David

Unpopular opinion:
Much like a corpse dragged out of a car submersed in water, this story was bloated and it stank.
Perhaps my expectations were too high. Perhaps I'm annoyed that I actually bought the book. I almost gave up on it but figured it would get better.
It really didn't.
Not very scary...too many irrelevant characters...and endless prose that made me question if he got paid by the word.
And the ending? Really?

I think one of Butler's many Talents was predicting the future. It was impossible not to think of Donald Trump when she was writing about demagogue and fascist President Jarrett. With that said, I found this less compelling than Sower, and at times a bit repetitive with not much happening. There is no doubt Butler was an extremely talented writer, and I did enjoy the story, just not as much as I was hoping.

“This story is about a lot of things, but mostly about idiots.”
And with that begins the story of a bank robbery, a hostage drama and an examination of friendship, forgiveness and hope all told in a manner that will make you both laugh and cry.
This was my first book by Backman but it will definitely not be my last!
In short, I absolutely LOVED it!

For anyone who has lost a pet (or “Being”, as Reagan refers to them), this roadmap to working through your grief and letting go to focus on the happy memories is for you.
With inspirational quotes and journaling exercises to work through your grief, this honest, funny, heartbreaking book/journal filled with moving prose is like having an understanding and compassionate friend at your side.
A wonderful way to honor and remember your Being for all the love they gave you and for all the love you gave them.

Just finished the book which I never read and so I decided to watch the movie which I had never seen. And I call myself a Stephen King fan. Oh the shame!
Ok film with great performances by Dee Wallace and Danny Pintauro.
No surprise, but the book was better.

Set in the not too distant future (2025-27), this post-apocalyptic story set in Southern California hit really close to home. I was expecting spaceships and other worlds, so this was unexpected, but in a good way! Great characters and great storytelling by Octavia Butler.

A magical journey through 300 years of the life of Addie LaRue, a young French girl who makes a deal with the devil. A captivating tale that actually lives up to the hype. Wonderful characters, beautiful settings and a propulsive story that keeps you turning the pages until the very end.

At 878 pages (apparently that's 309,000 words), this space epic from Paolini was a very entertaining and thrilling ride through the galaxy amongst warring factions of humans and aliens. There were moments that dragged on a bit, but it was never dull. I only wish I knew that there was a glossary at the end of the book which would have cleared up some things for me. So if you do read this, be aware of that glossary! Safe travels!

A fun, easy read about an affluent white woman and her young African-American babysitter. There were some pretty funny moments, but the story also tackled serious issues such as race relations, white privilege and of course racism. I felt the story ended quite abruptly (“did I miss a page?”), but perhaps it was because I wasn't ready to say goodbye.

3.5 stars. A compulsive page turner with many suspects that keeps one guessing until the very end. A cast of characters with secrets to hide, gather on a remote island for a very posh wedding. What could possibly go wrong? While I wasn't blown away by the book, I did enjoy this atmospheric murder mystery.

Unpopular opinion ahead. This had all the right ingredients...strong female protagonists, monsters and racist idiots getting their comeuppance, but this just didn't do it for me. It felt like a missing episode from HBO's Lovecraft Country.
But don't let all that stop you. It could be a case of “it's just me”.

We all have regrets in life. Opportunities and choices we could have taken, but didn't. What if you had the chance to see how your life would have turned out had you acted on those moments? Such is the premise of this fun, magical, emotional & life affirming story.

Are you looking for a feel good book to close out your year? If so, keep looking because this ain't it!
What this is though is a devastating portrait of a young gay boy and his relationship with his alcoholic mother in 1980's Scotland. Beautifully written and heartbreaking.

This is one of those eye opening “must read” books for both kids and adults! An utterly accessible easy read (with “dad jokes”!) delving into the history of racism. This “not history history book” as the author describes it, highlights how the construct of race has been used to oppress those without power and enhance power for those that already have it. It classifies people into 3 categories: Segregationists (aka racists), Assimilationists (black people would be fine if they just act more white) and Antiracists (something we all need to be).
I borrowed this book from the library, but it's so important and impactful, that I'm buying a copy for my shelf.
I hope others feel the same.

What's there to review? It's David Sedaris!
The title says it all.

Really 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 for the ending.
It took a bit for the story to get moving, but once it did, the action didn't stop. Yes, there are still a lot of 80s pop culture references, but having been a teen during that decade, it was right up my alley! Some of the sequences went on a bit too long and my head started to ache with all the tech-talk. Then again, my headache could be a result of having spent the entire day reading this book because it's due back at the library tomorrow! Or maybe it's Synaptic Overload Syndrome from my Oasis Neural Interface headset!

Talk about a page turner!
Right from the opening sentence this book grabs you and does not let go until the very end. On the run from a vengeful cartel leader, a woman and her young son make a harrowing escape from their home in Acapulco with the hope of making it to the United States.

If you're having a rough day with your family, imagine a family of 12 children where 6 of them have some form of schizophrenia. Such is the true life story of the Galvin family. A fascinating portrait of a family dealing with mental illness along with their contribution to science in order to find a cure.

I was initially put off reading this because the book cover I saw had Harry Potter with horns on his head...yeah, no. I should have remembered the old adage: Never Judge a Book by it's Cover!
Yet knowing how much I enjoyed NOS4A2, I gave it a shot.
Glad I did!
What a fun, twisted tale this was!

Really enjoyed the follow up to Bird Box! While I felt the ending wrapped up way too quickly, I think that's in part due to the fact that I didn't want the story to end! A fun, page-turning thriller perfect for the Halloween season!

After all the hype, I found this book a bit difficult to get through. I admit it could just be me, but I found the numerous characters a bit overwhelming. Part of this is due, imho, to them all having the same “voice”, there wasn't much characterization to distinguish them from each other. Plus the supernatural element seemed a bit silly and superfluous. That said, the last third of the book was a page turner.

A very popular book that just wasn't for me.
I'm not a fan of hunting, motorcycles or basketball...so right away I'm operating from a deficit.
There were also times I had absolutely no idea what I was reading but just kept pushing through.
Having said that, if you like horror, then give it a try...perhaps it's your cup of tea.

I'm surprised this book isn't better well-known! It's been out for 14 years and I just now heard about it?! I love a good haunted house story, but this is more than just that. It's about unrequited love, family bonds, magic and leaves!
Yes, leaves. Lots of leaves!

Harry Potter aside, this is my first YA novel I've read and I absolutely loved it! Such a fun read about first love amongst two teenage boys and the obstacles the universe throws at them. A thoroughly enjoyable read with wonderful and witty characters!

And for what it's worth, the sexual identity of @beckyalbertalli is irrelevant...she along with @adamsilvera, wrote a great book!

John Boyne is one of my favorite authors so I was so excited to read his latest work. Part of what I love about his work is his ability to tell an engrossing story that spans the entire life of the main character without becoming boring. With this book, he doubles down on that concept with an epic time hopping tale that begins in the first century and ends in the year 2080. Along the way we encounter some famous historical figures as well as a couple of fictional characters from one of Boyne's earlier works. While the story centers around an unnamed narrator and his family, the relationships and plot stay the same while the names, locations and time period change in what is a very ambitious, clever and compelling tale.