I've been reading non-fiction and book club books, which seem to be slowing me down a little lately. That and the early evenings that make me want to retire earlier and earlier! But I've gotten a few things finished...
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, by Maxwell King. I am absolutely a child of the PBS era and have a soft, nostalgic place in my heart for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. So this, the first full-length biography of an American icon, is right up my alley. Following Fred's story from a shy, kindhearted boy through his education where he excelled at music, and told with the help of numerous interviews and archival documents, King's biography is simply perfect, thoughtful and insightful and wonderfully detailed.
How to Knit A Heart Back Home, by Rachael Herron. Herron, writer and fellow knitter, has a great knack for writing perfectly flawed characters who find each other in the most entertaining ways. Here, bookshop owner and long-time knitter Lucy has made peace with being single, choosing to live vicariously through the exploits of her socially avid best friend, Molly. Then Owen comes back to town to deal with some family issues, and Lucy goes to pieces. In high school, Lucy had been Owen's math tutor, her the nerd and him the bad boy with a tough home life. They shared one intensely memorable kiss...just before he left town. Now after close to two decades, he's back and maybe, just maybe, they might find their next steps together...
The Visitors, by Catherine Burns. Burns' debut, which was published last September, has been on my list for some time, and now I know why. This is not a comfortable read, both claustrophobic and grimly tense. Marion Zetland lives in her crumbling childhood home with her older brother John--she a timid spinster who spends her days napping with teddy bears and avoiding conflict of any kind, he a surly recluse who spends the bulk of his time in their basement, which is off limits to everyone else. Marion has spent years turning a blind eye to John's ominous deeds until one day, these heinous responsibilities fall to her and she must unravel many truths, including her own. A slow and uncomfortable start picks up a full head of steam about halfway through, and the finish is absolutely worth it. If you're looking for a novel full of dark suspense, add this to your list.
The Law of Similars, by Chris Bohjalian. Bohjalian (Midwives, The Sandcastle Girls, etc.) is a favorite of mine and I parcel his books out as stories to savor. Here, Vermont widower and attorney Leland is consumed by his job, the raising of his young daughter...and a collection of anxieties manifesting as illness. Over the counter remedies and antibiotics have failed him. It's only when he turns to homeopathy that he begins to see improvement, not least because he is instantly smitten with his homeopath, Carissa Lake. But after one of Carissa's patients falls into an allergy-induced coma, possibly because of her prescribed remedy, Leland's office begins to investigate the case. Leland is faced with a monumental ethical dilemma as love and legal obligations clash head-on. Fascinating on multiple levels, this was definitely a novel to linger over.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, by Lisa See. My book club's November selection, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is the story of Li-yan and her family, living in a remote village in a southern province of China where life revolves around the seasons and the farming and harvesting of tea. It is only after a stranger visits their village that Li-yan begins to venture forth, receiving an education and beginning to reject traditional beliefs. It is the birth of her daughter, born out of wedlock with a man her family considers a poor choice, that finally causes Li-yan to break away. She gives her daughter up at an orphanage in hopes of giving the girl a better life, then makes her own way in the world, choosing city over village. This is also the story of Haley, Li-yan's daughter, who is being raised by an American couple in California, and her own unique struggles with identity.
We Should All Be Feminists, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Adapted from Adichie's much-admired TEDx talk of the same name, this long essay is both personal and eloquently argued, offering a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing on her own experiences and her understanding of the often-masked realities of sexual politics, this is both Adichie's own exploration of what it means to be a woman now, and also a rallying cry to the world. I loved it so much, I read it twice.
The Stranger in the Woods, by Michael Finkel. This is a reread for me, the selection for my book club's December meeting. You can read my original review here.
I have nine books left to read in 2018 in order to hit 100 books in a calendar year. Think I can do it?
Showing posts with label biographies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biographies. Show all posts
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Thursday, September 27, 2018
What I've Been Reading: September 2018
It's that time again!
Sweet Little Lies, by Caz Frear. D.C. Cat Kinsella is hesitant as she investigates the murder of a young Islington housewife. The woman's body was found not far from the pub run by Cat's estranged father. When the woman turns out to be a girl the Kinsellas had met on holiday years earlier, Cat finds herself torn between loyalty to her dysfunctional family and dedication to her job. Full of twists and turns, this was a riveting procedural.
The Moth Presents: All These Wonders, edited by Catherine Burns. I am hopelessly in love with The Moth podcast. For those of you who are unfamiliar, The Moth is a non-profit group based out of New York City that is dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. The group presents a wide range of themed storytelling events across the country--many of which have been recorded for the long-running podcast, which was my introduction. Celebrating their 20th anniversary (The Moth was founded in 1997), this collection of 45 stories culled from their events focuses on stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown. I read this collection over two days, so enthralled was I in these people's stories. I very highly recommend both the book and the podcast--they are honest, wise, insightful, life-changing.
On Call in the Arctic, by Thomas J. Sims. As Sims was finishing his residency and on the cusp of beginning his career as a pediatric surgeon, he was alerted to the impending change in his life: he was going to be drafted as a M.A.S.H. surgeon and sent to Vietnam. His alternative was accepting a commission in the U.S. Public Health Service for an assignment in Anchorage, Alaska--he took it, and brought along his very pregnant wife and young daughter when the moved days later. His life changed again when he was reassigned: instead of being Chief of Pediatrics in Anchorage, he would now be serving as the sole physician in Nome, providing medical care to not only Nome's residents, but also those of thirteen surrounding Eskimo villages, with very little support and in archaic conditions. The stories he relates in this memoir are truly amazing, by turns spine-tingling, jaw-dropping, and heart-warming. I'm recommending this to readers who also liked The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel.
Leverage in Death, by J.D. Robb. When a marketing executive walks into a board meeting wearing a suicide vest and takes out friends and coworkers on the day his company was set to sign a significant merger, NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas is puzzled. She soon finds that the man's family was held hostage as collateral, forcing the man to commit this unthinkable act. But who would do such a thing? And why? The motive seems murky, only slowly clearing as the case progresses. I have to say, this was not one of my favorites in this long-running series--the pacing was off, there was a huge amount of stock market information that I personally found tedious. Your mileage may vary.
Today Will Be Different, by Maria Semple. This morning, Eleanor will take small actions to get her life in order. She will follow through. She will be a responsible adult, a good wife, an attentive mother, a patient friend. This ordinary, responsible day begins a slow-but-sure nosedive after her son finagles his way out of school for the day and then she finds that her husband, Joe, has told his office (but not her) that he's on vacation for the week. Eleanor abandons all of her best intentions in favor of unraveling the mysteries before her, because how is a person supposed to be a responsible adult when everything you counted on being true may not be? This second novel by Semple, author of the best-selling Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, was everything I needed it to be: introspective, funny, irreverent, and deeply relatable.
The Stranger Beside Me, by Ann Rule. Ann Rule, former policewoman, crime journalist, was volunteering at a crisis call center in Seattle as a series of murders occurred in the area. Then the crimes stopped as quickly as they started. Several years later, a man in Florida was arrested after a horrific multiple murder in a sorority house. The man was Ted Bundy, and man who was eventually linked to more than thirty murders across the country, and a man who had once been a fellow volunteer in the same crisis center as Ann Rule. This is her story, both of the crimes and of the man who committed them. I'm a true crime buff, and this really is the ultimate true crime story.
Sweet Little Lies, by Caz Frear. D.C. Cat Kinsella is hesitant as she investigates the murder of a young Islington housewife. The woman's body was found not far from the pub run by Cat's estranged father. When the woman turns out to be a girl the Kinsellas had met on holiday years earlier, Cat finds herself torn between loyalty to her dysfunctional family and dedication to her job. Full of twists and turns, this was a riveting procedural.
The Moth Presents: All These Wonders, edited by Catherine Burns. I am hopelessly in love with The Moth podcast. For those of you who are unfamiliar, The Moth is a non-profit group based out of New York City that is dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. The group presents a wide range of themed storytelling events across the country--many of which have been recorded for the long-running podcast, which was my introduction. Celebrating their 20th anniversary (The Moth was founded in 1997), this collection of 45 stories culled from their events focuses on stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown. I read this collection over two days, so enthralled was I in these people's stories. I very highly recommend both the book and the podcast--they are honest, wise, insightful, life-changing.
On Call in the Arctic, by Thomas J. Sims. As Sims was finishing his residency and on the cusp of beginning his career as a pediatric surgeon, he was alerted to the impending change in his life: he was going to be drafted as a M.A.S.H. surgeon and sent to Vietnam. His alternative was accepting a commission in the U.S. Public Health Service for an assignment in Anchorage, Alaska--he took it, and brought along his very pregnant wife and young daughter when the moved days later. His life changed again when he was reassigned: instead of being Chief of Pediatrics in Anchorage, he would now be serving as the sole physician in Nome, providing medical care to not only Nome's residents, but also those of thirteen surrounding Eskimo villages, with very little support and in archaic conditions. The stories he relates in this memoir are truly amazing, by turns spine-tingling, jaw-dropping, and heart-warming. I'm recommending this to readers who also liked The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel.
Leverage in Death, by J.D. Robb. When a marketing executive walks into a board meeting wearing a suicide vest and takes out friends and coworkers on the day his company was set to sign a significant merger, NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas is puzzled. She soon finds that the man's family was held hostage as collateral, forcing the man to commit this unthinkable act. But who would do such a thing? And why? The motive seems murky, only slowly clearing as the case progresses. I have to say, this was not one of my favorites in this long-running series--the pacing was off, there was a huge amount of stock market information that I personally found tedious. Your mileage may vary.
Today Will Be Different, by Maria Semple. This morning, Eleanor will take small actions to get her life in order. She will follow through. She will be a responsible adult, a good wife, an attentive mother, a patient friend. This ordinary, responsible day begins a slow-but-sure nosedive after her son finagles his way out of school for the day and then she finds that her husband, Joe, has told his office (but not her) that he's on vacation for the week. Eleanor abandons all of her best intentions in favor of unraveling the mysteries before her, because how is a person supposed to be a responsible adult when everything you counted on being true may not be? This second novel by Semple, author of the best-selling Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, was everything I needed it to be: introspective, funny, irreverent, and deeply relatable.
The Stranger Beside Me, by Ann Rule. Ann Rule, former policewoman, crime journalist, was volunteering at a crisis call center in Seattle as a series of murders occurred in the area. Then the crimes stopped as quickly as they started. Several years later, a man in Florida was arrested after a horrific multiple murder in a sorority house. The man was Ted Bundy, and man who was eventually linked to more than thirty murders across the country, and a man who had once been a fellow volunteer in the same crisis center as Ann Rule. This is her story, both of the crimes and of the man who committed them. I'm a true crime buff, and this really is the ultimate true crime story.
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.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
What I've Been Reading: September 2016
Well folks, summer is over, but my reading momentum is still screaming along here. I'm interested to see what happens when I run out of Robyn Carr books (anyone have any suggestions?), because I'm coming mighty close. These 2-3 day reads are great little escapes between some of the more substantial tomes! That said, I think I may need a break from series for a little bit--all but one of my reads this month were part of a series, and I think I may have hit my limit!
The English Spy, by Daniel Silva. This was selected by my book club by popular request as our October book, and I have to say, this wasn't easy. First, it's the 15th in a long-running series, so there is a significant cast of characters who have mostly been introduced and developed in past novels. That was a challenge, though I was intrigued enough that I may yet go back and start at the beginning. Second, I'm not sure how this thriller will hold up to an hour of discussion, regardless of the IRA, Belfast bombings, and other political events there are in the backdrop--this isn't our usual fair, and while we've tried some thrillers and suspense in the past, they don't always lend themselves to great discussion. (To be fair, there are some that have, like Gone Girl and Defending Jacob, though they are more suspense than thriller.) In any case, this follows art-restorer-turned-assassin/spy Gabriel Allon on a mission to solve the murder of a beloved British princess, only to find himself in the crosshairs of the assassin in a very personal, very messy cat-and-mouse game that takes Allon all over Europe in pursuit of his quarry. I loved the spy aspects, but felt more than a little lost at times, since I haven't read other books in the series. Yet.
White Fire, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Lucky thirteen in Preston & Child's FBI Special Agent Pendergast series finds our hero at loose ends, recuperating after the events of Two Graves. That is, until his young protegee Corrie Swanson (introduced in book 4, Still Life With Crows) contacts him after getting herself into some trouble with the law in a Colorado resort town, where she had hoped to do some research pertaining to her thesis--she had discovered that the 150 year old exhumed remains of miners thought to have been killed by a man-eating grizzly were in fact cannibalized. This fact, moreso even than an arsonist on the rampage in the small town, threatens the town's very existence, throwing Pendergast and Corrie into a maelstrom of peril. Fascinating, riveting, I can never get enough.
Harvest Moon, Bring Me Home For Christmas, Hidden Summit, Redwood Bend, Just Over the Mountain, & Down by the River, all by Robyn Carr. I know, I know. The first four titles are all from Carr's Virgin River series, while the last two are the second and third in her Grace Valley trilogy. The trilogy, I have to say, shows its age a bit, as it was published about fifteen years ago, though it was certainly a delightful portrayal of small town life in northern California. The Virgin River novels can be a little hit and miss individually, but all blend together rather nicely as part of a whole. I have been deeply grateful for the brain candy they've provided me in the recent months!
Apprentice in Death, by J.D. Robb. This is, if you can believe it, the 43rd installment in Robb/Roberts's NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas futuristic cop series. And while the main plot (a former sniper and his murderous protege out for blood on a revenge mission with an alarming body count and a steep escalation) hangs together very well in this outing, the writing has, I have to say, really started to suffer. The style of these novels has become very abrupt and almost jarring in places. The compelling plot and familiar characters definitely drive the novel forward, but without the solid footing of having read (almost all of) the previous books in the series, a reader could potentially find this off-putting. Here's to hoping that deadlines and editors allow for a smoother-reading novel next time.
You'll Grow Out of It, by Jessi Klein. What's this? A memoir? In my list? Crazy talk! Klein, a comedian who has written for shows like Saturday Night Live, Inside Amy Schumer, and Transparent, here recounts with candid insight and hilarious wit, her experiences as a tomboy and late bloomer. Likening her experiences trying to navigate feminine ideals to that of a wolf attempting to be a poodle, Klein shares stories both funny and poignant, all of them infinitely relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I wished it were longer.
For those keeping track, I'm at 69 books for 2016 so far. I think this might be the year I actually hit 100. Stay tuned to find out!
The English Spy, by Daniel Silva. This was selected by my book club by popular request as our October book, and I have to say, this wasn't easy. First, it's the 15th in a long-running series, so there is a significant cast of characters who have mostly been introduced and developed in past novels. That was a challenge, though I was intrigued enough that I may yet go back and start at the beginning. Second, I'm not sure how this thriller will hold up to an hour of discussion, regardless of the IRA, Belfast bombings, and other political events there are in the backdrop--this isn't our usual fair, and while we've tried some thrillers and suspense in the past, they don't always lend themselves to great discussion. (To be fair, there are some that have, like Gone Girl and Defending Jacob, though they are more suspense than thriller.) In any case, this follows art-restorer-turned-assassin/spy Gabriel Allon on a mission to solve the murder of a beloved British princess, only to find himself in the crosshairs of the assassin in a very personal, very messy cat-and-mouse game that takes Allon all over Europe in pursuit of his quarry. I loved the spy aspects, but felt more than a little lost at times, since I haven't read other books in the series. Yet.
White Fire, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Lucky thirteen in Preston & Child's FBI Special Agent Pendergast series finds our hero at loose ends, recuperating after the events of Two Graves. That is, until his young protegee Corrie Swanson (introduced in book 4, Still Life With Crows) contacts him after getting herself into some trouble with the law in a Colorado resort town, where she had hoped to do some research pertaining to her thesis--she had discovered that the 150 year old exhumed remains of miners thought to have been killed by a man-eating grizzly were in fact cannibalized. This fact, moreso even than an arsonist on the rampage in the small town, threatens the town's very existence, throwing Pendergast and Corrie into a maelstrom of peril. Fascinating, riveting, I can never get enough.
Harvest Moon, Bring Me Home For Christmas, Hidden Summit, Redwood Bend, Just Over the Mountain, & Down by the River, all by Robyn Carr. I know, I know. The first four titles are all from Carr's Virgin River series, while the last two are the second and third in her Grace Valley trilogy. The trilogy, I have to say, shows its age a bit, as it was published about fifteen years ago, though it was certainly a delightful portrayal of small town life in northern California. The Virgin River novels can be a little hit and miss individually, but all blend together rather nicely as part of a whole. I have been deeply grateful for the brain candy they've provided me in the recent months!
Apprentice in Death, by J.D. Robb. This is, if you can believe it, the 43rd installment in Robb/Roberts's NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas futuristic cop series. And while the main plot (a former sniper and his murderous protege out for blood on a revenge mission with an alarming body count and a steep escalation) hangs together very well in this outing, the writing has, I have to say, really started to suffer. The style of these novels has become very abrupt and almost jarring in places. The compelling plot and familiar characters definitely drive the novel forward, but without the solid footing of having read (almost all of) the previous books in the series, a reader could potentially find this off-putting. Here's to hoping that deadlines and editors allow for a smoother-reading novel next time.
You'll Grow Out of It, by Jessi Klein. What's this? A memoir? In my list? Crazy talk! Klein, a comedian who has written for shows like Saturday Night Live, Inside Amy Schumer, and Transparent, here recounts with candid insight and hilarious wit, her experiences as a tomboy and late bloomer. Likening her experiences trying to navigate feminine ideals to that of a wolf attempting to be a poodle, Klein shares stories both funny and poignant, all of them infinitely relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I wished it were longer.
For those keeping track, I'm at 69 books for 2016 so far. I think this might be the year I actually hit 100. Stay tuned to find out!
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
What I've Been Reading: September 2014
Hard to believe that September is drawing to a close! I've gotten a lot of reading done this month, and I can't wait to share my reviews with you!
All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. I couldn't keep it to myself, I loved this book so much. Poignant, beautifully detailed, heart-wrenching. Superb. You can read my full review here.
The Vacationers, by Emma Straub. If you're wondering what your neighbors are reading, I can tell you that this might be it--it has been hugely popular among the library's readers since it debuted at the beginning of the summer. The Posts put the fun in dysfunctional, for sure. Franny and Jim are seething in the wake of his marital indiscretion, which also resulted in his forced early retirement. But they're determined to make the best of a two-week trip to Mallorca with their children and a couple of family friends. However, everyone has brought emotional baggage with them and the forced confinement in their villa brings things to a boiling point in no time. While the ending fell a little flat for me (I almost wanted another hundred pages to dig a little deeper, as everything felt wrapped up a little too hastily), this was a fast, compulsive read. Straub's got talent, so I'm hoping her future novels are even better.
The Mockingbird Next Door, by Marja Mills. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is one of the best loved novels of the twentieth century. But for the last fifty years, the novel's celebrated author, Harper Lee, has said almost nothing on the record. Journalists have trekked to her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, where Harper Lee, known by her friends as Nelle, has lived with her sister, Alice, for decades, trying and failing to get an interview with the author. But in 2001, the Lee sisters opened their door for Chicago Tribune reporter Marja Mills, who in 2004 moved into the house next door, spending the next eighteen months sharing meals and conversations with the Lee sisters and their close friends. This is part journalist memoir, part revelation as Nelle Harper Lee finally took the opportunity to set the record straight after decades of conjecture. Very much a book for readers and book-lovers, as well as fans of Lee's one and only novel.
The Girls of August, by Anne Rivers Siddons. Originally slated for publication last year, readers have finally gotten their hands on the new Siddons novel. Having enjoyed some of her other work (Burnt Mountain, etc.), and then having to wait an extra year to get a new book, to say my hopes were high might be an understatement. And sadly, this was not what I'd hoped for. For years, four friends would get together for a week in August. And when one of them dies in a terrible accident, the tradition lapses for several years, until the remaining three decide to rekindle the beach house vacation one August, bringing their friend's replacement, the ditzy 20-something named Baby that their friend's husband has married. In the process of their get-away, the old friends deal with illness, divorce, infertility, and teach their youngest member a few things about friendship, even as she has her own lessons to teach them. And while the premise had some promise, it is so unlike anything from Siddons that I've ever encountered, I'm still left a little baffled and more than a little disappointed. Normally, I consider Siddons to have some great gothic appeal, full of nuance and subtle foreshadowing. This was clunky and cumbersome, the foreshadowing repetitive and obvious, and the overall execution was weak. I can normally find some good things to say about a mediocre book, but this one has left me speechless.
Neverhome, by Laird Hunt. What makes a woman leave behind her home, and her husband, in order to disguise herself as a man and fight in the War Between The States? Hunt's novel, told by our protagonist, Ash Thompson, wends its way through battle, capture, escape, injury and madness to answer these questions. I don't want to give much away, as part of the glory of this slim novel is unraveling the mysteries behind Ash's flight from her past, and her slow but inevitable return to confront it. But this is a unique tale, quietly powerful and beautifully researched.
Penpal, by Dathan Auerbach. I stumbled across this while I was compiling one of the reading lists I've put together for October. I was intrigued because it originally started as a reddit post, as a series of interconnected short stories. Since then, it has been illustrated, turned into audio recordings, and adapted into a series of short films. And, finally, revised and expanded into a novel. I actually bought a personal copy, I was so intrigued. What makes this so intriguing, and scary? Well, how well do you remember your childhood? I mean, really remember? What would happen if a series of events in your childhood, which you never associated with one another, were actually all connected? What if your parents hid those connections from you, and that it is only as an adult that you finally can ask the questions they hoped you'd never ask? This is quite possibly one of the most tautly suspenseful tales I've read in recent years, short, spare, and awash with a constant, looming sense of dread. If you can track down a copy, do.
Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. Yes, since the movie is coming out later this week and because my book club is reading it for their October meeting, I re-read this one. You can read my original review here. I will say that this is a book I really enjoyed re-reading. This is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it kind of book, and I'm intrigued to see how it will translate into film. I liked combing through this for clues the second time, things that I missed the first time around. The characters are just as unlikeable to me as the first time around, but I still like that inevitable train-wreck-feeling of their story and found myself unable to look away. I'm anxious to see how my fellow book club members feel about it!
The Girl Next Door, by Jack Ketchum. This was another title I came across during my search for great horror novels. Unfortunately, it is out of print, but I was able to obtain a copy through Interlibrary Loan. Loosely based on actual events, this novel is set in shady, quiet suburbia, at the end of a dead-end street, where two teenage sisters are held captive by their sadistic aunt who is descending into madness and her three sons, equally depraved. Only a single troubled boy with a very adult decision to make stands between the sisters and their ultimate fate. The novel is graphic, disturbing, and absolutely terrifying. It's not a book I can actually recommend, but fans of the horror genre with very strong stomachs might consider adding it to their reading list when they want to sleep with the light on for a week straight.
Ok, so that's 8 titles for the month of September, and that makes 59 titles for the year. I have just 3 more months and 16 titles left to hit my goal of 75 books in a calendar year. If I can keep up my current pace, I'll have this in the bag!
All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. I couldn't keep it to myself, I loved this book so much. Poignant, beautifully detailed, heart-wrenching. Superb. You can read my full review here.
The Vacationers, by Emma Straub. If you're wondering what your neighbors are reading, I can tell you that this might be it--it has been hugely popular among the library's readers since it debuted at the beginning of the summer. The Posts put the fun in dysfunctional, for sure. Franny and Jim are seething in the wake of his marital indiscretion, which also resulted in his forced early retirement. But they're determined to make the best of a two-week trip to Mallorca with their children and a couple of family friends. However, everyone has brought emotional baggage with them and the forced confinement in their villa brings things to a boiling point in no time. While the ending fell a little flat for me (I almost wanted another hundred pages to dig a little deeper, as everything felt wrapped up a little too hastily), this was a fast, compulsive read. Straub's got talent, so I'm hoping her future novels are even better.
The Mockingbird Next Door, by Marja Mills. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is one of the best loved novels of the twentieth century. But for the last fifty years, the novel's celebrated author, Harper Lee, has said almost nothing on the record. Journalists have trekked to her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, where Harper Lee, known by her friends as Nelle, has lived with her sister, Alice, for decades, trying and failing to get an interview with the author. But in 2001, the Lee sisters opened their door for Chicago Tribune reporter Marja Mills, who in 2004 moved into the house next door, spending the next eighteen months sharing meals and conversations with the Lee sisters and their close friends. This is part journalist memoir, part revelation as Nelle Harper Lee finally took the opportunity to set the record straight after decades of conjecture. Very much a book for readers and book-lovers, as well as fans of Lee's one and only novel.
The Girls of August, by Anne Rivers Siddons. Originally slated for publication last year, readers have finally gotten their hands on the new Siddons novel. Having enjoyed some of her other work (Burnt Mountain, etc.), and then having to wait an extra year to get a new book, to say my hopes were high might be an understatement. And sadly, this was not what I'd hoped for. For years, four friends would get together for a week in August. And when one of them dies in a terrible accident, the tradition lapses for several years, until the remaining three decide to rekindle the beach house vacation one August, bringing their friend's replacement, the ditzy 20-something named Baby that their friend's husband has married. In the process of their get-away, the old friends deal with illness, divorce, infertility, and teach their youngest member a few things about friendship, even as she has her own lessons to teach them. And while the premise had some promise, it is so unlike anything from Siddons that I've ever encountered, I'm still left a little baffled and more than a little disappointed. Normally, I consider Siddons to have some great gothic appeal, full of nuance and subtle foreshadowing. This was clunky and cumbersome, the foreshadowing repetitive and obvious, and the overall execution was weak. I can normally find some good things to say about a mediocre book, but this one has left me speechless.
Neverhome, by Laird Hunt. What makes a woman leave behind her home, and her husband, in order to disguise herself as a man and fight in the War Between The States? Hunt's novel, told by our protagonist, Ash Thompson, wends its way through battle, capture, escape, injury and madness to answer these questions. I don't want to give much away, as part of the glory of this slim novel is unraveling the mysteries behind Ash's flight from her past, and her slow but inevitable return to confront it. But this is a unique tale, quietly powerful and beautifully researched.
Penpal, by Dathan Auerbach. I stumbled across this while I was compiling one of the reading lists I've put together for October. I was intrigued because it originally started as a reddit post, as a series of interconnected short stories. Since then, it has been illustrated, turned into audio recordings, and adapted into a series of short films. And, finally, revised and expanded into a novel. I actually bought a personal copy, I was so intrigued. What makes this so intriguing, and scary? Well, how well do you remember your childhood? I mean, really remember? What would happen if a series of events in your childhood, which you never associated with one another, were actually all connected? What if your parents hid those connections from you, and that it is only as an adult that you finally can ask the questions they hoped you'd never ask? This is quite possibly one of the most tautly suspenseful tales I've read in recent years, short, spare, and awash with a constant, looming sense of dread. If you can track down a copy, do.
Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. Yes, since the movie is coming out later this week and because my book club is reading it for their October meeting, I re-read this one. You can read my original review here. I will say that this is a book I really enjoyed re-reading. This is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it kind of book, and I'm intrigued to see how it will translate into film. I liked combing through this for clues the second time, things that I missed the first time around. The characters are just as unlikeable to me as the first time around, but I still like that inevitable train-wreck-feeling of their story and found myself unable to look away. I'm anxious to see how my fellow book club members feel about it!
The Girl Next Door, by Jack Ketchum. This was another title I came across during my search for great horror novels. Unfortunately, it is out of print, but I was able to obtain a copy through Interlibrary Loan. Loosely based on actual events, this novel is set in shady, quiet suburbia, at the end of a dead-end street, where two teenage sisters are held captive by their sadistic aunt who is descending into madness and her three sons, equally depraved. Only a single troubled boy with a very adult decision to make stands between the sisters and their ultimate fate. The novel is graphic, disturbing, and absolutely terrifying. It's not a book I can actually recommend, but fans of the horror genre with very strong stomachs might consider adding it to their reading list when they want to sleep with the light on for a week straight.
Ok, so that's 8 titles for the month of September, and that makes 59 titles for the year. I have just 3 more months and 16 titles left to hit my goal of 75 books in a calendar year. If I can keep up my current pace, I'll have this in the bag!
Thursday, August 28, 2014
What I've Been Reading: August 2014
August seemed to just fly right by this year, a cooler, gentler August than what we're used to in this neck of the woods. But readers will tell you that there's no bad weather for reading, and I am doing my best to prove that rule this year. I've been reading, and listening, to a little bit of everything this past month and I can't wait to share!
Jim Henson: A Biography, by Brian Jay Jones. A comprehensive biography of the gentle dreamer and creative genius Jim Henson. From Sam & Friends to Sesame Street, the Muppet Show and movies, Fraggles and story-telling, it is a compilation of imagination and nostalgia for someone like me, who grew up with the Muppets as an integral part of my childhood. The work was made possible by the immense generosity and candor of Henson's friends and family, giving a full portrait of the man as more than puppeteer, but also as son, father, husband, and friend. I savored this book, finding it touching and enlightening.
Cop Town, by Karin Slaughter. It's Atlanta in 1974, and Kate Murphy's first day on the police force. Everything is wrong, from her enormous uniform, to her lack of preparation for the job despite her time in the police academy, to her presence as a woman on a force made up mostly of resentful males, to the fact that a cop killer is on the loose and the city, already seething with racial and class tensions, is now on the point of all-out war. Over the course of three days, Murphy will earn her stripes even as she tries to elude the cop killer, who seems to have set his sites on her. This stand-alone novel from Slaughter is raw, compulsively readable, and so tightly plotted, it was all I could do to put it down long enough to do things like sleep and work. Very highly recommended to fans of suspense and crime novels.
The Book of Life, by Deborah Harkness. The final installment in Harkness's All Souls Trilogy (A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night) is all fans of the series could have hoped it would be, complete with the wry wit, deft details and fast pacing that made the first book a darling among my library's staff two years ago. Here, Diana and Matthew are back in the present and are seeking, with the help of their tight group of family and friends, to outwit the rogue vampire who has been hunting them across time and place and end his threat against all they hold dear once and for all. Absolutely stunning--one that I both couldn't read fast enough and never wanted to end.
One Kick, by Chelsea Cain. First in a new series by Cain, and my introduction to her. Kick Lannigan has gone by many names over the years, all given to her by someone else: her parents, her abductor. But Kick is her name of choice, and she has, in the years since her rescue from her captor, honed the skills she learned in her years as captive: she can pick any lock, shoot any gun, has studied martial arts, and searches for missing children in her free time. It is when Bishop, he of the shrouded past and fast cars, shows up and insists she help him track the victim of a predator that Kick must face her own past again, if only to find her way forward. Compulsively readable, with a heroine as endearing as she is damaged. I am eagerly anticipating the next in the series.
State of Wonder, by Anne Patchett. I re-read this in preparation for my September book club meeting. When pharmaceutical researcher Dr. Marina Singh is sent to the Amazon for work, it is for several reasons. First, she is to collect the remains and effects of a colleague who recently died under mysterious circumstances. She must also locate another colleague studying the fertility of a local tribe, as their women often bear children well into middle age. It is this second colleague, Dr. Swenson, who was once Marina’s mentor, that troubles Marina the most, as their past together is something she has tried to leave behind her. Deeply atmospheric, emotional and detailed, this is Patchett at her finest, very much worth the re-read.
The Arsonist, by Sue Miller. Frankie is in her mid-thirties and adrift. After fifteen years of aid-work in East Africa, she has burnt out, returning to the States for an extended, perhaps permanent, break. She spends the summer with her aging parents in what had been their summer home, where they now reside permanently. On her first night back, an unoccupied summer house burns. Then another. And another. Always the homes of summer people. The small New Hampshire town, where no one has ever bothered to lock their doors, now begins to crumble under the suspicion and fear. A novel of family and community, of trust and fear and love, told in Miller's quiet, measured style. I'm a fan, as always.
Queen of Sorcery, by David Eddings. To quote the lads of Monty Python, "And now, for something completely different." Second in a series I originally read about twenty years ago, this follows the sorcerer Belgarath, his daughter the sorceress Polgara, and their motley crew of princes, thieves and adventurers as they pursue the legendary Orb in order to keep it from falling into the hands of those who serve the sleeping god of darkness, Torak. And in the midst of this adventure, young Garion begins to face his own role in their epic quest, prompting him to ask, as all adolescents will: Why me? Just as funny and entertaining as when I first read it.
That's 7 titles for this month, and my total for 2014 is now up to 51! This year is going to be a race to the finish, but I'm determined to hit my goal of 75 titles by the end of the calendar year.
I'm back next week with some titles you can look forward to come *gulp* October. In the meantime, have a safe Labor Day weekend, and happy reading!
Jim Henson: A Biography, by Brian Jay Jones. A comprehensive biography of the gentle dreamer and creative genius Jim Henson. From Sam & Friends to Sesame Street, the Muppet Show and movies, Fraggles and story-telling, it is a compilation of imagination and nostalgia for someone like me, who grew up with the Muppets as an integral part of my childhood. The work was made possible by the immense generosity and candor of Henson's friends and family, giving a full portrait of the man as more than puppeteer, but also as son, father, husband, and friend. I savored this book, finding it touching and enlightening.
Cop Town, by Karin Slaughter. It's Atlanta in 1974, and Kate Murphy's first day on the police force. Everything is wrong, from her enormous uniform, to her lack of preparation for the job despite her time in the police academy, to her presence as a woman on a force made up mostly of resentful males, to the fact that a cop killer is on the loose and the city, already seething with racial and class tensions, is now on the point of all-out war. Over the course of three days, Murphy will earn her stripes even as she tries to elude the cop killer, who seems to have set his sites on her. This stand-alone novel from Slaughter is raw, compulsively readable, and so tightly plotted, it was all I could do to put it down long enough to do things like sleep and work. Very highly recommended to fans of suspense and crime novels.
The Book of Life, by Deborah Harkness. The final installment in Harkness's All Souls Trilogy (A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night) is all fans of the series could have hoped it would be, complete with the wry wit, deft details and fast pacing that made the first book a darling among my library's staff two years ago. Here, Diana and Matthew are back in the present and are seeking, with the help of their tight group of family and friends, to outwit the rogue vampire who has been hunting them across time and place and end his threat against all they hold dear once and for all. Absolutely stunning--one that I both couldn't read fast enough and never wanted to end.
One Kick, by Chelsea Cain. First in a new series by Cain, and my introduction to her. Kick Lannigan has gone by many names over the years, all given to her by someone else: her parents, her abductor. But Kick is her name of choice, and she has, in the years since her rescue from her captor, honed the skills she learned in her years as captive: she can pick any lock, shoot any gun, has studied martial arts, and searches for missing children in her free time. It is when Bishop, he of the shrouded past and fast cars, shows up and insists she help him track the victim of a predator that Kick must face her own past again, if only to find her way forward. Compulsively readable, with a heroine as endearing as she is damaged. I am eagerly anticipating the next in the series.
State of Wonder, by Anne Patchett. I re-read this in preparation for my September book club meeting. When pharmaceutical researcher Dr. Marina Singh is sent to the Amazon for work, it is for several reasons. First, she is to collect the remains and effects of a colleague who recently died under mysterious circumstances. She must also locate another colleague studying the fertility of a local tribe, as their women often bear children well into middle age. It is this second colleague, Dr. Swenson, who was once Marina’s mentor, that troubles Marina the most, as their past together is something she has tried to leave behind her. Deeply atmospheric, emotional and detailed, this is Patchett at her finest, very much worth the re-read.
The Arsonist, by Sue Miller. Frankie is in her mid-thirties and adrift. After fifteen years of aid-work in East Africa, she has burnt out, returning to the States for an extended, perhaps permanent, break. She spends the summer with her aging parents in what had been their summer home, where they now reside permanently. On her first night back, an unoccupied summer house burns. Then another. And another. Always the homes of summer people. The small New Hampshire town, where no one has ever bothered to lock their doors, now begins to crumble under the suspicion and fear. A novel of family and community, of trust and fear and love, told in Miller's quiet, measured style. I'm a fan, as always.
Queen of Sorcery, by David Eddings. To quote the lads of Monty Python, "And now, for something completely different." Second in a series I originally read about twenty years ago, this follows the sorcerer Belgarath, his daughter the sorceress Polgara, and their motley crew of princes, thieves and adventurers as they pursue the legendary Orb in order to keep it from falling into the hands of those who serve the sleeping god of darkness, Torak. And in the midst of this adventure, young Garion begins to face his own role in their epic quest, prompting him to ask, as all adolescents will: Why me? Just as funny and entertaining as when I first read it.
That's 7 titles for this month, and my total for 2014 is now up to 51! This year is going to be a race to the finish, but I'm determined to hit my goal of 75 titles by the end of the calendar year.
I'm back next week with some titles you can look forward to come *gulp* October. In the meantime, have a safe Labor Day weekend, and happy reading!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
What I've been reading: December 2012
This post could also be known as "From the Lost Chapters of Trumbull is Reading...". Posting this list on the twenty-second of January? Late much? I know, I know. Truth is, between holidays and the slew of new books being released, there just didn't seem to be an appropriate time to post this. In any case, I actually managed quite a bit of reading during the month of December, and finished my year's reading challenge strong!
Yes, Chef, by Marcus Samuelsson. I've had a soft spot for Chef Samuelsson since watching him win the 2010 season of Bravo's Top Chef Masters. In this memoir, he covers his early life of being a young Ethiopian orphan adopted (with his sister) by a family in Sweden and learning to love cooking by the side of his adoptive grandmother, as well as his experiences at kitchens in Europe and America. He talks about his passion for food and cooking, but also the heartbreaking and cut-throat business of opening and running a restaurant. Extremely insightful and delightful to read. 319 pages
Consider the Fork, by Bee Wilson. I read this right after finishing Yes, Chef, continuing in the same kitchen-centered theme. This, however, challenged me to think about the gadgetry in our modern kitchens, from the development of the stove (a far cry from an outdoor fire pit) to the most basic of tools, like the spoon. Wilson's well-researched and wonderfully readable narrative frames not just the food as it changed throughout history, but how new and improved tools allowed for these changes. I'd go so far as to call this a must-read for the average foodie. 327 pages
Ancient Light, by John Banville. I picked this novel up after reading some rather luminous critical praise of it. I don't always put much stock in what critics have to say: "good" is often quite subjective when it comes to reading material. In this case, however, I'm glad I did. Ancient Light is the story of an actor at the end of his career, still struggling with the death of his daughter some years before. When he is asked to play a role opposite a fragile young actress, he seems presented with the option of making up for past mistakes. Speaking of his past, his formative years were anything but ordinary, highlighted by the affair he had at fifteen with his then-best-friend's mother. Intriguing and powerful. 288 pages
Girl in Hyacinth Blue, by Susan Vreeland. This was my book club's choice for our January meeting. Told in a series of interconnected stories, we follow a (fictional) painting by 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, from its modern installation in a private home back through its many changes of location and possession back to the painter himself. While the structure of the tales seems occasionally cumbersome, Vreeland's characters shine. 242 pages
A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan. Jennifer Egan is an author who really rather defies classification. She has written about the political drama in 1960s & 70s family life (The Invisible Circus), how our exterior defines who we see ourselves to be (Look At Me), and how our past often defines our present (The Keep). In this most recent novel, A Visit from the Goon Squad, readers meet an aging former punk rock musician and music producer, and Sasha, the troubled young woman he employs, and watch as they confront the pasts that both define and haunt them. Rebellion, power, addiction, friendship and music are key themes in this unique and moving novel. 273 pages
Little Star, by John Ajvide Lindqvist. Swedish author Linqvist, author of Let the Right One In, has been compared on more than one occasion to Stephen King, and with some good reason. Lindqvist's brand of horror is full of subtle creepiness that serve to make the reader uneasy, punctuated with startling episodes of violence that serve as plot catalysts. The result here is a novel that I read compulsively and attentively, afraid to pause and afraid to blink. A retired Swedish pop duo, husband and wife, take in an odd foundling child as a baby and raise her in their basement, honing her special particular talent in the process. I definitely don't want to spoil the rest of it for you. 532 pages
Dangerous Inheritance, by Alison Weir. This is a bit of a heartbreak for me, as I ordinarily love Weir's work, both fiction and nonfiction. And don't get me wrong, Dangerous Inheritance is well researched, thoughtfully told and full of period detail that gives the narrative great nuance. The story is actually two together, that of Lady Jane Grey's younger sister Katherine's imprisonment in the Tower, as well as three other innocent political prisoners nearly a hundred years earlier, Kate Plantagenet and boy Princes Edward and Richard. While each story in its own right is very intriguing, I found the constant switching of time period and characters disjointed and tough to follow. Not my favorite of her work--that would be Innocent Traitor, a novel of Lady Jane Grey. Fingers crossed for her next book. 507 pages
December's statistics:
7 titles
2,488 pages
Final 2012 challenge statistics:
80/100 titles: 80%
31,158/50,000 pages = 62%
So, shy of my goals, certainly. I knew starting this challenge that these goals were quite lofty, and honestly, I think that's a good thing. I liked having something to strive toward. I think perhaps this year I'd like to concentrate on some longer books, too, to help find some middle ground between my 80% and 62%.
So, for 2013 my goal is 75 titles and 35,000 pages. That puts both in the totally do-able category for me, I think, if 2012 was any indication.
What about you, my readers? Any goals or resolutions you'd like to share?
Yes, Chef, by Marcus Samuelsson. I've had a soft spot for Chef Samuelsson since watching him win the 2010 season of Bravo's Top Chef Masters. In this memoir, he covers his early life of being a young Ethiopian orphan adopted (with his sister) by a family in Sweden and learning to love cooking by the side of his adoptive grandmother, as well as his experiences at kitchens in Europe and America. He talks about his passion for food and cooking, but also the heartbreaking and cut-throat business of opening and running a restaurant. Extremely insightful and delightful to read. 319 pages
Consider the Fork, by Bee Wilson. I read this right after finishing Yes, Chef, continuing in the same kitchen-centered theme. This, however, challenged me to think about the gadgetry in our modern kitchens, from the development of the stove (a far cry from an outdoor fire pit) to the most basic of tools, like the spoon. Wilson's well-researched and wonderfully readable narrative frames not just the food as it changed throughout history, but how new and improved tools allowed for these changes. I'd go so far as to call this a must-read for the average foodie. 327 pages
Ancient Light, by John Banville. I picked this novel up after reading some rather luminous critical praise of it. I don't always put much stock in what critics have to say: "good" is often quite subjective when it comes to reading material. In this case, however, I'm glad I did. Ancient Light is the story of an actor at the end of his career, still struggling with the death of his daughter some years before. When he is asked to play a role opposite a fragile young actress, he seems presented with the option of making up for past mistakes. Speaking of his past, his formative years were anything but ordinary, highlighted by the affair he had at fifteen with his then-best-friend's mother. Intriguing and powerful. 288 pages
Girl in Hyacinth Blue, by Susan Vreeland. This was my book club's choice for our January meeting. Told in a series of interconnected stories, we follow a (fictional) painting by 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, from its modern installation in a private home back through its many changes of location and possession back to the painter himself. While the structure of the tales seems occasionally cumbersome, Vreeland's characters shine. 242 pages
A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan. Jennifer Egan is an author who really rather defies classification. She has written about the political drama in 1960s & 70s family life (The Invisible Circus), how our exterior defines who we see ourselves to be (Look At Me), and how our past often defines our present (The Keep). In this most recent novel, A Visit from the Goon Squad, readers meet an aging former punk rock musician and music producer, and Sasha, the troubled young woman he employs, and watch as they confront the pasts that both define and haunt them. Rebellion, power, addiction, friendship and music are key themes in this unique and moving novel. 273 pages
Little Star, by John Ajvide Lindqvist. Swedish author Linqvist, author of Let the Right One In, has been compared on more than one occasion to Stephen King, and with some good reason. Lindqvist's brand of horror is full of subtle creepiness that serve to make the reader uneasy, punctuated with startling episodes of violence that serve as plot catalysts. The result here is a novel that I read compulsively and attentively, afraid to pause and afraid to blink. A retired Swedish pop duo, husband and wife, take in an odd foundling child as a baby and raise her in their basement, honing her special particular talent in the process. I definitely don't want to spoil the rest of it for you. 532 pages
Dangerous Inheritance, by Alison Weir. This is a bit of a heartbreak for me, as I ordinarily love Weir's work, both fiction and nonfiction. And don't get me wrong, Dangerous Inheritance is well researched, thoughtfully told and full of period detail that gives the narrative great nuance. The story is actually two together, that of Lady Jane Grey's younger sister Katherine's imprisonment in the Tower, as well as three other innocent political prisoners nearly a hundred years earlier, Kate Plantagenet and boy Princes Edward and Richard. While each story in its own right is very intriguing, I found the constant switching of time period and characters disjointed and tough to follow. Not my favorite of her work--that would be Innocent Traitor, a novel of Lady Jane Grey. Fingers crossed for her next book. 507 pages
December's statistics:
7 titles
2,488 pages
Final 2012 challenge statistics:
80/100 titles: 80%
31,158/50,000 pages = 62%
So, shy of my goals, certainly. I knew starting this challenge that these goals were quite lofty, and honestly, I think that's a good thing. I liked having something to strive toward. I think perhaps this year I'd like to concentrate on some longer books, too, to help find some middle ground between my 80% and 62%.
So, for 2013 my goal is 75 titles and 35,000 pages. That puts both in the totally do-able category for me, I think, if 2012 was any indication.
What about you, my readers? Any goals or resolutions you'd like to share?
Thursday, September 27, 2012
What I've been reading: September 2012
Would someone like to tell me where the heck September's gone?? I feel as though I blinked and it's nearly over. Tell me I'm not the only one?
In the midst of blinking, though, there have been some great reads over the course of the month. Here's what I've been reading the last few weeks.
The Bone Garden, by Tess Gerritsen. This historical/present day mystery stand-alone by suspense writer Gerritsen was really quite stellar. Split between present-day and 1830s Boston, the tale begins with a centuries-old murder victim being found in a new home-owner's flower bed and ends with a Ripper-esque serial killer being brought to justice in the 1830s. Gerritsen, best known for her Rizzoli & Isles suspense series, shows off some of her vast wealth of medical knowledge and also delves into Boston's history and the history of modern medicine, including resurrectionists and early theories on germs and epidemics. A well-crafted page-turner. 370 pages.
Catherine the Great: portrait of a woman, by Robert K. Massie. If you'll remember, way back at the beginning of the year, I'd put this on my list of things to read this year. At long last, I got around to it, and I'm so happy I did! I have a great admiration for non-fiction authors, and biographers especially, who manage to make facts and dates flow into a very readable narrative. Perhaps it's my love of fiction talking? In any case, Massie does a masterful job with his biography of one of Russia's most renowned rulers, Empress Catherine the Great. He uses letters from various contemporaries interwoven into the narrative to great effect, and shows Catherine as both a ruler and an ordinary human being, wishing for love and acceptance in the midst of court intrigue and political conspiracy. I cannot say enough good things about this one! 625 pages.
The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. I've had this one on my "to-read" list for close to a year, and I finally got to this one at long last. First? It wasn't what I'd expected. Told in alternating chapters that span a nine year gap, the narrative is tense and the plot twisted. An orphan's last chance in foster care before being considered "un-adoptable". The woman who took her in. Jumping forward nine years, we see the young woman that orphan has become, and her gift for using flowers in unexpected ways based on the Victorian "language of flowers" taught to her by her last foster mother. I can't spoil this one for you, but I can say that this was a poignant, enlightening read. 322 pages.
Below Stairs, by Margaret Powell. I mentioned in a recent post that I've joined the ranks of Downton Abbey fans, and as I'm now waiting for season 3 to air, I took some of my own advice and read the memoir that inspired the series. You can read my review here. 212 pages.
The Mephisto Club, by Tess Gerritsen. Rizzoli & Isles make another appearance in my reading list, this time investigating a series of murders with occult overtones that bring them into direct contact with a secret society, the Mephisto Club (short for Mephistopheles, a servant of the Devil in Christopher Marlowe's play, Dr. Faustus). The club, which investigates instances of evil throughout history, seems to be the killer's target, and by their association, Boston detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles become targets as well. Gerritsen never disappoints. 355 pages.
Delusion in Death, by J.D. Robb. I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of Robb's (Nora Roberts) latest Eve Dallas suspense novel, one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I love these, and I make no apologies. As ever, this is a fast, easy read with some great plot twists. On an ordinary afternoon, in an ordinary New York City bar (circa 2060), happy hour goes horribly wrong when in the space of twelve minutes, all of the bar patrons fall victim to a powerful chemical cocktail that causes them to turn on one another in a hallucinating, homicidal rage. In the horrifying aftermath, Dallas and her team must find out who is behind this attack on ordinary citizens, and stop him before he strikes again. Gripping. 388 pages.
Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible: the fascinating history of everything in your closet, by Tim Gunn. Ok, also on my list of guilty pleasures? Project Runway. I love me some Tim Gunn--he's my favorite. So when he wrote a new book, of course I snagged it. What I didn't know about Mr. Gunn is that not only has he worked for Liz Claiborne and with Project Runway, but he was also on the faculty at the Parsons The New School of Design for 25 years. His experience as a teacher lends great tone to this book, which is a lineage through history of the clothing we wear today, from undergarments to shoes and everything in between. Extremely entertaining. 312 pages.
And that wraps up another month, bringing me closer to the end of this year's reading challenge. Here are the totals:
September totals:
7 titles
2,584 pages
2012 totals:
59/100 titles = 59%
24,384/50,000 pages = 49%
It's not over til it's over, so check back in with me next month! In the meantime, I'll have lists of new fiction titles coming out in November for you next week. Happy reading!
In the midst of blinking, though, there have been some great reads over the course of the month. Here's what I've been reading the last few weeks.
The Bone Garden, by Tess Gerritsen. This historical/present day mystery stand-alone by suspense writer Gerritsen was really quite stellar. Split between present-day and 1830s Boston, the tale begins with a centuries-old murder victim being found in a new home-owner's flower bed and ends with a Ripper-esque serial killer being brought to justice in the 1830s. Gerritsen, best known for her Rizzoli & Isles suspense series, shows off some of her vast wealth of medical knowledge and also delves into Boston's history and the history of modern medicine, including resurrectionists and early theories on germs and epidemics. A well-crafted page-turner. 370 pages.
Catherine the Great: portrait of a woman, by Robert K. Massie. If you'll remember, way back at the beginning of the year, I'd put this on my list of things to read this year. At long last, I got around to it, and I'm so happy I did! I have a great admiration for non-fiction authors, and biographers especially, who manage to make facts and dates flow into a very readable narrative. Perhaps it's my love of fiction talking? In any case, Massie does a masterful job with his biography of one of Russia's most renowned rulers, Empress Catherine the Great. He uses letters from various contemporaries interwoven into the narrative to great effect, and shows Catherine as both a ruler and an ordinary human being, wishing for love and acceptance in the midst of court intrigue and political conspiracy. I cannot say enough good things about this one! 625 pages.
The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. I've had this one on my "to-read" list for close to a year, and I finally got to this one at long last. First? It wasn't what I'd expected. Told in alternating chapters that span a nine year gap, the narrative is tense and the plot twisted. An orphan's last chance in foster care before being considered "un-adoptable". The woman who took her in. Jumping forward nine years, we see the young woman that orphan has become, and her gift for using flowers in unexpected ways based on the Victorian "language of flowers" taught to her by her last foster mother. I can't spoil this one for you, but I can say that this was a poignant, enlightening read. 322 pages.
Below Stairs, by Margaret Powell. I mentioned in a recent post that I've joined the ranks of Downton Abbey fans, and as I'm now waiting for season 3 to air, I took some of my own advice and read the memoir that inspired the series. You can read my review here. 212 pages.
The Mephisto Club, by Tess Gerritsen. Rizzoli & Isles make another appearance in my reading list, this time investigating a series of murders with occult overtones that bring them into direct contact with a secret society, the Mephisto Club (short for Mephistopheles, a servant of the Devil in Christopher Marlowe's play, Dr. Faustus). The club, which investigates instances of evil throughout history, seems to be the killer's target, and by their association, Boston detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles become targets as well. Gerritsen never disappoints. 355 pages.
Delusion in Death, by J.D. Robb. I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of Robb's (Nora Roberts) latest Eve Dallas suspense novel, one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I love these, and I make no apologies. As ever, this is a fast, easy read with some great plot twists. On an ordinary afternoon, in an ordinary New York City bar (circa 2060), happy hour goes horribly wrong when in the space of twelve minutes, all of the bar patrons fall victim to a powerful chemical cocktail that causes them to turn on one another in a hallucinating, homicidal rage. In the horrifying aftermath, Dallas and her team must find out who is behind this attack on ordinary citizens, and stop him before he strikes again. Gripping. 388 pages.
Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible: the fascinating history of everything in your closet, by Tim Gunn. Ok, also on my list of guilty pleasures? Project Runway. I love me some Tim Gunn--he's my favorite. So when he wrote a new book, of course I snagged it. What I didn't know about Mr. Gunn is that not only has he worked for Liz Claiborne and with Project Runway, but he was also on the faculty at the Parsons The New School of Design for 25 years. His experience as a teacher lends great tone to this book, which is a lineage through history of the clothing we wear today, from undergarments to shoes and everything in between. Extremely entertaining. 312 pages.
And that wraps up another month, bringing me closer to the end of this year's reading challenge. Here are the totals:
September totals:
7 titles
2,584 pages
2012 totals:
59/100 titles = 59%
24,384/50,000 pages = 49%
It's not over til it's over, so check back in with me next month! In the meantime, I'll have lists of new fiction titles coming out in November for you next week. Happy reading!
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