Well, I took the plunge and got a nook. I'm adjusting to it slowly. Or rather, I've only read one book on it and there's a huge pile of paperbacks on my hall table to be read, so I'm adjusting slowly by default. This newer touch screen nook is an improvement over the older style (which Matt has). My chief complaint about the old style was that there was no easy way to quickly scroll back through the book if you were looking for something. I sometimes like to go back and check things/conversations out and without bookmarking a page, this is nearly impossible in the older nook. But, the new one has added a feature that lets you scroll easily, almost the same as if you were flipping through a book. I still have one tiny complaint. Sometimes I like to know when the end of the chapter will be and that's hard to figure out on the nook. But, again, I'm getting used to it :)
Onto this book....
This is another Jennifer Weiner book. It is about several different woman. Jules decides to be an egg donor because she needs the money to help her dad. Annie decides to be a surrogate because her family doesn't have much money and she wants a better life for herself and her 2 young boys. India is an older woman who desperately wants a baby and is wealthy enough to afford the high costs of egg donors and surrogates. Bettina is India's new step-daughter, who is hell bent on proving that India is taking advantage of her father. Other than Bettina and India, none of the characters know each other at the outset of the story. The book chronicles their journey through this whole child-birth process, as well as showing background info that helps you to understand how they got to this point of their lives. Weiner did a great job weaving through their story lines. I enjoyed this book very much. And it was a really quick read. There was something that bothered me in the end with India's character. But I understood how her actions at the end brought all the characters together (even if I didn't like it!).
This one had 284 pages.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
L #24- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
What can I say about this book, other than I love it? Nothing really. This is a re-read for me and I enjoyed it just as much the third time as I did the first. I read it in preparation for the movie and was glad that I had reviewed all the sub-plots and conversations. So sad this is over! I really wish Rowling would write more.
759 pages
759 pages
M #18 - #23 - Rizzoli and Isles bookes 1-6
The Surgeon
The Apprentice
The Sinner
Body Double
Vanish
The Mephisto Club
So, Lauren convinced me to put my nook down and pick up a hardcopy book so that we could both read the Rizzoli and Isles books by Tess Gerritsen. We love the TV show and wanted to give the books a try. They are fantastic! Tess Gerritsen knows how to write this genre. The plots are always creative and make you want to keep turning the pages. I've finished the 1st six books. There are 2 more already out, with #9 releasing this month. I've put them down to go back to a few nook books that I'd been waiting on, but will definitely be finishing this series!
The Apprentice
The Sinner
Body Double
Vanish
The Mephisto Club
So, Lauren convinced me to put my nook down and pick up a hardcopy book so that we could both read the Rizzoli and Isles books by Tess Gerritsen. We love the TV show and wanted to give the books a try. They are fantastic! Tess Gerritsen knows how to write this genre. The plots are always creative and make you want to keep turning the pages. I've finished the 1st six books. There are 2 more already out, with #9 releasing this month. I've put them down to go back to a few nook books that I'd been waiting on, but will definitely be finishing this series!
M #16 - Storm Front
Dresden Files - book 1. After reading Jim Butcher's Acadia series (See earlier posts), I was excited to start the series that began his career. The Dresden Files are a sort of modern age fantasy series. Kind of like X-files, but more focused on magic. Harry Dresden, the main character, is a modern age detective / slash wizard in Chicago. The books are funny and full of action. They don't take themselves too seriously and are a blast to read. I'll definitely continue the series.
M #14 - The Wise Man's Fears
King Killer Chronicles book 2 by Patrick Rothfuss. When I read The Name of The Wind last year, I loved it. I was so excited about this new author, and this series. The second book picked up right where the first left off and did not disappoint! It was fantastic. I cannot wait till the next installment! Kvothe is one of my new favorite literary characters!
M #13 - Shadowheart
This is the final installment of Tad Williams' Shadowmarch series. I've been a Tad Williams fan for a long time. He crafts very detailed worlds with incredibly developed characters. He mixes great storylines with the fantasy action and themes that I enjoy. That said, my one complaint with this series is my same complaint from his last. There is all this build up through multiple books, and then the ending is very anti-climatic. Even still, it was a great read.
M #12 - Altar of Eden
Yet another free nook book. I had downloaded a bunch of free stuff and never gotten around to reading it. NOw that I do more business travel, if I found myself in the position where I had finished my latest purchase not long into a flight and needed something new. I went through and grabbed some freebies that I had been sitting on.
The author of this book is James Rollins. I've read some of his books before. They are easy reads and fairly enjoyable. They are good books for quick reads when you don't have anything else to do. His book are typically a sort of adventure science fiction. Like Indiana Jones meets sci-fi and aliens kind of thing. This book held true to form.
The author of this book is James Rollins. I've read some of his books before. They are easy reads and fairly enjoyable. They are good books for quick reads when you don't have anything else to do. His book are typically a sort of adventure science fiction. Like Indiana Jones meets sci-fi and aliens kind of thing. This book held true to form.
M #11 - Think of a Number
This is another free nook book that I took a chance on. It was really good! I stepped out of the fantasy genre and back into the murder mystery genre. The author was able to weave together a very interesting plot, with great characters. It kept me guessing right up until the end. The author is Timothy Hallinan. I will definitely give another chance!
M #10 - Sandman Slim
This was a free nook book that I thought I would take a chance on. It falls in the Sci-fi, heaven vs. hell vs. man type genre. It was ok. It was a quick read with a fairly engaging plot. Nothing new, and pretty predictable. Probably would not spend money on the next one in the series.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
L #23- The Funny Thing Is...
I borrowed this book thinking it would be a quick and funny read. And Ellen Degeneres did not disappoint. The chapters were written completely independently of each other, meaning you could read any chapter at random and still not be confused. I loved having something funny to read! It isn't often that I laugh out loud at books. This was just the "escape" I needed today! And yes, I read it in one day. Well, to be more precise, I think it was a mere 2 hours.
177 pages.
177 pages.
L #22- Naked Heat
Even though I'm certain the fictitious Richard Castle did not write this book, that's whose picture is on the back cover of Naked Heat. Matt and I loooove the show Castle. It is so entertaining. I love Richard Castle, the character. I just find the show so fun and lighthearted (even if it is about homicide detectives).
This book reads just like an episode of Castle. In fact, it was eerily similar to an episode I had seen. The whole thing felt like dejavu. I'm fairly certain the writers for the show wrote this book. It was obvious that it wasn't written by a novelist the way scenes were kind of jumpy at times (certain things don't translate well into written form without seeing them, if that makes sense). I didn't dislike the book, but I doubt I'll pick up another book written by "Richard Castle". Still, it's fun to say I've read the books from the show :) This one had 288 pages.
This book reads just like an episode of Castle. In fact, it was eerily similar to an episode I had seen. The whole thing felt like dejavu. I'm fairly certain the writers for the show wrote this book. It was obvious that it wasn't written by a novelist the way scenes were kind of jumpy at times (certain things don't translate well into written form without seeing them, if that makes sense). I didn't dislike the book, but I doubt I'll pick up another book written by "Richard Castle". Still, it's fun to say I've read the books from the show :) This one had 288 pages.
L #21- Best Friends Forever
I enjoy Jennifer Weiner books typically. This one had all the elements that I usually like (insecure character, easily lovable, undercurrent of romance) but it also had moments that were just beyond belief.
The main character, Addie, hasn't been friends with her supposed best friend, Val, in years. Something terrible happened in high school to destroy their friendship (don't want to give it away). But one day, Val shows up on Addie's doorstep, with blood on her coat, thinking she may have killed someone. This is the part that bothers me. Instead of doing the sensible thing, or asking the friend why on earth she should help her when their friendship has dissolved, Val somehow convinces Addie to run away to Florida with her. I mean, maybe I'm just a lot less forgiving, but that whole part seemed wholly not plausible to me at all. Other than that, the ebb and flow of friendship was fun to read about and Addie was a very likable character. I don't feel that this book was a waste of my time, but it most definitely was not my favorite Weiner book. This one had 359 pages.
The main character, Addie, hasn't been friends with her supposed best friend, Val, in years. Something terrible happened in high school to destroy their friendship (don't want to give it away). But one day, Val shows up on Addie's doorstep, with blood on her coat, thinking she may have killed someone. This is the part that bothers me. Instead of doing the sensible thing, or asking the friend why on earth she should help her when their friendship has dissolved, Val somehow convinces Addie to run away to Florida with her. I mean, maybe I'm just a lot less forgiving, but that whole part seemed wholly not plausible to me at all. Other than that, the ebb and flow of friendship was fun to read about and Addie was a very likable character. I don't feel that this book was a waste of my time, but it most definitely was not my favorite Weiner book. This one had 359 pages.
L #20- Sweet Valley Confidential
I'll preface this by saying that they *only* reason I read this book was because I loved the books in this series when I was younger. Man, they were so much fun to read! But I didn't go into this book expecting a lot. And I'm glad I didn't because Francine Pascal hasn't changed her writing style at all. This book was still written like it was for 16 year olds and their drama. If I had a dollar for every time Jessica said "so" or "like" I'd be rich.
I did have one huge complaint about this book though. Pascal had Elizabeth date a guy that supposedly looked just like Todd. Only, once she forgave Jessica and Todd for their affair, she broke it off with this lookalike and just immediately got together with Bruce Patman. And at the end, Pascal just gave a paragraph to every person that had ever been mentioned in the history of Sweet Valley books. Why on earth do we need a recap of their lives? If they weren't important enough to make it into this story, then I just don't care.
That said, it was entertaining to read a book that reminded me so much of being young. And with 205 pages, it was also a quick read.
This was also my first venture into nook-dom. Matt convinced me to give one book a try on the nook. I can understand the allure. But a part of me feels incredibly sad to think of what this means for traditional books. I have a lot to say about reading from electronic devices, but I'm pretty sure no one but me cares. So I'll leave it at all. I'm also fairly convinced Matt will be giving me the latest nook for whatever the next gift giving occasion is....
I did have one huge complaint about this book though. Pascal had Elizabeth date a guy that supposedly looked just like Todd. Only, once she forgave Jessica and Todd for their affair, she broke it off with this lookalike and just immediately got together with Bruce Patman. And at the end, Pascal just gave a paragraph to every person that had ever been mentioned in the history of Sweet Valley books. Why on earth do we need a recap of their lives? If they weren't important enough to make it into this story, then I just don't care.
That said, it was entertaining to read a book that reminded me so much of being young. And with 205 pages, it was also a quick read.
This was also my first venture into nook-dom. Matt convinced me to give one book a try on the nook. I can understand the allure. But a part of me feels incredibly sad to think of what this means for traditional books. I have a lot to say about reading from electronic devices, but I'm pretty sure no one but me cares. So I'll leave it at all. I'm also fairly convinced Matt will be giving me the latest nook for whatever the next gift giving occasion is....
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