Jenn's 2011 TBR Challenge

Check in on Jenn's progress

The year has yet to come to a close, but I can tell you, I'm not going to be completing my 2011 TBR Challenge from Adam at Roof Beam Reader. Oddly, enough, this is the challenge I thought would be easy, and my personal challenge of reading 60 books, which I didn't think I'd make, I'll have more than met by the end of the  year.

This challenge has taught me a few things about myself, however.  First and foremost, I don't like having a reading list. It's one thing to have agreed to review books for the industry, but having to select certain books from my To Be Read pile makes reading seem more like work than enjoyment.

I also think my selections were a little lofty, perhaps too many things I felt I 'should' be reading and not enough things I'm dying to read.  Plus my tastes are waining back to YA ...and the majority of the books on my challenge list were not.

All things considered, it will probably surprise you to learn that I plan on participating again in this years 2012 TBR Challenge from Adam at Roof Beam Reader.  However, I'm going to take what I've learned and plan accordingly...

Julie's Review: The Girl Who Play with Fire

Summary: Mikael Blomkvist, crusading publisher of the magazine Millennium, has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation. On the eve of its publication, the two reporters responsible for the article are murdered, and the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to his friend, the troubled genius hacker Lisbeth Salander. Blomkvist, convinced of Salander’s innocence, plunges into an investigation. Meanwhile, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous game of cat and mouse, which forces her to face her dark past. ~amazon.com

Review: These books are so intense that I took a long break in between reading the first two of the series. The Girl Who Played with Fire is intense from the get go. While I enjoyed the mystery around The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo I loved that this book delved into Lisbeth and her past. I admire Lisbeth for her strength and her perseverance. Do I think she has some issues? Heck yes but most of her reactions have always been because she needs to survive. She's been surviving all her life. She doesn't know how to need someone because she's always relied on herself.

I found the exposition of her life fascinating. Perhaps it's because it's so different than what most of us have known and also because you wonder how someone is still functioning after her childhood. I loved how Mr. Larsson slowly revealed bits and pieces of her life. They were always well timed and always wanted you leaving more.

I thought it was great how Mikael was still involved in the story and spent a lot of his time trying to prove Lisbeth innocent of the crimes she was accused of in the novel. As a reader, you wonder if Lisbeth is guilty but you know that she can't possibly be.

This book never stops. I had to put it down several times to just catch my breath and my thoughts. I finally just had to stay up late to finish it. Luckily, my edition had the first chapter of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest so I can wait until the paperback comes out in early 2012 to read the final novel.

If you haven't read the first book, I highly recommend it. I don't think I've ever read a character as interesting, intriguing and complex as Lisbeth Salander.

Final Take: 5/5

Julie's Review: The Other Queen

Summary: For years Philippa Gregory’s readers have been asking her to write a novel about Mary Queen of Scots—a request she now fulfills with a tale as engrossing as any she has ever written. A heroine everyone recognizes but few truly know, Mary Queen of Scots is remembered mostly for her death on the scaffold than for her turbulent, romantic life. In The Other Queen, Philippa Gregory resurrects Mary and her world by way of a chapter from her life that is all but forgotten: Mary’s long imprisonment as a “guest” of the Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife, Bess of Hardwick. With the earl and his wife, whose fortune and marriage are jeopardized by the extraordinary woman under their charge, Gregory has found the perfect means for understanding Mary herself, a queen who will lie, seduce, plot, and sacrifice the lives of thousands in her quest to regain her Scots throne—and to take over Queen Elizabeth’s. ~amazon.com

Review: The Other Queen is not Ms. Gregory's strongest novel. Honestly, if it wasn't for the 2011 TBR Challenge I probably would have put it down or skimmed the remainder of the book. I will start by saying that is very unlike me and especially with her novels. Typically, they captivate me from beginning to end.

Part of it had to do with the fact that there were not any truly likable characters. I admired Bess but I wouldn't trust her and sure as heck wouldn't count on her to have my back in time of strife. While I did try to like Mary Queen of Scots I just couldn't do it. As beautiful as she was on the exterior, she was a horrible individual in her soul. She thought she was untouchable and divine.I guess back then the royals hadn't learned that they were human just like the rest of us.

You pretty much guess from the beginning of the novel that the Earl and Lady of Shrewsbury housing the Queen of Scots isn't going to turn out well for them. Not only does it pretty much bankrupt them but well it seems that her charms are irresistible for men. I found the Earl to be weak minded and while he thought he rules the house, you knew it was Bess. He states several times how loyal he is to Queen Elizabeth but honestly in the end, the only one truly loyal to the Queen of England was Bess. Although in the end there was something in it for her.

Some might not like Queen Elizabeth and I guess she's not a truly likable person, but she ruled the only way she knew how, by fear. She surrounded herself with people who had their own agendas and at times didn't truly serve the Queen. I guess not much has changed in politics, Monarchy or Democracy.

I would not recommend this to be your first Philippa Gregory novel unless you want to read about Mary Queen of Scots. Even then this only captures three years of her life.

I am looking forward to starting to read her Cousin's War books soon though. The Lady of the Rivers: A Novel (The Cousins' War), The Red Queen: A Novel (The Cousin's War) and The White Queen: A Novel (Cousins' War).

Final Take: 3/5

Lisa reviewed it too!

Julie's Review: The Dirty Secrets Club

Summary: An ongoing string of high-profile and very public murder-suicides has San Francisco even more rattled than a string of recent earthquakes: A flamboyant fashion designer burns to death, clutching the body of his murdered lover. A superstar 49er jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge. And most shocking of all, a U.S. attorney launches her BMW off a highway overpass, killing herself and three others. Enter forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett, hired by the SFPD to cut open not the victim’s body but the victim’s life. Jo’s job is to complete the psychological autopsy, shedding light on the circumstances of any equivocal death. Soon she makes a shocking discovery: All the suicides belonged to something called the Dirty Secrets Club, a group of A-listers with nothing but money and plenty to hide. As the deaths continue, Jo delves into the disturbing motives behind this shadowy group—until she receives a letter containing a dark secret Jo thought she’d left deep in her past, and ending with the most chilling words of all: “Welcome to the Dirty Secrets Club.” ~amazon.com

Review: Jenn gifted me The Dirty Secrets Club (Jo Beckett) for my birthday a couple years ago and it ended up on my TBR Challenge list for 2011. It's not that I didn't want to read it, because I did other books just got in the way. I love Meg Gardiner; her Evan Delaney books are some of my favorites and now I feel a need to devourer all the Jo Beckett books. If you love thrillers, mysteries, crime fiction then you need to start reading Meg Gardiner. No, seriously go buy her books!

Immediately she draws you in and her storytelling never lets you go. I liked Jo from the moment she was introduced. I knew she was going to be a take charge kind of gal and how can you go wrong with that?! She's also a woman with a lot of emotional pain and baggage. Ms. Gardiner slowly reveals her history throughout the book and does it in a way that is consistent with the plot. I can't stand it when authors add a back story with out plot justification.

There were a couple times in the course of the book that I felt it was a little slow but that didn't last for that long. This is definitely a high octane ride with a couple stops to fill up for gas. I feel like I should have seen the twist coming in the end but I didn't.

Unfortunately, there were no pet bunnies in this book but there was an emotional support therapy monkey. Yes, a monkey. He actually isn't just a comic bit, he works his way into the storyline in quite a useful manner.
Like Evan Delaney, Jo finds herself wrapped up in the case a little too tightly but then again that's what I've come to expect from my female heroines.

My next book order will include The Memory Collector and The Liar's Lullaby. Just add two more books to my huge TBR pile. :)

Final Take: 4.5/5

Jenn's Review: The Dirty Secrets Club

Jenn's Review: The Lightning Thief

Summary:  Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Review:  This is one of those series that is totally surrounded by hype, and it's been on my To Be Read list for a long time. Let me tell you, I'm sorry I waited so long.

I actually broke one of my cardinal rules and watched the movie before reading this. I would never judge a book by it's movie, but the movie didn't encourage me to jump the series. Not that there was anything horribly wrong with the film ...but it wasn't spectacular. The book, on the other hand is marvelous. It actually made me want to re-watch the movie now that I have a fresh perspective.

The inclusion of all the Greek myths is fabulous. It would be easy for them to overpower the story but Rick Riordan does a wonderful job of keeping them balanced. Would you get more out of this series if you knew the myths? Definitely. But it certainly isn't necessary. I'm a little rusty when it comes to my Greek mythology, but that's the beauty about writing YA, there is always a way to include explanations in the plot exposition.

I think another reason I was reluctant to read these books is because I remember the Greek myths being, well, rather heavy subject matter.  Again this is definitely not the case.  And while the book is full of action, it isn't without it's moments of reflection and depth of layers. Although I picked out the villains almost immediately in the movie, I don't think I would have on first, read. At least not until I was into the crux of it. It made me wish I hadn't seen the movie, so I didn't know what was coming, but then again, I think I was more appreciative of all the details because of it.

The Lightning Thief is one of those books that makes you want to throw your TBR list to the wind and just dive right into the next book in the series, The Sea of Monsters. As it is, I will be reshuffling my pile so that I can continue my journey with Percy Jackson.

Final Take: 4.25/5

Julie's Review: The Gate House

Summary: When John Sutter's aristocratic wife killed her mafia don lover, John left America and set out in his sailboat on a three-year journey around the world, eventually settling in London. Now, ten years later, he has come home to the Gold Coast, that stretch of land on the North Shore of Long Island that once held the greatest concentration of wealth and power in America, to attend the imminent funeral of an old family servant. ~nelsondemille.net

Review: In 2008, I re-read The Gold Coast in prep for The Gate House being released. Obviously, I didn't get around to it around release date, so I chose it for my TBR Challenge this year. Nelson DeMille has always been a favorite author since my aunt introduced me to him by lending me The Charm School when I was 18.

I really enjoyed The Gold Coast even on my re-read so on some level I was excited for the sequel. Unfortunately, the sequel in my head was better than this. This novel is a chunkster at 673. When I spend the first 150 pages of the book reading how the main character is over his ex-wife's betrayal but yeah he's not.

When did John Sutter turn into such a whiner? I'm serious. And within the first 100 pages I totally knew where the plot was going to go and yelled out "Really, wasn't this pretty much the plot of the first book?" Also, didn't John learn his lessons the first time around? Apparently not. Maybe this time around Susan won't betray him and sleep with the mafia boss.

The only thing redeeming about the book is that Mr. DeMille still keeps John's wit and sarcasm; both are things that I adored about him before.

Sometimes the sequel doesn't live up to the original and this is the case with this novel. I wish that the plot would have taken another direction entirely. I would have liked to have seen John and Susan tackle a different enemy.

I have another sequel of Mr. DeMille's to read (The Lion) and now I'm a little nervous. I can't remember if it's on my 2012 TBR List or not, but I will read it next year.

Final Take: 3/5

Julie's Review: Rebecca

Summary: "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." Working as a lady's companion, the heroine of Rebecca learns her place. Life begins to look very bleak until, on a trip to the South of France, she meets Maxim de Winter, a handsome widower whose sudden proposal of marriage takes her by surprise. She accepts, but whisked from glamorous Monte Carlo to the ominous and brooding Manderley, the new Mrs de Winter finds Max a changed man. And the memory of his dead wife Rebecca is forever kept alive by the forbidding Mrs Danvers. ~goodreads.com

Review: I've been wanting to read Rebecca for years, so thanks to Adam's TBR Challenge, I have finally tackled it. I only wish I was more satisfied. Now, that's not saying that it wasn't an interesting read and I loved the writing style of Ms. Du Maurier but the story plodded along for me. It wasn't until the last 100 pages that it picked up. Rebecca is an interesting read because the narrator never gives her first name; we only ever know her as Mrs. de Winter and prior to that since she was telling her story there was no need for it. At times I did find this to be distracting. I wanted something to call her other than Maxim's wife or Mrs. de Winter. I felt that it kept me from truly connecting with her throughout the book. I also vacillated between liking her and feeling compassion for her, to wanting to shake her and tell her to grow up.

She is haunted by the memories of Maxim's first wife Rebecca. She is haunted because she doesn't know anything. She is haunted because of what people have told her about Rebecca and Maxim. She is haunted because she is young and insecure. You see she and Maxim got married quickly after meeting in Monte Carlo and only knowing each other for a little time. I wouldn't call this a whirlwind romance at all. To me it was a convenience for both of them. It got her out of a situation that she wasn't to thrilled to be in and for him it was companionship. Does it grow into love? I was never really sold on that at the end of the book. I still think that it was about companionship for both of them. I think that Mrs. de Winter thought she was in love with her husband but having never been in love before, one can never be quite sure.

There are a few twists and turns towards the end of the book that definitely caught me off guard, but I suspect that I should have read the clues and been able to figure it out.

Mrs. Du Maurier is a gifted writer and I can see why this book has been a on many lists as a book not to be missed. I loved her description of Manderley. The way she brings it to life it is a character in and of itself. I could picture myself walking the acreage, walking the halls, running my hands over the wood and art work. It is the kind of place that you want to visit.

I expected a ghost story from Rebecca a real haunting. Not just the haunting of memories from people who knew her. I think that is what disappointed me the most, I wanted a ghost and I didn't get it. I kept expecting some part of the story to not be real, for this to have been a dream or a tale. I kept waiting for some more significant to happen.

The book reminded me a lot of Kate Morton's The House at Riverton in some respects. Although, I have to be honest I enjoyed The House at Riverton far more than Rebecca.

I also have the edition that has the original epilogue for the book. I read it and it left me more confused about the book than the ending did. For me, this is one epilogue that didn't add anything to the story. I would have been better off without it.

Perhaps at some point in the future I will read another one of Ms. Du Maurier's books because I did like her style of writing but Rebecca was a disappointment for me.

Final Take: 3.25/5

Julie's Review: The Brass Verdict

Summary: Lincoln lawyer Mickey Haller and LAPD Detective Harry Bosch team up in Michael Connelly's biggest novel ever. Things are finally looking up for defense attorney Mickey Haller. After two years of wrong turns, Haller is ready to go back to the courtroom. When Hollywood lawyer Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller inherits his biggest case yet: the defense of Walter Elliott, a prominent studio executive accused of murdering his wife and her lover. But as Haller prepares for the case that could launch him into the big time, he learns that Vincent's killer may be coming for him next. Enter Harry Bosch. Determined to find Vincent's killer, he is not opposed to using Haller as bait. But as danger mounts and the stakes rise, these two loners realize their only choice is to work together. ~MichaelConnelly.com

Review: Connelly's Lincoln Lawyer novel was not my favorite of his. I found Mickey Haller to be a slime ball with no code of ethics and nothing redeeming about him. I do like to read books in order which is why I'm reading The Brass Verdict now, even if it is a Haller novel. Although to my delight we see Det. Harry Bosch and Reporter Jack McEvoy in this book as well. I couldn't have been more thrilled to see all of these characters in one book.

Mr. Connelly knows how to suck you in right away. I always find myself immersed in the story right away. The Brass Verdict is no different. We are quickly re-introduced to Mickey because he's being summoned to the judge's office about an issue he has no clue about. You see Mickey's been out of the game for a year but as a reader we don't really know the full story. This part is slowly revealed over the course of the book. The Brass Verdict is told from Mickey's point of view and it works because he's believable. I like this Mickey Haller much better than the one from The Lincoln Lawyer. Sure he's still a defense attorney but he doesn't seem to be such a slime ball here.

What I loved about this novel is that you know that Mickey has a "smoking gun" in the case but you don't know what it is until the trial. This had my brain working on over drive trying to figure it out. And then as soon as it's revealed, BOOM!! It made total sense and I loved how Mickey pulled it all together.

Now, while I said that Jack McEvoy is in the book, he's not a main character but it was nice to see him back even if for a little bit. I really enjoyed the partnering of Bosch with Haller or vice versa. It was intriguing to see a Detective working with a Defense attorney when they are usually at opposite ends of a case.

I will be interested to see where Mickey Haller goes from here. It could be a new chapter in his life.

I will be visiting the next book The Reversal very shortly; where again Bosch and Haller are paired up.

Final Take: 4/5

Jenn's Review: Inkheart

Summary: Cornelia Funke, the enormously talented author of the international best-seller THE THIEF LORD, brings readers another spellbinding tale of adventure and magic. Meggie lives a quiet life alone with her father, a book-binder. But her father has a deep secret-- he posseses an extraordinary magical power. One day a mysterious stranger arrives who seems linked to her father's past. Who is this sinister character and what does he want? Suddenly Meggie is involved in a breathless game of escape and intrigue as her father's life is put in danger. Will she be able to save him in time?

Review: This is another book off my 2011 To Be Read Challenge that's been sitting on my desk for a few years. I've actually been looking forward to this one to the point where, perhaps, my expectations may have been a little inflated. I thought this fell a little short of the mark. Don't get me wrong, it's a good book, but it's not as spellbinding as I hoped it would be.

For one, the writing is very dense for a children's novel and full of metaphors. It seems a little stiff, formal and rather old fashioned. I actually checked the publishing date because I wasn't sure of the time period from the context.  Yes, almost at the end of this book cell phones are mentioned, but otherwise, this could have been set fifty years ago.  This may have something to do with the fact that it was translated into English from German, but I think it also has a lot to do with Cornelia Funke's writing style.  She does cite J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, and J. M Barrie’s Petter Pan as her favorite childhood fantasy novels, so perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised.

The characters are interesting -I can definitely relate to Elinor and her house full of books that she considers family. I probably would have ended up a lot like her if I hadn't met my husband. Meggie is sweet and unassuming, but I felt like the reader doesn't get to know her very well. There are no other children in the story really, and the plot is such that she doesn't have much time to be a child. So the story, though centered on Meggie, has a very mature feel to it.

There is also little levity to be found. Maybe that's why I found myself needing to put it down and take a break from time to time. However, even though it wasn't "unputdownable", the concept was fascinating and had me hooked. I loved that Ms. Funke takes the metaphor of books coming alive and makes it literal. You were never quite sure what anyone's motivation was or who could be trusted.

Inkheart is left a little open-ended, there are two more books in the series, but not so gaping that it feels unresolved. I will be reading the next two books and, now that I know what to expect, I'll see if it changes how I feel about the books. If you are a fan of children's fantasy, you should certainly check out the Inkheart series.

Final Take: 3.75/5

Julie's Review: The Actor and the Housewife

Summary: This successful sophomore turn at chick lit (after Austenland) from YA and graphic novelist Hale sets up a platonic relationship between a dashing movie star and a Mormon housewife. While in Los Angeles to ink a deal for a script she's written, pregnant Becky Jack holds her own against her big screen crush, Felix Callahan, known the world over for charming his way through romantic comedies. Witty banter draws them together, and though they debate what their fascination with one another could mean, an improbable friendship is born. Their alliance weathers the occasional break, Felix's disinterest in children and his indifference toward Becky's Mormon faith; spousal jealousy and the chasm separating their lifestyles also throw an occasional curveball. Hale keeps the prose crackling with humor and has a sure hand in creating nuanced, believable characters, so when otherwise unlikely plot turns creep up—Becky getting cast opposite Felix—they're, well, likely enough. Though Becky just wants to keep her best friend and her normal life, readers will hope she gets nothing less than a fairy tale ending. ~amazon.com

Review: I will admit I've always had celebrity crushes. I had them as a youngster and I have them now. My dream guy back in the day ranged from Ricky Schroeder, Kirk Cameron and River Phoenix. Today it's pretty much Michael Vartan, Adam Levine, Matt Damon and Justin Timberlake. So, when I read the premise of The Actor and the Housewife: A Novel was right up my alley. I mean if you've ever had a celebrity crush, you've probably thought about this scenario a dozen times.

We are quickly introduced to Becky Jack and Felix Callahan and how they fall into an easy, yet sarcastic friendship. Becky is happily married to Mike with kid number 4 on the way when she befriends Felix. Felix is happily married to Celeste and enjoys being a Hollywood heartthrob. So, yes the friendship is unlikely as it is likely but somehow these two are destined to be in each others lives.

The novel takes us through 11 years of their friendships. Their ups and downs in life and in their friendship. There were a couple of twists in the plot line that I didn't see coming and for that I was happy.

I will say that I found Becky a tad annoying. I guess it comes from me thinking that no one is that witty all the time and well that wholesome. For me, she was a throw back to the 1950s wives and I just couldn't relate to that. I didn't connect with her but in the end I wanted her happy and fulfilled. I found Felix to be charming and adorable.

I did find that the 1st part of the book started plodding along but then it started to pick up the pace again. This is when the story took flight and where you see changes in the characters.

I will say, while the ending was satisfying in a realistic and charming way; I really wanted my Hollywood ending.

If you've ever fantasized about a celebrity then you should pick up The Actor and the Housewife: A Novel . Although maybe the stories in your head are better.

Final Take: 3.75/5