VictoriaPL's 2010 Category Challenge

I'm still working hard on my 999 challenge so I won't be putting much effort into the 2010 until after 9/9/09. I have so many ideas for 2010. It's going to be great!

On the drive in to work it came to me in a flash. In honor of the late John Hughes, I'm naming my challenge with a High School theme.

I'm still working on my 999 too (in fact, I've fallen a bit behind on it), but somehow I know I'll still find time to plan out my 2010 reading. Making lists is just too much fun :D

Party At My Place (tandem reads)

I ran out of room, so more group reads can be found slipped into my other nine categories. I love to read with a group! If you see I'm reading something you might enjoy, drop me a line and let's pick a date!



1. Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (jonesli)
2. In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes w/jonesli and mstrust. (1.17.2010)
3. The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson w/jonesli (2.21.2010)
4. Serenade by James Cain w/jonesli (1.4.2010)
5. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (1.1.2010)
6. Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig w/ christina_reads (2.17.2010)
7. All Other Nights by Dara Horn (christina_reads) - MAY
8. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson w/ RidgewayGirl (2.6.2010)
9. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - 1010 group, Atwood in APRIL (4.14.2010)
10. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (billiejean, belladonna1975 & mstrust) - JULY

Extra Credit for Mr. Woertendyke's Class
(named for a favorite creative writing teacher)



1. Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore
2. Collected Works of Alexandre Dumas: Famous Short Stories by Alexandre Dumas
3. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (1010 group - late FEBRUARY)
4. The Complete Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson
5. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy - group read for JULY (Bastille Day)
6. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway - 4.9.2010
7. On Walden Pond by Henry David Thoreau
8.
9.
10.

Misfits (spontaneous reads)



1.
2.
3.
4. Julie and Julia by Julie Powel
5. Clockwork by Philip Pullman (4.1.2010)
6. Everwild by Neal Shusterman (3.28.2010)
7. The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb (3.23.2010)
8. Virtual Light by William Gibson (2.3.2010)
9. Paradise by Koji Suzuki (1.23.2010)
10. Elsewhere by Will Shetterly (1.23.10)

The Loner
(books by David Goodis)



1. The Wounded and the Slain (with jonesli)
2.Dark Passage w/ jonesli (1.20.2010)
3. Street of No Return
4. Black Friday
5. The Moon in the Gutter
6. Of Tender Sin
7. Nightfall (1.7.2010)
8. Retreat from Oblivion
9. Behold this Woman
10. Cassidy's Girl

The Clique (Bronte, Alcott, Austen or Montgomery)

spillover Austen books in my Goths category



1. Return to Wuthering Heights by Anna L'Estrange
2. Coldwater by Mardi McConnochie (3.18.2010)
3. Daphne: A Novel by Justine Picardie (1.7.2010)
4. The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte by Laura Joh Rowland
5. Changing Heaven: A Novel by Jane Urquhart
6. Jenna Starborn by Sharon Shinn (2.9.2010)
7. Anne's House of Dreams by Lucy Maud Montgomery
8. Remembrance of Things Past by Lory Lilian
9. The Works of Louisa May Alcott by Louisa May Allcott
10.

Team Tryouts (new authors)



1. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
2. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (1.9.2010)
3. In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming
4. What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris
5. The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans
6. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (4.3.2010)
7. Suspect by Michael Robotham (4.25.2010)
8. Queenpin by Megan Abbott w/ RidgewayGirl (2.28.2010)
9. Independence by Kate Kasserman (1.16.2010)
10. The Chill by Ross MacDonald (2.2.2010)

Honor Roll (re-reads of favorites)



1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. The Gilded Chain: A Tale of the King's Blades by Dave Duncan (1.16.2010)

THE RETURN OF THE MONSTER MASH, in two parts

Goths



1. Mr Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange (2.12.2010)
2. Vampire Darcy's Desire by Regina Jeffers
3. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (4.25.2010)
4. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Ben H. Winters and Jane Austen
5. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steven Hockensmith
6. Emma and the Werewolves: Jane Austen's Classic with Blood-curdling Lycanthropy by Jane Austen and Adam Rann
7. Mansfield Park and Mummies: Monster Mayhem, Matrimony, Ancient Curses, True Love and Other Dire Delights by Jane Austen and Vera Nazarian
8.Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter by A.E. Moorat (5.8.2010)
9. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Zombie Jim: Mark Twain's Classic with Crazy Zombie Goodness by W. Bill Czolgosz and Mark Twain
10. The Undead World of Oz: L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Complete with Zombies and Monsters by Ryan C. Thomas and L. Frank Baum

BONUS CATEGORY: Study Hall



1. Dracula the Undead by Dacre Stoker
2. Frostbite: A Werewolf Tale by David Wellington (3.29.2010)
3. The War of the Worlds Plus Blood, Guts and Zombies by Eric S. Brown and H.G. Wells
4. The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (3.21.2010)
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Upper Classmen (books by authors already in my library)



1. The Law of Nines by Terry Goodkind (3.4.2010)
2. Black Rooms by Stephen Woodworth
3. Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell
4. Lost Symbol by Dan Brown - JUNE (w/ cyderry)
5. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger - w/ cyderry, kristenn, morninggray & Belladonna1975. (5.5.2010)
6. The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles
7. Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton w/elbakerone SUMMER?
8. House Rules by Jodi Picoult (3.13.2010)
9. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen (3.22.2010)
10. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larrson (2.25.2010)

The Science Geeks (speculative fiction)



1. The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories by Philip K Dick
2. We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
3. End in Fire by Syne Mitchell (1.2.2009)
4. Replay by Ken Grimwood
5. Cosmic Encounter by A.E. van Vogt
6. Deadstock by Jeffrey Thomas
7. Morlock Night by K.W. Jeter
8. Simulacron 3 by Dan Galouye
9. The Wreck of the Godspeed by James Patrick Kelly
10. Jumper by Steven Gould (1.18.2010)

I really enjoy the names you have chosen for your category and the way they fit into an overall theme. I am too lazy to be clever like that. The books you have already selected for your Clique category look like fun. I will enjoy watching this thread.

>13 NeverStopTrying:
thanks! I'll try to keep it interesting.

Your challenge looks like lots of fun! I love the theme. Also, @3: I loved The Remains of the Day! I'll be interested to see what you think.

Great titles for your categories. I'll be interested in what you put for your Noir selections. It's not a sub-genre I've read much of but might see if I can pick up a few tips as I'm currently reading Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg and enjoying how it's started out.

>16 AHS-Wolfy:
Noir is one of my returning categories from the 999. Just can't get enough of it. Falling Angel just went on my TBR. Thanks!

I love it! I'm glad you're back!

I love how you've cleverly named your categories, tying them in to school.

For Noir, I could probably do a whole category just with the city noir book collections. Chicago Noir, Istanbul Noir etc.

>19 lindapanzo:
Linda, I've seen those around. Have you read any of them yet?

Before I went with my theme I was going to devote an entire category to Goodis.

No, I haven't but I own a few of them. Someday, I should read them. I think I have the two I mentioned, though I've come across others, too.

The more I think about it, I am going to give Goodis his own category, which really does make him The Loner. I can sneak in other noir books in another category.

Victoria, hope you like it when you read it. It's not your regular noir though as it has a supernatural element to it. I haven't got to that yet but knowing about it you do get to pick up a few hints.

A thread with headlines in honour of John Hughes is something I just can't miss. Also quite interesting: I've not read a single one of the books you've listed. Not one single green check in the touchstones column! This could well be my best haunt for fresh reading tips in 2010.

>24 GingerbreadMan:
thanks GingerbreadMan!

Love that your category names have a theme! Great idea.

Love your school theme. I'll be tracking your thread again for 2010.

I am checking out all the different challenges and am amazed at all the creativity. You have gone to a lot of work and it really looks good. I too will be checking back to follow your progress and get new book ideas.

I love the pictures! :) So very '80s-tastic.

Fan of the photos!

You come up with the best names for categories.

I'm looking forward to seeing your thoughts on what you read in your Goth and speculative fiction categories.

I am up for co-reading Storm Front and Betrayal of the Blood Lily!

Any excuse to talk book. :)

I love Lauren Willig. She is one of the few authors in what I call "The Back and Forth Genre" (where the author alternates between two story lines in two different times) where I am equally intrigued by both stories. Most of the time with other books like that, I want to hurry though certain chapters so I can get back to the other story.

I also like your goth category (since I was one) and because of the books you have listed. Some of which, I had no idea they existed, put have saved on my tbr list.

>32 Belladonna1975: Fantastic! The more the merrier!

I know what you mean about Lauren Willig. I don't usually read historical or romance but I picked her up on a whim and now I love her series. And it's definitely the "back and forth" that keeps it interesting.

The Goth category.... can I just say that Amazon is a terrible thing for an addictive personality like myself. Once it started listing all those mashups I just couldn't resist.

Just dropped in and saw you've read The Killer Inside Me by Thompson, my favorite of his. I'll be reading a couple from him on my challenge and I also have Hughes' In A Lonely Place on deck.

>34 mstrust:, I haven't read The Killer Inside Me yet, but I will be reading it for the 1010. Do you have any idea when you'll be reading In A Lonely Place?

No, but if you want to read together let's choose a time. How's the last week in January?

Let me check with jonesli, she's also reading it.

I realise I should have put my reply in your thread in the first place!

Hi VictoriaPL,

I quite like your list of categories, I'm having trouble just picking ten, I keep finding more books, which I then try to fit into my categories. I hadn't heard of either war of the worlds or the zombie OZ books, I'll have to check them out.

I like your ideal of a Bonus Category, I may have to use that :) Loving the pics too.

I have The Neverending Story in my challenge too. Okay if I read along in July?

>mstrust, absolutely! Let's make it a party!

Looked through your lists and wonder if I can join the read for Storm Front in January. I already have a copy.

avatiakh, of course you can! Love to have you join us.

Thanks, I'm looking forward to it!

Tweaking my categories, getting ready for the the big day. I changed my bonus category from NaNoWriMo into more of The Monster Mash. This is my second year with the category. It's one of my favorites, so I wanted to extend it. I felt that the literary mashups had taken over and there wasn't enough space for normal horror.

I am so ready for Jan 1.

I am so ready for Jan 1.

Me too! I had been planning to work on finishing up my 999 over the first couple months of the year, but I think I'm ready for a fresh start!

I'm with gingrbreadman, not one green check. I've avoided the vampire thing but it's beginning to seem as though that was a mistake. Have to try Butcher.

Also love the photos and theme, but don't like remembering High School!

I have both The Lost Symbol and Her Fearful Symmetry, want to do them together? I can do them anytime but Feb March (Three Musketeers then). Maybe others would be interested.

>47 cyderry: I'd love to!
Let's see.... we're doing Atwood in April. How about Her Fearful Symmetry in May and The Lost Symbol in June?

I seem to be acquiring group reads left and right but they are so much fun. I am up for Her Fearful Symmetry in May as well.

I was thinking I need to start a list of all the group reads I've signed up for. Between this group and the 75 Book Challenge I may be in slightly over my head!

I am going to pull the books off the shelves and put post its on them with the month of the challenge. I will probably also make a list somewhere as I am very fond of lists.

Fine my me for Her Fearful Symmetry in May and The Lost Symbol in June

I'll put a note on the tandem thread.

I was thinking of putting my books in piles by month too. But on the way home in the car my husband was explaining to me that I can start a Google calendar for my reading list. I think I'll do that.

ooo i hadnt thought of adding them to my google calendar!

Outlook works for me especially since I can do it offline in the car( when I'm traveling - hubbie drives).

End in Fire by Syne Mitchell
3.5 stars

Claire Logan has seen many remarkable things in the months she has lived on the space station Reliance. As she labors to make repairs to the robotic arm she sees something she has never witnessed before: a blinding flash on the horizon followed by a mushroom cloud. Competition over Earth's last remaining oilfield has escalated into a global war. As Claire soon learns, the danger is not limited to those on terra firma. The electrons released by the nuclear missiles are nibbling away at the computer systems on everything in orbit. Just like their countrymen below, the astronauts on all four space stations find themselves in a battle for survival...

As Syne Mitchell's novel, End in Fire, begins the men and women orbiting Earth are much like the shuttle or station crew present in a NASA video. Citizens of many countries, smiling and deeply honored to work together for the common good. As they are, perhaps, smarter, highly driven and more physically capable than average, they also become more dangerous when their goodwill is negated by fear for their own lives. With the nuclear war raging below, there can be no resupply from Earth and each resource has become priceless. Each station, each person, must agree to share, or take by force.

Mitchell's novel is very detailed and it is obviously highly researched. There are plenty of ethical questions to chew on in this what-if scenerio. It doesn't garner a higher rating from me because there were times I became annoyed with the writing. Possibly when Claire had "crossed her toes" for the third time. Or maybe the fourth time a character "crowed" over the communication line. I tend to let things like that nibble away at my star ratings.

Other books like this that I have enjoyed are Last Breath: Space Station Rescue by S.P. Cammick and Gravity by Tess Gerritsen.

Sounds very intriguing. I also get annoyed when it seems the author has a characters movements on a loop.

Serenade by James M Cain
Thanks to jonesli for introducing me to Mr. Cain!

I don't think there's ever been a man so moony that a little bit of chill didn't come over him as soon as a woman said yes, and plenty of things were going through my head when she took my arm and we headed for the door of that cafe.

Serenade is the tale of a world-class opera baritone, a first-rate conductor and "a three peso whore" from Mexico City. It is a pulp story, but before you get the wrong idea, let me tell you, there are no gangsters, no thugs and no racket. Just a man who has it all, and loses it, gets it back and then sees it all go to hell again. Cain's story is melancholy and sweet and it will remain in your head long after the last word is sung.

For other books like this, I recommend Shoot the Piano Player by David Goodis.

Cain is a favorite of mine but I haven't read this one. Thanks!

Nightfall by David Goodis
2 stars

Bank robbers can be pretty scary people, wouldn't you agree? Jim Vannings knows so. He was unlucky enough to happen upon a gang right after a heist and they were in desperate need of a wheel man. Even though Jim had his objections, the gun in his face quickly changed his mind. So he found himself in the thick of it and along the way the money disappeared, and so did Jim. Now the gang is looking for him. The Law is on his tail too. Jim is sure everything would work out fine, if he could just remember where he put that three hundred thou...

I felt like Goodis was trying to hard with this one. Sometimes I just shook my head at the prose, especially when he started in on what seemed like a three-paragraph color montage and his constant reminders of the heat. Also, some of the circumstances felt too improbable to me. An FBI agent would not stop at a pay phone and call his wife at home during a hot chase. He certainly wouldn't tell her every little detail and ask her advice on operational matters. Well, everyone has to cut their teeth somewhere. I will continue my foray down Goodis street. He's capable of better work and I have faith he won't let me down.

A very good review, even if the book wasn't fabulous. I'm waiting to find out which book you think is his best.

Thanks! I'm betting on Dark Passage. I can't wait to read it.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
2 stars

From glancing at the other reviews of Me Talk Pretty One Day, I have come to the conclusion that I am the one person on LT who does not find David Sedaris amusing. I thought the essays were well written and clever, but I never once had a gut reaction to them. Not one belly laugh. Which was disappointing...

Being unique is a good thing, though! :)

>63 VictoriaPL: I bought another of his collections, Naked, several years ago expecting it to be hilarious and gave up in disappointment about halfway through. I read his pieces when they appear in the New Yorker but haven't been in love with any of them either.

I've never read anything by him. It doesn't sound like something I would enjoy.

>65 kristenn: Whew! It's good to hear I'm not alone.

>67 VictoriaPL:

I'd given up on Sedaris years ago - tried a book or two - something just did not work for me so I do not even try anymore.

I like David Sedaris - but only on audio. Somehow listening make it much more funny - especially if it's live. (Probably for the same reason that tv shows have canned laughter - hearing someone else laugh makes things seem more funny.)

> 63. I concur - it was ok, but not particularly funny. I tried the Engulfed in Flames book on audio, but really cant get through it.

David Sedaris is definitely an acquired taste. I think some of his essays are very funny, and some of them are just too mean or depressing. That said, I do like his work.

Added Serenade to my wishlist. Thanks! I've never read anything by Cain, so it should be interesting.

Got you starred!

Can I enter in on 'Her Fearful Symmetry'?

I have to admit that I also like seeing so many people enthusiastic about Lauren Willig. I just heard of her today and I'm definitely going to try her first book now :-)

So good to see you here morninggray - of course you can join in on Her Fearful Symmetry!

Being an Austen fan, I think you will like The Secret History of the Pink Carnation. The newest in the series, The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, was just released yesterday. My library hasn't added it to their catalog yet. I've been on stakeout waiting for it!

The Gilded Chain: A Novel of the King's Blades by Dave Duncan
5 stars

"When you put the sword in my heart - remember you are fighting to save your own life. Ram it all the way through, you hear? That's how the King does it. Push till the point comes out of my back."

To most men a sword to the heart is the end, but to a Blade it is a beginning. As a boy he enters Ironhall to train daily in sword craft, and as a youth he waits under the Sky of Swords, until the night he is Bound into service. For a Blade lives his adulthood as an enchanted man. Once a Blade's own cats-eye sword leaves his flesh the man who wieided it becomes his one true obsession. A Blade is no mere protector, but a lethal bodyguard possessing the supernatural ability to forgo sleep and sometimes food. He will protect his ward day and night unceasingly until relieved of duty or dead. These brave men are fencers extraordinaire, legendary lovers and stalwart friends to their King and their brotherhood.

The Gilded Chain by Dave Duncan is the first book in the Blade series and it's a good introduction to their world. Its focus is primarily on Sir Durendal, Lord Roland. The book showcases Durendal at different points in his life: at court as a young blade, off to a far land on a quest for the King, and then back at court again as one of the King's administrators.

Each time I read it this story becomes more exciting to me. I am no great lover of the fantasy genre but the book continues to hold my interest. There is so much originality here. I really like what Duncan has done with his world-building and the magic is used to great effect. Not only in the enchantment on the Blades but also the dangers they face. Duncan does his own twist on werewolves and even zombies in this book, though you don't immediately recognize it as such it's so nicely done. I also really enjoy Duncan's prose and dialogue.

I recommend The Gilded Chain to anyone looking for a good swashbuckle.

@74 :: I do love a good swashbuckle!

Independence by Kate Kasserman
4.5 stars

Life is never safe on the frontier. Rachel Kolkhorst was orphaned twice, first by the Cherokee and then again by raiders. Alone, with no family to advance her interests, she makes her living first working in a tavern and then as a lady's maid. She dances at a society ball and even has the opportunity to attend General Lee's foxhunt. Rachel soon finds herself lost in the heady bloom of first love with Captain Bellew. But her new life is not all pleasant. Even in her own home, Rachel comes to realize that not everyone embraces the same morals she does. And then there are the terrible events of war - the killing, the sickness - all of which Rachel witnesses but is powerless to stop. It seems in the end, the only thing Rachel can call her own is her life, her will, her independence.

When I first read the blurb about Kate Kasserman's novel, Independence, I was immediately interested by it. It called to mind my favorite "growing up" tales by L.M. Montgomery, Catherine Marshall and Ann Rinaldi. Tales where girls learn from their naivety and draw upon their inner resourcefulness to make the best of their situation, emerging as formidable young women. Kasserman's novel is the next step up for those of us who have never lost their love for those schoolgirl stories. It's a beautifully immersive tale, rich in detail and long enough to stay with you for awhile. Just be forewarned that Independence is only the beginning of Rachel's story and you'll need to have some fortitude of your own to have the patience for volume two.

Great job with the categories and photos. Enjoying your reviews as well - have added End in Fire and Serenade to my list.

Hi Victoria,
Your review of The Guilded Chain has piqued my interest, but since I have not read any of Duncan's books, I don't know where to start. It appears there are three trilogies and that Guilded Chain is the firstbook in the second trilogy. Are they best read starting with the first trilogy? Are all nine good? Thanks, Kasey

Independence sounds good also. (Wrong touchstone but no correct choice)

I really liked that review of The gilded chain also! I don't read much high fantasy these days, but that definetly caught my interest!

>78 KAzevedo: Hi Kasey! There are two different trilogies. The Gilded Chain was the first book of the first published trilogy. Lord of the Fire Lands and Sky of Swords relate tales that are only hinted at in The Gilded Chain. I don't remember if I finished the second trilogy or not, so I won't recommend it to you. Duncan also wrote a couple of juvenile books set in the same universe but I believe he called them Daggers instead of Blades.

In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes
4 stars

Dix Steele is a predator. He's looking for the right woman, a companion to keep his black thoughts at bay. But when all he finds is the weak, the loud, the slovenly, he can't help himself, it just happens. It's happened half a dozen times now and the police have had enough. Now they're serious about catching the monster responsible for the rape and strangulation of their citizens. Dix follows their investigation as best he can in the papers but the tension makes him restless. One night Dix encounters Laurel Gray, a woman as hot as her flaming hair. It's an instant connection and when Dix is in Laurel's arms, he is at peace. He even finds the time to reach out to an old war buddy, Brub Nikolai. Things are looking up for Dix, that is, until he's told that Brub is the detective assigned to the Strangler case. Dix's first thought is to let the friendship die again but he also knows that if he socializes with Nikolai then he'll know every detail the cops do, even the stuff the papers leave out. He can't give up his inside man. He has to play the game. But getting close to Brub means Brub is close to him too.

I was exposed to In a Lonely Place for the first time as a Noir film on the small screen, with Humphrey Bogart playing Dix Steele. When I discovered that a woman had written the pulp novel it was based on, I had to read it. How rare in that day that a woman would write Noir. Even now is not common. But as I started reading it I was even more amazed. On the page Dix comes across so very male to me. The way Hughes has written him, the way he thinks about women, it just feels dead on. It's a good cat-and-mouse tale and the paranoia really rachets up as Dix feels the heat. My only disappointment was to find that my favorite quote from the film was pure Hollywood and exists nowhere in the original prose "I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me" - not that it's any reflection on Hughes. In fact, this book has only whet my appetite for more of her.

Excellent review Victoria! I will also be looking for more of her work.

My thoughts on Jumper, it was like they took the basic premise and then made a movie that was completely different. For one thing, the protagonist is very young in the book and the jumping starts out of necessity to escape abuse. The book was more serious and the movie was more hollywood action fluff. I am excited to see what you thought of it.

Great review Victoria. I'll have to move In a Lonely Place off the wishlist and into the shopping cart.

I was shocked to find The Gilded Chain on the Hot Reviews. Thanks for the thumbs!

Jumper by Steven Gould
4 stars

If you've ignored the book Jumper because you saw the train wreck that was the movie adaptation, I'm here to say I think that's a mistake you should rectify. Because Jumper is a decent story, one that shouldn't be passed over so quickly.
I've been struggling with how to tell you about the story without spoiling it for you. One of the fantastic things about this book was discovering it fresh, without knowing what I was walking in to. Let me assure you that very little of this material made it into the film. And so I decided to parallel it with another movie you might have seen... Spiderman. Stick with me, OK? So, you know Peter Parker. Loser. Victim. Well, that's kind of how Davy Rice is too. Life has been hard on him. And just like Peter, one day Davy finds out that he can do something special. And while he's learning about his newfound ability there are some embarrassing moments, some humor and some frightening things too. Oh, and you remember how Peter Parker was with Mary Jane, that first-love, long sigh, puppy-eye look? Well there's a girl. Millie. She and Davy are sweet and kooky too. And of course you know there are villains. The guys who sometimes do bad things to the people Peter Parker loves. Well, Davy encounters that too. Some very bad things. And in that darkness Davy learns there's a line between what he can do and what he shouldn't do. And if you're hearing that Uncle Ben voiceover in your head about Great Power and Great Responsibility, you're right on track. Jumper is a hearty coming-of-age story wrapped in a superpower candy shell. So, now that I've told you but not really told you, go discover it for yourself! I hope you do.

Victoria! That is perfect. I love the Peter Parker analogy. Its great that you told what the story was about without giving anything important away. I thought the book had humor and also at the core a very flawed and sometimes sad character in Davy Rice. The second book was great too. The 3rd one, not so much. This is a highly overlooked book and I think the movie is partially at fault for that. Great review! I hope it gets other people to read it. It actually makes me want to dig out my copy and read it again. (even though I have way too many new books to read)

>87 Belladonna1975: Belladonna,
Thanks! I hope it does too. I have the second book on my BM and PBS wishlists.

>86 VictoriaPL:
Great review!
I actually enjoyed the movie, but the book sounds really fun. I like to see characters grow up through the course of a books, so I'm definitely going to have to put it on my list of books to read (which just keeps growing and growing).

Interesting analogy, not that I've read Jumper or seen the movie. I was terribly disappointed with the Spiderman movies and thought he was one of the more interesting superheroes.

Dark Passage by David Goodis
4 stars

Vincent Parry is a man wrongly convicted of murdering his wife. It's true their marriage had soured and both he and Gert saw other people, but Vincent didn't hate her - certainly not enough to bash her head in with an ashtray. A witness testifies that with her dying breath Gert named Vincent as her killer and with that Vincent found himself in a bunk at San Quentin. He doesn't know who the murderer is but Vincent does know he shouldn't be in prison and when he sees his opportunity to break out, he takes it. It's risky but Vincent returns to San Francisco and finds a few people who have enough doubt of his guilt to help him evade the manhunt that makes the streets so dangerous for him. At first Vincent planned on taking the next bus across the border but then he decides he can't leave. He's not just scared anymore, he's angry. Not about the ruin of his own life but for the attacks on his friends. One is dead and another is under threat of blackmail. So he stays and he digs because he needs to know who killed his wife.

Does the story sound familiar? David Goodis believed that Dark Passage was the source material for The Fugitive mini-series. He sued and his lawyer outlined over a dozen similarities between the two properties. Goodis died before the decision was handed down but the court said that the serialized portions of Dark Passage that were published in The Saturday Evening Post did not have copyright protection. The Goodis estate appealed that ruling and eventually reached a settlement. I think it's fascinating that Goodis was involved with the issues of format copyright back in the Sixties and it is still a concern we address today.

Well let me say, if you've seen the movie staring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall than you will be very familiar with the book. Whole swaths of dialogue are lifted verbatim. What's new here is that we get more background, especially into the Parry marriage. To be honest, I think I liked the book a little better than I should because I love the movie so well. If you're a fan of hardboiled fiction I would recommend it.

Two interesting book choices in a row! You are not helping my TBR pile, you know! JK, both sound really good.

That sounds like a good one! It's on my list.

I'm putting Jumper on my list too. Loved your review.

Jumper is on its' way to me, through PaperbackSwap! Thanks for twisting my arm with your great review and comments about it!

I hope you're enjoying your next read.

Just want to let you know how much I am enjoying this thread. If LT did double-stars ...

>96 NeverStopTrying: NeverStopTrying - thanks! I'm trying to be worthy of all this good company!

I agree, it's one of those really comfortable threads.

I noticed that you already read 11 out of your 100 books, that's fast! Or is January a month in which you usually read a lot?

>98 morninggray: morninggray, that's a good question, I've never thought about that before. I looked at last year's books - I read 13 books in January. So I'm actually right on track.

I've kept track on the months in my reader's journal for the last six years or so. Apart from july and august (holiday season), october tends to be my best month. No idea why.

March and May are always my best months. For the past 6 years I have read 15-18 books for each of those months usually.

Elsewhere by Wil Shetterly
3.5 stars

When I first came across the term 'Elfpunk', I really wasn't sure what to think. It wasn't too difficult for me to picture Orlando Bloom with a mohawk because I've seen pictures of him with one. Visualizing Legolas without his long tresses or maybe clothed in latex was a different matter all together, (I kept flashing on those albino twins from The Matrix Reloaded). So, it was with no small amount of curiosity that I began to read Elsewhere.

The protagonist, Ron, is a human runaway. He decides to try Bordertown, which exists between The World and Faerie. Issues of race and gender, disability and even sexual preference make life a bit rough around the edges. It doesn't matter if you're human, elf or a halfie - no one survives long on their own. Ron is recruited into a mixed gang and like any fresh meat, everyone is quick to use him to their own best advantage. Ron is not naive but eventually does become the tool used to exact revenge. He's a boy with a lot of mental baggage and he crumbles under this new disappointment. Ron must make amends to humans and elves alike.

I really liked the world building. It wasn't all beautiful but it was very creative, even the drug use. What I didn't care for (and this is difficult to say without giving away spoilers) was Ron's transformation at the end. It didn't seem to fit and I didn't like it, so mentally I tuned out. There is a sequel but I probably won't be reading it.

That is too bad that you didn't like Elsewhere very much. It has been on my wishlist for years now. I have wanted to read him if for no other reason than he is married to Emma Bull and War for the Oaks is one of my top 20 favorite books of all time. :)

Belladonna, I loved the first two-thirds. You should definitely read it. I didn't know about his connection to Emma! I also like War for the Oaks.

I'm always up for dirtying up those pesky elves a bit, and have a knck for books set in border areas. So that sounded very interesting to me. Might just check it out!

One of the books on my list for the year seems to qualify for dirtied up elves and border areas -- Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski. It's the first full-length book in the series The Witcher. Apparently the series is well-known (and award-winning) in Europe but it didn't start getting translated into English until a tie-in video game was created a couple years ago.

I read the prequel, The Last Wish, last summer and it was quite good. I hadn't read fantasy in a long time. It's a short story collection and one of the last pieces introduces the elf-human conflict. Quite gritty. The other stories in the collection do some really creative things with familiar fairy tales.

I thought The Last Wish was great! I love any kind of fairy tale retellings. I think you would like it if you haven't already read it! I plan on reading Blood of Elves this year as well.

Thanks for the great review of Jumper; that was on my 999 list last year, but I didn't get to it. I just picked it by accident - it had been on my shelves for years. Then I saw the movie ads and thought, huh, that sounds familiar. Didn't see the movie, but now I definitely want to resurrect the book and put it on the 101010.

Paradise by Koji Suzuki
2.5 stars

The dust jacket calls him "the sinister poet of humidity" but Koji Suzuki writes more than just dead wet girls. Before The Ring and Dark Water made him famous Suzuki wrote Paradise, a collection of three adventure tales. If you're looking for a Japanese-lit fix, you might want to look elsewhere, for there is nothing here from the Land of the Rising Sun.

Legend (prehistoric Asia)
A youth breaks one of his tribe's sacred rules and brings calamity down upon them all.

Paradise (South Pacific islands)
A desperate trio of shipwrecked sailors find an island paradise where love is free, food is plentiful and life is sweet... for a time.

The Desert (New Mexico/Arizona)
A new-age guru invites a New York City composer to visit a subterranean lake, hoping to inspire his next masterpiece.

There is a thread that connects all three tales together but it is thin. To be honest, I felt this collection was uneven, but that can be said even of collections by seasoned writers. I enjoyed the titular story the best. It was nice to see a different side of Suzuki but I do prefer his horror tales.

Virtual Light by William Gibson
4.5 stars

The negotiations were not going well. He offered "Stephenson" and I countered with "Bester". He suggested "Ellison" and I returned with "Jeter". Frustrated by his reluctance, I whispered "Dick". He smiled, shook his head and uttered "Gibson" and then I knew that we should have stuck to movie recommendations. We had a good thing going there. I guess both of us wanted to take our relationship to the next level. But Gibson? Gibson? I hadn't liked anything I had read by Gibson and I said so. He told me I wasn't reading the right Gibson. That I had started with the wrong books. So the next day he deftly slipped the small softcover to me while the boss looked the other way, like it was some kind of illicit drug. Or maybe he didn't want the other guys to see that he actually reads. "You'll like it, I promise." he said as I put it in my bag.
Virtual Light sat in virtual darkness for nearly two weeks. I did my best to ignore it, tossing it in corners, piling my coat over it so I wouldn't have to see the cover. Finally I could not keep the guilt at bay. I sat down and opened the front cover. Late that evening I closed the back cover, having finished it all in one go. I did like it. Very much.
Gibson deserved his second, well actually, third chance. The characters were rich and vivid and memorable. Rydell, the ex-cop trying to get out from under a frame-up. Chevette, the pick-pocket bike messenger who reminded me of Max in the Dark Angel series (even though Chevette came first). I could almost see the Golden Gate Bridge as Gibson describes it, earthquake-damaged, a shanty-town where the rough and tumble make their existence. One more thing I liked about it. Gibson didn't try to do too much with the material - there was just enough plot with all that awesome scenery.
So I was wrong. There, I've said it.

Great review Victoria. Brilliant noir intro.

A big thumbs up for your excellent review! A new name to add to ever growing list of mystery authors.

Great review!

Your review makes ME want to read it and I'm not into noir at all.

Virtual Light is classified as sci-fi, it's cyberpunk.
But I guess it has a kind of noirish edge to it.

One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
5 stars

Jackson began to wonder if he was on some new kind of reality television show, a cross between Candid Camera and a murder-mystery weekend. He half-expected a presenter to leap out from behind the sofa in Gloria Hatter's living room and shout "Surprise! Jackson Brodie, you thought you found a corpse in the River Forth, you thought you witnessed a man being assaulted with a baseball bat, you thought this little Russian lady here whispered clues in your ear, but no, it was all fiction. Jackson Brodie, you are live in front of an audience of millions. Welcome to the future."
They were all here, Tatiana, Honda Man, the only person missing was Martin. But lo, he had thought too soon because here came Martin, striding with more purpose than hitherto across Gloria Hatter's admirably well-kept lawns. "And also starring Martin Canning as the deceptively bumbling writer!"

This is the second Kate Atkinson book I've read and the second time that I am at a loss to summarize her plot. The lady is brilliant. Reading one of her books is like opening a gift box to find a huge diamond waiting for you. She shines a light through each facet until at last you see the face of the whole stone in all its glory and it's so wonderful it makes you gasp with pleasure and giggle with mirth. Brilliant, I tell you.

Oooh can't wait. But first I have to read Case Histories.

I guess I also need to move Virtual Light up a few notches on the tbr ladder. Great review, thanks.

Did you see that your Virtual Light review made it to the hot reviews? You are on a roll!

Really?!? That's awesome.

Out of curiosity, which were the two Gibson books you did not like? (I see one of them is Mona Lisa Overdrive, but which is the other?)

(My favorite is Burning Chrome, oddly enough. And I think the worst is Spook Country, I did not even manage to finish that one.)

>121 prezzey: Hi Prezzey,
The first was Idoru and the second was Mona Lisa Overdrive. Now that I've read (and liked) Virtual Light, I'm going to give Idoru another shot. Some day...

@110 Just joining in the choir of praise here. That's one clever review! And yes, it might make me want to read Gibson again (which I haven't since my zittiest teen years). But more than anything else, it's another reminder on why I starred this thread. Yay!

You've got some great reviews happening, which is doing nothing for Mount TBR!! I'd not heard of In a lonely place before, but I now want to check it out, sounds like an interesting read. You're not the first person who has said Jumper is better in book form, I've been meaning to read it since seeing the moving, which whilst I thought was crap, did enjoy for what it was - brain candy, (except for Samuel L. Jackson's terrible, terrible wig), You've now convinced me to read it as part of my 1010 challenge :)

>123 GingerbreadMan: GingerbreadMan,
Thank you! Let me know when you take up Gibson again.

>124 cataluna: Cataluna,
LOL, yeah, that wig was pretty bad. Please let me know your thoughts when you finish Jumper!

*Oogling the shelves bursting with TBR:s* Um, not in this year, I don't think...

Bear with me while I catch up with my reviews, I'm so far behind!

finished The Chill by Ross MacDonald.
3.5 stars

"I could tell you things about that girl that would curl your hair."
"Go ahead. I've always wanted curly hair."

Dolly Kincaid, a young woman who witnessed her mother's murder as a child, has disappeared and Lew Archer is asked to find her. But it's not just a missing dame. Now there are bodies, complications, layers upon layers all making the situation... messy. Lew doesn't like it when someone puts the chill on, he wants the truth and he's going to get it.

This is actually the 11th Lew Archer book. I hadn't realized I was stepping into a series, and to be honest, I couldn't tell I was missing any critical data. But let me tell you what a gem I found in Ross MacDonald! The man is a fantastic stylist. Think Chandler and Hammett but back it off just a little. MacDonald is not quite as dark but he still has plenty of edge. "No more guns for you, I said. No more anything, Letitia." Archer is not as physical a detective as Spade or Marlowe. He may get sapped once, but he's really more of a man who knows how to get people to talk. "She rode for awhile in hunched and fearful silence, a thin, dry cricket of a woman who had lost her chirp."

While I was really captivated by MacDonald's style, I was a little lost in the overall plot. One murder can be complicated enough but three? Or four? (I admitted I was lost!) Pretty soon I just gave up trying to keep all the details straight and enjoyed the scenery. I'll probably get it on a second read-through - and I will be revisiting MacDonald, he's too good to pass up!

finished Mr. Darcy, Vampire by Amanda Grange
2 stars

We begin our story at sunrise, the day of Elizabeth's and Darcy's wedding and follow them on a grand tour of Europe. While Lizzy is a beautiful bride, she's not at all content. Darcy avows his ardent love for her and dotes on her all day long but then flees her presence once night falls and eschews her bedchamber altogether. They've conquered Pride and Prejudice but something else has come between them...

I adore vampire fiction and I like classics too, so Mr. Darcy, Vampire seems to be the kind of mashup that would thrill me. Except it didn't. There wasn't enough angst, wasn't enough throat-ripping, not enough of what I wanted. I, like Lizzy, was unfulfilled. I think I would have enjoyed it better had it been from Darcy's point of view. This could have been so good...

Hm, have you looked into: Vampire Darcy's Desire? I read it, but haven't read Mr Darcy, Vampyre. I heard a lot of similar complaints to yours about the book and decided to look for something else. I am not entirely sure if I still agree with my very positive rating of Vampire Darcy's Desire, but I did think it an enjoyable read and am almost sure it'd satisfy you better than Mr Darcy, Vampyre did. It is written from Darcy's point of view, as well as Elizabeth's, which I think was a huge plus. It does contain sexual references though, not sure if you mind that kind of thing? I don't like to read about sex in historical novels too much, it kind of makes me feel like I'm reading a cheap romance novel, but I guess I just need to grow up and get over my prudishness. I didn't mind too much in this book. I guess I just find it hard to believe Jane Austen and sex can be combined, and it normally really irritates me, like the stupid references to Colonel Brandon 'appendages' in Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, but it wasn't irritating in this book.

Love the '80s movie photos for your categories! (With Buffy thrown in for good measure. =) You have a lot of books listed that are in my TBR pile so I'll be interested to hear what you thought.

morninggray, Yes, I have Vampire Darcy's Desire on my list. I do hope it's more rewarding. Thanks for mentioning it.

Hi madhatter! Good to have you around...

Jenna Starborn by Sharon Shinn
4.5 stars

As a half-cit, Jenna Starborn knew it would be difficult to rise far from the gen-tank she was issued from. So she studied hard and eventually found a position as a technician under the employ of Everett Ravenbeck. Jenna felt an attraction to Mr Ravenbeck from their first meeting, but knew there was little chance of a relationship with him. For his girlfriend, Bianca Ingersoll, was not only a full citizen, she was beautiful and moneyed and rumor was they were soon to be engaged. But Everett did harbor affection for Jenna and gave her hopes of a future with him as his wife and as a mother to his ward, Ameletta. But on the day of their wedding ceremony Jenna learned of another woman in Ravenbeck's life, Beatrice Merrick. A monkey-wrench in Jenna's dream machine, an impediment which even a top-notch technician can't remove.

"How can I give up the few things I have-- and they are so few! -- My unblemished reputation and my ability to care for myself, for a man who risks nothing for me? I do not care about your money. I do not care about your position in society. I would love you as well, or even better, if you did not have these things. But I cannot be your mistress, because I cannot throw away my life. I am too valuable for that. I am worth more than a rich man's whim."

Yes, Jenna Starborn is a retelling of Jane Eyre. What a fine job Sharon Shinn has done here. I loved every chapter. If you adore Jane Eyre, like I do, you will make friends easily with Jenna Starborn. The shiny sci-fi attire has not changed the heart of the girl you fell in love with. In fact, this would be a great way to introduce a young person to the classic tale. I would love to see what Shinn could do with Wuthering Heights.

P.S. I found out about Jenna Starborn from a deceptive, benign-looking tome called Book Lust. Friends, fair warning, if you dare to approach this creature, your TBR list will never recover...

Book Lust is indeed dangerous...but less so than this forum!

The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson
2.5 stars

There are a lot descriptors that apply to Lou Ford: Texan. Deputy Sheriff. Murderer. Psychopath. Ford is aware of "the sickness" having been diagnosed by his father, a doctor, who protected him throughout his youth. Ford continues to self-medicate after his father's death and he functions enough to keep his job. It's only after meeting a certain lady 'professional' that he feels his control slipping away and the body count starts to rise. Being a deputy, Ford is in a prime position to manipulate the situation and he is a master at twisting the screws and fabricating alternative motives. But no house of cards can stand for long and what a mess the cleanup's going to be.

"I guess I kind of got a foot on both fences, Johnnie. I planted 'em there early and now they've taken root, and I can't move either way and I can't jump. All I can do is wait until I split. Right down the middle."

There were many passages, particularly with Amy (the girlfriend), that I couldn't understand what she was saying because Thompson used so many ellipses. I don't know if that was on purpose, to show the disconnect between them, or if it was supposed to be stylistic, but half the time I didn't know what their conversation meant. And then things got really weird. When I realized that what I was reading was a hallucination, I had to confess, I began to admire Thompson. It cannot be easy to write that kind of thing. Ford's breakdown at the end was just bizarre, as it should be. In general, I didn't care for the book. It's difficult to like a work when you can't bond with any of the characters. I might try something else by him later though.

Chacun à son goût. I like Jim Thompson but see how he might not be to everyone's liking. In my opinion, The Killer Inside Me is the best of his I've read, so if you didn't particularly like that one. . .

I hate to hear that Christina, but I'm an optimist so maybe there's something I will just love...

I'm another who loved The Killer Inside Me and agree with christiguc- it's probably his best. Although you might try The Grifters as I don't recall any psychopaths in that one. But really, I read Thompson for the psychopaths, lol.

Queenpin by Megan Abbott
4.5 stars

Chandler famously said 'when in doubt, have a man come through the door with a gun in his hand.' I've always thought it was more interesting with a woman holding the gun. And ultimately I believe men think that too, else why would there be so many femme fatales, molls, vamps, vixens, dames and doxies in crime fiction? Bad girls are exciting and vivid. They might break your heart as soon as break your jaw and they might come to a messy end, but the spectacle of it all remains fixed in your mind.

She grabbed my chin in her hand. It was wet and she wanted it on me. She wanted his blood on me. She curled her fingers so high up my chin they touched the bottom of my lips. The wet touched my lips and lingered there. "You're going to do it and you're going to do it smart. And don't even think of going Pollyanna on me," she muttered. "That knife didn't get there by itself."

I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered Queenpin. I didn't know if it was written from a woman's perspective, by a woman, it would be softened up or not. Be warned, it's as hardboiled as it gets! Abbott has given us such a treat - she doesn't pull a single punch and the claws come out more than once. I think part of what made it good is that there are two women and we get the insight which is not possible from the male perspective. I recommend Abbott to all fans of crime fiction.

I've had to add Jenna Starborn to my tbr. I finally got my hands on a copy of Jumper and am keen to read it as well. I don't seem to need Book Lust, I get too many recommendations right here on LT.

Queenpin sounds good and I'll look for it. I don't know why I saw that name of the author and thought she wrote chicklit. Must be someone with a similar name.

And unfortunately Book Lust has a couple of twin sisters: More Book Lust and Book Crush. Between those three AND this place, I really don't have a hope of ever catching up!

Staying out of those three. This place is plenty dangerous enough all by itself...

You would think that with our rapidly expanding piles of unread books and lists of things we must read immediately, we'd all run screaming from books that provide lists of books and reasons to read them.

This does not, however, seem to be the case.

I sometimes think that it's simply my love of making lists that make me return to these books. I had not heard of Book Lust or its follow-ups before, I think I should take a peek at them. It's just such a nice thought imagining what books you're going to read next!

Hello folks! How nice of you to visit! Haven't been reading as much as usual. I'm crocheting a baby blanket for a friend and it's taken up much of my reading time. I feel I've left you hanging. I hope to work on a review later today.

finished The Law of Nines by Terry Goodkind
3 stars

I have not read any of Terry Goodkind's work in several years. Wizards First Rule found a place in my heart, and I still recommend it to others, but I fell away from Goodkind because I'm not really an epic series person. Along book six or seven, I tend to forget what happened in book three. I recently saw The Law of Nines and it caught my eye. It looked bold and shiny, like a modern thriller. There was no heroic painting on the cover. This is a Goodkind? And then there was the jacket copy. (queue deep-throated, movie-preview voice) "Now, in an electrifying new direction, he brings all his skills to bear on the most exciting and stunningly original thriller of the year". Well, I thought, now I don't have to worry about the other (ten!) books in The Sword of Truth series, I'll just check out this new thing. That's the problem with reading a "bestselling" author - they are firmly enmeshed in the spin machine. I have finally learned my lesson. Copy writers exaggerate. I won't say lie. Lie is harsh. But somebody misled me.

It's not that I hated it. It's that I hated being duped into reading 500 pages that I thought would be "stunningly original" only to find that it's not. So I'm going to warn you. If you don't want to be warned, stop reading. Now.

OK. There's a man, who lives in Orden, named Alex Rahl. One day he saves a mysterious long-haired woman because bad men are trying to kill her. Then his grandfather reveals something about his destiny. Does it sound familiar to you, Goodkind-fan? Any bells ringing in your head? Well, that's just the tip of the iceberg. This book is a related work to The Sword of Truth series. I don't know why they didn't just market it as such. And despite not being "stunning" or "original", I still polished it off in three days. So, there is something readable about it. But I don't think I'll be reading any further Goodkinds unless my trusty, dependable LT friends tell me it really is new stuff.

sorry for the double post!

I've never read any Goodkind, but I'm not sure I want to get into such a long series. How annoying that they didn't really tell you what the book was about.

How did the baby blanket turn out?

It's half completed. The shower is next weekend. I've been getting up early and staying up late to finish it. I'm even crocheting during the drive to and from work (I carpool with my husband). Cross your fingers I'll have it done in time!

finished The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
4 stars

"Think more along the lines of a man with a black cape. Fangs. Funny accent." He turned his head so that Gus could hear him better. "Now take away the cape and fangs. The funny accent. Take away anything funny about it."

The Master has managed to cross the ocean on an airplane bound for the New World. Landing at JFK, he unleashes an undead epidemic on New York City that will soon consume the entire nation.

When I first realized that Guillermo del Toro had written a vampire novel, I was torn. I love modern vampire tales however, del Toro's work has always been a mixed bag for me. I worried that it would be too weird, gross or profane for my tastes. My fears turned out to be incorrect and I enjoyed the book very much. It had enough of the classic vampire hallmarks to be satisfying and enough of an original spin to be exciting. Another reviewer called it "'Salems Lot meets The Hot Zone" and that is just dead on. I could not put it any better. I look forward to seeing how the trilogy plays out.

Now that sounds like a vampire book I could sink my teeth into! It's already on my wishlist but perhaps I should move it up a few notches.

I was a huge fan of Guillermo del Toro going into The Strain and I was not disappointed. I felt that it had a very cinematic quality to it and could very easily be made into a movie or mini-series. I am excited for the next installment.

***edited: stupid touchstones!

>152 Belladonna1975: Belladonna - I think the sequel comes out in September!

finished Coldwater by Mardi McConnochie
3 stars

Coldwater is an Australian island, home of a penal colony which Captain Wolf rules with an iron hand. He lives there with his daughters: Charlotte, Emily and Ann. His son Branwell passed away and is buried close by. Captain Wolf finds himself obsessed with the proper management of the barracks. He must squash any individualism, crush any uprising, negate any threat to himself.... and his daughters.

As you have probably guessed, Coldwater is a tale of the Bronte family, reimagined. While I enjoyed the bleak setting of the island, in my mind, it wasn't quite a sufficient replacement for the moors. Brontes belong on the moors. I loved the language of this book. I found myself reading parts of it out loud just to slow myself down and savor the words a little longer. As for the story, the two main viewpoints are from Captain Wolf and Charlotte, who are the two dominant personalities. I didn't care for Captain Wolf at all. What I did enjoy was the adventures of the sisters. I won't say much more because I don't want to spoil it. But let me just say that the genesis of the dark Byronic heroes you find in Bronte books are here, in Coldwater.

That one sounds really good. I will have to add that to my quickly growing TBR list. Why is it for every book that I read, I add two more?

That one sounds interesting and I'll look for it. Thanks!

finished The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb
3.5 stars

"It all sounds quite Gothic," he said. "A huge old house, stuck on an island in bad weather, an unsolved murder, mysterious encounters with ghosts and rude townspeople, even an eerie old maid."

And indeed, The Tale of Halcyon Crane is deliciously Gothic. Hallie is a modern woman set adrift in a sea of family secrets from long ago. Unsure of what to believe about her parents, she goes to Manitou Island to discover the truth about everything. Even that eerie old maid.

The atmosphere is terrific. I read the book in one sitting and I realized how much it had affected me because I kept checking over my shoulder. There were a couple of loose ends that were irksome. Much of the story is predictable, but if you're a genre reader, that's usually par for the course. It's a satisfying debut novel.

@157 :: Ooh, sounds like fun! I might have to add this to my own challenge somehow...

finished Everwild by Neal Shusterman
5 stars

Everwild picks up where Everlost left off. Mary, Nick and Allie have all gone their separate ways. Each exploring and learning new things from the other kids in Everlost. Allie finds that she can skinjack, that is possess, the living. Nick discovers a Ripper, Zinnia, who can bring living things over. And Mary continues her quest to be all-powerful Queen, now and forevermore. It is the afterlife, after all... Nick knows that he must stop Mary. Again. He brings his small army of children up from Atlanta while Mary marches her superior force from Chicago. When they meet in Memphis the fate of the Afterlights will be decided.

In my experience, middle books in a trilogy often feel like the weakest. The author has already introduced you to the players, but is not ready for the epic showdown at the end, so you spend the time meandering from place A to place B. Sometimes you feel like the author should have just written two books and saved you the time and money. That is not true with Everwild, a sequel which surpasses Everlost in every way. It's like Buffy Season Three, it gets so good you wonder how it can possibly top itself, and then it does. Every Shusterman book I read continues to amaze and thrill me with its originality. There were several times my jaw dropped. It's a lot of fun, and very amusing, but like any good fiction there's a message underneath it all. Bravo, Neal. Bravo.

Everlost sounds like an interesting concept. Added to the TBR mountain. Thanks.

finished Clockwork by Philip Pullman
3.5 stars

A small work but a very satisfying quick read. One part Faust and one part Velveteen Rabbit. Kids who enjoy steampunk or gearpunk might enjoy it.

A couple of years ago, I was reading tons of books for children to find something to adapt for stage for The Royal Dramatic Theatre here in Stockholm. This was one of my candidates - had me thinking of ETA Hoffman, and I could easily see how this could become an cool show visually. But in the end I chose something else.

Hey GM! That's a shame, it could interesting on the stage! You're right, it was very much like an ETA Hoffman story.

Hooray! I have now read a book from each category!

congrats

The Strain sounds great. Add that one to the wishlist!