Monday, December 31, 2018

allegedly

Book 52 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

Summary (via Goodreads)
Mary B. Addison killed a baby.
Allegedly. She didn't say much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only blanks that mattered: A white baby had died while under the care of a churchgoing black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it? She wouldn't say.
Mary survived six years in baby jail before being dumped in a group home. The house isn't really a "home" - no place where you fear for your life can be considered a home. Home is Ted, who she meets on assignment at a nursing home.
There wasn't a point to setting the record straight before, but now she's got Ted - and their unborn child - to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary must find the voice to fight her past. And her fate lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most: her Momma. But who really knows the real Mary?

My Opinion
This review is not going to be a review because the book leads the reader down a very clear path and saying anything (did I see the ending coming or did the path twist at the last minute?) would be a spoiler.  But if you do read it, talk to me because I have thoughts.

Speaking about the situations described in the book, it made me sad because I know the stuff that happens to Mary during her time in jail and at the group home, where treatment orders are not being followed and she's slipping through the cracks, occurs in real life because the people who want to help vulnerable populations are overworked and the people merely collecting a paycheck can get by on bare minimum for a long time without being held accountable. 

The Murderer's Ape

Book 51 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Murderer's Ape by Jakob Wegelius

Summary (via the book jacket)
Sally Jones is not only a loyal friend, she's an extraordinary individual. In overalls or in a maharaja's turban, this gorilla moves among humans without speaking but understanding everything. She and the Chief are devoted comrades who operate a cargo boat. A job they are offered pays big bucks, but the deal ends badly, and the Chief is falsely convicted of murder.
For Sally Jones, this is the start of a harrowing quest for survival and to clear the Chief's name. Powerful forces are working against her, and they will do anything to protect their secrets.

My Opinion
I liked the story and the characters but I think this book would benefit from more editing.  It was shelved in my library as a YA but I would put this on the very young side of YA reading level, maybe even Juvenile Fiction.  Yet I don't know that younger readers would get through all 588 pages without setting it aside because so many pages go by without any activity, especially considering that we know from the very beginning that Sally Jones reunites with the Chief so the story takes a long time to catch up with what we've known since page 1.

Also, a random thing that I noticed...the title is "The Murderer's Ape" but Sally Jones is a gorilla and even when the villagers were chanting at her they were chanting 'get the murderer's gorilla!"  Did the story change at some point along the way and the title should've also been changed to reflect it?

Audience questions aside, I really enjoyed the drawings and felt they added a nice touch and the book didn't feel as long as it was because the chapters were broken up into nice, digestible, sittings. 



The Hour of Peril

Book 50 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War
by Daniel Stashower

Summary (via Goodreads)
In February of 1861, just days before he assumed the presidency, Abraham Lincoln faced a “clear and fully-matured” threat of assassination as he traveled by train from Springfield to Washington for his inauguration. Over a period of thirteen days the legendary detective Allan Pinkerton worked feverishly to detect and thwart the plot, assisted by a captivating young widow named Kate Warne, America’s first female private eye.
As Lincoln’s train rolled inexorably toward “the seat of danger,” Pinkerton struggled to unravel the ever-changing details of the murder plot, even as he contended with the intractability of Lincoln and his advisors, who refused to believe that the danger was real. With time running out Pinkerton took a desperate gamble, staking Lincoln’s life—and the future of the nation—on a “perilous feint” that seemed to offer the only chance that Lincoln would survive to become president.  Shrouded in secrecy—and, later, mired in controversy—the story of the “Baltimore Plot” is one of the great untold tales of the Civil War era, and Stashower has crafted this spellbinding historical narrative with the pace and urgency of a race-against-the-clock thriller.


My Opinion
The title and description are self-explanatory so if you're interested in the topic you will enjoy the book.  It can be a little long at times since we know Lincoln survived but I learned lots that I didn't know before.  

It is interesting to me that we focus so much on the Civil War itself but not much on how long the tension was brewing beforehand and if there are any lessons to apply to our current-day divisiveness.  It is also interesting to consider how different our country could be if the attempts to prevent Lincoln's inauguration had been successful; things had been in motion before him, in spite of history giving Lincoln credit for the entire abolition of slavery, but it definitely would've been a different timeline without him.

A strange thing from the book that didn't involve Lincoln - Pinkerton survived many dangers, including being shot in the back, but died from an infection after tripping and biting his tongue during the fall.

I laughed at the author's note at the beginning about "restoring the original intent" of the detectives' reports and including any profanity they skipped over at the time using "discreet elliptical devices" when recounting conversations.  I made a note of it before reading but now that I'm thinking back and writing this review I can't even remember any outlandish language at all, either because I'm immune and skip over it or what was offensive at that time is pretty tame now; probably a little of both. 

Ramona Blue

Book 49 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

Summary (via Goodreads)
Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.
Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.
The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool. But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem.


My Opinion
I was a little familiar with the controversy around the subject matter before reading this book.  As stated in the book summary, Ramona has identified as a lesbian but reconnecting with her friend Freddie and being attracted to him makes her question that.  I'm not in any of those demographics (39 and straight) so I'm not going to tell someone else how to feel but what I will say after reading the book is that the characters do touch on the confusion and she feels hesitant to even voice anything because her mom was convinced from the beginning it was a phase and she doesn't want to give her any "hope" at all because she is still attracted to girls as well.  Again, not my experience, but I do think this could be the path someone that is bi-sexual or pan-sexual could take...they know they're not straight so it starts as coming out as gay and then figuring out they may not solely fit in that category either.  Basically, everything seems to be a spectrum, I wanted to acknowledge the controversy but I also don't feel equipped to comment on it at all so take it with a grain of salt. 

I always love the author's writing style.  She creates real, interesting, authentic characters.  They're almost too real - I was very sad and worried as I read because Ramona needs to protect her own future and not get so caught up in her family.

A Few Quotes from the Book
"In sophomore chemistry, Mr. Culver told us the most important thing to take away from his class was that the world isn't made up of isolated incidents. Knowing the elements was important, but even more relevant was knowing how they changed when combined with others. And that's what I'm most terrified of right now - how Freddie and I will change when combined with others."

"It's not high school that I'll miss. It's my summer breaks. The two months of freedom that almost make me feel like a tourist in my own town. Next summer won't be any kind of break at all. It'll be life, and the kind of life I've got ahead of me doesn't include vacation time."

"I don't even know if we were in love, but we were happy, and...and happy is more than my parents ever had, if what they had was anything at all. It's sad that sometimes we let ourselves believe that if it's not bad, it must be good."

The Stranger in the Woods

Book 48 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Stranger in the Woods: the Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit
by Michael Finkel

Summary (via the book jacket)
Many people dream of escaping modern life, but most will never act on it. Told in a riveting narrative, this is the remarkable true story of a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for twenty-seven years and made this dream a reality.
In 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food. Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. He broke into nearby cottages for food, clothing, reading material, and other provisions, taking only what he needed but terrifying a community never able to solve the mysterious burglaries. 
Based on exclusive interviews with Knight himself, this is a vividly detailed account of his secluded life - why did he leave? what did he learn? - as well as the challenges he has faced since returning to the world. It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life, as well as a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded. 

My Opinion
This was a fascinating story told in an accessible, absorbing way.  I loved it and it was looking to be a 5 star read until the author got into various theories and analysis and it pulled me out of the story and "down" to a 4 (which is still recommended and really good!). 

Side note that has nothing to do with the story - I couldn't help picturing Christopher Knight (the actor that played Peter Brady) as I was reading since they have the same name and it made me laugh. 

Quote from the Book
"He parked the car and put the keys on the center console. He had a tent and a backpack but no compass, no map. Without knowing where he was going, with no particular place in mind, he stepped into the trees and walked away."

I Will Carry You

Book 47 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

I Will Carry You: the Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy
by Angie Smith

Summary (via the book jacket)
Angie Smith was eighteen weeks pregnant with her fourth daughter, Audrey Caroline, when doctors discovered conditions leaving Audrey "Incompatible with life." Faced with the decision whether to terminate the pregnancy, Angie and her husband chose to carry Audrey for as long as she had life. This began what turned out to be three months of loving and carrying a little girl that was not expected to live more than a few minutes.
Audrey Caroline lived for over two hours, weighing three pounds, two ounces. Yet, in the midst of the sorrow of loss, there was still joy. Angie weaves the faith-filled story of Audrey Caroline with a biblical story of hope to help us all understand how better to cope with loss and disappointment. 

My Opinion
Very vulnerable and honest, this was easy to read and get absorbed with their family and story.  I had to take breaks because of the rawness. 

I don't normally read religious books so I was prepared to make my usual "this isn't my typical genre so take this with a grain of salt" disclaimer that comes up when I do happen to read them but it wasn't necessary here.  The religion came in as she talked about how they coped but it wasn't preachy.  I don't have that faith myself but I can appreciate it in those that do (as long as they don't try to force it onto others) and am almost jealous of the strength they find in it. 

A Few Quotes from the Book
"She will not return to me. 
  Six words that will shape every one of my remaining days on Earth."

"So what is it like to live life after losing a child?
  I guess that depends on the day."

The Secret Keeper

Book 46 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

Summary (via the book jacket)
During a picnic at her family's farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson witnesses a shocking crime, a crime that challenges everything she knows about her adored mother, Dorothy. Now, fifty years later, Laurel and her sisters are meeting at the farm to celebrate Dorothy's ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this is her last chance to discover the truth about that long-ago day, Laurel searches for answers that can only be found in Dorothy's past. Clue by clue, She traces a secret history of three strangers rom vastly different worlds thrown together in war-torn London - Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy - whose lives are forever after entwined. 
A gripping story of deception and passion, The Secret Keeper will keep you enthralled to the last page.

My Opinion
I went into this with a tip from a review from my friend Laura to pay attention to the dates as the time jumps around.

It was a bit of a stretch how everything gets solved but it was a great story with some surprises along the way. 

A Few Quotes from the Book
"...Laurel had heard it. And she's started harder at Ma's lovely, tired, familiar secretive face. Scouring it for answers. Answers she knew were there to be found. Because people who'd led dull and blameless lives did not give thanks for second chances."

"Laurel studied her mother's profile, wishing she had been a different sort of daughter, wishing there was more time, that she could go back and do it all again, not leave everything to the last and find herself sitting at her mother's hospital bed with so many blanks to fill."

Contrary to Popular Belief

Book 45 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

Contrary to Popular Belief

Summary (via the book jacket)
Isn't it time you knew the honest-to-goodness truth? We've all come to believe hundreds of "false facts" - myths that we've blindly accepted as truth, misconceptions that we've ignorantly retold to others. 
Contrary to Popular Belief provides an instant remedy for your pounding head, full of misinformation, giving you quick relief with enlightening and entertaining facts. 

My Opinion
This was an inconsequential way to pass the time.  It's an older book - in current times it would be something along the lines of a Buzzfeed list.  To show how different times are now since this book was published, the author said he verified these facts by "locking himself away in the library, checking and double-checking the facts".  

Some things I didn't even as know as facts to be disputed in the first place, sometimes I wanted to double check his double checking (which is much easier to do now thanks to the Internet), and there were plenty of fun facts I read aloud.

A small point of contention as a non-religious person...there were some religious items (like what day Jesus was born or how many animals Noah took aboard the ark) that I question if they're even "facts" at all to be included, disputed or not.

This would be a good book for the bathroom (again, remembering a time before phones were a distraction on the toilet).

I'm Hosting as Fast as I Can!

Book 44 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

I'm Hosting as Fast as I Can! by Tom Bergeron

Summary (excerpt from the book jacket)
He's one of the most ubiquitous men on television. Certainly the most calm, cool, and collected - the kind of "off the cuff". And no one throws to a commercial better. 
Yes, Tom Bergeron is a Hollywood staple, and the role for which he is best known is...well...himself. But while he's a comforting presence to millions of people, cultivating this seemingly unshakeable positive outlook and cool persona took as much motivation, inspiration, perseverance, and experience as it would take to prepare a classic part for the stage.
I'm Holding as Fast as I Can! is the trying, often laugh-out-loud journey it took to get to himself.

My Opinion
I wondered if a biography from 2009 would hold up when it's about somebody still alive and active but it was funny and still interesting even though some of the information was outdated. 

Best out-of-context line: "So, not being crazy, I instead went off by myself to study mime in a converted barn in the Maine woods."

Quote from the Book
"Live television, like life itself, gives you only one shot. It's a good idea to pay attention."


The Best American Mystery Stories 2003

Book 43 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Best American Mystery Stories 2003 

Summary (via the book jacket)
This seventh installment of the premier mystery anthology boasts pulse-quickening stories from all reaches of the genre, selected by the world-renowned mystery writer Michael Connelly. His choices include a Prohibition-era tale of a scorned lover's revenge, a Sherlock Holmesinspired mystery solved by an actor playing the famous detective onstage, stories of a woman's near-fatal search for self-discovery, a bar owner's gutsy attempt to outwit the mob, and a showdown between double-crossing detectives, and a tale of murder by psychology. This year's edition features mystery favorites as well as talented up-and-comers, for a diverse colleciton sure to thrill all readers.

My Opinion
I have a few words about each story but overall, I enjoyed this book.

The Jukebox King: I didn't completely understand this but it could be user error since I read it in spurts while working.

Aardvark to Aztec: Meh.  I'm not off to a great start here, is it me?

The Pickpocket: Not really a mystery per se but still a good story.

After You've Gone: It made me super uncomfortable which I guess meant it was a good story.

Hostages: good.

Death on Denial: fine.

The Jeweler: lots of details but no full-fledged story.

Thug: Signification and the (De) Construction of Self: the idea was good but the execution wasn't. The footnotes were longer than the actual story.

War Can Be Murder: too many people for a short story and heavy-handed on homosexuality.

Richard's Children: good proper mystery with a twist end.  I wondered if this group really exists?

When the Women Come Out to Dance: be careful what you wish for.

The Confession: I glossed right over the clue.  Good but unrealistic story.

Lavender: it felt long but I didn't mind.

The Skull: open-ended so I can't say for sure but I did think he was shady.

The Dead Their Eyes Implore Us: fine.

Sockdolager: entertaining.

The Adventure of the Agitated Actress: it had a whole lot of bluster for nothing.

Home Sweet Home: really vivid and good.

Controlled Burn: didn't understand ending.

That One Autumn: not really a mystery but good just as a story. 


How I Resist

Book 42 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

How I Resist by Maureen Johnson

Summary (via Goodreads)
Now, more than ever, young people are motivated to make a difference in a world they're bound to inherit. They're ready to stand up and be heard - but with much to shout about, where they do they begin? What can I do? How can I help?
How I Resist is the response, and a way to start the conversation. To show readers that they are not helpless, and that anyone can be the change. A collection of essays, songs, illustrations, and interviews about activism and hope, How I Resist features an all-star group of contributors, including, John Paul Brammer, Libba Bray, Lauren Duca, Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson and his husband Justin Mikita, Alex Gino, Hebh Jamal, Malinda Lo, Dylan Marron, Hamilton star Javier Muñoz, Rosie O'Donnell, Junauda Petrus, Jodi Picoult, Jason Reynolds, Karuna Riazi, Maya Rupert, Dana Schwartz, Dan Sinker, Ali Stroker, Jonny Sun (aka @jonnysun), Sabaa Tahir, Daniel Watts, Jennifer Weiner, Jacqueline Woodson, and more, all edited and compiled by New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson.
In How I Resist, readers will find hope and support through voices that are at turns personal, funny, irreverent, and instructive. Not just for a young adult audience, this incredibly impactful collection will appeal to readers of all ages who are feeling adrift and looking for guidance.
How I Resist is the kind of book people will be discussing for years to come and a staple on bookshelves for generations.
 


My Opinion
I will definitely pass this book along to my teenagers.

The 6 ways to react to media listed by Jonny Sun especially resonated with me, as well as the emphasis by multiple people that one person can make a difference even if it doesn't feel like it. 

A Few Quotes from the Book 
"Adults forget that we knew stuff [as teenagers] and had opinions and that there is no magic transformation that occurs when the clock ticks you over from age seventeen to eighteen. You, my teenage friends, are voters-in-training, the same as adults. Adults forget that we are all voters-in-training. The learning process never stops. We need to look to our younger citizens and non-citizens because you're the one coming at subjects for the first time; your perspectives, as a result, are fresh and passionate." ~ Maureen Johnson

"The best part? You can find everything you need at your local library. Libraries: serving the resistance since forever. Seriously, libraries are The. Best. Don't even bother fighting me on this one. You will lose." ~ Libba Bray 


The Art of Racing in the Rain

Book 41 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Summary (via Goodreads)
Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.
Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through.
A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life ... as only a dog could tell it.


My Opinion
5 star read.  The first chapter was super emotional; I read it in the van while on vacation with my family and immediately passed it around so everyone would a) experience what I was experiencing and b) decide if they wanted to read it after me.  The amount of days it took to read doesn't reflect that I read it in 2 sittings; as I mentioned, I was on vacation so my time was limited.

This is the kind of book I feel weird recommending since it's sad...hey, want your heart ripped out?  You should definitely read this. 

Quote from the Book 
"I marveled at them both; how difficult it must be to be a person. To constantly subvert your desires. To worry about doing the right thing, rather than doing what is most expedient."

Empire Falls

Book 40 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

Empire Falls by Richard Russo

Summary (via Goodreads)
Miles Roby has been slinging burgers at the Empire Grill for 20 years, a job that cost him his college education and much of his self-respect. What keeps him there? It could be his bright, sensitive daughter Tick, who needs all his help surviving the local high school. Or maybe it’s Janine, Miles’ soon-to-be ex-wife, who’s taken up with a noxiously vain health-club proprietor. Or perhaps it’s the imperious Francine Whiting, who owns everything in town–and seems to believe that “everything” includes Miles himself. In Empire Falls Richard Russo delves deep into the blue-collar heart of America in a work that overflows with hilarity, heartache, and grace.

My Opinion
I enjoyed this while I was reading it but don't have a lot to say about it now.  I got sucked in and wanted to read but was also very worried about what was going to happen. 

Little Bee

Book 39 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Summary (via the book jacket)
This is the story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice, the kind of choice we hope you never have to face. Two years later, they meet again - the story starts there...
Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens. The magic is how the story unfolds.

My Opinion
Vague description leads to a vague review but 5 star read for me.  I could've stopped to make notes of quotes all the time because the voice is unique and the writing is beautiful.

My edition had a q-and-a section at the end and it added an extra heartbreaking layer to the read for me.

The Bookman's Tale

Book 38 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett

Summary (via Goodreads)
Hay-on-Wye, 1995. Peter Byerly isn't sure what drew him into this particular bookshop. Nine months earlier, the death of his beloved wife, Amanda, had left him shattered. The young antiquarian bookseller relocated from North Carolina to the English countryside, hoping to rediscover the joy he once took in collecting and restoring rare books. But upon opening an eighteenth-century study of Shakespeare forgeries, Peter is shocked when a portrait of Amanda tumbles out of its pages. Of course, it isn't really her. The watercolor is clearly Victorian. Yet the resemblance is uncanny, and Peter becomes obsessed with learning the picture's origins.
As he follows the trail back first to the Victorian era and then to Shakespeare's time, Peter communes with Amanda's spirit, learns the truth about his own past, and discovers a book that might definitively prove Shakespeare was, indeed, the author of all his plays.
 


My Opinion
Reading this book reminded me of what bothers me about reading Dan Brown.  The story is building suspense and then perfectly placed coincidences (meeting tonight, met the right person, trust someone immediately so they share secrets, etc.) come in to move the plot along.

Is whether or not Shakespeare wrote his own plays an actual conspiracy theory or something made up for this book?  I'd never heard of that before so I want to research further. 

In Cold Blood

Book 37 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 

Summary (via the book jacket)
On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues.
As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moments, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence.

My Opinion
I felt sorry for both of the killers at different points in the book.  One was the mastermind and one did the killings - I agree with the assessment that neither one of them would've done this without the other one.

It was fascinating how small details, like the hours of operation for the post office, played such an integral role in dismantling their alibis.

In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It

Book 36 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It by Lauren Graham

Summary (via Goodreads)
In this expansion of the 2017 commencement speech she gave at her hometown Langley High, Lauren Graham, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood, reflects on growing up, pursuing your dreams, and living in the here and now. “Whatever path you choose, whatever career you decide to go after, the important thing is that you keep finding joy in what you’re doing, especially when the joy isn’t finding you.” In her hilarious, relatable voice, Graham reminds us to be curious and compassionate, no matter where life takes us or what we’ve yet to achieve. Grounded and inspiring—and illustrated throughout with drawings by Graham herself—here is a comforting road map to a happy life.

My Opinion
This was about a 5-minute read.  I like her so I liked the book and enjoyed her message but only read it because it was available to check out from the library...these are the kinds of books that I pass right by in a bookstore as not worth the price.

Quote from the Book
"You've felt it too, haven't you? Even for a fleeting moment? When you're engrossed in a good book, or losing yourself in trying a new recipe, or tackling something at work, and then you look up at the clock, only to realize just how many hours have passed. Whatever you want to call it: flying, sailing, surfing. It's the way time moves differently when you're caught up in the simple joy of being yourself. It's what can happen when you make the decision to let go of criticism and worry and fear.
 And that's where The Best really lives."

Am I There Yet?

Book 35 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

Am I There Yet? by Mari Andrew

Summary (via Goodreads)
Mari Andrew started doodling when she worked at a bakery--she took some license with the display case labels. When customers noticed and began telling her the drawings brightened their days, Mari realized she could use that hobby to connect with people. She hit a professional rough patch in her late 20s and began to chronicle her work on Instagram. Nearly overnight, she became a sensation. Now when Mari Andrew posts something new, the Internet rejoices.
This book is organized by universal themes of becoming an adult--for example, loss, adventure, ambition. Within each chapter, Mari shares her personal experiences in never-before-seen essays, accompanied by spreads of her signature illustrations, 90 percent of which are brand new. Readers are bound to see some of themselves in this book, whether seeking advice on how to handle growing up, or just looking for a friend who can commiserate.
 


My Opinion
I found her art on Instagram and enjoyed this quick read.  I laughed on the first page when her dedication to her mom read, "For My Mom. Sorry it's not a grandchild." and found myself nodding along at multiple points in the book.

Quote from the Book 
"Suddenly, my purpose didn't feel quite so elusive. What I love most about living isn't accomplishing things, but experiencing them."

Reading Lolita in Tehran

Book 34 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

Summary (via Goodreads)
Every Thursday morning for two years in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a bold and inspired teacher named Azar Nafisi secretly gathered seven of her most committed female students to read forbidden Western classics. As Islamic morality squads staged arbitrary raids in Tehran, fundamentalists seized hold of the universities, and a blind censor stifled artistic expression, the girls in Azar Nafisi's living room risked removing their veils and immersed themselves in the worlds of Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, and Vladimir Nabokov. In this extraordinary memoir, their stories become intertwined with the ones they are reading. Reading Lolita in Tehran is a remarkable exploration of resilience in the face of tyranny and a celebration of the liberating power of literature.

My Opinion
I was interested in the topic but this was a struggle to read.  I think I might have liked it more if I was just reading about her life but adding in critiques of the books they read took me out of the story.

I'm really sad that it didn't feel dated even with all the talk of fighting and torture because not much has changed.

A Few Quotes from the Book 
"When my students came into that room, they took off more than their scarves and robes. Gradually, each one gained an outline and a shape, becoming her own inimitable self. Our world in that living room with its window framing my beloved Elburz Mountains became our sanctuary, our self-contained universe, mocking the reality of black-scarves, timid faces in the city that sprawled below."

"We were unhappy. We compared our situation to our own potentials, to what we could have had, and somehow there was little consolation in the fact that millions of people were unhappier than we were. Why should other people's misery make us happier or more content?"

Shutter Island

Book 33 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

Summary (via the book jacket)
The year is 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Multiple murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this barren island, despite having been kept in a locked, guarded cell under constant surveillance. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on them, a strange case takes on even darker, more sinister shades - with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, and lethal countermoves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. 
No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is remotely what it seems.

My Opinion
5 star read.  It was very easy to get lost in the setting and forget where I was reading it (feeling the effects of a dark hurricane while sitting outside on a sunny summer afternoon). 

While it was very accurate for the times it was still jolting to occasionally see the words "mongoloid" or "retard" since it isn't as prevalent now, thankfully. 

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

Book 32 of my 2018 Reading Challenge 

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Kevin

Summary (via Goodreads)
If Naomi had picked tails, she would have won the coin toss. She wouldn't have had to go back for the yearbook camera, and she wouldn't have hit her head on the steps. She wouldn't have woken up in an ambulance with amnesia. She certainly would have remembered her boyfriend, Ace. She might even have remembered why she fell in love with him in the first place. She would understand why her best friend, Will, keeps calling her "Chief." She'd know about her mom's new family. She'd know about her dad's fiancée. She never would have met James, the boy with the questionable past and the even fuzzier future, who tells her he once wanted to kiss her. She wouldn't have wanted to kiss him back.
But Naomi picked heads.
After her remarkable debut, Gabrielle Zevin has crafted an imaginative second novel all about love and second chances.


My Opinion
The writing was very good and I would've eaten up this storyline when I was younger but this isn't a teen book that translated to an adult audience for me.  It was melodramatic, added unnecessary trouble by keeping things secret that didn't need to be, and I felt too old to fall for the romance of it.  

So an average 3 stars from me since I wasn't the target audience but would've enjoyed it more if I was.

The Day They Met

Book 31 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Day They Met by Wendy Fries

Summary (via Goodreads)
Sherlock Holmes and John Watson have wandered far from the light of Victorian gas lamps. As Holmes and Watson they've tangled with Nazis, as Sherlock and John they roam the corridors of New Scotland Yard. In a world of so many fresh adventures, why not fresh beginnings to those adventures? From an 1879 Kabul train station to a King's College lecture theatre in 2015, The Day They Met includes stories both classic and contemporary, offering fifty intriguing new ways that the world's most legendary partnership might have begun.

My Opinion
The unique concept and wild variety (even though one author imagined all of these) made this a thoroughly enjoyable read.

"This is a work of fiction about a work of fiction."  After the author expressed the feeling to a friend that Holmes and Watson were fated to meet, the friend challenged her to come up with another way they could've met.  Turns out the author could come up with 50 and this interesting premise of a book was the result.

I didn't keep track from story to story but to give it 5 stars means that I enjoyed all or almost all of them.  I did take note of the best out-of-context line, "When two men try on lipstick together at two in the morning, something happens.  Friendship, partnership, bonding...something."



Fathers and Sons

Book 30 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

Fathers and Sons by David Katz

Summary (via Goodreads)
From Esquire, which has always showcased the world’s finest writers, comes a stunning collection of often moving essays about fatherhood.
Compelling and eloquent, these are some of the magazine’s most emotionally powerful pieces, as eleven award-winning and notable authors reflect on manhood through memories of their own fathers and their personal experience of raising sons. The collection covers everything from birth to death, from the thrilling and terrifying hours Daniel Voll spent in the delivery room during his wife’s long labor to Jake La Motta’s heartbreaking piece about losing his two sons to David Sedaris’s sidesplitting portrait at his father—a food hoarder who once took a bite of his own hat.


My Opinion
I wrote down a short review of each story as I read it.  As far as the book as a whole, there were more "hits" than "misses" so I enjoyed it.

The Beginning: really descriptive, powerful writing.  I'm glad their story went well since they ignored their doctor.

The Babyproofer: over the top but sadly, not by much.

Sam: meh.

The Lost Boys: good writing but an uninteresting topic.

My Life, My Loss: is he famous?  I don't get the style because I don't know him.

Me and Sandy the Bull: open but also uncomfortable to read.

The Man Who Mistook His Hat for a Meal: I like his writing but it was kind of gross. I thought it was going a different direction. 

My Father the Spyreally vivid writing.  Hard to watch but good to share.

Eating with My Father: short and sweet, it's good to have those moments.

My Father's Memories: really nice with a good point about the competition between fathers and sons.

My Father's Fashion Tips: My favorite of the book, really touching.

My Father, the Bachelor: nice way to wrap up the book. 



Friday Night Lights

Book 29 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger

Summary (via the book jacket)
The town of Odessa seethes in the merciless heat of the West Texas desert. Socially and racially divided, its fragile economy follows the treacherous boom-bust path of the oil business. In bad times, its unemployment rate skyrockets; in good times, its murder rate skyrockets. But every Friday night from September through December, when the Permian High School Panthers play football, all troubles seem to vanish and this hard-luck town becomes a place where dreams can come true. During the season, Odessans' passion for the Panthers - the winningest high school football team in Texas history [as of the writing of this book] - attains heights that are both exhilarating and appalling.
With frankness and compassion, Bissinger chronicles the Panthers' dramatic 1988 season, and shows how single-minded devotion to the team shapes the community and inspires (or shatters) the teenagers who wear Panther uniforms. His exquisitely written account also brings into sharp focus the bitter clash between sports and education, not only in Odessa but in high schools and colleges nationwide. 

My Opinion
Rounded up to 4 stars.

I really empathized with Boobie's struggles to get back on the field after his injuries and surgery and I wish the empathy didn't come from a personal place of watching my kids and their friends go through similar issues.

I didn't want to do any further research while reading because I didn't want to skew my experience but I did wonder what the aftermath of this book coming out was and if anyone complained about their portrayal.  

Seriously, desegregation didn't happen until 1982???  Along those same lines, the number of people using the 'n' word was surprising and not in a good way.  I know people use it, especially in that time and place, but it was so casual and often I wondered if the author was very good about getting people to let their guard down or if it was pervasive in a way that I'm not used to; probably a mixture of both. 

It was funny reading about Odell Beckham in high school as people wondered if the hype was real and knowing now, since I'm reading it so much later, that not only does he have some success, his son is amazing. 

The author makes the point at the beginning of the book that although this book is about Odessa, it could be about any town anywhere and I think that's true.  I also think the stakes and pressures on high school and college athletes have gotten worse and people have unrealistic expectations, forgetting they are not professional and that they are young men and women trying to balance things out. 

A Few Quotes from the Book 
"I don't think [fans] realize these are sixteen, seventeen, eighteen-year-old kids...they don't realize it's a game and they look at them like they're professional football players. They are kids, high school kids, the sons of somebody, and they expect them to be perfect."

"We got two things in Odessa," Jerrod said once. "Oil and football. And oil's gone. But we still got football, so fuck the rest of you."

"There was no other moment like it, and anyone who had ever played high school football could still recall it with perfect clarity, that emotional peak, that time in life when all energy was concentrated on a single point and everything was crystal clear. Whatever happened afterward, whatever success, or failure, or happiness, or horror, it could not be forgotten."

Sunday, December 30, 2018

The Hate U Give

Book 28 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Summary (via Goodreads)
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
 


My Opinion
I had high expectations after rave reviews across the board from all my friends and it didn't disappoint.

Even though I could've read it all at once because it was so engrossing, I could only take a little at a time.

This is one of my top books of 2018 and one that will be continually recommended by me as necessary reading. 

A Few Quotes from the Book
"I've seen it happen over and over again: a black person gets killed just for being black, and all hell breaks loose. I've tweeted RIP hashtags, reblogged pictures on Tumblr, and signed every petition out there. I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down.
 Now I am that person, and I'm too afraid to speak."

"There's that word again. Bravery. Brave peoples' legs don't shake. Brave people don't feel like puking. Brave people sure don't have to remind themselves how to breathe if they think about that night too hard. If bravery is a medical condition, everybody's misdiagnosed me."

The Lace Reader

Book 27 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Summary (via Goodreads)
Every gift has a price . . . every piece of lace has a secret.
Towner Whitney, the self-confessed unreliable narrator, hails from a family of Salem women who can read the future in the patterns in lace, and who have guarded a history of secrets going back generations. Now the disappearance of two women is bringing Towner back home to Salem—and is bringing to light the shocking truth about the death of her twin sister.


My Opinion
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars but rounded up because I hit a point in the book where I couldn't set it down until I finished it, yet it was a little convoluted and the way everything was thrown together at the end didn't really make sense or wrap everything up.

I would definitely read this author again and after seeing on Goodreads that this is the first book in a series, I will probably continue this series as well.

Quote from the Book
"When the eyes begin to fill with tears and the patience is long exhausted, there will appear a glimpse of something not quite seen.
  In this moment an image will begin to form...In the space between what is real and what is only imagined."

The Best American Essays 2005

Book 26 of my 2018 Reading Challenge

The Best American Essays 2005

Summary
The Best American series has been the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction since 1915. Each volume's series editor selects notable works from hundreds of periodicals. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the very best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected--and most popular--of its kind.
The Best American Essays 2005 includes
Roger Angell • Andrea Barrett • Jonathan Franzen • Ian Frazier • Edward Hoagland • Ted Kooser • Jonathan Lethem • Danielle Ofri • Oliver Sacks • Cathleen Schine • David Sedaris • Robert Stone • David Foster Wallace • and others

My Opinion
As with any collection of essays, especially by different authors, there will be some hits and some misses.  I gave this book 3 stars because it seemed to be pretty evenly divided between the two.  I jotted down a few words about each essay as I was reading and will include them now.

La Vie en Rose - didn't get invested or interested.

The Sea of Information - To quote the essay, "So what is it, then, that I'm trying to say?"  I wondered the same thing even after I read the whole thing.

Storm Country - really good, descriptive writing.  I felt like I was there.

Joyas Voladoras - short but good. 

Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog - I'm not familiar with diagramming sentences.  It looks confusing but kind of fun at the same time.

The Comfort Zone - surprisingly long but kept my interest.

If Memory Doesn't Serve - cute story that I really enjoyed reading.  It reminded me of the time before Google when I had to sit and see if the answer to a question would pop into my head suddenly. 

Against Exercise - I like the title right off the bat.  Interesting thoughts but a long way to say it.  I loved the line, "Nothing can make you believe we harbor nostalgia for factory work but a modern gym."

Small Silences - too long and meandering.  I don't disagree with his viewpoint of the need for preserving nature and animals but a lecture didn't feel right coming from a guy who made his observations while working in circuses.

Small Rooms in Time - My favorite!  Like all good ones, I felt it was over too quickly.  Really vivid.

Speak, Hoyt-Schermerhorn - tough one to get through.  Must have an interest in subways to enjoy this essay and living in Iowa, I don't even have basic knowledge of them.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking - really, really good.  It covered her life in a way that felt light but was very revealing.

Contributor's Note - original topic but universal when thinking of all the readings I've watched.

My Friend Lodovico - cute, easy read.

Living Will - I was invested.

Dog Days - reminded me of a Sunday NPR story.  Nice and easygoing.

Speed - boring and long.

Dog Trouble - very descriptive.  I can't imagine putting that much effort in.

Old Faithful - I feel like I've read this essay before.  I loved the description of someone that is dramatic when sick as, "A tiny splinter works itself into his palm and he claims to know exactly how Jesus must have felt on the cross."

Six Seconds - fascinating and depressing.

Skill Display in Birding Groups - boring.

The Prince of Possibility - someone may enjoy this essay but that someone isn't me.

Dining with Robots - boring.

Consider the Lobster - footnotes are very overused.  I learned a fun fact: lobster was only eaten by poor people until the 1800's since they were so easily found and was definitely not considered fancy like it is today.  In fact, "some colonies had laws against feeding lobsters to inmates more than once a week because it was thought to be cruel and unusual, like making people eat rats."

Satin Worship - meh.

Quote from the Book
"That [essays] continue to be written and read is enduring proof that, all indications to the contrary, our voices matter to each other; that we do wonder what goes on inside each other's heads; that we wan to know each other, and we want to be known. Nothing is more meaningful - more human, really - than our efforts to tell each other the story of ourselves, of what it's like to be who we are, to think the things we think, to live the lives we live."