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, 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, 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: Brain On Fire

Once upon a time, I had a dream to read 52 books this year. Unfortunately, one setback put a wrench in that dream, so I haven’t been working towards the goal anymore. In fact, I’m 8 books behind schedule according to my Goodreads account. Make no mistake, I’ve been reading consistently since the setback. But I just haven’t been forcing myself to go too fast. The reason I was able to read quickly was because I was able to read during work downtime. But that stopped. So I had to find time after work, and it always ended up being bedtime and I always ended up falling asleep and I always want to read books that around 400+ long. And breathe….

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan has been on my Kindle for quite a while (I believe I bought it as a Daily Deal…if you don’t check those out, you are depriving yourself of some excellent steals on great books!). I read about it and it piqued my interest, but this memoir has a lot to do with an unknown illness that affects the brain and I can be a bit squeamish from time to time. And, of course, the story is true…that makes it extra-tough. I finally decided to pick up the Kindle and dive in.

Cahalan makes sure to put a disclaimer of sorts in the beginning of the book. For about a month, when she was really suffering through her then-unknown illness, she had no real idea what was going on around her. Some of her memories are hallucinations that have stayed with her while others are very random and come back at the strangest of times. She referred to her doctors, family, and friends to recount the story.
This was smart, in case some people find the story a bit unbelievable.

Susannah was 24 when she got sick…but she didn’t know exactly what was wrong. At first, she felt as if she was coming down with a flu. Then, she experienced anxiety and mania (in which she felt powerful and in control in an almost dangerous manner). Not long after these symptoms, if you will, she began to experience seizures. That led her to a variety of doctors, the ER room, and eventually the neurology wing of NYU’s medical center.

The strangest part of this is that pretty much all of Susannah’s basic health tests…blood work, EEGs, CT scans, MRIs, neurology tests (reflexes and repetition) were coming back negative for any illnesses. Unfortunately, her health was declining at a rapid rate. She slurred her words, she could barely move and lost weight at a rapid speed, and she would go from an almost catatonic state to extremely paranoid in an instant.
In order to find what ailed her, the doctors had to think outside the box. And thank God they did.

I had an idea of what Susannah had based on some review-reading a while back, but I think it would be especially interesting to save it for the book. Reading the story unfold, the health unravel, was extremely interesting. The brain is such a force and Cahalan repeats a few times that it is similar to Christmas lights…they all work together, and can still operate if one goes out…but if the wrong one goes out, then the lights can’t function without it. I’m paraphrasing that…she said it a lot better.

If you’re into memoirs and you enjoy some medical fact and history, this is the book for you.

Recent Reads: Will Grayson, Will Grayson (Book 18 of 2013)

I almost feel like reading a book written by (even half) John Green is sort of like cheating on my challenge. The reason I feel this way is because I freaking love him and his work and it’s a given that I will stay thoroughly entertained and amused enough to finish in less than a week. My last book took over 10 days. This one took about 5. I needed a boost to get back in tune with the challenge (I’m a book behind, but I’m not worried about it), and this was it.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson was co-written by John Green and David Levithan (who wrote this intriguing book), and tells the story of two teenagers with the exact same name who meet on the streets of Chicago one winter night. They are tied together, eventually, by the force of Tiny Cooper, a 300+ lb gay teenager who is best friends with Will Grayson #1 (I say #1 because his chapter is first…the story is told in alternating chapters). The circumstances under which the Wills meet is a tough one, and it leads to the real meat of the story.

I don’t know how to explain the story without giving it away. I liked not knowing much.

Even though the story is told from the prospective of two different guys, one gay and one straight, the book stays consistent. It never feels like it doesn’t flow, it’s got a really nice rhythm. And I was completely invested in both Wills’s stories. It’s possible I’d only like one of the characters and have to force myself into the other. But not the case.

I can’t express enough how much I love and would recommend anything John Green has a hand in.
This book was full of heart and humor, and who doesn’t want to read a fun but meaningful book?

Recent Reads: Ready Player One (Book #14 of 2013)

After two consecutive chick-lit-y and predictable (if not slightly disappointing) books, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline was a breath of fresh air. A believable glance at the future, a sci-fi adventure, a study on human behavior, a love letter to 1980’s pop culture…there’s something for every kind of reader in this book. I found myself wanting to tell a lot of my friends about it, especially some that I know have played video games like WORLD OF WARCRAFT and EVERQUEST. I think this particularly calls out to people who dabble in that.

The year is 2044 and the world basically sucks. Crime, oil prices, unemployment…you name it, it’s happening in the worst possible way. Our protagonist is 18-year-old Wade Watts, who lives in the stacks (literally a field filled with trailers that are stacked on each other…not an ideal home) with his aunt. His parents are both dead and his aunt barely acknowledges him, using him for the food stamps.
Wade could complain about his crappy life, but he chooses to stay as far away from it as he can by spending all of his free time in the OASIS, a virtual reality that has consumed the majority of the world. You create an avatar that gets experience points, interacts with people all over the globe, goes on adventures, watches movies, plays video games…anything you would do in the real world, but in the safety of your home.
Wade is a self-proclaimed “Gunter” who is searching for James Halliday’s (the deceased creator of the OASIS) Easter egg within the depths of the various planets and worlds Halliday has created. When Halliday passed, he left a message in his will, leaving his billions to whoever could locate the 3 keys (and 3 gates) and find his hidden Easter egg (a nod to game creators who used to code their names or other hidden goodies inside of their games for hard-core gamers to find). Wade spends his time studying the life of James Halliday, who grew up in the 80s, and all of his passions. The band Rush. The movie WarGames. Various Atari games.
As luck would have it, Wade (known as Parzival in the OASIS) is the first to find the copper key, and it starts a whirlwind of adventure that leads him to making some interesting friends and enemies on his quest to make it to the third and final gate.

This book was filled with humor and action and suspense. At times, it was hard for me to keep up. Imagine this: We are learning about Wade’s life and his quest through the OASIS and he’s going on so many missions and making friends…but none of it is actually…well…real. Sure, he is talking to other people, but he doesn’t know who they really are or where they live. Sure, he is traveling to new places, but he’s really just sitting in a chair,connected to a computer. It really made me think, once again (like Feed did a while back, but this wasn’t as depressing), about how technologically engaged we are in this society. I might not play WOW, but there are so many people who get obsessed with social media websites (um, me?) and games like Farmville (not me) or Candy Crush Saga (okay, that’s me) and spend money on ways to beat games and become immersed in the escape of reality that a computer, iPhone, movie, or video game can provide.

So I loved this fictional novel, but I could feel a factuality to it.
It’s a highly plausible future, of us fully and finally escaping reality in the hopes of a happier way to spend your days.

I recommend this, especially to those who love video games and 80’s pop culture. You’ll love it.

Recent Reads: Your Voice in My Head (Book #11 of 2013)

I don’t know what prompted me to add Your Voice in My Head, Emma Forrest’s memoir, to my To-Read list. Usually, my interests are piqued by reviews in Entertainment Weekly, Goodreads, or Amazon recommendations. I don’t remember what led me to read it, but I’m glad I did.

Your Voice in My Head is Emma Forrest’s account of her battle with bipolar disorder, which she has dealt with her entire life. That is enough to be intriguing for me to read. As someone who deals with anxiety and depression, I admire when people are honest about their mental illnesses, and I appreciate when they showcase every high and low point of it all.

When I started reading this, I had a sort of “Why?” moment. Why do people write memoirs, why do people read them, why is your story more important than someone else’s, enough to write a book? But I’m still very thankful for them, at times, because they show you a glimpse at real life, real pain, real love…what’s not to love?

This book is short, only about 210 pages. I probably would’ve finished it sooner but last week was crazy, and then I forgot it at home for a good 36 hours or so. I would recommend this, especially for those that suffer any form of depression or anxiety.

Recent Reads: Feed (Book #8 of 2013)

Feed by M.T. Anderson served as book 8/52 this year, and what a strange addition to my list it was.
I hadn’t heard of it until I was perusing the 3.99 and under section of my Kindle. It had some pretty good reviews both on Amazon and Goodreads, so I decided to go ahead and purchase it for 2.99. I’m glad I did!

Our narrator is Titus, a teenage boy who decides to go to spring break on the moon with his friends. Yes, the moon. The story takes place sometime in the future. The reader never finds out just how far ahead in the future. It appears that anything is possible. The most important part of the story is that people have chips in their brains that serve as their computer/internet/cell phones. There is no need for these devices when everything can happen inside the human brain. Things get interesting when Titus and his friends meet Violet, a girl who is alone on the moon, and they go to a nightclub, only to have their feeds hacked by an older man, and all it takes is a simple touch on the shoulder.
This causes them to be hospitalized, their feeds temporarily disconnected.
Okay, I can’t even explain this anymore.

There are so many themes in this book. It messed with my head a lot because I read it on my Kindle, and I had just gotten my iPhone 5. It really drove the point home how involved I am in my technological devices. It just seemed very realistic, and it was frightening. This book isn’t funny. The characters have only really known a life with a chip literally feeding their minds with what they should buy and watch and how they should be. On top of it all, the brain is so dependent on this chip and this feed that it doesn’t know how to survive without it. So, yeah. It’s intense. A great commentary on a possibility in our futures and how involved with consumerism and technology our lives have become and could become. I would definitely recommend this book. It’s not long, but it really gives you something to think about.

For more help in understanding the themes and slang of the book, I referred to this Wikipedia page.

Recent Reads: Where’d Ya Go, Bernadette? (Book #2 of 2013)

I tore through Where’d Ya Go, Bernadette, book number 2 of my 52 books in 52 weeks challenge, in about 4 days.
Again, this is usually a good thing, as sometimes a book can take a couple of weeks for me to read depending on what’s going on in my life and how interesting the story actually is. This book was just…SO GOOD.

Where’d Ya Go, Bernadette is a story told through letters, e-mail correspondence, conversation transcripts, and the narration of one Balakrishna (better known as “Bee”) Branch, a 15 year old using everything she can get her hands on to solve the strange disappearance of her mother, Bernadette Fox. Calling Bernadette quirky would be putting it lightly. She is utterly antisocial (she refuses to deal with the “gnats” who send their children to the same school as Bee, rarely leaves the house and relies on a virtual assistant through an Indian outsourcing website to do pretty much everything for her), an insomniac who goes days upon days without showering, and loathing every inch and aspect of Seattle, Washington, where her family lives (her husband, Bee’s father, works for Microsoft, one of the reasons they moved up there). Through the emails and letters, we get a glimpse into the downward spiral her life has suddenly taken, all thanks to a looming cruise to Antarctica that Bee has requested after receiving perfect grades.

I don’t want to share much else about the book, but it just covers a whole mess of lovely topics. It’s a truly funny book, and I love the way it was written, with the toss-ups between correspondence and narration of how Bee saw things. Bernadette clearly suffers from some mental issues, and I like the way Semple handled it. Then, of course, the book contains the main mystery of wondering what happened to Bernadette.

I am so happy I read this book, my friend got it for me for Christmas so props to him, and I would recommend it to any and everyone!

Top that, 50 other books I’m going to read this year! (I hope so…)

Recent Reads: The Last Werewolf

I’d been looking to read The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan for quite a while now. I remember seeing a review of the book in
Entertainment Weekly, and even though it wasn’t an A+, my love for the supernatural was enough to pique my interest.
One of my favorite bloggers had read it too, and that had me equally interested.
I kept putting it off, considering it came out in the summer of 2011 and I only just read it now. But something pulled me to it and I finally borrowed a copy from the library a couple of Saturdays ago.

The title is a vague description of the story. Jake Marlowe is the last living werewolf on Earth. He had never made lycanthrope comrades, but the fact that he is the last one alive, thanks to the World Organization for the Control of Occult Phenomena (WOCOP), who have been hunting and killing each werewolf until there are none. Jake is our narrator, the story a form of a diary in which he tells the tale of his life…the bite, his first kill, and the continued debate to fight to live or die because, after 200 years on Earth (they live until about 400),
he is getting quite bored.

Instead of the usual blood, sex, and ownership that comes with a lot of supernatural creatures (think the vamps in True Blood, who have no problems with being who they are), Jake fights regularly with what he has become. Killing is a necessity, and the lives he take stay with him long past their end. Of course, there is plenty of sex as well. It’s quite sexy, the book. Just a warning, Duncan is not shy of using the “C words”.

Though I enjoyed parts of the novel, especially most of the second half, it was difficult for me to read. Jake is 201 years old, so he knows and speaks from a time that is not something I know much about. He is well-educated and eloquent with language, thanks to his long life. He is very philosophical about his existence, and while I appreciated that angle, I found it very long-winded, which distracted me from the plot.

This isn’t just a book about a badass werewolf who owns the creature within. It’s a man who was made something else against his will, something he simply cannot fight (though he has tried), and has had to accept the horrible deeds he’s done, has had to move from place to place to escape the WOCOP and the potential of being caught for his murders, and has lived the majority of his life completely alone.

Jake isn’t really proud of his lycanthropy, which makes this a very interesting take on the usual supernatural stories.
If you’re looking for some heavy reading with a lunatic twist, this would be a good book for you.

Recent Reads: Before I Die

I didn’t hear about Before I Die by Jenny Downham until I saw the trailer for the movie adaptation (they’re calling it Now is Good).
The book was published in 2007, so I do realize that I’m very far behind. But I liked the preview of the movie, and I was glad to see it was a book. If I know there’s a book adaptation of a movie that strikes my fancy, I’ll try and read first.

Obviously, I knew going into this book that I’d be going into a dark, sad place.
Tessa is a 16 year old girl who is dying of leukemia. It’s not a matter of fighting or finding a fix anymore…nothing is working.
She is facing death, but instead of simply wasting away in her bedroom, she decides to tackle a list of things she longs to do before she dies. They include things that a normal teen is curious about…sex, drugs, etc. It’s very #YOLO.

The list is an important part of the story, but Tessa is our narrator, and we get to experience her illness and the way she deals with it, her strong moments and her weak moments. At times, she is accepting of her death. Other times, she is in denial.
And then, of course, she is afraid.
The next chapter might be weeks after the last, either because Tessa couldn’t get out of bed or was hospitalized.
It’s not a journal account, but being that she is telling us the story, we only get to experience what she does.

The material is undoubtedly heavy, but the story rings true all the same.
We all die. I’m not trying to say that to bring any readers down.
But the point is celebrating each moment in life. The good, the bad, the crazy, and the most simple.
It’s about appreciating what we have and having the courage to strive for the things we don’t have.

I love that Tessa tells the story. I wasn’t sure how the end would be handled, how the story would close.
But it was beautiful. I didn’t cry when I read it, but when I tried to read it out loud to my sister (she was curious), I couldn’t do it without choking up and eventually just handed it over to her. Jenny Downham did an amazing job.

This was a lovely, beautiful, heart breaking book, and it was super-easy to read. I finished it in less than a week, which is fast for me.
I would recommend it if only to look into the world of illness, of impending death, and the true appreciation of life.

Recent Reads: Gone Girl

Welcome to a new feature on the blog…Recent Reads!
At least, I want it to be a continuous thing. I’ll showcase noteworthy books I’ve recently read (obviously)
and let ya know if I feel you should take the time out to read them or not!

I’m starting with Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. I first heard of the book the way I hear about most books these days…my favorite magazine Entertainment Weekly. They gave it a rave review, and shrouded the story in enough intrigue and mystery to get me curious. The thing is, this book would be categorized as a Mystery/Crime Thriller, something I don’t usually read. But I was willing to open my mind and check out this bestseller. I purchased the actual hardcover (it was only a dollar more than buying it on the Kindle) and deemed it my vacation read.

I can’t even begin to explain the story to anyone who wants to know. And I believe you should read the book knowing as little as possible going in (I also believe you should read this book). I will give you the gist: On the 5th wedding anniversary of Nick and Amy, Nick comes home to find an open door, the house in disarray, and his wife missing. As things go these days, it is often that the finger pointing aims at the husband. The story is told in alternating perspectives – Nick’s present day experiences in the investigation of his missing wife, and Amy through old diary pages…and that’s all I’m going to say!

This book hooked me with the first paragraph. And that’s hard to find sometimes. I read it every spare moment I got and finished it within the week of vacation (I probably would’ve finished it sooner, but I also wanted to have a life and do activities!). There’s so much that goes into this story, it’s hard to believe only one person wrote it, considering the two narratives. It’s a brilliant book and I just want everyone to read it so I finally have someone to talk about it!

I declare this book a Must-Read!

YA Love

Though Brad teases me for reading Young Adult novels (and that I’m often excitable and moody like a 14 year old),I refuse to stop being the way I am. I’m not saying that I restrict my reading to the 13-19 section, but there are a lot of gems in YA that shouldn’t be ignored! I’ve just gone on a bit of a stint with a few teenage-centric novels and I thought I’d share my favorites/opinions with you.

This was my second John Green book (the first being The Fault in Our Stars, the most recent critically-adored novel by the Printz award winning author). I kept looking through his works and trying to decide if I wanted to read another one. I am so glad I did. Though I’ve read three of his books so far, this one is my favorite. It might actually be one of my favorite books ever. The story is about a teenage boy (Miles a.k.a. Pudge) obsessed with famous last words who decides to attend a boarding school in an attempt to make friends and change his rather boring life. Friends come quickly for him, including the beautiful, confused, funny Alaska Young. What happens next is best left unknown to the reader. But it’s written so well. Brutally honest, raw, with all the confusion of hormones and heartbreak, and a heavy dose of existential and philosophical questions.  I can’t even describe it because I knew nothing of it while I was doing, and I’m so glad I didn’t.
This is a beautiful book I would recommend to anyone.

I literally finished this book yesterday. It was a quick read, but I enjoyed every part of it. The story is told in the form of a long letter, written by Min to her now-ex Ed. The entirety of their relationship is covered in this letter, which is basically Min’s “Eff you!” to Ed. The book is lightly illustrated with pictures of items that defined the special moments in their relationship, which all end up in a box that gets tossed on Ed’s front porch with the letter. Going in, you know the relationship is over. But that didn’t keep it from breaking my heart. I loved it’s honesty, it’s run-on form of writing like a real girl would do in her moment of anger and sadness.
Anyone who has gone through a break-up (whether its first love or not) will relate to this story.

You’re probably thinking “Been there, done that” but I honestly didn’t read this book until a couple of weeks ago. And I probably wouldn’t have read it if I hadn’t seen the trailer for the movie, reminding me of it’s existence and piquing my interest. I tried to read this back in college. I think I made it through two pages and got bored. I didn’t let that keep me away from trying again. I wasn’t a big recreational reader in college anyway. So I went for it. It was another easy read, and hit a lot of aspects of life (suicide, homosexuality, drug use, sexual abuse)that might not have been talked about so openly when it was released back in 1999 (or when the book actually takes place, in 1991-1992). I honestly am not sure how the movie will turn out, but I’m definitely going to see it. I know this book has some avid fans. However, I appreciated Looking for Alaska so much more (John Green NEEDS to have one of his books adapted into a movie already). Since this book was written in letter (kinda diary-esque) format in the language of a 15 year old boy, it reminded me a lot of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which was narrated by a 9 year old boy. And that kind of bothered me because he seemed so much younger than I would’ve thought. Then again, maybe teens are too witty for their own good these days? I don’t know.

So those are some of the books I’ve been reading lately. I’m up for any recommendations you might have!

In Their Defense…

Is it just me, or does everyone get a little defensive when something they enjoy gets criticized? My sister makes fun of me and calls me the
PR person of whatever I love at the moment that people seem to dislike. But that’s the case with everything. You like something or you don’t. Simple as that. It’s just funny, though, that some recent things I enjoy have had strong opinions in both directions.

I thought I’d share my feelings about these things I adore, and why I think they deserve a little love.

Lana Del Rey

I fell in love with Lana Del Rey’s two blog-hyped songs (Video Games and Blue Jeans) at the beginning of the year, thanks to my sister. I loved the beautiful music and the interesting, funky lyrics. The songs were intoxicating, and they quickly got stuck in my head. I couldn’t wait for her full length album to come out. But then, she appeared on Saturday Night Live and, much to the dismay of this fan, basically got dumped on for her weak performance and awkward stage presence. Add her previous failed attempt at becoming a recording artist (look up Lizzie Grant) and her fast breakthrough into mainstream, and people were hating her all over the place.

I love her voice and I adore the album. I can sing all the lyrics to the songs because I’ve listened to them so much.
And I admit it, they aren’t the best, smartest, or most original lyrics. A lot of the music is the same thing over and over.
But she has a style and she goes with it. It’s a little cheesy and tacky at times, but she owns it.
And whatever happened before doesn’t matter to me. There are very many celebrities who do not use their real name, who have had failed record label attempts and came back with a new style that worked for that time(coughKATY PERRYcough, who went from Christian music to whipped cream bras). There’s music for all ears. But perhaps the drama is what makes her that much more appealing?
I stand by her.

Girls

I knew I was going to love HBO’s show Girls before I even saw the first episode. I follow creator/writer/director/actress Lena Dunham on Twitter and I think she is one of the funniest, most relatable women (girls?) on the planet. I saw her movie Tiny Furniture and fell even more in love.We are only 4 episodes into the show, but I’m in for the long haul. It’s just what the doctor ordered for someone like me.
Unfortunately, the show is catching a lot of flack for it’s lack of racial diversity and for the fact that every actress on the show has a parent who is famous for something in the artsy/TV/movie world. I refuse to get mad about the “nepotism” that everyone is freaking out about. That is how the world works. In any business, it’s about the people you know, whether you want to act and direct or be a lawyer or doctor. If you wanted to get into show business, and you had an in, wouldn’t you use it?

Regardless, the show is so funny and honest and well-written. It is what it is.
When I’m watching it, I’m not thinking about the parents of the actresses.
I’m engaging in the story, laughing at the embarrassing things these ladies (and, in actuality, we) do.
As for racial diversity, this will always be an issue and people will always be unsatisfied. It’s an unfortunate truth.

Fifty Shades of Grey

It’s the issue of Entertainment Weekly you see above that led me to read the entire Fifty Shades trilogy. I suppose if I didn’t like it, I could’ve stopped after the first book or even the first few chapters. But I didn’t. I got sucked in. I ignored the not-so-great, repetitive writing style that sometimes made me cringe for the racy scenes that made reading all of the books so damn worth it.

This was my first “erotic” book, and it will probably be my last. It was silly at times, but titillating all the same.
But of course, we have the lovers and the haters.

It doesn’t help that the book spurred off from Twilight fan fiction (yes, I like Twilight), which already faces tons of criticism. But add in the lacking writing style and the sadomasochistic sex and you have yourself a nice little controversy in your hand.
People have issues that it is a NY Times Bestseller. Guess what? Just like a crappy movie makes it to the top of the box office, so will a book.
And here’s the scoop: There aren’t many women who are going to go ahead and order porn and toys and stuff. For the ladies, sexuality is as much mental and emotional as it is physical. This book does a good job of stirring the senses. So, it might not be worthy of the Pulitzer, but it’s a fun, easy, fluffy, sexy read perfect for bedtime or beach time.

Patience, Confidence, and Other Things I Lack

Recently, I purchased the book above and, though I’m only a small portion in, I must admit I’m overwhelmed.
It’s been a while since I really picked up my DSLR (or any of my cameras, for that matter) and had some fun. What used to be on me at all times has fallen by the wayside. This book, though, is helping me.

A huge reason (if not the main reason) I stopped taking pictures is that I had absolutely no confidence in the images I took. I bought a DSLR (an entry-level one, because I know I would be nowhere near ready for anything fancy, and besides this is a hobby for me) in the hopes that I would improve my photography even more. Instead, I became extremely intimidated by the object. I still used it, still do, and prefer to keep it on the Program setting and hope for the best, focusing on post-production. But when I saw this book staring at me from the shelf, something hit me. I wanted to buy it, wanted to read it, and wanted to learn from it.

The fact of the matter is, I have a lot to learn. I never thought buying a fancy, more expensive camera would make me a photographer all the sudden. And I never really wanted to become a photographer. What I wanted was to capture the sweet moments in life, the pretty things I found, the memories I wanted to keep and to share them with friends, family, the blog, and my walls. I fell in love with “photography” (if you want to use the term loosely) because of blogs like Rockstar Diaries and A Beautiful Mess. I bought a Holga because of the photos Taza took.
I admired the beauty they created out of everyday life and I wanted to do that for myself.
I guess I just assumed it would be easy.
It isn’t easy. It’s something you have to learn, to hone, just like anything else in this world.

I am impatient. I am lazy. I am stubborn. I am easily discouraged.
I wasn’t grasping the concept. I didn’t want to read the manual. It bored me to tears.
I let the amazing work of my boyfriend and the continued gorgeous photos from my favorite blogs discourage me instead of encourage me.
I felt like everyone had something I didn’t.

Some people are born with it, sure. But everyone has to learn somehow.
Whether it’s through reading or classes or trial and error. I didn’t have the patience or drive for anything.

I have so much more of this book to read and so much more to actually try. I have to take out the camera and test different shots and really play with the manual settings and learn what I like and don’t like, what works and what doesn’t work. It’s not going to do it by itself.
I won’t get the photos I want if I don’t take charge.

I know it’s silly, but reading this book feels like reading a really fun textbook. I’m enjoying myself but I am learning so much and it’s like my brain is exploding with knowledge that needs to be put to use. And I must do that soon. You know how I said I’m lazy? Well, that needs to stop. It’s funny…when I actually try at something, I feel better and I do better. This may seem like a silly example, but I used to hate bowling and mini-golf. Bowling is one of my favorite things to do nowadays. I always hated it because I believed I sucked at it. But I never really tried when I played, and that’s pretty much why I sucked at it. I’m not amazing by any stretch of the imagination, but now that I actually take the time to angle myself and think about the ball and the pins and the action, I’ve done so much better. I used to throw the ball with the pure knowledge that I suck. During mini-golf, I used to just hit the ball and hope for the best knowing I wouldn’t win anyway. But I realized that thinking about the shot and taking the time to consider my options, I had better odds. I don’t always win at bowling or mini-golf, but now I’m a more confident competitor who has fun and doesn’t feel let down by my poor show. I give it my best.
Now it’s time to do it with this.

Some people make some things look easy, but we all have to start somewhere.
Here we go…

That Time I Made a Choice

For the last little while, I’ve been juggling with the same dilemma. I wrote about it back in November, and it’s been a consistent question in my mind. Ultimately, it was the tax return season that helped me make the choice. And a couple of answered questions and opinions and weigh-ins from the people who know me best. That’s right folks…

…I got a Kindle Fire! I seriously thought about this over and over, weighing all my options. There are several different versions of the Kindle, so I had some choices. Ultimately, I settled on the Fire. It’s an E-Reader and Android Tablet all in one! I haven’t had it for more than a week, but I simply adore it. I can watch videos, look at color graphic novels and magazines, surf the web, and stream music.
And, of course, I can download books in seconds and read right away.

It will definitely take some getting used to reading on the Kindle. I am finishing a book at the moment, so I have yet to actually start one of the books I purchased in my first few days owning le Kindle bebe. I’m excited to start!

I know E-Readers are kind of a sensitive subject. Though the people I know who have Kindles/Nooks really like them, there are just as many people I know who think it’s practically offensive to own one if you truly love books. I get it. I really do. I will always love books. And I still plan on buying books. There are some authors I truly love, some books I truly love, that need to have a place on my future bookshelf to be shared and seen. But for now, I’m happy to embrace this bit of technology. I think it’ll be a great purchase in the long run.

Special credit to my boyfriend for taking/editing these photos that look a whole lot like legitimate Kindle ads haha.

Kindling the Fire: A Debate

As Christmas gets closer, I am being repeatedly asked what I would like for gifts. I’m quite good at making wish lists, but as I’ve gotten older, they’ve gotten simpler, shorter, and maybe a bit more hefty in price. But that’s not the point here. I’ve recently started to wonder about the pros and cons of asking for a Kindle (I’m an Amazon girl, through and through, so I haven’t really considered the Nook…).

As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved reading. My grandparents would give me money, or I’d save up my allowance, and end up at Waldenbooks instead of the clothing or toy departments that most of my family expected me to be in. There have been plenty of times throughout my life that reading fell by the wayside, but I’ve recently really gotten into it again. And I plan on keeping that way. I always make sure to have a book readily available after I’m done with whatever I’m currently reading. Needless to say, I have a lot of books lying around. And since I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon, there will be lots more to come.

I am all about technology. I’m writing this on my laptop, listening to music, with my iPhone by my side in case I need it (for something important, of course, like phone calls, texting, or playing Words with Friends, whatever…). My life kind of revolves around technology. I embrace it. I use it as a way to express myself (as you can see here). I love that it keeps me in touch with people I would otherwise never see. I love that I can read blogs and get inspired. I love that I can shop or pay bills at the push of a button. Life is easy.
And with a Kindle, reading would presumably get a little easier as well.

Where I live, we are slightly lacking in book stores. All the little mom and pop shops and Borders’ closed. We have a
Barnes & Noble, but I happen to think that the books there are extremely overpriced. I occasionally will buy one at Target, but they don’t have as big of a selection as a bookstore would offer. So I started to turn to the used books section on Amazon. I picked up a number of books for just a penny a piece (ok, there’s shipping and handling too, but it’s a huge savings still…plus, recycling!). I have yet to be disappointed by the condition of a book. There were a few with water damage, and I did find a few notes in one…but that was actually fun. It adds to the allure of buying a used book, in my opinion. We are all just sharin’ here.

There are pros, for sure, in owning a Kindle. The instant gratification would probably be number 1 in my mind. When buying used books off the site, you can be waiting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to receive a book in the mail. With the Kindle, if I see something I want to read, I can have it downloaded in the time it takes me to blink an eye (if I blinked a little slower than usual…). It’s light, I can adjust the size of the font if I need to, and I can cart around as many books as I damn well please without breaking my back. When I move, I wouldn’t need to worry about carrying tons and tons of heavy books. I wouldn’t have to worry about losing them, lending them and never getting them back, or, God forbid, have them go up in flames.

HOWEVER, I feel as though the Kindle isn’t for me for so many other reasons. I like to hold a book, to flip through the pages, to see how much I’ve accomplished or how much I have left to go. I, like many others, love the smell.  They are always acceptable (I read at work, and I don’t know if I’d be allowed to use the Kindle). Books are always available. Brad brought up a great point, that books don’t need to be recharged. Books don’t crash on you or need updates. Books have pretty covers, can serve as decoration on a shelf or coffee table, and they can be passed down with friends and families.

As I write this post, I realize that I’m still quite torn. But when it comes down to it, I am all about a literal book. I guess if I happened to somehow receive a Kindle in my life, I wouldn’t be disappointed. But there is just something about owning the book, flipping the pages, placing your bookmark, dog-earing favorite spots…it doesn’t compare.