Tuesday, January 13, 2009

ONe SeNteNCe BooK ReVieWS



WeLCoMe To BooK CLuB.
Help yourself to a few Ritz crackers, a paper cup full of Chardonnay, and get comfortable on the couch (you may need to move several of the cats.) Here are some recent reads....

THE SHACK By William P. Young
If my child were kidnapped and had been missing for years, you can bet the first question out of my mouth if I met God would not be of a theological nature.

Verdict: I want that two hours of my life I spent reading this on an airplane, back.

THE ROAD By Cormac McCarthy
Forget Soylent Green...apparently, newborn baby tastes just like chicken.

Verdict: Perfect, tight prose, thrilling can't-put-it-down read. True test of a very readable book? Sexyhusbandomine read it too.

WORLD WITHOUT END By Ken Follett
Plucky feminist in medieval times enjoys romance and avoids getting the plague in Kingsbridge.

Verdict: Even though it was almost as thick as a phone book, I didn't want it to end.

THE FRIDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLUB By Kate Jacobs
Bunch of chicks with issues hanging out at a yarn shop.

Verdict: Boring-predictible...I wanted to jam the needles into my eyeballs.

HER LAST DEATH By Susanna Sonnenberg
Being raised by a coke head, sexually disfunctional mother sucks..but in the end, she's still your mother.

Verdict: First half of the book was excellent, but when the author grows up she continues to whine like a spoiled seven year old. Pass this one up and read THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeanette Walls instead.

How about you friends? What have you been reading?

23 comments:

Tracy said...

I LOVED The Glass Castle! Seems we have the same taste in books as well as music... (at least one, anyways).

Some of my favorite recent reads:

Orbit, by John Nance. Man wins trip on private space shuttle, everyone dies, he blogs thinking the end is near, pouring out his soul. Ends up making it back - major personal fallout.

Welcome to the Great Mysterious by Lorna Landvik. Great look at childhoods, families, and moving forward in life regardless.

Anything else by Lorna Landvik.

Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. Equal parts hilarious story-telling and insightful look at many things as middle-aged man walks the Appalachian Trail.

Have you read any of the Outlander books?

Jen said...

Awesome post!

I just started reading the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. It's a vampire series and so far it's been pretty good. Not a thought provoking read, but definitely entertaining. I'd call it brain candy.

Robin said...

Oddly enough the Devil Wears Prada and I didn't like it.
I thought the author a whiney ass. Suck it up at least her boss didn't ask her to put her hand up a goat's vagina!!!
Or throw pig testicles at her.
Or have a 1000lb horse step on her.
Or get bitten and scratched and pooped and pee'd and...the list goes on and on and on....

Rachael said...

I love your one line reviews. They are genious.

I am currently reading "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak and am thorougly entranced so far.

Jane! said...

You can read a book in TWO hours? I bet you don't even move your lips, huh?
Good info, though.
I keep forgetting to tell you that I really like your new header - your bangs really don't look bad.

OHN said...

Lately I am on a kick of autobiography style books and have a "thinking positive" type book on the nightstand now.

The one thing I want to know is why do I insist on finishing a book when even after the 1/2 way mark it still sucks. I am obsessed with thinking all of a sudden it will turn fabulous. What's wrong with me???

SassyPants said...

Hi!

I'm a new follower, and this is my first comment, so I thought I'd (sort of) introduce myself first. I found you through Sheree's blog, and must say you have helped me stave off many moments of boredom at work, though I have to work to keep my giggling to myself lest my boss get suspicious.

That said, everyone who hasn't yet in their life read A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving needs to immediately. Fabulous, full of laughs, coming of age novel; is one of my all time faves.

Also, anything by David Sedaris is a must. My own copy of Me Talk Pretty One Day is so waterwarped it is almost destroyed because I read it as my bathtub escape book. It's full of hilarious essays; try an audio version if you can; it adds to the hilarity.

Cheers!

kristin said...

Geesh, do we have to put up with paper cups? I'll do the dishes if you let me use a nice wine glass. Pretty please?

I like reading books, I just don't like talking about them. Weird, huh?

I don't knit, but I enjoyed the Friday Night Knitting Club.

I just finished Duma Key by Stephen King. That man sure can tell a twisted tale.

(How'd you like that alliteration?)

Anonymous said...

I'm with Kristen - I'll do the washing up if I can have a real glass.

I love to read but am way behind. Just started World Without End & know I will love it. I loved Pillars of the Earth (Top 10 fav's).

I just finished The Other Bolyen Girl - fast read, OK but nothing earth shattering. I also recently read Brick Lane -- very good. Both of these books were much better than the films.

tjames said...

I read about a book a week and just finished Wally Lamb's "The hour I first believed"
If you have read his last book "I know this much is true" then you will like his new book.

Shonda Little said...

I think all reviews should be one sentence. Totally genius, friend.

ZDub said...

What's this 'reading' you speak of?

Oh wait, I read 'Goodnight Moon' last night for the 3234958 time. It is a thriller, let me tell you.

Anonymous said...

I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This was on my daughter's reading list, but she always tells me which ones I should read. It was chilling, but absolutely gripping. The only problem is that it is the first book in a series, so now we have to wait for the rest of the books.

I just finished the Zookeeper's Wife. Not that well written, but very interesting.

supahmommy- somethin's wrong with that girl said...

ritz cracker.. lmao

Ruby said...

I absolutely LOVE to read reviews of books from people I know, so thanks!

OMG, World Without End! Even though it was a book without end, that was okay because I didn't want it to end! Who knew you could get so in to 12th century England?!

I agree, all reviews should only be one sentence. Pure genius, LV!

Something Happened Somewhere Turning said...

I am reading Koontz' Your Heart Belongs to Me. But I have only read the first page.
It will be riveting!

Bj in Dallas said...

I put the book DOG TRAINING FOR DUMMIES on the coffee table but not one of these damn dogs have flipped a page open. Bella looks like she may chew it up, though.

Miss Thystle said...

My bookclub is reading The Road. I already finished it. It was so stark, and yet beautiful. LOVED IT. I'm re-reading it, so that I'll have something to contribute next week besides "I almost cried at the end". Because that seems less than informed and a shame to my near-degree in Lit.

Nonnee said...

If it's good wine-a paper cup is fine!

I am reading Gold Coast in the minute and a half before I fall asleep. It is a bit like watching an imminent train wreck, but the words are fun.

Solicity Sock Monkey said...

I'm still horrified over the "children taste like chicken" comment! And how can I evah forget Soylent Green?

LuckyMe said...

The only one I've read is Glass Castle and I thought it was great. If you liked that, try another memoir, Driving with Dead People by Monica Holloway.

I also tried Devil Wears Prada and couldn't get into it. But along the chic lit lines, I just read Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin and thought it was a nice easy read. Something Blue, notsomuch.

I read half of Duma Key and thought it was boring. The only S King I liked (loved) was the Green Mile so I kept thinking I would love something else he wrote. Wrong.

I also read Wally Lamb's new book but thought it dragged in parts. Still I finished it, 700+ pages. I am not compelled
to finish a book that doesn't wow me.

Good post!

Niki said...

People won't quit recommending World Without End, so I guess I'm going to have to suck it up and try it, even though I HATE period books.

I just started Breaking Dawn and cannot wait to finish so that my crack, er Twilight, habit will be over, once and for all!

The Bearded Lady (Laura) said...

WoW!! This is my first introduction to your blog. i really like your one sentence reviews.

I feel you sold The Shack a little short.

The Glass Castle is a Must Read. LOVED IT!!

I always have a hard time believing Wally Lamb is not a woman. However, LOVE his books.

Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire,by Amanda Foreman....an excellent read.