Well, I survived my first semester as a full-time college student. And I earned all As in my classes, so I can definitely say things are going well.
A few things have changed in the last few months. I've changed my minor from Humanities to Political Science (specifically Public Administration) and I'm now a sophomore, finally. Next semester starts in a little under 2 weeks and I am feeling a lot more ready and a lot less nervous than I was this time 20 weeks ago.
I've been getting more reading done than I expected to, but haven't been in the right headspace to check in and give reviews. Now that I'm a few weeks out of the semester though, I think I finally am.
My most recent reads have been Blue Moon, by Lee Child. It's another solid addition to the long-running Jack Reacher series and fans of the series will enjoy it. One thing I really love about these books (despite Jack Reacher being a massive Mary Sue) is that they're something my dad and I have in common. Every time a new one comes out we race to see who can get their hands on it and read it first. The last few years, I've been fortunate enough to snag an advance copy for review from the publisher (which dad calls cheating, by the way) but this fall I didn't put in any requests for pre-release copies of any books so I found myself waiting with everyone else for a copy from the library. When I was whining a few weeks ago to a friend about being #116 in line (after nearly 6 weeks on the list and with 60 copies in circulation), she surprised me with the ebook for my Nook. People - find friends who understand the power of books as gifts. It came from nowhere and totally made my day.
I also finally got around to reading The Secret History, by Donna Tartt. I've been hearing about this book for years but just never got around to it. It was good. Not epically life-changing as it had kind of been built up to be, but good. I enjoyed it and think Tartt is a fantastic writer. I plan to check out The Goldfinch in 2020 for sure.
My final read of 2019 is The Institute by Stephen King. This one is one of my favorites of the year. It's about a mysterious institute (of course) housing a number of kids with special abilities. It's got some serious "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas vibes, so beware if you're sensitive to stories with child abuse, etc. As always, King proves with this one that he is so much more than just a horror writer. The book provides great social commentary and is probably going to be a re-read for me at some point down the road.
You wouldn't know it from this bare-bones, sparse on details review list, but several of my classes last semester have been in literature and I feel like the biggest thing I've come away from school with so far is an ability to read a little deeper into book meanings. I'm looking forward to continuing my educational journey in 2020 and getting better at this blogging/reviewing thing. Updates will continue to be few and far between (see you at Spring Break?) but I'm going to keep trying!
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Saturday, July 27, 2019
An Update Having Little To Do With Books
Once again, I stopped updating regularly. What can I say, it's been a very busy summer. Life with a toddler and a teenager is freaking hectic, y'all. And things aren't going to slow down anytime soon, so I'm logging in to say farewell for a bit. I've got something big starting in less than a month and, realistically, I don't have time to update or to feel guilty about not updating.
Guys, I'm going back to school. I feel kind of weird about it because, well, I'm 39 years old and I haven't set foot in a class since I was 25. Going back and getting my degree has always been the plan, but somehow the plan kept getting pushed back over the years and now I'm going to be the old lady on campus. I've tried the online school thing in the past and it didn't work out for me. I need the structure of having an actual, physical classroom to perform well. And I'm fortunate enough to have a supportive spouse and a flexible enough part time job that I can take the next couple of years to be a full time student, so I'm going for it. Even though I'm terrified.
I'm also feeling weird about all of this because for close to 20 years now I have been talking about getting a degree in history, but that's not the degree I'm getting now and I'm happy about it. Back home on the east coast it was going to be historic preservation. Out here in Oklahoma, there's not such a demand for that (or any schools with that program) so I had turned my thoughts to a museum studies concentration.
The thing is though, we have no plans to leave Oklahoma anytime in the foreseeable future which is a problem because there are no jobs in that field here. And I don't want to spend all this money on something that will have ended up just being a piece of paper that maybe gets me an extra dollar an hour (if I'm lucky) at a job that's totally unrelated to anything I have been studying. And if I'm being totally honest, I wasn't finding the descriptions of my upcoming classes to be very inspiring, overall.
After weeks of planning, I've finally let myself contemplate a degree in something other than history and I'm really excited about what I've decided on. I'll be getting a BA in Technical Writing with a minor in the Humanities. This marries all the things I love (writing, editing, researching) and gets me a foot in the door of a steadily growing field with lots of good-paying jobs, even here in Oklahoma (that low cost of living comes with a price - the average pay for the admin-type work I did before my daughter was born is... not great).
Starting in a few more weeks, I'm going to be so busy and I don't think anyone wants to read my reviews of textbooks. Particularly not my grammar and usage or history of rhetoric books. I'll try to keep updating while I'm in school, but I have a feeling that the days of even monthly (or quarterly) updates may be over once August rolls around. I've barely had time to read all summer as it is, and classes haven't even started up yet. At the very least, there's going to be a long adjustment period while I re-learn how to juggle 15 credit hours, a part time job, and my family. Have I mentioned before that I'm naturally a lazy person whose favorite thing to do is nap or watch tv and just kind of... exist?
I also have a feeling that when I do get back to reading for me, most of what I'll be reading during the school term is going to be trashy. When I get overwhelmed with "serious books" I tend to need something fluffy to reset my brain. So if you aren't a fan of romance novels and classic chick lit (or, like, my thoughts on my eighth re-read of Pride and Prejudice), you'll want to look away for a few years.
School is going to be pretty all-encompassing for the next few years. I'm going back as a freshman (like 3 credits shy of sophomore status, but whatever, I don't want to talk about it). This is my third time attempting a degree, but the first time I've been really serious about it. Previous attempts have been all about taking fun classes that were enjoyable and easy for me, so I had very few credits that actually transferred. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I wish I could go back in time and kick my own ass for not getting my math and communications credits out of the way. And don't even get me started on how I just found out that if I had taken 4 years of 1 language in high school, instead of 2 years of French and 3 years of Latin, I could totally have skipped my whole foreign language requirement now (8 credits y'all!).
Deep breath.
At any rate, wish me luck! I'm finally going to get my degree!
Guys, I'm going back to school. I feel kind of weird about it because, well, I'm 39 years old and I haven't set foot in a class since I was 25. Going back and getting my degree has always been the plan, but somehow the plan kept getting pushed back over the years and now I'm going to be the old lady on campus. I've tried the online school thing in the past and it didn't work out for me. I need the structure of having an actual, physical classroom to perform well. And I'm fortunate enough to have a supportive spouse and a flexible enough part time job that I can take the next couple of years to be a full time student, so I'm going for it. Even though I'm terrified.
I'm also feeling weird about all of this because for close to 20 years now I have been talking about getting a degree in history, but that's not the degree I'm getting now and I'm happy about it. Back home on the east coast it was going to be historic preservation. Out here in Oklahoma, there's not such a demand for that (or any schools with that program) so I had turned my thoughts to a museum studies concentration.
The thing is though, we have no plans to leave Oklahoma anytime in the foreseeable future which is a problem because there are no jobs in that field here. And I don't want to spend all this money on something that will have ended up just being a piece of paper that maybe gets me an extra dollar an hour (if I'm lucky) at a job that's totally unrelated to anything I have been studying. And if I'm being totally honest, I wasn't finding the descriptions of my upcoming classes to be very inspiring, overall.
After weeks of planning, I've finally let myself contemplate a degree in something other than history and I'm really excited about what I've decided on. I'll be getting a BA in Technical Writing with a minor in the Humanities. This marries all the things I love (writing, editing, researching) and gets me a foot in the door of a steadily growing field with lots of good-paying jobs, even here in Oklahoma (that low cost of living comes with a price - the average pay for the admin-type work I did before my daughter was born is... not great).
Starting in a few more weeks, I'm going to be so busy and I don't think anyone wants to read my reviews of textbooks. Particularly not my grammar and usage or history of rhetoric books. I'll try to keep updating while I'm in school, but I have a feeling that the days of even monthly (or quarterly) updates may be over once August rolls around. I've barely had time to read all summer as it is, and classes haven't even started up yet. At the very least, there's going to be a long adjustment period while I re-learn how to juggle 15 credit hours, a part time job, and my family. Have I mentioned before that I'm naturally a lazy person whose favorite thing to do is nap or watch tv and just kind of... exist?
I also have a feeling that when I do get back to reading for me, most of what I'll be reading during the school term is going to be trashy. When I get overwhelmed with "serious books" I tend to need something fluffy to reset my brain. So if you aren't a fan of romance novels and classic chick lit (or, like, my thoughts on my eighth re-read of Pride and Prejudice), you'll want to look away for a few years.
School is going to be pretty all-encompassing for the next few years. I'm going back as a freshman (like 3 credits shy of sophomore status, but whatever, I don't want to talk about it). This is my third time attempting a degree, but the first time I've been really serious about it. Previous attempts have been all about taking fun classes that were enjoyable and easy for me, so I had very few credits that actually transferred. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I wish I could go back in time and kick my own ass for not getting my math and communications credits out of the way. And don't even get me started on how I just found out that if I had taken 4 years of 1 language in high school, instead of 2 years of French and 3 years of Latin, I could totally have skipped my whole foreign language requirement now (8 credits y'all!).
Deep breath.
At any rate, wish me luck! I'm finally going to get my degree!
Saturday, June 1, 2019
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
FKA USA
I've always maintained that when the apocalypse happens, I want to die in the first wave. Fast, relatively painlessly, clean. No drawn-out suffering. No huge moral dilemmas. No crazy Mad Max scenarios. Just, poof - gone. Game over.
FKA USA totally and completely reinforces that desire. If this is the future that's coming, thanks, but no thanks, I'm good. Just let me go quickly in one of the several nasty ways it Reed King kills off my fellow Oklahoma citizens - sinkhole, tornado, whatever. Just let it be quick and early please. I just don't want to suffer. Or have to turn into the kind of person who is okay with killing other people to survive.
Look, this is a good book. But it's scary as hell. Seriously, it's terrifying in the same way that Idiocracy has become something of a horror movie in the last few years. Because it just seems so damned plausible. Well, parts of it, anyway.
FKA USA is the start of an epic dystopian journey. I'm guessing from the abrupt, cliff-hanger ending that this is going to be part of a series of books and I can't wait for the next installment, if that's true. Look, it might have been the scariest book I've read so far this year, but it's also one of the best and most memorable.
Truckee Wallace, the hero of the story, isn't always smart or likable, but you just can't help but root for him on his impossible journey across the territories formerly known as (FKA) the United States with his talking goat sidekick, Barnaby.
Reed King has created a meticulously plotted out universe for this story, complete with explanatory footnotes and appendices that add so much to the whole reading experience. If you've read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel, you'll understand what I mean.
FKA USA will be released on June 18. I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My honest assessment of this book is that it is a must-read!
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Sunset Beach
Mary Kay Andrews is BACK!
After being a little disappointed with The High Tide Club last year, I was a little nervous about what to expect from Sunset Beach, but I went ahead and requested a copy from the publisher anyway and I'm so glad I did!
Sunset Beach is classic Andrews - fun, fast-paced and full of heart. And as with almost every Mary Kay Andrews book I've ever read, as soon as I finished reading it I was ready to start renovating and redecorating my house.
If you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading anything by Mary Kay Andrews, this is a good book tot start with. It tells the story of Drue Campbell and her mess of a life. She's moved to St. Petersburg, FL to work in her daddy's law office where she has to contend with her former best friend/new stepmother AND solve a decade's-old mystery.
As always, the characters are over the top, yet believable and the setting is a character of its own. This is my top recommendation for a poolside/beach read for summer 2019.
Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
After being a little disappointed with The High Tide Club last year, I was a little nervous about what to expect from Sunset Beach, but I went ahead and requested a copy from the publisher anyway and I'm so glad I did!
Sunset Beach is classic Andrews - fun, fast-paced and full of heart. And as with almost every Mary Kay Andrews book I've ever read, as soon as I finished reading it I was ready to start renovating and redecorating my house.
If you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading anything by Mary Kay Andrews, this is a good book tot start with. It tells the story of Drue Campbell and her mess of a life. She's moved to St. Petersburg, FL to work in her daddy's law office where she has to contend with her former best friend/new stepmother AND solve a decade's-old mystery.
As always, the characters are over the top, yet believable and the setting is a character of its own. This is my top recommendation for a poolside/beach read for summer 2019.
Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
The Invited
I used to read a lot of horror but I got away from it at some point in the last 15 years or so and I've only recently started really reading it again. It's weird - I pretty much hate horror movies - that feeling of dread when you just know a jump-scare is coming is the worst to me. And yet, that same sense of creeping dread in a really good scary book is the best! Like I said, weird.
The Invited, by Jennifer McMahon is, in my opinion, a really good scary book and it was pretty much the perfect story to get me back into horror. It's a classic ghost story with an excellent twist and I had a hard time putting it down.
Creeping sense of impending doom throughout the book? Check. Well-written characters that you occasionally want to throttle, but mostly want to root for? Check. Excellent setting and original plot? Check and check.
Fans of Stephen King will like this one, I think. I certainly did and he's in my top 3 authors of all time. Now that I've read The Invited, I have big plans to check out McMahon's other works. Who knows? Maybe she's top 3 material as well.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Invited, by Jennifer McMahon is, in my opinion, a really good scary book and it was pretty much the perfect story to get me back into horror. It's a classic ghost story with an excellent twist and I had a hard time putting it down.
Creeping sense of impending doom throughout the book? Check. Well-written characters that you occasionally want to throttle, but mostly want to root for? Check. Excellent setting and original plot? Check and check.
Fans of Stephen King will like this one, I think. I certainly did and he's in my top 3 authors of all time. Now that I've read The Invited, I have big plans to check out McMahon's other works. Who knows? Maybe she's top 3 material as well.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Friday, April 19, 2019
The Stranger Beside Me
My obsession with true crime continues! I was so excited to get my hands on Ann Rule's classic The Stranger Beside Me from my local library.
Holy crap, y'all. It's so good. As someone who listens to true crime podcasts and watches true crime documentaries a lot, I thought I had a good grasp of Ted Bundy and his evil ways, but I was wrong. This book is so packed with information that I had no idea about. I think I drove my husband nuts the whole time I was reading it with all my little bits of information I just had to randomly pass along. For instance, here's a conversation we recently had:
Husband: Hon? What are we having for dinner tonight?
Me: I don't know yet. Did you know that Ted Bundy got married literally during one of his murder trials? Like he and his fiance figured out this archaic Florida law and just did it in front of everyone. Isn't that crazy? Who does that? Ugh. He was such a psycho.
Husband: Um, that's nice? Seriously, are we not eating tonight?
Me: I'm getting to it! And did you know he used to walk Ann Rule to her car after late night shifts at this crisis center place they worked at because "there are a lot of bad guys out there?!?!?!" Seriously, can you even imagine?
Husband: sigh
I couldn't help it though, it's one of those books you just want to talk about with everyone. And I did eventually make dinner.
Anyone interested in the genre needs to pick this book up. Told from Rule's unique perspective as a friend and former co-worker of Bundy's, it's just an amazing, chilling read. I recommend making sure you're getting the newest edition so you don't miss out on all the forwards and afterwards Rule added over the years after Bundy's conviction and execution.
Holy crap, y'all. It's so good. As someone who listens to true crime podcasts and watches true crime documentaries a lot, I thought I had a good grasp of Ted Bundy and his evil ways, but I was wrong. This book is so packed with information that I had no idea about. I think I drove my husband nuts the whole time I was reading it with all my little bits of information I just had to randomly pass along. For instance, here's a conversation we recently had:
Husband: Hon? What are we having for dinner tonight?
Me: I don't know yet. Did you know that Ted Bundy got married literally during one of his murder trials? Like he and his fiance figured out this archaic Florida law and just did it in front of everyone. Isn't that crazy? Who does that? Ugh. He was such a psycho.
Husband: Um, that's nice? Seriously, are we not eating tonight?
Me: I'm getting to it! And did you know he used to walk Ann Rule to her car after late night shifts at this crisis center place they worked at because "there are a lot of bad guys out there?!?!?!" Seriously, can you even imagine?
Husband: sigh
I couldn't help it though, it's one of those books you just want to talk about with everyone. And I did eventually make dinner.
Anyone interested in the genre needs to pick this book up. Told from Rule's unique perspective as a friend and former co-worker of Bundy's, it's just an amazing, chilling read. I recommend making sure you're getting the newest edition so you don't miss out on all the forwards and afterwards Rule added over the years after Bundy's conviction and execution.
Young Jane Young
Young Jane Young is the second book I've read by Gabrielle Zevin (the first was The Storied Life of AJ Fikry, which was also amazing) and once again I am blown away. I loved this novel so, so much.
At one page in, I was hooked. Rachel's voice was so engaging and the character so well-written, I could hear her voice in my head. And as the narration transitioned to other characters, their voices were alive as well.
Some books you can't put down once you start reading them, and this was definitely one of those books. I simultaneously found myself staying up past bedtime to read just one more chapter and at the same time, trying to make the book last because I knew I would be so sad to leave these characters when it was over.
Young Jane Young is a story of mothers and daughters, of scandal and bullying, mistakes and redemption and really strong women. My only complaint is that it wasn't longer. The ending is very abrupt and somewhat ambiguous and yet, it works.
As always, I'm not giving away details, just trust me when I tell you if you like excellent story-telling, you have to read this book. And if you haven't already read The Storied Life of AJ Fikry, pick that one up too. Along with a box of tissues.
At one page in, I was hooked. Rachel's voice was so engaging and the character so well-written, I could hear her voice in my head. And as the narration transitioned to other characters, their voices were alive as well.
Some books you can't put down once you start reading them, and this was definitely one of those books. I simultaneously found myself staying up past bedtime to read just one more chapter and at the same time, trying to make the book last because I knew I would be so sad to leave these characters when it was over.
Young Jane Young is a story of mothers and daughters, of scandal and bullying, mistakes and redemption and really strong women. My only complaint is that it wasn't longer. The ending is very abrupt and somewhat ambiguous and yet, it works.
As always, I'm not giving away details, just trust me when I tell you if you like excellent story-telling, you have to read this book. And if you haven't already read The Storied Life of AJ Fikry, pick that one up too. Along with a box of tissues.
Thursday, March 21, 2019
#fashionvictim
OMG, you guys, I'm totes obsessed with this book. Like, WTF?
Ok, I can't keep that up, but read the book and you'll get it.
Others have already made the most apt comparisons before me, so I'll just plagiarize a little - this book is The Devil Wears Prada (but funnier) meets American Psycho (but actually maybe a little crazier?). It's wild. And so over-the-top and insane that I don't think any review I'm capable of writing can really do it justice.
Written by former fashion insider Amina Akhtar, #fasionvictim takes you inside the delusional and psychotic mind of Anya St. Clair as she battles her way to the top of La Vie magazine. It's a fun, fast read and one of my favorites for the year so far.
Ok, I can't keep that up, but read the book and you'll get it.
Others have already made the most apt comparisons before me, so I'll just plagiarize a little - this book is The Devil Wears Prada (but funnier) meets American Psycho (but actually maybe a little crazier?). It's wild. And so over-the-top and insane that I don't think any review I'm capable of writing can really do it justice.
Written by former fashion insider Amina Akhtar, #fasionvictim takes you inside the delusional and psychotic mind of Anya St. Clair as she battles her way to the top of La Vie magazine. It's a fun, fast read and one of my favorites for the year so far.
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Dark Sacred Night
Finishing this book made me remember why I tend to wait until a series is finished before I start reading it. I'm too impatient! The next book won't be out until later this year and I am counting down the days until I can get my hands on it.
I spent all of last year devouring all of the books in the Harry Bosch universe by Michael Connelly. For those of you who don't know, Harry Bosch is a hard-boiled LA homicide detective whose character-defining mantra is "everybody counts or nobody counts." He's great at being a detective, but bad at politics so he's just about always in trouble with the LAPD, or whomever he is working for in each book (it varies as time goes by).
Last week I finally got my hands on Dark Sacred Night, the 31st Bosch-universe book and quite possible my favorite to date. Book 29, The Late Show, introduced a new character, Renee Ballard, who I will admit I wan't too sure about at first. Connelly does this every so often - he writes a non-Bosch book still set in the same universe, with overlapping characters. Ballard wasn't my favorite in her standalone book, but her presence in Dark Sacred Night was welcome and understandable. And as the case unfolded, she grew on me.
Bosch is getting old. There's just no way around that. By my calculations, he's getting close to 70 years old and that means he is soon going to have to fully retire or... well, I'd rather not think about it. So it makes sense that Connelly is bringing in this new partner for Bosch to mentor and who can take over when he's gone. Ballard is the first partner I think we've ever seen Bosch work with that feels like an equal. She's a loner with baggage, just like Harry, and she's a hell of a detective, too.
I won't get into the plot details of Dark Sacred Night. Suffice it to say that it's your typical twisty Bosch case with lots of intricate details to obsess over and lots of drama to keep you reading long past your bedtime.
If you haven't already read any of the Bosch books, do yourself a favor and check them out. And once you're fully sucked in, take a look at the Amazon show Bosch that's based on the character and books. It's one of the better book-to-screen adaptations I've seen. Details get changed, of course, but it really captures the feel of the books and the character of Bosch.
I spent all of last year devouring all of the books in the Harry Bosch universe by Michael Connelly. For those of you who don't know, Harry Bosch is a hard-boiled LA homicide detective whose character-defining mantra is "everybody counts or nobody counts." He's great at being a detective, but bad at politics so he's just about always in trouble with the LAPD, or whomever he is working for in each book (it varies as time goes by).
Last week I finally got my hands on Dark Sacred Night, the 31st Bosch-universe book and quite possible my favorite to date. Book 29, The Late Show, introduced a new character, Renee Ballard, who I will admit I wan't too sure about at first. Connelly does this every so often - he writes a non-Bosch book still set in the same universe, with overlapping characters. Ballard wasn't my favorite in her standalone book, but her presence in Dark Sacred Night was welcome and understandable. And as the case unfolded, she grew on me.
Bosch is getting old. There's just no way around that. By my calculations, he's getting close to 70 years old and that means he is soon going to have to fully retire or... well, I'd rather not think about it. So it makes sense that Connelly is bringing in this new partner for Bosch to mentor and who can take over when he's gone. Ballard is the first partner I think we've ever seen Bosch work with that feels like an equal. She's a loner with baggage, just like Harry, and she's a hell of a detective, too.
I won't get into the plot details of Dark Sacred Night. Suffice it to say that it's your typical twisty Bosch case with lots of intricate details to obsess over and lots of drama to keep you reading long past your bedtime.
If you haven't already read any of the Bosch books, do yourself a favor and check them out. And once you're fully sucked in, take a look at the Amazon show Bosch that's based on the character and books. It's one of the better book-to-screen adaptations I've seen. Details get changed, of course, but it really captures the feel of the books and the character of Bosch.
Thursday, March 14, 2019
The Spider and the Fly and True Crime in General
I've never been much of a true crime reader. I prefer to listen to podcasts or watch documentaries when it comes to this subject, for whatever reason.
Recently though, I've started reading more true crime books. It started with I'll Be Gone in the Dark, the truly impressive book written by the late Michelle McNamara. McNamara's beautiful book about the search for the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker/Golden State Killer was absolutely fantastic and is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the genre or just anyone who likes good writing. McNamara's early death was a tragedy for many reasons and the fact that we'll never get to read anything else by her is certainly one of those reasons.
Someone, I can't remember who, recommended I try The Spider and the Fly, since I'd enjoyed I'll Be Gone in the Dark so much. It took a few weeks to get my hands on it (it's still pretty popular with my local library, despite having been out for a few years now) and even longer to read. It's a slow book, but still a good one. Detailing the crimes of Kendall Francois or Poughkeepsie, NY, this book tells a lot about it's author, as well. It's not the traditional true crime book, focused exclusively on its criminal subject, reveling in the salacious details of how and when and what. This book is quieter than that and much more personal.
If you are interested in true crime - books, documentaries, podcasts, whatever, check out The Spider and the Fly (and I'll Be Gone in the Dark, if you haven't already). I've seen some other reviewers call out The Spider and the Fly for being too focused on Rowe, the author, than on Francois, the murderer, but I liked it. It's an interesting examination on why we are interested in these killers. Why do we want to know what makes them tick? Is it simple morbid curiosity, or does it reveal a deeper need inside of ourselves to understand evil and evaluate its presence in our own lives?
Recently though, I've started reading more true crime books. It started with I'll Be Gone in the Dark, the truly impressive book written by the late Michelle McNamara. McNamara's beautiful book about the search for the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker/Golden State Killer was absolutely fantastic and is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the genre or just anyone who likes good writing. McNamara's early death was a tragedy for many reasons and the fact that we'll never get to read anything else by her is certainly one of those reasons.
Someone, I can't remember who, recommended I try The Spider and the Fly, since I'd enjoyed I'll Be Gone in the Dark so much. It took a few weeks to get my hands on it (it's still pretty popular with my local library, despite having been out for a few years now) and even longer to read. It's a slow book, but still a good one. Detailing the crimes of Kendall Francois or Poughkeepsie, NY, this book tells a lot about it's author, as well. It's not the traditional true crime book, focused exclusively on its criminal subject, reveling in the salacious details of how and when and what. This book is quieter than that and much more personal.
If you are interested in true crime - books, documentaries, podcasts, whatever, check out The Spider and the Fly (and I'll Be Gone in the Dark, if you haven't already). I've seen some other reviewers call out The Spider and the Fly for being too focused on Rowe, the author, than on Francois, the murderer, but I liked it. It's an interesting examination on why we are interested in these killers. Why do we want to know what makes them tick? Is it simple morbid curiosity, or does it reveal a deeper need inside of ourselves to understand evil and evaluate its presence in our own lives?
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Reviews Are Coming Soon, I Promise!
Yeah, yeah, I know. I've been slacking lately. Again.
I have reasons, but they'll sound like excuses. The main truth is that most of the books I've been reading aren't going to actually be published for a few more months, and I really like to review those books closer to the time they come out. Plus a lot of publishers request that I not mention them until the week they're out. So, that's put a crimp in my reviewing ability.
The other thing is that I haven't come across a book lately that I love enough to write more than a few sentences. I've been reading lots that I like, but not lots that I love. Make sense?
And then add to that the fact that my laptop died a while back and I've been sharing a computer with my husband and teen aged son and you'll see that I just don't get much screen time. But that excuse is gone, as of today. I finally bought myself a new laptop today, so I should be able to update more regularly again, even if it is just a few sentences here and there.
While I'm here, I'll tell you about what I have been reading lately that's worth mentioning.
First: The Hiding Place by CJ Tudor. If you like Steven King (especially earlier Steven King), you'll probably like this book. Other reviewers have complained that it's too close to Pet Sematary, but I disagree. Sure it shares a plot device with that book, but overall the feel is very different. If I"m honest, I got more of an It vibe throughout the book. I don't know, I just liked it. The characters could have been more fleshed out, but that's probably just me nitpicking. It was good; I may re-read it. You should check it out.
Next: Big Little Lies, by Liane Moriarty. I liked this one soooooo much more than Truly Madly Guilty. And now that I've (finally) read it, I will finish watching the HBO series.
Finally: The Power, by Naomi Alderman. OMG, this one was so good. A woman in my knitting group recommended it to me and I devoured it in like 2 days. It's a super-interesting thought experiment on what would happen if women gained the physical upper hand over men. How would it change the world and our society.
Honorable Mention: If you have a small child, you need to check out Joyce Wan (if you haven't already). My toddler is obsessed with her books. They're simple and short enough to keep a short attention span happy and they're so cute you almost don't mind reading them 7 billion times in a row. Our personal favorite is You Are My Cupcake, but her latest, You Are My Magical Unicorn, is a close second.
That's it for now. I'll be back soon with new reviews, I promise!
I have reasons, but they'll sound like excuses. The main truth is that most of the books I've been reading aren't going to actually be published for a few more months, and I really like to review those books closer to the time they come out. Plus a lot of publishers request that I not mention them until the week they're out. So, that's put a crimp in my reviewing ability.
The other thing is that I haven't come across a book lately that I love enough to write more than a few sentences. I've been reading lots that I like, but not lots that I love. Make sense?
And then add to that the fact that my laptop died a while back and I've been sharing a computer with my husband and teen aged son and you'll see that I just don't get much screen time. But that excuse is gone, as of today. I finally bought myself a new laptop today, so I should be able to update more regularly again, even if it is just a few sentences here and there.
While I'm here, I'll tell you about what I have been reading lately that's worth mentioning.
First: The Hiding Place by CJ Tudor. If you like Steven King (especially earlier Steven King), you'll probably like this book. Other reviewers have complained that it's too close to Pet Sematary, but I disagree. Sure it shares a plot device with that book, but overall the feel is very different. If I"m honest, I got more of an It vibe throughout the book. I don't know, I just liked it. The characters could have been more fleshed out, but that's probably just me nitpicking. It was good; I may re-read it. You should check it out.
Next: Big Little Lies, by Liane Moriarty. I liked this one soooooo much more than Truly Madly Guilty. And now that I've (finally) read it, I will finish watching the HBO series.
Finally: The Power, by Naomi Alderman. OMG, this one was so good. A woman in my knitting group recommended it to me and I devoured it in like 2 days. It's a super-interesting thought experiment on what would happen if women gained the physical upper hand over men. How would it change the world and our society.
Honorable Mention: If you have a small child, you need to check out Joyce Wan (if you haven't already). My toddler is obsessed with her books. They're simple and short enough to keep a short attention span happy and they're so cute you almost don't mind reading them 7 billion times in a row. Our personal favorite is You Are My Cupcake, but her latest, You Are My Magical Unicorn, is a close second.
That's it for now. I'll be back soon with new reviews, I promise!
Friday, January 18, 2019
I Owe You One
I'm jumping the gun on this review a little bit. The book doesn't come out until February 5, but I really want to talk about it now, so here we are.
First things first - I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Now, on to the good stuff. I Owe You One is the latest book from author Sophie Kinsella. I liked this one. I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads, but it was really more like 3.5 stars for me. Definitely better (for me anyway) than last year's Surprise Me, it didn't quite live up to my love for 2017's My Not So Perfect Life. Honestly though, the only thing holding me back from a higher star rating is that the book made me so mad at times!
Fixie fixes things (hence the nickname). She's a capable, reasonably intelligent doormat to her truly awful family. Seriously, these people are horrible. Her brother is a self-important ass and her sister is a vapid wannabe Instagram influencer who is quite possibly the most selfish character I've ever encountered in all of my years of reading. Fixie's biggest flaw is that she puts up with these people and somehow thinks she is inferior to them. I spent a good portion of the book yelling at her to just tell them off already.
Frustrating as it was at time though, this book has a great heart and a fun story that I did enjoy. Once it gets going (which was in a matter of the first few pages for me), you won't want to put it down. I highly recommend it to all lovers of rom-coms and anyone who has enjoyed Kinsella's previous work.
First things first - I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Now, on to the good stuff. I Owe You One is the latest book from author Sophie Kinsella. I liked this one. I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads, but it was really more like 3.5 stars for me. Definitely better (for me anyway) than last year's Surprise Me, it didn't quite live up to my love for 2017's My Not So Perfect Life. Honestly though, the only thing holding me back from a higher star rating is that the book made me so mad at times!
Fixie fixes things (hence the nickname). She's a capable, reasonably intelligent doormat to her truly awful family. Seriously, these people are horrible. Her brother is a self-important ass and her sister is a vapid wannabe Instagram influencer who is quite possibly the most selfish character I've ever encountered in all of my years of reading. Fixie's biggest flaw is that she puts up with these people and somehow thinks she is inferior to them. I spent a good portion of the book yelling at her to just tell them off already.
Frustrating as it was at time though, this book has a great heart and a fun story that I did enjoy. Once it gets going (which was in a matter of the first few pages for me), you won't want to put it down. I highly recommend it to all lovers of rom-coms and anyone who has enjoyed Kinsella's previous work.
Thursday, January 17, 2019
A Regularly Updated Blog
Y'all, I don't know why but I just can't seem to get my shit together when it comes to keeping this thing updated regularly. I'm reading. I'm reading a freaking TON! You should see my nightstand (and my Kindle). I keep seeing that Marie Kondo meme going around on Facebook, you know the one:
and it cracks me up so much because, well, add an alarm clock (I'm old school... or just old) and a bunch of charging cables and that's my nightstand right now. Okay, always.
After not meeting my Goodreads challenge goal for the last few years, I blew through my list in 2018 and beat my goal by *drumroll please* 41 books. I had set the goal for 52 (a modest book a week) and ended up reading 93!
I get a lot of people in my real life that ask how I can keep up with all that and my answer is simple - I can't. I enjoy just about every book while I'm reading it. At almost 39 years old, with nearly 35 years of reading under my belt, I'm finally becoming one of those people who understands that you don't have to finish a book if you don't like it. So I can honestly say that I enjoy each book as I read it. That said, my favorites are the ones I can tell you about months later. If a book is just "meh" I won't remember much about it within a few weeks. That's actually one of the reasons I'm so thankful for Goodreads. It has saved me from a few re-reads over the years.
My list of favorites from last year is a LOT shorter than my list of books read. At the top is the one I spent all of 2018 recommending to like everyone I know. Seriously, I got annoying about it - Baby Teeth. If you like suspense and creepy kids, this is the book for you.
I also loved the latest Jack Reacher book, by Lee Child. And I've loved going through all the books in the Bosch universe, by Michael Connelly. I've got one left to go (and another season and a half of the show to get through) and I'm trying to stretch it out and savor it because I'm not sure when the next one comes out.
I thought Still Me, by Jojo Moyes was fantastic. I hadn't been such a fan of Me After You, but I feel like Still Me was the perfect end to Louisa's story.
I liked The Accidental Beauty Queen, by Teri Wilson a lot. It's mindless fluff, but who doesn't need that every once in a while? I miss what I think of as the golden age of chick lit a lot. Back in the mid to late 90s when we were all falling in love with Bridget Jones and Jane Green was just getting started with her fluffier books like Mr. Maybe and Jemima J (which, yes, I know, is problematic, but I can't help it, I still really love that book). The Accidental Beauty Queen (and to a lesser extent For Once in My Life, by Colleen Coleman) reminded me of those early books in a way that I haven't experienced in a long time. The last installment in the Bridget Jones series was so disappointing and Jane Green's books have gotten so much more serious over the years. These were a breath of fresh air.
I read all of Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes books and The Outsider this year and loved them. I'd gotten away from reading King over the last decade or so and I'm so glad I've found my way back. He's been one of my favorite authors since I was a teenager and he never ceases to impress me. His Twitter feed is also amazing.
Oh! I also finally read the Harry Potter series. I know. I know. I'm never going to be one of those people that lists them as their favorite books of all time, but I have to say, I'm glad I read them and I really enjoyed them a lot.
So those are my favorites for the year and hopefully I'll be back with more book recs before this time next year.
and it cracks me up so much because, well, add an alarm clock (I'm old school... or just old) and a bunch of charging cables and that's my nightstand right now. Okay, always.
After not meeting my Goodreads challenge goal for the last few years, I blew through my list in 2018 and beat my goal by *drumroll please* 41 books. I had set the goal for 52 (a modest book a week) and ended up reading 93!
I get a lot of people in my real life that ask how I can keep up with all that and my answer is simple - I can't. I enjoy just about every book while I'm reading it. At almost 39 years old, with nearly 35 years of reading under my belt, I'm finally becoming one of those people who understands that you don't have to finish a book if you don't like it. So I can honestly say that I enjoy each book as I read it. That said, my favorites are the ones I can tell you about months later. If a book is just "meh" I won't remember much about it within a few weeks. That's actually one of the reasons I'm so thankful for Goodreads. It has saved me from a few re-reads over the years.
My list of favorites from last year is a LOT shorter than my list of books read. At the top is the one I spent all of 2018 recommending to like everyone I know. Seriously, I got annoying about it - Baby Teeth. If you like suspense and creepy kids, this is the book for you.
I also loved the latest Jack Reacher book, by Lee Child. And I've loved going through all the books in the Bosch universe, by Michael Connelly. I've got one left to go (and another season and a half of the show to get through) and I'm trying to stretch it out and savor it because I'm not sure when the next one comes out.
I thought Still Me, by Jojo Moyes was fantastic. I hadn't been such a fan of Me After You, but I feel like Still Me was the perfect end to Louisa's story.
I liked The Accidental Beauty Queen, by Teri Wilson a lot. It's mindless fluff, but who doesn't need that every once in a while? I miss what I think of as the golden age of chick lit a lot. Back in the mid to late 90s when we were all falling in love with Bridget Jones and Jane Green was just getting started with her fluffier books like Mr. Maybe and Jemima J (which, yes, I know, is problematic, but I can't help it, I still really love that book). The Accidental Beauty Queen (and to a lesser extent For Once in My Life, by Colleen Coleman) reminded me of those early books in a way that I haven't experienced in a long time. The last installment in the Bridget Jones series was so disappointing and Jane Green's books have gotten so much more serious over the years. These were a breath of fresh air.
I read all of Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes books and The Outsider this year and loved them. I'd gotten away from reading King over the last decade or so and I'm so glad I've found my way back. He's been one of my favorite authors since I was a teenager and he never ceases to impress me. His Twitter feed is also amazing.
Oh! I also finally read the Harry Potter series. I know. I know. I'm never going to be one of those people that lists them as their favorite books of all time, but I have to say, I'm glad I read them and I really enjoyed them a lot.
So those are my favorites for the year and hopefully I'll be back with more book recs before this time next year.
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