I finished the book and let out an audible AUGH when I let it fall closed onto my lap. I did it again in case JD didn't hear me the first time. Wanna know what bothers me, I asked him as he read Economist Magazine. Books I don't get really bother me…I feel like I wasted my life on something I didn't understand in the end…AUGH.

Later that night–still bothered from not understanding the book–I read reviews from other readers. This only made things worse because people just raved about every last word. Brilliant! Evocative! A Tour De Force! And then I worried I was dumber than I thought.

Note to self: who needs reviews anyway?!

I actually left the book at the hotel I was staying. On the shelves rested lots of orphaned books, so I imagined a tired traveler picking up the book I left and loving it far more than I ever could. Here's our last photo together…

I've been reading quite a bit these days, but today I'll only highlight the books I've enjoyed because why waste your time with the Brilliant! Evocative! Tour De Force! stuff anyway?

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell – Totally adorable and a light read. The story focuses on high school, first love, and the lengths we take to stay true to oneself. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Truth In Advertising by John Kenney – This book got knocked in reviews (people kept comparing it to Jonathan Tropper's work), but I really, really liked it. It takes place in an advertising agency, so I imagined it like a present day Mad Men episode, so I was smitten from the start. I loved Kenney's voice, wry humor and even laughed out loud at some points. Definitely thumbs up.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Book Store by Robin Sloan – Any time a writer mixes books, Google, and mysteries, I'm sold. I was particularly fond of the geeky tech references and the fact that the story takes place in San Francisco (one of my all-time favorite cities), but the end was a little lackluster. I still recommend it, but it's not too high on the list.

After Visiting Friends by Michael Hainey – Good grief…this book. THIS BOOK. The way Hainey uses words is the way a surgeon uses a scalpel. Artfully, confidentially, and so effortlessly you might not realize you're aching. The story of a boy trying to uncover the mystery shrouding his father's early death might not sound compelling, but it was beautiful and raw. Loved it.

Schroeder by Amity Gaige – The craziest thing about this book is how weird it makes you feel. Gaige writes so masterfully you find yourself cheering for a mentally unstable protagonist and empathize with his kidnapping plot. The story itself might not be the strongest, but the way the story is told definitely made it worth the read.

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moynes – I recently blogged about Me Before You, so I decided to delve into another one of Moynes' books. I love her writing and her ability to make characters stick with you after you close the last page. I enjoyed TGYLB and though the ending was just okay for me, I'd still recommend it…especially if you're into chick flicks and love stories.

Happy Wednesday!

Edited to Add
I don't like posting negative things about other works of art (photos, books, music, etc), but a few commenters left a logical reason as to why I should list the book I didn't like. There are a few books I felt were a waste of time, but Life After Life by Kate Atkinson takes the cake. The book is 500+ pages and I kept on thinking the story would turn around and I'd see why the main character kept reincarnating, but it didn't. Just hundreds of reincarnations and though it was very well written, I felt it was a hundred stories with not a single end. Blegh.