Dan Brown is back with some of his best work in a while. I was not a huge fan of his last two – Inferno and The Lost Symbol. I think for me they seemeDan Brown is back with some of his best work in a while. I was not a huge fan of his last two – Inferno and The Lost Symbol. I think for me they seemed kind of stale after Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. Origin is now probably my second favorite of his (behind Angels and Demons).
Some of the key points:
Religion and Science – this is a big battle in our world today. It is an exhausting battle for someone like me who goes to church but also loves science. I worry that the feeling is starting to be that the two cannot exist together. Dan Brown does a great job of addressing this debate in this book (even though at times I was worried that it was going to end up just being another annoying commentary on the same debate)
Lead Female Characters – Brown amuses me with every new lead female character. It is always a scientist, art expert, museum curator, etc. who just so happens to be one of the top 5 most beautiful women alive (he has 5 Langdon books, each with one of those top 5 ;) )
The Dan Brown formula – I will say that each of Brown’s book has basically the same structure. A mystery starts (usually in a museum, church, famous building). Langdon meets a woman (see above). Langdon and this woman run around trying to solve the mystery. Yes, that formula is here. However, that felt okay this time. The last two books it felt like old hat – almost like he was phoning it in. But, with this one I was kind of glad to get back into the same formula and he developed the plot and suspense well.
If you like Dan Brown – I recommend this.
If you thought maybe the Langdon series had no gas left – I recommend this.
If you want an interesting, thought-provoking mystery with a lot of suspense – I recommend this.
Merged review:
Dan Brown is back with some of his best work in a while. I was not a huge fan of his last two – Inferno and The Lost Symbol. I think for me they seemed kind of stale after Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. Origin is now probably my second favorite of his (behind Angels and Demons).
Some of the key points:
Religion and Science – this is a big battle in our world today. It is an exhausting battle for someone like me who goes to church but also loves science. I worry that the feeling is starting to be that the two cannot exist together. Dan Brown does a great job of addressing this debate in this book (even though at times I was worried that it was going to end up just being another annoying commentary on the same debate)
Lead Female Characters – Brown amuses me with every new lead female character. It is always a scientist, art expert, museum curator, etc. who just so happens to be one of the top 5 most beautiful women alive (he has 5 Langdon books, each with one of those top 5 ;) )
The Dan Brown formula – I will say that each of Brown’s book has basically the same structure. A mystery starts (usually in a museum, church, famous building). Langdon meets a woman (see above). Langdon and this woman run around trying to solve the mystery. Yes, that formula is here. However, that felt okay this time. The last two books it felt like old hat – almost like he was phoning it in. But, with this one I was kind of glad to get back into the same formula and he developed the plot and suspense well.
If you like Dan Brown – I recommend this.
If you thought maybe the Langdon series had no gas left – I recommend this.
If you want an interesting, thought-provoking mystery with a lot of suspense – I recommend this....more
Saga continues to impress and shock. This series is definitely not for everyone and I feel like this issue went farther when it comes to controversialSaga continues to impress and shock. This series is definitely not for everyone and I feel like this issue went farther when it comes to controversial issues and content than any previous issue. It makes it one heck of a ride, but proceed with caution if you offend easily!
[image]
For me, the controversial content (which I cannot specify without spoilers) is presented in a fascinating and moving way. It is not always easy to weave sensitive content into a story, but this volume handles two or three hot button topics pretty perfectly.
[image]
The art continues to be fantastic: detailed, beautiful, at times grotesque, always wonderful to look at. I am so glad that this series has kept up a high standard of illustration through eight volumes.
[image]
Graphic novel fans, sci-fi fans, fans of stories that do not hesitate to shock in order to make a statement - you must all read this series!
Merged review:
Saga continues to impress and shock. This series is definitely not for everyone and I feel like this issue went farther when it comes to controversial issues and content than any previous issue. It makes it one heck of a ride, but proceed with caution if you offend easily!
[image]
For me, the controversial content (which I cannot specify without spoilers) is presented in a fascinating and moving way. It is not always easy to weave sensitive content into a story, but this volume handles two or three hot button topics pretty perfectly.
[image]
The art continues to be fantastic: detailed, beautiful, at times grotesque, always wonderful to look at. I am so glad that this series has kept up a high standard of illustration through eight volumes.
[image]
Graphic novel fans, sci-fi fans, fans of stories that do not hesitate to shock in order to make a statement - you must all read this series!...more
This book is oddly relevant to the current political climate of our world. As I have been trying my best to escape that over the past few years, maybeThis book is oddly relevant to the current political climate of our world. As I have been trying my best to escape that over the past few years, maybe this book was not the best one to read right now!
However, it is a very interesting and thought-provoking book with the theater of politics at its core. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends all depending on which leader is saying what is right and what is wrong at the time. We watch one of the fathers of a political philosophy become one of its victims as a new rank of ideas comes to power. In the process, he becomes jailed with the very people he was responsible for putting there. Also, people he knows become guilty by association even though they really haven’t done anything at all.
Really it is all just one big chess match where nothing has really changed except for perceptions and which people decide which ideas are going to be executed. It would almost be funny if it is not so scary in its consequences.
4 stars for this interesting exploration into political folly. But not something to read if you don’t want to be frustrated and possibly angered by the futility of people killing each other over who has the “right” political idea at the time. ...more
Ah, you know what you are going to be getting with McManus; always a teen drama/mystery with lots of cheese that reads like a scripts for a teen dramaAh, you know what you are going to be getting with McManus; always a teen drama/mystery with lots of cheese that reads like a scripts for a teen drama TV show (uh, I only know about that because my wife watches those . . . uh, yeah . . . that’s it!) But, while you know what you are getting, you can never be sure if you are getting something good or something mediocre. McManus has been up and down for me after reading a few of her other books. So, how did this one stack up?
I am going to go 4 stars, but I want to stress that through a lot of it I was leaning heavily towards three and, at times, even two.
The book starts off well, but the middle is mired in unbelievable plot twists and confusing dialogue. The reason that it ramped back up to 4 after the middle is that there was an a-ha moment near the climax of the story that actually made me vocalize “OH DANG!” and from that point on I was back into it. When I have a physical or vocal reaction to a book, it gets a star back!
Should you read it?
Do you like McManus’ other works? Do you enjoy teen drama TV shows? Do you ask for extra cheese on your pizza? Yes, you should
Do you not like books with a lot of cheese, unbelievable twists, and convoluted dialogue that might make it difficult to stay focused through the middle of the book? Then you should proceed with caution! ...more
Hatchet is a Young Adult classic and award winner that I have heard a lot about over the years and have always wanted to read. I love it when I am seaHatchet is a Young Adult classic and award winner that I have heard a lot about over the years and have always wanted to read. I love it when I am searching for an audiobook and books like this pop up as available. I think, “Ah ha! I can finally get to this one!”
It did not take me long to get through Hatchet during my daily lunchtime walks. It held my interest throughout, but probably wasn’t even long enough to lose it! It is definitely geared toward pre and early teens – however, there are a couple of more difficult topics (like death and survival) that this might be a kids first introduction to (unless they are like me and started reading Stephen King at 12!) If my kids decide to try this one out, I will be there for them if they have any questions about it.
Should you read this book? It is not bad for a quick read, but it may prove to be too simple for some peoples’ tastes. If you can adjust your mindset and think of it like a 10- to 13-year-old would, I think you will appreciate it more. Luckily, as I mentioned it is not very long, you are not committing too much of your time if it ends up not being your cup of tea. ...more
I was not sure if I would finish the Gwendy trilogy. I really liked the first book but did not care much for the second one. If it was not for the facI was not sure if I would finish the Gwendy trilogy. I really liked the first book but did not care much for the second one. If it was not for the fact that this book was available on Overdrive when I was looking for something to listen to, I am not sure I would have given it a shot.
I must admit I am glad I did. It was much better than the second book and a fitting end to the story.
A mix of mystery, sci-fi, and horror; it has all the elements you love from Stephen King. His collaboration with Chizmar was very good on this and I wonder how much of it is King and how much of it is Chizmar. Something I read previously (don’t ask me to site my source because I honestly don’t remember) led me to believe this series is mostly Chizmar with King mainly serving as inspiration. I cannot say if that is truly the case, but it would make sense.
One maybe “complaint” is that this book gets very political. I didn’t used to have an issue with politics in books, but after the past few years I am exhausted by it and want my books to be an escape. You are definitely not escaping modern political opinions in this one. I am not going to focus on which side of things the politics fall in this book (I am bet all of you probably can guess which way they fall) because all of it exhausts me!
So, politics aside, it is a better book than the second one, has a good ending, and I am 100% glad I finished this adventure. Should you try the trilogy? I am not sure that I can recommend it, but I am also not sure I can discourage you. At least each of the books are short so if you get to a place you just don’t feel like it is working for you, at least you will have not committed too much time to it! ...more
I am giving this book 3 stars because I was expecting so much more. And, maybe the author accomplished what he was going for with this book, but afterI am giving this book 3 stars because I was expecting so much more. And, maybe the author accomplished what he was going for with this book, but after his book A Gentleman in Moscow and the expectations I got from the first fourth (or so) of this book, it felt like it tapered off into rambling inconsistency. It wasn’t hard to follow, but I am still not quite sure what I read.
First of all, this book is called The Lincoln Highway and the cover features a car on a road by a train. To me, looks like a road trip book reminiscent of On the Road maybe . . . with the spirt of Route 66 perhaps. Well, that is my fault for judging a book by its cover and title. It is a road trip book of sorts, but not the one you are led to believe you are getting into in the beginning. Also, The Lincoln Highway itself barely plays a part in the whole book – just being mentioned a few times and gives the reader the anticipation that you are eventually going to get to it. But, spoiler alert . . . you never do.
It's not all negative, though. I do enjoy Towles storytelling. I think if I had approached this book thinking of it as a series of tied together vignettes (sometimes tied very loosely), I would have enjoyed it a lot more. It is almost as if he had a bunch of ideas for characters with interesting backstories and tried his best to incorporate them all into one book. So, if you are reading my review before you read this book, keep this in mind and I think you will enjoy it a whole lot more.
In summary . . . still a good book but my experience tainted by it never really living up to my expectations. ...more
“Seems to be a deep instinct in human beings for making everything compulsory that isn't forbidden.”
Politics and space . . . not a surprise when readi“Seems to be a deep instinct in human beings for making everything compulsory that isn't forbidden.”
Politics and space . . . not a surprise when reading Heinlein. With his writing will always be some very interesting sci-fi space travel, action, etc., but the political allegory is also always there. And, while some authors hide the point they are making under the story, I feel like Heinlein unapologetically puts his right on the surface. Sometimes this has not worked for me (I was not a huge fan of Stranger in a Strange Land), but with The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, I found the balance perfect; not only was I entertained by the sci-fi, but it made me think without feeling like I was being preached at (too much).
But as you can see with the quote below . . . as I said . . . it is right there on the surface!
“A rational anarchist believes that concepts such as "state" and "society" and "government" have no existence save as physically exemplified in the acts of self-responsible individuals. He believes that it is impossible to shift blame, share blame, distribute blame. . . as blame, guilt, responsibility are matters taking place inside human beings singly and nowhere else. But being rational, he knows that not all individuals hold his evaluations, so he tries to live perfectly in an imperfect world. . . aware that his effort will be less than perfect yet undismayed by self-knowledge of self-failure.”
If you like just straight up action sci-fi to mainly escape with for a while, Heinlein may not be for you. But if you are a fan of a bit of political introspection in the midst of your Artificial Intelligence and laser battles, this book is worth trying. ...more
The third Nora Kelly/Corrie Swanson adventure – and they are starting to accumulate quite a cast of other regulars as well! This is quickly becoming aThe third Nora Kelly/Corrie Swanson adventure – and they are starting to accumulate quite a cast of other regulars as well! This is quickly becoming another “must-read-as-the-books-are-released” series from Preston & Child.
I give this one 4.5 stars and it might be my favorite one in the series so far. Part of the reason for that is that, while the other two are good, I think it usually takes a few books for a series to get settled in. The story is very intriguing and mysterious. The plot is action packed. There is the always appreciated tongue in cheek humor.
If you like Preston & Child but haven’t started this series yet . . . you should. If you liked the first two Nora and Corrie books and are wondering if you should continue . . . you should!
Below is my summary of the book that I shared in a biddy read chat. Only click if you have read the book already or you don’t care about spoilers:
Family, religion, drugs, the legal system, and putting everything on the line when you have no idea what the best choice is . . .
This is a “Wha4 Stars
Family, religion, drugs, the legal system, and putting everything on the line when you have no idea what the best choice is . . .
This is a “What would you do if faced with a difficult decision” story. And, with multiple lives and the future at stake, the reader is left with a lot to keep them occupied throughout. I think fans of family-based drama (specifically people with close sisterly-bonds) will be enthralled by this story. In fact, if you have sisters and your relationship with them is strained, this book could hit very close to home for you.
Overall, this book is gut-wrenching – but it was the difficulty of the circumstances that kept me intrigued. Be aware that if you are sensitive, there is a lot here that might be tough to swallow. But, if you can, in the end the whole package is rewarding and will leave you with a lot to think about. ...more
I am in the middle of a reading slump which has lending itself to a reviewing slump! I finished this book weeks ago but have not been inspired to reviI am in the middle of a reading slump which has lending itself to a reviewing slump! I finished this book weeks ago but have not been inspired to review it . . . or any others I have finished in that time. This is not a reflection on the book, it is just where my head is at right now.
This book is another entry in Grisham’s sports series of books. Along with Bleachers, Calico Joe, and Playing for Pizza – this book helps to firmly plant Grisham in a genre other than legal thrillers. I have loved all of this sports books and I think he does a pretty good job with them. In fact, lately I have been kind of lukewarm on his legal dramas, so Sooley is some of his best recent work in my opinion.
This time the sport is college basketball and you should give it a try if you are a fan of the sport. It also touches a lot on the situation international refugees go through and the contrast between life in war torn countries and the United States. So, while there is a lot of sports to be enjoyed here, there is also a lot to be learned about the world.
If you are just a fan of Grisham’s legal dramas, you may not enjoy this one. But I think it is worth giving it a try no matter what your interests. ...more
Hmmm . . . not really all that tight and interesting. It started off strong, but the twists and turns were all over the board and felt forced (and somHmmm . . . not really all that tight and interesting. It started off strong, but the twists and turns were all over the board and felt forced (and sometimes silly).
As mentioned, it started very good and the first third of the book was an interesting story that is basically completely unrelated to the rest of the book (I would give the first third 5 stars). This is sad because it was the best part and I thought it was building up to something much better than I ended up with.
I need to try some of this author’s other books as I know he has a reputation for good, twisty thrillers. But this one just didn’t do it for me, so I am sad that my first outing with Lehane was here. ...more
It has been a long time since I got this into a political thriller. It has a very good plot that drew me in right away and kept me inter4 to 4.5 stars
It has been a long time since I got this into a political thriller. It has a very good plot that drew me in right away and kept me interested throughout. If I had any complaints it might be that the resolution felt sudden and a bit convenient without the same height of intensity as the rest of the book, but still better than a lot of endings I have read. The story is mid-90s so some things might feel a bit dated, but not distractingly so.
I listened to this one and it is a Scott Brick narration. He is my favorite audiobook reader, so it was a delight to hear his voice again. If they suddenly said Scott Brick will be the only audiobook narrator going forward, I would be fine with that.
This was first book Baldacci wrote and the second of his that I read. He definitely started off on a high note! I did not care much for the other one I listened to (Memory Man – and I think the audio had something to do with that). I am planning to try more by him, but I am hoping that it isn’t a case of him starting with his best and it is all downhill from here!
If you are political thriller fan, haven’t tried Baldacci, and need a guaranteed win, you should give Absolute Power a try. ...more
V is for Vendetta is one of those graphic novels that I would think that everyone at least kind of knows about due to the 2005 movie with Natalie PortV is for Vendetta is one of those graphic novels that I would think that everyone at least kind of knows about due to the 2005 movie with Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving or the fact that the Guy Fawkes mask from it has become a popular pop culture symbol. It has been a long time since I have seen the movie, but it feels like in many ways it followed the graphic novel closely. But, if you want the full experience of the story as it was meant to be, reading the graphic novel is a must.
[image]
This was definitely the longest it ever took me to complete a graphic novel. This is not the fault of the graphic novel itself, it just happened to be chosen as the monthly read for one of my book clubs when I was in the midst of one of the worst reading slumps of my life. Because of this, I never really gained any momentum with this one. So, do not look at the length of time it took me to read this one and it does not really reflect my experience with it at all.
[image]
However, I would not say I am in with the people who were blown away by this book or feel like the experience is life changing. I know that this story has a passionate following considering it has become the symbol of how some people feel about government in general. It is very easy to see why this is the case as this book doesn’t pull any punches in the same way that 1984 didn’t pull any punches. And, while I can 100% appreciate that, I didn’t quite connect with this as much as I had hoped. I truly think that this relates to the fact that time in my life that I met this book. Over the past few years of dealing with political debate in America, I have become quite exhausted with it all, so I think this felt like reading the news that I have been trying to avoid!
[image]
All that being said, it is a good and thought-provoking story. If you enjoy dystopian fiction and don’t mind when it doesn’t fall too far from the reality tree, then you will find something here to scratch your reading itch.
This is where Poirot began! Christie’s most famous detective started his investigations (at least on paper) with The Mysterious Affair at Styles. I haThis is where Poirot began! Christie’s most famous detective started his investigations (at least on paper) with The Mysterious Affair at Styles. I have already read a couple of his other adventures, so I am a bit out of order. I figured it was time to go back and tackle them the way Christie intended!
This was a strong start and I can see how it appealed enough to become a series. It is fun to follow the quirky behavior and deductive reasoning of our protagonist. While it is not always easy to tell where he is going with his explanations, it all came together in the end.
Another thing this book has going for it is that the mystery was interesting, which is not always the case. A few times I read mystery stories and, while the investigation is interesting, the general plot is lackluster. But, from the moment I met the characters I was hooked. Then it only got more interesting as I learned their backgrounds, witnessed the crime, and then joined Poirot in putting the puzzle pieces together.
I am so glad I tried another classic from Christie. I think if you have any interest in mystery novels you should try Christie, and this would not be a bad place to start. ...more
I have had this book on my TBR for a while now and was inspired to give it a try after watching the Challenger docu-series on Netflix. Unfortunately, I have had this book on my TBR for a while now and was inspired to give it a try after watching the Challenger docu-series on Netflix. Unfortunately, historical disasters are fascinating and tend to make for interesting shows and books. I remember the day the Challenger accident happened, and I have always been interested in learning more about it.
With Truth, Lies, and O-Rings I learned A LOT about the events leading up to and following the Challenger tragedy. And, it is no accident that I capitalized A LOT; McDonald does not just give a basic, quick summary. This is an extremely detailed, often repetitive, account of EVERYTHING you could possibly ever want to know about it. I cannot stress this enough – if you only have a passing interest in this event, just want a quick summary of everything (much like what was presented in the docu-series), or this is just your first time to try and learn about this subject, I don’t recommend this book.
However, this is a great book and will give you all the details you need. If you love getting into the nitty gritty of historical events - and, I mean, really immersing yourself in the details, the facts, the people, etc. - then this is the book for you. Despite being dense with facts, McDonald does a pretty decent job of keeping it interesting and has written it in a way that is accessible to the layman.
While reading, someone commented on one of my statuses that they hoped I would give my before and after impressions of NASA when I was done reading this book. To be honest, I never gave a whole lot of thought to NASA before reading this book. To me, they were just an agency that put people in space. After reading the book, I see a bit more of how they are just another government agency with lots of bureaucracy, red tape, and pressure to deliver – sometimes at the expense of safety and common sense. Also, they really work hard to pass the blame when possible. But, they also did many positive things over the course of the events in this book – so it is not all bad. So, I would say I now know more about NASA, but I am not really surprised by its behavior as a government agency.
In summary, I recommend this book to hardcore space and historical disaster buffs who want all the details in depth and ad nauseum. I do not recommend this book to those with a passing and casual interest. ...more
I think it is important that I am upfront when writing this review about the fact that I am both in the middle of a reading slump that has been on andI think it is important that I am upfront when writing this review about the fact that I am both in the middle of a reading slump that has been on and off or month and I am in the middle of a cross-country move. I feel like it is very likely that both of these things affected how I felt about the book and my ability to focus on it. So, you might want to take my review with a grain of salt.
Key things that I felt when reading this: - I enjoyed the first Will Trent Book better. - It was a decent book, but far from my favorite Slaughter book. But, not my least favorite, either. - I do enjoy Slaughter and her characters so I will be continuing this series. - There was a lot of jumping around between characters and storylines and I got lost at a few points. - With that last bullet point, I go back to my warning paragraph and the fact that there were many distractions in my life at the time of reading so this is likely not any fault of the book or Slaughter. - Slaughter writes about pedophiles a lot. - As usual, with Slaughter, a gory thriller.
If you have enjoyed other Slaughter books you know what you are getting into here. There may be twists and turns, but no surprises with the way she writes. So, Slaughter fans can read with confidence. Those with queasy stomachs and who cannot focus may want to steer clear (in the second case, at least until you can focus!) ...more
Loading...
