October Reads

82.  North of Nowhere (Hamilton) ~ 3.5/5

Inside the Break (Fallon) ~ 4/5

83.  Faith (Haigh) ~ 2.25/5

84.  Burned (Hopkins) ~ 3/5

85.  A Trick of the Light (Penny) ~ 3.75/5

The Memory Palace (Bartok) ~ DNF

86.  A Stolen Life (Dugard) ~ 4/5

The Last Stand (Fallon) ~ 4/5

87.  Last Night at the Lobster (O'Nan) ~ 3/5

88.  Children of the Street (Quartey) ~ 4.5/5

89.  Green River Killer (Jensen & Case) ~ 3.5/5

90.  The House on Tradd Street (White) ~ 2.75/5

You Are My Only (Kephart) ~ DNF

Doc (Russell) ~ DNF

91. The Informationist (Stevens) ~ 3/5

Short Story (not counted)

Bold titles made Best Reads of 2011 list

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

MONTHLY  -  YEARLY STATS:

TOTAL:  10 - 91

Audiobooks:   8 - 58

Best Reads:   1 - 10

Books:   0 - 17

DNF:   3 - 7

eBooks:   2 - 16

New-to-Me Authors:   6 - 62

Off My Shelf:   1 - 28

Published in 2011:   6 - 32

Short Stories:   2 - 41

YA:   1 - 13

Ratings

Monthly - Yearly Stats:

5.00 =   0 - 3

4.75 =   0 - 0

4.50 =   1 - 7

4.25 =   0 - 5

4.00 =   1 - 18

3.75 =   1 - 10

3.50 =   2 - 20

3.25 =   0 - 6

3.00 =   3 - 10

2.75 =   1 - 2

2.50 =   0 - 2

2.25 =   1 - 3

2.00 =   0 - 5

1.75 =   0 - 0

1.50 =   0 - 0

1.25 =   0 - 0

1.00 =   0 - 0

__________

average =   3.33  -  3.24 

THE INFORMATIONIST

Author:  Taylor Stevens

Genre:  Thriller,
Vanessa Michael Munroe Series #1

Published:  2011

Personal Rating:  3/5 (just okay)

Format:  Audiobook

Yearly Count:  91

From the Publisher:

Vanessa “Michael” Munroe deals in information—expensive information—working for corporations, heads of state, private clients, and anyone else who can pay for her unique brand of expertise. Born to missionary parents in lawless central Africa, Munroe took up with an infamous gunrunner and his mercenary crew when she was just fourteen. As his protégé, she earned the respect of the jungle's most dangerous men, cultivating her own reputation for years until something sent her running. After almost a decade building a new life and lucrative career from her home base in Dallas, she's never looked back.

Until now.

A Texas oil billionaire has hired her to find his daughter who vanished in Africa four years ago. It’s not her usual line of work, but she can’t resist the challenge. Pulled deep into the mystery of the missing girl, Munroe finds herself back in the lands of her childhood, betrayed, cut off from civilization, and left for dead. If she has any hope of escaping the jungle and the demons that drive her, she must come face-to-face with the past that she’s tried for so long to forget.

Gripping, ingenious, and impeccably paced, The Informationist marks the arrival or a thrilling new talent.

Unfortunately, this book didn't quite meet my expectations. The first half was good, but the setting seemed to be more important in the second half, thus losing the plot's focus.  And, Munroe was a cold, superhero.  She just happened to be an expert in everything, making her unbelievable.  Ultimately, I think the book was a bit too ambitious.  I am definitely interested in seeing where Munroe will go in the next book.  Hopefully, there will be some warmth and other characteristics that I can relate to, because I like her profession.

My thanks go to Jonathan from Crown Publishing Group for sending me the newly released paperback.

DOC

Author:  Mary Doria Russell

Genre:  Fiction, Standalone

Published:  2011

Personal Rating:  DNF #7

Format:  Audiobook

I listened to over 45 minutes of this story and couldn't stand being talked at anymore.  I like dialog in my books whether I listen to them or read them.  Being told a story about others does not engage me.  I am willing to give this one another chance only because of the author's reputation, but it won't be any time soon.  

YOU ARE MY ONLY

Author:  Beth Kephart

Genre:  YA Fiction, Standalone

Published:  2011

Personal Rating:  DNF #6

Format:  eBook

Called it quits after about 30 pages or so.  I didn't care for the writing style.

THE HOUSE ON TRADD STREET

Author: Karen White

Genre: Ghost Mystery,
Melanie Middleton Series #1

Published: 2008

Personal Rating: 2.75/5 (eh +)

Format: Audiobook

Yearly Count:  90

Melanie Middleton, a psychic realtor, inherits a historic home in Charleston, NC. She is required to live in the house for a year and restore it before she can sell it. During her stay, she's interested in solving a mystery involving the previous owner and has the help of a journalist that is drawn to her.

This was not my type of book. I didn't like the ghost aspect of it at all. I knew after the second sighting that it wasn't going to work for me, but decided to plod on hoping that I could overlook it. That didn't happen. I did like the budding relationship between Melanie and Jack, the journalist, but not enough to overpower the ghost gunk. I will not be continuing with the series.

GREEN RIVER KILLER

Author:  Jeff Jensen & Jonathan Case

Genre: NF Graphic Novel, Standalone

Published:  2011

Personal Rating: 3.5/5 (good)

Format: eBook

Yearly Count: 89

From NetGalley:

The story of one of America's most notorious killers is revealed in this true-crime comic unlike any other!


Throughout the 1980s, the highest priority of Seattle-area police was the apprehension of the Green River Killer, the man responsible for the murders of dozens of women. In 1990, with the body count numbering at least forty-eight, the case was put in the hands of a single detective, Tom Jensen. After twenty years, when the killer was finally captured with the help of DNA technology, Jensen spent 180 days interviewing Gary Leon Ridgway in an effort to learn his most closely held secrets--an epic confrontation with evil that proved as disturbing and surreal as can be imagined.


Written by Jensen's own son, acclaimed entertainment writer Jeff Jensen, Green River Killer: A True Detective Story presents the ultimate insider's account of America's most prolific serial killer.

I have come to thoroughly enjoy graphic novels, including the true crime genre.  While I thought the content of this one was clear, the organization of it was not.  I didn't care for the back and forth in time.  It made the flow a bit scattered, causing difficulty in maintaing the tension.  Even just a bolder announcement that we were flipping back and staying in that timeframe for a longer period would have been helpful.

I appreciated seeing and feeling Tom's angst and commitment to the case through the graphics of this novel.  Also, the killer's cold and detached demeanor was evident.  Thankfully, with Tom's perseverance, the guy was caught and put away.  

My thanks go to Dark Horse Comics and NetGalley for sending me this eBook.

CHILDREN OF THE STREET

Author:  Kwei Quartey

Genre:  Mystery, Darko Dawson Series #2

Published:  2011

Personal Rating:  4.5/5 (excellent)

Format:  eBook

Yearly Count:  88

From NetGalley:

In the slums of Accra, Ghana’s fast-moving, cosmopolitan capital, teenagers are turning up dead. Inspector Darko Dawson has seen many crimes, but this latest string of murders—in which all the young victims bear a chilling signature—is the most unsettling of his career. Are these heinous acts a form of ritual killing or the work of a lone, cold-blooded monster? With time running out, Dawson embarks on a harrowing journey through the city’s underbelly and confronts the brutal world of the urban poor, where street children are forced to fight for their very survival—and a cunning killer seems just out of reach.

This is quickly becoming a favorite series of mine.  I have rated the first and second better than very good and really look forward to the next.  The plots are not necessarily fast-paced, but move along steadily and have many facets.

I'm intrigued with all the aspects of this series:  the environment in which Dawson lives and works, his family life and his career.  I think Dawson is a terrific character.  He is not without flaws, but they are not absolutely outrageous.  His cases have taken me into some dark and unique places that I wouldn't visit otherwise.  And, one of the best feelings a reader can experience, I have been captivated every time I pick up the book.  I think Kwei Quartey is a superb storyteller.    

My thanks go to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for sending me this eBook.  I have enjoyed this series so much that I have bought both books for my personal library collection.

LAST NIGHT AT THE LOBSTER

Author:  Steward O'Nan

Genre:  Fiction, Standalone

Published:  2007

Personal Rating:  3/5 (just okay)

Format:  Audiobook

Yearly Count:  87

The Red Lobster, in a Connecticut suburb, is closing its doors, and we peek inside to watch the goings-on during the last full day.

There wasn't much going on at the Red Lobster from my perspective.  What I did learn about the characters was fine, but I didn't think there was anything special or even that interesting about the book as a whole. Although, I didn't necessarily dislike anything either, so . . . just an okay read/listen for me.

THE LAST STAND (5 of 8)

Author:  Siobhan Fallon

Genre:  Short Story Collection

Published:  2011

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format:  Book

(ss) Yearly Count:  41


A young married couple's relationship is tested when the husband comes home injured from the war.

This felt as if I was literally a fly on the wall.

A STOLEN LIFE

Author: Jaycee Dugard

Genre: Memoir, Standalone

Published: 2011

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format: Audiobook

Yearly Count:  86

Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped at the age of 11 on her way to the school bus stop.  She wasn't discovered and reunited with her family until the age of 29.

I already knew Jaycee's story from TV news specials and reading bits and pieces online.  However, it was great to hear Jaycee's story straight from her.  She shares that the book may seem confusing (fragmented, jumbled, going off on tangents), because it was a very confusing time in her life.  She says to come back 10 years from now to hear a less confusing story when she sorts it all out.  For now, this is her.

I kept those thoughts in my mind throughout the book and was able to dismiss the simpleness of language and ideas and focus on the bewildering experience Jaycee was describing.  There was a time that I started to disconnect (journal about her cats), but remembered that the cats were her lifeline and quickly got back on board.  Listening to her feelings behind the words very clearly indicated confusion and a survival mentality.  I loved Jaycee's attitude and perseverance during her captivity and since her release.  Even though much of her growth in many areas of her life were arrested at age 11, she had a solid base that kept her strong.    

THE MEMORY PALACE

Author:  Mira Bartok

Genre:  Memoir, Standalone

Published:  2011

Personal Rating:  DNF #5

Format:  Audiobook

After listening to 2 CDs, I am simply not interested.  :(

A TRICK OF THE LIGHT

Author: Louise Penny

Genre: Mystery,  Armand Gamache #7

Published: 2011

Personal Rating: 3.75/5 (good +)

Format: Audiobook

Yearly Count:  85

The morning after Clara's solo art show and subsequent reception at her home, a body is found in her garden. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is there to investigate.

I can't quite say this was "very good," but I definitely enjoyed it. I especially liked going back to the audio version. (I listened to the first four, then received ARCs for the next two and didn't enjoy them as much.) The characters are so alive in the audio and are what I like most about the series, but I do enjoy the mystery aspect and subtle humor, as well.  Even though I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with the cast of characters of Three Pines, I found that the mystery didn't interest me as much this time around.  However, there are some story lines that have been set up for the next book, and I'm curious as to where they are going to go.

BURNED

Author:  Ellen Hopkins 

Genre:  YA Fiction, Standalone

Published:  2006

Personal Rating:  3/5 (just okay)

Format:  Audiobook

Yearly Count:  84

Pattyn Von Stratten is one of seven girls who is being raised in a Mormon home. Her curiosity begins to blossom regarding the opposite s*x, and she questions the religion she has lived and breathed for sixteen years.

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. The coming-of-age aspect felt honest and real, and in light of anything can happen behind closed doors, Pattyn's family seemed realistic, as well.  Now, the plot worked, but what disturbed me most was the ending - especially as a young adult book. It was not a good message and left very little hope. Does a book have to end all happy?  Of course not, but this just left me feeling a little blah and disappointed, so "just okay" is what this book gets.

FAITH

Author: Jennifer Haigh

Genre: Fiction, Standalone

Published:  2011

Personal Rating: 2.25/5 (not enjoyable +)

Format: Audiobook

Yearly Count:  83

Father Art McGann's reputation has been tarnished. Each of his family members try to understand and absorb what truly happened. His sister tells the story.

Argh.  This was difficult to get through and not because of the actual story line, but the pure boring nature of it. I wanted to give up throughout the first 2/3. I held on because of the ratings.  The "good" part must be coming soon, I kept reminding myself.  Finally it became somewhat interesting, but not enough to save the book as a whole. Also, I didn't like how it was told - at all. I need more interaction and dialog. The talking at me was torture. I don't understand the draw and high praise it has received, but all the power to those that have loved it. It should have been a DNF for me.

INSIDE THE BREAK (4 of 8)

Author:  Siobhan Fallon

Genre:  Short Story Collection

Published:  2011

Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)

Format:  Book

(ss) Yearly Count:  40


A husband and father of two is deployed to Iraq for a year and his wife stumbles upon a questionable email on her husband's account while he is gone.

Everything about this story was very believable, and the pace of the plot kept me engaged. I didn't necessarily connect with any of the character's, but their emotions felt true.

NORTH OF NOWHERE

Author: Steve Hamilton

Genre: Mystery, Alex McKnight #4

Published:  2002

Personal Rating:  3.5/5 (good)

Format: Audiobook

Yearly Count:  82

Alex McKnight's melancholy mood keeps him hibernating in his cabin in Paradise, Michigan. A friend comes to his rescue and whisks him off to a poker game. The guys night takes a nasty turn when their game is interrupted by a robbery.

Listening to this was such a comfort after giving two fiction audiobooks a go and just not connecting with them. I loved going up north and visiting with Alex (and a few other repeating characters), again.  However, the plot didn't offer anything really deep or complex, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. While I do like a variety of fiction, I'm partial to mysteries, and this one hit the spot.