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Bobblybear's Book List - 2017


bobblybear

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Carrion Comfort - Dan Simmons

 

This one is about 'mind-vampires' who have the “Ability” - this means they can control other people, usually to make them commit murders. Saul's first experience with this was in a concentration camp in WW2. He managed to escape and has spent his whole life intent on proving this and hunting down the mind-vampire who controlled him in Germany.

 

The present time is 1980, and three mind-vampires have engaged in a competition to outdo each other with murders they commit using their abilities. However this competitions spills over into a jealous fight and they go their separate ways, intending to use their powers on each other.

 

I'm just going to have to give up on Dan Simmons. All of his books start off so interesting but around the 50% mark I just get fed up. They are not interesting enough to be so long, and I get worn out and end up skimming through to the end. This would have been far better I'm sure if he'd condensed it down to half the size.

 

2/6

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Reasons to Stay Alive - Matt Haig

 

I enjoyed Matt Haig's fiction books and was intrigued by this topic. I wouldn't say I've ever suffered from depression but I do like to read things that motivate my mood and I thought this might help.

 

It was told in short snappy chapters, about his experiences of depression. From when it first hit him and how he has eventually come to terms with it. There was a lot of insight into depression and how it made him feel, but no specific details as to what cured him. Some chapters were just thoughts he had, like lists of things that made him happy.

 

I know there was a lot of controversy that came out after this book was published, that he was anti-drug or something along those lines?? I don't actually recall reading anything specific about that in this book, but it has been several months since I read it, so it could be that I simply don't recall.

 

Interesting reading, but I don't know if it would necessarily 'help' someone who suffers with depression.

 

3/6

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Looking for Alaska - John Green

 

It's so difficult to write reviews of books that I read months ago. I think I finished this one 5 months ago, so I can only go by the sketchy notes I made at the time. :blush:

 

Miles has opted to go to boarding school for his last two years of school. He moves to Alabama, and soon becomes fast friends with Chip, Alaska and Takumi. The story centres around Mile's and Alaska's friendship, and his desire to find out what makes her tick.

 

Not usually a big fan of Young Adult but this one was ok. I can't recall much about it unfortunately, but I didn't have strong feelings about it either way. Some people go mad for John Green books but I'm not one of them.

 

3/6

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All I Ever Wanted - Kristan Higgins

 

I have no idea why I bought this. No idea! It's a Mills and Boon book for goodness sakes, and I've never been remotely interested in those books at all. :lol: However, having said that, I did manage to read it through to the end. 

 

Callie has been in love with her boss for a long time. They were school friends, and were involved romantically for a couple of months, until Mark ended things. Now Mark is engaged to someone else, Callie is devastated, but of course a new man has arrived in town.....etc. You can guess what happens next. :rolleyes:

 

It was ok, but very predictable and not my usual read. If you are into romances, you'll probably love it.

 

3/6

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No Way Back - Rick Mofina

 

Reporter Tom Reed is on the verge of resigning when a local jewellery story is robbed. He is assigned to the story only to find that his wife Ann is a hostage.
 

OK, I don't remember anything about this. The notes I made on this was:  “Fast read - can be read in 4 hours, but ultimately forgettable.” :lol: :blush:

 

Oops.:blush:

 

3/6

 

 

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1 hour ago, bobblybear said:

Carrion Comfort - Dan Simmons

2/6

 

Shame this wasn't so great. I've only read two of his books (so far), Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion.

 

1 hour ago, bobblybear said:

Looking for Alaska - John Green

 

It's so difficult to write reviews of books that I read months ago. I think I finished this one 5 months ago, so I can only go by the sketchy notes I made at the time. :blush:

 

Miles has opted to go to boarding school for his last two years of school. He moves to Alabama, and soon becomes fast friends with Chip, Alaska and Takumi. The story centres around Mile's and Alaska's friendship, and his desire to find out what makes her tick.

 

Not usually a big fan of Young Adult but this one was ok. I can't recall much about it unfortunately, but I didn't have strong feelings about it either way. Some people go mad for John Green books but I'm not one of them.

 

3/6

 

I've read a couple of John Green books but I haven't read this one yet. Shame it was just okay for you.

 

1 hour ago, bobblybear said:

No Way Back - Rick Mofina

 

Reporter Tom Reed is on the verge of resigning when a local jewellery story is robbed. He is assigned to the story only to find that his wife Ann is a hostage.
 

OK, I don't remember anything about this. The notes I made on this was:  “Fast read - can be read in 4 hours, but ultimately forgettable.” :lol: :blush:

 

Oops.:blush:

 

3/6

 

:lol: LOL!!

 

I hope you're able to read some books you'll enjoy more :).

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  • 1 month later...

The House at Riverton - Kate Morton

 

This is the second Kate Morton book I have read. The main character – Grace - is now in her late 90s; she has been approached by a filmmaker who is making a movie about Riverton Manor which is where Grace worked many years ago as a maid. The crux of the film is the unexplained suicide of a young man during Grace's time there and rumoured to be caused by a love triangle.

 

So Grace tells the story of her time at Riverton Manor and the children of the family, who she grew to consider as friends over the years.

 

As with the other Kate Morton I have read, this one was well written, but perhaps a bit too long. The story was interesting enough but the revelation of the man's suicide wasn't anything remarkable, and because so much emphasis was put on it, it felt like a let-down when it was revealed. That's only a minor criticism though.

 

Recommended.

 

4/6

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Without a Doubt - Marcia Clark

 

This is the prosecuting attorney's detailed account of the OJ Simpson murder trial. I only knew the basics about what happened – the infamous glove scene, the civil trial – and that was about it. This was such an eye-opener. It was so informative, and I presume that everything mentioned is publicly available knowledge, but it is shocking that he got away with it given all the evidence against him.

 

Clark also talks a bit about her personal life alongside the time of the trials, and how she was hounded by the media and her response to that.

 

A very interesting read, even if you don't have a particular interest in the case.

 

5/6

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Last Man In Tower - Avarind Adiga

 

This is the second book by Avarind Adiga that I have read and I really enjoyed it.

 

Set in Bombay, the story hinges around a densely populated high-rise residential building. A real estate developer is intent on buying this crumbling building in order to tear it down and build a luxury apartment complex. He offers the residents a very generous financial sum in return for their agreement to leave. The majority of residents are all in favour and sign the paperwork, but a handful of them think it is a con, and refuse to move. One of these is Masterji, who is a retired school teacher and respected for holding free lessons for the children of the building. Soon, he finds himself under increasing pressure and threats of violence from his neighbours for not budging on his refusal to move.

 

This was a very powerful read, about strength of character, principles, and sticking to your guns, no matter what.

 

Each character is described in detail, so we see their relationships at the start of the book and how money changes them by the end. The ending is pretty shocking but probably not unexpected, and I found myself hating some of characters who were very nice at the start of the book.

 

Highly recommended.

 

5/6

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I should still read a Kate Morton book. I'm glad you liked The House at Riverton. Which books have you read by her, and which one did you like best? (apologies if I've asked this before and you posted about it, my memory is like a sieve lately..).

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/2/2017 at 7:50 PM, bobblybear said:

I've read The Forgotten Garden, which I enjoyed more than The House At Riverton. Unfortunately I read it so long ago that I can't really remember what it was about. :lol:

 

Haha, well that happens to me too :).

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  • 4 weeks later...

A few mini-reviews:

 

The Miniaturist - Jessie Burton 

 

This is one I had been looking forward to, but when I finished it I couldn't help but feel it was a very average book which had been marketed very well. There were a couple of storylines – one around the dollhouse full of miniature figurines, and another based around Nella's relationship with her new husband.

There were many loose ends left at the end of the book; I couldn't see the connection between the two storylines, and I think the book would have worked just as well if the dollhouse plotline had been omitted. The story of Nella and her husband was interesting enough without adding on a gimmicky storyline that was distracting at best. Disappointing

 

2/6

 

The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas

 

The story revolves around a supposedly cursed book called The End of Mr Y. Our protagonist stumbles upon this book in a second-hand bookstore, and attempts to unravel the mystery surrounding it. This leads her to a world of talking mice, time travel and strange men (possibly from the CIA) who are trying to kill her. It is an extremely cerebral and strange novel. It's the third book I have read by Scarlett Thomas, and I have enjoyed all of them on some level. This one was the oddest of all, and I know I lost track towards the end as I couldn't wrap my brain around all the concepts covered. Still it's well worth a read, but not a relaxing one!

 

5/6

 

 

End of Watch - Stephen King

 

This is the last in the recent Stephen King trilogy, which started with Mr Mercedes.

 

Bill Hodges is still operating as a private investigator with his sidekick Holly, and together they are pulled into a number of recent murders. Evidence at the crime scenes suggests that Brady Hartsfield (from the earlier books) is somehow responsible, even though he is in a vegetative state in a nearby hospital.

 

Overall, this was a very disappointing finish to the series (which never wholly grabbed me anyway). A supernatural element was added and this changed the whole tone of the series into something that was frankly silly.

 

1.5/6

 

The Sixth Extinction - Elizabeth Kolbert

 

Non-fiction book which covers the 5 extinction events that have happened since life began on Earth. Some scientists believe that we are now in the midst of the 6th extinction, helped along by our impact on the environment. The book breaks down each of these extinctions in separate chapters. There are also detailed sections covering some specific current extinctions (ie. particular species of frogs and bats). These - especially of the bats - were very upsetting to read.  There was also a lot of focus on what effect humans have had. Pretty depressing overall.

 

5/6

 

Last Night in Montreal - Emily St John Mandel

 

I loved Station Eleven, but this is a completely different genre, so perhaps it's unfair to compare the two. The main character, Lillia has a habit of abandoning boyfriends, literally overnight and with no explanation. When she does this with her current boyfriend Eli, he decides to dig deeper into her life and her part to find out why she does this.

I wasn't all that taken in with the explanation and I found Lillia to be selfish, rather than an interesting character. I couldn't fully get her motives and found the premise behind it to be weak. Average.

 

3/6

 

The Jigsaw Man - Paul Britton

 

Written by a forensic psychologist who has assisted in many high profile cases. Here he speaks of them and how his input has assisted in finding the guilty person.

It has to be said though that he has now been disbarred from assisting the police after his involvement in the investigation of Rachel Nickell's murder (on Wimbledon Common). I wasn't aware of this when I started reading the book, and I think if I had it would has changed my mind about it.
 

As it stands, I did enjoy it and it has to be one of the most interesting books on true crime I have read.

 

5/6

 

The Circle - Dave Eggers

 

Set in the near future, The Circle is an organisation which links everything via social media to the nth degree. Full transparency and sharing of experiences and feelings is encouraged. Mae joins this company somewhat naïvely and is soon fully involved in this new lifestyle of sharing and oversharing. It begins to invade her private life and that of her family and friends. It's a very exaggerated view of what is happening today with Facebook and twitter etc., but perhaps too exaggerated so it lost some of it's impact.

 

I thought this was a pretty poor book, followed by an extremely poor movie.


1.5/6

 

 

The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon - Brad Stone

 

I thought this was a very balanced view of Amazon (and Jeff Bezos), and how it has grown to be the humongous company it is today. It is critical and complimentary in equal measures, but you can sense the admiration that the author has. It's hard to believe how much the company has achieved in such a short space of time. I liked reading how unique Bezos is in his management style, though I imagine he'd be pretty brutal to work for. Recommended.

 

5/6

 

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Interesting reviews - well done on getting so many done!  We'll have to agree to disagree on The End of Mr Y - I couldn't even finish it - but oh so agree with you on The Circle, a serious contender for my Duffer of the Year.  I did finish this, but only because it was a book group read!

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  • 1 month later...

A few more mini-reviews, as I'm still playing catch-up on 2017. :blush:

 

After You - Jojo Moyes

 

This is the sequel to Me Before You, so it's in the same vein but I didn't find it as enjoyable. What made the first book so likeable was what Will Traynor had to endure and his relationship with Lou Clark. A story with Lou on it's own was nowhere near as interesting, to the point where I have forgotten what a lot of it was about.

 

Very average.

 

2/6

 

We Have Always Lived In The Castle - Shirley Jackson

 

Merricat is the young woman narrating the story. She lives alone with her sister Constance, isolated from the world as much as possible. Constance was acquitted of the murder of their entire family a few years ago, and since then they have been shunned by their village community. When a long lost cousin shows up wanting to building a relationship, Merricat is instantly jealous and has other ideas.

 

This is the first book I've read by Shirley Jackson, and I have to say I enjoyed it right from the start. It had a very dark, menacing feel to it, but in a very understated way. Hints are  subtly dropped about what happened in the past. I didn't read the blurb before starting the book, so this was effective for me.

 

It was a short book, just over 150 pages but it really packs a punch. I have since bought a couple more Shirley Jackson books, but have yet to read them.

 

Highly recommended if you are in the mood for something disturbing.

 

5/6

 

The Catcher In The Rye - JD Salinger

 

A re-read. Holden Caulfield tells of a few days in his life after he gets kicked out of school for the fourth time. As he makes his way home to his parents he stops in to see various friends and acquaintances, and shares his views on them, and other things which happen on the way.

 

It's not bad, but it's hard to see why it was so shocking at the time, as it's pretty tame. I doubt I will read it again, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it. It just seemed a bit on the boring side.

 

2/6

 

 

The Whites - Richard Price

 

Each copper has a 'white' – a criminal they know is guilty but has gotten away with it. The Whites follows four police officers, who are linked together by cases in the past. Each one has a white that they keep track of, checking in with them every now and then to keep them on their toes. When the white of the main character is murdered, he sets out to investigate who killed him. This leads him to discover that the whites of his colleagues from way back, are also being killed, and he and his fellow officers try to get to the bottom of what is going on.

 

Good but very dark and gritty. Not a light book in any way, and the story has a few twists and turns. Overall it was good but not great.

 

3/6

 

 

Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

 

Two Nigerian teenagers are in love, but after the political unrest in their country they end up going separate ways. Obinze goes to England, and Ifemelu goes to America. There they make an attempt to fit into their new separate lives in foreign countries. However, when one of them initiates contact it sets off the old emotions and eventually they plan to meet up in Nigeria again.

 

I loved this. I love reading the immigrant experience and am fascinated by how people adjust to such a change and the struggle to find their security and that 'at home' feeling.

 

This book starts off with Ifemelu getting ready to return to Nigeria and to hopefully meet up with her old love. She recounts her past, and through alternating chapters the book goes through both their lives from teenagers to the present.

 

Really good book, one of the best of the year. Well written and a decent story.

 

5/6

 

 

The Lost City of Z - David Grann

 

This is a true story but has been told in a novel format. I didn't actually realise it was based on actual events until I googled it.

 

Percy Fawcett was a British Explorer who went missing in the Amazon in the 1920s. He was searching for a supposed lost city, and after his disappearance many rumours came to the surface about what may have happened to him.

 

The author picked up on his story and decided (like countless others) to follow Fawcett's trail to see if he could find his remains or conclusive evidence of what happened to him.

 

Overall very good if you like adventures stories.  

 

4/6

 

 

Dark Matter - Blake Crouch

 

Jason Dessen goes out for a walk one evening when he is attacked and knocked unconscious. He wakes up to find himself in a seemingly parallel life, in which his wife and career are very different. He needs to work out what is going on and how to get back to his family and his 'real' life.

 

This one was a bit silly, and I think I read the majority of it while I was asleep with my eyes open. :lol: I need to learn to ignore books which are marketed as 'The Best Thriller you will read this year' etc.

 

1/6

 

 

Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng

 

Lydia is the perfect daughter of Marilyn and James, touted to achieve that which her mother never could – to become a doctor. When she is found dead in a local lake, questions are raised as to what happened – was it murder or was it suicide? Her parents realise that they never really knew Lydia – was she happy, what did she want out of life? And poor Lydia - a girl who is so desperate for her parents approval that she ends up living their life rather than hers.

 

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written, with a good story that could have easily been over sentimentalised, but instead was well balanced and believable. 

 

Highly recommended.

 

5/6

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  • 2 months later...

Catch up time, with a few short reviews. :D

 

The Machine That Changed The World - James Womack and Daniel Jones

 

This is an extremely detailed look at the car manufacturing industry, starting from craft production and it's evolution to the current focus on lean manufacturing.

 

The focus is on manufacturing concepts, which are of interest to me because of my job (but also because I find manufacturing itself quite interesting). It was very long and elaborate; the authors didn't leave any stone unturned. I have to say, some of the complexity 'spoiled' the book for me, as there was almost too much detail and I struggled with it.

 

It's probably only for people with a niche interest, and is often touted as one of the best books about manufacturing.

 

3.5/6

 

 

How The Mind Works - Steven Pinker

 

This book focuses on the computational theory of the mind, and how our intelligence developed and the factors that pushed us ahead.

 

The first three chapters were a struggle as they were very heavy on theory and not applied to practical examples. But after that it got very interesting. Not an easy read though, and once I put it down I did struggle to pick it up again.

 

3.5/6

 

 

The Idiot Brain - Dean Burnett

 

A very enlightening study into how our brain works and why it often acts in a manner which makes no sense. Overall a good read, but I did struggle with some chapters.

 

Unfortunately I don't remember much else!

 

3/6

 

Maggot Moon - Sally Gardener

 

This is a very dark book (took me by surprise!), marketed as for young adults but there is enough depth and seriousness to be enjoyed by adults ( this adult enjoyed it anyway!).

 

The setting is dystopian England and our young protagonist is Standish, who slowly reveals this world they live in.

 

The story is told in exactly 100 chapters. The main thread of the story is Standish's involvement in the Motherland's space race.

 

A powerful read, with a brilliant but shocking ending.
 

So highly recommended.

 

5/6

 

 

 

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Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

 

We know immediately this story revolves around a death (possibly murder?) as that is the opener of the book. We are also told that this death involves a group of school mums. Little excerpts from these characters are given and we later realise that this is what they are telling journalists and detectives.

 

The story is revealed slowly with more depth as you get further into the book. There were many twists and turns and it comes together brilliantly at the end. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Highly recommended.

 

5/6

 

 

What Every Body Is Saying - Joe Navarro

 

A very thorough book on body language. I haven't read other books on body language so can't compare as to how accurate, but it makes sense what the author is saying. Also he has plenty of experience from his years in the FBI, and backs up his ideas with real life examples which is always interesting.

 

Recommended.

 

4.5/6

 

 

Christine - Stephen King

 

Stephen King classic novel about a possessed 1950s Plymouth Fury and the boy who is reeled in by it. It's a bit dated, and perhaps rather bloated but I enjoyed it especially given that it is maybe 20 years since I last read it.

 

I ended up buying the DVD shortly after reading it again. :D

 

3.5/6

 

The Host - Stephenie Meyer

 

An alien species has taken over earth and are inhabiting humans, using them as hosts. But, of course a select group of humans are fighting back to rid earth of these parasites.

 

Oh, this was utterly dire. Utterly! :dry: It started off interesting, but about half way through it devolved into a sappy and not very original romance. The females were portrayed as quivering flinching nervous wrecks who spent most of their time trembling with fear. But never mind, the men were there to protect them, comfort them and to carry them around!!:rolleyes: Honestly, the lead female character had legs of her own but she never got to use them because the men were always scooping her up to carry her around!!  It was embarrassingly daft. The characters were poorly written....the extent of descriptive writing was that their eyes were always “blazing” or “tightening”. It seemed like every couple of pages these descriptions were used. 

 

Such a shame as it could have been an interesting story.

 

Not recommended, and the kind of book I would have hurled against the wall in disgust if it hadn't been on my Kindle.:o

 

1/6

 

 

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On 25.2.2018 at 10:28 PM, bobblybear said:

We Have Always Lived In The Castle - Shirley Jackson

 

Merricat is the young woman narrating the story. She lives alone with her sister Constance, isolated from the world as much as possible. Constance was acquitted of the murder of their entire family a few years ago, and since then they have been shunned by their village community. When a long lost cousin shows up wanting to building a relationship, Merricat is instantly jealous and has other ideas.

 

This is the first book I've read by Shirley Jackson, and I have to say I enjoyed it right from the start. It had a very dark, menacing feel to it, but in a very understated way. Hints are  subtly dropped about what happened in the past. I didn't read the blurb before starting the book, so this was effective for me.

 

It was a short book, just over 150 pages but it really packs a punch. I have since bought a couple more Shirley Jackson books, but have yet to read them.

 

Highly recommended if you are in the mood for something disturbing.

 

5/6

 

 

I'm so glad I read your review! This book has been on a reading list I'm following for years and years and for some reason I've grown sick of the title and thought I'd never read the book :D Not even knowing what the book is about... I think I'm confusing it with some other novel. In any case, I've read your thoughts on it and now I know what the book is actually about so now I'm eager to read it! :D

 

On 19.5.2018 at 12:25 PM, bobblybear said:

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

 

We know immediately this story revolves around a death (possibly murder?) as that is the opener of the book. We are also told that this death involves a group of school mums. Little excerpts from these characters are given and we later realise that this is what they are telling journalists and detectives.

 

The story is revealed slowly with more depth as you get further into the book. There were many twists and turns and it comes together brilliantly at the end. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Highly recommended.

 

5/6

 

Yay! :yahoo:    :lol: I'm super happy you enjoyed it so much!! :smile2:

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  • 1 month later...

I'm not allowed to post in your new shiny 2018 thread yet, for obvious and understandable reasons, but I've just seen you start the new thread and I got excited so I decided to post in your 2017 log instead :D  I hope you are having fun getting your 2018 log in order! 

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