Tag Archives: 0.5 star

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


Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 2

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


Lists: Worst Books Read in 2011 – # 3

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


Review: Dearly Departed by Lia Habel

Dearly, Departed (Gone With the Respiration, #1)Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Yeah…this was definitely not my thing. Both facepalmed and hoity-toity should not be in the same book. “Extra sparkly unicorn fart kind of special” also made an appearance. I use these to illustrate one of the most annoying aspects of the book; the bizarre swings between quasi-Victorian language and contemporary youthful slang. I also found the characters flat and, honestly, the basic premise of girl on zombie kind of grossed me out. I think I can quite definitely say that I will not be reading anything additional by Lia Habel. (Oh yes, did I mention that the series is named Gone With the Respiration. Seriously.)

View all my reviews


The Man Who Couldn’t Eat by Jon Reiner

The Man Who Couldn't EatThe Man Who Couldn’t Eat by Jon Reiner
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Ugh. The amount of self-pity Jon Reiner displays throughout this book made it nigh unreadable. When I entered the giveaway for The Man Who Couldn’t Eat, it was based on descriptions of the book as unique, compelling, and a very real depiction of what it is like to have Crohn’s disease, from the point of view of someone with a special relationship with food. Instead, I received a book which seems to have been written from the point of view of a man who feels he is unique in having what is actually a sadly common disease. There are references to how hard it is for others to cope with his illness, but they seem to still be in light of how it makes him feel. Overall, this is not a book about a disease, this is a book about a man wallowing in self-pity.

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy of this book for free through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program.

View all my reviews