2012 Bookshelf in Review (Part II)

Here's the scoop on the rest of the books I read in 2012: 

 Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie
Again, another classic that I thought I should read. An intriguing "who-done-it" murder mystery (in case the title didn't give it away) that had a surprise twist at the end.  Really enjoyed it!

The Scar, by China Mieville (started, didn't finish)
I picked this book up at random from the library, hoping for a good read over my annual northern Michigan vacation. I do like the fantasy genre, but this one was just too strange for me. I'm not even sure how to explain it, expect that it's about a floating city made up of abandoned and captured sea vessels, and the inhabitants of that city are trying to capture a giant sea creature to help them destroy their enemies. Or something like that. It started out interesting enough, but by mid-way through I just found it to be too strange, and the language was a bit too rough for my liking. So back to the library unfinished it went.

The Other Boleyn Girl, by Phillipa Gregory
This was another book that I picked up on a whim. I was looking for an easy read, and something that wouldn't be too "weird" (after having not finished the above-mentioned book). I guess you could say this book is sort of historical fiction. The author tells the story of Mary Boleyn, the sister of Anne Boleyn (the second wife to King Henry VIII). It's full of scandal, palace intrigue, and an interesting look into the life and politics of 15th century England. Because its fiction, I'm pretty sure there are a lot of embellishments on what actually happened, or stuff made up altogether. Whatever, I read it for entertainment, not necessarily to learn anything new.

Quitter: Turning Your Job Into a Dream and Your Dream Into a Job, by Jon Acuff
It look me almost the entire year to finish this book, which is odd considering that it was an easy read, not that long, and really funny. I would pick it up, read a bit, then set it aside for a while and pick up again. I initially picked it up out of a space I was in in contemplating where I am in life with work and whatnot. Acuff is a hoot, so reading it was very enjoyable. In this midst of the funniness, he does offer good advice on how to find the right career, or how to see your current job in a new light. 

Bossypants, by Tina Fey
I read this book during an exhausting trip to Houston, TX. My flight had been delayed during the trip, and the book I had brought with me didn't interest me, so I bought this one at the airport. It was an easy read, and super funny, if not a bit crass at times. It was ideal for the "I'm-stuck-at-the-airport-and-tired-and-have-no-brainpower-left situation I found myself in. Better still, I was able to quickly get rid of it when I got home on paperbackswap.com.

A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin
Even though I don't have HBO, I heard about this series of books, and was intrigued. I borrowed this one from a friend, and thought it was okay. A person definitely has to like fantasy literature to get through this book. I was also intrigued by it because I knew it was a series of books (each one being quite lengthy), and I was looking forward to having something good to sink my teeth into for a good long while. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way, as you'll see in a minute.

Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, by Bob Lupton
The themes in this book are very similar to the other book I read, When Helping Hurts, although this one is a little less academic. I picked it up based on a review I had read, and because I had read other stuff by Lupton, who has like a million years experience doing urban ministry in Atlanta. I can't say that he really hit on anything new that wasn't also discussed in When Helping Hurts, but I did appreciate his relating first-hand experience in implementing some of the strategies discussed. 

A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin (started, didn't finish)
This is the second book in the same series as Game of Thrones. I got about a third of the way into it before I stopped reading it. I don't know...it just stopped holding my interest. Maybe if I had stuck with it my opinion would have changed, but by now I've moved on.

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
I read this book again in anticipation of the movie coming out very soon. As I expected, it did not disappoint. What I can say? It's a classic, and pretty much just awesome. 

The Twelve, by Justin Cronin (started, didn't finish)
This is the second book in the series after The Passage. (I like books in series, can you tell?) I only got a few chapters in to it when I had to return it to the library. It was too gruesome for me, and I decided that when it comes to this kind of genre, there's better stuff I could read. For instance....

Currently reading as of year-end:

The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Apparently when you read The Hobbit the next logical step is to read the rest of the story! This is my second read of these books, the first being when the movies were released in 2001 (11 years ago??? How has it been that long??)  What makes me happy about reading this book is that it provides the enjoyment I get out of reading fantasy literature, but without having to worry about coarse language, sensuality, or gore. 

The Reason for God, by Tim Keller
I'm about half-way through this book, and in it Keller explores a lot of the reasons people give for not believing in God, such as why God lets bad things happen, whether or not the Bible is true, all religions being essentially the same, etc. Keller does a good job of cutting through the emotions of some of these arguments and really focuses in on logic and facts on why Christianity is true. It's a challenging, thought- provoking read.