Eleven-Book Summer/Since last summer (And A Few Movies)
I went ahead and upped my reading list to more than I did last summer, which is surprising as I had a considerably shorter summer. It literally lasted like 10 days. Ok, it was 10 weeks but it felt like 10 days. Due to the enormous amount of road trips we took, Matt and I listened to a lot of books on tape which has been fun for us. This is what he/I/we read since last summer:
1. Time Traveler's Wife- I wanted to read this for some reason, despite the movie being ridiculous. It didn't disappoint. There was quite a bit of language, but it was pretty darn good. I really enjoyed how the author skipped around in time and you were still able to tell exactly where you were. Very sad, but really good.
2. Cry, The Beloved Country- I try to alternate between classics & fun reads and this was a classic. It was super thought provoking, despite being a little dry. It especially hit a chord with me since I have been to Africa and a lot of it made sense to me, culture-wise. Another sad book, but one that changes you. Is it weird that I really like the name Absalom now? I could definitely see myself using this for a middle name for a child.
3, 4, 5. Divergent Series- I kind of hated these. They were ok, quick reads, but mostly just really dumb. Kind of a let down. Especially the 3rd one. I mean, who really kills off the main character at the end? (No one.) And I just couldn't get over the teenage drama. I get enough of that being a HS teacher, ha.
6. Looking for Alaska- I loved this. It was so depressing, but also a "thinking" book. I feel like this would be a really good book for someone to read when someone dies and help them "think" through how to grieve. John Greene has this knack for making teenagers sound much more eloquent than they actually are. They are witty and clever and have large vocabularies and I know that is not how they are in real life. But it is so fun to read them like this. It almost makes you WISH you were back in high school again which I never in a million years would. I loved it. I would not let teenagers read it, there was a tiny bit of adult content. But I loved it.
7. Deception Point- After reading all the Robert Langdon books together, we were bummed he wasn't in this Dan Brown book, but it was still really good. Same kind of tone, lots of history and science and you feel like you are reading a textbook, but the most interesting textbook you've ever read. It was thrilling and funny and just super good. Definitely worth a read. Better than 'The Lost Symbol' but not as good as the other 3.
8. Les Miserables- Phenomenal. This is one of my favorite "classics" I've read. And most of the time I am just tolerating them, but this one was actually fun to listen to. It's really interesting to read a book that you've only seen in the form in the musical. Musicals can only fit so much detail, and although they do a good job, it just doesn't quite capture the book as well. I loved it, and the amount it has helped me understand the musical more.
9. Unbroken- If you've ever talked to someone who's read and seen Unbroken, they will tell you that there is an important missing part in the movie- about how the main character is healed of the trauma of war through coming to Christ. It is such a sad thing that these details are being left out of films. I loved the book. It was intense, but inspiring.
10, 11. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone & Chamber of Secrets- I've read these both a dozen or so times but I decided it was time to pull them out again. Somehow, they never disappoint. It is like reliving the most precious and joyous moments of my childhood all over again, and being reunited with old friends. I know that sounds super sappy, but I'm literally not even joking.
Movies:
1. Time Traveler's Wife- I wanted to read this for some reason, despite the movie being ridiculous. It didn't disappoint. There was quite a bit of language, but it was pretty darn good. I really enjoyed how the author skipped around in time and you were still able to tell exactly where you were. Very sad, but really good.
2. Cry, The Beloved Country- I try to alternate between classics & fun reads and this was a classic. It was super thought provoking, despite being a little dry. It especially hit a chord with me since I have been to Africa and a lot of it made sense to me, culture-wise. Another sad book, but one that changes you. Is it weird that I really like the name Absalom now? I could definitely see myself using this for a middle name for a child.
3, 4, 5. Divergent Series- I kind of hated these. They were ok, quick reads, but mostly just really dumb. Kind of a let down. Especially the 3rd one. I mean, who really kills off the main character at the end? (No one.) And I just couldn't get over the teenage drama. I get enough of that being a HS teacher, ha.
6. Looking for Alaska- I loved this. It was so depressing, but also a "thinking" book. I feel like this would be a really good book for someone to read when someone dies and help them "think" through how to grieve. John Greene has this knack for making teenagers sound much more eloquent than they actually are. They are witty and clever and have large vocabularies and I know that is not how they are in real life. But it is so fun to read them like this. It almost makes you WISH you were back in high school again which I never in a million years would. I loved it. I would not let teenagers read it, there was a tiny bit of adult content. But I loved it.
7. Deception Point- After reading all the Robert Langdon books together, we were bummed he wasn't in this Dan Brown book, but it was still really good. Same kind of tone, lots of history and science and you feel like you are reading a textbook, but the most interesting textbook you've ever read. It was thrilling and funny and just super good. Definitely worth a read. Better than 'The Lost Symbol' but not as good as the other 3.
8. Les Miserables- Phenomenal. This is one of my favorite "classics" I've read. And most of the time I am just tolerating them, but this one was actually fun to listen to. It's really interesting to read a book that you've only seen in the form in the musical. Musicals can only fit so much detail, and although they do a good job, it just doesn't quite capture the book as well. I loved it, and the amount it has helped me understand the musical more.
9. Unbroken- If you've ever talked to someone who's read and seen Unbroken, they will tell you that there is an important missing part in the movie- about how the main character is healed of the trauma of war through coming to Christ. It is such a sad thing that these details are being left out of films. I loved the book. It was intense, but inspiring.
10, 11. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone & Chamber of Secrets- I've read these both a dozen or so times but I decided it was time to pull them out again. Somehow, they never disappoint. It is like reliving the most precious and joyous moments of my childhood all over again, and being reunited with old friends. I know that sounds super sappy, but I'm literally not even joking.
Movies:
- The Longest Ride- Terrible. Do not watch.
- Insurgent- Also terrible. Not even CLOSE to the already terrible book.
- Avengers, age of Ultron- Awesome. Loved it.
- Hector and the Pursuit of Happiness- this was so good!! One of those little known films, but it was super cute and made you feel good inside.
- Chef- hilarious. Also another little-known film but also a feel-good movie.
- Inside Out- I am still trying to figure out how I feel about this. On the one hand, I feel like they over did it. One minute they were talking about happy memories and then the next they're talking about the four stages of Abstract thought. Isn't this supposed to be a kid's movie? On the other hand, I thought it was a really brilliant commentary on depression. You can't expect happiness from everyone all the time. It's impossible, bad things happen, and you have to be sad sometimes to get to the happy.
- Pitch Perfect- It was a little sketchy, but I liked it over all.
- Cinderella- it was OK.
- Giver- also trying to figure out how I feel about it. It was almost like... SO BAD that it was good. I don't think it followed the book really well, but it captured the point of the society in which they lived. No agency, no diversity, no nothing.
- Into the Woods- weird
- The Woman in Gold- obviously, thanks to Matt, we watch all art movies. I actually really liked this! It was a good, chill movie.
- X-Men Days of Future Past- so good.
TV:
- Parks & Rec is over, and it is SO sad. We will miss it, and maybe even re-watch.
- Chuck- finally finished Chuck and bawled my eyes out at the end. Seriously one of the best shows. I loved the finale. I've heard a lot of mixed feelings about it, but I loved it. Chuck + Sarah foreva
- The Bachelor/Bachelorette- I started watching this with some girls in my ward on Tuesday nights just to get some social time... and I actually started getting kind of addicted. It's one of those 'I hate that I watch it but I can't stop' shows. Chris's season was great, Kaitlyn's not so much. I'm glad she didn't pick Nick though. #teambenh
Currently Reading/Watching:
- Water For Elephants
- The Three Musketeers
- Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban
- White Collar
To Read/Watch
- If I Stay (Just the book- I've heard the movie is stupid)
- Ant Man
- Star Wars VII
- Mockingjay Part 2
- The Good Dinosaur
- Atonement
- Man's Search for Meaning
Thank you for the good recommendations! I am just starting on the 7th HP book cus I"ve been reading the series and it is the best, best, best. Long live Harry Potter! Never gets old! And I'm impressed that you read such grown up books. I'm too ninny to ever leave YA fiction haha
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