Drunken Fireworks

At first, the ridiculousness of the narrator's voice annoyed me, but as I stuck with it, I fell in love with his storytelling. It's rough, drunk, and redneck sounding and fits the vibe of the story perfectly. This latest short story by Stephen King tells of an escalating fireworks battle between two lakeside neighbors. Each year the two try to outdo each other until the inevitable happens. Hilariously told, this is a must for fans of Stephen King and short stories.

What Lies Within

High school senior, Shelley, receives a text saying "You're going to die" and suddenly her universe is thrown out of whack. As she tries to get to the meaning of it she discovers some very hard truths, one of which being that she was adopted. The weirdness doesn't stop there, she soon finds out that she isn't the only one being threatened; there are others and she needs to find out why before it's too late. Her ho hum life will never be the same and she has to get to the bottom of it before her best friend or father are harmed in the process. Cool story-line with a nice plot twist, this is a great read for both teens and adults. Kick-ass heroine as well.

I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Armada

Another great novel from Ernest Cline! I know it's wrong to compare Armada to his first work, Ready Player One, but I can't help it! Armada is good, but not "as" good as Cline's first novel. However, he has definitely found himself a niche and I hope he keeps writing in this gamer/sci-fi/pop culture genre. Because he is king. Also, Wil Wheaton has to read every audiobook version. HAS TO! (if you couldn't tell I listened to the audio). Quick summary is that a teenage gamer sees a flying saucer straight out of one of his video games, what happens next is enough to blow his mind. Read it! And then re-read Ready Player One because they're both too damn good to only read once!

We Were Liars

Beautifully written, the words will haunt you long after you've put down the book. Beautiful, wealthy, privileged Cady spends her summers on a privately owned island with her extended family. They laugh, they play, they have a great time until they don't. The summer of Cady's fifteenth year is a blur, all she knows is she can't remember what happened. There is a void in her life that she is determined to fill with memories. The summer of her fifteenth year she goes back to the Sinclair island, only this time everything is different. Everyone is lying to her. What are they trying to protect her from? Engaging, perfect for both teens and adults, especially those who like dark twists.

Hotel Moscow

As someone whose traveled to Russia, studied Russian history, and read a multitude of books on the country, I still managed to learn a lot! My studies generally ended around the fall of communism, so I was generally aware of the corruption that seeped into the country afterwards, but I had no idea the extent of it, and especially aimed at women! This novel explores what life was like for young entrepreneurial women (and women in general) in post communist Russia. It was no cakewalk as American financial advisor, Brooke Fielding, finds out first hand. Brooke has identity and personal issues of her own, and helping these Russian women just may help her solve those problems and help others in the process. Eye opening and intriguing!

Andre the Giant

I've always been a huge fan of Andre the Giant, ever since I discovered The Princess Bride as a child. This graphic novel pieces together Andre's life and it comes apparent pretty quickly that it wasn't all rosy. Andre was ridiculed as a child, and when he finally made it to the doctor as an adult he was told that with his condition he wouldn't live past 40. Despite all the odds, he made a career in wrestling and gained popularity all over the world. He may not have been a saint, but he was a lost soul, looking for acceptance and a pain free life. Fantastic, albeit depressing, graphic novel. A must read for wrestling fans, or anyone who ever admired Andre the giant.

Infinite Jest

I FINALLY FINISHED IT!!!  I nearly had a Rocky moment where I ran up the stairs arms raised high. It felt THAT good. Summarizing this novel is nearly impossible so bear with me. The story centers on a certain movie, Infinite Jest, that is soo good that anyone who watches can't look away. They will continually watch it over and over, forgoing, food and drink, eventually dying. The lengths to which the higher ups will go to obtain the master copy start to get unsettling. Soon a local tennis academy and a halfway house for addicts get swept up in the melee. Told through the perspective of a dozen or more characters, this tour de force will engage readers and take away their lives for however long (two and a half weeks for me!) it takes them to finish this tome. Imaginative, impressive, and filled with dark humor, this novel will resonate with readers.