Update: Classic Crime Fiction Readalong with Soho Press

The discussion for the first classic crime fiction read-along is being hosted by and The discussion will officially take place on Thursday (3/22/12), though a few folks are already talking. Hopefully, the folks at Books on the Nightstand will discuss on their weekly podcast (which is amazing, btw).



The first book is The Murders at the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe. This is believed have been the creation of the crime fiction novel. I enjoyed the book. I haven't read any classic crime stories and I haven't read Poe in the past 10 years. This story can be downloaded for free at

I can't wait to see what is next.

Book Review: Carry the One: A Novel

Carry the One: A Novel by Carol Anshaw

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A group of friends gather in a car for a late night trip back to Chicago after attending a country wedding. The driver and front seat passenger are stoned. They forget to put their lights on and are driving down dark country lanes with only the fog lights on. Suddenly their lives are stamped with a tragedy. A small girl, 10 year-old Casey Redmond, is hit by the speeding car, within minutes she dies.

As the story progresses, we follow 2 passengers from the car and the bride - all of whom are siblings - through the next 25 years of their lives. Through failed marries, through rehab, through children growing up and having children of their own; we follow not 3 characters but 4, as they always "carry the 1" with them.

The characters in this story are substantial and deeply written. They make incredibly human mistakes, which make the reader's loyalty towards them waver at times.

Carmen was the bride from the night of the accident. She married while young and pregnant. Within 2 years, her husband leaves her and she finds herself to be a single mother. Carmen is strong, and she is a mother not only to her child, Gabe, but also to her siblings. She cares for them deeply; however, her bond with her sister is the strongest.

Alice was a passenger in the backseat. On the night of the wedding, she fell for the groom's sister, Maude. Maude, toyed with Alice for the next 20 years. Never quite being there, never quite being gone. Alice is an artist, a somewhat famous artist. Her best work was of Casey Redmond. Painting a life for her that she would never live. She refused to show the paintings and she refused to destroy them. They were her apology to Casey.

Nick was the front seat passenger. His date, Olivia, was the driver. Olivia was sentenced to several years in prison and Nick visited her to prove his love for her, yet, before the accident she was a casual interest at best. Nick seemed to experience the guilt from the accident the most. Nick holds a secret from his family and the reader, a secret which changes the character of Nick, completely.

The point of view remained consistently with Carmen, Alice, and Nick until the end of the book when it transitioned to Gabe and Olivia. When we leave the characters their story isn't quite complete but we can kindly and gently step out to leave them to their lives.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story, I would suggest to read the book instead. The narrator for the audiobook was a flawed choice. She has a condescending tone that irritated me during the reading. Also, the audiobook caused confusion regarding the progression of time over the 25 years.

I would recommend this book … to readers who enjoy Jennifer Weiner. Though I do not classify this as "chick lit," I feel that Weiner has a similar ability to create interesting yet flawed characters.

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Quick Notes on the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


We open to see a Post Big Brother England and follow two mysterious agents who are in search of the black dossier. They find the dossier at the beginning of the graphic novel and the reader is able to experience the reading of the dossier along with the agents. Moore clearly had fun playing the part of many different author's inside this book. We see him play the part of a comic strip author, of a diarist, of Shakespeare himself and we see him as the author of several military documents.


I would be hesitant to suggest this novel to a new comic fan. I completely trust Moore and I am willing to go where he takes me (even to worlds which require 3-D goggles … apparently). If I did not have that trust in him, I cannot imagine enjoying this story quite as much.


I would recommend this book to ... lovers of Moore's work including Lost Girls.


I would note that there are graphic details of adult relations in this book as well as a shocking depiction of an alien in black face (this completely drew me out of the story).


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Nod to the Book Lady's Toni Morrison Read Along

I ... gosh, I don't know how to say this, I have never read Toni Morrison's work.

I know, I know. I've been stuck on Sci-Fi/Fantasy for so long that I have completely neglected other genres. Rebecca Schinsky (aka The Book Lady) recently announced a Toni Morrison read-along on her blog in celebration of Morrison's newest book release. Rebecca will re-read Morrison's entire catalog, I will commit to one book, for now. Per Rebecca's advice, I will begin with The Bluest Eye.

If you are interested in following along, discussions will take place at The Book Lady's Blog.

Book Review: Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m not sure what I enjoyed more about this book. The actual laughing to tears moments while reading or the actual laughing to tears moments while retelling the stories to my boyfriend (who kept mentioning that he and Victor have a lot in common).

It says a great deal about Jenny Lawson (of blogging fame) that at 38, she was able to write a 300+ page memoir that is interesting to read. Interesting, not because she is a celebrity or has boinked a celebrity, but because she has lived a strange life and has maintained a good attitude about that life. As Lawson mentions in her prologue, “you are defined, not by life’s imperfect moments, but by your reaction to them.” This sets the tone for the book. Lawson could have written a book about her parent’s questionable child-rearing skills. She could have written a book about tearful issues with fertility. Instead, Lawson wrote a story that holds dark aspects but is told in a lighthearted manner.

Lawson is able to play the role of an unreliable narrator with grace. I’m not sure whether she truly believes in what she says or if she says she believes as such for laughs. Either way, it works for me.

My only disappointment was at the end of the book, when I had turned the last page. I did not want this trip into the mind of Lawson to be over, I wanted to stay in her world for just a bit more.

Luck for us, Lawson blogs about her life so that we can have a taste to keep us happy until her next book.

I would recommend this book … to people with a dark sense of humor who do not mind stories coming from a lady with the mouth of a trucker. Well, if a trucker and a sailor had a baby, that baby would be Jenny Lawson.

My favorite quote … “My God, this is going to be a terrible book.”

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Classic Crime Fiction Readalong with Soho Press

Soho Press will sponsor a classic crime fiction read along this year. Ten classic crime stories/novels that will be discussed on the Soho Press. The first story is The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe, which will be discussed on March 20th.

I have steered away from mystery/crime fiction in the past, this is an excellent opportunity to build up knowledge in this genre.

I hope that you will join as well.

Book Review: Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson

As the book opens, we are introduced to the narrator, Christine Lucas, who has not quite been introduced to herself. Christine wakes up everyday, walks into the bathroom, and sees her reflection as it would be 25 years from now. She finds pictures tapped to the bathroom mirror to prove that yes, that reflection is her. She also finds pictures of her husband, Ben. Everyday she wakes and lives each day as a blank slate, until she starts a journal.

On the day that the book starts, Christine receives a call from a man who says that he is her doctor. He takes her out for coffee, explains her illness – amnesia that kills her short-term memory – and returns her journal to her. Christine takes the book home, opens the page and reads, in her writing, DO NOT TRUST BEN.

We then begin to read the journal along with Christine, and too are not sure whom to trust.

Watson does an amazing job of creating this character. Christine, who has no sense of self, is portrayed as a rich character. It was difficult to put this book down, I so wanted/needed to know what would happen next. The ending did not fit the story; however, that does not take away from the story.

I would recommend this book to readers who love a good mystery, if you enjoyed The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold I believe that you will enjoy Before I Go to Sleep.

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Book Review: Among Others by Jo Walton

Among Others by Jo Walton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is such a strange story. How could I explain it?

The story is told through the diary of Morwenna Phelps. A 15 year-old girl who ran away from her mother's home, after her twin sister dies. Mor is placed in a Children's Home (child services type establishment), the home contacts her estranged father. Mor's father, Daniel, left their mother a few years after the twins were born. Daniel lives with his three sisters who own an estate which he manages. The sisters send Mor to a boarding school in England, and this is where the majority of the story takes place.

There is a magical aspect to this story; however, I would not tout this as a fantasy novel. Several times, while reading, I became unsure as to whether Mor was experiencing magic or experiencing psychopathy.

We leave Mor as abruptly as we joined her. Things are left unsaid, questions unanswered. However, the question of Mor is settled.

I would recommend this to ... lovers of books. No devourers of books. This is not a book that I would recommend to many people.

Favorite quote ... "That's what life is, and how I intend to live it."

Why did I love this book ... it's hard to say. I felt a kinship to Mor due to mutual family circumstances. I felt close to her through her love of books. I wanted her to find herself and was comforted by the end of the story. Also, I love this book, because I want to know more. I want to read the books that are mentioned and then I want to read Among Others again.

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Book Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've had this book at the bottom of my night-stand to-read pile for half a year. The book intrigued me enough to keep it in the pile but not enough to actually read it, until now. I think the issue was that I had no clue what the book was about.

This is a wild tale which begins in Englewood, FL (near Sarasota). Our narrator is Jacob Portman, a barely 16 year boy. Jacob has a close relationship with his grandad who has told tales of a strange island of magical children and the Bird who cared for them and kept them safe from the monsters. As Jacob left childhood, he became angry at his grandfather for telling such tall tales.

Jacob receives a frantic call from his grandfather who claimed the monsters had found him. Jacob goes to check on his grandfather, but finds that he has arrived too late. The body of Grandpa Portman is found in the woods, with large gashes through is middle. As Jacob kneels over the body of his grandfather, he hears a noise from the woods. He quickly shines his flashlight and sees one of the monsters.

This is the starting point for an adventure of discovery, disbelief, the choices which we must make in life and the consequence of those choices.

I would suggest this book to both YA and adult readers who enjoy a bit of fantasy and mystery.


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Book Review: The Apothecary by Maile Meloy

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was recommended to me for an 11-year old girl. I'm not comfortable extending that same recommendation. There are aspects of the book which I did not find appropriate for her age. Perhaps I would recommend this to a 13-14 year old, maybe a mature 12-13.


There are hints of His Dark Materials in the book, which enriched the book for me. The main character of the story is Janie Scott, a 14-year old girl who's family flees California to live in London. The story takes place in the 1950's, after the end of WWII. Janie's family leaves the States as they are under suspicion of being communist supporters.

Janie hates the idea of leaving California, her school, her friends. She finds herself not only as the new girl, she is the new American girl.

On her first day of school, there is a bomb drill, this is where she first sets eyes on Benjamin Burrows. The only student who refuses to hide under a table. The only student who stands up and asks to be treated as an adult.

The story surrounding Benjamin and Janie is filled with magic, mystery and adventure.

The illustrations at the beginning of every chapter make you want to read just one more before bed. Then another. Then another.

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