Bobblybear's Book List - 2014

[Ben]

Definitely adding I Am Pilgrim to my wishlist - particularly as I've been on a bit of a thriller kick of late. For some strange reason, I'd had this pegged as some kind of YA novel (perhaps it was the cover or something, I never really bothered to check) but I'm glad it's not. It sounds great and I'm certain I'll check it out.

[bobblybear]

Great reviews! I've seen I Am Pilgrim in the book shops here several times but was never sure what it was about (I don't normally buy full price books without knowing any reviews or knowing anything about it), I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

 

Thanks, Athena.

 

Love your review/take on I Am Pilgrim!  Very happy you liked it so much. 

 

Thanks, Pontalba.......was such a cracking read!

 

I have I Am Pilgrim on the TBR what an excellent review, I must read it soon. Although I say that about too many books these says...

 

I also agree about Weird Things. I got it for 99p, which I was happy to pay but £5 for a book you can finish in an hour just seems like a rip-off

 

I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

 

Yep, I'd be mighty annoyed if I'd bought Weird Things.....for £5. A definite rip-off, and not the sort of book that you would re-read either.

 

 

Definitely adding I Am Pilgrim to my wishlist - particularly as I've been on a bit of a thriller kick of late. For some strange reason, I'd had this pegged as some kind of YA novel (perhaps it was the cover or something, I never really bothered to check) but I'm glad it's not. It sounds great and I'm certain I'll check it out.

 

Hope you enjoy it when you get around to reading it. 

[bobblybear]

The Ocean At The End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman
 
Ok, this is going to be a bit of a crappy-pants review, purely because I don't remember much about the book.

Our narrator has returned to the place he grew up which has triggered many memories, most of them about three women (well, two women and one girl) who lived in the farm down the lane. One of them – Lettie Hempstock, who is the youngest – always claimed that the pond in their garden was the ocean, and that she, her mother and grandmother had crossed it to get to where they are now. The story then jumps back to when the narrator (can't remember his name) was a boy and he met the Hempstocks for the first time.

It’s a mythical story and quite typically Gaiman. Unfortunately I’m not a huge Gaiman fan (why do I buy his books then? ), so a lot of it passed me by. I don't really enjoy fantasy, but I can appreciate when a story is told well and in rich detail. That was the case with this book, but because it's not a genre that I'm interested it, in just didn't impact me like it has impacted others.

 

2/6

[bobblybear]

The Crow Road - Iain Banks

I really looked forward to reading this, but I found it a big struggle, aside from the very engaging first chapter.

 

Set in Scotland it follows the life of Prentice McHoan through his early adult years. There are a few plot lines, the key one of which is centered around his missing uncle, but on the whole it seemed like a mish-mash and I struggled with what the story was supposed to be or what direction it was going. It just seemed to.....meander aimlessly.

 

The timeline jumped back and forth, and in some chapters we were seeing things through Prentice's point of view, and then others were through his father's point of view, and then also when his father was a lot younger. It was as though there were several books, but they had kind of got jumbled up together. Maybe that was Iain Banks' style, having only only read one other by him (The Wasp Factory), I don't know. I also struggled with the large number of characters, most of whom were given the vaguest of personalities, and I found it very difficult to keep track of who they were throughout the book. Because I struggled with it, I read it in very small chunks with a fair bit of time in-between which of course doesn't help.

 

It wasn't all bad though. There was some parts of it that I found interesting to read, especially the story of what may have happened to his uncle, but that was only a small section of the book. The remainder of the book left me uninspired and it was a real struggle to finish for me I’m afraid. It’s a shame as I loved the opening chapter but it was all downhill from there.

 

2/6

[Athena]

Two nice reviews ! It's a shame neither read was very good for you though.

[bobblybear]

Thanks, Athena. I've read some great books since then, so that makes up for it.

[bobblybear]

Capital - John Lanchester

 

 

Capital is set in a fictional street in London called Pepys Road. It starts with a description of the architecture of the houses and how they came to be built - each slightly different from it’s neighbours - and how the street has changed over the years, from it’s humble working class beginnings, to a very affluent street housing bankers and football stars.

 

The residents of Pepys Road have been receiving anonymous postcards which show a photo of their house and the simple message on the back: ‘We Want What You Have’. This plot runs through the story, but is actually very peripheral to it, and only pops up occasionally. The main meat of the novel lies in the characters who live and work on Pepys Road. Each of these people are from very different socio-economic and racial/cultural backgrounds, and they all have their own story to tell.

 

There isn’t really a plot to speak of. Instead it’s almost a purely character driven book – a story all about people and the minutae of their lives, what drives them and what keeps them up at night. The author does it so well, and each character is a fully drawn individual with so many different sides to them - good and bad. Of course, there were some stories and characters that I preferred to others, but they were all so well written that I loved reading about all of them.

 

It was just shy of 600 pages, but I loved every minute of it and it could have even been longer. It’s not a fast-paced book; in fact not a whole lot happens in it, but it is still such a compelling read because the characters read like real people.

 

I haven’t read any others by John Lanchester, but will be reading more of his other books for sure.

 

One of the best reads of the year for me and definitely one to be read again at a later date.

 

6/6

[bobblybear]

Dark Places - Gillian Flynn

 

Libby Day is the lone survivor of an attack which left her mother and two sisters butchered. Her brother Ben was charged and imprisoned for the crime.

 

Some twenty years later, the charitable funds have run out, as have the earnings from her book about the crime. Fortuitously, she is contacted by a group who is fascinated by gruesome true crimes and is wiling to pay her for mementos and inside information.  With very few alternatives, she accepts and soon realises that these people think Ben is innocent and have spent a lot of time in constructing alternate theories. At first she is angered, but having her interest piqued she begins an investigation of her own.

 

At the start Libby wasn’t a likeable character, but I guess that can be explained by her past. Anyway, she did slowly start to grow on me as she became a bit less one-dimensional as the story moved on and more was revealed. 

 

The chapters alternate between present time with Libby conducting research into what happened, and the day of the mass-murder. The chapters telling the story of the murders increment forward in hours, which is pretty effective as you feel a bit angsty knowing that soon the truth will be revealed.

 

I have to say I’m very impressed with the authors way of telling what could be a very standard thriller in such an interesting way, with quite a few twists and turns towards the end. I've now read all of Gillian Flynn's novels and she's an author that I will keep an eye out for. A must read if you are into crime/mystery thrillers.

 

5/6

[pontalba]

Great reviews.....both sound interesting. I think I already have the Flynn.

[bobblybear]

Thanks, Pontalba. Gillian Flynn is very good if you are in the mood for something dark and thriller-like.

 

I'm nearly caught up on my reviews. I only have two to go and they are roughly done, just need a few bits adding and changing.

 

I just bought Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier, which is one of the Kindle Daily Deals. That brings my purchases to 67 this year, which is more than I have read. That's not the way it's supposed to go.

[Athena]

Great reviews! I'm glad you enjoyed the Gillian Flynn book, I only own Gone Girl but am glad to hear positive things about her other books too. Congrats on almost catching up to your reviews !

 

I hope you enjoy your new book ! That is a common problem . How many books have you read this year, so far?

[bobblybear]

Thanks, Athena. I've read 58 books this year, but that is including ones that I have given up on. That's the most I've read in year so far. Still, my TBR pile just gets bigger and bigger. Oh well, there are plenty worse things to worry about in life.

[Athena]

Thanks, Athena. I've read 58 books this year, but that is including ones that I have given up on. That's the most I've read in year so far. Still, my TBR pile just gets bigger and bigger. Oh well, there are plenty worse things to worry about in life.

Congratulations !! It seems like a lot of us have read more books this year than in previous years. I'm sorry to hear about the TBR pile increasing but you are very right, there are worse things to worry about .

[bobblybear]

Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn

Camille Parker is a reporter for a small paper in Chicago. She learns of the recent abduction of a young girl in her home town of Wind Gap. Several months earlier another young girl from Wind Gap was found murdered, and her boss believes that a serial killer is on the loose. He sends her back to Wind Gap, with the hopes of getting a story which will raise the profile of his paper.

 

Back in Wind Gap, Camille has to stay with her mother and her step-father, both of whom she has a very fractured relationship with. The longer she stays in Wind Gap, the more bad memories threaten to overcome her and it soon becomes evident that Camille has secrets of her own that she is hiding from.

 

This is my third book by the author and while I enjoyed it I don’t think it was quite as good as the others. It's very dark, probably her darkest novel with some very disturbing characters. The story felt a bit disjointed throughout, and I didn't really appreciate the book until the ending, when all the pieces were put together. Having said that, the ending wasn't a surprise at all, but it just tied the whole story together. Camille was a bit of a cold character as well, and while you can see why she was the way she was, she was sometimes hard to have as the narrator.

 

I'm glad this wasn't the first Gillian Flynn that I read, as her later two books are a bit more well-rounded. This one somehow left me cold but that could have just been the characters.

 

4/6

[pontalba]

I have another of Flynn's books on the stack.....maybe both?  I'll have to check them out.  Thanks for a great review.

[Athena]

Great review ! I'm glad you enjoyed the book, though it's a shame you didn't enjoy it as much as the other two you've read. I have Gone Girl on my TBR and I believe the two other books you've read, are on my wishlist.

[willoyd]

I just bought Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier, which is one of the Kindle Daily Deals.

Hope you enjoy. I've read a fair few of her books, enjoyed them all, but found this the best (yes, better than Girl with a Pearl Earring!).

 

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the Gillian Flynn book, I only own Gone Girl but am glad to hear positive things about her other books too.

Hope you enjoy this more than I did. Have to say it put me off Gillian Flynn completely.

[Calexa]

Wonderful review, bobblybear. Like you, I was a little reserved in my opinion on Sharp Objects, however, I hadn't read any other Gillian Flynn, so my first jaunt left me a little wary of taking another step into Flynn. Perhaps I shall attempt another go in the future.

[bobblybear]

I have another of Flynn's books on the stack.....maybe both?  I'll have to check them out.  Thanks for a great review.

 

Thanks. Hope you enjoy it/them when you get to it/them.

 

Great review ! I'm glad you enjoyed the book, though it's a shame you didn't enjoy it as much as the other two you've read. I have Gone Girl on my TBR and I believe the two other books you've read, are on my wishlist.

 

Thanks.   I would start with either Gone Girl or Dark Places, but they are all readable.

 

Hope you enjoy. I've read a fair few of her books, enjoyed them all, but found this the best (yes, better than Girl with a Pearl Earring!).

 

 

I've heard a few people say it's her best. I have enjoyed her other books (Girl With A Pearl Earring and Remarkable Creatures), so am sure I will like this one.

 

Wonderful review, bobblybear. Like you, I was a little reserved in my opinion on Sharp Objects, however, I hadn't read any other Gillian Flynn, so my first jaunt left me a little wary of taking another step into Flynn. Perhaps I shall attempt another go in the future.

 

Thanks. As much as I liked Sharp Objects, if it had been the first book of hers I'd read, I probably wouldn't have bought her other ones. It was just quite ordinary, whereas I think her other two had a certain  distinctive feel about them.

[Athena]

Thanks.   I would start with either Gone Girl or Dark Places, but they are all readable.

Thanks, I think I will do that .

[bobblybear]

Revival - Stephen King

 

Jamie Morton first meets Pastor Jacobs when he (Jamie) is 6 years old. The pastor is fascinated by electricity and what he believes to be it’s healing powers, and attempts to pass that enthusiasm on to Jamie and his friends. After a family tragedy the pastor loses his religious faith and moves out of town.

 

Several years later, Morton – now a drug addict – has a chance meeting with Pastor Jacobs at a carnival, where he is displaying the various benefits of electricity. Recognising Morton instantly, Jacobs uses his experimental electricity to cure Morrton of his addiction, and gives him a job through the Summer, but makes it clear that once the carnival season is over, Jacobs will continue to operate on his own.

 

Over the next few years, Pastor Jacobs’ reputation as a faith healer grows and he is seen as a minor celebrity. Meanwhile, Morton is aware of Jacobs’ reputation, and has done some research on those who Jacobs claims to have cured. Quite a few of them have endured strange and violent side-effects, often many years later. Morton now feels he much prevent Jacobs’ from using his electricity in this way. Jacobs however has plans that go beyond what even Morton can imagine.

 

I was very disappointed by Revival, which is a shame as I do like most of Stephen King’s books. Unfortunately, I found this one to be very dull, with none of the characters engaging enough to be concerned for. Stephen King writes characters so well, but unfortunately when the characters aren't particularly interesting it’s not enough to pull the story off.

 

Having said that, it was easily readable, and I don't recall struggling to finish it, but it didn't bring out any enthusiasm that you would normally get from a good book. For a story about electricity, it was decidedly non-electric in it's delivery.

 

2/6

 

 

[Michelle]

I agree with the disappointment - although I did enjoy Jamie's character. Maybe it had been hyped up too much.. I'd seen comments of twitter from early readers who said it was his best yet! On the other hand, I put off Mr Mercedes for a while, because I didn't think I'd like it, and I did. 

[bobblybear]

I do think a lot of the disappointment came from my own high expectations. I'm very surprised to see so many 5 star reviews on Amazon, and so much praise. I mean, I know we all like different things and have individual tastes, but I found Revival to be quite dull, and just struggle to see how anyone can have very strong thoughts about it. It was just a mediocre novel.

[pontalba]

Hmmm, sorry to hear you both didn't much care for the latest King.  I haven't read a lot of his books, ummmmm....The Stand, of course.   11/22/63, Thinner, The Mist...part of a short story collection.  Maybe something else I can't remember.  I do have the huge series.....whatsit...unread as of yet.  Was going to tackle it this year, but that ain't gonna happen now.  /sigh/

 

Oh, the Tower series....?   Anyhow, I have really liked what I've read...

Oh....Under the Dome of course.

Edited December 15, 2014 by pontalba

[Kylie]

It's interesting how King's body of work splits readers (apart from maybe a few of his earlier works). I bought Revival for my brother for Christmas, so I hope it likes it more than you did! I think he enjoys pretty much everything King writes, so I have high hopes.