christianreader | Kiwiria's October Opuses

Abandoned - Cody McFadyen, 3/5, 441 pages
Definitely the darkest of the lot as well as the weakest of the lot, and though there is one more book in the series, I think I'm done with it now.

This book was really slow to start - as in, it took me almost to page 100 to be thoroughly hooked. But then the action finally took off, and the rest of the book was a true page-turner. I was fascinated by the profiling of the latest serial killer, but have to admit that Cody McFadyen took some very dark turns that I really didn't care for.

Also, having a male write from a female POV is always risky, and there were certain descriptions of Smokey's personality and thought-processes that rang utterly false and "male-fantasy-ish"... her grooming habits especially - she loves shaving her legs every day? Really?! There were a few other examples also, but this was the most grating one.

The killer's motivation didn't ring true to me either, which made for a bit of a disappointing ending. It still made for a good enough read, but fell flat when compared to the earlier books in the series.

Karen-Kurér - Estrid Ott*, 5/5, 128 pages
I was introduced to this book as a child and cannot count the number of times I've read it - so it actually came as a surprise to see that I hadn't added it to Goodreads yet, as that means I haven't read it since 2002 or before!!! About time I remedied that! Estrid Ott is one of my favourite authors, and this is one of my favourite books by her. She really makes the every-day life during the war come to life, and I read most of the book with a lump in my throat.

The Distance From Me to You - Marina Gessner, 4/5, 339
The first 200 pages I absolutely LOVED! It was exactly the mix of YA and travelogue I had hoped for when buying it, and while it was light on exact details about the Appalachian Trail it still had enough of the travelogue atmosphere to satisfy me.

Unfortunately at about the 70% mark the author reminded me that she was indeed writing fiction and not a travelogue, and therefore had to introduce a conflict of some kind. While I understand the reasoning, I really wish she hadn't. The book didn't need it, and it changed the vibe of the last part of the book. So in the end I'll give it 5 stars for the first two thirds and 3 stars for the last.

And now I really want to get my hands on a "real" travelogue of the Appalachian Trail (other than "A Walk in the Woods" which I've already read.)

The Crucifix Killer - Chris Carter, 4/5, 365 pages
I don't know why it's taken me so long to pick up this book. It was exactly as captivating as the back blurb had led me to believe. It had some issues with pacing in places, but considering it's a debut novel, I can look past that, and am keen to see how he improves in later books. The killer's motivation didn't come across as entirely realistic to me (or rather, the punishment didn't quite fit the crime), but still somehow fit the story.

While it's the first in a series, the book is nicely contained with all ends woven in.

Every Heart a Doorway - Seanan McGuire, 4.5/5, 176 pages
Sometimes I love starting a book without having any idea of what it's about. I hadn't read the back blurb, but just decided to read this because a friend of mine recommended it. And it didn't take long for me to be utterly charmed by it. It had just the right mix of whimsy and crazy for me and appealed to me so much. It had much the same atmosphere as "Miss Peregrine...", but I liked this one a lot more... in fact, I wish it had been longer, as I would have loved to hear about more of the worlds and how the whole Nonsense/Logic/Wicked/Virtuous classification worked (yes, I'm a nerd and I'll happily own it!)

The plot turned out somewhat darker than I had originally anticipated, but the ending was SO satisfying! There are two more books in the series, but as the world-building was one of my favourite things about this book, I can't help but wonder if the others can live up to it... doesn't mean I'm not going to give them a chance though!

Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe - Preston Norton, 4/5, 400 pages
A bit slow to start, but once it took off (basically after Aaron and Cliff became friends) it did so with a vengeance, and I couldn't put it down. I found it relatable, moving and very poignant. I loved the idea of a popular kid and an outcast getting together to work for the school to be a better place. I also liked the fact that they made mistakes. It didn't always work - sometimes they even made it worse - but even their efforts made a difference, and got other kids on board. It was very satisfying to see Cliff grow from being "Neanderthal" to being "Cliff".

Collapsible - Ruth Buchanan, 4/5, 152 pages
Funny, charming and ridiculously readable. "Collapsible" is a quick read, and I almost wish I'd saved it for the readathon - it would have been perfect for it! I really got to care for Rachel, and though Ann and Lynn sometimes seemed slightly overbearing (although it was possibly warranted) their affection for one another was obvious.

The first book in a series, so though the main plot was nicely wrapped up, many small threads were left for the next book -- which I'll definitely be reading too!

Blood of the Fold - Terry Goodkind*, 4.5/5, 698 pages
Even after multiple readings, this continues to be one of my all-time favourite series. It was a bit frustrating that it took Richard and Kahlan so long to get back together, but that's my only real complaint here. Sometimes it gets frustrating when you try to follow several different plotlines at once, but I think it worked quite well in this one, and loved especially Ann's and Velma's storylines even if they did have very little to do with Richard.

Temple in the Winds - Terry Goodkind*, 4/5, 822 pages
Not quite as good as the first three books in the series. The entire thing about gaining entrance to the Temple of the Winds annoyed me, as did Nadine and Drefan. I am glad that Richard, Kahlan and Shota achieved a truce of sorts though.

A Mango-Shaped Space - Wendy Mass*, 4/5, 270 pages
Having no clue what to expect when I purchased this book, I was absolutely fascinated by it. I never knew that synesthesia existed in so many different forms, and that it could be so vivid for some. I have a very mild form of synesthesia myself, but A Mango-Shaped Space brought it home to me rather forcefully just how mild it is. Nothing like Mia anyway, that's for sure.

While in some ways a typical YA fiction with the friendship, family and relationship issues that entail, by far most of the book is used to describe Mia's condition and how it affects her every-day life. It's well written, and readers of all ages will find it an interesting way to learn about synesthesia.

Book of the Month: Every Heart a Doorway... although it was hard to choose as there were a lot of good ones!
Biggest disappointment: Abandoned. It wasn't bad, but slightly disappointing compared to the other books in the series.