The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

 

Pages: 206

"Set in the author's girlhood hometown of Lorain, Ohio, it tells the story of black, eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove. Pecola prays for her eyes to turn blue so that she will be as beautiful and beloved as all the blond, blue-eyed children in America. In the autumn of 1941, the year the marigolds in the Breedloves' garden do not bloom. Pecola's life does change- in painful, devastating ways.

What its vivid evocation of the fear and loneliness at the heart of a child's yearning, and the tragedy of its fulfillment. The Bluest Eye remains one of Toni Morrisons's most powerful, unforgettable novels."

Late Banned Books week read. I was able to get the audiobook version read by Toni Morrison and I always love it when authors record their own books. It adds a depth to the story and this one is already beautiful in its prose. Definitely would recomend.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

 

The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin

By Mark Twain

Pages: 327

"A nineteenth-century boy from a Mississippi River town recounts his adventures as he travels down the river with a runaway slave, encountering a family involved in a feud, two scoundrels pretending to be royalty, and Tom Sawyer's aunt who mistakes him for Tom."

This was book 2 of my classical lit reading challenge that I have started. I remember reading this in school but it wasn't until now that I realized how hilarious it was. Every few chapters was another adventure of Huckleberry and Jim, and it all circles back at the end when we meet Tom and the adventures come to a close with such a sweet ending for everyone.

1984

 

1984

By George Orwell

Pages: 298

"Winston Smith works for the Ministry of truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent - even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101 . . ."

What started as a political satire has turned into a terrifying novel as I found several parallels between the dystopian universe that Orwell created and our own. Its amazing that this novel was published in 1948 and had many of its themes line up with societal trends.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I haven't read a lot of classics... I'm catching up. I've been trying to read The Great Gatsby for a while.. I know for a class I analyzed the first chapter as a first chapter.
So Fitzgerald has really pretty writing.
180 Pages

To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

A group of intellectual elites talk about going to the lighthouse. Ten years later, they still don't quite make it to the lighthouse... That's not really the point, but the plot leaves a bit to be desired. Woolf instead focuses on the internal worlds of her characters. It took me a bit to get used to her stream-of-conscious writing, as much of the prose is focused on the thoughts, desires and feelings of her characters. The writing itself is beautiful. The themes of time, change and lack of change left me feeling kind of bleh about the whole thing.

I might revisit this one again later. I think I may get more out of it by reading rather than listening to the audiobook.

209 pages

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (Editor Beth Newman)

Just like Jane Eyre, I read this book for a course (but I didn't actually read all of it...hahaha), and I kind of forgot what happened....so yeah.
Heathcliff is too extra and needs to calm down....and I think he has BPD....
Isabell...come on.
Baby Cathy deserves the world. I now want to go rewrite my essay and talk about Heathcliff's life choices.
400 Pages

Emma by Jane Austen

Emma and her book lists...saaaaame.
Mr Knightley is so snarky and I love him.
Let's be honest, Mr. Knightley is the ultimate matchmaker.
544 Pages

ALL THE THINGS #7: Set of 11 Books

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

How much do I love that an erotic, gothic, Victorian horror novel about vampires existed even almost 150 years ago? So much. So very much.

The Audible production (narrated by Phoebe Fox, Rose Leslie, David Tennant, David Horovitch, James Wilby, Susan Wooldridge, Hannah Genesius) of this almost 150 year old masterpiece is absolutely incredible! It’s so atmospheric and engaging that it just drew me right in. I have to confess, I expected that I wasn’t going to enjoy this classic story, which is known for having influenced Stoker’s Dracula, but I was totally captivated by both the story and this special Audible original production.

This story definitely withstands the tests of time, so it’s totally fair to call it a classic. It is short, but don’t just read it in print. If you have the opportunity to experience this production, it is absolutely worth it. As a bonus, it is one of the free original picks for Audible members for October 2019, so if you are a member, make this one of your picks this month. If you aren’t a member, then what are you waiting for? Go forth and get an Audible membership, and this audiobook, so that you can begin to understand how addictive and life-enriching audiobooks really are.

I’m giving 4 stars for the story on its own, but the Audible original production deserves 5 stars. Honestly, it probably deserves 7 stars, but that isn't allowed.

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Accidental Tryst by Natasha Boyd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an adorable and funny story, in which the two main characters accidentally swap phones and end up building an unexpected long distance relationship by text, email, and phone calls. There's a lot of humor, in addition to some heavy topics being covered. Each MC has an appropriately tragic backstory, that helps bring them together.

The only thing that was dissatisfying is that there were a lot of plot threads that were set up and then dropped. I kept expecting those things to be addressed or resolved, and it was disappointing when they weren't. Anticipation can be great, except when a story sets you up to anticipate things that never come to fruition.

The story ended up being a giant, hand-knitted scarf with some jagged holes, uneven edges, and random loose threads, but despite that it's still a ridiculously adorable scarf that looks like it was created with love, which is why I rounded up to 4 stars, when probably it's more of a 3.5 star read for me.

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Now I Rise by Kiersten White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a solid follow-up to book one, though it’s a hefty read that is on the slow side, especially in the first half. That’s probably my main complaint, as sometimes I felt like I was making myself pick it up and power through it, rather than just obsessively reading it, which is what I wanted.

I still adore the world and characters, especially the brutality and the way people’s emotions are at odds with their needs and desires. It forces you to walk the fine lines between polarizing opposites, such as good and evil, right and wrong, which keeps things interesting.

I’m definitely moving on to book 3, but I felt more distracted and found myself rewinding more with this one. That could have partly been me, but I also don’t think this one drew me in and held my attention as well as book one.

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White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is an extremely dense, textbook-like read. If you want something that has a bit more pop culture flair, this is definitely not that. It's a sociological study of American class through time. It starts back at the beginning of the country and creeps slowly forward.

On the positive side, it is well-researched and informative. However, I did find it to be a very tedious read, which is better suited to scholars than your average reader. Not much seems to have been done to make the content more approachable, though I suspect it's my expectations that were the problem, not the actual book.

Since it's so dense, I'm not sure how much of this I really absorbed. While the history is important and somewhat interesting, I think I wanted more time spent on the now and where we are now, or maybe if we had started with that and then worked back and then forward again, it would have been a better read for me. I understand the logic of chronological order. It just made it hard to power through the first half to get closer to the stuff that I really wanted to read about.

Basically, I wanted the book to deliver on the White Trash title, which it doesn't for quite some time.

The narrator, Kirsten Potter, is straight forward but adds some texture and variety to a somewhat dry read, which I appreciated.

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All the Little Lights

by Jamie McGuire

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Creepy **. More later.

 **This review censored by myself for this blog. ;)

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Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating

by Christina Lauren

My rating:
4 of 5 stars

This was adorable.

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The Scribe by Elizabeth Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an addictive story, set in fascinating world. The premise is A+. I like everything about the paranormal mystery of this read. Overall, it's a bit light on the romance side (no big deal), with often a fade to black before anything too sexy occurs, but the true buy in on this story is the deep world building and the character development.

The audiobook is narrated by Zachary Webber, who is welcome to read to me any day. He has a very low tone, so it did take me just a bit to adjust. However, once I got use to his reading, I really started to enjoy it, as it seems to match the mood of the story so well.

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The Singer
by Elizabeth Hunter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I both enjoyed this one and found it frustrating to read, as what I wanted the most from this story was something I didn't get until almost the end of the book. It was interesting seeing the world grow in new directions, but the storyline and plot didn't feel quite as solid as the previous book. It does a bit more meandering, when you just sort of want everything to come together and move forward.

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The Secret by Elizabeth Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked the overall value of where the two main characters started and ended, but I was occasionally confused. It just felt like this storyline was the roughest so far, even though a lot seems to have occurred. Something about it didn't always feel as cohesive and easy to follow as I wanted, though I still love the world and characters. It just somehow gave me a bit less than I wanted in most instances, which wasn't as satisfactory this time around.

Overall, it's still a good series and book, but since I can't get my hands on book 4 right now, I've decided this is a reasonable stopping point.

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Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am wallowing in despair, because if you asked me who should be the Queen of my world, Leigh Bardugo would be on the short list, no doubt. But this has been the most frustrating Saturday ever, trying to force myself through this book. If it had been written by anyone else, I would have chosen to DNF early on, but I kept hanging on to try to find more redeeming qualities. I thought maybe it would reach a point where it all came together and became awesome.

Unfortunately, this was a really difficult story for me to get engaged and stay engaged with. The characters are many and all underdeveloped, in my opinion. The storyline is tedious and convoluted, made worse by the length of the book. I spent several hours trying to convince myself that I’m the problem, but I really don’t think it was just me. All I wanted was to spend the whole day relaxing and reading an awesome book, so I brought the right attitude to the moment just didn’t somehow, in a surprise twist, manage to pick the right book.

So long story short, even though this had some moments that were really interesting, and I could see glimpses of talent and world building and complex and interesting characters, overall, it was not a win for me. Had this not been written by Bardugo, I probably would have DNFed in the first ¼ of the story, saved myself most of a Saturday, and awarded this only 1 star. The 2nd star here is for the moments of amazing writing and storytelling that do exist, even though they tend to be too few and far between for me.

I do strongly recommend Bardugo’s other books, to anyone who is new to this author. Definitely don’t start with this one, since it seems to be pretty polarizing, and it’s hard saying which side you will fall towards. I came in with some pretty high expectations, but I am truly shocked that this didn't meet hardly any of them.

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The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I’m sad. I wanted so much more than this, as I loved SKY IN THE DEEP, but I could never really connect to the characters. Everything felt choppy, and the world building that existed tended to be confusing. It has a gorgeous ending, but most of the rest of the story I was bored or confused and couldn’t emotionally connect to anything. The prose is also beautiful, but unfortunately that just doesn’t result in a well told story.

View all my reviews

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was not sure what to expect, but this is very different from the movie (which I probably haven’t seen in 20 years, so my memory could be sketchy). There’s a good amount of telling and passive sentences up front, which was at first off-putting, but then I got used to it and stopped fixating on it. It helped once there was more dialogue.

Holly Golightly is an eccentric, fanciful, and sometimes shallow individual. She seems to be all talk and no real substance, though there are moments where she also seems to take action or to see things on a deeper level. I can’t decide if those are accidental, or if those are the true Holly. She’s definitely self-centered and selfish at times (so she’s human), but she’s also a woman who was trying to be who she wanted to be in a time in which it was much harder to achieve that. She seems flighty sometimes, but she also seems to grab life by the throat and really live it, in a way most people are scared to do.

Maybe all the versions of her are true. I shifted frequently between disliking her, feeling sorry for her, trying to understand her, and being amused by her. One moment I would feel disappointed, and the next impressed. Then I considered that the story seems to be entirely told from male perspectives, which could have skewed or romanticized who Holly really was. They often talk about her like this mythical creature, which means they potentially only saw the most surface level versions of her.

Considering how much time I spent pondering this short novel, I think that means that it’s still a decent read, after all these years. It gave me something to think about and was entertaining.

Based on this story, I think Capote must have been a clever man. He has this way of throwing out dialogue that sounds light, but if you really pay attention, it is littered with comments that have real depth or that really mean something. It’s easy to overlook, because there will be something profound tucked right in the middle of some lighthearted rambling.

I was prepared to be disappointed, but overall I was intrigued by all the idiosyncrasies.

Book 44 read in 2019

Pages: 142

Beowulf

 Beowulf
Author Unknown
Pages: 213
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I first read Beowulf in college using a side by side translation of the Old English. This modern translation tells the story well, but a touch of the poetic cadence is lost. Still, it is always a pleasure to read this epic tale of Grendel, his mother and the knight, Beowulf.

The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett Hodgson

SUMMARY: Mary Lennox is sullen, bossy and autocratic. Her cousin, Colin, is equally overbearing. But slowly, fresh air, restoring a garden, and friendship softens them both.

REVIEW: I somehow missed reading this one as a child, so figured it was high time to read this classic. I probably would have enjoyed reading this one more when a child than I did as an adult.

RATING: 3 out of 5           PAGES: 242

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This started out in an unexpected way, and I thought, okay. Maybe. The concept was interesting, but the execution was problematic for me. There are some amazing quotes, but the world building is a struggle, in terms of presentation. Still, I was willing to give it some time to settle in to a good groove and also, to give it a few passes, due to its age.

Unfortunately, it did not settle in. Instead, it quickly becomes that person in your social media feed who just can’t stop mansplaining. You know the guy. Please don’t be that guy. But, hey, if you are that guy, then this book is perfect for you!

Book 197 read in 2018

Pages: 288

Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

Summary: "Born in 1875, the great German lyric poet Rainer Maria Rilke published his first collection of poems in 1898 and went on to become renowned for his delicate depiction of the workings of the human heart. Drawn by some sympathetic note in his poems, young people often wrote to Rilke with their problems and hopes. From 1903 to 1908 Rilke wrote a series of remarkable responses to a young, would-be poet on poetry and on surviving as a sensitive observer in a harsh world. Those letters, still a fresh source of inspiration and insight, are accompanied here by a chronicle of Rilke's life that shows what he was experiencing in his own relationship to life and work when he wrote them." -Amazon

This collection is a known work of greatness, so rather than try to feebly add my opinions, I will let the beauty of the writing and advice found within it's pages speak for itself.

From Letters to a Young Poet:

"So you mustn't be frightened, dear Mr. Kappus, if a sadness rises in front of you, larger than any you have ever seen; if an anxiety, like light and cloud-shadows, moves over your hands and over everything you do. You must realize that something is happening to you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand and will not let you fall."

"Therefore, dear Sir, love your solitude and try to sing out with the pain it causes you. For those who are near you are far away, you write, and this shows that the space around you is beginning to grow vast. And if what is near you is far away, then your vastness is already among the stars and is very great..."

"You ask whether your verses are any good. You ask me. You have asked others before this. You send them to magazines. You compare them with other poems, and you are upset when certain editors reject your work. Now (since you have said you want my advice) I beg you to stop doing that sort of thing. You are looking outside, and that is what you should most avoid right now. No one can advise or help you - no one. There is only one thing you should do. Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write. This most of all: ask yourself in the most silent hour of your night: must I write? Dig into yourself for a deep answer. And if this answer rings out in assent, if you meet this solemn question with a strong, simple "I must", then build your life in accordance with this necessity; your whole life, even into its humblest and most indifferent hour, must become a sign and witness to this impulse."

You can read the full letters online here: http://www.carrothers.com/rilke_main.htm.


5/5

123 pages

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It has been a long time since I have read this book or watched the movie. It was nice to re-read

View all my reviews

184 Pages

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: Unpopular opinion to follow. If you love this book, then just don’t read onward. Literature is subjective, so everyone is going to have their own experience. Also, SPOILERS may occur. No promises.

Well, gee. I think somebody replaced my version of The Great Gatsby with a plotless, melodramatic story that is completely lacking character growth and development. Imagine my surprise after having waited 37 years of my life to pick up this supposed gem only to find that it’s a bit less shiny and polished than pop culture led me to believe. The writing is as self-indulgent as the characters, which I believe is what rubs me the wrong way, after a spell.

I confess, I was initially captivated by the frivolity and mystery and excited to see where it would all go, but then the story devolved into basically nothing. The whole thing became quite tedious, after the initial introduction, but on a more positive note, this “Great American Novel” is quite short, which is definitely a mark in its favor when it comes to classics that just don’t quite cut it (and yes, I’m looking at you, Anna Karenina).

I mean, sure, on some level I completely understand why people have endlessly dissected this novel, but at the same time, I also feel like a Great American Novel shouldn’t require so much analysis and dissecting, especially one so short and seemingly straightforward. I’m sorry, but no writer thinks, hey, after people have pulled my story apart and examined it from every possible angle, maybe then they’ll realize they should love it!! Woohoo!!!

I’m supposedly American, so in theory, it should appeal to me in more ways than just being a momentarily interesting character study about a very flawed and misguided man who thinks that by having money and acclaim, that he’ll end up getting everything he needs to be happy. Oh, shoot. I just heard myself saying that sentence in my head and everything...

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Last chance to turn away. . .


I hate this book, and I’m not sorry. The whole story is poorly executed and tedious. 





Maybe if I had read it as a child and had some fond memories of it, then I’d be able to stomach it as an adult. But I didn’t do that, so I just can’t.

Now that I got that off my chest, I have decided to delete the rest of my extremely long, critical, GIF-filled review from Goodreads for the sake of all librarians who feel otherwise about this story. I figured it was only professional courtesy to save you from my extensive wrath and excessive GIFs.

What it boils down to is that I just can’t with this. Go ahead and have my space prepared in Middle School Librarian Hell. Honestly, as long as I’m not forced to read this disaster for eternity, it probably won’t be so bad there. I do hate being cold, and some things are inevitable.




Book 90 read in 2018

Pages: 211

Anne of Windy Poplars (Anne of Green Gables, #4) by L.M. Montgomery

Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

This book has so many interesting side characters. I miss Gilbert, but I love that Anne gets to enjoy some independence before marriage.

I confess I kind of want to write some Anne and Gilbert fanfiction, since LMM cuts out all the good stuff. I feel quite sure I could spice things up a bit, even just in the letters Anne writes to Gilbert. Of course, that would have horrified many a 1936-er, but I suspect the 2018-ers could handle it.

Book 87 read in 2018

Pages: 288

Anne of the Island (Anne of Green Gables, #3) by L.M. Montgomery

Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

Wow, do I love this one! I forgot how fun and quirky all of Anne's college friends are, and the final chapters of this one make me so happy!

Book 85 read in 2018

Pages: 272

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

I had forgotten a lot about how Anne's story continued, so it has been fun to revisit it and note all the changes from the movie series, which I just recently rewatched (for the umpteenth time).

It's interesting to see her grow up and change, and I still love this setting.

Book 84 read in 2018

Pages: 304

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

My sixth grade teacher read this novel out loud to our class, and despite the fact that I was a surly middle schooler who absolutely hated to be read out loud to by anyone, I absolutely adored this story. In fact, after only one chapter, something about Anne resonated with me so much that I immediately checked out the book and read it straight through myself, followed by the rest of the series.

I also berated my poor mother, for giving me a middle name of Ann, with no E, which seemed positively dreadful to me, after Anne had declared it so.

It was only a small leap from there to the movie series, which I adore and have watched with my sister about a million times in the past 25-ish years.

In addition, I have to credit this novel for my early obsession with everything Tennyson, and poetry in general. It set me on a poetry spiral, when I had previously disliked and misunderstood poetry. Needless to say, this book definitely had an impact on my life, and is tied to so many childhood memories that it holds soft spots inside my heart.

While I reread the books several times as a child/teen, this is my first time revisiting them as an adult, and I'm still captivated by everything Anne and Prince Edward Island (and obviously Gilbert, who interestingly enough, I named a baby after in 2017--and not my baby, but someone else's baby, which is pretty much my biggest claim to fame so far).


Book 83 read in 2018

Pages: 320