May 2010

If I suggested that the month of April was horrible, I can't go into words about the month of May. On the bright side, I was so incredibly busy with starting a new job and my new classes that I can barely remember the past month. It went by sooo fast - which is probably why I only got through three books. I'm going to dash through this post as I really really should get back to my 2-weeks worth of unfinished homework...

1. Half Magic - Edward Eager
2. Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall - Bill Willingham
3. The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri

*****

1. I'm unclear as to how many people I know have actually read Edward Eager. I picked this little book up at my parents house in preparation for my Children's Lit class. As opposed to the previous month's dud, I was able to fully appreciate and engage in this wonderfully nostalgic novel about children, a magic coin, and everything magic happening in halves. Now, I've never been a fan of math - but you don't need to be in order to love this book. In fact, soon after finishing the last page, I promptly logged on to Amazon.ca and discovered Eager had written many more books than just the 2 that I had at my parents' house. AKA I'm on it!
9/10

2. This prequel to the groundbreaking comic series "Fables" is beautifully illustrated and cleverly written. Again, this time in response as opposed to prelude for my Children's Lit class, I devoured this graphic novel within minutes. Seriously, you don't have to have any prior knowledge of the main series at all. You just have to let yourself go and appreciate the fairy tales in this story, new/old/retold that are fantastical and wonderful.
9.5/10

3. Finally, "The Namesake." I bought this novel a long time ago at Powell Books in Portland after watching the movie, but had left it on my shelf for a very long time. In May I decided to start reading it during my breaks at work. It took me a rather long time to finish - not solely because I was only getting half-hour sessions, but because it is written so descriptively and carefully that you can't miss a single word on a single page for fear of throwing off the entire flow of the story. Even if at times I felt the incredible amount of detail and absence of dialogue more-or-less daunting, I grew accustomed to it quickly, and was then able to enjoy it for what it was. If you read the first page you will quickly understand what I mean.
8/10

April 2010

So I've been doing homework for my two online courses for pretty much the past day and a half non-stop (not counting sporadic periods of Sex and the City watching... but hello! I have to train my roommate). I finally decided my brain will explode soon, so I might as well take a break... to write about books! The month of April was hands down the Worst. Ever. And when I say bad, I'm not over-exaggerating in a "woe-is-me my life is sooo hard" kind of way. But we won't get into that! I still managed to digest some literature through all the major hardshit (har har). Here they are:

1. Whose Panties Are These? - Jennifer L. Leo
2. Percy Jackson & The Lightening Thief - Rick Riordan
3. Just After Sunset - Stephen King
4. The Customer is Always Wrong - Jeff Martin

*****

1. So after reading Paul Theroux in March, I went on a "I'm only going to read non-fiction from now on" kick. This, obviously didn't last long (I thank my semi-ADHD brain). This first collection, however, is indeed non-fiction. More so chick-lit non-fic, but nonetheless. It was relatively entertaining, in particular if you love reading those "Embarrassing Stories" in magazines such as Cosmo, since the entire novel is composed of dozens of stories written by... female writers. I appreciated them even more so as they took place in random destinations around the world. Oh if only I could become a travel-writer. Though I'm not sure I would publish documentation of the shit I get myself into...
7/10

2. Okay, please, simmer down. I only read this first Percy Jackson book as a prelude to my online Children's Lit class, though I quickly realized that I wouldn't be reading anything quite as shit. I was DEEPLY disappointed, especially since I truly wasn't expecting a Harry Potter knockoff. How can such a successful series-turned-into-movie be a COPYCAT of one of the most prestigious series for children ever??! Answer me that! This book was hardly even entertaining since I was constantly comparing every character and event to those in the HP series. Can I just stop thinking about this now? ...It wasn't even written well! The only thing I can sincerely hope for is that the author was targeting a much, much younger and less literate audience.
5/10

3. I don't think I've actually read an entire Stephen King novel, though I've seen many of the movie adaptations (as most humans have). Anyway, I'd started this short story collection a loooong time ago, but like "Acid House" for some reason I put it down and forgot to pick it back up. Which is CONFUSING because both books were aweome! In King's collection, I found maybe 1/3 of all the stories I didn't think much of, but the rest were highly entertaining, well plotted and well written. Which I guess is signature of Stephen King for those of you who have actually read his other novels. From now on, I swear to read all of his books that I own (a surprisingly large amount).
8.5/10

4. And finally... the book that every single being who has ever worked in retail has wanted to write. Heck, I'm jealous! I love how all the stories in this book are written by *writers* who have had to work in retail at some point in their lives. Its hilarious and depressing how familiar some of these stories are to me, as I can imagine they are to anyone else who has experienced the horrors and wonders of retail. Read this book if you want a laugh or are bitter at your current job.
8/10