January 2018 Wrap-Up

Wow, the first month of 2018 is over! I don't know about you, but I've been having a horrible 2018 so far which is partly why this wrap-up took forever to come out (it's all because of one fucking class too). Happily, the only thing that is going well right now is my reading- I didn't read a ton, but I liked almost everything I read this month! That never happens! God, I think I'm becoming like one of those reviewers who gives every book she reads 4-5 stars...

By Light We Knew Our Names by Anne Valente 8/10 (224 pg)
My Review: By Light We Knew Our Names by Anne Valente
  Starting off the month of short stories was By Light We Knew Our Names. This is a debut collection of magical realism short stories, and it does have the same problems that a lot of debut short story collections do- heavy-handed imagery, repetitive themes, better titles than stories- but Valente does have real talent that comes out in this collection, and I'd be interested in checking out her full length novel to see how her writing has improved.

The End of Days by Jenny Erpenbeck 4.5/10 (320 pg)
My Review: The End of Days by Jenny Erpenbeck
  This was my first disappointment of the year, which is a shame. I should love this novel, which is meant to be a sweeping 20th century novel about the many lives and deaths one woman goes through. However, it wasn't very well written and was too confusing for me to enjoy it. Perhaps it's better in its native German, and I still want to read Erpenbeck's Visitation, but likely not for a while.

Love Is a Dog from Hell by Charles Bukowski 9/10 (312 pg)
  The fact that The Buk is one of my favorite poets is something that I don't think I should be too proud of. His detractors say he's pretentious, cynical to the point of trying too hard, and misanthropic, and I can't say I wholly disagree with them but I've always loved his work. He can write the dirtiest poetry and at the same time, can come up with the most lovely turns of phrases I have ever encountered. I was happy that this poetry collection includes two of my favorite poems- the second version of The Crunch and Alone With Everybody. This isn't the most complete collection of his works and certainly doesn't have all of my favorite poems, but it's a great collection, and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in reading Charles Bukowski. 

The Maze at Windermere by Gregory Blake Smith 8.5/10 (352 pg)
My Review: The Maze at Windermere by Gregory Blake Smith
  This was my first and so far, favorite new release this year, and finishing it actually energized me in some way, like it was a sign that it would be a good year. Even better too, because this made my short list of really, really want to read. It's not a perfect book by any means, but it was really enjoyable to read. This is a study of Newport Rhode Island over three centuries as the town grows from a Quaker colony to the old money resort we know it as today.

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma 8/10 (reread) (454 pg)
My Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma (read in Feb 2017)
  I reread this novel after writing my most surprising of 2017 list, because it made me really, really want to read it again. I was in a minor slump the first half of the month and I wanted something kind of ridiculous. And I enjoyed reading it just as much as I did the first time.

Beautiful Star and Other Stories by Andrew Swanston 8/10 (186 pg)
My Review: Beautiful Star & Other Stories by Andrew Swanston
  This is a wonderful collection of short stories tailor-made for the history lover, as each are based off an event that, while interesting, has been mostly forgotten about over the years. It's very easy to read- almost a bit too easy, if I'm being honest- but a perfect one-sitting collection overall. Recommended to any history buff.

The Unfinished World by Amber Sparks 8.5-9/10 (240 pg)
My Review: The Unfinished World by Amber Sparks
  Sparks is one of the most talented magical realism short story writers out there, no contest. And, while I did love her collection of strange and unusual short stories, I didn't love it. Sparks is a masterful writer, and one of the best contemporary technical writers I have ever encountered. Everything she does is right out of a how to write manual. But I couldn't connect with her stories at an emotional level the way the collection wants me to. They have stuck with me since reading, but I wish I was able to connect with them more while actually in the process of reading her collection.

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman 8-8.5/10 (504 pg)
My Review: Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
  I think Neal Shusterman should work for me, because I'm probably going to end up giving him my money for as long as he keeps writing. While it is true that Arc of a Scythe so far isn't my favorite thing he's ever done- it's probably my fourth favorite of his series so far, after Unwind, the Skinjacker trilogy, and the Antsy Bonano books- and if I were to make a list of my favorite Shusterman books it would be pretty far down on the list. That being said, it's Shusterman, so I will read it. Thunderhead is the second Arc of a Scythe book and it's about a utopia society where death has been eradicated.

The Convictions of John Delahunt by Andrew Hughes 5/10 (352 pg)
My Review: The Convictions of John Delahunt by Andrew Hughes
  This was my second disappointment of the month, and I barely remember reading it even though it wasn't that long ago. I picked it up because it seemed like the kind of book I would love given that it's a dark historical fiction novel about the murder of a child in Dublin, with dark humor elements. It's a good story, but not one that's particularly well-told, and I don't really recommend it.

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier 7/10 (203 pg) (reread)
  I was in the mood for a graphic novel and figured, hey, this would do. I don't really have a ton to say about it except that I liked it as much as I did the first time I read it back in 2016.

A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan 9/10 (341 pg)
My Review: A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
  In a month of damn good books, this is my favorite. Which is completely shocking, given that I put one of her other books on my worst of 2017 list. Well, shit, maybe I should give more of the authors on my worst lists another chance. Egan is such an inventive writer, and this novel is when she is at the top of her game. It's fun to read, and is well deserving of its Pulitzer. This novel, for those who somehow haven't heard of it, is about a punk rocker and the people connected to him. 

The Rathbones by Janice Clark 8/10 (384 pg)
My Review: The Rathbones by Janice Clark
  This was my last book of the month, and one that was good and creepy and I liked it plenty. It was dark and creepy and inventive. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, and the Gothic feel was forced in some places, but I really liked the characters and the atmosphere in the book. Of course, given that the book is about a creepy whaling family in Connecticut, it was hard for me not to like it.


Page total: 3,872
Average rating: 7.5-8/10
Genre breakdown: 4 historical fiction
                 2 magical realism
                 1 poetry book
                 1 horror
                 1 graphic novel (memoir)
                 1 dystopian
                 1 contemporary
                 1 romance/chick-lit
Of those 9 were adult, 2 were YA, and 1 was middle grade

I only read 12 books this month, which was expected if low, but I had an average rating of 7.5-8 out of 10! That means I solidly liked every book I read this month! My first review of February will be up soon, so get excited for that. I've got a lot to read in February and we're already 11 days into the month.

January 2017 Wrap-Up

So a confession: I didn't read as much as I wanted too. I mean, sure, I read 12 books (and 1 play), but I usually read more than that. I typically average around 15 books a month, mostly because I'm a fast reader. But I had some personal issues that took time away from my reading so I had to scramble to finish my TBR. Also, at the beginning of the month I was still hungover from my Christmas book readathon during the last week of December in which I read 7 books in 7 days, 3 of which were 400+ pages. So the idea of really reading anything didn't appeal to me too much. But excuses, excuses. Here's what I read:

WARNING: THERE WILL BE MINOR SPOILERS BELOW

Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen 8/10 (358 pg)
2017 was off to a pretty great start thanks to this book. Anna Godbersen, if you can't tell, is a total guilty pleasure author for me, and I was completely hooked on the Bright Young Things series right from the very first page (this is the second book in that series). While I wasn't thrilled with some of the plot points, this book did not feel like a middle book at all to me, and I can't wait to read the last book (I love Astrid, by the way. She's totally Daisy Buchanan and I adore it). Also, this book is written like a (very) watered down F Scott Fitzgerald novel, so how can I not love it?

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams 9/10 (107 pg)

Not much to say about this, except that it’s the aforementioned play and I liked it a lot. Sure, I kind of hated all the characters in it, and Blanche was annoying as all hell, but it was still a really good and quick read.

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood 8/10 (346 pg)
This book was advertised as being if "Lolita was a love story", which are two things don't belong together but regardless, still peaked my interest because I'm twisted. The romance still squicked me out a little, since I firmly believe that under no circumstances should an adult be having sexual relations with a minor. Even if it isn't technically sex, and the minor "consented". I'm not one to get on my moral high horse too often, and my reading tastes should tell you that, but I did not like how positively these kinds of relationships were being portrayed in this book. It was still nicely written and had a cool setting, so I gave it a pretty high rating, even if it did drag at the end and had unnecessary multiple viewpoints. Pretty short, too (or at least it felt short to me), which is always a plus.

One Night in Winter by Simon Sebag Montefiore 8/10 (496 pg)
One Night in Winter was one of those books that felt much shorter than it actually was. I flew through this book, to the point where I was shocked that it actually was over 400 pages. This of course bodes well for my chances of getting to Sashenka in the next month, since that thing's over 500 pages. This book follows a group of teenagers (the children of Soviet royalty) who are placed under suspicion after the deaths of two of their friends during the late 1940s. It was also based on a true story. I really liked this book, even if I wasn't too attached to any of the characters and thought that there was something lacking, though it's hard to put a finger on what. This book was just what I wanted at the time, and I liked it for what it was- a well-researched and engrossing historical fiction novel about Russia. Which, to me, is one of the best kinds of novels.

In the Woods by Tana French 8.5-9/10 (429 pg)
I confess to having read this series a little bit backwards. I actually started with The Trespasser by Tana French, asking for it for Christmas and having no idea that it was part of a series. I read it, and, while it wasn't the best book I ever read, I still really wanted to read more by her. So I picked up the first book in the Dublin Murder Squad series and fell in love. This book follows a detective who is investigating the murder of a young girl, and he thinks the murder is tied to the disappearance of two of his friends when he was a little boy. This time, I gave it the time it deserved to unfold the mystery, which it needs. I keep describing her books as slow-burning, because that's the perfect adjective for them. Don't go in expecting a quick read- enjoy how the story unfolds as you go deeper into the mystery. The awards this book got are well-deserved, and I can't wait to sink my teeth into The Likeness starring the lovely Cassie Maddox. My only complaint is the same one everyone has- that one mystery remained unsolved and the other mystery had kind of anticlimactic ending. But, honestly, it didn’t impact my enjoyment of the book much at all.

I’ll make the rest of these quick because I have reviews up for most of them. If you want to see my complete thoughts, I’ve linked my reviews.

Rumors by Anna Godbersen 7-7.5/10 (423 pg)

My Review: Rumors by Anna Godbersen
A book I actually liked more than I thought I would. I found myself feeling underwhelmed by The Luxe, but after this book I’m honestly really excited to continue on in this series, surprisingly.

Gilt by Katherine Longshore 4.5-5/10 (406 pg)

My Review: Gilt by Katherine Longshore

A mediocre historical fiction about (in theory) Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's 5th wife with too much filler and a narrator that I really didn’t like. However, I was not deterred from reading the rest of the series.

It Takes One by Kate Kessler 3/10 (416 pg)

My Review: It Takes One by Kate Kessler

This book is notable for its completely wasted potential and horrible main character. No, I’m still not over the disappointment of this book. It was advertised as a crime novel starring a criminal psychologist, but ended up being more about the MC's love life than anything else.

Snow in May by Kseniya Melnik 7.5/10 (272 pg)

My Review: Snow in May by Kseniya Melnik

Snow in May was a book of short stories that fell a bit flat for me, but I’m happy I read it nonetheless. This followed a group of people who lived in Magadan, Russia, which used to be a gateway to a Stalinist labor camp.

All That Is Solid Melts into Air by Darragh McKeon 8.5/10 (464 pg)

My Review: All That Is Solid Melts into Air by Darragh McKeon

A fantastic novel that was perfect for when I read it. I was actually a little apprehensive to read it, but ended up loving it, as is the way of most books like this. This is about many things- a piano prodigy, a young Belarusian boy, and a doctor sent to deal with the Chernobyl disaster.

Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter 9/10 (128 pg)

My Review: Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter

This literary fiction novel is hard to write about, but worth picking up just for the emotional impact that came out of it.

Damage Done by Amanda Panitch (reread) (old rating: 9/10, new rating: I don't know; maybe 8-8.5/10) (320 pg)

I have been wanting to reread this book for a while now, and recently got my own copy to do just that. I remember reading this book for the first time, and sitting in my bedroom being completely engrossed in the story, unable to stop reading. When I finished the book, I lifted my head up, shook it a few times to get rid of the hazy book fog I was in, and decided I loved it. If I had been in the habit of making Best Of lists back in 2015 this would have been a sure-shot on there. Now, I'm not so sure. I still really liked this book, but I wasn't as in love with it as I was when I first read it. It was still a quick read (for me at least), and I loved Julia's twisted relationship with her brother, but as a whole this book was a lot slower than I remember it being and with way too much building up of her relationship with Michael (thought his name was Finn for some reason- it's been a few years okay don't judge me). I still like it more than I like most YA thrillers, and I am looking forward to Panitch’s other book, which is on my February TBR, but I’m not expecting great things.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 8.5-9/10 (337 pg)

My Review: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

A great end to a great reading month, and another book well worth its buzz. It was a complete impulse buy for me, but in retrospect I’m still happy I bought it. This book is about a grumpy old guy who learns that there is more life left to live, even after the death of his beloved wife.

Page total: 4,502

Average rating: 7.5/10 (rounded down)
Genre breakdown: 6 historical fiction books
3 mystery-thrillers
2 contemporaries 1 magical realism/surrealism
1 play
Of those, 9 were adult and 4 were YA

Overall, January was a great reading month for me and a great start to the new year. Now, I've got tons of books on my list for this month, so I'd better get started. My next review will be up soonish, I hope.