Recent Reads

96. Die Trying
This is book #2 in the Jack Reacher series. I was in the mood for a fast, plot driven read, and reached (pun intended) for this one.

Jack Reacher is at the wrong place at the wrong time and gets involved in someone else's problem. It seems to help that the someone else is a beautiful damsel in distress. Yes, she has a busted knee from a sports injury, but is smart and brave and strong. Did I mention beautiful? They get kidnapped by members of a militia group, and the story involves lots of action, mayhem, the FBI, the White House, and guns. Lots of guns. There are entire passages in the book where one gets a bullet's eye view of the action. Oh, did I mention there is also a bit of romance and a love triangle? The characters are one dimensional, the story not compelling, and yet I read to the bitter, and rather anti-climatic end. For that I gave it an additional star. Rating: 2 stars.

97. The Ocean at the End of the Lane
"I do not miss childhood, but I miss the way I took pleasure in small things, even as greater things crumbled. I could not control the world I was in, could not walk away from things or people or moments that hurt, but I found joy in the things that made me happy".

Neil Gaiman captures the essence of childhood like few others can. This novella is the flashback of a middle aged man of his bookish seven year self, who finds himself in a world more magical and horrifying than he could ever imagine. We often forget the horrors and joys of childhood as we get older, but Gaiman helps us remember. While I really liked the premise of the book, and the lyrical writing, overall the story did not grab me. Rating: 3 stars.

98. American Born Chinese
I'd heard great things about this Printz-winning graphic novel, so decided to give it a read.

Three interconnected story lines explore themes of not belonging, not fitting in, wanting so badly to be someone else. The Chinese American immigrant story is the universal immigrant story, and yet it is the particulars that make it interesting. And that was my problem with this novel. It is good, but not great. The art and coloring are wonderful, but I found the stories lacked depth, maybe because it is written for a YA audience. Nevertheless, this is a good fast read for young readers dipping into immigrant stories. Rating: 3 stars.