Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

This weekend, I was completely without wifi and access to the internet (okay, I had some access. But I only used it for emails.), so I had plenty of time to catch up on some reading. I’m still slowly but surely making my way through A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, which is amazing, but to give myself something new to work on, I read Persepolis, which I’d heard a lot of good things about.

In the past I haven’t been super into graphic novels, for whatever reason, but I’ve been starting to get into them. I’m glad this one was one of the first I read, because it set the bar pretty high; it was both funny and educational, without being super preachy.

               

The rundown: This is Marjane Strapi’s first of four autobiographical graphic novels (and there are more in the works) about growing up in Iran through several years of the Islamic Revolution. It juxtaposes the tension and fear during those years with downright funny anecdotes of her younger years, stories everyone will recognize in themselves. There are stories like the time she got pulled over by the women’s branch of the Guardians of the Revolution:

Or the time she went protesting with her parents:

All of which give a great insight into the events which were happening at the time (and now) as well as the life of a relatable young girl.

I highly recommend this to any level of reader; even though for some younger readers it might be difficult to completely wrap their minds around some of the political events that went by so quickly at the beginning of the novel (I even had a little trouble), I don’t think it in any way impedes the essence of the book or the messages it portrays.

Definitely going to pick up the sequels. 4/5

Books that Scared the (Poop Emoji) Out Of Me

I'm a bit of a wuss, but I always end up reading books that scare the pants off of me and seriously force me to reconsider getting a nightlight. Here are some of the books that have haunted (heh heh) me after I've read them: 

Coraline

GoodBYE this cover is so creepy.  

My roommate’s obsessed with this book, but it traumatized me. I read it at an “appropriate” age, but I think even as an adult this book would probably still give me recurring nightmares. If you’re into goosebumps-inducing books with female protagonists, this’ll probably be right up your alley. I haven’t seen the movie adaptation because I’m still too scared of it, but my roommate will probably convince me to watch it eventually.

The Lovely Bones

Surprisingly, I like the movie-book cover better than the original book cover. 

This book—and its subsequent movie—are both terrifying and horrifying (and not just because Stanley Tucci plays a kidnapper/murderer/rapist/dollhouse maker—this is not a spoiler). Definitely read the book first, (1) because that’s always a good rule of thumb and (2) because I don’t want Stanley Tucci making it difficult for you to imagine the murderer and (3) because I said so, that’s why. *

The Name of the Star

He may be a murderer, but get a load of that top hat. 

So, Maureen Johnson is known for her YA books. This one is still YA, but oh man oh man is it different from anything she’s written so far (three words: Jack. The. Ripper.). I read this when I was babysitting alone which was a terrible idea. The book’s got two of my favorite things, historical fiction and a female protagonist, and it’s good (so good that my Sister Who Hates to Read was asking me when the sequel was going to come out—the answer was February 2013, and I still haven’t read it. Oof.). The third book just came out in February, so hopefully I’ll get through most of my self-prescribed summer reading list to get to those two. 

Rebecca

The copy I have (above) makes it look like a romance novel, which would have been very misleading had I not already read it. 

Alright, so you’ve probably already read/seen this one, but I re-read it over the summer (it was one of my inappropriately-dark beach reads) and it still holds up. I wish I could read it fresh, not knowing what is going to happen (no spoilers, promise), but as it was, I still really enjoyed it even though I knew the ending. Also, the Alfred Hitchcock movie that came out of Rebecca is pretty durn good, too, but as is usually the case, the book was better.  

The Magic Toyshop

I already did a little synopsis/review-y thing on this one, but it’s still creepyscary and so it goes on the list. It’s got that Gothic, haunted-house-y thing going on, but the real creepiness (like in Rebecca) comes from the people inside. I’ve had this book finished for a while and have talked about it with other people that have read it and I’m still not really sure how I feel about the end, or Finn, who is either the worst or the best, depending on who you talk to. If you’re not convince this isn’t scary enough, look at one edition’s cover:

 

UM  NO THANK YOU

*Also, I just want to reiterate that Stanley Tucci plays the murderer. It’s unnerving.  

Historical Fiction Part 1: World War I

Historical fiction is the shiz. Growing up in Virginia (especially in an area close to places like Williamsburg and Jamestown), I was always learning something new about history, and I ate it all up. As I started moving into the upper-level bookshelves at my local library, I came across the historical fiction section, which blew my twelve-year-old mind. It was history like I hadn’t read it before. And I was in love.

So I’m starting a recurring… bloggy… thing (the technical term for it) about historical fiction and all there is to know (and love) about it. Maybe some posts will be about specific historical time periods, like this one, but others will be about authors (I’m comin’ for you, Ann Rinaldi) or genres like YA historical fiction or specifically female and/or minority writers of the genre. Anyhoo… books about World War I. The Great War. The War to End All Wars. Let’s do this:

All Quiet on the Western Front—Erich Maria Remarque

"The GREATEST WAR NOVEL of ALL TIME." Okay, drama queen.

Yeah, that’s right, I’m starting with the obvious. Because you’ve heard of this book, you probably read it in high school (along with A Farewell to Arms), you probably looked up the summary on SparkNotes because you had an AP-Biology test the same week and couldn’t work on both projects at once, and you didn’t know that you were missing out on one of the best historical fiction books ever (I’m being a little dramatic, but only a little). This book is amazing, and beautiful, and painful as all-get-out. And it’s also pretty irreverent; you’ve got these soldiers sitting on boxes in a beautiful field, surrounded by sunshine, flowers, birds, rainbows, and unicorns (again, dramatic), and they’re ignoring it all because they’ve all got diarrhea and they just want to smoke and play cards and poop in their boxes (there’s a rummy/runny pun in here somewhere). It’s got a little of everything, and it’s got such a strong voice, I can never set it down.

Not So Quiet…-- Helen Zenna Smith

Come here often?

The apparent story behind this novel is that Smith (a pseudonym for author Evadne Price) was told by her editor to write a satirical piece of All Quiet. Smith realized what a jerk move that would be and instead wrote an even more heart wrenching and agonizing book than the one she was supposed to be spoofing. The novel, written from a female ambulance driver’s perspective, is based on the (now lost) diaries of Winifred Young. Personally, I think this book might be even better than All Quiet, even though Remarque had seen action and Price had not. Definitely read this one, but save it for after All Quiet if you’re planning on reading them both.

The Forbidden Zone—Mary Borden

This one is kiiiiiiiiinda weird but also insanely good. Borden was a nurse in the “forbidden zone,” the stretch of land right behind the front lines. As she explains, one can never really explain these experiences of trauma that soldiers and nurses alike experience, but she attempts to depict some of the feelings she encountered and the people she tried (and sometimes failed) to save. There’s some poetry, some short stories, and some pieces in between the two.

The Return of the Soldier—Rebecca West

I miraculously got this gorgeous cover instead of the creepy editions of blurred human faces.

This one actually doesn’t directly deal with WWI; it’s about a woman, Jenny, living with her cousin (who she maybe… probably… is in love with?) and his wife (who he definitely is not in love with). When her cousin, Chris, returns from war with complete amnesia demanding to see a woman they’ve never heard on, each character must face the consequences of the secrets they’ve been telling each other and themselves before the war even began. Jenny is a fascinating character all on her own; it’s hard to tell whether she wants to be Chris and/or his mistress or if she wants to be in a relationship with them (or both?). It’s a short, fast read but sprinkled throughout the fascinating plot is some beautiful descriptions of the countryside, which I’m always a sucker for.

I’m gonna put the next three together:

Poetry of the First World War: An Anthology

The Collected Poems of Wilfred Owen

Women, Men and the Great War:An Anthology of Stories

These are all collections of short stories and poems surrounding World War I. Wilfred Owen is an especial favorite of mine; he “studied” under established poet Siegfried Sassoon during their stay in a mental rehabilitation hospital (long story) during the war. His poetry is indescribably good. If you don’t want to read the whole collection, just read “Dulce Et Decorum Est.” Better yet, watch this video of Jake Gyllenhaal reading it out loud to you. That’s right, now you’re hooked.

More historical fiction posts coming your way soon!

Balancing Bookloads: Tricks to Navigate Your Book Piles

It’s fun being an English major. I get to read and talk about books with other people who love them just as much as I do. I’ve gotten to find out a ton about my own reading habits and likes/dislikes, just from reading the assigned novels from class.

On the other hand, though, it’s tough to juggle reading for class and reading for fun. Sure, reading for class can be interesting, but I’ve also got a “to-read” pile that’s taller than I am (and climbing). Although I’ve never been someone who minded reading several books at once (in fact, I prefer it), sometimes there’s just not enough time in the day to get all of it done.

So how do keep up with fun reading while still balancing schoolwork (especially if you’re majoring in a reading-heavy curriculum like English)? These are the tricks I’ve used to navigate the sea of books I have to read:  

Short books

There are, like, no pictures of this book cover online.

This one’s probably pretty obvious, but since a lot of my assigned readings are longer, I’ve stuck to the shorter books when I’m crunched for time. Little novels (or novels with bigger text) are great for a quick, relaxing read without the stress of balancing more than one book at a time. I’d recommend something like Texts from Jane Eyre, or maybe even a collection of short stories or poems.

Books about subjects I’m interested in

Again, this one is obvious. But sometimes I’ll read a book because someone recommended it, or because I think I should read it, and it takes longer than I think it should, or I put it down and never go back to it. I’ve started saving books like that for periods of time when I don’t have a lot of work to do (so… summer…), and instead I focus on the books I know will hold my interest. For me, this is anything from YA novels that have just come out (lookin’ at you, Allegiant), or historical fiction books that I’ve been waiting to read. One such book that I recently finished was The Glass Castle, which I highly recommend. It's kind of sad, though. Which leads me to...

Fun books

DUH, you say. CLEARLY when I’m reading for fun I want a FUN BOOK. But here’s the thing: a lot of times you start reading only to find that there’s way deeper stuff happening in the book than it says on the dust jacket. That’s awesome. That is, in fact, what you expect to happen. Sometimes, though, you don't want angsty-stuff weighing down your spirits. So instead, read the books that you know won’t have any angst, books that will give your overworked brain a break. Think Bossypants. Think Hyperbole and a Half. Stuff like that.

Relevant books

Remember me?

Still in school? Try looking for books that are relevant to whatever you’re talking about in class. Once you’ve gotten into the mindset of a certain theme or topic, it’s sometimes easier to read a book along those lines. Take me and the perfect, incomparable novel The God of Small Things, for example. Then again, you might just want to give your brain a break and read something unrelated to your life, like Gone Girl. At least, I hope Gone Girl isn’t related to your life.  

Books I’ve already read

Can't stop won't stop. 

I’m a monster about re-reading, which my grandma is oh-so-quick to point out every time she visits and I've got the same book in my hands. Sure, I’ve got that ever-growing to-read list on Goodreads, but I’m gonna revisit my $1 paperback copy of Cheaper by the Dozen anyway. Sometimes, the only way to unwind is to pick up an old favorite that you know is gonna make you feel better. Embrace that feeling. Revel in it. And then go buy and read a copy of The God of Small Things, because seriously, guys, that book is friggin’ amazing. 

A Heckuva Lot of Books by YouTubers

So, when I got the idea to write this post, I didn’t quite realize how many people from YouTube had actually written (and published) books. A lot. The answer is a lot.

Obviously, I haven’t read all of them (I only watch a few of the YouTubers that are on this list), but I wrote reviews for the ones I have read, and just listed the rest (maybe I'll add them to the to-read pile?). Let’s get started:

Girl Online—Zoe Sugg

Okay, I’ll admit it: I only read part of this one. There was this big to-do with whether or not Sugg actually wrote the book or if she had a ghost writer (both she and the alleged ghost writer have since said that they co-wrote it). Due to all the ~drama~, I set this one down and haven’t returned to it. But from what I gathered, it was turning out to be a cute read that dealt with a lot of heavy stuff I know Sugg’s pre-teen and teen audience will appreciate (see: panic attacks and anxiety). Also, the cover/inside flaps are adorable. Like, completely and perfectly adorable (see: polka dots).  

The next three are getting put together, as they are part of the (blasphemously?) named YouTube Holy Trinity:

My Drunk Kitchen: AGuide to Eating, Drinking, and Going With Your Gut—Hannah Hart

This one I did read, and it was hilarious and perfect. I’ve casually watched Hart’s videos for a while, and her voice was prevalent and unique and everything I had wanted. I haven’t actually tried out the recipes—some of them more experimental than others—but the advice she offers and the jokes (puns!) she makes made this one of my favorites. It is now on display on my counter with the rest of my cookbooks. Hart’s working on her second book now (apparently very different from the first), so I’m excited to see where the next one will take her.

Grace’s Guide: The Artof Pretending to Be a Grownup—Grace Helbig

Oh man, I love this book. I love it. This is the book I wish I’d had when I was fourteen/fifteen and had no idea what was going on. Again, Helbig’s voice is so clear and strong in this book that it was just like watching one of her videos. It’s hilarious, moving, and witty (again: puns), and goes to some pretty deep places that I wasn’t expecting. I’d definitely recommend it to a younger teenage audience (not sure if adults who don’t watch Helbig’s videos would appreciate it), but in any case, it’s well worth a shot (my lame attempt at a YTHT pun).

Coming Soon: YouDeserve a Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tales of Debauchery—Mamrie Hart

Pre-ordered the crap outta this one. Coming May 2015!

All the John Green books—John Green

Still pissed I got the Katherines cover with the creepy models on it. 

People know him now for The Fault in Our Stars, but I had started following Green and his brother on YouTube as his fourth book (third, not counting one of his collaborations), Paper Towns, was about to debut. For whatever reason, Paper Towns seems to be one of his more popular books, even though it was never one of my favorites. I prefer An Abundance of Katherines (surprisingly enough, even though it deals with so much mathematical mumbo-jumbo), or his first novel, Looking for Alaska. Other books Green has written in collaboration with other authors: Let it Snow (with Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle), Will Grayson Will Grayson (with David Levithan).  

Aaaaaaaaaaand now we come to the part of the post where I become shocked at all the additional books YouTubers have written. I recognize a lot of these names, so maybe somewhere down the line I’ll get the chance to check these out:

A Work in Progress—Connor Franta

The Pointless Book—Alfie Deyes

Love, Tanya—Tanya Burr

The Amazing Book is Not on Fire—Dan and Phil

Self Help—Miranda Sings

Fat Dad, Fat Kid—Shay Carl

In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World—Joey Graceffa

Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success—Online and Off—Michelle Phan

Beneath the Glitter—Elle Fowler

All I Know Now: Wonderings and Reflections on Growing Up Gracefully—Carrie Hope Fletcher

We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a True Story—Josh Sundquist

Just Don’t Fall: How I Grew Up, Conquered Illness, and Made it Down the Mountain—Josh Sundquist

The Glam Guide—Fleur de Force

I’m sure I’ve missed a few, too, so if there are any recommendations for YouTube star-created novels, let me know! 

The Magic Toyshop

Oh man, what do I love more than a young, plucky female protagonist? It’s always refreshing to have one not only in my own personal reading, but in my syllabi at school. I had no idea what to expect when we started The Magic Toyshop, but finding out the protagonist was a spirited fifteen-year-old girl had me ready to dive in.

This book made me even more scared of swans. Thanks, college. 

This book was capital-C Creepy and capital-D Disturbing (what I’m assuming the author was going for). We talked a lot about this book in conversation with Gothic novels—it’s got similar imagery and a literal creepy uncle.

                
What this book does that’s really interesting is that it unabashedly tackles a lot of issues at once without being too overwhelming. There’s the Gothic element, the damsel-in-distress problems (in two characters, interestingly enough), and the “typical” teenage-girl-finding-herself issues. That last one doesn’t seem cliché in this book, though, because Carter writes about Melanie’s problems in such a way that you don’t feel like they’re the same problems you’ve read over and over again.

                
A lot of people in class were pretty disturbed by the protagonist’s blatant ownership of her sexuality. Right off the bat, Melanie (who is fifteen at the beginning of the novel) takes possession of her own body. She’s not ashamed to talk about herself—something that’s refreshing to see. Remember all those Judy Blume books you read as a kid? This is those books, sped up times a hundred and mixed together with a mysterious/creepy/fascinating story of two groups of siblings and their attempts to escape the tyranny of the patriarch of the house.

4/5

Middle Grade vs. Young Adult Fiction

Remember that JRW Conference I wrote about? When I was there I learned, among many other things, that there exists a genre that for some crazy, stupid reason I had never heard of before: middle-grade. 

I'm sure the more savvy book lovers have already come across this term, but for those of you who, like me, haven't heard of it before, here's a very, very basic definition: While YA books are typically made for teenagers aged 13-18, middle-grade is for kids 8-12. Pretty simple, right? But there's a lot more to the distinction between the two, and it's fascinating. And since I would probably take too long to define it, you should absolutely read this awesome, easy-read of an article that aptly defines the differences between the two genres. 

So, anyway, when I first learned what middle-grade was, I was shocked. And also a little pissed off. Why had none of my school libraries mentioned this to me before? Why wasn't there a separate section for middle-grade books in my public library? It might have been that I had just missed it and gone straight to the historical fiction shelf, but somehow I don't think that's the case. If so many books are considered a virtual "stepping stone" between children's lit and YA lit, why don't we hear more of it? 

Am I crazy? Am I the only one who hadn't heard this phrasing before? Obviously I've read tons and tons of middle-grade books-- I just didn't know I was doing it. Let me know what you think!

"To Read" Pile: The Third Twin

Like I’ve said before, part of my 2015 reading resolution is to read more diversely. I've been doing pretty well so far, and luckily for me, there seems to be tons and tons of people posting lists of diverse books of all genres. One of the books I've seen is The Third Twin, which I am super excited to start.

I'm gonna be honest, just looking at the cover makes me nervous. Why do I keep reading thrillers??
Because I'm a monster. That's why. 

First off, this book’s protagonists are Latina twins, which caught my interest immediately, because you know there’s gonna be some awesome sister bonding there (hopefully). According to Diversity in YA, the best thing about the character’s story arc is that it doesn't revolve around their ethnicity—instead, their heritage enhances the story and gives the characters depth.

The plot sounds vaguely terrifying (mostly because I’m a huge baby about scary things); basically, the twins create an imaginary friend/alter ego, “Alicia,” that they use when they don’t want to have to act like themselves, but after a date goes horribly wrong (the boy gets murdered, which is probably, like, the number one thing you don’t want to have happen on a date), their alter ego is in huge trouble. Worst of all, someone—Alicia, or at least someone posing as her—is following them and doing things in “Alicia’s” name.

There’s more to this story, though, and I think it’s important that everyone knows and/or reads about it.

C.J. Omololu, the author of the novel, is currently fighting stage four cancer. Her friends are working to get the message out about this book and its launch. It was officially launched February 24, but you can get it at any of the places listed on her website, or, if you live in Omololu’s hometown of San Francisco, at A Great Good Place for Books.

You can also follow her on Twitter at @cjomololu

My copy is on the way (thanks B&N)! I’ll post about it again once I’m finished. 

The God of Small Things (and also my heart)

You guys, I love this book. I love it. I love it I love it I love it. I’ve written about it really briefly before, but as a re-read, it needs its own post.

This is the edition I found at Chop Suey and I love this cover the best. Weirdly enough I've read my roommate's copy twice and this one... not at all. 

About a year ago, my roommate took a South Asian Lit class in which they read The God of Small Things. She immediately fell in love with it and begged me to read it. Which I did. At the beach. Side note: This is not a beach book.

What it is, though, is a look into the ways in which lives can be—and have been—affected and ruined by some of the policies put forth by British colonialism and the caste system. Roy unabashedly tackles loads of taboo subjects, but she does so in such a mature way that you don’t feel overwhelmed.

One of the cool things about this book is how it’s set up. You’re constantly switching from one narrative in 1969 to one in 1992 without feeling confused or dizzy. The plot moves both quickly and slowly at the same time, teasing you with what will happen while withholding vital and plot-changing information until the end. The voice in this book is unique and powerful; it’s close to how The Book Thief is written, but where The Book Thief is more of a middle-grade/YA/could-be-read-by-adults book, The God of Small Things, I would say, is probably just for adults. 

Interestingly enough, this is the only fictional book by Arundhati Roy (she’s also written nonfiction) and it BLEW. UP. It won a Booker Prize in 1997, was sold in over 21 countries, and Roy received half a million pounds in advances. And it was her first fiction! And she hasn’t written any more! I’m just...!    !    !!!   !!!!!!!!!

Anyway.

I’ve seen a lot of people making resolutions for what they’ll be reading this year. Several people have talked about incorporation women authors, people of color, and contemporary books into their to-read lists—this book checks off all three AND, on top of it, is a well-written and fascinating read.

You can rent it if you want, but I strongly recommend buying. All of the covers are beautiful, and this will definitely be one you’ll want to re-read. 5/5

Kanthapura (A couple weeks late)

Every once in a while when I read a book, while I can appreciate what it’s doing, I just can’t get into it. That’s what Kanthapura was for me—I could fully appreciate the importance and significance of its subject, but for me, something was off.

Why is this image so blurry? We just don't know.

                The novel depicts a fictional town/village in India in the late 1930s. The town is slowly getting introduced to Gandi and his followers. The whole book is written from the perspective of an unnamed female protagonist, an older woman in the village, who connects with the other women there to help push for Gandian policies.

                There were lots of cool things happening in this book. First, since it was published in 1938, the author didn’t know whether or not India would actually become decolonized. It’s interesting to see how he worked his way around that knowledge gap and how he planned and executed his ending to reflect that. It was also really cool to see the female characters taking action in this book. I was surprised to see how much agency they had gained by the end of the novel. It was awesome. I was impressed.

                The difficulty for me was the way the novel was written; since the author was going for a narrative spoken by an older village woman, it gets a little rambly at times. There are also a ton of names, some of which are repeated (and which you’re expected to remember) and others who you’ll never hear from again. It was a similar experience to reading Russian novels with a long list of characters, and it was distracting from some of the other things the novel was doing.

                There were also some moments that didn’t seem that… relevant? I guess? Again, it’s probably because the book is a spoken narrative, but I would get frustrated with the parts where the narrator would get sidetracked. I did like it when the narrator addressed the audience, though: she addresses whoever she’s talking to (the audience, the reader, whoever) as “sister” which added to the cool things the book was doing with gender.

All in all… 3/5 

Your Fave Could Never: Texts From Jane Eyre

After reading some very disturbing short stories for my South Asian Lit class, I took a break and started Texts From Jane Eyre. I was not disappointed.

Usually I get really defensive when people make fun of my favorite books, but in this case, I couldn’t stop laughing. Mallory Ortberg clearly loves the books she’s spoofing, which definitely adds to the flavor and voice of the book. Even though I hadn’t read every novel she covered, I was still amused by every one of them. Part of what made it enjoyable was that she was making fun of the White Male Canon, showing the weaknesses of the characters that some people consider the do-all, end-all of literature. As Ortberg puts it, “The canon is just brimming with so many wonderful, selfish assholes.”

From the Pride and Prejudice chapter, which made my roommate laugh so hard she cried.

One of the weaker parts of the book, I felt, was that a lot of the chapters seemed like they had the same voice. Maybe I can chalk that up to the fact that I breezed through the book (though it’s a nice size, the large font and layout mean it’s actually not as long as I’d thought when I bought it), but it seemed like a lot of the humor lay in USING ALL CAPS for multiple characters, and for one side of the conversation to be the “crazy” lead character talking to the dry, witty side character.

That being said, I love this book and I’m recommending it to anyone who wants a comfortable read about books they love.

4/5

Where to Buy Cheap Textbooks

Since it’s the beginning of a new college semester, and since the high school seniors are receiving their acceptance letters, it’s a good time to make a post about where to get cheap textbooks.

But why? you ask. Can’t I just get my books from the school bookstore? They have everything I need.

Don’t do it, friend.

The first semester my freshman year of college, I did just that: I ordered all my textbooks from the university bookstore. The total came to a little over $300. (I also got a free t-shirt, but that’s beside the point.) Since then, I’ve used these sites, and I’ve saved $100-$200 dollars every semester, money which can be put to better use. Like food. And things from Target.

That being said, here are some great websites to find (cheap!) textbooks. The sites include both used and new books, but honestly, go with the used. The worst that can happen is that the book is already highlighted, which means you get the SparkNotes version if it’s a subject you really don’t care about (Lookin’ at you, Geology).

I’ll start with the obvious: Amazon.

Look, I know Amazon is the do-all, end-all of all evil corporations, but they have an Amazon Student free trial which gives you six months of free shipping. In the long run, since shipping is what ultimately increases the prices of your books (I’ve gotten some books for one cent, only to have to pay much more to physically get the book to my house), this is an awesome idea. Just make sure once your six months are up that you cancel the subscription, unless you want to pay the $49. (Buzzfeed recently did an article about the best ways to save on Amazon, and in it, gave some great tips for students.)

BigWords

This is the website I use the most often because I’m lazy. It searches the most popular used books websites and finds your textbooks at the cheapest prices. The websites usually included in this search are Textbook Rush, Half.com (part of eBay), Amazon, AbeBooks, and a few miscellaneous textbook sites that I only get very rarely. Yes, you’ll have to type your payment info into multiple websites (unless you’ve made an account), but in the long run, it’s going to save you more than if you just buy everything off of Amazon. And sometimes you get free shipping!

ThriftBooks

This is a website I’ve only just recently heard about, but my roommate swears by it. Not only do they have free shipping (YES), but they usually have all the textbooks you need (some books, like those with account codes for foreign language classes, might not be on the site). I’m definitely going to check this out in the fall, when I’m once again stressed out over the amount of money websites take from me over shipping and handling.

That’s all I’ve got so far! I also know of some sites like Powell’s, but I’m not sure if they carry textbooks, or just novels (which would still be good for all you English majors out there). Let me know if there are any good ones I’ve forgotten!

Homework + Miscellaneous

So Texts From Jane Eyre was perfect and hilarious (post to come), but school is now in full swing, which means I have far less time to read for fun/blog. 

Luckily, as an English major, my homework is to read a bunch of novels! (And, you know, other stuff. Like write pages and pages of essays. But we'll focus on the positive here.) So far, we haven't started the novels yet, but in my South Asian Lit class, we've started Mirrorwork, which will be fun (and probably traumatizing. In my experience, South Asian Lit/Postcolonial Lit is usually not very happy). 

I've got a few minutes each morning wherein I can read and relax, so I'm going to be starting The Glass Castle, about which I've heard a lot of really great things. Anyone read it? What'd you think?

Textbooks are expensive (and other thoughts).

School has started, which means I'm a million, gazillion dollars poorer than I was a couple of days ago. Textbooks really hit ya where it hurts. (Good future post?) 

The bright side, though, is now that I'm in my third year of college, I'm only in classes pertaining to my major, which means NOVELS GALORE. 

This semester is gonna be great. I'm going to get to mix it up with stuff I'm posting; I'll even have some poetry on here, interestingly enough. I always forget just how much I love poetry, so this'll be a great refresher AND something to make the blog more... diverse? Interesting? Hip? Probably not hip.  

Also, even though I've got enough schoolwork reading as it is, I started Texts from Jane Eyre, which is hilarious and snarky and irreverent in all the right ways, so expect something about that soon.

Also also, here are my classes this semester, in case you're interested:

• South Asian Literature and Film (We're reading God of Small Things, which is one of my favorite books)
• Modern Poetry
• History of the English Language
• Contemporary British Fiction
• Psycholinguistics

Where'd You Go, Bernadette

OH. MY. GOSH.

YOU. GUYS.

This book is so, so, so good. In the reviews online (and on the book), words like “witty” and “charming” are being thrown around, and even though both of those are completely true, they somehow don’t do the novel justice.

The gist of the book is that Bee, Bernadette’s daughter, is promised “anything she wants” after graduating with a perfect report card: and what she wants is a trip to Antarctica. The day before the trip, Bernadette goes missing; through various letters, emails, and a confidential FBI document, Bee pieces together Bernadette’s past and present and sheds light on some of the reasons Bernadette began to fall apart at the seams.

Though the overall plot of the book (Bernadette’s disappearance) was captivating, it was the relationship between Bee and Bernadette that really got me. I hate to use the word “quirky” at the risk of sounding like a hipster, but that’s the word to describe Bernadette. Her history, coinciding with Bee’s upbringing, led to deep characterization and a thought-provoking read.

Also, it’s funny as heck.

Buy it, rent it, love it.

5/5 

Update #2

Okay, remember my diversity in literature post and how it was woefully lacking of both LGBTQA+ texts and trans* texts? Here's a great article by Kelly Jensen at Book Riot with 3 YA fiction and 3 YA non-fiction trans* books. 

Unrelated side note: I finished Bernadette and now I have to go get Semple's other book. Anyone else read it? Is it any good? 

Update #1

I've got tons and tons of stuff to blog about, but right now I am gobbling up Where'd You Go, Bernadette and everything else in my life has screeched to a halt. 

Except Trivia Crack. I always have time for Trivia Crack. 

"I am, I am, I am": The Bell Jar

(Heads up: this is a trigger warning for depression and suicide).

I go to a university with a highly-ranked English program and an even-higher ratio of women to men. Thus, I’ve heard quite a lot about our friend Sylvia Plath from the conversations I’ve listened in on in the past few years.

The Bell Jar wasn’t on the to-read list for me until very recently. Until I went to college, I very rarely read any books in the modernism/contemporary genres, unless they were YA/middle-grade books. It was probably because I thought reading novels from the White Male Canon would make me seem smarter—but in any case, I finally got to The Bell Jar, and here we are.

This is my edition , which I love.

First off, I should not have read this during Christmas. I actually took a break from it, because there was no way I could consider the significant lessons in the novel with the sing-songy, deck-the-halls mood I was in.

Finally, once everything settled down, I was able to focus on what Plath was doing in the novel. She does an excellent job portraying the events that led to Esther, the protagonist, becoming encompassed in the bell jar (her metaphor for depression). I really, really hate it when people analyze novels based on the authors’ biographies (a topic for another post), especially female authors, but I think in this case it is safe to say that Plath was able to incorporate some of her own feelings and experiences into the novel, giving it an authentic touch that I don’t think anyone who hasn’t experienced depression would be able to.

What really struck me was different characters’ reactions to Esther’s condition. Her mother, for instance, reacted as many people do: she refused to accept that depression was a real condition and expected Esther to “change her mind” about how she felt.  Mrs. Tomolillo was shocked, embarrassed, and nauseated when Esther told her about her suicide attempt, and even began telling people about it, reminding me of those people who treat depression and suicide like a scandal, or some sort of shock-value story.

The most ridiculous reaction for me, though, was Buddy’s. He says, “Do you think there’s something in me that drives women crazy? …I mean… I dated Joan, and then you, and first you… went, and then Joan…”

Are you kidding me?! Leave it to the twenty-year-old boy to make Esther’s depression into his own problem. Esther also points out his use of the word “crazy” here, which I’ll leave up to you to determine the meaning of (ignore my gross grammar. I'm on break. Deal with it).

All in all, I loved this book. I wish that other novels, especially YA novels, were able to be this frank about disorders; it’s important not only for the general public to be aware of this stuff, but also in that if someone (especially a kid/young adult) were able to recognize themselves, they could get the help they needed.

I need a rating system. Out of five? Out of ten? Ten would make me feel better, but Goodreads is out of five, so I’ll go with that for now. 5/5

Onto Girl Online.

(If you want to add me on Goodreads, here's the link.)