Since I haven't been blogging regularly, I have a lot of books I want to recommend but don't want to go back and review all of them. So, I decided to do a quick hits list of some of the ones I've really enjoyed. I'm going to do detailed reviews of the classics I've been reading...at some point! I've read several great ones lately, although I'm currently slogging through Portrait of a Lady. I like it, but can't take much of it at a time. Anyway, off to the hits!
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: Yep, I'm joining the chorus on this one. It's a great thriller, it makes you think, it's well written, it's got an unreliable narrator and is all around awesome.
Drop Dead Healthy by AJ Jacobs: If you like his books or like stunt memoirs, you'll like this one too. It's not as good as some of his others, but I still had a good time reading it and thinking about how we buy into any health trend to avoid doing the hard work of actually eating healthier and exercising.
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel: This was better than Wolf Hall, in my opinion. It's got all the good stuff of Wolf Hall, but with tighter writing. Mantel's aversion to attributing dialogue still drove me crazy, but nearly as much.
The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan: This is a nice suspenseful read about a horrifying experience being stuck on a lifeboat waiting for days for rescue. Do you sacrifice others so you live? How long do you hold out hope? Are you fully responsible for your actions in such a situation, when you're delirious with hunger/thirst? I do recommend this one, but there were a few issues I had with some of the plot.
11/22/63 by Stephen King: LOVED this. The only King I'd read before this was Carrie, which I read back in junior high. King's writing blew me away with it's clarity and precision. He's a masterful storyteller who doesn't have to resort to overblown copy like a lot of literary writers (even though I often like those works). I will definitely check out the rest of his non-horror works.
Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzger: I didn't really care for this. It's getting great reviews everywhere else, so clearly it appeals to a lot of people, but I was just bored with it. The main character really annoyed me, which would be okay except the main point of the novel was to be yourself and embrace who you are, but when the main character is not likable that just seems sad.
A Visit from the Good Squad by Jennifer Egan: For some reason, I didn't think I'd like this one, which is why I'm just now getting to it. But, it surprised me. I really liked it. I loved the interconnected stories, the writing, the experimentation that worked for the story instead of just trying to be different, the idea of time being a good and how it's out to get us all but that doesn't mean we shouldn't keep going. Worth the hype. Plus, she mentions Garbage's Supervixen. Awesome.
Where We Belong by Emily Giffin: I've liked all of her books and this one is no different. This time she writes about adoption, family and lies. I really liked Conrad and it was fun reading two music-themed books back to back.
A Visit From the Goon Squad was an excellent audiobook, but definitely not for audio beginners since it challenged my (very experienced) listening skills. Bring Up the Bodies is in my tbr pile and I really want to read 11/22/63, too. You've been reading some great books!
ReplyDeleteI'm not very good with audio books, so I can't imagine listening to that one! I remember you posting about it and was impressed. I get too disctracted when listening and get lost. Clearly I'm not a good listener. :) I read 11/22/63 VERY fast even though it's a big book. It seemed like a big committment but it's certainly not another Clarissa. :) The story is so interesting I couldn't put it down.
Delete