the sequel blues....

So. I loved Anna and the French Kiss. It was exactly what I was in the mood for, and I couldn't wait to read the next installment, Lola and the Boy Next Door. Unfortunately, Lola fell victim to one of the classic blunders; I mean, starting a land war in Asia is never a good idea, and certainly not for a 17 year old girl who dresses like a drag queen...

Jokes aside, this sequel didn't really work for me. The characters were unrelatable and unlikeable. The plot line was far fetched at best. Mostly, I felt like the book was trying too hard. I mean it wasn't TERRIBLE, but it fell short of the experience of the first, as sequels so often do. However! The cover was still lovely, so the visual/tactile sensations were still enjoyable and it wasn't so bad that I lost interest. I'm still definitely planning to obtain #3, Isla and the Happily Ever After, as soon as I can locate it at the library, or it's released in paperback. There is still hope for a strong finish!

Next up, This One is Mine, by Maria Semple. This one isn't technically a sequel. I picked it up because I loved Where'd You Go, Bernadette. This was Semple's first novel, and is in no way related to Bernadette. It definitely had some good moments, but over all I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped. It was, however, interesting to note some of the themes and moods that pop up in both novels. I think it's really interesting to watch a personality profile of an author emerge as you read their various works. Obviously I don't think that every book an author writes is completely autobiographical, but I do think it would be difficult to keep yourself from seeping into the things you write. So as you read through an authors collected works you can pick up bits and pieces of the author peeking through the narrative's window blinds, as it were.

At #19 in the Jack Reacher series, this one also isn't technically a sequel. I started this book 5 days ago, and I'm only about 2/3 of the way through - which is a significant fact. I'm a pretty quick reader in general, and these types of books are especially quick reads. They follow a fairly predictable pattern and are usually very action packed and quick paced. And I love Jack Reacher so I am always really motivated to find out what happens. For some reason, this one just isn't as gripping as usual. It might be that the series has become too formulaic, that this one has more lulls in the action, or that the cast of supporting characters are less intriguing than usual. Or it could just be that life is getting in the way.

Obviously at only 43 books completed for the year, I've not been as diligent a reader this year as I usually am. There are a variety of reasons for that - Netflix, my parents, travels, roommates, sports, projects, etc. And this week in particular I'm feeling especially squirrelly. I've been uber distracted and having a really hard time focusing on much of anything, so the fault here could be squarely in my court. I will not let this little speed bump deter my love for Lee Child/Jack Reacher, and assuming that Reacher doesn't meet his demise in the last third of this book, I will still reach (ha!) for #20 as soon as it arrives.