I want to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving! Eat, give thanks and then eat some more! I got back into reading this month, but could not really get into anything I did read. Then I found Margaret Atwood's post-apocalyptic trilogy and fell in love with reading all over again! Here they are November reads:
Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedel Smith
This is the story of Elizabeth II- the currently reigning queen of Britain. The queen is known for being a rather private and reserved person, but this book attempts to show another side. I found the first few chapters interesting. Once she becomes queen it is all business and ceremony. I definitely don't want to be queen, just a member of the royal family living off the money.
Verdict: According to my Kindle, I only made read 15% of this book.
Third World America by Arianna Huffington
This is a heavy dose of reality and the author has facts and personal stories to back-up the current state of things in America. None of this information is new or surprising but the collection of it all in one place is well- depressing. I almost stopped reading it, but the last chapter promised a summary of "what we could do about it." Everything in this book is pretty much why I don't watch the news.
Verdict: I didn't like it, but it is all true. So if you need a summary of how badly things are going, this is a great resource. Sigh....
How to Blog for Profit Without Selling Your Soul by Ruth Soukup
Don't worry I am not trying to monetize, but I am interested in the topic of blogging in general. I found this book to be very big picture with not a lot of details on how to actually do what the author recommends.
Verdict: Definitely not worth $4.99. Thankfully, I got to read it for free through my Amazon Prime membership.
The End of San Francisco by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore
This book got a lot of praise for being a deeply personal memoir and pushing the boundaries of gender identity. Okay I will give it that. The writing style is pretty unbearable and disjointed. This is my absolute least favorite kind of story- where the content or theme is somehow suppose to trump the author's actual ability to write. I just don't get "art."
Verdict: To steal a quote from Despicable Me "This is literature?"
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
First book I really got into, in a loooong time. I started reading it and couldn't stop. It is (another) story about a post-apocalyptic future, but is still very original. Told through one character's point of view, the author does a great job keeping you interested and in suspense on how it came to be.
Verdict: This book is part of a trilogy and I look forward to continuing the story.
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
This is the second book of Atwood's post apocalyptic story and it is told from different character's point of view. I found the first half of the book kinda boring, but then the time lines from the first and second book overlap and the dots start to connect.
Verdict: Can't wait to start book 3. I am on the waiting list at the library, so it might be next month.
An Apple a Day by Emma Woolf
I have never understood anorexia, but after reading this memoir I feel more enlightened. I still don't understand not eating. If I miss a meal it is a minor crisis and reading this book made me feel very hungry. But the author did a really honest and sincere job of sharing her experience. The author points out that most woman have hang-ups about food and that is what helped me to empathize.
Verdict: Highly recommend. This is really written and relatable.
Teatime for Firefly by Shona Patel
This started off being very interesting but I got less and less interested as the story progressed. It is very well-written in that the author creates a captivating scene. I just didn't see what the purpose of the story was? Towards the end it kind just drags on.
Verdict: It is just a nice story. Nothing more, nothing less.
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
This was a story within a story within a story! This was truly a work of art- an amazing story, beautifully told. It has one of those endings that makes you think. It was the first audio book I borrowed from the library and the author read it herself. I really would suggest the audio book, as the author has a very lyrical style.of writing.
Verdict: This is literature at its best!
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