Book Bites: #54-56
Since I currently have Reviewer's Ennui (yes, I'm giving it an official name), I thought I'd try doing some micro-reviews instead. I'm calling them "book bites," which I'm sure is not original, so my apologies to whomever I'm stealing from! I'll try to give the gist of what the book is about, as well as my thoughts, all in less than a paragraph. I'll include my thoughts on rereads, too, but they don't get a number because I only count new books towards my yearly total.
54. Kristan Higgins, Just One of the Guys -- A contemporary romance where the heroine, Chastity O'Neill, has always been perceived as one of the guys since she is tall and athletic. I really enjoyed reading about Chastity's big Irish family (four brothers!) and her life in a small town. The romance was a bit underdeveloped by comparison...I really could not understand what was keeping her and her love interest apart. Still, it was a light and fun book; I'd read more by Higgins.
55. Steven Galloway, The Cellist of Sarajevo -- A fictionalized account of the Siege of Sarajevo in the mid-1990s. After a bombshell kills 22 people who were waiting in line to buy bread, a cellist decides to perform in the street for 22 days, one day to commemorate each life lost. The book follows three other characters as they struggle to survive and make sense of their lives in a war-torn city. Very well done.
56. Trish Doller, Something Like Normal -- A YA novel about a young U.S. Marine who is home on leave from Afghanistan. He is haunted by painful memories of his best friend, who was killed in action. Meanwhile, his life at home is difficult, as his parents are splitting up and he feels alienated from all his old friends. However, a chance encounter with his first crush helps him to face his problems. I enjoyed this book but wasn't particularly blown away by it. It was refreshing to read a YA book in which the romance, while present, doesn't magically solve all the protagonist's problems. Also nice to see a male narrator for a change!
Georgette Heyer, Devil's Cub -- A reread. Not one of the top-tier Heyers, in my opinon, but it's still a lovely, escapist romance!
More micro-reviews to follow soon!
54. Kristan Higgins, Just One of the Guys -- A contemporary romance where the heroine, Chastity O'Neill, has always been perceived as one of the guys since she is tall and athletic. I really enjoyed reading about Chastity's big Irish family (four brothers!) and her life in a small town. The romance was a bit underdeveloped by comparison...I really could not understand what was keeping her and her love interest apart. Still, it was a light and fun book; I'd read more by Higgins.
55. Steven Galloway, The Cellist of Sarajevo -- A fictionalized account of the Siege of Sarajevo in the mid-1990s. After a bombshell kills 22 people who were waiting in line to buy bread, a cellist decides to perform in the street for 22 days, one day to commemorate each life lost. The book follows three other characters as they struggle to survive and make sense of their lives in a war-torn city. Very well done.
56. Trish Doller, Something Like Normal -- A YA novel about a young U.S. Marine who is home on leave from Afghanistan. He is haunted by painful memories of his best friend, who was killed in action. Meanwhile, his life at home is difficult, as his parents are splitting up and he feels alienated from all his old friends. However, a chance encounter with his first crush helps him to face his problems. I enjoyed this book but wasn't particularly blown away by it. It was refreshing to read a YA book in which the romance, while present, doesn't magically solve all the protagonist's problems. Also nice to see a male narrator for a change!
Georgette Heyer, Devil's Cub -- A reread. Not one of the top-tier Heyers, in my opinon, but it's still a lovely, escapist romance!
More micro-reviews to follow soon!