Anyway, since I've been reading way more than I have been seeing films, I thought I would give an update of the best books I've read this year so far. I have a goal on Goodreads to read 51 books, and I'm about four books away from completing it. And luckily for me, most of the books I've read this year have been really good, there have only really been two not so good ones. I should also mention that this list is about first time reads, no re-reads, otherwise Soul Music, Howl's Moving Castle, and Fahrenheit 451 would all be on this list.
So, without further ado, here are the Top 15 Books I've Read This Year... So Far!
15. Lolly Scramble: A Memoir of Little Consequence by Tony Martin
I'm not sure if many people know this, but I am a big Tony Martin fan. And that's the Kiwi comedian Tony Martin, not the other one. I think he's a really funny dude. And so naturally when I saw his memoir in an op shop, I had to get it. It's basically a series of short stories about his life, but instead of focusing on all the things he's done on TV and in films, Martin instead chooses to tell stories that could have happened to anyone. It's a really funny yet bitter kinda book. One story in particular that stands out is one where Martin has to get his blood drained because he has a rare disease, and for such an unpleasant subject matter it's told with a lot of humour. Just a nice book by a nice guy.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars
14. The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
I can't believe I only read this book this year. This is such a joy to read! There is so much heart in this book, that even when bad things happen there's still a silver lining to be had. And I love Precious Ramotswe, and the comments she makes about Agatha Christie throughout the book. The book is based on some of the cases that the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency takes, with an overarching plot about an abducted child. If you like Agatha Christie's work, then you would probably like this. Both deal with rather horrific things in the nicest way possible, and sometimes you need that reassurance that after something terrible, you can still go home and have a cup of tea and eat some pumpkin.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars
13. The Lollipop Shoes (The Girl with No Shadow) by Joanne Harris
So, I read the entire Chocolat trilogy, and this was by far the best one. This takes place about eight years after the first book, and Vianne Rocher is now living in Paris with her two daughter, Anouk and Rosette. Something has happened in the past that made Vianne become Yanne, and she has given up making chocolates and guessing peoples favourites. Into their lives comes Zozie de l'Alba, who seems to possess the vitality that Vianne once had. She helps transform Anouk and Vianne in ways that they couldn't imagine. But there is something sinister in Zozie, and to fight it Vianne has to reawaken the magic inside her. That was a very cliche filled summary, but that is basically what happens. I read this before Chocolat, and I loved it. It incorporated the magical elements smoothly into the story, and created an excellent villain in Zozie. I have since read the third book, Peaches for Father Frances, but out of the three, I think this one was the most satisfying. Considering it's a 450 page book and I read it in a weekend should give an indication of how hooked on it I was.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars
12. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
This is not an easy book to read, despite being only around 125 pages. This book is literally what the title says, one day in the life of a prison inmate in Russia. You learn so much about not only Ivan, but the other prisoners around him and what their life has become. You read about how they manage to survive by finding whatever they can, and trying to make a use for it. You learn how much value one slice of bread has for one person. It's definitely a book everyone should read, if to learn of hardships that we can't even imagine in the present day. And the writing style is so good, I finished it in one sitting.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars
11. Beloved by Toni Morrison
Okay, so Toni Morrison is becoming one of my favourite writers. I always feel so guilty that I've only read two of her books. I love the themes she explores, not only ones of slavery and freedom, but themes of motherhood, guilt, and love. She is also the author who got me hooked on magical realism, a genre that I never really understood before reading Song of Solomon last year. Beloved is about the ghosts of the past forever haunting the present, so much so that they manifest themselves into solid forms. But Beloved isn't that straight forward, the things that happen are never really explained away completely. It's a book that will haunt the reader, and even now I still think about everything that's happened in it. I have another of her books on my shelf, and hopefully I will get to that soon.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars
10. Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds: The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento by Maitland McDonagh
So, I read an entire academic thesis! And it was on Dario Argento! Sometimes, I love being a film student. I found this book while researching for a media essay, and decided to check it out. It goes through each of Argento's films, plus one that he made with George Romero, and discusses the themes, visuals, acting, actors, setting, lighting, music and everything in quite a lot of detail. If you are a fan of Argento then I would suggest this, but it is very analytical and might turn a few more casual readers off. Having only seen three of his films, I know what to watch and own all of them. Especially Tenebrae, which this book says is his masterpiece. The analysis is really interesting, and flows smoothly from point to point (unlike my clunky essays). I've read quite a few non-fiction books this year, but I think this is both the best written and most interesting. To me anyway.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars
9. Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett
I read this the weekend I found out that Terry Pratchett had died. I loved it. I will always love his books. This is about Eskarina Smith, who wants to become the Discs first female wizard. Unfortunately, everyone else keeps getting in the way. The end is a bit weird, a bit too Lovecraftian for me, which is why this is quite low on the list. But it is the first appearance of Granny Weatherwax, who is one of my favourite Discworld characters. Not my favourite book from the series, but enjoyable nonetheless. Goodbye, Sir Terry. You will always be missed.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars
8. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
So, I found out earlier this year that there are quite a lot of booktubers who don't like this book, and I can sort of see why. The main character, Holden Caulfield, can come across as selfish and clueless. But I can't help but want to remind people one vital thing about this character: he is only sixteen! I think this book paints a really vivid picture of teenage depression. Through the few days that he writes about, one can see that Holden is trying to keep his life together while still being traumatised by the death of his brother. Because of the time period, and because of the pressure put on young men, he doesn't know how to deal with his sadness. I can see why this book is as praised as it is. It is a must read for pretty much everyone.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars
7. The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter
Toni Morrison isn't the only magical realist author I've gotten into. In this collection of stories, Angela Carter reinvents well-known fairy tales, and gives them her own twist. I particularly enjoyed the were-wolf retellings of Little Red Riding Hood, stories that would eventually become the Neil Jordan film The Company of Wolves. Most of the stories are full of violence and sex that the originals don't have, but the language used is so beautiful! It's lyrical, smooth, dainty, erotic, chilling, and funny all at once. I'd say if you've never read any of Carter's work before, this would be an excellent place to start.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars
6. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
The artwork in this book is breathtaking! So dark, so horrific, yet beautiful in a grotesque way. This book is about a boy, Conor, whose mother has cancer. Late one night, a monster arrives demanding from him the most dangerous thing of all, the truth. This is a book that looks at grief and guilt and how it affects children. It will make you cry. It made me cry. I don't really want to give much more away, so I might stop here. But I will say that the writing is very simple, and it is an accessible for many people, but it can also be quite scary as well.
Goodreads Rating: 4 stars
5. The Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume
One night, in Melbourne, a man is found murdered in a cab. A few days later, one of Melbourne's most upstanding citizens is arrested, but pleads innocent. A detective and a lawyer join forces to find out what actually happened. I'd say that anyone who lives in Melbourne should read this book. It's rare to find any Australian literature that came from the 1800s, and this seems to be the most famous Australian work from that time period. The writing is full of incredible descriptions of Melbourne, the one about the weather is one of the greatest things I have read. I am so glad I read this book. The mystery is interesting and keeps you guessing til the end, but it is the descriptions that I love most of all.
Goodreads Rating: 5 stars
4. Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey
This book is scary, but not in the way you would think. The premise is simple: how do you solve a mystery when you can't remember what you were doing five minutes ago? Maud is suffering from memory loss, and is sure that her friend Elizabeth is missing. She knows this because she writes notes to herself saying that Elizabeth is missing. But no one will believe her. This is a really good mystery-thriller, so good in fact that I can't believe it's Emma Healey's debut novel. The mystery is really gripping, but also the writing style. You get very frustrated at times, because Maud does forget everything. But you also get drawn in very easily, and you want to find out what happened? Where is Elizabeth? Who else might be missing that Maud can't remember?
Goodread Rating: 5 stars
3. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
People are very hard on this book, and I kinda get why. Fanny Price is a passive heroine, she doesn't do much. Edmund is a very boring hero, and a lot of the other characters are not very likeable. So why do I like this book so much? Because I do like the character of Fanny. I know people get at her for being quiet, but I can't help but think after living within a family that constantly puts you down for any number of years is bound to make anyone quiet. And when she does do something, she sticks to it and remains very steadfast in her decision. The biggest example being her refusing to marry Henry Crawford. And I must say, that out of all the Wickham characters in Austen's work, Crawford is my favourite. He's the only one who does what he does for fun rather than for money or because of society, or at least it seems that way. So yes, I really liked Mansfield Park, I think it is very underrated, and more people should give it a go and not put it down so much!
Goodreads Rating: 5 stars
2. The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
I picked this book up in Melbourne airport when me and my mum were flying up to Brisbane. It looked kinda interesting, the back cover didn't say what the book was about, but it did intrigue me enough to get it. Little did I know that this would not only be one of the best books I read this year, but also one of the best books I've ever read. And to top it all off, it's about zombies. I'm not going to say much more than that. It's best to go into this book not knowing much. But I will say, that I loved the characters, and I loved the fact that three of the main characters were female. It's not your typical zombie novel, and if you aren't of a squeamish persona then I would definitely recommend this to everyone.
Goodreads Rating: 5 stars
1. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
Again, I have to thank Toni Morrison for bringing this book to my attention. It's another magical realism book, based in an unnamed South American country that bears quite a resemblance to Chile. This book chronicles the life of one family, the Trueba's, focusing in particular on the female line. There's so much in this book, it's hard to summarise it. So instead I will say what I loved about the book. I love the way it was written, it felt like a journal or a history book, it didn't feel like a novel. And yet scattered throughout were little phrases here and there that gave so much description in just a few words. I loved the way the characters were written. You really get into the head of each character, even the most despicable of them. I loved the women, especially Clara. I loved how it turned the conflict in Chile and the brutality of the Pinochet regime into something relatable for everyone. It is a hard book to read at times, but it is worth it. And it is the most beautiful book I have read this year, and my favourite so far.
Goodreads Rating: 5 stars
I'm not sure when the next post will be up. I do have some ideas, so hopefully soon. We'll see. I hope you enjoyed this, sorry for being away for so long. Until next time, readers.
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