I, Mona Lisa

I, Mona Lisa by Jeanne Kalogridis was simply a wonderful read. The story tells the tale of the woman behind the famous painting. And it does so in a rich and captivating way. If I could go back in time I would want to go to Florence in the time of DaVinci, Michelangelo, and the Medici. So when I saw this book on the store shelf I had to get it. It was a chance to live, if even for 500 pages, in the world I so admire.

Now, I know this is fiction based on historical fact. So I realize that what takes place in the story is far from an accurate historical count but if there is a story behind the Mona Lisa it might as well be this one.

I passed this story on to my father to read. It's the kind of tale that you don't want to keep to yourself. It paints too beautiful a story to keep to oneself.

Haunted

Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk is hands down the strangest and most disturbing book I have ever read. This man makes Stephen King look like a romance writer.

I don't know if there are even words to adequetly discribe how freak'n weird this book is.

The plot is basically this: a group of rag tag authors all sign up to go away on a three month writers retreat. All their needs are to be provided for. The only thing they have to do is write.

Made up of short stories, poems, and chapters about what is happening at the writer's retreat this book reads more like an episode of "Survivor" on crack, meth, LCD, and pcp all at once. This is one seriously demented book. And of course no matter how queezy I got, no matter how badly I wanted to shake off the images it put in my head I coudn't stop reading. This book is a train wreck in print.

This is the stuff that nightmares are made of. And I can't wait to pick up another book by this author. He's seriously a demented man.

Oxygen

Oxygen by Andrew Miller tells the tale of three men. Two are brother's and one is a Hungarian author living in Paris. One of the brother's is translating the work of the author but they never meet. The story focuses around the brother's and their mother who is dying of lung cancer. The third character, the author, in a separate story is approached by a group of people struggling for political freedoms. They need his help moving a package into Hungry.

I was a little less than half way through this story when I almost gave up on it. The reviews for this story are excellent. Except one review saw the entire focus of the story to be about cancer and the slow and painful death from it. Because I didn't necessarily want to read a book that heavy and probably depressing I put it down. But something niggled at me and I picked it back up.

I'm glad I did. This story didn't necessarily have a huge point. There was no grand moment, no dawning of any ages, but it was a good story. Very well written and quite interesting.

The Love-Artist

The Love-Artist by Jane Alison was a really interesting book to read. Set in ancient Rome and centering around the story of Ovid this is a fascinating fictional look at a portion of his life. The story was inspired by the few remaining lines from one of his works, Madea:

"I gave you your life. Now you're wondering, will I take it, too?"

The author built a marvelous story around the person that inspired those lines as well as the entire work.

This is a fast and wonderful read. For historical fiction it captures your interest and your imagination from the first page.

Changing Planes

Changing Planes by Ursula K. LeGuin was a fun and fascinating read. The book is a "travel guide" about 15 different planes or worlds that you can visit while you wait at an airport for your actual plane. The flying machine kind.

Each chapter describes a different world. The people that inhabit the worlds are not all humanoid. They are at different levels of advancement/technology. They have varying beliefs, languages, religions, etc.

Overall this was a very fun story and I enjoyed the light-hearted humor. I also enjoyed the ideas expressed in each plane and how they compare to our world, it's practices and it's beliefs. This would actually be a very fun book to read on a trip. On a plane to be more precise. An escape from the "rushed" waiting of air travel. After all, it's the monotony of air travel that started the whole thing..............

Monkey Hunting

Monkey Hunting by Gabriel Garcia – This was an interesting story that spanned 100 years and 5 generations. This is the story of a Chinese man who went to Cuba on promises of riches only to find himself on a slave ship bound for the sugar fields of Cuba.
His life and those of his descendants follows.

I enjoyed this story. It was not life changing but it was life reflective. And life appreciative. I found myself realizing how lucky I have been in terms of when and where I was born.

This is a fast and easy read. And I’m glad I ordered it.

A Feast For Crows

A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin – This is the fourth installment of his Fire and Ice Series. This VERY long awaited book got to be too long and was as yet unfinished so the book is being published in two releases. When this decision was made they chose to have half the stories told in Crows, and then the other stories would be completed in the yet to be released Dance of Dragons.

To clarify, in this series each chapter is told through the eyes of different characters. And these characters live in different areas of 7 Kingdoms. So in Crows he only covered half the characters in half the kingdoms. Dance of Dragons will complete the stories during a certain time line.

Unlike the previous three novels I found myself getting a little aggravated with Crows. The writing style is as beautiful as ever. But the stories progressed a little slower. And I know that going into Dragons we will be forced to figure out where in the time line the characters are. Whereas the previous three books flowed nicely because you were finding out what was happening during a specific time to different characters. It was easier to follow because as you finished a chapter your picture of the kingdom grew larger and larger as well as more complete.

I think the fact that he divided #4 is going to make for less continuous story. Especially if his current trends continue we won’t see Dragons for several more years.

Unfortunately the story got longer and his need for perfection has become an obsession. Even the most hard core of his readers will find themselves loosing their dedication. A great story shouldn’t be work to read.

I trust for now he will get Dragons out as soon as humanely possible. And it will be written in a style that will help us to keep the time line in story order. Judging from reviews I read by readers I was not the only one that struggled through Crows. Of course the last chapter for each character was exciting and ended in cliff hangers. But it didn’t make for the pleasurable reading that the previous three did. Unlike my normal routine I did go back and read the first three books again. But I did that 4 years ago when they first announced the release date for Crows. But every month the release date pushed back. By the time Crows did come out I struggled a bit to remember where #3 had left off. Again, I wasn’t the only one that did this. Other fans re-read the series, other fans found themselves having re-read for “no reason”.

And Crows was such a disappointment that I almost dread having to re-read it just before Dance of Dragons is released. If it is released………………….

I do want to clarify “disappointment”. Honestly I enjoyed the story. I really did. And I couldn’t wait to curl up and read it. But with the absence of some characters, and with the relative “uneventfulness” of much of the story, I just didn’t LOVE the book the way I did the previous three. And I LOVED the first three so much that anything shy of their perfection seems to be a disappointment.

The Thirteenth Tale

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - As most readers know you have to read a lot of books to find those few gems out there that take your breath away. My father and I trade book info on a regular basis. He had been very anxious for me to keep reading the John Dunning series. Which is exactly what I was doing when he called to tell me about The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. He then called me approximately twice each day to see if I had started the book. Which for my dad is a little odd. Previous to this book he had really really really wanted me to read The Bookman's Promise. So I was completely amazed that he wanted me to give up one book he really wanted me to read in exchange for a different book. So, I read late into the night to finish Bookman's Promise and began the Thirteenth Tale over coffee in the morning. And HOLY COW! This is an amazing book. This is a warm and rich tale that pulls you into the story so deeply that I often felt like I had fallen into a dream. It's not often that I get so deeply sucked into a story that I forget about my surroundings. This is not a story to change your life. This is not a story that will change you necessarily in any way, but it is a story that is deeply engrossing. This is a story that really makes you feel like you are a part of the adventure. A fly on the wall so to speak. A voyeur. A story written so well that the characters became individual faces and voices in my head. This type of experience is why we read. Why we read mediocre story after mediocre story. Because every once in a while we find a brilliant gem.

The Bookman's Promise

What a ride. The Bookman's Promise by John Dunning.

This is the third in a wonderful series. I love these books and it seems like each one I read is better than the last. Dunning has created a marvelous world revolving around the life of a cop turned book dealer. The Bookman's Promise is about just that. A promise the main character makes to a dying woman. I love these books and I can devour them in a day or so. I have book #4 sitting on my shelf but I hesitate to read it just yet. I want to savor the experience. Opening a book by Dunning is a reward I give myself every so often. I like to spread out my bliss.

Baudolino

Life's too short to waste on a bad book. But what about a book that isn't so much bad as it is tedious. Or maybe the word is slow. Or maybe the word is "Just not grabbing me" but yet the back of my lil ol' brain sorta wants to keep going. The story is Baudolino by Umberto Eco. And I decided this morning after 150 some pages to put it down for a while. I'm used to reading a book or two a week and this story seems to be bogging me down from my usual pace.

The Big Over Easy

The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde is the first book in his second series. I have read his first series which is based on the character Thursday Next. He is a wonderfully creative artist. Reading one of his books is always a joyous adventure.

This new series did not disapoint. It's centers around the Nursery Crime Division and it's chief detective Jack Spratt along with his partner Detective Mary Mary. Yes, you guessed it. The characters are all from nursery rhymes.

The first book in the Thursday Next Series is the Eyre Affair. Pick up either one and you are in for a wonderous treat!

The Pirates in an Adventure with Scientists

The Pirates In an Adventure with Scientists by Gideon Defoe is a funny fast read. By fast I mean 1/2 day. By fun, I mean a half day of reading with the image of Captain Jack Sparrow in my head. This is not related in any way to the Pirates of the Carribean, but hey, the story is about pirates. So, DUH!

Funny and fast. This would be the perfect book to take to the beach, on a plane, what have you. No deep thoughts here. Just fun.

Deathstalker

Deathstalker by Simon R. Green

is another wonderful story by this talented author. I just love this guy's style. It's easy, breezy, and beautiful. But still requires you to use the old grey cells. Nothing better than a fun good read. Thre are several books in the Deathstalker series. And I am looking very forward to digging right in.

The Confessions of Max Tivoli

The Confessions of Max Tivoli by Andrew Sean Greer tells the life story of Max Tivoli.

Max was unique in that he was born into the body of an old man and physically aged backwards though his mental development moved normally in time.

This is an interesting tale told at the end of the 19th century and into the beginning of the 20th.

I like this story for it's uniqueness. And it finished it feeling like my mind had a new concept to wrap it's self around.

I found myself occasionally debating putting the book down because I wasn't in love with the story itself. The love of Max's life, Alice, gets to be a little tedious. But curiosity won out and I read the entire story. The end is sad and not quite what I expected. The character I most enjoyed was actually Max's best friend Hughie. I walk away from the book wishing I knew a little bit more about him.

Good lines from the story:

•“Love…, ever unsatisfied, lives always in the moment that is about to come.” Marcel Proust

•“We are each the love of someone’s life.” opening sentence in book.

•“It takes too much imagination to see the sorrows of people we take for happy. Their real battles take place, like those of the stars, in some realm of light imperceptible to the human eye. It is a feat of the mind to guess another’s heart.”

•“The shock was akin to that of buying, out of duty, a novel written by a dull and uninspired acquaintance and finding there passages of heartrending beauty and rapture that one could never imagine coming from such a tedious person.”

•“It is a brave and stupid thing, a beautiful thing, to waste one’s life for love.”

Crusader's Cross

Crusaders Cross by James Lee Burke - What can I say. The man is a god. James Lee Burke has written another amazing story in his Dave Robicheaux series. Crusader's Cross tells the story of Dave and his brother Jimmy's youth. A women that rescued them from certain death and then seemed to slip through their fingers. Many years later the mystery comes back to haunt the two men. And Dave wants to get to the bottom of the story. He also needs to stop a brutal serial killer and find out why there are contracts out on his life and that of his friend Clete.

Lines I loved from this story:

•“….did all these things, and many others, in a blithe, carefree spirit, like a unicorn on purple acid crashing good-naturedly through a clock shop.”

•“massive Evangeline oak under which I first kissed Bootsie and discovered how the world could become a cathedral in the time it takes for two people to press their mouths against one another.”

•“….would forever be the Renaissance humanist, bearing his faith and optimism like a white light inside a chalice.”

•“He’s got polka dot giraffes running around in his head,but he’s the best guy I’ve ever known."

The Nameless Day

The Nameless Day by Sara Douglass tells the story of a 14th century friar that has been visited by the Archangel Michael and told that he will be the salvation of mankind. Or maybe, it's damnation. That he will have choices to make and evil will try to corrupt him at every turn.

It's an interesting tale. And I enjoyed it very much. It's a slow read, the print is tiny and the book is thick. But I looked forward to sitting down and reading it every day.

There are at least 2 more books in what the author calls "The Crucible Series". I already grabbed book number two but I will probably wait a bit before diving into it.

Beta Newt

I switched my Literary Muse site to Blogger Beta.............we'll see...................

My Life as a Fake

My life as a Fake by Peter Carey was not a bad story, it was interesting enough but not something I would recommend. As the old saying goes, sometimes you have to read a lot of frogs before your find your prince.

This story was simply a frog. Not good, and not bad. Just a frog.

Basically it tells the story of a man who invented an author and the repercussions of that act. The story becomes further intriguing when the phony author becomes a real flesh and blood person who feels like his life has been stolen from him. Did the poet really exist or was he truly a figment of a failed authors imagination? This tale sets out to uncover the truths behind the legendary events.

The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing and The Sun, The Moon, and the Stars - Two for one book review

Since it was hotter than hades this weekend I stayed in the air conditioned confines of my living room. And I read. A Lot.

I picked up The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank at the used book store down the street. I started it Sunday morning and finished it Sunday afternoon. It was a good read. Totally not what I expected, it went a little deeper than I thought it would. I think every women can see some point in her life within this book. The main character, Jane, describes in each chapter a moment out of her life. Her loves, her family, her loss, devastation, and triumph. This story proves that "The Rules" of love and dating don't really exist. Each relationship, each person is unique and nothing works according to a given set of rules.



The Sun, The Moon, and the Stars by Steven Brust. This was an interesting book. It told two stories, one was about a group of artists that had a studio together. The other story was a mythical tale about how the sun, the moon, and the stars got to be up in the sky. I didn't mind the story but I wouldn't say it was a must read. I like folk tales so I stuck with it to see how that story came out. But the artist parts were not necessarily gripping. I enjoy his Vlad Taltos series a great deal more.

Four and Twenty Blackbirds

Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest - I've given up the mysteries and the vampires for a while and decided to read a good old fashioned ghost story. I saw this book at a local shop and found the story idea intriguing. So I picked it up and put it away on my shelf for a while. Well, seeing as I am having bizarre vampire nightmares I decided a change would be good.

This is the story of Eden. A woman who was raised by her Aunt and Uncle after the death of her mother. She never knew her father. Eden is protected by three ghosts. They watch over her and warn her of any danger. And danger she is in. A distant family member has taken it upon himself to rid the world of an accursed ancestor that he believes has come back to life in Eden. Both Sinister and hopeful, this is a wonderful story. A reflection of family that is for better or for worse all too true.

The Bookman's Wake

I loved #2 in the Cliff Janeway series by author John Dunning. It's called The Bookman's Wake and it was wonderful. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I just love it when books become so engrossing that you forget where you are. Give John Dunning a try. You'll be glad you did.

The interesting part of this story, aside from the mystery was the education you get in little artistic publishing companies. In this case a family business that would take classic stories and turn them into a work of art. The story revolves around Poe's The Raven. And one man's quest to make the perfect publication.

Jhereg

Jhereg is #4 of Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series. He recommends reading them in chronological order rather than publication order. Which I am doing. #4 also happens to be the first published. He explains things in there that I have had to figure out on my own. It's not rocket science so I am pretty clear on it all but this did help clarify things. So, I am enjoying reading them in chronological order, I wouldn't change that. But a glossery or summary of terms/people/places would be helpful for those of us that are doing it this way.

I can summarize his books best with the word: Fun!

Booked to Die and Vampire Hunter D #2 - two book reviews

Dad told me I had to read Booked to Die by John Dunning. And so I did. And I loved it. The main character is a cop. And a book collector. I never knew much about the book collecting business. These stories are changing that. It's actually a very interesting business.

I have mentioned before that I read voraciously and that is due to my parents. They have had me reading since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. In fact I remember sitting in my dad's lap reading his novels to him. In my little girl sing song voice I would read to him slowly stumbling over the big words and getting excited as I read sentence after sentence without mistakes. We have been reading together ever since. Now several thousand miles separate us but we are closer than ever. He called me a few times every day to see what page I was on. I hope he knows how much I cherish this.

Vampire Hunter D #2 - great story. Again, I bless Jay's little heart. This is a fun read. The character D has to battle a new monster in this story. One that he didn't believe exhisted. Vampires that can walk in the sun.

Thief of Lives and Yendi - two for one review

Thief of Lives by Barb and J.C. Hendee. This is the second book in their vampire series. I liked Dhampir, the first book, and this one was even better. Great character development and a great story. This time the dhampir and her half-elf partner head to the capital city to solve it's vampire problem. If they do so they will get a reward large enough to help save their home town from financial ruin. As this story ends the plot thickens, motives remain puzzling, and I am even more anxious to read the next installment.






Yendi is book two in the Vlad Taltos Series by Steven Brust. In this Vlad tells how he got involved in a war and how the women that was to become his wife killed him.

Guards of Haven

I'm racing through the Simon R. Green series Hawk and Fisher. Guards of Haven covers the next 3 adventures of the City Guard duo. More adventures, more interesting and amazing characters. Really, a whole lot of fun.

One of my favorite characters from the Nightside series made an appearance. I was giddy with excitement. (How sad is that?)

Anyway, Mr. Green has yet to disappoint me. He's a marvelously imaginative author.

Vampire Hunter D

So, Jay recommended Vampire Hunter D by Hideyuki Kikuchi. This is a fresh and fun story. I'm glad there are several more in the series.

D is a vampire hunter in a world many thousands of years into the future. Technology is both astoundingly advanced but life seems surprisingly primitive. Small old world like villages and farming communities, make up D's world but with ultra advanced farming gadgets, iron horses, and many other interesting things.

Fantastic creatures exist to haunt and terrify. The most devious and cruel being the Nobility, the vampires. Many of the villages exist under the shadow of a great Nobility Lord.
And it is D that tries to free the people from the vampire's tyranny.

Taltos

Taltos by Steven Brust is the first in his Vlad Taltos series chronologically. It's confusing, but good. He published the story in a different order so some of the confusion exists only because things are explained as they were written. By the time he got to Taltos he had already described many of the things in previous releases. Because this is a made up world he uses creatures and characters unfamiliar with our real world.

But really, it's not a problem and doesn't take away from the story. The story moves quickly and is very entertaining. Vlad is an assassin and crime boss. He also has skills in both sorcery and witchcraft. Political intrigue abound in the stories. I'm glad my brother told me about these books. They are a great deal of fun to read.

The Mercy of Thin Air

So I am taking a break from the Sci Fi and the vampires and going for ghosts. The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue has been on my list of books to read. The main character is a ghost that haunts a young couple. Her story and theirs is interwoven. This is a marvelous story of love and loss and all of the life in between.

Something from the Nightside

Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green is book one in a growing series that is currently up to #6. I LOVED this series. It was very entertaining, funny, and hands down one of the most creative concepts I have ever encountered. He gives life to ideas, expressions, and emotions. It's very interesting. And fun to wrap your brain around. Imagine if Lady Luck was a real person. What would she be like. What would happen around her. These are the kinds of things he does in this series. And I absolutely love it. A friend gave them to me and I read them each in about a day. I passed them on to anther friend and he was reading a book every couple of bus rides. So they are fast reads. Strap yourself in and enjoy the rollercoaster ride that is Simon R. Green.

Swords of Haven

Swords of Haven which is a three in one by Simon R. Green. It's a composite of the first three books in the Hawk and Fisher adventures. I love Green's style of writing. I don't know how to describe it other than it is warm and fuzzy. Not in a mushy good way, his stories are rather dark and violent. But rather his writing style is easy and breezy, warm and fuzzy. The words just slide past your brain and into your imagination. He is a fabulous writer. Hawk and Fisher are partners in the City Guard. They patrol the seediest parts of the town of Haven. They are also husband and wife. And they get themselves involved in some pretty baffling cases. This is all around fun reading.

Of Saints and Shadows

Of Saints and Shadows by Christopher Golden
I have always liked vampire stories. I read the Anne Rice series and have been searching for similar stories. I've read a large number by women authors that tend toward the erotic. And they are ok but it gets a little old. I also get tired of the strong female character that puts Superman to shame. I can only take so much Buff and slutty Buffy's. I've gotten to the point with some of the characters that I find my self saying "Oh come on now, that's just taking it a titch too far."

In this story there is a war between the "Saints" from the Vatican and the "Shadows" who are the vampires. This is a marvelous tale that I couldn't read fast enough. The Vatican Priests have developed the powers of black magic. And with that magic they set out to destroy the vampires. Though supposedly men of god they call up demons from hell to aid in the battle against the shadows. In this story the "Shadows" are clearly the good guys. This is the first of several in the series. And I am looking very forward to the next book.

Dhampir, Last Days of Summer, and Shantaram - 3 for one book review special

Dhampir by Barb and J.C. Hendee
This is a cool story. It was described as a Lord of the Rings meets Buffy. And I guess that is a good way to describe it.

Basically it's about three companions, a woman, a half-elf, and a dog. They were travelers that would con villages out of money by getting rid of their vampire problems. But Magiere the female in the group wants an end to their lifestyle so she buys a tavern in a little town by the seaside. Unbenownst to her a family of real vampires also inhabit the town. And it becomes Magiere's job to rid her new little hamlet of these creatures.



Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger

One of the best books I have ever read. It was laugh out loud funny, delightfully entertaining, and of course made me shed a tear or two. Or actually a whole rivers worth but that's ok. A friend of my dad's gave it to him to read and then dad told me I had to read it which of course I did. This is one of those rare stories that I won't forget anytime soon. And I have told everyone I know about it.

It's the story of a lost little boy whose father all but abandons him for a new life. The boy starts up a pen pal relationship with a baseball player. The story is told through letters, report cards, news paper clippings, and telegrams. There is no actual story text in the book. And as choppy as you would think it would be moving only from letter to letter and clipping to clipping this story flows surprising well. And the characters are well developed. This is a very fast and wonderful must read!



Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
I blogged on this one a lot while I was reading it. Because I could gush about this book for hours I will simply say that it is in my top 5 favorite books of all time. This is the story of an escaped convict who settles in India. While there he opens a free medical clinic within the slums. This book is honest, it is harsh, violent, and incredibly moving at the same time. There are sentences and even whole paragraphs that took my breath away.