August 2010
5 posts
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The third and final book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay is solid. Perhaps the bloodiest of all the novels, Collins juxtaposition of media and war is clearest here. Collins forces her readers to reexamine mindless reality t.v. and even the news’ “if it bleeds, it leads” motto. I think most spectacularly, Collins has written a series that is for teens and adults,...
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
This is the 2nd book in the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins and BOW HOWDY, it is good. Sure, the pacing is slow in some places and whirlwind fast at others, but Catching Fire does not suffer from middle book syndrome. That is, Catching Fire is not all filler while the first book was action and exposition and the action in the final book. Whereas the first book, Hunger Games, is...
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Oh Suzanne Collins, I see what you did there. You made a sci-fi story in a distant future broken apart America where death, media sponsors, and celebrity come together. Where annually, teenagers get thrown into an arena to battle to the death to show the citizens who controls them. So topical and timely, you are, Suzanne Collins. Katniss, our badass heroine, is fighting for her life in the...
The Mysterious Benedict Society & The Perilous...
The 2nd & 3rd books in the Mysterious Benedict Society series. I found myself underwhelmed by these books because the author sets you up for certain outcomes and takes you there, but doesn’t necessarily flesh out the plot or ideas fully. Certainly, the balance of obvious conclusions with less predictable explanations is a fine line between giving your reader what they want and still...
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee...
A friend pressed this book into my hand and said, “Read this.” Not emphatically or anything, just “Hey, read this.” So I did because I like: puzzles, mysteries, and YA fiction. Do you like these things? If you do, then read this book (and perhaps the sequels, which I am now reading.) If you don’t like those things, then I’m not sure why you’re reading...
July 2010
2 posts
Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Generally, I’m not a fan of stories with unreliable narrators, but NPR said that Liar was an overlooked book of 2009, so I decided to give it try. (The NPR reviewer also said she wasn’t a fan of unreliable narrators and she enjoyed this novel, so I thought I’d at least try it.) Micah, the unreliable narrator of this novel, is a liar. About anything, about everything. And...
The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray
Book 1: A Great and Terrible Beauty
Book 2: Rebel Angels
Book 3: The Sweet Far Thing
Imagine Pride & Prejudice meets Harry Potter meets Dead Poet’s Society and you have the Gemma Doyle trilogy. Libba Bray has crafted this imaginative, lovely story of Miss Gemma Doyle, the 17 year old heroine of this Victorian era. I may have a soft spot for Libba Bray, who lives in my neighborhood,...
June 2010
1 post
Percy Jackson Books 1 - 5 by Rick Riordan
Oh Percy Jackson. You filled a hole in my heart that’s been empty since the end of Harry Potter. This is a great series based on the gods of Greek mythology set in present day New York City. My only regret is that I whipped through the series so quickly that I am longing for more. Rick Riordan is a master of cliffhanger endings and he crafts this series thoughtfully, however, there are...
January 2010
5 posts
Book #48: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them...
This is a companion to Harry Potter and the Quidditch history. See my review of the Quidditch book.
Book #47: Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K....
A Harry Potter companion book! Perhaps you were curious about the long storied history of the game Quidditch from the Harry Potter series. If you were, then you should read this book. If you are not concerned about the history of Quidditch, then….skip this one. J.K. Rowling astounds me with the level of details that she has hammered out in the Harry Potter world and this book proved that...
Book #46: The Underachiever's Manifesto by Ray...
I found this book at the vacation home we stayed at over New Year’s. Witty and dry, but actually some decent advice. Don’t be a perfectionist because nobody is perfect. But don’t be a lazy bum either because that won’t get you anywhere. Beyond the satire of this self-help book, Bennett’s message is all about moderation. And I can support that.
Book #45: My French Whore by Gene Wilder
A lovely, but forgettable romance story that takes place during World War I. Gene Wilder (yes, that Gene Wilder) writes a heartbreaking, but lovely love story. This is a quick read, but not a MUST read. But a nice read.
Book #44: Push by Sapphire
I have not seen Precious yet. But oh my, this book was challenging. Not on a comprehension level, but emotionally. Your heart hurts reading this story about a teenage girl that is trying to break out of a world where she has been abused her whole life. And she just keeps getting shit on. The story is incredibly well written, but don’t come looking for a good feeling story. This is not...
December 2009
3 posts
Book #43: Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco...
Another book from NPR’s Best YA Fiction of 2009 list. Though classified as YA, Marcelo’s story rings true for adults as well. Marcelo is a young man who falls close to Asperger’s on the autism spectrum and the story takes off when his father insists that Marcelo get a summer job at his law firm. Marcelo suddenly finds himself navigating situations, questioning his beliefs, and...
Book #42: Everything Matters! by Ron Currie Jr.
Oh, this book! Found it on one of NPR’s best of 2009 lists. The premise and style of writing has a very Tom Robbins-esque quality to it, but the story Ron Currie tells is far more classic than anything Mr. Robbins would write. I was captivated by the story, but wished the author had used less hyperbole to illustrate his point. As one reviewer wrote, there is major geography between...
Book #41: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
This book was on NPR’s top YA Fiction books for 2009 recently, and the brief description intrigued me: a young girl growing up in NYC in the 1970s finds her life has changed the day her best friend gets punched and her mom learns she’ll appear on the $20,000 pyramid. Stead crafts a great science mystery, without creating a science fiction novel. Its clear that Stead takes great...
October 2009
1 post
Book #40: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
This book begins with a terrible, scary tragic crime. The back cover of The Lovely Bones promised that by the end I would feel uplifted, but quite frankly, I found the whole book depressing from start to finish. Then again, as I was looking for an easy read, crime/mystery novel at Target on vacation last week, I thought this fit the bill, and it really didn’t, so perhaps that’s where...
August 2009
2 posts
Book #39: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian...
Don’t let the 500 page size of this book intimidate you. More than half the book is drawings that tell the story of orphan, thief, and clock keeper, Hugo Cabret. I adored this story so very much. Whimsical and lovely, Selznick captures this dreamy world of steampunk and plops it into old timey Paris. Yes, yes, do check this one out.
Book #38: Once Again to Zelda by Marlene...
This book was light and fluffy and airy. The author gives lovely little anecdotes about authors and the dedications in their novels. Most are pretty straight forward bios of the author and the person(s) the book is dedicated to. I liked this book, but I found it difficult to read from cover to cover. I read other books while reading this one because I could really only read a few chapters at a...
July 2009
2 posts
Book #37: Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Initially, I was ashamed to be seen reading this book in public. I don’t know why, but I’d rather that people on the subway thought I read Harry Potter before the memoir equivalent of chick lit. Um, okay, so this book was enjoyable and fine. There are no secrets to the universe in here, and I wouldn’t even say there’s much pop-religion in here either. This book did...
Book #36: The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta
I loved Election (the book, the movie was alright). I must have read it about 7 times a few years ago. Maybe that’s why I thought The Abstinence Teacher was such a huge disappointment. Boring: no plot, no character growth, and hardly what I’d classify as character study either. Perrotta gets so lost in his message, that whatever point he’s trying to make gets muddled into...
June 2009
2 posts
Book #35: Here is New York by E.B. White
This is really more a long essay, than book, easily read in one sitting. E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web, wrote this beautiful love letter to New York City in 1949 and so much of what he wrote then still rings true 60 years later, despite NYC’s rapidly changing landscape. If you have ever lived in NYC, want to live in NYC, love NYC, or currently live here, you should read this...
Book #34: The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster
Oh Paul Auster, you really know how to stick to what you know. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked this book, but well….everything about it is SO PAUL AUSTER. In a good way. In a way that makes me wonder if he knows how to write without using those thematic settings- Vermont, lonely old guy, self-autobiographical. But Brooklyn Follies takes place in my neighborhood, so bonus points....
May 2009
7 posts
Book #33: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the...
What a clever idea for a story. Told from the perspective of an autistic 15 year old boy, there is something very endearing about this book. Its impressive how realistically Haddon creates the world as seen by an autistic person. This isn’t a mystery novel (as the back cover would have you believe), but it is a quick read and well worth it.
Book #32: Q&A by Vikas Swarup
Hey! Did you see that movie Slumdog Millionaire? Yeah! That movie is based on this novel. The premise is the same (18 year old waiter from Mumbai is accused of cheating), but that is where the similarities end. Slumdog Millionaire made for great cinema, but Q&A is far more literary and less linear than the movie. I enjoyed reading this book, but the author’s focus on luck and how...
Book #31: Maynard & Jennica by Rudolph Delson
The story of two people just trying to make it through life and love and the New York subway system in the 21st century, as told by an incredibly large cast of characters. This book toes the lines of being cute, but never ever comes across as trite or vapid. The characters are flawed, but likable. Delson tells the story from a variety of perspectives and it adds to the humour that the same...
Book #30: Love Is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield
Oh my oh my. I was not expecting this book to be so heart wrenching. Completely honest in his story, Sheffield recounts his love story with his wife- this bouncy, strong, creative lady who you want to grab onto and be best friends with for the rest of your days. This book’s main flaw is that I wanted more: more about the significance of the songs on the mix tapes, more about his wife,...
Book #29: The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love by...
I read this book at the recommendation of my favorite Southern Lady, Erica. Its not a book of advice so much as life philosophy of Southern Ladies in this modern age. It was funny and fun and reminded me to stop caring so much about junk and start doing what makes me happy. Boys, you won’t read this book. Ladies, this is a good book for the beach or the park or easy summer reading.
Book #28: The White Mountains by John Christopher
Post-apocalyptic sci-fi YA fiction at its best. Really, this book was excellent. Christopher has an amazing way of creating a world where you aren’t sure if its the distant past or the uncertain distant future. This book also speaks to my inner adolescent, desperately trying to simultaneously fit in and stand out, rebelling against doing what we’re always told we’re supposed...
Book #27: Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine...
Now here is a good vampire book (ahemTwilightahem). Second in the Sookie Stackhouse mystery series as well as the basis for the show True Blood. I liked this even better than the first because I didn’t have to muck through all that exposition. I appreciated the author’s straying from the typical WhoDunIt? mystery formula. Fourteen thumbs up on this one.
April 2009
5 posts
Book #26: Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
This book is so full of whimsy and magic and happy glowing positivity. There’s really no plot, except that some magical 16 year old creature named Stargirl bops around small town Pennsylvania and spreads her magic to agorophobics, tomboys, donut sellers, and 6 year olds. This is a YA fiction though, so it is absolutely a quick read. Oh yes, this is the sequel to Stargirl. You could read...
Book #25: Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
See also: my review of Eclipse.
I appreciated the format that she wrote this story in, telling part of the story from another character’s perspective was refreshing. The last third of the book was aggravating because she introduces about 4984723253 new characters and expects me to care about them (I don’t). Meyer is so in love with her characters that she leaves giant gaping plot...
Book #24: Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
This book is about vampires. I thought it was relatively boring. Stephanie Meyer is a terrible writer.
Book #23: New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
Or: Twilight #2. Not gonna lie, this book was absolutely atrociously boring for the middle third. But the last third has set me up because now I am so teenage girl squeal excited to read book 3! I want more mythology from these books and they are so vapid in that regard, no depth. That’s what I get for wanting Harry Potter with vampires, I suppose.
Book #22: The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon
This book is abstract and loopy and despite its short length of 150 pages, it was a beast to get through because I was so busy scratching my head in confusion. Every chapter felt like a different story, which ultimately became a bit frustrating. I wanted to like this book because it sounded not far off from one of my other literary loves, Tom Robbins. I didn’t feel much connection with...
March 2009
6 posts
Book #21: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Okay. So I read this book finally in an effort to be culturally relevant and because my friend MauratheLibrarian is having an adult book group about this book in a few weeks and I don’t like being left out, you know? This book defied my expectations, in that, mostly I had mistakenly believed this book was Harry Potter with vampires. Ha. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Lest you are...
Book #20: Gossip Girl: Only In Your Dreams by...
Perhaps its because I have the upcoming summer on my mind these days, but this installment of Gossip Girl, which follows the teens through the first few joyous weeks of summer, felt like an invigorating breath in this series. School’s out and that definitely mixes things up. Serena’s a movie star, Blair’s a fashionista, Dan’s an exercise freak….things are moving...
Book #19: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
What a lovely book. The title character, Stargirl Caraway, is a non-conformist rara avis who loves to do nice deeds for others. The story focuses on her tumultuous relationshp as a student in a high school where nonconformity is rewarded one day and scorned the the next. Stargirl is a strange intersection of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Big Fish. There is something very adolescent...
Book #15B: Wayside School is Falling Down by Louis...
This book is like the first in the series. And if it is even possible it is more meta and more bizarre. I want to crawl inside Louis Sachar’s brain and see how he thinks up these wacky ideas. Side note: You should read the first book before you read this, the second in the series. If you like that one, then read this one.
Book #18: Gossip Girl: Nothing Can Keep Us...
Okay, okay, okay. I know this is going to be shocking to you: this Gossip Girl book is pretty much like all the others. But! This one features some super fab queers with pet monkey action from Chuck Bass and I liked the focus on Jenny Humphrey in this story, despite that I find her mostly insufferable on the TV show. Blair’s storyline was one they used for the beginning of the 2nd season...
Book #17: Slumberland by Paul Beatty
Fast paced in a highly stylized, racially polarized, and too too hip (in a good way), Slumberland is the story of DJ Darky, a black man who goes to Berlin, Germany to find the jazz musician who can complete his perfect beat, The Schwa. Equal parts reflection on language, music, pop culture, racial tensions, and the intersection of art and politics, Slumberland almost reads like slam poetry....
February 2009
6 posts
Book #16: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
This is a book about vampires. Not THAT book about vampires (though look for a Twilight review at some point this year). This book (and series) are the basis for the new show on HBO, True Blood (a show I haven’t seen and know nothing about except that there are vampires, so I won’t compare the book to show). Dead Until Dark is a true blue mystery that follows anti-heroine Sookie...
Book #15A: Sideways Stories from Wayside School by...
I’m going to consider the three Wayside School books as one book for this year because they really and truly written for children, not young adults or adult-adults. I must admit, I read and adored these books as a kid, and re-reading them now I realize that my opinion of the book has not changed, but also that this was one of my favorites MAKES SO MUCH SENSE. This book is bizarre and very...
Book #14: Graceling by Kristin Cashore
This YA, science fiction novel is not at all what I would expect from the genre. Katsa, the strong willed, ass kicking, tomboy protagonist of Graceling was born with a special power, called a Grace. She is exceptional at killing and her uncle the King has taken advantage of this her entire life. Katsa strikes up an unlikely friendship with Po and this is where the action of the story really...
Book #13: The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
Three densely woven narratives unexpectedly intertwine in this Booker Prize winning novel. Margaret Atwood’s story is told by Iris Chase Griffen, a cold and unaffected narrator, who recounts her wealthy family’s fall from grace. Atwood also weaves a science fiction novel written and post-humously published by the narrator’s sister, in addition to newspaper articles detailing...
Book #12: Gossip Girl: Nobody Does It Better by...
Unexpected alliances, unexpected modeling careers, unexpected falls from stardom….this installment in the Gossip Girl series explores some new drama in over-the-top fashion. Seriously guilty pleasure reading, my friends. These books will make for excellent summer reading- if you don’t mind being spotted on the train reading a Gossip Girl book. xoxo.
Book #11: Gossip Girl: You're The One That I Want...
My most sincere apologies that it has taken me a week to write this book report. This next sentence may shock you: this book is exactly like all of the other Gossip Girl books. If you’ve read my commentary on the first five books in the series, then well, there’s not much explanation required. Scandalous, shocking things happen. The kiddies find out if they were accepted to any...
January 2009
10 posts
Book #10: Gossip Girl: I Like It Like That by...
This is the fifth installment of the Gossip Girl series, and honestly, I’m running out of things to say about these books. Picking up where the fourth book left off, I Like It Like That follows the spoiled Upper East Siders on their Spring Break. Teenagers on Goodreads love this book real hard (one girl wrote a book report on this book which, I’ll admit, I probably would have done in...
Book #9: My Custom Van by Michael Ian Black
Do you adore Michael Ian Black? I bet you do! He was so funny in Wet Hot American Summer and talking about Beanie Babies or whatever on those I love the 1800s shows on VH1. This book of short essays is Michael Ian Black times 4029837513. Though my face is still in tact despite the cover’s promise that the book would blow my mind all over my face, the essays are funny in small doses. This...
Book #8: Samedi the Deafness by Jesse Ball
Everyone else will tell you this book is influenced by Kafka, but between you and me, this book is a lot like that old show, The Prisoner. The book’s unconventional style can be difficult to follow at times, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Ball intended it that way. Ball creates a surreal and paranoid universe (that feels contrived at times), where it is impossible to know who...