Finally got around to reading this one. Still haven't seen the movie because I wanted the read the book first (usually a bad idea but oh well). A disenfranchised journalist, Blomkvist, has been hired by an eccentric wealthy patriarch, Vanger, to find out who killed his niece 40 years ago. Along the investigation, he hooks up with a gifted hacker, Salander, who helps him discover not only what happened to the niece but possibly reinstate his good name in journalism.
I really didn't have much of a clue what it was about except that there was a journalist and hacker working together and a traumatic rape scene. Going in, it wasn't much to work with so I didn't have a lot of expectations. What I got was so beyond anything I could have predicted. Gripping, intense, well-written. Some of the plot twists were pretty easy to see coming but otherwise, incredible. Didn't really like the ending although again, it wasn't hard to see coming. Hoping to see some of those pieces picked up in the second book.
Page count: 590p/33,741p ytd
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
110:105 Claimed by Shadow by Karen Chance
2nd book in the Cassandra Palmer series. Cassie has the Pythia's powers but has yet to complete the ritual. The power is trying to get her to complete the ritual and claim it fully. Mircea has placed a geis on her that she can not complete the ritual except with him or his designated surrogate. Myra, the initiate who was to become Pythia before she turned bad, is trying to kill Mircea in the past to remove Cassie's protection in her youth to prevent her from ever becoming Pythia. Cassie is trying to find someone else to take the power and also find Tony who has her father's soul in a paperweight so she can free it.
Some girls just can't catch a break!
There was so much going on in this book and the above doesn't even cover it all. Somehow Ms. Chance manages to weave it all together into a, well, we will call it a harmonious whole although I'm sure Cassie would disagree with that assessment. A real page turner with enough things getting answered to leave you satisfied but with enough unanswered to make you want to grab the next one.
Page count: 374p/33,151p ytd
Some girls just can't catch a break!
There was so much going on in this book and the above doesn't even cover it all. Somehow Ms. Chance manages to weave it all together into a, well, we will call it a harmonious whole although I'm sure Cassie would disagree with that assessment. A real page turner with enough things getting answered to leave you satisfied but with enough unanswered to make you want to grab the next one.
Page count: 374p/33,151p ytd
110:104 Queen of Darkness by Anne Bishop
The third in the Black Jewels series. Daemon has finally been found and wears the Consort ring, the last piece of her court but she remains distant and he is bewildered and hurt by this. War is coming to Kaeleer, a war that will likely destroy everything Jaenelle has been trying to save. Heketah and Dorothea are continuing their plotting to gain control over Jaenelle and the territory of her First Circle. Can Witch find a way to stop the war and Heketah and Dorothea without destroying all of the Blood or letting them wage a war that will have almost the same effect while setting the stage for the next war?
This one was heart-wrenching in so many ways which made it a complete page turner. You knew that certain things couldn't be allowed to stand but how in the world would they work out. I'm really wishing I hadn't packed up the rest of the series because while this one doesn't end on a complete cliffhanger, I so desperately want to know what happens next.
Page count: 403p/32,777p ytd
This one was heart-wrenching in so many ways which made it a complete page turner. You knew that certain things couldn't be allowed to stand but how in the world would they work out. I'm really wishing I hadn't packed up the rest of the series because while this one doesn't end on a complete cliffhanger, I so desperately want to know what happens next.
Page count: 403p/32,777p ytd
Friday, October 5, 2012
110:103 From Colonies to Country by Joy Hakim
The 3rd book in the History of Us series. This one covered the Revolutionary War and forming of the Constitution. I liked this one better than previous as it seemed to jump around less and we delved more into the people and their influences and what they were trying to accomplish rather than jumping time periods constantly and not knowing when we were.
Page count: 188p/32,367p ytd
Page count: 188p/32,367p ytd
110:102 Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop
The 2nd book in the Black Jewels series. The last book ended with Jaenelle broken in body and spirit and no one sure if she would recover, Daemon taking the blame upon himself, and most people left believing that Jaenelle was dead. Nice little cliff-hanger. This book touches a little bit on the time immediately after that but really gets going 2yrs after when Jaenelle's spirit has finally come back to her body. As you would suspect, she is quiet, moody, and withdrawn. She shies away from her friends and lashes out easily. Her innocence is gone and so is much of her unique charm. Everyone is wondering if she will be able to heal enough to become the Queen they were hoping she would be.
I have to say, I much prefer this book to the last because it was much more a book of healing and watching Jaenelle finally grow up into who we all knew she was going to be. Many little puzzles are solved in this book while the overarching storyline still has much further to go. So glad I have so many books left in the series without having to wait.
Page count: 422p/32,179p ytd
I have to say, I much prefer this book to the last because it was much more a book of healing and watching Jaenelle finally grow up into who we all knew she was going to be. Many little puzzles are solved in this book while the overarching storyline still has much further to go. So glad I have so many books left in the series without having to wait.
Page count: 422p/32,179p ytd
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
110:101 Have Stakes Will Travel by Faith Hunter
4 short stories set in the Jane Yellowrock series. All but the last take place before the first book in the series and provide more background on Jane.
WeSa - A story of early Jane/Beast where they find men encroaching on Beast's previous hunting territory. The men are destroying the land and Beast isn't happy about it.
Haints - Told in Molly's voice of the first case she and Jane worked together, shortly after they met. Interesting to see Jane from an outside perspective.
Signatures of the Dead - Again told in Molly's voice and is the story that gets hinted at a lot in their interactions through the books of how Molly's sister was kidnapped by vampires and Jane and Molly went in to get her out.
Cajun with Fangs - Takes place right before Death's Rival. Jane has just put in her resignation to Leo and is trying to get the heck out of dodge when she gets pulled back in the most unlikely way.
I enjoyed these, especially those told by Molly where we get to learn more about their relationship from another POV and what has drawn them together. Probably not a great introduction for those not already familiar with the books but a great little tidbit for the fans.
Page count: 143p/31,757p ytd
WeSa - A story of early Jane/Beast where they find men encroaching on Beast's previous hunting territory. The men are destroying the land and Beast isn't happy about it.
Haints - Told in Molly's voice of the first case she and Jane worked together, shortly after they met. Interesting to see Jane from an outside perspective.
Signatures of the Dead - Again told in Molly's voice and is the story that gets hinted at a lot in their interactions through the books of how Molly's sister was kidnapped by vampires and Jane and Molly went in to get her out.
Cajun with Fangs - Takes place right before Death's Rival. Jane has just put in her resignation to Leo and is trying to get the heck out of dodge when she gets pulled back in the most unlikely way.
I enjoyed these, especially those told by Molly where we get to learn more about their relationship from another POV and what has drawn them together. Probably not a great introduction for those not already familiar with the books but a great little tidbit for the fans.
Page count: 143p/31,757p ytd
110:100 Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop
The first book in the Black Jewels series. Daemon is a black-jeweled warlord who has been turned into a pleasure slave for the Queens and is biding his time for his true Queen to be born to throw off his shackles. Dorothea is trying to unite all the lands under her influence and is trying to keep Daemon under her control. Jaenelle is a young girl born with extraordinary powers who will be the prophesied Queen and Witch...if she lives long enough and remains undamaged enough to take that mantle. Saetan is Daemon's father, High Priest of Hell, and now the teacher of Jaenelle who managed to find her way into his realm.
I will warn people from the start that there is serious child-abuse in this book. It's not totally graphic but the scenes can be intense and it also deals with the damage to the psyche in some cases as well, if there is a psyche left to be damaged. I understand why it's there but I wish the author had chosen another way to achieve those ends.
Basic fantasy plot with Jewel colors equaling position and power levels. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but so far, they seem fairly formulaic without much depth. It's been intriguing enough that I'll keep reading the next couple since I have them sitting around and we'll see where it goes. Not my favorite first book in a series, not entirely gripped by it, but willing to continue giving it a chance to see if it grows on me.
Page count: 375p/31,614p ytd
I will warn people from the start that there is serious child-abuse in this book. It's not totally graphic but the scenes can be intense and it also deals with the damage to the psyche in some cases as well, if there is a psyche left to be damaged. I understand why it's there but I wish the author had chosen another way to achieve those ends.
Basic fantasy plot with Jewel colors equaling position and power levels. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but so far, they seem fairly formulaic without much depth. It's been intriguing enough that I'll keep reading the next couple since I have them sitting around and we'll see where it goes. Not my favorite first book in a series, not entirely gripped by it, but willing to continue giving it a chance to see if it grows on me.
Page count: 375p/31,614p ytd
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