Title: In Cold Blood Author: Truman Capote Genre: Historical Non-Fiction Quotation: “Imagination, of course, can open any door — turn the key and let terror walk right in.” Would recommend to: people who love unraveling a mystery. Recently, I have been trying to branch out with my reading interests. I’ve picked up books from sections all over the bookstore, and I’ve really liked it. I’ve discovered some books I never would have otherwise — one of those books being “In Cold Blood”. ICB is about the Clutter family murder in 1959 in Kansas. It sounds morbid — I know — but it’s actually extremely interesting. I flew through this book due to…
An Abundance of Reading
Title: An Abundance of Katherines Author: John Green Genre: Young Adult Fiction Quote: “I just want to do something that matters. Or be something that matters. I just want to matter.” Would recommend to: someone who understands the importance of second chances. I have never been a particularly huge fan of John Green’s novels. I don’t hate them, (obviously not, because I’ve read like three of his books) but I have never before reveled in their magic like others. But, now I have. (http://www.npr.org/books/titles/157814205/an-abundance-of-katherines) After reading “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Papertowns”, I had given up. I felt like nothing really happened (specifically in “Papertowns”); it was very anti-climactic to me. The stories…
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Title: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Author: Jesse Andrews Genre: Young Adult Fiction Quotation: “When you convert a good book to a film. stupid things happen.” Would recommend to: anyone interested in coming up with ideas. “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” doesn’t seem like such a great book. Maybe you pick it up and think it will be funny, or heartwarming, or…something. You don’t know what it is you’re hoping for, but you pick it up anyways, without knowing what to expect. I read this book on my plane ride to New Jersey. It was a great plane read because it’s not too heavy (surprisingly) and it’s…
There’s No Place Like Oz
Title: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Author: Frank L. Baum Genre: Fiction Quotation: “True courage is facing danger when you are afraid.” Would recommend to: those who love adventure combined with a classic story. There’s nothing like watching “The Wizard of Oz” on a rainy Saturday curled up in bed…except maybe reading it. I instantly fell in love with “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by Frank L. Baum when I read it (I’ve even given it as a gift to a couple of people). The movie terrified me as a child (flying monkeys! Who thought that was a good idea?) But the book — the book was just perfect. I’m…
There's No Place Like Oz
Title: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Author: Frank L. Baum Genre: Fiction Quotation: “True courage is facing danger when you are afraid.” Would recommend to: those who love adventure combined with a classic story. There’s nothing like watching “The Wizard of Oz” on a rainy Saturday curled up in bed…except maybe reading it. I instantly fell in love with “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by Frank L. Baum when I read it (I’ve even given it as a gift to a couple of people). The movie terrified me as a child (flying monkeys! Who thought that was a good idea?) But the book — the book was just perfect. I’m…
Is a Wedding Without Tears Really a Wedding?
Title: Beautiful Day Author: Elin Hilderbrand Genre: Fiction Quotation: “She waved good-bye and hurried down the street towards her family’s house, thinking again that some nights had good karma and some nights were cursed, and for a few moments, tonight had seemed like the former, but it had ended up the latter.” Would recommend to: someone looking for an easy read on the beach. (http://s1.hubimg.com/u/7877218_f520.jpg) In my most humble opinion, “Beautiful Day” was a beautiful book. I’ve read a lot of reviews of it complaining that it isn’t up to the caliber of her other books. My defense is, I haven’t read any of her other books. But this is displayed as…
Being Wild and Free
Title: Wild Author: Cheryl Strayed Genre: Memoir Quotation: “How wild it was, to let it be.” Would recommend to: those who are feeling a little lost in this big world. “Wild” is a book (and now a movie starring Reese Witherspoon) about a woman who decides to make a crazy trip — hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. You probably don’t know what the PCT is (like any normal human being): it is a trail that stretches the length of the west coast, from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. This book is a compilation of extremely honest moments that Strayed experienced while on the trail, as well as the…
A Dauntless Series
Title: Divergent Series Author: Veronica Roth Genre: Young Adult Dystopia Would recommend to: readers who like to immerse themselves in a story / fans of “The Hunger Games” I devoured these books. I haven’t been this interested in a series of books since I read “The Hunger Games”. I loved everything this series had to offer: action, love, passion, madness… It was an artfully written series that touches upon deep concepts. Although Roth may have written about genetic damage, anyone that looks deeper at the theme understands she’s really making social commentary on racism and human nature. I can’t say Tris was my favorite female character (I probably liked Christina a…
Wicked
Title: Wicked Author: Gregory Maguire Genre: Fiction Quotation: “Evil is always more easily imagined than good, somehow.” Would recommend to: anyone who understands that there are two sides to every story. Throughout my high school career, I spent a lot of time in the backs of prop closets. I was the typical theater nerd, made even worse by the fact that I preferred to be behind the scenes working on the technical crew rather than center stage. Because of my love for stage-life, I knew quite a bit about plays, including “Wicked”. You’d be hard-pressed to find a handful of teenage girls that don’t know about the popular play that originally starred Kristen Chenoweth as…
The New Reminding You of the Old Favorites
Titles: The Narrow Road to the Deep North vs. Redeployment Authors: Richard Flanagan vs. Phil Klay Genre: Historical, narrative-style fiction Quotations: “Nor is there mention of the horror of the building of the railway. There are no names of the hundreds of thousands who died building that railway… There is no book for their lost souls. Let them have this fragment.” The Narrow Road to the Deep North vs. “There was gunfire and explosions and the mosques blaring messages and Arabic music and we were blaring Drowning Pool and Eminem. The Marines started calling it Lalafallujah. A music festival from hell.” Redeployment Would recommend to: fans of The Bridge over…
