I love books, TV shows, and films with characters who have autism. I’ve even gone to real-life lecture about autism by an autistic man, and I will always listen to a radio program about it. I cannot explain the source of my curiosity. In Fragile Bones, two teens, one with high-functioning autism and the other who is the top of her class, buddy up through a school program and find their lives mixing in ways that they didn’t sign up for.
I’ve had a life-long attraction to Ancient Egyptian lore. I hard-core fangirled when I saw the Book of the Dead in the Louvre. So of course I wanted to read this: teenage Cleopatra escapes to the temple of Isis to flee from her awful step-sisters. When Isis needs help to regain her full power, Cleo returns to take on Alexandria and her future.
I’ve read mixed reviews: most are stellar, but Alyce from At Home With Books gave it a derp face. I requested it from the library because I like psychological thrillers, and there is an audiobook version. I go through a lot of audiobooks because I commute at least two hours a day. So, a commuting girl sees something horrific on her daily commute and it changes the way she sees the world? I’m looking forward to arriving to work completely terrified.
I recently finished reading A Tale for the Time Being, and I have a small book hangover from it. That’s what attracted me to The Book of Speculation - it has a similar plot. The main character receives a book that gives him clues to his family’s history. He realizes that he must act quickly to find all the clues and try to save a relative from the family curse.
Bruna from Bruna Writes and Ana from Butterflies of the Imagination both recommended that I read The Lunar Chronicles series, and they aren’t the only ones. I finally put myself on the hold list at the library. Besides meeting a PopSugar Reading Challenge need, this will satisfy several YA subgenres I like: fairytale retellings, dystopias, and sci-fi.
I keep seeing this around places, including a review by Neil Gaiman, and I kind of have an obsession with novels written by Japanese people or Japanese descendants. It’s not because I’m one of those people who wears cosplay and believes I was born in the wrong culture. I like the sense of acceptance of the self, the pacing, the introspective attention to details, and refined use of language that are generally present in contemporary Japanese literature. I don’t know much about the story (and I like it like that!) besides this: a VI century British couple journeys to find their estranged son.
The other day when I was exploring the Japanese neighborhood in São Paulo with my boyfriend, we stopped into a bookshop. Silas started swooning over the Death Note series because he had seen a remarkable play based on the story. From what I understand: a young man finds a notebook and discovers that if he writes someone’s name in it, that person dies. He starts out using it to bring justice, but then the power gets to his head.
Did you know that I’m a scuba diver? And that one of my favorite sea creatures is the octopus? When I go to an aquarium (which I love to do), I divide my time between trying to get an adrenaline rush from the shark tank and trying to communicate telepathically with the octopi. I’m very excited about reading this non-fiction on the amazing intelligence of octopi.
Guys. There is this app called Manga Rock and it gives you access to pretty much every manga ever. I’m trying to still be a productive member of society, but it’s reeaalllly hard. Manga is addicting because it’s so quick to read, the stories are imaginative and creative, and nearly all of it is serialized (Gotta catch ‘em all!). Post-WWIII Tokyo, sci-fi, and a struggle for an extreme power… Sign me up!
To be honest, I wouldn’t naturally choose this book to read based on the blurb (a girl goes to a therapy home to receive assistance with the grieving process over her dead boyfriend). But I heard an interview with the author, read several positive reviews on blogs, and watched a booktube where it was endorsed. I’m a curious person, plus a cover art whore.
I just got Belzhar after reading a good review. I've read The Girl On The Train and liked it OK, more I think after a few weeks have passed. LOL
ReplyDeleteI saw The Book of Speculation somewhere and I'm so glad you reminded me about it. Going on my list!!
Read The Buried Giant!! I just finished it...it's everything you hope for and more :-)
ReplyDeleteBel;lzhar was pretty amazing too - I now want to read Sylvia Plath even more than I did before.
Me toooo! I've read a few other feminist novels from that time, but no Plath books or poetry.
ReplyDeleteI stayed up until 3am reading Belzhar. It wasn't OMG AMAZING but I was so impressed by it, and the ending will make you forgive any sins you thought the author had committed.
ReplyDeleteYay São Paulo. I'm living here too now. The rain has also made me sick. :(
ReplyDeleteIt's a great city though! =)
Yay, you're reading CInder! Hope you like it. The others sound really interesting as well. Really cool that you're a scuba diver. I always wanted to go!
ReplyDeleteI like scuba diving because all the underwater animals are so curious. They aren't like wild animals that live on land, because they don't usually try to swim away (so long as you don't try to touch them). It's a great experience.
ReplyDeleteOoh cool! I wonder if there are any fun bookish events that we could meet up at? I'll keep an eye out and let you know.
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