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Summer Reading 2013
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SUMMER READING 2013
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4 stars
Beyer does an excellent job of creating interesting snapshots of scientific discoveries throughout history. A few of these I had heard of before, but for the most part I learned new things. For example, the first car was invented 100 years before Henry Ford was born and the first coin-operated vending machine was in use in ancient Roman temples. I enjoyed this book for the information and for the humor throughout.
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3 stars
A madman has been taunting police with information about the destruction of famous historical landmarks before the acts are committed. In come Allison and Bart, determined not to let it happen. Again Gardner does an excellent job of describing the beautiful and historical landmarks that are threatened. Allison is actually more helpful than usual and the puzzles are intriguing.
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3 stars
Allison returns from a doctor's appointment to find a cryptic message telling her that Anastasia is under attack and that she should disappear. On the run from assassins, Allison must survive on her own; finally proving her mettle as the newest member in the group.
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3 stars
Allison and Bart finally have some down time on a much needed vacation. However, this only lasts so long when they are contacted and head off to ... wait for it... Idaho. Right here in Idaho, Islamic fundamentalists are about to wreck havoc. Ironically or somewhat prophetically, the author has done her research very well. This book was published in March 2001 and she names Osama bin Ladin as the head of the terrorist group.
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4 stars
This is the second book in the Divergent series and I was nervous it wouldn't be as good as the first one. I am happy to say that it was as good. Veronica Roth has a great way of developing her characters.
Tris and Four are trying to figure out what is happening to their society. Tris is an observant girl who is spontaneous in her reactions in stressful situations. I don't want to give too much else away, but this was a great read also!
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2 stars
I picked this one up because the author is listed as similar to Sarah Dessen. It was a quick read and just ok. Nothing to spectacular and very predictable. Skye meets Sam at a summer beach party, have an instant connection and due to extenuating circumstance, they part ways for the summer without exchanging contact information. They both feel the other is "the one" and pine for each other until the next summer when they meet up again and begin dating. She is in high school, he in college at Penn State. A cute fun read.
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3 stars
Allison is preparing for the birth of her first baby when she is called to replace her mother at a conference in Armenia. Once again al Qaeda is the enemy they are trying to stop and Bart shows up to work with her in preventing the bad guys from taking over. Gardner gets a little heavy-handed with the description in this one but it all leads up to an exciting conclusion.
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3 stars
Allison is heavily pregnant in this one (probably shouldn't be traveling at all, especially with her luck.) She and her husband head to Greece, where an old and beautiful friend of Bart's shows up. On the hunt for a missing treasure, Allison will have to deal her issues of jealousy, an overprotective husband and what may be her last mission for Anastasia.
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3 STARS
Generally, I liked this book. It was along the same vein as the previous three, and I like that the Kuisl/Fronweiser family gets around Germany a little (when all the murders in a series happen in the same town, it gets old). This time around, they investigate a plague and a number of strange deaths at a monastery.
For me, the only reasons I didn't enjoy this as much as the last one are due to small details. Jakob, Simon, and Magdalena usually work together well, but there were a lot more gruff, blustery disagreements and insults among the three. I suppose I just got to the point where I wanted to hear less of their nagging at each other and more about what they were doing. And, I felt that there was more 21st century language and tone used in this one.
The mystery involving the "sorcerer" was at the heart of the story, and although there were a number of red herrings, Potzsch takes each of the herrings and develops subplots. Which means that the whole book is a lot longer than it could/should have been.
Still, it's always interesting to escape into 17th Century Germany, so I'll probably look forward to the next Tale.
Maid of SecretsI loved the premise of this book. It is set in Elizabethan England, and Meg, the main character, is one of 5 maids/spies that serve Queen Elizabeth. It's a fun, light, historical mystery with a touch of romance.
The EliteI give this one 4 stars. This is the second book in The Selection series. I really enjoyed, it but not as much as the first book. There are some cute moments, like when America's family visit the castle, and the party she and some of the other contestants throw for the Italian delegation that arrive at the castle. However, America is a little too whiney and indecisive at times, and I didn't care for some of the things that Aspen nd Maxon said and did.
Shelter 4 starsHarlan Coban's first book for young adults is a suspenseful action adventure that teen guys and girls will eat up. Mickey Bolitar (nephew of Coban's popular character Myron Bolitar) is a teen who just wants to do the right thing for his family and friends, fit in at his new school, and play basketball. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job capturing Mickey's personality.
Seconds Away 4 starsMickey, Ema, Spoon, and Rachel are back in the second book in the Mickey Bolitar series. After the events of the first book, Mickey just wants things to get back to normal. However, there are still some unresolved issues that he has to deal with. To top it off, something is going on with Rachel and he has to come to the rescue again. Some of the plot points strain credulity, but overall it's a strong continuation of Mikey's story.
How to Lead a Life of Crime 4 starsThis book really surprised me and made me think. It's about a school in Manhattan that recruits teens and trains them to be hackers, killers, cutthroat politcans, ruthless business owners, and evil scientists. The owner/principal of the school is one of the most disturbing and psychotic characters I've read in a long time.
Playing with Fire 5 starsI absolutely love the Skulduggery Pleasant series! The audiobooks are amazing. Rupert Degas is a fabulous narrator, and the voices he uses for the characters add even more to the story.
The Faceless Ones 5 starsThis is the third book in the Skulduggery Pleasant series, and I'll warn you right now: the ending will make you cry. That said, one of the things I like most about this series, and this book in particular, are the witty one-liners.
Divergent 5 stars I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this! It was the perfect blend of action, mystery, and romance. Like so many popular teen books, it's being made into a movie, and I really hope they do it justice.
Perfect Scoundrels 4 starsKat Bishop and her crew are back in the third book in the Heist Society series. This job hits Kat and her crew close to home because her boyfriend Hale is the one who is being conned. Some elements of the story were predictable, but overall it was a fun read and the final resolution kept me guessing.
Crocodile Tears 4 starsIt has been a long time since I read any of the books in the Alex Rider series. I'm so glad I started again! This is the penultimate book in the series, and it finds Alex in one of the most difficult and harrowing situations he's ever faced. I loved the way Alex used his bravery and ingenuity to save the day. I've listened to the series on audiobook, and the narrator does a great job. I started listening to the last book as soon as I was done with this one, and I am looking forward to seeing how Alex's story ends.
Saving Normal by Allen Frances4 Stars
If you want to know about the current state of psychiatry, as highlighted by the May release of the DSM-5, this book would be a decent place to start. The author has his own biases, but he doesn't hide them so it helps keep perspective that this is just his viewpoint on things. Still, a good place to start and he does highlight some serious problems with how the U.S. interacts with medication and diagnosis.
Dodger by Terry Pratchett3 Stars
This was a fun light-hearted read. However, I can't say that it has anything that draws me to recommend it highly. If you are a fan of Terry Pratchett you might pick it up, but the story seems fairly run of the mill and the typical Pratchett wordsmithing is kept to a minimum.
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson4 stars
This is only the 2nd or third fantasy book that I have read in my life. I have found, that for me, fantasy books are more confusing because the names are hard to understand and the creatures and different races of people are too numerous. Now that I have said that, I did like this book. I was surprised that the book seemed a little more "girlish" than I thought it would be, but all in all I enjoyed the book. The only thing that kept it at 4 stars instead of 5 was the long dialogues and the main character having inner struggles within herself...and the romance...I will probably read the second one in the series, but will wait awhile. Warning..don't read the description of the second book or you will know how the first book ends.
Electrified Sheep by Alex BoeseI found this book less enjoyable than Elephants on Acid. Boese seemed to dwell more on the history of the experiments leading to a dryer read. Also, many of the "experiments" talked about in this book aren't truly bizarre. That's not to say they are uninteresting, but I think Boese covered the cream of the crop in his first book leaving this one a a little disappointing. Boese did have some moments when his commentary lead me to laugh out loud, but generally this book was a pale shadow of its predecessor.
Mod
3 stars
Fifth book in the Harry Potter series. Harry is having some "visions" and learns more about his past, as well as studying more for his OWLs. Not my favorite HP novel, but we do learn a lot!
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3 stars
This is #5 in Buchanan Saga. There was almost 10 years between #4 and #5, so I was concerned that I wouldn't remember the rest of the series, but Anita did a good job of giving the back story required. Jace and Timothy are cousins who own a ship and have adventures together. They both like the sea but finally meet women who help them to want to stay on land. A quick read.
Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer: 3 starsThis is the second book in the Valdimir Todd series. Overall, I enjoyed the next chapter in Vlad's story. It introduces some new characters that I really liked. We also learn more about the life and death of Vlad's parents. My only complaint is that the identity of the vampire slayer who has been sent to kill Vlad is really obvious.
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger: 4 starsI loved Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, so I was anxious to read this new steampunk series set in that same world. The main character, Sophronia Temminnick, is selected for a special finishing school where they teach everything from dancing to self defense. I love Carriger's witty writing style, and there are some truly funny moments. I also enjoyed that some of the characters from the Parasol Protectorate series make an appearance.
Cloaked by Alex Flinn4 Stars
Having read and enjoyed Beastly by Alex Flynn I was excited to read Cloaked! This book had many of Grimm’s fairy tale plot lines happening throughout the story. This was a fun summer read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good modern take on the classic fairy tale.
Lost in Time by Melissa De la Cruz3 and a Half Stars
Melissa De la Cruz’s Blue Blood series is like watching a daytime soap series! If you love a fast and juicy fantasy read this is delicious! After their forbidden bonding, Schuyler and Jack travel the globe looking for the Gates of Paradise while Mimi Force struggles to keep the New York coven from going into hiding. All while trying to discover how to rescue her true love, Kingsley Martin, from the fiery pits of hell. The series is predictable but enjoyable!
Mod
3 STARS
I came to this novel with only a rudimentary knowledge of the Shelleys (Percy, Mary, and the hangers-on), and this was perhaps a good thing. Had I known more - or been a total fan of the Romantics, this novel might have ticked me off. Instead, I was able to accept Shepherd's literary license and enjoy the ride.
This might have made it to four stars had the book moved just a little faster. The story shifts from the present to the past in several voices. This conceit works with a minimum of jarring, but there's just so much backstory here that the present sometimes gets lost. Shepherd's also telling this with a second-person frame, connecting to the audience in a Dickensian manner, but this also has a tendency to rip a reader out of the story. All of this contributes to a sense that the book feels longer than it really is.
Other than this, the book excels in the characterization - especially that of Charles, but also in a number of the secondary female characters. Claire, young Mary, and Lady Percy are all rendered with subtle differences, even when their similarities are at the root of their problems. The actual story - what is the Shelley family trying to hide - is fascinating as each layer is revealed in a timely and significant way. Even the ending is a sort of surprise, coming as it does after so much has already been revealed.
I hope Shepherd is planning more in this series.
Mod
4 stars
Callie Grey has been in love with her boss for as long as she can remember. Despite having a brief relationship and promptly being dumped, however gently, Callie is still dismayed when he ends up engaged to someone else. Determined to move on, Callie meets the new vet in town, shy Ian and romantic hijinks ensue. I really enjoyed the side characters in this one, Higgins seems to have a handle on created interesting supporters for an often less than inspiring heroine.
Mod
2 stars
Susanna Truitt finds her prince, but only after she has wasted 12 years of her life waiting for her Marine boyfriend to propose. His Royal Highness, Nathanial just happens to visit the tiny cottage located in Georgie and he meets the wonderful Susanna. Of course, the path to true love is rocky. What gets me about this book was the heavy-handed way the author allowed her characters to whine and not work towards their goal in the name of "it's all in God's hands." Susanna gets dumped after a 12 year relationship, where she has waited and supported a Marine through several tours. However, she decides almost immediately that his reasoning was correct, that they stayed together because it was easy and familiar. I found this insulted to military wives and girlfriends. Also, the legal documents that are continually referred are passed over in the details (mainly because there is no logic) and almost all of the action that takes place is response to the documents. Probably won't pick up another one her books.
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3 STARS (well, really 3 1/2)
I love an author who transcends genre (and my expectations; though that's an insignificant thing, really). McEwan is one of those. He can give us a heartbreaking gift like Atonement, and then hand over an unsure, uneasy-with-its-own-skin novel like >Sweet Tooth.
I wasn't sure this would be a book I liked. Of course, I was seduced by McEwan's writing; he always does a bang-up job in both the characterization and plotting departments. My doubts were centered around the straightforward uncertainty of the main character, Serena. As well-drawn as she was, I wasn't entirely sure she should be carrying the entire story. She was a little clueless, almost incompetent, about some of the events in her own life. She was vivid on practically every page, but not quite savvy enough to be so.
And then came the end, which, contradictorily (is that a word), made sense of everything that came before while throwing things into chaos. It was a bit of a trick (something that Serena herself would have hated!), but it worked in this case and coaxed a smile from me as I finished.
Plus, the historical details - the economic and political meltdown of the 70s - were superb. Well played, Mr. McEwan.
Mod
3 stars
Ruthie is heading west with her abusive, adoptive family. They all get caught in a river during a flash flood. Ruthie is saved by the handsome Luke, who is headed home to avenge his father's death, as well as take back the ranch his father had deeded to him. This book is full of adventure, romance and wit! A good, fast read.
Graveminder by Melissa Marr3 stars
Rebekkah and Byron come from a small southern town and are suddenly thrown into the roles of Graveminder and Undertaker. It's up to them to make sure that the dead stay where they belong.
This book started off very slowly for me. In fact, after the first few chapters, I wasn't sure I even wanted to finish it. However, I toughed it out and did. The book was merely ok. I usually enjoy stories of this type, but for some reason, this didn't completely do it for me. I think it may be because there were a lot of questions that were left unanswered, and several things didn't add up. I also had mixed feelings about the two main characters: they were ok, but I felt that Marr was trying to force this great romance on them. It wasn't time wasted reading it, but it also wasn't time well spent.
Romeo, Romeo by Robin Kaye2 1/2 stars
This is another one that I almost put down after just a few chapters, but instead, I read the whole thing. Why, do you ask? For these few reasons: A., because I needed a book that didn't require a lot of thinking; B. I'm participating in my library's summer reading program and it ends this week so I needed something that I could read quickly; and C. I picked it up at a book sale and I figured I might as well get my 50 cents worth.
The bad things about this book (there may or may not be spoilers here; you have been forewarned):
1. The characters were too Italian. It felt like I was reading an episode of Jersey Shore.
2. Nick is not as "studly" as everyone else in the book thought he was. They date for three months and he never tells her his last name? Weird. I get that he was supposedly super rich and in high demand and didn't want women dating him for his money (which, don't you think she would have recognized him right away if he was the "Donald Trump of Brooklyn"?), but don't you think he would have come clean sooner than three months? More about this was explained in the novel, but I don't it was explained think very well.
3. She gets sick with pneumonia and he decides to move in to take care of her, even though they've only known each other for less than a week? Weird, not to mention creepy. Maybe it's just because I like my space, but I'm pretty sure I would never let this happen, even if the guy happened to be Shemar Moore (well, ok, maybe ONLY if it was Shemar Moore and he was shirtless all the time) (and yes, my husband knows about my insane crush on Shemar Moore). Anyway (and now I'm thinking about Shemar Moore...), What's-Her-Name has family who could have taken care of her, but instead, she lets a random guy do it. Also, he got a little controlling with her while she was sick. She is a grown woman. If she decides not to take her medicine, that is her decision. Instead, he would force her to take it; he also convinced her doctors to talk to him about what care she needed (ok for a long-term acquaintance, weird and unethical for a guy she's known a week!).
4. I am SO SICK of romance novels about guys who never date anyone but shallow, skinny women, but then they find their "one and only" with a curvy woman. I'm sure these books are written with us curvy women in mind, but I get tired of it. It drives me nuts with the female character always saying, "Oh, he's so hot, but why would he be attracted to me?" and the male character always saying, "She's not as pretty or as skinny as the girls I usually date, but I find myself oddly attracted to her." This type of book gets really old really quick, and I really need to stop reading them.
The good things about this book:
1. It didn't require a lot of thinking.
2. I finished it in 2 1/2 days.
3. It cost me 50 cents.
I think it's closer to a 2 1/2 stars for me instead of just 2 (although it was a 3 before I started writing this review). I can't fault the author entirely, because I was the one who chose to finish it.
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TFPL Book Posse
Books mentioned in this topic
Etiquette & Espionage (other topics)Ninth Grade Slays (other topics)
Crocodile Tears (other topics)
Perfect Scoundrels (other topics)
Divergent (other topics)
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3 stars
Grace's little sister just got engaged to her former fiance so family events are a little awkward. In an attempt to smooth things over for the sister she loves so much, Grace invents the perfect boyfriend, Wyatt Dunn. Wyatt is a pediatric surgeon who is practically perfect in every way, except for the fact he doesn't exist. Ex-con Callahan moves in next door and makes things even more complicated. Grace has to navigate her personal relationships, her family and her professional issues as she decides how to move forward with her life.