The great thing about my job is that I get almost 2 weeks off at Christmas, separate from my annual vacation days. It is something I always look forward to and a great way to recharge the batteries. This past holiday break, I found myself attached at the hip with my Kindle.
I have always adored reading and devoured books at a rapid pace, but with wedding planning this past year, books kind of fell off my radar. I was so glad when during our honeymoon in September, I was able to reignite my passion by taking my kindle to the pool daily. This trend has only intensified as we traveled back and forth for Christmas to the East Coast. I found myself reading for hours on the plane without any desire to stop and am trying to get back into the habit of reading at least 1 chapter a night. (This is dangerous though as often I stay up much later than anticipated reading).
In the last quarter of 2012 I read some great books and some OK books. The great thing about the Kindle is that you get Top 10 Lists from Amazon each month recommending new books, and People magazine each week also has great book reviews. As a result, I always have a new book to read and a decent selection to choose from when I finish a book. I have also taken advantage of all the Classics being free on your Kindle and downloaded a lot of my favorite books, especially anything by F.Scott Fitzgerald, in case I want a good re-read. Finally, Public Libraries are now getting into the e-reader game. The LA Public Library's digital collection has really grown over the last year and its great that you can borrow kindle versions from your library now. This option paired with the Kindle Lending Library that comes with a Amazon Prime account are great options for some other free reads.
Since September the books I would recommend anyone else read are:
At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson: I adore Bill Bryson as an author. I find his works witty and entertaining as well as educational. In this book, he looks at the history behind each room of the house and takes you from the start of civilization through the modern era. I found his research on the Industrial Revolution super interesting. Keep in mind this book focuses on England mostly, but is very informative while staying entertaining.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling: I adore her more now after reading this book. For a full review, check out this blog post.
The Diary of Darcy J. Rhone by Emily Griffin: Having read Something Borrowed and Something Blue, I was excited to read this free add on to the series. It is the High School Diary of Darcy and a nice return to some characters I really enjoyed reading about. The book is crazy short, you can cover it in an hour or two, but still a nice beach read.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: I have heard people love or hate this book but I have to say I thought it was fantastic. It is a little difficult to get behind how much the story jumps at the start but once you get all the characters and the timeline straight, it becomes a really nice read. The book follows the contest of two illusionists or magicians and the Circus is the stage around them. I found it well written and a novel storyline.
Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer: This story is a little odd but comes across in such an endearing manner that you can't help but be engrossed in the book's world. The book follows a short period of the life of Sunny and her astronaut hubby. It goes back into both their childhoods as told by Sunny, to fill in the context of their modern day life in Virgina. Oh did I forget to mention that Sunny suffers from Alopecia and her husband from ADD and potentially Autism? It's a great story about how so many people strive to be what they world considers normal, when they would be more extraordinary if they were just themselves.
Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy: A George Smiley Novel by John le Carre: This book jumps around a lot, and like The Night Circus, you need to get comfortable with the large number of characters and complex timeline rather quickly to keep from being lost. Still the story was very engaging although not as spy thriller as I expected. The story really highlighted the mountain of paperwork being a spy creates, and I enjoyed the reality of that. The book is well written, but do not expect a James Bond style read.
The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer (all 4 books): I will admit that this was a guilty pleasure read, but still super enjoyable. I powered through all 4 books in a week (I was on a business trip and was flying a lot/spending hours in airports). I found the books pretty well written, better than Mockingjay from the Hunger Games series for sure, and very easy to get lost in. Yes the books are for adolescents but I think they are equally enjoyable for adults. I will admit I was satisfied with my time spent reading when the story was over, but sad to see the characters stories end.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple: I absolutely adored this book. The book is written via letters, school notices, email correspondence, etc and it still creates a vivid story and characters you can't help but root for. The story covers the back story of the disappearance of Bernadette, mother and wife and successful architect struggling to find enjoyment in day to day life. The book is compelling and heartwarming, a must read.
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks: This book is done in an interview style of multiple individuals all over the world from Outbreak to Recovery from a Zombie War. As a followup to his book, The Zombie Survival Guide, I was hesitant that I would enjoy this book, but the style is a little darker and has more human interest than his previous work. It is a quick read but worthwhile, and it will get you all excited for Brad Pitt's movie role kicking Zombie butt this coming year.
I also made a resolution last year to read the complete Wizard of Oz Series (15 books). I have traditionally read one of the books after every 1-2 other books I finish. I am currently on book 7, The Patchwork Girl of Oz. Over break I covered The Road to Oz and The Emerald City of Oz. These stories are a great return to childhood and still a nice diversion from adult life.
Books you can skip:
90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper: An interesting perspective and a very fast read, but the book is very preachy. It feels like they are trying to convert/save you as you read the book. It's was a little to religious for me.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky: I could have done without reading this book. I bought into all the hype around the storyline but didn't feel like I came away from the book satisfied. The storyline is a little weak and while using the letter format is an interesting way to tell a story, it didn't succeed where other books, like Where'd You Go, Bernadette? did.
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks: Rather long, the book was amusing for the first quarter but I found as I continued to read that the story and techniques described became rather monotonous. Go with World War Z instead.
I am looking forward to all the new books to cover first quarter of 2013. So far, I recently started The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel. More to come with my next book update!
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