The Great Karoo - Fred Stenson

War novels are not usually my thing. (*yawn*) I took this out from the library because it was a GG's nomination but I was ready to quit this before I even started. I finally picked it up to fill the gap after Atmospheric Disturbances, and then, surprisingly, I couldn't put it down. I can't say why exactly I loved this book, but I did. It was long, and slow, and all about war, set in South Africa during the second Boer War. But it was also a page-turner, and had a great plot, and was beautifully written and thoughtful. Definitely glad I read this one.

Atmospheric Disturbances: A Novel - Rivka Galchen

I definitely recommend this book, it was just so good! It is one of those rare books that brings such originality to the idea of what a novel should be that it made for a fresh and pleasurable read.

The middle-aged psychiatrist protagonist believes his wife has disappeared, and has been replaced by... a doppelganger. Conspiracies with dogs, doppelgangers, weather, and wacky mix of science and literature and psychology ensue, right up to this book's final confusion, I mean conclusion.

Creative, smart, funny, eccentric, complicated- sound like the perfect date? I can tell you I certainly enjoyed taking this one to bed for 3 nights in a row.

However, I'd be interested to hear what other people think of it, as a lot of reviewers on amazon really didn't like this book.

Shanghai Girls: A Novel - Lisa See

I didn't feel like with this book that Lisa See was very good at getting into her characters in terms of the time and place in which they were placed- I felt like her characters mannerisms and ways of speaking and thinking were far too modern for the 1930's era China that they were set in. But even so, she tells a good story that effectively draws the reader in and once I was hooked I found it an engaging read through to the end. I also have to give her credit for the open ending to the story, which I always find a frustrating but compelling finish to a book. She is a good story-teller, and her subject matter is always interesting, but most of all it made me want to pick up an Amy Tan book, whose subject matter is similar, but whose writing I find a little bit, well, better.

100 Books in 2010

I forgot this Blog existed and since it seems to have fallen into disuse, I am going to use it to track the 100 Juvenile books I plan to read in 2010. Please feel free to offer suggestions. I am doing this for two reasons: first, I want to make myself read 100 Juvie books form myjob. How can I advise people if I don't read the books myself; the second reason is to practise using social networking technologies. Since I am very 'old school' I cringe at public postings yet without actually using these technologies I become disadvantaged at my job. So I am hoping no one except me (& a very few of you) will read my posts. I can always edit them out if they become too cringable. Best of luck to me in accomplishing my goal.

Slam by Nick Hornsby

I am a Nick Hornsby fan as well. This book is a YA book so the intended audience is Teens. I really liked it. It is written from the point of view of a teenage father. Typical of Hornsby's books, the characters are not flat nor is the situation simplified. I liked this book. It is one of those books that suggests a rational outcome to a challenging situation without resorting to judgemental emotionalism.