Here are the 9 things I read this month in the order I finished them (starting from the bottom in the above photo):
1. Ship of Destiny (Liveship Traders #3) by Robin Hobb - 5 stars.
This is by far the best fantasy book I've ever read. I didn't love the first two books in the series but they progressively got better and this book just surpassed everything. From page one, I was pulled into this story and didn't let go for the next 900 pages. I never thought such a long book could keep me that engrossed all the way through, but I've never read something quite like this.
2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - 3 stars.
This book began my dive into my TBR shelves where I'm picking books randomly using random.org and my husband is picking them randomly for me as well. I have had this book for a few years and have wanted to read it for longer than that. This was a bit of a disappointment though. It was so predictable and I wasn't a fan of how the plot progressed. Good writing but at this point I can't really remember any solid details about it. His other books sound more interesting to me though, so I would give him another try.
3. The Sixteenth of June by Maya Lang - 4 stars.
How excited was I when this book popped up as the random choice on random.org IN THE MONTH OF JUNE?! I mean, it was obviously fate that I had to read it. This was an enjoyable read following three main characters in the span of one day. It was also related to Dubliners by James Joyce which I've never read, but this actually made me want to at least try to read it. A short book that delved into the past in order to make sense of the present, I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
4. Revival, Vol. 1: You're Among Friends by Tim Seeley (author), Mike Norton (illustrator) - 4 stars.
Oooo, this was creepy. I can't do scary movies but I definitely can enjoy a book or graphic novel that has that scary/creepy feel. I picked this up on a whim off my shelf and I really enjoyed it. I'm getting a bit pickier with the graphic novels that I continue on with after reading the first volume, and this one definitely intrigued me enough to continue on in the series.
5. Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fiction's Most Beloved Heroines by Samantha Hahn - 5 stars.
A coffee table type of book, Hahn incorporates quotes and illustrations to create a "portrait" of many different heroines from fiction. The illustrations have a watercolor feel and are beautiful. I will look through this again and again.
6. The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore - 3 stars.
A novel from my Mom's pile of books that she has read and one that I remember her enjoying. We follow the lawyer involved in the Edison/Westinghouse light bulb suit and what I enjoyed most about this book was the setting. New York, 1888. It felt like a character in itself. The actual story took me way longer to get through then I expected. I thought there would me more urgency to the plot, but for me, I didn't feel that at all. I am definitely looking forward to the movie with Eddie Redmayne, though.
7. Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own by Kate Bolick - 5 stars.
The fact that I'm happily married, have been in a relationship with the same man for 9 years, and absolutely loved this book goes to show how phenomenal Bolick's writing and ideas are in this piece of non-fiction. She uses her own experiences and 5 pioneering women from the last century and a half to discuss being single and all that that lifestyle can bring. She's so intelligent and intertwines her experiences so effortlessly throughout this somewhat "academic" collection. If I had the talent, I would want to write something just like this.
8. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - 5 stars. Read my review here.
Loved this. Haven't stopped thinking about. Go read it, please.
9. Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer - 4 stars. Read my review here.
Young adult science fiction retelling of Cinderella. She's a cyborg. Enough said.
Such a solid month of reading. Here's to July being just as great!
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