52 weeks, 52 books discussion

This week we'll be going to the top of the young adult list with The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which I've wanted to read for a long time. Anyone read it yet?

here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451...

I think I'm going to pass on this one. Watched the movie the other day...liked it but not enough to go and read the book!! Started Safe Haven today by the way…trying to keep up with the book club choices!!

I loved this book! It was a lovely read. It was a funny coming of age story that really resonated. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. The movie doesn't do Stephen Chbosky's work justice. But, very rarely does a movie turn out better than the book.

I read this book for a local book club. Honestly I'm still not sure how exactly I feel about it. It was a good book but I didn't find anything exceptional about it. I almost feel like it left me with more questions than when I started it. Still I thought it was a great choice for a book club discussion and it was interesting to hear other people's interpretation of it.

I really enjoyed this book as well! :)

Excited for this choice! Also one I have been meaning to read for awhile now :)

Very excited. I have wanted to read this one for awhile!! ;)

I read this book last week and I LOVED it. I went to high school in the 90's and reading this novel let me reminisce about the past. If you're a 90's kid, you're going to love this novel.

Started the book. So far an easy entertaining read. ;)

Read it today!
I loved it--with a few reservations. First, the narrative voice is so oddball/stunted that I kept waiting for a big reveal (other than the one at the end of the book) explaining his outrageous awkwardness.

Charlie seemed utterly unable to read people at some points, and precocious at others. Example: he is clueless enough to tell Sam right off that he has a sexy dream about her, but then at family gatherings he makes startlingly robust analyses of intergenerational dynamics. The contrast bothered me a lot.

Also, I expected a big reveal about the identity of "dear friend," and was disappointed with how it was left.

Did anyone else cry in public reading this book?

Sarah wrote: "Read it today!
I loved it--with a few reservations. First, the narrative voice is so oddball/stunted that I kept waiting for a big reveal (other than the one at the end of the book) explaining his ..."

I take your points on this Sarah. There are definitely some mysteries not cleared up.

I almost cried!

I fully agree with Sarah on this one! The narrative was odd to me too and I kept waiting for a reveal of some sort, I even thought that it may have to so with him being special... The book was cute regardless but it wasn't a favourite for this reason. It would have also been interesting to reveal the identify of Dear friend!

Catherine wrote: "Did anyone else cry in public reading this book?"

Absolutely! The novel is entirely moving.

Earlier this year (in pursuit of my own storytelling) I made a list of touchpoints that never fail to draw me into a book. One of the things on my list was unexpected kindness to a child.

While Charlie is a little older than I meant when I made the note, it's the same effect. The reader doesn't mind losing herself in a realm where Patrick and Sam exist, and where someone like Charlie can find kindness, instead of being stuffed into a locker for four years.

The emotional landscape of this book is so well drawn, even if I had some issues with narrative reliability.

I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower at the end of 2010. Over two years later, I really cannot remember much about the plot. At the time I wrote: "An important book. But not a feel-good book - though it does end on a hopeful note." I also noted that it reminded me at times of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and This Is What I Did.

I have put the film version in my NetFlix queue. I think it is being released next month.

Hey everyone - new to the group and decided to start with this book. I had already seen the movie, but decided to go ahead and read the book anyway. While they did change a few things, overall the movie stays very true to the book, which was actually very nice.

I too was hoping for a big reveal on who the friend was that he was writing to - a little disappointing there. But the overall friendships/bonding were just super sweet! =)

Glad to be a part of this group!

Sarah wrote: "Hey everyone - new to the group and decided to start with this book. I had already seen the movie, but decided to go ahead and read the book anyway. While they did change a few things, overall the ..."

Welcome, Sarah! I haven't seen the movie yet but good to know they've managed to translate it well.

--SPOILERT ALERT -- am I the only one who felt like this book was a mix between a John Greene novel, Go Ask Alice and a couple of other books? It was well written but the similarities kept bugging me.

Catherine, I just read The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene in December. You are so right...The Perks of Being a Wallflower could have been written by Greene.

I did like this one though. It's always been on my To Read list, so I enjoyed the excuse to finally get to it!

Heather wrote: "Catherine, I just read The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene in December. You are so right...The Perks of Being a Wallflower could have been written by Greene.

I did like this one though. It's..."

I loved that book!

The first time I read Perks, I didn't appreciate it. I re-read it last year for Banned Books Week and in anticipation of the movie, and absolutely loved it this time around. Although high school is far behind me now, the story just resonated so much more with the second reading.

It's now on my list of favorite reads.

Ashley wrote: "The first time I read Perks, I didn't appreciate it. I re-read it last year for Banned Books Week and in anticipation of the movie, and absolutely loved it this time around. Although high school ..."

Thanks, Ashley -- was the book ever banned? (or am I misunderstanding what that means)

According to the ALA (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/fr...), Perks was the third most challenged book of 2009 for the following reasons: anti-family, drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group. It made the top ten in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well. Sigh.

That's right, I don't recall it being outright banned, just challenged. Although I've read a number of the banned/challenged books, I make a point of reading one during Banned Books Week every year.

Ashley wrote: "That's right, I don't recall it being outright banned, just challenged. Although I've read a number of the banned/challenged books, I make a point of reading one during Banned Books Week every year."

The world is crazy.

Charlie is just so cute. I enjoyed this read very much.

Just finished this book. Charlie was very cute. I liked the book.... Didn't love it. I wish we would have found out who he was writing to.

Yes--not finding out who he was writing to was an issue for me. Unless I was supposed to figure it out and didn't? Am I simply dense?

Just finished it, and liked it a lot. Brought to my mind "Catcher in the Rye." To those who compared it to John Greene and "Go Ask Alice," I haven't read those books yet, but am looking forward to this week's book, "The Fault in Our Stars," by Greene. Bit of a fantasy of how high school could be, but that's fine. I loved the relationship between Charlie and his teacher--poignant.

I didn't cry in public but I did cry in the privacy of my home. Even with my tears I don't think it was the best book I've ever read but it was somewhat entertaining. I am going to watch the movie now.
I don't really think Charlie was writing to anyone, I think the letters were his way of escaping reality and getting some things off of his chest.

Nakia wrote: "I don't really think Charlie was writing to anyone."

That's my thought as well.

alisonwonderland wrote: "Nakia wrote: "I don't really think Charlie was writing to anyone."

That's my thought as well."

Interesting point.

Finally got this from the library and throughly enjoyed it. Liked the books and how his favorite was always the last one he read. Wasn't expecting the twist, but when I went back I could see how it was seeded in to the narrative from the beginning. It was an easy to read book and a good to read when sick book too! Glad I read it.