Greetings Book Lovers! I’m really closing the gap this year. Week 28 covers July 10 – 16. As always feedback is encouraged. Also remember that these are just my opinions and something I didn’t like a great deal could be your next favorite book, so keep an open mind. I love all of the books, but not equally or without bias.
Gork, the Teenage Dragon by Gabe Hudson – I received this as an e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. It’s funny. It’s entertaining. Did I totally love it? Not really. I think I need a better imagination to totally get this one. So dragons I get, in theory, except not too sure how they don’t set fire to themselves. But there is a lot of weird ass shit in this book that my brain didn’t really like. Like swapping the brain of a lion for a worm. Really? And I get the concept that a dragon might be able to grow a new tail or new horns, but an entire foot? Or a wing? That just seems improbable. Of course I had no problem with nanobots, so I’m sort of all over the place with this. If you just accept this book the way that it is, it’s quite funny. I’m going with that. I’m giving it 3 stars.
The Kommandant’s Girl by Pam Jenoff – I borrowed this as an actual book from the Boston Public Library. This was a book club pick. A member of the group had The Orphan’s Tale on a list that they brought to the June meeting so I suggested this earlier book by the same author. I liked it nearly as much. The only criticism I have is that it wraps up a little too nicely in a bow. But it’s a novel, so I guess whatever. Maybe I’m just a little too used to all of the best characters dying. This may also be considered young adult or new adult, which tend to have nice endings. Nothing follows any real rules anymore. That seems to be the new rule. I didn’t even describe the book. Here is the synopsis. I’m giving it 4 stars.
The Devil & Sherlock Holmes by David Grann – I borrowed this as an e-book from the BPL. This is non-fiction. It is different scenarios about obsession. The first is about a Conan Doyle enthusiast who ends up dead, mostly because of his obsession. There are murders and mobsters and scientists trying to capture a giant squid. It is all excellently researched. It’s quite impressive. The author did a great job with this. I’m giving it 3 stars.
The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama – I borrowed this as an actual book from the BPL. This was another book club pick. I was actually late to the meeting because I was in a scramble to finish it. This tells the story of a Chinese student, Stephen, who is sent to Japan to recover from tuberculosis. The Japanese are in the process of invading China. Stephen stays in his grandfather’s beach house with a servant, Matsu, who takes care of him. There is an undercurrent of prejudice running throughout the novel. It is quite good and I liked it overall, but it’s not a very exciting book. I’m giving it 3 stars.
And that’s it for Week 28. I need to get going or Week 30 is not going to have any content. If you have any feedback, I love hearing from all of you.
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