Nina LaCour

December 2021 Reading Wrap-Up

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World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Rating: ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 1
Read Count: 2
Favorite Thing: I was going to lie, but seriously it was Alan Alda’s part.
Least Favorite Thing: The movie lol

Been a minute since I read this last, but definitely still enjoyed it.

My Posts About World War Z

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Rating: ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 8
Read Count: 2
Favorite Thing: It’s so bizarre-o.
Least Favorite Thing: Literally nothing.

I basically read this one a second time to see if the audiobook was as unsettling as reading it physically. It was.

My Posts About We Have Always Lived in the Castle

American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Rating: ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 10 – 13
Read Count: 2
Favorite Thing: Weird.
Least Favorite Thing: Weird.

A friend at work read this recently and I realized while talking to her about it that I still wasn’t sure what this book was about. Now having read it a second time, I can definitively say… I still do not know what this book was about.

My Posts About American Gods

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
(The Twilight Saga, book 1)
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 14 – 16
Read Count: 4
Favorite Thing: At least it wasn’t The Host?
Least Favorite Thing: It was Twilight.

Ok do not judge me for rereading a book I hate. I wanted to experience the audiobook version because I’ve always read it physically before. News Flash! It was equally terrible having someone read it to me!

My Posts About Twilight

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
(Strange the Dreamer, book 1)
Rating: ★★★★★ – loved it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 21 – 22
Read Count: 3
Favorite Thing: Wait do I find Lazlo attractive?
Least Favorite Thing: Gimme a second, I’ll think of something…

I have wanted to listen to this one for a while because I just knew it would be excellent, and my library happened to have it available for me so I listened to it while I worked and it was so calming (the narrator’s voice) and beautiful (the prose).

My Posts About Strange the Dreamer

White Oleander by Janet Fitch
Rating: ★★★★★ – loved it
Review: No
Format: Print
Reading Dates: Oct 23 – Dec 22
Read Count: 2
Favorite Thing: So beautifully written it makes me want to cry.
Least Favorite Thing: Actually makes me cry because so much bad stuff happens.

This was my car book. That is, this is the book I left in my car to read on lunch breaks and when I have to wait for something. As you can imagine, it was a bit heavy for a car book lol

My Posts About White Oleander

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour
Rating: ★★★★★ – loved it
Review: No
Format: Print
Reading Dates: Nov 6 – Dec 28
Read Count: 1
Favorite Thing: The writing was so beautiful!
Least Favorite Thing: Literally nothing. Maybe I’ll pick something next time I read it.

Nina LaCour is officially on my favorite author list now. I will read a book, regardless of the premise, if Nina LaCour writes it.

My Posts About Watch Over Me

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
(The Twilight Saga, book 2)
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 27 – 28
Read Count: 4
Favorite Thing: [cricket sounds]
Least Favorite Thing: I actually hate the audiobook narrator…

Edward wasn’t even in this book and yet I had to hear about him every 10 seconds. Blech.

My Posts About New Moon

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
(The Twilight Saga, book 3)
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review: No
Format: Audiobook
Reading Dates: Dec 28 – 29
Read Count: 4
Favorite Thing: It was over quickly.
Least Favorite Thing: It was still torture.

Seriously, these characters are so much more insufferable when you have to hear them out loud! Like they were annoying people before, but then hearing their words aloud? Oh my gawd, I wanted to slap people who don’t even exist.

My Posts About Eclipse

In Progress

First Lines Fridays: June 28, 2019

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First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

Right now, my parents think I’m sleeping on the couch at my best friend Ryan’s house, safely tucked into a suburban silence. At the same time, Ryan’s parents think he’s in the top bunk in my bedroom, slumbering peacefully after a slow night of video games and TV. In reality we’re in the Castro, at a club called Happy Happy, kicking it up at the gaygantuan kickoff party for San Francisco’s very own Pride Week.

Did the quote pique your interest? View this book on Goodreads!

 

First Lines Fridays: March 1, 2019

LeeLeave a comment

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

Bev says when she’s onstage she feels the world holding its breath for her. She feels electric, louder than a thousand wailing sirens, more powerful than God.

Did the quote pique your interest? View this book on Goodreads!

 

January 2019 Reading Wrap-Up

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The Vandemark Mummy by Cynthia Voigt
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  December 31 – January 14
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Althea is smarter than everyone.
Least Favorite Thing:  Can’t think of anything…

I read this to practice my annotating in preparation for a travelling book project. It really enhanced my enjoyment of the mystery!

My Posts About The Vandemark Mummy

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  February 10 – 18
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The art.
Least Favorite Thing:  The whining.

I was kind of disappointed in this book, which was a bummer because I’ve been really impressed with this author in the past. But I just found it, and especially the main character Colby, really boring and whiny… It pretty much only got three stars because the ending was good.

My Posts About The Disenchantments

In Progress

June 2018 Reading Wrap-Up

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Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  May 24 – June 14
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  The descriptions of the set design. This book has made me look at movies and tv shows with a whole new eye, sometimes pausing to take it all in, because the character’s love just shines through in a contagious way.
Least Favorite Thing:  I mean… I kinda hate the cover art on this version…

Honestly, everyone should read a book by Nina LaCour, she’s really becoming a real favorite of mine.

My Posts About Everything Leads to You

The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  June 14
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Biracial family in a picture book!
Least Favorite Thing:  No one has managed to bottle the smell of a picture book for me yet so I had to pause after every page to sniff the book.

I don’t know what inspired me to read a picture book, of all things, but I really enjoyed this cute little book. If you are looking for children’s books this would be a great one.

My Posts About The Hello, Goodbye Window

That Summer by Sarah Dessen
Rating:  ★★★☆☆ – liked it
Review:  No
Format:  eBook
Reading Dates:  June 13 – 26
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  The descriptions of all the tall girls in the book.
Least Favorite Thing:  The use of the r-slur that one time.

I am working on a Sarah Dessen reread and I prefer to read them in published order, so obviously this one is first. I liked it a little less this time around, but I’m not sure if that’s due to my outgrowing the books or something else. I suppose I’ll figure it out soon enough.

My Posts About That Summer

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Rating:  ★★★★★ – loved it
Review:  Yes
Format:  eBook
Reading Dates:  May 16 – June 28
Read Count:  2
Favorite Thing:  SO PUNNY
Least Favorite Thing:  The Humbug annoys me, but only vaguely.

I haven’t read this since I was a kid and I remembered loving it, so I read it again. And I loved it again! Honestly, I know I’ve said this over and over, but everyone should read this book.

My Posts About The Phantom Tollbooth

May 2018 Reading Wrap-Up

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The Martian by Andy Weir
Rating:  ★★★★☆ – really liked it
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  May 1 – 5
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  Sarcastic!
Least Favorite Thing:  “The lunatics at NASA have me doing all kinds of rape to the MAV. . .” Rape? Really? Jackass.

Well the internet was right, the book was funny, I’m glad I read it. Aside from that one sentence, it was a really good book. I would have quoted it a lot more, but I’m fairly certain if you added up all the ‘Martian’ quotes on Goodreads you could reprint full half of this novel (at least).

My Posts About The Martian

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Rating:  ★★☆☆☆ – it was ok
Review:  No
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  May 11 – 13
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  I just can’t think of anything I liked enough to say was my favorite thing.
Least Favorite Thing:  So many…

I just… This wasn’t a bad book by any means. But I just expected to love it and I barely even liked it… I actually preferred the film, which is something I never say.

My Posts About Practical Magic

Undiscovered Gyrl by Allison Burnett
Rating:  ★☆☆☆☆ – did not like it
Review:  Yes
Format:  Print
Reading Dates:  May 7 – 15
Read Count:  1
Favorite Thing:  I literally didn’t like any part of it.
Least Favorite Thing:  Been a long time since I read a book with so many racist comments. I wasn’t missing it.

I read this because I had seen the movie version and found it tolerable enough that when I saw it was based on a book I decided to try the novel. This was a poor choice on my part.

My Posts About Undiscovered Gyrl

In Progress