Review: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

 

 The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

My rating: 3 stars

Although I definitely enjoyed this one much more than Coraline, I'm still not over-enthused with this one. I enjoyed the beginning of the book but by the middle and end, I was just wanting it to be over. Which is never a good sign. I didn't hate the book but I certainly didn't love it as I'd hoped. I think one issue for me was nothing was particularly fleshed out ... each 'adventure' had such potential but never went as far as I'd liked it to have gone. I liked this one but I certainly didn't love it. It wasn't nearly as dark as I'd expected. Nor was it as scary as I'd hoped. Ultimately, I felt like it had so much potential but didn't live up to that potential. Good solid story but could have been so much more.

Review: The Housekeeper and The Professor by Yoko Ogawa

 

 The Housekeeper and The Professor by Yoko Ogawa

My rating: 4 1/2 stars

I really enjoyed this sweet story about a Professor, his Housekeeper and the Housekeeper's son. It was very simply but beautifully written. I enjoyed watching the relationships among the characters grow throughout the book. It's a fairly quick and easy read but there is so much to the story beyond just the words. It's a beautiful story that I think anyone would appreciate. It's a very refreshing book - simplistic and focusing on themes of family, friendship, unity and symmetry. I really enjoyed it and thought the world created by Ogawa was very charming and engaging. There is a great deal of mathematics and baseball weaved throughout the book and I was initially skeptical of whether or not Ogawa could pull that off. Particularly since I am not a fan of math or baseball. However, I found myself reading those passages with interest, almost despite myself. The math/baseball pieces really added something interesting and special to this little book. And, the author was able to weave those pieces in so effectively to reinforce the themes of the book. So very interesting and well done! I definitely recommend this one!

Review: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

 

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

My rating: 4 stars

I found this book to be fairly compelling - it's certainly a dark read. There are no truly likeable characters in the entire novel but Flynn does an excellent job of telling the story and keeping the reader compelled to continue reading. I actually liked the darkness and felt it was appropriate for the story. I liked that the characters were not particularly likeable. I found the character of Libby Day to be a fascinating character - very multi-faceted but in a really screwed up way! She had a voice that has stuck with me - I found her compelling in that 'i can't stop watching this train wreck' kind of way. I know that its human nature to hope that she overcomes her 'issues' and comes out ok. But, frankly, I like that there was so much open to interpretation in terms of her future. I would have been upset had Flynn taken the easy way out and 'fixed' it all in the end. It felt more real and more true to life for me.


I thought the book was extremely well written, with fabulous pacing that keeps you on the edge of your seat for the entire novel. The book grabbed me, kept me guessing and didn't let up until the final pages. I enjoyed the way that Flynn told the story via different characters at different points in time. I thought it was an interesting element to the book that kept it flowing quite well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by Gillian Flynn.

Review: U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton

U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton

My rating: 4 stars

What I love about Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone series is that it well written, always entertaining and each new book is like another visit with an old friend. The character of Kinsey is amazingly fleshed out and Grafton has done an excellent job of keeping her alive and real throughout the series.

I know that some feel the series is getting stale but I am not one of them. I think that Grafton keeps giving us new and unique nuances to the characters in each book. Are the mysteries themselves the best I've read? No. But, the characters and the world that Grafton creates is why I keep coming back. I'm so engaged in their lives and their journey that I look forward to over and over again. Kinsey, Henry, and all the rest. I love the snippets of Kinsey's daily life and I think that adds to the cozy, down-to-earth feeling that I always get from reading this series.

This one was not the best mystery of the series but it kept me engaged throughout the novel. I thought the plot was fresh and interesting - bringing a lot of different pieces together throughout the book, in a seemingly effortless way. The plot shifts narrators and time which was an interesting choice for Grafton to make. I didn't love the shifting but it didn't take away from the book for me. Just an interesting little change from her usual formula. (Well, that's not exactly true - in the last book, she moved perspectives a bit from Kinsey to the antagonist). But, overall, I think it worked fine.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a nice break from a lot of the other books I've been reading. It was like re-visiting an old friend. I can't wait to see what Kinsey will be up to in the next book!

Review: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

My rating: 4 stars

First and foremost, Barbara Kingsolver is a wonderful writer and I think she could write about anything and make it engaging and interesting. I wasn't particularly interested in this topic, per se. I wasn't disinterested - more indifferent. So, I was very surprised to have enjoyed reading it so much.

I talk a lot about eating locally and the importance of supporting local producers, etc. But, I wasn't always great about the follow through. After reading about the experience of Kingsolver and her family, I was definitely inspired to think more about planning our weekly menus around that which is seasonally available and seeking out fresh, locally grown produce.

In reading other reviews, I notice that a lot of people didn't enjoy what they call her preaching about the evils of the food chain as it exists in America today. I found her arguments interesting and well balanced. I didn't feel preached to in any way. I think there was a lot of good information in this book, presented in a way that made sense and connected everything together.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and definitely recommend it (even if you have no interest or indifference to the topic). It really opened me up to some new ideas about food, farming and how my family eats. I'm interested in incorporating some of what I learned into our day to day food life!

Review: Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

The Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

My rating: 4 stars

I thought this was an interesting read and I found myself a bit surprised how much I enjoyed it. It was a mix of mystery and horror which I thought worked really well. I listened to the audiobook and really thought the narrator did a fantastic job! I really came to know and understand all of the characters in a way that I don't expect from this genre. There was something quite real about all of them - Hill isn't afraid to show the ugly side of the characters which I appreciated.

There were certainly flaws - such as Hill's use of the same phrases over and over. I don't think it ultimately took away from the book but I thought I'd mention it. I felt the pace was good - I was intrigued throughout the book, eager to find out what might come next. The writing was fine - not excellent but good. There were certain areas that I wish had been explored more and a few areas I wish had been explored a bit less but overall I thought it was a well done book.

I will warn you that there is some intense sexual content and the language is also very adult. Those things didn't bother me but I thought I should mention it.

There is a darkness to the book and there were moments when the story did indeed freak me out. But, I wouldn't call it scary overall - just moments of creepiness. I believe this is a first novel and I think its a good one. I suspect that Joe Hill will only get better with time ...

Review: Song Yet Sung by James McBride

Song Yet Sung by James McBride

My rating: 4 stars

My review:

I picked this one up at a local used bookstore awhile ago and tried to read it but just couldn't get into it. Then, I saw a few goodreads friends had read it and enjoyed it so I decided to give it another chance. And, I'm soooo glad that I did. I think I just wasn't in the right place to read it earlier.

But, this read was wonderful! I really enjoyed the book - the writing alone is outstanding. I was amazed at the luscious writing ... the descriptions of time and place were just amaz...more I picked this one up at a local used bookstore awhile ago and tried to read it but just couldn't get into it. Then, I saw a few goodreads friends had read it and enjoyed it so I decided to give it another chance. And, I'm soooo glad that I did. I think I just wasn't in the right place to read it earlier.

But, this read was wonderful! I really enjoyed the book - the writing alone is outstanding. I was amazed at the luscious writing ... the descriptions of time and place were just amazingly well written. The author was able to describe the place in a way that just made me feel that I was there, experiencing every single, beautiful word. And, then, by putting that beautiful place up against the brutal and ugly world of slavery, McBride was able bring that time in our history alive for me.

The story is focused on the complexities of slavery - the system, the brutality. And it really brings all of it to life. And I was glad that McBride seemed to bring to focus the fact that no one was able to break the chains of the system - white or black. This was not a book focused on the evil of the white man - it was focused on the evil of SLAVERY itself. No blame really - just a exploration of the system and its complexities. That was quite refreshing and gave me a different perspective that usually seen in books about this time in history.

One element that I really found interesting was how McBride gave the reader a view modern-day African American society through the eyes of a slave. Those passages were fascinating to me. Those visions haunted me and gave me so much to think about.

I really enjoyed this book - very compelling and interesting. I definitely recommend it

Review: Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

My rating: 4 stars

My review:

I really enjoyed this book. Very unique concept of the afterlife that had a compelling story and interesting characters. The basic plot is that when we die, we end up on a cruise ship to Elsewhere, where we begin aging backwards until it's time to be sent back to Earth as a baby. But, it was some of the little touches about life in Elsewhere (the Observation Decks, the Well, etc) that I found most compelling. I thought the themes of creating a meaningful life for yourself were well done and interesting. This little novel gave me quite a bit to think about which was a nice surprise. I loved how Zevin incorporated the animals into Elsewhere and the storyline. That gave the story that extra something that made it all the more sweet. I really enjoyed the story and found myself not wanting to put it down. And I was sorry for the book to end because I was enjoying the read so much! For a YA novel, it was well written and can appeal to both the YA sector and adults. Very good book that gave me a great deal to ponder after closing the book. I definitely recommend this one!

Review: Nightlight by Harvard Lampoon

Nightlight by Harvard Lampoon

My rating: 2 stars

My review:

I don't even know what to say about this one. I just didn't enjoy it. AT ALL. I forced myself to finish it. I wanted to put it down less than half way through. I love a good parody, I love satire. But, this one was just not good, for me. I think it might be more enjoyed by a teenager than an adult. A teen who loved the Twilight series might enjoy this but I just did not like it. I felt like it was trying too hard to be funny which ultimately made it NOT funny. It certainly accentuates the flaws in Twilight but it takes it too far and ultimately makes this book NOT funny. Ultimately, this book is more stupid than funny which does not make for a good read, frankly. I don't recommend this one at all.

Review: In a Perfect World by Laura Kasischke

In A Perfect World by Laura Kasischke

My rating: 4 stars

My review:

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't really know what to expect when I picked it up. The storyline looked promising but I had not read too much about it. So, it was a nice surprise to find that it was well written, well constructed and an interesting 'end of the world' type novel.

The novel starts out as a fairytale of sorts - woman marries the 'perfect' man and settles down to raise his children. But, the story takes a life of its own and becomes about so much more than just a marria...more I really enjoyed this book. I didn't really know what to expect when I picked it up. The storyline looked promising but I had not read too much about it. So, it was a nice surprise to find that it was well written, well constructed and an interesting 'end of the world' type novel.

The novel starts out as a fairytale of sorts - woman marries the 'perfect' man and settles down to raise his children. But, the story takes a life of its own and becomes about so much more than just a marriage and a family. (Although the marriage and family stuff is great, too). It becomes a survival story. Exploring how different people react to the world shutting down. I think that Kasischke does a fabulous job of interweaving the interpersonal stuff with the more global stuff - and it was seamless. Just wonderful how she used the two to tell the story and to explore different themes.

It is the transformation of the main character, Jiselle, that I felt really resonated with me. As a stepmother myself, I understood so much of what she was struggling with throughout the book. The loving of someone else's children can be such an adventure and I thought that Kasischke did a great job portraying that adventure realistically and showing the ups and downs of those relationships.

While none of the specifics of the epidemic were discussed in the novel, there was enough information about the changes in the environment and the functioning of the society to keep me focused on the novel and the gravity of their situation. I was glad that the author focused on the personal aspects of how the epidemic affected this family and the changes that it made in their lives. I thought this ability to bring the larger epidemic to a personal level really gave the book that something special.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and definitely recommend it!

Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Guernsey and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

My rating: 5 Stars

My review:
I just LOVED this book. It totally and utterly lived up to the hype! From the moment, I started reading it, I didn't want to put it down and I stayed up until 2:30 a.m. to finish it despite the fact that I had to get up at 6 a.m.! And it was worth missing every moment of sleep!

I was worried about the format of the book - a series of letters - which I often find to be a less than perfect format. But, this one blew me away. I LOVE Juliet and every single Guernsey character was spot on! I'm amazed how much Shaffer was able to make me CARE about these people based on a series of letters. I learned a great deal about the German occupation that was new to me - the story of Guernsey's occupation was one that isn't often told but that really gave me a new perspective on life during that time in history. The writing is wonderful, the characters are so charming, the story is fantastic. It's ALL good. It is rare for me to feel so connected to each and every character in a book as I was in with this one. Wow. Shaffer did a fantastic job of telling each of their stories, in a variety of 'voices.'

Just amazing! I highly recommend this one - just a good, interesting, well-written novel! I think almost ANYONE would enjoy this book! I wish that Shaffer were alive to bring us more wonderful books like this one! This is definitely a treasure!

Review: Thomas Jefferson by R.B. Bernstein

Thomas Jefferson by R.B. Bernstein

My rating: 3 stars

My review:

This is a book that I normally would not have picked up on my own. I selected it for the Seasonal Challenge's Lewis and Clark task. I was apprehensive about reading it because I'm not a huge reader of non-fiction historical books, because I tend to find them dry and boring. But, I heard good things about this one and figured that I wouldn't be completely lost since I know a great deal about Thomas Jefferson (being a kid, growing up in VA, we learned A LOT about him!). And, overall, it was okay. ...more This is a book that I normally would not have picked up on my own. I selected it for the Seasonal Challenge's Lewis and Clark task. I was apprehensive about reading it because I'm not a huge reader of non-fiction historical books, because I tend to find them dry and boring. But, I heard good things about this one and figured that I wouldn't be completely lost since I know a great deal about Thomas Jefferson (being a kid, growing up in VA, we learned A LOT about him!). And, overall, it was okay. I didn't hate it. But, I also didn't love it. It wasn't particularly engaging - definitely read like a history text and it took me some time to get through it despite it being a fairly short book. Although I did learn some new things, reading this book did help me to see just how much I already know about Thomas Jefferson which was interesting. Overall, I'm glad that I gave it a read but I don't think I'll be rushing out to read more of this type of book. It just doesn't captivate me enough!

Review: Blindness by Jose Saramago

Blindness by Jose Saramago

My rating: 3 stars

My review:

I hate to give this 3 stars. And, unfortunately, it was more a 2 1/2 star book. I really wanted this one to be GREAT for me. I've heard so many wonderful things about it. And, there were great things about it but it didn't live up to my expectations. I thought the premise was so unique and interesting - one by one, everyone begins to go blind. And chaos ensues. Ultimately, the book is about how we respond to adversity, to chaos, how we react when societal limitations are broken down. Those piece...more I hate to give this 3 stars. And, unfortunately, it was more a 2 1/2 star book. I really wanted this one to be GREAT for me. I've heard so many wonderful things about it. And, there were great things about it but it didn't live up to my expectations. I thought the premise was so unique and interesting - one by one, everyone begins to go blind. And chaos ensues. Ultimately, the book is about how we respond to adversity, to chaos, how we react when societal limitations are broken down. Those pieces of the novel were fascinating and gave me a great deal to think about. Unfortunately, beyond that, I didn't find the literary masterpiece that I was hoping for.

Although some of the writing was amazing, much of it was not. The book was basically one long run on sentence with no distinction between who was speaking at any given time. As a result, following the book took a great deal of care. The words were not difficult - just the format. At times, I found myself feeling like I just didn't care enough to take the kind of care necessary to read the book. I would have to fight the inclination to skim. That is always a bad sign for me. I understand that the style of writing is probably an intentional tactic - possibly to put the reader a bit off kilter, similar to the way the characters are as they face the world blind. But, the style just didn't work for me, personally. I can see its merit and I can see why its described by some as an artform in and of itself. However, I didn't find it particularly enjoyable. More like a marathon and the end just didn't justify the means for me.

Many others have loved this book so don't let my frustration with the book get in your way if the premise sounds interesting to you. It just wasn't a book that I particularly enjoyed. And a part of me wishes I had that time back where I struggled to get through it, trying to savor every word and follow the jumbled prose, ultimately to feel like that time was a waste.

Review: Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

My rating: 5 stars

My review:

Although I read this series as a child, I decided to re-read this first one for the Seasonal Challenge's Lewis and Clark task and fell in love with this family all over again. The book had much more impact to me as an adult, actually, to help me realize how lucky we are in modern times to not have to struggle the way that they did in this book. I will definitely be reading the series with my children when they are a little older. The joy of reading these books is their engaging ability to make y...more Although I read this series as a child, I decided to re-read this first one for the Seasonal Challenge's Lewis and Clark task and fell in love with this family all over again. The book had much more impact to me as an adult, actually, to help me realize how lucky we are in modern times to not have to struggle the way that they did in this book. I will definitely be reading the series with my children when they are a little older. The joy of reading these books is their engaging ability to make you feel as if you are THERE - seeing, feeling,experiencing life right along with this family. This is a book that I definitely can recommend - for children and adults!

Best of 2009

I thought it might be best to start off 2010 with an overview of what I did and did not read last year as well as some details on what I really liked and didn't like!

When I look back, I read 143 books in 2009. That actually seems a little low to me so I'm wondering if I missed some books along the way. Either way, it's looking to be about 140-145 for the year.  I'm aiming for at least 150 books in 2010 (although more would be nice!). This year was a great year for me and reading. I rediscovered my passion for books and reading when I stumbled across Goodreads and the Books on the Nightstand podcast. I'd always read books,even when I wasn't getting more than 3 hours of sleep just after the twins were born but I had somehow lost my passion for them, just reading because that's what I do, not so much for the enjoyment. Well, that has all changed! I've gotten very involved in a wonderful book group on Goodreads and have been doing a number of reading challenges which has been a blast! That will continue in 2010 and I'm sure I'll be posting more about the challenges as the year goes on ...

AMY'S TOP SIX BOOKS OF 2009:
(in no particular order)

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
Stitches: A Memoir by David Small
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson


These were my absolute favorite books of the entire year of 2009! They are the ones I'm recommending to everyone, constantly!


AMY'S OTHER FAVORITES FOR 2009, BY GENRE:

Favorite Fiction:

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
Something Missing by Matthew Dicks
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
In the Woods by Tana French
Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving
Labor Day by Joyce Maynard
South of Broad by Pat Conroy

Favorite Young Adult:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Gone by Michael Grant
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Favorite Graphic Novel:
Stitches: A Memoir by David Small

Favorite Non-fiction:
The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
Columbine by Dave Cullen 

Favorite Dystopic Fiction:
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Gone by Michael Grant
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

If you're interested in some Best of 2009 lists, you might want to check out the following links ...

Publisher's Weekly's List
The Willa List
Bunch of Grapes List
Books on the Nightstand

I'll be back soon with a few reviews. I just finished up my first 3 books of 2010 so I need to get my thoughts organized and the reviews posted!