Let's start with some statistics. I'm not going to copy and paste from goodreads because the pictures don't transfer well, but you still get the stats:
I read 11,888 pages across 38 books
Shortest book: (80 pages) Helen Keller: Her Life in Pictures
Longest book: (836 pages) Wizard's First Rule
Most Popular: (1,414,488 people also read) Eragon
Least Popular: (131 people also read) Helen Keller: Her Life in Pictures
Highest Rating on Goodreads: (4.63) Just Mercy: Story of Justice and Redemption
Most read month: (7 books) February
Least read month: (1 book) January and August
Not too bad. I still am part of 3 book clubs. I don't always read the book for the neighborhood group, but I almost always read the book for my group and the family group. It also means I have books to chose out of 3 different groups. Here's a new statistic:
Most of the my favorite books came from: NONE of the groups. Half of them were books I picked up on my own. Surprising. But there were still favorites from each of the groups.
Let's look at my top picks (In no particular order). As usual, I'm just going to use my goodreads review. It saves me time writing another. Lazy, but effective. Also, I'll put which group I read it for. (NC=Neighborhood Club, FG=Family Group, MB=My Book Group, Other=not associated with a group or required reading.)
THE FORGETTING by Sharon Cameron (Other): I really enjoyed this book. June recommended it to me and although it took me too long to read, I'm so glad that I put aside other books for it. The story was so original and interesting. I liked the characters and plot. Everyone has their own issues, but you can see the sincerity of each person. Nadia and Gray are awesome, but I especially like Rose and Anson as well. I can't imagine how life would be to forget so much. I deal with a bad memory that is frustrating enough, but to not remember who I am and to have to read my story that I wrote down for myself. Crazy. There are characters you love to hate as well in this book, but I don't want to give too much away. I believe there is a sequel, but I liked where it ended and I almost don't want to spoil the story with another book. I can already tell this will be one of my favorite books of the year.
TREASON by Orson Scott Card (Other): This is a reread for me. I read this back when I was in High School and really enjoyed it. I knew there were twists to the plot but I couldn't remember it very well, so it was time to visit Treason again. The book was just as interesting as I remembered. On a planet where people have been stranded for 3,000 years, clans have developed their special abilities to new levels. I think Lanik Mueller is a great character and his adventures keep you on your toes as he travels and experiences many of the families' abilities.
I remembered some of the end, but there was still some things that caught me off guard. There were some very profound lines, but unlike Stephanie, I never remember to highlight or write them down. (I need to get better at that.) There was a level of sexuality in the book that makes me not recommend this to my teenagers, but the plot is fascinating. My only other problem is that the cover is stupid. Every cover for this book makes it look like a sci-fi space book. Sci-fi it may be but it has almost nothing to do with space. I know that is a minor concern, but if you judge this book by the cover, you might miss the imaginative world inside.
THE RENT COLLECTOR by Camron Wright (MB): 4.5 This book was really great. there was so much good stuff that it might be easier to tell you what I didn't like about it. Somewhere towards the end of my reading, I noticed the pictures at the end of the book. I jumped to the conclusion that this must be a true story. It's not. The people are real and there is a documentary about them, but the story in the book is only an idea of what would happen if literacy came to these people. I was kind of crushed. I believe the true Sang Ly is probably a strong determined woman...after all, she did take her son to the healer, but she is not the character with the sharp wit and love for literature we came to know.
Sopeap Sin was an amazing character and possibly my favorite. She also had a dry humor that kept me smiling through a sometimes horrifying story. The other day I was thinking of a book plot where a group of people were discriminated against and finally exterminated for a trait that we would find normal and acceptable. (Sorry, can't give too much away you know.) I thought it was kind of original and then I read THIS story where people were wiped out and murdered for being educated. A simple thing to be able to read or teach and it was a death sentence. What I thought of as a unique plot was real life for hundreds of thousands of people. Truly a tragedy.
But this book is about hope and how the human spirit can soar in the lowest places on earth. It was a beautiful story. I highly recommend it.
CHRYSALIS by Brendan Reichs (Other): Out of the three books, I liked this one the most. The senseless killing was put on hold finally and a crazy surprise plot was introduced. I wonder if this is what Reichs planned all along or if his story surprised himself? I'm glad I finished the series. I think I needed closure. Noah and Min seem to have finally found a balance, so to speak.
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens (MB): Oh! This book ended how I wanted and still surprised me. What a tale.
I cannot imagine being left by everyone and still being able to fend for myself at a young age. It just wouldn't happen. I would have to find a kindly neighbor or go to an orphanage. Kya's young soul was made of steel...or saw grass. Both hard stuff.
When I read books like this, I wish I liked the outdoors more. It all sounds so enchanting through the eyes of someone who loves it so. But honestly, my nose gets itchy and I burn so easily in the sun. Mother nature and I have a quiet truce to steer clear of one another in most cases. And even if I loved the outdoors, my ability to capture it in art would be miserable. So basically, I would be the worst Marsh Girl ever.
But this story was still great. I loved the jumps back and forth between the past and present. I was so intrigued with where the story would go. I loved Jumpin' and Mabel. And who wouldn't adore Tate even with his mistakes? What a great story of love, loneliness, and loss.
Sadly, I don't think I can recommend this book to my teenagers because of a few scenes. I know sex is natural in the animal kingdom, but I'm not ready for my cignets to be reading this stuff yet.
THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass (Other): I've been meaning to read this series forever since my kids recommended it. It is definitely as cheesy as I was hoping. It is like reading the Bachelor. It is a bit predictable, but as a light-hearted romance, this book is great. I didn't realize it was going to end on a cliff hangar, in the midst of the story, but that is fine. Guess I need to get reading number 2.
THE HERO'S GUIDE TO SAVING YOUR KINGDOM by Christopher Healy (FG): This book was a very fun read. I imagine it would appeal to younger readers, but as a 'mostly' grown up, I laughed out loud several times. The characters are mighty quirky and certainly not the ones you are used to from the fairy tales, but I liked shaking it up and looking at the story from a different angle. There are more books in the series. I would like to read them someday, but my stack of books to read at the moment is taller than me. All those Princes Charming will just have to hang in there, but they seem like patient individuals, especially Gustav. :)
Oh, I also got to read half of this book out loud to my sister while I visited. I did different voices and that gave the princes even more character. This would make a great read aloud book.
EDUCATED by Tara Westover (MB): This was a hard book to read because in the end you have to remember the story is real. This girl went through all these things. She is a brilliant writer and thinker and I can see how she fought and succeeded in getting her PhD. There are few that could come from such a background and escape to a different life, although that meant leaving much of her family behind. I really wonder if her parents ever read her book?
So much of this book was about control. The person I felt most sorry for was Audrey. She almost had a chance to be herself and admit what had happened and was currently happening, but she was too scared. She chose the wool and happily pulled it back over her own eyes. And I can't know if I would be different in the same situation. Abuse is terrifying and cyclical. That was also hard to read. In some ways, I'm so impressed that Tara could come out and write about her experience. It is too easy to push it deep and try to deny it ever occurred.
This was a soul searching story. How much of our past has shaped us and how much do we discount and use as a crutch. Most of us don't have the intense background of abuse, but I'm sure there is plenty to influence and warp our understanding. I love the idea of finding yourself through education. I'm glad Tara was able to find herself.
DADDY LONG LEGS by Jean Webster (Other): I saw the play a year ago and loved it so much that I wanted to share the story with my girls. We choose it as our summer read aloud book. Judy has so much voice and character, you can't help loving her and admiring her pluck and feminine sensibilities. She is such a good role model of a girl coming from a hard background but striving for excellence in education and self mastery. And yet, she is real. She laments the hard days but picks herself back up each time. My girls did not expect the ending and it was a sweet story to them. I'm glad we finally finished it. Oh...Judy can not draw. We all laughed at her illustrations.
THE LAKE HOUSE by Kate Morton (NC): This was a great book with a couple mysteries running together. I love Kate Morton's style of bringing you along the journey and revealing clues in a specific order. And the writing is so deliciously vague sometimes. You know it means something, but you aren't sure what yet. In fact, at one point I read a section and missed what happened completely, thinking the character was more altruistic than they really were. I was surprised by what actually happened and had to go back and reread it. I think that is pretty good writing. The theme of parents and children that ran through the book pulled at my heartstrings. And I really liked many of the characters. I read this book while I was on a cruise, so you know it has to be good because I finished it before I got home.
ARTEMIS FOWL by Eoin Colfer (FG): I thought this book was an interesting twist on the fairy world. I quite enjoyed it and thought the author was very clever with twists and surprises. I just couldn't decide if Artemis was a good guy or a bad guy. I wasn't really on his side, but I imagine he'll come around because the whole series is based on him. Foaly was my favorite character by far, but I've always had a soft spot for centaurs. I am really jazzed for the movie coming out next year. Good choice Disney.
STRANGE PLANET by Nathan Pyle (Other): This is such a funny, one-sitting read. Ivory found this and checked out a copy for our home. We have all taken turns sitting down and laughing. We laugh at the strange language the aliens use but mostly about how funny we humans must seem to outsiders. I particularly like the section describing eye exams, eating your vegetables, and watching scary movies. And the pets are funny too.
A: OBJECTS THAT ARE FAR AWAY APPEAR AS TINY BLURS TO ME
B: OK WE WILL HAVE YOU READ A DISTANT SIGN
A: THIS WILL BE DIFFICULT GIVEN WHAT I JUST SAID
B: STAY THERE AND IDENTIFY THESE TINY LETTERS
A: SEE THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT I CANNOT DO
B: OBSCURE ONE EYE
A: GUARANTEE THAT WILL NOT HELP
Definitely take the chance to read this if you run across it. It would make a great white elephant gift or book exchange too. Just good, light humor.
Wow, that is a lot of blathering for one post. Let's finish this off with some pictures. Hope you've found a good book to read lately, and if not...take one of my recommendations.
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