Review: When You Are Engulfed in Flames


When You Are Engulfed in Flames
When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I thoroughly enjoyed [b:When You Are Engulfed in Flames|1044355|When You Are Engulfed in Flames|David Sedaris|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344263880s/1044355.jpg|3255908]. I recently read [b:Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary|7857195|Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk A Modest Bestiary|David Sedaris|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1279831428s/7857195.jpg|10995406] and [b:Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls|15790837|Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls|David Sedaris|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359704028s/15790837.jpg|21512389], and I felt that these books had the classic [a:David Sedaris|2849|David Sedaris|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1213737698p2/2849.jpg] wit, but they were both a bit depressing. [b:When You Are Engulfed in Flames|1044355|When You Are Engulfed in Flames|David Sedaris|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344263880s/1044355.jpg|3255908] had some sad stories; however, overall, the stories made me laugh out loud. I don't know what happened after he wrote [b:When You Are Engulfed in Flames|1044355|When You Are Engulfed in Flames|David Sedaris|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344263880s/1044355.jpg|3255908], but I wish he would return to this type of storytelling.



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Review: Bossypants


Bossypants
Bossypants by Tina Fey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I really enjoyed this memoir. It was light and funny, but there were lots of sincere stories and good advice in it as well. I listened to the audiobook, and I must recommend it to others, because there were clips from Saturday Night Live in it. Also, [a:Tina Fey|4385839|Tina Fey|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1286658273p2/4385839.jpg] is the reader, so you feel like you are having a conversation with her. I feel that this is a book that I will reread in the future.



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Review: Who Could That Be At This Hour?


Who Could That Be At This Hour?
Who Could That Be At This Hour? by Lemony Snicket

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Although [b:Who Could That Be At This Hour?|13477819|Who Could That Be At This Hour? (All The Wrong Questions, #1)|Lemony Snicket|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333060600s/13477819.jpg|19008874] has the fun and clever writing that [a:Lemony Snicket|36746|Lemony Snicket|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1199734355p2/36746.jpg] is known for, I did not enjoy this book as much as "A Series of Unfortunate Events." The book did not have the Gothic feel that the previous series had and for some reason that took away from the book. Also I found the "a word that means" to be used too often, and I grew tired of it quickly. At the same time, I am excited to learn more about [a:Lemony Snicket|36746|Lemony Snicket|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1199734355p2/36746.jpg], and I will continue to read the series. Reviews of the second book in the series[b:When Did You See Her Last?|17369219|When Did You See Her Last? (All The Wrong Questions, #2)|Lemony Snicket|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1362101059s/17369219.jpg|24153852] suggest that it is a stronger book, so I will give it a try.



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Review: Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary


Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



[b:Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary|7857195|Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk A Modest Bestiary|David Sedaris|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1279831428s/7857195.jpg|10995406] was a strange book. The writing has [a:David Sedaris|2849|David Sedaris|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1213737698p2/2849.jpg] written all over it. The writing it tight, insightful, and true to life. At the same time, the majority of the stories do not end well. Granted, these are stories about talking animals who act like animals, not Disney animals, so there is no way the story can be true to life without some bleakness at the end. At the same time, most of the stories are dark. They are kind of like watching a car accident on the side of the road: gruesome but you can't help yourself and you must look.



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Review: Beautiful Creatures


Beautiful Creatures
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I am a bit disappointed that I didn't love this book. I watched the movie last week, and I loved it, so I immediately picked up the book. I was surprised with how much was changed for the movie. Several characters were cut from the movie and the plot was streamlined, which was not surprising. However, major plot points towards the end of the movie were twisted quite considerably. My major gripe with this book is that a lot of the suspense of the book is created because the adults refuse to tell Ethan and Lena anything. I feel like the plot could have been a bit tighter, if we didn't have to deal with the communication problems riddled throughout the book.



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Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane


The Ocean at the End of the Lane
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This is a hard book for me to review. On one hand, the writing was beautiful. I borrowed the book from the library, but I think I will have to buy the book, so I can underline so many of the beautiful sentences. I normally feel pretty "eh" about Neil Gaiman books. I know this is blasphemy, but something usually doesn't feel right to me about his books. The Ocean at the End of the Lane was not like that. The book felt complete and whole to me (although some things got wrapped up a little too tidy with little to no explanation). On the other hand, there were hard parts for me to read. One part was icky and another part was horrifying. I had my eyes half closed, and I kept the book as far as my arms would reach, while I read those two sections. These parts were hard to read, and while they needed to be in the book, I don't know if I could read those parts again. Can you love a book and hate parts of it at the same time? I don't know. This is why this book gets 4 stars.

For those who are sensitive to child abuse, there is a scene that may trigger some feelings. It is not a book about child abuse. It is a book about a child fighting a monster. Unfortunately, this is a strong monster, and the child undergoes a scary moment.



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Review: In the Garden of Iden


In the Garden of Iden
In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This was a fun and just totally crazy book. It is about people from the future giving people from the past immortality, so the people from the past will work for them. What do the people from the future want these folks to do? Collect rare animals, plants, and other things. The protagonist is a botanist. That is right, a botanist.

What I Liked:
1. The premise for this book is crazy fabulous. It felt random but just right. Who knew reading about a cyborg botanist would be so interesting.

2. The protagonist's voice is great. At times, it is almost ticklish. The botanist is fun, assertive, and brave.

What I Didn't Like:
1. Sometimes the story felt like it was rambling a bit. I wish that the story had been a bit tighter.



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Review: Sandman Slim


Sandman Slim
Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I finally finished this book. There were several times when I was just going to put it on the back burner, but I suffered through. I don't understand why I was not drawn in, it was the type of book that I would normally like.

What I Liked:
1. I thought the characters were interesting. I enjoy reading about "good guys" who aren't your typical good guys.

What I Didn't Like:
1. I don't know what I didn't enjoy about this book, but I clearly did not enjoy it. It didn't drag or have a silly plot. I just didn't enjoy it.



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Review: The Anatomist's Apprentice


The Anatomist's Apprentice
The Anatomist's Apprentice by Tessa Harris

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This was a fun change of pace from my typical mystery novel that I read.

What I Liked:
1. The book is like a CSI show (well actually more Quincy: ME) before television was invented. I liked how [a:Tessa Harris|1914809|Tessa Harris|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1328736669p2/1914809.jpg] set the story at a time where forensic science was just getting started, because it shows the reader how easy it was to get away with murder back in the day.

2. Thomas was a fun protagonist: sweet and a sucker for a pretty lady. I could see myself reading more books about him. He wasn't the gritty PI or the aloof detective of other mystery novels who can sometimes become tiresome.

3. After the whodunnit aspect was figured out, the mystery was nice and tidy. It was the right level of complicated. It all seemed quite reasonable too, and if one cared to, I feel that a person could have figured it out.

What I Didn't Like:

1. Sometimes I was confused about what was going on in a scene (who was where). I feel that this is a new author kink that will get worked out in time.



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Review: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol II: The Kingdom on the Waves


The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol II: The Kingdom on the Waves
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



It is done. The book is finally done.

What I Liked:
1. I really enjoyed the style of this book. It was a collection of diary entries and letters from lots of different people, but mainly Octavian Nothing.

2. This book gives a very interesting perspective on the Revolutionary War. Most of my readings from this era are from the (white) revolutionists, so it was interesting to read a fictional account of a slave in the British Army. This book has inspired me to do more reading on this era in the US's history.

What I Didn't Like:
[b:The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol II: The Kingdom on the Waves|2751662|The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol II The Kingdom on the Waves|M.T. Anderson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349029480s/2751662.jpg|2777360] followed the same format as [b:The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol I: The Pox Party|169762|The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol I The Pox Party|M.T. Anderson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327870278s/169762.jpg|577024]; however, the second volume did not have the same Gothic feel that the first volume did. Even though I was not a huge fan of the first book, the horror elements kept me going, this book dragged.



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Review: The Fault in Our Stars


The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



All the hype is true. You need to read this book even if the blurb on the back doesn't sound interesting.

What I Liked:
1. The writing is beautiful. Every line is perfection. Every piece of dialogue is perfectly picked out. If only I could talk like the characters in this book.

2. The book was quite tight and flowed nicely. I didn't feel that the book rambled or needed more.

What I Didn't Like:
1. As much as I loved the dialogue, I don't feel that teenagers talk like Hazel and Augustus (or even most adults). The dialogue was the type of dialogue that you get when you have the option to really think about each and every word that you are going to say before you say it. Granted, I loved the dialogue; it just felt "written" not "real."



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Review: The Great Gatsby

The Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I decided I needed to reread this book, because I watched the movie recently. The first time I read this book was in 11th grade. I must say that as a high school student, I didn't really appreciate the story. Now that I am older, I feel that I can relate to the story more.

What I Liked:

1. The language is beautiful in this book. The choice of words and colors is perfect.

2. The characters are well written. You won't relate to most of them, but you will understand them.

What I Didn't Like:

1. This time I listened to the audiobook. I am not sold on Jake Gyllenhaal as a narrator.

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Review: Shoggoth's Old Peculiar

Shoggoth's Old PeculiarShoggoth's Old Peculiar by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a short story, so it is going to get a short review. :) It was a cute and funny little story.

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Review: Storm Front

Storm Front (The Dresden Files, #1)Storm Front by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a super fun book; I am looking forward to continuing the series!

What I Liked:
1. I really enjoyed the mystery in this book. It was a fairly solid story. The clues and how the pieces fit together didn't feel too contrived. It seemed all fairly believable.

2. I liked how magic worked in this world. I enjoyed the potion making scene, especially.

3. I appreciated the thesaurus work in this book. People didn't enter rooms, they stalked into rooms, etc. I could visualize what was happening in the book.

What I Didn't Like:
1. I believe this was Jim Butcher's first published novel, and it feels a bit like that. In particular, it seemed like there were just paragraphs of description that just stopped the action. It seemed every time someone entered a scene, we were subjected to a description of what they looked like, and it didn't really flow with the rest of the scene. I kept feeling pulled out when that happened.

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Review: Victory of Eagles

Victory of Eagles (Temeraire, #5)Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think this is my favorite Temeraire book, since the first one (His Majesty's Dragon).

What I Liked:

1. I really liked all the character growth and just the character depth in general in this book (and the rest). Laurence and Temeraire are far from perfect characters. Naomi Novik does a great job of making her protagonists likeable but having flaws. Additionally I really appreciate that the characters are growing throughout the books but also remaining internally consistent.

2. There was action and adventure! The last couple of books seemed to drag, but this one felt to move more.

Although dragon rights were a big part of this book, it didn't seem to be as annoying as it felt in previous books. It seemed more organic to discuss dragon rights than in the previous books.

What I Didn't Like:

1. There wasn't anything I really didn't like in this book. :)

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Review: Where She Went

Where She Went (If I Stay, #2)Where She Went by Gayle Forman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where She Went is another brilliant piece of work by Gayle Forman. I was worried that Adam would not sound as true as Mia, but that was not the case. I loved and cried with Adam as much as I did with Mia.

What I Liked:
1. The book pulls at your heart strings, and you will all the pain and hope that Adam feels. It was an emotional roller coaster that was worth the cost of admission.

2. The writing was beautiful. It was like reading a dream. As the reader, I felt compelled to be very quiet, so I didn't attract the attention of Adam and Mia and make the book stop.

What I Didn't Like:
1. (view spoiler)[I don't know how I feel about the ending. As much as I wanted that ending, I am not sure if it was the true ending for the book. I feel that in the "real world" Mia and Adam would have parted as friends. Adam would have still left the band, but he and Mia wouldn't have gotten back together. I feel that Gayle Forman may have been worried about the readers being upset by a non-romantic ending. Of course, I would have been one of the people upset by the non-romantic ending and would have complained about it. ;) (hide spoiler)]

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Review: Among Others

Among OthersAmong Others by Jo Walton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. It is one of the best books that I have read in the last few years. This book will go in my favorites folder on my kindle, and I will read it again and again in the years to come.

What I Liked:

1. I loved all of the scifi and fantasy references. Some reviewers have described this book as a love song to scifi and fantasy, and I can see why. Although I have not read many of the books, the protagonist mentions, I don't think that I missed too much. At the same time, I look forward to reading this book in the future after reading some of the books that she mentioned and seeing if I have a more nuanced understanding of the character.

2. I appreciated the book being diary entries. I think it helps remind the reader that the narrator may be unreliable. During the majority of the book, I constantly questioned what was "real." Although it frustrated me when I was reading it, I really do like the unreliable narrator concept. I kept asking myself if the magic was real or was Mori just telling me a "fairy story" as she says at the beginning of the book.

3. I feel that Jo Walton did a great job writing as a 15-year old girl. Mori had depth and talked like a girl her age. Many times authors write their teenagers as wise beyond their years or really dumb. Mori was believable.

What I Didn't Like:

1. There should be a list of all the books and authors mentioned somewhere at the end of the book. I have found websites where this was done, but it would have been nice to include in the book itself.

2. I wish that the realness of the magic had been shown earlier in the book. Although one could say that there was never any proof, I am choosing to believe that the magic was real. Therefore, a little evidence earlier on would have been nice.

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Review: The Rithmatist

The Rithmatist (Rithmatist #1)The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a bit challenging to review, because as much as I really enjoyed reading this book, the stuff that I didn't like (as minor as it was) bothered me quite a bit.

What I Like:
1. Magic Math! Magic Geometry! Magic Chalk! I really liked this concept, and I thought the drawings throughout the book really brought out the concept.

2. I really appreciated the fact that the adults were not idiots. Many times in YA books, the adults are ridiculous, so the children/teenagers/young adults are able to save the day. Brandon Sanderson was able to write a book were the young folks saved the day, but the adults were not stupid. I stood up and cheered when the principal rolled his eyes at Joel's stupid idea to fail a class and told Joel to speak to him next time instead of assuming that working with a Rithmatist was out of the question.

3. The plot was cute and fun. It was not the most difficult plot to figure out, but it kept my attention.

4. The writing was great. The writing really flowed.

What I Didn't Like
1. Although I liked the fact that the adults were super smart, I felt bad that Joel and Melody weren't able to discover some stuff on their own. I almost felt like this book was showing off how stupid kids can be some times (instead of adults). It almost seemed like the anti-YA book.

2. I enjoyed all the math and geometry magic fighting, but I wished that Brandon Sanderson had spent more time early on talking about other aspects of Rithmancy. I feel like I didn't get a good understanding of the magic system. Because of this lack of understanding, I feel that I didn't really appreciate the magic system as much as I could.

3. I don't want to get into too much detail about this final point, because I don't know completely how I feel about it just yet and it is completely subjective; however, I have mixed feelings about the religion and magic link. Maybe it is because Brandon Sanderson did not go into too much detail about it or because some of the writing pushed some buttons in me about my own personal views, but in any event...I have mixed feelings about this aspect of the book.

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Review: Sorry I Barfed on Your Bed

Sorry I Barfed on Your Bed: (and Other Heartwarming Letters from Kitty)Sorry I Barfed on Your Bed: by Jeremy Greenberg
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Suffice it to say, I did not enjoy this little book targeted towards a cat lovers.

What I Liked:
1. The pictures of the cats and kittens were quite cute.
2. The premise of cats and kittens writing letters was adorable.

What I Didn't Like:
1. The letters did not draw me in. Even though each letter was short, my attention span drifted while reading them.

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