Never Have Your Dog Stuffed

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned

Alan Alda, 2005

A collection of stories starting from Alda's childhood in the burlesque world to his present-day life.

I thought that this was a good biography. I've always been a big fan of M*A*S*H, but aside from seeing him on that show and in the occasional movie, I never really knew much about him and, honestly, pictured that he would be in person like Hawkeye, his M*A*S*H character. Apparently I was very wrong about this. Alda is a down to earth, somewhat shy individual, who started out with an unorthodox childhood but who turned into a pretty well-rounded adult. It actually left me liking him more than I did when I started. An enjoyable read.

Side note: I listened to the audiobook, and the one negative I have is that I really wish that Alda had read the book himself. I'm familiar enough with what his voice sounds like that, at times, it actually took me out of the story a little bit hearing someone else tell it. Made it feel a little more like fiction than biography. 

The Casual Vacancy

The Casual Vacancy

J.K. Rowling, 2012

When Barry Fairbrother dies suddenly, the whole town of Pagford is thrown into upheaval. Not only was he a well-known, well-liked individual, but his death leaves an opening on the parish council. Whoever fills the spot could be the deciding vote on a number of important issues facing the council at present. As power plays are made, and dirty laundry is aired for all to see, this quiet town will soon face a war that no one anticipated.

I really liked this book. It was a great story about how one man's death affects and pretty much tears apart one small town. Really well-written with some fascinating, well-defined characters, few of whom are actually all that likable. 

I think if you go into this book thinking 'Oh, J.K. Rowling wrote this. I liked Harry Potter, maybe I'll give this a shot', you're going to be extremely disappointed. But if you think of this more as an author debut, it's a very good read. 

Whistling Past the Graveyard

Whistling Past the Graveyard

Susan Crandall, 2013

For nine-year-old white girl Starla, being raised by her grandmother in 1960s Mississippi, the biggest thing she worries about is her grandmother's punishments. When she sneaks out to see the Fourth of July parade after being grounded and gets caught, she fears that her grandmother will send her to reform school as promised, and decides to run away to find her mother in Nashville. Along the road, she is offered a ride by a black woman, Eula, who is traveling with a baby... a white baby, as Starla discovers. Soon, Eula and Starla set on together on the road to Nashville, and Starla discovers that there are bigger dangers in the south than she thought.

This was a great book. It had the same feel as To Kill a Mockingbird (one of my favorites) - 1950s/60s racial tension as seen through the eyes of a young white girl - but at the same time it didn't feel like it was stealing from Mockingbird; it felt like its own original story. A fast read, although not necessarily an easy one. Highly recommended.

Bellman & Black

Bellman & Black

Diane Setterfield, 2013

When William Bellman was 11, he killed a rook with a slingshot. As an adult, William meets a strange man dressed in black, who gives him an idea for a brilliant business: making and selling fine mourning attire. Because death is a growing business. But who is the mysterious Mr. Black?

This book is a really difficult one to evaluate. On the one hand, it was beautifully written and I would often find myself reading big chunks of the book at a time, simply because I wanted to keep reading. On the other hand, I find it hard to even explain what the book was about, because so very little happened. It's one of those rare books that is hard to describe, hard to even figure out why I liked it, but enjoyable anyway. Certainly not a page-turner in the classic sense, but worth a read anyway.

Side note: Many websites list this book as Bellman & Black: A Ghost Story. This is not a ghost story. Not really. So don't go into it looking for a scary ghost story to keep you up at night. In fact, go into it with no expectations at all. I think it's better that way.

Allegiant

Allegiant (Divergent #3)

Veronica Roth, 2013

The war that broke apart the factions and brought the factionless to power has destroyed the world that Tris knew. So when offered a chance to leave the city, go beyond the fences that are the limits of the world as she knows it, she jumps at the chance. But what Tris discovers outside the fence throws into question everything she has ever known. Told in the dual perspective of both Tris and Tobias, Allegiant gives us a final glimpse into where the quest for perfection can lead, and what true courage is all about.

I know that a lot of readers were shocked and disappointed in the way that the author chose to end this series. I am not one of those readers. I actually loved the ending. I was shocked, but I loved it. I thought it really fit the tone that the author was trying to create. An enjoyable young adult dystopian series overall. 

I Am Malala

I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

Malala Yousafzai, 2013

The true story of Malala Yousafzai, a girl from Pakistan who spoke out about the right for everyone to get an education and who, at the age of fifteen, was shot and almost killed by the Taliban.

This was a great book. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about the writing style, but in the end I really liked that it was written in Malala's voice. I could almost hear her speaking through the pages. She could have chosen to use a ghost writer to make the writing sound more "adult", but I don't think that the story would have ended up having the same power if she had. It was fascinating to hear what her life was like. She's an extraordinary girl. I hope that young girls all over the world look to Malala as a role model for what can be accomplished if you only stand up for what you believe in.

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee, 1960

Growing up in small town Alabama in 1935, Jean Louise "Scout" Finch is growing up in a time when racism and intolerance are a way of life. So when her father, Atticus, is tasked with defending a black man accused of raping a white girl, everything that Scout understands about life will be put to the test.

I had read this book before, back in school about fifteen years ago, and I had been meaning to re-read it for a few years now. (I've also seen the movie a few times - great film - but it had been a few years). So, while I remembered the big plot points, there was a lot about this book that I didn't remember.

I am so glad that I re-read this. In fact, I think it's going to get added to my exclusive list of books to re-read every few years. I absolutely loved it. Even though the story takes place in the 1930s, and racism isn't as prevalent now as it used to be, thankfully, the book doesn't feel dated. And the characters are amazing; I think Atticus and Scout Finch are two of the best written and endearing characters in literature, period. Just an all-around excellent book. 

UnSouled

UnSouled (Unwind #3)

Neal Shusterman, 2013

After the destruction of the Graveyard - the safe haven for runaway unwinds - Connor and Lev are trying to find answers. Answers about the man who created unwinding. And about why Proactive Citizenry is so scared of him that they tried to erase him from history. At the same time, Cam - the first "rewound", a person created wholly from unwound parts - is determined to bring down the people who created him. But can they really succeed against such a powerful organization as Proactive Citizenry?

This book was quite fun. I didn't love all the storylines - the Argent story kind of bored me, although I loved the addition of Grace - but there was a lot of great action and drama. Also, I thought the solution that Sonia showed them is actually quite plausible (as far as this world is concerned) - I was a little worried that they would come up with someone outrageous as the solution to unwinding. Very much looking forward to the final book coming out...

Speaking of which, I thought this was going to be the final book! What happened there? Seems they decided to split the final book into two, meaning that Undivided, expected publication October 2014, will be the final book, and will hopefully wrap up all the storylines left hanging at the end of this book. I didn't know this when I started reading UnSouled, so I was actually really annoyed with the ending, thinking that it was the final ending. But once I figured out it wasn't, I decided that the ending was okay after all. I'm just hoping that they are able to wrap everything up in one more book, because I think dragging it out longer than that will actually hurt the story.

The Taste of Night

The Taste of Night (Signs of the Zodiac #2)

Vicki Pettersson, 2007

Every major city has a Zodiac - forces for good and forces for evil, fighting for balance (Light) or supremacy (Shadow). In Las Vegas, Joanna Archer is an anomaly - half Light and half Shadow - who currently fights for the side of Light. But there are those of the Light who don't trust her and want her gone. And there are those of the Shadow who want to lure her to the other side. So when a deadly virus strikes the city, Joanna must decide not only how to fight it, but who she can trust... if she can trust anybody.

I find myself really enjoying this series. This second book wasn't as good for me as The Scent of Shadows, but I did like the way this one ended, giving me a lot of hope that the rest of the series should really pick up. Not that this book didn't have a fair amount going for it - there was a lot of action and drama, and some really cool reveals (I really liked the concept of the changelings). 

Overall, a quick, fun read that really left me looking forward to the next book.

The Walking Dead, Vol. 7

The Walking Dead, Vol. 7: The Calm Before

Robert Kirkman, 2007

In this volume of the comic book series, Lori's pregnancy comes to term and the others do what they can to prepare for what might be coming.

This volume was good, but - as the title indicates - not all that thrilling. It can be good to have a break between high-action volumes, though, and this one did a lot to progress character development. Also,there were definitely important events in this book. It just wasn't as awesome for me as some of the others have been. Next volume looks to be pretty intense, though, so I'm looking forward to reading that one.

The Tao of Martha

The Tao of Martha: My Year of LIVING; Or, Why I'm Never Getting All That Glitter Off the Dog

Jen Lancaster, 2013

Jen Lancaster's newest project is to organize and improve her life, using her idol, Martha Stewart, as a guideline. 

I'm so glad I gave Jen Lancaster a second chance. I read Bitter is the New Black last year, and while I mostly enjoyed it, I was a bit underwhelmed. But it was her first book, and it was about her transformation from rich bitch to normal, amusingly crazy person, so the part of the book where she was a rich bitch made me kind of hate her. But something told me that I would like the person she became, so I didn't hesitate to pick up some of her other nonfiction stuff. 

I'm glad I did, because I really enjoyed this one. I found her funny, but also liked her honesty and personality. I listened to this one on audiobook, which she read herself, and it was a fun way to pass the time while cleaning the house and working out at the gym. I'll definitely be reading and/or listening to the rest of her books soon.

Life After Life

Life After Life

Kate Atkinson, 2013

Ursula Todd is a unique individual. On a snowy night in 1910, with the doctor unable to get there in time, Ursula enters this world stillborn. But let's try again. On a snowy night in 1910, Ursula enters this world not breathing, but is brought back from the brink of death, only to die as a young child. But let's try again. On a snowy night in 1910... And on and on and on. Every time she dies, Ursula Todd is born once again, given the chance to make different choices and see where it takes her. While she might not know exactly what is going on, her previous lives hit her like a particularly strong sense of deja vu. This scenario leaves us with the question: what could you accomplish if you were given the chance to start over until you got it right?

When I started this book I wasn't sure what to think of it. It was actually a little confusing at first, and then was just a lot of stories about Ursula being a kid with not a whole lot of stuff happening. Not that it wasn't good or interesting, but it wasn't exactly knocking my socks off. Once Ursula survived to reach World War II, though, it really picked up for me and I was sucked right in. 

There are still a few things that left me a little confused, and it's definitely a book that will stay on my mind for a long time. Not only in a "what just happened?" kind of way, but also because it's a topic that really leaves you questioning your own life. If you had the chance to go back and make different choices, would you take it? And is the idea of re-living your life over and over again, making different decisions, something that excites you or chills you to the bone? This is one of those books that, while not perfect, will certainly stick with me.

Messenger

Messenger (The Giver Quartet #3)

Lois Lowry, 2004

In a dystopian world, Village is set up as a utopian haven for misfits and those shunned from other communities. But things are happening in Village. People are turning against the open welcome and vote to close the borders to any new refugees. The forest surrounding Village tends to be hostile to anyone who travels it more than once, except for Matt (first seen in Gathering Blue), who has a talent for traveling the inhospitable terrain over and over. Because of this, Matt is sent to the outlying communities to relay the message of Village's closing, and also to try to convince Kira - the daughter of one of Village's leaders - to return with him. But when the forest turns hostile against Matt, can he get himself and Kira back to Village safely? And can anyone help what is happening to the people of Village?

Okay, I didn't remember this book at all. I'm so glad that I read it again. 

I'm also really glad that I didn't read this book when I was young and first discovered (and fell in love with) The Giver - this book didn't actually come out until 2004, more than ten years later. Not only because it completely shatters my ideas my original idea about what happened at the end of The Giver (to tell you would spoil that book, so I won't say... let's just say that I thought the ending was sadder than it actually was), but because this book is really, really dark. Granted, the previous two books weren't exactly light-hearted, but this one is dark even compared to them. Still, this is an excellent, amazing story that anyone who loves The Giver should read. But dark. Just a warning.

Gathering Blue

Gathering Blue (The Giver Quartet #2)

Lois Lowry, 2000

In this sequel to The Giver, we are introduced to another dystopian community, that shuns the weak to the point of leaving the sick or injured to die in a field. Kira, physically disabled, was allowed to live because her mother was important to the community. But after her mother dies, Kira is left with one choice - to use her special gift with a needle and thread to repair the storyteller's cloak. She is taught the knowledge of color dying, but the community has long since lost the ability to create blue threads. When her only friend disappears and returns later with a sample of the mysterious blue, Kira sets off on quest that will end up teaching her more than just how to find the missing color blue.

It had been so long since I had read this book, I really didn't remember anything about it. I can't say that it's on par with the brilliance of The Giver, but that is one of my favorite books of all time...

I really enjoyed this book, though. Kira is a really well-written character, and I thought that her development through the book was really interesting to follow. I also adored the character of Matt, who starts out just kind of fun in this book, but develops in the next (review to follow). I am so glad I picked this one up again. Not a perfect story, but a really good transition between The Giver and The Messenger. 

Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Maria Semple, 2012

Bernadette Fox, a highly successful, intelligent architect turned reclusive shut-in, disappears from her Seattle home after the stress of planning a promised trip with her family to Antarctica. Her daughter, Bee, refuses to give up on her mother and begins to piece together e-mails, notes, newspaper articles, invoices, and other scattered documents to determine not only where her mother might be, but what might have driven her to escape. 

I enjoy epistolary novels in general, and I thought that this take on it - using documents instead of letters - was a really interesting way of doing it. I was surprised how funny it was, too, since the topic doesn't seem like it would lead itself to a whole lot of laughs. There were some very humorous situations, though, and I found the character of Soo-Lin hilarious. And while I didn't really love or identify with any of the characters (maybe Bee, a little bit), I did really enjoy hearing their stories. 

Before I Go to Sleep

Before I Go to Sleep

S.J. Watson, 2011

Imagine waking up every morning with no idea where, or even WHO, you are. Relying on the man who calls himself your husband to remind you of everything important that has happened to you since you were a child. This is what Christine Lucas has gone through every single day since the accident that left her barely alive and with no memories. But when a man calls her, claiming to be her doctor, and tells her that they are working to reclaim some of her memories and that she has been writing down the events of her days in a hidden journal, Christine finds that there are a few memories that are coming back to her. But who can she trust? And can she even trust what she has written down? 

This was a really interesting mystery novel. With hints of the movie, Memento, it was fun trying to put together the pieces of Christine's life as she was trying to do the same herself. I'll admit that the guess I had on "whodunnit" ended up being wrong, but I really enjoyed watching how it all played out. I thought that the ending could have been expanded a little - it seemed a tad rushed - although I didn't mind the fact that not everything was wrapped up in a neat little bow. Overall this was a really enjoyable novel that I didn't expect to like as much as I did, but I'm glad I read it. A pretty fast read but definitely worth the time.

Behemoth

Behemoth (Leviathan #2)

Scott Westerfeld, 2010

Picking up after the events in Leviathan, the Darwinists and the British Air Service arrive in Istanbul on a peacekeeping mission in an attempt to keep that country from siding with the Clanker Germans in the war. Deryn, a girl posing as an airman, finds herself in a unique opportunity to change the course of the fighting. Meanwhile, Alek, the runaway Clanker prince, finds himself a new group of allies among the people of Istanbul. But can Alek and his new friends succeed in their task to overthrow the current government? And can Deryn complete her own task without giving away her secret? 

This book - part two of three in the Leviathan trilogy - was so much more enjoyable than Leviathan, which I did in fact really like. While book one had to spend so much of its time introducing its characters and creating sympathies, Behemoth was able to run with the characters that had already been introduced and throw in a ton of action and character development. I, for one, have come to absolutely LOVE Deryn. I know that before the final book is over her secret will get out - there are some who already suspect - but I'm so excited to see how it plays out. And while I didn't think much of Alek in the first book one way or another, he has really grown on me. I think he's become a really strong character over the course of this book and I'm really looking forward to see where he ends up. Very excited to pick up Goliath and see how it all plays out.

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

David Sedaris, 2013

A collection of humorous essays about the author's life and family.

I adore David Sedaris. I especially adore David Sedaris when he reads audiobooks to me while I'm at the gym or doing chores around the house. While I think that Me Talk Pretty One Day is still my favorite, there were some excellent and hilarious stories in this most recent collection. While there were a few moments that made me cringe - the story about the turtles made me sad and while the one about learning languages ended up being really funny but started out with me wanting to make sure that I never, ever visit China - it was overall a really good collection of stories.

I've seen people complain that this book is darker or more judgmental than previous collections - and I'll actually agree with that assessment completely. Most of these stories are from his grown-up, famous life, which is inevitably going to lead to more "first-world problems" types stories. As for it being dark and judgmental, honestly, I think that Sedaris is just now famous enough where he can be a little bit of an ass in his stories and get away with it. This didn't bother me, but I can see where it might bother some people. I just saw it as him being honest. 

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of his previous work, although I probably wouldn't recommend this as someone's introduction to Sedaris. Me Talk Pretty One Day or When You Are Engulfed in Flames would work much better as a first read, in my opinion. And, as always, I highly recommend the audiobook, which he reads himself.

Faithful Place

Faithful Place (Dublin Murder Squad #3)

Tana French, 2010

Frank Mackey, undercover detective introduced in The Likeness, is front and center in this installment of the Dublin Murder Squad series. When Mackey was a teenager, he and his girlfriend had planned to leave their homes at Faithful Place and run off to England together. The night they had planned to leave, she never showed up, so Frank ended up leaving on his own, thinking that she had changed her mind. Now, many years later, the girl's suitcase is turned up in the fireplace of an abandoned house, and after searching the premises, her body is discovered buried in the basement. While the Murder Squad investigates the case, Frank is drawn back into his dysfunctional family's drama and is forced to revisit his past, as well as figure out the answer to the question of what actually happened that night in Faithful Place.

While this story was enjoyable and left me guessing, it was a bit of a letdown after Into the Woods and The Likeness, which were just better books. To be fair, though, I think my problem had less to do with the story and more to do with having Mackey as the central character, since I so violently disliked him in The Likeness. But it did end up being a pretty good story in the end and Mackey's family drama had its really good parts, even if it started out a little slow. A good mystery story, definitely worth the read, but I'm hoping for something a little better out of Broken Harbor. 

Garlic and Sapphires

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise

Ruth Reichl, 2005

Ruth Reichl writes about her years as a restaurant critic for the New York Times, including her move from Los Angeles to New York and her attempts to disguise herself in order to fool the restaurants. Book also includes a few of her published reviews as well as some recipes. 

I'm probably not the target audience for this book - I am not a good cook and I don't go out to fancy restaurants (I would if I could, sure, but I can't really afford them). I think this book is written more for the type of person who loves food and loves cooking. The kind of person who can take a bite of food at a restaurant and know if the cook spiced the dish with cumin or cardamom. (I have no idea what cardamom tastes like.) I can follow a recipe and I enjoy eating good food, but I am not a "foodie" in any sense of the word. I think that kind of person would get more out of this book than I did.

That being said, I am a memoir person - I like reading about other people's lives, especially people who are very different from me. The reason I enjoyed Reichl's book was because it was as much about pretending to be someone else as it was about food. I liked hearing the stories about her disguising herself in order to fool the restaurants and what her experiences as these new people were. She's also a pretty good storyteller, so even though nothing super-exciting happens, it's never really boring. I also like the concept of including recipes throughout the book. It didn't work tremendously well in the audiobook version, for obvious reasons, but some of the recipes did sound very delicious, and some of them even seemed manageable for my meager kitchen skills. A pretty decent read overall, and I would probably pick up one of Reichl's other books in the future.

Burial Rites

Burial Rites

Hannah Kent, 2013

In Iceland in the late 1820s, a man named Natan Ketilsson and his friend Petur were murdered on Natan's farm. A nearby farmer, Fridrik, and Natan's two servants - Agnes and Sigga - are charged with the crime. Burial Rites tells Agnes's story, as she is sent off to live with a local farmer and his family while she awaits her execution. Based on true events.

This was one of the best books I've read this year. Based on a real murder and execution, Kent tells a version of what might have happened, based on stories and historical documents that she was able to get her hands on. Whether Agnes's story really went the way Kent tells it or not, this is an incredible story of one woman's life and her attempt to hold her head high in the face of her impending death. All of the characters were very well-developed and the way the author wrote the setting made it seem real. A beautiful, haunting book that I would highly recommend to everyone.

MaddAddam

MaddAddam (MaddAddam Trilogy #3)

Margaret Atwood, 2013

Picking up after the events of Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood, our characters are dealing with the aftermath of the man-made plague that has wiped out most of the population. Toby, Zeb, and the other God's Gardeners, have come across Snowman-the-Jimmy (delirious with fever) and the Crakers, and take it upon themselves to take care of them. Toby ends up filling in for Snowman as storyteller to the Crakers, who decide that they want to hear the story of Zeb. Through this, we find out Zeb's history and his relationship to the missing Adam One.

(If none of that paragraph made sense, please read Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood before reading MaddAddam. It's the only way that any of it will make sense.)

I liked Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood, but I didn't love them. I loved MaddAddam. This is the book that I wanted Oryx and Crake to be. The first two books set up the world - how the plague happened, who survived and why, who the Crakers were - and this final installment gave us the character development. There was a little bit of action, but this story was mostly about the characters, and I loved that, especially the Crakers. The Crakers gave the story an honesty and humanity that it really needed, as well as provided a lot of comic relief. Toby telling stories to the Crakers were definitely some of the highlights of the book.

Overall this was a great conclusion to the trilogy. I think the story was wrapped up nicely, giving us a solid ending as well as providing a little bit of hope for the future of this world. I definitely recommend reading the first two before getting to this one, since a lot of this book won't make sense unless you do, but it's definitely worth a read. One of my favorite books of the year. 

Captain's Fury

Captain's Fury (Codex Alera #4)

Jim Butcher, 2007

We join the story two years after the events in Cursor's Fury. Tavi is still leading the First Aleran Legion, now officially as its captain, in its stand against the invading Canim army. But after meeting with one of the Canim officers, Tavi realizes that there might be a simple solution, which would not only stop the war, but would give them an ally against a fierce common enemy. Meanwhile, the First Lord has enlisted the help of the Amara and Bernard in a mission against Kalare that could change the course of the war.

I really enjoyed this episode in the Codex Alera series. Tavi is getting much more powerful, although is still weak enough with his furies that it isn't too easy for him (because that would be boring). Plus, Kitai's abilities were a very interesting development. I wish that we could have had a little more of Max and his brother here, but with a lot of the action taking place away from the First Aleran, I guess it wasn't to be. Lots of surprises in this book, though, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where these events will take us to in the final two books.

Crank

Crank (Crank #1)

Ellen Hopkins, 2004

Written in verse, this is a story about one teenager's descent into crystal meth addiction. While visiting her absent father, Kristina - a studious good-girl - meets an attractive stranger who introduces her to the drug, as well as to her bad-girl alter-ego, Bree.

I realize that my summary made it sound a bit cheesy, but this is a spectacular book, and one that every teenager should try and get their hands on. It's not in any way preachy about the dangers of meth, but is rather a story about one girl who slips up and loses control and her struggle to get that control back. The characters are real and honest and very well developed, especially for a first-person narrative told only in verse. And I am usually not a fan of books told in verse, but Hopkins just writes it so well. I will definitely be picking up more of Hopkins' books after this, starting with the follow-up to Kristina's story - Glass.

Dark Places

Dark Places

Gillian Flynn, 2009

When Libby Day was seven years old, her mother and two older sisters were murdered in her home. The only survivors were Libby, who escaped the house and hid on the grounds, and her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, who Libby testifies is the one that killed her family. Now, twenty-five years later, Libby will, for the first time, look into what happened on that day, as she begins to wonder if maybe she had been wrong about her brother after all...

I had been meaning to pick up Flynn's earlier novels for a while, since before Gone Girl even came out, but after reading that one, I pushed her other books up my to-read list. While the writing in Gone Girl is better, as is bound to happen the more an author writes, I actually found the plot of Dark Places to be more fascinating - and that is saying something. I think it's simply that while Gone Girl sends you back and forth between two conclusions (did he kill her, did he not kill her), this novel is a lot more open, because if Ben didn't kill his family (which we're not completely convinced of), then who did kill them is not exactly clear. 

I also really liked the way that this story was told, alternating between present-day Libby and the point of view of both Libby's mom and Ben from the days leading up to the murders. I also liked that, similar to Gone Girl, none of the characters were really all that likable. Even Libby I often wanted to punch in the face. 

Overall, I thought this was a pretty great suspense novel and I will admit that I did not see the ending coming. I can't wait to pick up Sharp Objects as well, and will be looking forward to Flynn's next project.

20th Century Ghosts

20th Century Ghosts

Joe Hill, 2005

A collection of short stories. Mostly ghost stories, but not all.

Lame summary, I know, but how do you write a summary on a short story collection?

I mostly adore Joe Hill. The first novel of his that I've read - Heart-Shaped Box - was delightfully terrifying. His comic book series - Locke & Key - is some of the best fantasy-horror writing I've seen ever, in novels or in comic books. I've got most of the rest of his novels sitting on my shelf waiting to be devoured. Fortunately, this short story collection didn't stop me from wanting to pick up his other writings... but if this had been my introduction to Joe Hill, I will admit that I probably wouldn't have read any further. While there are a few truly great stories here - "The Black Phone", "My Father's Mask" - a lot of them just kind of fell short for me. Others, like "Pop Art", were good, and I would have liked them if I had found them in a normal short story collection, but they were by no means horror stories, which was really what I was looking for. 

All in all, this is a pretty good collection, with a few great horror stories, a few very good non-horror stories, a few decent stories that will give you the shivers but that could have been better, and a few stories that leave you feeling let down. Worth a read, but nothing to get too excited about.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, 2008

After the success of her writings during World War II, Juliet Ashton is stuck on what to write about next, until she receives a letter from a stranger on the small island of Guernsey. Through correspondence, Juliet learns of the German Occupation of Guernsey, as well as the individuals who struggled through it by forming the oddly-named Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The society, originally founded almost by accident, brings many of the islanders together through their shared love and discovery of books. Juliet, as a writer and fellow book-lover, is drawn to these islanders and their extraordinary story.

I absolutely adored this book. I can't say enough good things about it, my only complaint being that I wish the book had been longer. This book is more about characters than anything, and I thought that Shaffer and Barrows came up with a number of characters that were endearing, complex, and real. I thought that Juliet was especially relatable and really enjoyed seeing things through her perspective. And, of course, Isola was one of the most wonderfully amusing people I have come across in a long time - I wish I knew her in real life. Part war story, part love story, part character piece, this book is one that I would highly recommend to anyone.

The Light Between Oceans

The Light Between Oceans

M.L. Stedman, 2012

After World War I, Tom Sherbourne takes a job as a lighthouse keeper on the remote island of Janus Rock, off the coast of Australia. Taking along his new wife, Isabel, the two are isolated from the world for months at a time, their only contact being with the two-man boat crew that brings their supplies every three months, and when they are allowed a month's shore leave every few years. Despite the isolation, Tom and Isabel are happy, although they long for a child, which begins to weigh heavily on Isabel after three failed pregnancies. So when a boat washes up on their shore with a tiny live baby and her dead father, Isabel sees this as a gift from God. After Isabel convinces Tom to not report the boat, against his better judgement, the two raise the baby as their own. But two years later, when they return to shore, they find out just what effect their choice has made.

This was a beautifully-written, thought-provoking book. I definitely found myself identifying more with Tom than Isabel, but I'm not a mother - I certainly can't say for sure that I wouldn't have at least been tempted to do what she did in her situation. And I'm sure that there are a lot of women out there who would have done the same. In the end, though, I'm glad that Tom did what he did, as devastating as it was. 

This is definitely one of those books that makes you think and that sticks with the reader for a while. Combining beautiful writing and complex, relatable characters, I can see why this book is being hailed as one of the best of 2012.

The Orphan Master's Son

The Orphan Master's Son

Adam Johnson, 2012

Even though Pak Jun Do was the son of the Orphan Master and not an orphan himself, growing up in an orphanage in North Korea assured that he would not be able to make it very far in life. As a young adult, he found his place - for a time - as a kidnapper, eventually raising in the ranks to learn English and become a translator. But after a seemingly harmless lie leads to him being mistaken for one of the most powerful men in Korea, Jun Do's life takes a sharp turn, leading him to a place he could only have dreamed of. 

I didn't have extremely high hopes for this book after reading some negative reviews, but I actually ended up really liking it. It was tough to read at some points - sometimes because the story got slow, and sometimes because the subject matter got dark - but I'm really glad that I read it. I thought that Jun Do's story and transformation were fascinating. I also really found it interesting to read about how different things are in North Korea compared to America, which especially came through in the broadcasts, which I found darkly humorous. There were definite aspects of Korean life that I had no idea existed. I'm glad I read this one and I'll be curious to see what this author does next.

Robopocalypse

Robopocalypse

Daniel H. Wilson, 2011

One day, in the not so distant future, one man brings a powerful artificial intelligence, named Archos, into being. But Archos is a little too powerful. One by one, technology - from domestic robots to military machines - gain intelligence, violent tendencies, and turn against their human masters. This is the story of how the Robot War began, and how humankind was able to unite and fight back in order to survive. 

I had slightly high expectations for this book. I didn't expect it to be the next sci-fi masterpiece or anything, but it had a cool concept and I had heard a decent review or two, so I hoped it would be good. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations in one big way.

The problem I had with this book wasn't the storyline - I actually thought that the idea behind the plot was really cool and the way the story played out was dramatic and plausible and interesting. My problem was that I just didn't find myself caring at all about the characters. I can't say exactly what it was - maybe it was the audiobook format, although I've never had this problem with audiobooks before - but I just didn't care about any of them. Something dramatic would happen, someone would die or just barely come out of a fight alive, and I wouldn't feel anything one way or the other. Obviously, this was a big issue for me. It's hard to like a story when you don't care about the characters. 

I know I'm not in the majority on this, so I'm not going to say that the book is bad. Like I said, the concept was really fun and dramatic. Hopefully you'll like the end result more than I did.

Break No Bones

Break No Bones (Temperance Brennan #9)

Kathy Reichs, 2006

While teaching an anthropology field school on the South Carolina coast, Dr. Brennan and her students come across a recently buried body in the excavated Native American burial ground. In her search to identify the remains, Dr. Brennan stumbles across a much bigger plot - one in which the body count is rising - and her life may be at risk as well.

I really enjoy this series of books. Even though this title wasn't one of my favorites in the series, it was still a very enjoyable read. (In general, I prefer the ones set in Montreal.) There was plenty of action, excitement, drama, and science (I'm a nerd at heart). I wasn't overly thrilled with the personal drama - I'm just not a big fan of Pete - but that was a small enough part of the plot that it didn't distract me too much. I was also pleased that I was not able to see the big reveal coming, about why the people were being murdered, and I was just as unsure about whodunnit as Brennan was. 

Overall, an excellent read, and I'm looking forward to picking up the next book in the series soon. 

Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park

Michael Crichton, 1990

Geneticists have discovered a new technique for recovering and cloning the DNA of extinct dinosaurs, and one man sees this as the perfect money-making opportunity. John Hammond's goal is to use this technology to open the world's greatest theme park on a small island off the coast of Costa Rica - a place where dinosaurs are displayed like zoo animals for the adoring public. But when a small group of experts are brought in to investigate the park's safety, things start to go wrong. What starts with a minor power loss in the facility eventually leads to a complete breakdown of order. And for those people lost inside the park itself, it becomes a struggle for survival against some of the greatest predators ever known.

This was a re-read for me. I first read it about 15 years ago after seeing the movie version and with the recent movie re-release, I figured it was as good a time as any to pick this one up again.

I have to say that, while I still really enjoyed this book, I like the movie better (which is very rare for me). I actually thought that most of the main characters were better developed in the movie version (Grant, Sattler, Malcolm, Hammond, Lex and Tim), and the jump-out-of-your-seat moments were more dramatic and/or scary in the film. There were more of these moments in the book, which was fun, but the ones that the movie put in (the T-Rex attack on the cars, the raptors in the kitchen) were just better done in the movie version.

I still really liked this book, though. Plenty of tense and scary scenes, good storyline, intriguing and novel concept (at least at the time it was written), and (mostly) interesting characters (I kind of hated Lex in the book). Definitely worth a read. Now I just have to go and dig up The Lost World, 

Death by Black Hole

Death by Black Hole: and Other Cosmic Quandaries

Neil deGrasse Tyson, 2006

This book is a compilation of essays that were first published in Natural History magazine's "Universe" section. Neil deGrasse Tyson is able to take complex concepts of astrophysics and make them accessible to the non-scientist, with just enough humor to make them interesting. 

I thought that this was a really good book. Most of the essays were really interesting and - more importantly - understandable! I never thought that astrophysics could be easy to understand, but Tyson writes it so that even the uninitiated can at least comprehend most of what he is writing about. There were definitely sections that made me feel really stupid, when what he was writing about went over my head, but the majority of the essays actually made me feel kind of smart for understanding it all (even if I know that in reality it mostly is over my head). I think that Tyson is a great writer, as well as being a brilliant astrophysicist, and I'm glad I picked up this book. I'll definitely be reading more by him in the future.

Under the Dome

Under the Dome

Stephen King, 2009

Late one Saturday morning, with no warning and with no apparent reason, an invisible dome appeared over the town of Chester's Mill, Maine. Running into it was like hitting a brick wall, and getting too close to it played havoc with electronic devices. Where it came from and why it's there is a mystery, but the biggest question for the people in the town is how long will it last? While a few citizens, led by former military investigator Dale Barbara, try to figure out how to survive and bring down the Dome, another man is determined to increase the power he has over the town, while trying to keep his own secrets from coming to light. Because even in a small town like Chester's Mill, there are secrets... and people you don't want to be trapped with....

I have been reading books in June, I swear...

I can't think of the last Stephen King book that I really loved. I have felt that his more recent books have been a little sub-par, especially compared to the great books he has written previously (The Shining, The Stand, etc.). He's still one of my favorite authors, though, so I've never given up on him. And after finishing this one, I'm so glad I didn't. 

Under the Dome is probably the best book I've read this year, and definitely one of my favorite King books. Even at a daunting 1000+ pages (although it didn't really seem to daunting while reading it). It had great characters - lovable ones and truly horrible ones - and insanely compelling drama. I was dying to know what was going to happen next. And I felt the reveal about where the Dome came from was interesting and (in a supernatural kind of way) completely believable. A great book all around. 

Dream Team

Dream Team

Jack McCallum, 2012

In 1992, the Olympic committee began allowing professional players to compete in the games. This book chronicles the stories of players such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson, and tells about how the greatest basketball ever assembled came together at the Olympic Games in Barcelona.

I love basketball, but it's not something that I really grew up following. Other than knowing that Larry Bird and the Celtics were awesome, the Lakers were hated, and Michael Jordan was the best player in the world, I didn't grow up with a whole lot of basketball knowledge. I only really started watching basketball regularly in the past 5 years or so and have come to love the sport like I never thought I could. Because of this, I'm often left wishing that I knew more about what came before...

Enter this book. A wonderfully written account of a time when the best players in the world came together to form the greatest team ever. This book was an interesting account, not only of the Barcelona games, but of who each player was, how they played off of each other, and what the league was like at the time. One of the best books I've read so far this year. I don't know how someone who watched the Dream Team at the time would feel about it, but I'm pretty sure they would get just as much enjoyment out of the book as I did. A great read.

The Scent of Shadows

The Scent of Shadows (Signs of the Zodiac #1)

Vicki Pettersson, 2007

Joanna Archer, daughter of one of the richest men in Las Vegas, spends her days as a freelance photographer and her nights prowling the dark streets in the less pleasant side of town. But its not the criminals and vagrants that she has to fear, which she realizes when she is attacked - in her own father's hotel - by someone who she knows is not quite human. It turns out that she is coming into powers that will allow her to fight on the side of Light for the city of Las Vegas. But the agents of Shadow are very powerful, and the agents of Light have been dying off one by one for some time now. Joanna has to come to terms with what she is becoming, at the same time trying to discover if there could be a traitor among the agents of Light.

This was a surprisingly enjoyable urban fantasy novel. I sometimes feel like all the plots have been done - how many times can you have fantasy creatures battle it out and not have it become repetitive? - but this was just different enough that it kept me interested. Just people with a little extra strength and talent battling it out, good vs. evil. A fun, enjoyable read. I'll definitely keep going with the series to see how it turns out.

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

Tom Franklin, 2010

In rural Mississippi, the young daughter of a well-to-do family has gone missing. While there are no real clues as to what happened to her, the majority of the suspicion is directed at Larry Ott, a mechanic in the town who was suspected of murdering a girl back in the 1970s, when he was still in high school. While he was never convicted of the crime, the girl was never found and Larry was the last person to see her alive. Now, Silas "32" Jones, the town constable and former boyhood friend of Larry Ott, is tasked with finding the missing girl, and  what happened in the past just might be forced into the light.

This ended up being a really good mystery novel. I thought that the characters were very well-developed and sympathetic, even when what they did wasn't quite right. Even the minor characters were pretty well fleshed out. I was able to work out a few of the twists before they were revealed, but not in detail, and I thought that even though I saw some of them coming they were very well done and fit with the storyline very well.

In addition, I listened to this one on audiobook and I thought that the narrator did an excellent job with the reading, even giving distinct voices to the main characters that made them identifiable and gave them a little additional personality. 

An excellent mystery novel. Highly recommended.

The Birth House

The Birth House

Ami McKay, 2006

Dora Rare, the first female child born to the Rare family in five generations, grew up as a midwife's apprentice in a small village in Nova Scotia in the early 1900s. In a place and time where traditional methods were all they knew, Dora and the other women are faced with an interesting choice when a new male doctor comes to their village, promising new methods for fast, painless childbirth. Dora must now do what she can to protect the traditions passed down to her, while also figuring out what's best for the women she treats.

I'm a big fan of historical fiction, and this was a time period that I haven't read a lot about. I liked seeing what it was like for people living in a relatively isolated part of the world, where new developments such as electricity and modern medicine were only just beginning to creep in. I really liked Dora's character and found her to be a strong, independent female lead. I thought that she was faced with a lot of tough decisions but that she always did what she thought was right and what was right for the women she looked after. A very interesting look at what life was like for these women in the early 1900s. An enjoyable read.

Lost in a Good Book

Lost in a Good Book (Thursday Next #2)

Jasper Fforde, 2002

Thursday Next, employee for the LiteraTech office of Spec Ops, is usually occupied with finding forged copies of rare manuscripts. But when a copy of a long-lost Shakespearean play turns up and appears to be the real thing, life starts to get interesting. And this is in addition to all the trouble she caused when she went inside Jane Eyre and accidentally changed the ending. Now she's been put under the watchful eye of Great Expectation's Miss Havisham, who has been charged with teacher her the ins and outs of jumping into books. But can she use this information to release the man she imprisoned in Poe's The Raven? And can she do it before she's killed by coincidences and the world comes to an end?

I am really enjoying the Thursday Next series. While there are times when I find the humor a bit much, most of the time I find the jokes very funny (Jack Schitt and his half brother, Mr. Schitt-Hawse? How is that not funny?). But in addition to being a very amusing series of books, there is also a lot of action and drama to keep the plot moving along. In this second book, Thursday has to stop the world from ending, keep herself from being killed by an escalating series of coincidences, figure out how to jump in and out of books intentionally, and figure out what happened to her husband and how to get him back from the people who made him disappear. Lots of storyline in this one, but it never got to be too much. A really enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to picking up the next one to find out what happens. 

The Walking Dead series

The Walking Dead, Vol. 4: The Heart's Desire

Robert Kirkman, 2005

The Walking Dead, Vol. 5: The Best Defense

Robert Kirkman, 2006

The Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life

Robert Kirkman, 2006

The group of survivors from the zombie apocalypse is currently living in a prison that they have cleared of zombies. While investigating a helicopter crash nearby, Rick, Glenn, and Michonne are captured by inhabitants of the "town" of Woodbury and taken to a man calling himself "The Governor". 

I did a little run of Walking Dead comics this weekend. I've been watching the series on TV and had initially wanted to read the comics before watching the show, but never got around to it. I kind of wish that I had read the whole series before seeing the TV interpretation, but it's also kind of fun to know how things play out in the show ahead of time. It's not too much of a spoiler, though, because there is plenty that is different between show and comic. The biggest difference in these issues is the introduction of The Governor. I like the way they did it on the show and thought that it played out really well. The introduction it a lot different in the comics, however, and I thought it was kind of awesome. Although I can see why they went a different route on the show - especially in the way they showed Michonne's interactions with him. I'm really enjoying both the TV and comic series, though, and can't wait to see where they both go in the future.

Read-a-Thon Wrap-Up

Well, as you can see I only lasted about half the day before I had to go. But I had so much fun while I was playing. AND I finished two books - The Birth House and Lost in a Good Book, listened to a good chunk of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, and read The Walking Dead, Vol 4 and Vol. 5. So I'd say that it was a pretty productive day. Thanks to all the people who commented on my posts, and great job to everyone who participated. I'll definitely join in again next time the Read-a-Thon comes around. 

Read-a-Thon Post 4

Still reading! I had some chores to do around the house, so I picked up my audiobook of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter that I've been listening to at the gym and got some of that read. It's quite good so far. 

I'm checking in to post for the Hour 7 mini-challenge: Best and Worst Covers.

As I just finished reading The Birth House, I'm going to use that as my example. Although some people might find it still pretty boring, I really like the cover for the paperback copy. It looks kind of like an old, faded photograph, which fits in with the time period of the story, I think.

The copy that I read, however, was a hardcover from the library. It's not that the cover is bad or ugly, but it's just so plain and tells you absolutely nothing about what kind of a book you're getting into. 

At least the book was good, even if the cover wasn't. :)

Read-a-Thon Post 3

An update: I have finished BOTH Lost in a Good Book and The Birth House! (Full review posts will be up later, probably tomorrow). Taking a short break for lunch and then on to something new!

Read-a-Thon Post 2

The task: Come up with a menu based on the book you are currently reading. 

Current read: Lost in a Good Book (Thursday Next #2) by Jasper Fforde. 

This book takes place in England in 1985. My drink, of course, would be tea. They drink tea a lot in this book. 

For an alcoholic beverage, I'm going with what I'm going to call "End of the World Iced Tea". It would be a Long Island Iced Tea, with Strawberry-flavored vodka used in place of regular vodka, and a strawberry garnish. 

The meal would be hot meat pasties, and dessert would be a strawberry pudding.

Why? You might ask. The tea and pasties are mentioned in the book. As for the strawberries... well, that's how the world is set to end. Everything turns into strawberry pudding. (You'll have to read the book to understand, but I swear it would all make sense to you then.)

Happy eating :)

Read-a-Thon Post 1

At present I'm doing my best to finish reading Lost in a Good Book (Thursday Next #2) by Jasper Fforde. It's quite enjoyable. 

While I read on, here are my answers to the Introductory Questionnaire:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

I'm reading from the surprisingly sunny (at least this morning) state of Massachusetts. 

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

My plan today is to finish Lost in a Good Book and The Birth House, both of which I'm finding enjoyable so I'm looking forward to seeing how they end. 

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

I think I'll make up some "ants on a log" (celery with peanut butter and raisins) in a bit. Yumm.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself.

I grew up in Maine and lived for three years in Pittsburgh, PA before recently moving back to New England. Pittsburgh was nice, because I'm a Penguins and Steelers fan, which doesn't go over so well in the Boston area. ;)

5) If this is your first read-a-thon-, what are you most looking forward to?

I'm just hoping to use this time to get focused on reading. I love to read and always have at least two books going, but lately I've allowed myself to get distracted by other things and haven't spent as much time reading as I would like. While I'm not going to be able to read ALL day today (I do have plans later), I'm hoping that I will be able to use today to focus on getting back to the thing I love most - READING!

Dewey's Read-a-Thon

This year I have decided to try and attempt the Dewey's Read-a-Thon - a 24 hour, read-as-much-as-you-can, also-enjoy-mini-challenges kind of event. I know that I will not be able to read for the whole 24 hours - 1) I need to sleep. 2) I have things to do. - but I am going to try to spend as much of my free time as I can reading. I'm hoping to, at the very least, finish the two books I'm currently reading and possible get through one more. But I'll just play it by ear. I'm also hoping to do a few of the mini-challenges as they come up. Should be fun.

The Read-a-Thon is tomorrow, April 27, so I'll post short updates as I go throughout the day. Happy Reading!

The Dewey's Read-a-Thon Website