I only read three books in January (a little slow for a goal if 60 books) but I enjoyed all three books! And I’m writing this like two months late so forgive any memory slips.
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
I love Manon. And Elide. So anytime we were with either character I was blissful. I also understand some people’s frustrations with the “one character knows all” thing but I think the threads were all there for the reader to kinda pick up on so it wasn’t so egregious as it could have been. And I wanted Chaol. Like just a little. And Nesryn. But he is getting a whole actual book just for him later this year so I forgive this. The book is already huge so moving him elsewhere isn’t the worst thing. But he was my favorite character earlier in the series (Manon has replaced him). I am still not the biggest fan of Rowan but I don’t hate him. And I do like that the dude she is gonna end up with isn’t the dude who she liked first. That is often a thing I complain about in any series with a romance. Also lots of Aedion feels. I’m bummed the last book doesn’t come out until 2018 but ACoWaR and the Chaol book should fill the SJM hole. Though I am of course invested in what will happen with Aelin. I gave this book five stars. I wanted to have fun and go on a bit of a rollercoaster and thats what I got.
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
I haven’t been super into short stories in past but I really have been enjoying the lately. This collection starts out with the story of when his mom threw him from a moving car (GREAT way to immediately make the audience interested in the book). There was some slight confusion at times because the stories are not chronological but it really doesn’t take long to figure them out in your mind. And the story order really helps to make the last story punch you in the stomach even though you know what’s coming. It was funny, moving, and interesting and I was hooked the whole way through. I super recommend the audiobook because Trevor reads it and it’s wonderful. And then you don’t have to worry about certain place/language pronunciation. I also learned a lot about apartheid I had no idea about. And the way his identity developed as he tried to figure out how to identify and how that identity fits with the identity people place on him is fascinating and moving. So if you want history, funny, family, or identity stories this book is for you. I also gave this book five stars. Though I think I was between four and five for a minute. Just because of my slight confusion. But that didn’t seem like a great reason because I got over it.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Do you wanna have your heart broken like twelve times? This is the book for you! This sci-fi classic will make you cry over and over again. It begins with a mentally handicapped man named Charlie who really seems to only have like three decent people surrounding him. Then doctors totally exploit him and he ends up being the first human test subject for a procedure to raise his IQ. I had many many feelings about this book and am so glad that I created a book club where the person who picked first ended up having us read this completely heartbreaking and thought provoking novel. It’s written in journal entries by Charlie and I cannot imagine a person who would not feel for Charlie’s story. A huge portion of the doctors are awful and I hate them. And Charlie’s family is a whole rant that might be too spoilery for this. But this book will surely give you feelings. I would recommend this is humans. I gave it five stars and I am sure I will be thinking about Charlie and Algernon (the last rat test subject before human trials began) for a long time.
