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.

Nose in a Book Pt. 2

Back in November, I wrote a post about my need to always have a book on hand. My obsession with books leads to scoping out Kindle daily deals, checking out which to-reads are at the library, and scoping out the best prices on used books. This has allowed me to accumulate quite a few books to add to my library…and the best part is…I STILL HAVEN’T READ ANY OF THEM. I looked at the picture of the books in the last post, and I read 0 of those books.
They are still waiting for me, with the addition of the above.

I pride myself in the fact that I often score my books for great prices. The above books were purchased used (both online and at flea markets), on clearance, or at a discount store. While one book (specifically hardcover) can run you close to thirty bucks, I got all of these for around that same price.

And, of course, the Kindle.
After Christmas, I got a couple of Amazon gift cards and went a little crazy buying books at 2-4 dollars a piece.
That changes the number of unread books from 9 to 19.

Last night, I tweeted that there are three things that I’ll never feel guilty about buying.
1. Nail polish
2. Mugs
3. Books

My growing collection of all of these things is proof.

DNF: When Reading Goes Wrong…

One thing I’m fairly proud of is that I always finish books, even the ones I don’t particularly care for. Sometimes a story picks up speed right when you least it expect it. Sometimes the end makes it all worthwhile. Sometimes the book really does suck and you just move on to the next one. For as many projects I’ve obsessed over, started, and not finished, books are not a part of that. Except. Except….

Last year, near the beginning of my book challenge, I wrote this post about trying to read the book The Brief  Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I had borrowed it from Brad’s brother/sister-in-law (I still have it and you will get it back!) because the author, Junot Diaz, had another critically enjoyed book released around that time that sounded intriguing. If you click the link to Oscar Wao, you’ll see that the book won a bunch of awards…including the Pulitzer! How could you go wrong? Well…I did. I just…could..not..finish…this…book. I was confused for most of it and I didn’t care enough about the characters to remember their stories and it went back and forth in time and I had to google often to translate some of it. It was a lot of work for a book I didn’t care much about…so I stopped reading it and looked it up on Wikipedia to see how it ended. It’s not a proud moment of mine. It’s been almost a year and I still think about it.

DNF: Did Not Finish
This is something I started to see frequently while looking for book reviews on Goodreads. I didn’t know what it meant, so I looked it up. Seeing that a lot of people do this, I have less guilt. Still, I hate the idea of giving up.

I’m reminded of this again because, on a whim, I bought the book Breaking Glass when it was a Kindle Daily Deal. It sounded like an interesting read…a YA psychological thriller. Plus it was super cheap. I started reading it almost immediately. But then…well..I didn’t like it. It is poorly written and it’s slow moving. I’ve read and finished 5 books since I purchased it in November. It’s been on my carousel forever. I’ve finally made the decision to give up.
I’m embarrassed but…no. It’s just not happening. (Sidebar: The first review on Goodreads is a 5 star review…from the author. THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK RATED HER OWN BOOK. HOW IS THAT OKAY? )

I can name the books I’ve never finished because this rarely happens. One of the books I truly gave up on was Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan. According to my Goodreads, I “read” the book. And yes, I read most of it. But I actually skipped pages and tried to read bits and pieces to finish the story so that I would at least knew how it ended.
It’s not really fair, I know. But I hated it. It was recommended by Entertainment Weekly for people who loved Bridesmaids, so I expected humor and coming-of-age with a little bit of drama. Nah. TOO MUCH.
And now, looking at the reviews, 3.3 isn’t bad, but it’s not that great, either.
I also very quickly gave up on The Mortal Instruments:City of Bones because, again, it was slow-going. I also didn’t like the third person writing…it didn’t jive with me. It also hopped right into all this storyline and action and there was so much to learn and I didn’t care enough. I ended up just watching the movie and found it fairly enjoyable.

I’ll finish this post by saying that DNF isn’t always the end-all, be-all because I have the proof that it isn’t.
Maybe one day I’ll read Breaking Glass. I’ll cross whatever hump is in the way and it’ll be smooth sailing and I’ll actually like it. And that’s because…ready for a shocker?…I almost DNF The Hunger Games!!!!!!

I started to read The Hunger Games the summer of 2011. I had heard good things about it and it was set to be the next big YA novel-based movie phenomenon (and duh, it was). In the summer of 2012, I was an extremely anxious and miserable person. I was having panic attacks and ruining my days by worrying. Reading a violent book about young people killing each other, starving, and nearly dying from dehydration (those who read the book might recall the brown urine Katniss experienced while struggling to find water…yeah, that stuck with me). So I gave up, right before Katniss and Rue teamed up. It was making me upset and it wasn’t worth it for me.

The following year, I was finally on some medication for my anxiety and the movie was set to be released in March. I still had the book so I thought…let’s do this. I started from the beginning and right when I hit the part I stopped at, I realized I missed out on such a great story. Post-Rue, things got SO INTENSE. Ultimately, I ended up loving it and reading Catching Fire  (favorite) and Mockingjay and crying when it was all over.

Sometimes, it’s just not the right time for a story. Maybe you’re not strong enough to handle the emotions. Maybe your mind wants to laugh instead of cry, or vice versa. Maybe you need a thrill instead of a quiet novel.
But I guess, ultimately, you can’t be ashamed of the DNF.
There’s always another book to fill the gaps.

Learn What You Love

With the free time I have lately, I’ve been trying to settle down and learn a little. About myself, about things I’d like to do, about things I should do. Of course, I don’t usually end up doing it. I think that if I just jumped right in, it might be easy to stick with a pattern. It’s so hard for me to start, though.

The thing is, I have a bunch of books about things I’d love to learn or work on, not to mention all the resources at my expense on the internet. Books with tips and tricks and helpful assignments, websites with lists and links, and notebooks, pens, and pencils galore. Most of the time, when I can sit down and just think, I end up playing stupid games on my phone or re-watching How I Met Your Mother for the 3rd time. I give myself some credit for writing blog posts. I might not post all of them, but I have a small reserve of saved posts that will work at any given time.

The new goal? Set aside some time to just read and write about the things I love.
I count my recreational reading, as well. Entertainment Weekly helps keep me up to date with great books, music, movies, and TV shows. The Circle by Dave Eggers is my book of the moment.
On the left are two books with writing exercises. I always have a bunch of ideas but execution is, as I’ve mentioned, the hardest part. On the right, a couple of my photography books. I’m still trying to learn about manual settings with my DSLR, not to mention trying to get inspiration to actually use my camera.

Here’s to diving in!

Nose in a Book

It’s impossible for me to go onto Goodreads or sift through my Entertainment Weekly without finding a new book to read. If I had all the time in the world (and, let’s face it, I do have quite a bit of time on my hands right now), I’d read all of them all of the time. My list grows every week…adding new books from a variety of genres. I have this thing where I absolutely hate to be without a book. That doesn’t mean I need to have a book on me at all times…I just have to be reading a book. There has to be one waiting for me on the nightstand, a page marked for my return.
And there always ALWAYS has to be one waiting for me after that. It used to be that I would make sure to have one back up on hand, but my love of books (and Amazon) has left me with an overstock of un-read books.
Security blanket books. I have a list of over 100 (and counting) books to read when that stash depletes.

On the top of the pile in that picture is my Kindle, which currently has 9 unread books on it (one of which is Infinite Jest, a 1000+ page book that was a daily deal and I couldn’t turn it down, even though I’ll probably never get around to it). I have had The Heart Broke In since February and haven’t gotten around to reading it. I’m also putting off the Tropper because it’s the only book of his I haven’t read yet, and I’m sad to be without one for an extended period of time.

As I spend my days trying to figure myself out, it’s been really eye-opening to see what makes me me. Growing up, books were my life, but that died down for a while. My love for reading came back with my job at the credit union (9the only good thing to come out of that place for myself, really) and I’m so glad…I have read so many wonderful books and now I have favorite authors. Things that feel kind of adult and wonderful.
I’ve always said I wanted to be a part of a book club….when will I finally take the plunge and do it?

Earlier this year, I made a challenge to read 52 books…a bit outlandish now that I look back at it. It might have worked out, but life happened…things got in the way, motivation was lost, I’d be too tired to read and my normal reading time got cut. Still, I’ve read over 30 books this year and I’m excited to read some more and see the final total (and try another challenge next year!).

If you interested in what I’m reading before I make a post, or to see what I have read or will be reading, check out my Goodreads profile! If you have a profile, come follow me! I love seeing what everyone is reading and loving.

Recent Reads: Sisterland

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld was a book I added to my To-Read list back in the beginning of summer. Entertainment Weekly (a.k.a. my life source) gave it a B in the reviews, but it also placed it on the top 10 summer reads list. As I mentioned before, my reading got a little stunted for a while, and I was also waiting for it to be made available at the library (it’s still hardcover, so it’s expensive, and I like going to the library anyway. Free books? Yes.). I finally requested it online a couple of weeks ago and got a call in less than 24 hours. Yay!

Sisterland is the story of identical twins Kate and Violet. The story is told from Kate’s perspective and takes place in the fall of 2009, though it jumps back and forth from their youth to 2009. Like many sisters/siblings and especially twins, Kate and Violet have an untouchable bond, that has grown and weakened through the passing of time and the strange upbringing they share. Most importantly, though, is that Kate and Violet share “psychic” capabilities. Both are capable of premonitions, of knowing some facts about the future and about people. Their “powers” also helped find a child who had been kidnapped, through dreams and visions.
Violet has always been in tune and proud of her ESP, but Kate (who was born Daisy) has decided to distance herself from it. But everything gets turned upside down when, after a small Earthquake in their hometown of St. Louis, Violet predicts a bigger, more dangerous one will be coming soon and shares it on the local news. Word spreads, and she becomes fodder for the nation. Kate is embarrassed while trying to keep her family life together, her senses at bay, and her relationship with Violet in a level place.

This started as a slow read for me. When it comes to reading, I’m the type of girl to say, “One more chapter…okay, one more.” But the chapters were often at least 20 pages long, and I’d have a tendency to read right before bed, and I’d fall asleep before I could finish one. On Sunday night (or, technically, Monday morning) I spent over an hour finishing the book. By that point, I had reached the climax, and I was dying to see how things would turn from one page to the next. The book is a slow burner, but it’s enough to keep you interested.

If I had my way, I would’ve focused a lot more both on Kate and Violet’s relationship and their abilities. Maybe it’s because I’d read in such small increments, but it never felt fully formed to me. Then again, with Kate as the narrator, she’s going to want to talk less and less about Violet and her powers as it goes on, the more she pulls away from it all.

I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads, mostly because it was well-written and the story was unique to me.
But it did get a little crazy towards the end, a little unbelievable, and that kept me from fully appreciating it.
Not a bad book, I’m glad I read it, but I don’t feel as compelled to read Sittenfeld’s other works.

Recent Reads: Plan B (Book #21 of 2013)

For my 21st book of the year, I read my 4th Jonathan Tropper book.
Did you know I love his writing?
Yeah. I do.

Plan B is Tropper’s debut novel. I actually love that I haven’t read them in the order of publication…it’s fun seeing the way his writing has changed. However, this book proves that he always has been (and I’m sure always will be) an amazing writer.
I love that a man writing about with a male protagonist can make me, a female who is a fair deal younger than most of his characters, relate.
That’s the most important thing about writing. Whether you’re writing from a boy/girl/man/woman/animal perspective, a good book will keep you hooked, relatable to your own life or not.

Plan B is narrated by Ben, a recent divorced man stuck in a dead-end job. He is 30, completely lost and confused about his life. No idea how he got to that stage so fast and how little he knows compared to what he thought he would know. At his ex-girlfriend/now-friend Lindsay’s 30th birthday party, a few of his friends reunite and it doesn’t exactly go as planned. Jack, their now-famous movie actor friend, is a coke addict who gets into fights with busboys. Chuck is a cocky surgeon who is smarmy about women. And Alison is completely obsessed with Jack, who has been nothing but her friend for 10 years and she can’t accept that fact.

When Jack’s cocaine addiction becomes apparent, Alison tries to devise a plan to help get Jack off of the drugs. An intervention doesn’t work, so they move to plan B (ha ha) which entails kidnapping Jack and bringing him to Alison’s family home in the mountains, locking him in a room, and trying to cut him off cold turkey. The 5 friends actually follow through with this, a crazy idea at best, an illegal one at worst, but a lot of it has to do with the fact that they are all at a crossroads in their life, looking for something to gain for themselves as well.

In typical Tropper fashion, the book is funny and touching and sad and poignant.
I can honestly say that his books aren’t predictable, though they seemingly would be.
I really enjoy his writing and I’m super glad that I still have two more books to read. I’m not ready to have to wait!

Recent Reads: This is What Happy Looks Like (#19 of 2013)

I don’t know why I haven’t been taking photos of each book I’ve read. I thought it would be easier to just search for the cover art and link it to Amazon, but this is actually cuter and easier, because I don’t have to search for it.

Anyway, book #19 of 52 was This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith. It is a YA novel, I guess it could be considered romance?
I will admit right off the bat that I was cheating when I borrowed this from the library. I was feeling behind and I knew a YA read, even if it’s around 400 pages, would be a fairly easy book to clear so I could stay on track (I’m one book behind). Granted, it was on my To-Read list and it got a recommendation from Gayle Forman (who wrote this book that I absolutely adore), so it’s not like I was  just aiming for any easy book. It was released almost 2 months ago and it’s hard to get your hands on a new book at the library, so I jumped at the chance.

The story is about a girl named Ellie and a boy named Graham, who are anonymous e-mail pen pals after Graham mistypes the email of a friend who is looking after his pet pig. Ellie responds, thinking Graham is talking about a dog, and wanting to let him know that he has the wrong person, and doesn’t want to leave anyone hanging if a pet is involved.
From that point, they start a budding communication that lasts over 3 months.

Graham Larkin is an actor, recently starring in a popular trilogy of movies that have made him a star/heartthrob. Ellie O’Neill is a small town girl who works two jobs and lives in a shabby cottage in a little area of Maine. Graham knows where Ellie resides since she disclosed this information, so he pulls some strings to get the latest movie he’s filming to go on location in the same town.
One thing leads to another, and they meet and since they already like each other from the correspondence they…like each other more.
Craziness ensues: You’re a movie star? What if people find out who I am? What will my mom think?
Yada yada.

I have got to say, I didn’t care much for this book. Since the reader doesn’t see much of the correspondence that keeps them so interested in each other (even without knowing each other’s names or what they look like), it’s hard to believe these characters have such a deep connection. The side stories, basically dealing with the characters’ families, don’t completely really flow. And despite the fact that the book alternates chapters to explore the different viewpoints of Graham and Ellie, the entire thing is told in 3rd person. So we never truly know for sure what’s going on in the hearts and minds of these main characters.

And maybe it’s just me, but do people really communicate through e-mail that often? Wouldn’t they have maybe exchanged phone numbers or did some kind of instant messenger or chat? That seems more plausible, but then again, the whole book doesn’t seem completely believable.

It’s not that it’s a bad book, and I kept reading and shocking myself with how far I had gotten in so little time, but in this case, I felt it was a little too young for me. A YA novel doesn’t just have to appeal to young adults. Clearly, it will be about them and appeal to them primarily, but in the case of John Green or Gayle Forman, a good YA book (like any book in general) will appeal to the masses.
This just didn’t do that for me.

Recent Reads: Everything is Perfect When You’re a Liar (Book #16 of 2013)

For the first time ever, I read two books at once. As I read Where We Belong, I read Everything is Perfect When You’re a Liar by Kelly Oxford.
My copy of Everything is Perfect.. is on my Kindle, so I wasn’t able to bring it to work. Usually, I’m okay with just reading my Kindle books at night and making it through the work day somehow (magazines or…I dunno, work? My job is unpredictable, but most often slow).
I knew that wouldn’t be possible, which is why I started reading Emily Giffin. But I decided to continue with Kelly Oxford when at home.
It was fairly easy.

I don’t read more than one book at a time because I like to fully engulf myself in the story and the characters. If I were to read two fictional stories, I would get them all confused. Thankfully, I didn’t have that problem. Kelly Oxford’s book is a collection of short, funny stories about her life. A memoir. I typically enjoy books like this. Kelly Oxford’s book wasn’t bad by any means, but of all the humorous memoirs I’ve read, it wasn’t a particular favorite. I laughed out loud a few times, but I felt like some of the stories went on too long. I would’ve loved to hear more about her adventures in motherhood. Perhaps there will be another book? I’m sure I’ll check it out if there is.

Reading these two books within the week actually helped catch me up on my challenge. I was a couple of books behind, but now I’m right on schedule. Unfortunately, I decided to pick up a book that’s more than 400 pages for my next read…so we will see how that turns out.

For now, it’s nice to be back on top for a while.

Recent Reads: Spin (Book #12 of 2013)

A couple of days ago, I finished book #12 of my challenge. It took longer than I had intended, but I guess that’s to be expected when it’s nearly 400 pages, I’m not completely invested, and then I end up getting a stomach bug in the process.

Spin, written by Catherine McKenzie, was brought to my attention by Amazon recommendations. I did some research on Goodreads and it got higher than 3.5 in reviews (5 is the highest) so I figured I’d give it a go.

Our narrator is Katie, a 30 year old who works as a freelance writer and spends most of her time scrounging for food and drinks at university mixers. Because of this, a few of her friends think she’s 25. And she feels that way…she has yet to lock down a solid job and is stuck in a rut. Until a job opportunity at one of her favorite music magazines arrives. The day before her 30th birthday, she is called in for an interview the next day. She is over-the-moon, and decides to join her friend out for a few drinks to celebrate her birthday and the beginning of an exciting life. The only problem is…a few drinks is not where she stops. When she shows up at the interview the next morning, she is still drunk. She makes a terrible impression, excusing herself to go vomit. She’s hit rock bottom and missed out on her dream job…so she goes into a wine-drinking and couch-squatting tailspin. Suddenly, she’s given a second chance by offering to enter rehab for 30 days to snoop on Hollywood’s It Girl, Amber Sheppard and write a killer exposé at the end of it all. 
She goes and…well, I’d just be ruining the whole thing.

I was kind of excited about this book. I loved the idea of a woman stuck in an ambition-less life, going to rehab thinking she doesn’t need it but gaining something from it. I think this book had a lot of potential to explore some of the deeper issues Katie is dealing with. Instead, it sort of turns into the usual chick-lit with a romantic twist. I was bummed.

I don’t regret reading it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it. Instead of being satisfied, it left me wanting more.

Recent Reads: Paper Towns (#10 of 2013)

Happy Double Digits!

I’ve made it through 10 books this year. According to my Goodreads profile, I’m right on schedule.
I’ve been ahead, I’ve been behind…who knows where I will be after the next 10 books.

My 10th book is Paper Towns by one of my personal favorite authors, John Green.

For Christmas, I received the box set of John Green’s books. I was extremely excited about this present, as A) I hadn’t read one of the books yet and B) I love his books and I only have them on my Kindle (save for Paper Towns) and was happy to add it to my physical bookshelf.
I don’t know why I put off reading Paper Towns…I guess I was sort of scared to close the John Green door until his next book (who knows when…and I don’t 100% count Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which he co-wrote with David Levithan who wrote this book, and I definitely want to read!).

I didn’t expect to love John Green.
My first Green was The Fault in Our Stars, his most recent book that received both critical and reader acclaim. As an avid follower of whatever Entertainment Weekly recommends, I figured it was time to grab a copy. It was one of the first books I purchased on my Kindle last March. I very much enjoyed it, and was ready to embrace another of his books. As I read the descriptions of his 3 other books (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and, of course, Paper Towns), I found myself…un-amused. Nothing hit me. I settled on
Looking for Alaska, which actually ended up being one of the best books I’ve ever read in my 25 years of life. So, my point is, descriptions don’t do the entire books justice. There’s always so much more to the general idea of the story given in one paragraph. I guess that’s the case for most books, but for me, this really applies to Green. No one can actually go ahead and explain how many emotions will be stirred. I laugh, I cry, I get surprised…and man, does this guy have a way with words. I had to keep myself from basically highlighting every page.

Onto the actual book:

Paper Towns is about Quentin Jacobsen, our narrator, and his attempt at solving the mystery of the disappearance of his next-door neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman. As a young boy, he spent tons of time playing with Margo and they happened upon the body of a man who killed himself. They were too young to truly understand what happened, but it had a strong impact on their young lives. Despite this, they grow apart in a comfortable, common way. Margo is the ultra-cool girl who does what she wants (and has disappeared in the past on random adventures) while Quentin spends time with his band member friends, Ben and Radar.
One random night, Margo shows up at Quentin window, begging to use his parents’ car and to complete a mission. Quentin, being his uptight self, is skeptical, but ultimately his attraction to Margo wins him over. They end of having a crazy night filled with mischief and mayhem.
Quentin believes it will be the start of something great…but then Margo doesn’t show up to school the next day…or the next…

What follows is a mixture of mystery and self-discovery and Quentin and his friends try to find Margo, or at the very least find out where she went and why, and learn some pretty great lessons about themselves and how each person sees every person differently.

I don’t even know if I really scratched the surface, but I’ll say this:
Read John Green’s books. I don’t care where you start, but I guarantee you will enjoy them.

Recent Reads: Eleanor and Park (Book #9 of 2013)

I’ve been looking forward to reading Eleanor and Park (Book #9 of 52) since I finished Rainbow Rowell’s first novel, Attachments back in 2011. I didn’t know what her second book would be about, just that I knew I’d be reading it. E&P has been out for a while now, released in the UK spring of last year (I die over this beautiful cover, though I do believe the US cover is a tad more accurate). It finally came out in the US at the end of February, and I already had it preordered so it would arrive the day it came out.  

The book takes place over a school year starting in 1986. Eleanor and Park meet on the school bus, and it is Eleanor’s first day. With her wild red hair, bigger physique, and mismatched thrift store clothes, she’s an instant target for ridicule by the “cool” kids. No one will let her sit on the bus…except for Park. He is immediately embarrassed by her, worried of what people will think and say. Park is a Korean Irish punk who reads comics and is often wearing headphones. Though he refuses to talk to Eleanor, and she isn’t very privy to speak with him either, there is an instant and undeniable connection. What unfolds is a story about first, young love, the confusing emotions, and the fear and frenzy that accompanies these new feelings.

The book is written in third-person, alternating from Eleanor’s life to Park’s life with great ease.
This is important, because the two live very different lives.

At first, I didn’t understand why she made it take place in the 1986…why not keep it modern? Even Attachments took place in 1999…I was worried she’s stuck in the past. But there’s something about the past that makes that young love that much purer. No cell phones or Facebook to distract. Bullying happened in your face, not all over the internet for the world to see. I think that’s why I loved Perks of Being a Wallflower (the movie, as well as the book) so much…but I am digressing and I should share that another day.

I didn’t know much about the book going in. I seriously bought it simply because I enjoyed Rainbow Rowell’s first book (and I will probably enjoy the next). I’m glad I was slightly clueless, because it made it that much more enjoyable. I so easily felt the embarrassment, shyness, and heart-skipping beats of young love…she conveys it so well. I really enjoyed this book, it’s a sweet and entertaining read.

If you’re interested, check out this review of the book by John Green, one of my favorite authors EVER. He’s a man you can trust.

Recent Reads: The Book of Joe (Book #7 of 2013)

When I read my first Jonathan Tropper novel, This is Where I Leave You, I was in love. It was the first time in a long time that both a book and it’s author made an impression on me. I read plenty of enjoyable books, but it’s rare to find an author whose works I consistently enjoy (for the record, I also love John Green and Emily Giffin). There was a potential there for me, and, after reading The Book of Joe, my 3rd Tropper novel (I’m not reading in order of publication, just as a heads up), I can honestly say I am in love with Tropper’s writing.

The Book of Joe was just excellent. I found it hard to explain while reading it, so I’ll attempt a brief summary. Joe Goffman grew up in the town of Bush Falls, Connecticut. Before he turned 13, his mother killed herself by jumping off the cliff at the falls. From that moment on, he has felt supremely disconnected from his father and brother. A series of unfortunate and frustrating events occur during his senior year in high school which cause him to leave Bush Falls, estranging himself from his family and his past. He writes a book about his experiences (deeming it fiction, but everyone in Bush Falls knows better) that becomes a best seller and a hit movie. He quickly becomes a household name, but the people of his hometown are less than thrilled with it. Joe is fine with never returning to Bush Falls (as are the townspeople) again if given the chance, but his father suffers a stroke, and it leads him back home, where he isn’t exactly welcome.

I loved this book. I laughed, I cried. And that seems to be the going theme with Tropper’s novels. Of the three books I’ve read, there are a lot of similar themes…coming of age, self-discovery, death, family, love. I never feel like I’m reading the same book, though. And, while it may seem easy enough to gather what will happen and predict the events, Tropper always seems to keep you surprised and wanting more.

I highly recommend this novel. I highly recommend all three of the books I’ve read, and hopefully the other three I have yet to read.

Recent Reads: Beautiful Creatures (Book #6 of 2013)

Beautiful Creatures, which was co-written by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, is how I chose to hop back on the saddle after this little debacle.
It is book 6/52 and it took me over 10 days to read it. It’s not that it wasn’t good. I found myself a bit busier and more preoccupied. But I also found myself reading a book that is nearly 600 pages after my first real snag in the challenge. That’s a great way to pick back up, eh?

Beautiful Creatures caught my attention because a movie was just released based on the best-selling book. It is the first of a series of 4 books.
I had seen the trailer and commercials and was slightly amused, but after the “Oscar Wao incident” I think I needed something Young Adult, a little fantastical and possibly simple to read. Obviously, I didn’t think about the page count. The reason it’s so damn long is probably because every possible detail is written down, which is both great and exhausting at the same time.

The story is narrated by Ethan Wate, a 16 year old boy who’s mother recently passed away and who simply cannot wait to escape the small-minded small town of Gatlin, South Carolina. His father has become a shut-in since the passing of his mother (car accident) so he is mainly raised by a grandmotherly figure named Amma. When the book starts, Ethan tells us about a recurring dream he has been having in which he is trying the save a girl whose face he can never see. He’s overwhelmed by the reality of these dreams, but keeps them to himself so as to not come across as crazy. But then Lena Duchannes arrives in town, a relative of the shut-in Macon Ravenwood who lives on a manor everyone deems haunted, and everything changes. She is different than the Georgia Peach types that hold court over his high school. And more than they’ll ever know.If you’ve seen the trailer for the movie, then you know that Lena is a Caster, basically a witch, along with the rest of her family. This is all well and good, but she is not yet 16, so she has yet to gain control over her powers. And, the worst part, a curse has been placed on the women of the Duchannes family tree, in which they have no choice whether they will be claimed into the Light or Dark on their 16th birthday. What follows is a mystery to discover what will happen to Lena on her birthday and whether or not a relationship with the mortal Ethan will work out. And of course, tons of other stuff happens, because the book is forever long.

After I read the book, I was ready to see the movie (I went on Sunday) and was shocked at how completely different it was from the book. I know it’s hard to keep a 500+ page book completely intact when translating to the screen. I also know that some things just don’t translate the same. But there were SO MANY CHANGES. Unnecessary ones, too, in my opinion. If you’ve read the book and seen the movie (or are going to see the movie and have already read the book), you should check out this list of 14 things they changed.
In my opinion, it’s one thing to omit some unimportant details, but to change things? So weird.

Anyway, the book was entertaining. The day I finished reading them, the entire series (The Caster Chronicles, as they are known) was on sale on Kindle for 2.99 a piece. I obviously bought the remaining 3 and I do plan on reading them. But I’m going to take a breather for a while.

If you like the paranormal and a good teen romance, I would recommend this book. Considering how long it is, it obviously doesn’t skimp on the details. And there’s a lot more to learn, I suppose, as the books continue. It’s definitely not a favorite, but I don’t regret reading it.

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!