image source
According to Library Journal and Helium, Romance and Mystery/Thriller are the top two selling genres in books (romance, apparently making up for half of all sold paperback books). Since I don't read much of either (I'm not sure chick-lit is considered romance in the figures they are looking at) I need to get some recommendations.
Today I'm starting with Mystery. What are your favorite Mystery novels that you would recommend?
Big Boned by Meg Cabot
paperback 384 pages
published 2007 by Avon Trade
$7.00 at Powell's Books
Type of Book: {Beach Read: fluffy, mindless, easy to read}
Rating: {Eh: not my favorite, but fine enough to finish the book}
Why You're Reading This Book:
What I Thought:
This is the culmination of Meg Cabot's Heather Wells Mystery series. I listened to this last one on audio... don't do that. I enjoyed making up Heather's voice and style in my head and when I heard the actresses voice who read the book, it felt off to me. Heather was sly, sarcastic, a little out of the norm and the reader's voice sounded a bit like a Disney princess (audio publisher's do this often and I just cannot figure out why... I think it can destroy a book).
Though this was my least favorite (possibly because I didn't like the reader's voice) about Heather Wells, I still liked it well enough. Somewhat formulaic by this point, but at least you know what to expect and loose ends are tied up in this finale.
Conclusion:
The search for Unputdownables continues!
Big Boned (Heather Wells Mysteries )by Meg Cabot
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
By Stieg Larsson
paperback, 590 pages. Vintage. $14.95
published 2005
I don't like scary, I don't like creepy, and I hate anything related to sexual abuse... but, strange enough, I liked this book. In all fairness, I didn't think it was actually very scary though I can see how others might. It was definitely creepy with a capital C. In fact certain parts were cover-your-face-I-can't-believe-I'm-reading-this creepy. Don't let that deter you from reading the book, however, just be warned. In fact, I highly recommend this book. The mere fact that this is not my typical cup of tea but I gulped it down in almost one day is witness enough to its level of entertainment factor.
Though others have remarked on the bad translation or Larsson's lack of writing skills, I have to wonder: how many people pick up a crime mystery expecting Hemingway? If you are one of them, might I warn you not to do that? Perhaps because of translation there are words that I haven't seen since Shakespeare, such as anon which is used frequently throughout the book. And it helps to know that this was translated into British English instead of American English. Did that interfere with the plot? Not at all. I was too busy trying to figure out the mystery to worry about the wording. And I venture to say that you will be too as I have not met a single person who figured out the details of this book before it was told to them in the pages. Honestly, if someone had, I would be worried about them because figuring out who is behind the main mystery is not as difficult as figuring out why it happened (which is the crux of the story anyway). Along with the engaging story (which others have said takes a good 100 pages to get into, but which only took me about a chapter) I enjoyed the characters. Lisbeth and Erica were two of the most interesting women I've read about in awhile and I actually found myself liking Mikael.
Take note that there are a lot of characters (I read this on my Kindle so wasn't able to flip back to the family tree very easily). Also, there have been discussions about who was supposed to be the protagonist (being that it was named after Lisbeth but seems to follow Mikael more closely), so that could have been clearer (maybe just with the title, which they ended up changing from Men who Hate Women to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). And the fact that Lisbeth is supposed to have Asperger's Syndrome is farfetched -- and also seems to be an irrelevant point -- unless they bring it out more poignantly in one of the following novels . But I'll forgive that considering I haven't read the rest of the series and I have to factor in translation.
I'm absolutely looking forward to reading the next book and have already bought my copy. An absolute page turner that I recommend for anyone who enjoys a riveting tale!
Heather Wells is back at it again. In Size 14 is Not Fat Either (the sequel to Size 12 is Not Fat) It is now the second semester of her first year of being a residence hall assistant director. Only now the dorm has been labeled Death Dorm because yet another murder has occurred. This addition to the series features a bit more love and the end is slightly less cheesy than the first one. I highly recommend this series to people who love chick-lit and all of the goodies that it brings, yet also enjoy a good mystery. Meg Cabot has the ability to make something that could be scary into a lighter more funny story. I think this series is highly entertaining and very easy to read. What I particularly like is that they are definitely light, chick-lit books but have the twist of the mystery mixed in. And while the mysteries wrap up neatly by the end of each book, the love story keeps us guessing. Still after two books, I don't know who she will end up with, and this book leaves us with a cliffhanger in that department. The next book, Big Boned is the last in the series, so I imagine the romance will heat up that story as it comes to its conclusion.
Really, the only negative to these books is the annoying way the author continues to write "... blah, blah, blah dorm, I mean residence hall..." throughout both books. It's just not funny and we get the picture. I've read some complaints about that -- and I agree -- she can stop doing that now. But other than that (well that and the titles, which really don't have much to do with the plot), these are delightful books for the beach, the bath, or just a weekend of light, frivolous reading!
Enjoy, and don't forget about your chance to win all three of these books this month!
Four Coconuts
xo,
The Coconut Librarian
{I am really liking Crimson, by the way, but honestly-- it would be a miracle for a book that is almost a thousand pages to hold my attention {non-stop} the entire way through. So, I've read a few books while reading Crimson, and now I've decided to read a few books instead of reading Crimson... then I'll be ready to head back into it full force.}
Okay, back to my story. So I was perusing the aisles at the book store when the title {Size 12, in case you forgot} caught my eye. I tried to put it back, but just couldn't. I really wanted something pretty brainless to veg out to. It's been awhile since I've read one of those easy, lose yourself in them, better-than-fries-and-with-a-milkshake books. Well, maybe not better than, but just as good as. So, I walked confidently up to the cash register {really, who cares what that I'm buying a book that's title is embarrassing, right? I'm 30 years old.. time to grow up}, placed the gift books on the counter as well as Size 12, and told the man behind the counter that I would indeed need gift receipts for all the books please. OK, so I'll never buy embarrassing books without either ordering them from Amazon or buying them "for a friend" and getting a gift receipt. Kuddos to you brave souls who can.
So, I opened Size 12 yesterday and have not stopped reading since - unless I need to be doing something else. Like going to the bathroom, for example. Which I've taken to holding for as long as I can so I don't have to put the book down. Or even leaving the house for plans I have, and {seriously} considering whether I should bring the book along just in case I have a chance to read a few pages {I was heading out for a party, by the way... no instances of book reading would have been appropriate - even for me}.
What is the premise of this book? Good question. Heather Wells, residence hall assistant director, gets involved in solving the mystery of the murders of two freshman girls in the residence hall she works at in New York City. While I am THE world's most ridiculous scaredy-cat, this book has not frightened me in the least. Which is weird, because the murders are kind of creepy... but the author writes in such a light, funny way that it doesn't bother me at all. And, in fact, I am really into the mystery. Which, with only about 50 pages {ok maybe a little more than 50 pages} left, I think I have it figured out... but I'm not positive. Which is funny because I'm usually the person who reads the book {or watches the movie} and has it figured out about half way in. Not to say that this book is going to win any crazy awards for writing and mystery plot, but it should. It should win the So-Damn-Entertaining-That-I-Hold-My-Pee-Because-I-Don't-Want-to-Stop-Reading Award. And that's an award an author can be proud of. So, it's a treat to read something fun like this that has me wondering if I should go buy the sequel before I'm finished with the first so I don't get have an {in my head, of course, not out loud} tantrum that I can't finish the series until the book store opens. Unless, of course, it is on my Kindle {note to self: check on that immediately after finishing this post}.
To end, this heroine is a likeable, not entirely ridiculous character, which is something I look for in chick-lit because I'm over the protagonists who make me want to slap them silly. The plot moves along at a brisk pace and the reader is not bogged down with heady or boring back story. It is the perfect book for a long plane ride or a day at the beach {or a night when the only break you'll have to take is to get up to go to the bathroom, assuming you'll allow yourself ;)}.
Four Coconuts *** I changed this from 5 to 4 after reading the ending {a bit cheesy} but still kept my attention to the last page!
xo,
The Coconut Librarian
P.S. I've included this book in my shop, in the right hand column of this page, for those of you who prefer to order your embarrassing titles from Amazon. :)
P.P.S. Need I remind you that this is chick-lit, not Hemingway? I've seen some reviews of this book that are pretty intense, which makes me wonder if people were confused, or somehow missed the title, when buying the book. This is definitely a gold star, unputdownable chick-lit novel... enjoy accordingly. {And remember it has been rated accordingly, as well -- against other books in its own genre}.
I do, however, give it the award for best title and packaging (in hardcover) that I've seen in a while.
Three Coconuts
xo,
The Coconut Librarian
I have read all three of the Robert Langdon books by Dan Brown now. I actually read them in order, though not on purpose. I read Angels & Demons first because I was listening to books on my long commute to work, and The DaVinci Code wasn't available. I read TDC, in paper form, only in the past year. So, I decided to be on top of this third novel at it's publication. I listened to this as an audiobook... gotta love listening to books that keep your attention and make the horrible LA traffic a bit more bearable.
Although I marvel at Dan Brown's ability to tie facts together and make them into fiction, I did not love this book. I loved A&D, I liked TDC, and I thought The Lost Symbol was alright. Will I loan my CDs to a friend? Sure, it's a smart mystery and easy to listen to. However, I feel like the story got a tad hokey at the end and was perhaps a venue for Brown to evangelize his spiritual message (I'm gathering it's his spiritual message, because it's come across in the other two novels as well) rather than tie up the end of a thriller. I didn't much care for the outcome because I didn't feel the need for it. I also didn't fully experience the urgency and thrill of the story that I felt in his previous works, especially in the first in this series.
What I did keep thinking, however, was how very smart I believe Dan Brown is. The research that must go into his writing, and the puzzle that it is to piece it all together to not only make sense, but also an interesting novel, impresses me. Hats off to him for original and engaging story lines (as well as informative).
As with the previous two, this was a story unto itself and there is no need to read the entire series to understand it. If you are new to Dan Brown, I suggest Angels and Demons. I couldn't get enough of it and was sad when it was over. If you are a Dan Brown fan already, borrow The Lost Symbol from the library or a friend. It's worth the read, but not necessarily worth a spot on your bookshelf.
Three Coconuts
xo,
The Coconut Librarian
Kate Morton is a stellar wordsmith and I am so impressed with how she spins a tale. If there were a picture next to "storyteller" in the dictionary, it would be of Kate Morton's face. It's always so delicious to find yourself in a novel that is a bonafide story, where the fibers of plot and syntax connect in such a way that you find yourself in awe of how the author was able to weave it all together so richly. Historical fiction, mystery, light fantasy, and tragedy are all bled together to create a spellbinding story.
Amazingly you don't even realize that you are in a mystery until you have already connected with the story, and then it is such a quality mystery that the outcome is not even able to be guessed at until the last fourth of the novel (and even then, it is still a watery guestimation).
I haven't felt this way about a story since I finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society last year. There is a special sensation that certain books give you; like you have stumbled into something remarkable and though part of you wants to tell everyone so that they can witness it too, the other half of you wants to keep it your own precious secret. These books did that for me.
So often throughout The Forgotten Garden I wondered how the author was able to articulate ideas that felt like my own. It takes not only work, but concentration, observance, and a generous amount of introspection to be able to translate those universal feelings onto the page (or in this case onto 549 pages) yet keep the ideas fresh. In the conclusion, Morton backstitches the threads of the piece in such a way that the reader steps back in admiration of the final product; I was taken until the very last punctuation mark. It will be my displeasure to return this to the library -- this is a title that deserves a place in my personal library, and I intend to secure a copy for future re-reading.
Five Coconuts
xo,
The Coconut Library
Recent Comments