false 8 38 37 true 5722875 read 0 true 3622842 currently-reading 1 true 3622841 to-read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76038712 to: A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four (Paperback) by Arthur Conan Doyle
A young doctor, a Watson, if I’m not mistaken, is returning from Afghanistan, war weary and a bit ill. He finds himself in London at the end of the 19th century, looking for cheap lodgings and possibly a friend. By word of mouth, he finds himself rooming with the strangest variety of renaissance man. A young guy, as well, Mr. Holmes, I believe it is, who has a collection of habits to make Watson’s head spin. Ever the doctor, Watson sets out to come to the bottom of the bizarre goings-on of Holmes' livelihood and a friendship is born. They embark, almost immediately, on a whirlwind murder investigation involving Scotland yard and perhaps an American Mormon or two.

Even if a reader has never ventured down the shadowy and shenanigan filled road of Dolye’s best known duo, it is, by pure social lore sake, impossible to comprehend a world before Holmes and Watson. Here, we begin, however, in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s very first story of the pair. If you’ve read the Holmes stories out of order, as I have, it’s incredible to read the first few chapters in which the two are just getting to know each other. Throughout Doyle’s later short stories, Watson continues his running commentary of Holmes and his strange habits but his initial impressions are great.

Doyle’s writing is, as always, perfect. My favorite characteristic of Doyle’s novels is Holmes’ florid, albeit scientific prose, coupled with Watson’s more pragmatic thoughts. As for the characters themselves, I think the regular reader would abhor Holmes and his apparent arrogance if he weren’t always so right. Watson begins to, at times, but is always caught off guard when Holmes and his deductive reason get the better of the situation.

A bit of warning about the middle of the book. Keep reading. The book appears to end one story and begin another but they are exactly related in the end, in true crime fashion, so don’t put it down, believing you have come to the end of one story. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76038422 to: The Forest of Hands and Teeth (Paperback) by Carrie Ryan
Mary’s story is just another one of those time-honored, heart warming classics of coming of age, post apocalypse, amid flesh-eating zombies. Like many a similar tale, the main goal in the telling is not the gore and/or violence but rather the struggle of the soul and mind to make some sort of sense of the destruction and absurdity around the protagonist.

Her village is fenced to keep out the roaming, hungry undead who claw at the gates, day and night. Of course, like any quaint, dystopian village, the social order within the protected compound is just as creepy as what lies beyond. The order about town is an Order with a capital O. The Sisters run the municipality with an iron, but seemingly loving, fist. For the most part, all seems well and good.

Our protagonist, Mary, aptly named for such a town, has been listening to her mother’s stories, though. Stories that question the order; question the safety within the fence and question the existence the villagers have always known. Most scoff at her dreams of escape. For what on earth could be so grand and wonderful if everyone else on the planet has perished? Her stories of oceans and skyscrapers from years ago do not interest most.

Until the breech.

When the security of the group’s very existence is shaken to the core, Mary is not the only one to look elsewhere for answers, pulling apart every conventionality the small society has ever known.

The idea of this story is fantastic. The cathedral and sisters are as creepy as creepy religious allusions can get. The Big Brother-like security and scrutiny are deep reaching and there is a very clear message from the get-go that thought and questioning of the safety provided within the walls will not be tolerated. Bible verses, along with the love and will of God are taught as the only truth. Allegory and allusion run thick in the story and for the most part, are referenced in a cohesive way.

Unfortunately, this is going down on my list of books that flopped. Due to the sparkling legacy of Fahrenheit, 1984 and their modern counterpart, The Hunger Games, it simply comes off as overdone and a bit of a washed out version of the old relics, at that. The writing is pretty at moments but isn’t anything to call home about as it skips or halts in more than a few places. It also has that horrible fault of present tense which was excusable in The Hunger Games, as the storyline and characters held together thick enough, but here just weakens an already flimsy book.

I think if it hadn’t held so many positives for me, the allegories, the relative similarities to dystopias past, I wouldn’t have been as disappointed but I truly wanted more from Ryan and she just didn’t deliver. If you don’t set your sights too high on this one, you may not be as disappointed. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76038334 to: The Big Over Easy (Nursery Crime, #1) by Jasper Fforde
There are dead end jobs and then there’s The Dead End Job. Years ago, the city of Reading’s Nursery Crime (yes, you read that right) Division was headed by the a more successful sleuth than Jack Spratt. Unfortunately, he’s just lost one case too many (it turns out that those three murderous pigs were a jury favorite while the vegetarian wolf failed to overcome public stereotyping) and it looks like, not only his job but his whole division, is headed for early retirement. It’s not that Jack is a terrible detective; it’s just that crime, like all things, is political and he’s been edged out of some high profile cases leaving his career wedged between a rock and a hard place.

His livelihood hangs in the balance of one last chance when aging playboy, Humpty Dumpty is found dead after a rowdy night on the social scene. When the whole town becomes suspect, Jack is sent, head spinning, down a rabbit hole of red herrings and literal goose chases, causing the public to seriously question whether he should be in the field at all. As the clock ticks down the minutes on Jack’s ailing career, the absurd becomes normal and normal becomes completely obsolete.

This is a fantastic spoof of the detective story. There is a lot of great, dry British humor throughout, recalling Monty Python at many a turn. The plot is fast paced from the get go and never loses momentum. At times, the nursery rhyme and kid-lit word plays are put on a bit thick but some of the more subtle allusions to Grimm and Potter are well worth the cheese. And you needn’t worry about the nursery rhyme theme watering down the adult content. There is plenty of sex, wine and violence to go around. This is most certainly the dark side of the cradle.

I can’t believe I haven’t read anything else by Jasper Fforde. He is definitely on my list of authors to explore more. I think that there is another NCD book and I hope he’s working on others. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75298299 to: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread (Paperback) by Kate DiCamillo
Fairy tales generally follow a formulaic plot. born of mundane, humble or destitute beginnings, heroes and heroines dream big, face the fire and, not without losing a limb, literally or metaphorically, they save the day, often bringing home a lesson.

What we forget, after much Disnifying, is that our beloved stories from childhood did not have squeaky clean beginnings. The first time I heard a telling of the original Little Mermaid, I almost cried (though my grandmother will tell you that, at seven, I cried at the Disney version as well). It’s gruesome and sad and a little cruel.

Like many of the Grimm stories, Kate DiCamillo’s Tale of Despereaux is a little challenging to read at times due to graphic descriptions, mentions of child abuse or other sad scenes. This, of course, detracts little from the actual plot or message but it is something I found myself wondering and eventually reconciling with the above intro reference to other fairy tales.

The tale, as mentioned above, has all of the classic themes of tried and true children’s stories. The outcast, the ugly duckling, the weak link, Despereaux is smaller than a mouse should be with ears twice his size. He is expected to die as many of his mother’s children have. He is fearless of most things that send mice scurrying, loves to read, you know, the usual iconoclast quirks. He also has a slightly worrisome attachment to human sentimentalities and eventually finds himself head over heels in love with the princess of the castle in which the mice reside. His parents and peers are not amused and do their best to shun him from the community, sending him to no uncertain death in the dungeon.

Of course, the stringent rules of Mouse Society can’t be the only evil in a great tale of woe and adventure. Along the way, our snowball of a story picks up Chiaroscuro, a rat who, like Despereaux, has a habit of breaking the mold, a habit which once landed him in hot soup and landed the entire kingdom in a lot of hot water and Miggery Sow, a beaten down, dim witted country girl with princess dreams.

The story is one of love and compassion beating out cold and fear. Bravery and kindness in the face of all desperation are rewarded and forgiveness and change of heart are paramount. Aside from the aforementioned bits where I thought I might have to squint through the violence and cruelty, the book is fantastic and has all of the winning components of the time tested stories of old. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75298175 to: The Hound of the Baskervilles (Mass Market Paperback) by Arthur Conan Doyle
One of Doyle’s better known Holmes stories, The Hound of the Baskervilles, is one that begins in benign city drudgery and ends in the sensational, sensual moors of the countryside. A family history, plagued by the evil tale of a spiritual being, imposes itself on the pragmatic and scientific modernity of Holmes and Watson’s practice, throwing them for a ghostly loop.

When I was in third grade, I “read” the Hound of the Baskervilles. I had been given a collection of Doyle’s Holmes stories by some well-intentioned relative and being the avid little reader that I was, dug in. I remember very few of the the other stories but because I was, even (or especially) at 9, an avid animal advocate, I remember the The Hound.

At least I thought I did. When I am distressed about the things my son (currently 19 months) is reading in seven and a half years, I’ll have to remind myself that The Hound stuck with me in little part regarding the plot. The tawdry implied love affairs and inherent violence had no effect on me at that age. I think I read it simply because of the dog.

Of course, as a 26 year old, Watson’s recount of the countryside drama, packed with supernatural intrigue, holds much more weight. There are great writers still working today and they’ll certainly do in a pinch but there is nothing quite like the witty one liners and beautiful mysterious prose of Dolye’s stories. Through and through its tiny entirety, the Hound of the Baskerville is fantastic craftsmanship and an inevitable crowd favorite. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75298085 to: Rumors (Luxe, #2) by Anna Godbersen
I haven’t reviewed many books contained in series on the blog and find it incredibly hard. It’s almost like reviewing the middle of a book, right where the juicy part is but still trying to maintain a veil of secrecy.

Nowhere is this more difficult to accomplish than in the second installment of Anna Godberson’s four part Luxe set, Rumors. Staged in turn of the century Manhattan and essentially the wilderness of California, the second book finds our party of revelers and mourners garter deep in more trouble than they can manage.

There is nothing like good scandal to keep readers guessing which is why it is incredibly difficult to lay it on the line for review dissection.

The stage set by The Luxe was a gaudy one but also one that hinted toward a lust for the other side of the tracks. When we meet them again, both Holland girls find themselves in over their heads in love and in life. Their passions can’t be contained within the walls of the society in which they were born and raised and this, inevitably, leads to trouble.

The usual suspects return, starring debutante extraordinaire, Penny, reluctant millionaire heir, Henry; social climbing but clueless ex-maid, Lina, handsome and wholesome oil-hopeful Will and of course, that lovable entity, the gossip column.

I enjoyed the sequel as a welcome diversion from real life drama. I won’t get into the specifics of the small things that irked me because it involves listing unforgivable spoilers. Let’s just say several people show up dead, alive and, more dramatically, married. But, well, that’s just Manhattan in 1899. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75297739 to: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Hardcover) by Mary Ann Shaffer
It’s 1946 and World War II is over in Europe but the ripple effect is still lashing wildly at the hearts and minds of the world. London author, Juliet Ashton, is on a rather reluctant book tour circuit when a much more interesting project finds her. She receives a letter from Guernsey, sent by a man who recently came across a book owned by Juliet at some previous date. Juliet begins writing to her new pen pal, collecting several other interested parties on the island along the way. As she discovers the island, she rediscovers, through new eyes, the ways the war touched the Channel Island when everything seemed occupation free on the mainland.

I was not at all sure about this book when I first heard about it. For one, it seemed to be a kitschy, sappy, best-seller type that book clubs were eating up. Not my cup tea, thank you very much. I’ve also read just about all there is to read, extensively so in fiction, regarding World War II and thought the premise less than original. I wasn’t keen on the gimmick of the letter format, either. Of course, books meant to be read have a way of finding the people who need to read them and after the tenth recommendation from “reasonable” people, I thought I ought to give it a go, even if to honestly say it wasn’t for me if people asked.

As usual, my preconceived judgments about a book were wrong. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is fantastic. The characters are oddly well developed even though the entire story is told from letter perspective. Instead of feeling choppy or taking on the form of giant monologues, the letters served to propel the story along, fleshing out plot and people. As with most books, fiction or non, that touch on Europe before, during and after the war, this is not a light book and has some hard parts, both personally touching and universally appalling.

The only complaint I have is that it is generally considered Young Adult which seems strange to me as it certainly would do well in an older audience. I hope that more “grown ups” find their way to the back to this book. For that purpose, I’m labeling this under general fiction, really, as it should be. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73077091 to: Guardian of the Flame (Seven Wonders Novel #3) by T.L. Higley
It’s 48 BC and two great fronts are about to collide. Rome has arrived in Egypt intertwining all of the combined glory of Caesar’s West and Cleopatra’s East. High atop the lighthouse of Alexandria, Sophia, a graying scholar keeps watch over a city she knows is doomed to change. Her life’s work, not to mention the work of her family and friends over generations, is at the doorstep of extinction, due to the growing rumble of international politics and national debts unpaid.

Three of Higley’s characters (Sophia, Cleopatra and a fictional Roman soldier) are shown in detail by alternating chapters. There is much of the expected political intrigue given the setting and players but there is also great detail in the personal relationships. Themes of love, abandonment, loss, and faith are well explored.

I adored the concept. I love history and when it’s done well, also love historical fiction. In terms of pure fact, Higley, I’m sure, is on point but I don’t think her writing style is quite in my court. It had all of the right makings of something I would devour but it seemed just too dry and slow for a real adventure. I can’t exactly pinpoint the issue in detail; I just found the reading slow going and I think I only noticed it because I wanted to eat it up but just couldn’t. That is not to say that the writing is thick or unmanageable,just that I think there was a bit too much emphasis on repeating the already mentioned inner thoughts of each character and basic other cheesy devices that slowed things down. It had the effect of making it seem a lighter read as ideas were repeated rather than explored more deeply.

I did enjoy the overall concepts, both light and deep, though. The themes of power and romance played well within in the intimate connections as well as on a larger stage. This is one of a seven book series and while I don’t think I’ll be rushing out to grab the others in a hurry, I would not be opposed to seeking out the rest in time when I need something lighter. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71564508 to: The Luxe (Luxe, #1) by Anna Godbersen
ISBN: 9780061345685
There is one in every group. The goody-goody, the go to girl, the one who can do no wrong. In Anna Godberson’s turn of the century Manhattan, that one is Elizabeth Holland. Beautiful, well-mannered,well-heeled, and otherwise perfect, she is the apple of The Apple’s eye and her rivals know it.

Of course, nothing is ever as it seems and when family tragedy leaves the Holland’s in desperate times, Elizabeth is forced to make a decision about her future that sets in motion a complicated network of love triangles that would make Gossip Girl proud.

With its beautifully scandalous backdrop and cotton candy cover, The Luxe gives the impression that it is indeed Gossip Girl one hundred years earlier. Sure there are parallels in the sweet blond society girl; the rough, smart, sexy boy from the wrong side of the class divide; the lower class girl who pines for the same boy; the rough, Type-A brunette who would give Blair Waldorf a serious run for her money. They are all there but with the time difference and the slightly different personalities types, there is enough divide between the two. Of course my favorites were the ones who broke their molds, be it the beat down house help abandoning a life of service for bigger dreams or the society gals and boys trying to shrug off the burdens of fortune.

The story is told from four different alternating view points which is interesting. There are no surprises because we are clued in on every thought before it can sneak up on a third party. While that sounds a bit like it would ruin the suspense, it doesn’t. There is still enough left out to keep the story and reader guessing.

All in all a fun, quick read but not as fluffy as I had originally thought it might be. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71564185 to: Suite Scarlett (Hardcover) by Maureen Johnson
The Hopewell is a family owned, failing, but one time great, boutique hotel in Manhattan. Fifteen-year old Scarlett has just been given her own room to supervise and oversee when the space’s newest occupant, a flamboyant ex-actress, bursts onto the scene. With her busy city friends out of town for the summer and a diva to tend to, Scarlett gives in to the whimsy of her charge is and taken for a very dramatic ride.

You know those kids in school who would act out their scenes for the spring musical in the hallways? They would rehearse their Shakespeare monologues standing on top of the lunchroom tables and break into random song in the middle of math class? I’m pretty sure Maureen Johnson has known a few in her time because Suite Scarlett is spot on. Under the guise of a story centered around hotels, Suite Scarlett is more about what happens when those kids grow up.

The center calamity is focused on Scarlett’s brother whose acting career has one foot in culinary school and the other in the grave. In order to convince his parents he shouldn’t be shipped off to make souffle, he has to come up with a paying gig and soon. The most fantastic part about this was the detail to the actors both major and minor. Most of the actors we see on TV or even in theater have made a name for themselves and frankly make it look easy. We really only see the tip of the ice burg, forgetting all of the former high school stage stars who still have the moxie but aren’t making money.

Aside from the actual reality check served up, the tone that rings true is in the little details. The romances born of proximity when working on a show, cast fights, late nights, the works. It has the effect of both making the reader wish she was back on the stage and thanking her lucky starts that she got out when she did!

As far as the writing goes, I enjoyed it but I think having read Devilish recently, it just struck me as less funny. The banter between Scarlett and Spencer (and certainly Scarlett’s inner monologue) was fantastic and totally indicative of Johnson’s work but for some reason the other characters fell flat for me. Over all, a fun read, though and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it prior to Devlish. ]]>