Week 37: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

This week's book:
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
By Sherman Alexie and illustrated by Ellen Forney

This week's book was The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is a novel by Sherman Alexie. I had read Alexie’s first book last year (The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven) and both were well written. There was a movie loosely based on his first novel called Smoke Signals, which is a very good film. I actually had seen the film years ago and was half way through the book last year before I figured out it was the same story. His first novel is a collection of short stories, whereas this week's book is just one story geared towards the young adult type of audience. This week's book was another book chosen by my book group, but unlike a lot of the other books they selected this year, I liked it.

The story is a coming of age story of a teenage native American who lives on a reservation. He is a smart kid and decides to go to a high school off the reservation because he knows his life will go no where if he doesn't leave. The book is heartbreaking because the people on the reservation turn their back on him and he loses his one best friend. His family tries to be supportive but they are dealing with their own problems. Almost everyone on the reservation has a drinking problem and no one has any money. In this book, which is only a little under two hundred pages, three of the main character's family members or friends pass away. But I'm explaining this story as only a sad story of depressing issues, but there is humor and coming of age discussions. The book also has illustrations that the main character has drawn, because he wants to be a cartoonist. The drawings are mostly humorous. 

An interesting aspect about my copy of the book was that it was a tenth anniversary edition. It had an added section from the author about the friendship between the main character and his best friend on the reservation. The book is very autobiographical and a lot of people had asked the author about his best friend in real life due the relationship in the book. It was all that more touching hearing him talk about his friend.

The book has won some young adult awards but it also has apparently been banned by some high schools. Our book group had many theories why it could have been banned, everything between sex, language, or the adult issues the characters are facing in the story. The most recent reason this book has found itself in hot water is the fact that the author has been accused of sexual harassment by some different women. I was really bummed to hear that about author. I would probably still recommend the book, but maybe take the story with a grain of salt regarding the author.

Week 36: The Husband's Secret

This week's book:
The Husband's Secret 
By Liane Moriarty

This week's book is by the same author that wrote one of my favorite books I read last year. Liane Moriarty is a hot author right now. Big Little Lies, which I read last year (which is flipping fantastic), was a HBO megahit with all of the stars getting a lot of awards. So last year for my birthday I had my book-loving dad buy me one of Moriarty's other works. 

If you don't know me personally then you wouldn't know my birthday was six months ago. Yup I definitely took six months to start this book. The story is about three women (much like Big Little Lies) and how their lives intertwine. I loved how Big Little Lies show women as moms want to be the best moms they can be, even if they take different paths and, no matter what you feel like you're doing a crap job of being a parent. The husband's secret isn't like that. I couldn't relate to any of the characters. The main big secret when revealed, which I figured out way before I should have plot wise, was kind of a let down. I kept wanting to yell “No, your husband is a crappy person! Tell someone his secret!” Two of the women's storylines go together but the third lady's story kind of goes along but just seems to distract from the other two ladies. But my biggest complaint would be that the final chapter explains what would have happened if the plot wasn't the way it was. Like, hey, your life would have been awesome if this other stuff wouldn't have happened.

I have a few of the others books and I definitely plan on reading them because she is a good author but I just didn't happen to love this book.

Week 35: Northanger Abbey

This week's book:
Northanger Abbey
By Jane Austen

This week's book I started a while ago and it kept being pushed back by other books due to a lot of different reasons. Last year my very amazing husband bought me an amazing, super fancy looking hardback collection of all the novels by Jane Austen. It's something every true Austen fan should own and I love it. The only problem is that the book is this massive beautiful over one thousand page book that weighs more than our first born. I can't read it while I'm riding the stationary bike or in spare moments between all the other things I'm doing to pick it up for a few seconds.

To read Jane Austen I have to give it my full attention regardless of the size of the book. With the lovely reading disability of mine, I have a hard time sometimes reading old classics. Not that I don't want to read them, but I struggle to make sense of what I am reading. I read a chapter and then I just look at whatever handy cliff notes/spark notes I can find on the web and make sure I understood everything I just read. I know it sounds weird but that is what I have to do.

I have now read most of Jane Austen's novels and this week's book (Northanger Abbey) is unlike the other works of hers that I have read. It of course has a heroine that becomes romantically involved with a nice man, and there are misunderstandings and chaos ensues. But this story is about a girl who reads too many gothic novels (Jane Eyre was the one that kept coming to mind) and she keeps wanting and thinking she is living in one of her books. Austen is making fun of her fellow authors and getting the last laugh.

I really enjoyed this more light hearted fun Austen novel. My only complaint is that this story doesn't have a strong sister bond like other Austen works. My favorite two of her books are Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, the latter being maybe one of my favorite books/movies of all time. I would definitely recommend this book if your a Jane Austen fan or not.

Week 34: Nerds and Geeks Series

This week's books:
Nerds and Geeks Series
By Vicki Lewis Thompson

This week's book was a set of four novellas about computer programmers and how all four of them fall in love within a few weeks of each other (or at least it seemed like it). If you haven't met my husband you will not understand why I wanted to read about quiet computer programmers that are filled with passion and love fiercely. Of all of this author’s nerd/geek series, these stories seemed to hit closest to my adorable and amazing husband, or at least I thought they would. I had been wanting to read this set of stories ever since I heard about them. As you might remember my favorite romance novelist is this week's author. She has written a whole series on falling in love with nerds, which I read way before I fell for my own geek/nerd.

The delay to me reading this book was due to the fact that they were only offered on Amazon's online services. The problem with this fact was we didn't have any Kindle services. Well somehow the hubby got me access to this book so I devoured this book before I lost the chance to read it.

I’m going to be honest here, I really need to stop reading romance novels. I don't know if I have been in a healthy happy relationship for too long, or I am just a thirty something woman who can't find this even a little realistic anymore. The other problem I had was that each of the novellas were each about fifty or so pages, give or take (my cell phone did not register pages so I can't really tell how long each section was). Well I don't know about you, but sixty or so pages isn't enough time to convey a real love story. It would be enough time to explain four workplace flings, but not long lasting relationships, which this book is trying to show.

My recommendation for this book would be if you happen to be able to read this for free with the Kindle Unlimited service, then go on and read it. It's a fun book filled with nerds doing it. If I was about fifteen years younger I wouldn't be able to recommend it enough. But as a thirty-two year old I wouldn't actually want to spend any money on it.