Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

It seemed to be everywhere I turned.  Every bookstore, every market, on every bookshelf, and now in the theaters. I couldn't avoid it any longer. But I'd heard it was rather grim and disturbing, and I don't do disturbing, as it tends to disturb my sleep.  However, when my husband's 89 year-old godmother told me what a great book it was, I decided to put on my big girl panties and deal with it!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson IS disturbing in parts, but it is also one of the most interesting, unique and well written books I've ever read.  The main character is Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist who is hired to solve the disappearance of 16 year-old Harriet Vanger in 1966. He brings in  brilliant, but anti-social, tattooed and body-pierced Lisbeth Salander to assist him in the investigation. What they find is corruption and dysfunction that put Mikael in the middle of a moral dilemma. I guess you have to call it a crime mystery, but the book is woven with psychological and social commentary sub-plots that all contribute to this incredible tapestry of a story.  Plus, all the loose ends get tied up.  Loose ends are one of my pet peeves.

Read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  My only advice to you is make sure you don't have to do anything else very important before you start, because you won't be able to stop.  Also, you'll soon get used to the Swedish names and places, which were literally all foreign to me.  Finally, if you've seen the movie let me know what you thought.  I LOVE Daniel Craig, and Rooney Mara seems like an amazing actress, but again, I am a wimp when it comes to disturbing, especially on the screen.

Now on to something light and fluffy...
Mary Kay

Friday, January 20, 2012

I Bought It, I Read It, and I Won't Apologize!

I admit it, I am a sucker for all things Evanovich.  So when I saw In a Nutshell at the grocery store I only hesitated a moment before putting it in my cart.  Normally I wouldn't hesitate at all, but this book was written by Janet Evanovich AND Dorien Kelly.  Now, I swear I'm not a book snob, but it has been my experience that twice the authors does not mean twice as good.  Happily, this time that was not the case!

In a Nutshell takes place in the vacation destination of Keene's Harbor, Michigan.  Kate Appleton spent summers there as a child, and now she is desperate to turn her family's ramshackle lake cottage, the Nutshell, into a viable bed and breakfast inn.  She just needs money to do it.  She lands a job at the local micro brewery, which of course is owned by the most available bachelor in town.  And, of course, the chemistry is immediate!  But mischief is afoot in Keene's Harbor, and the only way for Kate to save her home and future is to find the culprit.

This story is full of interesting characters and a 3 legged dog.  Plus beer.  So, abandon the Tolstoy and pick up In a Nutshell.  You're brain will thank you for the break!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

I agree

“Make it a rule never to give a child a book you would not read yourself.” 
 George Bernard Shaw

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Once Again, My Guilty Pleasure

Janet Evanovich is back with Explosive Eighteen!  I can't get enough of her books, they are just so much fun!  They really do make me laugh out loud.  Literally.  Anyway, this latest Stephanie Plum romp includes all the usual suspects.  Joe Morelli and Ranger are still hotties, Vinnie is still a weasel and the FTA's are still uncooperative. The really big news is Evanovich's first book has been made into a movie! One for the Money comes out on January 27th, starring Katherine Heigl as Stephanie and Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur. I can't wait!!

I'll see you at the movies...Mary Kay

Happy New Year!

OK, I know I'm a little late, but I've been playing catch up.  But, now that I'm MOSTLY caught up, I can  start reading again.  Hurray!

Sue Grafton is one of my favorite authors, and her latest book, V is for Vengeance, does not disappoint.  For those of you who don't know her, this is the 22nd book in her detective/mystery series.  Her first book is A is for Alibi, and she has worked her way through the alphabet to the current V.  That is good news for all who are just starting to read her books, but bad news for her legions of fans...ONLY FOUR MORE TO GO!!!

Kinsey Millhone is a private detective in Santa Teresa (Santa Barbara) where, surprisingly, there is never a  shortage of illegal mischief for her to investigate.  Even the most beautiful of settings can hide a seedy underbelly, and Kinsey's accidental witnessing of a shoplifting thrusts her right in the middle of murder and mayhem.  And I don't think she has Allstate.  (Get it?!)  When a grieving widower hires her to investigate the suspicious death of his new fiancĂ©/above-mentioned-shoplifter, she begins to unravel a sinister web of mobsters and dirty cops, none of whom want her to uncover the truth.

I fell in love with Kinsey Millhone when I met her in A is for Alibi.  She is smart, tough, vulnerable and lovable.  If you know her, I'm sure you feel the same.  If you don't, start reading NOW!!  I just wish our alphabet had more than 26 letters.