Work is slow today. Painfully slow. I'm also dealing with some kind of sinus/sore throat/cold/allergy thing which is not leaving me in the best of moods. What's more, it's cold, it's raining and it's Monday. While I'm caught up on things here at work, I thought I'd take a few minutes and get caught up on blogging, specifically about some of the books I've read recently.
The Bitch by Les Edgerton (2011)
This was a title I stumbled upon on Goodreads, which sounded interesting to me. It's about a former inmate named Jake who is released from prison, only to run into his old cellmate on the outside who calls in a favor. Reluctantly Jake agrees and sets in motion a sh*t storm of events that, if caught, would send him back to prison for life.
I was interested enough to finish the story, but it wasn't the gripping noir tale the reviews made it out to be. I would have liked a little more atmosphere, or perhaps some more back story of Jake's time in prison. In the end, it served it's purpose as mildly entertaining fiction at a bargain price.
Faceless Killers (Wallander #1) by Henning Mankell (1991)
This is the first in a series of Swedish crime novels written by Henning Mankell, starring the character Kurt Wallander. My love of the Dragon Tattoo trilogy lead me straight here, and I wasn't disappointed. I really enjoy this type writing, which takes mundane activities and goes into great detail. Many of the characters, especially Wallander, aren't doing anything unbelievable, and I find it easy to put myself in their shoes. I look forward to reading another in the series and seeing if Wallander continues to grow on me.
Howard Hughes: The Untold Story by Peter Harry Brown (2004)
"He was the billionaire head of a giant corporation, a genius inventor, an ace pilot, a matinee-idol-handsome playboy, a major movie maker who bedded a long list of Hollywood glamour queens, a sexual sultan with a harem of teenage consorts, a political insider with intimate ties to Watergate, a Las Vegas kingpin, and ultimately a bizarre recluse whose final years and shocking death were cloaked in macabre mystery"
The Aviator is one of my favorite movies and it really piqued my interest of Howard Hughes. This book was fantastic, and it lead me to say "...Did you know Howard Hughes did XXX?" numerous times throughout the book. This was a very fun and informative read, I highly recommend it.
My Abandonment by Peter Rock (2009)
Inspired by a true story a girl and her father who lived secretly in a nature reserve. However, one misstep allows a jogger to discover them, and changes their lives forever. Written from the perspective of 13-year old girl, this book really left an impression on me. It's vivid, unsettling, and hard to put down. One of the few books I've read recently that immediately lead to discussion, and more questions than answers. Highly recommend.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (2003)
Yes, I'm late to the party. Still, it holds up well as fun page-turner and enjoyable read. I was impossible for me not to get caught up in all the details and google the paintings and locales. P.S. movie wasn't nearly as good as the book.
The Hunger Games (Trilogy) by Suzanne Collins (2008)
I enjoyed the first book a lot, each book after less and less. I loved the survival/hunting/ aspects of the first book. In the end, it got a little too "Twilight" for me. P.S. movie looks terrible.
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