Halfway through the Adult Summer Reading Program - Libraries Rock!

This week we had 25 reviews from nine readers – nine more reviews than last week.  Looks like people are really getting into relaxing with a good book.  This week we had another marathon reader who polished off two series of books by one author and four more besides – twelve in total.    I envy her determination!  And surprisingly (sadly for her) she did not win the prize drawing even though half of the tickets were hers, so there’s hope for all readers to win a prize no matter how many reviews you submit.

A few titles came in only with ratings and no review.  They were Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews (5¯) and Beneath the Honeysuckle Vine by Marcia Lynn McClure (3¯).  Four titles were submitted without a review or a rating but these are newer titles by popular authors: Sundays at Tiffany by James Patterson with Gabrielle Charbonnet, Private Vegas by James Patterson with Maxine Paetro and The Pact by Jodie Piccoult.

This is what the other readers had to say about the books they read:

The Killing Edge – Heather Graham (4¯) – “The author successfully combines murder, mystery and romance with a religious cult, swimwear models and the occult thrown in for good measure.”

The English Girl – Daniel Silva (5¯) – “International spy thriller, [featuring Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon], set in Britain, Corsica, Israel and Russia, has many twists and turns that keep the reader engrossed throughout.  Highly recommended.”

Under Cover – Danielle Steele (NR) – “Great Book. Exciting and filled with action.”

The Morning They Came for Us – Janine DiGiovanni (5¯) – “Truly describes the struggles, challenges and loss people feel as they live in a war-torn country.  A book that involves emotion and gives readers a direct image on the conditions in Syria.  Very impactful and strong message for the need for peace, happiness and just a ‘normal’ day of life.”

Native Son – Richard Wright (4¯) - “Very powerful read about a young man who struggles to make a living in an oppressed world.  Feeling trapped by society’s expectations, family obligations and the stereotypical viewpoint of an African American, he sets out to be different.  The ending is sad but a close image to the reality of the time period.”

Pax Britannica – Jan Morris (4¯) – “This is a nonfiction text detailing the mentality and materiality of Victorian England in an era described as ‘Pax Britiannia.’  It is a bit dry, in terms of non-academic nonfiction, but highly informative.  Every sentence brings with it new revelation.”

Our most voracious reader this week polished off two series of books by the author Bec McMasters.  The first is a five book series called the “London Steampunk” series.  The second, by the same author, is titled “The Dark Arts Trilogy.”  According to Goodreads.com, there are some other books that fit into the first series.  One before the first book, a prequel, two after the first book and one after the third book.  I am not sure if they were written in sequence or the author just wanted to have more fun with the characters and the setting.  Warning, there may be some spoilers in the following reviews. 

Kiss of Steal (Book 1 of the “London Steampunk” Series) – Bec McMaster (2¯) – “This could have been better.  The characters, while not one-dimensional, come across as a bit flat.  I felt they were more exposition and description than expression or (meaningful) dialogue.  The setting was intriguing and the epidemiological component was fascinating.  I am excited to read more of the series and see how the overreaching plot develops.  I could see the plot twists a mile away, though, but it was exciting to read the chase nonetheless.”

Heart of Iron (Book 2 of the “London Steampunk” Series) – Bec McMaster (3¯) – “This one was far better than the first in terms of character depiction and development.  Will and Lena’s motivations were much better written.  Also, the descriptions of the city and its transport system were particularly intriguing.  I would have a battle of the cars and platforms but, for now, shall settle with roof-top fights.”

My Lady Quicksilver (Book 3 of the “London Steampunk” Series) – Bec McMaster (3¯) – “This author’s writing improves with every book in the series.  Jasper and Bose have wonderful chemistry along with their character development.  I love how the author seems to gain new skills with each book.  It is like both the world, the conspiracies and the characters became more intricate the further the narrative goes.  As always, the descriptions of the scenery, specifically, are constantly detailed and I found Rosalind’s care for her siblings (blood and adopted) very touching.  Ingrid is amazing.”

Forged By Desire (Book 4 of the “London Steampunk” Series) – Bec McMaster (4¯) – “This one was definitely the funniest so far.  I laughed multiple times while reading this.  Again, I could see the twist from a mile away, but I loved the banter and how the main pairing act as foils for each other, while all the protagonists have their foils.  This one was especially interesting since they both share the same occupation.  Perry was wonderful and her sentiments were reminiscent of those felt by women of many ages.  So it was rather sweet that things worked out for her.  I appreciate how the heroine had a panic disorder.  Such things are so rare in romance.”

Of Silk and Steam (Book 5 of the “London Steampunk” Series) – Bec McMaster (4¯) – “This series gets better and better.  I decided I would finish it in a week and here I am!  Leo and Mina had me in stitches. Especially because they are both such strong-willed stubborn idiots.  I did not see some of the twists, probably because I was either laughing or heavily invested in Mina’s wardrobe.  One can only wish for such fancy dresses.  Nonetheless, I liked how the roles were reversed with Mina being the one to be all broody and ‘reveal depths’ or whatever.  And the Zeppelins!  I love fictional aeronautics and the staple airship scene in this steampunk novel did not disappoint.”

Shadowbound (Book 1 of the “Dark Arts Trilogy”) – Bec McMaster (3¯) – “I will probably be done with all of this author’s books by the end of this week.  The best thing about these are that the chapters would work excellently as a serialized publication, so I can get stuff done without completely losing track of the plot.  I like how lush the descriptions of magic are, and how the single mom thing was handled.  I wonder how being a doctor in this world would be considering how often they seem to hurt themselves.”

Hexbound (Book 2 of the “Dark Arts Trilogy”) – Bec McMaster (3¯) – “This one was a bit of a disappointment character-wise after all the other ones.  They felt one-dimensional and flat.  I felt like one was pure trauma and the other pure idealism.  The romance felt shoehorned into the plot instead of being seamless.  Although I like the chess metaphor, the novel felt rushed and rough.  The characters felt more like tropey-trite plot devices than anything else.”

Soulbound (Book 32 of the “Dark Arts Trilogy”) – Bec McMaster (2¯) – “Verity is the soul of wit. (This is a cleaver pun.)  I found her antics amusing and it was nice that she was the racist thief and he the bookish prude (and he had good reason, but still).  I will probably crack up every time I see a billiards table, now.  She had me in stitches.  The plot thickened in this one and while the ending was a bit sad, I am at least glad my favorite characters all seem amicable at the least.  Also, the old woman is definitely MVP.  I love how the author included LG character and actually gives them relevance, capabilities and happy endings.”

Bygone Badass Broads – Mackenzi Lee (5¯) – “This book had lovely illustrations accompanied by fascinating mini-biographies of different historical women.  I appreciated how the author drew from across time and space and held to tell these stories.  It was also nice to learn about women not typically featured in such compendiums (there are only so many times one can read how Marie Curie died from radiation or Queen Elizabeth I’s presumed virginity), like Emily Warren Roebling (she built the Brooklyn Bridge) or Trung sisters (they freed Vietnam from the Han Dynasty.)”

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue – Mackenzi Lee (5¯) – “I rarely see novels that crack me up quite as much as this one did.  Monty is an absolute idiot and cad but somehow, I still end up rooting for him.  I appreciate that everyone who loves him calls him out for his idiocy and that he develops and grows as a character. Felicity was also fantastic.  I have a soft spot for stubborn, smart lady doctors in fiction and it was an absolute delight to watch her hold her own in the face of the comically absurd amount of tribulations the intrepid trio faced.  This book is wonderful, especially because it blends science fiction, adventure and romance.”

A Shiver of Blue – Everly Frost (4¯) – “Typical Gothic horror but for a young adult audience and set in rural America. Interestingly the isolation also serves to set the narrative out of time.  The effect is pretty disorienting and makes the story seem a bit like magical realism.  Not for hardcore Gothic romance fans but deeply satisfying for pure Gothic lovers.  It is heavily influenced by the American tradition, complete with mounted heads of deceased animals and ominous wooded cabins.  The twist is far from predictable and the confrontations were visceral and evocative.”

One Crazy Summer – Rita Williams-Garcia (3¯) – “It was interesting in the historical context of this story as it takes place in California in the summer of 1968 – a very turbulent time in our country’s history [and the year that South Brunswick Public library was founded].  It follows the journey/adventures of 3 young black girls who travel to California to spend time with their estranged mother who is involved with the Black Panthers.  The girls learn more about the causes of civil rights and social justice while also getting to know their mysterious mother.  It was an interesting story but, at times, a bit far-fetched, because the girls had to fend for themselves so much of the time.  By today’s standard, this would have been considered parental neglect.”

Clock Dance – Ann Tyler (4¯) – “The story was interesting and I enjoyed getting to know the characters at the end, however, an afterward would have been appreciated because the last scene in the airport left you hanging.”  Maybe it was set up to be a serial – like a cliffhanger?

The Lido –Libby Page (5¯) – “What a lovely story.  Great characters and a hopeful message.”  Editors note: Nice to know…it seems that stories with hopeful messages are few and far between.

Happy Reading!  You have three more weeks to submit your reviews to be eligible to win the weekly prize drawing and to attend the end of summer party on August 18, when the program ends for this summer.