Ashley

BLUF: Great book, but does not provide usable insights into depression. (Inaccurate descriptions do a disservice to the disease.)

Plot:Thirteen Reasons Why comes into play after Clay Jensen receives a box of cassette tapes in the mail. These tapes detail the reasons leading up to Hannah Baker's, fellow student and former crush of Clay, suicide. She dictates that these tapes be passed on student to student in the order that they are mentioned in the tape – and has a watchdog to ensure that this occurs, or else. (Ha, I couldn't resist, sorry.) If not passed on, her watchdog will mass distribute these tapes – causing embarrassment for every person mentioned within.

My Thoughts:I won't lie to you; I absolutely adore this audio book. I love the way this book was written. I hung onto every word until the end. Jay Asher is a good writer* and I can't wait to discover other books from him.

Thankfully, Clay Jensen is as obsessed with figuring out Hannah's reasons as I was and doesn't dwell much on his life outside of the tapes, unless he has to. Damn outside distractions. (I say that, but the distractions all added to the story.)

Here is the elephant in the room (aka, my thoughts on Hannah): I can't relate with Hannah. There, I said it. I, who has depression to the point of being suicidal, cannot relate to this teen. What gives?She blames her depression on everyone else. This is not how most people experience depression. People do lash out at others, but typically slip into self-loathing soon after. For someone to craft hours of tape, attempt humor in these tapes, and then to follow through with sending them – I don't buy it.She takes minor situations and exaggerates them. This is accurate with my depression. I can remember, as a kid, crying because I may have hurt the concrete's feelings by walking on it. Or worse – crying because I may have hurt the concrete's feelings by not walking on it. As a teen, crying because I made a joke that the other person took as a joke, but maybe they somehow misinterpreted it and didn't show it. As an adult, just hating myself for every conversation I had – even the simple “Hi, how are you?”s. I can honestly say that I have never thrown my depression towards someone else for an extended period of time. Sure, I've been angry, but for reasons not tied to my depression.She makes readers apathetic towards her and her depression. She makes readers think that it's her fault for how she feels, for being ridiculous. I have mixed feelings on this. Depression is ridiculous. Just look at my exaggerated feelings above. It's not logical. It's laughable. It's, unfortunately, real to us. Even worse, we make helping us impossible for others. So, as much as I hate to say it, this portion of her personality is pretty damn accurate – we make it damn hard to relate, love, and help us.This girl offers no lessons to the readers. She is atypical in her depression. She is petty. She is not relatable even by those of us who have depression. She makes readers think that they should not bother helping those who are depressed because there is not point – they have already decided that they are going to kill themselves and nothing is going to change that.These aspects are very disappointing and I truly hope that this is not the lesson that sticks with the readers.In the End: I know it's weird to like a book about a subject that it inaccurately portrays, but Asher captivated me. While I thought Hannah was petty and misguided, her story is well told. I wanted to know how it ended, even when she was crafting the reasons for her death.*Cannot speak to grammar, punctuation, etc.Medication works wonders – I'm not at risk.

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BLUF: Stereotypical detective story.

In hindsight...

I'm not sure if it's funny, or sad, but little more than a month later, I am having problems remembering what I enjoyed about this book.

The Black Echo follows detective Harry Bosch, a former tunnel rat, whose partner is more interested in selling real estate than solving crimes. This doesn't bother Bosch, who is your stereotypical lone cop that doesn't play well with others or follow the rules. Bosch takes a cut and dry overdose and delves into the possibility of murder. For me, it was too far fetched that this detective would have pushed to research a death that was seemingly straightforward, but it plays into his stubborn nature and, as it turns out, the death was not as obvious as it seemed. To make it more interesting, his department has surveillance on him due to his questionable methods and, of course, his blatant disregard for authority.

I have this bad habit of researching a character that I cannot place and turning to Wikipedia or an online blog in order to figure out their role. Well, Wikipedia gave away the ending for me, which greatly took away from the story. Because of this, it was difficult for me to take the relationships as the author intended.

That said, I found this novel intriguing and easy to follow. Bosch is your typical, arrogant detective who is better than everybody else and a hell of a lot smarter. He works through the case, opening more doors than he closes, and ends up discovering the truth, even though it is a surprise to the readers.

While I wouldn't call this novel suspenseful, I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns of the story and enjoyed this novel very much. It's the classic detective novel I was looking for and I couldn't put the novel down until I finished it.

BLUF: Slow, but steady read. Good for those (like me) who naturally suspend their disbelief.

Meet Charlie, “Bird”. Bird is a poor excuse for a husband, but didn't deserve the loss of his wife and his daughter to a serial killer. After the death of his family, Bird left the NYPD for freelance detective work. Well, sort of. The book starts with Bird acting as a bounty hunter to pass the time, but he is soon wrapped into a case to find a missing woman as a favor to an old PD friend.

What should be a simple case soon becomes more complicated. As the bodies start piling up around the missing woman case, Bird also has to deal with the return of his wife and daughter's killer. Obsessively, Bird seeks to trap his family's killers. The hunt is on.

This book starts rather gruesomely, with the detailed killings of our main character's wife and child. A lot of people are not going to be interested in reading such details, but, for the rest of us, the morbid curiosity is all we need to get sucked into this book.

The first case is slow and not very entertaining. Bird travels to a town where nobody wants to deal with him. The case isn't very interesting and the effort the “bad guys” put into inconveniencing Bird is bizarre and excessive. The case has an enjoyable ending and I would have felt comfortable ending the book right then.

After the first case and a call from the killer himself/herself, Bird gets renewed motivation to track down his family's killer. Along the way, Bird finds himself dragged into gang turf wars, frozen out of the FBI's investigation, and in the arms of a new lover. This case is more enjoyable, but not necessarily “realistic”.

This book contained little things that I felt were truly unrealistic. At one point, the police act on Bird's tip without any real question or further proof. Quick friendships with gang leads, welcoming into the FBI investigation, even if informally, and friends who would drop anything to fly to where you are and wreak havoc is a bit.. far-fetched for me.

All-in-all, I enjoyed this book and will revisited the series at some point in the future.

I received this book free through Goodreads First Read program in exchange for an honest review. I'm not a good reviewer, but here is my take:

This story had a slow start and I was worried that I would not be interested enough to make the time finish reading it. It took between 60 and 80 pages to get hooked, but once I did, I could not put this book down. I cared about the characters and was captivated by the storyline. To me, this means a lot!

BLUF: I didn't find the main character appealing.

I feel guilty writing reviews of books that were written in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s. It was a whole different world back then. I would love to get into some of these popular author's books, but they seem to be mostly in series from this time and I just don't know where to start.

Rules of Prey follows “maddog”, a serial rapist/murderer who is obsessive about leaving no traces at his crime scenes with the exception to his own notes – each of which lists a rule that he keeps in order to ensure he doesn't get caught. Lucas Davenport, a playboy detective, will do anything to catch this killer – including feeding lies to the media, setting up unsuspecting victims, and withholding information from his station.

Rules of Prey introduces us to the murderer from the beginning. There isn't any mystery in who he is or his motives, but rather, when the police will uncover these truths. He's described as highly intelligent, but never shows this trait. Rather he is a player who enjoys the game he creates between him and the police.

Another individual described as intelligent is Lucas Davenport. I'm not buying it. I know it's indicative of the times, but I just can't respect a man who uses women as if they aren't worth anything ESPECIALLY a man who chooses to act this way after finding out one of the women, who he actually likes as a person, is pregnant. Talk about chauvinistic.. but hey, he only sleeps with smart women – maybe he hopes they'll rub off on him.

“You know enough of [the women that I have dated] to see the pattern,” he said. “I don't go out with dummies.”

BLUF: Pass on this. This book discusses morality, but will not bring you much insight into the origins of good and evil, as the title suggests.

When you title a book “Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil”, your readers expect you to primarily talk about babies, goodness, and evil. Pretty straightforward, right? Not in this case. This book spent the majority of its content on goodness, about third of its content on babies, and very little content, if any, on evilness.

Essentially, this book is on morality. But isn't morality good versus evil? No, not really. Morality regards right and wrong, specifically in relation to one's cultures.

As for babies and morality, this book does focus on a number of studies, which found that small children prefer characters that assist or are positive towards others over characters that cause detriment or are otherwise neutral to the situation. It also found that babies are more likely to share with a familiar face than an unfamiliar one, if you want to freak out a baby, just act frozen, and “no baby is an island”. Of course, these last concepts don't attribute to the purpose of the book.

That's about it for the babies in this book. No joke.

An interesting thing mentioned in this book about children is that children (when making friends or choosing who to talk to) are more likely to be drawn to a person of their own race over the race of another. At the same time, children are more likely to be drawn to a person with the same accent (regardless of race) over a child of the same race but a foreign accent. This was tied into morality through discussion of how people treat/mistreat others, i.e. racism, sexism, etc. The idea being that we prefer what is familiar and the best way to make unfamiliar cultures become familiar is through personal contact and stories. Personally, I don't see a strong connection between morality and this information, but I do find it interesting.

The other main discussion involving children was shown to apply to both children and adults: we become bothered when we are rewarded less than those around us. As with above, I fail to see the point that relates it to the book. Again, it's not about babies, not about good, and not about evil. Hmm..

Let's sum up the book with one of its' parting ideas:

“Moral deliberation is ubiquitous, but psychologist typically overlook it. This is, in part, because everybody loves counterintuitive findings. Discovering that individuals have moral intuitions that they struggle to explain is exciting and can get published in a top journal. Discovering that individuals have moral intuitions that they can easily explain, such as the wrongness of drunk driving, is obvious, uninteresting, and unpublishable. It is fascinating to discover that individuals who are asked to assign a punishment to a criminal are influenced by factors that they are unaware of, like the presence of the flag in the room, or that they would consciously disavow, like the color of the criminal's skin. It is boring to find that individuals proposed punishments are influenced by rational considerations, such as the severity of the crime and the criminal's previous record. Interesting.”

BLUF: This book is exactly how you think it will be. Good, but dated.

Plot: Eccentric Billionaire, John Hammond, owns a bioengineering firm which ventures into the re-creation of dinosaurs with the purpose of creating a zoo – the first of its' kind. It's not entertaining to have only omnivores; Hammond creates the carnivores too. Due to investor concerns (specifically, the deaths of some workers due to “construction accidents”, EPA investigations, and lizard attacks on nearby islands), Hammond's lawyers advises that outside experts be brought in as a test trail for the park. What should have been an enlightening weekend trip soon turns into a nightmare when the park's system crashes.

My Apathy: I'm disappointed in myself for not liking this book more than I did. I have read Michael Crichton outside this series and enjoyed it, but there is something about horror books with animals as the scare factor that just doesn't work for me. Ghosts, paranormal, etc. scare me. Dinosaurs, killer insects, etc. do not. That said, if you are a person who does get scared by man-eating dinosaurs, you will love this book. There are many close calls and enough tension to keep you on edge.

As for the rest: The story is pretty darn good. It's everything you could want: there are those in the shop trying to bring the park back on line, those in the field fighting for their lives and to get back in the resort, and many deaths in between the groups. The characters were realistic in their flaws and personality, but I don't really have anything to say about them. (Three weeks later and they don't stick in my head. Hmm...)

Comparison to the movie: The movie does not majorly deviate from the story until after the car crashes down the tree. This is perfect for those of us who cannot envision a book after seeing a movie, as it allows us to view the book from our perspectives. (I hate the feeling of déjà vu that comes when this happens.)

My real only complaint: As with The Lost World, Ian Malcolm drove me up the wall. This character will talk your ear off and it is absolutely painful. I'm not sure if this is because he is into himself or if it is simply the content of his speech. Thankfully, he has much less of a role in this book than he does in The Lost World.

This book is very informative and is aimed to educate elementary school children about bats.

There was a strong influence on the ways that humans can accidentally cause bats to die in this book and my 9 year old nephew was a little sensitive to these facts (although his 8 year old sister wasn't), but, overall, it's essential for kids to know how our inadvertent actions can affect these animals.

This book also touched on what to do if a bat flies into one's house. This isn't a common problem where I live, but it's very good information to have stored just in case.

Overall, the kids enjoyed learning about what and how much bats eat, how bats find their way around, and the roles of bats in relation to humans. I found this book perfect for the kids' age group and that the book gave enough information for me, as the reader, to answer any of the kid's extra questions.

I really did not like this book. This was my first Alex cross book and I regret reading it as I now have no desire to read any other book in the series. The characters weren't relatable, the conversations and situations were lacking, and I cared more about what happened with the side story crimes than I did about the stalker of Alex cross. On top of everything else, this book ended without resolution. Let's just be honest, you can only really end a book that way if the story leaves the reader wanting more. (I definitely did not!)

The boy (10 y.a.) picked this book up because it had the word “sword” in the title. he doesn't know it yet,but he's about to be disappointed. So far he has enjoyed the book's humor (the bus farted, what the –), but we will see.

As for me, I picked it up just to see what kind of books he has been reading lately (aka, to understand and be able to suggest books to read together). Being the middle of the series, I didn't understand the appeal and I've always enjoyed books that wrap up their adventures in a single book, which is something this series wouldn't be able to do given that each book is on a single clue.

Edit: My review was based on the 2020/2021 Allie. With 2022 came allegations of SA and 2023 brought a whole spiral to Allie, to include slamming followers and anyone who disagrees (even when it's medically unsafe to agree - like the potato juice for strep throat supposedly posted for the algorithm/to be viral).

I don't know what's going on (and don't need to), but I am really struggling to balance who she was with who she is now (in regards to how much and often she is putting other people down). She no longer has faith in or cheerleads her followers and, knowing that, I don't think I could read this book again and feel like it is authentic. It seemed that way at the time, but I can't help to question it now after seeing everything that is being posted by Allie.

”Life is too short to drink out of a fugly mug.”This book is authentically Allie and I am so here for it. I discovered Allie last year when I was on a podcast kick and the mindset shift she presents when it comes to being in a state of lack (vs. abundance) changed my relationship with my time and my belongings. Shortly after, I was able to join her 2021 Declutter Like A Mother challenge on Facebook. Because of this experience, I couldn't help but visualize Allie's mannerisms and excitement while reading this book. I even heard the text through her voice. It feels kind of creepy to admit that, but the words are so true to what she would say if this were instead a podcast, class, or Facebook challenge that I couldn't help hearing it that way.If you haven't participated in a Declutter Like A Mother Challenge, I am excited that you get to do so for the first time. The physical goal is decluttering, but there is a larger mental goal of lightening the load and stress on your life through the removal of clutter. My favorite part about this method is that it's not focused on rules or numbers, but what works best for you. ”You get to decide what's good enough for you right now. You focus on progress, not perfection; you focus on what you think is going to work for you and your family, not on what works for someone else.”If you have participated in a Declutter Like A Mother challenge, you already know the general content and layout of this book, but I will say that reliving that experience at my own pace and being able to relive it as often as I like is pretty dang useful. I've come a long way since January's challenge, but after a big purge, I've realized it's an ongoing process. Like with the annual challenge, it's hard to make it through a section without feeling the urge to immediately get up and start decluttering.This book is written casually. If you're not familiar with Allie, I recommend popping into one of her podcast episodes to get a feel for her style and overall vibe. I recommend this because I tend to be a skeptic and reading a book without understanding the authenticity or tone behind someone's written word is difficult for me. This isn't required in order enjoy the book of course, but it will add to the experience.”Whatever we call it, it's about being intentional. It's about simplifying. It's about having less of what doesn't matter in order to make room for what does.”At the end of the day, I adore Allie because she has faith in her followers and cheerleads us on while also being direct about what our true holdups are. Her desire to do this with the hold ups we have in our home has encouraged long lasting change in my life. If you can appreciate the beauty in this and are ready to approach your home with a new mindset, you'll love this book.

Thank you Nelson Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

BLUF: I really enjoyed certain aspects of this book, but, as a whole, the book didn't do much for me.

Back of Beyond is the first in the Cody Hoyt series. Cody Hoyt is your typical, angry lone wolf who doesn't play well with others. I've been having a hard time with this type of character lately, but, for whatever reason, came to an acceptance with Hoyt after he exposes that he's a recovering alcoholic. (This may have to do with the last book I read, whose main character was presumed guilty after a relapse from alcoholism, but was a very caring family-oriented man.)

I'm not sure what went wrong with this book, but it lost me when Cody jumped from the murder of his mentor to the idea that the murderer now journeyed on a pack trip with his son and was, somehow, an imminent threat. This was too far of a stretch for me. While I understand that no one wants their child on a trip with a murderer, I don't understand how a threat was felt so instantly after the determination that the murderer was on the same trip, especially when the murderer's victims were all alcoholics – not teenage boys.

In all, I enjoyed the interactions between characters, but wasn't fond of how the mystery unfolded

This was one of the few mandatory reading books I actually enjoyed in high school. Unfortunately, my feelings for this book have changed since then. I'm not such a fan of the monotone way of life depicted and the parts I enjoyed - the romance - was fleeting. The end was drawn out, but I can understand the intent. Overall, I'd suggest leaving this book to the poor high schoolers.

BLUF: Good concept, but the relationship is overly idealistic and keeps the reader at an arm's distance.

In hindsight...

I chose this book to fulfill the “classic romance” portion of my 2015 reading challenge. I don't really know what a classic romance is, but most books on the classic romance list were published in the 1900s or before – something I knew I wouldn't be able to finish – so, alas, I chose this classic.

Let's start with the bad: The relationship held by the main characters is insanely unrealistic. Their entire relationship is without conflict and is overly endearing. This is primarily because the book doesn't give you the opportunity to truly know the characters. Like another reviewer explained, you read about what they do, but aren't privy to how they feel. Also, there is too much sex considering how impersonal their relationship reads. It's not appealing.

The idea that Henry completely (and easily) drops his current relationship for Clare is hard to believe. Actually, everything surrounding that aspect of the book was hard to believe. From the ex's friend discussing and becoming friends with Clare to the suicide as a result of Henry leaving this woman. It should have been better explained.

Now with the good: Having read the reviews prior to the book, I entertained lowered expectations. So, feel free to take my review with a grain of salt.

I really enjoyed the concept behind this book as well as the execution. It didn't bother me that the book jumped in time. Actually, I enjoyed this style and cannot imagine any other style to be as effective. As another reader so finely put it, this novel is science fiction marketed as fiction to attract more readers and, guess what? It works.

I know this sounds ridiculous but I enjoyed that there were characters in the story that knew Henry's secret and that there was a medial research aspect entertained. It made the concept of time travel more real to me. (That said, I am able to suspend my disbelief easier than others.)

The end was heart wrenching. Truly. It was worthwhile and a large portion of why I voted three stars instead of two.