Summer school has ended, and so has my graduate assistantship. That means, after a week-long vacation to Colorado, I am currently unemployed and without classes for the next two weeks.
Of course, I’ve already read THREE novels. (In 2 weeks. Success.)
I must say, I had really forgotten what it was like to lose myself in a book without the accompanying guilt that I SHOULD be doing something else. For the first time since we moved to our new home, my house is clean, boxes are unpacked, dishes and laundry are done, and books are read!
(If job searching wasn’t so terrible awful stressful, I’d be quite content with my life at the moment.)
I figured I would do a quick recap of the novels I’ve read over the last couple of weeks. I’m really hating writing book reviews because, well, I don’t even like reading them, so why would anyone else? (If you do enjoy reading book reviews, please tell me!)
Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Publication Date: 2011
Genre: Sci-Fi, YA Fiction
How I Found It: I thought it was the novel that the movie (of the same name) was based on. I was wrong.
My Rating: 3.75 Stars
A Few Points:
1. Sci-Fi? And I enjoyed it? Yes. It met my criteria for a good novel (surprising plot, well-written, interesting character development, etc.) AND it had duel points of view and awesome plot twists. Great novel, especially for Sci-Fi.
2. This is the hardest book to describe. Ever. Seriously.
3. If you like character struggles, power dynamics, and coming-of-age, this is the novel for you. All of this goodness wrapped in a Sci-Fi novel.
Me Before You
Author: Jojo Moyes
Publication Date: 2012
Genre: Adult Fiction, Disabilities
How I Found It: Recommendation of the wonderful Kate
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
A Few Points:
1. I wasn’t sure what to expect when reading this novel. Sure, love story. But.. between a disabled man and his caretaker? Um. Not sure. It turned out way better than I expected, however!
2. It opened my eyes (in a way that only reading can really do) to the plight of the disabled. This novel was set in Great Britain, but it could have been set anywhere. The struggles that Will faces is something that is sadly all too common.
3. Without too many spoilers, I will say it definitely opened my eyes to the controversial subject of assisted suicide.
Room
Author: Emma Donoghue
Publication Date: 2010
Genre: Adult Fiction
How I Found It: Recommendation of (again) the wonderful Kate
My Rating: 4.25 Stars
A Few Points:
1. This novel is told from the point of view of a 5 year old who had never left Room in his small little life. And whoa.
2. This novel punched me over and over and over again. It kept surprising me and twisting me and pulling me. I really couldn’t put it down.
3. Jeromy ended up reading this novel over my shoulder on the airplane, then continuously asked me what was going on and how it ended after I finished reading. He agreed that it was an intriguing and completely different storyline.
Overall, each of these novels are novels I would recommend to people for great reading material. Across the Universe for someone who loves YA, Me Before You if you’re looking for a not-so-light romance, and Room if you want your mind blown. It’s been a heck of a couple of weeks for me, reading wise, and I’m moving on to our novel for book club this month!
