#61 - The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

On the recommendation of Posse founder Jenni I loaded "The Spellman Files" onto my nook to read while I was on vacation last week.  It's amazing that, even with 30 hours of drive time I still didn't get much reading time...all that being said, this book was the perfect choice for a vacation read so a big THANKS goes out to Jenni!

When you first pick up this book, give yourself a few chapters to get used to the rhythm and the style of storytelling that Lutz employs, as the book draws down all of the lines do get woven together wonderfully.  Isabel's character is incredibly well written.  I couldn't help but make the obvious comparison to Stephanie Plum but so much more well written and multi-dimensional.  All of the relationships between the Spellman kids felt very genuine and each personality had a voice all their own.  If that weren't the case, the back and forth nature of the story line would have lost its cohesiveness.

If you are looking for a great summer read - definitely pick up The Spellman files!

Goodreads rating: 4 stars

In Progress: Super Boys by Brad Ricca
(audio) Shut Up, Quit Whining and Get A Life by Larry Winget

#60 - Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

I don't even know where to begin with this book.  Before this adventure I had only ever read short stories by Kurt Vonnegut and really enjoyed his writing style so I thought this would be an interesting read for my road trip with my family.

It started out really interestingly.  I was having a good time following the intersecting paths of the two main characters - I have always had a crazy curiosity about what other people are doing at the same time as I am doing something else.

Somewhere in the second half we took a left turn at Albuquerque.  The concept that Vonnegut puts out that there are no minor characters in his books starts to wear a little bit thin as we get back story on every.single.character and the main plot line gets extremely muddled when the author literally writes himself into the novel as a character.  I'm totally OK with metaphor...you don't have to hit me over the head with your personal epiphany when the event that has been foreshadowed through the entire book is actually occurring.

Goodreads rating: Completely neutral 2.5 since I liked the first half and disliked the second half.

In Progress: The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

Sidenote: I just got back from a 10 day vacation with my family and only finished 1.6 novels.  30 hours in the car should have yielded more reading than this! Darn the family and their needs!

#59 - Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

There have been a lot of mixed reviews among my reader friends about this book but, on a trip to Target with Mandi I bought a physical copy of it as a birthday present to myself.

It was a totally good investment.  I pulled this one out in just a couple of nights.  The writing style is a little bit jarring at first as Semple oscillates between what seems like completely unrelated emails, memos and the narrator of 15 year old Bee.  Stick with it through the first fifty pages and I swear you will not be disappointed by how it is all brought together!

Bernadette is such a complex and quirky character (as if the title and cover didn't clue you in to that fact).  I almost uncomfortably related to her manic bursts of creativity followed by lulls of monotony.  Yeah I will admit, there is a little jag in part 3 where things go off the rails just a little bit but I loved the way it ended and the journey that Bernadette took in the meantime.

I truly can't wait to hear what the posse has to say about this one! My copy has coffee stains and a worn cover because I just couldn't put it down!

Goodreads rating: 5 stars (Finally one with no rounding!!!)

In Progress: (audio) Shut Up, Quit Whining, and Get a Life by Larry Winget

#58 - The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood

Oh how I love great writing and Ann Hood doesn't disappoint with The Obituary Writer.  I first saw this book show up on my New York Times Best Seller list a couple of weeks ago and was thrilled when I saw it show up on my library's audio book offerings since I was already into a physical book at the time.  

The story and the characters were really beautiful and very realistic.  I could immediately relate to the character of Claire who felt like she had a perfect life but something was just "off".  Just as endearing was the story of Vivien who learned about her life through writing obituaries for those who have lost their loves, just as she did through the murky lens of the earthquake of 1909.

If I were rating this book just on the merits of the writing and the emotion of the novel it would be 5 stars easily.  What got me was - as is almost always the case - was the ending.  There was a pretty predictable twist where the stories of these two women come together which is an easy turn off for this reader.  The only other loose end that was a bit dissatisfying was what I felt was a hazy resolution of Vivien's storyline and her missing lover.  I'm sure a conversation with my fellow posse member might illuminate that situation a little further.  But for now my missing star stands...

If I ever die, I want my obituary to sound like Vivien wrote them.  I love the idea of writing more about the way a life is lead than how they were born and died.  Great read - beautifully written.  Highly recommended.

Goodreads rating: 4 stars (more of a 4.5 but rounded down)

In Progress: Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple

(audio): Shut Up, Quit Whining and Get a Life by Larry Winget

#57 - Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan

Where to start on this crazy memoir?  First of all - don't start this book while lying in bed trying to fall asleep - I can almost guarantee that you will have nightmares of waking up in a psych ward in a straight jacket.

It seems that, along with my weird-o obsession with the military mind, my reading has directed me toward other books about the brain.  Cahalan's "month of madness" is fascinating to me because of the quick onset of her hallucinations and manic symptoms.  I have long battled depression so I can relate to some of what she was going through but I couldn't imagine that all of this hit her within the span of about a month and resolved in the span of less than a year.  I don't know how you can ever put a real life back together without a fear of having your mind and cognitive function slip away without warning.

I was inspired by the way that her family (even her divorced parents and new spouses) and boyfriend banded around her and fought for an answer even when it seemed hopeless.  I only pray that I have people around me who would still be able to see "me" under the madness.

It's not a good time romp and not one for the beach bag but it is worth the time to read it!

Goodreads rating: 4 stars

On Deck: Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
In Progress: The Social Animal by David Brooks

#56 - The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls

A huge thank you goes out to Scribner publishing, Jeanette Walls and Netgalley for allowing me an advaced look at Walls' first attempt at fiction writing. This book represents another time that I wish that goodreads offered half stars because this novel deserves more of a 3.5 in my book. 

As in her memoirs, Walls creates memorable characters and stories.  After reading her personal story, you could see a lot of herself and her experiences shining through the character of Bean.  I enjoyed the "coming of age" aspect of the story as Bean and Liz struggle to take care of themselves and finally find stability and a real home.  It would have to be painful to realize that your mother is a flakey fraud.

There was just something that felt a tad rushed about the novel as a whole. While I loved the characters, I wanted more of their internal dialogue during certain important situations and less during the less important  situations.  I would not have been sad if there was another 50 pages or so added to this one so we could explore more about Bean's feeling for her father, what's really going on in Liz's mind during the charges/trial portion of the book (sorry trying not to be spoilerific).

I hope that Jeannette Walls keeps exploring fiction.  It was a good first blush and I think it will only get better over time.

Goodreads rating 3.5 stars (Bring out the half stars!!!)

In progress: Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan (nook)
The Social Animal by David Brooks (audio)

#55 - D is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton

I hate that I get involved with these kinds of series because I always feel obligated to get through them all.  So many people talked me back into the alphabet books by Sue Grafton so when I saw it in audio format from my library's inventory I decided to try them on again.

I think maybe I'm just tapped out on these kinds of mystery/female lead books.  Kinsey Milhone is marginally better than Stephanie Plum but I honestly just did not care about any of the characters in this book, it started off promising but just wouldn't pick up for me.  Oh well, it only took me a couple of days to burn through on my commute drives so no harm no foul.

On Deck: The Social Animal by David Brooks
In Progress: The Silver Star by Jeanette Walls, Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan.

#54 - No Easy Day by Mark Owen

Looking back on my reading list for this year I have noticed a heavy emphasis on military themed reading.  What a weird phenomenon since I don't love guns and killing and war, but I do like hearing about strategy, the way the mind works under stress and in extreme situations.

No Easy Day is part autobiography, and only about 1/3 about the mission that killed Bin Laden but the two meshed together really well.  The first part of the book went through Mark's training from "buds" all the way up to Navy Seal Team Six.  That journey really set up for me what it takes to become an elite soldier in the American military.  The strength and dedication to reach those goals are almost unbelievable.

When it came to the actual mission itself, Owen admits that it is pretty anticlimactic, it was "just another mission" that had flaws and unexpected incidents, the only thing that was unique about it was the specific target they were going after.

All in all I'm really glad that I found this on my library's audiobook lending site.

Goodreads Rating: 4 stars

On Deck (audio): D is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton
In progress: The Silver Star by Jeanette Wall
Brain on Fire by Suzannah Cahalan
Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semples

Hello Bottleneck!

#53 - Memory in Death by J.D. Robb

Well - not every book in the series can be a gem, and this one was definitely not.  It's a solid Eve Dallas book and did have some of the elements that I generally love about my JD Robb mind candy (i.e. the re-emergence of Eve's foster mother) but in the middle there it got a little sleepy.  So I'm not sad that I read it (or more accurately, listened to it) but I'm not jumping up and down about the predictable ending and lack of personal development about the main characters.

Onward and Upward to the next audio adventure.

Goodreads Rating: 2 stars (probably a 2.5 in reality...
On Deck (audio): No Easy Day by Mark Owen
In Progress: (iBooks) Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
(nook) The Silver Star by Jeanette Walls
(paper) Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple

#52 - Sway by Amber McRee Turner

I'd like to meet the marketing genius who decided to put out a new free iBook next to the tip jar at the Starbucks every Tuesday. A book with my coffee? Why thank you, I would love one!  Well played marketing genius...

The second part of the genius of this ploy, is that I would have never have picked up this sweet little novel if it weren't on the iTunes card.  This book sat in my iBooks queue for a long time but I am really happy that I finally had a chance to get through it.

The novel starts off with a young girl who's world gets "swayed" by the abrupt entrance and exit of her mother.  To help fill the gap left by her mother, her dad takes her on a reluctant road trip where she is introduced to a different kind of "sway". I'm trying really hard not to talk about the Magic Soap Slivers because it feels like it would cheapen the sparkle of the story.

Everyone needs a little sway in their lives.  I look forward to any further offerings from Ms. Turner.

Goodreads Rating: 4.5 stars rounded up.

On Deck: The Silver Star by Jeanette Walls
In Progress: Memory in Death by J.D. Robb