tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31112151625429283862023-11-15T22:58:57.962-08:00Freckles BooksTheMoncurshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02740568450614233883noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-27997884486728872052016-03-28T13:41:00.000-07:002016-03-28T13:41:04.863-07:00The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From Goodreads:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over--and see everything anew.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I can tell already that this will be a favorite from the year. This book was absurdly charming. There are sad bits but they didn't make me </span><i style="font-size: 14px;">feel</i><span style="font-size: 14px;"> overly sad because the book is so optimistic and lovely and full of wonderful people with beautiful relationships.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">It's also full of fun lines and dialog. One of my favorite bits from early on that gave me a chuckle- </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><i>A.J. has never changed a diaper in his life, though he is a modestly skilled gift wrapper.</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
The exchange between A.J. Fikry and Amelia the publishing sales rep in the Moby Dick themed restaurant. Basically anything Maya says. The cop who starts a book club for cops. There is so much here to love. I grinned through most of the book and was sad when it was over.TheMoncurshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02740568450614233883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-84695803008852333062016-03-28T13:26:00.001-07:002016-03-28T13:26:38.614-07:00The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From Goodreads:<br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Neil Gaiman is hit and miss for me. I love his brand of magical realism...sometimes. Sometimes he wraps it up in a bit too much darkness and I find myself slogging rather than enjoying. </span></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><i>Neverwhere </i>was a slog for me while <i>Graveyard Book</i> was enjoyable. <i>American Gods</i> and this one, <i>The Ocean at the End of the Lane</i> are somewhere in between.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">One thing I kept coming back to over and over while reading </span><i style="font-size: 14px;">The Ocean at the End of the Lane</i><span style="font-size: 14px;"> is how much I prefer being an adult. I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again- being an adult is the best. Yeah, there's responsibility but also you can eat cake for breakfast and see a movie in the middle of the day. The boy at the center of this book mentions more than once that when you're 7 you're at the mercy of adults. You have to do what they say, go where they tell you to go, sleep when they tell you to go to bed. The narrative reminded me of </span><i style="font-size: 14px;">Buffy the Vampire Slayer's</i><span style="font-size: 14px;"> whole "high school is literal hell" analogy- having no freedom sucks. It doesn't matter whether you're at the mercy of parents and teachers or a paranormal being from "the old country" who is determined to confine you to smaller and smaller areas and make it so no one believes you when you say your babysitter is actually a monster. Kids are powerless and I think this book really nails that feeling.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">So much of this book is just about childhood- the way adults will always take the known path whereas children will explore the hundred other ways from A to B. The way children imagine and fear and play. The way things shape our lives and we forget about them because we were young, even if we feel the echoes decades later. </span></span>TheMoncurshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02740568450614233883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-17015127649298362762016-03-24T16:53:00.002-07:002016-03-24T16:53:19.044-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20170404-station-eleven">Goodreads</a>:<br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">One snowy night Arthur Leander, a famous actor, has a heart attack onstage during a production of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">King Lear</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">. Jeevan Chaudhary, a paparazzo-turned-EMT, is in the audience and leaps to his aid. A child actress named Kirsten Raymonde watches in horror as Jeevan performs CPR, pumping Arthur's chest as the curtain drops, but Arthur is dead. That same night, as Jeevan walks home from the theater, a terrible flu begins to spread. Hospitals are flooded and Jeevan and his brother barricade themselves inside an apartment, watching out the window as cars clog the highways, gunshots ring out, and life disintegrates around them.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Fifteen years later, Kirsten is an actress with the Traveling Symphony. Together, this small troupe moves between the settlements of an altered world, performing Shakespeare and music for scattered communities of survivors. Written on their caravan, and tattooed on Kirsten's arm is a line from </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Star Trek</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">: "Because survival is insufficient." But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who digs graves for anyone who dares to leave.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i>Station Eleven</i> is the best book I've read so far this year. As I read I thought, "This is post-apocalyptic fiction for people who are generally kind of tired of post-apocalyptic fiction."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Much of the book centers around the life and death of Arthur Leander, who had a heart attack less than 24 hours before the rest of the world came to a screeching halt thanks to a crazy flu that wiped out 99.9% of humanity. His existence should be inconsequential in the face of something much bigger but he echoes in the lives of survivors and serves as a reminder that ultimately it's the little things that matter the most.</span></span></span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-90159120026438830662016-03-24T16:25:00.000-07:002016-03-24T16:25:25.877-07:00At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From Goodreads:<br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">After embarrassing themselves at the social event of the year in high society Philadelphia on New Year’s Eve of 1942, Maddie and Ellis Hyde are cut off financially by Ellis’s father, a former army Colonel who is already embarrassed by his son’s inability to serve in WWII due to his being colorblind. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">To Maddie’s horror, Ellis decides that the only way to regain his father’s favor is to succeed in a venture his father attempted and very publicly failed at: he will hunt the famous Loch Ness monster and when he finds it he will restore his father’s name and return to his father’s good graces (and pocketbook). Joined by their friend Hank, a wealthy socialite, the three make their way to Scotland in the midst of war. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Each day the two men go off to hunt the monster, while another monster, Hitler, is devastating Europe. And Maddie, now alone in a foreign country, must begin to figure out who she is and what she wants. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The novel tells of Maddie’s social awakening: to the harsh realities of life, to the beauties of nature, to a connection with forces larger than herself, to female friendship, and finally, to love.</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">This was the first book in a LONG time that I stayed up late to finish. It wasn't <i>amazing</i> or particularly complex but it was thoroughly enjoyable. It's more of a fluffy beach read than it initially appears.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">I read this immediately after China Dolls, in which I had to fight SO HARD to like the characters. Maddie, however, is very likeable and becomes even more so as the book goes on. One of the criticisms I've seen of this book is that the main characters are all just spoiled rich kids doing what they want but...that's kind of the point. They're absurd and eventually Maddie realizes she doesn't want to be that person anymore. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">My one big criticism is that the love story left me going, "Wait, what?" They had the odd interaction then she saw him with his shirt off and suddenly they were both goners. That could have used a bit more development. </span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-77445781920506401052014-12-13T14:08:00.000-08:002014-12-13T14:08:05.217-08:00First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4373.First_They_Killed_My_Father?ac=1">Goodreads</a>:<br />
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<i><span id="freeTextContainer8662379455221775250">Chronicles the brutality
of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, from the author's forced ''evacuation''
of Phnom Penh in 1975 to her family's subsequent movements from town to
town and eventual separation.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeTextContainer8662379455221775250">I dated a guy in college who served his LDS mission in Cambodia. His occasional comments and recollections constituted 90% of my knowledge of Cambodia. The other 10% came from watching Tomb Raider (which had a few scenes filmed there).</span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainer8662379455221775250">I'm always a little embarrassed that I know so little about other countries and world events so when this title popped up as recommended in my Overdrive app I requested it. </span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainer8662379455221775250">The book is narrated from a child's point of view but I couldn't help but read it as a mother. These kinds of books devastate me since having children. I can't stop putting myself in the shoes of Loung's mother, desperately trying to keep her children alive while slowly watching them waste away from hunger and overwork. When the father was killed I bawled great big tears onto my nursing baby's head. I can't imagine being in that situation and losing Aaron. The women who survived the Khmer Rouge were made of stronger stuff than I am.</span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainer8662379455221775250">This book is absolutely phenomenal, even if it led to me squeezing Emmy until she squirmed while I promised her she would never know that kind of pain or hunger. Reading the cold facts of the Cambodian genocide doesn't do justice to the horror and privations experienced by the people. I think books like this should be required reading in high school- when you learn about the events you should also learn about the people.</span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainer8662379455221775250"><br /></span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-59047438722348824182014-11-19T14:42:00.002-08:002014-11-19T14:42:20.997-08:00I Don't Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star by Judy Greer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18209341-i-don-t-know-what-you-know-me-from">Goodreads</a>:<br />
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<i><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText3334516804172989546"><b>You know Judy Greer, right? Maybe from <i>The Wedding Planner, 13 Going on 30, Carrie, Arrested Development,</i> or <i>The Descendants</i>. Yes, you totally recognize her. And, odds are, you already feel like she’s your friend. </b><br /><br />In her first book of essays, <i>I Don’t Know What You Know Me From</i>,
Greer writes about everything you would hope to hear from your best
friend: how a midnight shopping trip to Walgreens can cure all; what
it’s like to wake up one day with stepchildren; and how she really feels
about fans telling her that she’s prettier in person. Yes, it’s all
here—from the hilarious moments to the<br /> intimate confessions.<br /><br />But
Judy Greer isn’t just a regular friend—she’s a celebrity friend. Want
to know which celebs she’s peed next to? Or what the Academy Awards are
actually like? Or which hot actor gave her father a Harley-Davidson?
Don’t worry; Greer reveals all of that, too. You’ll love her because,
besides being laugh-out-loud funny, she makes us genuinely feel like
she’s one of us. Because even though she sometimes has a stylist and a
makeup artist, she still wears (and hates!) Spanx. Because even after
almost twenty years in Hollywood, she still hasn’t figured everything
out—except that you should always wash your face before bed. Always.</span></i><br />
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This was an emergency download. I am incapable of cleaning my house without an audiobook and my house was in dire need of cleaning. This book was immediately available from my library's digital collection and I generally really like Judy Greer so I nabbed it and got scrubbing.<br />
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When it comes to this kind of book, audio is really the way to go (especially when it's narrated by the author). Judy has such a distinctive voice and, like the blurb mentions above, she already feels like a friend. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it nearly so much in print form, but as an audio book? It was lovely. And now my house is clean.Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-88854693533450782222014-11-19T08:14:00.001-08:002014-11-19T08:14:20.902-08:00Coroner's Journal: Stalking Death in Louisiana by Louis Cataldie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1314363.Coroner_s_Journal?ac=1">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span class="elementTwo" id="freeText1873907492553428513">The frank and unvarnished memoir of a life spent stalking death in the Deep South. <br /><br />
Baton Rouge is a little town with big-city problems. Rich with Creole
history, colorful locals, and a strong sense of community, it's also the
home of Napoleonic codes, stubborn cops, and a sometimes-troubled
leadership. Baton Rouge-which literally means "Red Stick"-lives up to
its bloody namesake. <br /><br /> And after more than ten years as a deputy
coroner and then as its chief coroner, Louis Cataldie has seen his fair
share of unusual and disturbing cases. They range from the bizarre to
the heartbreaking: an LSU professor killed by a barn door; the bones of a
young woman found scattered in a churchyard; and as many as three
serial killers loose at one time under Cataldie's watch. He has worked
the scene of one of the Malvo/ Muhammad Beltway Sniper shootings and had
a hand in bringing to justice serial killer Derrick Todd Lee in a
controversial investigation that was featured in an ABC Prime Time
special with Diane Sawyer and Patricia Cornwell. <br /><br /><i>Coroner's Journal</i> is an unflinching look at a world that television dramas such as <i>CSI</i> can only begin to show us.</span></i><br />
<br />
The stories in this book were fascinating and sometimes heart-wrenching (I bawled any time children were involved). I kept getting hung up on the writing though! Cataldie is a coroner, not an english major and it shows. Where was his editor?? Sometimes when I write a blog post I'll go through and rewrite a sentence here and there- the key, though, is to <i>delete the original version</i> so you don't have two sentences next to each other saying basically the same thing. This is like Editing 101, yes? It was weird coming across those kinds of mistakes in a published work.<br />
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Also, Cataldie was needlessly melodramatic and occasionally included details that were clearly for shock factor. His book is chock full of bodies but he declined to detail the process of slicing someone open for autopsy until halfway through, when he described it on a four-year-old boy who had been killed in a fire. I mean, really? That's an emotional sucker punch and totally unnecessary.<br />
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All that being said, I came out really <i>liking</i> Cataldie. He seems like a good guy who genuinely cares for the victims that come to him. He played a big part in the post-Katrina cleanup and spent months IDing bodies and returning them to families. Good guy, good stories, should probably change editors (call me!) if he decides to write another book.Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-59698041238038947262014-11-12T17:03:00.003-08:002014-11-12T17:03:38.722-08:00Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10847.Under_the_Banner_of_Heaven?from_search=true">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span class="elementOne" id="freeTextContainer5284622867509673726">Brothers
Ron and Dan Lafferty insist they were commanded to kill by God.
Krakauer's investigation is a meticulously researched, bone-chilling
narrative of polygamy, savage violence and unyielding faith: an
incisive, gripping work of non-fiction that illuminates an otherwise
confounding realm of human behaviour.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span class="elementOne" id="freeTextContainer5284622867509673726">I've been wanting to read this book for AGES but I'm glad I didn't read it until now. It's mostly about polygamy but also includes some Mormon history that isn't particularly flattering. I don't know that I would have believed some of the history in this book until this year. Some people I'd been taught all my life to revere did some pretty sketchy stuff back in the day (I'm a lot more aware of that now, though).</span><br />
<span class="elementOne" id="freeTextContainer5284622867509673726"><br /></span>
<span class="elementOne" id="freeTextContainer5284622867509673726">I hesitate to say that I <i>enjoyed</i> this book- the subject matter is pretty awful- but...I enjoyed it. It was fascinating, especially as someone who comes from Mormon roots and has lived in Utah. I've read a few books about fundamentalism as well, so there were some familiar characters. Overall I thought Krakauer does a great job tying events together in such a way that helped explain people's actions and reactions. He weaves disparate tales about people and events together to create a cohesive narrative on polygamy and the history of violence among the saints (and their offshoot brethren). </span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-2458606832362702602014-06-02T12:15:00.002-07:002014-06-02T12:15:45.599-07:00Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388189373l/10890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388189373l/10890.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10890.Traveling_Mercies">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText17043893074785828954">From the bestselling author of <i>Operating Instructions</i> and <i>Bird by Bird</i>
comes a chronicle of faith and spirituality that is at once tough,
personal, affectionate, wise and very funny. With an exuberant mix of
passion, insight, and humor, Anne Lamott takes us on a journey through
her often troubled past to illuminate her devout but quirky walk of
faith. In a narrative spiced with stories and scripture, with diatribes,
laughter, and tears, Lamott tells how, against all odds, she came to
believe in God and then, even more miraculously, in herself. She shows
us the myriad ways in which this sustains and guides her, shining the
light of faith on the darkest part of ordinary life and exposing
surprising pockets of meaning and hope. Whether writing about her family
or her dreadlocks, sick children or old friends, the most religious
women of her church or the men she's dated, Lamott reveals the hard-won
wisdom gathered along her path to connectedness and liberation.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText17043893074785828954">My friend <a href="http://definitelyra.wordpress.com/">RA</a> recommended this one to me after a long series of emails between us about faith and the struggles I've had over the past four years. I hadn't heard of Anne Lamott but apparently she's actually kind of well known, which just goes to show you how much of a bubble I live in.</span><br />
<span id="freeText17043893074785828954"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText17043893074785828954">I found her memoir incredibly eye-opening. She has a deep Christian faith but she approaches it from the complete opposite direction of most of the uber-conservative religious types I know. She's a sort of hippie liberal with dreadlocks who is all about seeing Christ in the brokenness. I wonder if she ended up there because of how hard she had to <i>work</i> to get where she is. She was a drug addict who ended up a single mother in deep poverty. She accepts the brokenness in others because she sees it in herself and knows where it can take you.</span><br />
<span id="freeText17043893074785828954"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText17043893074785828954">Lots of good thinking came from this one.</span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-86581883825985488872014-05-29T19:52:00.000-07:002014-05-29T19:52:17.958-07:00Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys by Billy Crystal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1369568990l/15902792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1369568990l/15902792.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15902792-still-foolin-em?from_search=true">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText17004920004439396641">Billy Crystal is
turning 65, and he’s not happy about it. With his trademark wit and
heart, he outlines the absurdities and challenges that come with growing
old, from insomnia to memory loss to leaving dinners with half your
meal on your shirt. In humorous chapters like “Buying the Plot” and
“Nodding Off,” Crystal not only catalogues his physical gripes, but
offers a road map to his 77 million fellow baby boomers who are arriving
at this milestone age with him. He also looks back at the most powerful
and memorable moments of his long and storied life, from entertaining
his relatives as a kid in Long Beach, Long Island, his years doing
stand-up in the Village, up through his legendary stint at <em>Saturday Night Live</em>, <em>When Harry Met Sally</em>, and his long run as host of the Academy Awards. </span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span id="freeText17004920004439396641">Pros: Audiobook was narrated by Billy Crystal. Listening to him is never a BAD thing.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText17004920004439396641">Cons: I didn't find any of this particularly funny. And when something is not only written but SPOKEN by Billy Crystal, you kind of expect to laugh more than a few half-hearted chuckles.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText17004920004439396641"> To be fair, much of this book is based on the humor to be found in aging, so perhaps in 35 years I will find it significantly funnier.</span><br />
Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-9919023848165793482014-05-29T19:49:00.001-07:002014-05-29T19:49:14.115-07:00Crazy Salad and Scribble Scribble: Some Things About Women and Notes on Media by Nora Ephron<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348186322l/15841852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348186322l/15841852.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15841852-crazy-salad-and-scribble-scribble?from_search=true">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText2947068713134800155">Two classic collections
of Nora Ephron’s uproarious essays—tackling everything from feminism to
the media, from politics to beauty products, with her inimitable charm
and distinctive wit—now available in one book for the first time. <br /> <br />This
edition brings together some of Ephron’s most famous writing on a
generation of women (and men) who helped shape the way we live now, and
on events ranging from the Watergate scandal to the Pillsbury Bake-Off.
In these sharp, hilariously entertaining, and vividly observed pieces,
Ephron illuminates an era with wicked honesty and insight. From the
famous “A Few Words About Breasts” to important pieces on her time
working for the <em>New York Post</em> and <em>Gourmet Magazine</em>, these essays show Ephron at her very best.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText2947068713134800155">I feel like I need to admit here and now that I apparently knew <i>nothing</i> about Nora Ephron. I mean, I knew she's the brains behind a bunch of truly fantastic chick flicks but that's about it. As it turns out, Nora Ephron has done a ton of writing in her career (especially for newspapers and magazines) and a lot of it was extremely feminist. She rubbed shoulders with Gloria Steinem in the 70s. She was hardcore, my friends. And a lot of her writing reflects that.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText2947068713134800155">And so, this collection of essays was NOT at all what I was expecting. It was, however, deeply interesting. Most of the stuff here was written in the 70s but it's still incredibly relevant today. I listened to the audio book while doing some sewing and it was fantastic. I'm now even more of a fan. </span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-42098609295628936682014-05-29T19:42:00.003-07:002014-05-29T19:42:59.236-07:00Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1382971800l/17571564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1382971800l/17571564.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17571564-hyperbole-and-a-half?from_search=true">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText6869616554058808535">This is a book I wrote.
Because I wrote it, I had to figure out what to put on the back cover to
explain what it is. I tried to write a long, third-person summary that
would imply how great the book is and also sound vaguely
authoritative--like maybe someone who isn’t me wrote it--but I soon
discovered that I’m not sneaky enough to pull it off convincingly. So I
decided to just make a list of things that are in the book:<br /><br />Pictures<br />Words<br />Stories about things that happened to me<br />Stories about things that happened to other people because of me<br />Eight billion dollars*<br />Stories about dogs<br />The secret to eternal happiness*<br /><br />*These are lies. Perhaps I have underestimated my sneakiness!</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText6869616554058808535">As a longtime fan of Allie's blog I was REALLY excited to discover that this book was available for immediate download as I sat in the terminal before boarding our flight to Virginia. I had sort of mixed feelings about it though, which made me sad. The very best stuff from the book can already be found on her blog (my favs are her bits about <a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html">moving with dogs</a> and <a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/09/party.html">going to a birthday party after having dental work done</a>). The newer stuff was a little darker, which I'm sure reflects her recent bout with depression. I didn't LOVE it quite like I hoped I would, but it was still a perfectly pleasant way to pass the time on a very long day of flying.</span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-23958104007191043982014-03-21T10:58:00.002-07:002014-03-21T10:58:16.962-07:00Life After Life by Kate Atkinson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1358173808l/15790842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1358173808l/15790842.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15790842-life-after-life">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText9700246612157288981">On a cold and snowy
night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born, the third child of a wealthy English
banker and his wife. Sadly, she dies before she can draw her first
breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out
a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to say the least,
unusual. For as she grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in any number of
ways. Clearly history (and Kate Atkinson) have plans for her: In Ursula
rests nothing less than the fate of civilization.<br /><br />Wildly
inventive, darkly comic, startlingly poignant — this is Kate Atkinson at
her absolute best, playing with time and history, telling a story that
is breathtaking for both its audacity and its endless satisfactions.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText9700246612157288981">Ok, this is one I really wish I hadn't listened to. This is an extremely complex book with multiple story lines, lots of characters, endings and beginnings. I think reading it as a physical book so I could flip back to previous plot lines to remember minor characters and piece things together.</span><br />
<span id="freeText9700246612157288981"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText9700246612157288981">What I did manage to piece together, though, was lovely. Ursula Todd, through her various attempts at life, slowly becomes a strong, smart woman. What a gift to be able to try life over and over until you get it exactly right. Her stories are fascinating, heart-breaking, life-affirming. I'd like to come back to this one someday when the hold list at the library isn't a million people long.</span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-73652045706343156182014-03-21T10:53:00.000-07:002014-03-21T10:53:01.634-07:00Cut Me Loose: Sin and Salvation After My Ultra-Orthodox Girlhood by Leah Vincent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1389591887l/18050104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1389591887l/18050104.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18050104-cut-me-loose">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText9605886804899876165">Leah Vincent was born
into the Yeshivish community, a fundamentalist sect of ultra-Orthodox
Judaism. As the daughter of an influential rabbi, Leah and her ten
siblings were raised to worship two things: God and the men who ruled
their world. But the tradition-bound future Leah envisioned for herself
was cut short when, at sixteen, she was caught exchanging letters with a
male friend, a violation of religious law that forbids contact between
members of the opposite sex. Leah's parents were unforgiving. Afraid, in
part, that her behavior would affect the marriage prospects of their
other children, they put her on a plane and cut off ties. Cast out in
New York City, without a father or husband tethering her to the Orthodox
community, Leah was unprepared to navigate the freedoms of secular
life. She spent the next few years using her sexuality as a way of
attracting the male approval she had been conditioned to seek out as a
child, while becoming increasingly unfaithful to the religious dogma of
her past.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText9605886804899876165">I don't remember how I heard about this book but it fit right in with my religious memoir kick. This one, however, was FAR more intense than the others. Leah Vincent was cut off from her family and community for the sin of exchanging letters with a boy. She was <i>completely</i> unprepared for regular life alone in a big city and ended up in...situations. I don't want to spoil it but I seriously sat there wide-eyed through most of the book. I kept thinking, "Surely this is rock bottom." And then something else would happen and I'd be like, "Oh...nope, this is it." And then...you get the picture.</span><br />
<span id="freeText9605886804899876165"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText9605886804899876165">At one point she decided she was so broken that her only real option was prostitution. That did not go well for her. </span><br />
<span id="freeText9605886804899876165"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText9605886804899876165">The thing that totally broke my heart about this book is that Leah was really <i>trying</i>. She didn't CHOOSE to leave her faith tradition. They unceremoniously kicked her out because they saw someone who was struggling a bit.</span><br />
<span id="freeText9605886804899876165"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText9605886804899876165">That hit pretty close to home. I'm a part of some groups of people who are all over the faith spectrum when it comes to the Mormon church. The saddest part is that most of these people are really trying. They want to stay. But when they ask questions or raise concerns an incredibly common response from the community is, "Why don't you just leave the church?" Why are orthodox religions so quick to shove the struggling ones from the nest? What is it about doubt that scares us so much that we're willing to kick a soul out completely rather than try and help them through it and find their place? </span><br />
<span id="freeText9605886804899876165"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText9605886804899876165">There was a lot in Vincent's book that I couldn't relate to but a surprising amount that felt familiar. This book isn't for everyone (there's some sexual content) but I found it honest and amazing.</span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-83130879324463662132014-03-21T10:23:00.000-07:002014-03-21T10:23:14.951-07:00Me Before You by Jojo Moyes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1357108762l/15507958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1357108762l/15507958.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15507958-me-before-you">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText8034397102393354945">Lou Clark knows lots of
things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and
home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she
knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.<br /><br />What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.<br /><br />Will
Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He
knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows
exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.<br /><br />What Will doesn't
know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour.
And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all
time.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText8034397102393354945">I actually finished this one a while ago but then the nausea hit and I just never got around to writing about it, despite the fact that I really liked it.</span><br />
<span id="freeText8034397102393354945"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText8034397102393354945">This is kind of a hard read, to be honest. The story is very sweet but the ending is <i>rough</i>. You're pulling for the power of love and then...love isn't enough. The story made me think hard about the idea of euthanasia. Honestly I've never been opposed to it...if people want to die and their life is total crap for whatever reason, who am I to judge? But I feel like I came away from this story feeling the opposite. That idiot had something to LIVE for! Why didn't he even give it a TRY with Lou? I'm not sure becoming anti-euthanasia was the point of the book, but whatever. My change of heart is on YOU, Jojo.</span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-71394095480589092352014-02-17T15:57:00.001-08:002014-02-17T15:57:35.393-08:00FDR by Jean Edward Smith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1387752215l/332980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1387752215l/332980.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
Very shortened summary from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/332980.FDR">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText16432632207034032622">One of today’s premier
biographers has written a modern, comprehensive, indeed ultimate book on
the epic life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In this superlative volume,
Jean Edward Smith combines contemporary scholarship and a broad range
of primary source material to provide an engrossing narrative of one of
America’s greatest presidents.</span></i><br />
<span id="freeText16432632207034032622"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText16432632207034032622">This audiobook was about an hour shorter than the Oppenheimer beast I tackled in January but I loved it just as much (if not more?). I mentioned in my post about <a href="http://frecklesbooks.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-fault-in-our-stars-by-john-green.html"><i>The Fault in Our Stars</i></a> that history doesn't tend to elicit much emotion buuut this one kind of made me cry periodically. FDR was an <i>amazing</i> person. He did and said some incredibly inspiring things<i>. </i>The book described the book on Pearl Harbor then went on to talk about FDR's speech, which famously began, </span><br />
<span id="freeText16432632207034032622"> </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy --
the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air
forces of the Empire of Japan.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried. It's such an amazing moment in history. SO MUCH of this book was comprised of amazing moments in history. The preface states that the 3 most important presidents in US history were Washington, Lincoln, and FDR. Now, having read (heard) about his life, I have to agree. FDR shaped the US as we know it now. He saved it from collapse during the depression. He was BFFs with Winston Churchill (need to add him to my bio list) and was the first US president to fly in an airplane. He rose above a serious physical handicap and inspired a nation. Pretty sure he's my new hero.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span id="freeText16432632207034032622"></span> </span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-37286440635664299412014-02-17T15:48:00.002-08:002014-02-17T15:48:52.620-08:00Looking for Alaska by John Green<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1375127275l/99561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1375127275l/99561.jpg" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/99561.Looking_for_Alaska">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText5011048492832365990"><strong>Before.</strong>
Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and
his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great
Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the
sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of
Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe.
Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny,
sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska
Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world,
launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.<br /><br /><strong>After.</strong> Nothing is ever the same.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText5011048492832365990">Well that was...unexpected.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span id="freeText5011048492832365990">Warning: here be spoilers. </span></b><br />
<span id="freeText5011048492832365990"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText5011048492832365990">I was more than a little flabbergasted when Green killed off the title character halfway through the book. I thought she'd run away or they'd all get expelled after a crazy prank but DEATH never even crossed my mind. </span><br />
<span id="freeText5011048492832365990"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText5011048492832365990">As always, Green includes wonderfully snappy and playful dialogue. His characters are likeable and relateable. He just sort of GETS teenagers, you know? I love that he introduced some deeper thinking in this book- what IS the labyrinth? How do we get out of it? What comes after life? Can we ever really know another person? Exceptionally deep thinking considering it's a novel geared toward high schoolers.</span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-58058977508539037032014-02-13T08:53:00.000-08:002014-02-13T08:53:11.163-08:00The Fault in Our Stars by John Green<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1360206420l/11870085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1360206420l/11870085.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11870085-the-fault-in-our-stars?ac=1">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeTextContainer8369875226956267921">Despite the
tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel
has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon
diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly
appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be
completely rewritten.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeTextContainer8369875226956267921">Ugh, this book. </span><br />
<span id="freeTextContainer8369875226956267921"><br /></span>
<span id="freeTextContainer8369875226956267921">I've been fairly submerged in nonfiction as of late. Despite the fact that my past several reviews have been of fiction books, the fact is that I'm 20 hours into a 26 hour biography of FDR, halfway through a book about how feminine traits are becoming desirable in the workplace and a few chapters into a history of Canada. I am loving my nonfiction reading but you can't really pretend that nonfiction has much <i>feeling</i>. It's deeply interesting without drawing out any kind of real strong emotions.</span><br />
<span id="freeTextContainer8369875226956267921"><br /></span>
<span id="freeTextContainer8369875226956267921">So <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> kind of blind-sided me with FEELS. TOO MANY OF THEM. Even though I closed it sort of hating the world, I also recognize that it's a fantastic book. The dialog is snappy and the main characters are loveable and flawed in a very relateable sort of way.</span><br />
<span id="freeTextContainer8369875226956267921"><br /></span>
<span id="freeTextContainer8369875226956267921">Also, it has to be said: I hate and love that it didn't have a happy ending. I know I've written several reviews that say something like, "I would have written a different ending but this is YA so you kind of have to do sunshine and rainbows." John Green doesn't buy into that and I kind of love him for it. Life doesn't always get wrapped up in a pretty red bow. It's messy. People break up, they die, they drift apart. I feel like he's setting more realistic expectations than, say, Stephenie Meyer. I actually had a conversation with a teenaged friend about this as soon as I finished this book and she actually said how annoyed she is about all the happy endings that get shoved at her age group. Bless her. Teenagers are smart enough to know better and I think John Green gives them credit for that.</span><br />
<span id="freeTextContainer8369875226956267921"><br /></span>
<span id="freeTextContainer8369875226956267921"><br /></span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-89071254161174085802014-02-09T15:37:00.001-08:002014-02-09T15:37:46.144-08:00The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347695758l/13376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347695758l/13376.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13376.The_House_of_the_Scorpion?ac=1">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeTextContainer12526172520589156375">Matteo Alacran was not
born; he was harvested with the DNA from El Patron, lord of a country
called Opium. Can a boy who was bred to guarantee another’s survival
find his own purpose in life? And can he ever be free?</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeTextContainer12526172520589156375">This one won a bunch of awards so I really expected to like it more. It's not that I <i>didn't</i> like it. I just felt like I'd read all of it before in varying forms. Futuristic dystopian society? Been there. Socialistic overtones? Done that. Growing people for their organs? Seen it.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeTextContainer12526172520589156375">Granted, I just looked it up and apparently it was published in 2004. So odds are good that it was published BEFORE all the others ones I read (except <i>Animal Farm</i>, which totally came to mind in the scenes with the Keepers) so it may have actually been an inspiration for a lot of the others I've read over the past 10 years. I think I just read it at the wrong time. Sorry, Nancy Farmer. I spent the whole book thinking you were derivative when in fact you are probably a pioneer. Props.</span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-55085954633803877382014-02-09T15:23:00.005-08:002014-02-09T15:23:56.185-08:00Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1341952742l/15745753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1341952742l/15745753.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15745753-eleanor-park">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeTextContainer14479439607268537278">Set over the course of
one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two
star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never
lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park,
you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you
under.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeTextContainer14479439607268537278">This book was a lot heavier than I was expecting but I also think it's an important one. Yes, it's about the beauty of first love and the sweet awkwardness of navigating a new relationship and I'll get to that in a second. But it's also about the victims of abuse and poverty. Park's family situation is loving and secure enough that he has the mental energy to spend a lot of time thinking happily of Eleanor. He can admit to being in love. Then we switch to Eleanor's point of view and she may be thinking about Park OR she may be carefully navigating family politics, trying to protect her siblings from their stepfather, or walking 40 minutes in the dead of winter o the store with her mother because they don't have a car. Park becomes her escape but then she can't trust the situation or any of the feelings involved because she knows how fleeting happiness can be. When you grow up with that kind of instability you come to expect it.<i> </i>Even <i>create</i> it. At the end of the book Eleanor has all but torpedoed her relationship with Park (though it does end on a hopeful note and Rowell has hinted that she may revisit the characters in another book). I know a lot of people disliked the ending since it wasn't hearts and rainbows but I loved it. I feel like Eleanor did the best she could with her situation. </span><br />
<span id="freeTextContainer14479439607268537278"><br /></span>
<span id="freeTextContainer14479439607268537278">While there is heavier stuff here, there's also a wonderfully sweet romance. It brought back some long buried memories and left me grinning like an idiot. Rowell obviously remembers what it was like to be a teenager and she captures it really well. Although, I do call shenanigans on Park's thoughts. No 16-year-old boy is that poetically romantic. </span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-14131514047964397822014-02-08T09:40:00.002-08:002014-02-08T09:41:42.604-08:00Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? By Mindy Kaling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320400497l/10335308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320400497l/10335308.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10335308-is-everyone-hanging-out-without-me?ac=1">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4983494688250148730"><i>Mindy Kaling has lived
many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid
chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating
Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and
actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with
the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear
I’ll shut up about it?”</i> </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4983494688250148730">If you're going to read a comedian's book and they have an audio version in which they narrate their own book- do that version. Listening to Mindy Kaling prattle on about her life for 4ish hours was the most pleasant possible way to get through my Saturday cleaning. She has that hilarious neo-valley girl way of speaking that sounds like she's just having a casual conversation with you over lunch. I feel like we're BFFs now. </span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-38281211938720392592014-02-07T11:08:00.001-08:002014-02-07T11:08:22.287-08:00Wonder by RJ Palacio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1366213431l/11387515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1366213431l/11387515.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11387515-wonder?ac=1">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText12676245547315028965">August (Auggie) Pullman
was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a
mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher
Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that
can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an
extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's
just like them, despite appearances?<br /><br />R. J. Palacio has written a
spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute
and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family
interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short
chapters, <em>Wonder</em> is accessible to readers of all levels.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText12676245547315028965">Oh this book. I laughed. I cried. I googled mandibulofacial dysostosis.</span><br />
<span id="freeText12676245547315028965"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText12676245547315028965">This is one I'll absolutely be having my boys read. I think the multiple viewpoints help the reader understand that everyone has things they're going through and we shouldn't judge just from what we can see. Miranda seemed like she was just turning into a stuck-up popular teenage girl but then we switch to her viewpoint and...that's not the case. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText12676245547315028965">Auggie's English teacher talks about precepts and has a new one each month for his students to think about. I feel like the precept for the book is "Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." A valuable lesson no matter what your age is!</span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-33474401355182995092014-02-06T14:21:00.003-08:002014-02-06T14:21:44.036-08:00The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine by Sue Monk Kidd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1386921740l/24711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1386921740l/24711.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
From Goodreads:<br />
<br />
<span id="freeText2065495540516068371"></span><br />
<i>The acclaimed spiritual memoir from the author of The Secret Life of Bees</i><br />
<i> </i> <br />
<i>"I
was amazed to find that I had no idea how to unfold my spiritual life
in a feminine way. I was surprised and, in fact, a little terrified when
I found myself in the middle of a feminist spiritual reawakening."</i><br />
<i> </i> <br />
<i>Sue
Monk was a "conventionally religious, churchgoing woman, a traditional
wife and mother" with a thriving career as a Christian writer until she
began to question her role as a woman in her culture, her family, and
her church. From a jarring encounter with sexism in a suburban drugstore
to monastery retreats and rituals in the caves of Crete, Kidd takes
readers through the fear, anger, healing, and transformation of her
awakening. Retaining a meaningful connection "with the deep song of
Christianity," she opens the door for traditional Christian women to
discover a spirituality that speaks directly to them and provides
inspiring wisdom for all who struggle to embrace their full humanity.</i><br />
<br />
This book came as a recommendation from a woman I deeply admire (Aaron calls her my girl crush). She's been where I am and came out the other side full of peace and light. So when she recommended it and then I discovered that my library didn't carry it, I actually BOUGHT myself a copy. Something I do approximately...never.<br />
<br />
I wish I could write separate reviews for each section of this book because they held varying values for me. The first section is called Awakening and I devoured it thinking, HOW DOES THIS WOMAN KNOW MY LIFE. She had words for things I experienced but couldn't articulate. She understood my difficulties, my discomfort, and my fears. It was a powerful feeling, knowing that I'm not even remotely alone. I highlighted this section all over the place, finding the words and inspiration I needed to make some hard decisions.<br />
<br />
The second section, Initiation, took me a couple weeks to get through. There was so little about this part of her journey that I related to. I highlighted one single quote. I think that, perhaps, she had issues to work through that I didn't and that's why I didn't find the same kinship with the Initiation section. I also don't feel quite the same pull toward Goddess that she does. Especially not to the exclusion of my generally Christian understanding of deity. There has to be a happy medium.<br />
<br />
I warily started into the third section, called Grounding. She continued to discuss things that held no resonance with me (I don't need to create my own ceremonies. I am not hippie enough for that, apparently) but I loved her discussions of the Divine Feminine. She talks about how She has manifested herself through the ages in varying religious traditions and even within the Bible (though She has been mostly scrubbed out in modern translations). There was a lot in the third section that felt eye-opening and important. I have a lot of processing to do with this section but I ultimately came out of it feeling deeply <i>empowered</i>. That there is <i>power</i> in being a woman and I have every right and responsibility to stand up for myself and my gender against that which denigrates or wounds. <br />
<br />
The final section, Empowerment, felt a bit fluffy. I skimmed. It was sort of a rehash. I already FELT empowered, no need to beat the horse. Again, different women have different issues. She worked through her issues whereas I feel like I was already good to go.<br />
<br />
I also couldn't help but feel her dreams were awfully convenient. How nice for her to dream in strong, clear, feminist symbols. I dream about showing up places in my underwear but I'm sure my white buffalo will show up any time.<br />
<br />
While there was a lot that I couldn't relate to or that made me raise an eyebrow, overall this book had a hugely positive effect on me. There were specific lines or words in there that hit me like a shock to the brain. I felt strong and empowered as I read and greatly comforted that there are women who have walked this same path before.<br />
<br />
I really wish, though, that she talked about balancing strong feminist sensibilities with Christianity. Instead, she sort of went the total opposite direction into ignoring God the Father in order to embrace the Goddess. I said this a few paragraphs up, but there has to be a happy medium. She helped me understand a LOT about myself and my experiences but she didn't lay a path I can follow. Guess I have to forge my own.Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-88169752941790549622014-02-04T18:47:00.000-08:002014-02-04T18:47:27.682-08:00January Reading SummaryIt's possible that January 2014 was my best month ever for reading. Just for kicks and giggles, here's an amateurish little visual breakdown:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLOa7inz1-CyoUiyZ7SrWeJ4z0QCClyXVdZxampfdAGiRUZi_PWQ3ZjKJvHlihWwQEUuK6WDrYnvES3k7EXLHNKHgpRk-fwApoYilICWPaHeoo49glWDv9C1yXmTgUdofyKKpbytcI_k/s1600/January+2014+Breakdown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLOa7inz1-CyoUiyZ7SrWeJ4z0QCClyXVdZxampfdAGiRUZi_PWQ3ZjKJvHlihWwQEUuK6WDrYnvES3k7EXLHNKHgpRk-fwApoYilICWPaHeoo49glWDv9C1yXmTgUdofyKKpbytcI_k/s1600/January+2014+Breakdown.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I must say that I am absurdly proud of the amount of nonfiction I read. I'm not normally a huge reader of NF but I found lots this month that interested me and I tore through them. Also, of the 10 audio books I read, only 3 were fiction. For me, the best way to get through nonfiction is to turn on an audiobook and start cleaning my house. I find history or political theory significantly more interesting when someone is reading it to me while I scrub my stove top.<br />
<br />
If I had to choose only ONE fiction book to recommend from my January reading it would probably be <i>The Girl of Fire and Thorns</i> by Rae Carson. It's so fantastically well written while also being entertaining and empowering.<br />
<br />
If I had to pick ONE nonfiction book it would be <i>Half the Sky</i> by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn. That book was life-changing. I think it should be required reading.Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3111215162542928386.post-66166520000434608592014-02-04T16:33:00.001-08:002014-02-04T16:33:18.661-08:00Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348747943l/14497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348747943l/14497.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
From <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14497.Neverwhere?ac=1">Goodreads</a>:<br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText11253423864479861129">Under the streets of
London there's a place most people could never even dream of. A city of
monsters and saints, murderers and angels, knights in armour and pale
girls in black velvet. This is the city of the people who have fallen
between the cracks.<br /><br />Richard Mayhew, a young businessman, is going
to find out more than enough about this other London. A single act of
kindness catapults him out of his workday existence and into a world
that is at once eerily familiar and utterly bizarre. And a strange
destiny awaits him down here, beneath his native city: Neverwhere.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText11253423864479861129">I read Neil Gaiman's <i>The Graveyard Book</i> at some point and loved it. I also read <i>American Gods</i> and thought it very good. He's got such a rabid cult following that I assumed I would love just about anything he wrote. But....I didn't.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText11253423864479861129"><i>Neverwhere</i> was just a little too dark for me, I guess. The characters were plenty engaging (seeing <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/9954811/Neverwhere-is-a-reminder-that-radio-is-already-innovative.html">a publicity shot for the radio broadcast</a> really helped me envision them) and the plot was adequately twisty but I think the biggest part of the problem is that I couldn't see myself in the world of Neverwhere I wouldn't <i>want</i> to. It's a dark, violent, unfriendly place and apparently I like my alternative universes a little more sunshiney. Oh well.</span>Kayla Moncurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09891874087328316556noreply@blogger.com0