"Now Is Not The Time to Panic" by Kevin Wilson - Book Review and Discussion

 

Considering reading Kevin Wilson's newest novel, "Now Is Not the Time to Panic"? Keep reading to hear my thoughts on the book!

14 Book Club Discussion Starting Questions and Answers for "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin

Did your book club choose "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Kevin to read this month? Then congratulations on the excellent book choice! "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" has a ton of potential as a book club pick! This book covers so many emotional and important issues and there are definitely plenty of easy discussion-starting moments in the novel. Haven't read the book yet and need to catch up quickly? Think of this post as your "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" SparkNotes - I promise, you'll catch up quickly! Keep reading this post for some "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" book club discussion starters as well as how I would answer to help get the conversation started!

Book Club Discussion Starters for 
"Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin

1. Some books are easier to describe than others. How would you describe "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" to another potential reader? What would feel like too much info to give away because of spoilers?

I think this one is fairly easy to describe, but a lot happens in the book so it feels like just barely scraping the surface, especially emotionally! A good place to start in "pitching" "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,  and Tomorrow" to another reader would be explaining the start of the relationship between Sadie and Sam. I think the tug and pull between those two characters and their artistic lives( and day-to-day lives) really sum up the book. But, I think my biggest challenge in describing this book to another reader is how much to emphasize the technology. I know that that could be a huge turnoff and might scare away someone who would really enjoy it. But I also think it is important to be honest that most of the plot is in the tech and gaming world. 

2. How much information about "gaming" and computers do you think is needed to enjoy this book? Were there any moments where that element of the book made it more difficult to follow?

Were I reading this book in a real-life book club, this is honestly one of the questions I would be most interested to hear others answer! I take a lot of my familiarity for granted, and I had also totally forgotten that I learned BASIC in middle school, one of the computer languages used in the novel. It's easy for me to say, oh you don't need much - but for another reader, the gap could be much larger. Reading through those technology and computer science heavy scenes wouldn't necessarily be "too complicated" but they could definitely feel like boring drudgery. And I get it - personally, I can't stand novels with lots of geography/ maps, elaborate fight or car chase scenes, really anything with complicated moving parts or directions. I either skip over them or completely make up the scene with my best effort because I am severally directionally challenged.

3. Did you feel a sense of nostalgia for  any of the "old tech" references when the timeline for the book was set in the 1990s?

Oregon Trail! What a super fun throwback. And also so interesting to see it influence one of their created games as well. I remember spending hours playing that in late elementary and middle school. There were also mentions of the first Harvest Moon and Sims games which were super nostalgic for me as well!

4. Do you have a favorite quote from "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" that you kept?

SO many! In fact, I made a YouTube video and a blog post with all of my favorites. Check out the video below or the image below for the post!

5. "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" has been picked up as a potential future film! What actors do you think would be best to fill the main roles? Do you think that the book will translate well to film?

I wish I was good at these questions, but alas, I'm not - they do make really fun discussions for book clubs though! I think one of the casting elements that would be essential is making sure that the nationalities of the characters are accurate - important in its own right but also something that is discussed in the book, being half Chinese, being Japanese, etc. I tried to find Chinese American actors for Sam's part and definitely came up short just through my own lack of exposure. Also, casting for the main character parts would be difficult because the characters know each other from middle school onwards so multiple Sam and Sadie actors would be needed. 

6. Some readers hesitate before reading a book this long. Did you feel like "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" was too long or just right? What parts would you have removed/ made shorter if needed?

I primarily read loaned library books on my Kindle, so I had no idea going into "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" that it would be so long! I know the length is definitely on many readers' minds. One of the book clubs I have been in asked that book suggestions not be longer than 350 pages. While I enjoyed reading the section of the book where Sadie plays the pioneer game, I can definitely see how that section could be cut. The whole middle of the book moves *very* slowly but that's also when a lot of character development happens so it's hard to say cut it.

7. During the book, we frequently see Sam's actions through Sadie's eyes and vice versa. Did you feel like their versions of the story were accurate or fair to the other character? Who did you side with?

This is one of my absolute favorite writing "tricks" that Gabrielle Kevin used in the book. I constantly felt myself being pulled between Sam and Sadie. I still don't know who I trust when it comes to whether Sam knew that Sadie had previously been in a ( very unhealthy) relationship with Dov. One of my favorite things about Marx's character, and one of the reasons I missed him, was he really gave a fresh and fair perspective to the Sadie Sam squabbles.

8. Did you enjoy reading "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow"? Why or why not? 

I did! It's been a while since I was so sucked into a book but also my absolute favorite things about books are those quotes that stick with you, and this book is FULL of them. I did start to get burned out towards the end of reading it because it is a longer read, but that almost always happens to me because as much as I love reading, I'm not an especially fast reader.

9. Some novels stick with readers for a long time because of a theme or idea in the book. What messages and ideas did you take away from reading "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow"?

I think the way Gabrielle Zevin shows the reader how differently Sam and Sadie experienced the exact same moments in their relationship will definitely stick with me. Not only does every story have a million different ways that it can go, but their struggles are definitely proof that every story has two sides. for example, when Sadie sees that Sam shaved his head she assumes he is trying to make a statement about her relationship with Marx. Later on, the author revisits that moment from Marx and Sam's side and you find that it's actually a far more complex event than just a childish cry for attention. I love that dynamic story complexity as a reader.

10. After reading "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow", who would you recommend this book to? Who would you not recommend the book to?

I would recommend this book to most fiction readers! I definitely think it is one to give a shot even if technology might not be your thing. I read a few comments on Goodreads from other readers who had written off the book because of the technology plot and really loved it. However, I wouldn't recommend it to fans of romance. I just don't think there's enough there, or really any steam, to keep reading it.

11. This novel had several "will they/ won't they" potential romances. Who were you rooting for? Did any take you by surprise?

I was more conflicted than I expected when Marx and Sadie got together. I think that the author could have built that up a little better before their trip to Japan to make it not feel quite so unexpected! I love them together, but that is also a difficult triangle to be a part of, particularly for Sam.

12. Which game that they created did you think would be the most fun to play in real life?

The pioneer role play, an updated version of Oregon Trail, would definitely suck me in!

13. What books, movies, or TV shows does "Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" remind you of? How are they similar or different?

Pretty sure Oregon Trail will always remind me of this book now. There were a couple of other books that I thought of while reading - Sam's precarious health, physical and mental, reminded me of Jude from "A Little Life" and also the behind the scenes rise to fame and fighting reminded me of "Daisy Jones and the Six".

Good luck with your book club discussion! Comment below and let me know what questions helped generate the most conversation. 

Review : "We Are The Light" by Matthew Quick - Book Review and Discussion

Trying to decide what to read next? What did I think of Matthew Quick's newest novel? Keep reading to check out my review of "We Are The Light" by Matthew Quick.

Five Heartbreaking Quotes from "Dear Edward" by Ann Napolitano

 

THIS BOOK, YOU GUYS. I can not remember the last time I was *this* sad that my time reading a book was over. I just wanted "Dear Edward" to never end - I wanted to stay with these characters forever and never say goodbye, I wanted to live in this book - but also I flew through it because it was so, so good. Which is all the more amazing because the world built in "Dear Edward" isn't especially cozy on the outset - a plane crash, a sole survivor - *especially* as someone with a flying phobia. I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. But omg do I love it! 

 

"Dear Edward" has some *amazing* quotes that I want to share with you, and then maybe you'll get hooked and read it too! Keep reading to check them out.

 

The Mars Room by Rachel Kusher - Book Review

#60secondbookreview aka reviewing books as quickly yet thoroughly as I can! And this week's review is for "The Mars Room" by Rachel Kushner.

"The Mars Room" by Rachel Kushner was a two-star read for me, and it's hard to not blame the description writer for some of that. Going into the book it really appealed to me, based on what I had read about it, I thought I would be reading about main character Romy Hall, a woman serving two life sentences in prison, and she is also a mother who is struggling with being away from her child. I'm not totally naive to the hype and also my own preconceived notions of what "female-centric prison stories" look like, I knew that this wouldn't measure up to Orange Is the New Black, for instance. But the reading experience is just SO incredibly different than the description because it leaves out the two other male perspectives that take up a good chunk of the book! Seems like a pretty important thing to include. At its best, for brief fleeting moments, this book did feel a bit like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" where you had this behind the scenes look at the power trips, unfair treatment, and absurdity that runs amok in institutions like these, but then the perspective would change to the other characters that just added nothing for me to the novel. Overall, it was a pretty terrible reading experience.

Have you read "The Mars Room"? Comment down below and let me know what you thought of it! Was it as much of a reading struggle for you as it was for me? Or, drop a comment below with a female prison novel that you really enjoyed  - because I'm definitely open to trying others! Thanks for reading and watching! Have a great day : )

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker - Book Review

"The Dreamers" by Karen Thompson Walker 

Book Review and Discussion

#60secondbookreview of "The Dreamers" by Karen Thompson Walker - a book it  felt like everyone read last month. A bit of an exaggeration, but it has super popular, for sure! This book follows an isolated college town in California, where one day a girl falls asleep in the dorms and she can not be woken up. This "sleeping sickness" ( try saying that five times fast) spreads and soon the town is caught up in a paranoia, and also legitimate fear, of an illness that no one understands, and also grappling with the realities of treating hundreds of sick patients. The things that scare us the most are also at times the most compelling to read about. If this scenario were playing out in real life, I'd be hiding in the fetal position somewhere. I gave "The Dreamers" three stars - I enjoyed big chunks of this book - but - the parts that I enjoyed were for the author's beautiful writing, not for plotting. And the further I got into the book, the less those poignant quotes were holding my attention. The book's depiction of what an illness like this would look like, what the experience would be, as well as the characters and feelings evoked by the book - now that I am two weeks out from finishing it, just haven't stuck with me.

Have you read "The Dreamers"? Comment down below and let me know what you thought of it!

Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield - Book Review

Happy Monday, readers! Today we're chatting about the highly anticipated new release from Diane Setterfield, " Once Upon A River". Discussing this book in sixty seconds (ish) was tough because I loved this book, but the plot is complex and meandering, and just doesn't lend itself to quick explanations. Where to begin! The story is set along a river, one day a man wanders into a bar holding a young girl - the man collapses and the young girl is believed to be dead - she isn't breathing and has no pulse. As it turns out, she comes back to life, *but* she is mute. The plot really picks up when three different families come forward, believing this young girl to be their missing child. There is so much more to the plot, but that's a good start! "Once Upon A River" has these beautiful small doses of magical realism, they're pretty subtle, and they're used to explore how these families are grappling with the grief of losing their child. It's one of the few times where magical realism really worked for me in a book - and I love that. This novel is longer and it is a slower burn, but it is so well written, and so thought provoking, and so creative - if you're in the mood for a longer, whimsical novel this is definitely one I would recommend. 

Have you read "Once Upon A River"? Comment down below let me know what you thought of it! 

Many thanks to the publisher and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton - Book Review

"Words on Bathroom Walls" by Julia Walton is a YA fiction novel that follows main character Adam who was recently diagnosed with schizophrenia. The book is a collection of letters that Adam is writing to his therapist in the counseling sessions that he attends but refuses to speak in. This book is hard for me to review, because I think that there are readers out there that would really connect with Adam, because they have personal experiences that line up with the novel. That aside, as far as writing style and reading experience, this was a two star read for me. The book is written in letter form, so it is very casual but it also felt incredibly unnatural and a very unlikely premise. The main character while experiencing a complex illness, is not portrayed as being particularly complex, and after reading the author's end note I'm not entirely sure how accurate this portrayal of schizophrenia actually is. Have you read "Words on Bathroom Walls"? Comment down below and let me know what you thought of it!

Reading Wrap Up II October 2018

Check out my reading wrap up for the month of October! I read a total of six books, which honestly - yes, any amount of books is great - but that aside, for some reason I had built this month up in my mind as one where I would have more books read - why? I have no idea. There is only one extra day, Katie, why did you think you would manage to fit in three more books this month- because you didn't! Anyway! While all of the books weren't winners, the ones that were great, were extra great. Check out the video up above and let me know the best (or worst) books you read in October! 

The Line That Held Us by David Joy - Book Review

The Line That Held Us

by David Joy

amazon // goodreads // library 

When Darl Moody went hunting after a monster buck he’s chased for years, he never expected he’d accidentally shoot a man digging ginseng. Worse yet, he’s killed a Brewer, a family notorious for vengeance and violence. With nowhere to turn, Darl calls on the help of the only man he knows will answer, his best friend, Calvin Hooper. But when Dwayne Brewer comes looking for his missing brother and stumbles onto a blood trail leading straight back to Darl and Calvin, a nightmare of revenge rips apart their world. The Line That Held Us is a story of friendship and family, a tale balanced between destruction and redemption where the only hope is to hold on tight, clenching to those you love. What will you do for the people who mean the most, and what will you grasp to when all that you have is gone? The only certainty in a place so shredded is that no one will get away unscathed ( from goodreads.com).

Book Review and Discussion of
"The Line That Held Us" by David Joy

"The Line That Held Us" by David Joy follows a man named Daryl - he needs food and so one day he decides to go hunting on another man's property. Shooting in the dark, he believes he has shot a pig, but is shocked to find instead that he killed another man. To make matters worse, the man that Daryl killed is a member of the Brewer family, and when his brother Dwayne find out - things to dark... very, very dark. Daryl desperately tries to cover up the crime, calling his best friend Calvin to help him to bury the body - my blood pressure is rising just thinking about this book! It was such an intense and quick read! I gave this book four stars, I loved the suspense in this book. The author told a story that was not just gripping, but also held some really important moral questions for the reader - what are you truly willing to do for another person, what lines do you hold? This book is a gritty page turner and perfect for this time of year. 

Have you read "The Line That Held Us"? Comment down below and let me know what you thought of it! If not, tell me your favorite thriller set in the woods. Thanks for reading, readers!