Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

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Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I rarely, if ever, read a complete series of books. Perhaps it is the fact that I have a short attention span and a run of books on the same topic can't keep me entertained. Or maybe it is that the second book usually ends up being a disappointment. In the case of Catching Fire, the problem was the latter.

As much as I don't like to join the bandwagon of teens who carried the first book to massive success, I actually loved The Hunger Games in both of its forms - as a book first and later in the movie. It captured an exciting dystopian society and didn't dumb down the writing so much that I lost interest. Even the obnoxious teen romance was palatable because the rest of the story took the forefront. I was excited to check out the Catching Fire after everyone promised me it was even better than the first and I would go batty over it.

The problem is that everything I didn't like about The Hunger Games, was amplified times ten in Catching Fire. The teen love triangle took up almost the entire first half of the book, even when the story was trying to build up to something interesting. My wife kept telling me that "it gets better", and indeed it did... but it became a case of too-little-too-late. Sure, the hunger games portion was fun but it was less than half the book and truthfully wasn't that different from the first book. I can't imagine why people thought this one was great. The excitement that I had for the story was lost in Katniss' blubbering about Gale and Peeta. Barf, Barf, Barf.

No doubt I will continue to watch the movies because they only take up 2 hours of my time but I can almost guarantee that another round of the Hunger Games book series will not be in my future.

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Book Review: The Reanimation of Edward Schuett by Derek Goodman

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The Reanimation of Edward Schuett by Derek J. Goodman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I never thought I'd be able to find another zombie book as kick ass as World War Z was but then this little beauty came along! The Reanimation of Edward Schuett is what I've been waiting for for years - a fresh, totally unique zombie story that actually has a brain. Nothing like your traditional been-there-done-that, 'let's see who can create the most gory brain-eater' type of thing, The Reanimation of Edward Schuett reinvented the way we look at the undead. It actually gave them a soul. And I loved it!

This novel had it all - gore, action, science, emotionally-engrossing characters, and yes, even a bit of romance (that didn't make me want to puke!). It was everything I ask for in a novel. I just wish there were more of it.

I never even considered that any other book would take over the top spot over WWZ as my favorite zombie novel but I think Derek Goodman may have managed to do it here. It's a close call but they are so different from each other that I don't even feel like I have to choose! This is a zombie novel that anyone could swallow!

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Book Review: The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

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The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is definitely one where I question my sanity in giving a 5-star rating. The story is so agonizingly painful and frustrating that I wanted to throw my book at the wall while Caleb and Camille tortured their children for the sake of art. There were glorious moments of laughter but my overwhelming reaction to the book was wanting to slap someone across the face with it.

Why the 5-star review then? Well, because Kevin Wilson did such a masterful job of making me hate Caleb and Camille and feel sorry for A and B that I didn't want to stop the agony! This was a brilliantly written book that made me actually feel like I was emotionally invested in the craziness and heartbreak that everyone went through. That fact alone deserves 5 stars.

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Book Review: The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

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The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been a Jodi Picoult fan for years and while I agree with her critics that she has a predictable formula is her stories, it is a formula I thoroughly enjoy. She always takes controversial subjects and leads you along in a story that leaves you questioning your morals. I love stories that challenge my belief system and make me think beyond the story itself.

The Storyteller is another such example of this. It takes an emotionally challenging subject and makes you tread the line between right and wrong, good and evil. For the most part, the story was successful and thought-provoking. There were a few times when I felt frustrated by the lack of depth in Leo and some of the minor characters but overall I felt the story was well crafted and the different voices blended together well.

The one major flaw of this book was that the ending was so utterly predictable that I could have finished off the writing myself. Normally Jodi Picoult leaves me with questions that lack answers, and I like this. This time she made the ending too easy. I guarantee that anyone who reads the first third of this book will figure out exactly how it ends. It's a shame because otherwise this story was brilliant.

When all is said and done, The Storyteller is a book that pretty much any Jodi Picoult fan will enjoy and joins the list of her books I love.

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Book Review: The Games by Ted Kosmatka

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The Games by Ted Kosmatka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Games was a pure adrenaline rush. Don't be fooled by the title or timing of the book's release, this isn't a copycat of The Hunger Games.

The story is filled with action and gore and Kosmatka did a fantastic job of researching the medical and scientific topics that are covered in the story which made it an engrossing, fast-paced read.

Very little time is spent indulging the ethical nature of the story, which is a shame, but at the least, it forces the reader to think beyond the story to the implications (which really aren't too far fetched to modern society).

This book went way beyond my expectations and definitely think it is a worthy read for someone who just wants to participate in an action-packed adventure.

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Book Review: Man Made by Joel Stein

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Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity by Joel Stein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Joel Stein took on the quest that I have contemplated myself since my son was born 6 years ago. There were actually times when I felt like he had somehow gotten inside my head and found all of my insecurities and decided to go test them. I don't know if this is a challenge that all new fathers face but the lack of confidence in our manliness is definitely something that both Joel and I have in common.

From the moment I read the first paragraph, I knew I was going to love this book. I laughed, cried, laughed some more and got inspired along the way while he desperately grasped for any bit of rugged toughness he could find to fill in his own gaps in masculinity. Just like him, I want the best for my son and have often wondered if I am man enough to teach him how he should be. How can I teach him to kill a bear with his bare hands if I spent my childhood playing with Carebears with my sisters?

I'm glad that Joel Stein fought an MMA fighter so that I didn't have to. Maybe we're just fine as fathers after all. All I know is that this is one of the best memoirs I have read. I'm sure that not everyone will feel as connected as I was to the story but it is a laugh-out-loud adventure that is definitely worth the read!

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Book Review: Useless Landscapes, or A Guide for Boys: Poems by D.A. Powell

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Useless Landscape, or A Guide for Boys: Poems by D.A. Powell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There is no doubt that D.A. Powell is a gifted poet. His verses are lyrical and beautiful and he creates vivid depictions of California landscapes in the early poems of this collection. At first I found myself in love with this collection until further in it because looser and more juvenile. Fantastic imagery was replaced by crude depictions of casual same-sex debauchery.

While it is undeniable that Powell has a way with words and can make any situation musical and witty, I personally didn't find the subject matter of several of the poems endearing or relatable. While other reviewers have called these poems 'homosexual love poems', they weren't even that. They were depictions of random vulgar sexual experiences. While I agree that these topics may have merit for poetry in the eyes of many people, I found myself uninterested and unimpressed during these specific poems which was unfortunate because the other stuff in this collection was quite good.

Overall this collection felt like a weird disjointed mix of a homosexual campfire poems and another side of beautifully scripted poetic landscapes. Not sure I can recommend this book overall to many people besides my LGBT friends but I may perhaps check out another selection by Powell.

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Book Review: To Wander the Labyrinth by Brian Peters

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To Wander The Labyrinth by Brian Peters
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

To Wander the Labyrinth in a very easy, succinct read. I received it in a Goodreads giveaway and was please to find a signed copy and nice thank-you note from the author. In the grand scheme of things, the book was an entertaining but underwhelming read.

I liked the overall tone of the story and the plot was intense and full of intrigue but there were some key elements lacking that could have made this into a very fascinating read. The writing style had a very staccato rhythm to it and had very little depth - only giving the necessary information rather than developing the characters, plot and setting. This was disappointing because I think if more time was taken to complete these details, I would have enjoyed the book quite a bit.

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Book Review: City of Saints by Andrew Hunt

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City of Saints: A Mystery by Andrew Hunt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First off, I want to say that City of Saints was NOT was I expected it to be. I went into this book expecting a dark book filled with mystery and Mormon intrigue. Now don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, it just didn't fit my prior expectations.

City of Saints is a fictionalized version of a true unsolved murder that occurred in Salt Lake City in the 1930s. Andrew Hunt took a lot of liberty in telling the story so very little is true to fact other than time periods and a few renamed characters. In my opinion this was actually a pretty smart move on his part because he turned this story into a fabulously exciting tale that kept me wanting more. The writing was smart and fun and gave just enough depth to have a degree of realism to the plot. The ending was somewhat disappointing but I think it was probably quite a challenge to find a resolution to the story that both satisfied us as readers and held true to the actually murder that took place.

My only real complaint about City of Saints is that the time period didn't feel authentic. Honestly, the way it was told, the story could have occurred in the 2000s and I wouldn't have know better. There was very little effort made to place the reader in the 30's. I would have loved to feel more authenticity of that time period but really the only thing that makes you realize it's even occurring during that time is the occasional mention of a Model A and a reference to the date.

Overall, the book was better than I expected despite being nothing like I thought it would be. Enjoyable to the very last page!

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Book Review: Horoscopes for the Dead by Billy Collins

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Horoscopes for the Dead by Billy Collins
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I've been on a poetry kick lately which has lead me to a discovery: I detest most modern poetry. While I admittedly prefer rhyming lyrical poetry to the conversational style that is currently popular, I enjoy it all in moderation.

What I don't like is that poetry such as this seems to have no point. It discusses very banal subjects in a very bland way. I felt like Billy Collins was simply collecting random thoughts in short bursts rather than waxing poetic. I guess this would be fine as well if those random thoughts had something interesting about them but overall I didn't feel a connection with anything in this collection of poetry.

If this book is meant to represent the best of modern American poetry, then I think I will stick with the classics. Of course I am being dramatic because there are some contemporary poets that create beautiful and fascinating work (I am currently enjoying Leigh Stein's collection 'Dispatch from the future' and Sarah Kay is quite incredible) but I can't appreciate the stuff in this book at all.

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Book Review: Among Others by Jo Walton

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Among Others by Jo Walton
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Among Others felt less like a fantasy novel to me and more like a very long personal tribute to sci-fi. There is a lot to like about the book (which I trust you have already read in other reviews) such as the fantastic writing by Jo Walton, the complex characters, and the "soft fantasy".

However, there is plenty that I equally disliked and unfortunately at times my dislike overpowered the positives. Any lover of SF can appreciate the author's love affair with LeGuin and Silverberg. I too felt some excitement that it was integrated into the story. Sometimes it felt like way too much though. I especially disapprove of the fact that numerous spoilers were included in the story of books I intended on reading. Granted, most are considered "classics" which people may argue have been spoiled by plenty of others in the past. However, it still troubles me.

I also felt that the light sci-fi/fantasy was perhaps a bit too light. Most of the book was just a well-written teenage girl's journal. I read enough of those when I snuck into my sister's rooms decades ago. I wanted an escape - real fantasy or SF.

Perhaps my expectations were unrealistic. Clearly there are multitudes of people who loved the way this story was told. I just didn't feel like there was much of a story. The climax didn't so much climax as simply distract from a lull in the story.

I am almost offensively shocked by people who have compared this book to Ready Player One (probably my favorite book). There is simply no comparison between the two. I felt very little nostalgia or excitement in Among Others, something that ran rampant through RPO.

This is definitely a book for those passionate about SF but who don't expect to find much of it in the story.

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Book Review: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

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Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I had such high hopes for Cloud Atlas. The praise I read about the book illustrated it as a complex and exciting story that ties multiple characters together into a beautiful story. I must have missed something because I didn't get that at all. The fact that I made it through the book at all is a miracle. It was dry, long, and kind of felt pointless. I kept waiting for the story to give me some sort of revelation that linked it all together but that never happened. Maybe I missed something or simply don't have the ability to think deeply enough to understand the point of the tale but really, it just felt like a bunch of short stories shoved together in a way that I can't quite seem to understand.

I told myself at least 5 times that I should just quit reading it but I persevered and I don't think I'm glad I did. While I applaud David Mitchell's ability to create so many unique voices in his characters, I found them uninspiring. This is one book I simply can't recommend to anyone. Perhaps the movie was more exciting but I'm not sure I care enough to find out.

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Book Review: Darth Vadar and Son by Jeffrey Brown

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Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Darth Vadar and Son is a graphic novel that is about the size and length of a children's board book. Part of me feels as though I should be slightly ashamed at how awesome I think it was. There's no real story involved (the only reason I gave it 4 stars rather than 5) but is rather a series of single page comics that are both hilarious and full of nostalgia.

This is a must-own for anyone who loves Star Wars.

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Book Review: Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

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Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As I gobbled up this book I felt so very conflicted. I was stuck between a perverse fascination with the misery that is so commonplace in the lives of the characters in this story while also ashamed and guilt-ridden for being able to read this book on a Kindle while I lay on a down pillow. It is hard to believe that this story could be true - however, it is, and it is a painfully delicious tale of poverty and suffering.

From page one I was captivated by the lives and struggles of the people living in the Annawadi slums of Mumbai, India. Looking from the outside it is nearly incomprehensible that people can live this way while many of us sit in spacious homes in front of big screen televisions and complain about our lack of luxury. But beyond the political statement that is contained inside this well-crafted tale, a message of hope and change is there - subtle, but it's there.

While most of this book is fairly heart-rending, there is no doubt that Katherine Boo is a wonderful author. She transformed a terrible collection of tragedies into a work of art. This is a fantastic book that is very worthy of the praise it has received.

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Book Review: Outbreak by Robin Cook

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Outbreak by Robin Cook
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I read Outbreak once before in my high school years and recall thinking it was incredibly exciting and intense. As I jumped into Outbreak for a second read, my opinion of it has changed dramatically. Perhaps it is the fact that I now have a medical education, or that I am simply older and have read more books, but I found my experience of reading Outbreak dreadfully painful this time around.

My difficulty with the story is two-fold. First, the main character, Marissa Blumenthal, is so painfully daft that there were times that I hoped she would contract Ebola simply so a better protagonist could lead the adventure. I found it terribly unbelievable that she would be hired by the CDC in the first place, given that she seemed to have a very simplistic knowledge of medicine and that her thought processes lack any creative or analytically ability. Every decision she made caused me to chuck my kindle across the room and scream "Are you f-ing kidding me!?" If everything wouldn't have turned out so peachy for her when problems arose, her mountainous stupidity would have been enough to cause an epidemic outbreak.

My second problem with the story is the simplicity of the medical details. Now I don't want to sell Robin Cook short - he is a very well trained physician himself - but for some reason he dumbed down his medical knowledge to the point that it read like a teen novel. I was also very surprised by the way the doctors in this story were portrayed. They were little more than helpless monkeys who had no apparent knowledge of diagnosis or common medical conditions. Perhaps Robin Cook wanted to have them come across as victims as well but it was overplaying it and stole credibility to the story.

Now to be fair, there were times when the story became exciting and suspenseful but they were always outweighed by my frustrations with the faults in the book. By the end of my second reading I felt betrayed by my teenage self who enjoyed this book so thoroughly. Perhaps those who are not so familiar with medical terminology and processes might find more enjoyment in this book but I found it very frustrating to read and wish I would have just watched the movie.

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Must Read: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

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Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading review after review that spouted praise for Beautiful Ruins, I decided to find out for myself what the excitement is all about. Surely the dust jacket of this book didn't do justice to this story if so many people fell in love, yet I failed to stay interested enough in the synopsis to read its brief summary.

Only pages into Beautiful Ruins, I think I discovered the the reason my nights began to draw themselves out long after what is healthy for a human being to read. This book isn't incredible just because it's an incredible story. It's fantastic because it was written by Jess Walters. I don't think I have ever read a book that is so beautifully crafted and a story that is so perfectly executed as this one.

What makes reviewing this book frustrating is that it is hard to explain the story to someone without watching their eyes glaze over and drift off. While the story itself is also beautiful and romantic and fascinating, it truly took someone of greater talent than I to do it justice.

Those who are interested in reading this book will have to do as I did and have faith in the reviews of people like me who can't quite explain why this is such a wonderful novel. Just read it.

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Book Review: The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

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The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I spent the first half of The Time Keeper trying to convince myself that I should continue on. That sounds like a statement that should hardly merit a 3-star review. The thing is, the second half felt like a completely different book. In fact, at times it was reminiscent of an Og Mandino book such as The Choice, which ranks on my top 10 books of all time. It never quite got there but Mitch Albom really, REALLY tried to pull it off in the second half of the book.

The Time Keeper is basically an inspirational self-help book packaged with an uplifting storyline. Books like this are always hit or miss. Like many others that play at this genre, the story often felt contrived but I'd be lying if I said that it didn't work to some degree. More than once I was teary-eyed and moved to the point of a lip-quiver. It was a story that most people could relate to so despite some corniness and over-indulgence by the author, the book was successful at communicating its message.

The message of the book is to be satisfied with the time you have and to live in the moment you are in right now. It's a good message and something that I desperately needed to hear - which is why I rewarded the book a star more than it probably actually deserved. This book is for those who enjoy reading self-help mixed with light stories. It's a spiritual message for those who need a short, uplifting read but aren't expecting too much in the way of literary depth.

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Book Review: Carrie by Stephen King

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Carrie by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Carrie is everything I like in horror novels - short in length, not too horror-y, and focuses on the story more than the scare factor. Carrie is a character-driven novel rather than just simply indulging in the bumps and screams. It is also very timely despite the fact that it was written in 1974 - making a literary commentary about bullying, an area of much social focus today.

I found Carrie to be a very enjoyable read, and while it is unlikely to be found on anyone's must-read list, it is a fantastic taste of Stephen King's brilliant mind. I've only read one book I didn't like by King (Lisey's Story) and Carrie fits in brilliantly with his library of literary work. It is not the masterpiece that The Stand is, but it is relevant in it's own right and definitely worth the read.

I think it took me all of 3 days to read, with only a couple hours invested each day, so no one really has a good excuse not to give it a try. You won't regret it.

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Book Review: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

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Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For a man, picking up a book titled 'Glow' carries with it an intrinsic insecurity. I was interested in reading the story since the concept was intriguing but not sure I was comfortable with other men seeing me carry around anything with a title like this and a dust jacket that equally reflects femininity. To be honest, I limited to my reading of Glow to my own home simply because of these reasons.

On that note, let me just say that I am not sure I understand why an author would alienate a potential audience by making it look like it is for a specific sex and age group... but perhaps I am just being silly and trivial. The ironic thing is that the title and dust jacket are anything but what they would lead you to believe. In fact, I'm not even sure what the title refers to in the book. I actually found the writing to be quite brilliant and the story to be captivating.

Usually I struggle to get attached to books that are directed at young adult audiences because the authors seems to dumb down the story and dialogue for the younger generation. I didn't feel that Glow suffered from that problem. Now of course I have read many a book that is more challenging and complex but that doesn't take away from the fact that Amy Ryan did a wonderful job of sucking me into the story.

Glow is essentially about two colonies of earthlings that are on separate space ships destined to populate a new Earth after the old one has fallen apart. When one of the colonies is unable to reproduce, they invade the other ship and abduct all of the young girls. The story basically follows the action that occurs as a result. I thought the concept was exciting and thought provoking, especially for a YA novel.

My only real complaint (aside from the title and dust jacket) is that near the end the novel seems to morph into an attack on the concept of religion. While I am not opposed to novels that challenge the mind to question beliefs or the concept of religion, Glow moved past the subtlety that I felt would have served the book better, especially since the opinions of characters seems to be rash and spiteful regarding the matter rather than intellectual.

Overall, however, I loved Glow and look forward to the rest of the series. I sincerely hope that the second book in the series is as well thought out and interesting as this one was!

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Review: Forgotten Bookmarks by Michael Popek

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Forgotten Bookmarks: A Bookseller's Collection of Odd Things Lost Between the Pages by Michael Popek
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Prior to receiving this book I expected to dislike it because of some of the more negative reviews I read on Goodreads. I won the book in a Goodreads giveaway and have put off looking through it because other people's reviews made me think it wasn't worth my time. This misconception was unfortunate because I think this book is actually a really great idea. It isn't really the type of book that you just sit down and read - it's more of the perusing kind of book. I actually think it would have been an easier sell as a coffee table book but even in its current format it is kind of magical.

While other people's negative reviews aren't completely inaccurate - that most of his discoveries are far from mind-blowing - I think it is a beautifully arranged collection of keepsakes that have a very intimate feeling to them. The book is also in beautiful color and the photograph are wonderfully arranged. It almost makes me want to start buying up old books myself in order to find hidden gems.

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