1. Fall of Giants: This book was recommended and loaned to me. I love book recommendations and was excited to tear into it. First of all, the book is nearly 1,000 pages long, so I felt very adult-like reading it.
It tells the story of various families from around the world, before, during and a bit after World War I. The story sucks you in pretty quickly and the pages begin to fly by. There were various stories and sub-plots, but they all tied together nicely. I often get confused when there is too much going on, but Follett makes the transitions seamless and easy to follow.
I have decided one of my new favorite genres is historical fiction and this sets the standard. I was reminded of so many significant moments in history, that I had not thought about since I was in high school. I was a pretty big fan of history, while in school and I was reminded why. History and psychology are so intertwined and it was fascinating to revisit why certain decisions where made and what the effects were.
This book also packed in character development and connection, one of my favorite elements in a book. I was so happy to learn it is part of a trilogy. I am eager to know what comes next for the families, in a drastically changing world.
2. Fingerprints of You: This book was chosen by my VirtualYA Book Club. It is the story about a complex single mother and daughter relationship. The story follows the daughter, Lemon, as she deals with teenage pregnancy and takes off on a quest to San Francisco, to find her biological father.
Madonia did a great job displaying the complex relationships we can have with our families. I loved that no one was necessarily the “good” or “bad” guy/girl in the book. I feel that in most relationships, that is generally the case.
One of my favorite things about the book was the setting. Madonia did an amazing job of giving you a vibrant tour of San Francisco. It is one of my favorite cities and it felt as though she breathed life into it.
Madonia was also awesome enough to answer some questions and interact with us over a Twitter Chat! It was pretty amazing to get live feedback from here on various elements of the book.
3. Before I Fall: This story is about a popular high school girl who is part of the “in” crowd. The book starts with her dying and then finding out that she is reliving her last day on earth over and over again. She does this seven times, making changes to some of her choices along the way.
I was intrigued with the concept of this book but was worried that it would get repetitive reading about the same day over and over. However, Oliver wrote each day differently enough that it held my interest. This book was thought provoking and engaging.
Currently Reading
Winter of the World: I am about half-way through the sequel to Fall of Giants. It is just as long, but as engaging, as the first. I am eager to continue following the stories of some of my favorite characters.
What were your favorite books this month?
Angie Eats Peace 