Friday, November 13, 2015

Read More 02

Hey! I haven't done a "Read More" post for a loooonnngggg time. I've read a lot of books in my ten month absence of the read more series, so I'm ready to share some of my favorite books again! Hope you enjoy!
Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys-
It's 1950 in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie Moraine wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer. She devises a plan to get out, but a mysterious death leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street. Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a quest for the truth.
description found at Google Books

Thoughts: After reading Ruta Sepetys's "Between Shades of Gray", I fell in love with her exquisite writing style and her ability to create such vivid, beautiful characters.When I found out she had written another book, I simply had to read it! I was a little hesitate to even read "Out of the Easy" since the story line was about, ya know, brothels and such, but I am soooo glad I had the courage to try it out. Ruta Sepety has a way of making a story (especially in a time in history) accurate and interesting without slipping in vulgar, unnecessary things (which other authors could really learn from). I absolutely loved this book. The characters were ones I'll always remember and the story was simply amazing. It had adventure, mystery, love, and so much more. Definitely one of my favorites!

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys-
Fifteen-year-old Lina is a Lithuanian girl living an ordinary life—until Soviet officers invade her home and tear her family apart. Separated from her father and forced onto a crowded train, Lina, her mother, and her young brother make their way to a Siberian work camp, where they are forced to fight for their lives. Lina finds solace in her art, documenting these events by drawing. Risking everything, she embeds clues in her drawings of their location and secretly passes them along, hoping her drawings will make their way to her father's prison camp. But will strength, love, and hope be enough for Lina and her family to survive?
description found on Barnes and Noble site

Thoughts: This was a beautiful yet haunting novel. It's about an event in history that I've never really read about before. Ruta Sepetys has astounding storytelling skills. Things did get a bit graphic at times (violence) but that's how that event in history really was. Other than that, I found the story so inspiring and interesting, so please go ahead and give it a try. :)

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson-
Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. 
description found on Goodreads

Thoughts: This book was good...like really good... okay, more like AMAZING. This was the first book I've ever read by Laurie Halse Anderson and certainly won't be the last. She has a brilliant way of writing that makes readers feel what the characters feel. She writes about things that everybody else is afraid to write about. I loved the character Melinda and her sarcastic personality. Despite the book being about a dark subject, it wasn't as morbid or depressing as some might think. Of course it had sadness and such but this book was also filled with humor, mystery, and most of all courage --to speak out even when you're silenced. I don't want to give anything away, but you definitely need try this book out.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
This work was set in Berlin, 1942. When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move from their home to a new house far far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance. But, Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than what meets the eye.

Thoughts: I had always wanted to read this book so I finally  bought it when I found it on sale one day. At first I thought it would be a very horrific holocaust story like many of the ones I've read are, but this one was unlike any of them. It had an almost childlike way of telling the story since it was from a young boy's point of view. The story came from an unique perspective and was very beautifully told. I couldn't put it down! It was such an enchanting tale yet so thought-provoking as well. Ugh, I love it!

What are some of your favorite reads?
 Definitely tell me in the comments. I'm always on the look out for a good book. :)

8 comments:

  1. The only book out of these I've read is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and it was so sad but I loved it <3 I'm definitely going to give these other books a try!

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  2. Oh, the Ruta Sepetys books look wonderful! I haven't read The Boy In Striped Pajamas, but I have watched the movie. It was incredibly heartbreaking! So sad...
    Defiantly gonna read these books! Great reviews!
    -Clara

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  3. Okay okay yes and yes at the Ruta Sepetys books. Those are so on point and i had to express my excitement for this. also yes i need to read more. also yes, when you have time, do more of these. Excellent.

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  4. I love how you reviewed these books! I really want to check out "Speak", it sounds really good. I might try some of the more historical type books as well :)

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  5. Oh, I've read 'Between Shades of Gray' and wanted to read 'Out of the Easy' but had the same hesitations you did. But after hearing your thoughts, I'm definitely eager to try it out!

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  6. Ugh Between Shades of Gray is so heartbreakingly beautiful. My dad read it to me and my sister years ago. I ended up reading the end by myself and ugh tears. So much goodness. I'm so excited to check out Out of the Easy now! It's such a rarity to find authors who write the raw truth about the ugliness of life without throwing in extra vulgarities. I actually just bought The Boy in the Striped Pajamas for 25 cents at a used booksale! I've been meaning to read it for years but now I'm really determined to! I love posts like this, Eve! And your mini reviews were lovely ^-^

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  7. These books all look so magnificent. <3
    Great post, Eve!

    Sophia // A Lantern in Her Hand

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  8. BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY IS MY FAVORITE BOOK IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. EVER. I fell in love with it two years ago and have been obsessed with it ever since. I absolutely lovvveeee it soo much I can't even.
    ~ Sanjana
    peridotcove.blogspot.com

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