The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz

Goodreads Synopsis:
She is the girl with the dragon tattoo—a genius hacker and uncompromising misfit. He is a crusading journalist whose championing of the truth often brings him to the brink of prosecution.

Late one night, Blomkvist receives a phone call from a source claiming to have information vital to the United States. The source has been in contact with a young female superhacker—a hacker resembling someone Blomkvist knows all too well. The implications are staggering. Blomkvist, in desperate need of a scoop for Millennium, turns to Salander for help. She, as usual, has her own agenda. The secret they are both chasing is at the center of a tangled web of spies, cybercriminals, and governments around the world, and someone is prepared to kill to protect it . . . 


My Review:
I was worried I wasn't going to like this since it wasn't Stieg Larsson putting his final touches on it, but I really enjoyed book #4 in the Lisbeth Salander series. It's a bit slow in the beginning, but give it time. I think David Lagercrantz did a pretty good job reflecting Larsson's style and the Salander/Blomkvist bond that I absolutely love was expressed perfectly. 

There's also quite a bit of plot and drama going on in this one & that's just speaking of Lisbeth's storyline. It definitely delves deeper into her childhood and keeps you wanting to find out more. This does have some sensitive subject matter and references to abuse/rape, but I don't think it's to the same extent as the first book. If you enjoyed the first three books in this series but were hesitant to keep reading after Larsson's death then definitely give #4 a try. It looks like a fifth book came out last year, "The Girl who Takes an Eye for an Eye."

The Author

Author Tidbit: David Lagercrantz is a Swedish journalist.

Favorite Quote: "The doctor said that what matters is not that we believe in God. God is not small-minded. What matters is for us to understand that life is serious and rich. We should appreciate it and also try to make the world a better place. Whoever finds a balance between the two is close to God."

Angel of Darkness by Charles de Lint

Goodreads Synopsis:
In the early 1990s, Charles de Lint wrote and published three dark fantasies under the name "Samuel M. Key." Now, beginning with Angel of Darkness, Orb presents them for the first time under de Lint's own name.

When ex-cop Jack Keller finds the mutilated body of a runaway girl in the ashes of a bizarre house fire, he opens the door to a nightmare. For a sadistic experiment in terror has unleashed a dark avenging angel forged from the agonies of countless dying victims....


My Review:
Get ready to see a different side of Charles de Lint when you read this book. Just a warning, this book is graphic and has disturbing subject matter (sexual and violent). There is also explicit language. If that doesn't bother you then I recommend reading it. De Lint is known for using the power of music in many of his stories. It serves as a fountain of magic that can either help or hinder his characters. He employs the same theme in this book, but it plays a much much darker note. 

In Angel of Darkness, the line of real/unreal and victim/criminal is blurred. De Lint's characters are never quite on steady ground and this feeling of uncertainty definitely transfers to the reader. His sense of setting, as always, is outstanding. After reading this book, my respect for him as a writer has doubled. He creates several characters that are ROTTEN. Awful, despicable, rotten. And de Lint's ability to get completely inside the head of someone like that then jump back to a "normal" character's point-of-view is pretty amazing. He nails everything, from the psychology of that character, their motivations and the thoughts running through their head. I wouldn't be surprised if he needed a long shower and a smudging after writing these particular sections.

More than anything, this book gives a voice to victims. It opens your eyes to the things they have to endure and how difficult it can be for some of these people to break away from that victimhood, no matter how hard they try. This, ultimately, gives the book a feeling of sadness. Read this book with the intention of opening your eyes to a side of this world that we usually prefer to ignore. 

The Author

Favorite Quote: (from the Introduction) "Mostly, the darker sections of my novels arrive from the human psyche, with the magical elements playing against the shadow. But the Otherworld contains as much darkness as it does ambiguity and light, and to ignore it entirely strikes me as only telling half the story, hence the books I wrote under the pen name Samuel M. Key.  Angel of Darkness originally had a working title of The Killing Time, and it wasn't a book I enjoyed writing- its shadows held on too long after the day's work at the keyboard was done- but I felt compelled to write it all the same. There's no other reason to write a book, as far as I'm concerned."

Bite the Biscuit by Linda O. Johnston

Synopsis from Goodreads: 
Carrie Kennersly, a veterinary technician, has become known for offering healthy and popular dog treats at the clinic where she works. When the local bakery's owner moves away, Carrie jumps at the chance to convert it into the Barkery, a shop to make and sell her canine delights.

But Myra Ethman, co-owner of another pet product store, hates the new competition. At the Barkery's opening party, she badmouths Carrie's homemade dog biscuits, insisting she'll find a way to shut the place down. So when Myra is found dead with a Barkery biscuit beside her, Carrie must prove she didn't do it before she's collared for murder.

My Review:
If you're looking for a light cozy mystery then this book should meet your needs. The bakery environment gives it a cozy touch, but I would have been happy with more baking scenes. (In the author's bio she does mention that she doesn't cook very much and this shows in her novel.) Laura Childs is a mystery author who does a really good job making you salivate while reading. I wonder if she is a foodie? 

The main character was average. I didn't love her and I didn't hate her. I liked the pet element, but again, it could have been a bit more. Maybe give the main character two dogs instead of one and describe the interaction between the two animals. Pets can create a lot of humor that way. 

The writing style was very descriptive. Sometimes to the point of walking you through the entire day which wasn't always necessary. I've caught myself doing this while writing. After seeing it as a reader, I'll have to try to avoid that! As far as the mystery goes, the author does a pretty good job throwing suspicion around. This is a good read when you have stressful stuff going on. It doesn't require a ton of brain power and it's not emotional. Just a fun mystery.

Author Tidbit: Linda O. Johnston also volunteers at Pet Orphans of Southern California.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Goodreads Synopsis:
Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last - inexorably - into evil.

My Review:
Well, I guess this is kind of a mixed bag for me. Let's start with some positive first. Donna Tartt's writing style is sharp, lush and beautifully bitter. You could settle down into it like a warm, dark blanket. And the way she describes the emotional & physical states of her characters is incredibly perceptive. In fact, if you were a fan of Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" you'll hear echoes of his talent for human psychology in Tartt's writing. Even the premise is similar as she goes into impressive detail over how her characters react/suffer after killing a close friend in their group. The focus of the book isn't the murder itself but what it does to the people who have committed it.

Some things that I wasn't as crazy about were that I had no emotional attachment to any of the characters, especially the narrator. When I come across books like this it takes an extra push of energy to finish them. But that's probably my shortcoming. While I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters, I was still entranced by them and wanted to find out how they would progress through the novel. The second thing I was a bit disappointed with was how small of a role their Greek professor played. When you read the synopsis and then start the book, you're under the impression that Julian is going to influence his students more directly. You expect him to be this sinister element, but he really doesn't show up very often. I feel like he could have had more of a presence, but maybe the author wanted the students to be held responsible for their moral deterioration. The worst of the characters (and the most captivating) is somewhat redeemed at the end, but overall the novel never loses the dark cloud hanging over it. 

After going online to find photos for this review, I found quite a following for the book. There are some beautiful photo montages, hopeful cast picks for a movie that has yet to be made, and fan fiction (not surprising in the least). 

The Author

Favorite Quotes:

Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Book Synopsis from Goodreads:
Sookie Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.

Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.

But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough...


My Thoughts: This series is great if you need something light but entertaining with a sprinkling of sexy time. I tore through the first 8 or so on vacation. In fact, I had to stop at bookstores during vacation to find the next one in the series. Although these books, for me, are filler reading (meaning they don't serve a serious literary purpose but are solely entertainment/distraction) I really do love the main character, Sookie Stackhouse. Don't let her polite Southern demeanor fool you. She's a psychic Steel Magnolia with a touch of Fairy blood that drives the vampires wild. 
               All in all, the series is split pretty fairly between mystery, fantasy and romance. But if I had to choose I'd say it's a whodunit mystery before anything else. If you're bored and need a distraction, read it. If you like big blonde Viking vampires then you're gonna love #4 "Dead to the World." The book I just read is the last in the series, and although it's a good time to let it end, I will miss Sookie's attitude. If you finish the whole storyline then check out the author's other mystery series: Aurora Teagarden, Lily Bard (Shakespeare series) or Cemetery Girl.


*Author Tidbit:  She is a former weightlifter and karate student.

The Author

Mulengro by Charles De Lint

Book synopsis from Goodreads:

        The increasingly bizarre murders have baffled the police--but each death is somehow connected with the city's elusive Gypsy community. The police are searching for a human killer, but the Romany know better. They know the name of the darkness that hunts them down, one by one: Mulengro.

 

My Thoughts:

       Well, folks, De Lint did it again. He wrote another good book. (Shocker!) Charles De Lint is the White Wizard of urban fantasy, but he takes a slightly different turn with "Mulengro," and dishes out some good horror. It's dark, it's violent, it's gory. But the story still has that special something that all De Lintian stories have. I can't even explain it properly, but every time I read him he reminds me of the raw magic that exists in every single moment and day. If you haven't read him before, try "Greenmantle" or "Moonheart." If you like fantasy you'll be hooked.
          As a writer, I catch myself trying to dissect the author's style. Near the beginning of the book, I came across a character description that I absolutely loved:

"Briggs looked up at his partner's call. Will Sandler was a tall and sharp-featured black man who went through life in a constant state of suppressed tension. It showed in the taut pull of the skin at his temples, around his eyes and the corners of his mouth, in the bird-like darting of his gaze. He contrasted sharply with the unimposing figure that Briggs cut- five-eight with a perpetual slouch that made him appear shorter, dark hair that was prematurely gray at the temples, sorrowful eyes. His suit was rumpled, tie loose, shoes scuffed. Will, on the other hand, always looked like he'd just left his tailor's. But the two men made an effective pair, for their strengths augmented each other's weak points. Briggs was a slow mover, a deliberate collector of details with little imagination, while Will's mind moved in intuitive lunges. Since they'd been paired, their success on cases had reached a departmental high of sixty-seven percent."

        So you're just meeting these guys and already you have a SENSE of them. Good writing.  The next scene that just sealed the deal for me that Charles De Lint is magnificent is that he actually has a moment in the book where the cat, Boboko (who is a talking cat, by the way), is watching on TV what his owner is dreaming of in the next room....!?! And the way he describes it is so vivid that it borderlines on intense.
        All in all, this book will keep you interested. There are enough characters from different backgrounds and with different perspectives that it creates a variety that will not bore you. Also, if you are interested in gypsies (or Rom) then you will fly through this book. It moves quickly, but once you reach the last quarter of the book it is fast-moving and action-packed.

Favorite Quote (by one superb hippie named Zach): "Some say that the devil's like a big old ugly black dog...there's a little piece of him in every one of us- a place where it's dark and our fears grow, where anger comes roaring up and bad vibes hang out. And the thing we've got to do in this life is to, like, keep that darkness down and not let it creep up and take us over. That's how you get an evil man, you know. He doesn't come from a bad family, or a bad street or a bad part of town. He comes from somebody who wasn't strong enough to hold back the darkness, or was too lazy to, or just plain didn't care. I think they freak me out the most-the ones that don't care."

The Author

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Book Synopsis on Goodreads: 
Sisters Gillian and Sally Owens were brought up by their two elderly guardian aunts in a world of spells and exotica. As the magical charm of their childhood wears away, they escape from this mystical mayhem - one by running away, the other by marrying. Many years go by before strange circumstances thrust them together again, and once more they are in a place that blends the mundane and mysterious, the familiar and fantastic. Three generations of Owens women are brought together in an experience of unexpected insight and revelation, teaching all of them that such perceptions are rare and wonderful and - to be sure - practical.

My Thoughts: 
Alice Hoffman writes the modern-day fairy tale. There's a harshness in her books that's reminiscent of fairy tales before Disney got a hold of them. But she balances it with a healthy dose of whimsy and magic. Her language is concise and simple, but the way she describes things creates very strong imagery. Her books are always a treat and so was this one. Especially since it's so different from the movie. In fact, forget the movie. It was good, but the book focuses more on the sisters and the two younger girls than it does on the aunts or the ghost of Gillian's boyfriend. You get an extremely personal look into the lives of two women and two girls on the brink of becoming women; their fears, insecurities, sexuality and love lives. The book doesn't have the somewhat hokey quality that the movie has in regard to witches and magic. Even if this book isn't up your alley, at least give the author a try. You won't regret it.

Favorite Quotes: “My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage." - Aunt Frances” 

“The moon is always jealous of the heat of the day, just as the sun always longs for something dark and deep.” 


Author Tidbit: After being treated for breast cancer at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, she helped establish the hospital's Hoffman Breast Center.