Cory Day’s
Comments
(group member since Aug 18, 2012)
Cory Day’s
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from the Reading with Style group.
Showing 1,001-1,020 of 1,205
10.2 Book LoversLost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde
Review: The second in the Thursday Next series, this book was just as fun and ridiculous as the first. The premise of the series is that Thursday Next is a literary detective, living in an alternate timeline of Earth, where books and their characters are celebrities, time travel is a given, and dodo birds are not extinct. In this volume, Thursday is just settling into her new life as a married woman, faithful dodo Pickwick at her side (I think Pickwick is the only reason she ever goes home), someone starts trying to kill her, she is put on trial for an unknown crime, and her husband is eradicated. Thursday must figure out how to jump into books in order to do what needs doing – a process that will not run smoothly. These books are just pure fun, and filled to the brim with wordplay, puns, and literary references – a book lover’s dream. I don’t know what took me so long to continue the series, but I won’t wait as long to pick up the third one!
+10 Task (#24 on book lovers list)
+5 Combo (Pickwick isn’t human, and neither is the Cheshire Cat, who helps to train Thursday to jump into books)
+10 Review
Task Total: 25
Grand Total: 515
20.4 roman à clefThe Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Review: I tried to read this a few years ago and for some reason just couldn’t get through it. This time, however, I blew through it. A collection of stories that blur the line between fiction and non-fiction, The Things They Carried hit a perfect note to begin to explain the war in Vietnam and its effects on the people who served there. O’Brien most of the time places himself as narrator, but sometimes becomes more of an observer, making all his characters seem both distinct and interchangeable. I felt through his writing a portion of the humid, stinking, buggy atmosphere and the mixed emotions (fear, boredom, excitement, humor…) the soldiers felt. I’m glad I was born outside that time, although it’s hard not to find parallels in current day.
+20 Task (on roman à clef list)
+10 Review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 490
10.4 PrizesThe Lover by Marguerite Duras
Review: This is a short book, and one with more character than plot – I’ve never seen the movie based on it, but I’m not sure how that worked – it must have been expanded somehow. I read this on the plane when I couldn’t use my Kindle, and it definitely kept moving. It’s a story of a woman and her family and the year in which she discovers her sexuality. It’s a story of a family in a culture not quite their own, and fighting their own natures. All together, I found it slightly awkward and not thoroughly satisfying, but I think that’s mostly the point.
+10 Task
+20 Combo (10.6, 10.7, 20.2, 20.4)
+10 Canon
+10 Review
Task Total: 50
Grand Total: 445
20.7 JewishThe Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Review: In preparation for meeting her this weekend, I decided to reread (via audiobook) Russell’s The Sparrow after over a decade. I’d been afraid to approach it, concerned that it wouldn’t be as good in reality as I remembered it to be. The Sparrow, along with Ender’s Game, was one of the first science fiction books I read after being assigned it as summer reading during college. Prior to it, I’d though all sci-fi must be boring, scientific nonsense that I had no interest in. The Sparrow convinced me that science fiction can be about people and can be a vehicle for exploring human societal issues in a way that more realistic fiction may not even be able to do. Upon rereading, I realized I remembered basically none of the plot (save “Jesuits in space!”) but the feeling was the same. Humor and utter despair are intermingled – the story starts after a horrible tragedy, so we know the story does not have a happy ending – but the characters are well-drawn and humor is woven throughout. I am glad I finally revisited it.
+20 Task
+5 Combo (the party from Earth meets two alien species, which provide many major characters)
+10 Review
Task Total: 35
Grand Total: 395
20.8 Stephen KingThe Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Review: The Dog Stars is a post-apocalyptic tale told from the point of view of Hig, who lives somewhere in Colorado with his dog Jasper and a guy called Bangley. Most of the country has been wiped out by a plague of some kind of flu. Reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road but with more humor and a little more hope, it follows Hig for a few months – the first half in his everyday life defending his territory with Bangley, then the second half when he sets out to explore in his Cessna, and see if he can find the person who belongs to the voice he heard on his radio while flying one day a few years before. The book is sad, but funny, and I enjoyed it far more than I expected, even if it made me cry a bit when (view spoiler).
+20 Task (Jasper the dog is Hig’s copilot and best friend)
+10 Review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 360
15.3 – D4 – Female 40-60 Life After Life by Jill McCorkle (female born 1958, book published 2013)
+15 Task
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 330
15.1 – C6 – 400-500 pages The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin
+15 Task
Task Total: 15
Grand Total: 300
20.7 JewishDreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell
Review: In a strange beyond-the-grave narration, Dreamers of the Day is the story of a fictional character named Agnes Shanklin and her travels. Centering on Agnes’s journey with her dog Rosie to Egypt during the 1921 Cairo Peace Conference, it still ends up spanning a hugely important time in world history, touching on both WWI and WWII, the Spanish flu epidemic, the Great Depression, and, of course, the forming of the modern Middle East.
I really enjoyed following Agnes when, as a spinster in her late thirties who has been held back by a controlling mother from pursuing her dreams and realizing her potential, her entire life changes and she finds herself alone and in possession of a small fortune. Her choice to go to Egypt places her in the situation, however unlikely, of running into many important figures, both in 1921 and moving forward in history, which provides an interesting backdrop for her own story. It is a story of her own stunted self-discovery, but also that of a Middle East that people like Lawrence of Arabia and Winston Churchill were attempting to shape. The entire book was leading up to all of these massive events – the Great Depression, WWII, the Holocaust, so many conflicts in the region – and the point of view of Agnes after she’s died was a strangely unsettling conclusion, however touched with humor. The best part of the whole thing was the dachschund, Rosie, who provides Agnes with comfort, alternately a buffer to others and an excuse to meet new people, and just plain fun.
+20 Task
+5 Combo (20.8 – Rosie the dog is a central character who keeps the plot moving)
+10 Review
Task Total: 35
Grand Total: 285
10.8 ShakespeareChimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire
Review: In the latest (second in a year!) of Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series, Toby and her entourage decide to overthrow the queen. Lots of blood and revelations later, the political situation in San Francisco has changed; I’m certain this will not be without ramifications in later books.
This, with the possible exception of Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels books, is my favorite urban fantasy series – and I’ve read a lot of them. Seanan McGuire isn’t trying to write deep, ponderous literary fiction, but she’s also not writing popcorn. The protagonist is a changeling (part human and part faerie), and doesn’t quite fit into either world. As a result, tolerance of differences, as well as challenging the feudal hierarchy of Faerie, is a central theme of the books. This is the seventh in the series, and at the beginning of the book McGuire states that she sees this as the beginning of the next stage in Toby’s journey. As a result, I think it is possible that someone could start here, but they would miss out on a lot. In many ways this book went back to the beginning – little pieces of the world building I didn’t realize were missing from the prior couple books were more present this time – but Toby is not the loner who won’t accept help from anyone anymore. It was a good blend, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m just sad that the next one isn’t due for another year; with two in 2013, I’ve gotten spoiled.
+10 Task (McGuire names all her books with Shakespeare references and infuses Shakespeare in little ways into the plot – this one refers to Henry IV, Part II – “We have heard the chimes at midnight, Master Shallow.”)
+5 Combo (20.8 – Toby is more than half Faerie; the vast majority of her friends and enemies are full blooded Faeries)
+10 Review
Task Total: 25
Grand Total: 250
20.8 Stephen KingSaga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
+20 Task (none of the characters are human – they are warring alien races)
Graphic novel – no style points
Task Total: 20
Grand Total: 225
20.8 Stephen KingThe Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore
Review: When Odette’s mother shows up in her kitchen one morning, she takes it in stride – even though that means she’s inherited the family trait of seeing ghosts. The next year turns out to be full of ups and downs for Odette and her two best friends Clarice and Barbara Jean, as decisions made in the past have to be met head on, and a next phase of each woman’s life begins.
The first third of this book went slowly for me. The characters are my parents’ age, which is fine, but they’re dealing with the issues people my parents’ age deal with – including things like confronting their own age and mortality. I’m young enough not to have had much loss and to have most of the health of youth, but old enough to realize that doesn’t last, so starting the book with hot flashes, diabetes, and death didn’t bode well. Turns out, however, that the brightly colored fun color was more of an indicator of the tone of the novel than those first few events. Yes, it deals with loss and age and decisions made in youth that may come back to haunt a person as they grow older, but it does it with such humor and enough happy endings that I ended up enjoying the rest of it much more than expected.
+20 Task (Odette’s mom is a ghost, and hangs out with a bunch of ghost friends)
+10 Review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 205
20.8 Stephen KingBiting Bad by Chloe Neill
Review: In the eighth volume in the Chicagoland Vampires series, vampires Merit, Ethan, and the gang face political upheaval in vampireland and riots from humans, along with the usual day-to-day drama of family and friends. So much goes on in their world that I was amazed when the narrative showed that across the 8 books only 10 months had passed. Whew, give those guys a break! I had a hard time with the conflict in this one, since fire-bombing was the rioters’ method of choice and fire is my number one fear. Also, Merit’s supposedly fantastic fighting skills seemed sorely lacking in this installment. The good thing about the book was that since Merit and Ethan have really accepted their relationship, there wasn’t the “will-they-won’t-they” issue that pervaded some of the earlier books. I prefer my tension to come from elsewhere, not from false denial of affection, so I’m glad to move past that, although they now seem to be in a relatively boring although sweet honeymoon stage.
+20 Task (Merit and most of her friends are vampires, and their lack of humanity is a theme in the book)
+10 Review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 175
20.8 Stephen KingThe Lamb Who Cried Wolf by Scarlet Hyacinth
Review: I really don’t have words to describe this book. I’d feel bad including it for points, except I suffered through reading it, so it should count for something! The plot, such as it is, centers totally around the relationship of Carson, a shapeshifter who turns into a sheep… yes, a sheep… and Brody, a werewolf. The wolves eat the sheep, in the most cannibalistic paranormal romance I’ve ever seen (of course, the series is called ‘mate or meal,’ so I shouldn’t be surprised), but Carson turns out to be Brody’s supernaturally fated mate, so in between bouts of sex they have to convince their families… well, not to kill them.
I basically read this on a dare. Reading through the titles and tag lines for the books in the series provided my friend and me with entertainment during a long car ride, so I said I’d read the first one at least. I don’t think I’ll get to the one with the shark and the seahorse, but you never know. To be fair, I’ve actually read worse books, and Scarlet Hyacinth (that absolutely can’t be her real name) does not take herself too seriously. She just churns out these male/male shapeshifting erotic fantasies the likes of which I’m not sure are available anywhere else. Props to her for such a unique concept, if nothing else.
+20 Task (shapeshifting sheep – he even baas in bed – plus werewolves… and shapeshifting swans and squirrels)
+10 Review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 145
20.5 ArtistsSteel Rose by Kara Dalkey
Review: I absolutely loved the premise of this book. In a scope that goes beyond the blurb, this is an urban fantasy tale set in Pittsburgh sometime around when I was in high school – almost two decades after the steel industry breathed its last gasps. It is a tale of a college student who comes across “knockers” Ralph and Norton, two blue-collar fae who under the city, and who becomes involved in a battle between the Sidhe and Unseelie, which turns out to serve as an allegory for the struggle Pittsburgh has with its past and present, environment and industry, and blue-collar and intellectual sets.
I read as many stories set in my hometown as possible – being away from it, there is a coziness in the familiar. Unfortunately, this one distracted me as much as it comforted, and the symbolism was pretty heavy-handed plus, the protagonist was next to impossible to like – she’s nineteen and inhabits all the worst traits of a person hovering between childhood and adulthood. What I did like, however, was that she grew from her experiences and the actions taken by herself and others had real consequences. All in all a surprising find on the list of books about artists, and one I’m glad I found in spite of its flaws.
+20 Task (on linked list)
+5 Combo (20.8 – Ralph and Norton are two among many major Fae characters)
+10 Review
Task Total: 35
Grand Total: 115
10.5 Labor DayWarrior by Zoe Archer
Review: I’m not sure I’ve ever come across a book set in late nineteenth century Mongolia – let alone one with magic and secret societies. The premise is that there are two English factions with different ideas about the use of magical Sources that exist across the world – the Heirs, who want to possess the items and use them to control the world for England, and the Blades, who want to protect them. This story follows Thalia and Gabriel, people on the side of the Blades who fall in love during the course of their adventure. The idea of the book is great, but it never totally grabbed me. There was quite a bit of action, both in the adventure part and in bed, but neither one astounded me. I do like the premise of the series, as well as the interesting settings, so I may pick up the sequel, though.
+10 Task (Archer is on the list of surnames)
+10 Review
Task Total: 20
Grand Total: 80
20.8 Stephen KingDarkness Rising by Keri Arthur
Review: This is the second book in Keri Arthur’s Dark Angels series, which itself is a spinoff of her Riley Jenson Guardian series. In this installment, half-werewolf/half-Aedh Risa Jones, along with her guardian Reaper Azriel and many non-human friends investigate what is killing vampires in the area by aging them. Also keeping them busy is the search for the book that will lead to the three keys that open gates between worlds – something many people would like to get ahold of, some to use, and others to destroy.
I read all 9 books in the Riley Jenson series, all with a certain amount of annoyance combined with interest and enjoyment. When Arthur came out with a spin-off series, I read the first but never got to the second. Turns out it was not totally enough to keep my interest and desperately want to read the next in the series – and now having read the second I’m not sure I’ve got the stamina to go through all the ones that are out so far. Something about the pacing is frantic yet unmoving. Risa is constantly in danger, in trouble, running, having sex, whatever – but not much really happens, either in the mysteries or in her personal life. I did end up reserving the next one from the library because of the cliff-hanger ending, but since I didn’t have it on my nightstand I expect I’ll be distracted and it won’t be much of a priority.
+20 Task (Risa herself is not human, which she says multiple times, and neither are most of her friends)
+10 Review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 60
20.8 Stephen KingChangeless by Gail Carriger
Review: In Changeless, the second book in the Parasol Protectorate series, soulless preternatural Alexia Maccon and her werewolf husband Conall, along with assorted human, werewolf, ghost, and vampire friends must discover what is making supernaturals in London and its surrounds become… less than supernatural. Silliness abounds in a steampunk comedy of manners.
I read the first in this series years ago, and wasn’t particularly bowled over by it. I was prompted to pick up this installment when I was loading up my Kindle to head to Dragoncon, where I felt my reading choices needed to include a little steampunk. I’m glad I did! Now I think I’m hooked on this series, and the next book is waiting to be picked up at the library.
Alexia Terabotti may have won the heart of Conall Maccon in Soulless, but that doesn’t mean her life gets to settle down. Gail Carriger is writing a woman who is supposed to be soulless, but who still has quite a sense of humor and a lot of love for her family and friends. It makes for a slightly off-putting narration, but one that is laugh-out-loud funny almost from beginning to end. The mystery itself at the center of the novel was not the most intriguing, and I figured out most of it a step or two ahead of Alexia, but that really wasn’t what kept me interested – it was the hysterical overwritten language and the fun characterizations. And then the end of the book was an emotional cliffhanger that made me immediately put the next one on hold.
+20 Task (Alexia is not fully human herself, and Conall is a werewolf – not to mention most of the rest of the characters are vampires, ghosts, and werewolves)
+10 Review
Task Total: 30
Grand Total: 30
20.8 Baseball TeamTalk Me Down by Victoria Dahl
+20 Task (Alternating perspectives, >9 named characters)
Task Total: 23
Grand Total: 1020
