Cyndy’s Comments (group member since Jun 27, 2015)

Cyndy’s comments from the 2017 Reading Challenge group.

Sci-fi is not a genre I would ever choose to read. If I had known the book was free on line before it was published, it still wouldn't have made my to read list. I loved this book. I could not put it down. Mark Watney was funny - granted it was generally junior high boy humor - but he was funny. Some reviewers said this wasn't believable - he didn't get depressed, etc. Astronauts go through rigorous psychological testing individually and depression / inability to function meant certain death. Mark Watney's log entries did occasionally say things like 'I am so f#@K%d.' but he knew that he couldn't stay in that thought. My favorite line in the book - not a Mark Watney line - is "I'm space paparazzi now. The attitude comes with the job." Mindy Park. I highly recommend the book, I have not seen the movie.

A bizarre, but interesting read. I'm sure I missed some of the humor that the author wove into the story. For example, Mislaid - Meg is a lesbian at an all girls college, but she has an affair with her Poetry professor -- they marry and have a second child. The professor happens to be gay - Mislaid... Farfetched, in spots it's beyond farfetched. One plot twist is so farfetched that it would never have occurred to me as being remotely possible, and yet that plot twist happened and was reported on by main stream news stations.

A young adult /coming of age novel from Sandra Kring that I missed when it came out in 2015. This is not my favorite of Ms. Kring's novels, but I would still recommend it. A young girl is raised by her paternal grandparents after her mother's death. The grandfather is flat out mean and the grandmother is a mouse. The girl, Bless, hasn't seen her father in years. If I say much more it will give away what happens.

This was a quick read, but not totally easy. It was suspenseful at times. An English Composition project (plan a book and write some chapters after interviewing an older person) becomes a quest of the main character and his neighbor. Joe interviews a resident of a local nursing home, who was released from prison to die of cancer. Joe becomes convinced that Carl did not commit the murder he was convicted of - the 14 year old girl that lived next door. The quest is to find the person that did murder the girl, but it needs to happen before Carl succumbs to the cancer.

Mr. Eire immigrated with his brother as a child from Cuba after Castro took power. The book covers his memories of growing up in Cuba, the move (without their parents) to Miami, and then to Chicago when their mother came to the states. His father, a judge, chose to stay in Cuba. It was a difficult immigration for both of the brothers and there continue to be issues - most likely because their father chose Cuba, an antique collection, and an adopted son over his two biological sons. It was an interesting book, but the style was more of a journal or someone speaking. If incomplete and run-on sentences bother you, be prepared.

This may very well be the best Baldacci book yet! I am ready for the next Amos Decker novel.
#1 hardcover fiction 5/5/16

I originally posted this in NYT Best Seller, but am moving it here. The first portion of the book takes place north of Mongolia in eastern Russia near Lake Baikal. As always, I really like Mr. Berry's books. Highly recommended if you are interested in the 25th amendment, the Cold War, or what the 14th Colony means.

As always, I really like Mr. Berry's books. Highly recommended if you are interested in the 25th amendment, the Cold War, or what the 14th Colony means. #5 in Hardcover fiction on 4/16/16 I'm moving this to my Asia choice. The first portion of the book takes place north of Mongolia in eastern Russia near Lake Baikal.

Hilarious twist in this really short collaboration between Mr. Berry and Mr. Khoury. Also includes teasers for their next books, which are available now. Highly recommended if you like either author!

Originally published in 1947 and based on a true story. A young girl leaves Boston in 190? for the Canadian northwest, meets a Mountie, falls in love, marries, and moves further north into the true wilderness. While not a literary gem, it is a good story. While it is a romance, it's not one that ignores the story for the romance. There is quite a bit about life in the wilderness, bears, snow, death, and murder. It was the rest of the story that kept me reading.

A middle grades book that won the Coretta Scott King award and the Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction among others. I liked the cover (not the one on goodreads - the one with three little girls crossing the street). It's 1968 and Delphine is 11. Her sisters Vonetta and Fern are 9 and 5. Their father sends them on an airplane from NY to Oakland to spend four weeks with their mother - the mother they don't know, the mother that abandoned them when Fern was just a baby. Their mother is less than attentive and Delphine is determined that they aren't going to just go to the Black Panther day camp every day they are in California, they are on vacation after all. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the late 60's

(#1) I liked this prequel (short story) better than Rogue Lawyer. It would have better served Simon, if it had been included in Rogue Lawyer. It's all about how Simon defended Tee Ray. Recommended for any Grisham fan.

While historical novels aren't something I would normally pick out, I enjoyed this one. I read this with my book club. Based on historical writings, this is about a Puritan minister's wife that is kidnapped by Indians, held as a slave, and how she is transformed by the experience. Author's notes describe where the historical research and the novel differ. I liked the characters and Ms. Brown's writing.

This was not my favorite Conroy novel, but I did like it. They (Conroy and his dad) seemed to find common ground and even demonstrated love for each other in their own ways. They had coffee together every morning and seemed to get along even with the little and sometimes big jibes they fed each other. Recommended, if you are a Conroy fan.

I hope there's a sequel to this novel. I really want to know what happens with / to Kali / Paula and her new found siblings and Birdwine, of course! Kali is an established lawyer - despite being raised by a mother that was essentially nomadic. Birdwine is an investigator that tends to alcoholic benders. I really like Ms. Jackson's novels. I can't say they fit in with any other books I read and I'm not sure how to describe them. The novel gods in Alabama is still my favorite. I described it the other day as really good and truly different - Southern Fried ODD! Read it! And then read the rest of Ms. Jackson's novels!

I read this last year after I was done with the challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed it as well.

Settings - East China Sea and Chesapeake Bay area
Biased - long time reader of Mr. Coonts novels!
Directors of CIA and FBI are murdered and the Chinese plant a nuke near Norfolk, VA. What else could happen? Can Jake find the nuke in time? Another great novel by Mr. Coonts.

I read this book last year for the challenge and highly recommend it. I did want more after where Mr. Cleave chose to end the story, though.

Cute little love story - with a twist. He knows exactly what he wants and has a 16 page questionnaire to prove it. She doesn't really know what she wants. She fails the questionnaire, but they continue to talk in order to solve The Father Project - finding out who her biological father is. A mostly light hearted read - recommended for anyone with a soft spot for nerds/geeks...
Could also fit under debut novel.

This memoir is about a Marine and his journey back to faith and God. The main part of the book was interesting and held my interest. The Marine and several others on a training jump had parachute cords intentionally cut. This near death experience and the lengthy investigation would truly test a person. The last few pages of the book were a little preachy for me, but I read them. I would recommend this for anyone interested in military service and their court / investigative processes.
Could also fit under memoir.