Spring 2013 Book Review

Happy 1st official day of Summer!!

Can you tell that I am catching-up with posts?
Spring 2013 is designated at April 1st - May 31st.  The shortest "season" of the year for my reading, which explains why I only read 5 books!  Technically the first 2 in the list I listened to and the last 3 I read really paper books!

My reviews -

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler, 4 stars

I would classify this book as a historical fiction following the life of Zelda Fitzgerald, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s wife.  I enjoyed this book and enjoy reading about the "other side" of famous men.  I read The Great Gatsby in high school, but don’t remember it all.  I would like to reread some of his work.

I would also recommend checking out The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (about Earnest Hemmingway’s wife), Mary: Mrs. A. Lincoln by Janis Newman, and Loving Frank by Nancy Horan (about Frank Lloyd Wright’s unofficial wife.)

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel, 2 stars

I didn't realize this was a squeal book...opps!  #2 in the Thomas Cromwell Trilogy.  The summary on Goodreads makes the book sound amazing and really good.  It wasn't.  Maybe if I had read the first book in the series, I would have liked this book more, but I don’t think I will do that!
I did like the perspective from "He, Cromwell" but it was a slow and boring book.

Divergent #1 by Veronica Roth, 4 stars

Do you miss the Hunger Games? Are you watching Revolution on NBC? If you said yes, then this is a great book series. It follows a female protagnist through a modern revolution set in Chicago. It is a fast read and I am looking forward to the next in the series. My only negative, is because it is such a fast read you will want the next 2 books immediately and the third and final book isn't out until October 2013. So you may want to wait a few months to start the series!

Insurgent #2 by Veronica Roth, 2 stars

This book was lacking and didn't really add anything to the series. It made plenty of allusions to a larger force/being/cause to why the factions were fighting/being taken over, but nothing was made clear. However, in the final chapter Roth, does help the reader out and provide a major clue that will make you want to read the final book. I just hope that Tris' character will grow-up and stop repeating her same behavioral patterns. It started to get annoying and made her character unlikable. 

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, 3 stars

I bought this book as a recommendation from reading The Night Circus, not sure about that connection. It was a good book, similar to a Dan Brown theme with hidden historical secrets, but with a Google twist!

What books have you been reading?  Any recommendations?

I am currently listening to Paris: The Novel by Edward Rutherfurd and Wool (books 1-5) by Hugh Howey.  Both are excellent books so far!

Enjoy!

ELH