What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
Sweet and honest and unexpected. ☺️
Recommended: yes!
For those who want a different-than-usual read on high school, particularly for those who aren't neurotypical.
A light read I completed in a sunny spot on the couch this lazy Sunday. I felt like I was in need of some realistic YA, rather than my usual magic-and-dragons fare.
I always enter books that have a character who has a disability (or borderline disability of some kind, etc) with a bit of hesitation, because the story can so often just be brutal and cruel, even if that is sometimes realistic, in their depiction of those characters. It can also set incorrect images of people, which is frustrating and harmful. I have a limited scope of knowledge and experience with the matter myself, but this felt like a more respectful portrayal. It also didn't seem to use it as a cop-out, or a crutch to try to win sympathy readers; it was just a story of two kids in high school trying to figure out the difficult shit they have to face. Which in high school, can feel like damn near everything.
Romance was ok. Sweet, and more realistic (although still some cliches of high school mixed in). There were two definite SWERVE moments, where I was actually saying to myself, "Whoa I didn't see that coming!" For me that is SUCH a treat, because I can usually predict every moment in a YA novel having read so many now. It was a delight to have not one, but TWO surprises!
Was it predictable? 2/3 plot moments caught me off guard, so that's pretty good. The 1 other was inevitable.
Was it good? I say an awkward "probably," because I think so, but also still have that nagging worry of the way David is portrayed. There were a good number of lines that made me laugh out loud, or highlight because it felt like a good point to remember and apply in my own life. I'd say that's good!
Did I enjoy it? Yup! And I'm glad I took a day off my other book in progress to bang this one out, because it was perfectly suited to my mood today.
Bonus, it made me feel so optimistic and productive! I got a lot done today! ...after spending most of it on the couch reading this, I kind of had to. ;)
Friday, March 29, 2019
Friday, March 22, 2019
March 17 - 23, 2019
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
Recommended: yes!
Good for a light read, like a beach day - though for this one, I probably won't recommend it as airplane reading.
Having finished this, the title is delightful in context. I'm not usually big on medical dramas and books that take place mostly in a hospital, but this was a quick enough read that it didn't drag me down or bore me as they usually do. I'm not terribly qualified to judge (thank my lucky stars), but the depiction of grief in this book felt real. The ups and downs that Margaret-now-Maggie detailed seemed reasonable for her situation.
I wasn't sucked in to the romance line, really at all. The whole idea of the stoic mean guy that later reveals his soft side doesn't appeal to me: I don't want a jerk as the main guy in the story! It also felt like a very standard procedure of falling in love, with one big grand gesture at the end that felt... contrived, I suppose. At best. I was rolling my eyes a bit and skimming through those last parts.
Was it predictable? At times, yes. The main question was one I was unsure about, however, so I'm grateful for that.
Is it good? Eh. It's entertaining, if it a little common. Nothing wildly unique about the story, based on what I've read before.
Did I enjoy it? YUP! I plowed through this mostly in one day that I had off, where I lounged in the sunshine until I finished it up.
Pretty dang good, especially since I had no idea what it was about when I accidentally bought it. I approve of the ending. A good read for a day off. 😊
Recommended: yes!
Good for a light read, like a beach day - though for this one, I probably won't recommend it as airplane reading.
Having finished this, the title is delightful in context. I'm not usually big on medical dramas and books that take place mostly in a hospital, but this was a quick enough read that it didn't drag me down or bore me as they usually do. I'm not terribly qualified to judge (thank my lucky stars), but the depiction of grief in this book felt real. The ups and downs that Margaret-now-Maggie detailed seemed reasonable for her situation.
I wasn't sucked in to the romance line, really at all. The whole idea of the stoic mean guy that later reveals his soft side doesn't appeal to me: I don't want a jerk as the main guy in the story! It also felt like a very standard procedure of falling in love, with one big grand gesture at the end that felt... contrived, I suppose. At best. I was rolling my eyes a bit and skimming through those last parts.
Was it predictable? At times, yes. The main question was one I was unsure about, however, so I'm grateful for that.
Is it good? Eh. It's entertaining, if it a little common. Nothing wildly unique about the story, based on what I've read before.
Did I enjoy it? YUP! I plowed through this mostly in one day that I had off, where I lounged in the sunshine until I finished it up.
Pretty dang good, especially since I had no idea what it was about when I accidentally bought it. I approve of the ending. A good read for a day off. 😊
Saturday, March 16, 2019
March 10 - 16, 2019
The Similars by Rebecca Hanover
Loved it for a while, then abruptly got bored about 80% in, which should have been the big exciting part. But man, I just finished it to finish it. Not expecting to read the next in a hurry.
Loved it for a while, then abruptly got bored about 80% in, which should have been the big exciting part. But man, I just finished it to finish it. Not expecting to read the next in a hurry.
Friday, March 8, 2019
March 3 - 9, 2019
Good Riddance by Elinor Lipman
You know, it's sort of confusing how both of these statements can be true:
I enjoyed reading this book
This wasn't a very good book
The premise was intriguing, and the writing was entertaining, and I originally liked the main character because she felt modern and like someone I might meet around Boston. However, as the story went on, it just felt flat and seemed to lack much further development. Trying to paint the woman who stole the yearbook as some sort of villain was a weird move, particularly after she has an attack and we learned that she has a serious, problematic medical condition, to which the author responds by stealing from the woman's house and saying she doesn't feel bad at all and later insulting the women for using her father's money to work towards success.
The romance was baffling. It was basically they meet, they bang, he starts dating another girl, then randomly they confessed that they loved each other all along. It feels like the author felt obligated to include some sort of love story, however half-assed, and borrowed from every rom-com ever.
It was a pretty quick read, which is probably why I didn't really realize how meh it was until I was already done. This feels like a beach book or one that you take on a trip for reading on the plane and leaving behind when you get off the plane. You won't care if it gets lost or ruined, because you won't read or really think about it again.
Recommended? ...nah
You know, it's sort of confusing how both of these statements can be true:
I enjoyed reading this book
This wasn't a very good book
The premise was intriguing, and the writing was entertaining, and I originally liked the main character because she felt modern and like someone I might meet around Boston. However, as the story went on, it just felt flat and seemed to lack much further development. Trying to paint the woman who stole the yearbook as some sort of villain was a weird move, particularly after she has an attack and we learned that she has a serious, problematic medical condition, to which the author responds by stealing from the woman's house and saying she doesn't feel bad at all and later insulting the women for using her father's money to work towards success.
The romance was baffling. It was basically they meet, they bang, he starts dating another girl, then randomly they confessed that they loved each other all along. It feels like the author felt obligated to include some sort of love story, however half-assed, and borrowed from every rom-com ever.
It was a pretty quick read, which is probably why I didn't really realize how meh it was until I was already done. This feels like a beach book or one that you take on a trip for reading on the plane and leaving behind when you get off the plane. You won't care if it gets lost or ruined, because you won't read or really think about it again.
Recommended? ...nah
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