Brr...it's cold in here*

And so it begins.

Chewy reminded me that I had said back in 2013 that this year I would read better quality books (not that everything I read last year was junk!) Dune and Jesus the Christ have been on my reading list for a while and if you’ve seen those books you know they are doozies.  I of course forgot all about that when I decided to read 50 books again this year.

With that being said – I am fully prepared to not reach this goal in 2014.  I hope I come close, but if I read the thicker books on my “to read” list I will be content to count it.  We’ll see. 

By the way – I am on track right now, but I also splurged in some teen books (and will continue to do so ok!? I could claim I’m learning my art but really, I have an addiction).

*shuffles papers and eyes crowd suspiciously* don’t judge, ok?

January – 4

Total = 4

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

I think it’s long been known that I have a thing for Peter Pan.   Not a thing in a romantic way, eww gross, or in Starbucks coffee way (please see http://sixthdonbro.blogspot.com/2008/05/man-with-obsession-is-man-who-has-very.html)  but there’s something about the story that I like.  However, I’ve never actually read the story.  I’ve seen a million versions of the story in movies.  It was time.  I liked it, it was like blending all the different versions together (Disney, 2003, Hook).

The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick

I really liked it. It’s a dystopian novel about a kid they call Spazz because he suffers from epileptic seizures.  These seizures have made him different in another way though, because of them he can’t use probes, which the people use as a drug to escape their lives.  Because of probes, people don’t read books and they don’t remember things well.  This makes Spazz special.  The book is his adventure across “the world” or rather between the “latches” leading him to Eden.  I think the world building Philbrick does is pretty good and there was only one point, near the end where I was a little let down – but that would be a spoiler, so if you ever read it, send me a message and we can talk.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

This book has shown up on recommended lists a lot for me and I would keep skimming past it, determined not to read another werewolf/vampire-ish book.  I finally caved to see what it was all about.  I think it is well written but I’m not sure I am enticed to read the next one (is there a next one? I assumed there might be – the end leaves it open to a sequel but wrapped up nicely if not).  I think I just have a problem with the Bella-like characters – not that Grace (one of the main characters) is like Bella – I didn’t want to strangle Grace and she didn’t seem helpless and useless.  The book is written from two perspectives, Grace and Sam, and I have to say, I like being able to see Sam’s perspective as well.

The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr

This was one I randomly picked up from “the library” (the Overdrive app).  I’m not a huge fan of reading books on my tiny phone, but it comes in handy when I have a few minutes here and there to kill.  Lucy is a young concert pianist who has gone rogue.  She walked out of a concert in Prague 8 months before we pick up on the story.  I think the thing I like most about this story (for me at least) is the moment the main character realizes that she is being a selfish brat and blind to what is most important in her life.  Okay – the way I said it sounds harsh, but there are a few pages (maybe only a page in the real sized book) where everything becomes clear to her, that she has been blaming other people for things and that she’s been making her decisions for the wrong reasons. And the characters felt fleshed out, real in a way I want to challenge myself to write characters better.   I liked it.