Here we go...
Smashed- Lisa Ludeke- (YA) I didn’t really care for the main character, so it made it hard for me to like this book. It was all right, but it didn’t wow me, or move me all that much.
Wonderland- Ace Atkins- The second Spenser mystery written by someone other than Robert B. Parker. I was really wowed by Lullaby, Atkins's first Spenser effort, so I was looking forward to this outing, but I didn't love it as much. It's not a bad read, by any means, though, and there's a bit at the end between Spenser and Vinnie that makes me concerned for future novels. Vinnie Morris is not someone you want mad at you.
Reconstructing Amelia- Kimberly McCreight- Nice set-up and non-linear storytelling. Wishing there had been less tell and more show of the relationship between the two main characters. I also wish the pay-off, the resolution, whatever—I wish that had been better because I was left disappointed that I had invested all this time into this mystery and these characters and that was all I got out of it. But up until then, I enjoyed it very much.
A History of Weapons: Caltrops, Catapults, and lots of other things that can really mess you up- John O'Bryan- A funny and informative read that explores some of the “freakiest” weapons in history. Also discusses such important topics such as “Which is better? Scalping or Head Shrinking?”
Maguire's Corner- Heather M. Gardner- This story did not waste any time getting to the action. At the end of the first scene, I was going, "Wait...what just happened?" I enjoyed the characters There was some clever, funny banter, and the story didn’t end where/when I thought it would. Always nice to be surprised and kept on one’s toes. Interested to read what'll happen next in this series.
Stormbringers- Philippa Gregory- The second book in her Order of Darkness young adult series. I vastly prefer her adult books. This particular book was filled with dialogue that made me cringe. It was flat, it was forced, it was…not good. In addition, one of her female characters became incredibly unlikeable in this outing. And I think the UK cover is much better than the American one.
Grave Mercy- Robin LaFevers- Book #1 in the His Fair Assassin trilogy. A very cool book that I highly enjoyed. The premise (Assassin Nuns) was pretty damn awesome, and I really liked the characters. There were even lines that made me laugh out loud. The very second I reached the end of this book, I ran down the hall to get...
Dark Triumph- Robin LaFevers- The second in the His Fair Assassin trilogy. Another great outing. Love Sybella. Disappointed that I have to wait until 2014 to read the last in the series.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette?- Maria Semple- I wasn't sure about this story for a long time. It's well-written and the characters are interesting (if not likeable) but a lot of it is told through emails between characters and I found that format tiresome, but I got to the point where I just really wanted to know what happened. I wanted to understand the mystery behind everything, and I was pretty happy with how it all turned out.
The Shadow Spinner- Andrew Leon- Well, Chapters 1-22 anyway. As this is a serial novel whose ending has not yet been published (unless you want the physical book), I haven't yet read the end and so am not yet writing a review for it, but I did want to give Andrew a shout-out. I'm curious as to where this story will end up. I will say, however, that I'm not a fan of the serial novel. This isn't a reflection on Andrew's storytelling abilities, rather my own lack of patience.
So, that's gonna do it for me today. I'm off for another action-packed double shift at The Store. Yay. But on the plus side, my paycheck won't be nearly as embarrassing for once... Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week!