December 2018 Wrap Up (The Last One)

I've been making these posts consistently since the middle of 2014. Those posts were cringy but believe me I was having a great time. Over the years I have talked about every book I've read. In a way these posts were mostly for me because I wanted to remember how I felt about books. I also wanted to share that love with others. In the few years that I have done this I have never missed a post...not once. Have they been a little late or super late...yes. While I have loved writing these posts I think it is time to stop. Writing these posts are not a burden in any way. I just find that maybe others are not enjoying these as much as I am writing them. Because of that I might do something different. Instead of doing monthly wrap ups I may do an end of the year post where I talk about all the books that I read. That may not have been manageable when I was reading eighty books in one year but now I barely read forty. I have no idea if that is something I'm going to pursue. I guess we'll see at the end of 2019.

1. She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb (1.5/5)

“Here is a girl who is pretty in a quiet way. I bet she's had a very sad life.”

Meet Dolores Price. She's thirteen, wise-mouthed but wounded, having bid her childhood goodbye. Beached like a whale in front of her bedroom TV, she spends the next few years nourishing herself with the Mallomars, potato chips, and Pepsi her anxious mother supplies. When she finally rolls into young womanhood at 257 pounds, Dolores is no stronger and life is no kinder. But this time she's determined to rise to the occasion and give herself one more chance before really going belly up.

In this extraordinary coming-of-age odyssey, Wally Lamb invites us to hitch a wild ride on a journey of love, pain, and renewal with the most heartbreakingly comical heroine to come along in years. At once a fragile girl and a hard-edged cynic, so tough to love yet so inimitably lovable, Dolores is as poignantly real as our own imperfections. She's Come Undone includes a promise: you will never forget Dolores Price.

This is probably one of the worst books I've ever read. 

This book was written over twenty years ago and it has not aged well. I can understand how twenty years ago this book may have been considered 'groundbreaking'. This is a book about a girl with a binge eating disorder and a very tragic life. The problem is that it was written a man who knows nothing about being a thirteen year old girl or a woman in general. The main character Dolores Price was not likable or relatable in anyway. The way that her character is written falls flat in every section of her life. She never stands up for herself, she's incredibly rude and often callous. There is nothing wrong with writing about eating disorders or obesity but if you're going to write about those topics make sure that it is done with sincerity and decency. What's so frustrating is that this book could have been good. It feels like the character learns nothing by the end of the book and the only thing that changes about her is her weight. 

2. Geekerella, Ashley Poston 4/5

“It's easier to be who you want to be when you aren't trying to be who everyone thinks you are”

Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom. Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first. Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

This is an adorable retelling of Cinderella. This was a book that had been on my shelf for a while and I needed to pick it up. I really did like this book because it was relatable. As someone who considers herself to be a fangirl it is always nice to read a book about fangirls. While this book was cute I wish that the two love interests could have met sooner. The only reason that they know each other is because they have each other's phone numbers. They obviously didn't get to know each other till the end of the book and it was adorable. It was also a reminder that the book would have been better if they met each other sooner. I can't complain that it was a super fast read and wonderfully predictable.

3. This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story, Kheryn Callender 3/5

“I’m realizing it doesn’t really matter if we have a happy ending or not. We’re happy right now. That’s the important part, right?”

Nathan Bird doesn’t believe in happy endings.

Although he’s the ultimate film buff and an aspiring screenwriter, Nate’s seen the demise of too many relationships to believe that happy endings exist in real life.

Playing it safe to avoid a broken heart has been his MO ever since his father died and left his mom to unravel—but this strategy is not without fault. His best-friend-turned-girlfriend-turned-best-friend-again, Florence, is set on making sure Nate finds someone else. And in a twist that is rom-com-worthy, someone does come along: Oliver James Hernández, his childhood best friend.

After a painful mix-up when they were little, Nate finally has the chance to tell Ollie the truth about his feelings. But can Nate find the courage to pursue his own happily ever after?

I had such high hopes for this book. I did end up enjoying this book but it definitely fell a little flat. This is a book about two childhood friends who fall in love. This book takes a more 'realistic' take on teen romance and I understand why some people like it. That's not why I read romance books though. I can appreciate and understand why the author did what they did but I was not here for it. There was also another character that should not have been a huge part of the story. If anything she was more of a distraction and made the story a little unfocused. It also detracted from the relationship between the two best friends/couple. The main character is also somewhat frustrating. At some points his actions make sense and then other times they did not and came out of left field. The ending was also somewhat disappointing. I think more than anything this was not the book for me but I'm sure other people could enjoy it.

DFTBA

-AB