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June 25
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Ukrainer
gave  to:
Death of a Witch (A Hamish Macbeth Mystery, Book 25)
by
M.C. Beaton
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Ukrainer said:
"I've had a very lazy reading year (might have something to do with teaching 28 university class hours), but now I'm on summer vacation, I'm back in the U.S., and I have nothing more pressing to do than read.
What was my first choice? An ol...more
I've had a very lazy reading year (might have something to do with teaching 28 university class hours), but now I'm on summer vacation, I'm back in the U.S., and I have nothing more pressing to do than read.
What was my first choice? An old favorite and friend: Hamish Macbeth. M.C. Beaton's latest, Death of a Witch, did not disappoint. Hamish is as charming as ever as he tracks a serial killer in Lochdubh, Scotland.
Catriona Beldame moves to Lochdubh while Hamish is on holiday in Spain and immediately trouble follows. The village men are spotted visiting the “witch,” and not-too-surprisingly, murder results—in fact, multiple murders.
Despite chronically a killing spree, Death of a Witch is a light and enjoyable read. Hamish is brilliant, and his love life is as tangled as ever. Marion Chesney (aka M.C. Beaton) is now in her 70s, and this is the 25th book in her series. I just hope Hamish finds some sort of romantic happiness before it is too late. (less)
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March 05
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February 12
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Ukrainer
gave to:
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Hardcover)
by
Junot Díaz
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my rating:
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read in February, 2009
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September 16, 2008
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Ukrainer
gave  to:
Smoke Screen: A Novel (Hardcover)
by
Sandra Brown
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my rating:
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read in September, 2008
Ukrainer said:
"I picked up my first Sandra Brown novel years ago when she was still a pure romance writer, and I have stuck with her through her transition into a romantic-thriller writer. Smoke Screen, her latest, is completely formulaic but enjoyable-enough for t...more
I picked up my first Sandra Brown novel years ago when she was still a pure romance writer, and I have stuck with her through her transition into a romantic-thriller writer. Smoke Screen, her latest, is completely formulaic but enjoyable-enough for that very reason.
Journalist Britt Shelley wakes up one morning next to a dead police officer. She doesn’t remember what happened the night before. Naturally, she soon finds herself a suspect in the officer’s death. Enter Raley Gannon. Raley is a disgraced arson investigator and is sure Britt’s conundrum is related to his own.
Of course, Britt and Raley decide to investigate the crimes on their own, find themselves in mortal danger (several times), and make a little love (several times) along the way. Brown throws in several unconvincing red herrings, but anyone with half a brain—or who has read a book before—will guess early on the culprit.
Smoke Screen is anything but groundbreaking, but who really reads popular fiction for mental exercise? The book has some action, a dose of romance, and a little mystery. What more could I ask for?(less)
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September 12, 2008
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Ukrainer
gave  to:
Generation Dead
by
Daniel Waters
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my rating:
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read in September, 2008
Ukrainer said:
"Some of the teenagers in Daniel Water’s Generation Dead are “living impaired” or “differently biotic.” In other words, they are zombies.
For some reason, living impaired teens are popping up all over the United States. The teens,...more
Some of the teenagers in Daniel Water’s Generation Dead are “living impaired” or “differently biotic.” In other words, they are zombies.
For some reason, living impaired teens are popping up all over the United States. The teens, who move and talk slower than their traditionally biotic counterparts, try to assimilate into “normal” society and have no desire to harm anyone. Phoebe, who is living, and Tommy, who is undead, develop a groundbreaking and unusual friendship that causes consternation within both communities.
The setup is intriguing. After spending way too much time with vampires, I was excited to tackle another supernatural element. Naturally, I was particularly interested in the taboo romance between Phoebe and Tommy.
What should be a fun and potentially scary romp is anything but. This is not a zombie book or a romance or a thriller. Instead, Generation Dead reads like a primer on political correctness. Now, I am all for being PC, I really am, but it’s just not what I was expecting in my sci-fi young adult fiction.
The book is overwhelmingly political. The action is cushioned between lecture after lecture about accepting those who are different from the majority. I absolutely agree with Waters in terms of minority rights. But if that is his focus, he should write about actual minority characters and leave the undead to fantasy authors and audiences.(less)
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September 10, 2008
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Ukrainer
gave to:
Gardens of Water: A Novel (Hardcover)
by
Alan Drew
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my rating:
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read in September, 2008
Ukrainer said:
"Alan Drew’s Gardens of Water is quite similar, at least thematically, to other fictional accounts of Turkey I have already read, particularly Livaneli's Bliss.
Sinan, a Kurd, lives outside Istanbul with his wife and two children. The st...more
Alan Drew’s Gardens of Water is quite similar, at least thematically, to other fictional accounts of Turkey I have already read, particularly Livaneli's Bliss.
Sinan, a Kurd, lives outside Istanbul with his wife and two children. The story begins the day before a powerful earthquake hits Turkey. Sinan suddenly finds himself, and his family, jobless and homeless.
Convinced that Americans are responsible for, or at least funding, the Turkish war against the Kurds and the PKK, Sinan is reluctant to accept help from American—specifically, Christian American—relief workers. He is particularly wary of a young American who shows interest in his teenage daughter, İrem.
Sinan is torn between two worlds: the traditional and the contemporary. He struggles to maintain his family’s honor while functioning in modern society.
I am still a novice when it comes to fiction about Turkey, but even I know that the book’s themes are not new. That in itself is not a problem, but Drew doesn’t seem to bring anything fresh to the story. His writing is acceptable, but the story is formulaic, and he relies heavily on cliché.
Drew does a good job, though, of pulling the reader into Sinan’s thoughts. Sinan isn’t simply a conservative, “backwards” villager. He genuinely believes in his lifestyle, although his faith falters now and then, and wants nothing more than for his family to feel and do the same.
Gardens of Water is certainly not groundbreaking, but it is adequate.(less)
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September 09, 2008
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Ukrainer
gave to:
The Lace Reader (Paperback)
by
Brunonia Barry
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my rating:
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read in September, 2008
Ukrainer said:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Towner Whitney returns to her home near Salem, Massach...more
After finishing Brunonia Barry’s The Lace Reader, I have to question what all the buzz is about. Although the book’s premise is intriguing, the execution leaves much to be desired.
Towner Whitney returns to her home near Salem, Massachusetts for the first time in about 15 years. She fled after her twin sister’s suicide, and her own emotional breakdown, and only returns when her step-grandmother goes missing.
Much of modern-day Salem is populated with witches, and no one in town—or out—seems surprised or alarmed by this fact. Towner comes from a long line of witches. The women in her family have a history of mind reading, tea reading, and lace reading. Towner, however, has chosen to abandon these practices.
The book follows two stories: Towner’s return and the events that led to her leaving in the first place. Like I said, the premise is intriguing. The actual story—not so much. Barry fills the book with tedious, unnecessary descriptions and details, so I found it difficult to actually get into the story while slogging through these passages.
For a book that reads (and is written) more like popular than literary fiction, I was surprised by how intentionally muddled the story is. Specifically, Barry never makes clear what is magic and what is a product of mental illness. I know the vagueness is deliberate, but for the kind of book it is, such writing makes for an unsatisfactory conclusion and reading experience.
If you are interested in the supernatural (and language, sex, and nudity), leave The Lace Reader on the shelf and tune into HBO’s new series True Blood instead.(less)
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September 05, 2008
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Ukrainer
gave to:
Wreck This Journal (Paperback)
by
Keri Smith (Goodreads author)
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my rating:
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read in September, 2008
Ukrainer said:
"Technically, Keri Smith’s Wreck This Journal isn’t exactly a book, but I wanted to write a review of it anyway.
This week, I gave the “journal” to my niece who turned 13 years old. I knew she would either react with rapture or comp...more
Technically, Keri Smith’s Wreck This Journal isn’t exactly a book, but I wanted to write a review of it anyway.
This week, I gave the “journal” to my niece who turned 13 years old. I knew she would either react with rapture or complete apathy. Fortunately for my aspirations to be a cool aunt, she loved it.
Each page of the journal contains different instructions for destructing the book: poke holes through this page, burn that page, mail the entire journal to yourself. My niece immediately set out to wreck the journal. She ripped pages, smeared food on other pages, and sprayed perfume on a few.
The one drawback to the journal is that it asks for very little actual writing. I’d like to see a few more opportunities and prompts to record one’s thoughts and experiences. That being said, the book does get the creative juices flowing in other—albeit more destructive—ways.
Wreck This Journal isn’t likely to inspire the next Shakespeare. But it can give young people a lot of giggles and a way to channel their energy in a creative manner. And it just might inspire the next Picasso.(less)
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