2016 Reading: I Am America (And So Can You!)

#16 A political memoir

Okay, so I know this isn't exactly a memoir... but this is about as close to politics as I like to get. Which is to say, not close at all. Ever.

So, this book was meant as a huge joke and that's great, but it made me think about how many people actually think this way and that made me angry. Not at Stephen Colbert, but just at people in general. It reminded me why I hate politics and stuff to begin with. I just want to never have to deal with it ever. I know that some people think that I'm just ignoring the problems and I am. I so am. Ignorance is bliss. Because the more I learn about what's going on in the political world and stuff like that, the more dumb I feel and the more depressed I get.

And I don't need that kind of negativity in my life. I have enough of it already and my meds are stretched to the max as it is.

So, thanks. But, no thanks. Moving on.

2016 Reading: Rosemary's Baby & Son of Rosemary

#26 A book and it's prequel

Rosemary's Baby: I saw the movie many years ago in my horror movie class while I was in film school, but I have always wanted to read the book. I've read other Ira Levin books and I found his writing style to be really unique and sort of flow-y so it's really easy to get lost in the story and not want to put the book down.

If I had never seen the movie, I think the ending would have been more dramatic for me. I would have thought Rosemary was just crazy until about the very last chapter. As it is, I'm kind of glad that I saw the movie because I could find the little subtle hints within the plot that foreshadowed the ending.

Son of Rosemary: Oh. My. God. This book! I have no idea what I was expecting (I didn't even really know there WAS a sequel until I saw this book at a used book store). It was such a unique thing to do to make this set so far in the future and have so many parallels between Andy and Jesus. I cold not put the book down because I just knew that something had to be wrong. But I STILL did not see that ending coming.

Part of me was a little disappointed at the ending, but another part, a bigger part, thinks it was the most brilliant thing to do for this story and it made me question so many things. I think I might have to go back and read this a second time at some point so that I can really pay attention to the details.

Ugh. So good.

2016 Reading: The Grownup

This book wasn't part of the reading challenge (it could have been, but I chose not to put it on there because I already have all the books lined up for the categories). A friend of mine recommended this book and it. was. fantastic.

Like, holy crap, was this book fantastic. From the very first sentence I knew that I was going to enjoy it like nothing else before. It was a very short story so it didn't take long to read and I simply devoured it. Like Gillian's other stories, there were twists that you didn't see coming but then she completely turned that on its head with more twists that just make your brain hurt but in the best way possible.

I can't wait to read more of her stuff. I hope it's all like that.

2016 Reading: The Great Gatsby

#4 A book you haven't read since high school

I know that people talk a lot about not liking this book in high school, but I had a very good experience with it (mainly because I had an awesome teacher). We compared characters to junk food (Tom was a Ho-Ho, Myrtle was Apple Jacks, Daisy was a Twinkie... It all made sense when you thought about it), we played 'Pin the Wheel on the Drunk's Car' (which I took home and kept until the storm flooded my house), we had a flapper party with sparkling grape juice and did the Charleston... It was the best class ever.

I look back on the characters and I just can't help hating every one in this book. Gatsby did stupid things to get back something that he never had and then didn't want to adjust his thinking when he got the best he could hope for. Daisy got used to the good life even with a cheating husband. Jordan was literally just a cynical pot stirrer who cared about nothing. Tom was... Tom. Nick was blind and prejudice-ly opinionated while simultaneously indecisive and easily swayed.

But despite all of this, I love this story. It's like it takes a love story, an underdog story, a story about hope and completely destroys everything and leaves you with a sense of disappointment and disdain, but also the need to carry on.