One Plus One: A Novel
It's very hard to not judge an author by his/her previous books, although I try. However, when an author starts out with something as incredible as Me Before You, it's very hard to not feel like that set a precedent, you know? I am completely okay with chick lit. I love chick lit when I don't want to think. But because of Me Before You, I don't expect chick lit from Jojo Moyes. This book was absolutely chick lit. Was it enjoyable? Yes, I absolutely enjoyed it. I loved the characters and the storyline, but I couldn't separate myself from the author's previous book.
The Secret Place (Dublin Murder Squad)
On the other hand, this book absolutely lived up to my expectations of Tana French. In the Woods is a book that still chases the corners of my mind, occasionally. This book had a different subject matter but still contained the same sharply written criminal mystery as the author's previous books. Chris Harper is found dead on the ground of a girls' school. Some time later, a girl brings a post card to a detective. The caption says "I know who killed him." Unfortunately for the girl in question, everything points to her or her group of friends. But did they do it? Or was it another group? The author's teenage girl dialogue was sometimes annoying but also, if I'm honest, very spot on. I really enjoyed the mystery and this kept my attention very well.
Fives and Twenty-Fives
When a convoy halts in Iraq, it's a rule to stop and sweep the area, five meters in every direction. Once cleared, the sweep is extended to twenty-five meters. Anything within that zone can and will kill soldiers. Written by an Iraq veteran, this book was a brilliant read, switching between the voices of three men, all returned home from the same platoon. At first, I had difficulty with the character switches but once I caught on, it made sense. Books about Iraq or Afghanistan always tug at me because I feel like these men and women come home so damaged and we do so little for them. All that said, this book nailed it. The internal conflicts, the PTSD, the attempt to settle back to civilian life, the struggles continuing in other countries. It was beautiful and heartbreaking at once.
The Magician's Land: A Novel (Magicians Trilogy)
It's so hard to review the final book in a trilogy! If you like Harry Potter, fantasy, magic, but with a harder edge, read this. You'll enjoy them.
What are you reading?
8 comments:
Because Me Before You had such an impact on me, I couldn't read One Plus One. I checked it out and glanced at the first few pages & then returned it. I have a quirk where I RARELY can read more than one book by an author. They never live up to them. I remember Harper Lee being questioned about why she didn't write any more books and I liked her answer but I can't even remember it now. Not that they shouldn't keep writing, it's just that I usually only enjoy the first one I read by them... and usually it's their first book. Anyway! I just picked up We Are Not Ourselves from the library and am looking forward to curling up with it tonight.
Steph
I really loved Me Before You, but I place that in the chick lit category, too. I thought One Plus One was okay. The Girl You Left Behind was better.
It was a YA sort of week for me:
I read Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin and it was good. A little sweet for me but if I was 13 it would probably feel perfect.
Then I read The Miseducation of Cameron Post. I think Danforth did an excellent job writing from the teenage perspective. I really enjoyed this one but feel very unsatisfied not knowing how Cameron is doing now. I'd like a short epilogue please.
Well I have been slcak on reading this week - enjoying my book, but my mom got a tablet and has requested that I play words with friends with her...haha! I never thought the day would come when my mom got anything electronic...and now she's playing games!!! I need to get her to amazon and download some books!! Haha!
Yes, I do love Harry Potter, so I am totally checking out The Magician's Land. I am still chugging away at The Mortal Instruments. We are in the process of building on to our deck, so finding a few minutes to steal way to read isn't happening as much as I'd like right now.
I am just starting The Remains of the Day right now. I haven't seen the movie, but I'm looking forward to reading the book.
I really liked The Girl You Left Behind! It's the only one I've read. Ahhh still need to read the third Magicians book. Right now I'm reading Whistling Vivaldi, on stereotypes. Really interesting book. And of course a bunch of books for school. bah!
I read Attachments (cute, made me paranoid about all the non-work related stuff I do on my work computer... like, you know, THIS.)
Now I'm reading - A Year with No Sugar - A Memoir, and I want to throw out everything in my pantry.
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