I’ve been reading The Time Traveler’s Wife and I’m mortified to admit I actually like it. This is not good for my street cred. Normally I avoid love stories like the plague… the tomboy in me going into mocking overdrive at the first hint of sap. But somehow this one is different.

Don’t get me wrong, Henry and Claire are annoyingly, often unrealistically in love… yet something about the approach makes it unique and kind of sweet. That said, I’m only about a third of the way in; plenty of time left to end up hating it.

Phew.

While I’m at it, here are a few other books I’ve read over the summer (more or less in order of favorite to least favorite):

Duma Key by Stephen King: Duma Key is a testament to friendship, family and the ties that bind. Toss in a little supernatural creepiness for good measure, and you’ve got one hell of a novel.

Our protagonist, Edgar Freemantle, rents a cottage on Duma Key to recover from a horrific accident. True to form, King gives Edgar much more than he bargained for. Freemantle discovers a desire to paint that slowly morphs into obsession, and soon we find Edgar’s paintings taking a sinister turn. But the real beauty behind this tale is the way King intertwined Edgar’s family, the new friends he’s found on the Key, and a long and distinguished history of evil. As Freemantle is warned: Duma Key isn’t a safe place for daughters.

I absolutely devoured this book… resenting every interruption that pulled me away from King’s Key. I realize that there are many naysayers out there who claim Stephen King’s best stories are behind him. To them I’d say… read Duma Key. It’s brilliant.

Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk: After reading Fight Club I was curious about Survivor, but in the end decided to pass based on negative reviews I’d read. What a waste. Survivor is wickedly funny commentary on our societal obsession with fame, fortune and legacy. It was just outrageous enough to be believable, and Palahniuk never shied away from the tougher parts of our protagonist’s story. From start to finish a near perfect read… long live Palahniuk!

The Big Sleep & Other Novels by Raymond Chandler: When men were men & dames were trouble. I got such a kick out of reading Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe series. I realize they were never intended to be campy, but I dare you to read just one without giggling a little. And long after the book’s finished your internal simile-making-machine will be in overdrive.

Everything’s Eventual by Stephen King: I listened to the audio version of this novel and really, really enjoyed it. Of course, when do I not enjoy Stephen King? To me he’s the perfect summer read.

Everything’s Eventual is a collection of 14 short stories. And as with all short stories, some are better than others… Autopsy Room 4, The Little Sisters of Eluria and Everything’s Eventual being examples of some of the finer works, with stories like 1408 (eventually made into a feature film) bringing up the rear.

All in all a wonderful read with a little something for everyone.

Prey by Michael Crichton: PREY is probably the most work I’ve seen Crichton put into character development. The characters (for the most part) are fully fleshed-out. The pace is fast, the technology interesting, and there’s just enough gore to keep it tense. I shot through this one at lightening speed.

Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk: Palahniuk goes a long way to drive home a simple point. The point being that we don’t need fictional monsters to scare us; Frankenstein, Dracula, Bloody Mary… they all pale in comparison to what you and I are capable of. This is the premise he sets early on, and then he proceeds to drive home his point with one disturbing story after another.

And while most of the stories were well executed, I couldn’t help feeling manipulated. Like Palahniuk was so intent on making his point that he abandoned all sense of finesse in favor of blunt force trauma. Gone was the tightly controlled, sophisticated rage of his past work, and in its place was a kind of unleashed, unfocused fury.

That said, I’d still recommend this offering to those with a strong constitution. It’s personally not my favorite work of his but, as with any Chuck Palahniuk books, it leaves a lasting impression. And trust me, like it or not, this one sticks with you.

No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July: Disappointing. I’d expected Miranda July’s offering to be quirky and unique, but what I ended up with were stories that tried far too hard to be different… edgy… emo. This is the same plague that haunts certain Indy films: bizarre dialogue, carefully orchestrated awkwardness and transparent, painful characters.

And while I wouldn’t classify NOBHMTY as a painful read, I did find it prodding and my attention tended to wander at certain points. All in all not something I’d recommend to others.

Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack: Cute cupcakes, seemingly impossible execution. That pretty much sums up my review.

On this day..

• 59 6f 21 - 2007
• When did I become an anglophile? - 2006
• The kind of can-do spirit you can expect from me. - 2006