Hello everyone! It has been a long time since I’ve posted a book review post, so this is quite the list! I would say I’ve definitely been enjoying a lot which is lucky.
I set out
to read 60 books this year, and I’m currently sitting at 37. I’m hoping to get
to 50 by the end of the summer which is entirely do-able. For now, please enjoy
my last round of books.
Long Way
Down: The Graphic Novel – Jason Reynolds – 4.5 Stars
I made a
bit of a mistake on this one. I meant to request the physical copy of this
book, but I ended up with the eBook version. I think the experience would have
been so much better as a physical book since it was a graphic novel, but
nevertheless, I loved this.
This story
told is tragic and heartbreaking. The images bring the story to life in such a
vivid fashion. It is so well written and I love how it takes place in a single
location. It emphasizes just how quickly lives can change. I highly suggest
this one.
The
Finkler Question – Howard Jacobson – 3 Stars
This book
was fine. It is about three men coming to grips with their Jewish identity. There
were parts that were interesting and discussions that made me think, but I
missed the humour. It’s supposedly this hilarious Man Book prize winning book,
but I just don’t get it. I clearly didn’t spend enough time in England to understand
what’s supposed to be funny.
However, the
parts I did enjoy were all about identity. It is a situation everyone deals
with at some point in their life, and I think the questions and discussions
were relatable.
Ireland
– Frank Delaney – 4.5 Stars
My mum left
this book on my desk, and it is not new by any means. She read it last summer
and thought I would appreciate it. It is about a storyteller that comes to a
town in Ireland and leaves one boy completely captured by the art of stories.
The boy spends his life trying to find the storyteller again and collects his
own stories along the way.
The best
part of this is how many different stories within stories there are. There are
stories about religion, history, and mythology. Delaney also brilliantly
captures the essence of oral storytelling. There is a distinct difference
between the story and the storytelling. It was a book full of the magic of these
stories. I couldn’t help but gush about it to the students I was teaching at
the time. I suggest this for any lover of stories.
The
Hating Game – Sally Thorne – 4 Stars
This is so
different from the books I usually pick up. I’m not one for romance and cheesy
books, but this was on a 2 for $15 sale, so I went for it because I liked the
premise. I was not disappointed. I feel like the summary of the book is pretty
straightforward based on everything I’ve already said here, but this novel
centres around two co-workers that hate each other. When they are both put up
for the same promotion, the stakes are raised. Their relationship becomes even
more complicated as they begrudgingly get to know each other.
In all
honesty, I loved this book. It kind of kicked off my summer reading, and it was
perfect. There was depth to both of the characters as well as some surprising
character arcs. It was also quite steamy which is definitely a change for me. I
think this is an awesome summer read.
The Huntress – Kate Quinn – 4 Stars
I liked
this book so much as a historical fiction. It was a little different than most
historical fictions I’ve read. It was all about mixing the past war years with
the “current” years right after the war. We delve into how families were
affected and how much emotion goes into forgetting the past.
The best
part about this book was the way it centers strong women. The stories that are
told are twists and different aspects of war that aren’t normally told in the
books I’ve read. I saw the twist coming for sure, but it did not take away from
the enjoyment of the story. I would suggest this for anyone who wants to read
historical fiction with a focus on women.
Snow
White with the Red Hair, Vol. 1 – Sorata Akiduki – 3 Stars
This is my
first manga ever! A student I tutor gave it to me, and it was very enjoyable. I
tore through it because the story was interesting. I didn’t love the way it
left off, and I found a lot of parts rather repetitive, but I’m glad I tried
something completely new.
The
Kommandant’s Girl – Pam Jenoff – 4 Stars
This is my
second Pam Jenoff book this year, and I’m really enjoying her work! This is
another historical fiction, and I started reading it last year but had to
return it to the library before I could finish it. Similarly to The Huntress,
this is a different side to WWII. It is about a woman who finds herself working
in a high powered Nazi’s office as part of the resistance while keeping her Jewish
identity a secret.
This was
not the most intricate of storylines, but I was so wrapped up in the main
character herself. She goes through so much in terms of her identity and
values. The ending left me speechless, and I didn’t see it coming. It was a
great read.
Whiskey
and Ribbons – Leesa Cross-Smith – 3 Stars
While I was
reading this book, I thought it was fine. It has been a while since I read it,
and it’s quite forgettable, but I know it was well-written. There were
paragraphs and sentences I found myself reading over again because it was so
beautiful. I remember thinking this book felt soft. Although it was wrapped in
tragedy, I found it to be a slow-burn, comfortable read.
My
Sister, the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite – 4 Stars
This was
another book given to me by a student I tutor. It has been on my list since it
came out, and it did not disappoint. Oh my goodness, it was so funny. That was
unexpected given the title, but it was all shocking. It made me smile because
it was all about being a big sister (although in a very extreme way), but it
also shows how strong bonds between opposite people can be. I feel like this
book did a great job at taking the typical comparisons that sisters do and
bring it to the extreme. This is dark and purely satire, and I finished it in
two sittings. I loved it.
Fruit of the Drunken Tree – Ingrid Rojas Contreras – 3 Stars
I
absolutely loved the way this book was written. The setting is interesting and
colourful and terrifying all at once. It is in the midst of the Escobar years,
and this is not something I know enough about to have been interested in that
aspect of the novel. I was personally fascinated by the relationship the main
character has with their house maid. It is a light in this little girl’s life.
Like I
said, I thought it was so well written. From the beginning, I was so hooked on
the style of writing. I liked each of the characters and the development that
we are privy to. I liked the contrasting ways of living and the way the main
character was written in a naïve way since she was, in fact, a child. I got too lost when it came to the historical
events which made me lose some of the plot as well, so that accounts for the
lower rating.
Dear
Mrs. Bird – A.J. Pearce – 3 Stars
This was
quite a nice book to read. It is an interesting story about a young woman so
desperate to be a war journalist that she joins a small woman’s magazine that
is losing its readers daily. She gets stuck working on the advice column under
the eyes of Mrs. Bird who will not take on any advice that can be seen as
unladylike. I felt for this girl who so desperately wants to help the women writing
in but doesn’t know how to go about it an ethical way.
I would say
this is an easy read. It’s fun while also taking on serious themes of war and
death. There are a multitude of relationships including the one with her best
friend, which I appreciated. There isn’t anything too intricate or overwhelmingly
outstanding, but I would suggest this to many people.
The
Friend – Sigrid Nunez – 4 Stars
I finished
this book so quickly and absolutely loved it. When someone’s friend
unexpectedly commits suicide, they are left with both grief and their dog. Nunez
examines grief in such an apt and moving way. It is not a straightforward line,
and it is not something that can be done through a series of steps. This dog
becomes this symbol for what the main character really needs, and it is
stunning.
I also love
the way it was written. Both the friend and the main character were in the
literary community, so references to the works of other authors is plentiful. Every
word and quotation is picked and integrated so carefully, and I was drawn in right
away.
Milk and
Honey – Rupi Kaur – 3 Stars
I’m going
to be controversial – I cannot say I’m a fan. Individually, I don’t think these
poems are that great. I do, however, like this book as an overall healing
process. I like it as a story. I like that it’s obvious through the formatting that
change and growth can happen from trauma. It is personal and definitely
emotional, but not the best poetry out there.
Ragged
Company – Richard Wagamese – 4 Stars
My friend
left me this book when she moved to a different province because Wagamese is
her favourite Indigenous author. I can definitely see why. I started this book
with apprehension because it is told from the perspective of many different
people. However, Wagamese does this very well. Each person has a unique voice
and there are structural differences that differentiate the stories being told.
This book
is about a group of chronically homeless people that find a winning lottery
ticket. With the help of a guilted journalist, the group is able to claim their
winnings and start a new life. We see the group struggle with their identities
as life as they know it changes completely. Shadows from the past emerge and relationships
are tested as the group tries to exist in a different world. The ending is
stunning and emotional, and I cannot suggest this book enough.
500
Words or Less – Juleah del Rosario – 4.5 Stars
I wish I
remembered how I heard about this book because they fully deserve props for the
recommendation. This book is so wonderful. It’s a YA about a high school girl
who is dealing with not only regular high school issues but issues beyond her
years. Through writing college admission essays for her peers, she starts
questioning her own identity. She has a talent for seeing people through her
writing, and we get to see the introspection that comes as a result of writing
for others.
The best
element about this book is that it is fiction written in prose. I have not read
many books like this, and it made for a quick read that also gripped me
entirely. I want to buy it for my future classrooms because I think it would
make for a fantastic teaching tool.
Life of
Pi – Yann Martel – 4 Stars
This book
was loooooong. I’ll also mention that I have not seen the movie, so this was a completely
new experience. In the beginning, I was not into it. There was a lot of
exposition about the main character and his love of religion that did not make
sense to me. However, the majority of the book was exciting, adventurous, scary
at times, and so well paced. The end was funny, and I thoroughly enjoyed it by
the end.
I also loved
the storytelling aspect of the book. It felt so personal to read, and it made
for a great read. I found myself flying through sections at nighttime and
losing sleep because I went through so much quicker than expected. I would
definitely suggest this one.
The
Alchemist – Paulo Coelho – 3 Stars
This book is an absolute sensation isn’t it? I’d been waiting close to a year for the eBook copy from the library to be available. I’m probably going to be controversial again here, but I thought it was just okay. I liked the allegorical aspect of looking for the signs around you as you seek your purpose in life, but I didn’t think there was anything groundbreaking about the text. It was enjoyable, but that’s about it.
Sunburn
– Laura Lippman – 2 Stars
I did not
like this book. I thought the premise was so interesting and potentially full
of so many twists. I was disappointed. I found the book repetitive, confusing
with random different perspectives that meant nothing in the long-term plot
unfolding, and there were phrases that were put in to clearly appease readers. I
would still suggest this as a light thriller for people who wouldn’t notice
this kind of stuff, but this is not on the top of my recommendation list at
all.
The
Hunting Party – Lucy Foley – 3 Stars
I would say
I enjoyed this book. It’s a classic thriller, and my brain managed to shut down
enough that it didn’t see the ending coming. There may have been an actual gasp
at the “big reveal.” It took me about 100 pages to get into it because there
were so many characters and perspectives, but I loved the tangled webs of their
lives once I sorted out who was who.
This book
is full of intrigue. From the cover of the book, we know there is a murder, but
we have no idea who it is or who did. I liked this. I liked that it kept me
focus on the end and trying to pick up on clues for who could have done what. I
like that the characters’ pasts are revealed slowly. I loved how there was a
distinct change in the way the murderer’s perspective was written. And you know
what? I loved the murderer. It wasn’t the most complex or best book, but I
loved it as a thriller.
The Husbands
– Chandler Baker – 4 Stars
I read a
previous book by Chandler Baker which was in a review
back in January of this year. I enjoyed
that book so much that I pre-ordered The Husbands right away. Bake does
a great job at taking on the woman’s perspective and flipping the script
entirely. I find her writing funny, inspiring, and powerful. This book was no
different. The added mysterious, creepy element to this book brought so much more
to this text.
This is all
about a high-end neighborhood with highly successful women and their husbands
who are a little too eager to share the load of running a household. When Nora
and her own husband look for a house in the neighborhood, she gets caught up in
the house fire that left one of the women widowed. We meet an interesting cast
of characters and get pulled into this neighborhood just as much as Nora does.
This book is gripping and interesting, and I absolutely love Baker’s writing.
This was a
long list of books today! They are also a wide range of types of texts which I
think show off what kind of reader I truly am. Let me know if you’ve read any!
-
Daniella
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