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When a long car trip calls, I respond by packing a backpack full of reading material. On the weekends of February 11th and March 4th, I made the trips to Chicago and Indianapolis respectively for climbing competitions, so I had ample time for bookish pursuits. I’ve elected to use a 5-star rating system for each of my reviews so that there is a simple guide for my complicated and sometimes unclear feelings.
Over the course of the rides to and from Chicago, I finished five books.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Although I had initially pronounced the beginning to be a bit tedious because of all the side notes, I ended up liking it. The charm of the asides certainly grew on me, and it was very enjoyable once I got past that. I also thought it was neat to see how close the movie was to the book. The only notable thing from the book to the film that was changed was the exclusion of the Zoo of Death, and I didn’t mind that. Overall, The Princess Bride is a solid read with all the same delights of the movie.
Radium Girls by Kate Moore:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am not typically someone who enjoys nonfiction, but I loved this book. It was horrifying and inspiring at the same time. I thought it was very interesting how the author chose to focus not only on the legal and medical parts of the girls’ stories but also on their personal lives. This format served as a good reminder that all of the atrocities in the Radium Girls’ case happened to real people, with families, hobbies, and full personalities. Radium Girls was excellent, and I would definitely recommend it.
The Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths: ⭐⭐⭐
I was sadly disappointed with this book. I got it from the “Bli
nd Date with a Book” display at the Sewickley Library, which I thought was a cute way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. However, the book was not as interesting as the paper wrapping makes it seem. I felt the characters were underdeveloped, the plot was too slow, and the stakes didn’t feel very high at all. I am not much of a mystery reader, though, so perhaps The Zig Zag Girl just isn’t for me.
Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I don’t think I’ve read a book this lengthy since middle school, but it was definitely worth it! I loved this series, and I felt this was a proportionally epic conclusion. It was absolutely gorgeous—I cried through the last 100 pages. The ending was at least somewhat happy and satisfying after traveling so far with these characters. Kingdom of Ash was the definition of epic fantasy, and if you get to this point in the series, I would absolutely recommend making the investment to finish it with this book.
As You Wish by Cary Elwes: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is Cary Elwes’ memoir of his time filming “The Princess Bride,” and I felt it was appropriate to read after finishing the novel. I thought this was an excellent memoir. Elwes is extremely complimentary of everyone involved with the project, and all of the stories he had from set were hilarious and felt very on-brand with the humor of the movie. If you’re a big fan of “The Princess Bride” like me, this is an excellent choice.
In the month between the two trips, I was quite busy with school and rehearsal, but I did finish Solito for the book club.
Solito by Javier Zamora: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book was absolutely heart-wrenching. I read it in 20-page spurts between pieces of my assignments because it stressed me out so much. It is both a literary masterpiece with beautiful descriptions, a twisting plot, and well-rounded characters, and a very important read to learn about the journeys of immigrants. Although it was a bit slow to start, I would absolutely recommend Solito!
Although I spent a good portion of the 10-hour round trip to Indianapolis being anxious about how hard it was raining, I did manage to read three books on the trip.
Queen’s Hope by E.K. Johnston: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
As a die-hard “Star Wars” fan, I adored the first two books in this trilogy, but I was somewhat disappointed by the finale of the series. I felt like the author was trying to introduce too much new content instead of focusing on Padmé and her handmaidens, despite the novel feeling very short. However, I did think the relationships between characters, particularly Anakin and Padmé and Padmé and Sabé, were very well-done. Though it wasn’t as satisfying a conclusion to the trilogy as I’d hoped, I still liked it, and would enthusiastically recommend the series.
sadie by Courtney Summers: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am certainly not a frequent thriller reader, being a generally anxious person, but I really liked this! I was very impressed by how I was rooting for the characters, despite most of them being very flawed. It was very tense and tightly plotted, and the open ending felt very appropriate. I liked the inclusion of the podcast format as well. If you enjoy thrillers or crime podcasts, this is an excellent choice!
Don’t Call the Wolf by Aleksandra Ross: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
First of all, this book has the most beautiful cover! It looks like it belongs to a book of fairytales. I loved learning about the different parts of Polish mythology, but I also thought all the characters were extremely well-developed, particularly Ren and Lukasz. Their romance felt natural and not at all rushed, which I appreciated. The ending was quite the twist, and it was definitely unexpected, but I still thought it was fitting for the story. If you enjoyed Percy Jackson at any point in your life, this feels like a more mature and fairytale-like version.
Overall, I enjoyed most of the books I read over the past few months and would recommend them. I’m glad these two car trips provided an opportunity to read in such a busy time!
