So it’s about halfway through June and I’d like to get some of my book reviews out of the way. So far this month I’ve read 3 books which is pretty good considering I’m working full time at my internship! I bought a few more books this month that I’ve been dying to read and I’ll be sure to post a book haul sometime soon so you can see the new beauties! If you can’t wait and need a sneak peak you can check out my bookstagram: @kaylaturnspages!
Author: Jesse Andrews
Rating: 2/5 stars
First of all, I had really high hopes for this book considering there’s a movie being made and I’ve seen so many great reviews of it.
It’s about this really shallow and rude high school boy named Greg Gaines who is forced by his mother to go hang out with a girl who has cancer. He knew her when he was young but he didn’t like her that much because she had big teeth which made her unattractive to him (he seriously says this in the book). Anyway, his mom forces him to hang out with her because she is dying. He doesn’t care about her at all and is pretty much only doing this because his mom told him to. Greg is the worst person. His sense of humor is childish and while reading this book I only ever laughed at things Earl said. Which brings me to Earl.
Earl was my favorite character in this book. He was actually funny and had a heart which is interesting because he was living in the crappiest of circumstances he didn’t have any parental guidance and his brothers would beat up on him all the time. Greg doesn’t call Earl his friend though. Earl is his “coworker” because Greg doesn’t want friends. He just wants everyone to like him and tries really hard not to piss anyone off. He seriously goes so far as to not eat lunch in the lunchroom because he doesn’t want people to know that he is, essentially, friends with everybody. THIS IS THE DUMBEST THING EVER. Greg says he and Earl are “coworkers” because they make movies together. Really crappy movies that they refuse to show to anybody because they’re so crappy.
Honestly, I’m just so disappointed in this book. There was barely a plot and nothing interesting happened the whole time. I kept waiting for it to get better and it just didn’t. I’m surprised I finished the book.
Title: Ghost Boy
Author: Martin Pistorius
Rating: 4/5 stars
I read Ghost Boy for a speech-language pathology book club I’m in called SLP Reads. Because I am studying to be an SLP and I’m currently working at a company that makes AAC devices, this book was really interesting for me. This book is a memoir which makes it so much better.
Martin was your average child until one day he came down with a mysterious illness that left him wheelchair bound and unable to speak. He was, essentially, a human vegetable. He was not in his own mind for 6 years and then one day he comes back. He can understand everything everyone is saying but nobody knows. This leads to an interesting journey of him trying to get everyone to realize he’s back.
This story is absolutely amazing and I loved Martin’s writing style. It was very easy for him to transport me into his mind and catch a glimpse of what it might be like to be trapped inside your own thoughts. I highly recommend this book for SLPs and anyone who takes care of others. There are some horrifying stories about some of Martin’s past caregivers but there are uplifting ones as well. Go read it!
Title: Yes Please
Author: Amy Poehler
Rating: 4/5 stars
Amy Poehler needs to be my life coach. This book wasn’t funny as much as it was insightful but I did laugh a few times while reading it. She didn’t sugar coat her experiences. She let her readers know that sometimes life SUCKS and being a comedian SUCKS and real life just SUCKS and that made me feel better about my own life in a twisted sort of way.
I was pleasantly surprised about the fact that this book wasn’t all jokes. I read Mindy Kaling and Tina Fey’s books this year as well (really liked them) but something about Amy Poehler’s book took the cake for me. I think Amy just let herself be vulnerable while writing this book and it made me feel like I really got to know her.
The book was a little hard for me to get through because it was so long, but each chapter told its own story. It wasn’t difficult for me to read this book in conjunction with other books (which I did) or have it on my currently reading shelf for 3 months (which it was). I think my favorite chapters were the ones about Parks & Rec (if you haven’t seen this show get on Netflix RIGHT NOW) and the chapter where she writes about her two sons. The amount of love she has for them radiated throughout the chapter and I enjoyed reading about their little quirks and what they’re like. Also, their names are adorable… Archie & Abel… are you kidding me?!
So that’s all the reviews I have for now. I’m currently reading Mosquitoland by David Arnold and an advanced reader copy of Song of Summer by Laura Lee Anderson. Hopefully I will finish those two books by the end of June along with some others I’m hoping to get through so check back for more reviews soon!
First of all, let me just say that I love book reviews. Second of all I LOVE Parks and Rec which I think you knew because we talked about it in the chat I hosted the other day? Third of all I have wanted to read Amy Poehler’s book for a while now and now I know that I literally have to go get it today. Maybe even right after I write this comment. I might even pick up a copy of Ghost Boy while I’m at it 🙂
Ahh I’m so glad you enjoyed this review!! I’m working on 2 more book related posts in the coming weeks… one is a compilation of all the books I’ve bought this month and the other will be a review of Mosquitoland by David Arnold.
I hope you really went out and bought Yes Please right after you wrote that comment 😉
I thought Me and Earl and the Dying Girl would be better, the trailer to the film looks really good. Haven’t heard of Ghost Boy but it sounds interesting. I’d like to read Yes Please.
Serena / http://www.ramblingsofanotherunistudent.blogspot.com
Hey Serena, thanks for stopping by!
I haven’t seen the film yet either… it wasn’t playing at a theater near me for the first couple of weeks but I think I finally found a theater that’s semi-close that I can go see it at! I hope it’s better than the book haha.
If you read Ghost Boy or Yes Please you’ll have to let me know what you think!!
I love this concept!
This makes me want to start reviewing books as well. I already rate the books I read in a little notebook I keep.
I really love reading other people’s thoughts on books that I’ve read.
Awesome post 🙂
Desiree | DesireeMerci.com
Thank you so much for stopping by, Desiree!! I also got your email, I’m going to look into promoting my blog more on Tumblr 🙂
I would love to see some book reviews on your blog!!
Kayla,
I love this! Yes Please is on my reading list for the remainder of the summer and I’m glad I could read your opinion on the book. What else do you plan to read this summer?
Love, Allix
http://www.allixwilliamson.com
Hi Allix, thanks for taking the time to comment!!
I’m planning on reading all of the many, many books I’ve bought this summer (against my better judgement)… I just wrote a post about all the books I’ve gotten and am planning to read (you can find that here >> https://kaylablogs.com/2015/06/june-book-haul/)
I think the books I’m most excited about reading are the two by Jandy Nelson. I have yet to read anything by her but I’ve heard such great things about her and her writing!!