Reading wrap-up #24

As a reminder, here is how I rate my books:

• (★★★★★): Loved it
• (★★★★): Really liked it
• (★★★): Liked it enough
• (★★): Didn’t care for it

Another few notes: I will warn if there are any spoilers with (start spoiler) and (end spoiler) so you know when to stop reading and pick up again if you don’t want to ruin the book for yourself. I no longer go out of my way to watch adaptions, but will continue to mention them and their general critiques (from Rotten Tomatoes) in my reviews. Finally, you can always check out my book review index page if you’re looking for my extremely important opinion on any book in particular.

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Young adult

GoodReads rating: 3.78 / 5 (225,000 ratings)

Medium used: E-book (borrowed from library via OverDrive)

Summary: When unpopular Mia finds out her father is the prince of a small country and she’s next in line for the throne, she, like, totally freaks out.

Thoughts: I loved the voice in this book. It sounds like it was actually written by a fourteen-year-old. So often, adult authors are completely disconnected to what it means to be a pre-teen and try to make it sound more sophisticated than it actually is perhaps out of the fear of sounding foolish or not taken seriously, but adolescence is messy and this author captures it perfectly. Mia’s inner monologue makes me laugh and also cringe and at times reminded me of myself (especially the bad at math and flat-chested parts).

Other adaptations: We’ve all seen the Anne Hathaway-Julie Andrews adaptation (“Me? A princess? Shut up!”). I think I enjoyed the movie more as it makes Grandma seem like less of a bitch and you can watch Mia come into her own more as a young adult and princess where the book kind of ends on an open note. Maybe I should read more of the series…

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Rating: ★★★★

Genre: Thriller, mystery

GoodReads rating: 3.97 / 5 (38,000 ratings)

Medium used: E-book (borrowed from library via OverDrive)

Summary: Jules gets the gig of a lifetime when she is offered a job as an apartment-sitter in the luxurious and mysterious Bartholomew building. This start to feel “off” when residents and employees act strangely… is this job too good to be true?

Thoughts: They didn’t miss a single cliché in this book, did they? I feel these domestic thrillers starring a lost twenty-to-thirty-something-year-old are all the same and nothing will ever hold a candle to Gone Girl. Don’t get me wrong, it was entertaining enough, but they’re really starting to blur together. These kinds of books remind me of blockbuster films: they might be easy to watch/read, but nothing totally original. I feel these kinds of books are overrated in the reading community.

Other adaptations: A T.V. series is currently in development. With the chronological discoveries in the book, I feel it will translate well to a binge-worthy series.

A Mother’s Reckoning by Sue Klebold

Rating: ★★★

Genre: Non-fiction, memoir, crime

GoodReads rating: 4.12 / 5 (27,000 ratings)

Medium used: E-book (borrowed from library via OverDrive)

Summary: Mother of Columbine attacker Sue Klebold details Dylan’s life up to the events of the massacre and the aftermath of lawsuits, grieving and broken relationships with family, friends and co-workers.

Thoughts: After reading Columbine, I was waterlogged with facts and wanted to get another more personal point of view on the tragedy and who better than from the mother of one of the attackers Sue Klebold. Once the attackers carried out their massacre and killed themselves, the blame for the events fell on the parents. It’s easy to forget that the attackers died by their own hands and the parents were as blindsided as the public. Sue’s a great writer and gave great insight into the aftermath of tragedy, but felt like I was reading basically the same thing most every chapter. Not to mention it’s an extremely tough subject to read about so I was looking for any excuse to put it down.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Rating: ★★

Genre: Fiction, classics

GoodReads rating: 3.87 / 5 (1,818,000 ratings)

Medium used: E-book (borrowed from library via OverDrive)

Summary: George must watch over not-so-bright Lenny after an incident at their old job when they arrive at a new ranch, hoping to seek their fortune… if Lenny can stay out of trouble long enough.

Thoughts: First of all, I would have DNF’d this book if it was longer and if I hadn’t promised myself to read more classics. Like everyone, I read this in high school and didn’t have any strong feelings about it. I more or less remembered what happened as it was so short, so there was no suspension. I feel if I hadn’t knew what was going to happen, there would have been some kind of payoff and I would have liked it more. But half the book is just George moaning about how stupid Lenny is and I feel the characters could have been developed more even just over a few dozen more pages.

Other adaptations: The 1992 movie the most critically acclaimed of the several adaptations. and I’d be lying if I said Gary Sinise wasn’t dashing.