Want to cure an obsession? Get another one.

Dr. Haggard's Disease
Patrick McGrath

Oh, Mr. McGrath. You are so wonderful. So literary, yet so Gothic. You tax my brain at the same time you chill my spine. How I love you.

Anyway, not so long ago (or almost two years!? insert obligatory lament re: time flying, and all that), I read a wee little tale called Asylum, and my love for Patrick McGrath was born. Alas, I had not the time nor the insight to seek out more of his work -- until now. Now that I've read my second McGrath, it's nearly all I can do to stop myself from buying every single thing the man's ever written. SO. GOOD.

Ok, so - Dr. Haggard's Disease. Dr. Haggard, injured and alone, has retired to a gothic manor to obsess over his lost love. As a young doctor, he had a brief but torrid affair with Fanny, the wife of a senior staff member. Unfortunately THINGS HAPPEN, and now Dr. Haggard is, well, a bit haggard. Now Fanny-less, he pines for his lost life -- until he receives a visit from Fanny's young son. And then he gets REALLY WEIRD.

In a nutshell: Love. Obsession. Addiction. Haunting, rhythmic prose. A crumbling seaside mansion. What's not to love?

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: This one's all mine. And so shall every other McGrath out there. You've been warned.

RIPV: Thanks to its Gothic nature, Dr. Haggard's Disease most definitely counts toward this year's RIP challenge. I'm killing this challenge! KILLING IT!

I only care about Mookie, not gonna lie

Ancestor
Scott Sigler

After reading Infected and its sequel Contagious, I couldn't wait to read Sigler's next novel. Would Ancestor live up to my earlier experiences?

Ancestor moves away from the alien invasion that played a part in his first two novels, and instead focuses on a monster much closer to home. A biotech company is seeking to engineer a suitable animal host that can support organs for human transplantation. As cow embryo after embryo fails to do the job, they decide to go back a bit further, introducing genes from an ancestor. It seems to work, and the crew watches as their livestock brings these no-longer extinct animals back to live.

Of course, what seems like a good idea really isn't. These scientists have unwittingly given life to a super-predator, and it isn't long before the dozens of creatures they have bred get hungry. Very hungry. Oh, and they are quite smart. Ruh-roh, guys. Ruh-roh.

Ancestor is grounded in science and sounds eerily plausible, even if such an "ancestor" never existed. My only beef is the first 40% of the novel (thanks, kindle!) was a little too heavy on the science. Had that been condensed a bit, my enjoyment would have been complete.

Overall, I can't complain. Yet again, Sigler has written a fast-paced, thought-provoking novel that delivers. And, he came through with Mookie -- that meant a lot, man.

In a nutshell: Smart and unsettling, Ancestor prompts us to fear the monsters of tomorrow (and, ironically enough, of yesterday).

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: downloaded this one for my Kindle

RIPV: Those freaky ancestors and the spine-tingling suspense that marks the final third of the novel are more than enough to qualify Ancestor for this year's RIP challenge. That would be numero 3. Bam!

Not for the faint of heart

Sworn to Silence
Linda Castillo

First, a warning: this book is pretty messed up in places. There's a serial killer, and he's not the nice kind that kills you all quick-like. No, he drags things out and makes life extra-painful. In other words, he's just like high school.

Ok, so, background: Kate Burkholder grew up Amish but left the community and is now chief of police. Her skills are put to the test when young women turn up dead. Roman numerals carved into their stomachs indicate the killer's rampage has been a long one -- even though he was presumed dead over a decade ago.

In many ways, the story is cliched: Kate battles the predominately-male police force and fights to prove her worth. She's also hiding a dark secret that could destroy her. An alcoholic detective who is battling his own demons is sent to help with the investigation. What if he uncovers Kate's secret? And what about the hotshot investigator who slowly infringes upon Kate's case?

These cliches, however, do not detract from the novel. Sworn to Silence is a solid mystery that follows genre conventions and delivers chills along the way. I could have done without the predictable and unnecessary romance that pops up midway through the novel -- hello, serial killer on the loose, put it back in your pants until you catch him, mmmkay?

Overall, the story was an intriguing one. The violence and brutality featured in the novel are not for the faint of heart. However, for those looking for a disturbing, atmospheric mystery to complement this time of year, Sworn to Silence is a a perfect fit. That said, I don't think I'll read the sequel that continues the story of Kate Burkholder; one was enough for me.

In a nutshell: Disturbing, taut, and compelling, Sworn to Silence probably shouldn't be read late at night, especially if you live alone.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: downloaded a version o'this for me Kindle

RIPV: Sworn to Silence is the second book that counts toward this year's RIP challenge.

More bore than gore

Patient Zero
Jonathan Maberry

So, the terrorists are coming, and they've got biological weapons!! What, you've heard this one before?

Ok, then how about: the terrorists are coming, and they've got biological weapons that turn people into flesh-eating zombies. dum dum DUM!!!

So goes the plot of Jonathan Maberry's Patient Zero. Baltimore detective Joe Ledger has just found himself smack in the middle of a terror plot of epic proportions. A group of religious zealots has created Seif al Din, the sword of the faithful, a disease that will wreak havoc on the heathen West. Fast foward a bit, and yadda yadda yadda battle to save humanity blah blah blah zombies.

Yeah, this is a book about zombies, so one should expect a certain level of grit and violence. So far, so good. The action was gritty, the violence was high, and the zombies were hungry. Still, some things annoyed me. The religious zealots, for example. I mean, really? A zombie plague? You sure that won't come back to bite you in the ass? Ok, fine, logical reasoning might not be a fundamentalist's strong point.

But fundamentalist logic aside, those pesky flaws remain. Some parts needed editing and dragged on a bit when they were supposed to be suspenseful. Some aspects were a bit too unbelievable (in a zombie book, I know -- ironic), and some cliches could have been dispensed with. Finally, a few characters were so flat and two-dimensional I couldn't tell them apart. Sigh.

In a nutshell: More cop than zombie. More bore than gore. Oh well.

Bibliolatry Scale: 2.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Checked out this bad boy from the library. Have I cured my shopping addiction, you wonder? Ah, no.

RIPV: Even though Patient Zero didn't make me poop in my pants, it still counts toward this year's RIP challenge.

A RIP-ping good time!

I've done it!!! I know I generally shy away from challenges, but this is one I pretty much do on my own every year, anyway. So why not sign up?

It's time for the fifth annual R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge. Every year I read ~spooky books~ to complement the time of year. Despite my annual spookiness, I've never signed up for RIP. That changes this year!

I'll be completing Peril the First, which only requires participants to read four spooky books of any length, which I've already done. I plan to read more than that, since spooky books are generally all I read in September and October.

Even though, I've already read several books that qualify for the challenge, I'm going to refrain from listing my books all at once. I plan to get some from the library and I'm unsure which will arrive in time, etc. So let's just say I'll be planning this one by ear.

Stay tuned!

Got any spooky recommendations for me?? Please, please, share them in the comments! I can never get enough Halloweeney reads!


BOOKS READ FOR RIPV
1. Patient Zero, Jonathan Maberry
2. Sworn to Silence, Linda Castillo
3. Ancestor, by Scott Sigler
4. Dr. Haggard's Disease, by Patrick McGrath
5. The Seance, by John Harwood
6. Dark Echo, by F.G. Cottam

The pickles! The pickles!

Ethan Frome
Edith Wharton

I have a love-hate relationship with DailyLit. On the one hand, it lets me have free reading material at the ready, even when I'm, say, at work. On the other hand, it doesn't give me hard copy, which -- in this case, anyway -- is a BIG problem.

Quite simply, I didn't expect to love Ethan Frome as much as I did. My mind has somehow come to equate Edith Wharton with TEH BORE, and so I figured reading this short little novel via DailyLit was the best way to slog through what was sure to be an excruciatingly slow read. I didn't expect to read it all in nearly one sitting (okay, it was more like two), requesting installment after installment until I had finished.

Ok, so Ethan lives alone with his dour, invalid harpy of a wife, and he's the stolid and "I'll just suck it up" type. BUT THEN his wife's cousin, Mattie, comes to take care of things -- and she's cute! And has a red ribbon in her hair! (symbolism!) And she gives Ethan pickles for dinner! (symbolism!) Meanwhile his wife remains all sick and dour and confined to her room, so one nearly hopes that Mattie and Ethan can continue to share secret glances and long, meaningful sighs in peace.

BUT NO! Of course, this is not to be. The story is told in flashback, and since we know Ethan is miserable at the beginning of the book, we know he'll be miserable at the end, too. But the end! It's so good! The sadness! The irony! The pickles!

In a nutshell: A gem of a novel; it's impossible not to love Ethan. And Ethan. And probably Edith, too, although I'm less convinced about her.

Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars (yeah, I said it)

FTCBS: DailyLit :( booooo I need Ethan all for myself!

When God gives you AIDS ... make lemonAIDS

The Bedwetter
Sarah Silverman

Here's another August read that I've simply delayed discussing sooner. I'm not sure what led me to read The Bedwetter -- I'm not the hugest fan of Silverman, but that's really due to the fact I'm in bed absurdly early and she mostly appears on late-night tv.

I guess what really made me interested in reading more about her was her video Sell the Vatican, Feed the World. Funny, yes, but not entirely a bad idea, either.

Anyway, long story short - picked this little gem up from the library. The Bedwetter was at times laugh-out-loud hysterical (the story about her brother alone makes it worthwhile) and at others insightful and thoughtful. Reading about her experiences as a bedwetter and later as an SNL writer made for a quick, fun read.

In a nutshell: If you are ultra-PC, you might want to skip this one. Otherwise, it's nearly impossible not to laugh at The Bedwetter, even if you're not familiar with her work.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Libraryed this one. That's like the third library book this year! Awww yeah, kicking it old school.

Bad things hide in the dark*

Crescent
Phil Rossi

UGHHHHH. I'm SO behind on reviews. Damn you, real job. Ergo, I'm gonna let Amazon do the work today:

Darkness has inspired fear since mankind first watched the sun go down. Bad things hide in the dark, feral beasts with mouths full of razors waiting for a taste of flesh. But now, the darkness is stirring with a life of its own. Crescent Station is the last bastion of civilization, floating in the cold, outer systems where colonized space gives way to the sparser settlements of the Frontier. Like the boom towns of distant Earth's Old American West, Crescent Station is a gateway to power, wealth, and opportunity for anyone who isn't afraid to get his or her hands dirty. But deep within the station's bowels, in Crescent's darkest and most secret places, an ancient evil is awakening and hungry, and it threatens the very fabric of space and time. Will the residents of Crescent Station find a way to stop it before the terror drives them insane? Or is it already too late?

Erm. Well.

Long story short: I downloaded this one for my Kindle. It was either free or only a dollar or two, so it was worth it. Not the best book I ever read, but it kept me entertained while I was on my treadmill. The Big Bad in Crescent was a bit confusing, though, since I was never entirely sure what the ef it was, but it didn't really matter.

In a nutshell: Entertaining enough. And space! The final frontier, and all that.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: personal Kindle copy



*Ugh, I suck so bad, I couldn't even come up with a better title. My brain = barf.

Want to make an enemy? Try changing something.

Dear Enemy
Jean Webster

So, at some point in August, I hit a mini-slump, and I thought: Self! You fool! You've been saving Dear Enemy for just such an occasion! Don't you remember the quickness that was Daddy-Long-Legs?!?

Alas, my love for Dear Enemy was not quite as great as my love for its predecessor. That's not to say this wasn't a good novel: it was nice, it was quaint, and it even made me long to work in an orphanage, if you can believe that, so long as one could enjoy the beautiful English countryside and a nice spot of tea. But something was still missing.

Dear Enemy is the "sequel" (of sorts) to the aforementioned Daddy-Long-Legs. Also an epistolary novel, Dear Enemy's letters are written not by Judy Abbott, but by her friend, Sallie McBride. It seems Judy has tricked ol'Sallie into being a temporary superintendent of the orphanage where Judy grew up. That slippery Judy, though, never seems to find a permanent replacement, and Sallie is left to deal with all sorts of troubles -- including the "Enemy," the orphanage's doctor.

Ultimately, Dear Enemy was a neat, somewhat predictable little novel that was charming and entertaining -- just not as charming and entertaining as its predecessor.

In a nutshell: Fans of Daddy-Long-Legs will enjoy Dear Enemy, but n00bs should start with the DLL.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: same ol' copy as before, since these two be one

RR10: August

The beginning of August brought a boon of books to my table, and I read steadily for quite some time. Then, unfortunately, I had to face facts: I needed to prepare for the upcoming school year.

BOOOOOOOO.

As such, August was ultimately a mediocre month of reading. I haven't even had time to post about everything I've read. I have, however, continued my excellent streak of reading NOT A SINGLE THING on the reading resolution I started, oh, I dunno, FOREVER ago.

sigh.


BOOKS READ, AUGUST 2010

Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay
Harris, Charlaine. Dead to the World
Hjortsberg, William. Falling Angel
Rossi, Phil. Crescent
Russell, Mary Doria. Children of God
Silverman, Sarah. The Bedwetter
Webster, Jean. Dear Enemy


RESOLUTION TITLES = 0 (9/80)

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 7

TOTAL READ IN AUGUST 2010 = 7

TOTAL READ IN 2010 = 46



You can't see me, but right now I'm shaking my fists at the heavens. Curse you, brain. It's all your fault.

Return to Rakhat: the Children of God read-along

Children of God
Mary Doria Russell

A few months ago, I read a little novel called The Sparrow. I was floored. Amazed. Awestruck. Then, I learned that Heather and Florinda were hosting a readalong of Children of God in August. I waited with breathless anticipation. Tenterhooks were involved. Finally, August arrived.

I cracked open the book, eager to see how Sandoz was faring. How was he making out with his wonky, yet badass, hands? Was he still a damaged, broken puppy? And what would Life after Rakhat be like for him? And even more importantly, would Children of God live up to its predecessor?

I needed answers, and I needed them fast.

Sandoz, for his part, manages as best he can, given the circumstances. Unfortunately, I wanted more of him than Children of God had to offer. Then again, the worst has already happened to him, so there isn't, as other reviewers have noted, a great sense of urgency in the novel. I was also disappointed that Children of God is more political and focuses substantially on life on Rakhat. As such, I wasn't as entranced by the story. While I tore through The Sparrow, I found myself taking longer to read Children of God.

The Sparrow was suspenseful in ways this novel wasn't. Also, the moods of the novels were very different. Ironically, one of the discussion questions (I didn't want to post too many for fear of spoilers) reads:

Which book is "darker"? (According to the author, most people like the second book better even though they say it has a darker feeling to it.)

I find myself thinking about this question long after I should have answered it. To be fair, I find them equally dark, although the darkness in each is different. I found the darkness of The Sparrow compelling, but found the darkness of Children of God oppressive.

All of this is not to say it isn't a good novel -- it is. Without the spectre of its predecessor looming over it, Children of God is a solid work. The Sparrow blew my mind, though, and it's hard work overcoming that.

In a nutshell: While I may have enjoyed The Sparrow more, Children of God is an admirable follow-up that gives everyone, both Sandoz and readers, closure. And thanks again to Heather and Florinda!

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal copy

The Summer of Sookie continues

Dead to the World
Charlaine Harris

Okay, y'all, you said Book 4 would be good, and it was. But it was sooo bad, too. Charlaine Harris, I'm shaking my fist at you.

Let's see. Sookie's just finished wrasslin with the werewolves in Book 3, so now it's on to another superbad baddy. This time, it's witches! (Highlight for small spoiler, I mean it's not gonna ruin the book or anything.)

So, anyway, Sookie's driving home and bam! Naked Eric everywhere. Clearly, this is headed in a good direction. And he's all memory-less (and therefore nice and sweet-like). OKAY!

Basically, Sookie's gotta make things right by going up against the aforementioned, not-really-spoilery baddy(ies). Which she does. While Eric hides in her house. So far, so good.

And it would have been absolutely perfect had it not been for the sheer laughability of it. Sookie is good at prompting second-hand embarrassment (even she admits she isn't the savviest of wits) and her awkwardness delayed me from finishing one particular scene. (We're talking a couple paragraphs. That took me two days. She's just so damn awkward, that Sookie. I mean, at one point Suckie [typo, but it stays] says -- in all seriousness -- "I could tell that flicked his Bic." Really? You really thought that? NO YOU DIDN'T.)



Damn you Charlaine Harris, laughing all the way to the mothereffing bank!

Bizarrely, however, I liked this book all the better in spite of -- or perhaps thanks to -- its absurdity. I just can't quit you, Sookie! See you in Book 5!

In a nutshell: ERIIIIIIIIIIIIICC

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: personal kindle download!

In case you're interested: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3

Spoiler free: Mockingjay!

Mockingjay
Suzanne Collins

So, the odds were ever in my favor when I learned that the kindle edition of Mockingjay was released at the same time as the "real" version. Woohoo! I could join in with the rest of the fangirls (and boys) and find out how this sitch would play out.

Don't worry, I won't spoil nothin.

So, spoiler free, eh? Okay, I can do this. Collins has achieved the nearly impossible: she has ended her trilogy satisfactorily, without weaseling out of anything painful, and yet somehow still giving her characters the ending they deserve.

At times, I was a little eye-rolley at the continued melodrama of Katniss' love triangle, but Collins anticipates such feelings, as one character snarkily remarks on Katniss' constant boy problems. Also, there are a few places where things get reaallll convenient, but that's part of the fun, too.

Still, the ending was perfect, and the final line? Absolute perfection. Erase any fears you may have that Mockingjay will disappoint. It won't.

What else needs to be said? If you're a fan of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, you simply must read Mockingjay. And if you're not a fan, well...what's wrong with you?

In a nutshell: Ultimately, the trilogy ends well -- but not too well -- for those we have come to love since reading The Hunger Games.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: personal Kindle edition...awwwww, yeah

Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell

Falling Angel
William Hjortsberg

Where do you search for a guy who was never there to begin with?

Private detective Harry Angel ponders this very question as he searches for his quarry, who has disappeared under peculiar circumstances. Hired by the mysterious Louis Cyphre to find a missing crooner, Johnny Favorite, Angel's search soon takes him to the seedy underbelly of the city and introduces him to the dark world of voodoo devil worship. It isn't long before Angel finds himself irrevocably entangled in these dark events.

I first heard of this novel when Carlos Ruiz Zafon listed his top 10 20th-century gothic novels. He said Falling Angel is "the best mystery thriller ever written. It has the classic elements of a Chandler novel combined with the solid tradition of the 1970s supernatural thrillers .... The writing, plotting and characterisation are superb." He ended his blurb by adding, "This is a hard title to find, but do yourself a favour and go looking." He wasn't kidding.

The harder I looked for this book, the more I wanted to read it. Struck out on Amazon (unless I wanted to pay over 40 bucks for a copy). No luck at the library. I finally ordered a used copy from the UK (thanks, guys). Then, the waiting began.

My book arrived in the late afternoon; a few hours later, I had fully devoured it. Zafon was spot on when he said the plotting is superb; the story hooks you immediately and doesn't relent until you've finished the final page.

In a nutshell: A gripping mystery with a nice dash of horror, Falling Angel is a must for those looking for a gritty, atmospheric read.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Mine, but only because not a single library in my state carried the book. WTF, library system??? W.T.F?!?

RR10: July

Another un-spectacular month. Let's recap.


Flynn, Gillian. Dark Places
Harris, Charlaine. Club Dead
Mieville, China. Kraken
Pushkin, Alexander. Eugene Onegin

Sigh.


RESOLUTION TITLES = 0 (9/80)

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 4

TOTAL READ IN JULY 2010 = 4

TOTAL READ IN 2010 = 39