November Book List
Dec. 4th, 2013 09:56 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chestnutcurlsThin Space by Jody Casella (5 stars)
Marsh Windsor survived the car accident that killed his twin brother. Before her own death, his elderly neighbor taught him about "thin spaces," places where the barrier between our world and the afterworld are thinner, enabling people to visit with the dead. Racked with guilt and grief, Marsh goes everywhere – including school – barefoot in hopes of literally stumbling upon a thin space. His real objective is to get into the house where the old lady promised to create one. Unfortunately, his new neighbor, Maddie, makes those efforts difficult. As he slowly lets her in on his plans, he is forced closer and closer to everything he's been trying to forget. There's much more going on in this story than meets the eye. If you read it, please let me know so we can discuss!!
With a Little Luck by Caprice Crane (4 stars)
Berry, a classic-rock DJ in LA, has lived her entire life according to the superstitious teachings of her gambling-addicted father. When she meets Ryan, she's just finished her second bad relationship in a row... and bad things always happen in threes. So their love is doomed. But as their relationship progresses, Berry begins to question her philosophies and her screwed-up, if loving, family dynamics. This novel is classic Caprice Crane, which means it's funny, blunt, touching, and true all at the same time. It took me a while to get into it because Berry's superstitions are so intense as to be off-putting, but that's all part of the plan.
Across A Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund (5 stars)
This novel is set in the same postapocalyptic world as For Darkness Shows the Stars, but in a very different place - on two luxurious island nations where technology is embraced and the Reduction has been overcome by genetic engineering. Persis Blake, heiress to an estate and best friend of the princess of Albion, wears airheaded beauty as a disguise. She's actually the Wild Poppy, a notorious spy and enemy of the cruel revolution happening in Galatea. When Justen Helo, a famous scientist close to the Galatean throne, rescues her on a mission gone bad, things get a lot more complicated. So complicated that I can't explain any further. The important thing is that I LOVED this book and it is well worth your time. :)
When We Were on Fire: A Memoir of Consuming Faith, Tangled Love, and Starting Over by Addie Zierman (5 stars)
I've never even visited Addie Zierman's blog, but after reading this memoir, I'm ready to declare her the voice of my generation. If you grew up an evangelical Christian or want to understand someone who did, you need to read this ASAP. It's a masterful depiction of late 90s evangelical culture that manages to be both honest and respectful.
Books for November: 4
2013 year to date: 64
Marsh Windsor survived the car accident that killed his twin brother. Before her own death, his elderly neighbor taught him about "thin spaces," places where the barrier between our world and the afterworld are thinner, enabling people to visit with the dead. Racked with guilt and grief, Marsh goes everywhere – including school – barefoot in hopes of literally stumbling upon a thin space. His real objective is to get into the house where the old lady promised to create one. Unfortunately, his new neighbor, Maddie, makes those efforts difficult. As he slowly lets her in on his plans, he is forced closer and closer to everything he's been trying to forget. There's much more going on in this story than meets the eye. If you read it, please let me know so we can discuss!!
With a Little Luck by Caprice Crane (4 stars)
Berry, a classic-rock DJ in LA, has lived her entire life according to the superstitious teachings of her gambling-addicted father. When she meets Ryan, she's just finished her second bad relationship in a row... and bad things always happen in threes. So their love is doomed. But as their relationship progresses, Berry begins to question her philosophies and her screwed-up, if loving, family dynamics. This novel is classic Caprice Crane, which means it's funny, blunt, touching, and true all at the same time. It took me a while to get into it because Berry's superstitions are so intense as to be off-putting, but that's all part of the plan.
Across A Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund (5 stars)
This novel is set in the same postapocalyptic world as For Darkness Shows the Stars, but in a very different place - on two luxurious island nations where technology is embraced and the Reduction has been overcome by genetic engineering. Persis Blake, heiress to an estate and best friend of the princess of Albion, wears airheaded beauty as a disguise. She's actually the Wild Poppy, a notorious spy and enemy of the cruel revolution happening in Galatea. When Justen Helo, a famous scientist close to the Galatean throne, rescues her on a mission gone bad, things get a lot more complicated. So complicated that I can't explain any further. The important thing is that I LOVED this book and it is well worth your time. :)
When We Were on Fire: A Memoir of Consuming Faith, Tangled Love, and Starting Over by Addie Zierman (5 stars)
I've never even visited Addie Zierman's blog, but after reading this memoir, I'm ready to declare her the voice of my generation. If you grew up an evangelical Christian or want to understand someone who did, you need to read this ASAP. It's a masterful depiction of late 90s evangelical culture that manages to be both honest and respectful.
Books for November: 4
2013 year to date: 64
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(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-04 05:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-04 09:39 pm (UTC)Well I tried to summarize the plot here. There's kind of a lot of layers to it!
(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-04 06:20 pm (UTC)Can't WAIT to read Across a Star-Swept Sea. Do you know the classic novel on which it's based, The Scarlet Pimpernel? That used to be one of my favorites. Ever since I found out Diana Peterfreund was doing gender-swapped Scarlet Pimpernel I was SO on board.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-04 06:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-04 08:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-06 03:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-04 09:37 pm (UTC)I haven't read The Scarlet Pimpernel but I knew this was based on it. Maybe I should read it now since I loved this so much, although this has dystopia AND an awesome female protagonist. After I finished the book, I looked for more interviews with Diana about it and found a playlist she had put together for a book blog. Then I loved it even more. She put "Bad Girls" by M.I.A. on it (one of my favorite workout songs) and said she imagined Persis blasting it on her way to a mission. That would have sold me if I hadn't already read the book. :D
(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-04 08:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-04 09:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-05 02:50 am (UTC)(I'm currently two books ahead of you. Not that it's a race, but I feel like you read way more than me so it was a cool thing to notice. Haha!)
(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-05 02:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-05 05:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-12-08 06:25 pm (UTC)