2 Reviews of Books that Couldn't Be More Different

If you tried to put 2 books together that are completely different, I don't think you could do much better than Kate Atkinson's Life after Life and David Baldacci's The Hit.  The 1st one I'm still trying to figure out, and the 2nd one is a sequel to The Innocent, which I gave a 3.5 (out of 4) last year.  Let's start with Life After Life (this won't take long).  I'll quote you Goodreads' synopsis because I couldn't figure out how to describe the book on my own.

On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born, the third child of a wealthy English banker and his wife. Sadly, she dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to say the least, unusual. For as she grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in any number of ways. Clearly history (and Kate Atkinson) have plans for her: In Ursula rests nothing less than the fate of civilization.

Does that make sense to you?  Yes?  Well, then, you're a lot smarter than I am.  I read all 529 pages (in hardcover, mind you) and kept trying to figure out when Ursula died and when she reappeared.  I made a note that the book picked up on page 187 and another note that I finally cared about Ursula on page 231.  And then I didn't.  How can you get emotionally connected (I know, I'm at it again) with someone who is alive, then dead, then alive, then dead, ad nauseum.  Except for page 231, I couldn't.  

I gave the book a 2.5 because it is well-written, and because I acknowledge the complexity of the story.  But if I can't get caught up in the main character, then a 2.5 is the best number I can give.  Sorry, Kate.  I enjoyed seeing you at Book Passage, and I do love that British accent.  But if you can't make me care (i.e. cry), then you've, at least partially, lost me.  I own Case Histories and will maybe give that a try - some day.

Baldacci's The Hit picks up where The Innocent left off.  As a little recap, The Innocent centers on a 40-year old hit man for the CIA who develops a conscience.  I liked the main character, Will Robie, and thought he was one of Baldacci's better protagonists.  HOWEVER, what really made the book for me was Julie, the 14-year old spunky cast-off from a foster home that Will ends up on the run with.  She carried the book for me and made me really care what happened to her.

In The Hit, Julie only makes a couple of cameo appearances.  This one is all about Will and another CIA assassin, Jessica, who has gone rogue.  She has apparently killed a couple of CIA bigwigs, and Will is dispatched to dispatch her.  Him chasing her and then catching up to her makes for a very interesting book.  Baldacci has definitely hit on a good character.  But, without Julie, it's just a little bit flat.  It's still a solid 3 out of 4, but I can't give it a 3.5 like I did with The Innocent.  I firmly believe that Baldacci will be able to survive my diminshed rating.

That's it.  Every once in a while, I like to fool you all by reading mainstream, mass market books.  I'll try not to let it become a habit. 

Re-read Suggestions

Quite a few people came in with books that they've either re-read or intend to re-read.  Here are the books and the re-readers (with my comments for those that I have read):

John L. - Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card (very clever science fiction story and storyline)
               Neuromancer, William Gibson
               Aztec, Gary Jennings (well-written but didn't grab me)
               Under the Fifth Sun, Earl Shorris
               Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams (liked, didn't love, it)
Susan U. - The Stand, Stephen King (liked it a lot - very compelling)
Brian G. (for a friend) - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, Robert Heinlein
Julie D. - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, JK Rowling (liked them all)
Meredith S. - Good in Bed, Jennifer Weiner (I personally liked this book a lot)
Joni R. - The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls (1 of my top 12 all-time)
Bev S. - Othello, Willy Shakespeare
              Cat's Eye, Margaret Atwood
              Restoration, Rose Tremain
Book'dout - Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte

If any others come in, I'll gather them up and report back to you.

Do You Re-read Books?

I've had a lot of people recently, especially on Sunday mornings at Recycle, who have mentioned books that they either re-read or want to re-read. I, personally, can't make time to re-read anything. But, if I did, The Source, by James Michener, comes to mind.
What one book would you pick to re-read? Maybe you've already done it. Let me know, and I'll post the results.

Weekly Recommendations List #2 (exciting title, eh?)

Here is my 2nd list of recommendations (yes, I know it's Tuesday - so, sue me).  As a reminder (because it was a week ago, after all), these are all books that I have NOT read.  My sources are bloggers, authors, readers, publicists, and publishers.  As before, if I don't list a genre, then it's your basic contemporary fiction.  Here they are:

Anne Pfeffer, Girls Love Travis Walker, tearjerker - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Robyn Carr, The Newcomer (#3, #1 - The Wanderer) - BookHounds
Ingrid Thoft, Loyalty - Booking Mama
Jennifer Gilbert, I Never Promised You a Goodie Bag, memoir - Bookfan
Charity Norman, The Son-in-Law - Book'd Out
Harold Holzer and the NY Historical Society, The Civil War in 50 Objects, history - Rhapsody in
   Books
Michael Faber, The Crimson Petal and the White - Estella's Revenge
Anton Disclafani, The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls, coming-of-age story - Booking Mama
Shaunta Grimes, Veral Nation, dystopian YA - Coffee and a Book Chick
Bridget Zinn, Poison, YA - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Carole M. Roman, If You Were Me and Lived in... (a variety of cities), children's - Stacey's Books
Ruth Silver, Aberrant, dystopian science fiction - Tangled in Pages
Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess, YA - To Be Continued
Alexandre Bracken, The Darlot Minds, YA tearjerker - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Katie Hofner, Mother Daughter Me, memoir - Parade Magazine, Goodreads, itunes
Holly Robinson, The Wishing Well, women's fiction - Booking Mama
Saira Shah, The Mouseproof Kitchen - Book'd Out
Maureen Johnson, The Name of the Star, Shades of Passion series, 1888 - Tangled in Pages
Elizabeth Winder, Pain, Parties, Work, biography - Sylvia Plath - bermudaonion
DM Yates, Always, Love Is Eternal, spiritual fantasy - BookHounds
Sports Illustrated, Big Book of Who Football, sports - Booking Mama
Mary Kay Andrews, Spring Fever, adult contemporary - Tangled in Pages
Stan & Jan Berenstain, Berenstain Bears, children's picture books - bermudaonion (I read these books
   my kids, who are now 37, 34, and 29)
Kelly Starling Lyons, Tea Cakes for Tosh, multicultural picture book
Catriona McPherson, As She Left It - Amazon (8 reviews)

That's it for this week.  Another 25.  There is no shortage of books being recommended by no shortage of sources.  Stick with me here.  In the meantime, I'll "see you" next Monday (approximately).

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Have A Winner!!!

Okay, everybody, we have a winner to the Avid Reader contest.  It's Shelleyrae, author of the blog bookdout.  Here is her entry.

I can't resist $50 to spend on books!

I read about five books a week (250+ a year) so I will pretty much read anywhere, anytime: while in labour (between contractions); while filling up my car at the petrol pump (it has 2 tanks and it takes a while); while swimming; at school I used to prop my textbook up on my desk with another book inside and I'd be reading while the teacher droned on about something as unimportant as algebra; instead of sleeping. LOL

Shelleyrae
www.bookdout.wordpress.com

I think we can all agree that Shelleyrae is truly an Avid Reader.  Congratulations.  Let me know how to make out the $50 gift certificate and where to send it.  It's truly a pleasure to present it to you.  As for the rest of you, thank you for participating.  I'll make sure the next contest makes it a little tougher for Shelleyrae!

Midterm Report

Well, I'm nothing if not a copycat.  I have now read a couple of bloggers who have given mid-year progress reports on books and pages read as well as some 1st-half favorites.  Heck, I can do that too.  Here's the info:

42 books
14,014 pages
Ratings:
1   - 4.5
3   - 4.0
5   - 3.5
15 - 3.0
12 - 2.5
6   - 2.0

Top 5, in order:
The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh - 4.5
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, Beth Hoffman - 4.0 (almost a 4.5 - a 4.25 maybe?)
The Storyteller - Jodi Picoult - 4.0
Minefields of the Heart - Sue Diaz - 4.0
House on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford - 3.5

See you again on January 1, 2014 (or tomorrow, whichever comes 1st).

Weekly Recommendation List-Not By Book Sage (WRL-NBBS)

Other than the awkward title, I hope that this weekly list of recommendations will be helpful.  Every book on the list has come highly recommended.  My sources are - bloggers, authors, readers, publicists, and publishers.  I will list the source for each one.  And if I don't specify a genre, then consider it the catchall category of contemporary fiction.  There is no significant order to this list.  They're just listed as I wrote them down.  I will be interested in your comments, especially after you have tried a book or two.  And keep in mind that I have not read any of these books.

Each book is listed by author, title, genre (other than contemporary fiction), and recommender.

John Boyne, The Absolutist - Jasmine Haynes (author)
Justin Cronin, The Passage (book #1) - Jasmine Haynes (author)
Justin Cronin, The Twelve (book #2) - Jasmine Haynes (author)
Janet Evanovich, One for the Money - Ronda (reader)
Margaret George, The Memoirs of Cleopatra - Ronda (reader)
Nicci French, Waiting for Wednesday, psychological thriller (book #3 in series) - book'd out (blogger)
Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Estella's Revenge (blogger)
Daniel James Brown, The Boys in the Boat:  Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold at the
   1936 Berlin Olympics, non-fiction - Booking Mama (blogger)
Kirsten Knaute, just_a_girl, YA - book'd out (blogger)
Diane M. Haynes, Rift Healer, YA - Feed Your Fiction Addiction (blogger)
Bella Andre, The Look of Love, romance (book #1, #2-#4 also available) - BookHounds (blogger)
Amy Brile, The Movement of Stars, historical fiction - Booking Mama (blogger)
Robert Penn Warren, All the King's Men, classic (1946) - Lauren (reader AND MY DAUGHTER)
Alex Hammond, Blood Witness, crime fiction (book #1)(Australian) - book'd out (blogger)
Jenn Bennett, Binding the Shadows, urban fantasy (book #3 in series) - Tangled in Pages (blogger)
Kimberly McCreight, Reconstructing Amelia - bermudaonion (blogger)
Jim Bailey, The Yankee Chef:  Feel Good for Every Kitchen, cookbook - Bibliophile by the Sea
   (blogger)
Sally Vickers, The Cleaner of Chartre, mystery - Silver's Reviews (blogger)
Suzanne Rindell, The Other Typist, historical fiction/psychological suspense - Under My Apple Tree
   (blogger)
Jenni Fagan, The Panopticon - Gillian Flynn (author), Vanessa Diffenbaugh (author)
Sara Pennypacker, Clementine, children's (6 books), (3rd & 4th grade) - Booking Mama
Jennifer Smith, This Is What Happy Looks Like, YA - bermudaonion (blogger)
Richard Michelin, Twice As Good, non-fiction (golf) - Rhapsody in Books (blogger)
Kate Kerrigan, City of Hope (book #2, Ellis Island-book #1) - Diary of an Eccentric (blogger)
Lucinda Riley, The Lavender Garden - Silver's Reviews

I think 25 recommendations is enough for one week.