Book talk: Sloane was the best friend a girl could ask for. No matter what they were doing, Sloane would turn it into an adventure and Emily could count on her to draw her out of her shell. Which is why Emily couldn't wait for their epic summer to begin. But then Sloane disappears without saying a word. The only clue she leaves behind is a list of things for Emily to do: from apple picking at night to kissing a stranger. Armed with her list, Emily sets out to check items off and find Sloane. Along the way she ends up having the most unexpected and wonderful summer of her life.
Rave: I like that the main driving force of the plot was the friendship between Sloane and Emily. It was interesting having the story told from the perspective of the friend that isn't as popular and often feels like an after-thought. The story deals a lot with what it's like to be friends with someone with such a strong personality, especially for a shy person, and what it's like to be suddenly left alone to cope with life. Emily makes admirable strides but I like that her personality doesn't suddenly change overnight and that it takes her and other characters times to overcome their fears. I also really like the relationship between Emily and Frank and how it slowly grows out of a friendship. I was expecting a frothy book about high school relationships and was surprised by how much I liked this book. I was completely absorbed and flipping pages quickly.
Rant: There were a couple of points that stretched my credulity a bit, but I was so taken with the characters I didn't mind.
Every book its reader: I'd give this to anyone looking for a story about summer and friendship 7th grade and up.
Topics & Trends: friendship, romance, summer
Bonus Quotes:
“I somehow knew that the particulars didn't matter. She was my heart, she was half of me, and nothing, certainly not a few measly hundred miles, was ever going to change that.”
“I don’t think you have to do something so big to be brave. And it’s the little things that are harder anyway.”
“Do you not like The Beatles?" Frank asked, sounding shocked. "Do you also not like sunshine and laughter and puppies? I don't think the Beatles get enough recognition. I mean, when you look at their body of work and how they changed music forever. I think there should be federal holidays and parades”
Source: independent book store author event (Book Passage)
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson:
buy it or
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This book consists of bursts of violent action interspersed with long existential discussions. It's an odd combination, but I like it! The titular brothers are hired hit men assigned to assassinate a man in the San Francisco gold country. Along the way the find and lose fortunes, have close calls with death and deal out some death of their own. This reminded me of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead in that the brothers are pieces in a game playing their part without understanding the bigger picture of why and because of the nature of their conversations as everything is going on around them. If you're an adult looking for a Western and have a dark sense of humor then you'll enjoy this book. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt: buy it or check it out today!
I'm a fan of Melissa Marr and the audiobook is narrated by James Marsters (aka Spike from Buffy) so I decided to listen to this while traveling. I was not disappointed. Melissa Marr crafts a complex world full of compelling characters at cross-purposes. Marsters does an excellent job narrating it all. It was all terribly engrossing and distracted me admirably from the bus and plane rides necessary to get home for the holidays. I would recommend it with the caveat that it ends on a major cliff hanger and the second book isn't slated to come out anytime soon. Carnival of Secrets by Melissa Marr: buy it or check it out today!
I wanted to like this collection of stories more than I did. I think the main problem was that I just wasn't its intended audience. I am a very character focused and a lot of these stories were focused more on plot twists and action than establishing layered characters. I suppose you can only do so much in a short story. I mostly picked it up because the stories were all set in Belfast and it succeeded in establishing a sense of place. In that sense I suppose it gave me what I was looking for. But while I liked the stories I didn't particularly love any of them and none of them really stayed with me. Belfast Noir edited by Adrian McKinty and Stuart Neville: buy it or check it out today!
I listened to this as an audiobook narrated by the author, which I suppose is appropriate considering I mostly know David Sedaris from podcasts he's appeared on. I started listening to it with my mom as we worked on a puzzle together and it cracked us up. It was a bit more awkward finishing it by myself on public transit because it kept surprising loud laughs out of me. The topics covered vary vastly but I would listen to David Sedaris talk about almost anything. I'm sure he could find a way to make a description of paint drying poignant and hilarious if he tried. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris: buy it or check it out today!
If you want an entertaining and insightful book about science, you can always count on Mary Roach to deliver. This particular book goes into many subjects from organ donation to embalming and it kept me fascinated as it presented me with a slew of facts while causing me to laugh along the way. Roach is particularly good at taking topics that leave many people squeamish and making them accessible with humor and that is precisely what she does in this wonderful book. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach: buy it or check it out today!
