(Random) Reminiscent Reads (5)

Reminiscent Reads is a feature that Cait at A Life Like Mine and I started recently to showcase the books we have read before starting our blogs. From time to time we will choose a few, good/bad, related/not, and do a mini-review explaining a little bit about the plot and our overall opinions.

This Reminiscent Reads post (as already stated in the title) is of the Random variety. The only thing tying these books together is the criterion that I chose them from some of my most recently read books, ergo, ones that I read right before I started my blog, and that do not already have full reviews. So they should be fresh in my mind. Let's see how that goes...

KEEPING FAITH by JODI PICOULT

♥♥♥♥

Having so many people around me that love everything Jodi Picoult (seriously, there is practically a religion based off this woman), and loving The Pact so much, I decided to pick up this touching story carrying themes of religion, faith healing, romance, and family. Jodi Picoult always writes flawlessly and genuinely, and this book was no exception. I feel like Picoult can write about any topic, and do so effortlessly and beautifully. Keeping Faith was something different on every page, and I highly recommend it.

THE OTHER GIRL by SARAH MILLER

♥♥♥

Being the sequel to one of my favourite books from High School, Inside the Mind of Gideon Rayburn, I thought that The Other Girl was sure to deliver the same humour and uniqueness in the face of modernly amateur yet choosy telepathy. The book just didn’t quite get there for me. I don’t know if it’s due to the fact that I have grown out of said shallow humour, but the book just seemed so silly and immature. There were still some funny parts, but I found myself really not rooting for the heroine and her beau, since the relationship just seemed silly, and the obstacles not worthy of literature. The Other Girl is not one of my favourites (that’s for sure), but I can see some young audiences enjoying the seemingly middle school drama.

EVERMORE by ALYSON NOEL

♥♥♥½

Evermore, the debut novel of the Immortals series by Alyson Noel, sat on my shelf (and booklist, for that matter) for so long. I am a huge fan of Noel’s work, and as such, enjoyed this fun, paranormal installment as well. I have read so many paranormal vampire, angel, voodoo-whatever, books in my time, and yet this one still seemed fresh-if slightly predictable-and worth it! I really can’t believe how Noel can write about so many diverse topics, and do so thoroughly and brilliantly. I really cannot wait to pick up the rest of the series, which I believe is now concluding after a whopping 6 books!

VIXEN by JILLIAN LARKIN

♥♥♥♥

Marking the first of many modern books written about the period of the Roaring 20’s (sadly The Great Gatsby need not apply) I read Vixen on a whim when I saw it’s fantastical cover at Chapters! The novel follows many characters who are unique and independent, yet whose events are interestingly intersecting at every turn, and whose stories also end abruptly, to be resumed in the next installment of The Flappers series. Having read the first in the Anna Godbersen Bright Young Things series shortly after, I see that this era is very interesting, though it does boast of events that are already well known, and hard to make exclusive, to some degree. The two series are pretty similar but I seemed to be promised dynamic differences within the pages of Vixen and I will surely pick up the sequel, Ingenue, when it comes out next month.

THE SWEET, TERRIBLE, GLORIOUS YEAR
I TRULY, COMPLETELY LOST IT
by LISA SHANAHAN

♥♥♥

I actually didn’t remember much about this book until I refreshed my mind with the summary. Which is usually not really a good sign. But what I do remember is this: a funny book that has amazing language (I think it’s set in Australia), dynamic characters, and hysterical events. The plot follows a girl whose family is pretty strange, her sister is marrying into a ridiculous family (making her wear a ridiculous swan bridesmaid dress), and she falls for a pretty not-so-run-of-the-mill guy. This is of course the formula for the makings of a pretty good, if light-hearted book. It’s not a deep read by any means, but I do assert that there are some underlying themes that would be good for any young reader to pick up on.

Hope I've persuaded someone to read some of these worthwhile histoires just in time for vaction season. I think all of them would make great beach reads!

Read on, friends--Cheers & Enjoy♥