Friday, January 25, 2013

Gone Girl

by Gillian Flynn

Have you heard of this book? If not, have you been living under a rock? I've been surrounded by whispered conversations about this book for MONTHS now and decided to finally get in on the action. There's nothing I hate more than not being able to partake in a bookish discussion. Well, almost nothing...  Honestly, I can't tell you much about the book without giving away some critical plot points. And since not many people in the world are spoiler whores like myself, I will hold back and offer just a few thoughts. In Gone Girl, we begin by following a man (Nick) who finds that his wife (Amy) is missing. The drama just builds from this point. Although the beginning was a little slow (filled with marital back story and strife), as soon as I hit the first twist I couldn't put the book down. Oh yes, there are plenty of twists. At the core of it all, Flynn deals with questions like: "How well can you really know another person?", "What are the boundaries within marriage?", "Can you love someone without conditions?". To borrow Nick's words, the relationship between these two bizarre people is "catastophically romantic". Catastrophically. Twisted. Toxic. Did I reveal too much? Now, please read this so that we can have a real discussion on the topic. Call me when you're done. Thank you.

Monday, January 7, 2013

The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green

This book made me cry in front of strangers. Let me explain... I have a leaky eye. Specifically, my right eye. For some unknown reason, while my left eye can contain itself, my traitorous right eye will always reveal my true emotions and sheds a tear at every sappy Hallmark movie, Google+ commercial, or sweet note from a friend. So when I tell you that I read this book on an airplane, it should not come as a surprise that my right eye shed more than a single tear, in front of total strangers. The poor girl sitting next to me must have thought I was going through something tragic, since I kept turning to the window to wipe tears from the right side of my face. But please, do not let my sappy tears discourage you from picking up this book. There are few books that have truly touched my heart and stayed with me (the last most likely being If I Stay by Gayle Forman)... but this will be added to my list. The story follows Hazel, a teenager who has lived for years with a terminal cancer diagnosis. While her life seems pointless & endlessly repetitive (the only excitement being a TV marathon of America's Next Top Model), all of that changes when Augustus Waters waltzes into her support group. The friendship, support and love they find in each other changes them deeply, eternally. I don't want to give away too much of the story, so you'll have to read it yourself. Green's perspective seems to be spot on, on a subject that few can truly grasp. Heartbreaking and yet beautifully hopeful, this book should be on everyone's list for 2013.

Can you believe it?

Welcome to 2013! It's hard to believe that this will be my 3rd year writing on this blog... In total, I have read a total of 90 books over the last 2 years. Crazy! I have a feeling that 2013 is going to be a great one all around, and I'm excited to continue sharing my reading journey with you! As always... send any of your favorite recommendations my direction, and I'll be happy to read & blog my thoughts. Happy new year!