Bossypants by Tina Fey

Title: Bossypants

Author: Tina Fey

Publisher:Little, Brown and Company 2011

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 277

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Written by a comedian; 52 Books - W52; Perpetual (Feminism #33)

Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.
She has seen both these dreams come true.
At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon -- from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.
Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

A very enjoyable read for this Christmas holiday. I've been wanting to pick this one up for awhile and finally got it from the library. The first half the book focusing on her younger life was interesting,but I feel like the book really picked up once she started sharing stories and lessons from her professional life. The insights into the improv world, writing, and producing shined. I think I preferred Amy Poehler's book, but that may be because her humor is more like mine. I still loved Fey's lessons. I ended up reading this in three days. High praise as my reading time currently is limited.

The Lady and Her Monsters by Roseanne Montillo

Title: The Lady and Her Monsters

Author: Roseanne Montillo

Publisher: William Morrow 2013

Genre: History; Literature

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W51

The Lady and Her Monsters by Roseanne Motillo brings to life the fascinating times, startling science, and real-life horrors behind Mary Shelley’s gothic masterpiece, Frankenstein.
Montillo recounts how—at the intersection of the Romantic Age and the Industrial Revolution—Shelley’s Victor Frankenstein was inspired by actual scientists of the period: curious and daring iconoclasts who were obsessed with the inner workings of the human body and how it might be reanimated after death.
With true-life tales of grave robbers, ghoulish experiments, and the ultimate in macabre research—human reanimation—The Lady and Her Monsters is a brilliant exploration of the creation of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley’s horror classic.

A fascinating look at the creation of the classic Frankenstein. Montillo goes beyond the basic story of Mary Shelley crafting the tale during a dark and stormy night house party. Instead, we get an in depth look at the influences from history and contemporaries. We get a peek inside Shelley's life with Percy Shelley, her sister Jane, and a variety of interesting characters. I was taken with the depth of research from Montillo in bringing the time period and circumstances to light. My only complaint is that at times the book read slowly. I would have liked a bit more brevity in a few parts, but overall I was sucked into Mary Shelley's world!

13 by Nathan Lachenmeyer

Title: 13: The Story of the World's Most Notorious Superstition

Author: Nathan Lachenmeyer

Publisher: Plume 2004

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 212

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W50

While I usually love books that dive into folklore and culture, this one fell so flat for me. I think ultimately my issue was that the topic didn't really seem that well-researched. The book read more like a high schooler's paper about the superstition than something I would spend money on in a store. Thankfully I picked this up at a used sale for $1. So I guess no big loss.

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

Title: Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

Author: David Sedaris

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2013

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 275

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Recommended by a family member; 52 Books - W48

A guy walks into a bar car and...
From here the story could take many turns. When this guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless, but the result is always the same: he will both delight you with twists of humor and intelligence and leave you deeply moved.
Sedaris remembers his father's dinnertime attire (shirtsleeves and underpants), his first colonoscopy (remarkably pleasant), and the time he considered buying the skeleton of a murdered Pygmy.

Hmmm... So I really enjoyed Sedaris's other books, but this one fell a bit flat for me. The essays felt a bit tired of overdone. I couldn't really connect with his stories. I was very distracted while reading this one. I couldn't seem to focus.

Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink

Title: Five Days at Memorial

Author: Sheri Fink

Publisher: Crown Publishers 2013

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 558

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W47

In the tradition of the best investigative journalism, physician and reporter Sheri Fink reconstructs 5 days at Memorial Medical Center and draws the reader into the lives of those who struggled mightily to survive and maintain life amid chaos. After Katrina struck and the floodwaters rose, the power failed, and the heat climbed, exhausted caregivers chose to designate certain patients last for rescue. Months later, several of those caregivers faced criminal allegations that they deliberately injected numerous patients with drugs to hasten their deaths.
Five Days at Memorial, the culmination of six years of reporting, unspools the mystery of what happened in those days, bringing the reader into a hospital fighting for its life and into a conversation about the most terrifying form of health care rationing.

Been meaning to pick this one up for months and I finally got around to it. What an amazingly thought-provoking book. Definitely a 5 star read. Fink's research into reconstructing what actually happened at Memorial during and after Hurricane Katrina is detailed and thorough. We journey with the employees and patients through the harrowing experience of a breakdown in communication and survival. It took me two weeks to get through, not because he's a bad book, but because there is so much information to process. Very fascinating. I warn potential readers that the topic is very heavy. This is not a good beach read.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Title: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Author: Cheryl Strayed

Publisher: Vintage Books 2013

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 342

Rating: 3/5 stars Movie: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Oprah's Book Club; Book to Movie; 52 Books - W46

At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she would do it alone. Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

I wasn't initially jumping to read this book. I have memories of hating Eat, Pray, Love and thought this was going to be in the same vein. Thankfully it wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but I don't think I'm the right person to love this book. I finished the book and had a neutral reaction. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. I just wasn't that into Cheryl's journey or even her. I just kept thinking "okay fine, you lost your mom and lost your way. But where were the great insights during your journey?" So not bad, but not good.

Movie:

I liked the movie a little more than I liked the book. I felt that the Cheryl in the movie was a bit more relatable. But the big plus of the movie is the visuals of the settings. Such gorgeous cinematography. Just for that, I had to add a start from my rating for the book.

The Last Honest Seamstress by Gina Robinson

Title: The Last Honest Seamstress

Author: Gina Robinson

Publisher: Amazon Digital 2012

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 459

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W45

SHE NEEDS A HUSBAND… After too many business setbacks and unwanted marriage proposals, beautiful and ambitious Fayth Sheridan, a seamstress who actually sews for a living, desperately needs to find a husband of convenience. Now if she can only convince handsome sea captain Con O'Neill, the one man in Seattle who’s shown no interest in her, that he's the one…
HE NEEDS TO WIN HER LOVE… When Seattle burns to the ground, taking Fayth's shop with it, Con vows to do anything to protect her. Even marrying her before she falls in love with him. When he's forced to make a deal with Seattle's notorious madam, he risks losing everything, including any chance at love with the last honest seamstress in Seattle.

Another middle of the night read for me. This one was a bit of a disappointment. It was super slow and the characters weren't terribly compelling. Plus they did the thing I absolute hate: a super convenient, super rushed ending that wraps up all the loose ends. So, not a terrible book, but something I'm glad I got for free instead of paying for.

Manners and Mutiny by Gail Carriger

Title: Manners and Mutiny (The Finishing School #4)

Author: Gail Carriger

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2015

Genre: YA Paranormal

Pages: 330

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W44

Lessons in the art of espionage aboard Mademoiselle Geraldine's floating dirigible have become tedious without Sophronia's sweet sootie Soap nearby. She would much rather be using her skills to thwart the dastardly Picklemen, yet her concerns about their wicked intentions are ignored, and now she's not sure whom to trust. What does the brusque werewolf dewan know? On whose side is the ever-stylish vampire Lord Akeldama? Only one thing is certain: a large-scale plot is under way, and when it comes to fruition, Sophronia must be ready to save her friends, her school, and all of London from disaster--in decidedly dramatic fashion, of course.

Oh my! A very fitting conclusion to this series. I loved seeing the Picklemen's plan uncovered by Sophronia and her band of misfit intelligencers. Very exciting! Plus we get the return of so many side character. And most importantly, we find out everyone's allegiances. (I really should have Agatha's, but she took me by surprise). This volume is a well-paced adventure from page one. Definitely an enjoyable read!

The Finishing School

The Obituary Society's Last Stand by Jessica L. Randall

Title: The Obituary Society's Land Stand (The Obituary Society #3)

Author: Jessica L. Randall

Publisher: Amazon 2016

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 232

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W43

Juniper’s knack for finding lost things is downright magical. But so is the portal to the afterlife in her back yard. Soon the town of Auburn is overrun with restless souls, and some of them want more than just one more Bingo win. To make matters worse, Juniper’s gift goes wonky when she needs it most. With new allies she doesn’t trust, magic that won’t behave, and ominous ghosts threatening all she loves Juniper must find a solution to her haunting problem or else…

A nice conclusion to the trilogy. I felt like we get closure to the underlying conflict of the series. We get to see what happens to all the characters. And we get to spend more time with a few of the previously side characters in Auburn. I enjoyed spending time with Juniper and Levi. The supernatural elements added to the story but weren't crazy. Definitely a good read for my middle of the night feedings.

The Obituary Society

#1 The Obituary Society
#2 The Stranger's Obituary
#3 The Obituary Society's Last Stand

The Stranger's Obituary by Jessica L. Randall

Title: The Stranger's Obituary (The Obituary Society #2)

Author: Jessica L. Randall

Publisher: Amazon 2015

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 184

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read My Own Damn Books; 52 Books - W42

Mina Fairchild keeps to herself, and that’s the way she likes it. Her secluded life protects the secrets she hides, as well as a certain peculiarity that even people in the colorful town of Auburn, Nebraska find strange.
But when her movie-star sister Bernadette shows up on her sofa, Mina’s cozy bungalow is overrun with paparazzi. One dark eyed reporter seems to see straight into Mina’s soul and her world begins to crumble. It’s bad enough when he noses around her secrets, but then he starts digging for information about her mother, and Mina can’t let that happen.

Not quite as good as the first book in the series, but still a very enjoyable read. I enjoyed Mina's storyline, but found Bernie lacking. I just couldn't get behind her motivations at all. Mina had reasons for her faults Bernie just seemed very self-centered. I was not a fan of hers even after her "redemption." I loved revisiting some of my favorite characters: Gladys, Juniper, and Ada. Plus all the other townspeople make appearances. We also get a bit of a supernatural twist. Amazingly enough, it doesn't feel weird or forced. The supernatural elements seem right at home in Auburn. I'm certain I will dive into the third book tonight during the late night feeding sessions.

The Obituary Society

#1 The Obituary Society
#2 The Stranger's Obituary
#3 The Obituary Society's Last Stand

Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe by Rebecca Raisin

Title: Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe (Gingerbread Cafe #3)

Author: Rebecca Raisin

Publisher: Carina 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read My Own Damn Books; 52 Books - W41

The gingerbread is baking, the dress is fitted and the mistletoe’s in place – for once, everything’s going to plan. That is until her mother-in-law arrives… Suddenly, Lily’s famous cool is being tested like never before and her dream wedding is crumbling before her eyes.
In the blink of a fairylight, the Gingerbread Café has been thrown into chaos! Lily thought she had this wedding wrapped up, but with so much to do before she says ‘I do’, can Lily get to the church on time – and make this Christmas sparkle after all?

A satisfying conclusion to this little contemporary romance trilogy. It wasn't anything spectacular or attention-grabbing, but this volume definitely held my attention during late night feeding sessions. I loved reading about Lil's relationships with all the different townspeople. Those were more interesting than her relationship with Damon. Thankfully it seems that Raisin has written more stories centered around some of those characters. I may just have to pick up those other stories...

Gingerbread Cafe

#1 Christmas at the Gingerbread Cafe
#2 Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Cafe
#3 Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe

Christmas at the Gingerbread Cafe by Rebecca Raisin

Title: Christmas at the Gingerbread Cafe (Gingerbread Cafe #1)

Author: Rebecca Raisin

Publisher: Carina 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 64

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read My Own Damn Books; 52 Books - W40

Christmas is the season the Gingerbread Café in Ashford, Connecticut was made for…but owner Lily couldn’t be feeling less merry if she tried. She’s spent another year dreaming of being whisked away on a sleigh-ride for two, but she’s facing festive season alone – again. And, just to give her another reason to feel anything other than candy-cane perky, a new shop across the road has opened… Not only is it selling baked goods, but the owner, with his seriously charming smile, has every girl in town swooning.
But Lily isn’t about to let her business crumble — the Gingerbread Café is the heart of the community, and she’s going to fight for it! This could be the Christmas that maybe, just maybe, all her dreams – even the someone-to-decorate-the-Christmas-tree-with ones – really do come true!

With the arrival of the littlest addition to our household, I've been mostly reading during night feedings. Because it's night time and I'm super tired, I decided that I would dive into some of the fluffy reads on my Kindle. This series is one of those fluffy reads. The beginning wasn't amazing, but I eventually was sucked into the story of the cafe and Lily. A nice light read. I think I'll start the second one tonight...

Gingerbread Cafe

#1 Christmas at the Gingerbread Cafe
#2 Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Cafe
#3 Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe

Circling the Sun by Paula McClain

Title: Circling the Sun

Author: Paula McClain

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2015

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 366

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Women Authors; 52 Books - W39

Brought to Kenya from England as a child and then abandoned by her mother, Beryl is raised by both her father and the native Kipsigis tribe who share his estate. Her unconventional upbringing transforms Beryl into a bold young woman with a fierce love of all things wild and an inherent understanding of nature’s delicate balance. But even the wild child must grow up, and when everything Beryl knows and trusts dissolves, she is catapulted into a string of disastrous relationships.
Beryl forges her own path as a horse trainer, and her uncommon style attracts the eye of the Happy Valley set, a decadent, bohemian community of European expats who also live and love by their own set of rules. But it’s the ruggedly charismatic Denys Finch Hatton who ultimately helps Beryl navigate the uncharted territory of her own heart. The intensity of their love reveals Beryl’s truest self and her fate: to fly.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. A found another historical figure that I did not know of before. I loved the overall storyline and characters. I enjoyed learning more about Kenya and the general atmosphere of Africa during the early 20th century. I could really feel Kenya in the book. Unfortunately, the book lost a star due to the writing and chapter transitions. I just wasn't a super fan of how the jumps in time were handled.

How to Talk About Video Games by Ian Bogost

Title: How to Talk About Video Games

Author: Ian Bogost

Publisher: University of Minnesota 2015

Genre: Pop Culture - Media

Pages: 197

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W38; Perpetual (NonAd)

Videogames! Aren’t they the medium of the twenty-first century? The new cinema? The apotheosis of art and entertainment, the realization of Wagnerian gesamtkunstwerk? The final victory of interaction over passivity? No, probably not. Games are part art and part appliance, part tableau and part toaster. In How to Talk about Videogames, leading critic Ian Bogost explores this paradox more thoroughly than any other author to date.

Our book club selection for October. I got a jump on the book due to the baby coming in less than a week. And I'm thoroughly disappointed in this book. Bogost personality is so very insufferable. I couldn't stand his "gamergate" type approach to video games. I read most of this book, but I admit to skimming some chapters. I just grew so bored with his writing, assumptions, and tone. Pass.

Founding Myths by Ray Raphael

Title: Founding Myths: Stories That Hide Our Patriotic Past

Author: Ray Raphael

Publisher: The New Press 2004

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 432

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W37

First published ten years ago, award-winning historian Ray Raphael’s Founding Myths has since established itself as a landmark of historical myth-busting. With Raphael’s trademark wit and flair,Founding Myths exposed the errors and inventions in America’s most cherished tales, from Paul Revere’s famous ride to Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech. For the thousands who have been captivated by Raphael’s eye-opening accounts, history has never been the same.

I'm giving this book 3 stars, but that rating really only applies to me. I think this is a well written look at many of the myths we learn about U.S. History. Unfortunately for me, I already knew the truth of the matter. Curse of being a history major in college. This book was just too broad for me. I need to pick books that go much deeper in a particular subject or time period instead of a general overview.

The Residence by Kate Andersen Brower

Title: The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House

Author: Kate Andersen Brower

Publisher: HarperCollins 2015

Genre: History

Pages: 310

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Political Memoir (sorta); 52 Books - W36

Combining incredible first-person anecdotes from extensive interviews with scores of White House staff members—many speaking for the first time—with archival research, Kate Andersen Brower tells their story. She reveals the intimacy between the First Family and the people who serve them, as well as tension that has shaken the staff over the decades. From the housekeeper and engineer who fell in love while serving President Reagan to Jackie Kennedy’s private moment of grief with a beloved staffer after her husband’s assassination to the tumultuous days surrounding President Nixon’s resignation and President Clinton’s impeachment battle, The Residence is full of surprising and moving details that illuminate day-to-day life at the White House.

My lovely One Bad Mother gift exchange partner sent me this book last month. I finally got a chance to pick it up a few days ago and I couldn't put it back down. I love this behind the scenes look at the White House. I loved all the little stories and peeks at the personalities and personal lives of the presidents. It was fascinating to hear about all the work that no one ever acknowledges. Definitely a very interesting read.

The Secret Mistress by Mary Balogh

Title: The Secret Mistress (Dudley #3)

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: Dell 2011

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 406

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read My Own Damn Books; 52 Books - W35

While Lady Angeline Dudley’s pedigree dictates that she must land a titled gentleman, the irrepressible beauty longs for a simple, ordinary suitor. So when Edward Ailsbury, the new Earl of Heyward, defends her honor with unmatched civility, Angeline thinks that she has found true love. Persuading the earl is another matter entirely. From her unconventional fashion sense to her hoydenish antics, Angeline is the last woman on earth for Edward. And yet a stolen kiss awakens something primal within him. Naturally, being a gentleman, he does the right thing after compromising a lady: He offers marriage. The proposal is born of duty, but will Angeline cause Edward to forget about decorum behind closed doors, where sensuality and seduction play wicked games? For a proper wife by day can become a husband’s secret mistress by night, when delicious desire rules.

A fitting conclusion to the trilogy. I wasn't overly fond of Angeline or Heyward in the first two books, but I did enjoy reading their story in this volume. A very cute couple doing the will they or won't they dance for almost 350 pages. Finally we get to see them both surrender to their true feelings. Definitely an enjoyable read for this week.

Mistress (Dudley)

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates by Brian Kilmeade

Title: Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War that Changed American History

Author: Brian Kilmeade

Publisher: Sentinel 2015

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 238

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; 52 Books - W34

This is the little-known story of how a newly independent nation was challenged by four Muslim powers and what happened when America’s third president decided to stand up to intimidation.

When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America faced a crisis. The new nation was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa’s Barbary coast routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute payments far beyond what the new country could afford.

Definitely a good follow-up to George Washington's Secret Six. I have a passing knowledge of the Barbary War, but even I can classify it as the forgotten war. I learned so much about the intricacies, people involved, and battles of the war. Stories like that of the USS Philadelphia sparked a memory for me, but it was nice to get the full story in these pages. A good random pick-up from the library shelves.

Bunker Hill by Nathaniel Philbrick

Title: Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution

Author: Nathaniel Philbrick

Publisher: Viking 2013

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 398

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; 52 Books - W33; Perpetual (NonAd)

Boston in 1775 is an island city occupied by British troops after a series of incendiary incidents by patriots who range from sober citizens to thuggish vigilantes. After the Boston Tea Party, British and American soldiers and Massachusetts residentshave warily maneuvered around each other until April 19, when violence finally erupts at Lexington and Concord. In June, however, with the city cut off from supplies by a British blockade and Patriot militia poised in siege, skirmishes give way to outright war in the Battle of Bunker Hill. It would be the bloodiest battle of the Revolution to come, and the point of no return for the rebellious colonists.

Been meaning to pick this one up for awhile now. And I enjoyed every page of this volume. Such a great exploration of the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence focusing on the Boston area. I loved following each of the players through the few years detailed. Philbrick scores again with a great narrative history. Even with my background knowledge of the Revolution, I still learned a lot about the details of the time period. Fascinating!

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

Title: Childhood's End

Author: Arthur C. Clarke

Publisher: 1953

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 240

Rating: 4/5 stars TV Miniseries: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR SciFi/Fan (perpetual); Popsugar - Science Fiction; Book to Movie

Without warning, giant silver ships from deep space appear in the skies above every major city on Earth. Manned by the Overlords, in fifty years, they eliminate ignorance, disease, and poverty. Then this golden age ends--and then the age of Mankind begins....

My first Arthur C. Clarke book! And I think I did pick a good one. I love how we are throw right into the action and forced to figure out the situation along with most of mankind. From there we get three distinct books showing three different ages after the appearance of the Overlords. I loved reading about the progress of humanity and the implications of having no war, no starvation, etc. Clarke poses some interesting questions as to the fate of mankind. And then we learn more about the true intentions of the Overlords. I won't give away any spoilers, but I will say that I was very intrigued by the last third of the book.

TV Miniseries:

I had to wait until J finished reading the book, but we finally got around to watching the Syfy miniseries. And it was bad y'all... So very bad. The first episode was decent although the timeline was accelerated. Annoying, but not really bad. The second and third episodes went completely off the rails. The show focused on Ricky's invented dead wife for far too long. The tone became very confusing. I think we were to fear the Overlords and read into them a sinister intent which was so not what I read in the book. Milo was given an unnecessary girlfriend that resulted in a very disturbing scene right at the end. After finishing, I was left with a very bad taste in my mouth. Did not enjoy...