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The fake-cuts lead to the reviews and details :)

I'm Off Then: Losing and Finding Myself on the Camino de Santiago by Hape Kerkeling
Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy
Angle of Impact by Bonnie MacDougal
Already Dead by Charlie Huston
Long Spoon Lane by Anne Perry
Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett
Nemesis by Agatha Christie
The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Atlantis by David Gibbins
The Red House Mystery by A.A.Milne - Spoiler-Alert!


Cross-posted like crazy, i.e. to 50bookchallenge & bookshare.

In the Woods (2007)
Written by: Tana French
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 429 (Trade Paperback)

The premise: ganked from BN.com, because I'm seriously lazy. ;) As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.

Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a twelve-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox—his partner and closest friend—find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.

My Rating

Worth the Cash: Actually, it almost feels like a "Keeper Shelf." I really, really enjoyed this book. Especially the characters, and I enjoyed it so much that I was tempted to get the sequel written in Cassie's POV before I ever finished reading In the Woods. I held myself back because I knew some people were really unhappy with the way In the Woods ended and I didn't want to end up as one of those people but with the sequel on my hands. That said, I could've bought the sequel and been perfectly happy. This book haunted me, folks. Its ending and resolution is such that after I finished the book, I dreamed about it, my brain making a desperate effort to understand everything and to give me a kind of extended ending. That's kind of cool and kind of creepy, but I was very satisfied with the ending, even though it doesn't wrap the book up in a nice, pretty bow. The ending isn't for readers looking for escapism, or readers who want to see order and justice in every pocket of the world. It's not to say it isn't there on some level, but this book should disturb you on a certain level, for what it says about humanity and its unsolved mysteries. It's a good book with excellent characterization, and I really felt for these guys and wished to hell certain things hadn't happened in the book that were perfectly inevitable. Oh, how it broke my heart. But oh, how satisfying this was. I look forward to French's next book featuring Cassie, which is called The Likeness.

Review style: spoilers, so beware. While reading this I had no desire to flip to the end to spoil myself, and I'm glad for it. So if you have any interest in this book, don't click the link below. It's a MYSTERY for goodness's sakes: why spoil the mystery for yourself?

If you've read it and want to discuss it, feel free to read the full review at my LJ. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)

REVIEW: Tana French's IN THE WOODS

Happy Reading!

ALSO: my 2009 Top Ten list has been posted, along with a giveaway. If you're interested, just click here. That's the link to the giveaway, which contains the link to the top ten list. ;)

ALSO:

Book club selections @ calico_reaction. Hop on over! We'd love to have you!

January: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
February: Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Hey booklovers! First review ever on this community! woo! It's also my first book read for 2010! yay!



Book: Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters
Year: 2009
Pages: 344
Grade: C

Thoughts: I initially grabbed this book as a way to "ease" myself into Jane Austen, as I wasn't sure I would enjoy her work and thought it would be fun to try the "silly" version of the novel. I've been meaning to read some more classics, so Austen was an obvious author to go to (that and I loved the movie adaptation with Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson;etc, so... sue me, haha).

That being said, I found the addition of all the nautical themed jargon to be really irritating and overdone. I wish I had just read the original version instead of going for the collaborative effort. I don't think Winters quite captures (as far as I can tell) the original personalities and traits that Austen had intended for her characters and ends up pushing them into weird situations for the intention of the Sea Monsters sub-plot. Winters' additions to the novel were fairly obvious and mostly distracting within the context of the original story and dialogue.

Overall, the writing was done well enough so I had read a good portion of it before becoming thoroughly annoyed with the Winters' additions. Unfortunately the last half of the book was an extreme effort for me, and I forced myself to get through it. I don't usually force myself to read books (I'll just drop it and move on after a few pages!), but I was just hoping to glean the original work as best as I could from all of Winters' bits. Again, wish I'd just grabbed Austen's original, because I think I would have rather liked it. I won't be picking up Pride and Prejudice and Zombies any time in the near future! :(

For those of you who have not read Beautiful Creatures yet, please do not be turned off my the comparisons to Twilight or other "typical" YA supernatural novels floating around out there. This novel deserves the acclaim and fervent fan following it has received in the few short weeks since its publication. Please give it a chance.

Thanks so much, ya'll!

(mods: please feel free to delete if posts such as this are not allowed)

Author: Michael Moorcock
Series: Hawkmoon's incarnation as the Eternal Champion
Genre: Epic Sci-fantasy and Alternate History
Year: 2003
Pages: 646
Rating: B

It breaks my heart to give any work of Michael Moorcock less than an A grade as he is my favourite author.  However I feel that out of all the Eternal Champion books I have read, and at this point I'm only lacking the Cornelius Cycle, that Dorian Hawkmoon is the weakest and least like-able incarnation.  As a whole the book works well, it is worth purchasing and most certainly worth reading.
I also had an epiphanic realization a couple days ago as I was digesting the over-arching theme of the Runestaff cycle.  If the gods had been kind and allowed me to actually have a fourth year at University I would have devoted it to studying the Eternal Champion period.

( cut for spoilers and bitchiness )

Thanks to all of you who responded yesterday. I have one more favor and then, I promise--tons of discussion about my latest reads.

I read all of your comments and revamped. And I think I have it. Your feedback will once again be very appreciated--be as honest as you can (not that you wouldn't but it makes me feel better to say it). I'm only going to post the paragraph, not the whole letter:

After thirty years onstage, singer Thom Mitchell is burned out; twice divorced, his albums no longer make the top ten on the charts and he’s gone from acceptance speeches at the Grammys to being a trivia question on Jeopardy. Then he meets Joanna Hayes. She pushes his buttons and rocks his world--and he still can't get enough of her. But Thom has a hole in his memory; vague nightmares that are coming back to haunt him. And just as his new romance gives him hope, a local reporter learns about an accident that left one man dead and too many unanswered questions--and puts Thom right in the middle of it all. The front page news sets events in motion that could destroy more than what’s left of his career. There’s someone who wants the past to stay buried and leave no witnesses—and that includes Thom!


Thanks, everyone!

~jesse~

I don't consider this review to have and spoilers for previous Kitty books, but some people are more sensitive than I am. As a result, it goes under the cut. There are no spoilers for Kitty's House of Horrors.

( Read more... )

Rating: four and a half stars
Length: 292 pages
Source: Mr Paperback
Challenge: this book is not part of any challenges
Similar Books: Stolen by Kelley Armstrong, and of course Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game.
Other books I've read by this author: Kitty and the Midnight Hour, Kitty goes to Washington, Kitty takes a Holiday, Kitty and the Silver Bullet, Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand (my review), Kitty Raises Hell (my review)

xposted to bookish  and temporaryworlds 

Next up I'll be reading Steven Brust's The Sun, The Moon, and the Stars

Hey, everyone. I just got finished reading Love in the Time of Cholera and it was great. The only thing about it that made it frustrating was that there were times where I couldn't help but have to put it down and process everything I just read and then come back. I think that's typical of GGM, however. He always makes me want to go off and comtemplate. Anyway, I'm kind of an impatient reader and for my next book I want to read something a little more fast-paced but not losing the elements that make it a really good story. I've found that some fast-paced novels seem to leave out a few things, you know? I'm especially into unforgettable characters, unique plots, and the whole lot, so I don't want something that skips over much of that. Basically, I'm looking for a real page-turner, something to keep my attention.  I'm honestly not that picky about the genre, I read just about anything.

If anyone can decipher what I'm looking for, I'd be so glad to hear any recommendations. I'm up for anything (as long as it's exciting!)

This is going to be a curious review for me. I want to begin by saying: I have not finished reading this book. There are good reasons for this.

The first is: I’m not too big on history. I need a lot of context for my historical facts otherwise, try as hard as I might I forget everything I hear or read. That’s not say I don’t like history--I like it quite a bit--I just need to get it in small doses. The second is: Thomas Asbridge’s The First Crusade: A New History is not particularly dry or boring, it’s actually really fascinating and easier for me to read than a textbook (of the historical variety); it puts things in context. Historical figures are put into roles as characters, given motives and backstories, there are maps, illustrations, and full color photo panels of medieval artwork and modern day buildings that were once pivotal during the Crusades. It’s not quite an historical fiction novel, but I’m invested in the text anyway.

If this were a historical fiction novel I can promise you I’d be finished by now. Since it isn’t, I think I’ll continue reading it as I have been: in small doses when I get the chance and not all in one go. I really want to understand the facts and research Asbridge has worked so hard to put together. Plowing through this would be unfair to the history and do an injustice to why I wanted to read it in the first place: to learn.

( Read the rest! )

I didn't ask the mod beforehand. I'm sorry for this.

Today a new community was created: 2ndhand_books . This is a community for secondhand bookshops all over the world, put simply: if you know about an awesome secondhand bookshop, tell the rest of us about it! 

The idea came to life when I searched LJ communities for a community like this, and found none. It is really helpful to have a place to ask or look up shops when you want to travel to a new place and check out some secondhand shops - not all are easily found and I know for sure if I wander around I'll miss half of them. So here it is, 2ndhand_books , the community for spreading the love of secondhand bookshops! I hope you want to join us and contribute. :)

with lots of love and book enthusiasm
your loving mods at 2ndhand_books ;
nerak_rose  and katanabutch 

I'm in the process of rewriting my query letter for my latest novel--after having someone tell me that the original was a bit boring and needed some oomph. I was hoping that I could get some readers to look at this and tell me what you think--does it pique your interest? is there something in there that pops and makes you think, "oh, that sounds interesting (or different or what have you)." If you were an agent or publisher, would you want to read the sample chapters or more of the manuscript?

Please be as honest as you can. This is really important for me. And thank you so much in advance for your time.



Dear (agent name) :

Shakespeare once wrote that the "course of true love never did run smooth." Singer Thom Mitchell would be the first to say that the course of true love was probably a black diamond trail.

After thirty years onstage, Mitchell is burned out, his albums no longer sell, and he’s facing life as a trivia question on Jeopardy. Then he meets Joanna Hayes and it’s hate at first sight. Jo is independent, quick witted, and everything he is not looking for in a woman. She finds this pop star quirky and complicated, and getting to know him raises more questions than answers. But when she asks the questions, he just smiles, shrugs, and changes the subject. Because Thom doesn’t fully remember what happened on a night, twenty years ago; and the two people that do remember are keeping a secret that changed his life and hurt others around him.

But secrets can’t stay hidden forever and the truth could ruin Thom. All Jo can do is hold his hand and support him; which puts her in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thom and Jo find themselves running from a trusted friend who’s bent on burying the truth—and the witnesses—on the ultimate black diamond trail, Wilde Mountain.

I would like to submit my 143,275 word romance/suspense novel, Wilde Mountain Time for representation. I am enclosing as a sample of the novel. If you are interested, I can send the completed, polished manuscript to you at your earliest convenience.

My latest novel, A Wager of Blood, was published through LBF Books, an imprint of Lachesis Publishing. I was a contributing writer for Writers Post Journal and Venus Envy magazines. I have worked as an acquisition editor for LBF Books as well as a copy editor for Seven Seas Entertainment, Eternity Press, Moongypsy Press, and Johnston Journals, publisher of Writers Post Journal and Venus Envy magazines. I am currently the Literary Examiner for an online news agency, Examiner.com, the Lexington affiliate. I am a member of ASCAP, the Erotic Authors Association, and the International Order of Horror Professionals.

I can be reached by cell at 859-XXX-XXXX, by phone at 859-XXX-XXXX, and by email at theauthor@insightbb.com. I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,
(my name)


~jesse~

Hello, booklovers. I have a feeling that mine is not an altogether right way of stepping here, but I do need some help from people who might be willing to provide it.
The thing is I have written a book. Yes, yes, I’m laughing myself. Nonetheless, please, do save your sense of humour for when you start reading it. Being a self-publishing writer, however – atrociously sad world, this one! – I am currently looking for several volunteers to proofread what my insolence considers as a work a merit. Don’t let the word “proofreading” scare you though. I don’t mean ‘editing’ it professionally, just seeing that the wording is in conformity with standard British English. I’ve got to tell you up front that, although my English is fluent enough, it is not my mother tongue. Hence this appeal for help. Otherwise, I would not bother anyone with it.
I hope my appeal does not hurt anybody’s feelings. If it does, I do sincerely apologise.
For the same reason of being a self-publishing comrade, the only remuneration I am able to offer will be a free copy of the book along with your name in its Special Thanks list. Not very much, I know. I would LOVE to pay for proofing services, but self-publishing means you put your money into having your work published, but you very seldom make profits. I haven’t been one of those lucky guys.
If you’re curious, intrigued and tickled by any other feeling, you are more than welcome to visit the homepage of the future book, ‘The Red Britain Chronicles, or 4891: Comrade Cat, the Macho Axe Effect and the Human Gramophone’ at
http://sites.google.com/site/theredbritainchronicles/
where you can read sample chapters hereof and decide if you’d be tempted by my unappealing offer, or not really. I would even go as far as advising you to get acquainted with the sample chapters in the first place so that, one day soon, you do not find yourselves wondering how you could have accepted to proof a book which is poor or not exactly to your taste.
British English as your mother tongue would be sort of a plus in my case. (apologies if I sound in any way condescending or arrogant - I did not mean to sound this way at all!!!!!!!) Thank you for your patience and attention! And an excellent day to everyone!
Alexander
ps. May I ask you to respond to this post by sending me a private message (or ideally reply to my email - theredbritainchronicles@gmail.com ), instead of posting comments? I haven’t figured out yet how I can follow posts on this site. Thank you!