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Scorpiomin's 2020 Reading Challenge
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That's the spirit! best of luck, Scorpianmuse!
Book #2: Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid4 Stars
This is my second book of the year. It went relatively quickly and was surprisingly good.
First of all, I liked the style. There is something about moving out of the first/third person perspectives that most books tend to have. Probably why I have enjoyed styles such as "The Virgin Suicides," "13 Reasons Why," and "Daisy Jones and The Six." The format of Daisy Jones reminds to a point, the way that King wrote "Carrie."
What I liked was that the author didn't spend an innate amount of time in the youth of the main characters of Daisy and Billy. The ground work for who they were was laid out and it was nicely done. What was laid out for the reader, actually accentuates why the characters are the way they are. It is nice to have details but have so much detail that it detracts from the story.
I found it an interesting premise: that talented songwriters manage to get together and at the height of their fame and popularity as a band. . .DONE. It wasn't hard to see these individuals in the crux of the 1970's rock scene, schmoozing with the groups of the day. It dealt with the usual dynamics of (and ramifications) of sex, drugs and rock and roll.
The secondary characters were also interesting. The jealousy of Eddie, the hiding of the relationship between Karen & Graham, how Pete knew that the band was a temporary thing for him and not his entire life. Billy fighting the demons of substance abuse and staying faithful to his wife Camile and their daughters. I liked that while there was a ton of sexual tension admitted between Daisy & Billy, very little actually happened and for me, the confrontation between Camile and Daisy during the last night of their existence as a band, felt real.
Let me explain, I felt it was written real well. How many times have we seen the jilted wife either just give in or go completely mental? I like it.
I do wish there had been some snippets between how the text was written (like maybe an article from some magazine) or something. But having seen this book brought up on BookTube by many readers, I was happy to give it a whirl.
Afternote: No, I didn't goof up, this is my second book of the year. I will be posting my first book of the year very shortly! Behind by one, but better than last year!
I am all about magic this year. I hope that your reading goal is your little touch of magic.
Book # 7 (Yep, I am seriously behind on getting updated!)Thornhill by Pam Smy
4 Stars.
I wasn't quite sure about this book when I ordered it from BookOutlet. I've been looking into broadening my reading horizon and this was one that was--well, unexpected.
Probably between a middle-grade and YA, this book (at 508 pages!) takes place in two-time lines and uses two form of story telling to tell the story: words & pictures. One timeline, the diary (text) form, takes place in 1982 at the Thornhill house--a place for girls looking for foster placement or perhaps, a long-term stay. However, the populate in just a few short months dwindles to two young girls, and two care-takers.
The modern story takes form in the format of illustrations of a girl named Ella who moves in beside the Thornhill house in the year 2017. She sees in the delapidated old Thornhill, a young girl.
The story goes back and forth between the two time-lines, culminating in the two merging.
It was interesting an even though I am way beyond the age of Middle-Grade, but I still enjoy reading them time to time and to be honest, if this book had come out when I was a young girl, I would have loved this. Youngster goth!
I gave it four stars based on the unique way it was told and that if I put myself there as a young girl, it would have been on my keep shelf.
Book #5: How To Hang A Witch by Adriana MatherProbably a clear 4 Star Book.
Actually, if I wanted to seriously describe this book, I would say it is: Part modern day Richard Peck's Blossom Culp/Alexander Armsworth series, part Mean Girls, part The Craft and part Gallows Hill by Lois Duncan.
I was in the mood for something witchy that wasn't Hallmark witchy, if you catch my meaning. This was something I picked in my very first Bookoutlet order. I've been trying to broaden my reading categories a bit more this year and this one was, well, interesting.
The author takes from storied family history, which allows a lot of twisting and story telling. So we meet Samantha "Call her Sam." She is moving from New York City to (insert creepy music) Salem, Massachusetts. She already has a bit of storied history: doesn't get along well with others, quick temper. Her father is in a coma in the hospital and she and her step-mother move into her families home.
At her new school, she encounters The Descendants, a group of girls (and one boy) who dress all in black and not very personable (most of them). Strange things start to happen once Sam hits town. She befriends the boy next door. People die, secret rooms, ghosts. Just what one may expect Salem to be brimming with.
She eventually puts everything together with some help of the Descendants.
Okay, I realize some may not like this. Sam isn't your typical female lead. She had faults and isn't afraid to admit them. She doesn't necessarily want to fit in or be part of anything. Her main concern is the state her father is in.
When I said it Part this... let me explain.
Part Richard Peck: a look at my reading would note books such as Blossom Culp and the Sleep of Death and Ghosts I Have been. Middle grade books, but the characters were very much teens in the early part of the 20th century. It is almost as if Blossom and Alexander were plucked from 1914 to 2017. Though none of the early teen cootie stage, the main characters reminded me of this. Part Mean Girls: Yes, you have a girl who definitely different, but runs into a group of girls with a leader that is very nasty. Part the Craft: self-explanatory if you've see the movie. Part Gallows Hill, where the Salem Witch Trials move into present day with descendants and everything as well.
As a whole, I really enjoyed the book. Sam was no Bella Swan, and Jaxon, the main male character wasn't overly annoying and seemed more helpful than most. I think the element of the supernatural romance between Sam and Elijah was interesting. Make me want a romantic ghost in my life.
Book #6: Haunting the Deep by Adriana MatherOh boy!
In my review for How To Hang A Witch, I mentioned all the parts I thought that it was reminding me of. This time, it definitely reminds me of Richard Pecks "Culp/Armsworth" novels, plus some Mean Girls and maybe a few 1980's teen Rom/Coms such as Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful.
It is six months since the events of How To Hang A Witch and it is just about time for Spring Fling. Sam's father, in a coma for the last adventure is up and alive, though a little oblivious to what exactly happened six months earlier. However, things are going well.
The remaining members of the Descendants stumble onto something and they enlist Sam to help them. In the mean time, we're introduced to four more students who, aren't necessarily bad but not sweet kids, either.
Gifts start arriving as the theme of the Spring Fling theme is revealed: The Titanic.
Yep, that ship.
This then begins something akin to the movie "Ghost Ship," with a collector of sorts changing things on the ship as opposed to what really happened. Sam is screwed in sleep, her father doesn't want anything to do with spells and magic, Jaxon is being a nozzle (he's under a spell so he can be somewhat forgiven). Elijah is also back as well.
This is a good book--again, I was surprised by the "who" of the book. Solid.
Book #1 Stepsister by Jennifer DonnellyI'm going to come back and edit this later--four stars--its not right at hand! :D
However, I have never been a quitter. My goal remains the same as it has the past few years: 25 books. I know that I am able and I plan on going for it until it is accomplished. So onward and upward I go.