Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

The cover looks so menacing and creepy and with the whole murder in the summary I thought this book was going to be vastly darker than what it was! Instead it was... I don't know how to accurately describe it. Hauntingly beautiful and poetic, not scary or anything but slightly chilling at points. John Berendt found himself captivated by the city of Savannah and spending more and more time there because he was drawn to it's unique cast of characters and trapped in time ways. The love with which he describes the people he meets is evident and these are people you won't soon forget, about a third of the way through the book the reader finds himself wondering, what is going on, where is all the murder?!? Soon we understand that one of the people that Berendt has been getting to know finds himself embroiled in scandal by killing one of his part time employees. The cast of characters then circles around this intrigue and scandal creating a compelling look at how a city copes with murder. Fascinating and rich, this book makes me want to visit Savannah and experience the culture and people for myself. A wonderful book!

The Crow

I haven't read this since middle school, but damn if it doesn't hold up. It's dark and gritty, and you can't stop reading it. It's a painful look at the life of a man whose one true love, is violently raped and murdered right in front of him (granted he's virtually dead so he can't exactly stop them). A year later he is somehow back, having rejected death, he goes out to seek revenge on the gang of thugs and addicts that ruined his life and exact his justice. Filled with lots of flashbacks, poems, and agony this graphic novel is not for the light hearted, but it is well worth a read and remains one of my personal favorites. The cult film based off of this, is also not to be missed.

Wonderland

A cute whimsical adult coloring book that pays tribute to the children's classic, Alice in Wonderland. Arranged by chapters, each section contains a small paragraph that helps sets the scene for the coloring pages to follow. Also contained are several coloring activities like decorating butterflies, putting food on a plat, etc. Most of the coloring pages are intricately drawn and only good with coloring pencils, although there are a few larger, not so challenging pieces. My only beef with this adorable coloring book is that the pages aren't perforated so you can't easily tear out any of your artwork. Other than that though, this is a great addition to the growing trend of adult coloring books and would make a great gift for many. Who wouldn't want to color the dodos or the red queen!?!

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

An adorable, sappy, punk rock, teenage romance that takes place in the span of one night. Nick is desperate, his ex-girlfriend the evil wench that broke his heart is at the club where his band is playing and he can't face her. She's already moved on, has a new boyfriend and he can't stop moping.  When he sees her approaching him he turns to a random girl he doesn't know and pleads, "Will you please be my girlfriend for the next five minutes?" Thus starts a long night of punk music, burlesque nuns, disappointment, heartbreak, and ultimately, hope. I really hope the movie does this edgy provocative book justice because I really enjoyed it. The story is told in alternating viewpoints from both Nick and Norah.

Freakonomics

Pretty mind blowingly cool stuff. It is fascinating to see how economists can use data to make the most interesting and off the wall conclusions. For instance, legalizing abortion in the 70's caused the crime rate to drop in the 90's. Also discussed in this book are what sumo wrestlers and teachers have in common (cheating), why crack dealers live with their moms, the effect that names have in a child's future, how the KKK operates and more. Not too sciencey or data heavy, this book is easily readable and will definitely help you win at Jeopardy some day. Fun and intriguing, I definitely want to read their other one!

Lumberjanes Vol. 3

Another cute installment in the Lumberjanes series. This latest collection features scary stories around the campfire, portals to the Jurassic era, the quest to earn easy badges, the bear woman, and more. The characters are ever cute and keep you on your toes with their crazy antics and shenanigans. Intended more for middle schoolers, but I guess I'm just young at heart. I can't wait for the next installment!

Eat Pray Love

I believe I enjoyed this book as much the second time around as I did when I first read it five years ago. Eat Pray Love is a yearlong memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, a recently divorced, emotionally scarred woman in her thirties. She decides she'll spend four months in Rome to learn the language and enjoy the food,  four months in India to meditate and pray, and four months in Indonesia to learn to balance her life. Along the way she discovers more about herself, meets unforgettable people, and constantly challenges herself to live life the fullest. It's a very inspiring memoir and I dare you to read this and not start a saving up to go traveling yourself. I have yet to see the movie but I hope it's at least a decent tribute to this awesome book.