Holes - Louis Sachar: 4 Stars
Read if you like young YA (middle grade)
library hardback
This is definitely a middle grade level story, and I'm sad I didn't read it when I was younger. It was cute and it pulled me in quickly with the mystery of the curse and why they were digging holes. I liked Stanley and Zero and seeing their relationship grow. And I really loved the ending.
I Am The Messenger- Markus Zusak: 4 Stars
Read if you like YA msytery
library hardback
First, this is nothing like The Book Thief and I don't think it's fair to compare the two. They're not even the same genre (other than fiction). That said, I really enjoyed this one and it also had me thinking about it long after I finished it. It's the story about an average person who saves peoples' lives by doing little things that have a great impact in the long run. The book is incredibly well written and definitely made me angry, upset, and hopeful all at once.
Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging- Louise Rennison: 3 Stars
Read if you like chick-lit, diary-style, YA
library hardback
I feel like some of the British humor got lost in translation and I probably would have loved this one more if I'd read it when I was younger. I saw that someone compared it to the 14-yr-old version of Bridget Jones and I'd have to agree with that. I'm not sure that I liked the ending though- it just seems kinda wrong. Overall it was a cute, fluffy story about make-up, friendships, and boys.
Barbara the Slut and Other People- Lauren Holmes: 3 Stars
Read if you like short stories and don't mind cursing
library e-book
I read this in a single sitting. The stories were pretty hit or miss for me. My favorite was the first one (How Am I Supposed To Talk To You?) about a 20-something coming out to her very traditional Hispanic mother. My least favorite (My Humans) was written from a dog's POV after being adopted. Maybe I'm not really a fan of short stories though, because I felt like the endings were severely lacking (or just sucked). Actually,"sucked" is too strong- I like happy endings. Many of these were not.
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Erin's 7.0 Book Challenge updates: 160/200 and only 3 more to go... and I'm going for it! I've already started 2 of these:
|15 points| An animal on the cover: Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by The Blogess aka Jenny Lawson (currently reading)
|20 points| Compass/cardinal direction in title: East, West- Salman Rushdie
|10 points| Starts w/ “B”: Barbara the Slut and Other People- Lauren Holmes|10 points| Yellow cover: Everything Changes- Jonathan Tropper
|20 points| Published in 2017: We Are Never Meeting In Real Life. - Samantha Irby
|25 points| A commonly banned book in America: Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging- Louise Rennison
|30 points| About mental illness: Everything Everything- Nicola Yoon
|30 points| Non-human main character: I Am The Messenger- Markus Zusak
|35 points| A Disney movie /book/ based on a Disney movie: Holes- Louis Sachar
What have you been reading lately?
I've got three more left in the challenge also. We're in the home stretch!
ReplyDeleteI am a Messenger sounds good. Adding it to my TBR! I am not doing so great with Erin's Challenge and I've decided to be okay with that. But congrats to you for doing so well!
ReplyDeleteI love this linkup! So many new books. I want to check out I am the Messenger! I am not a fan of short stories so those books never work for me.
ReplyDeleteI want to check out the Marcus Z book. I didn't know it existed!
ReplyDeleteI loved The Messenger. LOVED IT.
ReplyDeleteI've only read The Book Thief, but I'd love to read another book by him! And Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging sounds really cute. I'll have to pick it up. And way to go on Erin's Challenge! I only have 3 books left too!
ReplyDeleteI have both The Book Thief and The Messenger in my TBR - didn't realize they weren't the same type though. Thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteI liked hearing your thoughts on I Am the Messenger. I have had this book on my TBR for some time now, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed Holes. I thought it was a fun little read, too.
You really dug into some YA this month, huh? I have Book Thief downloaded, I just need to get to it. I will go ahead and add Messenger to my list also!
ReplyDeleteMan, I feel like a slacker. I need to start reading like you do. Send some reading vibes my way.
ReplyDeleteYOU CAN DO IT! :) Good luck finishing the challenge. I have 1.5 ish left. Not really excited about them, but I think I can finish. I added I am the Messenger to my TBR. I LOVE HOLES. I think I read it in 5th or 6th grade and loved it so much. I'd love to re-read it. I like how the past/present were interwoven. I remember reading Angus Thongs.. in High School...early in high school I think? It was ok. I thought it was funny, but I think I was like 14 and had very little experience with any of the teenage-y things happening in the book. LOL It's a whole series and I know some people love/d it. XO - Alexandra
ReplyDeleteSimply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
i haven't read I Am The Messenger yet and while i completely agree with you re: comparing, i don't know that i will be able to stop myself, you know? i'm scared lol.
ReplyDelete3 books to go! good luck! some girls are has been on my list for ages so can't wait to hear what you think.
I saw Markus Zusak speak. He said Rudy from The Book Thief and the doorman from I Am the Messenger were his favorite characters to write. I find it fascinating that I've enjoyed both of those books yet they were such different experiences.
ReplyDeleteWay to be doing so well in the challenge!
I just downloaded Holes for Nolan! I haven't read it, but probably will now. I have seen the movie though and it's pretty cute. I felt the same way about Barbara the Slut and short stories in general. By the time I get invested in the story, it's over.
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