My mother-in-law passed this book onto me, and I had never heard of it or knew what it was about before I started reading it. I was between books, thinking about what genre I wanted to go with next, so when this book landed in my lap, I decided to give it a try. And I loved it. So much I read this book in three days. The book is written in a series of styles – letters, prose, emails, articles, etc… And the point of view switches between a couple of the main characters. You’d think that would be confusing. But it’s written so well that the changes between characters and writing styles works together seemlessly. The book centers on Bernadette Fox, a wife and mother with a mysterious background and a I-could-care-less attitude that ostracizes her from her neighbors and the other mothers at her daughter’s preppy school. A series of events end with Bernadette’s disappearance and her daughter’s quest to find her. I found this book well written, entertaining, funny, and captivating. A perfect quick, enjoyable read.
Grade: A+
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This is another one of those books written in a non-traditional style. The author writes the story through letters that the main character, Charlie, writes to, well, I’m not sure who. But that part doesn’t really matter. The letters tell the story of Charlie’s life through his tumultuous first year of high school, family drama, friendships, sex, and drugs. Parts of this story were hard for me to read because Charlie’s life seemed so terribly sad at certain parts. And poor Charlie himself is obviously reeling from some bad experience in his past (that’s revealed at the end of the book), which makes his character seem scarred and vulnerable. But, the whole book isn’t a cry fest. Charlie transforms from a depressed preteen to a stronger, more self assured young man as the book progresses. While sad in parts, this book was a delight to read.
Grade: A
I’m currently halfway through When In Doubt, Add Butter, a recommendation from my pal, Becky. And I need to get going on Clash of Kings. But I like to have something lighter going while reading George R. R. Martin, so shoot me your recommendations in the comments. For other reviews, check out my GoodRead’s page.