I was not, like so many of my peers, brought up on the muppets. Sure, I remember Kermit singing, Rainbow Connection, and quite liked it, but I never watched the movies or the tv show. I also didn’t enjoy Sesame Street. I didn’t like Fraggle Rock. My biggest exposure to Jim Henson was through the puppets on Star Wars or The Dark Crystal, which I genuinely thought was one of the most amazing things ever. My seven year old self spent a long time playing the Dark Crystal, and I’ve been tempted to re-watch it as an adult, but I fear that I’ll dislike it and have no desire to destroy the nostalgia. Read More »
Published on January 20, 2018 8:36 am.
Filed under: Biographies, Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: C
Best Boy by Eli Gottlieb
This is another audiobook, so I’ll review the content as well as how I enjoyed the audio narration. I’d seen little blurbs for this book on my internets and had wanted to read it for a while before it was on sale on my audible account (speaking of which, I am reminded of credits that I need to spend…). I am particularly interested in books of this nature as they deal with a subject that I am interested in. What does life look like for mentally disabled adults once their parents have passed away? Read More »
Published on January 16, 2018 9:34 pm.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tags: B
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick
We all have eras of history that we find more fascinating than others. While I find US history interesting, it doesn’t usually captivate me in the same way that Latin American history does, but Nathaniel Philbrick is changing that. I read In the Heart of the Sea and quite enjoyed it. Read More »
Published on January 12, 2018 9:54 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: B
The Blooding: The Dramatic True Story of the First Murder Case Solved by Genetic “Fingerprinting” by Joseph Wambaugh
If you know me, or read this website, you know I like true crime. Maybe that is wrong. No one should like crime. Let us just say that I am always interested to read about true crime, or watch a documentary, listen to a podcast, etc. Read More »
Published on November 6, 2017 11:51 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: C
The Zodiac Legacy: The Dragon’s Return by Stan Lee and Stuart Moore
In my quest to find engaging books for my own kids to read as they get older… I keep reading middle grade or YA books, even though they aren’t my favorite genres. I just want to let you know up front that if you like the aforementioned genres, you’d probably give this book a higher grade than I did. Read More »
Published on November 4, 2017 11:52 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Children's, Fiction, Sci-fi/Fantasy Tags: C
Assisted: An Autobiography by John Stockton with Kerry L. Pickett
Full disclosure. I care less than not at all about professional sports. Well, perhaps that isn’t entirely accurate. I am an only girl, raised with boys who LOVE sports. Though football is the big one in my family, all other sports are also welcomed. And local teams… well, mostly they love the local teams. I am from Utah and was a teenager in the glory days of the Utah Jazz when Stockton and Malone were making playoffs left and right and losing championships to the Chicago Bulls. Read More »
Published on November 3, 2017 4:52 pm.
Filed under: Biographies, Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: A
Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick
Sometimes it is hard to know if I’ve judged a book harshly or not… Midwinterblood falls into that category. Read More »
Published on November 2, 2017 7:46 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction, Sci-fi/Fantasy, Young Adult Tags: D
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes and Joe Layden
Unlike most of my peers, I didn’t grow up watching The Princess Bride as a kid. I vaguely remember my 4th grade best friend, Katy, raving about it and arranging for me to watch it at her house. I have no idea why that never happened but it didn’t. Instead, I watched it for the first time as a freshman in college, and I LOVED it! I am glad I came to it later than a lot of my friends because some of the subtle humor is really best observed by older teens or adults. Read More »
Published on November 1, 2017 7:53 am.
Filed under: Biographies, Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: B
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Warning, I listened to this one via audiobook, and it may have tainted my perception of the book in its entirety. I typically enjoy Neil Gaiman, so I went into this book prepared to really enjoy it, which also might color my view. Do not misunderstand, I didn’t hate this book, I just found it disappointing. Read More »
Published on October 31, 2017 9:35 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction, Sci-fi/Fantasy, Young Adult Tags: C
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Fiction books are tricky things, sometimes. For example… sometimes I hover on the grade should it be A- or should it be B+? I enjoyed it. The characters were engaging and well rounded… but does it answer those big questions, or does it have big ideas like I feel an A book should have. The Rosie Project encouraged me to think of larger concepts without trying to hit me over the head with them, which I loved. Read More »
Published on September 18, 2017 7:55 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tags: A
David Spade is Almost Interesting by David Spade
Let us take a moment to talk audiobooks. This is not the first audiobook I listened to… no that honor goes to a horrible Star Wars audiobook which I will be reviewing shortly (and when I say shortly, I actually have no idea when I will get to it… I used to do these things in order, but I’ve given that up). Read More »
Published on September 16, 2017 1:04 pm.
Filed under: Biographies, Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: C
The Devil’s Diary: Alfred Rosenberg and the Stolen Secrets of the Third Reich by Robert K Wittman and David Kinney
Back to reading WWII books, I see. Yes, I am. I genuinely can’t help myself no matter how hard I try. I feel as though I am not entirely to blame because of each book published every year, I’d wager a high percentage are about WWII. Like how I kept it vague without any real statistics? Read More »
Published on August 30, 2017 9:32 am.
Filed under: Biographies, Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: C
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
I honestly don’t remember how this one came into my consciousness. I don’t believe anyone recommended it and I think vaguely I read the synopsis of the movie version and thought that it sounded like an interesting book? Either way, I got it from my old friend Amazon and the rest is history. I really enjoyed this book and it isn’t the sort of fiction that I tend to like. So often I read books about race relations in the deep south pre civil rights movement and I have to roll my eyes so often (I’m looking at you, The Help). Read More »
Published on August 12, 2017 8:12 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tags: A
Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and The University of Colorado Men’s Cross Country Team by Chris Lear
If you read this website regularly (and there is no guarantee that you do… I’ve seen my web page analytics), you know that I like to read running books as I consider myself a runner on sabbatical just waiting for that magical day when I am no longer birthing or breastfeeding humans and can devote time back to running. Read More »
Published on August 8, 2017 10:24 am.
Filed under: Biographies, Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: C
It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too) by Nora McInerny Purmort
Sigh… where to begin? Reviewing a book like this is a bit of a challenge. Purmort’s biggest claim to fame, and her reason for writing a memoir in the first place, is that her husband died of cancer. So, if you criticize a book like this, you come across as a jerk… So with that understanding, I am going into this immediately letting you know that I DISLIKED this book. Read More »
Published on August 7, 2017 2:40 pm.
Filed under: Biographies, Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: D
The Trespasser by Tana French
French and I have had a pretty serious thing going on since I read one of her books while I was in the hospital delivering my first child in 2010. Then I read another in 2012 while I was in the hospital with my second child. And again in 2014 with my third child. Well, her new book came out and I was nowhere near having a kid, so I had to break our streak and read The Trespasser. I was initially pretty thrilled because I knew this book would follow Antionette Conway who I enjoyed in the last book and wanted to delve more into what a partnership between her and Stephen Moran would look like. Read More »
Published on August 4, 2017 7:51 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tags: B
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
I’d heard a lot about this book and had always wanted to read it. I’d read excerpts of a few of her other books and it looked like Battle Hymn was a bit of a departure, but exciting none the less. Then I had the opportunity to hear Chua speak at my brother’s law school graduation and enjoyed what she had to say. She spoke a lot about the backlash she received after writing the book and the controversy surrounding it. Which goes to show you, people who don’t read books shouldn’t get to make talking points on morning shows. Read More »
Published on August 1, 2017 7:11 am.
Filed under: Biographies, Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: B
Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell
This is another book I picked up for research for our family trip to Hawaii in 2016. I’m already a fan of Vowell, and at this point I’d already done a fair amount of research so I was excited to add Vowell’s perspective. I knew there were certain things I could count on in a Vowell history. 1- She was going to be cutting. 2- She was going to find the ridiculous. 3-She might eviscerate the colonists. I was right on all counts. Read More »
Published on July 26, 2017 7:01 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: B
The Song of the Quarkbeast: the Chronicles of Kazam Book Two by Jasper Fforde
Jasper Fforde loses no steam with his followup to The Last Dragonslayer. In the last book we discovered a few things. The Mighty Shandar is kind of not a nice person. Jennifer is a berserker. Big Magic is back. Read More »
Published on July 24, 2017 12:22 pm.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Children's, Fiction, Sci-fi/Fantasy Tags: B
The Last Dragonslayer: The Chronicles of Kazam Book One by Jasper Fforde
I have a love/love less relationship with Jasper Fforde. One of my favorite books ever Shades of Grey (not to be confused with 50 Shades of Grey) was written by Jasper Fforde. I started out strong with the Thursday Next series, and loved the Nursery Crime series and was fully expecting to read all the books in the Shades of Grey series, only there have been no more books. Read More »
Published on July 19, 2017 10:40 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Children's, Fiction, Sci-fi/Fantasy, Young Adult Tags: B
Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d by Alan Bradley
If you recall we last left Flavia de Luce on her way back to England after a brief sojourn at a Canadian boarding school. I must admit, I was excited to see where the series would go once Flavia returned. But I am getting ahead of myself. Read More »
Published on July 14, 2017 7:45 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tags: B
Americana: Dispatches from the New Frontier by Hampton Sides
I have some go-to non fiction writers that I rely on to provide a variety of real life events or stories that I know will educate, enlighten, entertain, and always be great. Erik Larson, Sarah Vowell, Nathaniel Philbrick, Amy Stewart. And Hampton Sides. It was a happy day when I discovered this man. One thing I LOVE about Sides is that his books are so varied, and still so interesting. There is no better example than Americana. Read More »
Published on July 13, 2017 8:23 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: B
Patricia, the Beautiful by Katheryn Kimbrough
These books are not getting any better. Lets start with that. Read More »
Published on July 12, 2017 11:43 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tags: F
Margaret, The Faithful by Katheryn Kimbrough
Another bad book brought to you by the Saga of the Phenwick Women. I honestly am glad I only have four of these books in total in this series and this is number three so we are ALMOST finished I promise! Read More »
Published on July 12, 2017 11:43 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tags: F
Jane, the Courageous by Katheryn Kimbrough
You’ll have to read my review of Augusta, the First to get the back story on this series of books and why they are fundamentally terrible, but let me just tell you why THIS particular book is terrible. Read More »
Published on July 12, 2017 11:41 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tags: F
Augusta, The First by Katheryn Kimbrough
This book was SOOOOOO bad. Ugh. Really. It was awful. My baby brother (who turns 32 this year!) got this for my birthday last last year. Correction, he got the first four books in the series (more about this series later) at a used book store for a dollar. He had the gaul to leave the price tag and when I called him on it he said he just wanted to show me what our friendship was worth. Thanks, Jason. In retaliation, I didn’t get him anything for his birthday, so there is that. Read More »
Published on July 12, 2017 11:35 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tags: F
A Long Way Home: A Boy’s Incredible Journey from India to Australia and Back Again by Saroo Brierly
By now everyone has heard this story as the movie based on this book, Lion, was nominated for all sorts of awards. My husband got this for me before the movie was a thing, and so the first time I saw the trailer for the movie I’d already read the book and therefore had a bunch of pre conceived notions about what it should be, but that is another story for another time. You all know my thoughts on movies based on books. Read More »
Published on May 30, 2017 10:11 am.
Filed under: Biographies, Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: A
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Okay, I am warning you right now this is the first book in what looks to be a YA fantasy series so it could go on forever. I didn’t know that when I bought this book. I was hoping for a quick little one off. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) this book was good enough that now I am going to have to continue reading the series. The problems of a person that reads a lot of books… Read More »
Published on May 26, 2017 8:33 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction, Sci-fi/Fantasy, Young Adult Tags: B
The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham
I saw a trailer for the movie version of this book a few years after the movie was in theaters. As usual, I thought, hmmm… looks like an okay movie, but I bet the book is better. Having never seen the film, I can’t promise I am correct, but the book was fine. It wasn’t wonderful, but entertaining enough. Read More »
Published on May 15, 2017 7:55 am.
Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tags: C
Run Gently Out There: Trials, Trails, and Tribulations of Running Ultramarathons by John Morelock
Ah, the book that single-handedly killed my love of running. Just kidding. I’m being a bit dramatic, but in a running book my bar is reasonably low: Does this book make me want to run? If the answer is no, then it isn’t a great running book. But I get ahead of myself. Read More »
Published on May 10, 2017 9:11 am.
Filed under: Biographies, Book Reviews, Non-Fiction Tags: D
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