Life Will Be the Death of Me

Life Will Be the Death of Me: . . . and You Too! by Chelsea Handler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was the most 'deep' book that Chelsea has written. She talks about the death of her brother, Chet, the death of her father, and of course the deaths of Tammy and Chunk, her beloved dogs. There is still that witty, dark humour that Chelsea has but it's like she opens up and you get to relate to her on how she is or isn't handling the grieving process. The book is not entirely about death but also growth. There's the infamous Ayahuasca experience that Chelsea showed on Chelsea Does, but she goes in to what she saw, what it was like, what she learned and the necessary changes to make the learning experience change the future. Chelsea talks about going to therapy and working many of her issues out, even though she stated a long time ago that she would never go to therapy. Chelsea now sees the benefits and welcomes anyone to try therapy since she has seen the amazing changes and the benefits it has done for her. For those of you reading this, Chelsea Handler has started a support/discussion group on Facebook called THE ORANGE ROOM. There is an approval process but it's a place to safely talk about grieving, death, support and so much more that goes along with those topics. This book definitely deserves 5 stars but I would give it more if I could. Transparency is hard to find among celebrities but Chelsea is slowly taking that wall down and making herself more open to people. I have always admired Chelsea because I think we are very similar in a lot of ways and I look up to her for the fact that she is always in a constant state of learning (and if you know me that's a big thing). She's reading books, testing out certain things, trying to see another person's point of view. She has a documentary coming out in September discussing her own white privilege and the disadvantages of privileges to others. It's a sketchy topic for this time, especially in the USA, where there is so much unrest and the country is becoming more divided by the day, but it's a topic that needs to be shown so that people can get a glimpse of what others have to go through.


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Pretty Mess

Pretty Mess by Erika  Jayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was an absolute delight to read and it dove-tailed perfectly with the Ted Talk that Erika Girardi gave on how Erika Jayne evolved. There was a lot of information about how she grew up in a small town and moved to New York to try to make it. The ups and downs with her mum who she considered more like a friend than a mother. The special bond she had with her mum's mum and her other grandparents. Having a child at a young age and then making the most difficult decision any parent could make. It all made sense and you understood how Erika is very honest and down to earth but can be totally flip. I really enjoyed the chapters of how she met Mikey Minden and the rest of her glam squad who help her to keep the Erika Jayne experience larger than life. Expenses, high fashion, and simply “How many fucks do I give? None, None, Not ONE, zero, zero, zero, DONE!” I would definitely give this a 5 star rating but I think that's a bit lavish because I am biased and love everything Erika Jayne, therefore a solid 4 will be the number. A light easy read, with lots of biographical content but it feels so much like Erika is reading you the story of her life. A good biography should be like that, hearing the person's voice tell you everything, like sharing intimate secrets. Either way an entertaining read and the fact that the cover is HOT HOT HOT doesn't hurt either!


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Make the World Your Runway

Make the World Your Runway: Top Model Secrets for Everyday Confidence and Success by Liris Crosse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an excellent book. There was a ton of inspirational quotes and sayings (which I love because I am a word bird!). The foreword was written by Tim Gunn who is fantastic in my books, and from watching Project Runway, he seems like a mentor who looks at the positives and frames the negatives in a gentle way yet tries to get the point across that change needs to be made. This book is a solid 4 star book. It doesn't quite get a 5 because there is a lot of religious bits and I'm not religious so those parts didn't do anything for me. I have talked to Liris several times on Instagram and she's a delight to chat with. She makes herself available to respond to fans questions and ideas. Yes, I was waiting for the inspirational quote that was the Tyra “We were rooting for you” tirade but it wasn't there. Liris shares her experiences and things that a woman can do to be prepared for making yourself 'runway' ready, even when you are just going out in to the world. My favourite part of the book was when Liris shared her “Runway Tales”. These little stories were great from so many different perspectives. I have suggested to Liris that she just do an entire book about these stories as I am sure there is many more than the few in the book. I will be waiting to see if this happens and when it does I will be sure to order it.


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A Million Little Pieces

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read this book at an earlier date but was not keeping track on Goodreads, therefore there is no first opinion about the book.

RE Read Completed May 5, 2019

This choice of book was because I wanted to re-read the dental surgery that Frey 'had' to go through with out any meds because he is receiving treatment at a rehab facility. Frey does a great job describing what the pain is like, almost to the point that I started to get pain while reading it. Oprah outed Frey as a phony because the book is considered autobiographical but I think that can be left to interpretation. What one may consider devastating pain, turmoil and trouble another person may see as 'light work.' Do I think that Frey exaggerated the truth for it to be effective? 100% There are lots of people that write autobiographical books and extrapolate on things that have happened to them. That's the whole point is to make the reader want to continue reading more. If Frey had just written about the difficulty of going through withdrawl (ie the shakes, nausea, the trots etc) his book wouldn't be any different than other people who have written about their rehab journey. Another reason this book is a keeper is because of the relationship Frey builds with Leonard. The way that relationship comes to be is something very special. We all need a Leonard in our lives!


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A Beautiful Truth

A Beautiful Truth by Colin McAdam
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved every minute of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed how Walt and Judy brought Looee into their life and treated him just like he was their son. The one thing that scientists try to remind people is that you can never take the wild out of an animal no matter how domesticated you make them. This was a perfect example and it didn't come apparent until Looee was in his adolescent years. He started acting out and doing things that would be considered more his wild side. Another thing I found interesting was I was amazed at how sexual the chimps were. I know that they are sexual creatures but everything they do somehow related back to sex whether it be in a literal or innocent way. It broke my heart when Looee was taken to Girdish to become a test subject. The animals were not well taken care of and it does make me sad that we use animals to test on for certain things. When Looee was taken to the area where David was running the experiments and studying the social behaviours of the chimps that was the best that Looee's life was going to get after he left Walt and Judy's. David had a sort of respect for the chimps even though he was watching an monitoring their social and learning capabilities. This was a fabulous book and when authors can successfully pull off writing from an animals perspective that truly shows their literary talents.

RE READ completed March 28, 2019

This was a re-read because I enjoyed it the first time I read it. There is a harsh reality about this story and it's very sad. People try to convert animals in to having human qualities yet they tend to forget that deep down that animal is still wild and there may be some 'wild' behaviours appear. I also read this book because of the incident and how graphic it was. It wasn't Tess Gerritsen gritty but it was light gore. One thing about this book is when the CM tries to convey what the animals are thinking etc, sometimes it is very hard to understand and you need to re-read things again to figure out the true meaning. It's a roller coaster of a ride and the end is not candy and nuts. In my previous rating I gave the book a 5 star review, the second time through I would give it a 3.5 but 3 will have to do.


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The President Is Missing

The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

TBH – I had gotten over reading James Patterson unless I was looking for a book to fly through that was pretty predictable and I would be able to figure it out before it ended. There are very few JP books that I haven't solved prior to finishing them. This book had Bill Clinton as a co-author and I was looking for a book to fill the mystery component of my 52 book challenge (WHICH IS FINALLY FINISHED!) and this book was getting rave reviews so I wanted to see what all the hub bub was about.

Well the beginning of the book had me going, “All the stuff that this is discussing is happening in the US currently, do I really want to bombard myself with extra US drama?” BUT there was a turning point and from that point I couldn't put it down. I loved the characters and how brilliant they were. I loved the descriptions. The fact that JP pulled the whole story out over the course of 5 days and it wasn't annoying as hell was great. There was enough misleading to throw my guess of the villain off except for at the last minute. It was interesting to see how the different government officials were in crisis when the president was missing (I don't consider that a spoiler bc the title of the book says it). The one thing I was very curious about was – What did Bill Clinton actually do to contribute to the writing or fact checking (to make the story seem real)? I haven't read a Bill Clinton book but I CANNOT stand to listen to him talk. He rambles on and adds a lot of “Ums, buts, ifs, uhs, etc.” Either way, I am giving this book a solid 4 as I haven't read a JP book that was this good in a long time.


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You Can Stop Humming Now

You Can Stop Humming Now: A Doctor's Stories of Life, Death, and in Between by Daniela Lamas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is in the medical genre but it's a compilation of stories that the author has put together. There are happy/sad/triumphant stories. I really liked how the whole book spanned over the author's residency and beginning years as a doctor. The medical field is an endless bunch of learning opportunities and I am a bit of a jargon junkie, so when I start hearing or reading medical terminology, I am in it to finish it. I think this book earns it's 5 stars and then a little bit of extra love on top. The author is down to earth, good bedside manner (from what she mentioned in the book) and she made a point of getting to know the people she was writing about. There was back story all the way up to end (whatever it was) of each story. I enjoyed the manner in which this book was written. This book was slightly reminiscent of When Breath Becomes Air.


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Patch Adams

Patch Adams (1998) Drama/ Comedy 10/10

This movie warms the heart in so many ways, gives you lots of laughs and has you go through the emotion spectrum. The cast has a few big names but not being a total barrage of famous actors is another reason that this film excels. Robin Williams is of course the title role of Patch Adams, a gentleman who wants to use his positive attitude and bedside manner to improve the American Healthcare system. When thinking about this, a person may be distraught because most health systems are a mess but not only that the doctors often lack compassion and the ability to relate. Patch starts with the HELLO experiment to prove to a fellow classmate that there is a way to reach people. Patch takes on many other ways of connecting to people, ie. When a doctor is giving the run down on a patient, they often say “The Patient”. Patch makes the effort to find out what the patient's name is and the other residents are astounded (and afraid of the forsaken happening of 'transference'). Patch goes the extra mile to make people's final wishes come true so they can pass with a calm mind and heart. He believes that laughter is the best medicine and he can cite all the medical facts on its benefits. When you see at the beginning of the movie that it is based on a true story it makes you feel good to know that there is someone watching out for the sick/old/under privileged and whatever other categories there may be. This is another fine example of Robin Williams doing what he does best, acting, but I secretly believed when he was filming that it was more than just acting to him. When Williams takes on a role, he is an actor that truly embraces everything about the character, whether it's flaws, habits, oddities or what have you. He wants to give the audience an authentic and heart felt experience and this movie is right in his wheel house.

Note – the movie is based on a true story and Patch Adams is a real doctor that created the Gesundheit institute in West Virginia to venture on the journey to change the American Health Care system. Here is the link to his website and you can find all sorts of information and interesting things that Patch has done. http://www.patchadams.org/

Patch Adams Trailer

Norse Mythology

This book was a pleasant surprise. I have always been a fan of mythology (Greek and Roman) since I was a little kid. I never knew anything about Norse mythology because it was never taught in school. I knew about Valhalla but that is more of a Viking concept although it did pop up in this book once. This book is a collection of stories, which is a nice break as you read a few pages and there is a different tale in the next few pages. The main players in Norse mythology are Odin, Thor, Loki, Heimdall, and plenty of other characters that have names that I wouldn't dare try to say. If you have watched any Thor movies you will see the characters but they are quite different than what you see. Thor, for lack of a better word is a DICK. He has this “I'm so special, I'm so great, I'm ready to obliterate!” attitude. Loki is a brother to Odin, where as in the films he is a partial brother to Thor. Loki is much more of a trickster in the tales than in the movies. Heimdall is the same and the BiFrost is under his watch. Essentially the mythology is the same as Greek and Roman, there is just different people and characters but they emulate the traditional Greek and Roman mythology. Ie. The fate of the humans and gods are determined by the Fates, the idea of Ragnorak which is similar to the end of days. I found this book so interesting and an easy read, therefore giving it a 4 star review. The book I read by Neil Gaiman previously (Coraline) was horrible and couldn't stand it, so I gave this book a try to see what he had to offer. I was really happy that his writing and subject matter gave him a second chance/ a chance at redemption.

Everything Beautiful Is Not Ruined

Everything Beautiful Is Not Ruined by Danielle Younge-Ullman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

WARNING – This books contains issues that may be triggering for some people. The issues for this book are bullying, sexual assault, and suicide.

I have to say, there are mixed feelings with this book. While part of me really liked the Peak Wilderness adventures, I didn't really care for the rest of the book. I didn't dislike it enough to quit it (as it filled the dual-timeline portion for the 52 book challenge and another spot in the Book Bingo challenge), but when it got to certain parts I was just like “Yeah, so... This happens and it sucks but it does happen to other people.” Also, I will admit that the concept escaped me until the last pages of the book. I'm not sure if that was because I had missed information or details or the regular parts weren't jiving with me. The Peak Wilderness adventures, damn... they were the best parts and they were so detailed and described as if you were watching a movie. I loved those parts and lived for those parts, lucky for me they were the majority of the book. I give props to Ingrid because I would not have completed the camp and would have acted like a dick so that I could go home asap. Her tenacious attitude to tackle the challenge was commendable and inspirational. I will apply that attitude to things that are more my style but camping and being out in the woods is definitely not one of them. Overall, I would give this book a 2.5 because the mixed feelings aren't enough to sway me but I'll be generous and give it a 3 on GoodReads. The premise was interesting but figuring out the backstory as to why it was just didn't explain it quick enough.


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When Breath Becomes Air

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Note – For those interested in seeing what Paul Kalanithi was like and hearing his voice this clip from Youtube provides and excellent visual and you can hear him talking about his beliefs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5u753wQeyM

Note – Note this is a Ted Talks by Paul's wife Lucy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5-yBjKKicA

This book was nothing like I expected. I've read a few medical books, that I have posted about, that discuss the authors adventures on combating illnesses that turn them inside out BUT this book was completely different. When the book starts, Kalanithi is working his way through grad school to become a fantastic neurosurgeon, a tasks that takes a considerable amount of time and dedication. He starts out with the attitude that patients are like 'paper'. As he gets diagnosed and becomes a patient his values and beliefs change drastically. He learns the art of bringing people at ease with a not so pleasant ending, he has to plan for his future and he has to challenge his thinking regarding the force known as death. The book is scattered with lovely quotes and mantras from various people/places (I'm a quote and saying lover, so this was a very lovely touch within the book). It brings a sense of peace around the whole notion of death. This book was an eye opening read for myself. I did not like the afterword of the book as I found his wife did not carry on his style of writing very well and was often repetitive to no end. The hero does die in this one but it's not as bad as people like to think. There's a bitter-sweetness to it that makes you take an easy exhale when finished reading the book. This book gets all 5 stars and a bonus because it was that good and that rewarding to read. Through the suffering and pain there is a magical beauty of learning and peace to it all.


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The Pain Eater

The Pain Eater by Beth Goobie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WARNING – This book contains issues that may be triggering such as rape, bullying, self harm.
Note – If you are curious look up the name REHTAEH PARSONS
Note – This book is written by a Canadian author

This book was recommended to me by a lady at the library who does several book clubs, does reading for the White Pine accreditation in Ontario and the list goes on (... and she has great taste in books). I chose to use this book for my G/r Top 100 YA because I didn't like any of the books that were listed and so I subbed this one in because it was YA. I'm going to start off by saying that I have never read a book like this and that was so REFRESHING. The concept of the book was interesting in that the main idea was for a class to work together and make a compiled novel by each classmate writing a chapter. The astounding thing was, I have no idea (absolutely none) how they chose the subject of the book and it for the most part flowed very well. Other topics come up in the book that I mentioned in the warning notice above. I don't want to give anything away. I will say that Goobie gave these issues deeper meaning because when you are reading the book you are right there. You are a witness, a player, a victim and a bystander. Also, for a person that is curious as to why people self harm, this book provides a very good example that is 'easy' to understand for those that cannot even grasp the idea of why or how people can do that to themselves. This book deserves all 5 stars and maybe even an extra for good measure, it was that good a story line/ plot and well written. I am definitely going to be checking out other Goobie books.


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Midnight At the Electric

The Museum of Extraordinary Things

The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman


I could not get in to this book. It literally kept putting me to sleep. So instead of wasting my time, I decided to pass on it and try and pick something else that could fit that category. I know this seems ridiculous but the first bit that I read was all in Italics font and it just didn't jive with me. I didn't like the main character, she was a child and didn't really have me wanting to read more about her. I kind of thought it would be a bit like the Ms. Peregrine's with the pictures and stories of the kids. I loved that and haven't read anything like that.

DID NOT FINISH READING


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Chocolat

Chocolat by Joanne Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book deserves 5 stars for the descriptions alone. Everything is so detailed it's like you are a fly on the wall hanging out and listening and watching the characters. The food descriptions were high quality and made me feel warm and fuzzy. The items were made with such love that you could feel it exuding from the pages. I find the descriptions of the characters are very intense and they give you a perfectly clear picture of what that character is supposed to be like in looks and mannerisms. There is a lot of continuity issues if you are comparing the book and the movie. Things happen in the book in a different order and certain things happen that don't in the movie, ie. Pantoufle in the book is a rabbit and in the film he's a kangaroo. I prefer the kanga than the rabbit for Pantoufle as I can see him being a way cooler animal bopping around with Anouk. There were certain situations that were handled way better in the book than the the movie. I will say though, after reading both the book and the movie, there is a more well rounded picture of how things happen (Like Ted Chiang's The Story of Your Life and the movie Arrival dove tail completing the meaning and plot). I am currently looking in to other literature that will be doing this so that I can see if there are any books that have the connection like these two did. 5 Stars.... I feel like I haven't given that out in a very long time.


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Harvest

Harvest by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book didn't disappoint BUT there is never a time when Tess Gerritsen disappoints. Her drama/ thriller/ mystery type of writing littered with medical jargon is a like gold. I love the jargon and if I don't know what it means (rarely) it's something to research and learn about. The gritty, bloody descriptions are my fav as Gerritsen doesn't let anything slip away or make it less gross. I live for gritty writing and that's probably one of my favourite things to read. I think this particular book would make a great idea for a film and I think it would do way better than the Rizzoli/Isles books. 5 Stars, can't go higher than that.

REVIEW FROM October 11, 2011
This book was absolutely fabulous. I was looking for something gritty when I went to the book store and the people were suggesting stuff BUT I decided to take this book. Then I started reading it and it was even better then what I had hoped for. For all those people who like their medical dramas, ie. ER, chicago hope, grey's anatomy, this book is 10 times better then those shows will ever be, even when they are in their peak air times. This book is down right dirty. Surgeons using words like 'cut' when opening somebody's body cavity during surgery, harvesting organs for transplants, medical jargon supreme. And another twist to this book, I didn't once figure out who was behind the crime, therefore making it even more fab! Tess Gerritsen hits this one out of the park and gives herself a chance at two home runs instead of the proverbial one. LOVED IT (even minute, every heart beat!)


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Long Hard Road Out of Hell

The Long Hard Road Out of Hell by Marilyn Manson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have to say when reading this book it was like Marilyn Manson was telling all these stories directly to me. I realize that Neil Strauss is a co-author but it was a very personal way of writing the book. Sadly the book ends before Marilyn gets involved with Rose McGowan or my personal fav Dita Von Teese. There are a few sporadic pictures at the end but nothing with Dita. I would have liked to read about is marriage to Dita but I'm sure there is more than enough material to write another book. One thing that Marilyn included was the legal actions brought against him by various activists saying he was performing lewd contact/acts on stage, killing live animals and also brutalizing band members and women that were on stage (This is at the end of the book) AND in the beginning of the book he actually states what he did during those times that were speculated by the activists and the people complaining, concluding that they were making assumptions and using false information. I found the part about Satanism very fascinating as it is not really about worshipping the devil it's about making choices and that people choose their path (at least that's what I gathered from what I read). Marilyn Manson is extremely bright and probably on the level of being a genius. He is very creative and wants to make people think while using his craft in ways different than the cultural norms. The book was well written and I enjoyed reading every bit of it. I would give it a 4.5 but I'm going to give a solid 4 as I don't quite think it's a 5 star book.


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Hands of My Father

Hands of My Father: A Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents, and the Language of Love by Myron Uhlberg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had really mixed feelings about this book. My heart went out to Myron because he was the interpreter for his deaf parents and it often put him in an awkward situation, ie at the deli or when his father's co workers were asking how he turned out to be 'normal'. He got to learn sign language and use it fluently, and he really cherished when he got to speak and communicate with the hearing. A major point was that deaf people tend to colonize in certain areas or times. For example, the parents and kids of multiple deaf families would go to the beach and sit in a circle together and different people would be communicating across what would be a conversational line. Another important point was, that during that time, not many people communicated using sign language and interpreters were not readily available at hospitals to help the deaf. Luckily for Myron's father, there was Myron BUT even then there were things said that Myron chose not to say to his father bc of the type of comments that were made.


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Weekends At BelleVue

Weekends at Bellevue: Nine Years on the Night Shift at the Psych E.R. by Julie Holland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book but it was more like a collection of stories/incidences that Julie Holland went through or had to deal with. Her perspective as a Doctor on the admission end of a psychiatric facility was quite intriguing bc not only did they take mental health patients but they also took police captures/ people that were considered possibly a threat so that they could keep them in isolation in a ward or they could take them to holding at the police station. A very high stress job but she worked 2 1/2 to 3 days but sometimes went in to help during crisis times. The division of the floors was very interesting and also the 'tests' they used to judge how much of a risk patients were and whether they could out in the world with some guidance or be 5150'd (which is an involuntary confinement of the patient). There was medium medical jargon, which was ok but I would have liked to see more as I love reading medical stuff and learning new facts, situations, and trials/tribulations. Julie was a great help and mentor to those that were her following, which is really hard to find. She treated her interns like people and not slaves. Good book but not fantastic, there for 3 stars.... not enough for 3.5 or a 4.

Homer's Odyssey

Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Note - This book is a re-read. Date Finished March 25, 2018

I have been reading a lot of books about people lately and I wanted something different. I wanted to break free of the dramatic saga known as life. So I chose this book. The picture on the front cover of the book looks like a cat with it's eyes closed, as you learn about Homer's story you find out that he is blind. Homer gives hope to everyone and proves that he is more then just a blind cat. He's the comic character of Daredevil in a pint size version with a furry coat. He's a Wonder Cat that has no boundaries. Most of all Homer is an inspiration to not only his owner(s) but to everyone that he meets, whether they are a cat lover or not. After a meet and greet with Homer people become cat lovers! When Cooper moves to New York City to get a job and take charge of her life she packs her 3 cats in carriers and takes them with her. Things are going great until........the horrible day of September 11 occurs. Cooper's patience and love for her feline friends is tested. She has to jump through many proverbial hoops to save her cats. In the end the cats are fine but they have been rattled by being separated from their owner for several days without any warning. (As a sidebar - it was refreshing to hear how the ASPCA was willing to help many pet owners be re-united with their pets after such a devastating occurrence. It truly shows that in desperate situations humanity will band together and help each other.)The book also tells the tale of Cooper falling in love and marrying her best friend. A dream that so many of us wish would come true. Overall the book was fantastic and really brought to light that even animals with disabilities can live a worthwhile and happy life. This book gets 5 stars for being a great story as well as a true tale of how sweet life can be. I found myself finishing the last few pages off with a smile and that alone was well worth it!

NOTE - Above Review has a date finished of December 26, 2012