TFPL Book Posse discussion

Have you read a book for Summer Reading (June 8 - August 1)? Post your review here - and don't forget to have a Reference Librarian check off your Comic Panel Chart and enter you in our prize drawings!

After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn - 3 Stars

A quick, fun, easy read.

I'm not normally a sci-fi/fantasy fan, so although I chose this for our Book Club title (it goes with our Summer Reading superhero theme), I wasn't sure I'd like it as much as I did. First, it's fast-paced, with expository flashbacks that don't derail the narrative. Second, the premise is appealing (even if the main character, Celia, isn't for at least half the book). The idea that a young woman is dealing with being her own person, while standing in her parents' long shadows, is fascinating. And the fact that it's dealt with without a lot of whining or navel-gazing was great.

Finally, the novel doesn't take itself too seriously. Readers who are looking for a dark treatise on the origins of good and evil, or the idea of hero, will probably be disappointed. But if you're looking for a book where an unlikely hero - an accountant, no less - solves the crime with a bit of humor, try this one.

The Other Side of Midnight by Simone St. James
4 stars

First of all, can I tell you how much I love Simone St. James? Because I do. I really, really do. At first I was slightly leery of the main character being a psychic (while I can appreciate a good ghost story, I don't really believe in psychics), but St. James made it all mesh well together. I liked the characters and their chemistry. I definitely liked the way the story went.

1914: A Novel by Jean Echenoz - 3 Stars

This is a quick, but elegantly written, novella of WWI, mainly from the pov of Anthime, a young Frenchman. There are other, longer books that describe the mindless waiting and the brutality of the trenches, but this is a compact, eloquent work that offers a more abstract view of the men involved and what happens afterward. Some of the vignettes are especially poignant - Blanche's discovery, Anthime's injury (and how he understands its power to change him), the "menu" of animals. My only quibble was that it felt a little rushed at the end, but overall, it was a fine read.

God Help the Child by Toni Morrison - 3.5 Stars

I knew I'd be able to finish this quickly once I started - that's generally what I do with Morrison's works - she is virtually unputdownable. And, as usual, she delivers. I have to say that I enjoyed her last novel Home a little better, but even Morrison's "okay" novels are better than most everyone else's good stuff.

She writes about childhood traumas in this one - how we are treated, how we feel about that treatment, and how we convince ourselves of who we are based on those sometimes fragile perceptions. Parents, teachers, friends, and even our egos are all a little to blame, even if we are aware of what we're doing. Bride, and then Booker, are easy to identify with; they are still shaped by those childhoods, and as much as they recognize that, they can't quite escape them. The compelling conversations they have with themselves, with each other, and with Queen are full of consequence, for the reader if not for them.

Such a worthwhile read.

The Third Gate by Lincoln Child
3 stars

I liked most of this (I'm a huge Lincoln Child fan), but I was really disappointed in the end. It just seems like Child ran out of steam and it ended rather abruptly. Some things were never resolved, either. Not his best work.

The Lies of Locke Lamora

Normally, I'm not a fan of fantasy set outside of Earth (with some 'small' exceptions notwithstanding... Ice and Fire) but I loved this book. Funny and intriguing throughout with great characters. I grew to love the whole Gentlemen Bastards gang , so of course I was just as pissed as Locke when (view spoiler)[most of then died in extremely painful ways. (hide spoiler)] And as promised by my brother when he recommended it, I laughed every time Locke was scamming someone, and doubly so when he punched an old lady in the face (that sounds much less awful with context).

My only problem is mostly a personal preference, but every time Locke needed to traverse the city, I got to read a long description of every site to be seen. Once or twice was enough for me.... I get it, big city, different districts, on the ocean, big freaking glass towers, made by some ancient architects...the scene's been set buddy. But like I said, that's just my own personal preference. I know some love that deep description, but I prefer to let my imagination fill in a bit after the initial setup. Anyway this is getting long so to wrap up: awesome read, fun premise and fun oceans 11/white collar style scams in an in depth fantasy world. I'll definetly read the next.

The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths - 3 Stars

I think one of the reasons I like this series is that it is contemporary, but it has a historical foundation (most likely because Ruth is a forensic archeologist). Still, I can get my history "fix" with this series, and not feel as if I am in a rut.

This book was a faster read for me than the last two Ruth Galloways, and I think it was because the history in this one was a little more current; that is, what happened during WWII was still having an impact 70 years later. The mystery wasn't necessarily who killed the young airman, but why the body was moved later - which kept me intrigued. I liked the back-and-forth between Ruth and Nelson (I don't need them to be romantically involved, just professionally), and I didn't even resent the crazy subplots (view spoiler)[ Michelle and Tim, really? And I didn't care about Frank/Ruth and their lukewarm attempt to reconnect. (hide spoiler)] A solid read.

Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman by Tessa Arlen - 2 Stars

In keeping with my historical mysteries kick, I picked this one up based on the cover (I know, not the best idea). And it wasn't bad. I liked the idea that the Countess and her housekeeper broke any number of self- and society-imposed "rules" that govern upstairs/downstairs behavior, but the fact that they realized this as they moved deeper into the mystery was an interesting development. And, the person responsible for the death in the title was a little surprising to me (though I probably should have guessed).

If the book had been about 50 pages shorter, and had involved fewer characters (especially since virtually none of them were dimensional), I might have liked this one a little better. My attention kept drifting off, getting easily distracted, and I checked the clock way too often as I was reading. But, this was a first in a projected series, and it was a decent start.

Now You See Me- S.J. Bolton- 4 stars

What's not to love? A creepy, edge of your seat thriller with a strong female lead. Bolton's strong point is definitely her deep and realistic characters. I can't wait to read more about Detective Lacey Flint.

"While We Were Watching Downton Abbey" by Wendy Wax- 4 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I haven't read this author before. This book is about 3 women living in a historic apartment complex in Atlanta, Georgia. The women are from different backgrounds. They end up bonding at a weekly showing of the TV series "Downton Abbey". The book was funny, well written and had good character development.

"The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah- 4.5 stars

A great book by one of my favorite authors. This book is set in France during World War II. It follows 2 sisters and what they do to survive during the war. Parts were very hard to read but that is because of the subject matter dealing with the war. I highly recommend this book if you like fiction about World War II.

"The Negotiator" by Dee Henderson- 3 stars

Kate O'Malley is a negotiator and is sent into a hostage situation at a bank. Dave Richmond, a FBI agent, happens to be in the bank at the time of the hostage take over. They work together to peacefully resolve the situation. They start spending time together as well as figure out who blew up an airplane. This was well written and fast paced.

Theft of Life by Imogen Robertson - 3 Stars

Another solid entry in the Westerman/Crowther series. It started off a little slower than I expected, but once it got rolling about 1/3 of the way in, it was tough to put down. In addition to the murder mystery, Robertson delves into the moral, social, and economic aspects of slavery in an intriguing way - the characters of William, Francis, Mr. Christopher, and Dauda (all former slaves) offer differing povs on the subject. It was fascinating to see how they each made some sense of their past and what they did to shape their futures.

It was also good to see more involvement from a good chunk of the Westerman/Crowther clan. The children (in particular Susan and Eustache) and Graves have bigger roles and a part in the climax (I always liked the character of Graves, so a particular scene at the end was especially gratifying). And though the story got a touch convoluted, and hurried, toward the end, it was still a good read.

Trina wrote: "Now You See Me- S.J. Bolton- 4 stars

What's not to love? A creepy, edge of your seat thriller with a strong female lead. Bolton's strong point is definitely her deep and realistic characters. I c..."

Love, love, LOVE SJ Bolton! All her books have been fantastic.

How to Start a Fire by Lisa Lutz
4 stars

Usually when you chose a Lisa Lutz book, you should expect a book filled with improbable situations and to laugh a lot. This is not a typical Lisa Lutz book. However, this is not a bad thing. There were still the trademarked quirky characters I expect from her, but this book had a more serious tone, focusing on the consequences from one person's actions. Lutz jumped around with the timeline (she would go from 1998 to 2011 to 2006): oddly enough, for someone who has a hard time keeping track of things even when they're in chronological order, I was able to keep up and I really enjoyed it.

"Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five sisters, one remarkable family, and the woman who risked everything to keep them safe" by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

3 stars

Story of Kamilla, who lives in Afghanistan with her family when the Taliban took control. Kamilla figures out a way to make dresses and pant suits at home for the men to sell in the market. When the Taliban took over, they ordered all women to stay at home, they could not work or go to school, and they had to adhere to the strict dress code. Good story about doing what you need to take care of yourself and your family.

"Horoscopes for the Dead" by Billy Collins

3 stars

I read this for the Masked book challenge. What I like about poetry is the language used. I love how in so few words a whole world can be created. Billy Collins is humorous as well. I really liked the poem "Winter in Utah".

The Forgotten Room by Lincoln Child
3 stars

First of all, the cover is beautiful. However, the story was just so-so. It was definitely better than The Third Gate, but I still had a harder time getting through it than I have with other books. I thought the premise was very intriguing, about a "forgotten room" that housed a mysterious - and potentially harmful - machine.

Blood of the Cosmos by Kevin J. Anderson
5 stars

Kevin J. Anderson "adventures hard, so we don't have to!" With Part II of the "Saga of Shadows" trilogy, Anderson spins more new compelling tales in his personal space opera universe. Thankfully, Anderson took the time to re-read his seven-volume "Saga of Seven Suns" series, taking notes along the way to plan his next big adventure, which is set 20 years after the original Saga.

Here Anderson is at the top of his game, pumping on all cylinders, and negotiating precarious curves in Blood of the Cosmos. He throws in foreshadowing at just the right time, pulling the reader further into the narrative. Anderson will mention a character near the end of a chapter, and then switch to that character's viewpoint. That's how Anderson effectively grabs the reader's attention, pulling them even deeper into the story.

I found myself reluctant to read through the book all at once, and tried to savor the experience. Once again, Anderson continues to work in allusions to (and sometimes direct quotes of) lyrics written by his Clockwork Angels collaborator and Rush drummer Neil Peart.

The only disadvantage to reading a series before all of the volumes have been published means the reader has to wait anxiously until the next volume comes out. However, the flipside of that scenario means you can re-read the previous volumes just before the new one comes out, and enjoy those story threads once again!

I try to be patient waiting for each new project Kevin J. Anderson releases, but frankly, that's *tough* to do! I'm just glad that Anderson is able to keep sharing his creations with us. Of course, the same goes for his collaborator who considers himself "Just a Guy." :D

20 June 2015

Blood of the CosmosKevin J. Anderson

The 13th Hour by Richard Doetsch
1 star (i.e., don't bother reading this one)

I picked this up as part of my local public library's summer reading program. Unfortunately, the author mentions a “dark-haired man,” goes on to describe the gun on the table, mentions the man again, and then suddenly drops the names of two different characters. Are there three men in the room with the gun? It's nearly impossible to say, and all this happens in just the first two pages.

By page seven, the author randomly tosses in an arbitrary flashback of gratuitous sex. Already? What about the backward time travel an hour at a time/“fix it as you go” device mentioned on the dust jacket?

Sorry, I couldn't read any more. A fascinating premise, but poor execution fails to draw the reader in.

13 July 2015

The 13th HourRichard Doetsch

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

3 stars

Great WWII story. "Verity" and Maddie are friends. Verity is captured and the only way to survive is to tell the Nazis her mission. Verity weaves her confession and uncovers her past but not in the way the Nazis are happy with. All the while, Maddie desperately searches for Verity. The plot is intricately woven.

Love Finds You in Sun Valley, Idaho
I was very pleasantly surprised on how well I actually liked this book. I grew up in Hailey and I would go to the many places that was mentioned in the book and it would bring happy memories of those wonderful places. The romance was very well written and very clean for what you would find otherwise in other books. I also found myself rooting for a happy ending for the main characters as well as the supporting characters. Also dipicts a strong female character that made it in this world and could if really needed be, to survive without a man. Overall an excellent read, flowed easy and grabs you instantly. Going to try to read more of these kind of books. Thank you for the suggestion.

American Ghost: A Family's Haunted Past in the American Southwest by Hannah Nordhaus
3 stars

I picked up this book for a summer reading challenge (we had to read a fiction and a nonfiction on the same topic), and although I love a good ghost story, I'm a little more cynical when it comes to real stories. I chose this one because I'm a history major, and I liked the concept of the author researching the person who is supposed to be a ghost, instead of doing only the paranormal side. There were definitely parts that were fascinating, but I don't think the author had enough for a whole book. She sidetracked into the lives of other related to the "ghost" (for example, there was a whole chapter about a relative who sadly was in a little known German concentration camp - and although fascinating, I don't think it fit with the rest of the book). I'm not sure this is one I would have picked up if I wasn't challenged to read it, but it did have some interesting parts.

Get Started in Songwriting (2007) by Sam Inglis
4 stars (out of 5)

This book was exactly what I needed when I needed it. The basic techniques are simple and straightforward, but powerful at the same time. The author explains how to start with a simple verbal hook, set it to a melody, find a pleasing chord progression that goes underneath, and build the rest of a song outward from there.

While none of the songs I began creating while reading this book sound nothing like the three songs on the enclosed CD, I'm happy to report they all sound exactly like me. Inglis explains you need to be able to play at least one of three basic instruments – guitar, piano, or computer – to begin building songs using these techniques. Inglis includes some audio loops on the CD as a starting point for computer-based experimenters.

Inglis also includes hints for taking your songwriting skills outside of the studio, but I'm happy to use his information strictly at home for now. :D

27 July 2015

Get Started in Songwriting

Jennifer Government (2003) by Max Barry
3 stars (out of 5)

This book was my runner-up selection in my public library's “Masked Book Challenge.” I initially drew Richard Doetsch's The 13th Hour, which was less than stellar. However, I'm happy to report that Max Barry's narrative style drew me in and kept me reading.

The general premise is in the near future, your last name is the company that you work for. (This brings a new and terrible resonance to corporate managers' insistent assertions that, “We *own* you.” ) This results in the characters touting the monikers some very familiar American companies and organization (Nike, Visa, McDonald's, and even NRA). And for those of you who think American business should take over the world... here's a cautionary tale.

In the book's disclaimer, Australian author Max Barry thumbs his nose at American legal eagles by essentially insisting, “It's work of fiction. So don't get uptight about your company names in this novel.” Good for you, Max.

Don't read this when you're tired, because you may have difficulty keeping some of the characters straight. Also, there's occasional profanity, for those of you who may wish to avoid it.

So who is Jennifer Government? Why does her former coworker call her “Malibu?” And what's with the UPC code tattooed under her eye?

Max Barry's more than willing to tell you.

27 July 2015

Jennifer Government

This was for the masked book challenge at my library, I have to say was that it was not a disappointment, in fact I truly liked it very well. The way Tina Connolly made her fantasy world come to life was a breath of fresh air, it had fantasy but it also was described in such a way that it seemed to coincide with our world today. It grabbed me in and didn't let go until the very end. It was truly a steam punk Beauty and the Beast tale that you wouldn't believe but would enjoy. Hats off to the author, I believe I found yet another fantasy one that I would continue to enjoy!

The Shadow Cabinet 4 stars
This is the third book in the Shades of London series. I really enjoyed the first two, but it had been quite awhile since I read them, so it took me a little bit to get back into the story and remember what had happened. I really like Maureen Johnson’s writing. She has a knack for creating distinct characters and witty dialog that doesn’t feel forced.

Savor the Moment 3 stars
I loved the first two books in the Bride Quartet, and I liked this third installment as well. At first I didn’t care for the main character Laurel. She was a little harsh and mean, and there are times she pushes her friends (and potential love interest) away. However, once you hear a bit more of her backstory and she starts to open up, she is much more relatable and likeable. The romance elements were fun, and I think she can Del make a good couple.

Sky Raiders 4 stars
Another fantastic series from Brandon Mull! This is the first book in the Five Kingdoms series. It is about a boy named Cole and what happens when he and his friends get kidnapped and transported to an alternate universe on Halloween. I think the thing I enjoyed the most about this books is how imaginative it is. For example, in this alternate universe, certain people have a talent called Shaping. The things they can and create and do with Shaping are amazing. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series!

Happy Ever After 3 stars
This is the final book in the Bride Quartet. I enjoyed it, but it was definitely my least favorite of the series. I was really looking forward to it because this book was about Parker. You don’t get to know Parker very well in the first three books, so I was interested to learn more about her in this one. In the first three books, Parker is portrayed as a very strong, take charge woman. She is definitely still in charge in this book, but in the romance department, she lets Mal take over. It just seemed really out of character for her. Plus, I don’t know if she and Mal actually make a very good couple....

Under a Painted Sky 4 stars
I really enjoyed this one! It is about two girls who disguise themselves as boys to travel along the Oregon Trail. Sammy is a Chinese American girl who has just lost her father. Andy is an African American slave who helps Sammy escape after a man attacks her. The two girls decide to head west on the Oregon trail, so they disguise themselves as boys. Each girl has her own reasons for wanting to follow the trail, but the quickly become friends and work together to keep each other safe. They meet up with other travelers (both good and bad) along the way. I don’t usually read historical fiction, but I think this book had a good mix of history, action, and even a little romance.

The Shadow Throne 3 stars
This is the final book in the Ascendance Trilogy. I listened to it on audiobook, and the narrator was good, but not great. One thing that I liked about this trilogy, and this book in particular, is that there are twists and turns that you don’t see coming. I also think that the author has created a very strong and engaging main character in Jaron. Jaron wants to do the right thing and keep those he loves safe from harm. Plus, he has a good sense of humor, and I got a kick out of his sarcasm and snarky attitude.

American Gods

I've been a fan of Neil Gaiman for a while, but I didn't realize it. I've enjoyed movies and other things based off his work, and it took a while before I started noticing the same name pop up in the credits.

Anyway, this was a really good book. I really liked the protagonist, and his willingness to take everything in stride. The book has interesting things to say about the American Melting Pot -- all the different cultures that have come to the land throughout history what effect those cultures have had on us, and looks forward to what our culture will be in the future and what ideals will be held dear. It does it all through a great framework -- all the gods that humankind has created are made real through that belief. We meet Odin and Loki, Johnny Appleseed, Bast, Horus, Jinns, Native American deities, and a ton of others that I can't even name them all.

Again, a great book, and I'd recommend it.

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

Hilarious and informative -- filled with fascinating information that I know that I'll never use. Munroe answers these crazy questions, then goes the extra mile on every question, taking everything to the absolute extreme. Anyone familiar with the author's webcomic, XKCD should know exactly what type of humor awaits them in this book.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
4 stars

I remember reading this book as a kid, but I really didn't remember most of the details. It was nice to revisit it. I can tell it was written in the 1970s, though, because it definitely has that "return to nature" jibe that I associate with the 70s (those hippies!). There is rape scene in it, but as a kid I didn't recognize it, and as an adult, I thought it was very subtly written: unless you knew there was a rape scene, you might just miss it.