Thursday, July 29, 2010

ONe SeNTeNCe BooK ReVieWS

Hola Chickens. Welcome to July's installment of One Sentence Book Reviews.

First Book: The Help by Katheryn Stockett.

This story of racial conflict in Mississippi in the 60's is far more dramatic than the struggles for bathroom privileges at Chez Veasey in 2010, although those can get pretty hairy when I bring fresh plums into the house let me tell you. This book? 4 Thumbs up and a Thank You to Oprah.



The Passage
by Justin Cronin


Yes. Another Vampire Book. But in this one it's the result of a government experiment gone awry, and the setting is a post apocalyptic world where MANY PEOPLE DIE and that's your warning people. don't get too attached to your favorite characters, I'm just saying. You are welcome.

The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

I actually quit this book 3/4 of the way through because it started reading like a possible movie script for David Caruso and My Gawd people it's just not believable that EVERYONE who hears a slither/rattle/rumble from a dark basement, crawlspace or garage goes to check it out. Some of us would run like hell. The smart ones.

I also quit this book, Say You Are One of Them by Uwem Akpan

Because I like my pure evil to be something that can be destroyed with a cross and a stake, not something that hurts children and is so painful to read that you fall asleep sobbing. I think books should have a SAD warning.

Then I read My name Is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveria

Can a determined young woman who wants to become a surgeon find love on the battlefields of The Civil War amidst the dysentery and piles of amputated limbs? When she strokes the cheek of the handsome older doctor with her gifted hand you may want to cry out I HOPE YOU WASHED THAT THING, but then you get distracted by the fact that Lincoln appears as a character in this book. Two (clean) thumbs up.

And right now I am reading what the rest of the world is reading:


But unlike the first one, I am reading this in soft cover instead of the Kindle so that I can flip to the end and make sure everyone survives.

What's on your nightstand? (keep it clean, Kreg.)

13 comments:

tjames said...

I can't stop reading Tedd Dekker novels. But I will get The Passage next because I like a good Vampire book.

Jen said...

Your book reviews are the best, hands down. I can't believe you aren't being paid for them.

Rachel@just another day in paradise said...

LOVE your reviews. . .and I hate sad books. In a sad movie, you cry a tear or two and then get up and move on, but those darn books. . .You cry until you finish the darn thing and then for days afterward. I'm going through an action phase, although I'll read anything. (Well, almost anything. I have said NO to the vampire craze. I resist anything that popular.)

Krëg said...

Brief History Of Time for like the sixth time. I swear this time I'll understand it.

WV: ovelog - n.
Firewood made from Ovaltine.

Rachael said...

Oh, I love your one sentence reviews.

The Help was great - probably the best book I've read all year. Loved it.

I had to laugh at your last sentence. I read endings all the time too - would really hate to waste my time on book whose ending I hate, you know!

Something Happened Somewhere Turning said...

I just barely finished reading the Dome by King. I think I broke my arm. There's no way I'm getting sucked into another one of these books. I kind of have a muscle in my right arm though.

WV: doven

A gathering of peaceful birds.

Miss Thystle said...

Let's see...I have the ADD so I'm reading "Time Travelers Guide to Medieval England" (I think is the name..Time travelers guide to something, anyway), also reading "Welcome to your Crisis" because I love therapy, so I thought I'd try self help and lastly I'm reading "The Lion" about a terrorist. All at the same time. Well, not SAME same time, but you know what I mean.

Sandy aka Doris the Great said...

I'm currently reading "The Wives of Henry Oades" - good so far. Next up is my very own soft cover of "The Girl who Played with Fire" - can't wait! But I'm on the lookout for "The Help" and "Say You're one of Them". Thanks for the one-ups on them.

Blue said...

i just devoured The Hunger Games and Catching Fire in 2 days. I thought I'd just read a chapter before I went to sleep, because it was 10pm and I had guests staying with us and had to function in the morning, you see. And usually it takes me a little bit to get into a book...so one chapter was all I intended on.

At 4am when I finished it, I knew I would be paying for it in a few hours when I had to be a proper hostess and make breakfast and such. But I couldn't help myself. And that next night, (while the guests were still here) I started the next book, and finished it. I paid heavily during the day, but was spared from a third night of captivating fatigue only because the next book isn't due out for another month. It's called Mockingjay, and if it weren't the final book in the series I wouldn't have started the first one because I'm not so skilled at delaying gratification when it comes to my books. I want my series wrapped up before I start in on them. Same with TV shows.

So do yourself a solid and go get Hunger Games et al. You'll enjoy them. I am just trying to figure out if there's any way to get an ARC for #3. If you have any connections, I'll be your best Blue if you can hook me up!

Metalicious said...

I love Lorrie's Cliff Notes better than reading actual books. So I've stopped reading books entirely and just read your reviews.

rpc said...

I have just finished The Book Thief - many thumbs up but watch out, almost everyone dies. The fact that the narrator is Death could be a clue to this.

I have a 7 hour flight tomorrow, so I'm saving The Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest for that. I loved the other two.

I'm with Blue on the Hunger Games trilogy. I can't wait for the Mockingjay, but I am going to have to re-read the first two before it comes out.

WV: bariner - a bore who talks at length to people in a bar.

Sarah B. said...

I love your reviews!! I'm reading "A short history of women" by Kate Walbert. It's too early to tell yet whether I'm going to like it ;)

kaye said...

You had a greaaaat list of books! Imma try to get a copy each of it now. Thanks for sharing!! :)