Recent Reads

57. Refresh, Refresh: A Graphic Novel
"This is what we all wanted: to please our fathers, to make them proud - even though they had left us."

War is hell, and we've all read books that describe that hell well. What happens to those family members left at home though? This graphic novel explores the lives of three teenage boys whose fathers have shipped out to the Iraq war. Set in Oregon, and told as vignettes, we see how three teenage boys cope with not knowing if their fathers are still alive. The title refers to obsessively checking email to see if there is a new message from their Dads.

I really liked the exploration of the themes in the story, but did not love the art, and found the way the story was structured too fragmented for my tastes. Rating: 2 stars.

58. Poseidon: Earth Shaker (Olympians #5)
This graphic novel is the fifth volume in the Olympians series for kids.

Poseidon is one of my fave male gods. Did you know that he is a middle child? Explains a lot no? There is not much known about him, and the author cleverly has Poseidon narrate stories that help us understand him better. So you know about the trident, but why horses? The story posits a theory. Fun. Rating: 3 stars.

59. The Bone Collector (Lincoln Rhyme #1)
This is the first book in the Lincoln Rhyme series, and introduces us to Lincoln, a brilliant criminologist who was injured on the job, and is a quadriplegic considering suicide. Every one needs a side kick: enter Ameila Sachs, a cop who is so beautiful (no surprise there!) that she once worked as a model. Our duo is on the trail of a serial killer loose on the streets of Manhattan. 

This is a fast paced police procedural that reads like a historical novel. Lots of "Old New York" stories, and looking up something in the yellow pages. Does anyone under 40 even know what those were? Even though the fast pace at which crimes get solved is a bit ridiculous, the forensic science is fascinating. 

The book is certainly better than the movie, and I could not help but picture Denzel and Angelina as I was reading. I liked the characters enough that I'd consider reading the next one in this series. Rating: 3 stars.

60. Life After Life
Here is what I knew going in: a character is born, dies, is born again, dies, is born again, rinse, repeat. So I went in expecting a reincarnation story, and it sorta is, but not really. 

Ursula Todd is born and dies yes, but she is born into the same family, on the same day, surrounded by the same characters. This is a fascinating premise, and I loved how the author played with life events and time. I do not think I have ever read a book where I looked forward to a main character dying. After all, she will be reborn, so that really isn't a problem is it? The interesting thing was to discover how she died, at what age, and how in the next-go-around, she avoids making those same choices. I loved the characters in this story, and setting the story during the years when both World Wars took place is a stroke a genius, as there was much political and social upheaval that the author leveraged to add drama to the story.

I do however have a quibble with the book. While I enjoyed each time that "darkness falls", it did get rather repetitive, and there were portions that I found boring. Seems to me there was a bit of filler stuff that could have been edited out to make a tighter story.

It you are a fan of quantum theory or multiverses, you will enjoy this read. If you had your life to live over and over, what would you change? What would you do the same? I quite enjoyed the humor (mostly as asides), and the feeling of Déjà vu evoked while reading was delicious. Rating: 4 stars.