Allegiant

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

I don't hate the book, but I hated the realities of the ending to this story. I suppose when you rise against governments over and over and over and keep surviving, things are bound to one day not go your way.

Part of me wants to hand the trilogy over to all my friends, and part of me wants to throw the third book out the window.

I will say this - I read the first book three times. I still am not sure WHY I loved it so much, but I did. Sadly, this book felt different. I understand that characters must grow and change with experience, but I felt like another author wrote this ending without deeply understanding WHY the first books were liked. It wasn't just the huge change in plot direction to genetic town (i.e. hello Mockingjay all over again), but something more was missing. I think this book suffered because of my own expectations too. Too high, too high.

Also, why does Tris always have to choose something different than Four, and she's always right? It made their relationship so unbalanced in the end. Too much drama.

Book three of Discovery of Witches better be awesome. Otherwise, I am done with all these damn trilogies.

Dark Places

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

I finally read this book! This was on our book club list in 2009. I have no idea why I didn't read it then, because I loved her first book, Sharp Objects. After reading Gone Girl this spring (and having mixed feelings), I knew I needed to finally read this book.

I think this is my favorite of all three! Flynn does not write characters with redeeming qualities. This is something I knew going into Gone Girl and Dark Places, but I think Libby has been my favorite protagonist yet. In the afterword of her book, Flynn thanks her husband for sleeping next to her with the lights off each night... and she should because - damn - she thinks up some crazy, morbid storylines.

In this book, main character Libby is living in Kansas City (!), with a horrifying childhood holding her back from happiness, health, stability, or anything that resembles normal - which she never knew even before her whole family was murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.”

Her testimony put her brother in prison when she was seven; but, a group of people obsessed with the murders confront her with new evidence and offer her money to find the truth... Don't read this in the dark!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

I liked the concept of this book more than the execution.  The premise is that Clay Jensen comes home to find a box mailed to him containing cassette tapes recorded by classmate Hannah Baker - Hannah just killed herself two weeks ago, and the tapes include her thirteen reasons.

In my last move, I came across my journals from high school. I was mortified and laughing when I read through those selfish, dramatic, romantic pages (*cringe*). Unfortunately Fortunately, there is so much distance between me and my own high school voice that Hannah's character felt a million miles away too. I had a hard time feeling sorry for her, even when the worst things were happening. I honestly kept waiting for the family to come into the story (hello? mom? dad?). I kept expecting that they would be introduced when she unveiled the serious abuse going on in her life - that all this other catty bull shit was exacerbating the abuse.... (bueller?)

I think I am just too old for this book - I have learned how precious life is, and I can't even possibly relate to her reasons. Don't get me wrong - things were spiraling out of control for this young girl, and I have compassion for those who experience trauma in their lives - I just didn't think this was it. I feel the issues could have been more complex. In fact, I think the author was pretty much telling teenagers, "This is enough to end your life! Be poetic and make a YouTube video first! Make sure you first devastate those who wronged you!"

And don't even get me started on that poor teacher character, Mr. Porter, who was totally set up to fail in the end - and her other teacher would have had staff on alert after Hannah's note about being interested in suicide!

This book has won a number of awards and is a New York Times bestseller, so I am obviously on an island. What is sad is that this means most readers found her reasons for ending her life believable.

I get it. The author is trying to illustrate how all our actions affect others, and how even the smallest of sins could spiral into someone else's end... but, I just keep wondering how many lives Hannah ruined with these damn tapes.

Shadow of Night

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

I will be honest. I was the only person in the book club that loved the second installment in the All Souls Trilogy. I loved following more of Diana and Matthew's mystery, the historical figures weaved into the story, the details about Elizabethan England... After hearing what my friends had to say and reading some reviews, I can see where people were disappointed. They wanted more action, a faster pace, fewer characters - sure. There was a lot of detail, things were slow to happen, and the list of characters was very long (but there is a list in the back of the book to keep you on track!)... but, I still loved it. I am kind of surprised. I have been known to quit a boring book, but it was 600 pages and I couldn't put it down.... I must have liked it, haha.

I am looking forward to the final book to coming out, and I hope the conclusion is just as good!

I recommend!

Requiem

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

I was so excited to finish the Delirium trilogy! I remember how much I enjoyed reading the first book, Delirium. Our book club had also started the Matched trilogy, so I remember making comparisons. I definitely preferred the writing and main character in these books. Lena lives in a world where love is banned and she is totally content, until a boy named Alex shows her freedom. The second book takes Lena further into the life of the "Wilds," and introduces Julian - another love interest. I fell in love with this character and their friendship. They were both so vulnerable. I couldn't wait to see what choices Lena made in the final book.

**SPOILER ALERT** Unfortunately, I was disappointed. While I like the direction of the story, I felt like Julian was portrayed as a stupid lovesick puppy looking for everyone's approval, meanwhile Alex is a total jerk. Both of these were likable characters that I liked less in the final book. Also -  she didn't really make any choices in the end. Maybe that was the point - she has the freedom to choose, so off she goes to choose her own destiny.... meanwhile I am left wanting to know what the heck she chooses!

Behind the Beautiful Forevers

Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

This book by Pulitzer prize winner Katherine Boo really challenged me. Boo takes you into the lives of people living in a slum next to the Mumbai airport. Her writing style reads like fiction - which is good, because the topic is so heavy.

The challenge for me was remembering that in a survival situation, humans are wired to fight to survive - and some aren't. It was hard for me to grasp the imbalance of morality, the harsh conditions, the corruption (even by those who have money), the naivety of westerners, the embarrassing attempts to help by non-profits, and the discouragement to report crime or have hope or help others ... the list goes on. I think the important thing is to read books like this, to learn what I can from it, and to not compare that reality to my own (because it is clear that any correlation to my own life would be terribly disrespectful).

It is hard to read books like this, because you are left feeling hopeless. But, I think it is far better to at least read about it - to acknowledge that we live different lives and that their lives are being lived - that life is a gift, but not in all parts of the world.

I do recommend this book.

The Virgin of Small Plains

The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard

Well, I finished this one up on Saturday. This was a good book, with some surprise twists and some predictable - but, overall a good murder mystery. I had a love/hate experience with her references to Kansas. I loved that the book took place in "Small Plains, KS" - and I especially loved all the highway references that took me back to the Manhattan area. But, I cringed when she had a character say "at K-State University." *cringe* Hello. If they live 30 minutes away, they would not say somebody went to K-State University. Maybe Kansas State University. Maybe KSU. Maybe Kansas State. But, probably just K-State..... and never the former. The author lives in Prairie Village, so I studied her face so I could let her know when I someday run into her at the Hen House.

Ok. So, back to the book. This one starts off 25 years ago, with a mysterious, murdered young woman, and then quickly brings you to present day. You feel all the consequences of the past, but don't have any answers. Throughout the book, the author continues to take readers back to 1987 to continue to fill in the gaps. It's a good, quick read. Would be great for a plane or poolside.

A Discovery of Witches.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Thanks to my friend at work for stumbling across this gem! I have to admit - I added the book to the book club list, it was voted in, and then I borrowed it - all without reading the description. I assumed, umm, that witches were involved. But, this book is so much more. This book takes you to Oxford, into the life of alchemy historian Diana Bishop - a witch who doesn't want to be a witch - who stumbles upon a book that is wrapped in a spell, and unintentionally breaks it. All of a sudden she is the most popular witch in the world... and being stalked by a hunky vampire, who has crossed paths with great historical figures and whose life has spanned centuries. She must not only find out why this book is so important, but also discover her own powerful magic.

Think The Da Vinci Code - with magic and steamy romance.

This is the first in the All Souls trilogy... and it's a monster of a long book. But, you know it is good when 600 pages just wasn't enough. I was sad when there were no more pages. Luckily, book two is published, and book three is hopefully out in the next year!



Reached

Reached by Ally Condie

This is the final book in the Matched trilogy. My book club has read quite a few trilogies in the last few years, so I have had plenty to compare to! These books are about a future society that pre-determines all about your life - what you eat, who you will marry, when you die... pretty creepy stuff. When the narrator realizes there are other choices and that there is a rebellion rising up against the Society, she begins to question her whole life. One interesting aspect of this society is that they give you pills to make you FORGET when you witness something they don't want you to see... creepy. In this last book, a plague begins to threaten their lives and Cassia is focused on remembering - something in her past may have the key to the cure.

I was definitely attached enough to read all three books, but I would first recommend you read the Delirium or Divergent books. The Matched trilogy falls in the dystopian YA category, but it wasn't my favorite.

Insurgent

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I loved this book just as much as Divergent. I really appreciated that this book didn't just feel like a transition to the third book. I think it was just as entertaining and suspenseful as the first. I can't say enough great things about this book and I am still day dreaming about Four... oh, Four. He might be my favorite boy character in a book.

Anyway - Read these books. I recommend. It'll make you feel like a happy, love-crazed teenage girl ready to rebel against the authority. Can't wait for the third book to come out!

divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I was surprised that I loved this book. I knew I liked young adult, dystopian society books, but I really didn't want to start a THIRD trilogy! Last year we read Matched and Crossed (of the Matched trilogy), then Delirium and Pandemonium (of the Delirium trilogy). I really never liked the writing, the story, or the characters of the Matched trilogy; although, I will surely read Reached, because I might as well finish what I've started. I liked the Delirium trilogy - it is a much better written series. I am excited about Requiem coming out in March so I can see if Lena ends up with Alex or Julian. As you can see, I am juggling a memory of two other trilogies. I didn't need to start another.

BUT - this book is really great. It is a quick read - with twists, scary moments, a likeable narrator, and some romance. Listen - I am no book scholar. I know these YA dystopian books are a little cookie cutter, but I was entertained for an entire weekend by this book. It could have been my mood, or the rainy weather that kept me inside... but, I don't care. I loved this book and I just got the second book in the mail. Fingers crossed I like it as much!

My gal pal Sarah is afraid of birds in large groups. For real. I pretty much made her buy the book as soon as I finished it... and I forgot to mention to her that someone gets attacked by birds. Whoops. Sorry, Sarah!!

gone girl

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Just another masterpiece by Ms. Depraved herself. My book club LOVES this author. This book is really messed up, in a good way. Not like Fifty Shades messed up (I had to quit that shit - they were making domestic violence erotic, and that's not really my style). More like Girl With the Dragon Tatoo messed up - but you don't have to wait 200 pages to care. If you liked this book, I would suggest reading her other two novels. I still haven't read Dark Places, but Sharp Objects was an awesome thriller with a twist we still talk about. Either way, this book kept me guessing until the very end. With each twist, I was more surprised. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Even just as I finished the book, I had to go back and read the last pages a couple more times because I was so stunned.

Other books on my hold list at the library are Most Talkative by Andy Cohen (Andy Cohen's got the 411, king king of midnight fun) and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling (love her humor). Next month the book club is starting the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth. Anyone read any of these yet?

Sing You Home

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

This was book club's choice last month. I am a big fan of Jodi... but, I have found myself getting tired of the formula of all her books. I still enjoy the controversy and twists that are inevitable, but I do find myself getting better at guessing what happens next. If you've never read Jodi Picoult, I would still suggest starting with My Sister's Keeper (nothing like that horrible movie they made with the same title).

This book is full of current event issues and food for thought. Topics include gay rights, infertility, marriage, complicated and innapropriate relationships, addiction, therapy... lots of emotional topics, pulling at your heartstrings, from different directions.

This month I am supposed to read all three Fifty Shades books... still haven't picked up the first one, even though it's sitting on my bedside table.

pandemonium & half broke horses

We're reading the Delirium trilogy, and I have just finished reading Pandemonium, the second book. If you are into YA, dystopian books right now (i.e. the Hunger Games), you would probably like this trilogy too. Set in a world where LOVE is defined as a disease and everyone must be cured, the books show a controled, predictable world... and as you probably expected, right before the main character is cured, she falls in love. Quick reads - fun books. I recommend!

Also - I never wrote about Half Broke Horses - what a great book! If you liked The Glass Castle, go pick this one up today.

Now books have trailers? Check out the Delirium one:

one day

This weekend I went to see BRIDESMAIDS - so hilarious. If you love Kristen Wiig, you will love this movie (and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Kristen Wigg).

During the previews, I happened to see almost the entire synopsis of the book me and fellow book club girls are currently reading - One Day by David Nicholls. I didn't even realize they were making it into a movie, and I see most of the book in the preview! boo. Either way... for those out there who love reading a good book and then seeing it on the big screen, I recommend!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I finally finished this book! While I am not sure I want to run and pick up the second book right away, the last three hundred pages were worth the agony of the first two. I wouldn't suggest reading this book alone, after dark... and, at times it felt forced... but once I got into Larsson's writing style, I enjoyed it more.

Book Club is reading the second and third Hunger Games books this month, which I can't wait to talk about! I might even go back and read the first book.

In March, we read Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Wall - we LOVED The Glass Castle, so I am sure this will be a great book too.

Any great suggestions for us?

The Girl on Fire!

I just finished the Hunger Games trilogy on Sunday! I even went back and read the first couple pages of Mockingjay to see what Jackie must have thought when she read that book second! A while back when I finished the first book, Victoria commented "Team Peeta!" here on my blog, and I thought... well, duh she had to save Peeta. Oh no. I had no idea. The twists, the turns, the horrors.

I loved these books, and I even loved the last one that some of my friends have not been happy with. But... no spoilers here. I won't ruin it for anyone.

Now onto the other trilogy I have been avoiding... I need to pick The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo back up and finish it. I am sure I will read to a point in the book that makes me want to keep reading and finish it... I am just not there yet.

The Help

I am loving our current book club selection: The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Covering the lives of women in Mississippi in the 1960s... this book shares the authentic narrators' stories - mostly dealing with segregation, domestic help and secret activism. This book is awesome. I can't put it down. This is a wonderful summer read and I highly recommend it. It has been a while since I was this hooked on one of our choices.

Summer Reading

The book club is soon voting on new books... any "must reads" we have to add to our list? We are currently reading The Help and next up is The Shack. We have a list of about 30 books that we vote from, but I am always looking for new books to add to the list!

Today a teacher on Twitter asked for summer reading suggestions... I was excited to share my recent favorites: The Glass Castle, Water for Elephants and Sharp Objects. We read these in 2008 and early 2009... as of right now, The Help looks like it might be added to this list. Hopefully we pick some great books for the upcoming months!

March Reading...

I think Jackie will be surprised to hear me say this, but - I am really liking our current book club selection, The Hour I First Believed. I can't put it down and it is the first book in a long time that I have really thrown myself into. For those in the group who read my blog - Start now! It is over 700 pages. But, so far, I have found it to be a quick read.

My favorite book club books over the last two years were: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

Last month marked two years of reading with these amazing and fun women... I am really thankful to be a part of it, and I look forward to each first Thursday!

Happy reading.