2014 Reading List

I might be too late but well, 2015 started with a handful of events and gatherings so I didn’t have the chance to post this. Amazing how time flies by! Now we’re nearing the end of January.  It definitely goes by fast when we’ve got too much in our hands.

Here are the novels I’ve read last year. Reminiscing the characters I’ve met and the places they took me is a sweet walk down memory lane. Not a long list but I surely read more than previous years.

I mistakenly thought this was the second book of the trilogy. I know (it’s right there on the cover). I read it anyway even if I haven’t seen the second movie nor read the second book. What can I say.. it made me feel things I don’t want to feel. Peeta and everyone else. Why does my favorite character have to die? And I expected a different kind of death for President Snow. As for the movie adaptation, I’m glad they kept Effie in the team.

The first book I’ve read for 2014 and it got me on the edge. I’m pretty much biased towards books that has female lead in it and the character in this story blew me away. A modern independent woman. Really smart, strong, brave, and witty. The details about airplanes in this book are also useful. I can’t help thinking about this book whenever I hear news about planes and flights on television.

I don’t think my high school English teacher ever taught us Hamlet. He might’ve mentioned it during discussion and if he truly did, I don’t remember anyway. So I took an online class on Shakespeare and this was the assigned reading. Hamlet is a very interesting person. Much more interesting are the theories behind this book in general and the characters in it. I’ve learned London is doing a play on Hamlet and I’m hoping they’d visit my country so I can watch this live. I think I’d prefer to see this theatrically rather than on film.

I didn’t think I’d enjoy reading this book actually. I guess I’ve seen too much of Sherlock Homes adaptation that I imagined the plot of this book would turn out exactly as that particular episode I’ve seen. Sill me for even thinking of that. It has a good length of narration and, undeniably, some parts got me thinking “What am I reading again? Where…I’m lost.”. In the end it’s a great book to read. I’d highly recommend it to any bookworm out there.

Definitely a book I would read to my future niece, nephew, or kids. I regret not reading this when I was much younger. Back then, I poured myself on Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley, and Jane Austen. Anyone can truly take a line or two from this book to serve as inspiration. To me, Anne is a good role model for kids growing up: creative, imaginative, diligent, and responsible. Of course, like any growing child, mistakes happen here and there to serve as lessons in our lives.

A good friend lent me this book. If you’ve read my previous posts, then you’d understand why I told her “For real? Are you being ironic right now?”. I find this story very amusing. This could show two sides of a brain in a fairly elegant manner. It made me think of life and how much of it is like playing at a casino. You’d be tricked here and there but in spite all that you’d still be feisty enough to bet.

It’s the third book I’ve read from the same author. It gave me another look at families and made me question the kinds of stuffs I’ve been reading thus far. In fact, it made me question how I see my family in the past. The story, to me, is about perception, voice, strenght, and support systems. Things humans need in this world to live and coexist with one another.

My sister has long suggested I read this book. As I was thrown into a different city for the most part of this year, it was comforting to find a copy of this book. Finding this book also made me realize how very unfortunate it is if a place doesn’t have a good bookstore or public libraries. All the more unfortunate if libraries and bookstore would cease to exist. So, I’ve read the book and I now see ‘family’ in a different light. Indeed, family is more than just DNA and surnames. Family is the people you love and loves you in spite of your shortcomings. And with loving comes all sorts of things you’ll have to consider, albeit at times it’d be heartbreaking.