Category: Books and Reading

Books and Reading

Book Review: February 2018

Amanda

Well friends, I lied.

I said in my January post that I was almost done with “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr, and I was, but then I got distracted and started another two books. Which is unfortunate, because I don’t want that to indicate that the book isn’t good… these other two books were just easier to fly through and I am still working at making more time for reading.

So with that said, in February I finished two books that were drastically different from each other, which was a good mix.

Read past reviews here.

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My Story
By Elizabeth Smart
with Chris Stewart

Synopsis

“For the first time, ten years after her abduction from her Salt Lake City bedroom, Elizabeth Smart reveals how she survived and the secret to forging a new life in the wake of a brutal crime.

On June 5, 2002, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart, the daughter of a close-knit Mormon family, was taken from her home in the middle of the night by religious fanatic, Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. She was kept chained, dressed in disguise, repeatedly raped, and told she and her family would be killed if she tried to escape. After her rescue on March 12, 2003, she rejoined her family and worked to pick up the pieces of her life.

Now for the first time, in her memoir, MY STORY, she tells of the constant fear she endured every hour, her courageous determination to maintain hope, and how she devised a plan to manipulate her captors and convinced them to return to Utah, where she was rescued minutes after arriving. Smart explains how her faith helped her stay sane in the midst of a nightmare and how she found the strength to confront her captors at their trial and see that justice was served.

In the nine years after her rescue, Smart transformed from victim to advocate, traveling the country and working to educate, inspire and foster change. She has created a foundation to help prevent crimes against children and is a frequent public speaker. In 2012, she married Matthew Gilmour, whom she met doing mission work in Paris for her church, in a fairy tale wedding that made the cover of People magazine.” (via GoodReads)

My Review

This case is probably one of the first major news events that I can remember happening as a kid. I was only a few years younger than Elizabeth and I remember following the news as things were happening and then again in college when her abductors finally stood trial. I think it is hard to write a review though, when the book is non-fiction and about a particularly heavy topic. I read a few other reviews on this book and couldn’t believe some of the criticism people gave it. Many thought it was too child-like and didn’t have any depth… umm hello, Smart was abducted when she was a young teenager, so of course even as an adult she still is going to process it and tell the story from that point of view. Others have questioned the fact that she never did formal therapy afterward or the impact her family’s religion had on the whole event during and after.

Personally, I was interested in hearing the story in her own, honest words as an adult and appreciated the approach she took to telling it. Overall, there were obviously parts that it were really hard to digest, but the resiliency and faith she had through that horrific experience is nothing short of amazing. I also really appreciated that she addressed quite a bit of questions and the criticism head on, and shared how she been able to focus on and live for the good things in her life, and not let this experience define her.

Favorite Quote(s)

“Life is a journey for us all. We all face trials. We all have ups and downs. All of us are human. But we are also the masters of our fate. We are the ones who decide how we are going to react to life.” 

Recommend?

3 out of 5 stars. I don’t know if its a book I’d recommend to everyone, but if it is a story that interests you, or you like reading non-fiction about resilience and things in the news such as this, then I’d recommend it. It’s a pretty quick read.

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Silver Girl
By Elin Hilderbrand

Synopsis

“Meredith Martin Delinn just lost everything: her friends, her homes, her social standing – because her husband Freddy cheated rich investors out of billions of dollars.

Desperate and facing homelessness, Meredith receives a call from her old best friend, Constance Flute. Connie’s had recent worries of her own, and the two depart for a summer on Nantucket in an attempt to heal. But the island can’t offer complete escape, and they’re plagued by new and old troubles alike. When Connie’s brother Toby – Meredith’s high school boyfriend – arrives, Meredith must reconcile the differences between the life she is leading and the life she could have had.

Set against the backdrop of a Nantucket summer, Elin Hilderbrand delivers a suspenseful story of the power of friendship, the pull of love, and the beauty of forgiveness.” (via GoodReads)

My Review

In some ways, this book was another Hilderbrand-standard formula for a good chick lit/vacation read. But it also took a bit of a different turn into a crime mystery that channeled reality. The husband of the book’s main character was caught for orchestrating a Ponzi-scheme, much like the real-life Bernie Madoff case. The story is told from the wife’s point of view, and really made me think about how the news and public views and treats the family and loved ones of those who commit crimes, and how they become another kind victim in the whole process.

The story jumps back and forth between the present day and the main character’s past, addressing the rise and fall of many of her relationships, including a falling out with her best friend who later becomes her only ally when her husband is arrested. While I enjoyed the story and its interesting perspectives on crime and friendship, I never fell in love with or felt like I could related with any of the characters (which is usually what I love about Hilderbrand’s books) and that made me like the book just a little bit less.

Favorite Quote(s)

“Meredith immersed herself in the novels. For some reason, fiction hit on the meaning of life so much more concisely than real life itself did.” 

Recommend?

3 out of 5 stars. It was a good combo of chick-lit and crime mystery.

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What books do you recommend?

Books and Reading

Book Review: January 2018

Amanda

As a kid, my parents used to joke that for punishment they should take my books away because that would have been one of the few things that really would have made an impact. But they didn’t thank goodness, and books became the first thing that really fueled my love for words, stories and their impact, which eventually influenced my career path.

But then college happened and I almost stopped reading altogether outside of textbooks, articles and what not.

In the almost 5 years since I graduated (say what?!), I’ve struggled to bring reading back into my regular routine, so when I do read its usually when I’m traveling or a random binge, where I start and finish a book in one day. However this hasn’t stopped me from bringing in a few hauls from local bargain sales and adding to my endless list of popular books that everyone else is suggesting.

So my goal in 2018 is to read at LEAST one book a month (baby steps), but to aim toward more like 2 to 3 books. Since book reviews are some of my favorite posts to read, I figured that making this a monthly post is the best way to keep myself accountable.

In January, I read two books and I am ALMOST done with “All The Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr, but just couldn’t quite get it finished in time, so that will go on next month’s review.

My list is already pretty long, but please let me know what you recommend!

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The Castaways
By Elin Hilderbrand

Synopsis

“Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. As pillars of their close-knit community, the MacAvoys, Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers are important to their friends and neighbors, and especially to each other. But just before the beginning of another idyllic summer, Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes during an anniversary sail. As the warm weather approaches and the island mourns their loss, nothing can prepare the MacAvoy’s closest friends for what will be revealed.
Once again, Hilderbrand masterfully weaves an intense tale of love and loyalty set against the backdrop of endless summer island life.”  (via GoodReads)

My Review

I love Elin Hilderbrand, and to anyone who asks, I usually describe her as the Sarah Dessen for adults (though for the record, as an adult I still LOVE Sarah Dessen.) Hilderbrand’s books always make me both laugh and cry, and while yes, you can describe them as a mindless, fun vacation read, I would argue that they often stay with me for a while and make me think a bit. Anyway, The Castaways had a little bit of everything — humor, romance, drama, mystery, etc. — and was probably one of Hilderbrand’s more complex stories. It flowed really well, considering it changed narrators with each chapter and kept me interested until the very end. This story was bittersweet and interesting look at how six different people react and work through the same tragedy. Plus, as always, Hilderbrand makes me want to visit Nantucket someday since that is the setting for all of her books.

Favorite Quote(s)

“Women clearly felt things more deeply: they read sub-text where men saw only white space.” 

Recommend?

4 out of 5 stars… so yes! Definitely recommend if these kind of books are your jam.

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Good as Gone
By Amy Gentry

Synopsis

“Thirteen-year-old Julie Whitaker was kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night, witnessed only by her younger sister. Her family was shattered, but managed to stick together, hoping against hope that Julie is still alive. And then one night: the doorbell rings. A young woman who appears to be Julie is finally, miraculously, home safe. The family is ecstatic—but Anna, Julie’s mother, has whispers of doubts.  She hates to face them. She cannot avoid them. When she is contacted by a former detective turned private eye, she begins a torturous search for the truth about the woman she desperately hopes is her daughter.” (via Good Reads)

My Review

I love crime shows and mysteries, so I was really looking forward to this book after reading a few good reviews — some that even said that it was equal to “Gone Girl” (which I LOVED.) But I was ultimately left disappointed. The first half of the book was pretty good and had me pulled in, but after a while the narrative switches started to get too confusing and I actually guessed the ending maybe around 3/4’s of the way through. While I realize that religion was a key piece of the story, but I think that the story could have been shortened and simplified a bit. There was just too many things going on that never quite connected for me.

Favorite Quote(s)

“My whole life, ever since I could remember, I’d always hated the thought that no one could ever know what anyone else was feeling or thinking. The fact that no one could ever be inside my head with me seemed like the loneliest thing in the world. I wanted so bad for there to be something that could make those boundaries just disappear. Something so big it was like air, a magic flowing across the planet, connecting everyone and everything.” 

Recommend?

2.5 out of 5 stars. If suspense is a genre you are really into I’d say, ‘sure why not.’ But otherwise I’d say skip it.

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What books do you recommend?

Books and Reading

Bookworm Wednesday: Summer 2015

Amanda

bookwormwednesday12

Linking up with Molly @ Colors of Life and Katie @ Better Off Benedict for their first Bookworm Wednesday Link Up!

I was really excited to see this link up get started! I am in Guatemala right now, but a little bit of planning ahead still allowed me to participate. I have been traveling a lot this summer for work so a lot of my reading has been on the plane and not as much as I would like. I went ahead and included all of my reading from this summer, not just August. (I also read two books for work, but I’m pretty sure no one wants me to review those.)

Also, speaking of Guatemala, you can read Day 1 and 2 from my travel journal HERE. I am a bit behind, so my post for Day 3 and 4 will be posted later today.

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Matchmaker
The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand

This story follows Dabney, a native to Nantucket who has a knack for playing matchmaker, resulting in dozens of long-lasting relationships, and also knowing when a relationship is not meant to be. She has a complicated family and love story of her own, and when some of those things come back into her present-day life, everything about her well-ordered, simple life is turned on its side.

I am new to Elin Hilderbrand. The only other book of hers that I have read is The Island. I will definitely be reading more though! She’s a romance author, but her stories are warm, light-hearted and filled with characters that I think readers can really relate to at some point in the story. I’m really picky about romance novels, because I find most over the top, but I really like the other relationship perspectives, such as sisters, friends, mothers and daughters. I also love that she anchors all of her books around Nantucket, which represents something that is very important to her personal life and that show in her storytelling. I didn’t rate it quite as high though, because I felt that it was a little to long-winded, especially in the last few chapters.

(3.5/5)

gallery_thekillorder-gallery2
Maze Runner Series by James Dashner (The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure; Prequel: The Kill Order)

Thomas is thrown into a new world with no memories except for his name. Every month for a few years, a new teenage boy has arrived in the same way to “The Maze” with supplies that allow the group to live, and grow or raise their own food. Where they live is enclosed by a wall that opens up during the day into a stone maze, and despite organized efforts, they can’t find a way out. When Thomas arrives though, things start to change. The second and third continue to follow Thomas and his friends, as they realize that their time in the Maze was part of a much bigger purpose and that the danger and adventure has just begun.

Early this past spring I randomly rented The Maze Runner movie and really enjoyed it. Like music, I like a large variety of genres in movies and books. I had always hear this series grouped to together with the Hunger Games and Divergent series, but never given the same attention. A friend told me that the books were worth reading, but recommended getting all of the books at once because I wasn’t going to want to take a break even if I already knew what was happening in the first book. Yeah, that was an understatement. For a lack of better words, the rest of the series blew my mind. (Hunger Games SPOILER reference): you know in the second Hunger Games book when they announce that Katniss is going back in the area, and you kind of wanted to throw the book across the room? I felt that way at the end of about every three chapters throughout books 2 and 3. The entire story is really complex, action-filled and makes you think. I kept wondering when I would stop adding more questions to my list, which meant I was hooked but I also had what one of my friends calls a “book hangover” when I was finished. One major thought I had though was that it was a refreshing change, because unlike Hunger Games and Divergent, both the author and the main character are male, and that meant that everything had a different tone and pace. Overall I don’t know that I could pick a favorite of the three and the prequel is necessary to read (last), but stands on its own. Comparing it to the other series, I like it quite a bit better than the Divergent series, but Hunger Games is still my favorite.

(4/5)

mindy
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

A memoir/observational-essay collection from one of TV’s favorite funny gals, Mindy Kaling. She shares about her youth and her rise to become a staff writer and actress on “The Office,” and eventually her own, current show, “The Mindy Project.” It’s incredibly sassy, smart, sarcastic and hilarious. One review I read of it said, “It’s an autobiography crossed with witty observations with a twist of a shopping guide, and a pinch of Oprah-esque Your Best Life Now inspiration, told in Kaling’s singularly endearing voice.”

I have owned this book for over a year and continued to forget that it was on my shelf. That was my mistake. Seriously I want Mindy to be my best friend. I read this straight through on a coast to coast flight, and was definitely that obnoxious person cracking up as I read. Mindy is hilarious, sarcastic and very honest. I haven’t gotten a chance to watch much of her current show, The Mindy Project, but I loved her on The Office, so it was fun to hear her anecdotes from behind the scenes and how her personal and professional life has ebbed and flowed.

(5/5)

dark places
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Libby Day was 7 when her mother and sisters were murdered in the middle of the night, on their failing Kansas farm. Based on her testimony, her teenage brother Ben was convicted on the murders. Years later, a “Kill Club,” made up of crime enthusiasts convince Libby to question everything about what really happened the night and the events leading up to it. Each chapter jumps back and forth between flashbacks and present-day, as well as between character perspectives.

This is the same author who brought us Gone Girl. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and if you like her other material or this genre then I would definitely recommend it. Like Gone Girl it was twisted, with well-crafted scenes and characters that you never really decide whether you sympathize with or dislike. It was a bit raw and crude at times, and it is also very hard to review without giving too much away. I will say that this one was just a tad bit predictable before I would have liked (still a good shock though) and I felt like after so much detail, the ending was kind of misplaced and hasty. On the other hand, this book makes you think A LOT, which I particularly like.

(4/5)

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Happy reading!