Catching up post.
16) The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by G.W. Dahlquist
Read: 25 June - 3 August 2009
Pages: 753
It took me a while to get through this book. It wasn't bad, but not great either. I have read lots of reviews saying it would have benefited from being 200-300 pages shorter, and I tend to agree. When it takes a whole page to describe how a character has her tea, I do lose interest a bit. But the action sequences were very good, and I liked the three heroes (I'm especially fond of Doctor Svenson - and of course the green ankle boots). I'm glad I got a chance to read this book, though I think it will be a while before I seek out the sequel.
"This is nonsense! First you say I am a murderer - an agent in league against you - and now I am a deluded heartsick girl! Pray make up your mind so I can scoff at you with precision!"
- Miss Temple
My rating: 4
17) Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
Read: 4 - 16 August 2009
Pages: 319
My rating: 5
18) The Alchemist's Secret by Scott Mariani
Read: 16 - 22 August 2009
Pages: 466
First in the Ben Hope series. Ben Hope lives on the edge. A former élite member of the SAS, Ben is tortured by a tragedy from his past and now devotes his life to finding kidnapped children.But when Ben is recruited to locate an ancient manuscript which could save a dying child, he embarks on the deadliest quest of his life.The document is alleged to contain the formula for the elixir of life, discovered by the brilliant alchemist Fulcanelli decades before. But it soon becomes apparent that others are hunting this most precious of treasures - for far more evil ends.When the secrets of alchemy hidden within the pages remain impenetrable, Ben teams up with beautiful American scientist Dr Roberta Ryder to crack the code.It seems that everyone - from the Nazis during WW2 and powerful Catholic organisation Gladius Domini - wants to unearth the secrets of immortality.The trail leads Ben and Roberta from Paris to the ancient Cathar strongholds of the Languedoc, where an astonishing secret has lain hidden for centuries…
This is a classic thriller that doesn't introduce anything new to the genre, but I like it. Ben Hope is an interesting hero, and the story is suspenseful and action-filled.
My rating: 4
19) The Mozart Conspiracy by Scott Mariani
Read: 22 - 30 August 2009
Pages: 448
This second book in the Ben Hope series was even better than the first.
My rating: 5
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Read in June 2009
Catching up...
12) To the Nines by Stephanie Plum
Read: 31 May - 1 June
Pages:384
I read this one in two days, which is very rare for me - I usually need at least a week on an average-sized book. But the Stephanie Plum books are easy to read, not to mention funny, and this was no exception. Unfortunately I haven't made any notes about it, so I have no idea what the story was about (they tend to mingle in my mind), but I must have liked it, judging by my rating.
Rating: 5
13) The Clue in the Old Stagecoach by Carolyn Keene
Read: 2 June - 3 June
Another 2-day read, but a very short one this time. Nancy Drew was my heroine when I was a kid (still is, in fact), and every once in a while I like to dig out an old "Miss Detective" book I haven't read before. I think this was the first time I read one in English though, which was neither better nor worse than reading them in Norwegian, just a slightly different voice.
Rating: 4
14) The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
Read: 4 June - 16 June
Pages: 285
No notes on this one either...
Rating: 3
15) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Read: 18 June - 23 June
Pages: 289
Nobody Owens is growing up on the graveyard on the hill with the ghosts Mr and Mrs Owens as his parents because his living family was murdered by a mysterious man when Bod was a baby. There are many exciting and dangerous things to explore in the graveyard, but it is in the living world the real dangers lurk. Because the man jack is still out there...
An incredibly suspenseful, scary, funny, creepy and sad book about growing up, feeling different, making choices and finding yourself. Not one single page was boring, not one single word superfluous. Gaiman at his best.
Rating: 6
12) To the Nines by Stephanie Plum
Read: 31 May - 1 June
Pages:384
I read this one in two days, which is very rare for me - I usually need at least a week on an average-sized book. But the Stephanie Plum books are easy to read, not to mention funny, and this was no exception. Unfortunately I haven't made any notes about it, so I have no idea what the story was about (they tend to mingle in my mind), but I must have liked it, judging by my rating.
Rating: 5
13) The Clue in the Old Stagecoach by Carolyn Keene
Read: 2 June - 3 June
Another 2-day read, but a very short one this time. Nancy Drew was my heroine when I was a kid (still is, in fact), and every once in a while I like to dig out an old "Miss Detective" book I haven't read before. I think this was the first time I read one in English though, which was neither better nor worse than reading them in Norwegian, just a slightly different voice.
Rating: 4
14) The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
Read: 4 June - 16 June
Pages: 285
No notes on this one either...
Rating: 3
15) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Read: 18 June - 23 June
Pages: 289
Nobody Owens is growing up on the graveyard on the hill with the ghosts Mr and Mrs Owens as his parents because his living family was murdered by a mysterious man when Bod was a baby. There are many exciting and dangerous things to explore in the graveyard, but it is in the living world the real dangers lurk. Because the man jack is still out there...
An incredibly suspenseful, scary, funny, creepy and sad book about growing up, feeling different, making choices and finding yourself. Not one single page was boring, not one single word superfluous. Gaiman at his best.
Rating: 6
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Read in May 2009
(Yeah, I'm a bit behind...)
10) American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Read: 10 April - 12 May
Pages: 583
I found this book very hard to get through; why, I'm not sure. The story in itself is both intriguing and thoughprovoking, but somehow it never gets exciting. This isn't a colourful adventure like some of Gaiman's other books, and in my opinion, it's not his best. I was only mildly interested in the characters and what happened to them - in fact, the most suspenseful part was when the old clunker would fall through the ice. The idea is good though, and I might have enjoyed it more had I been in a different frame of mind. Might have to try it again some other time.
Rating: 3
11) The Shakespeare Secret by J.L. Carrell
Read: 18 May - 31 May
Pages: 480
I really wanted this book to be good, but unfortunately it left a lot to be desired.
It seems to me the author wanted to write about a treasure hunt for one of Shakespeare's lost plays, but had no idea of how to get the hunt started - or how to finish it, for that matter. The explanation of how Kate, the main character, came across the clue to the lost play feels very contrived, and I didn't believe in either her or the bad guy's motives for wanting the play. The introduction of the competent sidekick Ben was utterly unconvincing, and the poor guy never developed a personality. There were some better parts in the middle of the book, but mostly the whole thing felt rushed. The author also got lost in a subplot trying to figure out who Shakespeare really was, but after introducing a bunch of Earls and ladies, it sort of dwindled into thin air. I can't help but see this as a rather poor attempt at Da Vinci Code fame - even the title and some dubious family relations are similar.
All this being said, I don't regret reading the book in any way. It was quite suitable for holiday reading, which is how I read it, and made me want to read up on my Shakespeare.
Rating: 2
10) American Gods by Neil GaimanRead: 10 April - 12 May
Pages: 583
I found this book very hard to get through; why, I'm not sure. The story in itself is both intriguing and thoughprovoking, but somehow it never gets exciting. This isn't a colourful adventure like some of Gaiman's other books, and in my opinion, it's not his best. I was only mildly interested in the characters and what happened to them - in fact, the most suspenseful part was when the old clunker would fall through the ice. The idea is good though, and I might have enjoyed it more had I been in a different frame of mind. Might have to try it again some other time.
Rating: 3
11) The Shakespeare Secret by J.L. CarrellRead: 18 May - 31 May
Pages: 480
I really wanted this book to be good, but unfortunately it left a lot to be desired.
It seems to me the author wanted to write about a treasure hunt for one of Shakespeare's lost plays, but had no idea of how to get the hunt started - or how to finish it, for that matter. The explanation of how Kate, the main character, came across the clue to the lost play feels very contrived, and I didn't believe in either her or the bad guy's motives for wanting the play. The introduction of the competent sidekick Ben was utterly unconvincing, and the poor guy never developed a personality. There were some better parts in the middle of the book, but mostly the whole thing felt rushed. The author also got lost in a subplot trying to figure out who Shakespeare really was, but after introducing a bunch of Earls and ladies, it sort of dwindled into thin air. I can't help but see this as a rather poor attempt at Da Vinci Code fame - even the title and some dubious family relations are similar.
All this being said, I don't regret reading the book in any way. It was quite suitable for holiday reading, which is how I read it, and made me want to read up on my Shakespeare.
Rating: 2
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
2009 in Books
2009 book meme.
How many books read in 2009?
32 plus 2 I didn't finish until after New Year's.
How many fiction and nonfiction?
30 fiction, 2 non-fiction. I really don't read a lot of non-fiction.
Male/Female author ratio?
21 male, 13 female (two books were written by two authors)
Favorite book of 2009?
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch and Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.
Least favorite?
Temple by Matthew Reilly.
Any that you simply couldn’t finish and why?
Fan-Tan by Marlon Brando, partly because I didn't have time to finish it before I left Australia to go back to Norway and I didn't have room in my backpack to take it with me, and partly because it wasn't all that good.
Oldest book read?
They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie (1951)
Newest?
The Doomsday Prophecy by Scott Mariani (12 January 2009)
Longest and shortest book titles?
Longest: Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Shortest: Temple
Longest and shortest books?
I didn't keep track of the number of pages in the books I read in Australia, but longest has to be The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by G.W. Dahlquist. The shortest is probably L'oeil du loup by Daniel Pennac.
How many books from the library?
None... The books on my own shelves will last me a long time.
Any translated books?
3 translated from English to Norwegian and 1 from German to English.
Most read author of the year, and how many books by that author?
3 books by Scott Mariani, 2 by Neil Gaiman, 2 by Rosamunde Pilcher, 2 by Janet Evanovich and 2 by Clive Cussler.
Any re-reads?
Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. I love reading that book over Christmas (started it in December 2008, but didn't finish it until January).
Favorite character of the year?
Locke Lamora from The Lies of Locke Lamora and Dustfinger from Inkheart.
Which countries did you go to through the page in your year of reading?
Oh dear. I don't remember all of them, but here are some: Scotland, England, USA, Australia, Italy, Germany, Iraq, Greece, Israel, Austria, Slovenia, France, Switzerland, Peru, Camorr, Discworld.
Which book wouldn’t you have read without someone’s specific recommendation?
I don't think anyone specifically recommended any of the books, but I had heard good things about some of them on BookCrossing, and would probably not have checked them out if not for that.
Which author was new to you in 2009 that you now want to read the entire works of?
Cornelia Funke
Which books are you annoyed you didn’t read?
I'm not annoyed, but I wish I had gotten around to finishing Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Did you read any books you have always been meaning to read?
Define "always". There were a couple I had been planning to read for maybe two or three years, but no longer than that.
How many books read in 2009?
32 plus 2 I didn't finish until after New Year's.
How many fiction and nonfiction?
30 fiction, 2 non-fiction. I really don't read a lot of non-fiction.
Male/Female author ratio?
21 male, 13 female (two books were written by two authors)
Favorite book of 2009?
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch and Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.
Least favorite?
Temple by Matthew Reilly.
Any that you simply couldn’t finish and why?
Fan-Tan by Marlon Brando, partly because I didn't have time to finish it before I left Australia to go back to Norway and I didn't have room in my backpack to take it with me, and partly because it wasn't all that good.
Oldest book read?
They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie (1951)
Newest?
The Doomsday Prophecy by Scott Mariani (12 January 2009)
Longest and shortest book titles?
Longest: Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Shortest: Temple
Longest and shortest books?
I didn't keep track of the number of pages in the books I read in Australia, but longest has to be The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by G.W. Dahlquist. The shortest is probably L'oeil du loup by Daniel Pennac.
How many books from the library?
None... The books on my own shelves will last me a long time.
Any translated books?
3 translated from English to Norwegian and 1 from German to English.
Most read author of the year, and how many books by that author?
3 books by Scott Mariani, 2 by Neil Gaiman, 2 by Rosamunde Pilcher, 2 by Janet Evanovich and 2 by Clive Cussler.
Any re-reads?
Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher. I love reading that book over Christmas (started it in December 2008, but didn't finish it until January).
Favorite character of the year?
Locke Lamora from The Lies of Locke Lamora and Dustfinger from Inkheart.
Which countries did you go to through the page in your year of reading?
Oh dear. I don't remember all of them, but here are some: Scotland, England, USA, Australia, Italy, Germany, Iraq, Greece, Israel, Austria, Slovenia, France, Switzerland, Peru, Camorr, Discworld.
Which book wouldn’t you have read without someone’s specific recommendation?
I don't think anyone specifically recommended any of the books, but I had heard good things about some of them on BookCrossing, and would probably not have checked them out if not for that.
Which author was new to you in 2009 that you now want to read the entire works of?
Cornelia Funke
Which books are you annoyed you didn’t read?
I'm not annoyed, but I wish I had gotten around to finishing Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
Did you read any books you have always been meaning to read?
Define "always". There were a couple I had been planning to read for maybe two or three years, but no longer than that.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Read in April
8) Cyclops by Clive Cussler
Read: 21 March - 1 April
Pages: 473
Rating: 4
Good, old-fashioned Dirk Pitt adventure including Russian villains, a beautiful woman, a catastrophe to prevent and a hidden treasure. I missed Al Giordino through most of the book and never really warmed to Jessie LeBaron. I liked the endig, though. Far from the best Pitt adventure, but decent entertainment.
9) Bienes hemmelige liv av Sue Monk Kidd
Lest: 1. april - 10. april
Sider: 378
Karakter: 4
Read: 21 March - 1 April
Pages: 473
Rating: 4
Good, old-fashioned Dirk Pitt adventure including Russian villains, a beautiful woman, a catastrophe to prevent and a hidden treasure. I missed Al Giordino through most of the book and never really warmed to Jessie LeBaron. I liked the endig, though. Far from the best Pitt adventure, but decent entertainment.
9) Bienes hemmelige liv av Sue Monk Kidd
Lest: 1. april - 10. april
Sider: 378
Karakter: 4
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Read in March
7) The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Read: 18 February - 19 March
Pages: 719
Rating: 6
Only finished one book this month, but it was a great one. Exciting, funny and somewhat scary (I don't think a book has ever caused me to experience vertigo before), with colourful characters set in a world I could easily picture. Locke Lamora is a charming and witty conman with a good heart, leading an equally charming and witty band of young criminals who con rich people out of their money because it's what they do best. Engaging characters, black magic, scary villains, an interesting world and a clever plot, this is "a story of adventure, loyalty, and survival that is one part Robin Hood, one part Ocean's Eleven, and entirely enthralling..." (fantasticfiction.co.uk) What's not to love?
Read: 18 February - 19 March
Pages: 719
Rating: 6
Only finished one book this month, but it was a great one. Exciting, funny and somewhat scary (I don't think a book has ever caused me to experience vertigo before), with colourful characters set in a world I could easily picture. Locke Lamora is a charming and witty conman with a good heart, leading an equally charming and witty band of young criminals who con rich people out of their money because it's what they do best. Engaging characters, black magic, scary villains, an interesting world and a clever plot, this is "a story of adventure, loyalty, and survival that is one part Robin Hood, one part Ocean's Eleven, and entirely enthralling..." (fantasticfiction.co.uk) What's not to love?
Monday, June 29, 2009
Read in February
3) The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert B. Parker
Read: 28 January - 2 February
Pages: 204
Rating: 4
First in the Spenser series.
4) National Treasure: Book of Secrets by Ann Lloyd
Read: 2 - 3 February
Pages: 144
Rating: 4
Quick, easy to read novelisation of the movie (which I love). This is intended for younger readers, and I'm sure they will find it exciting, but as an adult I would have like to see the story a bit more fleshed out. As it is, it's simply a retelling of the movie (did I mention I love the movie?), no more, no less (except for Mitch Wilkinson's death, which is decidedly less).
5) 1st To Die by James Patterson
Read: 4 - 12 February
Pages: 462
Rating: 5
First in the Women's Murder Club series. Good crime novel with some obvious and some less obvious plot twists. I really like the characters, though Lindsay's constant crying irritates me no end (can I blame it on a male writer trying to "soften" the tough police woman?).
6) De kom til Bagdad av Agatha Christie
Read: 13 - 17 February
Pages: 209
Rating: 4
Passelig spennende spionroman fra 50-tallet med et stort persongalleri og en stemningsfull setting.
Read: 28 January - 2 February
Pages: 204
Rating: 4
First in the Spenser series.
4) National Treasure: Book of Secrets by Ann Lloyd
Read: 2 - 3 February
Pages: 144
Rating: 4
Quick, easy to read novelisation of the movie (which I love). This is intended for younger readers, and I'm sure they will find it exciting, but as an adult I would have like to see the story a bit more fleshed out. As it is, it's simply a retelling of the movie (did I mention I love the movie?), no more, no less (except for Mitch Wilkinson's death, which is decidedly less).
5) 1st To Die by James Patterson
Read: 4 - 12 February
Pages: 462
Rating: 5
First in the Women's Murder Club series. Good crime novel with some obvious and some less obvious plot twists. I really like the characters, though Lindsay's constant crying irritates me no end (can I blame it on a male writer trying to "soften" the tough police woman?).
6) De kom til Bagdad av Agatha Christie
Read: 13 - 17 February
Pages: 209
Rating: 4
Passelig spennende spionroman fra 50-tallet med et stort persongalleri og en stemningsfull setting.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Read in January
1) Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
Read: 1 December 2008 - 10 January 2009
Pages: 598
Rating: 6
One of my all-time favourites. A feel-good book, perfect for snuggling up with a blanket on a cold winter day.
2) The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
Read: 11 - 27 January
Pages: 518
Rating: 4
Last book in the His Dark Materials trilogy (a name I'm still not sure I understand). Not as good as the second, but a satisfactory, if somewhat tragic, conclusion.
Read: 1 December 2008 - 10 January 2009
Pages: 598
Rating: 6
One of my all-time favourites. A feel-good book, perfect for snuggling up with a blanket on a cold winter day.
2) The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
Read: 11 - 27 January
Pages: 518
Rating: 4
Last book in the His Dark Materials trilogy (a name I'm still not sure I understand). Not as good as the second, but a satisfactory, if somewhat tragic, conclusion.
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