{2015 TBR Pile Challenge Review} THE LIKENESS by Tana French

Kathy's Review:

(Copied with her permission from her blog, Grown Up Book Reports)

This is the sequel to In the Woods, although it’s been so long since I read that one, that it may as well be a standalone book. I don’t think you need to read In the Woods to enjoy this one. I went back and read my review, which was pretty sparse. So that doesn’t tell me anything except that Cassie was a character in the book. In The Likeness, however, she is the main character. As a former undercover agent, Cassie is brought to the scene of a murder because the girl who has been killed not only looks exactly like Cassie, but has taken the identification of Lexie Madison, a pseudonym Maddox used when she was undercover. It’s doubly creepy.

Frank, a manipulative detective who worked with Cassie when she was undercover, convinces Cassie to assume the life of “Lexie” and see if she can uncover who murdered her. They somehow play off the fact that Lexie is dead, and invent a story about a coma. Once Cassie has studied as much as possible about the dead girl’s life, and her four housemates, she infiltrates.

The story unwinds slowly, and we are as much in the dark about Lexie’s fate as Cassie is. Bits are revealed but we don’t know what to make of them. There’s an element of fear that pervades through the book – at any moment, Cassie could be found out. And obviously the murderer knows he finished the job, so when will he reveal himself? (Or she. I guess.)

A tad disappointing in that there were a ton of red herrings and some loose ends that didn’t get tied up nicely. But a very interesting and unnverving story, written beautifully.

Another one to check off for the TBR Pile Challenge!

{2015 TBR Pile Challenge Review} 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

Kathy's Review:

Copied with her permission from her personal blog, 

Grown Up Book Reports

Whew! 1157 pages to this bad boy! The version I had was broken into three smaller paperbacks. I took a break in between each paperback, because that is a LOT to digest.

If the sheer volume of this book doesn’t scare you away, then be prepared for some weirdness. The story follows two main characters, Tengo and Aomame. They shared a moment in childhood, and then never saw each other again, but both still think of the other. Seems like a regular romance, right? Well, it’s not that simple. Aomame enters an alternate universe by trying to take a shortcut when her cab is met with highway traffic. She’s on her way to kill someone, because that’s what she does.

Still with me?

Tengo has been caught up in a fraud scheme wherein he ghostwrites a novel thought up by 17 year old Erika Fukado, also known as Fuka-Eri. This novel wins an amateur writing contest prize and becomes a bestseller. Seems like a fairly harmless deception, except the novel, “Air Chrysalis,” depicts this alternate world where there are two moons, these entities called “Little People,” and these things they weave called air chrysalises. It just so happens that this world is real, and it’s the world Aomame has unwittingly entered. Other than a few anomalies – the biggest being the whole “two moon” thing – the world seems unchanged.

Through alternating chapters, Aomame’s story and Tengo’s story start to come closer together. In the end this is a love story, though all the weirdness.

It’s not for everyone. That’s for certain. I’m not sure if was even for me. I stubbornly got through the whole thing, but there were several times I wanted to just say “screw it, this biz is too out-there for my liking.” Maybe you will feel that way, too. On the other hand, maybe you will find the writing (translated from the Japanese) to be beautiful and poetic. I don’t know you so I can’t say for sure. If this review has not daunted you from checking this out, then perhaps you’re one of the brave ones to give it a try.

By the way, this was one of my TBR Pile Reading Challenge Books! Check this one off the list!

{2015 TBR Pile Challenge Review} SHADOW OF NIGHT by Deborah Harkness

Kathy's Review:

(Copied with her permission from her personal blog, Grown Up Book Reports)

You may have wondered if something happened to me. Nope, just getting through this dog of a book!

This was a disappointment, compared to A Discovery of Witches, which I enjoyed enough to want to read on. I don’t know that I feel that way after this book. I slogged through this one, sometimes only able to read 1-2 pages at a time before growing bored. I almost gave up on this book several times, but my stubbornness prevailed. That, and I had hope that I’d begin to settle in to the book and find things about it that I enjoyed.

This turned into a historical fiction piece quickly. And I’m not a big fan of that genre. Diana and Matthew time travel to the 1500’s, in England, and land among famous figures such as Walter Raleigh, Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Harriot. And some guy called Will Shakespeare. Turns out some of these guys are daemons! Who knew?

There are a lot of vampires, witches and daemons in Elizabethan London. And they all are intrigued by Diana. The part where she learns how to make her spells is kind of cool. There are pockets of interesting stuff that happens. But other than that, I was bored to tears by all the side plots happening with these historical figures.

I don’t know if I'm up for reading book three. This took me three weeks to get through. I have way too many other books in line to worry about finishing this series. Someone tell me how it ends!

*This was one of my alternate choices for the 2015 TBR Pile Challenge.

{2015 TBR Pile Challenge Review} SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY, MAYBE by Lauren Graham

Kathy's Review:

(Copied with her permission from her personal blog, Grown Up Book Reports)

You probably know Lauren Graham from her roles on television in shows like Gilmore Girls and Parenthood. However, she is also a writer – and a funny one at that!

I chose this for one of my 2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge books because, as a huge fan of Parenthood, I was interested in what Graham had to say as a writer. I was not disappointed.

This book reads like a rom-com from start to finish. Our heroine, Franny, is trying to make it as an actress in New York. She’s goofy and clumsy and completely lacking in self-esteem. However, she has real acting talent and is starting to get noticed. James, for instance, an actor in her class, notices her. The two start to date – and by date, I mean they go hook up at his place. And then there’s Dan, her roommate, who has a girlfriend, but seems to wish he could be with her. She’s pretty much got him friendzoned.

As Franny’s career starts to take off, she sees the ugly side to show business and looks for support from James. An actor himself, he makes her an offer that shocks her. It’s obvious Dan is who she should be with. Dan and Franny even go see a romantic comedy in the theater and Dan draws a comparison to Franny’s life, which she refuses to even indulge.

The ending is sort of ambiguous, but it looks like she is going down the right path. She’s an endearing character, with her calendar pages that have her doodles and notes from her weeks that took place during the story. We want her to do well but we also are amused by her missteps. She’s like the one friend you have that something crazy is always happening to. We like to have those kinds of friends because of the stories we get from them.

Good stuff from Ms. Graham. It’s funny, light and smart. I wonder how much of this is drawn from her own life and struggle to make it? I’m sure she has seen similar situations to what she has described in the book – the auditions, the agencies that won’t call you back for weeks… it all seems very accurate and well described. Bravo.

{2015 TBR Pile Challenge Review} LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING by J. R. R. Tolkien

Lupe's Review:

Yes. This was exactly what I wanted it to be and more. I cannot even give a good enough review for how much I loved this. The magic, the wonder, the scenery, the songs and the adventure. I can't wait to continue with Frodo and Sam, Aragon, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir. This was just. Yes.

{2015 TBR Pile Challenge Review} THE ULTIMATE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY by Douglas Adams

ISBN #: 978-0345453747

Page Count: 832

Copyright: April 30, 2002

Publisher: Del Rey

Lupe's Review:

Just like the book says, this is the ULTIMATE guide! However, I wouldn't recommend reading it all in one sitting! I loved Douglas Adams wit and satire and his humor was off the charts! It could get tiring reading the same jokes over and over but if you put it down for a bit and came back to it, it was like reading a fresh book. Which, since there are 5 of them, makes sense. By far my favorite book is Hitchhiker's but a close second has to be So Long And Thanks For All The Fish.

I think my only complaint was the utter lack of Marvin! And if Ford and Arthur are friends, why are they not with each other more often?!? But hey, spacetime travel is complicated, I totally get it. Anyone know which dimension has a good Guide??

{2015 TBR Pile Challenge} Check-In Post #2

Wow! It's already time to post our second check-in for the TBR Pile Challenge. We haven't been moving along as steadily as we'd like, but we did get a review in since January 15th (see cover below). How are you doing on this challenge? Are you on target?

Lupe's Review Posted 1/19

{2015 TBR Pile Challenge Review} A CLOCKWORK ORANGE by Anthony Burgess

Lupe's Review:

Ok. To begin, I'm not rating this book a five star because everyone else has. Although, to be fair, I would have done so just to keep it up. But realistically, this book is WORTH the five star- and then some. Beautifully lyrical and utterly captivating, Anthony Burgess takes us into the mind of a troubled young man, Alex, and the story of discovery made in the face of moral ambiguity and government interference.

Alex is, as any person would admit, a hooligan. He and his droogs (friends) love to bully and beat people to the extreme. This book is definitely violent. There is no getting around that. And disturbing. I was surprised at just how soon Burgess introduces the reader to Alex's debauchery and ruthlessness. The infamous rape scene, made to important top ten lists of disturbing movie scenes just about every year, was just the beginning of Alex's downfall. I've never seen the movie, but just reading this scene made me uneasy and uncomfortable. Which to me, is a sign of a well written book.

I, like many others, found the language Burgess uses to be slightly difficult, but he does introduce it in such a way that by chapter 2, you get a hang of the language and it becomes just as natural for you to read as regular English (or British English, if you prefer). To be honest, those around Alex who were part of outside world (the police, government, his parents) I had a harder time understanding than Alex because you become so used to the nadsat (made up slang) language.

The dichotomy of Alex's character is so brilliant and beautiful. He is a young man with violent tendencies and yet loves classical music, Beethoven and his ninth symphony to be exact. And it's with this brilliance in writing that the reader then begins to root and grow sympathetic to Alex, even though we know that he has done some heinous crimes, and would commit them again if he could. The idea, at first, of a cure for him seems great but then as we see the cure in effect, the reader begins to realize that Alex as himself is better than the Alex of the cure. And that is a scary thought. I am certainly very glad to have read the edition that had the original final chapter included. I think that it tied up loose ends and gave a closer look at how people can choose differently, so long as it's of their own volition.

I (sadly) picked this copy up from the library, so it does have to be returned. But I will be buying this soon to keep on my shelf. There were so many beautiful passages that begged to be underlined and a book that would love to be read again and again.

{2015 TBR Pile Challenge} Check-In Post

Our first check-in for 2015 and, so far, we're off to a pretty good start! Both Lupe and Mandy have each read one novel and are on track to completing their list. Kathy hasn't finished her first one yet, but she's pretty determined and we know she'll catch up in no time.

How are you doing so far? Are you on track with your TBR list?

Lupe's 1st TBR Book

Mandy's 1st TBR Book

{2015 TBR Pile Challenge Review} MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY by Winifred Watson

Mandy's Review:

I did a book-lover's no-no. I saw this movie before reading the novel. Normally, I adhere to the rule "Read the book before watching the movie," but this time I decided to be a rule-breaker.

For those who may not have had the pleasure of watching the movie or reading the book, let me give you some backstory ... Miss Pettigrew is a down-on-her-luck lady forever looking for a job. She's had some bad ones as a governess. Her appointment with Delysia is her last chance at a full-time position. What she wasn't expecting was for her world to be turned upside down in less than 24 hours.

I love this story but, and shame on me, I think I like the movie portrayal even more. There was more conflict in the movie that was missing from the book. I was still drawn to Miss Pettigrew and was rooting for her the whole time. I felt her sadness when she became sad. I felt her fear when she became afraid. The moments she became a lioness, I inwardly cheered. I won't spoil the story for those who've yet to read/watch it, but I think it's one the majority of you would enjoy.

{2015 TBR Pile Challenge Review} THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman

Lupe's Review:

Neil Gaiman does it again, but this time in a graveyard. He begins his tale in a house with a man coming up the stairs with a bloody knife and so you think this is going to become a horror story. But when you find the baby, whose family has been killed by the man with the knife, going to the graveyard and becoming Nobody Owens, you realize this is going to be so much more than that.

Nobody Owens grows up in the graveyard being "raised" as it were, by Mr. and Mrs. Owens as his parents and Silas, as his Guardian. Oh, and did I mention: they are all ghosts. As he gets older, and begins to crave more of the world, he has "teachers" (ghost of former teachers, poets and travelers) and teacher (but they don't know about him). Bod begins to grow and Silas, his guardian, begins to tell him about the dangers of the outside world, and Jack, the man sent to kill him. Bod meets Scarlett, and his whole world changes...

I think the most beautiful thing about this whole book was the living and growing with Bod and seeing the world as a child would again. The ghost in the graveyard could just as easily be imaginary friends, and yet they are family to Bod. I think that the friendships and relationships that he made with both his parents and his guardian are tools that he will take with him throughout life and that it was almost a resemblance to taking the stories and imaginations from our childhoods and shaping them into our adult lives, sometimes without even realizing it. Again, Gaiman outdoes his creativity and imagination, and brings to life a world that we would not have dreamed of.

"I know my name. I am Nobody Owens. That is who I am."