TV for your brain, take 2

The Angel Experiment by James Patterson


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'll just get this out there: James Patterson is not one of my favorite authors. His books, which are typically formula-driven without a whole lot of originality, are typically perfect candidates for a made for TV movie. So it probably goes without saying that I wasn't expecting Pulitzer-esque writing.

My husband, who lovingly loaded this free book into my Kindle, thought this would be a great bridge between the mass market novels he likes to read and my current infatuation with Young Adult books. And he was sort of right: the story was one that was written pretty well (in YA formula). And though it was entirely predictable, I became invested in the characters, so much so that I think I MIGHT read another Maximum Ride novel. But first, I have to read something more pressing on my nightstand. (It may be awhile)



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Sex, love and Vichyssoise

Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
What a cute book. This book is a must for anyone who is a blogger and knows about the challenges of daily posting and the exhilaration of reading encouraging words from Internet strangers. The way Julie's story develops and intertwines with Julia Child's life, and the evolution of a basic cook that everyone can relate to who ends the book being able to make a nearly perfect pastry is a nice wrap up to the whole story.

It's also a great book about obsessions and symbolism. Julie compares her thrill in reading Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking to her sneaking and reading The Joy of Sex behind closed doors when she was a younger girl, before she knew what sex was.

And in a way, she's right: French cooking is somehow mysterious and seems seductive in a way that makes the simplest dishes into gourmet meals. Take,for example, Vichyssoise. The English translation is cold potato leek soup. Yet the simplistic deliciousness makes it something I don't hesitate to share with the pickiest company. Also, it rolls off your tongue much better. Isn't it sexier to say "Vichyssoise" than "cold potato leek soup". (Plus it's really, really, REALLY good).

I'm looking forward to seeing the movie and will post an update to the review then. Until then, try the Vichyssoise. You won't be disappointed.

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A Great and Not Terrible Trilogy

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was by far my favorite of the 3 Gemma Doyle books, and an excellent audiobook.

I feel like Libba Bray's writing improved throughout the series, and the characters grew as time progressed. Gemma deals with more adult topics as she is nearing the end of her time in school, and the sub plots get darker and more complex as well.

Gone is the little girl who made butterflies out of leaves in the Realms, and in her place is a character who is nearly a grownup, very real and complex and at the same time - still her charming self.

If you've read ANY of the Gemma series, it's worth it to pick this one up and finish the story.

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The Monkey's Raincoat

The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A friend who knows how much I adore Nelson Demille's John Corey told me I might enjoy the Elvis Cole novels. What do you know? I did.

The sarcastic, altruistic tough guy with a streak of impatience for rules and regulations, this book reads like a Bruce Willis cop drama. In fact, it's suprising that no one has snatched these books up to make into movies. Hmmm....

Set in the 80s before cell phones were common and ignoring the cops was trendy, this pulp fiction-esq detective novel grabbed me. I already miss Elvis Cole and I'm sure I'll be back for more.


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Status update (aka, what the heck is this blog for, anyway?)

I began an ambitious goal to read a book a week this year when something occured to me that scared me to death - as a 33 year old woman whose life expectancy is 79, my life would run out before the books I wanted to read did. The pace I was reading, erring conservatively, was about one a month. That would leave approximately 552 books left to read in my lifetime.

Aaack.

Faced with the notion that a person has a limited amount of time left in life, their immediate thought is probably not "I won't be able to read all the books I want!" Yes, I realize I am a total geek for admitting this. Oh well - this is my blog and not yours, neener neener.

So if you've made it this far, you may be wondering whether I still feel a book a week is a good goal, or where the heck I'm going with this, so I'll put together a quick FAQ for the remainder of the year.

How many books have I read so far this year?
31, counting 8 full length audiobooks

How many have I started and not finished?
4: Mary by Janis Cooke Newman, Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott, and Jane Eyre, all of which I intend to finish at some point, and Middlesex, which I do not.

Are you still on target for reaching your goal?
If I read 5 books a month I'll have made my goal. It's still ambitous, and I'm a bit behind where I wanted to be, but audiobooks should help.

Any advice for someone who wants to have a reading goal?
Audiobooks are a great way to get some reading in during times that you can't read (like when you're driving), join Goodreads or another online book club for inspiration, and keep your eye on the goal.

Adventures in David Sedaris, part 1

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
You could probably guess that I am the ideal audience for David Sedaris. For starters,

I listen to NPR regularly.
I love humor laced with sarcasm.
I have an overdeveloped sense of urgency around for gay rights.
My interest for living in the US is waning, and finding American citizens living abroad is more and more enticing.
I love a great story laced somewhere in between these topics.

David Sedaris meets all those things and more. There were times during the audiobook where I literally laughed out loud in my car, then looked to see if anyone was watching me make a fool out of myself. Yet there were other times when his voice became whiny and monotonous when I had to turn off the book just to find - ironically - he was the special guest of the day on NPR.

The part of When You Are Engulfed in Flames dedicated to David's journey about quitting smoking, while interesting, dragged on endlessly. His love of spiders was not entirely enduring either. I mean, who loves spiders above people and - ghastly - above puppies?!

I'm not done yet with David Sedaris, but I hope my next experience doesn't make me want to put down the book. Or worse - turn off NPR.

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Dreamland

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this, my very first Sarah Dessen book. Dessen's ability to create characters with complexity was refreshing, especially for this subject - an abusive, co-dependent relationship with a girl you really don't expect to be "that" girl.

The book made me look at teenage relationships in a different light. Should be required reading in health class, although I can't think that any teenage boy would use the book as anything other than a flyswatter.

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