Review: The Moor by Laurie R. King

This cover is not exactly the one on my book...mine is black, with gold writing, with a gold oval around the carriage from this pic. I believe I Mooched my copy. I finished the book about 12:15 am on Jan. 1, so according to Wendy, this counts for the Merely Mystery reading challenge!

I loved the first book in this series, but then only liked the two after it. I'm happy to report that this installment of the series was a return to the quality (for me) of the first one. I quite enjoyed it. It may be that it's because there was almost no mention of theology in this one. I really think that the theology was what bogged books two and three down for me.

In this episode, our intrepid heroes set off for Dartmoor, called in by Sabine Baring-Gould (who turns out to be Holmes' godfather) to solve a mystery that has haunted Holmes before. The moor folk (and others) have reported seeing a mysterious hound stalking the moor. It is following a carriage which the locals believe to be made of the bones of Lady Howard's dead husbands. Could it be that the Hound of the Baskervilles has returned to walk again? When people begin to show up dead on the moor, Baring-Gould calls in Holmes and Russell to get to the bottom of things.

This was just a good old-fasioned mystery. I really, thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd give it four and a half out of five Whatevers. Recommended for fans of Holmes (or Russell), for fans of mysteries, for fans of English history. I love this series and will be continuing on with it this year!

2012-1

Merely Mystery Reading Challenge

Wendy at Musings of a Bookish Kitty is hosting the Merely Mystery Reading Challenge. Participants can read at one of two levels: Down on Her Luck Gumshoe (two or more books from one mystery subgenre) or Shamus Who Has Seen It All (one book from each of the 12 subgenres). I don't usually go in for reading challenges, but seeing as it's Jan. 1 and I've already completed half of the Down on Her Luck Gumshoe level (maybe it's cheating, but I finished a mystery at 12:15 this morning!), I figured I'd join up. I plan on finishing several more mysteries this year, anyway, so even if my early morning finish doesn't count, I should still easily complete the level I've chosen. Head over to Wendy's post to sign up!

Review: Moonlight in Odessa by Janet Skeslien Charles

I received this book for review from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. When I received it, I really didn't know what to expect. I'd never read anything about the Ukraine, and very little about Russia (just Dr. Zhivago, which I loathed). But the premise sounded interesting and I thought I should give the region another chance.

The book is about Daria, a young Odessan woman who is trapped in a miserable job, working for a pig of a boss, making almost no money as a secretary when she has a degree in engineering, with no possibility of escape on the horizon. While she has a love-hate relationship with Odessa (she loves its beauty and traditions, hates the fact that it is such a dead-end), she realizes that her only hope is to leave, to get out, find a better life elsewhere. But most Odessans never leave. The key for most Odessan women is to marry a foreigner (read: American) and move away for a better life. Odessan men are drunks and layabouts; American men promise freedom and an easy life.

To supplement her income, Daria takes a job working for an internet matchmaking company called Soviet Unions (HA!), translating for the girls and their dates. While she initially loves the work, which allows her to use her beloved English more often, she comes to realize that she is, basically, trafficking in these women. When she meets Tristan, an American teacher, online through Soviet Unions, she has to choose between him and his promise of the American dream, or Vladimir Stanislavski, a local mobster and the uncertain future he offers. And what about her boss, Mr. Harmon?

My favorite part was the first section. I love who Daria is, how fearless she is in taking charge at work, how she is able to stand up to Vlad. The second section, in which things change substantially, made me mostly very sad. (I'm being very vague on purpose, so as not to spoil the events of the book.) But I loved the end. It was a happy ever after (sort of), but open-ended, with a lot of questions unanswered. I kept thinking about Daria after the novel ended and wondering what happens to her next. I don't usually give quarter-Whatevers, but I couldn't decide between four and four-and-a-half. And its my blog, so I can do whatever I want. So I'm going to give this book four and a quarter Whatevers. Read it. It's fun, not too heavy, and I'm sure you will be glad you did.

2011-20

Review: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

I mooched this copy of The Catcher in the Rye. This book was another re-read for me. I first read it in high school, but I can't remember what year. I detested the book in high school. After reading it again, about 20 years later, I really enjoyed it. I think, perhaps, I was in the same boat as Holden Caulfield the first time I read the book - no, not crazy...immature! Reading the novel with more life experience behind me, I just GET IT a lot better. I found it hilariously funny. Holden's immaturity and constant watch for "phonies" just cracked me up. Ultimately, though, the book is a sad one - Holden's immaturity leads to his loneliness, and his loneliness keeps him from being able to interact in appropriate ways with others. His sadness over the death of his brother and the poor family dynamic among the Caulfields just complicate the already difficult and distressing teenage years.

Reading it again after 20 years, I officially reverse my original opinion: I give the book five out of five Whatevers. Never have I flown through a novel so quickly. I finished it in two days. I almost couldn't put it down. It has earned its accolades. Recommended, but not for high schoolers. Put some distance between the age of the protagonist and the age of the reader. Most teenagers cannot believe that every little thing that goes wrong is not the end of the world - the teen years are filled with too much drama for most teenagers to appreciate this book, in my humble opinion. Put some life experience behind you, then pick it up...or else read it as a teenager and then re-read it years later and see if you appreciate it more!

2011-19

Review: A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

The American Revolution is drawing near, and the Fraser/MacKenzie clan of Fraser's Ridge must decide which side they are on. Knowing what they do about the outcome of the war, they lean toward the cause of liberty, but Jamie must also balance his political stance with the use he can make of his Loyalist friends. This book chronicles the few years before the American Revolution starts in earnest (and part of the year 1776). It's pretty standard Jamie-and-Claire-get-into-trouble-and-mysteriously-out-of-it-again fare.

I loved it, as I've loved every book in the series. I purchased my copy of the book (maybe at BJ's?). And, while I've read this one before (and it was the most recently read of them all), I remembered the least about this book. So my re-read was almost like reading it again for the first time! Definitely four and a half out of five Whatevers. Action-packed and absolutely wonderful. One more published volume to read, then I have to get my hands on the new one, Written in My Heart's Own Blood, as soon as it comes out next year. Maybe I should satiate my desire for Gabaldon in the meantime by starting the Lord John series, which I have never read?

2011-18

Review: A Letter of Mary by Laurie R. King

I purchased this book at Borders, before its untimely demise. I was in the process of collecting all the titles in King's Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series and this one and the previous Monstrous Regiment of Women were purchased at about the same time.

In this installment, a friend of Russell and Holmes comes from the Middle East, bearing gifts. Dorothy Ruskin, an amateur archeologist, brings Mary a beautiful Italian puzzle box which contained a papyrus purported to contain a message from Mary Magdalene. When Ms. Ruskin is killed in a suspicious car accident before she can return to her dig in the Middle East, Russell and Holmes take it upon themselves to solve the mystery of her demise.

I wasn't thrilled with this book. The series is going quickly downhill for me. I was a huge fan of the first book, The Beekeeper's Apprentice, but less so with the last installment, and even less so with this one. There just wasn't enough action for me in this book. I wanted to see Russell and Holmes get into and out of more scrapes than they did, do more detecting. I don't know. There just seemed to be a lot of boring undercover stuff and then a conclusion about what happened. We didn't get to SEE them solve the case. I didn't like that. And I wanted to hear more about the letter from Mary Magdalene. I kind of wanted Russell to devote more time to investigating it. It seemed like that story line sort of trailed off. Maybe it will be picked back up in the future?? Anyway, I'd give this one three and a half out of five Whatevers. I didn't hate it; in fact, I did think it was pretty good. I just hope the next book has a little more to offer, otherwise I might not make it through the rest of the series.

2011-17

Review: Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

I received a copy of Sandman Slim from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.  Of course, by now I'm officially a Late Reviewer, as I think I was supposed to review this a couple of YEARS ago.  But anyway!

The book is about Stark, a magician whose friends banished him to Hell eleven years ago, then killed his girlfriend.  He's returned from Hell to seek out and kill Mason, the leader of the magical group responsible for Alice's death.  While in Hell, Stark perfected his killing abilities, returning to Earth stronger, faster, and more lethal than when he left.  So killing Mason should be relatively easy...right?

Wrong.  A host of demons, angels, and anti-angels stand between Stark and his quarry.  The book details Stark's attempts to seek out and kill Mason and how he overcomes the hurdles that stand in the way.

The novel definitely falls into the urban fantasy category.  I'm going to be sexist here and say it's a very MALE book.  While reading, I kept thinking that the voice was similar to what would exist if Stephen King and Anthony Bourdain had a baby.  Teenage boys would probably love this book, but I enjoyed it as well.  If you're not into blood and gore, cursing, or anti-religious themes, this would not be the book for you.  As none of those things particularly bother me, I didn't have any issues with the content.  My copy was an Advance Readers' Edition and, as such, was riddled with typos.  I hope those were corrected before the final edition was published.  They were a bit distracting for me, but I'm a grammar stickler like that.  The story, however, kept my interest fairly well.

I'd give the book three and a half out of five Whatevers.  If there were a sequel, and it feels like there might be, I'd probably check it out.  I enjoyed the character of Stark, and I would like to get to know some of the secondary characters better (Doc Kinski, Candy, Allegra, Vidocq).  Recommended for those with strong stomachs who enjoy hard-core urban fantasy.

2011-16