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.