June In Review

In June I read 4 novels.  Two dramas by the wonderful Margaret Atwood: one intense and twisted drama, the other a little sleepy. Then skipped over to the always great Kazuo Ishiguro for his YA-tilted dystopian tale.  Where I then finished the month off with one of my favorite authors, Salman Rushdie, and his fantastical rollercoaster of a novel.  Thoroughly enjoyed my selections for June, and oddly enough they seemed to all fit together in a magical sort of way.  

Once again, June was an extremely busy month overall. On a personal note I was able to take off my back-brace after 6 months of wear (had back surgery); very relieved I can breathe now!  Business took me to Washington, D.C., Morgantown, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Portland, Oregon, Pasco, Washington, and Los Angeles (area), California.  Yep a total of 5 states (+1 District).  And still found the time to read!  So those of you who say you don't have time to read...PUHleeze!  
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Man Booker Prize - 2000
Signed First Printing
​*****

This was my first foray into Margaret Atwood, and boy was I left impressed and wanting more!  I am a sucker for twisted dramas, novel-within-a-novel, and stories that expand decades (or longer), and this puppy had them all.  I enjoy Atwood's almost singsongy (yet not annoying) effortless style. She knows when to cut deep and when to pull out the funny card.  Brilliant!  

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1982
Signed First Printing
​***

Well this was a little bit of a letdown, especially after The Blind Assassin.  A sleepy novel about a female journalist  in angst who decides to visit a war-torn Caribbean country.  Reminded me a little bit of a Norman Rush novel, yet not as powerful and clear-cut.   

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2005
Signed First American Edition
​****

I have all of Kazuo Ishiguro's work, and this was the third novel of his I have read.  Boy, was I not expecting this! Expecting the brilliancy? Yes!  Expecting the smoothness of his literary voice? But of course!  Expecting a subtle dystopian novel? Not exactly.  And am I sucker for a great dystopian tale.  One of my favorite novels I have read in a while.  Didn't give 5 stars only because I wanted more...felt like it ended too soon.

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2015
​First Printing
​****

Sometimes I am in the mood for a fantastical novel.  And I am always in the mood for a Salman Rushdie novel!  He is so enigmatic yet pleasing.  Sure, he likes to ramble on at times (such as here describing the world and laws of the Jinn perhaps a little too much) yet in the end you are always glad he did because that is his way of tying it altogether.  
His latest here is a fantastic tale where the world of the Jinns (Fairyland) and the world we know meet and a horrific fantastical war is played out for 1,001 nights.  If you look close enough you will recognize our own world we are actually living in today...look close now.

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What did you read in June?
What are you currently reading?
Anything you recommend?

Thank you and don't forget to check out my Goodreads Page!