(no subject)
I'm going to try and do regular reading and recs posts, about books and stories. Once a week, we'll see how that goes.
Books I finished this week
Faerie Lord by Herbie Brennan
After two years, Henry, facing exams, university, and a boring life as a teacher, goes back to the Realm to help fight a mysterious disease. (fourth in a series)
Mixed feelings about this one. I like the characters, and I like the series. It's entertaining to read about them, and there are a thousand cute details about the faerie world. But the author has an unnerving habit of explaining all the events in the book on the last few pages; and it's something that, while completely logical, you never in a million years could have come up with yourself -- mainly because you as the reader are missing a huge chunk of information that both the author and certain characters have. So basically you're spending the whole book without an idea of what's really going on here.
Q&A (aka Slumdog Millionaire) by Vikas Swarup
Ram Mohammad Thomas won a billion in the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Clearly he cheated, or how else he could've known the answer to each question?
Critics to this book often include how it doesn't represent the real India at all, there are too many coincidences and the whole thing has a rather Bollywood mixture of kitsch and tragic. I can't say anything about the first statement, I've never been to India. However, the description of poverty was similar enough (although even worse) to what I experienced in Peru to make it believable for me. The other statements are absolutely right, but I think that's exactly what the author was aiming for, and I had no problem with that. I had no problem with the non-linear way of telling the main character's story, either, in fact it was more interesting than a step-by-step version. The beginning was a bit boring; after the third chapter I wondered if every chapter would deal with child abuse or sexual abuse. Thankfully it didn't. The rest was more entertaining, but there were too many tragic deaths for me. Mom said that's nothing for a crime novel reader, but I don't read crime novels.
Stories
If you Care to Stay (Jensen/Jared) by hkath
To get some peace and quiet Jensen moves out of his shared apartment for two days a week, Wednesday and Friday. Soon he starts cooking for, playing chess and flirting with the guy who lives in the new apartment on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But who is that actually, Jared or Chad?
If I had roommates like poor Jensen does, I'd move out if only for a day of the week, too! It's cute how Jensen and Jared leave each other notes, how Jensen even cooks for Jared, sort of, without ever seeing each other. I like that there's a mutual liking/friendship right away, that gradually progresses into more. And the scene where Jensen realizes that Tuesday and Thursday isn't who he thinks it is, is hilarious.
If I'm the Secret, Does That Make You the Agent? (Jensen/Jared) by stealth__grrl
Jared gets a strange chat message, a hot guy flirts with him at work, and his life is turned upside down. (Chuck AU)
The strange thing is that I rarely like watching this type of crime action but if someone makes an AU out of it, sign me up. Right after reading this I checked out the wikipedia entry on Chuck to see if I might be interested in watching it, but then decided that I probably wouldn't enjoy it without imagining Jared in the Chuck role and having no sexy Jensen around.
Mini-Recs (meaning I find it hard to find good words for good stories; or that it's half past midnight on Sunday evening)
Restless (Jensen/Jared) by dollydolittle
Blindsided (Jensen/Jared) by philomel
Great Lengths (Jensen/Jared) by light_up
Putting my Life on the Brink (Jensen/Jared) by lazy_daze
Don't Burn Out Too Fast (This Burning Need) (Jensen/Jared) by waterofthemoon
Books I finished this week
Faerie Lord by Herbie Brennan
After two years, Henry, facing exams, university, and a boring life as a teacher, goes back to the Realm to help fight a mysterious disease. (fourth in a series)
Mixed feelings about this one. I like the characters, and I like the series. It's entertaining to read about them, and there are a thousand cute details about the faerie world. But the author has an unnerving habit of explaining all the events in the book on the last few pages; and it's something that, while completely logical, you never in a million years could have come up with yourself -- mainly because you as the reader are missing a huge chunk of information that both the author and certain characters have. So basically you're spending the whole book without an idea of what's really going on here.
Q&A (aka Slumdog Millionaire) by Vikas Swarup
Ram Mohammad Thomas won a billion in the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Clearly he cheated, or how else he could've known the answer to each question?
Critics to this book often include how it doesn't represent the real India at all, there are too many coincidences and the whole thing has a rather Bollywood mixture of kitsch and tragic. I can't say anything about the first statement, I've never been to India. However, the description of poverty was similar enough (although even worse) to what I experienced in Peru to make it believable for me. The other statements are absolutely right, but I think that's exactly what the author was aiming for, and I had no problem with that. I had no problem with the non-linear way of telling the main character's story, either, in fact it was more interesting than a step-by-step version. The beginning was a bit boring; after the third chapter I wondered if every chapter would deal with child abuse or sexual abuse. Thankfully it didn't. The rest was more entertaining, but there were too many tragic deaths for me. Mom said that's nothing for a crime novel reader, but I don't read crime novels.
Stories
If you Care to Stay (Jensen/Jared) by hkath
To get some peace and quiet Jensen moves out of his shared apartment for two days a week, Wednesday and Friday. Soon he starts cooking for, playing chess and flirting with the guy who lives in the new apartment on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But who is that actually, Jared or Chad?
If I had roommates like poor Jensen does, I'd move out if only for a day of the week, too! It's cute how Jensen and Jared leave each other notes, how Jensen even cooks for Jared, sort of, without ever seeing each other. I like that there's a mutual liking/friendship right away, that gradually progresses into more. And the scene where Jensen realizes that Tuesday and Thursday isn't who he thinks it is, is hilarious.
If I'm the Secret, Does That Make You the Agent? (Jensen/Jared) by stealth__grrl
Jared gets a strange chat message, a hot guy flirts with him at work, and his life is turned upside down. (Chuck AU)
The strange thing is that I rarely like watching this type of crime action but if someone makes an AU out of it, sign me up. Right after reading this I checked out the wikipedia entry on Chuck to see if I might be interested in watching it, but then decided that I probably wouldn't enjoy it without imagining Jared in the Chuck role and having no sexy Jensen around.
Mini-Recs (meaning I find it hard to find good words for good stories; or that it's half past midnight on Sunday evening)
Restless (Jensen/Jared) by dollydolittle
Blindsided (Jensen/Jared) by philomel
Great Lengths (Jensen/Jared) by light_up
Putting my Life on the Brink (Jensen/Jared) by lazy_daze
Don't Burn Out Too Fast (This Burning Need) (Jensen/Jared) by waterofthemoon