This list is very much overdue - I apologize. You know when your brain is set to automatic procrastination? That's the default mine's been stuck on for the entire month of March. Anyway - moving on to my February book list... As this February ended on the 28th, I didn't get through all that many books (actually, that's a pathetic excuse. I doubt I would've read any more than half a novel in three days). But here they are in order of read-y-ness (?).
1. The Sex Life of Food - Bunny Crumpacker
2. Pygmy - Chuck Palahniuk
3. The Acid House - Irvine Welsh
4. Drink Play F@#k - Andrew Gottlieb
5. The Walking Dead #1 - Kirkman/Moore
6. The Umbrella Academy #1 - Gerard Way/Gabriel Ba
*****
1. This book was pretty awesome. Although I might question the author's sources (there was no bibliography or source section at all, and she was referencing some pretty heavy assumptions), the details and information in this food-gasm non-fic were pretty nom-able. Like many food related novels I've picked up throughout my life, I found this one extremely appealing in it's food descriptions. Ranging from cannibalism, Hitler's sex life, sex in the kitchen and vegetarianism, the book covered most all bases that can be related to food and sex (together). Interesting read! I'd recommend it.
7.5/10
2. Unfortunately, this Chuck is not going to get any of my thumbs. In fact, the only appendage it may merit is my middle finger. Sorry, Pal, but this was possibly your worst book. The premise: an adolescent covert terrorist spy sent from an American-hated country takes refuge in an exchange program in a town in the USA. A plot to eventually wipe out the entire country is set into place, and Pygmy, the main terrorist, along with his other terrorist buddies infiltrate this small community. Yeah! I know, it sounds wicked. The way in which it is written, however, is NOT. Documented in short, militaristic preposition-missing sentences, it took me over FOUR MONTHS to actually get through this book. Even though the chapters were short, I found myself pausing after every one of them, sometimes having to return to the start just to try and grasp what the hell was going on. I can see where Chuck was potentially trying to go, but it did not work. Stay away from this book - especially if you are a fan of this author. Oh yeah, and the ending was a complete cop-out.
3.5/10
3. Okay, this novel did what "Pygmy" could not: introduce a foreign and practically incomprehensible dialogue onto the page and expect the reader to understand. Irvine Welsh was able to achieve this since his use of blatant Scottish accent-written prose was fluid, familiar, and not employed consistently without breaks. It probably also helped that the book is composed of a number of short stories, which I'm a huge fan of. Again, this book took me a while to get through, but I enjoyed every story and thought in the end that it was a work of genius. Well worth learning Scottish idioms.
8.5/10
4. Another disappointing book that I almost wish I hadn't wasted time and money with. I bought this book mainly because it is a parody of a book I enjoyed very much: Eat, Pray, Love. And like most things I admire, I admire more if there is a good satire about it. Sadly, this comedian author has nothing on Chelsea Handler or Whoopi. The pages dragged on and on and on and holy shit it took one VERY long stint on the can for me to finally finish the book. Do I even have to comment on it? AGAIN, another very good premise with lots of potential... but not able to meet (anywhere near) in the middle.
2.5/10
5. The first graphic novel of the month! Yay! For some odd reason February was my month for zombie obsession. And trust me, I've always been a fan of horror, but never of zombie movies. I find that zombies attract 12 year old boys and/or adolescent stoners. And yet, my boyfriend wanted to test out his new 28 Days Later Blu-Ray (shit quality, sorry to disappoint). I'd seen the movie before, but this time - even with the low transfer HD quality, I got really into it. So once I got home I scoured my roommate's extensive zombie movie collection and picked out a few. Continuing with this theme, I noticed a graphic novel the previous roommate had left behind: The Waking Dead. I gave it a shot, and AMAZINGLY, I loved it. In fact, I can almost vouch that this graphic novel was better than any of the zombie movies I'd been watching. Well written, cleverly detailed, great plot line. I mean... what more can you ask for? And what more could REALLY turn me into a 12 year old comic zombie myself?
9/10
6. Lastly, my second graphic novel of the month of February: Umbrella Academy. I bought this book on Amazon awhile ago after reading the synopsis - honestly, I'm a sucker for anything remotely "The Incredibles".... in fact, I quite feel like watching it now... Anyway. This one has been sitting on my shelf collecting dust for no reason at all. So I read it. And was confused. The writer is the lead singer from My Chemical Romance - an old emo band I loathed back in high school and still blame for all those theatre losers I had to deal with in class. Understandably, you can see why I was a little hesitant to start reading. And for semi-good reason. Although the art was amazing/magnificent/fantastically good, the plot was a little spotty and the story was wonky. Which may have been the entire point, but so sue me if I'm a conservative comic nerd - I like my structure! Still though... I'm mainly confused because somehow Gerard Way (and of course the incredible artist) managed to pull it off! And because of this I can confidently say that I'd read more.
7/10
