11.09.09
Monday Combo 11/9
Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about your bookshelf…
Does your house have a communal bookshelf? If not, is your bookshelf centrally located so everyone has access to it?
- Nope. The shelves in the living room have all cooking books and magazines which aren’t touched except by me. The shelves downstairs are mine, and only touched by me. See a trend here? yes. I’m practically the only one in the house that reads. Oh well. There’s a lot of space for me then. 
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Mailbox Monday:
I received the following:
Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters – Jane Austen & Ben H Winters (From publisher) (OMG I GOT THIS BOOK!! YAAYAYAYAY)
Life After 187 – Wade Halverson (Author Contact)
Death in the Stocks – Georgette Heyer (Sourcebooks)
Cold Pursuit – Carla Neggers (contest win)
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Library Finds
The Tale of Hill Top Farm – Susan Wittig Albert (Cozy mystery time!)
Cirque Du Freak (A Living Nightmare) – Darren Shan
so! what did you find/receive/answer? 
Review of The Thief Lord
I do have Inkheart and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke, but haven’t gotten around to reading them (they’re safe in a box ready for me to read whenever I want) but this one also caught my eye and I decided to pick it up as well. I do have a certain liking to anything to do with Venice. I think it’s a city I would love to visit one day.
The Thief Lord, by Cornelia Funke was originally written in German then translated into English. It covers the story of two boys, Prosper and Bo who have run away from their Aunt (who intends to have them separated by having Prosper going to a boarding school while Bo becomes their little trophy child). Running way to Venice (a city they intended to go to after hearing stories about the city from their late mother), they meet with The Thief Lord, a mysterious boy who with a small group of street children make a living by stealing and living in an old abandoned movie theater. There they life a hard, but comfortable life with The Thief Lord providing for them. Little do they know, the Thief Lord has a secret, and the two boys are finding themselves in a journey which will change their lives forever.
This book went by fast! I actually managed to get it started on Friday night, then continued for the rest of the day on Sunday and finished it! It was so interesting I just wanted to know what was going to happen next. At first though I had to admit I wasn’t sure what to expect with this novel. I was actually expecting a novel that was set in Venice back in the past, but surprisingly it actually took place in present day. Which didn’t really make it uninteresting at all, it suited the setting just fine. I really liked the idea of a group of street children surviving and treating it all like one big adventure after another under the leadership of The Thief Lord. Although putting this in a historical fiction setting would also be good as well, it still does well in the present day setting albeit differently but it doesn’t take long to get used to it.
The book was interesting enough, and the plot flowed through seamlessly. There was never a part in the book where I was bored. The chapters were short enough to keep you going and it was definitely a page turner. The majority of the characters were very likable although there were times where I wanted to smack Bo around a bit for being such a pest. Then again he played the role of little brother perfectly. I have to admit, Scipio had to be my favorite character. Especially after what happens to him near the end, I find that he has matured the most, but maintained his childhood self. I liked his character development the most. In the end though, all the children had matured and although it was sad to see everything change, it actually had quite a bittersweet ending. Why bittersweet? because I was just sad to see the story end with such likable characters.
Although a sequel might be tempting, I don’t think there should be one. The ending was complete and all questions were answered. Actually, I think a sequel might actually ruin it. The story is fine as is. This book was a great mix of fantasy, adventure, and a bit of drama.
Overall, a really nice quick read, which will take you to an adventure and you’ll ask yourself; Would you take a ride or not?
I give it a 9 out of 10.
11.06.09
Review of Faceless Killers
I’m on a total murder mystery phase here right now. I’m trying to catch up on the Suspense and Thriller reading challenge (doesn’t look like it’s going to be complete but oh well) and found out about this one while surfing through Amazon for police procedural novels. I also heard all the rage about recent Scandanavian novels being translated into English. Which is another reason why I picked up this book.
Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell is the first novel in the Kurt Wallander series. It features a policeman in Sweden, who is recently divorced, estranged from his daughter, has to take care of an elderly father whom he doesn’t really get along with, and also has a murder case to solve. The murder case involves an elderly farming couple who had been brutually murdered. The woman survived only for a moment to say “foreign” a mysterious clue yet somehow points towards the sudden influx of refugees coming into Sweden thus creating a rise in anti immigrant sentiment in the area. Kurt then realizes he has to solve the murder before things start getting out of hand as tensions start to mount and things start getting out of hand.
This book is definitely different from the police novels I’ve read in the past. The majority of the ones I’ve read had been rather fast paced filled with lots of intrigue and twists that I’m racing through the novel at an alarming rate. This one was very different. It wasn’t fast paced but it was steady and although a little slow at times, it actually got me interested as the criminal investigation went on. It was a gradual procedure, and not one that would take overnight to solve. It had its exciting moments, but moments where you had to sit down and reflect as to what was going on, and it was a much different kind of police procedural novel I have ever seen so far. It was a good balance of careful analysis and examination mixed with intrigue and action. The plot did a good job of drawing you into the crime and having you also reflect and examine on how to solve it. I felt just as frustrated like Kurt was feeling when it felt as if he kept on reaching dead ends and cold trails that would lead nowhere in solving the crime.
The thing I liked the most was the character in Kurt Wallander. He’s very real and three dimensional. He had his own issues to solve and it involved a total different story arc on its own aside from the murder case so you’re not entirely focused on the mystery. You also got to see the “human” side of Kurt as well which I enjoyed and very much liked. It gave the story a much more realistic feeling to it and not something sensation or “Hollywood” about the entire plot. Kurt had his own faults too and so did his colleagues. I also liked how the story also focused on the secondary characters as well (especially his partner Rydberg, who also has major problems of his own). It was great to see realistic almost “fleshy” characters in the book.
I guess what I didn’t really like was I’m not used to this style of writing, so I was really expecting this big flash bang sensational ending where I would be left speechless. This book isn’t meant to be that way. The case was closed, and solved and that was that. No big gunfight. No SWAT team. No hostages. No Channel 6 news helicopters flying overhead (har har). It was simple, clean cut, and done. Then again the entire book was like that; clean and to the point. It was like one giant puzzle being put together and having the satisfaction of having it completed on time. Nothing celebratory or excitement just job done, go home and relax. I suppose that’s how it’s really done and if so, then it’s another good job at keeping the story realistic.
Would I read the books following this? sure, why not? it’s a short read and I don’t regret picking this book up. Although it’s not exciting as I hoped it would be, it held my attention enough to keep me going, as I was curious as to who did it and why. Secrets were exposed, and closure was met, and all loose ends were tied. It was well done and complete.
Overall, don’t be looking for grand excitement in this one. Just a good realistic police detective novel. It’s realistic, and interesting as it takes you along a journey through Sweden and their way of life. It’s definitely worth giving it a try if you’re up for something mellow and a more on the serious side of the police force.
I give it a 7 out of 10.
11.05.09
Booking Through Thursday 11/5
Which do you prefer? Biographies written about someone? Or Autobiographies written by the actual person (and/or ghost-writer)?
- I like both although I’m not much of a biographical reader. When I do, it always has to be something historical to it. No celebrities please. No current people either. I like reading about the past.
What’s your answer?
11.04.09
Review of Heartsick
I’ve heard a lot about Heartsick by Chelsea Cain and really great reviews while blog hopping. It’s another one of those books I decided to pick up just because I was curious as to what was so great about it.
Heartsick by Chelsea Cain is about Detective Archie Sheridan, damaged and tortured, addicted to painkillers, and can’t seem to forget the famous Beauty Killer Gretchen Lowell who had him imprisoned and tortured for ten days. Turning herself in and is now in prison for life, Archie can’t seem to let go of this beautiful cold blooded killer and visits her once a week in the hopes of getting more information about her endless count of victims and providing closure to families who have lost loved ones in the hands of Gretchen. However there is another serial killer on the loose preying on young teenage killers and Archie is racing against time to catch this new killer while in the meantime trying to struggle to get rid of Gretchen’s influence and forcing himself to finally get back onto his feet and lead a normal life. On the other hand, we also have reporter Susan Ward who is in charge of this whole serial killer story and also trying to profile Archie. Little did they know, they are all somewhat connected in this huge web.
Woah. It was really good. What I like about it is there’s actually a female serial killer this time and she acts close to Hannibal Lecter with some minor differences. It sure is nice to see an evil female part though. It’s a refreshing sight instead of having females always being portrayed as victims. The plot got better and better through each chapter and it just seemed as if the book went by really quickly – perhaps because I was just too engrossed in the book. You get two different stories here in this book. You have the current case Archie is on, then you also have chapters in between where they are flashbacks of Archie when he was being held captive by Gretchen. They were gruesome and rather hard to swallow but it added a lot of depth into Archie’s character and explains to you why he is how he is. I thought that was pretty well done as it’s a great way of explaining his character and his behavior. Gretchen made a wonderful villain. Manipulative, cunning, cruel, sadistic, all in one very attractive package it was perfectly done and even in prison she still continues to fiddle with her puppet strings.
It wasn’t blatantly obvious who the culprit was behind the murders of the teenage girls, which was good, and it kept you guessing. What I liked was it wasn’t until the last minute when you actually found out who it was and by that time it was cleverly done that you wish you could have seen it in the first place. There were a few twists and turns with the final twist happening between Gretchen and Archie. I thought that was great and it left me asking for more.
No doubt there will be sequels and I see this as a promising series. I’m left wanting to know what’s going to happen in the next book. I’m definitely looking forward to reading it. The book however, did leave me with a lot of questions unanswered, particularly why Gretchen is what she is and how she came to be this way. It does drop hints here and there but nothing too specific or defined. Perhaps it’s to build up the mystery behind her character.
I do warn, some parts in this book are not meant for the squeamish. However those with a like for police serial killer novels, with a cat and mouse game and lots of twists do take this book and give it a chance. You won’t regret it. I’m glad again, for listening to my fellow book bloggers about this one. So far, we’re 2 for 2
Overall a great start to a series, and I’m looking forward to more.
I give it a 9 out of 10.
11.02.09
Monday Combo 11/2
Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about social reading…
How much of your reading do you share with others (outside of blogging?) Do you belong to a book or library club? Do you trade books with friends? Do you tell others what you’re reading?
- I don’t really share my reading with others except the hombre and one other friend. The rest of my other friends don’t read much. I wish I could trade books with friends nearby! that would be awesome! I do giveaway leftover books I have to other friends but that’s when I need some space for the incoming books 
normally I don’t really tell other people what I’m reading…seriously, unless they’re big bookworms like I am, would they really care?
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Mailbox Monday:
I received the following:
Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld (contest win)
Nibble and Kuhn – David Schmahmann (pub contact)
Children of Dust – Ali Eteraz (pub contact)
The Manufactured Identity – Heath Sommer (Author contact)
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Library Finds:
The Ghost King – R A Salvatore (WHEEEE!!!)
One Second After – William Forstchen
I took out a lot more, but that day I was so pissed off because my sister ruined my dinner plans and she just wouldn’t leave the house. So I was so mad I just can’t remember what books I took out besides those two. Ahem. All I remember was I took a lot out and it felt really good 
lol.
So! what are your answers?
Review of The Magicians
When I first learnt about this book, I wasn’t sure what to think about it. From what I hear about other sites I’ve been to it’s more of an adult Harry Potter mixed with Narnia. So why not give it a try. Be advised though, try NOT TO compare this book with any of the series like Harry Potter and Narnia because although there are some similarities, it would honestly skew your vision and outlook on this book. So, just keep an open mind should you choose to read this.
The Magicians focuses on young man named Quentin who’s a big fan of The Fillory novels by a Christopher Plover. Following a piece of paper which flew away from his hand one day, he finds somehow he walked into a magical enchanted area where it belongs to Brakebills Magical College for Magical Pedagogy. Think of it as Hogwarts but a college not a “high school”. From there, Quentin learns how to use magic, and studies it. He makes new friends, has the usual drama with them, and eventually after graduating from the college he throws himself into “real life” but with magic used to his advantage. Living with a bunch of friends, it seems like the great idyllic life. By a sudden discovery, they find the land of Fillory, the magical land Quentin and his friends have been reading about since they were young, does actually exist. They decide to go, but find the journey not what they expect.
It pays homage to the Harry Potter and Narnia novels, and it has similarities but that’s where it stops. It’s a coming of age novel which features Quentin and his friends he meets at Brakebills. It’s definitely a more serious novel and delves deeper into emotions and it’s more dark and definitely not a kid’s book! there’s action and drama, romance too, but there’s some twists and turns that make the book more darker and includes more “dangerous” themes which makes the book catered towards adults.
I liked the book. It certainly did grab my curiosity when I first heard about it and as I read further into it, I had to try and not put Harry Potter and Narnia comparisons, or it’ll ruin my enjoyment of this book – which I’m glad I managed to fight off. I thought it was pretty well executed and very well thought out especially with trying to juggle the Fillory part into this story and having to put it as once a fictional world that Quentin had been reading since he was a boy into a full fledged real-life fantasy world and also adding a fantasy epic plot into it as well, while also juggling the plot happening on real Earth. However, it went smooth and it did not leave me, as a reader, confused. There’s even a helpful map on the inside of the book which is an added bonus. The plot was great, as it followed Quentin from his beginning years in the college, to his graduation, to his real life entrance into the world, and to his adventures in Fillory and afterwards. It’s a great chronological way of running the story.
I have to admit, this is one of the few books I liked, but where I also had an intense dislike for the main character. I actually did not like Quentin at all. He’s such a whiner! and he’s made out to be such an “emo” I had to roll his eyes while he whined about how unhappy he was, and it was as if NOTHING could absolutely make him content not even for a full fledged chapter. Even as I finished the book, I still found that I did not like him. He just wasn’t that great, he was the main character, yes, and you saw the story through his eyes but he wasn’t really what you might think as a main character would be (not your stereotypical character in fantasy novels I suppose). I found myself drawn to Eliot more, only because of his charm and although at first I wasn’t that impressed with Alice, she earned a lot of respect from me towards the end of the novel. She certainly was a realist and was the main anchor and stability to the group of friends. Character development was great. They were all well rounded and developed as they grew older (except Quentin, who eventually matures much much later in the book).
So the only thing I disliked about the novel was Quentin and his whiny personality. Even the part with his rocky romance with Alice aggravated me. He is definitely not boyfriend material to me. (More like sledgehammer bashing material). As to the ending, I am now curious and intrigued. Is there going to be a sequel, because if there is, count me in. I’m definitely going to read it! there were some questions I found myself asking. Especially when I reached the ending.
Overall, it’s a great book when you’re in the mood for something serious, but something with fantasy as well. Be forewarned, it’s not a happy go lucky epic quest, it’s quite dark and serious. Nevertheless it was a great dramatic coming of age read that will leave you asking for more.
I give it an 8 out of 10.
10.30.09
Review of Crossfire
I’m proud to say I finished the Japanese Literature Challenge with this one book! *claps* one challenge down, millions more to go oh well at least I managed to read books that I wouldn’t have picked up otherwise, so this sort of thing did open my eyes up to other genres out there.
Crossfire by Miyuki Miyabe is a police paranormal mystery which has one side; Chikako Ishizu and her colleagues in the police force and the other side; Junko Aoki and her quest for justice against cold hearted sadistic criminals who prey on innocent people. Junko has a very special gift of pyrokenesis (think of Stephen King’s Firestarter) and uses that against the criminals. It leaves no evidence except for charred bodies. Chikako is part of the arson squad and realizes this sort of case isn’t just normal arson. With the help of other detectives and very skeptical of paranormal theory she’s caught with trying to believe the impossible while chasing Junko who’s leaving a trail of bodies from place to place. However there’s another pair of eyes who are interested in Junko and want to recruit her to their cause.
This book was all right. I liked how they showed both sides of the story and both point of views. It was a nice even exchange between chapters and it went smooth for the most part. I have to admit though, although the beginning of the book really got me it just started to fall short and falls flat midway and I found myself wondering what’s going to happen next and how soon because to be honest, I was starting to get a little bored of the book. Not to mention besides the main characters, there were so many other secondary characters mentioned I was left wondering who this person was again and I had to either read back a few pages or commit to memory who they were. It got a little frustrating as they appeared for one chapter and wouldn’t come back until much much later. However, I found myself a little more intrigued bit by bit on how all these characters had to be connected somehow to each other and I was left guessing until the last moment. It was actually pretty well done despite these little flaws.
I really did try to like Chikako but just couldn’t do it. I was really trying to warm up to her but she was just flat. It just sort of seemed although she put the pieces together and helped solved the crime she really was just there for the ride. There wasn’t much personality to her I thought. Unlike Junko. I think she was the main focus in the book hence why she seemed to be the only real character in the book that developed well throughout the book. Junko went from someone who was angry and out for justice to someone who finally found closure and absolute closure.
The plot moved fairly smoothly although there were a bit of bumps and blips here with background information which was useful in some parts but in some other areas of the book it wasn’t really necessary. Then sometimes I felt the plot was just going in circles and very redundant. It was really starting to get old. At that point, I wished the plot would have moved more quickly instead of lingering and remaining stagnant. It also felt as if these moments were needed as a space filler. It nearly took the heart and the momentum of the plot because of these bumps.
Overall, it wasn’t so bad but it wasn’t so great either. It could have been better but the climactic ending did make up for it and as the story came to a close, it had a nice sense of completion. Would I recommend this? Well, that depends. Stick with Junko. She’s the more exciting arc in the plot than Chikako. Try and read through the unnecessary stuff but the underlying layers of the plot actually also make up for its shortfalls.
I give it a 6 out of 10.
