Likely Stories

I haven't been in love with all the Neil Gaiman graphic novels and this latest is no exception. The stories just aren't that riveting or exceptional. Likely Stories contains four short graphic stories; one on venereal disease, one on a weird raw meat eating neighbor, another on the world's most attractive nude model, and the last on a haunted playhouse. What connects the four stories; is a small out of the way after hours club, where stories are exchanged and people go to be seen or go to hide out. The illustrations are great and the stories themselves are OK, they're just not great. Only read if you're a real die hard Gaiman fan or have some time to kill.

The Adults

Two exes, their child, and their new partners decide to go on a camping holiday over Christmas. What on earth could go wrong? Everything, that's what could go wrong. Very similar to Truly Madly Guilty in format; The Adults alternate between police report snippets and the events leading up to "the shooting incident." Matt has been wanting to see more of his daughter Scarlet, so he convinces his ex-wife and her boyfriend to join him and his girlfriend on a holiday adventure. Along for the ride is Posey, Scarlet's imaginary giant purple bunny, and a lot of mixed emotions. Patrick and Alex immediately feel like the odd ones out, did their partners really ever get divorced? How are they so chummy? One mishap after another starts to derail their holiday plans, but readers will keep reading to see how they finally got to the breaking point. Hilarious, ridiculous, and in good fun, The Adults was charming, albeit a bit predictable.

Essential Sports Nutrition

Whether you're an avid athlete working out five hours a day or a yoga enthusiast working out a few days a week, Essential Sports Nutrition has a little something for everyone. While it can be a little dense and "sciencey" in areas, the after chapter summaries do a great job outlining all the key points and takeaways. This book includes recipes, tips on how and what to fuel up on, how to create a meal plan that works for your body and your unique active lifestyle, and so much more. It's a comprehensive guide that manages to not get too overwhelming. Reading this opened my eyes to so many factors that can affect your health and diet such as time of year, bodily changes, types of food, etc. This book will definitely inspire you to make healthy changes. Even incremental steps are better than no steps at all! A must own guide for anyone that is remotely active, there are no fad diets, or sketchy meal plans, everything is science based! 

Mammoth

I adored this book from start to finish. I really identified with Natalie. She's a teen-aged fashionista and paleo geek. She's also plus size and SUPER aware of it. She makes and assembles her wardrobe like it's her armor. She has to feign her confidence even if she doesn't feel it, because she refuses to go back to being the "frumpy fat girl."Natalie is about to have the summer of her dreams. She won a scholarship to be part of a prestigious paleontology internship in Texas and she can't stop geeking out. Paleontology and fashion are her life, it's all she's posting about on her "fossilita" blog. When she arrives in Texas, she is a little self conscious but beyond excited. There are even some cute guys in her internship. She quickly learns though, that in a field so dominated by men, she will have to do whatever it takes to stand out. In the process, she'll finally stand up for herself. Charming and well written. I loved this book and I loved Natalie, whose sass and earnestness will win over readers!

Hocus Pocus and the All New Sequel

I had higher hopes for this, but it wasn't the worst. I know that's not much of a selling point, but it's hard to follow up the movie. The movie is just so perfect that any follow up will fall under intense scrutiny. The first half of this book was completely redundant, it's rehashing of the movie, frame by frame. Skip ahead to part two where the story actually begins. Poppy is Max and Allison's daughter. Her whole life she's heard about the horror of the Sanderson sisters and the evils of Halloween but she's never really believed her family. Would you? It's just too insane. So on Halloween she and her two good friends (one of which she has a HUGE crush on)  decide to get into some mischief and break into the Sanderson house. It's not like magic is real, it's just a bunch of hocus pocus! What could go wrong on the blood moon, twenty five years after her parent's killed the witches? The answer is a lot.

Paid For

A hard read about a hard, unimaginable lifestyle of prostitution. Rachel Moran holds nothing back when she delves into her past as a prostituted woman in Dublin. Paid For is far more than a memoir though, it's an in depth, scholarly look at the history of prostitution, implications of working the sex trade and so much more. It's narrative non-fiction at its best and Rachel Moran has the authority and no-nonsense attitude to tackle it head on. She easily breaks down myths and rumors that surround the sex industry and pulls from research to help back up her personal experiences. I've read other prostitution memoirs and books written by sex works, but this one really got to me. It may not be an easy read, but I'd very much recommend it!

Uprooted

Naomi Novik is quickly approaching favorite author status. She writes fantasy as it's MEANT to be written. It flows right off the page and into the reader's imagination that you can't help believe or wish it all to be true. Uprooted tells the story of a young village girl who is sent to live in a sorcerer's tower for a decade. Agnieszka, never thought much beyond her village and her dangerous, yet well loved forest, so when she is chosen as tribute, it comes as a complete shock. What can he see in her?!? Well magic, that's what he sees, unbeknownst to her, there is a vein of magic running through her and with a little nourishment and training she may surpass the sorcerer himself. It's very auspicious timing really, because the wood is angry. It's been lobbying attacks for years, but now the wood is on a mission and the sorcerer can barely keep it at bay. Can Agniescka help keep the wooded monsters in check? Beautifully written, it's like a song. I adored this book and can't wait for more from this author!!!