Happy Monday, Bookworms!
I know what you’re thinking. “Katie, the only thing that could possibly make me feel better about today being a Monday is if you would talk about a book. Multiple books, even!” You guys are seriously the sweetest. Because I love you ever so much, I shall oblige your request and serve up a trio of bite size book reviews.
The Dress Shop of Dreams
by Menna van Praag- I checked this out of the library recently because I remember hearing that Menna van Praag is one of the authors Sarah Addison Allen recommends. The Dress Shop of Dreams shares the sort of sweet magical realism I’ve come to expect from SAA, so I’m quite pleased to report that this was a nice little read. Do yourself a favor and don’t ruin it for yourself by overthinking or letting your inner cynic take over, okay? Just enjoy it and daydream about the dress you’d get from a magical shop. I hope my imaginary magical dress comes with matching shoes…
The Invasion of the Tearling
by Erika Johansen- You know how when you read a trilogy, the second installment is usually the weak link? NOT THE CASE here! The Invasion of the Tearling had me twice as engrossed as The Queen of the Tearling
(review), in no small part due to the killer Handmaid’s Tale
–esque subplot (review). Holy smokes. Now I get what all the fuss is about. When is the final installment due?!
Cold Mountain
by Charles Frazier- When you pick up a novel based on the Civil War, you can expect it’s going to be a downer. Unfortunately, the bleak tone coupled with the main character’s Odyssean journey didn’t quite work for me. Add to that the fact that I (unwisely) googled the movie version to find out that it starred Nicole Kidman and Jude Law. I have not seen said film, but I have serious doubts about Kidman’s ability to do a convincing American accent. Samesies for Jude Law. Soooo… Yeah. Not really my jam.
What have you been reading, Bookworms?
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Beth F
I loved Cold Mountain, which I read when it first came out. The movie didn’t do it justice. And yes on the Tearling books!
Words For Worms
I can see how people would love Cold Mountain, it just wasn’t my jam. The Tearling books though. I am very interested to see where this goes!
Lindsey
That’s great to hear about the Tearling book. But maybe your frustration about the third book means I should wait and read them all once the last one is out!
Megan M.
It’s funny how many times someone will mention a book and my main impression of it is how many copies of it I had to stock on either library shelves or Books-A-Million shelves… Cold Mountain took up a lot of space at BAM.
I just bought this YA Lois Lane book (yes, that Lois Lane) on a whim. It was described as “Veronica Mars-esque” which sold me completely. Lois is a high schooler, solving mysteries as a junior reporter at East Metropolis High. I loved it! Went to order the second book, and saw it was a PRE-ORDER. Nooooooo! Why can’t books come out faster?? (It’s called Lois Lane: Fallout by Gwenda Bond, if anyone is interested.)
Words For Worms
It’s so weird how jobs can influence the way you remember things, isn’t it?
nerdybookgirl
I never read Cold Mountain simply because I was sick of hearing about it. It was over for me before it even started. I haven’t seen the movie, but what’s his name from The White Stripes is in it too.
ThatAshGirl
Cold Mounain was boring and Renee Zellweger was annoying as heck.
Words For Worms
I don’t know why I thought Jewel was also in this movie. Is it just because Jewel and Renee Zelwegger look alike? The 90s were a longer time ago than I care to admit…
Jenny
Any recommendation from SAA is a recommendation for me!
Words For Worms
Right?!
Jenny @ Reading the End
>>You know how when you read a trilogy, the second installment is usually the weak link?
Nope, this is insane. You are beautiful but you are insane to say this. The second installment in a trilogy is often the STRONGEST link. Because oftentimes they will be the very darkest, and I love that. The Two Towers is my favorite installment of Lord of the Rings, The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite of the original Star Warses, and The Ask and the Answer is easily the best of the Chaos Walking books.
Words For Worms
LOL! Oh Jenny. Really? Granted, I myself didn’t make it through LOTR, but I’ve heard from many a source that The Two Towers is an awful lot of walking and eating lembus bread, IE, not super compelling. As to the Chaos Walking books, I binge read them so I can’t always remember which bits went where, but I think the first book was my favorite… Agree to disagree on this one, my friend!
DoingDewey
I enjoyed The Dress Shop of Dreams, but I didn’t love the characters as much as those in SAA’s books. It was good though 🙂
Words For Worms
I agree, I didn’t like it as much as I typically like SAA, but it was still good. I think it might be the characters. SAA just does magical things with her characters. More in depth feelings-y magical things.