Rose Reads 2010

[I'mRose]

 

 

Synopsis: While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci -- clues visible for all to see -- yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion -- an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who seems to anticipate their every move. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory's ancient secret -- and an explosive historical truth...

 

 

Review: This is a book that never slows down and therefor it's hard to actually put it down. You want to know the truth as badly as the main characters does.

 

 

 

It's intense, it's though provoking and it makes you question things and made me at least very interested to read more about Da Vinci himself.

 

 

It's not the best book ever written, it's not going to hang around in the back of my head for years and years. But it was fun while it lasted.

 

 

 

I give it: 3/5

Edited June 9, 2010 by I'mRose

[I'mRose]

Looking for Alaska by John Green

 

 

Synopsis:

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words – and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the “Great Perhaps.” Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.

Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A stunning debut, it marks John Green’s arrival as an important new voice in contemporary fiction.

 

 

I can not begin to tell you how much I loved this book. Yes its YA book but it still hit home for me. The story is simple and not at all about what you think in the beginning.

 

 

 

I think we've all met this people at some point in our life and that's what makes this book so believable. John Green is an excellent writer and has created some exceptional characters and you will love. I can easily see why they compare this to Catcher in the Rye. It's a simple book about a time that is not simple at all.

 

 

 

If you haven't read it, do!

I give it 5/5

Edited June 9, 2010 by I'mRose

[Maureen]

I've been productive when it comes to reading this weekend. Not so much with anything else.

 

The Tales Of Beedle the Bard by J.K Rowling

 

 

 

Synopsis:The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a Wizarding classic, first came to Muggle readers

[I'mRose]

I have this on my TBR pile. I understand the tales are those referred to in the last HP book?

 

It's the Book Dumbledore gives to Hermione in the Deathly Hallows. In the HP-book we hear the story of the three brothers, but the tales of Beedle the bard contains several fairy tales from the wizarding world. Plus we get to read Dumbledores thoughts about the different stories.

[Maureen]

Thanks Rose. Will try to read it before I watch the movie then.

[I'mRose]

Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb

 

 

Synopsis: Young Fitz is the 'person of dubious parentage' son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him sectetly tutored in the arts of the assassin.

 

Review: I was really looking forward to reading this book cause I had heard so much good things about it. Unfortunately I was disappointed and that was not because it was a bad book but because the translation into Swedish was just horrible. The translator did the one thing I can't stand which is changing the names into a Swedish version. I can see why she did it since they do have a certain meaning but I hated it.

 

In all other aspects this was a good book but I'm sure it would have been a great book if this had not been such an issue.

 

The story is engaging and you really get to know some interesting characters and I really would recommend it if you like fantasy but also if you don't because even though there are certainly fantasy aspects of the book it offers a lot more then that.

 

I give it a 3/5. This probably would be higher if I had read it in english, which I will do with the next book.

[Nicola Booth]

 

 

Synopsis: While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci -- clues visible for all to see -- yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion -- an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who seems to anticipate their every move. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory's ancient secret -- and an explosive historical truth...

 

 

Review: This is a book that never slows down and therefor it's hard to actually put it down. You want to know the truth as badly as the main characters does.

 

 

 

It's intense, it's though provoking and it makes you question things and made me at least very interested to read more about Da Vinci himself.

 

 

It's not the best book ever written, it's not going to hang around in the back of my head for years and years. But it was fun while it lasted.

 

You should also try Angels and Demons. I actually preferred it to the Da Vinci Code.

[I'mRose]

 

 

 

You should also try Angels and Demons. I actually preferred it to the Da Vinci Code.

 

Thank you! I will add it to my TBR list. I've seen the movie and I liked it!

 

Today I went to the library just to return a book determined not to borrow anything else since I have a ton on my list already. But of couse I cam home with a book it just jumped out right in front of me :-P It's called Then we came to the end by Joshua Ferris and it lookes very promising!

I've just started Atonement and i'm loving it so far!!

[~Andrea~]

Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb

 

 

Synopsis: Young Fitz is the 'person of dubious parentage' son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him sectetly tutored in the arts of the assassin.

 

Review: I was really looking forward to reading this book cause I had heard so much good things about it. Unfortunately I was disappointed and that was not because it was a bad book but because the translation into Swedish was just horrible. The translator did the one thing I can't stand which is changing the names into a Swedish version. I can see why she did it since they do have a certain meaning but I hated it.

 

In all other aspects this was a good book but I'm sure it would have been a great book if this had not been such an issue.

 

The story is engaging and you really get to know some interesting characters and I really would recommend it if you like fantasy but also if you don't because even though there are certainly fantasy aspects of the book it offers a lot more then that.

 

I give it a 3/5. This probably would be higher if I had read it in english, which I will do with the next book.

 

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your version of this book. What a shame about the translation. I read this recently (in English that is) and loved it! Hope you enjoy the next one more.

[I'mRose]

Atonement by Ian McEwan

 

Synopsis: Set in 1935 England, this "New York Times" bestseller is enthralling in its depiction of childhood, love and war, England and class, making it a profound—and profoundly moving—exploration of shame and forgiveness, of atonement and the difficulty of absolution

 

Review: I really liked this book. It's romantic and sad and incredibly well written.

You feel for all the characters and get a real sense over what life was like in that time. It's written in a way that makes you see everything described very clearly, from the warm summer heat to the tired soldiers. Just a beautiful book.

 

I give it a 8/10

[I'mRose]

I went to the library today and also last Monday. They were having a book sale and I came home with 6 books!

 

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keys

Sofies World by Jostein Gaarder

Pemberly by Emma Tennant

Anna Karenina part 1 and 2 by Leo Tolstoj

The Thorn birds by Colleen McCullough

 

In total I paid like 7 dollars or 55 Swedish kronor.

[Pixie]

Some good selections there.

[I'mRose]

And the we came to the end by Joshua Ferris

 

Synopsis

 

No one knows us quite the same way as the men and women who sit beside us in department meetings and crowd the office refrigerator with their labeled yogurts. Every office is a family of sorts, and the ad agency Joshua Ferris brilliantly depicts in his debut novel is family at its strangest and best, coping with a business downturn in the time-honored way: through gossip, pranks, and increasingly frequent coffee breaks.

With a demon's eye for the details that make life worth noticing, Joshua Ferris tells a true and funny story about survival in life's strangest environment--the one we pretend is normal five days a week.

 

 

Review:

 

 

This book grew on me. I'm not really sure why it drew me in, it's quiet oddly written, but it did. It wasn't about anything in particular but it was about a lot of different small things. There were a lot of characters and you were one of them. It did remind me a bit about the type of books Douglas Coupland would write and how he portrays his characters.

 

If you work in an office I'd say read it and you will recognize yourself

 

 

I give it 3/5

[I'mRose]

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keys

 

Synopsis:

Charlie Gordon is about to embark upon an unprecedented journey. Born with an unusually low IQ, he has been chosen as the perfect subject for an experimental surgery that researchers hope will increase his intelligence-a procedure that has already been highly successful when tested on a lab mouse named Algernon.

 

As the treatment takes effect, Charlie's intelligence expands until it surpasses that of the doctors who engineered his metamorphosis. The experiment appears to be a scientific breakthrough of paramount importance, until Algernon suddenly deteriorates. Will the same happen to Charlie?

 

Me thinks:

This is such a brilliant book. I had heard the title so many times but never knew what is was about and I was really surprised. It unexpected, beautifully told and well yeah brilliant. You are so touched by Charlie and his story and it somehow feels real. If you know anyone who has some form of disability it's really easy to try to think what would had happened to them if they were in Charlies position? It's a scary thought because why would we want to change someone like that? It did not just change Charlies IQ but also his personality and by that a lot of things that people loved about him.

 

 

If you have not read this one do!

 

I give it a 5/5

[Kylie]

I'm so glad you enjoyed this Rose! I have finally talked my friend into reading it and he's also enjoying it. It's definitely a book I'll re-read in future.

[Pixie]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Rose!

 

Flowers For Algernon is probably my favorite book.

[I'mRose]

Today I declared war on my TBR-list as I discovered how long it was and I need help!

 

 

This is my plan:

 

http://booksinmylife.blog.com/2010/08/10/the-battle-of-the-tbr-list-day-1/

 

Right now it feels slightly horribly scary but something needs to be done, please help me with suggestions :-P

 

Rose

[Pixie]

I wish I could help you, Rose, but it would be like the blind leading the blind.

 

Edited August 10, 2010 by Pixie

[SaraPepparkaka]

I could tell you how it was I at some point in May this year had NOTHING unread in my shelves.. mind you, I don't wish the same for you, or anyone! I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's tumor in February and that meant a) lots more reading time than before, b) not much strength to do anything else, c) less money to buy books for. Mind you, I have some unread books again, just not that many.

[I'mRose]

I so sorry to hear that Sara I hope you are feeling better. Not having anything to read does sound even more scary I must admit I hope you have found some great new once.

 

Where are you from btw? I can help but notice that you name sounds very Swedish, which is were I'm from ;-)

[SaraPepparkaka]

You'd be right that my name sounds Swedish- I'm one of those rare and precious Finns who speak Swedish as mother tongue!

[I'mRose]

Vad kul! Jag har aldrig varit I Finland men vill absolut åka dit någon gång, kan dock ingen finska

[I'mRose]

I've been feeling like I did not get anywhere on my TBR list so I sat down and read Det finns en särskild plats I helvetet för kvinnor som inte hjälper varandra (There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women) by Liza Marklund and Lotta Snickare in one sitting just to be able to cross something of my list. It was a short book 150 p about how men and women a treated differently in school, at the workplace and even in kindergarten. It was an okay book lots of fun insights. I liked the stories from real life that the authors presented better then all the different reasech they presented.

 

I give it a 5/10

[SaraPepparkaka]

Vad kul! Jag har aldrig varit I Finland men vill absolut åka dit någon gång, kan dock ingen finska

 

.. hör av dig om du behöver en guide!

[I'mRose]

So I failed at my quest not to buy any more books before I had read at least half of my TBR-list. The thing is I went to Ireland and there were so many book I wanted so I decided books bought in a foreign country does not count. How often do I go abroad anyways.

 

So this is a list of books I found:

 

1. Fallen by Lauren Kate

2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

3. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

4. Ulysses by James Joyce

5. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

7. Five People you meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

8. Ireland's Master Storyteller- The Collected stories of Eamon Kelly

 

 

I've already read Five people you meet in heaven and loved it!