C.C. Thomas's Blog, page 6

Spenser is Back!

Spenser #13:  Taming a Sea Horse by Robert Parker Mystery/Thriller

Spenser is back!  It's so nice to see him return to his pre-Susan-made-me-lose-my-mind days.  The last few books in the series were really painful for me to read.  I really like to see Spenser as an impenetrable fortress of good and watching him mire about in self-pity was awkward, especially since I so dislike Susan, the cause of his morose pity party.

In this installment, Spenser is called back to the home of his favorite prostitute madam to find a missing girl.  However, the more Spenser digs, the more he discovers that the girl doesn't want to come back...because she's in love.  Unfortunately, she's in love with a piece of garbage so Spenser had to become her moral compass and get her back on track, killing a few people and scaring even more along the way.  Hawk, another favorite character, is back and the two are such a fun duo to read about.  Susan is also back, but she does little more than lay around in Spenser's bed and dole out pity psycho babble so I can stomach her presence.

I did find this story to be a bit darker than some of the previous reads.  The lessons about love and true love and betrayal seem bitter and, even though Spenser saves the day, the ending left a bad taste in my mouth.  Still, he's one of my favorite detectives so I'm going to stick with him and hope he gets his unconcerned groove back soon.

A Sweet Story That Explains the Real Reason Behind the Season

The True Gift:  A Christmas Story by Patricia MacLachlanChildren's Holiday

Patricia MacLachlan is far and above one of my favorite writers.  Her writing style is the true gift of this story.  Every book of hers that I've read has broken my heart a little, in the sweetest way, and this was no exception.  Her works are so lyrical, more like poetry than prose and getting swept away by her words is so easy, like swinging in a hammock with the gentlest of breezes.

In the story, brother and sister Liam and Lily are going to their grandparent's farm to spend the holiday season.  Instead of focusing solely on his gifts, Liam is distressed to see that White Cow has to spend the holidays alone in the field.  In true Christmas spirit, he uses his savings to buy a calf, a companion for White Cow.  The story is told so simply, so sweetly and is a great reminder of the real reason behind the season.

This is a great Christmas read, a great read-aloud for a classroom of elementary kids, a great short and easy read, and a great multi-generational family read.  It's just a great read, no matter the reason.

Horrid, Literally and Figuratively

The Castle of Wolfenbach:  A German Story by Eliza Parson Gothic Romance

Bad, just so bad.

It's a "horrid" novel, one that Jane Austen referred to in her Northanger Abbey.  While many believe that "horrid" refers to the gothic nature of the writing, I believe Ms. Austen was using her tongue-in-cheek wit to describe the experience of actually reading it all the way through.

In the overly long story, Matilda is an orphan, having been cared for by an "uncle" all her life.  When she comes of age, and apparent hotness, the uncles announces they are not related and he wants to marry her.  When she refuses, he flips out (like the psycho he is) and tries to take advantage of Matilda.  She entrusts the help of a servant and flees into the night unlaunching a story of such ridiculous turns of events and rambling dialogues and explanations that it will put even the staunchest reader into the deepest sleep.

So, in essence, it's just really awful.  Personally, I'm not interested in reading books to get a point.  I just want a good read.  This wasn't it.  I'll stick to Austen and leaved the horrid writing to others.

A Sinful Pleasure...Much Like Tastycakes

Hard Eight:  Stephanie Plum #8 by Janet EvanovichRomance/Mystery/Thriller

I'm sure there was a mystery in here somewhere...probably someone did something wrong and then skipped out on their bail.  Then, the world's worst bounty hunter stumbles across a bigger mystery and tries to solve it, getting herself, and everyone surrounding her almost killed several times over before she accidentally solves the crime.  I'm sure that's what happened in this book because that's what happens in every book.

If the plot is why you read these, you're clearly missing the point.  The point is the hot dichotomy of Ranger Vs. Joe.  In this book, that triangle just turned up the heat about 100 degrees.  I can't give too much away if you haven't read it, but I'll have to say I was shocked by the events that take place.  I don't know why because it's been leading up to this for, oh, about seven other books, but still...

This was is as funny, as ridiculous, and sinful as each of the previous ones in the series.  The difference here is that Evanovich just upped her game and now I'm scrambling to find #9.

A Rip-Roaring Girl Adventure!

Bloody Jack:  Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy by L.A. MeyerTeen Adventure/Historical Fiction

Jack's life is hard--like Oliver Twist hard, except without the happy ending.  It's a day-to-day existence stealing food, or scamming for food, and serving under the protection of a harsh, but loving, master.  And, Jacky, is a girl which is the worst thing to be in this time period, England in the 1800's.

When Jacky's leader is killed, she finally sees her opportunity.  She cuts her hair, puts on his clothes and decides to become a ship's boy.  Her fist priority is fitting in with the boys.  She tapes her breasts flat, figures out how to urinate standing up and alone, and makes herself a sock penis, called by the euphemism, 'codpiece'.  Then, of course, she falls in love with a sailor, acts wildly inappropriate with him and makes him question his own sanity and manhood when he responds to this ship's "boy". 

This is a great book for budding teenage feminists and a great history lesson to show how girls/women were viewed in Victorian times.  It's definitely a PG13+ book with lots of sexual issues, homosexual overtones, and a near rape.  But, I really liked it.  I really liked the parts where Jacky had to deal with her own maturing body growing and changing.  I think a lot of teen girls will relate to these quite normal aches and pains of adolescence and then they will be horrified seeing how much worse times were for girls back then. 

This is only the first in the series and it doesn't have a satisfactory ending, so naturally I'll have to keep going.  But, that's okay because I really want to--I can't wait to see what misadventure she gets into next!

Mostly Sizzle, A Little Fizzle

The Past Came Hunting by Donnell Ann BellRomantic Thriller

I didn't expect much from this book.  I think because I had purchased it so cheaply on Amazon.  In the past, that has usually meant a book of low quality.  And, I didn't like the cover so much (I know that makes me a shallow book-chooser, but there you have it).

I was so pleasantly surprised by this read.  The action and characters caught me right away and didn't really let go until the last page.  The plot line was unique and interesting, realistic but adventurous enough to keep it from too commonplace.  The characters, all of them, were finely developed and the dialogue was at times funny, sad, hopeful...everything dialogue should be.

The story is about a young woman named Mel who made a terrible mistake at a young age.  This mistake caused her to go to jail for a crime she didn't commit.  Mel learned quickly from her mistakes and dedicated herself to becoming a better person.  Years later, she finds herself living beside the very man who arrested her all those years ago and he seems determined to focus on the old Mel, not the new one.  That's a bit hard for him, though, because he's really attracted to the new Mel.  Naturally, the two fall in love but are hampered in their destiny of a happy ending by a criminal whom Mel helped convict.  He's out of prison and set on revenge, hoping to take Mel's new life away from her.

I really liked the book, but could probably only recommend it for female readers.  It's got just enough romance in it that most males wouldn't like.  More romance than thriller.  This is also the one part of the book I'm going to have to complain about, which I hate to do because it will, perhaps,s make me sound like a perv.  Regardless...most of the romantic scenes in the book were really hot and exciting.  The sexual tension was leading up to a very satisfying conclusion.  On the day of "the big event", however, I was terribly disappointed.  Literally, after all that kissing and sexual innuendo, the author just wrote something along the lines of..."the next morning".  What a complete letdown!  If you're going to write that much sex into the dialogue leading up to the event, follow it through.  It felt like the author was writing just fine when suddenly her mom walked in and caught her and she had to clean it up real fast.  It was over so quick, I honestly thought I had skipped a few pages.  That's why I feel like a perv--I wasn't reading the book for the quick sexual encounters, but leaning in so far and then backtracking just felt like really poor writing.  It was hard to finish the rest of the book because the characters just felt a bit off after that, clearly just characters and not the real people I had been imagining them to be.  It went straight from sizzle to fizzle for me. Still, considering the work overall, I stick by the higher rating.

Good For Art Lovers, But That's About It

An Object of Beauty by Steve MartinAdult Fiction

Trying to pick a genre for this book in order to put it on my virtual "bookshelf" was a real stumper.  I have no idea where it would go, other than fiction.

That's a pretty good review for the book, too.  I don't know what I expected from Steve Martin--a bit of humor, perhaps?  There isn't a shred of that in the book.  There isn't humor or any other emotion--care, concern, anger, sadness.  This literally reads in this way:  first this happened, then that happened, then another thing happened, then the book was over.  There was no discernible plot and I had no idea, starting from the first page, what I was reading to find out.  Usually (always!), there is some type of problem or dilemma the main character has and the reader is along to see how that unravels.  I'd be hard pressed to even decide which of the two main characters were a main character.  I never did figure out what their issue was, a theft maybe?  It's just a stumper as to why I cared about these two people who cared about not much.

The plot:  Lacey and the narrator dude (who probably has a name but I've already forgotten it after one day), like art.  Lacey becomes a gallery owner; dude becomes an art writer.  They do art type things; perpetrate a fraud, kind of; and, go to a lot of parties and events.

For all that wasn't happening in the book, it wasn't awful.  I don't know why I kept on reading, but I did.  The writing was engaging enough, like a rocking chair that goes on its own--no work required so why not keep reading?  I will say this for Steve Martin, he knows how to spell and knows a lot of words.  That's pretty ambivalent, but so is the book.

I can think of only type of reader who might like it--an art nut.  If you love anything at all to do with fine art, painting and that scene, you might like this.  And, maybe Steve Martin's mother.  She'd probably like it, too.

Made My Brain Hurt

Old Loves Die Hard:  Mac Faraday Mysteries #2 by Lauren CarrMystery

I read the first installment in this mystery series several years ago and didn't remember much of the backstory.  Luckily, that didn't seem necessary.  I'm not sure why I had this on my TBR pile, but it didn't live up to any expectations that I'd placed on it.

Mac Faraday is a retired cop, recently wealthy, and trying to enjoy his new life with a new love.  His old life comes tearing back when his ex-wife reappears wanting to reconnect.  When Mac turns her down, she takes out her vengeance on an old lover and murders him, then someone has an accident herself.  Or, does she?  Once Mac starts on the case, anything about the murders are ordinary and it takes all his skill to figure out what happened.

Overall, this wasn't a bad book and it wasn't a bad mystery.  My major problem with it is that is was so convoluted.  There were so many characters and minor characters and plot twists and subplots, I literally had to start writing things down so I could even figure out who was talking in the story!  While I don't mind a bit of brain work with my mysteries, this one just gave me a headache.  By the end, I didn't really even care who did it or why, I just wanted it to be over.  I won't be adding Mac Faraday #3 to my TBR list, so we'll part ways here.

Hilarious Look at English Life

Notes from a Small Island by Bill BrysonNonfiction/Travel

I picked this up because I am working on my own travel writing and was anxious to see how other authors did it.  I'm always looking for good travel reads, books about unique places and experiences and how others choose to write about them.  I also was quite intrigued by the topic:  England.  After having taken my first trip across the pond last spring, I was really anxious to return there, if only to live vicariously through Bryson's words.  I also really liked that he was an American writing about the experience and wanted to see if any of his experiences were similar to mine.

I think to really appreciate the book, a reader should have gone to England.  I felt that many of his references and stories would have gone completely over my head before going there.  It's not a book to read if you want to travel to England, certainly.  Bryson's descriptions of the people, the weather, the tourist attractions come from a writer who loves his country regardless of, and sometimes in spite of, its eccentricities and quirks.  Had I never been, I might have run screaming to another vacation spot.  According to Bryson, the only things there are rain, pubs, and roundabouts.  After having been there, I can now say the rain is not so much a weather feature as a permanent mood, the pubs are oases of warmth and conviviality, and the roundabouts border between screeching hilarity an screaming frustration.

Overall, Bryson was a terribly funny writer.  It's not really a book to sit down and inhale, more a book to munch on slowly, like a box of chocolates.  A piece a day brought it all back and allowed me to relive my own experiences.  Bryson is droll, dark, and a bit of a curmudgeon.  He's probably not to everyone's taste, but I love that kind of humor.  I liked the book enough that his other books are now on my "to-read" list.  I can't wait to see what he does with Appalachia!

Inconsistent and Unbelievable Characters

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay AsherRealistic Teen Fiction

I always feel bad, or a bit guilty, when I rate a book low if the book is on an important topic.  And, this book has a really important topic--suicide.  I'm a voluminous reader of young adult fiction and can say I've never read a book that tackled the subject of suicide so openly, so candidly, and with such compassion for the characters.  I feel the topic is so important for young people and the book would resonate with high schoolers so well.  Really, it should probably be required for every high school classroom and counselors office, if only so that teens know they aren't alone with their feelings.

There are a couple of reasons I didn't rate the book higher.  #1--I feel that, since this is over such an important topic, there should be more in the book that's available to young people having similar feelings.  There were a short couple of pages in the back, but nothing that would really provide any kind of guidance if a teen were feeling like they might want to kill themselves.  I feel this is a huge oversight on the part of the publishers or editors, and perhaps this is corrected in other versions.  But, if you're going to market and target the book for young people with angst, then follow through with that and give them valuable information.  Don't just sell the book.

Secondly, and this is where my guilt comes in, I really didn't like any of the characters in the book.  Hannah, the main character/narrator, is such a hypocrite.  She rants about other people gossiping and treating her unfairly (and then blames them for her suicide) and then does the exact same thing!  She also has absolutely no sense of responsibility in her part in all this, but lays the blame on other people for things that are, in the larger scheme of things, not that big a deal.  So irritating, but perhaps that's the adult in me.  Clay, the second narrator isn't much better.  He walks around the whole book, mooning because he kissed a girl, but didn't save her.  The survivor's guilt isn't dealt with very adequately--it's just kind of dumped on this poor kid who barely even really knew Hannah, but somehow feels responsible for her. 

I suppose, in the end, it was the characterization that rang false to me.  I never really got past the inconsistencies and they never became more than black and white names on a page.  It was just an average read for me.