Notes to Self

A collection of raw essays filled with emotion, character, and bravery. Emilie Pine has had a challenging life, not that she wants your sympathy; she wants the power and release of writing it down and trying to make sense of what she's internalized and learned over the years. From learning to accept and love a father who suffers from alcoholism so severe that his body is starting to shut down to making peace with the fact that her body didn't "betray her" by not having children to coming to terms with her tumultuous teenage years; this poignant and deeply personal essays are beautifully written and will resonate with readers. It's unflinching glimpse into Emilie Pine's greatest regrets, sorrows, truths, and mistakes; and turning the table on those negatives and making them a crucial, vital part of self.

Miracle Creek

DAYUM! This book was gripping from page one. A "submarine" used to immerse patients with high oxygen flow explodes, killing a few patients and injuring others. The submarine was a new kind of treatment used to treat disabled kids as well as other ailments so the deaths and injuries are even more harrowing. All fingers point to Elizabeth, the mom of the little boy who was killed, as the culprit. She "suspiciously" sat out from the submarine and was caught drinking and smoking with the same kind of cigarettes that were used to start the fire. As the story unfolds, each chapter is told through another character; from the people who ran it, to the people inside the submarine when it caught fire.  Angie Kim did a damn good job writing complex characters that make it impossible to determine who the culprit is. Slowly it emerges that many have motives, many have weak alibis, and many have way more involvement in this tragedy then they realize. This book is fast paced and heartbreaking. Full of twists and turns that kept me guessing. Storytelling at it's finest.

Under the Table

UGH! I can usually suspend my disbelief when I read romance, but this was too much even for me. This was over the top RIDICULOUS! No aspect of this romance was believable, starting with the characters themselves. Zoey Sullivan is spending a year in New York reinventing herself as a chef for hire. She and her dead beat husband agreed to separate for a year and then try again; the problem is Zoey has been super checked out from that relationships for years. Not that she hasn't been faithful, her younger, plucky sister (who she shares an apartment with) is always partying and getting laid while Zoey cooks and wallows around... until she meets Tristan. She picks up a new client who requests a big Cajun dinner to impress some clients. When she shows up to his apartment she realizes that not only is he wealthy, he's drop dead sexy. Only catch is, he's a total nerd and has some social anxiety. The two hit it off and Zoey decides to befriend the stud and show him how to dress, talk to people, and have a good time (pot calling the kettle black - bitch can't do any of those things either). We are supposed to believe that Tristan doesn't own a cellphone, doesn't know "any slang," doesn't know about politics or TV shows, and the only video game he knows is Sonic.... But he's also drop dead gorgeous and doesn't know how to talk to girls. Of course they are smitten with each other, but Zoey is trying to stay faithful to her stupid husband. Spoiler alert, she caves and seduces Tristan in the most over the top way that doesn't even begin to fit her personality. It's dumb. And the ending is even dumber. The whole book Zoey goes on and on about how she doesn't want kids. Then (huge spoiler - don't continue reading!!) she marries Tristan and gets knocked up and is suddenly cool with it...... ok. Not a fan of this stand alone. Not at all.

Open

I really wanted to give this book 3.5 stars - but that's not an option on here. I didn't dislike the book, there were just A LOT of players to remember and keep track of and at times it got overwhelming. Other than that, this book is a good read not just for golfers, but for event planners. It's the play by play account of all the blood sweat and tears that went into making the Black Course at Bethpage a US Open site. It took years or work, negotiations, contracts, money, and hard work to transform the old public golf course into a masterpiece worthy of hosting a major golf championship there. Many thought it could never be done because traditionally all championships are played at ritzy private courses. But one man's dream became reality and Open is the story of hard work, perseverance, and the love of golf.

Flowers for Algernon

This book didn't make me cry (although it came close), but it was very sad, emotional, and raw. It won major science fiction awards, but to me it's more literary - it's so human!

Charlie Gordon isn't very smart... he has a severely low IQ and as a product of his time, was often referred to as retarded. His story is told through a series of journal entries (or progress reports) about his life cleaning in a bakery, attending classes for the mentally challenged, and the prospect of an experimental surgery that will make him smart. He's 32 and all he want in life is to be well liked, he figures if he can get smart he will be able to achieve that and so much more. The scientists have already operated successfully on a mouse named Algernon, and they seem fairly confident that the same results will apply to Charlie. He happily allows them to operate on his brain and is initially frustrated because he doesn't perceive anything as happening, but slowly his mind starts expanding and his entries become more and more eloquent and hopeful, until one day ... they aren't hopeful and happy anymore. Groundbreaking and wonderfully believable. Charlie's journey from "dumb" to "smart" is a revelation and brilliantly told. I loved this book even though it made me an emotional wreck.

Bad Blood

I will admit, I wasn't initially jazzed about this book, but once I started reading I couldn't put it down! It was weirder than fiction. How could someone build an empire on lies that was harmful to those seeking medical health?!? Elizabeth Holmes started Theranos, a company that promised that one drop of blood could be tested for up to 800 different things in one small device. The problem is that that device didn't exist, it just wasn't possible, but she kept promising her investors that is was and thought she could fake it until she made it. They had prototypes, but they were YEARS away from even being able to make good on half the promises that Holmes alleged her machine could do. The blood tests they ran on their prototypes were riddled with errors and working for this company was causing employees some PTSD and major ethical qualms. Turnover was high and people were fired left and right for questioning anything. In short it was a nightmare, but no-one outside those walls knew anything was wrong; they were charmed by Elizabeth Holmes and her vision. She charmed so many investors that soon she was worth over 5 billion dollars. Things started to unravel though as disgruntled former employees and disillusioned investors started opening up and the Wall Street Journal launched a major investigative piece into their company and practices. What they discovered was worse then they could have imagined. A roller coaster of crime and ambition. A must read!

Firefly Lane

Firefly was kind of a let down for me because I was so over the moon obsessed with her last two books, The Great Alone and The Nightingale. Those were both 5 stars and this was an alright read about best friends forever. It got a tear or two out of me, but I didn't love the characters like I knew I was supposed to. Kate is a down to earth mom and Tully has only ever wanted to be the most important female anchor in the world. Their friendship started when they were 14 and they have stuck by each others sides even when their paths started to diverge. Tully has shied away from love ever since her mother abandoned her and she was raped at a young age; the only family she has ever needed was Kate. Kate on the other hand has only ever wanted real love and is content to start a family of her own instead of conquering the world. Firefly Lane is the story of the ups and downs and the ebbs and flows of their friendship through the decades. I like Kate well enough, but the indomitable Tully, I couldn't get behind. The story isn't intricately plotted, it just long. Not bad, not great. Chick lit at its finest.