Literature « karenika

A Book a Week – All I Did Was Listen

I knew I wanted to reas All I Did Was Listen as soon as I saw it. I just felt a pull towards it. I ordered it and then was delighted when it made it here.

I took a long, nice bath and read the book at the same time (one of the advantages of not reading in digital form is that I don’t have to be worried about the water.) I loved loved loved this little book.

It’s full of profound wisdom, sweet thoughts, delights, and just so much kindness.

I really really recommend it.

A Book a Week – Wool Omnibus Edition

Wool was gifted to me by my friend Nicholas. He said that since I liked The Maze Runner, I would most likely enjoy this one even more.

Man, was he right!

If you like science fiction at all, this book is absolutely amazing.

I devoured all five books nonstop. I wanted to just read read read. The characters, the plot, the storytelling are all fantastic in this book. I cannot say enough awesome things about it.

It’s also an awesome story of a non-famous writer who published a short-story in the Kindle store that got so popular that he wrote all the books. I am so glad he did and now he has a book deal!! Truly awesome!

A Book a Week – Beautiful Creatures

Another one on the list of books I must read before the movie comes was Beautiful Creatures. This book wasn’t super-tiny so it took me a few days to read it.

But I did like it.

I am not sure I loved it. I thought it was interesting, I liked the characters okay and the story was interesting. However, it went on a bit longer than it needed to. When I finished it, I felt no desire to move on to the next one even though it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.

I guess that means it goes in the so-so pile.

A Book a Week – City of Bones

I read City of Bones cause it’s also coming to the big screen and I knew I didn’t want to see it without having read it.

I read the whole thing pretty quickly and didn’t hate it but I also didn’t really feel compelled to pick up the sequels and read them. I am not sure what that says about the book but I also can’t say it was super-terrible.

so if the genre is up your alley, maybe it’s worth a try. (then again, if this genre is your cup of tea, you’ve prolly already read this one.)

A Book a Week – The Silver Linings Playbook

I read The Silver Linings Playbook because I wanted to see the movie and I won’t see a movie without reading the book first.

In this case, it was super-easy cause the book is really short and I read the whole thing in one sitting. And I loved it.

In case you have seen the movie, it’s got some significant differences (as always) but I still liked both the book and the movie individually and think that this little book is creative, unusual, thought-provoking, well-written and has interesting characters.

For me, that’s a win-win!

A Book a Week – The Field Guide to Now

I genuinely can’t remember where I heard of A Field Guide to Now but I am so glad I did because it’s magnificent.

It’s real, raw, subtle, quietly beautiful, deep, moving and just truly wonderful.

I enjoyed it so much. I read it slowly, savored every page and then felt like starting all over again. I really really recommend this one.

I absolutely love this book.

A Book a Week – Days of Blood and Starlight

I knew I was going to read Days of Blood and Starlight the minute it came out. I loved the first one so very much and couldn’t wait for this one.

But this was much much different.

Heavier, bloodier, harder to swallow.

I stuck with it and I am glad I did. The last third of the book is great and as far as I am concerned she redeemed herself and I can’t wait for #3 now. I loved it.

Now only if she could write faster.

A Book a Week – The Raven Boys

Since the Shiver trilogy was one of my favorite books of the year, I knew I was going to tackle The Raven Boys as soon as it came out. And I could not stop reading it.

There’s something magical in the way she creates characters that speaks to me. I love love love her novels. And I cannot wait to get to the second one (and I have no idea when it’s coming out!)

In the meantime, I’ll have to read the Scorpio Races which has been sitting in my reader for a while.

Loved this one.

A Book a Week – The Eden Trilogy

I read The Eden Trilogy pretty much in one sitting. I read the first book and since the other two were out, too, I got to just continue. I read them while on vacation so I had the excuse to keep at it.

I really enjoyed it even if it’s not the most intellectual thing I’ve ever read.

Again, if this is your type of genre, it’s recommended.

A Book a Week – Swamplandia!

I read Swamplandia! for book club. And if it weren’t for book club I would have never slogged through it. I understand that many people like this book.

But I hated it.

I don’t want to give away anything, but I’ll warn that there are sensitive subjects in the book. It’s disturbing in many parts (at least for me) and neither the plot, nor the storytelling were interesting/wonderful enough to compensate for it.

If you read this and liked it, I’d love to know why. If you haven’t, it’s skippable in my opinion.

A Book a Week – Pushing the Limits, Easy, Twenty Boy Summer, The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden and Perfect Chemistry

I went through a period where I just read a bunch of teen romance stories that included: Pushing the Limits, Easy, and Perfect Chemistry, Cross My Heart, The Coincidence of Callie and Hayden. They were all quite similar to each other. Boy and girl are an unlikely couple. They first hate each other but what they don’t know is that they’re actually more similar than they think. They are each suffering in their own way. And then they are put together for some reason and they have super-strong chemistry and, against all odds, end up together and end up being the very best thing for each other. The Callie one was disturbing for me so I wouldn’t recommend it as much. And then I also read Twenty Boy Summer which is similar but not the same as others. Light reading, though.