I was really good this month and read/listened to only library books (though I did buy one to read later). And I'm glad, because how would I have known how gorgeous the covers of Inkspell and Inkdeath are if I hadn't picked up a hard copy? I didn't read all that much, compared to some of my past months, but then again the Inkheart series is pretty long. Looking forward to getting started with my own books!
♥♥♥♥♥ - Loved
Inkspell (paper)
I thought Inkheart was ok - a fun story but a little slow at parts. Inkspell blew me away. I'll admit; it almost became a do not read after trying to listen to it on audiobook, but that's my fault. I can't listen to fiction - I have to read it for myself. But after picking up a copy at the library, I was fascinated. I love the world inside the book. I love how they're able to interact with the world and change it, even though they're living inside of it. It took a while to read (635 pages, yo), but I loved it and I am totally read to dive into the next one.
♥♥♥♥ - Liked
Inkdeath (paper)
So I'm not sure I'm being 100% fair to Inkdeath, because I got a little busier while I was reading it and had a pretty long hiatus a few chapters before the ending. But even with all that, it was a definite 4 star, and possibly a 5 if it had had my full attention. There were a couple things that annoyed me that hadn't bugged me in the previous one (Orpheus features pretty heavily and I can't stand him and while the emotions the characters are experiencing make sense, I didn't want to hear about them over and over and over again), but overall still a good story and very satisfying conclusion.
I Am America (And So Can You!) (audiobook)
This was full of laughs and I was disappointed when it ended (it's only 3 hours long). When I started, I was actually thinking, "I don't know about this, Colbert. I'm not sure I'm in the mood for your shenanigans." But it didn't take long for me to accept that it was utterly ridiculous and silly and more amusing than it probably should have been. I'm tempted to share all the jokes here, but I'll let you discover them for yourselves. Just keep in mind that the whole book is Colbert continuing his character from the show, in an over-the-top satire of the American conservative.
Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography (audiobook)
I knew from the beginning that this would be good. It was silly and fun and I laughed out loud. I kind of like that NPH isn't pretending to dispense wisdom (although I LOVE what he says when he's talking about his coming out experience and being a role model. "Show, don't tell.") - he admits that it's one of many self-serving celebrity autobiographies and then makes it totally his own with the fun formatting. Unlike a couple of the others that I've read, I didn't feel like he was trying to make it more than what it was - a fun way to tell his story - AND he went in chronological order which was a lot easier to follow than the ones that jump around. The parts I found most interesting: his experience as a child actor and coming to terms with his sexuality, plus dealing with the public and their insatiable nosiness.
Invasion of the Tearling (paper)
I said I wasn't going to read the rest of this series because the first book was really just kind of meh, up until the end. But then I did pick up the 2nd one (from the library!) and had exactly the same experience. The main character had a lot of growth towards the end of the first book, but at the start of the second one, she's somehow overshot becoming a confident adult and went straight into becoming arrogant and cruel. I liked her less and less throughout the story, until the very end when it seemed like maybe she realized what a douche she was becoming. Plus there were some historical flashbacks that didn't make much sense and revolving chapters from other people's points of view that didn't feel very connected, until the end. And then it all came together and made me want to read the last one, which, sadly, isn't out yet. Isn't that always the way?
♥♥♥ - Ambivalent-ed
None here!
♥♥ - Mildly Disliked
Eat That Frog! (audiobook)
Meh... I think this was more targeted to people who are already on task 99% of the time and just need help prioritizing more important tasks. It also seemed like a narrow definition of success (if it's not working toward your career, it's a waste of time!). Overall I just wasn't feeling it and the advice didn't feel super revolutionary. Basically don't procrastinate, and do your important tasks first. The first chapter of that book tells you how to prioritize and then the rest is just further elaboration on a topic that probably didn't need it. Plus he says "EAT THAT FROG" over and over to the point that it started making me wince.
♥ - Did Not Finish or Wanted to Burn in a Fire
And these are rare anyway, but none here. :D
Currently...
I jumped into one of my currently owned books, Physics of the Impossible, which is about the crazy technologies in science fiction and how realistic they are compared to the laws of physics as we know them. It is an interesting read, but my brain has to be all the way turned on for it, so I was weak and picked up another fun fantasy book to alternate (The Wise Man's Fear). I'm also currently listening to Big Magic, which I got on audiobook from the library, and I have thoughts! But I'll wait until I'm actually finished to talk about it with you all.
What have you been reading? Have you read anything from my list and what did you think? Do you use the library or buy your own?
