Recent Reads, 28/40: The Fever

I’m a little bummed that this photo translated to a grainy shot on the computer. The cover of this book is so gorgeous in such a strange way…probably one of the best photograph covers I’ve seen in a long time.

Anyway, book 28 was The Fever by Megan Abbott. This is my second Abbott read, the first being Dare Me (you can read about my thoughts on that one here), and after reading my response to that one, it’s fair to say that Abbott hooked me the same way she did with the last book. She has a way of writing, dark, beautiful, and suspenseful, that makes you want to keep turning the page. This was just over 300 pages, so it only took a few days to complete, especially since I kept turning the pages and promising myself one more chapter.

The story is written from 3 different perspectives (third-person) much like The Leftovers, another quietly creepy book I read this year. Deenie Nash, a teenager just blooming into her sexuality, Eli is her older brother, a popular guy that most girls fawn over, and Tom, their father and a teacher at their high school. The book begins when Deenie’s best friend Lise suffers from a strange seizure before class starts. It lands her in the hospital, and tests aren’t showing why it happened. Then, Deenie watches as more girls start to experience similar symptoms without any explanation.
The parents are left searching for an answer while Deenie can’t help but feel like it’s her fault.

It’s the illness, and the unexplained and spreading nature of it, that makes this book hard to put down. Secrets are kept throughout the novel, throwing you off the tracks until it’s time to reveal them. I really enjoyed it. I will say that the end sort of felt like a cop-out, in a way. It wasn’t what I expected, and I was a teensy bit let down.
Still, it was completely engaging, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a little mystery.

Recent Reads, 27/40: A Little Something Different

So I don’t remember where I initially heard of A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall.
All I remember is finding it on Amazon, pre-ordering it, and adding it to my Goodreads To-Read list.
It came in the mail at the end of August, and that was that.

An interesting fact about this is book is that it is was published by a website called Swoon Reads, an imprint off of Macmillan publishing where people can submit and read YA love stories. Some people, as with Sandy Hall and a few others, actually end up with a publishing deal! Pretty neat, right?

Anyway, the title of the book is perfect, because this love story, which by all means could perfectly fit the template of every romantic book you’ve read or movie you’ve seen, is told through 14 different perspectives and not one of them is either of the characters falling in love. In fact, a couple of the characters aren’t even HUMAN.
Lea and Gabe are perfect for each other, and everyone can see it but them. There is an undeniable chemistry from the moment they meet, but it takes them both a while to realize that.
Meanwhile, their friends, teachers, baristas, and a park bench all can see it as clear as day.

I liked this cute and easy read because it was what I expect in a fun love story without falling into every single cliché.
Adding the voice of different people, from cynical love haters to the friends who root them on, makes this story special.

Recent Reads, 26/40: Since You’ve Been Gone

Book 26 of my 40 book challenge was Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone.

This book was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed reading it. I think I first heard of it because there was a contest on Instagram via Iconosquare that tied in with the book. After reading the premise, I was sold.

Emily is the kind of girl who prefers to hide behind others, allowing them to shine so she can stay out of the spotlight. Her friendship with Sloane is perfect for that…Sloane is fearless and beautiful, always making conversation with new people, dressing in fantastic vintage clothes, and pushing Emily outside of her box. Emily is prepared for another amazing summer with her best friend…but Sloane and her family have appeared to flee town without telling her.
Eventually, Emily gets a letter from Sloane in the mail (no return address, of course) with a list of 13 things Emily should do this summer. They range from simple (apple picking at night) to ballsy (go skinny dipping) and Emily, who normally would be scared to do any of these things, gets up the courage to do them in an attempt to find Sloane, and she ends up finding herself and some new friends along the way.

This was a really fun read. I think it accomplished what it was set out to do…be a fun book about growing up, friendship, learning about yourself, and finding courage. It’s also a great summer book. When I first started, I was worried that it would bore me (the chapters were longer than I expected, and I just wasn’t falling in right away), but I couldn’t stop reading once the actions on the list got juicier and her friendships continued to develop.

Morgan Matson has two other books with great Goodreads ratings…I look forward to reading them soon!

P.S. I love the addition of photography inside of the dust jacket…what a fun touch!

Recent Reads, Double Feature: Books 24 & 25

Usually, I like to do separate posts about my books, but I finished two books before sitting down to write.
Why not do a little combo post?

Book 24 was The Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe (it’s also the most recent book that Katie and I have read together). I had heard about it (it’s Thorpe’s debut novel) from a good review in Entertainment Weekly (surprise).

The book tells the story of two friends, Mia and Lorrie Ann, from Mia’s perspective. We learn about their friendship as teenagers, as Mia tells Lorrie Ann that she has scheduled an appointment for an abortion. The basic idea is that Mia is the bad seed in the relationship, which she welcomes with open arms, as she admires the beauty and perfection of Lorrie Ann and her family life. Throughout the novel, as time goes on, Mia is transfixed by the fact that, despite how wonderful a person Lorrie Ann is and how terrible and selfish Mia believes she is, Lorrie Ann’s life has been completely encompassed in bad luck.

The story is ultimately about what it means to be a woman, a mother, and how relationships change as we age.
I found this book to be a fairly quick read, and a lot of the conversations had between the two friends bring up a lot of interesting arguments. I’m not shouting from the rooftops about this novel, but I am glad I read it.
Can’t wait to talk about it with Katie!

 

Book 25 is Panic by Lauren Oliver. Not only is this the second Lauren Oliver book I’ve read, it’s also the second Lauren Oliver book I’ve read this year. You may recall that I had many great things to say about Before I Fall.
She has a trilogy of books, and now Panic is her most recent novel, a stand-alone book.

Panic is the story of Heather, Dodge, and a game called Panic that occurs every summer in a small, boring town called Carp. There’s nothing else to do, so the seniors give money that ends up accumulating until the summer after their graduation, and then the winner takes the pot. The thing about Panic is that the stakes are always high. People have died in the past completing the challenges. Heather joins Panic on an impulse…she feels as though there is nothing left to lose.
Dodge, meanwhile, has been plotting revenge via entering the games for years. The story switches between Heather’s life and Dodge’s life, both third-person narrative.

I think this book had a lot of potential. The high-stakes game provided the occasional thrill, but it definitely could’ve been more exciting. And the end, which I don’t want to ruin, was so anti-climactic. It felt abrupt and so happily-ever-after. I think it was guaranteed to have a good ending, everything falling into place but…it felt forced and random.

A challenge update: I’m 63% done (1 book behind)!
My only problem is narrowing down the books I want to read. Over 50 unread books on the Kindle, so many unread books (old and new) that I’ve bought. And, of course, the library…sigh….

Recent Reads, 22/40: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

After reading We Were Liars a couple of months ago, I decided to take a look at E. Lockhart’s other work.
Since this book was an honorable mention for the Printz award and has a good average on Goodreads, I decided to go with (the longest title ever) The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.

The Disreputable History is the story of a 15 year old girl attending Alabaster Prep School, a place where people are defined by the groups they spend time with. Frankie’s body changes over the summer before her sophomore year, and she ends up getting the attention of one of the popular boys in school, Matthew Livingston.
While she is excited to have the attention of one of the cutest boys in the school, she is also aware of the way he views her: helpless, adorable, young. He often blows her off in favor of hanging out with his friends, one in particular named Alpha, in a secret society (The Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds). In order to prove herself worthy of both the society and equality with the guys, she starts to infiltrate the system with great results.

This was unlike any YA book I’ve ever read, in particular one about a teenage girl. Frankie is not your typical 15 year old female character. Yes, she is attracted to a boy and wants his attention, but she also finds it important that he see her on equal terms. She is acutely aware of the way the girls around her are seen, both by boys and the girls themselves.
She is a young feminist. I feel like strong female characters are usually in the form of Katniss or Tris. In those books (which I still love), there is some sort of powerful force that is harming the population and a strong girl steps up to change things. In the case of Frankie, she is a 15 year old girl looking for equality among the sexes within her own little universe of school. It’s life. She is smart, but still thinks like a 15 year old girl. There was no “Dawson’s Creek Syndrome” making her sound wise beyond her years. I tagged a lot of pages because there were some great points within.

I don’t know about E. Lockhart’s other books, but two have already pleased me greatly.
I’ll have to check out her others.

Recent Reads, 21/40: Roomies

Roomies by Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando was on my to-read list for a little while, and something finally pulled me to check the library to see if they had it. There’s a funny story surrounding that trip to the library,
but that can wait for another day.

This book is (probably very obviously, from the cover) a YA novel told from two different perspectives.
Elizabeth and Lauren are both attending UC Berkeley in the fall, and each receives their roommate assignments. Elizabeth, who is from New Jersey, immediately decides to email Lauren and establish a bond. Lauren, however, is less than thrilled to discover that her request for a single has been denied. (Elizabeth is an only child, while Lauren is surrounded in a house with younger siblings.) Still, they find themselves turning to each other’s emails as they face their changing relationships with friends and growing relationships with boys.

This is one of those YA books I probably really would’ve liked if I were 16 or 17, college still ahead of me.
The switch between characters from chapter to chapter kept it interesting, but ultimately, it was just a fluff read.

Recent Reads, 20/40: All the Summer Girls

I’ve made it to the halfway mark! I am super proud of myself.
Last year, I was beyond 20 books at this point, but it was around this time that I really started to slow down and get frustrated with work stuff, allowing myself little time to do anything but be moody.

Book 20 is the 5th book Katie and I decided to read in our book club (ya know, our two person book club).
This book is definitely not something that will give us tons to mull over and to talk about, but it’s nice to read something that isn’t cumbersome, like Life After Life, that month-sucking book.

All the Summer Girls, by Meg Donahue, is that your typical beach read fluff. It has the romantic drama and the friendship drama and all other kinds of drama. But Donahue added a mix a bit of intrigue and trauma as well. Our three characters, Kate, Vanessa, and Dani, haven’t been the same since the death of Colin, Kate’s twin brother, several summers earlier at Avalon beach in NJ. Suddenly, the place they spent long vacations at every year is tainted with the terrible memory. We learn that everyone has guilt towards the death, feeling responsible in their own ways, but we don’t know why or what they did until the characters slowly start to tell each other.

One thing that bummed me out about the book is that, since every character is struggling through some sort of personal issue along with their issues towards Colin, the beach is like a backdrop that doesn’t shine. From the cover of the book to the title, it screams “READ ME WHILE YOU’RE SUNBATHING ON THE SHORE!” But the summer home they spent so much time in, the beach and boardwalk they lived on, don’t shine. I was definitely bummed, especially after being transported so well in We Were Liars. I want to mentally see that beach house, and it just wasn’t there.

I did like the fact that each chapter focused on a different character (The order is Kate, Vanessa, Dani). The book is written in a third-person POV, so it’s interesting to separate the chapters without them actually narrating the story.
I think it was smart to write the alternating chapters so that we could see just what these girls are going through.

To sum it up, it was a quick read that would definitely fly by if you have time on the beach.
Still, I feel like there are more summer-y summer reads.

Recent Reads, Book 19/40: Landline

So, at this point, Rainbow Rowell has a fan base that would willingly read a brochure on how to plunge toilets. Four books into her work, I think I can say I’m on that bandwagon. What I adore about her, really, is how Rainbow Rowell-y her writing is. It’s charming, it’s different, it’s real.

Landline was just released this past week and I read it in a little more than 48 hours…a new record for me lately, for sure. Instead of sleeping, I read and read, dying to know what would happen next. I was worried that, in a sleepy haze the next morning, I would forget what I had read. It didn’t happen.

Landline is the story of Georgie McCool, a TV writer who’s marriage to Neal has always been tough, despite their deep love for each other. When the career opportunity of a lifetime keeps Georgie from spending Christmas in Omaha with her husband and kids, their relationship is strained more than ever before. He won’t answer her calls or communicate with her in any way…until she goes to her mom’s house, plugs in the old landline, and calls his house, only to find 1998 Neal, just before he proposed, on the other line. Georgie is left to wonder if she is meant to prevent their marriage from happening or if it can be saved from the absolutely strange and impossible phone calls.

Each book of Rowell’s has this sort of strange magic to it, whether it’s intentional (in this case) or not.
It’s intoxicating and wonderful. Since the book takes place around Christmastime, I seriously thought I would see snow outside when I finally looked out the window after finishing. That’s how transported I got.
And I love the way she writes about love. It’s not the typical story. Some of the romantic moments are the strangest (a particular non-kiss scene in this book stands out), unlike anything you’d read in an Emily Giffin book.
That’s what’s so wonderful about her. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

Recent Reads, 18/40: How to Love

I just keep chuggin’ along with the books.
I’m 3 books behind schedule, still, but this is the rate I typically read books at, about one per week.
Last year, I got so stressed because I made the goal so high (a book a week, not considering social life or work situations) and eventually gave up. I might not make the goal, exactly, but I’m not far behind and I’m allowing myself to enjoy the books. Either way, I’ll give myself a pat on the back. A couple of set-backs and I’m still doing okay.

How to Love by Katie Cotugno has been on my Amazon Wish List since it was released last fall, thanks to this good review from Entertainment Weekly. I pretty much trust my life with EW. My parents got me a couple of Amazon gift cards that I used for tons of Kindle books, but decided it was time to start buying some physical copies again.

How to Love is the story of Reena (Serena) Montero, a smart teenager who became pregnant at 16 and was abandoned by the father, and great love of her life, Sawyer LeGrande, who has suddenly come back into her life. Though he disappeared without knowing about the baby, the abandonment and the teen pregnancy caused tension in her life both towards him and with her family. The story is told in alternating chapters, BEFORE he left and AFTER he came back.
Reena has known Sawyer forever, and loved him about that long, but he isn’t all he’s cracked up to be when they finally come together. Their relationship is strained with secrets and fears. Can they overcome all of that?

I had high expectations for this book. I don’t want to say it let me down, but it didn’t become a favorite. Still, I consider a book good and read-worthy when it gives me something to think about and carry with me. I know this story won’t become a forgotten book in the library of my mind. While checking some spoiler-free reviews on Goodreads, I came across many people hating the character of Sawyer LeGrande. I, of course, ended up disliking him, too. I wondered if it was influenced by the reviews or if I would’ve felt that way regardless. He’s not particularly likeable, and Reena is a repressed and angry soul, so she’s hard to like sometimes,too. I think there’s something smart about that, though, especially in terms of a book geared towards Young Adults. It’s not the perfect love story. 

I think Cotugno handled Reena’s motherhood really well, too. It wasn’t the focus of the story. Reena’s a teen mom, and she’s dealing with it as best she can while living a normal life, but it’s not used to overdramatize the story in my opinion. It is the cause for family tension, but it’s not trying to send a message.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It’s more of a drama, unlike cutesy love stories you might find in YA romances,
but that doesn’t make it any harder to read or enjoy. It’s a refreshing change.

Recent Reads, 17/40: Where Things Come Back

This past weekend, I finished Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley. This book came out in 2012 and was honored with the Michael L. Printz award, but I never felt particularly compelled to read it. A while back, it was a Kindle Daily Deal, and for $2 bucks, I couldn’t say no.

Usually, I have an idea of what book I’d like to read before I finish the current book. Not this time. I finished The Leftovers on a Friday night before bed, so I figured I’d just work it out the next day. I brought my Kindle to work with me, knowing I had an hour break to eat and read (which is what I always do when I have an hour. Panera and a book.).
The Kindle was the easiest thing to do because I currently have 64 unread books on it.
I might have a problem?

When I buy a new book, it automatically downloads on Wi-Fi and shows up on my Carousel. To keep it looking neat, I keep only a few books on that page at a time. Though I bought Where Things Come Back a while ago, it was on the carousel and I thought, why not? And then I fell right in.

I’m not sure how to explain the book. This is what I could say, but I don’t know if it’ll do it justice.
Cullen Witter is a 17 year old stuck in the small town of Lily, Arkansas. It’s one of those towns people dream about leaving but either never do or always end up coming back. The summer before his senior year of high school, Cullen is sent to a morgue to identify the body of his cousin Oslo, who died of a drug overdose. From that moment on, everything starts to crumble around him. Lily becomes obsessed with the idea that a woodpecker once thought to be extinct is somewhere in their town. They cling to the idea that this Lazarus Woodpecker will bring business to the area.
Meanwhile, Cullen’s younger brother Gabriel disappears and the family’s search for him is strained and fearful.

There’s like SO MUCH MORE to this book. There are multiple narratives that sort of flow together throughout. Honestly, I had no idea how to describe the book to Brad as I was reading it or even to myself. And yet, every time I sat down to read it, I would clear large portions at a time without realizing it.

I can see why it won the Printz award. Though it is a book you would find in the Young Adult section, it’s very mature (but it’s stupid to say that Young Adult novels are only for teens, and maybe one day I’ll share my argument.).
A lot of different themes, from religion to death to depression, are covered.
It’s an easy read, but the material is shrouded in a dark cloud.
However, I enjoyed it and am curious to read Whaley’s new book, Noggin, which has yet another strange premise.

Recent Reads, 16/40: The Leftovers

I’m a little behind on Recent Reads post. I’ve actually just started book 18, so I have a couple of books to update about.
Book 16 was also the fourth pick for book club (Katie and I). She looked through my To-Read list on Goodreads and picked this one, because she didn’t know that the HBO show of the same name was inspired by it. I was more than happy to read it, since it’s been on that list for quite some time.

This is the second book I have read by Tom Perrotta, the first being Little Children. I read that back in my college days (probably 2007?), so I don’t recall every detail. I just remembered everything being very dramatic yet quiet.
My fear was that The Leftovers would be a lot like our attempt at reading Life After Life and that it would sound better than it was executed. I can say that that’s not true. I was engaged very quickly and enjoyed reading this book.

The Leftovers is about what happens when millions of people in the world suddenly disappear in what they eventually call the Sudden Departure (though the religious call it the rapture). Many things happen as people try to go on living life after the loss of loved ones and the unknown reason behind it all. In the book, we are shown the perspective of 5 different people, 4 of which are the members of the Garvey family. Kevin, the father, has become the mayor of Mapleton 3 years after the event. He is trying to maintain hope in the community while dealing with the loss of Laurie, his wife, who joined a group called the Guilty Remnant. The GR is filled with people who dress only in white, take a vow of silence, and smoke cigarettes (though I still don’t fully understand the reasoning behind that). They believe they were left behind because they weren’t worthy in God’s eyes, so they must make up for it in their own way. Laurie left her whole family behind to join this group. Their daughter Jill is a teenager, so frustrated with the loss of her mother and those troubling teen years that she shaves her head and gets in with the wrong girl, getting high, drinking, and ditching school. And their son, Tom, has become a volunteer of a man called “Holy Wayne” who started the Healing Hug Movement, telling the world that he can remove their pain through hugs.

I loved reading about the various groups of people in the world who are dealing with the departure in their own ways, religious or otherwise. I think Perrotta just knows how to tell a story about suburbia, something we always like to think of as calm and innocent but is always holding secrets underneath.

Katie and I still haven’t met to discuss the book, but I’m so glad that we read this one. I really believe that we will have plenty to talk about. If you’ve seen the show, I don’t believe it will be super similar to the book, other than the character names and groupings. I’m curious to see it one day, but for now I am pleased with the story the book told.

Recent Reads, 15/40: Jellicoe Road

Fun fact: I stayed up until 4 am Tuesday finishing this book. I was exhausted, but I knew I could do it.
Do I regret it? A little, because I hate staying up late/sleeping in late and missing time I could spend on my day off not sleeping…but, whatever. Worth itttttt.

Okay, so Jellicoe Road (which also goes by On the Jellicoe Road, according to Goodreads) was book 15 of this year.
I had never heard of it, but a friend of a friend (or a friend of mine who I’ve only met a couple of times but feel comfortable talking to because that’s what social media does…crazy world today, eh?) had suggested it on a book group page on Facebook. It was on sale and the description was intriguing enough that I went for it.

Jellicoe Road is the story of Taylor Markham, a seventeen-year-old girl who was abandoned by her mother and brought to the Jellicoe School by a woman named Hannah, who provides the only adult interaction she has. When Hannah suddenly disappears, Taylor finds herself faced with piecing together her past, trying to find where Hannah could’ve gone, and dealing with the territory wars between the Jellicoe students, the Townies, and the Cadets who train nearby.

There’s a lot that goes on in the story, and I feel like the more I say, the more I’ll give away. When I first started, I was super confused and felt it was a bit slow. I looked through some spoiler-free reviews on Goodreads and was relieved to see someone say that pushing through is totally worth it. I completely agree. It is an intense and emotional book…I was close to tears around the end but I was also exhausted. Pretty sure I would’ve really shed some tears had I not been up so late. Taylor Markham’s life has been…rough. But one of the great things about life is that, sometimes when all is lost, you finally find what you’re looking for.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend pushing through to read it.
It should be mentioned that it won the Michael L. Printz award, in good company with some awesome past and future winners and nominees.

P.S. I’m really glad I had the Kindle edition. The book is Australian, and I needed the dictionary quite frequently for some of their slang terms. I always seem to luck out with the books I read on Kindle.

Recent Reads, 13&14/40: Thinkin’ Outside the Box

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts about my 2014 Book Challenge, I’ve been behind ever since I “read” this book for about a month. I am still behind, but I definitely wanted to make up for lost time. I don’t want to make the challenge feel like a chore instead of something that I love to do, so there’s no pressure to finish. Still, I found a couple of shortcuts that helped add some books to my list!

Book 13, Just One Night, was actually a short story, the completion of two novels I read before (Just One Day and Just One Year) which both ended the same way…frustratingly! I’m glad that Gayle Forman put together this little ending. It was sweet.

Book 14 was One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories, by B.J. Novak. I’ve wanted to read it for a little while and seized the opportunity to snag the audio book for free as a way to not go crazy on my 6+ hour drive (alone) to Virginia last week! It was the best idea. First of all, look at how many people read with BJ Novak! Lots of people I like. Also, the fact that there are lots of short stories means I was constantly entertained and didn’t have to listen super hard so that I wouldn’t miss something important in a full-length novel (especially during a drive I’ve never done before). I laughed out loud at a lot of these (and I really wanna snag the hardcover copy for my personal library), but they were also very sweet, sad, and poignant at times. I highly recommend this book!

Recent Reads, 12/40: The One and Only

For my 12th book, I read the latest release from one of my favorite authors’, Emily Giffin.
Emily Giffin wrote Something Borrowed, which you’ve probably heard of
(itwas made into a mediocre but enjoyable movie), among others. This is her 7th book.

I have enjoyed every single one of Giffin’s books, but this one was the biggest letdown. I’m sure it’s because I had expectations since she’s consistently entertained me, but wow…it was not good.

Shea Rigsby lives for college football. She attended Walker University in Texas and is the type of person to say “we” when referencing a game. We won. We lost. We’re doing good. So on. The book begins at a funeral. Shea’s best friend Lucy’s mother has just passed away after an illness, and it sets off a chain of events that have her debating what she should be doing with her life. All of this is intermixed with her personal and professional life as she gets a new job as a reporter on the Walker beat (in which she must remain objective, a hard thing to do for her) and dates the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. Still, she can’t seem to find happiness as she fights feelings for someone unexpected.

I’m not a football fan…I don’t watch games ever, I have a very vague idea of how it works (VERY VAGUE), and I’ve never been a sports person. So, it had that against it from the start. Shea also managed to be a very unlikeable character throughout the book. Instead of wanting the best for her, caring about her well-being, I felt she was very selfish throughout. I wasn’t rooting against her, but I couldn’t root for her, either. I wrote this post just a few hours after finishing the book and I feel a complete disconnect. It didn’t stick with me. Meanwhile, there are moments from previous Giffin books that I read a few years ago that have stuck with me. I’ve always admired Giffin’s ability to completely suck me into the scenario. Whatever the main character is going through…unrequited love, the temptation or guilt of infidelity, an uncertainty in life…I’ve felt it. She was always that good. I understand maybe wanting to distancing yourself from the formula, but the formula worked for her. So far, this has the lowest rating of any of her books on Goodreads, and I had to give it two stars. It was readable, so I didn’t want to completely bash it, but it left me wanting more. I was waiting for a climax that never really came, or felt anti-climactic.

If you’re an Emily Giffin fan, I know you’re gonna read the book. You have to! Maybe you’ll like it…I just didn’t.
I really hope whatever she works on next is as good as her previous work.

Recent Reads, 11/40: We Were Liars

Surprisingly, I finished book 11 in about 4 days. I can’t remember the last time I read a book this fast. It doesn’t hurt that it was about 230 pages. I’m still behind schedule, but whatever. I’m finally reading books that I’m enjoying and aren’t cumbersome.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is a YA novel that was just released. Brad got it for me as one of my birthday presents (I love getting books as presents! He also got me The Goldfinch but at 700 pages…I’m not sure when I should start that beast.), and it was a fast read, perfect for a quick trip to the beach.

Cadence Sinclair is a 17 year old girl who has been raised in a wealthy family, spending her summers on her grandfather’s private island surrounded by her aunts and cousins, specifically Mirren, Johnny, and Johnny’s friend Gat, who’s father is dating Johnny’s mother. They call themselves the Liars, four kids all close in age spending their idyllic summer days together. The summer she was 15, there was an accident that caused Cadence to lose her memory of the events surrounding it and give her migraines that leave her in bed for days at a time. She misses a whole summer with her Liars. But year 17, she finally convinces her mother to let her go, and is frustrated when no one, not even her best friends, will tell her what happened. She spends her time trying to piece together the events of that summer.

This book was mysterious and dreamy.
I truly think it’s a great read for the beach - it has that summer vibe but it keeps you hooked with the building suspense.

Recent Reads, 10/40: The Good Luck of Right Now

Though I am still 5 books behind (dang it), I am so pleased that I’m back on a more “me” reading schedule.
This book took me about 10 days to read, which is pretty common for me. I don’t always get to read a chapter a day, or maybe even at all, but it isn’t taking me a whole dang month+ to finish.

The Good Luck of Right Now was a Kindle Daily Deal or Monthly Deal or something…I don’t recall. I believe I paid about 1.99 for it (heads up – it still is!), and after reading the description on Goodreads and noting that it’s written by the same guy who wrote Silver Linings Playbook (which I didn’t read but I loved the movie), I figured it was worth it!

The Good Luck of Right Now is the story of Bartholomew Neil, a man nearly 40 who has spent his entire life living with and eventually caring for his mother, who has recently passed away from brain cancer. Towards the end of her life, after watching Pretty Woman, she begins to call Bartholomew “Richard” and instead of correcting her, he decides to play the role of Richard Gere, her favorite actor, for the remainder of her life. In fact, the story is told in letters to Richard Gere, whom Bartholomew feels he has created a bond with because of the “you-me pretending” he did for the last leg of his mother’s life. Now that he is on his own, he is unsure of what to do with himself. He’s never had a job or friends, but slowly, a few characters introduce themselves into his life.

This story was easy to read and the book version of one of those indie films where people in various forms of instability and emotional turmoil come together and it’s both humorous and heart-wrenching. Matthew Quick has a couple of other books, and I would consider reading them. This particularly story didn’t become a favorite, but I’m glad I read it.

P.S. I have to giggle, because I’ve wanted to participate in the ABM Book Club for a while now, but I’ve read most of the books in the past (and while The Goldfinch is near the top of my reading list,  but I knew I’d never finish it on time after the whole LAL fiasco) and then they announced the book for June and it was THIS BOOK! I guess I’m just not on the same page. That seems to be what happens to me and book clubs…it seems like I’ve usually already read the book (or it just isn’t the usual book I’d read…I think that is part of the book club though. Stepping outside of the box.)!

Recent Reads, 9/40: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares

After the last book fiasco (okay, it wasn’t that bad, but…it was rough), this was exactly what I needed.
The perfect, meaningless palette cleanser.

Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares is a super simple book. Less than 300 pages and fluffy as the snow that falls in the book.
If you’re familiar with Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (I’ve only ever seen the movie…it’s a guilty pleasure), these are the same two authors of that book. Rachel Cohn and David Levithan take turns writing chapters…Cohn does Lily’s parts and Levithan does Dash’s. It makes sense, considering the premise of the book.

It’s a few days before Christmas and Dash is spending time alone in his favorite bookstore perusing books by his favorite author when he finds a red Moleskin notebook sandwiched between the copies. He opens and reads it and inside is a list of clues…dares, if you will. Dash is instantly intrigued and follows the clues, eventually getting involved in a little game of getting to know a complete stranger and daring the other to go to great lengths to get the book.
Dash is a bit pretentious and cynical, loathing Christmas. Lily is all about her family and the holiday season.
Ultimately, the characters need to figure out if all of the work is worth it, or if they are setting themselves up for disappointment. Can anyone be as good as the person you imagine in your head?

A nice fluffy story. I didn’t love or hate it. I stayed entertained mildly throughout.

Recent Reads, 8/40: Life After Life

You might have noticed that I haven’t written about a “recent read” in a while…that’s because this book took me OVER A FREAKING MONTH to read. I don’t remember the last time a book took me that long (especially without reading something else/giving up) but for some reason, I was dedicated. The official dates of reading this book?
March 21st-May 1st

For a while now, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson has been on my To-Read list. Aside from good reviews, it has an interesting premise. Main character Ursula Todd was born on a snowy night in 1910 and died before she ever really lived. Still, she was saved from the strangulation of the umbilical cord and is alive again. This begins a strange cycle of death and déjà vu throughout her life. When Ursula Todd dies, she lands back at another time in her life, the possibility of changing the course of things and a foggy knowledge of what can be done to stop the worst from happening.

This book features a lot of time-hopping and, because it took me so long to read it (I can blame work or spending so much time with Maria but honestly I found everything more interesting than sitting down and reading this book), I forgot some of the things that happened and got confused. Bah.

This book isn’t bad. Really. There are just some factors that kept me from enjoying it. For starters, it takes place in the early 1900s, and I’m not one for period pieces (you can get mad at me but it’s just never been something I enjoyed), I had a hard time understanding all the very old British terms, and it was just very slow.

Am I a little bummed that this book made me fall 5 books behind my theory? Absolutely.
But now I’m excited to pick up some new books, fluffy stuff for now, to catch up.
I turned on my Kindle for the first time since February and 23 books downloaded…
it’s been that long and I’ve been that crazy with downloading daily deals and special sales.

Now I can go through all of my unread books and have some fun starting something new. Will I catch up enough to successfully finish my book challenge at the end of the year? I don’t know…but we’ll let life do its thing.
Isn’t that more important, anyway?

Recent Reads, 7/40: Before I Fall

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver is the story of Samantha Kingston’s last day, February 12th. After attending a party with her friends, they get into a car accident and Sam is killed instantly. However, she wakes up the following day only to find out that it is once again February 12 and only she has the knowledge of the “previous” night. She is then unsure of whether or not she truly is dead or why she is reliving the day repeatedly, and she tries to learn how to make it stop.

At first, I was annoyed with Sam. She and her friends are the popular bitches of her high school. They relentlessly tease people they think are below them and, especially in Sam’s case, date people for the social leverage. I felt so frustrated with the characters, so shallow and cruel….and then I remembered that high school (and most of your life, if you let it be that way) is like that. Everything seems like the end of the world. You can’t have a crush on the nerdy guy because that will make you look bad. You can’t be into certain activities or you will get pegged with a stereotype.
Being yourself is one of the hardest things in life, let alone in high school, where you have no idea what you’re doing and everything is changing at such a rapid pace.

By the end of the book, I was a sobbing mess. I thought it was a great story, so beautiful. Some can say it’s predictable, but I still was left wondering what would happen, what could happen, trying to stretch out that hope.

Without a doubt, this is the best book I’ve read as a part of my 2014 challenge so far.

Recent Reads, 6/40: The Radleys

 
Book 6 of 2014 is also the second book Katie and I decided to read for our book club. I told her I was in the mood for something a little supernatural (particularly vampires, my favorite) and she was down for it. I didn’t want anything that would lead to a series…I’m not opposed to that, it’s just that I think book club books should be a one and done.
I also have so many other books I want to read that starting a series would totally derail me.
After searching for the right book (most vampire books have various sequels), I landed on The Radleys.
(Sidebar: I love that cover in the link…and I love that it comes with a reading group guide. HOWEVER, after reading it, I don’t think the cover is that accurate…and the library is free!)

The Radleys tells the story of the Radley family. They live in a suburban England, a town called Bishopthorpe. Most people can’t pinpoint why they find the Radleys strange, because by all outside appearances they are normal. In reality, they are anything but. Helen and Peter, the parents, are abstaining vampires who settled down to stop their violent behavior and raise their son and daughter. Following an Abstainer’s Handbook (which may be very similar to an Al-Anon book), the Radleys practice normal eating habits and impulse control. Their children, Rowan and Clara, have no idea who they truly are and accept a life of being outcast. That is until something brings out the beast in Clara.
After that, their world is turned upside down with the truth of their nature, the arrival of Peter’s brother, and the attempt to keep everything at bay while maintaining their normal appearances.

When I was describing the book to my sister, she was excited and wanted it to be a movie (the rights were purchased back in 2010, but the fact that they haven’t made it yet doesn’t bode too well…rights get purchased all the time without any resulting movies). The story does have an exciting premise and it was an easy and engaging read.
Did it blow me away? No. In fact, I do feel like it could’ve gotten a bit deeper. The story only takes place over a long weekend, so I guess that’s why it never ventures too far into the past. While reading, I started to realize that vampire books might be a lot like what they say about sex and pizza: when it’s good, it’s good and when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good. I will always be entertained by vampire movies and books because I enjoy the topic very much,
but it just wasn’t my favorite flavor.