christianreader | Books for November

A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth, 7/10, 1379 pages
I seldom struggle this much with a book, but while not exactly boring, it wasn't a page-turner either, making it a very slow read. Also there were so many different characters, that it was difficult to keep them all straight, and there were 4 or 5 different plotlines - only two of which I was interested in. The summary is woefully inadequate, but I guess trying to summarize almost 400 chapters and 1400 pages into one or two succinct paragraphs is too daunting a task for anybody to attempt.

I'm glad I've read it, because I think it can easily be considered a modern classic, but it's not a book I'm very likely to reread, nor is it a book I'd recommend to others unless they're very interested in the Indian culture and politics in the early 1950s.

Dear Enemy - Jean Webster*, 9/10, Audiobook from Librivox
"Dear Enemy" is the sequel to "Daddy Long-Legs" and in my opinion just as good. I love hearing about Sally's experiences leading the orphanage and find the writing style very charming. It's one of those comfort books that I keep returning to when I'm the need for some wholesome entertainment.

Shadowmagic - John Lenahan, 7/10, 280 pages
I was a bit hesitant at first as the writing style really didn't appeal to me. It was much too immature, and it seemed as if Lenahan couldn't make up his mind as to the level of detail he wanted to go into. The latter improved through the book though, and as the story is told with Connor's "voice", once you get to know him, the immaturity of the writing style actually fits very well. I liked the book and the fairytale-ness of the plot and characters - especially Mother Oak. My one complaint is the ending, which came as a complete surprise and seemed very sudden. This isn't a problem if it turns out that "Shadowmagic" is the first in a series, but if it's meant to stand alone, it's both unexpected and unsatisfying.

Immortal Warrior - Lisa Hendrix, 9/10, 352 pages
"Immortal Warrior" is the first book in a very promising new Paranormal Romance series. I picked it up one rainy afternoon, and had to force myself to put it down in order to at least get some sleep before work the next day. The characters are believable and the plot captivating.

I've hugely enjoyed the book and am already looking forward to getting my hands on the next in the series, because while Lisa Hendrix very nicely tied up the events of this plot, there are still other threads left to explore.

An Old-Fashioned Girl - L.M. Alcott*, 10/10, Audiobook
One of my favourite books as a child, and I still prefer it over most of Alcott's other books. She tends to preach quite awfully in her books, but there's not too much of that in this one, and what there is comes natural. It's a very sweet story and perfect for a "comfort" book.

The Spy Wore Silk - Andrea Pickens, 9/10, 349 pages
I ended up reading the first of the "Merlin's Maidens" trilogy last, but don't think it made too much of a difference in what I thought of the two others. While a bit slow to start it quickly picked up and I wasn't very keen on putting it down last night in order to go to bed on time. Probably the best of the lot, although the third ("The Scarlett Spy") comes a close second. I just liked Siena better than her two roommates and found her experiences more interesting to read about.

I'd love if Andrea Pickens eventually writes a prequel about life at Mrs. Merlin's Academy. That would be very interesting to read!

Peaches - Jodi Lynn Anderson, 8/10, 320 pages
Sweet YA fiction, very similar in style to "The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants", only this book lets us see the beginning of a friendship. How three very different girls, thrown together for a summer by circumstances, can become the most important people in each other lives. Mostly aimed at girls age 13-18, but well enough written that I'd recommend it to anybody who enjoys YA.

The Death Committee - Noah Gordon, 6/10, 361 pages
To somebody who usually loves Noah Gordon's books, this was a huge disappointment. Slow-moving and not nearly as captivating as any of his other books. I kept reading because until now he's been one of my favourites authors, so I kept thinking the book would improve. And it did - I started to get interested in the characters - but it still can't hold a candle to any of the others.

The Novice - Trudi Canavan, 9/10, 577 pages
A great sequel to The Magicians' Guild. This second book in the trilogy got started much faster and had me hooked right from the beginning. I have to admit I was a lot more interested in Sonea's story than Dannyl's though, so I'm glad the plot skipped back and forth so often to give me a nice mixture of both. I'm thinking that all is not necessarily as it seems, and am looking forward to seeing whether I'll be proven right in The High Lord.

The High Lord - Trudi Canavan, 9/10, 642 pages
A fitting end to the trilogy. I loved how Sonea grew to trust Akkarin and am pleased to have been right about him :) The book included some interesting moral dilemmas, but I thought they were well handled, and Trudi Canavan managed to tie the threads nicely together. One of the best fantasy series I've read in quite awhile.

Hush, Hush - Becca Ajoy Fitzpatrick, 6/10, 350 pages
I'm having a hard time deciding exactly what I think about this book. On one hand I read it in under 12 hours, so it definitely caught my attention, but on the other hand it almost repulsed me, because the "hero" was so unpleasant. It's obviously aimed at teenage girls, but I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable letting a (hypothetical) daughter of mine read it until she was quite a bit older, precisely because the hero throughout the most of the book is threatening and manipulative.

The book is well written however, and the characters real enough that you want to reach in and shake them for making such bad decisions. Turns out there's a reason for it all though, and the author manages to tie all threads together very nicely in the end.

Last Chance Saloon - Marian Keyes, 9/10, 495 pages
Without a doubt the best Marian Keyes book I've read so far. I loved that this wasn't just an ordinary chick-lit, but that she actually dared tackle a serious issue in it. And it worked. She managed to do this well without it turning into a tear-jerker, and it worked well as a thread to join the remaining plot-lines.

Your Roots Are Showing - Elise Chidley, 8/10, 366 pages
A good chick-lit about how important proper communication is, and how easily things can go awry when both parties are too proud, stubborn or just plain blind to share their issues with each other. Sad, but with the promise of a happy ending, making it a perfect comfort read.

Spiral Hunt - Margaret Ronald, 8/10, 307 pages
It's funny - if I had to describe the atmosphere of Spiral Hunt I'd say it reminded me more of Neil Gaiman's American Gods than anything else, but whereas I was bored to tears by AG, I loved SH. The plot was fascinating although at times a tad hard to follow, as I'm not too well versed in mythology. Unfortunately apart from Evie, the characters weren't as fleshed out as I would have liked, but as it's the first book in a series, one can always hope that'll come in the sequels.

Book of the Month: The High Lord
Biggest disappointment: The Death Committee