Wool- Hugh Howey

Wool is a book in its own class. Self published author Hugh Howey slowly released five parts of the same overall story onto an unsuspecting internet, and came out of it with a following. The copy I ended up with is the omnibus- all five parts in one book. So to review, I thought I’d do things a little differently, and break the book down by its stories, each with a reaction I had after finishing…

Part 1 surprised me, and was the first indication that I was in for a futuristic book like I’d never read before.

Part 2 cemented that. Bleak and upsetting, life in the silo is progressively getting stranger.

Part 3 begins with a bang, a one page chapter that I literally had to read twice to believe. This is where I really started to get engrossed in the story, the mystery, the depths that the antagonists would go to keep the secrets of the silo safe. Part 3 ends with a bang as well, and I was clambering to get to the next part.

Part 4 changes the story entirely. It's the best part yet and that says something. I have been having trouble physically tearing myself away from the book.

Part 5 was the best part of the book. I was up really late. Enough said. 

Incredible. I can't wait to read more of Hugh Howey's work. Just... Unreal. I really enjoyed Wool, and that doesn’t even begin to explain it. I had to digest this for a little while. But easily one of the best post apocalyptic books I've read. 5/5

Where'd You Go, Bernadette- Maria Semple

Where’d You Go, Bernadette is quite possibly my favorite book of 2013. And I think that says something, considering I’ve already had a string of major successes that would be my favorite in any other year. Silver Linings Playbook, Language of Flowers, Pillars of the Earth, all were current favorites, and now WYGB has surpassed all of them.

Told in the voice of a 13 year old girl, WYGB is almost entirely unique. It’s honestly like nothing I’ve ever read before. It has bits and pieces of narrative style that I’ve seen done in other ways, but here, it’s taken to a new level. Agoraphobic Bernadette Fox, mother to Bee, has disappeared. For the first half of the book, we are treated to emails, reports, notes, etc compiled to describe the events leading up to Bernadette’s disappearance, interspersed with Bee’s commentary, which is one of the most clever and fun ways of telling a story I’ve ever seen. Then Bernadette disappears. Where did she go? Bee will find out. And the answer is entirely unpredictable, as is every revelation we’re given throughout the book.

Comedy, mystery, emails, technology, architecture, scathing commentary on busybodies and Seattle = one fantastic book, which seemingly has it all.

I really can’t stress enough how much I loved this book. I loved it so much that within weeks of finishing the hard copy I listened to it on audiobook (also awesome, if you’re interested in those kinds of things). It’s a keeper, and one worth reading over and over. 5/5

Language of Flowers- Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Our March book club book was a pretty fantastic pick. Language of Flowers is a book that will stay with me for awhile. It’s told in alternating perspectives: Victoria as a foster child, and Victoria in the current day, beginning with her emancipation into the world at large, and follows her throughout her life, so the reader can see how she got where she starts the book from, to finding her way through life and its struggles.

I don’t want to say much about the plot of this book, as I really enjoyed discovering the facets of Victoria’s life without knowing what was coming. I admit that I’m somewhat of a sucker for books told this way: alternating perspectives or characters, etc, so likely that was part of my gratification with the book. The pacing of the book was perfect, giving away just enough of the mysteries of Victoria’s young life to keep you interested, but simultaneously explaining why she is the way she is in the current day. We had some conversations at our book club meeting about the way it portrays the foster system, Victoria herself, and her choices that, if possible, added to my enjoyment of the book.

Highly recommended. Go read it now. And if you’re looking for a book club pick, start with this one! 5/5.

The Pillars of the Earth- Ken Follett

It’s been almost four months since I finished the last available Song of Ice and Fire book, and I have to admit that I have been feeling the absence. Pillars of the Earth, while not completely replacing my interest in getting another book about the people of Westros as soon as humanly possible, definitely has given me a new author to enjoy while I wait. 

Similar to the Song of Ice and Fire series, Pillars of the Earth is told through multiple viewpoints of various characters affected by events that affect the national landscape, as well as in smaller, more personal ways. Spanning nearly forty years in England, where battles between the church and the crown are commonplace, we meet Tom, Ellen, Phillip, Aliena, Jack, William, and a host of other characters, from immediately likable to downright vile. We witness the trials and tribulations of building a cathedral, weathering politics driven by corrupt people, and war.

What struck me the most about this book is how well the characters are written. As opposed to the Martin series, Follett’s Pillars of the Earth has clear protagonists and antagonists, to the point that I’m not sure I’ve been so infuriated by characters and their actions against other, inherently good characters in a long time. At the same time, the protagonists are still imperfect, and you root for them despite their flaws. It’s fantastic writing.

This is definitely a 5. It took me almost a month to read, but it was totally worth it, and don’t let the length deter you, 700+ pages still doesn’t seem like enough. I’ll definitely be reading some of Ken Follett’s other offerings while I wait for George RR Martin to finish The Winds of Winter.

Silver Linings Playbook- Matthew Quick

It’s not often that I see and love a movie, look up the book it was based on, and love that equally as much, if not more. Silver Linings Playbook is the only one, come to think of it. Frequently I have the issue that whatever I see or read first is what I like the most. No, that's not quite right... the book is always better, but I usually have some amount of trouble getting into a book when I know what’s going to happen after having seen the movie. It’s the main reason I’ve never been able to get into the lord of the rings books. 

Silver Linings Playbook is, in both of its formats, absolutely phenomenal. The movie was up for multiple Oscars, for good reason, and Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are fantastic. It’s possible I’m biased about both of them, however if you’ve seen this movie, I’m sure you’ll agree. But I’m pretty sure that this is a website for books, so I’ll get back on point…

The book is different from the movie, yes. Not quite as perfect and clear cut, but compelling in a completely different way. I am utterly impressed with Quick’s storytelling and writing abilities and probably will check out his other books. The premise is the same: Pat is in a mental facility for reasons unknown at the beginning, when he is released into the care of his mother and Philadelphia Eagles crazy father. Tiffany is a widow dealing with her own demons. The two are good for each other, and both end up on the road to recovery despite some bumps along the way.

I can’t give enough compliments for how well the book is written. Told from Pat’s point of view, it’s engrossing and interesting. At one point Pat skips through a period of several months with a movie montage of him getting stronger and better, telling you along the way to imagine his theme song playing over it. And that is only one of Quick’s storytelling devices, multiple more in the same vein are utilized to great effect. Just incredible. It’s not often that I see something so novel that works so well.

Definite 5- one of the best books I have read this short year, and I’ll be purchasing it to read again soon. Love, love, loved it.

Ready Player One- Ernest Cline

Fast paced, well written, and very original, Ready Player One is my favorite book of the year so far. I haven’t been sucked into a book like this one in a long time… maybe since I discovered The Hunger Games. What is truly astonishing to me, is that this was my latest audiobook, and I blew through it so quickly that I was done with 13 parts all over an hour long within a week. It was an obsession. I want to purchase it and read it over and over again. Go read it now.

You’re still here? OK, how about a quick summary? Ready Player One is a book set in the not so distant future, around 2040, where society is basically run through a virtual reality/ online multiplayer game called the Oasis. People work and go to school in the Oasis, make money there, essentially live there. The best part? It’s free for anyone to use. So when the creator of the Oasis dies, leaving his billions to whatever person who finds an Easter Egg within the Oasis first, the world goes a bit crazy. Wade Watts, the protagonist and narrator, is one of the many treasure hunters looking for the egg, and we follow his journey throughout the search as he solves puzzles, plays games, and sifts through millions of 1980s references (the creator’s obsession), all the while trying to stay clear of the sixers, the villains of the story, who are desperate to win control of the Oasis and monetize it.

This book was unbelievable. I loved it so much. Even without knowing and catching on to a lot of the 80s references, I was along for the ride the entire time and completely engrossed.

5- you have to read this. Go right now.

Favorites- Thrillers

Next up on my favorites tour? Thrillers. I have to admit that I’ve read about a million of these in my life, and rarely do I find one that I don’t like. However, there are also a lot that I liked but couldn’t tell you right now what they were about, or what the plot was, so obviously they haven’t stuck with me. In no particular order, following are the ones that did:

1. 

1st to Die, by James Patterson- I can’t praise this book enough. James Patterson, before he became an author that churns out a book a second (or something like that), was a really impressive writer. 1st to Die is the first in the women’s murder club series, which revolves around Detective Lindsay Boxer and her friends: Claire Washburn, the city coroner, Cindy Thomas, a reporter, and Jill Bernhardt, the assistant district attorney, who work together to solve serial murder cases. In this book, someone is killing newlyweds. Alternating between Lindsay and the murderer’s perspectives, 1st to Die is an extremely captivating thriller with a personable side, thanks to the extremely well written characters. As of now, Patterson is on his 10th in this series, but has since picked up a co-writer, and has lost what I find to be significant quality in the books. I highly recommend the first three at the very least. Honorable mentions from James Patterson include: the first few Alex Cross books, Beach Road, and the more recent Michael Bennett series. In my opinion, his writing has gone significantly downhill in the past few years (most likely with the addition of co-writers that I suspect are really just writing books based on his ideas), but most of his early novels are equally as engrossing as this one.

2. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who Played with Fire, by Stieg Larsson- I’m sure everyone has heard enough about these books without me needing to explain the back story, but for those living under a rock the past few years, these books were written by a Swedish author that has since died, and have provided the story for a few excellent Swedish films (possibly the only foreign films I genuinely enjoy), and an upcoming American remake. Lisabeth Salander is the girl in the title, who is easily one of the most interesting characters in any book I have ever read. Secretive and dangerous, Lisabeth helps Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist, to discover what has happened to the niece of a very wealthy man in Dragon Tattoo. Admittedly, Blomkvist is the one to play a larger role in this book. Played with Fire is the sequel, and is definitely the better read, where Lisabeth is falsely accused of murder, which she frantically tries to solve throughout the book. The third book is not very good at all, so once again I am recommending only the first two books of a trilogy. In my opinion, the third book is much too wordy, boring, and should have been better edited after the death of the author.

3. 

The Firm, by John Grisham- This is another one that I’m sure almost everyone has heard of, however it was one of the first thrillers that I read and loved. Since then I have read nearly everything by John Grisham, with varying degrees of enjoyment. The Firm is my favorite. Mitch McDeere is a lawyer at a very lucrative job in a law firm, when he realizes that there is something definitely wrong with the company he is working for. From then on, it becomes a constant struggle between being set for life, doing the right thing, and trying to stay alive.

4. 

Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane- Another book made into a popular movie. The main character, Teddy Daniels, and his partner are called to Shutter Island, a hospital for the criminally insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Ridiculously creepy and nonetheless a major page turner, all things are not what they seem, as we are lead through Teddy’s life and back story while he investigates the disappearance. Lehane is also the author of Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone, equally excellent thrillers that have since been made into movies.

5. 

The Andromeda Strain, by Michael Crichton- though I never really got into most of Crichton’s more popular books (Jurassic Park, Congo, etc), Andromeda Strain is one that has really stuck with me since I read it in high school. The book revolves around a threat to humankind in the form of a biophysical strain of a virus/bacteria. Apparently I need to do a reread soon, because that about covers what I remember of it! Just trust me on this, one thing that I do remember is that it was riveting!

Honorable mentions: Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, David Baldacci’s Camel Club series, and everything I’ve ever read from Harlan Coben.

Favorites- Chick Lit

Continuing on with some of my favorites in each genre, I thought I'd tackle chick lit next. Despite none of it really being pulitzer prize material, I think anyone can appreciate the value of these kinds of books. There's nothing like a good beach read when that's what you want and what you're expecting. In general, it's funny, has a heroine easily identified with, and always ends with everyone happy, or at least close. Following (in no particular order) are my favorites:

1. 

Good in Bed, by Jennifer Weiner- I think this might be the first book I ever read that could be classified as chick lit. Cannie is an overweight reporter who has just broken up with a boyfriend, when she sees a column in a women's magazine written by him. Mortifyingly, the main focus is on "the courage to love a larger woman," and details their relationship in excruciating detail. The book follows Cannie as she works to get over this embarrassment and on with her life, and all the hilarity along the way. After reading this book, Jennifer Weiner rapidly became one of my favorite authors. She has disappointed me a few times with her last few books, in particular the sequel to this one, however, Good in Bed will always be one of my favorites. I cannot stress enough how funny this book is.

2.
 

Something Borrowed, by Emily Giffin- The morals behind this book are questionable, however, that is the draw in all of Emily Giffin's writing. She takes situations and women that are inherantly unlikable: a spoiled and selfish single woman, a woman who is in a relationship with a married man, a married woman considering cheating on her husband, and in this case, a woman in love with her best friend's fiancee, and makes them seem likable and human, though flawed. I honestly don't know how she did it, but I didn't hate the main character in this book, Rachel, who at the very beginning of the novel sleeps with her best friend's fiancee. She made her relatable, even with the situation as dire and reprehensible as it is, and by the end you are somehow rooting for her. I still remember the first time I read this book, it was one that I finished late at night after putting it down to attempt to go to bed. But I HAD to know what happened, and that in itself says something significant for Emily Giffin's writing. And can we all agree to just not even address the movie? I think among everyone I've talked to about it, whether you've liked, hated, or loved it, we can all admit that it wasn't comparable to the book.

3.
 

Bright Lights, Big Ass: a Self Indulgent, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me? by Jen Lancaster- I was debating whether or not to do a favorites post about memoirs, and where this book would fall, as it's somewhere in between chick lit and a memoir, but in the end, I decided that this was the best place for it. Jen Lancaster is hilarious. Sarcastic, foul mouthed, and extroverted, this book covers Jen's life in the city: her neighbors, her favorite stores, her pets, her husband, etc. This book is essentially a collection of hilarious stories about life. And I loved every minute of it. I also feel like I can roll another few books into this general category, and those are Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang, which amounts to the same kind of thing, and of course, Bossypants, which has already been covered.

4.
 

PS, I Love You, by Cecelia Ahern- Before Hilary Swank ruined the character of Holly, she was a sweet, sympathetic young widow working through her life after the death of her husband. Holly is suddenly alone when her husband Gerry dies of a brain tumor. Imagine her surprise when each month she receives a note and occasional gift from said departed husband. I've recommended this book before, to mixed reviews. It's sad, yes, but I think in the end the redeeming story and humorous incidents that occur both in past recollections of Gerry and as a result of the letters make it an entirely enjoyable read. I can distinctly remember being looked at like a crazy person when I was reading this in the dentist waiting room and laughing out loud.

5.
 

Rachel's Holiday, by Marian Keyes- Marian Keyes' books always have a little bit of a dark side to them. In this case, Rachel is a drug addict sent to rehab. The story of her time in rehab is intertwined with flashbacks of her life before and while on drugs, making for a captivating read. From Rachel's perspective, you're never sure how much of what she's saying is true, or what has actually transpired, and in general whether or not things have happened the way she says they do.  Marian Keyes' writing is believable enough to place you in the rehab center with her. The book isn't all bleak though, otherwise why would it be included in the chick lit section? Despite the dark subject matter, we get a redeeming ending (spoiler alert! in case you didn't already see that coming) and quite a few entertaining and funny moments. This is the second in Keyes' Walsh sisters series, and some of the best parts come from the interactions Rachel has with her family. Which is all the more reason to read the other ones!

Honorable mentions: Can You Keep a Secret, by Sophie Kinsella, Last Night at Chateau Marmont, by Lauren Weisberger, and, let's be honest, most of the other books by the authors mentioned above.

Favorites- Fantasy

While I work my way through the Tiger’s Wife (100 pages in, and so far it’s only ok), I thought I’d keep up the posting by putting up some mini-reviews of my favorite books (all that I would rate 5’s, since I own the majority of them).  There are so many that I feel I need to break them up by genre.  First up? Fantasy/Sci Fi books, which is only fitting since the #1 on this list is my #1 of all time. The remainder of the books on this list and following ones are in no particular order.


1.
    
The Harry Potter Series, by JK Rowling- go ahead and laugh, but I can almost guarantee if you’re laughing it’s because you haven’t read these. Yes, the first few books are children’s books, but since I was about 13 when I first started reading them, it’s fitting. Sometimes I feel like I grew up with the characters in these books, which finally culminated when I was 22 and graduating from college. I am telling you, these books are amazing. I devoured the seventh book in about 15 hours and physically could not stop.  JK Rowling’s writing is engrossing, and even after reading all of her novels hundreds of times, I still find things that she’s put in that foreshadow events to come in the books. The amount of thought she put into them is truly impressive. And even though I admit the first couple books are obviously targeted at children, when you hit about the third or fourth one, you can’t possibly think that anymore. The journey that Harry and his friends go on throughout the seven books is so enjoyable that I am still disappointed to this day that there are no more books about them for me to read. If you’re wondering, my favorites are in this order: Prisoner of Azkaban, Half Blood Prince, Goblet of Fire, Deathly Hallows, Sorcerer’s Stone, Order of the Phoenix, and Chamber of Secrets. Please note that the first two are two of my three least favorite. Seriously, give them a shot if you haven’t already.


2.

The Hunger Games and Chasing Fire, by Suzanne Collins- Set in a postapocalyptic world where a dictatorship has taken control, The Hunger Games is a fantastic book with a fairly morbid concept.  Every year, two young “tributes” are sent to the capitol to compete in the Hunger Games, essentially a brutal reality show-esque fight to the death where the last one standing is the winner. To tell you more would ruin the plots of the two books, but suffice it to say that they are unbelievably difficult to put down.  This series is actually a trilogy, but I can’t in good faith recommend the third of the books. After how the first two end, it is impossible to not read the third to find out what happens to the characters, but it’s just not the same.  


3.

Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card- I read this book in high school for the first time and have read it several times since then.  Who knew a book about kids being sent to space to attend battle school and fight for the survival of the Earth could be so interesting?  Before you say anything, yes, there are aliens involved, but no, it’s not that weird. It’s entirely plausible as a futuristic world, and was the one of the first (and only?) books I have ever read that could be classified as science fiction that I actually enjoyed.  Ender is a child military prodigy, born to two extremely intelligent parents and who has natural leadership and skills that attract the attention of battle school.  He is sent to space to train for an upcoming war with the “buggers,” an alien race that has already attacked Earth, and is threatening once again.  Battle school is looking for a commander to lead the army to defend against the buggers.  It sounds bizarre, but I promise you the book is more about the relationships between the children at school and the preparations for the upcoming war than the aliens. It was an excellent read.


4.

Anything ever written by Roald Dahl- I wasn’t sure how to classify these books at first. However, after thinking about it, what else would you call books that consist of a young girl with mind powers, a chocolate factory with a flying glass elevator, talking animals, and a giant peach with giant talking bugs? I can definitively tell you that Roald Dahl’s books are the reasons I love to read. I loved Matilda more than anything I had read before when I first came upon it when I was little, and from there I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, the Twits, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and all the rest.  Roald Dahl is an amazing author, and though nearly all of his books are decidedly more for children, I encourage you to pick up and read a few if you haven’t read anything written by him. Start with Matilda. You’ll love it.


5.

The Artemis Fowl Series, by Eoin Colfer- another favorite from when I was younger, that I will still occasionally pick up and read. Artemis Fowl is smart, well written, and addictive. The titular character is a young, rich, genius with absent parents who is bored with his life, and obsessed with making any money that he can to increase the Fowl fortune. This leads him to a world that is decidedly magic, including fairies, centaurs, and dwarves. Kidnapping a fairy and requesting a ransom in gold for her return, the first book follows the conflict between Artemis and the fairies, and springboards from there into the following books.


Maybe this genre should actually be young adult fantasy books? It seems that with the exception of some of the later HP books and the subject matter of the Hunger Games and Ender’s Game, which are still nonetheless marketed as young adult, I haven’t read (or maybe I just haven't liked?) a whole lot of fantasy or science fiction that is written specifically for adults.