75 Books...More or Less! discussion
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Jan B's 2015 Challenge
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JanB
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Jan 01, 2015 12:24AM
Looking forward to another great year of reading with all if you!
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Thanks Kristin, Elyse, and Dawn! And Hillary, I hope I don't lead you wrong :-)It's January 6th and I haven't read a word in a new novel yet. Yikes. My kids just left on Sunday night and my husband and I just took the Christmas decorations down. I'm also getting back to the gym and doing a lot of reading/research into some dietary changes for my RA. It's taking all my energy and free time, but I will get into the reading groove again soon! It's certainly not from a lack of books :-)
JanB wrote: "It's January 6th and I haven't read a word in a new novel yet. Yikes."Yeah, but now that the holiday busyness is done, there's a whole lot of year left! I, too, look forward to seeing what you read in 2015. I got quite a few suggestions from you last year!
1. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr3.5 stars
FINALLY! My first book of the year!
I would rate the first half as 2 stars and the last half 4. It was slow start and I found excuses to put it aside and do other things. The random skipping forward and backward in time (for no discernible reason) was confusing and annoying. The short chapters, sentence fragments, overly descriptive flowery language, and abundance of metaphors are a personal dislike of mine. Obviously, based on ratings, other people love it. Usually if people describe writing as "poetic" I won't like it. So if you love the writing style you will love the book.
The second half of the book is when I finally became engrossed in the story. My book club had a good discussion and I’m glad I read it even if it won’t be on my favorites list.
Mod
3.5 stars
FINALLY! My first book of the year!
I would rate the first half as 2 stars and the last half 4. It was slow start and I found excuses to ..."
This is on my list but I'm in no crazy rush to read it! :)
Elyse, it's getting a lot of buzz and many love it. I hope you enjoy it more than I did. I hate it when I don't have the same reaction as so many others!
2. Saving Grace by Jane Green3 stars (for the genre)
To be fair I don't usually read this genre but the publisher's summary : "Powerful and riveting, Jane Green’s Saving Grace will have you on the edge of your seat as you follow Grace on her harrowing journey to rock bottom and back.”, intrigued me so I entered to win a copy and won.
Unfortunately, I found it neither powerful or riveting and I certainly wasn't on the edge of my seat. There were a few serious topics presented but too many developments were improbable while other threads were dropped and left hanging.
Fans of women's fiction and of Jane Green will find it enjoyable, just don't expect a psychological thriller.
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Andrea, yes just cut and paste your comments and there's your review :) I agree that the ending was a let-down. I'm still glad I read it. He writes beautiful prose at times but other parts are over-written. It had the potential to be a 5 star book. Too bad
3. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (Flavia de Luce, #7) by Alan Bradley4 stars
Love Flavia, she is a delight as always and it was fun to see what she's up to in her new locale.
Mr. Bradley can't write these fast enough!
4. The Girl on the Train by Paula HawkinsFinal review after my book club meeting but in general I don't get what all the hype is about or why it's getting such rave reviews.
JanB wrote: "4. The Girl on the Train by Paula HawkinsFinal review after my book club meeting but in general I don't get what all the hype is about or why it's getting such rave reviews."
I am in a LONG queue for this book at the library, even though I heard it was a lot like Gone Girl and I was not such a fan of that one! I just don't love unreliable narrators. Oh well, I'll give it a go (after the 57 people in front of me on the wait list at the library!).
Mod
Final review after my book club meeting but in general I don't get what all the hype is about or why it's getting such rave reviews."
I am i..."
It seems our members who've read it are all feeling the same way about it.
Meghanly, I'll be interested in your thoughts when you finally get around to it. I don't think it was anything like Gone Girl. Not even a tiny bit. I think publishers put that out to generate sales since it was such s blockbuster. But judging from reviews I'm in the minority.Elyse, interesting isn't it? Maybe we are a tougher crowd to impress :)
5. Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar--Your Brain's Silent Killers by David Perlmutter, M.D., Kristin Loberg
3 stars
It's a breath of fresh air to see a M.D. talk about the role of nutrition in disease, and I agree with him on most points. For people who have Alzheimer's or other neurological conditions in their family history I think it's a must-read. However, the book fails somewhat by taking such a dogmatic one-sided approach, citing study after study that confirms his premise and giving us case studies of near miraculous recoveries. I definitely believe we've been oversold in this country on the value of whole grains (not to mention GMO crops) but I'm not convinced that a grain-free diet will cure every ail. For those whose gene for certain diseases has been switched on sometimes the best we can hope for is a relief of symptoms, not a "cure".
But for someone like me, who is eliminating grains for an autoimmune condition, the book has great value and it's given me more ammunition to firm my resolve and curb cravings.
6. Bury Me Deep by Harold Q MasurThis was a mistake purchase. In my haste one day I thought I was downloading a book by Megan Abbott. Same title. It was pretty good but not what I was expecting and it wasn't until the end that I realized my mistake :-)
7. In the Midst of Death (Matthew Scudder #3) by Lawrence Block
I think this is the weakest so far of the 3 Matthew Scudder books I've read. The case wasn't all that compelling although Matthew continues to grow as a character, and a very interesting one at that.
8. A Small Indiscretion by Jan Ellison4 stars
Told in alternating chapters between the past and present, Annie narrates the book as a letter to her son, explaining the youthful "small indiscretion" that led to the painful events of today. We discover in the first chapter that her son was in an accident and she and her husband recently separated. We know that the events of the past are somehow connected to current events but the what, how, and why are slowly revealed.
Annie is a rather unlikable character and her decisions sometimes hard to fathom, but yet the author writes so beautifully that I found the story compelling. As the mystery unfolds, several twists kept me turning the pages. The power of secrets, the love of families, and the need for forgiveness are themes running throughout.
Mod
4 stars
Told in alternating chapters between the past and present, Annie narrates the book as a letter to her son, explaining the youthful "small indiscretio..."
This sounds really good! It's amazing how unlikable characters can be and yet the story pulls you in. I felt that way about Gillian Flynn's books.
Elyse, I agree. I don't have to like the characters to enjoy a book. It takes a skilled author to write a compelling story with a character you don't like, making choices that make you want to smack them! Lol
9. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson5 stars
Compelling, gripping, suspenseful....all those adjectives and more can be used to describe Erik Larson's nonfiction narrative of the sinking of the Lusitania. His storytelling skill makes nonfiction read like fiction and he keeps the suspense alive, even though we know the Lusitania's fate. If you think you know all there is to know about the Lusitania, you are wrong. An added bonus is I learned a lot about Woodrow Wilson, and a behind the scene look at how America was drawn into WWI.
I've loved previous books written by Larson but I think this is his best yet!
Mod
5 stars
Compelling, gripping, suspenseful....all those adjectives and more can be used to describe Erik Larson's nonfiction narrativ..."
This sounds like a fascinating read! Adding to my TBR.
Elyse, it is fascinating, at least to me. If you enjoy NF and Larson's previous books I think you'll like it.
Mod
I haven't read any of Larson's works but this sounds like a good place to start!
JanB wrote: "9. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson5 stars
Compelling, gripping, suspenseful....all those adjectives and more can be used to describe Erik Larson's nonfiction narrativ..."
I have enjoyed Larson's books in the past and will have to add this one to my TBR pile.
10. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler3 stars (and I'm being generous)
2.5 stars, rounded up.
I'm a fan of Anne Tyler, and while I normally enjoy slow, introspective stories of (somewhat) dysfunctional families, this one failed to captivate me. Tyler is a master of writing about ordinary families in an extraordinary way, and her writing here is excellent, as always. It was the story itself that I felt meandered slowly along for pages and pages with nothing interesting or noteworthy happening. The characters were underdeveloped with no insight into their behavior, and I didn't care for the jumping around of the timelines. I hate to say it, but I was bored. By the time I reached the abrupt ending I wasn't sure what the point was.
11. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain3 stars
If you've seen his programs, then you know to expect (minus the TV censors). This is mostly an autobiographical account of his rise in the culinary world, as well as a brutally honest look at the restaurant business.
If profanity, drinking, drug use, and general depravity bothers you, then skip this one. But Bourdain's love for food and cooking shine through and there are some laugh out loud moments. I also learned useful tips, such as never order fish on a Monday :-)
I read this as an audiobook and enjoyed listening to the author read his own work. He writes like he talks, full of irreverent humor.
Mod
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Andrea, I'd say if you've sampled her books and don't care for them, then it's ok to move on to other authors/books. So many books, so little time.....
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12. Night by Elie Wiesel (audio)5 stars
I've avoided reading this book for years. I just couldn't force myself to read yet another book about the horrors of the Holocaust. But I shouldn't have waited.
Highly recommended. The version I listened to includes his Nobel Prize acceptance speech and a foreward written by the author. The narration by George Guidall was flawless.
13. What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall MonroeYou wouldn't think a former NASA roboticist would be a particularly funny guy, but you'd be wrong. This book of answers to absurd hypothetical questions is funny and witty, all presented in an easy to understand and entertaining way.
This was a fun read - highly recommended, and not just for nerdy science geeks. The audio version is flawlessly and humorously read by Wil Wheaton.
I debated between 4 and 5 stars and ultimately decided to go with 5 because I was thoroughly entertained throughout the entire book.
Mod
You wouldn't think a former NASA roboticist would be a particularly funny guy, but you'd be wrong. This b..."
I fully intend to listen to the audiobook. :)
Elyse, I understand the book has his amusing stick drawings but I'd still recommend the audio.
14. Death on the Nile: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatization 4 stars
Agatha Christie is incomparable and I'm a huge fan. My rating reflects the BBC dramatization only. This was a daily deal on Audible, and I couldn't resist the 99 cent price. It was a fun listen and very well done, but I would have preferred a simple narration of the book.
Mod
Elyse, back in my 20s I read nearly every one and it's fun to go back and read once in a while.
15. A Stab in the Dark (Matthew Scudder, #4) by Lawrence Block 4 stars
Matthew is asked by the father of a woman murdered 9 years ago, to look into the case. Originally thought to be a victim of the Ice Pick Prowler, new evidence proves that she was the lone victim who couldn't have been killed by the serial killer.
As Scudder sifts through the clues and questions the people closest to the case, he continues to fight a losing battle with his demons. He's a complicated guy, and his descent to rock bottom is what makes these books so much more than a simple procedural. That, along with the excellent writing and plotting, is why I enjoy them so much and look forward to the rest of the series.
16. A Desperate Fortune by Susannah Kearsley2.5 stars
This was just an ok read for me. I enjoyed the 2 previous books I'd read by the author, A Winter Sea and A Rose Garden but this one was a slog to get through. The present day character supposedly had Asperger's but the author chose to tell, not show, those tendencies. I'm not convinced someone with Asperger's would have inner conversations with herself about missing social cues, but, instead, would be clueless.
I appreciated the author's attention to historical accuracy and enjoyed the afterword. But the narrator was one of the worst I've listened to in a long time. She overacted the parts and was overly dramatic, even when the parts didn't justify it (i.e., driving down a road). Actually, I don't like my narrators to "act" the part, I just want them to read the book! Her voice became like fingernails on a blackboard and if the audiobook hadn't been downloaded to my phone I might have thrown it across the room.
This isn't one I'd recommend.
17. The Children's Crusade by Ann Packer3.5 stars
Spanning five decades, this is the story of the Blair family. The novel opens when Bill, a pediatrician, returns from the Korean War, meets Penny, and they quickly marry. They have 4 children, the three R’s (Robert, Rebecca, and Ryan) and James, the “mistake”. The rest of the book is told from the POV of each of the children, alternating between past and present. As adults, three of the children are successful: a teacher, a psychiatrist, and a family doctor. James is the black sheep who wanders aimlessly through life. But appearances can be deceiving. As we get to know each of the children’s stories we gain more insight into what drives them, both as children and as adults.
Dad Bill is patient and perfect, while Penny is dissatisfied and feels oppressed as a mother and homemaker. She retreats to the shed out back, her “studio”, to create art, and begins to spend more and more time there, while the distance between her and the family grows. The children dream up a crusade to think of things that Mom will want to do with them and they try their best to please her. This crusade is doomed to fail and the children largely grow up without maternal affection and attention.
The novel’s turning point comes when the adult James returns to his hometown and presents his siblings with a proposition. A crucial decision must be made and parts of the past are dredged up. The story sometimes moves slowly with much attention to detail that does little to move the story forward. I did enjoy reading the perspective of the now adult children, especially James, but wish there had been more insight given to the parent’s inner lives and motivations.
A major theme of the novel is asking the question of how much of what we become as adults is a product of our upbringing and how do we make peace with the past?
Readers who enjoy their family dramas with a side of dysfunction and a few unlikable characters will enjoy this novel. It would make an excellent book discussion group choice.
*Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I like your review. I've been struggling to get past the first couple chapters but now that I see some of the story's framework I think I will have an easier time.
