First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

My mom got this book from the library and said she read 3/4 of it in one day. I feel like I've been in a reading slump since the new year, so I was definitely in the mood for a book I couldn't put down.

And this really delivered! It's something I would call a cozy thriller, in that it doesn't really mess with my emotions but the suspense does keep me turning pages. (Okay, is there really a sub-genre called cozy thrillers? I love me some cozy mysteries but I won't lie - some of these thrillers almost give me a heart attack because they're so over-the-top. I want the suspense but I don't want to put my health at risk.)

In all seriousness, I call it that because I didn't really care about the main character. She was interesting and unique and I had no clue what her backstory was or what she would do next, but I wasn't invested in her survival. She was somewhat flat, and I mean that in a good way! I didn't want to care about her - I just wanted her to entertain me.

And she did. I read this book on Sunday, start to finish, and I genuinely had no idea how it would end. I call that a job well done.

With that said, I feel like trying to explain the story would either confuse you or give it away, so I'd suggest reading the blurb and seeing if it strikes your fancy. And if it does, comment so we can talk about it because I got lots of thoughts!

Beverly Cleary Author Study: Otis Spofford

Illustrations by Louis Darling, though my copy

has a revised cover by Alan Tiegreen.

I’ve already made the disclaimer that I love Henry and his friends most, but I’m trying to be fair to Otis and his friends as well. Otis was the antagonist in Ellen Tebbits, and Ellen and her friends appear in this book as well.

In his own book, Otis’s misfit behavior takes center stage. As an adult and a librarian who has worked in public schools, reading about some of his antics gave me PTSD. I think we all know kids who do things just to do them, not to cause trouble and not to be mean, but they’re disruptive and exhausting all the same. But I can see how kids would love to read about how Otis gets in trouble without getting in trouble themselves. A friend and I used to play Ellen and Otis (I was Otis, what does that say about me?) so I guess I liked them just fine when I was a kid!

Beverly Cleary Author Study: Ellen Tebbits

 Illustrations by Louis Darling, though my copy has a revised cover.

I liked Ellen Tebbits as a kid because she seemed like a mix of who I was and who I wanted to be. The descriptions of girls in her class are spot on, and I could relate a lot to the way those friendships were portrayed. Also, the way she let her lie about horseback riding grow out of control was so realistic; I’m sure something like that has happened to everyone.

I like this book, but admit I’m biased (as a kid and now as an adult) towards Henry and his crew, so it has a different feel for me. I can’t pinpoint why, but it’s still a light-hearted book to read.

Beverly Cleary Author Study

From December 2019 to April 2020, I did an informal author study of Judy Blume. I say informal because I didn't take notes or share posts about it here. I read her books, most being re-reads I remembered from childhood because I was taking her MasterClass and wanted to be reading her stories as I listened to her lessons. 

I had previously done a stricter Roald Dahl author study, which is still incomplete. I re-read many of his books, which I again remembered from childhood. But I also read his short stories for adults and then watched the television adaptations made for a series called Tales of the Unexpected. The author study kind of morphed into comparing written stories to the show versions, but it was still a lot of fun. I want to come back to Dahl and finish reading all of his works, since I've never read his books for adults, and still have a lot of short stories to read.

But I wanted to boost Beverly Cleary to the top of my list. After celebrating her birthday last April, soon after finishing my Judy Blume study, I decided that Cleary would be next. I wanted to get all of her books before she died and they became expensive or hard to find (I know, that's so morbid, but it was on my mind). I started collecting copies of the books I didn't own - thankfully my mom had kept most of my paperbacks, so I only had to track down titles I honestly had no idea she'd written, like Leave It to Beaver books.

After acquiring them all, I was ready to begin. But then... the news. I spent more time doom scrolling than I did reading. It was bad, and I knew Beverly Cleary's light-hearted books would be a good rescue from that, but also I didn't want to taint the books by associating them with that period of time.

But now, with a change in leadership and tentatively allowing myself to feel hope, it seems like a wonderful time to dive into Beverly Cleary's books. This project is partially just because I love Cleary and want to read her books, but my reviews might analyze her writing style or stories. I'm kind of just having fun with it and letting it guide me where it wants to go.

TAKE THE MIC

Thanks to @kidlitexchange and @scholasticinc for sharing TAKE THE MIC, edited by Bethany Morrow. This book is out now (released October 1, 2019!) so you can get your own copy. I’m getting one for my school library, since this one is getting passed on down the line.

These short stories of resistance are fiction, but they are incredibly realistic and could happen to anyone. The characters are diverse, in regards to skin color, religion, gender, and more. They all have some adversity in life and react in different ways, whether they quietly stand up for themselves or the underdog, or protest and push for change on a large scale. Because of the scope of the diversity and the reactions, I think all readers will feel empowered to make a difference in their daily lives, however they can. This is definitely a must-read for tweens and teens, but I think adults need to read it, too.

Reading Life: 2nd Quarter 2019

I've read 48 books this year, which sounds pretty good until you consider my Goodreads goal is 120 books - that means I'm about 11 books behind where I should be. But I'm reading more often - on my lunch breaks and before bed, if nothing else. And I'm reading books that are hitting me in different ways. 

I've recently discovered Kent Haruf, and reading his work makes me feel like I'm in college again. I mean that in a good way - it reminds me of getting new-to-me short stories to read and dissect for workshops, analyzing fiction in literature seminars, and trying to apply what I've learned to my own writing. Haruf is direct, no flowery language, but the stories he tells are so compelling - maybe even moreso by the sparse writing. 

Take this line from Plainsong (which I'm thisclose to finishing) for example: "It was evening when they got home. The early dark of late December." Isn't that so good? It's so descriptive - you can picture exactly how the evening light looks. And I love the quiet poetic opposites of early and late. Anyway, I read that sentence during my break and was frantically searching for a scrap of paper - I had to write it down!

I'm dying to apply his style to my own writing, but it will definitely have to wait until the editing process. I'm so wordy with first drafts, but I can edit like nobody's business. 

Anyway, that's what my reading life has been like this past quarter. Trying to find the books with the writing that will move me and the stories that will blow me away.

- - -

Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering. This book blew me away. It was so real, so well developed, and so intriguing. Many of the characters made me think of real people, which was both good and bad considering the main male character was a psychopath. I could hardly put this down.

Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen. Originally read April 2011: This story followed a woman as she left her abusive husband, bringing her son along as they started a secret new life. There were vivid flashbacks, but also a lot of current action. It had a good narrative structure, but overall felt very stream-of-consciousness, which worked perfectly. As the woman adjusted to her new life, you were living day-to-day right along with her. When she was struck by fear of her husband finding her, you were jolted into that emotion as well. It was very powerful, very realistic, and very suspenseful. The prose was beautiful in many parts, but never too flowery. The characters were realistic and likable, and I find myself thinking about them even after finishing the book. 
     Re-read June 2019: I had read this years ago, and watching Big Little Lies made me want to read it again. The suspense and waiting were palpable and so well done. I had totally forgotten the ending so I have to say it gutted me and I was definitely weeping for the last bit of the book. So amazing. I can’t wait to forget the ending and read it again.

The Alcatraz Escape by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman. I absolutely loved this book. Sometimes sequels and trilogies can get tired, or you can tell the author is running out of ideas. Not the case with Bertman. This book was AMAZING, and might even be my favorite of the Book Scavenger trilogy yet! I love the Alcatraz history and that twist, my goodness! PERFECTION.

The Seven Husbands of Eleanor Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. After reading more of Jenkins Reid’s work, I think my favorites are her novels that are presented as false memoirs. This book was amazing - so many good twists that were not written in just for the sake of being twists; they actually helped the plot and character development greatly. The ending twist took a bit to sink in for me - I hadn’t been keeping much track of the timeline of Hugo’s life and how it related to the current story, so it took a minute to have some impact. Reflecting back on it now, it’s SO good.

The Tie That Binds by Kent Haruf. I “discovered” this author thanks to #bookstagram, and then found out my dad is a huge fan after he saw me with one of the books! If it weren’t for these ringing endorsements, I don’t know what I ever would have picked this book, but I’m so glad I did! I checked all of Haruf’s books out from the library, but wanted to go in order just because. The Tie That Binds was a compelling story told in a conversational way, and at times I kept wondering why it was being told that way, why it was framed as a conversation, but… it didn’t matter. It was just good, and the sentences were so impactful and powerful without being over the top and trying too hard. Very eager to move on to Haruf’s next book.

Daisy Jones and the Six

I don't remember how I heard about this book - everyone's buzzing about it, so maybe I saw a friend was reading it via Goodreads, or saw it on #bookstagram. Either way, I put it on hold at the library and didn't have to wait too long to start it. I was so excited to crack open the cover, which felt amazing in itself, because I haven't been reading much lately.

Then I started the story. WOW. Not only do I love classic rock and band drama from the '70s, but it's so well-written, and presented in an interesting way of the author compiling a narrative from all parties involved.

Also, it's totally the book I've been trying to write for decades.

I'm not saying the author stole my work or my idea or anything like that! I'm just feeling validated that this idea I had as a thirteen year old Aerosmith fanatic might actually have literary merit! I thought the story I was writing was glorified fan fiction, but  Daisy Jones and the Six has me rethinking that, and revisiting my story.

There are so many quotes about how you can't be a writer without being a reader, and I've always been a reader. And I've always loved music. And falling in love with Aerosmith as a young teenager gave me a way to connect music and writing. I worked on my fan fiction novel off and on for several years. I'm not exaggerating when I say I think of it often, even as an adult. I think of the title (which I still think is pretty perfect), and the main character, and what really should happen in the end. Because of course I haven't finished it!

But now, on the cusp of finishing Daisy Jones and the Six and honestly having no clue what will happen, I'm intrigued about my own story again. I want to re-read what I wrote so long ago, and see how my age and wisdom (ha!) might influence how the story will pan out. It's so refreshing to find a book that has not only made me fall in love with reading again, but has also made me fall back in love with writing, imagining, and all that comes along with that type of creating.

Reading Life: 1st Quarter 2019

My reading life for the first three months of 2019 has been pretty sad. I read 8 books in January, 3 in February, and 7 in March. You can see all my reviews on Goodreads, but I wanted to share my top three here.

Goodbye, Sweet Girl: A Story of Domestic Violence and Survival

by Kelly Sundberg 

Recommended by a friend, and I would in turn recommend it to pretty much anyone. Sundberg is so open and honest about her relationship history, her marriage, and being a mother. Her prose is beautiful and emotional and touching. Many sections had me nodding in agreement, others had me biting my nails, and others had me weeping. A must-read.

Moxie 
by Jennifer Mathieu

I cannot rave about this book enough. I keep thinking “I wish I had this when I was in high school” but honestly, it seems just as important to me as an adult. It’s inspirational, moving, and will make you feel empowered. Beautiful writing, wonderful story. Highly recommend for EVERYONE to read.

Alice Isn't Dead

by Joseph Fink

I haven’t really listened to the podcast much due to listening time constraints, so I was excited to get my hands on the book. I loved this creepy, surreal story that made such a realistic commentary about human nature. Now I’ve got to carve out time to listen to the podcast.

#currentlyreading

I started my bookstagram account to share what I was reading in the moment, like Instagram is supposed to be. Now it’s more curated and posed, but I’m ok with that overall. I love a pretty picture as much as the next person, and if it includes a brief book review, I’m all in! I try to set up my own nice photo shoots occasionally, to promote book review posts on my blog or grab your attention as you scroll by for a title I really want to share.

It’s no surprise that my favorite hashtag on Instagram is #currentlyreading. I haven’t been as active on bookstagram lately as I would like to be and have been in the past, so I admit that my #currentlyreading tags are sometimes a day or two past due. I guess it should be #justfinishedreading in my case. I love snooping on what people are #currentlyreading to get ideas for my next read. It’s like peeking at everyone’s nightstand, except  Scrolling through Instagram usually leads to me opening my library’s site to put titles on hold. 

I always make time for reading fiction - usually right before bed, thinking it will help me fall asleep, when it actually pushes me to stay up later and later, thinking "Just one more chapter!" Or story - right now I have 2 short story collections going:

• Living in the Weather of the World by Richard Bausch, my former writing professor writing short stories about Memphis in general and my neighborhood in some instances!
• Machine of Death by Ryan North and tons of other people - basically like a crowdsourced book of short stories about a Zoltar-like machine that tells you how you're going to die

A glimpse of other stuff I'm reading... Can you guess what I'm up to?