books I read in September

1.  Dragon Haven (Rain Wilds Chronicles, Vol. 2) by Robin Hobb (book one mentioned here).

While not a bad story, it's seems to be lacking when compared to the Farseer or Fool series by Hobb.  Maybe we have too many characters to get to as invested--but at least it's not as drearily bleak and depressing as the Soldier Son series.  It has all the elements of a good fantasy novel and she brings them together in a satisfactory manner:  dragons, outcasts, a quest, a forbidden love.    

2. Truthseeker by C. E. Murphy

 C.E. Murphy likes to weave the modern with fantasy:  her series The Walker Files is about a policewoman who suddenly that she has shamanistic powers, and her Negotiator series is about a lawyer who finds herself playing referee to the different races of the world (think dragon, gargoyle, selkie, etc.).  Along the same vein, this book is about a tailor who always knows the truth and is sought out by a prince of Fairie.  Satisfying read, good book, but I really can't see it being turned into a compelling series.   

3.  Thirteenth Child (Frontier Magic) by Patricia Wrede

 

Juvenile fantasy novel set in an alternative pioneer world about a thirteenth daughter who has always been told she's bad at heart, and her twin who is the seventh son of the seventh son.  Vaguely reminiscence of Orson Scott Card's Seventh Son series, the story starts of strong but peters out towards the end.  Not nearly as good as some of her earlier work.

4.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The first time I tried to read this book, I got about 50 pages in and put in down because it felt too detailed oriented and didn't hold my attention.  When I picked it up two months later, I read it in about two days.  I'm excited to read the next books--my favorite character by far is the actual girl with the dragon tattoo, and she's a much bigger characters in the next series.  Summary:  Publicly shamed Swedish journal investigates the history of a wealthy family to search for a killer. 

5.  Summer House: A Novel by Nancy Thayer

The story of three generations of women and their loves--the grandmother and story of her relationship with her husband during WWII told as flashback, the mother who is struggling to forgive her cheating husband, and the daughter who is trying not to settle for a man.  While the writing was pretty strong and the characters engaging, there just wasn't quite enough to turn it from pretty good to great.  The character of Charlotte, the daughter, was especially one-dimensional and annoying. 

Books I Read in cough cough cough

Here's the list of books I read in coughcoughcoughavoideyecontact August.  Yeah, give me a break, I know it's already almost October. Better late than never, I always say.

Unless we're talking about an annual swarm of killer bees.  Then I say better never than ever.

I have a platitude for every occasion. 

1.  Rat by Fernada Eberstadt

 

While not wildly intricate or complex, this story about a 15 year old French girl is nevertheless well-written with interesting characters and story plot.  When "Rat" finds out that her adopted brother is being molested by her mom's boyfriend and her mother doesn't believe them, she and her brother set off to England to find Rat's biological father.  I wish this novel was almost 100 pages longer, as the author occasionally changed character perspective, and I feel as if she could have done that more often and given the story a bit of fleshing out.


2. Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson

 

By the same author of "Gods In Alabama", this novel is similar in the heavily southern story line and quirky set of characters.  Told in the first person by Nonny Frett, this book is about the ties of family, both the ones you were born into and the ones you create for yourself.  I'd definitely recommend this novel to people who enjoy  the "quirky and realistic" genre like authors Billie Letts and Joanne Mapson, and I'd love to read more books by this author. 


3. House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

 

 A sequel to Howl's Moving Castle-- so don't just start with this one (Howl's Moving Castle was actually made into a fairly decent anime film by Miyazaki of Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke fame if you're into that sort of thing).  Young adult fantasy fiction, not quite as good as the first but still fun.


4. The Perfect Poison (Arcane Society) by Amanda Quick

 

 Amanda Quick is the pseudonym for romance author Jayne Anne Krentz when she writes (and I use this word incredibly loosely) "historical" romances.  It's a junk food book:  comforting, you know exactly what to expect, but no real substance.  This is one of the Arcane Society books, which revolves around a secret society of psychically talented individuals in regency England (and you can read about their descendants in some of her novels under the name Krentz).    


5. Digging to America by Anne Tyler 

 

 This is a story of two very different families who adopt babies from Korea, one of typical white-bread Americans and one of Iranian-Americans, and it deals with issues of identity and outsiderness.  It focuses mostly on Maryam Yazdan, the Iranian grandmother, but we get snippets of insight from almost everyone involved.  Well written with detailed character description, I definitely enjoyed it.

6. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

 

Chevalier also wrote "The Girl With The Pearl Earring", and this historically inspired novel focuses on the friendship of two female fossil hunters.  As one is a moderately well-to-do spinster and the other a working class girl, Chevalier does a fantastic job illustrating how both gender and social inequality plays into their friendship and their lives without ramming it down your throat.  

7. Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book 1) by Julie Kenner

 

 Imagine Buffy the Vampire Slayer all grown up and trying to live a normal life in the suburbs with her kids and normal husband but demons start busting into her front window---and you get the premise of this book.  Cheesy but fun, I've been searching in vain for the next one and will soon have to give in and just order it online.

8. Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) - Library Edition by Suzanne Collins

 

Have I mentioned that I love these books?  Oh wait, I have.  I stayed up until 2 a.m. reading this book the day it came in the mail.  Great ending:  real.      

9.  Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler

  

I liked Digging to America so much that I wanted to read some of Tyler's other books, so I picked this one up at the library.  While well-written and in-depth characterization, nothing really happens in the entire book.  It's the story of an elderly guy with a quiet life.  Not exactly a thrilling page turner.  

Books I read in July

My newest goal:  Review each book in three sentences or less.  I decided this after realizing that I spend waaaaay too much time writing these monthly posts

Ready?  Set.....GO!

1.  Bloodhound: The Legend of Beka Cooper #2 by Tamora Pierce

 

 

Sequel to teenager fantasy novel.  Good but not great.  Plot: Beka the policewoman aka "Dog" investigates counterfeiting. 

 

2.  The Lightning Thief (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) by Rick Riordan

 

 Enjoyable kid's book, gets young 'ins interested in Greek mythology.  I heard the movie was crap though.  Plot: Percy is child of a greek God who goes on a quest to prevent war between the deities.

3. Revenge of the Spellmans: A Novel by Lisa Lutz

  

Great series (see other months blog entries for the two previous Spellman books).  But sad about the ending. But it's not really sad, like a puppy or person died kind of sad, but rather didn't work out quite the way you wanted sad.

4. Conrad's Fate (A Chrestomanci Book) by Diana Wynne Jones

 

 I love the Chrestomanci books.  Not my favorite of them, but still quite fun.  Plot:  Wouldn't make sense if I tried to explain, it's a juvenile fantasy novel with a rather intricate back story of magic and different worlds.

5. Cart and Cwidder (Dalemark Quartet) by Diana Wynne Jones

  

 Again, juvenile fantasy novel.  Interesting but without ever really going anywhere (yes, I know this is the first of a series, but the next one doesn't quite fill in the gaps for me either).  Plot:  Singer's son finds magic and helps a revolution. 

 
6.  The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder: A Novel by Rebecca Welles

  

 Same author as the "Divine Secrets of the Ya-ya Sisterhood", but this book had no depth, no true character development, and occasional cringe-worthy scenes (i.e. throwing herself at a gay guy).  Had potential in the plot but never quite got there.  Plot:  Calla Lily grows up in the South and cuts hair and has a perfect life despite random disasters.  The End.   

7.  Hello Kitty Must Die by Angela S. Choi

  

I was expecting a more edgy and sexy Amy Tan, but instead got a wannabe-Dexter-Asian-woman-serial killer.  It felt like the second draft of a very excellent novel that needed two more revisions.  The repetition was a bit too much at times and it needed a bit more consistent character development (example:  main character says how much she hates being in pain but likes heels because of the pain...huh?), but still was a quick and thrilling read.  

8. Best Friends Forever: A Novel by Jennifer Weiner

 

I love love love this author, especially Little Earthquakes, but this novel just wasn't as good.  Better than the average piece of chick-lit but not up to par with her other amazing works.  Plot:  Best friend who betrayed main character in high school is back and needs help.  

9. The Ex-Debutante by Linda Francis Lee

 

Trashy but fun brain-fluff.  The plot:  Divorce lawyer comes home to rich southern family to help salvage a debutante ball.

10.  Nation by Terry Pratchett

 

 Not the norm for Pratchett (less silly but still funny at times), this juvenile fiction book tackles themes like imperialism, death, and religion without shoving it down your throat.  Plot: two teenage survivors with very different cultures (one from a shipwreck and one who didn't perish in a tsunami) band together with others to form a new nation.