Tuesday, February 02, 2016

2015 in Written Word

Have tried to be very good about keeping my list up to date with Goodreads. Have also tried to read more and ignore the draw of facebook, twiter, instagram, and strava. Of which, when ever I take a photo of the girl child she makes me swear not to post to. I think she has forgotten about this blog, but really so has everybody else. Blogs are very 2007.

Legends of the Tour
Graphic novel I purchased as a prize for the triathlon club banquet. Very detail rich, for true fans of the tour. I am more of a passing fancy of that's cool kind of fan. Fun none the less before I gave it away.

Invisibility
Sounds like a good  teen fiction novel, the type I like with a bit of science fiction mostly set in reality, but can not recall to much. Teen boy invisible. If you like the type why not?

Fallen World Series
Civilization as we know it as fallen due to some new super bug.  When Luke and I talk of apocalypse scenarios this is the one where he thinks I do not stand a chance cause I am at ground zero cause I work in a hospital but my rebuttal is I have a fantastic immune system cause I am exposed to bugs all the time, guess time will tell. Books were ok, nothing fantastic.

A bunch of pretty things I did not buy
Little volume on consumerism, not leading a life devoted to it etc. Kinda like preaching to the faithful choir of which, apart for sporting goods and good  shoes and bras I feel I am the leader of.

The Silent Sister
Story of murder and a fathers implausible efforts to cover it up. Good story, well written but I think the truth would have been an easier life to live. Worth the read.

Tina's Mouth: An Existential Comic Diary
I usually read graphic novels in one sitting, which may be the reason why I do not recall this one at all. It also may be due to the fact if I am sitting for extended periods of time I also like to drink wine.

Touch
Under genre for this author is the listing urban magic, which is exactly how I see this novel. Love the concept, the finer plot points were a bore but the details were the gem of this novel.

Digging For America
Saw a friend reading this and when I went to the library the next day I got it was well. Pleasant.

Bittersweet
I think that a common theme for 2015 might be 'but I just can not remember', which is  is related to my utter fatigue and lack of brain cells related to ironman training. Seriously, I may have lost some IQ points  this summer. Read some reviews about this book and it kind of came back, but I think I might be mixing up some elements of the plot with another novel. In any event, I do remember the lack of empathy I had towards the heroine.

Unbecoming
I do remember this book which is a victory in itself, so it was somewhat good. However since I read it, I have not thought of it, which is not a good sign. Middle America to Europe heist story.

Eat the Document
Two people commit a crime in the 1960s then assume different lives. Flash forward 30 years and fall out ensues.

The Mountain Story
I did not expect to like this novel, started slow but found I really ended up not being what I expected. Good read.

The Library at Mount Char
The jacket sounded fantastic, however as I got deeper and deeper into the novel it became clear the novel was much more science fiction then I usually read, however I was intrigued by the story. I did skip some gory details but could not put it down. Very much wanted to know how it ended.

Roller Girl
Graphic novel about how we age,  we change and the all amazingness of roller derby which is my new favorite sport to watch and not actually do cause I like all my bones not broken.

The Undertakers Daughter
Fantastic design and title for this non fiction volume of horrible writing. There are a few gems of 'short stories' but overall I did not care about your family, I only cared about the stories.

Finding Audrey
Nothing wrong with this young adult book focusing on recovery from an anxiety disorder. Problem is I do not care about your anxiety disorder and advise you to get over it. Yes I am jaded and hard.

In the Unlikely Event
Who doesn't love Judy Blume, even if it is not her best work, although I think I read somewhere it will be her last work as she does not like the pressure of deadlines and is in her 70's.  I am in the middle of reading Ever the fudge books right now.

The Boston Girl
A fan of the author, story of rags to riches main character was a tad too predictable.

The Girl on the Train
This book had a lot of hype and honestly I did not expect it to live up to it, however it was like an onion with many layers slowly being revealed. Fantastic. Go read it already.

Our Endless Numbered Days
I believe I picked it up due to the fantastic title. Chilly and creepy - was not expecting the end, as in had to re read it to believe that is what I was reading. Goosebumps.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest
A book of food, and cooking and growing and local eating. What is not to love? Made me tremendously hungry, should have come with a companion  cookbook.

How to Fall in Love
Cecelia Aherns books are so sweet and cute and I love them to bits and pieces. Often there is something fantastical but this one is pure romance and sweetness.

Silo Series- Wool, Shift and Dust
We started this series as an audio book for the long drive to Mt Trembant this summer. When we returned I had to get the books ordered from the library and accidently read them out of order... but interestingly it still worked. The premise is that mankind as well know it has been reduced to a life lived in silos. The amazing thing to me was all my stupid details that I think about that makes the story not possible were eventually answered and made the story in the vague sense possible. Very good reads if you like the end of world genre.

D.U.F.F
I listened to this book driving to North Carolina and loved it. The story was obviously more involved in the book, and actually completely different, however with the pg13 rating of the movie I figured it would be fine for Maya and I to listen to together. hmmm not so much. She listened here and there but mostly I was thankful she had other audio plans for the trip as it was not so much pg11.

A Curious Tale of the IN- Between
Luke brought this book home because the main character's last name is Bellamy. I needed something to read one night so picked it up. Apparently it is a series which I hate to find out once I have started to read the book. I try to only read series in which all the books have been released. Girl can see ghosts and has a trusty side kick. This can be a miss.

Day Shift
And this is the reason I only read books in a series if the entire series is out, because one book a year is painful!! Charlene Harris is kinda like a bag of chips mixed in with peanut M&Ms. Savor every bite of the deliciousness.

The year I met you
Was expecting a book of romance, but was actually a love story of friendship. Sweet.

The Accident Season
So the premise is good, the middle was too wordy and I was expecting better. Too much mumbo gumbo science fiction, but is a irritating way. Skimmed a lot hoping to get a good part, or even a part that could make sense. Just felt like the ends didn't tie together. Wondered how it could have gotten published.

Paper Towns
Maya wanted to watch the movie and beat me down until I was weak and agreed. Then I read the book. Typical young adult , do not know why everybody is getting so excited.