The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson

Review based on ARC (Advanced Readers Copy received for free in exchange for an honest review).

I just love the way Karlsson views life. This is the second book I've read by him, and I enjoyed this at least as much as the last. Probably more.

The protagonist, a film buff who works at a not-too-busy video store receives an invoice in the mail one day, claiming he owes a lot of money (it is written in terms of kronor, but the exact amount is not necessary to understand). When he inquires further, he discovers that everyone has been billed for essentially their life-enjoyment quotient.

So he embarks upon an investigation (casual, comprised largely of phone calls with an employee of the corporation who has issued the invoices) of how and why his invoice has amounted to what it has.

But what is brilliant about the book is how Karlsson goes about examining how someone's life could be reduced to a monetary figure. It is thoughtful, funny, surprising, and brilliant.

While somehow examining the philosophy of human happiness, Karlsson also manages to be entertaining and somehow brief. I read the small book easily in one sitting.

I just don't want to say anything else because the discoveries in this book are what make the book. But highly recommended to ... everyone? It's such a fast and easy read, I think I'd say yes. Everyone.

FIVE of five stars.

Slade House by David Mitchell

Review based on ARC (Advanced Reader Copy received for free in exchange for an honest review).

I have talked about and written about this book so many times since reading it, I didn't realize I hadn't yet officially reviewed it!

In short, I loved this book. It's a mini little ghost story with a lovely repeating but not really repetitious pattern.

It is almost a series of short stories, taking place every 9 years. It starts with a small black iron door. It starts with the Slade House. You may not find it, but if you do, you will be invited, expected, needed.

You're not quite sure who lives there, but you are sure that the brother and sister who crop up every 9 years play a significant role.

No more explanation. It's all spoiler other than that. But it's a quick read, an interesting read, and a thought-provoking read. It's creepy and atmospheric.. the perfect read for a dark and stormy night...

I love how it starts. I love how it middles. And I love how it ends. An easy 5 stars from me.

Note: I've only read 1 other David Mitchell book, so far. Cloud Atlas was a very good book, but a completely different type of book. I am impressed with Mitchell's ability to write different types, different characters, different perspectives. I look forward to more!

Armada by Ernest Cline (audio version)

Loved it. So, I don't know if I would have loved it as much had I not been listening to Wil Wheaton (at 1.5 speed)... he's a great audio reader! But since I don't know until I do read it myself, I can only base my opinion on the audio version. And it was just wonderful. It's true sci-fi with aliens and spaceships and moon bases, but it's also a very accessible book about a kid who's lost his dad when he was a baby and grew up obsessed with video games, only to discover there's a LOT more to his obsession than it would appear. Yes, there are a lot of references to games and classic sci-fi movies and famous persons in the science and sci-fi genre (Carl Sagan being at the top of that list), but for me, it did not interrupt the story at all and, rather, gave it depth and humor and personality that I think the story, without the nostalgia, might have lacked. Overall, I just really loved this book. I have NO complaints about the book (at least, the audio version), and I will definitely get the actual book as well to read it "on my own" ;)

FIVE of five stars. 

The Fold by Peter Clines

Review based on ARC (Advanced Readers Copy received free from publisher in exchange for an honest review)

Overall, I thought this book was a great sci-fi/lite-horror read. The first half, in particular, I essentially couldn't put down. The set-up, the characterization, the suspense, the conflict - it was all put together just right to make me NEED to read more. I finally went to sleep that first night. I finished the book on day 2.

Although the second half was also very difficult to put down, I think once you know "what's up," it makes it just a touch less impossible to put down (though I confess that I was outside reading, insisting on turning page after page until well after I should have gone inside because I couldn't really see anymore... ). What lags a touch in that second half is .... I don't know, it takes science liberties throughout (it is, after all, science fiction), but I think those liberties taken in the latter half were more on the "maybe impossible" side than the first half ;)

Regardless, it was an excellent piece of science fiction and I am very excited for the other Clines books in my collection & wishlists!
My favorite things: the concept, the pace, the accessibility to such a cool idea. I really liked Mike, Bob, Olaf (scientist/engineer). I also liked just fine the rest of the characters: Jamie (scientist; female foil to Mike), Sasha (engineer; star trek obsessed), Arthur (head scientist of the project), and Reggie. Honestly, it's hard to nail something down, because I really just loved all of it.

Synopsis, for those who want it:
Leland "Mike" Erikson is a great high school teacher, but his friend Reggie Magnus has been harassing him for the past decade+ to come work for him - working for the feds. Sure, Magnus likes his friend Mike, but it appears the real reason he's interested in his talents is the sheer potential of them---Mike is brilliant and has an actual eidetic (photographic) memory. Reggie finally convinces Mike to check out the latest project because it's mysterious, fascinating, and poses a potentially grand problem.

The project: Mike is to visit a site in the San Diego dessert where scientists have built and used a device (set of devices) called the Albuquerque Door (yes, I love this name ;)). It purports to be a teleportation device that, rather than transferring matter, "folds" time/distance over. (Yes, somewhat akin to a wrinkle in time or, perhaps, a wormhole like in Stargate, though the scientists are sensitive to the latter comparison (the former is not mentioned).) However, something seems to be wrong. Unfortunately, Reggie cannot explain what is wrong, if anything, it just... "feels wrong," like how when you're wearing a shirt backwards, you just know it's off. So he's commissioned his brilliant friend to visit the site, consult with the scientists, and learn what he can -- all in an effort to ensure the project can continue to be funded by the government and, ultimately, change the world.

Mike, of course, accepts. The scientists all have difficult personalities that Mike has to tangle with, and they are all jumpy and on edge because the government is looking over their shoulder threatening to shut them down... and perhaps because something is just ... off. Fortunately, Mike has a "unique set of skills" that will help him figure out what is so weirdly wrong....
(sorry, no spoilers ;))

Overall, though not perfect, I still think this is one of my new favorites...
FOUR AND A HALF of five stars (rounded up on sites w/o half stars)

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

I loved it. It's a great book. It deserves its popularity and I cannot wait to (finally) see the movie!

Andrew "Ender" Wiggin is a Third. He's a third child in a time when people are limited to two, but his existence was sanctioned by the government in the hopes that he would be just the little soldier they are looking for. Both of his older siblings, evil Peter and loving Valentine, were studied, but both were rejected as candidates. Now it is Ender's turn. Ender is 6.

Unlike any children we know, Ender and the other children who have been selected for the military training program are wise, brilliant, and, when it matters, ruthless. Ender must learn how to navigate his way through various educational programs with all of the odds stacked against him.

I know, that sounds a little dry. It's just that you don't need to hear from me that this book is worthwhile because it's been around since the 80s and has withstood the test of time. And I don't want to spoil anything.

I can say the pacing is great... I just tore through this one. And it's so compelling... my bath got down to room temperature before I finally acquiesced to pausing in my reading so I could get out. Ender is a wonderfully written character. But it's not just Ender -- the "side" characters are all also wonderfully written. Everyone from Peter to Valentine to Graff (teacher) to Bean (co-student) to Bonzo (another co-student), etc. etc. etc. I look forward to reading other books in the Ender Saga.

FIVE of five stars.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Coming off of a bummer of a book, I was SO pleased when I started reading The Martian and found it so very enjoyable. Sigh, yes, this is why I read Sci-Fi.

So first, I will acknowledge that this book has some "real life" inaccuracies and you definitely have to suspend disbelief... but isn't that why we read fiction? Because it's fiction? For me, any real-life inaccuracies were massively dwarfed by the sheer pleasure of reading this book.

What did I love about it? Much. For one, there's no romance! How refreshing to read something with no romantic tension, romantic triangles, sex, etc. Just good story. And not that I don't like romance in any of my books, but it gets a bit old when that's all anyone seems to write about (e.g., all those darn teen dystopias, with so much potential....).

For another, the commander of the mission is female, there's another female astronaut, the best pilot in the world is hispanic, the guy in charge is... I'm not sure but his name is Kapoor and he's not white ;), and there's also a german astronaut--like, actually German. And China is involved... and it's positive. But it doesn't feel like a United Colors of Benetton commercial - it's just how things are; it's organic. Why does that matter? It's such a hopeful view of our future, and I love that Weir wrote it. So many people feel the need to show how bleak they can get; I love Weir's optimism. Love it.

For another... I'm just so impressed with how Weir wrote an entire novel that is largely a one-man show... involving math and science talk... and yet it's SO interesting. It's accessible... and even when it's a little over the average reader's head? It's still somehow accessible and readable. (if you get tripped up in a math or science section.... go ahead and just keep reading; no need to understand the science or math of everything in here ;)). HOW is it so interesting?! So impressed.

Oh, so what's it about? Mark Watney, an astronaut from Chicago (and the University of Chicago), brilliant w/ a biting sarcastic sense of humor (IS this my husband he's writing about? ok, maybe he's not an astronaut, but everything else...... ;)) gets stuck on Mars when an evacuation goes horribly wrong. Stuck. On. Mars. Like forever away. And everyone assumes he's dead because there's no information telling them otherwise. And his team is on a ship heading back to Earth, which is a years-proposition. So what's he going to do? Try to survive. On Mars. Alone. So far away from everything and everyone he's ever known. And so progresses a novel in which Mark uses humor to diffuse complicated and horrible situation after complicated and horrible situation. And other stuff. But just read it to find out. I didn't know much about this novel before starting. You don't need to either.

Is it perfect? Nah, but it really didn't need to be. It's just pure enjoyment reading this book. Sure there were some things that I found less-than-convincing (maybe he'd be a little crazier, lose a little more of his personality after his experiences?)... but whatever. :)

I'd really recommend this to anyone. It's sci-fi that's based in reality ... this IS likely our future (well, I mean, going to Mars :)), Weir just took us there a little sooner. So, even if you think you hate Sci-fi, you might like this one anyway.

Four and a half of five stars (boosted to 5 on cites w/o halves).
So good.

PS. Matt Damen as Mark Watney? Perfect.

The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami

This is my first Murakami. And I understand it's not typical in the sense that it's... well, it's kind of a kids' book. Kind of. It's short (less than 100 pages) and maybe 40% of those pages have pictures, and the font is big, and it's about a kid (like elementary-middle school age). But it's dark and surreal and wonderful. (and it's not a kids' book)

A kid goes to the library and wants to look into some books about a topic he thought about, so he's directed down to the basement, to room 107. From there, he's further directed into the labyrinth of the basement of the library... which he didn't know existed. He's thus trapped and must find his way out with the help of a "mysterious girl" and a "tormented sheep man" (from the publisher's description of the book).

No more should be said and, given how long this book will take you to read (not long at all), that's all that needs to be said.

I know not everyone loved this. But I sure did. It was just a dip into the surreal. And though there was so much sadness explaining the dip, the foray was so deftly woven. I am VERY much looking forward to more Murakami!

5 of 5 stars.

Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Finishing this short book was almost like having the air squeezed out of my lungs. As if I'd been holding it for ~180 pages.

For a synopsis, I think reading the publisher's blurb does just fine. For my thoughts on the book? sigh. Here are just a couple of favorites:

"Why didn't adults want to read about Narnia, about secret islands and smugglers and dangerous fairies?" p. 53

"Nobody actually looks like what they really are on the inside. You don't. I don't. People are much more complicated than that. It's true of everybody." p. 112

"This book is the book you have just read. It's done. Now we're in the acknowledgments. This is not really part of the book. You do not have to read it. It's mostly just names." p. 179 (yes, that is really the first paragraph of the acknowledgments... you just wanted to keep reading whatever it was he had to say next...)

Everything about this is lovely. And even though it's kind of fantasy kind of dark, it's mostly just a expose on love. And that makes it sound gushy, and it's just not. In other words, it's kind of impossible to describe, but I'll highly recommend it. Yes, even to you, whomever you are...

Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin

It took me about 20 pages to settle into her "voice"... the result of which was, unfortunately, about 20 pages until I decided I did, after all, like the narrator.  At first, I thought she was a kind of snarky know-it-all. But once I settled in, I realized she was a self-deprecating, well-experienced, down-to-earth cook from the mid-80s, with a very dry sense of humor. And I quite liked her sense of humor.

At the beginning, Colwin says that she reads cookbooks like novels.  This is perhaps why she's written this book the way she has... it reads like a sort of series of short stories, anecdotal short stories, but it's also a cookbook. She manages to pull off jumping around from subject to subject, from story to story, and from recipe to recipe, in a way that makes the reader want to read more, know more, eat more, and COOK more!

Some review I read said that this book is like having a telephone conversation with your best friend. I would agree with that. The way Colwin approaches not only her stories, but also the recipes, is familiar, close, intimate.

Overall, this was a lovely book that I intend to re-index (because there already IS a useful index at the end!) for my own purposes so I can use and re-use and hopefully impress dinner parties full of people...

Highly recommended for people who want to cook, who are good at cooking, who are bad at cooking, or who just like food. or who just like to eat. ;)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Finished HP7 last night! (stayed up a little late ;))

When I first read HP7, in a fevered rush to figureoutwhathappenedimmediately, I thought that it was just a touch of a let down. At the time, I agreed a little w/ the people who said Rowling spent too much time in the wilderness, and made too much of an effort to track the school year.

Now that I'm re-reading and have not just waited TWO YEARS for the final conclusion, I have a slightly different perspective. The book is, actually, quite brilliant. It does the series justice, it ends well.

The "wilderness portions" were actually smart because they force the reader to slow down and truly understand the frustrations that the trio was experiencing, the timeline that they were forced to endure, the uncertainty and lack of knowledge, the disheartening truth of a quest too big for them (or so they felt). But there's also enough in there. It is interesting, it is well-paced, it is wonderful.

The last few hundred pages were, of course, fantastic. I think I held the book in a vice-like grip for all final several hundred pages until I was done.

It's such a complete ending. It does justice to the very-much-larger-than-life characters that Rowling created over the series. It does justice to the grand mythology she has created. It does justice to the emotional ties her readers have created with the characters. It doesn't just take the easy way out (all heroes live; all villains die); it is grander than that.

And the "epilogue"? Loved it too. Again, when I first read it, I was frustrated to not know more. But to read it now as a book, a 7th novel completing a series, I understand and appreciated the subtlety of what she did, not quite giving her readers everything they wanted, but giving us enough.

An easy 5-star book.

Sigh, now I can get to re-watching the entire series on dvd... ;)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Mini HP6 Review:
Did not disappoint. The story reaches a crescendo through Book 6 of the HP series, and I raced through the latter 400 pages.

Let's see, what "happens"... Ron and Hermione grow up a little bit, Harry grows up a lot, Ginny becomes a "young lady," and we can see why she's so popular. Professor Snape shows some true colors and perhaps some strength. Professor Slughorn shows more colors and perhaps some strength. We see Draco's pressure. We see Hagrid's pain. We see Dumbledore's love and we hear Fawkes' pain.

We laugh, we cry, we hope, and we feel anger.

Although I love this series, i feel that Book 6 is where Rowling takes a step up. This is the best book in the series (in my humble opinion) because the characters show the most dynamics and the storytelling shows the most range. So much happens in a "mere" 600-some or 700-some pages (depending on your version).

Eager to finish the series again!
I will be taking my time w/ Book 7 this time around...

'Til the Wells Runs Dry by Lauren Francis-Sharma

Review based on ARC.

Oh man, how even to review this one.  I signed up to get this one because it had something to do with Trinidad.  That was really all that motivated me.  Otherwise, it sounded kind of trite... ya know, "multigenerational" "multicultural" "blah blah blah."  But my mom is from Trinidad and, unlike the author of this book, I have NOT heard much from her about her home-country.  I was hoping the book might give me even the slightest of inside looks... And boy did it.

I would not describe this book as "multigenerational" or "multi-cultural," even though those are both accurate descriptions.  The issue I have with those phrases is that they tend to accompany stories that don't offer much else beyond the obvious "that generation doesn't get it" dynamic or "look how different and yet the same these cultures are!"  And those can be fantastic books, but I find that relying on the cheap tricks often make the story seem... well, a little cheap.

That was NOT the case here.  Lauren Francis-Sharma created a compelling, interesting, fast-paced, deep, involved story with an undercurrent of.. like, gut-truth.  I didn't feel as if I were reading some fantasy creation of someone with no idea of what real life was actually like.  I felt like... I felt like I was maybe sitting at a kitchen table somewhere with someone's grandmother who was telling the story of her life.

And what a story.  Ever so briefly:  Marcia Garcia ("Mah-see-ah Gah-see-ah") lives in "the Bush" in Trinidad (i.e., the wrong side of the tracks...) with the boys she cares for.  Her mind is nowhere near romance or the other frivolities of life when Farouk spots her and determines he must have her.  Farouk is, of course, from the right side of the tracks, but he's young and impulsive and makes no mind of the potential cultural impact of his choice.  And so begins Marcia's life.

I mean. It covers so much ground. Years, peoples, families, children, parents, siblings, crime, countries, slavery, passion, anger, etc. etc. etc.  And Francis-Sharma manages to give each element her full attention.

As with all truly excellent books, describing it too much would do it injustice.  This truly excellent book is being sent to my mom... maybe we can have a little Trini discussion once she's read it...

Highly recommend!  For all of the reasons indicated above and because it's just a good book.

Playing Catch-up

I'm going to do somewhat-mini reviews on the following, and then try to get back to normal!

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed


I loved this book.  I started hiking a few years ago with my sister.  We've only done what regular hikers consider "easy" or "moderately easy" trails.  I would consider myself more prepared than Cheryl was on her big hike.  Now, to be fair, I do happen to know (in-laws) someone who hiked a large portion of the Appalachian Trail (and was VERY well prepared), so I may know a little more than the average amateur dabbling hiker.  But still.  Strayed was so severely unprepared it was... well, it was funny.

Strayed did well what I believe very few memoir-ists are able to accomplish:  She told her story in a compelling, humorous, deferential, emotional, sincere manner that made her both endearing and likeable.  She told her story in a way that begged to be read.  She made it interesting.

Wild made me want to hike, be a trail-angel, buy hotel rooms for hikers, bring food to hikers... and it made me appreciate my life, my family, and my friends.  It is a wonderful tale and I highly recommend it.  This was a book club selection (for April), and I eagerly await the other members' reactions!

Night Film by Marisha Pessl


Oh man.  Night Film is one of my new favorite books.  I think I might be lucky that I was able to read it on a very laid back vacation... because I read the nearly 600 pages over the course of only 3 days.  As a result, the ambiance and the story and the nuances weren't lost on me.  This is another book club selection (March), and I am very curious if my ability to read it in such a condensed timeframe made the book better...

Regardless... yes, this book is about (none of this is spoiler -- this is intro/first chapters type information): a spoiled brat rich kid, the daughter of a famous highly eccentric very dark film maker.  The kid kills herself, spurning the journalist (who, in an attempt to discredit her father, was himself discredited in his career) to pursue this huge story.  Because of this journalist's raw talent and prior history with the subject matter, he seems to be a step ahead of the other people who may be attempting to "get this story."  SUCH an over-simplification of the story, but that's the bones of it.

This is my first Pessl.  I am so impressed.  She created the perfectly creepy (but never quite scary) atmosphere, a tangle of questions that seem to have partial and flawed answers, and just a darn good story.  She populated her story with interesting, three-dimensional characters who you had feelings about (not all positive, which adds depth).  This book is full of darkness, humans who act in the worst of ways, blood, maybe murder, psycho- and socio-pathic tendencies... and hope.

This was one of those books where I slowed down my reading to savor the treat of it.  I was SO pleased to be reading this book.  And for me... I was SO satisfied when it was all done.  Highly recommend.

Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson


Well, to be fair to Buncle, I had just come off of Wild and Night Film, so Buncle had some telling to live up to!  Miss Buncle's Book is cute and fun and ok.  It wasn't terrific, it certainly wasn't terrible.

Miss Buncle lives in a small countryside-ish type town in England.  She has money troubles so she writes a book in an attempt to solve them.  However, Miss Buncle cannot (as she says) write about something about which she has no knowledge.  So she writes about her town and the people within it.  The publisher loves the novel, thinks it's either the work of a simpleton or a genius, and seeks to publish it in short order, under a pen name for Buncle, to protect the not-so-innocent.  The name of the town and the name of the characters have, of course, all been changed, but it is clear to the townsfolk that they are the subject of the book.  As might be anticipated, chaos ensues.  The townspeople are in an uproar about the book and react in humorous, over-the-top, caricature-like fashion.

The book is a sweet little thing, a quick read, a pleasant romp through this 1940s (I think -- around that time) small town in England.  The personalities are strong, the story is fun, and it was an entertaining way to pass the afternoon.

Not spectacular, but recommended for readers to whom the above-paragraph appeals.

The City & the City by China Mieville


Phew!  I've been meaning to read Mieville for years.  This was my first Mieville, and what an introduction!  I understand from having read other reviews that this is not the most typical of Mieville... But I think I get the picture.

So, I was about 30-40 pages in, and I had to stop reading to do some research on what the F was happening.  The story is about two cities that share the same space on a map, but which do not engage with one another at ALL, without express permission from the appropriate governmental authorities.  If citizens of one city interacts with the other city at ALL without such permission, a "breach" is deemed to have occurred.  A murder happens in one city, and the detective assigned to the case believes that breach is involved.  In such a case, an entity that oversees even the governments of the two cities--itself called Breach--takes over.  The detective proceeds thusly, but there are, of course, complications of the factual-type, the political-type, the potentially-supernatural-type, etc.

After about 30-40 pages,  I still could not figure out if the two cities were interposed on one another in some kind of magical way (as I had assumed upon first reading the description of the book), or if it was a political/governmental separation, involving no magic.  I read one review that said that at about 70 pages, it becomes more clear and sorts itself out.  So I kept reading.  At about 70 pages, I still felt like my question was answered.  Frankly, I think it is HELPFUL and makes for a better read of the book if you understand which is happening, so I will tell you.  But I will couch it in SPOILER protections in case you don't want to know ;)

The Spoiler (highlight with your cursor/mouse to see):  They are in the same location on a map and are in the same place physically and there's nothing magical about it.  THAT is, frankly, one of the things that I think is so brilliant about this book.  I've lived in a very big city, and when you live in that big city, you stop noticing people as individual persons and start just treating them as physical objects you pass.  Take that and mix with it a sort of Dr.-Seuss-Stars-on-Chest mentality, then make it serious and brilliant, and you have The City & the City. Something happened years ago, we never know what and the characters in the story are not clear, the the two cities were either merged or split, thus creating the current situation.  There are two cities, governmentally, mentally, and in every single other way, except physically.  Certain portions of the geography are exclusively in 1 city OR the other, and various portions are in both, or what they call "cross-hatched."  In a cross-hatched portion of the city, one building in 1 city could be immediately next to a building in the other city, or one floor in a building could be above a floor in another building. In these cross-hatched portions, the cars drive on the same road, but they have to act as if the other does not exist.  You can imagine what happens in ambulance-type situations!  But Mieville pulls this off and makes it believable.

And then, overseeing the two cities is Breach.  And involved in this whole murder mystery is the question of whether Breach is good or bad, real or perhaps imaginary, supernatural or political, in a war with another potentially existent supernatural-or-not "city"in the cracks..... It's so complicated and SO well done and SO recommended.

The Case of the Constant Suicides by John Dickson Carr


This is a fun classic murder mystery.  What I really liked about this one is that it was FUN!  It was funny, light, and moved quickly.  There weren't long and involved explanations of the scenery or drawn-out descriptions of the personalities... it was just a story that quickly moved from one scene to the next, creating, complicating, and then resolving the mystery.

In the book, several people have been called to a castle in Scotland for a "family meeting" to discuss the death and after-affect of a certain family member.  There is a dispute about whether the man committed suicide or was murdered and the various characters are quickly drawn into the activity, the mystery, and the frivolity.

Recommended for people looking for a quick and fun classic murder mystery.

Just Checking: Scenes from the Life of an Obsessive-Compulsive by Emily Colas


And finally, Just Checking.  I bought this book SO many years ago because I have some interesting tendencies toward OCD and because a quick peruse of the book made me laugh (i.e., she is funny, not that I was laughing at her).

I finally re-picked up this book and read it from front to back.  It did not quite live up to its expectations.  Emily Colas is writing mini David Sedaris'esque essays on her life.  It is somewhat chronological, though often flips between her past and her present, in an effort to make a single point.

Some of the essays are funny.  Some are sad.  Some are enraging or depressing.  Emily Colas indulged in her ocd and those around her did the same.  She managed a marriage and motherhood despite her rather severe (at least at times) inclinations.  Although she appeared toward the end (and in the afterward interview) to have finally made some progress and address the issue (e.g., seeing a doctor; taking medication), it took her a LONG time and a LOT of heartache to get there.

I think that this book is probably a good read for people who know people with OCD, to help understand the disease a little better.  Colas seems to be pretty (at times, embarrassingly) honest and definitely self-depricating (i.e., not making things sound better than they actually were) and I think provides a good understanding of those people with the disease who have NOT sought to address the problem.  There are certainly amusing moments, and there were definitely stories to which I could relate.

Overall, the book just fell a little flat because she was just not particularly likeable and the reader was left frustrated with her lack of willingness to do anything for herself.  So, a kind of hit and miss, overall.  Not terrible, somewhat useful, somewhat entertaining, and somewhat recommended.

IOU

Book Updates
I've had a BUSY reading month in February and, as a result, IOU Reviews on the following:

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed 

Night Film by Marisha Pessl 

Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson 

The City & the City by China Mieville 

The Case of the Constant Suicides by John Dickson Carr 

Just Checking: Scenes from the Life of an Obsessive-Compulsive by Emily Colas 

To come... hopefully soon!

Reading Updates

Also, I've joined the ROOTS group on LibraryThing - which is where members commit to Read Our Own Tomes.  For my first year, I've committed to 24 books, and count all books that came into the house 2013 or before, which I read in 24.  My status so far:



I've also joined the Goodreads reading challenge, and for 2014, I've committed to read 36 books.  My status so far:



I'm well on my way!

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games ...
it might be better than the Potters.  Maybe not!  I don't know.  They're so different, but what I can say is that they are the first YA fantasy books I've read that even competed.  They have the drive, the intrigue, the right characters, the right amount of the various elements...
Well done, kudos, I'm so excited for the movies!

I didn't review the 1st, but here're the 2nd two "reviews"

My "Review" on the 2nd:
Excellent follow up to the 1st book. Not much I can say that will be original. I read this very quickly, of course. Am very much looking forward to seeing the 2nd movie. And I'm gearing up for Book 3!

My "Review" on the 3rd:
Fantastic. I am so excited to see the 2nd, 3rd and 4th movies now! I can't say much... it's not worth it to ruin this series for anyone. But it was truly well done. I'm impressed with Collins and her ability to write such a mature story in the young adult genre, without crossing unnecessary lines. I did not LOVE all of her final choices... in particular 1 made me mad (no spoiler), but on the whole, it was great!!

(Note: reviews is in quotes because, as HIGHLY read series, these books don't require full reviews and I'm merely providing a quick snapshot into my reactions!)

Harry Potters Books 1-5 by J.K. Rowling

I'm re-reading the series and making a few comments/notes as I go.  Here're my "reviews" for Books 1-5

Book 1
Just re-read for the 9th time... After a long hiatus. Wonderful. Was almost like reading again for the first time, though I knew more about everything... Looking forward to reading the rest of the series again!

Book 2
Interestingly, the second book was not as good as the first (on a re-read, years later). The first book introduces the reader and Harry to a whole new world at the same time; the second book has frustrating moments where the characters aren't doing the smart and logical thing (no more details... still won't spoil!).  It wasn't terribly surprising that the first book, written so many years ago, was weak, or even that the first two were weaker than the rest of the series... what was surprising was that the 2nd was so much weaker than the 1st. Fortunately for me then and now, and fortunately for all the other HP readers, the 3rd is right there at your fingertips, so no need to dwell on the weaknesses of the 2nd (despite the fact that I just have in this review).

Don't get me wrong. I love these books. I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading 1 and 2, but I was reminded why this is, to me, the weakest book in the series. Still, a 4 star, but not magically delicious like the rest of 'em

Book 3
Yes. Yes. Still wonderful. Massively better than the last.

Book 4
Yep, still 5 stars. Life got a little busy as I was reading this one, so it took me a little longer.. And consequently, some of the more draggy parts ... Well, dragged. Specifically, the spew (aka house elf liberation front) bit and some of the more.. sentimental bits. But! The book's still good in those parts, and then completely overridden by the excellent climax and end. Just keeps you absolutely glued to the pages, especially once the third tri-wizard task starts!

Though during the slower parts I was starting to think I'd be glad to take another break to read a library book or an early reviewer, now that I've finished book four, I wish I didn't have to take the break! Ah well, only 4 interim books and then right back to it ;)

Book 5
Stellar.

As I've often said, reading the series through the 1st time, Book 5 was my least favorite. I didn't like the teenage angst and the yelling and the whining... but reading it again now (and this was ... perhaps my 3rd time on this book? 4th?), it was quite good.

Yes, there is teenage angst and whining and yelling.. but actually, taking it a little slower and reading what is there and not just trying to tear through the book as fast as humanly possible, I realize that Rowling really did an excellent job of showing 15-year-old proclivities and mentality while also subtly introducing (Spoiler)  Lord Voldemort's own personality. It was subtle and, on this slower, more involved and in-depth read, quite nicely done.

Not only was I able to get past my original dislike for the UNNECESSARY YELLING ;), but the book is MEATY. mmmm, meaty. There's so much in this book. It moves just fast enough and just slow enough to wrap you nicely up inside that cozy little harry potter blanket.

Very much looking forward to reading Book 6 (which I've only read twice!) and 7 (which I've only read once, at lightning speed!) 

And then.... I will watch the entire set of movies, front to back. It's gonna be a good winter...

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Wow.  Now this was a fantastic book.  From the beginning, I could not wait to get back to the book, from whatever it was that was tearing me away from it--friends, family, vacation... Must... Read... Book....

I keep picking up books hoping that they'll actually transport me elsewhere -- take me to the land of the book and not left on my couch reading a book.  Where others have failed, Cline succeeded.

SYNOPSIS
This book takes place in the the not-too-distant future, after the "Great Recession" has left the world a bleeding dump of what it was in the (now) past.  Trailer Parks have been built up into stacks, with RVs and mobile homes being stacked 15-20 homes high, most people have abandoned their vehicles because of the prohibitive cost of gasoline, food is a scarce resource, and fossil fuels have been burned up, leaving energy itself endangered.

Yet, there is OASIS.  Originally designed as an "MMA" (multiple player video game), the OASIS quickly became a virtual reality for almost everyone in the world, with people "plugging in" as often and for as long as they could.  The creator of the OASIS - Jim Halliday - dies, leaving behind his fortune to whoever wins "the game" -- whoever collects the 3 keys and passes the 3 gates first.  For the next five years, no one finds even the first key... but then, it's on....

BUT WHY'S IT GOOD?
Yeah it's hard to describe.  I'm not a gamer and didn't play most of the games mentioned in the book (of course I played pac man).  Halliday was born almost a decade before I was, so all of his nostalgia kind of just missed me.  I have seen several of the movies mentioned... but then again, there were a slew that I had not.  This book is not just nostalgia-crack and it's definitely not just for gamers.

The brilliance of this book is that it's set in the not-too-distant future, realistic in many ways, with a quality of virtual reality that is probably just around the corner from today... so it's almost not even sci-fi or fantasy.  Yet through OASIS, the participant can do just about anything--visit planets described in books, be a wizard or a fairy, actually play a character in a movie, even go to school--anything someone can think of aside from the necessary bodily functions... of course, all for a cost (actual money).  So, at the beginning of the book, the main character, Wade Watts, doesn't have access to anything.  Essentially, just some kiddie video games, the public library, and school.  But he's smart, resourceful, and willing to devote serious amounts of time to the game.

But the brilliance of this book is the relatability -- Wade Watts is some shy, dorky kid, who is insecure and only able to come out of his shell behind the safety of the virtual reality lens.  But somehow this shy, dorky, insecure kid is the hero of the book, and somehow you believe it and root for it.  And somehow maybe it feels a little bit like you.

But the brilliance of this book is that it abounds with descriptions of games and movies that at least some of its readers (e.g., me) have never played, seen, or even heard of, and yet it's so. freaking. fascinating.  I just ate it all up.

But the brilliance of this book is that, when I wasn't reading... I started to almost believe that some of what was happening in the book (the "future" stuff) was possible, happening, present.

So yeah, I absolutely loved this book.  I always hope to read a book that takes me there and makes me believe that it's real, and makes me feel connected to the characters, and makes me actually care about the outcome.  And here it was.  Willy Wonka really did meet the Matrix here.

I *really* hope there's a movie someday!
FIVE out of five stars.

Ballerina by Edward Stewart

I discovered this book over twenty years ago in the public library.  I was in 7th or 8th grade and I had a voracious appetite for reading and had already read through several Stephen Kings, all of the available Christopher Pikes, most of the R.L. Stines... well, you can see the type of book I was reading back then.  But I was looking for something different.. something I could really get lost in.  I found this hard-cover, largely nondescript book somewhere on one of the back walls.  I was with my best friend who was newly obsessed with the Clan of the Cave Bear series, which I couldn't get into.  I started reading this and never looked back.  I often think of it as the first non-horror book I really enjoyed.

Fast forward about 18 years and I'm feeling particularly nostalgic.  I am certain that somewhere in the back of my head the title of "that one book that was SO good" was Ballerina.  I start in on Google, amazon, goodreads, biblio, etc.  I really searched.  I could not find it.  Until I thought... you know, maybe it IS that out-of-print one by Edward Stewart.  I ordered two copies - just in case.

How pleased I was when it not only WAS that book, but that upon reading it again as a lawyer in her early thirties, I discovered that it was JUST AS GOOD.  Such a well done novel that simultaneously makes the ballerina world look enrapturing, exciting, and devastating.  It delves into the pain, the politics, the pressure.  And it also brings the reader with it into the highs, the accomplishments, the glory.

I am so happy to discovery that others agree (e.g., Amazon.com reviews).  I highly recommend this book.
FIVE of five stars.

Santa Saves Boswell by E. Anderson

The story contained within this little gem is heart-warming and begs the reader to ask for more.  I appreciate Mr. Anderson's use of a child's drawing on his cover, though I think Boswell is the true hero of the story.  This book is perfect for the child who still believes in magic.  It has wonderful and poetic language that moves the reader to the next page effortlessly.  This is definitely a Christmas tale, but the story within can be read year-round.

Looking forward to reading the Firepoint Fables!
(see author's website)

Highly recommend.  FIVE of five stars.

Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff

This was one of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long, long time. A mystery, the story is quick, intelligent, and multi-layered, offering thought-provoking discussion on the human psyche with deft humor. Completely accessible and fun, this novel keeps you turning pages *through* the end. My only hesitation in picking up a second Ruff book is my fear that it won't be as good!

I recommend Bad Monkeys to everyone.

FIVE of five stars.

(See author's website and book website for more info)