The Financial Diet

Not the best financial book I've ever read, but one of the most fun. The Financial Diet's target audience is millennial women; it's filled with humor, Sex and the City references, cute drawings, foul language, and lifestyle tips. That's not to say that other demographics wouldn't enjoy it, just that it's certainly not intended as a financial guide for just anyone. Personally, I enjoyed it. The only part I didn't care for was the recipes, I'm looking how to improve my budget, not roast a chicken. Other than that, I really enjoyed the book, it was full of really good interviews, smart advice, and funny quips. This book is not a one size fits all financial fix though, and depending on your situation you'll have to cherry pick what works for you. I enjoyed it and will refer back to it time and again.

Ghost Story

It's been a minute since I caught up on the Dresden Files and I'm soo glad I checked back for this one! Damn, it was a good one! In the previous book Harry Dresden has been shot and presumably killed. This book pretty much confirms his death, as he comes back as a ghost. He is told he must track down his killer otherwise three people he loves will be harmed and possibly killed. He goes back to Chicago and has the task of trying to figure out how to get his friends to see or even hear him. He's a ghost dammit! Things quickly escalate and soon he isn't even concerned with tracking down his killer; he just wants to keep his friends safe. Fast paced from start to finish, I cannot wait to get to the next one!

Amsterdam Noir

This is the second noir compilation I've read from this publisher (I've also read Belfast Noir) and while it wasn't my favorite, it wasn't bad. Some of the short stories in this are clearly better than others, but that's bound to happen when you have fifteen different authors spinning tales of deceit, darkness, murder, and intrigue. The thing I most enjoyed about this collection (and all in this series) is that the setting (Amsterdam) plays such a crucial element in every story. These dark, gritty stories make you feel as if you really are in Amsterdam. Some of the short stories deal with gangs, psychotic episodes, murder, revenge, and twisted fantasies. Again some are clearly better than others, but don't let that get in the way of reading this!

Secret Joy of Hygge

A small quick read for anyone who is curious about hygge and want to implement it into their lives. Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) is the Danish concept of taking time to appreciate the little things and to make your life as cozy, inviting, and as happy as possible. Author, Alexandra Amarotico is not a Denmark resident (she resides in New York), but she did spend some formative years studying there in college and living with a host family. The concept of hygge really rubbed off on her and appealed to her so she incorporated it into her American way of life. This guide contains all of her best practices. The Secret Joy of Hygge is broken into five sections: defining hygge, self, home, family & community, and work. Each section contains some tips and tricks on how to incorporate hygge into that aspect of your life. Most tips and ideas are very simple and inexpensive. Eat more dinners at home, use lots of candles, curl up with a good book, etc. It's informative, filled with great ideas, and cute sketches; perfect for anyone who is looking to learn more about hygge.

Clue

This is exactly what the cover promises, a graphic novel adaptation of Clue set in Modern Day. There are some new players (Dr. Orchid) and some classics have interesting new roles. Miss Scarlet is an Australian pop singer and Mrs. White is a Senator. The Butler is the main storyteller and he breaks the wall to talk to the reader a lot. It was amusing at first, but quickly got old. The rest of the story is similar to the game and the old movie. Mr. Boddy is murdered. Who had the motive and why? Lackluster, I had hoped for more. I didn't love that it was set in modern day and all the characters are dumb.

Illuminae

This book was money in the bank! The formatting and dialogue was soo unique! It started off a little overwhelming but quickly made sense. I would LOVE to see this on the big screen. It's non-stop action, teenage heartache, sarcasm, and trippy sci-fi. What more could you want? Even though this young adult book is massive (599 pages!) it reads quickly thanks to the unique format of the pages; the text of the book alternates between personnel files, online chats, memos, diary entries, code, and more. Kady Grant and Ezra Mason have just broken up and the timing couldn't be worse. They're at school when the sirens go off. Their small mining planet is under attack. They're able to make it off-world with a small contingent of other survivors on three ships, but the trouble is just getting started. Those responsible for the attack on their planet don't want their to be any survivors so they are in pursuit. Now to top it off, the AI system on one of the ships is acting wonky and some of the survivors are having weird side effects from the weapons used on their planet. Ezra and Kady aren't on the same ship but soon discover that their breakup is the least of their worries, if they don't get to the bottom of what's going on they're toast. Hilarious, unique, and breathtaking. I can't wait to read the sequel!!!

Maid

This is one of those memoirs that make you think a little differently about the world. I'm not rich and privileged and certainly not wealthy, however, this books makes me realize how much I take for granted. Having a safety net of family and friends. Never being one paycheck away from homelessness. Being able to afford nights out and trips to the bookstore. I always gripe about how I wish I had more money or how I should be better at saving, but after reading Maid and seeing what one single mom can survive on a month, I feel ashamed. I've got lots of cushion. Stephanie Land's memoir is about how broken our country's welfare and workforce is. About how she had to work full time scrubbing toilets and showers only to bring home practically nothing and then be denied other government benefits that she needed to help feed her kid. It's about how no matter how hard you work, there are still barriers all around you keeping you away from achieving financial stability. It's also about one of the most undervalued and underpaid jobs in the workforce, being a maid. It's thankless, invisible work. Most won't bother to learn your name, yet for the maid, she sees all. She knows the family most intimately based on their homes. The puke in the toilet, the pills on the counter, the sad little romance books hidden in a corner, the lube on the nightstand. It's an unflinching look at what many of our poorest have to suffer through. A great memoir.