Title: The Light in the Ruins
Author: Chris Bohjalian
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: March 26, 2016
When was the book published: 2013
Main Characters: The Rosati clan, Christina, Marco, Vittore, Marco's wife Francesca, their two kids, Vittore's wife Gulia, their two kids, the Marchese and Marchese, the police: Paolo and Serafina. Serafina's partisan rebel group, Enrico and his wife.
What happens? Jumping between 1943 when the German effort in the war was disintegrating and the Italians had to shift between support of the Fascist Mussolini and the Allies - and 1955 when someone is killing off the Rosati's brutally in revenge. Serafina tries to solve while trying to come to grips with the scars left by her war experience.
How long was this? 305 pages
Did I like this? Very good, no complaints, interesting story. The brutality of the murders was a bit challenging.
Overall grade: A-
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman
Title: Every Secret Thing
Author: Laura Lipmman
Did I listen or read?: Nook
When did I finish?: March 20, 2016
When was the book published: 2004
Main Characters: Alice Manning and Ronnie Fuller, Cynthia Barnes, daughter of the judge. Helen Manning. Nancy Porter (cop) and Sharon Kerpelman who defended Alice
What happens? Alice and Ronnie are attending a birthday party as 11 year olds, get kicked out, and come across a baby outside a doorway on the way home. They take the baby and keep it and kill it a few days later. 7 years later, they are both released from juvenile detention. Another baby disappears.
How long was this? 410 pages
Did I like this? It was pretty good, but the plot just jumped at the end and many things that many characters knew but didn't reveal are all revealed magically in the last 40 pages. A good read overall, but a lot of characters that you don't like.
Overall grade: B
Author: Laura Lipmman
Did I listen or read?: Nook
When did I finish?: March 20, 2016
When was the book published: 2004
Main Characters: Alice Manning and Ronnie Fuller, Cynthia Barnes, daughter of the judge. Helen Manning. Nancy Porter (cop) and Sharon Kerpelman who defended Alice
What happens? Alice and Ronnie are attending a birthday party as 11 year olds, get kicked out, and come across a baby outside a doorway on the way home. They take the baby and keep it and kill it a few days later. 7 years later, they are both released from juvenile detention. Another baby disappears.
How long was this? 410 pages
Did I like this? It was pretty good, but the plot just jumped at the end and many things that many characters knew but didn't reveal are all revealed magically in the last 40 pages. A good read overall, but a lot of characters that you don't like.
Overall grade: B
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Silver Bay by Jo Jo Moyes
Title: Silver Bay
Author: Jo Jo Moyes
Did I listen or read?: Nook
When did I finish?: February 25, 2016
When was the book published: 2008
Main Characters: Mike Dormer, Liza McCullen, 10 year old daughter, grandmother and hotel owner Kathleen
What happens? Mike is an up and coming numbers guy for a big London firm, engaged to the boss's daughter, and gets sent to Silver Bay in Australia to prepare for the development of a monster luxury resort. He falls in love with the local folks who run dolphin and whale watching adventures, and with Liza, and the development plans threaten to upset their way of life, as well as a deep dark secret from Liza's past.
How long was this? 392 pages
Did I like this? Yes, I really like her characters and she suckers me in to sappy love stories every time! Plus I was in Australia when I read it!
Overall grade: A
Author: Jo Jo Moyes
Did I listen or read?: Nook
When did I finish?: February 25, 2016
When was the book published: 2008
Main Characters: Mike Dormer, Liza McCullen, 10 year old daughter, grandmother and hotel owner Kathleen
What happens? Mike is an up and coming numbers guy for a big London firm, engaged to the boss's daughter, and gets sent to Silver Bay in Australia to prepare for the development of a monster luxury resort. He falls in love with the local folks who run dolphin and whale watching adventures, and with Liza, and the development plans threaten to upset their way of life, as well as a deep dark secret from Liza's past.
How long was this? 392 pages
Did I like this? Yes, I really like her characters and she suckers me in to sappy love stories every time! Plus I was in Australia when I read it!
Overall grade: A
The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
Title: The Luckiest Girl Alive
Author: Jessica Knoll
Did I listen or read?: Nook
When did I finish?: March 14, 2016
When was the book published: 2015
Main Characters: Ani Fanelli, fiance Luke, high school friend Arthur, high school teacher/crush Mr. Larson
What happens? Ani is about to marry Luke and is a really annoying yuppie wannabe in NYC (or Philly, I can't remember.) She has problems left over as a result of tragic events that happened in high school, which are first revealed to be that she is raped by the soccer team stars, but turns out to be much worse.
How long was this? 352 pages
Did I like this? Her character was hard to root for, and the ultimate reveal was shocking. Overall, it was pretty good. She grows on you if you ignore the yuppie arivista mentality in the beginning.
Overall grade: B+
Author: Jessica Knoll
Did I listen or read?: Nook
When did I finish?: March 14, 2016
When was the book published: 2015
Main Characters: Ani Fanelli, fiance Luke, high school friend Arthur, high school teacher/crush Mr. Larson
What happens? Ani is about to marry Luke and is a really annoying yuppie wannabe in NYC (or Philly, I can't remember.) She has problems left over as a result of tragic events that happened in high school, which are first revealed to be that she is raped by the soccer team stars, but turns out to be much worse.
How long was this? 352 pages
Did I like this? Her character was hard to root for, and the ultimate reveal was shocking. Overall, it was pretty good. She grows on you if you ignore the yuppie arivista mentality in the beginning.
Overall grade: B+
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Title: The Girl on the Train
Author: Paula Hawkins
Did I listen or read?: Nook
When did I finish?: Feb 17, 2016
When was the book published: 2015
Main Characters: Rachel on the train, "Jess and Jason" in the house by the tracks, Tom, ex husband, Anna, new wife, Megan and Scott, Dr. Abdic who treats Megan
What happens? Rachel is a blackout drunk who Tom has left for Anna. She pretends to go to work on the train every day (lost her job already) and observes Megan and Scott, and then sees Dr. Abdic with Megan and...someone disappears...you get the idea.
How long was this? 326 pages
Did I like this? Yeah, it was pretty good. Not as good as Gone Girl, but an interesting idea with plenty of twists.
Overall grade: A-
Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3) by Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym), J.K. Rowling
Title: Career of Evil
Author: Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Did I listen or read?: Nook
When did I finish?: February 12, 2016
When was the book published: 2015
Main Characters: Cormoran Strike, Robin Ellacort
What happens? Robin gets a package and it's a woman's leg. Strike figures that it is one of four old enemies of his and starts researching, loses all his clients, and Robin struggles with going through with her marriage
How long was this? 497 pages
Did I like this? Yes, a good London based mystery
Overall grade: A-
Author: Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Did I listen or read?: Nook
When did I finish?: February 12, 2016
When was the book published: 2015
Main Characters: Cormoran Strike, Robin Ellacort
What happens? Robin gets a package and it's a woman's leg. Strike figures that it is one of four old enemies of his and starts researching, loses all his clients, and Robin struggles with going through with her marriage
How long was this? 497 pages
Did I like this? Yes, a good London based mystery
Overall grade: A-
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal
Title: Team of Teams
Author: General Stanley McChrystal
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: March 13, 2016
When was the book published: 2015
Main Characters: The teams that had the highest levels of internal engagement and external exploration had much higher levels of creative output.
He collected a billion measurements in one month and found that engagement was the central predictor of productivity, exceeding individual intelligence, personality and skill. (p 196)
end of chapter 10
Complexity vs Complicated...page 74
Complexity produces a fundamentally different situation from the complicated challenges of the past; complicated problems requriec great effort, but ultimately yielded to prediction. Complexity means that, in spite of our increased abilities to track and measure, the world has become, in many ways, vastly less predictable.
What happens?
How long was this?250 pages
Did I like this? good business book
Overall grade: B+
Author: General Stanley McChrystal
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: March 13, 2016
When was the book published: 2015
Main Characters: The teams that had the highest levels of internal engagement and external exploration had much higher levels of creative output.
He collected a billion measurements in one month and found that engagement was the central predictor of productivity, exceeding individual intelligence, personality and skill. (p 196)
end of chapter 10
Effective adaptation to emerging threats and opportunities requires the disciplined practice of empowered execution. Individuals and teams closes to the problem, armed with unprecedented levels of insights from across the network, offer the best ability to decide and act decisively.
Complexity vs Complicated...page 74
Complexity produces a fundamentally different situation from the complicated challenges of the past; complicated problems requriec great effort, but ultimately yielded to prediction. Complexity means that, in spite of our increased abilities to track and measure, the world has become, in many ways, vastly less predictable.
What happens?
How long was this?250 pages
Did I like this? good business book
Overall grade: B+
Thursday, March 3, 2016
The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian
Title: The Guest Room
Author: Chris Bohjalian
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: February 22, 2016 Australia
When was the book published: 2016
Main Characters: Richard Chapman, about to be married brother, wife Kristin, Russian girl Alexandra
What happens? Richard agrees to have a bachelor party for his (somewhat sleazeball) brother who works at a hotel, and his hotel buddies hires two hookers to come to the party. The hookers kill their bodyguards and escape. The story switches from Richard's viewpoint to Alexandra's viewpoint and life story.
How long was this? 314 pages
Did I like this? Great story, real page turner
Overall grade: A
Author: Chris Bohjalian
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: February 22, 2016 Australia
When was the book published: 2016
Main Characters: Richard Chapman, about to be married brother, wife Kristin, Russian girl Alexandra
What happens? Richard agrees to have a bachelor party for his (somewhat sleazeball) brother who works at a hotel, and his hotel buddies hires two hookers to come to the party. The hookers kill their bodyguards and escape. The story switches from Richard's viewpoint to Alexandra's viewpoint and life story.
How long was this? 314 pages
Did I like this? Great story, real page turner
Overall grade: A
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)