4 stars
jf/yf
short story/novella
received for review (not even all that long ago)
bookclub
A cute story about a dog, 2 kids, and poets.
As is often the case with short stories (technically this is probably a novella, but it feels like a short story) I'm left wanting a little more.
But in this case only a very little. ;)
Overall, short and sweet and you should pick it up.
Showing posts with label book club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book club. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Saving Lucas Biggs by Marisa de los Santos David Teague
4 stars
jf
bookclub book
received for review
This was an interesting time travel/historical tale with shifting viewpoints.
I really enjoyed it, though I will say that a little tightening may have been good and the ending felt a little too pat for me.
But overall it's a great story about cause and effect and how to change the world.
There is some major injustice going on, but redemption is available.
Overall, a good read. Give it a try.
jf
bookclub book
received for review
This was an interesting time travel/historical tale with shifting viewpoints.
I really enjoyed it, though I will say that a little tightening may have been good and the ending felt a little too pat for me.
But overall it's a great story about cause and effect and how to change the world.
There is some major injustice going on, but redemption is available.
Overall, a good read. Give it a try.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson
5 stars
R- 1
young adult, steam punk, alternate history
New on my list of "things I need to own"!
I really enjoyed this one. Like REALLY enjoyed it. Like want to live in it longer enjoyed it.
A totally fun what-if-- what if the British upper class had magic and used that to stop the American Revolution? And what if all technology was powered by magic?
Well, you'd end up with rebel mechanics-- radicals who develop steam engines and other such machines in an attempt to overthrow the dependence on magic.
I enjoyed the characters and the story.
So looking forward to the second book!
R- 1
young adult, steam punk, alternate history
New on my list of "things I need to own"!
I really enjoyed this one. Like REALLY enjoyed it. Like want to live in it longer enjoyed it.
A totally fun what-if-- what if the British upper class had magic and used that to stop the American Revolution? And what if all technology was powered by magic?
Well, you'd end up with rebel mechanics-- radicals who develop steam engines and other such machines in an attempt to overthrow the dependence on magic.
I enjoyed the characters and the story.
So looking forward to the second book!
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
4 stars
R- 2-3 (nothing graphic, but general discussion of sexuality)
Yet another "not really what I expected". Though perhaps if I'd read the back cover more carefully I'd have had a better idea what to expect, lol. I'm not very good about that sometimes.
The general discussion of sexuality was possibly a little odd, to me at least. I actually wonder, though, if that's more about the difference between American and European sensibilities.
I've read complaints about the translation, but honestly I don't see why. I didn't even realize it was a translation and that's generally the kind of thing I notice pretty quickly.
I enjoyed the characters and while much of the romance was a little predictable and/or annoying it did have an interesting twist in the long run.
This is a book about books, but not necessarily in the way you might think. I enjoyed Sara's arranging and rearranging of the book store shelves as she grouped books differently.
I'm not doing a very good job of capturing this novel in this review....
Ultimately, I enjoyed it; I found it charming.
Go read it.
R- 2-3 (nothing graphic, but general discussion of sexuality)
Yet another "not really what I expected". Though perhaps if I'd read the back cover more carefully I'd have had a better idea what to expect, lol. I'm not very good about that sometimes.
The general discussion of sexuality was possibly a little odd, to me at least. I actually wonder, though, if that's more about the difference between American and European sensibilities.
I've read complaints about the translation, but honestly I don't see why. I didn't even realize it was a translation and that's generally the kind of thing I notice pretty quickly.
I enjoyed the characters and while much of the romance was a little predictable and/or annoying it did have an interesting twist in the long run.
This is a book about books, but not necessarily in the way you might think. I enjoyed Sara's arranging and rearranging of the book store shelves as she grouped books differently.
I'm not doing a very good job of capturing this novel in this review....
Ultimately, I enjoyed it; I found it charming.
Go read it.
Monday, October 24, 2016
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
5 stars
JF
Weird and wonderful and quirky and heart-wrenching and heart-warming and....
Oh just go read it, would you?
This one did actually take me a little bit of time to get into, but ultimately I loved it.
JF
Weird and wonderful and quirky and heart-wrenching and heart-warming and....
Oh just go read it, would you?
This one did actually take me a little bit of time to get into, but ultimately I loved it.
Saturday, July 25, 2015
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord
4 stars
JF
book group pick
I enjoyed this so much more than I expected. (That sounds bad, doesn't it? lol)
Just a really sweet story told in little episodes, month by month.
Recommended for the 6-10-ish crowd. I also think it would be a really fabulous one to use in a classroom.
JF
book group pick
I enjoyed this so much more than I expected. (That sounds bad, doesn't it? lol)
Just a really sweet story told in little episodes, month by month.
Recommended for the 6-10-ish crowd. I also think it would be a really fabulous one to use in a classroom.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun
4 stars
Memoir, "stunt nonfiction"
Fascinating concept. Some sections resonated with me, others I kind of wanted to roll my eyes at, but that's the point-- everyone's project would and SHOULD be unique. The things she focused on wouldn't necessarily work for me, but they were HER things. We all have our things. :)
On that note, here are MY things... about this book. ;) In no particular order, here are random things I liked and marked with scraps of paper that got smaller and smaller as I ripped them off what I was using for a bookmark.
I really liked the idea of focusing on something specific each month over the course of a year.
And I love what she says about making little changes within the life you have:
"I wanted to change my life without changing my life, by finding more happiness in my own kitchen."
I also really loved this thought (which is actually a comment someone left on her blog):
"Remembering that joy exists is tough when you've been traumatized. Joy is a big concept and utterly unbelievable when we are in the depths of catastrophe. But happiness... happiness is more accessible. We can be miserable and then find ourselves laughing, even if just for a few seconds."
This quote (also left on her blog by a reader) from Hermann Hesse:
"Happiness is a howl not a what. A talent, not an object."
I LOVE that. It calls us to action-- if happiness is a talent then it is something we can work on and cultivate.
Since she's a writer, one of her months focused on that-- pursuing a passion. She used No Plot? No Problem by Chris Baty and did her own NaNo (in September). Based on the description, the novel she wrote isn't my style, lol, but I did love the closing line: "She'd do her shopping at a different drugstore." I don't know why exactly, but that struck me as a really awesome ending.
I found it hilarious that her husband didn't get why anyone would ever use a website where you can upload your manuscript and get a bound book. Um, you're married to a writer, dude. What's not to get?
Overall, not what I normally read, but it was really interesting. (That's the best part of book clubs, isn't it? Finding a book you enjoy that you never would have picked up on your own.) If you're interested in starting your own happiness project, Rubin has put together a website of resources-- the Happiness Project Toolbox.
4 stars
Memoir, "stunt nonfiction"
Fascinating concept. Some sections resonated with me, others I kind of wanted to roll my eyes at, but that's the point-- everyone's project would and SHOULD be unique. The things she focused on wouldn't necessarily work for me, but they were HER things. We all have our things. :)
On that note, here are MY things... about this book. ;) In no particular order, here are random things I liked and marked with scraps of paper that got smaller and smaller as I ripped them off what I was using for a bookmark.
I really liked the idea of focusing on something specific each month over the course of a year.
And I love what she says about making little changes within the life you have:
"I wanted to change my life without changing my life, by finding more happiness in my own kitchen."
I also really loved this thought (which is actually a comment someone left on her blog):
"Remembering that joy exists is tough when you've been traumatized. Joy is a big concept and utterly unbelievable when we are in the depths of catastrophe. But happiness... happiness is more accessible. We can be miserable and then find ourselves laughing, even if just for a few seconds."
This quote (also left on her blog by a reader) from Hermann Hesse:
"Happiness is a howl not a what. A talent, not an object."
I LOVE that. It calls us to action-- if happiness is a talent then it is something we can work on and cultivate.
Since she's a writer, one of her months focused on that-- pursuing a passion. She used No Plot? No Problem by Chris Baty and did her own NaNo (in September). Based on the description, the novel she wrote isn't my style, lol, but I did love the closing line: "She'd do her shopping at a different drugstore." I don't know why exactly, but that struck me as a really awesome ending.
I found it hilarious that her husband didn't get why anyone would ever use a website where you can upload your manuscript and get a bound book. Um, you're married to a writer, dude. What's not to get?
Overall, not what I normally read, but it was really interesting. (That's the best part of book clubs, isn't it? Finding a book you enjoy that you never would have picked up on your own.) If you're interested in starting your own happiness project, Rubin has put together a website of resources-- the Happiness Project Toolbox.
Monday, February 2, 2015
A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass
2 stars
YF
book club
"Mia Winchell appears to be a typical kid, but she's keeping a big secret—sounds, numbers, and words have color for her. No one knows, and Mia wants to keep it that way. But when trouble at school finally forces Mia to reveal her secret, she must learn to accept herself and embrace her ability, called synesthesia, a mingling of the senses."
(from GoodReads)
I actually went into this without having read that little synopsis or anything else to give me a clue what this book was about. My friend Alyson (of Eat, Read, and Be Mommy), on the other hand, went into it looking forward the the synesthesia aspect.
This is possibly what led us to have VERY different experiences.
As much as I wanted to love it, this book ended up being one of those that I not only didn't enjoy reading, but that I like less the more I think about.
It suffered from a lack of judicious pruning during the editing process, resulting in a narrative that tries to be multiple things and ends up doing them all poorly, rather than scaling back to one and doing it well. Books are edited for a reason. As a writer I am WELL aware of the absolute heartache of having to prune away an entire character, or maybe even an entire storyline. It's a decent part of the recent why my desire to be published lessens and lessens. But the fact is, it needs to happen for other people to read the book.
The writing isn't bad, there's just too much going on and too little resolution. Like I said, it's an editing issue more than a writing issue.
That, and for some reason the emotional climax of this book was... devastating feels melodramatic to say now, but that's certainly how it felt as I was bawling my brains out at 1:30 am.
Seriously.
Very little makes me cry, but OH MY GOSH.
So, while I felt devastated by the emotional storyline (and frankly felt the synesthesia could have been easily replaced of even removed), Alyson felt the opposite-- the emotional stuff was all catalyst and could have been replaced.
Thing is, that's the same feeling, just from different sides of the story. Really, it's 2 stories when it needed to just be one.
And can we talk for a moment about the utter CREEPINESS of the whole experimentation with new experiences and using people and lying to get them? Replace the synesthesia with depression and the experimenting with self-medication through drugs and alcohol and you'd have the SAME STORY. As a parent that part was AWFUL.
Also, as a parent, many things rang totally false to me-- no one realizes there's anything different about her, her parents start freaking out at each other, blaming each other as soon as she tells them... right in front of her, etc etc etc
Overall.... yeah, I didn't like it. I didn't particularly like Mia. (It seriously took me a minute to even come up with her name... and I just read it less than 24 hours ago!) I didn't enjoy reading it.
This one wasn't for me. Check out Alyson's Review.
YF
book club
"Mia Winchell appears to be a typical kid, but she's keeping a big secret—sounds, numbers, and words have color for her. No one knows, and Mia wants to keep it that way. But when trouble at school finally forces Mia to reveal her secret, she must learn to accept herself and embrace her ability, called synesthesia, a mingling of the senses."
(from GoodReads)
I actually went into this without having read that little synopsis or anything else to give me a clue what this book was about. My friend Alyson (of Eat, Read, and Be Mommy), on the other hand, went into it looking forward the the synesthesia aspect.
This is possibly what led us to have VERY different experiences.
As much as I wanted to love it, this book ended up being one of those that I not only didn't enjoy reading, but that I like less the more I think about.
It suffered from a lack of judicious pruning during the editing process, resulting in a narrative that tries to be multiple things and ends up doing them all poorly, rather than scaling back to one and doing it well. Books are edited for a reason. As a writer I am WELL aware of the absolute heartache of having to prune away an entire character, or maybe even an entire storyline. It's a decent part of the recent why my desire to be published lessens and lessens. But the fact is, it needs to happen for other people to read the book.
The writing isn't bad, there's just too much going on and too little resolution. Like I said, it's an editing issue more than a writing issue.
That, and for some reason the emotional climax of this book was... devastating feels melodramatic to say now, but that's certainly how it felt as I was bawling my brains out at 1:30 am.
Seriously.
Very little makes me cry, but OH MY GOSH.
So, while I felt devastated by the emotional storyline (and frankly felt the synesthesia could have been easily replaced of even removed), Alyson felt the opposite-- the emotional stuff was all catalyst and could have been replaced.
Thing is, that's the same feeling, just from different sides of the story. Really, it's 2 stories when it needed to just be one.
And can we talk for a moment about the utter CREEPINESS of the whole experimentation with new experiences and using people and lying to get them? Replace the synesthesia with depression and the experimenting with self-medication through drugs and alcohol and you'd have the SAME STORY. As a parent that part was AWFUL.
Also, as a parent, many things rang totally false to me-- no one realizes there's anything different about her, her parents start freaking out at each other, blaming each other as soon as she tells them... right in front of her, etc etc etc
Overall.... yeah, I didn't like it. I didn't particularly like Mia. (It seriously took me a minute to even come up with her name... and I just read it less than 24 hours ago!) I didn't enjoy reading it.
This one wasn't for me. Check out Alyson's Review.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
3.5 stars
R- 0
Entertaining, but overall I just didn't love it as much as I wanted to.
It felt a little... stitched together? Something.
The copy I read had over 100 pages of reference material too, which was both cool and annoying, because I feel like I have to read all of it. And I enjoy reading it, but it makes the book so much longer!
Anyway.
Not a bad period piece, I just didn't quite love it as much as I wanted.
It was entertaining though.
R- 0
Entertaining, but overall I just didn't love it as much as I wanted to.
It felt a little... stitched together? Something.
The copy I read had over 100 pages of reference material too, which was both cool and annoying, because I feel like I have to read all of it. And I enjoy reading it, but it makes the book so much longer!
Anyway.
Not a bad period piece, I just didn't quite love it as much as I wanted.
It was entertaining though.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Not Becoming My Mother by Ruth Reichl
(And Other Things She Taught Me Along the Way)
4 stars
memoir
Book Club Book for July
While there are certainly things that disagree with the author on, this is a wonderful tribute to a mother who wasn't always wonderful. It's a journey to understanding that mother.
And it's short, sweet and to-the-point, which at the moment is a major criteria for me. ;)
Overall, definitely recommended, especially if you loved the movie Mona Lisa Smile (similar themes) or have read and enjoyed any of the author's other memoirs.
(And really, what have you got to lose? It'll take an hour to read.)
4 stars
memoir
Book Club Book for July
While there are certainly things that disagree with the author on, this is a wonderful tribute to a mother who wasn't always wonderful. It's a journey to understanding that mother.
And it's short, sweet and to-the-point, which at the moment is a major criteria for me. ;)
Overall, definitely recommended, especially if you loved the movie Mona Lisa Smile (similar themes) or have read and enjoyed any of the author's other memoirs.
(And really, what have you got to lose? It'll take an hour to read.)
Friday, May 25, 2012
Jungle Crossing by Sydney Salter
4 stars
JF
Local Author!
A fun coming-of-age tale set in the Yucatan.
Kat drove me completely nutty at first-- I wasn't a super typical teenager and while I recognize that her desire to be in the "in crowd" is totally normal I CANNOT RELATE. AT. ALL.
Thankfully, she comes to her senses eventually, hallelujah.
But, yeah, she drove me nuts.
Overall, good read.
JF
Local Author!
A fun coming-of-age tale set in the Yucatan.
Kat drove me completely nutty at first-- I wasn't a super typical teenager and while I recognize that her desire to be in the "in crowd" is totally normal I CANNOT RELATE. AT. ALL.
Thankfully, she comes to her senses eventually, hallelujah.
But, yeah, she drove me nuts.
Overall, good read.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
The Ghost Belonged to Me by Richard Peck
4 stars
JF
book club
An interesting historical ghost story.
I LOVE Uncle Miles. Everyone needs an Uncle Miles.
I can't decide if I'm super interested in reading the sequel, but I put it on hold, so we'll take a look.
Overall, recommended. Quick easy read.
JF
book club
An interesting historical ghost story.
I LOVE Uncle Miles. Everyone needs an Uncle Miles.
I can't decide if I'm super interested in reading the sequel, but I put it on hold, so we'll take a look.
Overall, recommended. Quick easy read.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry
5 stars
R- 0
Book Club
Reader's choice
Okay, so I wanted to smack the sister upside her head, but I did really enjoy this book.
Narrated by an undiagnosed high-functioning girl with asperger's, it's absolutely endearing.
And also totally reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen's books. It might take a few chapters to see that comparison, but it's there.
R- 0
Book Club
Reader's choice
Okay, so I wanted to smack the sister upside her head, but I did really enjoy this book.
Narrated by an undiagnosed high-functioning girl with asperger's, it's absolutely endearing.
And also totally reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen's books. It might take a few chapters to see that comparison, but it's there.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke
4 stars
Great Reads
Book Club
Another Great Reads for Girls book that Boo hasn't read yet, lol. With my husband's work schedule it's been pretty tricky getting to the meetings.
On the surface, I should totally love this book.
And I liked it, I really did, but I just didn't quite love it.
I have a really hard time with Cornelia Funke. I don't know exactly what it is, but I do.
Anyway, cute story, lots of fun... dragged a little for me I guess. I didn't find it compelling. It took me like 4 days to read. Which is beyond all weird when you consider I can usually read 2 books like this in a night, no problem.
Recommended still, though. Especially for girls in the 8-12 range... especially if they're tomboys. :)
Great Reads
Book Club
Another Great Reads for Girls book that Boo hasn't read yet, lol. With my husband's work schedule it's been pretty tricky getting to the meetings.
On the surface, I should totally love this book.
And I liked it, I really did, but I just didn't quite love it.
I have a really hard time with Cornelia Funke. I don't know exactly what it is, but I do.
Anyway, cute story, lots of fun... dragged a little for me I guess. I didn't find it compelling. It took me like 4 days to read. Which is beyond all weird when you consider I can usually read 2 books like this in a night, no problem.
Recommended still, though. Especially for girls in the 8-12 range... especially if they're tomboys. :)
Friday, February 3, 2012
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
4 stars
ya
book club
Not sure I can say I enjoyed this book, but it certainly was compelling.
AND HOLY FREAKING CREEPY, BATMAN.
On oh so many levels.
Which got totally stuck in my head.
Let's just say reading it at night is possibly not recommended.
Interesting and disturbing, not sure I want to read the sequel, though the book did end on an ultimately hopeful note.
ya
book club
Not sure I can say I enjoyed this book, but it certainly was compelling.
AND HOLY FREAKING CREEPY, BATMAN.
On oh so many levels.
Which got totally stuck in my head.
Let's just say reading it at night is possibly not recommended.
Interesting and disturbing, not sure I want to read the sequel, though the book did end on an ultimately hopeful note.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Charlotte Collins by Jennifer Becton
A Continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
4 stars
I think I'm a little Regency'ed out.
I did enjoy this, though I think a "continuation" of P&P is perhaps not the most apt description. It does follow a character from P&P years later (Charlotte Lucas Collins), but a continuation for me would imply following more "important" characters.
I will admit that that is a bit grumpy of me, but it's been one of those days.
I also have to say that I spent a fair amount of this book thinking that while I understand writing fan-fic (I've done a lot myself) I don't really understand writing a book as fan-fic when she easily could have just written a Regency of her own without using Austen's characters. This book is really not all that dependent on P&P (kind of like the middle book of the Darcy trilogy).
Anyway, all the grumping aside, it was a pretty good book. I did enjoy it and would recommend it.
(Although I mean it when I say I think I've had a surfeit of Regency.... I guess I read this too soon after the Darcy books! I either need to read P&P or take several months off of the genre.... or both....)
4 stars
I think I'm a little Regency'ed out.
I did enjoy this, though I think a "continuation" of P&P is perhaps not the most apt description. It does follow a character from P&P years later (Charlotte Lucas Collins), but a continuation for me would imply following more "important" characters.
I will admit that that is a bit grumpy of me, but it's been one of those days.
I also have to say that I spent a fair amount of this book thinking that while I understand writing fan-fic (I've done a lot myself) I don't really understand writing a book as fan-fic when she easily could have just written a Regency of her own without using Austen's characters. This book is really not all that dependent on P&P (kind of like the middle book of the Darcy trilogy).
Anyway, all the grumping aside, it was a pretty good book. I did enjoy it and would recommend it.
(Although I mean it when I say I think I've had a surfeit of Regency.... I guess I read this too soon after the Darcy books! I either need to read P&P or take several months off of the genre.... or both....)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
The Pun Also Rises by John Pollack
How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More than Some Antics
(did you catch it? read it out loud.....)
5 stars
nonfiction
Okay, so it was a bit dense, but it was fascinating enough to still get 5 stars.
Filled with subtle puns, this is an intriguing look at what the pun has done for linguistical development-- both as a species and as individuals.
It was especially interesting since I have children in the "knock-knock joke stage"-- which is basically all about puns-- and the book talks a lot about why that's an important stage.
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book. Utterly fabulous and COMPLETELY recommended!
(It references MASH and Spoonerisms!!!)
I even went through the bibliography and made a list of books I'd like to read.
Anyway, anyone interested in the English language should really read this one.
(did you catch it? read it out loud.....)
5 stars
nonfiction
Okay, so it was a bit dense, but it was fascinating enough to still get 5 stars.
Filled with subtle puns, this is an intriguing look at what the pun has done for linguistical development-- both as a species and as individuals.
It was especially interesting since I have children in the "knock-knock joke stage"-- which is basically all about puns-- and the book talks a lot about why that's an important stage.
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book. Utterly fabulous and COMPLETELY recommended!
(It references MASH and Spoonerisms!!!)
I even went through the bibliography and made a list of books I'd like to read.
Anyway, anyone interested in the English language should really read this one.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Num8ers by Rachel Ward
4 stars
R- 2
Language
Grittier than I expected for a YF. I'd call it YA.
Overall, not really what I expected, but I found myself totally sucked it. I'm intrigued by the whole idea.
And apparently there's a sequel, so now I have to read that. :)
The whole concept is kinda creepy-- seeing a person's death date when you look into their eyes... *shudder*
Talk about TMI.
Anyway, recommended. Jem is a fascinating character... even if she does drive you nutty sometimes.
(This was my book club pick for June.)
Monday, February 21, 2011
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
5 stars
YF
Oh my CUTE!!!
My cousin picked this for our book club this month after seeing the movie and finding out it was based on a book. (She says the movie follows the book REALLY well.)
What a cute story! Told in alternating viewpoints, we follow Bryce and Juli from when Bryce moves in at age 7 to 8th or 9th grade.
The alternating viewpoints are done beautifully. We get to see events from both characters and it's practically flawless in terms of flow.
The ending is great-- not too much but not too little. The reader is left with a sense of optimism and is able to fill in whatever else may happen themselves.
All in all, I loved this book. Cute, cute story. I would not call it a romance, but it's definitely a coming-of-age with a bit of a love story.
Counts for the Support Your Local Library Challenge and, of course, for my book club. :)
YF
Oh my CUTE!!!
My cousin picked this for our book club this month after seeing the movie and finding out it was based on a book. (She says the movie follows the book REALLY well.)
What a cute story! Told in alternating viewpoints, we follow Bryce and Juli from when Bryce moves in at age 7 to 8th or 9th grade.
The alternating viewpoints are done beautifully. We get to see events from both characters and it's practically flawless in terms of flow.
The ending is great-- not too much but not too little. The reader is left with a sense of optimism and is able to fill in whatever else may happen themselves.
All in all, I loved this book. Cute, cute story. I would not call it a romance, but it's definitely a coming-of-age with a bit of a love story.
Counts for the Support Your Local Library Challenge and, of course, for my book club. :)
Friday, January 14, 2011
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu
4 stars
R- 2
This was my book club pick this month. (Yeah, I know, a non-Reader's Choice, what was I thinking? Oh well.)
Reminiscent of Connie Willis' books, I found this to be a bizarre and amusing book, half sci-fi, half philosophical treatise.
(I haven't read anything by Douglas Adams, but I imagine there are similarities there, too.)
The first half is funnier, while the second have does have a tendency to wax confusingly philosophical. I still enjoyed that though.
My favorite parts-- the Microsoft references. Without a doubt. Hilarious.
And while this is a total geek/engineer book, it's also totally a book for grammar nerds. Because really, time travel is all about tense: present, past, future.
So really, I recommend it to any engineering major, humanities or English major, computer science major, etc. :)
I really think I need to own this one. :D
Counts for my book club (obviously) and the Support Your Local Library Challenge.
R- 2
This was my book club pick this month. (Yeah, I know, a non-Reader's Choice, what was I thinking? Oh well.)
Reminiscent of Connie Willis' books, I found this to be a bizarre and amusing book, half sci-fi, half philosophical treatise.
(I haven't read anything by Douglas Adams, but I imagine there are similarities there, too.)
The first half is funnier, while the second have does have a tendency to wax confusingly philosophical. I still enjoyed that though.
My favorite parts-- the Microsoft references. Without a doubt. Hilarious.
And while this is a total geek/engineer book, it's also totally a book for grammar nerds. Because really, time travel is all about tense: present, past, future.
So really, I recommend it to any engineering major, humanities or English major, computer science major, etc. :)
I really think I need to own this one. :D
Counts for my book club (obviously) and the Support Your Local Library Challenge.
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