Show Us Your Books: March Edition

I confess- I didn't finish a single book in March. I started A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, but after 50 pages I gave up. It started out all sad and depressing (and very much like that movie Up) and I just couldn't get into it. After hearing it a thousand times, I'm slowly learning that it IS okay not to finish a book. Life is too short, and there's too much I want to read to waste time on something I can't get into at the moment. Maybe I'll pick it up again, maybe I won't. I don't know yet. But I've been doing book reviews for several years- many of which none of you have seen! So I'm sharing some of those, plus a quickie review from Blue! 

A quick reminder before I get started though: Check out the "Read My Books" challenge happening in June. It's a good one. Prizes are to be won!

Now back to the reviews!

The Martian- Andy Weir: 4 Stars

Blue's Review: It only takes a chapter to have you rooting for Mark Watney. Though heavy with science, this fast paced adventure reads like an Oscar caliber film with plenty of laughs and feel good moments about making the impossible possible with what you have to work with. Score: 4 out of 5 potatoes.

*I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

Of Love and Other Demons- Gabriel Garcia Marquez: 3 Stars

** spoiler alert ** I'm still confused. I don't know for sure if she was ever possessed by demons or not, as at times she acted out in ways to make it seem as if she was, but with the ones she cared about she was normal. I don't believe she was possessed. I also don't understand how Delaura fell in love with this girl, especially when she pushed him away so callously in the beginning.  Nor do I  understand the Bishop's harsh treatment of Delaura.

I thought the end was very sad. Why couldn't they just escape? They had a surefire exit route. Had Delaura just listened to her, they would have lived free and happy. I gave this 3 stars instead of two because it was well written (if not completely confusing). But I don't really enjoy books that leave me with so many unanswered questions.

Never Tell- Alafair Burke: 2 Stars

This book was given out as part of a goodie bag at a Shecky's Girls Night Out event. I had never heard of the book or the series. When I realized it was part of a series, and #4 in the series, I was reluctant to read it. I'm not a huge fan of series in general, and not sure how it would be starting a series in the middle. But the premise sounded interesting, so I dove in.

The book was all over the place. None of it seemed to make any sense whatsoever until the last 50 pages. I didn't like that. I understand that this was a crime novel (and probably the first true crime novel I've ever read) and we were learning pieces of the story as the detectives learned them, which probably is quite helter skelter, but I felt that overall the book lacked focus. It started by trying to figure out who killed Julia, and then went onto her family's dynamics, then how street kids were making $100 in drug studies and selling out their best friend to make extra money, and then how Julia's best friend's mom was being cyber bullied on her "secret" "anonymous" blog. There was just too much going on.

Oh, and then this storyline of some guy who just got out of jailed turned up every 30 pages or so, with seemingly no attachment to the main story whatsoever. 

Um... WHAT?!?

That's what I found myself saying throughout this book, and not in an "Omg I can't wait to find out what's going to happen next!' way, but more of a "what does this have to do with Julia's murder? Where are these people coming from?" way.  I had to read the last couple pages a few times to really understand what had happened. In the end, the pieces did kinda fit, but it was not tied up in a pretty little bow by any means. I found this book to be confusing, and I'm happy to be done with it.  

Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet- Kashmira Sheth: 3 Stars

I picked this up randomly from my library. I had little expectations for this, which is possibly why I enjoyed it so much. From the description, it sounded like the typical story about arranged marriages. Which it was, but it went a little bit into caste systems and historic versus modern views of marriage. It also touched on domestic abuse and discrimination based on skin color. And it was all delivered from 16 year old Jeeta. I really liked that she spoke her mind openly (though often without thinking)- it made it seem more realistic, and showed how others reacted to and perceived a female speaking out so strongly. This was definitely a quick and easy, if not somewhat fluffy, read. 

Redeeming Love- Francine Rivers: 4.5 Stars

This book was recommended to me by my coworker. She said it was one of the best books she had read in awhile. I noticed that this was historical fiction, which is one of my favorite genres, but I guess I didn't read the summary, because I did not realize that this was Christian Lit until I began reading, and even then, not until I was already pulled in.

Anyway, I really loved this book overall. The only thing keeping me from giving this book 5 stars is the fact that Rivers beats you over the head with the God talk. I understood (eventually) that this was Christian lit, but I didn't need a concussion to understand that the only way Angel was going to be saved was through God.

I did, however, absolutely love the story and her way of telling it; not all at once, but gradually throughout the book. I felt like I was actually there with her. I also liked how Angel, Paul, and Miriam grew and changed throughout the novel.

What are you reading? Share it with Steph and Jana!