Hell-to-the-frickin'-yeah, it's Show Me Your Books Day with Jana & Steph. Let's get this party started.
1. Summertime by Vanessa Lafaye (also released as Under a Dark Summer Sky) - This book is a perfect example of why I enjoy book challenges. The Literary Ladies Book Challenge listed a category as "a book about Summer, with Summer in the title, or in any way related to Summer". I got on goodreads and searched books with "summer" in the title. I found this one (never hearing about it previously), read the synopsis, looked to see that my library had it, and selected the book. I love when the universe works in my favor, because this was a fantastic find. A book about relationships, duty, racism, love, small town dynamics, crime, life after war, death, and loss, there are just so many reasons why I loved this book. 5/5
2. This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper - This author does it to me again. He writes a book with dysfunctional relationships, flawed characters, and traumatic life experiences in a way that is relatable, comical, and I can't help but love it. With these characters, I'm not sure I liked any of them, but I'm cheering for them. I'm not sure how I want the story to end and the situations to be resolved, so I love the somewhat ambiguous ending that is left to my own imagination what the future holds for each storyline. I will watch the movie that has already been released, and I really like the casting for two of the main characters. I've read three of Tropper's books, and I will make my way through them all. 4/5
3. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - In all my years of reading, this is my very first Jodi Picoult book. I chose this one because Jana (one of the hosts of this here link-up) recommended this one to me, and I'm glad she did. Whoa. A teenage boy enters his high school loaded with weapons and starts shooting. All the different perspectives are examined of what leads to this event, the aftermath of it, and the views of those involved. As I was reading, I felt angry, sad, and horrified; I felt empty in some passages, and full of emotion in others. A great read. I'm not likely to go back and read all of Picoult's books, so I'm interested in your recommendations of what you feel are "must reads". 4.5/5
4. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides - I bought this book from a fantastic bookstore in Seaside, FL in July 2013. It had been sitting on my bookshelf ever since waiting to be read. Finally, I selected it for the 2015 TBR Book Pile Challenge. I still didn't pick it up. So, I selected it for yet another reading challenge too. Finally. Finally, I read this book about three generations of a Greek-American family. The book follows family members through war, violence, incest, immigration, rum-running, the Depression, the Nation of Islam, suburban life, genetics, race riots, and more...all narrated by a hermaphrodite. I found much of this book was tedious with an not-very-enjoyable pace. Other parts were educational, fascinating, and thought-provoking. By the final 100 pages, I gobbled it up...but I had to work really, really hard to get through the prior 500 pages. I don't really know how to rate this book, but I will say that the character of Cal is definitely one that will stay with me.
5. Dirty Rocker Boys by Bobbie Brown - After reading a few books with some heavy subject matter, smaller font, and tight spacing...I thought I'd lighten things up a little. Everybody remember the "Cherry Pie" video? The video vixen herself has written a tell-all book that include romps with '80s hair band icons and actors. By page 12, I'd learned that Leonardo DiCaprio is extremely well-endowed. If you'd like some salacious factoids like this, then this could be the book for you because she doesn't hold back. Lots of sex, lots of drugs, lots of indulgent, selfish behaviour. This is a quick, fast, easy read...much like its author. I read it in one day. There are far better memoirs out there, but if you know any of the following (Jani Lane, Tommy Lee, Matthew Nelson, Jay Gordon, Dave Navarro) you may want to give this a quick glance. 2.5/5
Currently Reading: Big Little Lies
Next Up: Pride and Prejudice; Wintergirls; May We Be Forgiven; The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories
Challenges Update (really for my own personal bookkeeping):
Semi-Charmed Summer Book Challenge = 12/12; finishes August 31st; completed!
Literary Ladies Book Challenge
= 8/10; finishes September 21st; I should finish
this.
Book Challenge by Erin
= 6/10; finishes October 31st; Have juggled with the two challenges above,
but I will definitely finish. After all, I host it...I'm gonna finish
it.
Aussie Author Challenge = 8/12; finishes December 31st
The Official 2015 TBR Pile Challenge = 7/12; finishes December 31st
I showed you mine; you show me yours..... Books (of course)!
I loved Big Little Lies!
ReplyDeleteI've actually never read any of Picoult's books either but I picked up a couple of them at a library sale. Nineteen Minutes was one of them so I'm excited to read that one.
ReplyDeleteI love reading about different memoirs by celebs but I rarely actually end up reading them. Nineteen Minutes sounds interesting, I have yet to read Jodi Picoult book either.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same about Nineteen Minutes. Like you, I probably won't read a lot more Picoult books just because I feel like they have pretty predictable plot lines. However, My Sister's Keeper was (and still is) my absolute favorite. Heart-wrenching (like Picoult normally is) but so good. Also, don't watch the movie. It's horrible and they completely changed the ending.
ReplyDeleteSo many challenges! I used to always want things to be tidily wrapped up with no details left for the imagination, but I find more and more I'm enjoying ambiguous endings. Life's not a Disney story, so how realistic can it possibly be for all the main character's problems to get resolved and stay fixed for the rest of forever?
ReplyDeleteSo many of these are on my to read list already, I like your taste in books!
ReplyDeleteI've only read one Picoult book and it was okay, I've added this one to see if I like her better writing a different story.
I read Middlesex YEARS ago and I don't know if it was the wrong time in my life to read it or what, but all I remember about it is that it was weird and that I read it.
ReplyDeletePicoult books--The Pact, The Storyteller, and Leaving Time. DO NOT read The Tenth Circle. The other ones are fine reading. She's very formulaic.
I'm so glad I read this review! I have had Middlesex on my must-read list for years.... I may finally take it off the list and move onto better books. Thanks for the honest review!
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So many books to read! I love Pride and Prejudice and have read it many times. Such a great book.
ReplyDeleteMiddlesex is one of those books people kept telling me to read, and I just couldn't commit to it. I like when that reflects in other's reviews. LOL
ReplyDeleteAgreed with Jana - do NOT read The Tenth Circle by Picoult. One of my favorites is Plain Truth.
Do I want to read the Cherry Pie Girl's book? Hmm.
middlesex...one of those books i've been trying to read for years. i remember when it first came out and my friend was raving about it but i just couldn't get into it! i'll pick it up, read a few pages, be all "meh" and put it back down.
ReplyDeletei've had this is where i leave you on hold at the library... i think i'm in place eleventy billion so should be any time now #rage
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of my favorites...it's so good! And I just finished a month of reading Jane Austen (finished everything but Emma). This is Where I Leave You & Dirty Rocker Boys sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked Nineteen Minutes! It's one of my favorites. I would recommend My Sister's Keeper (and I agree that I hated how the movie changed the ending) and Leaving Time, and I will echo the sentiments to stay far away from The Tenth Circle. It's horrible.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read This Is Where I Leave You, but I did see the movie and I really enjoyed it. The cast is wonderful so I hope they live up to your expectations.
Nineteen Minutes was such a good Jodi Picoult for you to start with (if it wasn't going to be My Sister's Keeper which was insanely good). Love Jonathan Tropper too!
ReplyDeleteI think Summertime and This is Where I Leave you might just have to be added to my TBR list!
ReplyDeleteI've only read My Sister's Keeper by Piccoult and that's the only book by her I plan to read since I've gotten the gist that she's a formula writer, which absolutely infuriates me.
woah. i had no idea that's what nineteen minutes was about. i'll need to read it. i have only read the storyteller, my sister's keeper and handle with care. my sister's keeper & handle with care literally had me like doubled over sobbing because they wrenched my heart out and stomped all over it, but i still loved them. i think you would like handle with care, maybe.
ReplyDeletei am so scared of you reading P&P. someone else just gave up on it and it hurt my heart.
I'm adding Summertime to my list. I coulda swore I already had This is Where I Leave You on my list, but guess I didn't. Adding it! I also want to read Nineteen Minutes because I also never read any Piccoult books either. You had a great month of reading!
ReplyDeleteWe are so similar. I loved Tropper's book and keep meaning to read through all of them, I also have never read a Picoult book (and this one was recommended as my first), and I've had Middlesex on my shelf for YEARS. Ok, so we're not the same since you're way ahead of me, but still. Haha! I'm also intrigued by Dirty Rocker Boys! Dave Navarro. Swooooon.
ReplyDeleteI loved loved loved This is Where I Leave You (the movie was pretty good too!), I read one other Tropper book (Plan B) but TIWILY is still my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI loved Big Little Lies and I enjoyed Wintergirls (I think I read it in 2010ish). I can't find The Perks of Being a Wallflower anywhere and I refuse to buy it, so it'll have to wait.
ReplyDeleteYou had some great reads this month! I've read This is Where I Leave You and saw the movie. Both were good! I love Jodi Picoult and read Nineteen Minutes. I may have to add Summertime to my TBR pile.
ReplyDeleteI think The Storyteller is probably my #1 Picoult recommendation. My Sister's Keeper was also really good, waaaay better than the movie. And I remember really liking Harvesting the Heart. I've read 16 of her books so I'll stop there. Ha! I'm going to read Summertime/Under a Dark Summer Sky for sure!
ReplyDeleteI LOVED Big Little Lies! I hope you enjoy it! I have yet to read Perks of Being a Wallflower and Anything by Jodi Piccoult, but I want to. Middlesex has been sitting on my bookshelf for a while. The length alone seems daunting, so I appreciate the honest review. I'm definitely adding This Is Where I leave You. Sounds like a great read!
ReplyDeleteThe only one I've read is This Is Where I Leave You, and I liked it. I'll have to keep my eye for the movie! You are rocking it on your challenges!
ReplyDeleteSummertime sounds great, I'll be trying to get my hands on that one. Also, this is cheating a bit but having ready your post on Big Little Lies I'll be adding that to the list, too. I haven't read any Jodi Picoult books because the synopses alone have me in tears, and I just can't face a whole book's worth of sobbing! Maybe I just need to man up...
ReplyDeleteI always thought that Jodi Picoult books are chick flicks. But this sounds like a really great book. I will check it out, just put it on my list. Always love to get your recommendations!
ReplyDeleteI read Middlesex a few years ago, and I really liked it. I agree that parts were tedious, though, and that sometimes it just felt way too long. I wish the entire book was as amazing as certain sections were, but I think it's worth reading.
ReplyDeleteNineteen Minutes is on my "To Read" list … Glad to see you liked it! I've only read The Pact by Picoult, but I really enjoyed it. It made me want to check out at least a few of her other novels.
I wanted to see the movie version of This is Where I Leave You, but never got around to it. I didn't realize it was a novel! I'll have to check it out.
I loved Big Little Lies, and I hope you do too! You're a little ahead of me in the Literary Ladies Summer Book Challenge … I've only read 7 so far. I plan to make my next pick something I chose for that challenge. I think it would be kind of sad/ridiculous to fail a 10 book challenge (especially since I've been reading quite a bit and I'm not participating in any other challenges right now)!
Glad to hear you liked Topper's book and Picoults. I liked most of Picoults except Lone Wolf, Tenth Circle and Mercy. Sad you didn't love Middlesex.
ReplyDeleteTopper's book has been on my to-read list for awhile, need to get on it. I tried to read Middlesex and got through about 200 pages and then abandoned it, just so weird and never really picked up for me.
ReplyDeleteI really need to finish Nineteen Minutes. I liked what I read. I don't know why I stopped.
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