Book Reviews

When the weather gets colder there's nothing I'd rather do than curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. It's the time of year when it's dark early and I don't spend as much time outside, but rather get cozy in flannels and read any chance I get.

I haven't posted about any of the books I've been reading lately, so I've got some catching up to do. I'll try and post more reviews soon.

Andrea Martin's Lady Parts - I like to mix things up and comedian's books are a great way to lighten things up with a fast, funny read. She's neurotic, quirky and funny. I'm not super familiar with her more recent work, but she was on SCTV and brought a Canadian woman's touch to improv, so how can she not be interesting? It was worth a read.
I give it 2 unicorns on the Kelly Malacko Grading Scale. (What can I say I'm surrounded by little girls...)

The Enchanted, by Rene Denefeld-
First things first... it's disturbing. Big warning. It's violent. It's about death row inmates in a prison. So, there's that....I've got to say though, it was interesting. The writing is so unique and fresh. The author doesn't name her main character and lets the reader see that each and every character is flawed, especially the protagonist.
4 unicorns.

Gathering Blue and The Messenger, from The Giver series, by Lois Lowry-
Young Adult fiction. This series is made up of four books, starting with the most famous, The Giver. They are all set in a dystopian world,  where values are skewed and the protagonist has a chance to change the world by embracing their gifts. They're quick reads, but the characters are captivating and they will leave you thinking even after you put them down. The books are all tied together, but are told through varying protagonists.

Gathering Blue (Book 2) - Kira is an orphan living in a world ruled by survival of the fittest, to the extreme, and she is handicapped.

Messenger (Book 3) - Matty is the messenger in a secluded village. He is the only one who can reach outside villages. When people from his community give up their altruistic nature in greed, he needs to warn an outsider who may help save them.

I give them both 3 unicorns.

The Girl on The Train, by Paula Hawkins -
A very popular novel, similar to Gone Girl. In the age of social media, where everyone knows intimate details about near strangers, this novel looks at what would happen if you get too involved in someone's life, when you don't really know who they are. A mystery that tangles the lives of 6 people with a drunken haze thrown in to really mix things up. It was interesting, but I knew what was happening early. The twists weren't twisty enough for this amateur sleuth....

2 unicorns.

Z, A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, by Therese Anne Fowler-

This novel was based on letters and historic documents written by Zelda Fitzgerald and is captivating and infuriating, heart-breaking and inspiring. The novel captures the story of a passionate couple and the roller coaster ride they call life. Set in the Jazz Age and telling the story of an imaginative and troubled couple, it really begs to be read.

5 unicorns.