Jennifer

Though I will never understand her bougie lifestyle or her pretentious worldview, I appreciated that this past model/actress put herself out there for all of us to judge. Her life was crazy and nothing that I could truly relate to, but it gave me a glimpse into a life/perspective I have never and will never know, so yay for reading. Some prose was sooo forced or cheesy but I forgave it because of the underlying message she was trying to get across at the time. As a woman, I have issues with some of her life decisions but I mean...who wouldn't. Her adult life was always dependent on men due to her low self-esteem but she was honest enough to tell her story, flaws and all, so I can respect that. Overall, I'm glad I read this and like all 4 star books, made me think and reflect, so 4 stars.

This was a quick, guilty pleasure read. It reads like a fast-paced, mystery, action movie where each chapter ends on a sentence that sounds like click bait (i.e. “I wasn't ready for what happened next” or something like that). As someone who visits DC a lot, I appreciated the name dropping of places. It made me feel more connected to the story. timely references to House of Cards, UVA's Rolling Stones scandal, Duke's lacrosse scandal. Also the references to places I'm familiar with: Adams Morgan, Upperville, King St. in Alexandria, etc.

The dialogue was corny but manageable.

Not sure if this is a spoiler or not, but the story relies heavily on cell phone tower ‘pings' much like Adnan Syed's Serial case. In Serial, we learn that ‘pings' are not actually reliable evidence in court, and yet, in this story, they help solve the mystery??

Real spoiler alert: Why is the only other character in the book the bad guy? Also, why is rape used as a story catalyst? Such a lazy plot device to motivate a character to turn bad. Why bring in the guy's sister at all? Seriously? I was okay with this book until this was revealed...now I'm disgusted. I was going to rate this book at least 3 stars, maybe even 4 for entertainment value, but now this gets a 1 because it's a low-brow piece of crap. Now I'm just mad at myself for reading this book and enjoying it until this sh*tty ending.

Because I enjoyed everything but the freaking ending, I'm giving it 2 stars out of 5. But I can't remember the last time I hated the ending of a story so much.

Side note: why are all wealthy men in books named Gideon??

Thanks to the Penguin First to Read program for this book.

I tried. I really, really tried to finish this book. I got to page 135 and I just couldn't do it. I took notes on some chapters, I tried to relax and just enjoy the book. I tried everything and I still do not have the desire to finish it.

So as far as I got, I can see why some reviewers are comparing it to Station Eleven. It's like a more vulgar, random Station Eleven. In an apocalyptic Ice Age, there are caravans/neighborhoods of people trying to survive. There's Dylan, a giant man who has just lost his mother and grandmother. There's Stella, a transgender pre-pubescent trying to figure out life (as if the teenage years aren't hard enough already). And there's Constance, Stella's mom, who has her own single mom issues. I really didn't understand the randomness of the secondary characters and why I was supposed to just jump in and care about what was happening. (Like the wolf costume in Chapter 15...what?? why??)

I really enjoyed some quotes/paragraphs that Fagan wrote about “freedom” and identity. I will eventually finish this book, probably, but definitely not in the timeframe First To Read gave me.

Thanks to the Penguin First to Read program for this book.

My public health nerd self loved this book. As a public health data analyst, this book helped me see my purpose in my job in a big picture way and inspired me to keep doing what I do. Maybe I made the correct career choice after all.

This book should be called “Depression and Anxiety”. I guess if you've never been depressed and/or had anxiety, here's a book that tries to explain what it feels like, through the lens of an obnoxious, rich, selfish, miserable, white person crying about their perfect life due to undiagnosed mental illness (depression/anxiety) and ennui with everything being so perfect (aka too overly entitled and disengaged for their own good).

Then, Coelho begins describing very real thoughts about depression/anxiety in one's day-to-day life. If you've ever been depressed/anxious, you can relate. Mostly with Linda's blatant denial of her situation and her lecturing other people on what is “socially acceptable” to say to someone who admits they are depressed and/or anxious. Linda is a lost, lonely soul in desperate need of counseling. Though yes, she does try to find a therapist at one point, she is unsatisfied with what she finds. A common problem in society, sure, but if you're truly willing to find help, you will make it a priority to find a therapist you like, and not just give up when you've tried 3 out of a whole city of counselors/therapists.

Finally, at some point, the adulterous relationship is consummated and it's (expectedly) terrible. I guess if the reader was thinking of committing such an act, this book is a great resource for This Is What Happens When You Cheat, And It's Terrible. This character is one-dimensional and boring.

Why was this even written? Aren't there other stories that more artistically and interestingly describe cheating and marriage? This book was painful to read and I finished it out of principle (I told myself to finish the books I read this year).

The ending is sh*tty. So dumb. Are you kidding me?! Paragliding does not cure depression. Do not quote the Bible to me as an allegory and a cure for this woman's mental illness. So dumb.

TL;DR: Miserably depressed lady cheats. Got bored with boring woman. Stupid ending.

I hate Chelsea Handler on TV (like, hate. I never laugh once) but I enjoyed this book. On TV, her crassness and bluntness comes off as too mean with no heart. In this book, I felt she put her meanness in a little more context so it didn't come off as harsh. In the book, I can see where she's coming from and can appreciate her self-deprecation and ridiculousness.

Rant: I still don't like her racist comments. I get the joke and her intentions of being flippant but I don't like it. The best race jokes are ones that are racist and funny, which are few and far between. The worst ones (most of them) are lazy because at one point in the book, it is clear that she isn't racist, which makes those jokes even less impressive.
Rant over.

Despite my soapbox that I just got off of, I laughed during this book (especially the chapters with her parents and Nathan) but I still won't be watching her shows. Shoniqua is the real MVP of this book. And most importantly, I appreciate this book because of Handler's willingness to be open and to tell her story, as offensive or shocking as it might be. It takes a lot for a woman to be upfront with her humiliations and sexual failures (or successes) so I appreciate this book for that reason.

Adichie writes in a way that grasps subtle behavioral cues and American idiosyncrasies that makes me aware of even my actions and the actions of those around me. I always appreciate a book that makes me look at myself and the people around me. I understand more of what it's like to be an outsider to American culture, but also feel like I understand more of the human experience in general.

Though the story focuses upon a Nigerian coming to America, it is relatable to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider who does not belong or is just trying to fit in, and knowing the difference between the two. Even in seemingly mundane events, like Ifemelu getting her hair straightened for a job interview, there is much social commentary about race, class, and gender that speaks volumes about the state of American culture today. I also loved the part where she talks about Obama and his election. I remember feeling the exact same things she describes.

Sidenote: The story is told with bits of Igbo thrown in, much like how Junot Diaz has done in This Is How You Lose Her. With context clues, I could gather what the words/phrases meant but I'm sure I missed out on all of the subtext of the mood of the scene. Even if I missed some nuance, I still loved this book. There's a section where a character is describing her memoir and discusses how the editor feels that race needs to be “nuanced” to appease the white reader, and someone suggests that the memoir should be a novel. I think it's this kind of meta-thinking that makes this book (a novel, yet seems too real to be just a novel) stand out.

I Googled this book to see if it was going to be a movie, and sure enough it is! I don't know when it's going to come out, but I will definitely be seeing it.

This made me chuckle. Though not all of his jokes were HILARIOUS, I was amused. I don't have all the hangups that Jim has about food but I could relate and still found it entertaining. I listened to the first half of this book and read the rest (thanks local library!) and thought listening to it was better. Just like Amy Poehler's book, I think the jokes are better received when the delivery is clear and you can hear the comedian's inflection, thus, the audiobook was better.

I realize that some women take issue with Jim's joking about his wife and making himself out to be a lazy dad. I think that's part of the joke and I take it as such. I realize some women do not think these jokes are funny, but they are not married to Jim Gaffigan and if these jokes are hitting too close to home, that's more of a personal thing and less of a Jim Gaffigan thing. I might edit this in the future once I have kids, but I already am aware that most men act just like how Jim acts (in this book and in his other books) so I am not at all surprised at his antics. Not to mention that Jeannie (his wife) executive produces and edits all of his work, so she's in on the jokes, so why are some of these reviewers so upset?

Anyhoo, I consider this a light read and do not take anything he says to heart. I have seen some reviews where some readers were offended by the food he doesn't like, to which I reply, really? It's funny for what it is: a book about food.

I can't bring myself to give this book a 5 out of 5 stars, because I can't justify rating a silly food book as high as Malcolm X's autobiography, but I enjoyed it! (In retrospect, I should probably change my rating of Dad Is Fat to 4 stars too but meh.)

Hustling Hitler hits the ground running. It's a fast-paced read and I couldn't help but read it in the voice of an old-timey 1940s gangster actor from a black and white film. Shapiro assumes that the reader is familiar with vaudeville and the timeframe and political landscape in the 1930s' America. Shapiro's writing style sounds like it would be best suited for an audiobook, or even a movie. There's so much personality in the words that I'm just not sure how to receive his message or why I should care.

After pretty much skimming the book, because I found myself so uninterested in this person's ramblings about some guy's shenanigans, I realized I had been catfished by the title. Most of it was about Freeman and less about his dealings with Hitler. If I had known this, I would not have asked to read this book through the First To Read program.

Thanks to the Penguin First to Read program for this book.

The first 20% of this book seemed like an allegory of 1860s United States, i.e. slaves vs. plantation owners, or as the book calls them “skaa” and the “nobility”. Then, as the narrative unfolds it sounds like a watered-down, Young Adult novel version of Game of Thrones, like serfs vs. knights, with some magic and superhuman powers and other-world beings, and, of course, a little romance.

About 60% through, the story adds a layer of Bernie Sanders vs. Wall Street, focusing on the dangerous power of wealth and the poor masses, in addition to the other social and political allegory throughout. As Vin talked about the different houses of nobility, I kept thinking of the houses similar to the corporations that rule our economic world today. How can a small group of rebels riot against the “evil” corporations, or houses of nobility? Is it even possible?

Allegory aside, I enjoyed the character development of a strong, young, badass, female protagonist. There is a lot of action, violence, and wit in this book and is a fun read, even if you ignore any type of modern day allegories.

This was a very quick read. Dave's style is very straightforward and I can understand how some might find him funny. At first, I wasn't sure why this book (about a man-child with Failure to Launch Syndrome) was published and was not actually amused until the chapter “The Bachelor Pad”. Then, I began to see why this book was written and that this Dave guy had some good stuff to write about. “Mexcellent” is also a great chapter that entertained me enough to keep reading.

I definitely would not have read this book, ever, if it had not been given to me as a free digital download (through another website). Dave is a silly man with amusing stories, but that's all there is to it. There are moments of heart and sympathy, but other than that, I probably would not have finished this book if I wasn't expected to write a review on it (for the other website). I would recommend this book to young-to-middle-aged men who are close with their parents. His relationship with them is very sweet. Overall, I enjoyed the footnotes and lightheartedness of the stories. It felt like an annoying friend or overfriendly acquaintance was sharing a part of their life with me.

Thanks to the Penguin First to Read program for this book.

[contains spoilers...probably]

It took me a while to finish this book. I could easily put it down. That being said, this opened my eyes to the plight of quadriplegics and caregivers. Of course I knew of and had heard of people's stories about this, but this made me think about it more, so for that, I give it four stars. I did not give it five stars because I thought it was pretty predictable since I am prone to assuming the anti-happy endings of things, but I was still shocked that such a popular book had a realistic ending. Props to Jojo. No, I didn't loveeeeeeee the characters, but I'm trying to do this thing where I don't judge a whole book because of how shtty fake people/book characters can be. It's turning a new leaf. (But if I were to rate this book on how much I disagree with the characters' decisions, I would prob give this three, maybe even two stars. But I think that if I rated this particular book on the characters' shtty decisions or personality flaws, I would be missing the whole point.) Plus, no matter how you feel about end-of-life decisions, it is a relevant health issue today, and I appreciated the viewpoints/discussions in this book.

TL;DR: I am definitely going to see the movie!

Edit: the movie sucked. Don't bother.

Hilarious, quick read. I lol'd several times through this book. If you graduated high school around 2007 (like me) and college around 2011 (like me) then you will understand this book, the trials and tribulations of ever-changing technology, and appreciate that Aziz and co. put it together in such a clear, evidence-based, funny way.

This is required reading for everyone. Agree or disagree, this should be taught and discussed in schools and colleges.

Some moments of the book were very poignant and made me think, so it deserves at least four stars. I liked how the stories were interwoven through time. It was kind of boring at times though, so I think four stars is sufficient.

I was hoping for a better ending. Quick read and I was engaged during it, hoping for something more clever. I was disappointed. This would be a decent Netflix movie to stream one day, maybe.

Overall, I was thrilled and wanted to keep reading. I definitely see why this book was compared to Gone Girl. I originally also gave Gone Girl 3 stars...I might've upped the rating after the movie came out.

Thoughts:

-There are around 6 main characters in this book...the combinations of victim/villain in this book are limited...you'll figure it out before the book is over.

-This book did not pass the Bechdel test.

-Drugs and alcohol are bad, mkay?

“Hi. I'm Mark Cuban and I am comfortable giving you Confucius-type tips to make you the BEST YOU CAN BE! Just try really hard and keep trying and you WILL WIN! Love, billionaire Mark Cuban.”

But in all seriousness, though overly simplistic and cheesy at times, there are some good bits of wisdom in here. I think his brief lists are inspirational for what they are. I would like more in-depth examples of the stories that led up to those bold lines in his book for context, but obviously this is an 80 page book and a quick turnaround buck for Mr. Cuban.

He's still my favorite shark on Shark Tank and though a little arrogant in this book at times, I appreciate his brief, inspirational insights.

This book was horrible. I chose to read it despite many popular critics telling me to not read it, and I should've heeded their advice. The dialogue and plot was cheesy. I found myself judging Scout throughout the book for being so naive. Her outburst toward the end was ridiculous and full of silly cursing. I rolled my eyes so hard. Harper should've never published this. I gave this two stars instead of one, because it was not the worst book I've ever read, but definitely subpar.

I really enjoyed this book! There was a lot of math and physics that I didn't understand/want to concentrate on, so that's why I rated it 4 out of 5. It wouldn't be fair to rate it the same as another book where I understood and felt everything. Great, uplifting story. Gives me faith in humanity.

One star for some nicely worded sentences and one more star for making me feel feelings at a couple of points. Other than that, I struggled to feel empathy for a privileged, boastful, rich, white woman who had nothing better to do with her time than to think about herself.

This book is garbage, even for erotica.

I couldn't really relate to about 90% of what she shared, but I thought her point-of-view was unique so I can appreciate that. I found it easy to put down, but the fact that I wanted to keep reading it (for some reason) made me give this 3 stars instead of 2.

Trashy, over the top, yet entertaining. Can't knock the entertainment value. Even though I found myself rolling my eyes at a lot of this book, I still wanted to find out what happened at the end. Shrugs.

This has got to be the only book where I think the show is better than the book. I couldn't shake the “help me I'm a rich girl who's made bad choices” self pity tone I got during the real Piper's reflections on her time in jail. She really did sugar coat her experience and made jail seem not that bad/tolerable. I was entertained while reading this but it really just made me want to watch the show again.