Books I Read This Month - May 2014

Far from You by Tess Sharpe
I hadn't read a Young Adult novel in a while, and this thriller sounded like something I would enjoy. It was a quick read, as I expected it to be and as I was in the mood for, but that doesn't mean it wasn't powerful. This book follows high schooler Sophie in the few weeks after she is released from a drug addiction treatment center. Right before she was sent there, her best friend was murdered in front of her, and now she is determined to find the killer. The pace is quick, which makes the narrative heart-pounding, though it feels like not a lot of space to fully develop the characters. Sophie and her deceased best friend are the most developed and well-rounded, with Sophie flaws making her realistic and her hopes and motives making her someone to root for. There are some big themes that are perfectly developed and rare in YA fiction: love, friendship, coming out, drug addiction, etc. Recommended for readers of thrillers.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
At over 600 pages, this book took me a while to read, meaning I had to put off reading others on my list. But it was totally worth the time and effort. The narrator, a recently unemployed married man in Japan, is a bit of a downer in that he has zero ambition. However, as he goes searching for his wife, who leaves him for another man, the story gets more and more surreal. He is on a journey toward finding his identity in a world that is strange and unpredictable. This is a wonderful read for those who enjoy literary fiction, as well as some supernatural themes. Murakami is one of my favorite authors. I wish I could write like him.

Leverage by Nancy Thompson

I waited for Nancy Thompson’s sequel to her high-tension debut novel, The Mistaken, with a lot of excited anticipation. And it lived up to my expectations.

Leverage takes place a few years after where The Mistaken left off and follows Tyler, Hannah, and Hannah’s son Connor as evils from their past, which they thought had been long-buried, return with vengeance. Connor believes his college friend was pushed off his balcony to his death rather than having jumped, and then he falls in love his dead friend’s girlfriend. Tyler looks into the death of Connor’s friend to find that the Russian mafia folks he thought he’d dealt with a few years ago may be back for him. Tyler will do anything to protect his family from the rage and menace of the mafia, even if it means committing the one act he promised himself he’d never do again: murder.

Leverage has a high level of suspense, even more so than The Mistaken. The non-stop action makes it impossible to put down. The plot points are strung together will skill at a perfect pace, forming a cohesive story that is satisfying emotionally. Similarly, the characters have realistic emotions that are relevant to their situation and are superbly portrayed in the writing on every page. The only times where the characters’ reactions are a bit strange are when they have sex at relatively unrealistic times, like when they are in extreme danger. However, these scenes are written well and will have romance fans enjoying the story and these sensual scenes immensely. Nancy Thompson shows her skill in developing and conveying her characters’ emotional depth to great reader satisfaction in Leverage.

While all the protagonists are super attractive (which is sometimes hard to believe but definitely fits as a trope of the romance thriller genre), their personalities are what shine in the story. Tyler's flaws are real and scary, making him a very complex protagonist. His anger issues and secret-keeping are part of what makes this novel so emotionally engaging. Since his character is so well developed, I felt true frustration when he did something he thought was for the best but which definitely was not. Tyler's perspective makes sense based on his prior experience. He doesn't succumb as a character to being too good or bad to be true: he feels like a real person, and his personality is consistent throughout the book. Same goes for Hannah and Connor. It's because they are not perfect protagonists that they feel real and therefore emotionally compelling.

It's hard to tell if there could be a third book in the series, based on the book's ending. But no matter what happens, I will be eager to read the next book Nancy Thompson publishes!

You can find Nancy Thompson on her blog here, and on Twitter here.

Books I Read This Month - April 2014

A Wounded Name by Dot Hutchinson
This retelling of Hamlet following Ophelia and taking place in a boarding school is written with gorgeously flowery prose. The pacing, setting, and literary style are perfect. The only problem I had with the book is quite a major problem, in that the young Hamlet is violent and abusive toward Ophelia, and Ophelia simply deals with it, making excuses about his behavior. Thematically, it could be that the book is saying this behavior is unacceptable, but it might have been too subtle. Highly recommended for the writing style, as long as readers keep this in mind.

Child of God by Cormac McCarthy
This is definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s written in the class McCarthy style, with the characters speaking in vernacular, and solidly “showing,” not even a hint of “telling.” This technique makes it for an interesting read because McCarthy withholds judgment against the disturbing behavior of the main character. Excellent, though with extremely mature content.

Rosehead by Ksenia Anske
Dark and creepy, suspenseful and mysterious, quirky and hilarious. A little slow sometimes and requires a little extra suspension of disbelief, but perfectly delectable for children and adults alike. Lilith makes for a strong, intelligent young heroine.

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
I love this author. The story starts out a little odd, in a good way, and continues on to grow more and more supernatural, with a dreamlike tone. All of Murakami’s works that I have read are written in this same spectacular manner. This one follows a teenage boy and an older man whom both are suffering from mental and emotional disturbances. Fascinating and winding, and I was completely unable to put it down. Recommended highly, though beware that it is a bit weird. But good weird.