Summary:
Yossarian is a bombardier in World War II, flying over Italy, France, and wherever else the US Air Force says he should fly. He's crazy. His friends in his unit are crazy. In the Air Force, you can go home if you're crazy, but you have to ask to go home. If you ask to go home, you obviously care about your safety, which means you're not crazy, so you can't go home. It's called Catch-22.
Thoughts:
Honestly, it's hysterical. It's heavy subject matter, to be sure. It was so heavy sometimes, I needed to take a break and read something else for a while. Because of that, it took me quite a long time to power through. But it's funny. Every single character has some kind of crazy going on. The men go to Rome so regularly, one of the men has a prostitute he's in love with. Her only name in the book, in fact, is "Nately's whore." The men drive each other to insanity on a regular basis. I laughed on a regular basis through the whole book. There were also those moments when I got reminded that it was a book about a war.
It's certainly not linear, especially in the beginning few chapters. It is a brilliant novel, though, and I understand exactly why it's always on all those Top 100 book lists. It makes complete sense. I'm sure that if I read this when I was in high school, I wouldn't have appreciated it nearly as much as I did now. I'm glad I picked it up. If you managed to get out of it like I did when I was in school, I recommend picking it up now. It's a great read.
Book 20 of 30. Might have to raise this number...
Pages: 453, if you don't count the 50 pages of criticism, history and commentary included at the end of my edition.
Genre: General fiction, historical fiction, Top 100 book list
Grade: A
Would I Recommend?: Absolutely. Long read, yes. But worth it, for sure.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Mr. Popper's Penguins (Richard & Florence Atwater)
Summary:
Mr. Popper is a house painter who loves reading. He reads everything he can about all kinds of travel, most especially about the Arctic and Antarctic. He wrote a letter to Admiral Drake at the South Pole, and when Admiral Drake starts his radio broadcast from the South Pole, he mentions that he's sent a gift to Mr. Popper. A few days later, the gift of a penguin arrives on Mr. Popper's doorstep. The story follows the Popper family as their family expands to four people and twelve penguins, and they try to decide just what to do with all those penguins.
Thoughts:
So much fun. I finished it in a few hours, as it's a children's book with big type and short pages. But it was a lovely little story that did teach a little about the poles, and about penguins. (Not much, just a little.) Mr. Popper is a wee bit bonkers, but who could resist the adorable Captain Cook, Greta, and all the rest? It's silly, light, and just exactly what I needed to take a break from Catch-22. It does suffer a little bit from being written so long ago, (It was published in 1938.) but it's still a happy little story about a guy who's got a thing for the arctic worlds. The end's a little funny (as in weird, not ha-ha) and I don't think I'd have ended it quite like that myself. It works, though, and shows off just a little more of Mr. Popper's crazy.
Is it childish? Yes. Would adults enjoy it anyway? If they're into a little bit of whimsy, absolutely. Now to see what Jim Carrey and company did to the story....
Book 19 of 30
Pages: 120ish?
Genre: Children's Lit
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: For kids, mostly, but grown-ups with a Peter Pan complex like myself would probably enjoy it for what it is.
Mr. Popper is a house painter who loves reading. He reads everything he can about all kinds of travel, most especially about the Arctic and Antarctic. He wrote a letter to Admiral Drake at the South Pole, and when Admiral Drake starts his radio broadcast from the South Pole, he mentions that he's sent a gift to Mr. Popper. A few days later, the gift of a penguin arrives on Mr. Popper's doorstep. The story follows the Popper family as their family expands to four people and twelve penguins, and they try to decide just what to do with all those penguins.
Thoughts:
So much fun. I finished it in a few hours, as it's a children's book with big type and short pages. But it was a lovely little story that did teach a little about the poles, and about penguins. (Not much, just a little.) Mr. Popper is a wee bit bonkers, but who could resist the adorable Captain Cook, Greta, and all the rest? It's silly, light, and just exactly what I needed to take a break from Catch-22. It does suffer a little bit from being written so long ago, (It was published in 1938.) but it's still a happy little story about a guy who's got a thing for the arctic worlds. The end's a little funny (as in weird, not ha-ha) and I don't think I'd have ended it quite like that myself. It works, though, and shows off just a little more of Mr. Popper's crazy.
Is it childish? Yes. Would adults enjoy it anyway? If they're into a little bit of whimsy, absolutely. Now to see what Jim Carrey and company did to the story....
Book 19 of 30
Pages: 120ish?
Genre: Children's Lit
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: For kids, mostly, but grown-ups with a Peter Pan complex like myself would probably enjoy it for what it is.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon (Donna Andrews)
Summary:
Another Meg Langslow mystery. This one centers around Meg helping out at her brother, Rob's gaming company while they're going a transition. The jokester jerk of the office gets offed on the motorized mail cart he loved abusing. Shocker, shocker, Meg's the one that finds his body. Shocker, shocker, the first person they suspect is closely related to Meg. (This time it's her brother, which is a rehash of the first book, I think.) Shocker, shocker, Meg solves the mystery.
Thoughts:
The main plot of Meg getting involved in the murders never changes. She's got crappy luck, always discovering all those dead bodies. But these books are fun. You can't help but enjoy the crazy that comes with a Meg Langslow book. Her family's crazy. Her boyfriend's useless. Her friends're suspicious. It's just the way it is in Caerphilly, VA, and their surrounding areas. It's another fun turn with Meg, for sure, and I haven't gotten sick of her yet. I'll keep going through this series.
Book 18 of 30
Pages: 320
Genre: Mystery
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: Yup! I love this series!
Another Meg Langslow mystery. This one centers around Meg helping out at her brother, Rob's gaming company while they're going a transition. The jokester jerk of the office gets offed on the motorized mail cart he loved abusing. Shocker, shocker, Meg's the one that finds his body. Shocker, shocker, the first person they suspect is closely related to Meg. (This time it's her brother, which is a rehash of the first book, I think.) Shocker, shocker, Meg solves the mystery.
Thoughts:
The main plot of Meg getting involved in the murders never changes. She's got crappy luck, always discovering all those dead bodies. But these books are fun. You can't help but enjoy the crazy that comes with a Meg Langslow book. Her family's crazy. Her boyfriend's useless. Her friends're suspicious. It's just the way it is in Caerphilly, VA, and their surrounding areas. It's another fun turn with Meg, for sure, and I haven't gotten sick of her yet. I'll keep going through this series.
Book 18 of 30
Pages: 320
Genre: Mystery
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: Yup! I love this series!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos (Donna Andrews)
Summary:
Meg Langslow is a blacksmith in the Virginia area who has a very cute actor boyfriend, Michael. In this third book in her series, Meg's stuck at a craft fair to commemorate the Battle of Yorktown where her boyfriend's overbearing mother is running the show and demanding a lot from the crafters. They're forced to wear period costumes the entire week, and Meg gets to play go-between for the crafters to Michael's mom. In the midst of the craft fair, there's a murder to solve.
Thoughts:
It's more zany adventures with Meg and her family. Her parents are bonkers, Michael's mother is a tyrant, Spike the dog is a loveable terror (only because the reader has never met the little bugger in person), and the huge extended family is far too far-reaching. But it was fun, and a neat little break between chapters of Catch-22, which I'm still working on. I was honestly surprised, though, that the murder didn't get discovered until the last page of chapter 14, on page 112! I was honestly wondering when the death was going to happen, and then I was surprised when it finally did. I definitely called the victim from the moment we met him, but I wasn't sure on the murderer until the very end. Well played, Ms Andrews. Well played. Though the relationship business was pretty rushed when we finally got to it. That I would have been happier to have spread across more of the book. You can't have it all, can you?
Book 17 of 30
Pages: 293
Genre: Mystery/Romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Perfect for summer reading!
Meg Langslow is a blacksmith in the Virginia area who has a very cute actor boyfriend, Michael. In this third book in her series, Meg's stuck at a craft fair to commemorate the Battle of Yorktown where her boyfriend's overbearing mother is running the show and demanding a lot from the crafters. They're forced to wear period costumes the entire week, and Meg gets to play go-between for the crafters to Michael's mom. In the midst of the craft fair, there's a murder to solve.
Thoughts:
It's more zany adventures with Meg and her family. Her parents are bonkers, Michael's mother is a tyrant, Spike the dog is a loveable terror (only because the reader has never met the little bugger in person), and the huge extended family is far too far-reaching. But it was fun, and a neat little break between chapters of Catch-22, which I'm still working on. I was honestly surprised, though, that the murder didn't get discovered until the last page of chapter 14, on page 112! I was honestly wondering when the death was going to happen, and then I was surprised when it finally did. I definitely called the victim from the moment we met him, but I wasn't sure on the murderer until the very end. Well played, Ms Andrews. Well played. Though the relationship business was pretty rushed when we finally got to it. That I would have been happier to have spread across more of the book. You can't have it all, can you?
Book 17 of 30
Pages: 293
Genre: Mystery/Romance
Grade: B+
Would I Recommend?: Perfect for summer reading!
Breakfast at Tiffany's (Truman Capote)
Summary:
Narrator guy lives in NYC and meets Holly Golightly, an eccentric and alluring woman that lives just upstairs. The story follows our guy as he experiences life with Ms. Golightly.
Also included in the book are three short stories, House of Flowers, A Diamond Guitar, and A Christmas Memory.
Thoughts:
It's weird, like the movie. I saw the movie a few years ago, and couldn't understand what the hell was going on. I read the book, and still didn't quite catch anything either. What I did get was that Holly's nuts, the narrator's in love, and that's about all you're supposed to get.
The three short stories weren't much to write home about... I honestly don't remember much about the House of Flowers and A Christmas Memory ones except that they were depressing. A Diamond Guitar was pretty good, though also really sad.
Book 16 of 30
Pages:161
Genre:Short stories/General Fiction
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Sure, it's pretty much a classic. Plus, the whole thing was pretty fast reading!
Narrator guy lives in NYC and meets Holly Golightly, an eccentric and alluring woman that lives just upstairs. The story follows our guy as he experiences life with Ms. Golightly.
Also included in the book are three short stories, House of Flowers, A Diamond Guitar, and A Christmas Memory.
Thoughts:
It's weird, like the movie. I saw the movie a few years ago, and couldn't understand what the hell was going on. I read the book, and still didn't quite catch anything either. What I did get was that Holly's nuts, the narrator's in love, and that's about all you're supposed to get.
The three short stories weren't much to write home about... I honestly don't remember much about the House of Flowers and A Christmas Memory ones except that they were depressing. A Diamond Guitar was pretty good, though also really sad.
Book 16 of 30
Pages:161
Genre:Short stories/General Fiction
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Sure, it's pretty much a classic. Plus, the whole thing was pretty fast reading!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (Max Brooks)
Summary:
The "writer" opens with a forward saying that he's going to stay out of sight as much as possible in the writing of the book. He goes on to say that he did a fact finding for the US government on what exactly happened during the zombie war and the clean-up afterward. In his original report, he told all the stories of the survivors, but the government rejected it, saying that they only wanted the cold, hard facts. So he went ahead and published this book with all of those stories that the government didn't care about.
The book goes on to tell the stories of the "survivors" of a zombie invasion, and outlines all of the political, social, and economical ramifications of what a full-scale zombie invasion would look like.
Thoughts:
Honestly, it was really interesting. I was completely engaged in this book the whole way through. It actually reads like a hundred testimonials from war heros and survivors. This is exactly what I would expect from someone like Tom Brokaw, about WWII or the Vietnam War or something. It was mind blowing to think about what could happen if our planet was overrun with a fictional brain-eating menace. It's a study in hypotheticals, for sure, but truly a fascinating read.
Book 15 of 30 (Halfway there!)
Pages: 342
Genre: Fantasy/Horror
Grade: A-/B+
Would I Recommend?: Definitely. If you're into the zombie thing, you'll love this, and even if you're not, it was interesting at the very least.
The "writer" opens with a forward saying that he's going to stay out of sight as much as possible in the writing of the book. He goes on to say that he did a fact finding for the US government on what exactly happened during the zombie war and the clean-up afterward. In his original report, he told all the stories of the survivors, but the government rejected it, saying that they only wanted the cold, hard facts. So he went ahead and published this book with all of those stories that the government didn't care about.
The book goes on to tell the stories of the "survivors" of a zombie invasion, and outlines all of the political, social, and economical ramifications of what a full-scale zombie invasion would look like.
Thoughts:
Honestly, it was really interesting. I was completely engaged in this book the whole way through. It actually reads like a hundred testimonials from war heros and survivors. This is exactly what I would expect from someone like Tom Brokaw, about WWII or the Vietnam War or something. It was mind blowing to think about what could happen if our planet was overrun with a fictional brain-eating menace. It's a study in hypotheticals, for sure, but truly a fascinating read.
Book 15 of 30 (Halfway there!)
Pages: 342
Genre: Fantasy/Horror
Grade: A-/B+
Would I Recommend?: Definitely. If you're into the zombie thing, you'll love this, and even if you're not, it was interesting at the very least.
Vampyres of Hollywood (Adrienne Barbeau & Michael Scott)
Summary:
Ovsanna Moore is a Hollywood scream queen who runs a very successful horror movie studio. She's also a 500-year-old vampyre. Peter King is LAPD officer investigating multiple murders that keep leading him back to Ovsanna. What he doesn't know is that Ovsanna's vampyre clan is getting attacked, and she's determined to find out why.
Thoughts:
This is another book that is written alternatively between the two main characters, though not as evenly alternating as Will Grayson, Will Grayson. This vampire book, like most others written in the last five years or so, tries to turn all the old vampire stories on their heads. The murder mystery part was good, but the "vampires really do THIS" stuff is getting old to me. I guess I should probably stop reading vampire novels. There's another of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in the wings, but that series doesn't turn everything completely around. Other than, we'll see.
Book 14 of 30
Pages: 325
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Kinda interesting for the writing style, but Will Grayson, Will Grayson was the same style done better. If you're into vampires and don't mind changing up their background, go for it.
Ovsanna Moore is a Hollywood scream queen who runs a very successful horror movie studio. She's also a 500-year-old vampyre. Peter King is LAPD officer investigating multiple murders that keep leading him back to Ovsanna. What he doesn't know is that Ovsanna's vampyre clan is getting attacked, and she's determined to find out why.
Thoughts:
This is another book that is written alternatively between the two main characters, though not as evenly alternating as Will Grayson, Will Grayson. This vampire book, like most others written in the last five years or so, tries to turn all the old vampire stories on their heads. The murder mystery part was good, but the "vampires really do THIS" stuff is getting old to me. I guess I should probably stop reading vampire novels. There's another of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in the wings, but that series doesn't turn everything completely around. Other than, we'll see.
Book 14 of 30
Pages: 325
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery
Grade: B
Would I Recommend?: Kinda interesting for the writing style, but Will Grayson, Will Grayson was the same style done better. If you're into vampires and don't mind changing up their background, go for it.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson (John Green & David Levithan)
Summary:
Will Grayson is a regular kid from a Chicago suburb that just tries to stay out of the way and keep his mouth shut. But his gigantic best friend, Tiny, is the most fabulous (*snap!*) linebacker in school. Will makes the mistake of writing a letter to the school newspaper in defense of Tiny, and actually signed it. From there, Will's world gets rocked a little more every day, as Tiny brings him deeper into Tiny's circle of friends, who are all in the Gay-Straight Alliance (including a cute girl, Jane, who may or may not be straight). Tiny decides to put on a play of his life, co-starring Will. This is wholly against Will's policy of shutting up and staying out of the public eye.
Will Grayson is a regular kid from a different Chicago suburb that is in love with an online friend, Isaac, who he messages any chance he gets. He's gay, but he tells no one, not even his only friend at school, Maura. He and Maura have a love-hate relationship that only exists because neither of them are close to anyone else.
One fateful day, Will Grayson goes with Tiny and Jane to a concert in Chicago, but it's at a 21+ only club, and Will's fake ID makes him only 20. Tiny and Jane go to the show, and an annoyed Will has time to burn before they go home again. He's determined to make use of his fake ID, so he decides to visit a porn shop across the street. On the very same day, Will Grayson and Isaac agree to meet in the city. Isaac sends Will to meet him at a porn shop in the city. And this is how Will Grayson meets Will Grayson. The story follows the Wills as they both become important parts in Tiny's life.
Thoughts:
The book is really quite incredible. It's written in alternating chapters, one following Will the First, one following Will the Second. They are two very different boys, who happened to have the same name, and who happen to both care about Tiny Cooper very much. The writing is good, and the story is so engaging, that I couldn't put it down. It's a really enjoyable read, although the ending feels a little abrupt for how the story had been playing out. But truly, it was a joy to read this book. I highly suggest it.
Book 13 of 30
Pages: 310
Genre: General fiction, teen lit
Grade: A+
Would I Recommend?: Absolutely. This book is awesome. Everyone should read it.
Will Grayson is a regular kid from a Chicago suburb that just tries to stay out of the way and keep his mouth shut. But his gigantic best friend, Tiny, is the most fabulous (*snap!*) linebacker in school. Will makes the mistake of writing a letter to the school newspaper in defense of Tiny, and actually signed it. From there, Will's world gets rocked a little more every day, as Tiny brings him deeper into Tiny's circle of friends, who are all in the Gay-Straight Alliance (including a cute girl, Jane, who may or may not be straight). Tiny decides to put on a play of his life, co-starring Will. This is wholly against Will's policy of shutting up and staying out of the public eye.
Will Grayson is a regular kid from a different Chicago suburb that is in love with an online friend, Isaac, who he messages any chance he gets. He's gay, but he tells no one, not even his only friend at school, Maura. He and Maura have a love-hate relationship that only exists because neither of them are close to anyone else.
One fateful day, Will Grayson goes with Tiny and Jane to a concert in Chicago, but it's at a 21+ only club, and Will's fake ID makes him only 20. Tiny and Jane go to the show, and an annoyed Will has time to burn before they go home again. He's determined to make use of his fake ID, so he decides to visit a porn shop across the street. On the very same day, Will Grayson and Isaac agree to meet in the city. Isaac sends Will to meet him at a porn shop in the city. And this is how Will Grayson meets Will Grayson. The story follows the Wills as they both become important parts in Tiny's life.
Thoughts:
The book is really quite incredible. It's written in alternating chapters, one following Will the First, one following Will the Second. They are two very different boys, who happened to have the same name, and who happen to both care about Tiny Cooper very much. The writing is good, and the story is so engaging, that I couldn't put it down. It's a really enjoyable read, although the ending feels a little abrupt for how the story had been playing out. But truly, it was a joy to read this book. I highly suggest it.
Book 13 of 30
Pages: 310
Genre: General fiction, teen lit
Grade: A+
Would I Recommend?: Absolutely. This book is awesome. Everyone should read it.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Witch & Wizard (James Patterson)
Summary:
Whit and Wisty are swept away from their home in the middle of the night by government soldiers. Before they're taken away, their parents give them a drumstick and a blank book, which baffles the kids. They get thrown into prison, accused of being a wizard and a witch, and they are told that they will be put to death as soon as they hit eighteen. The book follows them as they fight to escape the prison, and learn all the ins and outs of the new political regime, which hates children.
Thoughts:
I liked it. Patterson weaves a good yarn here, while the kids learn what they really are, and learn how to deal with their magic. I obviously go for fantasy stuff more often than not, and this was a new and different twist on the witch/wizard plot line. And unlike Twilight, it doesn't turn everything on its head. Instead, it just expands on the worlds that have already been created. Plus, I liked the characters in this one.
Book 12 of 30
Pages: 312
Genre: Fantasy
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: Yup. Interesting story, and a good start to the series. I'll definitely be going further in this series.
Whit and Wisty are swept away from their home in the middle of the night by government soldiers. Before they're taken away, their parents give them a drumstick and a blank book, which baffles the kids. They get thrown into prison, accused of being a wizard and a witch, and they are told that they will be put to death as soon as they hit eighteen. The book follows them as they fight to escape the prison, and learn all the ins and outs of the new political regime, which hates children.
Thoughts:
I liked it. Patterson weaves a good yarn here, while the kids learn what they really are, and learn how to deal with their magic. I obviously go for fantasy stuff more often than not, and this was a new and different twist on the witch/wizard plot line. And unlike Twilight, it doesn't turn everything on its head. Instead, it just expands on the worlds that have already been created. Plus, I liked the characters in this one.
Book 12 of 30
Pages: 312
Genre: Fantasy
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: Yup. Interesting story, and a good start to the series. I'll definitely be going further in this series.
Naked Heat (Richard Castle)
Summary:
In "Castle's" second Nikki Heat novel, Nikki and Jamie Rook get wrapped up in the murder of a friend of Rook's, a gossip columnist who got into a story that was far bigger than she realized it was. Rook and Nikki embark on the case solving adventure, learning far more about the columnist than anyone else knew, all while trying to ignore the sexual tension between themselves.
Thoughts:
Another fun romp with Rook and Heat. It once again feels exactly like the show in written form. I think this one, if it were put on the show, would be more of a two-parter. There were many more details that they would never be able to stuff into a one-hour show. The mysteries written by "Castle" aren't too crazy on the plot front, but this one gave me enough to think about, for sure. It was a fun, quick read.
Book 11 of 30
Pages: 290
Genre: Mystery/romance
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: If you watch Castle, yes. Otherwise, it's just a cheesy mystery novel.
In "Castle's" second Nikki Heat novel, Nikki and Jamie Rook get wrapped up in the murder of a friend of Rook's, a gossip columnist who got into a story that was far bigger than she realized it was. Rook and Nikki embark on the case solving adventure, learning far more about the columnist than anyone else knew, all while trying to ignore the sexual tension between themselves.
Thoughts:
Another fun romp with Rook and Heat. It once again feels exactly like the show in written form. I think this one, if it were put on the show, would be more of a two-parter. There were many more details that they would never be able to stuff into a one-hour show. The mysteries written by "Castle" aren't too crazy on the plot front, but this one gave me enough to think about, for sure. It was a fun, quick read.
Book 11 of 30
Pages: 290
Genre: Mystery/romance
Grade: A-
Would I Recommend?: If you watch Castle, yes. Otherwise, it's just a cheesy mystery novel.
The First Love Cookie Club (Lori Wilde)
Summary:
As a child, Sarah Collier had negligent parents, and her only joy came when she spent Christmas and holidays with her grandmother in Twilight, Texas. She fell for the boy next door, Travis, who was far older than her. She even dreams of him every hear when she follows the mythos of the kismet cookie, which says that if you sleep with a cookie under your pillow on Christmas Eve, you will dream of the person you'll marry. Sarah's heart was broken when, on Christmas Day, Travis went and married someone else. (She was even his own age and everything!)
Fast forward a decade to Sarah as a huge rock star writer, who's trying to work on her second book, and whose broken heart as a kid has led her to never have a true love affair of any kind. Her editor sends her to a week-long publicity push in, where else, Twilight. Her presence was sought by the First Love Cookie Club, who are trying to make a little girl happy by bringing her favorite writer to town. Guess whose daughter that sweet little girl is. Travis. Sparks fly, hearts melt, and romance ensues.
Thoughts:
Not a bad romance novel, though it's pretty standard faire for the genre. The characters are nicely written, but this isn't exactly a James Patterson mystery. (The Patterson book will come soon!) More than anything, I expected a little talk about the actual recipe of the kismet cookies. They're supposedly amazing cookies, according to the book. With a title like "The First Love Cookie Club," I expected a little something. Oh well. Over all, it's just the standard romance story. At least there's no cop to fawn over.
Book 10 of 30 for the year
Pages: 370
Genre: Romance
Grade: B-
Would I Recommend?: It's a standard romance novel. Go with it.
As a child, Sarah Collier had negligent parents, and her only joy came when she spent Christmas and holidays with her grandmother in Twilight, Texas. She fell for the boy next door, Travis, who was far older than her. She even dreams of him every hear when she follows the mythos of the kismet cookie, which says that if you sleep with a cookie under your pillow on Christmas Eve, you will dream of the person you'll marry. Sarah's heart was broken when, on Christmas Day, Travis went and married someone else. (She was even his own age and everything!)
Fast forward a decade to Sarah as a huge rock star writer, who's trying to work on her second book, and whose broken heart as a kid has led her to never have a true love affair of any kind. Her editor sends her to a week-long publicity push in, where else, Twilight. Her presence was sought by the First Love Cookie Club, who are trying to make a little girl happy by bringing her favorite writer to town. Guess whose daughter that sweet little girl is. Travis. Sparks fly, hearts melt, and romance ensues.
Thoughts:
Not a bad romance novel, though it's pretty standard faire for the genre. The characters are nicely written, but this isn't exactly a James Patterson mystery. (The Patterson book will come soon!) More than anything, I expected a little talk about the actual recipe of the kismet cookies. They're supposedly amazing cookies, according to the book. With a title like "The First Love Cookie Club," I expected a little something. Oh well. Over all, it's just the standard romance story. At least there's no cop to fawn over.
Book 10 of 30 for the year
Pages: 370
Genre: Romance
Grade: B-
Would I Recommend?: It's a standard romance novel. Go with it.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
I Heart New York (Lindsey Kelk)
Summary:
As we first meet the very British Angela, she has the distinct pleasure of finding out that her boyfriend who she thought was about to propose was, in fact, schtooping some chick he plays tennis with. Oh, and she finds this out at her best friend's wedding. Double oh, she finds out that her best friend and the new hubby knew the whole time. Because they all played tennis together. Except Angela. Yeah. So Angela decides to run. To New York City. She winds up not only meeting two hot guys, AND dating both of them, to the point where she gets to choose which man she wants to date, but she lands a blogging gig that gets her serious exposure. And she gets her happily ever.
Thoughts:
The whole thing is very Mary-Sue-ish to me. I didn't like the the dude she wound up with, and the fact that she basically falls into the blog thing annoyed me too. No one has it that easy. The book was a fast read, for sure. But the character was so dysfunctional and wishy-washy, I just didn't like her. It didn't help that the true resolution with her best friend who knew everything about the affair and told her nothing happened some time between the end of the "last chapter" and the beginning of the "epilogue." She speaks to the best friend over the phone for four pages' worth of time, says "Goodbye, I love you, and I'm glad you're okay" and then it goes from there to months down the line where the best friend sends her a congratulatory text. Seriously? Sometimes I wonder about why people end books like that. Let's just leave relationships in a weird limbo, yeah, that's a great plan! I like it.
Book 9 of 30 books for the year
Pages: 307
Genre: General Fiction/Romance
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Recommend?: Eh. Read it, don't read it. It's all up to you.
As we first meet the very British Angela, she has the distinct pleasure of finding out that her boyfriend who she thought was about to propose was, in fact, schtooping some chick he plays tennis with. Oh, and she finds this out at her best friend's wedding. Double oh, she finds out that her best friend and the new hubby knew the whole time. Because they all played tennis together. Except Angela. Yeah. So Angela decides to run. To New York City. She winds up not only meeting two hot guys, AND dating both of them, to the point where she gets to choose which man she wants to date, but she lands a blogging gig that gets her serious exposure. And she gets her happily ever.
Thoughts:
The whole thing is very Mary-Sue-ish to me. I didn't like the the dude she wound up with, and the fact that she basically falls into the blog thing annoyed me too. No one has it that easy. The book was a fast read, for sure. But the character was so dysfunctional and wishy-washy, I just didn't like her. It didn't help that the true resolution with her best friend who knew everything about the affair and told her nothing happened some time between the end of the "last chapter" and the beginning of the "epilogue." She speaks to the best friend over the phone for four pages' worth of time, says "Goodbye, I love you, and I'm glad you're okay" and then it goes from there to months down the line where the best friend sends her a congratulatory text. Seriously? Sometimes I wonder about why people end books like that. Let's just leave relationships in a weird limbo, yeah, that's a great plan! I like it.
Book 9 of 30 books for the year
Pages: 307
Genre: General Fiction/Romance
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Recommend?: Eh. Read it, don't read it. It's all up to you.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Born Under a Lucky Moon (Dana Precious)
Summary:
Jeannie is a thirty-nine year old movie promoter dealing with a jerk trying to take her top spot in the company, and who just got proposed to by her hunky boyfriend. But she's also a nineteen year old who hasn't moved out of the house, and who has a crazy family that's all coming back to the house for a summer. The novel flips back and forth between those two parts of Jeannie's life, as Jeannie tells her honey why she thinks he shouldn't want to marry her.
Thoughts:
I liked the younger Jeannie much better than the older one. Young Jeannie laughs off her crazy family a lot more than older Jeannie. Jeannie is self-involved, and a bit of a jerk. She doesn't make time for her family, and especially as a thirty-something, is so concerned with how "wacky" her family is that she won't even take her hunky man to meet her family, and he's ready to marry the woman. I'll take "Oblivious Bitch" for 500, Alex.
Book 8 of 30 for the year
Pages: 419
Genre: General fiction, romance
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Recommend?: Eh. It was kinda stupid, all things considered.
Jeannie is a thirty-nine year old movie promoter dealing with a jerk trying to take her top spot in the company, and who just got proposed to by her hunky boyfriend. But she's also a nineteen year old who hasn't moved out of the house, and who has a crazy family that's all coming back to the house for a summer. The novel flips back and forth between those two parts of Jeannie's life, as Jeannie tells her honey why she thinks he shouldn't want to marry her.
Thoughts:
I liked the younger Jeannie much better than the older one. Young Jeannie laughs off her crazy family a lot more than older Jeannie. Jeannie is self-involved, and a bit of a jerk. She doesn't make time for her family, and especially as a thirty-something, is so concerned with how "wacky" her family is that she won't even take her hunky man to meet her family, and he's ready to marry the woman. I'll take "Oblivious Bitch" for 500, Alex.
Book 8 of 30 for the year
Pages: 419
Genre: General fiction, romance
Grade: B-/C+
Would I Recommend?: Eh. It was kinda stupid, all things considered.
Juliet (Anne Fortier)
Summary:
Julie, with her twin sister, Janice, is raised in the States by her aunt. Aunt Rose passes away and leaves everything to Janice, and nothing but a letter to Julie. Julie has to fly to Siena, Italy, and try to figure out what her parents were working on before they died. She falls into a search for information on one of her ancestors. See, the fun thing is, Julie is really Giulietta Tolomei, and her ancestor of the same name was the real Juliet. The storyline flips between the current day Giulietta and the original.
Thoughts:
Incredible story. I had no idea there was a real Romeo and Juliet, let alone the fact that Willy Shakes actually stole the story from a few other authors, who wrote about the real people. It's such an engaging story, and I couldn't put it down. I loved the characters, except the sister. She drove me crazy, even when we were supposed to really like her. Past that, everyone else was awesome, and I truly enjoyed both sides of the story. I highly recommend this one. It's a great novel, and I'm glad I picked it up from the Book of the Month club.
Book 7 of 30 for the year
Pages: 447
Genre: Romance, historical fiction
Grade: A+
Would I Recommend?: Yes. Absolutely.
Julie, with her twin sister, Janice, is raised in the States by her aunt. Aunt Rose passes away and leaves everything to Janice, and nothing but a letter to Julie. Julie has to fly to Siena, Italy, and try to figure out what her parents were working on before they died. She falls into a search for information on one of her ancestors. See, the fun thing is, Julie is really Giulietta Tolomei, and her ancestor of the same name was the real Juliet. The storyline flips between the current day Giulietta and the original.
Thoughts:
Incredible story. I had no idea there was a real Romeo and Juliet, let alone the fact that Willy Shakes actually stole the story from a few other authors, who wrote about the real people. It's such an engaging story, and I couldn't put it down. I loved the characters, except the sister. She drove me crazy, even when we were supposed to really like her. Past that, everyone else was awesome, and I truly enjoyed both sides of the story. I highly recommend this one. It's a great novel, and I'm glad I picked it up from the Book of the Month club.
Book 7 of 30 for the year
Pages: 447
Genre: Romance, historical fiction
Grade: A+
Would I Recommend?: Yes. Absolutely.
Pirate Latitudes (Michael Crichton)
Summary:
In Crichton's last published novel, he explores the pirate world in Port Royal in the 1660's. The Governor of Jamaica gets word that there's a treasure ship in a semi-nearby Spanish port, and sends the local "privateer" to capture it and bring it back to Port Royal. Pirating ensues.
Thoughts:
Awesome. Pretty much anything by Crichton is incredible, and this was actually found in his notes after he passed. It's a pretty cool look at the history of the area and how things came together for that area in those times. A fun romp through the Caribbean in the 1660's. Go and enjoy!
Book 6 of 30 for the year
Pages: 312
Genre: Historical fiction, Pirates!
Grade: A+
Would I Recommend?: Absolutely. Crichton is a genius.
In Crichton's last published novel, he explores the pirate world in Port Royal in the 1660's. The Governor of Jamaica gets word that there's a treasure ship in a semi-nearby Spanish port, and sends the local "privateer" to capture it and bring it back to Port Royal. Pirating ensues.
Thoughts:
Awesome. Pretty much anything by Crichton is incredible, and this was actually found in his notes after he passed. It's a pretty cool look at the history of the area and how things came together for that area in those times. A fun romp through the Caribbean in the 1660's. Go and enjoy!
Book 6 of 30 for the year
Pages: 312
Genre: Historical fiction, Pirates!
Grade: A+
Would I Recommend?: Absolutely. Crichton is a genius.
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