Books I Finished The Past Two Weeks

January 1 - January 12, 2019

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Miller so beautifully wrote about one of the most famous Greek heros but modernized and humanized his story by telling it through the eyes of his best friend, and lover, Patroclus. Patroclus doesn’t want Achilles remembered by only his actions in war. He wants Achilles remembered for all those other moments that showed him as tender, honest, mortal and fallible. Click the book cover for my full review.

Synopsis: Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

I was really excited about this book based on the description and that it won Goodread’s 2018 Best of Romance Award. I’m all for a good typical and predictable romance book. But quickly, this book only focuses on the sex and hidden emotions and loses sight of the uniqueness of the characters. Click the cover for more.

Synopsis: Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases — a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old. It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice — with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan — from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...

Books I’m Currently Reading

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

I received an arc copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and so far am really enjoying this book. I’m about 70% done and lots of things are happening so excuse me while I get back to reading!

Synopsis: Quick-witted, ambitious Ji Lin is stuck as an apprentice dressmaker, moonlighting as a dancehall girl to help pay off her mother’s mahjong debts. But when one of her dance partners accidentally leaves behind a gruesome souvenir, Ji Lin plunges into a dark adventure: a mirror world of secrets and superstitions. Eleven-year-old Chinese houseboy Ren also has a secret, a promise he must fulfill to his dead master: to find his master’s severed finger and bury it with his body. Ren has 49 days to do so, or his master’s soul will wander the earth forever.

As the days tick relentlessly by, a series of unexplained deaths wrack the district, along with whispers of men who turn into tigers. Ji Lin and Ren’s increasingly dangerous paths crisscross through lush plantations, hospital storage rooms, and ghostly dreamscapes. 

A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza

I just started listening to an audiobook of this for my book club so I’m not too far in yet. I do have to say I’m not usually a fan of family dramas, but hoping this one proves me wrong!

Synopsis: A Place for Us unfolds the lives of an Indian-American Muslim family, gathered together in their Californian hometown to celebrate the eldest daughter, Hadia's, wedding - a match of love rather than tradition. It is here, on this momentous day, that Amar, the youngest of the siblings, reunites with his family for the first time in three years. Rafiq and Layla must now contend with the choices and betrayals that lead to their son's estrangement - the reckoning of parents who strove to pass on their cultures and traditions to their children; and of children who in turn struggle to balance authenticity in themselves with loyalty to the home they came from.

Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak

I only just started this book so I don’t have too much to say about it yet other than I am beyond excited to read another Markus Zusak book as I Am the Messenger is one of my most beloved books.

Synopsis: The Dunbar boys bring each other up in a house run by their own rules. A family of ramshackle tragedy - their mother is dead, their father has fled - they love and fight, and learn to reckon with the adult world. It is Clay, the quiet one, who will build a bridge; for his family, for his past, for his sins. He builds a bridge to transcend humanness. To survive.

Books I Was Reading Last Year - 2018

Of Another Dimension by Jeanette Lynn

I found myself slightly obsessed with Reverse Harem books last year about this time and found this one by Lynn which also includes our main character landing on an alien planet. I enjoyed parts of this book as Lil begins to learn about her new home since she has no way to get back to Earth. But I also felt it rushed the relationships between the guys and the plot in general. Luckily, this planet is so smart they have neat little translators so suddenly Lil understands everyone and navigates easier. Overall, a decent read but not one of my favorites.

Synopsis: Lilie never thought her life would change so drastically when she crawled into bed that night. She never believed what everyone said about her neighbor either. Mr. Clem, crazy? No... But one well aimed lighting jolt sends her careening through a portal of some sort, a worm hole to an alternate dimension. What's a gal to do when she suddenly finds herself being chased by an angry, bellowing red creature that looks like something straight out of science fiction movie. A demon, an angry looking demon. Will Lil make it out of this alive? or will she ultimately end up demon fodder? or is that what he'd even had in mind at all? 

Chosen (Chosen #1) by Stacy Jones

And, here is another Reverse Harem that I found last year but this one was much better in terms of the alien planet and slow progress of Lily understanding the guys who saved her. They don’t learn each other’s languages the entire book and rather have to deal with speaking with their hands or pointing at things. There is also more description of both Lily and the guys trying to understand each other’s culture, world and mannerisms which was intriguing. Definitely a good alien romance I’d recommend for those interested and interested in reverse harem.

Synopsis: One minute Lily is trying, and failing, to run her grandmother’s farm—her last remaining connection to her family. The next, she wakes to find herself in a cold, sterile cage surrounded by monsters, with no memory of how she got there. Accidentally abducted by alien poachers, unsure if she will live or die, she is dreading the worst. What she doesn’t expect is for her captors to dump her on an alien planet to fend for herself. Now, she must fight to survive the planet… or die trying. 

Frrar, Tor, and Arruk have been searching endlessly for a mate to belong to, someone to finally accept them, but they are losing hope. The time of cleansing, when the great waters drown the land, draws near. They are on the verge of abandoning their search and fleeing the forest when they spot a strange, tiny, two-armed female. They are immediately drawn to her, fascinated by her differences, but they must act fast to save her life, and their own, from the coming flood. 

Books I Was Reading Two Years Ago - 2017

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

A beautifully written short story that reminds you to focus on what is really important and that love is not about physical gifts. No full review to offer you, but definitely a quick little read I’d recommend.

Synopsis: One dollar and eight-seven cents is all the money Della has in the world to buy her beloved husband a Christmas present. She has nothing to sell except her only treasure -- her long, beautiful brown hair. Set in New York at the turn of the twentieth century, this classic piece of American literature tells the story of a young couple and the sacrifices each must make to buy the other a gift.

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

I didn’t create a full review about this book but remember enjoying the mystery and intrigue surrounding Lydia’s death. It is also one of the few books I’ve enjoyed that was focused on family drama and what this tragedy meant for each family member. Definitely one I’d recommend.

Synopsis: So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos. 

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

Walls depicts such a harsh reality with such beautiful writing. I couldn't put this book down, and although it's a memoir, it read like a well-written novel. A word of warning, it’s infuriating and gut-wrenching and sometimes very difficult to read. But it is also awe-inspiring and amazing. Click the book cover for my full review.

Synopsis: Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls lived like nomads in the beginning. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an “excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever. 

Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town. Rex drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home. 

Being Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker #1) by Kelly Oram

Unfortunately, I can’t remember anything about this book which is super rare for me. I gave it 3/5 stars on Goodreads and if I don’t remember much I have a feeling it’s only of those typical YA books with some romance, supernatural, and action. I’ve enjoyed another of Oram’s books, Cinder & Ella which was unique, but this one I wouldn’t necessarily recommend.

Synopsis: An accident that should end in tragedy instead gives seventeen-year-old Jamie Baker a slew of uncontrollable superhuman abilities. To keep her secret safe Jamie socially exiles herself, earning the title of Rocklin High's resident ice queen. But during a supercharged encounter with star quarterback Ryan Miller she literally kisses anonymity goodbye. Now the annoyingly irresistible Ryan will stop at nothing to melt the heart of the ice queen and find out what makes her so special. Unfortunately, Ryan is not the only person on to her secret. Will Jamie learn to contain her unstable powers before being discovered by the media or turned into a government lab rat? More importantly, can she throw Ryan Miller off her trail before falling in love with him?