Reading Roundup: January 2019
Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners by Gretchen Anthony
I spent the first half of this book being really irritated at one of the main characters and hoping she would change. It took most of the book for that to happen, and I still didn't really understand her motivations because they were not always very clear. Generally this book was funny and an enjoyable read, but I didn't love it.
Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity by Andrew Solomon
This book took a really long time to read, but it was one of the best books I've read for a while. Solomon is thorough and compassionate in his writing, and this book both expanded my mind and made me a little terrified about being a parent. I highly recommend this book because it will help you see the world and humanity in a whole new way.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
I've been a fan of Moriarty's books for years and always look forward to a new one. I'd read mixed reviews of this one, because it does get a little weird in the end, but I totally enjoyed it. Moriarty loves to take wacky situations and extend them to the extreme. This book does this in a hilarious way, and if you're willing to go along for the ride, it's a lot of fun.
What if This Were Enough? by Heather Havrilesky
After a slow start, I found myself really enjoying this book. It probably helps that Havrilesky and I are of a similar age and share many of the same attitudes about popular culture. I particularly liked her essay about Shirley Jackson and the one about our culture's obsession with post-apocalyptic narratives.
Promise by Minrose Gwin
For our book club this month we all had to read a book by an author we'd never heard of before, so I grabbed this off the new book display at the library. I thought the premise was interesting, but the pacing of the book was off and I felt like the last half of it dragged. There wasn't a strong sense of conflict and none of the characters had a discernible arc. It wasn't terrible, but only a few weeks after reading it, I've mostly forgotten it.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
I wasn't sure I would like this book because I don't necessarily consider myself a 'creative' person and thought the advice in it would be geared mostly towards those who are trying to make a career out of writing. However, while I didn't agree with everything she said, there were some good ideas in the book and I particularly felt inspired by Gilbert's attitude in her writing.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
One blurb on the back book said that it would make readers uncomfortable, and it certainly did that for me. That being said, it is extremely well written and I'm glad I read it because it feels like one of the few books I've read, YA or not, that feel very real in their portrayal of the characters and their circumstances.
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
I've been trying to find a new mystery series to read and I love most of Kate Atkinson's other books that I've read. For the most part, I loved this book. It did get off to a bit of a slow start, but eventually picked up the pace. Atkinson's wry writing and attention to detail made it a lot of fun to read, and it was one of those fun books with a lot of seemingly unrelated details that all come together at the end. I think I will definitely read the next few books in the series to see if like them just as much.
Movies
Paddington 2
I had to convince a few of my kids to watch this movie, but they were glad I did because we all loved it. It was a lot of fun--Hugh Grant hamming it up as the villain was only one of the many great details in the film. I also loved how the movie featured the entire family and the community coming together to help each other.
Eighth Grade
When I watch movies like this, I can never decide if I identify more with the parents or with the kids--it's a weird feeling of being old and young at the same time. This movie is fairly simple and 'small' in some ways, but the acting is simply phenomenal. As long as you have a high tolerance for cringy awkwardness, you will love this movie.
Witness
I haven't seen this movie for years and wanted to see if it was still as good as I remembered. Turns out, it is. Unlike some other movies, it has aged well and is still a great story with some terrific acting and beautiful shots.
Black Panther
Even though I'm not big into superheroes, I've heard enough good things about this movie that I decided to watch it now that it's on Netflix. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would--the set design and acting are all amazing, plus I liked the interesting political questions it asked in subtle ways.
I spent the first half of this book being really irritated at one of the main characters and hoping she would change. It took most of the book for that to happen, and I still didn't really understand her motivations because they were not always very clear. Generally this book was funny and an enjoyable read, but I didn't love it.
Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity by Andrew Solomon
This book took a really long time to read, but it was one of the best books I've read for a while. Solomon is thorough and compassionate in his writing, and this book both expanded my mind and made me a little terrified about being a parent. I highly recommend this book because it will help you see the world and humanity in a whole new way.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
I've been a fan of Moriarty's books for years and always look forward to a new one. I'd read mixed reviews of this one, because it does get a little weird in the end, but I totally enjoyed it. Moriarty loves to take wacky situations and extend them to the extreme. This book does this in a hilarious way, and if you're willing to go along for the ride, it's a lot of fun.
What if This Were Enough? by Heather Havrilesky
After a slow start, I found myself really enjoying this book. It probably helps that Havrilesky and I are of a similar age and share many of the same attitudes about popular culture. I particularly liked her essay about Shirley Jackson and the one about our culture's obsession with post-apocalyptic narratives.
Promise by Minrose Gwin
For our book club this month we all had to read a book by an author we'd never heard of before, so I grabbed this off the new book display at the library. I thought the premise was interesting, but the pacing of the book was off and I felt like the last half of it dragged. There wasn't a strong sense of conflict and none of the characters had a discernible arc. It wasn't terrible, but only a few weeks after reading it, I've mostly forgotten it.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
I wasn't sure I would like this book because I don't necessarily consider myself a 'creative' person and thought the advice in it would be geared mostly towards those who are trying to make a career out of writing. However, while I didn't agree with everything she said, there were some good ideas in the book and I particularly felt inspired by Gilbert's attitude in her writing.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
One blurb on the back book said that it would make readers uncomfortable, and it certainly did that for me. That being said, it is extremely well written and I'm glad I read it because it feels like one of the few books I've read, YA or not, that feel very real in their portrayal of the characters and their circumstances.
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
I've been trying to find a new mystery series to read and I love most of Kate Atkinson's other books that I've read. For the most part, I loved this book. It did get off to a bit of a slow start, but eventually picked up the pace. Atkinson's wry writing and attention to detail made it a lot of fun to read, and it was one of those fun books with a lot of seemingly unrelated details that all come together at the end. I think I will definitely read the next few books in the series to see if like them just as much.
Movies
Paddington 2
I had to convince a few of my kids to watch this movie, but they were glad I did because we all loved it. It was a lot of fun--Hugh Grant hamming it up as the villain was only one of the many great details in the film. I also loved how the movie featured the entire family and the community coming together to help each other.
Eighth Grade
When I watch movies like this, I can never decide if I identify more with the parents or with the kids--it's a weird feeling of being old and young at the same time. This movie is fairly simple and 'small' in some ways, but the acting is simply phenomenal. As long as you have a high tolerance for cringy awkwardness, you will love this movie.
Witness
I haven't seen this movie for years and wanted to see if it was still as good as I remembered. Turns out, it is. Unlike some other movies, it has aged well and is still a great story with some terrific acting and beautiful shots.
Black Panther
Even though I'm not big into superheroes, I've heard enough good things about this movie that I decided to watch it now that it's on Netflix. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would--the set design and acting are all amazing, plus I liked the interesting political questions it asked in subtle ways.
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