Bobblybear's Book List - 2016

[pontalba]

Thanks for sharing that! I can't believe she got so many positive comments on her review. I really don't get some people. Well done on you for posting a negative comment about the spoilers.

 

Thanks, Gaia.   It really got under my skin!

 

It really seems to be a play-by-play of the book, doesn't it? I scanned through the comments, though, and they all seemed to be about politics?

 

It does.  Didn't their Mama ever tell them it's worthless to get into a political discussion, especially on line!  Oy!

Y'all shudda seen the old New York Times political forums.......and the Middle East section.....Man, oh man.....they were getting their weapons out!  Truly nutz!  But those forums are all gone, probably for the best!

[bobblybear]

Bleeding Edge - Thomas Pynchon (abandoned)

 

Maxine is a former fraud investigator whose license has been pulled, so she now does a bit of work on the sly. When Reg – an old friend from the past – points her to some anomalies in an IT company she feels compelled to investigate. 

 

I gave up on this one pretty quickly, as I knew it would be a struggle to finish. It's my first Pynchon so I'm not used to his style. I don't know if his other books are like this, but I found that the narrative rambled a lot and veers off on tangents. The construction of sentences were a bit odd – almost like there were sentences within sentences, like he was always distracted by other thoughts while he was writing. I ended up having to concentrate so much on unravelling his sentences, that the details of the plot passed me by a bit.

 

It has received mixed reviews on Amazon, and after reading some of them I'm sure I made the right decision in abandoning it.

 

1/6

[bobblybear]

Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay

 

I've watched and enjoyed the series on TV, but hesitated to pick the books up because of friend of mine said they weren't great. As I'm now going to the library, I can read them for free so thought I would try for myself (always a good idea ).

 

I loved it. It was extremely sarcastically and darkly humorous, with a lot of word play and poking fun at itself.

 

It's told from Dexter's point of view, which is a unique take on serial killer stories. For those who don't know, Dexter is a serial killer, who was taught to channel his urges into killing bad guys. He works as a blood splatter analyst at the Miami Police Department, which of course makes for an interesting point of view, and leads him off to said bad guys.

 

The book ended differently from the first season of the TV series, but that didn't bother me; it's a good read in it's own right. And the books are popular as well, as I've been trying to get hold of the second book from the library for ages!

 

Recommended if you like serial killer novels with a twist.

5/6

[Athena]

I've watched and enjoyed the series on TV, but hesitated to pick the books up because of friend of mine said they weren't great. As I'm now going to the library, I can read them for free so thought I would try for myself (always a good idea ).

That sounds like a good idea . My library has two books of the series, in Dutch (I'm not sure if the other ones have been translated). I might try book one some time, if I feel in the mood and can find it at the library.

 

Shame Bleeding Edge wasn't any good, but I'm glad you enjoyed DDD .

[bobblybear]

That sounds like a good idea . My library has two books of the series, in Dutch (I'm not sure if the other ones have been translated). I might try book one some time, if I feel in the mood and can find it at the library.

 

It might be worth giving it a read if it seems like your thing, especially if the library has a copy.

[bobblybear]

Go Set A Watchman - Harper Lee

 

I didn't have massively high hopes for this one, as I'd heard a fair amount of criticism towards it. I liked To Kill A Mockingbird, but I'm not one of those people who loved it, so I wasn't ever all that keen on reading this one. However, I was very surprised to see it available at the library, so of course I snapped it up.

 

For those who don't know, the story is set twenty or so years after the events of To Kill A Mockingbird. Jean-Louise Finch (Scout), has returned home from New York City, to visit her father, and she finds herself struggling with the very different mindset of those from the South.

 

Now, from what I gather, Go Set a Watchman was actually written before To Kill A Mockingbird; I have also read that it was the first draft of To Kill A Mockingbird. It does have an unfinished and unpolished feel to it, so I couldn't really connect with the characters.

 

I think the main criticism has been levelled at the portrayal of Atticus Finch, who was almost blameless in the first novel. However, here he is shown with warts and all (don't want to give too much away, in case anyone hasn't heard the details about it). I'd heard in advance what was coming so I wasn't surprised, but then I was never as taken with Atticus as others were (I was always a massive fan of Scout).

 

It's a fairly short book and not a great deal happens, aside from a lot of dialogue. It had an unfinished feel to it, and I couldn't help feeling that perhaps it was better left unpublished. I wouldn't really recommend it as I didn't get a whole lot out of it.

 

 

And I was surprised and disappointed at how Jem's death was only mentioned in passing!

 

 

3/6

 

[Anna Begins]

I think I'd feel the same about Watchman, one reason I haven't picked it up... I did read the sample though and wasn't really taken with it.

 

Glad you are enjoying the library I hope to get to Dexter too. I started the first one, but then started the TV show... and then stopped them both for some reason

[bobblybear]

Revolutionary Road - Richard Yates

 

Set in suburban Connecticut in 1950, April and Frank are a young married couple and to all they appear to be the picture of happiness. However, behind closed doors in the intimacy of their relationship, it's revealed how deeply unhappy they both are. April feels burdened by her two children, and desperately wants to break free into a different life. Frank, in a sense is burdened by April's unhappiness, and her constant blame towards him for how her life has turned out.

 

In desperation, April hatches a plan for the family to move to Paris, believing it will fix all their problems, and she can have the exciting life she dreamed of. However, she then falls pregnant with their third child which has devastating consequences.

 

I enjoyed this a lot, but it is uncomfortable reading in some parts. It isn't too dated either, and I suspect a lot of it can be relevant today. It's definitely a character study, and both April and Frank are very flawed - at times hateful towards each other - and not particularly likeable. But, because we get to know them so intimately we feel sympathy for them. Even the side-characters are very well drawn, and you get behind their veneer to see what is underneath.

 

It's not a particularly happy book, and by the end you feel a bit on a downer, but we don't always want to read happy cheery books, do we?

 

Has anyone seen the movie? I'm hoping it will be on Netflix at some point, but I don't think the desperation in the book can be transferred to film that easily.

 

Highly recommended.

 

5/6

[bobblybear]

I think I'd feel the same about Watchman, one reason I haven't picked it up... I did read the sample though and wasn't really taken with it.

 

Glad you are enjoying the library I hope to get to Dexter too. I started the first one, but then started the TV show... and then stopped them both for some reason

 

Yeah, it just wasn't an exciting read. It didn't engage me at all.

 

I'm loving the library, but unfortunately it means my Kindle is being neglected. Dexter's brilliant. Having only read the first book, I'd marginally prefer the TV series, only cause the characters come to life a bit more.

[bobblybear]

The Ice Twins - SK Tremayne (abandoned)

 

I couldn't get on with this one at all. I tried to like it, but I thought it was appallingly written and handled. The plot sounded interesting enough. Sarah and Angus have just lost one of their twin daughters in an accident, and in an attempt to rebuild their lives they move to an isolated Scottish island that Angus had inherited from his grandmother. However, as they are preparing to move their surviving daughter starts dropping clues that they have confused her identify with the twin who has died.

 

This was just appallingly written. It was rambling introspective nonsense. Sarah was always asking herself stupid questions....'Why did I brush her hair so poorly? Was I wrong to do so?'  It irritated the hell out of me, and the book was stuck in her head which frankly was nowhere nearly interesting enough to keep the story moving! The book could have been halved with all of that rubbish stripped out of it. Needless to say, I didn't last very long. I struggled through maybe a third of it and skim read enough of the rest to know I made the right decision in giving up.

 

1/6

[bobblybear]

Gillespie and I - Jane Harris

 

I loved The Observations by the same author, and had been keeping my eye out for this one for quite a while. Now, while I didn't enjoy it quite as much as The Observations (which had a brilliantly funny and sharp main character), I still liked it a lot, but it is a very different story so perhaps unfair to compare the two.

 

The book is set in two time periods. The 'now' is 1933, and Harriet Baxter is telling the story of her friendship with the 'somewhat famous' artist Gillespie, back in 1888. It was a chance meeting that led her to Gillespie, and then soon she becomes a practically permanent fixture in their household. All appears fine, however the story starts to get darker and darker, and hints are dropped at the beginning that some major tragedy is about to happen.

 

It's charmingly written through Harriet's eyes, and jumps between 1888 and 1933. However, the last third of the book did drag on a touch too long and I was getting restless waiting for it to end. But when it did end....boy, the payoff is worth it, and it had me reading the last section a few times and then rushing to Google in order to decipher what happened (and I'm still not sure I get it ). It's one of those books that would benefit from a re-read as the ending changes the perspective a bit.

 

If you like something well written, that is a bit unsettling and mysterious then give this one a go!

 

5/6

[bobblybear]

Bellman and Black - Diane Setterfield

 

I borrowed this because I enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale so much, so figured I'd give it a go.

 

The book opens with William Bellman as a young boy. He and his friends are tooling about with a slingshot, when he spies a rook that he thinks he could kill. So he takes aim, fires and is successful, but almost immediately he is filled with regret and distaste for what he has done.

 

Bellman grows into a promising young businessman who soon takes over his uncle's cloth making business. He is very successful in his business but there does seem to be a black cloud hanging over other parts of his life, and he feels there is something else he is meant to do, but can't grasp what it is. A chance meeting with a mysterious man in a graveyard, prompts him to set up his funeral business. He names the business Bellman & Black (Black being the name he has given this mysterious stranger).

 

The cover of the book says it's a ghost story, but it most certainly is not. There are no ghosts. Unless it metaphorically refers to the ghost of a memory he can't shake.

 

This book didn't move me much and I did want it to hurry along a bit. I was left feeling unresolved at the end, and couldn't reconcile the story with the blurb that was on the cover.

 

2/6

[Nollaig]

I haven't read The Thirteenth Tale (I just put it on my wishlist) but I'm curious about Bellman and Black now - lots of mediocre reviews, but some great ones. I may give it a go, against my better judgement

[Athena]

It might be worth giving it a read if it seems like your thing, especially if the library has a copy.

I think I will .

 

I've got The Thirteenth Tale on my TBR, but based off of BB's review, I would probably not be in a rush to pick up Bellman and Black. Shame it wasn't that enjoyable for you, BB. I like all your reviews though .

[bobblybear]

I would definitely read The Thirteenth Tale first, but I suppose it depends on what is your cup of tea. Most people preferred it to Bellman and Black (as did I), and there was definitely more an interesting story to it.

 

I've just counted the number of books I have read so far, and it's 32 (33 including Sleeping Giants which I will finish very soon). I'm pretty happy with that, as I'm sure I usually average one book a week, so this is slightly higher. I doubt my TBR pile will come down though, as I seem to be reading library books rather than books on my TBR pile.

Edited June 22, 2016 by bobblybear

[bobblybear]

The Casual Vacancy - JK Rowling

 

I've ummed-and-ahhed so often about this book, partly due to the hideous cheap and nasty cover (shouldn't judge, I know ), and also an unfavourable comment by a work colleague. Anyway, this book kept taunting me at the library, so I thought 'what the heck, I will give it a go!' And I'm so glad I did! It turned out to be a surprisingly engaging and enjoyable, well-written story about a group of village residents, who are thrown into turmoil and excitement, when one of their Councillors dies, leaving a 'casual vacancy'.

 

The book opens with the death of Barry Fairbrother, and then introduces each of the characters that will make up the story going forward. There are many of them, and I felt a bit overwhelmed; initially I struggled to remember who each of them were and their relationships to the others, but after a (long) while I got to grips with what was going on.

 

Each of the characters has a story of their own, but their stories all tie in to the death of Barry Fairbrother and the vacancy he has left on the parish council. I loved reading about the characters, even though the majority of them are thoroughly unlikeable. They come from all walks of life and all backgrounds and ages, so it keeps the story interesting and changeable. You may not be able to relate to any of them but they make sense in how they are portrayed.

 

The chapters are pretty short, but the book is a reasonable size ( just over 500 pages). Thankfully it never outstays its welcome, and I enjoyed it right up to the last page.

 

I also have to say I was impressed with JK Rowling's writing, and thought she did a brilliant job.

 

Highly, highly recommended.

 

5/6

Edited June 22, 2016 by bobblybear

[bobblybear]

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Helen Simonson

 

This book was a very slow burn. In fact, if it went any slower I'd be falling asleep!!

Major Pettigrew lives in a small village in England. His brother has recently passed away, which has drawn him to seek friendship with the local shopkeeper (Mrs Ali), who has also lost someone in recent years. Very slowly they develop a friendship, each unsure of the others intentions. Amongst all this, there is resentment and opposition from the people around them, as Mrs Ali is from Pakistan and in the eyes of many, their relationship should not be so close.

 

It was an ok read. It moved at the pace of treacle flowing uphill, and I struggled to stay interested. Even when a few bits of drama happened, I just couldn't bring myself to care about what happened. I just wanted the book to be over. You know when you keep looking to see how many pages are left, it's not a good sign.

 

I can see why some people like this, but it wasn't for me. It wasn't poorly written or anything like that, it just wasn't a 'genre' that interested me.

 

2.5/6

 

[bobblybear]

The Red House - Mark Haddon

 

I was looking forward to this, as I have enjoyed his other books, but this was a mighty struggle!

 

Angela and Richard are brother and sister – in their forties – who have barely had any contact in the last twenty years. When their mother dies, they decide to get together (with their respective families) for a week together at a holiday cottage on the Welsh border.

 

My main criticism is the way the book was written. Everything is told in small sections (like paragraphs) and in broken, almost stream-of-consciousness ramblings. Interspersed with this are the segments of books the characters are reading, without those books being identified. There will just be an odd sentence dropped in seemingly from nowhere. For example, one of the characters were thinking of something (can't recall), and then all of a sudden there was a sentence about SAS warfare. I figured out what it was because he had mentioned that one of the characters was reading an Andy McNab book, but it was just dropped in there out of the blue. The book is peppered throughout which moments like this, and it just doesn't feel genuine.

 

So, the style grated on me......it felt forced and pretentious. On top of that, the story was just dull. I didn't care about the characters or their problems, or their constant whinging about their lives. Glad when it was over.

 

A huge disappointment.

 

2/6

[Athena]

I would definitely read The Thirteenth Tale first, but I suppose it depends on what is your cup of tea. Most people preferred it to Bellman and Black (as did I), and there was definitely more an interesting story to it.

 

I've just counted the number of books I have read so far, and it's 32 (33 including Sleeping Giants which I will finish very soon). I'm pretty happy with that, as I'm sure I usually average one book a week, so this is slightly higher. I doubt my TBR pile will come down though, as I seem to be reading library books rather than books on my TBR pile.

 

Good to know .

 

Haha, I do that a lot too . I just can't resist an interesting book when I see it at the library...

 

Great reviews! I'm glad you liked The Casual Vacancy. I agree, the cover puts me off too. I haven't read the book yet, but based on your review, I should.

 

It's a shame The Red House wasn't good at all. It doesn't sound like a style that would appeal to me. I loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. I only own TCIotDitNT and The Red House. Which of his other books did you read? Did you like A Spot of Bother (if you've read it)?

[bobblybear]

The Casual Vacancy is a very, very good read. I don't know who designed the cover but it doesn't do the book justice.

 

I've read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (which I loved), and A Spot of Bother which I liked a lot but I think it fizzled out a bit towards the end. People's opinions are definitely more divided with The Red House and a lot of people didn't like it for the same reasons I had.

[ian]

Oh dear - I loved "Curious" but wasn't impressed with "A Spot of Bother". I was hoping that was just a case of second book blues, but it doesn't sound like it.

[pontalba]

Some great reviews, BB. . Glad to hear the Rowling is good, sorry about Pettigrew! I have both in the stack, so will get to them....sometime. /sigh/

[frankie]

Yay, you've been keeping busy, loads of reviews to read!

 

Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay

 

I've watched and enjoyed the series on TV, but hesitated to pick the books up because of friend of mine said they weren't great. As I'm now going to the library, I can read them for free so thought I would try for myself (always a good idea ).

 

I loved it. It was extremely sarcastically and darkly humorous, with a lot of word play and poking fun at itself.

 

I'm so psyched! Wohoo for liking the book so much! I don't dare to say a bad word about your friend... I'll just say I'm sure s/he has a marvelous taste in books but I'm so glad you didn't trust his/her judgment on this book series!!  And again, so happy that you're going to the library and that you were able to read the first book for free to see if it was for you or not. Libraries rule!!

 

The other books in the series have nothing to do with the TV series: they have very different storylines altogether. Only the first one was the same as in the TV series, but even that had a very different ending as you now know. So you'll be in for many new Dexter stories! I've loved all the books I've read so far (5), apart from the third book which I didn't like as much. But the others have been really great, and the fifth was soooo brilliant and funny =D

 

Glad to hear the books are popular in the British libraries!

 

Revolutionary Road - Richard Yates

 

Has anyone seen the movie? I'm hoping it will be on Netflix at some point, but I don't think the desperation in the book can be transferred to film that easily.

 

I've seen the movie, but I didn't follow it very closely... It was so tumultuous and depressing and I had angst watching it     So, without having read the book, I can say that yes, the movie managed to be very very depressing. I don't know if it was as depressing as the book, but boy, it was like watching a car crash in slow motion. Very heart wrenching! 

 

Bellman and Black - Diane Setterfield

 

 

I've had this on my wishlist ever since it came out, but I'd long forgotten what the book was about... Reading your review jolted my memory. Sorry to hear it wasn't very good in your opinion =(

 

I've just counted the number of books I have read so far, and it's 32 (33 including Sleeping Giants which I will finish very soon). I'm pretty happy with that, as I'm sure I usually average one book a week, so this is slightly higher. I doubt my TBR pile will come down though, as I seem to be reading library books rather than books on my TBR pile. 

 

Wohoo for being ahead of your normal book reading pace, this year! That's really something... In awe of that, you should almost forget about not being able to tackle the TBR pile all too successfully... I mean, who could resist the library's new acquisitions!! 

 

The Casual Vacancy - JK Rowling

 

I've ummed-and-ahhed so often about this book, partly due to the hideous cheap and nasty cover (shouldn't judge, I know), and also an unfavourable comment by a work colleague. Anyway, this book kept taunting me at the library, so I thought 'what the heck, I will give it a go!' And I'm so glad I did! It turned out to be a surprisingly engaging and enjoyable, well-written story about a group of village residents, who are thrown into turmoil and excitement, when one of their Councillors dies, leaving a 'casual vacancy'.

 

I really really dislike the cover, too But as it was J. K. Rowling, I never let it bother me, I wanted to read the book. I remember us talking about it in the thread. I loved how there were so many different characters to the story! Sure, it was difficult at first to make all the connections and remember who was who, but it was so satisfying in the end. Although I have to say, I think I expected it to be more funny and quaint, in an almost romantic sort of little town -thing. But was very happy with this version, too

 

Looking forward to hearing your thought on the second Dexter novel!

[bobblybear]

Sorry, I've had to kill some emoticons!
 

Oh dear - I loved "Curious" but wasn't impressed with "A Spot of Bother". I was hoping that was just a case of second book blues, but it doesn't sound like it.

 
Yeah, I won't rush out to read his other books, but if I see them at the library I may give it a try. With The Red House, I think he was trying to hard to be creative and clever, and it just didn't work.
 

Some great reviews, BB. . Glad to hear the Rowling is good, sorry about Pettigrew! I have both in the stack, so will get to them....sometime. /sigh/

 
I might have judged Major Pettigrew's Last Stand a bit on the harsh side, but it just didn't grab me like I hoped it would. I know others have raved about it, so different strokes for different folks and all that.   A lot of people were lukewarm about the Rowling, but I definitely loved that one!
 

Yay, you've been keeping busy, loads of reviews to read!

Yeah, I'm finally catching up. I still have 4 reviews to write, but at least I'm not as far behind as I was!
 

I'm so psyched! Wohoo for liking the book so much! I don't dare to say a bad word about your friend... I'll just say I'm sure s/he has a marvelous taste in books but I'm so glad you didn't trust his/her judgment on this book series!! And again, so happy that you're going to the library and that you were able to read the first book for free to see if it was for you or not. Libraries rule!!

Yah - I love libraries! My local ones have certainly served me well this year. Yeah, my friend loves serial killer thriller books, but just wasn't taken with Dexter (though she enjoyed the TV series).
 

The other books in the series have nothing to do with the TV series: they have very different storylines altogether. Only the first one was the same as in the TV series, but even that had a very different ending as you now know. So you'll be in for many new Dexter stories! I've loved all the books I've read so far (5), apart from the third book which I didn't like as much. But the others have been really great, and the fifth was soooo brilliant and funny =D

I'm pretty sure my library has all the series. I'm lucky in that I have 4 local libraries (all part of the same group), so if a book I want isn't at one library, it's usually at one of the other branches. I borrowed the next Dexter book, and nearly borrowed the third one as well, but I think I would have been at my borrowing limit.
 

I've seen the movie, but I didn't follow it very closely... It was so tumultuous and depressing and I had angst watching it     So, without having read the book, I can say that yes, the movie managed to be very very depressing. I don't know if it was as depressing as the book, but boy, it was like watching a car crash in slow motion. Very heart wrenching!

I ended up buying it (Revolutionary Road) on Blu-Ray coz it was only £1.39 brand new on Amazon. It arrived today but I think I will wait until I'm in the right mood to watch it. The trailer makes it look very painful, which means it follows the book pretty closely!
 

Wohoo for being ahead of your normal book reading pace, this year! That's really something... In awe of that, you should almost forget about not being able to tackle the TBR pile all too successfully... I mean, who could resist the library's new acquisitions!!

Yeah, the way I see it, is that I can read my Kindle books whenever I want. But with library books....I should borrow them when they are available, otherwise someone else will borrow it. Case in point - last time I was at the library I decided to borrow 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. Typically, someone else has now borrowed it, even though it has been on the library shelf all year.  
 

I really really dislike the cover, too But as it was J. K. Rowling, I never let it bother me, I wanted to read the book. I remember us talking about it in the thread. I loved how there were so many different characters to the story! Sure, it was difficult at first to make all the connections and remember who was who, but it was so satisfying in the end. Although I have to say, I think I expected it to be more funny and quaint, in an almost romantic sort of little town -thing. But was very happy with this version, too

Yeah, it was pretty gritty wasn't it? I think that's what shocked people most, that JK Rowling could swear and write about sex.

[bobblybear]

The Road to Little Dribbling - Bill Bryson

 

Twenty years ago Bill Bryson wrote Notes From A Small Island, about his first impressions of England when he visited here in his twenties.

 

Now, he revisits his journey, albeit via a different route. He draws a line between Bognor Regis and Cape Wrath (which he dubs The Bryson Line), and uses that as his guide although I think he seems to be wandering all over the place.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed it, more so than Notes From A Small Island. But then again I enjoy virtually everything he writes. He has just the right amount of humour, coupled with a genuine interest in people, places, and history and it all balances out into a informative read.  It's clear that he loves the English countryside and going for long exploratory walks; he is very passionate about the environment and has a real hatred of littering, and this comes through in his writing. He has definitely done his research on the areas and backgrounds of places he visited.

 

I've read some reviews of this book online, and he has been criticised of being a bit of a grumpy so-and-so, but in many cases I think he is justified, and I didn't find it dampened my enjoyment of the book. In fact it is often quite amusing when he goes off on one.

 

It's quite a big book, but surprisingly it's not as long as it looks and it only took me a few days to finish it. Recommended.

 

4/6