Geek Logic

Geek Logic
By Garth Sundem
0761140212 115p

Funny, cute! I didn't do all the equations, since of course they didn't all apply to me. But I did read all the intros, funny guy! And I discovered it's okay to talk about my exes- I'm over them, that I'm too smart for my job, and also underpaid. All things I knew, but it was nice to have the math to back it up, ha!
8/10

Chicken Soup for the Country Soul

Chicken Soup for the Country Soul
By Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
236p

Now, these I was expecting that I would cry for, being Country and all!
8/10

The Alchemist

The Alchemist
By Paulo Coelho
0062502182 174p

Intriguing story, I like the full circle effect. Favorite line, from page 158 in my version: "No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central rold in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it."
8/10

Falling Angels

Falling Angels
By Tracy Chevalier
0525945814 321p

When I got to the end, I thought I had read this before, it seemed so familiar. I looked through this blog and didn't see it listed, so I guess I'm wrong. Very very odd. Book itself- disturbing but amazingly written. Jumping around person to person and year to year was a bit off, like I was reading a condensed book. And you never got to care too much about any character. But it was amazing anyway, you know it's well written when you actually dislike characters and your stomach is in knots over fictional events.
8/10

From the Heart

From the Heart
By Nora Roberts
0515119652 545p

3 books. Tonight and Always: I liked Alison and the grandfather the best, of course. 8/10
A Matter of Choice: Good, not too compelling though. 7/10
Endings and Beginnings: Okay. 7/10
7/10

The Quilter's Kitchen

The Quilter's Kitchen
By Jennifer Chiaverini
1410408191 202p (sort of)

Not really an Elm Creek story, instead it's a cookbook with very short chapters covering a day cleaning out cabinets and finding old items to tell short stories about.
7/10

Persepolis

Persepolis
By Marjane Satrapi
9781435276253 341p

I didn't like her that much, she seemed strangely spoiled in the midst of all the politics and war, she seemed disconnected from reality. Like, continuing to have the parties after her friend died. And being pissed at her whole school when some of them disapproved of her having sex with her boyfriend. And getting that guy in trouble so she wouldn't get in trouble for wearing make-up. Beautifully drawn and full of information, though.
9/10

Middlesex

Middlesex
By Jeffrey Eugenides
0312422156 529p

Wow. Moving and pretty powerful. Found myself peeking at it during work, ignoring all the paper on my desk just to read one more page, paragraph, sentence!
9/10

Homespun Bride

Homespun Bride
By Jill Strickler
0373827822 282p

Cute, knew where it was headed of course. Too surface-y.
7/10

Public Secrets

Public Secrets
By Nora Roberts
0553285785 481p

Dang, I figured out who one of the 2 guys were about halfway through the book. I really wanted to be wrong too!
8/10

The Lives They Left Behind

The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic
By Darby Penney and Peter Stastny
Photographs by Lisa Rinzler

A bunch of suitcases were found in the attic of a former mental hospital in upstate New York. The authors picked 10 of these suitcases and found out the stories of the men and women they belonged to. I was expecting more photographs, from what I had read about the book. Interesting, quick read, but I was a bit put off my how much anger the authors have towards the employees of the asylum. They admit that there was much they didn't know at the time about mental illness, yet still attack the workers for not knowing things.
8/10
9781934137079 189p

Not Quite What I Was Planning

Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure
By Smith Magazine
9780061374050 219p

Not as good as the Post Secret books, though I think they're based on a similar concept. This one is, Hemingway was supposedly once challenged to write a complete story in only 6 words. Amid doubts that this could be done, he hands over a masterpiece: "For sale: Baby shoes, never worn." Chilling, brilliant, horrifying. The editors of Smith Magazine challenged people to write their own life stories in 6 words.
And yes, I thought of mine, and though goodness knows I talk way too much to ever really do 6 words, here goes: "Always ready for my next adventure."
9/10

Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey
By Jane Austen
via www.gutenberg.org

Her earliest work that I've liked so far! And I really liked it, intriguing and interesting. I genuinely like Catherine, although she was an idiot at times. Henry was sweet, would have liked to have heard more about him. And would have liked to know how Isabella turned out. But otherwise, very enjoyable.
9/10

It's Not News, It's Fark

It's Not News, It's Fark
By Drew Curtis
9781592402915 268p

Hysterical at parts, simply amusing most of the other times. He's got a great point, actually many of them! Full disclosure: I don't read news anymore, finding it pointless 98% of the time. The other 2%, I will eventually hear from others.
9/10

5th Portion of Chicken Soup for the Soul

5th Portion of Chicken Soup for the Soul
By Jack Canfield and mark Victor Hansen
1558745432 367p

These all seemed designed to make people cry, didn't like that. Sure, make me cry on some stories, fine, but balance it out with the same number that make me smile or laugh.
8/10

What Life Was Like in the Age of Chivalry

What Life Was Like in the Age of Chivalry
Time Life Books
0783554516 156p

Good overview, the illustrations really fit into the subject on the page (I've found that's sometimes not the case, it's like the author found a cool object and wanted to cram it in somewhere, even if it doesn't make sense there!). Overall, good.
9/10

P.S. I Love You

P.S. I Love You
By Cecelia Ahern
0736698701 12 hours book on CD

I really didn't like Holly for most of the book. Even at the end she hadn't really grown on me. I think one of the most jarring, annoying parts was when she had her month where she was supposed to do karaoke. She kept saying it was the worst day of her life. Her husband, before the book began, was diagnosed with a brain tumor, went through treatment that failed, she lost her job taking care of him and he ultimately died. But the day she does karaoke is the worst day of her life?? Seriously, that's sick.
7/10

Medieval Myths

Medieval Myths
By Norma Lorre Goodrich
0452011280 277p

Interesting in an academic way, though I'm guessing these stories are more compelling in their original language. Mysogenistic and sometimes rambling.
7/10

A Very Special Delivery

A Very Special Delivery
By Linda Goodnight
9781426830648 250p

I liked it, seemed true to life, good characters and believable situations.
8/10

Memoir of Jane Austen

Memoir of Jane Austen
By James Edward Austen-Leigh
via www.gutenberg.org ~200p

Short, not many details. Which is understandable since she didn't leave much behind in way of letters. But I expected more recollections from the family, since this was written by her nephew. Miss Austen seems like she would have been a wonderful person to know.
8/10

Bonk

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
By Mary Roach
306p

Definitely an interesting subject, duh. I liked her approach, scientific yes but also bun. She goes into it with the assumption that sex is a whole lot of things, not just mechanics, not just emotion. Good sense of humor, funny situations that she talked herself into!

The Cinderella Complex

The Cinderella Complex
By Colette Dowling
184p

Out of date. Written in 1981. But I can't see it being relevent then either. Rambling. Doesn't take into account that people may think differently than the author. Interesting idea, I get that she had some sort of relevation in her own life, but it doesn't apply to everyne. I think she reached too far with her ideals.
7/10