LQ contributor Janna just posted a review roundup, and I thought that was a great idea for these three books that I’ve finished but haven’t yet reviewed! So, thanks Janna 🙂 I loved two of these, but really didn’t care for this first one….
Swear on This Life
I honestly don’t think I would have finished this book if it hadn’t been for book club. The premise was interesting at first – a 20-something woman picks up a hit novel, only to discover it’s about her and her life, written by her childhood friend and first love. It was interesting, until it turned into a totally cliche romance. The “chance” meetings were much too perfect, the dialogue was cheesy, and the characters were annoying. My favorite characters were actually the lesbian aunt and her partner, and they had a regrettably small part in the book! I’m giving this on 2 stars. It would be one if it wasn’t for the interesting premise.
Tell the Wolves I’m Home
This was a wonderful read!! If you’re a fan of coming-of-age stories, I definitely suggest picking this one up. It’s a family drama story, with a pre-teen girl narrator. I found the relationships between the characters ridiculously well done, and so real. I could feel the protaganist’s teenage angst and rebellion and recognized it as pieces of my own pre-teen struggles. She’s mortified several times throughout the story, and I really felt for her, and knew that feeling exactly. This story was really engaging and made it hard to put the book down. I hope Carol Rifka Brunt is working on another novel! 4.5 stars.
Hag-Seed
Oh my gosh, Margaret Atwood, you captivate me! If you’ve been following LQ, you may have noticed that I’ve been reading all of the novels in the Hogarth Shakespeare Project. Hag-Seed is the most recent release, and it’s Atwood’s retelling of The Tempest. This was my favorite Shakespeare Project read so far! Atwood’s take was just genius. Her retelling is like the play within the play…the main character basically lives out the story of The Tempest’s Prospero, all while directing The Tempest in a prison, with inmates as his actors. I just can’t imagine how this could have done any better. Perfection! The main character, Felix, is complex, hilarious, petty, lonely…all of these things, all at once. Whether you’re a Shakespeare fan or not, if you like Atwood, definitely pick this one up. I don’t often give books 5 stars, but this one, I’m giving 5 stars!!
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