Glass

Glass (Crank #2)

Ellen Hopkins, 2007

In the sequel to Crank, Kristina is determined to stay off the crystal meth and get her life back on track. She has a baby now, after all. But when an opportunity for one more hit comes up, she takes it, thinking that she can avoid the problems she had before and be the one in control this time. But Kristina soon discovers that she's never going to be the one in control - the crystal controls her. 

This book made me sad. But in a good way. 

Told in verse, Ellen Hopkins has such a powerful way of writing Kristina's story. I was never much of a fan of poetry or stories told in verse before I picked up Crank on the recommendation of a fellow reader, and I'm glad I gave it a chance. I don't think the stories would have quite the same effect written in prose. 

This was a really well-written book, beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. But where Crank was sad with a hopefulness to it, Glass will leave you with a less-than-hopeful outlook for Kristina's future. It's very honest, and honesty isn't always uplifting. Still a really great read, though, and I'll definitely be picking up the final book in the trilogy, just to see how it all turns out.

Spook

Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife

Mary Roach, 2005

Stories about what engineers, scientists, mediums, doctors, and other individuals are doing to try and prove, or disprove, life after death.

This is a tough one for me to rate. I like Mary Roach - her book Stiff is one of my favorite nonfiction books - and this is the third book of hers that I've read. The problem is that, unlike books like Stiff or Packing for Mars, the science in this one is a bit more flimsy. Nothing against the way she wrote or researched it, it's just that how do you prove or disprove the afterlife? It's not the same kind of science as what you would use to write about space travel.

That being said, I like the way she went about it. She's obviously a skeptic going in - she freely admits this fact - but she doesn't really try to prove or disprove anything. She presents the research as is and pretty much leaves it open ended. My reason for not liking this book as much as her other writings is simply because I prefer my science more concrete. But I really like the way she did the research and her writing is always good. Looking forward to picking up her other books.

The Golem and the Jinni

The Golem and the Jinni

Helene Wecker, 2013

New York: 1899. Chava is a golem - a woman made of clay brought to life by a disgraced rabbi - who arrives alone in New York when her master/husband dies on the boat over. Ahmad is a jinni - a creature made of fire, bound a thousand years ago to a copper flask and accidentally released by a Manhattan tinsmith. Together these two creatures of myth try to adapt to a world unlike any other, and find themselves facing a challenge that they might not survive. 

I've figured out the easiest way to win me over - combine my two favorite genres of Magical Fantasy and Historical Fiction. I can't even comprehend how the author came up with this idea - writing a novel with a golem and a jinni as its main characters, and making them seem real - but she did it amazingly well. And it's her first novel! I will definitely be following this author's work. 

But even if fantasy isn't really your thing, this is a wonderful immigrant story, as well as a story about love and friendship and believing in yourself. One of the best books I've read in a long time.

Shanghai Girls

Shanghai Girls

Lisa See, 2009

In Shanghai in 1937, Pearl and May Chin, "beautiful girls" who grace advertisements throughout the city, live a life of near royalty. Until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their fortune and has paid his debts by selling them as brides to two Chinese brothers living in Los Angeles. As the sisters make their ways to America to start a new life, they also hide a terrible secret from their families - a secret that could tear them all apart.

I love historical fiction. It's like stepping into new worlds, but plausible ones, unlike the dystopias or fantasy worlds presented by science fiction and fantasy (which I also do love). From Shanghai in the early 1900s to Los Angeles Chinatown during WWII, I loved reading about these worlds. Plus, I really enjoy reading about Chinese culture (aside from foot-binding, which makes my skin crawl, but which was thankfully not included in this story). 

I liked the drama between Pearl and May (although I sometimes wanted to punch May in the face - she could be so shallow at times). I was actually going to complain that I didn't love the ending, but then I realized that there is actually a second book - Dreams of Joy - so no complaints. Really good book about Chinese history and culture. Glad I read it. 

Belle Cora

Belle Cora

Phillip Margulies, 2014

Loosely inspired by the life of a real 19th-century prostitute of the same name, Belle Cora tells the story of Arabella Godwin, from her childhood in New York to the events that led her to sell her body, eventually becoming one of the wealthiest and notorious madams in San Francisco. 

I love historical fiction, so this book was right up my alley. I thought that Arabella was a brilliantly written character, and her story felt so real to me that it was easy to see how each event in her life led her to do the things that she did. I also liked that, despite being told from Belle's point of view, she never claims to be perfect or blameless. We're rooting for her, but not necessarily always backing up her moves. 

My only complaint is that, at just over 600 pages, the book is a little long and dragged a little bit at the beginning. Maybe it's just because we know from the beginning what she's going to become that I wanted to rush to get there, but I feel like a little bit could have been cut from her younger years. Only a minor complaint, though. Most of the early stuff was still interesting and it was all well-written.

Not only a fascinating character piece about a woman doing what she has to do to survive, but also a thrilling look at the history of America at the time, especially the Gold Rush and what San Francisco was like at the time. Recommended for anyone who likes historical fiction, particularly the mid-1800s in America. 

Thanks to NetGalley for an Advanced Copy. 

The Cuckoo's Calling

The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike #1)

Robert Galbraith (pseudonym of J.K. Rowling), 2013

Cormoran Strike isn't exactly what you would call a successful private investigator. He's good at what he does, but with one current client and bill collectors calling, he's desperate for a case. So when the wealthy brother of a supermodel who supposedly killed herself comes knocking on his door, Strike can't exactly pass up the opportunity. The brother is paying him to prove that the supermodel's death wasn't a suicide. While Strike initially believes what everyone else does - that she either killed herself or fell accidentally - his investigation eventually begins to lead him in a slightly more sinister direction. 

I really liked this book. I know a lot of people seem to dislike Rowling's adult novels, but I thought that both this one and The Casual Vacancy were quite well-written. 

The thing I found most interesting while reading this book is that Strike - our lead, our hero - starts out very unlikable. At least for me. He's gruff, not very good-looking, and drinks too much. But as the story progressed, I found him growing on me as a character. Also, I thought I had the "whodunnit" figured out, but I'll admit that I was completely wrong. Never saw the ending coming. A fun murder mystery with a unique lead, and I am certainly looking forward to continuing with this series once more books are published.

Fangirl

Fangirl

Rainbow Rowell, 2013

Ever since they were young, Cath and her twin sister Wren have been fans of Simon Snow (a Harry Potter-type fantasy series). Cath is even one of the most popular writers of Simon Snow fan fiction on the internet. Now that they're going off to college, Wren wants to separate herself from Cath and the life they used to lead. But Cath isn't ready to leave it all behind. 

I loved this book. I saw a lot of my college self in Cath, which I think helped, but the writing was great, the characters were great, and there was just enough drama to make it interesting, while managing to keep it realistic and not over-the-top. 

I really liked that the author chose to use a fictional series to base her fan fiction storyline on, but kept it similar enough to Harry Potter that it was easy to relate to. The world-wide phenomenon that is Harry Potter really fit with what we were supposed to believe Simon Snow was. And while I'm familiar with fan fiction, I'm not a reader of it myself, but I still found myself really enjoying Cath's stories. 

I really didn't want to put this one down. I'm looking forward to reading more of Rowell's books in the future.