books 63 and 64

Bitter Sweets, Roopa Farooki
rating:


This debut novel has been compared to Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake, and I have to say that, beyond the obvious cultural connection, I didn't really see it. This book is so soaked in deceit that I had a hard time relating to many of the characters, and some of the major issues raised are dealt with so neatly that it was difficult to believe. Still, I found Farooki's writing to be smooth and her voice to be very readable.

Last Rituals, Yrsa Sigurdardottir
rating:


The subtitle of this novel is: "An Icelandic Novel of Secret Symbols, Medieval Witchcraft, and Modern Murder." Yep, that pretty much says it all. Lawyer Thora is contacted by the family of a murdered German graduate student studying in Iceland. They're unhappy with the outcome of the police investigation and want her to find out more. I'm a fan of Scandinavian crime novels, generally, though this one was a little different b/c the victim was a German national. I figured out who the murderer was pretty early on, but the rest of the novel was still pretty interesting. Witches, torture, creepy stuff, etc.

book 62

Slam, Nick Hornby
rating:


Nick Hornby's latest novel is about a teenager, Sam, who is really into skating (skateboarding, that is, but apparently only rubes call it that). He's got a few nice things going for him - he might be the first in the family to go to college, he's got a pretty girlfriend, etc. But then it all goes out the window after something occurs that changes his life (I'm not saying what b/c the book jacket acts as if it's some kind of secret). Hornby's teenage voice is really good, and I really liked the fast pace of the story. I'm a little quibbly about the parts where he is able to magically preview the future, but those moments are pretty well contained. I remember not being super happy about How to Be Good, the last Hornby I read, but I enjoyed this one so much that I'm considering going back and reading that suicide book he wrote.

I've got three more days to up my totals for 2007. Can I do a book a day and make it a respectable 65? Stay tuned...

book 61

Garden Spells, Sarah Addison Allen
rating:


A debut novel from a North Carolina writer, Garden Spells is about the Waverly sisters of Bascom, NC, and how they deal with their strange family history. One of the sisters is a caterer, and she makes all of these delicious-sounding foods out of the edible flowers grown in the magical family garden. I was hungry a lot while I read it. Overall, a fine read, but it all wrapped up a little too nicely for my taste.

book 60

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
rating:


Re-reading for book club. If you don't know what happens, you should watch the movie.

book 59

The Abstinence Teacher, Tom Perrotta
rating:


Eh. I've really liked Tom Perrotta ever since I read The Wishbones back in high school. But this one really didn't do it for me. It's about Ruth, a sex ed teacher involved in scandal, etc. etc. and Tim, a former drug-addict now born-again Christian who coaches Ruth's daughter's soccer team. It was well-written but I didn't feel like there was much arc or movement to the story, like I was just waiting for whatever big thing was going to happen and I'm still waiting now, even after the book is over.