Top Ten Tuesday -- Top Books of 2015 (So Far...)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

2015 has been a good year of reading so far... I've read more than 10 5-starred books. So that means, I had to narrow down my choices.

The Martian by Andy Weir -- My number one read so far! I could not put this book down.
The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer -- Palmer is a very polarizing character, but I love her and loved this book.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon -- A reread, but I loved it.
Y The Last Man -- A great complete comic series. I read all ten volumes in less than a month.
Yes Please by Amy Poehler -- Poehler is hilarious hands down.
Fables: Camelot -- After a large break, I finally caught up with the Fables series.
The Manhattan Projects Book 1 -- A great introduction to a great series.
Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz -- A book club suggestions from a friend. I really loved this volume and am thinking about continuing the series.
Dead Wake by Erik Larson -- My second book back Larson. Love his writing style.
Fire by Kristin Cashore -- A sequel that I like more than the first book.

The Lost Soul by Gabriella Pierce

Title: The Lost Soul (666 Park Avenue #3)

Author: Gabriella Pierce

Publisher: Alloy 2013

Genre: Paranormal - Witches

Pages: 250

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; 52 Books - W26

Jane Boyle has long since known that her mother-in-law is evil, but she'd never imagined Lynne Doran was actually the embodiment of a powerful, ancient body-snatching demon. Now that Jane has uncovered 666 Park Avenue's dark truth, she must race against the clock to find a way to destroy Lynne before she finds her next unwilling host. As Jane attempts to tap into powers stronger than her enemy's, her estranged husband, Malcolm, arrives in time to join the fight . . . but can she possibly learn to trust him again—before it's too late?

So better than the second book, but not my most favorite of the year. It was a decently satisfying conclusion the story. Jane even grew on me a bit in this volume. And I was excited to see more the Montague clan. Maeve was amazing as always, but I especially loved Emer. I appreciated that people actually died in this year. The stakes were actually high. It added a bit to the series. Overall, not an amazing book, but a decent read.

666 Park Avenue

Music Monday -- iPod Shuffle

Dave Matthews "Trouble"

Cake "I Will Survive"

Florence + the Machine "Ghosts"

Summer Capsule Wardrobe Update #1

I've made it almost an entire month on my very first summer capsule wardrobe. I think it's time for a bit of reflection. What worked, what doesn't, what are my thoughts going forward. And of course, what did I wear?

What's working?

Loving my new shorts! The gray, jean, and khaki ones actually fit! It's amazing how good clothes can feel when they fit regardless of the number on the tag.
I've really been digging my skirts and dresses. I like ones that are casual and comfortable, but cute. I really should wear the chevron skirt more often.
I like wearing tank tops as a base piece. It gets warm here, but mornings are often cooler. I like being able to layer, but my bottom layer has to be something light. Tanks are the perfect choice.
My look is fairly casual, but I do like to wear color and pattern.
I'm liking the push to actually get dressed in the morning. It doesn't have to be an elaborate outfit, but not throwing on jeans and a tee or yoga pants and a tee has helped my overall mood for the upcoming day.

What isn't working?

While I have a fair amount of tanks, I would like less clingy styles. The striped tank on June 4th is a perfect example. Way clingy! I feel like it shows off all my tummy flub. I just don't feel comfortable in those types of pieces.
Actually that whole outfit from June 4th is problematic. The plaid is old and a little too small. The tank is too clingy. The waistband of the capris tends to roll down. I was fixing myself all day. I think the capris are salvageable with a different style top.
My layering options are limited. It's either long sleeve cardigan (light blue or white) or one short sleeve brown one. Doesn't give me many options, so I fall back on those pieces a lot.

Thoughts going forward:

It's been an interesting experiment so far. I will definitely be continuing with this capsule for July and August.
I've already identified a few holes in my wardrobe.
- While I have loved my plaid button down shirt for almost 17 years, it's gotten faded and frayed (and a little tight). I will be looking out for a good neutral button down as a layering piece. (I buy these in the men's section)
- I would also like another short sleeve cover-up option. Maybe a shrug or cropped cardigan?
- Still looking for a great pair of brown sandals. I bought some at the beginning of June. They are cute but not very comfortable. I would like to find some good ones, but can deal with the ones I have for right now.

Outfit notes:

Worn 18 tops, 8 bottoms, 1dress
I had a few yoga pants and tee shirts day when I didn't leave the house (June 6th, 11th, 21st). But I'm okay with that. Three days in yoga pants in a month is a good number.
My favorite outfit of the month was from June 5th. I don't wear that skirt very often, but it is so comfortable and cute. Plus, it's long enough that I'm not in danger of flashing anyone. I need to find more tops to wear with it.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Title: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Author: Marie Kondo

Publisher: Ten Speed Press 2014

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 213

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual); OLW Home

Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles?
Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you’ll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo’s clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).
With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), this international bestseller featuring Tokyo’s newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home—and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.

Overall, I was very disappointed in this book. I know everyone has been raving about it, but I found the writing distracting and the entire philosophy extreme and unnecessary. While I definitely have a bit of clutter in my life, I don't think getting rid of everything that doesn't spark joy is the answer. I need to examine my buying and do seasonal clean-outs. Kondo's approach may appeal to some people, but I couldn't quite get behind it. And for goodness sakes, stop telling us how successful your business is. It really got annoying after awhile.

101 in 1001 Update #5

What I did:

4. Spend a day at the beach -- The three boys and I spend yesterday at the beach. It was lovely!

8. Choose and document One Little Word 2015 and 2016 -- Still plugging away

21. Make 10 non-greeting card crafts from my Pinterest boards (6/10) -- Made a chalkboard blogging calendar. Actually I made two: one that failed miserably and one that actually worked.

26. Read 50 of my owned unread books (30/50) -- Read 3 more of my own books this month.

31. Catch up on the twins scrapbook albums -- Finally jumped back into this project. So far, I've scraped at least 10 pages bringing me to Christmas 2013. Only a crap ton more to go, but switching the albums to Project Life style has really helped speed up the process.

34. Make 250 different greeting cards (47/250) -- Made 8 more cards this past month.

45. Make 50 new recipes (17/50) -- Made some apple pie cookies that were good but not quite what I thought they would be like.

54. Try 25 new restaurants (7/25) -- Grabbed some fast food Hawaiian BBQ this week. Pretty good!

Remaining goals and total:

Friends, Family, and Love 1.Send out homemade holiday cards in December 2x 2. Build a snowman 3. Complete 52 once a week photos of Arthur 5. Date nights x 20 6. Complete a Jar of Life 7. Host a tea party 9. Write a personal manifesto 10. Take a picture of myself every first day of the month 11. Give 5 Just Because gifts 12. Give Arthur 25 pictures books in 25 days for December 2015 13. Pass 500 books for Arthur's 1000 Books Before Kindergarten (243/500) 16. Take Arthur and twins to go see Santa

Crafting and Culture 17. Attend an opera or musical 18. Reread the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit 20. Finish one of my Perpetual Reading Challenges 22. Ask 20 friends to suggest one book, and read them all 23. Watch a meteor shower 24. Attend 5 concerts (1/5) 25. Complete 10 Day in the Life posts (2/10) 27. Tour a factory 28. Read 100,000 pages toward 1,000,000 page goal (15,309/100,000) 29. Finish 2015 and 2016 Project Life book (family and Arthur) 30. Finish 2015 and 2016 December Daily 32. Watch 100 different TED Talks and do a short review/analysis on the blog (new series) 33. Watch/rewatch every Academy Awards Best Picture since the year I was born (1982) 1982: Gandhi 1983: Terms of Endearment 1984: Amadeus 1985: Out of Africa 1986: Platoon 1987: The Last Emperor 1988: Rain Man 1989: Driving Miss Daisy 1990: Dances with Wolves 1991: Silence of the Lambs 1992: Unforgiven 1993: Schindler's List 1994: Forrest Gump 1995: Braveheart 1996: The English Patient 1997: Titanic 1998: Shakespeare in Love 1999: American Beauty 2000: Gladiator 2001: A Beautiful Mind 2002: Chicago 2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 2004: Million Dollar Baby 2005: Crash 2006: The Departed 2007: No Country for Old Men 2008: Slumdog Millionaire 2009: The Hurt Locker 2010: The King's Speech 2011: The Artist 2012: Argo 2013: 12 Years a Slave 2014: TBD 2015: TBD 2016: TBD 35. See a drive-in movie 36. Listen to every song by The Beatles 37. Finish watching every Star Trek television episode and movie 38. Have a Pixar movie month 39. Complete The Artist's Way 40. Complete a year of no book buying 41. Learn Ruby on rails 42. Participate in 30 Days of Lists 2x (1/2) 43. Go to 5 tourist things in San Francisco

Food and Drink 44. Take a cooking class 46. Open a cookbook to a random page and make what ever is on it 47. Give up dining out for one month 48. Try Whole30 49. Make a pie on PI day 51. Make fresh pasta 52. Learn to make a good martini 53. Do a brewery tour 55. Try 5 new to me foods 56. No pop for a month

Health and Fitness 57. Lose 2 pants sizes 58. Walk a 5K 59. Get a massage 60. Take a yoga class 61. Get three pedicures (1/3) 62. Do a spa day 64. Complete a 30 miles in 30 days challenge 65. Get lasik 66. Get CPR certified again

Travel 67. Stay at a Bed and Breakfast 68. Go on a vacation with Josh 69. Visit the Redwoods (any park) 70. Travel to a new state

Philanthropic 71. Give a 100% tip 72. Donate something extra at each MVPA social x 10 (2/10) 73. Pay it forward at Starbucks/coffeeshop 74. Donate to a Kickstarter campaign I love

Financial 75. Two week money fast (starting with full gas tanks and a full pantry) 76. Open an Etsy shop

Miscellaneous 79. Get Arthur's tattoo 80. Get a passport 81. Get rid of 100 things 82. Learn how to use our DSLR 83. Take one free online class 84. Make a chalk mural on the driveway/porch 85. Finish a Soduku puzzle 87. Complete a coloring book 89. Take an IQ test 90. Play Bingo in a bingo hall 91. Go horseback riding or hiking 92. Participate in 30 Day Wardrobe Challenge 93. Unplug completely for 24 hours 95. Go to a convention (blogging, SU, etc) 96. Dye my hair purple 97.Revamp my wardrobe 98. Take real photos of me for my blogs 99. Post a vlog 100. Go apple/berry/etc picking

Bait and Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich

Title: Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream

Author: Barbara Ehrenreich

Publisher: Holt Paperbacks 2006

Genre: Nonfiction - Social Sciences, Economics

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual); Mount TBR; TBR Reduction

In Bait and Switch, Barbara Ehrenreich goes back undercover to explore another hidden realm of the economy: the shadowy world of the white-collar unemployed. Armed with the plausible résumé of a professional "in transition," she attempts to land a "middle-class" job. She submits to career coaching, personality testing, and EST-like boot camps, and attends job fairs, networking events, and evangelical job-search ministries. She is proselytized, scammed, lectured, and--again and again--rejected. Bait and Switch highlights the people who have done everything right--gotten college degrees, developed marketable skills, and built up impressive résumés--yet have become repeatedly vulnerable to financial disaster. There are few social supports for these newly disposable workers, Ehrenreich discovers, and little security even for those who have jobs. Worst of all, there is no honest reckoning with the inevitable consequences of the harsh new economy; rather, the jobless are persuaded that they have only themselves to blame.

What an incredibly depressing book! I knew the world of white collar workers was getting bad, but my goodness! I hope things have improved a bit in the last 10 years, but maybe not. Or maybe I'm just insulated in my current life. At any rate, it was a fascinating read. I learned more than I wanted to about "transition coaches" and networking.

FF #23 Tinker Bell Then and Now

I wanted to keep the same color scheme for Tink. This pants are nicely tailored and stick to the color scheme. From there, I added a nice lace top. Perfect! The accessories are what shine. I love the detail on these sandals and necklace. Plus, that purse is a great print!

Topshop cross front crop top

nordstrom.com

Carven acid wash pants

yoox.com

Jack Rogers slip on sandals

palmettomoononline.com

Gucci white canvas tote bag

fashionphile.com

Kate Spade chain link necklace

saksfifthavenue.com

Kate Spade blossom jewelry

macys.com

Tech accessory

zazzle.com

Summer Reading List

A bit late to the party, but I love highlighting my seasonal reads. June's almost gone, but we have July and August to enjoy summer. Okay that's a lie. Here in the Bay Area we get to enjoy summer until Halloween-ish. Love that we get warm temperatures through Arthur's birthday. But according to the calendar, summer is over at Labor Day. So, what do I want to read this summer?

Fiction Choices:

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
Highlander Unbound by Julia London
Highlander in Disguise by Julia London
Highlander in Love by Julia London
Bayou Folk and A Night in Acadie by Kate Chopin
The Lost Soul by Gabriella Pierce
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Mad Scientist's Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
Steamlust by Kristina Wright (not pictured)
Witches by Paula Guran (not pictured)
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore (not pictured)
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (iPad read)

Nonfiction Choices:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondon
Bait and Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
The F Word by Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
The Art of Steampunk by Art Donovan (not pictured)

What are you reading this summer?

Currently #10

Watching: Waiting to leave for twins' swim club, currently watching Arthur play with his many trucks and cars. He loves his vehicles!

Reading: Just started Barbara Ehrenreich's Bait and Switch last night. Sort of a sequel to Nickel and Dimed.

Listening: Alex is sitting at the breakfast bar narrating the game he is playing. I don't understand a word he is saying.

Making: I just got accepted to a card design team and signed up for my July projects this week. Getting them started today. Always like to be ahead of the schedule.

Feeling: Even though I'm not, I feel like I'm behind on every project and task. Such a weird feeling.

Planning: My mom is officially coming in three weeks! As such, we've started planning our activities and excursions. So excited!

Loving: UPS is set to deliver my new Stampin' Up goodies today. Can't wait to play with them! May have to rethink a few of design team cards to include the new products...

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Title: The Age of Innocence

Author: Edith Wharton

Published: 1920

Genre: Classics

Pages: 366

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 1001 Books; TBR Reduction; Ebook; Books to Movies; Back to the Classics -- Woman Author

At the heart of the story are three people whose entangled lives are deeply affected by the tyrannical and rigid requirements of high society. Newland Archer, a restrained young attorney, is engaged to the lovely May Welland but falls in love with May's beautiful and unconventional cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska. Despite his fear of a dull marriage to May, Archer goes through with the ceremony — persuaded by his own sense of honor, family, and societal pressures. He continues to see Ellen after the marriage, but his dreams of living a passionate life ultimately cease.

Okay. I get this novel. I get Wharton's criticism of high society. I get the conflict the characters feel. I understand and yet I'm not the biggest fan of this book. Mostly because I can't stand Newland Archer. I get May and the Countess. I understand their behavior, but Newland was just way too selfish for my tastes.

Movie:

I loved the movie adaptation. The actors were cast perfectly, especially Daniel Day-Lewis. Swoon! He even made Archer a more likable character. And Michelle Pfeiffer shined as Countess Olenska. Plus, the movie just looked amazing! I loved the sets and even more, the costumes! Those dresses were intricate and absolutely gorgeous. Perfect adaptation of a historical novel. Definitely a keeper in terms of a book-to-movie.

What If? by Randall Munroe

Title: What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

Author: Randall Munroe

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2014

Genre: Nonfiction - Science

Pages: 303

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual); Read Your Freebies; Dewey Decimal - 500s

Fans of xkcd ask Munroe a lot of strange questions. What if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent the speed of light? How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live? If there was a robot apocalypse, how long would humanity last?
In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations, and consults with nuclear reactor operators. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and hilarity, complemented by signature xkcd comics. They often predict the complete annihilation of humankind, or at least a really big explosion.

As a loyal follower of xkcd, I've been dying to read this book since it was released. And I enjoyed every page of it. I love the seemingly ridiculous questions that Munroe answers seriously. My favorite question involved potentially eradicating the common cold. Fascinating answer! And sprinkled throughout the book are Munroe's famous stick figure cartoons. As times the book really dives into serious math, but Munroe explains everything in such a way and even I understand the crazy math. Awesome read that I sped through in just one day!

The Dark Glamour by Gabriella Pierce

Title: The Dark Glamour (666 Park Avenue #2)

Author: Gabriella Pierce

Publisher: Alloy Entertainment 2011

Genre: Paranormal — Witches

Pages: 294

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read Your Freebies; 52 Books - W25

Gossip Girl meets Charmed in Gabriella Pierce’s fabulous follow-up to her debut supernatural romp,666 Park Avenue. Continuing her phenomenal gothic chronicle of witches, covens, and curses, and the darkness lurking behind the glitter of New York high society, Pierce enchants us once again with The Dark Glamour. Fans of Meg Cabot’s Insatiable and LJ Smith’s Vampire Diaries will love this edgy paranormal tale, as the unfortunate bride whose Prince Charming turned out to be the son of an elite Upper East Side witch must now reenter the Park Avenue mansion of horrors she only barely escaped with her life. But this time she has a whole new look…and some powerful new magic tricks up her sleeve.

Still reading this series. Mostly I want to find out what happens to Jane in the end. Plus, it's light and fluffy compared to most of my reads. I guess it's taking the place of my historical romances at the moment. But it's not the best series in the world. I think the characters got a little more interesting in this volume, but not by much. Most of the time I want to smack Jane for her ridiculousness. I'll still be reading the last book in the series.

666 Park Avenue

#1 666 Park Avenue
#2 The Dark Glamour
#3 The Lost Soul

Music Monday -- Brandon Flowers "Jenny was a Friend of Mine"

I heard his solo version of this song a few weeks back on Alt Nation. Now I can't get it out of my head!

Sunday Sunset #14

Listening To: The sounds of morning around the house. J is taking a shower. Arthur is playing quietly in the playroom. Nick is rustling through the kitchen for breakfast. And apparently Alex is still sleeping...

Book finished: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared; The Age of Innocence (review pending; need to watch the movie first); Sally Heathcote: Suffragette

Reading: The Dark Glamour by Gabriella Pierce; The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (reread for book club next weekend)

On the Nightstand: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins; Bait and Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich

Making Lists: Ugh grocery lists! Even with my new meal planning system, I still have to make a grocery list almost every week. Really not a fan... Otherwise I've starting making a list for when my mom visits in July and for craft class ideas.

Around the house: My house is in a constant state of unrest. The toddler is being very messy with snacks and breakfast. Toys are everywhere. My stuff has piled up as we were so busy last week. And there's laundry everywhere! Really need to take some time this coming week and get everything under control!

From the kitchen: No new recipes this week. Although I made Caribbean jerk pork tacos and Mongolian beef that the twins actually enjoyed. Score for mom! This coming week I want to try the recipe for apple pie cookies that has been sitting in my Pinterest for weeks now.

Crafting: This week I dove back into the twins' scrapbooks. Turns out they were two years behind. In one week I caught them up about three months. Plus I finished filling the current traditional post-bound scrapbook, so I bought new D-ring albums and switched them to Project Life style. It's going so much faster now. I'm hoping to get Christmas break 2013-2014 done today and move on to the rest of 2014 this coming week.

Watching: We introduced the twins to Robin Hood: Men in Tights last night. They didn't like it as much as Spaceballs, but it was a good one. J and I have been watching Farscape. Halfway through the last season and boy has the show gotten crazy! Really feeling the push to finish the series this month.

Wondering: How many goldfish are currently hiding in and under the couch, in the playroom, and other random places? We're going through a stage right now...

From Nature: Back to nice warm (not hot) temperatures and a nice breeze. One thing I love about Castro Valley is the lovely near-constant breeze we get. South Bay was always so still, I'm loving the bit of wind we get up here.

Project: Twins' scrapbooks!

Picture: Blurry, but incredibly cute photo!

Sally Heathcote: Suffragette by Mary M Talbot, Kate Charlesworth

Title: Sally Heathcote: Suffragette

Author: Mary M Talbot, Kate Charlesworth

Publisher: Dark Horse 2014

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 183

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read Your Freebies; New Authors

A tale of loyalty, love, and courage, Sally Heathcote, Suffragette follows the fortunes of a common housemaid swept up in the feminist militancy of early 20th century Edwardian Britain. As the growing hunger for change grows within a culture of rigid social mores and class barriers, Sally and thousands like her rise up to break the bonds of oppression at the risk of ostracization and violence.

One of my thematic focuses in college was the Progressive Era and Women's Suffrage Movement. That being said, I was really wanting to love this volume. Unfortunately it failed to live up to the excitement. My main issue is with the writing style. I love the use of a graphic novel format, but the dialogue didn't fit. The storyline jumps around so much that even I had trouble figuring out who or what they were talking about. And that fact made the volume almost unreadable. Just couldn't get behind this one at all...

FF #22 Jasmine Then and Now

For Jasmine, I wanted to keep the gold and green tones and flowing silhouette. Really the gold accessories make this outfit. I especially love the sandals. The bracelets and earrings add that extra bit of sparkle.

Hanita sleeveless top

yoox.com

Elie Saab maxi skirt

modaoperandi.com

Mia Limited Edition strap sandals

heels.com

MICHAEL Michael Kors red handbag

$270 - johnlewis.com

Alexis Bittar punk earrings

saksfifthavenue.com

Maurices bracelet bangle

maurices.com

Quote Wednesday -- Joplin

I'd rather not sing than sing quiet. -- Janis Joplin

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

Title: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

Author: Jonas Jonasson

Publisher: Piratforlaget 2009

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 384

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read Your Freebies; 52 Books -- W24; New Authors

After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home, believing it to be his last stop. The only problem is that he's still in good health, and in one day, he turns 100. A big celebration is in the works, but Allan really isn't interested (and he'd like a bit more control over his vodka consumption). So he decides to escape. He climbs out the window in his slippers and embarks on a hilarious and entirely unexpected journey, involving, among other surprises, a suitcase stuffed with cash, some unpleasant criminals, a friendly hot-dog stand operator, and an elephant (not to mention a death by elephant).

The first chapter was great fun. The second chapter was good fun. The next hundred pages or so were great. But then things started going off the rails for me. Allan's life story was just too fantastic. I couldn't get into his story. I kept thinking "this is just ridiculous." The book could have been even better if the story were a little less fantastical. Overall, not the book for me.