Roaring Midnight by Colleen Gleason

Title: Roaring Midnight

Author: Colleen Gleason

Publisher: Avid Press 2013

Genre: Paranormal (Vampires)

Pages: 232

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Women Authors; Well-Rounded Reader -- Paranormal Romance; What's in a Name -- Reference to time

Macey Gardella is a typical young woman of the Roaring Twenties: she works a job, has her own flat, and loves to dance the Charleston. But when a mysterious man named Sebastian Vioget informs her she belongs to a family of vampire hunters, Macey is stunned and disbelieving.
Yet, strange and frightening things begin to happen, and when Macey comes face-to-face with one of the fanged creatures, she has no choice but to believe Sebastian. And when she learns his own soul depends on her willingness to carry forth the family legacy and hunt the undead, Macey capitulates and joins the fight.
As she begins to learn about her new life, Macey meets the handsome newspaper reporter known as Grady--who seems to know more about vampires than he should. When he begins to ask too many questions, she has to juggle her strong attraction to him with the need for secrecy.

I picked this up because of the strength of the first Gardella series. I loved reading about Victoria, Max, and Sebastian's adventures. This volume doesn't quite live up to the first ones, but I did enjoy reading it. I loved the setting: 1920s Chicago. The gangsters, the speakeasies, and the flappers all added a lovely atmosphere for the novel. I loved the Sebastian and Wayren as they were great characters from the first series. However, I an not completely sold on Macey and the other newcomers. Macey is a bit too childish, at least in this first book. I would like her have a bit more sense of the world. I mean she lives in gangster era Chicago. You would think she would know not to wander the streets alone after dark. I am also not a huge fan of Chas and Grady. They just seem to be very flat characters right now. I hope that as the series progresses the character also grow and change. Otherwise, I might just have to give this series up...

Gardella Vampire Chronicles:

Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale

Title: Lessons in French

Author: Laura Kinsale

Publisher: Sourcebooks 2010

Genre: Historical romance

Pages: 446

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Well Rounded Reader -- Historical Romance; TBR Pile; Women Author; 52 Books -- W5; Lucky No. 14 -- Bargain All the Way

Trevelyan and Callie are childhood sweethearts with a taste for adventure, until the fateful day her father discovers them embracing in the carriage house and, in a furious frenzy, drives Trevelyan away in disgrace. Nine long, lonely years later, Trevelyan returns. Callie discovers that he can still make her blood race and fill her life with excitement, but he can't give her the one thing she wants more than anything—himself.
For Trevelyan, Callie is a spark of light in a world of darkness and deceit. Before he can bear to say his last goodbyes, he's determined to sweep her into one last, fateful adventure, just for the two of them.
Started out a bit slow for my tastes, but got really good towards the end. This book is a nice mix between a fluffy romance, a mystery, and an adventure story. We get a couple of twists and turns that threw me for a couple of pages. They were interesting twists that added to the fun of the story. The characters are good, although I wished to see a stronger female lead. Callie was a bit to much of a wilting flower until the last 100 pages or so. Trevelyan was the stereotypical rogue male lead, but I still really liked him. One of the best characters was Trevelyan's mother the Duchess. She was interesting and always knew more than she let on. Overall, I really enjoyed reading Lessons in French. I will have to add Kinsale to my authors to watch for at clearance sales list.

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Title: High Fidelity

Author: Nick Hornby

Publisher: Riverhead Books 1995

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 323

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New Authors; Monthly Motif -- January Around the World; Book to Movie; Rory Gilmore Challenge

Rob is a pop music junkie who runs his own semi-failing record store. His girlfriend, Laura, has just left him for the guy upstairs, and Rob is both miserable and relieved. After all, could he have spent his life with someone who has a bad record collection? Rob seeks refuge in the company of the offbeat clerks at his store, who endlessly review their top five films (Reservoir Dogs...); top five Elvis Costello songs ("Alison"...); top five episodes of Cheers (the one where Woody sang his stupid song to Kelly...). Rob tries dating a singer whose rendition of "Baby, I Love Your Way" makes him cry. But maybe it's just that he's always wanted to sleep with someone who has a record contract. Then he sees Laura again. And Rob begins to think (awful as it sounds) that life as an episode of thirtysomething, with all the kids and marriages and barbecues and k.d. lang CD's that this implies, might not be so bad.

This is one of J's favorite books. He's been bugging me to read this for years now. I finally got around to it. And I really did like the book. My favorite aspect is the writing style. Hornby writes as though Rob (the main character) is sitting across from you in some pub telling you his story. There's an easy-ness to the writing that I just loved. As to the characters, Rob reminded me so much of J. I can see why he really likes this book. It's almost part of his life story. Laura is a bit of a flat character, but that's okay. The story isn't about the romance between Rob and Laura. The story is about Rob's life now and his dreams and aspirations. I really enjoyed getting to know Rob and his quirky sense of life.

Movie:

The movie is one of the truest adaptations of a novel that I've ever seen. I really really like this movie. It retains the conversational style of the novel. It retains the quirky characters -- great casting, especially Jack Black as Barry. They make minor changes (like some of the bands mentioned). They make one major change (London to Chicago). But those changes don't bother me at all. The changes don't make a negative impact on the story. Great movie. Great music. Great characters.

A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

Title: A Room with a View

Author: E.M. Forster

Genre: Classics

Pages: 204

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Book to Movie; Back to the Classics -- 20th Century Classic; 1001 Books; Rory Gilmore

British social comedy examines a young heroine's struggle against strait-laced Victorian attitudes as she rejects the man her family has encouraged her to marry and chooses, instead, a socially unsuitable fellow she met on holiday in Italy. Classic exploration of passion, human nature and social convention.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed in this novel. I had heard that it was a great social commentary piece. I had heard that it had great characters. I guess I can see those things. However, throughout most of the book I was just bored. Guess it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Movie:

Loved the actor choices for this novel. Loved the locations. Thought it was a very good adaptation of the novel. But, like the novel I was bored throughout most of the movie. This will not be on my rewatch list.

The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

Title: The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

Author: Barack Obama

Publisher: Crown 2006

Genre: Memoir / Political Science

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; U.S. Presidents; ebook; 52 Books -- W4

The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama’s call for a different brand of politics—a politics for those weary of bitter partisanshipand alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He explores those forces—from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media—that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.

I'll tell you up front that I voted for Obama twice. I'm not an ardent fan, but I definitely liked him better than what the other offered. That being said, I went into this book with a desire to know more about his thoughts before becoming President. It was interesting reading it with the knowledge of what he's done since 2008. Overall I really enjoyed reading the book. I agree with Obama on many political and cultural issues. This country is artificially divided. We do hold many of the same values and yet the media and politicians would have us think that every neighbor is our enemy. The other parts that I took issue with were those that dealt with religion. I definitely have some disagreements with Obama on that topic. Thankfully his Presidential leadership has kept the separation of church and state intact.

Shambling with the Stars by Jesse Petersen

Title: Shambling with the Stars (Living with the Dead #3.5)

Author: Jesse Petersen

Publisher: Orbit 2011

Genre: Zombie

Pages: 34

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Women Authors; Seriously Series; 52 Books - W3

Avery Andrews is her name and directing celebrity telethons after tragedies is her game. But the Northwestern Zombie Outbreak isn't your average tragedy... and once the infection spreads to the studio, Avery and her crew will have to worry about staying alive, not ratings.

A cute little zombie story to add to my Living with the Dead series. I was super excited to snap this one up on Kindle for cheap. Unfortunately, it is so short, I just couldn't give it 5 stars. I did really love it. The characters were fun. The storyline had a ton of potential. It just wasn't enough to really make me love it.

Living with the Dead

#1 Married with Zombies
#2 Flip This Zombie
#3 Eat, Slay, Love
#3.5 Shambling with the Stars
#4 The Zombie Whisperer

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Publisher: Dutton's Children 2012

Genre: YA Contemporary

Pages: 337

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: US of YA; NPR Teen; Books to Movies; ebook; New Author

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.
Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Our first book club selection of 2014! I have heard absolutely amazing things about this book. That's why I put it up for consideration for our January club selection. The reality of the book didn't live up to all the expectations. It's a good book. I might even say it's a great book. But, I think it's a great book for someone else. I think if I had read this when I was 16 it would have been great. As I am now 31, it's just a good book. The love story seemed a bit too teenagey for me. I wanted a bit more depth to the romance. The sections about life and death are really what kept me sucked into the book. Gus and Hazel's look at life was interesting and thought-provoking. I especially loved the eulogies at Augustus's pre-funeral. I would love to be remembered that way instead of some empty platitudes about living a good life. I would love the real me to appear at my funeral. Overall, I think TFiOS is a really really good book. I just couldn't give it 5 stars.

Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain

Title: Medium Raw

Author: Anthony Bourdain

Publisher: HarperCollins 2010

Genre: Memoir; Food

Pages: 308

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; ebook; 52 Books - W2

Medium Raw marks the return of the inimitable Anthony Bourdain, author of the blockbuster bestseller Kitchen Confidential and three-time Emmy Award-nominated host of No Reservations on TV’s Travel Channel. Bourdain calls his book, “A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook,” and he is at his entertaining best as he takes aim at some of the biggest names in the foodie world, including David Chang, Alice Waters, the Top Chef winners and losers, and many more. If Hunter S. Thompson had written a book about the restaurant business, it could have been Medium Raw.

I read Kitchen Confidential last year, and I have to say that I enjoyed this one more infinitely more. I think my main issue with KC was that at times it was so technical. Because I do not have a background in cooking, there are terms and techniques that I just don't know. I had to stop periodically to look something up to truly understand what Bourdain was discussing. This book is a lot more friendly to the average reader. We are treated to the personal views of Bourdain as they relate to the food industry. I loved his chapters about the Food Network and its stars. I loved the chapters highlighting specific chefs. And I really loved the chapters where he discussed his own transitioning thoughts and ideas. It was a nice companion to his No Reservations television series. Very enjoyable read!

In the Company of Secrets by Judith Miller

First book of 2014... Let's get this party started!

Title: In the Company of Secrets (Postcards from Pullman #1)

Author: Judith Miller

Publisher: Bethany House 2007

Genre: Christian fiction

Pages: 386

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Key Word - Secrets; ebook; Women Authors; 52 Books -- W1; Read Your Freebies

The truth could cost her everything....
Olivia Mott didn't intend to lie. Somehow, it just happened. And wasn't it all Lady Charlotte's fault anyway?
Now Olivia's position as assistant chef at Pullman's elegant Hotel Florence is dependent upon her keeping her secrets. And sometimes lies have a way of leading to other lies. Should Olivia admit her real past and accept the consequences or keep quiet in order to preserve her comfortable new circumstances?
Deception seems to be part of everyday life in the company town of Pullman, Illinois, where the grand Pullman Palace Car is manufactured. Samuel Howard, Olivia's friend and the town manager, seems to think everything is fine, but Olivia observes something quite different. Could it be that Olivia is not the only one harboring secrets?

Hmmm... This is one of those free books that I happened to pick up on Kindle. So glad I did not actually pay for this book. I was thoroughly bored the entire time I was reading. The characters are not very entertaining. The plotline is very predictable. The sermons are seemingly out of place and awkward. The ending is a complete "cliffhanger" but we all know how the story will end. I can't believe I actually finished this one, but I did. So, first book of the year completed. Not starting on a high note. Hope things get better...

Postcards from Pullman (DNFed series)

In the Company of Secrets
Whisper Along the Rails
An Uncertain Dream

Sandition by Jane Austen

Title: Sandition

Author: Jane Austen

Genre: Classics

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Jane Austen; 52 Books -- W52

How I Got It: iBooks free download

Sanditon might have been Austen’s greatest novel had she lived to finish it. Its subject matter astonishes: here is Austen observing the birth pangs of the culture of commerce, as her country-bred heroine, a foolish baronet, a family of hypochondriacs, and a mysterious West Indian heiress collide against the background hum of real-estate development at a seaside resort.

Instead of reading one of the continuations or completions of the novel by another author, I stuck to Austen's fragment. I was really getting into the story of the little seaside town of Sanditon and its quirky residents. I wish that Austen would have continued, the novel holds such promise. We have a mysterious character, a few potential romances, a grand scheme, and all the usual meddling neighbors. Really a fun little read...

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

Title: Vanity Fair

Author: William Makepeace Thackeray

Genre: Classics 1847

Pages: 912

Rating: 3/5 stars Movie: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Classics -- 19th Century; Mount TBR; Fall into Reading; Rory Gilmore (Perpetual); 1001 Books (Perpetual)

How I Got It: I own it!

Scorned for her lack of money and breeding, Becky must use all her wit, charm and considerable sex appeal to escape her drab destiny as a governess. From London’s ballrooms to the battlefields of Waterloo, the bewitching Becky works her wiles on a gallery of memorable characters, including her lecherous employer, Sir Pitt, his rich sister, Miss Crawley, and Pitt’s dashing son, Rawdon, the first of Becky’s misguided sexual entanglements.
Filled with hilarious dialogue and superb characterizations, Vanity Fair is a richly entertaining comedy that asks the reader, “Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?”

Hmmm... I thought i would like this book more than I actually did. The story is good. The characters are good. But I guess I just don't really like Thackeray's writing style. There's something about the prose that annoyed me throughout the book. Still, I would recommend this novel to those who already have a love of the 19th century classics.

Movie:

The movie was much more enjoyable than the book, probably because I didn't have to be annoyed by the writing style. I loved this lengthy adaptation. Reese Witherspoon is great as Becky Sharp, although I think she's nicer in the movie than the book. Romola Garai is great as the meek Amelia. And I so love Rhys Ifans as Dobbins. Overall, a few changes from the novel, but I still really liked it.

Tanglefoot by Cherie Priest

Title: Tanglefoot (Clockwork Century #1.5)

Author: Cherie Priest

Publisher: A Tor Book 2011

Genre: Steampunk; Zombie

Pages: 34

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Steampunk; Mount TBR; Fall into Reading; 52 Books - W51

How I Got It: I own it!

Stonewall Jackson survived Chancellorsville. England broke the Union’s naval blockade, and formally recognized the Confederate States of America. Atlanta never burned. It is 1880. The American Civil War has raged for nearly two decades, driving technology in strange and terrible directions. Combat dirigibles skulk across the sky and armored vehicles crawl along the land. Military scientists twist the laws of man and nature, and barter their souls for weapons powered by light, fire, and steam. But life struggles forward for soldiers and ordinary citizens. The fractured nation is dotted with stricken towns and epic scenes of devastation–some manmade, and some more mysterious. In the western territories cities are swallowed by gas and walled away to rot while the frontiers are strip-mined for resources. On the borders between North and South, spies scour and scheme, and smugglers build economies more stable than their governments. This is the Clockwork Century. It is dark here, and different.

This was a creepy creepy little story. I was expecting a steampunk adventure like Boneshaker. Instead, I got a steampunk horror story. This one definitely pushed my creep out buttons. It involved something that looks human, but isn't human. Holy crap! Nice little story, but I really would have liked more...

Clockwork Century

#1 Boneshaker
#1.1 Clementine
#1.2 Tanglefoot
#2 Dreadnought
#2.5 The Living Dead 2
#3 Ganymede
#4 The Inexplicables
#5 Fiddlesticks
#6 Jacaranda

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Title: Boneshaker (Clockwork Century #1)

Author: Cherie Priest

Publisher: A Tor Book 2009

Genre: Steampunk; Zombie

Pages: 416

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Steampunk; Mount TBR; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: I own it!

Maternal love faces formidable challenges in this stellar steampunk tale. In an alternate 1880s America, mad inventor Leviticus Blue is blamed for destroying Civil War–era Seattle. When Zeke Wilkes, Blue's son, goes into the walled wreck of a city to clear his father's name, Zeke's mother, Briar Wilkes, follows him in an airship, determined to rescue her son from the toxic gas that turns people into zombies (called rotters and described in gut-churning detail). When Briar learns that Seattle still has a mad inventor, Dr. Minnericht, who eerily resembles her dead husband, a simple rescue quickly turns into a thrilling race to save Zeke from the man who may be his father. Intelligent, exceptionally well written and showcasing a phenomenal strong female protagonist who embodies the complexities inherent in motherhood, this yarn is a must-read for the discerning steampunk fan.

I had heard mixed things about this series, but I found that I really enjoyed the story of Briar and Zeke and their journey inside the wall. Somehow I didn't realize that each book in the series is set in the same world, but doesn't follow the exact same characters. My understanding is that characters overlap. Once I understood how the story was structured, I liked this one even better. I was afraid that there just wasn't enough story of Briar and Zeke to continue for six books and a novella. Thankfully that is not the case.

As for this volume, it started off a bit slow, but once the action started, it never stopped until the last pages. While the rotters were a good villain, they stayed mostly in the background. We quickly learn that the living inhabitants of the walled city are much more dangerous. I loved the simultaneous paths of Briar and Zeke. I loved when they eventually interacted with the same colorful characters. I was rooting for their success throughout the entire book. Overall, it was a very satisfying steampunk adventure novel. I've got the novella on tap for my next read!

Clockwork Century:

#1 Boneshaker
#1.1 Clementine
#1.2 Tanglefoot
#2 Dreadnought
#2.5 The Living Dead 2
#3 Ganymede
#4 The Inexplicables
#5 Fiddlesticks
#6 Jacaranda

More Nerdy Nonfiction Mini Reviews

I don't really have a lot to say about these two books, so I thought I would just do a mini review post.

Title: Universal Rights Down to Earth

Author: Richard Thompson Ford

Publisher: Norton and Company 2012

Genre: Nonfiction -- Government

Pages: 160

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nerdy Nonfiction - Government; Fall into Reading

In Universal Rights Down to Earth, acclaimed author and legal expert Richard Thompson Ford reveals how attempts to apply “universal” human rights principles to specific cultures can hinder humanitarian causes and sometimes even worsen conditions for citizens. In certain regions, human rights ideals clash with the limits of institutional capabilities or civic culture; elsewhere, rights enforcement leads to further human rights violations. And in some countries, offending regimes use human rights commitments to distract attention from or justify their other abuses. Ford explores how our haste to identify every ideal as a universal right devalues rights as a whole, so that even the most important protections—such as that against torture—become negotiable.

Interesting topic, but it felt a bit dense in parts. More lecture than an enjoying read. Only for fans of political theory.

Title: Final Jeopardy

Author: Stephen Baker

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2011

Genre: Nonfiction - Technologhy

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nerdy Nonfiction - Technology; Fall into Reading

Final Jeopardy traces the arc of Watson’s “life,” from its birth in the IBM labs to its big night on the podium. We meet Hollywood moguls and Jeopardy! masters, genius computer programmers and ambitious scientists, including Watson’s eccentric creator, David Ferrucci. We gain access to Ferrucci’s War Room, where the IBM team works tirelessly to boost Watson’s speed to the buzzer, improve its performance in “train wreck” categories (such as “Books in Español”), and fix glitches like the speech defect Watson developed during its testing phase, when it started adding a d to words ending in n (“What is Pakistand?”).

Really enjoyed reading about the story of Watson. It didn't delve too much into the software, but maybe that's a good thing for non-tech nerds like me. Fascinating story...

Nerdy Nonfiction Quick Reviews

Title: Inside the Creative Studio

Author: Cate Coulacos Prato

Publisher: Interweave 2012

Genre: Home; Crafts

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall into Reading; Nerdy Nonfiction -- Home; 52 Books -- W50

The professional artists and crafters of Studios Magazine give you the tools to create your own one-of-a-kind artistic environment in this best-of compilation. Learn how to find space in your home, whittle down your stash, maximize your storage and organization possibilities, and manage your stash of supplies and equipment to keep your work space functional and fun to work in. Experts will also show you how to repurpose furniture, integrate recyclables, and showcase vintage items to establish a space with purpose and personality. You will spend less time struggling with your studio, or lack thereof, and more time actually creating in your unique space.

Lots of great ideas for organizing your creative space. My space isn't completely out of control, but I would love to reorganize it this coming year (on my big to do list!). This book helped me start thinking about what I want... I see a trip to Ikea in my future for early next year.

Title: B is for Baby: 26 Projects from A to Z

Author: Suzonne Stirling

Publisher: Taunton Press 2006

Genre: Crafts

Pages: 176

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall into Reading; Nerdy Nonfiction -- Crafts

B is for Baby honors the age-old tradition of crafting with a mix of vintage and modern-style projects for all women who buy baby gifts who want to give something meaningful and handmade. In a unique A to Z presentation, the projects are aimed at a variety of skill levels and budgets. Every letter is represented with a main project and many variations, and all have concise step-by-step directions, photos and templates.

Why do I always pick these craft books up? Oh right, I love looking at the pictures. To be fair, there are some very cute projects in this book. Most of them just aren't my style (lots of pastels and cutesy things) and there was only two projects I even contemplated doing. Cute book for super crafters, just not really my style.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Title: The Road

Author: Cormac McCarthy

Publisher: Vintage 2007

Genre: Dystopia

Pages: 241

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall into Reading; Dystopian; Monthly Key Word -- December; Book to Movie; Bingo -- 4 from everyone but me; NPR SciFan (perpetual); Fantasy Project (perpetual)

How I Got It: Library loan

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

Another meh book. I can appreciate the stark simplicity of the writing, but I just wasn't a fan of the rest of the book. Nothing grabbed me and kept me really interested in reading. I'm fairly certain that I finished because it's only 241 pages. Don't really see what all the hype was about. I guess it just wasn't my kind of book.

Movie:

The movie added a ton of action beats that just don't exist in the book. It also expanded the role of the wife. I understand why they did it for a wide spread release movie. The book just doesn't have enough to appeal to mass audiences. Overall, I like the movie better than the book, but It still just wasn't something that really held my attention.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Title: Me Before You

Author: Jojo Moyes

Publisher: Viking 2012

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 400

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books -- W49; Bingo -- Free Space; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: Library loan (book club selection)

They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . .
Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.
Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

Our book club selection for December. After the last one (Middlesex), we needed something more readable and likable. This one was the perfect choice. It took me awhile to finish (baby time), but that doesn't me I didn't enjoy it. I looked forward to the few minutes each night I could pick up the story of Lou and Will. Amazingly complicated characters (in a good way). A great storyline. Lovely ending. I was concerned that the ending would be too predictable and sappy. Thankfully the author gave the story a real ending, something I could completely get behind. I really enjoyed this one. I will have to put the author on my TBR list.

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

Title: Hyperbole and a Half

Author: Allie Brosh

Publisher: Touchstone 2013

Genre: Graphic novel; Memoir

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel; Mount TBR; Bingo -- 5 from 2013; 52 Books -- W48; Fall into Reading

How I Got It: I own it!

FROM THE AUTHOR: This is a book I wrote. Because I wrote it, I had to figure out what to put on the back cover to explain what it is. I tried to write a long, third-person summary that would imply how great the book is and also sound vaguely authoritative—like maybe someone who isn’t me wrote it—but I soon discovered that I’m not sneaky enough to pull it off convincingly. So I decided to just make a list of things that are in the book:
Pictures Words Stories about things that happened to me Stories about things that happened to other people because of me Eight billion dollars* Stories about dogs The secret to eternal happiness*
*These are lies. Perhaps I have underestimated my sneakiness!

I have followed Brosh's blog for awhile now and always find myself moved by her posts. Her raw honesty cuts right to my soul. (Okay, that sentence sounded a bit crazy, but it's completely true). I may not have her specific problems, but I think everyone can relate to believing themselves to be crazy and fucked up every once in a while. It's nice to have that reaffirmation. And it's wonderful to follow Brosh's stories in and out of the crazy in her life. While reading, I laughed quietly to myself and loudly to everyone. I teared up on my occasions. I also found myself shaking my head in agreement to some of her more introspective stories. This may look like a fun little collection of stories with illustrations, but it's so much more. Brosh stands stripped bare before the reader allowing them to see all her flaws and all her beauty. This is a must read!

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Title: The Count of Monte Cristo

Author: Alexandre Dumas

Genre: Classics

Pages: 1276

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Classics -- Adventure; Mount TBR; Blogger Recommendations; Book to Movie; Fall into Reading; Rory Gilmore (perpetual)

How I Got It: iPad

Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantes is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and becomes determined not only to escape but to unearth the treasure and use it to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. A huge popular success when it was first serialized in the 1840s, Dumas was inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment when writing his epic tale of suffering and retribution.

I had put off reading this classic for far too long. When it showed up on the list for the Blogger Recommendations Challenge, I knew I had to add it to my 2013 TBR list. After taking forever to finish it (I blame the baby and Dumas' lack of brevity), I found that overall I really enjoyed the book.

The Good

Dumas can create very interesting and intriguing characters. I especially loved Dantes, but of course the audience is supposed to connect with him throughout the adventure. The other supporting characters play their parts well. I also enjoyed the storyline even if I knew it before reading the book. I couldn't wait to see what happened next.

The Bad

As this was published in serial form in the 1840s, the novel lacks any sense of editing. Dumas rambles on and on, especially the dialogue sections. Characters take 20 pages to say something that could have been conveyed in 2 pages. There were times that I had to put the novel down because I was getting tired of the slow pace. As such, it took me three weeks to finish it. Also, I loved the passages with Dantes as the main point of view, but felt distracted by chapters from the other characters. Those chapters just didn't seem as engaging. The switching of narrators was tiresome.

While, I had some issues with the novel, this is a classic that everyone should experience at some time in their lives.

Movie:

We happened to own the 2002 version of the novel, so I watched that one. While I enjoyed the film on its own, it definitely changes much of the novel. Dantes is still imprisoned and enacts his revenge once he escapes. But most of the other parts and even character relationships have been changed. I found the weird renewed romance between Dantes and Mercedes to be the most troublesome aspect of the changes. I just couldn't get behind it, even if they made Albert their son instead of Mercedes and Fernand's son. On a much happier note, I loved the action scenes and the introduction of the Count by way of hot air balloon. To any thinking they can watch this movie instead of reading the book, you will miss so much... Go read the book first!

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron

Title: Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor (Jane Austen Mystery #1)

Author: Stephanie Barron

Publisher: Crimeline 1996

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 353

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Jane Austen; Mount TBR; Fall into Reading; 52 Books -- W47

How I Got It: iPad read

On a visit to the estate of her friend, the young and beautiful Isobel Payne, Countess of Scargrave, Jane bears witness to a tragedy. Isobel's husband—a gentleman of mature years—is felled by a mysterious and agonizing ailment. The Earl's death seems a cruel blow of fate for the newly married Isobel. Yet the bereaved widow soon finds that it's only the beginning of her misfortune...as she receives a sinister missive accusing her and the Earl's nephew of adultery—and murder. Desperately afraid that the letter will expose her to the worst sort of scandal, Isobel begs Jane for help. And Jane finds herself embroiled in a perilous investigation that will soon have her following a trail of clues that leads all the way to Newgate Prison and the House of Lords—a trail that may well place Jane's own person in the gravest jeopardy.

I picked this up in my exploration of Jane Austen adjacent books. I thought it might be a fun mystery, but I was fairly disappointed. Overall the book just didn't grab me at all. It was a fairly dry mystery without any interesting characters or plot twists. Everything was super predictable. I didn't like the character of Jane Austen. This series is just not for me.

Jane Austen Mystery (DNFed series)

1. Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor
2. Man of the Cloth
3. Wandering Eye
4. Genius of the Place
5. Stillroom Maid
6. Prisoner of Wool House
7. Ghosts of Netley
8. His Lordship's Legacy
9. Barque of Frailty
10. Madness of Lord Byron
11. Canterbury Tale