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Summer Reading 2014
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Summer Reading 2014
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(last edited Jun 10, 2014 12:21PM)
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Jun 10, 2014 12:20PM
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I probably would have enjoyed this better had there been more historical and a lot less "romance" (if that's what you can call the constant sniping between the two leads). I know I took too many expectations into the book - it's post-WWI and set in the Middle East - but I should have judged this one by its cover (which is a little silly, anyway).
I didn't buy that Evie was such an independent woman; she didn't seem that way when she forced Gabriel to leave camp with few supplies to gallivant off into the desert in the middle of the night (is that the thought process of someone smart?). And the constant escaping, followed by being caught again and again, got really old after awhile. I kept checking to see how many pages I had left to read. We were told about Gabriel's brilliance, but were rarely showed. And, scenes that probably should have been drawn out more (the firefight with the deserters, for one), were wrapped up in a paragraph.
The romance didn't make much sense - in fact, I thought that the two of them could have only just met in Damascus and the story wouldn't have lost anything. The only character I liked was Aunt Dove - whose own past might have been a more intriguing novel - and that was partly because of her parrot.
The One by Kiera Cass3 stars
I loved the first book of this series and really disliked the second, and for me, this one falls somewhere in the middle. I have a crap memory when it comes to remembering previous books' plot points, and this was no exception. But there was no way I was going to go back and reread the second one (it was too teen-y for me), so it took me awhile to get back up to speed with this one. I'm just glad there was a resolution and America finally made up her freakin' mind about whether she loved Aspen or Maxon more. I also liked that the rebels played a bigger part in this one. Mostly, I'm just glad this series is done and I don't have to wait for any more books.
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I liked this one better than the previous two St. James novels. This one had a pace that kept me reading - it wasn't breakneck, but developments kept things moving along so that I looked forward to reading the next chapter. It was a quick read, and though the characters weren't completely three-dimensional, they didn't have to be. Kitty's character, including her backstory and flaws (the girl can lie like a rug), drives the story. That she's not quite as trustworthy as she could be only adds to the suspense.
I also liked that the author focused on the damage done to the psyches of the men returning from war; the idea of the haunted house/hospital wreaking havoc with their recovery and their sense of their own sanity was one reason the book worked for me (beyond the paranormal, which I can take or leave). A good read to start the summer.
Skin Job by Jim Butcher - 4 StarsUrban fantasy. The latest in the Dresden files is much like all the others. The usual characters appear as well as classic Dresden snarkiness. It's not great literature, but it is great fun. If you are a fan of Dresden I think you will enjoy this addition and it will leave you looking forward to what Butcher might publish next. If you haven't read the Dresden Files start with Storm Front.
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This was the last in the series. I really enjoyed how it ended. The book takes Alan Christofferson on the final journey of his walk across the nation after his wife died, his business was bankrupted by his partner, and he lost his house. In this book he finishes through the state of Florida. He meets interesting people and stays in some funny places.
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Typical Nicholas Sparks. I liked this as there was a little twist at the end. Amanda and Dawson are high school sweethearts who haven't seen each other in 20 years. They end up back in their home town for a mutual friend's funeral.
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I really liked the ending to this series. I loved book one, and book two was so so, but Kiera Cass pulled it out in the end. The book and the whole series for that matter was somewhat predictable, but she was able to surprise me at the very end!
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This book talks a lot about the ins and outs of making the TV show "Downton Abbey". I really liked reading about how the costumes are done and how the setting furnishings are stored and used. Very interesting for any Downton Abbey fan.
Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen RebelloFantastic little mini-history about the movie Psycho. Incredibly interesting. I think my husband got really tired of me spouting off Psycho and Alfred Hitchcock trivia, though. Make sure you have a copy of the movie cued up and ready to go as soon as you finish the book.
Cold Harbour by Jack Higgins5 stars
I remember being a kid of twelve and traveling to my grandparents' house, and this was one of the audiobooks that my mom brought along. I liked the story and checked out the book as soon as we got home from the trip (on account that I have a tendency to sleep a lot while I travel and missed large chunks of the book). I loved it, and that started my Jack Higgins reading obsession of three years. Something recently reminded me of this book, and I wanted to read it again. I liked it just as much as I did the first time around. There's action, espionage, and just a little bit of romance. Is it a perfect book? No, absolutely not - but it's one I really, really like.
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Because the movie came out, I wanted to read this before seeing the movie. I really liked the book! Hazel Grace has cancer and meets August Waters at a cancer support group. They have a great adventure together. It is a cancer book, so be prepared for tears!
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Cute book about everything being big in Texas as well as 1000 suitors for one woman. She gets rid of most of them in very creative ways. The pictures are great!
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It was perfectly fine, but a little too explanatory for my liking. It would be good for understanding the civil war and The Gettysburg Address. I did like how the chapters were split up with The Gettysburg Address to tell the history of The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. The illustrations were great and helped the story along.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca SteadYA novel that's pretty interesting. I really had to pay close attention and wish I would have read it twice. But I like the full circle effect.
Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman-4 starsA quick read. It's silly and fun. The dad in this book is the type of father I wish I was (and am trying to be). Meant for kids, but adults should take an hour and read it if they get the chance.
Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James4 stars
I really enjoyed this book. The location was perfect - an abandoned house, now made into a hospital for madmen - and the atmosphere was really well done. It was definitely creepy and mysterious. I like the historical aspect of it as well (I've been in a historical mood lately) and the touch of romance. It reminded me of the books by Mary Stewart that I used to read when I was younger. I zipped through it and left more poor husband to deal with our crying child, because I didn't want to stop reading the book (and also because I didn't want to deal with a crying child). I'm looking forward to others by this author.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie-5 StarsI read my first Agatha Christie in 7th grade, though I don't remember which one. I have visited her occasionally since them and am generally glad I did. I wanted to re-read the beginning of this book after finishing, which is generally a good thing in my opinion. A great quick read mystery. I would encourage anyone reading this book to read through the introductions twice just to help you keep the characters straight as there is a fairly cumbersome cast from the beginning.
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My only previous exposure to Doerr was through his short stories, and so the way in which he built this longer narrative in short chapters seemed familiar. In fact, almost every one of the chapters could have been its own story, which added to the depth of this gorgeous read. His characters are also crafted carefully - so much so that I grieved in the end to walk away from them. Great book - highly recommended.
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I actually liked this one better than I expected to. From the photo on the cover and the blurb on the back, I suppose I thought that this would be a romance with a mystery thrown in to make it seem a bit more substantial. So, I was happily surprised when the romance took a backseat to the rest of the story. (Also, the blurb really overplays the paranormal aspects, another thing to be grateful for...)
The story is primarily about the relationship between siblings. And though there is a missing person mystery, a jaunt to Egypt, references to Sherlock Holmes, and a character with autism, the story actually seemed to float along fairly well. There were a few distractions (and a couple of coincidences - remind me to make sure Sir Monty is around when I get lost in the desert), they weren't enough to keep me from reading. Just the kind of summer read I like - a bit deeper than a "beach read" but not so deep I can't wade back when I need to.
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A short but meaningful novel about the tragedies of war. This one is reminiscent, for me, of Pat Barker's excellent Regeneration. Partly stream of consciousness, the story unfolds through Daniel's eyes and not-so-stable mind. The novel is described as a love story, but the love story here is much more complicated and versatile than those two words might imply. Characterization is all important for this book, and Dunmore does a good job of painting Daniel and Frederick and their relationship; everyone else, including Felicia, becomes secondary. The ending works, even as it makes you yearn for something different.
RE: All The Light We Cannot See: Thanks for the review. I'm interested to read it -- I think this was the book he was working on which he mentions in "Four Seasons in Rome." It may come on vacation with me and be an erudite beach read.
Blessings of the Heart by Jane Mcbride ChoateOne of the summer reading requirements is to read a romance novel. No thank you, my mind screamed! But I found this one as was very pleased! The worst thing this couple did was kiss. Most of the story was how they helped the homeless and cared for the elderly. Great book!
City of Jasmine by Deanna Raybourn3 stars
This was ok. I really didn't like either of the two main characters. Evie flapped her hands quite a bit while she was complaining to Gabriel (seriously - anytime she wanted him to gloss over a point, she would flap her hands at him), and Gabriel was a jerk. The romance part was ok. I didn't totally buy the chemistry between the two (view spoiler). This author had written another series, and I like the first two of that series (but not that latter two or three), and this was just meh for me, so I might give up on this author.
The Geek Dad's Guide to Weekend Fun: Cool Hacks, Cutting-Edge Games, and More Awesome Projects for the Whole Family by Ken Denmead3 Stars
This had a lot of fun project ideas. I wish more of them only required things that I would have on hand already. It seemed for any project that I wanted to do there would always be something to buy. Worse, it wouldn't be a quick trip out to the store but something purchased online. However, that's not a huge drawback. Just plan ahead and have some fun. The essays in between were hit and miss, but still a good book.
Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shin4 stars
This was utterly delightful. Anyone who has gone to an American high school can definitely relate to this book, as it is the geeks vs. the cool kids. The robot club and the cheerleaders are both vying for some school funds, and the things they do gets out of hand, so they are forced to work together to get the money they want. I love the names the robot club gave the cheerleaders, like the "Pom Pom Gestapo." Very fun.
Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie2 1/2 stars
Usually I like romances, and I LOVE Jennifer Crusie. However, lately I've been in a romance slump, where the characters and situations in the books just piss me off. I had to read a romance for my library's summer reading challenge, so I thought a Crusie would be more amenable to me. Sadly, I didn't really like it: the characters and the situations pissed me off. I wanted to reach through the pages of the book and slap the characters silly for some of the stuff that they did. For example: the two main characters felt like they weren't compatible, as she is a hippy and he is a Republican - and I get that, as that's me and my husband (except I'm not a hippy, but I am more liberal than him) - but they focused waaaaaay too much on their differences, so they were surprised when they fell in love. I can attest that opposites do attract (I'm a little bit normal, my husband is a little bit geeky), but it seemed like their whole relationship was based on mutual lust. I don't know. Maybe if I was in a better mood, then it would have been a better read.
Before I Go To SleepThis book is fictional yet gets its inspiration from an actual event. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to wake up with no memories, then this book will take you on a journey into what happens when the mind erases all you know. Definitely a page turner, I read it over two days.
A Christmas Carol by Charles DickensThis is a book that everyone should read before they die! The movie with George C. Scott came close to portraying what Dickens did in the book but it was lacking a bit. The book is so much better. Love how Dickens wasn't afraid to talk about God and how to love people like He does.
Should I be putting my reviews in this thread instead? Or maybe copying/pasting?
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You can put reviews here. Or, if you like, you can link to your review or let us know that you've added a review to a book.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TimeThis is a very good book about the workings of an autistic child as well as being an entertaining who-done-it book. I recommend reading this book for both insight and pleasure.
The PreservationistFascinating "what if" type of book about Noah and the ark. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast read and entertaining.
Aunt Dimity's Death andAunt Dimity, Snowbound by Nancy Atherton
I am hooked on these books! I have never read mysteries before because I have no desire to know who killed whom. These are fun and funny. Love little twists on reality.
Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson4 stars
I remember really like this book when I was a kid (although oddly, I only remember the last chapter or so from it). I did enjoy it the second time around, although I was a little surprised at some of the things that happened. For instance, I didn't remember Sara Louise falling in love with the Captain. I do, however, remember relating really well to Sara Louise. I think anyone who has a sister can relate. Not that my sister was ever the golden child and the one who could walk on water, but reading this book reminded me a lot of the rivalry that we had. I felt that although Sara Louise did have some reasons to despise her sister Caroline, many times it was unwarranted, such as when Caroline was being genuinely nice, but because Sara Louise was so jealous, nothing Caroline could ever do would be right.
Also, a funny side note - apparently this book was banned because of inappropriate language. I didn't remember it being bad when I was a kid (not like The Great Gilly Hopkins, also by Paterson), and I was surprised while reading this: the language isn't bad, whatsoever. I was expecting tons of F-bombs and the like, but there was nothing like that. People be crazy.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley2 1/2 stars
At the beginning of this book, I HATED it. I don't even know why. I really didn't like Flavia, as I felt she was very annoying. In fact, if I weren't reading this for a summer reading challenge, I wouldn't have finished it. Halfway through the book, it began to get better, which is good, but then, disaster stroke: I accidentally left my library copy in a puddle of water, and it took two weeks for it to dry out (here's a hint - as soon as it gets wet, throw it into the freezer, leaving it open to the wet pages. Over time, all the moisture will evaporate out. This doesn't always work, but thankfully it did for me!). Luckily, when that happened, I had already gotten to the point where the murderer is revealed, so I when I was able to resume the book, it was just a nice wrap-up of everything. Like I said, I wasn't really impressed and I probably won't read the rest of the series.
Mod
Enjoyed this one, though it was definitely more of a coming-of-age novel than a true mystery or thriller. The tight focus on just a few characters was good - but, even with the handful, some of them could have used a little more fleshing out (the whole Viola/Jill relationship was a bit short-changed, with only a quick recap at the end). I really liked the truly band-geeky Hatmaker twins - they are at the heart of the story - and the Fisher and Natalie story was compelling, even when it didn't quite make sense (the convenience store, really?). The setting of the fading old grande dame of a hotel was fascinating, and I loved the allusions to The Westing Game (one of my favs as a kid) and The Shining.
And, though I wanted it to be more suspenseful and mysterious (I felt that Jill's disappearance/possible murder was completely forgotten by the characters and then, consequently, by myself), it was still a fun trip.
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells3 stars
I don't always do well with classic books, as I tend to have a hard time following the writing style. I'm proud to say that I did pretty ok with this one (also maybe because it was short). I've seen the movie, so nothing came as a great shock (except that the book didn't have a talking library like the movie did). Since I already knew the basic plot line, I think that also helped me in getting through it. It was ok. Probably not anything I would ever read again, but I don't regret my time in reading either. (BTW, my husband was aghast that I wasn't more in love with this story - apparently this is THE. BEST. BOOK. OF. ALL. TIME.)
To fulfill the TFPL Adult Summer Reading requirement to checkout a travel book I chose this book because I am a motorcycle rider and was curious about his travels. I was only going to peruse the book and then return it but when I randomly began reading in the middle of the book I was hooked. So I turned to the beginning and began an adventure into the Middle East that I would never have taken. I thoroughly enjoyed his opinions and commentaries on the peoples and landscapes he encountered. I recommend this book for anyone interested in what the Middle East is like as well as curiosity about one's take on religion.
Clockwork Fairy Tales: A Collection of Steampunk FablesThis is a fascinating book of well-known fairy tales retold from a unique perspective--clockworks. Reminded me of the movie Hugo. As with the original Grimm's Fairy Tales, these are told from an adult perspective with dark humor and therefore may not be suitable for young children.
Beautiful Creatures -4 stars- This is one of the many teen paranormal romance series that are so popular right now. One of the things that set it apart is the fact that the main character is a teen boy, not a teen girl. Said main character is Ethan, a boy from a small Southern Carolina town who falls in love with Lena, the beautiful new girl at school. I listened to this on audio, and I thought the narrator did a great job with the Southern accents and dialect. The audiobook also uses music and sound effects at strategic moments to create different moods and feelings.
Shadowfever-4 stars- This is the fifth and final book in the MacKayla Lane series, and I thought it was a good way to end the series. The previous book ended on such a cliffhanger, and I immediately picked up Shadowfever so I could find out what happened next. Overall, I was happy with the way the series ended. There were a few times where I thought the author introduced unnecessary plot points that detracted from the main story. However, she also threw in some fun twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I appreciate that because I love to be surprised when I’m reading.
Iced -4 stars- When I finished the MacKayla Lane series, I had to start the Dani O’Malley series next! The Dani O’Malley series is set in the same world as the MacKayla Lane series, and takes place after Shadowfever ends. Dani was one of my favorite characters from the MacKayla Lane series. I love her even more after reading Iced! She is feisty, funny, and headstrong. She makes mistakes, but she tries her best to do the right thing, and she is fiercely protective of the ones she cares about. I can’t wait until the next book comes out!
Skin Game -5 stars- I love, love, love this series. Jim Butcher is a master of contemporary urban fiction. This is book 15 in the Dresden files, and somehow Butcher still manages to make it feel new and fresh. Skin Games has all the usual suspects—Harry Dresden, Mab, Karrin Murphy, the Carpenter family, Waldo Butters, etc. Butcher also brings back some characters from previous books, and introduces some brand new characters. Harry is a powerful, snarky, and hilarious as ever. One of the things I love about Harry is that just when you think he’s been outsmarted or outmuscled, you find out that he’s actual been one step ahead the whole time. I also thought that there was some great character development with some of the other characters as they took on new and unexpected responsibilities.
Dreams of Gods & Monsters -4 stars-This was the perfect end to one of the most creative and interesting series I have ever read. Laini Taylor uses beautiful, evocative language to create imagery that you can’t get out of your head. In Dreams of Gods and Monsters, Karou and Akiva have to band together to save their world (and ours) from Jael and his seraph army. I listened to all three books on audio, and the narrator did a fantastic job creating the large cast of characters, especially Zuzanna and Mick.
Eleanor & Park -4 stars- This book has huge appeal both for teens and adults who like YA books. The teens will love the relationship between Eleanor and Park, and adults (especially adults in their 30s and 40s) will love all the 80s references. Readers of any age will connect with Eleanor and Park and feel for them as they face some difficult situations.
Glancing Through the Glimmer - 2 stars- I loved this book’s Dublin setting. The author does a good job giving the reader a feel for the city and hits on a lot of the popular tourist spots. However, the writing was just so-so. The characters were a little but underdeveloped, and there were too many clichés. The romance between Janet and Liam was sweet and fun, if a bit forced.
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