Chantal's Top 30 challenge : Falling back in love with Reading

[Chantal]

I used to love to read. Spent my summers reading. Always carried a book or two with me. Then, I grew up. Other things like work, working out, friends, family, car buying, overtime at work and all that jazz happened. I've missed my love of reading, of escaping reality for a few hundred pages and of being engulfed in a story. So, there is no better time than now. As a resolution, I've given myself 365 days to read 30 books. Good luck to all!

[Chantal]

BOOK 1 - The subtle art of not giving a f*ck

New year, new me. That's how the saying goes right? I decided it could not be more fitting than to start my journey of falling back in love with reading than to start with a book that will kick you right in the teeth and say "Listen up honey. This is how you should change to make yourself a better person for others but mostly for you". I found this book interesting and learned a new perspective on how to view things so that I don't get too swept up in things that don't matter in the end. I found a way to figure what is important to me and, as the author says, not give a f*ck about the nonsense.

Would recommend if you need a new outlook on life and if you want to try to figure out a way not to be bothered by trivial things.

[Chantal]

BOOK 2 - The hate U give

This book. This book made me mad. Made me mad at how in this day and age we are still severely confronted with racial issues that should have long been a thing of the past. Made me mad to think that this is most people's reality. Made me mad that things are changing. Made me mad that no one is listening hard enough to make it stop. Ultimately, it made me mad that I am not finding a way or contributing in some way to make things better for humanity. Altruism. A word that I still struggle to find a way to make part of my everyday life.

This book was inspiring to see that those who are the most oppressed are seeking the change they want to see and the change deserved. It makes you want to stand to fight with them.

[Chantal]

BOOK 3 - Split Tooth

This book was lent to me by my best friend, with a fair warning that it was a hard read. She was right. However, it was a hard read in many ways. The story is hard to follow because the writing style is poetic in some ways and cryptic in all of the other ways. When you start to understand some of the traumatic things aboriginal people have gone through, and you find this out by reading in between the lines, you get shoved to the very end of the stars without really knowing what happened. I was intrigued to keep reading to see how it all ended.

I've finished reading the book. I'm not sure that I've decided that I truly know how the character's journey ended.

[Chantal]

BOOK 4 - The Tattooist of Auschwitz

For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated with wars and how people act during. I'm especially drawn to World War II, the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide. I can't explain it. It's just the way it is.

This book had been on my list to read for a very long time. Boy, I was not disappointed to finally read it. The story is poignant in every which way you can think of. Even though you know how history has played out, you can only but hope that fate had something different in mind for Lyle. I couldn't keep away from reading this book because I just wanted to know so bad that it all turned out okay for these characters. Naive, I know. But still, I read on the bus to work. I read during breaks. I read on the journey home, praying there would be traffic just so I could get in a few more pages than usual.

I could not talk more about this book. I recommended it to family, to friends, to colleagues, to strangers on the street (okay, I'm slightly exaggerating, but you get the point). So, what are you waiting for? Read it already and tell me how much you loved it :)

[Chantal]

BOOK 5 - Kite Runner

I cried. I cried at the beginning of this book because I was upset with Amir. I was upset, but really I couldn't be. As children, we all did what he did, in some way, shape or form. So really, I was upset of finding out that I to, have hurt someone on some level. Then, I cried in the middle of the book. I cried because of the realization that they couldn't be kids anymore. I cried because of Amir, because of Hassan, because of Baba. Then, you guessed it. I cried at the end. I cried because I wanted it to be something that it never would be. I wanted the fairy tale. I wanted rainbows, sunny skies and butterflies. I settled for one last crooked smile and a kite in the sky.

This book should be read by all.

[Chantal]

BOOK 6 - The Book Thief

This book surprised me. Within the second page of reading this book, I understood that the narrator was Death. My first thought was "Oh no. The characters won't be developed enough and I will eventually get tired of reading this book". I have absolutely no idea why I thought this. I mean, I haven't read a book written from that perspective that disappointed me. How peculiar that that was my first thought.

Anyways, I could not have been more wrong. The author's ability to tell the story and intertwine it with Death's voice, was astounding, With 550 pages, I could't stop reading this book. I was so intrigued to find out how the story would end for Liesel and her sticky fingers. I was incredibly attached to most characters, like Papa. His gentle soul, his patience and love he demonstrated to scared little Liesel by teaching her to read. Rudy and his innocence. Sweet innocence. His ability to make you laugh and his obsession with 1936 Berlin Olympic Gold medal athlete Jesse Owens. And Max! Of course, Max. His ability to have hope, trust, generosity, tranquil soulfulness and the platonic love he has for Liesel, despite 1940's Germany, pulls at your heart strings. I won't lie. I cried the last 3 chapters.

Lastly, here's one of my favorite quote's from the book that got me, right from the get go:

"They walked around a few corners onto Himmel Street, and Alex said, "Son, you can't go around painting yourself black, you hear?"
Rudy was interested, and confused. The moon was undone now, free to move and rise and fall and drip on the boy's face, making him nice and murky, like his thoughts. "Why not, Papa?"
"Because they'll take you away."
"Why?"
"Because you shouldn't want to be like black people or Jewish people or anyone who is...not us."
"Who are Jewish people?"
"You know my oldest customer, Mr. Kaufmann? Where we bought your shoes?"
"Yes."
"Well, he's Jewish."
"I didn't know that. Do you have to pay to be Jewish? Do you need a license?"
"No, Rudy." Mr. Steiner was steering the bike with one hand and Rudy with the other. He was having trouble steering the conversation. He still hadn't relinquished the hold on the his son's earlobe. He'd forgotten about it. "It's like you're German or Catholic."
"Oh. Is Jesse Owens Catholic?"
"I don't know!" He tripped on a bike pedal then and released the ear.
They walked on in silence for a while, until Rudy said, "I just wish I was like Jesse Owens, Papa."
This time, Mr, Steiner placed his hands on Rudy's head and explained, "I know, Son - but you've got beautiful blond hair and big, safe blue eyes. You should be happy with that; is that clear?"
But nothing was clear.
Rudy understood nothing, and that night was the prelude of things to come. Two and half years later, the Kaufmann Shoe Shop was reduced to broken glass, and all the shoes were flung aboard a truck in their boxes."

[Chantal]

Book 7 - Where the Crawdads Sing

I really enjoyed this book. I found it hard to get into at first. I don't know if it's because it took me some time to understand the characters and enjoy the writing style of the author or if it's simply because the last three books I read where simply amazing within the first few pages I read, but as of Chapter 6, I was hooked. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author intertwined the heartbreaking story of Kya, her hardships and the ever so surprising murder mystery. I always really enjoy books that have multiple stories at once. It reminds of one of my favorite books (Sarah's Key) and one of my favorite author's (Harlan Coben). It was a really great read!