Tag Archives: book rec

Review- Jonathan Livingston Seagull

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Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
Pages: 127          Rating: 5/5 stars

41grAYBhp6L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_“…You’ve got to understand that a seagull is an unlimited idea of freedom, an image of the Great Full, and your whole body, form wingtip to wingtip, is nothing more than your thought itself.”

As a disclaimer–this book wasn’t originally on my January book list. My dad and I were at the bookstore and he insisted that he would buy it for me. He literally would not let me leave the store without this book. I am so happy I decided to read Jonathan Livingston Seagull this month instead of feeling guilty by having it stare down at me from my shelves. I will definitely be taking more book recommendations from my dad.

Jonathan Seagull is well, a seagull, who does not fit in with his flock. Rather than focusing on catching fish for dinner and other things that seagulls normally do, Jonathan loves to fly. He loves learning how to do tricks and trying to beat his nosedive record of over 100 mph. Upon seeing how different Jonathan is, his flock declares him an Outcast and leave Jonathan alone and without a family. Jonathan is taken in by another flock of seagulls, a colony of outcasts who, like him, live to fly. There he learns how to master his body and mind and discovers what it means to be free.

Although the plot summary of this novel paints it to be very shallow, this book means so much more than an outcast seagull discovering how to fly really fast. Trust me. The novel serves as a beautiful commentary on both society and religion, depending on how you want to view Jonathan and what he believes is heaven.

This book is one of the most definite 5 star ratings I’ve ever given. I think I may have to go back and read it a few more times before I fully understand it, though. Bach uses a wonderful story about a seagull discovering his passion for flight to analyze social constructs that exist everywhere today. The themes in this book are countless, but I can’t write about them without spoiling the plot. Like I said, I’m so glad that I bumped this book up on my reading list. I loved it.

Sunday Book Recommendation 1/18

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beautiful-book-covers-15Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 

Yes, this is a classic novel and yes, it’s almost 1,000 pages. Please, PLEASE, don’t let that turn you away from this golden work. I read this for my freshman year of college and, let me tell you, there was so much groaning over the sight of this book. But, after about 50 pages, no one whined about it anymore.

Tolstoy is a genius with words and literary devices. He can take 5 full pages to explain what it feels like to sit and spend the day on an electric grass mower and somehow not bore the reader. That takes talent.

There’s no way for me to even begin a summary of Anna Karenina. There are so many different plot lines going on that take place in different families and countries. I can’t even pick one theme to focus this recommendation on, because there simply are too many.

What I found really interesting about Anna Karenina is how it was written. An entire character with this own central storyline, Levin, was not part of the original novel. Tolstoy finished the book without a mention of Levin, re-read his draft, and decided to add a whole new character. The storylines flow so well that it’s hard to imagine the world without Levin.

In conclusion, please do not let the length of Anna Karenina stop you from reading it. It truly is a literary masterpiece that I will (try) to read again in the future.

Review- A Little Something Different

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A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

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Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Pages: 243

“This is going to be another one of those stories about how she gazed at him adoringly while he stared out the window or something. That’s how a lot of the Gabe stories go these days.”

Lea and Gabe are both incoming freshmen at the same college. They’re sort of “lost souls”, living their own separate lives that have absolutely nothing to do with each other, until they start “flirting” in creative writing class. Lea and Gabe are completely oblivious to the fact that they’re perfect for each other, but that doesn’t their separate friend groups from constantly trying to set them up together.

**spoiler ahead**
This book was cute. It was definitely very cute and very-perfect-couple-heavily-flirting type of deal. It was fun at first, but things got a little too predictable towards the end. I felt like a lot of the same ideas and conversations were happening over and over again. Lea and Gabe ALMOST got together so many times. It was frustratingly adorable at first, but then it got old.

A Little Something Different was a very quick and light read. It was a good book, but a good book for the right time. I read this in the midst of a reading slump, and its cheer definitely brought me out of that slump. So, if you’re looking for a fast read that’ll leave you feeling happy, this is it.

Review- A Time to Reap

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A Time to Reap by Jonas Lee

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

22819890“There is going to come a day when the things you say are going to return to you faster than you send them. A wise person would make certain their words aren’t so sharp.”

At the age of 12, Carter found himself developing a strange power called “leaping”. He can essentially jump to different places along earth’s space-time continuum, mostly leaving him confused and lacking clothes. He attends a school for “special” kids like him, sharing a variety of powers, called Pemberton Academy. There, he befriends (and crushes on) a girl named Mo. Mo doesn’t share the exact same powers as Carter, but they are certainly strong. Together, this duo is called to action by some of the most powerful people to ever exist and change the world.

Wow, I’m really glad I read this book! I usually find myself bored halfway through most YA books, but this was an exception. I was drawn in by the 2nd chapter and found myself laughing out loud at the narration–the voice of Carter, a sarcastic, teenage boy. The POV was a very good choice on Jonas Lee’s part.

Carter’s character was extremely well-developed. I feel like I’ve known him for years! I wish that we got to see more of Mo’s personality shine through Carter’s narration. I still feel like I don’t fully understand her and what she was thinking throughout the novel. She was my favorite character and I’m dying to know more about her!

To me, the ending was a bit unsatisfying. But, then again, I think Mr. Lee is setting this up for a sequel? If that’s the case, then it’s the perfect ending and I really really look forward to reading the next book. I can’t wait to get my hands on a paperback copy of this book ASAP!

Review- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

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Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

MissPeregrineCover“When someone won’t let you in, eventually you stop knocking. Know what I mean?”

Following his grandfather’s strange and sudden death, Jacob goes on a quest to learn more about the old man’s mysterious childhood. He travels to a strange island off the coast of Wales and discovers an abandoned orphanage. As Jacob explores the place, it turns out that the not-so-abandoned orphanage was actually expecting his arrival.

The concept behind this novel was so A+. The first chapter immediately drew me in. The mixture of a creepy grandfather death and spooky old photos really did the trick. I don’t usually read fantasy or YA, so I was pleasantly surprised with how this novel took off.

Unfortunately, the execution of this A+ idea was not so great. I was bored half-way through the novel. I felt like there were so many plot additions piling up with no resolutions in sight. Despite this, I am glad that I finished the novel. The ending was definitely not a final one–a good set up for the sequel.

Idea: Great. Characters: Great. Plot: Meh.

I don’t think I’ll be reading the sequel, but then again, fantasy YA is not usually my genre of choice.

Sunday Book Recommendation 1/4

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Call Me{44BBBE3F-94B7-4D31-9133-74BE2402DDDA}Img400 by Your Name by Andre Aciman

I got the kindle edition of this book last summer when it was on sale for some crazy price like 1.99. I don’t really know what caught my attention, because I don’t think I actually read the synopsis or reviews, but I’m so glad I picked it up.

This is a coming of age story about a teenage boy, Elio, discovering his developing sexuality and attraction to another, older boy named Oliver. Aciman does a beautiful job capturing Elio’s confusion and unwillingness to accept his longing for Oliver. As I read this book, I truly felt Elio’s anger at himself, Oliver, and life in general. The book takes place in Italy, and Aciman again and again goes out of his way to describe the scenery and energy of the setting. He certainly knows how to paint a picture with his words.

I love reading LGBT books. I think they’re extremely important for readers, especially young readers, to understand and enjoy. I didn’t realize that Call Me by Your Name was an LGBT romance book when I first purchased it, but I am so incredibly glad that I ended up reading it. I hope more authors follow in Aciman’s steps and write coming of age novels centered around LGBT characters.

My 2015 top TBR

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It’s the beginning of a new year, and I already have a long list of books I definitely want to tackle soon. I thought I’d share the top 5 books off of that list and link each book to Goodreads. It’s a mix of different genres!

1. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger – (Fiction) The Catcher in the Rye is my all time favorite novel. I’ve enjoyed every Salinger book I’ve read…which I think is every book except for Nine Stories.

2. Adulthood Rites by Octavia Butler‘- (Science Fiction) This is the second book of the Xenogenesis trilogy. I read the first book last month and I’m, unfortunately, still waiting for the second and third books to arrive (hurry up Amazon)!

3. At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O’Niell – (LGBT Historical Fiction)- I try to read a variety of LGBT books every year. This book has been on my list for a while. It’s a coming of age story featuring two boys who develop feelings for each other. I know I’m going to love it, so I’m excited to finally pick it up.

4. My Sister’s Grave by Robert Dugoni– (Myster/Thriller) I haven’t read a good thriller in a while, so I’m hoping this will do the trick. I’m glad no one has added this to a YA shelf, because I honestly can’t stand YA thrillers. Anyway, I have high hopes for this one as well.

5. The Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber– (Science Fiction/Fantasy??) This book has been placed in so many different genres, which is what interests me so much. It has mixed reviews, but the confusion over genre intrigues me. I’m really not sure what to expect.

Sunday Book Recommendation 12/28

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So I’ve decided to post a book recommendation every Sunday to keep my blog active and such. The format will differ from the way I’ve been writing my book reviews, just to switch things up. I’ll try not to use the same genre twice in a row.

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Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

I read this book last summer without checking the reviews or knowing anything about Gillian Flynn. This was before Gone Girl blew up, so I don’t think she was very well known. I remember spending the whole day in bed with my kindle because I couldn’t seem to put this book down.

As a warning, this book is creepy. I mean, it really messes with your head. Half way through, I wanted to throw the book down and never pick it up again; that’s how messed up it got. The main character, Camille, is trying to solve the murder of two preteen girls who happen to be from her home town. As a journalist, she’s forced to go back and stay with her hypochondriac mother and face the demons of her past while she simultaneously tries to figure out what happened to those two young girls. While there, Camille is confronted with a childhood tragedy that she so deeply tried to cut from her life years ago.

If you’re looking for a roller-coaster read, this is definitely it. Although Gone Girl is Flynn’s more famous novel, I’d say that Sharp Objects is her best (she also wrote Dark Places which was pretty good as well). Just as a reminder: this book may be triggering to some readers, as there are scenes that involve self-harm.

If you’ve read this book, please comment and let me know what you thought of it!