TIME TRAVELERS NEVER DIE (Jack McDevitt) - April 23/15

Cam recommended this author and as soon as I saw this title I was intrigued (obviously). It starts out really well with a lot of talk about paradoxes and a plot that frequently doubles back on itself, but eventually the narrative revolves entirely around the central characters' adventures through time. It's kind of interesting, sure, but the book often feels more like a historical drama than a time travel adventure. There are some nice twists near the end and I was never bored, so at least there's that. **1/2 out of ****

DEWEY (Vicki Myron with Bret Witter) - April 18/15

This was a pretty quick read, even though I did find myself a little bored with a few stretches. Myron includes a LOT of personal stuff and history of her town, most of which kind of feels like filler. But the story is entertaining and Dewey sounds like an awesome cat, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a little choked up by his death. **1/2 out of ****

THE ROSIE EFFECT (Graeme Simsion) - April 14/15

More of the same, really, although this one feels much more lackadaisical and episodic than the first one. As such, there are a number of slow patches and scenes that just don't work - with the terrorist stuff towards the end just a little too silly. **1/2 out of ****

THE WINDUP GIRL (Paolo Bacigalupi) - April 9/15

Cam recommended this to me (and even gave me his copy to read). At first, I was kind of hating it, since the book contains an almost impossible-to-get-a-handle-on futuristic city that's rife with weird, unexplained elements. (I'm still not positive what a megadont is.) The novel does improve as it goes on, with, especially, the subplot involving the title character the most interesting. (I wish the whole book had been about just her.) And while there are some exciting, engrossing stretches here and there, The Windup Girl is too long and too dense to wholeheartedly work for me. It's readable, but that's about it. ** out of ****