This post has been sitting in my drafts half-written for half of this year, so I thought I'd do a bit of catch up. Here is what I read this Spring:
Open Book by Jessica Simpson
For some reason, I was under the impression that this was going to be a fun, bubble gum memoir with juicy gossip. My expectations came to a screeching halt on the very first page. This book brought out a lot of emotion in me about things that I have and continue to deal with and things I fear I may have to face one day. I loved getting a glimpse at the real her and it was really a wake-up call to just how much people have stripped away from them in her industry. This was a good-humored, but incredibly brave account and I recommend it if you enjoy memoirs like this.
★★★★
Gerald's Game by Stephen King
And because this is heavy book time: Gerald's Game! I enjoyed this more than the last few King books I've read (If you can call it enjoyment.). Possibly because dealing with oneself is very real and effective for me. This had just the right mixture of obvious and mysterious horror. Figuring out what's real and if she has what it takes to trust herself.
★★★★
Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert
I wasn't expecting this to be so short and packed with exposition. I love political intrigue but I was very disappointed about losing the world-building in the physical sense. It was one of my favorite parts of the first book. I can only assume that this book serves to bridge a gap in the storyline between the first and third. I'm hoping that is the case because I plan on finishing the series.
★★★
The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan
After the promise of momentum in the second book, I was looking forward to this one and in the end, it was OK. It wasn't terrible, but the storytelling of this huge series is mostly repetition. I understand that Jordan felt the need when initially releasing them due to the passage of time between, but reading them back to back feels like a lot of wasted time. It is also telling that I cling to any small hint of character development or story progression.
I switched to audiobooks for this series and I don't think I would have gotten through this otherwise. I'm coming to the conclusion that high fantasy is not my bag. I'm always left wanting. As for the Wheel of Time, I think this is the end of the line for me.
★★★
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty
I had a lot of fun with this one. Doughty is hilarious and provides that perfect blend of education and entertainment. It is also an eye-opening account of the funeral industry and how it profits from the extreme fear of death. I love how matter-of-factly she approaches all matter of death as a natural part of life. It's obvious how much love and respect Doughty has for this subject and this is a great read whether you're interested in the topic or not.
★★★★★
The Likeness by Tana French
After I finished In The Woods, the first of the Dublin Murder Squad series, I couldn't stop thinking about it. So much so that I went back and bumped the rating up to 5 stars. I was looking forward to this book and while it didn't quite live up to the first for me, it was still a fantastic read and great addition to the series. French's writing is so unlike anything else I've read. It's completely mesmerizing and doesn't need a fast pace to make it enjoyable. Like I said with the first novel, I like that this is a long thriller/mystery that you can sink into and enjoy the stay.
★★★★
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
I have a thing for intense family dramas. I love how books like this challenge me more than horror. They're always a reminder that intention and outcome are very difficult to align and that most of those intentions can be justified when you look a bit deeper below the surface. A very poignant read that handles expectations of what a family could be, should be, and actually is.
★★★★
House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III
This was another challenging read that centered around separate families but carried just as much weight. There were so many dynamics at work in this story, where everyone had their own way of justifying their questionable agendas, and the collateral damage that resulted.
★★★★
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