Things have been hectic in my life so that I'm really slacking where blogging is concerned. One, my dog Diego has been having some problems. We have him on medication for his back, which there was a possible slipped disk and muscle damage (common in dachshunds), and that's on top of his heart medication (he has an enlarged heart). But in the end, he's a fourteen-year-old puppy, so he's going gray and his health is slipping. He's my furry baby, and I hate to see it, but that's what happens with pets.
I also have a kitty now. My brother, Braden, got him for my nephew. Kason's been watching The Lion King and absolutely loving it (we've seen it many times now), so he named the kitten Simba. Unfortunately they ended up not being able to have Simba where they live and needed to find a new home; now I have him. I love Simba, but he's a lot of work because he's energetic and tiny and I want to keep a good eye on him.
That being said, recently I've finished three books.
The first one was Infinity + One by Amy Harmon. I had high hopes for it because Harmon wrote one of my favorite novels, Making Faces. This one, however, did not meet my expectations. It was written well, I don't doubt Harmon's abilities not for one second. But I couldn't get into it. In fact, out of the two main characters (Bonnie Rae Shelby and Finn Clyde), I couldn't stand Bonnie. I struggle when I find the main voice irritating.
Bonnie is a country star, and though she has a lot at her finger tips, there is one crucial thing she doesn't have: the will to live. She stands on a bridge with every intention of throwing herself off, but then a stranger stops her.
Finn was on his way to the future, hoping to free himself from his past, when he spotted Bonnie on the bridge. He has no idea who she is, but he saves her. And now he's stuck with her.
Trusting this stranger, Bonnie hitches a ride with him. They're two very different people--she sings, and chats while he's usually quiet and very good with numbers.
The thing that bugged me about Bonnie was her inability to understand consequences. She would make a decision on how to act without once thinking about what it would mean, especially for Finn. In ways, I think that was done on purpose because she's been a celebrity for so long, she forgets what reality is. She doesn't know how to take care of herself really, and she was pretty selfish a lot of the time. There were good qualities about her, too; kindness for one.
This probably isn't one I'll ever pick up again. I didn't feel the chemistry of the love story, and I had to force myself to keep turning pages.
The second one was an S.E. Hinton novel called That Was Then, This Is Now. I loved The Outsiders and was happy to finally try another one of her books. This one centers around Byron, whose best friend Mark is as good as his brother. But their relationship is challenged when they seem to be taking two separate roads.
Some people didn't like how bleakly it ended. But here's the thing: that's life sometimes. You grow apart from friends, maybe you even betray your friend in hopes that you're doing the right thing. It was powerful, it stayed with me, and maybe it even taught me something.
I liked this. Not as much as The Outsiders, but enough so that I'd happily read another one of her novels. The thing that always sticks out to me with her books is how strong the narrative voice is, along with amazing supporting characters. It pulls you right in, into their lives, and you feel like you're one of them, that you're surrounded by people just like them. (Also Ponyboy's in it for a little bit. I wish I could read a lot more about Ponyboy, Darry, and *swoon* Sodapop).
Finally, the book that I'm still a little confused about: Me Being Me is Exactly as Insane as You Being You by Todd Hasak-Lowy
The reason I'm confused is I'm uncertain exactly how much I loved it. I gave it a 3 out of 5 on Goodreads, which I think is fairly good!
This book is written in lists. I loved that. It was new and quick to read through. It stars Darren, who is going through a lot all at once, and oh boy can he be a flawed character! Everyone around him is some degree of screwed up (aren't we all), and there were many times that I either wanted to hug him or shake him good.
The language in it was a little overboard for me, but that is the style as it's realistic to teens these days, but I really thought that some of the descriptions of teen sex could have been done without. It was a little longer than I thought it needed to be, but I loved the ending and the messages I took from it. Definitely would recommend it to anyone (with a warning on some inappropriate scenes).
Hopefully I'll be better in the future about keeping up with what I'm reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment