August 4, 2018 – The Battle of the Readers

This week we had twenty-four reviews submitted and the majority were from our two most prolific readers.  One submitted eight reviews and the other ten!  And surprisingly, they both read science fiction/fantasy series and graphic novels as well as other genres.

Two by bestselling author Janet Evanovich included Hardcore Twenty-four (NR) and Dangerous Minds (NR).  These were not reviewed but readers of this author don’t need reviews; they will read all of Evanovich’s books because they are consistently easy and enjoyable reads.

Another reader is revisiting her favorite classics.  This week she read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (5¯) and said, “I absolutely loved this book.  It has become one of my favorite of all times.  I never wanted it to end.  I cared about Francie so much and I loved reading about her growing up years.”  [Bloggers note: My favorite part of his book is always the interaction between Francie and the librarian.  Clearly an example of how not to do reader’s advisory!]  

The other classic this reviewer read this week is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (5¯).  She writes, “A classic and not just for kids.  Mark Twain’s humor is so wonderful.  And the creation of his charactersTom Sawyer (and Huck Finn) are delights.”

Our second most voracious reader submitted eight titles in a wide-range of genres this week:  One of the bestsellers from a popular author was Sweet Vengeance by Fern Michaels (4¯) “A woman spends ten years in prison after being wrongfully accused of murdering her husband and twin daughters.  Due to a recent ruling that allows for the re-opening of her case – a tantalizing offer of a retrial – she has a second chance to prove her innocence.  This fast-paced story covers approximately a week of time.  The reader gets caught up in wondering who really committed the crimes.  It appears that those who could have kept her out of prison the first time around “decided,” for a multitude of personal reasons, to not admit the evidence that could have shown her as innocent in the first place.” 

The other, a “beach read” for sure, was Same Beach, Next Year by Dorothea Benton Frank (4¯) “A truly lovely story about two couples who become friends one summer while staying at the same beach resort.  This tale looks at long surviving relationships and how important it is to re-solidify ties to one another and to keep those relationships strong.  It is also a glimpse at dreams and the importance of family no matter how much time might have passed since seeing one another.  All in all, this quick and “no think” read is absolutely charming and a good summer read.” 

One of this reader’s reviews was about the graphic novel Wires and Nerve, Volume 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer and Stephen Gilpin (4¯).  She says, “Wires and Nerve is a graphic novel complimentary story to the series “The Lunar Chronicles.”  In this tale the reader follows Iko, the android, as she helps her friend Cinder round up some of the genetically manipulated human “wolfmen” on Earth and return them to Luna (the moon).  After getting to know little Iko a little from the series, it’s great that she gets a chance at her own spotlight in these books set post the events of Winter.  Of course, it is a blast to see all the other characters again, too.  Plus, one of the benefits of a graphic novel is that the reader has a chance to see how the author has pictured her characters from the past novels.”

For anyone who has not yet ready book one of the series young adult series “Throne of Glass” by Sarah J. Maas, this review of book two, Crown of Midnight may contain some spoilers (5¯) “Calaena Sardothein survived the trials of the last book [Throne of Glass] to become the King of Arderlan’s champion.  Now she has to figure out how to maintain her ethical self while at the same time doing the king’s bidding to eliminate his enemies.  Unfortunately, Calaena continues to suffer the loss of everyone she loves while trying to find her own bit of happiness.  The author weaves a splendid tale and drops a new task for Calaena to unravel.  Side characters receive time as well which enriched the tale.  At the end the reader received a big surprise, which serves to entice one to continue the story by picking up book 3 of the series Heir of Fire.”

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (5¯) “Told from the voice of Patroclus, this story reimagines the life and achievements of Achilles and other events of The Iliad.  Despite the fact that the reader knows the eventual outcome of the tale of Achilles, the author draws expertly on previous historical writings to compose a heartbreaking novel of friendship, relationships, and how every decision one makes determines the make-up and identity of an individual.  Truly, this is more of a fictionalized idea of Petroclus, a lesser known figure of the time of the Trojan War, and thus more of a glimpse of those who supported and surrounded the heroes of ancient times.  Hopefully, lovers of mythology and ancient Greece/Troy will appreciate this contribution to our literature.”

Also included was this review of the juvenile novel A World Without Princes, the second book in the “School of Good and Evil” series by Soman Chainani (5¯) “Just when Sophie and Agatha have returned home, thinking their wish has been granted and their fairy tale has come to “the end,” both girls find themselves back at the School for Good and Evil.  However, this time new wishes have altered the school into a school for girls and a school for boys.  Together, Sophie and Agatha have to face a new Dean, a change in their relationships towards their classmates, and have to make a decision if they really want to live in a world without princes.  The author does a wonderful job at confusing the reader to wonder who is evil and who is good, making one consider the depths of individuals and humanity.”

Book two of the eight book series: “The Red Queen” by Victoria Aveyard was reviewed a few weeks ago by this reader.  There also may be some spoilers in this review of book three, Kings Cage (5¯) “During book 3 of the “Red Queen Saga,” Mare finds herself the prisoner of Maven.  For the first half of the story, Mare struggles to survive her circumstances.  Maven makes all sorts of deals with former enemies to become allies against his brother Cal and the Scarlet Guard.  All of a sudden, a new player, the territory of Montfort, becomes a major piece to this conflict, further complicating the tale, but giving new perspective on how a possible future for Mare and the rest of the citizens of Norta could look like.  It is beneficial to get chapters from characters other than Mare, as this “war” is being fought on so many fronts.  How will it end?”

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (5¯) is book one of a comic trilogy of the same name.  “Rachael agrees to accompany her boyfriend Nick to Singapore for summer vacation and to attend the wedding of his best friend.  Unfortunately, Nick fails to prepare Racheal for his big extended family as well as how wealthy they are.  Perhaps the best part of this novel is how the author changes to the individual stories of multiple people, rather than keep the focus solely on Racheal and Nick.  The reality that wealth does not equate to the level of happiness weaves its way throughout the tale.  The prose reads incredibly smoothly and for a book over 500 pages, the author really keeps the reader’s attention.  Glad this is the first of a trilogy.”

Our most voracious reader this week submitted the following ten reviews, the first six in the fantasy/horror genre:

Rupert Wong: Cannibal Chef is the first book in the “Gods and Monsters: Rupert Wong” series by Cassandra Khaw (5¯) “This was definitely one of the better works by the author.  Even the so-called monsters were nicely humanized but never lost that unsettling edge, thanks to the author’s very visceral descriptions - not for the faint of heart.  It made me laugh a lot, though the jokes tend to run the vein of demon unions and annoyingly clingy spirits.  I especially liked how the author included the stories from her childhood and her part of the world to build her supernatural alternate reality.  There are only so many vampires, werewolves and zombies that one can read about after all.”

Book two of the same series by Cassandra Khaw is Rupert Wong and the End of the Earth (5¯) “This is the second novel in the series and the one where Rupert’s position as objective narrator is made a bit more contentious.  His personal experiences and emotions are beginning to take a mental, as well as a physical toll.  On the bright side, there was more Bob.  The writing was as gory as ever but we also got to see more of the world, and we were introduced to a new pantheon.”

Hammers on Bone also by fantasy/horror writer Cassandra Khaw (4¯) is part of a “Persons non Grata” series.  “About a supernatural sleuth on a mission to track down a literal monster of a man.  Very gory, but manages to maneuver the fine line between visceral and straight-up “splatterpunk.”  The writing is well-done, though.” 

Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw (5¯) – “I give this book 5/5 for the conceit and execution alone.  It is about a doctor for supernatural beings called Greta.  In a very realistic turn of events, she is in her thirties, a bit stressed and genuinely loves her job even if it weighs on her.  There are also murders and cults.  I was particularly appreciative of her use for a 3-D printing machine since it parallels current research.”

This reviewer also read books one and two of a fantasy graphic novel series by Marjorie Liu called “Monstress”: Volume 1 - Awakening (5¯) and Volume 2: The Blood (5¯).

The following three reviews are for collections of short stories:

The Accusation: Forbidden Stories from Inside North Korea by the North Korean writer who goes by the pseudonym Bandi (5¯) “A collection of short stories by a writer still in North Korea.  It is a poignant look at how totalitarianism burdens both the bodies and psyches of those living under it.  Each story follows a different individual.  The striking thing is how, no matter the gender, social, economic or familial status of each protagonist, they are troubled.  The stories are also very human.”  The reviewer goes on to say, ”at the close of the 2016 presidential election, a lot of people worried that we would be tossed into some 1984-esque dystopia.  For the people living in North Korea, that Orwellian state has been their reality for nearly the past forty years.”

The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield (4¯) “It is important to remember that these stories were written at the turn of the last century [1922]. They could read as taking place in a modern small town as much as one from a hundred years ago, which attests to their timelessness.  The writing is very simple and each story is brimming with description.”

State of Freedom – Neel Mulsherjee (4¯) “This was a collection of short stories detailing life in India for different types of Indians.  It was interesting how all the lives were linked and the stories overlapped.  I found the one about the Londoner especially funny.  The play on form was interesting.  The thing is, it is not so much a collection of short stories as a novel told through short stories.”

And finally for this reviewer, Give Me Your Hand by Edgar winning author Megan Abbott (5¯) “A very suspenseful story that satirizes the cutthroat competitiveness in scientific research and female friendships.  The best part was thinking you had gotten the plot twists, only for more to show up in every chapter.”

Another reader reviewed Weight Loss Free Style Cookbook by Bradley Branson (4¯) “I liked this book because this is a simple recipe book with easy to follow steps like I write in my cooking blog devakottaisamayalarai.blogspot.com.  I tried two recipes and it came out well: 1) Heavenly Avocado Toast Egg in a Hole and 2) Scrumptious French Onion Soup (without beef broth).”

The final reader submitted a review for one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors: One Summer, America 1927 by Bill Bryson (NR).  The reviewer writes, “Very informative book.  I am impressed with his knowledge of history and the very descriptive explanation of the people involved.”  I would add that I am always amazed at Bill Bryson’s ability to research a topic, compile the details and weave such a readable story.  It brings history alive.  I would love to watch how he does it.

There are just two more weeks in the summer reading “Library Rocks” program.  Anyone who has submitted a review is invited to the adult end-of-summer party on August 18 at 2:30.  Look for your invitation in your email if you have given me (or the library) your email address. 

We now have an Awesome Box in the lobby where you can return any book that you would describe as “Awesome” and there is a note to add where you can say why.  You can just say, “see my book review” and I will make sure the review you write for Summer Reading gets together with the book you return to the Awesome Box.  Thanks for sharing your opinions.