READING CHALLENGES for 2012

Last year, the only challenge I entered myself in was a goal of 50 books, tracked by Goodreads. I hit my goal, but this year I wanted to mix things up a little and give some props to other book bloggers.  I found a great list of options at Novel Challenges. It's searchable by keyword and by year. 

Clocks, Cogs and Mechanisms Reading Challenge 2012

Focusing on Steampunk titles, including classics like HG Wells as well as newer graphic novels.  Levels are cleverly named Brass Gears, Flight goggles, Button-up boots and Clockwork Corset.

Merely Mystery Reading Challenge 2012
This challenge breaks down mysteries into sub-genres and the readers are encouraged to choose titles from the various types.  Choose from The Whodunit, Locked Room Mystery, Cozy, Hard-Boiled/Noir, The Inverted Detective Story, The Historical Whodunnit, The Police Procedural, The Professional Thriller, The Spy Novel, Caper Stories, The Psychological Suspense, Spoofs and Parodies.  And this one has a prize!

Victorian Challenge 2012
So this might not be much of a challenge since I read a great deal of Victorian literature already, but it will help me focus on some authors and works I have yet to delve into.  This one works more like a book club, setting authors in advance. January: The Bronte Sisters, February: Charles Dickens, March: Robert Louis Stevenson, April: Emily Dickinson, May: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, June: George Eliot, July: Oscar Wilde, August: Anthony Trollope, September: Elizabeth Gaskell, October: Mark Twain, November: Lewis Carroll, December: Louisa May Alcott.

Tea & Books Reading Challenge
From the site: This challenge was inspired by C.S. Lewis' famous words, "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."  You better settle in with a large cup of tea, because in this challenge you will only get to read books with more than 700 pages.
I've only committed to two, making me a "Chamomile Lover."



What will you read this year?

REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY: AGATHA CHRISTIE

An Autobiography

As much as I love biographies, I'm often hesitant about autobiographies.  Everyone has an interesting story -- that doesn't meant they know how to tell it.  There is no doubt Dame Agatha Christie knew how to tell a story.  Hundreds of them.  But her best may be her own.

She begins at the beginning (sort of) and tells a roughly chronological series of events.  In fact, her fanciful meanderings are part of what makes the book so endearing.  Her descriptions of late Victorian / early Edwardian society are not only priceless anthropologically, but an absolute joy to read.  The tone is light and joyful, as a small child might tell her grandmother about the fairies at the bottom of the garden.  Indeed, her young life was rather ethereal.  One of those English upbringings that one wonders if it actually ever existed.  Imagination was encouraged to run rampant and adventure was to be met head-on. 

Her observations on life itself, too, are absolute gems.  One could extract an entire philosophy from her thoughts.   While recalling her studies in Paris, she muses, "It seems to me that teaching can only be satisfactory if it awakens some response in you.  Mere information is no good, it gives you nothing more than you had before."  Or her recollections of Christmas as a child.  "After the pleasurable inertia of Christmas afternoon - pleasurable, that is, for the elders: the younger ones read books, looked at their presents, ate more chocolates and so on -- there was a terrific tea with a great idea Christmas cake as well as everything else, and finally a supper of cold turkey and hot mince pies.  About nine o'clock there was the Christmas tree, with more presents hanging on it.  A splendid day, and one to be remembered till next year, when Christmas came again."  These and other memories of dances, parties, traveling to Egypt with her husband archaeologist and trips with grandchildren are an entirely enjoyable read.  In fact, one doesn't need to be a fan of Agatha Christie or even mysteries to enjoy it.  

My review copy does not include the audio disc of Agatha's actual voice dictating her memoir.  I can only imagine it, too, is nostalgic and lovely.

In honor of this reissue from HarperCollins, we have teamed up to host a giveaway in honor of Dame Christie.  

I've got a great little prize pack:  A copy of Cards on the Table, a delightful little Hercule Poirot murder mystery surrounding a game of bridge in a strange scenario; a pack of Agatha Christie bookmarks; and a black and red Agatha Christie totebag.  (This image is not to scale -- obviously.)

So, do you want to win?  Leave a comment below with your NAME, EMAIL (at) DOT COM, and why you think you would be a good detective.  This giveaway is open to anyone with a US mailing address.  Have your comment posted before Friday, November 18, 2011 at 10:00 p.m. EST to be entered.  Winning entry will be chosen by Random.org.  

A huge thanks to Danielle at HarperCollins for the great gifts and the review copy of An Autobiography. 

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ISBN: 9780062073594

ISBN10: 0062073591

Imprint: Harper 

On Sale: 11/22/2011

Format: Hardcover

Trimsize: 6 x 9

Pages: 544; $29.99; Ages: 18 and Up

REVIEW: THE CRADLE IN THE GRAVE by Sophie Hannah

Hannah's tireless cops are on the case again in her newest procedural novel.  Strangely enough, its publication rather coincides with the real life of Casey Anthony.  Never one to shy away from difficult subject matter, Hannah, through her characters, explores the emotional and societal impacts of such an unthinkable crime.

The main action surrounds the making of an investigative journalism documentary about mothers who had been convicted of killing their children - only to be acquitted with later evidence.  Its executive producer and mastermind quits his job at the BBC rather abruptly, leaving heroine Fliss Benson with the reins.  As she begins to sift through the files and interviews, she uncovers questionable statements, missing evidence and doubtful witnesses.  All the while, MPS is on the case, tracking down the murderer of one of these acquitted women.  The two narratives run like the two hypothetical trains at 60 and 70 mph, destined to collide in St. Louis.  Or in this case Notting Hill. 

The original BBC building, Regents Street, London.

Author Sophie Hannah's strength, as always, lies in her dialogue.  It truly informs her entire story.  Her characters all have different voices and thought patterns.  Their vocabulary and speech patterns are unique.  I couldn't tell you what Fliss Benson looks like, or even if Hannah gives a physical description, but I could tell you what she would say, think, or do in any situation.  Each of the police officers varies.  They range from lovesick to crass to solitary.  It is these characters that engross the reader.  The "whodunit" aspect becomes secondary.  It is hardly a surprise then that Hannah's stories has been adapted into a mini-series called "Case Sensitive" on Britain's ITV1.  I can only hope it will run in America as well.

This storyline is nowhere near as graphic as The Truth-Teller's Lie, but the subject matter is quite unsettling.  Its immediacy is part of what makes it so gripping, but readers should be warned that it pulls no punches.  Readers should also know that Hannah does her utmost to explore every possible point-of-view.  She tries to shed light on the grey areas of guilt and innocence, public scrutiny and private grief.  Only the murderer is a villain  (and even that character is somewhat sympathetic).  Everyone else is portrayed as conflicted, confused and struggling -- imperfect.  It reminds the reader that a trial can prove only a sliver of truth, while the rest is unseen.

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Many thanks to the folks at Penguin for the review copy.

ISBN 9781101543733 | 480 pages | 30 Aug 2011 | Penguin | 18 - AND UP 

Visit Sophie Hannah's site.

REVIEW: DEATH AT THE CHATEAU BREMONT by M.L. Longworth

Any lover of wine, cigars, and old world charm -- as well as a good yarn -- should read this mystery.  It poses no genre-defying questions,  and it really doesn't really hold any gasp-enducing surprises.  But that's ok, because it is the perfect hammock read for the summer.  Antione Verlaque is a slightly cranky, somewhat older, but not yet entirely jaded, magistrate of Aix-en-Provence.  When the heir of the local aristocracy turns up dead, he reluctantly begins an investigation.  What at first seemed like an accident turns out to have more mysterious circumstances.

A chateau in Provence

Longworth's greatest strength lies in her ability to paint a picture of the setting.  The south of France is a locale most can only dream of visiting, let alone living in, and her descriptions are intoxicating.  The rhythm of daily life with cafes, tobacco shops, gardens, groves and jaunts to the sea are fabled, to be sure, and she makes them real for a modern reader. 

The cour Mirabeau, a main location in the novel

Longworth is also able to create realistic dialogue among her characters.  Verlaque has a complicated relationship with an ex-girlfriend, Marine Bonnet, but he must include her in the investigation.  Their awkwardness is palpable.  Bonnet's best friend, Sylvie, is blunt, funny and outspoken (At times I wondered if she were named after Audrey Hepburn's best friend in Charade).  These very distinct characters make for a fun jaunt of a murder mystery.

At some points, the mystery itself is a bit weak.  There are no holes, which is always a danger.  Still, the unraveling of the clues themselves is less exciting than her characters' dinner parties.  The climax itself is one that can be seen coming a mile away and leaves the reader yelling at the characters, like a horror movie -- "Don't go in the basement! ... Well, at least turn on the lights if you're gonna do that!" But sometimes the fun is knowing a bit more than they do -- "Well, if I were there..."  And who wouldn't want to be in Provence?

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Many thanks to Gabrielle at Penguin for the review copy. 

Paperback, ISBN 9780143119524 | 320 pages | 28 Jun 2011 | Penguin | 8.26 x 5.23in | 18 - AND UP 

Author M. L. Longworth's site.

REVIEW: THE TRUTH-TELLER'S LIE by Sophie Hannah

This gripping mystery from the UK is not for the faint of heart.  Naomi, the main protagonist, has endured the most unspeakable of personal horrors yet found a way to carry on.  So unspeakable that three years later her closest friends are still unaware of it.  That is until she becomes obsessed with finding her missing lover.  Further complicating her story is the fact that her lover is an unhappily-married man.  Knowing the police will be unlikely to look for him if she reveals herself to be the "other woman", she lies about her relationship with him.  And thus begins a tenuous string of truth among lies, leading to the underlying reality.

The novel alternates perspectives between Naomi and Detective Sargaent Charlie Zailer, the tomboy, hard boiled officer assigned to the case.  Their voices are the ones we hear as the bizarre tale unravels. Author Hannah has a natural, believable way of writing the female psyche -- one that is refreshing in a book list burgeoning with immature narratives.  The characters are complicated and display questionable judgement, perhaps, but are not two-dimensional or predictable.  It stretches the psychological boundaries of first-person narrative, especially from a doubtful narrator.

Author Sophie Hannah lives in Yorkshire, England.

Also refreshing is the fact that the publisher/editor for the US did not alter the local flavor.  Characters use words that are only British, and they haven't been watered down for the American reader.  It makes a true difference in the mood and style of the novel.  (For example, a holding cell is a "nick".)

As I mentioned, it is not for the faint of heart.  It is not gory, but it is disturbing and unsettling.  But it is so well-written that you want to keep reading.  Expect to be up late at night. This is a great book to start on a winter afternoon with a cup of hot chocolate, a warm fireplace and a cat for your lap.  I look forward to reading more from Sophie Hannah. 

Thanks to Meghan at Viking/Penguin for the review copy.

Book: Paperback | 5.43 x 8.07in | 400 pages | ISBN 9780143115854 | 28 Sep 2010 | Penguin | 18 - AND UP

CLASSIC REVIEW: Postern of Fate by Agatha Christie

I've been a bit slow in the review area lately.  I'm still reading, have no fear, but I am on vacation with limited internet access... and limited time!  It's lovely to unplug but I had to share a few words about this unlikely find. 

I finished the book I brought with me entirely too quickly and was on the lookout for something to amuse myself.  I visited my aunt & uncle's hardware store in the small town of Hidalgo.  I saw a stack of books, gathering dust and possibly holding up the cables for the computer.  I asked if I could borrow the Agatha Christie title, one I had not heard.  She gave me the whole stack.

The book opens with a retired couple moving into a nice country home in need of a bit of TLC.  Her nosey nature leads her to a room full of books, some of which have been made into a cipher.  She translates it - Mary Jordan did not die a natural death.  It was one of us.  She is convinced it was written by the young owner of the book, Alexander Parkinson, whose family owned the house generations ago.

Greenway, Christie's country home in Devon.

What begins out of innocent curiosity, becomes an intrigue of increasing dangerousness.  The list of clues grows as Tuppence and her husband Tommy try to casually gather information from neighbors.  Yet when accidents seem to be more than accidents, and a beloved old gardener dies in a suspicious manner, the couple slowly begins to realize someone doesn't want them to uncover the past of the house.

It's is a great little read.  Most of it is told in dialogue, which Christie uses to extend the narrative, drawing out the tension.  The main characters can be maddening because of their nattering on, but it's of course effective.  They are assisted by their Manchester terrier, Hannibal - rather like an older Nick and Nora with their Asta.  And the settings often remind one of a Daphne du Maurier novel.  Yet it smacks thoroughly of the dame of murder mysteries.