Sarahbird's 2014 Reads
Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2014
This group has been archived. Find out more.
Join LibraryThing to post.
1sarahbird
Hello world! My name is Sarah and this is where I plan to record all of the books that I read in 2014. I typically write a sentence or two with my thoughts on each book, rather than a full review. Last year I read 117 books (!), and I'm guessing I'll end up somewhere around there this year also.
A little bit about me - I'm a librarian who works with teens, so I read quite a few young adult books. Outside of YA, my taste runs to contemporary fiction, popular nonfiction on a variety of topics, and the occasional classic. I also enjoy reading books and essays about food and cooking (such as Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant and An Everlasting Meal).
If you're interested in checking out my 2013 thread, you can see it here:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/148752
A little bit about me - I'm a librarian who works with teens, so I read quite a few young adult books. Outside of YA, my taste runs to contemporary fiction, popular nonfiction on a variety of topics, and the occasional classic. I also enjoy reading books and essays about food and cooking (such as Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant and An Everlasting Meal).
If you're interested in checking out my 2013 thread, you can see it here:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/148752
2sarahbird
1.) Wither - So disappointing - I wanted to love this one, but it was just a mess. Flat, unbelievable characters and a story that managed to be both far-fetched and boring. Disappointing.
2.) David and Goliath - I always enjoy Gladwell's books. Some of the anecdotes and examples in this book were much more persuasive than others, but even if I wasn't completely convinced by all of his arguments this book gave me a lot to think about.
2.) David and Goliath - I always enjoy Gladwell's books. Some of the anecdotes and examples in this book were much more persuasive than others, but even if I wasn't completely convinced by all of his arguments this book gave me a lot to think about.
5sarahbird
>3 drneutron: Lots of people have loved it though, so maybe it's just me!
>4 scaifea: Thanks scaifea! I'll be sure to check out your thread as well.
3.) The Luxe - Very silly but fun. Exactly what Gossip Girls would be if it took place in 1899.
4.) The Stockholm Octavo - Listened to this one as an audiobook, which may not be the best format for this story. There were lots of characters to keep track of, and if I had read the print book I'd probably have done a lot of flipping back to remind myself who was who. The story was slow-moving but very atmospheric, and the wintry Sweden setting was perfect for the weather we've been having.
>4 scaifea: Thanks scaifea! I'll be sure to check out your thread as well.
3.) The Luxe - Very silly but fun. Exactly what Gossip Girls would be if it took place in 1899.
4.) The Stockholm Octavo - Listened to this one as an audiobook, which may not be the best format for this story. There were lots of characters to keep track of, and if I had read the print book I'd probably have done a lot of flipping back to remind myself who was who. The story was slow-moving but very atmospheric, and the wintry Sweden setting was perfect for the weather we've been having.
6sarahbird
5.) Six Months Later - YA thriller. I was very meh about this one, as I am about so many YA thrillers.
6.) Somebody Up There Hates You - I quite liked this one. Another teens-with-cancer book, but I thought it was very well done. Plenty of humor and teen snarkiness that kept it from being too much of a downer, although I may still have teared up at the end...
7.) Life After Life - I really, really enjoyed this book. Each time I picked it up and started reading I had the feeling that I was sinking into a warm bath. Just very engaging and imaginative and engrossing and beautifully written.
6.) Somebody Up There Hates You - I quite liked this one. Another teens-with-cancer book, but I thought it was very well done. Plenty of humor and teen snarkiness that kept it from being too much of a downer, although I may still have teared up at the end...
7.) Life After Life - I really, really enjoyed this book. Each time I picked it up and started reading I had the feeling that I was sinking into a warm bath. Just very engaging and imaginative and engrossing and beautifully written.
7sarahbird
8.) The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared - This was really silly and fun. I liked it a lot, but I kept putting it down and starting other books, so it took me a while to get through. Enjoyable, but not really compelling.
9.) All the Time in the World - This was another one that took me a long time to get through, because I would pick it up, dip into a few pages and then put it down. It's divided into sections of no more than a few pages, so it's very conducive to that kind of reading. I really enjoyed this book, all of the historical stories and tidbits were very interesting to me, and also reassuring in a way. It's hard to explain, but the stories about the Japanese courtiers burning incense in 975 ad or Londoners waltzing in 1816 felt very comforting to me, like a reassurance that I am a part of this wonderful human tapestry of life, that stretches across time and across the globe.
9.) All the Time in the World - This was another one that took me a long time to get through, because I would pick it up, dip into a few pages and then put it down. It's divided into sections of no more than a few pages, so it's very conducive to that kind of reading. I really enjoyed this book, all of the historical stories and tidbits were very interesting to me, and also reassuring in a way. It's hard to explain, but the stories about the Japanese courtiers burning incense in 975 ad or Londoners waltzing in 1816 felt very comforting to me, like a reassurance that I am a part of this wonderful human tapestry of life, that stretches across time and across the globe.
8sarahbird
10.) The Miseducation of Cameron Post - YA lesbian fiction, really beautiful writing. Liked it a lot.
11.) The Twelve Tribes of Hattie - Oh lord. Listened to this one as an audiobook, and it took me forever to get through because I didn't even want to turn it on most days. Just unrelentingly depressing - alcoholism, schizophrenia, adultery, severe burns, babies dying, tuberculosis, suicide attempts, and that's just what I can remember off the top of my head. Different chapters follow Hattie and her various children - basically nothing good ever happens to any of them, and the threads of the different stories really never come together cohesively.
11.) The Twelve Tribes of Hattie - Oh lord. Listened to this one as an audiobook, and it took me forever to get through because I didn't even want to turn it on most days. Just unrelentingly depressing - alcoholism, schizophrenia, adultery, severe burns, babies dying, tuberculosis, suicide attempts, and that's just what I can remember off the top of my head. Different chapters follow Hattie and her various children - basically nothing good ever happens to any of them, and the threads of the different stories really never come together cohesively.
9sarahbird
12.) Insomnia - YA thriller. Meh. I'm waiting for someone to write a really amazing YA thriller, and I just haven't found it yet.
13.) Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin - Listened to this as an audiobook. I enjoyed it more than I was expecting to - her story was really interesting, and I felt like I learned a lot about Mormon culture.
14.) If You Could Be Mine - To be honest, I didn't think the writing was all that great, but I didn't even care because the story was so interesting.
15.) OCD Love Story - I thought this was really good. I appreciated the way this book looked at mental illness - the main character's OCD isn't used to make her seem adorably quirky, it's a real disease that causes serious problems in her life.
13.) Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin - Listened to this as an audiobook. I enjoyed it more than I was expecting to - her story was really interesting, and I felt like I learned a lot about Mormon culture.
14.) If You Could Be Mine - To be honest, I didn't think the writing was all that great, but I didn't even care because the story was so interesting.
15.) OCD Love Story - I thought this was really good. I appreciated the way this book looked at mental illness - the main character's OCD isn't used to make her seem adorably quirky, it's a real disease that causes serious problems in her life.
10sarahbird
16.) A Tale for the Time Being - Read it for book club, thought it was brilliant, loved it.
17.) Blessing the Hands That Feed Us - This was well-written, and the author was obviously passionate about what she was talking about, but I don't think my interest in this topic was strong enough to sustain me through the whole book. I ended up putting it down for a few weeks and had to force myself to pick it up and finish it.
17.) Blessing the Hands That Feed Us - This was well-written, and the author was obviously passionate about what she was talking about, but I don't think my interest in this topic was strong enough to sustain me through the whole book. I ended up putting it down for a few weeks and had to force myself to pick it up and finish it.
11sarahbird
18.) Freakboy - This was actually really really good. It's the first novel in verse that I've read, and I liked it a lot.
19.) The Lost Art of Dress - I found this book really interesting, even though the author was overly harsh about pretty much anything that's been in style since 1960. Still, the historical information was fascinating, and I've found myself thinking more about the way I present myself through clothing.
20.) Panic - This was ok. The beginning was strong, but the ending was unsatisfying. Plus, I just couldn't get over the idea that all of these teens had been injured, paralyzed, killed, etc playing this game over the years, but there was basically no serious effort to stop it.
19.) The Lost Art of Dress - I found this book really interesting, even though the author was overly harsh about pretty much anything that's been in style since 1960. Still, the historical information was fascinating, and I've found myself thinking more about the way I present myself through clothing.
20.) Panic - This was ok. The beginning was strong, but the ending was unsatisfying. Plus, I just couldn't get over the idea that all of these teens had been injured, paralyzed, killed, etc playing this game over the years, but there was basically no serious effort to stop it.
12sarahbird
21.) Far From the Tree - I loved this. It took me forever to get through, because it was too heavy to carry around with me, but I thought it was brilliant. I read something the other day (I can't remember where) that said something like 'Good nonfiction is like listening to someone who's slightly more intelligent than you think out loud'. I just really enjoyed watching the author's mind work as he explored the questions raised in each chapter, and I found the completeness with which he covered his subject very satisfying.
22.) Hate List - This book easily could have veered into Lifetime-movie territory and didn't, so I appreciated that. It was well-written and had a strong emotional impact. The ending was a little bit cliche, but it worked because the rest of the book was so dark.
23.) Sous Chef - Good, not groundbreaking but solid for those who like foodie/chef memoirs.
24.) Orfeo - I just wasn't the right reader for this book. Powers is an amazing writer, but I know very little about music. It just doesn't interest me, which is probably why this book didn't resonate with me. Also, I thought the main character was a completely selfish person who hurt other people and threw his life away for no reason, but I don't know if that's the way the book was meant to be read or if I just didn't understand it.
22.) Hate List - This book easily could have veered into Lifetime-movie territory and didn't, so I appreciated that. It was well-written and had a strong emotional impact. The ending was a little bit cliche, but it worked because the rest of the book was so dark.
23.) Sous Chef - Good, not groundbreaking but solid for those who like foodie/chef memoirs.
24.) Orfeo - I just wasn't the right reader for this book. Powers is an amazing writer, but I know very little about music. It just doesn't interest me, which is probably why this book didn't resonate with me. Also, I thought the main character was a completely selfish person who hurt other people and threw his life away for no reason, but I don't know if that's the way the book was meant to be read or if I just didn't understand it.
13sarahbird
25.) Shear Spirit - I liked this one, it was a nice escape from my real life into an imaginary life where I live on a farm and spin yarn all day. I think if it ever actually happened I would hate living on a farm, but in my imagination it's nice.
26.) Uganda Be Kidding Me - Some parts of this were funny, but I didn't enjoy it as much as her earlier books.
26.) Uganda Be Kidding Me - Some parts of this were funny, but I didn't enjoy it as much as her earlier books.
14jayde1599
I just finished Uganda Be Kidding Me and felt the same way. Definitely not as entertaining as her other stuff.
15sarahbird
Jayde, I totally agree. It felt like she was running out of material.
27.) Into the Beautiful North - Read this for work, thought it was really interesting and I felt like a learned a lot from it.
28.) Hollow City - I like this series. The pace is fast and there's lots of action, and if it's a little shallow the peculiar children's abilities are interesting enough to make up for it.
27.) Into the Beautiful North - Read this for work, thought it was really interesting and I felt like a learned a lot from it.
28.) Hollow City - I like this series. The pace is fast and there's lots of action, and if it's a little shallow the peculiar children's abilities are interesting enough to make up for it.
16sarahbird
29.) Behind the Beautiful Forevers - I liked this one a lot, it was a fascinating and compelling look at a group of people I wasn't really aware of before.
30.) Paper Towns - Ugghhh I'm sorry I love John Green, but I hate hate hated this book! Both of the main characters were so incredibly selfish. Margo Roth Spiegelman was just completely self-centered - she disappears without a trace, hurting her family and friends, but we're supposed to think that's ok because she's just so much deeper and more interesting than other people? She doesn't need to worry about finishing high school or going to college and getting a job like the rest of us, because she's so cool that she understands that "life is just as series of moments", so the fact that she's squatting in a filthy abandoned building is a totally valid life choice, and not complete insanity. And then Q, UGH, is in love with this girl that he really doesn't know at all, and that's kind of the point of the book but at the same time, even after he realizes that he's been projecting onto her, she's STILL a total manic pixie dream girl who helped him grow up and find himself and bullshit bullshit. Plus, he's so completely selfish that he drags his friends into this mess with him, totally ruining their last month of high school. He's actually mad at his friends for going to prom, instead of being focused on the Margo search 24/7, and as Radar points out, his best friend has had an actual girlfriend for months and Q has never even even asked how their relationship is going.
I love John Green and his writing is great but I just CAN'T with this story.
30.) Paper Towns - Ugghhh I'm sorry I love John Green, but I hate hate hated this book! Both of the main characters were so incredibly selfish. Margo Roth Spiegelman was just completely self-centered - she disappears without a trace, hurting her family and friends, but we're supposed to think that's ok because she's just so much deeper and more interesting than other people? She doesn't need to worry about finishing high school or going to college and getting a job like the rest of us, because she's so cool that she understands that "life is just as series of moments", so the fact that she's squatting in a filthy abandoned building is a totally valid life choice, and not complete insanity. And then Q, UGH, is in love with this girl that he really doesn't know at all, and that's kind of the point of the book but at the same time, even after he realizes that he's been projecting onto her, she's STILL a total manic pixie dream girl who helped him grow up and find himself and bullshit bullshit. Plus, he's so completely selfish that he drags his friends into this mess with him, totally ruining their last month of high school. He's actually mad at his friends for going to prom, instead of being focused on the Margo search 24/7, and as Radar points out, his best friend has had an actual girlfriend for months and Q has never even even asked how their relationship is going.
I love John Green and his writing is great but I just CAN'T with this story.
17sarahbird
31.) Show Your Work - This was interesting and timely for me, since I plan to get more involved in social media.
32.) Meaty - These essays are really, really funny. I'm not going to lie, a couple of them grossed me out a little bit because I'm a prude who's incredibly squeamish about the human body, but I still thought they were hilarious.
33.) Sisterland - Listened to this one on audiobook. Overall, I liked it, even though it dragged a little bit. I mean, for a 15-hour audiobook, not that much really happened.
32.) Meaty - These essays are really, really funny. I'm not going to lie, a couple of them grossed me out a little bit because I'm a prude who's incredibly squeamish about the human body, but I still thought they were hilarious.
33.) Sisterland - Listened to this one on audiobook. Overall, I liked it, even though it dragged a little bit. I mean, for a 15-hour audiobook, not that much really happened.
18sarahbird
34.) Dreams of Gods and Monsters - Solid conclusion to this series. It got a little complicated for my taste, but I will say that this is by far the best YA paranormal romance series I've read.
35.) The Obituary Writer - Another audiobook. So overall, I liked it. The characters were very well-developed and the writing was beautiful. The plot felt a little thin though, the connection between the two women was too immediately obvious. There were lots of lovely period details, but too few moments of actual suspense.
35.) The Obituary Writer - Another audiobook. So overall, I liked it. The characters were very well-developed and the writing was beautiful. The plot felt a little thin though, the connection between the two women was too immediately obvious. There were lots of lovely period details, but too few moments of actual suspense.
19sarahbird
36.) Fresh Off The Boat - Listened to this one as an audiobook. I'm conflicted, I thought Huang was funny and interesting but he seemed a little bit too enamored of his own bad behavior.
37.) Moranthology - I love Caitlin Moran, I will read anything she decides to write forever and ever amen.
38.) We Were Liars - Ok, this wasn't perfect but overall I was so excited about this book. Finally, a YA thriller that actually thrilled me! I'm so used to YA thriller/mysteries being neither thrilling nor mysterious, so this was a welcome surprise.
37.) Moranthology - I love Caitlin Moran, I will read anything she decides to write forever and ever amen.
38.) We Were Liars - Ok, this wasn't perfect but overall I was so excited about this book. Finally, a YA thriller that actually thrilled me! I'm so used to YA thriller/mysteries being neither thrilling nor mysterious, so this was a welcome surprise.
20sarahbird
39.) Guy in Real Life - Well, this was really great right up until the last 30 pages or so. Then the book is suddenly like, "oh, and the main female character has a creepy stalker that's obsessed with her and the main male character might be transgender, but we're not going to really discuss either of those things ok byeee!".
40.) Friendship - Can't find a touchstone, but this is the novel by Emily Gould. I am probably the exact target market for this book (confused urban 20something female), so predictably, I loved it.
41.) The Merciless - This was really disturbing and disgusting, but because of those qualities it was also fairly compelling. I'm not sure what kind of teen I'd recommend this book to, but it was definitely unique.
42.) Oblivion - The good: The descriptions of graphomania were well-written and compelling, the premise was somewhat intriguing. The bad: the romance was ridiculous, most of the plot felt contrived. Overall, eh.
40.) Friendship - Can't find a touchstone, but this is the novel by Emily Gould. I am probably the exact target market for this book (confused urban 20something female), so predictably, I loved it.
41.) The Merciless - This was really disturbing and disgusting, but because of those qualities it was also fairly compelling. I'm not sure what kind of teen I'd recommend this book to, but it was definitely unique.
42.) Oblivion - The good: The descriptions of graphomania were well-written and compelling, the premise was somewhat intriguing. The bad: the romance was ridiculous, most of the plot felt contrived. Overall, eh.
21sarahbird
43.) Rooms - Read an advance copy of this one. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. The writing was great, actually much better than I was expecting. The characters were distinctive and interesting, the atmosphere was creepy and I was really drawn into the story at the beginning. Unfortunately, somehow the story didn't really come together for me. At the end I was just left feeling a little bit disappointed, like the book could have been so much better.
44.) Winger - Well, I must be the only person in the world who didn't really like this book. Ryan Dean West just seemed like such a jerk. His friend Joey is gay, which RDW is totally cool with, except for the fact that every single time he's around Joey he has to constantly point out that Joey is gay, and he's friends with Joey even though he is obviously, totally not gay. Ugh. Plus he completely objectified women, pretty much treated everyone around him like crap, and was just really unlikable. Maybe that's just how 14-year-old boys are, but I just wasn't feeling it.
44.) Winger - Well, I must be the only person in the world who didn't really like this book. Ryan Dean West just seemed like such a jerk. His friend Joey is gay, which RDW is totally cool with, except for the fact that every single time he's around Joey he has to constantly point out that Joey is gay, and he's friends with Joey even though he is obviously, totally not gay. Ugh. Plus he completely objectified women, pretty much treated everyone around him like crap, and was just really unlikable. Maybe that's just how 14-year-old boys are, but I just wasn't feeling it.
22sarahbird
45.) And The Heart Says Whatever - I read Friendship a few weeks ago and enjoyed it, so I thought I'd check out the author's essay collection, even though the reviews have been pretty negative. I found this to be pretty thin, she didn't seem to have much to say. I'd recommend that people pass on this one.
46.) Flight Behavior - Listened to this one as an audiobook, read by the author. Barbara Kingsolver is a beautiful writer, and the prose in this story was gorgeous. It did start to drag a little towards the middle, but overall I enjoyed it.
47.) The Husband's Secret - This was great! I really felt the suspense and sense of dread building throughout the book. I felt like the end wrapped up a little bit too tidily for me - I was hoping for something a bit more messy, sort of like the ending of Gone Girl (I know a lot of people hated that ending, but I loved it). I did love love love the epilogue though, that was brilliant.
46.) Flight Behavior - Listened to this one as an audiobook, read by the author. Barbara Kingsolver is a beautiful writer, and the prose in this story was gorgeous. It did start to drag a little towards the middle, but overall I enjoyed it.
47.) The Husband's Secret - This was great! I really felt the suspense and sense of dread building throughout the book. I felt like the end wrapped up a little bit too tidily for me - I was hoping for something a bit more messy, sort of like the ending of Gone Girl (I know a lot of people hated that ending, but I loved it). I did love love love the epilogue though, that was brilliant.
23sarahbird
48.) Dancer Daughter Traitor Spy - I don't know if it was just me, but this book made no damn sense. I did put it down for a few weeks in the middle and then pick it up again, but even with skimming the parts I had already read the plot of this book was completely confusing. Disappointing, because the premise (Cold War, Russian ballerina) is cool.
49.) The Gifts of Imperfection - Ehhh. Ok, I feel bad because so many reviewers talk about how this book changed their lives, but I just really wasn't feeling it. The author took great pains to emphasize over and over that she was a RESEARCHER and these findings are based on DATA and she did hundreds and thousands of interviews, but...none of that is in this book. There are no numbers anywhere in the book, and pretty much every one of her findings is illustrated with an anecdote from her own life, like "someone left a mean comment on my blog and I talked to my friend about it and then I felt better." Ok then.
Also, and I realize this is nitpicky, but the author begins one of her chapters with the quote "Dance like nobody's watching, love like you've never been hurt etc" and attributes the quote to MARK TWAIN. I did a few minutes of research and found out that the quote is certainly not by Twain, and is most likely a variation on the lyrics from a 1989 country western song. I don't mean to be pedantic but this bothered me so much that I found it hard to take any of her other assertions seriously.
50.) He's Gone - I enjoyed this book. Not so much for the mystery, but more for the exploration of marriage and the ways that people hurt and disappoint each other. I found parts of this really insightful & poignant.
51.) The Winner's Curse - This was a solid, enjoyable story. I judge YA books against the quality of other YA books I read, not against all literature ever, and I have to say that this was better than most. It reminded me a bit of Graceling. I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel.
49.) The Gifts of Imperfection - Ehhh. Ok, I feel bad because so many reviewers talk about how this book changed their lives, but I just really wasn't feeling it. The author took great pains to emphasize over and over that she was a RESEARCHER and these findings are based on DATA and she did hundreds and thousands of interviews, but...none of that is in this book. There are no numbers anywhere in the book, and pretty much every one of her findings is illustrated with an anecdote from her own life, like "someone left a mean comment on my blog and I talked to my friend about it and then I felt better." Ok then.
Also, and I realize this is nitpicky, but the author begins one of her chapters with the quote "Dance like nobody's watching, love like you've never been hurt etc" and attributes the quote to MARK TWAIN. I did a few minutes of research and found out that the quote is certainly not by Twain, and is most likely a variation on the lyrics from a 1989 country western song. I don't mean to be pedantic but this bothered me so much that I found it hard to take any of her other assertions seriously.
50.) He's Gone - I enjoyed this book. Not so much for the mystery, but more for the exploration of marriage and the ways that people hurt and disappoint each other. I found parts of this really insightful & poignant.
51.) The Winner's Curse - This was a solid, enjoyable story. I judge YA books against the quality of other YA books I read, not against all literature ever, and I have to say that this was better than most. It reminded me a bit of Graceling. I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel.
24sarahbird
52.) The Fever - I have mixed feelings about this book. I found the beginning of the story really fascinating and suspenseful, but the end was kind of a letdown. It felt like this book couldn't decide if it wanted to be adult or YA. A lot of the content was pretty mature, but the teenage-angsty drama and lame ending felt very YA.
53.) Three Graves Full - I listened to this one as an audiobook. It's pretty different that what I would usually choose, but I found the story entertaining, if not all that memorable. The suspense was high in a lot of sections, but that was dragged down by the book's habit of constantly jumping back to narrate same scene from the viewpoints of different characters.
54.) 168 Hours - I have to admit, I love reading books about productivity, and this one was no exception. I especially enjoyed the section about balancing motherhood and work.
53.) Three Graves Full - I listened to this one as an audiobook. It's pretty different that what I would usually choose, but I found the story entertaining, if not all that memorable. The suspense was high in a lot of sections, but that was dragged down by the book's habit of constantly jumping back to narrate same scene from the viewpoints of different characters.
54.) 168 Hours - I have to admit, I love reading books about productivity, and this one was no exception. I especially enjoyed the section about balancing motherhood and work.
25sarahbird
55.) The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. - I found this book entertaining and enjoyable, and it made me very, very glad that I have never dated anyone like Nathaniel.
56.) Chime - Listened to this one as an audiobook. At first I thought this book was super weird and I couldn't follow it at all, but by the end I was completely in love.
57.) Far From You - This was surprisingly good! I wasn't really expecting much from it, but this ended up being one of the best YA books I've read in a while. The mystery/thriller aspect was actually interesting and didn't make me roll my eyes the way most YA thrillers do, the issues of drug abuse were handled sensitively and realistically, and the romance was believable and moving. Very solid YA book, would recommend.
58.) My Drunk Kitchen - Silly but fun. I thought the sections where she didn't include any 'recipes' but just wrote for several pages were by far the most successful. I would be interested in reading another book by Hannah that included more longer pieces of writing.
56.) Chime - Listened to this one as an audiobook. At first I thought this book was super weird and I couldn't follow it at all, but by the end I was completely in love.
57.) Far From You - This was surprisingly good! I wasn't really expecting much from it, but this ended up being one of the best YA books I've read in a while. The mystery/thriller aspect was actually interesting and didn't make me roll my eyes the way most YA thrillers do, the issues of drug abuse were handled sensitively and realistically, and the romance was believable and moving. Very solid YA book, would recommend.
58.) My Drunk Kitchen - Silly but fun. I thought the sections where she didn't include any 'recipes' but just wrote for several pages were by far the most successful. I would be interested in reading another book by Hannah that included more longer pieces of writing.
26sarahbird
59.) Perfectly Miserable - Hmm. I was SO not the target audience for this book. I'm not a WASP, I've never been to New England, and I'm a generation removed from the author, so nothing she had to say really resonated with me. Maybe a great book for someone else, just not for me.
60.) The Here and Now - This was fine. Not great or terrible, pretty average YA fiction.
61.) The Big Tiny - Loved this. Such an interesting story, and Dee Williams has a great personality that really comes through in the pages. The book has some really lovely thoughts about the nature of home, community, and what it means to live in the world.
62.) The Chance You Won't Return - Hmmm, I was going to say this was fine, but I enjoyed it slightly less than The Here and Now, so I guess...slightly less than fine? The premise was interesting, but the narrator (and her romance) were a bit flat and unlikable. Also, the fact that the main character's mother is in an all-consuming delusional state where she doesn't recognize her own family, but she's apparently living at home while receiving no medication with weekly therapy appointments as her only treatment? That seemed unrealistic - actually, her mother's mental problems as a whole seemed unrealistic. I think portraying a mother who suffers from depression or bipolar disorder would have been more realistic and probably would have resonated more with teens.
63.) The Disenchantments - This was fun. Reading it as an adult, I can recognize that parts of it are a little bit ridiculous. It's sort of the hipstery preciousness of it all - all of the characters are so quirky and different, they listen to old music and dye their hair crazy colors and get random tattoos of art they see on the walls of cheap motels, their band plays in sketchy basements and they spend lots of time driving around in an old van talking about what it means to grow up and how to live life authentically, etc etc. It's all been done before, but it's not done badly here, and I think a lot of teens would love it.
60.) The Here and Now - This was fine. Not great or terrible, pretty average YA fiction.
61.) The Big Tiny - Loved this. Such an interesting story, and Dee Williams has a great personality that really comes through in the pages. The book has some really lovely thoughts about the nature of home, community, and what it means to live in the world.
62.) The Chance You Won't Return - Hmmm, I was going to say this was fine, but I enjoyed it slightly less than The Here and Now, so I guess...slightly less than fine? The premise was interesting, but the narrator (and her romance) were a bit flat and unlikable. Also, the fact that the main character's mother is in an all-consuming delusional state where she doesn't recognize her own family, but she's apparently living at home while receiving no medication with weekly therapy appointments as her only treatment? That seemed unrealistic - actually, her mother's mental problems as a whole seemed unrealistic. I think portraying a mother who suffers from depression or bipolar disorder would have been more realistic and probably would have resonated more with teens.
63.) The Disenchantments - This was fun. Reading it as an adult, I can recognize that parts of it are a little bit ridiculous. It's sort of the hipstery preciousness of it all - all of the characters are so quirky and different, they listen to old music and dye their hair crazy colors and get random tattoos of art they see on the walls of cheap motels, their band plays in sketchy basements and they spend lots of time driving around in an old van talking about what it means to grow up and how to live life authentically, etc etc. It's all been done before, but it's not done badly here, and I think a lot of teens would love it.
27sarahbird
64.) Doc - Listened to this one as an audiobook. I thought this was great - I'm not even a Western fan, but I liked it a lot. It's so different from The Sparrow, but I still really enjoyed it.
65.) Evil Librarian - As an evil librarian myself, I couldn't resist picking this one up. Lots of fun - it reminded me a lot of Team Human, since both books are hilarious spoofs of paranormal stories.
65.) Evil Librarian - As an evil librarian myself, I couldn't resist picking this one up. Lots of fun - it reminded me a lot of Team Human, since both books are hilarious spoofs of paranormal stories.
28sarahbird
66.) The Mirk and Midnight Hour - This was...pretty bad, honestly. The simplistic writing style and characterizations read like they were written for much younger readers, and the plot just didn't make a whole lot of sense. I understand that the author was aiming for a fairy tale retelling, but the whole voodoo aspect wasn't incorporated very well.
67.) The Goldfinch - Loved it. The story was a bit farfetched, but it was so immersive and the prose was so lovely. Definitely my favorite Tartt book, and worthy of the hype.
67.) The Goldfinch - Loved it. The story was a bit farfetched, but it was so immersive and the prose was so lovely. Definitely my favorite Tartt book, and worthy of the hype.
29sarahbird
68.) Not That Kind of Girl - Lena Dunham and I were born in the same year, so I'm sort of fascinated by her in a way that is probably narcissistic (because I'm really just looking for reflections of myself). I liked this book, but it did confirm that, life experience and personality-wise, Lena and I have very little in common. I really appreciate the fact that she's willing to put herself out there and demand to be seen to such an extent, because it's so different from the way I move through the world. She's definitely an interesting person, and this book is worth reading.
69.) The Humanity Project - Usually I love the books where the narrative is carried out by different, seemingly unrelated people, who connect in unexpected ways over the course of the story. However, this book didn't really come together for me. Most of the characters did end up meeting, but I didn't feel interested in any of their lives, and there was no emotional climax.
70.) Belzhar - This was really good! The main character's problems seem a little trite compared to the rest of her classmates, but Wolitzer's writing is so good that it didn't really bother me.
71.) Lena Finkle's Magic Barrel - I'm not usually a graphic novel reader, but I really enjoyed this. I'm guilty of still associating graphic novels mostly with superheroes, so this was a good way for me to expand my horizons.
69.) The Humanity Project - Usually I love the books where the narrative is carried out by different, seemingly unrelated people, who connect in unexpected ways over the course of the story. However, this book didn't really come together for me. Most of the characters did end up meeting, but I didn't feel interested in any of their lives, and there was no emotional climax.
70.) Belzhar - This was really good! The main character's problems seem a little trite compared to the rest of her classmates, but Wolitzer's writing is so good that it didn't really bother me.
71.) Lena Finkle's Magic Barrel - I'm not usually a graphic novel reader, but I really enjoyed this. I'm guilty of still associating graphic novels mostly with superheroes, so this was a good way for me to expand my horizons.
30sarahbird
72.) Tighter - This...didn't really make sense. Warning, spoiler ahead. So the big reveal at the end is that Isa's brother Milo isn't real, and Jamie can only see him because she's schizophrenic and having hallucinations. But Isa, who is real, also sees Milo and interacts with him along with Jamie. So are they having some kind of joint hallucination? This is never really explained and it pretty much ruined the book for me.
73.) White Cat - This was my second Holly Black book (after The Coldest Girl in Coldtown), and man, she is talented. I really enjoyed this book - world building, plot, and writing were spot-on. Superior YA fiction.
74.) How to Build a Girl - I did feel like the plot of this book was very similar to what I've already read in How to be a Woman, but I don't care. I loved it, and as I've said before, I will read anything Caitlin Moran chooses to write for as long as she chooses to keep writing.
75.) Yes Please - Just great. If you like Amy Poehler, and I think most people do, you should read this book. However, after reading two in two months, I think I need to lay off the celebrity memoirs for a while.
73.) White Cat - This was my second Holly Black book (after The Coldest Girl in Coldtown), and man, she is talented. I really enjoyed this book - world building, plot, and writing were spot-on. Superior YA fiction.
74.) How to Build a Girl - I did feel like the plot of this book was very similar to what I've already read in How to be a Woman, but I don't care. I loved it, and as I've said before, I will read anything Caitlin Moran chooses to write for as long as she chooses to keep writing.
75.) Yes Please - Just great. If you like Amy Poehler, and I think most people do, you should read this book. However, after reading two in two months, I think I need to lay off the celebrity memoirs for a while.
31sarahbird
76.) Noggin - I was surprised at how much I liked this one! Yes, the main character was super creepy towards his ex-girlfriend, but other than that I really enjoyed the book. It had a lot of heart and wasn't as weird as the premise led me to believe. I would recommend this one to TFiOS fans.
77.) The Paying Guests - I would give this book an 8/10. The good: very atmospheric, lots of tension, well-drawn characters. The bad: dragged on a bit and was somewhat repetitive. Still waiting to read a Waters books as good as Fingersmith.
78.) Humans of New York - Picked this up because I often see his posts shared on Facebook. I thought this was really interesting and well done.
79.) Heroes Are My Weakness - I didn't like this book, but that was my fault. I had never read this author before, and I didn't realize that this was a romance novel. I like books with romance in them, but romance romance books (two people are attracted to each other, can't be together because of random impediment, random impediment is removed and main characters live happily ever after) aren't my thing. Another reader would probably enjoy this one.
80.) One More Thing - I pretty much just straight up hated this. There were a few stories that made me smile, but overall I thought these were boring, pretentious, and pointless.
81.) The Uncoupling - I loved The Interestings and enjoyed Belzhar, so I picked this one up. I do enjoy Meg Wolitzer's writing and characterizations a lot, but the story was a weak point for this one. Not her best.
82.) Shades of Grey - Listened to this one as an audiobook. Love love love loved it. Just so great and imaginative and fun and awesome. Supposedly there are sequels in the works, but they may have been abandoned. I really hope they get written because this is a world I want to revisit.
I think that's going to be it for 2014! Happy New Year!
77.) The Paying Guests - I would give this book an 8/10. The good: very atmospheric, lots of tension, well-drawn characters. The bad: dragged on a bit and was somewhat repetitive. Still waiting to read a Waters books as good as Fingersmith.
78.) Humans of New York - Picked this up because I often see his posts shared on Facebook. I thought this was really interesting and well done.
79.) Heroes Are My Weakness - I didn't like this book, but that was my fault. I had never read this author before, and I didn't realize that this was a romance novel. I like books with romance in them, but romance romance books (two people are attracted to each other, can't be together because of random impediment, random impediment is removed and main characters live happily ever after) aren't my thing. Another reader would probably enjoy this one.
80.) One More Thing - I pretty much just straight up hated this. There were a few stories that made me smile, but overall I thought these were boring, pretentious, and pointless.
81.) The Uncoupling - I loved The Interestings and enjoyed Belzhar, so I picked this one up. I do enjoy Meg Wolitzer's writing and characterizations a lot, but the story was a weak point for this one. Not her best.
82.) Shades of Grey - Listened to this one as an audiobook. Love love love loved it. Just so great and imaginative and fun and awesome. Supposedly there are sequels in the works, but they may have been abandoned. I really hope they get written because this is a world I want to revisit.
I think that's going to be it for 2014! Happy New Year!
