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.
The last wrap-up of 2017! Thank God this year is over! I will post an all of 2017 wrap-up and my lists about best/worst/surprising/disappointing soon, but for right now, I have to get this last monthly wrap-up over and done with!
My Review: Marlena by Julia Buntin
Marlena is the most boring book about meth addiction I have ever encountered. I just don't know why, but it completely failed to grab me, perhaps due to the literary nature of it. Which isn't fair to literary novels- I've written many a review praising lit fiction, but Marlena is not an original story and is a boringly unoriginal story at that. But I'm sure that this is another case of it's-not-you-it's-me, and someone else will have much better luck with Marlena.
The Zero and the One by Ryan Ruby 8/10 (255 pg)
My Review: The Zero and the One by Ryan Ruby
I doubt I'll actually recommend this novel- a Brideshead/The Secret History-esque work- to many people. It's too pretentious, too philosophical, too much of a niche book that I don't think anyone I know would be at all interested. And yet, I kind of liked The Zero and the One, about two boys involved in a suicide pact with each other. It's not a very memorable novel, but I did have fun letting it eat my brain.
A Boy in Winter by Rachel Steiffert 8/10 (242 pg)
My Review: A Boy in Winter by Rachel Steiffert
A Boy in Winter, despite its misleading title, is actually mostly about two boys, brothers, as they try to hide from the Nazis in the Ukraine countryside, helped along by a local girl. It's a sweet, snow-day historical fiction read with a satisfying ending, and, though it doesn't feel like the most original work ever, it is worth at least picking up.
The Iran Wars by Jay Solomon 6.5-7/10 (336 pg)
Didn't write a full review for this book because I really don't have much to say about it. It was hard to get through and did not hold my attention as much as it should have. I found it overwhelmingly dry and lacking in intrigue. My favorite parts were the parts where Solomon inserted himself and talked about interviewing the Syrian president and other important figures. Overall though, unless one is really into dry Middle-Eastern history, I wouldn't go for this.
The Revolution of Marina M by Janet Finch 4/10 (816 pg)
My Review: The Revolution of Marina M by Janet Finch
Ugh, my luck has not been strong with new releases this year, and The Revolution of Marina M is proof of that. It's a long, meandering look at the melodramatic life of Marina, a noblewoman, revolutionary, kidnapped concubine, nursemaid, photographer's assistant, dutiful daughter, cult member, whatever the fuck Finch wants her to be for one part of the story. I'd recommend skipping this book, unless you can stomach endless paragraphs of purple prose and paper-thin characters.
The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn 9/10 (469 pg)
My Review: The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn
This is how to write a damn fine nonfiction book. In The Road to Jonestown, Guinn writes a remarkably unbiased account of The Peoples Temple in an attempt to answer the question- where did the People's Temple go so horribly wrong? Recommended for any cult enthusiast.
Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig 8/10 (360 pg)
My Review: Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig
Ginny Moon is one of those seemingly lighthearted but darker on the inside books about a preteen girl with autism and a whole lot of other issues on top of that. The biggest strength of Ginny Moon is the heart behind the novel. I could tell Ludwig cares a lot about doing Ginny justice as a character, and for that I have to recommend this.
If We Were Villains by ML Rio 6/10 (354 pg)
My Review: If We Were Villains by ML Rio
This month, I got super into reading The Secret History knock-offs, and If We Were Villains was a big one. This isn't necessarily a bad book, it just isn't that original a novel. This is about a Shakespearean theater trope at an ultra exclusive art college, and the murder of one of them. If you love The Secret History-type stories and you don't mind it being a little more heavy-handed then others, pick this up. If not, eh, skip it.
Shot-Blue by Jesse Ruddock 5.5/10 (216 pg)
My Review: Shot-Blue by Jesse Ruddock
This is a book for people with a lot of patience for pretty writing and doesn't care much about plot or characters or any other thing that actually makes a story work as a story. It would have been much better if it was a short story or a novella that ended at the first book, since the second book was the downfall of the whole novel. I don't really recommend it.
The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy 7/10 (444 pg)
My Review: The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
I have never read The God of Small Things and, quite frankly, don't have any desire to. But The Ministry of Utmost Happiness intrigued me, being about a transgender woman in India, as well as a whole parade of other colorful characters. It started out so, so strong, but it wasn't consistent in its strengths and lacking in context for any of the things that happened. It was also confusing at times. In the end, I think this would have been a better novel had Roy decided to not make it about Kashmir conflict and stuck with the central story about Anjum.
The Basic Eight by Daniel Handler 5/10 (416 pg)*
My Review: The Basic Eight by Daniel Handler
First started this book back in August, and rather quickly lost the will to go on. Now that I finished it, I wish I just cut my losses and DNFed it. It was almost painfully dated and unfunny, and the characters were too flat. This was a disappointing book, especially given that the author is so famous for being everyone's favorite humor writer.
The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan 7/10 (320 pg)
My Review: The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan
Not my usual taste in books, but I really like the idea of a book being about a person who collects lost things, and writes short stories about them. It's convoluted, sure, and has a lot of other story-arcs, as well as not having the best writing in the world, but I liked reading it a lot, and really loved the interactions between Eustace and Bomber. This is a sweet read for a rainy spring day, with perhaps a glass of lemonade or a mug of tea next to you.
The Night Ocean by Paul la Farge 7/10 (389 pg)
My Review: The Night Ocean by Paul la Farge
I was intrigued by The Night Ocean since March/April, when I read Night Film and wanted to look for other books with the same feeling. This book, which is about a journalist who becomes obsessed with the story of writer HP Lovecraft and his maybe lover Robert Barlow. However, there is a lot of unnecessary backstory and a lot that bogs down the core story. That being said, I did find it entertaining to read, and it was easy for a non-Lovecraft fan to read, so in the end, I liked it, but not enough to recommend it to anyone except to someone who really loved Night Film.
The Lightkeeper's Daughters by Jean Pendziwol 4.5/10 (291 pg)*
My Review: The Lightkeeper's Daughters by Jean Pendziwol
Is this book self-published? Because it feels like it. Regardless, I picked it up because I loved the story behind it- a historical mystery about a lighthouse keeper in the early 20th century on an island on Lake Superior? It feels like something Hannah Kent, one of my favorite historical fiction writers, would write. Unfortunately, Kent did not write this, Jean Pendziwol did, and that is the biggest problem I had with this book. It just wasn't a very well written book, and when a book is that poorly written, you need some stellar character building or story planning to redeem the book and this just doesn't have that. I don't recommend it.
Paris in the Present Tense by Mark Helprin 9/10 (394 pg)
My Review: Paris in the Present Tense by Mark Helprin
My favorite book of December and also one of the year! This is why I put off making my top ten lists, because something like this will always happen. Paris in the Present Tense is a beautiful novel about an older man, a French Jew, who is dealing with a sick grandson and also the passage of time and how helpless he feels as a Jew in a highly anti-Semitic country. Highly recommended.
Page total: 5,572
Average rating: 6.5-7/10
Genre breakdown: 5 contemporaries
4 mystery-thrillers
3 historical fiction
2 nonfiction (1 historical, 1 true crime)
1 magical-realism/surrealism
Of those, 14 were adult and 1 was YA
December was an underwhelming month for me, but I am happy this year is over. It hasn't really been a banner year for me, both personal- and book-wise. Oh well. My Year Wrap-Up will come next so I'll talk more about end of the year stuff in that.
Sorry about how long it took this Wrap-Up to come out. I've been busy lately. Anyway, here's what I read in November, which was also a stupidly busy month for me.
Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner 7.5-8/10 (400 pg)
My Review: Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner
I only read two YA books this month, and to be honest, I didn't miss it. I went to the library the other day and found myself staring listlessly at the YA section, halfheartedly stopping to pull a book out and flip through it before putting it back and leaving. I probably won't stop reading YA entirely, and I'll still follow some of my favorite authors, like Markus Zusak and Neal Shusterman, but I don't think I'll really look for it. So what does this have to do with Goodbye Days? Well, because this may be my last YA contemporary for some time. Which is really interesting to think about. My decision has nothing to do with this book, I liked it just fine. Anyway, it's about a boy who lost all three of his best friends in a texting-caused car accident. It's about love and loss and all those immortal themes books enjoy rehashing over and over again. It was okay.
Little Deaths by Emma Flint 2/10 (307 pg)
My Review: Little Deaths by Emma Flint
Not since Missing has there been an easier least favorite book of the month. I could not stand it one little bit. It was like Silent Child without the soap-opera drama that made Silent Child worth reading. I'm sure feminists will love this novel, about a mother accused of murdering her children in the 1960s- based on a true story-, but I did not at all. This will make it fairly high in my worst books of 2017 list, I can feel it.
The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda 5.5/10 (337 pg)
My Review: The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda
I think I've read this story before. In fact, I probably have, and yet I still can't remember this book at all. I think it was about a reporter-turned-teacher whose roommate goes missing? And it turns out said roommate lives a strange double life? Something like that. Whatever. I'd advise you to pass on this one, unless you like psychological thrillers that really don't deserve that title after all.
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne 5.5-6/10 (580 pg)
My Review: The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
This was the month for long ass books, and this was the longest of the long, weighing in at a whopping 580 pages! Being that it follows basically the entirety of a man's life, I kind of expected that it would be a long, often slow novel. It was okay, not something that I would ever wilingly read again, and I left the book feeling underwhelmed by it.
Brain Rules by John Medina 8.5/10 (304 pg)
The main reason why I didn't write a full review for this is because, well, I know nothing about the brain and Medina is a neurologist so this book could be filled with nothing but psychobabble nonsense and I wouldn't know the difference. Regardless, I thought that Medina had a very easy to understand writing style and I liked his little stories. Overall, Brain Rules gets a thumbs up from me. I bet he's honored.
Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens 7/10 (404 pg)
My Review: Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens
I keep wanting to call this book Never Let Me Go. Also, I keep accidentally typing Chevy Chase instead of Chevy Stevens. Which is really funny when you think about it. Anyway, this is a really easy to read thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you sufficiently entertained. For those curious, it's about a woman who leaves her abusive husband with her young daughter. Years later, she begins to believe her ex husband, who has recently been let out of jail, is stalking her. The mystery then goes from there, and if you like generic but, again, easy to read mysteries I'd recommend picking this one up.
A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline 7.5/10 (304 pg)
My Review: A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline
Normally, I'd stay away from books like this, historical fiction novels about real people, but I was intrigued enough by this one that I decided to read it anyway. This is about the woman in Wyeth's most famous painting, Christina's World, which also happens to be one of my favorite paintings, even if I wouldn't count Wyeth as one of my favorite painters. This was a solid book, and one I'd recommend to fans of Kristin Hannah and other women's lit historical fiction writers.
Retribution by Jilliane Hoffman 8-8.5/10 (484 pg)*
My Review: Retribution by Jilliane Hoffman
Jilliane Hoffman's not the best writer I've ever encountered but damn if her books aren't fun to read. This is the first book in her CJ Townsend series, about a female prosecutor in Florida. In this first installment, our main character is introduced as being a survivor of a horrific rape. Years later, she must take down her own rapist before he hurts other women. Reading it is as easy as watching a Law and Order: SVU episode- more serious than a soap opera, but less serious than an ID Channel episode. It's a dark, twisted police procedural, and that's the kind of stuff I love.
Never Let Me Go by Kazou Ishiguro 8.5-9/10 (reread) (288 pg)
Yet another reread from last year! I wanted to read this book again because I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be human lately, mostly because of the stories about the first robot citizen of the world (is robot still PC, or does she prefer the term artificial intelligence? These are questions that keep me up at night). Stories like that bring out the internal Luddite in me. One of the things that have always stuck with me about this story, and something that seemed even more poignant in the wake of the robot citizen thing, is the idea that emotion and especially love is what makes someone human. It's a very literary idea, and one that is simple, but something that I love. I'd be curious to see a think-piece done on Never Let Me Go in the context of the AI revolution, but now is not the time and place for it.
Shallow Graves by Maureen Boyle 8/10 (312 pg)*
My Review: Shallow Graves by Maureen Boyle
My nonfiction book of the month! This is a well-written crime nonfiction novel about a New Bedford MA serial killer, targeting girls with heroin addictions from this small Portuguese-American fishing community. It was short and well-written, though does have kind of an unsatisfactory ending. This should be an easy read for any crime buffs out there.
The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck 9/10 (reread) (208 pg)
My Review: The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck
My reread of this was inspired by the fact that I found a copy of it at Goodwill for $1. This was one of my favorite childhood stories by one of my favorite childhood novelists, and because of that I don't think I can give this one of my usual unbiased reviews. Nostalgia glasses, maybe, but I'd still give this to any 10 or 11 year old interested in history, especially 20th century history.
Brazen by Katherine Longshore 5/10 (524 pg)
My Review: Brazen by Katherine Longshore
Praise the Lord Jesus Hallelujah! I finally finished the Royal Circle series! This is probably the best one of the bunch, which admittedly ain't saying much given that all the other books got 4.5s from me. It's a little depressing that Longshore didn't really appear to grow as a writer much at all over the course of the series. As a whole, I wouldn't really recommend any of these Tudor England YA novels, but I suppose that this one is perfectly passable.
Defending Jacob by William Landley 4.5/10 (422 pg)*
My Review: Defending Jacob by William Landley
If someone is a huge Jodi Picoult fan, then I'm sure they'll love this book, given that it's a legal thriller/family drama about a father who is trying to defend his son who is accused of murder. Despite the fact I didn't actively hate this novel, I despised the narrator as being a stereotypical pig-headed man who refuses to see what's right in front of his eyes, though I admit that if I was ever in Jacob's position, I'd probably want a dad like that, even if he was just doing it for himself. The twist at the end was good, so good I wish it wasn't a twist, but other than that I didn't really like it all that much.
Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski 8.5/10 (286 pg)*
Charles Bukowski is one of my favorite poets, with both Nirvana and The Crunch (the one from Love Is A Dog From Hell) being two of my favorite poems ever. Yet I have never read one of his novels. I figured his books would be raunchy as all hell, and, needless to say, I'm not a raunchy kind of person. And yet, I found myself strangely enjoying Ham on Rye. There's something about it that drew me in, that same grittiness that was what originally drew me to Bukowski's work. This is not the kind of book one should read if he wants something happy. This is the kind of book for someone who wants to read about a miserable, bitter man who has lost all faith in humanity. Which is a kind of character I've been able to relate with lately. Without getting into specifics, 2017 has been a particularly bad year for me, and this is the kind of book I assume one's enjoyment of it will depend on how much one can get behind the main character. I didn't agree with him on everything, but with enough that I ended up really liking this book. Though I admit, some of it may have to do with my soft spot for the Buk.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt 9-9.5/10 (559 pg)
My Review: The Secret History by Donna Tartt
This month, it seems that both the current toppers of my favorite and least favorite books of the year were challenged. Missing by Little Days, and, most surprisingly, Marina by The Secret History, a book I wasn't even expecting to like- though that low standard probably made me enjoy it even more. This book, about a cultish group of friends in college, was just made up of everything I love- character studies, Fitzgerald-esque writing, old fashioned touches- and held my attention almost the entire time reading. I just loved it in a way I hadn't loved a book in quite some time.
Page total: 5,719
Average rating: 7/10 (rounded up by not much)
Genre breakdown: 6 mystery-thrillers
5 historical fiction
2 nonfiction (1 science, 1 true crime)
1 contemporary
1 science fiction
Of those 12 were adult, 2 were YA, and 1 was children's
I'm happy with November, mostly because of how much I got to read even if it was such a hectic month for me. I also read a lot of books that I actually enjoyed, including a book that may make the top of my end of the year favorites- who knows? My first December reviews will go up soon!
*e-books
I'm a little sad October's over since it's my favorite month of the year- of course, when you live in New England it's kind of impossible to not love October, since it's one of those very New England months when the leaves change and apples appear on trees and farms advertise their pumpkin patches and haunted hay rides and you suddenly feel the need to own a white flat-faced Colonial. But enough of that. Here's what I read!
The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner 8.5/10 (reread) (158 pg)*
My Review: The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner
Kicked off this month with a reread of one of my retrospective favorites of 2016. This is one of the best YA funeral home books I've ever read, and one of the few books to actually bring a tear or two to my eyes. This was the first book in my funeral home mini series I had over the course of the month, and ended up remaining as one of my favorites. This book is about a boy who is a sleepwalker haunted by horrific dreams and becomes an apprentice to a local mortician who really takes him under his wing.
Things I'm Seeing Without You by Peter Bognanni 5/10 (332 pg)*
My Review: Things I'm Seeing Without You by Peter Bognanni
It's amazing how quickly an author can fall in my eyes. I was really impressed with The House of Tomorrow, a book that surpassed all my expectations, and avoided many of the pitfalls of YA fiction. With this book, Peter Bognanni has decided to john the ranks of David Arnold and Scott Stambach and Matthew Quick and all the other John Green imitators to write a disappointing teen book, a book that isn't original in the slightest. It's not as bad as, say, Mosquitoland or Every Exquisite Thing, but in comparison to The House of Tomorrow, it was just sad. Things I'm Seeing Without You was the second book in my funeral home mini series since it's about a girl dealing with grief through her father's funeral planning business, though it's done in a horribly inconsistent way.
The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds 8.5/10 (reread) (255 pg)
My Review: The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds
The Boy in the Black Suit is a better book than I remember it to be, something that almost never happens. But damn, Matt Miller is just such a great character, it's hard for me to not love this sweet, short little book about a boy who goes to work in a neighborhood funeral home after his mother died. I'm happy that my funeral home series gave me the chance to revisit it.
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan 4.5/10 (448 pg)
My Review: Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
Well, this wasn't nearly as good as I thought it would be. Manhattan Beach is Jennifer Egan's first foray into historical fiction and it shows, given that this is a hot mess of a book, I'm not quite sure how I stuck with it in fact. It was confusing and not really worth my time in the end. For those still curious, Manhattan Beach is about a girl and her father, the father works in organized crime during the Great Depression and the girl becomes the first female diver during WWII.
The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas 7/10 (327 pg)
My Review: The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas
I don't know how I feel about Kara Thomas now. Admittedly, I was probably jumping the gun when I declared her to be potentially my new favorite YA thriller writer in my Little Monsters review, because I loved that book but this one just wasn't as good as Little Monsters. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Dark Places by Gillian Flynn, with the same basic plot and I liked this one just about as much as Dark Places. This is about girl who is investigating the disappearance of one of her friends, a disappearance that has a lot in common with one of her sister's best friend, who was found murdered shortly after. It was alright, but I look forward to see what's next for Kara Thomas, hoping it's more along the same lines as Little Monsters as opposed to The Darkest Corners.
Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jen Violi 5/10 (326 pg)
My Review: Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jen Violi
I first started reading this book 3 years ago and never finished it. And now, reading the whole thing, I can see why. It just wasn't really what it advertised itself to be and was very much a YA product of its times, reading like a wish-fulfillment novel and had very heavy-handed messages. It just wasn't as deep or subtle as The Dead I Know or as laugh-out-loud funny as The Boy in the Black Suit. The really only redeeming thing about this novel, which is about a girl getting over the death of her father so she decides to pursue a career in mortuary science, is that the ending was really nice.
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami 9/10 (296 pg)
My Review: Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Norwegian Wood is either everyone's favorite or least favorite Murakami book. I haven't read anything else by Murakami, but I loved Norwegian Wood even though I didn't really expect to. Toru and Midori ended up being two of my favorite characters ever, and their exchanges never failed to make me laugh. The way Murakami captured Tokyo in the 60s fascinated me. What else can I say, beyond the fact that I loved it?
The Burning Girl by Claire Messud 6/10 (247 pg)
My Review: The Burning Girl by Claire Messud
Don't be fooled by the pretty writing or seemingly adultness of The Burning Girl, this is a fairly run of the mill story about two friends who find themselves growing apart. This is a tired story and Messud does not do much new with it. While reading I often thought of Emily Fridlund's History of Wolves, and this novel had the same effect as that one for me, except The Burning Girl was less interesting.
Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross 5/10 (323 pg)
My Review: Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross
Sometimes I like to read some fluffy historical fiction just to unwind a bit, and Belle Epoque has been on my radar for a long time, since every time I go to my library that book stared down at me from above the YA Rs-Ss bookcase. I finally picked it up because I really, really wanted to read some historical fiction and this was the only one I could find that wasn't about WWII and I didn't hate the plot. But at the same time, it wasn't really as great as it could have been, and I liked it (or didn't like it) about as much as I liked (or didn't like) Gilt. Belle Epoque is about a girl who works in service where rich women hire plain girls to make themselves look better. Good idea, mediocre execution.
Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult 7/10 (reread) (535 pg)*
Another Picoult reread, because her books are just really easy to reread. I actually remember liking this book more than I did on my reread. In fact, when I read it for the first time I gave it a 9 out of 10 (five stars) a way higher score than it deserved upon rereading. In fact, I actually used to consider it better than My Sister's Keeper, though now I believe that My Sister's Keeper is the superior novel. Picoult is one of those authors who just writes the same book over and over again, whether or not she's successful at it is up to you. To me, her books are great when you don't want to think too much on them, this novel included.
The Courage to Create by Rollo May 8.5/10 (144 pg)
I never wrote a full review for this one because, well, I just forgot too. I read one chapter a week for a 2 months because I found that, as much as I liked the writing style, I couldn't take more than one chapter at a time. Still, I really enjoyed Rollo May's writing and this thoughts on the act of creativity and how it fits into human society. It made me feel inspired to start writing again.
The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester 8.5/10 (reread) (156 pg)*
The Girl Who Could Fly has a very special place in my heart, being one of my favorite books as a child, and also I swear to God Piper and Conrad were my first OTP. I felt the need to reread this book, and was shocked to find out how short it was- when I was a kid, this book seemed like 300 pages. But I still really liked it, mostly because of how surprisingly dark it is for a kids' book (that probably explains why I read the books I do), has a really easy to read writing style, and also there's the nostalgic atmosphere. The darkness and even light body horror in The Girl Who Could Fly led me to novels like Unwind by Neal Shusterman and, later on, books like The Butterfly Garden and Marina, all of which I count among my favorite books to date.
Music of the Ghosts by Vaddey Ratner 8.5/10 (320 pg)
My Review: Music of the Ghosts by Vaddey Ratner
Music of the Ghosts is a gorgeously lyrical novel about Cambodia in the wake of the nightmare that was the Pol Pot regime, something I know very little about. This novel, while it does drag in some places, is also extremely atmospheric with beautiful descriptions of Cambodia and a quietness, a calmness that makes the horrors of the massacre of Cambodians stand out all the more. Highly recommended.
The Last Four Days of Paddy Buckley by Jeremy Massey 8.5-9/10 (304 pg)
My Review: The Last Four Days of Paddy Buckley by Jeremy Massey
If not for Norwegian Wood, this would be my favorite book of the month, because I kind of loved it. It was funny, it was entertaining, it was dark, it was endearing, it was just great. It reminded me a lot of my favorite contemporary novel ever, I Am the Messenger, especially with the characters of Paddy and Ed. This thriller about a guy who works in a funeral home and accidentally runs over a famous mobster, quickly became one of my favorite mysteries ever.
The Museum at the End of the World by John Metcalf 5/10 (DNF) (89/372 pg)
I used my DNF this month on The Museum at the End of the World by John Metcalf, not to be confused with John Metcalfe. I liked the first story okay, but the writing style was extremely confusing and I had a hard time getting into the story at all. It was the kind of book I couldn't focus on at all and yet I was extremely reluctant to actually DNF it. In the end, I just put it down and never picked it back up again. Can't say I'm too sad about that, even if it does have a really great title.
Salaam, Love by Ayesha Mattu and Nura Maznavi 8/10 (248 pg)
My Review: Salaam, Love by Ayesha Mattu and Nura Maznavi
Salaam, Love does an interesting thing in that it captures a group of people who little is said about, except bad things. Muslim men. Whereas Muslim women are often given a voice, Muslim men are regulated to the sidelines. And that's what makes Salaam, Love an interesting read. While I can't say I loved it, though I rarely love anthologies anyway, I still enjoyed reading it and getting into the minds of these Muslim men on their experiences with love.
The Midnight Dance by Nikki Katz 4.5/10 (320 pg)
My Review: The Midnight Dance by Nikki Katz
I've always been captivated by ballet stories, and so The Midnight Dance was an obvious pick up for me, being, or at least I thought it was, a contemporary thriller about a ballet school in Italy. Instead, it was a historical fiction (not the bad part) with some thriller elements but also equally as many steampunk ones, and it was only kind of about ballet- the ballet parts were added on and not really elaborated as to why they were there. I think this was supposed to be a 12 Dancing Princesses retelling of some kind, though it was never really advertised as one. This is a complete miss, and one I'd advise you to pass up on.
The Five Daughters of the Moon by Leena Likitalo 7/10 (256 pg)*
My Review: The Five Daughters of the Moon by Leena Likitalo
My last fiction novel of the month was The Five Daughters of the Moon, a long ass title for a short fantasy novel. I didn't hate this book the way I was expecting to, in fact, I didn't mind it at all. It was a decent enough take on the Russian Revolution and the story behind the Russian Revolution, although admittedly it could have been better. The writing was also better than I thought it would be, although it is quite obviously translated. I guess I'd recommend this Russian-inspired fantasy novel, and it's pretty cheap, too.
The Victorian Book of the Dead by Chris Woodyard 8/10 (360 pg)
My Review: The Victorian Book of the Dead by Chris Woodyard
And for my last book of the month, my Halloween book, The Victorian Book of the Dead, a fun coffee table book about Victorian death practices with some pretty great stories about mourning and also the interesting deaths Victorians managed to succumb to. Highly recommended- it's also got some great illustrations!
Page total: 5,444
Average rating: 6.5/10 (rounded down by not much) (not counting rereads)
Genre breakdown: 6 contemporaries
6 historical fiction
3 nonfiction (1 historical, 1 anthology, 1 psychological)
2 mystery-thrillers
1 fantasy
1 science fiction
Of those 11 were adult, 7 were YA, and 1 was children's
I read 19 books this month, 1 less than I did in September but still better than I have in all summer. I have little hope for November, given that I'll be really busy all month, but I'm hoping to use it as a catch-up month to get to all the books I've been putting off, like Donna Tartt's The Secret History. We'll see how it goes.
*e-books
