dtrpath27 Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 (edited) Hello! I'm rather new here, but I love this thread and thought I'd get in on the fun! January 2014 (3 books, 1 short story) The 100 Year-old Man Who Climbed Out a Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson Pope Awesome and Other Stories by Cari Donaldson The Museum of Literary Souls by John Connolly Austenland by Shannon Hale February 2014 (3 books, 1 short story) Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale The Humans by Scott Hoag Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan The Library Next Door by DM Denton March 2014 (15 books, 3 short stories) Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt Hikikomori and the Rental Sister by Jeff Baukhaus I Forgot to Remember: a Memoir of Amnesia by Su Beck Freedom is Blogging in Your Underwear by Hugh MacLeod The Time Traveler by Ronald L. Hallett The Solitary House by Lynn Shepherd A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole The Man Who Ended the World by Jason Gurley Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay The Caretaker by Jason Gurley The Dark Age by Jason Gurley The Last Rail Rider by Jason Gurley The Sky Used to be Blue by Patrice Fitzgerald The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion Apocolypsis by Elle Casey On the Beach by Neville Shute Dr. Owita's Guide to Gardening by Carol Wall Lexicon by Max Barry April 2014 (5 books, 1 story) Gentleman Thief by Goli Taraghi (short story) A Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank The Dubliners by James Joyce May 2014 No One is Here Except All of Us by Ramona Ausubel Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie September 2014 A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum December 2014 An Old Captivity by Nevil Shute The Paper Magician by Charlie M. Holmberg The Glass Magician by Charlie M. Bloomberg The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman Edited January 17, 2015 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 (edited) March 2014 - Book One Hikikomori and the Rental Sister by Jeff Baukhaus Publishing Information: ©2013 by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill Genre: Fiction Major Themes: Loss, grief, social isolation, intimacy and interpersonal relationships Setting: Primarily New York City, present day Main Characters: Thomas Tessler, Megumi (the rental sister), Silke (Thomas's wife) Synopsis: In Japanese, the term hikikomori literally means pulling inward, being confined. This is the story of a man who, unable to cope with a devastating loss, has cloistered himself in his bedroom for three years, shutting out the entire world, including his wife, Silke. In her desperation, his wife enlists the help of Megumi, a rental sister, who has special insight to the world of hikikomori. This is not only a tale of Megumi's attempt to help Thomas and Silke, but also an examination of intimacy, love and grief. Got up early this morning in a mood to read! Read this one from beginning to end in about four hours. I'm still processing, but here are my initial thoughts: This book drew me in with a certain morbid fascination for the life that Thomas was leading. Initially, I was put off by his lifestyle and his wife's apparent tolerance of it. Thomas seemed to be weak and selfish, his wife desperate, and Megumi an odd insertion to this strange little reality. The more I got to know the characters, however, the easier it was to reserve judgement and simply watch their stories unfold. Although this tale is taken to the nth degree, it made me consider times of grief in my own life, and what it would have taken to reach the point of any one of these characters. I pondered how humans often use various levels of isolation as a form of self-preservation and emotional insulation and how, without even realizing it, one day can become the day that defines your life. Once that happens, what would it take to change it? I really enjoyed this book overall. I would likely read it again, but as it was a bit dark, I would have to be in the mood. It was a quick read and was an interesting enough premise to my attention throughout. I rarely read books straight through from beginning to end, so this one was an exception in that regard. Edited March 3, 2014 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 This sounds interesting! Is it a manga or a written word book? Happy Reading in 2014 ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Written word...'round 250 pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Thanks . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 (edited) Sounds good. Well done for starting a book blog now you will be hooked! Are you perchance planning to review your January/February books? I haven't read any of those although a couple are on my TBR pile Edited March 4, 2014 by vodkafan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 It's definitely already dragging me in. I have another book that I'm finishing tonight that I want to review, but then I'm going to start chipping away at the January/February list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 (edited) March 2014 - Book Two Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt Publishing Info: ©2010 by Fig Tree Genre: Fiction Major Themes: Classified as psychological fiction Setting: Primarily London between Wednesday, July 22, 1964 and Monday, July 27, 1964 Main Characters: Esther Hammerhans (librarian at the House of Commons, widow, and landlady), Mr. Chartwell (her tenant), Beth Oliver (fellow librarian and Esther's best friend, and Winston Churchill Synopsis: This story takes place in the days leading up to Winston Churchill's retirement. Winston is paid an unwelcome visit by a longtime companion, Mr. Chartwell. Later the same day, Esther opens the door to greet her new lodger, finding none other than the same Mr. Chartwell. Although initially opposed to his continued presence in her home, Esther is eventually convinced to let him stay only for awhile. The story reveals how Mr. Chartwell insinuates himself into every aspect both Mr. Churchill and Esther's lives, drawing them closer together until eventually they meet, uncovering the true identity of Mr. Chartwell and the purpose of his visits to them. Impressions: This book has a very original way of dealing with a very common theme. The author's juxtaposition of the great Mr. Churchill and the lowly librarian Esther further underscores the universality of it within the human experience. Elaborating on this point, however, would reveal too much about the story. I felt that the true subject matter was obvious rather earlier than the author seemed to have intended, leaving me to mentally urge Ms. Hunt to "hurry up and say it already, " rather like reading a mystery and figuring out whodunit halfway through the book. The difference was, however, that Ms. Hunt was able to endear me to her characters in such a way that I became invested in hearing their stories to the end. I think that this book would merit a second read, if only to further examine the subtleties of each character and relationship. Edited March 7, 2014 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I read Mr Chartwell a year or so ago and was entranced by it. Such an original and well constructed story, and you do become invested in hearing the stories of the characters. Great review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) March 2014 - Book Three I Forgot to Remember: A Memoir of Amnesia by Su Meck with Daniel DeVise Publishing Information: ©2014 by Simon and Schuster Pages: 275 Genre: Autobiography Synopsis: This is the unbelievable, true story of Su Beck, a young wife and mother, whose life was changed forever when a kitchen ceiling fan inexplicably dropped onto her head causing a traumatic brain injury that erased all memories of not only who she was, but of everything she knew of the world around her. With little understanding of the true extent of her injuries, doctors released her after only three weeks, thrusting her into a reality for which she, and those closest to her were ill-prepared. Still plagued with blackouts, excruciating headaches, and the inability to form new memories along with the loss of knowledge of how to complete even the most basic tasks, Su was unbelievably left to care for two toddlers and a household while her husband travelled extensively for work. This book chronicles what she has been able to reconstruct of the over 20 year journey that she took to find herself again. Impressions: Stunned. Just stunned. How she survived. How her children survived. How no one around her really knew. How the doctors didn't know. How they let her, no, expected her, to do so many of the things that they did is unbelievable. Whether of not she remembers who she once was, she must, at her core be one of the strongest, most determined people ever. Her story really is amazing and worth the time to read. The writing is simple and direct, but her own voice shines through, laying her soul bare and making this memoir an incredibly intimate one to read. Edited March 7, 2014 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 March 2014 - Book Four Freedom is Blogging in Your Underwear by Hugh MacLeod Publishing Information: ©2012 by Penguin Group Pages: 115 Genre: Non-fiction Humor Synopsis: Blogging cartoonist Hugh MacLeod muses about the power of the internet. Impression: It took me longer to format and write this review than it did to read this book. This is not due to insanely fast reading skills on my behalf, but rather the fact the entire book has a VERY generous peppering of Mr. MacLeod's sketches interspersed with his clever, but brief, reflections. Due to the short length, I would not personally spend my very limited book funds on this one (unless it's a 99-cent Kindle special, or something), but if you have 15 minutes to kill at the library, it's worth a read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Excellent reviews, Dtr. I especially am interested in Mr. Chartwell and I Forgot to Remember.....really interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 I agree with Pontalba, those books sound interesting! You're a fast reader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) I agree with Pontalba, those books sound interesting! You're a fast reader. Lol! The one literally had maybe 15-20 pages of writing altogether, if that, despite the fact that all told it was 115 pages. Believe me, I am no speed reader. I'm so new back to reading for pleasure that sometimes I feel like a turtle - a very slow turtle with limited comprehension. It does seem to be picking up a lot this month, but in January I felt as though I had to flip back every few pages just to make sure I was really following along. Thanks everyone for the encouragement on review writing! I am quite new at it and am still trying to shake that "I'm going to get a bad grade on my report card" sort of feeling. Edited March 7, 2014 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 March 2014 - Book Three I Forgot to Remember: A Memoir of Amnesia by Su Meck with Daniel DeVise Publishing Information: ©2014 by Simon and Schuster Pages: 275 Genre: Autobiography Synopsis: This is the unbelievable, true story of Su Beck, a young wife and mother, whose life was changed forever when a kitchen ceiling fan inexplicably dropped onto her head causing a traumatic brain injury that erased all memories of not only who she was, but of everything she knew of the world around her. With little understanding of the true extent of her injuries, doctors released her after only three weeks, thrusting her into a reality for which she, and those closest to her were ill-prepared. Still plagued with blackouts, excruciating headaches, and the inability to form new memories along with the loss of knowledge of how to complete even the most basic tasks, Su was unbelievably left to care for two toddlers and a household while her husband travelled extensively for work. This book chronicles what she has been able to reconstruct of the over 20 year journey that she took to find herself again. Impressions: Stunned. Just stunned. How she survived. How her children survived. How no one around her really knew. How the doctors didn't know. How they let her, no, expected her, to do so many of the things that they did is unbelievable. Whether of not she remembers who she once was, she must, at her core be one of the strongest, most determined people ever. Her story really is amazing and worth the time to read. The writing is simple and direct, but her own voice shines through, laying her soul bare and making this memoir an incredibly intimate one to read. The idea of a ceiling fan falling on my head has always been something that terrifies me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 The idea of a ceiling fan falling on my head has always been something that terrifies me. Then this is definitely not the book for you! Truth be told, I went around the house and checked all of the light fixtures after reading this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 Okay, here goes the beginning of my March read-a-thon reviews. March 2014 - Book Five The Time Traveler: A Scientist's Personal Mission to Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality by Dr. Ronald L. Mallet Publishing Information: ©2006 by Thunder's Mouth Press Pages: 198 Genre: Non-fiction/autobiography Topic: Theoretical physics Synopsis: This is the story of how a devastating loss sets Dr. Mallett upon an unlikely path from happy child, to near dropout, to well-respected theoretical physicist. The story of this amazing journey is inextricably linked to his path of scientific discovery in the area of theoretical physics, and more specifically, time travel. The autobiographical content provides the framework for his explanation of not only his theories, but everything he had to learn to reach that point. Impressions: Can a book that contains countless descriptions of the various aspects of physics be engaging, touching and inspirational? Surprisingly, yes! The story of the power of his love for his father and his personal determination coupled with his accessible explanations of very complex scientific information and his quest to prove the feasibility of time travel make this one of the most interesting biographies I have ever read. I highly recommend this book; it was a most enjoyable way to spend a Saturday afternoon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 That sounds pretty interesting . I like reading about physics (well, I studied some of it so ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 March 2014 - Book Six The Solitary House by Lynn Shepherd Publishing Information: ©2012 by Delacorte Press Pages: 334 Genre: Mystery Setting: London, 1850 Main Characters: Charles Maddox (detective), Charles Maddox (Charles' elderly uncle who also used to be a detective and who is mostly but not always referred to as Maddox), Edward Tulkington (attorney), Sir Julius Cremorne (society fellow and financier), and. A list of other moderately.relevant characters. Synopsis: Set in Dickensian England, this story tells the tale of shamed policeman turned detective, Charles Maddox. With the aid of his elderly uncle, also named Charles Maddox, Charles (the younger) is hired by bigwig attorney Edward Tulkinghorn to solve the case of threatening letters that have been sent to the daughter of Sir Julius Cremone. Things are not what they seem, and the tale takes some bizarre twists and turns. Impressions: Like this book, I did not. I really wanted to, but it just didn't happen. I chose it because it was billed as a unique twist on the world of Charles Dickens. I'm imagining something like one of those Jane Eyre spinoffs, which I quite enjoy. In fact, the same author had written another title called Murder at Mansfield Park, so I thought I'd give it a go. Unfortunately it was nothing at all like I expected. Perhaps the most annoying aspect of the book was the fact that the main character was named Charles, the secondary character was named Charles, and the author kept making random references to Charles Dickens, sometimes referring to him as just Charles in a scene where either both other Charleses were present or where no Charleses were present and you had to guess to which Charles she was referring. I felt like there were.also some aspects of the storyline that were thrown in just to be shocking and depraved, not because it added to the storyline at all. I also felt like the "mystery" aspect.of it was too transparent on some sides and too random on others. I also felt that she fell out of tone from time to time, making it seem like she was inserting a modern observation into the 19th century world, almost as if an actor at a play were to stick his head out from backstage and start talking to his mom in the audience; it was that distracting. Needless to say, I would not recommend this book. My disappointment was magnified by the fact that I really wanted to like it from the beginning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 March 2014 - Book Seven A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole Publishing Information: ©1980 by Louisiana State University Press Pages: 394 Genre: Fiction Setting: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Main Characters: Ignatius J. Reilly, Irene Reilly (his mother), and a host of other characters who get sucked into the black hole that is Ignatius J. Reilly. Synopsis: This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel chronicles the misadventures and musings of born and bred New Orleanian Ignatius J. Reilly on his quest for employment in 1960's New Orleans. Highly educated, yet highly lacking in motivation, 30 year old Ignatius is still living with his mother with an abysmal employment history and his only romantic prospect a distant memory from his college days who now resides in New York City. Impressions: As a reader, I was swept along in Ignatius' madness just like so many of his fellow New Orleanians. Toole did a superb job capturing the character and flavor of the Crescent City, making this novel a humorous and endearing one to read. All comedy aside, however, the most touching aspect of the novel was the foreword, which tells the true story of how this book came into being. As repugnant as Mr. Reilly is, a la Falstaff, there is no better character to rally a confederacy of dunces. "When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in a confederacy against him." - Jonathan Swift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Dtr I think you are doing fine on your reviews, so no worries there ! I have Solitary House and sorry to hear you didn't like it. I'll give it a try sometime . I may agree with you on it ,we'll wait and see. I have so many books waiting it's really hard top tell when I'll get to it ! Keep up the good work . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the encouragement! Sigh...I don't know what it was about that book! Maybe it was my mood. I do think the Charles/Charles/Charles thing didn't help either. Lol. When there's something like that I tend to glom onto it and find it hard to get past it. Also, I have been in a mood all day today. That probably didn't help inspire the most diplomatic of reviews. Edited March 11, 2014 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I agree with Julie, your reviews are very nice . I'm sorry to read you didn't like one of the books you read. The Charles thing sounds very confusing, it would confuse me too! That said, I had a similar problem in some of Charles Dickens' stories where I didn't know which character he meant. Maybe it's meant as a parody of that? It's still confusing though . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) So here is the first in a string of short story reviews. I used to be quite dismissive of short stories; I don't know why, but I was. Maybe it's because I associated them with my elementary school reading textbook, but it took stumbling upon some for free in the Kindle store for me to give them a chance. Let me say, I'm so glad I did! Wonderful characterization, creative storylines...I wonder if the shorter length forces the writers to write that much better, to choose the perfect words, to set the perfect scene. At any rate, I digress. Here it is, the first of a string of short story reviews: March 2014 - Short Story #1 The Dark Age by Jason Gurley Genre: Science Fiction Amazon Synopsis: On the day she was born, he left for the stars. He watches her grow up on screens. Misses her first words. Misses her first steps. She's never kissed his scratchy cheek, or fallen asleep on his shoulder. He's never wiped away her tears, or sung her to sleep. Now she's a toddler, and he's about to enter hibernation sleep -- and when he wakes nearly 150 years in the future, his family will be gone. This is a short story for every father who never wants his daughter to grow up. Impressions: I was not at all prepared for this story. I picked it up for free because I was looking for something new to read for the read-a-thon. Once I started, I couldn't put it down! The characters and their lives just drew me in; within a few pages, I found myself truly caring about them. It was an amazing story that I would happily read time and again. The Amazon synopsis does not do it justice; it's so much more than that. I couldn't think of how to describe it without giving too much away. I think the price is up to 99 cents now, but even so, it will be the best dollar you've ever spent. Edited March 13, 2014 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 (edited) So this short story was another Kindle freebie. It's actually from my January reading list. January 2014 - Short Story #1 The Museum of Literary Souls by John Connolly Genre: Fiction Amazon Synopsis: Mr. Berger has spent thirty-four years keeping his life as empty as possible. His job title as a closed accounts registrar doesn’t spark much interest, and his cautious flirtation with a woman at his company was cut short upon her engagement to another man. This doesn’t bother him, however, as he much prefers the company of books to that of people. When a series of fortuitous events leads to an early retirement in the English countryside, Mr. Berger is content to spend the remainder of his years nestled comfortably between the pages of a book. But fate has other plans. His serene life turns strange when he witnesses a tragedy chillingly reminiscent of Anna Karenina as a woman flings herself before a train. When he rushes to the scene, she has vanished, leaving no body on the tracks. Berger’s investigation into this event leads him to Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository, where the line between fiction and reality becomes blurred beyond comprehension. Impressions: What a great story! Apparently John Connolly typically writes a lot of horror/dark/supernatural type novels; this is nothing like that. It's charming and relatable while having enough of the fantastical to keep the imagination rolling along. I'm a sucker for books about books, and this one certainly fits the bill! Edited March 13, 2014 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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