October in Books

First-Time-Reads

The Driver's Clothes Lie Empty: (Vandela Vida) 2/5
A woman travels to Casablanca and is robbed of all her money and ID. Knowing that she won't get her possessions back, she feels liberated by her new freedom to be anyone she chooses. She becomes a stand-in for a famous actress and finds herself inhabiting the actress's skin off-set too. 
This book was such a disappointment! It had such potential with the story, but the author chose to write it in a second person narrative ("you"). I absolutely hated that aspect, it threw me off, and rather than pulling me into the emotions of the story, it pushed me further away. However, if you don't mind books in this format, you may enjoy it quite a bit! 

Emma: (Jane Austen) 5/5
Emma Woodhouse is content with her life and sees little reason to marry. However, she greatly enjoys acting as a matchmaker to those around her. When Harriet Smith comes to town, Emma takes her under wing an plans a match.
Emma is tied with Pride & Prejudice for my favourite Jane Austen. I'm surprised I never read the book before, seeing as I love other adaptations so much (Clueless, anyone?). 

The Princess Bride: (William Goldman) 1/5
Goldman claims that his father told him only the good parts of The Princess Bride and published this version, which contains only the "good parts." There is narrative sprinkled between bits of the story by Goldman about why he has taken a part out, etc, etc.
I know this is a "classic" for some, but I didn't enjoy it at all. I do like the movie, though. 

The Golem and the Jinni: (Helene Wecker) 3/5
Chava is a golem, and Ahmad is a Jinni. Through seperate circumstances they are both brought to NYC. The two become an unlikely set of friends, who are seperated after the incidents of a terrifying night. However, they are brought back together by a powerful threat, which will change their fates.
I was so excited to start this, but it just dragged in the beginning. Maybe I lost interest? I'm not sure, but it does pick up later on.

The Murder at the Vicarage: (Agatha Christie) 4/5
The first of the Miss Marple books. Colonel Protheroe is found shot dead in the parson's study, after the clergyman had threatened him with a knife. But as Miss Marple soon discovers, the whole village could have had a motice to kill the colonel.
This book was like a combination of two of my favourite things; Poirot novels and "Murder, She Wrote." I will most definitely be looking to read all of the Miss Marple books.

Girl Online on Tour: (Zoe Sugg, aka Zoella) 3/5
Penny joins her rockstar boyfriend, Noah, and his band for their European tour. Looking forward to spending time with him, she is disappointed that his schedule is jam packed, and he doesn't have the time to do the things he promised they would. Penny struggles with missing her friends, family, and her blog, which she took "offline."
I found this one to be an improvement from the first one. There's a charming quality to this book, and it's a fun, light read.

The Sword of Summer: (Rick Riordan) 2/5
Magnus Chase has lived on the streets of Boston since his mother's death. A man, whom his mother described as dangerous tells him the impossible, he is the son of a Norse god. Magnus is forced to make a fatal decision between his own safety and the lives of several hundred innocents.
Riordan's books are a guilty pleasure of mine, and I love the Percy Jackson series. Riordan is excellent at making mythology modern, fun, and digestable. That said, he is not great at characterization. His characters from series to series, are incredibly similar in every way. Same people, different names, different powers. Or, so it feels.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette: (Maria Semple) 5/5
Told through 15-year-old Bee, this story is of her trying to find her bother after her disappearance. Along the way Bee learns more than she ever knew about her mother, including the secret past that Bernadette has been hiding for decades.
LOVED this! The quirky characters and scenarios are often hilarious, and the story is completely gripping.

The Body in the Library: (Agatha Christie) 4/5
The Bantrys wake to find the body of an unknown young woman, dressed and made up for a party, in their library. The Bantrys invite Miss Marple in to help solve the mystery.
Just as entertaining as the first, its set in the same little town and re-introduces many of the characters, as well as some new ones. Also the intro from Christie on a having a body in the library is quite interesting.

Re-Reads
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: (J.K. Rowling) 5/5
I've spoken enough on my love of the HP books, haven't I? ^. ~

Wildwood Dancing, Cybele's Secret: (Juliet Marillier) 3/5   
Five sisters have been making trips into the Other Kingdom every the full moon. The first book follows Jena, the second eldest sister, at their home in Transylvania as the eldest sister falls in love with a potentially dangerous member of the Other Kingdom. The second, follows Paula, the intellectual of the sisters, as she accompanies their father on a business trip to Istanbul to buy a pagan artifact.
I remember these as being so much better! They have some of the most gorgeous covers, but the stories are just... blah. They're forgettable, with rather dull characters.