A Glimpse into my mind

Ok, I am giving up on my last book of the year. I have been trying to read Frankenstein... Since April. I have spent the last 2 hours trying to force myself to read it and get this book done. But i have only achieved reading 2 paragraphs.

I love gothic horror stories, but I have re-affirmed that I hate gothic writing.

So i am declaring myself done. I did not manage to do a unique book for every category. But the two I did not (romance set in the future and book written more than 100 years before you were born) i can double and use books I read for other categories.

But... I got 39 unique books read. I consider that a success. I might have gotten the last two categories done if I hadn't fallen down the rabbit holes that were "read the first book in a series then have to go read/listen to the rest" that hit me in the middle of the year.

Here's the full list of what I read: ( Read more... )
Overall average rating for the books was 3.59

Summary as asked on Goodreads Forum:
Date you finished: 12/29/16
Favorite prompt (did something get you out of your comfort zone in a refreshing way?) Book guaranteed to bring you joy or A dystopian novel
Favorite book (could be different from the prompt) The Aeronaut's Windlass
Least favorite prompt: A book at least 100 years older than you
Least favorite book Open House and Frankenstein
"I hope they bring back this prompt in 2017" anything but Poetry or book at least 100 years older than you



I am now looking forward to next year's challenge

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I first read this back in high school and remembered enjoying it then. Now, 25ish years later, that has not changed.

I loved the overall tale, the imagery, the use of words. Returning to the tale after having experienced adulthood, I understand more of the cautionary tale the Ancient Mariner was trying to impart to the young Wedding Guest.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner was, is and will always be a true classic and I hope they still have it as required reading in school these days



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(recommended by woman I was sitting next to on my plane ride home from Thanksgiving - she was reading it and I asked if she would recommend it to another)

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This one is tough to pick a rating for. Part of this is my fault as, based on the title and descriptive blurb I went into this book thinking it was more of a murder mystery novel that happened to be set at the Chicago World's Fair. It is not.

But once I got past that, I felt torn. It really felt like the author wrote two separate books and once they were done he shuffled them together to combine one big one. There is the book all about the minute details of the World's Fair and the creation, building and running of it. Then there is the much smaller book that deals with the psychopathic Holmes and his grizzly deeds.

Because of the title of the book, I honestly expected much more content surrounding the murderer and his actions. Instead he almost felt much like an afterthought.

That being said, I found the book compelling and I learned a great deal about the World's Fair. For what the book turned out to be I'd give it a 4. For what I had expected it to be, I'd give it a 2, maybe a 2.5 so I compromised with my rating and gave it a 3.



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The Case of the Toxic Mutants by Ursula Vernon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


And another delightful read.

This time someone has stolen Danny's grandfather's dentures and it's up to Danny, Wendel and their friend Christiana to find out who and why and get them back before Granddad causes trouble at the retirement community.

I look forward to the next book.



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Wolf's Empire: Gladiator by Claudia Christian

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The best thing I can say is that I didn't HATE this book. But I certainly didn't like it.

The initial idea was interesting. The Roman Empire never fell and eventually created the Roman Galactic Empire. A girl from one of the noble families takes to the Gladiatorial Games to seek revenge for the deaths of her Mother and brother.

Sadly I found the main character to be a spoiled, self-centered teenage princess who always refused to look beyond her here-and-now, listen to the advice and council of others and just ended up doing what she wanted and thus getting herself embroiled in more than she could handle, end up addicted to drugs and causing more deaths to friends and family than she started out trying to avenge.

The story itself seemed to drag for me. I kept wondering "is it almost over?" only to discover that I had HOURS left to go in the listening.

I love Claudia Christian and am a huge fan. But I had a hard time separating her iconic role of Susan Ivanova from Accalla and comparing the two. I don't know if this was actually a case of where the reader was a detriment to the book instead of a help.

Regardless, I do not see myself actively seeking out the sequel when it comes out.



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The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don't Have with People You Don't Like Doing Things You Don't Want to Do by Sarah Knight

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is actually a 2.5 star rating.

I realize this book was written as a parody of "the life-changing magic of tidying up" but this did have good points on how to better handle personal obligations as well as mental, emotional and physical energy. I equate the advice of this book to that of the idea of spoon theory.

I did find myself getting very tired of the constant use of the f-word through out it, especially because she would say "you know what" instead of sh*t.

I don't know if I would recommend this book to others but it did cause me to do some thinking on the way I do things.



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The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


No other way to begin but "wow".

I did this as an audiobook and am really glad I did. I think the reader helped draw me in and keep me completely enthralled with the story the whole time. I seriously kept finding reasons to listen to this book as I wanted... no needed to find out what came next.

The language of the book makes the time era and the cultures come alive. I loved how the author made two mythical beings relatable and at times endearing. I don't know if the author plans to write more in this world or not. If she does, I will happily and whole-heartedly return.


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Heartless by Marissa Meyer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Marissa Meyer does it again with a wonderful fairy tale. This time the prequel to Alice Through the Looking Glass and the telling of how the Queen of Hearts came to be.

I found myself constantly wanting to return to the book in order to find out what was next in the story. Well done, and I highly recommend it to all.



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I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I enjoyed this book and the reading of it. I found myself more in awe of Malala as the book progressed.

I fully recognize that I had and have so much more than many people in the world do. I intellectually knew of the persecution of women and the denial of many to education. But hearing it in the words of one who experienced it made it more real.

This was indeed a book I am glad I read/listened to and would recommend to another.



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A Brief History Of Time: From The Big Bang To Black Holes by Stephen Hawking

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I came to this book because of a reading challenge and this fell into the category of "A book recommended by a family member" (in this case my Mom's cousin) and it is not something I would have picked up on my own accord.

I was leery because my knowledge of physics comes from the TV show "The Big Bang Theory" and I stopped taking math in high school as soon as I was able to.

That being said, I enjoyed this book. I found it educational and surprisingly funny. This book made the topic approachable to the lay person who has no, or next to no, knowledge of physics and all the scientific theories about the creation of the universe.

I am glad I was challenged to read it and would recommend it to another.



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