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

I Read: The Witches

The Witches by Roald Dahl

This is the Roald Dahl novel (besides Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) that I thought I remembered the most, but it turns out I didn't really remember it at all. This is actually pretty disturbing, and I can't imagine reading this as a kid and thinking it was entertaining. I would have been petrified as a child and would have likely been paranoid about Witches from that point on. 

Thankfully, I didn't really remember it, and it does follow the tradition of Dahl novels where the "bad guy" gets it in the end, in some way or another. And usually not in a way that you would necessarily guess. They always leave you with that slightly weird twist that makes you keep thinking about the story. 

#87-2021

I Read: Odin's Ravens

Odin's Ravens by K.L. Armstrong & Melissa Marr

(Book Two in The Blackwell Pages)

The second book in a series is generally pretty boring. They've set up the conflict in the first book and they finish with an epic battle/love story or whatever in the third book, but in the second book, you're kind of just plodding along picking up pieces. 

I can't feel much differently about this one, unfortunately. There are some interesting developments, absolutely there are. But for the most part, we're just setting up events for the third book - some interesting Norse mythology moments aside. 

#85-2021

I Read: The Boys

The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family by Ron Howard & Clint Howard

This is a beautiful memoir of a normal family in a crazy industry. Opie Taylor, Mark Wedloe, Leon, Richie Cunningham. The story behind the characters is even more interesting than the shows they appeared in. 

This book almost reads like its own television show. There is some drama and some antics (from Hee-hee man especially) and even a lesson or two sprinkled in for good measure. Written alternately in Ron's or Clint's voices in nice digestible chunks with the occasional sidebar to give us a glimpse at the still existing brotherly relationship. This is the Hollywood memoir that we needed. Even if we didn't know we needed it.