Jason - Jason’s Feed

March War and Peace Update

This is not a good update. I’m way, way behind on reading this. I should be around 16 almost 17% through the book. When I last checked in with you in February I was at 6.3%. I am now at 7.2%. I have not been picking on this book very often. Even the fact that it is on my phone has not helped me read more. I thought that would increase my reading of it since I always have my phone so it is more convenient for me to read the book. But, there is always something else that I want to read more than this book.

I also thought that if I got all the War and Peace episodes from the new 2016 television mini-series that would get me more into reading this book. It has not. I’ve read 35 books so far this year. Most of them, I’ve read after having already started War and Peace, but I just can’t bring myself to pick up this book and as for the television show, I can’t seem to work up the excitement needed to turn that on either. There is just always a book I would rather spend my time with instead of watching anything on tv.

Currently, I’m avoiding War and Peace by reading Notes from a Small Island and Golden Son. Both much more immersive than War and Peace. Any suggestions on how I can get excited about reading War and Peace?

Review: Red Rising

Wow! This is an outstanding adventure/science fiction/fantasy/thriller. I guess it is young adult. I don’t know why I’m draw to so many young adult books recently. Anyway, the genre doesn’t really matter to me that much. This is just such an outstanding work. I related to the characters instantly. I was draw into their life right from the start. At around page 50 I knew the book was very good. At page 100, I thought this is a 5 star book! By 150, I thought this book might just be my favorite book of 2016.

The settings were wonderfully done, with just enough description to not in get in the way of the story. When I had to put the book down, I made it my priority to pick it up again. The bad guys in there were very bad and you wanted them dead. You just were grabbed and thrown into the main characters wild ride. There were surprises and twist that I didn’t see coming.

Possibly the best part about this book was that I got it free from Comic-Con straight from the author and it is signed! Even though, this book was free my opinion is my own.

My friend Tim recommended this book to me. Tim reads a lot of sci fi and if he gives something a rare 5 it is very good. The last recommendation that Tim gave me was The Martian which was my favorite book of 2014 and the goodreads choice winner for 2014. Red Rising was also a 2014 goodreads choice winner. If you want a exciting and thrilling read, read Red Rising today! I’ve already ordered the next two books from Amazon: Golden Son and Morning Star. I’m really looking forward to reading Golden Son. I will devour these books!

February Rewind

Rewind is where I go over what I read last month and how I am doing towards my 100 books read in a year challenge. So, lets get into it:

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls Fame. 4/5.
Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know by Adam Bray. 3/5.
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. 4/5.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. 3/5.
Star Wars: Princess Leia by Mark Waid. 3/5.
Star Wars: Smuggler’s Run by Greg Rucka. 3/5.
All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior. 3/5.
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. 4/5.
Star Wars: Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen. 4/5.

Three standouts out of 9 books. I think I liked Graham’s book more because I was excited to read what Rory Gillmore’s mom wrote. Plus, it was read by herself, which is always the best in an audio book. Cold Comfort surprised me. I was expecting a more stuffy book than I got and I enjoyed how nosey the main character was. The remains of the day was different, it was stuffy, but it really worked with the story in this case. The Darth Vader graphic novel was very good. I may have short changed it slightly as goodreads only allows whole number scores, this is much closer to 5 than four, but its not perfect. If you read one of the books above make it Darth Vader. I can’t believe I don’t have a post on that. I will have to so something about it.

As far as the 100 book challenge goes, I’m a head of schedule. I read more than 8 books in January and I read 9 in February, so, I’m good. So far in March, I’ve read a bunch of graphic novels. I’m in good shape.

Review: Wuthering Heights

The copy above it not the copy of Wuthering Heights that I listened to. I listened to the audio version of the book. I’m not sure if that was the best choice. I think this is a book to read in its paper form. Maybe I would have appreciated it more then. I was not taken with the story or the characters. Everyone was so upset at each other. All the characters did was continually yell at each other.

This book read to me like a very dramatic soap opera. It just seemed so over the top I couldn’t relate to the characters and they were so insane and upset constantly, with their laid back lives. It was just to ridiculous to me. I didn’t understand why Cathy did as she did. I felt bad for Heathcliff, until he went insane.

I went on to watch the made for tv movie filmed in 2009. I thought that maybe if I saw the movie I might care more for the story and characters. I have to say that the movie did help a little, but it wasn’t enough to elevate the memory of the book in my mind. The most peculiar bit is that my copy ow Wuthering Heights was read to me by a Romulan also, known as Carolyn Seymour.

In addition to being read to my a Romulan I also got to tick another book off my BBC 100 list! Almost, half way through that list.

Review: Truthwitch

I feel torn by this book. I’m not sure what to think. I liked the story. I liked how it was a completely new world that didn’t draw on anything else that I’d ever read or watched. I grew to like some of the characters and I never new were the author was going with the story, so it was very unpredictable. And everyone who has reviewed Truthwitch by Susan Dennard, loves it. 75% of the reviews are 4 or 5 stars and there are 5,500 reviews.

This book is immensely popular right now and everyone loves it. It is the story of two women who are close friends and an adventure they go through, where one finds love. However, this is just the first book in a series that is still being written so if you read this you will not find closure at least not until the other books are out.

I didn’t love the writing in this book, I found it a little too 50 shades of grey in places. That just doesn’t appeal to me. I’m sure I would be bored to death with a romance novel. Still I can read the driest of history or science novels in complete rapture so it can safely be said I’m not the average reader.

This all being said, this biggest question I have coming out of this book is not about anything I read in it, because its just not that interesting. The question I have is will the second book be worth reading? Do I like these characters enough to care what happens next to them. I’m truly on the fence about it. I feel like this world has a lot of potential. Thats why I am going to give this book 3 our of 5 stars. I’m in the minority here only 16% of people gave this book 3 stars.

Books Bought in February

February was an unexpectedly slow buying month for me. I found these three at the local libraries used bookstore.

I bought All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque because it was the reading group book of the month at least a year ago with one of my virtual reading clubs The History Book Club. Ever since they had this as their reading pick, I’ve been trying to track it down at used bookstores. I finally had some luck and found a decent copy last month. I’m excited about this because it qualifies as a foreign books since it was originally written in German and translated by A. W. Wheen.

Next, I found a Penguin Classic in its beautiful black and white paperback binding. I had no idea what Silas Marner was about before I grabbed it, but you can’t go wrong with George Eliot, so I grabbed it. I’m reading now on goodreads it is..

George Eliot’s tale of a solitary miser gradually redeemed by the joy of fatherhood.

Okay sounds good. This was $2 and looks like its never been opened. MSRP is $7. Not a bad savings.

Lastly, I’m very excited that I found More Book Lust by Nancy Pearl in the same bookstore. I got it for $1 and it is in the best condition. I would think it has never been opened. Very happy to have grabbed this as I have the first book, Book Lust and I absolutely loved it! They are great references to have around! It says on the cover there are 1,000 new recommendations! Sweet!

Review: Smuggler’s Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure

I just realized that I have read three of Greg Rucka’s books this year. I just finished Smuggler’s Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure and I he also wrote Shattered Empire and Before the Awakening. I gave both those books 4 out of 5 stars and I still remember really liking both a lot. But this book fell short of both of those. Smuggler’s Run: A Han Solo Adventure was okay, but not as engrossing as either of the other two I read this year.

It is a very quick story. Han meets some bounty hunters in a bar and tells them a story of a time he escaped from the Imperials. It was a quick story. It lacked excitement and needed more suspense and thrill. But it is Star Wars so it still gets 3 stars. Not sure how this helped lead to the Force Awakens storyline though.

Reading While Recovering From Surgery

Me Reading Truthwitch on my Kindle while recovering from surgery

Several days ago I had ankle surgery on my right ankle. For those wondering it was not related to an injury, just had a bum bone in my foot. I’m enjoying all the time I have to read, but to be honest I am getting restless. My foot needs to stay elevated to typing at my desk is hard, since there is no where to put my foot up.

I’ve read four graphic novels and that I got from the library and I finished The Color Purple. I’ll write about them as soon as I can, but in the meantime. I am afraid its back to my chair so I can put my foot up. Hang in there with me and I’ll get back to regular post just as soon as I can.

Review: The Secret Garden

This children’s classic is about a girl orphan and a little sickly boy who strike up a friendship because of their similar disposition and their shared interest in a secret garden. Through their friendship and plenty of play in the secret garden the sickly boy regains his health. Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic The Secret Garden is a great book. Thats what makes it a classic. Like everyone else I have heard of this book and I also knew that it was a 1993 movie of the same title.

I didn’t start listening to this book for any of those reasons though. I did start listening to it because it is on my BBC 100 list. That makes it part of one of a few challenges I am completing in this year. I downloaded this book on my iPhone via overdrive and listened whenever I had a moment. It is well read by Johanna Ward aka Jennifer Mendenhall. I’m very confused as to why these narrators keep different names. I’m sure its all due to how “show business” works. David Case did the same thing.

This was the 23rd book I’ve read thus far this year. I’m about 10 books ahead of my goal of 100 books. Plus this means I have another book off the BBC 100 list. At sometime I would really like to be able to watch the movies that all these books have associated with them, but I can’t keep myself from picking up a book instead of watching television.

I liked this book. It wasn’t amazing, but again is a children’s story. It is a sold 3 star book in my opinion and I am glad I have read it. I can see why it is a classic.

Review: All Joy and No Fun

Reading All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior was a welcome break from all the fiction I have been reading. I love a good non-fiction book and this cross between a parenting and psychology book was good fun. I believe that I first heard of Jennifer Seniors book via a TED talk she gave in 2014:

Like most TED talks the speakers are very good. They are practiced and the speech comes off flawlessly. Also, like most speaking at TED then are selling something. In Ms. Senior’s case she was selling her book and doing a damn good job of it too. It worked on me. I got her book, but didn’t read it until recently.

Senior has a very interesting way of approaching the parenting book writing process. Instead of telling you how to raise your children like so many of the books out there do, she is more interested in looking at how raising children effects the parents.

What it does to us. the good and the bad. How does having children change us? It is an interesting take. I felt something was missing in this book and it could very well be the lack of child rearing advice or maybe it was something else. Funny thing is that Senior herself writes a good many book reviews. You see she works for the New York Times.

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars. As I said, I felt something was missing, I just can’t put my finger on it. All in all it was a good fiction read, well written and researched. If you are looking for a parenting self-help book that turns the question around, this is it.