Bookshelves Reorganization // August 30, 2015

 

My bookshelf reorganization looked way easier than it turned out to be. ???????? Probably this is the only good outcome (the opportunity to reorganize things) out of the whole mess.

On the right is the photo of my reorganized bookshelves. Took me almost an hour but I managed to cram everything in 3 shelves. ????????

From the bottom to the top:

1) The biggest books and hardbacks. Alexandre Dumas books (how many copies can you spot? ????), Sherlock Holmes, crime, sci-fi books and others.

2) My favourite shelf: high fantasy, Katherine Kurtz, Lynn Flewelling, Elizabeth Bear, Sarah Monette, etc; middle grade; Divergent series, contemporary, plays, classics. A complete mix but my favourite and well read books.

3) TBR/YA/recent purchases shelf. The majority of books are unread and also some are just first books in the series that I plan to buy and read later.

Book Review: Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

 

This is the weirdest YA book I have ever read. (Well, it is not as gory or dark or weird as Poppy Brite's novels, as it is still YA, but it is right up that alley if you take one of her books and make it funny and light as opposed to heartbreaking.) But what can I say - I loved it.

It is written in the first point of view and there are some recurring topics as well as even recurring sentences that may seem slightly weird but it all works together. Two best friends, a small town in the middle of nowhere, a strange, long time ago abandoned experiment. It is difficult to summarize the book without giving away the plot (or the plot twist at the end which I totally should have seen coming, but I didn't, because just like the main characters I was caught in the moment).

It is a weird story but it is also a very touching one. Besides all the weirdness which is happening (and if you are not squeamish and are not afraid of bugs - believe me, you will be) this book is also a coming of age story (which includes exploring one's sexuality, talking or thinking about sex 24/7, and smoking - you know, the usual).

This books has a great line which resonated with me greatly. Page 162. You know what I mean. It is probably one of the most accurate descriptions of bisexuality that I have ever read.

I don't want to spoil this story to anyone, but I just want to say that this book taught me two things:

1) adolescent boys are always horny

2) bugs only do two things - eat and fuck.

My advice: do not read this book while dealing with bug infestation - it will make your skin crawl big time. This is book not for everyone, but I loved it.

My rating: 4.5/5 stars

Book Review: Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

I usually do not read graphic novels. It is hard for me to find a book with graphics that I really like, and I in general prefer books with more text. The only graphic/comic series that I have ever read, and loved, and am still reading is ElfQuest.

I saw this book recommended on BookTube and I was sort of intrigued. I picked it up from the library, as I didn't want to buy something that I was not going to read again. I decided to read it this morning while having a coffee and it was the quickest and the easiest read ever. I read in about an hour. I think it can be either classified as a middle grade or YA.

I enjoyed the graphics (they are sort of grey-blue, which I like) and the story is very curious. It is about a girl Anya, who struggles with her appearance, the fact that she is not popular at school, that she was not born in America (she is Russian and the book is peppered with some cultural differences/references/Russian words), that she has a crush on a popular guy; she smokes because she thinks it is cool, she tries really hard to fit in, etc. One day she falls into a hole in the ground. There, she meets a ghost of a girl named Emily. The ghost follows her home and wants to be her friend. Anya is excited, because Emily is really helpful, but soon it is starting to become overwhelming.

I found Anya to be a very likeable character, and it was very easy to relate to her, especially for me personally. I think it is a great and easy read and I highly recommend it. I hope that the author will release more books like that.

Rating: 5/5 stars.

Book Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

I didn't know much about this book. I saw it recommended on booktube and it sounded really interesting. I got it from the library (had to wait 3 weeks, for some reason) and was surprised to see that it is not too thick and has illustrations. I read it in one sitting, after finishing The Fault In Our Stars, which probably wasn't such a smart move, seeing as there is an recurring theme of cancer (which I didn't know about "A Monster Calls").

But I loved this book so damn much.

It has a wonderful, unique story and absolutely gorgeous illustrations. Everything is black and white which adds to the atmosphere. The story is about a boy, Conor, who lives with his sick mother, and one day he is visited by a monster in the middle of the night. The boy is not scared, because even though it is a monster, it is not THE monster from THE nightmare. The monster tells him three stories, but Conor has to tell him the fourth. There is also an estranged father and a grandmother, with whom Conor has trouble connecting.

I can't say much because it will reveal the plot, but it is a gorgeous book, very touching, deep, emotional, and very captivating. Not to mention the art. THE ART. It is not a graphic novel, but the illustrations play a huge part, wonderfully adding to the narrative. If I had to define the genre, I'd say it is YA with magical realism elements.

I really want to own this book now. I really really want to.

But yes it should come with trigger warnings.

Rating: 5/5 stars.

Book Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

 

I saw this book recommended by Regan on YouTube (PersureProject) and didn't really pay much attention to it, as I am not a huge fan of science fiction. I mean, I have read books in this genre and I quite enjoyed some of them, but I prefer watching the movies (like Star Wars and Star Trek) rather than reading it. Later I found out that there is a movie based on this book and it is coming to TIFF this year, so I, naturally, decided to read the book first. The wait time for the library copy was going to be insane (over 300 holds for about 30 copies), so I bought my own copy at Indigo.

I started reading it and immediately realized two things: a) I was enjoying it way more than I had expected, and b) it is going to be a terrific movie. The book was such an easy read, it was difficult to put it down! I read it in 2 or 3 days.

The main character Mark is one of the members of Ares 3, a Martian expedition, which gets aborted, and he is left behind, as his crew members believe him to be dead. Equipped with only his knowledge (he is an engineer and botanist) and whatever was left by the expedition, he is set to survive on Mars. His main goal is to find a way to let his crew or Earth know that he is still alive. Whether and how he could possibly be saved, considering the fact that the next mission is set to arrive in a couple of years, and the resources at hand were provided only for 30 days is the central point of the book. That and the whole fact that he is stranded on a very unfriendly planet.

This book is mostly narrated in the form of logs made by Mark (that is ,in the first point of view). There are also chapters showing what is happening with the rest of the crew and also the mission centre on Earth. I found Mark's voice to be very believable and extremely funny. The book is filled with astronomy, physics and chemistry stuff which made me, as an absolutely not scientific type, a bit confused at times, as it was hard for me to visualize some of the things that Mark was talking about (like an oxygenator). I think it all will be way easier to comprehend on screen.

I watched the trailer, by the way, and it looks very grand and epic and very Hollywood style. The book is not like that. It is way more personal, way less glamorous, so I would really suggest that you read the book first. I also have a feeling that they will make the movie way more dramatic, than the book itself. There is drama, don't get me wrong, but the way people deal with it, out of necessity and/or due to their character (like Mark), was way more lighthearted than one could think giving the circumstances.

The book is a celebration of human mind, resourcefulness and will to live. There is a very true to the point paragraph at the end of the book (which is actually used in the trailer, so, spoiler alert) that says that people are always willing to get together for a cause and help each other. I think it is very true and it is part of human nature. We just sometimes forget about it.

It is a funny and touching book and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Rating: 5/5 stars.

Alone Amidst The Crowd // August 1, 2015

Flowers // July 19, 2015

One Day It Will Be Okay // July 19, 2015

How Can You Not Love Clouds // August 11, 2015