Winter break and the surge of productivity that comes with the start of a new year have left me feeling exhilarated. Specifically, I am super pumped about reading in 2016. My classes are scheduled to involve quite a bit of reading, but I powered through the first two novels assigned. Adding to my reading high are five (!) other books I finished this month. Usually, I am lucky to read two books a month. This may be a new personal best.
Before I dive back into the sea of school and job search, I wanted to take a minute to share my thoughts on these books. In the future I may write more about them, but I want to make sure I am getting real time thoughts out there about the books I am reading.
So, here are my January book reviews.
Hour of Mischief by Aimee Hyndman
Starring an extremely feisty thief who goes on an end-of-the-world stopping adventure with the God of Mischief, this was a steampunk fantasy novel that I felt bridged the gap between young adult and “proper” adult really well. It was good, escapist fun. I liked that even amidst the fighting and shenanigans, there were some moments that did make me think. It’s the first in a series, so I look forward to the next release.
Funny story about the author: she and I actually went to high school together. Meaning I brag about her success to pretty much everyone. Totally unbiased though, I liked this book and if you are into fantasy you probably will too.
Alexander the Great by Peter Chrisp
Yes, this was a picture book. But, I learned a lot that I didn’t know about Alexander the Great from it. Like that he named a city after his beloved horse Bucephalus. What I liked about the way this book was written was that it allowed the reader to make up their own mind about what kind of person Alexander the Great was. It gave the bad with the good and provided a variety of accounts and historical perspectives. Not bad for a picture book.
Another fantasy novel. This time with witches and fairies and magical kingdoms. I saw the movie a long time ago, and remembered really liking it. After reading the book, I honestly preferred the movie. The plot, especially the end, was more exciting, and the supporting characters were better developed. But, the book did give a bit more back-story to help me understand the world. And the writing style was lovely. Neil Gaiman is a legend for a reason, and his writing was what shone in this book.
Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht
Recommended to me by my friend Ashleigh over at ashleighreads.com, this was a memoir/ career advice mash up from the senior vice president of PR at DKNY, Aliza Licht. The casual, chatty tone helped make the reading experience less like a lecture and more like a pep talk. Plus, Licht included lots of actionable advice for every stage of a career, from finding your passion, to navigating office politics. I definitely felt that this was the right book to be reading with graduation fast approaching.
Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
If Leave Your Mark gave me actual advice for the future, Hyperbole and a Half was there to sympathize with me where I am now. This book was hilarious. I was laughing out loud at pretty much every chapter. But deep down, this book speaks so many truths. It doesn’t shy away from hard life-stuff. Instead it deals with it using superb humor.
For school I read Erec by Hartmann von Aue translated by J.W. Thomas and Sundiata by D. T. Niane. Both were written around 1200. Plot heavy and rich, I enjoyed the stories. Sundiata is the story of a young king who unites the kingdom of Mali. The political intrigue and many folktales were really interesting. Erec, on the other hand, deals with a medieval German knight who wins, loses, and regains his honor. The scope of Erec was less broad, but the character studies of him and his wife Enite were more in depth. This semester I will have the chance to read several more medieval romances and stories from the African continent. As they are both new topics for me, I am excited to see what is next.
Reading makes me happy, so I am pleased as punch with January. All of these books were pretty good too. February is the shortest month, but I hope to keep my streak going. And please let me know what you have been reading lately. I would love recommendations.
michelle bizzell from coppell 