Hello readers! It's been a while! A couple of months ago, I posted about finishing the 50 books on my Classics Club list and solicited your suggestions on what to add to list #2. Thanks to everyone who commented. I took some of your suggestions and a few more from an online book club, and I'm back to share my second Classics Club list.
To recap, the Classics Club encourages people to choose a list of classic books to read within a given time frame. The idea is that you add some of the books that you have been meaning to read one day, enough that it is a challenge, but not so many that it feels impossible and you spend all your days pouring over Proust. Well, unless that's your thing. ;) I chose 50 books to read within the next five years. You can use your own interpretation of what a classic is. I tended towards books that are more than 50 years old. I checked a few "read before you die" lists to see what are considered books that have stood the test of time, and also did a bit of research trying to find classics from non-English speaking countries, especially trying for some African and African American works, and made sure to have some Canadian works too. I added some Russian classics too because I just really like Russia. I also limited myself to a maximum of two books per author. However, I also made sure everything that I added to the list was available either at the Toronto Public Library or through Amazon Kindle.
My full list is below. The aim is to finish this list by August 31, 2023, which to be honest sounds like a crazy futuristic date at this point. LOL. I kicked off the challenge yesterday by starting #15 on the list, The Count of Monte Cristo!
1. U.R. Ananthamurthy - Samskara
2. Isaac Asimov - I, Robot
3. James Baldwin - Go Tell It On The Mountain
4. Pierre Boulle - Bridge On The River Kwai
5. Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451
6. Mikhail Bulgakov - Heart Of The Dog
7. Edgar Rice Burroughs - Tarzan Of The Apes
8. Raymond Chandler - The Big Sleep
9. Wilkie Collins - The Moonstone
10. Charles Dickens - Little Dorrit
11. Charles Dickens - Our Mutual Friend
12. Alfred Doeblin - Berlin Alexanderplatz
13. Fyodor Dostoyevsky - Notes From The Underground
14. Arthur Conan Doyle - The White Company
15. Alexandre Dumas - The Count of Monte Cristo
16. Daphne DuMaurier - My Cousin Rachel
17. Frantz Fanon - The Wretched Of The Earth
18. Henry Fielding - Tom Jones
19. F. Scott Fitzgerald - Tender Is The Night
20. Ian Fleming - Casino Royale
21. John Galsworthy - The Forstye Saga
22. Elizabeth Gaskell - Wives And Daughters
23. Stella Gibbons - Cold Comfort Farm
24. Guenter Grass - The Tin Drum
25. Graham Greene - The Third Man
26. Alex Haley - Roots
27. Ernest Hemingway - The Sun Also Rises
28. Hermann Hesse - Steppenwolf
29. Henry James - The Golden Bowl
30. Margaret Laurence - The Diviners
31. Doris Lessing - The Golden Notebook
32. Hugh MacLennan - Two Solitudes
33. Herman Melville - Billy Budd, Foretopman
34. Thomas Mofolo - Chaka the Zulu
35. Flannery O'Connor - Wise Blood
36. George Orwell - Burmese Dayss
37. Sir Walter Scott - Rob Roy
38. Isaac Bashevis Singer - The Magician of Lublin
39. Fyodor Sologub - The Petty Demon
40. Ngugi wa Thiong'o - A Grain Of Wheat
41. Leo Tolstoy - The Kreuzer Sonata
42. Anthony Trollope - Phineas Finn
43. Ivan Turgenev - Spring Torrents
44. Jules Verne - 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
45. Jules Verne - Journey To The Centre Of The Earth
46. Evelyn Waugh - Decline And Fall
47. P.G. Wodehouse - Thank You, Jeeves
48. Richard Wright - Native Son
49. Emile Zola - Germinal
50. Emile Zola - Nana
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Sunday, 2 September 2018
Sunday, 1 July 2018
My Classics Club list
About five years ago, I came across a blog called the Classics Club, and was intrigued. The premise was that you make a list of 50 classic books that you want to read in the next 5 years, and then review the books on their blogs. You don't need to do 50. You could choose 20 books or whatever works for you, but I stuck with 50 because it was manageable while still a challenge. I read a lot of books, about 80-90 in a year, so choosing to do a minimum of 10 classics still left me a lot of room for the biographies, history books, YA, and modern fiction that I also enjoy. I don't like to write reviews, so I decided to choose 50 as a personal challenge, and to finish them by June 2018.
If you've been around here a while, you know that these past five years were extremely difficult. We thought we would be growing our family, but instead we went down into the abyss of infertility treatments, and on top of that, there was a lot of family drama, and I also went back to school, graduated, and started working in a new field. I can safely say that five years ago, I never expected June of 2018 to look the way it does. But somehow, it makes me happy that I finished my 50 books. That was the one goal that I could keep working towards, when everything else was falling to pieces.
Overall, participating in this challenge has been a good experience. I finally read War and Peace and Les Miserables. I discovered that I enjoy Anthony Trollope. I also found that I don't particularly enjoy Faulkner or Virginia Woolf, but at least I tried! :)
I'll post my full list below, but first question for you readers: What books should I add to my second Classics Club list? I've given myself the summer off, but hope to start a new list in September, with the goal to finish by the end of August, 2023. I'd like to broaden my horizons a bit and read classics from non-European classics, since I've read a lot of the English and Russian canon. Give me your best recommendations of neglected classics!
The full list, including when I finished it.
1. Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (January 2014)
2. Charlotte Bronte, Shirley (December 2014)
3. Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (July 2013)
4. Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote (December 2016)
5. Kate Chopin, The Awakening (March 2014)
6. Agatha Christie, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (December 2014)
7. Charles Dickens, David Copperfield (September 2014)
8. Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers (June 2017)
9. Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot (August 2017)
10. Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie (October 2015)
11. Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles (July 2013)
12. George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss (December 2013)
13. William Faulkner, Go Down, Moses (March 2018)
14. William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury (July 2014)
15. E.M. Forster, Howards End (March 2017)
16. E.M. Forster, A Passage to India (June 2017)
17. Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford (October 2016)
18. Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton (April 2014)
19. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, The Sufferings of Young Werther (July 2017)
20. Ivan Goncharov, Oblomov (March 2015)
21. H. Rider Haggard, Allan Quartermain (April 2016)
22. Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure (February 2018)
23. Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of Seven Gables (September 2015)
24. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea (July 2016)
25. Homer, The Odyssey (February 2018)
26. Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (March 2016)
27. Victor Hugo, Les Misérables (October 2013)
28. Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady (May 2018)
29. Henry James, The Wings of the Dove (December 2017)
30. James Joyce, Ulysses (April 2018)
31. Rudyard Kipling, Kim (May 2016)
32. Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, Dangerous Liaisons (July 2014)
33. Mikhail Lermontov, A Hero of Our Times (January 2014)
34. Nikolai Leskov, The Enchanted Wanderer (November 2017)
35. Sinclair Lewis, Main Street (October 2014)
36. Guy de Maupassant, Pierre et Jean September 2013)
37. Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago (January 2015)
38. Edgar Allan Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher (April 2014)
39. Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe (September 2017)
40. Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels (September 2014)
41. Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace (August 2016)
42. Anthony Trollope, He Knew He Was Right (January 2015)
43. Ivan Turgenev, King Lear of the Steppes (April 2015)
44. Ivan Turgenev, On the Eve (March 2015)
45. H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds (June 2013)
46. Rebecca West, The Thinking Reed (May 2016)
47. Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth (July 2013)
48. Virginia Woolf, Mrs Dalloway (December 2015)
49. Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse (February 2017)
50. Yevgeny Zamyatin, We (April 2015)
If you've been around here a while, you know that these past five years were extremely difficult. We thought we would be growing our family, but instead we went down into the abyss of infertility treatments, and on top of that, there was a lot of family drama, and I also went back to school, graduated, and started working in a new field. I can safely say that five years ago, I never expected June of 2018 to look the way it does. But somehow, it makes me happy that I finished my 50 books. That was the one goal that I could keep working towards, when everything else was falling to pieces.
Overall, participating in this challenge has been a good experience. I finally read War and Peace and Les Miserables. I discovered that I enjoy Anthony Trollope. I also found that I don't particularly enjoy Faulkner or Virginia Woolf, but at least I tried! :)
I'll post my full list below, but first question for you readers: What books should I add to my second Classics Club list? I've given myself the summer off, but hope to start a new list in September, with the goal to finish by the end of August, 2023. I'd like to broaden my horizons a bit and read classics from non-European classics, since I've read a lot of the English and Russian canon. Give me your best recommendations of neglected classics!
The full list, including when I finished it.
1. Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (January 2014)
2. Charlotte Bronte, Shirley (December 2014)
3. Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (July 2013)
4. Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote (December 2016)
5. Kate Chopin, The Awakening (March 2014)
6. Agatha Christie, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (December 2014)
7. Charles Dickens, David Copperfield (September 2014)
8. Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers (June 2017)
9. Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot (August 2017)
10. Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie (October 2015)
11. Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles (July 2013)
12. George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss (December 2013)
13. William Faulkner, Go Down, Moses (March 2018)
14. William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury (July 2014)
15. E.M. Forster, Howards End (March 2017)
16. E.M. Forster, A Passage to India (June 2017)
17. Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford (October 2016)
18. Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton (April 2014)
19. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, The Sufferings of Young Werther (July 2017)
20. Ivan Goncharov, Oblomov (March 2015)
21. H. Rider Haggard, Allan Quartermain (April 2016)
22. Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure (February 2018)
23. Nathaniel Hawthorne, The House of Seven Gables (September 2015)
24. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea (July 2016)
25. Homer, The Odyssey (February 2018)
26. Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (March 2016)
27. Victor Hugo, Les Misérables (October 2013)
28. Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady (May 2018)
29. Henry James, The Wings of the Dove (December 2017)
30. James Joyce, Ulysses (April 2018)
31. Rudyard Kipling, Kim (May 2016)
32. Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, Dangerous Liaisons (July 2014)
33. Mikhail Lermontov, A Hero of Our Times (January 2014)
34. Nikolai Leskov, The Enchanted Wanderer (November 2017)
35. Sinclair Lewis, Main Street (October 2014)
36. Guy de Maupassant, Pierre et Jean September 2013)
37. Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago (January 2015)
38. Edgar Allan Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher (April 2014)
39. Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe (September 2017)
40. Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels (September 2014)
41. Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace (August 2016)
42. Anthony Trollope, He Knew He Was Right (January 2015)
43. Ivan Turgenev, King Lear of the Steppes (April 2015)
44. Ivan Turgenev, On the Eve (March 2015)
45. H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds (June 2013)
46. Rebecca West, The Thinking Reed (May 2016)
47. Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth (July 2013)
48. Virginia Woolf, Mrs Dalloway (December 2015)
49. Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse (February 2017)
50. Yevgeny Zamyatin, We (April 2015)
Tuesday, 19 September 2017
Top Ten Tuesday: Fall 2017 TBR
Hi friends! After a brief blog hiatus, I'm trying to get back at it, and today's TTT topic is a good one. Today on The Broke and the Bookish, we're posting our fall to-read lists.
1. Longbourn by Jo Baker: This has been on my list for ages (because Pride and Prejudice), so I'm hoping to finally pick it up.
2. Fairest by Marissa Meyer: I started reading the Lunar Chronicles series last month and now I'm addicted. This book tells the back story of evil Queen Levana.
3. Winter by Marissa Meyer: See above.
4. The Break by Katherena Vermette: I picked this up at Chapters on a whim and it look interesting, plus I try to read Canadian literature when I can.
5. SPQR by Mary Beard: To be honest, I have no idea why I bought this book on the history of Ancient Rome, but I do make an attempt to read some History books each year and I've been slacking in 2017, so I'll try to get to this over the fall.
6. The Wings of the Dove by Henry James: In 2013, inspired by the Classics Club blog, I made a list of 50 classic books to read in 5 years, which would take me to the end of June, 2018. I've got seven books left to read, and Henry James is on the list.
7. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: This young woman is so inspiring.
8. Resurrection Year by Sheridan Voysey: I saw a webinar with Sheridan and his wife in which they talked about their infertility story and the year or so that they spent processing the fact that their fertility treatments never resulted in a child. As I try to process my own infertility, I think this could be helpful.
9. The Enchanted Wanderer by Nikolai Leskov: This is another one from the Classics Club list.
10. March by Geraldine Brooks: A look at the father of the March family from Little Women.
1. Longbourn by Jo Baker: This has been on my list for ages (because Pride and Prejudice), so I'm hoping to finally pick it up.
2. Fairest by Marissa Meyer: I started reading the Lunar Chronicles series last month and now I'm addicted. This book tells the back story of evil Queen Levana.
3. Winter by Marissa Meyer: See above.
4. The Break by Katherena Vermette: I picked this up at Chapters on a whim and it look interesting, plus I try to read Canadian literature when I can.
5. SPQR by Mary Beard: To be honest, I have no idea why I bought this book on the history of Ancient Rome, but I do make an attempt to read some History books each year and I've been slacking in 2017, so I'll try to get to this over the fall.
6. The Wings of the Dove by Henry James: In 2013, inspired by the Classics Club blog, I made a list of 50 classic books to read in 5 years, which would take me to the end of June, 2018. I've got seven books left to read, and Henry James is on the list.
7. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: This young woman is so inspiring.
8. Resurrection Year by Sheridan Voysey: I saw a webinar with Sheridan and his wife in which they talked about their infertility story and the year or so that they spent processing the fact that their fertility treatments never resulted in a child. As I try to process my own infertility, I think this could be helpful.
9. The Enchanted Wanderer by Nikolai Leskov: This is another one from the Classics Club list.
10. March by Geraldine Brooks: A look at the father of the March family from Little Women.
Tuesday, 20 June 2017
Top Ten Tuesday: Series I've Been Meaning To Read
Hey friends! This week's TTT is looking at book series that we've been meaning to start. To be honest, I'm often skeptical about starting a new series, because I often feel like once I've started, I have to read them all, even when I don't necessarily love the books. There are some like A Song of Ice and Fire that I am highly unlikely to read just because it's such a time commitment and I'm not sure the books are my cup of tea. However, there are a few series that I would like to try.
1. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer: I've heard great things about these books.
2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan: I have the first book on audio just waiting for a long drive. I don't actually know that much about Greek mythology, so I might learn something along the way.
3. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld: The concept is intriguing to me.
4. The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini: The covers are so lovely! I'm not usually that in to high fantasy and dragons, but I have heard many good things about this series.
5. The Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray: I remember being interested in A Great and Terrible Beauty back when it was relatively new and I worked at a bookstore, but I never got around to reading it. Since I've loved Bray's most recent series, I may have to give Gemma Doyle a go.
6. The Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke: This seems like a booklover's dream: A character who can bring fictional characters into reality.
7. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: This is a maybe for me. I have friends who are absolutely obsessed with it, and others that strongly disliked the books. The sheer number of volumes and length of them makes me hesitant to jump in, but I do love time travel, so maybe I'll grab the first book for a vacation and check it out.
That's all I could think of! Please let me know which series you think I've missed or I absolutely have to start reading!
1. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer: I've heard great things about these books.
2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan: I have the first book on audio just waiting for a long drive. I don't actually know that much about Greek mythology, so I might learn something along the way.
3. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld: The concept is intriguing to me.
4. The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini: The covers are so lovely! I'm not usually that in to high fantasy and dragons, but I have heard many good things about this series.
5. The Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray: I remember being interested in A Great and Terrible Beauty back when it was relatively new and I worked at a bookstore, but I never got around to reading it. Since I've loved Bray's most recent series, I may have to give Gemma Doyle a go.
6. The Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke: This seems like a booklover's dream: A character who can bring fictional characters into reality.
7. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: This is a maybe for me. I have friends who are absolutely obsessed with it, and others that strongly disliked the books. The sheer number of volumes and length of them makes me hesitant to jump in, but I do love time travel, so maybe I'll grab the first book for a vacation and check it out.
That's all I could think of! Please let me know which series you think I've missed or I absolutely have to start reading!
Tuesday, 6 June 2017
Top Ten Tuesday: Diverse Books Added to my TBR
It's another Tuesday! This week's TTT topic is books of a given genre that we've recently added to our to-read list. I couldn't think of a genre, so I chose a theme instead. I've been making an effort recently to expand my reading and ensure that I was getting more diverse perspectives, with protagonists of various culture backgrounds, so here are some recent additions to my TBR that have themes related to cultural diversity.
1. Sour Heart: Stories by Jenny Zhang: I saw this posted on a blog (I can't remember where!) and it caught my eye. This book contains short stories about Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants in the United States.
2. What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons: This book looks really thought provoking and interesting.
3. A Dry White Season by Andre Brink: Since my 2010 trip to South Africa, I've been fascinated with the country and it's dark history. This book is well-acclaimed and discusses race issues during Apartheid.
4. Short Girls by Bich Minh Nguyen: A book about two sisters of Vietnamese origin in the United States.
5. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon: This looks absolutely adorable. I've never met a book that looks at modern arranged marriage among young Indian Americans. And the cover! <3
6. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: An important look at police violence. There was a woman on my bus who was reading this for a while. I kept wanting to ask her how it was, but I chickened out.
7. The Break by Katherena Vermette: A novel taking place within a Métis community in Canada.
8. Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin: This is an important work on race in the American South during Jim Crow. It's been on my long list forever, but I recently added it on GoodReads.
9. You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have To Explain by Phoebe Robinson: This is supposed to be really funny as well as informative.
10. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: I started reading Adichie a few years ago with Americanah, and since then I've enjoyed several of her books and learned a lot about Nigeria along the way.
1. Sour Heart: Stories by Jenny Zhang: I saw this posted on a blog (I can't remember where!) and it caught my eye. This book contains short stories about Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants in the United States.
2. What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons: This book looks really thought provoking and interesting.
3. A Dry White Season by Andre Brink: Since my 2010 trip to South Africa, I've been fascinated with the country and it's dark history. This book is well-acclaimed and discusses race issues during Apartheid.
4. Short Girls by Bich Minh Nguyen: A book about two sisters of Vietnamese origin in the United States.
5. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon: This looks absolutely adorable. I've never met a book that looks at modern arranged marriage among young Indian Americans. And the cover! <3
6. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: An important look at police violence. There was a woman on my bus who was reading this for a while. I kept wanting to ask her how it was, but I chickened out.
7. The Break by Katherena Vermette: A novel taking place within a Métis community in Canada.
8. Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin: This is an important work on race in the American South during Jim Crow. It's been on my long list forever, but I recently added it on GoodReads.
9. You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have To Explain by Phoebe Robinson: This is supposed to be really funny as well as informative.
10. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: I started reading Adichie a few years ago with Americanah, and since then I've enjoyed several of her books and learned a lot about Nigeria along the way.
Tuesday, 23 May 2017
Top Ten Tuesday: Summer Reads
I've been a neglectful blogger lately. I've actually started a few TTT posts, but since my work life got crazier, I never finished them in time to post on Tuesday...BUT today I'm back. This week's theme is a summer freebie, which is nice because now that we've had Victoria Day, it feels like summer is on its way. I'm feeling uncreative in terms of picking topics, so I'll just post my summer list of books to read. This year, I'm participating in a summer reading challenge to read books in 25 different categories between May 15 and August 31. I'm already two books down, but here are some that are further down the list and I am to read after summer officially starts on June 21. I"ll post some of the categories and what books I plan to read for each one.
1. A book title with a location in it: A Passage to India by E.M. Forster.
2. A book set on a continent I've never been to: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.
3. A book set on an island or body of water: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer.
4. A book about food or with food in the title: Chocolat by Joanne Harris.
5. A book set in an unfamiliar culture: Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
6. A book with an immigrant or refugee as a main character: Gold Mountain Blues by Ling Zhang.
7. A book based on time travel, world travel, space travel: Saga, Volume 7 by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples.
8. A book set in a country I'd like to visit: In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson.
9. A book set in the wilderness: The Break by Katherena Vermette.
10. A book originally written in a foreign language: The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
1. A book title with a location in it: A Passage to India by E.M. Forster.
2. A book set on a continent I've never been to: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.
3. A book set on an island or body of water: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer.
4. A book about food or with food in the title: Chocolat by Joanne Harris.
5. A book set in an unfamiliar culture: Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
6. A book with an immigrant or refugee as a main character: Gold Mountain Blues by Ling Zhang.
7. A book based on time travel, world travel, space travel: Saga, Volume 7 by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples.
8. A book set in a country I'd like to visit: In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson.
9. A book set in the wilderness: The Break by Katherena Vermette.
10. A book originally written in a foreign language: The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Tuesday, 11 April 2017
Top Ten Tuesday: Unique Books
Today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is looking at the most unique books that we have read.
Unique Structure
1. All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda: It's written backwards, which plays with your head a little.
2. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner: I've read a number of books that jump around in terms of time and narration, but this was probably one of the most disjointed. I didn't actually like it very much, but it was certainly unique!
Unique perspective:
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: The narrator is Death.
4. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold: The narrator is already dead and watching the story unfold.
5. My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me by Jennifer Teege: This is an autobiography that I read recently about a woman who found out her grandfather was a prominent Nazi. It was especially interesting as she is half-Nigerian.
Unique Themes:
6. Avalanche: A Love Story by Julia Leigh: I wrote about this book recently. It's Leigh's memoir of going through IVF. We don't have many infertility memoirs, and certainly few without a shiny happy ending.
7. None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio: This is a YA novel about a teenage girl who discovers she is intersex. I'd never read anything else on the subject, so it's definitely unique!
Just Plain Different:
8. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman: This book did a number on my head, but I enjoyed it. Gaiman certainly is a master of books that are a little weird.
9. The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey: This takes the traditional zombie novel and puts it on its head.
10. Maus by Art Spiegelman: Spiegelman tells his father's Holocaust story in a graphic novel format, using mice to depict the Jews and cats to depict the Nazis. It's very creative and different, and really started the trend of using graphic novels to tell serious stories.
Unique Structure
1. All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda: It's written backwards, which plays with your head a little.
2. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner: I've read a number of books that jump around in terms of time and narration, but this was probably one of the most disjointed. I didn't actually like it very much, but it was certainly unique!
Unique perspective:
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: The narrator is Death.
4. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold: The narrator is already dead and watching the story unfold.
5. My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me by Jennifer Teege: This is an autobiography that I read recently about a woman who found out her grandfather was a prominent Nazi. It was especially interesting as she is half-Nigerian.
Unique Themes:
6. Avalanche: A Love Story by Julia Leigh: I wrote about this book recently. It's Leigh's memoir of going through IVF. We don't have many infertility memoirs, and certainly few without a shiny happy ending.
7. None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio: This is a YA novel about a teenage girl who discovers she is intersex. I'd never read anything else on the subject, so it's definitely unique!
Just Plain Different:
8. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman: This book did a number on my head, but I enjoyed it. Gaiman certainly is a master of books that are a little weird.
9. The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey: This takes the traditional zombie novel and puts it on its head.
10. Maus by Art Spiegelman: Spiegelman tells his father's Holocaust story in a graphic novel format, using mice to depict the Jews and cats to depict the Nazis. It's very creative and different, and really started the trend of using graphic novels to tell serious stories.
Saturday, 1 April 2017
Infertility Book Response: Avalanche
I've been reading a few infertility-related books lately, so I thought that I'd start giving a brief review/response to some of them in case readers are interested. I recently read Julia Leigh's Avalanche, a memoir of her experience going through IVF. You can find a thoughtful piece from the Guardian here. This piece is probably more of a personal response than a review, so read it accordingly.
For obvious reasons, I found it an emotional read. It's a strange book. Some parts are extremely personal - the story of her marriage collapsing, for example. Other sections feel very procedural; however, that's kind of the epitome of fertility treatment for me: You are going through what is potentially the most emotionally grueling experience of your life, and yet your body also feels like the clinical subject of a laboratory experiment. You weep on the subway and in the bathrooms at work, yet you calmly inject yourself twice a day as if measuring out Gonal-F dosages were just the way of things. In that way, I think Leigh really captured some of the absurd essence if infertility.
Leigh's lifestyle and character were so completely different from mine. I found it hard to relate to her impulsive and tumultuous marriage or some of her other choices. She had lovers and ex-lovers, even ones who were prepared to donate sperm for her. However, in some ways, I found her account refreshing. I've read too many infertility accounts that focused on the perfect, committed, loving couple facing the odds. You know, the ones who "deserve" to be parents, for whom everyone feels sad because "Any kid would feel lucky to have you as mom and dad." But who are those people? Not Gil and me. Okay, we rarely fight, and we are nothing like Julia and Paul, but infertility is grueling and tears apart even the most supportive of marriages. I liked seeing a real portrait of messy people in a heartbreaking situation.
I liked that Leigh conveyed the overwhelming amount of decisions that need to be made in infertility and the guilt that is associated with that: "If I don't do this test or that test or the embryo glue, will I always worry that THIS was the reason why I never had a child? I also liked that she questioned the odds she was given and asked for evidence.
Some of the critiques I've read of the book say that Leigh comes across as selfish and/or self-absorbed. Maybe so. It's easy to become obsessed and absorbed with the process when you're in it. Fertility treatment becomes your entire life. It's also easy to judge from the outside. I find that there is this pressure on those of us who are infertile to prove ourselves as deserving: of pity, of sympathy, of being parents. Regular people just get to have kids, but once you're infertile, you need to be a saint or else people shrug and imply that maybe your infertility is just the universe's way of saying you're not meant to be a parent. I've been interrogated about how many procedures we went through, and why we didn't do X, as though I don't get sympathy or grief until I've shown that I "tried hard enough", and only then will they be supportive. All that to say, maybe Leigh was selfish, but that didn't stop me from aching for her sad journey.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. In fact, I wish all my friends would read it, so that they could be better informed about the process and the odds. I've been told to "just do IVF", but I think Leigh's book shows both how difficult IVF is and how low the odds for success actually are. For my infertile sisters, I would say that this is a difficult book. I don't know if I could have related if I were still in the rose-coloured glasses stage when I was sure that I'd get pregnant eventually. Maybe it would have felt too disappointing. Now that I'm grieving what might have been, it's cathartic to know I'm not alone.
Some of my favourite quotes:
"I didn't want to tell people because I thought that unless they were involved in that world themselves they wouldn't want to listen. Or they would only half listen and so diminish my experience. Or they would ask questions that required explanations too complex for conversation. Or they would offer advice based on hearsay and a general theory of positivity. Or I would make them uncomfortable because of my proximity to the abyss. Hush, keep your voice down, don't mention it by name."
YES YES YES YES YES. This is my experience to a T.
"I'm an expert at make-believe. Our child was not unreal to me. It was not a real child but also it was not unreal. Maybe a better way to say it is that the unknown unconceived had been an inner presence. A desired and nurtured inner presence. Not real but a singular presence in which I had radical faith. A presence that could not be substituted or replaced."
For obvious reasons, I found it an emotional read. It's a strange book. Some parts are extremely personal - the story of her marriage collapsing, for example. Other sections feel very procedural; however, that's kind of the epitome of fertility treatment for me: You are going through what is potentially the most emotionally grueling experience of your life, and yet your body also feels like the clinical subject of a laboratory experiment. You weep on the subway and in the bathrooms at work, yet you calmly inject yourself twice a day as if measuring out Gonal-F dosages were just the way of things. In that way, I think Leigh really captured some of the absurd essence if infertility.
Leigh's lifestyle and character were so completely different from mine. I found it hard to relate to her impulsive and tumultuous marriage or some of her other choices. She had lovers and ex-lovers, even ones who were prepared to donate sperm for her. However, in some ways, I found her account refreshing. I've read too many infertility accounts that focused on the perfect, committed, loving couple facing the odds. You know, the ones who "deserve" to be parents, for whom everyone feels sad because "Any kid would feel lucky to have you as mom and dad." But who are those people? Not Gil and me. Okay, we rarely fight, and we are nothing like Julia and Paul, but infertility is grueling and tears apart even the most supportive of marriages. I liked seeing a real portrait of messy people in a heartbreaking situation.
I liked that Leigh conveyed the overwhelming amount of decisions that need to be made in infertility and the guilt that is associated with that: "If I don't do this test or that test or the embryo glue, will I always worry that THIS was the reason why I never had a child? I also liked that she questioned the odds she was given and asked for evidence.
Some of the critiques I've read of the book say that Leigh comes across as selfish and/or self-absorbed. Maybe so. It's easy to become obsessed and absorbed with the process when you're in it. Fertility treatment becomes your entire life. It's also easy to judge from the outside. I find that there is this pressure on those of us who are infertile to prove ourselves as deserving: of pity, of sympathy, of being parents. Regular people just get to have kids, but once you're infertile, you need to be a saint or else people shrug and imply that maybe your infertility is just the universe's way of saying you're not meant to be a parent. I've been interrogated about how many procedures we went through, and why we didn't do X, as though I don't get sympathy or grief until I've shown that I "tried hard enough", and only then will they be supportive. All that to say, maybe Leigh was selfish, but that didn't stop me from aching for her sad journey.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. In fact, I wish all my friends would read it, so that they could be better informed about the process and the odds. I've been told to "just do IVF", but I think Leigh's book shows both how difficult IVF is and how low the odds for success actually are. For my infertile sisters, I would say that this is a difficult book. I don't know if I could have related if I were still in the rose-coloured glasses stage when I was sure that I'd get pregnant eventually. Maybe it would have felt too disappointing. Now that I'm grieving what might have been, it's cathartic to know I'm not alone.
Some of my favourite quotes:
"I didn't want to tell people because I thought that unless they were involved in that world themselves they wouldn't want to listen. Or they would only half listen and so diminish my experience. Or they would ask questions that required explanations too complex for conversation. Or they would offer advice based on hearsay and a general theory of positivity. Or I would make them uncomfortable because of my proximity to the abyss. Hush, keep your voice down, don't mention it by name."
YES YES YES YES YES. This is my experience to a T.
"I'm an expert at make-believe. Our child was not unreal to me. It was not a real child but also it was not unreal. Maybe a better way to say it is that the unknown unconceived had been an inner presence. A desired and nurtured inner presence. Not real but a singular presence in which I had radical faith. A presence that could not be substituted or replaced."
Tuesday, 21 March 2017
Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Read In A Day (Give Or Take)
Today's TTT topic is "one sitting" books. I love when you find a book so enticing that you just sit down and read it all, but that doesn't seem to happen as much these days, so I'm posting about books that I read within 24 hours or so. It's hard to compile this because I'm using Goodreads and I don't have the start and end date for all my past reads, so I'm partially going by memory.
1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton: I did in fact read this book in one sitting, at the public library when I had a few hours to kill while my car got a new muffler. Just imagine me weeping in my corner of the library. What a great book.
2. The Giver by Lois Lowry: This is a book that I do remember clearly. I read the whole thing while doing the glucose test at my infertility clinic, because I had to wait a few hours after drinking the gross orange drink. I'm torn on this one: Great book; terrible memory.
3. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan.: Truth be told, I'm not sure if I actually read this in 24 hours or just over a couple of days, but it's one of those books that I definitely powered through and could barely put it down.
4. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han: I love this series. The books are light and sweet and excellent for reading in one shot.
5. Landline by Rainbow Rowell: This book drew me in with its original and strange concept, and I just couldn't put it down.
6. The Wild Princess by Mary Hart Perry: My friend gave me this highly romantic novel about the daughter of Queen Victoria, and I read it over Victoria Day weekend one year when my husband was working.
7. Roomies by Sara Zarr: A quick and easy, but surprisingly moving, novel about two college roomates.
8. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: My favourite of her books.
9. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer: This book I remember very clearly because I bought it at the airport in Honolulu and had finished it by the time I got home. I'd read the first two on holiday and then ran out of reading material. :P
That's all I could remember!
1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton: I did in fact read this book in one sitting, at the public library when I had a few hours to kill while my car got a new muffler. Just imagine me weeping in my corner of the library. What a great book.
2. The Giver by Lois Lowry: This is a book that I do remember clearly. I read the whole thing while doing the glucose test at my infertility clinic, because I had to wait a few hours after drinking the gross orange drink. I'm torn on this one: Great book; terrible memory.
3. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan.: Truth be told, I'm not sure if I actually read this in 24 hours or just over a couple of days, but it's one of those books that I definitely powered through and could barely put it down.
4. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han: I love this series. The books are light and sweet and excellent for reading in one shot.
5. Landline by Rainbow Rowell: This book drew me in with its original and strange concept, and I just couldn't put it down.
6. The Wild Princess by Mary Hart Perry: My friend gave me this highly romantic novel about the daughter of Queen Victoria, and I read it over Victoria Day weekend one year when my husband was working.
7. Roomies by Sara Zarr: A quick and easy, but surprisingly moving, novel about two college roomates.
8. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: My favourite of her books.
9. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer: This book I remember very clearly because I bought it at the airport in Honolulu and had finished it by the time I got home. I'd read the first two on holiday and then ran out of reading material. :P
That's all I could remember!
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Top Ten Tuesday: Spring TBR
Hi friends! Wow, it's been a month since I last posted. TTT went on hiatus and some other stuff has been going on, but I never meant to be off for so long, so I apologize. We are finally back at it with Top Ten Tuesday, and this week's topic is books on our spring to-read list. Is it almost spring? Really? I'm writing this as I watch snow spiral past my window, but I know that the warm weather will be here soon. I have a few long books on my list for the spring, so we'll see whether I can accomplish this whole list in three months.
1. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: I know, I know. This book is a brick. I've heard so many good things about it though, so I'm looking forward to reading my copy since I really liked The Secret History.
2. Avalanche by Julia Leigh: A heavy read about the author's infertility journey. As we continue to process our life, I've found it helpful to read the stories of other women who have been through this path. I feel like the world really only wants to hear the happy endings of infertility stories, and those of us whose do not end up with a bouncing baby in arms are supposed to stay silent, so I'm going out of my way to read those stories as I process.
3. Swing Time by Zadie Smith: I've enjoyed a lot of her books and am really hoping my library hold comes in ASAP.
4. The Patriots by Sana Krasikov: Oh, hey, more heavy Russian novels!
5. Victoria by Daisy Goodwin: I bought this novel about Queen Victoria on a whim the other day. It seems like a good vacation book for when we (maybe, hopefully) take a long weekend trip in May.
6. The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens: This is one of the books on my Classics Club list, so I'll be diving into this impossibly long novel soonish.
7. Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher: I'm sad that it took Fisher's death to finally get me to read her books, but from what I've read thus far, they are great. RIP Princess Leia. *runs off to cry in the corner*
8. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks: I really enjoyed People of the Book and am hoping to be wowed by this book about a woman in plague times.
9. Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg: Some easy mystery reading for a holiday or long weekend.
10. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman: I've had this on my list for ages, but have finally gotten around to putting a hold on it. I'm interesting to see how it compares to Rae Carson's Gold Seer series, since there are similar themes.
1. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: I know, I know. This book is a brick. I've heard so many good things about it though, so I'm looking forward to reading my copy since I really liked The Secret History.
2. Avalanche by Julia Leigh: A heavy read about the author's infertility journey. As we continue to process our life, I've found it helpful to read the stories of other women who have been through this path. I feel like the world really only wants to hear the happy endings of infertility stories, and those of us whose do not end up with a bouncing baby in arms are supposed to stay silent, so I'm going out of my way to read those stories as I process.
3. Swing Time by Zadie Smith: I've enjoyed a lot of her books and am really hoping my library hold comes in ASAP.
4. The Patriots by Sana Krasikov: Oh, hey, more heavy Russian novels!
5. Victoria by Daisy Goodwin: I bought this novel about Queen Victoria on a whim the other day. It seems like a good vacation book for when we (maybe, hopefully) take a long weekend trip in May.
6. The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens: This is one of the books on my Classics Club list, so I'll be diving into this impossibly long novel soonish.
7. Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher: I'm sad that it took Fisher's death to finally get me to read her books, but from what I've read thus far, they are great. RIP Princess Leia. *runs off to cry in the corner*
8. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks: I really enjoyed People of the Book and am hoping to be wowed by this book about a woman in plague times.
9. Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg: Some easy mystery reading for a holiday or long weekend.
10. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman: I've had this on my list for ages, but have finally gotten around to putting a hold on it. I'm interesting to see how it compares to Rae Carson's Gold Seer series, since there are similar themes.
Tuesday, 14 February 2017
Top Ten Tuesday:Favourite (And Least Favourite) Couples From Recent Books
Happy Valentine's Day, friends! Here's a true Valentine's story from my life: One year in high school, some friends and I were in a coffee shop. I thought my friend Beverly was standing next to me because I caught a flash of her blue coat, so when I noticed some paper hearts decorating the walls, I turned, wiggled my eyebrows suggestively, and said, "It's almost Valentine's Day". Turns out it was a middle aged man. Oops. Now that you've lived through my shame of twenty years past, it's time for the weekly love-themed link up. Today we're posting TTT lists with a Valentine's theme, so I'll be writing about my favourite and least favourite literary couples. I decided to go with books that I read within the last few years rather than all-time favourites, because as much as I love Lizzie and Darcy, it may be time to give some other couples a chance in the spotlight.
1. Ove and Sonja in A Man Called Ove: Ove is the very definition of a curmudgeon, but Sonja loves him anyway. I loved this portrait of love over a lifetime, even and especially through difficult circumstances.
2. Rebecca and Nicholas from The Royal We: This book was a surprise hit for me because the characters were goofy and real. Yes, the idea of an average American girl capturing the heart of prince seemed far-fetched, but the book was full of adorable and funny moments, and in the end I really loved Nick and Bex.
3. Marko and Alana from the Saga series: This story is kind of Romeo and Juliet set in space. What I love about Marko and Alana is that they flawed characters, but they are feisty and committed and passionate. Also, she has wings and he has horns, so that's pretty cool. :)
4. Leah and Jefferson in The Gold Seer series: This series plays with the old trope of the devoted guy who is in love with his unsuspecting best friend; however, Jefferson is kind and strong, and their romance develops as a quiet love story rather than fireworks and magic. I liked that they really respect and care about each other, both as friends and later as more than friends.
5. Beatrice and Hugh in The Summer Before The War: Maybe I just love period romances, but I enjoyed watching this one develop, especially as it wasn't the whole focus of the book. It was nice watching Hugh's eyes gradually open and the way that World War I showed them what was qualities were truly important in a partner and what wasn't actually such a big deal.
6. Lara Jean and Peter in P.S. I Still Love You: This series is candy to me. I laugh a lot and I get warm fuzzies, and I don't care if high school romances usually don't last. I love these two and I adore Lara Jean's family too.
Now I'll move on to a few couples that I just didn't like:
7. Elena and Nino in the Neapolitan series: Don't get me wrong; I really enjoyed this series and found it captivating, but so many times I just wanted to shake Elena and say, "He's a tool! Walk away from him!! Yes, you had a crush on him as an adolescent, but it's time to move on."
8. Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV in The White Queen: There was way too much insta-love in this historical novel.
9. Isabelle and Gaetan in The Nightingale: I loved this book, but the romance element annoyed me. I was thankful that it was less prominent than it seemed in the beginning, but the whole, "I've just met you in wartime and now I'm in love" aspect rubbed me the wrong way. Isabelle was a strong character on her own. She didn't need to be following a boy.
10. Pretty much every couple in The Mists of Avalon: I mean, half of them were related to each other, or cheating on each other, and if not, there was probably some kind of witchcraft involved.
1. Ove and Sonja in A Man Called Ove: Ove is the very definition of a curmudgeon, but Sonja loves him anyway. I loved this portrait of love over a lifetime, even and especially through difficult circumstances.
2. Rebecca and Nicholas from The Royal We: This book was a surprise hit for me because the characters were goofy and real. Yes, the idea of an average American girl capturing the heart of prince seemed far-fetched, but the book was full of adorable and funny moments, and in the end I really loved Nick and Bex.
3. Marko and Alana from the Saga series: This story is kind of Romeo and Juliet set in space. What I love about Marko and Alana is that they flawed characters, but they are feisty and committed and passionate. Also, she has wings and he has horns, so that's pretty cool. :)
4. Leah and Jefferson in The Gold Seer series: This series plays with the old trope of the devoted guy who is in love with his unsuspecting best friend; however, Jefferson is kind and strong, and their romance develops as a quiet love story rather than fireworks and magic. I liked that they really respect and care about each other, both as friends and later as more than friends.
5. Beatrice and Hugh in The Summer Before The War: Maybe I just love period romances, but I enjoyed watching this one develop, especially as it wasn't the whole focus of the book. It was nice watching Hugh's eyes gradually open and the way that World War I showed them what was qualities were truly important in a partner and what wasn't actually such a big deal.
6. Lara Jean and Peter in P.S. I Still Love You: This series is candy to me. I laugh a lot and I get warm fuzzies, and I don't care if high school romances usually don't last. I love these two and I adore Lara Jean's family too.
Now I'll move on to a few couples that I just didn't like:
7. Elena and Nino in the Neapolitan series: Don't get me wrong; I really enjoyed this series and found it captivating, but so many times I just wanted to shake Elena and say, "He's a tool! Walk away from him!! Yes, you had a crush on him as an adolescent, but it's time to move on."
8. Elizabeth Woodville and Edward IV in The White Queen: There was way too much insta-love in this historical novel.
9. Isabelle and Gaetan in The Nightingale: I loved this book, but the romance element annoyed me. I was thankful that it was less prominent than it seemed in the beginning, but the whole, "I've just met you in wartime and now I'm in love" aspect rubbed me the wrong way. Isabelle was a strong character on her own. She didn't need to be following a boy.
10. Pretty much every couple in The Mists of Avalon: I mean, half of them were related to each other, or cheating on each other, and if not, there was probably some kind of witchcraft involved.
Tuesday, 24 January 2017
Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books That Have Made Me Think
This week's TTT topic is a freebie, so we can write about whatever we want. I chose to pick 10 books that I've read over the past year that have challenged my thinking or given me more to ponder. It's a mix of fiction and non-fiction. I do try to vary my reading to include books for pleasure and others to help me learn and gain new perspectives, so here are some that stood out. Enjoy!
1. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi: This book covers several hundred years of a family in Ghana and the United States. It touched upon colonialism, slavery, and oppression. It gave me a lot to ponder and was a compelling read as well.
2. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman: This book made me laugh and cry, but it's also the story of an outcast who in some ways has a heart of gold. I don't want to give too much away, but the book made me think about the people around us who are going through great suffering, and how easy it is to dismiss someone as cold or grumpy when there may be more going on.
3. My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me by Jennifer Teege: The author of this book was adopted as a young age, and found out in her 30s that her grandfather was a Nazi war criminal. The book made me think about what family is and how we cope with the burdens of our past, both in our families and the collective past of our culture.
4. All Roads Lead To Austen by Amy Elizabeth Smith: Okay, this book wasn't super deep, but I enjoyed the reflection on how people with different nationalities and cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds reacted to the same books.
5. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: I really liked this book about two sisters in Vichy France during World War II. The author made me think about how I would respond under occupation, and what is real heroism? Is it just the person who puts her life on the line who is a heroine? It's not always so easy to judge what is right and wrong.
6. The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander: A heavy and sobering book about the impact of the war on drugs on the African American community.
7. Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates: I listened to the audiobook of Coates' letters to his son about what it means to be an African American male, and I plan on reading it again this year. Lots of food for thought.
8. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood: I had read this book in high school and picked it up again on a whim. It made me think about the treatment of the mentally ill in society, as well as at the idea of voices. Whose voice do we listen to, and whose do we disregard?
9. The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng: As with The Nightingale, this book made me think about the lives of those in extenuating circumstances (in this case, Japanese-occupied Malaya), and the idea of complicity and guilt. Some people had to cooperate with the the occupiers in order to save others. How do we determine whether that is heroism or guilt?
10. Joni: An Unforgettable Story by Joni Eareckson Tada: If you're not familiar with Joni's story, she was a teenager when she had an accident that left her as a quadriplegic, but has ultimately been able to use her story to inspire many. The book talks a lot about suffering and how it has the power to shape us. As someone who has gone through a major loss in the past year (though very different that Tada's), I appreciate her contemplative book about how we hold onto faith in the midst of disappointment, when He does not choose to heal us.
I'd love to hear what books have given you food for thought!
1. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi: This book covers several hundred years of a family in Ghana and the United States. It touched upon colonialism, slavery, and oppression. It gave me a lot to ponder and was a compelling read as well.
2. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman: This book made me laugh and cry, but it's also the story of an outcast who in some ways has a heart of gold. I don't want to give too much away, but the book made me think about the people around us who are going through great suffering, and how easy it is to dismiss someone as cold or grumpy when there may be more going on.
3. My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me by Jennifer Teege: The author of this book was adopted as a young age, and found out in her 30s that her grandfather was a Nazi war criminal. The book made me think about what family is and how we cope with the burdens of our past, both in our families and the collective past of our culture.
4. All Roads Lead To Austen by Amy Elizabeth Smith: Okay, this book wasn't super deep, but I enjoyed the reflection on how people with different nationalities and cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds reacted to the same books.
5. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: I really liked this book about two sisters in Vichy France during World War II. The author made me think about how I would respond under occupation, and what is real heroism? Is it just the person who puts her life on the line who is a heroine? It's not always so easy to judge what is right and wrong.
6. The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander: A heavy and sobering book about the impact of the war on drugs on the African American community.
7. Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates: I listened to the audiobook of Coates' letters to his son about what it means to be an African American male, and I plan on reading it again this year. Lots of food for thought.
8. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood: I had read this book in high school and picked it up again on a whim. It made me think about the treatment of the mentally ill in society, as well as at the idea of voices. Whose voice do we listen to, and whose do we disregard?
9. The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng: As with The Nightingale, this book made me think about the lives of those in extenuating circumstances (in this case, Japanese-occupied Malaya), and the idea of complicity and guilt. Some people had to cooperate with the the occupiers in order to save others. How do we determine whether that is heroism or guilt?
10. Joni: An Unforgettable Story by Joni Eareckson Tada: If you're not familiar with Joni's story, she was a teenager when she had an accident that left her as a quadriplegic, but has ultimately been able to use her story to inspire many. The book talks a lot about suffering and how it has the power to shape us. As someone who has gone through a major loss in the past year (though very different that Tada's), I appreciate her contemplative book about how we hold onto faith in the midst of disappointment, when He does not choose to heal us.
I'd love to hear what books have given you food for thought!
Tuesday, 27 December 2016
Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books I Read In 2016
2016 is heading toward it's end. I can't say I'll miss this year; I'm consigning it to the dust heap of history for a multitude of reasons, but one of the few bright lights was that I read a lot of great books. Today for Top Ten Tuesday, we're listing our favourite books read in the past year.
1. The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra: This was hands down my favourite book of the year.
2. The Diviners by Libba Bray: A paranormal and super creepy story set in 1920s New York. I was gripped from the get-go and I can't wait for the third installment.
3. The Passion by Jeanette Winterson: A beautiful and strange story set in Venice and during the Napoleonic invasion of Russia. I liked it so much that I sent it as part of my Secret Santa gift to Melissa over at Writer Grrl Reads. Except that they had changed the cover from what I was used to and the new one has a topless woman on it, so I spent 20 minutes agonizing in the store about whether I'd be creeping out a stranger by sending her a book with nudity on the cover. I sent it anyway, and we both had a laugh over it.
4. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon: Gripping and beautifully written novel set in post-War Barcelona. I loved reading it while I was visiting that city.
5. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton: I plowed through this in a couple of hours while killing time at the library. So. Many. Emotions.
6. The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng: A complex and layered novel set in wartime Penang.
7. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: I put off reading this book for so many years, but I ended up find it to be a real page turner. Sure, there are parts that I skimmed (mostly battle scenes), but I felt really involved with the diverse cast of characters. I'm so glad that I finally read it!
8. Commonwealth by Ann Patchett: I don't know what to call this book exactly. It's in some ways a series of stories about the aftermath of an affair that leads to the break-up of a marriage.
9. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: I just love World War II novels, and this one did not disappoint.
10. Between The World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates: A series of letters that the author wrote to his son about his life and what it means to be African American. I listened to the audiobook of this book in the car and found it so compelling that I was sorry I didn't have a print copy so I could underline everything.
Honourable mention:
Persuasion by Jane Austen: It was my third time reading this book, so I didn't want to count it amongst the books I'd read for the first time, but I find that I appreciate this book more as I get older. It is probably my favourite Austen, and that's saying something because my love for Pride and Prejudice runs deep.
Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me
Today's TTT topic is books that we wouldn't mind getting for Christmas. Here goes!
1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling: Squeeee! Just take my money.
2. Samarkand: Recipes and Stories from Central Asia and the Caucasus by Caroline Eden and Eleanor Ford: I probably would never actually cook any of the recipes, but I'm sure the pictures are nice. ;)
3. Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine and Beyond by Olia Hercules: Another recipe book that looks lovely.
4. History: From the Dawn of Civilization to the Present by Adam Hart-Davis: This is totally up my alley.
5. Swing Time by Zadie Smith: I've read a few of her books and this looks very interesting.
6. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow: Because I have a thing for collecting historical biographies.
7. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman: I've meant to read this for a while now, but never got around to it. The cover is so nice! I wouldn't mind owning it.
8. Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan: I will probably get this from the library, but I love owning heavy historical books, so it would make me happy to find it under my tree.
9. The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew: I've been reading a lot about First Nations issues recently, and this autobiography seems like it would be interesting and important.
10. When Breath Become Air by Paul Kalanithi: I've heard so many rave reviews of this book, and it seems like one I might want to read more than once.
1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling: Squeeee! Just take my money.
2. Samarkand: Recipes and Stories from Central Asia and the Caucasus by Caroline Eden and Eleanor Ford: I probably would never actually cook any of the recipes, but I'm sure the pictures are nice. ;)
3. Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine and Beyond by Olia Hercules: Another recipe book that looks lovely.
4. History: From the Dawn of Civilization to the Present by Adam Hart-Davis: This is totally up my alley.
5. Swing Time by Zadie Smith: I've read a few of her books and this looks very interesting.
6. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow: Because I have a thing for collecting historical biographies.
7. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman: I've meant to read this for a while now, but never got around to it. The cover is so nice! I wouldn't mind owning it.
8. Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan: I will probably get this from the library, but I love owning heavy historical books, so it would make me happy to find it under my tree.
9. The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew: I've been reading a lot about First Nations issues recently, and this autobiography seems like it would be interesting and important.
10. When Breath Become Air by Paul Kalanithi: I've heard so many rave reviews of this book, and it seems like one I might want to read more than once.
Tuesday, 13 December 2016
Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To In 2017
Another Tuesday, another link-up. This week's topic deals with books we're looking forward to in the first half of 2017. I'm not sure if that is specifically looking at new books or just books we're looking forward to reading, so I'll do a little bit of both.
Books anticipated in early 2017:
1. Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han: I just love this series so much. The characters are adorable.
2. Warcross by Marie Lu: To be honest, I just found this book as I was looking up books coming out in 2017, but it sounds like a fascinating concept!
3. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli: I need this!
4. Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman: I am new(ish) on the Gaiman train, but this looks fantastic.
5. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: Woohoo, more Russian themes!
Books I plan to read in 2017 that have already been released:
6. One Night in Winter by Simon Montefiore: This has been on my list for a while and oh, hey, it's another Russian theme.
7. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende: While have long intended to read some Allende, I recently read a book about travels in South America, and the section on Chile made me bunk this modern classic up my list.
8. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: I might as well jump on the bandwagon!
9. Avalanche by Julia Leigh: I've heard this is a gritty, real take on a failed IVF experience, and I'm really interested to read it.
10. Living the Life Unexpected: 12 Weeks To Your Plan B For A Meaningful And Fulfilling Future Without Children by Jody Day: Sounds cheerful, eh? I'm really trying to wrap my head around the hand we've been dealt. I'm not okay with it, and I'm not sure I ever will be, but I'm trying to find a sliver of a silver lining, and hopefully this book will help.
Books anticipated in early 2017:
1. Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han: I just love this series so much. The characters are adorable.
2. Warcross by Marie Lu: To be honest, I just found this book as I was looking up books coming out in 2017, but it sounds like a fascinating concept!
3. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli: I need this!
4. Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman: I am new(ish) on the Gaiman train, but this looks fantastic.
5. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: Woohoo, more Russian themes!
Books I plan to read in 2017 that have already been released:
6. One Night in Winter by Simon Montefiore: This has been on my list for a while and oh, hey, it's another Russian theme.
7. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende: While have long intended to read some Allende, I recently read a book about travels in South America, and the section on Chile made me bunk this modern classic up my list.
8. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: I might as well jump on the bandwagon!
9. Avalanche by Julia Leigh: I've heard this is a gritty, real take on a failed IVF experience, and I'm really interested to read it.
10. Living the Life Unexpected: 12 Weeks To Your Plan B For A Meaningful And Fulfilling Future Without Children by Jody Day: Sounds cheerful, eh? I'm really trying to wrap my head around the hand we've been dealt. I'm not okay with it, and I'm not sure I ever will be, but I'm trying to find a sliver of a silver lining, and hopefully this book will help.
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
Top Ten Tuesday: New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2016
Today's TTT topic is "Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read for the First Time in 2016". Pretty self-explanatory. Here's my list!
1. Elena Ferrante: I've been making my way through the Neapolitan novels. One book left, and that's on deck for me when I finish my current read.
2. Kristin Hannah: I loved The Nightingale. So good!
3. S.E. Hinton: I finally read The Outsiders when I found myself with hours to kill and no book while waiting for my car to be repaired, and to my surprise, I utterly loved it.
4. Dan Simmons: I had Drood on my list forever, but finally made my way to it in the spring. I'll definitely be reading more of his books.
5. Geraldine Brooks: People of the Book was a really intriguing concept. I definitely want to read a few more of her books, especially March.
6. Carlos Ruiz Zafon: I read The Shadow of the Wind while on holiday in Barcelona, and it was one of the best books I read all year.
7. Libba Bray: I finally started the Diviners series, and boy am I hooked. I can't wait for the third book to come out!
8. Becky Albertalli: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda made me laugh and cry.
9. Markus Zusak: How did I wait so long to read The Book Thief?
10. ShayaLonnie: Okay, so this year I discovered FanFic and got obsessed. ShayaLonnie is one of my favourites.
Now it's your turn, readers! What new authors captivated you this year?
1. Elena Ferrante: I've been making my way through the Neapolitan novels. One book left, and that's on deck for me when I finish my current read.
2. Kristin Hannah: I loved The Nightingale. So good!
3. S.E. Hinton: I finally read The Outsiders when I found myself with hours to kill and no book while waiting for my car to be repaired, and to my surprise, I utterly loved it.
4. Dan Simmons: I had Drood on my list forever, but finally made my way to it in the spring. I'll definitely be reading more of his books.
5. Geraldine Brooks: People of the Book was a really intriguing concept. I definitely want to read a few more of her books, especially March.
6. Carlos Ruiz Zafon: I read The Shadow of the Wind while on holiday in Barcelona, and it was one of the best books I read all year.
7. Libba Bray: I finally started the Diviners series, and boy am I hooked. I can't wait for the third book to come out!
8. Becky Albertalli: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda made me laugh and cry.
9. Markus Zusak: How did I wait so long to read The Book Thief?
10. ShayaLonnie: Okay, so this year I discovered FanFic and got obsessed. ShayaLonnie is one of my favourites.
Now it's your turn, readers! What new authors captivated you this year?
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
Top Ten Tuesday: Things For Which I Am Thankful
I haven't been blogging a lot lately. My apologies. I got a bit caught up with life. I'll update more later, but I got a new part-time job, and between that, NaNoWriMo (first time doing it!), the US election, and feeling a bit overwhelmed with grief, I haven't had a lot to say about myself.
I missed last week's link-up, but I like the title and I'm in desperate need of a little gratitude in my life so I'll link up with the same topic this week: Ten Things I Am Thankful For.
Non-Bookish Things
1. I'm beyond thankful for my country. We have made many mistakes over the years, but in the past little while, I have been overwhelmed with joy that I live in a country and a city that is diverse and accepting of others. Last week, I have the privilege of celebrating with a friend who had her Canadian citizenship ceremony. When the waitress at our restaurant asked why we were all so happy, we told her. She responded with, "That's so amazing! Way to go! I don't know if I could do it, especially the test!" She then had a free dessert sent to our table. It was such a beautiful gesture of welcome, and I was very moved.
2. I'm thankful for my husband. We have been through deep waters, and I know that it has not been easy for him to grieve with me and also deal with a spouse who is deeply hurting and dealing with depression and anxiety. He has been my biggest fan every step of the way, and I am so grateful.
3. I'm thankful for my my family. Sometimes I take it for granted that parents and siblings love and support one another, but the more I see of the world, the more I realize that isn't always true. We may not always do the right things, but we have each other's back and my family is full of love.
4. I'm thankful for Neville! He brings me joy every day.
5. I'm thankful for my Christian faith. I don't talk about it that much on here because I've been wrestling a lot with God and with His plan for my life. I don't understand why He has chosen to leave us childless, and I struggle with why I have not like I fit in or was supported by the broader Church when I was in the dark hole of depression... but I know that this life is not all there is, and I am thankful that God gives me hope in the hard times.
Bookish Things:
6. I'm thankful for Overdrive and public libraries. I would probably be bankrupt if there were not so many ways to get books for free!
7. I'm thankful for Harry Potter. The books have gotten me through some very dark days, and I am looking forward to a full reread over the Christmas season.
8. I'm thankful that with the growth of ebooks, I can read a lot of the classics for free on my Kindle.
9. I'm thankful for the book blogging community, where I can always find recommendations for books that will challenge and entertain me.
10. I'm thankful for writers who go deep into research to make their stories more accurate. There is nothing more satisfying to me as a historian than reading historical fiction and finding that the writer did his/her homework.
I missed last week's link-up, but I like the title and I'm in desperate need of a little gratitude in my life so I'll link up with the same topic this week: Ten Things I Am Thankful For.
Non-Bookish Things
1. I'm beyond thankful for my country. We have made many mistakes over the years, but in the past little while, I have been overwhelmed with joy that I live in a country and a city that is diverse and accepting of others. Last week, I have the privilege of celebrating with a friend who had her Canadian citizenship ceremony. When the waitress at our restaurant asked why we were all so happy, we told her. She responded with, "That's so amazing! Way to go! I don't know if I could do it, especially the test!" She then had a free dessert sent to our table. It was such a beautiful gesture of welcome, and I was very moved.
2. I'm thankful for my husband. We have been through deep waters, and I know that it has not been easy for him to grieve with me and also deal with a spouse who is deeply hurting and dealing with depression and anxiety. He has been my biggest fan every step of the way, and I am so grateful.
3. I'm thankful for my my family. Sometimes I take it for granted that parents and siblings love and support one another, but the more I see of the world, the more I realize that isn't always true. We may not always do the right things, but we have each other's back and my family is full of love.
4. I'm thankful for Neville! He brings me joy every day.
5. I'm thankful for my Christian faith. I don't talk about it that much on here because I've been wrestling a lot with God and with His plan for my life. I don't understand why He has chosen to leave us childless, and I struggle with why I have not like I fit in or was supported by the broader Church when I was in the dark hole of depression... but I know that this life is not all there is, and I am thankful that God gives me hope in the hard times.
Bookish Things:
6. I'm thankful for Overdrive and public libraries. I would probably be bankrupt if there were not so many ways to get books for free!
7. I'm thankful for Harry Potter. The books have gotten me through some very dark days, and I am looking forward to a full reread over the Christmas season.
8. I'm thankful that with the growth of ebooks, I can read a lot of the classics for free on my Kindle.
 |
| War And Peace on a summer's day |
9. I'm thankful for the book blogging community, where I can always find recommendations for books that will challenge and entertain me.
10. I'm thankful for writers who go deep into research to make their stories more accurate. There is nothing more satisfying to me as a historian than reading historical fiction and finding that the writer did his/her homework.
Tuesday, 18 October 2016
Top Ten (Er, Twelve) Tuesday: Character Names I Would Use On A Child Or Pet
This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a little bit bittersweet for me. The official topic is "Ten Characters I'd Name A Child/Dog/Cat/Car/Etc. After". It's a hard topic because I have a long list of names for my future children, many of them from works of literature. I could easily name a dozen kids after my favourite books, but if you've tracked around her for a while, you may know that our journey to have a child has been unsuccessful, and that at this point, I am attempting to come to terms with never being a mother. Sorry to be a bit of a let-down on what is normally a lighthearted link-up, but there you go. I do, however, love names, so I'm going to open up a bit and share some of the names on my list that I fell in love with through books, and a few that I would happily use on a future fur baby. I'm excluding Bible names, because that list is looooooooooong. :)
Names I would use on a future child (if my husband would ever agree to them):
1. Hermione: I don't care if everyone in the world would respond with "Like in Harry Potter?" Yes, like Harry Potter, and like Shakespeare, and the daughter of Helen of Troy. It's such a beautiful and rich name, and I would use it in a heartbeat if it weren't for the fact that my husband would exercise veto power.
2. Josephine: Jo March is such a great role model for a bookish girl like I was. Again, it's not really usable for me since my two best friends and sister-in-law are all called Jo, but I like to daydream about a little Josie.
3. Marilla: Because Marilla Cuthbert is just such a great character, and I adore Rilla of Ingleside as well.
4. Beatrice: I mostly just like this name, but I fell extra in love because of Beatriz in Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Shadow Of The Wind.
5. Jane: There are so many great Janes in literature like Jane Austen, who gave us Jane Bennet, and my beloved Jane Eyre.
6. Dorothea: I've loved this name since I first read Middlemarch.
7. Walter: Oh Walter Blythe, I love you so! *Cries*
8. Edmund: Another name that I like for many reasons, but Edmund Pevensie and Edmund from Mansfield Park make me love it more.
Names I would and probably will use on a future pet:
9. Minerva: Yes, another HP name, but so fitting. There is a kitty named Minerva in my future. It's only a matter of time.
10. Luna: Actually, before we got Neville, we considered adopting a kitten that an acquaintance found, but that fell through. She was a lovely white cat and I was going to call her Luna.
11. Bingley: I'm not a huge dog person, but I have this dream of having a dog named Mr Bingley one day. Mr Bingley was just so cheerful and lovable that his name seems to suit a future pup.
12. Dunstable: I don't know why, but ever since I read Fifth Business 20ish years ago, I've had this in mind for a pet. It just makes me laugh to think of a cat with such a stodgy name.
As an added bonus, here are some names that I will never use, even if I love the associated characters:
Fitzwilliam: Sorry Mr Darcy, but no.
Bathsheba: Far From The Madding Crowd is a favourite of mine, and the character is a great example of a strong woman, but Bathsheba is a whole lot of name to bestow on someone.
Bertha: I adore Anne of Green Gables, but even though she loves this name, I do not.
Names I would use on a future child (if my husband would ever agree to them):
1. Hermione: I don't care if everyone in the world would respond with "Like in Harry Potter?" Yes, like Harry Potter, and like Shakespeare, and the daughter of Helen of Troy. It's such a beautiful and rich name, and I would use it in a heartbeat if it weren't for the fact that my husband would exercise veto power.
2. Josephine: Jo March is such a great role model for a bookish girl like I was. Again, it's not really usable for me since my two best friends and sister-in-law are all called Jo, but I like to daydream about a little Josie.
3. Marilla: Because Marilla Cuthbert is just such a great character, and I adore Rilla of Ingleside as well.
4. Beatrice: I mostly just like this name, but I fell extra in love because of Beatriz in Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Shadow Of The Wind.
5. Jane: There are so many great Janes in literature like Jane Austen, who gave us Jane Bennet, and my beloved Jane Eyre.
6. Dorothea: I've loved this name since I first read Middlemarch.
7. Walter: Oh Walter Blythe, I love you so! *Cries*
8. Edmund: Another name that I like for many reasons, but Edmund Pevensie and Edmund from Mansfield Park make me love it more.
Names I would and probably will use on a future pet:
9. Minerva: Yes, another HP name, but so fitting. There is a kitty named Minerva in my future. It's only a matter of time.
10. Luna: Actually, before we got Neville, we considered adopting a kitten that an acquaintance found, but that fell through. She was a lovely white cat and I was going to call her Luna.
11. Bingley: I'm not a huge dog person, but I have this dream of having a dog named Mr Bingley one day. Mr Bingley was just so cheerful and lovable that his name seems to suit a future pup.
12. Dunstable: I don't know why, but ever since I read Fifth Business 20ish years ago, I've had this in mind for a pet. It just makes me laugh to think of a cat with such a stodgy name.
As an added bonus, here are some names that I will never use, even if I love the associated characters:
Fitzwilliam: Sorry Mr Darcy, but no.
Bathsheba: Far From The Madding Crowd is a favourite of mine, and the character is a great example of a strong woman, but Bathsheba is a whole lot of name to bestow on someone.
Bertha: I adore Anne of Green Gables, but even though she loves this name, I do not.
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Top Ten Tuesday: Books I've Read Because of Other Bloggers
This week's TTT topic is books we've read on the recommendations of book blogs and vlogs. Here goes!
1. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra: I am fairly certain that I read this book because of Lianne over at Eclectic Tales, and I loved it. His second book has easily been my favourite read this year.
2. Walk On Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson: I read this because it was mentioned in one of Emily May's vlogs, and I'm super stoked to have the sequel in my hot hands to start today! It's also the first western I'd read in a long time... possibly in my entire life.
3. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng: I think I read this from Barefoot Med Student's blog, and was excited to find a book that dealt with my husband's native country of Malaysia.
4. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: I'm not sure where in particular I found out about this book, but it seems to be on a fair amount of blogs.
5. The Diviners by Libba Bray: Same as above. I'd seen it mentioned on various sites, and decided to take a risk. I ended up loving this book and am excited to read the rest of the series.
6. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan: This is thinly veiled Will and Kate fanfiction... and I loved it. I think it first came to my attention via a few blogs, among them The Broke and the Bookish and Tiff at Mostly YA Lit.
7. Simon Versus the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: I first became intrigued by this book when I bought a copy for the Broke and Bookish Secret Santa last year and sent it to Tiff at Mostly YA Lit. I realized then that I wanted to read it for myself, and what a sweet book it was.
8. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han: This is another book that I saw on multiple sites, and decided to purchase when it popped up in my email on a list of Kindle deals. I adore the characters in this series and the light escape it provides from regular life.
9. The Young Elites by Marie Lu: I think I learned of this one from The Book Geek. To be honest, the first book wasn't my favourite and I have yet to read the sequel, but they did lead me to check out the dystopian Legend series, which I enjoyed.
10. Everything by Rainbow Rowell: I had never heard about her before I started checking out book blogs, and man, did I get hooked after reading Eleanor & Park. Her books are so addictive and the characters so interesting.
1. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra: I am fairly certain that I read this book because of Lianne over at Eclectic Tales, and I loved it. His second book has easily been my favourite read this year.
2. Walk On Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson: I read this because it was mentioned in one of Emily May's vlogs, and I'm super stoked to have the sequel in my hot hands to start today! It's also the first western I'd read in a long time... possibly in my entire life.
3. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng: I think I read this from Barefoot Med Student's blog, and was excited to find a book that dealt with my husband's native country of Malaysia.
4. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein: I'm not sure where in particular I found out about this book, but it seems to be on a fair amount of blogs.
5. The Diviners by Libba Bray: Same as above. I'd seen it mentioned on various sites, and decided to take a risk. I ended up loving this book and am excited to read the rest of the series.
6. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan: This is thinly veiled Will and Kate fanfiction... and I loved it. I think it first came to my attention via a few blogs, among them The Broke and the Bookish and Tiff at Mostly YA Lit.
7. Simon Versus the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: I first became intrigued by this book when I bought a copy for the Broke and Bookish Secret Santa last year and sent it to Tiff at Mostly YA Lit. I realized then that I wanted to read it for myself, and what a sweet book it was.
8. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han: This is another book that I saw on multiple sites, and decided to purchase when it popped up in my email on a list of Kindle deals. I adore the characters in this series and the light escape it provides from regular life.
9. The Young Elites by Marie Lu: I think I learned of this one from The Book Geek. To be honest, the first book wasn't my favourite and I have yet to read the sequel, but they did lead me to check out the dystopian Legend series, which I enjoyed.
10. Everything by Rainbow Rowell: I had never heard about her before I started checking out book blogs, and man, did I get hooked after reading Eleanor & Park. Her books are so addictive and the characters so interesting.
Tuesday, 4 October 2016
Top Ten Tuesday: Villains From Recent Reads
Today's TTT topic is focused on villains. I was tempted to talk about my all-time most memorable villains, but they're probably everyone's most memorable villains, like Voldemort and Dracula and whatnot. Instead, I'm writing about memorable villains in some of the books I've read recently (i.e., in the last 2-3 years). I've chosen to focus on actual villains and omit cases where the villain was society, or Stalinism, or the protagonist him/herself.
1. The forest in Uprooted by Naomi Novik: I enjoyed this book and the fact that there wasn't so much of a tangible enemy except for the forest itself.
2. Drood in Drood by Dan Simmons: The whole question of this book is what is real, if anything, but I found the idea of the mysterious Drood very compelling.
3. Inspector Fumero in The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon: Fascist sadists make for scary villains.
4. Naughty John in The Diviners by Libba Bray: Soooooooo scary. This book gave me the creeps!
5. The Humdrum in Carry On by Rainbow Rowell: Mostly because it's called the Humdrum. I just like the name.
6. John Uskglass (the Raven King) in Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell by Susanna Clarke: I loved this book and was compelled by the mysterious Raven King that lures people into his traps.
7. Ursula the nanny in The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaman: Well, isn't that just your worst nightmare of a babysitter??
8. The perpetrator in Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects: I don't want to spoil the ending, so I won't reveal who ended up being the guilty person in this novel, but this book was incredibly disturbing, especially the villain.
9. Baron Harkonnen in Dune by Frank Herbert: He gave me the creeps.
10. Morgause in The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley: So manipulative!
1. The forest in Uprooted by Naomi Novik: I enjoyed this book and the fact that there wasn't so much of a tangible enemy except for the forest itself.
2. Drood in Drood by Dan Simmons: The whole question of this book is what is real, if anything, but I found the idea of the mysterious Drood very compelling.
3. Inspector Fumero in The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon: Fascist sadists make for scary villains.
4. Naughty John in The Diviners by Libba Bray: Soooooooo scary. This book gave me the creeps!
5. The Humdrum in Carry On by Rainbow Rowell: Mostly because it's called the Humdrum. I just like the name.
6. John Uskglass (the Raven King) in Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell by Susanna Clarke: I loved this book and was compelled by the mysterious Raven King that lures people into his traps.
7. Ursula the nanny in The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaman: Well, isn't that just your worst nightmare of a babysitter??
8. The perpetrator in Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects: I don't want to spoil the ending, so I won't reveal who ended up being the guilty person in this novel, but this book was incredibly disturbing, especially the villain.
9. Baron Harkonnen in Dune by Frank Herbert: He gave me the creeps.
10. Morgause in The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley: So manipulative!
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