The Greatest Beer Run Ever

Interesting; a story you have to read to believe. This is the insane, hard to believe story of a man who went overseas to bring beer and words of encouragement to the boys from his neighborhood serving in Vietnam. Chickie served four years in the Marines but was dubbed to old to re-up and serve in the Vietnam War. On a whim he agrees to the neighborhoods crazy idea of boosting the soldier's morale. Armed with a case of beer and his seaman's card he signed up on the first ship headed to Vietnam and literally jumped right into the was AS A CIVILIAN to check n on the boys from his neighborhood. It's wild; the scrapes he gets in are impressive (and terrifying). Interesting memoir and perfect for military lovers and vets.

I'm Your Huckleberry

This book was... interesting. I didn't know much about Val other than the movies I'd seen about him but a lot of this book was which celebrity women he's been with, how good he is at everything, his career, all the roles he's turned down, bizarre poetry, and a lot of spiritual beliefs about LOVE and seeing angels and having premonitions. In chapter one he said that he had a crush on all his readers but I can't say I necessarily return that feeling. It was interesting learning some Hollywood stuff BUT... he came across as pretty pompous. So much name dropping and wild claims about how he could do anything. I would rate this as a 2, but I'm bumping it up to a 3 because of the entertainment value and pictures.

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors

What an enjoyable and fresh take on Pride and Prejudice!! A lot less campy than the movie "Bride and Prejudice;" this Indian version flips around some of the gender roles (Wickham is a girl who cozies up to Darcy and Trisha tries warning him off) and sets it in modern day San Francisco. Dr. Trisha Raje is an acclaimed neurosurgeon and DJ (Darcy) is an acclaimed chef who has moved to the US to help his sister deal with a tumor affecting her eyesight. Dr. Raje is the one helping Emma with her tumor and that puts her in direct contact with DJ. They immediately get off to a bad start; especially when they realize that they have to work together for a catered event for Dr. Raje's brother. Deliciously cute, a realistic slow burn take on a classic. I can't wait to read more in this series!

The Honey-Don't List

Is this book life changing? No. Is it hilarious? Yes. I read and loved The Unhoneymooners so I knew I was in for a treat when I picked this up. So witty, fun, and breezy this is the perfect beach read. Carey has worked for the Tripps for a decade and all she wants is time to rest. They have a TV show, multiple books and are America's home renovating sweethearts. The facade is starting to crack though and Carey's job is to help Melissa Tripps keep it together. James is Rusty Tripp's "assistant" and he couldn't be more different from Carey. They are like oil and water. When they are both informed last minute that their vacation's are cancelled and they have to go on a week long book tour with the Tripps and keep them from screaming at each other public they find themselves unable to avoid each other. And maybe it's the stress, but there seems to be a bit of a spark. Cute, charming, and hilarious. I loved every page of this!

When Calls the Heart

Very clean and wholesome; When Calls the Heart follows a young proper woman who travels to the Canadian West to teach in a one room schoolhouse near her half brother. Instead of getting to stay with her brother however she is given an outpost over 100 miles away. She has to learn to fend for herself, manage kids who have never had schooling, and try not to get too lonely. She finds herself looking forward to seeing a strapping young man but when she finds out he's the father to one of her students she's a little heartbroken. She relies on her faith and her family to make it through the loneliness and doubt. i really like the setting and it's a quick and light read perfect for all ages.

Dancing at the Pity Party

What a poignant heartfelt book. Unlike anything else out there; the graphic novel is a memoir of loss. One girl trying to come to terms with the loss of her mom, the anger, the platitudes, the awkwardness, the sadness is all brilliantly captured through comic art. Funny, moving, and exceptionally deep and nuanced. Sometimes you need to let it all out and this book perfectly captures what it's like to suffer the loss of a parent. Even if you're lucky enough not to have lost one, reading this can help how you interact with friends and loved ones as they're coping with loss. An absolutely exceptional read!

Diamonds are Forever

Quite different than the movie, and filled with sexist, racist, and homophobic content. However, this was written in the fifties so I won't judge it through today's lens. Plot wise - I thought there would be much more about the diamonds, but really James Bond is seeing how far down the criminal pipeline he can go. They're pretty sure the source of illegal diamonds is from French Guinea (or around there) and they know they end up in America. It's up to Bond to pose as one of the low level carriers and see how far on the criminal trail he can get. His new job takes him to New York, Saratoga, and Vegas. These American mobsters are more methodical and organized than he gave them credit for and it's not as easy as a job as he assumed it would be. Lots of action, intrigue, some sex appeal, and unique villains. Classic James Bond.