TITLE: DEAD AND GONE
AUTHOR: CHARLAINE HARRIS
Pages: 312
Date: 31/08/2010
Grade: 4-
Details: no. 9 Sookie Stackhouse
Library
Sookie's life is not getting any easier. After the vampires have successfully gone public, the weres and shifters now decide to do the same. And although that initially doesn't appear to be causing too much trouble, Sookie's sister in law, a werepanther, is found crucified a day later. Was she murdered because of her dual nature, or just because she was a very nice creature?
While Sookie is trying to figure out who did the killing, she discovers that somehow she managed to become the focus of a war between various groups of fairies. And fairies turn out to be more dangerous, more unpredictable and more cruel then either the vampires or the weres.
This story, like the previous ones, contains a lot of violence, blood and sex. But, also like the earlier works, all of these are more suggested then vividly described, which for me is a good thing. Some things just don't need to be spelled out in too much detail in order to leave an impression with the reader.
And although I still enjoy Sookie's outlook on her life and the things that happen to her, I have to say that her way of rationalizing away all the weird and horrible things that happen in her life, is starting to get a bit too far fetched.
Still, I do enjoy these books, and they're light and easy reads, so I will continue reading them. If only to find out what Mrs. Harris might come up with next.
TITLE: MOCKINGJAY
AUTHOR: SUZANNE COLLINS
Pages: 455
Date: 30/08/2010
Grade: 5+
Details: no. 3 The Hunger Games
Own
O.M.G., O.M.G. This book is good. No, this book is great! It is all I hoped it would be and more. I'm so glad Collins didn't take any easy ways out, didn't try to make the story prettier than it ever could be and didn't try to make the ending nicer than would be believable.
I'm trying to write this review without actually touching on the story too much. A lot of people still have to read this book, and it would be a crime to spoil the story for them. On the other hand, I do want to share my thoughts and feelings on this story. So, my advice is, if you haven't read Mockingjay yet, stop reading this review now and come back to it after you've finished the story, because no matter how little story detail I reveal below, it's still going to be more than you want to know until after you've read the book for yourself.
All I will say about the story is that after having survived the Hunger Games for the second time, Katniss finds herself in district 13 with the rebel forces preparing to overthrow the government that has caused her so much pain.
The story that follows is not a pretty one. But then again, war is never pretty and should not be described as such. War brings suffering, loss and difficult, if not impossible, decisions. In a war situation there is no such thing as good versus bad, there is no moral high ground. The best you can hope for is that when you have a choice you pick the lesser of all evils available. And that's the situation Katniss finds herself in, trying to figure out what everybody's motives are. Aware that almost everybody around her is trying to use her in one way or another, it's up to her to try and figure out whose purpose is less destructive.
I read a review somewhere in which the reviewer complaint that this book was too violent. I wonder what the person who wrote that review expected. Writing a cozy book about a war would be equivalent to writing a lie. War isn't nice, and doesn't come with easy solutions or distinctions.
Collins makes that very clear in this book, and I think that is an important message to put out into a world where most people are only too happy to think in terms of them versus us, good versus evil, and black versus white. Life is never that simple, and war even less so. My compliments to Mrs. Collins for writing a realistic, yet beautiful, heartbreaking and completely engrossing book set in the middle of a war situation. This is one book I will be thinking about for a very long time and will be re-reading before to long.
TITLE: THE GROUP
AUTHOR: MARY McCARTHY
Pages: 437
Date:29/08/2010
Grade: 4.5
Library
This is not a new book, it was first published in 1963 at which time it would probably have raised quite a few eyebrows and created some controversy. This edition comes with an introduction by Candace Bushnell which is not surprising since The Group could easily be described as Sex and the City for an earlier generation.
McCarthy's most celebrated novel portrays the experiences of eight young women from Vassar College, Class of '33. As the story opens, they meet in New York City for the wedding of Kay, one of the group. The author then describes the lives, loves, and aspirations of these women until they reconvene seven years later in the same city for Kay's funeral.
In the intervening years we encounter the women dealing with issues that at first glance seem to belong firmly in the setting of the 1930's. It's only when the reader stops to think about it that she realizes that things haven't really changed all that much. Women still struggle with the choice between family and career, are still filled with doubts when it comes to raising their babies and children. A lot of women still feel they need a man in their lives to make it complete and will go to ridiculous lengths to get and keep their men. Our insecurities are still the same as are our dreams and illusions.
This was a fascinating and very honest story. None of these women are "perfect" or saintly. They all have their weak points, their evil sides as well as positive characteristics.
This book was interesting both as a portrait of a time gone past and as a timeless picture of friendship between women.
TITLE: PAPER TOWNS
AUTHOR: JOHN GREEN
Pages: 305
Date: 26/08/2010
Grade: 5-
Details: Young Adult
Own
My daughter has been raving about John Green and the books she's read by him for a long time now, so better late than never, I decided to pick one up and see what all the fuss is about. And, I'm happy to say I was not disappointed. It turns out my daughter has good taste in books.
Q(uentin) Jacobsen has loved Margo Roth Spiegelman for as long as he can remember, but as far as he is concerned she's completely out of his league.
Where he is what teenagers would call a nerd, she is beautiful, interesting and very adventurous.
Q has more or less resigned himself to only admiring Margo from afar when she climbs through his bedroom window one night and brings him on a night of revenge and adventure in Orlando, Florida. Sure that this night has changed his life, Q is very disappointed when Margo has disappeared the next day and doesn't reappear, even though they're both only weeks away from graduation.
But Margo has left clues as to where she's gone off to, clues Q and his friends manage to decipher and which will take them on an exhilarating road trip.
All of this, in and of itself, makes for a very interesting story. But this book is about a lot more. It's about teenagers and the way they live their lives, the way they see themselves and others and how the dynamics in a group can completely change when one person is added or taken away.
It is also about how well we actually know each other and ourselves, and about love and the things we can and can't do for it.
I loved the way Q grew into himself through this story and how he turned out to be so much more than he and the reader first expected.
My only and minor objections to this book are that I thought it started a bit slow and that although I certainly thought Margo was a very interesting character, I also found her somewhat self centered and not altogether likable.
However, this book has gripped me enough to want to go and read John Green's other books.
Two quotes:
"But before he was a minor figure in the drama of my life, he was - you know, the central figure in the drama of his own life."
"..or maybe we're grass - our roots so interdependent that no one is dead as long as someone is still alive."
TITLE: ANGEL WITH TWO FACES
AUTHOR: NICOLA UPSON
Pages: 422
Date: 23/08/2010
Grade: 5
Details: no. 2 Josephine Tey Mystery
Own
Josephine Tey joins her friend, Inspector Archie Penrose, for a holiday on his family's estate in Cornwall. She is happy to get away from London for a while and hopes to start work on her next mystery novel in the beautiful surroundings.
What should have been a quiet and happy time though seems doomed from the beginning. On the day of her arrival a young local man is buried with questions being asked whether his death was a suicide or an accident.
When shortly afterwards a second young local man dies, Penrose is asked to lead the inquiry and soon he and Josephine find themselves linking the two deaths and stumbling upon lots of secrets, both among Penrose's friends and his family.
This is a hard time for Archie who finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew for sure and facing hurtful revelations. Josephine, as an outsider, has a clearer and more objective view of the people they are dealing with, but even she can't foresee the outcome or prevent more deaths.
This is a great series of books. The mysteries are very well plotted and presented. Descriptions of people and their surroundings are beautiful and life like and the characters in the story have, like real people, good and less good sides. At no point does Upson try to paint Josephine Tey as anything other than human, which makes her a very likable and real person for me.
As far as I know the third book in this series has recently been published, and I hope I'll be able to get my hands on it soon.
TITLE: CATCHING FIRE
AUTHOR: SUZANNE COLLINS
Pages: 472
Date: 21/08/2010
Grade: 5
Details: no. 2 The Hunger Games / Y.A.
Own
Oh boy, these books are taking my breath away. I'm so engrossed in this story that I find myself thinking about it hours after I've closed the book. And although the third and final book in this series will be released next week, I feel that is still too much of a delay. I need to know how it ends, and who will be alive by then right now!
This book starts shortly after the ending of the first book. Katniss and Peeta are back in district 12 after both of them have survived and won the Hunger Games. But that win was controversial. Only one of them was supposed to come out of the Games alive and Katniss' action that caused both of them to be pronounced winner is seen as an act of defiance against the Capitol, a regime that does not tolerate opposition.
When the president visits Katniss personally it becomes clear how just much trouble she's actually in, especially once he starts threatening those she loves. She does try to follow his orders, but it soon becomes clear that she's been set an impossible task. The oppressed districts are heading in the direction of an uprising, and nothing Katniss can do could stop that tide.
Then the unthinkable happens, Katniss and Peeta find themselves entering the Arena for another episode of The Hunger Games. The President wants to send out the message that resistance is futile, and his aim seems to be to show the whole country the demise of Katniss.
These Hunger Games are different from the earlier ones though and Katniss and Peeta find help and alliances from unexpected corners. But with those in power determined to show their power, are any of the contestants going to survive?
This book ends on the biggest cliff hanger ever. If you don't like being left in suspense, make sure you don't read CATCHING FIRE until you have MOCKINGJAY in your hands as well. The week I have to wait before I can get my hands on the rest of the story seems like an awful long time right now.
TITLE: SAVOUR THE MOMENT
AUTHOR: NORA ROBERTS
Pages: 325
Date: 18/08/2010
Grade: 4.5
Details: no. 3 Bride Quartet
Library
Lauren McBane is one of four women who have been friends since their childhoods and are now running a bridal company together, where she takes care of the baking. For as long as she can remember, Lauren has been in love with Delaney Brown, the brother of her friend and business partner, Parker. But, as far as she knows, he only sees her as an adopted sister.
When she and Delaney do get closer, Lauren doesn't let herself belief that he might feel for her as she feels for him. And because Lauren comes from a very different background then Delaney, she can't really belief that they could ever have a future together.
Delaney is oblivious to her insecurities and the depth of her feelings right up to the moment where it may well cost both of them the chance of future happiness.
As always Nora Roberts managed to draw me in to what in many ways is a very predictable love story. And while I usually detest predictability like this, I don't mind it when it comes from Mrs. Roberts. She manages to bring me characters I care about and want the best for. I always get drawn into the story, and find myself racing along to get to the happy ending I know is waiting for me.
As always her women are independent, strong and confident while having enough insecurities to make them human and recognizable. The same can be said for Robert's men; strong, handsome with their hearts in the right place, but again with enough human faults to make them real. I don't think there will ever be a moment when I'll have had enough of Nora Roberts' books. She has to be my favourite whenever I need brain candy or a comfort read.
TITLE: DEAD AND GONE
