Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #17

The Death Cure by James Dashner

It's hard to talk about this book, because it's the third in a very awesome trilogy. It's like describing a play, but only being able to talk about the third act.

The Maze Runner Trilogy is about a boy named Thomas that finds himself a part of an experiment put on by a secret organization called WICKED. His part in the experiment make up the mystery of the series. The third and last book has Thomas and his friends finally figuring out what WICKED is and the truth that WICKED has been withholding. I don't want to give a lot of it away, but this was a good ending to a great series.

If you are into the Hunger Games trilogy, I would suggest picking this one up too!

Liz's 100 Books in 2012 - #13

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

The story is about a man who gives away his daughter when she is born with Down Syndrome, then fakes her death and doesn't tell his wife or the girl's twin brother. It follows his family and the nurse who raises his daughter throughout the children's lives.

This book kept popping up every time I looked at Goodreads, so I gave it a shot. Let's just say I was very disappointed. With so much hype, I expected much better. I guess we've all figured out by now that I really enjoy books with good characters, and this one was seriously lacking in that department. I didn't love any of the characters, and I only slightly liked two of them! Unfortunately, the unlikable characters were the least of this books problems. The story was slow to develop, and the subplots were kind of bizarre (the husband ends up becoming a famous photographer, even though he started out as a doctor).

2 out of 5 (and that's being generous)

Liz's 100 Books in 2012 - #12

Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time because the movie adaptation was filmed here in Alabama, but I'm a little sad to say that I didn't really enjoy it that much. I wasn't really interested in either the main character or his dad, and I didn't really like how the story slipped back and forth between tall tales and real-life sequences. I guess I'm a bigger fan of characters that I can get to know and love, and I really didn't end up even liking these characters. I still haven't seen the movie, and now I'm not sure if I want to! (editor's note: the movie is great, you should check it out)

It's a pretty quick read, but I wouldn't put it in my "recommended" stack.

2 out of 5 catfish

Liz's 100 Books in 2012 - #11

Hammered by Kevin Hearne

I know it gets old for me to say it, but this is REALLY the best book of the series so far! The grievances against Thor, the jerk thunder god, have been a minor theme through the first two books. This theme becomes the main plot for the third book, as Atticus, Leif, and a group of new characters (a Slavic thunder god, an ancient Finnish shaman, one of China's Eight Immortals, and some giants) join forces to take Thor down.

Although this book was a lot more serious than the previous two, it brought so much more in terms of character development. Each of the new characters has a story to tell about how Thor's actions have ruined their lives, and we finally learn the secret of Leif's grudge against the Norse god. We also get a sad glimpse into Atticus' past. Even with a more somber tone, Hearne was able to incorporate humor as well, including an interesting lunch date with Jesus over fish and chips.

I really liked the book, but I'm a little nervous that it may have changed the feel of the installments to follow because Atticus has put himself in a really precarious position. I give it a 5 out of 5, but I hope that the series can stay lighthearted in the future.

Liz's 100 Books in 2012 - #10

Hexed by Kevin Hearne

In my opinion, these books just keep getting better! (ed. - see her review of the first book in The Iron Druid Chronicles here) This time around Atticus faces an evil horde of Bacchants, a fallen angel, and a visiting coven of witches. While the amount of trouble that one druid can get himself into may seem a little ridiculous at first glance, the plots that get him there are really interesting and have kept my attention the entire read (which is saying something). I really love almost all the characters. Hearne does a really good job of making even the most evil characters somewhat likable or at least interesting when seen through the eyes of Atticus. And I loved that we get a little more insight into several of the characters' background stories in this book.

Another 5 out of 5 for me!

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #16

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Celie is a 14-year-old African American girl living in rural Georgia with her completely messed up family. She writes letters to God because her father abuses her in every way possible. She ends up having two children, both of whom her father presumably gets rid of. After a man named Mr. sets his eyes on her younger sister, Nettie, Celie's father refuses to let them get married, but instead gives Celie to Mr., leading Celie into a very unhappy marriage at a very young age. Nettie runs away from home and joins a missionary family, and Celie decides to start writing to her sister (who she assumes is dead) rather than God. Soon fate, or whatever you want to call it, steps up in the form of Mr.'s mistress, Shug Avery, changing Celie's life forever. 

In some ways, this story is about the struggle of poor families during the Great Depressions, so Celie could be white and the story would be similar. Racism isn't the biggest theme in the book, although it's touched upon through the character of Sophia, a woman who reacts in a big way to a white man's unkind words and lands in jail. In the biggest way, this story is about two sisters to whom life has dealt a bad hand in that they are women and don't have the power to say no to the decisions that are made for them. 

I enjoyed this book, although I had to go watch that scared kitten on YouTube afterwards so I wouldn't stay depressed. I've never watch the movie, but I would like to see what Steven Spielberg and Oprah did with the story.

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #15

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Do I even have to review this? Take Twilight, remove the vamps, keep the werewolves. Voila!  Not enough? OK, Fine!

Grace is a girl who has been in love with a wolf (yeah....a wolf) ever since she was attacked by a pack when she was little. Then she meets Sam, an elusive guy who just so happens to have the same yellow eyes as the wolf she's been ogling forever. It's love at first sight, y'all!

Look, I don't like this book (maybe you couldn't tell). The only redeeming quality is the explanation of the werewolves (they only change in winter, but after being a wolf for a few years they never change back). This is the first in The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy and it's the first time I've ever read the beginning of a trilogy and not cared if I read the rest.

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #14

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Frankie is a 15-year-old at an elite boarding school who happens to be in a relationship with the school star, a senior named Matthew. She soon finds out that Matthew is a part of the school's secret all-male club called the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds. Feeling left out, Frankie creates a fake identity to try and infiltrate the Order.

I get wanting to be a part of the boys club. Frankie (and many other girls) feel like boys can get away with so much more than girls, no matter what century we are living in. And that's the whole point of the book: she wants to break out of the mold of what a girl is supposed to do, while also trying to maintain her own identity in a relationship. I admire the character of Frankie, although she wasn't my favorite of the book (that title goes to the elusive Alpha).

I love Young Adult lit, even though I'm a little less Y and way more A these days. This is a great example of great YA lit: no parents, getting to know yourself, and drama. Frankie is such a wonderful example for young girls that the book kind of makes me want to have a daughter and give her this book to read. Or maybe I'll just read it again.

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #13

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

I'll be the first to admit that, if I can help it, I don't watch horror movies. I blame it on my parents for somehow letting me see one of the Chucky movies when I was younger. One of the things I hate in scary movies are scary children (ironic considering my job).

This actually has nothing to do with #15, really. It was a really good book, with spooky pictures. I just happened to read it at night in my mom's guest room that happens to have antique pictures of scary children. I recommend the book, but not the setting where I read it.

Sixteen-year-old Jacob has heard his grandfather's stories about the peculiar children and the monster's who are after them his whole life, but didn't really believe them. After a family tragedy, Jacob goes on a quest to discover if the stories are true.

This book is told through the story, but it also has these awesome and real pictures to show the peculiar children. I loved the characters and how they were set in this very peculiar world. Once Jacob goes on his quest, there is this other part of the story that I didn't see coming and its level of detail kind of blew my mind. I think that part is setting things up for a sequel. Really good read, though.

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #12

Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress

I've let it be known that I like Southern Lit (I mentioned it in my last review, in fact). I guess I failed to specify that it should also be good.

Georgia Bottoms has a secret that has somehow not gotten around her small, Alabama town- she's dating six men all at the same time (the sheriff, a preacher, and the bank president among them).

I loved the book Crazy in Alabama by Childress, but unfortunately this one wasn't that great. Georgia isn't a character that I would ever like and the southern stereotypes are rampant throughout the book. It's sad, because Childress is from Alabama and should know better. Read Crazy in Alabama and skip this one.

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #11

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

I am proud of being Southern. Am I ashamed of parts of my "Southern heritage?" Yes. Will I ever own anything bearing the Confederate Flag? No. Will I ever attend a race at Talladega? Ummmm... maybe.

I also love Southern literature, with Faulkner being my favorite ( I know, I'm also pretentious). Fried Green Tomatoes isn't just a great Southern novel. At it's heart are amazing stories about people who could live down your street today, or people who lived a long time ago, or people who can never live again, because times have changed that much.

Ninny Threadgoode tells the story of a small town (Whistle Stop, Alabama) and some of its residents, specifically Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison. She weaves her tale to Evelyn Couch, a housewife who is searching for something beyond the house.

I loved this book. I loved it because it reminds me of my grandmothers and grandfathers. I loved it because it reminds of the relatives I am too young to meet, but through stories like these, I have come to know. It makes me want to go have a conversation with some one over the age of 65. I highly recommend #11!

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #10

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith

Elizabeth Bennett is a feminist living during the reign of George III. Oh, and she kills zombies because England is infested with the undead.

I had high expectations for this book. I love anything Jan Austen. I love zombies. I love Seth Grahame-Smith's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

I think you know where this is going. I wanted to like it! Really, I did. It's just that there was this kind of lame part about how all the women of that era went to either China or Japan to learn fighting skills. If it was just mentioned a couple of times, that would have been OK. Instead it seemed like this entire additional story line that needed it's own spin off. Apparently I was right, because there's a sequel and a prequel to this book. In my world, Jane Austen comes back as a zombie and seeks revenge for this. Maybe that's harsh, but I know some die-hard Jane Austen fans who probably agree with me.

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #9

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Raise your hand if you've ever seen The Notebook. Now raise your hand if you've ever been to the circus. Well, you've pretty much got the drift of this book. Maybe it's my fault, because I watched the movie before I read the book (usually a no-no for me). Most of the time I love, like, or care about at least one character, but I didn't care about any of them in this book (or the movie).

Jacob accidentally joins a circus after a personal tragedy and meets Marlena. They fall in love, but she's married to the main animal trainer. Jacob becomes the vet for the circus and begins a bond that will change his life.

If you want to read the book, check it out from the public library. If you want to watch the movie, borrow it from someone. Just save your money on this story.

Liz's 100 Books in 2012 - #9

Hounded by Kevin Hearne

I'm a sucker for stories that incorporate different mythical creatures into reality (The Southern Vampire Mysteries, The Lost Gate, Harry Potter, The Mortal Instruments, I think you get the picture), but this series takes it to an entirely different level. We're not only talking vampires, demons, werewolves, and fairies; but also all the gods ever thought of or believed in. I loved it!

Atticus is a centuries-old druid living in modern day Arizona. He stays out of trouble by blending in, but an old feud with a Celtic god rocks his mellow life in this first book of The Iron Druid Chronicles. He uses the help of his supernatural lawyers, goddess protector, and other back-up plans to get out of trouble.

The main character is perfect. He's super old, so he knows just about everything, but he's also really funny. AND he has a talking dog. What's not to love??

5 out of 5 chicken apples sausages (in honor of Oberon).

Liz's 100 Books in 2012 - #8

Elemental by Kim Richardson

The Soul Guardians is another YA fantasy/paranormal series about a 16 year old girl that dies within the first chapter and is assigned the duty of guardian angel in her afterlife. Throughout the book she deals with weird monkeys in their version of heaven, other Soul Guardians, demons (of course), and she learns the hierarchy of the Guardian Angel Legion. In the first book she's accused of some angel treason and then she saves the day and is given back her old life. Then in the second book she dies again (this girl's got some bad luck) and has to prove herself a second time.

This was another freebie and another #2 in a series. I read the first book in 2011. The idea of the series is fairly interesting but, again, the characters are a little bit boring, and don't seem all that realistic to me as far as interactions with each other and reactions to situations.

Overall it was just okay for me. It was a quick, easy, and enjoyable read, but nothing much to blog about. I'm not a harsh critic...so 3 out of 5 hambones.

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #8

Rose: My Life in Service to Lady Astor by Rosina Harrison

I love movies and books set in England from the late 18th century until the early 20th century. Pride and Prejudice is what usually comes to mind. Lately, I have been watching (and obsessing over) Downton Abbey on PBS (Sunday nights!). So I was hooked when I saw this book at Books-A-Million. Of course, I HAD to buy it. It was calling my name.

Rosina Harrison was a lady's maid for Lady Nancy Astor for 35 years and had a lot to tell. According to Rose, Lady Astor was a pill and a half. She traveled all over the world, and there never seemed to be a dull moment around her. In no way is this a "let me tell you all the juicy gossip about my former boss" kind of book. By reading the book, I can tell that Rose loved Lady Astor, even if she was a hard woman to love.

Rose tells very interesting stories about a way of life that no longer exists. The only gripe I have about the book is that she jumps around a lot and the amount of characters can be daunting and hard to keep up with. However, if you are interested in the "upstairs/downstairs" life that made the English aristocracy run for so long, this is your window.

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #7

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

I'm going to start right out of the gate and say that I loved this book. I love learning about history, but it's even more awesome when someone turns history on it's head. The overall theme when learning about Abraham Lincoln in school was that he was a good, fair man. You never really attach the phrase "action figure" to ole Abe. This book makes you look at him differently, even though it's through a fictional lens.

Seth Grahame-Smith is a never-was author that is married with kids and runs an old store. One day a customer reveals something to Seth that turns his world upside down. Seth's customer shows him never before seen diaries of former president Abraham Lincoln.  The rest of the novel, is an epistolary (thank you Wikipedia) novel told through historical facts and Lincoln's newly discovered diaries. Oh, did I mention that the diaries are about the time that Lincoln killed vampires? Starting from a young age and after a family tragedy, Abraham Lincoln was one of the most prolific vampire hunters in the country. Move over Buffy!

The book does such an excellent job of moving between the fictional (or is it?) killing of vampires to the historical life of our 16th President. Grahame-Smith also creates an interesting back story as to how vampires became so widespread without being known to the public. I highly recommend reading it and I'm now excited to see what they do with the movie that is coming out sometime this year.

If you like looking at history in a different way, check out the mock (and somewhat scary) documentary called C.S.A: The Confederate States of America.

Laura's 100 Books in 2012 - #6

Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn

I went from courtesans selling themselves for a crown at #5 to Christian fiction at #6. What can I say? I like to change it up a bit.

Secrets is the first book in the Glenbrooke series. It's about a girl named Jessica who is running away from her old life in California by trying to start a new one as an English teacher in a small town in Oregon. Jessica meets a variety of people that change her way of thinking, and eventually her life.

I can't say much about this book. It was my first Christian fiction book, so in a way that was refreshing. However, I could tell what was going to happen way before I read it, which I tend to dislike in a book. I plan on reading #2 and #3, so I'm going to give this series another chance.

Liz's 100 Books in 2012 - #7

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

Let me just say that I had no idea what to expect going into this book, but the cover alone was enough to get me interested! The whole idea is that the history that we know about Abraham Lincoln is only half-true. He secretly hunted vampires as his real passion in life, and that hunting actually led to his involvement in politics.

I loved how Seth Grahame-Smith seamlessly mixed historical accounts of Abraham Lincoln's life with vampires. After reading this book, I felt like I needed to brush up on my Lincoln history to see what actually happened and what didn't--that's how well he intermingles the facts with his story (either that or I'm super gullible). Either way, by the end of the book I was somewhat confused about reality and fiction. Are there really vampires?? Is this a conspiracy theory?? Does this author have proof of the paranormal?? What other major historical figures have been swayed by vampires or zombies or other so-called "mythical" creatures??
This opens up a whole slew of possibilities for other novels: I'm thinking WWII and werewolves, Titanic and the Sirens, or Les Miles and voodoo magic. The ideas are really endless...

I loved this book so much that I'm giving it 6 out of 5 frankfurters! The extra is for originality and because, frankly, I'm scared of the author and his knowledge of otherworldly activity.

Liz's 100 Books in 2012 - #6

Weaving Destiny by G.P. Ching

I got started on The Soulkeepers Series, again, from the free eBooks list on Amazon. I realize this probably isn't the best way to pick quality literature, but it's FREE!! Anyway, this is the second book in the series (I read the first last year). It's Young Adult Paranormal Fiction that focuses on a teenage boy who is learning about his family legacy to protect human souls. Along the way he is thrust into a brand new town and high school, gets a new girlfriend who may have some secrets too, and gets to know his bizarre neighbors. Throw in his missing mom and some demons and you've got yourself a pretty involved plot.

I liked the setting and the new world that the author creates. The characters are interesting, but not quirky enough to make them feel real to me. Overall, it's an interesting story, but I don't feel the need to rush out and buy the next in the series or read any fan fiction about them (P.S.- am I the last one to figure out about fan fiction? Thanks for telling me Laura! I thought we were friends!).

What kept this series going for me is the mystery shrouding the entire idea of the Soulkeepers. The author does a really good job of keeping the reader guessing as to what's going to happen next, and she doesn't play by normal mystery rules.  When the next book shows up on the free eBook list, I will probably read it, but I won't be running to the store to buy it anytime soon. It gets 3 out of 5 bratwursts.