Booklist 2012….includes “score” and “reread” value

BOYS LIFE by Robert McCammon

♥♥♥♥♥ hearts out of five

THE LITTLE STRANGER by Sarah Water

♥♥♥ hearts out of five

LUCIA LUCIA by Adriana Trigiani

♥♥ hearts out of five

A MONSTROUS REGIMEN OF WOMEN by Laurie R King
The second book in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series that King is writing. Could not resist jumping right into reading this one as soon as it fell into my hands. Interesting, this one. Deals with women’s rights as they surge in the early 1900s, in England and with a fictional character who wrangles policitally and socially to improve women’s lot in life, also with some reflections on the verterans homr from the First World War.  Interesting juxtaposition and sem-facts to get this one written and also mentioning Sir Conan Doyle’s “thing” about fairies.  King manages viewpoints masterfully. Anyway, Mary Russell proves to be an even more interesting character as King develops her.  This one is good and only leads to…#3, of course! (I want you to ponder for just a moment what a married Sherlock Holmes might be like!!!)
♥♥♥♥hearts out of five
Probaby not a reread…not necessary but will keep on the shelf, in series style

SUNDAYS AT TIFFANYS by James Patterson
Whew, read it in a blink which was perfectly fine as a little pre-beach-read. Goes uickly, is farily ridiculous and yet I finished it. A man goes from imaginary friend-angel to real-life lover of a little girl whom he spent itme wtih . Sounds naughty, ah, but it’s not. I’ll put it in the guest room; should you want a little something to read (very little), this should suit.
♥.5 hearts out of five
Will not reread.

GOOD BOSS, BAD BOOS by….(iv’e forgotten)
It was a good quick read, particularly since I was looking only for cogent information.  Teh fluff didn’t matter.  Overall, there are about 10 things one can do/not do in terms of managing and the rest is based on managing the perceptions of personnel. Ah, it’s a sticky wicket.
♥♥hearts out of five
Not a reread

GRANTA: #118  Exit Strategies
The literary magazine is full of odd pieces, at first glance, yet read through each one with interest and curiosity.  What was most remarkable? Honestly, based on all input to date, would have to thumb through to orient myself….but as always, love Granta and glad I sequestered myself with it.
♥♥♥♥hearts out of five
Yes, would reread parts of it. Whcih  is why it’s aprt of the Granta library chez nous.

THE BEEKEEPER’S APPRENTICE by Laurie R. King
The book got better and better as I went along. This is the first one in the Mary Russell / Sherlock Holmes series. Yup, a Holmes afficionado can love this “take” on Holmes’s life after Doyle stops writing.  Give it a try.  Yup, I should do an actual review and may do one but for now, if you love a British-y book, and Holmes and some mystery with a strong female character mixed in (and no, she’s nothing like Irani Adler), then ya gotta try this one.
♥♥♥♥hearts out of five
Chance of a reread: Maybe, although it’s not often one reads a myster, in toto, again.

THE PARIS WIFE by ….I forgot!
Anway, I was not a fan of this book. It was too simple. It hit on the stuff we know already. No real story either through its creative/fake/made up side and no awakenings regarding the real Hem and Hadley.  But I read it completely, didn’t I? Ah, well. Another airplane book. Nothing wrong with that!
♥♥ hearts out of five
Chance of a reread: No

FIREFLY SUMMER by Maeve Binchy
Long, long long this book about an American with Irish roots who returns to build a huge honking hotel in a quiet village of his parents birth and the uproar it causes among young and old. This is a perfect “travel” book; it goes and goes oand goes and youkeep reading it because Binchy can do that with her characters. Lotsa fluff, lotsa humanity and charming overall tho’  this one has a few hard edges. Still we cheer for the little family who owns the pub by the bridge.
♥♥♥ hearts out of five
Chance of a Reread: no

DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLY by PD James
OK, it was not what I expected/hoped for but you wouldn’t know that ’til you read it. Still James does a good job on keeping the characters as themselves though there may be one or two points on which I do not agree. Not a lot about this mystery related to actual action; it was all summed up as  a texty thing. And I guessed at the ending, not the solution, but the ending. Spoiler: Congrats to the Darcy’s on their third kid, though.  If you love the whole Regency/Austne thing, it’s part of your  job to read this one.

THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern
So now we have a new classic literature romantic couple:  it’s Celia and Marco. Sure, sure, sure, there’s also Isobel and Tsuchichi (or something close to that) and Poppet and Lainie and a cast of dozens and Bailey, the “real” boy and the twins and illusion, illusion, illusion.  I’m not gonna say “magic” per se: this book is not just abracadabra. It’s about creating and maintaining illusion, and two “battling” illusionists (oh, darn and now you’re thinking of those movies from a few years ago including THE ILLUSIONIST and THE PRESTIGE but these are NOTHING like the topic and the characters in this book.)
Now, do not mistake my enthusiasm for this book as a dictum to run out and get the book. It’s probably not gonna be a hit with everyone.  It just happened to be the right book at the right time for me. And the storytelling is fluent – no bumps, no flaws, not missteps, no over or under telling.  It’s about a competition between two illusionists set in a competition from a very early age and the circus that becomes their platform as well as a number of characters who run in and out, populating the pages in some unforgettable scenarios.  Placed in the late 1800s western Europe and east coast USA, the book hits  so many right notes, you gotta love it. Well, you don’t “gotta” love it, but it’s worth a look, a try, a page, a sample.
♥♥♥♥♥ out of five!
Chance of a reread: maybe…ah, well, probably not

THE CREATIVE JOURNAL by Lucia Capacchione, Ph.D.
Another view on the why and whatfor of keeping a journal. Interesting, this one, in that the accent is on writing your way out of tough situations. And the importance of including (your own) handdrawn images. This one’s weighted on the psychological side rather than art or writing for writing’s sake, but I’m finishing it now because someone at the library already has it on  hold and I can’t renew it. BTW, journaling is quite a hot trend right now. Maybe not a trend, though. We’ll see.
♥♥ hearts out of five
Chance of a reread:  No

THE WEIRD SISTERS   by ___________

Not bad, somewhat typical but the story of a family based on a dad who’s a shakespeare professor and his wife and 3 daughters who all also love books. Shakespeare is quoted throughout in the mouth of the characters and it works well. the story(ies) on the other hand are fairly status quo; the sisters each have their dramas. All’s well that ends well.
♥♥ hearts out of five
Chance of a Reread: no

THE CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR by Lisa Sonora Beam
Excellent text, leads, prompts…even if you don’t need all of it, some of it will slam a door open for you. 
♥♥♥ hearts out of five
Chance of a Reread: yes