Nose in a Book

Woohoo!  My second challenge completed.  I had so much fun reading these books for the challenge.  It’s normally a genre that I tend to ignore, but I read some really good books for the challenge.  I think my favourite was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I also really enjoyed The Moonstone.  Thanks Carl for a great challenge!  (Click on the image to go to the review site to see all the books read by everyone for the challenge.)

Books I read:

• City of Glass – Cassandra Clare
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson
• The Moonstone – Wilkie Collins
• Deja Dead – Kathy Reichs
• Her Fearful Symmetry – Audrey Niffenegger

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Read for: RIP Challenge

I’m not really sure where to start on a summary for this one.   As the book begins, Elspeth has died.  In her will, she leaves her flat to her estranged twin’s American daughters (also twins).  The only stipulation is that they have to live in the flat for a year before they can sell it.  Of course, the twins decide to move to London to live in the flat for the year.  As they begin to make friends with the other residents of the building, they find that they flat is haunted by Elspeth.  Which leads to some plot twists which I found pretty predictable.

The book was definitely an interesting read and it was perfect for reading the week before Halloween, but it was just sooo predictable.  And I didn’t find the ending to be all that satisfying either (maybe because I saw it coming?).  I just didn’t find this book to be as good as The Time Traveller’s Wife.  I know this is a short review, but I don’t have much else to say.  It was a fun read, but nothing special.

I’m having a hard time categorizing this one, do I need a new genre?

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs

Read for: RIP Challenge

My mom and my brother has recently convinced me that I was totally missing out by not watching the TV series Bones.  So I borrowed Season 1 and flew through it and I’m not just starting Season 2.  And I agree, I was missing out!  But then I noticed in the credits that it was based on a series of books by Kathy Reichs.  Of course, I had to read them!  The book is really nothing like the TV except for the name of the main character and the fact that they are both forensic anthropologists, but it was equally as good!

For those of you, that have never seen the TV show or read the book, Temperance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist.  Basically, that means that she’s really good at reading bones.  In the book, she works in Montreal with the crime lab.  In Deja Dead, she is brought a set of bones that when analyzed remind her of a set she worked on about a year previously.  Then another body is found and the circumstances around the murder creep Brennan out even more.  She does some digging and finds other possible cases.  She’s convinced that they are dealing with a serial killer.  Unfortunately for her, the detectives on the case disagree and she can’t really take it that much further on her own.

I really liked this book and I will definitely be picking up the rest of the books about Tempe Brennan.  There were a couple of times where I found the book got overly technical and I was totally lost.  It didn’t hamper my understanding of the case or the plot though, but I wondered why it was necessary?  Also, it bothered me that Brennan constantly put herself in dangerous situations without telling anyone where she was going, even after the detectives on the case told her not to do that any more and knowing that the killer was following her.  She never even had a weapon!  Otherwise it was an enjoyable read and I can’t wait to read some more!

By the way, how would you categorize this book?  I’m going with mystery for now but let me know if there’s a better label for it.

Is that even a word?

Anyway, I just wanted to wish all you readathoners good luck with your reading today.  I think if I told my husband I wanted to spend 24 hours reading and blogging today he’d probably say “And how is that different from every other day of your life?” but unfortunately I do actually have things to do today!  I don’t even think I’ll have much time for cheerleading so consider this my effort!  Good luck and have fun!!

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

Read for: RIP IV and 1% Well Read Challenge

The Moonstone is a huge yellow diamond (valued at 30,000 pounds in 1848 – (I have no idea what that translates to in today’s money but 30,000 pounds today is a lot of money!)  with a history.   Originally set in the forehead of an Indian god who typifies the Moon, the diamond finds its way into the Herncastle family in England.  At the outset of the novel, the diamond has been left to a young lady named Rachel.  The diamond is to be given to her on her birthday.  In the days leading up to the birthday party, three Indians are observed in the vicinity of the house acting suspiciously.  Rachel is given the diamond on her birthday as planned and wears it prominently at the dinner party.  The three Indians show up at the party, claiming to have magic tricks to amuse the party.  After the guests have left, the house is carefully locked up (because of the presence of the diamond and the suspicious Indians) and everyone goes to bed.  The next morning, it is discovered that the diamond is missing.  So begins the search for the missing diamond.  Many people are involved and many people are suspected through out the course of the book.

I really enjoyed this story.  There’s lots of plot twists and turns and I never figured out who had stolen the diamond on my own.  It’s a perfect Victorian mystery!  The characters are believable and likeable and entertaining.  Like The Woman in White, the story is told from the point of view of several of the characters but unlike The Woman in White, I found the flow was so much better and the story was so much more entertaining.  I think my favourite narrator was Gabriel Betteredge, the house steward.  He had an obsession with Robinson Crusoe that was really funny.  The second narrator was Ms. Clack, and ultrareligious, self righteous, interferring woman who I also found to be quite entertaining to read about.  She put her foot in her mouth several times but of course never realized how offensive she’d been.

This was definitely better than The Woman in White, which I didn’t love.  The other thing I truly enjoyed about this book was the particular edition I borrowed from the library.  It was published in 1946 and was donated to the library sometime in the 70′s.  So the pages were soft and yellowed and smelled old, which made reading it that much more fun.  It also had some hilarious illustrations.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Read for: R.I.P. IV

Wow! I’ve heard a lot of good about this book, but I still wasn’t expecting it to be quite as good as I found it to be!  Also, I obviously didn’t read the summaries of the book because it was not at all what I was expecting.  For some reason I thought it was a young adult novel and I had no idea it was going to be a mystery.  But I’m so glad it was because I was getting behind with my RIP reading and now I can include this in the challenge!

First a warning – this book is intense and it’s definitely not a young adult novel.  I’m not even sure I can summarize with justice without giving too much of the story away, but I’ll try.  Harriet Vanger disappeared without a trace 40 years ago.  Her uncle has obsessively searched for any clue to her disappearance (what he’s convinced is a murder) ever since that day.  He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist who has just been sued (successfully) for libel.  Then there’s Lisbeth Salander, who works for a security agency as a PI, who is initially not connected to the main story but ends up being a major player.

From the moment I started reading this book, I could not put it down.  Larsson just jumps right into the story and then never stops.  At time the story got a little technical but never to the point of losing the reader.  I also really liked the writing.  It was straight forward, without a lot of extra stuff thrown in.  The only problem I had was that there seemed to be either an editing or a translating issue (or perhaps both.)  I know that doesn’t reflect on Larsson, but it always bothers me when there are a lot of typos in a book.  I think it was definitely partly a translating problem because there were a few sentences that didn’t even make sense or used words in the wrong context.  But that is a minor detail and shouldn’t stop any one from running out and grabbing this book!  I’m anxiously awaiting the next one but I’m 68th on the list at the library and there are only 26 copies available so it could be a long wait!

Currently I’m reading The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. My son and I are reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume.

This past week I finished The Year of the Flood - Margaret Atwood, The Guinea Pig Diaries - A. J. Jacobs and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson (review coming soon.)  My son and I also finished Ramona’s World – Beverly Cleary.

This coming week I hope to read Deja Dead – Kathy Reichs and then either Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins or Shanghai Girls – Lisa See.  My son and I will probably start Superfudge – Judy Blume this week also.  I’m not enjoying the Fudge books as much as the Ramona books, but I think my son likes them better.

The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment by A. J. Jacobs

This is the third book by Jacobs that I have read and I found it just as entertaining as the first two.  I think the sub-title for this book pretty much summarizes what it’s about.  Some of the experiments that he does are outsourcing his life to two different companies in India.  One company takes care of the business side of his life and the other the personal.  I think this is probably my favourite chapter because the concept is just so funny!  Another funny chapter is when he decides to practice radical honesty, in which he pretty much says exactly what he’s thinking, which is an interesting concept and I’m sure you can see how that could lead to some funny/awkward situations.  It also leads to some candid conversations.

Some other experiments Jacobs tries are becoming a hot woman (online, as he helps his nanny find a date), impersonating a celebrity at the Oscars, becoming more rational, posing naked for a magazine article, becoming more like George Washington, unitasking (not multitasking), and doing everything his wife asks for an entire month.

This book was just as funny and entertaining as his first two and I really enjoyed it.  Jacobs has a way of making fun of himself that is so honest and endearing.  I can’t imagine living with this man though.  I feel for his wife.  And apparently a lot of people feel this way, which is what led to the last chapter, where he does everything his wife says for a whole month.  She must be one amazing woman!

Friday Finds is a weekly event hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.  Check out the other entries from this week.

Ok, I’ve skipped a couple of weeks so some of these reviews are from a couple of weeks ago.  Sorry!

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters reviewed at Well-Mannered Frivolity

I’ve attempted a Sarah Waters book before and had to put it down halfway through.  I’m pretty sure it had nothing to do with the book and everything to do with the fact that a certain someone living inside of me was making me extremely sick.  I really want to give Waters another chance but I think the first book is probably a lost cause.  Here’s what made me think this might be a good choice:

“The Little Stranger is a delightfully creepy Gothic tale of the first order….The Little Stranger is my first Sarah Waters book, and I really enjoyed it. I have heard it compared to some of my favorite classic Gothic literature: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe, and The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. The Little Stranger is definitely in the same league as these esteemed novels. Sarah Waters has crafted a spine-chilling, magnificent tale of terror. My advice to you, is to read The Little Stranger only by light of day. Pay no attention to that shadow moving in the corner, or the noise just behind your chair. I’m sure it’s nothing…”

Sounds creepy right?

The next book I’ve added to my tbr list is Black Angels by Linda Beatrice Brown.  Bloggin’ ’bout Books reviewed this a couple of weeks ago.

Here’s what grabbed my attention:

“I’m sitting here trying to describe the power of this exquisite novel. Can I do it justice? I’m pretty sure I can’t, but I’m going to try because this just might be the most outstanding book I’ve read this year….Strong and hopeful, Black Angels is the incredible story of an extraordinary friendship. It celebrates courage, faith and family in all its forms. Unflinchingly honest, but beautifully rendered, it’s simply a triumph. A rich, touching, powerful triumph.”

Who could resist that?

Next, I came across a review for Foreign Tongue by Vanina Marsot at The Literate Housewife.  After reading this:

“The moment I finished it I wanted to start it all over again. I cannot completely express the number of ways in which I enjoyed Vanina Marsot’s novel. It is a story of a woman falling in and out of love with a man.  It is a love story between a woman and her two countries of citizenship:  France and the United States.  It is a love story between a woman and language.  Most of all, it is the story of a woman falling in love with her life. I cannot recommend this novel enough. It is invigorating and inspiring and is one book you won’t want to miss.”

I had to add it to my list!

Book Addiction reviewed In the Woods by Tana French and had this to say:

“I would definitely call In the Woods a “literary thriller” because while it’s definitely a thriller, Tana French can seriously write.  It’s a very wordy book, with explanations and descriptions and complex conversations, and although it took me awhile to get through the book (especially for “thriller” standards), I loved every minute of it.  Not only was I on the edge of my seat trying to solve the mystery, I was also fully immersed in these characters and couldn’t wait to find out what would happen with them.  And I liked them – all of them.  Even though Rob is really not a sympathetic character (especially toward the end), I had sympathy for him.  I wanted things to work out for him, I wanted his pain to go away, I wanted him to be happy.”

After that I had to add it to my list!

Last, I read this review of The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl at A High and Hidden Place.  It sounds really interesting:

“Charles Dickens was writing his final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, when he suddenly died.  When the news of his death reaches his American publisher, Fields & Osgood, James Osgood sends his young assistant Daniel Sand to meet the boat and retrieve the newest installment.  When Daniel’s body is discovered hours later without the manuscript, Osgood begins a quest to discover the rest of Dickens’s story and save his struggling business, and hopes to reveal Daniel’s killer at the same time.

Osgood and one of his bookkeepers, and Daniel’s sister, Rebecca Sand journey to England.  As they race to unravel Dickens’s final secrets, they are beset by murderous thugs, drug dealers, thugs and blue bloods, and those closest to Dickens.  They soon find that Dicken’s lost ending is a matter of life and death.”

And doesn’t that cover look intriguing?

And that’s all I’ve got for this week!

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

Read for: The Canadian Books Challenge

I find the more Atwood I read, the more I appreciate her writing.  Sometimes I don’t love the plot but her writing is brilliant.  If you’ve read Oryx and Crake you might recognize the setting and some of the characters in this novel.  It took me a really long time to clue into this though.  I did read Oryx and Crake right when it first came out so it’s been a while.

In this novel, there’s been a supervirus (the waterless flood) that’s spread through out a large majority of the population.  The story is told through two of the survivors, Ren and Toby who have managed to avoid the plague by being isolated from the general population.  Through flashbacks we learn that Toby and Ren were once part of the same religious group – called the Gardeners – and have since left for various reasons.  Eventually, Ren and Toby are forced to leave their respective hideouts and they are able to find others from their pasts and eventually each other.

I really liked this novel.  I sometimes have a hard time reading dystopian literature because it can be so disturbingly accurate.  Somehow this one didn’t get to me the way others have. (And not because it’s unrealistic.  Maybe I’m just becoming desensitized to it because I’ve read so much lately!)  With people making such a big deal over the swine flu and a possible pandemic it becomes a lot more real to read about a virus that killed huge portions of the population.

The characters in the book were likable and realistic.  It was really interesting to read how Toby viewed  Ren after they were reunited and see how different it was of Ren’s own view of herself.  I think this is quite often true in the real world.  How we see ourselves can be very different from how others view us.

I have a really hard time writing reviews of Atwood’s work because there is so much to talk about that I just don’t know where to start.  I also feel like I don’t want to give away too much of the story because it’s so much better to read it without knowing what’s coming next.  So for those reasons I think I’ll stop now.  Just read the book yourself!  It’s good.