Started: 6/28/09
Finished: 6/29/09
Year: 2008
Pages: 175
Genre: Thriller
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for friend
Blurb (from back cover): "Danny Molito is a comptroller for a printing company in Chicago's Loop. In fall 1961, he inadvertently stumbles upon a secret FBI listening post while trying to deliver a payoff to Da Mob. Both the feds and the hoods start looking for him. In disguise, Danny flees downstate to Homecoming and his alumni reunion at Monmouth College. A tipster phones Da Mob with Danny's whereabouts, the FBI overhears the call, and the chase is on. The campus is roiled with mayhem and murder as thugs invade a seminar on Shakespeare, Chautauqua presentations by Al Capone and Billy Sunday, and the Monmouth-Knox football game. They turn a corn-picker in the Homecoming parade into a murder weapon. The Senior Bench on campus is also a murder scene, with Danny as the intended victim. He and his classmate Kitty, a Chicado lawyer, face a showdown with Da Mob. Danny and Kitty use themselves as bait. Backdrop for the scene is a replica of the Iron Curtain donated by an alumnus who was a former Hungarian Freedom Fighter."
Opinion: This book is filled with cliches and lots of extra stuff. Probably would have made a much better short story than novella. Still highly entertaining.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Swimsuit by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Started: 6/25/09
Finished: 6/28/09
Year: 2009
Pages: 391
Genre: Mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from book jacket): "A breathtakingly beautiful supermodel disappears from a swimsuit photo shoot at the most glamorous hotel in Hawaii. Only hours after Kim McDaniels goes missing, her parents receive a terrifying phone call. Fearing the worst, they board the first flight to Maui and begin the hunt for their daughter.
"Ex-cop Ben Hawkins, now a reporter for the L.A. Times gets the McDaniels assignment. The ineptitude of the local police force defies belief-Ben has to start his own investigation for Kim McDaniels to have a prayer. And for Ben to have the story of a lifetime.
"All the while, a killer sets the stage for his next production. His audience expect the best-and they won't be disappointed. Swimsuit is a heart-pounding story of fear and desire, transporting you to a place where beauty and murder collide and horrors are hidden within paradise."
Opinion: I'm really wishing that James Patterson would take some time between books to really concentrate on his writing. It seems that every book that comes out now is rushed. This is still an enjoyable, fast-paced read.
Finished: 6/28/09
Year: 2009
Pages: 391
Genre: Mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from book jacket): "A breathtakingly beautiful supermodel disappears from a swimsuit photo shoot at the most glamorous hotel in Hawaii. Only hours after Kim McDaniels goes missing, her parents receive a terrifying phone call. Fearing the worst, they board the first flight to Maui and begin the hunt for their daughter.
"Ex-cop Ben Hawkins, now a reporter for the L.A. Times gets the McDaniels assignment. The ineptitude of the local police force defies belief-Ben has to start his own investigation for Kim McDaniels to have a prayer. And for Ben to have the story of a lifetime.
"All the while, a killer sets the stage for his next production. His audience expect the best-and they won't be disappointed. Swimsuit is a heart-pounding story of fear and desire, transporting you to a place where beauty and murder collide and horrors are hidden within paradise."
Opinion: I'm really wishing that James Patterson would take some time between books to really concentrate on his writing. It seems that every book that comes out now is rushed. This is still an enjoyable, fast-paced read.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Cold Paradise by Stuart Woods
Started: 6/22/09
Finished: 6/25/09
Year: 2001
Pages: 412
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: Grabbed it off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "Luxuriating in Palm Beach's winter warmth, Stone is stunned to recognize someone he thought was dead. Former client Allison Manning is alive and well-and suddenly very rich. Now she needs Stone's help in squaring a charge of insurance fraud that's been hanging over her head for years-and in getting rid of a recently acquired stalker. Suspects abound, including an elusive writer, an enigmatic businessman, and Allison's devious former husband. Only Stone can thwart the sly and greedy plan to steal the millions of dollars at stake-and the crafty killer behind it..."
Opinion: This was a fun and enjoyable read.
Finished: 6/25/09
Year: 2001
Pages: 412
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: Grabbed it off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "Luxuriating in Palm Beach's winter warmth, Stone is stunned to recognize someone he thought was dead. Former client Allison Manning is alive and well-and suddenly very rich. Now she needs Stone's help in squaring a charge of insurance fraud that's been hanging over her head for years-and in getting rid of a recently acquired stalker. Suspects abound, including an elusive writer, an enigmatic businessman, and Allison's devious former husband. Only Stone can thwart the sly and greedy plan to steal the millions of dollars at stake-and the crafty killer behind it..."
Opinion: This was a fun and enjoyable read.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Of Two Minds by T.M. Luhrmann
Started: 6/15/09
Finished: 6/22/09
Year: 2000
Pages: 293
Genre: Non-Fiction/Psychiatry
Grade: C
Reason for reading: grabbed off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "In this groundbreaking book, T.M. Luhrmann penetrates the mysterious culture of psychiatry, showing how psychiatrists learn to undertand people as they do, and how the enormous ambiguities in the field affect both practitioners and patients. Drawing on her extensive interviews with doctors and patients, as well as years of investigative fieldwork in residency programs and private and state psychiatric hospitals, Luhrmann illuminates a compelling profession.
"At a time when psychiatry is beset by a struggle between those who argue for the primacy of the brain and those who believe the mind is supreme, when mood-altering drugs have revolutionized treatments and medical insurers are forcing caregivers to forsake talk therapy for drug therapy, Lyhrmann's witty, sharp, and soulful study is both necessary and inspiring."
Opinion: This wasn't what I thought it was going to be like. It was long and drawn out but still pointed out a lot of important points.
Finished: 6/22/09
Year: 2000
Pages: 293
Genre: Non-Fiction/Psychiatry
Grade: C
Reason for reading: grabbed off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "In this groundbreaking book, T.M. Luhrmann penetrates the mysterious culture of psychiatry, showing how psychiatrists learn to undertand people as they do, and how the enormous ambiguities in the field affect both practitioners and patients. Drawing on her extensive interviews with doctors and patients, as well as years of investigative fieldwork in residency programs and private and state psychiatric hospitals, Luhrmann illuminates a compelling profession.
"At a time when psychiatry is beset by a struggle between those who argue for the primacy of the brain and those who believe the mind is supreme, when mood-altering drugs have revolutionized treatments and medical insurers are forcing caregivers to forsake talk therapy for drug therapy, Lyhrmann's witty, sharp, and soulful study is both necessary and inspiring."
Opinion: This wasn't what I thought it was going to be like. It was long and drawn out but still pointed out a lot of important points.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin
Started: 6/14/09
Finished: 6/15/09
Year: 2003
Pages: 164
Genre: Fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from book jacket): "Daniel Pecan Cambridge, 30, 35, 38, or 27, depending on how he feels that day, is a young man whose life is rich and full, provided he never leaves his Santa Monica apartment. After all, outside there are 8-inch-high curbs and there's always the horrible chance he might see a gas station attendant wearing a blue hat. So, except for the occasional trip to the Rite Aid to admire the California girl Zandy and to buy earplugs because they're on sale, he stays home a lot. And a good thing too, or he would have never been falsely implicated in a murder, never almost seduced Philipa, never done the impossible task of jogging around the block with Brian, never ironed his pillows, and he might never have won the Most Average Amrican essay contest."
Opinion: This was different. But yet similar to Steve Martin's style of comedy.
Finished: 6/15/09
Year: 2003
Pages: 164
Genre: Fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from book jacket): "Daniel Pecan Cambridge, 30, 35, 38, or 27, depending on how he feels that day, is a young man whose life is rich and full, provided he never leaves his Santa Monica apartment. After all, outside there are 8-inch-high curbs and there's always the horrible chance he might see a gas station attendant wearing a blue hat. So, except for the occasional trip to the Rite Aid to admire the California girl Zandy and to buy earplugs because they're on sale, he stays home a lot. And a good thing too, or he would have never been falsely implicated in a murder, never almost seduced Philipa, never done the impossible task of jogging around the block with Brian, never ironed his pillows, and he might never have won the Most Average Amrican essay contest."
Opinion: This was different. But yet similar to Steve Martin's style of comedy.
Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale
Started: 6/13/09
Finished: 6/14/09
Year: 1980
Pages: 293
Genre: True Crime/Memoir
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: grabbed off the TBR pile
Blurb (from back cover): " Frank Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams, and Robert Monjo, was one of the most daring con men, forgers, imposters, and escape artist in history. During his brief but notorious criminal career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and copiloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practiced law without a license, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged checks-all before he was twenty-one. A hilarious, stranger-than-fiction account of his sumptuous life on the lam, international escapades, and ingenious escapes, Catch Me If You Can is a captivating tale of deceit.
Opinion: I had seen the movie and enjoyed it. However, as I was ready the book, I felt like all I was doing was giving money to a criminal who did not deserve the money-felt that there was no remorse for what he had done.
Finished: 6/14/09
Year: 1980
Pages: 293
Genre: True Crime/Memoir
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: grabbed off the TBR pile
Blurb (from back cover): " Frank Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams, and Robert Monjo, was one of the most daring con men, forgers, imposters, and escape artist in history. During his brief but notorious criminal career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and copiloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practiced law without a license, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged checks-all before he was twenty-one. A hilarious, stranger-than-fiction account of his sumptuous life on the lam, international escapades, and ingenious escapes, Catch Me If You Can is a captivating tale of deceit.
Opinion: I had seen the movie and enjoyed it. However, as I was ready the book, I felt like all I was doing was giving money to a criminal who did not deserve the money-felt that there was no remorse for what he had done.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Dewey by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
Started: 6/11/09
Finished: 6/13/09
Year: 2008
Pages: 277
Genre: Non-fiction, animals
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from book jacket): "How much of an impact can an animal have? How many lives can one cat touch? How is it possible for an abandoned kitten to transform a small library, save a classic American town, and eventually become famous around the world? You can't even begin to answer those questions until you hear the charming story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa.
"Dewey's story starts in the worse possible way. Only a few weeks old, on the coldest night of the year, he was stuffed into the returned book slot at the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility (for a cat), and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most.
"As his fame grew from town to town, then state to state, and finally, amazingly, worldwide. Dewey became more than just a friend: he became a source of pride for an extraordinary Heartland farming town pulling its way slowly back from the greatest crisis in its long history."
Opinion: I'm a sucker for the true animal stories. Dewey was a sweet and loved cat during his stay at the library. Very cute stories.
Finished: 6/13/09
Year: 2008
Pages: 277
Genre: Non-fiction, animals
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from book jacket): "How much of an impact can an animal have? How many lives can one cat touch? How is it possible for an abandoned kitten to transform a small library, save a classic American town, and eventually become famous around the world? You can't even begin to answer those questions until you hear the charming story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa.
"Dewey's story starts in the worse possible way. Only a few weeks old, on the coldest night of the year, he was stuffed into the returned book slot at the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility (for a cat), and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most.
"As his fame grew from town to town, then state to state, and finally, amazingly, worldwide. Dewey became more than just a friend: he became a source of pride for an extraordinary Heartland farming town pulling its way slowly back from the greatest crisis in its long history."
Opinion: I'm a sucker for the true animal stories. Dewey was a sweet and loved cat during his stay at the library. Very cute stories.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox
Started: 6/7/09
Finished: 6/11/09
Year: 2002
Pages: 260
Genre: memoir/autobiography
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from book jacket): "In September 1998, Michael j. Fox stunned the world by announcing that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease-a degenerative neurological condition. In fact, he had been secretly fighting it for seven years. The worldwide response was staggering. Fortunately, he had accepted the diagnosis, and by the time public started grieving for him, he had stopped grieving for himself. Now, with the same passion, humor, and energy that he has invested in his dozens of performances over the last eighteen years, he tells the story of his life, his career, and his campaign to find a cure for Parkinson's.
"Combining his trademark ironic sensibility and keen sense of the absurd, Fox recounts his life, from his childhood in western Canada to the meteoric rise in film and television that made him a worldwide celebrity. Most important, however, he writes of the last ten years, during which-with the unswerving support of his wife, family, and friends-he has dealt with his illness. He talks about what Parkinson's has given him: the chance to appreciate a wonderful life and career, and the opportunity to help search for a cure and spread public awarenss of the disease. He feels as if he is a very lucky man, indeed."
Opinion: One of the better memoirs that I've read. I thank Michael J. Fox for taking the courage to write about his life and how Parkinson's has played such a role in his life.
Finished: 6/11/09
Year: 2002
Pages: 260
Genre: memoir/autobiography
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from book jacket): "In September 1998, Michael j. Fox stunned the world by announcing that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease-a degenerative neurological condition. In fact, he had been secretly fighting it for seven years. The worldwide response was staggering. Fortunately, he had accepted the diagnosis, and by the time public started grieving for him, he had stopped grieving for himself. Now, with the same passion, humor, and energy that he has invested in his dozens of performances over the last eighteen years, he tells the story of his life, his career, and his campaign to find a cure for Parkinson's.
"Combining his trademark ironic sensibility and keen sense of the absurd, Fox recounts his life, from his childhood in western Canada to the meteoric rise in film and television that made him a worldwide celebrity. Most important, however, he writes of the last ten years, during which-with the unswerving support of his wife, family, and friends-he has dealt with his illness. He talks about what Parkinson's has given him: the chance to appreciate a wonderful life and career, and the opportunity to help search for a cure and spread public awarenss of the disease. He feels as if he is a very lucky man, indeed."
Opinion: One of the better memoirs that I've read. I thank Michael J. Fox for taking the courage to write about his life and how Parkinson's has played such a role in his life.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Final Approach by Rachel Brady
Started: 6/7/09
Finished: 6/7/09
Year: 2009
Pages: 241
Genre: mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): For years ago Emily Locke's life was shattered when her infant daughter and husband were lost in an inexplicable accident. She was nearly rebuilt her fragile mental health with Richard Cole, a disgraced former police detective now working as a PI, resurfaces. He wants help he says only she can provide-reconnaissance at a Texas skydiving establishment over a thousand miles away. Emily knows better than to work with him again, but can't refuse. She identifies too greatly with the new missing child case.
"At Gulf Coast Skydiviing, similarites between this new case and Emily's troubled past make it increasingly difficult for her to stay objective, Soon she's convinced that she is somehow connected to whoever took little Casey Lyons. Someone at the quiet, rural airstrip knows that happened to the boy...and to Emily's own daughter.
"To find Casey before it's too late, Emily will have to make sense of the menacing parallels between his case and her daughter's..."
Opinion: Lots of action but the organization was off. For a more complete review, please look at MyShelf.com in the upcoming months.
Finished: 6/7/09
Year: 2009
Pages: 241
Genre: mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): For years ago Emily Locke's life was shattered when her infant daughter and husband were lost in an inexplicable accident. She was nearly rebuilt her fragile mental health with Richard Cole, a disgraced former police detective now working as a PI, resurfaces. He wants help he says only she can provide-reconnaissance at a Texas skydiving establishment over a thousand miles away. Emily knows better than to work with him again, but can't refuse. She identifies too greatly with the new missing child case.
"At Gulf Coast Skydiviing, similarites between this new case and Emily's troubled past make it increasingly difficult for her to stay objective, Soon she's convinced that she is somehow connected to whoever took little Casey Lyons. Someone at the quiet, rural airstrip knows that happened to the boy...and to Emily's own daughter.
"To find Casey before it's too late, Emily will have to make sense of the menacing parallels between his case and her daughter's..."
Opinion: Lots of action but the organization was off. For a more complete review, please look at MyShelf.com in the upcoming months.
Tori Amos: Piece by Piece by Tori Amos and Ann Powers
Started: 6/3/09
Finished: 6/7/09
Year: 2005
Pages: 350
Genre: Biography/autobiography
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: fan of Tori's, grabbed off the TBR pile.
Blurb (from book jacket): "From her critically acclaimed 1992 debut, Little Earthquakes, to the recent hit Scarlet's Walk, Tori Amos has been a formidable force in contemporary music, with one of the most dedicated fan bases in the industry. In Tori Amos: Piece by Piece, the singer herself takes readers beyond the mere facts, explaining the specifics of her creative process-how her songs go from ideas and melodies to recordings and passionately performed concert pieces.
"Written with acclaimed music journalist Ann Powers, Tori Amos: Piece by Piece is a firsthand account of the most intricate and intimate details of Amos's life as both a private individual and a very public performing musician. In passionate and informative prose, Amos explains how her songs come to her and how she records and then performs them for audiences everywhere, all the while connecting with listeners across the world and maintaining her own family life (which includes raising a young daughter). But it is also much more, a verbal collage made by two strong female voices-and the voices of those closest to Amos-that calls upon genealogy, myth and folkore to express Amos's unique and fascinating personal history. In short, we see the pieces that make up-as Amos herself puts it-'the woman we call Tori.'"
Opinion: An interesting look at how Tori's life in music has come about. I wasn't thrilled with how the book was organized but I did appreciate the work that both Tori Amos and Ann Powers put in creating this biography.
Finished: 6/7/09
Year: 2005
Pages: 350
Genre: Biography/autobiography
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: fan of Tori's, grabbed off the TBR pile.
Blurb (from book jacket): "From her critically acclaimed 1992 debut, Little Earthquakes, to the recent hit Scarlet's Walk, Tori Amos has been a formidable force in contemporary music, with one of the most dedicated fan bases in the industry. In Tori Amos: Piece by Piece, the singer herself takes readers beyond the mere facts, explaining the specifics of her creative process-how her songs go from ideas and melodies to recordings and passionately performed concert pieces.
"Written with acclaimed music journalist Ann Powers, Tori Amos: Piece by Piece is a firsthand account of the most intricate and intimate details of Amos's life as both a private individual and a very public performing musician. In passionate and informative prose, Amos explains how her songs come to her and how she records and then performs them for audiences everywhere, all the while connecting with listeners across the world and maintaining her own family life (which includes raising a young daughter). But it is also much more, a verbal collage made by two strong female voices-and the voices of those closest to Amos-that calls upon genealogy, myth and folkore to express Amos's unique and fascinating personal history. In short, we see the pieces that make up-as Amos herself puts it-'the woman we call Tori.'"
Opinion: An interesting look at how Tori's life in music has come about. I wasn't thrilled with how the book was organized but I did appreciate the work that both Tori Amos and Ann Powers put in creating this biography.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline
Started: 5/31/09
Finished: 6/3/09
Year: 2009
Pages: 274
Genre: Fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): "It was an accident. It was dark, it was raining, she'd only had two drinks. And the other car ran the stop sign. But Alison, feeling alone and estranged from her husband, Charlie, is suffocated by grief and guilt.
"A man with his own secrets, Charlie endures a long commute to a boring job so that Alison can stay home with the kids. The only thing that keeps him going these days is the thought of another woman-the only woman he has ever truly loved.
"Claire is everything her best friend, Alison, is not. Vibrant and ambitious, she's just had her first novel published and is married to Ben, a successful architect. Everything is going right-so why can't she stop thinking about what it would mean to have a different kind of life?
"Passionate about his work, Ben is living the New York dream, but what he yearns for is a house and family-the kind of life his friends Charlie and Alison have. Alternating through these four intertwined perspectives, Bird in Hand is a thought-provoking exploration of lies, betrayals, and unexpected twists that can irrevolcably alter everything we believe to be true."
Opinion: Not many books can work with multiple perspectives but this one does. A decent novel. For a more in depth review, please check out MyShelf in the upcoming months.
Finished: 6/3/09
Year: 2009
Pages: 274
Genre: Fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): "It was an accident. It was dark, it was raining, she'd only had two drinks. And the other car ran the stop sign. But Alison, feeling alone and estranged from her husband, Charlie, is suffocated by grief and guilt.
"A man with his own secrets, Charlie endures a long commute to a boring job so that Alison can stay home with the kids. The only thing that keeps him going these days is the thought of another woman-the only woman he has ever truly loved.
"Claire is everything her best friend, Alison, is not. Vibrant and ambitious, she's just had her first novel published and is married to Ben, a successful architect. Everything is going right-so why can't she stop thinking about what it would mean to have a different kind of life?
"Passionate about his work, Ben is living the New York dream, but what he yearns for is a house and family-the kind of life his friends Charlie and Alison have. Alternating through these four intertwined perspectives, Bird in Hand is a thought-provoking exploration of lies, betrayals, and unexpected twists that can irrevolcably alter everything we believe to be true."
Opinion: Not many books can work with multiple perspectives but this one does. A decent novel. For a more in depth review, please check out MyShelf in the upcoming months.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Started: 5/31/09
Finished: 5/31/09
Year: 1818, This edition 2003
Pages: 213
Genre: Classic/Horror
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from back cover): "'I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion.' A summer event's ghost stories, lonely insomnia in a moonlit Alpine room, and a runaway imagination-fired by philosophical discussions with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley about science, galvanism, and the origins of life-conspired to produce for Mary Shelley this haunting night specter. By morning it had become the germ of her Romantic masterpiece, Frankenstein.
Opinion: Not too bad of a book considering how old it is. Not a thriller horror novel like in today's time but still worth the read.
Finished: 5/31/09
Year: 1818, This edition 2003
Pages: 213
Genre: Classic/Horror
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from back cover): "'I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion.' A summer event's ghost stories, lonely insomnia in a moonlit Alpine room, and a runaway imagination-fired by philosophical discussions with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley about science, galvanism, and the origins of life-conspired to produce for Mary Shelley this haunting night specter. By morning it had become the germ of her Romantic masterpiece, Frankenstein.
Opinion: Not too bad of a book considering how old it is. Not a thriller horror novel like in today's time but still worth the read.
The Road Home by Rose Tremain
Started: 5/22/09
Finished: 5/31/09
Year: 2007, this edition 2009
Pages: 411
Genre: Literature
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: Review for MyShelf
Blurb (from back cover): "After losing both his job and his beloved wife, Lev journeys from Eastern Europe to London in search of employment to suppot his family. At first he is homeless, but before long he lands a job, finds shelter, and even begins to make friends. While he embarks on an affair with a fellow restaurant worker (and dodges the attentions of other women), Lev's new life remains constricted. Homesickness dogs him, not only for nostalgic reasons but because he doesn't belong, body or soul, to his new contry. But can Lev really go home again?
Opinion: This book dragged on for me. Many can relate to Lev's character and story but as someone who has never had to leave their country and family to look for better opportunities, I cannot relate and found parts of it dull. For a more complete review, please visit MyShelf in the upcoming months.
Finished: 5/31/09
Year: 2007, this edition 2009
Pages: 411
Genre: Literature
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: Review for MyShelf
Blurb (from back cover): "After losing both his job and his beloved wife, Lev journeys from Eastern Europe to London in search of employment to suppot his family. At first he is homeless, but before long he lands a job, finds shelter, and even begins to make friends. While he embarks on an affair with a fellow restaurant worker (and dodges the attentions of other women), Lev's new life remains constricted. Homesickness dogs him, not only for nostalgic reasons but because he doesn't belong, body or soul, to his new contry. But can Lev really go home again?
Opinion: This book dragged on for me. Many can relate to Lev's character and story but as someone who has never had to leave their country and family to look for better opportunities, I cannot relate and found parts of it dull. For a more complete review, please visit MyShelf in the upcoming months.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Cat Stories by James Herriot
Started: 5/22/09
Finished: 5/22/09
Year: 1994
Genre: Animals
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from book jacket): "Between these covers, teller and tales finally meet in a warm and joyful new collection that will bring delight to the hearts of readers the world over. Here are Buster, the kitten who arrived on Christmas; Alfred, the cat at the sweet shop; Emily, who lived with the gentleman tramp; and Olly ang Ginny, the kittens who charmed readers when thry first appeared at the Herriots' house in thr worldwide bestseller Every Living Thing. And along with these come others, each story as memorable and heartwsrming as thr last, each told with that magic blend of gentle wit and human compassion that markes every word from James Herriot's pen.
Opinion: A sweet collection of stories all about cats and their antics.
Finished: 5/22/09
Year: 1994
Genre: Animals
Grade: B
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from book jacket): "Between these covers, teller and tales finally meet in a warm and joyful new collection that will bring delight to the hearts of readers the world over. Here are Buster, the kitten who arrived on Christmas; Alfred, the cat at the sweet shop; Emily, who lived with the gentleman tramp; and Olly ang Ginny, the kittens who charmed readers when thry first appeared at the Herriots' house in thr worldwide bestseller Every Living Thing. And along with these come others, each story as memorable and heartwsrming as thr last, each told with that magic blend of gentle wit and human compassion that markes every word from James Herriot's pen.
Opinion: A sweet collection of stories all about cats and their antics.
Trick or Treat by Kerry Greenwood
Started: 5/18/09
Finished: 5/22/09
Year: 2009
Pages: 246
Genre: Mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): "When a cut-price franchise bakery opens its doors just down the street from Earthly Delights and crowds flock to purchase the bread, baker Corinna Chapman is understandably nervous. Meanwhile, her lover Daniel's old friend Georgiana Hope has temporarily set up residence in his house, and it doesn't take Corinna long to work out that she's tall, blonde, gorgeous, and up to something. Daniel is making excuses and Corinna is worried about his absences. Even more worrisome is the strange outbreak of madness that seems to be centered on Lonsdale Street.
"Can Corinna find her way through a maze of health regulations, missing boyfriends, sinister strangers, fraudulent companies and back-alley ambushes? Or will this be the end of the Earthly Delights Bakery?
Opinion: This novel appears to me to be choppy. For an Advanced Reader Copy from a puplisher that I've received several from before, there is A LOT of editing that needs to be done before the final novel comes out in America-it's already been released in Australia several years ago.
Finished: 5/22/09
Year: 2009
Pages: 246
Genre: Mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from back cover): "When a cut-price franchise bakery opens its doors just down the street from Earthly Delights and crowds flock to purchase the bread, baker Corinna Chapman is understandably nervous. Meanwhile, her lover Daniel's old friend Georgiana Hope has temporarily set up residence in his house, and it doesn't take Corinna long to work out that she's tall, blonde, gorgeous, and up to something. Daniel is making excuses and Corinna is worried about his absences. Even more worrisome is the strange outbreak of madness that seems to be centered on Lonsdale Street.
"Can Corinna find her way through a maze of health regulations, missing boyfriends, sinister strangers, fraudulent companies and back-alley ambushes? Or will this be the end of the Earthly Delights Bakery?
Opinion: This novel appears to me to be choppy. For an Advanced Reader Copy from a puplisher that I've received several from before, there is A LOT of editing that needs to be done before the final novel comes out in America-it's already been released in Australia several years ago.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
Started: 5/15/09
Finished: 5/18/09
Year: 2003
Pages: 331
Genre: Non-fiction, religion
Grade: B+
Blurb (from book jacket): "Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. In Under the Banner of Heaven, he shifts his focus from extremes of physical adventure to extremes of religious belief within our own borders. At the core of his book is an appalling double murder committed by a pair of Mormon Fundamentalist brothers, Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a revelation from God commanding them to kill their blameless victims. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this crime, Krakauer constructs a multilayered, bone-chilling narrative of messsianic delusion, savage violence, and unyielding faith. In the process, he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America's fastest growing religion, analyzes the abduction of fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart (and her forced 'marrage' to her polygamous kidnapper), and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief.
"Krakauer takes readers inside isolated communities in the American West, Canada, and Mexico, where some forty thousand Mormon Fundamentalists believe that the mainstream Mormon Church went unforgivably astray when it renounced polygamy. Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establisment in Salt Lake City, the leaders of these outlaw sects are zealots who answer only to God. Marrying prodigiousy and with virtual impunity (the leader of the largest fundamentalist church took seventy-five 'plural wives,' several of whom were wed to him when they were fourteen or fifteen and he was in his eighties), fundamentalist prophets exercise absolute control over the lives of their followers and preach that any day now the world will be swept clean in a hurricane of fire, sparing only their most obedient adherents.
"Weaving the story of the Lafferty brothers and their fanatical brethren with a clear-eyes look at Mormonism's violent past, Krakauer examines the underbelly of the United States' most successful homegrown faith and finds a distinctly American brand of religious extremism. The result is vintage Krakauer, an utterly compelling work of nonfiction that illuminates an otherwise confounding realm of human behavior."
Opinion: Wow. This is the first Krakauer book I've read and I had no idea what it was about when I got it. I'm not one that believes in certain religion and didn't know much about the Mormon religion. Greatly researched and an interesting look into the history of the Mormons.
Finished: 5/18/09
Year: 2003
Pages: 331
Genre: Non-fiction, religion
Grade: B+
Blurb (from book jacket): "Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. In Under the Banner of Heaven, he shifts his focus from extremes of physical adventure to extremes of religious belief within our own borders. At the core of his book is an appalling double murder committed by a pair of Mormon Fundamentalist brothers, Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a revelation from God commanding them to kill their blameless victims. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this crime, Krakauer constructs a multilayered, bone-chilling narrative of messsianic delusion, savage violence, and unyielding faith. In the process, he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America's fastest growing religion, analyzes the abduction of fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart (and her forced 'marrage' to her polygamous kidnapper), and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief.
"Krakauer takes readers inside isolated communities in the American West, Canada, and Mexico, where some forty thousand Mormon Fundamentalists believe that the mainstream Mormon Church went unforgivably astray when it renounced polygamy. Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establisment in Salt Lake City, the leaders of these outlaw sects are zealots who answer only to God. Marrying prodigiousy and with virtual impunity (the leader of the largest fundamentalist church took seventy-five 'plural wives,' several of whom were wed to him when they were fourteen or fifteen and he was in his eighties), fundamentalist prophets exercise absolute control over the lives of their followers and preach that any day now the world will be swept clean in a hurricane of fire, sparing only their most obedient adherents.
"Weaving the story of the Lafferty brothers and their fanatical brethren with a clear-eyes look at Mormonism's violent past, Krakauer examines the underbelly of the United States' most successful homegrown faith and finds a distinctly American brand of religious extremism. The result is vintage Krakauer, an utterly compelling work of nonfiction that illuminates an otherwise confounding realm of human behavior."
Opinion: Wow. This is the first Krakauer book I've read and I had no idea what it was about when I got it. I'm not one that believes in certain religion and didn't know much about the Mormon religion. Greatly researched and an interesting look into the history of the Mormons.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Persuader by Lee Child
Started: 5/10/09
Finished: 5/15/09
Year: 2003
Pages: 465
Genre: Suspense
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Jack Reacher is the Persuader.
"An ex-military cop and the ultimate loner. No family, no possessions, no commitments, no fear, nothing-except a strong sense of justice.
"Which is why Reacher agrees to help a female agent caught in a death trap. Why Reacher must outwit and outfight a criminal army.
"Because once Reacher finds trouble, he cannot quit.
"Not once.
"Not ever."
Opinion: A great thriller. Definitely one of the better books I've read this year so far.
Finished: 5/15/09
Year: 2003
Pages: 465
Genre: Suspense
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Jack Reacher is the Persuader.
"An ex-military cop and the ultimate loner. No family, no possessions, no commitments, no fear, nothing-except a strong sense of justice.
"Which is why Reacher agrees to help a female agent caught in a death trap. Why Reacher must outwit and outfight a criminal army.
"Because once Reacher finds trouble, he cannot quit.
"Not once.
"Not ever."
Opinion: A great thriller. Definitely one of the better books I've read this year so far.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Milagro Lane by Jay Brandon
Started: 5/3/09
Finished: 5/10/09
Year: 2008
Pages: 241
Genre: Fiction
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: Review for MyShelf.com
Blurb: "When Estela Valenzuela appears at the funeral of the scion of one of the oldest, richest families in town, she is a mystery-an apparent stranger who seems to know everyone. Gabe Grohman, the son of the deceased, is fascinated by her. Through Estela he discovers parts of the city he never knew, even a part that doesn't exist: Milagro Lane, a street of mind where one can only go in rare, fulfilling moments."
Opinion: Much of the extended blurb on the book is focused on how much the book is about San Antonio. I did not get that feel from reading it. It was a good read. For a more extended review, please check out MyShelf in the upcoming months.
Finished: 5/10/09
Year: 2008
Pages: 241
Genre: Fiction
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: Review for MyShelf.com
Blurb: "When Estela Valenzuela appears at the funeral of the scion of one of the oldest, richest families in town, she is a mystery-an apparent stranger who seems to know everyone. Gabe Grohman, the son of the deceased, is fascinated by her. Through Estela he discovers parts of the city he never knew, even a part that doesn't exist: Milagro Lane, a street of mind where one can only go in rare, fulfilling moments."
Opinion: Much of the extended blurb on the book is focused on how much the book is about San Antonio. I did not get that feel from reading it. It was a good read. For a more extended review, please check out MyShelf in the upcoming months.
Monday, May 04, 2009
The Beach House by James Patterson and Peter De Jonge
Started: 4/28/098
Finished: 5/3/09
Year: 2002
Pages: 358
Genre: mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from book jacket): "Jack Mullen is in law school in New York City when the news comes that his brother, Peter, has drowned in the ocean off East Hampton. Jack knows his brother practically grew up in the water, and that this couldn't be an accident. Someone must have wanted his brother dead.
"But the police say otherwise. As Jack tries to uncover details of his brother's last night, he confronts a maddening barricade of lawyers, police, and paid protectors who separate the wealthy summer residents from local workers like Peter. Motivated by a hundred forms of grief, Jack rallies his hometown friends to help him find the truth of Peter's death-no matter how rich or corrupt the people who stand in their way.
"Jack's relentless crusade puts him into a head-on collision with one of the most powerful and ruthless men in New York, a man who wipes out resistance with a snap of his fingers. As it unfolds that his brother was involved with some of the richest women and men in America-in ways Jack never imagined-his dream of justice fades. Only if he can somehow beat the rich at their own game will he be able to avenge his brother."
Opinion: One of the better Patterson books that I've read. Good story. Interesting plot. I liked how it ended-not rushed.
Finished: 5/3/09
Year: 2002
Pages: 358
Genre: mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR pile
Blurb (from book jacket): "Jack Mullen is in law school in New York City when the news comes that his brother, Peter, has drowned in the ocean off East Hampton. Jack knows his brother practically grew up in the water, and that this couldn't be an accident. Someone must have wanted his brother dead.
"But the police say otherwise. As Jack tries to uncover details of his brother's last night, he confronts a maddening barricade of lawyers, police, and paid protectors who separate the wealthy summer residents from local workers like Peter. Motivated by a hundred forms of grief, Jack rallies his hometown friends to help him find the truth of Peter's death-no matter how rich or corrupt the people who stand in their way.
"Jack's relentless crusade puts him into a head-on collision with one of the most powerful and ruthless men in New York, a man who wipes out resistance with a snap of his fingers. As it unfolds that his brother was involved with some of the richest women and men in America-in ways Jack never imagined-his dream of justice fades. Only if he can somehow beat the rich at their own game will he be able to avenge his brother."
Opinion: One of the better Patterson books that I've read. Good story. Interesting plot. I liked how it ended-not rushed.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall
Started: 4/16/09
Finished: 4/28/09
Year: 1932
Pages: 379
Genre: Classic Literature
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: 1001 Books you should read before you die, Booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Cherished as one of the most thrilling sea adventures ever recorded, Mutiny on the Bounty has sold millions of copies and enthralled generations of readers around the world in the seven decades since its initial publication. The novel reprises a true story-the strange, eventful, and tragive voyage of His Majestry's Ship Bounty in 1788-1789, which culminated in Fletcher Christian's mutiny against Captain Bligh-and reaches peaks of narrative excitement that mark the book indelibly as a modern classic."
Opinion: I really enjoyed reading this. It wasn't dry like other classic novels I've read. I hadn't realized that it was part of trilogy that I will now be looking to read the rest of it.
Finished: 4/28/09
Year: 1932
Pages: 379
Genre: Classic Literature
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: 1001 Books you should read before you die, Booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Cherished as one of the most thrilling sea adventures ever recorded, Mutiny on the Bounty has sold millions of copies and enthralled generations of readers around the world in the seven decades since its initial publication. The novel reprises a true story-the strange, eventful, and tragive voyage of His Majestry's Ship Bounty in 1788-1789, which culminated in Fletcher Christian's mutiny against Captain Bligh-and reaches peaks of narrative excitement that mark the book indelibly as a modern classic."
Opinion: I really enjoyed reading this. It wasn't dry like other classic novels I've read. I hadn't realized that it was part of trilogy that I will now be looking to read the rest of it.
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