The 39 Clues – Book 2: One False Note

- Gordon Korman (Children’s Fiction)

Again, a strong story with continuous action that will appeal to young male readers in particular. In my review of the first book, I said I was really rooting for this series to succeed, and after reading book 2, I reaffirm my statement! I won’t say much, since you’ll need to start with book 1 (Maze of Bones) but it’s a quick, enjoyable read that’s fun for children and adults alike. I think the idea of having different authors for each book is also an excellent concept, and I didn’t find there to be any continuity or tone issues between these first two books.

Rating: 3.5 coffees out of 5

Why Don’t Cats Like to Swim?: an Imponderables Book – David Feldman (Humor/Reference)

This was a fun read to pick up and go through in segments. It’s basically one of those ‘random question and answer’ books, and I have to admit, I learned a few new facts that I don’t think I’ll ever forget: for example, ever wonder why you can’t buy shelled ‘cashew nuts’, though you can buy all other nuts still in their shell? It’s because… *drum roll please*… cashews aren’t nuts, they’re seeds! Mmm-hmm, it’s true! And if you want to know more, read this book (or you could Google it, but which one is more fun?).

I’ll be the first one to say, it makes great bathroom reading. *heehee*

Rating: 2.5 coffees out of 5

Midnight Pearls: A Retelling of “The Little Mermaid” – Debbie Viguie (YA)

This is my second foray into the ‘Once Upon a Time’ series of retellings, and after Belle, this one had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite make it for me. I realize that the original story had few details and could be easily re-imagined in a variety of ways, but I thought Viguie took it too far and was unable to capture the magic and tragedy of the original fairy tale. Too many secondary characters who seemed forced into place, combined with a happy ending that felt far too Disney-esque (in fact, there were many occasions when I wondered whether she was retelling the original version or the Disney version, which was frustrating), made this one less than outstanding for me. I would have liked to see an element of the original tragic ending, but somehow refined to be wondrous and optimistic… oh well.

Rating: 2 coffees out of 5

Big Boned – Meg Cabot (Chick Lit)

This is the third book in a series, after Size 12 Isn’t Fat and Size 14 Isn’t Fat Either. I quite enjoyed the previous two… I thought they were light, funny, and entertaining. Book 3… not so much. I think maybe Cabot just wanted to wrap up her characters from the previous two books, because this one suffered from a severe case of “nothing happens”. These are supposed to be pure escapist chick lit mysteries… and while the previous two books have a ridiculous mystery and silly action while the heroine keeps trying to solve a crime when she knows nothing about police work, this one had, well… uh… I remember she had a protein shake at one point and thought it was gross… that was exciting… or not.

I read it all the way through in one sitting (because I was forcing myself to relax, hah), but I think I could have done without this one. My verdict is: read the first two, then stop and don’t bother with this one. It’s not necessary, and it’ll spoil the smile on your face from the previous two.

Rating: 1.5 coffee out of 5

16) The Missing, Book 1: Found – Margaret Peterson Haddix (Children’s Fiction/YA)

I stumbled across this in the library, and was hesitant to pick it up. After reading most of her Shadow Children series, I figured she had a lot to live up to, and this book looked like part of an attempt to repeat her prior series’ success. But… I read it anyway.

It was good, but not as good as her other work. There were some aspects of the book that felt contrived – particularly the ending sequence, though I understand that it needed to set up the next book – and the writing style and characters were similar to that of Shadow Children. There were some unbelievable parts, while other parts simply surprised me… namely, she doesn’t turn around and give everything a perfectly natural explanation in the end, like in many of her other books. That was good – a bit of a departure, so I appreciate the effort – but I’m not quite sure how it’ll pan out.

That said, I can say with certainty that I’ll read the next book, though it isn’t released until this coming August. I want to reserve judgment on the series as a whole until after I see how she develops the theme and moves the plot. In the meantime…? If you’ve liked her other books, it’s worth checking this one out. If you haven’t read Haddix before, try book #1 in the Shadow Children series first (Among the Hidden).

Rating: 2.5 coffees out of 5

15) Belle: A Retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” - Cameron Dokey (Children’s Fiction/YA)

I have to say, I was surprised by this book. It took me a few pages to really get into it and stop trying to urge the story into familiar territory, but I have to say: Dokey knows her craft. She presented likable characters – even Belle’s sisters – which is certainly not traditional in the original fairy tale. I found it to be rather delightful that her sisters weren’t evil or completely self-absorbed (in a manner of speaking… the characters actually grow throughout the course of the narrative, and for the better!), and the family actually acted like… well, a family.

As for the traditional core of the Beast and Belle’s obligation, Dokey puts a lovely little spin on things that keep the story familiar enough to the reader, while also making it a little more believable for a modern-day audience. I’ll admit: the ‘revelation’ scene between Belle and the Beast actually caused me to tear up, it was so incredibly well-written. Maybe it’s just me, but I found the delivery particularly powerful.

It’s a small book and a quick read… but well worth it.

Rating: 4 coffees out of 5

14) Inkheart – Cornelia Funke (Children’s Fiction)

I picked this one up in anticipation of the film release this coming Friday, as I really prefer to read a book before seeing the movie. I’m not really sure what I expected from the book, but I can say that it wasn’t what I thought I was getting into… and yet, I still enjoyed it. I wouldn’t say it was wonderful, because I did think it had several lulls in the plot, but for bibliophiles, it’s certainly worth the read. It’s very book-oriented, perhaps in a way that only bibliophiles can really appreciate, and there is one scene that would make anyone who loves their books blink back a tear or two.

Perhaps most telling is that I do plan to read the next two books that come after it, though I don’t feel compelled to do so immediately (the first book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, yay!). All said, I’d recommend it, but don’t expect a high-tailed fantasy adventure through literature – it’s more subdued and, well… book-focused. But that’s a good thing.

Rating: 3.5 coffees out of 5

13) Breaking Dawn – Stephenie Meyer (YA)

I’ll do my best not to give away spoilers for this one, which means I won’t review it as fully as I might like… but I don’t want to give anything away for someone who still plans to read it. A friend loaned this to me so that I could finish the series and get some closure, and I was dreading the investment of time it appeared to need…

Well, 750 pages is significant, but it moves quickly. I think what shocked me most about this book is that… I didn’t really mind it. A quick summary: I loved the first book (read it several years ago), hated the middle two, and this one, well… it wasn’t half bad. However, I’ll admit that I knew two of the key plot points before starting the book (a newspaper article gave them away last year because they didn’t include a note saying there were spoilers in the article… I was not happy), so that may have influenced my judgment in the sense that what occurred didn’t seem quite as ridiculous as it might have to other readers.

Regardless, I honestly think Meyer took more care with this final book, to an extent. The negatives I have to say are: I never connected with the “new” character (those of you who’ve read it will know what I mean) because I don’t think this individual was fully developed (though arguably, that’s the point until the end?), and I thought what was supposed to be the climax of the whole thing was rather… well, anticlimactic. Okay, I have to do this:

***SPOILER***
I wanted a fraking battle scene! I wanted a fight, or at least a skirmish of some sort! I think Meyer copped out on that one, perhaps out of cowardice for killing characters off, or maybe she just isn’t experienced enough to do so. I don’t know. But I think it would have been far more believable at the end if everyone fought – at least for a minute or two – before Bella got control of her gift and saved the day. Arrrgh. I found that very unsatisfying and frustrating.

Okay, you can start reading again.

All in all, it was closure to the series, and for that I’m glad I read it. After all, if I want to intelligently discuss it with other people, I can say I really did read the books and therefore am able to form informed opinions – until some people (*ahem*my brother*ahem*) who simply like to say “they suck” and that’s that.

Mind you, I don’t think Bella is a good role model for teen girls, because love certainly isn’t like that. She’s fairly helpless for the first 3 books and keeps needing to be rescued, which was slightly frustrating, but you know what? That’s another discussion for another time. Rant over. Book finished. If you started the series, don’t be afraid to end it here. Let’s give it: 3.5/5 and be done with it.

12) Forgotten Scripts: Their Ongoing History and Decipherment – Cyrus H. Gordon

Although a little dated (it was first written in 1968 – thankfully I had the revised & updated edition, which I believe was released in the 80s), I found this book enjoyable and easy to read – and I think anyone interested in the history of languages in the ancient world will probably feel the same way.

First, there is a look at the basic principles of cryptography and how it can be used to ‘unlock’ ancient unknown scripts. Then, Gordon introduces a number of the world’s ancient languages (Sumerian, Hittite, Linear B, etc.) from both a historical standpoint and linguistic overview. He breaks down the core principles of each language’s decipherment, but doesn’t include so much as to overwhelm the layperson.

I also thought the book was helpful in the sense that it traced how each language may have influenced the others, ie. potential cases of borrowing or assimilation. However, when you read this, keep in mind that 25 years of scholarship has passed since the book was updated, so there are many new discoveries/decipherments/breakthroughs on the languages that have come since then.

But, it’s a worthwhile read! And he ends it well: there are sample translations from Egyptian/Hurrian/Sumerian/etc. texts in the last chapter, from a myth to a folktale to a legal document, and so forth. It’s a good breadth of examples, and interesting to boot.

Rating: 3 coffees out of 5

11) Catherine, Called Birdy – Karen Cushman (Children’s Fiction/YA)

A friend loaned this book to me, saying I would like it. I was skeptical… but she was right! The main character of Catherine is likable, funny, and believable as a young teen living in 1290 AD. I appreciated how Cushman included a section at the back on the real history of the time period, it shows that she really did her research and tried her hardest to make her novel authentic. And it shows! I recommend: A hot cup of tea, a comfy pillow, and an hour or two of uninterrupted reading time to best enjoy this one!

Rating: 3.5 coffees out of 5

10) Chicago: A Novel – Alaa al Aswany (Fiction)

This was an ARC, and probably not something I would have picked up on my own. The story follows a number of Egyptians as they make their lives in Chicago (and a few Americans, which seems a bit odd, given the novel’s focus on Egyptians in Chicago): from a PhD student whose encounter with American culture forces her to re-evaluate everything she was brought up to believe, to a sixty-year old “Americanized” Egyptian who desires to cut all ties with his former country as he struggles with his own marriage to an American woman.

There are a lot of characters, and sometimes it took me a page or so into each chapter before I remembered who was who. Still, I found most of the character threads interesting – some more than others – and gladly followed their stories. However, this isn’t the kind of book that has, oh what are they calling it these days, a “plot”. There are common threads (Egypt, the university where these people are all based, the impending visit of the Egyptian president), but not a tangible plot line to follow. Now, that’s fine, because it kept me reading until the end…

…whereupon I closed the book and felt like I’d wasted my time. Why? There wasn’t any resolution. The characters’ immediate crises are semi-resolved (or at least there is a hint of a possible resolution in the future), though in several cases we’re left knowing that a character is in either: a) danger or b) despair (ie. their particular crisis resolution doesn’t necessarily bring them any sort of happiness, or it throws them into another problem). I sat there when I finished, angry, because I’d spent all this time getting to know people and care for them, and was then left hanging.

Maybe some people like this kind of ending. I, for one, feel that I wasted a perfectly good Sunday afternoon. If you want to read it, I recommend it on the merit that it’s an intriguing book with interesting people – but be forewarned that you will turn the last page unsatisfied.

Rating: 2.5 coffees out of 5