Machines, marriage and mysteries, oh my!
Machines Like Me, by Ian McEwan. McEwan (Atonement, etc.) pushes boundaries in his latest novel, set in an alternate version of 1980s London. Here, the British are losing the Falklands War and Alan Turing is not only alive, but his work has given rise to a line of androids almost indistinguishable from humans. When aimless 32-year-old Charlie Friend comes into money, he buys an "Adam", and he and his upstairs neighbor Miranda each input half of the personality parameters required to push Adam past his factory presets. It's not long, however, before a love triangle develops and the three confront a profound moral dilemma. I'm recommending this for fans of subversive fiction, like that of Margaret Atwood.
The View from Alameda Island, by Robyn Carr. Carr, one of my favorite authors for easy reading, delivers a stand alone novel about the unhappiness that can lurk behind even the most "perfect" of facades. Lauren Delaney has an enviable life: a successful career, a husband who is a prominent surgeon, two lovely daughters who are attending good colleges. Lauren, though, is deeply unhappy and refuses to pretend any longer, filing for divorce and starting over on her own, where she meets a kindred spirit also struggling to extricate himself from an unhappy marriage. Lauren's husband, infuriated by the upheaval in his deliberate, ordered life, will take extreme action, and Lauren's entire future may be at risk. This should make for some excellent vacation reading this spring.
Triple Jeopardy, by Anne Perry. First seen in Twenty One Days (2018), young lawyer Daniel Pitt, son of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, is delighted that his sister is back for a visit from the States. But the family reunion is cut short when Daniel is called upon to represent a British diplomat who has fled from Washington, D.C. to London, claiming diplomatic immunity. The diplomat, Philip Sidney, is accused of theft and embezzlement. It's not long before the case against his client proves to be a smoke screen for something far more dangerous, and Daniel is determined to figure out just what that is. Perry fans will be delighted with their new young sleuth.
Showing posts with label sci-fi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sci-fi. Show all posts
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
What I've Been Reading: July 2018
I realize I say this every summer, but I love these long, light evenings, perfect for lounging with a good book. And I've been reading up a storm, in my usual array of different genres.
Calypso, by David Sedaris. Sedaris's new collection of cheerfully misanthropic essays, mostly autobiographical, was thoroughly entertaining. While slightly more maudlin and less raucously absurd than some of his previous work, his reflections on aging, middle age, and mortality are both wryly funny and thought provoking. Don't misunderstand me: I still laughed until my sides ached. But this collection is simply more reflective and thoughtful in some ways than his past work. I can never get enough. The audiobook, read by the author, is a stellar performance.
Only Human, by Sylvain Neuvel. Third in Neuvel's brilliant Themis Files series. As a child, Rose Franklin found a giant metal hand near her home in South Dakota. As an adult, she became a scientist who studied the hand and found the other pieces of the giant robot, assembling it and the team who would pilot Themis. She and her team used Themis to protect Earth from geopolitical conflict and an alien invasion. Now, returning to Earth after ten years on Themis's home planet, Rose finds her old alliances in shambles and the planet itself on the verge of collapse. Even as her oldest friends turn against one another, Rose must piece together the fragments of the Earth Defense Corps or all of her work will have been for nothing. This science fiction series reads more like psychological suspense, full of puzzles and twists--I love it.
Eleanor & Hick, by Susan Quinn. Having recently read Amy Bloom's fascinating latest novel, White Houses, about the relationship between AP reporter Lorena Hickock and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, of course I wanted to know more. Quinn's book briefly covers the vastly different childhoods of these two unlikely friends, and then moves on to their enduring relationship which spanned more than thirty years. These two fiercely compassionate women spurred each other on to right wrongs during their turbulent lifetimes, and held each other up through private hardships. Quinn's work was masterful, and I greatly enjoyed this in audiobook format.
Set This House in Order, by Matt Ruff. I revisited this old favorite, which I had read more than a decade ago. Andy Gage was born in 1965 and was murdered not long after by his stepfather. Only, it was Andy's soul which was murdered, and it shattered into over a hundred pieces, many of which became souls in their own rights. Now, together, these souls run Andy's body and struggle to coexist in his head. Andy's new coworker, Penny, is also a multiple, only not all of Penny's souls know that the others exist. It's only in helping Penny's souls to work together that the two discover a terrible secret that Andy has been hiding...from himself. Truly fascinating stuff.
Still Alice, by Lisa Genova. Genova, who writes about characters with neurological disorders (Left Neglected, Every Note Played, etc.), writes here about Harvard professor of cognitive psychology Alice Howland. She's esteemed in her field, has written a text book, is married to another Harvard professor and scientist. And then she starts to become increasingly forgetful, missing a conference where she was meant to be a speaker, losing track of her lectures during classes. When the diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's turns her world upside down, Alice must choose how to make the best use of her time while she is still herself. A fast and compelling read which made for excellent discussion in my book club. This is also available in Large Print and audiobook. It has also been made into an award-winning film starring Julianne Moore.
The Uncoupling, by Meg Wolitzer. Wolitzer (The Interestings, The Female Persuasion) is adept at giving readers a fresh lens through which to look at different issues. When the new drama teacher at Stellar Plains High School chooses "Lysistrata" for the annual school play (the comedy by Aristophanes in which women stop having sex with men in order to stop a war), a strange effect falls over the community--the women lose interest in sex, for reasons they don't understand. Even more confused and upset are their husbands, boyfriends, and lovers. The result is that these couples must all reflect on their shared histories without sex in the picture, with a variety of outcomes. Unusual but enlightening. Also available as an audiobook.
Bring Me Back, by B.A. Paris. Finn and Layla, young and in love, are on vacation when Layla disappears. Authorities are alerted, and while Finn is the original suspect in her disappearance, he is eventually cleared. Layla never resurfaces. A decade later, Finn has started to finally move on. He's moved out of the cottage that he and Layla shared, though he cannot bring himself to sell it. He's engaged...to Layla's sister, Ellen. Then Finn get's a call from an old neighbor, a man who swears he's seen Layla near the old cottage. Long-lost items from Layla's past begin to appear out of nowhere. And then someone emails Finn...claiming to be Layla herself. An absolutely gripping novel from the author of Behind Closed Doors.
Also available in Large Print and audio.
Caged, by Ellison Cooper. This debut thriller had me on the edge of my seat, and I could not put it down. You can read my original review here.
The Supernatural Enhancements, by Edgar Cantero. Told in a series of letters, journal entries, and transcripts, Cantero's debut begins months after the last of the Wells sons jumped out of his bedroom window to his death. His heir, a long-distant cousin from across the Atlantic, arrives with his sidekick/bodyguard, Niamh, a young mute teen with a punk hairstyle. They're excited about their change of fortune, and the rumors that the mansion is haunted are just an added bonus. Until, that is, they start to dig into the house's mysterious past and find that ghosts are just the beginning. Ambitious and ultimately very rewarding. His sophomore novel, Meddling Kids, is still my favorite to date, though his new novel due out today, This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us, may change that--we'll see!
1Q84, by Haruki Murakami. It's 1984 in Tokyo and Aomame, following the advice of a taxi driver, begins to notice the puzzling anomalies in the world around her. She realizes that she has entered an alternate, parallel existence, one that she calls 1Q84, a world that bears a question. Meanwhile, aspiring writer Tengo takes on a ghostwriting project despite some deep misgivings. It is only as their two stories converge over the course of this single year that we learn just how deeply these two strangers are connected. Also available in audiobook.
Suicide Club, by Rachel Heng. Lea Kirino is a "Lifer". Her genetic makeup has given her the opportunity to live forever, if she does everything just right. Lea is an overachiever--she's risen steadily through the ranks as a trader for the New York exchange, where they now trade organs and upgrades instead of stocks. She has a beautiful apartment and a fiance who rivals her own genetic perfection. With the right balance of calibrated nutrition, low-impact conditioning and systematic upgrades, she just might live forever. Of course, the flip side of this is that she cannot die--death is not just taboo in this culture, but illegal. Then she finds she has a connection to the Suicide Club, a group of people who reject the societal drive for immortality. There lies the choice: live forever by the governmental regime, or go rogue and have a shorter life knowing the only family she has left. Heng's debut is catalogued as science fiction, but is more psychological, and philosophical, thriller than anything else. Totally engrossing and ultimately brilliant.
The Kiss Quotient, by Helen Hoang. Stella, at thirty, loves her work developing algorithms that predict customer purchases. For her, math is the one thing that unites everything in the world, and she revels in the logic of it. She has more money than she needs, and no social life. Definitely no boyfriend, despite her mother's repeated attempts to set Stella up with suitable bachelors--Stella's mother wants grandbabies, now. It might have something to do with Stella's seeing French kissing as akin to pilot fish cleaning a shark's teeth. She applies logic to her quandary and decides she needs lessons in relationships, from a profession. The escort she hires, Michael, agrees to go along and help her check off the boxes for the list she has compiled--he can't afford not to. And he realizes that Stella has Asperger's, which will make his approach that much more complicated. But when their partnership starts to make sense, can a real relationship follow? I have to say that this debut was one of the most surprisingly emotional novels I've read in some time. For what looks like it might be a bit of fluff, the author's deft hand with a variety of subject matters (Asperger's, cultural clashes, relationship pitfalls) and her beautifully drawn characters made this one of my favorite reads of late.
Calypso, by David Sedaris. Sedaris's new collection of cheerfully misanthropic essays, mostly autobiographical, was thoroughly entertaining. While slightly more maudlin and less raucously absurd than some of his previous work, his reflections on aging, middle age, and mortality are both wryly funny and thought provoking. Don't misunderstand me: I still laughed until my sides ached. But this collection is simply more reflective and thoughtful in some ways than his past work. I can never get enough. The audiobook, read by the author, is a stellar performance.
Only Human, by Sylvain Neuvel. Third in Neuvel's brilliant Themis Files series. As a child, Rose Franklin found a giant metal hand near her home in South Dakota. As an adult, she became a scientist who studied the hand and found the other pieces of the giant robot, assembling it and the team who would pilot Themis. She and her team used Themis to protect Earth from geopolitical conflict and an alien invasion. Now, returning to Earth after ten years on Themis's home planet, Rose finds her old alliances in shambles and the planet itself on the verge of collapse. Even as her oldest friends turn against one another, Rose must piece together the fragments of the Earth Defense Corps or all of her work will have been for nothing. This science fiction series reads more like psychological suspense, full of puzzles and twists--I love it.
Eleanor & Hick, by Susan Quinn. Having recently read Amy Bloom's fascinating latest novel, White Houses, about the relationship between AP reporter Lorena Hickock and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, of course I wanted to know more. Quinn's book briefly covers the vastly different childhoods of these two unlikely friends, and then moves on to their enduring relationship which spanned more than thirty years. These two fiercely compassionate women spurred each other on to right wrongs during their turbulent lifetimes, and held each other up through private hardships. Quinn's work was masterful, and I greatly enjoyed this in audiobook format.
Set This House in Order, by Matt Ruff. I revisited this old favorite, which I had read more than a decade ago. Andy Gage was born in 1965 and was murdered not long after by his stepfather. Only, it was Andy's soul which was murdered, and it shattered into over a hundred pieces, many of which became souls in their own rights. Now, together, these souls run Andy's body and struggle to coexist in his head. Andy's new coworker, Penny, is also a multiple, only not all of Penny's souls know that the others exist. It's only in helping Penny's souls to work together that the two discover a terrible secret that Andy has been hiding...from himself. Truly fascinating stuff.
Still Alice, by Lisa Genova. Genova, who writes about characters with neurological disorders (Left Neglected, Every Note Played, etc.), writes here about Harvard professor of cognitive psychology Alice Howland. She's esteemed in her field, has written a text book, is married to another Harvard professor and scientist. And then she starts to become increasingly forgetful, missing a conference where she was meant to be a speaker, losing track of her lectures during classes. When the diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's turns her world upside down, Alice must choose how to make the best use of her time while she is still herself. A fast and compelling read which made for excellent discussion in my book club. This is also available in Large Print and audiobook. It has also been made into an award-winning film starring Julianne Moore.
The Uncoupling, by Meg Wolitzer. Wolitzer (The Interestings, The Female Persuasion) is adept at giving readers a fresh lens through which to look at different issues. When the new drama teacher at Stellar Plains High School chooses "Lysistrata" for the annual school play (the comedy by Aristophanes in which women stop having sex with men in order to stop a war), a strange effect falls over the community--the women lose interest in sex, for reasons they don't understand. Even more confused and upset are their husbands, boyfriends, and lovers. The result is that these couples must all reflect on their shared histories without sex in the picture, with a variety of outcomes. Unusual but enlightening. Also available as an audiobook.
Bring Me Back, by B.A. Paris. Finn and Layla, young and in love, are on vacation when Layla disappears. Authorities are alerted, and while Finn is the original suspect in her disappearance, he is eventually cleared. Layla never resurfaces. A decade later, Finn has started to finally move on. He's moved out of the cottage that he and Layla shared, though he cannot bring himself to sell it. He's engaged...to Layla's sister, Ellen. Then Finn get's a call from an old neighbor, a man who swears he's seen Layla near the old cottage. Long-lost items from Layla's past begin to appear out of nowhere. And then someone emails Finn...claiming to be Layla herself. An absolutely gripping novel from the author of Behind Closed Doors.
Also available in Large Print and audio.
Caged, by Ellison Cooper. This debut thriller had me on the edge of my seat, and I could not put it down. You can read my original review here.
The Supernatural Enhancements, by Edgar Cantero. Told in a series of letters, journal entries, and transcripts, Cantero's debut begins months after the last of the Wells sons jumped out of his bedroom window to his death. His heir, a long-distant cousin from across the Atlantic, arrives with his sidekick/bodyguard, Niamh, a young mute teen with a punk hairstyle. They're excited about their change of fortune, and the rumors that the mansion is haunted are just an added bonus. Until, that is, they start to dig into the house's mysterious past and find that ghosts are just the beginning. Ambitious and ultimately very rewarding. His sophomore novel, Meddling Kids, is still my favorite to date, though his new novel due out today, This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us, may change that--we'll see!
1Q84, by Haruki Murakami. It's 1984 in Tokyo and Aomame, following the advice of a taxi driver, begins to notice the puzzling anomalies in the world around her. She realizes that she has entered an alternate, parallel existence, one that she calls 1Q84, a world that bears a question. Meanwhile, aspiring writer Tengo takes on a ghostwriting project despite some deep misgivings. It is only as their two stories converge over the course of this single year that we learn just how deeply these two strangers are connected. Also available in audiobook.
Suicide Club, by Rachel Heng. Lea Kirino is a "Lifer". Her genetic makeup has given her the opportunity to live forever, if she does everything just right. Lea is an overachiever--she's risen steadily through the ranks as a trader for the New York exchange, where they now trade organs and upgrades instead of stocks. She has a beautiful apartment and a fiance who rivals her own genetic perfection. With the right balance of calibrated nutrition, low-impact conditioning and systematic upgrades, she just might live forever. Of course, the flip side of this is that she cannot die--death is not just taboo in this culture, but illegal. Then she finds she has a connection to the Suicide Club, a group of people who reject the societal drive for immortality. There lies the choice: live forever by the governmental regime, or go rogue and have a shorter life knowing the only family she has left. Heng's debut is catalogued as science fiction, but is more psychological, and philosophical, thriller than anything else. Totally engrossing and ultimately brilliant.
The Kiss Quotient, by Helen Hoang. Stella, at thirty, loves her work developing algorithms that predict customer purchases. For her, math is the one thing that unites everything in the world, and she revels in the logic of it. She has more money than she needs, and no social life. Definitely no boyfriend, despite her mother's repeated attempts to set Stella up with suitable bachelors--Stella's mother wants grandbabies, now. It might have something to do with Stella's seeing French kissing as akin to pilot fish cleaning a shark's teeth. She applies logic to her quandary and decides she needs lessons in relationships, from a profession. The escort she hires, Michael, agrees to go along and help her check off the boxes for the list she has compiled--he can't afford not to. And he realizes that Stella has Asperger's, which will make his approach that much more complicated. But when their partnership starts to make sense, can a real relationship follow? I have to say that this debut was one of the most surprisingly emotional novels I've read in some time. For what looks like it might be a bit of fluff, the author's deft hand with a variety of subject matters (Asperger's, cultural clashes, relationship pitfalls) and her beautifully drawn characters made this one of my favorite reads of late.
Thursday, December 28, 2017
What I've Been Reading: December 2017
Well, it looks like I'm going to come up just shy of my 2017 goal to read 90 books, but I'm going to come mighty close! Here's what's been keeping me occupied these last few weeks.
Artemis, by Andy Weir. Okay, this was a book that I was really looking forward to this year. Andy Weir, if you'll remember, was the bestselling author of the debut smash The Martian, which was then made into a very popular movie starring Matt Damon. This, his follow-up, did not disappoint in the slightest. Jazz lives in Artemis, the only city on the moon, working as a porter and making ends meet by doing a little (a lot of) smuggling for the city's elite. Strapped for cash and always on the lookout for opportunities, Jazz pauses only briefly before accepting a top-secret job for one of her clients: put one of her client's competitors out of business. The job is highly dangerous to begin with but becomes deadly in short order, leaving Jazz to alternate between hiding to stay alive and working out a plan to keep her that way. This is definitely not The Martian, part 2, but it keeps with Weir's style of MacGyver in space, plenty of suspense and thrills, fast-paced plotting, vivid characters. Expect in theaters probably in 2020. The audiobook, read by actress Rosario Dawson, is exceptional and I very highly recommend it.
Grave Suspicion, by Aaron Mahnke. Aaron Mahnke is the creator of one of my very favorite podcasts, Lore, and I wanted to check out one of his novels. I got to do so via a free trial at Audible.com. Unfortunately, I think Lore might have spoiled me, as it's very well researched and brilliantly executed. Grave Suspicion is the tale of an extraordinary man, Sam Hawthorne, trying to keep a low profile and pass as ordinary as he leads a nomadic existence traveling from town to town in the midwest in an attempt to keep ahead of someone, or something, who seems to be hunting him. The unfortunate part, for me, is that the novel reads a bit like an early, unfinished draft, lacking the polish and tight storytelling of Lore to which I've become accustomed. Ah well, can't win them all.
The Obsidian Chamber, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. In preparation for the next installment in the writing team's FBI Special Agent Pendergast series, City of Endless Night, due out next month, I finally caught up with the published titles. Following the deadly confrontation at the end of The Crimson Shore, Pendergast has gone missing and is presumed dead. His ward, Constance Greene, intends to retreat into mourning, but is kidnapped before this can happen. Pendergast's longtime bodyguard, Proctor, is in hot pursuit to rescue Constance, only to be led on a wild goose chase of global proportions. Our heroes are scattered to the four winds, each in his or her own special brand of danger, their outcomes uncertain. Can each find their way home again safely? A slight change of pace for the series, but the story was no less thrilling for it. An excellent addition, and I look forward to the next installment.
The Silent Corner, by Dean Koontz. This is the first novel in Koontz's new series featuring suspended FBI Agent Jane Hawk (the second in the series, The Whispering Room, came out earlier in December and the third, The Crooked Staircase, is slated for release in May 2018). Jane's husband, Nick, had everything to live for, but took his own life, leaving behind only a chilling, brief note reading: "I very much need to be dead." Jane begins to dig for the truth, certain that Nick would never have committed suicide, and what she finds puts her life, and that of her son, in peril. People with no history of depression or suicidal thoughts are taking their lives in record numbers, and Jane's queries instantly make her a target. Driven by righteous rage, Jane pursues the truth, no matter the cost. Classic Koontz, full of paranoia and suspenseful vigilance.
Northern Lights, by Nora Roberts. Published more than a dozen years ago, Northern Lights is a re-read for me, but I'm counting the re-read. This is a favorite of mine, the story of a grieving man running from his past only to stumble headlong into an...unusual situation that, against all odds, becomes home for him. Nate Burke was a Baltimore cop who needed a change of scene after losing his partner. Haunted by guilt, he took a job as far away as he could, in Lunacy, Alaska. But the city cop is just what the Lunatics need, and Nate finds purpose in his work and his life...and love. Character is king in this book, and I loved it all over again.
This makes 86 books for me in 2017, and while I might squeeze in one or two more between now and January 1, I'm not banking on it. In the meantime, wishing all of my fellow readers a Happy and healthy New Year, and I'll see you again in January!
Artemis, by Andy Weir. Okay, this was a book that I was really looking forward to this year. Andy Weir, if you'll remember, was the bestselling author of the debut smash The Martian, which was then made into a very popular movie starring Matt Damon. This, his follow-up, did not disappoint in the slightest. Jazz lives in Artemis, the only city on the moon, working as a porter and making ends meet by doing a little (a lot of) smuggling for the city's elite. Strapped for cash and always on the lookout for opportunities, Jazz pauses only briefly before accepting a top-secret job for one of her clients: put one of her client's competitors out of business. The job is highly dangerous to begin with but becomes deadly in short order, leaving Jazz to alternate between hiding to stay alive and working out a plan to keep her that way. This is definitely not The Martian, part 2, but it keeps with Weir's style of MacGyver in space, plenty of suspense and thrills, fast-paced plotting, vivid characters. Expect in theaters probably in 2020. The audiobook, read by actress Rosario Dawson, is exceptional and I very highly recommend it.
Grave Suspicion, by Aaron Mahnke. Aaron Mahnke is the creator of one of my very favorite podcasts, Lore, and I wanted to check out one of his novels. I got to do so via a free trial at Audible.com. Unfortunately, I think Lore might have spoiled me, as it's very well researched and brilliantly executed. Grave Suspicion is the tale of an extraordinary man, Sam Hawthorne, trying to keep a low profile and pass as ordinary as he leads a nomadic existence traveling from town to town in the midwest in an attempt to keep ahead of someone, or something, who seems to be hunting him. The unfortunate part, for me, is that the novel reads a bit like an early, unfinished draft, lacking the polish and tight storytelling of Lore to which I've become accustomed. Ah well, can't win them all.
The Obsidian Chamber, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. In preparation for the next installment in the writing team's FBI Special Agent Pendergast series, City of Endless Night, due out next month, I finally caught up with the published titles. Following the deadly confrontation at the end of The Crimson Shore, Pendergast has gone missing and is presumed dead. His ward, Constance Greene, intends to retreat into mourning, but is kidnapped before this can happen. Pendergast's longtime bodyguard, Proctor, is in hot pursuit to rescue Constance, only to be led on a wild goose chase of global proportions. Our heroes are scattered to the four winds, each in his or her own special brand of danger, their outcomes uncertain. Can each find their way home again safely? A slight change of pace for the series, but the story was no less thrilling for it. An excellent addition, and I look forward to the next installment.
The Silent Corner, by Dean Koontz. This is the first novel in Koontz's new series featuring suspended FBI Agent Jane Hawk (the second in the series, The Whispering Room, came out earlier in December and the third, The Crooked Staircase, is slated for release in May 2018). Jane's husband, Nick, had everything to live for, but took his own life, leaving behind only a chilling, brief note reading: "I very much need to be dead." Jane begins to dig for the truth, certain that Nick would never have committed suicide, and what she finds puts her life, and that of her son, in peril. People with no history of depression or suicidal thoughts are taking their lives in record numbers, and Jane's queries instantly make her a target. Driven by righteous rage, Jane pursues the truth, no matter the cost. Classic Koontz, full of paranoia and suspenseful vigilance.
Northern Lights, by Nora Roberts. Published more than a dozen years ago, Northern Lights is a re-read for me, but I'm counting the re-read. This is a favorite of mine, the story of a grieving man running from his past only to stumble headlong into an...unusual situation that, against all odds, becomes home for him. Nate Burke was a Baltimore cop who needed a change of scene after losing his partner. Haunted by guilt, he took a job as far away as he could, in Lunacy, Alaska. But the city cop is just what the Lunatics need, and Nate finds purpose in his work and his life...and love. Character is king in this book, and I loved it all over again.
This makes 86 books for me in 2017, and while I might squeeze in one or two more between now and January 1, I'm not banking on it. In the meantime, wishing all of my fellow readers a Happy and healthy New Year, and I'll see you again in January!
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Meg's Picks: November 2017
While my list of picks for November is not long, it is still very exciting!
Artemis, by Andy Weir. Fans of Weir's debut, The Martian, (and that includes the film adaptation starring Matt Damon) have been eagerly anticipating what Weir will do next. That wait is over in a few short weeks when Artemis is released. This is not The Martian, Volume 2. Rather this is a heist. Set on the moon. Artemis is the first and only city on the moon, and if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire, life can be tough. The occasional bit of smuggling helps cover one's debts, especially when base pay barely covers rent on the lunar surface. For Jazz Bashara, that's the way she makes ends meet. And then she sees the opportunity for a big score, the perfect crime. Although, there's no such thing, and when the job goes sideways, it's only the beginning of bigger problems for Jazz. I expect this to be brilliantly imaginative and entertaining, given advance reviews.
The Revolution of Marina M., by Janet Fitch. Fitch is not prolific, but her work (White Oleander, Paint it Black) is reliably eye-opening and thought provoking. In her first novel in a decade, Fitch brings readers a sweeping historical saga of the Russian Revolution, seen through the eyes of one young woman. The novel opens in St Petersburg on New Year's Eve, 1916 and Marina Makarova is a young woman of privilege, aching to be free of the confines of her genteel life. Her wishes are granted abruptly by the swift, violent force of history. Soon Marina will be marching for workers rights, falling in love with a young poet, and betraying everything her family has stood for. Against the stark background of a country in turmoil, Marina's coming-of-age story is marked by the private heroism of an ordinary woman in extraordinary times. My guess is that this will be a favorite of readers this winter, and a favorite of book clubs for years to come.
Heather, the Totality, by Matthew Weiner. This debut novel by the creator of the award-winning show, Mad Men, and executive producer of The Sopranos is an entry into noir thrillers that fans will not want to miss. The Breakstones have created the perfect life in Manhattan, including the perfect daughter, Heather, who is the light of their lives. Perfection only goes so far, and tensions strain the family's relationships. When construction begins on a nearby penthouse, a dangerous stranger enters the family's protective sphere, threatening to destroy everything they've created for themselves.
Artemis, by Andy Weir. Fans of Weir's debut, The Martian, (and that includes the film adaptation starring Matt Damon) have been eagerly anticipating what Weir will do next. That wait is over in a few short weeks when Artemis is released. This is not The Martian, Volume 2. Rather this is a heist. Set on the moon. Artemis is the first and only city on the moon, and if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire, life can be tough. The occasional bit of smuggling helps cover one's debts, especially when base pay barely covers rent on the lunar surface. For Jazz Bashara, that's the way she makes ends meet. And then she sees the opportunity for a big score, the perfect crime. Although, there's no such thing, and when the job goes sideways, it's only the beginning of bigger problems for Jazz. I expect this to be brilliantly imaginative and entertaining, given advance reviews.
The Revolution of Marina M., by Janet Fitch. Fitch is not prolific, but her work (White Oleander, Paint it Black) is reliably eye-opening and thought provoking. In her first novel in a decade, Fitch brings readers a sweeping historical saga of the Russian Revolution, seen through the eyes of one young woman. The novel opens in St Petersburg on New Year's Eve, 1916 and Marina Makarova is a young woman of privilege, aching to be free of the confines of her genteel life. Her wishes are granted abruptly by the swift, violent force of history. Soon Marina will be marching for workers rights, falling in love with a young poet, and betraying everything her family has stood for. Against the stark background of a country in turmoil, Marina's coming-of-age story is marked by the private heroism of an ordinary woman in extraordinary times. My guess is that this will be a favorite of readers this winter, and a favorite of book clubs for years to come.
Heather, the Totality, by Matthew Weiner. This debut novel by the creator of the award-winning show, Mad Men, and executive producer of The Sopranos is an entry into noir thrillers that fans will not want to miss. The Breakstones have created the perfect life in Manhattan, including the perfect daughter, Heather, who is the light of their lives. Perfection only goes so far, and tensions strain the family's relationships. When construction begins on a nearby penthouse, a dangerous stranger enters the family's protective sphere, threatening to destroy everything they've created for themselves.
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Reading Ahead: September 2017, part 2
From cops taking down bad guys to monsters of the future and monsters of the past, next month's thrillers are sure to entertain.
Sleeping Beauties, by Stephen King & Owen King. What if women disappeared from the world of men? In this novel of an alternate near-future, this is what happens--when women fall asleep, they fall dormant, travel to another world. If disturbed or woken, they become spectacularly violent. And so men are left alone, becoming increasingly primal. The exception to the women's affliction is Evie, but why is she exempt? Is she blessed or cursed? Should she be studied or slain? There's some setup involved but from early reviews, the payoff is spectacular and worth it in spades.
Secrets in Death, by J.D. Robb. Book 45 in Robb's (aka Nora Roberts) long-running series featuring NYPSD cop Eve Dallas. A professional gossip reporter is murdered, and it appears it's not about what she had said, but rather, it may have been about what she kept secret, and who she was blackmailing... It's up to Eve Dallas to dig into the reporter's dirty bag of secrets, and it soon becomes clear that she'll uncover some dirt about people very close to her. A more personal turn for a Dallas case. Also available in Large Print.
Enigma, by Catherine Coulter. FBI Agents Savich and Sherlock (last seen in 2016's Insidious) have not one case to solve, but two, in this latest from Coulter. A pregnant woman is attacked and later, her baby is stolen from the hospital, the case worked by Sherlock and her team. Meanwhile, Savich heads a team tracking a convicted bank robber who escaped while in transit to a federal prison. New to the series? You're in luck--this works as well as a stand-alone as it does in the series as a whole, and may be a good entry-point for you.
The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye, by David Lagercrantz. Lagercrantz became the new writer for Steig Larsson's Lisbeth Salander series with The Girl in the Spider's Web (2015). Lisbeth Salander, the brilliant hacker with the dragon tattoo, has long been unable to uncover the full extent of her childhood trauma, something she believes might finally help her understand herself. Of course she's enlisted journalist Mikael Blomkvist to help her with her digging. Tenacious as ever, Lisbeth won't let anything stand in her way, not an extremist group, not the deadly reach of her long-lost twin Camilla, and certainly not those responsible for her trauma.
Sleeping Beauties, by Stephen King & Owen King. What if women disappeared from the world of men? In this novel of an alternate near-future, this is what happens--when women fall asleep, they fall dormant, travel to another world. If disturbed or woken, they become spectacularly violent. And so men are left alone, becoming increasingly primal. The exception to the women's affliction is Evie, but why is she exempt? Is she blessed or cursed? Should she be studied or slain? There's some setup involved but from early reviews, the payoff is spectacular and worth it in spades.
Secrets in Death, by J.D. Robb. Book 45 in Robb's (aka Nora Roberts) long-running series featuring NYPSD cop Eve Dallas. A professional gossip reporter is murdered, and it appears it's not about what she had said, but rather, it may have been about what she kept secret, and who she was blackmailing... It's up to Eve Dallas to dig into the reporter's dirty bag of secrets, and it soon becomes clear that she'll uncover some dirt about people very close to her. A more personal turn for a Dallas case. Also available in Large Print.
Enigma, by Catherine Coulter. FBI Agents Savich and Sherlock (last seen in 2016's Insidious) have not one case to solve, but two, in this latest from Coulter. A pregnant woman is attacked and later, her baby is stolen from the hospital, the case worked by Sherlock and her team. Meanwhile, Savich heads a team tracking a convicted bank robber who escaped while in transit to a federal prison. New to the series? You're in luck--this works as well as a stand-alone as it does in the series as a whole, and may be a good entry-point for you.
The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye, by David Lagercrantz. Lagercrantz became the new writer for Steig Larsson's Lisbeth Salander series with The Girl in the Spider's Web (2015). Lisbeth Salander, the brilliant hacker with the dragon tattoo, has long been unable to uncover the full extent of her childhood trauma, something she believes might finally help her understand herself. Of course she's enlisted journalist Mikael Blomkvist to help her with her digging. Tenacious as ever, Lisbeth won't let anything stand in her way, not an extremist group, not the deadly reach of her long-lost twin Camilla, and certainly not those responsible for her trauma.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
What I've Been Reading: October 2015
I have to admit, folks, that although I read six books this month, it feels like I really could have, should have read more. I've been watching a lot of baseball in the evenings this playoff season (Let's Go, Mets!) and learning to knit socks (nearly done with the first pair!), so that's at least 2-3 books worth of time doing other things. But let me share what I did read!
You're Never Weird On the Internet (Almost), by Felicia Day. This memoir by thirty-something self-professed geek, entrepreneur, actor, writer and director Day was amazing in so many ways. From her unusual upbringing (homeschooled before homeschooling was a thing) to her trailblazing career (if it doesn't exist, bulldoze what does exist and build from there), Day embraces her awkwardness and makes it deeply endearing. Readers who are unfamiliar with Day's work should go and check out her series, The Guild, available on Netflix and YouTube--if videogames and awkward social situations aren't your thing, you may also know her as Charlie Bradbury from the hit TV series Supernatural. And if geekery isn't your thing? Well, you're missing out.
The Knitting Circle, by Ann Hood. When Mary Baxter loses her only child, her mother gets her to join a knitting circle, knowing Mary will need something occupy her mind and her hands, to fill her empty hours. As she learns more about knitting, Mary also learns about the stories each of her fellow knitters has to share, the wisdom they can impart. Eventually, it will be Mary's turn to tell her story, and to pass on all she's learned to another new member. It's a lovely novel about friendship, both sad and heartwarming. Perfect if you need something to curl up with on a chilly, rainy weekend.
Devoted in Death, by J.D. Robb. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is on the case when a new killer is on the loose in her city, but what looks like a single person's deadly work may be that of a team, with a long, bloody wake trailing behind them. She and her team at the NYPSD must work quickly if they can save the most recent abductees before they meet their end. Robb (Nora Roberts) always delivers a quick, easy read, and for that, I thank her.
The Girl with all the Gifts, by M.R. Carey. I loved this one so much, I couldn't keep it to myself. It's not to late to pick up a copy, so you can spend your Halloween with the cleverest of zombies for company.
The Courtesan, by Alexandra Curry. China, 1881. Young Jinhua is orphaned and sold to a madame in a brothel by her stepmother. Here she makes a friend in an older servant girl, wise beyond her years, who will be her best and only friend in the difficult years to come. When she is bought, years later, by an emissary of the emperor, Jinhua travels with him to Vienna, where she learns that she has a talent for languages, and where she meets the one true love of her life for a single afternoon. She returns to Peking, disgraced and alone, only to find herself caught up in the Boxer Rebellion as a foreign collaborator. A story of friendships, of women, of East meets West. Enlightening, if not uplifting.
Pretty Girls, by Karin Slaughter. In this stand-alone from Slaughter, two sisters have been silent in the twenty years following the disappearance of their third, eldest sister. They have grown into very different people--Claire is the trophy wife of a multi-millionaire, Lydia is a single mom struggling to make ends meet and dating an ex-con. But when Claire's husband is brutally murdered, the sisters grudgingly reconnect, forced to confront the question--is this act of violence connected somehow to their sister's disappearance all those years ago? Absolutely riveting--I couldn't put it down.
You're Never Weird On the Internet (Almost), by Felicia Day. This memoir by thirty-something self-professed geek, entrepreneur, actor, writer and director Day was amazing in so many ways. From her unusual upbringing (homeschooled before homeschooling was a thing) to her trailblazing career (if it doesn't exist, bulldoze what does exist and build from there), Day embraces her awkwardness and makes it deeply endearing. Readers who are unfamiliar with Day's work should go and check out her series, The Guild, available on Netflix and YouTube--if videogames and awkward social situations aren't your thing, you may also know her as Charlie Bradbury from the hit TV series Supernatural. And if geekery isn't your thing? Well, you're missing out.
The Knitting Circle, by Ann Hood. When Mary Baxter loses her only child, her mother gets her to join a knitting circle, knowing Mary will need something occupy her mind and her hands, to fill her empty hours. As she learns more about knitting, Mary also learns about the stories each of her fellow knitters has to share, the wisdom they can impart. Eventually, it will be Mary's turn to tell her story, and to pass on all she's learned to another new member. It's a lovely novel about friendship, both sad and heartwarming. Perfect if you need something to curl up with on a chilly, rainy weekend.
Devoted in Death, by J.D. Robb. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is on the case when a new killer is on the loose in her city, but what looks like a single person's deadly work may be that of a team, with a long, bloody wake trailing behind them. She and her team at the NYPSD must work quickly if they can save the most recent abductees before they meet their end. Robb (Nora Roberts) always delivers a quick, easy read, and for that, I thank her.
The Girl with all the Gifts, by M.R. Carey. I loved this one so much, I couldn't keep it to myself. It's not to late to pick up a copy, so you can spend your Halloween with the cleverest of zombies for company.
The Courtesan, by Alexandra Curry. China, 1881. Young Jinhua is orphaned and sold to a madame in a brothel by her stepmother. Here she makes a friend in an older servant girl, wise beyond her years, who will be her best and only friend in the difficult years to come. When she is bought, years later, by an emissary of the emperor, Jinhua travels with him to Vienna, where she learns that she has a talent for languages, and where she meets the one true love of her life for a single afternoon. She returns to Peking, disgraced and alone, only to find herself caught up in the Boxer Rebellion as a foreign collaborator. A story of friendships, of women, of East meets West. Enlightening, if not uplifting.
Pretty Girls, by Karin Slaughter. In this stand-alone from Slaughter, two sisters have been silent in the twenty years following the disappearance of their third, eldest sister. They have grown into very different people--Claire is the trophy wife of a multi-millionaire, Lydia is a single mom struggling to make ends meet and dating an ex-con. But when Claire's husband is brutally murdered, the sisters grudgingly reconnect, forced to confront the question--is this act of violence connected somehow to their sister's disappearance all those years ago? Absolutely riveting--I couldn't put it down.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Meg's Picks: October 2015, part 1
There are a number of titles coming out next month which may be of particular interest to readers, including a little something for Game of Thrones fans to help tide you over until Winds of Winter is released (when it's done, says Martin), as well as a Vince Flynn novel finished posthumously (Flynn died in June of 2013 after a 3-year battle with cancer) by author Kyle Mills, something new from Prey series author John Sandford, and a new chapter in re-imagined fairy tales from Gregory Maguire.
After Alice, by Gregory Maguire. Maguire, known for modern classics like the best-selling Wicked, now publishes a twist on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll's classic.When Alice toppled down the rabbit-hole 150 years ago, she found a
Wonderland as rife with inconsistent rules and abrasive egos as the
world she left behind. But what of that world? How did 1860s Oxford
react to Alice’s disappearance? In this brilliant work of fiction,
Gregory Maguire turns his dazzling imagination to the question of
underworlds, undergrounds, underpinnings—and understandings old and new,
offering an inventive spin on Carroll’s enduring tale. Ada, a friend of
Alice’s mentioned briefly in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is off to visit her friend, but arrives a moment too late—and tumbles down the rabbit-hole herself.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, by George R.R. Martin. For fans of Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire, Martin's next installment in the series just cannot come fast enough. But this volume, additional title "being the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg," may help while away the time in between, especially for those into some of the lore and history of Westeros. This volume compiles the first three prequel novellas to A Song of Ice and Fire, which tell the story of a young, naïve but ultimately courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the
Tall towers above his rivals—in stature if not experience. Tagging along
is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg—whose true name (hidden from
all he and Dunk encounter) is Aegon Targaryen. Though more improbable
heroes may not be found in all of Westeros, great destinies lay ahead
for these two . . . as do powerful foes, royal intrigue, and outrageous
exploits.
The Survivor, by Vince Flynn & Kyle Mills. Chronicling Mitch Rapp's finest battle, picking up right where The Last Man left off, is a race to save America. When Joe “Rick” Rickman, a former golden boy of the CIA, steals a
massive amount of the Agency’s most classified documents in an
elaborately masterminded betrayal of his country, CIA director Irene
Kennedy has no choice but to send her most dangerous weapon after him:
elite covert operative Mitch Rapp. Rapp quickly dispatches the
traitor, but Rickman proves to be a deadly threat to America even from
beyond the grave. Eliminating Rickman didn’t solve all of the CIA’s
problems—in fact, mysterious tip-offs are appearing all over the world,
linking to the potentially devastating data that Rickman managed to
store somewhere only he knew. It’s a deadly race to the finish
as both the Pakistanis and the Americans search desperately for
Rickman’s accomplices, and for the confidential documents they are
slowly leaking to the world. To save his country from being held hostage
to a country set on becoming the world’s newest nuclear superpower,
Mitch Rapp must outrun, outthink, and outgun his deadliest enemies yet.
Saturn Run, by John Sandford & Ctein. Fans of Andy Weir's The Martian (I include myself in this category--ps, the film adaptation directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon comes to theaters in October) will want to check out this new collaborative novel from Sandford (author of the long-running Prey series) and Ctein (photo-artist and science fiction aficionado). The year is 2066. A Caltech intern inadvertently notices an anomaly from
a space telescope—something is approaching Saturn, and decelerating.
Space objects don’t decelerate. Spaceships do. A flurry of
top-level government meetings produces the inescapable conclusion:
Whatever built that ship is at least one hundred years ahead in hard and
soft technology, and whoever can get their hands on it exclusively and
bring it back will have an advantage so large, no other nation can
compete. A conclusion the Chinese definitely agree with when they find
out. The race is on, and an remarkable adventure begins—an epic
tale of courage, treachery, resourcefulness, secrets, surprises, and
astonishing human and technological discovery, as the members of a
hastily thrown-together crew find their strength and wits tested against
adversaries both of this earth and beyond. This is absolutely on my to-read list this fall!
Thursday, August 27, 2015
What I've Been Reading: August 2015
I'm blaming the fact that there are 5 more days in the month for the fact that I've only (I know, only) read 5 books this month. But they have, in several cases, been huge! What do I mean? Read on.
Dune, by Frank Herbert. I'm not normally a science fiction reader. Except that in the last year or so, I've read quite a bit of science fiction (The Martian, Ready Player One, Armada)--and really enjoyed it! So maybe I'm a sci-fi reader after all? In any case, somehow I never got around to reading Herbert's classic Dune until this past month. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy
Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Muad'Dib. He
would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family--and would
bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream. Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and
formed the basis of what it undoubtedly the grandest epic in science
fiction. The audiobook also won an Audie for its full cast recording. I would absolutely recommend this to readers who are intimidated by the idea of science fiction--I really found this quite accessible. (Even if it is over 500 pages!)
The Best of Enemies, by Jen Lancaster. What can I say? I read a wide variety of genres. Jack and Kitty have been at war since a college misunderstanding-gone-nuclear left them with a single thing in common--a mutual best friend, Sarahbeth Chandler. Jack is a journalist, spending months at a time in war-torn countries, writing about falling nations and rising despots, with no place to call home. Kitty is a SAHM and lifestyle blogger whose biggest battles seem to be fought at PTA meetings. The two haven't spoken in years, until crisis befalls Sarahbeth and within hours, Jack and Kitty are on a roadtrip to solve a mystery and save their friend, with typical Lancaster-ian hilarity. Light, breezy and fun, but with a good heart--if you need one last easy read this summer, make it this one.
Broken Promise, by Linwood Barclay. If you haven't read Linwood Barclay (a Connecticut native), you should start. But if you start, I might not start with this one, only because you'll miss out on some great backstory. Promise Falls, NY is a small town in a slump. The local paper has closed, as has the local amusement park. Times are hard. And dark things are happening. David Harwood (seen previously in Never Look Away), recently returned to his hometown of Promise Falls after nearly a decade away, is almost immediately caught up in a family crisis that is tied to several powerful figures in the community. The ending leaves several threads hanging, meaning a direct sequel should be on the horizon for readers.
Armada, by Ernest Cline. As you know, I read Ready Player One by Ernest Cline last month. Just in time to turn around and read his new book, Armada, this month! (FYI, both will be turned into films in the next two years or so, and Steven Spielberg has signed on to direct Ready Player One, so these could be amazing. Cline also has screenwriting chops, have written 2009's Fanboys, starring Seth Rogan, Kristin Bell and Jay Baruchel, among others.) In any case, Armada is the story of one high school senior, Zack Lightman, whose father died in a freak accident when he was a baby. Raised by his mother, Zack is still fascinated by the boxes of video games, movies, mixtapes and notebooks left behind by his father, forming his loves of old science fiction movies and classic rock. He's also an elite player of a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada, which turns out to have been a training course for when the aliens attack. And that day happens to be today. While not as strong as Ready Player One, in my opinion, Armada is still full of ordinary-guy-turned-hero moments and lots of 80s culture references. It just felt like parts of it were missing. It's not a bad way to pass some time, but it doesn't have either the compulsive readability nor the re-read potential of Cline's debut.
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: four women undercover in the Civil War, by Karen Abbott. Okay, I admit, my reading list looks a little...scattered this month. But I've been meaning to get around to this title for months.
Karen Abbott illuminates one of the most fascinating yet little known aspects of the Civil War: the stories of four courageous women—a socialite, a farmgirl, an abolitionist, and a widow—who were spies.
After shooting a Union soldier in her front hall with a pocket pistol, Belle Boyd became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds cut off her hair and assumed the identity of a man to enlist as a Union private, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The beautiful widow, Rose O’Neale Greenhow, engaged in affairs with powerful Northern politicians to gather intelligence for the Confederacy, and used her young daughter to send information to Southern generals. Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Richmond abolitionist, hid behind her proper Southern manners as she orchestrated a far-reaching espionage ring, right under the noses of suspicious rebel detectives. Abbott's work has an entertaining narrative, making it an easy, enjoyable read--I'd recommend it not just to history buffs but also fans of historical fiction.
The Best of Enemies, by Jen Lancaster. What can I say? I read a wide variety of genres. Jack and Kitty have been at war since a college misunderstanding-gone-nuclear left them with a single thing in common--a mutual best friend, Sarahbeth Chandler. Jack is a journalist, spending months at a time in war-torn countries, writing about falling nations and rising despots, with no place to call home. Kitty is a SAHM and lifestyle blogger whose biggest battles seem to be fought at PTA meetings. The two haven't spoken in years, until crisis befalls Sarahbeth and within hours, Jack and Kitty are on a roadtrip to solve a mystery and save their friend, with typical Lancaster-ian hilarity. Light, breezy and fun, but with a good heart--if you need one last easy read this summer, make it this one.
Broken Promise, by Linwood Barclay. If you haven't read Linwood Barclay (a Connecticut native), you should start. But if you start, I might not start with this one, only because you'll miss out on some great backstory. Promise Falls, NY is a small town in a slump. The local paper has closed, as has the local amusement park. Times are hard. And dark things are happening. David Harwood (seen previously in Never Look Away), recently returned to his hometown of Promise Falls after nearly a decade away, is almost immediately caught up in a family crisis that is tied to several powerful figures in the community. The ending leaves several threads hanging, meaning a direct sequel should be on the horizon for readers.
Armada, by Ernest Cline. As you know, I read Ready Player One by Ernest Cline last month. Just in time to turn around and read his new book, Armada, this month! (FYI, both will be turned into films in the next two years or so, and Steven Spielberg has signed on to direct Ready Player One, so these could be amazing. Cline also has screenwriting chops, have written 2009's Fanboys, starring Seth Rogan, Kristin Bell and Jay Baruchel, among others.) In any case, Armada is the story of one high school senior, Zack Lightman, whose father died in a freak accident when he was a baby. Raised by his mother, Zack is still fascinated by the boxes of video games, movies, mixtapes and notebooks left behind by his father, forming his loves of old science fiction movies and classic rock. He's also an elite player of a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada, which turns out to have been a training course for when the aliens attack. And that day happens to be today. While not as strong as Ready Player One, in my opinion, Armada is still full of ordinary-guy-turned-hero moments and lots of 80s culture references. It just felt like parts of it were missing. It's not a bad way to pass some time, but it doesn't have either the compulsive readability nor the re-read potential of Cline's debut.
Karen Abbott illuminates one of the most fascinating yet little known aspects of the Civil War: the stories of four courageous women—a socialite, a farmgirl, an abolitionist, and a widow—who were spies.
After shooting a Union soldier in her front hall with a pocket pistol, Belle Boyd became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds cut off her hair and assumed the identity of a man to enlist as a Union private, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The beautiful widow, Rose O’Neale Greenhow, engaged in affairs with powerful Northern politicians to gather intelligence for the Confederacy, and used her young daughter to send information to Southern generals. Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Richmond abolitionist, hid behind her proper Southern manners as she orchestrated a far-reaching espionage ring, right under the noses of suspicious rebel detectives. Abbott's work has an entertaining narrative, making it an easy, enjoyable read--I'd recommend it not just to history buffs but also fans of historical fiction.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
What I've Been Reading: July 2015
Now is the time that my reading really feels like it's getting cranking--it's too hot to do much else. A good book, a tall glass of iced tea, and either enjoying the AC or hoping for a cool breeze in the evening or the early mornings. Yes, the dog days make for some great excuses to loll around and read--I will absolutely take advantage! Here's what I've been reading recently.
Blueprints, by Barbara Delinsky. I haven't read one of Delinsky's books in years, but I was intrigued by the plot of this one and picked it up. A mother-daughter team (mother Caroline is a carpenter, daughter Jamie is an architect) work together on a local public television show called Gut It!, featuring their handiwork on home renovation projects in the area. On her 56th birthday, Caroline is informed by the producers that she is going to be replaced as host by her daughter, because "viewers want a fresh look," leaving Caroline shocked and furious. Jamie is mortified to be put at odds with her mother, and very reluctant to accept the new role thrust upon her. Add family tragedy to the mix and nothing will ever be the same, for either of them. This is an easy read, a little uneven, but I was really hoping for more of the home renovation aspects, as I found that particularly interesting.
A God in Ruins, by Kate Atkinson. This very much not a sequel to Atkinson's hugely popular novel, Life After Life, but more of a companion volume. Where the first in the Todd family saga primarily featured Ursula Todd as she lived the beginning of the last century over and over, this second features brother Teddy and his experiences both during WWII in the Royal Air Force as a bomber pilot, but also long afterward with his wife, daughter and grandchildren--the book is their story as well. Fascinating, well-researched, deeply moving. I loved each of the deeply flawed characters. Bonus: the audio version is read by Alex Jennings, who has most recently been reading Jeffrey Archer's Clifton Chronicles. I highly recommend both versions.
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline. I've been meaning to read this forever, since it came out four years ago. This is a love song to the children of the 1980s, for sure. In a dystopian 2044, life for most of Earth's humans takes place in virtual reality. Children go to school in virtual classrooms. Jobs are held in the OASIS realm, virtual credits and hard cash are interchangeable, even as the physical infrastructure decays around the millions who plug in. When James Halliday, child of the 80s and the creator of OASIS died years earlier, he left a clue, the first part to unlock a series of trials--the winner will inherit the creator's fortune, worth billions. But though there are thousands of dedicated people trying to puzzle out how to start the process, it is Wade Watts, a poverty-stricken orphan and devoted student of all things Halliday who deciphers the first clue. Then the race is on to stay ahead of the crowd who follows him, and the sinister corporation that wants to control the OASIS by reaching the final game first. This was fun, nostalgic, brilliant, and hugely entertaining--I highly recommend it. Of additional interest, Cline has just released a second novel, Armada. And Steven Spielberg just signed on to direct the film adaptation--expect to hear lots more about this in the coming months.
Dietland, by Sarai Walker. When I read that reviewers were calling this Bridget Jones meets Fight Club, I was more than a little intrigued. What I was met with was a compulsively readable, subversive novel about expectations, reality, and permission to be ourselves. Plum Kettle does her best not to be noticed, because when you're fat, to be noticed is to be judged, or mocked, or worse. She's counting down the days until her weight loss surgery, because once she's thin, her life can finally begin. Then she notices that she's being followed by a mysterious woman, and promptly falls down the rabbit hole known as Calliope House, a community of women who live their lives by their own terms and who challenge Plum to learn to do the same. It's only as she begins to come to terms with her own struggles that she realizes she's unwittingly become ensnared in a terrorist plot that is shaking the nation, with explosive consequences. I read this in two days--it is clever, wise-cracking and wise, and I thought it was amazing. Definitely recommended.
Pretty Is, by Maggie Mitchell. At 12, pretty and precocious Lois and Carly May were kidnapped and driven to a cabin in the Adirondacks, where they were held hostage for two months. As adults, each has reinvented herself as a way to cope with the repercussions of their time spent as captives together. Lois is a professor with an alter-ego, an author who has written a novelized version of what happened to them in the cabin so many years ago, a bestseller which will be turned into a movie. Carly May is now an actress...slated to play a role in the aforementioned movie. As circumstances draw the two women back together after years of silent suffering, it is to a conclusion that neither of them ever saw coming. Recommending this for suspense readers who want something a little off the beaten path. A great debut.
Those Girls, by Chevy Stevens. This is, in my humble opinion, the best of Stevens's novels since her debut, Still Missing (which I loved, by the way). With a rocky home life made worse when their mother dies, sisters Dani, Courtney and Jess stick together--working odd jobs to make ends meet, learning to cook and clean up and generally take care of themselves while their father disappears for weeks at a time. When they have to leave town after a bad situation gets worse, they have no idea that they've jumped straight into the fire, with little chance of escaping unscathed. Fast forward 17 years and they've started over, still trying to stick together, still haunted by their collective past. When one of them goes missing, it's up to the other two sisters to put the past to rest, for good, in order to save her and themselves. This has a lot of plot twists and narrative tension--I stayed up late and got up early to finish this one. Thriller readers really ought to check this out.
Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson. This is a re-read for me, as my book club is discussing it at our September meeting and I needed a refresher. And timely, as I read it concurrently with it's companion novel, A God in Ruins (see my review above). You can read my original review here.
Kitchens of the Great Midwest, by J. Ryan Stadal. This was in my Picks list for this month, and I was delighted to get my hands on a copy just a few days ago--I haven't been able to put it down since. When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva’s journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club. Each chapter tells the story of a single dish and a character, exploring food in terms of community and identity. Full of bittersweet moments, joy, surprises, and missed opportunities, this is a novel that I recommend without reservation.
Blueprints, by Barbara Delinsky. I haven't read one of Delinsky's books in years, but I was intrigued by the plot of this one and picked it up. A mother-daughter team (mother Caroline is a carpenter, daughter Jamie is an architect) work together on a local public television show called Gut It!, featuring their handiwork on home renovation projects in the area. On her 56th birthday, Caroline is informed by the producers that she is going to be replaced as host by her daughter, because "viewers want a fresh look," leaving Caroline shocked and furious. Jamie is mortified to be put at odds with her mother, and very reluctant to accept the new role thrust upon her. Add family tragedy to the mix and nothing will ever be the same, for either of them. This is an easy read, a little uneven, but I was really hoping for more of the home renovation aspects, as I found that particularly interesting.
A God in Ruins, by Kate Atkinson. This very much not a sequel to Atkinson's hugely popular novel, Life After Life, but more of a companion volume. Where the first in the Todd family saga primarily featured Ursula Todd as she lived the beginning of the last century over and over, this second features brother Teddy and his experiences both during WWII in the Royal Air Force as a bomber pilot, but also long afterward with his wife, daughter and grandchildren--the book is their story as well. Fascinating, well-researched, deeply moving. I loved each of the deeply flawed characters. Bonus: the audio version is read by Alex Jennings, who has most recently been reading Jeffrey Archer's Clifton Chronicles. I highly recommend both versions.
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline. I've been meaning to read this forever, since it came out four years ago. This is a love song to the children of the 1980s, for sure. In a dystopian 2044, life for most of Earth's humans takes place in virtual reality. Children go to school in virtual classrooms. Jobs are held in the OASIS realm, virtual credits and hard cash are interchangeable, even as the physical infrastructure decays around the millions who plug in. When James Halliday, child of the 80s and the creator of OASIS died years earlier, he left a clue, the first part to unlock a series of trials--the winner will inherit the creator's fortune, worth billions. But though there are thousands of dedicated people trying to puzzle out how to start the process, it is Wade Watts, a poverty-stricken orphan and devoted student of all things Halliday who deciphers the first clue. Then the race is on to stay ahead of the crowd who follows him, and the sinister corporation that wants to control the OASIS by reaching the final game first. This was fun, nostalgic, brilliant, and hugely entertaining--I highly recommend it. Of additional interest, Cline has just released a second novel, Armada. And Steven Spielberg just signed on to direct the film adaptation--expect to hear lots more about this in the coming months.
Dietland, by Sarai Walker. When I read that reviewers were calling this Bridget Jones meets Fight Club, I was more than a little intrigued. What I was met with was a compulsively readable, subversive novel about expectations, reality, and permission to be ourselves. Plum Kettle does her best not to be noticed, because when you're fat, to be noticed is to be judged, or mocked, or worse. She's counting down the days until her weight loss surgery, because once she's thin, her life can finally begin. Then she notices that she's being followed by a mysterious woman, and promptly falls down the rabbit hole known as Calliope House, a community of women who live their lives by their own terms and who challenge Plum to learn to do the same. It's only as she begins to come to terms with her own struggles that she realizes she's unwittingly become ensnared in a terrorist plot that is shaking the nation, with explosive consequences. I read this in two days--it is clever, wise-cracking and wise, and I thought it was amazing. Definitely recommended.
Pretty Is, by Maggie Mitchell. At 12, pretty and precocious Lois and Carly May were kidnapped and driven to a cabin in the Adirondacks, where they were held hostage for two months. As adults, each has reinvented herself as a way to cope with the repercussions of their time spent as captives together. Lois is a professor with an alter-ego, an author who has written a novelized version of what happened to them in the cabin so many years ago, a bestseller which will be turned into a movie. Carly May is now an actress...slated to play a role in the aforementioned movie. As circumstances draw the two women back together after years of silent suffering, it is to a conclusion that neither of them ever saw coming. Recommending this for suspense readers who want something a little off the beaten path. A great debut.
Those Girls, by Chevy Stevens. This is, in my humble opinion, the best of Stevens's novels since her debut, Still Missing (which I loved, by the way). With a rocky home life made worse when their mother dies, sisters Dani, Courtney and Jess stick together--working odd jobs to make ends meet, learning to cook and clean up and generally take care of themselves while their father disappears for weeks at a time. When they have to leave town after a bad situation gets worse, they have no idea that they've jumped straight into the fire, with little chance of escaping unscathed. Fast forward 17 years and they've started over, still trying to stick together, still haunted by their collective past. When one of them goes missing, it's up to the other two sisters to put the past to rest, for good, in order to save her and themselves. This has a lot of plot twists and narrative tension--I stayed up late and got up early to finish this one. Thriller readers really ought to check this out.
Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson. This is a re-read for me, as my book club is discussing it at our September meeting and I needed a refresher. And timely, as I read it concurrently with it's companion novel, A God in Ruins (see my review above). You can read my original review here.
Kitchens of the Great Midwest, by J. Ryan Stadal. This was in my Picks list for this month, and I was delighted to get my hands on a copy just a few days ago--I haven't been able to put it down since. When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva’s journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club. Each chapter tells the story of a single dish and a character, exploring food in terms of community and identity. Full of bittersweet moments, joy, surprises, and missed opportunities, this is a novel that I recommend without reservation.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
What I've Been Reading: February 2015
I'll admit that I hit a little bit of a lull in my usual reading pace during the February doldrums. Sometimes even the most voracious reader takes a bit of a break--mine was filled with catching up on a couple of TV series (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Broadchurch) and some hand-sewing. Even a librarian cannot live on books alone! That said, I did finish a few titles...
Fear the Darkness, by Becky Masterman. Second in Masterman's Brigid Quinn series (after Rage Against the Dying, which I loved and reviewed here), this new thriller finds retired FBI undercover agent Quinn under siege. After years in the field, Quinn is working hard to try and settle down and be "normal". She's married, has two dogs, and in the wake of her siser-in-law's death after a long illness, she's now taking care of her teenage niece. She even has a best friend. What she can't do, however, is stop being an investigator, and when a grieving mother asks for Quinn's help in determining whether a young boy killed himself or was murdered, Quinn can't say no. It seems that someone may be out to stop her from discovering the truth, though, as Quinn shortly finds herself under attack, and it may be someone very close to her who is trying to do her harm. While not quite as masterful as Masterman's debut, this sophomore effort is still a great thriller, with lots to keep readers guessing. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
Descent, by Tim Johnston. A word of caution to readers--if you choose to pick this up (and you should, it's amazing), do yourself a favor. Put aside a couple of hours when you start it, and read the first 100 pages in one shot. I wish I'd done that, because reading it 10-15 pages at a time was very confusing. In any case... Told in four parts by four family members, this literary thriller covers the abduction of eighteen-year-old Caitlin while she's out for a training run in Colorado one morning, accompanied by her younger brother Sean, who was cycling along with her. Sean is badly hurt, Caitlin is abducted, and then the story jumps ahead. Sean recovers physically, then hits the road. Their mother, Angela, tries to go home only to wind up being hospitalized after a nervous breakdown. Their father, Grant, stays close to where Caitlin was abducted and works with local authorities to try and find his daughter. And I haven't given anything away. Truly beautiful and heartbreaking and heart-pounding, all at the same time.
I'd Know You Anywhere, by Laura Lippman. I chanced upon this, having never read Lippman's work before, when browsing for an audiobook for my commute (it's quite nicely done, if you're looking for an audiobook, by the way). Eliza Benedict reinvented herself in high school and has tried not to look back. Now in her thirties, married with two children, she finds her world turned upside down when the reason for the reinvention, a man named Walter Bowman, contacts her from his cell on death row. Twenty years earlier, Bowman kidnapped Eliza during a summer-long spree of serial killings. Eliza, the only girl who survived, is Bowman's only hope of a stay of execution. And Walter may be Eliza's only hope of finally putting her past to rest. Very suspenseful, riveting. Recommended.
The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris, by Jenny Colgan. And after three suspense/thriller novels in a row, I needed something completely different! Anna Trent was a supervisor in an English chocolate factory. After an accident leaves her jobless and depressed, a dose of serendipity leads her to working for an artisan chocolatier in an elite Paris shop, only to find that her previous experience has left her woefully unprepared for her new position. Anna's learning curve in Paris is steep, from the intricacies of her new job to the language barrier, from making new friends to dealing with the aftermath of her accident. Interwoven is a love story involving Anna's secondary school French teacher and her new boss, which takes place forty years prior. It's sweet and silly, but the bits about the chocolate shop and the beauty of Paris are worth the price of admission--those read like a love letter.
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. This is my book club's selection for our March meeting, and I can't help but be impressed by their willingness to try something outside of our "usual" genres. This is a re-read for me, although I first read it in high school, so it's been awhile. If you're more familiar with the movies, I do recommend going back and reading the book--it is so very different! Bilbo Baggins, humble hobbit, finds himself on the adventure of a lifetime, accompanying a band of dwarves as they make their way across Middle Earth to retake their home under the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug who has occupied it for many decades. Along the way they are helped by elves, the wizard Gandalf, the skin-changer Bjorn, and encounter enchanted forests, goblins, spiders, giants, and others, both foe and friend. And, of course, the hobbit has a secret that allows him to make the perfect burglar during their escapades. One of the greatest adventure stories for all ages, and the grandfather of the modern fantasy and science fiction genres today. Without Tolkein, we would not today be enjoying things like Game of Thrones or Doctor Who. Things to think about.
Obsession in Death, by J.D. Robb. The fortieth entry in the pseudonymous Robb's long-running light science fiction(ish) series finds NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas in a tricky spot: Someone is murdering people she knows, and claiming to be doing it for her as her one true friend. Now she and her partner, Detective Peabody, must not only solve the string of very personal, pointed murders (each one comes with a long, Sharpie-written missive from the killer, on a crime-scene wall) but Dallas must also examine everyone in her life with suspicion to determine who among them has been killing in her name. This is, as other series titles, a delightfully quick and fun read.
I know, to a lot of people, six books looks like a lot. But I actually took about a week after Fear the Darkness (which I devoured in about a day and a half) and read nothing, other than the book on CD I listen to during my commute. It felt a little strange, but then I got right back into it! And that makes 13 titles for 2015 thus far.
Fear the Darkness, by Becky Masterman. Second in Masterman's Brigid Quinn series (after Rage Against the Dying, which I loved and reviewed here), this new thriller finds retired FBI undercover agent Quinn under siege. After years in the field, Quinn is working hard to try and settle down and be "normal". She's married, has two dogs, and in the wake of her siser-in-law's death after a long illness, she's now taking care of her teenage niece. She even has a best friend. What she can't do, however, is stop being an investigator, and when a grieving mother asks for Quinn's help in determining whether a young boy killed himself or was murdered, Quinn can't say no. It seems that someone may be out to stop her from discovering the truth, though, as Quinn shortly finds herself under attack, and it may be someone very close to her who is trying to do her harm. While not quite as masterful as Masterman's debut, this sophomore effort is still a great thriller, with lots to keep readers guessing. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
Descent, by Tim Johnston. A word of caution to readers--if you choose to pick this up (and you should, it's amazing), do yourself a favor. Put aside a couple of hours when you start it, and read the first 100 pages in one shot. I wish I'd done that, because reading it 10-15 pages at a time was very confusing. In any case... Told in four parts by four family members, this literary thriller covers the abduction of eighteen-year-old Caitlin while she's out for a training run in Colorado one morning, accompanied by her younger brother Sean, who was cycling along with her. Sean is badly hurt, Caitlin is abducted, and then the story jumps ahead. Sean recovers physically, then hits the road. Their mother, Angela, tries to go home only to wind up being hospitalized after a nervous breakdown. Their father, Grant, stays close to where Caitlin was abducted and works with local authorities to try and find his daughter. And I haven't given anything away. Truly beautiful and heartbreaking and heart-pounding, all at the same time.
I'd Know You Anywhere, by Laura Lippman. I chanced upon this, having never read Lippman's work before, when browsing for an audiobook for my commute (it's quite nicely done, if you're looking for an audiobook, by the way). Eliza Benedict reinvented herself in high school and has tried not to look back. Now in her thirties, married with two children, she finds her world turned upside down when the reason for the reinvention, a man named Walter Bowman, contacts her from his cell on death row. Twenty years earlier, Bowman kidnapped Eliza during a summer-long spree of serial killings. Eliza, the only girl who survived, is Bowman's only hope of a stay of execution. And Walter may be Eliza's only hope of finally putting her past to rest. Very suspenseful, riveting. Recommended.
The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris, by Jenny Colgan. And after three suspense/thriller novels in a row, I needed something completely different! Anna Trent was a supervisor in an English chocolate factory. After an accident leaves her jobless and depressed, a dose of serendipity leads her to working for an artisan chocolatier in an elite Paris shop, only to find that her previous experience has left her woefully unprepared for her new position. Anna's learning curve in Paris is steep, from the intricacies of her new job to the language barrier, from making new friends to dealing with the aftermath of her accident. Interwoven is a love story involving Anna's secondary school French teacher and her new boss, which takes place forty years prior. It's sweet and silly, but the bits about the chocolate shop and the beauty of Paris are worth the price of admission--those read like a love letter.
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. This is my book club's selection for our March meeting, and I can't help but be impressed by their willingness to try something outside of our "usual" genres. This is a re-read for me, although I first read it in high school, so it's been awhile. If you're more familiar with the movies, I do recommend going back and reading the book--it is so very different! Bilbo Baggins, humble hobbit, finds himself on the adventure of a lifetime, accompanying a band of dwarves as they make their way across Middle Earth to retake their home under the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug who has occupied it for many decades. Along the way they are helped by elves, the wizard Gandalf, the skin-changer Bjorn, and encounter enchanted forests, goblins, spiders, giants, and others, both foe and friend. And, of course, the hobbit has a secret that allows him to make the perfect burglar during their escapades. One of the greatest adventure stories for all ages, and the grandfather of the modern fantasy and science fiction genres today. Without Tolkein, we would not today be enjoying things like Game of Thrones or Doctor Who. Things to think about.
Obsession in Death, by J.D. Robb. The fortieth entry in the pseudonymous Robb's long-running light science fiction(ish) series finds NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas in a tricky spot: Someone is murdering people she knows, and claiming to be doing it for her as her one true friend. Now she and her partner, Detective Peabody, must not only solve the string of very personal, pointed murders (each one comes with a long, Sharpie-written missive from the killer, on a crime-scene wall) but Dallas must also examine everyone in her life with suspicion to determine who among them has been killing in her name. This is, as other series titles, a delightfully quick and fun read.
I know, to a lot of people, six books looks like a lot. But I actually took about a week after Fear the Darkness (which I devoured in about a day and a half) and read nothing, other than the book on CD I listen to during my commute. It felt a little strange, but then I got right back into it! And that makes 13 titles for 2015 thus far.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)