My last summer reading list had two strong hits and one almost-miss. This list? This list is a triple hitter. So much so that I'm not even going to waste time fleshing out this intro.
Let's get to it.
Recently Read
It Ends With Us, by Colleen Hoover
This book is for every woman who's been so romantically entangled with a man that she can't see clearly. It documents the good, the bad and the ugly, and how all three of those things can sometimes get transposed to the point where you're not sure which is which. Some might classify it as "chick-lit," but I didn't know that going in (despite the floral cover art). In fact, I knew very little about the plot when I checked this out from the library, and I think that's how any new reader should approach this book: knowing as little as possible. So that's all I'm going to say.
Final Girls, by Riley Sager
I recently revealed my shameless love for all things horror, especially in film. When the buzz surrounding Final Girls started to swell, I added it to my library cart (I love the library) and patiently waited my turn in queue. The story starts off a bit slow, but it kept me turning the page into the wee hours of the night. Also, I did not see the twist coming at the end, and I almost always see the twist coming.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman
The titular character here reminds me of another character from a short story I read in college (I can't remember the name of the story, but I'm sure it's in one of the anthologies tucked away on one of my shelves, so maybe I'll track it down later and update this post) (UPDATE: it's called "where i work" by Ann Cummins). She's such a well-written character. She's socially disconnected from the outside world until she and the IT guy from her office randomly help an elderly man who has passed out on the street. Things unfold from there, and it's a great journey to self discovery and happiness.
DNF
If a book fails to hold my attention after 50-100 pages, I'll just add it to my did not finish list. These were recently added:
The Rules Do Not Apply, by Ariel Levy
I'm not a non-fiction reader, but I heard such great things about this memoir so I decided to give it a try. Ms. Levy is a great writer, and I enjoyed reading her words, but sometimes it felt like she was trying too hard to be witty/insightful/deep, etc. As eventful and dramatic as her story was, though, I just could not finish it.
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
This was on my goodreads list for a while, but there was just too much back story to explain. By page 60-70, the narrator was still giving background information. We should be moving forward that many pages into the book, not still explaining what happened before the book opens (the only exception is literary fiction). Also, I didn't realize it was a science fiction novel, and it's generally one of my least favorite genres.
Brain on Fire, by Susannah Callahan
Another memoir... I really tried to venture from my standard fiction faves. I really did. If anything, these attempts tell me I've truly found my niche when it comes to leisure reading.
I'm such a wuss when it comes to all things horror movie related. Like I even jump when sudden loud noises happen in Disney movies lol. But I'm really curious about Final Girls because despite my dread of horror, I do love a good mystery and may give it a go.
ReplyDeletei get it. pretty much everyone i know feels the same way about horror movies, but the turnout of IT? and the way it made money??? that proves my people are out there somewhere. i must find them!
Delete