Current Reads

Pretty much, yep.

I'm halfway through Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining, and I'm enjoying it. Danny Torrance just never was going to have an easy life, was he?

I want to read it, but The Shining scared the shit outta me a but too much so I doubt that's a good idea.

I finished Sisterland last night. I...wouldn't say that I loved it. I haven't read any of Curtis Sittenfeld's other books, but I found her writing in this a little tedious and almost amateurish in places. I had a really hard time identifying with/sympathizing with the narrator, a lot of the stuff that happened seemed pretty unbelievable and/or unconnected to anything, and the plot, as it were, dragged a bit.

There were character moments that I thought were really well-drawn, that I really UNDERSTOOD, and those moments don't have to be sympathetic to be great. But the main character (Kate) was not just imperfect, she seemed really, really self-absorbed, past the point of it being a result of what had happened in her life and just to a degree where I kind of got off the train.

So, yeah. I didn't hate it or anything, and I liked how it started off, but by the end it had pretty much lost me.

I finished Doctor Sleep the other day and found it just ok. But I did like the further exploration of his life. I just felt that the True weren't really much of a threat. I didn't feel like they were all that effective adversaries.

Apparently I'm on a creepy roll, because I'm now re-reading Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates. I first read this as a teen and man have I forgotten a LOT. So goddamn freaky.

Blew through Divergent and Insurgent and eagerly await the third, even though I feel they were both a bit flawed. I'm invested now, so must finish. Also, though I adore Four, I just think that name is stupid. Sorry Four.

Now into The 5th Wave, which so far is good and creepy. I like that it doles out information slowly so that I get to guess and figure stuff out on my own. I hope it stays this good.

Ooooooh, The 5th Wave is great. My husband's reading it now and keeps Looking Meaningfully at me, like he's fishing for spoilers.

I loved The 5th Wave. It freaked me out, in a good way. Couldn't put it down.

Today I finished Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan (thanks for the rec, Tabby!) and I loved it.  Very fun and accessible investigation of the science, anthropology, and reports of first-hand attempts to master the various ways humans have developed to make food that's nutritious and enjoyable to eat.  Very enjoyable book. Makes me wish I was less fucked up about food, so I could actually cook like that myself.

I'm almost finished with Mary Kay Anderson's Spring Fever and good lord, the cheese. Her other books are a little on the schmaltzy side too, but they were enjoyable enough reads. This one, though, this one is giving me Nicholas Sparks-ian style dry heaves.

I actually kinda like the storyline but the way the lead male character is written is killing me. He says things like "You're different now, it's like you've grown into what you were always meant to be. Like a peach. Luscious is the word I'm looking for."

Everything about this character reads like a woman-scorned's fantasy of how her ex will come back to her with declarations of how he never stopped loving her and she's only gotten better with time and how he'd rather throw over his hot blonde fiancee to get back with her instead and the whole effect is really silly.

"You're different now, it's like you've grown into what you were always meant to be. Like a peach. Luscious is the word I'm looking for."

*full-body shudder*

That line is making me think of Nicholas Cage in the movie Face-off. That's probably not what the author (or any author) was going for, right?

That just literally made me cringe. I've been reading way too many bad romances on my Kindle lately. I mean, really bad. I just have to learn to give up my crazy delusions that somehow, some way, I'm going to find another gem in that pile of self-published crap that is free on Amazon. Because needle? Meet haystack.

Doctor Sleep ended up being just ok. By no means one of his worst books (Tommyknockers and Dreamcatcher, I'm looking at you), but nowhere near his best.

I've just started Early Decision, about an independent college admissions counselor and her clients. Being as how my son is a senior and we're starting the application process, this will either be a brilliant choice on my part (hey, clues on how to get in to the college of his choice for sure) or the worst idea ever (clues leading me to believe he'll never even get in to his safety school).

I'm applying for grad school and though I've been through the application process, I figure it'll be fun and nerve-wracking to read about the process so I'm about to borrow Early Decision as well.

naughty zoot wrote:Doctor Sleep ended up being just ok. By no means one of his worst books (Tommyknockers and Dreamcathcer, I'm looking at you), but nowhere near his best.

Aw, I have a soft spot for Tommyknockers because of the batteries thing, which has been a running joke with my mom for years.

Yesterday I finished Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson. So good! I blitzed through it because there was a great feeling of low-grade creepiness and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I figured out the twist a little over half way through, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment at all.

I felt the ending was weak, but the build-up was excellent, and I thought it was so awesomely creepy.

Read two over the weekend, Gone Girl and The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

I pretty much hated all the characters in Gone Girl.

Spoiler:

Has Nancy Grace said anything about this book? Flynn pretty much nailed her character with that tv-show person.

I loved The Ocean at the End of the Lane so very much.

Well, I hated Early Decision. Partly it may be that I am just not the target audience for this book. I could not give any less of a rat's ass about over-privileged kids and their pyscho parents trying to get them into over-rated Ivy League schools. The protagonist, Anne, is an independent college counselor works with 4 of them over the course of the book, and with one poor Latina, who naturally gets the least amount of time and is really just there as a plot device. There are completely unbelievable coincidences throughout and even dumber, cliched plot conflicts.

Definitely going into that book with major wariness then.

Today I finished Saints Astray by Jacqueline Carey. It's the follow up to Santa Olivia, which I loved. I was really pleased by this sequel. It starts right where the last book left off, following Loup and Pilar as they escape first to Mexico, then Europe where they become bodyguards, which eventually leads them to exposing the existence of the militarized zones where Santa Olivia (and other towns like it) struggle to survive. I love the characters and the plot was fun, though I could have done with fewer conversations that start with Pilar getting insecure and Loup having to reassure her and end with them declaring their undying love. Still, a very enjoyable book.

I just finished Cold Comfort Farm and it was hilarious. I don't know why I've never read this book before. It was like if a normal person were dropped into the middle of Wuthering Heights with all the bizarre insanity and had to sort all the characters out. I loved it.

I loved it, too. And the movie. (Kate Beckinsale used to be so good. See also, Last Days of Disco.)

I knew I was going to love Cold Comfort Farm when Flora had that little speech about having to play sports at school and standing in the middle of a field worried a ball was going to come her way. That was pretty much me in gym class.

I've started reading the new Percy Jackson book, The House of Hades. Riordan is such a troll. The dedication was: Dear readers, Sorry about the cliffhanger. Actually, NOT REALLY. :P