We're going to pretend that I'm not writing this two months after I intended to :-)
For the second half of 2012, I found myself reading several sequels, most of which I had read the previous titles within the past couple of years.
Pandemonium and Hana by Lauren Oliver
Pandemonium is the first sequel to Delirium, which I previously wrote about a few months ago. I couldn't wait to dive in to this book, after the ending of the previous one. Unfortunately, it was a bit slow, which I think was partly due to the format of the story, which switched from chapter to chapter between "Then" and "Now." It did pick up more near the end, and, as with the first one, the last page of the book was gripping and I can't wait to read the final book!
I'm not sure how to classify Hana. It takes place at the same time as Delirium and is told from the point of view of the main character's best friend. It was very short, which is mostly why I read it, and gave some more insight into the actions of this character. However, I don't really think it added much to my experience with the story, so I don't recommend reading it.
The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
I also wrote about 13 Little Blue Envelopes previously. I actually had no idea there was a sequel, but was messing around on the Richland County Library's e-reader app and found this book. I can't really say too much about this one without revealing what happened in the previous book. With that said, I didn't really like the conclusion of the story and think maybe it was better that we just not know what happened!
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
This is the long awaited follow up to the popular Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I loved those books, so of course had high hopes for this one. Well, just like the other sequels I read this year, I was disappointed. To talk about my reasons would be a huge spoiler, so I will just warn those of you still planning to read this book that the tone is very different from the previous ones. I still recommend that you read it to help you conclude the girls' story.
The two non-sequel books I read the second half of this year could not have been more different:
A Time to Kill by John Grisham
I don't think it's a secret that I love John Grisham. And this book did not end my love affair. It was a very sensitive topic, and had some language I could have done without, but what a powerful story. I love that all of his characters are so developed and relatable. It is easy to imagine what they might do or say and understand the actions that they take. This is also the first Grisham novel I've read that I actually enjoyed the movie as well. Book recommended!
Is Everybody Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
This is a book by a comedienne along the same lines as Tina Fey's Bossypants. While I didn't think this one was quite as funny, it still definitely had some laugh out loud moments for me. It gave me insight into her as a person, so that I didn't think of her as "Kelly" from The Office anymore. I think the book is great and it made me want to watch her TV show The Mindy Project. If you like her show, you should definitely read the book because it will make you appreciate the show even more (I promise!). Even if you don't watch the show, this is worth a read, just for a good laugh.
So, I think what I learned from this year is that maybe I should read less sequels... because they'll probably never live up to the original :-)
Showing posts with label grisham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grisham. Show all posts
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Monday, December 5, 2011
Bookworm! Fall Edition
Alas, I have not been reading as much in the past couple of months, but it also took me some time to make it through a couple of these books!
The Chosen One Carol Lynch Williams
I found this book fascinating. According to my mom, it's quite timely, as it's reminiscent of the Warren Jeffs case. It takes place in a Fundamentalist Mormon polygamist compound, but the environment is like a cult, not modern like "Sister Wives." The protagonist of the story is a young girl who has been promised to her uncle as a bride and conveys her struggle to escape. Yes, it's uncomfortable at times, but it's a compelling story, and so hard to put down! I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Gray Baby Scott Loring Sanders
I was excited by this book at first, as I expected lots of dialogue about race relations. I was somewhat disappointed. The beginning chapters moved along quite nicely, as they described the circumstances surrounding the story. However, the next few chapters were quite s-l-o-w, with little action taking place. Finally though, a little beyond halfway through the story, a completely unexpected event takes place and the rest of the book picks up magnificently. My thought is that this book would make a great movie. They could quickly move through those slow chapters as a montage. If that happens, this is one case where I would say skip the book and wait for the movie.
The Firm John Grisham
This is only the second John Grisham book I have read, but I have loved them both. As I began the book, I wondered how it could possibly be worth the hundreds of pages it contained. My wondering soon ceased. This book had me hooked quickly! I've read reviews that thought it dragged a bit near the end, but I didn't think so at all. I was always eager to see what happened next; it was definitely a "page turner." The movie was on TV a couple of weeks after I finished the book, and having remembered nothing about it after watching it years ago, I decided to see it again. It was SO different from the book! I actually thought it was a horrible movie compared to the book. I don't know how a person even follows the action in the movie without having read the book. They also changed quite a few details from the book to the movie, which I always have a problem with. End rant. Definitely read the book, but definitely don't want the movie!
Afterthought: The other book I've read is "The Pelican Brief" and I recommend both the book AND the movie :-)
Enter Three Witches Caroline B. Cooney
This is pegged as 'A Story of Macbeth.' I actually expected it to be more about the witches, but it really wasn't. It was about Lady Mary, who I honestly don't remember if she was in Shakespeare's version or not. Anyway, it told the rise and fall of Macbeth, through the view and life of Lady Mary. It was fairly interesting, slow in parts, but an easy read. I think this would be a really good comparison piece for high school teachers to read after Macbeth to analyze how the events were told in each case. That's really the way I thought throughout this book, as a teacher. It's obviously much easier to understand, as it's written in modern English for the most parts, with Shakespeare scattered throughout. I love Cooney as an author though, so I thought it was a valiant effort. I could take or leave this book.
The Shack William Paul Young
I know I'm pretty late to the party on this one, as it was 'all the rage' a few years ago. I still don't know how I feel about this book. First of all, it took me a looooong time to get through this book, almost a month. I read all the reviews about how people cried the whole time, rededicated their life to Christ, and the whole shebang, so I expected to be a bumbling wreck while reading it. Eh, not so much. There were definitely touching moments, and I can probably see how some that weren't quite 'living right' might be rightly convicted. Now please know, I'm not saying that I, or my relationship with Christ is perfect, but I feel that it's in quite a good place. Maybe that is why I wasn't quite as affected. Or maybe it's because this was really my first venture into Christian fiction, and I was just expecting something different. Whatever the case, I think this is probably one that you will have to decide upon yourself. It seems to be a love- it or hate- it book, so you might love it.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think? What are you reading these days?
The Chosen One Carol Lynch Williams
I found this book fascinating. According to my mom, it's quite timely, as it's reminiscent of the Warren Jeffs case. It takes place in a Fundamentalist Mormon polygamist compound, but the environment is like a cult, not modern like "Sister Wives." The protagonist of the story is a young girl who has been promised to her uncle as a bride and conveys her struggle to escape. Yes, it's uncomfortable at times, but it's a compelling story, and so hard to put down! I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Gray Baby Scott Loring Sanders
I was excited by this book at first, as I expected lots of dialogue about race relations. I was somewhat disappointed. The beginning chapters moved along quite nicely, as they described the circumstances surrounding the story. However, the next few chapters were quite s-l-o-w, with little action taking place. Finally though, a little beyond halfway through the story, a completely unexpected event takes place and the rest of the book picks up magnificently. My thought is that this book would make a great movie. They could quickly move through those slow chapters as a montage. If that happens, this is one case where I would say skip the book and wait for the movie.
The Firm John Grisham
This is only the second John Grisham book I have read, but I have loved them both. As I began the book, I wondered how it could possibly be worth the hundreds of pages it contained. My wondering soon ceased. This book had me hooked quickly! I've read reviews that thought it dragged a bit near the end, but I didn't think so at all. I was always eager to see what happened next; it was definitely a "page turner." The movie was on TV a couple of weeks after I finished the book, and having remembered nothing about it after watching it years ago, I decided to see it again. It was SO different from the book! I actually thought it was a horrible movie compared to the book. I don't know how a person even follows the action in the movie without having read the book. They also changed quite a few details from the book to the movie, which I always have a problem with. End rant. Definitely read the book, but definitely don't want the movie!
Afterthought: The other book I've read is "The Pelican Brief" and I recommend both the book AND the movie :-)
Enter Three Witches Caroline B. Cooney
This is pegged as 'A Story of Macbeth.' I actually expected it to be more about the witches, but it really wasn't. It was about Lady Mary, who I honestly don't remember if she was in Shakespeare's version or not. Anyway, it told the rise and fall of Macbeth, through the view and life of Lady Mary. It was fairly interesting, slow in parts, but an easy read. I think this would be a really good comparison piece for high school teachers to read after Macbeth to analyze how the events were told in each case. That's really the way I thought throughout this book, as a teacher. It's obviously much easier to understand, as it's written in modern English for the most parts, with Shakespeare scattered throughout. I love Cooney as an author though, so I thought it was a valiant effort. I could take or leave this book.
The Shack William Paul Young
I know I'm pretty late to the party on this one, as it was 'all the rage' a few years ago. I still don't know how I feel about this book. First of all, it took me a looooong time to get through this book, almost a month. I read all the reviews about how people cried the whole time, rededicated their life to Christ, and the whole shebang, so I expected to be a bumbling wreck while reading it. Eh, not so much. There were definitely touching moments, and I can probably see how some that weren't quite 'living right' might be rightly convicted. Now please know, I'm not saying that I, or my relationship with Christ is perfect, but I feel that it's in quite a good place. Maybe that is why I wasn't quite as affected. Or maybe it's because this was really my first venture into Christian fiction, and I was just expecting something different. Whatever the case, I think this is probably one that you will have to decide upon yourself. It seems to be a love- it or hate- it book, so you might love it.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think? What are you reading these days?
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