54: A New Author

My friend Chadya was keen to help me find some new authors to read and so bought me a bunch of books for Christmas. Knowing my love of Ted Dekker, and also that her husband Scott and I have very similar taste in books, she bought me Deadfall by Robert Liparulo.

She wasn't sure if I would like the book, so I said I would read the first paragraph...I find I can usually get a sense for an author's style from the first page or so...well, the first page of Deadfall had me groaning in pain. I could tell that the story was going to be interesting enough. In fact, the story itself had me hooked right away. But the narrative was so corny I thought this was going to be a really, really painful read. Later on I read it to Andrew and he just groaned, 'It's like a bad cliche'.

Lucky for me (and Liparulo), his writing improved drastically after that.

Though the story reminded me of some of Dekker's more recent storylines, I liked how this one played out SO much better. Dekker seems to me as if he's torn between writing a really good thriller, and trying too hard to be like Frank Peretti. AND his stories seem to be getting a little too similar lately. Reading Deadfall was a little like watching 24. For every success the characters had, three bad things happened. REALLY intense. I remember thinking to myself, this would make an awesome movie...though it would end up with at least a 14A rating, so maybe not one I'd want to watch!!

Anyway, it was a great novel and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on his other two (or more?!) books!

53

The Deep End by Joy Fielding

Got this book on a recommendation from a friend - was expecting a nice little murder mystery along the lines of Agatha or maybe even Martha. Hmn. If this had been a movie I would be freaking right out about now. Definitely a thriller type of action packed mystery. Mostly a good read though there were some PG13 moments that weren't really necessary.

Now on to the pile of Christmas books...

52: Last Chance Saloon by Marion Keyes

This book was just what I needed after the harrowing sadness of the last two books. A nice, happy ending....and lots of fluff. yay for fluff!

fifty + one

Just finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter yesterday.

From the first sentence I was captivated by the writing in this book. It's an amazing story by a truly gifted author. however, it's also an incredibly sad story. So much so that I kept putting the book down swearing I wasn't going to read any more of it. I'm the kind of person that will sink into a deep depression if I read the wrong story. This was a wrong story.

Even so the story telling was so powerful I kept picking up the book and reading more.

Definitely worth a read. Just make sure you have LOTS of kleenex and chocolate on hand when you do pick it up!

hmn, I just read the little tagline on this blog. So apparently I wasn't just out to read as many books as possible - I wanted to read gooooood books too. Yah. Failed on that one. Since I'm pretty sure my intention was to read classics. Luckily the book I have my eye on to read next is a recommendation from Claire's blog. So I'm pretty confident it will amount to more than the fluff I've been reading lately.

Hawaii five-Oh!

"Adopted as a child, Philippa Palfrey liked to fantasize that she was the illegitimate daughter of an aristocrat - until she meets her real mother and learns a shocking truth."

I've read Children of Men and many of the Richard Jury series, so I thought I knew what I was getting myself into here. Not at all. I was expecting an easy (quick) murder mystery. In this novel, the murder happened in the past. This is more the story of the people whose lives were forever altered by the murder.

Forty Seven thru Forty Nine

Things got a bit crazy 'round our house lately and it's taken me ages to add books to this blog. Plus, I've been working on the third book for ages...finally have some time for this project:

Martha Grimes is always a favorite. I love her characters - even the villains are usually lovable. This was the first of her Richard Jury books in a while that I didn't guess the ending to. And I was a bit disappointed that the ending was a little confusing. Not that I need everything tied up in nice tidy packages, but I really was confused at the end of this. May have read it just a little too quickly though...

...since my sister lent me this book and I was eager to begin it. Of all the shopaholic books, this one pricked my conscience the most. I couldn't possibly be like her, could ?! The endings to these books are always too tidy, but they make for a light, fluffy, quick read. Looking forward to Shopaholic and Baby which is due out on paperback on Boxing Day.


If My Father Loved Me was a big step away from the fluff I've been reading. And that might be part of why it took me so long to finish it (that and the busy-ness around here lately). I love this section from the opening pages:

...you don't feel yourself growing older. You reach and age - which probably varies according to your history and personal circumstances, but in my case was twenty seven - and there you are, fully formed. As time passes you note your failures and allow yourself to appreciate what you have done well, but there remains the inner indvidual who isn't aware of alteration either mental or physical. Inside my skin, a millimetre or so beneath the eroding surface, I remain twenty-seven years old. It's a shock, when riding the escalator to confront an unexpected mirror and be obliged to check the discrepancy...what is alarming is the possibility that when we do start to feel our age, it might all happen at once. What if we go from being twenty-seven to being sixty-seven in a day, suddenly getting infirm knees and crochet shawls and a fondness for Book at Bedtime crumbling away into old ladies as the light falls on us...

I've noticed quite a few of my peers blogging about this very subject. Interesting that we all seem to feel the same way!

Rosie Thomas has this marvellous insight which really made me feel like I was talking to someone who understood me. I usually can't stand 'coming of age' stories, but this one has so many aspects I immediately wanted to lend it to everyone I know.

46: Angels and Demons

By Dan Brown.

I love a book that keeps me guessing. I can't figure Brown's stories out. Love that!

The Da Vinci Code (45)

I never intended to read this book. Quite frankly it never really interested or appealed to me. And when I heard all the ruckus about it, it just made me want to read it less. I know a lot of Christians argued that "it's just a novel," but so are smutty romance novels and I've never had any desire to read those either (or Harry Potter, or Diane Gabaldon, or...)


Anyway, I recently got lent a huge stack of books which included the Da Vinci Code. I read the back and it sounded kind of interesting so I decided to give it a shot. And I have to admit, Dan Brown is a good writer. I know what I believe, and I know my history. I'm also willing to investigate anything which challenges my assumptions and not just blindly accept what some writer tells me. But I can understand what all the controversy was about. Of course even some Christian novels make statements I don't agree with.

Anyway, this was a good book if you only read it as a novel, and don't assume that everything we thought we knew about the Christian faith is now wrong. And if you have questions, there's a great site to check out...

2 more, plus not so much with this one...

Polished of two more of Sophie Kinsella's books. They're perfect for those days when you TRULY understand why some animals eat their young. They transport you to a light fluffy world where it's okay to max out your credit cards, completely screw up your job and stress eat constantly...and still wind up a perfect size six, with a gorgeous, clever, RICH man PLUS your dream job...and all your bills paid off. ahhhhhh....

Then I tried for a week to read "Portrait of an Unknown Woman". I really did try. But when you absolutely dread picking up your book, and no matter how hard you try to slog through it, you still can't get anywhere in the story...I think that's a sign. Luckily we're spending the weekend in Whistler so there will plenty of opportunity to make up for this wasted week.

42

I read Confessions of a Shopaholic years ago (a year ago?) and quite frankly, wasn't much impressed. Not sure what's different this time around, but Shopaholic Takes Manhattan was BRILLIANT!

Quite glad I have the next book to read immediately.

I think this is 41...

Not usually the kind of book I would look twice at but my friend Laurie insisted I had to read this. Inspired by a column these two sisters used to write, this book is composed of a series of emails, mostly between the sisters. Being the very sarcastic daughter of a dry witted Brit, I could completely relate to them and insisted my sister had to read it IMMEDIATELY. Actually found myself laughing out loud at parts. Thoroughly fluffy, thoroughly enjoyable.

NEXT!

There is nothing quite like a Michael Crichton novel. This one did not disappoint. And since I'm desperate to beat last year's score...this makes 40.

3X13

Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy

Wow. The last Maeve Binchy book I read I think I complained that her books always leave me feeling a little depressed. It's almost like she heard me and wrote this one just for me. It's an anthology of stories tied together by one common thread. LOVED the ending. I think this is my favorite.

Dirty Eight

WOW. just finished reading Skin by Ted Dekker.

Funny thing about reading Dekker's books is the sense of deja vu I get when I read them. I sometimes complain that his books are too much the same so that you can't really tell if you've read them before, or if they're too predictable or what the deal is. Kind of the same feeling I get when I read Stephen Lawhead.

And yet I keep reading.

Skin was very similar to several of Dekker's latest books in theme, but the actual storyline is crazy out of this world. I figured out some of the twists and turns, others were beyond my fathoming. And despite all my griping, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough (in fact, I snuck ahead and read the last two pages and still couldn't figure it all out!)

Bottom line? They'd so better make this into a movie. It's billed as a sort of a horror/thriller but I think it fits in more with iRobot, Paycheque and the Matrix. Way rad.

thirT seven

Mountain View Drive by James R. Coggins: This one was set in Abbotsford so you KNOW I loved reading it and trying to figure out where he was all the time. I had no idea the House of James is a converted car dealership. Or that the walk around Mill Lake is over a mile long. Or that we get some of the best views of Baker. Great stuff.

The story was good too, but I must be catching on to his mind. I couldn't figure out the first two, I had this one solved (though I wasn't sure. Other books I KNOW I've figured it out so maybe I was actually just lucky!)

On to the next one...

34 - 36

Wow, I'm starting to get scared. We're in the countdown now till 2008, or at least the last quarter of 2007 and I've only read 37 books...and nothing much of substance! AHHHHHH!!! must try harder!

Well, I made a little trip to House of James with my Mother in Law while she was here and scored some great deals. I've finally had some time to do some reading:

DEADLINE by Randy Alcorn: I've read some of his other books and I think they were kind of Frank Perrettiish, but this one (which seemed like more of a thriller/mystery) really surprised me. There was a lot of good stuff in here as well as a storyline which kept me reading despite the almost 450 pages in about a size SEVEN font!!! My only complaint is that he got a bit preachy at times (why do Christian writers do that. Hello, I bought your book in a Christian bookstore, I'm probably a Christian!) Other than that, Great book.

Who's Grace by James R. Coggins: This was part of a three pack I got cheap like Borscht. Written by the ex-editor of the MB Herald who lives in Vancouver BC. Lots of Canadian references. Interesting story - CSI meets christian Medium. liked it enough to keep reading...

Desolation Highway by JRCoggins: This John Smyth guy who plays the lead totally reminds me of Bob Larson. Short, red beard, balding...That's who I picture in my mind when I'm reading this anyway. Another good mystery. Think I'm going to go crack open number three....

32 and 33

Magdalene by Angela Hunt - an interesting take on the story of Mary of Magdalene. I always find the sort of story interesting just because I wonder how much is actually historical and how much is pure imagination. This author was kind enough to break it down a bit at the end of her book. A great read with lots of twists and turns.

Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy - still one of my favorite authors though I do find that her books are a bit hopeless. This one in particular ended on a bit of a depressing note - well for me at least.

The Lowlands of Scotland Trilogy (29 - 31)

Thorn in my Heart, Fair is the Rose and Whence Came a Prince by Liz Curtis Higgs.

Two brothers fight to claim one father's blessing.
Two sisters long to claim one man's heart.

In the autumn of 1788, amid the moors and glens of the Scottish Lowlands, two brothers and two sisters each embark on a painful journey of discovery.

Jamie and Evan McKie both want their father Alec's flocks and lands, yet only one brother will inherit Glentrool. Leana and Rose McBride both yearn to catch the eye of the same handsome lad, yet only one sister will be his bride.

A thorny love triangle emerges, plagued by lies and deception, jealousy and desire, betrayal and broken promises. Brimming with passion and drama, Thorn in My Heart brings the past to vibrant life, revealing spiritual truths that transcend time and penetrate the deepest places of the heart.

Though these books are what I consider "fluff", the stories were interesting enough that I found myself gobbling them up...even staying up late a few times to finish a chapter or two. I'm not really a big fan of the Romance genre, but I love historical fiction. I wasn't sure about an author so blatantly stealing a story (sheesh, if I could do that I could be a prolific author too!) but her characterization was good, and it was interesting to see a traditional Biblical story in a new light.

I see she's written a fourth book about the next generation of McKies, I may just have to pick it up.

The Winds of Change (28)

Quite by chance I seem to have been getting Martha Grimes' books in sequence. Which is odd because I just go on to the FVRL website and do a search for her name and then request whatever books come up.

I'm loving reading the books in sequence though because SO many story elements continue from one book to the next.

This was both my favorite and least favorite of her Richard Jury books.

On the one hand, I felt it was the one in which she was least British. I'm not sure if that's because I was so aware that she's an American (and so it was just me being silly and making her seem more American) or if she was being a bit careless with her references.

On the other hand, I was so excited to be following so closely on the heels of the Grave Maurice story line that I really enjoyed the continued character development of ALL her major characters and references back and forwards to stories I've already read.

The story itself was quite dark and for the first time I figured out the mystery (though I asked Andrew if he thought maybe that was because I've read so many of her books that I'm starting to think like her ha hah).

Anyhoo, I have one more of the Martha Grimes books borrowed, then I think I'll read something more weighty for a while. Save the mysteries for when I need light reading!!

Twenty Six and Seven

Dust by Marsha Grimes - I forgot to blog about this one when I finished reading it. Now that I've pretty much finished Agatha Christie and PD James' mysteries, I've turned to Marsha Grimes. I love how she fools me into thinking she's a British author. She's an American who almost gets it right.

What sticks out in my memory most about this book is Wiggins' tirade against the end of the "happy eater" restaurant chain in England (due to Burger King buying out the chain). My family spent many hours in Happy Eater when house hunting throughout the South of Britain. Such a tragedy.

End in Tears by Ruth Rendell - I've watched the Ruth Rendell mysteries on television often enough. Now that I've found the mystery section of my library, I thought I'd give this book a go. I have to say that I couldn't figure this mystery out until the same moment CID Wexford did. So to me that's a good thing. It was sooooooo hard not to peek at the end of this book, but I restrained myself.

Having discovered the mystery section, I'm afraid I'm overindulging. I expect I'll read something more...intellectual? sometime or other, just not till I'm done with all the lovely thrillers currently on my shelves...

25

Just finished Michael Palmer's Fifth Vial.

Like so many books, I found that this one was really good until about the last couple of chapters. Then it was like he thought, "ooh I bet I'd sell this to more people if I threw a romantic story line in. And hey! It would help me tie everything up if the two lovebirds could get together and talk about everything afterwards."

Which always seems so contrived to me.

Other than that, a stellar book, and a quick read.

I just finished Miss Wyoming. Life After God is still my favorite Coupland novel, but I think this one runs a close second.

I'm going to post a passage from the book on my other blog.

18, 19, 20 and 21 (and 22 and 23)

Oh dear, I keep forgetting to keep track...

Well, Jane lent me Saving Graces, a wonderful book on friendship. Since I know Jane from a group of friends a leeeetle like the Saving Graces, this book was especially tearjerky. So good.

Then I read All Families are Psychotic. Not my favorite Coupland ever.

So I went back to Martha Grimes. I read Cold Flat Junction then I went over to her website to read about this author, I was a bit confused as to whether she's English or a Yank. Well turns out that she's famous for her Richard Jury mysteries of which I've read one. And that her RJ fans actually sent her hate mail when she wrote this semi biographical trilogy (Hotel Paradise, Cold Flat Junction and Belle Ruin). Well, I'm sorry, but I think they're brilliant. In fact, I started carrying a pen and paper with me to write down quotes from the books. But then I like to think I'm a precocious child like the protagonist in these books is...

When I was returning books to the library I saw Robert Ludlum's The Bancroft Strategy. Probably my favorite Ludlum book to date. Although in the beginning I found it quite witty and kept reading one liners and quotes to Andrew. By the end it felt like he was tidying things up too quickly and it was getting a bit corny.

Next I pulled out Hey Nostradamous, but after the first page I realised I've already read that one, so instead I started Miss Wyoming, also by Douglas Coupland. And that brings me to book 23. I was getting a little desperate for books, but I realised that Jane lent me a few more which I have yet to read...

I just started reading King of Torts. My first impression is that

john grisham does not look at all like I thought he would.

Sixteenth this year, Fiftieth since keeping track!

jPod by Douglas Coupland.

DC is one interesting person. Actually, believe it or not, this book reminded me of some of my favorites by Robertson Davies, another prolific Canadian Author.

I'd stop and chat about why I liked this book so much, but I have about 23 more books on my shelves that need to get read and returned to the library.

Oh - I did decide to finish Daughter of Mine. I think it bugged me so much cause it was like a really bad Catherine Cookson.

Books 12, 13, 14 and 15

Shutterbabe by Deborah Copaken Kogan: I kept trying to read this book for a bit longer. Andrew says the stories of her adventures as a photographer aren't bad, but I couldn't get past her moral issues (my moral issues?) Anyway, I may go back and give it a bit of a skim, but probably not.

Next on the agenda was Daughter of Eden by Charlotte Bingham. I quite liked this story: It was like watching an old movie. Set during World War II it not only featured characters, plot line, etc. from that era, you almost felt like the author was stuck in the 1930s/40s. Which in this book's case was a good thing. The story had a kind of corny olden-days feel to it, which was actually more conducive to the storyline, or at least, that's what I felt.

Then I read Anne Bennett's Daughter of Mine. Which just felt completely contrived. So I read the first two hundred pages and skimmed here and there in the next four hundred (cause you have to know what happens after the first two hundred). But I wouldn't recommend it.

Now I'm reading Saving Graces, loaned to me by Jane. Very, very good. I'm currently trying to figure out which of us is which (from our writing group of five). Looking forward to getting through this one.

This Blog's First Posting:

I finally decided to follow Rachel's lead and just start a new blog about all the books I'm reading.

I currently have 19 books on my shelves from either the library, Jane or my mum. 16 of these books should be read soon. 12 of them definitely before I rack up more debt at the library.

So what did I do tonight? Well, I divided my time evenly between reading and creating this new blog. All of my postings about books I've read so far (since 01/06) I've put here. Now I just need to quickly review the books I've read so far this year:

Whiteout by Ken Follett
The Train Now Departing by Martha Grimes
The Old Wine Shades by Martha Grimes
the English Assassin by Daniel Silva
Devices and Desires by PD James
The Broker by John Grisham
Death of An Expert Witness by, PD James
Original Sin by PD James
The Street Lawyer by John Grisham
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Against Tall Odds by Matt Roloff

And finish the 19 books on my "to read" shelf of course...

Today we decided to go to the library. I've been wanting to go for ages, but I had a fine to pay. No big deal except I couldn't ever seem to remember having my card and my debit card on me at the same time and believe it or not, they don't like having to look up your account. Even to take money from you. Crazy.

Anyway, we went to the big library in downtown because I thought there would be more selection just 'there'...usually I find my books on their website and order them because the libraries never actually seem to have anything worth reading in them. But that's probably because I wander aimlessly through the stacks not really knowing what to pick up.

But that's exactly how I found books today and I think I scored some good ones:
Charlotte Bingham's Daughters of Eden which "focuses on the lives and fortunes of four very different young women at the outbreak of" WWII. They turn out to be spies, which I thought could be very cool.
Ken Follet's Whiteout which is billed as an "intricate, knife edge drama" about a killer virus and bad guys misuing it.
Anne Bennett's Daughter of Mine which is about a woman, also in WWII who is disowned by her family when she decides to keep the child conceived when she is attacked.
John Grisham's The King of Torts which is another lawyer story about a rookie lawyer this time. Martha Grimes' The Train Now Departing which contains Two Novellas.
And Deborah Copanken Kogan's Shutterbabe, her memoirs which are supposedly about how she went to war as a photojournalist and how that experience changed her. So far it's just a gratuitous retelling of her sexual exploits and I don't think I shall bother reading any further.

I also found a DVD on Digital Photography: The Camera which promises to teach the fundamentals of digital imaging. Everything from F-stops to using light to files to shopping for a camera are covered so I'm hoping I will understand it and that it will improve my photography. Before my Canon got ill I was becoming more and more frustrated with being unable to control the flash and readjust the white light or whatever that is called. Let's hope I can learn something from this. If not, I also recently purchased Photography for Dummies. But, as I've mentioned before, I hate non-fiction so I may or may not slog my way through that one.

Well, now that you know what I'm planning on reading in the next little while, I'll update you if any of the books are really good.

Just finished another book. Thought I'd offer a brief comment rather than just adding it to the list at the bottom of this page because I enjoyed it so much. You know how if you look at books a lot, you start to forget if you recognize an author's name just because you see it everywhere or if you've actually read any of their books? Well MG was one of those for me. Turns out I read her "End of the Pier" a few years ago. Bought this because I liked the synopsis on the back. Both very good books. But this one in particular. An incredibly interesting idea for a mystery story with a GREAT twist in the middle that I never saw coming (and I always guess the end of mystery books). If you like everything neatly tied up by the end, you're in for a disappointment. But read it anyway, fabulous read!

bookie

I'm not finding a whole lot of time to blog lately, struggling to keep projectdavid under control. That and other outside interests I've recently reacquired. To that effect, I thought I'd give a brief report on the reading:

Against Tall Odds by Matt Roloff: This is an interesting and quick read. Despite that, I'm still struggling through it. Maybe struggling is the wrong word. But I'm not quite done yet. Getting there. If you've ever seen and enjoyed TLC's Little People, Big World, this is worth picking up.

The Poisonwood Bible: For the first half of this book I only kept reading because Jane gave it to me to read and she was racing me to the end. Not that I hated the book, it just wasn't my usual reading. Somewhere around the middle I really started enjoying it. There is so much in there to process I might have to read it again...especially since I probably didn't give the first half it's fair shake. Good book.

The Street Lawyer by John Grisham: I really like his books. Thought it was interesting that the last two books have dealt with such gritty issues.

I'm really enjoying being back in the world of reading again. Sure makes my 20 minutes on the bike pass quickly!