Lethal White

I won't lie. This might be my favorite out of the Cormoran Strike series so far. Once I got into it, I was INTO it. There were soo many twists, turns, clues, and red herrings; it takes a genius to map out a plot like this. I also enjoyed where their love lives are heading are heading in Lethal White; at this rate I don't know if Robin and Cormoran will ever get together but after reading this... book five should be promising. So much sexual tension!!!! The plot of this one is intriguing, it starts with a mentally deranged man barging into Strike's office blathering on about witnessing a murder as a child and suddenly it ties in with socialists, ministers, some wealthy snobs, and worst of all, Strike's ex, Charlotte. Tightly wound and filled with unforgettable (albeit, mostly unlikable) characters. I literally cannot wait for the next book. What will they solve next? Hopefully their attraction for each other!

The Pilgrim's Progress

I don't know if this is the worst book that I've ever read or if the audiobook was so atrocious that it made it into the worst thing ever. This book was a nightmare. I get it, I get it, I know it's supposed to be a Christian allegory, but listening to six hours of this (fully fucking dramatized) was hell. HELL. I wanted to bleach my ears. I couldn't handle it anymore, did Satan narrate this? This book made the Lord of the Rings trilogy look like a cake walk!! The Pilgrim's Progress was a long ass journey to heaven made by "Christian" and other people he runs into. They face all sorts of dumb shit and get into dumb trouble and make lots of dumb decisions but SOME FUCKING HOW still make it to heaven (spoiler alert). Christian loses lots of companions, walks into dumb scenarios every other page, but luckily for him, he had some faith so he made it. UGH. I hate everything. I'm glad this nightmare book is over.

Sea Prayer

This books was good but not remotely what I expected. It's soo soo small! I thought it was going to be a legit big adult novel, I mean it's Khaled Hosseini for crying out loud! Instead I got a small picture book. And don't get me wrong, it's still a good story, and the illustrations are gorgeous, BUT... it's a kids book. It could legitimately be shelved with the juvenile literature. All bitching aside, it is the heart-wrenching story of a father reminiscing to his son about how beautiful their country used to be and thinking about all the good memories they had. The father then laments that his son was too little to remember the good times, and all that he'll think of when he thinks of home is death and destruction. He promises his son that they'll get to a bigger better home, away from all the chaos of their war-torn country and then offers up a prayer to the sea to grant them safe passage. This is a chilling story and one that any refugee will relate to.

Born on the Links

This may come as a shock to some of you, but I have never picked up a golf club in my life. Ever. I am not what you would call... athletically inclined. Hell, I can barely manage bowling. Despite not playing golf and knowing virtually nothing about it, I enjoyed this book immensely. My boyfriend is an AVID golfer. Not only does he love playing eighteen in the morning, he actually wants to watch golf on TV. Now that is a true fan. I partly wanted to read this book to see what the appeal is, but realistically, I love sports books and I knew if anything could me into golf, it would be reading about it. John Williamson did a great job outlining the early history of the sport in Scotland while detailing how it changed and evolved over the years. The book really takes off however, when golfing is introduced to the United States. America helped streamline golf and slowly began to dominate the sport. It took off like wildfire and soon thousands of golf courses were sprouting up all over the country. Honestly it was all very fascinating how different players, equipment and even policies affected the game. The author didn't shy away from early controversies though involving the clash between amateurs and pros, the limitations facing women, and the racist attitude towards African Americans. The only "golf history" left out that I could tell was information about schools incorporating it and the push to get more youth involved. Other than that, this book did a great job outlining the history of American golf. The author covers the different courses, players, tournaments, and even goes play by play in some crucial matches. There are even nice appendixes at the end outlining all the winners and locations. A must buy for any golf aficionado.

Vox

This was a hard read, it made me sick to my stomach and I had to put it down multiple times. Imagine the backstory to A Handmaid's Tale, and make it worse. That's what Vox was. I think this novel was so upsetting because women's rights are currently being stepped on and reversed and even though we may not thing it's a big deal, those small liberties can have a snowball effect. Vox didn't feel very dystopian to me, it felt like a warning. Vox imagines a world where women's rights are slowly stripped away until it's too late to do anything. The religious nut jobs have taken over the government and overnight the workforce is cut in half. Women only belong in the house as caretakers and nurturers. They aren't allowed to read (except the Bible), write, or do anything without their husbands. Most upsettingly they are limited to 100 words per day. Wrist counters keep track of all the words spoken and keep them in line. Men however, have complete and utter freedom. Dr. Jean McClellan and her daughter must suffer in silence while her husband and three sons can gab and laugh and talk, what would Jean do if she had a chance to upset the balance? Would she take it? Vox is an unforgettable, compelling thrill ride that will make your stomach roll and your heart shudder. It's a nightmare that everyone should read.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

I'm glad I finally got around to reading this classic and I'm a little upset that I didn't like it more. I knew the gist of the plot before I read it because of The League of Extraordinary Gentleman (nerd alert) and because it exists everywhere in pop culture. But I was still completely taken aback by how much I disliked the character of Dorian Gray. He was such a vain, pompous, scumbag that could do no wrong. It does beg the question though, would he have turned out the way he had, had it not been for the influence of his two friends who unknowingly set him on this path of self-indulgence? As a young man Dorian's friend paints a wonderful portrait of him and Dorian is so saddened that this painting will always look lovely and beautiful while he is destined to grow old and decrepit. He wishes that the burden of his sins and aging would fall upon the painting instead of himself, and lo and behold they do. After every wrong deed and every passing year, the painting becomes more dastardly and evil. His morality is long since gone and he has no care for how his actions ruin those around him. How long can the painting carry the burden of Dorian's indulgent, sinful, and lately, CRIMINAL ways. Fascinating concept, but there is too damn much dialogue in this book. Still glad I got around to reading it though!

Sheets

This was a quick and charming read. Intended for middle schoolers, this graphic novel will have a wide appeal with lots of ages, especially teens and adults. Sheets deals with depression, the loss of a family member, dealing with bullies, and self esteem. It's poignant and funny, and not something readers will soon forget. Marjorie Glatt is just trying to survive middle school and to top it off she has to run her family's laundry mat while her dad deals with a deep depression after the sudden death of her mother last year. It's a lot of pressure on a young girl, who just wants to keep the family business alive. To make matters worse she has a feeling that there is a ghost who keeps coming in at night, trying to sabotage her business. Will this poor girl ever get a break?

Fables: The Great Fables Crossover

What a fun crossover volume! Jack (of Jack and the Beanstack fame) has been exiled from the fables for a long, long time for his tricks and nonsense. But when he calls up Bigby and tells them about a new threat to Fables, the literals and who can rewrite the universe or destroy it, Bigby decides it's time to step in. Together they step in with a bunch of good literals: Revision, the Page sisters (badass librarian sisters), and others to try and save their lives and their universe. It's an ambitious and wonderful crossover. Rose Red is still a hot mess, Jack is up to his Shenanigans, and Bigby's temper is getting the better of him, and I loved every second of it!

A Lover's Pinch

A fascinating history of sexuality, specifically that of the oft misunderstood subset of sadomasochism. For many, when they think of sadomasochism (s/m), they think of leather clad bikers, whips and chains, Bettie Page, and 50 Shades of Grey. While all of those things certainly have their place within s/m there is so much more to the history and it's fascinating to read about how it has evolved over the centuries. Broken into easily readable sections, Peter Tupper, does a remarkable job of piecing together the fragmented history of s/m all the way back to the Catholic Church, the ecstasy of the saints, the schoolboy whippings, the Marquis de Sade, all the way up to modern times and the advent of the internet. Although it is very scholarly, it is still a titillating read; and how could it not be? It's an eye opening book that not just s/m fans will enjoy. Newbies, scholars, and those well versed in BDSM will still find something new and exciting between the covers of this book ;)

Useless Magic

What a gorgeous book. I've always been a huge Florence and the Machine fan and I was delighted to read this book. It has lyrics, poetry, sketches, doodles, and photographs. It' very ethereal and beautiful. Reading her lyrics really made me appreciate how poetry-esque they really all are. Florence writes exquisitely and from her heart. Useless Magic is divided into fiver parts, one part for each album, and the final section for poetry. It's a wonderful addition to any collection, not just those entranced by her music!

Snotgirl

What a drag. The illustrations were great but I hated all the shitty vapid characters. Maybe that's the point. Maybe no one is supposed to be likable. But it's hard to care about the plot or the graphic novel when you literally can't be bothered with who is in it. A beauty blogger has horrible allergies and shitty friends and hates her stupid perfect life.... literally, that is Snotgirl in a nutshell. Do yourself a favor and avoid this trash.

The Bookshop

I adore books about books and libraries and bookshops, so I had really high hopes for this novel. Plus it's going to be a movie, it's got to be good right? Wrong. This books started out with promise. A middle aged widow decides she wants to open up a bookshop in her sleepy little coastal town. What could go wrong? Everything. The townspeople were bitches. She had one good neighbor and one good assistant (who was eleven and adorable), but pretty much everyone else set out to make sure she failed. And just wait til you get to the bloody end. Save yourself the pain of disappointment and skip over this.

The Grey Bastards

I freaking loved this!!!! It's high fantasy meets Sons of Anarchy and it couldn't be any cooler. Legit, this is one of the most unique and exciting fantasy books I've read in a while. It's gritty, raunchy, bloody, funny, and action packed. The characters are amazing, the world building is unmatched, and the plot is tightly woven together. This better be the beginning of a long series, because after a journey like this, I AM ALL IN! I want more! Jackal is a member of the Grey Bastards one of the nine hoofs who lord over the lot lands. They're barbaric half orcs and proud of it, they live in the saddle and die on the hog. Jackal has long had his sights set on the leader's seat and when the Grey Bastards weak willed leader lets some savage orcs live after an attack, Jackal is furious. He's got rampaging blood lusty centaurs, ravaging orcs, the sludge man, and some dumb ass frails (humans) to contend with before he can try for the leaders seat, but that doesn't slow his roll. He's got ladies to screw, enemies to kill, and Grey Bastards to laugh with. One hell of a book!!!

Left Behind

Man, this thing took FOREVER! I don't know how many books there are in the series, but I know that I won't be reading them all (and judging from how much space they take up on the shelf at the library, there is a TON). The whole premise of this series is what would happen if the rapture occurred and you were one of the millions (probably billions) left behind. Rayford Steele is piloting an aircraft when a stewardess he'd been lusting after rushes into the cockpit tells him that they're suddenly missing over 100 people. At first he thinks it's a joke but he soon realizes that all their clothes have been left behind as well. One of the passengers on the plane is an award winning, international journalist named Buck. He sets about recording everything because he knows this is the biggest story of his career, hell of his lifetime! Buck, the stewardess, the pilot, and his daughter start finding their paths crossing as they try to figure out what on earth has happened to all their loved ones and how they are going to survive what comes next. Not as bad as I thought it would be, but not great either.

The Line That Held Us

Dark southern noir, this instantly reminded me of Frank Bill. It's gory, raw, and gritty. An accidental murder and the subsequent cover up of it, will bring this small Appalachian town to it's knees. The brother of the murdered man is out for blood, and he won't stop until he gets his revenge. Told through three perspectives, this gritty revenge tale isn't something you'll soon forget.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I re-read this book roughly, every two or three years. It's magical each and every time, although I wish I could experience the joy of reading it for the first time again. This re-reading was even better than most because I got the new beautifully illustrated edition. It's stunning and the pictures add soo much to the story. Worth every penny! I sincerely hope they illustrate all seven books. Take my money already!

My Antonia

Similar to Little House on the Prairie but intended for adults, I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this. I will admit I didn't read the first two books in the Great Plains trilogy, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this book and I thought it read well as a stand alone. My Antonia is am old mans recollection of a girl from his youth. For some reason he never could get Antonia out of his mind and his childhood was drastically shaped by her. Antonia was an immigrant girl several years his junior who moved to the plains the same time he did. He taught her to read and speak English and she taught him what to value in a girl. Their story gets a little more complicated as he ages and even goes through some rough patches but they always respected each other even when they moved apart and led vastly different lives. The ending though... not quite what I anticipated. Also, I'm still unsure if I liked the narrator, I have a lot of feelings about this book and I need to discuss it with my book club to suss it out ;)