By Rainbow Rowell (319 pp. ebook)
I LOVED this book. It took me a little while to get into it. It's about a twin who goes to her first year of college. She is a successful fan fic writer in a world that's like Harry Potter. Her sister wants to be independent from her twin and her Dad has some mental health issues. Mom left the family when the twins were young. Cath is flawed but relatable character trying to plow through a tough transition in life. The romantic element is adorable. RECOMMEND.
Monday, December 21, 2015
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
28. A Thousand Pieces of You
By Claudia Gray (249 pp. ebook)
This book has the most amazing cover. I wanted to like it and it had some good moments, but it didn't work for me. The protagonist's parents are scientists working on inter-dimensional travel. Her father is murdered by one of his grad students. She and another grad student start jumping through parallel worlds to find him. There were moments when it was page turning but often the plot developments felt simplistic and the characterization fell flat. There is a strong romantic element which also doesn't quite work.
This book has the most amazing cover. I wanted to like it and it had some good moments, but it didn't work for me. The protagonist's parents are scientists working on inter-dimensional travel. Her father is murdered by one of his grad students. She and another grad student start jumping through parallel worlds to find him. There were moments when it was page turning but often the plot developments felt simplistic and the characterization fell flat. There is a strong romantic element which also doesn't quite work.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
27. Rising Tide
By Rajan Khanna (268 pp)
This is the sequel to Falling Sky which I read at this time last year. The story is set in post-apocalyptic earth where a virus has turned part of the population into feral killers. This book focuses on the scientists who are trying to save the day and a bunch of bad people who have other plans. Lots of action and complicated relationships. Recommend.
This is the sequel to Falling Sky which I read at this time last year. The story is set in post-apocalyptic earth where a virus has turned part of the population into feral killers. This book focuses on the scientists who are trying to save the day and a bunch of bad people who have other plans. Lots of action and complicated relationships. Recommend.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
26. Blasphemy
By Sherman Alexie (464 pp)
This is a collection of short pieces. Some of them aren't stories. What do we call them, fragments? I mostly loved it, especially the stories that I've already read. The pieces that didn't work for me, didn't work at all. I had a lot of deja vu while I was reading, to the point where I wondered if I'd already read this book. But I know I haven't. My favorite story that I read this morning is called "The Search Engine." It's about a Indian woman going to college in Spokane who finds a book of poems in the library. The book is by a Spokane Indian and it's never been checked out. She goes on a mission to find the author and nothing happens the way you would expect. Recommend.
This is a collection of short pieces. Some of them aren't stories. What do we call them, fragments? I mostly loved it, especially the stories that I've already read. The pieces that didn't work for me, didn't work at all. I had a lot of deja vu while I was reading, to the point where I wondered if I'd already read this book. But I know I haven't. My favorite story that I read this morning is called "The Search Engine." It's about a Indian woman going to college in Spokane who finds a book of poems in the library. The book is by a Spokane Indian and it's never been checked out. She goes on a mission to find the author and nothing happens the way you would expect. Recommend.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
25. Voyager
By Diana Gabaldon (1057 pp)
Yeah. I had to run out and buy the next volume. I'm pretty sure I read something between this and the previous volume but I can't remember what it is right at this moment. Goodness, this is one long enjoyable soap opera. I could not wait to see Jamie and Claire back together and my wish was fulfilled. Then they had all kinds of crazy adventures with new characters and previous characters. Lots of new locations. I thought she was setting up for a cliffhanger and I was ready to curse her to the stars. It's an arguable cliffhanger. There are threads of the story still undone that I would like to see wrapped up but I can get on with my life without running out to get the next volume. And good thing. Have I mentioned I have fallen into the bargain ebook trap? I have a lot of reading to do.
Yeah. I had to run out and buy the next volume. I'm pretty sure I read something between this and the previous volume but I can't remember what it is right at this moment. Goodness, this is one long enjoyable soap opera. I could not wait to see Jamie and Claire back together and my wish was fulfilled. Then they had all kinds of crazy adventures with new characters and previous characters. Lots of new locations. I thought she was setting up for a cliffhanger and I was ready to curse her to the stars. It's an arguable cliffhanger. There are threads of the story still undone that I would like to see wrapped up but I can get on with my life without running out to get the next volume. And good thing. Have I mentioned I have fallen into the bargain ebook trap? I have a lot of reading to do.
Saturday, October 3, 2015
24. Dragonfly in Amber
By Diana Gabaldon (813 pp. ebook)
Back in 2012 I read Outlander which I enjoyed as a big fun cheesy book. I wasn't in a big hurry to continue with the series but I watched the TV show and decided I would read the next book to get ready for the next season, whenever that is. I'm always reluctant to start giant books because I don't always have huge chunks of reading time and it's tough to get into them and I end up reading 1 book for months. I had a long plane trip and started it then. The story is about a woman named Clare from 1945 who time traveled to 1743 and fell in love with someone in that time and had a load of adventures. As this book opens, she's back in her modern time, which is now 1968. This is the hook, how and why did she come back and what happened to Jamie? The story shifts back to the 1700s and tells an endless story of Jamie and Clare being involved in historical events that lead up to Clare's return. I mostly enjoyed it, but it felt long. When I started, I didn't think I would continue with this series, but there are unresolved story bits that I need to see resolved so I'm going to have to track down the next one eventually.
Back in 2012 I read Outlander which I enjoyed as a big fun cheesy book. I wasn't in a big hurry to continue with the series but I watched the TV show and decided I would read the next book to get ready for the next season, whenever that is. I'm always reluctant to start giant books because I don't always have huge chunks of reading time and it's tough to get into them and I end up reading 1 book for months. I had a long plane trip and started it then. The story is about a woman named Clare from 1945 who time traveled to 1743 and fell in love with someone in that time and had a load of adventures. As this book opens, she's back in her modern time, which is now 1968. This is the hook, how and why did she come back and what happened to Jamie? The story shifts back to the 1700s and tells an endless story of Jamie and Clare being involved in historical events that lead up to Clare's return. I mostly enjoyed it, but it felt long. When I started, I didn't think I would continue with this series, but there are unresolved story bits that I need to see resolved so I'm going to have to track down the next one eventually.
Friday, September 4, 2015
23. Baltimore Blues
By Laura Lippman (285 ebook)
My keeping track of books I read system has totally fallen apart. I've had several did-not-finishes and a couple of things I read quickly. I don't think the world will crumble if my records are incomplete. This was a cheap ebook that was first published in 1997. It's the first in a series -- in this one the protagonist first tries private investigating after a friend of hers is accused of murder. I'm going to guess the rest of the series is her career as a PI. It was fun to read and I would read another, but not going to go out of my way to track them all down.
My keeping track of books I read system has totally fallen apart. I've had several did-not-finishes and a couple of things I read quickly. I don't think the world will crumble if my records are incomplete. This was a cheap ebook that was first published in 1997. It's the first in a series -- in this one the protagonist first tries private investigating after a friend of hers is accused of murder. I'm going to guess the rest of the series is her career as a PI. It was fun to read and I would read another, but not going to go out of my way to track them all down.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
22. Anna and the French Kiss
By Stephanie Perkins (273 pp ebook)
I keep forgetting to put my books up. I've read a bunch of romance and YA lately. This is a really sweet YA romance about a girl whose Dad sends her to school in Paris for her senior year of high school. She doesn't want to go. She would rather stay in America with her friends and a boy she met. She makes new friends and discovers the city and has more boy troubles. It gets a little long and high school drama-y (which, of course it has to) but overall enjoyable and made me wish I could have gone to school in Paris.
I keep forgetting to put my books up. I've read a bunch of romance and YA lately. This is a really sweet YA romance about a girl whose Dad sends her to school in Paris for her senior year of high school. She doesn't want to go. She would rather stay in America with her friends and a boy she met. She makes new friends and discovers the city and has more boy troubles. It gets a little long and high school drama-y (which, of course it has to) but overall enjoyable and made me wish I could have gone to school in Paris.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
21. All the Bright Places
By Jennifer Niven (293 pp ebook)
This is a YA directly aimed at people who loved The Fault in Our Stars. And it totally succeeds. It's about a high school girl who has lost her sister in an accident and she connects with the "weird kid" over what seems to be a suicide exploratory mission. The story is sweet and funny and obviously sad - but I really liked it. Also a bit of a love letter to Indiana. Recommend.
This is a YA directly aimed at people who loved The Fault in Our Stars. And it totally succeeds. It's about a high school girl who has lost her sister in an accident and she connects with the "weird kid" over what seems to be a suicide exploratory mission. The story is sweet and funny and obviously sad - but I really liked it. Also a bit of a love letter to Indiana. Recommend.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
20. Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?
By Roz Chast ((228 pp)
Last year there was a piece in the New Yorker by Roz Chast about dealing with, uh, "end of life" talk with her parents. Link: http://projects.newyorker.com/story/chast-parents
It's funny and sad and heart-breaking and relatable. When her memoir came out I wanted to read it. It'a also funny and sad and heart-breaking. And really, really tough. It's like a horror story about aging. I remember once my Aunt looked at me and said, "You aren't old enough to be scared."
I am now. "Quick and painless" is my mantra.
I recommend for its honesty but it's a tough read. And she did have a tough relationship with her parents that contributed to the difficulty - so comfort yourself with that.
Last year there was a piece in the New Yorker by Roz Chast about dealing with, uh, "end of life" talk with her parents. Link: http://projects.newyorker.com/story/chast-parents
It's funny and sad and heart-breaking and relatable. When her memoir came out I wanted to read it. It'a also funny and sad and heart-breaking. And really, really tough. It's like a horror story about aging. I remember once my Aunt looked at me and said, "You aren't old enough to be scared."
I am now. "Quick and painless" is my mantra.
I recommend for its honesty but it's a tough read. And she did have a tough relationship with her parents that contributed to the difficulty - so comfort yourself with that.
Friday, July 3, 2015
17. 18. 19. The White Mountains Books
By John Christopher
The White Mountains (214 pp)
The City of Gold and Lead (218 pp)
The Pool of Fire (218 pp)
My Mom gave me this set when I was in middle school. The last one was written in 1968. I love this series. I've read it at least 6-7 times over the years. It's a post-alien-invasion YA story where the aliens "cap" humans when they are 13 to control them and make them loyal to the aliens, known only as tripods, as the series opens. The story is about a small group of uncapped that try to free the world. It's a great story. There's lots of action and conflict. Cool ruins. The person telling the story is deeply flawed. You know what else I realized at this reading? There are no women. The protagonist has a Mom but she doesn't figure into the story. They end up at a castle at one point and there is a Comtesse and her daughter and they get speaking parts. That's it. No women anywhere in the resistance movement, not even stuck cooking and cleaning. How are they going to remake the world without women? I know that's how most stories were written then but it was still annoying to see how obvious the omission is, this time through.
The White Mountains (214 pp)
The City of Gold and Lead (218 pp)
The Pool of Fire (218 pp)
My Mom gave me this set when I was in middle school. The last one was written in 1968. I love this series. I've read it at least 6-7 times over the years. It's a post-alien-invasion YA story where the aliens "cap" humans when they are 13 to control them and make them loyal to the aliens, known only as tripods, as the series opens. The story is about a small group of uncapped that try to free the world. It's a great story. There's lots of action and conflict. Cool ruins. The person telling the story is deeply flawed. You know what else I realized at this reading? There are no women. The protagonist has a Mom but she doesn't figure into the story. They end up at a castle at one point and there is a Comtesse and her daughter and they get speaking parts. That's it. No women anywhere in the resistance movement, not even stuck cooking and cleaning. How are they going to remake the world without women? I know that's how most stories were written then but it was still annoying to see how obvious the omission is, this time through.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
16. Every Day
By David Levithan (238 pp ebook)
(Vague spoilers about the ending.) This is a YA book and the premise is that the protagonist wakes up every day in a different body and lives the life of that person. The body is the protagonist's age which is about 16 at this point. The event that triggers the story is that the protagonist falls for the girlfriend of one of the body's he inhabits. This is an interesting idea - how do you make a story out of a person who is in a different life every day and who can't form lasting relationships? I was curious to see how the writer was going to pull it off. And he almost does, I think with a little tweaking he might have made this work well enough, but as it is, I thought it was weak. The protagonist "fixes" it for the girl, which I did not approve of, and then took an action that violated one of his basic rules of living in these other lives.
(Vague spoilers about the ending.) This is a YA book and the premise is that the protagonist wakes up every day in a different body and lives the life of that person. The body is the protagonist's age which is about 16 at this point. The event that triggers the story is that the protagonist falls for the girlfriend of one of the body's he inhabits. This is an interesting idea - how do you make a story out of a person who is in a different life every day and who can't form lasting relationships? I was curious to see how the writer was going to pull it off. And he almost does, I think with a little tweaking he might have made this work well enough, but as it is, I thought it was weak. The protagonist "fixes" it for the girl, which I did not approve of, and then took an action that violated one of his basic rules of living in these other lives.
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