The Spectacular Now

The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(WARNING: May contain spoilers)
I wanted to finish reading this book because I was curious. They made a movie adaptation of the book and I wonder how they're going to show this on the big screen. They would probably focus more on the romantic comedy part, but this is such a sad story.

The party does not start until Sutter Keely, God's own drunk, is in the house. He's charming and confident. He's a hero and a loser. He's smart and philosophical, but he can be stupid, annoying and selfish. He drowns his life in 7Up and whisky. He's someone I love to hate and I hate to love. He's my ultimate oxymoronic fictional character.

The story can be exhausting but there are unexpectedly funny parts. I was a bit disappointed with the ending. It felt abrupt. Yes, it was realistic but I guess I was really hoping for a happy, fairy tale ending for someone who held this machismo façade, but has really suffered so much.



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Why We Broke Up

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the longest break-up letter I have ever read.

The outcome was a bit expected. I found it unnecessarily fast-paced. It seemed like I needed to catch my breath every time I read Min's (Minerva Green) narration of what happened. When I remind myself Daniel Handler is Lemony Snicket and he is indeed "wordy", I continued reading. It might have helped if I were a fan of classic films because there were a lot of movie titles mentioned. On the other hand, I like the way Min's raw, honest and heart-wrenching confession of her feelings. The premise of this story is weird in an interesting way.

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Room

Room by Emma Donoghue
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I like books written from a child's point of view such as "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close". Children see the world from a different perspective. There is innocence in the way the characters digest and share their life experiences. It was refreshing to read "Room" from a 5-year old's point of view, especially since it has a harrowing and dark theme. Jack's story is heartbreaking, but hopeful. Some may not appreciate or like the way it was written (I have to admit, there were dragging moments), but this is a story that would be unforgettable for me.


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Attachments

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book delivered warm and fuzzy feels. The writing is clever, charming and hilarious. The plot is in tune with my stalker tendencies. Ha. I love the geeky, fangirl and pop culture references! I know I am into romance and all that but the ending was a bit too cheesy for me, thus, only 4 stars. This is the second Rainbow Rowell book I've read but this is the first one she wrote. She does not disappoint me. I hope she does not stop writing. :)

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Eleanor & Park

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story may be fictional but it is far from a fairy tale. It is not the typical high school juvenile romance. The main characters are flawed. Perfectly flawed in their own ways. The story has moments that can change my mood in more ways than one-- from feeling morose to having a stupid smile plastered on my face to stifling a laughter.

If I were to write a story of how I wanted to fall in love for the first time, this would be it. Maybe I see some part of myself in Eleanor. Maybe I wanted to have a boyfriend, no, a champion like Park. Maybe I want to fall in love with someone who understands my weirdness and loves it. Maybe I want to have someone to talk with. Just have meaningful conversations about music, books, movies, the tragedy that is life with a little bit of sarcasm in between. Maybe I want to hold him and I want to be held by him and kiss him. A lot.

Reading this story is like ripping my side that is jaded and believing again in the purity of true love. But it can't really last, can it?

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The Cuckoo's Calling

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first third of this book has a similar pace to "The Casual Vacancy" and I have to admit, I found it dragging. When I got to the middle part, I was reminded of all those Agatha Christie novels I used to read. The writing was very descriptive. The protagonist is this macho, wounded war veteran and private detective, but his story has heart in it that makes him endearing. If I hadn't known it was JK Rowling who wrote this, I still would have doubted it was a male author. The ending was a bit predictable, but the twists and turns before reaching that ending made it an interesting read overall. There are still characters with odds and end that I want to know more about, so I can say I look forward to Cormoran Strike #2!

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