Sunday Shorts

Brother Odd by Dean Koontz
published 2006
384 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Loop me in, odd one. The words, spoken in the deep of night by a sleeping child, chill the young man watching over her. For this was a favorite phrase of Stormy Llewellyn, his lost love, and Stormy is dead, gone forever from this world. In the haunted halls of the isolated monastery where he had sought peace, Odd Thomas is stalking spirits of an infinitely darker nature. . .

My thoughts -

After being a bit disappointed with the second novel in the series, I was happy to see that this third installment was back to a more interesting, less chase-y plotline. The brothers in the monastery were an entertaining bunch, and this novel's supernatural elements were fun and spooky. Back to the kind of storytelling I enjoy from this author.

Finished - 8/2/13
Source- South side library
MPAA rating - PG-13
My rating - 7/10

Odd Hours by Dean Koontz
published 2008
368 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

After grappling with the very essence of reality itself, after finding the veil that separates him from his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, tantalizingly thin yet impenetrable, Odd longed only to return to a life of quiet anonymity with his two otherworldly sidekicks — his dog Boo and a new companion, one of the few who might rival his old pal Elvis. But a true hero, however humble, must persevere. Haunted by dreams of an all-encompassing red tide, Odd is pulled inexorably to the sea, to a small California coastal town where nothing is as it seems. Now the forces arrayed against him have both official sanction and an infinitely more sinister authority...and in this dark night of the soul dawn will come only after the most shattering revelations of all.

My thoughts -

So I'm officially "in" this series now - my OCD has kicked in, and I have to read them all until I'm finished. This installment in the series was surprisingly less supernatural-y, and more grounded in real life bad guys doing real life bad things, which was an interesting change. I'm intrigued by the character of Annamaria, and excited to see that she carries over into the next novel. Fun stuff.

Finished - 8/3/13
Source - loan from my mom
MPAA rating - PG-13
My rating - 7/10

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
published 2011
audiobook, narrated by Khristine Hvam

Synopsis from publisher -

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

My thoughts -

Meh. This was an interesting idea, and I thought Daniel Handler might do an interesting job with this premise, but ultimately it was TOO whiny for me. I couldn't really feel sorry for Min, and Ed was just irritating. I think this particular YA novel just doesn't translate well for an adult audience.

Finished - 8/3/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - R for language and adult situations
My rating - 5/10

Disenchanted & Co., Part 1 - Her Ladyship's Curse by Lynn Viehl
published 8/12/13
400 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

In a steampunk version of America that lost the Revolutionary War, Charmian (Kit) Kittredge makes her living investigating magic crimes and exposing the frauds behind them. While Kit tries to avoid the nobs of high society, as the proprietor of Disenchanted & Co. she follows mysteries wherever they lead.

Lady Diana Walsh calls on Kit to investigate and dispel the curse she believes responsible for carving hateful words into her own flesh as she sleeps. While Kit doesn’t believe in magic herself, she can’t refuse to help a woman subjected nightly to such vicious assaults. As Kit investigates the Walsh family, she becomes convinced that the attacks on Diana are part of a larger, more ominous plot—one that may involve the lady’s obnoxious husband.

Sleuthing in the city of Rumsen is difficult enough, but soon Kit must also skirt the unwanted attentions of nefarious deathmage Lucien Dredmore and the unwelcome scrutiny of police Chief Inspector Thomas Doyle. Unwilling to surrender to either man’s passion for her, Kit struggles to remain independent as she draws closer to the heart of the mystery. Yet as she learns the truth behind her ladyship’s curse, Kit also uncovers a massive conspiracy that promises to ruin her life—and turn Rumsen into a s supernatural battleground from which no one will escape alive.

My thoughts -

Okay, first of all, isn't Kit Kittredge one of the American Girl dolls? The one during the Great Depression? I had a really hard time getting that out of my head throughout the reading of this novel.

I'm finding drawn to this genre more than I ever have - I think it's because they really seem to be a complete escape from reality for me, and things at work and home have been pretty intense lately. It's so nice to just lose myself in a completely different world every once in awhile. I thought this was an interesting premise, and think Kit herself could develop into a heroine I can be fond of - this first novel in the series just seemed to have too many loose ends for me to fully enjoy it. I will most likely look for the second in the series, just so I can see how things resolve.

Finished - 8/15/14
Source - review copy from publisher via Netgalley - thank you!
MPAA rating - PG-13 for adult situations and fantasy violence
My rating - 6/10

Sunday Shorts

When We Wake by Karen Healey
304 pages
published 3/5/13

Synopsis from publisher -


Sixteen-year-old Tegan is just like every other girl living in 2027--she's happiest when playing the guitar, she's falling in love for the first time, and she's joining her friends to protest the wrongs of the world: environmental collapse, social discrimination, and political injustice.

But on what should have been the best day of Tegan's life, she dies--and wakes up a hundred years in the future, locked in a government facility with no idea what happened.

Tegan is the first government guinea pig to be cryonically frozen and successfully revived, which makes her an instant celebrity--even though all she wants to do is try to rebuild some semblance of a normal life. But the future isn't all she hoped it would be, and when appalling secrets come to light, Tegan must make a choice: Does she keep her head down and survive, or fight for a better future?

My thoughts -

I have to admit I'm enjoying this dystopian future YA trend SO much more than the vampire/mermaid/werewolf YA trend. There seems to be a lot of good offerings lately, and it's been fun to read them. When We Wake is definitely darker in tone, with very definite religious and political opinions. There were times when the story took just a bit of a turn to the soapbox, but in general I found it to be entertaining, and I would love to read another in a series.

Finished - 4/5/13
Source - South side library
MPAA Rating - PG-13 for violence and adult situations
My rating - 8/10

The Drowning House by Elizabeth Black
published 1/31/2013
268 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Photographer Clare Porterfield's once-happy marriage is coming apart, unraveling under the strain of a family tragedy. When she receives an invitation to direct an exhibition in her hometown of Galveston, Texas, she jumps at the chance to escape her grief and reconnect with the island she hasn't seen for ten years. There Clare will have the time and space to search for answers about her troubled past and her family's complicated relationship with the wealthy and influential Carraday family.

Soon she finds herself drawn into a century-old mystery involving Stella Carraday. Local legend has it that Stella drowned in her family's house during the Hurricane of 1900, hung by her long hair from the drawing room chandelier. Could Stella have been saved? What is the true nature of Clare's family's involvement? The questions grow like the wildflower vines that climb up the walls and fences of the island. And the closer Clare gets to the answers, the darker and more disturbing the truth becomes.

My thoughts -

I don't think it's a great sign that I finished this novel less than 12 hours ago and I already can't think up much to say about it. I think the author has a lot of potential - the writing here is quite good - but her story meandered and I just didn't find myself motivated to read. I would certainly read more by this author, even though this particular book couldn't really catch my attention.

Finished - 4/13/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - R for adult situations
My rating - 5/10

The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau
published January, 2013
409 pages

Synopsis from publisher -


Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.

While Joanna is in the Tower, the ruthless Bishop of Winchester forces her to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic; a crown so powerful, it may possess the ability to end the Reformation.

With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must decide who she can trust so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England’s past.

My thoughts -

Oh, this is just the best kind of historical fiction. A fascinating mystery, a plucky and intriguing heroine, the Tudors with being THE TUDORS - I just loved every minute of this. I can't wait to start the next novel about the delightful Sister Joanna. Highly recommended.

Finished - 4/19/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - PG-13 for adult situations and violence
My rating - 9/10

The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum
first published 1904
287 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

First issued in 1904, L. Frank Baum's The Marvelous Land of Ozis the story of the wonderful adventures of the young boy named Tip as he travels throughout the many lands of Oz. Here he meets with our old friends the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, as well as some new friends like Jack Pumpkinhead, the Wooden Sawhorse, the Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug, and the amazing Gump. How they thwart the wicked plans of the evil witch Mombi and overcome the rebellion of General Jinjur and her army of young women is a tale as exciting and endearing today as it was when first published over eighty years ago

My thoughts -

Ugh. I'm really particular about reading a series in order, and because I want to get to Ozma of Oz for the 100 best chapter books readalong, I had to read this one first. I did NOT care for this novel - as much as I enjoyed The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, I did not enjoy this one. I understand that the entire novel was basically just a set up to discover the origins of Ozma, but it was too slap-sticky and ridiculous, and frankly more than a little misogynistic. It just seemed like an excuse for Baum to throw out every odd character he could think of, without much of a plot to tie them together. Here's hoping Ozma will be a more entertaining read.

Finished - 4/20/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - PG? I don't know, this is pretty tame, but the scarecrow does get un-stuffed a bunch of times.
My rating - 4/10

Sunday Shorts

The Woman from Paris by Santa Montefiore
published 2012 in Britain, 2013 in US
392 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

When Lord Frampton dies in a skiing accident, a beautiful young woman named Phaedra appears at his funeral claiming to be the lord's illegitimate daughter. In his will, Lord Frampton has left the priceless Frampton suite of sapphires to this interloper, confirming her claim and outraging his three adult sons and widow. Eventually, however, Phaedra's sweet nature thaws the frosty relationships. She becomes the daughter that Antoinette Frampton never had and a wise and compassionate granddaughter to the formidable Dowager Lady Frampton. But an attraction grows between Phaedra and the eldest son, David. It seems an impossible love blocked by their blood connection and by the fury of one family member who is determined to expose Phaedra as a fraud.


My thoughts -

This just wasn't for me. I figured out the plot "twist" fairly early on, and the whole rest of the novel just didn't sit right with me. I don't have any complaints about style or writing ability - just a story that didn't click. I've seen several other positive reviews, though, so if you like chick-lit you should consider checking this one out.


Finished - 3/27/13
Source - review copy from publisher - thank you
MPAA Rating - PG-13 for adult situations
My rating - 5/10

As Above, So Below: A novel of Peter Bruegel by Rudy Rucker
published 11/31/2003
320 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Peter Bruegel's paintings---a peasant wedding in a barn, hunters in the snow, a rollicking street festival, and many others---have long defined our idea of everyday life in sixteenth- century Europe. They are classic icons of a time and place in much the same way as Norman Rockwell's depictions of twentieth-century America. We know relatively little about Bruegel, but after years of research, novelist Rudy Rucker has built upon the what is known and has created for us the life and world of a true master who never got old.

My thoughts -

I've seen a couple of comments about the author's remarkable research, and how it reads almost like an autobiography, and I think that was the prevailing sense I had from this novel, as well. I didn't particularly feel like I was reading fiction, although I knew I was. This was an interesting read, but not necessarily a "fun" one - the author, however, is an excellent writer, so I don't begrudge the time spent, though it was more than I would usually prefer to devote to this type of novel.

Finished - 4/6/13
Source - loan from my mom
MPAA rating - PG-13
My rating - 7/10

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
published 2004
560 pages

Synopsis from publisher -


Audrey Niffenegger's innovative debut, The Time Traveler's Wife, is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself misplaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity in his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.

The Time Traveler's Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare's marriage and their passionate love for each other as the story unfolds from both points of view. Clare and Henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals — steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

My thoughts -

Finishing this novel was purely an act of will. This will be the third time I've attempted this book, and I don't particularly care for it. I read it this time mainly to get it off my shelf - my mom loaned it to me a WHILE ago, and it had been staring me down for a few months. Also, let's be honest - nearly everyone in the entire reading world loves this book, so it must just be that I'm crazy, right? Surely if I read the whole thing, without abandoning it when the relationship starts to get creepy, I'll fall in love too, right?

Nope. I just don't get it. Henry starts stalking Clare when she is 6 - can she possibly have a memory of her life without him? He gives her a list of dates and times, to make sure she is always available whenever he is going to pop in. He manipulates her youth, her teen years, her childbearing experience - the whole thing just creeps me out.

Sorry folks - I'll happily bear the badge of "Only Person in the World who Doesn't Like This Book." At least now I don't ever have to open it again.

Finished - 4/1/13
Source - loan from my mom
MPAA Rating - R for sexual situations, language, and violence
My rating - 5/10 (the writing wasn't bad)

Sunday Shorts

The Odd Sea by Frederick Reiken
published 1998
214 pages

Synopsis from publisher:

One sunny spring morning, 16-year-old Ethan Shumway walks down his gravel driveway and vanishes without a trace. A gifted athlete and musician, he leaves behind a wake of family and friends who search for understanding in the unbearable presence of loss.

My thoughts:

More than anything I think this is a coming-of-age novel - of a boy, and of a family, who have to learn how to survive and keep going in the wake of a tragedy. Reiken's family rang true to me - each character felt authentic, and their individual reaction to the events seemed appropriate. Watching Phillip travel the bumpy path of grief, loss, and acceptance was difficult at times, but ultimately I found his story moving. I don't know that I will remember this novel's specifics months down the road, but I would certainly give this author a second read.

Finished: 10/6/12
Source: loan from my mom
MPAA rating: R for language and adult situations
My rating: 6/10

Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women's Literary Society by Amy Hill Hearth
published October 2, 2012
272 pages

Synopsis from publisher:

In 1962, Jackie Hart moved to Naples, Florida, from Boston with her husband and children. Wanting something personally fulfilling to do with her time, she starts a reading club and anonymously hosts a radio show, calling herself Miss Dreamsville.

     The racially segregated town falls in love with Miss Dreamsville, but doesn’t know what to make of Jackie, who welcomes everyone into her book club, including a woman who did prison time for allegedly killing her husband, a man of questionable sexual preference, a young divorcee, as well as a black woman.

My thoughts:

This is a very lighthearted novel - really too lighthearted for my taste. Hearth takes on a vast number of social and political issues from the 1960s - race, gender, religion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the KKK - but spends so little time on each that it's hard to take the novel seriously. I would have preferred a few less issues, and a bit more time developing characters. I have a feeling this novel will be pretty popular, but it didn't hit the mark for me.

Finished: 10/14/12

Source: review copy from publisher- thank you!
MPAA rating: PG-13 for discussions of race, gender, sexuality, and violence

My rating: 5/10

The Passage by Justin Cronin
published 2010
audiobook read by Scott Brick, Adenrele Ojo, and Abby Craden

Synopsis from publisher:

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear — of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey — spanning miles and decades — towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

My thoughts:

I read this novel two years ago for the first time, and loved it (my review here), but hated the fact that I would have to wait for the second installment in the trilogy. I decided to revisit the story this fall because the long-awaited second book was released this month, and I am glad I did. The Passage holds up extremely well to a re-read - knowing the plot twists and turns did not lessen the impact of the story, and sometimes knowing what was coming almost made the experience sweeter. I enjoyed listening to it as an audiobook a lot - the first time through, there were some parts that moved a bit slowly for me, but I didn't feel that drag as much as an audio experience. This is such a good novel, and now I am even more excited to start book #2! If you haven't read it yet, do it! It's a great choice for fall/winter, and now you won't have to live through the horrible cliffhanger!

Finished: 10/29/12

Source: audible.com

MPAA rating: R for language and violence

My rating: 9/10

Sunday Shorts

The Alchemist's Daughter by Katharine McMahon
published 2006
audiobook - read by Justine Eyre

Synopsis from publisher:

There are long-held secrets at the manor house in Buckinghamshire, England, where Emilie Selden has been raised in near isolation by her father. A student of Isaac Newton, John Selden believes he can turn his daughter into a brilliant natural philosopher and alchemist. Secluded in their ancient house, with only two servants for company, he fills Emilie with knowledge and records her progress obsessively.


In the spring of 1725, father and daughter begin their most daring alchemical experiment to date--they will attempt to breathe life into dead matter. But their work is interrupted by the arrival of two strangers: one a researcher, the other a dazzling young merchant. During the course of a sultry August, while her father is away, Emilie experiences the passion of first love. Listening to her heart rather than her head, she makes a choice.

Banished to London and plunged headlong into a society that is both glamorous and ruthless, Emilie discovers that for all her extraordinary education she has no insight into the workings of the human heart. When she tries to return to the world of books and study, she instead unravels a shocking secret that sets her on her true journey to enlightenment.

My thoughts:

Okay, I am definitely more tolerant in audiobooks. I don't think I would have finished this had I not been listening to it. I found Emilie to be an extremely frustrating character, and the story itself rather predictable. Several times I found myself thinking, "how much more is there?" I picked this title because I thought I remembered bloggers enjoying another of her novels, but now I'm not sure I will pick up anything else by this author.

Finished: 8/5/11
Source: South Side public library
MPAA rating: PG-13 for adult situations and allusions to violence
My rating: 5/10

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
published 6/26/12
audiobook - read by Emily Janice Card (9 hours, 3 minutes)

Synopsis from publisher:

On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray. Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life - the fissures in her parents marriage, the loss of old friends, the hopeful anguish of first love, the bizarre behavior of her grandfather who, convinced of a government conspiracy, spends his days obsessively cataloging his possessions. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.


My thoughts:

Well, even for a dystopia, this was bleak. I just felt like the author threw every bad thing she could think of at this poor 11-year-old. I didn't particularly care for any of the characters, and kept waiting for something to make the story worthwhile, but unfortunately didn't find it. I don't know that I would recommend this one - it just wasn't great for me at all.

Finished: 8/19/12
Source - South Side library
MPAA rating; PG for creepy, end of the world stuff and some adult situations
My rating: 4/10

Minerva: The First Volume of the Six Sisters by M.C. Beaton (Marion Chesney)
first published 1983
ebook - Kindle edition

Synopsis from author's website:

 When the Reverend Charles Armitage, an impecunious country vicar in Regency England, announces that raven-haired Minerva, the eldest of his six daughters, is to have her coming-out in London, the news is not well received by the rest of the family. Mrs. Armitage has one of her Spasms and has to be brought round by burning a quantity of feathers under her nose. Annabelle, the nearest in age to Minerva, is clearly jealous, the boys are all surly, and the other girls just start off crying.

Minerva is despatched to Town under the wing of the disreputable old Lady Godolphin. Her task - to find a rich husband and thereby restore the ailing family fortunes.

But the other five daughters will all get their chance, because Minerva is but the first volume in The Six Sisters series by Marion Chesney.

My thoughts:

When I was growing up, my mom didn't censor anything I read. If I was able to read it, I could - that's how I would up reading The Handmaid's Tale for the first time in 6th grade. Anything, that is, except these darn Regency Romances that I was inexplicably obsessed with. I don't know if it was the gorgeous covers - my public library had copies with elegant ladies on each one. I don't know if it was just the simple fact that she told me I couldn't bring them home - they have been in the back of my mind ever since. Imagine my delight in finding them available on the Kindle lending library!

Really, I understand why she didn't let me read them as a kid - they are so much fluff, I'm sure she just didn't want me to waste my time. As an adult, this novel was hilarious. Everything you could possibly want - the imperious but ultimately clueless heroine, the dashing hero who doesn't want to fall in love, the slightly crazy cast of minor characters. Exactly like cotton candy for my brain, and it was a delight.

Finished: 8/30/12
Source: Kindle lending library
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for adult situations
My rating: 7/10

Sunday Shorts

Miss New India by Bharati Mukherjee
published 5/2011
audiobook

Synopsis from publisher:

Anjali Bose’s prospects don’t look great. Born into a traditional lower-middle-class family, she lives in a backwater town with only an arranged marriage on the horizon. But her ambition, charm, and fluency in language do not go unnoticed by her charismatic and influential expat teacher, Peter Champion. And champion her he does, both to powerful people who can help her along the way and to Anjali herself, stirring in her a desire to take charge of her own destiny.

So she sets off to Bangalore, India’s fastest-growing metropolis, and soon falls in with an audacious and ambitious crowd of young people who have learned how to sound American by watching shows like Seinfeld in order to get jobs in call centers, where they quickly out-earn their parents. And it is in this high-tech city where Anjali — suddenly free of the confines of class, caste, and gender — is able to confront her past and reinvent herself. Of course, the seductive pull of life in the New India does not come without a dark side . . .

My thoughts:

This novel had a weak main character and it was a sticking point for me throughout the book. Anjali had so many opportunities to do...something! ANYTHING! And yet the only time she made any forward movement was when someone else forced her hand. I would have been significantly more interested in Peter Champion's story; Rabi's story; Hossaina's story - these secondary characters felt much more vibrant and interesting. I would read more by this author, because the story itself had promise, but I would need a much stronger heroine to keep me engaged for the long haul.

Finished: 6/2/12
Source: audible.com
MPAA Rating: R for violence, language, and adult situations
My rating: 6/10

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen
published 2010
audiobook

Synopsis from publisher:

A spur-of-the-moment ski trip becomes a bone-chilling nightmare when a wrong turn leaves Boston medical examiner Maura Isles marooned—far from home and help—in the snowbound Wyoming mountains. Seeking shelter from the cold, she and her traveling companions stumble upon Kingdom Come—a remote village of identical houses that seems to have become a ghost town overnight. But the abandoned hamlet has dark secrets to tell, and Maura’s party may not be as alone as they think. Days later, word reaches Boston homicide cop Jane Rizzoli that Maura’s charred remains have been found at the scene of a car crash. But the shocking news leaves Jane with too many questions, and only one way to get answers. Determined to dig up the truth, she heads for the frozen desolation of Kingdom Come, where gruesome discoveries lie buried, and a ruthless enemy watches and waits.

My thoughts:

Jane Rizzoli and Maura Iles are two of my favorite modern fictional characters, and this was another great installment in their series. I enjoyed the return of Anthony Sansone, and hope that the delightful Rat will make an appearance in forthcoming novels. Tess Gerritsen hasn't disappointed me yet - I'm considering adding this series to my permanent collection!

Finished: 6/14/12
Source: audible.com
MPAA rating: R for violence and adult situations
My rating: 8/10

The Girl Who Ate Kalamazoo by Darrin Doyle
published 2010
256 pages

Synopsis from publisher:

In this charming novel, Darrin Doyle paints a captivating portrait of the all-American family--if the all-American family's youngest child ate an entire city in Michigan with a smile, that is. Doyle has a flare for writing about family dysfunction with a twist. With a unique blend of realism and fantasy, The Girl Who Ate Kalamazoo is the moving story of the hauntingly beautiful Audrey Mapes, who began her illustrious "career" by downing crayons by the carton only to graduate to eating an entire city one bite at a time. With vivid, acerbic wit, Doyle details the life of the world's most gifted "eatist" through the eyes of Audrey's sister, McKenna. Through her eyes, we see the real tragedy of the Mapes story is not the destruction of a city, but rather, the quiet disintegration of a family who just didn't quite know how to love.


My thoughts:

Well, I broke one of my cardinal rules - I kept reading a book that I really was not enjoying. Someone loaned this one to me (Mom? Maria? I don't know, but it was on my "on loan" shelf, so I know it had to be someone...) so I felt like I should keep going - I mean, if they loaned it to me, it must be because they liked it, right?

It's not even that it was bad in any particular way - it was just so unrelentingly sad. Everyone was horrible to each other, and to themselves, and there was never any relief. This was dysfunction taken to a whole new level, and it just did not work for me.

Finished: 6/21/12
Source: ?? on loan from someone
MPAA rating: R for sheer depressing-ness, if nothing else
My rating: 5/10

Book Thoughts - Sunday Shorts

Just a few quickies -

By the Iowa Sea by Joe Blair
published 3/6/12
ebook

Synopsis from publisher:

After his first cross-country motorcycle trip, Joe Blair believed he had discovered his true calling. He would travel. He would never cave in to convention. He would never settle down. Fifteen years later, Joe finds himself living in Iowa, working as an air-conditioning repairman and spending his free time cleaning gutters, taxiing his children, and contemplating marital infidelity. “Our history,” he writes, “gains more weight day by day. And the future seems more and more unlikely to be anything cool at all.” Joe believes it would take an act of great faith or courage to revive in him the passion and promise that once seemed so easy to come by. What it takes, he discovers, is a disaster. When the Iowa River floods, transforming the familiar streets and manicured lawns of his neighborhood into a terrible and beautiful sea, he begins to question the path that led him to this place. Exquisitely observed and lyrically recounted, this is a compelling and often humorous account of an ordinary mans struggle to live an extraordinary life. Joe Blair lays bare the moving, hopeful story of a river that becomes an ocean and a love that is lost and found again, by the Iowa Sea.

My thoughts:

Gosh, I just couldn't feel sympathetic for this couple. The author's writing was good - sometimes quite good - and his descriptions of the flood that ravaged Cedar Rapids and its surrounding areas were compelling. But I found his dissatisfaction with his life increasingly shallow, and he and his wife remarkably irritating. I would read this author again if he wrote about a different topic.

Finished: 3/7/10
Source: review copy from publisher via Netgalley
MPAA Rating: R for language, adult situations
My rating: 5/10

A Feast for Crows: A Song of Ice and Fire #4 by George R.R. Martin
published 2007
audiobook

Synopsis from publisher:

It seems too good to be true. After centuries of bitter strife and fatal treachery, the seven powers dividing the land have decimated one another into an uneasy truce. Or so it appears....With the death of the monstrous King Joffrey, Cersei is ruling as regent in King's Landing. Robb Stark's demise has broken the back of the Northern rebels, and his siblings are scattered throughout the kingdom like seeds on barren soil. Few legitimate claims to the once desperately sought Iron Throne still exist — or they are held in hands too weak or too distant to wield them effectively. The war, which raged out of control for so long, has burned itself out.

But as in the aftermath of any climactic struggle, it is not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters start to gather, picking over the bones of the dead and fighting for the spoils of the soon-to-be dead. Now in the Seven Kingdoms, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed, while surprising faces — some familiar, others only just appearing — are seen emerging from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges ahead.

It is a time when the wise and the ambitious, the deceitful and the strong will acquire the skills, the power, and the magic to survive the stark and terrible times that lie before them. It is a time for nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages to come together and stake their fortunes...and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests — but only a few are the survivors.

My thoughts: Why in the world would they change narrators 4 books into a series? That was so weird. He was fine, really, but it took my a WHILE to get used to him.

I can see why fans of the series were so mad about this book - all the stuff that you are really interested in is never even addressed! But since I'm (potentially) the only reader on the planet who does NOT hate Cersei, it wasn't bad for me - my least favorite of the series, but still a good read.

Finished: 3/25/12
Source: audible.com
MPAA Rating: R - if they are lucky
My rating: 7/10

 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
published 2008
audiobook

Synopsis from publisher:

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Katniss' sister is chosen by lottery, Katniss steps up to go in her place.

My thoughts: I wanted my husband to read this, so I got the audiobook and (of course) had to listen myself. It was a good production, although it did take me a bit to get into the narration. The scenes that excited me were even more exciting, the scenes that choked me up were even more emotional - I can only imagine what it will be like watching it on a big screen. This is the first time I've read this first novel since I've finished the series, and knowing how it all ends makes it more poignant. Small phrases and bits of dialogue have so much more meaning - this is a truly great series, and I'm happy to say it holds up on this second time through. Still very highly recommended.

Finished - 4/4/12
Source - audible.com
MPAA rating - PG-13
My rating - 9/10

Book Thoughts - The Orchid House by Lucinda Riley

The Orchid House by Lucinda Riley
published 2/14/12
ebook

Synopsis from publisher:

Spanning from the 1930s to the present day, from the Wharton Park estate in England to Thailand, this sweeping novel tells the tale of a concert pianist and the aristocratic Crawford family, whose shocking secrets are revealed, leading to devastating consequences.

As a child, concert pianist Julia Forrester spent many idyllic hours in the hothouse of Wharton Park, the grand estate where her grandfather tended exotic orchids. Years later, while struggling with overwhelming grief over the death of her husband and young child, she returns to this tranquil place. There she reunites with Kit Crawford, heir to the estate and her possible salvation.

When they discover an old diary, Julia seeks out her grandmother to learn the truth behind a love affair that almost destroyed the estate. Their search takes them back to the 1940s when Harry, a former heir to Wharton Park, married his young society bride, Olivia, on the eve of World War II. When the two lovers are cruelly separated, the impact will be felt for generations to come.

My thoughts:

You know when you are reading a book and you start putting events together, and a possible scenario comes to mind, and you think, "No way. That's W A A A Y too obvious. The author can't possibly be taking us there", and then 20 pages later that's exactly where you are? This book did that 3 times. Three. Times.

I could really end my thoughts right there, and not feel too bad about this post, but since I did actually finish the book, there were obviously some redeeming aspects to it. I found Julia to be a sympathetic heroine, and many of the passages written in first person from her point of view were quite lovely. (I did not, in contrast, find myself able to feel much sorry for Olivia at all, which is probably another serious issue - if I find myself irritated with the secondary protagonist most of the time she is on stage, it probably doesn't bode well. But we are looking for redeeming aspects, right......) I also very much enjoyed Elsie and Bill - their relationship was probably the strongest in the whole novel.

I found myself very interested in the sections about Harry in the Pacific theater during and just after WWII, but unfortunately they were brief, and quickly overtaken by the secondary love story. I would have loved for those experiences to have been given more prominence, especially because the author indicated that they had much deeper significance with the discovery of a diary earlier in the novel. I also felt at times that the writing itself could have been better - it seemed like there were a few times when a word choice or phrase were out of place, or odd, and another could have served better.

Really, this was a fine story, but it felt like it could have been more. I was frustrated that the author seemed to take the obvious road on several occasions, when it felt like she could have made the novel so much deeper with just a little more effort. I felt like the bones of the story were good, but the execution let me down. I would still be open to reading more from this author, in the hope that her consequent works show the growth that would make her an excellent writer.

Finished: 3/3/12
Source: review copy from publisher via Netgalley - thank you!
MPAA rating: PG-13 for adult situations
My rating: 5/10