3. Book review!
I promised myself I’d get back into reading this year and so far I’m really doing it guys! I’VE READ SEVEN BOOKS! I almost caught up to my 2014 high of 11, but I’m nowhere near my 2003 record breaking 40-something. And so begins my favorite books of 2015, part 1. And by “favorite” I just mean “I read them.”
My go-to books to read when I’m not sure what to read are Philippa Gregory’s historical fiction. I’m convinced I was English aristocracy in a former life because I cannot get enough. Everything I have learned about the Tudor Dynasty I have learned from half made up fiction.
1. The White Princess
Currently I’m reading The White Princess, but my favorite so far has been The Other Boleyn Girl. The White Princess is from Henry VII’s era and the entire book has been spent with Henry worried about an invasion from his wife Elizabeth’s brother Richard who everyone thought was dead. Every time Henry mentions “the boy” (who was supposed to be dead), his wife (the white princess even though she’s a queen now) is all, “what boy is this you speak of? An imposter!? Back from the grave? Or could it BE!?!” And then Henry’s all, “WHAT DO YOU KNOW!?!” and she’s all, “I know nothing!” and Henry’s all, “I can’t trust you when that boy threatens my kingdom!” and then she’s all, “What boy is this you speak of? An imposter!? Back from the grave? Or could it BE!?!”
Rinse. Lather. Repeat. Throughout the entire book. I’m thinking Philippa got a little tired of the Tudors by the time she got to poor, paranoid Henry and his white princess.
2. Orphan Train
“So I am learning to pretend, to smile and nod, to display empathy I do not feel. I am learning to pass, to look like everyone else, even though I feel broken inside.”
Orphan Train was interesting because I had no idea orphan trains even existed in this country. But the story is told from two perspectives and while I normally like books like that, I found myself liking one character a whole lot more than the other.
3. And The Mountains Echoed
“Out beyond ideas
of wrongdoing and right doing,
there is a field.
I’ll meet you there.”
I love Khaled Hoseini. Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns…and now this one? He’s amazing. And I love his books in exactly that order. And The Mountains Echoed is about a boy who is separated from his sister and their journey back to each other weaved into a handful of other tragic character’s stories.
4. Outlander
We’ve gone over Outlander here right? I thought I had mentioned it? It’s the story of a married woman who falls back in time through an ancient rock and ends up falling in love with another man. Once my brain adjusted to the idea of falling back in time, I actually really loved this story. I had to know if she would actually choose her new love over her present day life/husband, but there is a scene at the end of the book that is so beyond disturbing. I had to wash my brain out with soap and now I’m afraid to read the remaining seven sequels. Maybe I’ll just stick with the TV series.
5. All The Light We Cannot See
“When I lost my sight, Werner, people said I was brave. When my father left, people said I was brave. But it is not bravery; I have no choice. I wake up and live my life. Don’t you do the same?”
Yes, yes and YES. This is my favorite book of the year so far, and to think I almost passed it by. Blind girl + loving dad + orphan boy + ambition + war + tragedy = worlds collide.
I should definitely be an official “blurb writer”. It’s so good. I even bought a copy for my mother.
I know my book selection is all over the place because it’s been so long since I’ve been on a reading kick. What have I missed in the last ten years? Besides Hunger Games…I did manage to read those!
Brittany says
I want to read these mainly because they’re not the YA cheesy love stories I usually read. Especially that All The Light We Cannot See. I love “But it is not bravery; I have no choice. I wake up and live my life. Don’t you do the same?” I need that quote made into a canvas so I can hang it over the desk I cleaned thanks to your prompt choices for this week.
Mama Kat says
Orphan Train has an element of that YA cheese factor. Just in one of the characters. That was the part I wasn’t as big a fan of. But All The Light We Cannot See was beautiful!
Dominique Goh says
Haven’t read any of the books you recommended this week. I too did this prompt this week. :)
Angie says
I really hate that when a scene in a book is so disturbing that it ruins the whole book for me. I’ve even had it happen with a couple of my favorite authors, and I never picked the book up again. As a writer I have to wonder what in the world was going on the day they wrote that scene, and why it didn’t jump out at them during editing?
Mama Kat says
Exactly! That one scene has crippled me from picking up any of her other books, but I guess that’s the gamble you take. Either people are going to be astonished that you “went there” and crave more, or they’re going to be turned off. Her series is so wildly popular, I’m kind of surprised I fall into the more conservative category. The scene was near the end of the book when our guy got captured and it detailed his torture. She talked about things that my PollyAnna brain had not even imagined. I couldn’t get it out of my head.
Jen says
While the other books do have violence in them – none of them rise to that particular level. Book two bogs down a little bit with all of the intrigue at the French court, book three is one of my favorites. I’m actually re-reading them all now.
Mama Kat says
I’ve been hearing the 2nd book is a little slower moving. I’m still on the fence, maybe I can just watch the series on Starz and get the story that way! I’m still dying to find out HOW Claire’s husband saw Jaime staring up at her window early on in the first book!
Kathy says
I just recently picked up All the Light We Cannot See but haven’t read it yet. Now I can’t wait to! I’ve heard a lot of good things about Khaled Hosseini too and might just investigate him as well. Thanks for the recommendations :)
Mama Kat says
Let me know what you think of it! It took me a few chapters to wrap my brain around what I was reading between the two characters, but then it really started moving!
Margaret says
The last thing I need is to add more books to my list but I have to check out the Orphan Train. It sounds like something that I would enjoy. Thanks for sharing!
Mama Kat says
Oh I know, I have an excel sheet that has all the books I want to read listed and it is way too long. Orphan Train was a fast one though!
Angela O'NealI says
I’m an absolute fan of King Henry VIII’s time! When I was a young girl, the very first novel I ever read was “Her Royal Destiny” by Carol Maxwell Eady (a historical romance about Catherine Parr, Henry VIII’s sixth wife). I fell in love with the time period. Have you ever seen “The Tudors”? If you can get past all the sex, it was quite an excellent tv series. I’m definitely going to have to pick up “The White Princess”. It’s not Henry VIII, but it still sounds like a fascinating read.
Ashley Mullen says
I have started the Outlander, but couldn’t really get in to in, and after reading what you wrote about the end maybe I’m lad I couldn’t? I did love the White Princess thought, I read it awhile ago. I hadn’t heard Orphan Train but have now added it to my “to-read-list”. :-)
Jamie says
Outlander! Thanks for the reminder!! My good friend said this is a great show, too!! I have recently rediscovered my love of reading (which my three ankle biters have kept me from for years!) and I have soooooooo many great books to catch up on.
Gigi says
I recently learned about the Orphan Trains and was STUNNED (not from the book you read though; but I do want to read it). HOW were we not taught about this in school?
Astrid says
My sister asked for All the Light We Cannot See as a birthday present. I am blind myself and thought it would be yet another tale of a stereotypically blind character in which she recognizes traits of me. Now it seems like a book I may want to read too.