Yikes! Has it really been a month?

Where did the time go? My family has already left and returned from our holiday travels. The last thing I remember is my husband saying, "How many books are you bringing?" as he tottered on the scales with the suitcases. I had a very hard time making the short list of titles much shorter than my previous post. The good new is, I really committed myself to getting lots of reading done, so here's the round up:

Columbine by Dave Cullen
Powerful book! Anyone interested in learning about contemporary American culture should read this title. An amazing amount of research compiled in a well executed revisit of that fateful day. Cullen's look back is as much about the event (and the personalities that created and were touched by it) as it is about the media swirl that swallowed it (and perpetuated myths about it).

King of Heists by J. North Conway
Honestly, a big disappointment. Conway spends more time leading up to the big event than he does recounting it. Terribly anti-climatic. I felt compelled to finish because I hauled it along, but it wasn't suitcase-worthy.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Stork's novel tops my holiday fiction reading. Reminscent of The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime, Marcelo is narrated by a troubled young misfit trying to find his place in the world. It has the hallmarks of many great books: beautifully simple on one level and intensely complex at the same time. Adults and teens who enjoy tackling big philosophical questions will love this!

Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten
I heard about this one on NPR, so had to pick it up. Excellent story. Great characters and even a mystery, too. After I closed the back cover I thought it was all a bit outlandish -- but had to admit that I was completely taken in -- and loved every minute. I hope Weingarten is busy writing her next one.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
I don't know if Lockhart is writing another novel featuring Frankie, but I sure hope so. She's easily one of the most engaging fictional characters in any recent book -- teen or adult. Creative, funny, and a bit devlish.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier
A solid read. The review I read compared this to Disreputable History, and while it's certainly a good book, I don't think they're quite in the same category. Larbalestier is definitely on an upward trajectory with her writing, however, so I'll be looking for her next book.

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
Horses, was one of those books that came at me from about a half dozen directions: reviews, friends, best of lists, that it became impossible to ignore. Lovely writing. Absolutely hypnotic prose. Great story. Lush scene setting.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Did I say Marcelo,  was my favorite holiday fiction? Can I take it back? Okay, since I actually finished  Cloud Atlas after I got home, possibly I can count it as a different category? My favorite post-holiday fiction! Mitchell is just amazing. I loved, loved, loved Black Swan Green which sent me looking for this. It took a bit of patience to hit lift-off, but it was well worth the effort. Mitchell could have made these disparate stories completely different books, but somehow weaves them all together.