fairywhispers's "2008 Bookshelf"
The Books I’ve Read in 2008.
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Created by fairywhispers on Feb 05, 2008.
fairywhispers
Rockhampton
Added 'The Day After Tomorrow' by Allan Folsom — 1 year ago
As a general rule, I don’t enjoy conspiracy books, but this one hooked me from the beginning. Who killed Osborn’s father? Why did he do so? What is the agenda of the mysterious ‘Organisation’? As Osborn comes closer to the truth and the body count rises, we are faced with a horrifying prospect, all the more terrifying for it’s plausibility and the knowledge that someone, somewhere would attempt this were the technology available. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and, unable to put it down, I stayed up until 2am reading it. Highly recommended.
fairywhispers
Rockhampton
Added ''Salem's Lot' by Stephen King — 1 year ago
Being a Stephen King fan, I began this book with high hopes, and I was not disappointed. This is by far the best vampire novel I have read. The story begins with a general air of foreboding, building like a thundercloud until the thrills burst upon us, continuing right to the end. I jumped a few times while reading ‘Salem’s Lot (that will teach me to read Stephen King during a lightning storm!) but I was unable to put it down until I finished. This is definitely one of King’s better tales.
fairywhispers
Rockhampton
Added 'Mother Love, Deadly Love: The Susan Smith Murders' by Andrea Peyser — 1 year ago
This is one of the most difficult books I have ever read. It is also the only book read in my adult life that has given me nightmares. I simply could not get the image of those poor boys – trapped in a sinking car for perhaps forty minutes, probably screaming for their mother but definitely awake and aware – out of my mind. As a mother, it is hard for me to understand how Susan could have done this to any child, let alone her own. Being written by a journalist, Mother Love, Deadly Love is interesting and technically easy to read. It is the content that makes it difficult. I would not recommend this for parents with a weak constitution.
fairywhispers
Rockhampton
Added 'Sins of the Blood' by Kristine Kathryn Rusch — 1 year ago
Sins of the Blood is a unique take on the vampire legend, but it could have been better. I liked the general premise (that vampirism is a condition of the body, not a condition of the soul) but the book, though technically well-written, lacked a certain something. It just didn’t capture me the way it should have. I enjoyed it as far as it went, but I wouldn’t read it again.
fairywhispers
Rockhampton
Added 'The Three Musketeers (Classic Adventures)' by Alexandre Dumas — 1 year ago
Wow. This book was way better than the movie. I can definitely see why it has gone down as a classic. Written in a quaint language and style, which serves to add to the adventure feel of the story, The Three Musketeers is an enthralling and entertaining read. The general feel of this novel is that of the fairy tales and adventure stories of childhood, yet it is interesting enough to hold the attention of an adult. Despite already knowing the general storyline, I found I was unable to tear my eyes from the pages of this book. I didn’t even put it down for meals! I would love to obtain a copy of this story for my permanent collection, and I would highly recommend it to everyone.
fairywhispers
Rockhampton
Added 'I am Rembrandt's Daughter' by Lynn Cullen — 1 year ago
I am Rembrandt’s Daughter is a charming book about Cornelia van Rijn, daughter of Rembrandt van Rijn. Raised by a famous painter, alive during the years of the plague and living with a strict class system, the life of this woman must have been interesting indeed. This book puts forth one woman’s thoughts of what Cornelia’s life might have been like.
Written in first person, with periodical diary excerpts, this is a lovely story that had me hooked from the beginning. The author has a light, easy-to-read style that makes this book a pleasant experience. Irrelevant to the story, but I also love the soft canvas-style cover!
fairywhispers
Rockhampton
Added 'Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things' by William McDonough & Michael Braungart — 1 year ago
The authors of this book should, perhaps, stick with architecture and chemistry and leave writing books to others. The overall concept behind Cradle to Cradle is an interesting one, which is what prompted me to pick up this book in the first place. Unfortunately, I found this book incredibly boring, though I managed to struggle through to page 61 before giving up. Life is too short to read boring books! To add insult to injury, the authors have decided to prove their point by publishing their book on some kind of synthetic paper, making a relatively small book incredibly heavy to carry around. Cradle to Cradle will definitely not be making my recommendations list!
fairywhispers
Rockhampton
Added 'The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse' by Robert Rankin — 1 year ago
It was the title of this book that first caught my attention, and if you thought it presaged a really weird story, you were right. Whether you love it or hate it, The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse was certainly unique. Odd, quirky, funny and, at times, a little disturbing, this is one story you will not forget in a hurry. Though the end is a little lame (what can you expect from a fairy-tale?), the main part of the story is a maze of false starts and strange motives. I will certainly be looking out for more work by this author.
fairywhispers
Rockhampton
Added 'Nineteen Minutes' by Jodi Picoult — 1 year ago
This is the third Jodi Picoult book I have read and I was not disappointed. I love the way Jodi writes in first person, jumping from character to character and from past to present. This can be confusing for those unused to her style, but life is rarely linear and the different perspectives enhance our understanding of the story, allowing us to empathise with different characters and preventing us from pre-judging behaviour.
Nineteen Minutes is an emotional look at the lead up and aftermath of a columbine-style school shooting. Picoult, however, has her shooter survive, allowing us to explore the effect of this event on the lives of the shooter and his family as well as those of the victims. It is often easy to lay blame when such a tragedy occurs, so easy to forget that the shooters family are as much victims as anyone else.
I found this book very scary. We cannot protect our children from being bullied, and we cannot always know what they are thinking or feeling. It is frightening to think that our children could have been any one of the characters in this book – the bullies, picking on those more sensitive than themselves; the girl pretending to be someone she is not, in order to fit in; the shooter himself – and we would be none the wiser.
I definitely recommend this book to parents, teens and anyone who finds themselves quick to judge on the basis of a news story alone…
fairywhispers
Rockhampton
Added 'My Sister's Keeper' by Jodi Picoult — 1 year ago
My Sister’s Keeper was easy to read and impossible to put down. I stayed up late into the night reading this one. The decision Anna makes to take control of her own body, despite the consequences for her sister, is a courageous one.
As the reader, we feel empathy for Anna who has endured a lifetime of tests, operations and procedures in the quest to stave off her sister’s death. We feel empathy for Kate, who is suffering from a terrible childhood disease with little hope of a happy outcome. We feel empathy for their brother, who feels like he has been overshadowed by his sister’s illness and we feel empathy for their parents, who are in the impossible situation of trying to consider the conflicting welfare interests of both daughters.
This book will have you thinking twice about the ongoing ethical debate with regards to ‘designer’ children.
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