11. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

Title: Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore
Author: Robin Sloan
Started: 2/1/14
Finished: 2/12/14
Rating: 

I’m going to make a prediction now: this is going to be one of my favorite books of the year. It might just end up being one of my favorite books of all time. If you’ve noticed, I’ve given this book 5/5 stars. This is not a rating I pass out lightly. It takes a lot for me to love a book enough to give it a perfect rating. But Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore had it all – mystery, adventure, quirk and a bit of love – what more could you ask for?

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is about a young man named Clay who is laid off from his job as a web designer and winds up working the night shift at a small, strange bookstore. The longer he works there though, the more he realizes that this bookstore is more than what it seems. He goes on a quest to discover the bookstore’s true purpose and ends up finding more than he bargained for.

This book combines all the elements of a geek’s fantasy. You first have the bookstore aspect. Any bibliophile (like myself) loves books about books, and this one is so perfectly bookish. Second is the typography/design element. I’m more of a words person myself, but I can still appreciate a good font. This was also such a unique aspect of the book. Not many books discuss things like font, even though every single book employs one. Third, you have the mystery. This supports the bulk of the story and ties the other two elements together. All of these aspects combine to form a perfect, quirky, weird, geeky, interesting and fascinating story.

The strongest part of this book, in my opinion, was the supporting characters. Clay surrounds himself with people who are quite honestly smarter and more interesting than himself – a fact that he himself admits to. From the enigmatic bookstore owner Mr. Penumbra to the quirky Google techie girlfriend to the successful video game software-making childhood friend, it’s safe to say that the characters make the book.

And that’s not to say Clay isn’t interesting himself. He is, but in a different way. Clay is an everyman kind of guy. There’s nothing particularly notable about him; he seems really just average. But his dry narration makes for a few laughs, and reading from his perspective provides an interesting take on things. Even though there’s nothing special about him, you still want to root for Clay and enjoy reading about him.

What I really loved most about this book though is that it is a love letter to books and technology. In a world where it seems like technology is taking over print, Sloan finds a way to marry the two. He doesn’t put forth that one is better than the other, but instead portrays a world where they can coexist and live together. The success of one doesn’t have to mean the failure of the other. It is this message and how truly relevant it is in our society that makes me want to recommend this book to everyone I know.

So please everyone, go out and read this book. You’re sure to learn something – whether it’s about books, technology, typography or humanity itself. But it doesn’t even have to be that grandiose. Because this book is just plain entertaining. So whether you’re looking for an adventure story, a story to make you think or just an interesting story, I can confidently say that this book is for you.

10. Before I Fall

Title: Before I Fall
Author: Lauren Oliver
Started: 1/27/14
Finished: 2/11/14
Rating: 

I’m surprised by how much praise this book has gotten. People generally seem to really love this book and believe it to be a great achievement in young adult fiction. I, on the other hand, see it as a predictable run-of-the-mill YA novel. It’s not a bad book by any means, but it just did not wow me.

Before I Fall is about a popular high school girl named Sam who gets in a car crash and wakes up to find she has to relive her last day all over again. Sam ends up reliving Feb. 12 seven times, and along the way she learns about the effect her actions and behavior has had on those around her and learns to become a better person.

Does this sound familiar? That’s because Lifetime puts out a movie much like this about every other year. And I won’t even mention the similarities to Groundhog Day. This book was trying so hard to make a story that’s been done over and over again original and just could not do it. There’s nothing about this story that is ground-breaking, and I felt like I had already either read or watched this story multiple times. There was no exciting twist or surprise; instead, I found the book to be very predictable and cliche.

Lovers of this book may talk about how emotionally devastating this book was for them, but I have a problem with that. I didn’t care enough about the main character to care about what was happening to her. Sam is a shallow and self-centered mean girl, and while I realize she is meant to be this way, she just didn’t have any other characteristics about her that made me root for her. For much of the book, she is just a really terrible person, and the author expects the reader to feel sympathetic toward her anyway. Sam does eventually learn to become a better person, but her journey of self-discovery and growth seemed forced and dragged out. Yes, Sam’s story is heart-wrenching and sad, or it’s supposed to be at least, but because I disliked her so much, I found it difficult to feel emotionally attached to her.

The slight romantic aspect of the film also fell flat for me. Kent and Sam were childhood friends who barely speak anymore, and somehow over the seven relived days, they rediscover their connection. When you really think about it, while Sam may have had seven days to realize her feelings for Kent, Kent knowingly really only had one. Which makes their relationship go through  a complete 180 in a very short span of time. I also didn’t really feel like they realistically had any chemistry, and Sam’s head-over-heels feelings for Kent in that last day were just too much for me to handle.

Before I Fall just did not feel like the great book that everyone has hyped it up to be. It was entertaining and enjoyable, but there is really nothing that special about it.

8. Eleanor & Park

Title: Eleanor & Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Started: 1/25/14
Finished: 1/31/14
Rating: 

I love a good teen love story. I don’t care how cliche and silly they might be, I’m still a fan. When I first cracked the spine of this book, I was expecting it be a great gushy love story that I could guiltily enjoy (although I had heard there would be a sad ending). Eleanor & Park, however, is not your typical love story and this is exactly what I liked about it and was also frustrated by.

Set in the 1980s, Eleanor & Park is a heart-wrenching tale of first love. Eleanor is a quirky outsider, dressed in baggy clothes and sporting frizzy hair. She is bold and brassy, but also guarded, allowing her unhappy home life to keep her from getting close to others. Park is one of only a few Asians in the school and maintains a high social status among his classmates. Never able to live up to his father’s expectations, Park finds comfort in being a little bit different – a trait reflected in his interest in Eleanor. The two meet on the school bus, where they sit together day after day, eventually becoming friends and then falling in love.

The first half of this book is great. Rowell depicts the beginnings of young love beautifully. Eleanor and Park’s initial infatuation is tender and cute and leaves you with a warm feeling inside. I couldn’t help but smile as I read about the buildup of their relationship. Rowell also does a good job of getting inside of these high schoolers’ heads and showing how they would realistically react. In high school relationships, everything is intense and all-or-nothing, and the way Eleanor and Park experience falling in love fits this perfectly.

Once we get further into the book and Eleanor and Park become a couple, it starts to go downhill for me. There was so much back-and-forth and ups and downs that it was hard to really get behind their love. I was rooting for them to be together, but they were just making it so difficult. Also, at times it got a little too mushy gushy for me. Like I said, their love was a realistic teenage end-all be-all love, but as an adult, I could see the silliness in it too much.

The story overall was very realistic which I do think is one of its triumphs. Eleanor and Park feel like real teenagers falling in love, and the way it unfolds results in a very practical outcome. However, is this what we want in a love story? When I go into a book about love, I don’t really want it to be like a real relationship. I don’t want to read about the fights and the difficulties – I want to skip straight to the cutesy stuff. Rowell shows every side of Eleanor and Park’s relationship – the good, the bad and the ugly. Which, while it may not be what I want in a love story, could be exactly what others want.

5. Home: A Memoir of My Early Years

Title: Home: A Memoir of My Early Years
Author: Julie Andrews
Started: 12/8/13
Finished: 1/19/14
Rating: 

 

In my tenth grade English class, I was asked to read a biography of my choice and then give a presentation on the person that biography was about. I chose Julie Andrews. I have loved and idolized Julie Andrews since I was a little girl. Growing up (and still to this day), The Sound of Music was one of my favorite movies, and I’ve always believed Julie was extremely talented and beautifully graceful.

When I did my project on her, there was only one biography written about her, which I read and thoroughly enjoyed. However, this autobiography was so much better. Mostly because it comes straight from the pen of Julie Andrews herself. Reading it, I really felt like I knew her, and I was able to get a strong understanding of her personality and what she was like at different times in her life. As a longtime fan of hers, this was a huge treat.

Julie is a beautiful and compelling author, but I’m not sure I would’ve enjoyed the book as much as I did if I wasn’t already a fan of hers. Her writing is strong, but extremely conventional, which at times could be a bit tedious and dull. She tells the story of her life in a very straightforward way, with no surprises. This was an even-paced book that I could never describe as a page-turner.

For the most part, her content is interesting and provocative, and I really enjoyed learning about her background and where she came from. Interestingly enough, Julie came from a modest background, where at at the age of about 12 years old and on, her singing was the main source of her family’s income. It amazes me the kind of pressure Julie was placed under at such a young age. From both her family and her budding career, a lot was expected of her.

My favorite parts of the book were her depictions of life behind-the-scenes on Broadway. It was fascinating to learn what it was like moving halfway across the world as a teenager, going on auditions and landing huge roles in successful shows. She describes these experiences in such rich detail that I couldn’t help but feel like I was there with her. After reading this book, I almost feel like I know what it would be like to be in a Broadway show.

The book ends with Julie jetting to Los Angeles to begin work on Mary Poppins, which was the role that sky-rocketed her to stardom. With a little research, I discovered that this book was originally intended to be the first of two, with the second volume detailing her later years. There is no definite work in progress for this part two, but I really hope she eventually releases it. As much as I loved reading about Broadway, I know I’d love reading about Hollywood even more.

4. The City of Ember

Title: The City of Ember
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Started: 1/8/14
Finished: 1/17/14
Rating: 

Sometimes when I read a children’s book, it doesn’t really feel like a children’s book. The book is more intelligent and self-conscious than the average children’s book. This is true for books like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. For The City of Ember though, it still felt like I was reading a children’s book. Not to say I didn’t enjoy this book because I did. But if you’re going into it thinking it’s going to be more than what it is, you might be disappointed. This book is very much for children, and adults probably won’t like it as much as their children will.

This is a story about an underground city that is running out of power with no discernible way of getting out to find help or supplies. The main character, Lina, discovers a ruined note that undoubtedly contains the secret to getting out of Ember. She sets off on a quest to find the way out of Ember and save the city’s citizens.

I loved the setting of this story. The underground city of Ember is a vibrant and tangent world that is described in rich detail. I listened to this book as an audiobook, and as I listened, I very clearly pictured the city where this story takes place. The secret to the success of this story lies in the author’s treatment of the city. Ember should be a very dark and scary place. It’s an underground city where its citizens are locked with no way to get out. This book very easily could’ve delved into horror. However, when reading the book, Ember feels like a happy place. To the protagonist Lina, Ember is home, and the reader can feel the comfort and ease the city gives her.

The only real problem I had with this book was its predictability. At times, it felt like the author wasn’t trusting us as readers to infer things on our own. She often explains things over and over again, beating us over the head with the answer to the mystery. However, I can forgive this since it as after all a children’s book.

This is only the first book in the Book of Ember series, however, I think I will stop here. Unfortunately, the first book ends on a cliffhanger, which makes me anxious to find out what happens. Although not anxious enough to read the next book. Perhaps I will pick the other ones up later, but right now, I don’t feel like it’s a priority for me.

I think if I had read this when I was 11 or 12 years old, I would have loved it. With its dystopian setting, puzzling mystery and noble quest, this book is right up my alley. However, reading it as a 22-year-old just wasn’t the same as it could have been if I had read it as a child. It was still entertaining, and I did enjoy it, but just not in the same way. City of Ember  is a fantastic children’s book – but don’t expect it be anything more.

3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

Title: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
Author: Mindy Kaling
Started: 1/11/14
Finished: 1/13/14
Rating: 

Anyone who does not watch The Mindy Project is seriously missing out. The show is hilarious, and Mindy Kaling is a gem. I literally laugh out loud every time she cracks a joke. So naturally, I assumed her book would be equally hilarious. Sadly, I was disappointed. I’m not saying this book was bad, cause it wasn’t. I still enjoyed it, but it wasn’t the rip-roaring hilarity I expected.

In a world filled with cookie-cutter skinny blond actresses, Mindy comes as a breath of fresh air. She is witty, not a size 0 and not Caucasian. To me, she seems very real and down-to-earth. Which ultimately makes me identify and relate to her. It is this realness that comes across in Mindy’s book. She had a pretty average childhood and adolescence, and in her book she describes going on first dates, making and losing friends and trying to find her identity and passion. All things that every woman deals with and can relate to.

Mindy knows how to write the stories in this book in a way that makes us want to be her best friend. In fact, it feels like we already are best friends, and we’re just chitchatting. There’s nothing truly deep in this book. No real “I had it so hard” stories. Just normal, day-to-day stories. Things that probably most girls have also experienced.

I listened to this book as an audiobook, and Mindy Kaling read it which was superb. I love when authors read their own books. Then I know it’s being read just the right way. Plus, with Mindy you get a few ad-libs here and there. Her reading also just added to the fact that I felt like she was my best friend. She was literally talking right to me!

As a comedian, Mindy is extremely talented in both acting and writing. However, I’m not sure this talent was showcased very well in this book. There were moments that left me chuckling, but there was nothing truly hilarious. I found myself feeling disappointed and comparing it to Tina Fey’s Bossypants, to which it unfortunately paled in comparison. I’m sad about this, because I really wanted to love Mindy’s book. It just didn’t turn out that way.

Overall, I may have had a few qualms with the book, but I generally really enjoyed it. Mindy gave me a few chuckles, and I did find some of her stories interesting – especially the ones about working for Conan O’Brien. So if you’re looking for something gut-wrenchingly funny, this is not the book for you – but The Mindy Project might be just the ticket.

2. Fahrenheit 451

Title: Fahrenheit 451
Author: Ray Bradbury
Started: 1/4/14
Finished: 1/8/14
Rating: 

I should be ashamed of myself for not reading this book sooner. This is one of those books that it seems like the whole world has read or at the very least knows about. As a former English major, it’s a little embarrassing for me to admit that it took 22 years to read this one. Although, I am sure there are other classic lit books that I have not yet read that are more embarrassing. We just won’t talk about those now.

I’m not really sure what motivated me to pick this one up now. I hadn’t planned on reading it anytime soon, but somehow I decided that it was about time. Sometimes I get in the mood to read a really well-written book, and this one seemed like just the ticket. A post-apocalyptic tale involving book-burning? Sounds intriguing, right? And at 150 pages, it looked like it would be pretty easy to get through.

The thing about classics like this one is that the message still rings true no matter what year, decade or even century it is. They have stamina, and they’ll always mean something to somebody. This book, though it was published in 1953, could have easily been written yesterday, and it still would be relevant. Especially with today’s society’s view on books, the evolution of the internet and the degradation of print, Fahrenheit 451 not only seems relevant, but plausible!

This book really should be required reading for all living people. It is a testament to the true power of literature – and its importance. I would never want to live in a society like Montag’s, where all the citizens have forgotten the meaning books and knowledge can give to people’s lives, and I see this book as a warning against such a turn of events. Fahrenheit 451 reminds us that literature is important, and that a life without it would be absolutely dreadful.

Bradbury creates such a bleak and terrible world, where humans have no depth and no one is truly happy. Guy Montag, the protagonist, struggles with the realization that his life is lacking. He begins the book as an ignorant follower, accepting his life and society, and eventually becomes a complex rebel, seeking something more and betting everything – including his life – to find it.

I probably liked this book more for its meaning than for the actual book itself. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the whole thing, but not as much as I hoped I would have. It did take me a few days to read, and I kept having to stop in odd places, which could have something to do with my enjoyment of it. Perhaps if I had sat down and read it all in one sitting, it would have been better. I think stopping and starting made the pace a bit choppy for me, and I just never seemed to be able to really get into the story.

There’s no doubt, as I mentioned, that this book is and should be a classic. But in comparing it to others, such as 1984  or Brave New World,  I don’t think it reaches quite the same status. Though it presents a fully-fleshed society and complex protagonist, I just think when you place it next to 1984 and Brave New World, it pales slightly in the comparison.

So I know many people probably groan at the word classic and might not have even read this far into this review because of it. But the fact of the matter is every other book in the world is out there because of a classic. They lay the groundwork for all of literature and story-telling. And Fahrenheit 451 shows us exactly why literature should be revered and protected and the consequences of when it’s not. So even if classics aren’t your thing, try this one. You might just gain a new appreciation for knowledge and literature the same way Guy Montag does.

1. Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me

Title: Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me
Author: Chelsea Handler
Started: 12/19/13
Finished: 1/7/14
Rating: 

Now I know what you’re thinking. My blog has fiction in the title and here I am reviewing a non-fiction book. I don’t really know what to tell you. Fifty Fifty Fiction and Non-fiction just didn’t have the same ring to it. So let’s just go with it.

I should start off this review by telling you that I did not read this book. I listened to it. I tend to listen to a lot of audiobooks (I have a long commute) and this is the latest one. Anyway onto my review.

I’d been wanting to read a Chelsea Handler book for a while. Not that I’m a huge fan of hers, but I do think she’s funny, and occasionally I like to watch Chelsea Lately. So naturally I figured a Chelsea Handler book had to be chock full of laughs. Looking back, I feel like this book probably wasn’t the best one to start with, and it may have tainted her other books for me.

Lies That Chelsea Handler Wrote Me is not technically written by Chelsea Handler. Instead, each chapter is written and read by one of Chelsea’s friends, family members or co-workers. Strike one. So here I am, looking to read a Chelsea Handler book, and what do I get? A book about Chelsea Handler. Not exactly what I set out to find. Yes, she does offer some short, stunted comments at the end of the chapters. But it’s really not enough.

Each chapter tells stories about instances where Chelsea Handler lied to the narrator. These stories are meant to be funny. They’re not. Strike two. They’re not exactly boring or uninteresting, but I guess I was just wanting the stories to be funnier than they turned out to be. I think this goes back to the fact that this book is a compilation of other people’s stories. These people (most of them, anyway) are not professional writers or comedians. Instead, they just happen to work with, be friends with or be related to a professional writer and comedian. So while Chelsea does do some funny things in these stories, the way they’re told isn’t as funny as it could be.

As the title tells you, Chelsea Handler is a big, fat liar. And not just the those-jeans-don’t-make-your-butt-look-big lies. I mean big humiliating ruin-your-life lies. Strike three. Now, I do find Chelsea Handler funny and talented. But after reading this book, I would never ever ever want to be friends with her. The things she puts her friends, relatives and co-workers through are kind of unforgiving. Sabotaging your wedding reception? Ruining your honeymoon? These kinds of lies are messed up, and I would never want one of my friends to do the kinds of things Chelsea does to hers. Not all Chelsea’s antics end with up with life-altering results, but many of them just seem a bit mean-hearted.

Overall, this book was entertaining enough, but it didn’t quite meet my expectations. I’m not sure I’ll pick up another Chelsea Handler book. I kind of wish I hadn’t in the first place.