I Read: Esio Trot & Billy and the Minpins

Esio Trot and Billy and the Minpins by Roald Dahl

Finishing up the Roald Dahl box set, with two that I've read before. I really do kind of love Esio Trot, because it's sort of a sweet story. (I also love the wordplay of the title.)

But really, how does he live with all those tortoises?

Billy and the Minpins is kind of a fluffy story for me. There's not much spectacularly interesting about it, though it is an enjoyable read. I'm sure parents don't love the idea that this proves it's not always important to follow the rules, but overall it's also a cute story. 

#95-2021 & #96-2021

I Read: Because It's Christmas

Because it's Christmas by Kathryn Shay

Heading into the Christmas season, this one was a free download on my Kobo app, so I grabbed it as a quick read. I needed a bit more seasonal joy as the month of December started. 

It's a typical Harlequin-style romance and is apparently the second in a series. I don't imagine the first book is seasonal like this one, but I also don't really have any intention of reading any more of the series. It was enjoyable, but I wasn't captivated enough to want to know more about the characters. 

Easy-to-read holiday romance - check. Nothing more is required.

#94-2021

I Read: Matilda

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Another Dahl that I remember from childhood. Strangely, I didn't remember as much about this as I thought I did, but something about this story really does catch me in a different way. There's a sentimentality to it, maybe? Or maybe it's the way it wraps up tidily. I don't really know, but I do think I may have to remember to read this again in a few years. 

#93-2021

I Read: Will

Will by Will Smith

Clearly, based on the cover this book is about and by Will Smith. If you couldn't tell by the title, the picture would absolutely give it away. 

I'm not sure exactly why I felt compelled to read this, and immediately after its release too, but I did find it interesting. There's a lot about Will Smith's earlier years that I didn't know anything about. And honestly, I forget how young he was when he first became a known entity. His rise as an actor was not meteoric, but it was well constructed from a publicity and marketing angle. 

It's an interesting book for anyone interested in The Fresh Prince and his journey as a star. 

#92-2021

I Read: A Psalm of Storms and Silence

A Psalm of Storms and Silence by Roseanne A. Brown

(Book 2 in the series)

Of course, I had to read the continuing story after I enjoyed the first book so much. And while I was in a very different headspace than I was a year ago reading the A Song of Wraiths and Ruin it doesn't mean that this one disappointed me.

I found it difficult to follow some of the twists and descriptions, but that's more to do with me than with the book. Every word seems carefully chosen and adds something to the totality of the story. I liked the conclusion, how it wasn't a fully happy ending but it was satisfying. It brought everything to a cohesive end but left space for further stories at the same time.

I wish Brown a continued story career. She seems destined for it.

#91-2021

I Read: Thor's Serpents

Thor's Serpents by Melissa Marr & K.L. Armstrong

(Book Three in The Blackwell Pages)

Oh my gosh!  How do you write about the finale of a trilogy without giving anything away. Obviously, the heroes vanquish their foes, they live happily ever after. But how do they do that?  Not in the way that you would imagine. There's a significant amount more drama to be had before the end. You can't be sure that things will happen in the way that you think, or that they're laid out. 

It was a satisfying conclusion. The epilogue may have been unnecessary, and if necessary it needed to be a little bit more, but otherwise, it was a good way to end the three books. 

#86-2021

 

I Read: Boy & Going Solo

Boy and Going Solo by Roald Dahl

(Two parts that become a significant portion of Dahl's autobiography)

I decided to post about these together because they easily could have been just one book. There's not really a close to the first piece and an open to the next. It's just a continuing memoir. 

Boy is Roald Dahl's story as a child. Or rather, his stories as a child. It's the start of his journey to becoming the crazy children's author he's known for, and it's easy to see where a lot of his inspiration comes from. Even the tiniest details became fodder for one thing or another. It's really interesting to read the autobiography after having read most of the novels because you can pick out the little bits that have become something bigger. 

Going Solo is the continued story, once childhood is passed and life has become more serious. He's gone to his first job, he's away from his family, and later he goes to war. His experiences are still extraordinary, but there's less to be pulled for amusing children's stories. There is definitely trauma and drama and it's amazing that Dahl was able to come through these experiences at all, never mind with his imagination and wonder still intact. 

#88-2021 & 89-2021