Monday, December 30, 2013

Candy Cadillac--#67 finished

This is probably my last book finished for the year.  It was the next in the series by a local St Louis author, Claire Applewhite.  Not a great series but not too bad either. The action moves quickly and it is entertaining enough.  Just the series is really violent in that lots of people getting killed, which isn't really St Louis.  While it is fun to hear about streets and you can figure out which places they are talking about even though the name is different, it just isn't real enough to really enjoy as a St Louis book or series.  It is okay though.

I had this copy from PBS and I have posted it on PBS now.  It is the only copy so I would think it will move at some point.  There is another book in the series and I think I have it on my WL but I might get it from the library instead.  Still reading the short story book and the 1413 words book and now have to decide what is next.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Mockingjay--#66 finished

This is the 3rd book in the Hunger Games series.  I really enjoyed the series as a whole & have liked both of the movies that have come out so far.  This book, had a lot to cover and was told from Katniss point of view which was seemingly always screwed up because of injuries & medication.  The ending of the book while it sort of makes sense to me, I don't think it was well enough explained.  Why did she kill the area 13 leader that was poised to takeover the whole territory after the revolt.  Was it just because this leader couldn't make a decision about ending the Hunger Games, was it because she was upset because this leader used Katniss like the prior leader had, or something else.  The book doesn't get into the politics much which is fine but then why does Katniss do such a major political assassination and not get really punished and never really explained in the end either.  The good thing is the movies have been very good and maybe they will help clear this up.

This is my oldest's book so I will not be posting it, it is a keeper.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

High Society: The Life of Grace Kelly--#65 finished

I knew of Grace Kelly, but other than maybe seeing her photo a few times, I really knew nothing about her.  This was both informative and really interesting for me.  I, of course, knew she gave up acting to marry the Prince of Monaco and raise a family.  I didn't realize she was caught up on the old movie 7 year contract problem.  I didn't know anything about her family and the pressures they put on her.  I just seemed to remember that people seemed to adore her and from reading this book you can kind of see why.  It is too bad she died young but her life seems to have been a success with her children and the projects she was involved in.  Also her thoughts on Hollywood life seem to be pretty much spot on, where it is shallow and constant pressure to present oneself as young or beautiful at all times--I am glad she was strong enough to get away and stay away.

I am not sure yet if I will post on PBS or not, there are 3 WL for it.  It may become a donation book to a silent auction.  Haven't decided yet.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Anonymous Sources--#64 finished

A very very good first book.  A newspaper reporter gets pulled into investigating a death at Harvard and from there follows this to a near terrorist attack on the White House.  A very good, fast paced read but with enough believability in it to keep it as an enjoyable read.  I am really surprised this is a first novel, it reads with a polished sense of purpose.  If I stop and think back there are probably some stretches of the imagination but overall the story flowed well.  It was a nice change to have the lead be a newspaper reporter too instead of a spy, mercenary, retired spy, military guy or something along those lines.  I am looking forward to the next book, not sure if it will continue as a series or not but either way should be interesting.

I will probably post it on PBS at some point, I think there are 14 WL for it, but in no real hurry at this point to do so.  Still reading the 1413 words book, just a tough book to read much of at any one sitting. It is an autobiography so it is also tough to read about the problems the author has had to get through.  Also still reading the short stories book and just started a book about Grace Kelly.  I will probably look to add another one into the mix as well.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

The Yugo--#63 finished

The full title is The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History.  It is a good account of this vehicle & the major players around it both before and after the Yugo.  I really learned quite a bit about the car industry as a whole especially the cars and makes outside of the major brands.  Really interesting read and entertaining as well.

I have posted it on PBS, I thought about keeping it but figured to post it & pass it along.  There were no copies on the system so it should move pretty quick I would think.

Monday, December 9, 2013

The Big Bounce--#62 finished

This is an older Elmore Leonard book, written in 1969 but the copy I read was a republish of it for a movie that came out around 2002.  The movie had a very nice cast, Morgan Freeman, Owen Wilson, Charlie Sheen and Gary Sinse along with a hot girl.  The movie was a big bomb though and from reading this book I can understand why.  Just a boring kind of going nowhere book.  I can also see why someone wanted to make this movie though, the characters are kind of interesting, I see where actors would say something like I would like to play that person.  Too bad the interesting characters are filled with nothing.  I really don't like the book.  I liked the earlier Elmore Leonard books I have read, Swag and Glitz but this one didn't get it done for me.

I will not be posting it on PBS, it is a library copy where they took a paperback book and put a hardcover on it.  There are already enough copies on PBS and no reason to add this one with a TIN that won't match the cover or without a TIN where no one will see it.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

The Racketeer--#61 finished

This is the newest John Grisham book.  A good quick read but not as good as other Grisham books I have read.  A lawyer gets caught up in a mess & lands in jail.  While in jail meets some interesting characters & one has a get rich plan.  Lawyer uses this to his advantage along with another friend in jail & his sister.  Lawyer screws over the Feds that he feels wrongly put him in jail in the first place & he gets a kind of revenge & riches.  Like I said a good quick read with some twists and turns but overall just okay.

I have posted it on PBS & hope to be mailing it off this week.