Books that came in this weekend!
This weekend was a great week for books! I received some new ones in the mail, bought a few more downtown and then borrowed too many at the library! Considering I am now officially in my last month before the end of the semester, I’m not sure how many of those I’ll have time to read (on the other hand, I’ve already done a good part of the work, and for once I might not be in such a rush!) Here are my latest victims;
- Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. It’s been talked about so much that I wondered if it had been overhyped. I was hesitant on spending my money on it, but borrowing it seemed reasonnable enough.
- Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. It’s on the “1001 books to read before you die” list, plus I can’t resist an author who’s name is Banana! I couldn’t find it anywhere and finding it at the library absolutely made my day.
- The Pleasure of my Company by Steve Martin. I liked Shopgirl so much that I really wanted to read more from Martin. This one I bought new.
- The Devil is in the Details by Jennifer Traig. Another book on obsessive-compulsive disorder, a subject that is close to my heart. This one looks fun and I love the cover! It seems perfect for the topic!
- Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl. I’ve been very curious about that one. I first had a good feeling about it, but the reviews have been so mixed that I’m keeping my expectations on the low.
- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith. Finally! It’s home! Now I only have to finish the original one and I can jump in the “ultra-violent zombie mayhem”!
- Something Blue by Emily Griffin. Sometimes life is nice to you, like it was when I found, for 5$, the sequel to Something Borrowed the day after reading it! Lucky!
- Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsaneka. It takes place in Saudi Arabia, a place I haven’t read much about yet. I feel a bit ridiculous admitting it now, but it caught my eye on the library shelf because of its shiny cover.
- The Commoner by John Burnham Schwarts. Japan! Imperial family! Court life! Drama! Need I say more? If time is missing though, it’s probably one I won’t read. Same thing goes for:
- The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue. London 1864. I love novels that take place in London, especially if it goes back in time. Funnily enough, it has a similar cover to:
- The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. I had never heard of this YA novel until a friend recommended it for me. It’s short, so there’s a good chance I’ll actually read this one.
- The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff. Last and not least, one I borrowed with a few expectations. I really wanted to read and like this book, but I know many reviews have been less than great. I tried to not look at them so I could make my own mind. I’m only a few pages in, but so far I find it laborious.
I sense my 2009 luck with good books might end soon, although I’m sure a few of those will be great. What about you, fellow readers? Have you read any of those? What were your thougts?
re: Monsters of Templeton – I read this one recently (and reviewed it at my site), and if you find it laborious a few pages in, I’m sad to say that probably won’t change for you! I read the whole thing, but I find it kind of chore-like, and wound up being pretty underwhelmed by it. Parts of it were good and fun, but most of it felt disposable and overly worked to me. I’ll be interested to see how your feelings about it firm up as you read more.
On that note, if you don’t enjoy Monsters, I’ll be curious to hear if you do enjoy Special Topics. That’s a book I’m giving large berth due to the overly precocious/pretentious style I’ve heard others criticize it for. That’s how I felt about Monsters, so now I’m even less inclined to try Special Topics!
Disreputable History is fun, though! I read it for the Tournament of Books, and while parts of it irked me, it was a fun and fast read.
I keep seeing Banana Yoshimoto’s stuff at the used bookstore, but have never picked any of it up. I’m intrigued!
I just finished reading “Monsters of Templeton”, and as you’ll see, my feelings about it are not far from yours. I certainly hope “Special topics…” will be better, but just in case, I think I’ll wait a little before getting into it.
I’ll be posting my reviews on “Disreputable History” and “Kitchen” soon, but after “Monsters of Templeton”, I enjoyed them both a LOT!
is the ocd book the one with m&ms all over the cover, in color order? or am i thinking of another ocd book? it sounds like you’ve got your reading cut out for you in the upcoming weeks. i’m on spring break starting thursday afternoon…until the 20th! yay!!! i’m going to readreadread and then read some more.
Yup, that’s the one! The cover suits the theme perfectly, doesn’t it?
I’m so envious of your springbreak! Mine was at the beginning of March, but it was all about reading and writing for school. Right now I’m just looking forward to the end of this semester!
I loved Special Topics in Calamity Physics–but I think it is a love-it or hate-it book. The first time I picked it up I made it about a third of the way through, and I was not really impressed. About a year later, it sort of called to me from the shelf, the way some books do, and I picked it up and started reading right where I had left off. I could not put it down, and in fact, when I finished it I went back to the beginning and read it straight through again. Something just clicked, I guess.
The Pleasure of My Company is a sweet, sweet book, and it has some funny moments. It’s a bit less melancholy than Shopgirl (which I also loved). 🙂
I’m glad to hear something good about Special topics! 🙂 The reviews are really mixed, so I think you might be right that this is a love-it or hate-it book. I wonder which side I’ll be on?