Book Candy

This book was like being shoved into a loop d'loop coaster, never knowing what comes next. For me, it wasn't very predictable (which was great) but then again, I'm not usually a huge reader of crime/mystery novels. I love reading a good mystery, don't get me wrong, but I think the genre tends to pump out series after series and it gets a little mundane. THIS book, was anything BUT mundane. After reading the first few chapters, I wanted to throw the book and yell at everyone who ever gave this a semi-decent review. Thankfully, I stuck with it (thanks to all my goodreads friends whose taste I trust), the book really came through for me when I realized that those HORRIBLE characters are meant to be that way... it actually makes the story more intriguing and believable. I needed a book like this, it came at a perfect time and I thank Flynn for being able to deliver a book with such twists and surprises. I look forward to being in the mood for a good twisty mystery and knowing that Flynn has a few that are sure to please.

I really enjoyed this. Not only is it fun to read, the author does what he does best with his unique writing style. This reads like poetry and is mixed with the back of cross stitching making it literary art. I can see why many people would be frustrated reading this, but knowing ahead of time the unconventional writing style made it quite enjoyable for me. Now i just need the time to tackle the rest of his other book "House of Leaves", but i think that will have to wait for my next time off work.

Cute short Holmes mystery. Because it was so short, you really didn't get a chance to fall into the story like Doyle's longer works.

This novel is a Gothic piece that weaves through Princeton's elite in the early 1900's, a fun and darkly comedic view from the top. This is a book in a grouping of Gothic novels from Oates, however... this was my first novel of Oates that dealt with the whimsical macabre. Although different from expected, Oates succeeds in the creepy, offensive, and unearthly with such charm. I was very lucky to attend an event with Joyce Carol Oates discussing/signing "The Accursed" at RJ Julia Bookstore in Madison, CT. The event was surprisingly intimate which was a stroke of luck since Oates had practically lost her voice. Even with a hoarse voice, her talk was a nice surprise. I wasn't expecting a "cute" and "funny" Author, more a Princeton snobby Professor. Don't get me wrong, I love JCO as a writer but I didn't know if I would like her personality as well. She exceeded my expectations ten fold and made light of this novel in such a fun way. After her talk about "The Accursed", I ended up enjoying it even more. To share some of the main points Oates discussed about this book...The most important thing I took away from Oates was historical accuracy. The characters, although embellished, follow a fairly accurate history. This surprised me since there was quite a bit of appalling behavior in the actions of some of these famous historical figures. I understand this was the majority of thought back then but it's hard to digest in this era. Prejudice, hate, lynchings, etc... very common, especially among the upper class where they have hired hands still at their beck and call. I don't want to give away much of this book since there are so many stories, all lightly woven together and discussing much of this book would be unfair to you. Pick up this book BUT keep an open mind and remember there is a very important lesson to be learned from the story.

King uses Kindle and Audible as a platform to address the gun debate that seems to pop up time after time whenever there is a tragedy. He straddles the line when it comes to this issue and while I lean a little more to one side, he gives such great points for both. He pretty much tugs at America's shoulders (like little kids running into the road) and pulls us back showing us the stupidity of our ways. There is an answer but both sides are making it impossible to achieve. I tend to agree with his line of thinking, and really am quite glad I decided to buy this super cheap buy on audible. I recommend this to everyone, let's get our heads out of our *you know whats*!

This was a really interesting and somewhat fun listen. It went through the table of the elements and joining them with fun stories. I think this would be a great "must read" for teens learning of the table, since it painted a picture for each element.

This book has such a simple premise but happens to contain so much thought behind culture. I enjoy Amelie Nothomb, her writing has a certain dark comic side that I find fits perfect with my taste. This book is her most acclaimed with the awards it won, but I enjoyed "The Stranger Next Door" quite a bit more than this book. Perhaps because this contained more of an upfront cultural debate and the other contained more mystery. What I will be taking from this... I do like this Author very much and will be seeking out more of her work to read.

This epic novel by Victor Hugo was quite a surprising treat. I think the enchantment felt was partially due to the lack of knowledge I had of this popular story. I've never seen any of the films or ventured out to see the play. Anyone who has ever read this will know Hugo tends to digress into many topics which stray from the story itself. Not knowing this, the first digression choked me like swallowing a huge pill. But slowly, after each one… I started to enjoy his digressions and wanted more. Hugo has a wonderful mind and really delves into some thought provoking ideas. All this stimulating writing had me highlighting like crazy. For example, I loved the way Hugo compared a prison to a monastery and a convict to a nun, never would I have even thought to compare the two! I also loved the entire rant on slang; this topic is still being debated today. Also, the slang of long ago is proper speech today which strengthens his argument even more. He brings a refreshing look at what slang really is and how it should be treated. One of my favorite characters in the book was actually a very minor character but one which brought about Hugo’s rant of slang. Gavroche, the street urchin who creates a nest in an elephant sculpture, has such cheer and resourcefulness for a child with nothing. This is admirable, yes… but Gavroche’s charm lies with his slangy speech. His speech is chock full of cute words for ordinary things and he tries to correct others when they use “proper” speech. His part is short but his character is so heartwarming and odd that it stuck with me. Okay, so… this story is aptly named “The Miserable Wretches” because EVERYONE has horrible things happen to them BUT sometimes a happy ending is overrated. I’ll leave you with this quote straight out of the ending of the book:“It is a terrible thing to be happy! How content one is! How all-sufficient one finds it! How, being in possession of the false object of life, happiness, one forgets the true object, duty!”It was Hugo’s duty to deliver us a story with depth and feeling, not one of those dull (heard it all before) stories. With this, he has success… End of story.

This book, although interesting, greatly irritated me. The Author was very one sided when it came to her arguments, usually using a quick blurb saying "extroverts are cool too". Every point she makes is strictly speaking to the introvert and not a person who exhibits both traits (which seems to me, the majority of the population).The idea of personality being either extrovert or introvert is a failure, just as someone isn't completely left or right brain dominant. The Author could have built more upon the benefits of introversion itself instead of creating arguments and statistics on whom wins in the race of life. I'll admit, this was an audio book for me which could have played a part in my aversion to the Author. Sometimes when you listen to a book and the voice actor gets under your skin, this can be a death sign for the book itself. I've heard many people adore this book, so I won't say don't read it... It just wasn't my cup of tea.

Dysfunction, delusion and deprecation are three words that could be used to describe this short story by Palahniuk. Short stories have always been hard for me to swallow due to the lack of depth and attachment you get from a full length story. However, if you know anything about Palahniuk, he has the ability to use few words but give you something worthwhile out of it. This particular story revolves around a dysfunctional couple who have a child. Palahniuk writes this from the third person and flashes back and forth between two events. Strange enough this works very well and is something we don't really see from Palahniuk (3rd person). Think this sounds too "normal", you haven't read enough Palahniuk. Trust me, you'll encounter all the messy, eye twitchy goodness found in his other works. You'll also find some really good quotes within, so read on... the 99 cents is worth it!

Most of this review is hidden because of spoilers (anyone who has read this book will understand). The whole books purpose is a spoiler, and to discuss the book would be impossible without revealing the surprise. I will say that this book truly moved me and this was my first John Irving book. I enjoyed Irving's writing so much that I'm really looking forward to reading more of his work. Also, listening to an interview of Irving about this book, he mentioned how Dickens is a huge influence on him. This really does show and being a huge Dickens fan myself, this just solidifies my interest in Irving.Owen lived his entire life for just one moment, how amazing that concept is. The flow of the book is interesting, it has a very theatrical feel to it and I could almost see the characters acting it out. Irving did such a wonderful job spinning this tale and putting it all together in the end. You didn't even have to grasp at straws to get it, he gave it to you throughout the book without you even knowing it. It gives you that "Aha, I get it!" moments. Apparently Irving writes his book from back to front, which might be the clever charm of his writing and how it all fits together so nicely.

A crossword history is a sure thing right? I liked the book, didn't love it due to the snobbishness of the Author. I actually really disliked this guy enough to want to stop reading. I'm glad I didn't because the non-personal bits of this book are quite good. A good read for any crossword lover!

I'm torn between 3 or 4 stars on this book. I didn't enjoy the characters at all and the writing was only okay. The story line and the connection between captive and kidnapper was really well done and made up for some of what the book lacks. I enjoyed reading it and got through it quickly, which is always a good sign of a captivating book. I would recommend this book solely for the look into the dynamics of the kidnapper situation, which is interesting enough to keep you reading more.

This was the first time reading this as an adult and I remember loving this book when i was a kid. It's good but the magic of the story doesn't hold up as well when you're older.

This is my second time reading "The Great Gatsby" and this time, as an adult. I'm torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars but I decided on four stars because I'm a sucker for a tragic story with an unsettled ending. Fitzgerald can write some beautiful descriptions and they come across very sharp. The first time reading this, I was in High School and wasn't quite able to grasp the theme of infidelity. Reading this as an adult, this theme and even the "love story" is easier to grasp and relate to. However, I didn't relate to or even like most of the characters of the book; spoiled, haughty, uber rich middle age adults acting like children. This didn't bother me as much as how short the book seemed and very rushed. I think Fitzgerald could have expanded this further because sometimes the chapters jump months ahead and we lose so much character development that the connection you have with them is on a very thin thread. All of the faults are overshadowed by the tragic ending, I really love when an Author doesn't feel they have to give a book the "Happy ending" they think everyone wants. I'm glad I decided to read this again as an adult because I got SO much more out of it and a greater understanding of why this book is such a successful classic.

Oh, Dickens... you've done it again. Pulling at my heartstrings during this special time of year, Christmas. I'm so glad I decided to read this during the Holiday. You see, I'm always left with a bad feeling during Christmas because it makes me so neurotic. Cleaning, shopping, making food, parties, no time to do everything... CHAOS! I detest the feeling of "GO GO GO" and "BUY EVERYTHING". I wish we could live in the times when Christmas was all about giving to those in need and gathering round a table full of Christmas goodies and cheer.Reading this has relaxed my anxiety during this Holiday season and I think this might become a tradition... Amber, you must read A Christmas Carol every year before you start going crazy from all the expectations. The characters are as wonderful as any others Dickens writes and the comedy is tenfold when it comes to Scrooge (as I viewed him before to what he is in the book). I think everyone should read "A Christmas Carol" before the Holiday and try and take the meaning to heart!As for Dickens other stories in the book... my favorite was the "Christmas Tree". This story was unlike anything I would have expected out of Dickens and could very well be one of my favorite short stories of all time. It starts out describing a Christmas tree that we can all relate to and then meanders through life through the telling of tales that relate to the tree. Each story is philosophical and rich with description, enough to catch you off guard for a few paragraphs until you get into the flow again. This story was amazing and I highly recommend it to everyone.