CURRENT READING: Things to Look For.

I first saw Why We Broke Up in the bargain section at work and I felt drawn to it. I've never really been into books that are strictly "everyday" type of romance, but something about the concept of art being woven into the narrative of young Min (who has just broken up with her mismatched boyfriend Ed) really had me going. I'm a few pages in and so far, it has a very definitive voice to it, as well as a stream of conciousness vibe. 

NOTE: Lemony Snicket wrote this! 

✩

Another book that I am late for. When the movie came out I vowed to get a copy of The Book Thief. I remember seeing it around as a kid and I realized until I picked one up on my way home from California this summer, that I honestly had no idea what the book was about (way to go, B!). Though I wasn't immediately sucked into this one, I love the vagueness of the writing. It's dark and lovely, like trying to wade through literary shadows.

✩

Another book to break my comfort zone! All the Light We Cannot See was recommended to me by a manager at work and I got it immediately, because I wanted to have a copy when Anthony Doerr visited our store (he is awesome, by the by). It's slow going on this one because Doerr's writing is extremely detailed and it takes some time to admire it all. The characterization of everything is really stunning. Word porn. 

✩

The Night Circus comes with a fun announcement! This particular book will be a part of a book club post series. I've signed on a few co-workers who are just as bookish to read it with me! 

So far, I am really in love with this book. The characters have such life and the writing itself is breath taking. I have a hard time putting this one down. 

✩

For those of you that enjoy the Miyazaki interpretation, you might look forward to talking about Howl's Moving Castle. It's a shockingly different story from the film, but so far, each has it's own merits. I find that I dislike book Sophie a bit and Jone's writing is sometimes a bit off-kilter. It's still quite magical. 

✩

I've been chipping away at this one for such a long time. Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children is a great book with a great concept, but I just have a hard time sticking with it. I am a huge fan of Riggs as a human being and I love his writing: it speaks to me. 

RE-READABLE: Tomodachi no Hanashi by Kawahara Kazune and Yamakawa Aiji

Published: 2010 

No. of Volumes: 1

Every so often there comes a series so compelling that I feel the need to just keep reading it (over and over and over).

Tomodachi no Hanashi is one of those. I was drawn in by Yamakawa's unique take on the shoujo style - a bit of a stylized realism that you don't find often among the wide-eyed, pretty faced heroines of the genre. It is a nice blend.

The story itself focuses on two best friends, Eiko, often considered a "plain jane" by their classmates, and Moe, who is super popular with boys. It chronicles the type of friendship that comes around once in a lifetime, the kind that creates a type of love that transcends the line of best friend. For Moe, it even trumps the possibility of having a a shot at a real relationship (by her own choice of course). 

Eiko and Moe.

Being so popular, Moe's one rule for dating her is that her boyfriend must pay the same attention, if not more, to Eiko. The only one to do so is the sweet Tsuchida. When things do not go according to plan in Moe and Tsuchida's relationship, the reader is then treated to the point of view of Tsuchida's best friend, Narugami. 

 Tsuchida and Narugami.

The relationships in this series are touching as they intertwine and breathe a life of their own. Different types of love, both romantic and friendly, are represented in a way I feel is often misconstrued in the shoujo genre. It feels genuine instead of contrived. 

Tomodachi no Hanashi also touches on other subjects such as first loves, bullying in all its forms, revenge on behalf of a loved one, and how everything that happens in someone's life will build the person they will become. Kawahara's story brings these tropes together in a unique way that really touched me.

It's a short and sweet series that will please fans of shoujo, slice of life, and realistic romance. 

★★★★★

REVIEW : The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Published: January 10, 2012

I was a bit behind TFiOS bandwagon. It took the release of the movie and urging from my sister to finally jump on this one. So, I took it with me on my recent trip out to California and blasted through it on my six hour flight. 

I regret nothing.

The premise is simple enough, two young teens fall helplessly in love with one another - except for the fact that Hazel has cancer and Augustus is a cancer survivor. That in itself raises the stakes for their love affair. 

At first, I was put off by Hazel. She's a passive-aggressive misanthrope who's only real friend (besides her supportive parents) is a book about a girl with cancer. I didn't expect her to be anything less, but her narrative voice is one that takes getting used to. Once comfortably settled into her pacing, I was pretty impressed with Green's handy work. 

The events of the book and the characters reactions to them are raw and believable. It's a different voice speaking to the same old topics - cancer battles; navigating young adulthood; falling in love; dying. Hazel, Augustus, and their blind friend Isaac all present unique perspectives to the things many people hold for granted. Green has given up a piece of work representing bleak hope; a small infinity called the present moment. 

I still can't say I enjoyed the inflections used in the main narration, but they do reflect the way a young person would typically speak. The thing that did impress me most was Green's avoidance of taking the obvious route (based on other people's reactions, I'm sure you've assumed someone dies). Even this choice felt honest, not just a plot device making the book about kids with cancer even more upsetting. I felt that this pivotal event mirrored Hazel's sentiments about the weeding out of kids in the cancer support group early on in the novel, as well as speaking to the harsh realities of cancer. 

Overall, I was really please with the book. It was worth crying in an airplane next to total strangers. 

★★★★✩

Want more John Green? Check out his YouTube 

channel.

I'm Feeling A Bit Bookish - Who is the Bear?

Who am I? 

Well, my name is Brittney and I am a 20 year old living in Maine. I've been floating around on the internet since 2006, pottering on different sites doing different things. Now that I'm long past my deviantART and FFN phase,  I've had the idea that I would like to make a space all my own to rant and rave about something that has always been a constant in my life: BOOKS.

It could totally be that this is a side effect of working in a book store (Books-A-Million, to be exact) and spending most of my summer looking through all the tantalizing titles stocked on the shelves and sitting longingly on the shelves. That, or maybe something in my subconscious is like, "You're a theatre major, but what on Earth will you do with all those years of taking honors and AP English classes?!"

Oh yes, in reality, I freaking LOVE writing stuff about other people's writing. Though essays have primarily been my forte, it's my hope that these skills, so lovingly ingrained in me will allow me to play and have fun with running a Bookish blog.

So, besides knowing my name, my age, where I work, and a bit of my educational history, what else should you know about the Bookish Bear?

As far as books go, I really love fiction, particularly YA; however, as of late I have begun to branch out and really look for books that tickle my fancy outside of my comfort zone. I really like romance, historical fiction (particularly if it's ancient Japan - don't get me started), and classic lit, as well as plays of all varieties. These will all be subject to critique, criticism, and applause here, as well as the newer ventures I plan on having.

Another nibblet of information that might intrigue you is my undying love of manga. Ah, manga. As a avid Japanese animation fan since I was a wee lass, I've been around the block a few times with a bunch of different series spanning a few different genres. Lately, I tend to like the more obscure, shorter titles as well as slice of life and shoujo (tropes and all). I will post about current series I've read, plus some of my favorites I've found over the years. Because I think it counts as reading. 

So, THANK YOU for stumbling over my little project. I hope you like it and stick around for all the goodies I have in store!

see you soon!

B

The Bookish Bear