‘Reads of 2011’ Category

  1. Book Review Catch Up, Pt. 2

    December 1, 2011 by sassenach

    It’s day 1 of my blog-a-day December! Also: HOLY CRAP IT’S DECEMBER. And M’s birthday is on the 6th and I haven’t gotten him anything yet :eek: and Christmas is just around the corner. Happily, I am not knitting things for my family this year and that’s a HUGE relief. I just didn’t have the time or motivation, honestly. Pretty much everyone is getting gift cards this year, I’m not-so-sorry to say.

    Anyway, I am still behind on my book reviews so here’s another catch up post :)

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    Inside Scientology by Janet ReitmanInside Scientology by Janet Reitman
    Oh boy, where to start? If you’re at all familiar with me, then you know that I am staunchly anti-Scientology. I think it’s not a religion–it’s a cult–and people who get involved with it are basically brainwashed.

    So, suffice it to say that I went into this with the opinion that Scientology is a crock, and the book only served to reinforce that opinion. It’s really appalling how much of a ripoff the “church” of Scientology is. I put that word in quotes because it’s much less of a church and way more of a money-making scam. L. Ron Hubbard was a swindler and science fiction author–not a prophet. Stay far, far away from this so-called religion, but do read this book. It’s certainly eye-opening, especially if you’re not familiar with all the history of the movement. I found myself continually facepalming because it’s so ludicrous that people actually believe (and throw thousands of dollars at) this bunk.

    (P.S. If any random spam commenters try to leave me some crazy-ass pro-Scientology comments, don’t waste your time because you will be deleted, mofos.)

    – – –

    Forbidden by Tabitha SuzumaForbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
    Ok, so…I was working at the library by myself one day, skimming the shelves, when I came across Forbidden. I read the inside flap copy and literally went, “WHAT?!” when I discovered that this book is about incest. I went to Goodreads to see what the reviews were like and was surprised to see it has such a high rating. I thought, all right–I’m in. I checked the book out that day.

    It’s really easy to read, which is kind of shocking considering the subject matter. It’s obviously a taboo, controversial topic to write about, but Suzuma has a truly lovely way with words. As for the characters, I found the majority of them likable, for the most part. That being said, I don’t think it would have been possible for me to finish this if I had a brother (which I don’t). Honestly, I think the story would have grossed me out in that case. Overall, it’s a very good book but I would caution anyone who’s got a younger reader. This is shelved in the Young Adult section and it’s marked for 16 and up on the inside flap, which sounds about right to me. But personally I was stunned at some of the scenes because they are written in a decidedly adult manner. Pretty graphic, in my opinion. At times, I had to keep reminding myself that this is technically a YA book.

    As with many YA novels, the conclusion felt rushed to me, but the writing was very good and made up for the somewhat hurried ending.

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    Fear by R.L. StineFear by R.L. Stine (Editor)
    Meh, these stories were just okay. It’s not very accurate to call them horror stories, though some are suspenseful (as suspenseful as a YA novel can be). The rest really belong in the science fiction genre. I only enjoyed a couple of the stories–the others were quite mediocre and not creepy at all.

    Also, the amount of typos and/or grammar issues annoyed me greatly. This book needs a decent copy editor. It really irks me when I read a book and it’s filled with errors! I can’t take the book very seriously when no one’s bothered to run spell check prior to going to press, for crying out loud. I know that’s a nit pick and doesn’t have much to do with the quality of the writing, but it’s very distracting for me as a reader.

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    The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley JacksonThe Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
    Hmm, I have mixed feelings. I liked Jackson’s short story “The Lottery,” so I had high hopes for this book. While I enjoy her writing style (and her knack for shocking endings), the pace of Hill House was a little too slow for my liking. There were moments when the story became slightly scary, but Jackson didn’t go the extra step and take me into ‘I’m afraid to go to sleep now’ territory.

    In fact, for me, I got halfway through the book before it even started getting creepy. There was a lot of back story and character set up to deal with. Lastly, I think the supporting characters could have been used a little better (other than simply to wind up at that fateful ending). I don’t know, I just felt that the book was unsatisfying. It was like I kept waiting for something to happen, but it just…didn’t. Sure, the ending was shocking, but it’s almost like it was an afterthought to the slow pace of the overall narrative.

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    Delirium by Lauren OliverDelirium by Lauren Oliver
    Ah, at least I can end this post on a positive note! Delirium is a pretty good book with a really awesome ending. Unlike many other readers, this is the first book by Oliver that I’ve read–I haven’t read Before I Fall yet. She writes beautifully–her narrative is often poetic, but at times I felt that her characters ramble on a little too much. The story is told through Lena’s point of view and so much takes place within her own internal monologue. I feel that the book could have been edited down somewhat while still retaining the essence of the story. But I appreciate that Lena is a decently fleshed-out character–she has a best friend (other than her love interest) and they have a great dynamic together. However, I got a little weary of Lena’s “I’m so plain, I’m nothing special,” Bella Swan-esque lamentations. Lena isn’t quite as bad, but she got a little annoying for me at times.

    Despite that, I adore the central message of the book: that love is the chiefest of all things in this world–in this life–and no one can ever take that from you. There is truly something admirable about that kind of story. I look forward to reading the sequel.

    – – –

    Phew! I’m still not up to date, geez. Remind me not to procrastinate ever again!

    Category: My So-Called Life, Reading, Reads of 2011 | Tags: | No Comments

  2. Book Review Catch Up, Pt. 1

    November 28, 2011 by sassenach

    Wow, so…apparently, for a few months, I forgot I had a blog! Hi there. I’m going to try to do a better job of posting–maybe I’ll make a point of writing at least once a week, like on my day off or something. Today happens to be my day off, so I’d better get this posted before I forget again!

    I’m sorely behind on my book review posts, but not for lack of books being read. I’ve been doing so much more reading this year than I did in 2010 (but less knitting than I did last year, sadly). But I haven’t posted any book reviews since the July/August timeframe, eek! I’m going to break this up into multiple posts, but here are some of the books I’ve read in recent months.

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    Ice by Ice-TIce by Ice-T
    Surprisingly poignant and relevant. I knew next to nothing about Ice-T prior to becoming a Law & Order: SVU fan, so this memoir was very enlightening for me. I didn’t expect him to have so much insight into life in general, but there’s a quality to the book that just feels real and genuine. Also, it reads like Ice’s actual voice–I hope that means that he actually penned the majority of the book, rather than merely parceling it out to his co-writer.

    At any rate, by the end of the book, I felt like I was reading the words of a motivational speaker, but not one of those cheesy, obnoxious ones that makes me roll my eyes. What he said actually made sense. I’m definitely a huge Ice fan now.

    – – –

    Darkness Under the Sun by Dean KoontzDarkness Under the Sun by Dean Koontz
    A pretty good scary story. This was my first time reading anything by Koontz, so I figured I’d start with a novella in case I didn’t like his writing style.

    Koontz is a pretty popular author, but to be honest, I always stayed away from him because he reworked the Frankenstein story and I just thought that was unacceptable because I really loved the original Frankenstein.

    While the writing itself here isn’t terribly remarkable, the mood/tone of the novella is definitely creepy. I thought the ending was a little corny but not overly so. I’d like to read more from Koontz since this is definitely not his best-known work.

    – – –

    Flipped by Wendelin Van DraanenFlipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
    An incredibly sweet story that surprised me. I expected this to be another fluffy, fast read. While I did read this rather quickly, the story lingered with me after I finished it. It comes across as sentimental at times, but also has moments of deeper meaning.

    The two main characters alternate as narrators for each chapter–sometimes with other books, this technique doesn’t work but in this case, Juli and Bryce both have very distinct voices. I liked Juli as a character much better than Bryce. It’s so refreshing to read a strong female character (especially one who is so young). I found Bryce rather annoying at times, but I think that was part of his journey as a character. He was hilarious to read, though. Lastly, I really liked the ending in that it wasn’t clearly spelled out. I’m pretty sure that I know how it ended, but I liked that it wasn’t overly sappy. I’m also glad that the author didn’t drag this book out into a series, which she probably could have done easily. The book has more impact as a standalone novel. I definitely recommend this one.

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    Carrie by Stephen KingCarrie by Stephen King
    This is the first full-length King novel I’ve read; my first experience reading King was with the novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, which I adored because I love the movie so much.

    As for Carrie, it’s disturbing and kind of brilliant. King somehow managed to capture the essence of what it’s like to be a teenage girl–but not just any girl, a telekinetic reject. I won’t even begin to compare my adolescent experiences with Carrie’s, but suffice it to say that I sympathized with her social status as an outcast and freak. I suppose I should have felt sorry for the fates of her schoolmates, but I felt worse for Carrie. I think it’s because when you strip the novel of its supernatural elements–telekinesis aside–Carrie’s story is all too realistic and heartbreaking.

    – – –

    Rage by Stephen KingRage by Stephen King (Writing as Richard Bachman)
    I enjoyed Carrie so much that I picked another King title to read immediately.

    I have this morbid (but hopefully not overly creepy) interest and fascination with school shootings, probably because I was still a teenager when the Columbine shootings (and the subsequent rush of other school shootings) happened. Rage is a story about a school shooting, which makes it disturbing for all the right reasons. It’s also out of print now. At first, I didn’t agree with King’s decision to pull this from print, but after having finished the book, it makes sense. (Besides, it’s his work and he’s Stephen freaking King, so he can do whatever he wants, right? Anyway, Wikipedia has more backstory.) As an adult, I found Rage to be a very important book, but I’m not sure what my response would have been if I’d read it as a teenager.

    – – –

    Whew! I have at least three or four more of these catch up posts to do before I’m up to date with my book reviews, so I’ll work on those and hopefully it won’t be 2012 before you see another post from me! :)

    Category: Reading, Reads of 2011 | Tags: | No Comments

  3. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

    July 26, 2011 by sassenach

    Uglies by Scott WesterfeldThis is going to be another super short review because I really disliked this book.

    Actually, not only did I dislike it but I was also disappointed by it. The premise was really interesting and had the potential to be so much better–think another Hunger Games type of story. But I think the author failed in his execution. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, which is rare for me because there’s usually at least one that I can relate to or identify with in some way.

    Also, the writing wasn’t particularly engaging. I found myself nodding off quite a few times. The story got so boring that it literally made me fall asleep.

    There are two three more books in this series, but I have no plans to read them and don’t recommend this one.

    Category: Reading, Reads of 2011 | Tags: | 2 Comments

  4. A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

    July 26, 2011 by sassenach

    A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer EganAll right, I admit it–I read this because it won the Pulitzer. I don’t think I would have read it otherwise. However, this is going to be a really short review since I had mixed feelings about the book.

    I like the spirit of A Visit from the Goon Squad, but I found it really hard to follow. There are a lot of different characters and interlocking narratives; I found myself having to flip back and figure out who was related to whom, who was married to whom, who was friends with whom, etc. I liked how everyone was connected in some way–it reminded me often of the show Lost–but I found the progression between chapters confusing.

    By the time I got to the PowerPoint chapter, I was glad for a break and I found the slides really fun and interesting. I had been kind of skeptical as to how a story could be told effectively through PowerPoint, but surprisingly, the technique actually worked.

    I guess I didn’t love the book because it left me feeling…off. I enjoy somber books (even depressing ones, and too often, probably), but this one just left me with a weird aftertaste, so to speak. It had very funny moments, but other parts that were truly bleak. Despite all this, I still enjoyed Egan’s writing style and would read other books by her. Unfortunately, I just didn’t love this book the way that so many others do.

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  5. Forgotten by Cat Patrick

    July 17, 2011 by sassenach

    Forgotten by Cat PatrickAt the start, I didn’t expect too much from this book. Whenever I want to read something light and fluffy, I reach for a young adult novel. Forgotten had an interesting premise but I didn’t think it would keep me riveted as much as it did. I was pleasantly surprised.

    The story centers around 16-year-old London (last name Lane–super corny character name, but whatever), whose memory resets itself every day. When she wakes up in the morning, she has literally forgotten everything that she did the previous day. She resorts to leaving herself notes so that she can keep track of things she’s done, things she needs to do, people she’s met, and situations she’s involved in.

    In one sense, this is a typical YA novel because of its romance element. However, I found that part of the book well written and not overtly cheesy. In addition, the romance isn’t the end game of the plot, which was refreshing.

    There’s also an element of mystery; this portion of the story turned it into a real page-turner for me. I stayed up way too late one night reading because I had to find out what happened next. I love it when a book can do that.

    My only small criticism of the book is the ending, which felt slightly rushed and unresolved. But at the same time, I appreciate that the author didn’t try to drag out the story into a trilogy or something. I wished that the ending had been more fleshed out, but at least it wasn’t stretched out into several unnecessary sequels.

    Overall, this was an enjoyable read for me. I always try to gauge my general feelings about a book by asking myself whether I’d read something by this author again. In this case, I would.

    Category: Reading, Reads of 2011 | Tags: | No Comments

  6. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

    June 14, 2011 by sassenach

    Anne of Green Gables by L. M. MontgomeryEvery year when I was growing up, our local PBS station would show the Anne of Green Gables miniseries during their annual fundraiser telethon. I always looked forward to seeing Anne again each year. Although we really should have ordered the series on tape (VHS!), my family didn’t own a copy, so we’d have to catch it once a year during the fundraiser. (Those days before Netflix and DVDs…)

    I have always loved Anne’s story, so I’m not sure why I waited so long to read the book, but I finally did!

    As I read the book, I had only Megan Follows’s portrayal of Anne in my head. She did such a perfect job of playing her–I can’t imagine any other actress in the role, especially after having read the book. Also, I was impressed to see how true to the book the miniseries really was. I can’t stand it when adaptations take too many liberties with the original material, but this is a case where the miniseries was faithful to the book, and thankfully so.

    Like Marilla (who is my second favorite character after Anne), I initially found Anne to be insufferable at times but ultimately endearing. After a while, the various scrapes she got herself into were slightly less comical and more repetitive, but at least she got into less mischief as she grew up. However, I was kind of sad that so much more detail was given to Anne’s earlier life at Green Gables, versus the whirlwind of the following five years. In particular, I would have liked for Anne’s experiences at Queen’s Academy to have been more fleshed out. The depiction of her teenage years was more of an afterthought when they really could have been shown in more detail.

    Nevertheless, Anne’s tale is so sweet. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

    Also: Gilbert Blythe. Need I say more?

    Category: Reading, Reads of 2011 | Tags: | 3 Comments

  7. The Quickening by Michelle Hoover

    June 14, 2011 by sassenach

    The Quickening by Michelle HooverOne-sentence plot summary (no spoilers): In the early 1900s, Midwest farming families face struggles and tragedy.

    I first heard of The Quickening through the Books on the Nightstand podcast. I’ve discovered some amazing novels through BOTNS, so I figured I’d give this one a try. I finished reading it a month ago, but I’ve put off writing a review until now. (And this will likely be a very short review since I have such tepid feelings about the book.) The writing was good, but the characters almost always felt unlikable. I think it had the potential to be a much better novel but fell just short of achieving that possibility. When I wasn’t disliking certain characters, I simply didn’t connect with the others. As I mentioned, the writing should have drawn me into the story more, but it didn’t. I even thought about abandoning the book midway, but hoped the ending would make it worthwhile. Unfortunately, I found the ending very unsatisfying and sort of abrupt. I would be hesitant to read another book by this author.

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