Every semester, I like to publish an article all about what books I have read recently to keep my “readership” informed (I use quotes because I don’t even know who reads my articles… I just really love writing about books).
After each book, I log it on the reading platform, Goodreads, and write a short review with my initial thoughts. I will add these in so you can get a full sense of what I thought of these reads.
So, since the last time I have written a book review, it has been nine months and 40 books. I’m sure my readership, whoever you are, doesn’t want to hear my thoughts on that many books. So here is just a taste of my reading thoughts (chosen randomly for diversity of genre and opinion):
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
I had to read this book for my Popular Literature class. It is an exciting environmental science fiction that combines science fiction and lush storytelling with a dystopian world taken over by nature, which is a being in itself.
We are introduced to a world that is alive in every sense. The plot, however, is unfortunately not up to par with the world-building. The pace of the book was slow, and I don’t think I really ever connected with, or even cared about, the main character.
While I recommend the read for the interesting nature aspect, it wasn’t the most entertaining book.
My Goodreads review explains what I thought about this book simply: “Ok, what the f*ck? This book was so creepy and edgy and cool and confusing and so many other adjectives. The ending was so unsatisfying, and the main character so obviously unreliable. But the concept is so cool, and the writing, despite being confusing, is beautiful and descriptive in a way that adds to the overall unease that you are feeling when reading it.”
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Kissing Max Holden by Katy Upperman
This is your typical boy-next-door YA romance. It was picked directly from the same bookshelf that I’ve had since I was 14 and gobbling up these PG romance novels like they were air. While it was a re-read, I finished this book in one sitting. I ate up every detail of two neighbors turned best friends who grew apart when they got to high school (popular guy, shy girl) and then found their way back to each other.
It was cliché and a simple read. It was not groundbreaking, or even necessarily well-written, but I enjoyed it all the same. As per my Goodreads review: “Cute simple YA romance. Nostalgic from my youth. I love just being able to sit down and devour a book like this. Brings me back to 13yo abbey.”
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
Nightbitch is one of those books that I have heard a lot about… but never understood whether it was for a good reason or a bad reason. So, I decided to give it a go. I love a good feminine rage novel. However, this book did not live up to whatever I was expecting (which was not a lot).
Here is my Goodreads review: “Should have been shorter. Interesting, but could have been a short story. Main character isn’t very likable, and neither is the child. Nothing about this story really captivated me, but it was something that I think represents a lot of emotions that real women feel. #neverhavingkids”
My rating: 2 out of 5 stars
These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever
Each time I read a novel of this dark academia genre, I swear that I am going to consume every single novel in the genre. This book is yet another reminder that I should keep trying to expand my usual reading and try something new.
I’m a big fan of unlikable, bleak, and depressed narrators (I think sometimes they remind me a little too much of myself). The detached and dark way the main character, Paul, narrates his actions and the twisted personal relationship he has with the other main character, Julian, is captivating. The whole book felt simultaneously like we were hearing Paul’s stream of consciousness while also knowing that he was holding something back. That we couldn’t grasp the full extent to which he was protecting the relationship that he shares with Julian.
My Goodreads review ends: “Creepily relatable and a fascinating insight into a weird interpersonal relationship. I have to read the secret history.”
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
So that is exactly what I did. And while I liked the campus/dark academia vibe, this book was horrendously underwhelming. I have heard nothing but RAVING reviews for this book since I started becoming interested in the campus novel. However, when I finally sat down to read it, I found myself uninterested and perpetually waiting for something interesting to happen. The novel was too long, and while the writing was beautiful, I never really felt hugely invested in the story.
Once again, my Goodreads review sums up my thoughts pretty well: “Writing was pretty. However, horribly boring. Every single character needs to be in a mental institution. What was that weird incest through-line? Loved the dark academia vibes, but it was too long, and I never really felt shocked or really anything towards the actions of the characters.”
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness by William Styron
This book… I don’t even have the proper words to express how much I resonated with and loved this book. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Styron, it is an autobiographical account of his struggle with depression. Never before had I read a book that so accurately used language to express the unexplainable emotions and consequences of depression.
This is not an uplifting read. It is just as heavy as the subject. It felt like a moment of clarity. A moment where there were finally words to express the feelings that I had lived with for so long. I was stunned. I sat with this book in silence for minutes after I finished it.
It felt as if something shifted when I finished this read. My Goodreads review reflects that: “Probably the most accurate description of depression I’ve ever read. I related so heavily to this author; it shocked me. His thoughts on suicide, connections to Camus, and dedication to helping slash down the stigma surrounding depression made me so enraptured with this book. As he mentions many times, the knowledge and understanding of the type of feeling he describes can only be found in those who have experienced it.”
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
To keep up with my reading, follow: Abbey on Goodreads