IT

It by Stephen King


I was super disappointed in this book. I am going to give it a ZERO bc it was just not good in my opinion. You get a small glimpse of Pennywise early on and then there is a lot of time where the people are just trying to get together. I wasn't able to get past 130 pages and that has taken me 5 weeks (a little more or less) to read. I feel I gave it a shot but that's not going to do it for me. I even reached out to a friend and said “Hey is this worth the read? Should I stick with it?” She said yes it was and that it was one of the best horror stories ever written. Clearly, not in my opinion. Sad really. If that is how Stephen King writes all his books Damn, that is really a shame.

Discontinued reading on Nov 9, 2017


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We Need to Talk About Kevin

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is an epistolary novel from a wife written to her ex husband. This book kind of reminded me about Columbine but the difference was there was something strange about Kevin right from the start. He bonded with his father but had NO BOND whatsoever with his mother. If I were to guess maybe I would say that Kevin had Oppositional Defiant Disorder to some extent and then he just cracked. The court case part of the story is hard because (if you watch any court stuff on tv) things get pryed and looked in to which can be very troubling and disheartening. I did enjoy the book but I had read it before. Some of the things Eva says to Kevin are things that you would never expect to come out of a mother's mouth but she truly has no feeling and a disconnect with her son. This book also discusses the point of a successful career woman in the travel industry who is expected to give up her job, which she loves, and become a stay at home mum as per her husband's request and assumption. There are a lot of controversial points in this book but it does make for a good talking piece.


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The Tiger's Wife

The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Gave it a fair chance and couldn't read it. TERRIBLE. COULD NOT GET IN TO IT.


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NYFW Reviews

NOTICE - I have had a few things happen in my life that have caused me to fall behind on things. Instead of not posting anything about NY Fashion Week, I have decided that I will post what I do have. I have also included the links to some of my favourite shows. Hopefully I can get back on track. Thanks for following and viewing my blog. Happy Halloween - Sg

Pamella Roland (Sept 6)

Pieces all accentuate the body. Very feminine and polished looks. Many of the gowns are award show appropriate and we probably will see them in the future. Dress at 840 was worn by Bella Thorne that night. Loved every single piece, was a lovely fashion show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE-rDMnWot4

Cushnie et Ochs (Sept 8)

Lots of floral patterns and prints. Fabrics used had a lot of flow and movement which was very flattering. Black dress at 458 is a very classic look. I really enjoyed this collection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKxqp_OO36s

Taoray Wang (Sept 9)

Impeccable construction on the waist corsets. Realistic pieces that people would wear. The white dress at 450 is jaw dropping. Navy and black dress at 520 has a beautiful silhouette. Love that the colour palette stuck to black, white, navy, gray. Stunning collection.

Dion Lee (Sept 9)

The collection had a lot of gray and dark colours for being a spring/summer collection. Loved the green silk pieces. They brought some life to the collection.

Tibi (Sept 9)

A very conservative look and consistent except every once in a while there was a dowdy/matronly piece.

Namilia (Sept 9)

Construction of the garments gets an A +. No idea where you would wear garments like these or who the customer base would be. Model at 815 was on Kelly Cutrone's instagram the other day. Confused ...

Tory Burch (Sept 8)

I really enjoyed this collection. It was a more relaxed vibe. The show taking place in the garden was the perfect setting for these clothes. The collection looked quite comfortable and had a nice flow to it. Enjoyed how the accessories were very minimal and the shoes were mostly flats. LOVED this collection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3j9IGDRRe4&t=22s

Calvin Klein (Sept 7)

I do not like this collection at all, very disappointed. The music was 100

Tom Ford (Sept 6)

258/351 that glitter long sleeve dress gives me life, what a beautiful dress. Love it in the silver and blue and the silver and gold is fab as well. Gigi Hadid's dress is ok, construction is good but it looks way too tight at the bottom causing a strange walk. Kendall's dress is fantastic. Sleek, sexy and sultry. LOVE IT. Joan Smalls outfit with the jacket with the beautiful lapels. The runway flooring was difficult to walk on or the shoes were very unstable causing the models to have a strange walk or uneasiness.

Oscar de La Renta (Sept 11)

Paint splatter and embellishments are used a lot in this collection. The denim pieces look quite reasonable. A lot of shirt dresses, which I don't think you can build an entire collection on. The paint suits really don't have any shape. Using the escalator as an entrance was brilliant. The runway walk area was incredibly long. Silver and pink glitter dresses were very basic but provided a nice pop. Many of the gowns made me think of a higher class prom dress. Lots of Tulle fabric. Sadly, I found this collection very underwhelming, which is not something I expect from de La Renta.

Carolina Herrera (Sept 11)

All the clothes have movement and flow. Majority of the collection is dresses or combination top and skirts (there were possibly 3 outfits with pants). Shiny button details are fantastic and add a nice component to the piece. Tailoring is top level. Large colour palette for the collection. There were some slight bits of colour blocking but no full out colour blocking. Dress at 745 was smashing, especially with the zebras on the bottom of the garment above the hemline. Once again Carolina Herrera does not disappoint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czQ-FHc39AM&t=619s

Alexander Wang (Sept 9)

The video quality for this show is terrible taking away from the fashion. Details are hard to pick out and consider due to effects that were put on the video. Very frustrating. Is there something being hidden or is Wang just trying to be different with the video. Not entirely sure why you would post a video that no one can tell anything about the clothing which is supposed to be the showcase. I didn't watch the whole thing. Stopped at 136 and said not worth my time.

Philipp Plein (Sept 10)

Dita opens the show with her famous martini glass performance. Future performs during the show. Adrianna Lima is the first model out and damn she's on point. 21 Savage comes out with a drink in hand. The detail on the leather is impressive. The Disney type characters that are naughty'd up on the shirts is strange. 308 is the body suit worn in the Taylor Swift video. 330/355 a girl is strutting while having a soother in her mouth. The models are not walking straight and then some are walking 'gangster' no consistency. Then Teyana Taylor dancing and the music changes to MASK OFF. What a confusing show. My mind is just blown about what I saw. Plein focussed more on making it a performance than showcasing the clothing and the clothing wasn't even that great. YIKES.

Irina Vitaj (Sept 9)

There are a lot of sheer pieces to the collection, as well as a lot of pieces are pretty close to being tits out. The fabric choice for the dress at 440 was subtle but really fantastic. The clothing had a certain flow and freedom to it. Dress at 623 had a cape and it really took away the impact of the fabric. The metallic sheen fabrics take away from the dresses and kind of make them look cheap. The construction and draping were very basic. The collection was a mish mosh of different styles. I would say i am 70/30 on this collection. There was more that I didn't like than I did like.

Victoria Beckham (Sept 10)

A lot of collars and lapels. Some of the outfits are restrictive in that they are tucked in so tight. Looks a little bit dowdy. All the outfits shown I could definitely see VB wearing. The colours are all colours that she wears frequently. I was really hoping that there would be more jumpsuits. I think this was a very safe collection. Lacking creativity, innovation and construction. Ugh VB I expected so much more from you.

Dinotopia

Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time by James Gurney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was one of my favourites growing up and it was such a nice book to read now. As a kid I loved dinosaurs and to this day I am still in love with dinosaurs. The illustrations in this book are incredible and my fav is when they are having the parade and all the dinosaurs are in their nicest 'armour' and all the people are in costume and there's tons of flowers and everything. My words here are not doing it any justice. I loved how the people and dinosaurs co-existed and helped each other out and worked together. In a time where everything is so divided, this was a nice break from the norm. One of my fav books of all time and definitely a 5 star rating... deserves more but that's all I can do.


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Furiously Happy

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny  Lawson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Note – I had a hard time reading this because the discussion about mental illness and certain chapters were triggers for me. I think if I was in a different space when I read this, I may have had an easier time reading this.

I really didn't enjoy this book as the other Jenny Lawson book. It wasn't a variety of stories about animals that had been taxidermied and she'd given them names and personas. There were only 2 stories that were really hilarious and the rest was just meh. I was kinda, nope, I was really disappointed in this book. At this point and time I will give it 2 stars. If I read it again, I will consider an upgrade if it's necessary. AND THAT”S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.


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The Madman's Daughter

The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I read this book because of the 52 book challenge and it filled the spot of a book based on classic literature. The book is based on The Island of Dr. Moreau. I have not read that book so I don't really know what it is about. Having read this book I get some idea of what it might be like but I would suggest reading The Island of Dr. Moreau before you dive in to this story so you have some backstory and information. The Madman's Daughter is of course about Dr. Moreau's daughter, Juliet. I didn't even like this book, I would give it a zero but that's not possible so a 1 star it is. I found this book was extremely long for what the content was. It was constantly putting me to sleep and I was thinking “Damn, when is this going to be over.” So much of the book was dragged out that it was annoying. The story was very predictable, which didn't work in it's favour. The characters are stodgy and boring. I don't have anything good to say about this book. Oh well. (Pretty sad when a book that is medium sized takes 24 days to read. WAY TOO LONG)


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Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you've been following me on Goodreads or my blog, you will know that I am a huge fan of Chelsea Handler and this is the last CH book that I had to read. I have completed every book she has written unless she comes out with a new one. A lot of the settings are common as in CH's other books, ie. The house at Martha's Vineyard, The house she grew up in as a young child, her years in Elementary school, her house in Bel Air. This book had more stories from CH's childhood than others but they were very interesting. CH is such a BAD ASS, maybe that's why I love her. I will say there were some dull moments but I would give this a solid 3.5 but for Goodreads it will be a 3 since it wasn't quite a 4.


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Notice

Dear Readers,

I am just writing to let you know that I was unable to post yesterday because I am having problems with my internet.

I have two book reviews that I am posting today and upcoming will be my New York Fashion week reviews.

Sorry for the inconvenience. I like to have my posts at the end of the month for continuity and regularity but when the internet goes boom, I can't really help.

Please feel free to send comments about what you would like to see or have reviewed in the future.

Thanks,

Sarah

Coraline

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

What to say about this book ... Geez that's putting me on the spot. I have been trying to think of what to say about it for 2 days and haven't got any idea what to write. First off, this book fills the spot of the Hugo award winner and those are very hard to find as they are novellas or short stories. Many of them are not published in hard copy because it's better to publish an e-copy and charge $3.99 for it than have someone buy the book for $12-15. I get the understanding behind why they are so rare. I really wish that I was able to find the copy of the Ted Chiang book that I wanted but alas there were no hard copies available. (Nb – I have reviewed a Ted Chiang book before and it was quite interesting).

Here it goes for Coraline. This book kind of reminded me of Matilda by Roald Dahl but the premise was a lot darker. Coraline's parents don't really pay attention to her and she doesn't really have any friends so she's always looking for acceptance. That being said, when she goes past the door to another version of the world she lives in, she meets her 'other parents' and becomes fond of them. They make better food, they want to spend time with her, they want to do things as a family BUT WAIT there's a hitch. I'm not going to tell you what that is but I will say that's where the darkness permeates and begins to become a bit of a problem for Coraline. The classic story line where the main character gets what she wants and things go happily ever after happens in this book BUT she has to work for what she wants and there are some twists and turns. I found this book extremely hard to read and it's not even 200 pages, which is very sad in my opinion. The most I would give it for a rating would be 1 star. Children may like this book much better than I did, and of course there is a movie based on the book so that would be a perk as well. Will I be watching the movie, NOPE, not going to waste my time. And that's all I have to say about that.

Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies by William Golding
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I 'read' this book in high school because it was mandatory and at the time I hated it. It didn't make sense, there were so many metaphors and I found some parts just plain weird/messed up. I had the chance to read it again since it was one of the books on the BBC Big Read list. I could have chosen quite a few books but this one spoke to me. I wanted to give it the chance to prove itself when I am at the most open my book taste will ever be. The premise of boys being on a deserted island with no adults was very interesting. There's some boys that you learn about that you're like “Hey, he seems ok and they might have a chance if they listen to him.” Of course there is the 'bad seed' character that tries to get people to go with him and follow his ways whether they are right or wrong. I never saw the movie Lord of the Flies but apparently there is one. For me this was like the movie The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio (only The Beach was made with adults). There are some things that make the movie, The Beach, different but I find there is still a lot of similarities. Similarities being island fever, trying to have order within the group, how certain things are going to be dealt with ie. Shelter, hunting, bathing, etc. I was able to give this book a fair chance and while I wouldn't give it a four or five star rating, I think that a 3.5 would be great but a 3 will have to suffice for Goodreads. There are many different sociological aspects to this book and it is tested and proved/disproved by how things play out in the book. The strongest characters in the book would be Ralph and Jack, but I would give Piggy some credit as well even though he was the nerdy weirdo of the group. When things start to go wrong all Hell breaks lose. It's an interesting read but one thing I will give Golding huge credit for is he described the scenery of the island quite beautifully. I wouldn't mind going to that island and just being on my own solitary journey.

The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I tried I really did but I just couldn't get in to it. I thought it would be like a Chelsea Handler book and it fell way short. I like Amy Schumer so I'm kind of sad about it. It doesn't really even deserve 1 star but it is what it is. Not sure how this book made the top goodreads in 2016.


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Faceless Killers

Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This book took forever to finish but I had to finish it because it was the only book in the library I could find that was set in Scandinavia, more specifically Sweden. To be honest (which as you know I always am), this book was a friggin' disaster. I'm glad I wasn't reading it out loud because I couldn't pronounce any of the town names or some of the characters names. This book was incredibly slow and it didn't seem like the ending was going to go anywhere but it did in the last few pages. The main character Kurt Wallander is a cop that is down and out, upset about his marriage falling apart and gets easily annoyed by his father who is having dementia issues. He is very bland, almost too bland. I imagined him being one of those people who constantly talks in a monotone voice. I think Mankell over dramatized the murder, his characters kept referring to it as a slaughter and really that wasn't the case, especially when compared to other books that I have read. Sure it was a murder scene but not a 'slaughter house'. The clues were few and far between and maybe that's why this book dragged on. I didn't get any enjoyment from this book and it put me to sleep most of the time. I don't really think it deserves a two so I will stick with a one star rating.

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have to say that when I started reading this book it was hard to get in to. It kept making me fall asleep, then as I got more in to it there was the same funny shit that Chelsea gets in to. From pranking her staff with emails about bogus things, to taking her driver to Turks and Caicos, to faking a friends dog death to prank her bf Ted, and the last story about how she came to own Chunk. I have a weak spot for Chunk and Tammy, any story about them I want to know. Chelsea loves Tammy and Chunk to bits and they are her fur-children. This book had more stories about Chelsea's family which was even more funny. They have a different dynamic and that's a nice way of putting it (it's quite entertaining). Even the chapter titles are hilarious. The start was weak so I would give this book a 3.5 but I will give it a solid 3 stars. A few free laughs are always needed to keep the boring monotony of life from killing ya.

Please Leave Comments

Dear Writers/Readers and Everyone in Between,

Please feel free to leave comments regarding the book reviews (or anything else for that matter). I want to open my page to healthy discussion and promote freedom of speech. I care what people have to say and want to hear it. If you disagree with my review or like it, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks for taking the time to come to my blog and read the posts. I appreciate it.

Regards,

Sarah

Animal Farm

Animal Farm by George Orwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I chose this book because it was a Penguin Modern Classic and it was involving animals. Little did I know that it was going to be a book full of metaphors. When I started reading, I wasn't really in to it. Things started to happen and I really started to enjoy the book. I am surprised that I enjoyed it so much because the basis is very political and reflects the events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917. I did find that sometimes I would be reading and I would forget that the characters were animals instead of people. There was a lot of core values in this book, which I really enjoyed because core values are very important to me and how I live my life. I would have to say that my favourite characters were Boxer (the strong horse), Benjamin (the donkey) and Clover (the mare). There was a lot of cheating and lying and the pigs did whatever they wanted to get whatever they needed. I found Napoleon and Squealer to be quite overbearing and liars. They didn't really care about the farm and it's animals as much as they said they did. They cared about making a profit and living a cushy lifestyle. It was a little disturbing how the rules kept changing and the animals were surprised that they hadn't realized the certain words before. (This had me flipping back to the original commandments to make sure I didn't miss something.) Although Orwell used this book to portray the events leading up to the Russian Revolution, I couldn't help but relate it to the current situation of the Trump government and how they are conducting themselves. Therefore, I believe this story has happened many times in history and can be related back to it just changing who the references and characters pertain to. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am surprised by how much I did enjoy it.


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Uganda Be Kidding Me

Uganda Be Kidding Me by Chelsea Handler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is not entirely what I expected. While I thought that it would be stories about Chelsea's trip(s) to Africa, it was more than just that. It was about a variety of trips and the stories that go with those trips. I have to be honest and say that I didn't find this book as good as some of the other Chelsea Handler books that I have read but it definitely was a nice break from all the heavy reading I've been doing. I can relate to Chelsea because she is completely outrageous and blunt, which I think I am myself. She's constantly swearing and drinking and just trying to have a good time. One thing that I loved about the book was the pictures relating to the vacations and her captions. They definitely are a high point for the book. The travellers questions, travellers etiquette and hot travel tips are out there but they do make a fair bit of sense. I would rate this book at a 3.5 at the most but I will give it a 3 stars on Goodreads.


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Sam's Letters to Jennifer

Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another book that is written partially in the epistolary style. When Jennifer gets the call to come back to Lake Geneva because her grandma Sam is very sick, she immediately jumps in the car and heads to the lake. It's a shock to Jennifer as she was never aware that Sam was sick. Sam has written a bunch of letters for Jennifer to read so that she can understand her story, the only catch is Jennifer is only allowed to read a few at a time. The fact that Sam is sick re-ignites issues that Jennifer has tried to deal with in the past but has not succeeded. It's a very emotional roller coaster for Jennifer and one that she soon learns she cannot handle on her own. A budding friendship turns in to a supporting and loving relationship only for Jennifer to come to a crossroads once again. As Jennifer paces herself through the letters, she finds out things that she never could have imagined. This book is old school James Patterson. Although it may not be in the mystery/thriller genre, it is nice to see that he has the flexibility to branch out and try something and have it be a success. It adds to Patterson's range and the varieties of audiences that he can reach. James Patterson has been around a long time but comparing how he writes now and how he used to write is like night and day. If you get the chance to read earlier books by James Patterson, I urge you to give them a try. They are best he's ever written and you won't be disappointed.


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The Color Purple

The Color Purple by Alice Walker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Epistolary novels are probably one of my most favourite things to read. They are a different way of telling a story and I find that I can actually picture myself as a third party, non-biased observer. The emotions are more intense. While it can be tricky to follow a story line, it challenges the reader to really focus and pay attention.

The Colour Purple is about the lives of several Negroes/ African Americans, living in the South and the hardships and trials/tribulations they have to overcome to find some piece of happiness in their lives. The letters are written by Celie and later her sister Nettie. When Nettie is writing letters she is writing them as a missionary in Africa, so not only do you get to explore the South (USA) but get to travel to Africa and see how a particular tribe's way of life is. I don't want to give anything away so I am going to keep what I say somewhat vague. This book is very raw. There is things you read about that most people would rather not know about or acknowledge that they exist. While there is a deep sadness within the writings, there is a silver lining in many situations. This is a great book but you have to pay attention and if you are able to do that you will have no trouble following the different story lines that come up.


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The Face on the Milk Carton

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NB- This book is full of grammatical errors and spelling errors. Please be advised.
NB- This book is considered a banned book for reasons which I will state below.

As the 52 book challenge continues, this was my replacement for the banned book category. I remember reading this book in public school. It boggles my mind how today it is considered a banned book. The reasons for it being banned are “sexual content, challenge to authority and inappropriate for the age group”. There is mentions of sex and the insinuation that the kids did do something just not sex, therefore I challenge the sexual content allegation. The main character Janie does challenge authority but in this case I think if I were in the same situation I would too, and don't all kids challenge authority at some point. This isn't the first book that a child has disobeyed their parents or done something that the parents didn't want them to do. If anything, I would have thought that this would have been considered a banned book because it talks about child kidnapping and stolen children which is a felony offence. While I enjoyed this book as a kid, I did not enjoy it as an adult. There were so many grammatical and spelling errors that it was a challenging read. I think that the story line is very interesting and definitely held its own. A young girl drinks her milk at school and comes to the conclusion that she is the child in the picture of the child on the milk carton. She pursues this and finds out many things. I would give this book a solid 2 stars due to it's limitations and editing issues.

In case you are looking for banned books to read, here's a short list of the ones I found appealing:
The Colour Purple – Alice Walker
Bridge to Terabithia – Katherine Paterson
Sophie's Choice – William Styron
American Psycho – Bret Easton Ells (what the movie was based on, the character of Patrick Bateman)


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Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me

Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me by Chelsea Handler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Many people have given this book a poor review and said what an asshole Chelsea is but I'm not going to do that. I'm Team Chelsea no matter what. This book was hilarious and had me laughing out loud all the time. Some of the lies she told were unbelievable but there were people that believed them to be true. This book isn't a five star book because it's not nearly as funny as My Horizontal Life but it's definitely a solid four. This book is comedy/ humour in all forms. Sometimes we need to just have a laugh and take a break from all the serious reading and relax. That's what this book was for me. I especially liked that the last chapter was by CHUNK her dog. It was pretty cute and funny. Chelsea does get her say at the end of each chapter as she writes a blurb and adds a picture. Chelsea's input is more of what the world needs.

Nb- It says audio cd but I read a physical copy of the book.


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My Horizontal Life : A Collection of One-Night Stands

My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book a long time ago and added it to my 'read' list but when I was looking today I did not give any comments or feedback so I thought I would do it the second time around.

If you are looking for a book that will have you laughing in any situation this is your book. If you are looking for a book that has outrageous sex stories this is your book. If you are looking for a book that you wished emulated your non-existent party life so that you could live vicariously through the author/main character this is your book. If you are looking for a book to take story telling to a new adventurous and creative level this is your book. Basically this is your book in so many ways that you should already be going to the store and buying it, ordering it on whatever book website you use or downloading it already. Prepare yourself to laugh out loud, laugh till you cry and maybe even laugh till you pee a little because it's going to happen.
LOL

Re-Read - July 4, 2017


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Hot Zone

The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus by Richard   Preston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is by far my most favourite book. I read it at least once a year. It's based on true events about the Ebola break out that happened in Reston Virginia. My most favourite part of the book is when the virus amplifies to max capacity and causes a man to liquify on a small airplane. Preston has done his research and contacted the people involved to get their point of view on the situation that happened. This book sends chills down my spine when i read it because of the unsurety of the origins of the Ebola virus and it's sisters (Marburg, Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan and Ebola Reston). When the team is going through Kitum Cave and at the end of the book when Preston makes his journey to Africa to explore Kitum Cave for himself, you actually feel like you are right there. Observing first hand what he sees, touches, and feels. Some of the descriptions are too incredible to describe. Preston definitely hit a homerun with this book and it's a shame that there are not many novels around these days that can compare to such a story and the writing.

Re-Read June 29, 2017


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The Witches

The Witches by Roald Dahl
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is written by one of my favourite childhood authors that I still read to this day. Although The Witches was not one of his most famous books (Like James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, BFG) it was still an interesting read as an adult. Witches are not women with long black hair, wear black dresses or fly around on broomsticks. It's quite the opposite, they wear disguises so that they can blend in with the public and then prey on children. It gave me a few laughs and it was a quick read.


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The Twenty-Three

The Twenty-Three by Linwood Barclay
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This book only gets one star. When I was finished reading it I was relieved. The only reason I continued reading it was I wanted to find out who had poisoned the water and who the killer was. It was mind bending and confusing to figure out the killer and the water situation. Once they figured out who it was it was like “Hey no big deal.” The story was told from at least 10 different characters POV and there was not a continuous or clear narrator. So after a while (if you aren't reading the book in one sitting) you have be remember who is what character and what their particular issue(s) is/are. Another thing I found quite annoying is that it took 350 pages to cover 1 day, which I consider ridiculous but it was all the fault of Barclay trying to tell so many characters stories. To be honest some of the stories were relevant and others were like “So what, who cares.” I was majorly disappointed in this book. I used to love Barclay's books but if this is the way that he is going with his writing I definitely will not read him again. The Zack Walker books were so good and had awkward humour which made them wonderful to read. This book was lacking for sure.


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PostSecret

PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives by Frank Warren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Frank Warren devised a plan to have people send in anonymous postcards so that he could use them in his art as well as in this book. People were to write short, to the point secrets that they had never told anybody. The stuff that people reveal is from any and all walks of life. From dating to parenting, to disorders to not having long to live, to anything you could absolutely imagine. At times I was nodding saying, “Oh yeah that's me for sure.” Other times I was thinking, “Damn, I feel sorry for that person or what they have to go through.” It's a very emotional read that brings so many different emotions to a head. I'm not going to give away some of my favourites or anything because this is truly a book that a reader needs to experience for themselves and take away what is important to them. This book can be read in a day or less depending on how much time you have in one sitting. Even though there isn't much to this book I will give it 5 stars for creativity, presentation, abstract thought display, displays of common human thoughts and originality. I can't rave enough about this book and it has a very special place in my heart.


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15th Affair

15th Affair by James Patterson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Easy read, predictable and cheap when buying a book. I am not a huge fan of the Women's Murder Club books because I find that James Patterson was trying to play off of Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles series. There are too many women and they are all kind of annoying chickens. The main character Lindsay Boxer is a drama queen, I would liken her to Kim Kardashian with a police badge. The one thing I enjoyed about the book was the infiltrating of Chinese spies in to the United States and how they are meant to learn the culture and lifestyle and then act out their mission when the timing is right. (This may have heightened my enjoyment considering all that is going on in the political environment in the United States and with the recent terrorist acts.) The one thing is when the book hits it's climax it's almost as if Patterson is in a rush to get the book finished. Sometimes that works for authors but as a reader it's like they really don't care about the details or the story they have built up it's just like, “I have to get this book finished in under 400 pages at all costs.” Ie. This book is completely finished at 361 pages. It's not a daunting read or anything so if he could have used those extra pages to beef up the ending a bit that would have been fine. I would give this book a 2.5 but in Goodreads land I will give it a solid 2 because I just wasn't that impressed and it was like all of Patterson's other books.


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The Wonder

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When comparing this book to ROOM, I would say it wasn't as good, but on the other hand I was constantly interested to know what was going to happen to Anna and especially what Lib (one of her watchers and a nurse) was going to do about the situation. I didn't know this but historically there have been almost 50 cases of Fasting Girls and how they survived for long periods without food for religious reasons and some for reasons unknown. I found this very intriguing because ... lets be honest I love food... but different strokes for different folks, right! The setting was a small village in 1850's Ireland and Donoghue did an amazing job describing it. From the inn that Nurse Lib resided in, to the bogs that were absolutely everywhere, to the homestead that Anna and her family resided in. Everything was very plain and there was an air of depression and sadness in this remote area. I found the characters of Anna's mum and the cousin Kitty to be quite annoying. They were always kind of brash and rude with Nurse Lib when really it was the town that imposed Anna be watched to determine whether or not she was truly surviving on no food. Things do take a twist which was handled very interestingly by the characters. Anna's reasoning for doing the fast is something that is totally out of her control and she feels guilt for what has happened. The ending seems to happen in a whirlwind but surprisingly it didn't happen the way I thought it was going to. Overall, I was pleased with this book.


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The Man Who Couldn't Eat

The Man Who Couldn't Eat by Jon Reiner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am always fascinated about learning about new things and I really do try to do this from reading a variety of books. I'm not one of those people that reads one genre and that's it. I read absolutely everything so when I saw the title of this book (The Man Who Couldn't Eat) it quickly drew my attention and I was like, “What's that about?” The book is about a man that is living with Crohn's disease, and for those that don't know, it is an inflammatory bowel disease that can cause huge problems for people and even death. While the book is about the man having to go to great lengths to deal with, all he really wants to do is EAT (amazing food) and he can't. He gets put on NPO which is no food by mouth for quite a few months and it's torture. He's around his family eating whatever they want and when he has to do grocery shopping there's all this tantalizing food around that he can't even try or barely look at, just smell and what a downer that is. While he is on NPO he gets a treatment called TPN which is basically feeding your body via IV fluids. The TPN treatment is administered at night and he is up all night going to the bathroom and having to do all sorts of things that are side effects of the TPN. (I kind of found it bizarre that they wouldn't give the TPN during the day so that at least he is up and it's not a big deal having to go to the bathroom 10 million times, but during the night he was only able to get sleep in 1 hour or less increments due to the TPN.) The story does take place in the USA and therefore once his insurance ran out he had to start footing the bill for all these things himself. He considered disability but it wasn't going to even be worth it for him so he chose not to apply. He does have a serious surgery at the beginning of the book where he ends up having part of his bowel removed and put back together, which is quite common for people that suffer from Crohn's disease.

Before reading this book I had little to no knowledge about what people with bowel diseases go through so this was a very eye opening and interesting read. Sadly the end of the book fell short. Reiner decides to look in to and start living on a macrobiotic diet, which is so restricted and supposed to be one of the better things that someone with bowel disease should consider. In the 10th chapter of the book, the word macrobiotic was probably used at least 50 times and the person he met with that was helping to get started, I found very annoying. She just kept harping on things that he should be eating everyday and it was to the point that she was a naggert. I have to admit that I found the relationship between Reiner and his wife very strange and the fact that they tried to keep their children so sheltered regarding his illness was bizarre. A prime example was when the wife and kids still went on family vacation while Reiner was home NPO and receiving TPN and had not been out of the hospital for that long. To me that sounded selfish and there wasn't really a back up plan in case something happened to Reiner.

For something new to read this was sort of biographical with a medical twist and we all know that I love reading about anything medical. Even though the ending fell short I would give this book a solid 3.5 but since I can't do that I will ere on the side of caution and stick with the rating of 3 stars.

A Dog's Journey

A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a continuation of A Dog's Purpose which I have reviewed before, I really liked the concept. While this was along the same lines it was more a story of a dog following his human through different lives. I know that sounds really confusing but if you read the book you will understand what I mean. Following the main character through her life there are many ups and downs and it shows how much she values the companionship and love of her dog. I found this story very touching and special and enjoyed the slight difference when compared to Cameron's first book. The descriptions were great and I really felt like I was right there in the dog's character able to see and feel what he/she was feeling. The dog's voice was pleasant and curious which was very realistic.

NB – I was having the hardest time finding a book that was not published by the five major publishing houses, which is part of my 52 book challenge. I had searched every book I had and one day I was looking in the grocery store and the book made itself apparent. I wanted to read it because it was a continuation but also it fit my challenge just by a stroke of luck. So if you are looking for a book that isn't from the top five publishing houses, I will make it easy for you. This is one!

Confessions: Murder of an Angel

The Murder of an Angel by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have to say that I find James Patterson books are usually the same and very predictable. When I picked up this book I was expecting the same thing that I usually get but I had a hard time figuring out who was the bad guy. It was obvious for one character but when you find out who the other one is it's like WHOA. The main character was annoying and everyone thought that she was having hallucinations and when in reality things were actually happening to her. There were a few scenes in the book that Patterson described beautifully, in particular the brother's piano concert. It was quite magical. I don't really have much to say about this book, it wasn't that fantastic and it just was. Overall I would give it a 2.5 stars but that's not available so I guess I will give it a three.

RANT - TrumpCare = Boo/ Thumbs Down

I am really quite saddened by what is going on with the American Healthcare System. In the last few days certain health conditions have been considered pre-existing conditions that would allow insurance companies to deny coverage or charge an increased rate.

The pre-existing conditions include: AIDS/HIV, alcohol or drug abuse with recent treatment, Alzheimer's/dementia, anorexia, arthritis, bulimia, cancer, Cerebral palsy, Congestive heart failure, coronary artery/ heart disease/ bypass surgery, Crohn's disease, diabetes, epilepsy, hemophilia, hepatitis, kidney disease/ renal failure, Lupus, mental disorders ( incl. Anxiety, Bipolar disorder, depression, OCD, Schizophrenia), multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, obesity, organ transplant, paraplegia, paralysis, Parkinson's disease, pending surgery or hospitalization, pneumocystic pneumonia, pregnancy or expectant parent – includes men, sleep apnea, stroke, transexualism.

If you didn't think that was enough, these issues are also included : acid reflux, acne, asthma, c-section, Celiac disease, heart burn, high cholesterol, hysterectomy, kidney stones, knee surgery, Lyme disease, migraines, narcolepsy, pacemaker, postpartum depression, SAD, seizures, “Sexual deviation or disorder', ulcers.

Oh yeah and I forgot to mention that rape, molestation and domestic abuse are also considered pre-existing conditions (but for some reason this may not become apart of the bill, there's some stickiness). How the FUCK is that a pre-existing condition? No one chooses to be raped and should not have to re-relive it constantly just so they can dodge being dinged with a higher insurance rate. One quote stated, “Now women are going to be avoiding reporting rape just so they don't have to pay higher insurance rates.”

Thankfully I am in Canada, but I do suffer from quite a few of these and I just want to note that even though these are considered pre-existing conditions some of them actually are not (they can be triggered or something can cause them to form. Examples of this would be cancer, mental disorders and kidney stones just to name a few.

I caved and watched Jimmy Kimmel's monologue regarding his son's congenital heart disease emergency surgery and he was very careful to thank very nurse/doctor/ etc that was involved in the situation. Kimmel made the following quotes and they really struck a chord with me-

“If your baby is going to die and it doesn’t have to, it shouldn’t matter how much money you make. I think that’s something that whether you’re a Republican or a democrat or something else, we all agree on that, right? I mean, we do.”

“We need to take care of each other. I saw a lot of families there and no parent should ever have to decide if they can afford to save their child’s life. It just shouldn’t happen. Not here.”

Making America Great Again is supposed to be working towards common goals and helping each other out as well as achieving some of the plans that Trump set out. With pre-existing conditions pretty much covering everything under the sun that is only making TrumpCare affordable and appealing to the rich/entitled, as well as those that may have a considerably influential or powerful position. This is wrong and has my brain in a tizzy. The future is looking grim at this point for Americans, that's for sure. My sympathies to those of you having to deal with this.

Stories of Your Life and Others

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a collection of short stories. The main reason I bought it was because of the “The Story of Your Life,” which is what the movie Arrival (2017) is based on. The recommendation I read said that if you read the story and watch the movie it totally brings everything together full circle. There are a few differences when comparing the two but it did essentially bring them together. The other short stories in the book I enjoyed were A) Understand, B) Hell is the Absence of God, C) Liking What You See – A Documentary. While none of the stories are officially linked, I was able to find certain meanings that were in all of them. Some were core values while others were as simple as don't give up on your faith. All the stories had a different narrator voice, which is hard work so I really appreciate how good Chiang is at his craft. This book was a very pleasant surprise as well as a very thought provoking read towards the way you operate within the parameters of your life.

The Children Act

The Children Act by Ian McEwan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I was recommended this book and I was leery to read it because I thought it would be a really heavy read filled with law jargon and law stuff but to my surprise I liked it so much I finished it in 4 days. Even though the author clearly states it is a work of fiction and that yes there may be some things that ring true, in real life there have been instances where the courts have taken over and made a decision based on the best interest of the child or person. I never really understood why Jehovah's Witness people didn't take blood transfusions and found it very interesting the meaning behind it. Do I agree with it, NO, but as you already know I'm not religious and I think that if you really need one then you need one. Having to be a judge and decide that for somebody is a very interesting twist with lots of turns involved. I thought the writing was on point because the main character didn't seem to be a upbeat kind of woman, she seemed very sombre and serious. (To be honest, if I was her hubby I would have left her but that's another story of its own.) The ending is kind of bittersweet but sorrowful as well. Don't worry I'm not going to give it up, you have to read the book (or listen or whatever you do) to get it. I was thoroughly interested in this book all the way, loved the writing, pretty much loved everything about it.

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NB – This is essentially the other half to the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

This story is told from the perspective of Queenie Hennessy. I have to admit right off the bat that I was not overly impressed with this book. It wasn't half as good as Harold Fry. I guess the thing that got to me was Queenie is in an assisted living home due to major health issues. She has memories of the past and has this purpose to write Harold Fry a letter since she finds out he is making a pilgrimage to see her. There is excitment in the assisted living house and the other residents are looking forward to meeting and greeting Harold Fry. The depressing part is that it is a long pilgrimage and slowly but surely the residents that Queenie has built relationships with, die. I found that part really depressing, especially the way that Joyce wrote about it. I know it's not meant to be happy or anything but it was sad because these people were so excited to meet Harold. There were a few characters which I really disliked in the book and yes you were probably meant to dislike them but they were just really annoying and entitled. The small descriptions of Queenie's home on the seaside were lovely but there wasn't really any other descriptions except for what the home was like and the garden at the home. I don't know Rachel Joyce, I kind of expected your next book to be the other half of the story but I sure hoped it would be as good as Harold Fry. Disappointing.

A Mother's Wreckoning - Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy

A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

NB- This book is written by Sue Klebold who is the mother of Dylan Klebold who was a shooter along with Eric Harris in the Columbine School Shooting. I want to say that even if you think/wish terrible things on the Klebold's because of Dylan's actions (which I hope as humans people would not do but I'm a realist so I know it will happen), please try and give this book a read. Try not let your judgment cloud what a powerful message this woman has to say, it's so very important.

I have read a lot and researched a lot about the Columbine Shooting so I feel that I am fairly knowledgeable on the subject. One thing that I never thought was that, “How could these parents know their children so well and not notice the signs that something terrible was going to happen.” This book is not Sue Klebold playing the victim or saying woe is me, she says how was she supposed to know something was odd when everything pretty much seemed normal. Only after the fatal incident did she start to become aware of things that MAY have been signs and even still nothing could predict such a huge incident of the Columbine Shootings. The reason she became aware after was she has spoke with many psychologists, etc in an effort to learn what she did wrong ... which in the end was nothing. Using her new found knowledge, she has become an advocate of promoting mental health among teens and young adults. One of the most profound things in the book that she admits and, I find it really sad, is she said, “Like mothers all over Littleton, I had been praying for my son's safety. But when I heard the newscaster pronounce twenty-five people dead, my prayers changed. If Dylan was involved in hurting or killing other people, he had to be stopped. As a mother, this was the most difficult prayer I had ever spoken in the silence of my thoughts, but in that instant I knew the greatest mercy I could pray for was not my son's safety, but for his death.” (pg. 17, Klebold) As a parent to have to think that is a very saddening and unfathomable thought and she wasn't being selfish either, she was being selfless. I found reading this book that Sue Klebold has done so much after the incident and suffered so much that she still is trying to help society and contribute in her own way. She tried to write letters to the victims families knowing that there could be back lash. She had to sit by quietly when crosses were put up, one for Dylan also, and then watch his be taking away and ripped apart. Even the simple act of burying her son was destroyed because of having to think people are going to degrade/destroy a public headstone and a funeral has to be in silence with only a short few people knowing and being welcome. In this media circus, Sue contracted breast cancer and yet she still fights every day to promote a positive message surrounding the brain health for teens and young adults. Kudos to you Sue, you are a champion in so many ways yet most people will never give you the credit you deserve. I will though 100%.

Life Without Limits

Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have followed Nick Vujicic for quite some time so if people are reading this there is a heavy religious content to this book. I was able to read the book, enjoy it and not have the religious content take away from the message.

This book was about his life and certain challenges he had to face since he was born with no limbs, only his 'chicken drumstick' as he says. He has not let his disability hinder the way he lives his life one inkling, which was empowering bc I was (and still am) going through a rough time in my life and reading this book I thought would give me some chutzpah to start making a difference in my life. Almost immediately I was making goals with my therapist, meeting said goals and some times even surpassing them, so I felt this book really did give me some hope. Nick reflects throughout the book that he is “Ridiculously happy,” and that is something I want to be but even just plain old happy would be just fine for me! There were sad parts in the book that he discusses and mentions and it really made me think about the situations that he went through. Now he is happily married and has two kids. He's been skydiving, scuba diving, surfing and so much more. (He learned to surf from Bethany Hamilton who is a legend in the surfing community herself). When he discusses learning how to do things for the first time there is so much enthusiasm, it's almost infectious. This was a great book to read.

Nb - Even though he didn't recognize this when he wrote the book, there are a lot of examples and demonstrations of using the DBT Principles and Skills. I found this really great because I go to DBT therapy and use it throughout my own life, so if you are looking for a good read about DBT Skills (without even knowing it) this would be your book.

The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow

The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow by Rita Leganski


Warning - This book doesn't get any stars from me. I read 50 pages and said, "That's it, I'm not wasting any more time on this book." (Please note that I am participating the the 52 books, 52 weeks challenge but at my own pace.)

This book was recommended to me by an avid reader friend of mine. She really enjoyed it and said the concept was very different than any other book she had read. I asked her what it was and the main character, Bonaventure, has acute hearing (ie. can hear flowers growing and also colours). I thought, "Hey, I've never read a book like that but I will definitely give it a try and a main character hearing colours sounds pretty cool." I wish I was able to stick with it longer so that I could have experienced him hearing colours but in the beginning it jumps around and it talks about what he can hear while he is in the womb (so I got to experience his acute hearing a little bit but it wasn't enough). The narration was jumpy and all over the place and I found it really annoying. The mum and the dad weren't anything to get excited about so needless to say, I cut the cord and let this book go.

Die Again

Die Again by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As you all know, I am a die hard Tess Gerritsen fan. I love the gritty details in her books and sometimes even yearn for them. She writes a book like no other, and the content is pretty fantastic. There's the medical aspect and the crime aspect which perfectly intertwine together to make something wonderful. While this book falls in to the Rizzoli and Isles series, there wasn't a lot of drama with Rizzoli's family and that gets to be a bit annoying. It was more about her working with Isles to find the killer but also she has to go above and get help from her hubby and Interpol as the case goes across countries and borders. I really enjoyed how Gerritsen was able to capture the life on a safari. It was very captivating I felt like I was able to actually imagine myself there experiencing it. I will say that the killer in this book was very different from the regular style that Gerritsen uses, which was a huge advantage. I was never able to peg the killer until Rizzoli had it figured out. All my guesses were wrong, so that means Gerritsen won. If you're looking for an interesting read without it being heavy but still has a great plot and story line, I definitely suggest this book. 5 Stars for sure.

I Hate Everyone Except You

I Hate Everyone, Except You by Clinton Kelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a lighthearted, easy read. There were a lot of times where I was laughing out loud, which is always nice every once in a while when reading. There was only one chapter in the book that I couldn't not stand to read, although I tried very hard to, and it was the chapter called Freakin' Fabulous, The Sitcom. It is written in script style and I just didn't find it that interesting in comparison to the rest of the book. I respected how when there was sex content or promiscuous activities Clinton would write “The details of which will be left to the reader's imagination.” I found that a very classy way of keeping some privacy but still having his fun with the reader. Clinton discusses his life before and after What Not to Wear and what working with Stacy London is really like. It was a nice inside shot of how the show operated. Clinton is absolutely fabulous and hilarious, and who wouldn't want to read a book with the title “I Hate Everyone Except You.”

The Shack

The Shack by Wm. Paul Young
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Some would say I'm a little late to the table at reading the Shack but after seeing the movie trailer I thought I would like to read it before I saw the movie. The Shack is heavily religious based and I did read the entire book without trying to judge it due to that. The first 1/4 of the book was amazing. The story was gripping. Every time I had to put it down I was thinking about what was going to happen next and what the characters might be up to. Then as the book carried on it began to get more and more religious and in my opinion, the story lost its lustre. Throughout the rest of the book it was using three main characters to compile and be God. I found this somewhat troubling because I don't really know a lot about religion so having three characters play the part of a major higher power threw me. It was interesting the questions that Mack presented the God characters with but somehow I didn't find much satisfaction or solace in the answers he received. In the end it had me questioning how a book could have such an amazing first quarter and the rest just be okay. When I had researched the book it had an either “you love it or you hate it” type of disposition in its following. Would I recommend this book? Probably not but I would ask what you are looking to read first. If you are looking to read something religious based that toys with how and why God does things that he does, then this might be the book for you. If you are looking to read it because it was a best seller for a long period of time, I would say sure but I would forewarn you how religious it is.

My honest feeling to this book, disappointment, but I still read it and it wasn't the worst thing I have ever read so I do give it some credit.

The Lost Hero

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I loved the Percy Jackson series A LOT, so I was hoping this was going to be the same but with the Roman Mythology and heroes. It sort of was but I just didn't really like the story or the characters at all. While it is a quest and the heroes are trying to find out who they are and who their parents are, it's nothing compared to Percy Jackson. I have to say I was really disappointed. I kind of felt like Riordan should have just done a completely different series instead of tying it in with Camp Half Blood and the other characters. The one thing that I did like was Festus, the giant bronze dragon. Really liked him even though he wasn't a huge character, I love dragons what can I say.

Overall, really disappointed. Not sure that I will continue with the rest in the series.

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Scar Tissue

Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a very hard book to rate. I didn't think it was very well written, but that's not why I was reading it in the first place, but it didn't help the cause any. Sex, drugs and rock and roll can be a very interesting ride and why not take the chance to go through it by reading a book.

It was a giant roller coaster ride of the life of a rock star that has major points of addiction issues, relationship issues, etc. The one thing I can say for sure, celebrities do not have it easy. As much as people think they are living the dream of being famous and wealthy, it's one hell of a life. They have people trying to expose or use them at every turn, ie the paparazzi and reporters. They have people trying to exploit them for personal reasons, ie, wives/girlfriends/partners or friends. Then a major issue is what they have access to, ie. drugs (the variety is limitless), sex, alcohol and so much more. For a person with addiction issues the celebrity life is not an easy one and this picture was clearly painted in Kiedis' book. In and out of relapse and recovery, is and was a hard journey for Kiedis, who later discovered the link between using and the end of relationships for himself. Since I am not a long standing fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, when he was writing about their early music and when they just got their break, it wasn't about songs that I knew about or liked. It wasn't until approximately half way through the book that Under the Bridge was mentioned and then the musical stuff started to click for me. One point I found interesting, was the bond between Kiedis and Flea, who considered each other brothers and family. Through thick and thin they were in each others lives, they supported each other musically and reached success together, as well as with the others in the band. The dynamic between them was very interesting and sometimes tumultuous, but they always remained friends no matter what.

I will admit that I did find the end of the book a little preachy regarding addiction, but I will give Kiedis the credit he deserves for fighting with his demons and coming out on top. Another thing I found a little annoying, is that the pictures were not in any sort of order. They were from various times and just chucked in with a little blurb. It would have been more effective if the pictures were done in some sort of order, but that's just my opinion.

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A Life in Parts

A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The opening chapter had my jaw dropped and me thinking WTF. Bryan Cranston truly captures the role of storyteller in this autobiography. A lot of the time when I was reading I felt like I was sitting at a campfire sharing with him and he actually telling these stories to me. The book is well written for a celebrity. In short, the book is divided in to different roles he has played or been throughout his life. Cranston lives an interesting life full of adventure and yet remains to be a very humble guy. I cannot say more about this book without giving the story away but I definitely give it 5 stars.

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