I've been keeping to my most ambitious New Year's resolution of reading 100 books by year's end, and have decided that instead of spending valuable reading time writing drawn-out reviews that few people will appreciate, I'll sum up my (brief) thoughts each month on what I've read, for anyone who might be interested in recommendations.
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
Perrotta's most recent work is one of my instant favorites. It features his usual combination of dark humor and suburban tragedy in a fresh story that I wasn't expecting to engage me so much.
The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra
Quite honestly, this one was disappointing. It's something of a coming-of-age tale, and maybe it's because I've read too many of those, but whatever the case I couldn't get on board with Samar's story, despite some great prose about India that sneaked in along the way.
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
I don't remember the last time I read a book and felt like throwing up afterward. And that's not a compliment, either. Maybe I read it in the wrong mood or something, but this book for me was just not enjoyable. I think the biggest reason for that is the detachment from the central characters, and the fact that no wisdom or catharsis seems to come from their untimely demises. I mean, I was hardly expecting happily ever after, but this novel is pretty much just a 200-plus dwelling on misery.
The Hunger Games
Catching Fire
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
I've already expressed my full thoughts on these three, but to sum up, they are terrific, as long as you keep in mind that they're written for teenagers.
Pawnee: Greatest Town in America by Leslie Knope (but really by Mike Schur and the writers at Parks and Recreation)
It might seem silly to have included this one, but it's actually a really rich, expansive book. It's every bit as quirky and funny as the show, and a must-read for nerdy fans like myself, who always want to know more about Pawnee and the mish-mash of crazy citizens who live there.
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Whoa. There's not much else that can be said about this book. I've tried to articulate it, but there is so much going on in this story already (it's hard to believe there are still a handful of other, equally long books which succeed it) that I'm afraid I'll leave out the most important part through sheer oversight. This is a perfect book for the lover of a story with huge scope and numerous fully-realized characters young and old and possessing varying degrees of evil. It's part sweeping pseudo-historical tome, part medieval-esque adventure, part supernatural intrigue. And yes, at nearly 700 pages it's a slow trek, but by the final pages you find yourself forgetting the more tedious chapters and excited for more.
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
This book is great if you're interested in reading about how a wealthy white female writer who's happily married with 2 kids and lives on the Upper East Side in New York spent a year trying to explore and increase her happiness. The tidbits of wisdom to eye-rolling ratio really isn't worth the effort.
Seriously...I'm Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres
This is a fast read and is absolutely hilarious. It's Ellen doing what Ellen does best: dispensing sincere advice as frequently as jokes and silly observations, about everything from health to relationships to using web-speak on the Internet.
Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind
I've seen the musical based on this play (and of course, fell in love with the angsty yet rockin' tunes), but had never read the source material. It's a pretty quick read, one that I finished during a single sitting, and while it has a couple of variations from the show, there wasn't much that I didn't see coming. The play articulates its themes a bit better, and the characters have a bit more depth. Definitely worth a read.
Best Book:
Tie, A Game of Thrones and The Leftovers
Worst Book:
The Virgin Suicides
Easiest to Get Through/Fastest Read:
Tie, Seriously...I'm Kidding and The Hunger Games trilogy
Slowest Read:
A Game of Thrones
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