Recently Read - Vol. 10 (July '16)

It's the second Tuesday of the month!  Time to talk books and to link up with Steph and Jana for their monthly Show Us Your Books linkup.

Wifey by Judy Blume
Read June 29 - July 10 | Format: Paperback | Rating: 3.5/5

This is my first Judy Blume book.  Yes, somehow I made it through childhood and adolescence without reading any of her well known children's books.  I'm not sure how that happened, but it did.

Wifey is Blume's first adult novel.  It is the story of Sandy, a conventional suburban housewife and mother in 1960s/70s America, who grows bored with her conventional life, society's expectations of women, and her lackluster sex life with her husband.  She sets out on a quest to chase down dreams and add some spice to her life.  

Parts of the books are funny and it's an easy read overall.

Although Wifey contains some fairly explicit language and graphic sexual imagery, it's not the most explicit book I've ever read.  But, considering the time in which Wifey was written, 1978, I can only imagine how much this book shook up the world when it was released.  Sure, the sexual revolution was in full swing, but America was still not used to a book like this - especially coming from a well known and beloved children's book author.  The book's historical significance and the fact that it was like reading a time capsule added to my enjoyment.

Overall, I liked it.  It was fun.  It's wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was definitely better than average in my opinion.

Home to Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani
Read July 1-3 | Format: Audiobook | Rating: 4/5

Home to Big Stone Gap is the fourth of four books in the Big Stone Gap series.  This book picks up where the third book, Milk Glass Moon, leaves off.  The series primarily takes place in Big Stone Gap, VA and centers around the town pharmacist, Ave Maria.  The series spans twenty years and includes an eclectic and humorous cast of supporting characters.

I enjoyed this final installment in the series, although it was not my favorite of the four.  It was nice coming full circle story featuring cast of characters that I have truly enjoyed.

This book should only be read if you have read the preceding books in the series.

Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
Read July 4-6 | Format: Audiobook | Rating: 3/5

This is collection of short stories from the author's life.  Handler also narrates the audiobook version.  She regales the reader/listener with tales of her first DUI, of her babysitting gig when she was a teen, of her relationship with a guy she calls "Big Red," of her experience in a questionable massage establishment, just to name a few.  

The stories are told in manner similar to stand up comedy, which is to be expected given that Handler is a comedian. Some of the stories are better than others, some of funnier than others, and some, honestly, were just down right annoying. I gave it a 3/5 because I did laugh at times. I just found myself only being able to take the stories in short doses.  This is typical with me and short stories, not being able to sit down and listen to the book for long periods of time.  However, part of my problem in this instance was that her narration was sometimes overwhelming and I would just get to a point of where I couldn't listen to her any longer.

Overall, it was OK. I didn't dislike it, but I wasn't crazy about it either. It's definitely a niche book.  If you are a fan of Handler's then you would probably enjoy this book.  If you are a Handler virgin, like I was, then you should probably proceed with caution.  Disclaimer - Had it not been for me needing to read a book with a "punny" title, I feel certain that I never would've picked this book up.

Dancing with Myself by Billy Idol
Read July 6-18 | Format: Audiobook | Rating: 3.5/5 

This is the first rock 'n roll memoir that I've ever read/listened to.  

I thoroughly enjoyed the early chapters in which Billy shared tales of his childhood in Britain and in America for a short time.  Once the chapters started centering around the emerging British punk scene and Billy started dropping band names left and right, in addition to using a plethora of musical terms (straight eights, for example), I lost interest.  Having never been a punk music fan or one that knows much about the technicalities of music, it just all sound Greek to me.

But, this book really changed my overall opinion of Billy Idol.  Yes, he has lived the epitome of the rock-n-roll lifestyle and has indulged in his fair share (and then some) of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll.  But, beneath all that, is a very versatile performer whom I found to be extremely insightful and articulate.

This book is best for avid Billy Idol fans or rock-n-roll memoir enthusiasts.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Read July 10-17 | Format: Audiobook | Rating: 5/5

The year is 2044 and the world is not a pretty place.  Reality is bleak and depressing.  Most people, in an attempt to escape their dismissal reality, spend their time in an alternate virtual reality called the OASIS, a place where you can be whomever you want to be.  When James Halliday, the creator of the OASIS, dies without an heir, it is discovered that he orchestrated a scavenger hunt within the OASIS and that the winner would not only inherit his fortune, but also his company.  With millions the world over searching, a poor teen named Wade finally finds the first key.  Suddenly, the teen is thrust into the virtual spotlight and he learns firsthand that in addition to Halliday's fortune and the future of the OASIS, that his life is also at stake.

I'm not a sci-fi fan by any stretch of the imagination. Despite this and despite the heavy focus of gaming, something I know very little about, I absolutely LOVED this book. What drew me in was the abundance of 80s references, I am a child of the 80s after all, and what kept me interested was the unique, imaginative storyline that kept me engaged and entertained. I cannot stress how much I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I will admit that I required a period of adjustment with Ready Player One. Much of the action of the story takes places in the OASIS, an alternate virtual reality. At first, all the talk about teleportation and different planets in different sectors threw me for a loop. Once I wrapped my head around it, it made more sense.

At first, I thought I could easily recommend this book to any fan of the 1980s because the book is peppered with 80s references (movies, TV shows, fashion, popular culture, movies, and, of course, video games). Now that I have finished the book, my recommendation is more reserved and I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. If you are not a gamer, please be aware that gaming (futuristic, classic video, role playing, etc.) is the main premise of this book. I'm not a gamer and sometimes the heavy focus on the gaming made my eyes glaze over. But, once I took all the gaming information at face value, it was easier. Also, due to the heavy usage of 80s pop culture, this may not be the best book for someone who has no knowledge of or experiences from that decade.

The Edge of Lost by Kristina McMorris
Read July 18-22 | Format: Audiobook | Rating: 4/5

The Edge of Lost weaves together the story of Shanley Keagan, a young Irish boy who ekes out a living as an aspiring vaudevillian in Dublin's pubs and Tommy Capello, an inmate in the infamous Alcatraz nearly two decades later.  It is a story of second chances.

The story starts with Tommy Capello in Alcatraz in the year 1937 then jumps back two decades to Shanley Keagan in Ireland.  I expected the story to go back and forth, but it did not and that perplexed me a bit as I attempted to figure out how the boy and the man were connected.  Despite this, it was an easy read that I found quite enjoyable.  It had enough surprises to keep it interesting and to keep me engaged.  I found the ending to be quite satisfying.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Read July 23-24 | Format: Audiobook | Rating: 4.5/5

This book deal with a tough subject matter - teen suicide.  Why did I rate it so high?  Because it kept me thoroughly engaged.  Despite the book's morbid premise, I was fascinated and so intrigued to find out who would be named in the tapes and for what reasons.  It was also interesting how one seemingly insignificant act could set the wheels in motion and cause such a disastrous snowball effect in a young girl's life.  This is one of those books that I think teens should read in hopes of opening their eyes to the consequences of careless, mean behavior.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Read July 22-31 | Format: Hardcover | Rating: 3.5/5

Fangirl was a hard book for me to rate.  I really loved the main story involving Cath.  I didn't even mind the short excerpts from the Simon Snow books or of some of the fan fiction references peppered throughout the book.  What drove me absolutely bonkers were the longer excerpts of Cath's fan fiction.  I often flipped through those parts because I simply didn't care about the characters of Simon and Baz (the fictional magical characters that the main character Cath was obsessed with).  In short, the book within the book didn't work for me at all and I found it to be quite a irritation.  But, the main story, I enjoyed and it elicited many fond memories from my own college days.

Have you read any of these books?  If so, what did you think of them?  As always, thanks for stopping by and happy reading!

Linking up with:

P.S.  I was nominated by Mackenzie @ Reflections from Me to participate in the 3 Quotes Per Day in 3 Days Challenge.  I am participating in this challenge with a caveat*.  I'm only going to post quotes; I'm not going to formally nominate anyone to do it next (the official challenge says I'm supposed to nominate 3 people every day to do the same).  If you would like to participate, consider yourself nominated.  If you don't, no worries!