Reading Roundup: July 2018
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
I was excited to read this book, and I loved the setting. However, the protagonist started out difficult to like and never really changed. It also has a big twist in the middle that I didn't see coming, and I'm not sure I liked it. Apparently this story is slated to be turned into a movie, and maybe it will be a good one, but most likely it's going to be pretty cheesy.
A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong
I read the excellent news story this book was based on, so I already knew the outlines of the story and how it would end. The book adds more information, particularly about the detectives who were doing the investigation. In some ways, I thought the story worked a little better because of the way it was constructed, but this is a well-written and powerful book that I'm glad was published.
Then She was Gone by Lisa Jewell
This was a perfect book for reading on a plane, since it was quick and suspenseful. However, the plot really stretched my ability to suspend disbelief and I've forgotten some of the details of the book already.
Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George
This was another vacation read (I spent a week in Mexico for a work conference and had plenty of time for reading in the evenings). The story was pretty long and convoluted, but generally I enjoyed reading it. I decided, however, that I didn't want to keep reading more of the series after this book and the last one.
Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella
I always love Kinsella's books, and this did not disappoint. I love how she combines a story that is cute and fun with the personal growth of the protagonists, and this book was unique since it involved a married couple falling back in love, rather than a new romance.
Shadow of the Lions by Christopher Swann
I cannot remember where I saw this book recommended, but the library had a copy available for Kindle before my trip so I decided to check it out. I liked it more than I expected to, especially since it was slow to get started and I almost gave up. The story took some unusual twists and I found the ending satisfying
Before Everything by Victoria Redel
After reading a memoir about a years-long friendship last month, it was interesting to read a novel based on the same concept. The diverse cast of characters in this book were both a strength and a weakness—it was interesting to read about events from a variety of perspectives, but sometimes the book lost momentum and it was hard to become invested in any specific character.
Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
This book was a bit slow to begin, but I’ve read Ondaatje a few times before and know that all the various threads will come together in the end. I was not disappointed this time, although this still wasn’t my favorite novel of his. Even though the writing was beautiful and the pacing excellent, I still felt emotionally removed from the action of the novel.
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
I’ve seen this book recommended over and over and it has a high number of positive reviews. I have read a lot of other novels about the Holocaust and wasn’t sure I wanted to read another one, or whether this one would be that different. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised. The book does not cover a lot of new territory, but the characters are all beautifully drawn and the pacing of the plot is excellent. Despite having an idea of how things would turn out, I wanted to keep reading and felt sad to leave this family behind at the end of the book.
The Little Red Chairs by Edna O'Brien
Every year I wonder if I should highlight my least favorite books and not just my favorites. This book is the worst I’ve read all year so far. First of all, I didn’t have a good sense of the plot and did not know much about the author and what her other books have been. I did not expect the tone of the book (more literary and political) and was not anticipating the directions the story would take. The characters were also unpleasant and had opaque motives that never quite made sense to me. I don’t know why I kept reading it instead of giving up.
Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour
This is my new favorite book to recommend to both parents of girls and those who work with them. My only regret is that I did not read it a few years ago (after reading a library copy, I bought my own so I can refer to it again or lend it out to friends). I like how the author describes various milestones that teenagers must pass in order to become mature, but without giving a lot of prescriptive advice about how to parent them. This is not the kind of parenting book that has a lot of specific formulas or new tricks to follow—it’s more of a description and a guide to what is expected (and necessary) in growing up. If you have teenagers, I recommend you give it a read.
Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf
If I rated books, I’d probably give this a three out of five stars. I thought it was unusual to read a thriller set in rural Iowa, but the setting was one of the strong points of the book and expertly used to heighten the suspense. The main character’s stubbornness frustrated me at first; however, as the book progressed, her reasons became more clear (and she did change and grow throughout the story).
Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy
We had to read a classic for book club this month, and I'd never read this book by Hardy so I thought I'd try it. It's surprisingly fun and romantic (unusual for Hardy) and a great little portrait of life in rural England.
Movies
Miss Congeniality
I’ve never watched this movie before (I think it came out while I was on my mission), but it seemed like the perfect diversion for a plane ride while trapped next to an unpleasant fellow passenger. It’s totally cheesy and completely unrealistic, but Bullock is perfect in her role and so are most of the other actors. This movie is a lot of fun and maybe someday I’ll watch it with the kids because they would probably think it was pretty funny.
Hello My Name is Doris
I was sick and wanted a silly movie to pass the time. This movie is funny, but also sometimes excruciatingly awkward and a bit hard to watch. Sally Field is excellent, as always, and it has some good things to say about ageism and assumptions we make about other people.
Ali's Wedding
A friend recommended this movie as an interesting look into a particular culture (Australian Muslims), and while the plot is a bit cliched, it was quite a lot of fun to watch. I’m always interested in the portrayal of religion on film and liked how the creator included a variety of different Muslims as characters and how the religious elements were presented in a naturalistic way.
Sense and Sensibility
For a number of reasons I will always love the 1995 film version done by Emma Thompson, but this version is excellent in many ways. In general, longer formats work better for adapting Austen in order to portray all the complexity of relationships in her books. Also, in some ways I liked the main actors better—although Thompson and Winslet are fabulous actresses, their age difference has always bothered me and I never felt like they came across as sisters. The acting in this version is fabulous, as well as the cinematography and the music. I would definitely watch it again.
Teen Titans Go! to the Movies
I was excited to read this book, and I loved the setting. However, the protagonist started out difficult to like and never really changed. It also has a big twist in the middle that I didn't see coming, and I'm not sure I liked it. Apparently this story is slated to be turned into a movie, and maybe it will be a good one, but most likely it's going to be pretty cheesy.
A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong
I read the excellent news story this book was based on, so I already knew the outlines of the story and how it would end. The book adds more information, particularly about the detectives who were doing the investigation. In some ways, I thought the story worked a little better because of the way it was constructed, but this is a well-written and powerful book that I'm glad was published.
Then She was Gone by Lisa Jewell
This was a perfect book for reading on a plane, since it was quick and suspenseful. However, the plot really stretched my ability to suspend disbelief and I've forgotten some of the details of the book already.
Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George
This was another vacation read (I spent a week in Mexico for a work conference and had plenty of time for reading in the evenings). The story was pretty long and convoluted, but generally I enjoyed reading it. I decided, however, that I didn't want to keep reading more of the series after this book and the last one.
Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella
I always love Kinsella's books, and this did not disappoint. I love how she combines a story that is cute and fun with the personal growth of the protagonists, and this book was unique since it involved a married couple falling back in love, rather than a new romance.
Shadow of the Lions by Christopher Swann
I cannot remember where I saw this book recommended, but the library had a copy available for Kindle before my trip so I decided to check it out. I liked it more than I expected to, especially since it was slow to get started and I almost gave up. The story took some unusual twists and I found the ending satisfying
Before Everything by Victoria Redel
After reading a memoir about a years-long friendship last month, it was interesting to read a novel based on the same concept. The diverse cast of characters in this book were both a strength and a weakness—it was interesting to read about events from a variety of perspectives, but sometimes the book lost momentum and it was hard to become invested in any specific character.
Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
This book was a bit slow to begin, but I’ve read Ondaatje a few times before and know that all the various threads will come together in the end. I was not disappointed this time, although this still wasn’t my favorite novel of his. Even though the writing was beautiful and the pacing excellent, I still felt emotionally removed from the action of the novel.
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
I’ve seen this book recommended over and over and it has a high number of positive reviews. I have read a lot of other novels about the Holocaust and wasn’t sure I wanted to read another one, or whether this one would be that different. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised. The book does not cover a lot of new territory, but the characters are all beautifully drawn and the pacing of the plot is excellent. Despite having an idea of how things would turn out, I wanted to keep reading and felt sad to leave this family behind at the end of the book.
The Little Red Chairs by Edna O'Brien
Every year I wonder if I should highlight my least favorite books and not just my favorites. This book is the worst I’ve read all year so far. First of all, I didn’t have a good sense of the plot and did not know much about the author and what her other books have been. I did not expect the tone of the book (more literary and political) and was not anticipating the directions the story would take. The characters were also unpleasant and had opaque motives that never quite made sense to me. I don’t know why I kept reading it instead of giving up.
Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour
This is my new favorite book to recommend to both parents of girls and those who work with them. My only regret is that I did not read it a few years ago (after reading a library copy, I bought my own so I can refer to it again or lend it out to friends). I like how the author describes various milestones that teenagers must pass in order to become mature, but without giving a lot of prescriptive advice about how to parent them. This is not the kind of parenting book that has a lot of specific formulas or new tricks to follow—it’s more of a description and a guide to what is expected (and necessary) in growing up. If you have teenagers, I recommend you give it a read.
Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf
If I rated books, I’d probably give this a three out of five stars. I thought it was unusual to read a thriller set in rural Iowa, but the setting was one of the strong points of the book and expertly used to heighten the suspense. The main character’s stubbornness frustrated me at first; however, as the book progressed, her reasons became more clear (and she did change and grow throughout the story).
Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy
We had to read a classic for book club this month, and I'd never read this book by Hardy so I thought I'd try it. It's surprisingly fun and romantic (unusual for Hardy) and a great little portrait of life in rural England.
Movies
Miss Congeniality
I’ve never watched this movie before (I think it came out while I was on my mission), but it seemed like the perfect diversion for a plane ride while trapped next to an unpleasant fellow passenger. It’s totally cheesy and completely unrealistic, but Bullock is perfect in her role and so are most of the other actors. This movie is a lot of fun and maybe someday I’ll watch it with the kids because they would probably think it was pretty funny.
Hello My Name is Doris
I was sick and wanted a silly movie to pass the time. This movie is funny, but also sometimes excruciatingly awkward and a bit hard to watch. Sally Field is excellent, as always, and it has some good things to say about ageism and assumptions we make about other people.
Ali's Wedding
A friend recommended this movie as an interesting look into a particular culture (Australian Muslims), and while the plot is a bit cliched, it was quite a lot of fun to watch. I’m always interested in the portrayal of religion on film and liked how the creator included a variety of different Muslims as characters and how the religious elements were presented in a naturalistic way.
Sense and Sensibility
For a number of reasons I will always love the 1995 film version done by Emma Thompson, but this version is excellent in many ways. In general, longer formats work better for adapting Austen in order to portray all the complexity of relationships in her books. Also, in some ways I liked the main actors better—although Thompson and Winslet are fabulous actresses, their age difference has always bothered me and I never felt like they came across as sisters. The acting in this version is fabulous, as well as the cinematography and the music. I would definitely watch it again.
Teen Titans Go! to the Movies
We had a free afternoon and decided to go to the movies
because the kids really wanted to see this one. They usually watch the show
with their dad, so it’s been a few years since I’ve been a regular watcher and
I know I missed some jokes. However, there were other jokes that I got and they
didn’t simply because I have a lot more cultural literacy than they do. I’m
glad this was fun for them and for me, although I don’t think it’s a movie we’re
going to rewatch a bunch of times and quote from.
Comments