Ashenden: A Novel by Elizabeth Wilhide

    This is the story, initially, of a brother and sister who inherit a country estate in England.   But honestly, this book is so much more than that.  It's a living history .  It tells the story of many characters, of births and deaths, marriages and separations, joy and sadness.   Ultimately,  it's the story of the house and the house really becomes the main character as it's life is told from those people who inhabit it.  I loved that the story wasn't just told from the perspective of the owners of Ashenden but also the architects and the people who loved and lived there, those who worked there.  The depth and breadth is fantastic.   All fans of Downtown Abbey should definitely read this book.  4 out of 5 stars.

Armada by Ernest Cline

  Greetings, Starfighter!

  Ever since I read Ready Player One,  I have been a huge fan of this man.   When this book came out, I was beyond excited.  Downloaded it right away.  So glad that it didn't disappoint.

Some people think that this was a rip off of the plot from The Last Starfighter.  It isn't.  I've seen The Last Starfighter, probably more times than I should admit to, and this isn,t it.  What this book does is pay homage to so many of those wonderful science fiction books and movies of the 80's that so many of us grew up with and loved, of which Starfighter is one.

I loved how the names in the story gave nods to various movies and pop culture.  Lightman, anyone?   Happened to be Matthew Brodericks' character in War Games. And others of course, which I won't spoil for you.

Some people have suggested that the character development is flat.  The pace of this book is faster than Ready Player One, so there isn't as much time for that.  However, of course people can and do change in a 72 hour period - especially when they are going through something as life altering as Zach does.    This book was fun and it even managed to hide some important lessons in there.  No, it's not Pulitizer material but it is fast- paced, thrilling, nostalgic and fun.  I especially loved the Raid the Arcade mix.  I already had most of them on my ipod but not grouped together - I do now.  And Black Betty?  That's been in my head for days now.

If you grew up loving  sci-fi, like I did, don't miss this one.  5 out of 5 stars for just being a thrill ride.

Ideal by Ayn Rand

   First, let me start off with saying that I am always a little trepidatious about reading books that are "found" and released posthumously.   If an author chose not to release a book, there is probably a reason and that reason should be honored.  Still, being a huge Ayn Rand fan, I had to read this one for myself.   I guess Ayn is right and we all have our price - new reading material is mine.

The premise is that Kay Gonda, a world famous Hollywood starlet, is on the lam from the police.  She turns to six people who claimed that they would do anything for her, looking for help.   At first, it didn't even seem like Ayn's style at all.  It even seemed , during the first visitation that she was making an anti-capitalist statement.   I got caught up in the main character being a woman and not a man, like in other works by Rand.

Then,  I realized.... Kay Gonda isn't really a woman at all.  She truly is an Ideal.  Duh!  Hence the name.... It's this wonderful and very abstract philosophical argument about what our Ideals are, and what we are actually willing to do to live up to them.  The more I think about it, the more meaning it has but it definitely doesn't come all at once.

It's very short.  Ayn chose to release this as a play and with this version, the play is included.  I only read the novella part as there was more in depth of the characters there, but it definitely reads as a play. A morality play.   If you are a fan of Rand,  it is well worth the hour or two it will take to read, and it will leave you thinking for long after.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

  I waited a long time to read this one primarily because of all the hype.  Usually when a book gets hyped by Oprah, let's say,  I usually avoid it.  Then I read One Plus One, which is another book by Jojo Moyes and loved it so much that I added everything she's written to my TBR list.  Still I put this one off.  Next I read The Last Letter from Your Lover.  Also loved it.  Finally, I decided it was time.

The burning question is.... why the hell did I wait so long???   Oh my goodness, I LOVED this book.    It's so much more than a love story - though it is probably one of the most beautiful love stories I have read in a long time.  It's also about how people who love us should bring out the best in us, it's about living up to our potential and most of all.... it's just about living.

If, like me, you have for some reason put this book off.... do yourself a HUGE favor.  Drop whatever you are doing and READ IT.   You won't be sorry.   5 out of 5 stars and I would give it more if goodreads would let me,

Sabriel by Garth Nix

    The book, Clariel, has been on my TBR list for a while.  This book is actually the first one in the Abhorsen series.  I came across this on Book Riot's list of books that remind us of Harry Potter.   I guess I should have known..... I rarely agree with Book Riot's lists and once you compare ANYTHING to Harry Potter, you are on dangerous ground.

Sabriel is the book about a young girl who, like her father is a necromancer.  However, unlike most necromancers they don't bring things back from the dead ( although they can),  instead, it is there job to bind the dead from rising.  Sabriel is at school, which teaches magic ( perhaps the only similarity with Harry Potter - well that and the great big villian)   when her father fails to appear for a promised visit.  Instead she receives an undead visitor who brings her the sword of her father and his bells.  The bells are used for various tasks associated with binding the dead.

Sabriel leaves school and heads off - alone - to the Old Kingdom - to find her father.  Sabriel is very brave, but often fool-hardy in her plans.   Like many teenagers, I guess.  Although the book is full of action, Sabriel is alone for the first third of the book.  Then, her main companion is Moggett, a free magical entity that has been entrapped by her father and forced into servitude.

The book came across as somewhat flat to me.  The action was happening but I didn't feel as if I was part of it.  Although I admired things about Sabriel - her courage, for one - I couldn't really relate to her and because of that, I didn't really feel invested in her story.  Bummed because I was really looking forward to this one but felt it was only eh.   Well written but lacking.

The Shell Collector by Hugh Howey

   This was suggested as our August book club selection as a beach read, but it turned out to be so much more.  Not only was it a great beach read, light, but enthralling at the same time, but it also had a more important and more hopeful message.  Naive perhaps, but hopeful.

The book takes place in the not so distant future, after the sea level has risen and because of  acidification, the ocean has undergone a massive extinction level event where many of the creatures which live in shells have become extinct.

Enter Maya Walsh, the intrepid reporter who wants to finally get the evil oil barren she believes is behind the ruination of the world - Ness Wilde.   For generations, the Wilde family has engaged in unfriendly environmental practices and profited from the destruction of the ocean.  Maya is an avid shell collector, who loves the ocean.  She wants people to know the truth....

Except the truth isn't always what it seems.   I loved the story.    I loved the premise and the reveal at the end though I find it overly hopeful and as I said earlier somewhat naive.  If you are looking for a beach read and want something just a little bit different - this was quick, easy and definitely entertaining.  I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Accidents of Marriage by Randy Susan Meyers

This is the story of a family - Ben, Maddy and their three children: Emma, Gracie and Ethan ( I think).   Maddy is a social worker and Ben is a lawyer and this book is about the things that can and do go wrong and also the things that make them right.  

Randy Susan Meyers does a fantastic job with storytelling in this book.  She switches the book between the main characters of Ben, Maddy and their oldest daughter, Emma.  Ben is your typical, self- absorbed idiot.  Nothing is more important than what he is doing and what he has going on.  His family takes a back seat to his self importance, until, one day, he has an accident of marriage.

This story is about how families struggle and how they come together.  I don't want to give away what happens, but this one is well worth the read.  Emma was my favorite character.  I could see parts of my own teenage daughter through her angst.   I could relate to how all the characters, even the initially unlikable Ben, felt.  

My mother recommended this book to me and she never steers me wrong.  I gave this one 5 out of 5 stars, and now I'm off looking for my next read.  What are you reading??