Book Update Read in 2013: The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest 
by Oscar Wilde 

4 of 5 stars

bookshelves: 2013

Read in October, 2013

A local organization, Center Stage, was putting on a production of The Importance of Being Ernest, which was one of the classics that I had downloaded on my nook. "What better time to read it than now", I asked myself.

It was a very quick read and I found myself enjoying it more with each page. The plot, two men fall in love with two women, the men each tell the women their name is Earnest, and the women both state that they will only marry a man with the name Earnest, was fun and funny.

This is definitely not a story for someone who is looking for something serious!

Overall, I enjoyed this book and appreciated its shortness. It made me want to go see the live show.

Books I have read in 2013 - The Great Gatsby

What can I say that hasn't been said already about this book?

The Great Gatsby has been on my reading list for some time now and since there is a new movie coming out, I figured now was add good a time as any (if not better) to read it.

The story starred off a little slow, but by the time I finished reading, I wished it was longer. Even a couple of weeks after I have finished reading, I still think about the book and its characters.

Books I Have Read in 2013

Brisingr (Inheritance, #3) 
by Christopher Paolini 

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Coming to the end of a series is always bittersweet. I finally found out how the story concluded, but since it was so great, I did not want it to be over. 

In this third book, Eragon and his companions finally get to confront the villain. The only part of this book that did not surprise me was that Eragon was able to find a way to defeat Galbatorix. I was a little surprised that he did not get the girl (Arya) in the end.

Besides those two points, Paolini was able to keep me guessing. I did not know what would come next.

I looked forward to the times when I was able to read this book, which says a lot about it. 

Books Read 2013 #3

The third book I have finished in 2013:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green  (Goodreads review)  read in January, 2013

When I picked up this book, I had no idea what to expect. I was visiting my sister, who had this book on her desk and recognized the title from a "best of 2012" book list. I asked her about it and if she would recommend it. Her response was without hesitation, "Yes!" We chatted for a couple of minutes about it and I decided to borrow it. My sister is 16 years old, but it never occurred to me to ask if this was a YA book or not. She just seemed to enjoy it. That being said, I am in my mid 20's, but still enjoyed this book. As I mentioned, I had done no research or heard anything about The Fault In Our Stars. I had simply recognized the title and needed something to read at the moment. A couple of chapters into the book, I realized that it was a little young for me, but I did not mind. I found the writing to be interesting and engaging. It was an easy and quick read. I did not regret picking it up. I had never read about "cancer kids" and therefore found the story to be a bit refreshing. Even with such a grim plot - young adults with terminal cancer - it was not too depressing. It did challenge some of my ideas about life and death, even though I had come to terms with my lack of believe in an afterlife long ago. From the many quotes that I pulled out of this book and posted to twitter, you can safely assume that I found John Green's words acceptable if not, at time, inspiring. Now for the real question - Would I recommend this book to others? The answer, for the most part, is yes. I believe the younger high school-aged crowd will relate to and find more meaning in it than the rest, but if you are looking for a quick easy read, then why not?

Books I Read in 2013

Reading is a fun pastime for me. This year, I want to write a little something about each book that I finish. At the end of the year, I will be able to see how many I was able to get through. I highly doubt that I will reach 300 like some of my friends, but it will be interesting to see how many I can fit into my schedule. Here is my 1st review of 2013 from Goodreads.com:


Eldest by Christopher Paolini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Following the story from the main character's point of view alone would have made this book a few hundred pages smaller, but not nearly as interesting.

Every few chapters, the plot is advanced by a different character. First we follow Eragon, then his cousin Roran, then the leader of the Varden, Nasuada. Fortunately, it is easy to catch up with each of them no matter where they last left off.

Although the book is 651 pages, it is an easy read and there are very few boring sections. The last 50 or so pages are jam packed with plot twists and excitement.

View all my reviews