What I’ve Been Reading

I really need to post these more often–I’m losing track of what I’ve read!

Funny Misshapen Body: A Memoir: I picked this one up when I wanted to kill some time at my public library branch. (Side note? Now that I work full-time, I visit this library so much less often. It makes me a little sad. But at least I finally made good on my overdue fines!) When I was about halfway done I loaned it to the head of our art department, which meant I didn’t get to finish it until this afternoon. Aesthetically I’m not a huge fan of the art, but I love the stories. Linear thinkers may have an issue with the way the narrative hops around in time.

Brutal: As part of my book club for two, I’m now trying to stay at least a book ahead of the 12th grader who plows through anything I recommend. I picked this one up because it seemed like it might be in line with some of the Bad Things Happen-themed books she’s enjoyed in the past. At first I had a lot of trouble getting into it–the narrator struck me as one of those gratingly precocious teens–but the plot drew me in and I finished it in a single sitting.

Inexcusable: Several librarians recommended this one to me when I asked about books that might help teenage boys think about rape. Not exactly what I was initially going for, and I feel like the narrator might get off a little easy (though I guess the ending leaves that somewhat up for debate), but I enjoyed it.

Play Me: Unlike Good Girls, which I seem to remember reading pretty quickly, I was able to put this one down, multiple times. I kept coming back, though, so I guess that’s saying something. One question: does the cover make this a book many boys wouldn’t pick up, despite the male narrator?

The Forest of Hands and Teeth: Another highly recommend book, and I simply couldn’t put it down. My book club partner was initially a little irritated when she found out this would be part of a series (or at the very least a pair), but now we both can’t wait for it to arrive. (We may have to arm-wrestle for it.)

Because I Am Furniture: I suppose technically I couldn’t put this one down, but overall I was disappointed. I think Ellen Hopkins does a much better job covering similar material in verse, and I found the ending more than a little hurried.

Identical: This was the beginning of my book club–my partner-in-reading told me I had to read this book. When I was about halfway through I purchased everything else Ellen Hopkins has ever written. Did I mention I’m extremely excited she’ll be at our full-day YALSA pre-conference this summer? Yup. Super excited.

The Plain Janes: I actually read this one quite a while ago, but it seems I left it out of previous lists. After all the recommendations I’d heard, I was a little underwhelmed.

Jane Bites Back: Again, it’s been a while. I was extremely skeptical of this one since I’ve never read any Jane Austen (and suspect, perhaps with undue prejudice, that I wouldn’t like any of it), but I found I was immediately sucked in (pardon the pun!) and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Fun Home: I heart Alison Bechdel. That is all.

I’d Tell You I Love You, but Then I’d Have to Kill You: I got this one from my brother’s bookstore while I was on vacation. I enjoyed it as airplane reading, but I found I wanted it to be a little more D.E.B.S. and a little less boy drama.

Feed: Did I seriously forget to write any of these down? It’s been ages since I read this! Again, underwhelmed. I felt like I’d heard this hyped for years and ultimately found it a pretty unsatisfying science fiction experience. But maybe I just have high standards.

Audrey, Wait!: Love this book. Very much in the vain of Nick & Norah for me. I would totally see a movie based on this.

Speak: Seeing as this seems to be the only book several girls in the ninth grade at my school have ever read (or at least liked enough to remember), I decided it was finally time to read it. And–are we sensing a theme here yet?–I was a little underwhelmed. It’s definitely an important book, and I see why it remains so popular, but I didn’t like it nearly as much as Wintergirls or Twisted.

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