Books 18-23

[amethyst_rei]

#18: The Tell-Tale Heart -- by Edgar Allen Poe [short story, horror, suspense, psychological]
Summary: (not author's) A man sets out to prove that he is not insane.

• Comment: This is the first example of Poe’s writing I’ve read and honestly, I can see why the guy is so popular. I was so absorbed by the story that I couldn’t even recall breathing until it was over. Stories like this--ones that are morbid, and dark, and psychologically thrilling--are my absolute favorites.

#19: The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock -- by T.S. Elliot [poetry, modernist]
Summary: N/A

• Comment: When it comes to poetry, I prefer mine to be as short and blunt as possible. This poem is the exact opposite of what I look for in a poem, but I fell in love with it anyway. I only sought the poem out in the first place because it was referenced to in a story I was reading, and I was wholly unimpressed with it after the initial read. Honestly, I didn’t understand a word of it. Still, parts of the poem really stuck with me so a few days later I went back to re-read it…and re-read it...and re-read it...

#20: First Love -- by Emilia Pardo-Bazan [short story, romance]
Summary: (not author's) A boy's first love.

• Comment: I loved the way this was written, the pacing of it, the flow, and more importantly, the message(s) it conveys. This is the kind of story that’s utterly predictable and yet highly engaging because of the language.

#21: Running Like a Girl -- by Alexandra Heminsley [non-fiction, autobiography, health]
Summary: In her twenties, Alexandra Heminsley spent more time at the bar than she did in pursuit of athletic excellence. When she decided to take up running in her thirties, she had grand hopes for a blissful runner's high and immediate physical transformation. After eating three slices of toast with honey and spending ninety minutes on iTunes creating the perfect playlist, she hit the streets-and failed miserably. The stories of her first runs turn the common notion that we are all "born to run" on its head-and expose the truth about starting to run: it can be brutal.

• Comment: Not only was this an immensely enjoyable story, but it was eye-opening and informative, as well. Not to mention hilarious. The author’s wit combined with the admittedly funny pitfalls of her journey made what could have been a very dry read very entertaining. I'd recommend it to anyone, even those with little interest in running.

#22: Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1 -- by Laini Taylor [young adult, paranormal, romance]
Summary: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

• Comment: I cannot put into words what an experience this story was. It’s probably strange to say, but the story felt a bit like a strip tease. A slow unraveling where you were showed a hint of skin here, a flash of skin there, and had to patiently--or impatiently, as it was--wait for the clothes to come off, unable to do anything to speed up the course. That’s not usually the kind of story I’m into, being an instant-gratification kind of girl, but in this book I enjoyed every moment of the process.

The story itself was just phenomenal. The author is an amazing storyteller and really brings everything she writes to life--her characters, their interactions, their experiences, the scenes, the settings, everything. Time again I found myself utterly enraptured by the way the author wove words together to describe something, though in most cases it was an emotion or a place. In the case for the former, you get swept up by what the characters are feeling to the extent that you start feeling it, too, and in the latter’s case you are actually pulled there, seeing and sensing the location just as the characters do. It was an invigorating experience, one I’m not often privy to.

And don’t get me started on the protagonist, Karou, who is both strong and likeable--no, loveable. Sure, she has some Mary-Sue traits (being beautiful, intelligent, artsy, the lust of guys and envy of gals, etc), but she’s not. Karou can be petty, selfish, ruthless, manipulative, nosy, impulsive, judgmental, and she makes mistakes--big ones that usually have dire consequences. But she knows this. She acknowledges it. Accepts it, for the most part. She’s not perfect, and no one, aside from her smitten paramour, treats her like she is. Not even Karou.

This first volume was full of action, adventure, mystery, suspension, humor, drama, fantasy, and romance. Like a fruit bowl, it contained a bit of everything, and it all added up to a unique experience that can’t really be defined by words. I would recommend this novel to anyone, even those who are disillusioned to the YA genre. It’s a real treat.

#23: Days of Blood and Starlight #2 -- by Laini Taylor [young adult, paranormal, romance]
Summary: Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war. This is not that world.

• Comment: Sequel to “Daughter of Smoke and Bone”. While more painful than the first book, this was no less an enjoyable and riveting read. Probably moreso, to be honest. Once again the author swept me up in her gripping storytelling and refused to let go.