Goldfish Need to Re-read Books Before Continuing a Series (a.k.a. August Wrap-Up)

Hello Spinning Jenners!

This month I have been consistently reminded that:
1) My memory is sh*t
2) People with limited memories (i.e. Goldfish: Hey! A castle!... Hey! A castle!...) shouldn't wait a year before reading the next book in a series
3) GOLDFISH PEOPLE SHOULD NEVER START A SERIES THAT HASN'T BEEN COMPLETED/ PUBLISHED FOR CONSUMPTION BY THE GENERAL MASSES. [Apparently goldfish should tattoo this on their book-buying-hands-of-betrayal.] 

If you're new to this blog, I'm continuing on with a year-long reading challenge where we read books at least 1 year or older on our To-Be-Read [TBR] lists. Hosted by the lovely Bekka at Pretty Deadly Reviews. 

July Wrap-Up 2016: Monsters, Mystery & Mayhem!

Hey everybody!!

This month I have read some pretty epic reads, but consequently have had writer's block, as I want to do these books justice, but feel that their almighty epic-ness won't be given the respect and admiration that they truly deserve. Also,  I think that a pretty good book may have suffered by being surrounded by all the amazing-ness. So I'm just going to grab a book at random, give'r, and hopefully you will want to reach EACH ONE because they're all pretty awesome.   

Also, I will be entering almost all of these reads in my Backlist Books Reading Challenge, hosted by Bekka at Pretty Deadly Reviews.

[Just spit it out!!]

Review: The Twelve/ Lessons from Justin Cronin

Title: The Twelve

Author: Justin Cronin

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Published: January 2012

Genre(s): horror, sci-fi, apocalyptic

Synopsis (via goodreads.com):  

THE EPIC STORY OF THE PASSAGE CONTINUES...

At the end of The Passage, the great viral plague had left a small group of survivors clinging to life amidst a world transformed into a nightmare. In the second volume of this epic trilogy, this same group of survivors, led by the mysterious, charismatic Amy, go on the attack, leading an insurrection against the virals: the first offensives of the Second Viral War.

To do this, they must infiltrate a dozen hives, each presided over by one of the original Twelve. Their secret weapon: Alicia, transformed at the end of book one into a half human, half viral—but whose side, in the end, is she really on?  

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Here I find myself yet again re-reading a long-ass book in order to FINALLY finish a trilogy that Justin Cronin took 4 years to complete (see my The Passage re-review). And once again, I feel more critical of the book after re-reading/ revisiting Cronin's world. And thusly, I feel like I've learned a few things, 7 things really, from re-reading a series in preparation for the next long-awaited addition to this, or any, series.

7 Things Justin Cronin Taught Me Whenst Re-Reading The Twelve

June 2016 Wrap-Up!

In my effort to teach "the kids" that you're never too old to learn/ make horrible, soul-crushing mistakes, I deleted my post that I was adding to each month from January to May. It wasn't really for anyone but me, and the reading challenge I was in, but it still hurts, you know? My life is a Sia album. [Possibly a tad dramatic, but I love her right now, and she helps me wallow...]

For my Reading Challenge I am reading "Backlist Books" that are a year or older at the time of my perusal. Here's the reading challenge:

And here's my pretty amazing reads THIS MONTH!!! 

The Absolutely True [Review] of a Part-Time Indian

Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Author: Sherman Alexie

Publisher: Anderson

Published: September 2007

Genre(s): YA, aboriginal, contemporary, humour

Synopsis (via goodreads.com):  

An all-new edition of the tragicomic smash hit which stormed the New York Times bestseller charts, now featuring an introduction from Markus Zusak.

In his first book for young adults, Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist who leaves his school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white high school. This heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written tale, featuring poignant drawings that reflect the character's art, is based on the author's own experiences. It chronicles contemporary adolescence as seen through the eyes of one Native American boy.

'Excellent in every way' Neil Gaiman

Illustrated in a contemporary cartoon style by Ellen Forney.

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There was a point when reading this where I instantly went from thinking it was, "pretty good," to "HOW HAVE I NOT READ THIS YET!?"

Review: What the Heck is The Rosie Project?!

Title: The Rosie Project

Author: Graeme Simsion

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: January 2013

Genre(s): contemporary romance, humour, Australian

Synopsis (via goodreads.com):

Narrator Don Tillman 39, Melbourne genetics prof and Gregory Peck lookalike, sets a 16-page questionnaire The Wife Project to find a non-smoker, non-drinker ideal match. But Rosie and her Father Project supersede. The spontaneous always-late smoker-drinker wants to find her biological father. She resets his clock, throws off his schedule, and turns his life topsy-turvy.

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I was definitely nervous to read this hugely popular book, as I had heard it was about a man with Asperger's Syndrome trying to analyze the best way to find the perfect mate. My brother-in-law heads the Calgary chapter of the Autism and Asperger's Friendship Society* and consequently I have met many lovely young men and women who would fall in a wide arc under the Autism umbrella. I wasn't sure how Simsion would represent this community, and he actually did a fantastic job, even offering some valid perspectives on this relatively new phenom we're starting to officially call The Autism Spectrum...

I wish someone had compared him to Gregory Peck 

early on in the novel, as I couldn't stop casting [New Zealand comedian] Rhys Darby in my head,

especially as there's a lot of clueless slapstick that he would kill at. (But can he do an Aussie accent?! Of course he can! He's Rhys Frickin' Darby!!)