Becoming

Finished Becoming by Lindsey Kay.  In the interest of full disclosure, Lindsey is a friend and one of my favorite people.  So you should take that for what it’s worth when you read this review…but at the same time, one of the reasons I love her so much is because her writing is incredible.  Her words are weapons and bridges, and that’s valuable.

This is broken into three sections: Nonfiction, fiction and poetry.  For probably the only time in my life, I prefer the nonfiction section as a whole. In those three selections, you get a pretty good glimpse into Lindsey’s life.  And you know how, when you talk about yourself, you subtly edit what you’re saying so that you come across as particularly sweet or noble or funny or possibly insightful?  Lindsey is unapologetically herself.  You get a very good idea of her strength, but you also can see when she isn’t feeling particularly strong and when she’s actually feeling kind of petulant or afraid.  I admire that more than I can ever adequately express, because that is a hard thing to do, and I’m sure it’s also scary.  Baring your soul and inviting judgment is terrifying, and Lindsey does it with an incredible amount of grace.

The funny thing is, though, my absolute favorite piece is the last story in the fiction section, “Beneath the Gaze.”  In that story, a girl—her age isn’t mentioned, but I’m guessing she’s probably late teens, early twenties—is at her mom’s funeral Mass.  I’m guessing she’s old enough to fight with her mom but still too young to see her as a person instead of an authority figure.  Parents’ funerals are this weird, surreal thing, especially when you’re really young, and Lindsey absolutely nails that.  (Which is funny, as both her parents are still alive.)

Highly, highly recommended.

 

Here I Go Again

Finished Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster.  I received a copy from the publisher on Edelweiss.

Lissy Ryder may or may not have peaked in high school.  Back then, she was the Heather Duke (or Regina George, as you prefer) of her school.  Everyone feared her, even her boyfriend and best friends.  Now, though?  Her husband wants a divorce and her boss just fired her.  She’s back with her parents and, as an added bonus, her class reunion is coming up.

And it turns out that all the people she bullied are all crazy successful (as opposed to recently fired, newly single and living in their childhood bedrooms).

Then she gets a chance to turn it around and go back to high school.  But can you really change everything in two weeks?  Lissy’s about to find out.

LOVED THIS BOOK.  :)  It’s my first Jen Lancaster book (but so not my last).  It was incredibly funny and there were a ton of great references (including its very own Heathers reference.  Want me to love something?  Throw in a Heathers reference).

It also reminded me a little bit of an adult version of Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.  (Book club note: read both and have the best discussion ever.)

It was also a pretty accurate portrayal of high school (except for the fact that their graduating class had a very high number of successful graduates, which seemed a little unrealistic…although my high school didn’t have very many bullies, so maybe that’s why none of us have exactly set the world on fire).  Lissy Ryder in high school was a very scary person.  And it was very sad to see her as a grownup, because she hadn’t gotten any better since high school.  She was very sarcastic—and yes, so am I, but she was very mean about it.  And it was like she never really understood that other people had feelings or were even really people/worth anything besides the way they could serve her.

But the transformation was great.  I always enjoy seeing people become the best versions of themselves and that’s what happened with Lissy.

Recommended.

 

Best of 2012: Paranormal/Dystopian YA

Another impossible category.  Clearly I read too much.

10)  Devine Intervention by Martha Brockenbrough.  The world’s least prepared guardian angel…who is actually pretty perfect.

9)  Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver.  I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!  I am in denial about it being the last.

8)  Forgiven and Foretold by Jana Oliver.  I love this series and am absolutely heartbroken that it’s over.  Jana Oliver is a must-buy author for me now.

7)  Revived by Cat Patrick.  I loved this book even more than I did her first novel, Forgotten.  And that’s saying a lot.

6)  The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.  Holy crap!  That is all.

5)  Insurgent by Veronica Roth.  Love this series; cannot wait for the next book.

4)  Griffin’s Fire and Griffin’s Storm by Darby Karchut.  I love Griffin and I love his author.

3)  A Million Suns by Beth Revis.  Fantastic dystopian set in space.  I’m so glad the third one comes out in just a few weeks; I can’t wait to see what happens next.

2)   This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers.  Come for the zombies, stay for the heartbreak and angst that is in every Courtney Summers book.  (No, really.  Creepy zombies, really sad girl.)

1)  The Diviners by Libba Bray.  I can’t even discuss how much I love this book.  It’s set in my favorite place and is incredibly clever and scary.  Also, there are speakeasies.

Me Before You

Finished Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.  I received a copy from the publisher on Edelweiss.

Lou (short for Louisa) has just gotten fired from her job—which, technically, isn’t her fault because the cafe’s closing.  But since she lives with her parents and is one of two breadwinners in the family (her dad works but is terrified of being fired himself; her mom stays home to take care of her elderly father, Louisa’s grandfather, and her sister takes care of her young son), she needs to find another job.  Preferably tomorrow.

Enter Will.  Will’s a quadriplegic and he has an aide for the medical stuff but his mom wants to hire a social aide, someone to keep him company.  It pays ridiculously well and it’s only for six months, so Lou can keep looking for another job.

Despite a rocky beginning, Lou and Will end up really hitting it off…and then she learns that the reason the job’s so short-term is because Will wants to kill himself.  He’s agreed to give his parents a brief extension, but is pretty adamant that his mind won’t change.

Except unfortunately, Lou’s in love with him now.  Is that enough?  And if she really loves him, is it her responsibility to try and change his mind or to honor his wishes?

I can’t even describe how much I loved this book.  It’s clever and funny and will kick you right in the feelings.  (I stole this from someone on Twitter.  If it is you, please leave a comment, because I want to give you credit but my memory is feeble.)

I think it’s also one of those books that will cause you to examine where you stand on euthanasia.  I’m strongly in support of it, but at the same time, it’s impossible to ignore the pain that it can cause those left behind.  And there’s also a difference between choosing to die because you have a terminal illness and you’d rather not die in pain or without dignity and wanting to die because your life is different than it used to be.  (Or is there?  Shouldn’t we be allowed to choose for ourselves when to end our lives?)

Highly recommended.

Best of 2012: Fiction

This was one of the hardest categories to narrow down, FYI.

10) Dead Harvest and The Wrong Goodbye by Chris F. Holm. One of the best discoveries of this year. A reaper named Sam tries to cancel the apocalypse.

9) Live By Night by Dennis Lehane. Another must-read by Dennis Lehane. I wish I could make his books mandatory for everyone to read.

8) The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. Her novels are basically one of my main vices—not guilty pleasures, because there’s nothing at all guilty here. But actual vices. Do not attempt to distract me while I’m reading one.

7) Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie. Catherine McKenzie was an author I discovered this year and all three of her books are amazing and wonderful. Read them and help me pressure Harper Collins into releasing her fourth book here in the US soon. Like, TOMORROW. (She’s a Canadian author.)

6) Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks. This was compared to Room. Don’t you want to read it now?

5) In Need of a Good Wife by Kelly O’Connor McNees. This book became Christmas presents for several people. It’s just a fantastic book (no surprise for those who read her first book, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott).

4) The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns by Margaret Dilloway. Margaret Dilloway is one of my must-reads now.

3) The Meryl Streep Movie Club by Mia March. One of the most fun books I’ve read this year—how can you not love a book about family and movies?

2) Defending Jacob by William Landay. Intense and wonderful.

1) Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian. This book is not for the faint of heart, but if you like books that can take your breath away by the power of what’s inside, this is for you.

A Walk in the Park

Finished A Walk in the Park by Jane Green (her website seems to be down).

Amy’s life is not going well.  She’s gotten fired and her boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend.  Then, while she’s walking her mom’s dog (a small Yorkie), her neighbor’s giant dog attacks it.

But the guy who’s walking the dog (her neighbor’s grandson) is very cute.  Things may be looking up!

Oh, you guys, this.  I think I got it for free from Amazon and I hope that’s true because otherwise, I overpaid.

It’s a short story, not a novel.  And she spends a whole lot of time talking about various Biore products and I sincerely hope that Jane Green got some kind of kickback for that, the amount of time she spent talking about them.

I do enjoy Jane Green’s novels, but this story was just horrible.  It takes a weird abrupt turn into Sunset Boulevard-land and between that and the Biore ad, I was just really, REALLY not a fan.

(SPOILERS)

So she takes her injured dog into the neighbor’s home.  Said neighbor was a major Hollywood actress, but has been basically a recluse in recent years and is sort of a terror in the neighborhood.  And she immediately hits it off with the grandson and they agree to meet up for dinner.

But when Amy gets there, no one hears her knock.  So she goes a-wandering through the house and finds the movie star’s body.  And there are weird instruments next to it.

So she’s like, “OMG, WHAT IS HAPPENING?!” as you would be and the grandson is like, “No, no!  She died and she wanted to be embalmed at the house.  So we’re just waiting for the coroner!”

And Amy’s like, “Oh.  Yes, that makes perfect sense.”

And if I were reading this in physical form, I might literally throw it across the room.

So not recommended.

Best of 2012: Nonfiction

I don’t read as much nonfiction, so take this list for whatever it’s worth. :)

10) Because I Said So! by Ken Jennings. If I were a jerk, I would send copies to my friends’ kids (and my mom) with a note explaining that parents are wrong a lot. A LOT a lot.

9) Drop Dead Healthy by AJ Jacobs. My favorite quirky memoir author attempts to become the world’s healthiest man.

8) Girl Walks Into a Bar by Rachel Dratch. Incredibly funny book by the woman who was almost Jenna Maroney.

7) Rather Outspoken by Dan Rather. The memoir of someone who’s been behind so many major news stories–a complete legend and that is an understatement.

6) Bloom by Kelle Hampton. Beautiful story (with absolutely gorgeous pictures!) about a family with two girls, one of whom happens to have Down Syndrome.

5) Still by Lauren F. Winner. Amazing book about keeping the faith even when it seems like God isn’t there.

4) A Queer and Pleasant Danger by Kate Bornstein. I love her beyond all reason and this is her memoir. :)

3) Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson. Quirky but I dare you not to laugh at least 20 times.

2) Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott.  There are no words for how much I loved this one.

1) Red Letter Revolution by Shane Claiborne. Simply amazing.

The First Lie

Finished The First Lie by Sara Shepard.

Summary (from Goodreads):

“Featuring Sutton Mercer before her tragic death, this stand-alone digital original novella from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sara Shepard is an exciting, must-read companion to the Lying Game series.

Back when she was alive, Sutton kept a million secrets. But how she got together with Thayer is her juiciest one of all. . . .

It’s the summer before junior year and Sutton Mercer and her friends rule Hollier High. Then Thayer Vega returns home from soccer camp. In two short months he’s gone from being her best friend’s scrawny younger brother to a hot soccer god with a major ego—and a bone to pick with the Lying Game girls.

To bring him back down to earth, Sutton’s friends convince her to string Thayer along so she can publicly reject him. But as she gets to know the real Thayer, Sutton starts to wonder: Is flirting with Thayer still just a game to her? Or is the queen of the Lying Game lying . . . to herself?”

This was a novella, not an actual story.  And because Sutton is still alive, there’s no Emma in this story.  It was interesting to see Sutton as a person (as opposed to as a ghost or to see Emma pretending to be Sutton).

I have been enjoying this series and this novella helps.  It’s good to get to see how Sutton really was, and I think she was a lot more sympathetic than she’s been so far in the brief flashbacks we’ve seen in The Lying Game.  (I think it’s also safe to say that The Lying Game is really Emma’s story, so it’s good to see a bit of Sutton.)

Recommended—and if you haven’t read the series before, this works as a good introduction.

Dream More

Finished Dream More by Dolly Parton.

This book is a longer version of a commencement speech she gave and so obviously it’s very inspiring.

I’ll be honest, I don’t like country music very much…but I do love Dolly Parton.  I have some songs of hers on my iPod and I think she seems like literally one of the nicest, sweetest people ever.

I have reviews and blog posts scheduled in advance and honestly, I wasn’t going to read this book until early next year.  But I’m writing this on Friday, December 14 and I couldn’t focus on the book I was reading (it wasn’t BAD, not at all, but it was pretty grim.  And I can’t take any more grim) and so I thought, “What is the exact opposite of grim?”  And then I remembered that I bought this book.

So yes, I love Dolly Parton.  I’m pretty sure she’s the exact opposite of grim.  Don’t you think?

She has a four point plan for people: dream more, learn more, care more and be more.  Those are all pretty self-explanatory, I think.

But the general gist of the book really is that it’s our responsibility collectively to do our best both because it’s the way to a good, fulfilling life and because we owe it to each other.  Also (and this is tied in with “care more”), if you make something of yourself, help out those who will come after you.  For example, Dolly Parton doesn’t have kids (which is too bad, because I bet they’d be awesome) but she’s done all this work in her hometown to help the local kids.  (She told one class that if they graduated from high school, she’d give them each $500.  Which is a lot when you’re 18.  Or if you’re me.)

The truth is, we’re all in this together and there’s no reason not to help out if you can.

So while this book is very short (a shade over 120 pages), it’s still fun and inspiring.

Also, on an unrelated note, can I just say that in my mind, Dolly Parton is my BFF?  I think she’s just lovely and great.

Highly recommended.

 

Falling Kingdoms

Finished Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes.  I received a copy from the publisher at BEA.

Summary (from Goodreads):

“In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power–brutally transforming their subjects’ lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished–and finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past–and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword…

The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?”

I am not a huge fan of fantasy stories, but I couldn’t stop reading this one.  It’s been compared to the Game of Throne series and if that’s true, I need to track that one down next.

This book is ridiculously fun and even though there are a lot of characters and it’s set in three different kingdoms, I didn’t have a huge problem keeping things straight.  (In case you do, though, there’s a helpful guide in the beginning of the book—characters broken down by kingdom and with a quick summary of who exactly they are.)

I loved the Cleo/Aron/Theon and Lucia/Magnus plotlines the best, but there wasn’t any part of the book where I wasn’t completely enthralled.  (I apologize for that hideous sentence structure.)

Highly recommended.