Sara's reading

[SaraPepparkaka]

"Fire" by Kristin Cashore

 

From the back cover: Fire's exceptional beauty gives her influence and power. People who are susceptible to it, will do anything for her attention, and for her affection.

But beauty is only skin deep, and beneath it Fire has a human appreciation of right and wrong. Aware of her ability to influence others, and afraid of it, she lives in a corner of the world away from people-not only to protect them but also to protect herself from their attention, their distrust, and even their hatred.

Yet Fire is not the only danger to the Dells. If she wants to protect her home, if she wants a chance to undo the wrongs of the past, she must face her fears, her abilities, and a royal court full of powerful people with reason to distrust her.

 

My opinion: Fire is a heroine to care for, and she has some amazing adventures. Civil war is threatening her country, and Fire's unusual talent is needed. I found the book very hard to put down. There are monsters, archers, kings, queens, spies, princes, soldiers, family ties and some unusual choices - and hard ones. And romance- of course there's romance. I've read "Graceling" too, and this is set in the same world, though the books can be read separately. Only one of the characters appear in both books, but that's all I'll say on the matter. I sincerely hope that Kristin Cashore plans on writing more books.

[catwoman]

"Fire" by Kristin Cashore

 

That sounds awesome and right up my street. *Added to wishlist*

 

 

 

****Edit** Just checked fantastic fiction mate and she has the next one in the series in 2011 called Bitterblue.

Edited August 10, 2010 by catwoman

[SaraPepparkaka]

Thanks for the info Catwoman. I sincerely hope the next one is as good as these two.

Edited August 10, 2010 by SaraPepparkaka

[SaraPepparkaka]

Fluff reading. Kresley Cole, "Kiss of a demon king" wasn't really my cup of tea. Now, "Pleasure of a dark prince" (which I also read) was a lot better, but still nowhere near "Dark needs at night's edge". I don't know, it must be that I'm not really fond of those demons.

[SaraPepparkaka]

More light reading. "Hell's belles" by Paul Magrs. (Yes, I continue to start a series with any other book than the first one). Ok, fun, nothing very special. Same can be said for the next one, "Babyville" by Jane Green.

[SaraPepparkaka]

More books read.

"The house at Riverton" by Kate Morton.

From Amazon: In her cinematic debut novel, Kate Morton immerses readers in the dramas of the Ashbury family at their crumbling English country estate in the years surrounding World War I, an age when Edwardian civility, shaken by war, unravels into the roaring Twenties. Grace came to serve in the house as a girl. She left as a young woman, after the presumed suicide of a famous young poet at the property's lake. Though she has dutifully kept the family's secrets for decades, memories flood back in the twilight of her life when a young filmmaker comes calling with questions about how the poet really died--and why the Ashbury sisters never again spoke to each other afterward. With beautifully crafted prose, Morton methodically reveals how passion and fate transpired that night at the lake, with truly shocking results. Her final revelation at the story's close packs a satisfying (and not overly sentimental) emotional punch.

 

My thoughts: It's sometimes a slowpaced book, and I'm not normally fond of that. But occasionally, a book comes along that's written well enough to make me forget that. This is such a book. It also has a lot of fairly complicated people in it, and I like that, even if these characters aren't the best complicated ones I've read. I also sometimes get tired/bored when I read a book and have the feeling something bad is about to happen, and that it will be absolutely awful- I'm not a patient person and it happens that I read the ending pretty fast, and only then can I go back and appreciate just how the writer gets to that ending. I'm glad I didn't with this book, and instead suffered the suspense all the way to the firework ending. I also very much appreciated the insights into an old person's life, it seemed fairly realistic to me, as far as I can tell. And, having just visited a big old house in the English countryside, in my head it was the house at Riverton, and that also did add to my enjoyment. An 8/10.

 

Also read "Natural Born Charmer" by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and that's a lovely book too. SEP's people, they don't fall in love very easily. But when they do, I believe every word of the happily ever after. And I happen to think self-centered, stubborn, mean people also deserve love and happiness. This is a hit-and miss author for me, so far two hits and one miss.

[SaraPepparkaka]

Mixed reading.. as in one Terry Pratchett ("Going Postal"), one thought-provoking ("Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro), one refreshing autobiography ("A round-heeled woman" by Jane Juska) and one item of fluff ("The pregnancy test" by Erin McCarthy). Also one DNF "Lessons in duck hunting" by Jayne Buxton. I usually don't mention my DNF's, but bear in mind that I have a flair for fluff, chick lit and the like- but I thought this one was boring, so for once I thought to mention it.

Edited August 23, 2010 by SaraPepparkaka

[SaraPepparkaka]

A book for my challenge. "Den stulna drömmen" (The stolen dream) by Alexandra Marinina. I thought I'd read all of her books in my Trusted Local Library, but when I started to look closer I hadn't read this one. This is a book in a series about Russian police officer Anastasia Kamenskaja, and so it represents Russia.

[SaraPepparkaka]

I read "Azazel" by Boris Akunin, a new author to me, and a good one at that. I'll read more of Erast Fandorin's adventures, I'm sure. Oh, and this really IS the first book about him. Must be the first time I've actually started with the first book in a series.

 

Also read "Marley&Me" by John Grogan. OK, a bit sentimental. (I bought this one on our trip to London!)

 

"Håpas du trifs bra I fengelset" (Hope you like it in jail) by Susanna Alakoski. The author was born in Finland, but moved to Sweden with her parents. This is one of the better books I've read about poverty, immigration, alcoholism, drug abuse and having a relative in prison. The main character has a brother who gradually starts to use drugs, does criminal things, slowly disappears from her life.. The best thing is that it's not even trying to be neutral, it's unashamedly about how the sister feels, right or wrong as that may be. The title is taken from a letter that the main character's daughter writes to her uncle. This is fiction, but Susanna Alakoski is a social worker and has seen her fair share of what life has to offer some of us.

 

 

[pickle]

Oh I am glad you enjoyed the Erast Fandorin books I have read all of them I think, try the Sister Pelagia ones as well, I have only read the first two they are also good, a bit funnier maybe.

[SaraPepparkaka]

Oh I am glad you enjoyed the Erast Fandorin books I have read all of them I think, try the Sister Pelagia ones as well, I have only read the first two they are also good, a bit funnier maybe.

 

I do think I'll read them, especially since my Trusted Local Library seems to have most of them. I wasn't on the lookout for Sister Pelagia last time, but it's a fair guess TLL will have them as well, in which case I'll certainly give them a try.

 

I must have read A LOT more than usual this year, only this year I haven't been counting my books. Last year I read about a hundred, average pace of two books a week. But that was with a full time job.

[SaraPepparkaka]

George Orwell "Animal Farm". It was a long time since I've read a "classic". I must say that I felt I missed many references to the Russian Revolution, even if that should be something I know a fair deal about. Otherwise an interesting read, and I could see how this is relevant to many -isms, not just communism. The role of Benjamin puzzled me, I would have wanted him to be more active and try to explain things to his comrades. Also, I wonder why there wasn't a second revolution, one should think that since there's been one, it would be easier to do it again. Well, one could agrue that that second revolution did indeed come but much much later thatn the book was written.

 

Victoria Clayton "Dance with me". Entertaining, warm book about Viola Otway and her work at the Society for the Conservation of Ancient Buildings.

[SaraPepparkaka]

I've read books two and three in Anne Bishop's Tir Alainn trilogy, "Shadows and light" and "The house of Gaian". A rare treat, since Anne Bishop is one of my favourite authors. (.. if anyone wonders, I've actually read the first book too, but it was quite some time ago.. so I've read this trilogy starting from the first book and ending with the last, which, as some of you may know, is VERY unusual for me ). Some of Anne Bishop's books aren't for the fainthearted, but this trilogy isn't as dark. A shame they had to end. Coming back to this world feels much like waking up to the alarm clock on a Monday morning.

 

 

[SaraPepparkaka]

Read "After Dark" by Haruki Murakami. Excellent, as expected.

 

Other than that, I've been re-reading romances. I will continue with that, right now I feel the need to read Julie Garwood's medieval books.

[SaraPepparkaka]

Seems I only added the book by Slavenka Drakulic in my Challenge log, and not here. Well, it was called "Katt I Warszawa" in Swedish, and it was fables about Eastern Europe communist history. Very interesting read.

Then, in between my romance re-reads I finished "Rules of prey" by John Sandford yesterday. The first in the series about Lucas Davenport, and I enjoyed it, but I have one issue with the book. I really, really, REALLY dislike unfaithful people, even in books, and I also really dislike people who put their work before their friends/boyfriends/family (meaning Jennifer Carey in this book). It must have been very well written indeed to keep me reading after finding not one but two of my "issues" in the book, and even enjoying the read after that.

Edited September 28, 2010 by SaraPepparkaka

[SaraPepparkaka]

A romance that was NOT a re-read. "Blue-eyed devil" by Lisa Kleypas.

 

From Publishers Weekly

Scenes of domestic abuse and the journey to recovery make Kleypas's modern romance anything but fluff. A Wellesley grad and daughter of a Houston energy baron, Haven Travis is an unlikely romantic heroine until her brief but ardent encounter with a man who turns out to be Hardy Cates, the East Texas roughneck from Sugar Daddy who worked his way up from poverty and then outmaneuvered the Travis clan in a business deal. Haven's engaged to Nick Tanner—a man her dad thinks is unfit for her—and though she and Hardy have a charged interaction, she elopes with Nick, and her father cuts her off. Nick turns out to be a bad guy, and a beaten and bruised Haven returns to Houston, where Hardy's still at odds with her family. Their passion proves as fervent as ever, but demons from Haven's recent past—as well as strife with her family and troubles at work and in bed—stand in the way. Kleypas isn't a literary stylist, but she delivers a page-turning, formula-breaking romance that takes on social issues and escalates passion to new heights.

 

My thoughts: I've only read one book by Lisa Kleypas before, and that was a historical romance. I liked this one better, I'm a bit surprised to say, because it's usually the other way around. Well, Texas today or medieval Scotland, it's not like I have seen either.. The process of making domestic violence seem normal is very well described, and I can believe that's how it happens. Also, the domestic violence part has similarities with the next book I've read, which was a true story about an exceptionally abusive relationship, so maybe that's how it happens. The romance in the book on the other hand is a bit too sugary sweet, and I never really got the "conflict" between Hardy Cates and the Travis family. What I appreciated reading about when it came to the romance was the leap of faith it takes to trust someone when you've had bad experiences in the past.

 

 

[SaraPepparkaka]

And more books read. Tehmina Durrani writes the story about her marriage to Mustafa Khar, a Pakistani politician. The book is called "My Feudal Lord", and my what a marriage. Stormy and abusive is only the beginning. The book made me think about how girls are raised, to be sweet, silent, obedient and well-behaved, and how that really makes someone vulnerable to narcissistic personalities. In any case, an interesting read and it will represent Pakistan on my challenge.

[SaraPepparkaka]

Finished "Turkish Gambit", another Erast Fandorin mystery by Boris Akunin. I will have to rush to the library on Monday to borrow the next one.

I'm thinking about how many brilliant books I must have missed over the years. If someone felt like it, they could analyse what makes me choose one book and skip another, I'd be interested in the results but feel a bit too lazy to analyse myself. Instead, I think I'll plan next week's menu in Casa de Pepparkaka. My appetite has returned.

 

 

[SaraPepparkaka]

Instead, I think I'll plan next week's menu in Casa de Pepparkaka.

 

 

 

Hehe, that would be the Gingerbread House. Sounds a bit ominous. I assure you Hansel and Gretel are perfectly safe and not on the menu..

[SaraPepparkaka]

More books read! "Winter in Madrid" by CJ Sansom. Entirely different world than medieval monastaries, but nevertheless a very "Sansom" book. The attention to detail really makes Spain during the second world war come alive. I was also very engaged in the characters.

 

On to something completely different: I can feel my seasonal reading habits returning to normal. Most of last year my reading followed no pattern at all. Now I'm starting to read detective stories, thrillers and mysteries. That's normal autumn reading for me. We'll see if I feel like ghost stories and fantasy in midwinter then. Good that I feel like mysteries now too, I still haven't felt like reading some of the books my dear colleagues gave me this spring.

[SaraPepparkaka]

I finally read Purge by Sofi Oksanen. It was indeed her best book yet, the other two that I have read were good, but this one just seemed better put together. And all kinds of tragedies, plus a bit of uncertainty about just how everything will work out in the end. Sad, but excellent reading. Well worth what little I spent on it on my surprise visit to the booksale last week. I also think I made an excellent choice to buy this for my best friend's birthday, I always aim to find some special book that I think she wouldn't buy for herself, and extra credit if it's a Finnish writer since she lives abroad.

 

..and then to balance the tragedy, some lady detectives from Botswana. "Tea time for the traditionally built" by Alexander McCall Smith. A cosy read as always.

[I'mRose]

What is Purge about? I don't think I ever read a book by a Finnish author, maybe a good one to start with?

[SaraPepparkaka]

"Purge" takes place in Estonia, and is about two sisters, the pretty and perfect one who can do no wrong, and then the other one. A victim of trafficking turns up on one sister's doorstep, and only slowly does the reader realize it's no coincidence.

 

It's a good story, and worth a read, but you won't learn about Finland reading it. You will learn a lot about Estonian history, though.

 

 

[SaraPepparkaka]

Well, best update this a little again. Read "Dead of winter" by P J Parrish. OK police novel. A plus for the unusual romance bit.

Also read "Twenties girl" by Sophie Kinsella. I never really liked her Shopaholic, and have never been able to understand how it became a series. On the other hand, "The undomestic Goddess" is one of my re-reads, maybe because I'm rather undomestic myself. "Twenties girl" is somewhere in between Shopaholic and the Goddess, I think. Clearly readable.

[SaraPepparkaka]

I've read my first book by Agatha Christie. "Appointment with death", with Hercule Poirot in Jerusalem. A rather unpleasant lady dies, and Hercule Poirot of course finds out who did it. Not quite sure what else to say.

I also read "Bitter chocolate" by Lesley Lokko. This is probably what is known as "women's fiction". OK to read, this was also my first by this author.

And, a third new-to-me author. Carin Hjulström, a Swedish author, and the book is called "Finns inte på kartan" ("Does not exist on the map", my translation). Quite funny, a journalist student gets an internship in a very small newspaper and gets word that the village she lives in will be excluded from the map in the next phone book because not enough people live there anymore. The villagers start a hilarious hunt for new inhabitants, and the journalist-to-be finds out who did a hit-and-run where a whole family was killed many years ago, dumps a bad boyfriend and gets her best friend out of, and then into trouble again.