(20) The Rosie Project // Bookish Blurb

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

This is an Australian book about Don, a socially awkward genetics professor who has decided to create a questionnaire in order to find an acceptable partner, and Rosie, a woman who does not fulfill many of the requirements to be an acceptable partner nor is she looking to be, and how they fall in love.

My favorite part of this book was trying to understand the way Don works. He narrates the story and is just such an interesting character. I believe that he has Asperger syndrome. He is incredibly smart but has a very hard time empathizing with people and understanding social behavior.

(18) The Invention of Wings // Bookish Blurb

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

This is a historical fiction book loosely based on some historical characters. The book follows the lives of two women; Sarah (a southern white woman) and Hetty ‘Handful’, the slave she is given on her 11th birthday.

The book is all about trying to find your place and make your life better but mostly it is about trying to survive and make the most out of your situation. Obviously the women live very different lives and at times it seems as though their lives have nothing to do with each other yet the contrast between their lives is very meaningful.

(14) 2 am at the Cat’s Pajamas // Bookish Blurb

2am at the Cat’s Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino

The basic premise of the book is that nine year old Madeleine want to sing at the Cat’s Pajamas which is a Philadelphia jazz club. I really wanted to like Madeleine, I really really wanted to but I just had a hard time doing so. I can appreciate her talents and that her life has been really hard and unfair but seriously, she acts like a rebellious 15 yr old.

Some of the other key characters include Sarina, Madeleine’s lonely teacher who is in love with a married man, and Lorca, the owner of the Cat’s Pajamas.

This was another book on that list of happy books and I’m kind of puzzled by that since it’s really not that much of a happy book.

(12)Pope Joan // Bookish Blurb

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

When my mom first recommended this book to me and told me it was a fictional account of a female pope, I was hardly sold. Even when I started it, it was very much an ‘I’ll just read this because why not’. Needless to say, I was hardly thrilled to start but once I started, I didn’t want to stop.

This book takes the little we know about Pope Joan, assumes it is true, and then strings together a work of fiction about her life. I think I got caught up in the idea that it was a history book. It’s not. It is a work of fiction, a wonderful story, that just happens to be set in the past and centered around a character that some believe existed (and some do not).

(9)The Search for WondLa // Bookish Blurb

The Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi

This is  YA sci-fi book. We have our main character (12 year old Eva Nine) who has been raised underground by Muthr (a very life-like robot) without contact with anyone else. She is forced to leave her home and ventures into the world in search of other humans.

(8)Between Shades of Gray // Bookish Blurb

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

I’m trying to remember how I heard about this book but I think I might have found it on some NYT bestseller list. This is a YA novel about Lina and her family in Lithuania during WW2. 

(7)Jane Eyre // Bookish Blurb

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Way back during Thanksgiving break, I had to stay up late (late for me at least) waiting for my friend to arrive. In order to entertain ourselves, my other friend and I ended up watching movies on Netflix. The first film we watched was the 2011 version of Jane Eyre (the second was Paddigton if you were interested). While watching the film I was inspired to reread the book.

(6)One Plus One // Bookish Blurb

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

After I saw Me Before You, I was going to go read the book (I didn’t realize it was a book before it was a movie and yes it made me cry) but when I went to get the book I realized that the author (Jojo Moyes) had written a bunch of other books. Unsure what to do I decided to just get her first book even though I didn’t know anything about it.

(5)Code Name Verity // Bookish Blurb

Code Name Verity by Elisabeth Wein

I really enjoyed this book but for some reason I’m having a hard time writing about it. I heard that it was a good YA book about two women during WW2 and it is just that.

(4)Big Magic // Bookish Blurb

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

This book was recommended to me by a friend (hi friend!) so I got it from the library and read it. Going into it, I had no idea what it was about but ultimately it is about creativity and what she calls “creative living”.