Book Nook: Holidays On Ice

Holidays on Ice
~ David Sedaris

BBB Rating: 1 out of 5

I love finishing a book and adding it to my Read List, almost as much as I love adding books to my To Read List. Granted, the latter is much lengthier and I wonder if I'll actually ever get through them all, but adding new books is so much fun. 

Holidays on Ice was a book I received as a Christmas gift, oh, maybe three years ago, from my wonderful and observant husband. He noticed a few other books on my shelf by David Sedaris and picked this one up for me as a gift. It's a collection of short stories, all holiday themed, and I started reading it shortly after I got it, but then put it down and clearly forgot about it for several years. 

Well, I picked it back up over the holidays finished it not to long ago. What did I think? To be honest, I was a little unsettled by his humour this time around. I know he's a pretty quirky guy, but some of the ideas he puts out there made me uncomfortable. So I'm sad to say that this one was a miss for me. Not all the books I read can be hits, but I'm sharing them with you anyway.

Book Nook: What in God's Name

What in God's Name
~ Simon Rich

BBB Rating: 4 out of 5

I cued up this book after finishing Simon's book of short stories, Last Girlfriend on Earth. I loved his writing style and humour in his stories, so I was excited to read his novel. I was a little skeptical from the title, but turns out this is just a good ol' fashion love story told in Heaven. And Heaven might not be how you think it is. I liked this book so much that is was the one I brought to my Christmas Book Club Mean Santa, and surprisingly, it got stolen a number of times. If you're looking for a cute love story, check out this one.

From Goodreads: 

Welcome to Heaven, Inc., the grossly mismanaged corporation in the sky. For as long as anyone can remember, the founder and CEO (known in some circles as "God") has been phoning it in. Lately, he's been spending most of his time on the golf course. And when he does show up at work, it's not to resolve wars or end famines, but to Google himself and read what humans have been blogging about him.

When God decides to retire (to pursue his lifelong dream of opening an Asian Fusion restaurant), he also decides to destroy Earth. His employees take the news in stride, except for Craig and Eliza, two underpaid angels in the lowly Department of Miracles. Unlike their boss, Craig and Eliza love their jobs - uncapping city fire hydrants on hot days, revealing lost keys in snow banks - and they refuse to accept that earth is going under.

The angels manage to strike a deal with their boss. He'll call off his Armageddon, if they can solve their toughest miracle yet: getting the two most socially awkward humans on the planet to fall in love. With doomsday fast approaching, and the humans ignoring every chance for happiness thrown their way, Craig and Eliza must move heaven and earth to rescue them - and the rest of us, too.

I think I'll take a little break from this author, but I will return to read his other works again for sure.

Book Nook: The Last Girlfriend on Earth: And Other Love Stories

The Last Girlfriend on Earth: And Other Love Stories
~ Simon Rich

BBB Rating: 4 out of 5

This little book was a surprisingly great read. The collection of short stories were witty and entertaining, and I often found myself chuckling aloud (I love when a book does that!). The author, young Simon Rich, is a talented writer with some very unique insights on dating and falling in love in New York, and the topics of the short stories are not ones I was used to reading. 

From Goodreads:

In "Center of the Universe," God struggles to balance the demands of his career with the needs of his long-term girlfriend. In "Magical Mr. Goat," a young girl's imaginary friend yearns to become "more than friends." In "Unprotected," an unused prophylactic recalls his years spent trapped inside a teen boy's wallet. The stories in Simon Rich's new book are bizarre, funny, and yet...relatable. Rich explores love's many complications-losing it, finding it, breaking it, and making it-and turns the ordinary into the absurd. With razor-sharp humor and illustrations, and just in time for Valentine's Day, Rich takes readers for an exhilarating, hilarious ride on the roller coaster of love.

I've since gone on to read one of his full-length novels, "What in God's Name", which I'll be telling you all about in my next Book Nook. 
 

READING UPDATE

 

I have to regrettably report that I was just 3 books shy of reaching my goal of reading 20 books in 2013. The time just got away from me. I'm going to aim to read 20 books again this year, and hopefully with some better time-management, I'll get there!

Book Nook: Gone Girl

Gone Girl
~ Gillian Flynn

BBB Rating: 5 out of 5

I read this book earlier this year and right from the beginning it had me hooked. I'm a fan of suspense and thriller novels, and this one had such an interesting way of telling a story of a wife gone missing that I had to power through to see how it ended. It was one of the few books that I had to talk out with my husband, even though he hadn't (nor will he ever) read it. I just needed someone to say "You won't believe what just happened!" Don't worry, I won't anything away for you, but I definitely recommend this one if you are a thriller type of person.

Here's a quick summary for you from Goodreads: 

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick's clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife's head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media--as well as Amy's fiercely doting parents--the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter--but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn't do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

The story is told from the perspective of both the husband and the wife, and just when you think you know exactly what happened, well, new information is presented and you feel like you're right back at the beginning. I loved every page of it! 

Book Nook: We All Fall Down

We All Fall Down
~Eric Walters

BBB Rating: 4 out of 5

This book was recommended to me by a colleague at work, and she got the recommendation for her 18 year old son! He had read it at school and really took an interest in it, so he told his mom that she should read it. Her and I were chatting books one day at the office, and the next day, a copy was in my hand.

It is not a long book, but it's a deep book. Told from the perspective of a Grade 9 student who goes to work with his father to the World Trade Towers on the fateful day of September 11th, what follows is their experience together as they live through one of the most memorable days in US history.

From Goodreads:

Today is September 10, 2001, and Will, a grade nine student, is spending the day at his father’s workplace tomorrow. As part of a school assignment, all the students in his class will be going to their parents tomorrow, but Will isn’t excited about it–he’d rather sleep in and do nothing with his friends. His father doesn’t even have an exciting job like his best friend James’s father who is a fireman. Will’s dad works for an international trading company and has to wake up early every morning to commute to his office on the eighty-fifth floor in the south building of the World Trade Center in Manhattan. Will doesn’t see his father very often because of the hours he puts in at the office. He doubts that his dad will bother making time for him tomorrow even when they are supposed to be spending the day together.

In this fast-paced and dramatic new novel by bestselling author Eric Walters, Will discovers a new side of his father during an event that continues to affect the world. As Will’s new teacher says, tomorrow “might be an experience that changes your entire life.” 

The author, Eric Walters, is a Canadian teacher who decided to write books about the subject matter he was teaching his students as a way to make the material more accessible. Most of his books are based on real life events and are told from the perspective of a young student, and they often take place in Canada. Other works include stories about the 1954 Hurricane Hazel (Safe as Houses), a story mixed with fact and fiction about Terry Fox (Run), and his sequel to We All Fall Down, United We Stand, which continues the story of Will and his father on September 12th. I think I'll have to check that one out next. And I'll be remembering these for when Olivia is older, too. 

Book Nook: The Gun Seller

 

The Gun Seller 
~Hugh Laurie

BBB Rating:  3 out of 5

I just finished reading The Gun Seller, so while it's fresh in my mind, I'll share my review. This was one of the books I nabbed at my latest Book Club, and a big selling feature was the author - Hugh Laurie. Best known for his character "House", turns out Laurie is also a talented writer.  

From the description on the back of the book, it might not have been one I chose for myself, but that's what I like best about recommendations - they introduce you to something new! 

Hugh Laurie concocts an uproarious cocktail of comic zingers and over-the-top action in this "ripping spoof of the spy genre" (Vanity Fair) -- the irresistible tale of a former Scots Guard-turned-hired gun, a freelance soldier of fortune who also happens to be one heck of a nice guy. Cold-blooded murder just isn't Thomas Lang's cup of tea. Offered a bundle to assassinate an American industrialist, he opts to warn the intended victim instead -- a good deed that soon takes a bad turn. Quicker than he can down a shot of his favorite whiskey, Lang is bashing heads with a Buddha statue, matching wits with evil billionaires, and putting his life (among other things) in the hands of a bevy of femmes fatales. Up against rogue CIA agents, wannabe terrorists, and an arms dealer looking to make a high-tech killing, Lang's out to save the leggy lady he has come to love...and prevent an international bloodbath to boot.

I did find the writing very witty and laughed to myself a number of times. There was a lot of British humor, which took maybe a second longer to figure out, but I liked his style of writing. The plot, however, was a bit confusing to follow at times. There were a number of different players to keep track of, a lot of twists and turns, and the main character uses several different aliases, which added to the confusion. But, it delivered what it promised - laughter, action, intrigue, and deception. So I'd read Laurie's next one, should he write again. 

NEW FEATURE: Beth's Book Nook (coming soon)

In my spare time, when I'm not knitting or baking (or cleaning), I really enjoy reading (and our little one enjoys it, too!). I usually have a book or two on the go at any one time. I read on my commute to and from work each day, so slow journeys or unexpected delays on the TTC are never an inconvenience for me.  I've also got a different book ready at home for those quiet nights I find myself alone after Olivia has gone to bed. Lately I'd much rather read then try to find something on television to watch. 

While I have favorite genres and authors, I love getting recommendations from friends, browsing at the book store, or online best seller lists. There are so many books to read out there (and so little time) that my list is always growing. Thanks to Goodreads, I'm able to keep track of them all. I tell everyone about this site, so if you're a book reader/lover, you should check it out (and find me!). It's great to see what other people are reading, and there's something satisfying about adding another book to your "Read" shelf. 
 

Goodreads has a yearly Book Challenge on their site that I find fun to participate in. You pick how many books you want to read that year, and then try to hit that goal. I thought my goal of 20 books would be achievable, but I'm already dragging behind by 5 books. At having read only 11 books so far, I better pick up the pace (and choose shorter books!). 

I am currently reading: 
How to Knit a Love Song by Rachell Herron
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I've also thought about joining a book club, but there's something I don't really like about everyone reading and dissecting one book . It feels too much like high school when we had to write book reports. Instead, some girlfriends and I started an "unconventional book club", where we meet up about once a month to eat, drink wine, and talk books and movies. Our first meet-up was to see The Great Gatsby, a book that most of us had read back in high school, so we thought we'd check out the film adaptation. From there, the group was born. We're unconventional in the sense that, instead of all of us reading the same book, we come armed with a book or two (and a bottle of wine) to swap between the group. It's a little like Show and Tell: we tell a bit about the book and why we liked it, then we each get our pick of which to read next. The hubby thinks it's just an excuse to get together to eat and drink, and while I'll deny it to him, he's probably right.

The above is just a really long way of saying that I thought I'd start my own book review here and share with you some of the books I've read and enjoyed over this past year(s). The first review to come shortly (and appearing regularly).

And if you have any good books to recommend, please share in the comments!