Delightfully Quirky Reads

Although this past weekend was busy for me, I somehow found a way to read not one, but two books! I basically accomplished this by 1) Reading until late into the night. (aka 2AM ... ish) and 2) Reading children's books. 

Okay, so they aren't 500 page tomes, but they are really enjoyable for what they are.

I'm sure you're starting to see my patterns when I'm reading fluff books. Bliss is super cutesy and quirky.  The Bliss family are bakers - magical bakers. The three herb-named children are left in charge of the bakery when their parents must go away for a week. Their one task: not to let anyone know about the magic cookery book. 

As soon as their car has left the driveway, the mysterious, marvelous, and incredibly gorgeous "Aunt Lily" drops in and insists that they allow her to stay as she is family. The children can't resist her and her cooking and soon are under her charms. 

The only thing I disliked about this book is that it's the beginning of a series. This is how I feel about series: THERE ARE TOO MANY. It's like no one can actually write ONE GOOD BOOK on its own. It has to be a SAGA or a trilogy or a flipping never-ending SERIES. You can hardly pick up a YA novel that looks good without it being number #7 in the whatever chronicles. It drives me absolutely mad. And speaking of series, this book I read was ALSO number one. 

But you can read it without having to read the next one, which is why I'm even writing about it. 

Stuart Horten is a very short ten-year-old boy who has just moved to Beeton with his eccentric parents (his mother is a doctor and his father creates crossword puzzles and is therefore obsessed with words). Stuart becomes entangled in a mysterious exploration of the town when he finds out his great-uncle was a magician/illusionist in the 1940s in Beeton and his magical workshop has never been found. Setting off to find it, Stuart encounters the power hunger mayoress, a elderly woman who has a feisty seeing-eye dog, and a set of identical girl triplets.
Although this book is the first in a series, it can be read on its own without leaving you with a cliffhanger. The character reminds me a bit of Hugo Cabret, especially with all the mechanisms throughout the book. I liked the adventure, even if it was a bit far-fetched for a ten-year-old protagonist.


In other news, I'm still pushing through A Dance With Dragons. I'm going slow because who knows when book number six will come out...

Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life... Not an Ordinary Read.

This book is incredible. Just because you live an ordinary life does not mean you don't have a story to tell. This is the foreward to the book:

Foreward

I was not abused, abandoned or locked up as a child. My parents were not alcoholics, nor were they ever divorced or dead. We did not live in poverty, or in misery, or in an exotic country. I am not a misunderstood genius, a former child celebrity, or the child of a celebrity. I am not a drug addict, sex addict, food addict, or recovered anything. If I indeed had a past life, I have no recollection of who I was.

I have not survived against all odds.

I have not lived to tell.

I have not witnessed the extraordinary.

This is my story. 

                                                                  - Amy Krouse Rosenthal, age 39

After the foreward, she starts writing the book in an encyclopedia-esque way, which is intriguing. It also makes for a very quick read. I've concluded from this book that even if you don't have a particularly crazy/frightening/exotic story to tell, you still have a story (or many) to tell.
Because she so blatantly states that she is an ordinary human being pulls in the reader. She can relate to the common man/woman.

Plus, it's pretty damn creative.

A Short List of Excellent Books

Chuck Klosterman is highly underrated. I mean, yes, everyone loves Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs because it is wonderful, of course. But his novel Downtown Owl was fascinating. Better than Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs in my opinion. It has several different points of view, which I always like in a book.  The first character you're introduced to is a young teacher who has just moved to Owl, North Dakota. There is also the point of view of a teenage boy on the high school football team and an old man who has lived in Owl for many, many years. Their stories entwine. 

The best part about this book is that Chuck Klosterman begins with the end, which is THE BEST WAY to start any book. I give this one five stars. 

Of course this book is overshadowed by the overwhelming amount of people who saw the movie starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, but the book is just better. I suppose by the same logic the blog must be better than the book, but I have never read her blog. 

The movie also didn't show how much Julie swore, drank and fought with her husband. I think all those things were very important to the story because the whole story is about her journey through the year with food. Stories about a journey generally should have a lot of obstacles. The book did, the movie just glamorized one fight. 

Read the book - it's worth it.

If you're not in the mood for a novel, try Kurt Vonnegut's Welcome to the Monkey House. Since it's a compilation of his short stories, it's easier to digest than a full novel. That won't mean you won't read it in one sitting, though. His short stories are incredible. Every time I finished one, I couldn't help but move right on to the next one. This is one I'm going to read again. And soon!

When In Doubt, Pick up this Book. Or maybe don't....

When In Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison is what I would call a fluffy novel. I periodically indulge in these, thoroughly enjoy them, and then ignore all fluff novels until I've read 10 other, less fluffy, books. That being said, this is a nice, quick beach read.

There were parts about this book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The writing was pretty funny at some parts and I think Beth Harbison harbors a secret love for alliteration.  But then again, who doesn't?
My favorite line from this book is, "I don't trust people who don't like garlic" (pg. 102). Amen to that, sister.
It's a food-oriented novel centered around the main character, Gemma Craig, who is a private chef at the age of 37, and is alone in her life. She likes things just so and is never the one to do anything radical. (You can see where this is going already, can't you?)

My problem with this read was that it was just so ridiculously predictable. That drives me nuts in a novel. I don't want to spoil the novel for you, but her life takes such expected turns that the story gets a little boring.
But if you're looking for a one-day beach read, pick it up - it's not that bad.

And once in a while, you need something fluffy to lighten up your days of endless wars, dragons, drunkenness and pillaging. I mean if you're me and you happen to be halfway through A Dance With Dragons.

Fannie Flagg: Funny Name, Killer Books

Fannie Flagg is definitely one of my top five favorite authors. She's written eight books, plus a southern cooking cookbook! She started writing plays and acting when she was very young and has been pretty much been fantastic all of her life. I've read all of her books and they are all incredible. Fannie Flagg just UNDERSTANDS how characters should be and exactly how they can overcome issues. That's what I love about her.  My very favorite book of hers is:

Dena Nordstrom is a big city girl with a big city job and all the stress that goes with it.  Her ties to her Southern roots are tenuous at best. When she finally visits her family, whom she hardly remembers, she is desperate to leave the Southern town as fast as she can to get back to the big city.  All that big city stress gets her down as soon as she returns to the city and she has to figure out what she really wants in life. 

Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man is a wonderful story of a down to earth young girl who deals with her problems as they come: which is seemingly all the time. I loved this story and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good laugh as well as a little heartbreak.

Of course this is how most people know Fannie Flagg: Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. The movie is great, the book is better (obviously) and yet this is how most people form their opinion about Fannie Flagg. I say, stop that this instant because she's written books better than this one.  Don't get me wrong, I love Fried Green Tomatoes, I really, really do. But it's no Welcome to the World, Baby Girl or I Still Dream about You, which is her latest book. 

This is Fannie Flagg's most recent novel and I am in love. Ever since I read it two years ago on Cape Cod on our family summer vacation, I cannot say enough good things about it. This is the plot: Maggie Fortenberry is a lovely, polite, very mild-mannered and sweet sixtyish year old. She's decided her life is basically over (although she has a job and some excellent friends) and the time has come to kill herself. Maggie plans this out meticulously through the book by closing bank accounts, giving away clothing, and determining how exactly she will carry out the suicide. This book was wonderfully dark, yet exceptionally comedic. 

I also love A Redbird Christmas because it's about a crotchety old man named Oswald who, after visiting the doctor, discovers he is very close to death. Cold Chicago isn't doing him any good, so he decides to relocate to the little old town of Lost River in the deep South. What he finds there are some great neighbors, crazily hot weather, and a deep relaxation that can only come with a town that time has forgotten. 

Give these a try and let me know how you like them!

Paris Wives

A few months ago I read The Paris Wife by Paula McLain and absolutely loved it! It follows the story of Hadley Richardson and Ernest Hemingway. Richardson was Hemingway's first wife.  The book tells the ascent and descent of their relationship, mostly taking place in Paris. Although it is fictionalized somewhat, the author did her best to garner information from letters between the two and other materials she studied.

After I read this book, I was inspired to read more of Hemingway's work. I've read a good amount being an English major and all, but this book pushed it further. 

I also just noticed that there is another book with the same premise (which I'm now going to read as soon as I can get my hands on it) and it's called Paris Without End: The True Story of Hemingway's First Wife by Gioia Diliberto. 

If you've read this one, please let me know because I'm fascinated to know how they differ and why. Apparently, Vogue likes Paris Without End, if that means anything to you. 

Off the Subject of Books for Just a Second...

Had the weirdest dream last night where I was talking with Queen Cersei (from Game of Thrones for those of you less nerdy folk). I think reading A Dance With Dragons before bed is messing with my head. Next time I'll be having tea with Lady Melisandre.

In other news, this song is wonderful and I simply adore Lily Allen. I can accept however that this song is a little weird, but Elton John is in it, so it's pretty fabulous.

Also, Fifty Shades of Grey is crazily popular in Great Britain says Flavorwire. I haven't read it and I don't plan on reading it, either. I understand that people want to read what they want to read. I fully support that. If you need a trashy beach read, go for it. However, I will not be succumbing to the trash novels. I have too little time on this Earth and not enough time to read the GOOD stuff let alone the trashy, fluff books.
How do you feel about the Fifty Shades of Grey madness?

They Tried to Make me Go to Rehab - AND YOU SHOULD HAVE GONE AND JUST STAYED, AMY!

So I've just finished Amy, My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse today. If you want to break your heart, go ahead and pick up this gem of a book.
Amy Winehouse's father wrote this book after her death. He was one of those fathers who was very close with his daughter and he isn't afraid to tell the world the truth about everything that happened. Amy was, of course, addicted to heroin for a long time and after that it was alcohol, but she was an incredible, giving, generous and exceptionally talented person.
The book is wonderful, but it is definitely hard to read. When she said that she was done with drugs the first time, you get excited, but the 400th time, it's not so easy to forgive her. And her father was fed up, too, naturally.

I also finished Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin and I'm onto A Dance With Dragons. Both are incredible. Of course I love Daenaerys, so A Dance With Dragons is so much more wonderful because she's actually in it opposed to Feast for Crows. The two books were supposed to be one and Martin decided to split it, which was great because he could fully tell all the stories from everyone's point of view and it wouldn't be 2,000 pages. They are just two separate books, 1,000 pages each. No problem.

On a different note, Flavorwire put together a list of how to eat like your favorite authors! Love it.

Comediennes

Recently, there has been an influx in comediennes writing about their lives, advice, etc. They're fascinating and are also really inspiring. (Also, I'm writing this post because Rachel Dratch was in my dream last night and we were buddies).
The three that I have read are:

Now, I like all three of these books and for very different reasons.  Bossypants is hilarious and of course, I adore Tina Fey and her stories are really good.  And I love the life lessons that she gives. Also the prayer at the end for her daughter = priceless.

My favorite one is Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling. Ms. Kaling is sensitive and hilarious and she tells wonderful stories about her childhood. I also love how incredibly down to earth she is and what good advice she gives. Ms. Kaling is intelligent and she loves cupcakes (well, not any more, but just read it and you'll find out why). 

Rachel Dratch's book is fascinating, too, but for other reasons. I love her story about the love of her life and her "midlife miracle". She's hilarious and isn't afraid to admit how she is constantly asked to do roles that involve being a lesbian or an old woman or a fat woman. She takes it all in stride.

Nice work, ladies - you've written some incredible stuff!!

The Perks of Being a Voracious Reader

"It's strange because sometimes, I read a book, and I think I am the people in the book." - Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower 

If you haven't read The Perks of Being a Wallflower, you must. And immediately. Especially if you're one of those people who likes to read the book before the movie comes out (and who isn't) because the movie is coming out this year! (Movie trailer is here! Also, it manages to use a lot of the most famous quotes from the book in just 2 1/2 minutes).

This is a book you can read over and over again. It's accessible, it's poignant, it's engaging and it is beautifully written. I like books that make be feel alive when I'm finished reading them. I like having that feeling that lasts with you when you finish a book almost as if you lived it yourself. This is one of those books.

A+ to you, Stephen Chbosky. 

Nicole Krauss and Jonathan Safran Foer = Power Couple

The History of Love came across the desk at the library while I was working today and I had to share how much I love it - and her husband's book, too!

Nicole Krauss, wrote The History of Love, an intricate story filled with different perspectives, connections, and heartbreak.

Her husband, Jonathan Safran Foer, is the author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, an exquisite  book that has recently been adapted for the big screen. 

Both of these books feature characters that eventually cross paths, which is something I really enjoy in a book. I enjoy books that are mysterious, but I don't like mysteries. However, both of these books are fascinating and beautifully written. I also enjoy how Safran Foer uses design, text, and type. Give it a try - this story will suck you in, break your heart, and leave you wanting.



I suppose I find it very interesting that their writing styles are so similar... I don't know much about the couple, but while I was reading The History of Love I imagined the two of them editing each other's manuscripts in their Park Slope apartment, all lofty and New Yorky and all.
There is a lot of criticism out on the interwebs about both of their works, however. Maybe I'm not as literary as I should be, having been an English major, but people just need to read what they want. All that matters is that you enjoy it.
And to all those people who deeply criticize Jonathan Safran Foer's work  - why don't you write your own book that's better instead of taking all that time disparaging someone else's work?

Bringing Up Bébé, aka Learn From the French

I am certainly not having kids anytime soon, but I still enjoyed this book. An American woman who lives in Paris with her husband becomes pregnant and takes the reader step-by-step through being pregnant in France, daycare, how to make friends with your child's friend's parents, and everything in between. The French way of raising children is thoroughly explained and quite frankly I'm siding with the Europeans on this one. 

Maybe I'm biased because I adore France already (since I was a French major in college and studied abroad in Rennes for a semester).  Honestly, the ideas that the French have towards children are really so much simpler than the American way. 

For instance, Pamela Druckerman discusses how French babies will sleep through the night at three months! How can that possibly be? The French parents simply don't get up every single time the baby cries. During the first few months, yes, but after two and a half months or so, they let their baby cry for five to ten minutes before picking him/her up. It's the same during the day - give them a few minutes so they can learn to self-soothe. 

Give this one a try - it's fascinating. 

Chuck Palahniuk = AMAZING

Chuck Palahniuk is one of my very favorite writers and it's because he isn't afraid to get very gritty and graphic in hilarious (and sometimes just plain brutal) ways.  I'm working my way through his books slowly, but every one I read is fascinating and very difficult to put down. 

His most recent one is Damned.  It's the story of a thirteen-year old girl who finds herself in Hell, thinking that she's died from a marijuana overdose. My favorite review quoting Mr. Palahniuk on his own work that I read on Goodreads (you can find it here!) says this: 

The author described the novel as "if The Shawshank Redemption had a baby by The Lovely Bones and it was raised by Judy Blume." And "it's kind of like The Breakfast Club set in Hell."

And that is exactly what it is. My other faves of Chuck's works include Choke and Fight Club. I also liked his book, Snuff, but not as much. Choke and Damned are my favorites.

Excellent YA books

If you're looking for a good, quick beach read, allow me to introduce you to the world of young adult novels.
Some are insanely bad. They are either badly written, have bad plot development, or the main characters you just don't respect or like. But there are so many really good ones. Here are my top ones that I've enjoyed...

Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison - There are 10 books in this series and they are AMAZING. It's the diary of a teenage girl in the throes of, well, teenagerdom. Georgia Nicholson is a self-absorbed, marvy British girl who discusses, among many things, the state of her humongous nose, the Sex God, her hilarious 3-year-old sister Libby, and her "insane" parents. Georgia's side-splitting trials and tribulations are not to be missed. It's a light, quick read and I'm sure you will want to read the next ones after you've read the first. These books are perfect for an afternoon at the beach. (The next books include: On the Bright Side, I'm now the Girlfriend of a Sex God, Knocked out by my Nunga Nungas, Dancing in my Nuddy Pants and many more).

Vegan, Virgin, Valentine by Carolyn Mackler - I read this book when I was in high school, but it still ranks high on my list even though it's been a while. High-schooler Mara Valentine has everything in her life under control: good grades, vegan lifestyle, and excellent rapport with her parents. That is, until her cousin comes to visit who is everything that Mara is not. Life for Mara spins out of control - until she realizes that maybe that's exactly what she needed. It's a great read and also quick - another good beach read!

Danny, Champion of the World - Okay, so this isn't a young adult novel, but it's still INCREDIBLE. It's for a little younger audience, but adults will enjoy it, too. It follows the story of Danny, who lives with his father, who is a mechanic, but secretly enjoys poaching in nearby woods. I can't give any more away as it's a beauty to be uncovered all on one's own.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - So this one obviously is great - and everyone has their own opinions about it. I think the first one is better than the next two and if you haven't read it, give it a try. It's a difficult premise to face, but dystopian lit for young adults is just out of control right now and this is one that stands out among the others I've tried to read. See if you like it and let me know your thoughts.

These are just a few to get you started - let me know how you feel about them!

A Song of Fire and Ice and Wow I Cannot Stop Reading This Series

So here's a note on George R.R. Martin's series that has become so famously popular (and rightly so!) by the new(ish) HBO series, Game of Thrones: READ THE BOOKS.
If you like fantasy, swordplay, zombies, dragons, quests, knights, princesses, sex, wine, and rock and roll, this is a series for you.

I started reading the first one last summer and I'm now currently reading the fourth book, A Feast for Crows. Just keep in mind that each book is between 800 and 1000 pages, which can be daunting at first. But a week or two later when you're deep in the throes of madness in King's Landing, you'll be glad you gave it a try. I won't even give away any spoilers.

At this point, there will be seven books, at least that's what George R.R. Martin has said. These are the five that are out currently.

If you're tired of buying books that disappoint, look no further. As a constant reader,

 I will let you know the good, bad, and the ugly on books.

Also if you're buying books, you should probably head to a library. As a librarian, I highly recommend those places.

So read on, bloggers and bloggettes - don't bother wasting money on books that might be good. 

It's just not worth it. 

Some of you may think, I just don't have the time to read. 

What a lie. You do have time, you just aren't giving it to yourself. Life is far too short to not read the incredible books that have been written. Some books can change your entire viewpoint on life - why not take that chance? 

So you say you work too much too read, try audiobooks during your commute. 

If you think your kids are taking up all your time? Try reading during their nap time - or have a collective reading time when the whole family reads in the same room. 

If you think you just don't have the time, you should get off the internet, choose a book, and start reading.

There is no excuse for missing out on the adventures and worlds you can explore whilst reading. 

There just isn't. 

I understand busy schedules, but you only live once - if you don't take a little time to educate yourself, what are you living for? 

The First List of Excellent Books

Before getting to my list of the latest books I've read that I can rave about, you need to realize what kind of books you like to read. Do you like fast-paced books? Action-packed books? Romantic books? Really think about what you enjoy reading.

You should always give books a good try, too. Don't give up after three pages. If you really hate it after two chapters, toss it. That's all right - you shouldn't waste your time if you aren't enjoying it. Also, it might not be the right time for reading that particular book for you. I tried to read Slaughterhouse 5 when I was a sophomore in high school and I couldn't get into it. I read it last year and devoured it in three hours. It all depends on what kind of mood you're in and where you are in your life. Keep that in mind.

So here is my first good book list:

Wild by Cheryl Strayed - I know that this true story is widely publicized now (so you probably already know you should read it from all the rave reviews) but I read it several months ago and it is really incredible. (Now Oprah's all about it, of course). It follows the journey of a young married girl, Cheryl, who has just lost her mother to cancer. Her marriage falls apart and she believes the only way to heal herself from all of this is to hike the Pacific Crest Trail alone, which runs from Mexico to Oregon. Cheryl's story is fascinating, heartbreaking, and terrifying. I read it in two days, unable to put it down.

All Woman And Springtime by Brandon W. Jones - This is a particularly intense book that is hard to read only because of the subject matter. It's a story about two North Korean girls who are sold into the sex trafficking industry in South Korea and later to America. It's a dark and cruel world, especially through the viewpoints of these young girls who know next to nothing about the world. It will keep you interested, though it is graphic.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - This is a young adult novel by a wonderful author, but I believe this is his best work yet. Stories about teens with cancer can be difficult to read. This one is an exception because it's filled with sarcastic, bold young characters. I can't say anything more except that it's a delight filled with young love, life, and the impossible becoming real. And it's a quick read!

The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson - This book reminds me of a Wes Anderson film. It's about a dysfunctional-ish family with strange, yet artful priorities. The parents are into performance art and their two children become part of that performance once they are brought into the world. The daughter becomes an actress, the son a struggling writer. An excellent read about sibling fellowship.


Those are all I'm going to give you for today - next time I'll be making a list of books that aren't worth your time.
Let me know if you agree (or not!) with me on these books! Or drop me a line if you want to recommend a book.