When I started my post yesterday, I didn't realize I had not written reviews for the last three months either! So apparently I am really playing catch-up, and since starting yesterday, I wanted to bring you all fully up to date! (BTW, as mentioned yesterday, book reviews are my most popular pages. My most popular Book Review is Swamplandia, I still stand by my "Do not read this book" stance, despite it's apparent popularity!)
Below are a few more recent reads, enjoy!
Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm not all about the cheese that can be present in Nicholas Sparks' books, but after listening to this one, I have a new found respect for the guy, and a new interest in reading his other work. This book alternates between a three week trip around the world with his brother, and memories from the previous 35+ years. More time is spent on the memoir. Nicholas and his brother Micah have had more than their fair share of tragedy, which has only served to make the brothers' bond tighter. Nicholas and his siblings were raised on three mantras; "It's your life," "What you want and what you get are usually two entirely different things," and "No one ever said life is fair." These mottoes served to make the kids independent, resilient and creative. I've been thinking about them a lot lately, and I love that Nicholas' mom had each sibling say three nice things that each sibling did for them today. Nicholas carried on this tradition in his own family. The true hero here is his wife who stayed home with their 5 children through not only this trip, but every book promotion tour, each of which is about three months.
I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away by Bill Bryson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Audiobook version: The narrator of the book sounded pretty arrogant, giving the text an air of conceit. I thought Bryson would poke fun at the American ways, after being in England for the last two decades. Instead, he mostly taunted and turned a snobby nose at everything American, and what American needs to hear that?! Actually no one needs to hear it. Someone must have critiqued Bryson on this in the past because he closes with an artificial "I love America, and wouldn't want to live anywhere else" proclamation, but that didn't make up for the tone of the book. Maybe he was trying to be funny and it was too dry for me, I don't know. Either way, I'll take a break from Bryson, maybe I was hoping he'd be more like Dave Barry.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was hooked on this book from the very beginning, to the point where I was hoping for a sick day where I could read all day! I would have given it 5 stars, except for the very end, the ending SUCKED and I thought was very lazy of the author. Although, I do wish I had read this with a book club so we could all hash out the ending together and I could see how others interpreted it. I want to read Flynn's other novels, but not yet, I need a break from creepy/disturbing yet almost believable.
Rescue by Anita Shreve
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Audiobook Version: Almost as soon as I finished listening to this book I forgot about it! It was entertaining at the time, but nothing extraordinary. Without giving much away, it's about a woman's struggle with alcoholism, and the man that loved her.
The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Audiobook Version: I wanted to read this one, after reading Three Weeks with my Brother and learning that the Speech delayed four year old in this book, is modeled after Spark's own son, Ryan. This one was about a volunteer rescue worker (Taylor) and a single mom (Denise) and her son (Kyle). The three met after Denise and Kyle were in a car accident and Taylor was first at the scene. It's a sweet story of love, patience and forgiveness. With Sparks' personal experience, he was able to be especially sensitive to the extra challenges of parenting a special needs child. This one was a bit predictable but still enjoyable.
Below are a few more recent reads, enjoy!
Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas SparksMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm not all about the cheese that can be present in Nicholas Sparks' books, but after listening to this one, I have a new found respect for the guy, and a new interest in reading his other work. This book alternates between a three week trip around the world with his brother, and memories from the previous 35+ years. More time is spent on the memoir. Nicholas and his brother Micah have had more than their fair share of tragedy, which has only served to make the brothers' bond tighter. Nicholas and his siblings were raised on three mantras; "It's your life," "What you want and what you get are usually two entirely different things," and "No one ever said life is fair." These mottoes served to make the kids independent, resilient and creative. I've been thinking about them a lot lately, and I love that Nicholas' mom had each sibling say three nice things that each sibling did for them today. Nicholas carried on this tradition in his own family. The true hero here is his wife who stayed home with their 5 children through not only this trip, but every book promotion tour, each of which is about three months.
I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away by Bill BrysonMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
Audiobook version: The narrator of the book sounded pretty arrogant, giving the text an air of conceit. I thought Bryson would poke fun at the American ways, after being in England for the last two decades. Instead, he mostly taunted and turned a snobby nose at everything American, and what American needs to hear that?! Actually no one needs to hear it. Someone must have critiqued Bryson on this in the past because he closes with an artificial "I love America, and wouldn't want to live anywhere else" proclamation, but that didn't make up for the tone of the book. Maybe he was trying to be funny and it was too dry for me, I don't know. Either way, I'll take a break from Bryson, maybe I was hoping he'd be more like Dave Barry.
Gone Girl by Gillian FlynnMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was hooked on this book from the very beginning, to the point where I was hoping for a sick day where I could read all day! I would have given it 5 stars, except for the very end, the ending SUCKED and I thought was very lazy of the author. Although, I do wish I had read this with a book club so we could all hash out the ending together and I could see how others interpreted it. I want to read Flynn's other novels, but not yet, I need a break from creepy/disturbing yet almost believable.
Rescue by Anita ShreveMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
Audiobook Version: Almost as soon as I finished listening to this book I forgot about it! It was entertaining at the time, but nothing extraordinary. Without giving much away, it's about a woman's struggle with alcoholism, and the man that loved her.
The Rescue by Nicholas SparksMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Audiobook Version: I wanted to read this one, after reading Three Weeks with my Brother and learning that the Speech delayed four year old in this book, is modeled after Spark's own son, Ryan. This one was about a volunteer rescue worker (Taylor) and a single mom (Denise) and her son (Kyle). The three met after Denise and Kyle were in a car accident and Taylor was first at the scene. It's a sweet story of love, patience and forgiveness. With Sparks' personal experience, he was able to be especially sensitive to the extra challenges of parenting a special needs child. This one was a bit predictable but still enjoyable.
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