0
0
As my junior year has long since begun with a bang and most adults have suddenly decided that I should be able to give a concrete and definite answer as to where I want to go to college, reading for pleasure has taken quite a backseat, often to the dreaded American Pageant. Amidst the chaos, I did manage to get in some very light reading, however. Lately, I have absolutely no motivation to read an intellectual book or one from my actual want-to-read list, so I’ve begun the habit of walking into the teen section of Sewickley Public Library and picking a book based on its title. (This has not served me well. I’ve had a 0% success rate of picking a good book.) Anyhow, I’ve managed to cough up a few reviews outlining the most standout books I’ve read this school year and this summer.
Walk on Earth a Stranger
My favorite part about this book was recognizing a phrase as manifest destiny and thinking that APUSH might actually have a practical application! The title was really deep and meaningful for a book that was so average. (Yes, this was one of the aforementioned title-picked books from Sewickley). The premise was extremely interesting, and it was appropriately gruesome for a book about the gold rush and westward expansion. However, after one too many descriptions about the girl protagonist pretending to be a man and long I’m-not-like-the-other-girls monologues, I started to dislike the protagonist. The plot also got to be a little repetitive and the book straight-up admitted that it hadn’t actually dealt with the main problem—a murderer. I probably won’t continue the series, but the book was enjoyable and fast-paced enough that I didn’t feel like I was wasting my time!
Murder on the Orient Express
A perfect Halloween read! I had seen the play version before I actually read the book, and I honestly found both of them equally delightful. The book had a few extra characters, most notably “The Italian,” which made the mystery all the more intriguing. I love Agatha Christie’s style of writing too; it’s just funny enough to offset the spookiness. And of course, the ending was brilliant, probably one of my favorites of hers so far. I would really like to get into more of her books!
Little Women
I can’t decide if I wish this had been read to me as a child or not. Everyone who reads it young has such fond memories of it, but I also feel like I might not have understood the complex simplicity of it. It’s one of those books that I know is intended for children but also makes adults cry because it’s just so nice. Reading this felt like a hug from an older sister, and didn’t focus nearly as much on the romance as the movie led me to believe. It took me incredibly long to read because my copy also included the three sequels: Good Wives, Little Men, and Jo’s Boys. But it was so worth every page! I love this book so much, I want to read it to any and all children, and I hope I can reread it soon.
The Wicker King
This book made me feel like that GIF of Wendy Darling covering her face while also looking through her fingers:
I had to put it down every ten pages to just collect myself. I thought the writing was gorgeous, and the author’s note absolutely made me cry. I did feel like the ending was a bit of a cop-out, but I think that’s also overshadowed by the rest of the book. It’s really good, but I sure won’t be rereading it anytime soon.
Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley
This was one of those books that everyone thinks is a contemporary masterpiece but I’m either too dumb or too tired to understand it. The end came and I wasn’t sobbing or heart-wrenched, just a little confused because people kept having random character growth. (This could very well be my fault for not paying close enough attention. I have a tendency to skim those long description paragraphs.) In spite of my personal issues, the book was still pretty good! It was absolutely hilarious and definitely had me snorting in several less-than-ideal situations, and the author did such a good job of writing a gaslighting character that I felt like I was being gaslighted. Or maybe I was just confused. We’ll never know.
Overall, my reading from the last few months has been okay. Hopefully, between tests and holiday lights, I’ll find something as wonderful as Little Women before 2023 is over.
