The Mediterranean Caper - Clive Cussler

The Mediterranean Caper by Clive Cussler
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was my first foray into this adventure kind of novel. At least I think that's what it was. It was ok, but pretty mindless entertainment. I feel like I just ate an entire bag of chips or something completely empty of nutritional value.

It had its exciting, action-filled moments, but the characters... I had some problems with their lack of depth and the outright sexism really bothered me. I suppose I've been lucky not to read anything before that this blatantly objectifies females, and even more lucky not to be part of a generation that found this kind of attitude normal. I had read reviews that mentioned this and thought I was prepared. I wasn't. I was completely shocked when Pitt slapped a girl in the face right after meeting her, and then seduced her, and then she thanked him for it. His attitude towards women in general was more chauvinist than anything I've read, maybe ever. It was written in the 1970s, so I can at least hope later books are not as bad.

I also was disappointed in the mystery aspect, since it didn't take much for me to figure out what was going on (at least the main part), but then a bunch of extra details were thrown in at the end that came out of nowhere. I was kind of annoyed at the end when Pitt took pages and pages to explain everything he had figured out in a villain reveal-all that reminded me of Scooby Doo. One reason I like mysteries is having the chance to put things together myself, but here I just had to sit back and be told the answers. Except for the really obvious ones that I spotted ages before the main character seemed to catch on. Here, the main point seemed to be the action, and the mystery was just a prop.

Still, I'm not really sure what to expect from this type of book, so I might try one of the later Pitt novels before I write the series off - if I can get past the whole attitude towards women. The adventure part at least I can see growing on me.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making - Catherynne M. Valente

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is such a lovely book! It has that old Victorian fairy tale feeling. It gives off the vibe of Alice in Wonderland or Wizard of Oz or other classic fantasy tales I read when I was a child and can't remember their names. It has a random kind of absurdity along with childlike wonder.

The story is unique, and so imaginative even in the smallest details. I loved the little touches like the soap lady. Valente's writing is beautiful and evocative. I can still see many scenes clearly in my head. She doesn't shy away from the darker fairy tale experience either, which makes it so much more satisfying at the end.

I would have loved this even more as a kid, but I don't think it lost anything reading it as an adult. This is my first book by Valente, but I'll be looking up her adult works now as well as the rest of this series. Highly recommended.

Maisie Dobbs - Jacqueline Winspear

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maisie Dobbs starts out in the late 1920s, with Maisie just setting up her investigation business. It gets into the first real case, then takes a significant detour into the past to give Maisie’s backstory - I’d say probably half the book shows her childhood up through WWI nursing experiences. So although there’s a mystery, it really felt like a WWI historical novel much of the time, along with the horrors and sadness it left behind. Once Maisie’s character is fully established, it comes back to the original mystery and wraps it up quickly. The story of the past does end up being related to the mystery, so it all ties together in the end.

I found the story absorbing. I really liked Maisie - she’s smart and manages to work her way out of servitude using her brains and her connections. But once WWI comes into her life, the story takes a tragic turn. For some time after finishing it, I felt haunted by it. It was so sad! Usually, this would have stopped me from enjoying it, but the surrounding narrative of Maisie’s life in the 1920s made me feel that this is just the beginning of Maisie’s story. I have hope that she will find her way out of the grief and pain of what’s behind her and be able to forge a new life. I’m guessing that future installments will also focus less on her personal story and more on whatever mysteries she’s investigating.

One thing I found kind of weird is the way that Maisie conducts her investigations. I would have thought her brains would come into it more, but she relies on some sort of sixth sense. For example, she puts herself in the physical position of the person she’s studying, and that allows her to feel what they are feeling. She uses that intuition to help her solve her cases. She also has premonitions and there’s more emphasis on general intuition than facts and clues. I don’t know if this will bother me going forward or not. Her mind is sharp, so I’d like to see her use it as well as her hunches.

For now, I know that her story affected me, and I want to see what’s in store for her.


Original Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this, even though it was really sad in places. Review to come...

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I should have paid more attention to the reviewer who said that this is not a mystery. It's not. And that's what I was after. This is a collection of tales about people and their problems. The main character solves their problems in unconventional ways, and so maintains a private detective agency.

It is told in simplistic language, distancing me from the stories, which are rambling and random. There is little cohesion to the plot. It's a more realistic ebb and flow of lives that cross each other once and probably won't again. There are some sad, heartwarming, and amusing stories, but I felt like I was listening to an old man recounting tales that mean more to him than to me.

So for me, this was just ok. Several times it peaked into slightly interesting, but mostly not. I don't intend to read more of the series, and now I'm going to go find myself a real mystery, which is what I wanted in the first place.

Fate's Edge - Ilona Andrews

Fate's Edge by Ilona Andrews

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I'm really behind on writing reviews lately. I want to get this one out there since I've already finished the last book of the series, so I'm going for the random bullet point method.

Things I liked:

• The humor and fun of having a conman and conwoman as protagonists.
• I really enjoyed the heists.
• Kaldar is such a loveable rogue. There's plenty of witty dialog in the middle of serious jobs.
• Jack and George have large roles to play. I like how this series has romance, but also has side characters to help balance things out.

Reasons why Bayou Moon is still my favorite:

• I missed the Edge. This one takes place more in the Broken with just pockets of the Edge. I found the setting was much less rich as a result. I never thought I'd miss a swamp, but I did!
• I also missed the larger clans, the wider world of characters.
• Religious fanatics are not my favorite topic in the world.
• I still prefer William, the brooding changeling, to Kaldar the rogue.
• Cerise is way more dangerous with a sword than Audrey. Audrey is a talented thief, but she doesn't kick butt quite as well.

I've really enjoyed this series! It's such an interesting world. I'm sad that there are only four books. Maybe one day they'll change their minds and come back to it.

Blackmoore - Julianne Donaldson

Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Even though I profess not to like romances, it's not really that I don't like them. I'm just really picky and get irritated easily by certain plot devices - and they get old if I read too many. But sometimes I really need a brainless comfort read after a draining week at work. Some people might go to the pub with friends, but antisocial being that I am, I simply want to go home and bury myself in a book. And that's when I am likely to pick a quick romance and not be irritated by it.

I'm much less critical when I'm going for the veg-out-my-brain and guaranteed-happy-ending effects. It's not about realistic plot or anything that can be analyzed. Sometimes there are problems that I completely gloss over because I'm just experiencing it, not thinking about it. I'm more interested in whether the book convinces me on a gut level that the two people are in love and should get that happy ending. It's about the emotions. And it's like putting my batteries on the fast charger.

So, Blackmoore was this for me last night. I read it in one sitting, and I completely escaped my sense of reality. I may also have neglected my husband, but he's used to sharing me with books by now, poor guy.

Just as with Edenbrooke, the intensity of emotion between the characters is what makes the story so absorbing. Their longing for each other is deep and sharp and has stood the test of years. The reason that their love is unrequited is not a completely unbelievable one, and it's not riddled with fake misunderstandings, even though lack of communication does come into it. Never mind that all the other women in the book are horrible. I ignored them. I already forgot about them. The setting captured my attention more than they did, with just a bit of a Gothic touch that made it more than a generic Regency setting.

It is almost completely an emotional romance (as opposed to physical), which is what I prefer. It was so sweet and painful at the same time. By the end I was just aching for a good resolution. Not many romances actually put me through an emotional wringer, but this one managed it. My main fear was that all the build-up would just fizzle, but I found the resolution satisfying and heartwarming.

As far as fluff romances go, I recommend it. Just don't over-think it.

Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Quick thoughts here, since I probably won't bother to do a full review. I liked this better than the first. It was another quick read. There was less slow, Southern charm and humor, less of a chick-lit focus on hair and clothes and working in the bar (although that's still in there).

Instead, there are two mysteries in two locations, and we get more exposure to the worlds of vampires and shape-shifters, and I finally got to know what the fuss about Eric is all about - or at least I'm starting to get it. So far, there are at least three love interests for Sookie, and at this point I believe she's with the wrong guy. Not that Bill isn't... nice, but she has way more of a connection with both Sam and Eric than Bill. Bill is still really generic, other than being super protective.

I'm having fun with this series, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who wants to take things too seriously. Or to anyone who objects to a lot of romantic elements. Sookie is in the midst of multiple romances, that's one thing for sure.