Just Lauren

Both last year and this year I signed up for a reading challenge through Goodreads. This year I set out to read 25 books in 2016. It’s been a great goal as it’s “forced” me to read more frequently. I’ve read some good books so far (17 total this year) and thought I’d share some of them for those looking for suggestions (cause, you know, there aren’t whole sites dedicated to this).

You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost): by Felicia Day

Over the past 1 ½ years I’ve read four autobiographies and one biography. Felicia Day’s book is by far the best one. I probably like it best because it’s the one I can relate to the most. But even outside of that, this book is interesting and funny. A quick read, Felicia talks about her childhood and how she became the Queen of the Nerds (spoiler: it wasn’t on purpose). Learning about her struggles was so inspiring that she’s part of the reason I’m blogging more often. Bonus: you get to see pictures of Felicia as a little kid and it’s adorable.  

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time: by Mark Haddon

Written from the perspective of Christopher, a high school student with autism, the reader tags along as he goes on an adventure all because he’s trying to figure out who killed his neighbor’s dog. The story may sound bland but it’s quite interesting, mainly because it’s a small glimpse into the life of an autistic person. Is it realistic? I don’t know, but I enjoyed it.

Elantris: by Brandon Sanderson

This is a full on fantasy book but not the kind you’d expect. There aren’t any dragons, elves, or taverns in this book. Instead there is only magic, and a strange magic at that. A group of people who used to be almost on the same level as gods are now cursed to live in filth and pain in their once beautiful city. What caused this to happen? No one knows but the characters from across the world and society search for the answer and more. The world and characters are interesting and the story moves at a great pace. Some books struggle with capturing the reader from the beginning, this book is not one of them. I thought I was tired of the fantasy genre until I read this book.

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August: by Claire North

A man discovers that when he dies he is reborn again as a baby, right back with the same parents and life. The story spans across his first fifteen lives (hence the title) and the havoc that he and others like him create in the world. The concept of a person living the same life over and over is intriguing, especially the idea that you could make different decisions, live your life differently based on what you learned in a previous life. The book is by no means perfect (the main character breaks two of the more important rules of his kind, which is an easy cop out for the author and a major plot point) but it is such a different story than I normally read that I was able to look past the imperfections.