Bogormen

Title: Sandmanden (Joona Linna #4) (The Sandman)
Author: Lars Kepler
Genre: Crime
Rating: 3/5
# pages: 524
Date read: December, 2014

During a cold winter night in Stockholm a man is found walking alongside a railway bridge, suffering from hypothermia and legionella. After he's rushed to the hospital, it's discovered that, according to a death certificate, the man has been dead for over seven years. He is believed to be a victim of notorious serial killer Jurek Walter, who was arrested years ago by Detective Inspector Joona Linna and sentenced to a life of total isolation in forensic psychiatric care. As Joona Linna investigates where the "dead man" has been all these years, some unexpected evidence leads to the reopening of a cold case. Danger is imminent, and someone needs to get under the skin of the serial killer--fast--as they are running out of time.

Not quite as good as Lars Kepler's other books, but still very, very much worth reading. Unlike the others, this one cannot stand entirely on its own though, as it ties together events from the third book and leads into the fifth... Not enough to leave a major, annoying cliff-hanger, but enough so that I'm glad I have the fifth book ("Stalker") already standing on my shelves.

Parts of it seemed even less realistic than the earlier books in the series, and I did occasionally get annoyed with people just rushing into dangerous situations rather than waiting for backup, but on the other hand they were mostly life-and-death situations, and I guess I can understand the human inclination to not just stand back and wait if somebody's life is at stake. But especially Disa's lack of self-preservation instinct bugged me.

The side trip to Russia seemed to serve no real purpose, other than to once again have Joona end up in a bind. I didn't think that part was ever properly explained.

So the book did have certain issues which caused me to bring the rating down a notch. But even so I did eagerly finish it in just two days, so it still deserves the three stars I left it with.

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
# pages: 445
Date read: December 2014, April 2020

CATH IS A SIMON SNOW FAN. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan... But for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath that she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?


Possibly the best book I have read all year, so I will be hard pressed to talk about it without sqee'ing. It affected me in much the same way as "Perks of a Wallflower" did, without making any kind of comparison between the books otherwise. It is YA and predictable, but oh, so relateable! Especially if you - like me - was rather immersed in the Harry Potter fandom when it was at its highest.

To be honest, the entire book pretty much reads like a Harry Potter fanfic - albeit one set in the 'real' world - but it works... it totally works. If you've never been... "occupied" by a particular fandom (a nice way of saying 'obsessed') parts of it may have you rolling your eyes, but I have been, and it is spot on.

Though I was somewhat frustrated by Cath at times, she always managed to make the right decisions in the end, and I absolutely LOVED Reagan and Levi. They were both obviously very good for her, in very different ways.

I would have liked to see "what happens next", but at the same time, I can understand why RR ended it where she did.

Incredibly charming story that has left me completely book-hungover. This is why I gave RR another chance after "Eleanor & Park"... in fact, this may even be better than "Landline".

Title: Live fra Lolland: Sandheder om ting og sager
Author: Kristina Ricken
Genre: Humour
Rating: 4.5/5
# pages: 185
Date read: December, 2014


My love of web-comics started when I was introduced to Anna-Grams and soon spread to others - both English and Danish. One of my favourites is Live from Lolland, which I've been reading for a couple of years by now, so I was very keen when I heard that Kristina was in the process of publishing a book with new material.

I received the book on Tuesday, and naturally had to start it right away. As expected, I absolutely loved it, and it completely lived up to my expectations. Kristina's style works just as well offline as online. There were a few repeats from the long-term reader, but most of it was new material. I especially loved Kristina's antics as a teen, as well as the explanation to her love of chocolate turtles (a Danish delicacy - if you haven't tried them - you're missing out!)

Kristina's style is inspired by "Hyperbole and a Half", but at the same time, she's managed to find her own way, and her way of describing every day events (like "being in a relationship") makes me laugh out loud, while nodding in recognition at the same time.

I can definitely recommend both book and blog... if you understand Danish ;)

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Ikk' for sjov - om kemo og comedy
Author: Geo
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 5/5
# pages: 240
Date read: December, 2014

Geo is one of the most well-known stand-up comedians in Denmark, so when he got hit by cancer a couple of years ago - or rather, when he was declared well again afterwards - he decided to use his voice to speak out about his experiences, in the hopes of offering some sort of help and comfort to others who were in his shoes. This book is his journey through diagnosis, chemo and recovery, interspersed with entries from his wife's diary, in order to give us her side of the story too.

Full disclosure - I am not a fan of Geo. He used to be hugely into physical comedy, which isn't really my cup of tea. But I had head so many good things about this book - and it's such an important topic - that I wanted to read it. I was drawn in immediately. That man can write! It was extremely engaging, and it was impossible not to feel for him, and empathize with what he and his family (including their 4-year-old daughter) were going through.

A very, very good book, and one I would highly recommend to just about anybody. Geo also did a stand-up show recently, focusing on cancer as well, and despite how I used to feel about his comedy acts, I now kind of want to watch that one as well. I have a completely new level of respect for him after this.

Title: Landline
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5/5
# pages: 320
Date read: December, 2014


Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it's been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply... but that almost seems besides the point now.

Maybe that was always besides the point.

Two days before they're supposed to visit Neal's family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can't go. She's a TV writer, and something's come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her - Neal is always a little upset with Georgie - but she doesn't expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she's finally done it. If she's ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It's not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she's been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts...

Is that what she's supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?...


After everybody and his uncle started raving about "Landline" I couldn't help put wonder, "Does it really deserve all that hype, or will it ultimatively leave me disappointed?". Especially when it ended up winning Best Fiction in GoodReads' 2014 awards as well! However, I'd had it recommended to me by people whose taste I trust, so I decided to give it a try.

It completely deserves the hype! It's the first book I've read by Rainbow Rowell, but if this is indicative of her writing style, it definitely won't be the last. The plot by itself is nothing special (sort of like The Lake House, only different), but when pared with Rowell's writing abilities, it just works. The feelings and emotions described are so real, and I found it impossible not to get carried up in the story and care about the characters. I could relate to them.

This is one of those books where its appeal is hard to describe, because it is not in the plot - it's in the characters and the emotions they provoke. I did think there was one tiny thread left hanging, but I can accept it as one of those that the characters themselves will sort out after the last page of the book (it makes sense in context - trust me).

So yes, definitely worth reading, and among the best books I have read this year.

Title: Third
Author: Lorna Summers
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5/5
# pages: 965
Date read: July 2007, April 2009, October 2011, December 2014

Summary: Set in a post-apocalyptic world similar to that of "A Handmaid's Tale" this story takes place in a world where only a small percentage of men and women are fertile. The population is kept from extinction by 'thirds' - fertile women who chose to serve as a surrogate mother as often as they can before they retire.

Charlotte Bennigan is an experienced third. Matt is her 6th "little husband", and she's already been pregnant 8 times by the time he moves in, so she assumed she knew exactly what to expect. She knew how to have a friendly, affectionate yet professional relationship with him. But Matt is nothing like any little husband she's ever met before and suddenly it becomes difficult to separate business from pleasure and remember what's appropriate for a third and her 10 year younger little husband.

Review: Third is one of those few books that I really cannot put down - forgoing sleep in order to read just a couple of more pages, not only on my first read-through, but in every subsequent reread. It's LONG (965 pages), but doesn't feel long, because I'm totally drawn in from the very first page. It's well-written, poignant, funny, devastating and just plain fascinating. Though I know what's happening quite well by now, I still alternatively laugh out loud and wipe my eyes while reading it. It has some of my favourite literary scenes, that just break my heart with the beauty and emotion of them.

I love the characterisations - the people become REAL to me, and they draw me in the way few others can. Lorna has managed to make the people three-dimensional, and I ended up caring for all of them and wanting to learn more about their internal relationships, their triumpths and their failures.

Third is still in the final stages of editing and thus not ready for purchase yet. I'll be sure to let you know when that changes.

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