The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is an intriguing author. Before I read his novel, Neverwhere, I was quite hesitant of him as an author because of how dark his novels seemed. But because I had to read Neverwhere for a class, I gave it a shot--because I had no choice-- and then changed everything for me. I can now say that I am a Neil Gaiman fan. Do his books contain dark elements? Absolutely. Are they dark elements presented in a thought-provoking and wonderful manner? Without a doubt.

I have been dying to read The Graveyard Book for ages, but other things got in the way. So I bought my copy at Waterstone's on High Street Kensington in London just so I would have something great to read during my flight home. And I LOVED every minute of it. From beginning to end it is an absolute treat.

A brief synopsis: As a toddler, Bod Owens' family was murdered, but on the night of the murder he was able to escape and found his way to the cemetery near his home. The ghosts of the cemetery discover the baby and decide to raise him in the cemetery in order keep him safe from the man who would murder him.

The novel is quick, deep, exciting, and quite lovely. Now one of my new favorites.

-KB

Rating: 5/5

Tess of the D'urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

An old roommates was the first to tell me about Tess of the D'urbervilles. She said and I quote, "It is my favorite book. I know it's about rape and it's terribly sad, but I can't help it. I love it." From there I wasn't quite sure where to go. Rape? Sad? Why would anyone want to read that? But there was also that level of intrigue that made me want to read it all the more.

However, I didn't get around to it until this summer despite that conversation being years ago. The timing could not have been better though because I finished the novel a few scanty minutes before visiting Thomas Hardy's home in Dorcetshire, England. Truly providential.

And like my old roommate, I cannot help but love this book. The characters are infuriating and the circumstances are worse. And just so you know, it does not end happily. There really is no reason to like this book at all, let alone love it. And yet, here we are. I love this novel. Thomas Hardy's writing is bewitching, and Tess herself is truly remarkable. This novel makes me feel all sorts of conflicting things, and I am still working them out. To me that is the sign of a good novel: you're still mulling it over months later.

-KB

Rating: 5/5

P.S. Stonehenge comes up in the novel, so that is something to look forward to.

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

The past month has been rather busy and to my dismay, I’ve been falling behind in my to-be-read list. As much as this saddens me, I have noticed that it makes me rule out the riffraff and focus on the books I actually want people to know I’m reading.

This month my book of choice has been Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham. I originally picked this book because of my dedication to Ms. Graham A.K.A Lorelai Gilmore. Gilmore Girls is my favorite t.v. show so the expectations for this book were high. And I say with great relief the book lived up to my hype. In fact, this story leads me to believe the protagonist Franny grew up in ol Stars Hollow with the same clever allure that made Gilmore Girls so addicting.

The story goes as follows:

Franny is living in New York City circa 1995 and has given herself three years to make it as an actress. Unfortunately, the years have passed more quickly than she would’ve liked, and now Franny is 6 months away from her deadline.

With each chapter prefaced by pages from her Filofax planner, we are swept up into Franny’s hilarious journey from busing tables to auditions. And this little tale wouldn’t be as sweet without a love story lingering somewhere between the pages. What I loved about Franny and her guy is their story was both light and real and never tore you from the main focus, Franny.

All in all, this is the perfect summer read with wit and charm that’ll keep you company whilst you soak up the rays. The only downside is you'll mourn for the fact Franny is not your best friend. She is just that great. 

Rating: 4/5

-Lora

Chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano

Something wonderful about the limits to reading school has set on me for the past 4 years, is I now enter the library to full trilogies. Trilogies that I don’t have to agonize over and over and spend years waiting for every last book to come out. Now I walk in, grab the whole lot of the shelf,and BAM one week is spent in that world. No prolonged agonizing. No scouring Amazon for release dates. No siree.

 A series that I picked up last month was the Chemical Garden Trilogy.

Now this series is trippy: Rhine and her twin brother Rowan have been born into a world torn apart by the desire for perfection. Doctors have finally discovered a cure for every known malady, but this “cure” has place a limit on their children’s lifespan. Now all males will only live until 25 and females are left with 20 years. This new condition has turned the country into a state of panic, doctors race for a cure while young girls are sold into polygamous relationships in order to provide the dying country with new citizens.

Rhine and Rowan, now orphans living in poverty, rely on each other to survive, but when Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a polygamous bride she will do anything to make her way back to Rowan. In her new life as a bride, she discovers that as much as she would love to hate her husband, Linden, he proves kind and loving and shows Rhine a life of wealth and stability.

Though Rhine slowly begins to trust her husband, she knows that there is something evil about her father-in-law’s attempts to find a cure and she knows she might be dragged into his cruel experiments unless she can escape.

In the end, I just really enjoyed this series and I found the ideas behind it were rather intriguing. 

Rating: 3/5

-Lora

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

I have an ongoing tradition where I reread my favorite books during stressful times. Since School has been my life for…well, a long time, I have made it a habit to sink into a great book every semester when finals begins. I realize I graduated and finals has become a distant memory, but this is one of my favorite tradition so it will live on. In honor of my first finals week away from school I decided to read The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

This book easily makes the top 10 of my favorite books period. It’s the tale of a wealthy beautiful young man who upon seeing a painting of himself distresses that he will one day age and this painting will mock the youth he once held. He then wishes that he could trade his soul for the ability to transfer his age onto his painted image while he remains young forever.

After this wish is made, our innocent leading fellow begins a friendship with Lord Henry, a devilish man who believes life should be spent perusing pleasure.  Dorian follows Henry’s lead into a life of debauchery, but is amazed to find his painting has taken on the evil that has encompassed his soul while his face remains unblemished.  

This book can be read in several ways, but I believe it is a critique on Wilde’s society filled with men wearing masks of innocents while living depraved lives. When this book was published, critiques called it immoral which is hilarious because in this story Dorian accuses Henry of corrupting him with a book and Henry’s reply is “The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”

He went on to say “Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only Beauty. There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.”

I could literally quote this book all day and you will be hard pressed to make it through a page without finding a witty truth about life reminiscent of Jane Austen's works, but with a darker edge.  

So make A Picture of Dorian Gray part of your summer reading, you will not regret it. 

Rating: 5/5

-Lora

Legend by Marie Lu

For the past couple of years, books featuring dystopian societies have hit it big time. And unlike the rubbish that tried to jump on board the vampire bandwagon, these books are fantastic. And if you find yourself loving The Hunger Games, Matched, and Divergent, your next fix is here.

The Legend Series

The story features two prodigies working on opposing sides of the Republic, a country we used to know as California. While June was born into an elite family and groomed to become the Republic’s next military leader, Day was born in the slums and grew up to be the country’s most wanted criminal. Their paths cross when June’s brother, Metias, is killed and Day is the prime suspect. Now June must bring her brothers killer to justice, but things aren’t always what they seem.

A modern twist on  Les Miserables' cat and mouse chase between Javert  and Jean Valjean, this tale documents the Republic’s two greatest minds as they try and figure out the mysteries their country has been holding from them.

At this point you have to read this book. I mean, I connected it to The Hunger Games, Divergent, AND last but not least, Les Miserables. 

Rating: 4/5

-Lora

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Teen fiction, like most things, is always on the lookout for the newest fad and that so happens to be books based in the 20’s with flappers as their leading ladies.

 

But the best series to come out of this fad is Libba Bray’s The Diviners series.

The story follows Evie, a small town outcast sent to New York to live with her Uncle, a professor of occults. Evie is excited to live in the city filled with speakeasies and flappers, but when a serial killer starts terrorizing the city she must help her Uncle figure out the clues that link the murders to a religious cult. But what her uncle doesn’t know is that Evie is a Diviner with a supernatural gift that often gets her in trouble, but could be just what her uncle needs to solve this case before the next murder. The books main focus is on Evie, but alternating chapters take you into the lives of those that surround Evie, people who share her secret and whose gifts are needed to destroy a darkness that has awoken.  

This book was fantastic. The characters are dynamic and bring life to this dark intoxicating thriller. It really is one of the best books I’ve read this year. I should have expected it.  Libba Bray is the author of A Great and Terrible Beauty so of course her next series would be equally brilliant. Side note: read this series. I fell in love with it and it's the reason I'm naming my third daughter Gemma. 

You should probably go get The Diviners at the library now. Or just buy it. Yeah buy it, that’s a better idea. 

Rating: 4/5

-Lora