2016 Reading Challenge, Part 2

Five more books read and thoroughly enjoyed; forty-two still to go! (And 42 is a good number, being the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything. Of course, it would be more helpful if we knew what the Ultimate Question was...)

6. A book by a female author:

    The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd

I really liked the use of the two different perspectives, and the writing itself was lovely. One reason I enjoy historical fiction and biographies is because I like thinking about history in terms of the people who lived it (fictional or non), and this book plays into that very well. The fact that the book spans the course of fifty years or so also helps it to feel grounded in reality. Definitely a book I would recommend, as it's well worth reading.   My rating: 9/10

7. A funny book

    Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, by Douglas Adams

A perfectly ridiculous book that was a joy to read. Only Douglas Adams could combine science fiction, fantasy, and the classic detective novel and have the end result actually work. I was particularly intrigued by the combination of ghosts and time machines, and the inevitable results of having both of those things exist in the same universe. I also loved the horse. Side note: I have found that Douglas Adams books are best when read aloud to anyone who will listen. Or to yourself if no one else is around, provided you don't mind appearing mildly insane. I have never tried reading them to random strangers, but I feel that could also be highly entertaining.   My rating: 9/10

8. A book with bad reviews
    Planet of Twilight, by Barbara Hambly

I'm not sure why this book gets such bad reviews. There are issues with pacing throughout, and aside from Luke, the characters aren't quite consistent with the movies and what had been written at that point in the Star Wars EU, but the story itself is quite interesting. I remember reading this when it first came out in the 90s and being annoyed by the Luke/Callista storyline (I've always shipped him and Mara Jade), but reading it now, I actually liked the way that was concluded. It doesn't quite feel like a Star Wars novel, which may be why it gets so much hate, but as a story on its own, it's more than half-way decent.   My rating: 7/10

9. A book based on or turned into a TV show
    Arizona Highways, by Fialka

I decided to interpret this category a little more loosely, in order to allow book-length fanfiction to count - I know, shocking, right? And for those of you who have noted my recent obsession with The X-Files, it will probably not come as a surprise that I've dipped my toe into the pool (okay, more like a massive ocean) of X-Files fanfic. This fic was a perfect place to start, because it was amazing. The characterization was spot on, and the case itself drew me in completely and managed to expand on a specific piece of the mytharc in a way that mostly made sense (which the show itself never accomplished). It wasn't happy, but I love me some good angst, as long as I get some resolution in the end.   My rating: 10/10

10. A book by an author you've never read before
     The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards, by Kristopher Jansma

Every time I put this book down, part of me was convinced that the story had changed by the time I picked it up again, which is the weirdest feeling to have when you're reading something. I blame it on the brilliant way the book plays with ideas of truth and fiction and the blurred line between them. The writing itself is quite excellent, and I have a soft spot for stories that are about stories and how we tell them and why we tell them, because in the end, I think the stories we tell and the stories we love reveal who we are, or at least who we want to be.   My rating: 10/10