January 2019 - Reading Tally
Feb. 3rd, 2019 08:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pastryqueenNot sure if I mentioned this here, but I kicked off my Goodreads 2019 challenge to fifty books. I didn't make the goal last year but I'm confident that I can meet it now. I'm no longer in school which freed up my personal time significantly.
In January, I read five books. Three were paperback/hardcover, two were audiobooks. All in all, I'm satisfied with what I've been reading so far.
I Find You in the Darkness" by Alfa Holden: In December, I found this book in Target while my younger sister and I went Christmas shopping. I was intrigued by the cover and the art inside. The content itself was... all right. I liked some of the poems, but I think I've just run into a pattern where I think I'm picking up an interesting collection of poems, only to discover they're about a romantic breakup and the poet recovering from it. Three books of poetry I read last year were all about the same themes, to the point where I couldn't personally decipher which isolated poem belonged to which poet.
It doesn't mean these poems aren't well-written, or carry meaning for someone else! They were good for what they were. This just says more about my personal taste. Aside from a few entries this collection just wasn't for me. (Plus, I think Warsan Shire's poetry spoiled me.)
My Rating: ★★★
"The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett: I started reading this on the Kindle, and eventually switched to audio once I realized it came with the Amazon Original audiobook via Audible. I rather enjoyed the narration more than I expected.
This was my choice for the Popsugar 2019 Challenge's Prompt, "A book that makes you feel nostalgic." I grew up watching the 90s movie--and one viewing of a television series that paired Colin and Mary off in the end, for some reason--and never got around to reading the actual book, so it made sense to go with this.
The movie hadn't strayed too far from the original, but I enjoyed revisiting these characters as an adult, as well as re-examining Burnett's writing with historical context. I read somewhere that Christian science influenced her, and how the book could be read as a feminist take on the "rest cure" of Burnett's day - which is really fascinating! I never heard about this but the story is so much more interesting with that in mind.
I'm really curious, though: what is up with Burnett's fascination with India? First "A Little Princess," and then this. Was she trying to appeal to her readership--maybe India was a trending topic in British and English literature at the time?--or was this just her personal interest? Either way: her biography never mentions if she visited India, but if she hadn't, hoo boy - it shows. The racism is astounding.
Overall, I'm glad I got around to reading this book, though in hindsight I really wish Burnett paid as much respect and consideration to India as much as she does with her Yorkshire characters. It most certainly detracted from the story.
My Rating: ★★½
"Severance" by Ling Ma: This was my December choice for Book of the Month. I was not disappointed with this. Without giving too much away, it was an interesting take on the post-apocalyptic narrative. I loved how the author weaved in heavy topics about immigration, capitalism, and Candace's identity crisis altogether, all the while managing to get a laugh or two out of me with its satirical spin. And I got to say, Shen Fever and its effects on people were far more disturbing to me than what we've come to expect from, say, zombies.
My Rating: ★★★★
"My Sister, The Serial Killer" by Oyinkan Braithwaite: I picked up the audiobook for this one, and I highly recommend people to opt for the audio over the physical text. I loved the narrator! As for the book itself: ngl I expected more out of it. While I enjoyed the dark humor and thought the writer made interesting commentary on sexism and beauty, Korede was a frustrating protagonist for me; I'm still trying to make sense out of her motivations.
My Rating: ★★★
"Attachments" by Rainbow Rowell: I'm trying to finish all of Rainbow Rowell's work before her next book comes out. I must say, Rowell hasn't disappointed me yet. I loved her take on the epistolary novel and thought Beth and Jennifer were fun characters. Lincoln was very sympathetic for me as well, with his struggle to figure out what he wants out of life. It was also fun to revisit 1999/2000, because I remember the Y2K and all the pop culture references so clearly that I was struck by the nostalgia.
However, I almost docked off a star when I got to the climax in the theater. Without spoiling anything: it was very awkward, so much that I had to put the book down for a moment until I was done cringing. The resolution made up for it, but I truly wish she hadn't written the scene like that.
My Rating: ★★★★
In January, I read five books. Three were paperback/hardcover, two were audiobooks. All in all, I'm satisfied with what I've been reading so far.
I Find You in the Darkness" by Alfa Holden: In December, I found this book in Target while my younger sister and I went Christmas shopping. I was intrigued by the cover and the art inside. The content itself was... all right. I liked some of the poems, but I think I've just run into a pattern where I think I'm picking up an interesting collection of poems, only to discover they're about a romantic breakup and the poet recovering from it. Three books of poetry I read last year were all about the same themes, to the point where I couldn't personally decipher which isolated poem belonged to which poet.
It doesn't mean these poems aren't well-written, or carry meaning for someone else! They were good for what they were. This just says more about my personal taste. Aside from a few entries this collection just wasn't for me. (Plus, I think Warsan Shire's poetry spoiled me.)
My Rating: ★★★
"The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett: I started reading this on the Kindle, and eventually switched to audio once I realized it came with the Amazon Original audiobook via Audible. I rather enjoyed the narration more than I expected.
This was my choice for the Popsugar 2019 Challenge's Prompt, "A book that makes you feel nostalgic." I grew up watching the 90s movie--and one viewing of a television series that paired Colin and Mary off in the end, for some reason--and never got around to reading the actual book, so it made sense to go with this.
The movie hadn't strayed too far from the original, but I enjoyed revisiting these characters as an adult, as well as re-examining Burnett's writing with historical context. I read somewhere that Christian science influenced her, and how the book could be read as a feminist take on the "rest cure" of Burnett's day - which is really fascinating! I never heard about this but the story is so much more interesting with that in mind.
I'm really curious, though: what is up with Burnett's fascination with India? First "A Little Princess," and then this. Was she trying to appeal to her readership--maybe India was a trending topic in British and English literature at the time?--or was this just her personal interest? Either way: her biography never mentions if she visited India, but if she hadn't, hoo boy - it shows. The racism is astounding.
Overall, I'm glad I got around to reading this book, though in hindsight I really wish Burnett paid as much respect and consideration to India as much as she does with her Yorkshire characters. It most certainly detracted from the story.
My Rating: ★★½
"Severance" by Ling Ma: This was my December choice for Book of the Month. I was not disappointed with this. Without giving too much away, it was an interesting take on the post-apocalyptic narrative. I loved how the author weaved in heavy topics about immigration, capitalism, and Candace's identity crisis altogether, all the while managing to get a laugh or two out of me with its satirical spin. And I got to say, Shen Fever and its effects on people were far more disturbing to me than what we've come to expect from, say, zombies.
My Rating: ★★★★
"My Sister, The Serial Killer" by Oyinkan Braithwaite: I picked up the audiobook for this one, and I highly recommend people to opt for the audio over the physical text. I loved the narrator! As for the book itself: ngl I expected more out of it. While I enjoyed the dark humor and thought the writer made interesting commentary on sexism and beauty, Korede was a frustrating protagonist for me; I'm still trying to make sense out of her motivations.
My Rating: ★★★
"Attachments" by Rainbow Rowell: I'm trying to finish all of Rainbow Rowell's work before her next book comes out. I must say, Rowell hasn't disappointed me yet. I loved her take on the epistolary novel and thought Beth and Jennifer were fun characters. Lincoln was very sympathetic for me as well, with his struggle to figure out what he wants out of life. It was also fun to revisit 1999/2000, because I remember the Y2K and all the pop culture references so clearly that I was struck by the nostalgia.
However, I almost docked off a star when I got to the climax in the theater. Without spoiling anything: it was very awkward, so much that I had to put the book down for a moment until I was done cringing. The resolution made up for it, but I truly wish she hadn't written the scene like that.
My Rating: ★★★★
