Recent Reads - Quarantine Edition

Anyone else finding it hard to read right now?  There's like a lock on my brain that doesn't want to read and it's getting really old really fast.  I've only read 3 books so far in April and it's almost over!  Ahh!

(also it's springtime now and you know what that means... florals are BACK, baby!)

Despite the urges not to read I've been fighting valiantly, I've read some pretty fantastic books.  So I thought it might be nice to give y'all some mini-reviews, let you in on what's been going on in my reading life, and just spend some time together.  Sound good?  Let's go.

Daddy-Long-Legs - Jean Webster

 

"the world is full of happiness, and plenty to go round,

if you are only willing to take the kind that comes your way."

I fell in love with the musical adaptation of this classic book while I had my 7-day free trial of BroadwayHD, and after watching it 3 times in less than a week, I figured I should read the book. What I found was an absolutely delightful story.  Jerusha joins the ranks of my favorite young writers in classics (with Anne Shirley, Jo March, Rebecca Randall, etc.).  She's got such an interesting way of looking at the world.  Plus, the whole book is told in letters from Jerusha to Daddy-Long-Legs, and it's one of very few books I've read (and enjoyed) told in that format.  I will say, this is one of few books where I think I prefer the adaptation?  The musical is perfection, and I loved it so much.  But the book was still a lot of fun, and I enjoyed myself so much reading it.  (also, if you want to hear my favorite song from the musical, click this YouTube link right here)

Rating: 4 stars

Frozen 2: Forest of Shadows - Kamilla Benko

 

"fear will be your enemy."

This was the March pick for the book club I host, and I really enjoyed it!  The story takes place between the first and second Frozen films, and follows Anna as she tries to find her place in this new life with Elsa as Queen and the gates wide open.  The author did a great job of expanding the world of Arendelle, and the twist at the end was perfect.  Though it did need more Olaf, that's my one complaint, lol.

Rating: 4 stars

Three Times Lucky - Sheila Turnage

 

 

"everything's going great.  well...

there's been a murder and we're out of soup."

I absolutely loved this so much.  Mo and Dale are such wholesome little best friends.  The whole town of Tupelo Landing is so fun; everyone knows everyone and they genuinely care about one another even while they thrive on the gossip.  It's like Cabot Cove but with not quite as much buried animosity and it's great.  Also one of the funniest books I've ever read, with a mystery that kept me guessing until the last page.  One of my new favorites?  Yes, for sure.  I can't wait to read the next one.

Rating: 5 stars

 

Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi 

 

 

"good. let them be afraid."

let them taste the terror they make us swallow.

 

When this was recommended to me by a friend, I decided to go ahead and pick it up, just to see what I thought.  I read it in like 2 sittings, because this book puts the pedal to the metal and doesn't stop until the last page.  (well, except for that one part in the middle that just felt kinda weird to me because like... idk the world's at stake maybe we shouldn't party? but maybe that's just me?)  The magic system is so cool, the characters are so well done, the world is fascinating.  Another one where I'm gonna need to read book 2; just to see what happens because that ending was wow.

Rating: 4 stars

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke

 

 

he gave her his heart.

she took it and placed it quietly in the pocket of her gown.

no one observed what she did.

 

Okay story time.  So when I was a kid (like 10 or 11), my grandfather (who was known for reading Thick™ fantasy novels) told me that there was a "magician book" that he was saving for me.  Three-or-so years ago, he put this tome in my hands and told me that this was it.  I read the first page and had zero interest in reading it.  Fast forward to last October, when my grandfather passed away suddenly.  And since now it was too late to discuss it with him and I felt bad for never having even really tried it, I decided 2020 was going to be the year I conquered the book about magicians in the Napoleonic wars.  And, um, it's one of my favorite books now?  All 850 pages of it.  It's a masterfully crafted story of what it means to be human, to be a magician, and how often those two things coincide.  Norrell drove me crazy, but in a lot of ways that makes him such a well-written character.  Childermass, John Segundus, Vinculus, Sir Walter and Lady Pole, the Greysteels, Stephen Black, all of the characters were just so well done and interesting and intricate. I adore Jonathan and Arabella Strange with every fiber of my being (the quote is about the two of them and they're just so cute), and the Gentleman with the Thistle-down Hair is seriously one of the most terrifying villains oof.  It didn't feel like 850 pages, and coming from me, that's big.  Anyway, I really loved this book and I'm sad it's over.

Rating: 5 stars


Anyway, that's what I've been reading lately.  What have you been reading during quarantine?  Or have you been doing an awful lot of not-reading like me?  Let me know in the comments!

(also can we talk about the fact that I've put up two posts in two weeks, who am I? xD)

~ Abby