Saturday, June 14, 2014

recent reading.

recent reading.

And The Mountains Echoed, by Khaled Hosseini - I love Hosseini's books, I really do. I tore through The Kite Runner & A Thousand Splendid Suns, & though those books tugged - HARD - on my heart strings, I always felt uplifted & peaceful at the end of them. I tore through And The Mountains Echoed with the same speed & ferociousness, but I found the experience of reading it thoroughly depressing. Whatever Hosseini writes, I will read, but I hope his next book is more reminiscent of the two aforementioned tomes.

Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn - Wow. Now I understand what all the hype was about, that was surrounding this book for so long. It was definitely an edge-of-my-seat, roller-coaster ride of a book. I was hooked on it. I found myself getting angry with whoever interrupted me from tearing through its pages. I felt like I knew the characters, as if they were old friends. Even now, when I'm writing this mini-review weeks later, I can picture the characters perfectly in my head. I plan to read Flynn's other novels later down the line, because I just enjoyed the experience of reading this one. I did not like the ending, but that doesn't mean it's a bad book, in my book.

Divergent, by Veronia Roth - Meh. This one didn't quite live up to its hype, in my opinion. It was nothing more than ok. I wanted it to be better. I just didn't feel as connected to the characters as I would have liked. I did, however, enjoy the vivid picture painted of the factions - what the people of the factions wore, what their headquarters looked like... I loved all of that. If only I had loved the characters as much. I plan to read all the books in the series, & I hope they get better.

The Light Between Oceans, by M.L. Stedman - I am head over heels in love with this novel. It was exactly what I wanted it to be. I felt like I had been transported from my Wilmington living room into the misty spray of a lighthouse island. I could see the pastel teals & pinks & grays of the setting sun on the ocean. I was present in the lighthouse as Tom explained in expert detail all of the working parts of the light. I felt joy, I felt sorrow, I felt resolution. I loved this book, & I plan to buy it for my collection.
On the Lights, you account for every single day. You write up the log, you report what's happened, you produce evidence that life goes on. In time, as the ghosts start to dissolve in the pure Janus air, Tom dares to think of the life ahead of him - a thing that for years has been too improbable to depend on. 

up next on my reading list:
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling
An Object of Beauty, by Steve Martin
Emma, by Jane Austen
The Yokota Officers Club, by Sarah Bird

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13 comments:

siddathornton said...

Oooo, I went to the library the other day and picked up The Help and The light between oceans! I started The Help first but I'm excited to read the light in between the oceans, yay!

siddathornton said...

I can't wait to read The Light Between Oceans! I've had it for awhile, but haven't read it yet. Time to go pull it out. :) I have never been able to read Hosseini's books. I started The Kite Runner and was reading it at a time when a very good friend of the family died. I was reading little bits at night when I couldn't sleep and in between all the funeral preparations and after all of that was over I couldn't pick it up again. I've heard wonderful things about his writing, though, it just takes me back.

I loved Gone Girl! It's a wild ride of a book! I really liked Divergent, but I'm not sure if I ever connected with the characters either. I really liked Four. I just loved the action in Divergent. It was my favorite of the three. I'll be curious to hear your thoughts as you read the rest of the series. Read it soon! ;)

siddathornton said...

I loved The Help! And I hope you like The Light Between Oceans - let me know what you think of it!

siddathornton said...

It's definitely time to pull out TLBO! I thought it was such a great read, & I'm looking forward to adding it to my permanent collection & reading it again!


I don't blame you for pushing Hosseini's work aside, since you have such powerful memories attached to it. Maybe one day, you'll be able to revisit his work, though I would not really recommend ATME, because as I said, I found it very depressing.


I almost want to read Gone Girl again, though I think the element of being unsure of the outcome is what keeps the book going. That's why I kind of want to read her other work. Have you read any of her other novels?


I just got a notification that the library received my hold for Insurgent, so I need to go pick it up & give it a read! Maybe I'll like this one better.

siddathornton said...

This makes me want to read The Light Between Oceans! What a beautiful description. This might have to come with me to the beach!

siddathornton said...

I really enjoyed Gone Girl, it had me guessing up until the very end, which is hard for me because I almost always guess how a book is going to end. I almost want to reread it again!

siddathornton said...

Like most people, I also enjoyed Gone Girl. Gillian Flynn's other books are all intriguing page-turners. I find them very very dark and depressing, but there is just something about them that makes me unable to put them down. I definitely need to read The Light Between Oceans! I LOVE lighthouses, and your description is very enticing.... The cover art is just gorgeous as well.

siddathornton said...

I totally agree about Divergent!!!!

siddathornton said...

I'm so glad I'm not the only one!

siddathornton said...

Definitely read it! I love it so much, I plan to buy it just to have in my collection, & to one day read it again. I thoroughly enjoyed it.


And I agree about Gillian Flynn - I found Gone Girl pretty dark & depressing, but also riveting! I couldn't put it down, & I have a feeling that's how all of her books would be for me.

siddathornton said...

I have too! That part of the book really spoke to me as well. I was like, "I have done that before - I know exactly what she's talking about." It was so interesting the way she talked about changing herself & "playing parts."

siddathornton said...

Oh, it definitely kept me guessing! That's what I loved about it - I love it when books take me by surprise.

siddathornton said...

Definitely read it!

the back and forth.

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