Thursday, May 31, 2012

Books: May Edition

Hey y'all. This months book edition is going to be a little different than in the past, mostly just because I read so many dang books and don't want to bore you (or myself) with a long post about all of them. So I will keep it simple with my rating and maybe a few comments. I read seven (and a half, technically) books this month! I probably could have read more, but the last book I just finished was over 600 pages and super dense. So here we go.

First, I read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. Five stars, totally. It's a completely different take on a not very well known story from the bible and I loved reading it. It was beautifully written and the relationships between the women felt so real and true.

Then I read Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. I like a good Nicholas Sparks book every once in a while. Usually a nice, easy read. I liked this book too, but I kinda felt like I had read it before under the guise of another title also by Nicholas Sparks. It was also predictable. Three stars for this one.

Next I read A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Absolutely adored every word of this book. It's been on my to-read list for ages and I can't believe it took me so long to read it. Five stars all the way.

Then I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. I really liked this book and loved learning more about the Chinese culture. I sometimes felt the main character was a bit flimsy, but the surrounding characters and wonderfully told story made up for it. Four stars for a great book.

After that I read Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger. This book was... creepy, thought-provoking, spooky. I think I liked it? It was definitely different, that's for sure. Three stars for this one.
Next I read The Maze Runner by James Dashner. I've been wanting to read this one for a long while and... Gotta say, not quite worth the excitement I wasted on it. It was alright. Nothing wonderful. The story was predictable, kind of blah, and very much meant for a young crowd. I'm not sure I will read the next two books. Three stars.

The half of a book I have read is Die For Me by Amy Plum. I thought this sounded like a great book, but I got halfway through and I just couldn't keep reading! I got so bored... So maybe for the June Books Edition I will have read it, but for now I had to put it down and keep on moving along my reading list.
The last book I read this month was Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I just barely finished it, so it hasn't quite had time to settle in my mind and I definitely have mixed feelings about this book. For the most part, I loved it; the historical Scottish setting is wonderful, the characters are unique and believable, and the love story really is beautiful. The main character, Claire, was a bit grating and annoying, but Jamie was wonderful! There were bits in this book that just broke my heart, bits that I don't know I liked, and bits that I for sure loved. This book is definitely not for everyone, but I am excited to continue reading the series and see where it goes. Four stars for this lovely book.

Yours,
 Cait

P.S. Yes, I do realize that my taste in books is very broad and I love reading all sorts of different things. I think that's the best way to go. :)

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