Books read in 2012
Dec. 30th, 2012 12:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sonoranrnI managed 67 books this year. Not bad considering I have way less time to read at work now and 7 more than my original goal. Haven't decided on the goal for 2013 yet. It was a decent year, though not as many stand-out 10/10 star books as previous years. Or I'm just becoming a harsher critic. Anyway, here's my usual list and brief blurb about what I read:
1. The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews -- 3/10 stars
A dysfunctional extended family (brother, sister, and aunt) go off on an unplanned trip from Canada through the US to find the children's father. They have some escapades, meet some people, learn about themselves and each other, etc. Nothing earth-shattering for me, unfortunately.
2. Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster -- 5/10 stars
Jen starts out as a pretentious, materialistic, condescending woman who throws her money around hap-hazardly. Then, after 9-11, she loses everything and she and her boyfriend-then-husband fight to survive. At times, I found this very funny. In the end, Lancaster learns humility and what is really important in life -- something not nearly enough of us appreciate.(less)
3. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern -- **10/10 stars**
Beautiful, enchanting, magical, and engrossing. Very lush and descriptive, to the point that I imagine some would complain that it is all description and little plot. Perhaps that's true, but the descriptions are so gorgeous and entrancing that I could happily read another 400 pages of them. No, it isn't a fast-paced book, but it doesn't need to be. I didn't want to whip through it just to get to the end and see what happens; I wanted to savor it, imagine the tents, envision the smells and tastes. And I did enjoy the plot very much. The love story is slow to build, as true love often is. Friendships are formed, trusts (and hearts) are broken. Dreams and wishes are born and live; some die, some are granted, as in life. One of my favourites this year.
4. A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard -- 7/10 stars
Not an easy read at all, this is a powerful book. The author writes in a very matter-of-fact, honest, and (subsequently brutal) manner about being held captive from the ages of 11 to 29. Even so, I can't really wrap my head around what it would be like to go through that kind of horror. It really shows how strong the power of brainwashing is that she never tried to leave or draw attention to herself when the opportunities came up.
5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steif Larsson -- 8/10 stars
I liked this whole series which surprised me since I usually don't read crime novels. All the books are long with lots of backstory and descriptions, but they didn't seem to bother me for some reason. It definitely could have been streamlined with some strong editing, but I enjoyed the ride just the same.
6. Boozehound: On the Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the Overrrated in Spirtis by Jason Wilson -- 8/10 stars
The author is down to earth, witty, and writes in a very casual style for the average person. I learned a lot about history (of places in the world and generalized history as well as specifically to spirits), almost without realizing it. If I was a bigger drinker, I'd want to have this on hand when travelling, hosting parties, shopping, etc. He includes a lot of recipes as well as an appendix that includes what a "good host" would have on hand in their bar. Great read; definitely recommended.
7. Beauty Junkies: Under the Skin of the Cosmetic Surgery Industry by by Alex Kuczynski --6/10 stars
Interesting, disturbing, at times horrifying, other times very sad. Probably a bit outdated as to presently available surgeries (having been written in 2004) but I doubt the driving force behind augementations have changed a bit.
8. Pandora by Anne Rice -- 6/10 stars
I am slowly coming back to Anne Rice's vampires after 20+ years of being away. (I read the original trilogy when I was a teenager.) I liked the first books better; this reads more like historical fiction instead of vampire fiction. All the "vampy stuff", so to speak, seems to kind of get rushed in the end. It does give an interesting glimpse into Ancient Italy and Greece and Anne Rice does write it well. I didn't think it a bad read, just not my favourite by her.
9. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick -- 4/10 stars
Decent. After about the first third, I really wasn't sure where the storyline was going to go, which was nice. (I hate predictable reads.) As it moved along, I started to anticipate the ending, but still enjoyed the ride. The amount of eroticism did get a little old -- I got to the point where I was thinking, "right, right, I get it, the men are total horndogs, let's move forward". It is set in the early 1900s, though I don't know exactly how much the time frame really played into it. Some, sure, but I could see a modernized version of this, too. All in all not bad, just nothing really special.
10-16.The Green Mile by Stephen King -- 8/10 stars
I read the chapter book version of this so almost counted it as one book, but they all have separate ISBNs. I would have hated waiting for the next book to come out so am glad I had them all together to read. I knew the story going in, having seen the movie, and liked the books quite a lot. I think it's gotten to the point with King that I like his non-horror stuff best.
17. We Don't Make This Stuff Up: The Very Best of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle Police Reports edited by Nick Ehli -- 7/10 stars
Back when I was considering moving to Bozeman, I used to read the daily police reports online and some of them are freakin' hilarious. This book combines the funniest and strangest ones of the bunch, giving a glimpse of life in small-town Montana.
18. Bones of the Moon by Jonathan Carroll -- 4/10 stars
This is a tough one to review because I liked the author's fluid writing style a lot and I wasn't sure how the book was going to end, but I pretty much hated the character through the whole thing and the ending was utterly unbelievable. I liked the idea of a woman living in both the real world and the dream world and seeing the overlap between them, but as a whole I can't rate it very high. Think I need to try something else by this author.
19. Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity by Kerry Choen -- 8/10 stars
I can relate to the author far more than I care to admit, which is probably why I appreciated this book as much as I did.
20. Napalm & Silly Putty by George Carlin -- 4/10 stars
A lot of this I'd read or heard before and I think Carlin is much better listened to or watched than read.
21. The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice -- 5/10
Whew. This took some doing to get through. I found Armand a curious character and the overall story of his life interesting, but I could have easily read 100 or so less pages about him. I wasn't exepcting such a religious-heavy story either, which really slowed down the whole plot for me. The more and more of Rice's later Vampire Chronicles I read, the more I think I should stop. I loved the original trilogy so much and just am not crazy about the direction she took everything.
22. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan -- 5/10 stars
Bought the series after seeing the movie as I really enjoyed the concept. It's a decent read, though took me a surprisingly long time to get through, especially given that it's a YA book. (And compared to the blazing-fast read I found the Hunger Games series.) The main character wasn't as sympathetic to me as I realize he's supposed to be, though I can see how he could be someone a lot of children/tweens/teens could relate to. (He also didn't really seem like a 12-year-old, but maybe that was just too long ago for me.) I'll finish the series, but I have to admit to being a tad disappointed here. It just wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.
23. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollen -- 9/10 stars
"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." I've enjoyed everything I read by Pollen and this is no exception.
24. There's a (Slight) Chance I Might Be Going to Hell: A Novel of Sewer Pipes, Pageant Queens, and Big Trouble by Laurie Notaro -- 2/10 stars
Oh, Laurie, my wonderful funny Laurie, stick to memoirs. It's what you're good at. This was too far-fetched and then too trite and had waaaaaaaaay too many similies. Very disappointed.
25. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan -- 6/10 stars
I liked this much more than the first, perhaps because I didn't have the movie to compare it to.
26. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan -- 6/10 stars
Another decent read in the series. Though I knew all my myths once, I've forgotten enough and some are the less known ones that none of the storyline is given away for me. Still not super-surprising endings, but enjoyable.
27. This Love is Not for Cowards: Salvation and Soccer in Ciudad Juarez by Robert Powell -- **10/10 stars**
A great piece of journalism and memoir. Danger takes a front seat, contrasting with with warm, proud, affection people and the local soccer team (whose story I became totally absorbed in). Touching, frightening, heart-warming, eye-opening. Definitely a highlight of the year.
28. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan -- 6/10 stars
This one definitely ramps up to the end book, but an enjoyable story. The confusion of young teenage love is definitely highlighted here and done so admirably well, I think. Lots of new monsters, which I always like.
29. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion -- 2/10 stars
I so wanted to like this. I read the first half very quickly and enjoyed it; I was curious to see where it was going to go. I found it initially an interesting concept - zombie as not a mindless entity and I did appreciate the idea that zombies crave and eat the brain at least in part to relive memories. That was a new twist, for sure. As soon as I realized where the author was going with the plot, though, I started to lose interest. Also, the whole, painfully obvious -Romeo & Juliet- thing made me want to retch. Failed zombie book, failed romance story. Bleh.
30. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher -- 7/10 stars
A high school girl kills herself and leaves behind audio tapes for the 13 people that all played a role in her decision. Asher seems to have a good grasp on (or memory of) high school and how important the little things are, especially then. He describes very well being the new kid and how difficult it is to defend against false rumors. The book is a good example of how things can stack up, how the straws pile on and on until the camel's back finally breaks. A tad revenge-y, but a contemplative read.
31. Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp -- 8/10 stars
A powerful read. Knapp really parallels the love of alcohol with romantic love and gives a good sense of how quickly and seemingly irreversible slide into alcoholism happens.
32. Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston -- 8/10 stars
A fun adventure, written entirely in verse. Reminiscent of Shel Silverstein and complete with monsters, bad guys, good guys, danger, and, of course, a happy ending. An enjoyable romp.
33. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris -- 5/10 stars
I thought this was okay; not horrible, not great. This does not read like a comedy except, perhaps, a very dark one, and even then not often. It *is* an ugly, harsh book at times, and I think that's what Sedaris was going for. To me, he very clearly is making a statement about life and society and the way we treat one another, he's just making it a little more palatable by casting animals all the leading roles, so to speak. I enjoyed the pull-no-punches aspect of it, but that was about it. I did get the occasional chuckle now and then as well as some pauses for thought and, as always, I appreciate Sedaris's particular writing style.
34. Virus Hunter: Thirty Years of Battling Hot Viruses Around the World by C.J. Peters -- 7/10 stars
I was really in it for the microbiological/scientific/medical aspect and, at first, was a little concerned about how much personal, straight autobiography there was. As I moved along, though, I found that to be an important part of the book. Reading about his life really gives the reader a great sense of how all-encompasing this particular type of work is. Though at times it did move a bit slow for me, overall I found it fascinating. Peters doesn't always explain all the scientific and medical terms he uses, which didn't bother me as I'm familiar enough with that language to understand, but it's something laymen may be frustrated by. A successful and satisfying (if frightening) read.
35. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan -- 6/10 stars
I did like how it all wrapped up; should have seen it all coming but I didn't, likely because I wasn't concentrating on trying to figure out who the "real hero" was going to be. I love the concept; don't know if I'll read the other series by him (though my husband is doing so), but I finished this one that must say something.
36. The Cannibals of Candyland by Carlton Mellick III -- 7/10 stars
One of the better (and longer) Mellick books I've read. Not the strangest, but odd enough to definitely count as bizzaro. As usual, there are deeper undertones and themes to his work, though it stands alone as a freaky little story just as well.
37. The Girl Who Played WIth Fire by Stieg Larrson -- 7/10 stars
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first, but still liked it well enough. As with the first, I felt a lot of it could have been edited out, but didn't mind it while I was reading it, only a bit in retrospect. Some things I didn't quite understand or believe, some twists I didn't see coming at all. I did read it way faster than I would have expected from such a fat book; even with all the extra descriptive bits, Larsson is a very fluid writer.
38. The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent -- 4/10 stars
Whew. This started well and ended okay, but was a total slogfest for me in the middle. The book is very well researched but the storyline just dragged. I also didn't fully understand why both smallpox and witchcraft needed to be in it. I mean, sure, I get that both were going on at the same time in that area, but the two storylines seemed virtually unconnected. It felt to me like the author couldn't decide which plot she wanted to use so mashed them both together. I think had Kent written something non-fiction, it would have been awesome, but she didn't succeed as a storyteller for me.
39. Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Applachian Trail by Jennifer Pharr Davis -- 5/10 stars
Not one of my favourite books on the subject, though I can't say why. Later in life Davis becomes the fastest thruhiker and this is where it all begins - a trip with no real planning, none of the "proper" gear. She remains upbeat throughout the whole thing and, as such, the book is very positive, which makes me even more confused as to why I didn't care for it very much.
40. This Will Kill You: A Guide to the Ways in Which We Go by H.P. Newquist and Rich Maloof -- 7/10 stars
Just what it sounds like - a humorous book that examines all the ways we can die and what actually happens in each case, this was a fun, casual read. As a nurse, I found it medically interesting, in the interest of the lay person, I was glad the explanations weren't too complicated. The "horror scale", is really too subjective to be anything other than an amusing touch, but it did cause me to make some mental comparisons. I also learned some stuff along the way, which is always awesome.
41. The Running Man by Stephen King -- 3/10 stars
Meh. I love dystopian literature and I've read enough Stephen King to know I prefer his older work, so I was expecting much more from this. It was a tight, fast, easy read, but that was about it. I found the characters to all be one-dimensional and I couldn't drum up sympathy for the main character for some reason that I can't quite figure out. Other reviewers have commented that the "future technology" is outdated; that didn't bother me (I mean, come on, King wrote it quite a while ago), but the astoundingly depressing future he painted kind-of did. Perhaps it seems too much of a possibility, I don't know. Maybe I'm just too used to other dystopian novels I've read which are set in non-Earth. Maybe I just prefer my fiction reading to be less depressing.
42. Rats: Observations on the History and Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants by Robert Sullivan -- 8/10 stars
Sullivan delves into the history surrounding many different aspects of rats and the surrounding culture. He discusses trapping, exterminating, fighting (I never knew about organized rat fights!), rent strikes, New York and American history, to name but a few. I thought, at first, that I would miss the first-person account, but there was enough of that in the book to satisfy. Definitely an interesting read; I learned way more than I expected to.
43. Just a Couple of Days by Tony Vigorito -- 7/10 stars
I started out really loving this book and ended it with a smile, but there were times in the middle that felt pretty sluggish for me. Vigorito has moments of sheer brilliance as a writer; now and again he'll write a sentence of passage that I read several times, just rolling it around in my head. Other times, I wish he'd quit with the flowery language and get to the point, which he won't until he's ready. I thought the plot to this was an interesting one and was not anticipating it to play out like it did, which is a plus for me in any book.
44. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein -- 6/10 stars
The actual plot itself isn't anything new -- woman grows ill with brain tumor and eventually dies, man's life is torn apart, custody problems arise, court happens, but it all works out in the end -- the story being told from the perspective of the family dog is. I enjoyed this twist and the freedom it gave the author by giving him a character that sees most everything but can effect very little of it. There are constant parallels of life with car racing. I found these well written, though I have little to no interest in the sport itself. The name dropping of famous drivers meant nothing to me, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
45. Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman -- 8/10 stars
Kerman is a fluid author and I found her book an engrossing, fast read. She does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of prison life. I really felt her joys, sorrows, and frustrations. Some of what she describes wasn't surprising, some of it was, though perhaps shouldn't have been. A fascinating, touching, and occasionally infuriating read. Recommended.
46. Columbine by Dave Cullen -- **10/10 stars**
This is a truly brilliant, exhaustively researched, fascinating, easily-digestible piece of journalism. Ten solid stars for me, for sure, and easily one of the best non-fiction I've read in quite some time. This is an amazingly powerful book. It is no wonder Cullen is considered the foremost expert on the Columbine killings. I am very eager to see what he tackles next.
47. The Maze Runner by James Dasher -- 3/10 stars
While I enjoy dystopian novels in general, I just couldn't get into this one at all. I was utterly unsympathetic to any of the characters, I found the writing simplistic, and had to slog through it to finish. I'm curious enough about what happens in the very end, but the thought of dragging myself through two more books is not appealing at all. I'll go read the synopsis somewhere online instead.
48. Salsa and Chips by Daniel Reveles -- 6/10 stars
This is, I believe, my third of Reveles' books, all of which are collections of short stories set in dusty Mexican border town. While not my favourite, I did enjoy it and the vivid pictures he paints.
49. The Botany of Desire: A Plant's Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan -- 7/10 stars
Another good one by Pollan. In this, he links four human desires (sweetness, beauty, intoxication, control) with four plants that satisfy them (apple, tulip, marijuana, potato). Lots of history mixed in, making for interesting reading.
50. The Pathological Protein: Mad Cow, Chronic Wasting, and Other Deadly Prion Diseases by Philip Yam -- 6/10 stars
Informative and scary, if a little dry and repetitive at times. Good for those with an interest, but I think there are better books out that cover the same topic.
51. Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel -- 5/10 stars
A writer meets a very strange taxidermist who asks him to read his play based on the stuffed donkey and monkey he has in his shop. Nowhere good as Life of Pi though some interesting concepts emerge here.
52. Hell: A Novel by Robert Olen Butler -- 4/10 stars
A modern day Inferno (minus the levels of hell), this is full of famous people and the wrongs they've committed. The main character, a reporter, is attempting to escape. I liked the concept (being a huge fan of Dante's work) and the very end (last 15 pages or so) but the book as a whole really dragged. Not badly written, per se, just maybe not the book for me.
53. Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman -- 9/10 stars
Being a big fan of Gaiman, I expected to enjoy this thoroughly, and I did. If there was a poem or short story in here I didn't fancy, I can't think of it. I'm normally hit-or-miss on short story collections, but this one was excellent with a wide variety of pieces.
54. Men-ipulation by Monica Sarli -- 3/10 stars
I normally enjoy (if that's the right word) memoirs about addiction and recovery, but I just couldn't drum up sympathy for the author. She and her husband always had his family to fall back on and she knew it, so it never felt like they really bottomed out. Plus, I always get frustrated when people stay with mates who are awful to them. Good for her for overcoming her addiction and all, I just didn't care for her story.
55. Ranger Confidential: Living, Working and Dying in the National Parks by Andrea Lankford -- 9/10 stars
Really liked this one. Unlike other books about the parks, this is less "stupid things tourists did" and more about the actual life of a ranger. Written in a casual style, it felt like I was sitting around a campfire listening to rangers talk shop. Great read; touching, sad, funny, everything I look for in a good book. Recommended.
56. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larrson -- 7/10 stars
Finished out the series and, as a whole, really enjoyed it which is saying something since it's really out of my normal genres. This wraps things up in, for me, a believable and satisfying end.
57. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly -- **10/10 stars**
I absolutely loved this. A delightful fairy tale that incorporates some of Grimms' stories but with a twist. I blazed through it, loving every page, closed the book with a happy sigh, and then was so sorry it was over. Recommended, especially for lovers of classic fairy tales.
58. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse anderson -- 6/10 stars
A YA book (which I didn't realize initially), this was pretty formulaic in the "young adult meets hardship/coming of age" way, but a decent read. Historically accurate, from what I can tell, with added non-fiction info in the back.
59. What's Eating Gilbert Grape by Peter Hedges -- 4/10 stars
I'm supposed to love this, I know. I didn't. It was just depressing; life is difficult enough without having to read a fictional tale about how much more it could suck. The author is talented, there is no denying that. He paints a vivid and realistic picture and I did find several of the characters sympathetic, I just didn't care for the overall storyline. Perhaps it just comes down to me wanting to read fiction to escape and finding in this book a place not worth escaping to.
60. Foop! by Chris Genoa -- 8/10 stars
A fun read about the first and only time travel tour company. Goofy and clever, this has what a lot of other "bizzaro" books lack: a solid plot. There is very little "strange for the sake of being strange" here, making it a satisfying read even for those not generally fans of the genre.
61. The Sinner's Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historic Underbelly of Europe by Tony Perrottet -- 6/10 stars
This should have been fascinating being, as it is, about the sexual history of Europe. When the author (who was able to talk his way into some places notoriously difficult to gain access to) did write about that, I quite liked it. Unfortunately, he also wrote about his personal life and, specifically, the trials and tribulations of bringing his wife and two young boys along for the trip. The man comes across sounding like a total jackass which ruined the book for me.
62. Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life From a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper -- 9/10 stars
The title says it all: the author adopted a kitten blind nearly from birth who grew to be a truly amazing cat. Lucky readers we are that Cooper was also a writing major in college. A delightful read.
63. The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Lead the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente -- **10/10 stars**
Loved this sequel just as much as the first. The delightful story of a young girl who goes to Fairyland's Underworld to face her shadow self. Imaginative, beautifully written. Great fun.
64. Magical Thinking: True Stories by Augusten Burroughs -- 8/10 stars
I have enjoyed all of Burroughs's memoirs and this is no exception. This one has less disturbing bits than previous ones, lots of funny passages, some touching, and some truly thought provoking. Recommended.
65. John Dies At the End by David Wong -- 6/10 stars
A long and occasionally tedious and repetitve bizzaro-type story about two friends who ingest a drug called "soy sauce". While there are a great lot of funny quotes and passages, it began to drag for me after a while. Dick and fart jokes only go so far, as does "strange for the sake of being strange". I do still want to see the film and will read the sequel, but I definitely didn't like this as much as I thought I would when I started it.
66. Double Take: A Memoir by Kevin Connolly -- 4/10 stars
The memoir of a young man born without legs, this wasn't as good as I'd hoped. Yes, Connolly has accomplished much in his 23 years even for someone with legs -- travelling the world, participating in the X-games, etc. Some parts of the book were interesting, but Connolly isn't a great writer and is still pretty young. I'd be curious to read more by him later in life, to see where he goes from here.
67. The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson -- 8/10 stars
This is written in a much more personal voice than I expected. Ronson learns how to administer the Hare Test (devised to determine a person's level of psychosis) and travels to various places (prison, mental hospital, other countries) to learn about psychotics in all walks of life, including those in business. I found his relaxed style and personal touches enjoyable and liked the fast pace casualness of the book, but can see how others would be frustrated as it isn't the serious non-fiction study I expected.
1. The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews -- 3/10 stars
A dysfunctional extended family (brother, sister, and aunt) go off on an unplanned trip from Canada through the US to find the children's father. They have some escapades, meet some people, learn about themselves and each other, etc. Nothing earth-shattering for me, unfortunately.
2. Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster -- 5/10 stars
Jen starts out as a pretentious, materialistic, condescending woman who throws her money around hap-hazardly. Then, after 9-11, she loses everything and she and her boyfriend-then-husband fight to survive. At times, I found this very funny. In the end, Lancaster learns humility and what is really important in life -- something not nearly enough of us appreciate.(less)
3. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern -- **10/10 stars**
Beautiful, enchanting, magical, and engrossing. Very lush and descriptive, to the point that I imagine some would complain that it is all description and little plot. Perhaps that's true, but the descriptions are so gorgeous and entrancing that I could happily read another 400 pages of them. No, it isn't a fast-paced book, but it doesn't need to be. I didn't want to whip through it just to get to the end and see what happens; I wanted to savor it, imagine the tents, envision the smells and tastes. And I did enjoy the plot very much. The love story is slow to build, as true love often is. Friendships are formed, trusts (and hearts) are broken. Dreams and wishes are born and live; some die, some are granted, as in life. One of my favourites this year.
4. A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard -- 7/10 stars
Not an easy read at all, this is a powerful book. The author writes in a very matter-of-fact, honest, and (subsequently brutal) manner about being held captive from the ages of 11 to 29. Even so, I can't really wrap my head around what it would be like to go through that kind of horror. It really shows how strong the power of brainwashing is that she never tried to leave or draw attention to herself when the opportunities came up.
5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steif Larsson -- 8/10 stars
I liked this whole series which surprised me since I usually don't read crime novels. All the books are long with lots of backstory and descriptions, but they didn't seem to bother me for some reason. It definitely could have been streamlined with some strong editing, but I enjoyed the ride just the same.
6. Boozehound: On the Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the Overrrated in Spirtis by Jason Wilson -- 8/10 stars
The author is down to earth, witty, and writes in a very casual style for the average person. I learned a lot about history (of places in the world and generalized history as well as specifically to spirits), almost without realizing it. If I was a bigger drinker, I'd want to have this on hand when travelling, hosting parties, shopping, etc. He includes a lot of recipes as well as an appendix that includes what a "good host" would have on hand in their bar. Great read; definitely recommended.
7. Beauty Junkies: Under the Skin of the Cosmetic Surgery Industry by by Alex Kuczynski --6/10 stars
Interesting, disturbing, at times horrifying, other times very sad. Probably a bit outdated as to presently available surgeries (having been written in 2004) but I doubt the driving force behind augementations have changed a bit.
8. Pandora by Anne Rice -- 6/10 stars
I am slowly coming back to Anne Rice's vampires after 20+ years of being away. (I read the original trilogy when I was a teenager.) I liked the first books better; this reads more like historical fiction instead of vampire fiction. All the "vampy stuff", so to speak, seems to kind of get rushed in the end. It does give an interesting glimpse into Ancient Italy and Greece and Anne Rice does write it well. I didn't think it a bad read, just not my favourite by her.
9. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick -- 4/10 stars
Decent. After about the first third, I really wasn't sure where the storyline was going to go, which was nice. (I hate predictable reads.) As it moved along, I started to anticipate the ending, but still enjoyed the ride. The amount of eroticism did get a little old -- I got to the point where I was thinking, "right, right, I get it, the men are total horndogs, let's move forward". It is set in the early 1900s, though I don't know exactly how much the time frame really played into it. Some, sure, but I could see a modernized version of this, too. All in all not bad, just nothing really special.
10-16.The Green Mile by Stephen King -- 8/10 stars
I read the chapter book version of this so almost counted it as one book, but they all have separate ISBNs. I would have hated waiting for the next book to come out so am glad I had them all together to read. I knew the story going in, having seen the movie, and liked the books quite a lot. I think it's gotten to the point with King that I like his non-horror stuff best.
17. We Don't Make This Stuff Up: The Very Best of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle Police Reports edited by Nick Ehli -- 7/10 stars
Back when I was considering moving to Bozeman, I used to read the daily police reports online and some of them are freakin' hilarious. This book combines the funniest and strangest ones of the bunch, giving a glimpse of life in small-town Montana.
18. Bones of the Moon by Jonathan Carroll -- 4/10 stars
This is a tough one to review because I liked the author's fluid writing style a lot and I wasn't sure how the book was going to end, but I pretty much hated the character through the whole thing and the ending was utterly unbelievable. I liked the idea of a woman living in both the real world and the dream world and seeing the overlap between them, but as a whole I can't rate it very high. Think I need to try something else by this author.
19. Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity by Kerry Choen -- 8/10 stars
I can relate to the author far more than I care to admit, which is probably why I appreciated this book as much as I did.
20. Napalm & Silly Putty by George Carlin -- 4/10 stars
A lot of this I'd read or heard before and I think Carlin is much better listened to or watched than read.
21. The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice -- 5/10
Whew. This took some doing to get through. I found Armand a curious character and the overall story of his life interesting, but I could have easily read 100 or so less pages about him. I wasn't exepcting such a religious-heavy story either, which really slowed down the whole plot for me. The more and more of Rice's later Vampire Chronicles I read, the more I think I should stop. I loved the original trilogy so much and just am not crazy about the direction she took everything.
22. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan -- 5/10 stars
Bought the series after seeing the movie as I really enjoyed the concept. It's a decent read, though took me a surprisingly long time to get through, especially given that it's a YA book. (And compared to the blazing-fast read I found the Hunger Games series.) The main character wasn't as sympathetic to me as I realize he's supposed to be, though I can see how he could be someone a lot of children/tweens/teens could relate to. (He also didn't really seem like a 12-year-old, but maybe that was just too long ago for me.) I'll finish the series, but I have to admit to being a tad disappointed here. It just wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.
23. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollen -- 9/10 stars
"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." I've enjoyed everything I read by Pollen and this is no exception.
24. There's a (Slight) Chance I Might Be Going to Hell: A Novel of Sewer Pipes, Pageant Queens, and Big Trouble by Laurie Notaro -- 2/10 stars
Oh, Laurie, my wonderful funny Laurie, stick to memoirs. It's what you're good at. This was too far-fetched and then too trite and had waaaaaaaaay too many similies. Very disappointed.
25. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan -- 6/10 stars
I liked this much more than the first, perhaps because I didn't have the movie to compare it to.
26. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan -- 6/10 stars
Another decent read in the series. Though I knew all my myths once, I've forgotten enough and some are the less known ones that none of the storyline is given away for me. Still not super-surprising endings, but enjoyable.
27. This Love is Not for Cowards: Salvation and Soccer in Ciudad Juarez by Robert Powell -- **10/10 stars**
A great piece of journalism and memoir. Danger takes a front seat, contrasting with with warm, proud, affection people and the local soccer team (whose story I became totally absorbed in). Touching, frightening, heart-warming, eye-opening. Definitely a highlight of the year.
28. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan -- 6/10 stars
This one definitely ramps up to the end book, but an enjoyable story. The confusion of young teenage love is definitely highlighted here and done so admirably well, I think. Lots of new monsters, which I always like.
29. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion -- 2/10 stars
I so wanted to like this. I read the first half very quickly and enjoyed it; I was curious to see where it was going to go. I found it initially an interesting concept - zombie as not a mindless entity and I did appreciate the idea that zombies crave and eat the brain at least in part to relive memories. That was a new twist, for sure. As soon as I realized where the author was going with the plot, though, I started to lose interest. Also, the whole, painfully obvious -Romeo & Juliet- thing made me want to retch. Failed zombie book, failed romance story. Bleh.
30. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher -- 7/10 stars
A high school girl kills herself and leaves behind audio tapes for the 13 people that all played a role in her decision. Asher seems to have a good grasp on (or memory of) high school and how important the little things are, especially then. He describes very well being the new kid and how difficult it is to defend against false rumors. The book is a good example of how things can stack up, how the straws pile on and on until the camel's back finally breaks. A tad revenge-y, but a contemplative read.
31. Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp -- 8/10 stars
A powerful read. Knapp really parallels the love of alcohol with romantic love and gives a good sense of how quickly and seemingly irreversible slide into alcoholism happens.
32. Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston -- 8/10 stars
A fun adventure, written entirely in verse. Reminiscent of Shel Silverstein and complete with monsters, bad guys, good guys, danger, and, of course, a happy ending. An enjoyable romp.
33. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris -- 5/10 stars
I thought this was okay; not horrible, not great. This does not read like a comedy except, perhaps, a very dark one, and even then not often. It *is* an ugly, harsh book at times, and I think that's what Sedaris was going for. To me, he very clearly is making a statement about life and society and the way we treat one another, he's just making it a little more palatable by casting animals all the leading roles, so to speak. I enjoyed the pull-no-punches aspect of it, but that was about it. I did get the occasional chuckle now and then as well as some pauses for thought and, as always, I appreciate Sedaris's particular writing style.
34. Virus Hunter: Thirty Years of Battling Hot Viruses Around the World by C.J. Peters -- 7/10 stars
I was really in it for the microbiological/scientific/medical aspect and, at first, was a little concerned about how much personal, straight autobiography there was. As I moved along, though, I found that to be an important part of the book. Reading about his life really gives the reader a great sense of how all-encompasing this particular type of work is. Though at times it did move a bit slow for me, overall I found it fascinating. Peters doesn't always explain all the scientific and medical terms he uses, which didn't bother me as I'm familiar enough with that language to understand, but it's something laymen may be frustrated by. A successful and satisfying (if frightening) read.
35. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan -- 6/10 stars
I did like how it all wrapped up; should have seen it all coming but I didn't, likely because I wasn't concentrating on trying to figure out who the "real hero" was going to be. I love the concept; don't know if I'll read the other series by him (though my husband is doing so), but I finished this one that must say something.
36. The Cannibals of Candyland by Carlton Mellick III -- 7/10 stars
One of the better (and longer) Mellick books I've read. Not the strangest, but odd enough to definitely count as bizzaro. As usual, there are deeper undertones and themes to his work, though it stands alone as a freaky little story just as well.
37. The Girl Who Played WIth Fire by Stieg Larrson -- 7/10 stars
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first, but still liked it well enough. As with the first, I felt a lot of it could have been edited out, but didn't mind it while I was reading it, only a bit in retrospect. Some things I didn't quite understand or believe, some twists I didn't see coming at all. I did read it way faster than I would have expected from such a fat book; even with all the extra descriptive bits, Larsson is a very fluid writer.
38. The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent -- 4/10 stars
Whew. This started well and ended okay, but was a total slogfest for me in the middle. The book is very well researched but the storyline just dragged. I also didn't fully understand why both smallpox and witchcraft needed to be in it. I mean, sure, I get that both were going on at the same time in that area, but the two storylines seemed virtually unconnected. It felt to me like the author couldn't decide which plot she wanted to use so mashed them both together. I think had Kent written something non-fiction, it would have been awesome, but she didn't succeed as a storyteller for me.
39. Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Applachian Trail by Jennifer Pharr Davis -- 5/10 stars
Not one of my favourite books on the subject, though I can't say why. Later in life Davis becomes the fastest thruhiker and this is where it all begins - a trip with no real planning, none of the "proper" gear. She remains upbeat throughout the whole thing and, as such, the book is very positive, which makes me even more confused as to why I didn't care for it very much.
40. This Will Kill You: A Guide to the Ways in Which We Go by H.P. Newquist and Rich Maloof -- 7/10 stars
Just what it sounds like - a humorous book that examines all the ways we can die and what actually happens in each case, this was a fun, casual read. As a nurse, I found it medically interesting, in the interest of the lay person, I was glad the explanations weren't too complicated. The "horror scale", is really too subjective to be anything other than an amusing touch, but it did cause me to make some mental comparisons. I also learned some stuff along the way, which is always awesome.
41. The Running Man by Stephen King -- 3/10 stars
Meh. I love dystopian literature and I've read enough Stephen King to know I prefer his older work, so I was expecting much more from this. It was a tight, fast, easy read, but that was about it. I found the characters to all be one-dimensional and I couldn't drum up sympathy for the main character for some reason that I can't quite figure out. Other reviewers have commented that the "future technology" is outdated; that didn't bother me (I mean, come on, King wrote it quite a while ago), but the astoundingly depressing future he painted kind-of did. Perhaps it seems too much of a possibility, I don't know. Maybe I'm just too used to other dystopian novels I've read which are set in non-Earth. Maybe I just prefer my fiction reading to be less depressing.
42. Rats: Observations on the History and Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants by Robert Sullivan -- 8/10 stars
Sullivan delves into the history surrounding many different aspects of rats and the surrounding culture. He discusses trapping, exterminating, fighting (I never knew about organized rat fights!), rent strikes, New York and American history, to name but a few. I thought, at first, that I would miss the first-person account, but there was enough of that in the book to satisfy. Definitely an interesting read; I learned way more than I expected to.
43. Just a Couple of Days by Tony Vigorito -- 7/10 stars
I started out really loving this book and ended it with a smile, but there were times in the middle that felt pretty sluggish for me. Vigorito has moments of sheer brilliance as a writer; now and again he'll write a sentence of passage that I read several times, just rolling it around in my head. Other times, I wish he'd quit with the flowery language and get to the point, which he won't until he's ready. I thought the plot to this was an interesting one and was not anticipating it to play out like it did, which is a plus for me in any book.
44. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein -- 6/10 stars
The actual plot itself isn't anything new -- woman grows ill with brain tumor and eventually dies, man's life is torn apart, custody problems arise, court happens, but it all works out in the end -- the story being told from the perspective of the family dog is. I enjoyed this twist and the freedom it gave the author by giving him a character that sees most everything but can effect very little of it. There are constant parallels of life with car racing. I found these well written, though I have little to no interest in the sport itself. The name dropping of famous drivers meant nothing to me, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
45. Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman -- 8/10 stars
Kerman is a fluid author and I found her book an engrossing, fast read. She does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of prison life. I really felt her joys, sorrows, and frustrations. Some of what she describes wasn't surprising, some of it was, though perhaps shouldn't have been. A fascinating, touching, and occasionally infuriating read. Recommended.
46. Columbine by Dave Cullen -- **10/10 stars**
This is a truly brilliant, exhaustively researched, fascinating, easily-digestible piece of journalism. Ten solid stars for me, for sure, and easily one of the best non-fiction I've read in quite some time. This is an amazingly powerful book. It is no wonder Cullen is considered the foremost expert on the Columbine killings. I am very eager to see what he tackles next.
47. The Maze Runner by James Dasher -- 3/10 stars
While I enjoy dystopian novels in general, I just couldn't get into this one at all. I was utterly unsympathetic to any of the characters, I found the writing simplistic, and had to slog through it to finish. I'm curious enough about what happens in the very end, but the thought of dragging myself through two more books is not appealing at all. I'll go read the synopsis somewhere online instead.
48. Salsa and Chips by Daniel Reveles -- 6/10 stars
This is, I believe, my third of Reveles' books, all of which are collections of short stories set in dusty Mexican border town. While not my favourite, I did enjoy it and the vivid pictures he paints.
49. The Botany of Desire: A Plant's Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan -- 7/10 stars
Another good one by Pollan. In this, he links four human desires (sweetness, beauty, intoxication, control) with four plants that satisfy them (apple, tulip, marijuana, potato). Lots of history mixed in, making for interesting reading.
50. The Pathological Protein: Mad Cow, Chronic Wasting, and Other Deadly Prion Diseases by Philip Yam -- 6/10 stars
Informative and scary, if a little dry and repetitive at times. Good for those with an interest, but I think there are better books out that cover the same topic.
51. Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel -- 5/10 stars
A writer meets a very strange taxidermist who asks him to read his play based on the stuffed donkey and monkey he has in his shop. Nowhere good as Life of Pi though some interesting concepts emerge here.
52. Hell: A Novel by Robert Olen Butler -- 4/10 stars
A modern day Inferno (minus the levels of hell), this is full of famous people and the wrongs they've committed. The main character, a reporter, is attempting to escape. I liked the concept (being a huge fan of Dante's work) and the very end (last 15 pages or so) but the book as a whole really dragged. Not badly written, per se, just maybe not the book for me.
53. Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman -- 9/10 stars
Being a big fan of Gaiman, I expected to enjoy this thoroughly, and I did. If there was a poem or short story in here I didn't fancy, I can't think of it. I'm normally hit-or-miss on short story collections, but this one was excellent with a wide variety of pieces.
54. Men-ipulation by Monica Sarli -- 3/10 stars
I normally enjoy (if that's the right word) memoirs about addiction and recovery, but I just couldn't drum up sympathy for the author. She and her husband always had his family to fall back on and she knew it, so it never felt like they really bottomed out. Plus, I always get frustrated when people stay with mates who are awful to them. Good for her for overcoming her addiction and all, I just didn't care for her story.
55. Ranger Confidential: Living, Working and Dying in the National Parks by Andrea Lankford -- 9/10 stars
Really liked this one. Unlike other books about the parks, this is less "stupid things tourists did" and more about the actual life of a ranger. Written in a casual style, it felt like I was sitting around a campfire listening to rangers talk shop. Great read; touching, sad, funny, everything I look for in a good book. Recommended.
56. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larrson -- 7/10 stars
Finished out the series and, as a whole, really enjoyed it which is saying something since it's really out of my normal genres. This wraps things up in, for me, a believable and satisfying end.
57. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly -- **10/10 stars**
I absolutely loved this. A delightful fairy tale that incorporates some of Grimms' stories but with a twist. I blazed through it, loving every page, closed the book with a happy sigh, and then was so sorry it was over. Recommended, especially for lovers of classic fairy tales.
58. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse anderson -- 6/10 stars
A YA book (which I didn't realize initially), this was pretty formulaic in the "young adult meets hardship/coming of age" way, but a decent read. Historically accurate, from what I can tell, with added non-fiction info in the back.
59. What's Eating Gilbert Grape by Peter Hedges -- 4/10 stars
I'm supposed to love this, I know. I didn't. It was just depressing; life is difficult enough without having to read a fictional tale about how much more it could suck. The author is talented, there is no denying that. He paints a vivid and realistic picture and I did find several of the characters sympathetic, I just didn't care for the overall storyline. Perhaps it just comes down to me wanting to read fiction to escape and finding in this book a place not worth escaping to.
60. Foop! by Chris Genoa -- 8/10 stars
A fun read about the first and only time travel tour company. Goofy and clever, this has what a lot of other "bizzaro" books lack: a solid plot. There is very little "strange for the sake of being strange" here, making it a satisfying read even for those not generally fans of the genre.
61. The Sinner's Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historic Underbelly of Europe by Tony Perrottet -- 6/10 stars
This should have been fascinating being, as it is, about the sexual history of Europe. When the author (who was able to talk his way into some places notoriously difficult to gain access to) did write about that, I quite liked it. Unfortunately, he also wrote about his personal life and, specifically, the trials and tribulations of bringing his wife and two young boys along for the trip. The man comes across sounding like a total jackass which ruined the book for me.
62. Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life From a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper -- 9/10 stars
The title says it all: the author adopted a kitten blind nearly from birth who grew to be a truly amazing cat. Lucky readers we are that Cooper was also a writing major in college. A delightful read.
63. The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Lead the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente -- **10/10 stars**
Loved this sequel just as much as the first. The delightful story of a young girl who goes to Fairyland's Underworld to face her shadow self. Imaginative, beautifully written. Great fun.
64. Magical Thinking: True Stories by Augusten Burroughs -- 8/10 stars
I have enjoyed all of Burroughs's memoirs and this is no exception. This one has less disturbing bits than previous ones, lots of funny passages, some touching, and some truly thought provoking. Recommended.
65. John Dies At the End by David Wong -- 6/10 stars
A long and occasionally tedious and repetitve bizzaro-type story about two friends who ingest a drug called "soy sauce". While there are a great lot of funny quotes and passages, it began to drag for me after a while. Dick and fart jokes only go so far, as does "strange for the sake of being strange". I do still want to see the film and will read the sequel, but I definitely didn't like this as much as I thought I would when I started it.
66. Double Take: A Memoir by Kevin Connolly -- 4/10 stars
The memoir of a young man born without legs, this wasn't as good as I'd hoped. Yes, Connolly has accomplished much in his 23 years even for someone with legs -- travelling the world, participating in the X-games, etc. Some parts of the book were interesting, but Connolly isn't a great writer and is still pretty young. I'd be curious to read more by him later in life, to see where he goes from here.
67. The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson -- 8/10 stars
This is written in a much more personal voice than I expected. Ronson learns how to administer the Hare Test (devised to determine a person's level of psychosis) and travels to various places (prison, mental hospital, other countries) to learn about psychotics in all walks of life, including those in business. I found his relaxed style and personal touches enjoyable and liked the fast pace casualness of the book, but can see how others would be frustrated as it isn't the serious non-fiction study I expected.
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no subject
Date: 2012-12-30 09:46 pm (UTC)I see the start of 35. but no more than that.
If you like the way Jonathan Caroll writes try
Sleeping In Flame.
Thanks for the reviews.
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Date: 2013-01-05 02:56 pm (UTC)Miss you. Love you. Pet no burning dogs.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-31 04:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-01-01 10:55 pm (UTC)I read Anne Rice late in her career. It was probably mid-90's by the time I finally picked up the vampire chronicles, and somewhere toward the end of them that I finally couldn't take the way the story and characters and her version of vampirism had turned. Then she had her unexpected twist a few years ago of (I'm paraphrasing here, so I may get this wrong.) "I found Jesus and I can't write anything but stuff about how much I love Jesus and all those vampire novels were bad blah blah blah blah" And hey, nothing wrong with finding a religion if that's your cup of tea, but when it kills your fanbase and livelihood with your outward expression, it's something to think about. I can't recall what she's done recently, but I've kind of lost my taste for her writing by this point, short of a turnaround that might not happen.
The Larrson books have been one that I have been intrigued by, but I think it was the massive sensationalism and popularity of them that killed my immediate interest. I'm going to dig into them eventually, but let it die down. It's like if I hadn't started reading George R.R. Martin before he became a household name, I'd be reluctant to dive in first after all of the book hype and tv series and...
Book 44 - Art of Racing... sounds interesting in the way you describe it. I can enjoy a good book that may parallel a subject that I know nothing about, nor the people in it - yet it's written in a style that allows you to enjoy the reading anyhow, without losing anything by the comparisons. Sometimes books like that even draw the interest in me to research the other parallel, to find out more about it on a basic level. As an example, I recommend that nearly anyone who likes music, or simply a really crazy read pick up "The Dirt" by Motley Crue. If you hate the band's music, or oddly aren't familiar with them, it doesn't matter who the band is, as much as the hell they went through and created for themselves, as well as a very accurate assessment of the "music industry machine" that Nikki describes so the public understands how it all works.
This is an interesting list, though. I'm probably going to put a few titles on my future read list.
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Date: 2013-01-02 01:48 pm (UTC)The sensationalism surrounding Larsson's books are what drove me to read them and I'm glad I did; don't think I would have otherwise. My husband couldn't get through them (he gets pretty wordy) but I found them a surprisingly fast read. All the movies are quite good too, though I think I prefer the Swedish ones.
I hear ya on Rice. I read the original trilogy forever ago, picked up a few things for a little while, then lost interest. By the time I came back around, there were SO many books out - the rest of the Vampire Chronicles, the Mayfair Series, etc. and she'd had her sudden conversion to Christianity which was..... odd. I've got a few more of the V. Chronicles on my bookshelf, though I don't know if/when I'll get to them.
no subject
Date: 2013-01-05 02:56 pm (UTC)