75 Books...More or Less! discussion

Here we go 2010...

welcome! and Good luck!! =)

1. Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

Okay, I'm admitting it. When I need a fix, I go to Charlaine Harris. Her books are entertaining, her heroines are smart, and the mystery aspect is usually well done. (Plus, I stayed up looong past my bedtime last night to finish this up!)

A lot of reviews I have read have compared Sookie (from Harris' other series) to Harper. Many people feel passionately about which heroine they prefer, and this determines which series they like better. For me, that's comparing apples and oranges. Sookie and Harper are two very different women, and I enjoy their stories for different reasons.

If you are a Sookie fan, I would absolutely give this a read. I'll definitely finish her series, but I probably won't re-read them.

3 1/2 stars

2. The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The jury is still out on my review of this book.
Those in favor say: What a nice tribute to my favorite fantasy authors/novels! I enjoyed the clear references to The Chronicles of Narnia , Harry Potter , The Lord of the Rings , etc. And what kid that grew up reading fantasy didn't experience the longing that Quentin goes through to find his way into the magic world of his books? (Hell, I'm still sort of waiting for my letter from Hogwarts to arrive…)
Those NOT in favor say: The concepts in this story are borrowed, but not well. Grossman seemed to take what he wanted from each of his favorite fantasy series, strip out what didn't work for him, and gussy up what he liked. The result ends up disjointed with some mammoth plot holes. If you are going to write successful fantasy, you need to know the rules of the world (and magic) and then make sure your characters follow them. Another problem--I'm not a Quentin fan. It is hard to really love a book if you don’t like the main character--he is angsty, privileged, and undeserving. It's like watching those brats on My Super Sweet Sixteen freak out over something absurd (yes, shamelessly, I've watched a few episodes of that God awful show). Alice was my favorite character by far—too bad the story wasn’t from her point of view.
I can see why people like it. I can see why people hate it. I'm sort of bummed--I really thought I would love this book. Not so much.

3. We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

If you can get through the first 50 pages (which happen to be horribly boring), you will find yourself immersed in the devastated life of a woman whose son has become a notorious school shooter. You will follow her life with Kevin from her pregnancy to his "big day" and be horrified turn after turn at what this precocious little boy does. You'll think to yourself: "This can't possibly get more disturbing." And then it does. You'll find yourself hating everyone, and sympathizing with them at the same time. Just as Kevin plays with the lives of his parents and his classmates, this book plays with its readers' emotions.

Psychologically, it raises all kinds of questions about adolescence...and it toys with the idea of the whole nature vs. nurture argument. Unlike Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes this book feels gritty and real, and it explores the often ignored casualty of school shootings--the family of the shooter.

I'm giving this 5 stars because I can't imagine it being better written (except, perhaps with the omission/editing of those first 50 pages). Brace yourself though--this one will stick with you.

Jillian,

I read We Need to Talk About Kevin a few years ago. I was in a book group at the time and there were some fierce battles going on during the discussions! I remember some women blamed the mother entirely (for being "cold"), which perplexed me. And you are right about how the novel brings to the forefront the nature vs. nurture debate. I also remember thinking this kid was a "bad seed", but many people don't agree with that premise. You are absolutely right, this one sticks with you and is like a horror story. But very, very real.

Alecia

Alecia wrote: "Jillian,

I read We Need to Talk About Kevin a few years ago. I was in a book group at the time and there were some fierce battles going on during the discussions! I remember some women blamed th..."

It's interesting how some people blame the mother. I talked to my friend who lent me the book, and she couldn't decide if she wanted to blame the mother or not. I can't bring myself to blame her for everything. I've never been a mother, so I honestly don't feel that I can personally judge her. However, here are the things I think she could of done: 1. Wake up her husband from denial 2. Get the kid some serious therapy! Or some family therapy at least!

I guess what it comes down to is that you never expect your child, even at his worst to do the things that Kevin did. It's hard to think that something that is so much a PART of you could do something so horrible.

I KNOW I'll be carrying Kevin around with me for a long time.

4. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

I was surprised by a few things with this one:

1. It was a fast read. I finished it in three sittings. And if I'd had more time (meaning, if I wasn't giving exams right now), I would have finished it even quicker. I just didn't expect that it would read so quickly given that the subject matter is so heavy.

2. It really throws you into Vietnam with no pretentions or apologies. I appreciated that. O'Brien tells it like it is. This lent itself to all kinds of "moments": touching, heartbreaking, disturbing, etc. Actually, that's what this book really is: a collection of moments that help show the fragmented experience of being a soldier in the Vietnam War.

3. I really, really liked it. I picked this up because it is a book that lots of people have read and often refer to. I expected to appreciate it, but not to like it. O'Brien is a really talented writer. I'd absolutely recommend this to someone, especially someone reluctant about war fiction.

5. Grave Surprises by Charlaine Harris

Another lightweight of a read. Like many others, I suspected the murderer early on in the book, but it didn't inhibit my enjoyment of the novel at all. Definitely a weird plot twist in it...a "revelation" of sorts from Harper. Not sure how I feel about it yet--I'm curious to see how Harris develops this point as the series continues.

Not as good as the first one...but still a break from heavier stuff. Fluff fluff fluffity fluff.

6. Choke by Chuck Palahniuk

This is my 3rd Palahniuk book, and my least favorite so far. My favorite is Fight Club followed by Invisible Monsters .

The book started off strong. Meet Victor: sex addict, con artist, severely messed up individual. Learn about Victor's life: needs attention, finds ways to get attention.

About halfway through, my attention started to wander. Victor tells you from page one that you won't like him; he's right. Though he often entertained me and evoked pity/sympathy/disgust, I never found myself rooting for him.

The best part of this novel was the dark humor, and there were certainly some scenes that will stick with me. But on the whole I found the actual story fell a little flat.

Jillian, thanks for all your great comments. You've had a very interesting reading list so far this year!

Thanks Kay:) Plugging away...

7. America, America by Ethan Canin

I've read lots of reviews explaining WHY this book is good, and I agree with all of them. It calls into question all sorts of things about human nature, especially the nature of politics/politicians. I appreciate how it addresses politicians as people who are as tempted to do wrong as anyone else, and how some live double lives as they champion great causes but fail to uphold morality in their own lives. It also leaves you wondering: how do you judge a person's life? does the bad always overshadow the good?

A good, solid read with really excellent character development and a worthy plot. My complaint: too slow. I found myself skimming some of Canin's more "preachy" paragraphs to get back to the meat of the story. If the story had been tightened up a bit, I would have rated it much higher.

8. The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

I picked this up because the classroom next to mine was clearly watching The Crucible last week (the screaming in that movie is quite distinct), and it made me want to read something about Salem (realizing as I'm writing this--that's kind of weird. oh well). I looovee the references to the names and characters I already know about, even though we never saw them firsthand. They were all hearsay for our main character. Definitely a fresh, new perspective on this atrocious chapter in American history.

Finished this last night in one big ol' gulp. The beginning was a wee bit slow; Kent spent a lot of time (perhaps a little bit too much time?) setting up some of the plot points that would come up later. It wasn't until about halfway through that this started to pick up momentum.

If you like literature about the Salem Witch Trials, my guess will be that you will enjoy this. Just don't go into it thinking that it's the next Crucible . Once I stopped myself from directly comparing the two, I enjoyed it a lot more!

Jillian, I am going to have to check this one out- I think I might even have it here on my pile...lol I grew up about 40 minutes from Salem, MA and in my college years I used to spend a lot of time with friends who lived in the area. One year we got dressed up and went bar crawling on Halloween. It was amazing to see all the people, talk about crazy!

Hi Andrea! I live 30 minutes south of Boston...and this year, hubby and I made the trip to Salem for Halloween. You are absolutely right--It is a WILD place. People really go all out! Personally, I enjoyed The Crucible more...but this one is still worth the read!

Jillian, I live in Plymouth now. I went from witched to Pilgrims and Indians...lol

Ha! I live in Foxboro...so I guess that makes me a Patriot? ;)

What a small world!!

9. An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris

Of the three Harper Collins mysteries...I think this might be my favorite so far. The plot was engaging (the first two felt very similar to me in terms of plotline. This one was verrrry different) and the character development was great.

While I'm a huge Sookie fan, I think I like this series better. Why? Well, it offers more complexities...The subject matter is definitely darker, the protagonist is a little more pessimistic and grounded, and the relationships that are built are definitely more complex (really, what could be MORE complex than Tolliver and Harper???). I also think Harris has a very definite place that she is going with this series. She's set up some major plot points that will need to be resolved down the line.

If you liked Sookie, I would definitely recommend this series. It reads in the same fluid, quick way as the Sookie books, but expect a very different ride.

4 stars

Jillian wrote: "9. An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris

Of the three Harper Collins mysteries...I think this might be my favorite so far. The plot was engaging (the first two felt very similar to me in terms o..."

I just finished my first Harris book last night, (Dead until Dark)and I am definitely going to look into reading more of her stuff! I have the next two in the Sookie Stackhouse series, and I'm sure I will want to read her other series as well....I can't wait! Thanks for an informative review...=)

Joy, I'm so glad you like them! They are all quick reads, and you feel like the protagonists are really close friends. Enjoy!

10. Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk

Not. Impressed.

I didn't like this at all-- I'm a Palahniuk fan. He's always fresh and his writing keeps you on your toes. I'll give him credit for keeping my interest--but I can't say I enjoyed reading this. Graphic content is fine with me--as long as there is a purpose. In his previous work, the graphic nature of his writing worked with the overall plot/themes. In Haunted the content seemed gratuitous. I get where he was going with the satire, but I’m not convinced it worked.

If you are interested in reading a Palahniuk, go with Fight Club .

11. Grendel by John Gardner

I love it when authors successfully rewrite a well known story from a different perspective. Gardner definitely succeeds in getting you to root for the villain. Beowulf? Who the hell cares about Beowulf. You sympathize completely with Grendel...and he becomes so much more than just a bloodthirsty monster.

Definitely going to use part of this in my 10H class!

12. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

13. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Dexter is such a strange protagonist...as serial killer that only kills the "bad guys" and at the same time, has somehow landed himself a position with the law. He's very aware of his tendencies, but at the same time, struggles to understand "who" or "what" he is. I like him--certainly wouldn't want to KNOW him--but I like him as a main character. He's got a great sense of dry humor that did a nice job lightening the mood of the story--especially after a particularly gory scene.

The story DID drag a bit in places...but I'm still tempted to check out the rest of this series.

Side note: I just realized that I've never really read mysteries before...seems to be my new thing these days.

Jillian wrote: "Joy, I'm so glad you like them! They are all quick reads, and you feel like the protagonists are really close friends. Enjoy!"


That is how I felt when I read Dead Until Dark! =)

14. Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris

A great ending to this four book series. Though some parts of the big "wrap up" were a bit of a stretch, I was invested enough to buy into it.

I will miss reading about Harper and Tolliver. That's the thing about series: you always have the "next" adventure to look forward to. I feel like I've really gotten to know these two characters...it's strange to think their adventures are over.

Oh Charlaine Harris...you always get me. I don't know how...Your books are fluffity fluff fluff, but I can't stay away!


I'm torn. 3 stars? 4 stars? 3.5? Eh. I'll round up. I'm feeling generous tonight.

15. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Dexter, Dexter, Dexter. You are a strange little monster aren't you? You enjoy slicing and dicing, and yet somehow, I find you endearing. You discuss your serial killer tendencies like someone would discuss the contents of a grocery list. Yet, I still find you endearing. And I still find you entertaining. And somehow, I still find you humorous.

Now, Mr. Lindsay, I must say, it's too bad you aren't a stronger writer...I find that (sometimes) your writing style gets in the way of my enjoyment of your darkly dreadful Dexter...

Another strange, little novel...definitely not for everyone...

16. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

Oh hello plot twist. I think I spotted you about a hundred pages ago:) Granted, I can't take full credit for this. A group of very astute readers that I work with were all discussing when they figured out the big twist, so of course, I read this with a much more critical eye than I would have if I hadn't had any preconceived notions about the book. I don't think that knowing detracted from my enjoyment though. In fact, I found it rather rewarding to see my ideas validated as I moved through! And I hadn't figured everything out, so it was nice to see how all the threads wove themselves together.

I'd highly recommend this--especially if you are looking for a fast paced, engaging read.

Alright Mr. Lehane, you are officially back on my radar! I wasn't a huge fan of Mystic River , but this book has given me some renewed interest in your writing!

Jillian wrote: "16. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

Oh hello plot twist. I think I spotted you about a hundred pages ago:) Granted, I can't take full credit for this. A group of very astute readers that I work ..."

Jillian - love your comments. I've only read one Lehane book and it was an entirely different genre (cops in WWI times). For some reason I've been hesitant to pick this one up . . .

I was nervous about this one too...but the hubby desperately wants to see the movie, so I decided to give him another try. It's a great psychological thriller. Which Lehane did you read? Would you recommend it?

Jillian wrote: "I was nervous about this one too...but the hubby desperately wants to see the movie, so I decided to give him another try. It's a great psychological thriller. Which Lehane did you read? Would you ..."

Jillian, I read The Given Day. And yes, I'd recommend it. It was quite stark in places but I found the story totally engaging.

17. Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay

Still fun. Not my favorite of the three that I’ve read so far, but I liked it enough that I'll read the next installment. Lindsay takes Dexter in a new direction and works towards "explaining" what makes him tick...Not sure how I feel about this.

I did enjoy the development of the kids--Cody in particular. I think there's a lot of potential with him, and I'm curious to see where Lindsay takes this character in the future.

18. The Gates by John Connolly

A cute little book about Hell. I kid you not. Connolly tackles a very dark topic--the gates of Hell opening and demons pouring into our world--with humor and wit. I want to adopt Samuel, a super brave, super resourceful eleven year old boy AND his little dog Boswell.

I love the way John Connolly writes. The Book of Lost Things floored me. While I appreciated this story, I did find it a tad predictable. The Gates doesn't have the power of The Book of Lost Things (not even close) and it is definitely strange, HOWEVER, it kept my interest. And in these days of senior prom planning, organizing class trips, and trying desperately to stay on top of grading, that DEFINITELY counts for something!

19. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

As many other reviewers have noted, this book does resemble Twilight quite a bit. Just remove vampires, insert werewolves and voila! Same recipe, slightly different taste. However, if pressed, I would recommend Twilight over this simply because there were whole sections of this book (mainly the middle) that consisted of nothing but hand holding and eye gazing...The writing is definitely better than Meyer's, but Twilight is a much quicker and addicting read.

I like the format of this book--the changing point of views worked well. And I absolutely. love. the. cover. In fact, I almost bought it because I liked the cover so much. But, I executed some self-restraint, and I'm glad I did. I do not need to own this book.

20. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Wow! I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did! Lots going on--so you have to pay attention--but if you are patient and stick through the first 100 pages, you will be rewarded!

This book would have been 5 stars for me if getting to know the Vanger family hadn't been so damn confusing. I don't mind using the family tree, but it definitely got annoying having to flip back and forth every five minutes. Is this a trivial complaint? Perhaps. But the reality was that I was continually pulled out of the storyline.

I'm excited for the next book, The Girl Who Played with Fire because the #1 character in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was Lisbeth. She is just.so.interesting. I've read reviews where people have claimed they see a lot of misogyny portrayed in this novel. I won't deny that misogyny is certainly present. But seriously, Lisbeth is all kinds of damaged and broken and STILL an incredibly strong woman. I'm hoping the next book deals more exclusively with continuing her story.

Definitely worth the read, but plan to have some time to invest in these characters/this world.

Jillian, I love your review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I have to say you really hit on the point of why so many people seem to have a hard time getting into this book!

Thanks:) Have you read the next one yet?

Jillian wrote: "20. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Wow! I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did! Lots going on--so you have to pay attention--but if you are patient and stick through th..."

Jillian, the title of the book in Sweden is "Men Who Hate Women" and the author was a journalist who wanted to expose the problem of violence against women in his country?

Also, it was a slog to get through those first 100-150 pages, wasn't it? :-)

Yes, I read it a couple of weeks ago. I'm really looking foward to the next two as well!

21. Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay

Still fun, but not as good as the first three. Actually, I would say that the first two are my favorites in the series. Unfortunately, much of what I love about Dexter--his wit, intelligence, and internal monologue--was missing for much of this book. He was pretty lame actually...lame and lucky. Dear old Dex doesn't usually rely on luck because he knows he'll end up as Definitely Dead Dexter...

Eh. Not my fav in the series.

22. The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Simply put, this is a beautiful book. It is wordless, but it truly needs no words. It tells the story of a man, leaving his home (there is an unnamed threat literally lurking in the pictures) and travels to a new place with a strange language, strange food, and strange customs. It's an immigration story through the eyes of an immigrant; we are meant to experience life as he experiences it. The story is touching (yes, I got teary at the end!) and the pictures are absolutely gorgeous. I wish I taught something where I could use this. In the visual world we live in, I'm sure students would respond!

23. My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger

Every now and then, I need some fluff--And here it was in a lovely little epistolary tale. Easy to pick up. Easy to put down. JUST what I need lately. This sweet little story follows three friends as they navigate the waters of high school.

Liked: References to Mary Poppins and the Red Sox. That it was set in Boston with lots of recognizable landmarks. That it explored all kinds of families/relationships such as straight/gay and biological/adopted family. The discussion of Deaf culture and the references to ASL. Also--I liked how even though this is a YA novel, parents and teachers are portrayed as intelligent and knowledgeable beings.

Disliked: Kluger must not spend a lot of time around teenagers. Freshmen aren't nearly as articulate or witty as his characters. Really too bad. It really would make my job more entertaining if they were. Also, the ends wrapped up a little too neatly. I like a happy ending as much as anyone, but really? This one nearly blinds you.

24. Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

As far as chick lit goes, this is at the top of my list. Jessica is a fantastic narrator--we'd definitely have been friends in high school. I found myself nodding at so many of her observations as I looked back on my own high school experience. I appreciated her wit, intelligence, and sarcasm. And yes, there were definite times that I laughed out loud...and other times when I found myself blushing thinking: "Did she really just write what I think she did??" All in the name of good fluffy fun.

I needed some seriously "mind rot" (to shamelessly steal a term from a friend)...and this fit the bill. Looking forward to her next adventure.

25. Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty

More fun with Jessica Darling. Though not nearly as good as Sloppy Firsts , still worth reading.

While I still love Marcus, there are two reasons why I didn't like Jessica as much this time around:

1. She. is. so. whiny. It sort of made me nauseous at times. It was fine in Sloppy Firsts because her wit made up for the whine...but this time around, she whined and whined and whined….and the whining really drowned her wit; I quickly grew impatient with her.

2. I don’t understand her obsession with losing her virginity. At all. In the previous novel, she seemed very level headed and mature. I found myself rolling my eyes at her immaturity.

Against the trusted advice of those who have read before me, I will finish this series. But not anytime soon. Jessica and I are on a break.

Jillian wrote: "25. Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty

More fun with Jessica Darling. Though not nearly as good as Sloppy Firsts , still worth reading.

While I still love Marcus, there are two reasons why ..."

Oh. My. God. Jillian!!
1. You've actually read Jessica Darling books!
2. You and I share the exact same opinion on this book!! It's almost too eerie! :)
I'm planning to finish the series as well, though not anytime soon!

Sorry I sound so hyper, I just freaked out because I finally met someone who thinks Second Helpings is not nearly as good as Sloppy Firsts

Hi Ginny--Hahah. I love that you are excited!
I really, really enjoyed the first one...and I remember thinking: WOW. Jessica and I would have been besties in high school. But her personality really started to grate on me in the second one. I've heard that they just get progressively worse...but it's like any other series that I commit to: Once I start, I feel compelled to finish.

We share the same view! It's almost like you can read my mind and you're definitely stealing my line! :)
I actually can't say much anymore because you basically said everything I wanted to say.

26. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

So here's the issue. Harris starts off with a lot of nothing ( Seriously, the word of the day calendar resurfaces, Sookie is excited about a chocolate cake recipe, we hear about her Tweety Bird night shirt..). And then about a hundred pages in, she starts weaving this intricate canvas of plots. It gets more and more complex until the last 11 pages. She must have thought to herself: "Enough!" and suddenly, everything gets wrapped up nice and neatly.
But not so neatly that there won't be a sequel. Oh no, you can bet on the sequel. And maybe, just maybe, this series will start to approach its ending point. Maybe some of the plots will start to resolve (I’m talking about REAL resolution here. Not the kind that starts a new plot thread).
The frustrating thing? At this point, I should just let this series go. As much as I love Sookie, as much as this is my "fix", I know when I've had enough of a good thing. And we are beyond that-- WAY beyond that with this series. But like any good addict, I know I'll read the next one...and the one after if need be...and so on and so forth. Seriously, it is suckers like me that keep Charlaine Harris in business.