Books read in January 2009

[fenchurch]

I think I've mentioned a few times that I had never realized reading books was a habit until I got out if it. Seriously, reading couldn't be a habit... it's just something you do! Like breathing! But after the car accident I was physically incapable of holding a book for about six months... and then I just never really started up again. I mean, I've read books, I just haven't devoured them the way I used to and I've found that I have to actually make myself pick one up to start (although it's not like I haven't been reading... it's just mostly been in electronic form). So, this year I'm working on kickstarting the old habit -- finish a book, immediately pick up the next one. And if a book isn't holding my attention, ditch it (I used to try to stick it out unless the book was really bad... but where I'm already having to work at remembering to pick up a book in the first place, I don't have room in my life for dull books).

So, here's the list of books I finished in January, still paltry compared to what I used to read, but much more than I've been managing in the past few years! I tried to keep spoilers to a minimum, but I do mention some plot points below.

Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich
I liked this one much more than the first two in the series... they were enjoyable, but seemed a bit clumsy in spots. In this one, it felt like the book was inhabited more with characters than caricatures, which I'm afraid was something that bugged me about the previous books.

This was also the first book where the ending wasn't completely predictable and way too telegraphed. She's getting better at doing subtle clues in her writing, and also at not having to stretch the reader's suspension of disbelief in order to get Stephanie into the situations she does.

Small Favor by Jim Butcher (definitely spoilery)

Yay! I'm finally caught up on this series!! I'm constantly amazed at how good these books are and how quickly he can write them, especially considering he's doing two big series at once. I've got the first book in the Fury series on my Teetering Pile (where it's been for several years now) and I'm really looking forward to finally giving it a try.

As for Small Favor, the plot was suitably twisty, although the book did feel a bit like it was mostly trying to get characters into position for future storylines. Not a bad thing, but it meant that the story wasn't quite as satisfying as I was hoping. Some of the new developments were a bit unexpected and it got me wondering, again, if Jim Butcher has an endgame in mind... and whether that means the series will eventually end (something I would find rather sad) or if he has an idea of how to continue after whatever major event the characters are heading toward.

The one thing that bugged me was the resolution of Harry's little memory problem. It was big enough that it had Michael doubting him and it was a big deal to Harry when it was revealed... and then it just sort of got shoved aside and the story continued. We did eventually find out what had happened, and maybe it's just me... but it seemed like a really big deal when it was revealed, and then it just sort of faded as a major plotpoint. I guess I was expecting there to be more to it than that.

Hmm... I wonder when the next book is due out...

The Game by Diana Wynne Jones

The Game is not so much a book as a novella and is based on an interesting idea that just didn't quite work (it mostly made me want to go back and reread Dogsbody, which had a similar foundation, but did a better job on the follow through). I enjoyed the book if for no other reason than it was written by Diana Wynne Jones and there's something about her writing style that I find almost irresistible. I don't know that I'll ever get an urge to read it again, though. It felt like she was trying way too hard to be clever and instead the story ended up stumbling all over itself.

Four to Score by Janet Evanovich

I should mention that I'm reading these books in an effort to keep up with the reading schedule on plum_lovin. Unfortunately, since I pretty much only read them while on the exercycle at the gym, I'm falling woefully behind. Onto the book...

Once again, we're back to caricatures rather than characters, but I'm starting not to mind as much. I think it's largely a matter of how I'm approaching the books in the first place (not that I was taking them "seriously" before, but I wasn't expecting them to skirt the edge of campiness so closely). Anyway, it was a fun book with some overly silly moments that I did find a bit jarring. Sally grew on me as the story progressed, but suffered from some of the same over-the-topness that's bugged me in these books all along. Still really liking the Joe/Stephanie relationship, but I wouldn't mind seeing some sort of whirlwind one-night-stand with Ranger. I think it would be fun.

And one I read most of but didn't quite finish:

The Tribe of Tiger by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

The book started out pretty well, but by the time I reached the halfway point, I was having trouble making myself read it... and I finally decided it wasn't worth taking the time to try to finish it. It seemed like the author couldn't quite make up her mind whether she wanted to write a scientifically based overview of the influence of evolution on the behavior of cats or just showcase her own anecdotal stories of cat behavior.

Obviously, the two could easily go hand in hand, but her "science references" (as mentioned in the footnotes) often ended up simply being her own private correspondence with certain scientists with whom she happened to agree. And even then, it could be forgivable, if the stories she told had been interesting, but they quickly became quite repetitive and, well, boring... and life is way too short to read boring books. Still, it was bizarrely difficult to give up trying to read it... I guess because I hate leaving things unfinished like that.

Big thanks to moscow_watcher for sharing this icon earlier this week... just in time for my first book post of the year!!

Comments

[queenofattolia.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed the book if for no other reason than it was written by Diana Wynne Jones and there's something about her writing style that I find almost irresistible. I don't know that I'll ever get an urge to read it again, though. It felt like she was trying way too hard to be clever and instead the story ended up stumbling all over itself.

I was not particularly impressed by this book either, which pains me to say. Actually, I haven't really, really loved any of her books since The Merlin Conspiracy (which I adored - now there are characters worth revisiting). The Pinhoe Egg was cute; I think the Howl and Crestomanci characters are a bit played out now, so I didn't particularly love either House of Many Ways or Conrad's Fate very much (CF seemed particularly muddled to me). I dunno; I hope she never stops writing, but she's so prolific that I guess some of her books are bound to be misses. :/

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

Jim Butcher does indeed have an endgame in mind for Harry. I haven't seen any actual details as to what it is, but we've got ten books to go before he's done (assuming the publisher lets him have that many; I believe he's contracted up to book 15). And Turn Coat is due out April 7.