A Twitter-inspired look at books I’ve been reading recently. (And here’s what I read last month.) What’s on your bookshelf these days?
The Romanov Prophecy / Steve Barry
While not exactly great writing, I enjoy a good international conspiracy thriller. And, I love all things Russian, especially when it deals with Anastasia Nikolaeva or Anna Anderson. I’m a believer.
Bound / Sally Gunning
Nicely written historical fiction set pre-revolutionary war. Bound is a sequel, although I didn’t know that until after I finished. Enjoyable but not overly compelling.
Between Shades of Gray / Rūta Šepetys
An important, beautiful book. The western world has long brushed over the atrocities of Stalin’s reign of terror in the Soviet bloc. Rūta does her family’s Lithuanian heritage justice with this must-read (but admittedly hard-to-read) YA book.
Wedding Night / Sophie Kinsella
Typical Kinsella – fun, fluffy and quick. Not my favorite of hers, but great for a sunny Saturday with a cocktail in hand.
The Fault in our Stars / John Green
I cried as much as the next girl, I suppose, but I have a hard time buying the idea of My One True Love at age 16. As good as any Lurlene McDaniel book was when I was a tween. (Also, I kept thinking that Jennifer Lawrence plays Hazel in the movie, and that was super distracting.)
Dept. of Speculation / Jenny Offill
Brief, lovely snapshots of a marriage – the “love, loneliness, grief, joy, fidelity, beauty, depression, mania, motherhood.” Less a typical novel and more enticing fragments of thought and life. Should be read in one sitting.
I’m linking up with Anne Bogel for her Twitterature series. Hop on over to Modern Mrs. Darcy for more.
Between Shades of Gray sounds fascinating, even if it is hard-to-read. I’m adding it to my ever growing Goodreads list!
jennakristine.com
I lived in Lithuania for a year and a half, so I especially loved this. It’s definitely more grown up than Number the Stars, but still falls into the YA category. I highly recommend.
I am always so inspired by these lists of books you are reading. I really need to read more again. It’s been so long since I devoured book after book and I miss it. Thanks for the reminder!
Oh, and I read Jennifer Worth’s memoirs last month. Interesting and diverse. I especially found the last one thought-provoking as it dealt with medicine and death – not exactly something I think about on a daily basis.
Between Shades of Gray sounds excellent. I cried during The Fault in Our Stars, too, but I was a little bit mad at myself for doing so. 🙂
I checked Dept. of Speculation out of the library earlier this year and then never got back to it. Thanks for the reminder! I’m curious about the “read in one sitting” part. 🙂
Shailene Woodley is playing Hazel in the movie, not Jennifer Lawrence. 🙂
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