92-97

Dec. 14th, 2009 12:46 pm
blue_ant: (mickey [not a tin dog])
[personal profile] blue_ant
92. Little Brother Cory Doctorow
I own this book, but had put off reading it for reasons I can't remember now. Eventually I picked it up and I just couldn't stop. Doctorow weaves a brilliant story that takes place in a world that's somewhat like our own, while at the same time, being completely different. I want him to write more YA, because I enjoyed his style.

93. Tithe by Holly Black
Though this wasn't the first Holly Black book I read, it was the first of her YA novels (I'd previous read one of her graphic novels). The story was slightly intriguing, the characters interesting and the writing decent. Sometimes it reminded me of Marr's Wicked Lovely series, but it kept me reading enough that I picked up the next two books in the series.

94. Valiant by Holly Black
Black's writing improved dramatically between Tithe and this book. I liked the character of Val much better than Kaye. The story most takes place in the tunnels of New York and I thought Black did a very good job with her descriptions. After finishing this book, I grabbed Ironside almost immediately.

95. Ironside by Holly Black
This is by far and away the best of the series. Not only is Black's writing good, but we get to know Kaye and her best friend Corny much better than in the first book. What I also liked was that Black incorporated characters from Valiant into this book. Again I was reminded of Marr's series, but I don't think that's a bad thing.

96. Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan
A beautiful, moving story set before, during and after the attacks on September 11, 2009. Levithan brings the the story of three strangers and how their lives are changed by the attacks. Though short, Love Is the Higher Law is packed full of emotion -- from teenage angst to the weight of the world so many people (New Yorkers and non) felt. Though we read this 8 years later, the Levithan's writing reminds us that life is fragile, but always precious.

97. Torchwood: Lost Souls by Joseph Lidster
First off, let me say this was really, really bad. Second, I completely and utterly loved it because it was bad. I started listening to this while folding laundry and I couldn't stop laughing. The acting was bad, the plot was bad, the sound effects were bad. Well, okay, Gareth David-Lloyd was by far and away the best actor of the cast (which included the cast of the TV show). I know that Lidster tried to use the story to sort out the events at the end of season two, but he failed. I couldn't take it seriously. But, in the end, I didn't mind at all because it was really, really fun. Just also, you know, terrible.


97 / 100 books. 97% read!

87-91

Dec. 14th, 2009 12:37 pm
blue_ant: (fever of a hundred and werewolf)
[personal profile] blue_ant
87. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
I was looking forward to this book from the moment I finished reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. And, just like Larsson's previous book, it did not disappoint. In fact, I actually liked this one much better. This is probably in part to the fact that we got to know Lisbeth and Mikael much better, but also because the plot was significantly more sinister. Larsson's characters are magnificent, from the police to the bad guys to the innocents who happen to get involved. I simply adore the book, not only because it's both well thought out and written, but because it is my type of mystery. In many ways, The Girl Who Played with Fire is everything I love about Scandinavian mysteries. My only complaint is that we only have three (maybe four) of Larsson's books in total. I would love to have been able to read the completed series.

88. The Pinhoe Egg by Diana Wynne Jones
I don't know exactly how to say this, but I completely and utterly adored this book. It was funny, clever and seriously a lot of fun. It ended exactly the way I'd hoped. I've been a fan of Jones since I was young, but hadn't read any of the Chrestomanci books in ages. This was the perfect book to pick up and read. It's quick, clever and fun -- even if you have no idea what the series is about. I do hope that Jones continues with Eric and Marianne's story. I definitely want to find out what happens to them.

89. Un Lun Dun by China Mieville
I've been a fan of Mieville's work since I discovered Perdido Street Station, but I somehow missed this YA book of his. I ended up just randomly grabbing it, completely on a whim and fell in love. It's a very clever mix of Mieville's steampunk-ish style mixed with young adult themes and real London. I completely loved the book and i hope he writes more YA.

90. The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia
I read this book because my sister lent it to me and I picked it up because I needed something to read. I had no idea what I was getting into, but that was fine because The Alchemy of Stone was one of the most beautiful and heart breaking books I have ever read. Sedia's character of Mattie was fantastic and instantly likable. I desperately wanted more to this story, but in the end, what happened was the only possible outcome. My only regret was that this novel wasn't published when I was doing my senior thesis in college, it would have perfectly into my theme of what it means to be human. The Alchemy of Stone is an extraordinary novel of what it means to be human, but even more, it's a story of love. Highly, highly recommended.

91. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
My sister sent me a copy of this book, and with the moving coming out, I was curious to see what all the hype was about. I don't usually read regular fiction and it was clear, aside from the title, this wasn't going to be science fiction. In the end, it was a mix of the two genres, that was completely gripping. The story, told from two different points of view, was unlike anything I'd ever read. I completely enjoyed it, though I doubt I'll see the film.


91 / 100 books. 91% read!

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