Mr. Mercedes Review

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If you would have told me at any point in my reading career that I would be eagerly anticipating the new Stephen King novel I would have made a face and told you I doubted it.  King fans are a little obnoxious.  We all know that person who ONLY READS STEPHEN KING BOOKS or you ask in small talk what they like to read and the response is OMG STEPHEN KING.  I avoided his work, in no small part because of these people, until I met my husband.  He told me I really did need to read The Shinning.  He was right.  He told me I would like The Dark Tower Series.  I only got two books into that series, as I felt Mr. King "pulled a Heroes" and refused to read any further, but I enjoyed what I read.  I am half way through Salems Lot and have been for two years now.  After these experiences I did not go out of my way to seek out the latest and greatest Stephen King novel.

Then came Doctor  Sleep, the sequel to The Shinning.  The Shinning was amazing so I had to read Doctor Sleep right?  As you can probably tell from my review, I loved it.  In Stephen King fandom style LOVED IT.

When I came across a review for Mr. Mercedes it really struck a chord.  What I enjoyed so much about Doctor Sleep was the deep character profile.  Mr. Mercedes was promising similar.  Purely on how much I enjoyed I Doctor Sleep I also Pre ordered Mr. King's November release revival.  Do I sound like a crazy Stephen King fan yet?  

I started reading Mr. Mercedes the morning of  6/7/2014.  I finished reading it at 1 o clock in the morning 6/8/2014.  Like Doctor Sleep, Mr. Mercedes has two voices, the good guy and the bad guy.  This is usually a warning sign for me that I am going to have to plod through a second and inferior narrator to read the really good parts of the book.  Not so with Mr. Mercedes.  I never once thought " I wonder what the other guy is doing right now."  It's not that I didn't care, both voices simply sucked me into their world.  The transitions were seamless and I gladly rolled into whatever narrative was being offered.  

The glimpse into the workings of someone else's mind is what drew me into Doctor Sleep and what made me buy Mr.Mercedes.  Mr. Mercedes did not disappoint.  I understood the psychopath, and I understood the retired cop ( Det Ret).  I compulsively read the psychopaths part in the story to get a better look at his dysfunction and his thinking.  I was happy to read the Det Ret story to work on the puzzles and solve the mystery with him.

This book had one drawback for me.  For as messy and dysfunctional as the story was willing to get, the ending was a pretty package with a bow on top.  I had a hard time believing the nature of the story I just read could end so pleasantly.  I seem to like messy endings better as an adult.  I know things don't always end well and they shouldn't in book either.  While the characters in Mr. Mercedes deserved the ending they got ( maybe better) the end of the book did not fit with the tone of the rest of it.  That was disappointing. 

Before I picked a star rating on this I looked back at my Doctor Sleep review.  Doctor Sleep was more compelling, but it also had larger flaws.  I still gave it 5 stars for the experience that reading it is.  

Mr. Mercedes get's 4 and 1/2.  And I reserve the right to sleep on it. 

Russian Winter - Book Review

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Russian Winter is the story of a Russian ballerina during the time of Stalin and what her choices have made of her life in the present day.

One of the most interesting things about this novel for me was the psychology of the people in Stalin's Russia.  In the time before the internet, and with no or restricted TV, entire generations lived under the belief that there was no other way to live.  In one scene she accidentally crosses into a non communist state and is amazed that there are Bananas for sale and no line.  One of the many examples, but I realize that I am a psychology nerd and should probably move on.

Most books that attempt dual-ling time frames fail to make you as interested in one of the stories.  For most of this book, the modern day story line was the least interesting for me.  While parts of it were very good, and would have been fine as a stand alone novel, I was still reading quickly to get back to 1940's Russia.

There is not a solid resolution to this book.  Which the older I get the more I seem to appreciate.   There are hints, and a few conflicting clues, but in the end you are left to draw your own conclusions.  This can be frustrating, but for Russian Winter it fits. 

Daphne Kalotay created two incredibly believable worlds. I have never had an interest in Russian history or the history of ballet and now I am hooked.  She provided her reference and reading materials at the end of the book and I am looking forward to reading them myself.  It is a great accomplishment for a writer to make you see, taste and touch their world.  It is an even greater accomplishment to make you want to stay there.\

5/5

Doctor Sleep - Review

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Doctor Sleep works as a stand alone novel but is the sequel to The Shining.  If you have only ever seen the movie for The Shining you have done yourself a disservice.  The book and the movie are completely unique.

Doctor Sleep is at its most intense, its most scary, when  focused on Dan Torrence.  His talents, his addictions, his demons and his memories.  Introduced in Doctor Sleep is a group of energy eaters called The Knot.  They were suppose to be the villains of the piece, but this book really didn't need them.  It had Dan.

The first part of this book had me afraid to have my limbs hanging off of the bed and walking around my dark house with my flashlight app on.

The rest was a very enjoyable story.  But I really could have read 500 pages of Dan's personal and supernatural battles and been just as happy.

5/5

  

Room - Review

The first nightmare I ever remember having was about abduction.  Ever since, my nightmares have always been about abduction, rape, torture and murder.  Very graphic, with movie like story lines.

That being said, I have no idea what possessed me to read this book.

Room  is written from the perspective of Jack, a 5 year old boy.  You come to realize that he and his mother are in a 12x12 room that they cannot leave.  His mother was abducted when she was 19 and Jack was a product of the repeated rape.

Happy right?

Room is extremely engrossing.  First, I was obsessed with seeing how the mother managed to keep a 5 year old entertained day after day in a 12x12 room.   Then I was obsessed with seeing if they got out and the potential repercussions.

There were sometimes I skimmed a bit,  but I also read this book in one day and probably wouldn't have gotten bored with some of the details had I set it down occasionally.  Room is really hard to set down.

Room is very well written, and getting to know Jack makes it completely worth the read.  I have already added other books by  Emma Donoghue to my Kindle wish list.  I haven't had that reaction to a book in quite awhile.

 However, if violence against women, rape, suicide, abduction, or anything like that is a trigger for you are better off to stay far away.

My nightmares are certainly back full force.

4/5

26 Books

In my New Years Resolution post I mentioned that I want to read 26 books this year.  I thought I would share with you the list and their priority.  This list is up for editing and I guarantee changes will be made.  I can't walk into a book store ( or Amazon) without buying a book.  Any new purchase will probably sky rocket to the top of the list.  As long as I hit 26 I am happy.

  Are you asking yourself why I bothered to make a list then?

I have a 4 bedroom house with an office.  One of these rooms is called the library because it is full of books.  There are book on my night stand, books beside my bed, and books in my living room.  I also have a Kindle full of books.

I need some focus, but I also needed to see how many books I wanted to read.  The 26 barely scratches the surface, I was able to create it in 5 minutes.  If I want to read everything I want to read it only makes sense to know what that actually looks like.

Two things about this list:  1. I only put enough of the title to remind myself what book it was and 2. There are only 25 because I am already accounting for some editing.  If you are interested in one of the titles but can't find it based on the information given just let me know and I will fill in the blanks for you.

What do you like to read?

Madame De Stael The First Modern Woman

I had never heard of Madame De Stael before I ran into this book at Half Price.  I've been going through a biography/autobiography phase, slowly over the last couple of years.  It's been all women, which has not been intentional.  After this book, I think I am going to find a good biography of Napoleon.

Madame DeStael  lived, and was influential during the time of the French Revolution, Napoleons take over and the re institution of the monarchy.    She was educated, intelligent, a prolific writer and manic depressive.  Even though it is stated often through the biography that she is plain and does not dress well,  men fall at her feet wherever she goes.

This biographer had a very specific interpretation of Madame De Stael, her motivations and her life.  I am interested in finding another biography about her to hear another biographers perspective.  My main complaint with the writing is that she used the same descriptions and rationalizations multiple times.  Once an author says points out a rationalization once or twice, I can start seeing the pattern and making the conclusion myself.  I don't need it pointed out to me every single time.

If you enjoy biographies this is definitely worth reading.  I read it over two days because it was very hard to put down.  I was always wondering the new way she was going to tick off Napoleon or what her next exploit/romantic conquest was going to be.

4/5

Rita Moreno

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I walked by this in Half Price books.  I read the back, looked at the price and walked away.  I tend to only buy from the clearance rack.  I got to the clearance section and thought, "I wonder if anyone has picked it up yet."  I picked out three books and wandered over to the religion section.  " There was only one copy, maybe I should look at it again."  I wandered back over to the book.  That's when I heard they were having their 20% off sale.  I picked it up.  

I read it in one day.

Her life was intense and she wrote about it beautifully.  I couldn't wait to see what her next struggle and conquest would be.  I couldn't wait to see the rest of her story.  I loved the inside look into Hollywood and familiar names.  

I do have a warning.  If you pick up this book, you will fall in love with her, and her story.

5/5

A Good Way to Get Back to Blogging

I saw this on Running with Tongs and thought it would be a good idea to steal.  Give me a little direction to get back to blogging.  I am really struggling with really wanting to write and really wanting to read but really not doing anything.

Thinking about:  Vacation!  Really really, really want to start planning it and setting up reservations.  Really.  We've decided to go back to the beach this year and I am looking forward to waves and relaxation.  Come on Groupon!

Feeling:  Really sad, anxious, and lost.  We have another week or two of guess work and then we have to make a big decision.  And every variation of that decision makes me want to curl up in a ball and hide.

Watching: Nashville.  So random, I don't even like country music.  It is entertaining me, and even pushing out the Good Wife during my TV watching time.  ( You don't know it, but I am mildly obsessed with the Good Wife.  Team Will!)

Reading:  I just finished Murder on The Mind and have started The Fifth Avenue Series.  Murder on the mind was meh, thinking about giving the series one more book to reel me in.  I am 18% of the way through The Fifth Avenue series and it is losing me.  At least 10 character's story lines going on right now, no forward motion, and I don't care about any of them.  $6 down the drain.

Looking forward to: A quiet (er) weekend coming up.  Time to clean the house and hopefully nice weather for a bike ride.  I've been gyming it up lately thanks to the crappy, crappy weather.

Making me happy:   My ridiculous little dog.  Who is ridiculous.

The Wolf Gift

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I have always love Anne Rice.  I read Interview with a Vampire when I was 16 and have never stopped reading her books.  When I was in college I forced a group of friends to drive with me from Toledo Ohio to Chicago Illinois so I could meet her and get a book signed.  I have a very personal relationship with her characters and her world.  Anne Rice has a very definite world.

The Wolf Gift was a refreshing visit back to that world.  Anne always has a way of bringing places and people to life for the reader.  She makes you want the characters passions and adventures.  The Wolf Gift is, at its very heart, a typical Anne Rice novel.  It is everything I love and dislike about her fiction.

This book went from being an intense and enjoyable read, to something I had to force myself not to skim till the end.  It became evident in The New Tales of the Vampires that Anne was a little obsessed with Marius.  Repetitively.  As the "pack" formed in the Wolf Gift I felt more and more like I could identify the characters by their vampire counterparts. I've read the story of those characters already.  Multiple times through Anne Rice's various books.  That also made the Marius like character espousing his philosophies equally boring.

BUT

You should read this book.  Whether you are new to Anne Rice or have been around forever this is a very, very enjoyable read.  If you are new to Anne Rice you may not notice my complaints at all.  If you are a long time fan you may not agree with me.  Either way, the merits of meeting Reuben and going on his journey with him far out weigh the negatives.

4/5 Stars

The Opportunist (Love Me With Lies)

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Loved, loved this book.   Go read Gone Girl and then read this immediately following for a total mind bend.

What I didn't like first.  The title and cover imply that the main character is bad.  (upon reflection this is a really great title) She shares her guilt about some unnamed big bad and what a horrible person she is.  She is not.   Then near the end, she does something with good motivation and intentions the other character acts all betrayed all over again, and she takes that guilt even though she did it for him.  That really bothered me.

This is a book about deeply flawed people, the binds of love and the scars it leaves.  It's a testimony on loving oneself before you can truly love another.  A warning tale of what love can do with you, to you and make of you.

There are twists, turns and intrigue.  There is violence and sex.  There is love.

Everyone in this book will do/has done something unforgivable.  You still root for them, you will cry for them, and most importantly you see yourself in them.  Their failings are yours, their sins are yours, and their hopes are yours.

4/5 on this one.  

It's only not a 5 because I feel like the main character is unfairly singled out as the loan antagonist. And still get upset.

The Keeper Of Lost Causes: The Firt Department Q Novel

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I bought this based on the suggestion of people in a reading group at my work, they gave rave reviews calling it a great detective novel.  The first thing I want to say about the The Keeper of Lost Causes is the author is from Denmark.  You will find some of the names, transportation scenarios, and money references much less jarring of you have read the Girl With a Dragon Tattoo or another Scandinavian author.  This was a detective story. A story about a damaged man and the ways he is coping with the damage.  He is not looking for redemption, but he is good at what he does, when he is not to busy being damaged. 

That was not what made this an interesting read for me.  Honestly, most of the scenes with the main character Carl Mørck I could have skipped.  He didn't interest me, his struggle didn't interest me, his lack of redeeming qualities  did not interest me.  In fact, if it wasn't for the victim, I probably would have stopped reading this book.

The chapters involving the victim were what kept me glued to the pages.  I liked her.  Her story, her psychology, what her life was.  Her story, was the best part of this book.  

I don't know if I will pick up another Department Q novel.  It did not draw me in and make me care.  The times it did were so different from the times it didn't, that the contrast made me view the entire book in a worse light than I might have other wise.

3/5

Lucy Guardino FBI Thrillers

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I LOVED the first book.  I had never downloaded a Kindle book on my phone to read until I was reading Snake Skin.  CJ Lyons interweaves various first person narratives through out the book.  You want to keep turning to learn more about whichever character she is throwing at you next.  I don't like the main character, Lucy.  The author tries very hard to make sure you understand her, but I don't like her.  While the subject matter was dark I found the most disturbing scenes to be the one where it appeared she was systematically trying to tear her family apart.  I believe I bought this for under $3 on my Kindle and it was well worth it.

4/5

 

 

LINK

Blood Stained was not the novel that Snake Skins was.  I found the subject matter far more depressing, and the new characters, especially the ones allowed first person narratives, far less interesting.  One of the things I liked the least, and a pet peeve of mine,  is as the reader, you know what is going on long before Lucy does.  For example, the entire book.  The other main first person perspective is transparent.  While the author never tells you what is going on behind his view, you know what's coming.  And you know it is sad.  Unless you are bored this winter skip this one.  I am looking forward to the third book which will be released soon, but the second book was forgettable.

2/5

The Corpse-Rat King

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What isn't intriguing about this title?  Or the cover for that matter.  The Corpse-Rat King is about a corpse rat, con man, and all around scuzzy guy with no redeeming qualities.  He finds himself dead, and with the promise of life being restored, goes in pursuit of a king for the dead.  Going in pursuit implies that he went right out and did what was asked of him.  He did not.  He ran, he hid and he connived, all of the things that he did best while he was truly alive.  Some reviews say he did not evolve during the book.  That they started the book not liking him, and they ended the book not liking him.  I don't know that you are ever suppose to like him, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't evolve as a character.  It took his death to make him find the humanity that he was capable of, and it was a long journey.  Corpse-Rat was a bit to wordy with descriptions for my liking, but that is my only real complaint. $4.80 on Kindle, and completely worth it.

3/5 

Jane Eyre

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I did not understand this book at the beginning. I had a problem suspending disbelief about Jane as a 10 year old expressing herself as an adult.  I also had a hard time reading of her mistreatments in childhood.  In attempt to get myself through it I researched the book a bit and discovered that it has 5 distinct sections.  That helped me when Jane's back story was getting tiresome.  

The third section was amazing, and why this book is a classic.  I had never used the kindle highlight option before reading this book, and I used it, a lot.  I also cried.  I can't remember the last time a book made me cry.  I was reading exactly how I believe love should feel and how it should be expressed.  That made reading this book an intense and self reflective experience.

Like my favorite movies,   I can see reading the "Kelly version" of this book multiple times.  In this case, that means the third section and probably the fifth section, only.

This is a classic novel that is truly worth reading.  Now I can get the 2011 movie with Michael Fassbender off of Netflix with no readers guilt.

4/5 stars.

Deadly Little Secrets

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I picked Deadly Little Secrets up at a used book store on vacation.  I thought it was fiction, and seemed like a indulgent vacation read.  When I got in the car I realized it was a true crime novel because there were picture in it.  You would have thought I would have noticed the quote on the front of the book.  Sometimes, I am special.

I decided to read it, despite the depressing nature of  the book.  Stories are a lot more fun when they aren't about real bad guys.  I couldn't put it down.  I read it on the beach, I read it in the hotel room, I read it by the pool.  

The events were laid out very clearly. Kathryn gave an extensive look into both the husbands and the wifes backgrounds.  it was obvious that she spent a significant amount of time talking to all of the people involved in their lives.  She continually gave the perspective of both sides of the family and of the main players themselves.  The psychology  major in me was thrilled, and watched with mounting horror as all of the past events and all of danger signs led down the inevitable path.

I have one complaint about this book.  The author would latch onto certain family quotes, and use them three or four times.  You would read it again and again and think yes yes you said that before... but it wasn't disruptive.

What humans can do to each other with no remorse is disturbing.  However, if looking into the mind and path of a man who started with assault, landed in the priesthood and ended with murder sounds interesting to you, you should check it out.  Deadly Little Secrets was an enthralling read.

4/5 stars

Silent Kills

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I truly enjoyed the view into the Steam Punk lifestyle.  The character's were well developed and I found myself wanting to know more about them.

However, this was a very disappointing read.  The story felt awkward, not quite put together right.  I spent more time hoping that the book found its stride then I did anticipating the twists and turns.  Around the 80% mark (as I read this on my Kindle) as the book was suppose to be gearing up.  You could feel it trying.  But it just fell apart more.

If someone has left it in a hotel room and you need something to read, you will enjoy it.

Silent Kills could just be more a lot more.

2/5

Gone Girl

Gone Girl is about a marriage. A husband, a wife, and their interactions.  The hook is, the wife is missing.

This is an intense read.  The intrigue and pacing picks you up and doesn't let you go.  There are a lot of clues insights and directions, and I was trying to put it all together.  I usually have books and movies fifured out well before the end.  Then...

BAM

out of nowhere the whole game changed.  it's didn't stop changing until the end.

This is the best book I've read in a long, long time.  It is definitly in the top 3 of favotite all time books and I suggest it to anyone and everyone.  Excellent, excellent book. 

5/5 You should go read Gone Girl right now.

What are you reading?

Dracula In Love

 

 I know, I know.  The whole "Chic Lit" thing is getting old.  My reading is usually more varied and interesting, I promise.  I've just been in the romance novel mood lately. 

Dracula in Love is a retelling of the Dracula story, wholly from Mina's perspective.

I truly enjoyed this book.  The twist on the story was more logical than the original and it really drew me in.  When I put the book down I continued to think about the story and figure out how it would interpret the next event that I knew was coming.  It was a page turner, and it made me think.  Both are excellent quality's in a book.

My only complaint is the ending.  **SPOILER ALERT**  but then,  I've always had a thing for the bad guy.

4 out 5 stars.  

Only because I am still upset about the ending, and am preferring to remember it the way I wanted it to be.

More Like Her

More Like Her is about Frances.  It is a 3 month view into her life where we watch her come to grips with her past and embrace her future.

Don't read any other synopsis, including the back of the book.  They give way to much a way.  I also believe it leaves you with the wrong impression.  I started reading this book thinking Frances was going to be idolizing someone.  She never really did, no one ever seemed perfect.  From the moment of introduction all of Liza Palmer's characters had obvious flaws with in themselves or their lives.  I spent 40% of the book fairly confused about what the heck the back of the book was talking about.

I loved this book.  I laughed out loud, I felt France's pain, and I couldn't put it down.  You know where the book is headed, as it starts there, but you forget.  You are to busy watching Frances flounder and find comfort with friends.  You are too involved with seeing yourself in Frances and seeing your circle in her friends.  You are to swept up in her observations of people, visualizing the scenes as she lays them out, to remember what is coming.  And then it does.  There is a shooting.

The book keeps going.  You keep identifying, you keep laughing, you keep feeling, and you keep hoping.

5/5 on this one.  More Like Her  was so much more than I expected, and much more than the book it self purports to be.

Readings

I read " Along Comes A Stranger "  by Dorie McCullough Lawson this weekend.  To be honest I read it in about two hours Sunday night.  It is about a woman from Massachusetts who has married and moved with her husband to Wyoming. She suspects her mother in law's new boyfriend of not being who he says he is.

This booked bogged me down with phone conversations and interpersonal ramblings.  Where each twist was going was obvious and easy to anticipate.  I understood that I was suppose to connect to the main characters human struggle, and I understood the author was trying to get me involved in her everyday life and wanted me to feel the intensity building.  But I didn't.  There are a few honest and quotable glimpses into the human condition, and there are a few intense sections.  But nothing elicited a strong emotional response from me.

This was the authors debut novel.  While this book did little for me I wouldn't shy away from picking up one of her books again.  There were definitely some promise that may have been more fully realized.

2 out of 5 Stars.

In other reading news I am also randomly reading Sense and Sensibility whenever I pick up my kindle.  It reminds me how much I enjoy words and phrasing.  I have yet to make it all the way through, but I will let you know when I do!  

Have you read any good books lately?