October Review

Much of October was spent attending concerts, traveling, working a lot, prepping for NANOWRIMO next month, and then finally getting sick.

Luckily, I had time to read in between and during most of that, and this month was an overall decent collection of books, at least in my opinion.

So let's get started:

Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills

I've probably mentioned it before, but I absolutely adore Emma Mills' writing. With this book I've completed my collection of her works and am eagerly awaiting whatever she chooses to write next. She just has a way of writing, both in the way the story plays out and in the main character mindset that feels so real to me. Plus, her character dialogue is hilarious, and any book that can make me laugh out loud gets bonus points in my head.

This book follows Sophie as she spends a summer in her hometown of Acadia, trying to raise money for her marching band's trip to play in the Rose Bowl Parade while her group of raucous and ridiculous friends debate whether or not to let the new kid, August, join their group. Sophie's big idea is to get the most famous singer to ever come out of Acadia--Megan Pleasant--to return for a benefit concert, and through her journey to get Megan to come home, both the reader and Sophie learn more about herself and her friends than she even thought she could.

As previously stated, this book made me laugh out loud. Sophie's friends: Brit, Flora, Terrance, Dash, and newcomer August are absolutely hilarious, with deadpan humor and spot on good-natured ribbing to counteract the sometimes brutally honest acts of love and frustration. They feel like a real friend group, which is really such a staple in an Emma Mills book. I always want to be friends with the side characters she creates.

In addition to laughing, though, there were several places in this book where I could physically feel my stomach drop when I read certain phrases or reveals. The surprises in this book were unexpected but built up well, and there was one in particular that I felt all the way down to my toes. I won't give it away except to say that it changed the way I viewed Sophie and her actions/attitude through most of the book.

The development of August and Sophie's relationship was romantic and tumultuous, taking more of a forefront than I had expected, but was nonetheless enjoyable. I felt vindicated when they (spoiler alert) finally got together, although the inevitability of the friend group adopting him was a much more entertaining transition.

Mills is fantastic at tying seemingly unconnected things together throughout the story, mostly in connection to certain characters and Sophie's perception of them, but it's really neat as the reader to get to make those connections with her.

I feel like I can't say enough nice things about Emma Mills' books. She clearly does a lot of research into whatever subject she's writing about and articulates her hero's journey beautifully. Go read her stuff, please!

Save The Date by Morgan Matson

This book was a great look at the way families operate and how sometimes your view of things can taint your understanding of them.

Charlie Grant is the youngest of five siblings and the daughter of a famous cartoon artist who draws inspiration from her children's lives. One the eve of her mother's retirement and the selling of their house, Charlie's sister Linnie is getting married and her family will finally all be under the same roof, which is all Charlie's wanted for years. Except, nothing about this wedding is turning out to be easy, and everything that can go wrong has, leaving Charlie and the new wedding planner's nephew to sort out a whole host of problems, all while trying to make sure no one on the wedding guest list kills anyone else.

This book was absolutely hilarious. I love stories about big families, especially when an author nails that good, good sibling culture. And through the funny, the disastrous, and the heartbreaking, Matson delivered. Linnie, Danny, JJ, Mike, and Charlie were the epitome is sibling interaction, and it was truly a wonder to get to see a weekend at their house. However, the book also tackled a lot of what sibling worship can turn into, and how growing up means learning that no one is perfect, even if you'd thought they were your entire life. Charlie's relationship with her eldest brother Danny was especially revealing, and played an integral part of Charlie's journey in coming to terms with reality vs the fantasy she'd grown up believing. But so much of that fantasy was tied into her mother's cartoon, something that had been around Charlie's entire life and definitely aided in crafting her family-centered worldview. I feel as though the book could've done without some of the Jesse-centered moments and drama, but it was part of Charlie's journey to understanding that her characterization of the people around her was flawed.

With such a large cast, it was difficult in the beginning to keep everyone straight. However, each Grant sibling was distinct while still maintaining their places as Grants. You could trace similarities, differences, and unique traits once you got a handle on all the characters, which made it all the more fun to get to know this family. And with a large family comes the opportunity for some truly sitcom-esque situations, which this book delivered on. The character interactions and situations added to the overall hilarity of everything going wrong. I actually got to a point where I thought there was no way anything more could go wrong, and was then, of course, sorely mistaken.

Parts of it I saw coming--Charlie's argument with her best friend, Siobhan, the (spoiler alert) divorce, Max's cat, but it was all still great to watch unfold. Foreshadowing exists to clue you into things the main character sometimes doesn't see coming, and Matson did a good job setting things up realistically.

The comics included between sections were a cute addition, adding to the fantasy vs reality aspect of the book while also providing a glimpse at this alternative Grant family that the America in Save The Date got to watch grow up. Their history was preserved through these drawings, even if things were altered, and that was part of Charlie's story, something the reader was given the chance to really witness through the inclusion of the panels.

Even the upsetting parts of the book were handled well--Mike's argument with his family was well-written, and oftentimes the intricacies and intimacies of arguing with your family means you both really know how to hurt the other person, but ultimately love them enough to try not to. I really liked that despite some of the ways problems in this book could've been even more disastrous, the novel never really lost that light-hearted family feeling for very long, and it was an all-around happy ending. Charlie learned that change didn't have to be a bad thing and the family, despite the many changes it encountered, ended up even stronger, despite the fact that they were scattered across the country.

If you're looking for a longer family-oriented book with a lot of laughs, give this one a try.

Royals by Rachel Hawkins

Originally, this book was a stepping stone to the second book in this series, Her Royal Highness, but I have to say, I actually enjoyed it a lot.

Daisy Winters is trying to live her simple life in Florida as uncomplicated as she can, which is made all the more difficult when her older sister, Eleanor, becomes engaged to Prince Alexander, heir to the Scottish throne. It was bad enough when they were dating, but now Ellie's about to be royalty, and her rough and messy family is about to get the royal treatment. In an attempt to avoid scandal before the wedding, Daisy and her family are shipped off to Scotland, where things don't necessarily go to plan.

When I originally read the book-flap blurb, I was sure Prince Sebastian was going to be the love interest. I was so pleased to find that he wasn't, and the real romantic interest, Miles, is so much better. It's very Lizzie and Darcy at first, the two of them throwing jokes and insults at each other around the dumpster fire that is Prince Seb and his friend group. It was hilarious and then romantic and then before I knew it I was swooning over dramatic and catastrophic first kisses.

So much in this book was unexpected and wild. I really had no idea what I was getting into, but it sure was a fun ride. Daisy's parents (her dad especially) are hilarious, and it was cool to trace pieces of them down to both Daisy and Ellie. I love seeing how families interact, both in reality and in fiction, so watching the Winters try to navigate this suddenly very royal engagement was part of the fun.

Of course, there's the debauchery and the gradual emergence of feelings between Miles and Daisy as they chase Seb through sordid parties and do their best not to kick up too much trouble themselves. Of course, one of my favorite tropes appears not far into the book, and Miles and Daisy have to pretend to date each other to offset some royal gossip. I love a good fake dating storyline, I really do.

I was a little bit disappointed with Ellie and Daisy's reconciliation. I wanted more sister time and a chance to see them grow with each other after the majority of the book spent sniping at one another, but I can settle for a few page hike on the tail end of a lecture from the queen of Scotland. The ending was a little abrupt, and the present tense made chapter leaps feel a little disjointed and jumpy, but the story made sense and was easy to follow, so I can't complain much.

Overall, Hawkins' writing is fun and of a similar light-hearted funny stream as the other two books I read before it. The characters were clever, the dialogue convincing and witty, and the plot never felt overdone or weird. The slang in Royals, what little there was, held up, which is either a sign that I'm getting older with these books or that there wasn't an overuse of phrases that go out of style. Either way, I enjoyed this book.

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

This book was. Strange. I can't necessarily say as to whether I enjoyed it or not. I liked the first book (Gay Harry Potter and all that), but this felt a little...painful?

Wayward Son is the hero after the final battle. When he's done his part, slain his demons, and walked into the sunset toward what is supposed to be a happy ending, his lover on his arm.

Simon Snow used to be a hero. Now he's lying on his couch wearing the last bit of magic he summoned--dragon wings and a tail--thinking about breaking up with his boyfriend so that Baz doesn't stay with him out of pity. Penelope, convinced that Agatha is in trouble out in California, strongarms Simon and Baz into going to America with her on a cross-country 'save the day' roadtrip that will finally give them an opportunity to find who they are after the smoke has cleared. But things never go according to plan, even when you have the ability to try and spell them that way.

Traipsing through Ren faires and midwest roadside attractions and the Vegas strip, Wayward Son felt meandering and pointless for a big chunk of the novel. I spent most of it trying not to get sucked into Simon's depressed orbit and willing him and Baz to actually talk about how much they love each other. They'd fight suddenly present evil creatures and comment on the good and bad parts of America, and while it was nice to see the characters again, it felt a little unnecessary.

The only real indication of a plot was Agatha's abduction by the NowNext, and that came to a flurry of activity that spanned maybe a chapter and a half. And by the time it finally felt like something was happening, it shut down real fast and ended the book. I'm now feeling restless, and not so much the usual 'just-finished-a-book-and-want-more restless' than just a general 'I spent three days coming to that conclusion?'

Rowell's got her way with words, I'll admit that. I underlined something from one of Penelope's chapters right off the bat: "Bad things happen, and then they stop, but they keep on wreaking havoc inside of people." And that so perfectly encapsulates the feeling of an aftermath, when you aren't sure who you can be anymore, now that you've done all you were meant for.

However, it's then followed by 300 pages of the world's most depressing road trip, so I didn't get to revel in the profoundness of that statement for long.

Rowell was funny in places, but it kind of mushed into the other emotions rolling around, creating a more subdued funny-sad that I get enough of in real life that I don't necessarily need to read about it.

Sheppard was cool, gotta love a new character, especially an American one, with the quirks and interests necessary for an introduction in book 2 of a magic series. However, with his inclusion, the book was up to five narrators, and while I'm a fan of multiple perspective and POVs, five is a lot, especially with how often Rowell jumps between viewpoints. Some things got jumbled, and half the time I got confused between Simon and Baz's viewpoints (at least the other three narrators were distinct, or at least Penelope and Sheppard were, but Agatha spent 90% of the book in another location, so she was pretty easy to follow) but I was mostly able to sort out what was happening.

Overall, it sure was...A time. It ended on a cliffhanger, so I have no doubt that there will be a third book, but maybe that one will be more organized/cohesive and also hopefully more optimistic? Or happy? I guess we'll find out!

A Room Away From The Wolves by Nova Ren Suma

This book was weird. I think I went in expecting something different, but I'm not really sure I could explain what that was? Regardless, I was genuinely surprised to find myself reading a ghost story. Fun fact about me: I hate ghosts and ghost stories. They're creepy and I am of a sensitive constitution when it comes to scary things. But while there were some moments of this book that were definitely on the spooky side, the whole thing wasn't ever anything I couldn't handle. That may have been partially because I spent most of the book trying to figure out what was happening.

The narrative (and narrator) was a little disjointed and sometimes confusing to follow. The language Suma uses is super poetic too, which was lovely at times, but mostly added to the winding road I was already having trouble following. By the time I finished the book, I was really only partially sure about what I'd just read, and even then I was questioning a lot of it. Maybe that was the point? I don't know, it just wasn't really a fun time for me.

The book follows seventeen-year old Sabina, who's sent away for a bit by her mother and ends up at an all-ladies boarding house in New York, where her mother had spent a summer eighteen years ago. The house and all of its inhabitants are not quite what Bina expected, though, and after a while she's stuck wondering what secrets the Catherine house is holding and why the other girls (including Bina) can't seem to find a way to leave.

Kind of a cool spooky mystery in theory, but the execution just felt muddled. I just couldn't keep track of all the weird things and strange behavior, especially in any scene where Monet showed up. I think it probably didn't help that we as the reader were probably supposed to be as entranced by her as Bina, but I just didn't like her at all. It was all a little too manic pixie dream girl in a ghost house for me.

I think I would've liked more concrete details through the course of the story, especially when with the twist at the end, where I wasn't sure if I was interpreted everything correctly. Everything was so fuzzy, and the implications of what I think (???) happened make everything even more fuzzy and strange.

Bina had a lot of growth in the book, especially in how she viewed her relationship with her mother, her estranged father, and the way truths and lies can become dangerously intertwined. So, at the very least I liked Bina's arc, even if her story was a bit convoluted.

The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake

This book was very deeply entrenched in Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night, and while that gave the book a pretty sweet reference boost, the book was very good on it's own.

Violet is descended from the survivor of a shipwreck, but that doesn't stop her from feeling like a disaster. After her younger brother's suicide attempt, Violet shaves her head and is sent off to Lyric, Maine, the town her shipwrecked ancestor founded, to spend the summer working in an aquarium and trying to figure out how she can mend both herself and her relationship with her brother. Along the way she meets an enigmatic group of locals and takes on the quest to find the shipwreck that made her family famous. Maybe, just maybe, if she can find this wreck, she can fix the broken pieces that her family has become.

Now, obviously Violet is trying to use outside forces to rectify an internal struggle, but that's the good stuff, baby! I love a good 'ignore my internal problems because they can be fixed by outer means' as a coping mechanism! And Violet is several catastrophes pretending to be a person on a journey toward self-acceptance and discovery.

I picked up this book at Powell's bookstore when I visited my friend, Lauren, up in Oregon this month. The premise sounded super interesting, and then the shelf decoration noted that it had been recommended by Madeline Miller, so obviously I had to buy it. And I'm so glad that I did.

The Last True Poets of the Sea has a sort of magic to it that not many books manage to find. There's a lyrical, musical quality to Drake's writing, and a poetic display of every kind of emotion as Violet works through a cornucopia of issues. Her progress isn't always linear, dipping into different memories and revealing pieces of herself as she grows, desperate to be the person her brother thinks she is.

I've mentioned a few times how much I love large groups of interesting characters, and this book delivered that. Liv and Orion especially were wonderful to read about, and Violet's relationship with both of them was beautifully explored, as a romance and a friendship. Which, Violet's bisexuality bears mentioning because! Representation! Yes! Loved that! Pleasantly surprised by those developments!

I've already mentioned the Shakespearean references, but I want to bring them up again because they were fantastically implemented. The Last True Poets of the Sea was like six layers of Twelfth Night, from Violet and her brother Sam swimming in the ocean to find the shipwreck to Fidelia and her brother Septimus on that wreck, only one of them able to swim to shore. Liv and Orion's failed love story, Liv's brother Will, Liv and Violet's relationship. Drake crafted her own parallels and scenes between the characters in addition to what the play provided, and by God it's beautiful. I really, genuinely enjoyed this book, and very highly recommend it.

Overall, I was rather pleased with this month's collection of books. With two exceptions toward the end, I really enjoyed almost everything I read! Which is really nice! Because I will hopefully be spending most of next month writing with not as much time for reading!

I guess we'll see!

Keep writing, friends!

Sam

Literary Recommendation: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Movie Recommendation: not a movie, but I recently got into the online series Buzzfeed Unsolved, and while chunks of it are too spooky for me, I still recommend it!

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