75 Books...More or Less! discussion

Very excited! Think I'm going to set my goal at 100. 2012 was 77. 2013 was 105. 100 should be good. :) Excited!

Good for you, Elyse! I'll bet you make your goal in 2014. Happy New Year!

Thanks Kay!

1. Inferno (Robert Langdon #4) - Dan Brown 4/5

Library E-Book.

"In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces...Dante’s Inferno.
Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Drawing from Dante’s dark epic poem, Langdon races to find answers and decide whom to trust...before the world is irrevocably altered."

I liked Inferno way better than The Lost Symbol. Inferno started out action-packed and mostly stayed that way. The storyline was actually kind of scary because it's a very real problem we have. There was a lot of twists and turns. This book definitely keeps you on your toes.

2. The Elite (The Selection #2) - Kiera Cass 4/5

Library E-Book.

"In America Singer’s world, a bride is chosen for the prince through an elaborate televised competition. In the second book of the Selection series, America is one of only six girls left in the running. But is it Prince Maxon—and life as the queen—she wants? Or is it Aspen, her first love?
The Elite delivers the adventure, glamour, political intrigue, and romance readers of The Selection expect, and continues the love triangle that captivated them."

Nagging question. Why was Gerad, America's little brother, left out of visiting the palace for Halloween? He wasn't even mentioned, she didn't even ask where he was. I mean, yeah what little boy would want to go to the palace but she didn't even ask about him. America doted on him in The Selection. Anyways, I liked the book. It was a little more real than The Selection. You learn a lot more about Maxon and his "perfect" royal family. I would've liked to have seen more of the rebels. Maybe if they'd captured one, interrogated them. Something like that. Make this a little deeper story than The Bachelor. I did already pre-order The One. First book of the series I'm paying for. ;)

3. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot 3/5

Library E-Book.

"Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance. This phenomenal New York Times bestseller tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew."

I liked it for the most part. It was very informational, amazing science (and freaking scary too). Sometimes it felt more about Ms. Skloot though. Like it was her autobiography of researching for Henrietta's biography. I've never heard of HeLa cells so that was a lot of information, some important and useful, some not so much to Henrietta's story. To me. But it did hold my interest.

4. Pretties (Uglies #2) - Scott Westerfeld 3/5

Bookshelf.

"Tally is pretty. And everything's changed. The new, pretty Tally is totally happy right where she is. She doesn't think she needs any kind of cure at all. When someone from her ugly life shows up with a message, Tally has a hard time listening. Did she really promise to give all this up? Is she bound by a promise she made when she was a different person? If there is anything left of the old Tally, how will she fight her way out to keep her word and help her friends?"

Really annoying "pretty language." How many times can one book have the word "bubbly?!" I'm not a fan of made-up languages in books. A Clockwork Orange? Hated it. Besides that, *grumble* love triangle. Really?! Ugh. So done with love triangles. Nothing really happened in the book. It was just a lot of "pretty-making" and blah. The end was when things finally got a little interesting. I'll probably read the next one because I bought it at a flea market for 50 cents. But my expectations are pretty low.

5. The Autobiography of an Execution - David R. Dow 4/5

Library E-Book.

"It this spellbinding true crime narrative, Dow takes us inside of prisons, inside the complicated minds of judges, inside execution-administration chambers, into the lives of death row inmates (some shown to be innocent, others not) and even into his own home--where the toll of working on these gnarled and difficult cases is perhaps inevitably paid. He sheds insight onto unexpected phenomena-- how even religious lawyer and justices can evince deep rooted support for putting criminals to death-- and makes palpable the suspense that clings to every word and action when human lives hang in the balance."

For the love of grammar, why aren't you using quotation marks?! That drove me nuts throughout the whole book. Also, there were no chapters! Uhhhh. Just one long chapter. Otherwise, it was a very interesting peek into our judicial system and the death penalty. I could never work in law and I can see why so many lawyers, judges, guards, etc get burned out so quickly. The toll it takes on you and your family by extension is overwhelming. And we do need people like them that can do the job and handle the intensity. Some people, in my opinion, do deserve the death penalty. But trying to figure out and prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they did or did not commit these crimes, I don't envy those decision makers. And to know someone is not guilty but you cannot prove it enough, that would tear me up inside. Awful, harsh, necessary. Good book.

6. The Girl of Fire & Thorns (Fire & Thorns #1) - Rae Carson 3/5

Library E-Book.

"Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses. The one who has never done anything remarkable, and can't see how she ever will.
Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king--a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.
And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior, and he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.
Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn't die young. Most of the chosen do."

I, like many other reviewers, did find it rather tasteless that Elisa wasn't worth anything until she lost weight. This is not a book about a fat heroine who can do anything. This is a book about an ex-fat semi-heroine who, once she loses weight, people begin to listen to her, respect her, take direction from her. No one cares about her when she's fat and all she does it eat. We get it. The plot was different. A little weird as well. It didn't flow very well. Time and distance didn't really make sense. I found Elisa to be very annoying. But hey oh, no real love triangle! Win. I feel like every idea Elisa came up with, just worked out perfectly! Very tidy. Too tidy. And the deaths were kind of...not necessary and without much explanation. Like "Oh I'm done with you. Umm...you die. Yay!" The book was alright. I'll probably read the second one, since I've already got it on hold at the library. We'll see what happens.

7. Specials (Uglies #3) - Scott Westerfeld 4/5

Bookshelf.

"Special Circumstances: The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then specials were a sinister rumor -- frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a special. But Tally's never been ordinary.
And now, Tally's been turned into a special: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.
The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.
Still, it's easy to tune that out -- until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same."

Cutting and branding. That's super. *grumble* But aside from that, I actually really liked this book. I liked it a lot more than Pretties. There's still a few things I didn't like but I thought it was a good "ending" to the "trilogy." I guess Extras is an afterthought book 4? Same world, different characters, a few years later? There was a lot of action and almost no sappy stuff. I liked that. I kind of wish more characters had died heroic deaths. Lol.

8. The Shadow Cats (Fire & Thorns novella) - Rae Carson 2/5

Library E-Book.

"Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness. And it was not Alodia.
Alodia is the crown princess of the realm. The sister who knows how to rule, and the one who is constantly reminded that she has not been marked for a grand destiny. But Alodia has plans, and she will be the greatest queen her people have ever known. So she travels--with her hopeless, naïve, chosen sister--to a distant part of their land, to begin to secure her supporters. This region needs its princesses, for it is plagued with a curse. The crops don't grow, the spring doesn't arrive, and a fierce jaguar stalks the shadows, leaving only empty homes splashed with blood behind. If Alodia can save them, no one will be able to deny her strength and her sovereignty.
But what she discovers could change the fate of her kingdom, if not her world. And it will most certainly change her opinion of her younger sister."

I thought it was a pretty pointless, useless novella. Why do we need insight to Alodia? She barely appears in the first book, not at all in the second book, and is a huge bitch. And tis story has nothing to do with -anything- that happens in books 1 and 2. It's not foreshadowing, helpful, nothing. Completely unecessary, imo.

9. Crown of Embers (Fire & Thorns #2) - Rae Carson 4/5

Library E-Book.

"Elisa is a hero. She led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as the country's ruler should be secure. But it isn't.
Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from foreign realms and even from within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one has not yet been fulfilled.
To conquer the power she bears, once and for all, Elisa must follow a trail of long-forgotten--and forbidden--clues, from the deep, hidden catacombs of her own city to the treacherous seas. With her go a one-eyed spy, a traitor, and the man whom--despite everything--she is falling in love with.
If she's lucky, she will return from this journey. But there will be a cost."

I enjoyed this book far better than the first book. There was more grit, honesty, and human emotion, even though there were more deaths in the first book. Plus I'm a hopeless romantic and swooned a few times. *sigh* But I did know what was coming, ever since the first meeting in the first book. I just didn't think it would take so long! That was a little aggravating, the back and forth, push and pull. But it was sweet. I'm still disappointed that Elisa is so fit and trim now. Woohoo, you're finally worth something. *eye roll* Should've kept her fat. Quite a few less food mentioning though. What a relief. I'm quite ready to dive into book 3 after that ending!!!!

10. Extras (Uglies #4) - Scott Westerfeld 2/5

Bookshelf.

"Extras, the final book in the Uglies series, is set a couple of years after the “mind-rain,” a few earth-shattering months in which the whole world woke up. Boundless human creativity, new technologies, and old dangers have been unleashed upon the world. Culture is splintering, the cities becoming radically different from each other as each makes its own way into this strange and unpredictable future...
One of the features of the new world is that everyone has a "feed," which is basically their own blog/tv channel. The ratings of your feed (combined with how much the city interface overhears people talking about you) determines your social status--so everyone knows at all times how famous they are."

So it's been weird when they keep talking about English like they're not speaking it. Apparently they're not, as you find out halfway through the book. They're speaking JAPANESE and I didn't even know. What?! "Aya trailed off in frustration with her English." "Frizz whispered in Japanese." I thought the "English" they were talking about was proper English, without words like "bubblehead" and "brain-missing" and "panic-making." Huh. Anyways, this book wasn't necessary to the Uglies series and I didn't really like it. It didn't make a whole lot of sense and was just fluff.

11. The Silver Star - Jeannette Walls 4/5

Read for free on Simon & Schuster's pulseit.com!

"It is 1970 in a small town in California. Jean “Bean” Holladay is twelve and her sister, Liz, is fifteen when their artistic mother, Charlotte, a woman who “found something wrong with every place she ever lived,” takes off to find herself, leaving her girls enough money to last a month or two. When Bean returns from school one day and sees a police car outside the house, she and Liz decide to take the bus to Virginia, where their Uncle Tinsley lives in the decaying mansion that’s been in Charlotte’s family for generations.
An impetuous optimist, Bean soon discovers who her father was, and hears many stories about why their mother left Virginia in the first place. Because money is tight, Liz and Bean start babysitting and doing office work for Jerry Maddox, foreman of the mill in town—a big man who bullies his workers, his tenants, his children, and his wife. Bean adores her whip-smart older sister—inventor of word games, reader of Edgar Allan Poe, nonconformist. But when school starts in the fall, it’s Bean who easily adjusts and makes friends, and Liz who becomes increasingly withdrawn. And then something happens to Liz."

This was a good book. At times funny and then sad, you found yourself completely immersed in Bean's story. Very quick read. I wanted to tear their mother to shreds and hug Uncle Tinsley. I wanted to comfort Liz and protect Bean. I wanted to kill Jerry, and even Doris, Maddox! I felt the ending was justified.

12. The Bitter Kingdom (Girl of Fire & Thorns #3) - Rae Carson 4/5

Library E-Book.

"Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save her love, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion--a champion to those who have hated her most."

In my opinion, Crown of Embers and The Bitter Kingdom were way better than The Girl of Fire & Thorns. Maybe there was just too much setting up in book 1. Which paved the way for books 2 and 3, I guess. I enjoyed The Bitter Kingdom. I enjoyed it even more when the magic was taken away. Some parts were still a little too easy, too perfect, but it came together well. I don't feel bereft after finishing the trilogy, like others I've read.

13. Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3) - Veronica Rossi 5/5

E-Book Purchase.

"Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.
The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do -- and they are just as determined to stay together.
Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.
Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most."

It's been a year since I read books 1 and 2 (like everyone else!) but in book time, it's merely been a few months since Aria was tossed out of Reverie. Really screwing with my time perception! It felt like years!! It was hard getting back into this world, even though I loved books 1 and 2. But by the end, I was completely immersed again. Once I was about halfway through, I couldn't put it down. So much emotion, so much upheaval. Very pleased with the ending. Really great trilogy. I do love the book covers and I LOVE the titles. Though I think Into the Still Blue is such a dead giveaway. Should've been something like Searching for the Still Blue. Or Into the Aether. Over the Swirling Aether. Something with a little more mystery.

14. The King's Guard (Fire & Thorns novella) - Rae Carson 5/5

Library E-Book.

"Hector of Ventierra is the youngest commander of the Royal Guard in his kingdom's history. But before he was lord commander, he was a lowly squire. At fifteen years old, Hector is the youngest squire in the most elite military force in the country. And his first day is disastrous. Everyone assumes the only reason he was recruited is his close personal association with King Alejandro, not because he's really earned it.
But Alejandro needs Hector for a secret mission, one that gives him the chance to prove to everyone—including himself—that he is worthy to be a Royal Guard. Hector must break into the ancient Fortress of Wind to retrieve something so important that the kingdom's future depends on it. What Hector finds in the fortress will stretch his bond of friendship with his king near to breaking. And it will prepare him to become a fearsome warrior and lord commander."

I loved it. I thought it was a fabulous novel and, unlike The Shadow Cats, it needed to be told. And holy bomb drop!! There's pretty intense information locked away in this little novella. Oh Hector, you're even more wonderful than I thought! And always such the guard and gentleman.

Wow, you're just booking along! At this rate you'll hit 100 easily!

15. Letting Ana Go - Anonymous 4/5

Read for free on Simon & Schuster's pulseit.com!

"She was a good girl from a good family, with everything she could want or need. But below the surface, she felt like she could never be good enough. Like she could never live up to the expectations that surrounded her. Like she couldn’t do anything to make a change.
But there was one thing she could control completely: how much she ate. The less she ate, the better—stronger—she felt.
But it’s a dangerous game, and there is such a thing as going too far..."

Reading this book made me hungry...oops! The girl's journal and journey started out by little things, little changes, less calories, more exercising. Seems perfectly normal to her. Eat a little less, work out a little more. Lose a couple of pounds. No big deal. It was a sad story and one that happens far too often. And I can even see sufferers of eating disorders reading this and thinking "But I'm not like that. I'm different." when that's just not true.

Are we friends? We should be friends because we seem to have the same taste. =-P

16. Actors Anonymous - James Franco 1/5

E-Book Purchase.

"The actors in James Franco’s brilliant debut novel include a McDonald’s drive-thru operator who spends his shift trying on accents; an ex-child star recalling a massive beachside bacchanal; hospital volunteers and Midwestern transplants; a vampire flick starlet who discovers a cryptic book written by a famous actor gone AWOL; and the ghost of River Phoenix. Then there’s Franco himself, who prowls backstage, peering out between the lines—before taking the stage with fascinating meditations on his art, along with nightmarish tales of excess."

Pretty stiff writing. Hard to get into. Jumps around a lot. You never know who is narrating or if it's a new story or more of a previous one. Some parts fiction, some parts non-fiction-y acting advice. Many times I stopped and said WTF?! This book was just too much. I didn't like it. I skipped around. There are some pretty disturbing, effed up stories in this book. If James Franco is trying to tell us that celebrities are fucked up, he nailed it. The sections I hated the most were McDonald's guy and The Actor essays. I unfortunately purchased this but at least it was only $1.99. :/

17. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) - Mindy Kaling 4/5

Library Audiobook.

"Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I’ll shut up about it?"

I've tried a few audiobooks to no avail. I tried with a book I've read so that I could see if I could pay attention. It didn't work. I decided to try again, a third time, but with a different tactic. Listen to audiobooks of comedians' books that I wanted to read. So this is my new road material! I started with Mindy Kaling's book because, well, it was available and on my TBR! And I liked it! I like that her personality really came through and it was a really fun, girly memoir. I was excited when she began talking about The Office (one of my fave shows!) and kind of disappointed she didn't talk a LOT about it. Cool factoid that she grew up in MA (I live in NH, right over the border) and went to Dartmouth. I may have liked it because it was a comedian and their own narration. So I'm going to continue with the comedian audiobooks. :) Maybe delve into more serious subjects later on. Any suggestions on really great audiobooks? I did read on Elizabeth's post that the Harry Potter audiobooks are great (both American and British narrations) and I like the idea that it's like the movies but 100% accurate. ;)

Kristin wrote: "Are we friends? We should be friends because we seem to have the same taste. =-P"

We are now! And we do have similar bookish tastes! :)

Elyse wrote: "17. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) - Mindy Kaling 4/5

Library Audiobook.

"Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the..."

Elyse, I love audio books and have an account with Audible. I typically listen to 2/month. But the narrator can make or break a book. Here's a list of a few of my favorites and one that is on my wish list.

1. Bossypants by Tina Fey (read by her)
2. Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series (great narrator, much more humor than True Blood, the series that is based on these books)
3. Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan (narrated by the author. While this doesn't sound funny, the author injects lots of humor and narrates the book flawlessly. It's one of my all-time favorites.
4. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (I know, it sounds boring but it's fascinating!)
5. The Good House by Ann Leary (fiction but Mary Beth Hurt's narration is spot on perfect)

And this audio is on my wish list because of high ratings and I've heard great things about it from someone I trust:

Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe (and narrated by him)

I've heard Janet Evanovitch's humorous series, that begins with One For the Money is excellent. I'd already read it and didn't go back to listen, so I can't personally vouch for it but everyone I know who has listened to it raves about the narration.

I'm also a fan of The Office so I'm adding Mindy's book to my list - thanks!

18. The Dead-Tossed Waves (Forest of Hands & Teeth #2) - Carrie Ryan 3/5

Bookshelf.

"Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves."

So first I didn't know that this is really a companion to Forest of Hands & Teeth, than an actual, direct sequel. I read FoH&T a few months ago and wasn't too into it but I already owned a copy of Dead-Tossed Waves from a Borders sale a few years ago. I finally picked it up and was confused by the back cover synopsis and this Gabry girl! As I started reading, I figured it out. "Twenty to thirty odd years later..." is how it should've started. I liked this one a little better than book 1 but it still had a lot of the same flaws and issues as book 1, thus the same 3-star rating. It's almost a 3.5 because the story is just a *tad* better than book 1 but it's closer to 3 than 4 on the half point scale, so a 3. I gave this a lot of thought. As you can probably tell. I feel like Gabry's choices were a little odd but I can't really get into what and why without giving anything away. The library has book 3 so I shall be reading it, if only to satisfy my curiosity. The next companion is about a girl named Annah. Huh.

JanB wrote: "Elyse wrote: "17. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) - Mindy Kaling 4/5

Library Audiobook.

"Mindy Kaling has lived m..."

I've definitely had Bossypants on my TBR since it came out and am on the Holds list for the audiobook at the library. I love Tina Fey! I also just added Rob Lowe's audiobook to my library Wish List, as I have an e-book and 2 audiobooks checked out right now! Ellen DeGeneres' Seriously...I'm Kidding, which unfortunately is the only one of her books they have at all :( and Betty White's If You Ask Me, which I'm VERY excited about. Though I am saving them for car rides. Or maybe cleaning. Lol. I love the little things you don't get when reading or when someone else is narrating, by listening to an audiobook narrated by the author. Their personality and character really come out and it feels like you're having a conversation with them. I'll have to check out your other suggestions, Jan! Thanks! I've been meaning to check out the Sookie Stackhouse series for awhile. Though I do hate the TV show, which I'm told is a lot different than the books.

19. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) - Tahereh Mafi 4/5

E-Book Purchase.

"With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world...but that’s not all he wants with her."

This love triangle is so barf. And the tension is very annoying. Make some decisions, people. One of them does, the other two are waffling. It's irritating, not cute. Maybe just because I'm a very impatient person. Aside from that, good final book. I liked it a lot. Only thing preventing me from giving it a 5 was the stupid love triangle, so maybe it's a 4.5. Mafi does have a beautiful way with words, her similes are breathtaking. The steamy scenes were very tastefully done, enough to know what's happening but not enough to be lewd. I applaud her trilogy! Though we do never know the story behind Warner's tattoos.

Elyse, I'm not a fan of True Blood but really enjoyed the audio books of the series. The narrator nailed it - she WAS Sookie.
You have great list of audios which should keep you busy for quite a while :-)

20. The Dark & Hollow Places (Forest of Hands & Teeth #3) - Carrie Ryan 3/5

Library E-Book.

"There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.
Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.
But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?"

Holy repetition. Yes, we know you feel bad about leaving your sister. But we don't need to hear about it 45 times. The whole series gets a 3 from me. It's pretty mediocre. The whole love SQUARE was super irritating in this book. Really? A triangle wasn't good enough? I was hoping for a death, make it more interesting. Not really a fan.

21. The Shattered Mountain (Fire & Thorns novella) - Rae Carson 2/5

Library E-Book.

"Mara is finally going to escape. She is in love. And even her harsh, controlling, volatile father cannot keep her from running off with the boy who makes her feel beautiful. But on the day she and Julio plan to leave their desert village, the enemy sorcerers attack, burning it to the ground. The only survivors are a handful of children, and seventeen-year-old Mara has no choice but to lead them. She must make it through the mountains to the rumored rebel camp and protect the children following her. She might lose everything--and everyone--she's ever loved, but what she finds will lead her down a path that will change the world."

Another unnecessary novella. A little better than the Shadow Cats because Mara is a bigger character than Alodia. But it kind of dragged on. A plodding novella. I just didn't care enough about Mara to need to know her back story

22. Seriously...I'm Kidding - Ellen DeGeneres 4/5

Library Audiobook.

"Oh, hi. I'm so glad you decided to turn the package over. As you probably know, this is normally where authors put nice quotes from fancy people praising their audiobook. I'm a little uncomfortable with that. It feels like a gimmick to get people to buy it and I don't believe in cheap tricks like that. Besides, I know you're way too smart and beautiful to fall for that kind of stuff. Actually, I think you're so wonderful I thought I would use this space to praise you. Yes, that's right. You. Here are some of the nice things I have to say about you: "That is a beautiful blouse you're wearing. It goes so nicely with this audiobook."-Ellen DeGeneres. "I love the way you're holding this audiobook. It's like you were born to buy it and hold it forever."-Ellen DeGeneres."

Ellen DeGeneres is a hoot. Who would ever buy the physical book when you can have the audiobook narrated by Ellen herself?! She's a riot! I wish the library had her other 2 books! This was more of a whimsy, advice-ish, semi-anecdotal book than an actual autobiography. Three autobiographies, you kind of run out of things to say about yourself! She was very amusing but at times...a little annoying. Long pauses on purpose and random ramblings got old pretty quickly. Overall, it was very humorous and found myself laughing out loud on my drives to and from work.

23. The Day Boy & The Night Girl - George MacDonald 4/5

E-Book Purchase.

"The Day Boy and the Night Girl is the story of a boy and a girl who are, for some reason or another, which MacDonald doesn’t disclose, groomed by a witch named Watho to only see day and night respectively. The boy, aptly named Photogen, is only allowed to be out and about during the day. He is trained to go to bed before the sun sets and is never allowed to see darkness. Conversely, the girl, also aptly named Nycteris, is taught the routine of sleeping during the day so that she might never see light. He is the Day Boy, she is the Night Girl and this is their story."

I was interested in reading this story because lines of it, and the book as a whole, were used quite frequently in Ann Aguirre's Razorland series, which I love. I was curious and from what I read and surmised, thought it would be fun to check out. I had no idea who George MacDonald was or that he wrote fairy tales. It's a neat little story and I'm interested in reading more of MacDonald's stories.

24. If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't) - Betty White 3/5

Library Audiobook.

"In this candid take on everything from the unglamorous reality behind red-carpet affairs to her beauty regimen ("I have no idea what color my hair is, and I never intend to find out"), Betty White shares her observations about life, celebrity, and love (for humans and animals)."

I love Betty White, she seems like such a sweetheart. But I was hoping for a bit more humor in this audiobooks, especially with her narrating it. This is her sixth book! I didn't know. The library doesn't have the other ones. Boo. She's a sweet woman and this was a sweet narration but I wanted a little more.

25. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) - Alan Bradley 4/5

Library E-Book.

"It is the summer of 1950–and at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, young Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, is intrigued by a series of inexplicable events: A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Then, hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw."

What a gem Flavia de Luce is! Being a little sister myself, I know what a nuisance having older siblings is and I wish I had had half the brain Flavia does. This was a cute, funny, clever mystery and I really enjoyed it! A few times it meandered but an altogether great story. Can't wait to read the next one!

Elyse wrote: "25. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) - Alan Bradley 4/5

Library E-Book.


Elyse, if you ever decide to branch out to listening to fiction, this series is excellent. The narrator has a lovely English accent and is perfect for the role. It's probably my favorite audio series.

Elyse, I love all your reviews. You've got me quite interested in a lot of books now. I'll probably look for this one in the audio version that JanB has suggested. Sounds like a great story and I have a weakness for mysteries.

Karol wrote: "Elyse, I love all your reviews. You've got me quite interested in a lot of books now. I'll probably look for this one in the audio version that JanB has suggested. Sounds like a great story and I h..."

Kay, I'm really enjoying this series. I'll be sad when I get to the final book, even though he's still writing. Alan Bradley was 70 years old when the first Flavia book was published! I hope he lives another 30 years! lol. I might test out the 3rd book on audio. Almost done book #2!

JanB wrote: "Elyse wrote: "25. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) - Alan Bradley 4/5

Library E-Book.

Elyse, if you ever deci..."

Thanks, Jan! I might check out book #3 on audio. :)

Elyse wrote: "25. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) - Alan Bradley 4/5

Library E-Book.

"It is the summer of 1950–and at the o..."

I picked up a copy of this book at my library's book sale during the summer. After reading your review, I'm looking forward to digging in!

Annie wrote: "Elyse wrote: "25. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) - Alan Bradley 4/5

Library E-Book.

"It is the summer of 195..."

Good! It's very enjoyable! :)

26. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag (Flavia de Luce #2) - Alan Bradley 4/5

Library E-Book.

"Flavia de Luce, a dangerously smart eleven-year-old with a passion for chemistry and a genius for solving murders, thinks that her days of crime-solving in the bucolic English hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey are over—until beloved puppeteer Rupert Porson has his own strings sizzled in an unfortunate rendezvous with electricity. But who’d do such a thing, and why? Does the madwoman who lives in Gibbet Wood know more than she’s letting on? What about Porson’s charming but erratic assistant? All clues point toward a suspicious death years earlier and a case the local constables can’t solve—without Flavia’s help."

I skipped the other 2 books I have out from the library to dive right into this! One of my favorite lines in this book, "Take myself, for instance: I am often thought of as being remarkably bright, and yet my brains, more often than not, are busily devising new and interesting ways of bringing my enemies to sudden, gagging, writhing, agonizing death." Oh Flavia! Such a funny, smart ass. And she's only 11! Another delightful murder mystery in which Flavia de Luce is miles ahead of the police. Very enjoyable. Going to try book 3 on audio!

27. A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1) - Deborah Harkness 3/5

Library E-Book.

"In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont."

I accidentally bought the second book, Shadow of Night, when it was $1.99 not realizing it was second, so I had to find the first book and read it! Luckily the library had it. Well, maybe not so luckily? The book was quite a bore. Took me awhile to read because I couldn't get into it and it was way too long. I liked the gist of it, thus the 3, but it took too long to get there. I hope the second book is better, since I actually own it.

28. A Red Herring Without Mustard (Flavia de Luce #3) - Alan Bradley 4/5

Library Audiobook.

"In the hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey, the insidiously clever and unflappable eleven-year-old sleuth Flavia de Luce had asked a Gypsy woman to tell her fortune—never expecting to later stumble across the poor soul, bludgeoned almost to death in the wee hours in her own caravan. Was this an act of retribution by those convinced that the soothsayer abducted a local child years ago? Certainly Flavia understands the bliss of settling scores; revenge is a delightful pastime when one has two odious older sisters. But how could this crime be connected to the missing baby? As the red herrings pile up, Flavia must sort through clues fishy and foul to untangle dark deeds and dangerous secrets."

At first I couldn't get into the audiobook. It felt weird. But the more I focused on the story, the better the audio was! Another fabulous mystery that surrounds Flavia! Though the murders happening left and right in this small English town all of a sudden make the tales a little formulaic after a fashion. I'm still enjoying them a lot though! Sometimes you get so into solving the crimes that you forget Flavia is only 11. And then you see how young and naive she is, even though she's so intelligent, and how much she love/loathes her sisters and how their picking on her affects her. She's a smarty pants riot but she's still just a child looking for love and acceptance in an austere home.

29. Fracture Me (Shatter Me novella) - Tahereh Mafi 3/5

Library E-Book.

"As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam's focus couldn't be further from the upcoming battle. He's reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend's life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James's safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It's time for war."

Meh. Insight on Warner was better than insight on Adam. Adam's a whiny bitch. He was okay in the first book but he steadily got worse. I would've MUCH rather seen a Kenji novella!! At least Adam chose James over Juliette. Family is more important! Your saving grace, Adam!

Aww, that's a shame you didn't like A Discovery of Witches more. Hopefully the second one is more your style. The last book is coming out later this year, I can't wait!

30. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows (Flavia de Luce #4) - Alan Bradley 5/5

Library Audioook.

"It’s Christmastime, and Flavia de Luce—an eleven-year-old sleuth with a passion for chemistry—is tucked away in her laboratory, whipping up a concoction to ensnare Saint Nick. But she is soon distracted when a film crew arrives at Buckshaw, the de Luces’ decaying English estate, to shoot a movie starring the famed Phyllis Wyvern. Amid a raging blizzard, the entire village of Bishop’s Lacey gathers at Buckshaw to watch Wyvern perform, yet nobody is prepared for the evening’s shocking conclusion: a body found strangled to death with a length of film. But who among the assembled guests would stage such a chilling scene? As the storm worsens and the list of suspects grows, Flavia must ferret out a killer hidden in plain sight."

"We were warned about you." - Inspector Wolmer. I laughed out loud!!! So funny! Flavia really is, Nialla (which is apparently pronounced 'Nia?' When I read book 2, I pronounced it how it's spelled but listening to the audiobook, she says 'Nia.') said it best, incorrigible! And hilarious. I love the Inspector Hewitt and Flavia go-rounds in this book! "Flavia. I heard you sneeze." Drat and blast!! Such a funny, good book. Though I am wondering, since this is the 1950s, why these girls aren't in school or have tutors? The first 2 books were summer, the second book was September, and this book is Christmastime. There's never talk of any sort of schooling. Flavia and her sisters had more than just a 5-minute truce in this book. It was nice to see a softer, nicer side of Feely and Daffy, they've been so harsh on Flavia in past books. Danger was more omnipresent in this book. Overall, very enjoyable!

31. The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt 3/5

E-Book Purchase.

"Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.
As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love-and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle."

Popper, Popchik, Popchyk. Which is it?! The dog's name was Popper. Boris called him Popchik. But then it becomes Popchyk. Why? Fail editor.

1 star for Hobie.
1 star for Pippa.
1 star for the ending.

Otherwise, I didn't really like the book. It was made up of unlikable characters, besides Hobie and Pippa. It was a good ending for a long, mostly boring book. :/

32. Shadowhunters & Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader - Cassandra Clare, et. al. 2/5

NetGalley ARC.

"Join Cassandra Clare and a Circle of more than a dozen top YA writers, including New York Times bestsellers Holly Black, Rachel Caine, and Kami Garcia, as they write about the Mortal Instruments series, its characters, and its world.
Inside you’ll read:
• A cinematic tutorial on why the best friend (Simon) always loses out to the bad boy (Jace)
• The unexpected benefits of the incest taboo
• What we can read between the lines of Alec and Magnus’ European vacation
• The importance of friendship, art, humor, and rebellion
• And more, from the virtues of Downworlders to the naughty side of Shadowhunting"

I liked some of the essays. Some I didn't care for/care about the subject matter. I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah Rees Brennan's essay on the topic of the desires of the characters in Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices. It was hilarious! But alas, a really unnecessary, pointless "book" that I don't understand the purpose of, except to keep cashing in on the Shadowhunter world.

33. For One More Day - Mitch Albom 3/5

Bookshelf.

"For One More Day is the story of a mother and a son, and a relationship that covers a lifetime and beyond. It explores the question: What would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?
What follows is the one "ordinary" day so many of us yearn for, a chance to make good with a lost parent, to explain the family secrets, and to seek forgiveness. Somewhere between this life and the next, Charley learns the astonishing things he never knew about his mother and her sacrifices. And he tries, with her tender guidance, to put the crumbled pieces of his life back together."

I appreciate the moral of the story, I do, but I didn't really like the presentation. Having luckily not yet lost a loved one, I can only imagine what Charley was going through. And that does make me want to appreciate my loved ones, talk to them, learn as much as I can from them and our family history. But I can't say that I wasn't already doing that so...okay book, not stellar. It didn't hit me like Tuesdays with Morrie or The Time Keeper.

34. The Guard (The Selection novella) - Kiera Cass 2/5

Library E-Book.

"Before America Singer met Prince Maxon...
Before she entered the Selection...
She was in love with a boy named Aspen Leger."

A 2 only because you do see Maxon (yeah, who cares about Aspen?!) shove Kriss at Aspen so HE can go after America. *swoon* Aspen is a wimpy dude who let pride get in the way of love. Idiot. America in the Selection is all his fault anyways! I'd rather have seen a Marlee novella.