Too Fond of Books

Let The Northern Lights Erase Your Name, by Vendela Vida

2010-01-04T20:53:00.000-08:00

I participated in a chain-letter-style book swap, and have actually received two books already, this being one of them. Interesting. I wonder if it would have been as interesting a story in a less foreign setting (Lapland, incidentally). Good though.

Hold Tight, by Harlan Coben

2010-01-04T20:52:00.000-08:00

I like Coben's work in general, but this one kind of strained credulity. Not buying it coming together so tightly in the end.

Phantom Prey, by John Sandford

2010-01-04T20:51:00.000-08:00

It's kind of refreshing to see Lucas Davenport feeling his age as he fights crime in Minnesota.

The Cold Moon, by Jeffrey Deaver

2010-01-04T20:50:00.002-08:00

More.

The Bone Collector, by Jeffrey Deaver

2010-01-04T20:50:00.001-08:00

Broken Window inspired me to reread earlier Rhyme/Sachs novels. This is where they get their start as a team.

Broken Window, by Jeffrey Deaver

2010-01-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

A good thriller and a bracing look at what's happening to privacy rights in our digital age.

Night Passage, by Robert Parker

2010-01-04T20:48:00.001-08:00

Jesse Stone is kind of like Spenser, but not as much as Sunny. Still fun to read.

Perish Twice, by Robert Parker

2010-01-04T20:47:00.001-08:00

Sunny Randall is really just a female Spenser, but all right. Still fun to read.

A Darkness More Than Night, by Michael Connelly

2010-01-04T20:46:00.001-08:00

More great Connelly rereading.

The House On Fortune Street, by Margot Livesey

2010-01-04T20:45:00.002-08:00

Nice character study, told from different perspectives, with suicide as the underlying theme. Like it a lot.

The Final Detail, by Harlan Coben

2010-01-04T20:45:00.001-08:00

Good basic thrillers.

Tobacco Road, by Erskine Caldwell

2010-01-04T20:44:00.000-08:00

Really vivid and kind of heartbreaking. Racier than I expected.

Chillwater Cove, by Thomas Lakeman

2010-01-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Can't remember this, but I think it might have been ghost-y.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson

2010-01-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

I've been hearing about this one for a while, and I really enjoyed it. It's basically a thriller/mystery, but in a really richly realized setting with great characters.

Peace Like A River, by Leif Enger

2010-01-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

Loved this book and will definitely reread it soon, maybe even buy it. Some of the loveliest prose I've read in a long time, and rich with references to literature, the bible, westerns, and history.

Mind Prey, by John Sandford

2010-01-04T20:40:00.000-08:00

Another good thriller writer. Lucas Davenport is a great character.

The Housekeeper And The Professor, by Yoko Ogawa

2010-01-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

Reminiscent of The Elegance Of The Hedgehog, though more simply written. A look at the role memory plays in our lives and relationships, and really sweet.

City of Fire, by Robert Crais

2010-01-04T20:38:00.002-08:00

A little convoluted and dense, but an all right thriller.

Running Blind, by Lee Child

2010-01-04T20:38:00.001-08:00

I think I read this before, and I always enjoy the Jack Reacher books. What a great character. Has no one made a Reacher movie, yet?

The Fundamentals Of Play, by Caitlin Macy

2010-01-04T20:36:00.000-08:00

I said earlier I would read this as an exercise after reading Macy's short-story collection, and that's all it was. Not great.

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

2010-01-04T20:34:00.000-08:00

One of my picks for my online bookclub...I've been meaning to read it for a while, and it was certainly striking. I might need to read it again to fully appreciate it, but I am looking forward to the movie.

In The Heart Of The Canyon, by Elisabeth Hyde

2010-01-04T20:32:00.002-08:00

Nothing monumental, but a really fun look at a lot of characters when they're forced to be together. It follows a group trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

The Narrows, by Michael Connelly

2010-01-04T20:32:00.001-08:00

Old favorites, these.

Trace, by Patricia Cornwell

2010-01-04T20:31:00.000-08:00

I used to love the Scarpetta novels, but this one just reinforced why I don't read Cornwell anymore. Disappointing to the point of ridiculousness.

Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri

2010-01-04T20:30:00.000-08:00

This one got so much praise, I was kind of expecting more, but it was a good enough read.

Vanishing Acts, by Jodi Piccoult

2010-01-04T20:29:00.000-08:00

This one's just all right. Not terribly memorable.

The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger

2010-01-04T20:27:00.000-08:00

A reread for my mom's group book club...I thought it would be a crowd pleaser, but they didn't like it for reasons I won't go into, but it's another one I respond to so emotionally that I overlook the flaws.

Slumdog Millionaire, by Vikas Swarup

2010-01-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

I have to say, I think whoever adapted this missed some great opportunities. Not a terrible adaptation, but the book is much more interesting, and less forced than some of the movie was.

The Adventuress, by Audrey Niffenegger

2010-01-04T20:18:00.001-08:00

See last post.

The Three Incestuous Sisters, by Audrey Niffenegger

2010-01-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

Niffenegger started out as a paper and book artist, sort of like Claire in The Time Traveler's Wife, and this is an earlier art book of hers. Interesting visuals, and some similar themes to TTW.

False Impression, by Jeffrey Archer

2010-01-04T20:16:00.002-08:00

I think this was a 9/11 story, but I don't remember it either.

Paths of Glory, by Jeffrey Archer

2010-01-04T20:16:00.001-08:00

Can't really remember this one.

Darkfever, by Karen Marie Moning

2010-01-04T20:15:00.000-08:00

I picked this up by accident without realizing it was a fantasy-romance-y sort of thing, and read it anyway. And damned if it isn't part of a trilogy, which I feel honor-bound to read now. Figures.

Cold Plague, by Daniel Kalla

2010-01-04T20:14:00.000-08:00

Virus-nearly-allowed-to-kill-everyone! Saved at the last second by a clever CDC guy. Now you don't have to read it.

The Leisure Seeker, by Michael Zadoorian

2010-01-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

Funny and heartbreaking story about an old couple traveling on their Last Hurrah trip in an RV. Liked it a lot.

Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer

2010-01-04T20:12:00.004-08:00

More of the same...I might be out of order.

Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer

2010-01-04T20:12:00.003-08:00

More of the same.

New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer

2010-01-04T20:12:00.001-08:00

More of the same.

Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer

2010-01-04T20:11:00.001-08:00

Well, a client lent them to me, so I read them. And they are pretty darn good YA fantasy books. I would have been all over them at 14.

Collected Stories, by Tennessee Williams

2010-01-04T20:10:00.000-08:00

I think Williams is now one of my mythical dinner companions...you know that game? Some of these stories are dark, dark, dark, but funny and human.

A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini

2010-01-04T20:08:00.000-08:00

Reread this for the mom's group book club...it's so interesting to me when a book touches me despite my being really aware of its flaws, and this is one of those books. Really interesting look into that part of the world, if it was a little predictable, much like The Kite Runner.

The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory

2010-01-04T20:07:00.006-08:00

Classic historical romance. Never saw the movie. My librarian friend from college recommended this, too.

Immoral, by Brian Freeman

2010-01-04T20:07:00.005-08:00

Can't remember this one either.

In Secret Service, by Mitch Silver

2010-01-04T20:07:00.001-08:00

Can't remember anything...sure it was a political thriller of some kind.

Hide, by Lisa Gardner

2010-01-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

Good thriller. Fun to try to put the pieces together along with the main characters.

The English Major, by Jim Harrison

2010-01-04T20:04:00.000-08:00

First time I've read him. Reminds me a little bit of Richard Russo, and I liked it.

A Lucky Child, by Thomas Buergenthal

2010-01-04T20:03:00.001-08:00

Another Holocaust survival story, and a really wonderfully written one. Self-critical, and self-aware, in good ways.

Charity Girl, by Michael Lowenthal

2010-01-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

This was a second choice one of the months of my online book club, but it looked interesting. It's based on a true story of girls with Venereal Disease getting locked up in what were essentially prisons, which I'd never heard of. Not the best book ever, but really interesting.

The Elegance Of The Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery

2010-01-04T19:58:00.000-08:00

See?

Day, by Elie Wiesel

2010-01-04T19:55:00.000-08:00

I read Night ages ago, but never even knew there was a Day. Interesting counterpoint. Wiesel spoke at my college, and he's got a way with words.

Year Of Wonders, by Geraldine Brooks

2010-01-04T19:54:00.001-08:00

This was for my online book club, and was also recommended by my best friend from college (now a librarian). I liked it a lot, though the ending went a kind of sudden and odd direction that probably wasn't entirely necessary. It's interesting to read a story like this about old plague (and based on a true story) in light of H1N1 and the like.

After The Darkness, by Elie Wiesel

2010-01-04T19:52:00.001-08:00

I saw a documentary about a Holocaust survivor, and that sent me onto a Holocaust survival story kick. This is a collection of stories woven into a general history of the time, along with some heart-breaking photography.

Tripwire, by Lee Child

2010-01-04T19:51:00.001-08:00

Good military guy-turned-drifter thrillers.

The Devil's Code, by John Sandford

2010-01-04T19:50:00.000-08:00

Another author I read a lot...your basic thrillers.

Valley Of The Dolls, by Jacqueline Susann

2010-01-04T19:49:00.002-08:00

Read this for my mom's group book club, and missed the discussion due to travel. Interesting to read in light of today's social mores and values. Sort of tragic in general.

Sleeping Beauty, by Phillip Margolin

2010-01-04T19:49:00.001-08:00

Can't even remember what this was about.

Handle With Care, by Jodi Piccoult

2010-01-04T19:46:00.004-08:00

This is another case where I liked the author's earlier books quite a lot, but am not enjoying the newer ones. Specifically with this book, it's so blatantly emotionally manipulative (which is kind of Piccoult's "thing," admittedly) that it made me angry to read it. Also, it's told in a million different voices, too many for my taste. Easy enough to follow, but totally unnecessary and irritating. One of those books I was cranky to finish.

Home Safe, by Elizabeth Berg

2010-01-04T19:46:00.003-08:00

Eh. I really loved her earlier books and have loved her more recent ones less. Kind of a what-happens-next story where nothing much happens.

A Great Deliverance, by Elizabeth George

2010-01-04T19:45:00.001-08:00

Love her books, have read them all, and reread regularly.

A New Year Already, And Months and Months Behind.

2010-01-04T19:40:00.001-08:00

Well, what can I say. At least it's true to form. I have a list, and I will do my best to catch up to the present. I'm sure I'm missing a few along the way, and will add them with the '09 tag as I remember reading them.

Spoiled: Stories, by Caitlin Macy

2009-08-01T11:04:00.001-07:00

I felt about this one like I felt about I'm Sorry You Feel That Way. People of questionable quality behaving badly and justifying it. Not much growth or change in the characters. This is the kind of short story collection I'm used to not liking, as I mentioned in the In Other Rooms, Other Wonders post.

Macy's written a novel, too, and I think I will read it out of academic curiosity, but my hopes are not high.

My Name Is Will, by Jess Winfield

2009-08-01T11:01:00.000-07:00

The subtitle for this one is "A novel of sex, drugs, and Shakespeare," and that pretty much sums it up. I'm not sure how interesting it would be for someone not familiar with or interested in Shakespeare, but since I am both of those things, it was a lot of fun for me. Pretty vivid sex and drug scenes as well, interspersed with quasi-historical re-imaginings of Shakespeare's life and inspiration for his works.

It's fun to spot the re-purposed quotes from Shakespeare, though I'm sure I missed some. This is my next book club book, and I'm interested to see what people say about it.

The Elegance Of The Hedgehog, by Muriel Barberry

2009-08-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

I liked this book so much. It was so dense and multilayered, and suffered no ills from translation as far as I can tell. I'll have more to say after I reread it. I don't think I can do it justice on one reading.

Edited to add: It's my turn to pick the books to vote on for September bookclub, and so far this has the most votes...yay!

Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-08-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

I read this for my online book club, and was kind of disappointed. It's a pretty straightforward book. Not much to discuss, it seems to me. Interesting in light of the current swine flu epidemic, but on its own, just a basic YA story told through the voice of a young girl faced with unusual circumstances.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski

2009-08-01T10:52:00.000-07:00

I started reading this just before we went to Texas for a long weekend, and by page 13 knew that I would like it, and by halfway through, knew that I would have to leave it home (big, hardcover library books being no good on planes, especially when traveling with a toddler) and that was fairly agonizing.

I was really happy to get back to it, and thrilled that it lived up to my page 13 expectations. Loosely based on the story of Hamet, but not bogged down by it. The parallels were many, but some were very subtle, and wonderful twists, like the Ophelia stand-in. But, and this based on commentary from non-Hamlet readers in my online book club, not knowing Hamlet is in no way an impediment to enjoying this book. The story stands alone really well.

Wroblewski handled writing in the voice of the dogs so incredibly well. He made them legitimate characters, within the confines of what he imagined their mental and emotional capabilities to be. They're not cutesy, nor does he give them human-level intellects. Still some of the best writing I've read in a long time.

I cared so much about what happened to Edgar and his dogs, and even though I knew (based on Hamlet) what was likely to happen in the end, I was still ignoring household chores and whatnot to get there. One of the most compelling books I've read recently.

In Other Rooms, Other Wonders, by Daniyal Mueenuddin

2009-08-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

I am not the biggest fan of short story collections. As a rule, they leave me unsatisfied and wanting more. This is a huge exception to that. Despite the different characters in each story (though all connected somehow, Altman-style), this book reads like a complete work. Not exactly beginning-middle-end style, but the book stands as a very satisfying read, and very illuminating. I'll look for more from him.

Pandora's Clock, by John J. Nance

2009-08-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Boring. Dumb suddenly-in-love story in an otherwise unremarkable thriller. Got this off of the thrift store table and it's going right back.

I'm Sorry You Feel That Way, by Diana Joseph

2009-08-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

The subtitle of this is "The Astonishing but True Story of a Daughter, Sister, Slut, Wife, Mother, and Friend to Man and Dog." I am always skeptical of titles like this. Why does the author feel the need to say so much? Are they worried that we are too stupid to draw our own conclusions, or that we might draw conclusions about them that are not what they intended? I don't know, but I think the glowing reviews of this book are unwarranted. It wasn't bad, but it falls in the category of books about bad behavior that seem to say "Yes, I am a bad person, and I don't think that's so bad after all, right?" Which I don't agree with. Sure, good people make mistakes, but they don't glorify them. They try to learn from them and move on. There's no growth in this book, and therefore no change, and thus no drama, in the literary sense of the word.

City of Bones, by Michael Connelly

2009-08-01T10:38:00.002-07:00

More great Connelly.

Moscow Rules, by Daniel Silva

2009-08-01T10:38:00.001-07:00

Good one, but it feels like a set up for a sequel, which I am sure is already being written.

The Genius, by Jesse Kellerman

2009-08-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

I liked this a lot! Interesting, unusual narrator: flawed, but made you want to see what he would do. Accompanied by a nice family history parallel that explains the current day mystery. I also thought he wrote really understandably about the art world.

Quiver, by Peter Leonard

2009-08-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

Leonard got a good jacket quote from Michael Connelly, so I was expecting more than your basic unmotivated-character-thriller. The bare bones of a good book were there, and this is his first book, so maybe he'll do better next time.

Angels Flight, by Michael Connelly

2009-08-01T10:33:00.001-07:00

More of the same great LA thrilling from Connelly.

Portnoy's Complaint, by Philip Roth

2009-08-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

Well, now I've read two Roth books and feel like I have the right to say that I don't care for his writing. His style feels very dated, both in the older book and the newer one I read (the title escapes me and I don't care enough to look it up). Whiny. One note. Boring.

The Widows Of Eastwick, by John Updike

2009-08-01T10:29:00.000-07:00

It was neat to read about the same characters so many years later, and I while I haven't experience old age, yet, it seems like Updike did a really good job describing how the women experienced the changes to their bodies and temperaments.

The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink

2009-08-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

This was a really good book. We saw the movie not so long ago, which was fantastic, and I wanted to see how it read. A very simple book, which in my view is the best kind of book to adapt to film. When I studied the holocaust in college, I was most interested in what led the ordinary folks to perpetrate such terrible things, and this is an excellent dramatization of exactly that.

The Scarecrow, by Michael Connelly

2009-08-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

Harry Bosch is my favorite, but the Terry McCaleb novels are good, too. Jack McEvoy is just not enough of a character for a whole book, and does really dumb things that I just don't buy that a savvy reporter would do. This is unusual for Connelly for me. If he writes another McEvoy novel, I'll read it, since I love Connelly so much, but I am guessing I won't care for it much.

Deaf Sentence, by David Lodge

2009-08-01T10:15:00.001-07:00

I haven't read any Lodge before, but someone mentioned his name in the same breath as my favorite Richard Russo, so I thought I'd give him a try. It was a great book; really vivid characters and a quirky story. Very much like a British version of Russo. I will read more of his work.

Faithless, by Karin Slaughter

2009-08-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

I didn't remember this one and had to look it up to remind myself, which is probably not a great sign, but it was an okay book. Again, characters behave in entirely unbelievable ways, but that's almost always the case in these thriller novels.

Ordinary Heroes, by Scott Turow

2009-08-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

I realized I had read this before not too far it, though as usual, didn't remember how it ended. I really like Turow's style. It's a little richer than your average paperback thriller-type novel. I'm a sucker for WWII stories, too, and I liked how the contemporary narrator was mainly a way to tell the story, but I still cared about him without knowing too much about him.

Deep Fire Rising, by Jack Du Brul

2009-08-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

Boring. The elements were all there, but people behaved ridiculously. A character can't be suspicious of everyone, but trust anyone. I just don't buy it.

No Great Mischief, by Alistair McLeod

2009-08-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

Eh, I didn't care much for this one. One of those books that follows a family over time, but never gives you much information on the current members, or at least does it so late that you just don't care. Reminded me of weak version of Annie Proulx's prose style.

The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly

2009-08-01T08:18:00.001-07:00

Exactly what you expect from Connelly, with a slightly different main character. I love him.

Triangle, by Katharine Weber

2009-08-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

Didn't care for this one. Nice idea to parallel the fire with present day characters, but something was missing in the execution. Too bad, since some of the characters were really interesting. It felt like there were three unexplored seeds for novels here, none of which are the novel she actually wrote. Too bad.

Black Seconds, by Karin Fossum

2009-08-01T08:16:00.002-07:00

An odd book. Very simple, but possibly marred by a weak translation from the Norwegian. A classic murder mystery, but with good details.

The Nine, by Jeffrey Toobin

2009-08-01T08:16:00.001-07:00

Interesting take on the Supreme Court. Lots of things I didn't know. Author seems to have a liberal bent.

Execution Dock, by Anne Perry

2009-08-01T08:15:00.001-07:00

Part of a series about Victorian-era policemen. Or maybe a slightly later era; I don't pretend to know exactly. Entertaining, though.

The 19th Wife, by David Ebershoff

2009-08-01T08:11:00.000-07:00

A sprawling, history-parallels-present-day tale of the Mormon religion and progression across the United States. The narrator is unexpected, and creates a nice counterpoint to the Mormon characters. It's a lot of book, and I really enjoyed it.

Gossip of the Starlings, by Nina de Gramont

2009-05-31T12:02:00.001-07:00

Sort of a more literary-minded version of Gossip Girl. Soapy, but with a serious undertone.

The Pleasure Of My Company, by Steve Martin

2009-05-31T11:59:00.002-07:00

I didn't love Shopgirl all that much (though I have enjoyed Martin's plays) so I was prepared not to like this one. And I kinda did. Not really, but it was engaging and by the end I cared what happened to the main character and his disorder. It makes me want to read more about OCD and the like.

The Unquiet, by John Connolly

2009-05-31T11:59:00.001-07:00

I like reading Connolly's creepy, slightly fantastical books, but I confess that by the end I am usually pretty tired of the creepiness.

Damage Control, by Robert Dugoni

2009-05-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

Bad. Just a bad book.

Lush Life, by Richard Price

2009-05-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

I don't really remember much about this book, which is a bad sign, since it's not just a throw-away thriller.

The Bad Seed, by William March

2009-05-31T11:56:00.000-07:00

I read this because Stephen King told me to in his column for Entertainment Weekly. I find he rarely leads me astray, at least as far as books are concerned. Totally creepy and a little bit terrifying.

Lie Down In Darkness, by William Styron

2009-05-31T11:54:00.000-07:00

It was really neat to read this just after Sophie's Choice, since the first novel Stingo is working on is clearly inspired by this, Styron's first novel. I didn't enjoy it as much, but it was still a good read. The south is so clear in his writing, and the characters so damaged.

Sophie's Choice, by William Styron

2009-05-31T11:52:00.000-07:00

I love this book, and I read it every 5 years or so, probably. Happened to catch the movie, which inspired the re-read, and then my getting some other Styron books out of the library.

Definitely harder to read the parts about her children now that we've got Clara.

The Brass Verdict, by Michael Connelly

2009-05-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

A second Mickey Haller book, in which he and Harry Bosch butt heads and discover things. I always love Connelly, but I think I would have liked this more if the perspective had shifted from Haller to Bosch. Haller's just not as compelling a character for me.

The Ruins, by Scott Smith

2009-05-31T11:30:00.000-07:00

This is a re-read. I like Smith's books. They're all about how extreme situations reveal us in ways we might not prefer. This one is especially creepy, with an element of fantasy that adds to the tension and gives the story an unpredictability that I enjoyed.

The Gate House, by Nelson De Mille

2009-05-31T11:29:00.001-07:00

This is a sort of sequel to The Gold Coast, written and taking place 10 or 15 years later. It's basically the same story, updated for the times and with a few tweaks here and there. Still enjoyed it.

The Gold Coast, by Nelson De Mille

2009-05-31T11:28:00.001-07:00

Chris and I both read this, and we do enjoy DeMille, though we both agreed it was a little predictable, and occasionally we don't buy the actions of the main characters. But they're otherwise interesting, engaging characters, and I always want to know what's going to happen with them.