn't compare to Pride and Prejudice, I don't think. I liked how the characters were developed, but my mind wandered to the point where I had to reread passages several times to figure out what was going on. Still, I'm glad I read it, and the story does seem worth the read.
Genre: Classics
Rating: 4.5/5
45. Secret Vampire (Night World, Book 1), by L. J. Smith
I'm honestly not sure what to make of this one. I heard some amazing reviews about it, so I added it to my list and gave it a try. I loved the world that was created, but I felt that the characters were flat and the book ended too soon to really get into it. I mean, I read through it in 3 hours, including time that I was dealing with my sister and driving her places. I think I'll try some of the other books in the series, but it might be a while before I pick them up.
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating: 3.5/5
41. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Interesting book, written as a series of letters. It takes place after WWII, and gives some insights into the war that other books don't really cover. They focus more on the Holocaust than on the other elements. For a full review, go here.
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4/5
42. Around the World in Eighty Days, by Jules Verne
I think this is the 4th or 5th time I've attempted to read this book, and because of DailyLit, I actually managed to get through it. Once again, it didn't meet my expectations, as the characters seem rather... bland, but it's good to read for the classical value of it, I suppose.
Genre: Classics
Rating: 4/5
43. The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
I expected quite a bit out of this book as well, and I was disappointed. I understand that this book was written in a different time and place, but I cringed each time I read something about how the natives were inferior and women were silly creatures. Other than that, it was an interesting plot and the characters were quite interesting.
Genre: Classics
Rating: 4/5
44. Emma, by Jane Austen
I'm trying to get through all of Austen's books. I've read (and loved) Pride and Prejudice, and I just got through Sense and Sensibility a few months ago. Finally, I had time to read through Emma. Honestly, I liked it a whole lot more than Sense and Sensibility, but it still doesn't compare to Pride and Prejudice, I don't think. I liked how the characters were developed, but my mind wandered to the point where I had to reread passages several times to figure out what was going on. Still, I'm glad I read it, and the story does seem worth the read.
Genre: Classics
Rating: 4.5/5
45. Secret Vampire (Night World, Book 1), by L. J. Smith
I'm honestly not sure what to make of this one. I heard some amazing reviews about it, so I added it to my list and gave it a try. I loved the world that was created, but I felt that the characters were flat and the book ended too soon to really get into it. I mean, I read through it in 3 hours, including time that I was dealing with my sister and driving her places. I think I'll try some of the other books in the series, but it might be a while before I pick them up.
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating: 3.5/5
49) The Sharing Knife: Horizon by Lois McMaster Bujold (Fantasy, 453 pages)
This is the last book in Bujold's Sharing Knife series. I honestly don't know what to say about this book or even this series. Yes, it was enjoyable and I kept reading, but something always felt "off" in the books -- it did not feel like Bujold. There were hints of great world building but specifics were never really brought to the front. The character development seemed shallower than in her other books, and I never really connected with either of the two main characters. BUT if I lowered my expectations (it is Bujold, after all, so those expectations are rather high), the series comes out to a good solid, if not very memorable, read, though I did feel that this fourth book was weaker than the third one, which may be my favorite of the four. 3.5/5
50) Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (Science Fiction, 389 pages)
This was the book that made me love Cordelia, who can kick ass and take names, and completely turn a conservative society on its head single-handedly. I can't wait to see her with Miles's children. That would be one formidable grandmother. 4.5/5
51) Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament by S.G. Browne (Urban Fantasy, 311 pages)
If you had told me that zombies could be sympathetic characters, I wouldn't have believed you. But Browne manages that beautifully. This book was funny, thoughtful, and all together just fun. I've never liked man-eating undead monsters more. 4/5
52) Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin (Urban Fantasy, 368 pages)
This was ultimately nothing spectacular. The characterization fell flat for me, the plot was interesting but felt forced at points, and I could not connect much with any of the characters. But considering I only spent a dollar on it, I got my money's worth. A quick read for the Metro. 3.5/5
53) The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Young Adult, 308 pages)
This is the companion book to Life As We Know It, which had absolutely blown me away. I had read the description for The Dead and the Gone and wasn't sure I really wanted to read it. It sounded grittier and I did not honestly believe it could have lived up to the first. And I was right -- it was grittier in that because Alex lived in the New York City, death was more prevalent and much more personal. For some reason, I did not feel as compelled by this book as I had the first -- whether this was due to the fact I had read Life so I had an idea of what would happen, or because I just didn't feel as connected to Alex, I can't say. I did enjoy the book, though, and sped through it, and am anxiously awaiting the publication of the third book in the series. 4/5
54) Sorcery and the Single Girl by Mindy Klasky (Chick-Lit Urban Fantasy, 400 pages)
The main character and her best friend verged on too stupid to live for most of the book, making me want to reach through the pages and start hitting people. The series continues to amuse but Jane needs to grow up. 3/5
55) Magic and the Modern Girl by Mindy Klasky (Chick-Lit Urban Fantasy, 416 pages)
SO much better than the previous book in the series. It was a nice wrap up to the 3 books. 4/5
56) The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold (Science Fiction, 325 pages)
A reread of a series that never grows tiring or old. I fell in love with Miles all over again. Forward momentum. 4.5/5
57) The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold (Science Fiction, 346 pages)
This was the book that made me really take notice of Gregor. Before, I had always seen him as a powerful (but rather boring) background character. While reading this book, I sat up and thought, "Huh. He's really rather interesting!" 4/5
This is the last book in Bujold's Sharing Knife series. I honestly don't know what to say about this book or even this series. Yes, it was enjoyable and I kept reading, but something always felt "off" in the books -- it did not feel like Bujold. There were hints of great world building but specifics were never really brought to the front. The character development seemed shallower than in her other books, and I never really connected with either of the two main characters. BUT if I lowered my expectations (it is Bujold, after all, so those expectations are rather high), the series comes out to a good solid, if not very memorable, read, though I did feel that this fourth book was weaker than the third one, which may be my favorite of the four. 3.5/5
50) Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (Science Fiction, 389 pages)
This was the book that made me love Cordelia, who can kick ass and take names, and completely turn a conservative society on its head single-handedly. I can't wait to see her with Miles's children. That would be one formidable grandmother. 4.5/5
51) Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament by S.G. Browne (Urban Fantasy, 311 pages)
If you had told me that zombies could be sympathetic characters, I wouldn't have believed you. But Browne manages that beautifully. This book was funny, thoughtful, and all together just fun. I've never liked man-eating undead monsters more. 4/5
52) Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin (Urban Fantasy, 368 pages)
This was ultimately nothing spectacular. The characterization fell flat for me, the plot was interesting but felt forced at points, and I could not connect much with any of the characters. But considering I only spent a dollar on it, I got my money's worth. A quick read for the Metro. 3.5/5
53) The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Young Adult, 308 pages)
This is the companion book to Life As We Know It, which had absolutely blown me away. I had read the description for The Dead and the Gone and wasn't sure I really wanted to read it. It sounded grittier and I did not honestly believe it could have lived up to the first. And I was right -- it was grittier in that because Alex lived in the New York City, death was more prevalent and much more personal. For some reason, I did not feel as compelled by this book as I had the first -- whether this was due to the fact I had read Life so I had an idea of what would happen, or because I just didn't feel as connected to Alex, I can't say. I did enjoy the book, though, and sped through it, and am anxiously awaiting the publication of the third book in the series. 4/5
54) Sorcery and the Single Girl by Mindy Klasky (Chick-Lit Urban Fantasy, 400 pages)
The main character and her best friend verged on too stupid to live for most of the book, making me want to reach through the pages and start hitting people. The series continues to amuse but Jane needs to grow up. 3/5
55) Magic and the Modern Girl by Mindy Klasky (Chick-Lit Urban Fantasy, 416 pages)
SO much better than the previous book in the series. It was a nice wrap up to the 3 books. 4/5
56) The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold (Science Fiction, 325 pages)
A reread of a series that never grows tiring or old. I fell in love with Miles all over again. Forward momentum. 4.5/5
57) The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold (Science Fiction, 346 pages)
This was the book that made me really take notice of Gregor. Before, I had always seen him as a powerful (but rather boring) background character. While reading this book, I sat up and thought, "Huh. He's really rather interesting!" 4/5
53. The Amulet of Samarkand- Jonathan Stroud, 492 pages, 4/5
This was a fantasy story about a trainee magician and a djinn who steal an amulet and end up in more trouble than they bargained for. It was a good book, quite dark and with more adult humour than your usually YA book. I will keep an eye out for the others in the trilogy.
54. The Progress of Poetry- I. M. Parsons, 168 pages, 4/5
This is an anthology showing the development of poetry between roughly 1900-1930. It was published in 1936 so it was quite modern then but now, despite having a number of famous poets and some classics there were a few names I'd never heard of in it too. I really only bought it for the war poets and it included works by Edmund Blunden and Charles Sorley which was unexpected.
55. Emma- Jane Austen, 367 pages, 5/5
Very amusing telling and a great story about a young lady who loves to play matchmaker but without much success. It was a real page turner, though there were plenty of clues as to what was to come. I'm also in love with Mr Knightley!
56. Memoirs of an Infantry Officer- Siegfried Sassoon, 244 pages, 5/5
Second book in the Sherston trilogy, this time a semi-fictional account of Sassoon's own time in the trenches and back in blighty whilst wounded. I loved it of course, and it's worth reading if you want a good account of an officer's life in WW1.
Books: 56 Pages: 16962
This was a fantasy story about a trainee magician and a djinn who steal an amulet and end up in more trouble than they bargained for. It was a good book, quite dark and with more adult humour than your usually YA book. I will keep an eye out for the others in the trilogy.
54. The Progress of Poetry- I. M. Parsons, 168 pages, 4/5
This is an anthology showing the development of poetry between roughly 1900-1930. It was published in 1936 so it was quite modern then but now, despite having a number of famous poets and some classics there were a few names I'd never heard of in it too. I really only bought it for the war poets and it included works by Edmund Blunden and Charles Sorley which was unexpected.
55. Emma- Jane Austen, 367 pages, 5/5
Very amusing telling and a great story about a young lady who loves to play matchmaker but without much success. It was a real page turner, though there were plenty of clues as to what was to come. I'm also in love with Mr Knightley!
56. Memoirs of an Infantry Officer- Siegfried Sassoon, 244 pages, 5/5
Second book in the Sherston trilogy, this time a semi-fictional account of Sassoon's own time in the trenches and back in blighty whilst wounded. I loved it of course, and it's worth reading if you want a good account of an officer's life in WW1.
Books: 56 Pages: 16962
- Mood:busy
Just joined, and this is just the thing I need to get back into reading. I used to read constantly, but then I slacked off. *gasp*
1. A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony. Fantasy
This is set in Anthony's Xanth, a literally magical place surrounded by the un-magical land of Mundania. The main character, Bink, is about to be exiled to Mundania unless he is able to figure out his own magical talent.
It's a light and fun read. I could barely put it down.
2. The Source of Magic by Piers Anthony. Fantasy
Also set in the land of Xanth. This time, Bink is off to find the source of the magic in Xanth.
Obviously this is similar to my #1, light, fun, and hardly put-down-able.
I am in the middle of the I Ching, also called The Book of Changes.
1. A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony. Fantasy
This is set in Anthony's Xanth, a literally magical place surrounded by the un-magical land of Mundania. The main character, Bink, is about to be exiled to Mundania unless he is able to figure out his own magical talent.
It's a light and fun read. I could barely put it down.
2. The Source of Magic by Piers Anthony. Fantasy
Also set in the land of Xanth. This time, Bink is off to find the source of the magic in Xanth.
Obviously this is similar to my #1, light, fun, and hardly put-down-able.
I am in the middle of the I Ching, also called The Book of Changes.
BOOK 23 - OSCAR WILDE: LADY WINDEMERE'S FAN
a play
Language: English
Pages: 43
This my second play from Wilde, and do I like him! (Yes!) Previously I've read The Importance of Being Earnest, but this one was even better. I underlined a big bunch of expressions that I liked or enjoyed in any way; many of them were jokes... Now the terrible cangaroos crawling or flying about joke has evolved into some sort of an inside joke for me and my boyfriend. :) Wilde had clearly a great sense of humour, and he critizised the upper class very ably. Would recommend Oscar Wilde for anyone!
BOOK 24 - D.H. LAWRENCE: THE FOX
novella
Language: English
Pages: 114
This also is my second book from the author in question, I've read The Virgin and the Gypsy. I like Lawrence's style, although I'm not exactly confident with his attitudes towards women - and somehow the way he perceives women and I perceive them (this story was about two women who lived together on a farm, and lead a independent, manless life - I was naive enough for a while to think them for some sort of feminists...) create a gap in my understanding - at least the endings of these both works were somewhat weird, pointless, absurd for me - surprising is OK, but these plots, or rather the final twists, did not make sense to me. Anyway, I will certainly read more Lawrence in the future, and enjoy his works; I should read some of his bigger works, and will, since they certainly belong to my curriculum.
BOOK 25 - WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: TWELFTH NIGHT
a play
Language: English
Pages: 62
My fifth play by Shakespeare - and my first comedy. Sure, I wasn't surprised that the genius also managed the comedy genre next to drama... There weren't lmao-scenes, but many word games and ironies made me laugh and sneer, and that's enough. So, enjoyed it very much. Twelfth Night was my first book from the University reading list, and such a nice start, that I haven't really gotten forward, cause I'm afraid I won't like the other works from the list as much.
Youth's a stuff that will not endure, so come kiss me, sweet and twenty! (not precise with punctuation etc.) was also topical for my own life. Thank you Shakespeare for ... well, writing.
BOOK 26 - ANNA-LEENA HÄRKÖNEN: AKVAARIORAKKAUTTA
a novel
Language: Finnish
Pages: 190
A novel in my mother tongue for change... I found this book in the shelves of the woman whose boy I'm babysitting (they have an impressing amount of books, and works at least in five languages). [Don't read this review further, if you're shy about sex.] My second book from Härkönen, and this far I'm very convinced of her ability to deal with sexuality and sex - this she did very credibly in both of the books (other one is called Häräntappoase). This was about a woman whose sexuality is somewhat twisted - she couldn't come during normal copulation, but had to imagine all kinds of violent scenes or masturbate with a sharp-ended curtain rod. This caused some difficulties and tensions in her relationship with a "normal" man. I loved the adroit style and the colloquial language Härkönen used - she could maybe be compared to Elfriede Jelinek of Austria. I am a feminist myself, but couldn't help laughing and nodding to this criticism of feminism:
"I've never been able to stand that women heap men with so fucking many demands; a huge hissing choir of cunts; a mindless chaos of cracks ravenously gasping; a disgusting pile of meatlumps floating in their fluids." (I translated this myself)
BOOK 28 - ASTRID LINDGREN: MICHEL IN DEN SUPPESCHÜSSEL (org. Emil från Lönneberga)
children fiction
Language: German
Pages: 109
My favourite children's author beside Tove Jansson. Emil, in German Michel, is such a cute character. This book included three stories of his tricks and mischieves; when he stuck his head in the soup pot and when he towed his little sister Ida to the flagpole. These stories, like anything from Lindgren, I'm surely going to read to my own children. They make me laugh and are just simply up-lifting. The version I read was illustrated by Björn Berg, whose pictures are just the right ones for Lindgren's books. Me and my German-speaking friend, whom I read the stories aloud to, got a real good laugh. :)
BOOK 29 - J.K. ROWLING: HARRY POTTER JA PUOLIVERINEN PRINSSI (6th)
fantasy book, HP series
Language: Finnish
Pages: 698
Now I have read 6 HP books to the person, who has, for a long time, been the object of my attempts to get him addicted to Harry Potters. Finally I have achieved my goal, and he is going to buy the seventh book in his mother tongue and read it himself. :) What can I say about this? Lotsa love, that's all.
Read this far:
29/50 = 58 % done,
49,6 % of the year gone
- Location:zu Hause
- Mood: crazy
So, we're about halfway through the year yeah? And looking at the list of books I've read so far, I seem to be doing pretty well. I waved goodbye to #25 back in April, so I'm recalibrating my goals. By the end of this year, I shall read 62 more (100 total) books.
Hurrah!
Anywho, since I'm very much behind on posting, here are the books I read back in January.
1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
For some reason, I never read this book in middle school or high school, which is, I'm given to understands, the usual time. I instead waited til I found this GORGEOUS edition before finally picking it up. After finishing it, all I can do is regret not reading it before, and wishing that I might have the supreme joy of reading it again for the first time. I'd heard that this novel was boring and unbelievable, and the characters unsympathetic. I found it to be full of engaging, exciting people and page-turning action.
The love story between Jane and Rochester is one I will not soon forget. With the presence of such a love in fiction, how can one ever hope for anything comparable in real life? [5/5]
2. Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris
I was a little unsure of this book, having read Chocolat by the same author, and been slightly disappointed. However, I was very glad I did pick it up. This book, which largely takes place at a boy's boarding school, gave me a lot of food for thought. An important theme in the book is that of the role of education in a person's life. Harris herself was a schoolteacher for many years, and poured much of her experience into writing the novel. I'm an aspiring teacher myself, and I found it fascinating to read the differing points of view in the novel, one of an aging teacher, the other a vengeful former student. The two points of view are made even clearer by the assignment of chess pieces to each voice. I'm not a chess player, and chess metaphors often go over my head, but Harris writes so elegantly and engagingly that it's not a problem at all. [4/5]
3. Spindle's End by Robin McKinley
Robin McKinley is one of my favorite authors. She writes with such imagination and clarity that one cannot help but fall headfirst into her worlds. The world of Spindle's End is one where magic seeps into every corner of life, and royalty is characterized by its steadfast imperviousness to it. Spindle's End is really an adaptation of the Sleeping Beauty story, but it goes above and beyond the old tale in scope and detail. McKinley's greatest gift is her ability to write strong, capable female characters. The princess, Rosie, finds her own path in the story. She does not rely on the prince to save her, but saves herself, and everyone she loves. By the end of the novel, the Sleeping Beauty story is a mere framework. The world and characters that McKinley creates take a life of their own and make the novel infinitely more engaging than the fairy tale. [5/5]
4. Persuasion by Jane Austen
Having completed Persuasion, I have only 2 more full-length Austen works to read. I very much enjoyed this "most mature" of Austen's novels. As her last novel, Persuasion is permeated with the frustrations and complicated emotions of a woman past the age of marriage, longing for her lost love. I have a soft spot for Austen novels set in Bath, my favorite of her's being Northanger Abbey, and the city is definitely a character in itself in this novel.
The one thing I really loved about this novel was the fantastic richness of the characters. In her earlier novels, Austen creates colorful characters, but not with as much depth as in this novel. After reading this, one becomes intimately acquainted with everyone, and feels with them their fears, joys, and sadnesses. [4/5]
5. Beauty by Robin McKinley
"Beauty and the Beast" is probably McKinley's favorite story to adapt. For me though, none of her later adaptations hold a candle to this simple and beautiful novel. In it, we learn much more about Beauty and her family. Her sisters are given names, and the family's lives after their exile from the city are told in great detail. We learn more about the Beast, and a hint of magic lingers throughout the novel.
I mentioned before that McKinley creates wonderful female characters. Beauty (her given name is Honour), is no exception. She starts off as an ugly duckling who loves reading more than anything (a fact that endeared me to her as a young bookworm myself). Throughout the novel, she grows as a character, paralleled by a change in height. By the end, she has emerged from her shell, but does not give in to outside pressure. Just as Rosie does in Spindle's End, Beauty finds her own way to save herself.
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Hurrah!
Anywho, since I'm very much behind on posting, here are the books I read back in January.
1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
For some reason, I never read this book in middle school or high school, which is, I'm given to understands, the usual time. I instead waited til I found this GORGEOUS edition before finally picking it up. After finishing it, all I can do is regret not reading it before, and wishing that I might have the supreme joy of reading it again for the first time. I'd heard that this novel was boring and unbelievable, and the characters unsympathetic. I found it to be full of engaging, exciting people and page-turning action.
The love story between Jane and Rochester is one I will not soon forget. With the presence of such a love in fiction, how can one ever hope for anything comparable in real life? [5/5]
2. Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris
I was a little unsure of this book, having read Chocolat by the same author, and been slightly disappointed. However, I was very glad I did pick it up. This book, which largely takes place at a boy's boarding school, gave me a lot of food for thought. An important theme in the book is that of the role of education in a person's life. Harris herself was a schoolteacher for many years, and poured much of her experience into writing the novel. I'm an aspiring teacher myself, and I found it fascinating to read the differing points of view in the novel, one of an aging teacher, the other a vengeful former student. The two points of view are made even clearer by the assignment of chess pieces to each voice. I'm not a chess player, and chess metaphors often go over my head, but Harris writes so elegantly and engagingly that it's not a problem at all. [4/5]
3. Spindle's End by Robin McKinley
Robin McKinley is one of my favorite authors. She writes with such imagination and clarity that one cannot help but fall headfirst into her worlds. The world of Spindle's End is one where magic seeps into every corner of life, and royalty is characterized by its steadfast imperviousness to it. Spindle's End is really an adaptation of the Sleeping Beauty story, but it goes above and beyond the old tale in scope and detail. McKinley's greatest gift is her ability to write strong, capable female characters. The princess, Rosie, finds her own path in the story. She does not rely on the prince to save her, but saves herself, and everyone she loves. By the end of the novel, the Sleeping Beauty story is a mere framework. The world and characters that McKinley creates take a life of their own and make the novel infinitely more engaging than the fairy tale. [5/5]
4. Persuasion by Jane Austen
Having completed Persuasion, I have only 2 more full-length Austen works to read. I very much enjoyed this "most mature" of Austen's novels. As her last novel, Persuasion is permeated with the frustrations and complicated emotions of a woman past the age of marriage, longing for her lost love. I have a soft spot for Austen novels set in Bath, my favorite of her's being Northanger Abbey, and the city is definitely a character in itself in this novel.
The one thing I really loved about this novel was the fantastic richness of the characters. In her earlier novels, Austen creates colorful characters, but not with as much depth as in this novel. After reading this, one becomes intimately acquainted with everyone, and feels with them their fears, joys, and sadnesses. [4/5]
5. Beauty by Robin McKinley
"Beauty and the Beast" is probably McKinley's favorite story to adapt. For me though, none of her later adaptations hold a candle to this simple and beautiful novel. In it, we learn much more about Beauty and her family. Her sisters are given names, and the family's lives after their exile from the city are told in great detail. We learn more about the Beast, and a hint of magic lingers throughout the novel.
I mentioned before that McKinley creates wonderful female characters. Beauty (her given name is Honour), is no exception. She starts off as an ugly duckling who loves reading more than anything (a fact that endeared me to her as a young bookworm myself). Throughout the novel, she grows as a character, paralleled by a change in height. By the end, she has emerged from her shell, but does not give in to outside pressure. Just as Rosie does in Spindle's End, Beauty finds her own way to save herself.
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22.
Title: Breaking Dawn
Author: Stephanie Meyer
Genre: fiction, vampires, romance
When you love the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?
-----
To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals, or pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fate of the two tribes hangs.
Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable consequences. Just wen the frayed strands of Bella's life - first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse - seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed ... forever?
The astonishing, breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epix that has entranced millions.
( Read review )
My rating - 3.5 / 5
Title: Breaking Dawn
Author: Stephanie Meyer
Genre: fiction, vampires, romance
When you love the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?
-----
To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals, or pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fate of the two tribes hangs.
Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable consequences. Just wen the frayed strands of Bella's life - first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse - seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed ... forever?
The astonishing, breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epix that has entranced millions.
( Read review )
My rating - 3.5 / 5
- Mood:
indifferent
#19 The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss - "I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. My name is Kvothe. You may have heard of me' So begins the tale of Kvothe - currently known as Kote, the unassuming inkeeper - from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, through his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic - Amazon.co.uk
Just as Kvothe has trouble putting Denna into words as do I when it comes to commenting on this book. It has taken me a long time to finish it, not because I have struggled with it, but because I have had little opportunity lately to pick it up and give it the time it deserves. This is a magical book where the characters and places really could exist. It is beautiful, romantic and scary. I can wait until Rothfuss finishes Day 2 as I wouldn't want him to rush it one bit.
Next: Dewey: The small town library cat who touched the world - Vicki Myron
19.
Title: New Moon
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: fiction, vampires, romance
I knew we were both in mortal danger. Still, in that instant, I felt well. Whole.
I could feel my heart racing in my chest, the blood pulsing hot and fast through my veins again. My lungs filled deep with the sweet scent that came off his skin. It was like there had never been any hole in my chest.
I was perfect - not healed, but as if there had never been a wound in the first place.
Well, the first half of New Moon sucked, in my opinion, aheh. But as soon as she started spending time with Jacob, it picked up. I really like Jacob, he's a great character. The time they spent over in Italy was interesting as well. The Volturi sound scary as hell, and I hope Bella never has to mess with them, lol.
Anyway, I didn't like this book anywhere near as much as the first one, but it was okay.
My rating - 2 / 5
20.
Title: Eclipse
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: fiction, vampires, romance
"Bella?"
Edward's soft voice came from behind me. I turned to see him spring lightly up the porch steps, his hair windblown from running. He pulled me into his arms at once, just like he had in the parking lot, and kissed me again.
The kiss frightened me. There was too much tension, too strong an edge to the way his lips crushed mine - like he was afraid we had only so much time left to us.
****
As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob - knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life, or death. But which is which?
Infinitely better than New Moon, Eclipse had me stuck to it like glue. I read constantly and finished it in no time. I really loved the dynamic between the werewolves and the vampires, and the way Edward and Jacob kind of truced for Bella's sake (but still bickered like mad) had me giggling. The stuff with the newborns was kinda boring, but I understand it was necessary to illustrate to Bella what she could become if she was changed.
I also really liked Jasper's back story, and even Rosalie is a little softer in my mind now.
All in all, an excellent read.
My rating - 3.5 / 5
21.
Title: Supernatural - Bone Key
Author: Keith DeCandido
Genre: fiction, paranormal, supernatural
Sam and Dean are headed for Key West, Florida, home to Hemingway, hurricanes and a whole lot of demons. The tropical town has so many ghouls on the loose that one of its main moneymakers has long been a series of ghost tours. But the tours are no more, not since one of the guides was found dead of an apparent heart attack... his face frozen in mid-scream. No one knows what horrors he saw, but the Winchester brothers are about to find out.
Soon they'll be face-to-face with the ghosts of the island's most infamous residents, demons with a hidden agenda, and a mysterious ancient power looking for revenge. Its up to Sam and Dean to save the citizens of Key West... before the beautiful island is reduced to nothing more than a pile of bones.
As much as I love Supernatural, this novel really sucked. The characterization was way off (except for perhaps Bobby)... for instance, Sam remarks, when Dean worries about something, that he himself is usually the "emo whiny bitch"... something I can never imagine Sam saying, really.
So yeah... Supernatural should definitely stick to the screen, not the paper.
My rating - 1.5 / 5
Title: New Moon
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: fiction, vampires, romance
I knew we were both in mortal danger. Still, in that instant, I felt well. Whole.
I could feel my heart racing in my chest, the blood pulsing hot and fast through my veins again. My lungs filled deep with the sweet scent that came off his skin. It was like there had never been any hole in my chest.
I was perfect - not healed, but as if there had never been a wound in the first place.
Well, the first half of New Moon sucked, in my opinion, aheh. But as soon as she started spending time with Jacob, it picked up. I really like Jacob, he's a great character. The time they spent over in Italy was interesting as well. The Volturi sound scary as hell, and I hope Bella never has to mess with them, lol.
Anyway, I didn't like this book anywhere near as much as the first one, but it was okay.
My rating - 2 / 5
20.
Title: Eclipse
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: fiction, vampires, romance
"Bella?"
Edward's soft voice came from behind me. I turned to see him spring lightly up the porch steps, his hair windblown from running. He pulled me into his arms at once, just like he had in the parking lot, and kissed me again.
The kiss frightened me. There was too much tension, too strong an edge to the way his lips crushed mine - like he was afraid we had only so much time left to us.
****
As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob - knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life, or death. But which is which?
Infinitely better than New Moon, Eclipse had me stuck to it like glue. I read constantly and finished it in no time. I really loved the dynamic between the werewolves and the vampires, and the way Edward and Jacob kind of truced for Bella's sake (but still bickered like mad) had me giggling. The stuff with the newborns was kinda boring, but I understand it was necessary to illustrate to Bella what she could become if she was changed.
I also really liked Jasper's back story, and even Rosalie is a little softer in my mind now.
All in all, an excellent read.
My rating - 3.5 / 5
21.
Title: Supernatural - Bone Key
Author: Keith DeCandido
Genre: fiction, paranormal, supernatural
Sam and Dean are headed for Key West, Florida, home to Hemingway, hurricanes and a whole lot of demons. The tropical town has so many ghouls on the loose that one of its main moneymakers has long been a series of ghost tours. But the tours are no more, not since one of the guides was found dead of an apparent heart attack... his face frozen in mid-scream. No one knows what horrors he saw, but the Winchester brothers are about to find out.
Soon they'll be face-to-face with the ghosts of the island's most infamous residents, demons with a hidden agenda, and a mysterious ancient power looking for revenge. Its up to Sam and Dean to save the citizens of Key West... before the beautiful island is reduced to nothing more than a pile of bones.
As much as I love Supernatural, this novel really sucked. The characterization was way off (except for perhaps Bobby)... for instance, Sam remarks, when Dean worries about something, that he himself is usually the "emo whiny bitch"... something I can never imagine Sam saying, really.
So yeah... Supernatural should definitely stick to the screen, not the paper.
My rating - 1.5 / 5
1. Rhapsody By: Elizabeth Hayden
2. Prophecy By: Elizabeth Hayden
3. Destiny By: Elizabeth Hayden
1-3 books: If you love fantasy novels you will love the journey that a songstress named Rhapsody takes with her other 2 unlikely companions of which one is an Assassin. Once I started these books they were seemingly slow until I got into them and soon realized I couldn't put the books down.
Achmed and Grunthors travels with Rhapsody is very interesting in this triology, it isn't your normal good vs. evil fantasy. I would recommend this series to any fantasy lover.
http://www.amazon.com/Rhapsody-Child-Blo
4. Blackwood Farms By: Anne Rice
As for Blackwood Farms, I actually loved this Anne Rice novel. It was a little strange in context to the relationship between Quinn and Goblin. This was a newer edition to the Vampire chronicles and the Mayfair witches...Merrick and Lestat are guest appearances in this novel as Quinn grows up with his "friend" Goblin. It was a good read, there were points I loved greatly then some I skipped over. But I would still recommend giving this book a try the story has a twist and is very good.
5. Grave Instinct By: Robert Walker
Grave Instinct was picked up on a military base along time ago and I decided to give it another try. The book gave me chills. It deals with a serial killer and well....I don't want to give it much away except I read it again because I know I missed a few parts due to getting pass parts.
6. Midnights Daughter By: Karen Chance
I love this spin off of her Cassie Palmer's series. This is a new series dealing with Dorina, a master vampires daughter who is a dhampir. Half human half vampire. It wasn't her usual read of books but I still finished it in 2 days. I loved the humour that Dorina has with her beloved uncles...Vlad and Radu :) yeap. Her father Mircea calls on her help in this book. Dorina is a more stand alone heroine, I like this about her, but I love Cassie still.
7. Goddess of the Rose By: PC Cast
Very interesting, concept I am actually wantign to read a few more of Pc cast works. This is a very grown up fairy tale.
Mikado Empousai is a unique individual, her blood can actually protect and raise the most beautiful roses in the world. She has only used her unusual powers to grow prize winning roses. The powers are handed down by the women in her familly. She is the last. Now she works at the rose gardens at Woodward Park in Tulsa. Whether by accident or the powers that be, Mikado completes a goddess summoning ritual and frees the imprisioned Guardian at the Park. Ultimately finding out she is a Priestess of The REalm of the Roses.
The Guardian is a beast with the heart and soul of a man imprisioned inside. He has committed a crime against Hecate his Goddess, now that he is free he grabs Mikki and returns to the Realm of the Roses. A son of one of the titans he was cursed at birth to look like a beast. Being the only one of his kind leaves him to live a lonely hollow existance. But now he is determined to redeem himself and return to his job as Guardian of the Realm of the Roses. Not for him is touch or softness only duty.
8. Hide Your Eyes By: Alison Gaylin
Ok this book made me hate dolls a little more. It is a serial killer story, it is serious in parts but will make you laugh which is a relief throughout the novel.
New York rule #1: Don't make eye contact...
Samantha Leiffer has a self-centered self-help guru for a mother, a cadre of off-kilter Greenwich Village pals, and an ambisexually-cheating ex-boyfriend. She doesn't need more grief. Then she spies two people dumping a dubious-looking ice chest into the Hudson River, and she has a chilling hunch about what's inside.
Not being the kind of girl to let two psychos get away with murder, Sam sets out to unravel a mystery-and is soon being stalked by a sinister, shadowy figure who's wearing one-of-a-kind mirrored contact lenses.
Now, aided by a tough (but still very hot) detective, Sam is poking into some unsavory places, and finding out more creepy stuff than she ever wanted to know.
9. Tiger Burning Brightly By: Mercedes Lackey
Finally finished my last place in this book. Its a decent read but I don't think I am a Mercedes lackey fan.
10. The Necroscope: The Lost Years By: Brian Lumley
This isn't the first book in this series. I find it a good read, however I warn you if you intend in reading anymore of teh Necroscope series i would save this for last. Vampires never rest, and neither does Harry Keogh, the world's greatest vampire hunter, the Necroscope, the man who can talk to the dead. Right now, he's desperately searching for his wife and son, who disappeared in the midst of Harry's war against the undead monsters that plague mankind. Others will to carry on that fight until the Necroscope has been reunited with his beloved family.
But it's not that easy to leave the vampire war behind. The bloodsuckers know that the Necroscope is their deadliest enemy and will do anything to destroy him.
Harry struggles to locate his missing family, not realizing that he has become a pawn in the battle between two powerful vampires. When one has slain the other, the Necroscope will be the next to die.
11. Curse The Dawn By: Karen Chance
This is the newest in the cassie Palmer series. I loved it! Ok ok.....Cassie is finally beginning to realize she has to deal with being Pythia and well takes down a god in the process. But there has to be something going on with her and Merlin...definitely!...But you won't know without reading :)
These are my first 11 books of this year... late post but great books.
2. Prophecy By: Elizabeth Hayden
3. Destiny By: Elizabeth Hayden
1-3 books: If you love fantasy novels you will love the journey that a songstress named Rhapsody takes with her other 2 unlikely companions of which one is an Assassin. Once I started these books they were seemingly slow until I got into them and soon realized I couldn't put the books down.
Achmed and Grunthors travels with Rhapsody is very interesting in this triology, it isn't your normal good vs. evil fantasy. I would recommend this series to any fantasy lover.
http://www.amazon.com/Rhapsody-Child-Blo
4. Blackwood Farms By: Anne Rice
As for Blackwood Farms, I actually loved this Anne Rice novel. It was a little strange in context to the relationship between Quinn and Goblin. This was a newer edition to the Vampire chronicles and the Mayfair witches...Merrick and Lestat are guest appearances in this novel as Quinn grows up with his "friend" Goblin. It was a good read, there were points I loved greatly then some I skipped over. But I would still recommend giving this book a try the story has a twist and is very good.
5. Grave Instinct By: Robert Walker
Grave Instinct was picked up on a military base along time ago and I decided to give it another try. The book gave me chills. It deals with a serial killer and well....I don't want to give it much away except I read it again because I know I missed a few parts due to getting pass parts.
6. Midnights Daughter By: Karen Chance
I love this spin off of her Cassie Palmer's series. This is a new series dealing with Dorina, a master vampires daughter who is a dhampir. Half human half vampire. It wasn't her usual read of books but I still finished it in 2 days. I loved the humour that Dorina has with her beloved uncles...Vlad and Radu :) yeap. Her father Mircea calls on her help in this book. Dorina is a more stand alone heroine, I like this about her, but I love Cassie still.
7. Goddess of the Rose By: PC Cast
Very interesting, concept I am actually wantign to read a few more of Pc cast works. This is a very grown up fairy tale.
Mikado Empousai is a unique individual, her blood can actually protect and raise the most beautiful roses in the world. She has only used her unusual powers to grow prize winning roses. The powers are handed down by the women in her familly. She is the last. Now she works at the rose gardens at Woodward Park in Tulsa. Whether by accident or the powers that be, Mikado completes a goddess summoning ritual and frees the imprisioned Guardian at the Park. Ultimately finding out she is a Priestess of The REalm of the Roses.
The Guardian is a beast with the heart and soul of a man imprisioned inside. He has committed a crime against Hecate his Goddess, now that he is free he grabs Mikki and returns to the Realm of the Roses. A son of one of the titans he was cursed at birth to look like a beast. Being the only one of his kind leaves him to live a lonely hollow existance. But now he is determined to redeem himself and return to his job as Guardian of the Realm of the Roses. Not for him is touch or softness only duty.
8. Hide Your Eyes By: Alison Gaylin
Ok this book made me hate dolls a little more. It is a serial killer story, it is serious in parts but will make you laugh which is a relief throughout the novel.
New York rule #1: Don't make eye contact...
Samantha Leiffer has a self-centered self-help guru for a mother, a cadre of off-kilter Greenwich Village pals, and an ambisexually-cheating ex-boyfriend. She doesn't need more grief. Then she spies two people dumping a dubious-looking ice chest into the Hudson River, and she has a chilling hunch about what's inside.
Not being the kind of girl to let two psychos get away with murder, Sam sets out to unravel a mystery-and is soon being stalked by a sinister, shadowy figure who's wearing one-of-a-kind mirrored contact lenses.
Now, aided by a tough (but still very hot) detective, Sam is poking into some unsavory places, and finding out more creepy stuff than she ever wanted to know.
9. Tiger Burning Brightly By: Mercedes Lackey
Finally finished my last place in this book. Its a decent read but I don't think I am a Mercedes lackey fan.
10. The Necroscope: The Lost Years By: Brian Lumley
This isn't the first book in this series. I find it a good read, however I warn you if you intend in reading anymore of teh Necroscope series i would save this for last. Vampires never rest, and neither does Harry Keogh, the world's greatest vampire hunter, the Necroscope, the man who can talk to the dead. Right now, he's desperately searching for his wife and son, who disappeared in the midst of Harry's war against the undead monsters that plague mankind. Others will to carry on that fight until the Necroscope has been reunited with his beloved family.
But it's not that easy to leave the vampire war behind. The bloodsuckers know that the Necroscope is their deadliest enemy and will do anything to destroy him.
Harry struggles to locate his missing family, not realizing that he has become a pawn in the battle between two powerful vampires. When one has slain the other, the Necroscope will be the next to die.
11. Curse The Dawn By: Karen Chance
This is the newest in the cassie Palmer series. I loved it! Ok ok.....Cassie is finally beginning to realize she has to deal with being Pythia and well takes down a god in the process. But there has to be something going on with her and Merlin...definitely!...But you won't know without reading :)
These are my first 11 books of this year... late post but great books.
- Location:living room
- Mood:accomplished
- Music:my kitties purring ;)
40. The Light Fantastic, Terry Pratchett
Fantasy / humor; 241 pages
One-sentence summary: The continuing adventures of an inept wizard, a hopeless tourist, and a rabid suitcase.
Thoughts: The sequel to The Colour of Magic. A red star is about to plummet into Discworld, and the only one who can save it is Rincewind, the World's Worst Wizard (except for one pesky spell), who is unfortunately getting into trouble wherever he goes. There are a lot of people who say to avoid both of the first books when starting Discworld, but I actually liked this much more than TCoM; here, Discworld really becomes more fleshed-out (including the transformation of the Head Librarian of Unseen University into the orangutan we know and love today). I really liked the side characters, Cohen the Barbarian in particular. It's still more of a parody than an actual universe at this point -- the later Discworld books are a lot stronger -- but it's a good read. [8/10]
41. An Abundance of Katherines, John Green
Young adult; 215 pages
One-sentence summary: Math: not really useful for your love life.
Thoughts: Meet Colin: a recent graduate, former child prodigy, math whiz, anagram fanatic, and most importantly, lover of girls named Katherine. After Colin gets dumped by Katherine XIX, his best friend, Hassan, drags him on a road trip. They wind up in Gutshot, Tennessee, a small town known for manufacturing tampon strings. After they get a job recording the history of those working at the factory, they become involved in the social life of Gutshot's teenagers, and Colin works on his ultimate goal: a mathematical formula that can efficiently predict the outcome of relationships. This really isn't as gripping or amazing as Looking for Alaska, but it's still a fun, light-hearted, feel-good read. It's worth it for the characterization alone; John Green writes some of the most three-dimensional, realistic teenagers I've read about. Recommended. [8/10]
42. A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess
Fiction / dystopia; 192 pages
One-sentence summary: A story of real ultraviolence.
Thoughts: Another one of those books that I know I should've read, but never got the chance to until now; plus, one of my friends adores it, so I wanted to see what the fuss was about. The plot: in a distant future, the night is ruled by criminal activity (mainly by groups of teenage boys), and this follows the personal life, capture, and release of fifteen year-old delinquent Alex. I have to say, the use of language in this is really, really interesting; the slang/"nadsat" is kind of intimidating at first, but it's actually easy to figure out when you read the context. The narrative is scary in that the things going on are absolutely horrific -- brutal beatings and rapes are prolific -- but I couldn't help but read on, because Alex is an incredibly charismatic narrator. The "conditioning" of him when he finally gets captured by the government is just as scary, especially when he can't even listen to music anymore without recoiling -- and really, the whole thing is just a complete mindfuck that makes you think. My only complaint is that some things in the last chapter seemed to come completely from left field, but otherwise, I'm really glad I read this. [8.5/10]
Fantasy / humor; 241 pages
One-sentence summary: The continuing adventures of an inept wizard, a hopeless tourist, and a rabid suitcase.
Thoughts: The sequel to The Colour of Magic. A red star is about to plummet into Discworld, and the only one who can save it is Rincewind, the World's Worst Wizard (except for one pesky spell), who is unfortunately getting into trouble wherever he goes. There are a lot of people who say to avoid both of the first books when starting Discworld, but I actually liked this much more than TCoM; here, Discworld really becomes more fleshed-out (including the transformation of the Head Librarian of Unseen University into the orangutan we know and love today). I really liked the side characters, Cohen the Barbarian in particular. It's still more of a parody than an actual universe at this point -- the later Discworld books are a lot stronger -- but it's a good read. [8/10]
41. An Abundance of Katherines, John Green
Young adult; 215 pages
One-sentence summary: Math: not really useful for your love life.
Thoughts: Meet Colin: a recent graduate, former child prodigy, math whiz, anagram fanatic, and most importantly, lover of girls named Katherine. After Colin gets dumped by Katherine XIX, his best friend, Hassan, drags him on a road trip. They wind up in Gutshot, Tennessee, a small town known for manufacturing tampon strings. After they get a job recording the history of those working at the factory, they become involved in the social life of Gutshot's teenagers, and Colin works on his ultimate goal: a mathematical formula that can efficiently predict the outcome of relationships. This really isn't as gripping or amazing as Looking for Alaska, but it's still a fun, light-hearted, feel-good read. It's worth it for the characterization alone; John Green writes some of the most three-dimensional, realistic teenagers I've read about. Recommended. [8/10]
42. A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess
Fiction / dystopia; 192 pages
One-sentence summary: A story of real ultraviolence.
Thoughts: Another one of those books that I know I should've read, but never got the chance to until now; plus, one of my friends adores it, so I wanted to see what the fuss was about. The plot: in a distant future, the night is ruled by criminal activity (mainly by groups of teenage boys), and this follows the personal life, capture, and release of fifteen year-old delinquent Alex. I have to say, the use of language in this is really, really interesting; the slang/"nadsat" is kind of intimidating at first, but it's actually easy to figure out when you read the context. The narrative is scary in that the things going on are absolutely horrific -- brutal beatings and rapes are prolific -- but I couldn't help but read on, because Alex is an incredibly charismatic narrator. The "conditioning" of him when he finally gets captured by the government is just as scary, especially when he can't even listen to music anymore without recoiling -- and really, the whole thing is just a complete mindfuck that makes you think. My only complaint is that some things in the last chapter seemed to come completely from left field, but otherwise, I'm really glad I read this. [8.5/10]
Well, when folks mentioned this book was short, they weren't kidding.
This was a very fast read, but an enjoyable one. It's a collection of fairy tales of the Harry Potter universe, complete with notes by Albus Dumbledore. Rowling's voice is as delightful as ever, and even her illustrations are nice. I only wish that Tales was a bit longer; I wasn't ready to return to my Muggle existence quite so soon.
This was a very fast read, but an enjoyable one. It's a collection of fairy tales of the Harry Potter universe, complete with notes by Albus Dumbledore. Rowling's voice is as delightful as ever, and even her illustrations are nice. I only wish that Tales was a bit longer; I wasn't ready to return to my Muggle existence quite so soon.
- Mood: sore
The Last of the Really Great Whaangdoodles by Julie (Andrews) Edwards
Children/Fantasy/Faerie Tale
Summary: Ben, Thomas, and Melinda Potter meet an eccentric man at the zoo one day. He tells them of a mystical creature called a Whaangdoodle, the last of its kind, and king of Whaangdoodle land, the place where all the mysterious creatures escaped to when man kind stopped believing in them. They don't realise it, but the man, Professor Savant, is going to take them on the adventure of a lifetime...
( What's a Whaangdoodle? )
Children/Fantasy/Faerie Tale
Summary: Ben, Thomas, and Melinda Potter meet an eccentric man at the zoo one day. He tells them of a mystical creature called a Whaangdoodle, the last of its kind, and king of Whaangdoodle land, the place where all the mysterious creatures escaped to when man kind stopped believing in them. They don't realise it, but the man, Professor Savant, is going to take them on the adventure of a lifetime...
( What's a Whaangdoodle? )
12. A Companion to Wolves by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette
I wanted a fantasy.
Why I picked up the book... I wanted something new and different, yet with the same feel as some of the Valdemar and Robin McKinley books. That's what I thought I was getting when I read the summary to this book.
What is the book about? Trolls attack humans, and the only protectors of humans are the wolves and the humans who bond with them. These special humans are given as tithe from each village, and Njall was one such, who agreed to pay the tithe despite his father's unwillingness. Once he meets the wolf and enters the pack-sense, he learns about what it really means to be bonded to a wolf--and specifically, a bitch.
Why I continued reading... The fantasy part was good. I really liked most of the character development the authors managed to put in. The world-building was one of the better ones I've seen, without any information dump that I remember of. I even liked, for the most part, how the authors interwove the themes of equality, though I found that a bit unnecessary.
Would I recommend it? No. At first the book did not go well together; there was the nice fantasy part and then there was the explicit m/m part. About two-thirds of the way through the book, it became much more natural. I was even ready to recommend the book when I turned the last page... except I wasn't expecting it to be the last page. The book does not end, not even on a cliffhanger. In short, it is not a finished book, so I would not recommend it even though I've enjoyed parts of it.
I wanted a fantasy.
Why I picked up the book... I wanted something new and different, yet with the same feel as some of the Valdemar and Robin McKinley books. That's what I thought I was getting when I read the summary to this book.
What is the book about? Trolls attack humans, and the only protectors of humans are the wolves and the humans who bond with them. These special humans are given as tithe from each village, and Njall was one such, who agreed to pay the tithe despite his father's unwillingness. Once he meets the wolf and enters the pack-sense, he learns about what it really means to be bonded to a wolf--and specifically, a bitch.
Why I continued reading... The fantasy part was good. I really liked most of the character development the authors managed to put in. The world-building was one of the better ones I've seen, without any information dump that I remember of. I even liked, for the most part, how the authors interwove the themes of equality, though I found that a bit unnecessary.
Would I recommend it? No. At first the book did not go well together; there was the nice fantasy part and then there was the explicit m/m part. About two-thirds of the way through the book, it became much more natural. I was even ready to recommend the book when I turned the last page... except I wasn't expecting it to be the last page. The book does not end, not even on a cliffhanger. In short, it is not a finished book, so I would not recommend it even though I've enjoyed parts of it.
I've not had the internet on my laptop, and not had word on the desktop, and so i keep forgetting what I've read, and what I've posted about, so I'm just going to post a list of all the books I've read this year. If you want to know my thoughts on them, please feel free to ask!
January
1. Exultant - Stephen Baxter
2. The Torchwood Archives
3. Beka Cooper - Terrier - Tamora Pierce
4. The Suspicions of Mr Whicher - Kate Summerscale
5. The Bro Code - Barney Stinson & Matt Kuhn
February
6. The Pirate’s Daughter - Margaret Cezair-Thompson
7. The Boleyn Inheritance - Phillipa Gregory
8. The Dragon Queen - Alice Borchardt
9. The Raven Warrior - Alice Borchardt
March
10. Gallows Thief - Bernard Cornwell
11. Daughter Of The Forest - Juliet Marillier
12. Emperor – The Gates Of Rome - Conn Iggulden
13. The Knights Of The Black and White - Jack White
14. The Watcher - Helen Cresswell
15. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
April
16. Odalisque - Fiona McIntosh
17. Emissary - Fiona McIntosh
18. Goddess - Fiona McIntosh
19. Priestess Of The White - Trudi Canavan
May
20. Last of The Wilds - Trudi Canavan
21. Voice Of The Gods - Trudi Canavan
22. Dracula - Bram Stoker
23. Betrayal - Fiona McIntosh
24. Revenge - Fiona McIntosh
June
25. Destiny - Fiona McIntosh
26. Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone - JK Rowling
Total Books: 26
Total Pages: 12557
Currently Reading: HP2
Next Up: Rest of the Potter books
January
1. Exultant - Stephen Baxter
2. The Torchwood Archives
3. Beka Cooper - Terrier - Tamora Pierce
4. The Suspicions of Mr Whicher - Kate Summerscale
5. The Bro Code - Barney Stinson & Matt Kuhn
February
6. The Pirate’s Daughter - Margaret Cezair-Thompson
7. The Boleyn Inheritance - Phillipa Gregory
8. The Dragon Queen - Alice Borchardt
9. The Raven Warrior - Alice Borchardt
March
10. Gallows Thief - Bernard Cornwell
11. Daughter Of The Forest - Juliet Marillier
12. Emperor – The Gates Of Rome - Conn Iggulden
13. The Knights Of The Black and White - Jack White
14. The Watcher - Helen Cresswell
15. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
April
16. Odalisque - Fiona McIntosh
17. Emissary - Fiona McIntosh
18. Goddess - Fiona McIntosh
19. Priestess Of The White - Trudi Canavan
May
20. Last of The Wilds - Trudi Canavan
21. Voice Of The Gods - Trudi Canavan
22. Dracula - Bram Stoker
23. Betrayal - Fiona McIntosh
24. Revenge - Fiona McIntosh
June
25. Destiny - Fiona McIntosh
26. Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone - JK Rowling
Total Books: 26
Total Pages: 12557
Currently Reading: HP2
Next Up: Rest of the Potter books
Book 13: Divine By Mistake by P.C. Cast - 537 pages
My little synopsis: Shannon Parker, Oklahoma school teacher, finds her life turned upside down when a car accident caused by a bad storm lands her in the alternate reality of Partholon where she is believed to be Rhiannon, the Beloved of the Goddess Epona. Sure, its nice to be waited on hand and foot and all, but being mistaken for her nasty, selfish Partholon counterpart, and being forced into an arranged marriage with a centaur is not exactly her idea of a good time. Nor is the fact that, just as she's starting to get her head around everything, she discovers that Partholon is under attack from the vampiric Fomorians. Oh, joy!
I have had this book on my shelves for about two years, discovered at the book shop after I went on the hunt for another of P.C. Cast's books, Goddess of Spring, (also still sitting on my book shelf - I read about it the local newspaper, and just had to buy it!). I finally decided to read it, and man, I'm glad I did. The great thing about this story is that its just so easy to read - there's no insane vocabulary, no over stretching concepts - just pure unadulterated fun (sprinkled with a little bit of scary bad guy stuff to mix it up - oh and hot centaurs!!). Cast's story never tries to be more than it is - a fun little romantic romp. Shannon/Rhiannon/Rhea (as she later comes to be known) is a fun main character, and though she seems to adapt awfully well to her new life (my one grievance - why do people in these stories never, ever freak out?? What's up with that? If I suddenly woke up in an alternative reality, I think I'd freak - Stephen Donaldson's Thomas Covenant series seems to be the only story that actually does this well), the random occasions where she says the wrong word - and then has to explain herself - or is completely lost as to what to do in a situation are downright hilarious. ClanFintan, the centaur she is forced to marry, is an awesome male lead, even if he's a little overly romantic (aren't men always that way in romance novel? What's up with that?). And I got an enormous kick out of Shannon's constant Star Trek jokes/analogies etc. Finally, an author acknowledges how Star Trek things are relevant forms of description for almost anything! Basically, the one word to describe this book is fun - I couldn't put it down and have put all other books on hold to read the sequel Divine By Choice. Don't read it if you are expecting some thought-provoking, challenging novel about the nature of humanity. Do read it if you want to enjoy a few hours of your life!
13 / 50 books. 26% done!5803 / 15000 words. 39% done!Currently reading:
- From Modernism to Postmodernim: An Anthology edited by Lawrence Cahoone - 600 pages
- My Steve by Terri Irwin - 268 pages
- The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: Volume 2: The One Tree by Stephen Donaldson - 472 pages
- Divine By Choice by P.C. Cast - 358 pages
And coming up:
- Angels and Demons by Dan Brown - 620 pages
- The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory - 486 pages
- Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs - 432 pages
- Location:Seven Hills, Brisbane, Australia
- Mood: happy
- Music:Viva La Vida - Coldplay
This book was the second part in a compilation of two books entitled The Legacy of Gird.
After Gird's death, his mageborn scribe Luap continued his work, but also sought a refuge for other mageborn like himself. He's overjoyed when he finds a remote mountain palace carved from sheer rock, only accessible by several ancient portals. The older races, the Elves and Dwarves, gruffly approve their residence in the palace, but warn their visitation will only last as long as the local ancient evil isn't awakened. That evil is left unnamed, but it watches, waiting for the time to strike.
This book just didn't feel right at all. It was interesting to see how certain things are explained that are important in the Paks books (as this book is a prequel), but in many ways that felt like that the only purpose of this book. Gird died at the end of Surrender None, so I was surprised that he was still alive for the first chunk of this volume. Luap himself was not a likeable character at all. He whines for the first 2/3, and doesn't really feel like an integral part in the last 1/3. The two young paladins were fascinating, yet at the same time they were too flawless.
The ending was rushed, too. The entire last half of the book left me waiting for the evil entities to attack, and it kept not-happening. Then suddenly at the end Seri and Aris solve everything all of a sudden, then evil attacks, then there's a time warp/something (I still don't get that bit) and the mageborn are evicted from ye old mountain palace.
I love Moon's writing and world-building, as always, but this book is made of too many pieces that just didn't fit together well or at the right time. These were no where near as good at the Paks books, but they were worth reading for the background information on Gird and Luap. I will not be keeping The Legacy of Gird.
After Gird's death, his mageborn scribe Luap continued his work, but also sought a refuge for other mageborn like himself. He's overjoyed when he finds a remote mountain palace carved from sheer rock, only accessible by several ancient portals. The older races, the Elves and Dwarves, gruffly approve their residence in the palace, but warn their visitation will only last as long as the local ancient evil isn't awakened. That evil is left unnamed, but it watches, waiting for the time to strike.
This book just didn't feel right at all. It was interesting to see how certain things are explained that are important in the Paks books (as this book is a prequel), but in many ways that felt like that the only purpose of this book. Gird died at the end of Surrender None, so I was surprised that he was still alive for the first chunk of this volume. Luap himself was not a likeable character at all. He whines for the first 2/3, and doesn't really feel like an integral part in the last 1/3. The two young paladins were fascinating, yet at the same time they were too flawless.
The ending was rushed, too. The entire last half of the book left me waiting for the evil entities to attack, and it kept not-happening. Then suddenly at the end Seri and Aris solve everything all of a sudden, then evil attacks, then there's a time warp/something (I still don't get that bit) and the mageborn are evicted from ye old mountain palace.
I love Moon's writing and world-building, as always, but this book is made of too many pieces that just didn't fit together well or at the right time. These were no where near as good at the Paks books, but they were worth reading for the background information on Gird and Luap. I will not be keeping The Legacy of Gird.
- Mood: disappointed
The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Teen/Young Adult (14+)
Fantasy
Summary: Nick Ryves and his brother Alan Ryves have been on the run with their mother from magicians for as long as Nick can remember. When two teens from Nick's school come to their house after an attack, asking for help, the two are faced with a whole world of extra trouble in trying to help themselves and the two interlopers.
( Lemons of Sorcery: My Review (contains some spoilers) )
Teen/Young Adult (14+)
Fantasy
Summary: Nick Ryves and his brother Alan Ryves have been on the run with their mother from magicians for as long as Nick can remember. When two teens from Nick's school come to their house after an attack, asking for help, the two are faced with a whole world of extra trouble in trying to help themselves and the two interlopers.
( Lemons of Sorcery: My Review (contains some spoilers) )
- Location:Shell Cottage
- Mood: bored
- Music:The Cliks: Snakehouse
Between funerals and classes, this has definitely been the hardest part of my life in a couple years. And thus, I have read barely nothing, from the middle of March till the end of May. I can't say whether I'll make it up and get to my goal of 100, but I'll keep trying.
29. Lamb: the Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore - Thirty years of Jesus' life were omitted when the Gospels were written. Biff, Jesus' longtime sarcastic streetwise friend, fills it in for us. It explains the invention of Judo, why Jews eat Chinese on Christmas, and how rabbits became associated with Easter, among other things. One of the funniest books I've read in awhile.
30. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - Romanticism, nineteenth-century society, and marriage are all examined in this story of two - very different - sister's search for marriage, and perhaps love to go along with it.
31. Hitler's Army by Omer Bartov - An examination of whether or not the Wehrmacht - the ordinary German army - was made of men just doing their duty, or whether they were really devoted to Hitler. Read for class.
32. Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card - Having only read Card's Ender's Game and not been overly impressed, I was taken aback by this. I loved the story's backdrop - an alternative America in the 1790s, where the eastern seaboard is very divided by different colonial nations, magic really exists, and the Revolution fizzled out and failed to happen. There a young boy called Alvin is born. Though the elements continually try to destroy him, he has a powerful protector, and a huge mission to accomplish - to be the next Maker, to work against the Unmaker, a force more powerful than the devil. The story was wonderful - very engaging, well-written, and extensively thought out piece of fantasy work. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
33. Germany: Inventing the Nation by Stefan Berger - A deep (if sometimes wordy) look into how the idea of Germany developed over 200 years, how the nation united and fragmented, and just how much the idea of a nation had to be imported and created in the first place. Read for class.
34. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson - As a tripper and a nature lover, this book of an attempt to hike the entire Appalachian Trail was wonderful. The author has a great style of writing and sense of humor. Although, he needs to stop spending two pages at the beginning of almost every chapter ranting at the national parks service. Otherwise, it was great. Go AT!
35. Dark Continent: Europe's Twentieth Century by Mark Mazower - Finally finished this book a year later, and was so glad I did. It wasn't particularly slow reading, but it required so much thought. This is a wonderful analysis of the last century of European history, one that points out the dangers, the faults, the problems. The Twentieth Century wasn't the great time that it seemed, that most history books portray it has. A really unique perspective. A must for anyone interested in modern european history.
36. Viennese by Paul Hofmann - Read as prep for my spending my fall semester in Vienna. Gives a long cultural and political history of the city and attempts to use it to explain the perspective and mannerisms of the city's residents today.
36 out of 100 books read, with 42% of the year gone
29. Lamb: the Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore - Thirty years of Jesus' life were omitted when the Gospels were written. Biff, Jesus' longtime sarcastic streetwise friend, fills it in for us. It explains the invention of Judo, why Jews eat Chinese on Christmas, and how rabbits became associated with Easter, among other things. One of the funniest books I've read in awhile.
30. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - Romanticism, nineteenth-century society, and marriage are all examined in this story of two - very different - sister's search for marriage, and perhaps love to go along with it.
31. Hitler's Army by Omer Bartov - An examination of whether or not the Wehrmacht - the ordinary German army - was made of men just doing their duty, or whether they were really devoted to Hitler. Read for class.
32. Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card - Having only read Card's Ender's Game and not been overly impressed, I was taken aback by this. I loved the story's backdrop - an alternative America in the 1790s, where the eastern seaboard is very divided by different colonial nations, magic really exists, and the Revolution fizzled out and failed to happen. There a young boy called Alvin is born. Though the elements continually try to destroy him, he has a powerful protector, and a huge mission to accomplish - to be the next Maker, to work against the Unmaker, a force more powerful than the devil. The story was wonderful - very engaging, well-written, and extensively thought out piece of fantasy work. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
33. Germany: Inventing the Nation by Stefan Berger - A deep (if sometimes wordy) look into how the idea of Germany developed over 200 years, how the nation united and fragmented, and just how much the idea of a nation had to be imported and created in the first place. Read for class.
34. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson - As a tripper and a nature lover, this book of an attempt to hike the entire Appalachian Trail was wonderful. The author has a great style of writing and sense of humor. Although, he needs to stop spending two pages at the beginning of almost every chapter ranting at the national parks service. Otherwise, it was great. Go AT!
35. Dark Continent: Europe's Twentieth Century by Mark Mazower - Finally finished this book a year later, and was so glad I did. It wasn't particularly slow reading, but it required so much thought. This is a wonderful analysis of the last century of European history, one that points out the dangers, the faults, the problems. The Twentieth Century wasn't the great time that it seemed, that most history books portray it has. A really unique perspective. A must for anyone interested in modern european history.
36. Viennese by Paul Hofmann - Read as prep for my spending my fall semester in Vienna. Gives a long cultural and political history of the city and attempts to use it to explain the perspective and mannerisms of the city's residents today.
36 out of 100 books read, with 42% of the year gone
Title: Practical Magic
Author: Alice Hoffman
Year: 1995
# of Pages: 317
Date read: 3/1/2009
Rating: 3*/5 = good
Description:
"For more than two hundred years, the Owens women had been blamed for everything that went wrong in their Massachusetts town. And Gillian and Sally endured that fate as well. As children, the sisters were forever outsiders, taunted, talked about, pointed at. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, with their musty house and their exotic concoctions and their crowd of black cats. But all Gillian and Sally wanted to escape. One would do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they shared, even into adulthood brought them back -- almost as if by magic. . ." -- from the back cover
My thoughts:
I enjoyed this story of two pairs of sisters whose lives were touched by magic. I especially liked how both Gillian and Sally and Kylie and Antonia learned to take risks, trust their feelings and appreciate each other over time.
This book is actually part of a re-published compilation of two books called The Legacy of Gird; I'm currently reading the second book.
From the Paks books (Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance, Oath of Gold), some is already known of Gird - that he was a farmer who trained fellow farmers to be soldiers and together they overthrew an oppressive government. By the time of Paksenarrion, Gird is regarded as something akin to a powerful saint - a man chosen by the gods to save the people. This prequel explores Gird's life as a simple farmer and how he formed an army out of plow-pushers, and how he came to write a new system of law that regarded all people with respect.
I can see why other reviewers don't regard this set of books as highly as the Paks trilogy. From the beginning, it's just not as gripping, though it's still good. The first 100 pages or so felt rough to me, disjointed. At one point the perspective jumped from Gird to that of another character who quickly died, and it seemed unnecessary. The passage of time wasn't very clear, either. However, once Gird had lost much of his family and began gathering an army, the story picked up and became more cohesive and enjoyable. Then the ending? Meh.
Surrender None works well in fleshing out a mythical character for the readers who loved the Paks books, but this volume wouldn't stand well on its own. I do love Moon's writing and world-building, and how she contrasted the way of peasants with their mageborn lords. But something just didn't feel complete about the book. Maybe I'll feel differently after finishing the sequel, Liar's Oath.
From the Paks books (Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance, Oath of Gold), some is already known of Gird - that he was a farmer who trained fellow farmers to be soldiers and together they overthrew an oppressive government. By the time of Paksenarrion, Gird is regarded as something akin to a powerful saint - a man chosen by the gods to save the people. This prequel explores Gird's life as a simple farmer and how he formed an army out of plow-pushers, and how he came to write a new system of law that regarded all people with respect.
I can see why other reviewers don't regard this set of books as highly as the Paks trilogy. From the beginning, it's just not as gripping, though it's still good. The first 100 pages or so felt rough to me, disjointed. At one point the perspective jumped from Gird to that of another character who quickly died, and it seemed unnecessary. The passage of time wasn't very clear, either. However, once Gird had lost much of his family and began gathering an army, the story picked up and became more cohesive and enjoyable. Then the ending? Meh.
Surrender None works well in fleshing out a mythical character for the readers who loved the Paks books, but this volume wouldn't stand well on its own. I do love Moon's writing and world-building, and how she contrasted the way of peasants with their mageborn lords. But something just didn't feel complete about the book. Maybe I'll feel differently after finishing the sequel, Liar's Oath.
- Mood:
curious
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 608
B&N Synopsis
Descending into darkness, about to be overwhelmed by evil, those people still free are powerless to stop the coming dawn of a savage new world, while Richard faces the guilt of knowing that he must let it happen. Alone, he must bear the weight of a sin he dare not confess to the one person he loves…and has lost.
Join Richard and Kahlan in the concluding novel of one of the most remarkable and memorable journeys ever written. It started with one rule, and will end with the rule of all rules, the rule unwritten, the rule unspoken since the dawn of history.
When next the sun rises, the world will be forever changed.
After 15 years of reading this series, I have finally completed it. Wow.
Was the book everything I hoped for and more? No. It wasn’t. Somewhere along the way, Goodkind lost sight of the stories and went for the long, drawn-out oratories that no one really cared to read … especially after they had read them five times before in his other SoT novels.
However, this book did bring resolution to many story lines through the 11-book series. It was gratifying to see several old characters make appearances. There were a few surprises. Some unnecessary deaths. Some “WTF” moments when characters revealed previously unknown abilities … but whatever.
What I wish Goodkind had done was cut out half the Ayn Rand mumbo jumbo from “Chainfire” and “Phantom” and instead have used that space to really flesh out "Confessor," which felt extremely crammed into 608 pages.
Great series that lost itself at about book 8 – “Naked Empire” – and really never found itself until the very end of “Confessor.”
Books completed: 20/50
Pages completed: 8,128/20,000
- Mood:
contemplative
Here are books twenty-three, twenty-four, and twenty-five from my Book List 2009. The links lead to more detailed reviews in my journal.
23. Title: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book Three: The Titan's Curse
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 312
Thoughts: Link
Review in five words or less: Unexpectedly emotional; series continues surprises.
Personal Rating: «««¾ out of five.
Percy Jackson's adventures continue and with this book, the series takes on a slightly more darker edge. Percy's friend Annabeth is missing, and Artemis disappears shortly afterwards. It appears that the disappearances are connected, so in order to find Annabeth, Percy must work with Artemis' team, as well as old friends Grover and Thalia. In the mean time, old enemies are becoming stronger and the likelihood of war between the Titans and the Olympians becomes a real possibility.
Percy is growing up and as time marches closer to a particular birthday, the adventures seem to escalate. I continue to enjoy seeing Percy try to solve problems and reading more about the ever expanding realm with real city locations. I think this book was more emotionally intense than the previous two, which added a lot of depth. I also loved most of the new characters that were introduced, especially Zoë, Nico, and Thalia.
There were, however, a few things that really bothered me. I was so disappointed that Riordan didn't really give details about the outcome in the junkyard. It was a wasted opportunity to make the story even more emotionally compelling. I also think the author should have kept better notes with the timeline because pieces of dialogue made it seem like certain events took place years ago, when in the course of the story, it was mere months.
That said, this was a wonderful addition to the series, and I highly recommend it to those who have read the first two.
24. Title: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book Four: The Battle of the Labyrinth
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 361
Thoughts: Link
Review in five words or less: Loved the intense Labyrinth scenes.
Personal Rating: «««« out of five.
War between the Titans and Olympians is imminent, and Percy's summer camp is targeted for destruction. In order to help save the camp, Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson must navigate their way through Daedalus' complex and elaborate labyrinth which is filled with traps, monsters, and ever-changing passageways.
This was my favorite book in the series. The descriptions of the labyrinth were told in remarkable detail and I was pleasantly surprised to see how Riordan manipulated and incorporated the myths to enhance the story. With everything Percy has faced in the first three books, I felt this was a fresh change of pace with original adventures. I'm also glad that Riordan introduced tiny bits of romantic interests; the jealous sniping that ensued was very real.
As for the things that bothered me, I was disappointed that Riordan did not pay careful attention to some the details. Things that were described one way in an earlier chapter, morphed into something else later on. I am thinking mostly about the descriptions of Mrs. O'Leary. This disappointed me because I think Mrs. O'Leary is great.
25. Title: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book Five: The Last Olympian
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 381
Thoughts: Link
Review in five words or less: Raging battles; awesome series conclusion.
Personal Rating: ««««¼ out of five.
*breathes* This last book was quite intense starting from the first chapter continuing all the way to the last. It focuses on the war between the Titans and Olympians with demigods, monsters, and supporters all taking the side of one or the other. It was unrelenting, fast-paced action, and I felt like I was always running along with characters from one battle or revelation to another. In spite all of this, Riordan still managed to infuse pockets of humor with the comical interactions and the amusing chapter titles.
It was a awesome way to end everything while still paving the way for new adventures. Because I put off reading the series for so long, I was able to read the books one right after the other until the end. By doing that, it kept all the adventures fresh for me. I highly recommend all five books!
25 / 50 books. 50% done!
8813 / 15000 pages. 59% done!
23. Title: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book Three: The Titan's Curse
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 312
Thoughts: Link
Review in five words or less: Unexpectedly emotional; series continues surprises.
Personal Rating: «««¾ out of five.
Percy Jackson's adventures continue and with this book, the series takes on a slightly more darker edge. Percy's friend Annabeth is missing, and Artemis disappears shortly afterwards. It appears that the disappearances are connected, so in order to find Annabeth, Percy must work with Artemis' team, as well as old friends Grover and Thalia. In the mean time, old enemies are becoming stronger and the likelihood of war between the Titans and the Olympians becomes a real possibility.
Percy is growing up and as time marches closer to a particular birthday, the adventures seem to escalate. I continue to enjoy seeing Percy try to solve problems and reading more about the ever expanding realm with real city locations. I think this book was more emotionally intense than the previous two, which added a lot of depth. I also loved most of the new characters that were introduced, especially Zoë, Nico, and Thalia.
There were, however, a few things that really bothered me. I was so disappointed that Riordan didn't really give details about the outcome in the junkyard. It was a wasted opportunity to make the story even more emotionally compelling. I also think the author should have kept better notes with the timeline because pieces of dialogue made it seem like certain events took place years ago, when in the course of the story, it was mere months.
That said, this was a wonderful addition to the series, and I highly recommend it to those who have read the first two.
24. Title: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book Four: The Battle of the Labyrinth
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 361
Thoughts: Link
Review in five words or less: Loved the intense Labyrinth scenes.
Personal Rating: «««« out of five.
War between the Titans and Olympians is imminent, and Percy's summer camp is targeted for destruction. In order to help save the camp, Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson must navigate their way through Daedalus' complex and elaborate labyrinth which is filled with traps, monsters, and ever-changing passageways.
This was my favorite book in the series. The descriptions of the labyrinth were told in remarkable detail and I was pleasantly surprised to see how Riordan manipulated and incorporated the myths to enhance the story. With everything Percy has faced in the first three books, I felt this was a fresh change of pace with original adventures. I'm also glad that Riordan introduced tiny bits of romantic interests; the jealous sniping that ensued was very real.
As for the things that bothered me, I was disappointed that Riordan did not pay careful attention to some the details. Things that were described one way in an earlier chapter, morphed into something else later on. I am thinking mostly about the descriptions of Mrs. O'Leary. This disappointed me because I think Mrs. O'Leary is great.
25. Title: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book Five: The Last Olympian
Author: Rick Riordan
Pages: 381
Thoughts: Link
Review in five words or less: Raging battles; awesome series conclusion.
Personal Rating: ««««¼ out of five.
*breathes* This last book was quite intense starting from the first chapter continuing all the way to the last. It focuses on the war between the Titans and Olympians with demigods, monsters, and supporters all taking the side of one or the other. It was unrelenting, fast-paced action, and I felt like I was always running along with characters from one battle or revelation to another. In spite all of this, Riordan still managed to infuse pockets of humor with the comical interactions and the amusing chapter titles.
It was a awesome way to end everything while still paving the way for new adventures. Because I put off reading the series for so long, I was able to read the books one right after the other until the end. By doing that, it kept all the adventures fresh for me. I highly recommend all five books!
- Mood:busy
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door_nob : February: Books # 6-11 [+7] - muse_books : Book 72: Storm Glass by Marie V. Snyder. [+0]
- cat63 : Book 32 for 2009 [+0]
- slimequeen : #56: "Howl's Moving Castle" by Diana Wynne Jones [+0]
- krinek : 25 [+0]
- mvenus929 : Books 41 - 45 [+4]
- silentrequiem : Books #49-57 [+0]
- fanabana : (no subject) [+0]
- thekeres : Just Starting, 1+2 [+3]
- gugga : catching up: books 23-29 [+0]
- door_nob : Procrastination stops here: January books. [+15]
- sirius_starr : Book 22 [+2]
- c_aztecgold : #19 [+3]
- sirius_starr : Books 19-21. Almost caught up to where I should be. xD [+1]
- kon_puppet : My list in the Beginning [+0]
- cat63 : Book 27 for 2009 [+0]
- akumuness : #40 - 42 [+0]
- slimequeen : #50: "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J. K. Rowling [+4]
- eerisedda : Book Three: The Last of the Really Great Whaangdoodles by Julie (Andrews) Edwards [+4]
- ethidda : 12. A Companion to Wolves [+1]
- cornerofmadness : Books 51-53 [+2]
- bobinwales : (no subject) [+2]
- blinger : Book 13 - 2009 [+0]
- slimequeen : #47: "Liar's Oath" by Elizabeth Moon [+0]
- eerisedda : Book One: The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan [+2]
- onlyobsess : Books 29-36 [+7]
- krinek : 17. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman [+4]
- slimequeen : #46: "Surrender None" by Elizabeth Moon [+0]
- jeepgirl77 : Book 20 [+1]
- chessie_reeves : Books 23-25: Percy Jackson & the Olympians Books Three to Five by Rick Riordan [+0]
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