Well, I'm late making this update, but it won't be a big deal because I didn't read too many books in April. In fact, I only finished 3 books in April. Sigh. For someone that usually enjoys reading a lot more, this is difficult to admit. I'm just in a reading slump of sorts. I can't wait for it to pass. Please, reading Gods, help me get back into reading again!
Anyway, here is what I read in April of 2008.
17. Getting the Boot (S.A.S.S) by Peggy Guthart Strauss 04/03/08
18. The Places In Between by Rory Stewart 04/18/08
19. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld 4/23/08
First up, is Getting the Boot, part of the Students Across Seven Seas series. This is a YA series, but I very much enjoy it. The books revolve around a teen girl studying abroad for a length of time and how the adventures affect her. Generally speaking, they are all great. This one wasn't a favorite for me though. The main character wasn't as likable overall, but it was still a fun read. This particular character was a little more rebellious than the typical SASS girl. I found that interesting and annoying at times. I liked the realism of a rebellious teen because it's quite common, but I also found it mildly annoying at times because I want these strong female protagonists to be better than that. I hated seeing her waste so much time on a jerk of a boy. Actually, that's a big part of what I didn't like about this one. Normally, the girls in these novels have some sort of boy character that plays an important part. But, at the end, the girls realize that they don't need a boy in order to be successful or better in any way. Of course, the main character in this one comes to the same conclusion, but not before wasting half of the book with him and getting into trouble because of him. Annoying! But, like I said, she eventually figures it all out and the ending is satisfying.
Oy. Next up, I read The Places In Between by Rory Stewart. I had high hopes for this book. Perhaps, my hopes were a little too high though because man, this book disappointed me. The premise is that Rory wants to walk across Afghanistan, following the route of a 15th century emperor. He begins his journey in 2002, which was during a tumultuous time of great change in Afghanistan. I wanted to gain a better understanding of the country and its people while reading this book, but sadly, I didn't really get that at all. I felt like I was getting a detached, unemotional play by play of an epic journey. There was a serious lack of information throughout the book. While the author mentions intimate details about his dysentery, he rarely gave anything else much thought. The book really needed some commentary or something. Oh well. Not every book can be a winner, right?
Finally, I read Pretties by Scott Westerfeld. I love this YA series! Book 2 was not a disappointment in the least. It left me wanting more. I'm not usually a big fan of futuristic/science fiction- like books, but this series is fantastic! I highly recommend that people of all ages give it a shot. It will give you a lot to think about as an adult. What would you do if you found yourself in Tally's position? I don't want to get too into a synopsis though because it's difficult to explain. Also, if you do decide to give the series a try, start with book 1 or you'll be quite confused.
Favorite book read: Pretties, of course!
Least Favorite book: The Places In Between
Number of books read April 2008: 3 (...sigh...)
Number of books read April 2007: 5
