Showing posts with label Gillian Flynn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gillian Flynn. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

2014 To-Read List

I read this article and it inspired me to make a 2014 To-Read List in which I must read all of the following books from start to finish and review them before the end of the year. I've added some of my own picks to this list for some variety. Also, for those that apply, I will discuss how the movie compares to the novel.

1. Labor Day by Joyce Maynard
I'm mostly finished with this one, so you can expect a review soon.

2. The Monument's Men by Robert M. Edsel and Bret Witter

3. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Honestly, I'm not really looking forward to this one. I guess I skipped the whole vampire fad because it doesn't interest me at all. Yea, I didn't like Twilight... so sue me. But I'm a stickler for lists and if I'm going to set out to do this, I think I should read every one.

4. Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin

5. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

6. Divergent by Veronica Roth

7. The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais

8. This is Where I Leave You by Johnathon Tropper

9. The Maze Runner by James Dashner

10. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

11. Serena by Ron Rash

12. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
13. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
14. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
15. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

I've already read Gone Girl, Dark Places, The Giver, Wild, and the Fault in Our Stars from the original list, all of which were great reads by the way! I like the idea of doing this because it's forcing me to step out of my usual reading genres and try something different.

Have you read any of these? What did you think? What other books make the grade for your 2014 to-read list?

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Book Review: "Sharp Objects" by Gillian Flynn



I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved it but I also thought it was very strange. Like her other books it is very dark and twisted. If you like that type of genre than it's definitely worth a read.
 
 
My Rating (via GoodReads): 4/5 Stars
Kobo Price: $10.99

As I said in my other Gillian Flynn review, her writing reminds me of Chuck Palahniuk. Sometimes it is so dark, I almost don't want to read it, but at the same time I cannot put it down. The story surrounds a female reporter named Camille Preaker who clearly had a very troubled childhood. She has to go back to her hometown of Wind Gap, MO to investigate a story for the newspaper. The story involves the murders of 2 young girls. While investigating she has to revisit her own childhood and her relationship with her mother and sister. She is a cutter, but she doesn't only cut she cuts whole words into her body which of course just makes the whole thing even more dark and twisted.

After thinking about it more I'd have to agree with my twitter friend, Kendall:

The main character is somewhat unrealistic at times. She's very extreme. It is hard to express how without spoilers. It definitely wasn't predictable though so I wouldn't worry about that.

Having said all that, I think Gone Girl is still my favorite Gillian Flynn novel, this one would be tied with Dark Places for 2nd. Unfortunately I haven't done a review for Gone Girl, because I read it before I started the blog.

Happy Reading!

Other Gillian Flynn reviews:

Monday, October 7, 2013

Book Review: "Dark Places" by Gillian Flynn


After having read Gillian Flynn's "Gone Girl", I thought it was definitely worth trying some of her other books out and I was not disappointed! Her writing reminds me of Chuck Palahniuk, who is a long time favorite author of mine. It is pretty dark and twisted, so if that's not your thing you probably won't like it.
Rating (via GoodReads): 4/5 Stars
Kobo Price: $10.99

I read on another review that if you're going to read this book, you should do it with your friends and family nearby, surrounded by lovely and pleasant things because it is so depressing. Because this is the kind of book that I like, it didn't bother me, but don't say I didn't warn you!

This particular novel surrounds Libby Day, the survivor of the "The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas", where her whole family was brutally murdered, except for her brother who is later convicted of the crime. Libby, who was just seven years old at the time of the murders, revisits her past, and her testimony which put her own brother in prison 25 years ago. Having run out of money that she received in the wake of the tragedy from the goodness of strangers, she is forced to find another way to make a living, which is how she comes across an organization called the "Kill Club", a group which spends their time investigating, analyzing, and fantasizing about various famous murders. It is Libby's interactions with this group and its members that forces her to reconsider what happened that night.

I could not put this down, I read the whole book in 48 hours which was really only 2 evenings before bed. Not your ideal bedtime reading, but I still loved it. I decided to follow it up with Sharp Objects, Gillian Flynn's other novel, my review of that will be up soon.