The year in books: June
My book for June is going to be Stoner by John Williams. I remember this being on social media a lot maybe two years ago, and when I saw it in the library last weekend I decided it was time to read it. I'm a few pages in, and so far, so good.
After reading a few not so good books, I read only two books in May, but I enjoyed them both.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty* was a NetGalley request as I enjoyed The Husband's Secret when I read it a year or so ago. A new group of children is starting kindergarten at their Australian school, and the story focuses on a few of their parents. A major event happens very early on (although the reader is quite a way through the book before finding out who specifically this event relates to (unless of course you're me, and have already read the ending of the book) and so the book moves between focusing on the main characters, and all the characters talking to a journalist. One of the best books I've read this year, and am currently recommending it to everyone.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher* was requested from NetGalley simply because I'd started to watch the Netflix adaptation, and I wanted to see how similar it is to the book. The show is slightly more modern, in that things like technology and social media have developed even in the relatively few years since the book was first published. High school student Hannah commits suicide, and leaves behind audio cassettes on which she has taped herself explaining the 13 reasons, and the people with whom they are associated, which led to her deciding to die. These tapes are then passed round the 13 people involved. I liked the book more than the Netflix show and it does remind you of how little events, small moments, can add up to something momentous for all the wrong reasons.
Joining in with Laura.
*Kindly provided by the publishers via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are, of course, my own.
After reading a few not so good books, I read only two books in May, but I enjoyed them both.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty* was a NetGalley request as I enjoyed The Husband's Secret when I read it a year or so ago. A new group of children is starting kindergarten at their Australian school, and the story focuses on a few of their parents. A major event happens very early on (although the reader is quite a way through the book before finding out who specifically this event relates to (unless of course you're me, and have already read the ending of the book) and so the book moves between focusing on the main characters, and all the characters talking to a journalist. One of the best books I've read this year, and am currently recommending it to everyone.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher* was requested from NetGalley simply because I'd started to watch the Netflix adaptation, and I wanted to see how similar it is to the book. The show is slightly more modern, in that things like technology and social media have developed even in the relatively few years since the book was first published. High school student Hannah commits suicide, and leaves behind audio cassettes on which she has taped herself explaining the 13 reasons, and the people with whom they are associated, which led to her deciding to die. These tapes are then passed round the 13 people involved. I liked the book more than the Netflix show and it does remind you of how little events, small moments, can add up to something momentous for all the wrong reasons.
Joining in with Laura.
*Kindly provided by the publishers via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are, of course, my own.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Stoner. I went to the university he worked at, so was very excited to read it a couple of years ago (somehow I hadn't heard of it before then). Overall for me it was okay, but not particularly memorable. But I knew exactly where his house & apartment were, so that kind of made up for it for me. :)
ReplyDeleteOh I like it when you have a connection to a book and can find places. It's interesting how so few people had heard of it until relatively recently.
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