4. Book review!
I promised myself I’d get back into reading this year. I shared my favorite books of 2015 part 1 reading list a few months ago when I hit the seven book mark. And now I’m pleased to announce I’ve officially read 16 books so far this year! I have surpassed my 2014 high of 11, but I’m still nowhere near my 2003 record breaking 40-something. Today I’m sharing part 2 of my favorite books of 2015. And by “favorite” I only mean “I read them.” The nice thing about catching up on 10 years of reading is that you really reduce the risk of reading terrible books. I’m picking out books that are coming highly recommended because thousands of people have already given their approval. Without further ado:
1. Life Of Pi
“To lose your father is to lose the one whose guidance and help you seek, who supports you like a tree trunk supports its branches. To lose your mother, well, that is like losing the sun above you.”
4 Stars! Life of Pi is about a boy who winds up alone at sea with a Bengal tiger after the ship his family was on capsized. The beginning was slow going for me, but I really wanted to know if he’s able to survive and for how long etc… It’s an awesome story and then at the end you have a wait what? Time out…what? And you kind of want to go back and re-read a bunch of it because you didn’t really see that little twist coming at the end there. I recommend!
2. An Ember In The Ashes
“Fear can be good, Laia. It can keep you alive. But don’t let it control you. Don’t let it sow doubts within you. When the fear takes over, use the only thing more powerful, more indestructible, to fight it: your spirit. Your heart.”
4 Stars! YES! This book has a sequel coming and I cannot wait. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because it does have a bit of that immature protagonist voice I don’t care for in young adult literature, but the story was still awesome. It’s got the Hunger Games do or die Apocalyptic feel to it, but can definitely stand on it’s own as an original. Laia is a slave, her parents are killed, her brother is imprisoned. She joins an underground resistance group and becomes a slave to get information that can ultimately free her brother, but at the risk of her life. I recommend!
3. Sold
“A son will always be a son, they say. But a girl is like a goat. Good as long as she gives you milk and butter. But not worth crying over when it’s time to make a stew.”
5 Stars! 13 year old girl lives with her desperately poor family in on a mountain in Nepal. Her stepfather decides sending her to work in the city is the only solution to help their family and he (unbeknownst to her) sold her into prostitution. This book is more than a book, it like a poetic work of art. Every other line was quoteworthy and impactful, but the subject is heavy and sad. I recommend…with caution.
4. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
“You cain’t dwell on sadness, oh, it’ll make you sick faster than anything in this world.”
4 Stars! Good ol’ story telling at it’s finest. Good time southern hospitality meets beautiful southern characters and a touch of mystery. Every person I’ve talked to who has read this book puts it in the ‘must read’ category. I recommend!
5. Divergent
“I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. It is a beautiful thought.”
4 Stars! Another apocalyptic young adult series. I honestly thought if you read one in this Hunger Games genre you’ve read them all, but that’s not the case. Just like Ember in the Ashes, the Divergent series has it’s own twist and feel to it. I couldn’t put this one down. The book jacket reads, “In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.” Beatrice definitely surprised me. I recommend!
6. Insurgent
“…I always thought I would be happy when I stopped looking like a child. But all I feel is a lump in my throat.”
4 Stars! The second book in the Divergent trilogy did not disappoint. I maybe liked it a tad less than Divergent purely because Beatrice makes some choices that drive me nuts. But I still recommend!
7. Allegiant
“Since I was young, I have always known this: Life damages us, every one. We can’t escape that damage. But now, I am also learning this: We can be mended. We mend each other.”
4 Stars! The last of the trilogy and MAYBE I sobbed quietly in bed for the remaining hour of the book. I thought this one was a little more slow going than the others and I felt like there were some rash decisions…I wanted to jump in and just be like, “WAIT! Let’s think this through!” But I had to watch on and boy that ending! I recommend!
8. The Book Thief
“I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.”
5 Stars! I’ll admit I was afraid to pick this book up because I knew it had something to do with The Holocaust and I after binging on all things World War II in high school, I’m drained. I just can’t wrap my brain around that hatred and abuse and I’m at this point where I’d rather spend my time getting lost in a make believe story than reeling over so much suffering. That being said…5 stars. “It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .” It was sad for sure, but also inspiring. I’m so glad I read it. I recommend!
Kathy says
Life of Pi and The Book Thief are on my to-read list. That list is oh so long! I’m glad that you enjoyed them.
I recently read All the Light We Cannot See and loved it!
Abby says
Nice list and reviews! I’ve read most of these, and “Sold” sounds really good – adding it to my list of things to read :)
Jill says
Ahh I bought The Book Thief about 5 years ago on recommendation and it’s still sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read! Time to get on that one!
I second All The Light We Cannot See. That was a fabulous read.
Astrid says
These sound like quite interesting books. I am not too much into Divergent or such type of books, but the others sound quite cool.