Books, Tea, and Blankets

Welcome to Books, Tea, and Blankets! My name is Ashley. I started this blog to keep track of my reading journey and share my love of books and words in general. Happy reading! Reading Challenge 2017 Reading Challenge 2016 Battling Cancer Other Books Reading Challenge 2015 Goodreads

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Reading challenge 2018

50. Fire and Fury:Inside the Trump White House 

Genre: politics, non-fiction, history

In a nutshell: If you didn’t think Trump was crazy enough already, his White House is full of a drama and adults acting like children, talking behind each other's backs, plotting to get their enemies out. 

Recommendation: Unless you’re really into politics, I’d avoid it. 

Rating: 

‘

I’ll be blunt: This book bored me to no end. It took me from August to December to read it in its entirety. While some of the drama was interesting, the book was boring. Maybe I’m not cultured enough to enjoy reading exclusively about politics. 

Basically, the book is what the title suggests. The White House seems to be full of children that just can’t seem to get along. They back stab each other constantly and try to get someone out. Eventually, Trump seems to get sick of people so he fires them publicly or forces them to resign. It’s basically like House of Cards with stupid people in the place of smart and conniving ones. With full disclosure, I live in Canada. For my American Goodreads friends, I am very sorry that your country’s government is so mis-managed and questionable. 

Anyway. This book was just not interesting for me. Certain parts were interesting, but some of it just got to be too much and didn’t really present anything ground-breaking. It took me so long to read and I was just motivated to finish. But I know the author put A LOT of work into the book. The hours it must have taken to piece this together is impressive. So, it still gets 3 stars! 

For your amusement, here are some funny anecdotes from the book: 

“Once, coming back on his plane with a billionaire friend who had brought along a foreign model, Trump, trying to move in on his friend’s date, urged a stop in Atlantic City. He would provide a tour of his casino. His friend assured the model that there was nothing to recommend Atlantic City. It was a place overrun by white trash. “What is this ‘white trash’?” asked the model. “They’re people just like me,” said Trump, “only they’re poor.”

“Reince Priebus, getting ready to shift over from the RNC to the White House, noted, with alarm, how often Trump offered people jobs on the spot, many of whom he had never met before, for positions whose importance Trump did not particularly understand.”

“Trump talked nonstop and constantly repeated himself. “Here’s the deal,” a close Trump associate told Priebus. “In an hour meeting with him you’re going to hear fifty-four minutes of stories and they’re going to be the same stories over and over again. So you have to have one point to make and you have to pepper it in whenever you can.”

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Reading challenge 2018

49. A Place for Us -  Fatima Farheen Mirza

Genre: cultural, fiction, family 

In a nutshell: Old wounds open and tensions rise as an Indian-American Muslim family gathers for a wedding. 

Recommendation: I was hoping for more... It was good, but it wasn’t that engaging. 

Rating: 

I kept hearing good things about this book. And while the cultural pieces were there and relevant and the context is important, the story just didn’t keep me. But I do also want to give credit to the author, because this is her first novel. 

“There is no such thing as friends, only family, and only family will never desert you.”

An Indian-American Muslim family is gathering for the eldest daughter, Hadia’s marriage. Her parents, Rafiq and Layla, while pleased one of their children is finally getting married, are less enthused that it took so long and that the marriage is based on love rather than a traditional arranged marriage. Huda, the second eldest daughter, is still not married. And the family is also tense due to the arrival of Amar, the estranged son,who has not spoken to the family in three years. During the wedding, old secrets and wounds will come to light and threaten to tear the family apart further. 

Again, the cultural implications of the book are good. The characters were pretty good. The family dynamic was good. The writing style was amazing. It was just the plot and events in the book weren’t all that interesting and there was so much build-up for little return. 

That’s about all I have to say. Although, the conclusion was also open-ended, which I did not appreciate. I like an ending where all questions are answered and there is at least some sort of conclusion to the story. 

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Reading challenge 2018

48.  The Tattooist of Auschwitz-Heather Morris

Genre: historical fiction, WWII, romance

In a nutshell: A true love story about the tattooist and another prisoner in Auschwitz. 

Recommendation: YES

Rating: 

I was waiting for this to come out for months. I knew it would be amazing. and I was right. 

Lale is a Slovakian Jew that is transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. The officers soon find out that Lale is a man of many talents, one of which being that he can speak several languages, so they give him the job of tattooist, during which Lale must permanently mark other prisoners with numbers. While Lale does not want to be responsible for inflicting pain on others, he knows he will do anything to survive, like befriending his captors and trading items for food and other things. Soon Lale meets a woman he must tattoo named Gita. He vows that when they leave the camp, he will marry her. This is a true story, during which two found love in such a desolate, dark, and unexpected place. 

“How can someone do this to another human being? He wonders if for the rest of his life, be it short or long, he will be defined by this moment, this irregular number: 32407.”   

I knew right away that I'd love this book. At the beginning, I will admit it was a bit difficult to get into, but soon enough, I was intrigued and couldn't put it down. I've read many books about WWII, some true, some fictional. This was a mix of both and I enjoyed it very much, despite it's obvious dark and sad tones.

  It's almost unbelievable that two people going through such hardship and tragedy could end up finding and loving each other. Neither of them knew if they had anything left to go home to, but they found a home in each other. If you enjoy historical fiction, especially about WWII (I know there are A LOT out there), make sure you read this!

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Reading challenge 2018

47.  Vox - Christina Dalcher

Genre: dystopian, science fiction, feminism 

In a nutshell: In the U.S., women are only allowed to say 100 words a day... so they must choose wisely. 

Recommendation: This was definitely an interesting dystopian novel. It wasn't the greatest, but it was definitely entertaining. 

Rating:

This book seemed interesting... it was either this or Red Clocks because they both seemed similar. This one had slightly better reviews and looked more interesting. 

Jean McClennan was once a well-known linguistics scientist... until the "Pure" religion came into existence. Females, including babies, are now given wristbands that count how many words they say in a day. They are only allowed to say 100 words daily, anything over that results in an electric shock that gets stronger with every extra word. Jean must learn to live in this new world where she is not allowed to read or write, and has to use her 100 words wisely. She does not want her daughter to grow up in a world like this... yet she doesn't have much of a choice, as her sons start to believe what the new religion is teaching them. 

“Think about where you’ll be—where your daughters will be—when the courts turn back the clock. Think about words like ‘spousal permission’ and ‘paternal consent.’ Think about waking up one morning and finding you don’t have a voice in anything.”   I actually thought this was an original dystopian feminism novel for the most part. I was really into it as well, as the story was told well and in an engaging way. The book was also scary in its own way. A book with this message is definitely relevant and important in today's current social and political climate, which is uncertain and flawed in many ways. 

But you've probably noticed that even though I enjoyed the book, I only gave it 3.5 stars. This is mostly do to the singular point of view of Jean... I personally wanted to know more about her husband and why he seemed so understanding sometimes and so cold at other times. I wanted to know more about Jean's son, particularly the one that REALLY bought into the pure religion (Can't remember his name at the moment). The ending was also a LITTLE too neat and tidy considering the events of the book. Which is why it gets 3.5 stars. 

But still, I liked it.

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Reading challenge 2018

46. The Next Person you Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom

Genre: fiction, fantasy, inspirational 

In a nutshell: The Five People You Meet in Heaven Part 2... I know that's uninspired. Sorry!

Recommendation: If you read and enjoyed the first one, you'll probably like this one. If you haven't read the first one... well read that one first. 

Rating: 

While I enjoyed this book, I'm not sure why Mitch Albom wrote a second part. I feel like The Five People you Meet in Heaven was so unique and the first of its kind. This just felt like a cash grab. Like how Jojo Moyes keeps releasing sequels to Me Before You (NO the sequels don't even come close. not even close. I don't understand why people keep reading them or why people think that the sequels are so great. If you happen to be one of the lovers of the sequels, PLEASE I welcome you to message me and explain why you think the sequels to Me Before You are so great when the series ruined Lou's character development entirely from the first book and ruined Will's wishes with Lou making stupid decisions and not honouring Will's memory at all... oops. tangent). 

15 years ago, Eddie died so that Annie could live, selflessly pushing her out of harm's way. The incident, however, left Annie with an arm that was surgically reattached, scars, and she doesn't even remember what happened that day on Ruby Pier. Annie has been bullied and had a rocky relationship with her mother growing up, but that changes when she reunites with her childhood friend, Paulo, and ends up finding love. On her wedding day, a tragedy occurs, leading Annie to meet her own five people in heaven. 

“Because we embrace our scars more than our healing. [...] We can recall the exact day we got hurt, but who remembers the day the wound was gone?”   I don't want to give too much away, but don't read this unless you've read the original because it just doesn't make sense... I dislike when sequels can't stand on their own. This one is an example. It's also kind of predictable because OBVIOUSLY Eddie is one of the five people she meets. The book wasn't bad. It was heartwarming at times and shares unique lessons on life. I did enjoy the ending. If you did like the first book, you'll probably like this one. 

SPOILER ALERT BELOW:

WHY on earth was Annie's DOG a PERSON she met in heaven? That's super weird. Especially since the dog's form in heaven is a human that talks and shares all this wisdom, then she turns back into a dog and Annie cuddles her like she didn't essentially just come to life and tell her about what went wrong and right in her life. Like if my dog turned into a person that could talk and spouted all this philosophical stuff out and then turned into a dog again, I don't think I'd be able to look at her the same way ever again. Like I don't know if I'd ever allow her to lick my face again or if i'd ever play tug of war or fetch with her ever again because it would be so beneath her and I wouldn't be able to deal. I just thought that whole section was very weird.

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Reading challenge 2018

45.  The Hazelwood - Melissa Albert

Genre: Young adult, fantasy, fairy tale

In a nutshell: Who stole my mom? 

Recommendation: I mean...meh? I wouldn't. Pretty underwhelming. 

Rating:

This was just kind of a snoozefest. I don't know what I was expecting. It just seemed like it would be a good one. But, you can't win them all. 

“if you’re not with the book you want, you might as well want the book you’re with.”  

^^^That is a pretty bad ass quote though. 

Alice is 17 and is falling into a routine. Her mother, Ella. Ella's newest flavour of the month is her husband, Harold, who is much more well off than any of her other suitors. Since Alice is more used to couch surfing, she doesn't complain too much, even though she hates Harold and isn't too thrilled with her step sister. Alice also knows that this union only happened after she found out that her reclusive, famous fairy tale writer grandmother passed away. Alice grew up fascinated by the tales until her mother took her grandmother's book away, as Ella and Althea didn't have the best relationship. Soon, Ella disappears. Alice finds out that she was taken away by mysterious figures and enlisted the help of Ellory Fitch, her school crush, who is also a huge fan of Althea's tales. 

This sounds like a good concept, doesn't it? It just wasn't told right. The fairy tales were the most interesting part. It took quite a while to get the main plot. And by that point I lost interest really. Alice didn't seem to be THAT perplexed that her mom was stolen. She just explains she has to get her back even though she complains about her 24/7. Just uninspired main characters really that made me not care at all. And even when the main action happened, by that point i was so bored that it just didn't wow me. 

I don't have much else to say about this one. I feel like I'm cheaping out but I simply cannot be bothered. ​

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Reading challenge 2018

44.  How to walk away - Katherine Center 

Genre: medical, chick lit, romance 

In a nutshell: Margaret gets into a plane crash that her new fiance caused; she is left paralyzed below the waist and her fiance walks away without a scratch. Will she walk again? How will she learn to move past this? 

Recommendation: I enjoyed this on so many levels. I cried, I laughed, I loved it. Read it!

Rating:

I kept seeing good things and I wanted to read this desperately. I was worried it would be sad or all about romance or something... and in many ways it is sad, but it's a hopeful kind of sad with an enjoyable protagonist.

“The greater our capacity for sorrow becomes, the greater our capacity for joy.” 

Margaret is about to have it all. She is about to obtain the job of her dreams and even literally just got engaged to Chip, the man she loves. It all gets snatched away in minutes after a small plane crash, leaving her gravely injured. Maybe nothing will be the same again. Margaret must come to terms with her new future while enduring heartbreak and family drama and long-kept secrets. This book will inspire you to be happy, no matter what you're going through.

“But you have to live the life you have. You have to find inspiration in the struggle, and pull joy out of the hardship. That’s what we try to do—counterbalance the suffering with laughter, fuzzy blankets, hugs, sing-alongs, sunny-day picnics, chocolate chip cookies, and wildflowers. Because that’s all we can do: carry the sorrow when we have to, and absolutely savor the joy when we can. Life is always, always both.”

I loved this and I didn't think I would. While a lot of it IS quite sad, it's relate-able for me on many levels. I am a cancer survivor. During the time of my illness, I was in and out of the hospital for treatment and procedures. Obviously I felt quite ill in a lot of different ways. I dealt with a loss of the person I was before the illness, and had to face my new reality. I knew I had to face it head-on and do my best to stay positive, even when situations seemed hopeless. There were so many times in this book with those enlightening quotes or when Margaret faced setbacks that really made me take a step back and appreciate where I've been and where I am today, in terms of my mental strength. This was a powerful book that really sheds some light on the capabilities of the human spirit.

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Reading challenge 2018

43. Cross Her Heart - Sarah Pinborough

Genre: Mystery, suspense, thriller 

In a nutshell: You got used to this storyline of Lisa trying to pick up her life after a mysterious past with a secret and an abusive ex? OOP! PLOT TWIST NOW GET USED TO THIS ONE!

Recommendation: I could have done without this one... I liked the first half and then I was like "ok... just change everything ok... that's fine..." 

Rating:

This was an impulse buy. It had good ratings when I saw it first. And I was in the mood for another mystery so I picked it up... it's not the WORST I've read, but definitely is nowhere near the best. 

“Someone can do a terrible unforgivable thing, and yet you forgive them if you love them. The heart is such a strange thing.”

Lisa is moving on with her life after an abusive relationship and has been for several years. She and her teenage daughter Ava are doing the best they can during Ava's angst stage. Ava has a boyfriend but is in love with a mysterious man that has been messaging her on Facebook. Lisa is contemplating dating a client who has taken an interest in her... things seem to be on course. And then strange things start happening to Lisa that remind her of the past. And then Ava saves a child from drowning and Lisa's and Ava's photo is everywhere, threatening to expose the identity Lisa has fought to protect. 

So, that synopsis up there? interesting, right? But that's where the interesting part kind of ends. Then an entirely different plot starts. Which I didn't enjoy because I was really getting into the first one. Then it was just too many twists and turns and the whole thing made me uncomfortable and I don't like Lisa OR Ava so that really didn't help. 

I liked the build of the mystery at the beginning, but then it just blew up and got to be too much. And Marilyn's storyline? Interesting, but how is it relevant? Because it totally isn't. Not at all. But anyway... that's all I have to say.

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Reading challenge 2018

42.  The Great Alone - Kristin Hannah 

Genre: Historical fiction, family, PTSD. alcoholism

In a nutshell: A father suffering from PTSD from being a former POW in Vietnam decides to move his family to Alaska to live a simpler life away from the noise. 

Recommendation: Read it, read it now. I love Kristin Hannah so much and this book was nothing short of incredible.

Rating:

I have read The Nightingale and Firefly Lane and loved both in different ways. I knew I had to read this one. I really have to hand it to this author, her books are SO different from each other and don't follow a formula. I guess they are all historical fiction, but the time periods, subject matter, and characters range. It's incredible and Kristin Hannah is very talented. I fell in love with The Great Alone right away. 

“It’s like his back is broken, Mama had said, and you don’t stop loving a person when they’re hurt. You get stronger so they can lean on you. He needs me. Us.”   

Leni Allbright, 13, and her family are always moving and can't seem to stay in one place. Her father, Ernt, returned from the Vietnam war with a host of conditions, such as PTSD and an alcohol addiction. He's recently lost another job and received a plot of land in Alaska from an old friend in Vietnam who passed away. Ernt decides to take his family to live a simple life in Alaska, where the air is cleaner and the area is less populated. Ernt is happy for a while... until winter nears closer. The family is not prepared for the harsh, long Alaska winters that the locals prepare for long before by growing and storing food. And Ernt's mental state worsens during colder, darker months, making him become irritable, abusive, and mentally unstable. But Leni's mother will never leave Ernt, despite the fact that their relationship is dark and toxic. Leni and her mother with have to learn to adapt to their new life in the great alone with Ernt. 

“Alaska isn't about who you were when you headed this way. It's about who you become.”  

At first I was intimidated by the size of the book. I have a reading goal for the year. So far, I'm  surpassing my goal given how much time I have left, but big books worry me because I want to want to finish them quickly to obtain my goal. But this was great, because I didn't want to put it down and read it quickly! 

I knew I would probably enjoy this book... I just didn't know how much. I couldn't stop reading it. The characters had such depth and the plot was interesting. I was drawn to the isolation and beauty of Alaska that were both described in detail. Kristin Hannah just has such a way of telling a story... you get immersed in the culture of the town and you feel the characters emotions. I actually gasped and cried throughout the book. I love a good book that makes me FEEL things. 

The book can be overwhelming at times because so much happens... I don't know how else to describe it. A lot of stuff happens with the characters. So I found I had to put the book down here and there to get some space...only for an hour or two because I really wanted to find out what would happen even though it was so deep and dark at times. 

My only complaint I guess, which I've seen has bothered other reviewers, is the depiction of Ernt. Yes, he suffered in Vietnam and has PTSD as a result... but the book almost paints the picture that people like this are to be feared and not helped. I guess this can be relevant to real life as a lot of people just don't get the help they need or admit they need help in the first place. I just didn't like how NO help was ever offered to Ernt, even by his own family even when they knew there was a problem, because they feared him so much. Now I don't know a survivor of war to actually know if this is or isn't how it is. But I can speak to my own experience with PTSD. It's really hard, and the way I acted during it affected people around me to the point where some were fearful of me, but I was offered the help I needed and was alerted to the problems. and I overcame it. Ernt just needs help, and he isn't offered any and he is kind of described as an unpredictable monster. 

But still... This book was incredible and I enjoyed it very much. It makes me want to travel to Alaska just to see it, even though in the book tourism is looked down on because it ruins the isolation people flock to Alaska for.

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Reading challenge 2018

41. Three Days Missing - Kimberly Belle 

Genre: mystery, suspense, thriller

In a nutshell: Kid is kidnapped on a school camping trip. WHODUNNIT? 

Recommendation: Even though it was decent, I was expecting more... and I was not impressed with this. So maybe you shouldn't bother with this one? 

Rating: 

I bought this on a day when I was just in the mood for some mystery novels. This one was on sale so I picked it up along with a few other not-so-earth-shattering mystery novels. This one just got out of hand and the ending did not impress me. I'm surprised a lot of my Goodreads friends and many other Goodreads users loved this one so much. 

Kat reluctantly allows Ethan, her gifted, albeit socially awkward son to go on a camping trip with his class. Her deepest fears come to life when it is discovered that he has gone missing. The most obvious suspect is Kat's abusive, alcoholic husband, who Kat is currently in the process of divorcing. But then Stef Huntington, who has the perfect marriage to the mayor of Atlanta and a son named Sammy in Ethan's class, gets a mysterious phone call from a stranger who says they have Sammy. How will this unfold, and what happened to Ethan? 

The concept started off good... until Stef came into the mix, which was pretty close to the beginning... Stef is very unlikable and spoiled and has an awful personality. I mean, she does SOME good things, but other than that, she's just annoying. And makes excuses for her son, who is equally awful and a bully. 

And the fact that he's a bully never REALLY gets addressed that much. In the end he's just an annoying kid that likes to pick fights and hide behind mommy and daddy and their wall of money. 

Also... the ending and whodunit is obvious within the first 100 pages. Which is really stupid. I honestly hate predictable endings. They are the worst.  So therefore, that is why the book only gets 2.5 stars from me.

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Reading challenge 2018

40. The Perfect Couple - Elin Hilderbrand 

Genre: mystery, chick lit, contemporary

In a nutshell: It's supposed to be the perfect wedding on Nantucket, until the maid of honour is found dead floating in the water on the morning of the ceremony... whodunit? 

Recommendation: I don't dislike it enough to say avoid it and I don;t like it enough to say it's a must read... but the season to read it has passed so maybe wait until next summer? 

Rating: 

This was 120% a summer read. If you don't plan on reading it poolside, on a beach somewhere, or outside in general on a hot day, then it's not worth reading it until next summer... Unless you live somewhere tropical to begin with. It's a book It was decent... and I kept trying to solve the mystery, but I read it on the beach and at a cottage and poolside. Would definitely not have enjoyed reading it now that it's fall in Canada. 

“There is nothing more terrible, she has decided, than the ferocity with which humans can love.”  

It's the perfect beach wedding in Nantucket. Benjamin, the groom, from a successful family, the bride, a soft-spoken girl that works hard but didn't come from money. A lovely catered affair on a beautiful island. And then, on the morning after the rehearsal, several hours before the official wedding ceremony, the bride finds her best friend, the maid of honour, dead in the water. Did she commit suicide, or did someone kill her? Was it the best man who mysteriously took off? Was it the father of the groom, with the wandering eyes and hands? Was it the mother of the groom, a famous mystery novelist? Whodunit? This book unravels the lies and secrets of all those involved. 

So I've never read any Elin Hilderbrand... This was my first book by her. So how do I feel? I'm not entirely sure. I read too many mysteries and whodunits, so it's pretty hard to blow me away. I liked the story. I had many different predictions of the ending and how Merritt actually died. But I find the book just followed too similar a pattern to other books of its kind... 

The answer seems obvious based on the relationships of the characters but of COURSE it's just not that simple. It's some other person that has very little to do with the plot. And when I see this formula followed with every mystery novel I read, after a while, it's just kind of like "huh...ok I don't care." So that's why this book gets 3 stars. I just didn't really care at the end of it when the mystery was revealed. Not fun.

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Reading challenge 2018

39.  The perfect mother - Aimee Molloy

Genre: Suspense, mystery, thriller

In a nutshell: Nosy women in a mothers group with nothing better to do get involved in the investigation of another member's missing son. 

Recommendation: Leave investigations to the professionals... you are not a cop. You are a bored housewife. But, this book was entertaining. 

Rating:

Aside from using the formula "the perfect _____," which lately is SO overused, this book was entertaining. Not groundbreaking mystery or anything super new, but entertaining. Very much like something Liane Moriarty would write. Gossipy women are involved in some sort of mystery. But you know, I kinda liked it. 

"Why did she do that? Hadn't she learned her lesson? One impulsive decision can destroy an entire life. If anyone should know that, it's her."

The May Mothers are a group of moms who gave birth in May. While most interactions are through email, which include advice on parenting, some members of the group actually meet in person for mommy dates in the park. When Colette, Francie, and Nell, three mommys who have become close friends notice that Winnie, another member, is withdrawn and stressed as a single mother to a newborn baby boy, they plan a night out a bar. What was intended as a fun evening out turns into a nightmare when Midas, Winnie's baby, goes missing. The three close friends try to unravel the mystery of what happened to Midas. 

It's funny. I looked at other reviews of this book and other people also think this is very Liane Moriarty-esque. Not that that's a bad thing, because I love Liane Moriarty and gobble up every one of her books. But you know.. Gossipy women that get caught up in some sort of mystery while dabbling in regular life turmoil and sexual themes? Very similar. Cosmopolitan in book form. But fun. 

I actually kind of enjoyed all the characters even though I don't get WHY they became so involved in the mystery. One goes as far as to steal classified documents about the case. Another CONSTANTLY mentions the fact that "a little boy is without his mother" and "this little boy needs to be reunited with his mother"(seriously... almost in every single chapter something to this effect is mentioned). And another is just kind of in it because her friends are in it. Winnie herself is mysterious and interesting and you want to know more about her. 

While I enjoyed the book and the mystery and all that stuff, the ending and solving of the mystery was... meh? Interesting, but meh. I had so many theories. and I think when books try so hard to make the solution of a mystery TOTALLY random and unpredictable, it actually takes the fun out of it. Whatever happened to the good old-fashioned Agatha Christie novel where it's one of these 12 people and THAT'S IT. Colonol Mustard in the study with the wrench. Miss Scarlett in the kitchen with the knife. Predictable, but fun to try and guess WHY or what clues give things away. These modern mystery novels? They don't let you do it. They take away the fun. When you read these books, everyone is a suspect. But it's more interesting if the person that did it was at least one of the people you kind of thought of before. Know what I mean?

Not to mention the ladies never actually SOLVED the crime. It was confessed to them. And I saw one reviewer mention that a confession is a lame way to solve a crime and I agree. I like when characters have suspicions or catch them at something. Pretty fun. 

But anyway... I'm a sucker for these types of books obviously which is why sometimes I feel entitled to go on rants like that. If you gobble these types of books up like I do, then yeah, I recommend it.

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Reading challenge 2018

38.  Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days-Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, Brad Kowitz

Genre:

business, non-fiction, educational 

In a nutshell: Three partners at Google Ventures teach you a five-day process to solve tough problems that have stumped you and your colleagues for years.

Recommendation: If you're struggling to come up with a process to solve a big problem, try doing a sprint. 

Rating: 

This was actually recommended reading within my old department in the government. A lot of the employees read the book and advised to test some of the methods used in the book. It's hard to apply it to government due to the intense approval process, but personally I liked the book and think what's presented here can help others. 

Basically the title of the book is pretty self-explanatory. This is a book that solving big problems in 5 days at work. Basically your work team will buckle down and follow the steps outlined in the book to solve a problem that you need to solve. On Monday, you build a map of what you're trying to achieve and ask the experts in your team. On Tuesday, you sketch possible solutions. 

On Wednesday, you decide which problem can realistically be solved and decide on a solution through storyboarding. On Thursday, you design a prototype. Finally, on Friday, you test your prototype using insights from earlier in the week and you learn from it. Sometimes it's successful, sometimes it isn't, but it really challenges you to think in new ways to solve problems. 

I think everyone whose workplace is looking to solve a problem should read this... especially tech companies. Mostly it's for tech companies. But the methods work for other companies too.

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Reading challenge 2018

37. The Immortalists - Chloe Benjamin

Genre: Fantasy, fiction, family 

In a nutshell: If you knew the day you're going to die, how would you choose to live your life? 

Recommendation: I think it's interesting... but maybe only read the first 3 sections. The last one was dull. 

Rating: 

I kept seeing this book everywhere on Goodreads and I love the cover art. So I wanted to read the book and see for myself. 

“He believes in bad choices; he believes in bad luck. And yet the memory of the woman on Hester Street is like a miniscule needle in his stomach, something he swallowed long ago and which floats, undetectable, except for moments when he moves a certain way and feels a prick.”   

In 1969, the four Gold children seek out a famous psychic who tells them the day they will die. The fortunes influence them to live their lives as they see fit. Simon, the youngest, runs off to San Francisco in the 1980s in search of self-acceptance with his sister Clara, an aspiring magician. Clara eventually goes on to become a Las Vegas magician that commands attention. Daniel, the oldest son, is an army doctor after 9/11. The eldest child, Varya, leaves most of her past in New York behind and conducts longevity research. This story is about fate and family. 

I did enjoy this book. It wasn't as good as I was expecting, but I was pleased all the same. The problem is that each sibling doesn't capture your attention for very long. Simon is very interesting and I loved his story and his connection to Clara. Clara's life goes off the rails and I didn't know what to make of her for a while. Daniel's story was okay, I was mostly interested in the family dynamics with him. Varya's story bored me to no end and I couldn't wait to finish the book.  

The problem with this book is that it didn't really give me FEELS. It's not memorable. The only character that I think will stay with me is Simon. That's about it. Clara really only ever cared about herself and did't have much depth. To me, her fate had no meaning. Simon was selfish too but at least he was interesting and his impulsiveness made sense and felt justified somehow. Daniel never really justifies why he feels one way or the other. His end frustrated me. I did not find Varya or her story very interesting. So I stopped caring. That's the truth. 

But still, this was a book with an interesting concept for sure. Maybe you'll like it more than I did.  

[books-tea-and-blankets]

Reading challenge 2018

36. Dear Mrs. Bird - AJ Pierce

genre: historical fiction, WWII

In a nutshell: Young, lovable Emmy Lake wants to do her bit for the war effort as a news journalist but ends up writing advice for how to remove stains from tea towels. 

Recommendation: It's definitely cute and easy to read. I like it! 

Rating:

I got this because it was on sale, new, and the cover was cute... and the ratings were decent too. I read this to off-set sadness after reading a depressing book and it worked. I laughed out loud a few times. It was pretty cute! 

Emmy Lake is trying her best to help out war efforts to bring down that bugger Hitler by volunteering as a telephone operator with the fire brigade. And then she sees a job ad that could make her dream of becoming a lady war correspondent. She quickly realizes her job is as an assistant to Mrs.Bird, a grumpy woman who provides advice to readers of "Woman's Friend," a dying magazine. But the important questions and concerns from writers are seen as "unpleasantness" and are discarded for questions about cleaning and cooking. Emmy decides to take matters into her own hands after reading letters from readers that Mrs.Bird refuses to respond to, about lonely women, broken relationships, and love during the war. Emmy starts responding to letters secretly... what Mrs.Bird doesn't know won't hurt her, right? 

I thought this was super cute and I enjoyed it. I finished it pretty quickly. I like how it's jokey and funny but is set during a dark time, in London during WWII, when Germany was bombing England. 

I really enjoyed the cast of characters, especially Emmy. She is relatable for sure, and funny and clever and kind and caring... basically all the good things! Mrs. Bird is hilarious in her own way, going around scolding about "UNPLEASANTNESS." 

While I enjoyed the book and it was heart-warming, it wouldn't exactly pass as high-class literature that will stay with me forever. 

By the end, I just wish we knew a bit more about Mrs.Bird and why she is the way she is, other than the fact she's just old and grumpy!

[books-tea-and-blankets]

Reading challenge 2018

35. Every Note Played - Lisa Genova

Genre: Drama, medical, contemporary

In a nutshell: Richard, a famous pianist with an ego, adored by many but loved by none, is diagnosed with ALS and his ex-wife, Karina, who was scorned by him in marriage due to his cheating and abandonment, becomes his caregiver. 

Recommendation: I'm at a toss-up... ratings are good, and understandably so. The prose is good. The story is good(albeit heart-breaking) but I dislike Richard and Karina is difficult to relate to...

Rating: 

So, hear me out. I love Lisa Genova. I applaud her for her efforts both as an author and philanthropist, speaking out for important causes. And I know that in a sense, her books aren't ABOUT the story or characters. They are about awareness for the medical conditions she writes about and include calls to action for readers. For this one, I couldn't get around the characters, which is why it loses points, even though I read the book in 24 hours. 

"Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”  

Karina is a bitter piano teacher, swimming in anger and regret. Her ex-husband, Richard, a famous pianist, only focused on his success and infidelities while leaving her in the sidelines when she could have made something better of herself as well. She was taking care of their daughter Grace, now a college student, no longer living at home and an estranged relationship with Richard. Karina has never forgiven him and almost is to the point of hating him... and then she finds out that Richard has ALS. The paralysis starts in his right hand, and he knows his days of being able to play piano are numbered. Richard hides himself away until Karina tries to practice compassion. One thing is certain: Richard needs help and can't manage on his own. Karina decides to become his caregiver and Richard moves back home. This story is about a broken family coming together to help one in need and learning to say goodbye. 

Again, I love Lisa Genova. So far, I read Left Neglected and OF COURSE Still Alice. I adored both. This one was harder for me to get into, I couldn't relate to the characters, and I'm sorry... Richard is not a good character. Of course you feel sympathy for him, but prior to his illness he was just an egotistical man that only ever cared about himself. And even when he's sick he's the same way. And I have had a life-threatening illness (not terminal... but still) and while It's easy to only think of yourself and of course there will be times like that, for me there were equal times where I felt sorry for my family and friends that felt like they had to drop everything and be there. This is his EX-WIFE, who he was as horrible in marriage as he is to her afterwards, even though she offered to take care of everything. 

Even Karina, despite the fact that she is so kind to take care of Richard, is not relatable to me and is unlikable... Maybe it's because I'm not a musician? Not sure. Actually, it's interesting how Genova's characters that are caregivers are unlikable... the husband in Still Alice made me angry. I get it, caregivers go through a lot of their own personal issues when a family member is sick. But Karina just seemed kind of detached from it all and doesn't really have a conversation with Richard ever to the point where they can both bury the hatchet and it's upsetting. 

Also Karina was bitter and angry for years and didn't do anything to help her situation and then she feels bad and pulls him back home. 

But ok. Rant over. Truthfully I read the book in 24 hours and it definitely bring awareness to this illness, which isn't well-known. You can see Richard's illness progression and his awareness of it all and what he is no longer able to do and what he soon will not be able to do. You can imagine emotions you may have if you saw all of this happening and were powerless to stop it. And you can see the personalities and mannerisms of the doctors and you can see how important the relationships between patients and healthcare professionals are. Lisa Genova is amazing for the fact that she puts so much time and research into creating her stories and characters... and while they are fictional, they have a lot of truth to them because real people have gone through what these characters are. And it's a good reminder to not take things for granted. 

I love how Lisa Genova has clear calls to action at the end of her books. In fact, the books themselves are almost calls to action. Lisa tells readers where they can learn more and how they can help and it's very powerful and I admire her for that. Now I have to read her other books!

[books-tea-and-blankets]

Reading challenge 2018

34. An American Marriage - Tayari Jones

Genre: drama, cultural

In a nutshell: Newlyweds Roy and Celestial are torn apart when Roy is arrested and put away for longer than the couple have spent together and the strength of their marriage and characters are put into question. 

Recommendation: I'm glad I read it so you probably will be too if you're looking for a deep story with complex situations and characters. 

Rating: 

I read this book mostly because it's on Oprah's Reading List and has gotten a lot of praise. It was good... to be honest I was at a toss up between a rating of 3.5 and 4 due to the somewhat predictability of the situation, but then I acknowledged that the relationship between Roy and Celestial wasn't the entire point of the story. It's deeper and more complicated than that. 

“A marriage is more than your heart, it's your life. And we are not sharing ours.” 

Roy, a young, ambitious executive and Celestial, a talented artist whose canvas is the creation of dolls are newlyweds just settling into their new life together. They may have their disagreements, between Roy having difficulty transitioning from eligible and desirable bachelor to Celestial's rocky relationship with her new mother-in-law, but they are trying. The strength of their marriage is tested even more when Ray is arrested for a crime he says he didn't commit and he is sentenced to 12 years in prison. With time, Celestial turns to Andre, a childhood friend and the best man at the couple's wedding for comfort, which inevitably becomes deeper. Five years after his incarceration, Roy is to be released. He is about to see the state of his family, his marriage, and his life in general. 

I was instantly drawn in to Roy and Celestial's relationship... mostly the dynamics, their trials and tribulations. And with what happens, you can't blame Roy or Celestial. You can understand Roy's anger at the entire situation, as he did nothing wrong yet he is paying the price. And you can understand Celestial growing inpatient. How do you keep a marriage sustained when you are separated by bars? 

One thing that's really interesting is the constant reminder of the fact that Roy has been away longer than the couple has been together. How do you sustain a relationship this precarious? 

On the other hand, it is difficult to relate to the characters. Roy loves Celestial, but at the same time looks at a "wife" as an object. He constantly uses the word "property" and "my" to describe Celestial when he's angry and it denotes the relationship to one of ownership and dominance rather than love. Celestial makes dolls and at times doesn't seem very connected to them as the business takes off and she just seems to do it because what else would she do? 

At times it is also predictable and you know the outcome. Which is why it gets four stars. 

But it's still a very good and thought-provoking read and I'm glad I read it!