Reading Update | 4

Can you believe it's already October? How did that even happen! I have to admit my reading has slowed down these last few months as I have been CRAZY busy at work. However, I have finally reached 40 books this year and I thought it was about time to update y'all with what I've been reading lately. If you missed the first three Reading Updates, make sue to check them out HERE.

LOVE AND TREASURE | Ayelet Waldman
Goodreads | Amazon 
I'm not going to lie, I had started the book back in 2014 then put it down due to a lack of interest. Set in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, a cast of characters is bound together by what we now refer to as the "Hungarian Gold Train". Although the plot itself is fascinating, I found it hard to connect with any of the characters due to the amount of detail in each one of their lives. When I finally picked it up again, I found myself comparing the story to All The Light We Cannot See and being disappointed as a result.

#GIRLBOSS | Sophia Amoruso 
Goodreads | Amazon
I really don't have much to say about this book. After the incredible amount of hype that had been surrounding this book since it was first published I had extremely high expectations. Every girl wants to be the boss and I loved the idea of a textbook/Bible for that message. I was not only disappointed, but I finished the book feeling I didn't really gain anything from it whatsoever. While the overall message of girl empowerment was inspiring, the book itself lacked depth.

DARK PLACES | Gillian Flynn 
Goodreads | Amazon
Dare I say, this book was dark. I had read reviews to not have high expectations despite the fact the Gillian Fylnn's Gone Girl was absolutely brilliant. So I began reading not really knowing what to expect. Dark Places follows a family who's past continues to haunt the family members who have survived it. The book is a page turner, but other than entertainment value I found Dark Places lacked the intellectual complexity of Gone Girl. Great to read if you are lacking something to do for a few evenings, not so great if you dislike gruesome and f-uped story lines.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS | Emily Bronte
Goodreads | Amazon
I hate to admit this, but I wasn't obsessed with Wuthering Heights as everyone claims I should be. The story line was interesting, and the characters extremely complex and developed.Unfortunately, I had a hard time keeping up. It was just all over the place, and I didn't really get it. I may give this book another chance, but for some reason it just didn't click with me the way other classics have.

INTO THE WILD | Jon Krakauer
Goodreads | Amazon
Possibly because the events studied in Into the Wild occurred when I was an infant, I really knew nothing of Chris McCandless and his story. Jon Krakauer's investigation into Chris' life and death was not only fascinating but well told. Although non-fiction, Krakauer has a way of flowing stories, interviews, and science into one detailed compilation. I found Chris' ideas on life moving and sad, yet extremely brave. Some may call him foolish, but to me it seemed Chris lived his life the way he wanted.  I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves travel, meeting new people, and connecting with nature.

HOW TO QUIT YOUR JOB AND TRAVEL THE WORLD | Kate Jordan
Goodreads | Amazon
Quite a few bloggers out there have recently published books. While I had been meaning to pick up and read some bloggers' latest published works, I hadn't really gotten around to it. While browsing the iTunes audiobook section for some work commute entertainment I noticed Kate Jordan's How To Quit Your Job and Travel the World. Naturally, I immediately downloaded it. I have been reading Kate's blog for years and I was not disappointed by her book. Easy to understand and well organized, How To Quit Your Job outlines a variety of ways to make money while traveling. I found Kate's tips entertaining yet still useful!

THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA | Matthew Reilly 
Goodreads | Amazon
It is tradition to buy at least one book while at an airport. I simply cannot pass up a newsstand without browsing the latest published works. On one particular visit to the airport, I happened across The Great Zoo of China. I was intrigued by the idea; The Chinese government industrializes the existence of dragons. What more do you need? However, I found the plot to be too action packed. There was barely any room for character development as every paragraph was one near death experience after another. My overall thoughts? This will make a great movie.

RICHARD III | William Shakespeare 
Goodreads | Amazon
The reign of Richard III played a crucial role in my Masters studies. As a historian, I purposely stayed away from Shakespeare's Wars of the Roses plays. By doing so, I was able to write my dissertation in the most historically accurate and non biased way possible. However, I have always been fascinated by propaganda of the time, and as my studies were over I finally decided to pick up Richard III. Knowing the historical inaccuracies of the piece, I felt I was able to enjoy the story more. I enjoyed Shakespeare's dramatization of widely spread rumors of the time. The propaganda of this piece is so powerful it still taints the reputation of the last Plantagenet king to this day.

IS EVERYONE HANGING OUT WITHOUT ME? | Mindy Kaling
Goodreads | Amazon
Before reading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? I always thought of Mindy as "that girl from the office". I really didn't know any of her work or background, yet this book has always been on the top charts of everything for as long as I can remember. So, I decided to give it a go and I'm glad I did! Mindy's hilarious and awkward life stories made for a light, fun read. This is a total beach read, however, I'm not sure when it'll be beach weather again!

THE MARTIAN | Andy Weir 
Goodreads | Amazon
I'm one of those people who has to read a book before the movie comes out. If I see a movie I know I'll want to see, I immediately head to the store and buy the book. Mark Watney ends up stranded on Mars after a mission goes wrong. Interesting, no? I thought so too. I LOVED the idea of this book. I really wanted to like it. But the science and mathematics of the main character's every day life on Mars really distracted me from the overall picture. I did in fact enjoy the movie and was extremely impressed with the adaptation.