Books for February
Mar. 1st, 2009 12:31 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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christianreaderX-posted to my personal LJ
The Allure of the Curse - Patrick Vaughn, 8/10, 244p
It's been interesting to note the number of novels with vampires-as-good-guys that have appeared over the last years, but Patrick Vaughn has found a niche that's suitably different from Stephenie Meyers' that it doesn't seem too obvious that he's following in her footsteps.
The Allure of the Curse is entertaining and a quick read. It did leave some threads hanging, but as it's meant to be the second book in a series of 7, I guess Patrick Vaughn can be forgiven for that ;) The plot itself was sufficiently tied up that I didn't feel like I was left hanging.
Storm Front - Jim Butcher, 7/10, 288p
As the rating indicates, I found Storm Front good but not great. Its charm is that it allows the reader to see magic and 'reality' side by side. Harry Dresden attempts to be a part of modern society - as much as is possible when technology dies in the presence of magic - and thereby goes against most magical stereotypes as seen in other books. It is interesting to see a magical world that's not kept secret, but is readily available to us common mortals.
Pet Semetary - Stephen King, 6/10, 300p
This is one of those books that's really difficult for me to rate. On the one hand it was well-written and hard to put down, but on the other hand it was really unpleasant and I became exceedingly frustrated with the main character, because you just knew he was going to make a stupid decision and do the wrong thing. I'd hoped to be proven wrong, but unfortunately that wasn't the case.
While better written than many of his other books, it still features Stephen King's most annoying characteristic - the lack of an ending. In some books that's alright, but in this genre the lack of an ending typically indicates a cheap thrill - scary for the sake of being scary - and that bugs me.
The Fledging of Az Grabrielson - Jay Amory, 8/10, 361p
I hardly know what to write for this review. I really enjoyed the book, but can't think of anything worth saying about it. Probably didn't help that I read it while sick, so it's all a little hazy to me now. I thought it was well-written and the characters well fleshed out. With a few exceptions they were three-dimensional and nobody (with the same few exceptions) 100% good or evil, but just like in real life, they all had a little bit of each.
Good book that didn't require too much thinking, making it perfect for a 'flu read.
The Stepford Wives - Ira Levin, 6/10, 186p
Ira Levin has a very atypical writing style - at least in this book. At first I thought I'd been unfortunate enough to find an edition that had been adapted from the screenplay, because the writing was so disjointed/simple at times, but no - this was how Levin intended for it to be written. I really don't know what I think of it. It's a spooky story, but I was extremely disappointed by the ending. I haven't seen the movie, so I was in no way 'prepared' for what was going to happen and was frustrated that there was no proper closure.
Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings - Mary Henley Rubio, 8/10, 597p
Very interesting biography. However, unfortunately not quite as unbiased as I'd hoped to see from somebody who's done SUCH extensive research on her subject matter (of course I understand no biography can ever be completely unbiased... I guess "neutral" is a better word).
That said, I still really enjoyed the book - especially the extra insights and small details that I didn't already know and that were based on Rubio's many and detailed interviews with LMM's various maids, friends and of course Stuart himself. Rubio's obviously passionate about her work, and it clearly shows in her writing, making it engaging and easily read.
My full review is LONG, so I'll go against tradition and not post it in its full length here. If you're interested you can find it at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bogormen here.
The Way of the Heart - Henri Nouwen, 6/10, 74p
I actually found it difficult to relate the teachings of the Desert Fathers to something I can use in my daily life. I didn't quite agree with everything Nouwen said, and even where I did, I missed some suggestions to practical application from him.
In Search of the Castaways / The Children of Captain Grant - Jules Verne*, 7/10, Audiobook - 17hr
I've discovered that unfortunately Jules Verne doesn't really pass the test of time. I loved those of his books that I originally read (or had read to me) when I was in my tweens, but when trying to reread them now, I find them long-winded and somewhat boring. This isn't as bad as most, but it still took me a LONG time to get through, as I could put it down too easily and wasn't terribly interested in what happened next.
It didn't help that it was read by several different readers, many of which were unfortunately less than great. I don't mind a strong accent, I do mind an abundance of mis-pronounced words and a flat or sing-song reading voice. Fortunately most did get better as they went along, so obviously training has a lot to do with it.
Freedom to Love - Rhonda Kulczyk, 8/10, 270p
Freedom to Love is a feel-good Western novel in the style of Janette Oke and Francine Rivers. I couldn't help falling in love with the characters, and Rhonda Kulczyk managed to stay away from the pitfall of making them too perfect, but ensured that they all had human flaws to make them 'real'. My one concern with the novel was that the same could unfortunately not be said about the villain of the story, who appeared pure evil with no redeeming characters at all. I lacked some development to his character, in what was otherwise a very enjoyable and well written novel.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling, 8/10, 105p
Cute, old-fashioned fairy-tales. Better than expected, and leaving out the commentary by "Albus Dumbledore" can easily be read without any knowledge of Harry Potter folklore. No better than well-known fairy-tales, but certainly no worse either.
By the Time You Read This - Lola Jaye, 7/10, 321p
Chick-lit, fluff and sentimental fluff at that. By the Time You Read This is one of those easily read books that you can devour in one sitting, but that doesn't really leave any mark on you. It was enjoyable, but not a book that moved me in any way. One of those books that you read... and then pass on. If you need something light for a lazy afternoon, by all means pick it up, but don't go out of your way to get your hands on it.
The Conch Bearer - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, 7/10, 260p
Well-written, but I couldn't help thinking something was missing. I never really started caring for the main characters, and the book never 'drew me in' properly - I never stopped being aware that it was a book. I can't put my finger on anything specific that Divakaruni did 'wrong', so I don't know why I lacked sympathy for the characters, but it did mean that while the plot was interesting, I finished the book more out of a sense of duty than anything else.
First Test - Tamora Pierce*, 9/10, 204
I have NO clue how many times I've read this book by now. Honestly, I picked it up this time because I'd just read a bunch of mediocre books and needed something I KNEW I'd enjoy. Worked like a charm :-)
Further Chronicles of Avonlea - L.M. Montgomery*, 8/10, Audiobook - 7hrs
I'm not a big fan of short stories at all, but LMM is the one exception. Her short stories are generally just as charming as her full-length novels, and I thoroughly enjoyed this reading of them. Some of the stories were a lot darker and without the happy endings we're used to from her novels, but still well-written and captivating.
The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss, 9/10, 400p (2nd half)
I couldn't quite decide whether to give this 9 or 10. I found it almost impossible to put down, so for that it ought to deserve 10, but Patrick Rothfuss relies heavily on foreshadowing - not just within the book, but also to later books in the series. That always annoys me, and automatically deducts at least one point.
However, the book really is amazing, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it highly to any fantasy lover. I was especially fascinated by the descriptions of Kvothe's studies, and would have loved for there to be more details about that part of his life.
The book ended very abruptly, and as such is obviously part of a series, rather than a book that can be read on its own.
Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater, 9/10, 367p
Absolutely amazing book. I couldn't put it down, and got to bed far too late because I just had to finish it. People who like Twilight will love it, and it might even appeal to people who didn't like Twilight as there's far less sparkling in it ;-)
I would have loved to give Shiver 10 out of 10, because for most of the book, it really deserves it. Unfortunately I felt the ending was much too abrupt, and therefore had to 'subtract' one. I hope this abrupt ending is to make room for a sequel, and if that is indeed the case, and the threads picked up there, I will immediately return and change this rating, but on its own, I think it's a shame that some rather important questions are left unanswered.
Still, brilliant book! If you enjoy paranormal YA - go read it!
The Adoration of Jenna Fox - Mary E. Pearson, 9/10, 272p
Recommended to me byaurillia
I was very fascinated by the writing style of TAoJF. It started out being very disjointecd - almost poem-like in its half, stand-alone sentences, but as I got further into the story, I realized it was the only way to write a book told in first person by Jenna Fox, as that was how she thought. The more memories came back, the more flowing her speech became.
The book offers an interesting moral dilemma. I'm not sure I agree with its conclusions, but I think it's something we're not too far off from having to contemplate.
An interesting and quick read.
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis*, 8/10, 170p
Screwtape Letters is an interesting and disturbing book that reminds me to which lengths the devil will go, how much trickery he'll use to make me fall away from God. I believe Lewis has a point in this portrayal of how devils 'live' and that it's the 'invisible' sins that are the most dangerous for our salvation.
Chronicles of Avonlea - L.M. Montgomery*, 8/10, Audiobook 7hrs
A selection of cozy, feel-good short stories. I like that LMM doesn't try anything new in her short stories, but that they're just short versions of her novels, and that the atmosphere is the same. My favourite is "Old Lady Lloyd" which - who'd have thunk! - also happens to be the longest ;-)
Book of the Month Shiver
Biggest disappointment: The Way of the Heart
The Allure of the Curse - Patrick Vaughn, 8/10, 244p
It's been interesting to note the number of novels with vampires-as-good-guys that have appeared over the last years, but Patrick Vaughn has found a niche that's suitably different from Stephenie Meyers' that it doesn't seem too obvious that he's following in her footsteps.
The Allure of the Curse is entertaining and a quick read. It did leave some threads hanging, but as it's meant to be the second book in a series of 7, I guess Patrick Vaughn can be forgiven for that ;) The plot itself was sufficiently tied up that I didn't feel like I was left hanging.
Storm Front - Jim Butcher, 7/10, 288p
As the rating indicates, I found Storm Front good but not great. Its charm is that it allows the reader to see magic and 'reality' side by side. Harry Dresden attempts to be a part of modern society - as much as is possible when technology dies in the presence of magic - and thereby goes against most magical stereotypes as seen in other books. It is interesting to see a magical world that's not kept secret, but is readily available to us common mortals.
Pet Semetary - Stephen King, 6/10, 300p
This is one of those books that's really difficult for me to rate. On the one hand it was well-written and hard to put down, but on the other hand it was really unpleasant and I became exceedingly frustrated with the main character, because you just knew he was going to make a stupid decision and do the wrong thing. I'd hoped to be proven wrong, but unfortunately that wasn't the case.
While better written than many of his other books, it still features Stephen King's most annoying characteristic - the lack of an ending. In some books that's alright, but in this genre the lack of an ending typically indicates a cheap thrill - scary for the sake of being scary - and that bugs me.
The Fledging of Az Grabrielson - Jay Amory, 8/10, 361p
I hardly know what to write for this review. I really enjoyed the book, but can't think of anything worth saying about it. Probably didn't help that I read it while sick, so it's all a little hazy to me now. I thought it was well-written and the characters well fleshed out. With a few exceptions they were three-dimensional and nobody (with the same few exceptions) 100% good or evil, but just like in real life, they all had a little bit of each.
Good book that didn't require too much thinking, making it perfect for a 'flu read.
The Stepford Wives - Ira Levin, 6/10, 186p
Ira Levin has a very atypical writing style - at least in this book. At first I thought I'd been unfortunate enough to find an edition that had been adapted from the screenplay, because the writing was so disjointed/simple at times, but no - this was how Levin intended for it to be written. I really don't know what I think of it. It's a spooky story, but I was extremely disappointed by the ending. I haven't seen the movie, so I was in no way 'prepared' for what was going to happen and was frustrated that there was no proper closure.
Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings - Mary Henley Rubio, 8/10, 597p
Very interesting biography. However, unfortunately not quite as unbiased as I'd hoped to see from somebody who's done SUCH extensive research on her subject matter (of course I understand no biography can ever be completely unbiased... I guess "neutral" is a better word).
That said, I still really enjoyed the book - especially the extra insights and small details that I didn't already know and that were based on Rubio's many and detailed interviews with LMM's various maids, friends and of course Stuart himself. Rubio's obviously passionate about her work, and it clearly shows in her writing, making it engaging and easily read.
My full review is LONG, so I'll go against tradition and not post it in its full length here. If you're interested you can find it at
bogormen here.The Way of the Heart - Henri Nouwen, 6/10, 74p
I actually found it difficult to relate the teachings of the Desert Fathers to something I can use in my daily life. I didn't quite agree with everything Nouwen said, and even where I did, I missed some suggestions to practical application from him.
In Search of the Castaways / The Children of Captain Grant - Jules Verne*, 7/10, Audiobook - 17hr
I've discovered that unfortunately Jules Verne doesn't really pass the test of time. I loved those of his books that I originally read (or had read to me) when I was in my tweens, but when trying to reread them now, I find them long-winded and somewhat boring. This isn't as bad as most, but it still took me a LONG time to get through, as I could put it down too easily and wasn't terribly interested in what happened next.
It didn't help that it was read by several different readers, many of which were unfortunately less than great. I don't mind a strong accent, I do mind an abundance of mis-pronounced words and a flat or sing-song reading voice. Fortunately most did get better as they went along, so obviously training has a lot to do with it.
Freedom to Love - Rhonda Kulczyk, 8/10, 270p
Freedom to Love is a feel-good Western novel in the style of Janette Oke and Francine Rivers. I couldn't help falling in love with the characters, and Rhonda Kulczyk managed to stay away from the pitfall of making them too perfect, but ensured that they all had human flaws to make them 'real'. My one concern with the novel was that the same could unfortunately not be said about the villain of the story, who appeared pure evil with no redeeming characters at all. I lacked some development to his character, in what was otherwise a very enjoyable and well written novel.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling, 8/10, 105p
Cute, old-fashioned fairy-tales. Better than expected, and leaving out the commentary by "Albus Dumbledore" can easily be read without any knowledge of Harry Potter folklore. No better than well-known fairy-tales, but certainly no worse either.
By the Time You Read This - Lola Jaye, 7/10, 321p
Chick-lit, fluff and sentimental fluff at that. By the Time You Read This is one of those easily read books that you can devour in one sitting, but that doesn't really leave any mark on you. It was enjoyable, but not a book that moved me in any way. One of those books that you read... and then pass on. If you need something light for a lazy afternoon, by all means pick it up, but don't go out of your way to get your hands on it.
The Conch Bearer - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, 7/10, 260p
Well-written, but I couldn't help thinking something was missing. I never really started caring for the main characters, and the book never 'drew me in' properly - I never stopped being aware that it was a book. I can't put my finger on anything specific that Divakaruni did 'wrong', so I don't know why I lacked sympathy for the characters, but it did mean that while the plot was interesting, I finished the book more out of a sense of duty than anything else.
First Test - Tamora Pierce*, 9/10, 204
I have NO clue how many times I've read this book by now. Honestly, I picked it up this time because I'd just read a bunch of mediocre books and needed something I KNEW I'd enjoy. Worked like a charm :-)
Further Chronicles of Avonlea - L.M. Montgomery*, 8/10, Audiobook - 7hrs
I'm not a big fan of short stories at all, but LMM is the one exception. Her short stories are generally just as charming as her full-length novels, and I thoroughly enjoyed this reading of them. Some of the stories were a lot darker and without the happy endings we're used to from her novels, but still well-written and captivating.
The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss, 9/10, 400p (2nd half)
I couldn't quite decide whether to give this 9 or 10. I found it almost impossible to put down, so for that it ought to deserve 10, but Patrick Rothfuss relies heavily on foreshadowing - not just within the book, but also to later books in the series. That always annoys me, and automatically deducts at least one point.
However, the book really is amazing, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it highly to any fantasy lover. I was especially fascinated by the descriptions of Kvothe's studies, and would have loved for there to be more details about that part of his life.
The book ended very abruptly, and as such is obviously part of a series, rather than a book that can be read on its own.
Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater, 9/10, 367p
Absolutely amazing book. I couldn't put it down, and got to bed far too late because I just had to finish it. People who like Twilight will love it, and it might even appeal to people who didn't like Twilight as there's far less sparkling in it ;-)
I would have loved to give Shiver 10 out of 10, because for most of the book, it really deserves it. Unfortunately I felt the ending was much too abrupt, and therefore had to 'subtract' one. I hope this abrupt ending is to make room for a sequel, and if that is indeed the case, and the threads picked up there, I will immediately return and change this rating, but on its own, I think it's a shame that some rather important questions are left unanswered.
Still, brilliant book! If you enjoy paranormal YA - go read it!
The Adoration of Jenna Fox - Mary E. Pearson, 9/10, 272p
Recommended to me by
aurilliaI was very fascinated by the writing style of TAoJF. It started out being very disjointecd - almost poem-like in its half, stand-alone sentences, but as I got further into the story, I realized it was the only way to write a book told in first person by Jenna Fox, as that was how she thought. The more memories came back, the more flowing her speech became.
The book offers an interesting moral dilemma. I'm not sure I agree with its conclusions, but I think it's something we're not too far off from having to contemplate.
An interesting and quick read.
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis*, 8/10, 170p
Screwtape Letters is an interesting and disturbing book that reminds me to which lengths the devil will go, how much trickery he'll use to make me fall away from God. I believe Lewis has a point in this portrayal of how devils 'live' and that it's the 'invisible' sins that are the most dangerous for our salvation.
Chronicles of Avonlea - L.M. Montgomery*, 8/10, Audiobook 7hrs
A selection of cozy, feel-good short stories. I like that LMM doesn't try anything new in her short stories, but that they're just short versions of her novels, and that the atmosphere is the same. My favourite is "Old Lady Lloyd" which - who'd have thunk! - also happens to be the longest ;-)
Book of the Month Shiver
Biggest disappointment: The Way of the Heart
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