October Status Report

October was tough, scheduling-wise. I had family in town for the first two weeks of the month. Which meant I was entertaining in my spare time, instead of reading.

But I scrambled in the second half of the month and got 7 books in. Just one short of what I wanted. It wasn't too difficult a task, though, because most of them were Harry Potter books. I'm really enjoying re-reading these (and forcing my husband to read them too).

Although, I think they've spoiled other books for me...I started reading a book this month that I know I really want to read, but I just couldn't get into it because all I could think about was getting back to Harry Potter!

BOOK 80: The Sword Thief (39 Clues #3); by Peter Lerangis

Rating: 2 stars

Cover synopsis: When the hunt for the 39 Clues leads Amy and Dan to Japan, their only chance to find the third Clue seems to lie with their unreliable uncle, Alistair Oh. Will they be foolish enough to make an alliance? In the Cahill family, trusting your relatives can get you killed...

This was the weakest 39 Clues book so far. I don't know if it was just because I'm not terribly interested in Japanese history, but I had a hard time following this one. The action sequences left me baffled, and I found myself having to re-read what should have been key passages, wondering why it wasn't sinking in. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mindframe when I read it...Or maybe I'm just spoiled from reading so much Harry Potter lately, I'm setting the bar unusually high.

But, oh, then there are the plot lines. Why, all of a sudden, are Amy and Dan relying on relatives that tried to kill them? The reasoning didn't make a whole lot of sense. And the coolest part -- the Yakuza -- were not played up enough. And don't even get me started on the weak attempt at a love interest. Gag me. Awful.

I'm not giving up on the series yet -- a different author writes each book, so this is no indication of the other books' quality. And although I finished the book in a couple hours, I felt like I wasted my time.

BOOK 79: The Giver, by Lois Lowry

Rating: 4 stars

Cover synopsis: Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. When Jonas turns 12, he is singled out to receive special training from the Giver. It's time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

What an interesting exploration of agency -- that we cannot truly understand joy and love until we've experienced opposition. The world crafted in this book reminds me of what life might have been like if Satan had won in the war in heaven.

This book is set in a homogonized future, where everything is riddled with "samenes:" There is no color, no music, no art, no hills, no sunshine, etc. Everything is bland and controlled. Completely and utterly equal. There is also no choice. Your spouse, children and career are all chosen for you. You are also not allowed to make mistakes.

But we soon find out that, of course, that this controlled environment doesn't make life better. In fact, it makes the experience of living there hardly a life at all.

BOOK 78: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling

Rating: 5 stars

Cover synopsis: There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it's haunting Harry Potter's dreams. Plus, Harry is faced with the unreliability of the very government of the magical world and the impotence of the authorities at Hogwarts.

This is probably one of the most angst-ridden Harry Potter installments. In almost every scene, Harry is frustrated, angry, or yelling at someone. Which is understandable considering the pressure he's under, the ever-present threat of death and the fact that no one believes him about Lord Voldemort returning -- not to mention a girlfriend who is an emotional basketcase.

Still, I admire Rowling's gift for weaving humor into a book whose themes are growing ever darker, and still igniting the flames of imagination in the reader.

The author seems to try to flesh out some of the action sequences in this novel, and I'm not sure I'm wild about it esffect in the climax here -- there were too many odd chambers with too many odd goings-on to keep track of in my opinion. But this is a minor nit-pick in an otherwise oustanding read.

This has always been one of my favorites in the series because the struggle of good vs. evil doesn't come down to just one major event at the end, but it has infiltrated every aspect of Harry's life, right down to his dreams, his family, and his physical well-being. (I'm also wild about Neville, and we get to see more of him in this book.)

BOOK 77: Here Lies the Librarian, by Richard Peck

Rating: 3 stars

Cover synopsis: Peewee idolizes Jake, a big brother with dreams of auto mechanic glory. And motoring down the road come Irene Ridpath, a young librarian with plans to astonish them all and turn Peewee's life upside down.

I wasn't thrilled with this book. It wasn't half as interesting as Peck's other offerings I've read so far. So I had to ask myself was I disappointed because it really wasn't good, or was I disappointed because I expected so much more from Peck?

In the end, I decided the book itself is OK, but I was disappointed in the author. The storyline had a lot of potential, but Peck didn't carry it to the heights it could have attained. And there are two underlying problems that keeps nagging me: Why on earth would four rich librarians take on this small town? Peck never really answers as to their motivation. I can't be entirely because one of them was interested in the poor orphaned mechanic? The whole set-up didn't make sense. And why on earth would a girl who is perfectly happy in the grease pit and who doesn't care what people think of her all of a sudden want to be a lady? Peewee's actions didn't fall in accordance with the character and personality she was crafted in the book.

But beside those points, the book is decently written and has its moments (such as the early scene of the twister in the graveyard, and the play-by-play of the dirt track race at the end). So I award it, tentatively, 3 stars.

BOOK 76: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling

Rating: 5 stars

Cover synopsis: A mysterious event is supposed to take place at Hogwarts this year, involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that hasn't happened for a hundred years.

This is the pivotal novel in the Harry Potter series. Things get darker and more dangerous for Harry and the rest of the wizarding world as Lord Voldemort returns. And it's getting harder to descern friend from foe.

That's not to say the novel is all seriousness and no fun. I love the way Rowling effortlessly weaves humor in. The Weasley's picking up Harry from the Dursley's Fred and George's antics, Rita Skeeter and the oblivious love triangle between Ron, Hermione and Viktor Krum kept the mood balanced nicely.

The final chapter in this book is appropriately titled "The Beginning." Now to begin on the next...

BOOK 75: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling

Rating: 5 stars

Cover synopsis: For 12 long years, the fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Now he has escaped, and is thought to be after Harry. Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of Hogwarts. Because on top of it all, there may be a traitor in their midst.

These books just get better and better. They're funny, imaginative, action-packed and cerebral, all at the same time. I love piecing together the mystery that is Harry's life, and following along on his adventures.

In this book, we see what choices Harry makes when he is overwhelmed with revengeful feelings. We feel he would be justified in letting anger rule his actions, yet are relieved and respectful of his humane nature. I really felt as if I was feeling the emotions he was feeling. These books are incredibly well-written.

On to the next!

BOOK 74: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Rating: 5 stars

Cover synopsis: Through the eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s.

I haven't read this book since middle school, and I enjoyed it even more as an adult. It's interesting to me re-reading some books from my youth to notice how my age and extra life experience now add such a richer dimension to the texts. These books truly do get better with age.

Reading To Kill a Mockingbird opens up a window into how children view the world through pure and simple eyes, but many adults let prejudice and pride rule their thoughts, actions and creeds.