Blog update

This is a different kind of post as my normal book reviews but it's been a while since I posted anything here so figured I'd update it a little. Around the time of my last book review my books started piling up and after a while I knew I'm not going to review all of them. Just no time or interest really. I didn't know which books to do though so I kept pushing it back and back and you can see what happened. I read a lot of lovely books this years. If you want to see my full list my username on Goodreads is also Kupari. I challenged myself there to read 52 books this year and only managed 41. I'm still happy because most of the books I finished were great. I also managed to weed out books I'll never read again which means little less chaos on my bookshelves.

This year I'll take part on another book challenge. On 30th so in two days, book list will be announced and I'll try reading as many books as I can that fit the list. It's organized by certain Finnish library group I think and this is my first year participating. To give you a better idea here are few things from this year's list.

1. Book about food
2. Book were people fall in love
3. Book that is not written in your mothertongue.
4. Book about libraries.
5. A play
6. A children's book
7. Book written by African writer

List goes on to 50 so there is lots of themes and books that will broaden my reading world. All I know from the 2017 challenge is a teaser that showed a bride so maybe we'll have read a book about marriage? Will be interesting to see. I hope to bring you guys with me to this journey and maybe I can even get book recommendations for some of the tough parts of the list.

In any case I hope everyone has a happy new year and we'll see again next year!

Dust by Hugh Howey

I would love to quote the back of this book but it is very spoiler heavy if you haven't read the first book. In Dust we follow the survivors of Wool who are trying to find their place in the world. Everything has changed and none of the people can control their future. Will everyone survive?

Like the first book the story in this one really kicked in around the halfway of the book. I was more into it from the beginning though as it felt more urgent. Everything was very uncertain and I just needed to know if everyone is going to be okay. We also learn a lot about the world this time around. Why people live in that silo, what happened to the world. We also get a conclusion to the story. Parts of Dust made me sad and there was also a very disgusting part with the church. People praying on the innocent makes my blood boil.

In Dust we get to know more new people. A little about why they are so important to the story. Also the name Dust starts making sense. Even Shift that is the story of how all is this started. That is the book I'm currently reading as I just want to know every little possible detail of this world. If you are satisfied by knowing somewhat what happened and why, then Dust is a good ending to the saga. But if you love discovery I'd suggest also reading Shift.

I had a person in Wool that disgusted me. I guess these type of stories will always have so called bad guys. It wasn't until Dust though that we are introduced to someone who truly disgusts me. Someone who helped this destruction. Just really made me feel slimy. I honestly hope that if technology advanges to the state it is in the books, that there is no apocalypse. Especially not one where humanity is forced to live underground for hundreds of years. Where everything is regulated and everyone has their place. Free thinking isn't an encouraged way. Also can you imagine walking 100 stores everytime you wanted to check out the whole silo from top to bottom? Trip that can take days. I am jealous of the physical condition of the couriers in this world.

If you are a fan of apocalyptic stories then I definitely recommend this one. It might start a little slow but everything and everyone really has a place in the plot. It might not always be a big part but it's usually still important. After reading 2 of the 3 books I feel like I live in that world when I open the pages. It's not a place I'd want to live but it is a place that I like to visit.

Wool by Hugh Howey

This book was also lend to me by a friend which meant I read two post-apocalyptic books in a row. Halfway through I found out there's 2 more books which meant a trip to the library. I love that the stories are collected in these books making reading a lot easier for those who weren't able to read the standalone shorts.

Goodreads says "This is the story of mankind clawing for survival, of mankind on the edge. The world outside has grown unkind, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they profess to want: They are allowed outside."

Basically something happened and the world outside is not habitable. Nothing grows there, it's all grey and even the air is poisonous. People live in a silo underground that has 100 floors and no elevator. Most people never do the trip uptop or only does it when it's time for cleaning duty and they want to watch. It means that monitors to outside world are clean again and you can see the world properly. From very early on you find out cleaning duty is just another word for death sentence. It's also not a very fun way to die either.

First story of the book focuses on Holston. He is one of the sheriffs as you learn later on that there are few stations scattered around the silo for convenience. No one man can monitor hundred floors. Holston had a wife who was send to cleaning duty and her husband hasn't gotten over it. He wants to find out what happened, why did his wife actually volunteer for the duty. This sends him on a dangerous path.

Second story continues from the first one focusing on the mayor this time. She starts the work for mayor campaign and decides to make the trip down all those stairs. The campaign isn't the only reason for the trip but revealing it would spoil a lot. Eventhough these 2 stories seemed a little slow I did enjoy reading them. I loved learning more of the characters and the world this silo is in. Howey also made clear quite soon that life in silo isn't all rainbows. Death occures and it isn't always an accident. It made me little worried about liking any characters if I'm honest.

Last part of the book is where I didn't want to put down the book. A lot starts happening and you realise not everything is as it seems. We follow Juliette who is a mechanic but who is given a new duty. Which once again I can't reveal for spoilers. With Jules the story really kicks in. Things that have never happened in the silo before or if they have, the knowledge is buried. I was up until 4am because of how invested I became. This was also the point we were introduced to the first character that I just loath. Actually wished bad things to happen to them. Last half of the book also guaranteed I needed to read the other books for full understanding of the world.

I honestly loved this book. Sometimes post-apocalyptic stories are very similar with this heroine who doesn't want to be the leader or is clumsy or just not the heroine type you'd imagine. She does something amazing anyway while falling for the first guy to notice her. As much as I enjoy those books I was happy to find something different. Where need for the truth was more powering for these characters than some random person they happened to fall in love. There is romance elements of course but they aren't the center of the story as much as the person's journey. It makes me really happy. I honestly would recommend this one and I am actually reading the sequal as we speak.

Batman by Craig Shaw Gardner

                                          Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?

Here is the novelization of the blockbuster Warner Brothers summer movie of 1989, Batman, from the author of The Lost Boys movie tie-in and the Ebenezzum fantasy series. Stars Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton and Kim Basinger. Original.

I don't know where to start. I don't think I've ever read a novelization of a movie before and it feels weird. I saw Batman as a kid and don't think I've seen it since. It was a pretty good movie and I loved Jack Nicholson's Joker. All I ever remember is the Joker falling in the poison and his catchphrase "Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" he likes to say everyone before he kills them.

If you've seen the movie you know what this book is about. How Joker was born from Napier, Bruce Wayne dated a reporter called Vicki while trying to be Batman and keep his identity as a secret and what chaos Joker caused. It's darker than Batman stories used to be.

The book is surprisingly good. I'm not sure it was necessary but if you love reading and Batman then this probably works for you. It keeps you on your toes and makes you interested in Joker. I found him to be more fascinating than Batman if I'm honest. He was the main reason I liked the book. Vicki and Harvey Dent for example weren't something I invested in as characters and it made me a little sad. I'm probably biased though as I've never been a huge Batman fan. I like him but billionare superhero thing isn't really my thing.

Overall it's easy to read book that you will be done in few hours. It will keep you entertained and invested. It shows superhero stories can be dark and work well. Which seems to be the popular direction these days. Not sure I'll read it again but it's still nice to have.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Friend lend me this book and I have to be honest, I hadn't heard about it before nor did I know there was a movie made of it. Post - apocalyptic books can be really fascinating though so I was quite excited to read it. Especially since it was rather short book that would only take a few hours.

This is a book about father and son and their journey through burned America. The landscape is grey, full of ash and nothing moves there, nothing grows there. All they have is each other, the cart with some food and a pistol. Somehow they need to get to the coast even if they have no idea what waits there. It's a long and very cold road.

Since there is something really bugging me I just have to put it out there. I understand the dialogue works for this narrative, fits the story being told. I'm just not a fan when you can't tell when dialogue starts as it's not indicated with " and very rarely it was describing who said what. Sometimes I had to go back to the beginning of the dialogue to make sure I was correct in who was saying this and who that. Maybe I'm just easily distracted but it didn't really work for me.

That being said, this book worked for me. I didn't expect a happy ending in a world where nothing lives. I didn't expect huge spectacles, just a man and his son surviving. It can get a little repetitive but the book was short enough for this not to become a huge problem. Few scenes were horrifying and I did end up shedding a few tears.

At the end this book is about hope, about luck. This pair has been surviving, just the two of them for years. Still they see themselves as the good guys, the ones that carry the flame inside. Ones that don't just kill people and eat them. This is very evident in the boy who has empathy for every living person he sees. He knows there are bad guys but until there's proof someone is bad, he just wants to help them. Even if nothing can really help those people anymore. He isn't hardened to the world which does make you worry if he is fits to survive.

There's not a lot more you can say about this book without really spoiling it so I'll just say I enjoyed it. If you want a quick read and love slow paced journeys where the focus is on ideals you will enjoy this book as well. If Walking Dead is more your style of post - apocalyptic world then maybe give this one a pass. If anyone has read this one I would love to hear your thoughts on it!

Evil under the sun by Agatha Christie

First I have to admit as much as I love Agatha Christie, I really don't care for Poirot. Murder mysteries seem to intrigue me more and more these days but I prefer Ms Marple anyday. That said it's clear I didn't get into this book very open minded.

"Set at the Jolly Roger, a posh vacation resort for the rich and famous on the southern coast of England, Evil Under the Sun is one of Agatha Christie’s most intriguing mysteries. When a gorgeous young bride is brutally strangled to death on the beach, only Hercule Poirot can sift through the secrets that shroud each of the guests and unravel the macabre mystery at this playground by the sea. "

Evil under the sun actually surprised me. Poirot wasn't as insufferable as I remembered so he didn't suck out the enjoyment for me. I really liked how all the characters had little blurbs at the beginning so you didn't get people mixed up that easily.  There was also a little map about the island that helped you better understand the scene of the murder. I have sometimes trouble visualizing maps so this was probably my favourite detail.

I don't have a lot to say about the plot.Poirot doesn't seem to do a lot apart from observing people and chatting a lot. His keen eyes spot every little detail that no one else even consideres useful. That is Hercule Poirot for you. Like usually I couldn't figure out the murderer  beforehand but isn't that why we read these books? I fell in love with few of the characters and felt sorry for few as well.

I think this will be a book I keep and maybe even read again after I've forgotten how everything turned out. I just love how neatly everything comes together and how ordinary little things are the most valuable clues. I would recommend it if you like this genre or Agatha in general. Even if you can't usually stand Poirot.

The voice of the night by Dean R. Koontz

This is the first Koontz book I've been able to finish. A lot better than the one I've tried reading before. Doubt I'll keep it though as I do need space in my bookshelves.

The voice of the night is about two young boys whose friendship turns into a nightmare. Colin has never had real friends before and he thinks Roy is the coolest kid. This is why Colin doesn't understand why Roy would hang out with him. The cool kid insists they share a common interest which is why he was drawn to the unpopular boy but refuses to reveal it until he can trust the boy. Roy is fascinated with death and claims he has killed dogs/cats and loved it. He makes Colin constantly nervous by pushing these morbid questions and scenarios on him. Roy also demands the other boy to do whatever he wants otherwise they aren't real friends. He also insists on blood oath.

As soon as Roy started his speech about loving killing things I knew he was trouble. I knew he was dangerous and I wanted Colin to just walk away from him. Of course if this had happened there wouldn't be a book. It made the book hard to endure though when you knew where it was heading. Even though Colin that Roy was just testing him when he claimed he had killed big animals and even humans, I knew it wasn't a test. It kind of creeped me out. Through the whole book Roy keeps pushing Colin to be like him, testing the boy's limits while the subject thinks he is not serious. Until something bad happens that lifts the vail. Book's tone changes after it leaving you wondering how badly will things get towards the end.

I did like the book and it was quite creepy to read at night time. It was well written and it was fast to read when you got into it. If you like Stephen King and horror in general I'd recommend it. It's also rather short book so you don't have to wait long for the ending. I came to care about Colin while I Roy could've rotted in hell for all I care honestly. I guess Koontz did a good job by creating this dangerous young boy with uncommon interests. I just wanted to give Colin a hug and tell him he will make friends and Roy is just trouble. Just end it before you regret it and soon you'll find people who share your interests.

I wouldn't mind reading more books from the author but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to acquire more of them. Maybe I'm less of a horror fan the older I get and more of a fantasy/murder mystery enthusiast like I used to be. Over all I'm happy I read it even if the child made me worry about there being real kids like him. That would be a scary story I'm not sure I'd want to read.