Book Review: Talking As Fast As I Can

Book: Talking As Fast As I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between) by Lauren Graham

Source: Library

Description:

In this collection of personal essays, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood reveals stories about life, love, and working as a woman in Hollywood—along with behind-the-scenes dispatches from the set of the new Gilmore Girls, where she plays the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore once again.

In Talking as Fast as I Can, Lauren Graham hits pause for a moment and looks back on her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories about growing up, starting out as an actress, and, years later, sitting in her trailer on the Parenthood set and asking herself, “Did you, um, make it?” She opens up about the challenges of being single in Hollywood (“Strangers were worried about me; that’s how long I was single!”), the time she was asked to audition her butt for a role, and her experience being a judge on Project Runway (“It’s like I had a fashion-induced blackout”).

In “What It Was Like, Part One,” Graham sits down for an epic Gilmore Girls marathon and reflects on being cast as the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore. The essay “What It Was Like, Part Two” reveals how it felt to pick up the role again nine years later, and what doing so has meant to her.

Some more things you will learn about Lauren: She once tried to go vegan just to bond with Ellen DeGeneres, she’s aware that meeting guys at awards shows has its pitfalls (“If you’re meeting someone for the first time after three hours of hair, makeup, and styling, you’ve already set the bar too high”), and she’s a card-carrying REI shopper (“My bungee cords now earn points!”).

Including photos and excerpts from the diary Graham kept during the filming of the recent Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, this book is like a cozy night in, catching up with your best friend, laughing and swapping stories, and—of course—talking as fast as you can.



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

I wonder if being funny comes naturally to Lauren Graham because I actually laughed out loud while reading this. Talking As Fast As I Can is an interesting and funny read that features 13 essays with pictures included throughout that go over a range of topics including her life, being a judge on Project Runway, describing her time working on the fan favorite TV series Gilmore Girls and the revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life and more.

I found it interesting when she described all the hard work and time she put into pursuing her dream of being an actor. What I like is that she didn't put a time limit on her dream nor did she give up. It eventually worked out but at the time when she was a struggling actress working odd jobs there was no guarantee that it would.

Becoming a writer was not something she planned despite having a Bachelor's degree in English, it sort of just happened. One day, while she was sitting in her trailer after filming her scenes for her TV series Parenthood, she had an idea for a story. She had no plans to get anything she had written published. However, when she had mentioned it to her agent that she had been working on something just for fun that was the start to her eventually (with some hard work) getting her first book Someday, Someday, Maybe published.

I think what surprised her was the implication from some that she didn't really write her first book simply because she was an actress. It's no secret in the world of publishing that many celebrities use ghostwriters for their books which I find disappointing because generally the ghostwriter doesn't get any credit for all the hard work they do in writing the books. Anyway, Graham went over one terrible interview she had in promoting her book, the reporter was standoffish and asked questions as if to get her to admit she didn't write the book. She tried to make the interview cheerful but the reporter didn't seem to be in the mood for humor. Not much you can do in a situation like that.

In two Gilmore Girls essays titled What It Was Like, Part One and Part Two, she goes over details, pictures and behind the scenes information about the show and the revival. Based on what she wrote it's clear that playing Lorelai Gilmore and the Gilmore Girls series are very dear to her. She could have easily distanced herself from both but she loves the character and show just as much as fans do.

This was amusing to read. Graham is a lively person and it definitely comes across in her writing giving the reader the full effect of her funny and smart voice.

Book Review: Unsinkable: A Memoir

Book: Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds and Dorian Hannaway

Source: Library

Description:

Unsinkable is the definitive memoir by film legend and Hollywood icon Debbie Reynolds.

In Unsinkable, the late great actress, comedienne, singer, and dancer Debbie Reynolds shares the highs and lows of her life as an actress during Hollywood’s Golden Age, anecdotes about her lifelong friendship with Elizabeth Taylor, her experiences as the foremost collector of Hollywood memorabilia, and intimate details of her marriages and family life with her children, Carrie and Todd Fisher.

A story of heartbreak, hope, and survival, “America’s Sweetheart” Debbie Reynolds picks up where she left off in her first memoir, Debbie: My Life, and is illustrated with previously unpublished photos from Reynolds’s personal collection.



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Unsinkable is a fascinating and lively read that was written in a conversational tone as Debbie Reynolds goes over her life, her family, her Hollywood career, her disastrous love life and her hard fought but ultimately unfulfilled dream of creating a museum to celebrate movie memorabilia.

In this well-written and engaging memoir which is separated into two parts, Mrs. Reynolds experienced a hosts of ups and downs but she never lost that zest for life nor turned bitter. Which is remarkable giving everything she went through in her three marriages. It was heartbreaking to read especially given the financial problems she had with her second and third marriages. And speaking of her third marriage, it was the worst and gave her the most problems. But she was a romantic and she put her whole heart into each relationship even if the outcome was not happily ever after. She does described the Eddie Fisher/Elizabeth Taylor scandal which did hurt her but what surprised me was her reconciliation of her friendship with Taylor several years later.

Her children Carrie and Todd were mentioned throughout but the primary focus of the book is Reynolds. Her film career which she gives more insight to in part II, almost reads like a fairytale because at around 16 years old, she was discovered by a talent scout at a Miss Burbank contest in 1948. She had only entered the contest to get a free blouse and scarf that each contestant received but wound up gaining a career in entertainment.

Old Hollywood definitely get it's fair share of coverage in this book with Reynolds regaling the reader with tales of her time on movie sets, her co-stars and friends and some crazy things that went on behind the scenes. I love looking at all the wonderful pictures that were featured throughout.

I was struck by how candid she was in this book but her words came across as humorous, touching and inspiring. Reynolds never gave up even when there were times when she really wanted to or when times were tough. This was good and if you're a fan of the late Debbie Reynolds and Old Hollywood you may want to give this a read.

Currently Reading: Purple Hibiscus

I saw Purple Hibiscus at the library and immediately checked it out. The description really caught attention with Kambili living a posh and sheltered life with no knowledge of what's going on in the world until she's forced to. This seems like it might be an interesting book. 

Book: Purple Hibiscus by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie

Source: Library

Description:

Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a privileged life in Enugu, Nigeria. They live in beautiful house, with a caring family, and attend an exclusive missionary school. They're completely shielded from the troubles of the world. Yet, as Kambili reveals in her tender-voiced account, things are less perfect than they appear. Although her Papa is generous and well respected, he is fanatically religious and tyrannical at home-a home that is silent and suffocating.

As the country begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili and Jaja are sent to their aunt, a university professor outside the city, where they discover a life beyond the confines of their father's authority. Books cram the shelves, curry and nutmeg permeate the air, and their cousins' laughter rings throughout the house. When they return home, tensions within the family escalate, and Kambili must find the strength to keep her loved ones together. Purple Hibiscus is an exquisite novel about the emotional turmoil of adolescence, the powerful bonds of family, and the bright promise of freedom.

Book Review: I'm Judging You

Book: I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual by Luvvie Ajayi

Source: Library


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

We all know not to judge people but sometimes you just have to tell someone the truth especially when they are doing something oh so wrong. And that's just what author Luvvie Ajayi is doing with her humorous and insightful book I'm Judging You. This book which is divided into four sections covers a range of topics such as: bad manners, insta-fame, racism, sexism, social media and so much more.

In Part I: Life this section goes over topics such as bad hygiene, being late and more. There were times when some of the essays were so funny I couldn't stop laughing such as in "When Baehood Goes Bad". In that essay the author was describing the sad and pathetic state of her friend's relationship. For some reason her friend who has her life totally together was pretty much dating a loser and because that friend was so in love she could not see how pitiful her love life had become.

Meanwhile, in Part II: Culture this is where the essays forgoes any attempt at humor to focus on very heavy and important issues such as racism, sexism, homophobia and more. These are serious topics that require the reader to truly look within oneself and if you are not the ones spreading hate then do try to help stand up against it. These were very thought-provoking.

Part III: Social Media shifted back to a more humorous tone going over some of the whacky, weird and sometimes insensitive things people do online from people oversharing to people posting pictures of deceased love ones. When it comes to being online and using social media some seem to lack all of the good sense they should have. 

The last section Part IV: Fame goes over this new era of online celebs, reality TV stars, etc. and how some are willing to do whatever it takes to become famous or infamous including lie just to make their lives seem more exciting. It boggles the mind the strange things people are willing to do to either gain fame or trying their best to hold on to it.

This book is what I would consider to be wry yet unbelievable whip-smart as the author tries to point out our follies in hopes that we can see how we are in this world, be it from exhibiting extremely poor behavior to downright hatefulness. Don't worry she also points out her own. I like how she closes out the book with the epilogue: Do Something That Matters because it inspires hope that we can all make a difference in the world and you don't have to do something big for it to occur. The important thing is to help in whatever way you can.

Currently Reading: I'm Judging You

I'm taking a reading break for The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Six Easy Pieces by Walter Mosley. They're both interesting but I'm just not in the mood to read them at the moment. However, a book I am interested in reading is I'm Judging You by Luvvie Ajayi, I checked out from the library yesterday and already started reading it.


Book: I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual by Luvvie Ajayi

Source: Library

Description:

With over 500,000 readers a month at her enormously popular blog, AwesomelyLuvvie.com, Luvvie Ajayi is a go-to source for smart takes on pop culture. I'm Judging You is her debut book of humorous essays that dissects our cultural obsessions and calls out bad behavior in our increasingly digital, connected lives―from the importance of the newest Shonda Rhimes television drama to serious discussions of race and media representation to what to do about your fool cousin sharing casket pictures from Grandma's wake on Facebook.

With a lighthearted, razor sharp wit and a unique perspective, I'm Judging You is the handbook the world needs, doling out the hard truths and a road map for bringing some "act right" into our lives, social media, and popular culture. It is the Do-Better Manual.

Book Review: Junk: Digging Through America's Love Affair With Stuff

Book: Junk: Digging Through America's Love Affair With Stuff  by Alison Stewart

Source: Library

Description:

Junk has become ubiquitous in America today. Who doesn’t have a basement, attic, closet, or storage unit filled with stuff too good to throw away? Or, more accurately, stuff you think is too good to throw away.

When journalist and author Alison Stewart was confronted with emptying her late parents’ overloaded basement, a job that dragged on for months, it got her thinking: How did it come to this? Why do smart, successful people hold on to old Christmas bows, chipped knick-knacks, VHS tapes, and books they would likely never reread? She discovered she was not alone.

Junk details Stewart’s three-year investigation into America’s stuff, lots and lots and lots of stuff. Stewart rides along with junk removal teams from around the country such as Trash Daddy, Annie Haul, and Junk Vets. She goes backstage to a taping of Antiques Roadshow, and learns what makes for compelling junk-based television with the executive producer of Pawn Stars. And she even investigates the growing problem of space junk—23,000 pieces of manmade debris orbiting the planet at 17,500 mph, threatening both satellites and human space exploration.

But it’s not all dire. There are creative solutions to America’s overburdened consumer culture. Stewart visits with Deron Beal, founder of FreeCycle, an online community of people who would rather give away than throw away their no-longer-needed possessions. She spends a day at a Repair Café, where volunteer tinkerers bring new life to broken appliances, toys, and just about anything. Stewart also explores communities of “tiny houses” without attics and basements in which to stash the owners’ trash.
  
Junk is a delightful journey through 250-mile-long yard sales, and packrat dens, both human and rodent, that for most readers will look surprisingly familiar.

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

Writer and journalist Alison Stewart looks into the world of junk, she traveled the country speaking with various people such as collectors, hoarders, people who want to live with less and more. How our abundance of things have led to the ever growing business of junk storage, junk removal and professional organizers. The author also looked at how we value or over value our things especially when it comes to selling or getting rid of them.

She also looked into the environmental aspect of the junk business such as recycling, upcycling, freecycling and simply repairing old things as ways of dealing with our junk so it's not just sitting in a landfill. There is so much that the author looked into from TV shows that center around junk and even junk that most people probably don't even think about such as the junk floating around out there in space.

I found this to be interesting and well researched as you see how our desire or undesirable interest in things have shaped the way we live. It's hard for some people to let go of stuff while others can easily do without. People have stuff not only crammed in their homes but also sitting in storage units. No surprise that the storage unit industry is a multi-billion dollar and growing industry, people really don't want to get rid of their stuff.

But getting rid of stuff can be hard because as the author touched on it's not just junk there are a lot of emotions attached to our things. This book came about due to the author and her sister cleaning out their late parents' basement. There were years and years of belongings sitting in the basement that held memories which made it harder to complete their task.

Junk is hard to define because what may be junk to one person is treasure to another. But there is a growing awareness that we have too much stuff which sort of coincides with the tiny house movement with more people are looking to live a more abundant life with less stuff.

While I enjoyed reading this, I found the few interviews that were featured throughout to be rather boring, sometimes long and unnecessary. They threw off the pacing of the book but overall this was a good read. I love the human interest aspect of this because our junk sort of reflects who we are no matter how much or little we have.

And an unexpected side-effect from reading this was finding myself going through my stuff and getting rid of things. 

Book Review: Zoo 2 (Bookshots)

Book: Zoo 2 (Zoo book #2) by James Patterson and Max DiLallo

Source: Library

Description:

James Patterson's ZOO was just the beginning. The planet is still under violent siege by ferocious animals. Humans are their desperate prey. Except some humans are evolving, mutating into a savage species that could save civilization-or end it.


Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Review:

I like the idea that James Patterson came up with of creating these mini books or Bookshots. With so many people saying they are too busy to read, these Bookshots make it easier for someone to read a complete story in less amount of time.

This sequel to Zoo opens with Jackson Oz, his wife Chloe and their son Eli living in the Arctic trying their best to survive not only the harsh climate but avoid the animal attacks. Since the conclusion of the first book, all over the world the animals have been attacking and it doesn't appear to be a way to stop them.

With the animal attacks even more out of control, the US government in a second attempt of solving the crisis enlist Oz's help. He was a little reluctant at first to return but living in the Arctic was starting to become more dangerous. But he knew if he and his family as well as the world were to return to any sort of normalcy he had to help.

In this fast moving story, Oz has one harrowing experience after the next as he works with the Department of Energy (DOE) to find a way to stop the animal attacks. However, it appears that there is an even bigger threat looming, feral and bloodthirsty humans.

Something was causing humans to regress into these Neanderthal like beings who were extremely dangerous. It was going to take Oz and the rest of the team to find a cure before it spreads, that is if they can manage to stay alive.

As I mentioned before, this is a fast paced story but it wasn't moving so fast that any aspects of the story was lost. What I like is that the reader is immediately thrown into the story, you see that the danger with the animals has not lessened, it's still as big a threat as ever. However, now there is a new twist added on to the problem, humans are somehow being affected.

Even though I love the concept of these Bookshots, I do wish the story had been just little bit longer. I thought there were a few scenes that could have been expanded upon.

This was a good read and hopefully there will be another sequel especially with the way this ends.

Book Review: Spark Joy

Book: Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class to the Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

Source: Library

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

From reading Spark Joy, I learned that Marie Kondo's tidying methods includes decluttering in categories starting with clothes followed by books and so on until the last thing is sentimental items. You are supposed to keep items if they give you that spark of joy. Full disclosure, I did not declutter my books or DVDs/Blu-rays. A few months ago, I donated a bunch of books. So, the books I currently have (albeit an extremely large amount) are ones that I will either be reading or are my favorites. As for paring down my DVDs/Blu-rays, that so was not going to happen. I love watching my movies and TV shows, so I left them where they were. I'm not embarrassed to admit that I probably have as many DVDs/Blu-rays as I do books. Hey, don't we all have things we really like.  

After undergoing Marie Kondo's way of tidying up, my place is very organized and it feels more light and airy. My bedroom is just the way I wanted it. And once I pared down my clothes, I found I had a lot more room. From there it was so easy to organize my clothes as well as put away my out of season clothes. I no longer had clothes lying around (due to me not having any room to store them). I have another disclosure, I did not fold my clothes the way she suggested. My clothes are folded and look great, which I think is the important thing.

I have to say for the most part, her cleaning method did work for me. I got rid of so much stuff that I was holding on to from old formal dresses to kitchen utensils I never use. I now have less useless knick-knacks taking up space and I was able to find more room to store and display my collectables.

This book had a lot of good information and interesting tips such as having a pending box for taking care of paper work (bills, messages, etc.) that require immediate attention. I also thought decluttering by category was interesting because usually when I declutter I go from one area or room to the next. But tackling my items by category made it easy to sort through everything.

I think what I find so interesting about Marie Kondo's method is that it's actually really simple (aside from the folding). The way the book is written, it's easy to follow without being bogged down by complicated techniques. It gives the reader all the information needed to get started plus she shares information about what her clients learned from tidying and about her own desire to tidy. The illustrations are also easy to follow while the artwork (see below) adds a bit of whimsy to the book.

I have seen where some have said they are not interested in trying Marie Kondo's method because they don't want to get rid of everything. Honesty, I did not get rid all of my stuff, only the things I no longer wanted or needed. The author even makes a point of saying "keep what you love in confidence". Because to me, it makes no sense to get rid of everything, you would end up being miserable. The whole point of this method is to find joy in what you have and where you live.

I found Marie Kondo's enthusiasm about tidying and organizing to be very motivating. In the past, I have read other organizing books but for some reason those methods never quite worked. The Marie Kondo way of tidy may not work for everyone but I'm pleasantly surprised it worked for me.

Project: A Marie Kondo Cleaning Weekend + Currently Reading: Spark Joy

Yesterday, I went to the library with the intention of checking out "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo but it was already checked out. However, the author's other book "Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up" was there. I immediately grabbed it and checked out.

Last night, I started reading "Spark Joy" and I should have my review posted by Monday as well as the results of using the Kondo method.

I think I've come to a point in my life where my stuff has gotten a little out of control. My collectibles are starting to pile up and my clothes seemed to have multiplied, along with my books. For a while now, I've been putting off doing the big clean since I've been very busy but no more excuses. This weekend I'm going to see if Marie Kondo has either created the world's greatest organizing system or just the latest craze. One good thing about doing this cleaning project, my place is small so hopefully it won't take more than two days to declutter and organize it.

Book: Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class to the Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

Source: Library

Description:

Japanese decluttering guru Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up has revolutionized homes—and lives—across the world. Now, Kondo presents an illustrated guide to her acclaimed KonMari Method, with step-by-step folding illustrations for everything from shirts to socks, plus drawings of perfectly organized drawers and closets. She also provides advice on frequently asked questions, such as whether to keep “necessary” items that may not bring you joy. With guidance on specific categories including kitchen tools, cleaning supplies, hobby goods, and digital photos, this comprehensive companion is sure to spark joy in anyone who wants to simplify their life.

Book Review: Shadows of Sherwood

Book: Shadows of Sherwood (A Robyn Hoodlum Adventure book #1) by Kekla Magoon

Source: Library

Description:

The night her parents disappear, twelve-year-old Robyn Loxley must learn to fend for herself. Her home, Nott City, has been taken over by a harsh governor, Ignomus Crown. After fleeing for her life, Robyn has no choice but to join a band of strangers-misfit kids, each with their own special talent for mischief. Setting out to right the wrongs of Crown's merciless government, they take their outlaw status in stride. But Robyn can't rest until she finds her parents. As she pieces together clues from the night they disappeared, Robyn learns that her destiny is tied to the future of Nott City in ways she never expected.

Kicking off a new series with an unforgettable heroine, readers will be treated to feats of courage and daring deeds as Robyn and her band find their way in this cruel, new world.

Book Review: Bad Feminist

Book: Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Source: Library

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Either I'm getting really good at picking great books or there are just a lot of well-written ones being made.

This was indeed brilliantly written, the author wrote such thought-provoking essays covering a range of topics. There were some lighthearted essays such as the author describing her time teaching to her foray into competitive Scrabble. And from there the essays start to become these amazing think pieces about race, humor, politics, feminism and more.

For once I think I'm at a lost for words and afraid that my review may not do this book justice. It's almost hard to put into words how fascinating this was because the writing is superb and the author Roxane Gay has no problem speaking her mind (which I love). Sometimes what she has to say isn't easy to read but sometimes the truth isn't especially when she wrote about being sexually assaulted.

Although some things she wrote about have changed since these essays were published but that does not lessen the impact. This book had an interesting mix of wit and humor as the author looked at the world, pop culture and human nature.

Currently Reading: Bad Feminist

I recently checked this book and three others out from the library. This contains various essays on the subject of feminism. I just started reading it this morning and so far it's off to an interesting start.


Book: Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Source: Library

Description:

Pink is my favorite color. I used to say my favorite color was black to be cool, but it is pink—all shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read Vogue, and I’m not doing it ironically, though it might seem that way. I once live-tweeted the September issue.

In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman of color while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years and commenting on the state of feminism today. The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.

Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better.

Book Review: Thor: The Dark World (Junior Novelization)

Book: Thor: The Dark World (Junior Novelization) by Michael Siglain

Source: Library

Description:

The Asgardian warrior continues his big-screen adventures in Thor: The Dark World as he battles to save Earth and all Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel's Thor and Marvel's The Avengers, Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos...but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, the God of Thunder must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.


Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Review:

I hate to admit it but this junior novelization of Thor: The Dark World had a better grasp of the story than the movie did. Don't get me wrong, the movie was good but I always felt like the plot had been edited too much. This book although not the complete story (it ends with the funeral scene), filled in many of the scenes and did something that I absolutely love, the author didn't kill off Queen Frigga. I still don't understand why that even happened in the movie. This story also did something completely unbelievable, it actually made Thor and Jane's forced romance feel somewhat real. Movie wise Jane and Thor lacked romantic chemistry but the author was able to invoke a sense of emotion and romance between these two that has yet to be seen on screen. 

Although this is for middle grade readers, this was rather well-written and very descriptive and it added so much depth to all the characters. It would have been nice if the story was completed, but what is here isn't bad at all. It's a fun read.

Book Review: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Book: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Source: Library

Description:

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over--and see everything anew.


Rating: 1 star (Did Not Finish)

Review:

I was bored reading this and try as I might I just couldn't force myself to finish it. The plot was very thin and lacked substance. I couldn't click with the writing style which was trying too hard to be quirky. The characters were underdeveloped and I couldn't find anything to connect with them.

The story follows A.J. Fikry a 39 years old bookstore owner on a tourist Island. For years after the death of his wife, he has given up on life. He's rude to everyone, a literary snob and doesn't even bother trying to connect with his customers. And with the haphazard way he is running his bookstore, he's sure to be out of business in a matter of time.

But when his prized Edgar Allan Poe book was stolen, his life started to unexpectedly change. First starting with trying to get himself back in shape by running at night. Next a baby was found inside his unlocked bookstore. After he was robbed he didn't see the point of locking his door. Anyway, after finding 2 years old Maya, he decides to adopt her after some time caring for her. And by then I was tired of this go nowhere book that was trying to focus on too many characters and their mundane lives. There was nothing really happening in this story to keep me engaged.

This was a very boring story with boring characters that felt like it was only written as a vehicle to talk about other books. I guess this book just wasn't for me but I'm definitely glad I checked it out from the library instead of buying it.

Book Review: Mind the Gap vol #2

Book: Mind the Gap volume #2: Wish You Were Here (issues #6-10) by Jim McCann with illustrations by Rodin Esquejo (issues #6-8 and #10) and Dan McDaid (issue #9) and color by various artists

Source: Library

Description:

New threats arise as the curtains pull back to reveal some of the most shocking secrets surrounding the mystery behind the attack on Elle Peterssen. Meanwhile, what is her connection to a 10-year-old girl who claims to actually be Elle's mind trapped in this girl's body? All of this, plus the acclaimed silent issue "Speechless" and the unmasking that changes the entire series.


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Two volumes in and I think I love this series even more. There are mysteries and conspiracies woven throughout and nothing is truly what it seems. While some of the mysteries have started to be revealed more of them are just getting started. I think this is a fascinating read.

This second volume opens with Elle's spirit still occupying the body of ten years old Katie Lawrence. In the spirit world Elle found out how Katie died and planned to help find her killer. If only she can get her best friend Jo to believe that Katie is really her.

Convincing Jo may have been the easy part because everything else that follows is one twist after another. What are Elle's parents really up to? Who is the Fifth and what do they want with Elle? Can Jo and Dane trust Elle's brother Eddie?

This is such a well-written group of issues because the mystery doesn't feel like it's being made up on the spot but instead pretty thought out. I can see many of the puzzle pieces are started to fit together and the clues that are reveal are leading to something very dangerous.

I love a good mystery that's a bit of a mind trip. I'm really looking forward to reading volume #3.

Book Review: Career of Evil

Book: Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike book #3) by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)

Source: Library

Rating: 1 star (Did Not Finish)

Review:

My review for Career of Evil is rather short since I didn't finish reading it. I only read around 70+ pages before calling it quits, the story just wasn't holding my attention. Unlike the second book The Silkworm which I thought was amazingly well-written and exciting, this one was just plain boring.

Despite the discovery of a severed leg that was delivered to Cormoran Strike's assistant Robin Ellacott this story was unfocused and moved all over the place focusing on unnecessary things. Cormoran was trying to figure who may have sent the leg and had several persons of interest he planned to look into which also includes his former stepfather. The story also showed the killer's point of view which didn't add anything to the story. 

Career of Evil feels like a rare flub by J.K. Rowling because not only was the story lacking a real plot but Strike and Robin were no longer interesting, they were written as very dull and dreary.

J.K. Rowling may be a very good writer but this unfortunately wasn't a good read.

Currently Reading: Career of Evil and The History of Western Philosophy (Book Club)

On Monday, while I was searching the library's website, I took a chance and put my name on the hold list for Career of Evil. I'm glad I did because yesterday I got a call that the book was available to pick up.

The second book I will be reading is another Book Club pick, The History of Western Philosophy. I can't say that I enjoyed reading Republic by Plato but it didn't damper my interest in reading more Philosophy books.

Book: Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike book #3) by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)

Source: Library

Description:

When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg.

Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible – and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.

With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them…

Career of Evil is the third in the highly acclaimed series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott. A fiendishly clever mystery with unexpected twists around every corner, it is also a gripping story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives.

Book: The History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell

Book Club: Philosophy Books Club

Description:

Hailed as “lucid and magisterial” by The Observer, this book is universally acclaimed as the outstanding one-volume work on the subject of Western philosophy.

Considered to be one of the most important philosophical works of all time, the History of Western Philosophy is a dazzlingly unique exploration of the ideologies of significant philosophers throughout the ages—from Plato and Aristotle through to Spinoza, Kant and the twentieth century. Written by a man who changed the history of philosophy himself, this is an account that has never been rivaled since its first publication over sixty years ago.

Since its first publication in 1945, Lord Russell’s A History of Western Philosophy is still unparalleled in its comprehensiveness, its clarity, its erudition, its grace, and its wit. In seventy-six chapters he traces philosophy from the rise of Greek civilization to the emergence of logical analysis in the twentieth century.

Among the philosophers considered are: Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Empedocles, Anaxagoras, the Atomists, Protagoras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, the Cynics, the Sceptics, the Epicureans, the Stoics, Plotinus, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Benedict, Gregory the Great, John the Scot, Aquinas, Duns Scotus, William of Occam, Machiavelli, Erasmus, More, Bacon, Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, the Utilitarians, Marx, Bergson, James, Dewey, and lastly the philosophers with whom Lord Russell himself is most closely associated—Cantor, Frege, and Whitehead, coauthor with Russell of the monumental Principia Mathematica.

Book Review: Dietland

Book: Dietland by Sarai Walker

Source: Library

Description:

The diet revolution is here. And it’s armed.

Plum Kettle does her best not to be noticed, because when you’re fat, to be noticed is to be judged. Or mocked. Or worse. With her job answering fan mail for a popular teen girls’ magazine, she is biding her time until her weight-loss surgery. Only then can her true life as a thin person finally begin.

Then, when a mysterious woman starts following her, Plum finds herself falling down a rabbit hole and into an underground community of women who live life on their own terms. There Plum agrees to a series of challenges that force her to deal with her past, her doubts, and the real costs of becoming “beautiful.” At the same time, a dangerous guerrilla group called “Jennifer” begins to terrorize a world that mistreats women, and as Plum grapples with her personal struggles, she becomes entangled in a sinister plot. The consequences are explosive.

Dietland is a bold, original, and funny debut novel that takes on the beauty industry, gender inequality, and our weight loss obsession—from the inside out, and with fists flying.


Rating: 1 star (Did Not Finish)

Review:

Ugh, this book is so boring. I could barely read this. The writing is bland but also has a strange violent edge to it. The writing left me feeling nothing for the characters or the story. I'm still trying to figure out what this is even about, was it the memoir of a notorious dieter or something else entirely. There is also this underlining hatred towards women of a certain size and just women in general. Reading (or trying to read) this made me wonder if the author was simply just angry and used the book as way to lash out.

This lackluster story opens with Alicia "Plum" Kettle noticing that she is being followed by a young woman. Where ever she goes her shadow is there. Plum works for a glossy teen magazine where she answers reader questions. She's overweight and hates how she looks, she's been dieting for years but nothing seems to be working. To see a change, she has scheduled a weight loss surgery but until then she buys clothes that are smaller than her current size and hides them away in her closet. It's as if her life won't begin until she has that surgery.

Besides hating her weight, Plum also hates her life. She doesn't have any friends except for Carmen a former college friend who now owns a 1950's inspired café. This café is where Plum spends her time answering reader questions and occasionally filling in a shift or two for Carmen.

The premise of this is that Plum some how gets drawn into a radical feminist group who use their hatred towards men as a way to start a violent revolution but I didn't feel like sticking around for that or find out who the strange young woman was who was following her. This wasn't for me and I'm so glad I checked this out from the library because if I had bought this I would be even more disappointed with this book since I would have wasted money on it.

The description states that this is a bold, original, and funny debut novel but it certainly doesn't seem like any of those things. It riddled with clichés, unlikable characters and a dumb plot. It's a joyless story that doesn't make any sense.

I don't know why many reviews have touted this as being a feminist story if anything it come across as being the complete opposite.   

Book Review for the Nonfiction Read-a-Thon book #3: Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty

Book: Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty by Diane Keaton

Source: Library

Rating: 1 star

Review:

I still think Diane Keaton is a good actress however this books wasn't very good. It's dull and boring and very scattered.

Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty is a compilation of essays that don't seem to have much focus and sometimes appears really incoherent. The author's voice and story telling rambles a lot, there were some interesting things shown in here but it's drowned out by all the babble.

Reading this feels like I some how stumbled upon the author's journal because it's filled with a lot of inner monologue, drivel and a lot of other things that just don't seem as if they should be shown. Don't get me wrong there are some touching moments in the book when she's talking about her family but mostly everything in this book feels like a huge waste of time to read.

She described everything from her childhood to her hits and misses in life and in Hollywood. Her feeling about aging, her hair, her desire to keep buying and remodeling houses and a multitude of other nonsensical things.

I heard that her book Then Again is a good read perhaps I'll think about reading that one since this one was so disappointing.

Nonfiction Read-a-Thon book #3: Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty

I've seen quite a few of Diane Keaton's movies such as Because I Said So, The Other Sister, The First Wives Club, and the Father of the Bride movies just to name a few. So when I saw the book at the library I thought hey why not. It might be an interesting read.


Book: Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty by Diane Keaton

Source: Library

Description:

From Academy Award–winner and bestselling author Diane Keaton comes a candid, hilarious, and deeply affecting look at beauty, aging, and the importance of staying true to yourself—no matter what anyone else thinks.

Diane Keaton has spent a lifetime coloring outside the lines of the conventional notion of beauty. In Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty, she shares the wisdom she's accumulated through the years as a mother, daughter, actress, artist, and international style icon. This is a book only Diane Keaton could write—a smart and funny chronicle of the ups and downs of living and working in a world obsessed with beauty.

In her one-of-a-kind voice, Keaton offers up a message of empowerment for anyone who's ever dreamed of kicking back against the "should"s and "supposed to"s that undermine our pursuit of beauty in all its forms. From a mortifying encounter with a makeup artist who tells her she needs to get her eyes fixed to an awkward excursion to Victoria's Secret with her teenage daughter, Keaton shares funny and not-so-funny moments from her life in and out of the public eye.

For Diane Keaton, being beautiful starts with being true to who you are, and in this book she also offers self-knowing commentary on the bold personal choices she's made through the years: the wide-brimmed hats, outrageous shoes, and all-weather turtlenecks that have made her an inspiration to anyone who cherishes truly individual style—and catnip to paparazzi worldwide. She recounts her experiences with the many men in her life—including Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, and Sam Shepard—shows how our ideals of beauty change as we age, and explains why a life well lived may be the most beautiful thing of all.

Wryly observant and as fiercely original as Diane Keaton herself, Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty is a head-turner of a book that holds up a mirror to our beauty obsessions—and encourages us to like what we see.