By Patti Smith (253 pp)
I'm sorry I didn't decide to make notes of pages I wanted to go back to until page 139 where I made a note that Patti returned from an overseas tour and upon taking stock, realizes she only lost one pair of glasses. I had low expectations for this book. After Just Kids I suspected this was an easy money grab. You could probably make that argument. It's still terrific. It's a quiet, aimless memoir with the kind of writing that makes you want to slow down and savor every word. I always have so many books to read, I'm in a hurry to finish. With this book I took my time and was sorry it was finished. Luckily, Bob gave me a tiny volume of Patti that's a memoir finished on her 45th birthday.
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Sunday, January 10, 2016
3. Vintage
By Susan Gloss (263 pp ebook)
This is a light and sweet chick lit book that follows several women connected to a vintage clothing shop in Madison, Wisconsin. I met the author when I was in Madison. It's not my usual type of book but I grabbed it during the great ebook buying binge of 2015. I loved all the characters and the way each chapter started with the description of a vintage item. It made me wish I knew more about clothes
This is a light and sweet chick lit book that follows several women connected to a vintage clothing shop in Madison, Wisconsin. I met the author when I was in Madison. It's not my usual type of book but I grabbed it during the great ebook buying binge of 2015. I loved all the characters and the way each chapter started with the description of a vintage item. It made me wish I knew more about clothes
Monday, January 4, 2016
2. All Clear
By Connie Willis (641 pp)
It snowed yesterday morning so I stayed in bed and almost finished this book. I had to wait and read the last bit today. I enjoyed it just as much as the first time but sheesh, the middle is a major slog. So much repetition. I get that a lot of it is relevant to the story developments but I think this could have been one shorter volume that read a bit tighter. Still recommend.
It snowed yesterday morning so I stayed in bed and almost finished this book. I had to wait and read the last bit today. I enjoyed it just as much as the first time but sheesh, the middle is a major slog. So much repetition. I get that a lot of it is relevant to the story developments but I think this could have been one shorter volume that read a bit tighter. Still recommend.
Friday, January 1, 2016
1. Blackout
By Connie Willis (491 pp)
I read this in 2010 - I didn't realize it had been that long. This and the sequel All Clear came out 10 months apart. It's deceptive to call it a sequel because it's really one giant book chopped in two. Book 1 doesn't even pretend to be a self-contained volume. Since I finished them the first time I've wanted to read them back-to-back and even though I have 3 other books partially read, I decided to pick these up now. It's about time travelers in WWII and it's hard to put down. Recommend.
I read this in 2010 - I didn't realize it had been that long. This and the sequel All Clear came out 10 months apart. It's deceptive to call it a sequel because it's really one giant book chopped in two. Book 1 doesn't even pretend to be a self-contained volume. Since I finished them the first time I've wanted to read them back-to-back and even though I have 3 other books partially read, I decided to pick these up now. It's about time travelers in WWII and it's hard to put down. Recommend.
Monday, December 21, 2015
29. Fangirl
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.
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.
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.
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