Read it. Trust me. You know, you just know, that twists are coming, even while you're enjoying the counterplay of narrative voices, back and forth betRead it. Trust me. You know, you just know, that twists are coming, even while you're enjoying the counterplay of narrative voices, back and forth between a vanished (or is she?) wife and her distraught (or is he?) husband. The writing is crisp, fresh, and nakedly honest. Lots of home truths hidden in a what surely must be a vast web of lies... or not. ;-P Yeah, I'm not telling you anything. But really, this is worth the time....more
3.5. I think I might have liked this better than a lot of people. Maybe it has to do with growing up where I did (my people are Ozarks people, and App3.5. I think I might have liked this better than a lot of people. Maybe it has to do with growing up where I did (my people are Ozarks people, and Appalachian people before that), and being positively enchanted with a protagonist who is a professional diviner. I have always, since childhood, been fascinated with the concept of "dowsing" for water, and to this day refuse to believe that there's NOTHING to it. Come on. Who doesn't love the idea of setting out with a witching rod that you cut from some forked branch, and discovering unknown underground sources of water? COME ON. Anyway, too bad the book wasn't more about that, because the whole "mystery" fell kinda flat. But still: WATER WITCHING. Yes....more
Updating the Goodreads shelves. Totally picked this one up purely based on the title, because yes, that is how I learned to spell "Mississippi" as a pUpdating the Goodreads shelves. Totally picked this one up purely based on the title, because yes, that is how I learned to spell "Mississippi" as a preschooler living in Mississippi. This one is kind of a cold-case mystery story set 20 years later, complicated by racial undertones. Not a must-read by any stretch, but some decent character studies and a good time-passer. Good airplane reading, which is where I think I read it....more
All in all, a satisfying conclusion to a well-loved trilogy. I can't help but be sad that there won't be more with these characters. Although LarssonAll in all, a satisfying conclusion to a well-loved trilogy. I can't help but be sad that there won't be more with these characters. Although Larsson sewed things up nicely at the end, he left plenty of options open for new storylines, particularly regarding Lisbeth's twin sister. You just KNOW that was going to be explored at a later time. *sadface*...more
Yeah, I do love Stephen Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger books. If the sciences of shooting, weaponry, and sniper skills interest you at ALL, you can't help bYeah, I do love Stephen Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger books. If the sciences of shooting, weaponry, and sniper skills interest you at ALL, you can't help but get wrapped up in Bob Lee's life. What's not to love? He's a deadeye sniper from the Arkansas mountains who loves his country more than anything, and gave everything for it. If you're concerned about the chronological order of the stories, be sure and look that up so you can read them that way. Personally, I had no problem reading them in order of publication, even skipping a couple. This is the novel that was made into the movie, "Shooter," starring Marky Mark; you know, the one in which you almost-but not quite-get a glimpse of his Funky Bunch. Don't let that dissuade you from Hunter's works, because Hunter's Swagger is way more nuanced, way more awesome, and NOT some kind of superhero. He is, however, the best sniper in the entire world, save possibly one Russian... who is the nominal antagonist in this book, although the real "enemy" is bigger and badder, of course. Good stuff for brain-candy. ...more
This was a happy/sad experience for me, because normally, I'd have been all, "Wow, I have just discovered a new author that I really like, and will loThis was a happy/sad experience for me, because normally, I'd have been all, "Wow, I have just discovered a new author that I really like, and will look for more titles coming from this talent!" But since Stieg Larsson died in 2003, long before I discovered him, there won't be any more after the Millenium trilogy.
Too bad, because this book showcases a writer who's REALLY finding his legs, and whatever came next would most likely have blown us away.
I love Lisbeth Salander. What a character. We're given teasingly little backstory on her, but that hints of more to come in the next two installments, plus that tactic really works for a stand-alone novel, too--it's subtle and refreshing.
I'm very happy to have been reading so many GOOD books lately! What a streak of luck I've been having!...more
Yeah, I really liked this one better than the last few (especially #5), mainly because of the fun interaction between Sookie and her fellow telepath,Yeah, I really liked this one better than the last few (especially #5), mainly because of the fun interaction between Sookie and her fellow telepath, Barry (the bellboy from Dead in Dallas).
This one felt, to me, like treading water between books 4 and 6. I was only reading it to get to the next installment without skipping anything, so IThis one felt, to me, like treading water between books 4 and 6. I was only reading it to get to the next installment without skipping anything, so I wouldn't be lost. Meh.
Speaking of skipping things and getting lost: in between Books 5 and 6, there is an entire backstory about Sookie's cousin Hadley, the Queen of Louisiana, and Hadley's murder. Book 6 kind of seems to begin mid-sentence and out of context because of this missing chunk of story. The missing piece is found in one of Harris' short stories, called "One Word Answer," which is in the anthology, Bite.
In my opinion, the Hadley story would have been more interesting material for Book 5 than what is actually there....more
Still reading, still interested. Spending a lot of time in waiting rooms and places where I don't have access to intense concentration, if that says aStill reading, still interested. Spending a lot of time in waiting rooms and places where I don't have access to intense concentration, if that says anything about the choices I'm making....more
Yeah, I liked it. Sue me. Vampires, mystery, nothing taxing for the brain. Sweet. Plus, this author lives not far from here, so I felt beholden as anYeah, I liked it. Sue me. Vampires, mystery, nothing taxing for the brain. Sweet. Plus, this author lives not far from here, so I felt beholden as an Arkansan....more
Really more of a 4.5, but the very, very end left me enough at a loss that I rounded down instead of up. This is one page-turner of a debut novel. I wReally more of a 4.5, but the very, very end left me enough at a loss that I rounded down instead of up. This is one page-turner of a debut novel. I was reading it concurrently with Johnathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, and needless to say, this one went much more quickly.
The main thing I want to say about this novel is that, if you've seen the movie based on it, you do NOT know the story of this novel. I did enjoy the film, but it stands on its own apart from the book, in many more ways than it resembles the written version. In short, READ THE BOOK. You won't be sorry, and it's different enough from the movie that nothing will have been spoiled for you....more
The FIRST time that Robin Cook scared the crap out of me. All of Robin Cook's books essentially follow the same formula, so in a sense, if you've readThe FIRST time that Robin Cook scared the crap out of me. All of Robin Cook's books essentially follow the same formula, so in a sense, if you've read one, you've read them all...but if you're like me, you keep reading them because of his dedication to exhaustive research and fact-checking. There is just enough NON-fiction in his novels to make the stories absolutely terrifying. And the way he writes those cautionary, "This may not have actually happened...yet...but it could at ANY time," prologues and epilogues--those are usually the most terrifying parts of the books; the parts where he says, "I wasn't making that part, or that part, etc., up."
(For a minute, there, I was crediting Cook with "Andromeda Strain," but that's Crichton. Very similar forumlas, those two.)...more
Re-read, because I realized I never finished it the first time around (had surgery and read partially while post-op stupid).
I would actually rather giRe-read, because I realized I never finished it the first time around (had surgery and read partially while post-op stupid).
I would actually rather give this one 3.5 or 3.75 stars, but I'll err on the side of generosity because it's a first novel, and I have a serious "thing" for first novels. I just love them.
This one is a very interesting study of a novelist finding her feet. The start is awkwardly voiced--it's difficult to sort out, at first, when the narrative voice belongs to the narrator and when it belongs to her father, because there aren't any clues, not even quotation marks, to set apart the parts of the story being told to our narrator by her father. Once that gets sorted out, the pace picks up and it really rolls along for most of the rest of the book.
I definitely enjoyed the first 3/4 of this novel more than the final 1/4, and find it interesting (and possibly telling) that the major award won by this book was for a "book in progress." It finished up rather abruptly and unsatisfyingly, considering the huge investment that both author and reader have put into it by that point. If you've read every word, you've been practically choked to death with historical detail, and dog-gone it, you deserve a thoughtful denoument!
Overall, I'd recommend it. The whole Dracula/Vlad Tepes mythology/lore is fascinating enough reading on its own, and the layering, across time, of various protagonists unique and clever. Besides, THERE ARE EVIL LIBRARIANS. Honestly, how often do we get librarian villains nowadays? Not often enough, I say. Every time I read the phrase "evil librarian," I got a chuckle...or a start, depending on which real-life librarian I was remembering at the moment... ...more
I admit it: I'm an Alex Cross GEEK. Love him. (Also love Alex Delaware, but that's a different series, different author.) I have read a lot of James PI admit it: I'm an Alex Cross GEEK. Love him. (Also love Alex Delaware, but that's a different series, different author.) I have read a lot of James Patterson (even, so help me, the flying kids series), but these remain my favorites of his books, and I always look forward to the next one. They're brain-candy at its best--engaging, fun, thrilling, quick, easy reads....more
I admit it: I'm an Alex Cross GEEK. Love him. (Also love Alex Delaware, but that's a different series, different author.) I have read a lot of James PI admit it: I'm an Alex Cross GEEK. Love him. (Also love Alex Delaware, but that's a different series, different author.) I have read a lot of James Patterson (even, so help me, the flying kids series), but these remain my favorites of his books, and I always look forward to the next one. They're brain-candy at its best--engaging, fun, thrilling, quick, easy reads....more
I admit it: I'm an Alex Cross GEEK. Love him. (Also love Alex Delaware, but that's a different series, different author.) I have read a lot of James PI admit it: I'm an Alex Cross GEEK. Love him. (Also love Alex Delaware, but that's a different series, different author.) I have read a lot of James Patterson (even, so help me, the flying kids series), but these remain my favorites of his books, and I always look forward to the next one. They're brain-candy at its best--engaging, fun, thrilling, quick, easy reads....more
I admit it: I'm an Alex Cross GEEK. Love him. (Also love Alex Delaware, but that's a different series, different author.) I have read a lot of James PI admit it: I'm an Alex Cross GEEK. Love him. (Also love Alex Delaware, but that's a different series, different author.) I have read a lot of James Patterson (even, so help me, the flying kids series), but these remain my favorites of his books, and I always look forward to the next one. They're brain-candy at its best--engaging, fun, thrilling, quick, easy reads....more
I admit it: I'm an Alex Cross GEEK. Love him. (Also love Alex Delaware, but that's a different series, different author.) I have read a lot of James PI admit it: I'm an Alex Cross GEEK. Love him. (Also love Alex Delaware, but that's a different series, different author.) I have read a lot of James Patterson (even, so help me, the flying kids series), but these remain my favorites of his books, and I always look forward to the next one. They're brain-candy at its best--engaging, fun, thrilling, quick, easy reads....more
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