2008 Book Reviews #2

Nov 09, 2008 20:09

I've gotten behind in my reading challenge, especially during the months surrounding Taliesin's birth and subsequent months. However, I am determined to fulfill my desire to read at least 52 books this year.

Again, I thought it would be helpful to share my thoughts on what I've read. So, if you are looking for something to read, perhaps my reviews will be of some help.

This post contains reviews for books 10-19.

For Books 1-9: here



****Books 10-13: Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series ::
    Within a period of less than one week, I devoured each of tasty morsel of this series. For some time now, I had heard of this series but didn't give in to the temptation. However, my sister purchased Twilight and got all excited, reading the first two in four days. My sister being a new mom doesn't often make time for herself to read books, etc., so the fact she'd gone ga-ga over this series encouraged me to see for myself what all the fuss is over. She wanted me to read them, so she could discuss them with me as well, so being the dutiful sister (an awesome aunt), I purchased all four. Those who know me, know I tend to go overboard.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this series. It's does not rival my nerd-love of The Lords of the Rings books (and all related, even those remotely related); it comes close to my Potter devotion and my mania for all things Harry Dresden. I say this to provide a signpost, if you will, to how I view the series as a whole. Knowing that Stephanie Meyer had a fifth book in the works, which is for now on permanent hold due to some asshole's idiot's theft of said manuscript, makes my heart weep for all the untold story left to be told. I'm hoping Ms. Meyer decides eventually continue. I know I will be there with bells on to get a copy.

For those who haven't read, I will attempt to vague-up any major spoilers (i.e. regarding character, plot twists, etc.).

10. Meyer's Twilight ::
    First book introducing Bella Swan and the mysterious Cullen/Hale family, and the burgeoning relationship between Edward and Bella. Bella's been thrust into a new environment, forced to make nice in a new town. It's classic new girl in town meets beautiful boy. Then strange things begin to happen. This books draws you into this world, makes you feel the cold, and for me reminded me of how hostile an environment a high school can be to a new student. (My sophomore year lived in another state away from my family to swim - knowing NO ONE!)

11. Meyer's New Moon ::
    Following on the heels of the first book, the second shows Bella reacting to those events, sometimes in not the most appropriate or safe ways. She makes more friends, important details are learned, which like Rowling's Harry Potter series become important in later books, plus help flesh out some in the first. Jacob, who was a minor character in the first book, becomes far more important in the second, and is a major player for the rest of the series. Bella's unsafe behavior affects her relationship with her father, her friendships, and eventually, how it drives the panic-striken race at the end.

12. Meyer's Eclipse ::
    Depending upon how you feel about certain characters, the third book is either the weakest link of the series or one of the top two. My mother almost didn't finish the book, must less the series - however, Kelly & I can be quite nagging. We threatened never to discuss with her the outcomes if she didn't read this and the next. While the tale is still Bella's, actions and reactions, cause and effect all center on Jacob and his friends/family - their relationships with Bella, to Edward & his family, to the community, etc. Mysterious, violent murders are being committed by someone or something. Bella intends to find out for several reasons. Seeds planted in the first book begin to bloom in this one, maturing in the last.

13. Meyer's Breaking Dawn ::
    If the series were to end with this book, I could deal; I would not be a happy camper, but I could be satisfied the tale ended there. According to Meyer's site, BD is the end of Bella's tale (at this point). Everything comes to roost in this book. Major players from out of town threaten to destroy Bella's world. Bella takes a major step in her personal life. New frienships and alliances are made, while others, well-established, are possibly irrevocably broken. I think this is my favorite of the four. It delivers in spades. For those who don't like spoilers of ANY kind, do not, I repeat DO NOT flip to the back of the book and look at the tables/information found therein.
******

14. Lee Child's Nothing to Lose ::
    This man is incapable of writing a bad novel. Seriously. Imagine the opening sequence to First Blood, aka Rambo I, guy walks into a town only to be literally driven out - some variation, of course, from the movie, but the result is the same in this sense...they really shouldn't have done that. They messed with the wrong tough son of a bitch. Jack Reacher (GOD, I FREAKING LOVE THIS CHARACTER!!!!) doesn't take too kindly to being told what to do, especially when there's a smell of corruption in the air. I literally could not put this book down. Again, Child provides another strong woman in this tale - this time a deputy sheriff, who is whip smart and very capable. I was sad when the story ended, because I wanted more.

15. James Patterson's Daniel X ::
    Patterson has launched another teen series (while I'm not a teen, I did like this character) with a compelling, interesting, smart, capable young man as its lead. You can read the back of the book to learn all is not what it seems when it comes to Daniel X. Witnessing his parents murder as a very young boy, he takes up the family 'hunting' business in hopes of eventually finding his parents' killer. This books moves quickly. It's a perfect summer read or something to take on vacation. You'll find yourself looking up and discovering hours have past, so don't plan on doing anything major, like starting cooking dinner when you start this book. Through the book, Daniel discovers things about himself he never knew. Trying to define this book fails. It doesn't fit into any one category - sci-fi, comedy, mystery, action, coming-of-age, drama - all rolled into one. Put this on your MUST READ list. Even if you are not a Patterson fan, I think you'll like this.

16. James Patterson's Sail ::
    Talk about a fast read. This flew. If you are looking for a quick escape for a few hours (cause that's all it took me), then this tale's for you. Generally, I liked this book; however, there was a point where I felt sort of cheated. The action throws you from one point in time to much later, with a filling-in-of-the-blanks. I wished Patterson & his co-author hadn't done that. I was VERY satisfied about a certain outcome at the end. Those who read this book, will see what I mean.

17. Jim Butcher's Small Favor ::
    Butcher does it again! I love series where authors take something which happens in a much-earlier book - sometimes something small, sometimes big, something left simmering on low, low burn, only to then turn it on high. Queen Mab calls in one of her two markers, which Hary can't refuse. It's a trap; he knows it's a trap, but he must help Mab. Of course with Harry, nothing is ever easy, and he becomes placed between a rock and a hard place. Per usual, Butcher delivers great banter between Dresden and Murphy. He brings back some favorite characters and dangerous enemies. Of course, one of my favorite things is the continuing developing relationship between Harry and Thomas. While the Dresden we met at the beginning of the series is not the Dresden of now, he has more responsibilies and people in his life, Harry maintains the same dry humor and dangerous smarts. Even though Butcher answered some plot threads from earlier books, he continued some and produced more questions. Butcher is smart; he keeps you wanting more Dresden.

18. Brad Meltzer's The Book of Lies ::
    For those of you who like conspiracy tales, bible mysteries, murder mysteries, and comic book lore, then you would absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. I admit, I'm a lapsed DC-comic girl fan. Sometimes Marvel can ruffle my feathers, but hello, I got my lj-name from Barbara Gordon's Oracle. C'mon. Meltzer became part of DC history first taking over for five issues of Kevin Smith's re-launch of Green Arrow, then caused ripples throughout the DCU with Identity Crisis. The man's a fan, and he bled his love of comics, especially Superman, in this book. Here's the premise: Cain slew Abel, but take a closer look at the Bible. Nowhere does it say exact what Cain used to murder his brother. In 1932, Mitchell Siegle was slain by three gunshots, and his son created a bulletproof man, Superman. No suspects were ever charged. As with Cain, the murder weapon in the Siegel case was never found, until Cal Harper's father was shot by that same weapon in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Before Cal can ask his long-lost father anything, his father is attacked by a man tattooed with the markings of Cain. A race to find the world's first murder weapon begins. So, what does Cain have to do with Superman? And how are these murders and the mysterious man after Cal connected. I found this to be quite the page-turner. Fathers and their sons played a strong theme in this book - Cal and his father, Jerry and Mitchell Siegel, Cain and God the Father. No, this isn't a book about religion, although faith and religious zealotry do play a part. It is simply one plot device in the book. One thing I love about Meltzer's books, he does his research. He talked to Jerry Siegel's widow, searched old newspaper clippings, and studied ancient texts. While this is a work of fiction, I enjoy how Meltzer employs kernels of truth to sustain the believability of the plot. I highly recommend this book.

19. Erica Spindler's Last Known Victim ::
    Spindler delivers a nicely paced murder mystery in New Orleans, briefly in the wake of Katrina, advancing two years later. In 2005, cleanup workers discover six female hands in a refrigerator. The serial killer was dubbed "The Handyman," but lack of resources and evidence prevented the crime from being solved. Around the same time, Captain Patti O'Shay's husband goes missing, and then is disovered dead from an apparent cop-interrupted-looters gone wrong. Jumping two years later, O'Shay is called to the scene of a female corpse, underneath which is her husband's badge. Spindler created the officer-filled Malone family in one of her earlier books, and she decided to revisit them for this tale. Patti is the Aunt/Godmother/Sister. Driven with her desire in getting justice for her husband, straight-by-the-book O'Shay breaks the rules in order to get to the bottom of the case. Meanwhile, her nephew/godson's cop girlfriend goes undercover to bust a major drug dealer, instead stumbles upon other crimes committed by "The Artist." Somehow the cases are connected, or are they? What I loved was this book kept you guessing. Spindler gives the reader clues, but then makes you second guess yourself. When the killer is reveal, you are not getting someone out of left field, but someone who you wouldn't normally expect, but then everything makes sense. I enjoyed the read.

!challenge::book-reviews

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