Here are the books to fill my reading requirement for 2015! Strap in friends, this is the final countdown.
North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell - 521 pages
18) A book 100+ years old
Published in 1854, North and South is basically the Elizabeth/Darcy Pride and Prejudice romance set in a factory town with strike/union themes on top of it all.
The first time I read North and South it was because I had just finished watching the BBC miniseries version with Richard Armitage and LOVED it. I strongly identified with Margaret Hale. She is independent, confident, kind hearted, and couldn't care less if men are falling over in love with her. She is fiercely loyal to her family and is content out of the spot light. Yet, she still lacks total social decorum and always speaks her mind. She comes to understand her heart through her experiences, but they don't change her. And who wouldn't fall in love with John Thornton so masterfully portrayed by Mr. Armitage.
I loved reading the book the first time but didn't think I would ever find the time to read it again. It is pretty long and a lot of the union/strike plots went over my head. Getting to read it a second time and let myself understand the whole story (which is only a touch different from the miniseries) made me enjoy it even more. If you're a fan of 1800s literature, I highly recommend North and South.
Home and Away - Dean Hughes - 176 pages
41) A book set during a holiday
I have NEVER won anything in life. Okay, let me be more clear. I have NEVER won a random drawing in my life. I have entered plenty in school, at work, and even at Disneyland, but I have never yet won. My mother, on the other hand, wins stuff like that all the time (too bad she wasn't with us that time at Disneyland.) She won this book at a girls night out party that is hosted twice a year at a local bookstore. I took her ticket to the front when her name was announced to pick it up. She has not seen the book since. That's because it's on my bookshelf now.
This book is set during the Christmas season... during WWII. It's 1944 and while most the family is home, the oldest son Glen is fighting in Europe. The points of view change back and forth between Glen in the battlefields and Dennis who is trying to give his Mother an unforgettable Christmas gift.
It's a one day read, so saying it's worth your time doesn't say much. So I'll say, read this book. Then give it as a gift next Christmas. Not because you won't want to keep it, but rather, if this book taught me anything, it's the true meaning of giving during the Christmas season.
Elantris - Brandon Sanderson - 638 pages
12) A popular author's first book
In one year, this was my fourth Brandon Sanderson book. This was his first book and it was good, but it certainly wasn't his best. I could feel him developing characters that would reappear in the Mistborn trilogy. That being said, it wasn't a bad book either. But you can certainly see the progression he's made as an author as he's gone along.
I don't really know how to describe this book. Maybe reading the synopsis on Goodreads would be easier for both of us. So instead I'll just be vague. The three main characters don't all meet each other until about half way (or more) through the book. This gave Sanderson a great opportunity to tie the story all together since we as an audience knew more than each individual character.
It can stress you out at times, knowing almost everything and letting the characters figure it out in their own time. But it can also be comical at times and ended up being one of my favorite parts of this book.
I recommend reading Mistborn first. If you love those books and need more writing from Sanderson, read Elantris.
The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins - 325 pages
38) A book a family member loves
So maybe my sister-in-law doesn't LOVE this book, but she did at least like it enough to make me read it. I've very glad she did. I read this book in two days. I read it at work. I read it in cars. I read it at a family gathering. I read it late into the night. I was so captivated by Paula Hawkins' writing style and the story she wove together that I didn't ever want to put the book down. I need to read more thrillers.
The story is a complicated who-done-it/what-the-heck-happened. The protagonist, Rachel, is a dysfunctional alcoholic consumed with regret and sadness from her divorce. Unreliable narrator? Check. One night she drinks too much and ends up blacking out, the same night a girl goes missing from the same area. Mystery? Check. But as Rachel investigates the disappearance, she discovers more about her own life, and that inevitably puts her in danger. Thrilled yet?
Recommended to those in the 16+ category, this is one thriller you shouldn't miss (even if you can guess the twist like I did, it's still worth the time)
Never, Never - Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher - 159 pages
46) A book written by two authors
Ugh. This was a prime example of a requirement forcing me to read something I otherwise wouldn't read and me hating it.
These two teenagers suddenly can't remember anything about their lives one day. This includes: their names, where they life, their families, what classes they take, their friends, where they live, what they like. All they know is that they found one other person going through the same thing and apparently they're dating.
I don't know why I had such an adverse reaction to this story. Probably because it's in three parts and NOTHING happened in this one. Not until the very end anyway. The blurb made it sound so cool. I thought they were going to be in a car accident and one of them loses their memories. I didn't think it wouldn't be voodoo weirdo crap. So is this a fantasy? The authors seem to think it's a romance. I think it's pretty much a waste of your time.
Winter - Marissa Meyer - 824 pages
1) A book with 800+ pages
Fitting, that number one list wise would be the last completed requirement.
Honestly, if you read YA, if you like sci-fi or fairytales, or if (like me) you're interested what the heck a sci-fi fairytale mix would look like, pick up the Lunar Chronicles series stat.
It starts with Cinder. (Or you could read Fairest first, since it's a prequel) It ends with Winter. You will not be disappointed. I will remain vague and mysterious about what happens in this book since it's basically the grand finale.
Meyer continues her fine tradition of adding a new set of awesome characters in Winter. As I'm sure you figured out by the cover and the title, this part of the story will be based off of Snow White. While the crew spends most of the book split up, it's still very fun to see the characters interact.
If you've been reading the series, I'm sure you already know the end is satisfying. If you haven't read the series, get on that.
Well there they are! 50 books!
I'll save the big wrap up for my next post.
Read on,
Jamie
No comments:
Post a Comment