Comments and critiques are welcome. Just don't be a troll, no one likes a troll.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

The Traveler by Daren Simkin and Daniel Simkin

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An offbeat fable about a boy named Charlie who sets off on a lifelong journey to find something perfect to spend his time on. It is a very quick read with an important message for anyone who questions whether or not their life is time well spent.

Books I Read In 2009

 

51o0D8bUWwL__SL160_AA115_ Ford County: Stories by John Grisham

 

41CZWS66FCL__SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_ The Tinnitus Handbook: A Self Help Guide by Bill Habets

 

 Alice_in_Wonderland_thumb  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (audio book)

 

clip_image002[1]The Well of Lost Plots (Thursday Next Series) by Jasper Fforde

 

clip_image004[1]Sanctuary Hill (A Bay Tanner Mystery) by Kathryn R Wall

 

clip_image006[1]Spring Into Digital Photography by Joseph T. Jaynes and Rip Noël

 

clip_image008[1]A Calculated Demise (Bonnie Pinkwater series) by Robert Spiller

 

clip_image010[1]The Next Step in Evolution: a Personal Guide (New Edition) by Vincent Cole

 

clip_image012[1]Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne and Ernest H. Shepard

 

clip_image014[1]When Science Goes Wrong by Simon Levay

 

clip_image016[1]Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow

 

clip_image018[1]Lost in a Good Book (A Thursday Next Novel) by Jasper Fforde

 

clip_image020[1]Infected: A Novel by Scott Sigler

 

clip_image022[1]A Complaint Free World: How to Stop Complaining and Start Enjoying the Life You Always Wanted by Will Bowen

 

clip_image024[1]Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

 

clip_image026Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

 

51XwsJpJslL__SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_ Sworn to Silence (Kate Burkholder Mysteries) by Linda Castillo

 

51-Sg8dMMzL__SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_ Shimmering Images: A Handy Little Guide to Writing Memoir by Lisa Dale Norton

 

519NMS7RQ0L__SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_ Something Rotten (Thursday Next Novels) by Jasper Fforde

 

51n3tVkNeuL__SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_ Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

 

51MN1TfkpkL__SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_ Matchless: A Christmas Story by Gregory Maguire

 

51NQlvxEg L__SL160_AA115_ The Pursuit of Other Interests: A Novel by Jim Kokoris

 

31bghVO-2OL__SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_ The Traveler by Daren Simkin and Daniel Simkin

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Pursuit of Other Interests by Jim Kokoris

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Charlie Baker was living the American dream. CEO of an advertising firm with an office overlooking Lake Michigan, a wife and son, a beautiful home in an exclusive neighborhood. Life was great and who could ask for more?

Then Charlie is fired without notice and finds himself stuck in a cubicle at an outplacement firm looking for employment. He soon realizes that he has no friends, his former employees hate him, he doesn’t know his son anymore and his marriage is in shambles.

Relevant to today’s economic times and delivered with just enough humor to keep you from becoming depressed, Jim Kokoris has written a modern tale of one man’s perseverance to rediscover and redefine himself after his life bottoms out.

Overall, this book was a very entertaining and fun read.

Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

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This book grabs you by the collar in the first chapter and doesn't let go. It has enough twists to keep you guessing. While some of the supporting characters can be deemed as stereotypical crime novel characters, the main characters are unique enough to drag you into the story. Just when you think the author is taking you towards a clichéd storyline she yanks you back in a totally unexpected direction. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a really good crime thriller.