I always forget how short February actually is until it's nearly over. We had a lot of excitement over here this month, but I still managed to find a little time to read. Luckily, our weather wasn't terrible, but we had a few very, very frigid days and tons of snow. Everything is warming up, slowly, and our yard is starting to show little signs of spring. I'm ready for warmer weather, how about you? Ok, enough idle chit-chat, lets break into what I read this month.
"The Handmaid's Tale"- Margaret Atwood
The world has changed. Women are no longer allowed to read, write, go paces alone, make their own choices. Offred is a Handmaid and thus, slightly more protected than other women. In an age of declining birth rates, she's one of many who have been chosen as birthing vessels. The other options... well, they're not really options. Offred must navigate through this new time, looking for allies behind the hoods Handmaid's must wear. In the before, Offred had a family, people she loved. And now she's stuck between accepting their gone and desperately trying to find them.
I've heard a lot about this series, but never really looked into it, and no, I haven't seen the show, but my expectations were rather high. Honestly, I was expecting this to be much more graphic and heartbreaking. Atwood's writing style is a little different and it took me some time to get use to it. I did really enjoy it and will definitely be reading the next one, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting.
"Of Blood and Bone"- Nora Roberts
This is the second book in the Chronicles of the One series. To see my review for book one, you can find that here. Fallon Swift is approaching her thirteenth birthday. And though they've always known that she would have a choice, that she could stay with her family instead of leaving for two years to train with a centuries old magician, they knew it wasn't really a choice. Fallon must hone her skills, her magicks, make new allies and start down her path as The One.
This book was fast-paced, similar to the first, which I appreciated, but it didn't have much shine to it. I think this has the second book curse which bridges the gap between everything new and exciting in the first book and the big ending of the final book. A lot happened and it was all completely necessary, but it was really just getting us through to the finale. We meet new characters, old characters, budding love, heartbreak, and death. I am glad that the budding romance didn't turn to more (right now) because the characters in these books are quite young, so I very much appreciated that. Overall, this is a solid series so far and I look forward to final book.
"The Family Upstairs"- Lisa Jewell
Twenty-five years ago, Serenity Lamb was found in a crib in a house that contained three dead bodies in some sort of mysterious suicide pact. The papers circulated, people talked, and they came to find out there were children living there that had since gone missing. In fact, a lot of what happened in that house was a mystery. Serenity Lamb grew up as Libby with an adoptive family that she loved very much. And on her twenty-fifth birthday she received an inheritance. A house. Not just any house. The House. The one where she was found, where her parents and a stranger killed themselves while she slept in a crib upstairs. Before, she'd never thought of her past much, beyond the occasional daydream, but now she finds that she needs to know what happened. Where are the other missing children? Why was the man found with her parents never identified? What really happened at that house? What follows can only be described as twisty, dark, and heartbreaking. Follow Libby as she unwinds the truth of her past, and discovers what happened to her family.
Jewell is talented at writing deep family trauma, and she succeeded once again! Her writing style is flawless and I always enjoy her books. That being said, the ending on this one did not with sit well with me. At the end of the day, this book was very good. Read it, see for yourself.
That's all I put away for February, but my March reads are already looking quite... diverse. Do you have a recommendation for me? Is there a book you're dying to discuss? Leave me a comment! Happy reading, book nerds; we'll talk soon.
Comments
Post a Comment