So Many Books...So Little Time

"The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers"

2010-07-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

Jason Fireson is perplexed when he wakes up and finds himself naked on a metal table with a sheet over him. His confusion increases when he sees his chest riddled with bullet holes, and he can't remember how he got there or why he's alive.

With a beginning like this, this book had me hooked from the start. Set in the Depression-era Midwest, this is the story of Jason & Whit Fireson, a fictional pair of bank robbers who flirt with immortality. With various other gang members they travel the Midwest robbing banks to provide for their families. Some view them as saviors, some as villains, as they work their way up to Public Enemy Number One.

But this is not just a rollicking ride of adventure. The book deals with family relationships and public perception. I enjoyed the historical details of the creation of the FBI and references to actual criminals such as Pretty Boy Floyd. I was also fascinated with the details of life during the Depression and how similar some of those are to our lives today during this recession. There is also a bit of mysticism dealing with their deaths, and an ending that will have you scratching your head. (Probably a good book club read.)

I did enjoy this book and thought that Thomas Mullen's writing was beautiful. I'd recommend it as a 4-star book rather than a 5-star one.

"The Judas Strain"

2010-06-14T21:39:00.000-07:00

After plowing through Wolf Hall for two weeks, I knew it was time for a fun read. I read a Lisa Gardner thriller in a day, but it just didn't do much for me. Then I picked up The Judas Strain by James Rollins. Wow.
My disclaimer for this book is that it is probably a lot of silly nonsense--especially if you have a medical or scientific background. Having said that, I really enjoyed and had fun reading this thriller.
"The Judas Strain" refers to a strain of bacteria that turns friendly, everyday bacteria into something that can devour and kill you. This bacteria, first noted in the time of Marco Polo, has arisen again and threatens the world. The Sigma Team, a group of trained "good" scientists, is racing against The Guild--the bad guys--to control the disease and find a cure.
This novel speeds from Sumatra, to Washington D.C., to Italy, to Turkey, and to Cambodia. It's exciting and entertaining, and I had trouble putting it down. It seems to be a combination of the medical intrigue of a Michael Crichton book and the race for information of a Dan Brown book. Whether the science is accurate or not, I enjoyed the drama of it all.

"Wolf Hall"

2010-06-10T15:16:00.001-07:00

It took more than two weeks, but I finally finished Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Wolf Hall is the story of Thomas Cromwell, an advisor to King Henry VIII. I truly enjoy historical fiction, and the time of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I is of particular interest of me. The fact that this novel won the Man Booker Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award was the clincher in convincing me to read it.
This book is part of the story of Thomas Cromwell--it begins with him escaping his home as the beaten pre-teen son of a blacksmith and progresses until he becomes the Master of the Lists and valued advisor to the King of England. The main focus of the story is the desire of King Henry to divorce his first wife so he can marry Ann Boleyn and the religious repercussions that follow that desire. Unlike many books about the time period, this story is told through the behind-the-scene backroom dealings of Cromwell, not the grand announcements in court.
I really enjoyed the book as I read it, but I have mixed feelings about recommending it. I enjoyed the historical information, and I enjoyed hearing the story of Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn from the viewpoint of another person. I loved the witty dialogue and the insider's view of court. The book is detailed--I mean really detailed--which may not appeal to everyone. Although the time period is the same, this is not the same story as The Other Boleyn Girl.
The most frustrating aspect of this novel is the author's inability to make clear who was speaking. She used first names and titles interchangeably, and names such as "Ann" and "Thomas" were common and therefore vague. Sometimes she used quotation marks with conversation and sometimes not. Worst was the vague "he" which could refer to anyone in the story. For example, in the sentence, "The evening before Fisher is to die, he visits More," "he" refers to Cromwell with no other reference to him whatsoever. It made the reading quite difficult.
While I enjoyed Wolf Hall, I can understand why not everyone might. Hilary Mantel is writing a sequel novel to finish Cromwell's story, and I am sure that I will read it.

"The Dakota Cipher"

2010-05-03T21:55:00.001-07:00

"The Dakota Cipher" by William Dietrich was a random pick at the library because the description was interesting. When I began the book, I was disappointed to discover that it was third in a series of books and I had not read the first two. I went ahead and read it, and I was glad that I did!

Ethan Gage is a self-described "treasure hunter," a loveable womanizer and gambler with a heart of gold. After adventures in Egypt, Italy, and France during the turn of the 19th century, he is led back home to America on a mission for Napoleon Bonaparte. He is under orders from Bonaparte and Thomas Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Territory. This is merely an excuse for him to search for the ancient treasure of Thor's Hammer, supposedly buried in America by Viking explorers during the 1300's. Ethan sets out with his Norwegian companion Magnus to accomplish all of this and to still have a great time!

The plot of the book was a little outrageous, but I put up with it to be in the company of Ethan Gage. He is a combination of Indiana Jones and Owen Wilson's character in Shanghai Noon. He can't help but pursue the ladies, but when it comes down to it, he'll always try to do the right thing. I enjoyed this book enough to go back and read the first two, but they won't be at the top of my list. This book was a fun distraction, and I always love historical fiction!

"The Happiness Project"

2010-04-26T09:18:00.001-07:00

I just found out that the book I'm reading that is due today has been put on hold, so I'm trying to race through and finish it! And it's so worth it! I am loving The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin. Rubin, a mother and writer from New York (originally Kansas City) knows that she is generally happy, but she also knows that life is short and she could be happier. This non-fiction book documents her one-year quest to bring more happiness to her life. She tries different things each month; some work, and some don't, but she learns new things about herself and life each step of the way.

This book could be considered one of those trite, one-year project books that are popular lately, but this one really appeals to me. Maybe it's because I relate so much to Rubin, a closet children's book reader and organizing fanatic. Maybe it's because everyone wants to be happier, so why not give it a try? I do know that Rubin tells you up front that what works for her might not work for you, so she gives you a framework for you to fill in your own resolutions. I love her quotations and rules for life. Some things that she says, I know I will never think of again, but others I find myself thinking of daily and beginning to apply in my life. I have found that just reading this book has made me a happier person!

"The Mortal Instruments"

2010-03-30T11:43:00.001-07:00

I've spent the past week reading the first two books of the Young Adult "The Mortal Instruments" trilogy by Cassandra Clare. A teenage friend and an adult friend had both read and recommended them. The covers of the books describe them as a cross between "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Harry Potter," which is pretty accurate with an emphasis on "Buffy."

When Clary Fray witnesses some tattoo-covered teens murder another teen at a club, she can't tell anyone about it because the victim turns to dust before her eyes. She discovers that these teens are "Shadowhunters"--human hunters who protect the world from demons. She should not be able to see them, but that is explained when she discovers that her mother is a Shadowhunter in hiding from a rogue Shadowhunter element.

Parts of the book are quite exciting, parts are repellant, and parts are cliche. The usual teenage angst is thrown in, and I was not quite sure how much I cared about the characters. However, when I finished the first book, I went to the library the next day because I really wanted to read the second book. I liked the second book better, and now I'm left needing to go to the library again to find the third book! (The author is currently working on a new book, which will be a prequel to the series.)

This is not great literature--it's not written as well as some other supernatural books I have read--but it is an interesting adventure. I'll let you know after the third book whether or not it was worth it.

Ranger's Apprentice

2010-03-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

About three years ago I discovered the "Ranger's Apprentice" series of books when I was looking for a good book for Brian to read. As a family we listened to the first book on CD while travelling, and we all really enjoyed it. When we got back home we bought the second book and took turns reading it. Now Erin, Brian, & I read the new books as they come out, and I finished Ranger's Apprentice Book 7: Erak's Ransom today.

Written primarily for 10 to 13 year-old boys, these books are fantastic. They are full of strong characters, including strong girls, and suspenseful plots. In Erak's Ransom, the apprentice ranger Will goes on a mission to save a new ally in a desert wasteland. Maurading bands put his friends in danger, and it is up to him to save them.

"The 19th Wife"

2010-02-25T21:54:00.001-08:00

This cover caught my eye at Costco about six months ago. When I picked it up and saw that the book was about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young, and polygamy, I put it right down. As a member of the Church, I really didn't want to read any "anti-Mormon" literature and feel the need to be defensive.

At the library last week, I picked up the book and took a more extensive look at it. It appeared to be more about polygamy than about the Church, and it also seemed to take a fair approach, so I thought I would try it.

The 19th Wife weaves together two fictional stories--one historical and one modern. Ann Eliza Webb was the 19th wife of Brigham Young in the polygamous society of the early days of the LDS Church in Utah. The book tells of her life from birth to death with an emphasis on her time with Brigham Young and what happened when she divorced him and denounced polygamy. The parallel story involves Jordan Scott, son of the 19th wife of a well-known polygamy fundamentalist, who is cast out of his community and later defends his mother when she is accused of shooting his father.

While Jordan's story is weak and predictable, Ann Eliza's story is fascinating. Based on her memoir, Ann Eliza tells of the Saints' migration west and of her own life in Utah and eventual marriage to Brigham Young. She is obviously bitter towards the Prophet, but the author balances her anger with other more positive views of Brigham Young.

This is the type of book that might try my faith or make me question my religion but instead I understand that any church leader in any religion is merely a mortal interpreting God's will. All we need to do is to look around us now, and we see many examples of how fame and power can corrupt a man (Tiger Woods, John Edwards, Mark Sanford, etc.) To me, polygamy was on trial in this book, rather than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and there is no doubt that polygamy can be a destructive institution.

"The Lightning Thief"

2010-02-10T20:21:00.001-08:00

"So, Mom, what do you think?" I swear that every time I turned around the past two days, Brian was asking me that question. Brian has read (and reread)the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series of books in the past couple of years and has loved them. He will spout random facts about Greek mythology at strange times and ask, "Who do you think is stronger, Poseidon or Zeus?" When he learned about a year ago that a film version of The Lightning Thief was being made, he was ready to buy tickets then and there. When I realized that the film was being released this weekend, I thought I had better read the book, so I could find out what all the excitement was about.

The Lightning Thief is Book One in the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series of six books and is leveled for kids ages 9 to 12. Percy is a troubled kid who struggles with dyslexia & ADHD and has been kicked out of numerous boarding schools. In trying to come to terms with why he is the way he is, he discovers that he is the son of Poseidon and that the Greek gods are alive and well in America. As demi-god, Percy is sent on a quest to recover Zeus' property and to assist a father he's never met.

This book is not perfect, but I can't help but love Percy's "voice" as he narrates the story. The writing is so similar to my son's writing--teenager with attitude! The Lightning Thief is an action-packed adventure, but it gets episodic at times--you're just waiting for the next challenge. Percy has some depth as he tries to figure out his relationships with all the new people in his life. The writing is average, but it works for a children's book. Much to my son's relief, I really enjoyed the book. Already he has asked me three times, "Hey, Mom, are you ready for Book 2?"

Check out the trailer for the movie: http://www.percyjacksonthemovie.com/

"The Scarecrow"

2010-02-07T21:08:00.000-08:00

Jack McEvoy is being forced out of his job at the Los Angeles Times due to the rise of the internet and budget cuts. He decides to go out of his job with a bang by writing a prize-winning murder story. As he learns more about the 16 year old drug dealer who has confessed to a brutal rape and murder, he discovers that this crime will take him in a totally different direction. Jack teams up with FBI agent Rachel Walling to hunt down the true killer and discovers that he and Rachel are being hunted by the killer as well.

Michael Connelly is probably my favorite crime fiction author, and I truly enjoy his books. Although he has an array of main characters he likes to use in his books, Harry Bosch--the Hollywood detective is probably my favorite. Having grown up in Los Angeles County, I can picture many of the settings for the books. Harry has been beaten down by life, but he is always working for the victims.

The Scarecrow grabbed me from the beginning and took me on a great adventure. The end was a little formulaic and simplistic, but the plot development was outstanding. I enjoyed the book, but if I were going to recommend a Michael Connelly book, A Darkness More Than Night is my most recent favorite.

"The White Queen"

2010-02-07T19:46:00.001-08:00

As a fan of historical fiction, I have read most of Philippa Gregory's novels. I loved The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool and enjoyed her other novels to varying degrees. When I saw that she had written a new novel, I picked up at the library without even knowing what it was about. At home, I was surprised to see that she is writing a new series of novels set during the War of the Roses rather than the Tudor era. I didn't know much about that time period, so I dove right in.

The White Queen is about Elizabeth Woodville Grey, loyal to the Lancaster house, who finds herself smitten with, and then later married to, the Yorkist King Edward IV. The book continues with the Lancastrian King Henry trying to regain his throne, and King Edward's two brothers, George & Richard, planning to take the throne for themselves.

Even though the title of the book is The White Queen, I found this book to be more about what a man has to do to hold on to his power and less about what a woman has to sacrifice to gain power (a common Philippa Gregory theme). I found the workings of the court fascinating, and it amazed me how quickly loyalties can change in order to stay close to those in power. The reviews on Amazon for this book were mediocre, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked hearing more about the men and the battles, and enjoyed the mystical twist to the book due to Elizabeth's ancestress, the French water goddess. I also enjoyed learning about the mystery of the two princes who disappeared in the Tower, and found Gregory's explanation quite plausible.

"Catching Fire"

2010-02-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

When I finished The Hunger Games, I wanted to read Catching Fire right away. Luckily, my friend Jenni felt the same way! She finished the first book about the same time I did and went out immediately to buy the second book. She loaned it to me after she finished it, then I read it, and now it's waiting on Erin's shelf for her to finish her current book.

In Catching Fire, Katniss is back with her partner Peeta making their victory tour through all of the districts. After a visit from the frightening President Snow, she knows that she cannot even breathe the idea of rebellion at the risk of death to her family, but some events cannot be stopped once set into motion.

I did not expect this book to be as strong or as gripping as the first, but I was wrong. Catching Fire builds on The Hunger Games and improves the story. The more I get to know the characters, the more I am conerned about their lives. If possible, this book is even darker and more suspenseful than the first. At one moment of Capitol brutality, I gasped out loud in shock at the cruelty. I recommended The Hunger Games to my 13-year-old son, but I'm not sure I would encourage him to read Catching Fire.

Catching Fire ends with a twist in the plot and leaves you dangling in suspense waiting for the conclusion of the trilogy. Unfortunately, Book Three does not come out until August. Those of us wondering about the survival of Kat, Peeta, their families, and District 12 will just have to wait until then to get our answers

"The Hunger Games"

2010-01-23T13:53:00.000-08:00

Wow...I just finished "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins and really enjoyed it. I first spotted this book in the YA section of the book store about a year ago and, based on the back cover, knew I wanted to read it. Several friends have read it since then, but I just got my hands on it after my daughter got it for Christmas.

In a vaguely futuristic world, the twelve districts of The Capitol are each required to offer up two tributes from a lottery system to participate in The Hunger Games each year. Part sensationalistic entertainment, part punishment, the hunger games are a fight to the death among 24 teenagers in a controlled environment with only one victor. Katniss Everdeen, a 16 year old from coal mining District 12, offers to take her 12 year old sister's place, and the contest is on. Even though she has some hunting experience, Katniss finds out the actual game is only part of the challenge.

When we proposed this book in book club, not many women wanted to read a book about teenagers killing each other, and I might not have made it through the book if that's all this was. Instead, it's a book with political overtones as well as complicated interpersonal relationships. I could hardly put it down and read it in less than 24 hours. The 2nd book of the trilogy, "Catching Fire," is available in hardback, so I need to find a way to quickly get my hands on it without having to pay for it. The last book of the trilogy will be released in August. "The Hunger Games" is a page turner, and I strongly recommend it.

I'm Back...Again.

2010-01-23T13:31:00.000-08:00

Last year was a bad one for me, and I had trouble making time for blog entries. Now it is January 2010 and time for another new start. I'm going to try keep my blog up to date, and I'm going to try to share all of the incredible books I read. I'm also making a New Year's resolution for myself to read a larger variety of books and authors. Last year I needed comfort, so I kept mostly to my old favorites. Here's to a new Year!

January Book Club

2009-01-22T08:06:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful time at Book Club last night, and I am so much the better for knowing you wonderful women. I had some recipe requests, and I am glad to comply:

BLUE RIBBON SUGAR COOKIES

1 C. butter
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. sugar
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
2-1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1/2 t. baking soda

Heat oven to 375°F. Combine butter, powdered sugar, and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda. Beat until dough forms a ball.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten to about 1-1/2 inches with bottom of glass dipped in sugar; sprinkle with decorator sugars, if desired. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

GINGERSNAPS

1 C. packed brown sugar

3/4 C. shortening

1/4 C. molasses

1 egg

2-1/4 C. all-purpose flour

2 t. baking soda

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. ground ginger

1/2 t. ground cloves

1/4 t. salt

granulated sugar

Mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses, and egg in a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Heat oven to 375°. Grease cookie sheet lightly. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Dip tops into granulated sugar. Place balls, sugared sides up, about 3 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until set. Remove from cookie sheet. Cook on wire rack.

"Wuthering Heights"

2009-01-22T07:52:00.000-08:00

What can I say about Wuthering Heights other than it is a horrible book! I've heard Wuthering Heights called a great romance, but found nothing romantic about this book. Instead it is a book of obsession, of revenge, of abuse, and of selfishness--everything that love should not be. The relationship between Cathy & Heathcliff is supposed to be one of the greatest love stories ever, but their relationship is one of the most dysfunctional I have ever seen. I love the quote from critic George Barnett Smith who said Wuthering Heights is "perhaps one of the most unpleasant books ever written".

However, Smith continues to say, "but we stand in amaze at the almost incredible fact that it was written by a slim country girl who would have passed in a crowd as in insignificant person, and who had had little or no experience of the ways of the world". I must agree that this is a very powerful book, and it is amazing to think of a young, reclusive girl being its author. I found the subject matter somewhat depressing, but the writing itself quite strong.

I'm shallow enough to be glad that I can chalk up reading another classic book, so I can converse about it intelligently, but I would not willingly choose to read this book again.

I'm Back

2008-08-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Okay all you loyal readers (if there are any), I'm sorry that I haven't been posting. With school ending, going on vacation, going back to school, the computer going crazy, and getting a dog, I have been ignoring my blog. However, the reading has not stopped! Let me share a few of my favorite summer reads and then I'll try to get back on track and keep my blog updated!

The Host by Stephenie Meyer -- Knowing that this was going to be a science fiction story, I was completely prepared to hate this book. In fact I might not have read it, if my daughter had not given it to me for Mother's Day. Having said that, I loved the book! In the same way that Stephenie Meyer makes vampires seem human in Twilight, she makes aliens seem human in The Host. The story was great, although maybe 50 pages too long, and I strongly recommend it.

The Whole Truth by David Baldacci -- I'm a big Baldacci fan-I really enjoy his political thrillers. This book took a little different bent which appealed to the public relations person in me. A defense contractor pays a p.m. (perception management) guy big bucks to manufacture a cold war, and it's scary how easily it works. Of course, a couple of people catch on and end up in danger as they try to discover the truth. The characters are a little exaggerated, but I could totally see the situation happening. After all, "Why waste time trying to discover the truth, when you can so easily create it?"

Born Standing Up by Steve Martin -- I think that Steve Martin is a fabulous actor and writer, so I was very interested to read this biography about his stand-up comedy years. It didn't disappoint. I had no idea he had worked at Disneyland starting at 10 years old and then had put in a couple of years at the Birdcage Theatre at Knott's Berry Farm. He talks about what inspired him to try stand-up comedy, how he came up with his material, and what made him finally stop and try movies instead. He writes with great humor (of course) and with thoughtfulness. I truly enjoyed it.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer -- I don't want to talk too much about this book because I know some of you are still reading it, but this is the last book of the 4 in the Twilight series. I was hoping to love it, but I had some major problems with it early on. After those parts passed, I enjoyed the resolution and thought it was appropriate. A must-read for Twilight fans.

The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs -- This was a book club book, and I was disappointed that I was the only one who made it all the way through by our meeting, but I enjoyed this book. A.J. Jacobs, editor at large for Esquire magazine and an agnostic, takes on the challenge of reading the Bible and then following it as literally as he can for a year. Keeping an open mind, he consults with experts of all sorts (polygamists, rabbis, atheists, creationists, Amish, etc.) and writes about his voyage of discovery. He uses humor and insightfulness, and he made me question if I'm really following my religion for the right reasons. I loved the obscure tidbits found in the Old Testament.

MAY BOOKS

2008-06-04T11:13:00.000-07:00

This was an experimentation month, and I tried a lot of new authors with mixed success. Read on and see what you think.

Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman (1997) -- (New author for me) Legal suspense, 1st book in the Tess Monaghan series; Tess is an unemployed reporter and amateur rower who takes a job as a P.I. and ends up helping a friend who is arrested for murder. Story is a little slow, as first novels are, but it looks like a promising series--I enjoyed it.

The Floating Girl by Sujata Massey (2000) -- Mystery, 4th book in Rei Shimura series; Rei, the Japanese-American antiques dealer, gets involved with a dead male dancer and a group of Manga comic book creators. Strange I know, but I can't get enough of the cultural information contained in these mysteries--really enjoyed this book.

The Thing about Jane Spring by Sharon Krum (2005) -- Humorous fiction; recommended by my friend Jody, this book is like a Doris Day movie come to life! I loved this story of a stodgy woman who learns how to attract a man and make friends by imitating the dress and behavior of Doris Day in our modern world.

Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell K. Hamilton (2000) -- (New author for me) Supernatural thriller, 9th book in Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, series; I don't even know what to say about this book because I've never read anything like it before. It is set in a world where vampires, werewolves, zombies, and other things that go bump in the night are a regular part of society, and the government employs people to keep them in check. In this book an unidentified monster is skinning people alive or tearing them apart--it involves Incan sacrifice and sadistic humans. I was strangely fascinated but don't think I need anymore of this violence in my head.

Glory in Death by J.D. Robb (1995) -- (New author for me) Futuristic mystery, 2nd book in the In Death series; I had heard a lot of good things about this series, so I thought I would give it a try. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is a police detective in 2058 New York City searching for the serial killer of successful women in the city. The book mixes romance, mystery, & sci-fi in a successful way--the science fiction enhances the story rather than taking over the story. A good book in a series I would like to continue.

The Battle for Skandia by John Flanagan (2008) -- Juvenile fantasy, 4th book in Ranger's Apprentice series; I love this series of books! I don't care if they were written for 12 year-old boys, they have an appeal for everyone from my 8 year-old daughter to my 40 year-old husband. In this book, just as Will believes he is free from slavery to the Skandians, circumstances change, and he must fight a war on the side of the Skandians. Fantastic!

Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh (2008) -- historical romance, 4th book in Simply quartet; Claudia Martin, owner of Miss Martin's School for Girls, has given up on marriage when a marquess approaches her for help with a particular problem--a blind and illegitimate daughter. Some reviewers labeled this book "bland," but I enjoyed the gentle romance between this older couple.

Untamed by Elizabeth Lowell (1993) -- historical romance; touching Medieval story of Dominic and Meg who are thrown together by the king and learn to love each other despite it. Okay.

Car Trouble by Jeanne DuPrau (2005) -- (New author for me) YA realistic fiction; Duff Pringle, age 17, decides to drive across the country by himself to start a computer job in California. When his car breaks down, he decides to handle it himself instead of calling his parents, and that's when trouble starts. My one word for this book is...yawn. It's a simple story but not very interesting.

The Foreshadowing by Marcus Sedgwick (2005) -- (New author for me) YA supernatural fiction; We picked up a load of books from Scholastic that we bought for the school, and I thought I might need to preview some--I am so glad I picked up this book. At age 5, Alexandra foresaw her friend's death, and now it has happened again at age 17. As World War I breaks out, Alexandra has multiple visions and premonitions, and then she sees her brother get shot. She escapes from home disguised as a nurse and focuses on getting to her brother on the front lines. The chapters in the book countdown to 1, and Alexandra compares her visions to knowing the end of a book before you know the beginning. This haunting book addresses the female view of war and the true horror of it. With a twist at the end (or is it the beginning?), you will be glad you read this book

APRIL BOOKS

2008-05-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

What's this? Kim only read four books this month? The truth is that I began the Pulitzer Prize winning "John Adams" near the beginning of the month and got bogged down in it. It is a fantastic book, but it is dense, and I needed to take a break. Here are the other books I read.

The Flower Master by Sujata Massey (1999) -- Mystery, 3rd in the Rei Shimura series; this book explores a murder in a Japanese ikebana (flower arranging) school. Unforeseen murderer with fascinating details of Japanese flower-arranging culture made this book enjoyable.

To Wed a Wicked Prince by Jane Feather (2008) -- Historical romance; after two weeks of John Adams I needed something light--this was light, but unsatisfying because the plot of an English girl being pursued by a Russian prince for political and personal reasons was shallow and hard to follow.

Moment of Truth by Lisa Scottoline (2000) -- Legal suspense; rookie lawyer takes case of a man so determined to plead guilty to killing his wife that the lawyer and detective start to look for reasons he must be innocent. Engrossing mystery with a few minor flaws, but well-defined plot.

Paradise Lost by J.A. Jance (2001) -- (New author for me) Mystery; 9th in the Joanna Brady series, Brady is a sheriff in Arizona dealing with a dead body found in the desert by her daughter on a Girl Scouts camping trip. The cleanest mystery I've ever read with a simple plot and emotional, feel-good female detective work--a little dull.

MARCH BOOKS

2008-04-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris (2007) -- Paranormal mystery; 3rd in the Harper & Tolliver mystery series about a girl struck by lightning who developed the ability to find dead bodies and discover how they were killed. Interesting premise but didn't enjoy this one as much as the first two.

The Last Noel by Heather Graham (2007) -- Romantic suspense; I think it's odd that suspense writers like to write special books for the Christmas season, but I really enjoyed this story of a family held hostage in their own home on Christmas by two robbers. The mushy sub-story of a family brought together is what made it so good.

Final Truth by Mariah Stewart (2006) -- Suspense; a true-crime author interviews a man recently released from death row due to faulty evidence and wonders whether or not he is committing new crimes. Very good story--well done.

Zen Attitude by Sujata Massey (1998) -- (New author for me) Mystery; this series of books about Japanese-American Rei Shimura, freelance antiques dealer, is as much about Japanese culture as mystery. Filled with interesting characters, fascinating cultural details, and a good mystery, this book set in Japan was a winner for me.

Carved in Bone by Jefferson Bass (2006) -- (New author for me) Suspense; this is the first in a series called "the Body Farm novels," which is appropriate since one of the co-authors is the forensic anthropologist who founded the true Body Farm in Tennessee. Interesting, full of yucky details, but a little slow and corny--has potential.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1967) -- See Review Below

Killer Instinct by Joseph Finder (2006) -- Corporate suspense; I really enjoyed Power Play by this author, but this was too creepy for me. Having someone bump off your business competition just really bugged me.

Single White Vampire by Lynsay Sands (2003) -- Romance; just some fluff I picked up because the idea of a vampire writing romance novels cracked me up. It was funny but nothing special.

Last Breath by Mariah Stewart (2007) -- Romantic suspense; not one of her best--a little slow to start--but I still enjoyed this archaeologically based novel.

The View from Mount Joy by Lorna Landvik (2007) -- Humorous contemporary fiction; I hardly know what to say. This book had a great message about what is truly important in life, but you have to get through the gratuitous high school sex and cutesy storyline to get to it.

Absolutely, Positively by Jayne Ann Krentz (1996) -- Romantic suspense; I always enjoy her great leading characters. This was a fun book

Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris (2004) -- (New author to me) Historical mystery; okay, this book had horrible plot development, a simplistic mystery, and illogical character motivations... but I enjoyed it because it had witty dialogue right out of a Jane Austen novel! This is the first in a "Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mystery" series. It begins immediately after the Darcys' and Binghams' wedding. The book was a mess except for the excellent dialogue between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. I'll probably give the next one a try to see if it improves.

The Outsiders

2008-03-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

I was going through some old books in the top of my daughter's closet when I came across a copy of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Although it was written in 1967 (before I was born), this was one of the books to read when I was in high school because of the popular movie that came out in 1983. I saw the movie and owned the book, but I couldn't remember ever reading it, so I picked up yesterday and started it.

Wow, what an awesome book! I couldn't put it down. The story of the greasers versus the socs feels like a typical West Side Story or Romeo and Juliet, but the true story of the "haves" and the "have-nots" is timeless. I love the way Hinton helps you to know and truly understand the feelings and motivations of each character through dialogue and description.

Susie Hinton wrote this book at age 17 because she couldn't find any literature that she felt accurately depicted teenagers outside the narrow world of the high school prom. All four of her novels portray kids just trying to survive in a rough and unfair world. If you haven't read this in awhile (or ever), I recommend giving it a try!

By the way, what an amazing '80s movie cast: C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane, Leif Garrett, Emilio Estevez, and some unknown guy named Tom Cruise. I think I need to find this movie and watch it again!

FEBRUARY BOOKS

2008-03-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

Last Look by Mariah Stewart (2007) -- FBI suspense; first in a series of three FBI thrillers. New body found of a girl supposedly killed in a case years ago. A good, intriguing story.

Run by Ann Patchett (2007) -- Realistic fiction; A beautifully written story about relationships, artistically dealing with issues of class, race, politics, and religion. It has almost a mystical quality.

Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward (2006) -- (first book I've read by this author) Supernatural vampire thriller, Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 2; I decided to try another vampire book and ended up in a crazy erotic world with vampires named "Rhage," "Zsadist," and "Vishious." I was fascinated but don't know if I'll go there again!

Third Degree by Greg Iles (2007) -- Contemporary fiction; taking place over 24 hours, a husband is tipped off about his wife's infidelity, is pursued by the IRS for fraud in his medical practice, and takes his family hostage with a gun. Tense book but too formalistic.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (1995) -- Young adult fantasy, Dark Materials Book 1; this books seems much too heavy for the 9-12 year old audience it is aimed at. I enjoyed the complicated and interesting plot but did not care for any of the characters at all.

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman -- Young Adult fantasy, Dark Materials Book 2; again, the book is well written, but creepy! Too much death and despair--I'll skip the 3rd book.

Deep Waters by Jayne Ann Krentz (1996) -- Romantic suspense; great hero and heroine--blah book.

Last Words by Mariah Stewart (2007) -- FBI Suspense; second in a series of 3. A little too graphic this time--not as good as last book.

Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz (2008) -- (my first book published in 2008!) Paranormal romantic suspense; I love the paranormal twist of the Arcane Society--enjoyed this very much.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (2001) -- Humorous Southern vampire suspense; 1st book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. If I had read this one first, I might not have tried the rest of the series! Okay, but not great.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie (2007) -- Young Adult realistic fiction; I read this book because it was on the 2008 YALSA list of Top 10 Best Books for Young Adults, and I thought I might enjoy it and recommend it to my daughter. It is both a humorous and serious look at a 14-year-old boy living on an Indian reservation and attending a white high school in the neighboring town. It was fascinating, and I enjoyed it. (But I won't recommend it to my 14-year-old daughter because I don't really want her knowing what 14-year-old boys really think about!)

JANUARY BOOKS

2008-02-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

I've decided that each month I should give a brief summary of the books I read that month as an overview of what I might recommend.

Power Play by Joseph Finder -- (first book I've read by this author) I might classify it as a corporate suspense novel; story of a corporate retreat at a hunting lodge where the company VIPs are taken hostage and saved by the low man on the totem pole. Really enjoyed!

Light in Shadow by Jayne Ann Krentz -- Romantic suspense; woman with hidden identity can sense emotions in the walls of a building and gets involved in a murder case. Good.

Truth or Dare by Jayne Ann Krentz -- Romantic suspense; follow-up novel to Light in Shadow. Not nearly as good.

Pandora's Daughter by Iris Johansen -- Romantic supernatural suspense; strange concept of a woman coming into her psychic powers being chased by crazed drug lord and killer. Usually like this author's books, but this one was a little too out there.

Protect and Defend by Vince Flynn -- Patriotic political thriller; Mitch Rapp is back and dangerous as ever! I love this series of books--makes you really wonder what is going on in our government.

Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead -- Historical fiction; Old Welsh retelling of Robin Hood--this is Book 2 and focuses on the character of Will Scarlet. Better than Book 1 (Hood)--loved it!

Stone Cold by David Baldacci -- (see previous review)

Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner-- I picked this one up for fun to try out! The writing is not high quality, but the concept of the book is fun. Okay.

Welcome to 2008

2008-01-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

It is the start of a new year, and I am pledging to make a few changes in my life. I want to do a better job of keeping this blog updated for a start. I would also like to read fewer books (yes, I really said that!), and I would like to read better quality books. I love my junk books, but, like junk food, I need in indulge in fewer of them. I've already got seven books under my belt for the new year but only one I feel the need to comment on.

David Baldacci's books are fun, but I must say that I have especially enjoyed his "Camel Club" series. In 2005 Baldacci wrote The Camel Club about a group of 4 Washington D.C. misfits who witness a murder and are drawn into political intrigue. The suspense is well written, and the story is great, but it is the group of characters that make this more than your average thriller. Caleb Shaw the librarian, Milton Farb the computer genius, Reuben Rhodes the blue-collar worker and Viet Nam vet, and "Oliver Stone" the man with no past make a mismatched group, whose stated goal is to learn the truth. Together with Secret Service Agent Alex Ford, they find out the truth in their own way.

Baldacci followed The Camel Club with The Collectors (2006) in which we meet Annabelle Conroy, a con artist with a vendetta who becomes an honorary member of the Camel Club. In 2007 he published Stone Cold, which I just finished. Stone Cold features two main stories; Annabelle has conned her mother's murderer, casino owner Jerry Bagger, out of 40 million dollars, and he will stop at nothing to get it back. In the second story, people from Oliver's past are turning up dead, and the killer will turn to focus on Oliver next. His secrets will need be unburied in order to have a chance to save himself.

Baldacci is great at creating surprising characters. The calculating killer in this book considers himself a loving family man who is a great father. Oliver carries a sign in Washington demanding the truth, but his personal secrets are the deepest of all. I truly enjoy these characters and believe these books to be superior political suspense stories. On the other hand, I just read Baldacci's other most recent book Simple Genius and did not care for it much. To me there is a difference between suspending belief a little for a story and something being absolutely ridiculous. The Camel Club stories are worth suspending some belief for.

Still Too Busy to Read

2007-12-17T15:55:00.000-08:00

As you can see, I still haven't had much time in the past month to read, and I doubt I'll have much time to read before the new year. I fit in a few books--the literary equivalent of fast food--but wasn't overly excited about them. I usually enjoy the romantic suspense of Jayne Ann Krentz and Heather Graham, and "Falling Awake" and "The Seance" were probably above average. I enjoy the paranormal aspect Heather Graham used--it makes the book a little cheesy but more fun.

I have been looking forward to "Simple Genius" by David Baldacci, but it let me down. It was too crazy. When I read political suspense fiction, I like to think that it might happen, even if it is highly unlikely. When I think that there is no way it could happen, it crosses the line into the ridiculous.

Too Busy to Read

2007-11-16T20:59:00.001-08:00

I haven't forgotten that I have a book blog--I've just been busy helping other people add to their own libraries. I chaired the Scholastic Book Fair at our elementary school this week. I love doing it, but it is an exhausting job. It involves endurance, patience, and a loud voice. I can tell you that the hot books were "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney, " "Ark Angel" by Anthony Horowitz, and "The Dangerous Book for Boys" by Conn and Hal Iggulden.

I managed to fit in two books in the past three weeks. "Force of Nature" by Suzanne Brockmann was the typical romantic suspense novel except for two things--it included two romances and one was a gay male romance. I enjoy Brockmann's storylines but often avoid her books due to the bad language, but I decided to give her books another go. I was surprised that this book spent equal time on a heterosexual romance and a homosexual romance. I was repulsed and fascinated at the same time. The two romances were portrayed in a very similar way except for the amount of explicitness. I think it will probably be a long time before I try one of her books again.

"The First Commandment" by Brad Thor fit into the patriotic American spy thriller genre. The main character of the series--Scot Harvath--is the rugged American version of James Bond (without the tongue-in-cheek humor), rescuing our country from the big, bad terrorists. I enjoy these books, but Scot Harvath is sometimes just too good to be true, getting out of bad situations with too much ease. They are fun, simplified versions of Tom Clancy, but I think that Vince Flynn is a much better author in this genre.

"Hood"

2007-10-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

Robin Hood is one of my favorite legends, so I was happy to find this take on his story. Stephen R. Lawhead sets his version of Robin Hood in the 1100's in Wales. (In his comments, Lawhead makes his case for this being a more accurate version of the story than the English Sherwood Forest version we are all familiar with.) I found this book a little slow, but the story of how Bran ap Brychan was driven to the forest by the loss of his kingdom was fascinating. There is a slightly supernatural aspect to how Bran becomes "the Hood," wearing a black cape that resembles a raven.

This is the first book in a trilogy, which is a good thing because Bran barely becomes the Raven King before the book ends. "Scarlet," the second book in the trilogy came out last month, and I will certainly be reading it soon to find out what happens to Bran.

"The Wilde Women"

2007-10-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

I debated about whether or not to post a review on this book, but I laughed so hard reading it that I couldn't resist! Paula Wall's "The Wilde Women" is the most enjoyable book I have read in a long time. Living in Depression-era Five Points, Tennessee, Pearl and Kat Wilde are sexy and self-confident but share the family curse of falling for the wrong men. When one day Pearl catches her sister Kat wearing Pearl's favorite pair of shoes and her fiance, Pearl leaves town for three years and then comes back with a vengeance. Her return has an effect on every person in town, and we hear all their stories.

This book is primarily about the relationships between men and women, wives and husbands, lovers and want-to-be lovers. It is also about sex--although there is very little sex that actually happens in the book. The author's slyly insightful comments about male-female relationships are hilarious, as are the colorful characters who reside this southern town. I loved the people of Five Points and couldn't wait to find out more about them.

Usually I don't discuss books with David that I am reading because he just isn't interested. With this book, he kept wanting to know what I was laughing about. Then I would read him lines from the book and get him laughing. This book is not graphic, but it is "racy"--the type of book where you might think, "I can't believe she just said that!" I loved the humor, the twisting plot, and the outrageousness of the characters.

"Grave Sight" & "Grave Surprise"

2007-10-09T17:29:00.000-07:00

A Halloween treat for me! I just discovered that Charlaine Harris (author of the Sookie Stackhouse vampire books that I like) has another recent series of books--just strange enough to be fun at this time of year.

Harper Connelley and her step-brother, Tolliver Lang, spend their time traveling around the country looking for bodies--yes, that's Harper's job. When Harper was 15 years old, she was struck by lightening. She is left with a few lingering side effects--one of those being the ability to find the dead. When she knows where the body is, she can sense the cause of death and sometimes the name of the person. Her brother manages her career, and they travel together to earn a living. Strange, I know, but the books remind me of one of my favorite TV shows, "Supernatural."

The mysteries that Harper and Tolliver solve are fairly typical and not particularly gory (thank goodness), but the supernatural aspect is what interests me. I tend to like quirky stories--what can I say?

Ranger's Apprentice books

2007-10-07T08:23:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to put a plug in for the Ranger's Apprentice series of books by John Flanagan. We chanced into the first book, The Ruins of Gorlan, when we were searching for some books on CD for a road trip last fall. Everyone in our family enjoyed the book very much. We didn't realize that it was part of a series until months later when we came across The Burning Bridge, the second book in the series. Brian, Erin, and I all read it very quickly.

The books are set in some indefinite Medieval time and center around a teenage boy named Will. On Choosing Day, Will is hoping to be sent to Battleschool to become a knight, but instead he is made the apprentice of an intimidating Ranger named Halt. Although this is a fantasy book (not usually my favorite genre), the emphasis is on the characters rather than mystical creatures and magic. The life of a ranger (predecessor to the modern "spy") is fascinating, and the books emphasize positive values like friendship, loyalty, and integrity.

Flanagan is an Australian writer. Although three of his Ranger's Apprentice books have been released in the United States, I understand that he has already published six in Australia. On Amazon.com the books are labeled for 9-12 year olds and 4th to 8th graders. These books will hold definite appeal for boys, but the female supporting characters add interest for girls as well.

Harry Potter...Again

2007-09-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

(Warning: spoilers ahead!)

I just finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for the second time--this time out loud to my youngest daughter--and I must say (again) that J.K. Rowling did a fantastic job in bringing this series to a close. I can't help but think that she could have just skated through this book, writing a predictable conclusion without too many twists, just tying up some of the loose ends, and the book would have sold just as many copies. Instead she wrote a new story (the deathly hallows) and brought the previous stories to a very satisfying end.

The last hundred pages or so of this story, once Harry reaches Hogwarts and the battle begins, are masterful. She draws upon aspects of her previous books to help bring the entire series a complete ending. My favorite scene, by far, is when Harry walks through the forest to face Voldemort for what he thinks will be the last time, and he is accompanied by his parents, Sirius, and Lupin. I cried as I read this scene out loud, and my children thought I was funny. I realized that they don't understand what it is like to love someone so much that you are willing to sacrifice your life for them. I later read that this is also Rowling's favorite scene in any of her books. Thanks again to Rowling for such an incredible book.

"The Book Thief"

2007-09-17T16:17:00.001-07:00

All I could say when I finished this book was, "Wow." It isn't that this is the best book that I have ever read--I've enjoyed other books much more. It isn't that this is the most thrilling book I ever read--in fact, I put it down and then read and finished another book while I was in the middle of this book. However, The Book Thief might be the most beautifully written book I have ever read.

This is the story of a World-War-II-era orphaned child named Liesel Meminger who is taken to live with a working class family in Southern Germany. She brings with her The Gravedigger's Handbook, a book she stole at her younger brother's funeral. Her foster father helps her learn to read with this book, and soon she gathers other books from unlikely locations. These books become her friends and her anchors during difficult times. She makes other odd friends in her town, particularly Rudy, a boy who paints himself black and pretends to be Jesse Owens.

The most fascinating character in the book is the narrator--Death. He is a reluctant observer who, much to his regret, is spending a lot of time in Germany due to the war. His thoughtful and dispassionate observations give the reader pause and cause the reader to look at situations in a different way than usual. Death is truly a master of words and speaks with wisdom that comes with experience.

This book is being marketed to young adults, but I think it would take a very mature or sophisticated teenager to truly appreciate it. Death, violence, racism, and hunger are some of the main elements, but so are survival and finding beauty in the mundane. If you can get past the confusing first 10 pages or so, you will find this to be a powerful and moving novel. The beauty of this book brings tears to my eyes as I think about it. There are very few books that I would enjoy reading a second time, but I must say that my understanding and appreciation of this book would be sure to increase with a second reading. I look forward to it.

A Girl Named Zippy

2007-09-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I put this book on my list of books to read because I was interested in the subtitle, "Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana." Having worked in the Admissions Office of Purdue University, I prided myself on having heard of every small town in Indiana and was curious about the book. This memoir by Haven Kimmel is fantastically funny, and I enjoyed every word of it!

Because he says it better than I could, let me quote a reviewer, Lawrence Naumoff, from the back cover of the book: "The prose in this book is lovely and wise and witty and sings as beautifully as 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,' but it seems to have been written by Dorothy's wild and irreverent sister, the one you never saw in the movie, the one who locked Dorothy outside when the tornado was coming, sold Toto, set fire to the Scarecrow, ate the flying monkeys for lunch, and painted all the blacktop roads in Mooreland, Indiana, the colors of the rainbow, the colors of imagination and heart and laughter." (Corny--but perfect!)

Haven Kimmel is a couple of years older than me, and while I didn't grow up lower class or with a chain-smoking father, so much of what she writes about is familiar--the freedom to ride your bike anywhere, miniature Avon lipsticks, interviewing your family with a portable tape recorder, and listening to Shaun Cassidy songs. I wasn't much like "Zippy" as a child, but she's the girl I always wanted as a friend--daring and fun! This is a funny and nostalgic memoir of growing up in a small town in the 1970s told from a refreshingly innocent child's point of view. I laughed all the way through it!

"Nineteen Minutes"

2007-08-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

I hadn't intended to blog about Nineteen Minutes, but I found that the plot of this book has been on my mind lately. In Picoult's novel, 19 minutes is how long it takes for Peter Houghton to lay siege on his high school with four guns and to kill 10 people in a school shooting. Peter's story is a story we've heard before--a social outcast, obsessed with heavy metal music and video games, can't handle being bullied any longer, so he fights back the only way he thinks he can--with guns. The characters consist of the stereotypical jocks, nerds, beauty queens, ignorant teachers, and busy parents, but they are well defined; we come to understand each one's point of view. As in most of her novels, Picoult gives equal treatment to all sides, and I felt sympathy for the shooter as well as for his victims.

I think this story has been on my mind because of the many hours I've spent lately as a substitute teacher. As I watch the kids at school, I wonder how they feel about their peers and what they will become in the future. I, myself, have not witnessed any repeated bullying of one particular child, but I can't help but ask myself, "What am I not seeing?" Bullying must go on at my children's school, but I don't know if I can do anything to help if I never see it.

I enjoy Jodi Picoult's exploration of controversial social issues in her novels. A few of my friends have said that her books are too sad to read, and I must agree that her books can be sad. I appreciate how the books make me think about changes I can make in my life and how they always seem to offer a glimmer of hope for the future. I still think that My Sister's Keeper is my favorite Picoult novel, but I would definitely recommend this one as well.

"Eclipse"

2007-08-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

I just finished "Eclipse" today (voraciously devouring it in the past 24 hours) after waiting several months for it to be published. This is the third in a series of books by Stephenie Meyer about the love between vampire Edward and mortal Bella. Meyer said that her first book ("Twilight") was about finding true love, her second ("New Moon") was about losing true love, and this book is about choosing true love.

I truly enjoyed this book--couldn't put it down--but I was a little disappointed in the plot development. Edward and Bella have found and nearly lost each other. Reunited, they await graduation and soon after, the possible turning of Bella into a vampire. Of course there is conflict, and a series of murders need to be solved first before anything can happen. More importantly, Bella must deal with her feelings for both Edward and Jacob.

The good in the book:
How can a story about werewolves and vampires seem so real?
More character development for Rosalie and Jasper.
More back story on the wolves and their history.
Bella begins to see true ramifications of becoming a vampire
How do you choose between gorgeous, considerate Edward and happy, fun Jacob?! Their rivalry was great and humorous.

The bad in the book:
When did Bella become so whiny and indecisive? Get some backbone!
I could see the "Victoria thing" coming a mile away--a very predictable ending.
Not much plot development. Nothing really changed.

Despite my complaints, I really did enjoy this book! Bella became weaker, to the point where I barely even liked her anymore, but I have high hopes for the next installment. Meyer has promised that the next book, "Breaking Dawn," will resolve the Edward and Bella's story--we just have to wait for another year. I love Edward, Bella, and Jacob enough that I know it will be worth it!

Hawaiian Holiday

2007-08-09T18:04:00.000-07:00

David and I returned from our vacation to Maui and Oahu on August 1st, and I'm just now finding time to post! (It takes too long to play catch-up.) I made it through only four books in the 10 days I was gone, so obviously I did too much sightseeing and not enough reading!

(An example of the sights--maybe it's a good thing that I wasn't reading!)

Our flight left at 8:00 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, July 21, so my fantastic friend Jenni bought the Harry Potter book for me at midnight on Friday at Ralph's and left it on my doorstep so I could take it on the plane in the morning. I was one of many people reading the book on the plane. I read most of it on Saturday and managed to finish it by noon on Sunday. Although I cried numerous times, I loved it! I thought J.K. Rowling did a great job of tying in to all of her previous books, yet she still managed to work in a new story about the three "deathly hallows." The book dragged a little while Harry, Ron, and Hermione wandered in the wilderness, but the last 200 pages or so were thrilling. A few predictions came to pass (spoiler: I knew Snape couldn't be all bad), and a few surprises knocked me off of my feet! My tears at the end of the book came because I knew there would be no new adventures for Harry--I'll miss him. Thanks to Rowling for such a fantastic series of books!

I also made a new find while in Maui--a series of books by the author Charlaine Harris. She writes fiction that she bills as "Southern Vampire Mysteries," and I would add "humorous" to the description. I chanced into Club Dead, the 3rd in the series, and was intrigued by the concept. They are set in the current time in a world where the vampires existing side by side with us mere mortals have decided to "come out" and announce their existence due to the invention of a realistic synthetic blood that allows them to no longer have to feed on humans. The werewolves and shape shifters are watching in the wings to see how this stunt will work for the vampires before they come out! The books are about Sookie Stackhouse, a mind-reading waitress who falls in love with Bill the vampire, and about how she feels torn between human society and vampire society. Quirky is a good description for these books, which means I know they won't appeal to everyone, but for this vampire-loving reader, I find them to be a fun read! (P.S. Did you know that Elvis isn't really dead--he was just turned into a vampire!!!!)

"The Bourne Identity"

2007-07-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

I thought I would wait to post on this book until we had our Book Club discussion last night. We were pretty much agreed. All of us who had read this book before (it was first published in 1980) remembered it as a gripping thriller. I've read it three times; first in 1986, then about 10 years later, and now last week. I would have to say that this book has definitely lost some of its lustre. Robert Ludlum didn't pioneer the spy genre, but he certainly brought it to new heights in early '80s. His books were exciting and different; I had never read anything like them before.

Recently, authors have raised the bar on spy thrillers with books like "The DaVinci Code" and authors like Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, and David Baldacci--the action never stops. I had some trouble getting through "The Bourne Identity" because it moved so slowly. It was easy to get lost in the middle of the plot because it seemed to go in circles without progressing.

Some of the good things about the book were that I still cared about the characters, and wanted to know what would happen to them. The plot still worked and was only slightly affected by dealing with the old-fashioned technology. (It was funny to read about these high-level spies and assassins all needing to use pay phones!) I appreciated the toned-down sex and violence that are so graphic in modern books.

I enjoyed revisiting this spy classic, but I mourned the fact that it did not live up to my memory.

Bite into a Good Book!

2007-07-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I'm fascinated by vampire books, but I simply can't get enough of them lately. Knowing that a vampire is in a book is usually enough to get me to pick it up and give it a chance. Most often the vampire is the villain, but in the best books, the vampire is a hero. How can a vampire be a hero? It's the struggle he has against their own nature that makes him so fascinating. Here are a few of my recent vampire favorites!

The Vampire Plagues by Sebastian Rook -- This is a trilogy written for kids--yes, kids--in which children battle an evil vampire and his minions who were released from ruins during an expedition to Mexico in 1850. The books take place in London, Paris, and then Mexico. Very suspenseful for 4th to 7th graders. My daughter and I really enjoyed them. (Villain)

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova -- In this novel, a daughter inherits her father's research about Vlad the Impaler from the 15th century and discovers that her father thinks that Vlad (Count Dracula) is still alive. The book runs three different storylines about people all over Eastern Europe, trying to hunt down Vlad. I found all of the historical detail fascinating, but some of you may not (some parts read like a dissertation). The book is long but fantastic! (Villain)

Morrigan's Cross (The Circle Trilogy) by Nora Roberts -- This trilogy is way out there, but I couldn't put these books down. The story is about a witch, a wizard, a vampire, a scholar, a warrior, and a shape-shifter who lead the battle to save the world from a blood-thirsty group of vampires . The heroes time travel and go from real locales to a fantasy land. It sounds like crazy fluff--and it is! But the personal relationships were enough to make me read all three books. (Hero and Villain)

Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer -- These are the first two in a continuing Young Adult series, and I'm heavily promoting these books since I enjoyed them so much! They are the love story between Edward (a vampire) and Bella (an average teenage girl). They are character-driven books about severely star-crossed lovers and how difficult it is to love a vampire. (I'm sure you can all relate!) The idea seems far out there, but I found myself believing every word. I'd recommend these to any teen girls or women. (Gotta support a fellow BYU grad, and I can't wait for Eclipse!) (Hero and Villain)

I've never read Anne Rice because the movie Interview with a Vampire was too disgusting, but I'd love to hear any vampire recommendations you might have!

"The Secret Pearl"

2007-07-13T08:21:00.000-07:00

One of my confessions is that I really enjoy a good regency romance--the key word in that sentence being good. Unfortunately this book did not meet that qualification. But there is something about Mary Balogh's romances that I enjoy. She seems to write her books about fairly ordinary people. Most romances seem to be about feisty beautiful women with quick comebacks ready on their tongues. The men all seem to be extraordinarily handsome and either unusually sensitive or devil-may-care rough. Mary Balogh usually writes about quiet people who act with morals--a pleasant surprise. A good Mary Balogh book would be "Simply Magic."

Night of the Blackbird

2007-07-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

I usually enjoy Heather Graham's books--they're full of intrigue--but this one from a few years ago was blah. It dealt with the reunification of Ireland and was pretty predictable. Not one of her best, in my opinion.

"Birdwing"

2007-07-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

I did get a little reading of my own done while camping in the mountains of Utah. I finished a young adult book entitled Birdwing by Rafe Martin. It is a continuation of the Grimm Brothers fairy tale "The Six Swans," in which six brothers are turned into swans by the evil enchantress who becomes their father's new wife. Their little sister must not speak or laugh for 6 years while she creates shirts for them made out of nettles; these shirts will turn them into humans. When the six years pass, the brothers come back and she places the shirts on them, but she has not had time to finish the last, the littlest shirt. The brothers become human again, but the youngest brother has a swan's wing in place of his arm where his one sleeve was not finished. This is his story.

Rafe Martin writes Birdwing with beauty and poetry. I enjoyed the story of Ardwin (Birdwing) and how he discovers that a curse can be a gift. In the Q&A at the end of the book, they ask the author what his "wing" is. You can ask yourself if you have something you formerly considered a curse and now consider a gift or a blessing. The author answered that his imagination used to get him in trouble, and now it is how he earns his living. If you enjoy this story or fantasy literature, you might enjoy a book we read for Book Club a few years ago, Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier. She actually wrote a trilogy about this fairy tale, and I (surprisingly) enjoyed them very much.

Books on CD

2007-07-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've been gone the last week on "vacation" (I honestly need a real vacation after a family vacation!), but still managed to fit in a little literature. When we have a long drive, we try to borrow a few books on CD from the library to keep everyone quiet. This time we listened to Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce on the way up and Sammy Keyes and the Runaway Elf by Wendelin Van Draanen on the way back.

Kelly was excited to listen to Framed--a story about a 9-year old boy in a small town with a big secret that might involve him in the crime of the century--but quickly changed her mind about 10 minutes into the story. The CD case did not tell us that the small town was in Wales and that the man performing the story would have a thick British accent that was nearly impossible to decipher. The story was written for ages 8-14; Kelly couldn't follow it, the older kids liked it, and David & I loved it! The story of how the English National Gallery stored a collection of valuable paintings in a mine near this small town and how the town was changed by it was very interesting, but it was listening to all the colloquialisms and the different pronunciations that was so fascinating. Examples: instead of saying that people were running around in the nude, he said they were running around in the "nuddie." Instead of going to a swap meet, they went to a "car boot sale." I don't know if the story would be as entertaining written as it was spoken, but we laughed often and very much enjoyed it.

The Sammy Keyes book was one of a series of books that none of us had ever read before. The interest level for the story was listed at ages 10-13, and that was about right because it was our 10-year-old and 13-year-old who enjoyed the story most. Sammy Keyes is a junior detective who is a step above most. The story was a little more complicated and a little less predictable than most detective stories written for this age group. While I was not terribly interested in the story line, a rich lady's dog being stolen and a little girl who continually runs away from home, I thought that Sammy had great personality, and I enjoyed her determination to solve the problem in the end. The actress did a great job with the first-person story. It was not great literature, but it was well done for the genre. I wouldn't be surprised if Erin read another one in the series, but Brian probably wouldn't because it was a "girl book."

Welcome

2007-07-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my book blog! It seems that I am always being asked if I have read any good books lately, and I usually have...but I have trouble remembering what they are! My sister and sister-in-law recommended I start a blog with all the books I have read, which seemed like a great idea. Once I realized how easy it would be to do, I thought I would give it a try.

I am willing to share with you all of the great books I have been reading, but you must be willing to take what I call my "junk books" with them. Junk books are either books I read (and wished I hadn't!) or books that are guilty pleasures that I am too embarrassed to tell people that I read. One day a friend asked me what I was reading. I told her sheepishly, "Oh, it's just junk." Then she said, "Tell me what it is--I like junk too!"

So I will share everything--the good and the bad--and you can decide for yourself what is worth reading. I hope you enjoy this (and I hope that I can keep it up). Thanks for caring!