Review of "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such an important read. I was anxious to finish it after I saw Colson Whitehead speak at the American Library Association meeting in June. The book was hard to get through due to its rough but based in truth content. I will recommend this to all people.

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Review of "Underground Airlines" by Ben H. Winters

Underground Airlines by Ben H. Winters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. While the jury is still out on my feelings of the author being white, I felt like this alternate reality/sci fi book was a much needed social commentary on racism and race relations in the US today. Highly recommended.

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Review of "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I totally see the connections to Harry Potter and Willy Wonka but the book was way too geek/nerd heavy for my level of geekiness. I got really into the adventure aspect and loved the ending. Overall I would recommend this to a very specific type of person. Of which many librarians fit this description haha.

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Review of "Beartown" by Fredrik Backman

Beartown by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book has a completely different voice than "A Man Called Ove", which I loved. However, Backman still maintains his impeccable ability to develop his characters enough so that my heart aches for them by the end of the book. I really enjoyed it despite it's dark tone. I only gave it 4 stars since I can't help but compare it to "Ove". I would recommend this to some but would be wary due to its potential triggering content.

The second time I read the book I loved it so much more especially after reading the second book in the series. So I bumped it up from 4 stars to 4.5. heart wrenching story with characters that you love and hate. Wonderful story that leaves you wanting more from the people of Beartown. Luckily Backman gives us a sequel 😁

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Review of "A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book made me laugh and made me cry. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book. Highly highly recommended!!

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Review of "Lisette's List" by Susan Vreeland

Lisette's List by Susan Vreeland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read this if you love Impressionist/Post-Impressionist art and/or French culture. Writing that reads like an impressionist painting. Mentions painters Paul Cezanne, Camille Pissarro, Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso.

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Review of "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondō
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will preface my review by stating that Marie Kondo is a little eccentric in her personification of her home and her possessions. If you look past this, you see the simple brilliance in tidying that she preaches in this tiny book. Ms. Kondo does an amazing job at waking her readers/clients up to the biggest mistakes in cleaning and storing possessions. It is all too easy to fall into the trap of cleaning a little each day or having multiple areas of storage. While I definitely will not take all of her suggestions in transforming my lifestyle to the "ideal" Japanese lifestyle (as there truly is a cultural difference between the US and Japan), I plan on taking serious action in discarding the items in my home. I cannot wait to get started!

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Review of "The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks" by Sam Maggs

The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks by Sam Maggs
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book is highly geared towards those that would "label" themselves as a "fangirl". Most of the book is thus inaccessible to those who do not label themselves as one. I did, however, enjoy the chapter on Geek Girl Feminism. This book may have been improved with some included reference to research into statistics and academic research/literature on the subject on "fangirls" or "fandoms".

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Review of "Detroit: An American Autopsy" by Charlie LeDuff

Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book displays a personal story of despair and misery played out in the neighborhoods of inner city Detroit. The author lays out the darkness in his life which parallels the darkness in the lives of the people featured in this book. Tales of corruption, murder, and deceit sound like fiction but as many of us know are pure truth. LeDuff has a welcome frankness in his storytelling that is needed when speaking of Detroit. I am not sure how someone who hasn't spent any time within the Detroit city limits will take to this book but I loved it. While I found the book to be a little too dark, I can understand where the tone came from because of LeDuff's personal story. It's hard to see all the light that comes out of the people of Detroit when all you have seen are the murder and mayhem brought on by the people of Detroit. Detroit is not hopeless...that should be the take away from this book, but I'm not sure that was the intent of the author. Still a good read.

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Review of "The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun" by Gretchen Rubin

The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is such an interesting book and a wonderful story of a woman taking more control in her life. She was very happy and satisfied with her situation (happily married, two beautiful children, happy with her job...etc.) but she felt that she could be better and more easily happy. She took a good hard look at herself and what made her happy and she decided that each month she would resolve to work on a different aspect of her life. She made some small adjustments, but some well very hard to achieve. I think everyone could benefit from the simple act of looking in and discovering what makes up happy and if we aren't currently happy, why? Are we doing it to ourselves? Most likely the answer is yes....so let's change that! Gretchen will show you the way to you finding your own happiness.

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Review of "Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid" by Denis Leary

Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid by Denis Leary
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I love Denis Leary. Very very much. Rescue Me was a brilliant show and I consumed all 7 seasons and enjoyed every minute. But this book infuriated me. Denis Leary has a skewed view of the world. He thinks that women's lives should revolve around their children. He thinks that a woman shouldn't have children if she wants to have a career. He also boxes in men into a "I only think about sports and sex" mentality. I know lots of men out there that do not only think about sports or sex. I understand that this is supposed to be a "comedy" book but i did not appreciate his political or social commentary.

I still love Rescue Me though.

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Review of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW...just WOW. loved it. I was drawn in from the beginning. I can't wait to see the movie :)

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Review of "Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar" by Cheryl Strayed

Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My new favorite book! This collection of essays is the sweetest, most profound, beautiful, uplifting, heartbreaking, intense, emotional, clarifying, intelligent, honest and life-changing collection I've ever read. Cheryl Strayed is a brilliant writer, applying her personal life experiences to each and every personal letter addressed to Sugar. I will purchase this book and read it from time to time to remind myself of the "Tiny Beautiful Things" that Sugar provides.

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Review of "Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity" by Katherine Boo

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It was definitely well written, but, for me, it was difficult to get through. It is a work of nonfiction that reads like a novel and it is so easy to think of the book as a work of fiction. Whenever those thoughts entered my mind, I thought, why would she create these characters just to weave a life of pure awfulness (no better way to put this) that surrounds them. However, this book is a piece of investigative journalism and it is all TRUTH. That fact left me feeling sick whilst reading the book. Sometimes, I think I prefer to subscribe to the belief that 'ignorance is bliss'. I was never aware of any of this occurring in India and now that I am somewhat alerted of this world, I wish I still had no knowledge of this underworld. It was too depressing for me overall....i like to think more optimistically about the world and humanity itself...

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Review of "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book had me laughing and crying and then laughing again....and then crying. Crying both tears of happiness and sadness. John Green's writing is poetic and beautiful and a pleasure to ingest with every page. Yes, Hazel's story is one of cancer and pain, but it also about knowing joy and finding love. I will be purchasing this book in the future and enjoying it throughout the years. It is the best book I have read in a very long time. You will not regret reading this one.

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