What I've been reading lately

[blue_lotus13]

1. Stop me if you've heard this one before- David Yoo- At first I thought that I didn't like this teen novel, but then I realized that I actually did. It was believable and realistic and I can't stop thinking about it. I love Yoo's dialogue.

2. Mercy Among the Children by David Adams Richards- Confession- I hate David Adams Richards, but we had to read this as a Canada reads selection and I got sucked it. I didn't find this one as bad the other Adams Richards' books that I've read, but it was still incredibly bleak and depressing and dark. I wouldn't pick up another of his book voluntarily.

3. This Charming Man by Marian Keyes- I thought this book was pretty good, and I liked the characters but damn, it was incredibly long. I would have cut it down quite a bit.

4. When things fall apart by Pema Chodron- I should read more of her stuff. This little book of Buddhist essays was really uplifting and thought provoking.

5. Fierce by Hannah Holborn- I really liked this collection of short stories by a new Canadian author. The stories featured wild landscapes, good writing and bizarre characters. My kind of book.

6. Gravity by Leann Liebermann- Confession, this novel won a contest I entered, and it really deserved to win. It was an incredible book about a Jewish Orthodox teen and her discovery of her lesbian sexuality. I thought this was great.

7. Mothers and other monsters by Maureen McHugh- Holy crap, did I love this book. Fantastically bizarre and well written short stories. I liked it way more than China Mountain Zhang.

Comments

[willietheshakes.livejournal.com]

I could NOT disagree more on #2. I found Mercy... to be an almost holy book -- bleak and dark and terrible, yes, but so powerful, and with the spiritual force of a Gothic cathedral.

[blue-lotus.livejournal.com]

He's one author that I just can't like, no matter how hard I try. And I'm okay with that.

[lueread.livejournal.com]

I LOVE David Adams Richards but will state that his writing is not for everyone. He very realistically glimpses very gritty subjects. That said, Mercy Among the Children is much lighter than other novels of his that I've read and I think it is largely because it is a period novel.

[starfishchick]

I disliked This Charming Man by Marian Keyes. (Maybe because entire chapters were written in Comic Sans Sers?)

But it was WAY too long.