|
March 16
|
|
Nicole
gave  to:
House Rules (Hardcover)
by
Jodi Picoult
read in March, 2010
|
my rating:
|
| |
Nicole said:
"I really enjoyed this book, despite figuring out the ending pretty early on. I still liked "House Rules", though, because it was a return to Picoult's earlier writing style that have missed in her last four books. (I hated "Handle Wi...more
I really enjoyed this book, despite figuring out the ending pretty early on. I still liked "House Rules", though, because it was a return to Picoult's earlier writing style that have missed in her last four books. (I hated "Handle With Care", the three previous books were just okay.) Picoult is a good writer; her lesser known books, such as "Plain Truth", "Second Glance", and "Perfect Match", are among her best. I would rate this one up there, too, because the characters were engaging and the plot was interesting. Some complain that Picoult's books are formulaic, but this one just worked for me. It was good to have the old Picoult back.(less)
"
|
|
March 11
|
|
Nicole
gave  to:
The Crying Tree: A Novel (Hardcover)
by
Naseem Rakha (Goodreads Author)
read in March, 2010
|
my rating:
|
| |
Nicole said:
"A novel about a mother's journey from hatred to forgiveness of her son's murderer is a good idea. However, if that novel is weighed down by stereotypes and one-note characters, it becomes really hard to get through. For example, Rakha paints all he...more
A novel about a mother's journey from hatred to forgiveness of her son's murderer is a good idea. However, if that novel is weighed down by stereotypes and one-note characters, it becomes really hard to get through. For example, Rakha paints all her conservative characters as uneducated bigots. In case the reader cannot figure that out on her own, the author makes sure any character that likes President Bush or is for the war uses broken English and calls his or her parents "ma" and "pa". On the other hand, as soon as one character gets out of her small town (with it's small-mindedness), she becomes a vegetarian and dates a Jewish law student from Manhattan. This is supposed to show her freedom from those redneck hypocrites back home. Every character is treated this way, from the only-in-novels mechanic who probably can't spell his own name, but will "thank-ya-kindly" fix yer truck in a snowstorm for free to the motel manager who talks about her son in "Ee-rak" whose "really" talking to the mother about her dilemma and guides her to "the truth". (You can see that any day of the week on "Grey's Anatomy". Those patients only serve to show the main characters how to solve their own problems.) In this book, police officers and prison guards are power-hungry and rigid and criminals are unfairly treated and misunderstood. Of course, this is a book about a man's execution, so you can imagine how heavy-handed the author is there. Again, only in novels is the murderer at peace and, on his deathbed, shares pearls of wisdom to everyone around him. And don't get me started on the "romance" thrown in at the end. There's just no way that would have happened. There is a homosexual sub-plot where no one is the least bit bothered by the fact that an older man is committing statutory rape. (There is also a sub-plot where an adult man remembers being rapes by his own brother.) This is not the novel I thought it would be. Don't waste your time on this book.(less)
"
|
|
March 09
|
|
Nicole
gave  to:
I Know This Much Is True (Paperback)
by
Wally Lamb
read in March, 2010
|
my rating:
|
| |
Nicole said:
"This, like Lamb's other books, is a l-o-n-g story, in this case, 900 pages. It follows the main character for about a year, but also tells the story of his ancestors' moving to and settling in America. What Lamb does so well is show how this man's ...more
This, like Lamb's other books, is a l-o-n-g story, in this case, 900 pages. It follows the main character for about a year, but also tells the story of his ancestors' moving to and settling in America. What Lamb does so well is show how this man's family history molded his character and how, in choosing to courageously face his past, he had the opportunity to change his future. I hope that doesn't sound too much like psychobabble. I am a counselor and I like how Lamb portrays therapy in his books. His Dr. Patel is real and her scenes were central to the healing process the main character went through. (She reappears in "The Hour I First Believed".) There is a lot of rough language and some abusive family dynamics here. It isn't always an easy read, but I definitely recommend it for writing and honest storytelling.(less)
"
|
|
February 28
|
|
Nicole
gave to:
She's Come Undone (Mass Market Paperback)
by
Wally Lamb
read in February, 2010
|
my rating:
|
| |
Nicole said:
"I sort of understand the negative reviews below. If this were my first Lamb book, I might not have finished it. That is because the main character is not very likable and nearly everyone she interacts with in the first part of the book either abuse...more
I sort of understand the negative reviews below. If this were my first Lamb book, I might not have finished it. That is because the main character is not very likable and nearly everyone she interacts with in the first part of the book either abuses and/or abandons her. My advice is to keep reading; it does get better. With Lamb's books you spend a loooong time with his characters (in this case 35 years) and you see how earlier events influence choices they make later in life. For this book, the middle part where the main character was in therapy was interesting and rang true. (I am a counselor.) The end was also satisfying. Yes, she made a LOT of bad choices, but she did seem to learn from them and to let her caustic guard down. One personal pet peeve: when she was pressured to get an abortion, she read that her baby's heartbeat was undetectable at nine weeks. This isn't true. The human heartbeat starts 21 days after conception. Also, I will warn that there is a LOT of vulgar language (she was an angry woman) and some abusive sex scenes. So, this isn't a book for everyone. However, Lamb is a great writer and knows how to let his characters evolve and grow. (less)
"
|
|
February 25
|
|
Nicole
gave to:
Saving Ceecee Honeycutt: A Novel (Audio CD)
by
Beth Hoffman (Goodreads Author)
read in February, 2010
|
my rating:
|
| |
Nicole said:
"At first I didn't know if I would like this book. It is full of those eccentric, independent Southern women that one only finds in the pages of a book. However, Hoffman rounded out the main characters so that they became interesting and CeeCee's st...more
At first I didn't know if I would like this book. It is full of those eccentric, independent Southern women that one only finds in the pages of a book. However, Hoffman rounded out the main characters so that they became interesting and CeeCee's story became more real. I didn't give this book more stars, though, because the writing was overwrought at times (this was, after all, supposed to be narrated by a 12-yr-old girl who wouldn't have used flowery, figurative language) and some of the minor characters were just too contrived to be believed. That said, the interactions between CeeCee and Oletta between were enjoyable and made the book worth the read.(less)
"
|
|
February 24
|
|
|
|
February 22
|
|
Nicole
gave to:
Velva Jean Learns to Drive: A Novel (Paperback)
by
Jennifer Niven
|
my rating:
|
| |
Nicole said:
"I just couldn't get into this one...
"
|
|
Nicole
gave to:
The Hour I First Believed (Hardcover)
by
Wally Lamb
read in February, 2010
|
my rating:
|
| |
Nicole said:
"Don't let the length of this book stop you from reading it. Somehow Wally Lamb covers Columbine, Katrina, the Civil War, feminism, abuse, and alcoholism (plus more) while telling the story of Caelum Quirk, a narrator who is both flawed and compellin...more
Don't let the length of this book stop you from reading it. Somehow Wally Lamb covers Columbine, Katrina, the Civil War, feminism, abuse, and alcoholism (plus more) while telling the story of Caelum Quirk, a narrator who is both flawed and compelling. Alexa, a reviewer below, put it perfectly: after 750 pages Caelum is a friend I won't soon forget. I can't wait to tackle Lamb's other books.(less)
"
|
|
February 14
|
|
Nicole
gave to:
Breathing Lessons (Paperback)
by
Anne Tyler
|
my rating:
|
| |
|
|
Nicole
gave to:
Digging to America (Hardcover)
by
Anne Tyler
|
my rating:
|
| |
|
beantown bookworms
— 229 members
— last activity 15 days ago, 05:41PM
