Tag Archives: fiction

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: Best Books Read in 2011 – # 3

By whimsicalmeerkat

Best Books Read in 2011

3. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson

This reads more like poetry than prose. Simply put, it is beautiful.

Original Review

4. The Forever War by Dexter Filkins
5. Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
6. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
7. The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
8. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
9. A Great & Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
10. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

3 comments   |  tags: 5 stars, best books read in 2011, book review, books, country, fiction, great frontier, re-read potential, recommended by a friend, review, rural, sherwood anderson, short story, winesburg ohio | posted in Best Books Read in 2011, Lists, Words

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: Best Books Read in 2011 – # 5

By whimsicalmeerkat

Best Books Read in 2011

5. Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

For the first hundred or so pages of this book, I did a lot of complaining about the amount of math and the detail into which Stephenson goes about mathematical theory. Somewhere along the way, I managed to be drawn into this many layered story that is at times, humorous, at times tragic, and at times WTF. I ended up loving it.

Original Review

6. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
7. The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
8. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
9. A Great & Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
10. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

5 comments   |  tags: 5 stars, alternate history or perception, best books read in 2011, book review, books, cryptonomicon, cyberpunk, fiction, nazis, neal stephenson, review, science fiction, so much math | posted in Best Books Read in 2011, Lists, Words

December 26, 2011

Lists: Best Books Read in 2011 – # 6

By whimsicalmeerkat

Best Books Read in 2011

6. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

An exquisite, unique and very old book, a story that is part truth and part skillful invention, and beautiful writing. Need I say more?

Original Review

7. The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
8. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
9. A Great & Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
10. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

6 comments   |  tags: 4.5 stars, best books read in 2011, bibliophilia, book review, books, bosnia, contemporary fiction, fiction, geraldine brooks, haggadah, historical fiction, holocaust, i hear you like books in your books, libraries are awesome, museum, nazis, people of the book, pleasant surprise, racial tension, review, sarajevo, sarajevo haggadah | posted in Best Books Read in 2011, Lists, Words

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: Best Books Read in 2011 – # 7

By whimsicalmeerkat

Best Books Read in 2011

7. The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler

I neglected Raymond Chandler for far too long. The Long Goodbye hit that home with a vengeance. What a beautiful, heartbreaking book. I love Los Angeles, but the setting was mere backdrop to the complex, dark, and brilliant story which unfolded. It is rare that I immediately put a book on my favorites list, but this deserved it.

Original Review

8. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
9. A Great & Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
10. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

12 comments   |  tags: 5 stars, beautiful people, best books read in 2011, book review, books, boozy, bourbon coffee & smokes, city of angels, copious coffee consumption, crime, fiction, los angeles, murder, mystery, noir, raymond chandler, re-read potential, review, the long goodbye | posted in Best Books Read in 2011, Lists, Words

December 24, 2011

Lists: Best Books Read in 2011 – # 8

By whimsicalmeerkat

Best Books Read in 2011

8. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey

Leviathan Wakes is an absolutely fantastic science fiction novel. I was skeptical when I read the description, but emerged a true believer. Without doubt the best scifi of many I read this year, and one of the best out of 200 books overall.

Original Review

9. A Great & Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
10. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

Leave a comment   |  tags: 5 stars, best books read in 2011, book review, books, braaaains, fiction, james sa corey, leviathan wakes, other worlds, review, science fiction, science gone wrong, space, space opera, spaceships, the fuck is this the fuck was that, vomit zombies, we're all going to die, zombies | posted in Best Books Read in 2011, Lists, Words

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Tag Archives: fiction