Vacation Reading!

I was lucky enough to go on a VERY relaxing week-long vacation where I read 5 books and a handful of comic books.  It was just the boost I needed after this very long winter.  Rather than post a bunch of separate reviews, I'll put them in one post, though I'm leaving out one of them because Amy also read it, so we'll do a joint review in a day or so. 

Anyway, on with the reviews!

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes

Lynnie

Memoir, Humor

I really enjoyed this book, even more than I expected to. I am a big fan of both the movie and book versions of The Princess Bride & while I don't read a lot of memoirs, I had fun storming the castle- I mean reading this book. I really enjoyed learning that the people involved in this movie enjoyed making it, as much as I have always enjoyed watching it. Their fondness for each other and for this film comes through with every chapter. Not only Cary Elwes' memories of the film-making process, there are frequent quotes from other cast members which makes this even more entertaining.

This is a book for Princess Bride fans. If you loved the movie, this book will make you smile. (It will also make you want to rewatch the movie and/or read the book.)

Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle

Lynnie

Young Adult, Dystopian, Contemporary Fiction
 
This was an odd book, at times really engaging and at other times truly testing my patience as a reader. I originally wanted to read this book as I saw it on several "best of" lists and I believe it may have won a YA award or two. I don't think it lived up to all the hoopla.

It was an interesting premise- a cultish religion becomes mainstream in America and family members are forced to choose sides as the prophesied Rapture draws close. Vivian Apple's parents are fervent believers in this religion while Vivian, herself, is not. When her parents (along with perhaps thousands of others) appear to have been Raptured and disappear from the face of the Earth, America descends into chaos (predictably) and Vivian Apple needs to figure out what to do with her life.

Thus begins Vivian's adventure through the country and the Apocalypse, with her friends Harp and Peter by her side. Unfortunately that's where things start getting weird and thus, this is where the book started to lose me. The second half of the book is a jumble of plot leaps and plot holes that left me frustrated. Perhaps teens are more willing to take suspend their common sense more than I was.


 Croak by Gina Damico

 Lynnie

Young Adult, Fiction
 
 This was an interesting  & oddly enjoyable book. The premise reminded me a LOT of the old tv show Dead Like Me and there were times it was hard not to compare the two, but there's also a lot of creativity in this book.

I wasn't sure how Damico was going to get me to like the main character, Lex, a juvenile delinquent who can't seem to stay out of trouble. But the story quickly turns to the town of Croak where Lex, and others like her (yes a BUNCH of delinquents) make their home and work as GRIMS (clever acronyms abound in this book, but I won't spoil them for you here). And the story works! There's a mystery that helps us get to know the characters and what is in store for their future and while it was predictable, it was also fun to watch it all play out.

Overall, an easy read for fans of YA. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.


An Abundance of Katherines by John Green


Lynnie

Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction

Not my favorite John Green book, but still interesting & as always, I was captivated by Green's gift of words. The way I feel about John Green is the way I felt about John Hughes when I was a teenage- he understands teenagers and the way they work and speak and think. He never turns his characters into caricatures and that makes them more interesting to me.

This book is full of life. It's about math, love, friendship & finding your way when you feel most lost. The characters in this book are charming and interesting and even though Colin's tangents and theorems eventually wore thin with me, they were true to the character. The one thing in this book that really strained my patience was the idea that Colin could find 18 girls who would date him- before he graduated high school. Granted, some of those he considered girlfriends barely fit the definition, but he was so socially awkward that I found that one fact constantly distracting. Hassan stole the story though- he is the conscience of this book and was highly entertaining any time he was featured.