Confessions of a Serial Dater

It stumbled across this book over seven years ago. As is often the case in my life, I was early to meet someone. Luckily we'd arranged for our meeting place to be the bookstore, so I searched the shelves looking for a book to pass the next twenty minutes or so. I found a book that looked fun, silly, and perfect for passing the time.

How could I resist?

At the time my reading habits were very different than they are now. I mostly purchased non fiction; ancient history was my subject du jour. When I needed a fiction pick me up, I did some re-reading. Harry Potter and a selection from the Sweet Valley franchise got me through my early twenties, with some trashy Jackie Collins thrown in for kicks. This was my first flirtation with a genre that I would not only love, but strive to write. Chick-Lit.

Needless to say, seven years ago I adored this book. I read seventy pages, met my friend, left, returned to a different bookstore, finished the book, purchased it, and read it again once I got home. This became my back up book, the one that I would read when I needed to go to bed, or needed entertainment during Jury Duty.

In fact, when I found it in a box during the big move, it still had my Jury Duty information as a bookmark.

I last had Jury Duty in 2006, to give you a bit of perspective.

The other evening I decided to reread the book and I wondered, how would it hold up? Now that I was back on the fiction wagon, and reading book after book. Now that I was well versed in the world of British Chick-Lit, and understood the devices traditionally found within the genre.

As I read, I vividly remembered passages. The characters were still likeable, charming, and compelling. The book's weak points were more obvious this time around. I could do with further character development on some of the friends (which is often the case with me.) Some aspects of the story felt rushed, others felt sloppy. The antagonist's motivations were never clear to me, but this may have been a deliberate choice. Some people are just cold hearted, as this character appeared to be. As I did at the time, I found this book to be misnamed. The character is not a serial dater, not for the genre, and not for real life.

Revisiting this book is like finding a photo album of your youth. You expect to be embarrassed by your fashion choices, but instead you simply see a younger version of youself. If this had been my first read, Michelle Cunnah's book would easily receive four out of five stars.

I'm still here

Life has changed a lot since I started this blog. I moved 500 miles away from my friends and family. I've started two jobs since then. I started a graduate program, studying the very subject that this blog is about.

And yes, I'm still reading.

I never did the Harry Potter reread that I planned. I started and stopped more books than I care to admit (okay, not a ridiculous amount, but I don't like not finishing books).

Now that I've moved, I'm on the search for my new bookstore. I used to work next to a Barnes & Noble, and would spend tip money before I got to my car. There's a former Borders near my apartment, full of bargain books. It's not my new bookstore. I checked out Books Inc downtown, and it was fabulous, but inconvenient.

I ordered a few books from Amazon this weekend. I'll get back to reviewing next week.

In the meantime, I may have gone away for a while, but I'm back.

Well, I'll be back soon.

Checking in

Again it seems as though I've ignored this blog, turned it away as I move through book after book. This month it's simply that I've yet to read a book that's caused me to scream YES READ THIS!!! Mostly the books of July have disappointed me, leaving me wanting more. I may blog about the trilogy I'm planning to finish tonight. Only time will tell.

I have five books next to me, calling out my name, and plan to do an eight week Harry Potter reread. I'd hoped to start on August first, but I may hold out until September.

The question is, if none of these books impress me over the next few days, what will I recommend for July?

Best of June

I've been lagging on posting this for over a week now. Not for any logical reason, like I've been torn on what books to recommend. No, while there were personal debates, these were solved while driving to work. In those moments where I was quietly alone, and able to contemplate. Rather the very task of putting fingers to keys seemed out of my reach. I'd like to blame the new kitten, a less than three month old black and white ball of energy, who is obsessed with my laptop and likes to pounce while I type.

In truth though, it's been my own general laziness that has kept me from blogging. A pathetic realization, but the truth nonetheless.

I've decided to close each month with a recommendation or two from the month. In June I was blessed to read quite a few good books (as well as some lesser offerings that I did not blog about).

My first recommendation is without a doubt I Am The Messenger. This book was a fantastic read, and I wanted to reread it almost immediately. Markus Zusak is a fascinating writer, with a style all his own. This book was easy to devour.

My second recommendation is what I debated on for a while. Initially I planned to have a longer list, but I realized that's silly. I've already blogged about the books I enjoyed the most. The question then became, which book from June would I most like to pass on to you, my friends? After a lot of thought, I went with the charming A Vintage Affair. This book combined a love of clothes, with stories about learning to love, and learning to let go. While it wasn't flawless, it was an enjoyable read with a lot of heart.

July has gotten to a slow start. The books have yet to draw me in the way that June's books did. Still, I am reading constantly, and that's what matters.

What books have you read recently that you recommend?

Pacing

I've read quite a few books over the past few weeks. With most television programs in hiatus, I find myself reading even more than usual. And lately I've been thinking a lot about the pacing of a book. When does a book move too quickly? When does it move too slow? And, in truth, I'm not sure there's a set answer.

There are some books where the plot moves quickly (such as the recently adored A Vintage Affair), and it works well for the book. The main character still gets properly developed, and I never wonder exactly how we got from point A to point B. Even as the plot moves, I'm inside the character's head.

In others, such as the one I'm reading now, each chapter moves the plot along at almost an alarming speed. In one chapter we learn that the character suffers from bipolar disorder, within thirty pages he's checked into a mental hospital, and is out again two short chapters later. And I'm not even at the 100 page mark! It's too soon to judge if this is a flaw in the book, but based on previous experiences, I believe that it is.

One of the worst books I've read in recent history suffered from a rapidly moving plot. Within the twenty pages (of a 300+ page book) the main character broke off her engagement, and never thought about it again. Instead she met new characters, started a new life, and didn't seem to remember that she broke up with someone the day of her wedding. A reader who came into the book at chapter fifteen couldn't even talk with someone who was on chapter three. Too much happened on each page, with little characterization to accompany the plot.

On the flip side, sometimes plots just drag on forever. Another book I read recently, a very well written book, suffered from this issue. Each chapter felt like a chore, because in the end nothing happened other than the character thinking deep thoughts while pouring a glass of juice. In the next chapter, they'd think the same thoughts, while putting up their curtains. It was tiring to read.

In short, I'm not sure what exactly is my pace preference. I like the plot to move at a steady rate, but I also like the characters to stop and think every once and a while. I like my characters to be introspective, and taking action.

What do you prefer? Do you like books where the plot is changing on every page? Do you prefer introspective books where little happens, but the character study is remarkable? Or, like me, are you a fan of something in the middle, making it difficult at times to find the right book?

The Imperfectionists

I mentioned in another post that sometimes I like to give myself some time before reviewing a book. I wasn't always this way. In my blog's previous life I tried to post my review immediately, hoping to document my point of view before I grew tainted by the reviews of others. But I've found that some books need to age, and that sometimes my initial reaction doesn't accurately describe how I feel about the book.

A few days ago I finished The Imperfectionists, by Tom Rachman. This book features not one overall story, but rather a series of short stories involving characters connected to a foreign English language newspaper. The stories are connected, as the characters are all connected to one another, but each one works as a stand alone.

If I had to think of a way to describe this book, it would be disillusionment. Each character faces their own example of disillusionment. In the final segment, I feel that the one most disillusioned was myself. More than the other dark stories, that one shattered my faith in the characters. In the world Rachman created.

I think my favorite story was an earlier piece, about an older gentleman and his boyhood friend. He thinks the world of his boyhood friend, and expects great things from him. He still idealizes the friend, using the rose colored glasses that only our oldest friends wear.

Why disillusionment, I wonder. Is it reflective of the life of a journalist? One who goes into the business because of a love of news, only to discover how unstable a business it is these days? Or, is the theme of disillusionment more personal? Is it simply the disillusionment we all face at a certain point in our lives? Is it inevitable for something to shake us to our core?

Unlike critics, I'm not sure that I'll be rereading this. Not because I disliked it - it was very well done - but rather because parts are a bit too painful, and Rachman's gift is that he can bring the pain to life.

Needless to say, I followed this book up with latest offering in Vampire romance, and have next to me what appears to be the epitome of a summer read. Only time will tell.

My family knows me well

For my 30th birthday last month, I received quite a few gift cards for bookstores. It looks like even the Amazon gift cards will be going toward books. So far I've been staggering the cards out, buying a pile of books then burning through them before purchasing the next pile. Today I went on a bit of a binge, and purchased four more books.

What items do you binge on? Clothes? Make-up? Music? What store can you always find something to spend money on?