desertvixen | Entries tagged with book report

I know, I am so behind on this.

I tackled several of the Sweet Valley University series. I picked one up at a UBS and was intrigued. Actually, they aren't half bad. Except for the secret society whacko part, a lot of plot points were pretty realistic.

1. Life changes when you go to college.
2. Relationships change when you go to college.
3. Plenty of college freshmen have overeaten for various reasons. The twin who does actually goes on a diet (and is on the diet for several books).
4. Plenty of college freshmen try to reinvent themselves.

One of the books addresses date rape, in a pretty realistic fashion.

I'm also working through the Nancy Drew college books, and they're pretty good too. OMG, the cute sensitive theater major is gay - stereotype alert! It's actually handled pretty well (i.e., character is treated like everyone else, has a relationship, although he is somewhat in the closet because he fears parental disapproval).

On to the heavier stuff.

I picked up Policing Las Vegas by Dennis Griffin (no, CSI is not mentioned). It's pretty good, but unless you're interested in the LVMPD (Metro), nothing to interest the general public.

Three Jo Beverley Regencies were read during this period: Hazard, The Devil's Heiress, and St. Raven. The hero in the middle book, George "Hawk" Hawkinville, is the first Beverley hero I'd actually want for myself. Maybe it was his obvious soft spot for cats, and his habit of petting them. I like men who like cats. It's something of a requirement actually. They were all pretty good, worth reading if you like the style.

I picked up the Miles in Love omnibus, of course.

HisPanic by Geraldo Rivera was a good read, a little bit of fighting back at the people playing on the fear of the Brown Horde overrunning America. Yes, illegal immigration is a big problem. No, not everyone with a Hispanic last name is illegal, or trying to play the system, or plotting the Reconquest.

When The Husband Is The Suspect by F. Lee Bailey is a rundown of husbands who kill (or are suspected of killing) their wives. It's a pretty factual rundown, and nothing much new on the usual suspects - Sam Sheppard, Scott Petersen, OJ - with some lesser-known and some non-murders thrown in. There's a fair amount of Bailey saying what he would have done, which is probably one of the reasons he figures you'll buy the book. It's not bad, and nothing too lurid is included.

The Republican War on Science by Chris Mooney - excellent book, if you believe the GOP is trying to misuse, or at least ignore, science in favor of politics. If not, it's probably not up your alley.

Saxons, Vikings, and Celts by Bryan Sykes is a look at the genome project trying to establish British ancestry and settlement patterns (ie, who were the Picts, exactly, and where did they come from?) It's good, worth reading as much for the behind-the-scenes looks at the author as for the DNA breakdown stuff.

Why Women Should Rule The World by DeeDee Myers has a slightly tongue-in-cheek title, but a good message - we cannot afford to ignore or minimize women's experiences just because they are different from men's experiences, and how if we included the feminine perspective more, we'd get things more balanced - and that would benefit all of us.

Why We're Liberals by Eric Alterman was good, if you're a liberal and wondering what exactly the problem is these days with the word "liberal".

Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie is one of the Poirot mysteries I had not read, and it was good. And I guessed 90 percent of the who and why and how, which always makes me happy.

Lies My Teacher Told Me (2nd Edition) by James Loewen was excellent. I didn't learn too much that I didn't already know, but I didn't learn any of it in high school, which is the point of the book.

The Feminine Mistake by Leslie Bennetts was a good book - about the economic peril women who stay home may face. The book is a little titled towards the upper and upper-middle-class marriages - she takes it pretty much as a given that middle-class families need to have both spouses working. However, the basic message was still solid.

The Treasury of Foolishly Forgotten Americans by Michael Farquhar was good enough to get me through my flight from Atlanta to Augusta after I gave up on Persuasion. If you've read his other books, you know they're collections of juicy historical tidbits. If you liked them, this one should not disappoint.

Crunch: Why Do I Feel So Squeezed? by Jared Bernstein is an improvement on "Economics for Dummies" by a long shot - the writing is concise, the sense of humor is superb, and the information is useful. Come on, how can you not like a guy who includes Alan Shore of Boston Legal? Definitely worth reading.

This Common Secret by Susan Wicklund is a definite pro-choice read. It's a powerful, moving book about a doctor's journey, the hardships she faced while providing abortions, how she and her family dealt with it, and underneath it all, why we should keep fighting to ensure that abortion remains safe, legal, and within reach for those women who need to exercise that choice. If you've liked the other pro-choice stuff I've recced, you'll probably want to read this one.

I should be able to do two more updates before I must depart for Iraq, although I will try to keep up while I'm over there as well.

DV

It's been awhile. I went on a huge re-read phase of Nancy Drew and Eve Dallas.

The Pony Express in Nevada, published by the Nevada BLM, is a little short book I brought back on the Pony Express stations in Nevada, what was known about them, and what was left of them in the mid-eighties. I picked up a bunch of Nevada specific books while I was home, and I have several others to read. This one was pretty good, although only if you had interest in the subject.

101 Foods That Cold Save Your Life by David Grotto was pretty good. 45 of the 101 actually appeal to me. Some of the recipes looked really good, and not weird.

Great British Cooking by Jane Garmey was also very good, a good overview of classic British cuisine. I'm not all that tempted to try much of it, but it's good to have on hand for reference.

45 Master Characters by Victoria L. Schmidt was one of those writing reference books. It's not too bad, and worth keeping around, and gets into archetype characters. The only nitpick was it's obvious what movies the author has enjoyed. Also gets into the hero's journey from a feminine and masculine viewpoint, which was interesting (the base tales were The Descent of Inanna and the epic of Gilgamesh).

The Coming Draft by Philip Gold was pretty good, although somewhat mis-titled. A better title would have been Why People Think The Draft Is Coming. Especially since even he isn't arguing that the draft should be making a comeback.

24 Years of Housework and the Place is Still A Mess by Pat Schroeder was EXCELLENT.

neonnurse, have you read this one? I think you'd really enjoy it. Her writing is nice and dishy, lets her tone come through excellently, and I wish that she hadn't left the House just as I was starting to take notice of politics, because I really liked how she came across. Picked it up in a used book store, but it was an excellent buy for a hardcover.

Whilst browsing in the UBS in Columbia, I happened upon the 1987 edition of the Cadette and Senior Girl Scout Interest Projects book - basically the badge book I used when I was in at that level. I had gotten rid of mine, and decided to snap this one up for old times' sake.

I took an exploratory dive into the Sweet Valley University series and was intrigued enough to get a few more copies off Amazon. Also read some (new-to-me) Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. They're my brain candy, what can I say?

The Sagebrush State by Michael W. Bowers is one of the required texts in the Nevada History and Government class that I won't ever have to take. I liked it, it's well-laid out and concise, includes handy little text boxes of "Famous Firsts" along the way. Definitely worth the money.

Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women's Rights Movement by Sally McMillen was very good, although none of it was really new information. She dwelled a little more on the personal lives of the four women she looked at (Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucy Stone) and their interactions, and the book does not cover the period after 1900 where the tactics were stepped up quite a bit. Very good, I would recommend it.

And, now, Strangers in Death by JD Robb. Just finished it about an hour ago, and it was really very good.

Unspoilered version: This one is a little lighter than the last couple have been, at least on the surface. The crime is dark and disturbing, but it's not another serial killer or criminal with a fixation on Eve. The end of the book is very fast-paced and hard to put down. There's almost no tension between Eve and Roarke, and there's a MAJOR plot point for a pair of supporting characters(I name them in the spoiler section). Crullers and a lemon meringue pie also make guest appearances. If you like the series, go snap this one up.

Spoilered version:

( Beware of Spoilers! )

It's so worth it.

DV

How to Pick a Peach by Russ Parsons was pretty good, about how some of the food we buy is grown now, and how it used to be grown, some of the different varieties, etc. The book is divided into seasons. I would definitely recommend it.

It’s Getting Ugly Out There by Jack Cafferty is pretty good. If you like the acerbic commentator on CNN, you’ll like the book. My favorite part is where he talks about the fact that he changed his mind about the Iraq war, and WHY. The part where he actually gives a reason for changing his mind, as opposed to acting like he never said/did something. That’s one thing that drives me about a lot of politicians – it’s all right to change a stand, but tell us WHY you changed your mind. What made you think you should look at the issue again?

/political ranting off

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel is a children’s book, but it’s delightful. The illustrations are great, and instantly recognizable if you have a cat. It’s a sort of alphabetical romp, a little far-fetched at times, but fabulous to read.

I was going to make a separate review of Laurell K. Hamilton’s newest Merry Gentry book, A Lick of Frost, but I got sidetracked. Basically, it was pretty good, better than the last one, IMO.

( Lick of Frost spoilers )

The Assassin’s Touch by Laura Joh Rowland, was excellent. A solid Sano Ichiro mystery, even though he’s gotten the “reward” for a job well done (i.e., a worse job where you have a knife to your throat at all times. No good deed goes unpunished.) Now I’m set to read Red Chrysanthemum whenever I manage to whittle down my to-read pile some.

Under The Wishing Star by Diane Farr was pretty good, much like her other, smaller Regencies for Signet. Sweet and touching.

Truly Yours by Barbara Metzger was excellent. I think after The Hourglass, this is the big Regency of hers that I have liked the best. The hero is compelling, as is the heroine, and we all know what a sucker I am for dysfunctional families in books. The concept of the men in the hero’s family being able to hear the truth and how it’s expressed to them is great, and Metzger’s humor is in fine style.

The Official Nancy Drew Handbook by Penny Warner is humorous, and worth having if you’re a Nancy Drew fan, but parts of it should definitely be taken tongue in cheek (like the "romance" advice). It’s an amusing way to pass an afternoon.

Old Friends and New Fancies by Sybil G. Brinton is billed as the first-ever Jane Austen sequel (it was published in 1913) and in my opinion, it does a good job, better than some things that were written more recently. It even made me feel somewhat sympathetic towards Mary Crawford. The book follows the idea of “let’s throw other Austen characters in and watch the fun”, and does it nicely. If there’s enough interest, I’ll do a separate, more in-depth review of the book. Main focus is on the love lives of Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana Darcy.

Forbidden by Jo Beverley was definitely a guilty pleasure book, but worth the read. Also, a Regency hero who is a virgin? Definitely not something you see in a lot of books.

From Pocahontas to Power Suits by Kay Mills is pretty good, although written in the late 1990’s, so not super up-to-date. It does a good job of covering women’s issues and contributions in American history, bringing out a lot of good facts. It’s written in a sort of question-and-answer format, and I would definitely rec this for teen girls or any other women who need an intro to the subject. In other words, it's feminist propaganda, according to one of our conservative radio hosts here in Augusta. (Not sure who it is, but they're on the low station where my MP3 player plugs into the car.)

Nevada Trivia by Richard Moreno was interesting for me (the Nevadan), but probably not something you want to read if that’s not a subject you’re interested in.

The Hanoverians: History of a Dynasty by Jeremy Black was quite good. A touch on the dry and academic side, not something I’d want to read in one fell swoop, but good nonetheless. Kd5mk recommended the author, and I would have to do so as well. I would have liked a little more personal detail, but that not really what the book was intended to be about – more of a look at the Hanoverian monarchs’ roles in the government, with an interesting chapter on history in Hanover.

I finished reading the new Keith Olbermann hardcover, a collection of his Special Comments. It was enjoyed. If you like him, you’ll like it. It has the Comment itself and some background on how it came about. If you don’t like him, you won’t like it.

That book was number 1770, before I started culling books. Now there's just about 1700.

I left this one off the reading update, partly because I forgot to record it on my running list, and partly because I usually cover them pretty in-depth. They could be compared to mental popcorn, although I like potato chips as a better model: you may only intend to eat one or two, but before you know it, you've eaten the whole bag.

Unspoilered version: Good, but not her best. I was a little apprehensive about a certain aspect after reading the book jacket, but it was handled nicely. I also managed to pick the villain, but it basically came down to choosing the more shocking of two choices. It's an enjoyable read though, but I wouldn't recommend this as a starting point for someone to enter the series.

Spoilered version: ( Read more... )

DV

I'm down to one class now, so hopefully the reading time will increase. I'll also have to do something while I'm in AZ other than go to the gym, and reading is probably it.

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann basically looks at the idea that the Native Americans had some pretty nice societies going in the pre-Columbian era, and the research going into that era now. It was a good read, except for the part where I had to exchange my copy at B&N because it was a bad printing (pages blank).

A Land as God Made It: Jamestown and the Birth of America by James Horn was something I read for my Colonial America class to do my book review assignment on, but it was good, and well-worth buying. It's a pretty interesting story that makes you wonder why the Mayflower crew got such good press (although I believe there's a book out by Nathaniel Philbrick that covers the interesting history of the founding there).

The Queen's Man by Sharon Kay Penman was good, especially since I picked it up in the UBS. I'm probably going to read the next one when I reduce my to-be-read pile some. An engaging mystery, with a nice twist on who should and should not be trusted.

On Top of Spahetti... by Johanne Killeen and George Germon was an excellent pasta cookbook, nice value for the money.

I also acquired the Weight Watchers Cookbook to have around for some ideas. I'm not thinking about joining, but some of the recipes look tasty.

One of the Guys is a book edited by Tara McKelvey of essays dealing with women in combat, mostly dealing with essays concerning the women involved at Abu Ghraib. It wasn't as good a book as I was hoping, as most of the authors didn't seem to get a lot about being female in the military.

I also picked up the fifteenth anniversary edition of Backlash by Susan Faludi. There's a new preface, but that's all that's new. However, the book has large chunks of "the more things change, the more they stay the same". Some of the material has been covered in other books I've read, but it was still a very useful read. I agree with her about the danger of "trend reporting" and about the effort the media puts into playing women off of each other.

The 51% Minority by Lis Wiehl (who I was very surprised to find out works for Fox News because she makes a lot of points I agree with, which I do not normally associate with that network) is a good look at the inequities women still face, and THINGS TO DO in response. The back of the book includes what she calls a "women's toolbox" of agencies to be contacted and actions to be taken. I was a little annoyed at the list of physical precautions she recommends that women take to be safe in their homes, when generally the dangers to women come from inside the home, but otherwise it's good.

On the Regency front, I read An Encounter with Venus by Elisabeth Mansfield, A Matchmaker's Christmas by Donna Simpson, Valentine's Change of Heart by Elisabeth Fairchild, and The Rogue's Return by Jo Beverley. The Beverley one was the best, IMO, although the Venus one was also intriguing, with an older woman/younger man pairing.

Lastly, I got through 2 Nancy Drew titles, #55, Mystery of Crocodile Island and #43, The Mystery of the 99 Steps. I'm pretty well along in my collection of these, with just a few titles that I haven't read. They were both pretty readable, although I think I may have read 99 Steps before, or the plot's really similar to something else.

I'll try to update the reading filter once more before I head off for AZ.

DV

It's been a long time, and quite a few books, so I'm only posting the gems. There's also been a lot of reading for school. I have a huge to be read stack.

Women Warriors: A History by David E. Jones is a small overview of women warriors around the globe.

tepintzin, you might enjoy this one, and I bought it at clothing sales for $6.95.

Venetia by Georgette Heyer - I loved, loved, loved this one! I adore Venetia (the character) and was applauding her. I would have liked to see more of the storyline with the older brother and the wife and her mother, but sigh. Have they stopped doing the reprints? Am I going to have to check out Amazon.ca ? (Probably)

Born in Death by JD Robb. Yes, they're like popcorn. Or a bag of potato chips, and I tried not to read this one all in one setting. I had to wait a few days on it, actually, because I had so much school reading. The next one is due out on February 20. This one was pretty good - not the best, but good. You know where it's going, generally, but it's the getting there that's the good part. This one had an uplifting ending, which I appreciate. I also admire Roberts/Robb's ability to characterize, especially with such a diverse cast of characters. She also doesn't fall into the trap of "everyone gets a walk-on", unlike some other authors I (and others on the f-list) could mention.

Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester is a gorgeous reference book to the Regency period. It's not the most inclusive, but all the examples are taken from Heyer books, and it's just pretty. And nice. Definitely recommend this one for the other Regency nuts on my list.

I replaced my hardcover How to Cook Everything with a softcover version, works a little better.

Harold II: The Doomed Saxon King by Peter Rex was another offering from Tempus Publishers. It's a little dense, but good reading, and deals with the reign of Harold Godwineson, right up until the Conqueror came to pay a visit. Recommended to the other British history nuts out there.

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig is definitely worth reading. The mix of Regency with a little modern-day chick lit, not to mention a neat little mystery. It's mostly Regency, and well-worth the read, especially when you pick up the hardcover on the bargain table at Barnes and Noble.

I read two Nancy Drew mysteries, The Haunted Showboat and The Clue of the Black Keys. Both go on the keeper list. I was waay too entertained by all the uses of the word "gay" in Showboat (yes, in the meaning of "happy"), because my brain kept casting it in the MODERN sense of the word "gay", with lines such as, "Oh, Nancy, but we've planned such a gay excursion!". They do, at times, lend themselves nicely to the MST3K treatment.

Elizabeth Wydeville: The Slandered Queen by Arlene Okerlund was very good, nicely researched. Tempus Publishing is doing a set of books devoted to England's queens who haven't gotten a lot of play historically, so I'll keep my eyes out for more of them.

Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King by Antonia Fraser was quite good. Her stuff generally is, but she did an excellent job in this book of having Louis onstage, but not at center stage. The women include Anne of Austria (mother), his wife Marie-Therese of Spain, a few other ladies and wives of the blood, as well as his primary mistresses. Enjoyable, but not too heavy.

Mistral's Kiss by Laurell K. Hamilton - another entry in the Merry Gentry series, and there was actually SOME plot movement. Not too too much - I'm still waiting to see how she can get rid of her cousin, and I have some ideas on that one - as well as hinting at the problems with the Seelie Court. The ending is very good, with just the right touch of pithy humor the Anita books used to have.

Speaking of LKH, has anyone read the Strange Candy collection? Good, bad, indifferent?

Pleasure for Pleasure by Eloisa James is a solid Regency, the end of her latest quartet. I liked it, as I do most of her stuff, because I like the continuity of characters. However, I must ask what book the person who wrote the blurb read, because it really didn't feel all that similar. Totally not what I was expecting.

The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn by Retha M. Warnicke was an excellent history read, focusing on Anne Boleyn and her relationship with the king. I do like the theory she puts forth, that the last child she miscarried may have been deformed, and that it may have led to her execution, rather than just the king tiring of her. Definitely worth adding to the bookshelf. It didn't seem too dense, and her writing is pretty engaging, if not overly emotional.

A Royal Affair by Stella Tillyard focuses on George III of England and his troublesome siblings. It's a good read, with nice art details and an engaging pace, even if you aren't a history nut. Definitely one of the the "truth is better than fiction" picks.

The Queen of Subtleties by Suzannah Dunn is the bad historical novel referenced a post ago. I picked it up off the bargain table at Barnes and Noble, and am definitely glad of that. It's remaining on my shelf mainly as an example of how NOT to do historical fiction, especially with real people as your central cast. The book is split between two POVs, Anne Boleyn and the king's confectioner, Lucy Cornwallis. In the beginning, Anne states that she wants to leave something of herself for Elizabeth, but her sections of the book are not exactly memoirs. The voice this author gives Anne is too modern, in her language, and she basically comes off as a bad stereotype of the Other Woman - bitchy, vindictive, and upset that her "rightful" place is being taken. It seemed pretty amusing at first, but grew thin rapidly. There were a few glimmers of humanity, but not much.

DV

So, I finished it. 827 pages, which is why my LJ has been very quiet these few days.

Go read the book. It's so worth it. Of course, there's also moments where you roll your eyes, or laugh, or absolutely hate David Weber's guts. I'm not prepared to say that this is his overall best book, but I think it has some of the best moments. It's also the only David Weber book that has made me cry. Nice admin touch - character list and definitions in the back of the book.

Spoilers: ( Read more... )

Off to type up some fanfic now, and hopefully cheer up.

DV

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Entries tagged with book report

Reading Post #47

Reading Post #46

Reading Update #45

New JD Robb Book: Innocent in Death

Reading Update #29

Reading Update #28

At All Costs by David Weber