I've wanted to read Gillian Flynn's popular adult novel, Gone Girl, for quite some time. My
coworkers and reading buddies have loved it and I've missed out on their conversations...now I know why they've been so excited to discuss it! It's a psychological thriller that stays with you long past the last page. And although it was a lengthy book, I finished it in a couple of days. It's "one of those" books...the kind you can't put down. Hated the ending, though! Ugh! No spoilers here. Just know that if you read no other book this year, make it this one!
And normally, when I find an author I like, I read everything they've written. Flynn's debut novel, Sharp Objects, was loaned to me by LT and I loved it. It's darker. Murder mystery. Thriller. Psychological. Creepy. I believe LT called it "freaky". Just my kind of book! Another page turner. Late night read. Early morning read.
And so I have her third and final book on order now. I'll post when I finish it! :)
I'm so glad to finally be working my way through the huge stack of adult novels I've kept beside the bed all winter. LOVE summer reading!
Keep Reading!
RC
Each summer, I purpose to read a classic or novel I "happen upon". Last summer, I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Loved it so much I held a book breakfast event for my girls and gave them a copy of the book to keep. This year, I'm reading Deathwatch by Robb White. Not exactly excited about it. Didn't hunt it down. Honestly... never heard of it before. But I AM aware of the Edgar Award for Mystery and this book received the award in 1972. How did I decide upon this "old" summer read? Found 30 copies in great condition in the book storage closet. They haven't been checked out in at least 7 years. So if it's good enough (and appropriate) to share with my 6-7-8 grade students, I'll offer another book breakfast event and we'll read and discuss this book. And of course, they'll get to keep their copy.
I'll let you know if I like it.
Happy Reading!
And don't forget that it's important to read something fresh and new...read outside your box. :)
RC
Okay, so I've read the book and although it's nothing like what kids are reading today, I can understand why it would have been a thriller in the early 70s. The amount of detail provided for the "hunt" of the main character, the weapons and damage they do to the bodies, and the fact that the main character remains naked throughout most of the book probably turned a few heads in 1972. Today, our students would like this book only if they were avid hunters or gun owners. The mystery is not up to par with what modern authors are providing our readers. I'll suggest this book to a few of my students who I know will enjoy it, but like most books, it won't have a huge following.
I've been reading some pretty interesting books so far this summer...each very unique to its respective genre. Love them all! First, I reread Fitzgerald's classic novel, The Great Gatsby so that I would be well prepared to see the recently released movie. I could only get my hands on the school library's copy, which is missing it's jacket. I had however, ordered a shirt from my favorite tee shirt shop, Out of Print, and so decided to use the cover that matched my tee for this blog entry. Although I had read Gatsby in college, I had been asked to read it and it wasn't anything I was excited about. At that point in my life, I admit to being addicted to romance novels and so Gatsby's premise didn't appeal to me at first. I read it and liked it. However, upon this second reading, I picked up a few more of Fitzgerald's subtle details and was shocked to realize the narrator, Nick, was a gay man. All the signs are there. Also, most people get caught up in the opulence of Jay Gatsby. Not me. I was engrossed in the tragedy of it all. No spoilers here, but I will say that I had Gatsby's secret figured out long before the author decided to reveal. I still haven't seen the movie. :$
Immediately following that classic, I picked up an autobiography my parents donated to our school library... Happy, Happy, Happy by Phil Robertson. I enjoyed reading Phil's perspective of his life with Kay as they raised their four boys and started their Duck Commander business. It's a quick read, full of voice and humor. Phil is always inspiring and entertaining, but in this book, he opens up about how his family has evolved over time and why they take such a stand to be conservative Christians. I admire his candor and loyalty, but especially his honesty.
And finally, I'm finishing up Scarlet, the second book in The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. I absolutely LOVE this sci-fi series that spins fairy tales into tales that my young adult readers will not want to put down! It's a planned 4 book series and I'm so excited to introduce books 1 and 2 to my students this fall. Scarlet is the Red Riding Hood tale spun in with the first book's Cinderella tale. Currently, I'm at that point in the plot where everything is falling into place! I can't wait to finish!
Happy Reading!
I'm gonna go finish the book now!
RC
