Category: book club

book club

BOOK HUNGRY: sweet as sin

abby mumford

who says you have to be crowded into the living room, kitchen, and/or dining room to hold a book club? we are ladies of the 21st century. we don’t need no stinkin’ couches. so pull up a blog and join in the conversation.

the members of the BOOK HUNGRY are (alphabetically): patty blount, kelly breakey, karla nellenbach, vanessa noble, alyson peterson, cynthia reese, elizabeth ryann, and myself. here’s the deal. we pick a book to read. we discuss via email. we post a review on our individual blogs on the same day (3rd thursday of the month). we link to each other. done. i know, genius. click on each one of their names (above) and it’ll take you to their review. browse. enjoy.

this month’s BOOK HUNGRY selection is: 

SWEET AS SIN by Inez Kelley


what it’s about from amazon: John Murphy is tormented by nightmares. A bestselling young-adult author, he writes the ultimate fantasy: stories where good always triumphs. He knows better. His past has shown him the worst in people—and in himself. When he moves next door to the sexy, vibrant Livvy—a woman completely unlike his usual one-night stands—he’s driven to explore every curve of her delicious body. Pastry chef Livvy knows that giving in to the temptation that is John Murphy won’t lead to anything permanent, but she deserves a passionate summer fling. John discovers she’s as sweet as the confections she bakes while Livvy slowly unravels his secrets. But what will happen when she uncovers them all?

my opinion: when reading this book, i couldn’t help but think of the show “dexter” and how the men both dexter and john murphy become are largely dependent upon traumatic events in their childhood. john is one of the most raw and vivid characters i’ve ever read, but (for me) dexter more successfully portrays a sympathetic hero.

as it was, i didn’t like john murphy. in the beginning (and middle), he was too mean and too intense and too much. i didn’t believe that livvy could go from a superficial love affair to unconditional love so quickly in the midst of all those monsters. she did, fine, but then the downward spiral leading up to the ending was long and traumatic and suddenly, poof, in five pages, happily ever after. uh, what? because the rest of the book was relatively slow paced and wordy, i expected the ending to follow a similar suit. it did not. i wish it had because this contained some of the most interesting details and necessary facts to explain why john is the way he is. i wanted more of that. not less. and because i didn’t spend the entire book in love with john’s character, i needed more time to forgive his actions, whereas livvy jumped back into his arms after one “i’m sorry.”

i didn’t buy it.

it’s a weird thing, this book. overall, the things i liked about it didn’t outweigh the things i didn’t like, however, john murphy is one memorable character. i won’t soon forget him, but i’m also happy not to revisit with him because i like my books with a side of something a little less dark.

in related news, patty, kelly, karla and i had a conference call with inez and it was fascinating. i once read an article about stephenie meyer and how her agent (or was it her editor?) had never seen someone talk about their characters so vividly. it was as if they really were alive. i felt like this with inez. she wrote the book over four years ago and yet she was pulling out trivia and facts and tidbits that i barely remembered and i just finished the book on sunday. impressive.

for once, our group was divided into those that loved it and those that didn’t, so definitely go check out the other gals’ reviews.

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book club

things i’ve read. thoughts i’ve thunk.

abby mumford

using bria’s 5 star rating system, here’s the short: star rating and long: what i thought about what i’ve read recently.*

*i use the word recently very loosely.

A BLUE SO DARK, holly schindler
short: 4.5 stars.
long: the idea of the creative process and how it affects us is beautifully and painfully constructed here. aura’s mother is spiraling down a schizophrenic black hole and not only does aura have to take care of her, but she has to come to grips with the fact that she might be affected with the disease too. gorgeous, evocative language. contemporary. thoughtful. stunning.

A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT, linda urban
short: 3.5 stars.
long: an MG novel that is sweet, short, and lovely. since it’s MG, i read it in about an hour, huzzah! fun little book.

AND THEN THINGS FALL APART, arlaina tibensky
short: 4.5 stars.
long: i got this out of the library and before i’d even finished it, i’d bought my own copy from the book store. i found myself dog-earing page after page because not only are the words hilarious, but the emotional truths knock the wind out of you. (and well, here, this review pretty much sums up my thoughts about this book and actually, it was the original reason i decided to read this book.) also, as a “writer”, i appreciated tibensky’s craft. she just nails the teen voice. basically, this book rocks.

BLOOD RED ROAD, moira young
short: 4.5 stars
long: this book caught me off guard. it’s fast, furious, and full of awesome characters, especially saba. she’s happily lived in her twin brother’s shadow for her whole life — but then he’s captured and she’s forced into a quest to find him. being there for saba’s transformation from follower to leader is intense and worth every single second. the only bad thing is that this is the first book in a series and there’s awhile to wait until the next ones are released. UGH! (for me, saba’s up there with katniss everdeen from HUNGER GAMES and katsa from THE GRACELING.)

CORSETS & CLOCKWORK: 13 STEAMPUNK ROMANCES, ed. trisha telep
short: 2 stars.
long: i read maybe 3 of the stories before i came across a really creepy one and i had to stop. i can’t handle the creepy. fortunately, kiersten white’s TICK TICK BOOM was 5 stars and was the last one in the book and was the reason i picked up the anthology in the first place and it didn’t disappoint. action, adventure, lighting bugs, secret identities, yes please!

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, laini taylor
short: 4 stars.
long: this book is poetry disguised as prose. the writing is ridiculously gorgeous. (side note: laini came to wellesley books and adriana and i went to see her. she was adorable and humble and strong and fabulous. she said she could get lost in re-writing a paragraph all day because playing with words and bringing out their musicality is her favorite. after reading DAUGHTER, that is obvious.) however, the plot wasn’t my favorite. (in fact, i’m waiting for adriana to finish reading it so i can ask her to explain a major plot point to me.) the ideas put forth in this book are killer and very unique, but i liked this for the writing, not the story.

FORBIDDEN, tabitha suzuma
short: 1 star.
long: the title is perfect. the topic is forbidden (bro/sis love affair) and frankly, the writing was too good and thus i had to stop because i was too uncomfortable reading this. i’m glad i gave it a brief read because it’s always good to test yourself / read out of your comfort zone / know what your boundaries are, but that said, i returned it to the library unfinished.

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE, jk rowling
short: 5 stars.
long: i was a bit afraid the magic wouldn’t feel the same after not having read this series for years. that was stupid of me. it still lingered on every page and surprisingly, was even more compelling this fourth time around. if you haven’t read this (book or series), WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

IT’S IN HIS KISS, caitie quinn
short: 4.7 stars.
long: it’s one of the most charming stories i’ve read in ages. fun, easy, breezy, funny, story. i’ve read it twice already. (it probably also hits v. close to home). the only reason it’s not getting 5 stars is because it’s kindle only and i’m partial to books and because not everyone i know has a kindle and so i can’t share it with them!

JUST LISTEN, sarah dessen (audiobook)
short: 3.5 stars.
long: this covers a bunch of intense topics, but in typical sarah dessen fashion, it’s a joy to read, umm, listen to. the emotional journey dessen takes you on is just that — a wild ride of highs and lows and it had me shaking my fist at annabel a couple of times. (i mean, no it didn’t. i’m a perfect driver who always has her hands at 10 and 2.) (i tend to listen to audiobooks on my long drive.) anyways, while annabel frustrated me sometimes, she was always true to character and thus, you can’t help loving her, but honestly, owen, the love interest, is the true scene stealer and he alone makes this book worth the read, or umm, listen.

NIGHTSHADE, andrea cremer
short: 3 stars
long: this book is the first in a very popular series. it might even be on the NYT bestselling list. i have to say, i don’t see it. i mean, it’s got all the popular things: paranormal elements, love triangle, sassiness, and while i read the entire thing in two (cross country airplane) sittings, i was never fully wrapped up in it. i had no problem stopping when the stewardess came by with the drink cart and again with the free snacks (woohoo, jet blue!). i almost wish there hadn’t been a love triangle and more time could have been spent on the relationship between calla and shay. i think that also would have solved the problem of too much happening in too little time at the end. i may check out the sequel WOLFSBANE, i may not…

SUPERNATURALLY, kiersten white
short: 3 stars
long: this is the sequel to PARANORMALCY and i have to admit, those jackets are some of my absolute favorites. i think they’re simply gorgeous. as for the interior of the book — evie is a really interesting character and i understand what white was attempting to do here in moving the character and the plot forward, but i found it a bit dull. however, i am now invested in the story, so i’ll definitely be reading the third book, ENDLESSLY, when it’s released and if you’re in the mood for something light, flirty, and breezy, this is the series for you.

THE NIGHT CIRCUS, erin morgenstern.
short: 3 stars.**
long: i haven’t read an “adult” book in ages, but i made an exception for this one because the media blitz about it was overwhelming. the concept was fascinating (a circus, a challenge, a love story, MAGIC), but for me, the execution fell flat. the omniscient narrator created too much distance and i never felt fully invested in marco or celia, which is too bad because they’re the two main characters and because the stage was ripe with possibility (rivals, respect, love, magic!).  yeah, basically (overall) i was underwhelmed, but you might not be.

**this is a tough rating because i personally didn’t like it, but it is a worthy book and the writing doesn’t suck. i know a lot of people will like it (i probably shouldn’t have read this right after DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE.) and i think it could be turned into a visually stunning (if not epically long) movie.

THE PIPER’S SON, melina marchetta
short: 3 stars.
long: i have a like/dislike relationship with books by marchetta. this is the third one i’ve read by her and they are all loaded down with characters. so many characters + too subtle differences = confusion for me. (ask sister E. on the plane back from italy, she had to answer my JELLICOE ROAD character questions ever 5 seconds. talk about a long plane ride!)  i actually even put this book down because i didn’t have the energy to work through it, but adriana told me “just keep reading,” so i did. and i’m glad i did. marchetta has a way of capturing emotional moments that punch you in the gut and THE PIPER’S SON is no different. it was fun to revisit the characters i first met in SAVING FRANCESCA (which is 4.5 stars, BTW), but you have to have read SF in order to truly appreciate PS. both are worth the effort involved.

what have YOU read recently? what should I read next?

actually, i know what i can’t wait to read next, BITTERBLUE. finally! a release date! may 1, 2012. i so so so loved THE GRACELING by kristin cashore and in that book, we meet bitterblue. she’s one of those side characters that you wish you could spend more time with and, check it, NOW WE CAN. i’ve been waiting for this announcement ever since i saw kristin speak at havard square books a couple of years ago. *dances* i love good news like this.

book club

BOOK HUNGRY: harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone

abby mumford

who says you have to be crowded into the living room, kitchen, and/or dining room to hold a book club? we are ladies of the 21st century. we don’t need no stinkin’ couches. so pull up a blog and join in the conversation.

the members of the BOOK HUNGRY are (alphabetically): patty blount, kelly breakey, karla nellenbach, vanessa noble, alyson peterson, cynthia reese, elizabeth ryann, and myself. here’s the deal. we pick a book to read. we discuss via email. we post a review on our individual blogs on the same day (3rd thursday of the month). we link to each other. done. i know, genius. click on each one of their names (above) and it’ll take you to their review. browse. enjoy.

this month’s BOOK HUNGRY selection is: 

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE by j.k. rowling


what it’s about (from IMDB because amazon had reviews only, no summaries): Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

my opinion: this was not the first time i’ve read this book. this was not the second time either. it was probably somewhere along the lines of my fifth read and while nothing can capture the magic of reading this book for the first time (ah, sheer bliss!), the fact that i have read it no less than five times and can still be completely sucked into the story is a testament to rowling’s genius.

it’s hard to write about this book, this very first one, without revealing any spoilers to any of the other books because the entire series weaves together so seamlessly sometimes it’s hard to remember which is which. it all seems like one gigantic (and amazing) story that you never want to end.

although, you know what? it was actually kind of fun to be rereading this story because it’s been years since i last read any of these books and even longer since i’d gone back to the very beginning. i’ve been with these characters for seven books and i’d stay i’ve gotten know them quite well, so to go back to their roots was a treat. i found myself giggling over the initial introductions of neville and hermione and cringing from the poisonous snape and feeling safe anytime dumbledore walked onto the page, gasping over the magical revelations, and most of all, still rooting for harry, ron, and hermione.

these characters are some of the most fleshed out i’ve ever read and as such, these books, THIS BOOK, never fails to entertain and with each read, the magic comes alive just like it did the first time i read it. that’s the mark of a true wizard.

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book club

BOOK HUNGRY: making waves

abby mumford

who says you have to be crowded into the living room, kitchen, and/or dining room to hold a book club? we are ladies of the 21st century. we don’t need no stinkin’ couches. so pull up a blog and join in the conversation.

the members of the BOOK HUNGRY are (alphabetically): patty blount, kelly breakey, karla nellenbach, vanessa noble, alyson peterson, cynthia reese, elizabeth ryann, and myself. here’s the deal. we pick a book to read. we discuss via email. we post a review on our individual blogs on the same day (3rd thursday of the month). we link to each other. done. i know, genius. click on each one of their names (above) and it’ll take you to their review. browse. enjoy.

this month’s BOOK HUNGRY selection is: 

MAKING WAVES by Tawna Fenske


what it’s about from amazon: When Alex Bradshaw’s unscrupulous boss kicks him to the curb after 20 faithful years as an executive with the world’s largest shipping company, he sets out to reclaim his dignity and his pension. Assembling a team of fellow corporate castoffs, he sails to the Caribbean to intercept an illegal diamond shipment. None of them counted on quirky blonde stowaway Juli Flynn, who has a perplexing array of talents, a few big secrets, and an intoxicating romantic chemistry with Alex…

my opinion: i have an issue with expectations because of this thing i call my imagination. it tends to hype things up so much that i’m usually left disappointed. i’m happy to announce i have found a cure.

its name is tawna fenske.

after spending the last year or so stalking following her blog and interacting with her on twitter, i was prepared for her debut novel, MAKING WAVES, to be funny, charming, believable, sexy, hilarious, and silly. it was all of those things and MORE, oh so much more. in fact, the only reason i put down the book was because i was laughing so hard it was shaking so much that if i continued to read, i’d probably have gotten seasick. (juli, stop being my role model!)

in movies and books, there’s usually a certain formula that keeps the main couple apart so the tension has time to mount to agonizing levels, however, the reasons keeping them separate tend to be far fetched and unbelievable. not so for Juli and Alex in MAKING WAVES. the distractions, motivations, and circumstances that pull these two apart (and push them back together again) are valid, completely realistic (albeit outrageous) and aren’t there just to up the page count.

i don’t claim to know much about the romance genre, but i have a feeling that tawna fenske is to rom-com as katy perry is to pop music. (i feel justified in making this claim because i saw the VH1 behind the music about katy perry which therefore makes me an expert.) both katy and tawna had bumpy roads to stardom/publication, but once on the scene, we all wonder how we survived without her catchy pop songs/hilariously saucy books.

yes, this is me predicting tawna’s gonna hit it big. and this is me thanking the publishing people for finally(!) bringing us her books.

and a THANK YOU to tawna herself for making time to chat with four of us Book Hungries. on monday night, tawna, patty, elizabeth, kelly and i had a conference call where we discussed our favorite scenes, the crazy characters, her inspirations, her research, and her continued publication path, in addition to her passing along some stellar blogging advice. you better believe all of the above included her usual brand of sassy honesty. suffice it to say, tawna is as cool as juli is smart. (if you’ve read the book, you’ll totally get that analogy. if you haven’t read the book yet [why ever not? GO READ IT], you probably won’t properly appreciate my wittiness, but being misunderstood is all part of being a writer, right? or, hmm, is that just when you’re a rock star?)

anyways, the moral of this blog post: READ THIS BOOK. read it if you don’t like romance. read it if you do. read it if you’re cranky. read it if you’re happy. read it if you’re 89. read it if you’re 8, WAIT, no, ask your parents first.

okay, this gushing has taken a turn for the weird so i’m just going to say this one last thing: this book is a super fine display of comedy, plotting, characterization, and romance.

*places book on pedestal.*

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book club

BOOK HUNGRY: the beyonders

abby mumford

who says you have to be crowded into the living room, kitchen, and/or dining room to hold a book club? we are ladies of the 21st century. we don’t need no stinkin’ couches. so pull up a blog and join in the conversation.

the members of the BOOK HUNGRY are (alphabetically): patty blount, kelly breakey, karla nellenbach, vanessa noble, alyson peterson, cynthia reese, elizabeth ryann, and myself. here’s the deal. we pick a book to read. we discuss via email. we post a review on our individual blogs on the same day (3rd thursday of the month). we link to each other. done. i know, genius. click on each one of their names (above) and it’ll take you to their review. browse. enjoy.

this month’s BOOK HUNGRY selection is: 

THE BEYONDERS by Brandon Mull


what it’s about from amazon: the first book in a new series (Beyonders), A World Without Heroes is an addictive blend of fantasy, humor, and heroic quest. Jason is an ordinary 13-year-old involuntarily transported to Lyrian, a world ruled by the evil wizard Maldor. Jason stumbles across a book bound with human skin and learns of a secret word with the power to unmake Maldor–knowledge that puts Jason in grave danger. Galloran, a blind king who once searched for the word himself, introduces Jason to Rachel, another Beyonder (as people from Earth are called) who had appeared in Lyrian at the same time. Jason and Rachel set out to retrieve the word, and the resulting pages are filled with adventure, drama, loyalty and betrayal—a treat for fans of Mull’s Fablehaven series or those discovering this bestselling author for the first time.

my opinion: i have very mixed feelings about this book because while the latter half of the book picked up, it starts off slow. i was fortunate enough to know this before i started reading (my fellow book hungry gals are faster readers than me), so i was prepared to chug through the beginning, where the humor felt forced, the narrator’s voice seemed ages older than an eighth grader should be, and characters conveniently showed up whenever jason was in peril. it wasn’t until i reached about 250 pages in that i stopped reading every. single. word. and started living the adventure with jason and rachel. their interactions were more realistic and charming, the humor erupted from the story, and when jason took charge, and i believed it.

but then the ending arrived and it wasn’t so much the end of the book as it was a pause in the story. the only author who i’ll let get away with this is patrick ness and his CHAOS WALKING trilogy, so yeah, i wasn’t a fan of this stopping where it did. however, even after all my original misgivings, i AM curious to see where book 2 takes these characters…

join us next month as we read MAKING WAVES by tawna fenske. it’s her debut novel and we’ve all gotten to know her via twitter and her blog, so we know it’s going to be a PARTY!!!

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