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The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Title: The Girl on the Train

Author: Paula Hawkins

Publisher: Riverhead Books 2015

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Ebook; 52 Books - W28; New Author

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

A must read according to lots of bloggers and best seller lists. And amazingly the book lives up to all the hype. Not very often that I like those hyped books. I loved how the unreliable narrators kept the reader guessing as to what really happened and who did it. Rachel was a very interesting character. On the surface, no one should like Rachel, but for some reason you feel for her. I couldn't stand Megan, but that seems to be the point. And Anna was the intriguing character thrown in the mix. Overall, a very interesting read. I definitely recommend it.

tags: 5 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, ebook, fiction, New Author, Paula Hawkins, TBR Reduction
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 07.15.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Highlander Unbound by Julia London

Title: Highlander Unbound (Lockhart Family #1)

Author: Julia London

Publisher: Pocket Star Books 2004

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 390

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; 52 Books - W27; New Author

On leave from his Highland regiment, Captain Liam Lockhart comes to London on an urgent mission: to repossess the stolen family heirloom that could save his ancestral estate. He never dreamed it would involve surrendering his heart. But the beautiful and scandalous socialite Ellen Farnsworth sets his Highland blood aflame with a will as strong and reckless as his own. Though bound to Liam by a soul-searing passion, duty impels Ellen to commit a terrible betrayal. Now, driven by passion, pride, and vengeance that know no bounds, this fearsome Highlander will reclaim not only his family's ancient treasure, but the one daring woman he was meant to love for all time.

Eh. I wasn't super excited by this book, but it wasn't bad. I just didn't enjoy any of the main characters or much of the storyline. Not my series.

Lockhart Family (DNFed series)

  • #1 Highlander Unbound
  • #2 Highlander in Disguise
  • #3 Highlander in Love
tags: 3 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, Julia London, mount tbr, New Author, romance, TBR Reduction
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 07.09.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Sally Heathcote: Suffragette by Mary M Talbot, Kate Charlesworth

Title: Sally Heathcote: Suffragette

Author: Mary M Talbot, Kate Charlesworth

Publisher: Dark Horse 2014

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 183

Rating:  3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read Your Freebies; New Authors

A tale of loyalty, love, and courage, Sally Heathcote, Suffragette follows the fortunes of a common housemaid swept up in the feminist militancy of early 20th century Edwardian Britain. As the growing hunger for change grows within a culture of rigid social mores and class barriers, Sally and thousands like her rise up to break the bonds of oppression at the risk of ostracization and violence.

One of my thematic focuses in college was the Progressive Era and Women's Suffrage Movement. That being said, I was really wanting to love this volume. Unfortunately it failed to live up to the excitement. My main issue is with the writing style. I love the use of a graphic novel format, but the dialogue didn't fit. The storyline jumps around so much that even I had trouble figuring out who or what they were talking about. And that fact made the volume almost unreadable. Just couldn't get behind this one at all...

tags: 3 stars, graphic novel, New Author, Read Your Freebies
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 06.19.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

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Title: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

Author: Jonas Jonasson

Publisher: Piratforlaget 2009

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 384

Rating:  3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read Your Freebies; 52 Books -- W24; New Authors

After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home, believing it to be his last stop. The only problem is that he's still in good health, and in one day, he turns 100. A big celebration is in the works, but Allan really isn't interested (and he'd like a bit more control over his vodka consumption). So he decides to escape. He climbs out the window in his slippers and embarks on a hilarious and entirely unexpected journey, involving, among other surprises, a suitcase stuffed with cash, some unpleasant criminals, a friendly hot-dog stand operator, and an elephant (not to mention a death by elephant).

The first chapter was great fun. The second chapter was good fun. The next hundred pages or so were great. But then things started going off the rails for me. Allan's life story was just too fantastic. I couldn't get into his story. I kept thinking "this is just ridiculous."  The book could have been even better if the story were a little less fantastical. Overall, not the book for me.

tags: 3 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, fiction, Jonas Jonasson, New Author, Read Your Freebies
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 06.16.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce

Title: 666 Park Avenue (666 Park Avenue #1)

Author: Gabriella Pierce

Publisher: William Morrow 2011

Genre: Paranormal -- Witches

Pages: 320

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; New Author; Book to Movie

Elite Upper East Side Witches Rule Park Avenue! 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce kicks off a wonderfully high concept and richly gothic contemporary series about the darkness lurking behind the gilded halls of New York City high society. For the original Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries fan who’s grown up and is ready for an edgier, more sophisticated read, 666 Park Avenue is the perfect paranormal diversion.

This book has been sitting on my shelf for a few years now. I've just never actually picked it up and started reading. After reading, I have mixed feelings. The writing was good. The characters were okay. But there was something that felt a bit too much like The Vampire Diaries, etc. Too soap opera in its tone. I finished the book and decided that I would probably finish the series, but only because I sorta want to see how it ends.

Television Show:

Wow! That was a waste of my hour. The television show has basically nothing to do with the book series. As far as I can tell from the pilot, the only similarities are that there is a building in New York City and the main female character's name is Jane. That's it! And don't get me started on the acting. It was torture just getting through the first episode. I am officially not going back to the rest of the series. Done and done!

666 Park Avenue

  • #1 666 Park Avenue
  • #2 The Dark Glamour
  • #3 The Lost Soul
tags: 3 stars, Gabriella Pierce, horror, mount tbr, New Author, TBR Reduction, witches
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 06.09.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Martian by Andy Weir

Title: The Martian

Author: Andy Weir

Publisher: Broadway Books 2014

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 387

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; 52 Books -- W23; New Authors

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Holy moley! What a book! Everyone has been raving about this one and they were right. There is an amazing blend of science and suspense to keep my attention throughout the book. I actually read the first ~80 pages one night and then read the rest today in one sitting. It was too good to put down again! I was right there with Mark through every obstacle and constant boredom. I loved getting in deep with the science. Weir definitely did his homework. I know there are a few fictional concessions to traveling to and from Mars, but they weren't out of the realm of possibility. This book held me to the last page. Now I want to read more actual science about getting to Mars.

tags: 5 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, Andy Weir, mount tbr, New Author, science fiction, TBR Reduction
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 06.06.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

Title: The Dovekeepers

Author: Alice Hoffman

Publisher: Scribner 2011

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 504

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 21st Century Women Authors; Read Your Freebies; A to Z - D; New Author

Nearly 2,000 years ago, nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert. According to the ancient historian Josephus, two women and five children survived. Based on this tragic and iconic event, Hoffman’s novel is a spellbinding tale of four extraordinarily bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to Masada by a different path.

The lives of these four complex and fiercely independent women intersect in the desperate days of the siege. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets—about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love. The Dovekeepers is Alice Hoffman’s masterpiece.

So I really wanted the like this book. I really did! I had heard such great things and the summary intrigued me. Unfortunately I just had a hard time connected with any character and getting past my annoyance with the preaching nature. None of the main characters spoke to me at all. I wanted to find someone real, but they felt like just characters. I also became very annoyed with Yael's narration. She repeated herself way too many times. As to the preaching tone of the novel, I must say that I was fairly turned off. It was weird. Some times it seemed like the characters were pointing out why following the religion was bad and other times they seemed to support it. I couldn't settle on the tone, but the preaching at the reader got to me. Oh well. Another hyped book that I just didn't get into.

tags: 21st Century Women, 3 stars, a to z, Alice Hoffman, historical fiction, New Author, Read Your Freebies
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 05.12.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Title: Odd Thomas

Author: Dean Koontz

Publisher: Bantam 2003

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 399

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read Your Freebies; Book to Movies; 52 Books - W18; New Author

Meet Odd Thomas, the unassuming young hero of Dean Koontz’s dazzling New York Times bestseller, a gallant sentinel at the crossroads of life and death who offers up his heart in these pages and will forever capture yours.

Sometimes the silent souls who seek out Odd want justice. Occasionally their otherworldly tips help him prevent a crime. But this time it’s different. A stranger comes to Pico Mundo, accompanied by a horde of hyena-like shades who herald an imminent catastrophe. Aided by his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock ’n’ Roll, Odd will race against time to thwart the gathering evil. His account of these shattering hours, in which past and present, fate and destiny, converge, is a testament by which to live—an unforgettable fable for our time destined to rank among Dean Koontz’s most enduring works.

Our book club selection for May. I dove so hard into this book that I finished it in two days! I just got so engrossed into the story of Odd that I didn't want to leave until the last page. I love the tone of this book. It's a detective novel with supernatural forces. I loved each and every encounter he had with a ghost, especially Elvis. I hope that Elvis makes appearances in the rest of the series. Really all of the side characters were very interesting. I can't wait to see more from Rosalia and Chief Potter and Terri.  I have to admits that I didn't realize what was going on until the reveal. But that made the book better. I don't want to be able to predict the ending on page 30. This left in the suspense. I'm thinking that I will have to get the rest of this series soon...

Movie:

The movie is very true to the book. They definitely cut down on some of the side plots (mostly about his parents and Little Ozzie), but the cuts stream line the movie.I wish they had explored more of his relationship wit the Chief. Instead, we focus on Odd, Stormy, and the oncoming danger to Pico Mundo. I was a little put off by the narration, but I guess it's the best way to let the audience know all the quirks about Odd. Anton Yelchin is perfect as Odd Thomas. He's likable and fun, but can turn on a dime to be a bit spooky. Whoever the actress was that played Stormy was good. I believed that her and Odd were the perfect match. I almost got a bit teary-eyed at the end. Very fun movie adaptation of a good book.

Odd Thomas:

  • #1 Odd Thomas
  • #2 Forever Odd
  • #3 Brother Odd
  • #4 Odd Hours
  • #4.1 Odd Interlude
  • #4.2 Odd Interlude
  • #4.3 Odd Interlude
  • #5 Odd Apocalypse
  • #6 Deeply Odd
  • #6.5 You are Destined to Be Together Forever
  • #7 Saint Odd
tags: 5 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, Books to Movies, Dean Koontz, fantasy, New Author, Read Your Freebies
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 05.04.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Title: All The Light We Cannot See

Author: Anthony Doerr

Publisher: Scribner 2014

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 531

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Ebook; A to Z - A; 52 Books - W15; New Author

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

This month's book club selection. I was intrigued by the first chapter, but also a little concerned that the story was going to drag. Thankfully it did not. I was fully invested in Marie-Laure and Wener's separate and combined stories. The characters are great and I loved the storyline. But my favorite part of the novel was the writing style. Doerr's writing is magically lyrical. I was instantly transported to the locations in the book. My favorite was the hidden grotto Marie-Laure frequents in Saint-Malo. Such a fancy place. I could see it perfectly in my mind. the novel was a great read. I can't wait to discuss at book club on Sunday.

tags: 4 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, a to z, Anthony Doerr, ebook, historical fiction, New Author, TBR Reduction
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 04.16.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Y: The Last Man Vol. 1 Unmanned

Title: Y: The Last Man Vol. 1 Unmanned

Author: Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra

Publisher: Vertigo 2003

Genre: Comics

Pages: 128

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; A to Z -- Y; New Author;

Written by Brian K. Vaughan (LOST, PRIDE OF BAGHDAD, EX MACHINA) and with art by Pia Guerra, this is the saga of Yorick Brown—the only human survivor of a planet-wide plague that instantly kills every mammal possessing a Y chromosome. Accompanied by a mysterious government agent, a brilliant young geneticist and his pet monkey, Ampersand, Yorick travels the world in search of his lost love and the answer to why he's the last man on earth.

I've been meaning to read this series for ages. Somehow I just never picked it up... Glad that I did grab it last visit to the library. I read the entire volume today after packing. The storyline isn't anything earth shattering, but that's okay. I'm reading this series for the characters. I love the different character groups that Yorick encounters on his journeys. The best has been the Amazons. I can't wait to see where and when they reappear. And Agent 355 is just amazing. Can't wait to read more.

Y: The Last Man

  • Vol. 1 Unmanned
  • Vol. 2 Cycles
  • Vol. 3 One Small Step
  • Vol. 4 Safeword
  • Vol. 5 Ring of Truth
  • Vol. 6 Girl on Girl
  • Vol. 7 Paper Dolls
  • Vol. 8 Kimono Dragons
  • Vol. 9 Motherland
  • Vol. 10 Whys and Wherefoes
tags: 5 stars, a to z, Brian K- Vaughan, graphic novel, library, New Author
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 03.16.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

A Hundred Pieces of Me by Lucy Dillon

Title: A Hundred Pieces of Me

Author: Lucy Dillon

Publisher: Berkley 2014

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 447

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; A to Z - H; New Author; OLW Home

Reeling from her recent divorce, Gina Bellamy suddenly finds herself figuring out how to live on her own. Determined to make a fresh start Gina knows drastic measures are in order.

First up: throwing away all her possessions except for the one hundred things that mean the most to her. But what items are worth saving? Letters from the only man she’s ever loved? A keepsake of the father she never knew? Or a blue glass vase that perfectly captures the light?

As she lets go of the past, Gina begins to come to terms with what has happened in her life and discovers that seizing the day is sometimes the only thing to do. And when one decides to do just that...magic happens.

Our book club selection for January. This one spoke to me from the back cover. I really wanted to find out more about Gina's journey. While I've not gone through a recent divorce like the main character, we have just moved and I feel like we've made a huge change in our lives. I'm currently loving the idea of re-examining our possessions and memories attached to those possessions. Gina was a great character to follow along this path. While I wanted to smack her a few times for her thoughts/actions, I grew to love her. She seemed so real. I felt that I was reading a memoir instead of a novel. At times I wanted to give her a big hug and tell her that things were going to get better. Somehow Dillon made Gina so real to me. I really got sucked into the book.

Connection to OLW: One of my reading challenges this year is to read books related to my One Little Word: Home. Initially I didn't connect this book to my word, but by the end it was screaming at me. Part of creating a home is examining the contents. Are they things you love, hate, or are neutral about? Are there specific memories associated with your possessions? This book made be realize that I want to take a closer look at some of the things in our house. I want to only buy things that I love or are absolutely essential (like toilet paper) for our new house. I love that a novel made me connect to my OLW.

tags: 5 stars, a to z, fiction, mount tbr, New Author, OLW, TBR Reduction
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 01.17.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

Title: The Killer Angels

Author: Michael Shaara

Publisher: McKay 1974

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 368

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; A to Z - K; New Author

In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation’s history, two armies fought for two conflicting dreams. One dreamed of freedom, the other of a way of life. Far more than rifles and bullets were carried into battle. There were memories. There were promises. There was love. And far more than men fell on those Pennsylvania fields. Bright futures, untested innocence, and pristine beauty were also the casualties of war. Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize–winning masterpiece is unique, sweeping, unforgettable—the dramatic story of the battleground for America’s destiny.

Our book club selection for January. How have I never actually read this book? I love history, I especially love U.S. History, and I love historical fiction. At any rate, This was a fascinating account of the battle of Gettysburg. I loved being able to get into the heads of the various generals and soldiers. Somehow a fictional account of the battle makes it more real. I came out of the book with a better understanding of the battle progression and decisions made by various people. A recommendation for history lovers.

tags: 4 stars, a to z, Civil War, historical fiction, Michael Shaara, mount tbr, New Author, TBR Reduction
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 01.12.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

2015 New Author and OLW 2015 Reading Challenges

NAC.2015

For this year's reading challenges, I decided to do something very different and drastic.  I am going to read women authors.  I feel like I've been neglecting all those wonderful female authors sitting on my shelves.  I will be tailoring my challenge participation to account for this overall goal.  I do have a few exceptions.  I may read a male author if 1) I've already started the series and desperately want to finish it (i.e. Song of Ice and Fire) 2) It is a book club selection (out of my hands) or 3) If it is a male author writing nonfiction specifically about a women subject (e.g. a biography of Kate Chopin).  Other than those three exceptions, I want to discover some wonderful women authors.

From Literary Escapism:

Welcome back to the New Authors reading challenge! I’m hoping everyone is still enjoying this reading challenge as we head into our seventh year.

For those new to the New Author Challenge, the whole idea started when I first started reviewing and I didn’t know that many authors in my favored genre. So I went looking. I gave myself a goal of finding 50 new authors and ended up reading 56 that first year. I loved finding these new characters, worlds and cultures, so I want to help others find new ones as well. Since 2006, I’ve tried over 150 different authors I may not have tried otherwise and I have found some really great authors.

The idea behind this is to find new authors that you’ve never tried before, not necessarily ones that are debuting. They can be in your genre of choice or be brave and try something new. You never know what you’re going to like until you try it. If you’re looking for some suggestions, you can check out the Author page here at Literary Escapism or the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and2014 Challenge pages. With over 1000 reviews posted, I’m sure there will be something there for everyone.

Here are the guidelines:

  1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015.
  2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels. Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from short stories/novellas or anthologies.
  3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors. It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be.  If you reach your goal halfway through the year, don’t stop. Any new author you try can be added to Mr. Linky. We all want to know about your new experience.
  4. After reading your new author, write your review and then come back here and add your link to Mr. Linky. Make sure you include your name and the author, but adding the title is completely up to you.
  5. Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome. You don’t have to have a site to participate. You can link up via Facebook, GoodReads or even Amazon if you’d like.

Once you reach your goal, you don’t have to stop. Any new author you try, go ahead and head back here and add it to the list. Introduce us all to whoever you find. Afterall, there’s no reason to stop trying new authors, right?

I'm joining again this year.  I've decided to go for 15 new fiction authors this year.

OLW 2015: Home

I've joined Ali Edwards for One Little Word 2015.  As part of the class, someone on the message board mentioned the idea of reading books associated with their word.  What a great idea! I decided that I wanted to add this reading challenge onto my others.  My word is HOME, so I've been scouring Amazon for book ideas associated with HOME.  I have a few ideas, but I'm sure I'll find more and more as the year goes on.  I'm aiming for 10 HOME related books this year.

tags: New Author, One Little Word
categories: Reading Challenges
Friday 01.09.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Love Finds You in Hershey Pennsylvania by Cerella D. Sechrist

Title: Love Finds You in Hershey Pennsylvania

Author: Cerella D. Sechrist

Publisher: Summerside Press 2010

Genre: Christian Romance

Pages: 347

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; A to Z - L; What's in a Name - City; 52 Books - W2; New Author

Chef Sadie Spencer is living the sweet life, running a successful eatery in the charming town of Hershey. That is, until a handsome stranger arrives with plans to open a competing restaurant. Will Sadie melt under the pressure…or find a love that's simply icing on the cake?

Not impressed by this one.  I enjoyed the first half of the book.  Sadie and Jaspar were an interesting couple and I love them getting together.  And then the book took a huge turn and I just wanted to slap Sadie. Ugh!  Not a fan of that character at all.  Her obsession with the dessert competition wasn't an interesting challenge, it was neglectful. I just couldn't stand her at all. My major dislike of the main character permeated my reading experience for the rest of the novel. I finished it, but wasn't excited at all.

tags: 3 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, a to z, Bout of Books Readathon, Christian, library, New Author, romance, What's in a Name
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 01.05.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent (Divergent #1)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen 2012

Genre: YA Dystopia

Pages: 410

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall Reading Challenge; NPR Teen; US of YA - Illinois; Ebook; New Author; 52 Books - W48; Book to Movie; Well Rounded - Dystopia

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

This has been on my list for ages...  I stayed away mostly because I really enjoyed The Hunger Games. I thought this would be too close for me to truly enjoy.  Thankfully they are different enough that I really enjoyed this book. Tris is a good character, not great, but good. You can definitely tell that she is 16 years old, but that's the point right?  We are supposed to follow her journey of growing up, making mistakes, finding her identity. I liked Four as a character and especially loved Christina and Will. My main issue was with the romance sections.  They just felt incredibly forced and fake. For that I knock off one star.  I would have preferred just the fight against the society. Overall, I am excited to read Insurgent, but first let's watch the movie version.

download-1 (1920).jpeg

Movie:

Surprisingly good. I was expecting large deviations from the book. I was expecting annoying characters and no chemistry between the leads.  Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by the actors and actresses. The screenplay kept fairly true to the book. There were only a few changes and I understood the need for changes for most of them. The best part were the world building visuals.  I loved the scenes of old Chicago especially the lake shots. I'm hopefully anticipating the second movie...

Divergent:

  • #0.1 The Transfer
  • #0.2 The Initiate
  • #0.3 The Son
  • #0.4 The Traitor
  • #1 Divergent
  • #1.5 Free Four
  • #2 Insurgent
  • #3 Allegiant
tags: 4 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, Books to Movies, dystopian, Fall Reading Challenge, New Author, NPR Teen, US of YA, Veronica Roth, Well Rounded Reader, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 11.28.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

Title: Annihilation (Southern Reach #1)

Author: Jeff Vandermeer

Publisher: FSG 2014

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 209

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall Reading Challenge; New Author; Read Your Freebies; Seriously Series

Area X has been cut off from the rest of the continent for decades. Nature has reclaimed the last vestiges of human civilization. The first expedition returned with reports of a pristine, Edenic landscape; the second expedition ended in mass suicide, the third expedition in a hail of gunfire as its members turned on one another. The members of the eleventh expedition returned as shadows of their former selves, and within weeks, all had died of cancer. In Annihilation, the first volume of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy, we join the twelfth expedition. The group is made up of four women: an anthropologist; a surveyor; a psychologist, the de facto leader; and our narrator, a biologist. Their mission is to map the terrain, record all observations of their surroundings and of one anotioner, and, above all, avoid being contaminated by Area X itself. They arrive expecting the unexpected, and Area X delivers—they discover a massive topographic anomaly and life forms that surpass understanding—but it’s the surprises that came across the border with them and the secrets the expedition members are keeping from one another that change everything.

This one was downright scary!  And I have to say that it takes a lot to unnerve me while reading a book.  This one did it.  The summary sounded liked a fun little science fiction book to help pull me out of the reading slump.  In reality, I got an intense psychological thriller and loved every page of it.  The narrator is deliciously unreliable.  I kept changing my mind about her: good intentions? manipulative? making it all up? I loved the first person narrative as a structure. We get to see the events through the biologist's eyes for better or worse.  While the whole book was very scary and suspenseful, I almost had to put it down during the biologist's final descent into the tower. Holy crap that was scary! But also amazingly good! I ended up knocking off a star because I was left with more questions than answers by the end. I will be reading the rest of the series, but felt like we could have had a bit more reveals in the first book.

Southern Reach:

  • 1. Annihilation
  • 2. Authority
  • 3. Acceptance
tags: 4 stars, fall into reading, Jeff Vandermeer, New Author, Read Your Freebies, Seriously Series, thriller
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 11.06.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Dune by Frank Herbert

Title: Dune

Author: Frank Herbert

Publisher: Chilton Books 1965

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 894

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Scifi and Fantasy; NPR Teen; Ebook; New Author; Monthly Motif - Award Winner

Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Muad'Dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family--and would bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream.

A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what it undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.

J has been trying to get me to read Dune for ages (at least 2 years).  I finally did it and I'm pleasantly surprised. I actually enjoyed another classical science fiction book. Many complain that the book throws the reader into a complicated world with its own language.  That's true, but I had not problem parsing out the meaning of the words or figuring out the various houses and motivations.  As the book progresses, Herbert touches on  a variety of topics including politics imperialism, race, and religion.  I loved the layers.  On the surface you get a story about a boy/man avenging his family name.  But then we start to see that this isn't just Paul's story.  Instead, it's a story of a universe; a variety of people all striving to survive and thrive under a multitude of restrictions.  I really got into the story and couldn't wait to read what happened to all the great houses and players. Definitely a good read.

tags: 4 stars, ebook, Frank Herbert, Monthly Motif, New Author, NPR SciFi/Fan, NPR Teen, science fiction
categories: Book Reviews
Sunday 10.05.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Title: Fingersmith

Author: Sarah Waters

Publisher: Riverhead Books 2002

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 584

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 21st Century Women Authors; 1001 Books; Mount TBR; New Author; Lucky No. 14 - Books vs. Movies

Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby, a "baby farmer," who raised her with unusual tenderness, as if Sue were her own. Mrs. Sucksby’s household, with its fussy babies calmed with doses of gin, also hosts a transient family of petty thieves—fingersmiths—for whom this house in the heart of a mean London slum is home.

One day, the most beloved thief of all arrives—Gentleman, an elegant con man, who carries with him an enticing proposition for Sue: If she wins a position as the maid to Maud Lilly, a naïve gentlewoman, and aids Gentleman in her seduction, then they will all share in Maud’s vast inheritance. Once the inheritance is secured, Maud will be disposed of—passed off as mad, and made to live out the rest of her days in a lunatic asylum.

With dreams of paying back the kindness of her adopted family, Sue agrees to the plan. Once in, however, Sue begins to pity her helpless mark and care for Maud Lilly in unexpected ways...But no one and nothing is as it seems in this Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals.

Oh... I really liked this one.  In the beginning of the novel, I thought I would tire of Sue's narration, but then things started happening and plot twists were revealed.  And suddenly I was right in the thick of the story.  I was rooting for Sue to find her escape and her happiness.  I did not see her future as laid out as one carefree, but I was hoping for a bit of happiness.  This book kept me guessing as to what was just around the corner.  I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.

Movie:

I've loved Sally Hawkins ever since I saw her in Persuasion.  I got really excited when I saw that she was playing Susan. After watching the movie version, I'd have to saw that I like the book even more.  This was a faithful adaptation of the story, although they changed the order slightly.  We get much more from Maud's point of view right away.  But I understand.  For the movie version, this just works better.  We are still experiencing the twists and turns as the plot moves forward.  We will get the big reveals. And we get all the great characters brought to life on screen.  Definitely recommend this one.

tags: 1001 Books, 21st Century Women, 4 stars, Lucky No- 14, mount tbr, New Author, Sarah Waters
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 09.17.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Orphans at Race Point by Patry Francis

Title: The Orphans at Race Point

Author: Patry Francis

Publisher: Harper Collins 2014

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 547

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New Author; Monthly Key Word - October; Lucky No. 14 - Blame It on the Bloggers

Set in the close-knit Portuguese community of Provincetown, Massachusetts, The Orphans of Race Point traces the relationship between Hallie Costa and Gus Silva, who meet as children in the wake of a terrible crime that leaves Gus parentless. Their friendship evolves into an enduring and passionate love that will ask more of them than they ever imagined.

On the night of their high school prom, a terrible tragedy devastates their relationship and profoundly alters the course of their lives. And when, a decade later, Gus—now a priest—becomes entangled with a distraught woman named Ava and her daughter Mila, troubled souls who bring back vivid memories of his own damaged past, the unthinkable happens: he is charged with murder. Can Hallie save the man she’s never stopped loving, by not only freeing him from prison but also—finally—the curse of his past?

I feel like this is a good book, but not a great one.  I enjoyed reading it, but didn't have any strong feelings at the end.  I didn't get into the world as much as I would have liked.  I didn't connect to the characters as much as I would have liked.  And yet, the writing was good, the storyline was thought out, and the characters were interesting.  I guess I just wanted a bit more from the book.  I'm giving it 4 stars on the strength of the writing and storyline.

tags: 4 stars, Lucky No- 14, monthly key word, mount tbr, New Author, Patry Francis
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 08.19.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Author: Sherman Alexie

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2007

Genre: YA

Pages: 230

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Teen; Top 100 YA; US of YA; New Author

Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

One of those books on the big "Must-read" list and I find that I'm just a little too old to fully appreciate this volume.  It's a good read, but I didn't connect to it on a personal level.  I did enjoy the little cartoons sprinkled throughout.  This feels like a great read for middle to high schoolers. Will keep it in mind for the twins in a few years.

tags: 4 stars, New Author, NPR Teen, Sherman Alexie, Top 100 YA, US of YA
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 08.12.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 
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