Books 29, 30, 31, 32

I think from now on, I'll just post the title and author of the books, say what I liked about them, and then move straight into the nitpicking. YAY!

• Book 29 was Wake, by Robert J. Sawyer.

Much like the other books of his I've read:

1. Gets lots of points for originality, interesting themes, explaining science/technology without making the reader feel talked down to.

2. His characters, sadly, were only meh-ish, which brought the overall score down a notch or two. I mean, the people had interesting traits, but I didn't feel like they were developed much.

3. The main character is blind, and it's interesting to read about her adaptations to life in a seeing world. Last summer I read a bok with a deaf character, so a year ago I was walking around with my hands clasped over my ears, toying with sign language (I can say "milk" *) and reading forums for deaf people**. This time I was walking around with my eyes closed, bumping into things. Fascinating stuff.

3. The main story happens in Canada (go beavers!) but there's a secondary story taking place in China at the same time. It's interesting, but then halfway through the book it just... stops. It doesn't really get connected to the main part, and it doesn't get properly resolved. Huh?

5. My nittiest, pickiest nitpick: One character is overweight, and the author constantly makes little comments about his heavy breathing, furniture creaking under his weight, etc., or makes little snide comments, like how he was so eager to get to work that he only had 2 helpings of dinner, or whatever. Like, really? Does Robert J. Sawyer have some sort of weird grudge? Was his pet chihuahua crushed by an chubby person or something? HUH?? IS THERE A PROBLEM HERE?? And is said problem just me, being paranoid?

6. Other than that, good up until the ending. I know this is the first part of a trilogy, so it has to have a somewhat open ending, just not that open.

• Book 30: Bet Me, by Jennifer Crusie

Chick lit. Entertaining, light, good characters. Like watching a romantic comedy, only more explicit (side note: if someone fed me six donuts I would probably feel like throwing up, not like ravaging them and having an all-night sex marathon, but that's just me).

My only complaint is that roughly 90% the dialogue consists of witty one-liners. It gets a bit old.

• Book 31: Anyone But You, by Jennifer Crusie

Chick lit again! Yep, I spent half a week reading Jennifer Crusie. After the previous one, I didn't feel like reading anything serious. Again, it's entertaining, light, with good characters.

My stupid, catty nitpick: everyone is glaring at each other all the time. Someone will make a small joke and the other person will glare in response. I mean, a glare here and there is a healthy things, but it gets used constantly and seems like a bit of a strong response to a clever quip made by your romantic interest. It was bugging me so much at one point that I started counting (yes, I'm petty), and it was used once on each page for three consecutive pages. Finally it was replaced with "an icy stare". Agh.

Maybe "glare" doesn't mean what I think it does. Maybe it's a look of annoyance: a short, playful squint of the eyes accompanied by a pursing of the lips. Maybe it's not a death stare, like I've always thought it was. VOCABULARY POLICE!!

Anyway, all that aside, I'm noticing a few patterns in Jennifer Crusie's books:

1. There's no real doubt that the main character will pair off with Prince Charming (or in this case, Hot Doctor From Downstairs Who's Ten Years Younger Than The Main Character), which is refreshing. It's the how and when that's interesting.

2. The off-beat best friend(s).

3. The fixation with some sort of junk food. In one book it was donuts, in this one it was Oreo cookies and ice cream milkshakes.

4. Main character has an average body, but her friend(s) are thin and beautiful.

• Book 32: Home From the Vinyl Cafe, by Stuart McLean.

I read this book once before, a few years ago, and was careful not to read it again until sufficient time had passed. I didn't want to wear it out, like when you watch a sitcom episode too many times and it stops being so funny. Or like eating varenyky too often so it stops being quite so special (varenyky only happens on my birthday).

Anyway, I love the Vinyl Cafe podcast, and I love this book. No complaints here.

* I learned other words, but promptly forgot them. To say "milk" in Mexican sign language, you mimic milking a cow. No, really!

** Apparently some deaf people only date other deaf people, and feel very strongly about it. Who knew?