THE BOOKS:
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare- 1.75 stars (reread) This rating was accurate when I was a freshman in high school and it's accurate as a senior in college. My thoughts are pretty much still the same. The story would be much better taught as a comedy than a tragedy, but that's just my opinion. You can check out my old review here if you want.
Always Enough, Never Too Much: 100 Devotions to Quit Comparing, Stop Hiding, and Start Living Wild and Free by Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan- 4.5 stars I really loved this devotional book. There were so many awesome passages. I was encouraged and had some great prayer time with the Lord as a result, but there were some things that I didn't always agree with or find myself rooting for. I did really love the formatting of this book! It's unique and has two separate sides. One side is the Always Enough part and if you flip the book and turn it upside down, then there is the Never Too Much part. Really fun concept! If you are looking for a devotional book, this is one I highly recommend!
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson- 5 stars (reread) I have always wanted to revisit this book. I remember being struck by its coldness and the shivering it produced in my bones. When I read it I was scared that I was a wintergirl or could become one. The prospect was horrifying to a thirteen-year-old Sarah. As an adult, I appreciate this novel. I appreciate its grit, the darkness, and the poetry. I appreciate the lyricism in each line and each intentional crossed out version of Lia closer to herself. I appreciate its honesty and confusion. I appreciate the cold. I appreciate the sadness of Lia's story and mental deterioration. I love this book. It is a forever favorite. Check out my review here.
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson- 5 stars (reread) I have always wanted to revisit this book. I remember being struck by its coldness and the shivering it produced in my bones. When I read it I was scared that I was a wintergirl or could become one. The prospect was horrifying to a thirteen-year-old Sarah. As an adult, I appreciate this novel. I appreciate its grit, the darkness, and the poetry. I appreciate the lyricism in each line and each intentional crossed out version of Lia closer to herself. I appreciate its honesty and confusion. I appreciate the cold. I appreciate the sadness of Lia's story and mental deterioration. I love this book. It is a forever favorite. Check out my review here.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio- 5 stars This book was good. It was beautiful and simple. A perfect novel for younger readers to expose them to people who are not like themselves. It's a beautiful story. I laughed, I cried, and the ending made me cheer. It was sweet. I can't wait to one day read this with my children.
The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye- 4 stars I had never heard of this before in my life before my Fairy Tales class. The story has a simple premise of a girl being cursed with ordinariness and her adventures of running away. She manages to be extraordinary though because she has animals like a cow and squirrel that follow her around and live with her in the woods. Also, she gets the prince. So, while it does have great commentary on the fairy tale tropes it also falls into them and doesn't stray out of them.
When the Moon Was Ours by Anna Marie McLemore- 2.5 stars I didn't hate this book or dislike it, but man, I was unimpressed. I wanted to love this one so much, but it was a Hodge-podge of empty metaphors and over the top magical realism that could've been taken out. This story is important for transgender people, but the book was a slog to read. I also could not stand the Bonner sisters plot.
Wait: Thoughts and Practices in Waiting on God by Rebecca Brewster Stevenson- 3 stars This had some good stuff and a beautiful narrative of the bleeding woman that left me speechless and in awe. However, I didn't agree with her theology and this book was kind of just a book on the topic of waiting without any true power behind the message. A lot of the story revolves around losing money to the recession and her husband not getting a job. It's sad, but it felt like the same story being told over and over again with the same things thrown into to extra emphasize God's ability to pull them out of it, but it was the same story of God pulling them out of it and not something else. It became tedious.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky- 5 stars (reread) You know those books that are good and will always be good? This is one of them. It doesn't matter whether you are in high school or college, this book still packs a punch. I love this book and it is another forever favorite. One of those subtle books that turns gradually into something bigger than what you first thought you were getting. Also, the movie is one of the best for the YA genre in film. So stinking good! Check out my review here.
The Necklace by Guy de Maupasant- 3 stars I liked where this story goes. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it does have a sad and fun twist. The students in my class really liked it. Check out my review here.
Ash by Malinda Lo- 4.25 stars This book was fun to read. It was addictive. I loved the worldbuilding and the construction of the fairies. I had heard great things about Ash, but I had never read it before or really had the desire to pick it up. Cinderella is not my favorite fairy tale, so I rarely pick up retellings of the story. However, this one was good. I'm pleasantly surprised!
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood- 5 stars (reread) I love this book. This book is gut-punching. It's painful, but writing so beautifully and with such tongue-in-cheek. It's brilliant. I loved this novel as a senior in high school, but as a senior in college, this novel does something different and it is a tale that will stay me with for a very long time. The cruelty and horror that is splashed on every page is a good reminder of where our society could go if we choose to.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin- 4 stars It's funny to see this book listed after The Handmaid's Tale. This is a sweet children's book about a girl in a poor Chinese village who wants to change her family's fortune. It's full of adventure and the story is precious.
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners by John Bunyan- 3 stars John Bunyan is famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress, which I have yet to read. This was a free audiobook for the month of August on Christian Audiobook, so I decided to download it. This is a testimony novel and it's incredibly fascinating and very sad. Bunyan had the tendency to travel and endlessly repeat the same sin-cycles. He was convinced that he blasphemed his relationship with Jesus and sold it the Devil. Really quite sad, but the novel is very dry.
The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare- 2.5 stars This is a Shakespearean comedy that most people are not familiar with. It's not one of his most famous or beloved plays. It's kind of a hot mess, but it is also pretty funny. I didn't love it, but I liked it well enough.
The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye- 4 stars I had never heard of this before in my life before my Fairy Tales class. The story has a simple premise of a girl being cursed with ordinariness and her adventures of running away. She manages to be extraordinary though because she has animals like a cow and squirrel that follow her around and live with her in the woods. Also, she gets the prince. So, while it does have great commentary on the fairy tale tropes it also falls into them and doesn't stray out of them.
When the Moon Was Ours by Anna Marie McLemore- 2.5 stars I didn't hate this book or dislike it, but man, I was unimpressed. I wanted to love this one so much, but it was a Hodge-podge of empty metaphors and over the top magical realism that could've been taken out. This story is important for transgender people, but the book was a slog to read. I also could not stand the Bonner sisters plot.
Wait: Thoughts and Practices in Waiting on God by Rebecca Brewster Stevenson- 3 stars This had some good stuff and a beautiful narrative of the bleeding woman that left me speechless and in awe. However, I didn't agree with her theology and this book was kind of just a book on the topic of waiting without any true power behind the message. A lot of the story revolves around losing money to the recession and her husband not getting a job. It's sad, but it felt like the same story being told over and over again with the same things thrown into to extra emphasize God's ability to pull them out of it, but it was the same story of God pulling them out of it and not something else. It became tedious.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky- 5 stars (reread) You know those books that are good and will always be good? This is one of them. It doesn't matter whether you are in high school or college, this book still packs a punch. I love this book and it is another forever favorite. One of those subtle books that turns gradually into something bigger than what you first thought you were getting. Also, the movie is one of the best for the YA genre in film. So stinking good! Check out my review here.
The Necklace by Guy de Maupasant- 3 stars I liked where this story goes. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it does have a sad and fun twist. The students in my class really liked it. Check out my review here.
Ash by Malinda Lo- 4.25 stars This book was fun to read. It was addictive. I loved the worldbuilding and the construction of the fairies. I had heard great things about Ash, but I had never read it before or really had the desire to pick it up. Cinderella is not my favorite fairy tale, so I rarely pick up retellings of the story. However, this one was good. I'm pleasantly surprised!
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood- 5 stars (reread) I love this book. This book is gut-punching. It's painful, but writing so beautifully and with such tongue-in-cheek. It's brilliant. I loved this novel as a senior in high school, but as a senior in college, this novel does something different and it is a tale that will stay me with for a very long time. The cruelty and horror that is splashed on every page is a good reminder of where our society could go if we choose to.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin- 4 stars It's funny to see this book listed after The Handmaid's Tale. This is a sweet children's book about a girl in a poor Chinese village who wants to change her family's fortune. It's full of adventure and the story is precious.
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners by John Bunyan- 3 stars John Bunyan is famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress, which I have yet to read. This was a free audiobook for the month of August on Christian Audiobook, so I decided to download it. This is a testimony novel and it's incredibly fascinating and very sad. Bunyan had the tendency to travel and endlessly repeat the same sin-cycles. He was convinced that he blasphemed his relationship with Jesus and sold it the Devil. Really quite sad, but the novel is very dry.
The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare- 2.5 stars This is a Shakespearean comedy that most people are not familiar with. It's not one of his most famous or beloved plays. It's kind of a hot mess, but it is also pretty funny. I didn't love it, but I liked it well enough.
Overall Thoughts:
I read 14 books in October! Wow-zah!! I had a lot more free-time considering we only had two footballs game to perform. It was a relaxing month compared to what I'm experiencing now in November.
Here are my 5-star reads:
1. Wintergirls
2. The Handmaid's Tale
3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
4. Wonder
October was filled with a lot of rereads. It's kind of sad to see that only one of my new-to-me books was a solid 5-star read, but I loved my rereads so much that I'm content.
Here are my 5-star reads:
1. Wintergirls
2. The Handmaid's Tale
3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
4. Wonder
October was filled with a lot of rereads. It's kind of sad to see that only one of my new-to-me books was a solid 5-star read, but I loved my rereads so much that I'm content.
2019 TBR:
None, again :( Reading for pleasure is not really something I have much choice in at that moment.
Total Read: 14
November TBR:
Considering that it's almost the end of November, I won't list anything. I don't want to spoil my November wrap-up!
Books I'm Reading, But Not Reading:
These are my books that I want to finish when I'm done with finals. I will probably pick up other books to read, but I'm hoping to finally return to all of these and clear my currently reading shelf down again.
Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts on them if you have? Let me know down below in the comments!
