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Review: Wuthering Heights

The copy above it not the copy of Wuthering Heights that I listened to. I listened to the audio version of the book. I’m not sure if that was the best choice. I think this is a book to read in its paper form. Maybe I would have appreciated it more then. I was not taken with the story or the characters. Everyone was so upset at each other. All the characters did was continually yell at each other.

This book read to me like a very dramatic soap opera. It just seemed so over the top I couldn’t relate to the characters and they were so insane and upset constantly, with their laid back lives. It was just to ridiculous to me. I didn’t understand why Cathy did as she did. I felt bad for Heathcliff, until he went insane.

I went on to watch the made for tv movie filmed in 2009. I thought that maybe if I saw the movie I might care more for the story and characters. I have to say that the movie did help a little, but it wasn’t enough to elevate the memory of the book in my mind. The most peculiar bit is that my copy ow Wuthering Heights was read to me by a Romulan also, known as Carolyn Seymour.

In addition to being read to my a Romulan I also got to tick another book off my BBC 100 list! Almost, half way through that list.

Review: Truthwitch

I feel torn by this book. I’m not sure what to think. I liked the story. I liked how it was a completely new world that didn’t draw on anything else that I’d ever read or watched. I grew to like some of the characters and I never new were the author was going with the story, so it was very unpredictable. And everyone who has reviewed Truthwitch by Susan Dennard, loves it. 75% of the reviews are 4 or 5 stars and there are 5,500 reviews.

This book is immensely popular right now and everyone loves it. It is the story of two women who are close friends and an adventure they go through, where one finds love. However, this is just the first book in a series that is still being written so if you read this you will not find closure at least not until the other books are out.

I didn’t love the writing in this book, I found it a little too 50 shades of grey in places. That just doesn’t appeal to me. I’m sure I would be bored to death with a romance novel. Still I can read the driest of history or science novels in complete rapture so it can safely be said I’m not the average reader.

This all being said, this biggest question I have coming out of this book is not about anything I read in it, because its just not that interesting. The question I have is will the second book be worth reading? Do I like these characters enough to care what happens next to them. I’m truly on the fence about it. I feel like this world has a lot of potential. Thats why I am going to give this book 3 our of 5 stars. I’m in the minority here only 16% of people gave this book 3 stars.

Review: Smuggler’s Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure

I just realized that I have read three of Greg Rucka’s books this year. I just finished Smuggler’s Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure and I he also wrote Shattered Empire and Before the Awakening. I gave both those books 4 out of 5 stars and I still remember really liking both a lot. But this book fell short of both of those. Smuggler’s Run: A Han Solo Adventure was okay, but not as engrossing as either of the other two I read this year.

It is a very quick story. Han meets some bounty hunters in a bar and tells them a story of a time he escaped from the Imperials. It was a quick story. It lacked excitement and needed more suspense and thrill. But it is Star Wars so it still gets 3 stars. Not sure how this helped lead to the Force Awakens storyline though.

Review: The Secret Garden

This children’s classic is about a girl orphan and a little sickly boy who strike up a friendship because of their similar disposition and their shared interest in a secret garden. Through their friendship and plenty of play in the secret garden the sickly boy regains his health. Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic The Secret Garden is a great book. Thats what makes it a classic. Like everyone else I have heard of this book and I also knew that it was a 1993 movie of the same title.

I didn’t start listening to this book for any of those reasons though. I did start listening to it because it is on my BBC 100 list. That makes it part of one of a few challenges I am completing in this year. I downloaded this book on my iPhone via overdrive and listened whenever I had a moment. It is well read by Johanna Ward aka Jennifer Mendenhall. I’m very confused as to why these narrators keep different names. I’m sure its all due to how “show business” works. David Case did the same thing.

This was the 23rd book I’ve read thus far this year. I’m about 10 books ahead of my goal of 100 books. Plus this means I have another book off the BBC 100 list. At sometime I would really like to be able to watch the movies that all these books have associated with them, but I can’t keep myself from picking up a book instead of watching television.

I liked this book. It wasn’t amazing, but again is a children’s story. It is a sold 3 star book in my opinion and I am glad I have read it. I can see why it is a classic.

Review: All Joy and No Fun

Reading All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior was a welcome break from all the fiction I have been reading. I love a good non-fiction book and this cross between a parenting and psychology book was good fun. I believe that I first heard of Jennifer Seniors book via a TED talk she gave in 2014:

Like most TED talks the speakers are very good. They are practiced and the speech comes off flawlessly. Also, like most speaking at TED then are selling something. In Ms. Senior’s case she was selling her book and doing a damn good job of it too. It worked on me. I got her book, but didn’t read it until recently.

Senior has a very interesting way of approaching the parenting book writing process. Instead of telling you how to raise your children like so many of the books out there do, she is more interested in looking at how raising children effects the parents.

What it does to us. the good and the bad. How does having children change us? It is an interesting take. I felt something was missing in this book and it could very well be the lack of child rearing advice or maybe it was something else. Funny thing is that Senior herself writes a good many book reviews. You see she works for the New York Times.

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars. As I said, I felt something was missing, I just can’t put my finger on it. All in all it was a good fiction read, well written and researched. If you are looking for a parenting self-help book that turns the question around, this is it.

Review: The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro is a curious novel. I really liked the main character. I wanted to pick up this book often. It is about a butler who goes on a car trip to see a housekeeper that used to work in the same house as he did. On his trip he comes to some realizations that his former employer may not have been all that he previously thought he was. He also finds that he may have had feelings for the housekeeper that left the house they both worked at. A very interesting look into the thoughts of this man and what it means to look back at your life, if you don’t particularly like what you were then. I gave this book 4 our of 5 stars.

I really enjoy the climbthestacks reviews and Ashley happens to have already done a video review of The Remains of the Day. It is excellent and you should watch it:

What are we supposed to take away from this book, what is the butler a metaphor? Thanks to YouTube we can get it from the man himself:

Review: Star Wars: Princess Leia

When I first heard that new Star Wars comics were going to come out I was very excited and I told myself I will buy all of these and I can’t wait to read them all. Thing is I didn’t realize all of them were coming out at the same time and that comic books now cost $3.99 each! With them all coming out at the same time it is hard to keep up with all of them. Plus 5 of these things would be $20! It is also hard to keep up with all the different ones that are coming out. I think there are a dozen different comics series right now for Star Wars. There is Shattered Empire, Princess Leia, Star Wars, Lando, Chewbacca, etc.

Star Wars: Princess Leia by Mark Waid, contains the first 5 comics from the Princess Leia series. The story was okay, it did give up some details about what happened before the Force Awakens, but really it wasn’t enough. The story was not as well written as Shattered Empire. The art was nowhere near as good as Shattered Empire either. This graphic novel was a fun distraction, but I don’t think it’s going to get non-graphic novel readers to read comic and it’s not going to draw in people who are not already fans of Star Wars. I would say if you are trying to keep up with everything in the Star Wars universe that this is one that you can safely skip. Maybe the next collection of Princess Leia comics will be better.

Review: Cold Comfort Farm

I liked the writing in this book very much. I originally picked up Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons because it is on my BBC list. I am very glad it was. The characters of Gibbons novel are particular and quirky. I had a little trouble getting to know the family at first, but after I had everyone placed things went really well. I occasionally had to re-read a line or two here and there since the acent some of the characters has was written in a bit difficult language for me.

Women are all alike– aye fussin’ over their fal-lals and bedazin’ a man’s eyes…

I really enjoyed Flora and I loved how the Starkadders addressed her as “Robert Poste’s Child” all the time. I’m totally going to do that to my nephew next time I see him. I loved reading a Penguin Classic. There is something about these little back books that is so enjoyable! Stella Gibbons first novel was this in 1932 and I have to say she did a stellar job on her very first book! Simply amazing for a first effort. The introduction talks about how this plagued her for the rest of her life. She hardly ever talked about the book and when she did, she never mentioned it by name. Only saying that thing or something similar.

Spoilers below:

Continue reading Review: Cold Comfort Farm

Review: Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know

This picture book or coffee table book if you like has a very long title. The full title: Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know: Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And as you would assume a book with a title this long requires more than one author, four actually: Adam Bray, Cole Horton, Michael Kogge, and Kerrie Dougherty.

If you get the feeling that this books title and abundance of authors is trying to compensate for something, you would be right. First and foremost, this is a book written for juniors, DK says 8-12. It would probably be perfect for a 8 year-old boy. But I wanted more. I wanted the mysteries that the movie brought to use at least hinted at. Seeing as the target demographic is 8-12 year-old boys it makes sense that the bulk of the book deals with descriptions of characters, buildings, and droids/robots.

I did learn things I didn’t know before leafing through the pages, so it is a worth while checkout from your library, but unless you have some Star Wars fans that fall in the target age group I wouldn’t purchase this one. Keep to the books for the most part. If you have watched the Clone Wars and are watching Rebels you will already know more that what is in this book. There are only four pages or so in the back of the book that pertain to The Force Awakens, so don’t get this if you think it will reveal more about the movie.

Having said that the pictures are great quality like every DK book and there is a lot of information there.

Review: Someday, Someday, Maybe

I’m so excited. I heard via Kindles and Wine, that Lauren Graham wrote a book! Awesome for fans of the Gilmore Girls, then I read more and see that she voices her own audiobook! I know I’m going to get this right away. I’ve always been a fan of the Gilmore Girls, I think my sister-in-law Lisa introduced me to the show, I’m not sure. Anyway, I’m writing this a little early since I haven’t finished listening to the book yet, I found it on Overdrive, but I had to write down how I felt about the series coming back. Thats right, It has been confirmed by the New York Times that the show is coming back to Netflix! No solid dates, but how awesome. They are recording now!

I CAN NOW CONFIRM: it’s time for me, and this jacket I stole in 2007, to return to work.@netflix #GilmoreGirls pic.twitter.com/tBb07J9oO1

— Lauren Graham (@thelaurengraham) January 29, 2016

So, if you will excuse me I have to go back to listening to this audiobook!

Okay, all done. When I was down to the last 20 minutes it was hard to move forward, because I knew the book would end soon and the story and worse of all the sound of Lauren Graham’s voice.

I liked the story. It was a good love triangle and Ms. Graham’s wit is quick which made the whole story that much more enjoyable. The book moved fast but had a wonderful writing style that was very easy on the eyes/ears. I was rooting for one of the guys as soon as he was introduced and that was a fun way to listen to the book. This audiobook earned 4 out of 5 stars with me.