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A great way to start the new year is with books, so here's another round of Our Library Bag. In keeping with the plethora of "Best of 2019" posts I'll be finishing up this post with my Five of my Favorite Books from 2019.
If you follow me on Facebook you probably saw at least one of my Christmas picture book posts. Throughout December we read quite a few! The goal was every day, but we didn't quite get there. (You can check out a list of some of our favorites here.) Since it's still the Christmas season we're going to finish up our stack of library Christmas picture books this week. (That's right, Christmas isn't just a day, it's a season! It doesn't end until Epiphany . . . or even Candlemas.)
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Here are a few of the library books that I read in December:
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
A heroine that loves to read? Who works in a bookstore? Is a bit introverted? I mean, who doesn't want to read more? Hasn't every book lover dreamed of opening a bookstore? There's a lot to like with just the set-up.
I have a weird complaint about this book. Nina, the protagonist, is supposed to be incredibly well-read and you see that by the various name drops, references, allusions, etc. (Very Gilmore Girl-esqu.) However, they are all pretty easy. I do read a bit, and have always been a reader, but I wouldn't say that I am incredibly well-read. I wish that there had been some that I needed to Google. Also, a lot of the references are more "pop-culture-ish" than "book-ish". It felt to me that the author couldn't quite capture the essence of a bibliophile resorted to creating a character largely based on characterizations and stereotypes.
Oh, another complaint! Nina is supposed to suffer from social anxiety, but it seems to have a particularly thriving social life.
It's definitely an adult book, with multiple adult themes.
When I first finished the book, I thought it overall was a nice fluffy read; however, the more that I ponder the book the less I like it . . .
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The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin
I had added this book to my list due to Modern Mrs. Darcy's recommendation. This one was a miss for me. There were several reasons that this book fell flat for me:
- The narrator is recounting her life as an author in 2079. There are various allusions to a catastrophic event that has resulted in a somewhat dystopian society (maybe?), but we never really learn anything. It's just rather bizarre and has absolutely zero to do with the story.
- The characters weren't very likable, especially as adults.
- The final denouement was a bit, "Wait, that's it!?"
- There was a strong anti-mariage theme. Perhaps even anti-men.
- It was overall boring, boarding on depressing.
I think the idea of this book is interesting, and could make a riveting and thought provoking novel, but this wasn't it. (Random note, but all I could think when I was reading was, "Wow, these people need Jesus!")
Supernova by Marissa Meyer
I really, really enjoyed this book. I find Meyer's books just plain enjoyable to read. They are fun, the characters are interesting, and the pages just fly. Supernova was the third book in the Renegades Trilogy. (At least, I'm pretty confident that it's just a trilogy.) The whole series gets included in my Favorite Books from 2019!
It's so hard to limit myself to just five! I think it would be more apt to say "Five OF MY Favorite Fictions Books". If you allow me to cheat just a little by counting a trilogy as one, then here's my list:
This fast paced series has it all: supervillains, heroes, a dystopian society, super powers, interesting characters, page turning suspense, and more! I really enjoyed the whole series. Just as a waring, the first book doesn't really end with any type of satisfying resolution. This trilogy really is a three part book.
Both my nine year old and I read and loved this book in 2019. This book surprised me a little by how simply delightful it was. The story is well told. The themes of friendship, family, and the value of learning (among others) are all woven together in a truly beautiful manner. There's the teeniest bit of romance. While the target audience might be girls somewhere around 10-12 I have to say that I wish more adult fiction was like this! (This book is the first of a series, all of which are awesome, but the first one is great as a stand alone book.)
This is the fourth book in the Cormoran Strike series by J.K. Rowling written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Rowling/Galbraith knows how to tell a story! The twists and turns this complex mystery takes had me on the edge of my seat, all the while further developing the characters and relationships of Strike and Robin. It should be noted that this book is very much NOT for children or teens.
This was one of the historical fiction novels that I read for Library Book Club; I am so glad that it was assigned, because I might not have discovered on my own. It's a delightful bit of the history surrounding Clara Driscoll and her importance in the Tiffany glass department. I've always had a soft spot for the famous Tiffany lamps so I found the story of the woman responsible for so many of them to be surprisingly spellbinding.
I have to admit, I was quite torn on which book would round out my top five, but I decided to give the honor to this dystopian novel. It was a really fun read, and quick despite its numerous pages. The characters and the world were interesting and I felt invested quickly. This might have been one of the best entertainment books that I read this year. (I do have concerns that it's a wanna be Hunger Games series . . . but I'll reserve judgement on that for later.)
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Supernova by Marissa Meyer
I really, really enjoyed this book. I find Meyer's books just plain enjoyable to read. They are fun, the characters are interesting, and the pages just fly. Supernova was the third book in the Renegades Trilogy. (At least, I'm pretty confident that it's just a trilogy.) The whole series gets included in my Favorite Books from 2019!
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My Five Favorite Fiction Books of 2019
It's so hard to limit myself to just five! I think it would be more apt to say "Five OF MY Favorite Fictions Books". If you allow me to cheat just a little by counting a trilogy as one, then here's my list:
1. The Renegade Trilogy: Renegades, Archenemies, and Supernova by Marissa Meyer
This fast paced series has it all: supervillains, heroes, a dystopian society, super powers, interesting characters, page turning suspense, and more! I really enjoyed the whole series. Just as a waring, the first book doesn't really end with any type of satisfying resolution. This trilogy really is a three part book.
This is the fourth book in the Cormoran Strike series by J.K. Rowling written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Rowling/Galbraith knows how to tell a story! The twists and turns this complex mystery takes had me on the edge of my seat, all the while further developing the characters and relationships of Strike and Robin. It should be noted that this book is very much NOT for children or teens.
4. Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland
This was one of the historical fiction novels that I read for Library Book Club; I am so glad that it was assigned, because I might not have discovered on my own. It's a delightful bit of the history surrounding Clara Driscoll and her importance in the Tiffany glass department. I've always had a soft spot for the famous Tiffany lamps so I found the story of the woman responsible for so many of them to be surprisingly spellbinding.
I have to admit, I was quite torn on which book would round out my top five, but I decided to give the honor to this dystopian novel. It was a really fun read, and quick despite its numerous pages. The characters and the world were interesting and I felt invested quickly. This might have been one of the best entertainment books that I read this year. (I do have concerns that it's a wanna be Hunger Games series . . . but I'll reserve judgement on that for later.)
What is in your library bag? Which fiction makes your top five list for 2019?
This is my Review of the Month for the review collection on LovelyAudiobooks.info
