Category Archives: Worst Books Read in 2011

December 31, 2011

Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 1

Worst Books Read in 2011

1. Tomato Rhapsody: A Novel of Love, Lust, and Forbidden Fruit by Adam Schnell

Recipe for Worst Book Read in 2011

Take rhyming dialog and mix with a terrible author. Add in a small, prejudiced town in stereotyped Italy. Throw in a priest who’s been dyed eggplant and many statements regarding his being incredibly well hung, a couple of brainless teenagers, and some sex in a cauldron of tomatoes. Next time you want to be grossed out and cringing at the thought of acid on sensitive body parts, just pick up this book.

Original Review
My friend Ala also endured the horror. His review managed to be very funny & still a needed release after slugging through that schlock.

2. Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
3. Sequence by Adrian Dawson
4. Leaving Atocha Station by Ben Lerner
5. The Man Who Couldn’t Eat by Jon Reiner
6. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
7. Stolen World by Jennie Erin Smith
8. The Black Company by Glen Cook
9. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
10. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

1 comment | tags: 0.5 star, adam schnell, book review, books, fiction, fooooood, godawful, have some more wine, icky, italy, magical realism, racial tension, that is not natural, the fuck is this the fuck was that, tomato rhapsody, worst books read in 2011 | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011

December 30, 2011

Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 2

By whimsicalmeerkat

Worst Books Read in 2011

2. Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

This is a teenage girl on zombie love story. It takes place in a neo-Victoria post-apocalyptic society. It includes the phrase “extra sparkly unicorn fart kind of special” and is from a series titled Gone with the Respiration. This is a picture of the author:

Original Review
My friend Ala’s brilliantly funny review

3. Sequence by Adrian Dawson
4. Leaving Atocha Station by Ben Lerner
5. The Man Who Couldn’t Eat by Jon Reiner
6. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
7. Stolen World by Jennie Erin Smith
8. The Black Company by Glen Cook
9. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
10. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

3 comments   |  tags: 0.5 star, apocalypse, book review, books, braaaains, dearly departed, fiction, godawful, horror, intriguing review, lia habel, losers unite!, post apocalyptic wastelands, review, romance, science gone wrong, skeptical, steampunk, sweet sweet luuurve, worst books read in 2011, you think your family has issues | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011

December 29, 2011

Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 3

By whimsicalmeerkat

Worst Books Read in 2011

3. Sequence by Adrian Dawson

To quote myself, boring and an affront to scientists everywhere.

Original Review

4. Leaving Atocha Station by Ben Lerner
5. The Man Who Couldn’t Eat by Jon Reiner
6. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
7. Stolen World by Jennie Erin Smith
8. The Black Company by Glen Cook
9. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
10. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

3 comments   |  tags: 0.5 star, adrian dawson, book review, books, boozy, bourbon coffee & smokes, disappointing, fiction, godawful, intriguing review, precocious kiddos, random discovery, review, science fiction, science gone wrong, sequence, so much math, TARDIS recommended, the fuck is this the fuck was that, time travel, worst books read in 2011 | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011

December 28, 2011

Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 4

By whimsicalmeerkat

Worst Books Read in 2011

4. Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner

Wonder if Ben Lerner points to his own book when teaching his students what a Mary Sue is?

Original Review

5. The Man Who Couldn’t Eat by Jon Reiner
6. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
7. Stolen World by Jennie Erin Smith
8. The Black Company by Glen Cook
9. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
10. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

5 comments   |  tags: are you high, ben lerner, book review, books, contemporary fiction, fiction, godawful, leaving the atocha station, losers unite!, random discovery, review, spain, spoiled brats, up to no good, worst books read in 2011 | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011

December 27, 2011

Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 5

By whimsicalmeerkat

Worst Books Read in 2011

5. The Man Who Couldn’t Eat by Jon Reiner

All whine, all the time.

Original Review

6. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
7. Stolen World by Jennie Erin Smith
8. The Black Company by Glen Cook
9. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
10. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

5 comments   |  tags: (auto)biographies & memoirs, 1 star, abandoned, book review, books, Crohn's disease, godawful, gotham, health, jon reiner, man who couldn't eat, random discovery, review, skeptical, the body, what's up doc?, worst books read in 2011 | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011

December 26, 2011

Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 6

By whimsicalmeerkat

Worst Books Read in 2011

6. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

1. Airships do not seep upward.
2. Characters should be relatable, if not necessarily likeable
3. Books should have actual endings

Original Review

7. Stolen World by Jennie Erin Smith
8. The Black Company by Glen Cook
9. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
10. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

6 comments   |  tags: 1 star, boneshaker, book review, books, braaaains, cherie priest, fiction, godawful, intriguing review, review, science gone wrong, seattle, steampunk, worst books read in 2011, you think your family has issues | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011

December 25, 2011

Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 7

By whimsicalmeerkat

Worst Books Read in 2011

7. Stolen World: A Tale of Reptiles, Smugglers, and Skulduggery by Jennie Erin Smith

All stories of abused animals. Awful. I couldn’t even finish it, I was so upset.

Original Review

8. The Black Company by Glen Cook
9. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
10. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

9 comments   |  tags: 1.5 stars, abandoned, bloody spiders, book review, books, crime, criminals, godawful, heard about on public radio, jennie erin smith, non-fiction, reptiles, review, smuggling, stolen world, turtles, up to no good | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011

December 24, 2011

Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 8

By whimsicalmeerkat

Worst Books Read in 2011

8. The Black Company by Glen Cook

As I suspected at the time, The Black Company proved utterly forgettable. I also hated the naming convention and it felt like I was reading an idea for a book rather than the book itself.

Also, the big, bad wizard people had flying carpets. Seriously. Shame on you, Glen Cook. Shame on you.

Original Review

9. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
10. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

8 comments   |  tags: 1.5 stars, black company, book review, books, boozy, disappointing, fantasy, felt dirty, fiction, glen cook, godawful, questionable motives, review, the fuck is this the fuck was that, up to no good, witches & wizards, worst books read in 2011 | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011

December 23, 2011

Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 9

By whimsicalmeerkat

Worst Books Read in 2011

9. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

I didn’t give a damn what happened to any of the characters and there was a PowerPoint chapter. Bleh.

Original Review

10. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

9 comments   |  tags: 1.5 stars, a visit from the goon squad, are you high, book review, books, contemporary fiction, drugs, fiction, godawful, historical fiction, jennifer egan, losers unite!, music, musicians, powerpoint, review, skeptical, wanna get lost in that rock & roll, washed up, worst books read in 2011 | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011

December 22, 2011

Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 10

By whimsicalmeerkat

Worst Books Read in 2011

10. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale

I first encountered The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher in a review a few years ago and loved the idea. Unfortunately, came nowhere near living up to its potential. While the underlying story was fascinating, its telling was dull, had polemic tendencies, and overall fell far short of the English fiction it is said to have inspired.

Original Review

9 comments   |  tags: 1.5 stars, book review, books, country houses, crime, criminals, disappointing, intriguing review, kate summerscale, non-fiction, review, suspicions of mr whicher, worst books read in 2011 | posted in Lists, Words, Worst Books Read in 2011

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Category Archives: Worst Books Read in 2011