After having read both of J. Courtney Sullivan’s novels within the last six months, I have to say that I am incredibly impressed. And also slightly baffled that I'd never heard of her before this past summer. She is a rare type of author: someone you might label as a chick-lit writer at first, but upon reading further, find that her books are not exactly what they seem.
I think what I like the most about her writing is that her characters are so imperfect. Not in spectacular ways like you see in some books, but in subtle, incredibly relatable ways. Commencement was a nostalgia-fest for college, while Maine was not quite as instantly relatable, but certainly reminded me in a few small ways of my own large Catholic family. I also like how she slips in teases of what’s to come instead of just spilling an entire backstory in one go. It keeps you interested.
I like Maine more than I liked Commencement, which I didn’t think was possible. My only complaint about Commencement was that one of the storylines went completely off the rails near the end, while this one is realistic throughout. Maine tells the story of four women in four different viewpoints, three different generations of the same family (one married in, and three daughters/mothers), all of whom are dealing with their own individual struggles while also attempting to relate with each other, and all of whom eventually come together in the family summer house in Maine. Most intriguing to me was the way that each of the characters viewed each other and themselves, which certainly makes me think of the way that I represent myself in my daily life.
I’m a little put off by the ending though. It seemed abrupt and didn’t provide a lot of closure after spending so much time developing the story and the characters. I’d like a sequel, or at least to see what happens through the end of the summer. I feel invested and now I want to know how things continue in their lives. Technically, I suppose everything was resolved, but it didn’t feel very satisfying. Maybe it’s because all along all I wanted was a chick lit ending, when I should have known that this author wouldn’t give me one just to make everything nice.
Overall, it’s another book somewhere between a 4 and a 5. I think I’d like to own it, so by my self-defined ranking system, I'll call it a 5. Regardless, I look forward to what Sullivan has in store for me next.
Jack Reacher, a character that Lee Child has written about at length, is entertaining at the very least. The first book in the series, Killing Floor, is a quick read I seem to remember flying through sometime last year. So when I noticed the second one listed as available on the audiobook website I use, I grabbed it. Overall, I liked it, but I’ve got mixed feelings.
Reacher is minding his own business when he gets wrapped up in (that is, gets taken as well) a kidnapping of a federal agent. As we find out while the story progresses, she is no ordinary FBI agent, and this is no ordinary kidnapping. What follows is an intricate, atypical, but enjoyable thriller.
I think my biggest problem was with the man reading the book. After listening to so many of these over the years, I definitely have preferences on the way the book is performed, and this one tanked. Essentially, the man reading this book insisted on doing the main woman character’s voice, and not well. It was distracting, and eventually I was turning it off in favor of something different. So I don’t think I can give this book a fair review. The story was good, if a little overly detailed.
I initially gave this a 2 on Goodreads, but now that I’m thinking about it, I don’t think that’s fair. I think my disinterest in listening to the story was based more on the audiobook format than anything else, and even that doesn’t keep me from wanting to read more in the series. So I’m switching to a 3. I just think I’ll stay away from the audio portion from now on.
This is another book that I enjoyed a lot, most likely because I like the author. I have read Ellen’s other books and found them pretty funny, so when I heard that she had written a third, I put it on hold immediately. Obviously (as usual) it came in at the same time as two other books, however, I was so excited to read it, it was the first one that I started.
I wasn’t disappointed. What I like the best about Ellen DeGeneres is that she’s funny without being mean spirited. This book was full of funny stories, but also some good advice and stories from her life in general that the previous two books didn’t have. For example (and this is a lengthy quote, but I liked it so much that I wrote it down!):
“All I’m saying is I don’t see the sense in comparing ourselves to other people all the time. It’s not being better than anyone else or having nicer things… I personally like being unique. I like being my own person with my own style and my own opinions and my own toothbrush. I think it’s so much better to stand out in some way and set yourself apart from the masses. It would be so boring to look out into the world and see hundreds of people who look and think exactly like me… And who’s to say what’s better or worse anyway? Who’s to even say what’s normal or average? We’re all different people and we’re allowed to be different from one another. If someone ever says you’re weird, say thank you. And then curtsy. No, don’t curtsy. That might be too weird. Bow. And tip your imaginary hat. That’ll show them.”
I mean how do you not love that? Funny, and genuinely good advice (maybe not the bowing though). She’s great. A solid 4.
