Recent Reads: What I Enjoyed v. What I Endured
If you browsed my blog lately, you'd find a lot about food and baking; you might come to the (correct) assumption that the blogger is a total heifer savvy gourmand. If you scrolled back a few months, there might even be a post about running or working out mixed in there. But you'd have to go pretty deep in the archives to find a post about books. I'm still reading, hoping to meet my 75 books for the year resolution, but I haven't discussed these books in a hot minute.
I'll keep it to the point with an overview of some recent books I read that I thought were worth the hype or wished I'd skipped. I've seen these books again and again either on Instagram, Good Reads, or other blogs in the last few months, suggesting to me that they're MUST READS. Some of them I'm glad I did, and others not so much.
Let's start with the good:
Little Fires Everywhere, Celest Ng
This is probably the best book I've read this year. I enjoyed Ng's first book, Everything I Never Told You, and am so glad I picked this one up, too. I loved everything about it; the writing, the character development, the various plot lines and how they intersected. With the unexpected plot twists and ensemble cast, it seems ripe for a studio to pick for a movie or more likely, a TV show. Highly recommend.
This is probably the best book I've read this year. I enjoyed Ng's first book, Everything I Never Told You, and am so glad I picked this one up, too. I loved everything about it; the writing, the character development, the various plot lines and how they intersected. With the unexpected plot twists and ensemble cast, it seems ripe for a studio to pick for a movie or more likely, a TV show. Highly recommend.
Still Me, Jojo Moyes
I didn't love After You, the follow-up to the popular Me Before You, but like so many other people, I can't help but be smitten by Louisa Clark. She's such a genuine character, and as long as Moyes keeps telling her story, I'll probably keep reading. I didn't love everything about this book, as certain plot points seemed a little forced or questionable, but I enjoyed the book overall.
I didn't love After You, the follow-up to the popular Me Before You, but like so many other people, I can't help but be smitten by Louisa Clark. She's such a genuine character, and as long as Moyes keeps telling her story, I'll probably keep reading. I didn't love everything about this book, as certain plot points seemed a little forced or questionable, but I enjoyed the book overall.
Beartown, Fredrik Backman
This book went in an entirely different direction than I initially thought, and at first I was like, whoa, I didn't sign up for this. But Backman's writing and characters just kept pulling me in. This reminded me a lot of a less researched Jodi Picoult book, but I don't mean that in a negative way. You get the point of view of every side to the story and think about things in a way you normally wouldn't. I'd recommend this book, but probably not if you're looking for a light summer read.
This book went in an entirely different direction than I initially thought, and at first I was like, whoa, I didn't sign up for this. But Backman's writing and characters just kept pulling me in. This reminded me a lot of a less researched Jodi Picoult book, but I don't mean that in a negative way. You get the point of view of every side to the story and think about things in a way you normally wouldn't. I'd recommend this book, but probably not if you're looking for a light summer read.
Now with some books I didn't like so much (read: at all)
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman
This was the biggest let down; I'd seen this on various blogs and the Good Reads reviews are awesome. I expected heartfelt sincerity and humor and instead I got a whole lot of WTF. I initially though Eleanor was autistic; she doesn't understand social cues and sarcasm and polite societal behavior, so I assumed she was somewhere on the spectrum and to read about her life encompassing all that. Nowhere was autism mentioned and Eleanor turned out to be a huge bore. She wasn't a quirky heroine, she was obnoxious. I can't stand when people are praised for speaking their mind or not having a filter, you know what those people are called? Assholes. You can be honest and truthful while still being a polite member of society. I could go on and go, but suffice to say this was a huge thumbs down for me.
This was the biggest let down; I'd seen this on various blogs and the Good Reads reviews are awesome. I expected heartfelt sincerity and humor and instead I got a whole lot of WTF. I initially though Eleanor was autistic; she doesn't understand social cues and sarcasm and polite societal behavior, so I assumed she was somewhere on the spectrum and to read about her life encompassing all that. Nowhere was autism mentioned and Eleanor turned out to be a huge bore. She wasn't a quirky heroine, she was obnoxious. I can't stand when people are praised for speaking their mind or not having a filter, you know what those people are called? Assholes. You can be honest and truthful while still being a polite member of society. I could go on and go, but suffice to say this was a huge thumbs down for me.
The Female Persuasion, Meg Wolitzer
Hmm, actually this might have been the biggest let down, because I liked The Interestings and saw this book all over social media, so I was pretty hyped for it. I didn't actually dislike this book, I just didn't really like it. It was solid, but it just didn't get me jazzed like I thought it would.
Hmm, actually this might have been the biggest let down, because I liked The Interestings and saw this book all over social media, so I was pretty hyped for it. I didn't actually dislike this book, I just didn't really like it. It was solid, but it just didn't get me jazzed like I thought it would.
Manhattan Beach, Jennifer Egan
This book was a total snoozefest, and another big disappointment because A Visit From the Goon Squad was really great. I listened to the audiobook, and for the last three discs I was like, can we wrap this up already. I was promised a fascinating peek into 1930s and '40s Manhattan, rife with mobsters and mystery, and instead I was bored and disinterested with most of this book. It has a promising start and the possibility to be good, but it just sort of fizzles.
This book was a total snoozefest, and another big disappointment because A Visit From the Goon Squad was really great. I listened to the audiobook, and for the last three discs I was like, can we wrap this up already. I was promised a fascinating peek into 1930s and '40s Manhattan, rife with mobsters and mystery, and instead I was bored and disinterested with most of this book. It has a promising start and the possibility to be good, but it just sort of fizzles.
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