24. 
Title: [The Hobbit]
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre:  Fantasy
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: April 1, 2014
Rating: ****1/2

One of the (many) wonderful things about my job is the incentive to return to good stories time and again; the repetition lends itself to deeper introspection and analysis, and allows a novel to well and truly become a text of ideas and not just a story.  This is my second semester teaching The Hobbit as part of a unit on myths, legends, and heroes, and it went over very well.  One of my favorite lectures turned towards film analysis and comparison: we watched "Riddles in the Dark" from both the 1977 animated film and the contemporary rendition, and talked about strengths and weakness, the phenomenon of dating, intended audiences, etc.  It was all thoroughly enjoyable.

In addition to discussing the alternatively-heroic qualities of the protagonist, we focus quite a bit on narration and storytelling - it is, after all, a book about stories.  One of the most interesting elements, I find, are the narrative holes, and considering why an author, narrator, or storyteller would choose to leave certain tales and events out. 

25. 
Title: [Raising Steam]
Author: Terry Pratchett
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Pre-ordered
Date Completed: April 2, 2014
Rating: ****

Moist is back, and this time Vetinari has placed him in the middle of a budding railway system, which develops nearly out of thin air, and literally takes on a life of its own.  At its core, it is a story of industry, but even more so a study of people, racial and class tension, and the dangers of religious extremism.  Unlike most of the Discworld series, I would say that Pratchett's latest is not actually a comedy; though there are a few charming moments, the tone of the book is far more critical.  As usual, the narrative elements all come together, and the conclusion is satisfactory. 

23. 
Title: [Night Broken]
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Pre-ordered
Date Completed: March 20 2014
Rating: ****1/2

The pack often blames Mercy for bringing trouble to their collective doors, but this time it's Adam's ex-wife who comes calling, with trouble and melodrama to spare.  Christy is a human who leaves Adam years before, citing fear of the wolves, but her present (legitimate) danger chases her back to the home she helped build, with one thing on her mind: winning back the alpha and father of their daughter.  Christy's presence divides the pack between those who recognize her for the selfish manipulative *expletive* she is, and those who are driven by a need and desire to protect the "weak." 

Christy is loathsome, and a desire to see her fall races through the novel.  The fact that she brings a long-unidentified danger with her, threatening the lives of everyone around her, makes her presence even more grating. 

Briggs is a solid urban fantasy author, and the consistency of her novels will always keep me coming back for more.  Night Broken maintains reader expectations, and though it doesn't take any chances, the action and development are what I've come to expect.  I'm glad I put down all other books when this arrived at my door - it's just the fun I wanted and needed. 

22. 
Title: [The Savage Garden]
Author: Peter D'Amato
Genre: Horticulture
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: March 17 2014
Rating: ****

Meet Bugrit. 


This adorable little guy, a three-year-old Venus Flytrap, is my new office mate.  I've been long interested in carnivorous plants, and seeing flytraps in terrariums in a museum gift store eventually lead me to look for them locally.  To my delight, one can purchase carnivorous plants from Amazon, and Bugrit is the first of two to arrive.  But there's one problem: I have no idea how to care for my new charges.

The instructions that came with my first plant are invaluable, but Peter D'Amato's name has come up several times in connection to carnivorous plants, and I gleefully snagged a copy of his book at the library.  The Savage Garden is a beautiful text, with stunning photography and high production quality.  D'Amato obviously knows a thing or two about his subject, and offers rich history of each species, as well as simple instructions for cultivating these plants in one's home and garden.   At times, the text can be a bit dry, as I don't share the author's enthusiasm for differentiating between genus and hybrids and how to catalog breedings.  Still, it is clear why this book has such a strong reputation, and I'm very glad for the history and instructions. 

Geekery!

21. 
Title: [Ready Player One]
Author: Ernest Cline
Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: March 17 2014
Rating: ****

Ready Player One, though just published in 2012, is an old story: Wade, an American high school senior, is a gunter, living almost entirely online in an environment called Oasis.  This virtual space offers an alternative existence to reality, in which the world is steadily falling apart, though class, culture, and economy still thrive in familiar ways, both online and IRL. When billionaire hermit Halliday, the creator of Oasis, dies, he leaves his entire fortune (and control of the company - and thus, Oasis) to the Oasis user who can find his Easter egg.  This kind of power is nearly limitless, so everyone engages in a 1980s-saturated quest for the egg.  Gunters like Wade are battling corporate America, aka IOI, who hopes to find the egg and commercialize Oasis in anti-bohemian ways. 

One's familiarity with the target audience - "geeks" who grew up in the 1980s - will greatly impact the enjoyment of the story.  I'm a bit too young for many allusions, and not a gamer, but my own fondness for and familiarity with geeks carried me through the story with smiles.  Wade is flawed and likeable, and the text as a whole is warm and familiar, even for someone with limited experience.  Though this is not a five-star read for me, I can very easily understand why it's gained such popularity, and can highly recommend it myself. 

Finishing February

20. 
Title: [The Truth]
Author:  Terry Pratchett
Genre: Fantasy, Satire
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Purchase
Date Completed: March 6 2014
Rating: *****

The industry novels are my favorite in the Discworld canon, and The Truth will always hold a special place in my heart, both for the story itself, and as the first Pratchett novel I ever had the pleasure to read.  Unfortunately, my students didn't find it nearly as enthralling; that'll teach me to assign one of my favorite novels immediately before spring break.  Still, I had great fun re-reading it, even if lectures felt like pulling teeth.

19.
Title: [Bared]
Author: Stacey Kennedy
Genre: Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Purchase
Date Completed: February 2014
Rating:

I can offer neither a review nor a rating, since I forgot to post this right after reading it.  I vaguely remembered being annoyed with the levels of angst and lack of communication, but it left me with no other impression.

18.
Title: [Bonds of Trust]
Author: Lynda Aicher
Genre: Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Purchase
Date Completed: February 15, 2014
Rating: **1/2

Though the later book in the series shows such promise, with interesting character development and actual romantic passages, the first of the same series is absolutely flat, dull, and without interest.

No Cover Art!

15. 
Title: [The Redwood Pack: Volume 3]
Author: Carrie Ann Ryan
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 11, 2014
Rating: ***

16.
Title: [The Redwood Pack: Volume 4]
Author: Carrie Ann Ryan
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 13, 2014
Rating: ***1/2

17.
Title: [Othello]
Author: William Shakespeare
Genre: Drama
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: February 13, 2014
Rating: ****1/2

I will always read the part of Iago in the voice of Kenneth Branaugh, which makes the play that much more enjoyable. 

9.
Title: [One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest]
Author: Ken Kesey
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Book
Date Completed: January 31, 2014
Rating: ****

I'm leading three separate preparations this semester, and will actually be revisiting Kesey's madhouse in a few weeks...

10.
Title: [Curtsies and Conspiracies]
Author: Gail Carriger
Genre: "Science Fiction" (I'm very interested in how different libraries label this series differently)
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: February 1, 2014
Rating: ***

Curtsies and Conspiracies, the second in Gail Carriger's steampunk-esque Finishing School series, is not quite as tittering and titillating as the first; the interest I found is grounded mostly in my interest in The Parasol Protectorate, and the history that now unfolds.  This second book has similarly silly charm, but isn't wonderful on its own merits. 

The covers of this series are much better than the former, I will say. 


11. 
Title: [MacRieve]
Author: Kresley Cole
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: February 2, 2014
Rating: ****

I find Kresley Cole problematic; she introduces strong female characters, subjects them to extremely brutal circumstances (both emotional and physical), in which they find their "love." The problem is that the "love" is the individual responsible for their torment, and they far too quickly forgive-and-forget - she introduces the idea of "fated mates" to justify rape, shows care by kidnappers, and has one character literally vivisected after being captured by the man she would come to care for.  My "last straw" was Lothaire, which has the protagonist engaging in sexual acts to save her own life, once she is abducted by the titular character. 

I resisted MacRieve both for its own sake - which promises a "slave trade" - and my past experience for the series.  Morbid curiosity eventually lead me to find it in the library.  Ultimately, I was very pleasantly surprised.  Yes, the female protagonist faces great challenges, and even emotional abuse at the hands of her intended, but the titular character himself is reasonably conflicted, and not simply cruel or sadistic.  The story is one of overcoming prejudices (and the emotional turmoil this can generate) as opposed to abuse, and the resolution seems far more reasonable than many others in the series.  For overall improvement, I will happily give this novel four stars.

12. 
Title: [House of Dead Maids]
Author: Clare B. Dunkle
Genre: YA Horror
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: February 6, 2014
Rating: **
This book is not, as the author contends, a prelude to Wuthering Heights; the connection to Bronte's gothic novel is an accident if epilogue, awkward, forced, and without function. It does not follow with either it's supposed source or the time at which it was written, and so failed to meet even one of my limited expectations. It is, however, a juvenile ghost story, and were I twenty years younger just the kind of story I would adore. So, I would argue this novel is best for very young audiences, but anyone over nine, looking for the Heathcliff they know, will be greatly disappointed.

13. 
Title: [Bonds of Denial]
Author: Lynda Aicher
Genre: M/M Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Purchase
Date Completed: February 8, 2014
Rating: ****1/2

The genre designation of "romance"  is somewhat comical; the genre can be raunchy, flirty, fun, outrageous, disturbing, or just plain goofy, but they very rarely come across as romantic.  To date, I don't know that I would call any of the "romance" novels I read just that, until now.  In Bonds of Desire, which apparently comes somewhere in the middle of an established series, a closeted ex-military security expert finds himself infatuated with a gay escort who frequents the S/M club of which he is a partial owner.  Deeply ashamed of himself and his sexuality, it is an act of bravery that leads him to schedule his crush's services, only to panic and flee.  What follows is a touching and sweet story of two men helping each other find peace in their identities and personal lives, lending support and understanding that neither believes it possible.  It was simply lovely. 

14.
Title: [We Have Always Lived in the Castle]
Author: Shirley Jackson
Genre: Gothic, Mystery, Satire
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: February 9, 2014
Rating: ****1/2

Wonderfully complex ideas on genre, society, madness, and the power of stories. 

Snow Day Reading

5. 
Title: [The Darkest Secret]
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 23, 2014
Rating: ***1/2

I find a great deal of consistency throughout this genre: paranormal warriors (both men and women), epic quests unknown to the general population, often hot romance, and personal doubt that leads to new revelations.  I have a few personal qualms with elements of the genre that will probably keep me from rating the books as five-stars (the speed with which characters fall in "love," for example, or the similar speed with which they can forgive terrible actions...), but I appreciate the evenness of certain authors, and that I can rely on them to provide just the entertainment I am looking for.  Though Gena Showalter and her Lords -  keepers of the demons of Pandora's box - are not my favorite of the genre, I enjoy her character building and attempts to balance action and romance.  In The Darkest Secret Amun, keeper of Secrets, finds his voice and his place, and the idea of enemies and righteousness are explored.  This was just the entertainment I was hoping for on yet another snow day.  


6. 
Title: [Incubus Wolf]
Author: Bonnie Vanak
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 23, 2014
Rating: *

Boring, and completely unsatisfactory conclusion. 

7. 
Title: [Seduced By the Wolf]
Author: Bonnie Vanak
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 24, 2014
Rating: *

Bleh. 

Well, that's one author I won't have to bother with in the future. 

8. 
Title: [The Darkest Surrender]
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 27, 2014
Rating: ***1/2

It seems like Gena Showalter reads Kresley Cole; in The Darkest Surrender (2011), Harpies gather for battle games against other clans, engaging in challenges and conflicts only immortals could survive ... much like the Valkyries, and the yearly hunt that sets the scene for Cole's No Rest for the Wicked (2006).  The similarities don't stop there, but there is one big difference between Showalter and Cole: the former is much less interested in the rape-and-forgive plot that drives much of Immortals After Dark.  So, bonus points for that. 

True Story

3. 
Title: [Life Below Stairs: True Lives of Edwardian Servants]
Author: Alison Maloney
Genre: Wikipedia television Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 20, 2014
Rating: **

Alison Maloney's Life Below Stairs has one goal: to capitalize on the popularity of "Downton Abbey."  Not only does Highclere Castle grace the cover of the book, but she frequently cites the show as a source.  For anyone who has neither seen the show nor read anything related to Victorian and Edwardian servitude, this book may hold some new insight.  However, the book is neither "full" nor "complete" as the back cover suggests, and one would likely find greater research from a tertiary encyclopedia.  Not recommended. 

4. 
Title: [The Ghost Map]
Author: Steven Johnson
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 20, 2014
Rating: ***

 
I desperately wanted to love this account of cholera outbreaks in Victorian England; nineteenth-century science and medicine fascinate me, and the book comes very highly recommended from readers I trust. I desperately wanted to lose myself in this book, but I couldn't. There are, in fact, several chapters I find very engaging and interesting, most notably the accounts of Dr. Snow and his efforts to thwart the miasmists. Unfortunately, distractions come in the form of purple prose, which ultimately render my response fairly neutral. The weakest moments are when Johnson strays from the history, and waxes eloquently about imagined lives, which do not always logically follow. Long passages describe the aggressive, malignant, and sentient decisions of bacteria, which read as a lack of focus and unity for the whole as opposed to bolstering the romance of the subject. When passages like these become arduous to the reader, other errors become more prominently irritating, including one which I am very guilty of myself: unnecessary repetition. The same purple prose or anecdotal associations are repeated verbatim over a few pages, detracting from the writing.

The research certainly seems strong, and Johnson demonstrates great interest in his subject, but I wasn't able to rise to the same jubilation. It is, however, far superior to the other nonfiction book I've just completed - Life Below Stairs - and the comparison works to show the superior research and integrity of Johnson, adding a star to my initial review.  Ultimately, recommended. 

January New Author: Natsuo Kirino

2. 
Title: [The Goddess Chronicle]
Author: Natsuo Kirino
Genre: Myth and fantasy
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: January 15, 2014
Rating: *****
January Resolution Book.

The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino tells a tale of fate, expectations, and the dangers of being a woman in love.  Namima is just five when her six-year-old sister Kamikuu begins training to be the next Oracle of their poor island, and her life is changed forever as she is first identified as "the defiled one."  It is not until she is sixteen that Namima understands what the villagers believe her fate to be - as the yin to Kamikuu's yang, Namima is expected to become the priestess of the dark, and live isolated in the island's graveyard, tending to the dead, and quietly killing herself when her sister dies.  Namima has other ideas, and her choices lead to the telling of myth, a sharp criticism of fate and unchanging cultures, and the roles women play in the creation of life.

Kirino's writing is breathtaking and simple, weaving an epic story from just a few moments.  Parallel narratives are deftly drawn together, confirming the yin and yang of life and story, and finally revealing Kirino's grand plan.  As a partial narrator and protagonist, Namima is compelling and sympathetic, and the reader rages against her fate and feels her heartbreak, even when she loses her own sense of pity.  This is a story about myths and story as much as the characters themselves.  Highly recommended.

One of my resolutions was to read a "new" author each month; as I intend to further broaden my reading horizons, I am defining "new" as beyond the traditional English canon, and outside of my most frequently read genres.  Kirino has set me off to a very strong start.