Review -- The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Played With Fire

by Stieg Larsson

Knopf, 2010

630 pages

*I purchased this book from a local bookstore.

Summary: When two journalists are murdered and Lisbeth Salander is the prime suspect, Mikael Blomkvist sets out to prove Lisbeth's innocence with the help of her friends.

Review: The second book in Larsson's Milennium series, The Girl Who Played With Fire is a fantastic read. I actually enjoyed this one more than The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo because I had experience with Larsson's prose and story style and was not overwhelmed this time with the various subplots. I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters whose names grace the pages and how much we learn about their personalities, quirks, and ulterior motives. Even though I was overwhelmed I could not put this book down. The Girl Who Played with Fire is a big read (600+ pages) but is engrossing and intense. Rating: **** out of 5.

Have you read and reviewed this book? Leave a link to your review in the comments section!

3 W Wednesday -- 6/30

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading? I am currently trying to finish The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters and The Host by Stephenie Meyer.

What have you recently finished? Over the weekend I finished The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson. I am hoping to post my review soon.

What are you reading next? The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon for book club, This Must Be the Place by Kate Racculia for review, and The Passage by Justin Cronin because my curiosity has gotten the best of me.

What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 6/28

This meme is hosted by Book Journey.

This Monday, I am happy to say that I am more than half way through The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters and enjoying it more and more with each page I read. I am also about 200 pages into The Host by Stephenie Meyer, but have put it aside to focus on The Little Stranger. I didn't post any reviews last week (awful -- I know) but did finish reading The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson and am hoping to have my review posted sometime this week.

What are you reading?

Friday Finds -- 6/25

This meme is hosted by Should be Reading.

My Friday Find this week is A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron. Here are thoughts from Publishers Weekly via the Barnes and Noble website:

A tail-wagging three hanky boo-hooer, this delightful fiction debut by newspaper columnist Cameron (8 Simple Rules for Marrying My Daughter) proposes that a dog's purpose might entail being reborn several times. Told in a touching, doggy first-person, this unabashedly sentimental tale introduces Toby, who's rescued by a woman without a license for her rescue operation, so, sadly, Toby ends up euthanized. He's reborn in a puppy mill and after almost dying while left in a hot car, he's saved again by a woman, and he becomes Bailey, a beloved golden retriever, who finds happiness and many adventures. His next intense incarnation is as Ellie, a female German shepherd, a heroic search and rescue dog. But the true purpose of this dog's life doesn't become totally clear until his reincarnation as Buddy, a black Lab. A book for all age groups who admire canine courage, Cameron also successfully captures the essence of a dog's amazing capacity to love and protect. And happily, unlike Marley, this dog stays around for the long haul.

Publication is right around the corner on July 6th. It sounds like another Marley and Me or The Art of Racing in the Rain, so I am very excited about this novel.

What did you find this week?

My Favorite Reads -- 6/24

This meme is hosted by Alyce over at At Home With Books.

My Favorite Read this week is the fantastically funny The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz. Here is the Barnes and Noble description:

Meet Isabel "Izzy" Spellman, private investigator. This twenty-eight-year-old may have a checkered past littered with romantic mistakes, excessive drinking, and creative vandalism; she may be addicted to Get Smart reruns and prefer entering homes through windows rather than doors -- but the upshot is she's good at her job as a licensed private investigator with her family's firm, Spellman Investigations. Invading people's privacy comes naturally to Izzy. In fact, it comes naturally to all the Spellmans. If only they could leave their work at the office. To be a Spellman is to snoop on a Spellman; tail a Spellman; dig up dirt on, blackmail, and wiretap a Spellman.

It is a such a great book! I even gave it 5 stars in my review! What is your favorite read?

Library Journal First Novels #9

Here is another first time novelist that was highlighted in Barbara Hoffert's article in Library Journal.

Weeping Underwater Looks a Lot Like Laughter

by Michael J. White

Here is the Barnes and Noble synopsis:

A smart, darkly funny, yet poignant debut novel about coming of age without coming undone. Seventeen-year-old George Flynn-an all-around decent guy-has just moved with his family to Des Moines, a place where he knows no one and is pretty much nobody. Despite this inauspicious start to his junior year, he soon finds his niche, falling in with the unique, enchant­ing Schell sisters. Emily, an aspiring actress and free spirit, becomes the object of George's mostly unrequited yearnings. But it's Katie, with her quirks, her scathing deadpan humor, and her brave battle with multiple sclerosis, who really gets George hooked on the Schells. When an out- of-the-blue trag­edy strikes, upsetting the delicate balance of all their lives, George must figure out a way to help Emily in order to save himself. Told with both razor-sharp wit and deep empathy from George's later adult perspective, this is a moving, memorable debut novel about friendship and first love-about dealing with grief and trying to grow up without losing yourself along the way.

Wow -- this sounds great! Have you read this?

3 W Wednesdays -- 6/23

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading? Right now I am in the middle of three books: The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson, The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, and The Host by Stephenie Meyer. I have been juggling the three of them for about a week now, but can't seem to put down The Girl Who Played With Fire, so the other two may need to wait a bit.

What have you finished reading recently? I just finished Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell (click on the title to read my review), which I thought was a good read and very different. Hollowell has a distinct voice and the novel is very character driven.

What are you reading next? I am planning on reading The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon for July's library book club meeting. Truthfully, I have no idea what this novel is about! I picked it up from the library but haven't had a minute to read the front flap.

What are you reading?

Library Journal First Novels #8

Here again is another novel that caught my eye on Library Journal's list of First Novels by Barbara Hoffert.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

by Helen Simonson

Here is the Barnes and Noble description:

You are about to travel to Edgecombe St. Mary, a small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and a cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family. Among them is Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson's wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, Major Pettigrew is one of the most indelible characters in contemporary fiction, and from the very first page of this remarkable novel he will steal your heart.

I have seen this book making it's way around the blogs as well. Doesn't it sound wonderful?

Should I Read This?

When I started my blog almost two years ago, I wrote a post about Tana French's In the Woods. At the time, I absolutely adored the book and French's writing until the last 100 pages. Within the last 100 pages, I became very impatient to solve the mysteries and then was disappointed by one aspect of the ending. Then yesterday, I read that Tana French's third book is coming out soon and thought maybe I should give her second book, The Likeness, a try.

What do you think? Should I give The Likeness a try? Have you read any books by Tana French? If so, what did you think of them?

Library Journal First Novels #7

Recently, Library Journal published an article written by Barbara Hoffert that listed first time writers with novels that are coming out this summer. I scoured through the lists and added many to my TBR list and thought I would highlight some of the novels here at Barney's Book Blog.

Bijou Roy

by Ronica Dhar

Here is the Publisher Weekly review from Barnes and Noble :

In her deft debut, Dhar examines the consequences of secrets shared between families against the politically charged backdrop of modern India. As the eldest of two daughters, U.S.-raised Bijou Roy struggles to fulfill traditional male roles for the burial of her father, Nitish, culminating in a trip with her mother and sister to Calcutta to scatter his ashes. In the unfamiliar country, each step of the process reinforces Bijou's alienation, from the people and culture as well as from her mother, who continues to keep Nitish's past shrouded in secrecy. It's only after meeting Naveen, the son of Nitish's oldest friend, that Bijou begins to comprehend her father's political entanglements and the reasons her parents migrated years before. As she learns more about her father, Bijou predictably gains insight into her own character, but Bijou's struggle to reconcile tradition with the demands of the modern world is propelled by skillful, luminous prose.

This sounds fantastic. Is this on your TBR list?

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 6/21

This meme is hosted by Book Journey.

Happy Monday! This week I am continuing to work through The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, The Host by Stephenie Meyer, and The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson. Last week, I did not finish any of the current books that I am reading, but did post reviews for The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley and Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell (click on the titles to read my review).

What are you reading?

Library Journal First Novels #6

Here is another novel that caught my eye on Library Journals list of First Novels.

Mothers and Other Liars

by Amy Bourret

Here is the description from the Macmillian website:

How far will a mother go to save her child? Ten years ago, Ruby Leander was a drifting nineteen-year-old who made a split-second decision at an Oklahoma rest stop. Fast forward nine years: Ruby and her daughter Lark live in New Mexico. Lark is a precocious, animal loving imp, and Ruby has built a family for them with a wonderful community of friends and her boyfriend of three years. Life is good. Until the day Ruby reads a magazine article about parents searching for an infant kidnapped by car-jackers. Then Ruby faces a choice no mother should have to make. A choice that will change both her and Lark's lives forever.

Doesn't the plot sound intense?

Library Journal First Novels #5

Recently, Library Journal highlighted first time writers whose novels are being released this summer. After scouring the list to find some great novels to add to my TBR list, I decided to highlight a few here on Barney's Book Blog. (Thanks to Barbara Hoffert and Library Journal for the fantastic article!)

Life After Yes

by Aidan Donnelley Rowley

Here is the Barnes and Noble description:

This is the story of Quinn—born Prudence Quinn O'Malley—a confused young Manhattan attorney who loses her father on that tragic September morning that changed everything. Now, at an existential crossroads in her life, Quinn must confront impossible questions about commitment and career, love and loss. Her idealistic beau desperately wants a wedding, and whisks her away to Paris just to propose. But then Quinn has a dream featuring judges and handcuffs and Nietzsche and Britney . . . and far too many grooms. Suddenly, her future isn't so clear. Quinn's world has become a minefield of men—some living, some gone, and traversing it safely is going to take a lot more than numerous glasses of pinot grigio.

Doesn't this sound great?

Library Journal First Novels #4

Here again is another novel that caught my eye on Library Journal's list of First Novels by Barbara Hoffert.

Falling Is Like This

by Kate Rockland

Here is the description from the Macmillian website:

Tabloid-writer Harper Rostov breaks up with her boyfriend only to fall into the arms of Nick Cavallaro---certified punk-rock God who is considered a genius by fans and critics alike. Harper’s newly single heart gets an overdose of chemistry from the Hitchhiker’s Revenge guitarist as she falls for his intoxicating charisma. Over the course of a single week, Harper is swept up in their sexual energy and the allure of the band. But soon she can’t help wondering if what she thought she wanted---what she left her sweet, caring boyfriend for---is everything she’d hoped it would be. Plotted with precise timing and set against an incredibly vivid portrait of the ever-changing East Village, Falling Is Like This is a comedic and touching account of the whirlwind affair with a rock star every girl dreams about.

I totally need to pick this one up. Have you read this book?

Library Journal First Novels #3

While reading Library Journal, I came across a great article by Barbara Hoffert of first time writers who have novels out this summer. I scoured the list for novels that caught my eye and thought I would highlight them here on Barney's Book Blog.Still Missing
by Chevy Stevens

Here is the description from Barnes and Noble:

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two-year-old realtor, had three goals — sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape — her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

Really want to read this one. How about you?

Library Journal First Novels #2

In the latest edition of Library Journal, Barbara Hoffert spotlights first time novelists that have hot releases coming to your bookstore this summer. Of course, I had a fantastic time checking out all the books on the Pop Fiction and Literary lists, so I would like to highlight a few that caught my eye.

Following Polly

by Karen Bergreen

Here is the description from the Macmillian website:

Would you call Alice Teakle a stalker? Or just someone with an, um, healthy obsession with golden girl Polly Linley Dawson? No one much notices Alice: not her boss, not the neighbors, not even her Mother. Besides, everyone follows Polly: her business selling high-end lingerie you can imagine only her elegant self wearing, her all-over-the-social-pages marriage to movie director Humphrey Dawson, her chic looks, her wardrobe. Alice just follows her a little more….closely. And when she loses her job and starts to follow Polly Dawson one Manhattan autumn afternoon, Alice stumbles on the object of her attention sprawled dead on the floor of a boutique. Alice is forced to become truly beneath anyone’s notice. Invisible, in fact. Because she’s accused of murder. But can another obsession help save Alice with the fallout? Charlie is Alice’s longtime unattainable crush. He might be able to help her out of the mess she’s in…in return for a favor or two, that is. And how will Alice find out if Charlie is really the man Alice thinks he is?

What do you think? Is Following Polly on your TBR list?

Friday Finds -- 6/18

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

My Friday Finds this week is Sally Koslow's new book, With Friends Like These! Here is a quick description from Sally Koslow's website:

Quincy, Talia, Chloe, and Jules met in the early nineties after answering a roommate ad for a Manhattan apartment. Despite having little in common, the women became fast friends. A decade later, their lives have diverged, though their ties remain strong.

I really enjoyed her previous novels, The Late Lamented Molly Marx and Little Pink Slips, so I can't wait to pick up her latest on August 10th.

What did you find this Friday?

Library Journal First Novels # 1

In the latest edition of Library Journal, Barbara Hoffert spotlights first time novelists that have hot releases coming to your bookstore this summer. Of course, I had a fantastic time checking out all the books on the Pop Fiction and Literary lists, so I would like to highlight a few that caught my eye.

Perfect Reader

by Maggie Pouncey

Here is a description from the Random House website:

At the news of her father’s death, Flora quits her big-city magazine job and returns to Darwin, the quaint New England town where she grew up, to retreat into the house he has left her, filled as it is with reminders of him. Even weightier is her appointment as her father’s literary executor. It seems he was secretly writing poems at the end of his life—love poems to a girlfriend Flora didn’t know he had. Flora soon discovers that this woman has her own claims on Lewis’s poetry and his memory, and in the righteousness of her loss and bafflement at her father’s secrets—his life so richly separate from her own in ways she never guessed—Flora is highly suspicious of her. Meanwhile, Flora is besieged by well-wishers and literary bloggers alike as she tries to figure out how to navigate it all: the fate of the poems, the girlfriend who wants a place in her life, her memories of her parents’ divorce, and her own uncertain future.

This sounds fantastic! What do you think?

Review -- Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell

Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe

by Jenny Hollowell

Henry Holt, 2010

256 pages

* I received a review copy from Jason at Henry Holt. Thanks Jason!

Summary: The story of Birdie Baker, a woman who leaves her old life behind to become an actress in Hollywood. As Birdie struggles for her big break, she meets Lewis and they begin a relationship.

Review: This novel is a character piece that details the inner most thoughts of a woman who is very unhappy. Birdie has a lot of guilt regarding leaving her husband and parents behind as she chases her dreams of stardom. But after seven years, she has turned to booze and one night stands to lessen the pain of rejection. I loved Jenny Hollowell's writing style, it was very fluid and kept me engaged with the characters and curious to know what would happen next. I also found some parts of the novel very heavy and many times it was hard to understand Birdie's thoughts and actions. Rating: ***1/2 out of 5

Have you read and reviewed this book? Leave a link to your post in the comments section!

3 W Wednesdays -- 6/16

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading? I am still working my way through The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. I just started The Host by Stephenie Meyer (which is a contest win and a re-read) and The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson.

What did you recently finish reading? I just finished The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (click on the title to read my review) and Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell (review to come).

What are you reading next? I have This Must Be the Place by Kate Racculia to read for review.

What are you reading?

Review -- The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

by Alan Bradley

Random House, 2010

416 pages

*I bought this from the local bookstore.

Summary: Flavia de Luce is an 11 year old girl and aspiring chemist who stumbles upon a dead body in the garden of her English home in the 1950s. With the help of the local townspeople, she learns the identity of the dead man and begins looking for his killer.

Review: It is so easy to fall in love with Flavia, who is such a wonderful and vivid character. She is smart, mature, and wise beyond her years as she determines who committed murder. Yet, she can also be immature, petty, and silly when she is around her father and 2 sisters. The author does a fantastic job of describing Flavia's little world as she races around on Gladys (her bicycle) trying to determine who killed the man in the garden. The mystery itself was a little disappointing and I found myself easily guessing who the murder was. At times, the book had a hard time keeping my interest. In the end, I found it an entertaining and satisfactory read. Rating: *** out of 5

Have you read and review this as well? If so, leave a link to your review in the comments section!

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 6/14

This meme is hosted by Book Journey.

Happy Monday! I am currently reading The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters and The Girl that Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson. Last week, I finished The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley and Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell (both reviews to come). I also reviewed Shanghai Girls by Lisa See and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (click on the title to read my review).

What are you reading?

Review -- Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

Shanghai Girls

by Lisa See

Random House, 2009

336 pages

*I borrowed this book from the library.

Summary: Two sisters, June and May, living in Shanghai are sold into marriage to settle their father's gambling debts. As war breaks out in the area, the girls struggle to make their way to America where their new husbands await them. Through Angel's Island and then the streets of Los Angeles, June and May each carve out their own lives in a country they try to make home.

Review: This is a fantastic book. The writing flows so well, the story is engrossing, and the characters are so wonderfully developed. The plot balances nicely between sections of war and tragedy and quiet moments between the sisters where their true personalities and destinies are revealed. My only disappointment was the ending, which for spoiler reasons I will not discuss here. Rating: ****1/2 out of 5.

Have you reviewed this book too? Leave a link to your review in the comments section!

3 W Wednesday -- 6/9

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading? I am almost finished with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley and just started The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters.

What have you recently finished reading? Last week I finished Shanghai Girls by Lisa See for book club meeting this coming Monday night (we are talking to the author -- AWESOME!)

What are you reading next? I have two books for review -- This Must Be the Place by Kate Racculia and Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell.

What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 6/7

I just got back from a busy weekend of camping and 4 wheeling and wasn't able to read as much as I would have liked. So I am still reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (really good) and The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (getting good) this week. Last week I finished Shanghai Girls by Lisa See and am hoping to have a review posted this week. I also reviewed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson last week (click on the title to read my review).

What are you reading? (This meme is hosted by Book Journey).

Friday Finds -- 6/4

Happy Friday! I am going camping this weekend and bringing along a few trusty books to keep me entertained, but before I leave here is my Friday Find. My find this week is This Must Be the Place by Kate Racculia (available 7/6). Here is the Barnes and Noble description:

A sudden death, a never-mailed postcard, and a long-buried secret set the stage for a luminous and heartbreakingly real novel about lost souls finding one another.

I know, I know -- the blurb is too short! So for more info, go to the author's website!

What did you find this week? This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

Review -- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

by Stieg Larsson

Knopf Doubleday Publishing, 2009

608 pages

*Bought from local bookseller

Summary: Mickael Blomkvist is a journalist who is in the middle of a professional crisis. Convicted in court of libel, he distances himself from his job as publisher and writer for Millennium magazine when an unusual offer comes his way. Henri Vanger offers Mickael a job researching the disappearance of Henri's niece 40 years ago. With the help of hacker Lisbeth Salander, Mickael learns the Vanger family secrets and just what happened to Harriet Vanger all those years ago.

Review: The summary is just a small piece of what actually happens in this book. The novel is chocked full of plots and subplots that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. However, it did take me a good 100 pages to become engaged in the story. There was a lot of set up which completely paid off in the end, but felt long and laborious in the beginning. The characters are well developed and the writing is crisp. I will say that this may not be the right book for everyone. There is a great deal of torture and sexual assault throughout the novel. With that said, I absolutely enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy. Rating: **** out of 5

Did you read / review this book too? Leave a link to your review in the comment's section!

May 2010 Recap

I had a fantastic month of reading in May. I finished 11 books. Out of the 11, I reviewed 8 books. Here is my list:

1. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See (review to come)

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (review to come)

3. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (part of a series I read before blogging so no review)

4. Never Let You Go by Erin Healy (review)

5. The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard (review)

6. My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger (review)

7. Paper Towns by John Green (review)

8. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (review)

9. Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin (review)

10. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (review)

11. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (review)

Favorites of the month: The Art of Racing in the Rain, Paper Towns

Just Okays of the month: The Magicians

What did you read this month?

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 6/1

This meme is hosted by Book Journey.

Happy Monday! This week I am reading Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (it has become my gym read and taking a little longer than anticipated -- I really need to get to the gym more often) and The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (just started).

Last week, I finished Shanghai Girls (review to come) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (review to come). I did review two books last week: Never Let You Go by Erin Healy and The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard (click on the title to read my review).

What are you reading this week?