Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

This book has gained a lot of speed and recognition since it's publication at the beginning of this year.  It has been on everyone's reading list from Oprah, to Barack Obama, to Bill Gates.  Amazon even selected "Educated" as their best book of the year.  With all the hype surrounding the book, I knew I had to get my hands on it.  My library had two copies going around and even still the wait was estimated at 66 weeks.  So I went on a hunt for this highly sought after book to see if it was all it was cracked up to be.

Educated's writing style is able to span two genres to help draw in the readers.  Westover is able to write an almost dystopian-like opening dealing with poverty, doomsday prepping, and a disconnect from the rest of modern day society.  Coincidentally, it is also a generic coming of age story about a young girl finding her identity, spreading her wings, and leaving the nest to go to college.  Westover grows up in a heavily sheltered Mormon household living off the grid.  She has never been to school or to the doctor.  We get to read anecdotes varying from her sibling's leg catching on fire to exploits in pursuing her education.

I thought the first half of the book was fabulous.  I loved reading the stories about her family, working in the junkyard with her brothers and dad, and all of the horror medical stories.  I think there may have been other readers who experienced more of a shock factor reading the details of her upbringing.  I wasn't necessarily shocked by those things, but I did think they were interesting to read.  The second half, when she goes to school, started to lose me a little.  Small spoiler ahead **  She would talk about how she was struggling in class and going to fail any second, and then miraculously she would get an academic scholarship and end up passing with flying colors. **  And that was the reoccurring theme of her academic years.  So, the second half was so-so for me.  I'm not lessening her achievements at all!  Just saying that I wasn't into that part of the book as much.  Nevertheless, she's a captivating storyteller.  It's a world that many of us have no knowledge of, and we follow her journey with intrigue.

I'm glad I ended the year out on a strong note!  I'm hoping that if you have not yet read this book, that it is on your to-read list soon!  Happy New Year to everyone, and best wishes on your 2019 reading goals!!


Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Positives: Loved the first half of the book.
Negatives: Her schooling years weren't as believable.  She would flip flop between being a bad student and excelling too quickly for me.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Ten little Indian boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were nine.
Nine little Indian boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself and then there were eight.
Eight little Indian boys travelling to Devon;
One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.
Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.
Six little Indian boys playing with a hive;
A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.
Five little Indian boys going in for law;
One got in Chancery and then there were four.
Four little Indian boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.
Three little Indian boys walking in the zoo;
A big bear hugged one and then there were two.
Two little Indian boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up and then there was one.
One little Indian boy left all alone;
He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I scare easily.  I even have to hide my face during scary movie trailers.  So it should be no big surprise that I have not read a lot of thrillers or mystery books.  Lord knows I would never be able to sleep after reading them!  This month I read my first Agatha Christie book!  I'm pretty surprised I had never read her works before, seeing as she is one of the best-selling novelists of all-time.  I think I was just too timid to pick anything up in fear of being afraid.  But if I'm going to read a mystery, I might as well read one of the best!  

When researching Christie's legacy, I wanted to read a book that would really showcase her skills.  By far, the most popular book mentioned in every list, blog post, and article is "And Then There Were None."  It is her best-selling novel, with more than 100 million copies sold.  It is also the world's best-selling mystery novel.  One review said it was similar to the board game Clue.  Another review compared it to "From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler", which was a book that sparked my love for reading in middle school.  Those two reviews were enough to seal the deal for me.

The story opens on eight people being invited to Indian Island for a variety of reasons.  They are met there by the two housekeepers who say that the hosts, Mr. and Mrs. U.N. Owen, have not yet arrived.  The guests find this odd but start to introduce themselves and enjoy dinner together.  After dinner, a gramaphone record is played.  The record accuses all ten visitors of murder, and it details each crime on the recording.  While the guests try to understand who their host is and what is happening, one of them ingests a poisonous drink and dies.  Will they find out who U.N. Owen is?  Or will he slowly kill them one at a time until none are left?

While the US editions were titled "And Then There Were None", there is a not so nice history about the original UK publications.  The original title was "Ten Little Niggers" based on the nursery rhyme that hangs in each guest's room.  The island they meet on also has the same name.  The rhyme and island were later changed to Ten Little Indians/Indian Island or Ten Little Soldiers/Solider Island in other editions.  Other cultures still have the original title in their translations.  However, the estate of Agatha Christie now only offers the novel under the English title.  So going forward, any new foreign language editions would be translated from this titled edition.

Now I have to be honest, I wasn't blown away by the book.  Was I surprised by the ending?  Yes.  I had ideas about who the killer may have been, but I definitely did not expect the resolution Agatha gave us.  But it wasn't a knock me out of my seat and jaw-dropping ending.  If anything, I see the plot more as an outline for hundreds of stories.  Agatha Christie laid a story framework that can be adapted and reused countless times.  I think that's why this book is the best-seller it is.  It is well written, captivating, has the big twist at the end like you want it to have -- yet it is still simple and has remained popular over time.  At the end of the day, I guess I should be grateful that it didn't scare me too badly!

Rating: 3 out of 5
Positives: Pretty captivating to read.  I would sit down and read 50-100 pages each time.  And I'm glad it wasn't too, too scary for me!
Negatives: I thought the male characters lacked diversity.  I kept confusing them!

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

I decided to try reading a book outside of my usual genre this month and went for a contemporary romance.  Sophie Kinsella (aka Madeleine Wickham) is many reader's go-to author for chick lit, light hearted, charismatic reads.  Some of her other books are titled, "Girls Night In", "My Not So Perfect Life", and "Confessions of a Shopaholic."  Just the titles alone make me think of pink, champagne, bubbles, and facemasks.  I don't know much about the other books outside of their titles, but Surprise Me seems like it may have a little more depth and seriousness to it than some of Sophie's other works. 

Sylvie and Dan, a happily married couple, have been together for ten years now.  They have twin girls, fulfilling jobs, and can finish each other's sentences.  A trip to the doctors tells them fabulous news!  They will have another 68 years of marriage together.  As the reality of that statement sets in, they start to panic.  Will their marriage be able to last another 68 years or will the routine of life grow tiresome?  They decide that they need to spice up their marriage in order to keep things fresh, new, and exciting.  But not all of the surprises go to plan, and anxiety sets in about their future together. 

The first half of the book was mostly charming and humorous.  Some of the initial story building at the very beginning seemed to drag for me, but it was worth it to continue reading.  The section of the book that shows the couple's surprises back and forth to each other was the best part of the book.  Laugh out loud funny and so relatable.  As the story progresses into the second half of the book, it does take a more serious turn.  At the end there is a totally unexpected element that was a lot darker than the rest of the book.  I was not expecting the ending at all, but I love how it rounded out the story and finished things off nicely. 

After reading a few other reviews on the book, I found most people were surprised to see, and didn't like the more anxiety ridden main character of Sophie, in comparison to Kinsella's usual protagonist.  Most faithful Kinsella readers point people to her Shopaholic Series if you're looking to explore her works for the first time.  As I had no prior knowledge of her works, I didn't see any problem with the book at all.  I really don't know if I could stomach something like the Shopaholic series, so this one was probably better for me personally.  If you're used to light and fluffy books, then you may be better of starting with the Shopaholic Series if you haven't read it already.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Positives: Pretty light and fluffy with some good laughs while still having some substance to keep you interested and engaged.
Negatives: Dragged a bit in the beginning.  I almost wish the sections where they surprised each other would have continued instead of taking the more serious turn, but I still enjoyed the book as a whole.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls follows the story of a thirteen year old boy, named Conor, who is learning to live with his mother's cancer diagnosis and her declining health.  With his mother's treatments also come nightmares for Conor.  Conor begins to be visited by a monster at 12:07 as he wakes from his nightmares.  The monster is formed out of a yew tree he can see from his bedroom window.  The yew tree monster tells Conor that he will tell him three true stories.  After the monster tells his three stories, Conor must tell a true story of his own.  If the monster determines that Conor's story is untrue, the monster will eat Conor.  The only problem is that Conor's story and his truth are not going to be easy to talk about.

The original creator, Siobhan Dowd, was terminally ill with cancer herself when she started working on this story.  She died before she could finish writing it.  Patrick Ness then took over and expanded the idea into the work it is today.  Ness also worked with a beautiful illustrator, Jim Kay, to really bring life to Siobhan's ideas.  The book has now been adapted to a film starring Lewis MacDougall, Felicity Jones, Liam Neeson, and Sigourney Weaver.  They also adapted it into a stage production in 2018, which looks phenomenal from the trailer and previews available online.

As soon as the story opens, you realize this is not going to be an easy, light-hearted read. Conor's mother is very sick, and the author isn't shy in showing the realities of cancer in a household.  For anyone who is sensitive to these topics or has experience with sick parents, just be aware that they don't sugarcoat the experience.  Make sure you have your tissues ready.  As someone who lost a parent to cancer at 17, I can so relate and empathize with Conor.  Especially his anger.  The ending of the book was so cathartic and something I really needed to read.  It really spoke to me on a personal level and helped me work through some of my own struggles surrounding my father's passing.  I don't cry often while reading, but I was crying through the ending of this book.  The ending was exactly what it needed to be.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5
* Positives: Not too long - 226 pages; Interesting concept and idea; Spot on in terms of reality of the story line (at least for me)

* Negatives: A part of me wonders if you have to have experienced grief like this to "get it."  I saw a few different reviews from people who were annoyed or unfazed by the story.  I'm thinking they are just in the wrong demographic (or soulless people who have no heart) but if someone has no concept of grief, then they may not understand where Conor is coming from.

This post is going to be different from my normal book review posts so I'm sorry if I disappoint anyone.  It isn't that I didn't read anything or don't have a book to write a review about.  I actually read three books this month.  I read "Scythe" and "Thunderhead" both by Neal Shusterman and "Wild Beauty" by Anna-Marie McLemore.  I just need to breathe for a minute.

2018 has been a rough year for me.  Really, it has been a rough year for my family.  A lot of health issues all around both in humans and pets, anxiety at an all time high for everyone, and anything that can go wrong feels like it is.  I don't want to make this post a diary entry of complaining, but I really do need to put things in perspective.  Especially when it comes to reading.  

I need to continue to remember that reading is fun and enjoyable.  Or that I can curl up with a good book when I need to find some peace and quiet.  Reading doesn't need to be a job or a chore with punishments.  If I don't meet my yearly reading goal, so what!?  If I miss a monthly book report, then we'll just get back on track next month.  It isn't worth berating myself and causing extra unnecessary stress for something so tiny.  It's okay for plans to change.  It's so much more important to take care of yourself and stay healthy.  Don't lose your love for the things that keep you sane and bring you joy.

So in closing, remember to take care of yourself.  Remember to take time out of your day or your week for self-care and the things you love.  Eat the cookies.  Take the nap.  Buy the treat for yourself.  And if you're going to pick up one of the books I read this month, I'd start with "Scythe" first.

Thank you all for understanding.

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Illuminae is not your standard sci-fi book. If you go to a book store and flip through the pages, this one will immediately stand out to you.  It does not have a standard narrative or traditional paragraphs.  Rather, it uses the non-traditional formatting of an epistolary novel.  For those of you getting ready to Google "epistolary", it means that it uses letters, diary entries, newspaper clippings, e-mails, or electronic documents to build the story.  To give you an idea, I found two beautiful pictures taken by a different blogger linked here.

Illuminae is a collection of files that builds a story behind the destruction of a planet called Kerenza.  It seems that they are trying to interpret the reasoning of the attack and any remaining evidence.  They're able to do this by reading through old conversation logs, emails, transcripted voice memos, and diary entries from people who were a part of the Kerenza attack.  The main voices are Kady and Ezra.  They broke up the day before the Kerenza attack happens but following the attack find each other alive on different ships.  They are able to communicate with one another to try and rebuild their relationship and also share information from each ship.

I started out very confused at the beginning of the book because of the formatting.  I was about a third of the way in when I realized there were dates listed on a lot of the communications.  I hoped that they weren't jumping around on a timeline and that the dates weren't too important because I certainly had not been paying attention to them.  I wish there were a few chapters thrown in every once in awhile that gave some more outline to the story because I wasn't sure where my focus was supposed to go.  Am I supposed to be focusing on the character growth of Kady?  The romance between Kady and Ezra?  The slow crumbling of the worlds around the characters?  Because it reads as files piecing together a puzzle, it took me a long time until I started to realize what the main focus of the book was.  Until that point, I just felt a little lost and unsure with the direction of the book and was unable to connect with the characters.  When I did start to understand, I found it enjoyable, an easy read, and I was invested in the character's fates.  The second half of the book was far better than the first.  Without spoiling anything, there were plenty of exciting moments full of drama and suspense to keep you flipping the pages to the end.

I read this as an e-book.  The majority of the formatting was correct, but I had an understanding of what the format was supposed to look like.  On occasion something would be split on two different pages when it shouldn't have been or I could tell the formatting was off on my e-reader.  I also heard that it also comes in an audiobook format.  But I think the beauty of these books is seeing the art they have created in the physical editions.  The cover and dust jacket alone are beautiful.  If you're interested in this book, or the whole trilogy, then I would highly advise you pick up the real-deal books to really enjoy the designs.

Rating: 3 out of 5

* Positives: Strong, intelligent female protagonist; Loved the second half of the plot and the resolution to the story

* Negatives: Confused in the beginning; Wasn't fully sold on the format, but I think some of that was my fault for doing the e-reader versus physical book.

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel J. Levitin

I was having a conversation with a co-worker of mine about our most recent reads, and I mentioned that this was my newest book.  When I started to explain the concept behind Dr. Levitin's book, she told me that the books I read are too smart.  Well Laura, buckle up for this one!  Reading "This Is Your Brain on Music" felt like I was reading a textbook most of the time.  

I had been in a reading slump for a few weeks.  Nothing was grabbing my attention, and I had started and stopped multiple books.  I knew I was going to be in trouble if I couldn't find something quickly.  I started looking for topics that I knew I had an interest in.  The front flap of the book pitches a mix of neuroscience, the study of structure or function of the nervous system and brain, and music.  Those two subjects immediately peaked my interest.  I love learning about why we do (or like) the things we do.  And everyone likes music.  When I picked the book up from my library, the librarian gushed about how amazing this book was.  He even told me that he had put in a hold to receive it after me because he wanted to read it again.  I was excited to get started on this book.

The first two chapters immediately made me nervous.  It was like a Music 101 class that I had not signed up for.  It was explaining things like pitch, tempo, melody vs harmony, tritones, and dissonance just to name a few.  Not only would it give a definition of these terms, but it would break it down to explain how the brain interprets them.  To give you an idea of what to expect, Dr. Levitin writes, "pitch is a purely psychological phenomenon related to the frequency of vibrating air molecules."  It felt like the book was getting a bit above my head at some parts, even with a few years of piano lessons during my elementary school years under my belt.  I decided that I would continue reading but cautiously.  It became more enjoyable as it started moving away from music theory and more into the psychology  and neuroscience of music.  I would just have a few moments of "huh, never knew that before" as I continued on but rarely had mind-blowing WOW moments.  By the end of the book, I wasn't sure if I had really developed a deeper appreciation for music or the science behind it.

About a week or so later, I went to a funeral to support a friend's family.  The son sang and played the piano in tribute to his mom.  While listening to his music, I thought about the book I had just read and could pin-point specific moments that the author had referred to throughout the book.  It was helpful to see those theories laid out in front of me after reading about them.  But even in that moment, I don't think that meant I now had a deeper connection to that music because I could understand the scientific and psychological impact the music was creating.  I'm sure everyone in that room felt the emotions and the effect of his music.  If anything, I wasn't able to enjoy it for it's simplicity and be in the moment.  The book had taken me to a place where I was dissecting the music rather than enjoying it.

I think Dr. Levitin is brilliant, and the amount of effort, time, and thought that he put into the book is evident.  I just wouldn't be surprised if people use it as a recommended read on a course syllabus.  It certainly isn't a casual read.  (I'm starting to understand that I don't really read casual books at this point!)  I'd say that people who are aspiring musicians, music producers, or like music history would appreciate this book the most.  Other than that, I don't think run of the mill music listeners need to understand or know how to dissect their music interests.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5
* Positives: The material was informative and a lot was covered.
* Negatives: As much as they tried to write it in layman's terms, it still felt too academic and brainy.

10% Happier :How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris

For those of you who do not know, I work for PA's Department of Education issuing teacher certifications.  Our peak season is usually from college graduation in May (new graduates who want to become teachers) until the start of school in September (schools trying to get their staff situated) each year.  As May approaches, I start to feel a cloud of anxiety hovering over the office.  Before you have time to realize it, you're already drowning in work.  In preparation for this year's busy season, I thought this book might be the perfect thing to help get me in the right mind set.  I mean, who wouldn't want to be 10% happier?  Especially if I could hone into that right before chaos rains down at work.

Dan Harris, the author, talks about his rise through the ranks as a news anchor from a small town local station in Maine to shows like Good Morning America and Nightline.  Throughout the book he covers the fears he faced like receding hair lines or the subject matter of his stories.  He talks about the competitiveness of the job and the need to stay relevant to the public.  In 2004, Dan has a panic attack on live TV.  Since he is still trying to climb the ladder to bigger and better stories, he doesn't tell his coworkers exactly what happened to him and instead starts a quest to calm his panic attacks.  He used his current assignment, covering faith and religion, to seek out influencers and self-help gurus to interview.  Dan uses his journalism connections to meet with Deepak Chopra, Ekhart Tolle, and Ted Haggard to name a few.  Through those connections he starts to resonate with Buddhism and specifically mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness meditation is bringing awareness to the present moment versus the older ideas of clearing your mind completely.  Most mindfulness practices guide you to find acceptance, peace, and non-judgement in the present moment, your current circumstances, and any struggles or pain you're currently experiencing.  The initial concept is the same to the stereotypical meditation.  You can sit or lie down, close your eyes, and concentrate on your breathing.  From that point, you have to focus your thoughts on the present moment.  This is the hardest part for most people.  It's pretty easy to think about your grocery list, the 500 things you have to clean in your house, or your screaming kids down the hall.  It is a lot harder to really focus in and continually redirect your mind to this exact moment.  Not the future, not the past, but this exact moment right now.  Some guided practices will have you think about things like the feeling of your breath as it expands your chest or the feeling of your clothing on your skin to help keep you in the present moment.  In moments of chaos or stress, mindfulness meditation can help bring you back to reality.  So many of us focus on our growing to-do list, deadlines, or past failures.  Instead, we can take a moment to remember that in this present moment I'm breathing, I'm capable, and I'm okay.  Then you can start to tackle your to-do lists with a clearer mind-set and less panic.

I know there are other books specific to mindfulness meditation and guided meditation out there.  The only other one I've personally read is "You Are Not Your Pain" by Vidyamala Burch and Danny Penman, which is specific to chronic pain meditation.  It comes with a CD with guided meditation practices.  The book explains the concepts and idea of mindfulness as well as an overview of the guided meditation that will be covered on the CD.  I strongly encourage you to look into the other books and CDs available if you are looking for a more guided practice to mindfulness meditation.  Mindfulness can be a huge game changer when it comes to stress relief, but it is a learned skill.  It takes practice and patience to work it into your every day life.

In regards to Dan Harris's book though, I found it more so an ode to journalism or a memoir rather than a self-help book.  To me, it felt like he wanted to outline his self-help journey.  So while it did explain how mindfulness meditation was the end result that worked for him personally, it isn't necessarily a book that I would recommend for someone who is interested in the basics on meditation.  But as a memoir, you can really see Harris's journalism background strongly at work.  He includes enough of his first-world drama to make you feel sympathetic at times, but doesn't forget to name drop all of his friends to even out your sympathies.  He explains his thought process to try and resolve his rising panic problems, and how he used his journalism ties and connections to his advantage in finding solutions.

While I'm glad I read the book, it was more so a general reminder to me that I need to start back up on my meditation practices this summer.  Dan Harris's book isn't something I can pick up and flip to if I need help focusing or tips on meditation.  Dan's goal is to break the stigma of meditation being a bunch of robed men sitting in a zen garden chanting to a statue.  You can practice meditation to help you fall asleep at night, right after you get home from work to help clear your mind from the day's stress, or even in a moment of gratitude.  It's a beautiful practice to help you remember that you need to live in the present and accept where you are and what you have with no reservations.  If you decide to skip Dan's book, I at least suggest you start practicing mindfulness meditation.


Rating: 2 out of 5
* Positives: Reminded me to start meditating again!  Why did I ever stop?

* Negatives: Name dropping was a bit of a turn-off.  Also expected it to be more so a self-help book and less of a memoir.

Game of Thrones aka A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin


Prepare yourself for some overwhelming numbers here... The first book "A Game of Thrones" has 694 pages.
The second book "A Clash of Kings" has 768 pages.
The third book "A Storm of Swords" has 973 pages.
The fourth book "A Feast for Crows" has 753 pages.
The fifth book "A Dance with Dragons" has 1040 pages.
The sixth and seventh books are still in progress.
If you were to listen to the audiobook versions of the entire series, it would take you 198 hours and 53 minutes.

For those of you who have managed to avoid all of the hype surrounding Game of Thrones, I'll give you a brief overview on what to expect.  It is a mix of King Arthur and his knights of the round table mixed with Lord of the Rings.  You have swords, epic battles, and political overthrow while also mixing in high fantasy with names like Daenerys Targaryen, dragons, and a map in the front of the book showing you new continents like Westeros and Essos.

George R. R. Martin published the first book in the series in 1996, but he has been writing since the 70's.  All but the first book in the series has reached the New York Times weekly bestseller list.  However, George R. R. Martin is infamous for taking an extraordinarily long time to write the books.  Readers have been waiting since 2011 for the next installment in the series.

Also in 2011, HBO premiered the first episode of their fantasy drama adaptation of the books, which has since skyrocketed the series to fame and fandom.  The TV series has received 38 Primetime Emmy Awards.  This means that they have won more Emmy's than any other primetime scripted television series.

So the big question...
is it worth it to read the books?

First, I'll give you the overview of how I experienced them both.  Derrick and I joined the TV show bandwagon late.  We started watching right before Season 7 started.  For context, season seven started July 2017.  I set myself a goal to read the books before we watched the TV series.  Derrick bought me the box-set of the books for my birthday on July 2016.  I had one year to read the books and then hopefully watching the first six seasons of the show before the newest season started.  I thought I started out strong!  Book One, Book Two, and Book Three took about two to three months each to finish.  They were exciting, new, and I knew I had a deadline.  I have to be honest, the books can be confusing because they introduce you to a multitude of characters, background history, and they expect you to follow along with different story lines without getting confused.  I'm very much a visual reader.  Too many characters or story lines can make it difficult to conceptualize how the character's lives are meant to tie together or crossover.  Then we started watching the TV show, and things started to go downhill.  On one hand, I had a better understanding of the plot and character arcs with the visuals from the show.  On the other hand, the TV shows are made like movie productions.  The momentum was so much stronger than the books, and I started to lose interest in my reading.  I began to read the books merely for the sake of completing them versus any enjoyment in the book itself.  Nevertheless, I was able to finish Book Four and get about halfway through Book Five all while watching the first six seasons of the TV show.  We were able to watch Season 7 on time as it aired.  Around that time, I began to realize that the book plot and TV plot weren't necessarily lining up the same way.  I remember re-reading sections because they were so different from what I had seen on the show, and I couldn't image that George R. R. Martin would have signed off on such a drastic turn of events!  By the time the TV show ended, I had no desire to finish the last book.  Book Five sat on my bed side for 6+ months, with maybe a few pages read here or there in between other books, but no real progress ever being made.  Finally, in the last month, I decided to finish the book and just be done with it!  Now that there had been time away from the TV show and the book, I realized how far apart the book and TV show plot lines are at this point.  The TV show has delved well into the unwritten book's plot lines.  Yet somehow, previous crucial moments in the books never made it to the TV show.

You may be surprised by this, but I think there will only be two main instances where people will enjoy reading the books:
1) They love the fantasy genre.
2) They are die-hard Game of Thrones TV show fans.

Problem One: George R. R. Martin takes too long to write them.  If I didn't have to wait 7 years in between each book, then I don't think I would lose interest.  I can't imagine being a fan of the books and seeing an entire seven series TV show being produced before a new book could come out.  So disheartening!

Problem Two: High fantasy is tough.  I like to believe that most people read books because they like seeing themselves in someone else (struggling teenager sees himself in reading about a struggling teenager) or because they c an escape (struggling teenager can read about adventures and mystery instead of worrying about real life problems).  It is hard to feel like you're truly escaping into a book when you're trying to remember the differences between Khal Jhaqo and Khal Pono.

Problem Three: The TV show is such a high production event.  Each episode costs an average of $10 million to make.  With all the money and investment, they want the show to be interesting and exciting.  They are only going to show the most crucial and exciting parts.  While there are a lot of details that you miss while converting the books to TV, I don't think George R. R. Martin would allow critical moments to be exempt from the script.  Apparently, George R. R. Martin has told the showrunners "how it all ends" to ensure that they don't go too off script.  Even though the plot lines are so far apart now, I can’t determine if there will be a huge difference between the forthcoming books and TV show.  It’s probably a lot more exciting to watch a high quality HBO show than it is for the average person to read the massive book series.

My only fear is that he will have two different endings.  One for the TV show and one for the books.  Only time will tell us if that is the case!  There are also people who are concerned he may not ever finish the book series, as he’s currently 69 and not the healthiest person around.  Perhaps we may only have the TV show left if the book series is left unfinished.


Regardless, I wouldn't recommend the books to anyone outside of the two categories I mentioned before.  It is such an investment of time and energy to read through those books without any knowledge of the TV show OR without anticipation of a new season egging you on to finish the series.  Without hesitation I would tell someone to watch the TV series though.  They are fantastic, exciting, interesting, and it is well worth the HBO subscription!

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Alice In Wonderland, 
The Chronicles of Narnia, 
Peter Pan, 
and Every Heart a Doorway... 

All follow a similar vein in which the characters are transported to another realm full of fairy tales and make believe.  Eventually, they are returned back to their homes wondering if they will ever find their way back to these mystery worlds.  In "Every Heart a Doorway," the children falling through these portals prefer the alternate world to their real-life home.  When they are returned back to reality, they are struggling to find people who understand what they have been through.  An even bigger issue is dealing with the disappointment and frustration of not being able to find their doorways again.  Their time spent on the other side of their doorway has changed them.  They will never stop looking for a way back.  Their confused parents, who mainly think their child is having a mental breakdown or suffering some traumatic incident, decide to send their children to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children.  Eleanor tells the parents she can fix the children.  In reality, she herself has experience with her own doorway, and she has since opened a school to bring support and community to other children who are suffering.

The book falls under the category of a novella.  The difference between a novella and a novel is the size.  The typical novel is around 80,000-100,000 words while a novella is closer to 30,000-60,000.  Although it is significantly shorter than the average book, it is full of world building, character development, and even includes a murder mystery.  To be honest, I didn't think the murder mystery was even necessary to the story.  The characters and the concept of these various fantasy lands is fascinating enough to carry the story.  The author gives you glimpses into different character's experiences, and you find yourself wanting to know and understand more as you read.  The murder mystery just creates movement for the plot line.

From the beginning, I loved the resemblance of the wayward children to people who read books.  There are a few individuals out there who stick to strictly non-fiction, but most of us enjoy a good story that transports us to another place.  I could be at Hogwarts with Harry Potter or on a boat at sea with Pi and the tiger.  When you finish a fabulous book, there is a part of you that feels disappointment that you won't be able to experience that world again.  I couldn't imagine a life where I read one book that truly spoke to my soul, finishing the book, and then realizing that I may never be able to read another one every again.  How devastating would that be!

Seanan McGuire currently has two other books out in the Wayward Children series.  The second books is called "Down Among the Sticks and Bones" and the third is "Beneath the Sugar Sky."  The fourth book is already in the works, and it sounds like she may have as many as seven by the end.  I finished book number two shortly after finishing the first.  I'm wait-listed for the third one with my library, but I can't wait to read that one!  I'm hooked.

Rating: 5 out of 5
* Positives: Fascinating story; love the characters and enjoyed their diverse representation
* Negatives: Too short!!  I want more!

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

What a rollercoaster...

I came across Donna Tartt while watching a BookTuber -- a YouTuber who makes book specific videos -- named BooksandLala.  She had read Donna's book “The Secret History” and raved about how fantastic it was.  When I pulled up all of Donna Tartt’s books, I noticed that “The Goldfinch” had just started filming in New York and is due for release in 2019.  I’m a sucker for book to film adaptations.  You know the book must be good if they want to make a movie out of it.  An extra bonus was my timing.  They already have most of the casting in place for the movie.  While reading about a new character, I would pull up the cast list pictures to help visualize what they might look like.

The book opens with Theo Decker, a thirteen-year-old, and his mother preparing to have a conference at his New York prep school due to some behavioral issues.  On the way, they stop at an art museum to see one of his mother’s favorite art pieces, Carel Fabritius’s The Goldfinch.  While casually walking through the art gallery, Theo notices a red-headed girl and a grandfatherly figure with her.  He continually catches her eye but never works up the courage to talk to her.  As they prepare to leave the museum, a bomb explodes knocking him unconscious.  Theo comes to, covered in rubble and dust, and sees the grandfather of the red-head close to him. In the old man’s last moments, he hands Theo the ring he is wearing and seems to signal to The Goldfinch, which has been blown out of it’s frame, and tells him to take the ring to a specific location.  In his altered and concussed state, Theo grabs the painting and the dying man’s ring and exits the museum out a side door with no idea where his mother is.  He then returns to his apartment to wait for his mom, hoping that she will meet him there.  Sadly, she never comes home.  The rest of the book follows Theo as he battles grief, post-traumatic stress disorder, and hiding The Goldfinch painting. 

I decided to read this book on my e-reader versus the physical book.  I seem to be drawn towards larger 400+ page books, if you haven't noticed from the majority of my previous reads.  This one is no exception.  The e-reader had it listed as 515 pages.  It was reserved from my library, so I only had two weeks to finish it before I would need to renew it.  I buckled down and tried to fly through it.  Luckily, the plot was drama-filled enough to keep me entertained and kept me flipping quite easily.  I finished the book with mere hours to spare before a renewal was needed.  Mind you, I would stay up until 2AM many a night, but what book-lover doesn't do that to begin with?

Bathing in my glory of finishing the book, I glanced at a few other reviews to see if my thoughts fell into the general consensus.  I saw a lot of reviews saying that it was "too long" or that it dragged in sections.  I was confused as to how people believed that entire chunks of the book could have been edited out, when I saw that the physical book is actually 800+ pages...... You mean to tell me that I just flew through an 800 page book in 2 weeks?  I was baffled by the page difference between my e-reader and the physical copy.  It made me wonder if it would have been a more difficult read if I knew there were an extra 300 pages to get through.  It can be daunting looking at the size of a book or seeing the never-ending numbers flipping in the corner of the page.  Perhaps some people just lost interest due to the size alone and less their connection with the story line.

In conclusion, this book is a chore to take on.  I wouldn't consider it a casual beach read by any means.  But I think it will make a fabulous movie and is well worth the time spent.  The plot is thick with twists and turns and never lets the characters settle into comfort.  I'm very interested in Donna Tartt's other books now.

Rating: 5 out of 5
* Positives: Exciting plot; author's investment to research and attention to detail when writing about specific subjects (ex: art history, grief, substance abuse); and it is so well written!

* Negatives: Size of the book and the number of snacks consumed while reading this behemoth 

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Strange the Dreamer has peaked my interest for a month or two now.  I've seen a lot of people talking about it and reviewing it, all raving about how wonderful the story is.  It also has a beautiful blue and gold cover that immediately draws your attention.  As I thought about my 2018 reading goals, I realized that reading "Strange the Dreamer" would allow me to tick off two of my boxes.  1) Listen to a book as an audio book.  "Strange the Dreamer" falls into the fantasy genre.  With fantasy writing, there tends to be some odd names.  Some of my struggle with reading fantasy is that it can be hard for me to follow because I can't grasp the pronunciation of the names, cities, and it makes the dialogue tricky.  If I can listen to someone do that for me, it may make it easier for me.  2) Read more "current" or "trendy" books.  A lot of people listed this book on their top reads for 2017.  I may be a little behind, but I'm hoping I can still ride the wave since it was just published March 2017.

I found an app called "Overdrive" for audio books.  I could plug in all of my library card information once, and then I had access to my library's e-book and audio book files without having to re-login every single time.  You still have to make sure that something is in your library's collection, wait for it to be available, and follow the check-out guidelines, but it just seemed more convenient than going through my library's website.

For me personally, I find it difficult to listen to audio books without the text in front of me.  I need the visual in front of me to focus.  Otherwise, I find myself a half hour into an audio book, and I realize I've been thinking about my grocery list, the laundry that needs done, how the weather is outside... and I have absolutely  no idea what I've just listened to.  But it was a massive help that the audio book narrator was the one who had to struggle through the foreign names and wacky pronunciations.  Luckily, I found the e-book online and was able to read along while I listened to the audio book to help keep my concentration and focus.  The only other issue I found with that, was that I visually read faster than the narrator talked.  Sometimes when a big plot twist was coming, I would spoil myself by speed reading ahead and then wait for him to catch up.

With about 50 pages left, I had to check to see if it was a stand alone or a series because there was NO WAY it was all going to wrap up in just a few pages.  It sounds like she is in the midst of writing the second book, and we aren't sure if it will be a duology or a trilogy by the end.  As of now, it doesn't appear that there is a release date for the second book.  Be prepared for things to feel unresolved at the end of this first book.

I loved the layout of the book.  It is broken into four parts, but I obviously don't want to spoil the book by covering all of them.  Part One covers the introduction and basics for one of the main characters named Lazlo Strange.  You find out that he is an orphan who has an affinity for this lost city of "Weep."  Weep actually had a different name at one point, but it was attacked and the true name of the city was stripped away and all that remained was Weep.  Most people don't really care or remember much about Weep, but Lazlo wants to learn all he can about it.  The book follows Lazlo's journey to learn about Weep as well as his own past.  You meet some other people along the way, but I think it's best to go into the book a little blind.  It helps when you let your idea of the world build with Lazlo's knowledge.
I thought the ending was really rushed.  I read that she had intended for it to be one book and then decided to extend it, and I think that really shows.  We also meet a love interest later on in the book, but I thought their dynamic was so-so.  I think the author was trying to portray them both as very innocent and naive but to me that came across as lacking depth.  The plot and character developments just started out so strong, and I felt it started to decline by the end.  Regardless, I'm still really looking forward to the other book(s) in the series!

Rating: 3.75 out of 5
* Positives: Lazlo's character growth and development, layout of the first half of the book, and really most things surrounding Lazlo.  I loved his character.
* Negatives: There were a few times I felt lost which were usually cleared up later, the rushed ending, and the "romance."

2018 New Year's Goals:

1. An author you'd like to read (that you've never read before).
Donna Tartt.  I've heard wonderful reviews for both "The Secret History" and "The Goldfinch."  Not sure which one I want to read first.

2. A book you'd like to read.
"Wild Beauty" by Anna-Marie McLemore.  The synopsis on Goodreads says:
For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world.  They've also hidden a tragic legacy; if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vainsh.  But then, after generations of vanishing, a strange boy appears in the gardens.  The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he's even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name.  As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family.

3. A classic you'd like to read.
"The Illiad" and "The Odyssey" by Homer.  In high school, I took Latin as my foreign language of study.  Partially to help bump my SAT scores... the other part because I love all things surrounding Greek history and mythology.  I have the two (Illiad and Odyssey) combined into one book, so it's rather daunting to look at on my shelf.  I suppose that is the only reason I haven't picked it up yet.

4. A book you'd like to re-read.
Such a typical answer for my age group, but this will always be the Harry Potter series.  I've lost count of the number of times I've re-read the books, but I will always go back to them.  They just feel like home.

5. A book you've had for ages and want to read.
"The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well" by Meik Wiking.  I don't actually own the physical copy of this book, but it's been on my to-be-read list for about a year now.  From what I've gathered, it's basically a book to help set an atmosphere of comfort and coziness at all times.  A book that tells me to buy more blankets, candles, and snuggle more??  Sounds like a win to me!

6. A big book you'd like to read.
"Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor.  It has 536 pages.  Nothing compared to the 1,000 plus that "Atlas Shrugged" had, but still pretty substantial.

7. An author you've previously read and want to read more of.
I've got two answers for this one -- Dan Brown and C.S. Lewis.  I've previously read "Angles and Demons" and "The DaVinci Code" by Dan Brown, which I LOVED.  I would like to finish his Robert Langdon series and see I like any of his other works.  I previously read about two or three of the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, but I'm interested in his other works outside of that series like "A Grief Observed."

8. A book you got for Christmas and would like to read.
I actually didn't get any books for Christmas.  BUT, I got some money, which is even better.  So I'll probably make a trip to a book store to pick up some books soon!

9. A series you want to read (start and finish).
I don't know about this one!  I don't really have any set series that I'm dying to read.  Maybe the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer or The Diviners Series by Libba Bray.  Honestly, I think I'd be fine without either one of those though.  I need to be on the look-out for one that really appeals to me.

10. A series you want to finish (that you've already started).
"A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin.  I powered through the first four books pretty quickly through 2016-2017, and then I started fizzling out on the fifth book around August 2017.  I'm about 600 pages in, which mind you is only 55% of the way through the book, but haven't made much progress on it in awhile.  It's been collecting dust for a few months now.  I just need to finish the current book and wait for George R.R. Martin to release the final books in the series.

11. Do you set reading goals?  If so, how many books do you want to read in 2018?
My goal was 20 books in 2017, which I met just by the skin of my teeth.  However, I would like to read more this year.  I think bumping it up to 25 is a safe bet, even if that still feels low.  Maybe someday I'll be a speed reader who can fly through 6-7 books a month.

12. Any other reading goals?

As much as I like including non-fiction and self-help, I recognize that most people currently interested in reading don't sway towards that genre.  I also had one or two comments that people didn't recognize the books I was reading.  So I want to be more "on trend" and read some more current books.