Books Read 2013
One of my goals for 2013 was to read one book for every week of the year. Ambitious, yes. And since I didn't trust myself to remember every book I'd read throughout the year, I kept track both here and on Goodreads. All my mini reviews are below, as well as their Amazon links. Just in case I piqued your interest!
1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
Yes, I shamefully had not read The Hobbit before this year. Despite loving The Lord of The Rings, I just couldn't get into The Hobbit. But I was at B&N, and I had a gift card, and it was on sale. So. Bought it, loved it, finished it in three days. Which, when you work two jobs and wake up at 4 in the morning, is no easy feat.
2. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
I bought this for my mom as a Christmas gift, then promptly borrowed it from her in the second week of January. Every time I read a memoir about some outdoorsy experience (Bill Bryson also comes to mind) I have the strong urge to go out there and do it myself. So I may be contemplating some sort of backpacking adventure, but I'll (hopefully) be more prepared than Cheryl was, and (definitely) won't be hiking the same distance.
3. Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn
Another Christmas gift for my mom, also promptly borrowed. Also devoured over a few short days. It is a great thriller, and the twists and turns are clever and shocking. But the ending let me down a bit. I don't know, after all the suspense and mounting tension, the end just kind of fizzled out. Ah well. Still a good read, and I still want to read her other mystery novels.
4. Slam by Nick Hornby
I love High Fidelity, and I really enjoyed A Long Way Down, but Slam left me feeling kind of meh. Of course, I didn't realize until I'd started reading it that this was his first YA novel... If I'd noticed that first, I probably wouldn't have gotten it at the library. Ah well. Interesting, and he does a good job of getting a teenage boy's voice right, but. Well. I'm not a young adult anymore, and this book wasn't really aimed at me.
5. Mind the Gap Volume 1: Intimate Strangers
Yes, I am counting graphic novels. They're novels aren't they? Anyhow, Mind the Gap is awesome. Kind of a modern Red Riding Hood, only you're not sure of who's the wolf and who's the woodsman. If there is one. Gorgeous art, twisty plot, and there should hopefully be a second volume before the end of the year. Knock on wood.
6. Fish Whistle: Little Short Essays by Daniel Pinkwater
I like compilations of short essays. I own several books by David Sedaris, I used to read Gene Weingarten religiously, etc etc. This was good - I read through it in one morning (while sick and suffering from insomnia), and I quite liked it. It never made me laugh out loud - that embarrassment and honor is reserved for Bill Bryson's I'm a Stranger Here, Myself, but it did make me cry with the story of the death of a loyal dog. Pinkwater's humor is a little dry, and a little oddball. So yeah, I liked it.
7. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
I've read (almost) everything else that Neil Gaiman has written, I adored the movie, and it was on sale for the Kindle for a ludicrously low price. So I decided to read Coraline. And loved it! Super creepy, and also kind of alienating - you definitely understand why Coraline is at least a little tempted by the other mother - being the only child surrounded by indifferent adults can't be easy. But yeah, it was creepy and awesome, and now I want to watch the movie all over again.
8. Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
This is the third Austen book I've read, and the second one I read after previously reading the Quirky Press parody. Yeah, I guess I fail a bit at classic literature. Whatever, I enjoyed the book, the more I read Austen the funnier she gets, and EVERYONE is kind of terrible in that book. I mean, Elinor is ok. But seriously, everyone is a bit awful, yet I like many of them anyways. Good times!
9. Persuasion by Jane Austen
This book, which I liked, also made me hate people. The other two Elliott sisters are pretty much the worst ever. Luckily the Musgroves and Crofts were all awesome. But still. HAAAAAATE.
10. The World Without Us by Alan Weisman
Fascinating look at what would happen to planet Earth if every human disappeared at once. Some chapters are uplifting, discussing forest regeneration and the recovery of endangered animal species. The chapters on fuel refineries and nuclear plants, however, are pretty terrifying to consider. Overall a great read, and an impassioned argument for humanity to save the planet and itself.
11. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
I said it better in the review I wrote up on Goodreads, but basically, my god does Austen like writing awful people. Unlike, say, Persuasion, in which most everyone was good, but a few people were kinda dicks, in Mansfield Park it felt like everyone was at least a bit of a dick, and Fanny (our heroine) was so insipid for most of the book that I wanted to smack her. I will say this - when the drama really picks up, the book gets quite interesting, and I read through 20 percent of it today alone. So there's that. All that being said, however, it is still time to take a break from Austen. Northanger Abbey isn't going anywhere, I will read it eventually.
12. You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening by Gayla Trail
I don't know how groundbreaking it is, but its a nice little guide to gardening that takes you from planning, through seed-starting, to harvesting and prepping for winter. There are projects sprinkled throughout the book, and while some are a bit silly, there are some other cool ones that I'll probably try. As is, I'm all psyched for this year's growing season!
13. Enchantments: A novel of Rasputin's daughter and the Romanovs by Kathryn Harris
This is a lovely book, full of fairytales told in the tradition of Russian folklore, interspersed with the cruel realities of a violent revolution.
14. The Book of Evidence by John Banville
I don't know if I'd call Frederick a sociopath, or just an incredibly self absorbed man-child. With a complete lack of understanding consequences, Frederick makes one mistake after another, leading to one that he cannot talk his way out of or run away from. Fast paced, but glories a bit too much in the daily vulgarity of being human.
15. Storm Front: The Dresden Files, Book 1 by Jim Butcher
Recommended by a Facebook friend, I was uncertain about this book & series. Then I read the first chapter. This was awesome. I sped through it, because I couldn't wait to find out what happened. Tense, and funny, and some good characters, though not all got great development. The scary bits were quite scary, and I'm really excited to read more in the series.
16. Kill Switch by Neal Baer & Jonathan Greene
I was looking forward to a thriller in the vein of a Connolly book, smart and scary, with well developed characters. This book had none of those factors. It seemed the writers had a few too many "cool twists" they wanted to squeeze in, and sacrificed dialogue, characterization, and continuity to do so.
17. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Simply stunning. Some reviews complain that the story moved too slowly, but for me the point wasn't the story - it was the setting, and how that affected everyone within it. Celia and Marco, while developed, never feel like the main characters, because Le Cirque so clearly is. I could go back through reading only the descriptions of the wonders in the tents, and be perfectly happy. Lovely, lovely book.
18. Fitz by Mick Cochrane
Interesting story about a teenager who's sure that his feelings of being adrift and unsure are due to his father's absence in his life. I liked it... it wasn't my favorite, but there is some moving character interaction, and I definitely believe that Fitz himself could be real. I didn't like how the book kinda made it seem that anyone who didn't know their father was broken in some way. But overall a good read.
19. Black Light by Elizabeth Hand
Reminded me of a Charles de Lint novel, with Hand expertly combining ancient mythology and modern life. I'll probably have to read it again in a year or so, and figure out everything I missed the first time around.
20. Team Human by Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan
Loved it! Wry, and fun, and very much told in a teenager's voice. If Justine and Sarah write more of these, I'll be there.
21. Emperor Mollusk Versus The Sinister Brain by A. Lee Martinez
Funny, fast-paced, and endlessly quotable. If you like your sci-fi with a healthy dose of sarcastic parody, this is the book for you.
22. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
One of the criticisms I heard most about the movie was that it didn't really address the fact that it was a white woman writing about black women... trying to "save them" if you will. This book, and the author, do address it. Almost everything is more complicated than you think it will be, and I couldn't put it down.
23. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
I think I'm realizing that I don't like children being the POV characters in books. While Oskar was an interesting character, and I felt for him, I also felt the annoyance of dealing with a precocious child that you're not related to. The chapters from his grandparents, while lovely, took a bit too long to coalesce. And his grandfather's mental ailment seemed to be an overly cutesy metaphor, and I got tired of it.
That being said, reading his story about the bombing of Dresden had me crying on the train platform. Plenty in this book moved me to tears, and I wouldn't tell people not to read it. I just know that I won't be reading anything with a child protagonist for a while.
24. Windhaven by George R.R. Martin
I did really like this book, though it wasn't what I was expecting. I thought I'd follow Maris through a briefer, but more intense struggle, rather than through her long life. But that doesn't make it a bad book - quite the contrary. Seeing the world change around the actions of one woman was fascinating - not that she caused everything, but rather she was a catalyst for change throughout her life. At the end, I wish we'd been able to follow Windhaven past Maris' death, to see the changes that continue to occur. But I enjoyed the book, and the characters, and now I know I like GRRM for things besides Westeros!
25. Fool Mood by Jim Butcher
I liked it alot! We got to go a bit deeper into Harry's past, and Karrin and Susan both got some more character development. Some of the foreshadowing was more like fore-whapping-you-upside-the-head, but some of the twists took me by surprise. I'm excited to read book three!
26. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
While I was fascinated by the book and didn't want to put it down, the ending was not satisfying. I get that not everything ties up neatly in real life, but the number of loose ends in the story was frustrating. I'll try more of the author's books, but I'm not a huge fan of this one.
27. When We Were the Kennedys: A Memoir from Mexico, Maine by Monica Wood
Beautifully written and poignant, the memoir reads more like a sad, lovely story. The characters are beautifully realized, as are the town and the mill. All I wanted to do was to hug every one of that family, and try to tell them it would be ok. And now I kinda want to go to Mexico.
28. The Descendants: A Novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings
Beautifully written and quite sad, The Descendants makes you kind of hate the main character while being unable to stay mad at him. Matt is not a great guy - disconnected from the kids, too preoccupied with their image being proper, etc - but you can't help but feel for him throughout the story. I'd like to read more of Hemmings work, especially if it is set in Hawaii. The descriptions of the geography, the people, and the culture were lovely, and I'd like to immerse myself more.
29. Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson
I probably need to stop reading books that discuss 9/11 because I get too emotional. I think I liked the parts where Hingson discusses guide dog training and his life growing up more than I liked the actual story of his escape from Tower 1. Not that it wasn't interesting, and not to say he and Roselle (and David) didn't accomplish something, but I was more intrigued by the technological advances that he worked on and his experience growing up mainstreaming. Maybe that's just me.
30. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis
It was certainly well written, but it was one of those books where its hard to like anyone. Feel bad for them, yes. Empathize with what they struggle with, certainly. But actually like? Not so much.
31. The Magicians: A Novel by Lev Grossman
I couldn't put it down. Grossman does an amazing job really building up the culture of the school and of magic itself, and I just wanted to keep on reading and immersing myself in that. The Narnia allegory was obvious, but did raise the interesting question of what would happen if a Pevensie had stayed behind, and did a damn good (and creepy) job of answering it. The ennui that they all settle into between school and Fillory was a little too spot-on, and made for an uncomfortable read. But overall a great book.
32. The Magician King: A Novel by Lev Grossman
The repeated aping of the Narnia books is starting to get to me. This book was better, in some ways, than the first, but the entire time all I could think of was Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Which is basically what this was, down to the ending at the end of the world.
I did appreciate learning more about Julia. For the first half of the book I despised her, but Grossman did a good job transforming her from an unbearable ass to someone who deserves sympathy. And the scene with Reynard the Trickster was well-done. Horrifying, but well done.
If he writes another, I'll read it. I just hope we've left Fillory (and Narnia) behind for good.
33. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Was literally snorting with laughter at some parts of this awesome book. Each vignette was a lot of fun on its own, and together they make for a funny, engaging story.
34. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
Gorgeous, and so sad.
I've heard complaints that the deathless man and the tiger's wife stories were dragged out and hard to connect with, but I completely disagree. They provided a line running through the book, just like the physical copy of The Jungle Book. And I think you needed to know Luka's story to understand what the deathless man had truly done - his choice affected not only his life, but the lives of others in the story, even the ones who never knew he existed.
The other complaint I heard was that you couldn't tell which country the story was set in. Well. That's kind of the point. The story could take place in any region that split apart because of civil war, or religious differences, or political parties. Especially considering it was clearly set in the Balkans, you don't need to know specifics. You need to understand the emotion behind the story, and Tea Obrecht did that very well.
35. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan
Not quite as interesting and thought-provoking as The Omnivore's Dilemma, but then again, few books are. Pollan continues his excellent analysis of America's food culture, this time going after our strict adherence to nutritionism - valuing only parts of foods, rather than considering the benefits of the whole food itself. He concisely breaks apart nutritionism's inability to see the forest for the trees, and in the meantime makes excellent arguments for adhering to a proper food culture, any food culture other than the Western diet. I'm not saying that I'm going to suddenly subsist on whole foods alone, but it has made me look twice (and even three times) at what I'm actually putting into my body. Looking forward to reading more of his books!
36. Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James
I quite like Jane Austen, but I also quite like derivative works based off hers. Clueless, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, etc. So Death Comes to Pemberly was a lot of fun. P.D. James did a good job keeping Austen's narrative voice throughout, and like Austen, came up with a variety of fleshed out background characters who weren't crucial to the plot, but served to enrich the story's world. As for the story itself - interesting, and fun to follow along. As the twists revealed themselves, I had a good time trying to put it all together, though I've always been better at solving mysteries after I've read them through. :-P
James wrote character development that felt true to the people Austen created - not surprised that Lydia is just as terrible as always, or that Georgiana grew up well. It was a good story, and a fun read.
37. The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco
First Umberto Eco book, so maybe I just don't get it? The contrasting narratives were interesting, but the massive amount of characters that were mentioned once and not again, the constant phrases in French, Italian, and Latin that were never translated, and the "tell not show" writing all combined to make this a difficult book. I gave it 3 stars because it was interesting, especially after reading the brief "narrator's notes" at the end, but still. Tough. I'll read more Eco, but I might need some fluff in between.
38. Feed by Mira Grant
Mira Grant combined the zombie movie with the conspiracy thriller, and the result is wonderful. I don't want to say more because I don't want to spoil anything, but this is seriously great. Phenomenal world-building, great character development, wonderful story.
39. If On a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
By the time the third story was cut off, I had become as frustrated as the Reader. The book took me a while to get fully invested in - but once Reader started actively looking for answers, I was hooked.
40. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
Just like the other two Dresden books I read, I quickly read through this book. I really enjoy Jim Butcher's style and his plots, and I basically speed-read through the books so I can find out everything as quickly as possible. Sometimes I think I shouldn't do that...
Only major problem I had with this book was the overabundance of damsels in distress - I get that Lydia and Justine had different, functions I guess, but the repetition of how Harry just can't help himself when faced with big sad doe eyes was a bit much. I get it. Can we have more fleshed-out characters like Susan and Karrin? (Although, even then, how fleshed out are they? I like them, but I have to admit they're more archetypes than characters...)
41. The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
A gorgeous book. I've made a habit of reading while I work out, and I loved this book so much I couldn't wait to work out in the mornings - just so I could read more! Beautiful language about religion and god, moving without being preachy or cloying.
42. THe Good Father by Noah Hawley
I think I kept expecting a twist when there wasn't one coming. But that was a theme throughout the book - sometimes you have to accept what has happened in order to move on with your life. The changing POV, from Paul to Daniel to exploring previous assassins' psyches, was interesting and kept me involved. Though honestly, I was least interested in Daniel's story - I don't know, but watching him turn from a lost boy into a killer was just depressing. All the times he could have gotten help, or settled into normalcy, and didn't... It was sad. But overall, I liked the book.
43. The Leopard by Jo Nesbo
I didn't realize that this was the latest in a series until after I'd started reading. Oh well. I don't feel like I missed out on too much, and the story was interesting enough that I didn't care if I did. Good twists and turns, nice use of misdirection, and great reveal. I'll probably go back and read the earlier books now - I love me a good thriller.
44. Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
I loved this collection up until Barry Lyga's story, which left me disgusted. Seriously? Distributing naked photos of the mean girl? that's how our protagonists win? Not cool at all, and made me question Holly and Cecil's judgement for including it in the collection.
45. The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
The prose was lovely, but overall the story did not resonate with me. I think because the author tried to tell every woman's story, I didn't feel connected to a single one of them. I also didn't like ending the story from the white neighbors perspective - I felt it undid everything she'd tried to do before, and robbed the women of the voice she gave them.
46. The Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick
I've been wanting to read The Man in the High Castle for several years now, so I was really excited when our book club picked it for this month. I'll admit, I'd tried to read it a year ago, and ended up putting it down. This time, I had no trouble finishing it - I felt like I couldn't put it down. Dick clearly thought long and hard about how he would make his world make sense, and did a great job. I think what struck me most is his choice regarding FDR - it made much more sense than just changing the ending of the war.
So yes, great book, and now I'm looking forward to reading more of his books.
47. Peter Pan and Wendy by J.M. Barrie
I enjoyed the book, it was a fun and light read, but man - somehow I forgot just how racist the original story is. Definitely cringing while I read certain sections.
However! The send-up of polite society is hilarious, and I liked reading the original description of Hook. Doubt I'll read more of Barrie's stories, but I'm glad I read this one.
48. We Can Fix It: A Time Travel Memoir by Jess Fink
A fun, easy read that starts out overly silly but makes some excellent points about the necessity of making your own mistakes.
49. The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut The Moon In Two by Catherynne M. Valente
Every book in the Fairyland series expands the world in new and interesting ways, introducing you to a variety of new characters, species, and ecosystems. But Valente's real magic is the way her books allow the children reading them to grow up as September does. In The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, September was as heartless as all children, but in the latest installment she is growing older and having a hard time of it. I wish that I'd had these books as a middle school kid, I think they would have made my life a whole lot easier to deal with.
50. One Day by David Nicholls
I was skeptical of the premise when I started the novel, but changed my mind as I got further in. I enjoyed the conceit, and seeing how Em and Dex's lives were interwoven. I'll admit, I cried like a baby at the end, but it was good, too. It's not a book I'll likely read again, but I'm glad I read it the once.
51. Land of the Blind by Jess Walter
Walters gets so much right - the childhood overly influenced by bullies, the ennui of Gen Xers who didn't know what to do with their lives, the excitement of the tech bubble and the consequences after it burst... part of me wonders whether she set out to write a murder mystery of a highly specific history of America.
Great book, could not put it down.
Unfortunately I did not succeed in my goal of 52 books, but I came damn close! I got to read some classics I'd been meaning to, as well as a ton of stuff I probably wouldn't have read otherwise. I'm already halfway through another book, so 2014 is off to a great start!
1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
Yes, I shamefully had not read The Hobbit before this year. Despite loving The Lord of The Rings, I just couldn't get into The Hobbit. But I was at B&N, and I had a gift card, and it was on sale. So. Bought it, loved it, finished it in three days. Which, when you work two jobs and wake up at 4 in the morning, is no easy feat.
2. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
I bought this for my mom as a Christmas gift, then promptly borrowed it from her in the second week of January. Every time I read a memoir about some outdoorsy experience (Bill Bryson also comes to mind) I have the strong urge to go out there and do it myself. So I may be contemplating some sort of backpacking adventure, but I'll (hopefully) be more prepared than Cheryl was, and (definitely) won't be hiking the same distance.
3. Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn
Another Christmas gift for my mom, also promptly borrowed. Also devoured over a few short days. It is a great thriller, and the twists and turns are clever and shocking. But the ending let me down a bit. I don't know, after all the suspense and mounting tension, the end just kind of fizzled out. Ah well. Still a good read, and I still want to read her other mystery novels.
4. Slam by Nick Hornby
I love High Fidelity, and I really enjoyed A Long Way Down, but Slam left me feeling kind of meh. Of course, I didn't realize until I'd started reading it that this was his first YA novel... If I'd noticed that first, I probably wouldn't have gotten it at the library. Ah well. Interesting, and he does a good job of getting a teenage boy's voice right, but. Well. I'm not a young adult anymore, and this book wasn't really aimed at me.
5. Mind the Gap Volume 1: Intimate Strangers
Yes, I am counting graphic novels. They're novels aren't they? Anyhow, Mind the Gap is awesome. Kind of a modern Red Riding Hood, only you're not sure of who's the wolf and who's the woodsman. If there is one. Gorgeous art, twisty plot, and there should hopefully be a second volume before the end of the year. Knock on wood.
6. Fish Whistle: Little Short Essays by Daniel Pinkwater
I like compilations of short essays. I own several books by David Sedaris, I used to read Gene Weingarten religiously, etc etc. This was good - I read through it in one morning (while sick and suffering from insomnia), and I quite liked it. It never made me laugh out loud - that embarrassment and honor is reserved for Bill Bryson's I'm a Stranger Here, Myself, but it did make me cry with the story of the death of a loyal dog. Pinkwater's humor is a little dry, and a little oddball. So yeah, I liked it.
7. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
I've read (almost) everything else that Neil Gaiman has written, I adored the movie, and it was on sale for the Kindle for a ludicrously low price. So I decided to read Coraline. And loved it! Super creepy, and also kind of alienating - you definitely understand why Coraline is at least a little tempted by the other mother - being the only child surrounded by indifferent adults can't be easy. But yeah, it was creepy and awesome, and now I want to watch the movie all over again.
8. Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
This is the third Austen book I've read, and the second one I read after previously reading the Quirky Press parody. Yeah, I guess I fail a bit at classic literature. Whatever, I enjoyed the book, the more I read Austen the funnier she gets, and EVERYONE is kind of terrible in that book. I mean, Elinor is ok. But seriously, everyone is a bit awful, yet I like many of them anyways. Good times!
9. Persuasion by Jane Austen
This book, which I liked, also made me hate people. The other two Elliott sisters are pretty much the worst ever. Luckily the Musgroves and Crofts were all awesome. But still. HAAAAAATE.
10. The World Without Us by Alan Weisman
Fascinating look at what would happen to planet Earth if every human disappeared at once. Some chapters are uplifting, discussing forest regeneration and the recovery of endangered animal species. The chapters on fuel refineries and nuclear plants, however, are pretty terrifying to consider. Overall a great read, and an impassioned argument for humanity to save the planet and itself.
11. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
I said it better in the review I wrote up on Goodreads, but basically, my god does Austen like writing awful people. Unlike, say, Persuasion, in which most everyone was good, but a few people were kinda dicks, in Mansfield Park it felt like everyone was at least a bit of a dick, and Fanny (our heroine) was so insipid for most of the book that I wanted to smack her. I will say this - when the drama really picks up, the book gets quite interesting, and I read through 20 percent of it today alone. So there's that. All that being said, however, it is still time to take a break from Austen. Northanger Abbey isn't going anywhere, I will read it eventually.
12. You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening by Gayla Trail
I don't know how groundbreaking it is, but its a nice little guide to gardening that takes you from planning, through seed-starting, to harvesting and prepping for winter. There are projects sprinkled throughout the book, and while some are a bit silly, there are some other cool ones that I'll probably try. As is, I'm all psyched for this year's growing season!
13. Enchantments: A novel of Rasputin's daughter and the Romanovs by Kathryn Harris
This is a lovely book, full of fairytales told in the tradition of Russian folklore, interspersed with the cruel realities of a violent revolution.
14. The Book of Evidence by John Banville
I don't know if I'd call Frederick a sociopath, or just an incredibly self absorbed man-child. With a complete lack of understanding consequences, Frederick makes one mistake after another, leading to one that he cannot talk his way out of or run away from. Fast paced, but glories a bit too much in the daily vulgarity of being human.
15. Storm Front: The Dresden Files, Book 1 by Jim Butcher
Recommended by a Facebook friend, I was uncertain about this book & series. Then I read the first chapter. This was awesome. I sped through it, because I couldn't wait to find out what happened. Tense, and funny, and some good characters, though not all got great development. The scary bits were quite scary, and I'm really excited to read more in the series.
16. Kill Switch by Neal Baer & Jonathan Greene
I was looking forward to a thriller in the vein of a Connolly book, smart and scary, with well developed characters. This book had none of those factors. It seemed the writers had a few too many "cool twists" they wanted to squeeze in, and sacrificed dialogue, characterization, and continuity to do so.
17. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Simply stunning. Some reviews complain that the story moved too slowly, but for me the point wasn't the story - it was the setting, and how that affected everyone within it. Celia and Marco, while developed, never feel like the main characters, because Le Cirque so clearly is. I could go back through reading only the descriptions of the wonders in the tents, and be perfectly happy. Lovely, lovely book.
18. Fitz by Mick Cochrane
Interesting story about a teenager who's sure that his feelings of being adrift and unsure are due to his father's absence in his life. I liked it... it wasn't my favorite, but there is some moving character interaction, and I definitely believe that Fitz himself could be real. I didn't like how the book kinda made it seem that anyone who didn't know their father was broken in some way. But overall a good read.
19. Black Light by Elizabeth Hand
Reminded me of a Charles de Lint novel, with Hand expertly combining ancient mythology and modern life. I'll probably have to read it again in a year or so, and figure out everything I missed the first time around.
20. Team Human by Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan
Loved it! Wry, and fun, and very much told in a teenager's voice. If Justine and Sarah write more of these, I'll be there.
21. Emperor Mollusk Versus The Sinister Brain by A. Lee Martinez
Funny, fast-paced, and endlessly quotable. If you like your sci-fi with a healthy dose of sarcastic parody, this is the book for you.
22. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
One of the criticisms I heard most about the movie was that it didn't really address the fact that it was a white woman writing about black women... trying to "save them" if you will. This book, and the author, do address it. Almost everything is more complicated than you think it will be, and I couldn't put it down.
23. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
I think I'm realizing that I don't like children being the POV characters in books. While Oskar was an interesting character, and I felt for him, I also felt the annoyance of dealing with a precocious child that you're not related to. The chapters from his grandparents, while lovely, took a bit too long to coalesce. And his grandfather's mental ailment seemed to be an overly cutesy metaphor, and I got tired of it.
That being said, reading his story about the bombing of Dresden had me crying on the train platform. Plenty in this book moved me to tears, and I wouldn't tell people not to read it. I just know that I won't be reading anything with a child protagonist for a while.
24. Windhaven by George R.R. Martin
I did really like this book, though it wasn't what I was expecting. I thought I'd follow Maris through a briefer, but more intense struggle, rather than through her long life. But that doesn't make it a bad book - quite the contrary. Seeing the world change around the actions of one woman was fascinating - not that she caused everything, but rather she was a catalyst for change throughout her life. At the end, I wish we'd been able to follow Windhaven past Maris' death, to see the changes that continue to occur. But I enjoyed the book, and the characters, and now I know I like GRRM for things besides Westeros!
25. Fool Mood by Jim Butcher
I liked it alot! We got to go a bit deeper into Harry's past, and Karrin and Susan both got some more character development. Some of the foreshadowing was more like fore-whapping-you-upside-the-head, but some of the twists took me by surprise. I'm excited to read book three!
26. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
While I was fascinated by the book and didn't want to put it down, the ending was not satisfying. I get that not everything ties up neatly in real life, but the number of loose ends in the story was frustrating. I'll try more of the author's books, but I'm not a huge fan of this one.
27. When We Were the Kennedys: A Memoir from Mexico, Maine by Monica Wood
Beautifully written and poignant, the memoir reads more like a sad, lovely story. The characters are beautifully realized, as are the town and the mill. All I wanted to do was to hug every one of that family, and try to tell them it would be ok. And now I kinda want to go to Mexico.
28. The Descendants: A Novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings
Beautifully written and quite sad, The Descendants makes you kind of hate the main character while being unable to stay mad at him. Matt is not a great guy - disconnected from the kids, too preoccupied with their image being proper, etc - but you can't help but feel for him throughout the story. I'd like to read more of Hemmings work, especially if it is set in Hawaii. The descriptions of the geography, the people, and the culture were lovely, and I'd like to immerse myself more.
29. Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson
I probably need to stop reading books that discuss 9/11 because I get too emotional. I think I liked the parts where Hingson discusses guide dog training and his life growing up more than I liked the actual story of his escape from Tower 1. Not that it wasn't interesting, and not to say he and Roselle (and David) didn't accomplish something, but I was more intrigued by the technological advances that he worked on and his experience growing up mainstreaming. Maybe that's just me.
30. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis
It was certainly well written, but it was one of those books where its hard to like anyone. Feel bad for them, yes. Empathize with what they struggle with, certainly. But actually like? Not so much.
31. The Magicians: A Novel by Lev Grossman
I couldn't put it down. Grossman does an amazing job really building up the culture of the school and of magic itself, and I just wanted to keep on reading and immersing myself in that. The Narnia allegory was obvious, but did raise the interesting question of what would happen if a Pevensie had stayed behind, and did a damn good (and creepy) job of answering it. The ennui that they all settle into between school and Fillory was a little too spot-on, and made for an uncomfortable read. But overall a great book.
32. The Magician King: A Novel by Lev Grossman
The repeated aping of the Narnia books is starting to get to me. This book was better, in some ways, than the first, but the entire time all I could think of was Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Which is basically what this was, down to the ending at the end of the world.
I did appreciate learning more about Julia. For the first half of the book I despised her, but Grossman did a good job transforming her from an unbearable ass to someone who deserves sympathy. And the scene with Reynard the Trickster was well-done. Horrifying, but well done.
If he writes another, I'll read it. I just hope we've left Fillory (and Narnia) behind for good.
33. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Was literally snorting with laughter at some parts of this awesome book. Each vignette was a lot of fun on its own, and together they make for a funny, engaging story.
34. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
Gorgeous, and so sad.
I've heard complaints that the deathless man and the tiger's wife stories were dragged out and hard to connect with, but I completely disagree. They provided a line running through the book, just like the physical copy of The Jungle Book. And I think you needed to know Luka's story to understand what the deathless man had truly done - his choice affected not only his life, but the lives of others in the story, even the ones who never knew he existed.
The other complaint I heard was that you couldn't tell which country the story was set in. Well. That's kind of the point. The story could take place in any region that split apart because of civil war, or religious differences, or political parties. Especially considering it was clearly set in the Balkans, you don't need to know specifics. You need to understand the emotion behind the story, and Tea Obrecht did that very well.
35. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan
Not quite as interesting and thought-provoking as The Omnivore's Dilemma, but then again, few books are. Pollan continues his excellent analysis of America's food culture, this time going after our strict adherence to nutritionism - valuing only parts of foods, rather than considering the benefits of the whole food itself. He concisely breaks apart nutritionism's inability to see the forest for the trees, and in the meantime makes excellent arguments for adhering to a proper food culture, any food culture other than the Western diet. I'm not saying that I'm going to suddenly subsist on whole foods alone, but it has made me look twice (and even three times) at what I'm actually putting into my body. Looking forward to reading more of his books!
36. Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James
I quite like Jane Austen, but I also quite like derivative works based off hers. Clueless, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, etc. So Death Comes to Pemberly was a lot of fun. P.D. James did a good job keeping Austen's narrative voice throughout, and like Austen, came up with a variety of fleshed out background characters who weren't crucial to the plot, but served to enrich the story's world. As for the story itself - interesting, and fun to follow along. As the twists revealed themselves, I had a good time trying to put it all together, though I've always been better at solving mysteries after I've read them through. :-P
James wrote character development that felt true to the people Austen created - not surprised that Lydia is just as terrible as always, or that Georgiana grew up well. It was a good story, and a fun read.
37. The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco
First Umberto Eco book, so maybe I just don't get it? The contrasting narratives were interesting, but the massive amount of characters that were mentioned once and not again, the constant phrases in French, Italian, and Latin that were never translated, and the "tell not show" writing all combined to make this a difficult book. I gave it 3 stars because it was interesting, especially after reading the brief "narrator's notes" at the end, but still. Tough. I'll read more Eco, but I might need some fluff in between.
38. Feed by Mira Grant
Mira Grant combined the zombie movie with the conspiracy thriller, and the result is wonderful. I don't want to say more because I don't want to spoil anything, but this is seriously great. Phenomenal world-building, great character development, wonderful story.
39. If On a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
By the time the third story was cut off, I had become as frustrated as the Reader. The book took me a while to get fully invested in - but once Reader started actively looking for answers, I was hooked.
40. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
Just like the other two Dresden books I read, I quickly read through this book. I really enjoy Jim Butcher's style and his plots, and I basically speed-read through the books so I can find out everything as quickly as possible. Sometimes I think I shouldn't do that...
Only major problem I had with this book was the overabundance of damsels in distress - I get that Lydia and Justine had different, functions I guess, but the repetition of how Harry just can't help himself when faced with big sad doe eyes was a bit much. I get it. Can we have more fleshed-out characters like Susan and Karrin? (Although, even then, how fleshed out are they? I like them, but I have to admit they're more archetypes than characters...)
41. The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
A gorgeous book. I've made a habit of reading while I work out, and I loved this book so much I couldn't wait to work out in the mornings - just so I could read more! Beautiful language about religion and god, moving without being preachy or cloying.
42. THe Good Father by Noah Hawley
I think I kept expecting a twist when there wasn't one coming. But that was a theme throughout the book - sometimes you have to accept what has happened in order to move on with your life. The changing POV, from Paul to Daniel to exploring previous assassins' psyches, was interesting and kept me involved. Though honestly, I was least interested in Daniel's story - I don't know, but watching him turn from a lost boy into a killer was just depressing. All the times he could have gotten help, or settled into normalcy, and didn't... It was sad. But overall, I liked the book.
43. The Leopard by Jo Nesbo
I didn't realize that this was the latest in a series until after I'd started reading. Oh well. I don't feel like I missed out on too much, and the story was interesting enough that I didn't care if I did. Good twists and turns, nice use of misdirection, and great reveal. I'll probably go back and read the earlier books now - I love me a good thriller.
44. Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
I loved this collection up until Barry Lyga's story, which left me disgusted. Seriously? Distributing naked photos of the mean girl? that's how our protagonists win? Not cool at all, and made me question Holly and Cecil's judgement for including it in the collection.
45. The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
The prose was lovely, but overall the story did not resonate with me. I think because the author tried to tell every woman's story, I didn't feel connected to a single one of them. I also didn't like ending the story from the white neighbors perspective - I felt it undid everything she'd tried to do before, and robbed the women of the voice she gave them.
46. The Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick
I've been wanting to read The Man in the High Castle for several years now, so I was really excited when our book club picked it for this month. I'll admit, I'd tried to read it a year ago, and ended up putting it down. This time, I had no trouble finishing it - I felt like I couldn't put it down. Dick clearly thought long and hard about how he would make his world make sense, and did a great job. I think what struck me most is his choice regarding FDR - it made much more sense than just changing the ending of the war.
So yes, great book, and now I'm looking forward to reading more of his books.
47. Peter Pan and Wendy by J.M. Barrie
I enjoyed the book, it was a fun and light read, but man - somehow I forgot just how racist the original story is. Definitely cringing while I read certain sections.
However! The send-up of polite society is hilarious, and I liked reading the original description of Hook. Doubt I'll read more of Barrie's stories, but I'm glad I read this one.
48. We Can Fix It: A Time Travel Memoir by Jess Fink
A fun, easy read that starts out overly silly but makes some excellent points about the necessity of making your own mistakes.
49. The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut The Moon In Two by Catherynne M. Valente
Every book in the Fairyland series expands the world in new and interesting ways, introducing you to a variety of new characters, species, and ecosystems. But Valente's real magic is the way her books allow the children reading them to grow up as September does. In The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, September was as heartless as all children, but in the latest installment she is growing older and having a hard time of it. I wish that I'd had these books as a middle school kid, I think they would have made my life a whole lot easier to deal with.
50. One Day by David Nicholls
I was skeptical of the premise when I started the novel, but changed my mind as I got further in. I enjoyed the conceit, and seeing how Em and Dex's lives were interwoven. I'll admit, I cried like a baby at the end, but it was good, too. It's not a book I'll likely read again, but I'm glad I read it the once.
51. Land of the Blind by Jess Walter
Walters gets so much right - the childhood overly influenced by bullies, the ennui of Gen Xers who didn't know what to do with their lives, the excitement of the tech bubble and the consequences after it burst... part of me wonders whether she set out to write a murder mystery of a highly specific history of America.
Great book, could not put it down.
Unfortunately I did not succeed in my goal of 52 books, but I came damn close! I got to read some classics I'd been meaning to, as well as a ton of stuff I probably wouldn't have read otherwise. I'm already halfway through another book, so 2014 is off to a great start!