Review: An Acceptable Time

An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars. I usually love Madeleine L'Engle, but this one just wasn't great. There were some things I liked about it, but overall I thought it was pretty problematic. I listened to the audiobook and I really liked the narrator. I also liked Polly's character, although she was too perfect. I appreciated that L'Engle was careful to not to present the people from 3000 years in the past as simply "savage" or "primitive;" nor did she fall into the "Noble Savage" trap.

However, it took far too long to get in to the action of the book and it was overly preachy. I think L'Engle herself knew that, since she has one of her characters apologize repeatedly when he is "preaching too much." I realize that we were (view spoiler)[ not really supposed to like Zachary's character (hide spoiler)], but I didn't like him right from the beginning when he tried to make Polly kiss him even though she was clearly uncomfortable. I guess that was supposed to be a clue into his character, but it definitely bothered me.

I think this was the first L'Engle book that I didn't really enjoy, so she does have a pretty good track record. I loved the first 3 books in the Time Quintet and I don't really remember the 4th one. It's too bad it had a disappointing ending, but overall it is still a great series. I definitely plan to continue reading her Austen Family series and any other books she's written. Despite this disappointment, she remains one of my favorite authors. :)

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Review: Surviving the Applewhites

Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My dad lent this to me because a teacher at his school thought I might like it since I am a former middle school language arts teacher. It was fun, although perhaps not a very realistic portrayal of a teen in crisis. I could see how it would be fun to teach in some ways though.

On an unrelated note, I like the cover of this one much better than the copy that I have. Also, I see there is a second book in this series. I don't really feel compelled to read it, but perhaps I will someday if I run across a copy. . .

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Review: From Dead to Worse

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Maybe more like a 2.5 or 2.75 if I wanted to be more exact. I enjoyed it, but it felt more like a filler in between books than a strong story on its own. Still, it was a light and fast read with a few exciting moments. I suppose I will continue on with the series, but I'm not sure anymore if I want to read all of them.

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Review: Clockwork Prince

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Again, I like this series far better than the Mortal Instruments series, but it does have a few problems (or problems for me, anyway). The story was great, but the love triangle drove me absolutely crazy. I like Tessa, but when she's thinking about Jem and Will, I almost can't stand her. I just don't think love triangles really ever happen in real life and it makes her seem indecisive and flaky (which she is not in any other situation, so I don't know why she is with these boys).

I also didn't love the audiobook narration. There were two different narrators, and I couldn't figure out why they were switching between narrators. The female narrator had a good voice for Tessa, but I couldn't stand how she voiced some of the other characters, especially Jessamine and Charlotte. It was almost enough for me to switch to the print version, but luckily those characters don't do tons of talking.

Despite some flaws, the story was fast-paced and kept me fully invested while reading. I can't wait to read the third one, and I'm considering trying the Mortal Instruments again to see the connections between characters. I really didn't like it the first time I tried them, but maybe I'd like them better now. I plan to pick up Clockwork Princess soon!

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Review: Love the One You're With

Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. I know this is not the highest rating, but it is actually quite a bit higher than I expected it to be. I really did not enjoy the last book I read by Emily Giffin, so I've left this one on my "to read" shelf for several years. It finally got to the point that I had to decide whether to just read it or to get rid of it, so I read it.

This is an extremely character-driven story, but I really like character-driven stories more than plot-driven ones most of the time. I liked the main character, Ellen, although she did make some very poor decisions that frustrated me. Still, she was relatable and believable and I liked her much better than the characters from Something Borrowed (link not working for some reason).

Ultimately I was glad that I finally just picked it up off my shelf, because it has been there long enough. Also, although it is not the greatest book I've ever read, I did genuinely enjoy it and I will consider reading more by Emily Giffin.

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Review: The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't read mysteries that often because I just can't handle them, but this was pretty approachable and not too intense for me. I loved the element of the unreliable narrator and it kept me guessing for most of the book. Although none of the characters were very likable, it didn't take away from the story. I felt sad for the main character and just wanted her to get help for her alcoholism. It really wasn't anything like Gone Girl, as I'd heard, except in that both are mysteries. I listened to the audiobook, and I kept having to come up with excuses to keep listening because I wanted to find out what happened! I did figure out who did it about 2/3 of the way through the novel, and I was just kind of waiting for everyone else to figure it out. It had a satisfying conclusion though and it made me want to read more mysteries. I think the author has another book coming out this month, so maybe I'll check it out too if it gets decent reviews. Definitely pick this one up if you like moderately-intense suspenseful mysteries!

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