2012 Book Reviews & A Book Giveaway

Need some reading material? May I offer a suggestion or 59? And a chance to win a book from yours truly?

First the giveaway details, in bullet form:

• I will give one reader a copy of one of the books listed below sent through Amazon.com. I daresay there is something for everyone on this list as I read everything from fiction to non-fiction, autobiographies to scary mysteries, quality to serious crap.
• Leave a comment with which book from the list below you would like to win - YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND IF YOU ARE THE WINNER! No need to get nervous.
• Make sure I have some way to reach you whether that's through your blog, an email in your profile or leaving an email in the comment
• Contest with end in 10 days, on February 26 at midnight and is open to everyone around the whole wide world.

And now the reviews of everything (or mostly everything) that I read last year...

Wait, one more thing. I used Amazon affiliate links for this post because I would have linked to Amazon anyway, but please know I fully think it would be a smarter decision for you to get these books from your library. CHEAPER, YO! It's how I get most of my books. For those that don't know - an Amazon affiliate link means I get a wee fraction of the cost of the products should you purchase through my link during the same session that you click over (i.e. you can't click over and add the book and then go back later...very fussy pants, I know). Let me know if you find the big image/Amazon link more annoying than helpful - I am going by my own personal preference for seeing a book cover next to a book review. Because I enjoy judging books by covers, just like we have always been taught.
 

FICTION

1. Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan

I read this book when I very much needed a warm weather book set in a picturesque location last winter. (Okay, so probably what I REALLY needed was a vacation, but you know what I'm saying.) I had requested it so long ago from the library (and was deep on the waiting list for such a long time) that I didn't even connect that it was a book that I had seen in various reviews and at bookstores. In other words, I didn't make the connection that it was a hyped book and I'm glad I didn't realize it as I think that would have made me like it less. It's a tale of messy family relationships and figuring life out and it was a nice booky experience. A-

2. Fly Away Home: A Novel by Jennifer Weiner

I am always very excited to read a Jennifer Weiner book, but there is something that never quite connects for me. Something is holding me at a distance from these characters and I can't put my finger on it. It's like all the characters bug me just enough that I can't wholeheartedly go along with the story. But I will keep reading every single book she ever publishes, so surely there is still much to enjoy from this author. This particular story is of a family, focusing mostly on the mother and her two grown daughters. It was fine, just not her best. B-

3. A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

A quirky little book with many characters that presents the story in a less than conventional way at times, e.g. Powerpoint. I was sometimes confused due to the many characters and the way it jumps around in time, but for the most part I was charmed and got a kick out of the characters & their stories/lives. A-

4. Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

Want to remember how painfully awkward adolescence and teenage years can feel? Here's your chance! Story of a Midwest middle-class girl at a richy-rich prep school. Said girl will make some dumb choices and behave in ways that will make you cringe and want to shake sense into her, but of course we have to forgive her given her age.  Just like we have to forgive ourselves. Or at least try to, right? And just an FYI - the author is a woman.  B+

5. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

A delight! I loved the premise right off the bat: a woman wakes up in the hospital to find she is 39-years-old with three kids and impending divorce but the last thing she remembers was being a married 29-year-old expecting her first child. The story offers information up slowly but I found the pacing pleasant. This was a perfect present to myself on my birthday. A

6. Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty

Another novel by Liane Moriarty (see previous review). This is the story of 30-something triplets in Australia as they grapple with their lives and the choices that have led them to this point. I didn't like this book as much as What Alice Forgot - it felt overly silly sometimes - but I am still glad to have found this author. "Chick lit" done well. A-

7-10. Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Of course I read these. Husband was actually a much bigger fan than I was and he isn't one to tear through books. These books are popular for good reason - they are clever, interesting, and make you stop and think. The first book was the strongest and the third the least compelling, but all are a great choice if you are looking for some entertainment. Hooray for dystopia. A-

11. Wife 22: A Novel by Melanie Gideon

Interesting and I finished it quickly. It's another book where you get the information doled out to you slowly and in pieces and it takes a while to put it all together. The premise is a woman who randomly decides to participate in an online research survey about marriage but then she finds herself very drawn to the researcher himself. It was nicely constructed (although not knowing the questions until the end was a little buggy) and a good time. A

12. Heart of the Matter by Emily Griffin

I like Emily Griffin. She seems like someone I would be friends with. This story about a stay-at-home mom in the suburbs with her two young kids (older girl, younger boy) and a husband with a busy job felt just similar enough to my life that I found it almost disconcerting. But of course this has far more drama than my own life, which is fine by me. I found the characters complex and flawed, but still people you root for. The answers aren't clear and you aren't sure what should happen by the end. I was left thinking a bit after reading it. A-

13. The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan

I found this as a cheapie book to read on the iPad and I am delighted for this author that it has become quite a hit as it was self-published. This tale has a nice mix of characters and some mystery and a really nice small-town setting. A cozy book you want to read inside while it's snowing. B+

That Summer by Sarah Dessen

This is young adult fiction about a 15-year-old. I was kind of bored (likely because I'm not 15?) and felt like most of the story was an introduction; in other words, it was taking far too long for any action to take place. However, Dessen is a decent author and her books might be nice for Bella when she is in Junior High and High School. C+

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauemeister

Stumbled across this book on my iPhone one night and it was a nice before-bed read for a few nights. It was almost like a series of short stories as it centered around all the characters in a cooking class. There is a dreamy quality to Bauemeister's writing. A-

16.  A Rural Affair by Catherine Alliott

A book about a woman who finds herself widowed with children except - the catch - she really didn't like her husband so maybe it's not so bad after all. It's quirky and both lighter and deeper than you would imagine. Plus, I always have a soft spot for British authors. B+

17. The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg

Berg is a quality writer, especially when you consider how prolific she is. Her books seem like they should be light and fluffy, but they don't feel that way to me. This tells the story of a 40th high school reunion. Not my favorite book of hers, but it was still nice. B+

18. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen


Southern charm: I'm a sucker for that, too. This tells the tale of a mansion near ruins being restored to it's former glory and all the complexities and characters that go with a house with a history. A little mystery and some romance, but with modern characters, too. Nicely done. A-

19. The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard

A bit dark and almost uncomfortable to read with the subtle sadness in the story, but very engaging. This tells of two young girls and their families and the odd ways in which their lives overlap. The chapters go back and forth between the two girls. I really liked it. A

20. Baby Love by Joyce Maynard

Found this in the e-book library after really enjoying The Good Daughters. Wasn't so crazy about this book. Like an 80's literary version of 16 & Pregnant. Too much sadness about the situations they were in and not enough other things to balance it (like humor or brilliant writing or very compelling characters or engaging storyline). It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't that great. C

21. The World Below by Sue Miller

This book tells the parallel stories of a woman and her grandmother (the grandmother's story is about her life as a young woman). Interesting characters and I was fascinated about the fact that there are former cities now covered with bodies of water like mentioned in the book. This led me to a week of googling stuff about abandoned cities/neighborhoods (Chernobyl, Detroit) and reading about ghost towns. Fascinating stuff. B+

22. Lost in the Forest by Sue Miller

I don't know about this one. Miller is a good author and this book has good writing and characters, but... I don't know. The plot, eh, I can't fully buy it. There is some creepiness with a sexual relationship. But the biggest marker of an "eh" for me is that I couldn't remember it and had to read a full review. There are better Sue Miller choices than this one. B-

23. Heat Wave by Nancy Thayer

Pulled this off the shelf last minute at the library. The story was kind of weird - a widower with two daughters opens up her large Nantucket house as a B&B in order to keep it. Isn't that...a really bad idea? As in not safe for your daughters? But it you overlook that, it's a decent enough read and I like books set in Nantucket. B-

24. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

I like Indian author Lahiri's work (check out Unaccustomed Earth) and while this wasn't my favorite book she wrote (short story collections are never my favorite), it was still very good and engaging. Interesting and complex characters and stories. Beautiful prose. A-

25. The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

I liked this, but I kept my expectations low so keep that in mind. Hilderbrand is a touch trashy and her novels are truly a beach-read type of book for me. This book features four couples and how their lives are all affected in the aftermath of one couple dying in a tragic boating accident. B-

FICTION - MYSTERY

26. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Had to check it out after all the hype! I did like this book and found it very clever. Enjoyed the characters even if I didn't like them at all and I raced through it trying to figure out what really happened. I found the whole thing very reminiscent of To Die For by Joyce Maynard (whoa! I didn't realize that she wrote that book!) which is a another book I would recommend (the movie is good, too.) And if you read it yourself and were wondering: I was just fine with the ending. A

27. The Wrong Mother by Sophie Hannah

I discovered Sophie Hannah on the heels of reading Gone Girl. Hannah's books are all a series that feature the same core detective/police characters. Weird, quirky, humorous, dark...and quite good. Leaves you feeling a little icky, though, given the subject matter. Same way I feel about L&O: SVU. A-

28. Hurting Distance by Sophie Hannah

The book was especially creepy and dark but the subject matter was something I was willing to take on in the face of enjoying the other book I read by Sophie Hannah. But I wish it could have been less disturbing. I want Sophie Hannah "lite" books. Anyhoodles, I wouldn't recommend starting with this book of hers. And there is one book in the series (Little Face) that I won't even touch given it's about a baby. Maybe I will tolerate these more when I'm older? B-

29. Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell

I miss Scarpetta books of yore. It's like the characters have all become so very deeply and irrevocably flawed that it's just all very sad and disturbing now.This plot on this one was another problem. I found it plodding and too complex. I find myself wanting the characters to do and say different things and I want the plot to go a different direction. It's all lacking. And I'm sad about that. C-

AUTOBIOGRAPHIES & BIOGRAPHIES

30. My Booky Wook by Russell Brand

What an odd little duck Russell Brant is. And yet even though he is immature and bratty, he is endearing and quite funny. He has insight and that goes a long way for me forgiving someone's sins. An interesting read that will leave you feeling dirty and not in a good way. But I like him much more after having read it and can understand what Katy Perry might have been thinking in (foolishly) marrying him. B+

31. The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

How interesting it was to learn about the history of HeLa cells - and I would never think that would be a topic of interest to me. This book will particularly appeal to anyone with a science or medical background. But it did go a little too slowly for me and I found myself often choosing other books over this one when it was on my nightstand. I wanted a little less information. However, the author really went the distance in her research and she put herself out there and she should be darn proud of this book and her work.  A-

32. Sugarhouse: Turning the Neighborhood Crack House into our Home Sweet Home by Matthew Batt

Found randomly as an e-book from the library. Story of a house remodel in Salt Lake City & the life of a married couple and their complex families. Eh, twas okay. Sometimes Batt's viewpoint, or really, the way he told a couple stories, really rubbed me the wrong was as a parent. But I forgave him by the end. And I think he lives in the Twin Cities now, so fist bump to him as a neighbor. B-

33. Wild by Cheryl Strayed

I heard great things about this again and again and it finally was my turn to read it after months on the waiting list. I am impressed by Cheryl Strayed for many reasons - her ability to share so much of herself, the fact she was brave enough to conquer some incredible physical feats, and her ability to write beautifully. Sure, she makes some dumb choices in her life and you feel frustrated about what she is doing, but she was dealt a tough hand. Wild is gritty and raw and uplifting and inspiring. Kudos, Ms. Strayed. A

34. Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain

Oh, Mr. Bourdain, I fear you have lost me. This book is smug but without the earnestness or at least passion that made it okay in his earlier books. It just felt smug in a pompous way. Like he has learned it all and now looks down on the world from his high horse. He assumes his coolness, but he assumes too much. I skimmed the last half.  C-

35. Paris, My Sweet by Amy Thomas

A random one I found that was charming. It's a book born from a blog about a woman who moved to France to work. I appreciate her candid accounts of fitting in and learning to live as a expat. Plus the girl has a wicked sweet tooth which I can relate to very much. B+

36. Open by Andre Agassi

I have found Husband's celebrity doppelganger and lo, it is Andre. They even had very similar experiences with hair loss. And this doppelganger situation made me overly sympathetic to Andre for the first half of the book, but then I couldn't keep it up. I wanted him to have more insight as the book went on (and he got older) but it didn't come. He seems pretty rough on Brooke Shields and it doesn't come across well. But still, it was an interesting read and I say that as someone who has never watched, let alone played, a tennis game. Mr. Agassi can write very well. B+

 37. Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson

Fascinating and Jobs is not what I expected. I have less respect for him and Apple after reading it, but I don't think that's a bad thing. They are simply both flawed, as is everything. Jobs was a complex and driven man - often bordering on ridiculous - and that helped him to (1) accomplish great things in his career and (2) alienate his family in his pursuit of his aspirations. Those who achieve great things cannot be great in all areas; it's not possible. And this is why I want my family to do well, but not necessarily be the best at anything. I think that can afford a fuller life. Eh, but what do I know? A-

38. Bloom by Kelle Hampton

I follow Hampton's blog Enjoying the Small Things on and off and was interested in getting the full story. I wish I had liked it more, but it left me confused and wondering. However, wish her and her family the best. B-

39. Bossypants by Tina Fey

I was sad that this wasn't as great as I hoped it would be. In truth, it was meh. Not bad but not great. What was really fantastic was her letter to her daughter (I've been seeing it float around Pinterest and Facebook lately and am always happy to re-read it). That was utter perfection. B-

40. Beaten, Seared and Sauced: On Becoming a Chef at the Culinary Institute of America by Jonathon Dixon

A wee part of me thinks it would be fun to go to culinary school and this memoir gives a complete and thorough look into what that might be like. The wee part of me became even more wee - I don't think I would enjoy it and neither did Dixon for the most part. This must be said: his poor girlfriend. I would have had far less tolerance than she did. B-

41. The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich

I think it's funny I read this. I should note I read it after I saw the movie and the movie is better (this is oddly becoming a more frequent feeling for me - how weird!). While the true story behind Facebook is interesting, this book was boring and the author doesn't do it justice. C

42. Wilder Life by Wendy McClure

A book about a woman exploring all she can about Laura Ingalls Wilder and Little House on the Prairie. This is the second book I have read of McClure's (I'm Not the New Me) and I felt the same way about this one as I did about her first book: I love the concept but something is missing in the execution. In this particular book, I found McClure's explorations and road-trips to Laura-centric places to be a bit sad, really. McClure seems sad in her life and it makes her perspective and take on everything dark. And I don't think that's fair of me to say, really, but there it is. I wanted this book to be lighter, to have more humor, to not feel so bleak. I wanted more Laura Ingalls and less Wendy. B-

43. Growing Up Amish by Ira Wagler

It was a bit vague and I wanted to learn more about Amish culture. It's more about his personal struggle with leaving his family and less about growing up in the Amish culture. Wagler isn't the strongest writer and this book tended towards being dull, although his personal story isn't. B-

NON-FICTION

44. Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin

In the same way that I had high hopes but then mixed feelings about Gretchen Rubin's first book, I had the same reaction to Happier at Home. While I appreciate her methodology and neat and clean approach to self-improvement, I get frustrated with the author's rigid tendencies. She delighted over a cake made of vegetables because she chooses to abstain from sweets because it's easier to not allow them in her life(!?!) She chooses to never even try meditation, not even for a few minutes, because it's "not her" and doesn't see the hypocrisy in this. And she can also be so rude in how she presents comments from friends and acquaintances about her happiness pursuits; Rubin can be so very smug. But am I balking at her attitude because I also have similar personality traits to Rubin that I dislike about myself? Is this transference? I don't know. Regardless, I like the concept and it made me think. But then when I sat down to chart out a life-improvement-style list of my own, I realized that this is very much NOT a fit for my current life. I don't have the time, means, or lifestyle that Rubin does. Maybe someday. I would recommend reading The Happiness Project before this one (she is less offensive to me there) if you are new to Rubin's work. B-

45. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall

This book was too long. TOOOOO LONG. It needed some serious editing and it became so dry and dull and mired in unnecessary details that I confess I didn't read the last quarter of it. It should have been a long article for a magazine instead. But there is still some interesting stuff in there and the author did a lot of research and it has me pondering running shoes or lack thereof. B-

46. Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

I read this for continuing education credit but I would have read it anyway. Interesting stuff about behavior and what motivates change. My interest was especially piqued by their discussions of motivation and how it gets depleted through making decisions and choices. As a mother to two young children, I can see how my energy for making positive choices for myself gets depleted since I am making constant decisions for children. Most of them are very small decisions, but it wears you down. It's why shopping can be so exhausting - it's not the walking around - it's the multitude of decisions. I want to re-read this book and ponder it all some more. And luckily, I have to since I have to complete the continuing education test questions :) A-

48. Bringing Up Bebe: One Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman

J'adore le France so I knew this book would be fun for me - and it was. The "le pause" concept with sleep training is intriguing, but I still swear to God it would never, ever have worked on Bella. The food stuff was interesting on many levels - as a parent, as a dietitian, as a person who likes food, and as someone who has studied abroad and visited France twice - and I have tried to incorporate some of her advice, such as serving courses with meals (i.e. I serve the veggie course first and then the rest of the food). As with all parenting books, read it with an open mind and take what you like from it. However, there was something a little "off" going on with the way Druckerman talks about her husband and a googling led me to an article she wrote about gifting a threesome to her husband for his birthday and then I was left feeling a little sad and dirty and weird. A-

48. French Woman All Seasons by Mireille Guillano


I wanted more French culture after reading Bringing Up Bebe so I picked this up at the library. I read French Woman Don't Get Fat years ago and liked it. This book was good in the same way I enjoy reading Better Homes and Gardens on occasion. It's like Pinterest but in a book form: ideas of things I could do but have no intention of actually doing. It just feels nice to have possibilities sometimes. B

49. Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health by William Davis, MD

Overly dramatic and the vernacular is so colloquial that it leaves you questioning the validity, but I do believe there is some truth to what Dr Davis presents. I think it's quite possible that wheat in it's current form is causing myriad problems to the gut and the body as a whole. Even before I read it I knew gluten was problematic for me, just further evidence that I need to make a lifelong commitment to avoiding it for the most part (LE SIGH). However, if you are just getting into reading about diet and health, I think Michael Pollen is the way to go. This is just supplemental stuff for those who have read the basics. B-

50. The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout


One in 25 Americans is a sociopath devoid of empathy or any real affection. How's that for a jarring piece of trivia? I first heard about this on Swistle's blog early last year. I found this interesting, but a little more dull than it needed to be. Read it and then you can also play the game of: "Who do I know or have I ever met that is a sociopath?" It's especially fun to play with family or friends! B+

DUDS

51. Shades of Grey by E L James

Don't do it! Grey is a creep! The creepiest of creeps! Eh...maybe you should check it out as I know many, many women adored this book, but I found it plain old icky. Not so much the sex stuff (though it was ridiculous more that hot) but the fact that the characters were so weird. Not my cuppa, at all. But props to E L James for randomly having such success. I wonder what the book would have been like had it been written with the intention of going through a regular publication (versus being a e-book that struck random gold). But regardless: it's Twilight fan fiction. Read that instead.

52. Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster

I know many people adore Jen Lancaster and are huge fans, but she is not for me. This was my third time trying to read (or listen to) one of her books and once again I can't stomach her. If I thought she was kidding or at least being a bit self-deprecating or sarcastic then I could find humor in it, but my problem is that she is not kidding. She presents as a selfish and mean woman and tries to make it all seem cute. Doesn't work for me.

53. Night Road by Kristin Hannah

First I will say that I got this as an audiobook so that might be coloring my opinion. However, I think I would have had the same reaction reading it in print. This book was just blegh. I have no clue what went so off track with this book as I normally like Kristin Hannah's novels, but every single character in this book is ridiculous. I couldn't find anyone to root for and no personal growth was happening. Just a lot of flat characters doing dumb things.  So much tragedy and foolish behavior and it left me wanting a whole lot more. Leave this Hannah book on the shelf.

54. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares


There was a major deal breaker for me in the early part of this book that had me stopping right then and there. I don't want to give any spoilers so I will not tell you more, but this book was a big NO. And I say that as a mild fan who had only read one of the Pants books but saw the movies. Also: I still can't get over the concept of magical jeans with doodles that fit girls of all shapes and sizes. BRAIN CANNOT COMPUTE THAT.

55. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond

I feel like there was a marketing mishap at the publisher. This book isn't a look at how societies failed like the description says, rather, it's a detailed (OH SO FREAKING DETAILED) look at climate change and the impact on societies over time. Everything is looked at from an environmental standpoint. While I can see the validity in how climate impacts the demise of societies, I wanted a bigger picture. I wanted to look at all the reasons a society might collapse. I wanted more anthropology and less weather. This read like a textbook for a college course and left me more bored than interested. So I gave up on reading it. I think I will read one of his other book, though: Guns, Germs and Steel. And Husband liked The Third Chimpanzee by Diamond.

56. The Four Mrs Bradwells by Meg Waite Clayton

I have tried to listen to this on audiobook on 3 occasions and I keep losing interest. I got halfway through and I feel like I'm still waiting for it to start. Perhaps the paper version would have been better so I could have skimmed?

57. Daring to Dream by Nora Roberts

My bad for going with a Nora Roberts book - this is a clear example of me trying to find something to read on my phone in the middle of the night when I can't sleep. It's book filler. Daring to Dream is a low even for Roberts. The protagonist was just obnoxious and gross though Roberts was intending her to come across as sassy and sexy. She was much more Lindsey Lohan than Marilyn so FAIL. But really the fail was on me for reading it in the first place.

58. The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

Written in the bizarre omniscient first person plural tense with unsympathetic characters and a whole lot of Shakespeare quoting. Was not for me. Full review for BlogHer here.


59. The Vow by Kim Carpenter

Yes, the book that the movie was based on. I liked the movie way, way better.  This was the story of the extreme amnesia a woman experienced following a car accident but the book was written exclusively by her husband and that made it just awkward. The fact that the woman's voice and perspective on this experience is missing makes it so unbalanced. I felt uncomfortable with how the author presented the story, in more ways than one, as he was very pushy about his wife's recovery. Also, you should know that the author is very religious so that may or may not be your cup of tea.


Okay, you read the reviews. Now enter the contest by leaving a comment. May the booky force be with you.