What I've Read Lately #10

These are the books I've read over the last few months, except those two Net Galley ARCs. Speaking of, I have only read six NetGalleys this year, the lowest number since I started doing NG.

I was nervous to start reading this, but in my attempt to manage exam-induced anxiety, I read it. I was surprised to see I enjoyed reading it.
Yes, it's postmodern and yes, all the things they mention in your standard paper on the novel are true, but I read it for the sake of getting to see what it was all about. I found it simple in terms of language, and the repetition of "So it goes" had a daunting effect; at one point I wished I didn't see it anymore because it sure made the novel heavier. I didn't know the subtitle of the novel is "A Duty-Dance with Death". That adds morbidity to it all. It was absurd in some parts, but it somehow made perfect sense.
It's not excluded to reread this, although with all the classics out there, who knows when the time will come?
4*

(reread)
I see I gave the same rating in 2014 I'd give now in 2018: 3*. For some reason I remembered this as deeper and sadder, but although I didn't dislike the story, it fell flat. But I'm no literary critic.

I enjoyed this! It's funny, clever, and it kept me interested, which says something for a play. I plan on reading more from GB Shaw.
4*

(reread)
I reread this in preparation for the movie, and I was glad to see I liked the novel this time around as much as I liked it the first time. If the first time I made lists of books, this time I copied quotes from the novel, which I wrote in the quote notebook. That didn't happen in a long time.
Maybe I did find it somewhat cheesier than a few years ago, but I read it at the right moment when needed to read a novel that I overlooked this.
5*
PS. The movie was OK, but I liked the book so much better. There were many things left out from the movie which made the book all the more special. I wish there were more "letter" moments included in the movie. We'll always have the book.

A Romanian classic. This was overdue. It was a bit difficult to get into the book, but once it piqued my interest I was curious to see how it'll end. The group of friends are so typical to the Communist Romania, I am curious if young people really did talk like that back then. I am thinking of reading the other books in the series, although the prospect is a bit daunting.
3*

 Surprisingly, I liked this middle grade book a lot! I don't remember the last time I read a book for this age group, but I plan to change this. It's mystery mixed with history, and the plot is maybe a bit far-fetched, but compelling.
4*

Funny, endearing, real, sad, hopeful - all these can describe this novel so well. I chuckled a few times at the unexpected lines of the characters. In a typical middle grade book, the bad characters were obvious and the good ones as well, but I still enjoyed it very much.
5*














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