These are my last four months readings.
Let's get down to business.
Crappy photo alert.
Insomniac City by Bill Hayes: I really liked this book. I really don't like New York but somehow I always love its rendition in movies and books. I also loved the little details in this book. The very mundane and yet extraordinary sweet situations.
Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris: Since Girl on the Train, which was probably the first thriller I ever read, I'm having a hard time enjoying the others. It's like every single thriller I read where a woman is the main character/narrator, there is domestic violence involded. This book was no exception. Not a big fan.
Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier: I love her style so much! She manages to set such eerie atmospheres. The story wasn't much when I look at it, but the atmosphere was killer.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler: What a gutwrenching book. I loved it. Loved the style, the simplicity of it and yet the powerful messages she conveys. It hurts to read sometimes but it is so good and meaningful.
Out by Natsuo Kirino: I kind of enjoyed this book. I love how Japan is depicted. The story was quite original. I'm not thrilled though.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett: A little corny for my taste. Even though I'm well aware it is a kids book.
Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs: I loved this one. Loved the crazy dysfonctionnal family Burroughs was raised into. Reminded me of The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, which I really loved.
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett: Didn't do it for me. I didn't quite grasped the humor of it I guess.
Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser: Against all odds I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't expecting to. It's funny how people seem to love it or hate it. No in-between. Dreiser's style is often vividly criticized in the negative reviews I read. I don't quite understand why.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon: This book was fun and super fast to read. I read it by my window drinking very good beer and eating smoked mozarella. I have a very vivid and awesome memory of the good time I had reading this book in these conditions. :)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson: Didn't like it at all. Stories of people on drugs are not fun if you're not on drugs yourself I suppose.
Alys, Always by Harriet Lane: Ok, not great.
Judgement Day by Penelope Lively: Couldn't get into the story for the life of me. Didn't like the style at all and found the overall book very boring.
Thousand Cranes by Yasunari Kawabata: Mmm... I don't remember much about this one and how it made me feel... I think it was OK but not great.
Native Son by Richard Wright: The first half of this book blew my mind. It was still good after that but I was a little less into it. I don't remember why now. I read this book at the end of may so my memory is a little hazy now. But Richard Wright is such a solid writer...
The Ballroom by Anna Hope: Meh. Corny.
Some Prefer Nettles by Junichiro Tanizaki: I wanted to read this book so much. I spent more money that I usually do for it. And I was disappointed. The pitch of the story ( a couple on the rocks) really left me wanting to know the whole story but I didn't get much into it in the end.
The Lake House by Kate Morton: I brought this book on vacation reckoning it would be a nice vacation read. It was. Not great, a little corny but page turner nonetheless.
Revenge by Yoko Ogawa: It took me a while to get into and get the point. I'm not over the moon with this book but it was definitely interesting. Loved how the different stories were linked to each others.
Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer: Loved this one. Perfect example that children litterature doesn't have to be corny. Kids are not morons.
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill: I regret that I didn't read this one in the winter by candle light. :) It was exactly what I was expecting and it was good. Cool.
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler: Sequel to parable of the Sower. I was not disappointed. Can't wait to read more Octavia Butler. (This book is a birthday gift from my brother :) )
The Witches Of Eastwick by John Updike: Didn't like this one much. Didn't find the witches relatable. Maybe I missed the point. I thought they were all phonies trying to pass as free spirits and free women, they were just mean and obsessed by a man that could do to them pretty much whatever he wanted. Yak.
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier: Nice and easy read. This is the second book I read by Tracy Chevalier and I enjoyed both, but there is something missing. Maybe in her style, I can't explain.
Histoires Vraies 1 by Pierre Bellemare et Jacques Antoine: I'm a big fan of French legend Pierre Bellemare. He passed away very recently. In honor of his passing I read this book. It's always fun. And despite the fact that the title says 'True Stories', they sound so fake and you can't find anything about the events and people they talk about on the internet. Weird!
The Mortgaged Heart by Carson McCullers: I started this collection of short stories a couple of years ago, I finally finished it! God, what a writer McCullers is!!! Such beautiful prose. Her words unwind like a movie in my head everytime. I very much enjoyed Who Has Seen the Wind.
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates: Latest heartthrob. The characters were so realistic, it hurt. I finished the book with a knot in my belly and nausea. 4 stars. Maybe 4 and 1/2. :)
This is it for the last four months. :)
Can't wait to read more!
Here is the blog post I did for January February and March Readings.
Cheers!
