Pagan Babies - Elmore Leonard

one sentence summary:
after witnessing the genocide in Rwanda a conman turned priest returns to Detroit to raise money for the orphans...

review:
this is a highly entertaining novel. The characters are all really well written and the story moves like a race horse. Leonard's writing is darkly humorous and the language he uses flows from the characters mouths with colloquialisms that not only give them a regional accent but date them as well. The characters and their eccentricities are always the high point of his novels and this is no different. I highly recommend this to anyone who doesn't like a bit of naughty language in their reading. Great for reading on a plane or at the beach as it does not require your full focus but is an easy story to get into, even part way through.

7/10

Henry Huggins - Beverly Cleary

One Sentence Summary:
A boy and his dog overcome the obstacles that face boys as they grow up.


Review:
heartwarming stories aimed at middle-school (and maybe younger) boys. Written using language that young boys can read themselves and overlapping with other characters in the quirky suburban world that Cleary has created.   A 1950's world with ice cream cones and long summer days when a boy and his dog could have adventures and even take the bus without a parent, well before the advent of televisions in every room and video games to play on them. I highly recommend this to any boy (or girl) who likes reading.

8/10

 

Next - Michael Chricton

One Sentence Summary:
 in an era of genetic manipulation what happens to the "miraculously" cured?

review:
I thought this was a hilarious, over the top look at a genre I enjoy, near-future sci-fi. An eccentric wealthy evil scientist sends a bounty hunter matching all the stereotypes after a humble scientist you cured his own disease by testing on himself, there is also an intelligent talking parrot.  And the list or over the top tropes goes on and on. That said there is truth in stereotypes and the corporations portrayed in the novel make you think and become a bit paranoid. If you enjoy sci-fi and have the ability to see the humour in over the top characterizations I recommend this for you. This received mixed reviews both from the bloggers and the pros.

7/10

Where The Sidewalk Ends - Shel Silverstein

one sentence summary
Poetry and illustration team up to explain why life doesn't actually suck (or at least that is what I took out of it)

review
if you are between 8 and 108 and haven't read this yet, put down your knitting and go read it now! The quirky little poems will rattle around in your head for the rest of your life. And you will be grateful for it. It is a brilliant work.

10/10

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe - Fanny Flagg

one sentence summary
Friendship can come from the most unexpected people in the most unexpected ways

review
This is a wonderful novel, telling a story of a small town over fifty years of history. It shows true friendship in all sorts of forms and how much of a struggle it can be. In a hodgepodge of entertaining stories the lives of four women are patched together and you can't help but like them. It also takes an unflinching look at race relations in the Southern USA during this time. I recommend this to anyone who likes witty, amusing stories told in off handed ways.

8/10

Tall, Dark and Dead - Tate Hallaway

one sentence summary
a witch has a goddess living in her but this doesn't keep her from falling for a warlock vampire...

review
this book could have been better, the main character is great as are some of the supporting characters but the rest of the plot falls short. The writing is strong at points but it falls flat when it comes to dialogue. It was disappointing that the writing wasn't better as it would have added to the story to actually use language from the era of the characters. I will still read the rest of the series at some point when I can buy them at discounted prices. I recommend this if you like quirky stories with a paranormal twist.

6/10

Before The Fallout: From Marie Curie to Hiroshima - Diana Preston

one sentence summary:
the history of the atomic bomb.

review:
from a non-academic stand point this was a fantastic read. Really interesting with the perfect mix of anecdotes and scientific fact. A fascinating look at both the people behind the discovery and the politics of the era. It also is a really concise and easy to understand explanation of the race to build the bomb and who was winning when, why and how. By framing the facts in a fascinating story this is a beneficial read for anyone interested in WWII or the Cold War.

8/10

The Delaney Christmas Carol - Kay Hooper, Iris Johansen and Fayrene Preston

one sentence summary:
many generations of the Delaney family have looked into the magic mirror and seen a glimpse of the future, these are three of those stories.

Review:
none of these stories were particularly well conceived or well written. Iris Johansen's was the best in my opinion and the other two weren't much worse. All three felt rushed and without strong plots. The Delaney family, however, does seem like a family worth writing about and I will probably seek out more of their stories.

4/10

The Lovers - John Connolly

One Sentence Summary:
Former private eye Charlie Parker has been discredited and is now working as a bar tender.

review:
When I started this I didn't know that it was book 8 in a series, but it became apparent rather quickly that there was back story I was missing. That said it was fine that I was missing the back story, the writing was good for the thriller genre and the story telling was among the best. There is an obvious reason why Connolly has been on the New York Times Bestsellers list so often. He tells a fast paced story with interesting plot points and well written characters. I recommend this to people who enjoy the genres of crime fiction and thrillers. I do intend to go back and read the rest of the Charlie Parker series at some point.

6/10

The Twelve - Justin Cronin

One sentence summary:
The fall out of a military project to use an extinct virus to engineer super soldiers and unleashes an evil that is so horrific the world quarantines North America to avoid all out loss.

review:
A sequel so epic it deserved its own post! The writing is better than the last half of the first book but it is better in parts and mediocre in others. It is easy to tell as a reader what parts Cronin really enjoyed writing, bits about Grey and the "past", the year "0" parts especially stand out as well done. I would love to read more about year 0. The writing was pretty good and the plot pounds along at a healthy clip.  I thought it was really clever how Cronin summarized the first novel in the prologue in "bible verse" format. There were some really dark plot points though, darker than expected (which is saying a lot for a post apocalyptic story). I recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Passage.

8/10 (if you have read The Passage this gets a 10/10 read it now rating, though I may be alone on that judging by the other reviews) I guess objectively (based on writing of this as a stand alone) I would actually give this a 5 or maybe 6 but I love the characters so much I rate it much higher.

Silver Dragon Trilogy - Katie MacAlister

one sentence summary:
Romance and dragon/demon politics do not always go together but love always finds a way.

review:
These are quirky comical easy reads with a healthy dash of sexy. The characters are all really well drawn out and the interactions between them are charged with human emotion. I enjoyed the settings that MacAlister used from the underworld to the apartments of characters from her earlier series. I also really liked the bits about the characters from earlier series, it was kind of like catching up with old friends. I recommend this series to anyone who likes quirky romances.

6/10

Dragonborn - Jade Lee

one sentence summary:
Dragons + Politics + Deceit + Sex = Entertaining Read

review:
A trashy, quick read with better descriptive (in the bedroom) skills than actual plot devices. It was entertaining and I don't regret the time I spent reading it but I will not be reading the sequel (unless I hear really great things). The flow of the novel wasn't very good. The trashy bits were pretty solid (short but solid) and the politics/world building bits were really well done but the bits of "romance" were just terrible. That said I will be checking out Jade Lee's more traditional fantasy novels or super trashy romances (I am not sure which she writes).

4/10

The Time In Between - David Bergen

one sentence summary:
a Vietnam War Veteran returns to Vietnam, his children follow to find him after he stops contacting them.

review:
this was in my to read pile for a very long time, so long that I had no recollection of why I bought it in the first place. I dutifully took it with me to the cabin and read it uninterrupted. It is a remarkably well written book, the language and syntax are better than most of what I have read, I understand why it won the Giller Prize. That said the story feels a bit disjointed and unbalanced to me. I wish that more time had been spent on the earlier years of the veteran's children's lives as I found that to be the most interesting aspect of the novel. It is written to make you think and above all feel. If you enjoy reading well written stories no matter the subject matter I recommend this to you.

8/10

The Next Best Thing - Jennifer Weiner

one sentence summary:
Can a disfigured female writer make it in Hollywood?

review:
An entertaining read that was well written and had mostly really strong plot points and characters. There were some unnecessary "twists" and some totally ridiculous plot points but all in all a good beach read.  I really liked the scenes from when the protagonist was young and in the hospital, her relationship with her grandmother was by far the strongest relationship in the book. There were other characters that were totally unnecessary and took away from the story rather than adding to it. The ending was a true fairy tale ending, happily ever after for everyone.

7/10

The Bearskin Rug - Jennifer Stevenson

one sentence summary
sex demon freed from his bonds vs good guy cop, which will she choose?

review
an entertaining smutty read. not "well written" but not terrible.  Apparently this is book 3 in a series, I will be going back and reading the first two if I happen to ever find them used for cheap. The plot is a bit wishy-washy and the characters feel stale (but that might be because I missed the first books... but it should be better). It is fluff, a brainless read with an adequate amount of smut.

5/10

 

Bleak House - Charles Dickens

one sentence summary:
Possibly the best look at Victorian England a modern reader can take.

review:
like all of Dickens work (god, I am starting to feel like a parrot with this string of reviews on the classics), the characters are all brilliantly developed, the plot is clever and the prose and language alone make it worth reading. I recommend this to anyone who wants to read a wonderful novel with beautiful language unlike anything that is written now a days.

7/10

David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

one sentence summary:
follow David Copperfield as he lives out the dream of every impoverished writer.

review:
Dickens was one of the greatest writers in the English language, this novel is no exception (in fact he said it was his favourite). The characters are all brilliant and the prose, as always are gripping. The plot is well designed and the setting is perfectly flawed. Copperfield is the every-man of those who think of themselves as artists. I recommend this to anyone who wants to read a poignant story of a man raising himself up by the bootstraps and making something of his life.

6/10

A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

one sentence summary:
there is a revolution going on in France.

review:
Again Dickens hits it out of the park with his descriptive ability. This is a beautiful work about the flaws of man and the hideousness of humanity. Every thing is connected but as you are reading it you do not necessarily see that it is even possible for the characters to be connected, but in the end they are.  The writing is beautiful and unforgettable. So much description that often it is called "wordy", that, however, is the beauty of Dickens, each of the plethora of words has a purpose. I recommend this for people who call themselves readers.

8/10

Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

one sentence summary:
an orphan grows up

review:
Dickens proves once again that he is brilliant at making characters who the reader loves and/of hates. The plot flows without any glitches and it is easy to get drawn in to. The prose are a beautiful treat to read and because of this the  novel has become a classic that every lit class reads. Dickens uses what we now think of as stereotypical orphan plots in the original and unique ways that today's authors only wish they could. I recommend it to any one who enjoys reading good writing.

7/10

The Pickwick Papers - Charles Dickens

one sentence summary:
an exclusive club report the details of their personal adventures and the people they meet to each other.

review:
This is one of those books that you can keep around and read over and over. You can pick it up on a shitty day, open it randomly and read a few pages of genius. I may be too much of a fan of this but I honestly think it is the best character study ever written. It is hilarious in its attention to detail, the details of the people and the things they do. It is all so perfectly written that even a few pages of it is sure to wash even the worst story telling off your brain. It is like a palette cleanse for the readers soul. I recommend this to people who consider themselves readers.

8/10

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

One sentence summary:
Another story where a poor girl finds herself in love with a wealthy man.

review:
This is often called one of the most beautiful love stories ever written, I agree. The writing is superb and the characters are both (there are only two that matter) unforgettable. It is the story of finding the bravery to follow your heart. There is a lesson in it for everyone and I think almost every one should read it (or see one of the movies if books aren't your thing).

7/10

Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë

one sentence summary:
A self involved man meets a self involved women...

review:
All of the characters in this novel are assholes, every single one of them, all terrible people. The writing is beautiful, the characters are well written but everyone is a total ass. This may be done ironically, or as a statement on society in general, however that does not make the characters into good people. The writing is brilliant though so is worth reading even though you will possibly hate everything about reading it. I recommend this to anyone who is on a "must read all the classics" kick.

6/10

Mansfield Park - Jane Austen

one sentence summary:
a poor cousin is taken in by wealthier relatives, but never allowed to forget where she came from and that she is not one of "them"

review:
This is the most depressing story I read during the Jane Austen Summer. At least that is how I remember it, a girl is taken from her family who loves her but is poor by her extended family who is wealthy and thus can "give her a better life". But, once there she is treated like a fat girl at camp whose only purpose is to make everyone else feel better but always is left out of the joke. She becomes a really strong woman as the book continues on. I recommend this to lonely girls who want to feel better about themselves and have some tips on how to be stronger.

5/10

Emma - Jane Austen

one sentence summary:
A young woman feels that she knows best about not only her love life but her friends as well, she does not.

review:
The funniest read of the Summer of Jane Austen, Emma was remarkably similar to me, trying to make everything perfect for everyone without even knowing what would make me happy. The wit in the writing is brilliantly entertaining, and, as always the characters and plot development are top shelve. I recommend this to any awkward teenage girl who has no friends and is wondering why.

6/10

Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

one sentence summary:
Two sisters find love, and all complications that come with it.

review:
I rather enjoyed this work during my Jane Austen summer, the female characters are relatable to my modern mindset more than most of her other characters. The characters (particularly when viewed as couples) are really quite flawed and the way they react to each other is brilliantly portrayed. The two sister characters play off each other so well that when reading I often felt that I was a scullery maid listening from behind the door and witnessing this all happen. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in either the era or the workings of relationships.

6/10

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

one sentence summary:
a pair of sisters fulfill their societal obligations.

review:
I read this in my summer of Jane Austen, I started out completely hating the Bennet sisters, but once I looked at it from a humorous angle it was highly entertaining. Don't take it seriously because, as a modern reader, you will probably hate all of the characters but if your read it as a statement on the ridiculousness of societal conventions you will enjoy it. The writing is brilliant, the vocabulary makes me wish that writers still wrote for the educated masses instead of high school drop outs.

6/10

Persuasion - Jane Austen

one sentence summary:
Sometimes the only way to fix your life is to be completely honest with everyone in it.

review:
Ok, I love to hate Jane Austen, I think that all her heroines are terrible, weak and generally irritating as hell. However, at the same time I am hating on her and her characters I am loving everything about them. The writing is beautiful and all of the characters are wonderfully flawed. I went through a summer (probably 2004) when I read a whole lot of Jane Austen all at once. This story was one of the easier to see the message in and to take that very prim and proper message and give it a real world spin. The moral of the story is that sometimes the best thing to do is eat that humble pie, enjoy it (or at least pretend to) and smile. Also the writing is really good, amazing in fact, using language that we would think of as antiquated but I really enjoyed.

6/10

Fly Away Home - Jennifer Weiner

one sentence summary:
sometimes your life falling apart is the best thing that can happen to you.

Review:
I loved this book, all of the messages in it are dead on, the characters are all really well thought out and the interactions between them seem very true to reality. There is an equal balance of humour and sadness, you will laugh and you might even cry. The writing is better than most chick-lit and the plot is wonderful brain candy. A great summer read if you are looking for an easy not-too-trashy read.


8/10