We Can't Be Broken: H. K. Christie (a book you meant to read in 2018)

I got this book for free in return for a review in 2018, and after reading the first chapter, I gave up on it. When I saw it again in my Kindle library, I figured I needed to see it through, so I picked it up again

Overall, I was not a fan at all. The entire novel was completely predictable. I think the author hits on many important topics and issues but doesn't delve into anything enough to make those hits significant or worth it. The plot and characters have so much potential, but they're wasted in this story.

I’m not a fan of the “overly dramatic,” so I didn’t like how the author chose to end the last chapter: “I sang as I danced around the room, blissfully unaware that just fourteen months later we would get devastating news that would change our lives forever.” I think this specifically is one of those instances where show it don’t tell it would apply. This says to me, “hey, you were having fun up until this point, but don’t get comfortable because something bad will happen in the next chapter.” In the right context, that can be fine, but not here. It is out of place and completely unnecessary.

I also can’t understate how annoyed I was by the use of “us kids.” Example: in chapter three, she says, “Us kids each took a chair.” That is at least the third time the author incorrectly uses her pronouns, and maybe it’s because an 11-year old is narrating, but this was like nails on a chalkboard for me, especially when she used it twice in the same paragraph. If she’s going to narrate as an 11-year old and use that as the excuse for incorrect grammar, then she should use it in other places too. The only place I’m seeing it is with the “us kids did this” bits, so I can’t believe the reason is to make the narrator seem her age.

The shift in perspective was very welcome, but it seemed disorganized. There doesn’t seem to be any patterns, rather, the perspectives change on a whim, and I can’t seem to understand the purpose of those shifts.

There are moments when I feel bad for Sam, like when he’s nonchalantly mentioning how his step-father abuses him, or talking about how his mom forgot his birthday. Those moments are heartbreaking, but other than that I don’t have sympathy for the characters. They aren’t real enough for me. It didn’t seem as though the characters were built upon enough for the context to feel sympathy. The whole time I knew that I was reading a made up story of made up people; there was never a moment when I escaped my world and forgot that the story wasn’t real. Yeah, the whole family goes through some really crappy experiences, but the narrators are not written well enough to relate or feel sorrow because they're so one-dimensional.

I do feel sorry to have such a review after reading that this book was written based off the childhood of the author, but that didn't change how I felt about the book.

The Widow: Fiona Barton (A debut novel)

This novel keep me guessing until the very last page. The full story isn't wrapped until the end. In most detective stories I've read, we get the perspective of the villain, which makes it easier to piece things together. In this novel, we get the perspectives of many people, and we aren't able to piece the story together.

I have a hard time picking which characters were the good guys, and I'm led to believe there are none in this story. It's tragic, really, to witness these people with their hidden agendas even in the midst of this horror.

The alternating perspectives and chronology was hard to keep up with, but I figured it out by making sure I read the chapter headings each time. I usually skip those but for this book, I needed them.

I think Barton does a fabulous job in her debut novel. I was impressed when I read this was her first.

Barton also tied many different pieces together very smoothly. She's able to accurately present the side of the victim's family, the suspect's family, the lead detective and his family, as well as many aspects of the media. It seems like a big bite on her first go, but it's clear that Barton did her research. That makes the read much more engaging and captivating.

When I started reading, I told myself I would just read a chapter of two and then do some house work, but that didn't happen. Because the timeline was so jumpy, each chapter was unexpected and new, and I wasn't able to stop after just one.

The Silent Wife: A. S. A. Harrison (A book told from multiple character POVs).

This was a fantastic read. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I read it, and I never knew how it was going to end until it ended. I love it when a book can do that.

The POVs of Jodi and Todd were great; it helped move the plot forward, when it could have gotten stuck. Getting into both of their minds helped build cases for and against both of them. I could have chosen to like or hate both of them, depending on how I interpreted their actions. I appreciated that Harrison gives us the room to make a choice.

I found it added to the thrill that mainly the characters were referred to as "Him" and "Her." Their names are used, but in the beginning especially, Harrison sticks with him and her. This makes it more thrilling because I imagine the characters as nameless people going through the motions, building up to the climax but not knowing how to get there.

Harrison also does a great job building her characters. They are all unlikable at some point, and the only one who I found I actually did like or feel sympathy for was Jodi. Just when I thought she had no backbone and did nothing to stand up for herself, she does so, in the biggest way she can. It took me by surprise when she finally grew that backbone and let her anger loose.

I enjoyed the inclusion of the transcripts for Jodi's psych appointments. This helped build Jodi into the person she was at the end. Through those conversations, the readers are allowed to understand the backstory of Jodi and how she thinks. It was fascinating to read the last few pages and connect the puzzle pieces of Ryan and Darrell.

I started this book too late in the night to read it through in one sitting, and I regret that. It was a book that I did not want to put down.

Peace Like a River: Leif Enger (A book about a family)

This book has all of the things I look for in a book of fiction: family, love, tragedy, faith, forgiveness, death, triumph, twist endings... It was an incredibly good read. 

This book had been on my to-read list for quite a while, and I finally checked out from my local library. I'm very sad that I don't remember why I put it on my list. I would like to know where I saw it or who recommended that I read it because I would like to thank him or her. 

The narration, done by Reuben, an 11-year-old-boy, is well done. It is compelling and drives the story along. I enjoyed his perspective on things, and I find the author's choice of character interesting. He could have made great narration with any of the other characters, but by choosing Reuben, he maintains a sense of innocence throughout the whole book, which adds to the emotion and drama of the narrative. 

I loved the character of Swede, and I envy her poetic talents. It's fairly unbelievable that a nine-year-old would have such talent, but Enger makes us believe. She's a fun addition to the house of boys. 

The theme of faith in this book also intrigued me. Enger just hints at it, really. He mentions the miracles and Jeremiah's prayers and devotions, but it's more of a side story, and not a focus of the book, which is interesting because it is a central focus of the family. He touches on Davy's refusal to believe, but it doesn't go deeper than that. Reuben and Swede seem along for the ride, and know how to use faith to their advantage, but again, Enger doesn't go deeper than that. I wonder at his reasoning for including so many points of religion without diving in or working off those points.

The emotional ride I had in this book was a subtle but fun one. It was a slow ride, and one that I took a break from several times, but I enjoyed it. Enger carries you along through this family's search for love and redemption in a brilliant and beautiful way.

The Dressmaker: Kate Alcott (A book with an item of clothing on the cover)

This was an exceptionally written book. It was a book I bought based on the title and the cover. It reminded me of Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, mainly because of the title, so I figured I would enjoy this book too. I had no idea it was about the Titanic and the aftermath, but I'm grateful it was.

Tess, our heroine, was a brilliantly built character. She pulls you along on this torment of tragedy, courage, and love. She's a fantastic blend of naiveté and maturity, which I found to be inspiring.

All of the characters were well built and written. Each has growth which is important for me in a story, especially in such a drama as this. I was shocked to discover that a majority of the characters were real people and the plot points truly happened. I spent at least an hour looking up each person, reading the summaries from the trials, and finding out the ramifications of these events. I'm thankful that this story lead me to do much learning!

I've never much liked the movie Titanic, I think because it was too drawn out regardless of the lack of touching on the more serious issues of the sinking. I found this book to be a much better retelling of this tragedy because it goes beyond the actual sinking and follows the survivors as they face the world waiting for them. Alcott reminds us of the aftermath and the lives ruined in the weeks following.

Watership Down: Richard Adams (A book with a two-word title)

A friend recommended this book to me, and I'll admit, when she first described it, the only interest came from the absurdity of it. As she told me, it's a book about a few rabbits surviving in the world. Strange, right?

It's actually a very neat idea: Richard Adams began telling his daughters a bedtime story about Fiver and Hazel, and after several years, when the story was finished, his daughters encouraged him to write the story into a book. Thus, Watership Down was born. 

The first thing I found fascinating about this novel is that it's really a children's story. But you wouldn't guess it from reading. The themes and concepts are mature, not so that they're inappropriate for children but so that adults can appreciate and connect to as well. It's about rabbits, yes, but it's also about us, which makes it such a compelling tale. Every few chapters, he includes a story that the rabbits tell, their own sort of mythology. I found these to be a great inclusion, especially when considering this story was made for children. And these tales go to show just how vast this world Adams created is. 

Adams created a rabbit language, which was so enjoyable. It was fun to figure out where the words he was using came from, and try and decipher the meaning of the words (without using his provided dictionary). Because the rabbits don't speak English, there are times they would come across something that they have no word for. This happened when they found a boat. They didn't have a word for boat, and sometimes, Adams would give us enough context and clues to figure out that the rabbits were talking of a boat, and other times, he would have other characters tell us what the item was. Rabbits don't have numbers either, so often times, Adams would simply tell the reader what the number was, and that was a fun sort of aside.

It's fascinating, to me, how real these rabbits are. They're just rabbits, but Adams made them human. He made them as real as I am. He does make sure, throughout the story, to remind us that they are just rabbits, and not human (by language or eating habits, etc.) but that doesn't take away from the anthropomorphism. I've never considered myself an animal rights activist, but I encourage anyone who hunts rabbits to read this book and then try and hunt a rabbit.

At the beginning of each chapter, Adams adds a quote, setting the mood and theme of the section, and I quite enjoyed finding the relationship between the quote and the chapter. Some were easy, but some were rather challenging. This was a great addition to the book.

I'm almost ashamed to admit that my heart bled for these rabbits. Sounds silly, right? The tragic triumphs they had and the horrific obstacles they faced were so real and alive in Adams' writing. I think that takes a certain sort of magic: making humans cry for the lives of rabbits.

2019 Reading Resolutions

Because my ABC reading challenge of 2018 was so helpful and fun, I decided to do more reading challenges this year.

As I read the books on these lists, I'll edit this post to reflect which book fits in which category. I'll also be writing a post for the books.

My first challenge is to read one chapter of Harry Potter each day. This is going to be difficult because I never want to stop at just one chapter, but it will be fun to slow down and take the time to really read each chapter.

My second challenge is to read at least five books that I own and haven't read yet. My TBR shelf is huge and getting bigger, so I need to knock some of those books off. Five isn't a whole lot, but with the other challenges, I thought five would be a good starting point, and if I read more, great.

1.  The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
2.  Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
3.  The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
4.  Home by Julie Andrews
5.  Do Penguins Have Knees? by David Feldman

***I double-dipped for this because I ran out of time, but these five books were on my TBR shelf and I read them for the Pop Sugar challenge, so I count them.***

The last, and biggest, challenge, I took from Pop Sugar. I have to read a book for each of these categories:

• A book becoming a movie in 2019: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
• A book that makes you nostalgic: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
• A book written by a musician (fiction or nonfiction): Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
• A book you think should be turned into a movie
• A book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads: Animal Farm by George Orwell
• A book with a plant in the title or on the cover: The Accomplished Guest by Ann Beattie
• A reread of a favorite book: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
• A book about a hobby: The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger
• A book you meant to read in 2018: We Can't Be Broken by H. K. Christie
• A book with "pop," "sugar," or "challenge" in the title
• A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover:  The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
• A book inspired by mythology, legend, or folklore: The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
• A book published posthumously
• A book set in space: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
• A book by two female authors: An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
• A book with a title that contains "salty," "sweet," "bitter," or "spicy"
• A book set in Scandinavia
• A book that takes place in a single day: The 6:41 to Paris by Jean-Philippe Blondel
• A debut novel: The Widow by Fiona Barton
• A book that's published in 2019: Seven Letters by J.P. Monninger
• A book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
• A book recommended by a celebrity you admire: Wunderland by Jennifer Cody Epstein
• A book with "love" in the title: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
• A book featuring an amateur detective: 11/22/63 by Stephen King
• A book about a family: Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
• A book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America
• A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title
• A book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie
• A retelling of a classic: Eligible: by Curtis Sittenfeld
• A book with a question in the title: Do Penguins Have Knees? by David Feldman
• A book set on a college or university campus: The Rainmaker by John Grisham
• A book about someone with a superpower: Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts
• A book told from multiple character POVs: The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison
• A book that includes a wedding: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
• A book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
• A ghost story: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
• A book with a two-word title: Watership Down by Richard Adams
• A novel based on a true story: The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict
• A book revolving around a puzzle or game
• Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: A book made into a movie you've already seen: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
• A "cli-fi" (climate fiction) book
• A "choose-your-own-adventure" book: My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel by Kitty Curran
• An "own voices" book: Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish
• Read a book during the season it is set in: The Christmas Letters by Lee Smith
• A LitRPG book: Assassin's Creed by Oliver Bowden
• A book with no chapters, unusual chapter headings, or unconventionally numbered chapters: 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster
• Two books that share the same title (1): Home by Toni Morrison
• Two books that share the same title (2): Home by Julie Andrews
• A book that has inspired a common phrase or idiom
• A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent: And Then There Were Nun by Jane Christmas

This is 50 different books, which is quite a leap from last year's 26 book challenge, so I'll have to work hard. 

I'm going to try and make each book one that I haven't read before, but some of them I'll have to reread, which is fine and probably a bit helpful. 

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

This was a compelling and heartbreaking story of Jane Grey. I find this period of history to be entertaining and usually fascinating. While Jane Grey has a very interesting history,  think the author could have done better in telling the story. 

I appreciated the back and forth between main characters as that enabled more than a one-sided story. It game me a glimpse into the lives of several actors in the tale. 

However compelling the true history is, this book was long and drawn out on several aspects. I think the book could have been 100 pages shorter. I understand that a lot of background is needed to follow the path that Jane lived, but I think a lot was also unnecessary. The beginning was very slow, the middle was very slow, and it wasn't until the end where the story gathered speed and I was flipping pages as fast as I could. Much of this book is skim-able.