skip to main |
skip to sidebar
“The pleasure of all
reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same
books.” Katherine Mansfield (1888 – 1923)
My mother sent me this quote that she found a few weeks ago, and added the comment that she loves when her kids read the same books as her and then we can discuss. My brother, my mom and I have read a lot of books around the same time, usually popular YA series (we read Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking kind of at the same time, as well as The Hunger Games and my brother I fought over who got to read Mockingjay when it came out).
I definitely agree. There is just something incredibly enjoyable about being able to talk about a book with someone, especially with someone who has similar ideas and opinions as you. People like to like things together. That's basically what the website tumblr is; people liking things with other people.
So, naturally I would find it kind of disappointing if I really REALLY loved a book that no one else I knew was really into at all. I want someone to love books with me (most of the time).
I was thinking this a few days ago, and then I started imagining that there was someone with the exact same reading tastes as me and we loved the same books. Then I could always have someone else to love a book with me.
But then I realized that would be really, really boring. Part of the fun of reading or recommending books is finding that person who will fall in love with that book just as you did. No two people have the exact same reading tastes, I think. The world is a colourful place, and I love it.
What would you do if you met your reading taste clone?
Today one of my friends bugged me about blogging, and noted how I haven't posted in a while. This is because basically the only blogging rule I have is Blog When I Have A Really Cool Idea I Can't Stop Thinking About. (Yeah, I think I need some new rules...)
So, I still don't have any shiny idea for a blog post, but since this is mainly a reading and writing blog, I'm just going to talk about the books I've been reading.
1. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling
by Maryrose Wood
Goodreads
Amazon.com
If you've ever seen Nanny McPhee, you will kind of get the gist of the style and storyline of this book. There's a group of unusual kids who need to be taught to behave, and a young person comes in and teaches them. The kids are unusual because until recently, they've been raised by wolves. The premise is great, but the actual story is quite a bit slower than you'd expect.
It wasn't a book that changed my life, but the style of it felt so classic (a la The Chronicles of Narnia almost) that I enjoyed it heartily. It felt like I was reading an old friend. Also, the main character and the wolf children's nanny, Penelope Lumley, was one of the most unique, fresh characters I've ever read. She was not a stereotype in any way, and that was AWESOME.
Anyway, this book was really enjoyable and in my opinion it would be a great book to read aloud to kids.
2. Savvy
by Ingrid Law
Goodreads
Amazon.com
This book is technically MG, I think, but I don't think elementary or middle school kids could get the depth out of it that teens or adults could. This book was absolutely amazing. I was close to tears by the end. The premise of the book is that there is this family with these things called "savvies", which are basically just special powers - one of the boys has the power to control the weather in a way, another has power over electricity.
However, even though the story is based around these savvies, that isn't the focus of the story (if that makes any sense). It's not a story about special powers; it's a story about family and friendship and prejudices and judgementalism and standing up and believing in yourself and... now it sounds sappy but the way Ingrid Law writes it, it is BEAUTIFUL. Please go read it. Now!
3. True (...sort of)
by Katherine Hannigan
Goodreads
Amazon.com
This book starts off with a quirky girl, Delly, getting into trouble all the time even though she doesn't really mean to. I wasn't sure about this book at the beginning, but in the end it is a beautiful book with numerous intertwined stories of brokenness that together make something heart-achingly wonderful. This is another book that almost made me cry. It is amazing how dealing with so much hurt can be written about so wonderfully in a book for children. Also, this quote, that Delly's brother RB says to her:
"She's my favourite friend," he said. "You're my favourite everything."
Perfect.
I really, really encourage you to check out these books, because they are absolutely lovely.
Just recently I read a post by the young writer John Hansen that talked about luck and bestseller lists and also illustrated the point that a lot of people feel that popularity equals quality when it comes to books. However this isn't necessarily true. I mean, Fifty Shades of Grey is the fastest selling paperback of all time and it's literally Twilight fanfiction (ugh). And from what I've heard, it's not very good.
A lot of books have hype surrounding them, and the hype just makes people want to read the books more, even if it's just to find out what the fuss is all about. I'm definitely guilty of checking out books because of the hype. But there are so many awesome, incredible, life-changing books that never make it onto any bestseller list.
Anyway, these are some of my favourite books that maybe don't have as much hype as say The Hunger Games or Fifty Shades of Grey. (By the way, I highly recommend you check out 50 Shades of Grey: The Musical, because it is awesome.)
Also, I'm talking about these books in the hope that you'll pick them up and fall in love with them as much as I have BUT everything's subjective, so even though I want everyone to love these books I know not everyone will and I'm OK with that.
1. JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta
Genre: YA contemporary
Goodreads page
My review
I know, I know, I talk about Jellicoe Road pretty much every chance I get. But it's soooo gooood. I love it when books have multiple stories that are beautifully woven together with strong characters supporting the entire thing. If you haven't read this book yet, you should. You should also check out some of Marchetta's other books that I love, Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son. All of these books are really character-heavy so if you like falling in love with characters, go check those books out right now!!
2. KING OF ATTOLIA by Megan Whalen Turner
Genre: Fantasy
Goodreads page
Megan Whalen Turner is a writing genius. Her writing and characters are so intelligent and clever, it blows my mind. Just when I think I know what's going to happen in one of her books, something happens I never, ever saw coming yet the unexpected twist still feels natural. Also, her books are excellently researched and perfectly subtle. I LOVE IT. I love all three books in The Queen's Thief series (The Thief, Queen of Attolia and King of Attolia) but King of Attolia was the most amazing.
3. OKAY FOR NOW by Gary D. Schmidt
Genre: YA contemp
Goodreads page
This book I just recently read and... it was amazing. It almost made me cry, and no one even died in it. It was just completely beautiful and true, and the writing was amazing. Schmidt did this thing where he used paintings of birds to kind of reveal truths in the MC, Doug's life and also just to the reader and it was SO COOL. And the layers to the characters... I have no words for the amazingness.
So what are you still doing here? Go check out those books. ;)
Posts
