Okay, so I haven't exactly been as good about posting on here as I said I would, but I'm really trying to do a better job. I'm hoping if I add blogging to my to-do list, I'll become better about it. Let's hope that works.
Anyway, it's the end of November, and I wanted to do a quick recap of the books I read this month. First of all, can you believe it's already the end of the month? Seems like just yesterday I was celebrating Halloween, and now it's practically Christmas. Anyway, I digress. This month I finally got out of my dreaded reading slump that had consumed me since the beginning of the school year. Even though I got out of my reading slump, I only managed to read six books. I know, you might be saying to yourself, "Six books is a lot of books!", but in past months, I've read upwards of ten or so.
Please note, there may be spoilers for some of the books below, so if you haven't read them or want to avoid spoilers, don't read the little blurbs I've written. I usually mark spoilers with a big sign, but this time, I've done my best to black them out. Simply highlight the ones you want to read. I know you can still kind of see what's written underneath without highlighting, but this was the best solution I could come up with.
Unfortunately, the problems outline in this book are becoming all too common nowadays. Young black men with incredibly bright futures ahead of them are being turned into villains by those with racist biases. There were so many times I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs at these characters, and I can't remember the last time I hated a character as much as I hated Brad. He knew he was racist, he knew Xavier was completely innocent, and he didn't care. I'm so glad he got at least some of what was coming to him at the end, but at what cost?
I have to say, I was also shocked by what happens to Xavier at the end of the book. I had a feeling he was going to die, but I never imagined that he would take his own life and sacrifice himself pretty much for the Black Lives Matter movement. It was so tragic. All I wanted to do was hug him and tell him that it would be alright, but I also know that that wasn't necessarily true, as his world had spiraled so far out of control, and he lost pretty much everything that had been important to him, all because of an accusation Brad knew was completely false. If anyone needs help understanding why the Black Lives Matter movement is important, this book will explain why.
In keeping with the pattern of books about oppressed populations, I decided to read Vox by Christina Dalcher. I read another book by Dalcher, Master Class, over the summer, and I've been suggesting it to everyone I've come across. Seriously, if you haven't read it, you need to get your hands on a copy immediately and start reading it. For that reason, I was excited to read Vox.
Set in the not so distant future, an extreme right-wing, religious political party has taken control of America. In attempt to align everyone with their beliefs, women are only allowed to speak a hundred words per day, are banned from reading or writing, cannot communicate via sign language, etc. They are also forced to stay home and run the household while their husbands are in charge. This book definitely gave off some Handmaid's Tale vibes, but it was also different in some ways.
Before losing basically all her rights, Jean was an accomplished neuroscientist and linguist. Now, however, she's at home all day wondering what the effects of these new laws will have on her beloved daughter while also watching her oldest son buy into everything the government mandates without so much as a second thought. All of that changes, however, when the president's brother has a debilitating accident and needs Jean's help. Using her new freedom and influence, Jean hopes to make a better future not just for her daughter but for little girls all across the country.
I have to say, I figured out pretty quickly that the government was trying to create some sort of serum or something that would debilitate others and make them little more than mindless drones. The fact that they wanted to use them on other countries, however, was a shock to me. I figured they wanted to use them on American women to get them to fall into line and be even more subservient than they already were. That part was definitely a surprise to me, but, then again, it did make sense that they wanted to spread their extremist ideologies all over the world.
I have to say, one thing I liked about this book was that it acknowledged what other countries thought about what was going on. Jean's parents lived in Italy, and they were obviously extremely distraught with how their daughter and granddaughter were being treated. In many books like this, I've wondered if there are countries outside of where we're reading about, and what they think about what is going on (I'm looking at you Hunger Games and Handmaid's Tale). This book talks about that, and it even becomes a somewhat important plot point later on down the line. I wish more books would do that.
I think what's most terrifying about Christina Dalcher's books is that they're just plausible enough to make you worried. With both Vox and Master Class, I know there are people out there who would agree with that is going on in those books, and that makes me both terrified and sad for the future (and for those misguided individuals). I didn't think this book was as good as Master Class, though. The ending was incredibly rushed, and I had a hard time imagining that everything happened as quickly and as neatly as it did.
Majesty picks up right where American Royals left off with the funeral of King George IV and Beatrice getting ready to not only get married but also assume the throne as the first Queen of the United States. Just like American Royals, this book is full of courtly intrigue (very similar to Philippa Gregory books), drama and complex relationships.
Just like before, I absolutely cannot stand Daphne, although I do feel a little bad for her. A lot of my sympathy comes from the fact that her mother is the one really pushing her to be a terrible person as she tries to socially climb to the top. She really didn't stand much of a chance. Still, she's an awful person. I mean, she drugged her own friend to hide the fact that she was cheating on her boyfriend (aka: the Prince of the United States) with his best friend. With that being said, I hope she gets what's coming to her, although the book ended with her getting everything handed to her on a silver platter. That was definitely frustrating to me. I was also upset to see a lot of the romantic relationships that had been fostered over the course of the novel fall apart at the end. I mean, I know there's going to be another book (at least I hope there will be), and I have my fingers crossed that everything will work out in the end.
Despite all my complaints, I absolutely loved Beatrice's growth throughout the book. She went from a young woman who was used to being told what to do to a young woman who took her life by the reigns and stood up for herself. I was so proud of her, and I hope to see even more of that in the next book, as it was absolutely perfect.
Overall, I loved this book. It was a wonderful light read after several heavier books. It's meant to be a young adult book, but I tend to think that it falls somewhere between young adult and adult fiction. It doesn't read like a young adult book. As a history teacher, I'm also completely fascinated by this alternate timeline McGee has created, and I want to know more. I'd love to get my hands on some history books from this fictionalized history, as so much as changed. It's a great example of cause and effect.
The premise is fairly simple: eleven years ago, Kate Bennett mysteriously vanished from a Target parking lot, leaving behind her husband and young daughter. Now, years later, Scott has remarried, and Abbi is a teenager when their world is turned completely upside down. Kate has been found, alive, which gets Scott off the hook (even though he was ruled out as a suspect, many people still thought he was guilty). Now, they have to try to figure out what happened to Kate and if her family is safe from whoever held her for all these years.
Part of the reason I enjoyed this book so much was the fact that it dealt with a cult and fringe religion. Bryan always calls me weird, but I have this unusual obsession with cults. Seeing Kate's condition when she returned, though, I had a hard time believing she was in a cult and had left her family willingly. With the help of all the flashbacks, though, everything fell into line, and it all made sense. The thing about suspense books, though, is that I've started jumping to the most ridiculous conclusions, because that tends to be what happens in these types of books. With When She Returned, I swore it wasn't really Kate but some sort of imposter who wanted to get the police off the trail of the kidnappers, but that wasn't the case at all. Oh well, I can admit when I'm wrong. With that being said, I was completely surprised when Kate not only tried to return to the cult but bring her daughter with her. I was starting to get suspicious of her actions, but that was not what I saw coming.
Overall, I found this a nice, quick suspense/thriller book, which is sometimes exactly what a person needs in their life to help them relax.
After finishing When She Returned, I decided to go back to my nice, emotionally heavy books. I read the prequel to Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly last year, but both books also work wonderfully as stand alone books. You can find my post about Lilac Girls here.
If you've read Lilac Girls, then Lost Roses focuses on Caroline Ferriday's mother, Eliza, during World War I and the Russian Revolution. Just like Lilac Girls, Lost Roses focuses on three women whose lives are intertwined during major world events. In addition to Eliza, you follow Sofya, a Russian aristocrat, and Varinka, a Russian peasant. Unlike Lilac Girls, the relationship between the three women became apparent quite quickly, which I liked a lot more, because with Lilac Girls, I struggled to see how everything would come together and make sense.
One thing I enjoyed greatly about this book was the fact that part of it, especially Eliza's story, is based on true events. Eliza Ferriday was a real person who used her influence to raise money for displaced Russian aristocrats by selling Russian goods. It was a fascinating story and a wonderful idea, especially at a time where the United States was such an isolationist. Something else I loved about this book (and it was the same with Lilac Girls) was the complexity of the characters. In the beginning, I felt terrible for Varinka. She was obviously being manipulated and sexually abused by her half-brother. As time progresses, however, I found that Varinka became more of a villain, more like the aristocrats she had come to hate, as she found what it was like to have power and influence. Varinka definitely had the most interesting story arch of the three women, and I found myself longing to know what happened to her after the end of the book, as I thought her story ended somewhat abruptly.
After reading both Lilac Girls and Lost Roses, one thing I've discovered about Martha Kelly Hall is the fact that she doesn't shy away from graphic information. The description of what happened to Sofya's family left me feeling sick to my stomach, but I felt that that was appropriate, as this isn't exactly a warm and fuzzy book. Part of me did hope that Sofya's entire family would find a way to escape Russia, but I also knew that that was a fool's dream and completely unrealistic. I was definitely relieved to find out Luba was alright, that was a twist I didn't see coming!
Overall, I really enjoyed Lost Roses. I didn't think it was as good as Lilac Girls, but it was still definitely worth reading. Plus, it's hard to live up to such a wonderful book.
In keeping with my theme of graphic, heart-wrenching historical fiction novels, I decided to read The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult. Just a fair warning, I used to not like Jodi Picoult books at all until I finally read Small Great Things by her back in August (it's an amazing book, I simply cannot recommend it enough). In true Jodi Picoult fashion, this book leaves you questioning your decisions and morality while dealing with complex issues and characters.
In short, this book is about Sage Singer, a reclusive baker in her mid-twenties who befriends a man in his 90s, Josef Weber, at a grief support group. A former Little League coach and German teacher at the local high school, Josef is a pillar of the community, which is why Sage is shocked when he comes to her with a startling confession and even more startling request. If Sage follows through with what he wants, she'll be left with both moral and potentially legal ramifications. If she doesn't, however, she could allow a dangerous man to walk freely amongst those around her.
I knew going into this book that Josef was a Nazi. I did not, however, know that he was going to ask Sage to help him commit suicide. That was definitely a curveball for me. Once I got into the book, though, it definitely made a lot of sense.
One thing that really stood out to me about this book more than anything else was the graphic, honest way Picoult wrote about the Holocaust. With the way she wrote, you would have thought that she wrote about that topic all the time. I've read more Holocaust books than I can count over the years, and yet, I've never read anything like that. It was more brutally honest than anything I've ever read before. Even more so than Lost Roses, it made me feel uncomfortable at times, but I leaned into that discomfort, as I felt it was the least I could do for all those who had suffered and died in the Holocaust.
What I want to talk about most, however, is that ending. I finished the book last night, and I'm still trying to process through the information and the surprise. I swore up and down the entire time that Josef was Reiner. I mean, it made so much sense. Even when he had that chess board, I thought it was just a memento of his time with his brother. Not once did I ever think that he was Franz. To me, that just didn't make any sense. Looking back, however, it made so much sense. Reiner leaned into Nazism without any doubts and never showed the slightest hint of remorse for what he did. Franz, however, was more scholarly, book oriented and emotional, so he would be the one living with the guilt. I'm still having trouble understanding why Franz said he was Reiner, but I guess it was to make himself seem even worse than he really was so Sage would agree to kill him. But once she found out the truth, she had to live with the guilt of knowing she killed a man who wasn't nearly as barbaric as he portrayed himself.
I also want to talk about Sage killing Franz. I honestly didn't see that coming, but I should have, given the fact that I was nearing the end of the book, and things weren't wrapping up in a way that quite made sense to me. I still didn't think she'd do it though, as I thought she was a better person than that. Given what happened to her grandmother though, and the fact that Franz pretended to have committed all those terrible crimes that Reiner actually committed, I guess it makes sense.
This book was definitely a lot for me to process through. I thoroughly enjoyed it though, and I cannot recommend it enough. I do wish I had read this for a book club of some sort so I can talk through it with some people, so if you've recently read it and want to talk about it, please let me know!
I guess now would be a good time to rank the books I've read this month. I'm ranking them from my least favorite to my favorite. If you've been paying attention, the rankings shouldn't come as much of a surprise.
6. Vox
5. When She Returned
4. A Good Neighborhood
3. Majesty
2. Lost Roses
1. The Storyteller
I'm super excited about some of the books I have picked for this month. I have some book club books, a buddy read and some holiday books. Needless to say, it's going to be a good month for books for me!
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