Recent reads: April 2013

April was a really good book month for me, can you tell?  Thanks to Hila, I've been evening out the mix between male and female writers a lot better.  I have really been nothing but impressed with some of them whom I've discovered like Alexis Smith and her first novel Glaciers.  It's a quiet book that I'll probably send to a girlfriend who needs some peaceful time to herself.  The Report by Jessica Francis Kane was also a surprisingly good one.  It's based upon a true event that happened in a bomb shelter in London during The Blitz - trampling and accidental deaths of 173 people.  Jessica Francis Kane weaves her own version of the tale behind it all and the inquiry that happened post-incident.  Based on those dry details, you wouldn't think that her debut novel would be as satisfying as it was, but there it is.  It's satisfying, like a big home-cooked meal with just enough glasses of wine.

I also read loads of graphic novels.  I think I've gotten over the stigma of reading 'comic books' and have decided to enjoy them for what they are - brilliant stories made that much better by the wonderful illustrations that accompany them.  If you've ever thought about turning your nose up at a graphic novel, I urge you to read some of the drafts that Neil Gaiman inserts at the end of his Sandman series and compare that to the final product that has been published.  Not an easy task at all.  If you're looking for a recommendation for a particular type of graphic novel, do let me know.

And I also read beautiful Rob Lowe's memoir, which I only picked up because I really like him on Parks & Rec and because of the good reviews it received.  It's nothing earth-shattering (sorry to ruin it for those of you who are expecting something extra juicy) but he tells a good, well-rounded, cohesive story of his life and his career.  He talks about being objectified as a teenage heartthrob; you don't exactly feel sorry for him but it does make you realize that there is another side to fandom.  And there's stories upon stories about acting.  About faking it until you make it.  About the hard work that you have to put forth just to fake it.

Honestly, I want to talk about all the books I've read and some of them deserve longer discussion than others.  But I've already begun rolling on my May 2013 list and there are some pretty good ones in that grouping as well.  Feel free to keep up with my reading adventures via my GoodReads account.  What have you all been reading lately?


Comments

  1. I just finished 'replay' by ken grimwood....i'd recommend it, its pretty fascinating! my friend made me read it without reading the back first, so i won't tell you about it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Ghost Map sounds interesting--and I feel for Lowe, being objectified as a teenager as a teen always ends up as a bad experience, Been there! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oooo...that Glaciers sounds really good. Reading Storm of Swords by George RR Martin, and it's a thick one, so I'll be reading that for awhile:)

    ReplyDelete
  4. How do you have time to read so much?? I'm so jealous. Also, I'm kind of intrigued by the graphic novels. I was listening to NPR while running errands the other day and there was a story on about how comics books/graphic novels are the one genre of print media that's actually growing in demand and popularity.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Interesting list you have there! How was the faeries book? It looks great:)

    I know I only found you today, but I'll be adding you on goodreads if that's ok. And since I bought some graphic novels on Free Comic Book Day I'm sure I'll read a bunch this month as well.

    blueeyednightowl.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  6. You are such a power reader! I've just started "11/22/63" by Stephen King, and it's hard to put down!

    ReplyDelete
  7. That´s quite a big selection you have there! I wish I had more time to read but school books have taken over :( I´ll definitely will be checking these books out, they look interesting :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oooh, I read Maus I this month! Dying to get my hands on the second one now.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I can't even keep up with you and I have almost an hour on the train every day to read...some of them sound really interesting. I'm reading Snow Crash from your list last month and it is taking forever. Good but slow, it's like reading in another language.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I´m amazed that you´ve read all of these - I envy you! Looks interesting, I´ll se if I stumble upon any of them soon. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Agh, I need to open up a GoodReads account! I've been reading like a madwoman ever since I got my Kindle for Xmas!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. No matter how hard I try, you always manage to read tons more books than I do every time!

    7% Solution​

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh no, more books for my list. I'm never going to finish it ;) thanks for the recommendations! Xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the recent read posts you do, I always get such great ideas. I laughed out loud at the fact that Rob Lowe has memoirs, totally unexpected! He used to rent a house next to the office where I work and the ladies in the office (*ahem* myself included) used to spend a great part of our day stalking him from the windows.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Neel has the Ghost Map and I've been eyeballing it, but I've promised Cal that I'll re-read To Kill a Mockingbird since he's reading it in school. That's next on the pile. I have the RL memoir too.

    I have a book I'm quite excited about that I think might be up your alley, but I need to do a little research on it before I write about it, so you're just going to have to wait, missy! Have a good weekend! XO

    Lauren @ still + life

    ReplyDelete
  16. How did you like "Paris I love you..."? I've heard mixed reviews about it being a whiny American judging Paris for being too Parisian and not American enough. I need to hear another opinion!

    ReplyDelete
  17. oh the ghost map, coulda/woulda/shoulda been better than it was, in my opinion. what did you think? i would love some recommendations on graphic novels. i know fisher would love to know about some too. and like lauren, reading the same novels as my child is such a wonderful thing to do. it's totally become one of the things that have kept us super close in his teenage years. it wonderful for stimulating conversations that you might not have otherwise.

    i had the same reaction to graphic novels when i started the reading the walking dead, "does this count as reading?" but if reading for entertainment and to get your imagination going is the point, yes, absolutely counts.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Seriously impressive reading list. I envy you having the time. I can't wait for my hols when I have a whole pile of books to get through....

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yay I love your book lists! I added some in my TBR! :D

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm just gonna go ahead and echo everyone else (even though it's already been said), but I do love your reading lists.

    Also, this makes me super excited for a little something, if you know what I mean, and I think that you do! :)

    Oh, and what am I reading? Well, I just finished "The Ginger Tree" by Oswald Wynd and I'm getting ready to start "The Stars Shine Bright" by Sibella Giorello . . .

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Reads