And so here we are, on the first day of March, another season nearly over and 2013 speeding by as years tend to do the older you become and the busier life gets.. and I am well into my 10th book of the year. I thought that called for a little recap, so here you go!
1. Paper Towns - John Green.
I tend to get excited about books based on the people recommending them, and this is a prime example of that. I was watching one of the infectious Julia Nunes' YouTube videos, when at the end she had the most adorable over excited rant that included her love for all things John Green. Having never heard of the good man (turns out I had actually read numerous quotes from his works in various places, not realizing what they were from) I felt compelled to research his writings and see if any of them happened to be available at the library. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I got my hands on Paper Towns. For some reason this year is featuring a lot of Young Adult novels, and I blame this book for that trend. No actually, I blame Perks of Being A Wallflower which I read at the close of 2012... these books are as insightful, eloquent and as exciting as any piece of literature, and should therefore not be overlooked. That said... my next reading choice was:
2. The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka.
Um, wow. Disturbing much? Very interesting, fascinating and nearly impossible to put down... but I hope you have a strong stomach when it comes to bugs should you ever decide to give this one a go. Luckily it's also quite short, so it's not like you've lost 2 weeks of your life should you decide you hate it.
3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - Mark Haddon.
And the prize for longest book title goes to... Here's another Young Adult novel, about an autistic boy who finds his neighbor's murdered dog, consequently decides he's going to find out whodunnit, and write a book about it. Quite the process for someone with his challenges - this book is funny, tender, and it teaches without being preachy. Extremely well written in the language of this inquisitive, bright and completely honest young boy.
4. All the Pretty Horses - Cormac McCarthy.
My introduction to the work of mr. McCarthy. Actually I saw The Road on DVD before I read this.. so maybe that was my introduction, but since Cormac McCarthy's stories don't come alive until you read the breathtakingly prose this man just shakes out of his sleeve (is that a Dutchism?), I'm going to count All the Pretty Horses. I mean, I'm counting this book as my - oh you get it. You would think that a book which consists of 75% descriptions of countryside and horses wouldn't hold your interest for long, but trust me, McCarthy makes you feel as if the countryside is a character in itself, and a very colorful one at that. Oh just read it, honestly, the stunning language will transport you. And don't even think about watching the movie first.. I saw it after reading the book and my goodness, not even kinda close!
5. The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs - Jack Gantos.
Young Adult. Funny. Offbeat, and just off. What more can I say? I'll recommend you just give this one a try if you can handle the weird and strange, and leave it at that.
6. The Virgin Suicides - Jeffrey Euginedes.
Wonderfully written, mysterious, and so very tragic. I'll admit I suffered from lack of closure after finishing this one, but the joy is in the journey, not the destination. This book definitely takes you on one very fascinating journey, and I loved every second of it.
7. Night Shift - Stephen King.
Ah I love Stephen King, and I love the occasional collection of short stories, so this was bound to happen sooner rather than later. It didn't disappoint either - every story seemed creepier than the last and I certainly enjoyed some epic chills down my spine. I was sorry to turn the final page, but not too sorry because when I told a good friend I was reading this, he asked me if I knew about Stephen King's son...
8. Horns - Joe Hill.
Joe Hill is indeed the son of the iconic Stephen King, and had the guts to follow in his father's footsteps, and boy, am I ever glad he did! This book was sooo good. It was dark, hilarious, completely fascinating, mysterious... I had serious trouble putting it down. It's a murder mystery meet battle between good and evil. And I mean evil in its most recognizable form: that of the devil. Can't wait to get my hands on his debut novel 'Heart Shaped Box', which I hear is even better.
9. Wonder - R.J. Palacio.
I picked this one up at the library (have i mentioned how much I love the library? Cause it's getting to the point where Sander is getting jealous of my new found romance..) after being asked to attend my church ward's February book club meeting. Well, I got the book, tore through it in about a day and a half.... and forgot to attend the club meeting. Whoops! I'm really glad I found this little gem though. It's about August, a young boy who, because of a genetic anomaly, was born with a horribly deformed face. At the start of the book his parents tell him they would like him to start attending an actual school instead of having another year of home schooling, and August is understandably terrified. That's all I'll say about what happens because you really have to take this emotional roller coaster yourself. Maybe it touched me just that bit more because I experienced more than my fair share of bullying when I was that age... there were several moments where I had to dab at my eyes and blow my nose before being able to continue on reading. PS, this is another Young Adult novel.
I'd tell you what #10 is but since I'm only about halfway through it I'll leave it a mystery until the next book update!
I would reaaally love to hear what you've been reading, and what your thoughts on these books are if you've read any of them! Mainly, I'm always, ALWAYS looking for new tips. So share away please, don't be shy!
Also, here are two pictures of Max in a furry hat.
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2 comments:
Hi Karina- this is Traci Sutherland, Spencer's wife... I am de-lurking because you've hit on a subject near and dear to my heart! BOOOOKS! :) Have you read The Fault in our Stars, also by John Green? SO good! (also, the 2 mains characters travel to Amsterdam for a minute :) Are you on Goodreads?
Hey Traci! I had no idea you were lurking around, but what a delightful discovery it is :) So glad to hear we have this book obsession in common. I have no clue what Goodreads is but I am googling as we speak. I haven't read The Fault in our Stars either, but you are not the first to recommend it so it is definitely on my list. I will blog about it sometime this year, no doubt! Please keep any tips coming :)
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