This book was a delightful read that was easy to get into and stay invested in. Like any good underdog story – and in the spirt of many greatThe Good:
This book was a delightful read that was easy to get into and stay invested in. Like any good underdog story – and in the spirt of many great sports movies – we get to go from humble beginnings, victories, setbacks, and development from rookie to champion. Every step of the way I found myself cheering, feeling empathy, and sometimes cringing as I made a close connection to our protagonist, Beth Harmon.
The Bad:
There really isn’t much that I would say is bad about this book. There are a few storylines that I thought might play out differently (view spoiler)[ drugs and alcohol (hide spoiler)] and maybe a few opportunities missed. But, not enough to detract from the overall experience
The Chess:
I know how to play chess and how all the pieces move. How long would I last in a chess game? Probably not very long as it has been years since I actually played and, as is reflected in this book, the strategy of those who play a lot is very complex and hard to follow with many, many potential moves needing to be anticipated and prepared for. At times, this book gets deep into describing chess matches and chess strategy. Actually understanding what is going on does not seem to matter, but it does occupy quite a bit of real estate in this book so it is something to be prepared for. If you think pages and pages of chess will not interest you, you can skim and should be fine.
Overall:
I am glad I read this book and I think a lot of people will enjoy it. I am looking forward to checking out the show on Netflix. ...more
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
Lately I feel like many of the suspense/thriller/mysteries I read are so twisty that it starts to get ridiculous. I love a gooNot bad! Not bad at all!
Lately I feel like many of the suspense/thriller/mysteries I read are so twisty that it starts to get ridiculous. I love a good twist or two, a shocking revelation or three, but not incomprehensible nonsense. With The Guest List I feel satisfaction because the level of twists and turns is just right and the magnitude of the surprises is not nonsensically bloated. Its nice to finally find one that is just right (like Goldilocks, but hopefully without the angry bears).
I was thinking 4 to 4.5 stars at first, but because this one quenched my thirst for twisty perfection, I am gonna go for 5 stars (it is my review and I can do what I want, so there!
Merged review:
Not bad! Not bad at all!
Lately I feel like many of the suspense/thriller/mysteries I read are so twisty that it starts to get ridiculous. I love a good twist or two, a shocking revelation or three, but not incomprehensible nonsense. With The Guest List I feel satisfaction because the level of twists and turns is just right and the magnitude of the surprises is not nonsensically bloated. Its nice to finally find one that is just right (like Goldilocks, but hopefully without the angry bears).
I was thinking 4 to 4.5 stars at first, but because this one quenched my thirst for twisty perfection, I am gonna go for 5 stars (it is my review and I can do what I want, so there!...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.
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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
I enjoyed this entry in the Will Trent series. I don’t remember much about the second book in the series, but I do remember I didn’t really care for iI enjoyed this entry in the Will Trent series. I don’t remember much about the second book in the series, but I do remember I didn’t really care for it as much as previous Slaughter titles so I was worried that maybe this would not be the series for me. But, with the ties back to Grant County and the uniquely bizarre mystery I was able to stay invested in this one. Also, one thing that sometimes turns me off to mysteries that did not happen with this one is that it did not seem to become intentionally convoluted and confusing. Often, I feel like authors figure if they make the mystery as confusing as possible it will constitute a good book. Or maybe I am just easily confused! ...more
“Emojis don’t always mean what you think they mean. To be safe, steer clear of all fruits and vegetables.”
A silly but humorous book. Quick read with l“Emojis don’t always mean what you think they mean. To be safe, steer clear of all fruits and vegetables.”
A silly but humorous book. Quick read with lots of relatable stuff for a dad of my age. This may have just been an elaborate marketing ploy for Progressive to capitalize on the popularity of their Dr. Rick commercials, but I am okay with that!
“While watching sports, there are people whose job it is to announce what’s happening. You’re not one of those people.”
I had a lot of fun, I laughed out loud, it made my wait at the airport go by quickly. All signs of a quality and worthwhile read!
“Unless you’re planning on skydiving or wearing all your clothes at a water park, there’s no reason to attach all your accessories to your body. Just because you can strap something to your body, doesn’t mean you should.” ...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
This book was a very pleasant surprise! Not that I was expecting I wouldn’t like it, I just never know with classics on must read lists. Often it is hThis book was a very pleasant surprise! Not that I was expecting I wouldn’t like it, I just never know with classics on must read lists. Often it is hard for me to determine what about the book gets people excited about it or what exactly made it a classic. With Death Comes for the Archbishop, it was not difficult to see the appeal at all!
I listened to this book in its entirety in one sitting on the road coming back from Spring Break. The storytelling and the characters were a great way to pass the time and end a fantastic vacation. I wish all books I try as “road books” ended up being this good because I have encountered some that try their best to put me to sleep!
The structure of the plot is a series of short stories all taking place in the world of missionaries in the American Southwest during the expansion of the country. The story is influenced by a lot of real-life circumstances involving cultural clashes, native people, cowboys/frontiersmen, and old religion vs new religion. The characters you meet along the way are extremely interesting and extremely fascinating to follow on their journey.
One thing I think I appreciated the most about this book is that it is quick and too the point. Often it seems like these classics drag things out unnecessarily and it starts to get kind of bloated and boring. Cather sticks to what is important and keeps the story moving along which is I think is much better than overdoing it with excess exposition.
You should give this one a try – I hope you will be pleasantly surprised as well! ...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
I swear that I read this when I was younger, but when I went to add this to Goodreads as a re-read (it was the January selection for my Completist BooI swear that I read this when I was younger, but when I went to add this to Goodreads as a re-read (it was the January selection for my Completist Book Club), I did not find it in my list. And, because this is one of those books that has a plot people tend to know because of movies and/or its general pop culture relevance, it is difficult for me to know which parts of my memories of this are from the book and which are from other places. But, re-read or not, I am glad I read it in January 2022.
This is classic sci fi. It is easy to see how many parts of this led to the tropes we see in literary and cinematic sci-fi today. And it is pretty amazing the creativity Wells had for coming up with such vivid and scientifically based alien technology and biology. This book was way ahead of its time!
While the setting is late 1800s England (horse carriages, telegrams, etc.), it is not hard to picture this in a modern setting. Wells did a great job making the story timeless. Often when I read books set in this era, they may be good, but they can also feel dated – not a bad thing, it is just that time moves on. But, with this one, society may have advanced, but it did not feel like time had moved on.
If you love the classics and/or love sci-fi and you have not read this book, I feel like it is a must for you to get it on your list right away. I was leaning toward 4 stars on this book, but the classic status and the effect it has had on sci fi over the years push that up to 5 stars!...more
Slaughter writes great flawed characters. Reading her books is like watching a reality show of people picking the worst options and doing everything tSlaughter writes great flawed characters. Reading her books is like watching a reality show of people picking the worst options and doing everything they can to ruin their relationships. To accompany those characters are some seriously scuzzy characters getting in the way. This is some scum that you will love to hate.
This story is much like the other Grant County books – so if you enjoyed those, you will like this one. Slaughter continues to shock and sometimes disgust with graphic depictions of bad behavior. But, hey, we all like to get a bit grimy when escaping into books from time to time, don’t we?
While not every book in this series or in the authors repertoire has been a hit for me, I do find some gems and enjoyable getaways. This was one that kept me interested and will help to make me keep coming back for more. ...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
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