Topic: Book Review Corner

[landofoz]

Alrighty.  I've had a heck of a time finding good books to read recently.  Just grabbed 3 random books off the fiction shelf and here's what I got:

The book Thief: by markus Zusak - set in germany from hitler's rise to ??  I haven't got that far yet.  About a little girl who learns to read and "steals" (not really stealing) books from things like book burnings and the like.  It is written from the perspective of Death/Grim Reaper Dude, whatever you want to call him.  So far, I really like the book.

A coffin for Charlie by Gwendoline Butler - could get through page 3.  Bad font, bad font size, incoherent writing, based in London.

The 37th Hour by Jodi Compton - not too shabby.  About a woman who works missing persons and her husband goes missing.  The book kinda beats around the bush and has a sloppy ending but it's not bad.

What about you?  Any books you would like to recommend or caution against??

[duh]

I am reading Malice Domestic an anthology of original traditional mystery stories.  Or so the front cover suggests.  The stories are odd.  But it is presented by Anne Perry and having read a few of the stories so far there are some mystery writters out there that I want to check out.  I found the book at the dollar store when I was desperate for something to read.  So far I think I got a bargain.

[Triss]

Right now I am reading "The Meq" by Steve Cash.  So far so good.  It is about a child who is 12 and remains at that age due to his peoples gift.  He lost his parents when he turned 12 and is right now spending his time searching for others of his people to find out why he is like he is and what he is supposed to do about it. 

[landofoz]

I just finished Sympathy Between Humans by Jodi Compton.  It's the sequel to The 37th Hour.  Once again, the climax of the story comes about 20 pages before the end.  And the end is just shoved together and it works but it sure isn't very satisfying. 

I absolutely loved The Book Thief.  It was a great book. 

I'm not a big fan of Anne Perry, or any British author for that matter.  The grammatical and spelling differences just drive me nuts.  I do like a good mystery, though.

[Jim]

I am currently reading Cross by James Patterson.  We have the entire Alex Cross series.  I really enjoy the police/crime drama books. 

[landofoz]

I really like James Patterson until I read The Notebook.  Well, that and when (since you're familiar) Christine(a?) was finally found and she just left Cross with the Baby, I thought that was a kinda poor ending.  I may have to check into him again.  I do like the way he writes the Cross series.

I'm looking for a new author, hopefully I can hit the library tonight and scope out The Meq.  Would love some suggestions, though!

[Dianna]

I love James Patterson's Alex Cross series. Like you, Sarah, I hated that Christine took off after she was found, but the books do get better....

If you liked James Patterson's style of writing and type of books, look for John Sanford's Prey series. I am reading Broken Prey right now.

Karin Slaughter, also, does well with the crime suspense dramas. Like Patterson and Sanford, she does get gory with the details, but she is a great writer...

[Jim]

Yeah, I think I am going to have to build a dang library if we don't stop soon.  Dianna got me started reading John Sanford so I got on half.com and ordered all the Prey series that we didn't have.  I've read all of those except the last one that Dianna is reading.  I read them all in order as I did the Ales Cross series.

It does take me a bit longer to read one as I don't usually read except on my lunch hour at work.  It's a great way to relax when I take my lunch.

[patches]

I really enjoy the police/crime drama books.

Jim, I'm with you on that; but, unfortunately, I don't get time to do much light reading anymore and I miss it a lot.

[Jim]

James Patterson has a new one out called Double Cross.  I guess I will have to keep my eye out for that one.

John Sanford is still adding to the Prey series also.  We picked up Broken Prey the other day in Food Lion out of a bargain book display.  He already has Invisible Prey out in hardback this year also.

I am reading Extreme Justice by William Bernhardt right now.  He is a good author too.  Ben Kincaid is the main character in some of his books.

[Triss]

Just finished up Time Dancers by Steve Cash.  It ended rather abruptly which was disappointing since it took him 3 years between the first two books.

My next series is going to be Sharon Shinn's The Twelve Houses.  I need to get out and get the first book, we missed that along the way somewhere but have the 2nd and 3rd. 

[landofoz]

I just finished up The Gardens of Kyoto by Kate Walbert.  It was alright.  I liked her writing style, very fluid, descriptive, and tangible but the end was terrible.  Maybe if I was one of those people who read books to find the symbolism and deeper meaning I'd have liked it more.  I've started on blindsighted by Karin Slaughter.  So far, it's not too bad.  The conversations seem a little forced, scripted but other than that the first 20 pages are good. 

[Dianna]

I really enjoyed all the books that I have read by Slaughter. I think you will, too, if you don't mind a lot of blood and gore. I like that her books are about the same characters, too...

[patches]

Hmmm, guess those would be ones for me to avoid.  I don't like all the blood and gore.    Just a plain old mystery novel will do me fine!   

[landofoz]

I finished the K. Slaughter book.  I think it took me altogether around 5 hours to get through it.  I can deal with blood and gore but I did not particularly care for the other details.  Well, that and I had the killer figured out at his introduction in the book.  I hate knowing who the bad guy is pretty much right from the get-go.  I'll have to try some of her other books, thanks for the author, Dianna!!

[Triss]

Right now I am reading The Cipher by Diana Pharaoh Francis.  It is really good, I would like to get ahold of some of her other books as well.  There are two others in this series and another whole series as well.

[landofoz]

I just finished The Witching Hour by Ann Rice.  I started it when I was 9 or 10 and got about halfway through before my mom took it away.  So, despite being really boring and excessively long I read the whole thing again.  I've been dying to know what happens for a very long time (almost 15 years now-the library never has a copy in stock).  Has anyone else read the series 'cause I don't want to read anymore of her books but I'd sure like to know what happens. 

And I recently read through one of Rachael Ray's cookbooks and I've to say: it's a little fru-fru.  A lot of the ingredients aren't even available here.  Hopefully, it's not too weird that I actually read through cookbooks like they are real books.   

[Dianna]

I never "got into" Ann Rice for some reason. Can't remember why I didn't like the book that I read that was authored by her. Can't even remember the name of it now...

I, too, like to "read" cookbooks. I just don't understand why I don't like to cook...

I am reading Karin Slaughter's newest one now. "Beyond Reach". I was in the middle of another book that was boring me to pieces when Jim came in with it. I promptly put that book aside and started reading her book. Must say that I am enjoying it a whole lot more!

Why is it that when we get to reading a boring book that we just don't toss it, if we don't like it? Why do we keep reading it all the way to the end? Do we just keep hoping that it will turn into a better book by the middle or something?

[landofoz]

Why is it that when we get to reading a boring book that we just don't toss it, if we don't like it? Why do we keep reading it all the way to the end? Do we just keep hoping that it will turn into a better book by the middle or something?

I'm always hoping that it gets better.  And I've always had this undying curiosity.  If I start something I absolutely have to know how it ends otherwise I will lay awake at night and try to figure out the most likely ending. 

[Triss]

Over the vacation I have been reading Sharon Shinn's "The Twelve Houses" series.  Finished up book 1 & 2 and am on number 3 now.  Getting a lot of reading done while snuggling Charlie.

[landofoz]

Alright,  I'm digging this back up again.  I've been taking the kids out to play for several hours a day and since I'm too big for the swingset and much too old to don a swimsuit and dance around the sprinkler during rush hour, I've been incredibly bored.

I'm reading The Icarus Girl.  I picked this book randomly off the shelf at the library and kept it for 2 reasons, one of which is I recently (tuesday, I think) was watching Between the Lions on PBS and they had a story on there about Icarus and his father - which involved Icarus and Dad escaping from Crete by flying.  The son ignores his father warning and flies to close to the sun and melts his wings and falls into the ocean.  And on the cover of the book I got has a girl on it and she's holding a pair of wings.  Hmm?  Sounds too coincidental not to read.  lol  I'm about half way through and it is a good book, so far.  I'm incredibly jealous of the author who apparently wrote the book during finals at "university" at the ripe old age of 19. 

[landofoz]

Finished the book a while ago - how did it get so late?  Loved to book until the last sentence.  Ambiguous, open to interpretation.  I hate interpretation, I need to know what actually happened.  Please ignore that fact that this is a fictional book.  lol

[Dianna]

I have been reading a lot lately. Some very good books, too, but I am not sure you would be interested in them...

"Case of Lies" by Perry O'Shaughnessy
"Alive" by Piers Paul Read - this is a true story
"Invisible Prey" by John Sanford
"Do No Harm" by Gregg Hurwitz
"Triptych" by Karin Slaughter - something different than what she has written as a series

Trust me. I have read a lot. I probably read one novel a week; two if they are really interesting...

Right now I am reading "Gone" by Jonathan Kellerman.

I am into the crime/mystery novels and true stories and what ever else catches my "fancy". Some grab you up and won't let you go until the last word. I love those types of books...

Do you get all your books from the library, Sarah Loo? I miss having a large library where I can go just check out a book that I would like to read. I have been getting mine at Goodwill and other thrift stores...

Triss, does "The Twelve Houses" series have twelve books in it? How many have you read now? Snuggling is a good time to read. Do you read out loud to Charlie?

[Bonnie]

The only book I have read lately is my check book, and it is a sad sad story.

[Jim]

We started finding Tami Hoag books at the Goodwill, and picked up about 4 so I just finished Night Sins.  While i was reading it, one day I was watching TV and flipping through the channels and noticed a movie of the same name on Lifetime.  I watched enough to know it was the same so kept flipping so I wouldn't ruin the book.

I'm reading "Do No Harm" by Gregg Hurwitz now.