July Reads

54. Identical (Hopkins)


55. Winter's Bone (Woodrell)


56. The Saga of the Bloody Benders (Geary)


57. The Beekeeper's Apprentice (King)


58. The Indifferent Stars Above (Brown)


59. Famous Players (Geary)


60. The Fatal Bullet (Geary)


61. The Beast of Chicago (Geary)


62. The Impostor's Daughter (Sandell)


63. 2nd Chance (Patterson)


64. My Most Excellent Year (Kluger)


65. Back Spin (Coben)


Hell-Heaven (Lahiri)


A Choice of Accommodations (Lahiri)


Only Goodness (Lahiri)


Nobody's Business (Lahiri)


Once in a Life Time (Lahiri)


Year's End (Lahiri)


66. Sin & Vengeance (West)

Going Ashore (Lahiri)


67. Unaccustomed Earth (Lahiri)

* Short Story (not counted)

BOLD titles made my Best Reads List

Clicking on a title will link you to "Thoughts of Joy...".

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Monthly - Yearly Genre Stats:

Chick-Lit: 0 - 0

Classic: 0 - 0

Fiction: 1 - 16

Graphic Memoir: 1 - 1

Memoir: 0 - 2

Mystery/Police Procedural: 3 - 17

Non-Fiction: 1 - 1

Non-Fiction Graphic Novel: 0 - 1

Short Story Collection: 1 - 2

Suspense/Thriller: 1 - 10

True Crime: 0 - 1

YA Classic: 0 - 0

YA Fiction: 2 - 5

YA Graphic Novel: 4 - 6

YA Mystery: 0 - 1

YA Non-Fiction: 0 - 0

YA Science Fiction: 0 - 0

YA Short Collection: 0 - 1

YA Thriller: 0 - 1

Children's Fiction: 0 - 1

Children's Graphic Novel: 0 - 1

Children's Thriller: 0 - 0

Children's Sci-Fi/Fantasy: 0 - 0

Short Stories: 7 - 13

Audiobooks: 5 - 30

Books: 8 - 36

eBooks: 1 - 1

Total: 14 - 67

Best Reads: 2 - 3

Series: 3 - 26

DNF: 0 - 0

UNACCUSTOMED EARTH

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: 2008

Personal Rating: 3.75/5 (better than good)

Yearly Count: 67

This collection was my introduction to Jhumpa Lahiri's work, and it was definitely a worthy read - I enjoyed it. I read the first story at the end of April, but didn't get moving until I decided to listen to the audio version at the end of July. I look forward to more.

The following are the individual titles and links to my thoughts:

1. Unaccustomed Earth

2. Hell-Heaven

3. A Choice of Accommodations

4. Only Goodness

5. Nobody's Business

6. Once in a Lifetime

7. Year's End

8. Going Ashore

GOING ASHORE (8 of 8)

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: Unaccustomed Earth, 2008

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

(ss) Yearly Count: 13

Hema and Kaushik cross paths in Italy.

An interesting ending to a series of short stories. I wonder why the last three weren't clumped together as a novella. This wasn't too compelling, but I did want to know their fate.

Disc Drive Doldrums!

It has been OVER 1 week since I took my computer to the hospital, and I STILL haven't heard when it's coming home. They only had to replace its brain for heaven's sake. How difficult can that be? I have other avenues to access the internet, etc., but I haven't been able to do my digital scrapbooking project or access my resume for a tune-up. These are necessities folks. Necessities, I say.

SIN & VENGEANCE

Author: C. J. West
Genre: Thriller, Series #1
Published: 2005
Personal Rating: 4.5/5 (excellent)
Yearly Count: 66

A knee injury destroys Charlie Marston's football career and by default is encouraged to work in the family winery business. Not fully committed, Charlie meanders around and becomes buddies with Randy Black. Their relationship exhibits the extremes of friendship.

Eek! The opening scene (or close to) was not what I expected at all. It was obscene. Not only that, it was brutal and rather disgusting. Now that the ugly part is over . . . umm well, that's not entirely true - there were many ugly parts, but that's not the point. Or maybe it is. Ahhh! Every major component of this book was filled with some form of terror, so there aren't many pleasant things I can say about the plot. Except, that it was extremely suspenseful and intense.

Seriously (not that the above isn't), there was a lot of violence, and I thought overdone in some instances (like - okay, let's move on), but I couldn't keep my hands off my iPad! This was my first eBook, and it was meant for reading only at night (as to not disturb Mr. Joy), but once I got into it, I was reading at all hours of the day!

Other than the abundance of violence that has already been mentioned (many times), I thought the writing, in and of itself, was a little on the simple side. Even so, simple language or not, the plot was very well thought out (another compliment), and I am very curious as to what's going to happen in the second book of this series: A Demon Awaits.

YEAR'S END (7 of 8)

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: Unaccustomed Earth, 2008

Personal Rating: 3.75/5 (better than good)

(ss) Yearly Count: 12

Kaushik picks up his story where Hema left off in short story #6 titled Once in a Lifetime.

Watching the dynamics of Kaushik's family change after their personal tragedy held more emotion than some of the other stories.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME (6 of 8)

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: Unaccustomed Earth, 2008

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

(ss) Yearly Count: 11

This story begins Part 2: Hema and Kaushik.

A woman (Hema) remembers her childhood when she first was introduced to a family whose son (Kaushik) was three years older than her.

No surprise - another good story. However, this one will continue in some fashion with the next in line.

NOBODY'S BUSINESS (5 of 8)

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: Unaccustomed Earth, 2008

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

(ss) Yearly Count: 10

A graduate student has a budding crush on his female housemate, but she already has a boyfriend.

I figured out why I'm not giving these stories spectacular ratings, even though I love her writing - the endings don't make me pause. They all have conclusions, but they are subtle or maybe even a little bland.

The well-developed characters remind me of Ron Rash's fabulous talent, but Ron's characters are based on those from the South (USA) and Jhumpa's are from India. However, Ron provides endings with a punch, which is my personal preference. That's what I've been anticipating, but it never materializes.

So far, it is a great collection, and I understand why it was The New York Times "Best Book of the Year."

ONLY GOODNESS (4 of 8)

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: Unaccustomed Earth, 2008

Personal Rating: 3.75/5 (better than good)

(ss) Yearly Count: 9

As an older sister watches her younger brother become an alcoholic, she feels the effects in her own life.

Again - great characterization and intriguing plot. I think I liked this one a little bit better than the others, but it's probably because I am accustomed to her writing now and am enjoying it more and more.

A CHOICE OF ACCOMMODATIONS (3 of 8)

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: Unaccustomed Earth, 2008

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

(ss) Yearly Count: 8

A married couple is invited to a wedding that is being held on the campus of the husband's boarding school.

I really like Jhumpa's writing style, but I think I would like a full-length story even more. Her ability to develop realistic characters is a gift, and in these short stories, I just get to know them - then the story is over.

HELL-HEAVEN (2 of 8)

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

Genre: Short Story Collection

Published: Unaccustomed Earth, 2008

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

(ss) Yearly Count: 7

A Bengali woman tells about her childhood when her parents took a lone, adult Bengali under their wing.

I liked all the character connections in this story. There were multiple levels and all were interesting.

BACK SPIN

Author: Harlan Coben
Genre: Mystery, Series #4
Published: 1997
Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)
Yearly Count: 65

Sports agent, Myron Bolitar, gets involved in a kidnapping case. The son of pro-golfers has been snatched during the US Open Golfing Tournament.

This one lacked the abundance of wit that I've come to know and expect from Myron. His partner, Win, was scarcely visible in this case, so I'm assuming that's the reason - no buddy to banter with. It still contained a good plot though, and it was helpful to learn more about Win's character.

MY MOST EXCELLENT YEAR

Author: Steve Kluger
Genre: YA Fiction Epistolary, Standalone
Published: 2008
Personal Rating: 3/5 (just okay)
Yearly Count: 64

The light shines upon three high school students who have been given an assignment to begin a "diary" while studying about Anne Frank. The story is told through diary entries, emails, notes and instant messages.

I loved Last Days of Summer and probably would have enjoyed this one much more had I been a movie/movie star, theater fan. One of the characters (Augie) is obsessed with movies and acting, so that theme permeates the book. I am not well-versed in that area; however, I knew who everybody was and knew of their character, but just couldn't relate to Augie's fixation.

The interaction between all the characters was fun, and I enjoyed them as a whole. Although, the real intrigue was the format; I love epistolary novels and this one incorporated many forms.

2ND CHANCE

Author: James Patterson

Genre: Police Procedural, Series #2

Published: 2002

Personal Rating: 3/5 (just okay)

Yearly Count: 63

The Women's Murder Club (four friends) are faced with a racially motivated serial killer, and the father of one of the women in the club makes an appearance, which adds a personal aspect to the case.

This one didn't hold my attention as much as the first. I have nothing much else to say about it - good or bad. I just hope #3 has more depth and intrigue, otherwise I may not continue with the series.

THE IMPOSTOR'S DAUGHTER

Author: Laurie Sandell

Genre: Graphic Memoir, Standalone

Published: 2009

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

Yearly Count: 62

From the back cover:

Laurie Sandell grew up in awe - and sometimes in terror - of her larger-than-life father. He was a former Green Beret with a law degree, a PhD, and fluency in several languages, who told dazzling tales of his far-reaching past and the legendary people he knew. Seduced and repelled by outrageous behavior, Laurie grew into a young woman just as restless, roaming the globe and trying on her own outsized personalities. Later, after lucking into the perfect job as a celebrity interviewer (growing up with her extraordinary dad gave her a knack for relating to the stars), Laurie made a shocking discovery: her father wasn't the man he had always claimed to be, not even close. Which naturally made her wonder: If the man whose identiy is the basis of my own is a fraud, then who am I?

I've come to really enjoy graphic novels/memoirs - even when they are not spectacular. One reason is that they are fast reads. The stories sweep me away and the pages almost turn themselves. Laurie's story was no different, but in the long run many questions were not answered, so there wasn't a feeling of closure. And, I'm not so sure I fully understand the purpose of exposing a family member in this fashion. I do understand that life is not all neat and tidy, but as a reader I didn't expect to finish the memoir feeling a bit empty. Maybe that's the point; I don't know. Also, there were some areas that I wanted to know more about and others that gave too much information (btw - there is n*dity). However, it's her memoir, and she can tell it like she wants. Interesting life, interesting format - good read.

My thanks go to Anna from Hachette Book Group for sending me this paperback book.

Today Celebrates Year #4!

Another year of blogging has zoomed by and with it - a lot of changes in my life. Those changes (not just work) have dramatically affected my reading and blogging life. But one must adjust to the needs of the family first, so that's what I did.

Now that school is out for the summer (Hooray!), I am swamped with all the other duties/chores/projects that I have neglected all year (Boo!). I have made room for more reading, though - a must for my sanity. As for all those other duties - they are being addressed, slowly but surely (well, maybe not surely). Even though I have boosted my effort to increase my visits to fellow bloggers, I'm still not making much headway. I begin to catch up on a couple, then ten times that have already been added on by the time I'm finished. Frankly, I just can't keep up.

Plans for Year #5? Well, there are no definitive plans, just hopes and dreams. I'm not sure as to my working status come September, so specific plans are out the window. However, for the remaining part of the summer and until change deems it necessary, I will continue to read, blog and visit others as best I can. I miss the connection with other bloggers, but understand the unwritten law of posting and receiving comments in the blogosphere. To those that have not followed that law to a T - my deepest gratitude. It has been an odd year for me in many ways and little things like that have been welcomed, bright spots in my days.

Thank you!

Other than that, my reading choices will be like this past year - whatever strikes my fancy. They will come from many different sources: TBR Shelves, the mail (ARCs and newly purchased), friends and family, bookstores, and the library ("new shelf", old shelves and book sales). I will continue to soak up recommendations from a variety of people and places, and choose what fits the mood. I'm excited and look forward to reading some fantastic books.

Speaking of "fantastic books," my average rating thus far in 2010 is 3.5/5 (good). And, I have only added two to my Best Reads category. That's just wrong. I don't think the books I've read got a fair shake in ratings this year, especially in comparison to past years. I suppose all the changes and working has caused me to be stingy with the numbers. I don't know. Hopefully that will change soon. The authors and publishers will appreciate it, I'm sure. :) In the long run, though, a "good" rating for 61 books isn't that bad. Is it?

Happy Reading to everyone!

*Side Note: The not-so-pretty "4" above represents my life this year. Messed up, but still keeping it together. :)

THE BEAST OF CHICAGO

Author: Rick Geary

Genre: YA NF Graphic Novel, Series

Published: 2003

Personal Rating: 4.5/5 (excellent)

Yearly Count: 61

Subtitle: The Murderous Career of H. H. Holmes

During the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, Holmes builds a "Castle" in a nearby suburb and begins to demonstrate his hidden, heinous talent.

I have read The Devil in the White City (Larson), so I knew the story very well; however, the graphic format is fabulous. Finally another book to add to my Best Reads!

THE FATAL BULLET

Author: Rick Geary

Genre: YA NF Graphic Novel, Series

Published: 1999

Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)

Yearly Count: 60

Subtitle: The Assassination of President James A. Garfield

Okay, history buffs (Suzi), please don't hurt me, but I don't remember anybody telling me that President Garfield was assassinated. To give the unknown teacher(s) credit, I'm guessing someone did along the way, but I apparently wasn't listening. (History was not my favorite subject.) Anyway - I can't think of any fancy words to describe Geary's work that I haven't in one way or another already expressed about this series. I loved learning about this president through this medium and can't see any other way that would have kept my attention and make such an impression on me.

FAMOUS PLAYERS

Author: Rick Geary

Genre: YA NF Graphic Novel, Series

Published: 2009

Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)

Yearly Count: 59

Subtitled: The Mysterious Death of William Desmond Taylor

William Desmond Taylor was a successful director at the Famous Players Studio in Hollywood, 1922. He was found dead on the floor in his home.

For most of this series I have been, at the very least, familiar with the name of the victim(s) or perpetrator(s). In this one, however, I wasn't. I had never heard of William Desmond Taylor, so this was a new experience for me. I liked learning about this particular era in Hollywood and the entire mystery of his death. As usual, this edition contains superb writing and drawings by Geary.

THE INDIFFERENT STARS ABOVE

Author: Daniel James Brown

Genre: Non-Fiction, Standalone

Published: 2009

Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)

Yearly Count: 58

From the ARC cover:

The story of the doomed Donner party, told through the experiences of a young woman who miraculously survived 33 days of wandering in the Sierra Nevada


In April of 1846, newlyweds Sarah Graves, 21, and Jay Fosdick made a fateful decision to journey west from Illinois with her family, lured by the promise of California. But as summer went on, the party fell further behind schedule, and on August 16, trying desperately to make up time, Sarah's family joined a wagon train headed by George Donner. The rest is history.

In the powerful tale, Daniel James Brown delivers an unforgettable portrait of the heroism, heartbreak and horror of the infamous Donner party's perilous journey, witnessed through Sarah's harrowing story. Viewing the event through the lens of modern science, he compares Sarah's experiences to other human ordeals of survival against all odds to understand why some live while others die.

Full of suspense, this mesmerizing history paints a portrait of Sarah's terror, and brings a new perspective to this very dark page in America's pioneer history.

I was only peripherally aware of the Donner party saga, and this book gave me a detailed, step-by-step account. I feel well-versed now. However, that being said, I didn't expect that type of experience. I thought it would be more story-like; this leaned more towards text book writing. (No major complaints about that, though.) For the most part, I thought it was very good, and I learned a great deal - it just felt a little distant, probably because Brown didn't just focus on a few characters. There were numerous groups. However, it was by no means emotion-free; it's a devastating story.

It was very obvious that Brown's research was extensive, and the added side notes of information were of great interest to me. In the finished copy, I believe there are photos, which I'm eager to seek out. However, it's my understanding that there is not a map, and I feel like that is an important, missed feature. I would have loved to have seen the trail they were supposed to have taken and the one that lead to the demise of many.

In the end, The Indifferent Stars Above, is a fine piece of work. It's informative and sincere. I'm glad I read it and recommend it to those interested in the Donner saga.

My thanks go to LibraryThing Early Reviewers program and Harper Collins Publishers for sending me this ARC.

THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE

Author: Laurie R. King

Genre: Mystery, Series #1

Published: 1994

Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)

Yearly Count: 57

Mary Russell literally stumbles upon Sherlock Holmes at the age of 15, and the two develop a relationship on many levels. As Russell comes of age and grows under the tutelage of Holmes, they begin working cases together and trust builds between them. Several cases are addressed, but the most pervasive being the hunt for a kidnapped little girl, which evolves into being hunted by the unknown.

The first half was pure enjoyment. It reminded me of one of my favorite series: Maisie Dobbs written by Jacqueline Winspear. Both series share a similar timeframe (one at the onset of WWI - the other after) and begin with a young girl morphing into a sleuth. However, the pace of the second half of The Beekeeper's Apprentice changed considerably and stretched out the story line. Thankfully, at this point, it didn't change my feelings about the characters. I really liked them and got a kick out of their conversations.

As a whole, I enjoyed the duo very much and look forward to reading what Laurie R. King can do with the them on her own. (This book was written by an unknown author with only minor "doctoring" by King.) How does the first and second compare? Can you tell that they are written by two different authors?

Give-Away Winners!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

The Impostor's Daughter (Sandell) Winners:

skkorman

Staci

Carrie

Debs Desk

stacybuckeye

I will be contacting you shortly!

Give-Away! The Impostor's Daughter

It's a GIVEAWAY!!!

I have the pleasure of giving away 5 copies of THE IMPOSTOR'S DAUGHTER: A True Memoir by Laurie Sandell courtesy of Anna from Hachette Book Group.

The Impostor's Daughter (Sandell)

Paperback version will be published on July 12

Graphic Memoir

Product Description:

Laurie Sandell grew up in awe (and sometimes in terror) of her larger-than-life father, who told jaw-dropping tales of a privileged childhood in Buenos Aires, academic triumphs, heroism during Vietnam, friendships with Kissinger and the Pope. As a young woman, Laurie unconsciously mirrors her dad, trying on several outsized personalities (Tokyo stripper, lesbian seductress, Ambien addict). Later, she lucks into the perfect job--interviewing celebrities for a top women's magazine. Growing up with her extraordinary father has given Laurie a knack for relating to the stars. But while researching an article on her dad's life, she makes an astonishing discovery: he's not the man he says he is--not even close. Now, Laurie begins to puzzle together three decades of lies and the splintered person that resulted from them--herself.

Giveaway Guidelines:

*Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win

*No P.O. Boxes, please.

Leave a comment if you are interested.

Giveaway ends July 9. Winners will be posted on July 10.

THE SAGA OF THE BLOODY BENDERS

Author: Rick Geary

Genre: YA Graphic Novel, Series

Published: 2007

Personal Rating: 4/5 (very good)

Yearly Count: 56

Located in Southern Kansas in 1870, an alleged family named Bender built a small grocery store along the Osage Trail. Before too long, travelers are being reported as missing.

The historical events that Geary focuses on in this series of graphic novels are very violent. They are fact-filled, so emotions can be held in check (other than the typical - gross or that's just sick), while the mystery of the story comes through as the highlight. The setting is so easily understood through the words and pictures that I have learned so many details in my readings. However, I don't like that these books are labeled as "Young Adult." I would never put them in a middle school library. They are just too violent.

WINTER'S BONE

Author: Daniel Woodrell

Genre: Fiction, Standalone

Published: 2006

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

Yearly Count: 55

In the Ozark Mountains, Ree Dolly is confronted by the sheriff's deputy that her father must make an appearance on his next court date, or the family will lose their home. Due to her mother's illness and the age of her young brothers, Ree takes it upon herself to make sure that doesn't happen.

I've had this book on my TBR Shelves for a very long time, and the push came to pick it up when I found out it was going to be a movie. Since reading it - I'm not so sure if I liked it or not. The writing style started out very awkward for me. I don't know if that was because of my latest reads or because it just was. Once I got in the groove, I was quite surprised as to the content and language. I was under the impression that this was a YA book. (I looked it up in my county library system and found it labeled both YA and Adult Fiction.) I would not consider this YA.

In one word - dismal. That's how I describe it. It actually left me feeling low, and I'm not too thrilled about that. So on the emotional meter, I didn't like it; however, it did make me feel, so isn't that good? I wasn't too thrilled about the language and feeling off kilter in the beginning, so that's not good either. But again, isn't that a good thing when you are transported into another setting? Ugh. I'm stumped, but for the sake of getting this "published," I have given it the rating you probably have already seen above.

The movie is scheduled to be released on June 11. I wonder if I'll go see it, and if so, how it will compare.

IDENTICAL

Author: Ellen Hopkins

Genre: YA Fiction, Standalone

Published: 2008

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

Yearly Count: 54

Identical 16-year-old twins, Kaeleigh and Raeanne, draw us into their lives of abuse and neglect.

Thus far, this is my least favorite of Hopkins books; however, it was still good. At times, I felt very distant from these girls - I just didn't "get" some of their behavior. I am not personally acquainted with their type of anguish, so I'm deeming that responsible for my lack of connection with them. Although, the book as a whole did have my attention. I was curious as to what was going to happen next and somewhat excited to pick it back up.

June Reads

43. The 19th Wife (Ebershoff)

44. Bury the Lead (Rosenfelt)

45. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt (Hoffman)

46. Bone: Out From Boneville (Smith)

47. The Natural Laws of Good Luck (Graf)

48. The Last Child (Hart)

49. Ghost in the Machine (Carman)

50. The Lindbergh Child (Geary)

51. Jack the Ripper (Geary)

52. Pray for Silence (Castillo)

53. The Black Echo (Connelly)

* Short Story (not counted)

BOLD titles made my Best Reads List

Clicking on a title will link you to "Thoughts of Joy...".

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Monthly - Yearly Genre Stats:

Chick-Lit: 0 - 0

Classic: 0 - 0

Fiction: 3 - 15

Memoir: 1 - 2

Mystery/Police Procedural: 2 - 14

Non-Fiction: 0 - 0

Non-Fiction Graphic Novel: 0 - 1

Short Story Collection: 0 - 1

Suspense/Thriller: 1 - 9

True Crime: 0 - 1

YA Classic: 0 - 0

YA Fiction: 0 - 3

YA Graphic Novel: 2 - 2

YA Mystery: 1 - 1

YA Non-Fiction: 0 - 0

YA Science Fiction: 0 - 0

YA Short Collection: 0- 1

YA Thriller: 0 - 1

Children's Fiction: 0 - 1

Children's Graphic Novel: 1 - 1

Children's Thriller: 0 - 0

Children's Sci-Fi/Fantasy: 0 - 0

Short Stories: 0 - 6

Audiobooks: 4 - 25

Books: 7 - 28

Total: 11 - 53

Best Reads: 0 - 1

Series: 7 - 23

DNF: 0 - 0